#nwa worlds heavyweight champion

[mpwma]

🇺🇸🤼‍♂️ Big night for wrestling fans! 🤼‍♂️🇺🇸

Tonight, it's NWA Samhain 2023, and we've got a championship match that's got everyone talking! The reigning NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, the tremendous EC3, is putting his title on the line against the formidable Thom Latimer. This match is gonna be absolutely SPECTACULAR, folks! 💥🏆

And here's the best part: we've got you covered! We'll be covering all the action, so you won't miss a single moment of this thrilling championship clash on Make Pro Wrestling Majestic Again. Stay tuned and join us for the excitement. 📺👊

[baddawg94]

Ric Flair & his big gold

[kage-gfx]

PWI 500

#️⃣1️⃣3️⃣ Matt Cardona 🖕🏻

#️⃣1️⃣4️⃣ Josh Alexander 🇨🇦

#️⃣2️⃣3️⃣ Jay White 🇳🇿

Darius Carter 🎭

Shane Taylor Promotions ✊🏾

[siscosfavoritecomics]

The match is set for the @NWA Heavyweight Championship. Fatal Four Way between Nick Aldis, Trevor Murdoch, Thom Latimore and Sam Shaw. Winner gets the 10 Pounds of Gold!!!

#NWA #NationalWrestlingAlliance #AlwayzReady #NWAWorldHeavyweightChampion #NickAldis #TrevorMurdoch #ThomLatimer #SamuelShaw #ProWrestling #LuchaLibre #Poruresu #SiscosFavoriteComics

https://www.instagram.com/p/CesKd6mswsg/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[punk-rocking-rose]

so last night at wwe's survivor series ppv (sorry, ple) a HUGE pro wrestling legend made his return. one of my all time favorite pro wrestlers, a multi time champion who has been in the pro wrestling business for 20+ years. the FIRST EVER african american to win the NWA world heavy weight championship: R Truth.

now, in WWE R Truth has mostly been treated as a comedy wrestler, but he does have some serious achievements including being a 54-time 24/7 champion! he's also won the US, Intercontinental, Hardcore, and Tag Team championships.

putting his work in WWE aside, R Truth is still an accomplished wrestler. as stated, he was the first ever african american NWA world heavyweight champion. he's also a 3-time tag champion in TNA, as well as a 2 time world champion (with the NWA title in TNA)

R Truth deserves respect

[blowflyfag]

WRESTLING FURY: June 1989

PAUL E. DANGEROUSLY 

The Manager Fans Love To Hate

By Don Laible 

[The original Midnight Express are wreaking havoc in NWA rings everywhere.]

What a difference two years can make. It wasn’t too long ago that this Scarsdale, New York resident was juggling responsibilities as managing editor for several internationally recognized professional wrestling magazines. Always tagged as the ‘Boy Wonder’ who worked best under pressure, a career as a spokesman and manager to some of the most respectable grapplers seems to have been destined to Paul E. Dangerously. 

With the encouragement and support from key wrestling personnel and his family, Dangerously has become the top ‘mouthpiece’ in the sport today, at least he has according to this writer. As a result of his dedication and will to succeed in such a brutal game filled with more disappointments than highlights, Paul E. has overcome the biggest hurdle of them all–the rookie jinx. Dangerously has been riding high on victories and championships for two years now with no let up in sight. 

The weight that tipped the scale in favor of Dangerously giving him a shot at becoming a manager actually occurred several years back.It was the late Grand Wizard of Wrestling, one the sharpest dressers and smoothest talking men among the managerial ranks, that encouraged Paul E. to follow his dream. Through his father-son type of a relationship with the Wizard, the managing seed was planted within Dangerously. 

“The Wizard was a wonderful man who commanded respect,” stated Paul when asked about the man he admired for so many years. “I owe so much to him. You know, I studied his actions both in and out of the ring. To me, he was the master and who better to learn from than a man who managed world heavyweight singles and tag team champions,” continued Dangerously from his home in Atlanta, Georgia. 

[Paul E. and Eddie Gilbert really got things cooking at the CWF.]

Everyone, regardless of their profession, needs a place to begin from, a so-called launching pad. In January 1987, the state of Florida was where Paul E. Dangerously unleashed his managerial talents to the wrestling world. His first proteges who paraded the ‘Sunshine State’ territory were billed as The Motor City Mad Madmen: Tombstone and Man Mountain Mike. What a pair of bookends Dangerously was nestled between! Both men were over 6’4” and 260 lbs. And, needless to say, opponents found it frustrating and difficult to take a swipe at the bold young manager. 

During their first pro tour, Dangerously and his duo wanted to send a message loud and clear that they could not be intimidated. Kevin Sullivan, a seasoned veteran with numerous championship belts displayed in his trophy case, was targeted by Dangerously to be the Madmen’s first victim to get their ‘no mercy’ policy across to the rest of the wrestling pack. 

Sure enough, after being on the receiving end of a few brutal beatings by Dangerously’s duo, the much heralded Sullivan disappeared from the Florida region for apparently safer grounds in the Mid-Atlantic area. In a few short weeks, Paul E. Dangerously was not only a respected managerial mind but the talk of all wrestling promoters throughout North America as well. 

Shortly after his stint drew to a close in Florida, Paul E. Dangerously became a household name with wrestling fans. Once signing on with the Minneapolis, Minnesota based American Wrestling Association, whose television show aired on the ESPN Cable Network, Dangerously was brought into millions of households on a daily basis. With the confidence he gained with the Motor City Madmen carried over into the AWA, Paul E. began an intense search to bring together a wrestling family that would play ‘second fiddle’ to no one. He didn’t just want to make a name for himself, the brash rookie manager was culminating a plan to totally dominate the prestigious organization. 

Paul E. Dangerously didn’t waste any time in ruffling a few feathers within the AWA. “Loverboy” DEnnis Condrey and “Ravishing” Randy Rose, the Original Midnight Express tag team, through lengthy negotiations, were reunited and brought into the AWA by Paul E. They most assuredly entered with a bang. At the time Dangerously brought in the Original Midnight Express, Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee held the AWA Tag Team title. 

[Randy Rose and Paul E. inspect the bloody damage done to Tommy Rich by Austin Idol. Idol was one of the first men handled by Dangerously.]

After winning challenges in convincing fashion from such respected teams as Greg Gagne and Steve O, Dangerously shrewdly secured a contract calling for his prized up to get a shot at the tag champs in a match that was to be held in Whitewater, Wisconsin. The championship match went according to his most fans anticipated, quick paced and lots of high flying maneuvers. However, it was because of Dangerously ‘two cents’ thrown into the encounter that had a profound impact on the outcome. 

As Lawler let his temper get the best of him, he chased Paul E. around the ringside area. With the referee’s back to the action in the ring, Dangerously successfully noticeably flipped his ever present cordless telephone to Dennis Condrey who wacked it across the unsuspecting Dundee’s forehead. The pin was now academic. One, two, three–on October 30, 1987 the new AWA Tag Team Champions, led by Paul E. Dangerously, were the Original Midnight Express. 

The late ‘Adorable’ Adrian Adonis and ‘Cowboy’ Bob Orton, Jr. were two other established wrestling machines who entrusted their careers in the hands of Dangerously. It was through the strategy set forth by Paul E. that enabled Adonis to run Tommy “Wildfire” Rich out of AWA rings.

When asked about his feelings towards Adonis, Paul E. was quoted as saying. “Adrian put on quite a bit of weight when we were together but it never affected his performance on the mat. He was a remarkable athlete and it was a privilege to have worked with him.”

[Veteran wrestling announcer Boyd Pierce puts a headlock on Dangerously as “Kangaroo” Al Costello takes control of the famous phone.]

Once his goals in the AWA were accomplished, it was off to the Alabama headquartered Continental Wrestling Federation. What a greener pasture the CWF proved to be for Paul E. Dangerously. The services of “Hot Stuff” Eddie Gilbert were quickly secured by Dangerously. Together, Gilbert and his manager literally brought back front he grave a promotion experiencing unhealthy low attendance figures to all-time high box office receipt records. 

Dangerously and Gilbert were the pulse that pumped exciting ring action throughout the CWF circuit. Fan favorites Austin Idol and Willie B. Hurt were Eddie and Paul E.’s main adversaries. With some of the painful, degrading stunts executed by Dangerously on Gilbert’s opponents, there wasn’t a fan in Dixie that had any compassion for what would happen to the cocky, quick-talking Yankee. Unfortunately, and much to the fans disappointment, Paul E. Dangerously had the last laugh on all of them. He departed from the CWF without a scratch on his body. 

With all the attention Jim Cornette’s Midnight Express (“Beautiful” Bobby Eaton and “Sweet” Stan Lane) had been receiving, Dangerously regrouped his Express and headed back to the National Wrestling Alliance to reclaim the right to be known as the one and only Midnight Express. Right off the bat, Paul E. got his angered message across to Jim Cornette. 

While the verbose Cornette was being interviewed during an NWA television taping, a phone call for Jim was received. The voice speaking to Cornette was that of Dangerously. Apparently there had been bad blood between the two managers in the past as Jim Cornette was screaming derogatory remarks at Dangerously at the onset of the call. A challenge was then made by Cornette to Dangerously. 

Just moments after the heated conversation, all hell broke loose. Paul E. Dangerously and his Original Midnight Express miraculously appeared on the set. Eaton and Lane were overcome by the surprise attack by Dangerously’s tag unit. Cornette was victimized with a wallop to the forehead by Paul E.’s phone and bled profusely. When order was finally restored, a feud was born within the ranks of the NWA–Express VS Express and manager clawing at manager. 

Intimidation isn’t in Paul E. Dangerously’s  vocabulary. Wherever he turns up, whatever task is put to him, Paul E. challenges it with a vengeance. Young, articulate, professional, agree or disagree with his tactics inside an arena, one fact remains unblemished–Paul E. Dangerously remains on top in wrestling due to his will to be the best. Second best is all the motive the “Scarsdale Superbrat” Needs to keep him working overtime on staying ahead of the rest of the pack.

[tourturedfolkloredepartment]

Hey guys! So I wanted to take a quick break from my Hannibal posting to tell you some more history on the Von Erich family specially the dad. I’m writing an essay on this (just for fun cause why not) and thought I would share some history About the main man behind this. Fritz(jack) von Erich.

*Fritz’s Von erich father and mentor*

Fritzs(real name jack) was born in jewett Texas in 1929 his sir name was Adkisson. He met his wife Doris( who’s Maiden name was Smith) while in high school, they got married in 1950 when he was 20

And she was 17.

He attended southern methodist university where he threw discus and played football. He was reported to have played for the now defunct Dallas Texans,but that wasn’t true he was signed as a guard but was eventually Cut, he then tried playing for the Canadian football league.

In 1952 is when they’re first son jack Jr (named after Fritz’s ) was born.

Fritzs was trained and booked by Stu Hart. While wrestling he was paired with Waldo Von Erich, and they were known as a pair of evil German brothers.

Several years later in 1959 Fritzs son Jack Died of a electrocution and drowning which caused Fritzs to stop traveling the east coast and allowing his former wrestling partner to continue using the name Von Erich.

The 1960’s was a big time for Fritzs despite jack’s death he continued wrestling and in 1963 he won both versions of the AWA world title. His major circuit was when he was playing in St, Louis Missouri at Sam Muchnick’s NWA territorial stronghold,

He wrestles there until 1967.

After he voluntarily left the territory after losing the match for the NWA world heavyweight champion against then champion Gene Kinisk.

Fritz soon became a promoter after that for most of the Dallas territory and overseeing the Huston and San Antonio territories as well.

(This next part is me giving credit to wiki links for what I’m about to write/ copy paste)

Adkisson was a part of rebuilding Japanese wrestling after the stabbing death of Rikidōzan. He became a star due to his feuds with Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba, and his "Iron Claw" hold, which became one of the most popular wrestling moves in Japan.

In 1982 shortly after retiring he held his first retirement match against king Kong bundy in the newly renamed world class champion wrestling based in Dallas. The promotion was known for its high production value and use of entrance music along with the use of television syndication. The promotion was one the most successful territories in the United States, due to having major draws like wrestling such as his own sons, the fabulous free birds ,bruiser broody and other big names at the time.

His last match was in 1986 against Abdullah the Butcher only by disqualification in Dallas. At the end of the 1980’s the promotion pool was thin it would eventually be merged with Jerry jarrett’s continental wrestling association to create the USWA( United States wrestling association) in 1989.

[omegawhiskers]

Dynamite 29/11/23

The Jack Perry Conspiracy

Dynamite continues the Continental Classic with Jon Moxley vs. Jay Lethal. The only thing about this tournament I don’t like is that we’re told no one can interfere, and that everything is put into place to make sure we get clean matches. If this is possible to do in story, then why not do this for every wrestling match? It doesn’t make any sense. But I digress. Lethal loses the opening bout due to rear naked choke. Moxley leads with six points. Poor Lethal has zero.  

Eddie Kingston is disappointed in his defeat last week and here he said he will be ready for Bryan Danielson. Eddie has a lot more to lose in his tournament than everyone else. Bryan is on commentary – eyepatch and all – and he delivers some strong words for his preparation on Saturday. This match is going to be awesome.

Sting will have his last match on March 3 in Greensboro, North Carolina at the Greensboro Coliseum. Both Sting and Ric Flair talked about the match they had there 35 years ago at Clash of Champions for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. The match ended in a draw at 45 minutes. Take in as much Sting as you can because we only have 4 months of him left.

In the second Continental match of the night, Rush pinned Jay Briscoe to obtain his first three points. Jay – like Lethal – have zero points. Rush and Briscoe had better matches last week, although this was decent.

Toni Storm will be defending her title next week. Against whom? No body mentioned a name.

MJF comes out to the ring and praises Samoa Joe for his accomplishments. He said Joe paved the way for people like him and that Joe never got the recognition he deserved in WWE. MJF gets fired up for his match and breaks his cane in half. This is when the goons who work for the Devil make an appearance. Three masked men hold MJF as a large guy with a baseball bat threatens him. It’s worth noting when Wardlow comes out next, his hair looks quite messy; as if it could had been under a mask. Joe comes to Max’s aid just as he promised. The Devil requests a tag match with Max and Joe next week, and the challenge is accepted. I’m not sure if this is with two of the goons or with the Devil himself, who I still believe is Jack Perry. For a fun little dive in to the Jack Perry conspiracy, check out this thread on X.

Wardlow – with mask hair – came out to fight AR Fox. Fox gets some offensive early on, but Wardlow dominates most of the match and wins by stoppage. I don’t see Wardlow going into a solo feud with MJF. Wardlow is still getting his momentum back, so the feud wouldn’t really be strong, but if he is apart of this new group, then I think this would be a great way for him to get his match with Max.

Dante Martin is back from a horrific looking injury and he teams with his brother and Action Andretti to take on the Hardy Boyz and Brother Zay. Martin showcased some nice athletic moves while picking up the win. This match was built around the return and it worked for Dante. The Hardyz are floating around not doing much. It's fine to take the loss, but they gotta get them in some sort of story.

Julia Hart defended her TSB title against Emi Sakura in a decent bout. The ending was strange as Emi rolled as Hart delivered the moonsault which caused Hart land awkwardly.

Christian Cage called out Adam Copeland so that he could convince him to team up. He brings up their past and that Adam’s mother said she would have loved to see them tag again, but unfortunately, she passed away. Adam was contemplating the offer before Christian tried to hit Adam with the TNT belt, but Copeland knew his former best friend too well and deliver a kick to the balls sending Christian to the mat. Adam tells him to shine the belt up real nice for next week for their match and tells Christian to go fuck himself. This entire segment had me hooked. Christian is such a mean bastard, and I keep thinking of how low he can go each week.

Jay White and Swerve Strickland was our main event. Swerve picked up the win and continues his winning streak.

I like this episode of Dynamite. Matches were good and we have some excitement rolling into next week with this Devil storyline. Julia needs a new feud and something needs to be done with Matt and Jeff as they are not being used effectively.

[gdwessel]

The Thrill Of Anticipation

[This was originally written back in February or March of 2022, pitched and accepted by FanFyte back when it was still a thing. It never ran, although I did get a kill fee for this, so in that respect I did get compensated. I miss FanFyte and I would have written for them forever. C’est la vie. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this. If you want to see the match I am talking about, links are below after the piece.]

As New Japan Pro Wrestling is in the midst of its 50th Anniversary year in 2022, one might be tempted to recount the glorious matches, brutal feuds and classic moments that made people become fans in the first place. However, as a quick look at this very website will tell you, wrestling is made up of a lot more weird ideas, goofiness, and noble failures than it is made up of classics.

NJPW’s founder Antonio Inoki is one of the greatest wrestlers and promoters ever to have graced the business. This much cannot be argued against. Inoki had a LOT of ideas about how pro wrestling can, could, and should be. Not every idea hit the mark. Occasionally, the reason was, the idea was way ahead of its time.

The Bed Of Nails match between Antonio Inoki v. Umanosuke Ueda that took place on 2/8/1978 at Tokyo Nippon Budokan, the penultimate night of that year’s New Years Golden Series tour, could definitely be seen as one of those Way Ahead Of Its Time ideas. But was it a bad match in of itself? That is debatable.

First, some context for those not familiar with Inoki’s opponent on the night. Umanosuke Ueda was born Hiroshi Ueda on 6/20/1940 in Yatomi, Aichi Prefecture. His eventual ring name would come from a historical figure of the same name, a samurai who was part of the Shinsengumi, the shogun’s personal police force from 1863 – 1869. He debuted in 1961 for Japan’s original wrestling promotion, the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance, whilst Rikidozan was still the top man in the company. He would also wrestle in Los Angeles and other NWA territories, bouncing around various promotions, including a brief stint in All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1973, and the IWE promotion in Japan, where he would briefly become an IWA World Heavyweight Champion.

What set Ueda apart in those days, were his look, his style, and his alliances. Ueda was the innovator of the bleached-blonde hair look in Japanese wrestling, which nowadays is pretty common, but in the early 1970s was considered scandalous in Japan. He was considered a “traitor heel,” not only because of his looks, but also his lawless brawling style. Wrestlers such as NJPW’s Tatsutoshi Goto and FMW’s Mr. Gannosuke would find inspiration in Ueda’s look and antics. More recently, NJPW talents Toru Yano and EVIL would be influenced by Ueda for their characters.

Then there was the matter of Ueda’s chosen partner by the time he arrived in New Japan in 1977 – the hated foreign nemesis, Tiger Jeet Singh. Inoki’s rivalry with Singh is pretty storied, and the combination of Singh and Ueda brought fan animosity that most heels would kill for in this age of wrestling. It’s worth noting, that the combo of Ueda & Singh were the first tandem to ever win titles in both NJPW and AJPW.

The pair ran roughshod, terrorizing NJPW, until the match was made for the biggest date of the 1978 New Years Golden Series. Antonio Inoki would face Umanosuke Ueda in a match where the ringside floor area would be covered by boards with nails sticking up from them. A decade before the advent of FMW, W*ING, and what we know now as deathmatch wrestling, and New Japan Pro Wrestling was running what they dubbed a “Nail Floor Death Match” in the hallowed halls of Budokan.

When you advertise a Bed Of Nails deathmatch, it comes with certain expectations in the modern fan’s mind. Did it meet those expectations? Well… not quite.

The match started off as you’d figure. Ueda was seconded by Singh, both wearing matching red and white outfits (I think – the video quality wasn’t the greatest), complete with t-shirts reading CAPITAL on the front, with their names on the back of the shirts. Inoki meanwhile arrives in the ring in his customary robe and scarf. Inoki is presented with not one, but two floral bouquets in the ring. Ueda had to dodge trash being thrown at him. Clearly, ownership has its privileges.

A VERY BUFF REFEREE forces Singh to leave the ringside to much drama, as the match begins with some good ol’ RASSLIN. Inoki is the first to gain control here with an early enzuiguri that nearly sends Ueda over the ropes for the first tease of a spill into the nails, to the crowd’s delight.

Ueda manages to get Inoki on the ground with a double wristlock, but Inoki powers out of it, almost dumping Ueda over the ropes to the waiting nails below. More of the same comes when Inoki ducks a clothesline from Ueda, Ueda nearly falling over AGAIN, but that transitions into a Boston Crab from Inoki instead.

The biggest moment of suspense comes as Ueda does finally get Inoki on the ground, and begins kicking him out of the ring, under the ropes, trying to get Inoki to fall. Inoki deftly hangs on to a rope for dear life, as the crowd screams, not wanting their hero to fall and injure himself in the nails below.

Inoki manages to get to his feet, and get himself around the ringpost to apply an armbar to Ueda through the ropes! This leads to a minute or so where it looks like BOTH Ueda and Inoki will go to the floor with the nails waiting for them. The crowd is on needles and pins, so to speak, eager to see whether or not one or both of these men will hit the floor.

Ultimately, Inoki and Ueda are both in the ring once more, as Inoki attacks Ueda’s arm and shoulder. This leads to a towel flying into the ring, as the bell rings, with Inoki winning via TKO. Inoki continues to attack Ueda’s arm, with Ueda with yet another tease to the outside. Ueda’s arm is put into a makeshift sling with the towel, once the VERY BUFF REF and Singh manage to get Inoki off the prone Ueda.

Despite the stipulation, despite the teases and suspense, neither Antonio Inoki nor Umanosuke Ueda ever actually make it onto the boards of nails outside the ring. Was this a waste of a stipulation? Did the match fail because of this?

The answer is: it depends on what you were looking for to begin with.

Had this match taken place in the mid-90s, the time of Kawasaki Dream (aka “King Of The Deathmatch,” the infamous tournament won by Mick Foley) and exploding rings, there would have been, at minimum, three spots with Inoki, Ueda, or both going full on into the nails, blood gushing from them. No question about that. But by then, the definition of what a “deathmatch” was had changed.

Audience expectations had changed by then as well. In 1978, Bed Of Nails deathmatches were not common at all. Barbed wire matches were a thing, but usually with the wire wrapped around the existing ropes. Wrestlers were not shy about bleeding either, even back then.

On the other hand, take a look at the horror genre. Some works are atmospheric, with fog and shadows, merely hinting at the terrors lurking, in order to create a mood of suspense. Others are gory, filled with jump-scares and visceral imagery. Neither are a wrong method, neither one is intrinsically superior to another. It all depends on what the expectations are, and what’s trying to be accomplished. The old Universal monster movies, FRIDAY THE 13TH and DARK WATER all work as horror, for many and varied reasons. For the pro wrestling audience in Budokan in February 1978, the mere anticipation of one of the two, or both, competitors MAYBE going into the nails was enough. And going back and watching the match, the fans were engaged and into the match all throughout. Sure, the danger was never actualized, so perhaps it fails the Chekhov’s Gun test. To the fans in Budokan, that didn’t matter.

Would the nail boards not being there in the first place have changed the match itself? Beyond a few spots, most likely not. All that said, the nails on the floor did add a little extra juice to it going in. (A very good example of a great Bed Of Nails deathmatch? Look up Ryuji Yamakawa v. Tomoaki Honma for the BJW Deathmatch Heavyweight Championship from 6/20/1999.)

Antonio Inoki liked to experiment. Experiments don’t always work. Perhaps the most infamous of his “deathmatches” was the Island Deathmatch, from 10/4/1987, a literally 2+-hour match on an island between Inoki v. Masa Saito. I don’t recommend it.

Of course, less than two years after Inoki’s “epic” on Ganryujima, Atsushi Onita would form Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling, and forever alter what a “deathmatch” meant to wrestling at large.

Inoki’s experiment on 2/8/1978 may not have worked through modern eyes, and modern expectations of that match stipulation. As a match, it was just fine. Sometimes, it’s the thought that counts.

 Links to the match: Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uamsWjxvIno

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDZHlAaYeXQ

Part 3:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBY8y1eacuc

[mpwma]

Tonight is NWA 75th Anniversary Show Night 2! In a bullrope match for the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship and if Tyrus loses, he'll retire from wrestling, Tyrus (c) vs. EC3! We will cover the show so don't miss out!

[baddawg94]

Christian Cage

-WWF Tag Team Champion (7x w/Edge)

-Intercontinental Champion

-world heavyweight champion

-TNA/NWA Champion

-ECW Champion

[thesuperkickshow]

Is Shane Douglas a WWE Hall of Famer? On Bruce Prichard's Something to Wrestle podcast, he addressed potential WWE Hall of Famers. One of the names brought up was Shane Douglas. Prichard had this to say:

“Probably not… Shane’s definitely had a Hall of Fame career though.”

Which I agree with. So why not induct Shane into the Hall of Fame? I'm assuming it's because of some of his comments and actions outside of the ring. If WWE could put political things aside, Shane Douglas would be a great addition to the Hall. I mean, Koko B Ware is in there!

There's no denying that Shane Douglas has had a storied career in the world of professional wrestling. From his early days as a member of The Triple Threat in ECW to his runs in WCW and WWE, Douglas has left an indelible mark on the industry and solidified his place as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.

Which is why it's about time that Douglas be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Douglas' list of accomplishments is impressive to say the least. He's a four-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion, a two-time WCW United States Champion, and a two-time WWF Intercontinental Champion. He's also held numerous other titles throughout his career, including the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and the WCW World Tag Team Championship.

But it's not just Douglas' in-ring accomplishments that make him a worthy Hall of Fame inductee. He's also a pioneer of the hardcore wrestling style, helping to popularize the use of tables, ladders, and chairs in matches. He's also been a mentor to many young wrestlers, helping to shape the careers of the next generation of superstars.

In short, Shane Douglas is more than deserving of a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. Here's hoping that he gets the recognition he deserves and takes his place among the greatest wrestlers in history. If you're younger and unfamiliar with his work, check it out!

You can let me know your thoughts about this over on Twitter or on here.

[jvpw]

'WCW POWER HOUR' 01.02.93 Recap + Review - Bagwell & Armstrong vs. Windham & Pillman, Big World Title Announcement

AIRDATE: January 2, 1993 COMMENTATORS: Tony Schiavone & “The Living Legend” Larry Zbyszko

WCW begins their New Year with Power Hour, featuring a tag team main event pitting Brad Armstrong & Marcus Alexander Bagwell against Barry Windham & Brian Pillman, plus some big news as a new World Champion has been crowned…at a house show in Baltimore during the week.

CHAMPIONS

WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: Big Van Vader

WCW UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: “Ravishing” Rick Rude

WCW WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION: Scott Steiner

WCW/NWA UNIFIED WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS: Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat & Shane Douglas

LINEUP

2 Cold Scorpio vs. Joe Cruz (SQUASH)

Scotty Flamingo vs. Keith Cole (*)

Brad Armstrong & Marcus Alexander Bagwell vs. Barry Windham & Brian Pillman (**1/2)

*****

2 Cold Scorpio vs. Joe Cruz

Right at the bell Schiavone announces some huge news: Big Van Vader is World Champion once again, having defeated Ron Simmons on Wednesday in Baltimore. More to come later today on Saturday Night. Cruz has the weight advantage but not much else and Scorpio easily dispatches him with various aerial moves, including a skin the cat into a slingshot splash and finally a 450 Splash to win.

2 Cold Scorpio defeated Joe Cruz via pinfall (2:44)

JON’S THOUGHTS: Scorpio out here casually busting out 450 Splashes in 1993, turning the crowd into that exploding head guy from Scanners. Love it. (SQUASH)

–

-Schiavone and Zbyszko hype the next Clash of the Champions, scheduled for January 13th, which will feature an Arm Wrestling contest between “Heavy Metal” Van Hammer & Tony Atlas.

-CLIP (12/19/92 Worldwide): Van Hammer defeats Ron Simmons to win WCW’s Strongest Arm competition put on by Jesse “The Body” Ventura. Hammer’s ceremony is interrupted by Tony Atlas, who says he was too late to enter the contest but HE’S the one with the strongest arm in WCW. 

-PROMOTIONAL CONSIDERATION PAID FOR BY THE FOLLOWING: Zap Pack’s video game trading cards, GI Joe action figures, and Predator 2 for Sega Genesis and Game Gear.

–

Scotty Flamingo vs. Keith Cole

Cole overpowers Flamingo to start, keeping control with a side headlock until Flamingo finally stuns him with a belly-to-back suplex. Cole counters an abdominal stretch with a hip toss, Flamingo goes back on the offensive with a series of kicks and a bearhug. Cole won’t stay down though, kicking out of Flamingo’s  pinfall attempts and fighting back with lefts and a clothesline. Flamingo catches a charging Cole with an elbow and finishes him off with an airplane spin into a Samoan Drop for the 1…2…3.

Scotty Flamingo defeated Keith Cole via pinfall (4:46)

JON’S THOUGHTS: Flamingo may have gotten the win but Cole looked like the stronger man here, kicking out of every other pinning attempt in rapid fashion. Also it has to be said: Keith Cole has the GREATEST mullet I have ever seen on a human being. It is amazing, the perfect level of trash. Knowing the trajectory of Flamingo’s career in the 90s I have no idea what he’s got left to do in WCW under the gimmick. Could be a Michael Wallstreet circa 91 situation where he just suddenly…vanishes. (*)

–

-Teddy Long hypes up the 8-Man ThunderCage scheduled (SCHEDULED) to main event January 13th’s Clash of the Champions special. Clips aplenty play showing the major feuds going into the match (Ron Simmons/Rick Rude, Sting/Big Van Vader, Dustin Rhodes/Barry Windham, Van Hammer/The Barbarian, the final grouping having no real beef with each other but we paired everybody else off so whatever).

-Schiavone and Zbyszko discuss January 13’s scheduled (SCHEDULED) Bounty Match between Erik Watts and Cactus Jack then take it to footage from Jack’s match at last year’s show, a Falls Count Anywhere contest against Van Hammer from the 1.21.92 Clash. It’s a helluva thing mostly thanks to Jack’s bumps but sadly the show does not give us the whole thing, instead cutting to Missy Hyatt mid-move for the next segment. Booo.

-Missy Hyatt wants Erik Watts to make her his manager, as he needs someone to guide him. Cut to a clip from Saturday Night in 1992 where Rick Rude snaps off a Rude Awakening on the concrete floor. Watts makes it to the apron and Rude suplexes him back in…and now we’re back to Hyatt who continues pleading her case for becoming his manager.

–

Brad Armstrong & Marcus Alexander Bagwell vs. Barry Windham & “Flyin” Brian Pillman

Windham muscles Armstrong into the corner, Armstrong quickly fights his way out to reset. Armstrong drops Windham with a shoulder tackle followed by a dropkick into a side headlock takeover. Windham counters with a headscissors, Armstrong kicks his way out and a shoving match breaks out before the ref is forced to intervene. Schiavone brings up Armstrong & Windham’s history, the two having battled over the U.S. Heavyweight Championship at the second-ever Clash of the Champions. Pillman, Armstrong’s former Light Heavyweight Championship rival, tags in and gets dropped with an enzuigiri. Pillman misses one of his own, Bagwell tags in and goes after Pillman’s leg to ground the high-flier. Windham tags in, Bagwell surprises him with a dropkick and back body drop. Bagwell brings Windham to the canvas with a side headlock, Windham escapes but eats a pair of dropkicks followed by an armdrag into an armbar. Pillman sneaks a tag in and traps Bagwell in a side headlock. Bagwell catches a flying Pillman with a shot to the midsection followed by a dropkick and armdrag. Pillman sends Bagwell into Windham’s knee, Windham tags in and drives an elbow to the back of the neck. Bagwell fires back but misses a clothesline and Windham puts him into the canvas with a DDT, popping the crowd.

Windham connects with a belly-to-back suplex, Pillman tags in and comes off the buckles with  an elbowdrop for the 1…2…Bagwell kicks out, Pillman settles into a chinlock. Pillman tosses Bagwell to the floor behind the ref’s back, avoiding a DQ. Bagwell catches Pillman with a crossbody but Windham ties up the ref too long and only ends up with a one-count at best. Pillman traps Bagwell in an abdominal stretch, Windham pulling on the arm for extra leverage just out of the ref’s view. Bagwell escapes with a hip toss and crawls under Pillman’s legs to make the hot tag to Armstrong. All four men battle in the ring, ref forces Bagwell out and Windham & Pillman hit a proto Total Elimination (Pillman clipping the knee, Windham connecting with a lariat), Pillman covering Armstrong for the 1…2…3!

Barry Windham & Brian Pillman defeated Brad Armstrong & Marcus Alexander Bagwell via pinfall (9:22)

JON’S THOUGHTS: Having jumped from 1991 to 1993 in my WCW lookback I was a little surprised to see Pillman & Windham as a heel tag team given how heated their feud was back in the day, taped fist matches and the like. They worked really well together and I liked the finish a lot. Schiavone bringing up Armstrong’s history with Windham was a nice way to give some flavor to this one and I want to go back and watch that match now. (**1/2)

–

-Schiavone and Zbyszko hypes tonight’s Saturday Night, where a tournament will begin to get a shot at Rick Rude’s United States Heavyweight Championship.

*****

FINAL THOUGHTS

Disappointing that we didn’t get the full Van Hammer/Cactus Jack match from last year’s Clash, but besides that Power Hour was a breeze to get through. Main event tag team match was fun, loved seeing 2 Cold Scorpio in action, and the tease about Big Van Vader regaining the World Championship during the week did a good job hyping Saturday Night for later in the day.

[blowflyfag]

WRESTLING FURY: June 1989

OWEN HART BLAZES INTO THE WWF

Possibly a warning heralded too late but, beware World Wrestling Federation gladiators! He’s tried the rest, now he’ll take on the best. Just when you though professional wrestling an out of surprises, a pleasant breath of fresh talent has ventured down from the foothills of Western Canada to the highly publicized, mega-marketed wrestling organization operated by Vince McMahon, Jr. and based in Stamford, Connecticut. 

Although he has been touring the pro mat circuits for less than five years, many veterans of the grappling game already hail him as one of the best technicians ever to step into the ring. One former National Wrestling Alliance heavyweight champion has gone as far as comparing The Blue Blazer to the great Lou Thesz.

No matter how his performances are assessed, spectacular and superb are usually the first two words used to describe the moves he puts on his opponents. Even under a mask and fancy robes, the true identity of The Blue Blazer can’t be hidden. Owen Hart, of the famous wrestling Hart family from Calgary, Alberta, Canada already has gained a legion of faithful followers in the United States, hoping he’ll get a crack at the prestigious title belts recognized by the WWF. 

There’s no way the so-called brain trust of the WWF could have kept the Blazer’s identity a secret. The technical holds and acrobatic maneuvers executed with such perfection could only be administered by the youngest of the wrestling Hart brothers. 

[Owen was the North American Heavyweight champ in his native Canada.]

Before signing on with the WWF, Owen Hart was already recognized worldwide as a wrestling superstar. Some of his most exciting ring encounters took place in Japan. The style of wrestling in the Orient is much like that in Western Canada and the Japanese fans quickly grew to admire the young Hart, always more than anxious for his next return. 

The winning attitude that has enveloped Owen is due to having built-in-trainers. Keith, Bruce and Bret “The Hit Man” Hart, along with brothers-in-law Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and Davey Boy Smith, have instructed Own from their years of experience on the ins and outs of what will not work to a wrestler’s advantage while in the ring. 

Owen’s father, former wrestling expert Stu Hart, who took on everyone from Gene Kinski to Joe Louis, has overseen his son’s entry in the limelight of the sport and is quite pleased with his progression. When asked by a fan as to when Owen would return to action in the Stampede Wrestling rings, Stu prideful replied, “Unfortunately he will not be available to us in the foreseeable future. I have tremendous respect for Owen, not only as a wrestler but as a son, a young man of whom I am extremely proud. I feel very strongly in my heart that Owen can make the same contribution to wrestling that Wayne Gretzky has made to hockey. To my way of thinking, if you can pardon my saying so, he is simply the best that there is in the game, both in and out of the ring.”

[As the Blue Blazer, Hart far outclasses most of the competition. (photo by Brown)]

With one highlight after another in Japan and Canada, where he held the North American heavyweight title several times, Owen Hart literally wrote his own ticket to the promotion that would financially satisfy him the most. When you are the best in the sport from a promoter’s and fans’ viewpoint, it is better to have the talented athlete on your team rather than opposing it. And, that’s exactly what the WWF did. Instead of letting the NWA or AWA get his name on a contract, the WWF recognized the endless amount of talent Owen Hart possesses and proceeded to add him to their ever-growing parade of stars. 

The question asked by fans throughout North America is why the mask? Perhaps the WWF hierarchy was afraid the young Canadian would outshine their number one superstars, such as Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan. Would Owen put either Hogan or Savage in the position that the fans would demand a showdown between the two? In Hogan’s case it wouldn’t be a great surprise how that confrontation would conclude. One is a wrestler known as an exciting ring tactician and one has been labeled a living cartoon. 

Thus far as the Blue Blazer, Owen’s abilities seem to have been toned down in the Federation. The majority of the Blazer’s matches fall into the preliminary category, usually the opening contest against the likes of men such as Steve Lombardi and Barry Horrowitz. Both Lombardi and Horowitz are well qualified to be labeled wrestlers and have always given their challengers a tiresome time in the ring. However, they aren’t in the same ballpark as Randy Savage or Jim Duggan as far as drawing large crowds to the arenas are concerned. 

[Here’s a look at a flying head butt done Owen Hart Style.]

The Blazer’s ring performance resembled the way the British Bulldog marched into the WWF five years back. Davey Boy Smith and Dynamite Kid plainly and simply outclassed and nearly embarrassed those who stepped onto the canvas against them. They made all the other so-called WWF athletes look effective. When the Blue Blazer entered the scene, the same scenario arose again. 

The mask, artificial identity and the fact of being delegated to preliminary mat action appears to have taken their roll on Owen Hart. This past Thanksgiving, as the Blue Blazer, he was caught off guardian submitted to Greg Valentine’s figure -four leg lock. Perhaps that unusual ending to his participation in the Survivor Series match should be taken as a signal that they (the WWF) may be destroying the confidence of wrestling’s newest hero. It was also during this exciting event that Owen suffered another injury that will prevent him from wrestling for a short time. 

Never quite a number one contender in the Federation but a man known to give you the fight of your life, “Iron” Mike Sharpe recently stated, “The best offense is a good defense when squaring off against the Blue Blazer. The suplexes, sunset flips and dives off the top ropes he does are incredible. His moves are carried out flawlessly. The Blazer is a thinking man’s wrestler.” He continued by saying, “He has to be careful when dazzling his challengers, the chances he takes in the ring are too risky to end in injury, if his mind wandered. Believe me, the Blue Blazer has all the ingredients to soon be the #1 contender for the Inter-Continental and Heavyweight championships.”

Will he or won’t he, hidden under a hood as the Blue Blazer, combine forces with his brother “The Hit Man” to pursue the WWF Tag Team champions? Should Jim Neidhart graciously step aside and give his blessings on the brothers to unite their wrestling energies, having the title belts put around their waists? That would be a mere technicality waiting to happen. 

[These aerial maneuvers are what makes Owen so great. (photo by Brown)]

It’s generally accepted by fans, promoters and wrestlers themselves that Bret and Owen are the two most best all-around wrestlers in the support of wrestling today. It’s almost a certainty that should the Hart Brothers be put in the same ring as Demolition, The Rougeaus or The Powers of Pain, record gate receipts will be achieved. The Harts aren't the largest or most muscular pair in the WWF, just the best schooled wrestlers on the group’s roster. 

In singles competition, just think of the Blue Blazer getting the opportunity to renew his feud with the Honky Tonk Man from their days when they both worked out of Calgary. When turned to Bad News Brown, the Blue Blazer is capable of knocking Harlem, New York’s wrestling thug down a couple of notches in the rankings. Without the mask on, in Canadian towns such as Edmonton, Camrose and Winnipeg, Owen Hart convincingly handed Brown pinning defeats. 

[Owen and his finance Martha have been doing some modeling in Canada

Owen’s body is rock solid perfect. ]

When battling world class competitors as Makkhan Singh, “Strangler” Steve DiAlvo and Comrade Jerry Morrow, as an athlete, Owen became a better professional. Stampede Wrestling out of Calgary has always been over stuffed with talented wrestlers who rely on their athletic ability to advance their career, not gimmicks to get them the necessary push to main event status. 

Biff Ellington, Johnny Smith, Chris Beneoit and Goldie Rogers are just a handful of respected grapplers that, along with Owen, have put Calgary on the international wrestling map of excellence. 

As the Blue Blazer in the WWF, Owen Hart isn’t asking for anything he isn’t deserving of. When the time comes and the Blazer is able to spread his wrestling wings, his ring actions will lead to many to say “I told you so.” Owen Hart has proven he is a winner, a dedicated professional and an all-around class act. After all, his wrestling roots are second to none. 

[wrestlingisfake]

I read some of Billy Corgan's comments about the direction he has in mind for the NWA. I think for most people the takeaway will be that he's out of touch with what his audience really wants. Personally, though, I'm just sick of hearing the same tired rhetoric.

Corgan basically argues that he wants to promote big heavyweight tough guy fights, which I don't have a problem with in principle. But he can't resist framing it as some ideological conflict between "the wrestling community" wanting "eight star Meltzer matches" and "fan stuff" versus making a "mainstream product" that's "straight business" and "draws money."

I've been seeing these basic talking points for 25 years: Internet smart marks just want flippy workrate guys that get star ratings, but they don't understand that what's best for business isn't what they personally want. Everybody who says this thinks it's some bold revelation, when it's actually the coldest of the cold takes. There's no new idea here.

That's not to say Corgan is totally off-base. Big meaty men slappin' meat is a great draw and cool as hell, when done right. But at the same time, little flippy dudes and "eight star Meltzer matches" are as mainstream as they've ever been. Maybe in 2006 you could say that's an unproven business model. But in 2022 El Generico and Tyler Black are top acts in WWE, and the Young Bucks' promotion is routinely topping the key demo in their timeslot. The smart marks won this argument a long time ago, before Billy even bought the NWA.

What this is really about is that Corgan is centering the NWA around Tyrus, and lots of people think he absolutely sucks at wrestling. I can't speak to Tyrus's in-ring work myself. But if I wanted to watch a big fat guy clobber dudes, New Japan has JONAH, WWE has Otis, and AEW has Keith Lee, so you'll have to do better than that. Billy's response to that appears to be "athleticism isn't actually very important" and "Tyrus is big." So I have to assume Tyrus really sucks ass. Which is a huge problem, because if your brand is "giant brawlers," your world champion should probably be somebody who's good at being both of those things.

[anotherone13]

October 9

66 Albuquerque NM Toru Tanaka became ROCKY MTN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

71 Atlanta GA Big Bad John NWA GEORGIA TV CHAMPION

73 Tampa FL Dusty Rhodes NWA FLORIDA SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

73 Atlanta GA Rock Hunter & Assassin 2 ALL STAR GEORGIA TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS

75 Chattanooga TN Bob Armstrong NWA MEMPHIS SOUTHERN HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

77 Chattanooga TN Lanny Poppo NWA MID AMERICA CHAMPION

78 Fort Worth TX Fabulous Moolah WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPION

78 Memphis TN Bounty Hunters NWA MEMPHIS SOUTHERN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS

78 Huntsville AL George Gulas & Ken Lucas & Prince Tonga NWA GULAS 6 MAN CHAMPIONS

79 Tampa FL Mike Graham & Ray Stevens NWA FLORIDA TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS

81 Tokyo Japan Bruiser Brody NWA INTERNATIONAL CHAMPION

81 Oklahoma City OK Porkchop Cash & Doug Somers NWA TRI STATE MIDWEST TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS

82 Chicago IL Nick Bockwinkel AWA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

88 Finlay OR AL Madril PACIFIC NORTHWEST TV CHAMPION

93 Barboursville KY Chris Candido SMOKEY MTN US JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

99 Guaynabo PR Sean Hill WWC JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

99 Guaynabo PR Invader 1 & Maleo Huertas WWC TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS

01 Moline IL Billy Kidman WWE WCW CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION

02 Nashville TN Syxx pac TNA X DIVISION CHAMPION

05 Houston TX Juventud Guerrero WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION

16 Orlando FL Rosemary TNA KNOCKOUTS CHAMPION

16 Sacramento CA Dolph Ziggler WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION

16 Orlando CA Moose IMPACT GRAND CHAMPION

16 Rochester Kent England Mickie James IPK UK WOMENS CHAMPION

17 Tokyo Japan Suwama ALL JAPAN UNIFIED TRIPLE CROWN CHAMPION

17 Tokyo Japan Hanako Nakamori PURE J OPENWEIGHT CHAMPION

17 Indianapolis IN Callisto WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION

21 Tokyo Japan Magical Sugar Rabbits DT PRINCESS TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS

21 Tokyo Japan Ruaka STARDOM WONDER OF STARDOM CHAMPION

17 Tokyo Japan Sho & Yoh IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS

17 Tokyo Japan Will Osprey IWGP JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

19 Winter Park FL Lio Rush NXT CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION

20 Orlando FL New day WWE SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS