Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back today with tons of news to talk about, plus Dave Meltzer appears for his weekly segment, we’ve got calls and texts and so much more! A fun show as always, and it’s FREE, so check it out~!
1884
Cleveland, Ohio:
– Duncan C. Ross defeated James McLaughlin in a best-of-three falls match for the American Collar-and-Elbow Title
1941
Wichita, Kansas:
– NWA World Heavyweight Champion Roy Dunn beat Prince Seelie
1947
Des Moines, Iowa:
– Ray Steele defeated Marshall Estep for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title
1952
Omaha, Nebraska:
– Emil and Ernie Dusek defeated Mr. X (Jack Moore) and Mr. XX (Frank Taylor) to become the first Nebraska Tag Team Champions
1958
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada:
– Ivan and Karol Kalmikoff defeated Guy and Joe Brunetti to win the Calgary NWA Canadian Tag Team Titles
1964
– George and Sandy Scott won the American Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title from Doc and Mike Gallagher
1966
Kansas City, Kansas:
– Jerry Kozak defeated Jim Wehba
– The Viking defeated Bobby Shane
– The Butcher defeated Sonny Myers
– Texas Death Lumberjack Match: The Mongolian Stomper & Bob Ellis defeated Bob Geigel & Bob Brown
1973
Kansas City, Missouri:
– Harley Race defeated Dory Funk, Jr. for the NWA World Heavyweight Title
1974
Chicago, Illinois:
– No dq Match: Dick the Bruiser & the Crusher beat Dusty Rhodes & Dick Murdoch
– Bill Watts beat Blackjack Lanza
– Superstar Billy Graham beat Sailor Art Thomas
– Ernie Ladd beat Reggie Parks
– Jimmy Valiant beat Ric Flair
– Bobby Heenan beat Jim Brunzell
1975
Topeka, Kansas:
– Oki Shikina and Yasu Fuji defeated Mike George and Jerry Oates to win the Central States NWA World Tag Team Titles
1976
Sacramento, California:
– Invader I and Don Muraco defeated Pedro Morales and Pat Patterson for the San Francisco NWA World Tag Team Titles
1978
Houston, Texas:
– NWA Champion Harley Race drew Wahoo McDaniel
– AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel beat Rocky Johnson in 2 out of 3 falls
– Brass Knucks Title Match: Killer Karl Krupp beat Jose Lothario
– Texas Girl’s Title: Joyce Grable beat Leilani Kai
– Dale Valentine defeated Al Madril to win the NWA Texas Heavyweight Title
1979
Little Rock, Arkansas:
– Charlie Cook defeated Ron Bass for the NWA Arkansas Heavyweight Title
1980
Red Deer, Alberta, Canada:
– The Dynamite Kid defeated Keith Hart in a tournament final to win the vacant Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title
St. Paul, Minnesota:
– The Crusher & Super Destroyer Mark III & Lord Alfred Hayes beat Nick Bockwinkel & Super Destroyer Mark II & Bobby Heenan
– Dino Bravo beat Jerry Blackwell COR
– Greg Gagne beat Adrian Adonis
– Jesse Ventura beat Mad Dog Vachon
– Steve Olsonoski beat Buddy Wolff
– Buck Zumhofe drew Ricky Hunter
1981
Tampa, Florida:
– Mike Graham and Barry Windham defeated The Assassins to become the Florida NWA North American Tag Team Champions
1984
Bayamón, Puerto Rico:
– King Tonga defeated Bob Sweetan for the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Title
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada:
– Hulk Hogan beat AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel dq
– AWA Tag Team Champions Jim Brunzell & Greg Gagne beat Jesse Ventura & Ken Patera
– Billy Robinson drew Rick Martel
– Sheik Adnan beat Buck Zumhofe
– Jerry Lawler beat John Tolos
– Brad Rheingans beat Buddy Lane
1986
Fort Worth, Texas:
– Lance Von Erich defeated Buddy Roberts to win the World Class Television Title
Memphis, Tennessee:
– The MOD Squad (Basher and Spike) defeated The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) to win the AWA Southern Tag Team Title
– Billy Travis defeated Abdul Khadafi (Danny Miller) for the AWA International Heavyweight Title
1989
St. Petersburg, Florida:
– The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags) defeated Johnny Ace and The Terminator for the NWA Florida Tag Team Titles
Calgary, Alberta, Canada:
– Davey Boy Smith won the Stampede North American Heavyweight Title from Don Muraco
1990
San Juan, Puerto Rico:
– Abdullah the Butcher defeated TNT (Savio Vega) for the WWC Universal Heavyweight Title
– Leo Burke defeated Carlos Colón to win the WWC Television Title
1991
Wrestlemania VII: Los Angeles, California:
– The Nasty Boys defeated The Hart Foundation to win the WWF World Tag Team Titles
– The Ultimate Warrior defeated Randy Savage in a retirement match
– Hulk Hogan pinned Sgt. Slaughter to win the WWF World Title
1992
Vancouver, Washington:
– Ron Harris won the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Title from Steve Doll
1994
Kyoto, Japan:
– Rick Rude defeated Hiroshi Hase to win the WCW International World Heavyweight Title
2000
North Versailles, Pennsylvania:
– Cody Hawk defeated Shark Boy to win the Pro Wrestling eXpress Television Title
2001
Jeffersonville, Indiana:
– Flash Flanagan defeated Randy Orton to win the OVW Hardcore Title
2002
Kobe, Japan:
– Masahiro Chono and Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Yuji Nagata and Manabu Nakanishi to win the IWGP Tag Team Titles in a tournament final
In a Youtube-exclusive match, Joey Ryan entered Aztec Warfare 2 by stealing a win. It was a pretty entertaining match, and includes more of Vampiro comparing Joey Ryan to ’70s porn stars. Pentagon Jr. tells Fenix he will take his title. Catrina tells him that his master may be dark, but he doesn’t know darkness – and we see her flash into a skeleton briefly. She tells him he isn’t in Aztec Warfare, and he says he has zero fear – she tells him that’s only because he doesn’t know true fear. Catrina tells Fenix he will breathe his last breath, while Mil Muertes will reclaim his title.
A large tribal celebration takes place while the crowd chants “aztec warfare!” Striker and Vampiro welcome us to the show, and Vamp is wearing a checkered shirt and not a hoodie or T-shirt for the first time ever on the show. It’s a bit weird. Fenix comes out while Striker comes up with 5,000 superlatives to describe him. Famous B and his date are here, in a white suit with a gold tie and a white dress with a gold feather boa respectively. Rey comes down and gets a huge reaction. Surprisingly, he isn’t in his El Rey gear that he had on URFight. Fenix moves aside to let Rey get his props and another big chant breaks out.
Fenix hugs Rey and they go to a tie-up. Lucha tumbling sequence sets up a revolving door headscissor. Fenix gets 2 off of one of the most ridiculous things I’ve seen – a back-handspring Japanese armdrag. King Cuerno comes in and kicks both guys before hitting the Arrow of Death dive to Fenix on the floor. Rey kicks him off the apron to the floor and hits his Slip ‘n Slide splash under the ropes to the floor. Argenis returns and superkicks Fenix and Rey, getting a 2 on the latter. 619 hits Argenis and the frog splash hits to take Argenis out. Fenix dropkicks Cuerno to the floor and Johnny Mundo comes down before a commercial break.
We come back to Mundo walking down the steps – so we’ve missed nothing in-ring. Rey and Mundo face off and Mundo sends him into the corner with an uppercut. Fenix comes in and kicks Mundo into the corner before hitting a jumping yakuza kick. Joey Ryan comes down and Fenix gets 2 off a pair of kicks. Striker’s badly-edited voice work tells us that Joey won a qualifier, and Joey handcuffs himself to the barricade so he can’t be eliminate. Cuerno superkicks him for being an idiot. Famous B gives Joey one of his golden business cards. Prince Puma comes down and hits a giant jumping lariat to Fenix. Flying cutter to Cuerno! Double-jump SSP to a pile of luchadors on the floor! Sidewinder suplex is countered into a rana by Cuerno. Rey gets a cross armbreaker to Cuerno and he taps out!
Well, I sure didn’t see that coming. Jack Evans comes in and eats a beating. Rey climbs on Fenix’s shoulders for a splash onto Evans. Mundo pulls him to safety. Taya comes in as the first female entrant in Aztec Warfare this year. The remaining rudos and tecnicos get into a fist fight. Taya and Jack hold Rey down for the End of the World, but Cage (who is still a machine) comes down. He no-sells a dropkick from Evans and clotheslines him to death for a break.
Cage attacks Johnny before Taya tries to save him. She eats a nasty slam, and then Cage is tossed through Catrina’s office window. Mascarita Sagrada comes down and Cage recovers and lariats Johnny to Hell. Weapon X on the floor to Mundo! Puma hits a standing SSP to Mundo mid-ring to take him out. Marty the Moth comes down and Vamp asks if they should have a Most Creepy Title just for Marty and Joey. Marty takes off his shirt and swivels his hips before kicking Sagrada down. Eans hits a tornado kick, but Marty doesn’t feel it. Marty fishhooks Jack’s face before Drago comes down and we go to a break.
Evans goes for a Space Flying Tiger Drop, as you do, and Dragon sidesteps and kicks him. He kicks Joey as well and Drago fights with Jack in the crowd. Rey splashes Marty and takes him out of the match. Evans eats a crazy backdrop to the floor and hands face-first. The Mack comes down and hits a stunner on Marty. Cage and Mack slug it out and Mack hits a flying knee to send him down. Stunner to Cage while Puma chops Joey. Taya attacks Sagrada and Chavo comes down.
Drago apparently powerbombed Evans on the steps, but we didn’t see it. Well, he’ll regret that later for sure. Chavo locks on the camel clutch to take out Sagrada in an homage to Gory. Taya prevents a 619 to Cage and Mundo hits Cage in the head with a cinder block to take him out. Fenix German Suplexes Taya to take her out. PJ Black comes down and suplexes Drago on the steps. Drago tosses PJ’s face into the post. Aero Star returns from outer space and kicks PJ while Joey tells Aero to eliminate PJ. CANADIAN DESTROYER OFF THE TOP TO JACK EVANS takes him out.
Dragon Azteca Jr. comes down and dives onto the pile. Azteca makes use of his wacky kung fu training to kick PJ a few times. OVER THE POST SOMERSAULT DIVE TO MACK ON THE FLOOR. Texano comes down for an ad break. Texano hits a flip dive onto a pile on the floor. PJ hits a double stomp to the back of Texano for 2. Texano lands a powerbonb and eliminates PJ. Mil Muertes comes down as Striker calls him “The Dangerous Precipitation”. Pentagon Jr. jumps him and Rey and Puma double team Mil to pin him. Catrina yells at Vampiro to get the f*ck out of here.
Dario Cueto returns on the ramp and says THIS IS HIS TEMPLE and he’s the boss. He announces Matanza as the next entrant and the crowd goes crazy. As the graphic states, The Monster Matanza Cueto comes down. Matanza takes out Fenix with a rewind powerslam – guaranteeing a new champion. Mack’s stunner is no-sold a sick head-landing German gets the win for Matanza. Another German beats Aero Star! Texano chokes him with the rope, but the same powerbomb Texano used pins him here. He eyes a trapped Joey Ryan and rips the bars to free him so he can kick his ass. Multiple Karelin lift gutwrench suplexes beat Joey Ryan! Matanza is essentially a top 20 moves video on Youtube, and it’s fantastic for a movie monster character.
Dragon hits kicks and elbows and a springboard dropkick slightly budges him before a huge Giant-style chokeslam takes Dragon Azteca Jr. out. Chavo talks to Cueto to make a deal, but Cueto tells him to off him. STANDING SSP BY MATANZA TAKES OUT CHAVO! Puma and Rey attack Matanza, but Rey gets tossed to the floor. A forklift-style fallaway slam and a German take out Puma! It’s down to Rey and Matanza for the Lucha Underground Title. Rey tries to use speed, but a big lariat takes him out.
Rey kicks the knees, then the balls while Striker quotes Jebediah Springfield. An enzuiguri sets up the 619, but Matanza catches him! Rey finally hits it and sends him down! A rana off the top is met with a powerbomb into a rewind powerslam for the win! Cueto proudly declares that his brother is now the Lucha Underground Champion. This wasn’t as good an overall match as the first Aztec Warfare, but it still flew by and was a far better Rumble match than any Royal Rumbles have been this decade. Matanza was booked flawlessly, and unlike every other “monster” character of the past 20 years, actually busted out athletically-impressive offense beyond chokes, chokeslams, and lariats. They made him a very unique monster act and did more to make him a star in one night with him than TNA has done in 13 years with Abyss. To see all the screenshots for the show, just click here.
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back tonight to talk all the news in wrestling and MMA: Daniel Bryan, Luke Harper’s injury, Lucha Underground and TNA, Smackdown, ratings, UFC in New York, tons of mailbag questions and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Well before the Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker Media trial began, it was not a secret that Gawker believed they would lose the case before a jury, but believed they would win it on appeal.
But in a trial that got worldwide attention, as much for the questions of what constitutes legitimate news versus invasion of privacy, as the fact Hogan was involved, Gawker never saw what was coming.
A St. Petersburg jury of six people awarded Hogan $140.1 million, even more than the $100 million he was asking for, with one juror making it clear the figure was because they wanted to send a message to the company.
Figure Four Daily with Bryan Alvarez and Lance Storm returns today with tons to talk about, including Raw from Monday, WrestleMania, the WWE title history the past two years which is astonishing, UFC and New York City, man vs. woman matches, and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Joe Garagiola Sr., one of the most popular television personalities in the U.S. during the 1970s, who got his television broadcasting start in pro wrestling, passed away today at the age of 90.
Garagiola, a native of St. Louis, grew up in a neighborhood now known as Hall of Fame place because of how many baseball players it produced. Garagiola and Yogi Berra grew up across the street, and ended up being major league catchers. When both were growing up, Garagiola was considered the better player.
Both also became known for their comedic skill and timing. Garagiola often poked fun at his own mediocre major league career by saying not only was he not the best catcher in the major leagues, but he wasn’t even the best catcher on his block.
He started as a radio announcer with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1955. A few years later, when Sam Muchnick, a lifelong Cardinals fan, created the local “Wrestling at the Chase” television show, he hired Garagiola as his first announcer. Garagiola was more a personality with a smooth delivery and not an expert on wrestling, but he greatly respected the wrestlers and was a lifelong friend of Gene Kiniski.
He was very proud of his association with the business and talked fondly about socializing with Kiniski, and the antics of people like Dick the Bruiser, Pat O’Connor, Rip Hawk, Cowboy Bob Ellis and other stars of the show.
“Wrestling at the Chase” was a unique wrestling show, held in an expensive hotel ballroom where fans attended in suits and ties, and women in evening gowns. Garagiola felt Muchnick should have syndicated the show, which featured the top talent in the country, but Muchnick, who was the backbone of the NWA, felt it was better for the overall business to not put his television into the territory of other promoters.
Garagiola’s success on local television led to him being hired by NBC in 1961, which ended his run as a local wrestling announcer. His brother, Mickey, who is in the St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame, remained the ring announcer for Wrestling at the Chase into the early 80s.
Garagiola was a fixture on NBC as the sportscaster on The Today Show, a frequent replacement host for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, and announcer for the weekend Major League Baseball Game of the Week.
He had a falling out with NBC in 1988. He later worked as an announcer for the Arizona Diamondbacks from 1998 to 2012, where his son worked as General Manager, and announced his retirement from broadcasting in early 2013.
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive returns today to talk all the news in wrestling and MMA including tons of thoughts on MMA being legalized in New York, who is inducting the Fabulous Freebirds into the Hall of Fame, Daniel Bryan taking time off, your calls and emails and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
The WWE announced today that The New Day would be inducting The Freebirds into the WWE Hall of Fame on 4/2 in Dallas.
The connection is that The New Day as a three-man tag team championship team, where any two men can defend the titles, was taken from The Freebirds, of Michael Hayes & Terry Gordy & Buddy Roberts, who may have been the first team to do so with their Freebird rules.
The Freebirds scheduled for induction are Hayes, currently a WWE producer, Jimmy Garvin, Gordy and Roberts. The latter two, who have passed away, will be represented by their sons who became pro wrestlers, Ray Gordy, who worked for WWE as Jesse, and Buddy Roberts Jr., an independent wrestler in Illinois.
Yesterday the company announced that Vader would be inducting Stan Hansen. Vader and Hansen had a memorable match at the Tokyo Dome in 1990 where Vader’s eye came out of its socket. It was a dream match at the time, as Vader was the foreign monster for New Japan Pro Wrestling, while Hansen had a similar spot with All Japan.
1969
Bloomington, Minnesota:
– AWA Tag Team Champions Dick The Bruiser & Crusher ddq Mad Dog Vachon & Butcher Vachon in 3rd fall
– Bill Watts beat Lars Anderson
– Dr. X beat Pampero Firpo in 2 out of 3 falls
– Red Bastien beat Larry Hennig dq
– Billy Red Lyons beat Rene Goulet
– Kenny Jay beat Mike Riker
1972
Kansas City, Kansas:
– Steve Bolus & Terry Martin defeated Blackjack Black & Frank Diamond in two straight falls
– Omar Atlas defeated Benny Ramirez
– The Viking fought Bob Orton to a draw (20:00)
– Danny Little Bear & Pat O’Connor defeated North American Tag Team Champions Chati Yokouchi & Yasu Fuji via DQ
– Texas Death Match: Rufus R. Jones defeated Black Angus (w/ Percival A. Friend)
1975
Minneapolis, Minnesota:
– Billy Robinson & Ivan Putski beat Nick Bockwinkel & Boris Breznikoff
– Dusty Rhodes no contest Baron Von Raschke
– Horst Hoffman beat Jim Brunzell
– Greg Gagne beat Buddy Wolff dq
– Kenny Jay drew Dick Reynolds
1977
San Antonio, Texas:
– Fritz Von Erich beat Black Gordman
– AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel beat Moondog Mayne
– Bruiser Brody beat Nick Kozak
– Scott Casey drew Iron Sheik
– Bull Ramos beat Randy Brewer
1984
Aucklund, New Zealand:
– Ric Flair defeated Harley Race to win the NWA World title
1986
Chicago, Illinois:
– AWA World Champion Stan Hansen defeated Rick Martel by countout
– Road Warriors beat Nord the Barbarian & Boris Zhukov dq
– Death Match: Nick Bockwinkel beat Larry Zbyszko after 8 falls
– AWA Tag Team Champions Curt Hennig & Scott Hall beat Colonel DeBeers & Buddy Rose
– King Kong Brody beat Rick Renslow (sub Jerry Blackwell)
– Midnight Rockers beat Earthquake Ferris & Doug Somers
– Brad Rheingans drew Scott Irwin
1992
Memphis, Tennessee:
– Brian Christopher defeated Jimmy Valiant for the USWA Southern Heavyweight Title
1997
Wrestlemania XIII: Chicago, Illinois:
– Bret Hart defeated Steve Austin in a No Holds Barred I Quit match with Ken Shamrock as the special referee
– The Undertaker pinned Sid to win the WWF World Title
– WWF Intercontinental champion Rocky Maivia pinned The Sultan
– WWF Tag Team champions Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith fought Vader & Mankind to a double countout
– The Legion of Doom & Ahmed Johnson defeat The Nation of Domination (Farrooq, Crush & Savio Vega) in a Chicago Street Fight