Ratings for last night’s shows:
– ROH at 8 p.m. 172,000 viewers
– TNA at 9 p.m. 347,000 viewers
– ROH at 10 p.m. 100,000 viewers
– TNA at 11 p.m. 102,000 viewers
Combined: 272,000 ROH | 449,000 TNA
Category: Other Wrestling
<br mce_bogus="1">
-
On this day in pro wrestling history (June 18): TNA King of Mountain, Canek loses UWA title, CM Punk wins ROH gold, Dusty Rhodes vs. Dick Slater
By Brian Hoops, WrestlingObserver.com
1933 – In Waterloo, Iowa; Joe Stecher beat George Vassell and Abe Kashey drew Bob Jessen.
1937 – In Kansas City; Everett Marshall beat Nanjo Singh to retain the World Title, Lou Thesz beat Warren Bockwinkel and Dan O’Connor drew Walter Podolak.
1943 – In St. Joseph, Missouri; Jim Londos beat Ronnie Etchison to retain World Title and Orville Brown beat Joe Dusek by dq.
1948 – At Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri; Bill Longson defeated Billy Watson by countout, Lou Thesz beat Frederick Von Schacht by dq,Sky-Hi Lee defeated Don McIntyre and Warren Bockwinkel beat Fritz Schnabel
1950 – Arjan Singh defeated Sandor Szabo to win the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Title in Honolulu, Hawaii.
1951 – Miguel Guzman defeated Wayne Martin for the NWA Texas Heavyweight Title in Fort Worth, Texas
1964 – In Kansas City; Moose Evans beat Mongolian Stomper to retain the US Title by dq, Sonny Myers beat Harley Race 2 falls to 0 (first fall by dq), The Lawman drew Bob Geigel and Steve Bolus and Rocky Hamilton beat Bulldog Plechas and Baron Von Strauss
1966 – In a cage match, Dale Lewis beat Luke Brown and Reggie Parks & Mr Wrestling Tim Woods beat Mad Dog Vachon & Butcher Vachon in Omaha, Nebraska.
1968 – Dory Funk, Jr. & Terry Funk defeated Kurt & Karl Von Brauner to win the Texas version of the NWA World Tag Team Title in San Angelo, Texas
1971 – Bruno Sammartino and Dominic DeNucci defeated The Mongols (Geeto and Bepo) for the WWF International Tag Team Title in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; The Fabulous Kangaroos (Al Colstello & Don Kent) won the WWA World Tag Team Title from Wilbur Snyder and Moose Cholak in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1972 – Enrique Vera defeated Raul Mata for the Mexico National Light Heavyweight Title.
1977 – Jimmy & Johnny Valiant defeated Moose Cholak & Paul Christy for the WWA World Tag Team Title in Indianapolis, Indiana; Hercules Ayala defeated Huracan Castillo to win the WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Title in Caguas, Puerto Rico
1978 – Dusty Rhodes defeated Dick Slater to win the NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title in Miami, Florida
1980 – Bob Brown & Pat O’Connor defeated Takachiho (The Great Kabuki) & Pak Song for the NWA Central States Tag Team Title in Des Moines, Iowa.
1981 – Bob Sweetan & Terry Gibbs defeated The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy & Michael Hayes) to win the vacant NWA Central States Tag Team Title in Kansas City, Kansas.
1982 – Ringo Mendoza & Cachorro Mendoza defeated Satanico & Espectro, Jr. for the Mexico National Tag Team Titlel In Denver, Colorado; AWA Tag Team Champions Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell beat Jerry Blackwell & Sheik Adnan, In a non-title match; Rick Martel beat AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel, Tito Santana beat Ken Patera on a reverse decision dq and Pat Patterson beat Dennis Stamp
1983 – In Chicago, Illinois; Mad Dog Vachon beat Jerry Blackwell, Wahoo McDaniel & Jerry Lawler & Dick The Bruiser beat Nick Bockwinkel & Jesse Ventura & Blackjack Lanza, Greg Gagne beat Bobby Heenan and Ken Patera beat Jim Brunzelll; Jack and Jerry Brisco defeated Ricky Steamboat and Jay Youngblood to win the Mid-Atlantic version of the NWA World Tag Team Title in Greenville, South Carolina
1984 – Davey Boy Smith defeated Bad News Allen in Vancouver, British Columbia for the Stampede North American Heavyweight Title; Phil Hickerson & The Spoiler (Frank Morrell) defeated Tommy Rich & Eddie Gilbert to win the AWA Southern Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee.
1989 – The Marine Wolves (Suzuka Minami & Akira Hokuto) defeated Grizzly Iwamoto & Bison Kimura for the vacant WWWA World Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.
1995 – Sting defeated Meng to win the vacant WCW United States Heavyweight Title and The Renegade defeated Arn Anderson to win the WCW World Television Title at the Great American Bash in Dayton, Ohio.
1997 – Mima Shimoda & Etsuko Mita defeated Tomoko Watanabe & Kumiko Maekawa in Sapporo, Japan to win the WWWA World Tag Team Title.
2002 – Doug Williams defeated Justin Starr for the British Heavyweight Title in Southampton, England
2004 – Dr. Wagner, Jr. defeated Canek to win the UWA World Heavyweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico
2005 – CM Punk defeated Austin Aries to win the ROH Heavyweight Title in Morristown, New Jersey.
2006 – A.J. Styles and Christopher Daniels defeated America’s Most Wanted (Chris Harris and James Storm) to win the NWA World Tag Team Title and Jeff Jarrett defeated champion Christian Cage, Abyss, Ron Killings and Sting in a King of the Mountain match to win the NWA World Heavyweight Title in Orlando, Florida.
-
On this day in pro wrestling history (June 17): first Mexico champ crowned, 1965 penalty box match, Kurt Angle wins TNA title
By Brian Hoops, WrestlingObserver.com
1934 – Mario Nuez defeated Tony Canales in Mexico City, Mexico to become the first holder of the Mexico National Welterweight Title.
1936 – In Des Moines, Iowa; NWA World Heavyweight Champion Ede Virag beat Ras Samara 2 falls to 0. World Junior Heavyweight Champion Ken Fenelon b. Jack Conley (2-0) (second fall by DQ)
1948 – In Kansas City; Lord Albert Mills beat Lou Newman 2 out of 3 falls, The Dusek Brothers (Ernie and Joe Dusek) defeated The Garibaldi Brothers (Chick and Ralph Garibaldi) and Emil Dusek beat Barney Bernard.
1949 – In St. Louis, Missouri; NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz defeated Bill Longson, Sandor Szabo beat Dutch Hefner and Warren Bockwinkel beat Joe Dusek via DQ. Attendance was 4,759.
1957 – Cyclone Anaya defeated Tor Yamata for the NWA Southern Junior Heavyweight Title in Birmingham, Alabama.
1960 – In St. Joseph, Missouri; Central States Heavyweight Champion Thor Hagen and Gory Guerrero wrestled to a draw, 1 fall a piece. Also, World Tag Team Champions The Dusek Brothers (Emil and Ernie Dusek) beat George and Sandy Scott in 2 out of 3 falls. Attendance was 1,800.
1964 – Pat Patterson and Tony Borne defeated Nick Bockwinkel and Buddy Mareno (Omar Atlas) for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title in Salem, Oregon.
1965 – In Davenport, Iowa; AWA Tag Team Champions Larry Hennig & Harley Race beat The Crusher & Rene Goulet, Verne Gagne beat Chris Markoff and Igor Vodik beat Gene Anderson.
1965 – In Kansas City; In a Penalty Box rules match, Bob Geigel and Dutch Savage beat Pat O’Connor and Mongolian Stomper 2 falls to 1, Ronnie Etchison drew Missouri Mauler 1 fall to 1 fall and Sonny Myers beat Ken Hollis.
1965 – Bob Orton, Sr. won a tournament for the vacant NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Title in Jacksonville, Florida.
1966 – The Viking (Bob Morse) defeated Ron Reed in St. Joseph, Missouri to win the NWA Central States Heavyweight Title
1966 – In Milwaukee, Wisconsin; AWA Tag Team Champions Dick The Bruiser & The Crusher beat The Alaskan & Mad Dog Vachon,
Verne Gagne beat Angelo Poffo, Wilbur Snyder beat Guy Mitchell and Ernie Ladd beat Chris Markoff. Attendance was 3,308.1970 – Dick Garza defeated Ricky Cortez for the Wolverine Wrestling Michigan Heavyweight Title in Ypsilanti, Michigan
1971 – At Memorial Hall in Kansas City; Rufus R. Jones & The Stomper defeated North American Tag Team Champions Buddy Austin & Bob Orton via DQ, Central States Heavyweight Champion Harley Race defeated Bob Ellis in three falls and in a Texas Death Match: Dick the Bruiser defeated Baron Von Raschke.
1972 – Dutch Savage and Moondog Mayne defeated The Royal Kangaroos (Jonathan Boyd and Norman Frederick Charles) to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Title; In Milwaukee, Wisconsin; In a Saloon Match, The Crusher beat Dusty Rhodes. Also, Ivan Koloff beat Edouard Carpentier, Billy Robinson beat Big K and George Gadaski beat Kenny Jay. Attendance was 12,062.
1977 – At an event at the Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri; WWWF World Champion Billy Graham defeated Bob Slaughter; NWA World Champion Harley Race defeated Missouri Champion Jack Brisco by countout and AWA World Tag Team Champions, The High Flyers (Greg Gagne and Jim Brunzell) defeated Blackjack Lanza and Bobby Duncum. Also, Bulldog Bob Brown & Ivan Koloff drew Rufus R Jones & Billy Robinson, Pat O’Connor beat Bobby Jaggers and Bob Sweetan beat Ron Starr
1978 – AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel beat Greg Gagne at the Auditorium in Denver, Colorado.
1981 – In Oakland, California; Pat Patterson & Ray Stevens beat Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura dq, Greg Gagne beat Bobby Heenan and Tito Santana beat Sheik Adnan.
1982 – Don Kernodle and Jim Nelson defeated Porkchop Cash and Iceman Parsons in Roanoke, Virginia, to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Title; In Winnipeg; In a Non Title match, Rick Martel beat AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel, AWA Tag Team Champions Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell beat Jerry Blackwell & Sheik Adnan, Ken Patera beat Baron Von Raschke and Brad Rheingans beat Tito Santana. Attendance was 4,500.
1983 – At the Wrestling Star Wars event in Dallas, Texas, Kerry Von Erich and Bruiser Brody defeated The Fabulous Freebirds (Michael Hayes and Terry Gordy) to win the WCCW American Tag Team Title; The Dynamite Girls (Jumbo Hori and Yukari Ohmori) defeated Devil Masami and Talantula for the WWWA World Tag Team Title.
1984 – Jake Roberts defeated Ron Garvin to win the NWA World Television Title in Atlanta, Georgia; the title was immediately held up upon the discovery that Roberts used a foreign object.
1985 – Barry Windham & Mike Rotundo, the U.S. Express, defeated The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff for the WWF World Tag Team Titles in Poughkeepsie, New York; The Fabulous Ones (Steve Keirn and Stan Lane) defeated Ron Sexton and Billy Travis in a tournament final in Memphis, Tennessee to win the AWA Southern Tag Team Title.
1987 – Villano III defeated Perro Aguayo for the vacant WWF World Light Heavyweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico
1988 – Chris Benoit defeated Johnny Smith in Calgary, Alberta, to win the Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Title; At the Dallas Sportatorium; AWA Champion Jerry Lawler beat Terry Taylor, Kamala beat Kerry Von Erich, King Parsons beat Skip Young and Terry Gordy ddq John Tatum. Attendance was 2,000.
1989 – TNT (Savio Vega) defeated Abudda Dein to win the vacant WWC Television Title in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
1994 – In Knoxville, Tennessee; The Thrillseekers, Chris Jericho & Lance Storm defeated Steven Dunn & Killer Kyle, Bruiser Bedlam defeated Tracy Smothers in a coal miner’s glove match, SMW Tag Team Champions Brian Lee & Chris Candido fought The Rock N’ Roll Express to a no contest in a piledriver match and SMW Heavyweight Champion Jake Roberts defeated the Dirty White Boy via disqualification
1996 – Flex Kavana (the Rock) and Bart Sawyer defeated Brickhouse Brown and Reggie B. Fine in a tournament final for the USWA Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee; Jushin Liger defeated Dick Togo for the Michinoku Pro Wrestling British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan. Also, Shinjiro Otani defeated Kazushi Sakuraba for the UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Title.
1997 – Kyoko Inoue defeated Kaoru Itoh for the vacant WWWA World Singles Title in Sapporo, Japan.
1999 – Sherri Martel defeated Miss Manners (Adrian Lynch) in Fargo, North Dakota to win the (revived) AWA World Women’s Title; Public Enemy (Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge) defeated The Brotherhood (Knuckles Nelson and Rick Fuller) for the NWA World Tag Team Title in Bolton, Massachusetts.
2000 – Bad Attitude (Rick Michaels and David Young) defeated The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson) in Cornelia, Georgia to win the NWA Wildside Tag Team Title,
2007 – In Nashville, Tennessee; Jay Lethal defeated Chris Sabin to win the TNA X-Division title and Kurt Angle won the King of the Mountain match to win the TNA Title.
-
On this day in pro wrestling history (June 16): Nick Bockwinkel-Greg Gagne 60 minute draw, Del Rio wins WWE World title, wrestler vs. boxer
By Brian Hoops, WrestlingObserver.com
1932 – In Kansas City, In a mixed match, Charles Fischer beat boxer Houston Ash, Wladek Zbyszko beat Harry Ekizian via dq, Billy Wolfe drew Jack Hader, and Wild Red Berry vs Ali Hussane.
1937 – Bronko Nagurski defeated Dean Detton in Minneapolis, Minnesota to become World Heavyweight Champion
1949 – In Kansas City, Kansas; (Memorial Hall) Tarzan Kowalski and Joe Pazandak beat Orville Brown and Lou Newman 2 falls to 0.
1954 – In Cedar Rapids, Iowa; US Champion Verne Gagne beat Pat O’Connor 2 falls to 1, Chest Bernard beat Maurice Roberre and Jim Dobie beat Jack Carter. Attendance was 3,049.
1959 – The Zebra Kid defeated The Golden Giant for the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title in Dallas, Texas.
1961 – Pepper Gomez and Dory Dixon defeated Duke Keomuka and Tony Martin to win the vacant Texas version of the NWA World Tag Team Title in Houston, Texas; In St. Joseph, MO; Central States Heavyweight Champion Buddy Austin beat Sonny Myers in 2 out of 3 falls; Thor Hagen beat The Bat 2 falls to 1, Ronnie Etchison and Bobby Graham drew, Evelyn Stevens defeated Jessica Rogers by dq and Happy Humphrey beat Frank Altman. Attendance was 2,809.
1962 – At the Armory in St. Paul, Doug Gilbert beat AWA Champion Mr. M by dq, Larry Hennig beat Tiny Mills and Thor Hagen beat Crybaby Cannon by dq.
1966 – In Kansas City; Sonny Myers defeated Jerry Kozak, The Viking defeated Bobby Hart and North American Tag Team Champions The Mongolian Stomper & Bob Ellis defeated The Butcher & Alex Perez in two straight falls.
1967 – Ron Etchison and Sonny Myers defeated Bob Geigel and Bob Brown for the Central States version of the NWA North American Tag Team Title in St. Joseph, Missouri; El Mongol defeated Buddy Fuller in Atlanta, Georgia to win the NWA Georgia Heavyweight Title
1969 – Tojo Yamamoto and Johnny Long defeated Johnny Walker and Sundown Kid for the Mid-America version of the NWA Southern Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee
1970 – Hiro Matsuda defeated Dale Lewis to begin his second reign as NWA Florida Southern Heavyweight Champion in Tampa, Florida; In Chicago at the Amphitheater, AWA Champion Verne Gagne beat Dr Big Bill Miller and AWA Tag Team Champions Mad Dog Vachon & Butcher Vachon beat Ernie Ladd & Wilbur Snyder in 2 out of 3 falls.
1971 – Suni War Cloud and Steven Little Bear defeated Ripper Collins and Mad Dog Mayne to win the NWA Hawaii Tag Team Title in Honolulu, Hawaii.
1972 – In Denver, Colorado; Wahoo McDaniel & Billy Robinson beat Larry Hennig & Dusty Rhodes and Ivan Koloff beat Don Muraco
1973 – J.B. Psycho defeated Johnny Powers in Buffalo, New York for the National Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Title
1974 – In Green Bay, Wisconsin; AWA Tag Team Champions Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens went to a no contest with The Crusher & Billy Robinson, In a Strap Match, Wahoo McDaniel beat Larry Heiniemi and Ivan Putski beat Buddy Wolff.
1975 – Guy Mitchell and Ricky Hunter defeated Gene Kiniski and Dale Lewis for the Vancouver version of the NWA Canadian Tag Team Title in Vancouver, British Columbia.
1975 – Karl Von Steiger and Otto Von Heller defeated Tojo Yamamoto and Jimmy Golden to win the Mid-America version of the NWA Southern Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee.
1977 – At Memorial Hall in Kansas City; Rufus R. Jones & Mr. Wrestling defeated Randy Tyler & Bobby Jaggers, In a Loser Leaves Town match, Brusier Bob Sweetan beat “Easy” Ed Wiskowski (Colonel DeBeers) and Superstar Billy Graham defeated “D.I.” Bob Slaughter (later Sgt. Slaughter); In Davenport, Iowa; Bob Backlund & Bill Francis drew Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell, Ray Stevens beat Bobby Duncum,
Angelo Mosca no contest Billy Robinson and Pedro Morales beat Super Destroyer; Great Kojika and Motoshi Okuma defeated Akihisa Takachiho and Samson Kutsuwada for the AJPW All Asia Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan1979 – In Omaha, Nebraska; AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel wrestled Greg Gagne to a 60 minute draw, Mad Dog Vachon beat Super Destroyer Mark II, Billy Robinson beat Pat Patterson and Paul Ellering beat Bobby Duncum via dq.
1980 – The Assassins defeated Ole and Lars Anderson for the NWA Georgia Tag Team Title in Augusta, Georgia
1983 – In Winnipeg; Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell & Mad Dog Vachon beat Jerry Blackwell & Ken Patera & Sheik Adnan, AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel beat Wahoo McDaniel, Rick Martel beat Blackjack Lanza dq, Brad Rheingans beat Mike Graham and Billy Robinson beat Baron Von Raschke. Attendance was 3,288.
1984 – Maso Ito defeated Austin Idol in Memphis, Tennessee to win the AWA International Heavyweight Title; Terry Taylor defeated Krusher Khrushchev for the Mid-South Wrestling Television Title in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1986 – Dutch Mantel defeated Rip Rogers to win the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee; Buzz Sawyer defeated Chris Adams for the World Class Television Title in Fort Worth, Texas.
1993 – Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster) defeated The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) in Rockford, Illinois for the WWF Tag Team Title; Scott Putski defeated Dynamite Dixon in Laredo, Texas, to win the United States Wrestling Federation Texas Heavyweight Title.
2002 – American Dragon (Bryan Danielson) defeated Super Dragon to win the All Pro Wrestling Internet Title in Hayward, California.
2013 – At the Payback PPV, Curtis Axel defeated Wade Barrett and the Miz to win the Intercontinental Title. Also, AJ Lee defeated Kaitlyn to win the Divas Title, Alberto Del Rio defeated Dolph Ziggler for the World Title.
-
RIP Dusty Rhodes: your favorite career matches & moments
Photo: Pro Wrestling Illustrated
By Josh Nason, Wrestling Observer
I asked for your favorite Dusty Rhodes matches and you delivered. What follows is a collection of various big matches from Rhodes’ career with some consistencies, some memories, and lots of video links. If you’re a Dusty Rhodes fan, this post is for you.
*****
Dusty Rhodes & Ole Anderson vs. Assassins Steel Cage Match – Georgia Championship Wrestling, 1980
I was lucky to see two really historically significant matches live. One was June 8, 1990, when Jumbo Tsuruta passed the torch and put over Mitsuhara Misawa. The other was in 1980, when I, along with numerous other folks at the Atlanta WFIA Convention, saw Dusty teaming with Ole Anderson vs The Assassins in a steel cage with Gene Anderson as a babyface ref and Ivan Koloff as a heel ref.
Now being a Southern California kid (pre cable TV in my region), I was unfamiliar with just how over Dusty was. I’ll never forget that when the match was about to start, one of the WFIA folks (Pete Lederberg) said, “Hey, do you think the other five wrestlers will turn on Dusty?” People shook their heads or said “Naaaaah”…even though I bet most of those folks would later claim they saw the angle coming months ahead!
Well, we all know the turn he predicted happened, and I sat there, absolutely stunned at how batsh*t crazy the fans in the Omni went over Dusty’s blood, guts, and thunder massacre at the hands of five heels inside a cage! Beer, food, everything imaginable was hurled at the cage. The fan I’ll never forget was some teen, not the stereotypical wrestling nerd, looked more like a varsity jock, walked aimlessly near ringside, tears streaming down his face, and then, straight out of the most melodramatic movie you’ve ever seen, clenches his fists and screams through a giant sob, “DUUUUUUSTY!!!”
I’m not going to lie and say I was a mega Dusty fan. I really dug him at times, got burned out on him at others. That said, that night at The Omni, 1980, I TOTALLY understood that there was so much more to Dusty Rhodes than what I previously saw in the Apter & Keitzer magazines! RIP Dusty Rhodes.
– Kurt Brown
*****
Dusty Rhodes vs. Barry Windham — Great American Bash 1988
– Tommy Slinker
*****
The James Boys vs. Midnight Express – WCW Saturday Night
Frank and Jesse James are Dusty and Magnum TA under masks. Great match and great angle. Great finish. I love this match.
– Dan Cerquitella
*****
Assassins vs. Dusty & Ole Anderson with Gene Anderson & Ivan Koloff as special refs – 1980, Omni in Atlanta, GA
The match told a great story. It was about trust, lack of trust and revenge.
– Ted Leavey
*****
Dusty Rhodes & Wahoo McDaniel vs Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson double bullrope & Indian strap match – Jim Crockett Promotions house show, spring of 1986
Dusty Rhodes & Dick Murdoch vs The Bruiser & The Crusher – AWA, March 1973
Great brawl. I’m not sure if these 4 guys knew pro wrestling was a work.
– Matt Mann
*****
Photo: WWE.com
War Games: The Match Beyond
So many feuds & storylines all timed to hit at once. Just perfect. Also, a few moments: when the James Gang attacked the Midnight Express (nearly kills Jim Cornette), and when Dusty nearly murdered Tully Blanchard with a baseball bat. I think that Dusty is up in heaven talking to the other wrestlers saying “Y’all hear that they’re talkin’ ’bout me, right?”
– Uncle Jason from West Virginia
*****
War Games: The Match Beyond – July 4th, 1987 in Atlanta at the Omni
It was the Four Horsemen (Lex Luger version) and JJ Dillon against The Super Powers (Dusty and Nikita Koloff), the Road Warriors and Paul Ellering. Classic good vs evil, and the Horsemen had been on a serious roll. I did not think there was any way the Horsemen would lose, but then I saw the match. Dusty was great in the match. He sold, he bled, and you knew he was going to lead his team to victory. I never bet against Dusty after that.
– Reginald Featherbottom
*****
Bunkhouse Stampede ‘88 (Dusty, Animal, Barbarian, Arn Anderson, Ivan Koloff, Lex Luger, Warlord, Tully Blanchard) – Nassau Coliseum, NY
I get the impression that, to people growing up with Dusty, this match is not as fondly remembered as I remember it. However, to a kid born in 1987 in North Louisiana that only had a few tapes on hand, this opened the door to a whole new world of wrestling.
My first introduction to wrestling had been to the cartoon world of WWF and Hulk Hogan. “Kid” stuff. “My” stuff. Stuff that easily fell into the Ninja Turtles demographic. This was something different, though. This was blood and beer. This was my dad and his friends in the barroom brawls that I heard my dad was pretty good in. I didn’t hear a Rhodes promo until the polka dot era, but he won me over as a real hero wrestler. Hogan was a comic book; Dusty was like my dad: a true blue, common man that worked hard for his family even if that meant he didn’t get to see them. To anyone that says Dusty was all promo, f*ck ’em. He got me with this match and winning the big boot.
Midnight ridin’ through hard times,
– Johnny Moore
*****
Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair World Title Match – Great American Bash, 1986
I’m 45 years old, and I’ve been a huge wrestling fan since I was 10 in 1980. It’s very hard for me to pick one particular match since Dusty had so many great matches and moments in the ring. But if I had to pick just one, I would have to go with when Dusty defeated Ric Flair for the NWA World title at the Great American Bash in 1986.
Of course Dusty was not the most athletic wrestler or had the traditional wrestler body so to speak. But just like his promos, Dusty was excellent in performing and telling a physical story in the ring with his actions. His wrestling style and abilities in the ring made you believe he was one of the best wrestlers in the world because he made everything so emotional.
He was very good for a big man in the ring, was pretty quick in his prime, and he just made you believe what he was doing in the ring by his physical story telling in his matches, nobody could “sell” in the ring like Dusty. He had me thinking that the Bionic elbow was the most devastating move in the world. His cage match with Ric Flair was such an awesome match and such a good story of winning the title after his countless battles with the Four Horsemen, Ric Flair, War Games matches, tag matches with Magnum TA and Nikita Koloff in his battles with Flair, and his single matches were all just awesome.
But when he won the World title, which I think was his 2nd win? It was just an awesome moment at the time, and still gives me goosebumps when I go back and watch the match now. The crowd pop was so huge, Dusty was so emotional when he won the world title, and then all the NWA faces at the time all coming to the cage to celebrate with Dusty, just made it a special moment like he just won the World Series or the Super Bowl. Dusty was always a great story teller in the ring in his physical actions that just made you believe in everything he did. He was a master of the game to say the least.
My Mount Rushmore of wrestling includes Dusty Rhodes. He was a once in a lifetime performer that just made you believe. And that is the most important thing when watching a wrestling match.
– Jon Southerland
*****
“Superstar” Billy Graham vs. Dusty Rhodes – Texas Death Match for the WWWF title, MSG 10/24/77
It’s on the WWE DVD “20 Years Too Soon – The Superstar Billy Graham Story. Incredible heat!
– Robert from Vienna
*****
Since I rewatched ‘Rivalries’, the hot angle to reunite his feud with Flair. In the Omni in Atlanta, Flair vs. Nikita in the cage when Ivan jumps in and Dusty makes the save only to be jumped by the Horsemen, Ole, Arn, Tully. They “broke” Dusty’s leg and the arena wouldn’t let the Horsemen out of the cage. Anderson and Flair said it took a hour to get out of the cage sadly. Dusty’s final triumph one on one at the GAB on July 26th in Greensboro, NC, to win the title over Flair was a great story finally coming to a climax.
Dusty Rhodes vs. ‘Superstar’ Billy Graham from MSG (1977)
Dusty Rhodes vs. Tully Blanchard for the rights to Baby Doll (1985-86)
– Matt Cail
*****
Dusty Rhodes vs. Steve Corino – Bullrope Match; ECW Living Dangerously (2000)
One simple reason: I was there to see it from the fifth row. Born in ’79, I was a little too young to appreciate his body of work at his prime, but I’d become a fan of his commentary on WCW Saturday Night. The ECW PPV was taking place a town away from where I lived at the time, and as cool as it was to attend an ECW show at close range (you can see me in the opening crowd pan on that show, on WWE Network), I was grateful I was getting to see Dusty do his thing inside the ring.
It was a simple bloody brawl that I’ll always remember – specifically watching the Bionic Elbow in person. It’ll always be a special memory for me.
– Tony Yannuzzi
*****
Dusty Rhodes vs. Steve Corino – Bullrope Match; ECW Living Dangerously (2000)
It sticks out the most to me because even though Dusty was way past his prime, the ECW crowd still gets behind him. Few people could command a room like The Dream.
– James Lambert
*****
Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair: Starrcade ’85
While I have as much respect as anyone regarding Dusty Rhodes’ career, he was never a personal favorite of mine. I didn’t become a serious wrestling fan until the late-80’s and that was all WWE. While obviously super-charismatic and a great promo, the polka dot wearing, Sapphire loving Dusty Rhodes was well past his best body of work (in-ring and otherwise).
However one match in particular that remains a personal favorite of mine (participants notwithstanding) is Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair from Starrcade ’85. I watched this match for the 1st time upon purchasing The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection DVD set WWE put out back around 2003. People often throw around the terminology “storytelling” when it comes to wrestling matches. Most of the best matches in history have been a demonstration of where that phrase comes from. That is hardly the case with most modern day matches which is no doubt the primary reason that even upon one viewing, this three decade old match had an impact on and still resonates with me even now.
The angles and promos leading to the match aside (which were top rate by themselves), this match was pure storytelling from bell-to-bell. While one has to give Flair all the credit in the world for his role in this match, it was Dusty that was the architect in making it successful. Nearly everything in the match was perfect in terms of timing, psychology, storytelling, and for Rhodes, a 101 seminar on how to be a successful babyface. To say the same angles and storylines could have been utilized in the same way with anyone besides Dusty Rhodes is fooling themselves.
Even as a non-Dusty Rhodes fan, I could see from this one little snapshot in time why there is nobody else in the wrestling business who was or will be another ‘American Dream’ Dusty Rhodes. How many matches today can one watch and even remember the next day?
– Joshua P. Christie
*****
I know you called for matches, but for me the things I remember most about Dusty were the angles: when the Horsemen followed Dusty and beat him up in the parking lot, Dusty & Magnum as the The James Gang, Nikita turning babyface and saving Dusty, Baby Doll and Dusty, Dusty breaking the chair over Bubba’s head (and Bubba no selling it), and so much more from that 80s Crockett era. Dusty wasn’t about great physical matches, he was about the emotion of the match. And the peak for all of that was the first War Games. Just listen to the crowd when Dusty throws a punch or hits the elbow. The match was so huge because it came together naturally, and it made sense because of the interference by the Horsemen for two years.
If that had been the first Crockett PPV, I think they’d have been so successful that the cable companies may have not let Vince pull the power play on Thanksgiving. Would this have saved Crockett or just delayed the inevitable?
Most of Dusty’s big matches weren’t shown in their entirety on TV, but there were a bunch of big name matches on Worldwide that either were short (and exciting) or lasted three minutes before David Crockett said “we gotta go.” One that does stick out to me was Dusty vs. Bobby Eaton in a cage. It’s not a long match, but was a unique match for TV. Bobby being the awesome worker that he was and being able to have Jim Cornette on the outside makes this so much fun.
– Jason Campbell
*****
Dusty Rhodes vs. Tully Blanchard, Great American Bash 1987 in Greensboro, NC
I want to say thanks for giving the fans an opportunity to say which match they best remember from Dusty. There are heroes from the great art of pro wrestling with great frequency, and Dusty surely means a great deal to those fortunate enough to have watched him wrestle throughout his career. I was thinking how cool it was that he showed up in ECW to feud with Steve Corino, and again foiled Corino and his “Group”, when he joined Homicide in Ring of Honor wars back over a decade ago.
My favorite match goes back to the days of the NWA. the Great American Bash 1987. June 6th, 1987 to be exact as Dusty battled Tully Blanchard in Greensboro, NC at Greensboro Coliseum. This was the heyday of Dusty’s feuding with the Horsemen. There is barbed wire wrapped around the ropes! Also a bag of money is hung, which brings a ladder into play many years before other wrestlers are credited for creating the ladder match.
I don’t want to spoil for those that have not seen but this is every bit as exciting as other Dusty/Tully tangles. and JJ Dillon, Dark Journey and Barry Windham are all present for the match as well. Great Crockett-era action and just one of the many reasons to be a Dusty fan. Many condolences to the Rhodes (Runnels) family.
– Robert Murillo
*****
The matches Dusty had with Superstar Billy Graham at Madison Square Garden in 1977 and 1979 have an atmosphere to them that is hard to match. They play off each other like career opponents. They faced each other for the WWWF Title on 9/26/1977 and their rematch on 10/24/1977 was a Texas Death Match and is my personal favorite Graham match and maybe even favorite Dusty match. They had their famous 8/28/1978 Bullrope match that was a classic grudge match.
For me, I started watching NWA/WCW in 1988 when I rented Starrcade 86 and Starrcade 87 on successive nights without knowing the cards of results. I got behind Dusty in his 1986 TV Title loss to Tully Blanchard and then really enjoyed his US Title win in a cage match against Lex Luger.
The ending was telegraphed but the DDT on the chair for the title win made my night. I then really enjoyed his title challenge and loss to new US Champion Barry Windham in July 1988, my first “new” ppv since I’d started watching. It was probably his last great singles feud of his full-time career.
Also, Dusty’s matches against Steve Corino in ECW were always fun. And the tag match at 1992 Tokyo Dome in which he teamed with Dustin against Masa Saito and Kim Duk was a great emotional experience, and I think it would be even more so now.
– Dave Musgrave
*****
Dusty’s First Blood match vs. Tully Blanchard — Starrcade, Greensboro, NC 1986.
Dusty vs. Ric Flair World title match, Great American Bash 1986
Dusty vs. Tully Blanchard cage match, Great American Bash 1985 in Charlotte.
What made them stand out is that I remember getting excited that Dusty had won the World title while the other two were brutal. I was 7-8 years old then and being that young, those three really stick with me today.
– Wesley Kelly
*****
Dusty Rhodes vs. Lex Luger – Starrcade ’87, cage match for the U.S. Title.
Maybe the match wasn’t a classic, and I didn’t need Johnny Weaver involved, but Dusty was at his best as a sympathetic babyface vs the powerhouse Luger.
-Richard Baker
*****
The following is from Steve Helwagen whose work has appeared here before. This is a pretty extensive list with tons of video links, so I wanted to give him a special shoutout.
I spent lot of nights watching Dusty at the Convention Center (Ohio Center then) and Fairgrounds Coliseum. He and Ole Anderson were the main event of the first show at Ohio Center in Sept. 1980. Here’s some video links of my favorites including the first time I’ve ever seen the ‘92 St. Louis match where Flair pins him clean in the middle (wow!).
– Flair vs Rhodes from Mid-Atlantic TV 1986
– Flair-Rhodes from Starrcade ‘84 with Joe Frazier as ref and Gordon Solie on commentary
– Dusty Rhodes vs. Superstar Graham Texas Bullrope match – MSG, NYC. August 28, 1978. That one drew 22,000 to MSG and 4,000 in Felt Forum.
– Graham def Rhodes in Texas Death Match for WWWF title – MSG, NYC. Oct. 24, 1977
– Superpowers promo with Dusty and Nikita
– Dusty makes a deal with the devil (Ole Anderson)
– Ole Anderson turns on Dusty in the cage match with the Assassins – August 1980 at the Omni, nearly causing a riot. Koloff: “It was like old times, we were both there kicking the American Dream.” (One of the greatest lines ever)
– Dusty beats Harley Race for NWA title in the Summer 1981 at the Omni. Dusty was the transitional champion from Race to Flair a few months later. Here’s a better clip.
– Dusty vs Flair – Great American Bash 1986. Dusty wins NWA title for third time
– Dusty beats Harley Race for his first NWA title in 1979 in Tampa
– Dusty Rhodes vs. Lex Luger – US title 1987 Starrcade cage match
– Dusty beats Tully Blanchard for the TV title – Great American Bash 85
– Rhodes promo for Billy Graham match in Boston
– Young Dusty 1970 Detroit tag match with Dick Murdoch
– Pain, blues and agony promo from 82-83 Georgia
– Rhodes vs. Ernie Ladd Florida 1977
– Rhodes vs. Jimmy Valiant 1979 MSG
– Florida Wrestling Takin Care of Business Tour 1983
– Ric Flair over Dusty Rhodes – Kansas City 1981 for Flair’s first NWA title
– Flair-Tully vs. Dusty-Wahoo double bullrope match 1985 or 86
– Dusty finish match DQ negates title win over Flair 85 or 86
– Dusty vs Bob Backlund May 1980, Japan
– Flair vs. Dusty St. Louis Jan. 1, 1982
****
If you’re a member of our site, here’s a thread on our message board you can also check out.
-
On this day in pro wrestling history (June 15) Eddie Gilbert vs. Jerry Lawler, Outsiders vs. Flair and Piper, Shane Douglas wins 1st MLW title
By Brian Hoops, WrestlingObserver.com
1941 – In Waterloo, Iowa; Joe Dusek beat Rudy Strongberg by dq.
1950 – At Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Karl Davis beat Fred Blassie in a 2 out of 3 falls special mud match, Sonny Myers defeated Emil Dusek in 2 out of 3 falls, Ralph Garibaldi and Joe Dusek went to a time limit draw, and Bob Geigel and Tommy O’Toole wrestled to a 30 minute draw
1957 – In Wichita, Kansas, Mike Clancy beat Wild Red Berry 2 falls to 1, and Bobby Bruns beat Jim Austeri
1961 – In Kansas City, Kansas, The Alaskan defeated Ronnie Etchison via DQ in three falls, and Sonny Myers & Bobby Graham defeated Buddy Austin & Don McClarity in three falls
1962 – In St. Louis, Missouri, NWA Champion Buddy Rogers beat Johnny Valentine. Edouard Carpentier defeated Rip Hawk, and Hans Schmidt & Stan Stasiak defeated Bobby Managoff & Billy Watson. Attendance was announced as a sellout of 12,000; Sailor Art Thomas defeated The Mummy for the NWA Texas Heavyweight Title in Houston, Texas
1963 – In Minneapolis, MN, Crusher beat Waldo Von Erich, and in a non-title lumberjack match, Tiny Mills & Stan Kowalski beat AWA Tag Team Champions Ivan Kalmikoff & Karol Kalmikoff
1966 – In Kansas City, Kansas, Ron Reed defeated Chuck Karbo in three falls, and North American Tag Team Champions The Mongolian Stomper & Bob Ellis defeated The Butcher & Alex Perez in two straight falls
1972 – In Winnipeg, Canada, Billy Robinson beat Ivan Koloff by dq, George Gordienko beat Big K, and Larry Hennig & Dusty Rhodes beat Wahoo McDaniel & Ramon Torres
1972 – In Kansas City, Kansas, Roger Kirby defeated The Viking, Rufus R. Jones defeated Black Angus via DQ, and The Stomper defeated Harley Race in three falls
1974 – In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, The Crusher & Baron Von Raschke were co-winners of a two ring, 24 man $50,000 battle royal, Nick Bockwinkel drew Wahoo McDaniel, Superstar Billy Graham beat Oddjob, Larry Hennig beat Bull Bullinski, and Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell beat Blackjack Lanza & Paul Perschmann (Buddy Rose). Attendance announced at 7,000
1975 – In Green Bay, Wisconsin, AWA Tag Team Champions Nick Bockwinkel & Ray Stevens beat Ivan Putski & Dusty Rhodes in 2 out of 3 falls, Chris Taylor beat Buddy Wolff, Bobby Heenan beat Jim Brunzell by dq, and Khosrow Vaziri (Iron Shiek) beat Paul Perschmann (Buddy Rose). Attendance announced as 5,586
1979 – Seiji Sakaguchi and Riki Choshu defeated Hiro Matsuda and Masa Saito in Los Angeles, California, for the NWA North American Tag Team Title; Nick Bockwinkel & Bobby Duncum beat Mad Dog Vachon & Greg Gagne, Super Destroyer Mark II beat The Crusher in a no dq match, Paul Ellering beat Jesse Ventura in a posedown, Billy Robinson beat Ray Stevens by dq, and Pat Patterson beat Doug Gilbert in Denver, Colorado; The Blond Bombers (Larry Latham and Wayne Farris) defeated Jerry Lawler and Bill Dundee to win the AWA Southern Tag Team titles in Tupelo, Mississippi
1980 – Sangre Chicana defeated Cachorro Mendoza for the NWA World Middleweight Title in Monterrey, Mexico; In Green Bay, WI, AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel beat Mad Dog Vachon, Dino Bravo beat Jerry Blackwell in a $5000 ladder match, Bobby Heenan beat Lord Alfred Hayes in a loser leaves town match, and Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura beat Steve Olsonoski & Juan Valez
1982 – One day after losing the World Class American Title to Fritz Von Erich in Fritz’s retirement match, King Kong Bundy is awarded the title due to Fritz vacating it.
1983 – In Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada, Mad Dog Vachon & Baron Von Raschke beat Nick Bockwinkel & Blackjack Lanza, Ken Patera beat Wahoo McDaniel, Rick Martel beat Jerry Blackwell by dq, and Bobby Heenan beat Buck Zumhofe
1986 – Rufus R. Jones and Mike George defeated Hacksaw Higgins and J.R. Hogg in Sedalia, Missouri, to win the NWA Central States Tag Team Titles.
1990 – John Tatum defeated Bill Dundee for the USWA Southern Heavyweight Title in Dallas, Texas, ending Dundee’s second reign and beginning Tatum’s second.
1992 – Eddie Gilbert defeated Jerry Lawler for the USWA Unified World Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee.
1996 – Brickhouse Brown defeated Bart Sawyer for the vacant USWA TV Title in Memphis, Tennessee.
1997 – Cibernetico defeated Mascara Sagrada for the Mexico National Heavyweight Title in Pantitlo, Mexico.
1997 – At the Great American Bash PPV in Moline, Illinois, WCW World Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated Ric Flair & Roddy Piper, and Randy Savage defeated Diamond Dallas Page in a Falls Count Anywhere match.
1998 – During an edition of Monday Nitro, Chris Jericho was awarded the Cruiserweight Title.
2002 – Shane Douglas defeated Vampiro and Taiyo Kea in a three-way match to become the first MLW World Heavyweight Champion in Philadelphia, PA.
-
We want to know what your favorite Dusty Rhodes matches are
Since Dusty Rhodes’ passing last Thursday, we’ve all heard a lot about his promos but I haven’t heard nearly as much about his must-see matches. I know you’re thinking about them, and there’s a generation of fans who either a) have seen only a small fraction of his matches or b) haven’t seen any. I fit into the former.
So, I want to hear from you. What’s your favorite Dusty match (singles or tag) that’s either available on the WWE Network or on YouTube/DailyMotion that fans could check out today? Email me (josh-at-wrestling-observer-dot-com) and put ‘Favorite Dusty Match’ in the headline. Give me who’s in the match, where it was, and why it meant something to you. If you want to include your name, awesome. If not, just say ‘Name witheld’.
Even if you assume that people are going to send in the same match, do it anyway. It’ll be a great litmus test for ones that really stand out.
Email me by Sunday at midnight EST, and I’ll put together a list to post on Monday. Thanks for taking part!
-
On this day in pro wrestling history (June 14): Antonio Inoki beats Hulk Hogan for IWGP title, Steiners win WWF tag team gold
By Brian Hoops, WrestlingObserver.com
1909 – In Des Moines, Iowa; World Heavyweight Champion Frank Gotch defeated former United States champion Tom Jenkins 2 falls to 0.
1922 – In Minneapolis, Minnesota; World Heavyweight Champion Ed “Strangler “Lewis beat John Freberg in 2 out of 3 falls match.
1936 – In Waterloo, Iowa; Bronko Nagurski beat Ivan Vacturoff.
1948 – In Wichita, Kansas; World Heavyweight Champion Orville Brown and Lord Albert Mills went to a draw at 1 fall a piece.
1961 – In Duluth, Minnesota; In a Texas Death Match, AWA US Champion Gene Kiniski beat Wilbur Snyder. Also, Leo Nomellini beat Bob Geigel
1971 – In Duluth, Minnesota; The Crusher beat Strong Kobayashi in a Death Match, Nick Bockwinkel beat Paul Diamond,
Bobby Heenan beat Bull Bullinski and Big K beat Lars Anderson.1973 – In Winnipeg; The Crusher & Wahoo McDaniel beat Superstar Billy Graham & Ivan Koloff in 2 out of 3 falls, Nick Bockwinkel beat Billy Robinson dq and Rene Goulet defeated Bob Bruggers. Attendance was 5,000.
1974 – In Chicago, Illinois; Dick the Bruiser & Wahoo McDaniel beat Larry Heiniemi & Buddy Wolff, Ivan Putski beat Superstar Billy Graham via dq and Chris Taylor beat Ray Stevens
1978 – In Honolulu, Hawaii; Russ Francis beat AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel dq, Hawaiian Tag Title Match John Tolos & Steve Strong beat Buddy Rose & John Studd to win tag title, Little John & Cowboy Lang beat Little Tokyo & Lord Littlebrook, Don Muraco beat Rocky Tomayo, Chris Markoff beat Mickey Doyle and Bill Francis beat Duke Savage; Jack and Jerry Brisco defeated Mr. Saito and Mr. Sato to win the Florida tag-team title in Miami Beach; In Duluth, Minnesota; Verne Gagne & Rufus R Jones beat Super Destroyer Mark II & Pat Patterson, Evan Johnson beat Lord Alfred Hayes, Bob Orton Jr beat Jim Brunzell and Steve Olsonoski beat Blackjack Lanza dq
1980 – In Rockford, Illinois; Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura beat Greg Gagne & Mad Dog Vachon, In a Loser Leaves Town Match, Bobby Heenan beat Lord Alfred Hayes, Dino Bravo beat Jerry Blackwell and Super Destroyer Mark II drew Steve Olsonoski
1981 – The Highflyers (Jim Brunzell & Greg Gagne) defeated The East-West Connection (Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura) for the AWA World Tag Team Title in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Also, Baron Von Raschke ddq Jerry Blackwell and AWA Light Heavyweight Champion Mike Graham beat Buck Zumhofe.
1984 – Antonio Inoki defeated Hulk Hogan for the IWGP Heavyweight Title in Tokyo, Japan; in Winnipeg; In a Non Title Match, King Kong Brody & Abdullah The Butcher beat AWA Tag Team Champions The Crusher & Baron Von Raschke, Nick Bockwinkel beat Curt Hennig, Fabulous Ones beat Steve Regal & Chris Markoff, Blackjack Lanza drew Larry Zbyszko, Steve O beat Kevin Kelly and Stan Lane beat Sheik Adnan. Attendance was 2,620.
1989 – At Clash of the Champions VII in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, The Freebirds defeated The Midnight Express in a tournament final for the NWA World Tag Team Championship.
1993 – The Steiner Brothers defeated Money, Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster) for the WWF World Tag Team Title in Columbus, Ohio.
1998 – In Baltimore, Maryland, Chris Jericho defeated Dean Malenko via disqualification to win the vacant WCW Cruiserweight Title and Booker T defeated Fit Finlay to win the WCW Television Title.
-
‘The Sheik’ review: WWE level aspirations with indie level execution
By Josh Nason, WrestlingObserver.com
I was really looking forward to checking out ‘The Sheik’ after hearing the Iron Sheik on a recent Jim Ross podcast and once it hit Netflix, I was all in. But after watching the 95 minute doc, I think the buzz around it should have been a bit humbled.
To no surprise, the film centers around the life and times of Khosrow Vaziri, later to be known as The Iron Sheik. We are taken through his life in Iran, his wrestling background and bodyguard work, why he came to the United States, how he got into wrestling, his rise and fall in the WWF, and his rise and fall in life.
A big plus is the pictures we see that accompany much of the story help us see Vaziri as a normal human being through every stage of his life, especially those early Iran years. For the most part, the doc humanizes the cartoon character that we all know as the Sheik, bolstered by the story of him getting married on the same day he wrestled for the AWA. Perhaps it’s because Verne Gagne recently passed away but the pictures of him at the wedding take on a little more meaning now. The story of his daughter being killed is also a tough watch and is presented with grace.
Sadly, there is no WWF footage in the doc but the filmmakers (also his management team) did a good job at getting other footage of Sheik wrestling and just told the WWF story as that ran. There are a few still shots from his WWF title loss to Hulk Hogan on January 1984, so it’s not all foreign.
We also get a lot of footage of Sheik’s post-career decline, including him buying drugs and his subsequent falling out with his family as a result of his addictions. The saviors of his life were Page and Jian Magen, Iranian-Canadian twins whose father was close friends with the Sheik. As the story goes, they reacquainted with him and essentially took him on as a reclamation project.
Sheik got off the drugs and the twins now manage his career and in the film’s final act, we are shown how much of a social media and pop culture phenomenon he’s become and how he is earning his family’s love back. Success and the love of his family for the Sheik has come full circle.
My major issues were the pacing and the production values. There’s somewhat of a narrative and storyline, but major twists happen suddenly. After Sheik’s wife had enough, we go to a few years (I think?) later where Sheik has an apartment and is now completely drug free. We never see the process it took to get there or exactly what happened which is kinda weird. Even a few title cards explaining what happened between those periods would have been great.
I also don’t believe we are ever told when and why he started doing drugs. Was there a moment he started smoking crack that he wishes never happened? There’s too much of a feeling of “How did we get to this place” throughout the doc. There’s also no mention of his reconciliation with WWE that saw him return in the 90s and in subsequent years — odd because time is spent discussing his abrupt exit.
On the production value side, “The Sheik” felt like a project from two inexperienced filmmakers making a documentary. There were some misspellings and inconsistencies in the subtitles, white subtitles over a white background, and an overuse of bad background music that took away from key moments moments. The best documentaries bring you into a moment and keep you there. “The Sheik” had too many spots where you could float in and out whenever you pleased.
As a wrestling fan, there’s plenty to enjoy in “The Sheik” and lots of major stars telling the tale (huge score by getting Dwayne Johnson for an extended interview), but I think it would have been best served to have a group independent of the Magen twins tell the story.
Watch “The Sheik”, but don’t expect to be blown away.
-
On this day in pro wrestling history (June 13): ‘Strangler’ beats Londos, Crusher vs. Mad Dog cage match, Briscos win tag team gold, Jerry Lawler vs. Curt Hennig
By Brian Hoops, WrestlingObserver.com
1924 – For promoter Tom Paks in St. Louis, Missouri at St. Louis University Stadium, World Heavyweight Champion Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeated Jim Londos in 2 out of 3 falls.1940 – Orville Brown defeated Bobby Bruns in Kansas City, Kansas to win the Kansas City version of the Midwest Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Title.
1947 – At Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri; Ray Steele beat Bronko Nagurski, Dizzy Davis defeated Bob Cummings, Butch Levy beat Jack Conley. Promoter was Sam Muchnick. Attendance was 2,316 fans and event was billed as season finale.
1957 – Ed Francis defeated Al Lolotai for the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Title in Honolulu, Hawaii.
1960 – Tony Borne defeated Bull Curry to win the NWA Texas Brass Knuckles Title in Fort Worth, Texas.
1961 – In Kansas City, Art Neilson & Ray Shires defeated Red Bastien & Lou Bastien in three falls, Bobo Brazil defeated Killer Kowalski in three falls and Bob Ellis defeated The Sheik via DQ in three falls.
1963 – At Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Masked Medic #1 and Masked Medic #2 beat Pat O’Connor and and Tiny Mills 2 falls to 1, Sonny Myers beat Bob Geigel 2 falls to 1 via dq, Larry Hamilton drew Steve Kovacs and Rock Hunter beat Steve Bolus
1969 – In Duluth, Minnesota; The Crusher & Bill Watts beat Larry Hennig & Lars Anderson, Red Bastien beat Dr. X and Billy Red Lyons beat Big K
1970 – In Milwaukee, Wisconsin; In a Steel Cage Match, The Crusher beat Mad Dog Vachon, Dr X & Double X beat Edouard Carpentier & Pepper Gomez, Paul Diamond beat Larry Hennig, Butcher Vachon beat Billy Howard, and Blackjack Lanza beat Moose Cholak Attendance was 12,076 and gate was $58,000. That card set a new Wisconsin indoor gate and attendance record.
1972 – Alfonso Dantes defeated Rey Mendoza for the NWA World Light Heavyweight Title in Tijuana, Mexico; Jerry Brisco defeated Rip Hawk to win the Mid-Atlantic Eastern title in Columbia, S.C.
1974 – The Interns (Tom Andrews and Jim Starr) defeated Bob Geigel and Rufus R. Jones to win the Central States version of the NWA World Tag Team Title in Kansas City, Kansas. Also, Jim Brunzell defeated Bobby Garcia, Pat O’Connor defeated Ciclon Negro via DQ and Bob Brown defeated Don Fargo via DQ.
1975 – Black Gordman and Goliath win the NWA Americas Tag Team Title from The Hollywood Blonds (Jerry Brown and Buddy Roberts).
1975 – Great Kusatsu and Mighty Inoue defeated Tor Kamata and Duke Savage in a tournament final to win the vacant International Wrestling Alliance Tag Team Title in Morioka, Japan.
1978 – Jack and Jerry Brisco defeated Mr. Saito and Mr. Sato (The Great Kabuki) in Miami, Florida to win the NWA Florida Tag Team Title.
1981 – The Kelly Twins (Pat and Mike Kelly) defeated Wilbur Snyder and Spike Huber to win the World Wrestling Association (Indiana) Tag Team Title in Indianapolis, Indiana; The Crusher & Baron Von Raschke beat AWA Tag Team Champions Adrian Adonis & Jesse Ventura dq, AWA Light Heavyweight Champion Mike Graham beat Buck Zumhofe and Jerry Blackwell ddq Brad Rheingans in Omaha, Neb.
1982 – Centurian Negro defeated Gran Hamada in Monterrey, Mexico, for the Universal Wrestling Association World Middleweight Title
1983 – Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama) defeated Fishman to win the vacant WWF World Junior Heavyweight Title in Mexico City, Mexico; In Salt Lake City, Utah; Rick Martel beat AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel dq, Ken Patera & Jerry Blackwell beat Baron Von Raschke & Mad Dog Vachon and Wahoo McDaniel beat Blackjack Lanza
1985 – Kuniaki Kobayashi defeated The Dynamite Kid for the NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title in Koga, Japan; In Ibaraki, Japan; Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta & Genichiro Tenryu beat Terry Gordy & Tiger Jeet Singh & Mario Milano, Riki Choshu & Yoshiaki Yatsu beat AWA Tag Team Champions Road Warriors dq, In an International Junior Heavyweight title match, Kuniaki Kobayashi beat Dynamite Kid dq.
1986 – Lex Luger defeated Ron Bass to win the NWA Bahamas Heavyweight Title in Nassau, Bahamas.
1986 – In Houston, Texas; In a Texas Tornado Street Fight; Steve Williams & Dusty Rhodes & Bill Watts beat Ivan Koloff & Nikita Koloff & Kortsita Korchenko, Terry Gordy beat Terry Taylor, AWA Champion Stan Hansen no contest Nick Bockwinkel, Rock & Roll Express beat Michael Hayes & Buddy Roberts and Magnum TA beat Baron Von Raschke
1987 – Bill Dundee defeated Chick Donovan to win the AWA International Heavyweight Title in Memphis, Tennessee
1988 – At the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, TN; AWA Champion Jerry Lawler beat Curt Hennig, Brickhouse Brown dcor Max Pain and Great Sensei & Dutch Mantel beat Robert Fuller & Jimmy Golden dq. Attendance was 4,500.
1991 – Gran Hamada and Perro Aguayo defeated Los Brazos (Brazo de Oro and Brazo de Plata) to win the UWA World Tag Team Title in Tokyo, Japan.
1992 – Rayo de Jalisco, Jr. defeated El Egipicio in Mexico City, Mexico to win the Mexico National Heavyweight Title
1993 – The WWF held the first televised King of the Ring pay-per-view event in Dayton, Ohio. Yokozuna pinned Hulk Hogan to win the WWF World Title and Bret Hart pinned Bam Bam Bigelow to win the King of the Ring Tournament.
1994 – PG-13 (J.C. Ice and Wolfie D.) defeated The Eliminators (Saturn and Kronus) for the USWA Tag Team Title in Memphis, Tennessee
1997 – Nygma defeated El Salsero to win the Mexico National Welterweight Title in Xochimilko, Mexico.
1998 – Buddy Landel defeated Jimmy Cicero in Alexandria, Virginia for the Independent Professional Wrestling Alliance Heavyweight Title; E.Z. Ryder and Darren Daulton defeated Damage Inc. (Skar and Sledge) to win the Canadian Wrestling Federation Tag Team Title in Garden City, Manitoba.
1999 – WCW held the Great American Bash at the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. The Jersey Triad (Diamond Dallas Page and Kanyon) defeated Chris Benoit and Perry Saturn to win the WCW World Tag Team Title; Koji Nakagawa and Gedo defeated Masato Tanaka and Tetsuhiro Kuroda to win the FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Title in Okayama City, Japan.
2002 – Shouichi Ichimiya defeated Chocoball Mukai for the Dramatic Dream Team Ironman Heavymetalweight Title in Tokyo, Japan
2003 – Yutaka Yoshie and Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Masahiro Chono and Hiroyoshi Tenzan in Tokyo, Japan, to win the IWGP World Tag Team Title