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Hero image for On the Mat - 17 March 1981

Part one of two from this full length episode.

Part two of two from this full length episode.

The credits from this episode.

Part one of two from this full length episode.

Part two of two from this full length episode.

The credits from this episode.

On the Mat - 17 March 1981

Television (Full Length Episode) – 1981

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mat rad

8 Aug 2017 - 05.44pm

Lol ... Samoa Joes daughter ... your dad was funny as f***. My fav was when his manager, or the ring announcer would say "and now samoan joe would like to speak to the audience in his native tongue..." then joe would spout off about stuff in better english than most of the audience .... cracks me up just thinking about it.

9 Apr 2015 - 09.05am

Wow Don Mason what a revelation! Next you'll tell me Shortland Street isn't actually a documentary! Or that Thingy was just a puppet! Say it ain't so.

6 Apr 2015 - 10.39pm

I remember watching this stuff when I was a kid. Really silly but a lot of fun!

Neil Leathers

6 Apr 2015 - 07.34pm

Rest In Peace Steve Rickard.Your efforts for New Zealand will always be remembered.

6 Apr 2015 - 07.29pm

RIP Steve Rickard thanks for the years of great wrestling you bought to New Zealand

Don Mason

6 Apr 2015 - 06.39pm

Why does everyone ignore the elephant in the room? This was fake. Audiences were treated like idiots. The whole concept is nonsense ... What absolute rubbish.

24 Apr 2014 - 12.06am

Another good episode of On the Mat. Did they mention Bret Hart as in The Hitman? Mark Lewin was great. Samoan Joe was good.

Monique

20 Jul 2013 - 10.36pm

Am saddened there's not more episode left in the archives, my godfather, with whom I've recently reunited was known as " Tarzan Tyler" and later as "dr death", was hoping to see him in action. Unfortunately I can't even locate a photograph. Any photos or footage would be greatly appreciated. I expect it's a long shot, but any info please email me at momonique_simpson@yahoo.co.nz

Child of Wrestler

26 Jun 2012 - 02.22am

Lol at your comment Wayne Righton... You are spot on, Yes it's always only been about Steve Rickard!!

14 Jan 2012 - 02.14pm

Ronald Love, TVNZ have only a few full episodes left, they taped over them all many years ago, according to the last email I sent them about it.

Ronald Love

13 Jan 2012 - 07.50am

This is great, it would be awesome if TVNZ would re-run On The Mat!!! My step father (Jim Gray) worked for many years at the Hutt Park Hotel and is almost like a fourth son to Steve. Great wrestler and promoter!!!

27 Oct 2011 - 04.32pm

We used to shoot OTM in the Civic Teletheatre during the late 1970's. I used to do sound, the wrestlers were great but the audience used to scare me.

Wayne Righton

14 Aug 2011 - 09.50pm

How about footage of other top wrestlers like Bruno Bekkar,Cowboy Billy Wright,Mo Sakata ,Ricky Wallace ?Or is it just about Steve Rickard.

SamoanJoes Daughter.

12 Aug 2011 - 12.30pm

I am so overwhelmed that i have found my father's (Samoanjoe) video clip, at least one that i could show to the people at my dads 65th birthday next year! thankyou so much nzonscreen for posting the video up and also to the User on youtube, that advised me to search for it on here, please do leave it on here. One <3

30 Jul 2010 - 08.55pm

Great stuff! Good fun seeing these old shows i loved with the smaller studio audience, some of it pretty cheesy obviously but still more real wrestling skill than than WWE stuff we get nowadays. It would be great to see a compilation box set of a variety of wrestlers in action, minus those tedious intro/outro segments. Anyone from TVNZ out there listening? : )