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Your Wrestlers RIP Thread


Pete

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3 hours ago, Evil Otto said:

It's interesting, I was just going to post almost the exact same thing word for word:  1984 was my first year as a fan, also watching the MSG network over in New Jersey, etc; although slightly different in a way, as it was Adonis/Murdoch defeating the Soul Patrol for the tag belts and how tragically unfair I thought it was (kudos to Adonis & Murdoch for making me feel that way) that probably locked me into wrestling permanently.  But this match (and the tag match you mentioned) capped off that year wonderfully, as it felt like it was from another planet.  I watched it over and over, and spent years hoping to see matches like it, and while the Harts and Bulldogs soon after could hit on it at times, this match still had a magical quality to it for me for a long time.  Rocco as Black Tiger is terrific in this match, so speedy, so crisp, and subtly mean-spirited at times.   Last but certainly not least, it's an almost perfect example of how to completely win a tough crowd over.  It won me over for sure.  Thank you, Mark Rocco.  RIP.  

For reference, here's the entire card. Get a load of the match placement for this.

1. Brutus Beefcake defeated S.D. Jones (13:22 minutes)
2. Salvatore Bellomo defeated Johnny Rodz (5:36 minutes)
3. Antonio Inoki defeated David Schultz (5:16 minutes)
4. Junkyard Dog defeated Paul Kelly (3:05 minutes)
5. WWF Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Cobra defeated Black Tiger (12:29 minutes) - TITLE CHANGE!!!
6. Roddy Piper and Bob Orton Jr. vs. Jimmy Snuka and The Tonga Kid ended without a winner as a double disqualification (14:58 minutes)
7. Mike Rotunda defeated Rene Goulet (10:38 minutes)
8. WWF World Tag Team Titles Match: North-South Connection [2] (Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch) (c) vs. Jack Brisco and Jerry Brisco ended without a winner as a double countout (26:46 minutes)
9. Barry Windham defeated Mr. Fuji (0:19 minutes)
10. WWF World Heavyweight Title Match: Hulk Hogan (c) defeated The Iron Sheik (3:31 minutes)

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16 minutes ago, Curt McGirt said:

Talk about a heat killer. 

Fuck, they only had Hogan and Shieky Baby go THREE MINUTES? Guess who wanted the night off. 

Between Hogan and Shieky Baby, you know who didn't get the night off?

Yup...Cocaine

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7 hours ago, Pete said:

For reference, here's the entire card. Get a load of the match placement for this.

1. Brutus Beefcake defeated S.D. Jones (13:22 minutes)
2. Salvatore Bellomo defeated Johnny Rodz (5:36 minutes)
3. Antonio Inoki defeated David Schultz (5:16 minutes)
4. Junkyard Dog defeated Paul Kelly (3:05 minutes)
5. WWF Junior Heavyweight Title Match: Cobra defeated Black Tiger (12:29 minutes) - TITLE CHANGE!!!
6. Roddy Piper and Bob Orton Jr. vs. Jimmy Snuka and The Tonga Kid ended without a winner as a double disqualification (14:58 minutes)
7. Mike Rotunda defeated Rene Goulet (10:38 minutes)
8. WWF World Tag Team Titles Match: North-South Connection [2] (Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch) (c) vs. Jack Brisco and Jerry Brisco ended without a winner as a double countout (26:46 minutes)
9. Barry Windham defeated Mr. Fuji (0:19 minutes)
10. WWF World Heavyweight Title Match: Hulk Hogan (c) defeated The Iron Sheik (3:31 minutes)

Pretty sure the last two matches went short because the tag match went MUCH longer than it was supposed to and MSG had a curfew.  A near 30 minute WWF match back then was almost unheard of.

This was also the show where David Schultz slapped the shit out of John Stossel backstage.

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I can verify the tag title match was indeed killer.  I'm also going to guess that it was the swan song for the Briscos, so they went long and extra crazy.  It's absolutely worth your time to seek it out.  

Yeah, historically speaking, this card was nuts.  The Stossel incident, a junior heavy match years ahead of its time (at least to American fans), super heated tag matches, Inoki, and Bellomo gets a victory!  On top of all that, if you can find the JYD-Paul Kelly squash, you'll lose your mind after seeing Kelly's bump from JYD's clothesline. BRUTAL.    

And, well, let's be honest...does anyone really want to watch Sheik and Hogan go long anyway?

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So sad about Rocco. I remember being a very young kid when World of Sport was a thing in the UK, and even at that tender age learning to discriminate between the terrible, obese bastards like Big Daddy and the glorious dick heels like Rocco and Finlay. Even while being incensed at their heeling you couldn't help but feel a far greater level of respect for them than for the fan-pandering main eventers. RIP, Rollerball.

Edited by No Point Stance
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7 hours ago, sydneybrown said:

Pretty sure the last two matches went short because the tag match went MUCH longer than it was supposed to and MSG had a curfew.  A near 30 minute WWF match back then was almost unheard of.

This was also the show where David Schultz slapped the shit out of John Stossel backstage.

 

6 hours ago, Evil Otto said:

Yeah, historically speaking, this card was nuts.  The Stossel incident, a junior heavy match years ahead of its time (at least to American fans), super heated tag matches, Inoki, and Bellomo gets a victory!  On top of all that, if you can find the JYD-Paul Kelly squash, you'll lose your mind after seeing Kelly's bump from JYD's clothesline. BRUTAL. 

In front of his parents! And don't forget:

(The cop running in was a shoot BTW. Bless his soul, he wasn't clued in on the angle.)

Probably one of the most important shows they ever ran in the pre-PPV days between the matches and the backstage shenanigans.

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11 hours ago, sydneybrown said:

Pretty sure the last two matches went short because the tag match went MUCH longer than it was supposed to and MSG had a curfew.  A near 30 minute WWF match back then was almost unheard of.

This was also the show where David Schultz slapped the shit out of John Stossel backstage.

If you've ever seen the original 20/20 segment report in full, Stossel mentions overhearing someone backstage mention the curfew note to Mr. Fuji and implies that something along the lines of "make it quick" was said to Fuji, and then Fuji losing in 19 seconds as additional proof that something might not be as it seems with this pro wrestling thing.

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10 hours ago, Evil Otto said:

I can verify the tag title match was indeed killer.  I'm also going to guess that it was the swan song for the Briscos, so they went long and extra crazy.  It's absolutely worth your time to seek it out.  

Yeah, historically speaking, this card was nuts.  The Stossel incident, a junior heavy match years ahead of its time (at least to American fans), super heated tag matches, Inoki, and Bellomo gets a victory!  On top of all that, if you can find the JYD-Paul Kelly squash, you'll lose your mind after seeing Kelly's bump from JYD's clothesline. BRUTAL.    

And, well, let's be honest...does anyone really want to watch Sheik and Hogan go long anyway?

The Hogan-Sheiky Baby match was always meant to go short that’s why it was last. The main selling point of this card is the Piper & Ace vs. Snuka & Tonga Kid match, that angle was so hot that they were able to have Hogan against a weaker opponent so they could save a stronger challenger for a future card. That type of thing happened a lot during Backlund’s run, put the hot angle in the pre-intermission main event slot then have Backlund vs someone like George Steele go on last and end in a quick dominant fashion. 

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A young RevAF was at this card. My memories of it are hazy and general, as in I remember the crappier matches overwhelming the fewer but far better ones. I do remember that angle, tho' - Piper was beloved of thee MSG punters, but by the loamy scent of Rabbie Burns' ghillie brogues, the man got major heat (also thanks to a classic Albano bump). Cards with Japanese stars and belts featured on them often had seemingly random matches; the ringside regulars knew these were being filmed for TV over there,  Therefore, very very few in attendance recognized Cobra or Black Tiger, but we knew their talent, RIP. MRR.

- RAF, auld

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On 8/1/2020 at 6:31 AM, Pete said:

 

In front of his parents! And don't forget:

(The cop running in was a shoot BTW. Bless his soul, he wasn't clued in on the angle.)

Probably one of the most important shows they ever ran in the pre-PPV days between the matches and the backstage shenanigans.

It was so important that Capt. Lou actually took a bump!

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More sad news as apparently Mitch Ryder passed away today.  Fans of the late 90s and 2000s of the IWA MS and Memphis area remember him as this old school brawler.  A third of the legendary Bad Mother Fuckers group with Todd Morton and Bull Pain.  Also worked in Chikara and was a mask vs hair feud with a very young Lince Dorado

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Aw fuck. I met Mitch a few times. He started up a promotion in southern Indiana promoting it as old school wrestling. I was working in news and talked my station into letting me do a story on it. He was so friendly and accommodating to me. 
 

Years later, we decide to have our living room painted. Someone at my wife’s job recommends a painter. He shows up for the estimate, and it’s Mitch! He seemed to be doing well with his painting business. I got to talk wrestling with him while he worked. 
 

The best part of him being at my house was how sweet he was to my daughter. She was really into NXT at that time and she thought Samoa Joe was the worst villain ever. She asked Mitch if he’d ever wrestled Joe. He broke right into his promo voice and said, “No darlin’, but If I ever do, I’ll whoop him real good for you!” She loved it. 
 

RIP Mitch. 

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He was a good guy to talk to at shows. I did an article on his promotion when I went to Louisville to see ovw and dcw one week. 

The funny thing about that show is that Hero and Sweeney and maybe Claudio were there and I think Hero recognized me as a front row Chikara regulsr and wondered what i was doing in Indiana. 

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7 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

He was a good guy to talk to at shows. I did an article on his promotion when I went to Louisville to see ovw and dcw one week. 

The funny thing about that show is that Hero and Sweeney and maybe Claudio were there and I think Hero recognized me as a front row Chikara regulsr and wondered what i was doing in Indiana. 

Did Claudio wrestle Zack Gowan on the show you went to?

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10 minutes ago, odessasteps said:

I dont recall. I think Sweeney either wrestled dundee or gypsy Joe. 

If Sweeney wrestler Dundee and the main was Mitch vs Todd Morton, then that was the show I shot for my story. 
 

I showed up early to interview Mitch. We’re in the ring doing the interview. Hero was setting up his merch table. Necro Butcher shows up with Ian Rotten  Necro was supposed to face Claudio on the show. So, we’re doing the interview and I hear a commotion. Hero and Necro are fighting.  I turn the camera on it thinking Mitch, being old school and all, has set up an angle just for my story!  I thought, “that’s brilliant!”  Nope. Mitch asks me to please not film that. It was a real fight. Necro got kicked off the show. I was disappointed not only because I thought I’d have some cool footage for my story, but also because I was stoked that I’d get to be shooting ringside for a Claudio/Necro match. 

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