July 2024 Wrestling Talk

[Elsalvajeloco]

1 hour ago, zendragon said:

I never had an issue with him calling FNF, I quite liked the pairing of him and Atlas. No idea how that work would translate to WWE unless he's secretly a fan.

Never been able to stand Mauro calling anything. He always has his volume turned up to 11 so its where do you go?

Tessitore was fine with Teddy cause Teddy Atlas is a gimmick but an extremely passionate gimmick. He's a way more likeable Joe Rogan in terms of what he offers to color on the broadcast. Plus, IIRC, Tessitore and Atlas did it for eight or nine years before the series was done. So they had developed some sort of chemistry much like Atlas had with Bob Papa. So depending on when you watched, that was your era of Friday Night Fights.

Mauro had gotten considerably more tolerable on the boxing side. Maybe cause he's just being doing it forever now, and there really isn't a defacto number 1 guy anymore with Lampley being retired.

[dogwelder]

I will still maintain that Tessitore's best work is being a straight man to Rob Riggle on Holey Moley.

[Cobra Commander]

Since the WWE vault posted Morishima tryout matches. Here’s some dark matches that may or may not be in their vault. Some of which have probably already been released.

WWF @ Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena – July 9, 2001: AJ Styles pinned Rick Michaels at 4:27 with the Shooting Star Press

WWF @ Kansas City, MO – Kemper Arena – October 22, 2001: Billy Gunn pinned Brock Lesnar with the Fameasser

WWF @ Cincinnati, OH – Firstar Center – October 30, 2001: Mike Awesome pinned Shelton Benjamin with the running Awesome Bomb

WWF @ Oklahoma City, OK – November 26, 2001: The Acolytes defeated Brock Lesnar & Ron Waterman when Bradshaw pinned Waterman with the Clothesline from Hell; the Acolytes played the heels for the contest as they were anti-Oklahoma before and after the contest
Billy Gunn & Chuck Palumbo defeated Rico Constantino & Randy Orton after Rico sustained the Fameasser

[Elsalvajeloco]

The Hey EW episode with Taz from a couple years ago popped into my feed over the weekend. RJ brought up how Taz lost two tryout matches to Jim Powers, which Taz apparently totally forgot happened. Must be PSTD.

[Cobra Commander]

One extra thing I didn’t note on my typing about a 1989 Memphis episode, you know who early Dustin Rhodes reminds me of in the ring? Barry Windham.

Which I’m sure is a comparison everybody else noticed by 1992 at the latest

[Elsalvajeloco]

You can do worse. I mean in terms of body type, that's probably the way to go.

It's crazy though. 1992 Dustin Rhodes is able to have long matches whereas a guy with the same frame and probably similar athleticism and experience in Erik Watts still looks like a relative novice at the same time. That said, in my 1995 rewatch, Tekno Team 2000 Erik Watts is way more comfortable in the ring than Master of the STF Erik Watts from two or three years earlier. It's evident the learning curve in pro wrestling isn't the same all the way around.

[Stefanie Sparkleface]

13 minutes ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

You can do worse. I mean in terms of body type, that's probably the way to go.

It's crazy though. 1992 Dustin Rhodes is able to have long matches whereas a guy with the same frame and probably similar athleticism and experience in Erik Watts still looks like a relative novice at the same time. That said, in my 1995 rewatch, Tekno Team 2000 Erik Watts is way more comfortable in the ring than Master of the STF Erik Watts from two or three years earlier. It's evident the learning curve in pro wrestling isn't the same all the way around.

Dustin Rhodes started in 1988, so where he was in 1992 is where Erik Watts would have been in 1995. Look up Dustin's 1990 match in All Japan against Davey Boy Smith and there's your 1992 Erik Watts comparison.

[Cobra Commander]

1 hour ago, Elsalvajeloco said:

You can do worse. I mean in terms of body type, that's probably the way to go.

It's crazy though. 1992 Dustin Rhodes is able to have long matches whereas a guy with the same frame and probably similar athleticism and experience in Erik Watts still looks like a relative novice at the same time. That said, in my 1995 rewatch, Tekno Team 2000 Erik Watts is way more comfortable in the ring than Master of the STF Erik Watts from two or three years earlier. It's evident the learning curve in pro wrestling isn't the same all the way around.

Gotta imagine that working for your dad when your dad is Bill Watts is gonna be a rough ride

[porksweats]

2 hours ago, Cobra Commander said:

Since the WWE vault posted Morishima tryout matches. Here’s some dark matches that may or may not be in their vault. Some of which have probably already been released.

WWF @ Atlanta, GA – Philips Arena – July 9, 2001: AJ Styles pinned Rick Michaels at 4:27 with the Shooting Star Press

WWF @ Kansas City, MO – Kemper Arena – October 22, 2001: Billy Gunn pinned Brock Lesnar with the Fameasser

WWF @ Cincinnati, OH – Firstar Center – October 30, 2001: Mike Awesome pinned Shelton Benjamin with the running Awesome Bomb

WWF @ Oklahoma City, OK – November 26, 2001: The Acolytes defeated Brock Lesnar & Ron Waterman when Bradshaw pinned Waterman with the Clothesline from Hell; the Acolytes played the heels for the contest as they were anti-Oklahoma before and after the contest
Billy Gunn & Chuck Palumbo defeated Rico Constantino & Randy Orton after Rico sustained the Fameasser

We don't have the full match of the Acolytes/Lesnar & Waterman but we do have the end of their match in January 2002

 

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

Edited July 9, 2024 by porksweats

[J.H.]

27 minutes ago, Cobra Commander said:

Gotta imagine that working for your dad when your dad is Bill Watts is gonna be a rough ride

I do not imagine Papa Watts being easy to please no matter how you slice it. I can imagine poor Erik asking Bill "How'd I do daddy" with replying "Joel edits footage better than you wrestle!"

James

[Elsalvajeloco]

2 minutes ago, J.H. said:

I do not imagine Papa Watts being easy to please no matter how you slice it. I can imagine poor Erik asking Bill "How'd I do daddy" with replying "Joel edits footage better than you wrestle!"

James

According to Shane Douglas, there was an incident where Erik didn't sell something right or at least in the eyes of Cowboy. Once Erik came backstage, Bill went up to him and I believe slapped the everloving shit out of him causing Erik to look bewildered his dad would have the temerity to do that. Bill then said, "Now that's how you sell a punch."

[odessasteps]

13 minutes ago, J.H. said:

I do not imagine Papa Watts being easy to please no matter how you slice it. I can imagine poor Erik asking Bill "How'd I do daddy" with replying "Joel edits footage better than you wrestle!"

James

At least until Joel went to work for Vince, 

[RazorbladeKiss87]

On 7/8/2024 at 6:55 PM, J.H. said:

I was working at Marvel during the Hogan/Flair series. Even with free comics that recession had me cut back my monthly MSG shows. Welll... in hindsight that had more to do with visits to Show World*

*if you aren't from the greater NY Tri-State area, I do not expect you to know what Show World was... but I'm sure you can figure it out

James

As a born too late sleaze fan, I'm very jealous. 

[Cobra Commander]

48 minutes ago, porksweats said:

We don't have the full match of the Acolytes/Lesnar & Waterman but we do have the end of their match in January 2002

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

Bradshaw being so Texan that the APA are the heels is some stellar work. 

Not sure if Ron Simmons could be a heel in Oklahoma on the premise that he was on the Noles during two Sooners/Seminoles Orange Bowls, mostly because the Sooners won those games.

[Cobra Commander]

I’m guessing an urn filled with Terry Funk’s ashes will be the third man for Team Dory

or if that's too tasteless.. Hulk Hogan is the third man so we can get Onita vs Hogan in a death match

Edited July 10, 2024 by Cobra Commander

[Cobra Commander]

After seeing the photo of CM Punk and Arnold, I wonder how many wrestling promotions would have loved to have a photo of one of their stars looking larger than 1980s Arnold.

Punk will just have to settle for having larger arms than 2020s Arnold

[odessasteps]

1 hour ago, Cobra Commander said:

Bradshaw being so Texan that the APA are the heels is some stellar work. 

Not sure if Ron Simmons could be a heel in Oklahoma on the premise that he was on the Noles during two Sooners/Seminoles Orange Bowls, mostly because the Sooners won those games.

“We all know that Oklahoma cheated to win those games and Bobby Bowden is a much better coach than Barry Switzer.”

Imagine if they had footage of Ron going against Dr Death.

[Cobra Commander]

Switzer would be a pretty solid wrestling personality when it comes to CFB coaches. Spurrier too.

Watching the Morishima tryout matches

1) I'm feeling the "Brock Lesnar reacting to seeing Keith Lee" gif when I see how huge Morishima was at this time

2) Imagine the world where Morishima is 1/3rd of the 3 Man Band group. For all the comparisons to Stan Hansen, he's really more of a Terry Gordy

[BloodyChamp]

John McKay would have been a GOAT wrestling personality and Bobby Bowden is on the ballot with John Madden and George Foreman for GOAT loveable goofs who are really geniuses and alltime great commercial pitch men. He could have been number 2 alltime behind Madden had he not chose to stay local. 

Edited July 10, 2024 by BloodyChamp

[zendragon]

You ever stop and think how terrible Tony Atlas would have been at intergender wrestling?

[The Natural]

3 minutes ago, zendragon said:

You ever stop and think how terrible Tony Atlas would have been at intergender wrestling?

Not until you brought it up!

[twiztor]

16 hours ago, Cobra Commander said:

Since the WWE vault posted Morishima tryout matches. Here’s some dark matches that may or may not be in their vault. Some of which have probably already been released.

this one's obviously been mentioned before, but i think it merits another say:

WWF @ Johnstown, PA – Cambria County War Memorial – June 7, 1995: WWF Tag Team Champion Owen Hart pinned Chris Benoit at 10:14 after blocking Benoit’s victory roll attempt
(this was a Wrestling Challenge taping, so footage likely exists)

did WWF ever show a match of Shawn Daivari using his Magic Carpet top rope splash as a finish? i saw him in a dark match back in '03 or '04 or something. The crowd popped for that. I was surprised when he debuted as just a manager and never used that move.

[Death From Above]

13 hours ago, Cobra Commander said:

I’m guessing an urn filled with Terry Funk’s ashes will be the third man for Team Dory

or if that's too tasteless.. Hulk Hogan is the third man so we can get Onita vs Hogan in a death match

Jesus, Dory is 83 

[Elsalvajeloco]

1 hour ago, twiztor said:

this one's obviously been mentioned before, but i think it merits another say:

WWF @ Johnstown, PA – Cambria County War Memorial – June 7, 1995: WWF Tag Team Champion Owen Hart pinned Chris Benoit at 10:14 after blocking Benoit’s victory roll attempt
(this was a Wrestling Challenge taping, so footage likely exists)

did WWF ever show a match of Shawn Daivari using his Magic Carpet top rope splash as a finish? i saw him in a dark match back in '03 or '04 or something. The crowd popped for that. I was surprised when he debuted as just a manager and never used that move.

Okay, so I just made it to the end of this taping cycle a couple weeks ago with the last show airing the same day as King of the Ring 1995. Yeah, having listened to the STW episode for KotR and also reading bits and pieces from the Observer, it's hard to believe Benoit didn't make it in due to height and size. Maybe Benoit didn't want to give up his Japanese commitments or something. The WWF roster in June 1995 was probably the worst it's been post going national. It needs a few more workhorses to carry the load. They had just starting cooling on Hakushi a bit by this time, but they also had Rad Radford and Candido just started as Skip. 1-2-3 Kid had just come back from one of his many injuries. The super push for babyface Shawn Michaels had just started. Those guys are around the same size as Benoit. If he was working Owen, they could have botched 50% of their offense and still had a better match than 75% of the roster. Hell, Spivey just started as Waylon Mercy. He's barely mobile. How do you come away from what's been going on the last several months (late 94 to the end of the first half of 95) and not sign Benoit? I believe Dustin Rhodes is about to come in shortly and get a big push. Rightly so cause this roster is terrible.

[AxB]

Stephanie Vacquer has left CMLL and NJPW, and has been stripped of her CMLL titles. Will not be appearing at Fantasticmania this weekend.

Edited July 10, 2024 by AxB
Added a picture innit?