In this WWE Superfan: The Story of Vladimir review, I share some thoughts on the long-awaited documentary from WWE on one of its most famous fans.
Let’s jump in.
- While the company dropped the ball by not releasing this when it was initially finished, at least they finally put it up on Peacock and the WWE Network. Better late than never, I suppose.
- Vladimir having a huge smile on his face standing in front of Madison Square Garden is just awesome. Keep in mind this was recorded in 2020 during the pandemic, so he points out how he misses the action since WWE was recording everything in the Thunderdome in Orlando.
- Charlie Adorno recalls the 1986 segment at MSG between Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff where Piper waives Vladimir into the ring. Piper asks Vladimir who he’d pick for Piper’s partner, and he screams HULK HOGAN to a huge ovation from the crowd.
- Drew McIntyre recalls being jealous of Vladimir because he thought he was part of the McMahon family or a friend of a wrestler. Sam Roberts says the biggest urban legend was that Vladimir was Vince McMahon’s personal trainer or bodyguard.
- The replay of Vladimir eating one of the legendary WWF ice cream bars in the front row is pure gold. Those were the best.
- Vladimir goes into his background, as he talks about how his mom was a single parent with six kids. He discusses how hard she worked and how he was always worried about her when he traveled. He went to work to support her. Vladimir recalls sneaking out to get tickets and how Superstar Billy Graham was his idol. Him recounting his first live experiences with WWE is something a lot of fans can relate to. There’s nothing like it.
- They go into the legacy of MSG and how it held all the biggest cards in the pre-PPV era. Hogan recalls Vladimir’s passion, and Jeff Jarrett echoes that. Vladimir tells the story of Big Show coming over to him and telling him to never stop doing what he’s doing. He recalls Sid and Shawn Michaels hugging him after matches and how that made him love WWE even more.
- Vladimir recounts all his memories of hanging out with wrestlers at the bar and seeing them. There’s also great footage of him at a Lex Luger rally and holding an umbrella over him while he walked since it was raining. What a guy. Vladimir decided that since he couldn’t become a wrestler, he’d become the greatest fan ever. This guy is the best.
- They show Vladimir being back in MSG and his happiness at a 2019 edition of Raw. We see a backstage interaction between him and Jarrett. Vladimir mentions that he looks forward to going to WrestleMania next year….which would turn out to be the 2020 one that was taped in the WWE Performance Center. He had already bought tickets before everything changed with the pandemic.
- Vladimir talks about losing some of his friends to COVID and how he needed hip surgery and was in rehab for six months. He also mentions that his mother had a fall and needed surgery, then he reveals that she passed away from COVID in April of 2020. Awful. He notes how his mother and wrestling have kept him alive and he wants both back. He also reveals that he tried to commit suicide three times after his mom passed away. Vladimir mentions that he’s in therapy and how much he wants to get back to a wrestling show.
- We see Vladimir in his apartment and his collection of wrestling memorability. He has some leftover Steve Austin beer cans, the Honky Tonk Man’s broken guitar, The Rockers’ shirts, and more. He also has an American flag from Hogan. Vladimir says he wouldn’t trade his wrestling collection for anything.
- Fast forward to December of 2020, and Vladimir gets a video message from Shawn Michaels, Jeff Jarrett, Sgt. Slaughter, and Hulk Hogan thanking him for supporting WWE. Michaels invites him to a show once fans return. Vladimir’s reaction is something here. The passion is unlike anything you’ll see. He notes he’s 62 but he’s like a kid when it comes to wrestling.
- We see Charlie and Vladimir traveling to Tampa for WrestleMania 37. He brings up how much he misses his mom as he enters the stadium. They also show footage of Vladimir backstage and his interactions with Kevin Owens, Drew McIntyre, Scott Hall, and Sean Waltman. Hall asks him if he’s on the payroll in a pretty funny moment. Damian Priest mentions that they’ve attended the same events and Vladimir hulks up a bit for the cameras. In comes Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, and Vladimir says he was shocked to see him. Triple H presents him with a WWE Superfan award in yet another emotional moment. Vladimir’s appreciation for the award is just awesome. He gets emotional thinking about his mom and how much he loves her.
- Vince welcomes everyone to WrestleMania 37, and Vladimir is loving it in the front row. Owens gives him a hug after his match and Vladimir says if you take wrestling away from him, he has no life. We see fans taking photos with Vladimir and how excited he gets. He says he’s part of the WWE family and that it’s a dream come true. Jarrett says Vladimir made the shows better with his passion.
BLAKE’S TAKE ON WWE SUPERFAN: THE STORY OF VLADIMIR
This was absolutely fantastic. Wrestling fans can get caught up in being “smart” in an era far removed from kayfabe, but Vladimir’s passion and enthusiasm can remind even the most jaded fan that there’s always an opportunity to fall in love with it again. It’s impossible to get through this without shedding a tear due to Vladimir’s struggles after his mother’s passing, and his overwhelming appreciation for a medium that has brought him so much joy. There is no higher recommendation for wrestling fans on what it means to be a wrestling fan than this documentary. Like Vladimir, it’s truly one of a kind.
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