OK opener. Wolfe didn’t do much besides a basic assortment of strikes of chinlocks, but it looked good. Woods got a decent pop for being from Florida.
– King Constantine def. Blake (w/Murphy)
Comedy squash with comedy provided mostly from B&M. Blake had Murphy with him, no Alexa Bliss. Constantine dominated, no-selling most of the way, and finished with a chokeslam into a back breaker.
– Patrick Clark & Kenneth Crawford vs. Dhinsa and Selmani
Sorry for not having names, but the female ring announcer butchered them all and I don’t recognize any of them from TV. Hopefully another report will help identify them.
– Alex Riley defeated Elias Sampson with a roll up
Sampson ran down the local crowd to draw heat, but the fans that reacted were still 50/50 on him. Not much to this, with lots of resting. Faces for the night are batting 4 for 4.
– Carmella defeated Emma in an OK match
Carmella’s ring entrance and mic skills are great, but her offense is terrible, especially the punches. Emma worked the crowd a lot by doing lots of hair pulls.
– Apollo Crews pinned Riddick Moss
Another average match. Moss spent most of the match bickering with the crowd and doing this goofy power walk. Crews won with his signature power bomb.
– Asuka defeated Billy Kay
Physical match. Nothing great, but Asuka’s strikes looked good, and BK had some decent, if unspectacular, offense.
– NXT Champion Finn Balor and the Hype Bros def. The Vaudevillains and Tye Dillinger
First few minutes was Mojo running around crazy, and then each face took turns beating down the heels. Zack Ryder played the face-in-peril before making the hot tag to Balor, and after a hot sequence with Riley and Mojo hitting their signature spots, he finished Tye with the 1916. Really good match to end the show.
– WWE.com promoted Samoa Joe, Baron Corbin, Bayley, Enzo and Cass, and all of them were nowhere to be seen tonight. The only advertised names that appeared were Balor, Crews, and Carmella.
Kansas City, Missouri: (11,000 attendance) – World Heavyweight champion Frank Gotch beat Raoul de Rouen 2 falls to 0 – The Dago Kid beat Tommy Mowatt – Charlie Baker beat Vic Snyder
1936
Columbus, Ohio: – Frank Sexton defeated George McCloud to become the first Ohio Heavyweight Champion
1965
Kansas City, Kansas: – Buddy Gilbert and Ron Reed defeated Rocky Hamilton and Dutch Savage to win the Central States NWA North American Tag Team Titles
1967
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: – AWA Tag Team Champions Larry Hennig & Harley Race beat Killer Kowalski & The Alaskan in 2 out of 3 falls – Mad Dog Vachon beat Reggie Parks – Doug Gilbert beat Mitsu Arakawa (sub Chris Markoff) dq – Moose Cholak drew Jack Lanza
1968
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: – Don Leo Jonathan and Ski-Hi Jones (Grizzly Smith) defeated The Assassins for the Vancouver NWA Canadian Tag Team Titles
1973
Minneapolis, Minnesota: – Wahoo McDaniel defeated Superstar Billy Graham in an Indian strap match – Dusty Rhodes & Dick Murdoch beat The Crusher & Bull Bullinski in 2 out of 3 falls – Bill Watts beat Ivan Koloff by dq – Rene Goulet beat Bill Crouch – Reggie Parks beat Ric Flair – Jim Brunzell beat Kenny Jay
1977
St. Louis, Missouri: – Texas Death Match: Dick the Bruiser beat Ivan Koloff – Missouri State Champion Jack Brisco beat Superstar Billy Graham by countout – Greg Gagne & Jim Brunzell beat Ox Baker & Jimmy Valiant – Ernie Ladd beat Red Bastien – Pat O’Connor beat Bulldog Bob Brown by dq
1979
Toronto, Ontario, Canada: – WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bob Backlund and AWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Bockwinkel fought to a double-countout – NWA United States Heavyweight Champion Ricky Steamboat defeated Ric Flair – Greg Valentine beat Canadian Champion Dino Bravo by dq – NWA Tag Team Champions Jimmy Snuka & Paul Orndorff beat John Studd & Ken Patera – Moose Morowski beat Steve Bolus – Dewey Robertson beat Al Costello
1982
Kansas City, Kansas: – Roger Kirby and Jerry Valiant won the NWA Central States Tag Team Titles by defeating Steve Regal and Dewey Robertson
1983
Dallas, Texas: – Terry Gordy defeated The Great Kabuki for the World Class Texas Brass Knuckles Title
San Juan, Puerto Rico: – Terry Gibbs and Buddy Landel defeated Gran Apolo and King Tonga to win the WWC North American Tag Team Titles
1984
St. Paul, Minnesota: – Cage Match: Greg Gagne & The Crusher beat Sheik Adnan & Jerry Blackwell – Nick Bockwinkel beat Blackjack Mulligan dq – Mr. Saito beat Baron Von Raschke – Steve O drew Larry Zbyszko – Stan Lane & Steve Keirn beat Jake Milliman & Jesse Ventura – Kevin Kelly beat Kenny Jay – Steve Regal defeated Buck Zumhofe to win the AWA World Light Heavyweight Title
1988
Dallas, Texas: – Iceman King Parsons defeated Kerry Von Erich for the World Class World Heavyweight Title
1989
Rochester, Minnesota: – The Olympians (Ken Patera and Brad Rheingans) defeated Badd Company (Paul Diamond and Pat Tanaka) to win the AWA World Tag Team Titles – Tommy Jammer drew Colonel DeBeers
1996
Memphis, Tennessee: – The Cyberpunks, PG-13 (JC Ice and Wolfie D wearing mask) defeated Doug Gilbert and Tommy Rich for the USWA Tag Team Titles
1999
Nashville, Tennessee: – The Tennessee Volunteers (Steven Dunn and Reno Riggins) defeated Brian Christopher and Spellbinder for the NWA North American Tag Team Titles
2000
Tunica, Mississippi: – Jerry Lawler defeated Bull Pain in a tournament final to become the first Memphis Championship Wrestling Southern Heavyweight Champion
2006
World Wrestling Council “Honor vs. Tradicion III”: Carolina, Puerto Rico: – Cassidy Riley and James Storm defeated WWC World Tag Team Champions Chris Joel and Alex Montalvo to win the title – El Bronco defeated WWC Puerto Rico Heavyweight Champion Julio Estrada in a Street Fight to win the title – Lance Hoyt defeated WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion Amenazá Bryan by forfeit to win the title – Black Pain defeated WWC Universal Heavyweight Champion Lance Hoyt to win the title – Eddie Colón defeated Matt Morgan
2007
Dragon Gate Memorial Gate 2007: Tsu, Japan: – Genki Horiguchi defeated Open the Brave Gate Champion Matt Sydal to win the title – CIMA, Ryo Saito and Susumu Yokosuka defeated Naruki Doi, Gamma and Masato Yoshino to win the Open the Triangle Gate title – Jushin Liger defeated Open the Dream Gate Champion Don Fujii to win the title
Officially announcing what has been known for more about a year, WWE announced Friday that TMDK (The Mighty Don’t Kneel), a popular tag team from Japan, has signed with the company.
The team is made up of Michael Nicholls (Mikey Nicholls) and Shane Veryzer (Shane Haste), the top foreign tag team in Pro Wrestling NOAH until the arrival of the Killer Elite Squad (Lance Archer & Davey Boy Smith Jr.) from New Japan as part of the Suzuki-gun invasion in early 2015.
The two had reached an agreement last year to leave NOAH for WWE in 2015, but in working out their contract with NOAH, Haste suffered a knee injury that required surgery which put everything on hold. Nicholls & Haste returned to NOAH earlier this month for their farewell tour earlier this month.
The team was named Best Tag Team in Japan in 2013, a very difficult honor for a foreign team to win. They twice held the GHC tag team championship, and had a super hot series of matches for the titles with Masato Tanaka & Takashi Sugiura, the Dangan Yankees.
Both originally came from Perth, Western Australia and wrestled for years on the Australian independent scene before starting as regulars in Japan after passing a tryout in 2011.
The lead story examines the Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker trial and what is next regarding the two sides and appeals. The article examines why Gawker believed they would lose in the trial but prevail in appeal, how the jury came to the $140 million verdict, evidence Gawker is looking at introducing in the appeal, the role of Bubba the Love Sponge, the stupid things Gawker said in the trial, a realistic look at loss of income for Hogan, and why playing the tape had nothing to do with it.
Also in this issue, a complete rundown of WrestleMania weekend including lineups with many matches not yet announced for not only WrestleMania itself but for all of the different events next week in Dallas. There is also an update on the WrestleMania attendance, ticket sales for other events, plus mythical records, and people scheduled to appear that haven’t been announced.
Big shows with are coming up for Evolve, NXT, Wrestlecon and more.
UFC has huge plans for a Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz rematch, potentially at UFC 200.
MMA promoters are thrilled about the passing of the bill in the New York state assembly to legalize professional MMA. There are plans by both UFC and Bellator for live events in New York as soon as possible.
There have been lawsuits filed against WWE and by WWE that have been thrown out either completely or partially earlier this week.
Sting and Daniel Bryan are both in the news.
Check out the scene in Mexico with AAA losing talent, the Lucha Underground/AAA connection, how Lucha Underground stopped the main event on Elite’s first television taping, what Bellator star headlines that show, who has quit TNA, how the philosophy has changed, and the economics of all this.
Eric Young and Bobby Roode departed from TNA. Read about the background of both men leaving, their status and history in TNA, their value to WWE, their future as well as comments made by both regarding leaving.
This issue features the results of UFC’s Fight Night from Brisbane, Australia over the weekend, with thoughts on the Neil Magny vs. Hector Lombard officiating, ratings notes, plus match-by-match coverage.
CMLL’s Dos Leyendas show, its first big show of the year, with match-by-match coverage with star ratings and poll results, plus the revealing of family with the country’s top heel, all in this issue.
DDT’s has its biggest show of the year, with the return of Kota Ibushi, held at Sumo Hall.
You can also order the print Observer right now and get it delivered to your door via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to Dave Meltzer
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The Wrestling Observer ranges weekly from 35,000 to 50,000 words covering pro wrestling and MMA internationally. Each issue has coverage and analysis of all the major news, plus every issue breaks major news stories before the Internet sties and has the most complete look at the pro wrestling and MMA business anywhere, plus history pieces available nowhere else.
Also in this issue:
CMLL’s unique tournament going on right now and its history of creating some of the biggest stars in the company of the past 20 year
Perro Aguayo for the first time talks the death of his son
Notes on Dragon Gate’s Memorial Gate show
NOAH’s big show this past week with multiple title matches
Former WWE wrestler returns to New Japan at Invasion Attack
Tanahashi talks working with the Young Bucks
Two big weekend shows and four title matches in New Japan
Major woman’s star for three decades is retiring
Former three-time world champion moving to Canada to come out of retirement to go for the freestyle world title
NCAA Division I heavyweight title match and its background
Update on the status of Speedball Mike Bailey
Kurt Angle talks fighting MMA and returning to WWE
UR Fight show with Angle vs. Mysterio
The first modern wrestler to use entrance music wasn’t The Freebirds
What will air in early 2017 on Lucha Underground and future directions of the company
The next month of TNA Impact that was taped this past week
Business notes regarding UFC 196
Ken Shamrock and Kimbo Slice failing drug tests
What drugs they failed for and why they both failed the IQ test
Potential WWE lawsuit that is being talked about behind the scenes
If you are a new subscriber ordering 24 or more issues, you can get one free classic issue of your choice sent to you today. With a 40 issue subscription, you can get two free classic issues sent to you today.
New subscribers ordering 24 or 40 issues have to let us know what major stories of the past 11 years you are most interested in and we’ll send the issue with the best coverage of that story. We’ve got coverage of every major PPV event and world wide spectacular, every major star switching promotions, histories of companies like FMW, Rings and New Japan, retirement and obit issues of every major star who fits into those descriptions over the past 11 years, as well as our biggest issue every year, the annual awards issue, and our most controversial issue of every year, the Hall of Fame issue.
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I’m on site at NXT Largo tonight, expecting a sell out of approximately 300.
– Alex Reyes welcomed us to the show and introduced us to NXT’s newest ring announcer Andrea DiMarco (aka Andrea Ocampo) who was the on-air reporter for the NHL’s Florida Panthers.
– Carmella and Liv Morgan beat Emma and Billie Kay
Very impressive showing by Carmella tonight, countering holds, escaping moves, and taking the hot tag. After Morgan was being worked over by the heels, there was a miscommunication where Emma was knocked off the apron which allowed Carmella to hit a superkick, bronco buster, and her submission leg scissor for the win over Billie Kay.
– Riddick Moss beat Alex Riley
Hard-hitting match with Riley hitting a spinebuster and a big top rope elbow drop for nearfalls. Riddick got his feet on the ropes for a roll-through dirty pin.
– American Alpha beat Sawyer Fulton and Alexander Wolfe
This was a showcase match for Alpha. The heels worked over Gable leading to the big hot tag for Jordan: suplex, spear, straps down, assisted German for the win.
– Dylan Miley beat Patrick Clark
Almost all Miley here. He worked the arm, slams, and hit a big diving headbutt off the top for the win.
– The Hype Bros beat The Vaudevillains
There were a lot of silly antics by the Vauds to try and get under Mojo’s skin. Zack wanted nothing to do with any of their nonsense. Vauds worked over Ryder to get to Mojo’s hot tag. Ran wild with shoulderblocks, but he Vauds almost cut him off. Ryder hit the Hype Ryder for the win.
– NXT Women’s Champion Bayley beat Aliyah
Good match here, Aliyah worked over Bayley’s arm, kept her grounded most of the match. Bayley fired up after being hit in to the turnbuckles pads then ran wild, big suplex, back elbow, and finally a Belly to Bayley for the win.
– In ring promo with Dhinsa and Selmani, they vow to destroy all other tag teams.
– No Way Jose FKA Levis Valenzuela beat Manny Andrade
New music and officially billed as “No Way Jose” tonight, good action between the two, Andrade is excellent and did some flashy moves such as a moonsault then a standing moonsault for a near fall and some crisp arm drags early in the match. The finish saw NWJ hit the big punch for the win.
– Enzo, Big Cass & Apollo Crews beat NXT Tag Team Champions The Revival & Baron Corbin
Crowd was all over Baron and The Revival tonight, the heels worked over Enzo and Apollo mostly during this match, good action all around and always seemed like the brink of chaos. The finish saw Big Cass take the hot tag, run wild and bring Zo back in for the rocketlauncher finish.
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.
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.
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.
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
