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thee Reverend Axl Future

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Posts posted by thee Reverend Axl Future

    March 2022 Wrestling Discussion

    in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Casey said:

    The 80s sucked, and I will die on this hill, I don't care. Come at me brahs.

    Spoken like someone who was not around to enjoy the '80s, man.

    However, I peaked very early and it has been down hill ever since, so take it all with a grain of salt.

    Wrestling in the '80s was great for me because I was seeing everything with fresh eyes, and I will stack the good NWA TV on TBS against any product from anywhere/when else.

    Casey, are you another 1997 mark patron?

    • Like 1

    March 2022 Wrestling Discussion

    in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

    Posted

    8 hours ago, NoFistsJustFlips said:

    1997 is the best year in the history of wrestling. WWE digging it's self out of the Doink / TL Hopper / Duke The Dumpster era with the excellent Bret Hart anti USA stuff. Nitro hitting it's stride with dope cruiserweights and the Sting / nWo story. ECW stirring shit up with Sabu & RVD & Sandman & Taz.

    Maybe it's nostalgia but fuck man... is 1997 the greatest year ever for US pro wrestling??? By the way, I won't accept no for an answer lol.

    NO (no backsies)

    I respectfully disagree, but I would have to cite the cop-out/truth of subjectivity. The really really best pro wrestling, meaning the stuff that you love as a maven*, is the wrestling that get an emotional reaction from you and has real resonance. This is often the wrestling you watched as a kid, when you were more emotional and the intellectual weight of being smartened up hadn't sunk in, or from a period when you have positive memories, perhaps when you were watching with friends and/or family. This is usually in addition to your judgement of "good" wrestling. Hey, I see a lot of posters with otherwise good taste defending the matches of filks like  The Ultimate Warrior and such without irony or embarrassment. 

    1997 was a pivotal and exciting year for rassling, to be sure. For me, I really dig 1985-86: Horsemen in a groove, the territories hustling to keep up with a rapacious WWF, uncertainty in the future landscape, JCP supershows, Savage waking up the WWF, The War to Settle the Score -  or maybe 1995: rise of ECW, tape trading making feds from around the world available, lucha is super hot, Japanese deathmatch excess, fusion workers incorporating separate styles into what would become the modern over the top standard. I think the ring work from those two years is superior to the output from your fave, and I have a lot of fun memories of wrestling from then but as I said, it's subjective.

    I will give you the WCW cruiserweights as a shining star in any timeframe.

    *As in a fan who is also a connoisseur, not the schmendrick** who eliminated The Undertaker.

    **Not to be confused with Thee Brian Kendrick, an excellent worker who may or may not be cancelled here on thee DVDVR, I can't tell anymore.

    • Like 4

    INDY WRESTLING THREAD~

    in FEDS JUST TRYING TO MAKE A BUCK

    Posted

    Oh, RF you carny catamite, you got me again. The first Battlegrounds was a dreary ECW nostalgia paint-by-numbers, but the second one was shockingly one of the best cards I have been to in a decade, for star power, match quality and booking. But the third one - ah yes, I knew but I didn't pay attention to the Little Promoter In My Head - with a main event of Bully Ray vs. Atsushi Onita, how could it go wrong?

    Shut your smark hole, I tried to stay away, but I COULD NOT!!! (weeps workshoot tears)

    Anyway, back to the 2300 Arena with the usual gang of ne'er-do-wells that I call my chums. It's about 2/3 full with much fewer vendors. Mr. Liar had some nice looking T shirts but RAF does not do $30 schmattas, Asian Superstar or not, let's see how Great it is, Nita....

    I feel compelled to run down the whole card because why should I be the only one to suffer? The opener was Ray Jaz (?) over Bull James (I like) and Rich Swann (always festive). Who was that kid? Short.

    In the tradition of salty contrary outsider underdog smart ECW/Philly crowds capitulating and cheering the lamest gimmick workers that have been on their TVs for even a second, Eugene (yes, that one) came out to a thunderously happy reaction. He worked Dark STG (what?), a muscle boy in (admittedly sharp) corpsepaint. I think he was there at the last show. Eugene worked like late era Bugsy McGraw but no aviator helmet or Curly Shuffle. Too bad. Dark had one of my indie sources of hatred: the useless manager. This was some shlub decked out in a Hot Topic suit with a book, a rose, claw gloves, bad posture and a look of bewilderment. I started drinking and such.

    Wrecking Ball Legursky in so very over with this crowd. Good for him. Alec Odin went from being managed by Raven in the featured feud to this. My gang agreed that Odin was the most popular AND worst name for a pit bull. This guy was like a 11 year old's first Make-A-Wrestler attempt on his new PlayStation game.

    Tony Nese v. KC Navarro should have been better, but the blackness was creeping over my soul. It clumsily led into the next match of Brian Cage v. Buddy Matthews (whom you all know I am a mark for) but even the drunken Philly abnormals were strangely silent for this. My mood permeated the arena. There was shenanigans to set up a tag nmext time. Argh.

    At intermission I noticed that two refs were selling merch. I felt further disconnection.

    Traxx (the 40 year old student in swimwear from the last card) faced Onita's dojo boy, Super Leather who was neither scary nor scary's opposite (endearing?). His entrance music was "Kickstart My Heart" by MCrue. Maybe it's a Japan thing? This was painful. I self medicated.

    The Beastman, a local fave and fine big man worker faced Afa, Jr. who is my age. Points off in my book for choosing thee gangster groove musical option as opposed to the tribal Polynesian drum style (or even John Carpenter). Zombie Rent Boy STG came out for a needless distraction finish. Passable.

    Mariah May, in her alleged debut, went over Lady Frost (another fave of mine). MM had impressive heel charisma despite a generic rich girl snob influencer gimmick. Keep your eyes peeled for this one, fans. The ladies had a chance to steal the show but we were all doomed, doomed I tells ya.

    I would be the first one in line to bag on Bully Ray but he really tried his darnedest to make this work. Thank you, sir. Onita came out as The Great Nita so I did not even get the cigarette insouciance entrance. However, BR did that, w/'Wild Thing" (inferior JJ version) as well as facepaint, so we were confused. There was plunder set up (cancelled(?) local G-Raver doing the set-up duty, FUCK YOU RF) but the PA commission sez no blood, no fighting in the crowd and no glass and such so what was the point of all this? Here was Battleground Championship Wrestling's solution - use the RED mist liberally, that'll fool/appease these goobers, right? I may be a goober but I was neither fooled nor appeased. Onita did no selling, he did not change his open-mouthed jowly facial expression, he did not back bump and, crime of crimes, he did not bother to hide his "loading up" of the RED mist, he just chucked them in there like so many shinobi gummis. Screw you too, Mr. Liar, and/or screw me as well. I know that the REAL Mist Users store it in a pouch in their throats; at least Mr. Ray did the "cocking the trachea" motion before he spewed. Super leather ran out, then the Uber skeleton of Sandman, then Sabu from the gimmick table. A message to Sabu - I appreciate the headdress, and you can wear whatever you want when selling merch, but could you be chuffed to take off the puffy sneakers, Old Navy cargo shorts and Judas Priest shirt for some ringwear - for me? Post match AO got the mic (and the "what?" treatment from the rapidly exiting crowd) and did the slaps of respect but refection of Bully Ray to call out Sabu for a match at the Tokyo Dome. Think big, my man. 

    Wrestling is like pizza; I enjoy it even when it is bad, especially when I am with my pals. This was rough, however. See what I do for y'all?

    "Dream baby dream
    Oh baby, you gotta keep those dreams burnin'
    Keep them dream burnin' forever.
    Dream baby dream,
    Dream baby dream,
    Dream baby dream,
    Dream baby dream,
    Dream baby, dream baby,
    Dream baby, dream baby,
    Dream baby, dream baby dream."

    Suicide, "Dream Baby Dream" by Alan Vega RIP

    • Like 4
    • Thanks 3

    March 2022 Wrestling Discussion

    in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

    Posted

    One of the few things in this grim version of reality that makes RAF giddy is old (circa 1966-1985 preferably) wrestling magazines. i love 'em. Recently I was gifted a few, and also won a shockingly reasonable eBay auction (I refuse to pay more than $3@): I am in heaven. I just discovered that a really good time frame for my reading enjoyment is that 3 month publishing delay between Hulk Hogan returning to the AWA from Japan and quickly jumping to the WWF - so say, an Inside Wrestling with a cover date of March '84 is still reporting on how HH is going to unseat Bockwinkel because The Fans Demand It, but meanwhile the face, future, direction and reality of pro wrestling has changed forever. It's like a document for an alternate universe. The mags often have an element of innocence to them, in maintaining the kay fabes, but this is almost poignant. Damn, I love these things - now I am going to read "Johnny Powers - Is His Middle Name Violence?" and "The Night The Sheik Burned A Young REFEREE!!!". I am always learning...

    • Like 16

    March 2022 Wrestling Discussion

    in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

    Posted

    The new Esquire magazine (Jake Gyllenhaal cover) has an outstanding article about and with Mr. CM Punk.

    https://www.esquire.com/sports/a39008053/cm-punk-aew-profile/

    Very worth the read. Often pieces about wrestlers and wrestling aimed for non-fans are far more informative and insightful; Michael Avedon pics too. If you had told me about this 20+ years ago when I worked him at The Brat Stop in WI we both would have laughed and laughed (maybe for different reasons).

    When you get old, you get free magazine subscriptions - one of the few benefits.

    • Like 7

    Wrestling Machine vs Wrestling Machine

    in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

    Posted

    On 3/20/2022 at 9:57 AM, Matt D said:

    I have gifs to come on this one and we'll post the whole match at SC on Tuesday night, but check out the one minute of Mantopolous doing his thing:

     

    Hey Matt D, I just got to watch (via the Philly Psychotronic Film Society) (finally after reading about it for many years) the crazy arthouse cult nutso movie "Mr. Freedom". It's kinda "El Topo" & "Peacemaker" & Bread and Puppet Theater & "Putney Swope" all mixed up in a French manner. Anyway, it's from 1968 and there are 5 or so burly French workers in it, in singlets, and in the mob fight scene they are definitely 'working'. Have you seen this? Check out the IMDb entry. Serge Gainsbourg as Mr. Drugstore! Yves Montaud as Captain Formidable! Donald Pleasance! Simone Signoret! It's a gas.

    • Like 1

    For the BLOOD SUCKING FREAKS~!

    in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

    Posted

    10 hours ago, AxB said:

    The full title of the show was "Tremont's Science behind the Violence". H2O isn't a "nothing but death matches" promotion, they have workers who can do mat wrestling too. Matt Tremont is a really good trainer, arguably he'll go down in history as being more important as a trainer than a wrestler.

    Thank you. I have seen some H2Os live, and been to a few On Point Wrestling shows and the like. Who has Tremont trained? I know he was working with the CZW OVW/NXT-type student leagues.

    Wrestling Machine vs Wrestling Machine

    in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

    Posted

    The above is akin to one of my fave rave top 30 bestest ever matches, BWindham vs. DRhodes GAB 1988, for it's sheer undiluted clawholdiness. And if by machine, you mean intelligent machines conserving their batteries and still getting over, Ima post it here:

    Goddamn, Barry with JJ is great. He has always been appreciated in my Temple, but Dillion's stock has risen greatly in the past year due to my choices of rassling to watch on thee interWebs. James Julius Casar Dillion: #1 Manager Of The Pandemic?

    • Like 3

    YOUR ALL-NEW WRESTLING BOOK THREAD

    in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

    Posted · Edited by thee Reverend Axl Future
    I am a busy man, who has time to spellcheck? Actually, I have nothing but time...

    Has the Mad Man Pondo book been mentioned on here? Anyway, I axed for it for Jeebus' B'day #1 from my Amazon listee, and there it was. I just read it and it was light but fun. Pondo is a sweetheart, and don't believe the trope that all deathmatch peoples are gentle intelligent humorous humanitarians - there are plenty of jag-offs. However, Mr. P is just that trope: generous, humble, funny, and smart. More of a collection of anecdotes in MMP's voice, as well as many others giving their input as well, oral history style. Yet another rassling book where I am not mentioned by name but I was in the room for a few of the selected happenings. Huh. Cool cover, too.

    web-pondo.jpg?fit=968,928&ssl=1

    • Like 2

    March 2022 Wrestling Discussion

    in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

    Posted

    I think I read 4 pages without comprehending a word because I could not believe that folks named DiBiase, Roberts and Rude for their least memorable workers. I don't want it to be my only gimmick, but y'all make me feel OLD. Watch any of those ICON's matches (or especially feuds) BEFORE the WWF and you will learn. Dibiase was over and a workhorse, Roberts was a master of psychology as heel or babyface or tweener, and Rude -- well, he did cruise on charisma, style and a finisher there for a bit, but the man could work and had presence, especially live.

    Now I like Mike Rotundo but I will not dispute his pick for some. He is of that class of workers that it wasn't that "you had to see his early stuff", it's more that he was more effective, I believe (esp. as a babyface), when he was younger. He grew up, and never really evoved. A young'un who uses veteran moves (the whole technical amateur wrestler gimmick) is great, a vet who wrestles like a vet irregardless of most-recent-gimmick is less charming. The man could go, tho'.

    As a passionate human, there are not too many wrestlers that I don't have a bit of a reaction to, but I would be hard-pressed to recall when Slick, Axl Rotten, Gangrel, Teijo Khan, or Warlord stirred a feeling from me.

    However, for workers that delight & inspire & enervate me, I can rattle off many, and then be overwhelmed with regret an minute/hour/day/week later at the many I forgot:

    The Sheepherders

    Kevin Sullivan

    Capt. Lou

    The Grand Wizard

    Fred Blassie

    Stevie Richards

    Horsemen Era Ric Flair

    Terry Funk

    Mike Jackson

    Eddie Guerrero

    Jimmy Valiant

    Sabu

    Buxx Belmar

    Perry Saturn

    Patti Pep

    Big Van Vader

    Midnight Express (any iteration, bonus points for JC)

    Oleg the Usurper

    Mike Jackson

    The Great Kabuki w/Gary Hart

    Claudio Castagnoli

    Cactus Jack

    Tully Blanchard w/JJ Dillion

    Ron Bass w/JJ Dillion

    Muta (esp. in the USA)

    Tajiri

    The Wild Samoans

    Umaga

    ... I could go on ...

    • Like 6

    March 2022 Wrestling GIFS and Pics

    in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

    Posted

    3 hours ago, The Batboy said:

    This is phenomenally sleazy even by the standards of 70's wrestling mags. Bravo.

    "AT 10 YEARS OLD HE LEARNED TO THROW FIRE"!!

    "HIS LAST 200 YARDS OF AGONY"!!!!

    "MYSTERIOUS BLEEDER"!!!!!!!!

    "MIL MASCARAS EXPOSES KUNG FU EXPERTS"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    but you had me at "SPECIAL APARTMENT HOUSE MIXED MATCH CHAMPIONSHIP"

    • Like 4
    • Haha 3

    For the BLOOD SUCKING FREAKS~!

    in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

    Posted

    On 3/7/2022 at 8:01 PM, DEAN said:

    This showed up in my YouTube feed.  This match is fucking awesome, mostly because it's fuckin Barry Windham but Cowboy Ron Bass is good in this too.  The Point Of Blood is at 12:55 and it SOOOO old school.  Bass run Windham's head into the ring post.  You will fight back tears from the artistic beauty.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYBM5CPivQs

    Thank you for this, Mr. D. Spoiler for potty mouth:

    Spoiler

    Fuckin' RON BASS. Fuckin' BARRY WINDHAM. Fuckin' GORDON SOLIE. Fucking FLORIDA RASSLING, son. Fucking "A".

     

    • Thanks 1

    Cutting A Fucking Promo 101 Revisited

    in The PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING

    Posted

    Another cosmically shite day today but it's always this, kiddies: you can laugh or cry, so boot up some rasslin' promos and laugh and learn and live again ---

    Best Angle Ever? It is surely in the running in the RAF domain. How about some more old time religion in your grappling:

    Based on true events, no less. Capt. Lou is like a religion to me, so here thee Man is, laying it down:

    And another thing that makes RAF happy in this fractious age, when the bitch Lady Luck turns her face, is when all the heels are pals and hang out and support each other. I love that. Take it away, Messrs. Hart & Piper:

    I feel better now.

    • Like 2
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