– Usos over Alex Rose and Brad Maddox after Jimmy pinned Rose with a splash – Naomi over Alicia Fox with a submission – Titus O’Neil over Heath Slater after the pop up power bomb.
WWE Smackdown —
– Miz TV segment with I-C Champion Kevin Owens, U.S. Champion Del Rio, Dean Ambrose, and Roman Reigns coming out one-by-one to discuss the WWE title tournament, disagree with each other, and the usual. R-Truth came out to make his claim for the title, and was told he was not in the tourney. He then apologized to the faces and left. Pretty funny. The segment ended with Reigns and Ambrose standing tall after a clear out of the heels.
– Cesaro submitted Miz after Miz complained about what happened the segment before.
– Dudleys and Neville def. Stardust and Ascension after a 3D on Viktor
– Tyler Breeze def. Zack Ryder after a promo with Summer Rae. Dolph Ziggler, who was at ringside, superkicked Breeze afterward.
– Druids out, and then all four Wyatts. Bray & Strowman talk for a bit until the Undertaker’s dong hits. He appears on the screen to cut a promo with Kane, burning a sheep mask. Kane hits the pyro spot.
– Divas Champion Charlotte submitted Brie Bella (w/Alicia Fox) in a non-title match with the Figure 8. Paige did a backstage interview afterward.
– Big E over Kalisto after a big splash. The New Day attacks he and Sin Cara. That leads to Ryback running in for the save, and gives Big E a splash.
– More ‘Santa’s Little Helper’ movie promo magic with Miz and Paige.
– Dean and Roman talked backstage.
– Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns def. I-C Champion Kevin Owens and U.S. Champion Alberto del Rio by DQ when Del Rio threw Reigns…into steel steps. The faces stood tall as the show ended.
Other Notes:
– Fandango won in a dark match versus a local opponent. – Reigns vs. Wyatt in a street fight was advertised for the dark match main event, but did not happen.
We’re in week 40 of our rambunctious ride through the video annals of perhaps the greatest “talk show” ever on the USA Network — Tuesday Night Titans. Long before “Mr. McMahon” was created at the 1997 Survivor Series, “Mr. McMahon” was instigating, humiliating and insulting WWF talent on this iconic show.
Yes, back in 1985, McMahon, in all his purple suit-wearing, pencil-holding, “I’m just the lead announcer” glory was controlling the puppet strings on a product that was taking off and about to take off in really, really big way.
Whereas today we pray that a guy like Kevin Owens can get the microphone for more than two minutes, on TNT everyone had a chance. Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant could rap (or mumble) with McMahon, but so could jobbers such as Jim Powers and SD Jones. Even the old-timers appeared on TNT, guys such as Lou Thesz, Freddie Blassie and Bruno Sammartino to talk about the good old days.
TNT helped so many guys and girls get “over.” It was a highly scripted forum, but within that script, there was great freestyle dialogue between McMahon and his guests. Throw in a little slapstick comedy from sidekick Lord Alfred Hayes, and you have wrestling splendor like only 1985 could bring. This week was extra special because we had two of the great talkers in wrestling history: Ventura and Heenan. We also have a “worker” in Les Thornton, and 1985’s version of “Ryback,” but way more intriguing, “The Missing Link.”
The show opens up with future Minnesota governor and conspiracy theorist Ventura. At this time Ventura is transitioning from full-time wrestler to full-time announcer, and apparently part-time singer.
For the second time in a month, we are treated to a music video featuring Ventura, where he’s belting out a not-so-horrible song called “The Body Rules.” It’s typical 1980s, with strobe lights, blurred cuts in and out and all-around weak production values. The video features Ventura on the microphone with scantily clad ladies dancing and some big-haired musicians. Ventura on McMahon’s couch reminds us why he matters: “I can be a rock star and a wrestler. How many rock stars can be wrestlers? I guess that depends on if Vince Russo is booking the show.
Ventura has a little bit of Kanye West in his lyrics here:
“The body rules. This body is strong. You mess with me, I am going to tear you down.”
Hey, those lyrics put over a nice rap sample, would have made it sound really nice. Or there’s also these from the heart lyrics that resemble a bit of rawness of a young Jim Croce: “I will split your head Jack. I am the baddest mother walking the streets.”
The video features several slow-motioned shots of a man that Ventura calls a “premiere underground flash guitarist of Minnesota.” His name sounds like “Mark Orian”. “This man is better than Prince,” Ventura says, which is a set-up for a show-long angle involving the diminutive musical genius. Ventura is boasting that he has a big record deal coming up with Epic Records.
“I foresee possibly The Rolling Stones opening for me,” Ventura says. Few could spew absolute nonsense and make it sound somewhat real like Ventura could. The video features some images of Ventura bashing Hulk Hogan and throwing water in his face. McMahon, ever the instigator, asked if he got clearance from Hogan to show that footage.
Ventura said he didn’t need approval from Hogan because it shows what is true: Hogan is ducking him. Although at this point in time Hogan was clearly the more prominent wrestler and celebrity, today Ventura has a lot more going for him than Hogan does. Ventura may insult the government with reckless abandon, but he doesn’t make sex tapes with his best friend’s wife, nor throw around racial slurs in them. McMahon then asks Ventura talk about his transition into color commentary and Ventura starts explaining why he’s the best announcer in the business.
“I tell it like it is,” Ventura says. “I play no favorites.”
That’s absolutely hilarious because Ventura always rooted for the heels, with special affection for guys such as Randy “Macho Man” Savage,” and “Ravishing Ric Rude,” while berating Hogan incessantly. McMahon, since he likes to bully, asks Ventura about his oversized red glasses and asks Hayes what he would look like wearing them.
Ventura puts the glasses on Hayes and then unfortunately lets us see something we can’t unsee. Hayes puts his glasses on and sticks out his tongue like he’s some stereotypical rock star. Hayes sticks his tongue out and — well, it looks like he has one of the gnarliest cold sores on his tongue. Just saying . . .
McMahon tells Ventura that “there’s no doubt that you are among the Top 10 wrestlers in the world today,” before heading to a match between Ventura and WWF legend Tony Garea. Garea does some great selling while Ventura works the crowd. At one point Garea’s head gets tied up in the ropes and the referee has no idea how to get him out of it. He literally flips Garea around to get him out, which couldn’t have felt good.
Garea misses a splash into the corner and Ventura pins him by dropping an elbow. Back on the couch, Ventura complains that McMahon was a “biased announcer” and that he could do a better job commenting and a better job behind that desk than McMahon could. McMahon, clearly setting up an angle, tells Ventura that next week he can have his chair and that he can be guest host TNT and bring any guest he wants. Ventura says that Hayes can stay next week because “we don’t want to see Alfred in the unemployment line.”
Ventura, because we’re supposed to believe he’s super connected to mainstream celebrities, says next week “Maybe I will call up Prince. No one has ever talked to Prince. I might do that.” Can’t wait for that.
Next up we go from the super charismatic Ventura to a guy named Les Thornton, who looks like a 1985 version of William Regal or Fit Finley. This guy was built like a tank and certainly possessed legitimate wrestling skills.
Thornton comes out and tries to establish his street cred. He says Hayes is from the posh parts of England, while he lived among steel factories and cold mines. “Where I come from, we learned submission,” Thornton said.
McMahon asks Thornton to show off some of his submission holds on a “volunteer” from the audience. Keep in mind that TNT has no live audience yet. Thornton goes to town on some skinny guy, taking him down and squeezing him like he was destroying some kid in Stu Hart’s dungeon.
Even though Thornton was past his prime at the time of his appearance on TNT, it was still an opportunity for a professional wrestling fan to appreciate him, and a change for Thornton to get himself over, even in a small way. And now we get to the main event: Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. As Heenan comes out he get books from the fake audience. Just as Heenan sits down McMahon asks the live band to play “Pop Goes The Weasel,” which just humiliates Heenan.
Considering that AWA fans were calling Heenan “weasel” long before he walked into the WWF, it’s surprising that McMahon embraced the term, but then again, McMahon is rolling in the dough in his 1985 expansion glory, so he might not care that much right now about burying gimmicks he didn’t create.
The great thing about Heenan was that he didn’t care that McMahon owned the company. He could shoot with the best of them, and make people laugh while doing it. Heenan says McMahon is a “troublemaker” who likes to “set people up.” He recalls last week’s episode where McMahon asked Cowboy Bob Orton how much money Rowdy Roddy Piper takes from him.
“It is none of their business,” Heenan says.
McMahon then asks Heenan how much money he takes from Ken Patera and Big John Studd. Heenan then just floors McMahon with his response:
“Why don’t you read me my rights first?” Heenan says. “I don’t answer these kinds of questions.” Patera is wrestling some guy named Gary Starr. Ventura is on color commentary and called Patera “an awesome specimen.” After Patera pins Starr, he poses and Ventura says “pose for me Kenny, pose for me Kenny.” Ventura loves his hardbodies.
Back on the couch McMahon asks Heenan if anyone has collected on the $25,000 bounty on Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff yet. Heenan says it will happen soon. He then does what he does best: berate the little people.
“That’s $25,000 people,” Heenan says. “That’s more than you make in 10 years. That’s more than the bands’ instruments are ensured for. I ought to put a bounty on the band. $11 bucks.” LOL.
McMahon clearly outwitted in this banter, gets to the point and asks Heenan to “tell us a little bit about your latest acquisition.”
As a kid I was absolutely terrified of The Missing Link. He had that green face-paint, ball of hair on the back of his head, and mean look on his face. He was also one of the few WWF wrestlers featured in the iconic Sports Illustrated issue that Hulk Hogan was on the cover of. The Link had an aura about him. Too bad he couldn’t wrestle.
Heenan explains who The Missing Link is — with humor: He’s close to 275 pounds. He’s about 6 foot 3 or 4 and he’s off the wall. He’s not a lot of fun at parties. He probably stays in the room with the coats and memorizes the labels.” LOL.
Heenan continues: “He’s not like Les Thornton, who takes some 110-pound cab driver from the audience and takes him down. You know what The Missing link would do with Les Thornton? He would put him on a spit and baste him.”
LOL
We go to the ring where SD Jones is already there. The Missing Link is announced next and he takes a few seconds to get into the ring.
Play-by-play announcer Gorilla Monsoon says “What on Earth is that?” The Link looks legitimately mean. As he turns around the camera catches a great deal of acne on his back. This was the 1980s afterall . . .
The match is hardly a match. It consists of the Link giving Jones several axe handle chops. Monsoon, like McMahon was in his headset telling him what to say, says, “he’s obviously very athletic.” Obviously.
Hayes on color commentary says The Link looks like “a madman.”
Link is just pounding on him. I don’t know how great of a wrestler The Missing Link was when he was in his prime, but in 1985 he makes Ryback look like Ric Flair. The Missing Link pins Jones with a headbutt off the top rope. Monsoon screams “he made it look easy.” Then Monsoon says, from the look of paintwork on his face “he looks like he could be from some aboriginal tribe.”
Not really.
Link then grabbed a red chair and set it up in the middle of the ring. He went to the top rope as though he were going to jump off the top and break the chair, but Heenan got in the middle and calmed him down.
Back on the couch, Heenan says The Link is “the most devastating force in wrestling. Whether he is from Borneo or Cleveland this man has everybody talking. After the commercial break, McMahon says that they are going to search or the Link in his hometown, Parts Unknown, Population 1.
It’s clearly a set designed to look like a remote jungle. Heenan is carrying a flashlight looking for The Link. He explains that this is a big day because The Link has been “asked to be on Carson, Letterman, Merv Griffin, but he has never done a talk show.” Heenan finally finds him and escorts him out to the front of the set. The Link looks disoriented and confused. McMahon then decides to use a little bit of humor of his own:
“What percentage of your take home pay does Bobby “The Brain” Heenan take?” McMahon asks. The Link ignores him like he doesn’t understand what he is saying. The Link is pacing when Heenan is standing next to some kind of beef barbecue on a stick. Heenen rotates the meat and says: “That’s one of my jobs. Whenever he wants to eat, I turn his meat.”
LOL.
McMahon can’t take it anymore and puts a microphone in The Links face and asks “why the unusual color of the face paint?” (what color should face paint be?).
The Link runs off like he’s Kamala in the presence of a snake, while Heenan says “you scared him off.” When they return they are back on the couch and McMahon says next week’s host will be “Jesse “The Body” Ventura” and “it is going to be the greatest TNT in history.”
They packed so much into an hour show. It’s 30 years ago, but the WWF was so much more progressive in 1985. Imagine what would happen if someone like Bray Wyatt put a bounty on Brock Lesnar? How awesome would that be. Lesnar could destroy everyone put before him until the man whom he least suspects turns on him and collects on the bounty. That would make an instant heel out of someone like Roman Reigns, who will need to be a great heel before he can be a great good guy.
The greatest thing about TNT is that it gives facetime to so many wrestlers week after week. That facetime is crucial to getting new stars over. You never know. Your heel champion could tear out his ACL and you might need some other guys waiting in the wings to step in — and get accepted by the fans.
We’re also looking for live reports from Raw in Greenville, SC with Superstars matches. dark matches and anything else not evident from the live show. Tonight’s show, the go-home Raw for Survivor Series, features quarterfinals of the WWE championship tournament, with Roman Reigns vs. Cesaro, Alberto Del Rio vs. Kalisto, Kevin Owens vs. Neville and Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler. Undertaker is also booked on tonight’s show so they’ll probably do an Undertaker & Kane vs. Wyatt Family angle of some sort.
We’re also looking for reports on yesterday’s Lucha Underground tapings in Boyle Heights, Saturday’s WWE show in Minehead, England and NXT shows in Winter Haven, Orlando and Sebring, Florida, at Dave Meltzer.
Exclusive news on WrestleMania, how SummerSlam has changed due to the Seth Rollins injury, updates on Rollins, notes on the WWE title tournament and what key stars besides Rollins and Randy Orton are now unlikely to wrestle at WrestleMania is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
We also look at the different potential finishes of the WWE title tournament, how it looks to be progressing, a look at the Royce Gracie vs. Ken Shamrock fight and look back 20 years to their two previous fights, lots of notes on the fight, and the back story.
We also look at WrestleMania tickets, the Wayne Rooney angle, Dwayne Johnson and Dave Bautista update, More on Alberto Del Rio’s outside business and his angle in Puerto Rico, Undertaker week, WWE make more network predictions, notes from the next Madison Square Garden show, notes on Raw this week, Ronda Rousey talks WWE Divas division, what WWE star is ready to return from surgery, plus notes on all the WWE & NXT arena events of the past week and business note.
We also have our monthly business rundown of WWE and TNA, to see how both groups are doing as compared to the same period last year, as well as a breakdown on how every different WWE main event is drawing over the past month.
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@wrestlingobserver.com” target=”_blank”>dave@wrestlingobserver.com
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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. 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.
And speaking of Twitter, Lana and Paige went at it on each other last night, a few tweets of which have already been deleted. Essentially, it started out with Lana claiming that Paige bullied her when she was in NXT. It was a discussion point within WWE today, and suffice to say, it’s not an angle.
In a non-coincidence, Charlotte is the guest on WWE’s weekly SportsCenter segment tonight.
Fox 13 in Tampa reporting that police are saying that Matt “Spiceboy” Loyd, a former Bubba the Love Sponge employee, is who stole and leaked the sex videos of Hulk Hogan and Heather Cole. His name had come up in the past but there had been nothing concrete.
The intro for WWE’s “Owen: Hart of Gold” home video release, which is coming out on DVD and Blu-Ray on December 8th, is now available as a preview on YouTube.
Also, as noted on last night’s Wrestling Observer Radio, although she never signed the contract for the Divas Title match on Sunday at any point during the angle, WWE.com shot a photo of her signing backstage after the show went off the air.
Here’s a feature on WWE Hall-of-Famer Bret Hart’s appearance in Utica, NY.
The Rock posted a video on Instagram of the promo before his very first wrestling match back for the USWA. He was a better promo on day one than half the guys on the roster today, perhaps more. Thanks to Mike K.
Speaking of, today is the anniversary of Rock’s first-ever PPV match for WWE.
Other Wrestling
The lineup of CMLL talent heading to the Fantastica Mania shows in January have been announced. Mistico, Volador Jr, Atlantis, Guerrero Maya Jr., Dragon Lee, Fuego, Stuka Jr., Mascara Dorada, Titan, Panther, Hechicero, Mephisto, Ultimo Guerrero, Bobby Z, Virus, Okumura and Cavernario Barbaro.
“Tuesday Night At The Gardens,” Jim Cornette and Mark James’ new book about Louisville wrestling history is now available at Amazon.
Battle Arts Academy has a nice little show planned for 12/6 in Mississauga, Ontario, with Mr. Kennedy, Dalton Castle, Ricochet, Kongo Kong, Rocky Johnson, Pepper Parks, and more.
Here’s a local story on an extra that got asked to play a bigger role in “Chokeslam”, a movie Mick Foley & Sir Lance Storm are in. (Thanks to Mike K.)
Here’s a story about a local pastor bringing wrestling to Milford, DE, with a show featuring Tito Santana. (Thanks to Mike K.)
On the newest edition of Between the Sheets, Kris Zellner and David Bixenspan are joined by Shimmer founder/booker/promoter/announcer Dave Prazak to discuss the week that was November 10-16, 1996. Topics include Curt Hennig jumping to WCW and how WCW botched most of the guys that jumped in this era, Great Sasuke’s influence on wrestling, Chris Jericho’s adventures in Japan, Antonio Pena losing his mind over La Parka jumping to Promo Azteca/WCW, ECW with a memorable November to Remember, and Randy Savage almost jumping to the WWF in 1996.
This week’s Fire Pro Podcast looks at the fall of Ronda Rousey as well as a review of WCW Spring Stampede 2000 here
UFC & MMA
Kenny Florian doesn’t think it would be a good idea to give Ronda Rousey an immediate rematch despite the fact that very early odds for a future rematch have her listed as the favorite. On his and Jon Anik’s podcast, he said, “I think it would be a very bad mistake to give Ronda Rousey an immediate rematch with Holly Holm. I’m telling you now, I don’t think she’s ready. I think she needs to revamp her footwork, revamp her striking and know how to face a southpaw like Holly Holm. If she goes in there and loses for a second time the UFC will lose their biggest star.”
Bellator announced Patricky “Pitbull” Freire vs. Derek Anderson for their 12/4 event in San Jose, CA, headlined by Josh Thomson vs. Pablo Villaseca. The promotion also announced they are heading overseas for three shows in 2016, doing shows in London, Tel Aviv, Israel, and Italy. No dates were announced, but they confirmed the London show will be held at O2 Arena and will be tape-delayed in the U.S.
Here’s a quick hitter from Dana White on Ken Shamrock vs. Royce Gracie in 2016. Needless to say, this is a much different White response than it would have been several years ago.
Scott writes: “Last night (11/16) I was at the Baby Buggy 15th Anniversary Benefit Comedy Show at the Beacon Theatre here in NY where Amy Schumer performed along with Jerry Seinfeld. During her set, Amy said something along the lines of ‘After the Ronda Rousey fight this weekend everyone kept saying that Holly Holm chick “looked like a fit Amy Schumer.” What the hell!? I’M a fit Amy Schumer!’ Not too much on the fight and just a reference used as a joke but the crowd definitely knew what she was referencing, and this was all mainly affluent older New Yorkers.”
Holly Holm is getting even more mainstream notice. Actress/comedienne Amy Schumer tweeted out today “Thanks everyone for congratulating me on my win Saturday. #UFC” and Holm responded by telling her she looked stunning in there.
Titan FC runs on 12/18 in Kansas City, MO, featuring flyweight champion Tim Elliott vs. Pedro Nobre in the main event.
The prelims for Saturday’s UFC did an incredible 1,394,000 viewers up against college football and the Democratic debate. A strong prelim number is usually indicative of a big PPV number.
WSOF announced the full card lineup for Friday’s WSOF 25 on NBC Sports Network. Only one actual fight is announced for the televised card since the early fights are streaming at WSOF.com. Not announcing the lineup ahead of time is usually a recipe for ratings disaster and this show is going up against a Bellator show on Spike and the usual Friday night AXS TV Fights. It would be very surprising if this show does any even close to a good number.
Two weeks ago, a Pennsylvania judge, at the request of the district attorney, issued a gag order in the murder trial of retired wrestling superstar Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka for the 1983 death of his girlfriend Nancy Argentino.
The gag order had its immediate intended effect: Nancy’s sisters were prevented from talking with CBS News about the longest-running cold case in the history of the Lehigh Valley, and 48 Hours decided to put on indefinite hold an hour-long episode in pre-production.
Of course, 48 Hours promises to jump right back in when the gag order expires. But I believe that, by then, the national coverage could be tepid and cookie-cutter: just another story of a well-connected celebrity getting away with something for too long, and the victim’s family’s quest for a measure of justice.
From my perspective, the larger story comes in between now and then, but because of the gag order, is likely to get short shrift. I’m referring to hard-hitting examination of the original police and prosecution work — either botched or downright corrupt — that kept the Snuka case on the back burner for more than 30 years.
And make no mistake: it is the national media, and the national media alone, that would tell that story, certainly not the Allentown Morning Call.
True, it was the Morning Call’s better-late-than-never 2013 front-page package that finally got Lehigh County District Attorney James B. Martin moving again. But the newspaper also carefully fudged then, and continues not to make clear to its readers today, the aspects calling out an overly incestuous local criminal justice establishment.
Specifically: Martin was first assistant D.A. in ’83 under William Platt, who is now a senior state judge. Several of the same individuals and institutions that let Snuka slide, at the time and for many years now, bear the current burden of delivering to a jury a case of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Almost no one is talking about this disconnect.
Peter L. Pavlovic, a retired police officer in another county township, encapsulated the problem in a letter to the Morning Call. In order to have a truly “fresh look” at the Snuka case, Pavlovic argued, “You need a new investigation team, and that should be the state police, not a county detective who investigated the case as a Whitehall police detective and did not file any charges. This case was not rocket science; this case was a case of conflicting stories by the person involved. This was a case of just bad police work.”
Meanwhile, in a ham-handed attempt to chill the First Amendment rights of one of his constituents, D.A. Martin earlier this year sued Bill Villa, an Allentown advertising man who blogs about local skulduggery at his site “Lehigh Valley Somebody.” Martin sued Villa for defamation for having the audacity to write, among other things, that the D.A. (as a reelection candidate) and the Morning Call have used the services of the same law firm. What had started Villa in his muckraking avocation was the soft-pedaled prosecution of a son of one of the law firm’s partners. The son, Robert LaBarre, was convicted of vehicular homicide in the drunk-driving accident in which Villa’s daughter Sheena was killed.
This is not the place for reviewing the LaBarre case, except to say that almost immediately after the 2006 incident, LaBarre, who had been released without bail, jetted to Belize to party. The Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas judge who allowed all this, with no consequences, was Robert Steinberg — earlier one of the assistants who sat in with D.A. Platt at the June 1, 1983, meeting with Vince McMahon that culminated in no charges for Snuka.
The upshot of the parallel chilling of national media scrutiny in the Snuka case — via a gag order with neither merit nor constitutional basis — is that Snuka might very well get off the hook. Or he might be allowed, with little scrutiny, to plead guilty to the misdemeanor charge of involuntary manslaughter (for not calling early enough for emergency medical attention) in return for dropping the felony charge of third degree murder in the traumatic brain injury death of Argentino. Remember that the original coroner’s autopsy report said Argentino had sustained a pattern of bruises throughout her body “consistent with ‘mate abuse.’”
In my estimation, today’s justice calculus goes beyond whether the 72-year-old Snuka, who is recovering from stomach cancer surgery, should do prison time for an incident from three decades ago. His conviction at trial on the felony count is no sure thing, anyway, given how stale prosecutors let the evidence against him become. There is nothing of importance in the September indictment of Snuka not fully known to them in ‘83.
Did garden-variety incompetence, or WWE-greased corruption, derail swift and sure justice? Thanks to the gag order (issued by yet another former assistant D.A., Judge Kelly Banach, who had worked under Martin), we might never have that important public conversation regarding whatever kept the Snuka-Argentino file buried and in suspense for so long.
As is well known, Snuka’s own 2012 autobiography went to the trouble of recounting how his boss McMahon carried a briefcase into his meeting with Platt, Steinberg, and three Whitehall Township police detectives. Whether or not that was true (or whether it mattered even if true), WWF’s tri-weekly syndicated television tapings at the Allentown Fairgrounds and in nearby Hamburg were ongoing shots of Chamber of Commerce steroids for all of Eastern Pennsylvania.
The only arguably new information in the September grand jury presentment was the testimony of Snuka’s ex-wife and of Buddy Rogers’ widow that Snuka had shown a pattern of domestic violence against the ex-wife. In that connection, the gag order eases the pressure on prosecutors to develop additional witnesses who might have come forward subsequent to the grand jury.
Recently a woman, whose bona fides checked out, contacted Concussion Inc. with information about her time as Snuka’s girlfriend in the 1990s. The information included both allegations that Snuka abused her and a claim that he gave her an account of how Nancy Argentino had died. The account purportedly identified the blunt object in the hotel room that Nancy’s head struck.
Unfortunately, instead of advancing on such angles, the national media are in retreat. The gag order has jeopardized the full airing of something more than your average celebrity murder case.
For any longtime wrestling fan over the age of 40, we all have memories of a different time and, quite frankly, a different world. A world with no Internet, 13 TV channels (or less), and where the best video or computer game was Pong or electronic Tiger handheld games.
And no matter where you were in North America, you had the local wrestling company. And as far as you knew, this was the whole wrestling world. The world champion was the true Champion Of The World, and there was no one better. The TV commentators were the only ones you knew, so they were the best as well. You liked the good guys and you hated the bad guys. It wasn’t “cool” to cheer them; they were evil and you wanted to see your heroes beat them.
It was in this environment that I started watching wrestling in my hometown of Winnipeg, right in the middle of AWA territory (well, the far north part of the middle). Every Saturday evening at 6 pm, AWA All-Star Wrestling would come on, and I didn’t know anyone who didn’t watch it. Young and old, male and female….everyone. After that, we switched over to Hockey Night in Canada on CBC at 7 for our only hockey game of the week.
In this environment, two guys stood head and shoulders above everyone else in the wrestling world. Verne Gagne was the old man who wasn’t always around but when he was, we knew that despite his advanced age, if he could get his deadly sleeper on, he could take anyone out. Big brutal Russians, wild Frenchmen, Goose-stepping Nazis, Middle-Eastern shieks….it didn’t matter, Gagne would save the day.
Whenever he wasn’t around, the best in the world was Nick Bockwinkel. In fact, Gagne was pretty much semi-retired by the time I was 9 years old so to me, Bockwinkel was the man. But he wasn’t that big….surely my favorites would be able to take him down. But one by one, they came and went, and for the most part, they couldn’t get the job done. And Bockwinkel, along with his evil manager Bobby “The Weasel” Heenan (sure, he called himself “The Brain”, but we knew differently), would always find a way to get the job done and keep the title. Even Hulk Hogan, larger than life and soon to be a movie star, couldn’t get the job done and eventually left wrestling altogether (as far we knew).
I even recall an “imposter” world champion who showed up on TV, claimed to be the real deal, and said he was coming to Winnipeg to defend “his” title against Bockwinkel. This was the first time I was ever behind Nick as I didn’t want to see this “fake” world champion beat the guy who’d beaten all my favorites. Plus, he could take his title to boot! Well, Bockwinkel and his opponent, a guy named Ric Flair, went to a no-contest on a cold night in mid-January 1986. Bockwinkel didn’t take the NWA title that night, but stood his ground, and went on to continue beating all my heroes.
Eventually, Bockwinkel got older and went from the hated villain to the respected veteran. He still had some tricks up his sleeve, and won the title as late as 1987 before eventually losing it to Curt Hennig. By this point, we had other options. WWF Maple Leaf Wrestling and Superstars of Wrestling had replaced All-Star Wrestling on Saturdays, eventually moving to 11 am. If we wanted to see the stars of the AWA, we had to pay for something called cable, which was not cheap back then. I had a good job in high school so I paid for it myself — specifically so I could continue to follow it.
A few years later, Bockwinkel showed up in WCW as the commissioner. He still had the gift of gab, even if he couldn’t (or wouldn’t) get in the ring anymore. It was a nice remembrance of my childhood to see him again. Eventually, he faded out of the spotlight. Over the years, it was always nice to hear stories of how he was still keeping an eye on the industry and reading about in the Observer. It was also sad to hear how he hadn’t been able to attend Cauliflower Alley the last few years after being such a big part of it in the past.
When I heard on Sunday that he’d passed away, it was another part of my childhood gone and a link to a long-forgotten world that most of the people reading this probably didn’t even know existed. At least we have the memories and the legacy he left behind and for that I’d like to say thank you, Nick Bockwinkel. Rest in peace.
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back tonight to talk tons of news topics including our full review of Raw from Monday night with the go-home angles for Survivor Series, World Title tournament matches, that terrible main event segment and more! Plus, ROH’s new TV deal, fallout of Holly Holm beating Ronda Rousey, tons of questions and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
For the first time ever, FILTHY FOUR DAILY with UFC star Tom Lawlor is FREE today! Tom has a second-by-second breakdown of the Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm fight including everything that Rousey did wrong leading to the biggest upset in the entire history of the UFC. You will learn, guaranteed, how to impress your friends and colleagues with the correct pronunciation of Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s name. We’ll also talk pro-wrestling, including a preview for tomorrow’s Retro Nitro review, all the details of our own tournament to win a copy of WWE2K16, how you can email Tom questions for a mailbag segment and more!
This is a FREE SHOW so please spread the word! Tom appears every Monday afternoon only for subscribers at wrestlingobserver.com. Subscribers also have full access to commercial-free downloads of Wrestling Observer Live, plus over 7,000 new and archived shows! Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez do minimum three shows per week in addition to as many as 20 other weekly members-only shows. Sign up at wrestlingobserver.com!
The meat of the show was a good, wrestling-oritented program with Roman Reigns, Alberto Del Rio, Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens advancing to the semifinals of the WWE World Heavyweight Tournament. Unfortunately, the bread that contained that meat was a bad segment with the Undertaker, Kane and the Wyatts combined with the most disgusting angle the WWE has done in years. It was a segment so putrid, it’s one of those times you wonder how the WWE won the Monday Night Wars, then remember it was more the stupidity of the opposition than the skill of the winners.
Show Recap:
They opened the show with a moment of silence to honor the victims in the terrorist attacks in France. In retrospect, this was mordibly ironic.
All four quarterfinal matches in the World Title tournament will air tonight. That includes Neville vs. Kevin Owens and Alberto Del Rio vs. Kalisto.
A group of faceless druids in dark robes came out in advance of the Undertaker and Kane’s entrance. The preceding three sentences took ten minutes of air time.
Kane said they reserved a special place for Bray Wyatt and his family in the darkest pits of hell. Apparently, they run constant reruns of 1999 Nitro there.
Undertaker said Wyatt’s kind of evil is no match for theirs. He said the Brothers of Destruction have already decided their destiny, and they will never Rest in Peace. This led to the Wyatt Family coming out.
Bray said the Brothers of Destruction have reigned supreme for 25 years, and that is long enough. He said it’s time for a new Army of Darkness to emerge. Wyatt said he is the Face of Fear, and after the Survivor Series, they’ll just be remembered as the Brothers he destroyed. Wyatt added that as for the Undertaker’s Creatures of the Night, they are mine. The Wyatt flash went off, the lights went on, and the druids all emerged wearing goat face masks. Around 8 of them charged the ring, but Undertaker and Kane quickly disposed of them, choke slamming two of them. Luke Harper, Braun Strowman and Eric Rowan started to go after them, but Wyatt called them back. Wyatt told them to wait until the Survivor Series, but until then, Follow the Buzzards. Does Wyatt want to start using those magical powers he showed off two weeks ago? Or has that gone the way of those earrings that Dolph Ziggler gave Summer Rae in September?
Kevin Owens defeated Neville in the quarterfinals of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament (10:44)
Owens avoided a Red Arrow and got the pin with the Pop-Up Power Bomb. As good a match as you would expect. A great false finish where Neville went for the Red Arrow, but Owens grabbed the ropes, causing Neville to crash to the mat. Owens went for the Pop-Up Power Bomb, but Neville did a leap frog and pulled off a Reverse Frankensteiner that everybody bought as the finish. Owens kicked out. Neville teased the Red Arrow early, but Owens rolled out of the ring. So Neville responded with a Moonsault to the floor.
Out of nowhere, they showed flashback footage of Paige pinning A.J. Lee from April 2014 to win the Divas Championship in her first night on the main roster. This was done to play up a contract signing between Paige and Charlotte later tonight for Survivor Series.
HHH and Owens had a conversation backstage and the two shook hands.
They aired still photographs from WWE.com of Seth Rollins undergoing surgery for his torn ACL. He’s now getting a total babyface buildup for his return, including a viral campaign using the slogan “Redesign. Rebuild. Reclaim.” That indicates some major heel turn has to be coming soon.
Tyler Breeze defeated R. Truth (4:06)
Tyler Breeze won with the Beauty Shot. Still can’t make sense of Breeze making his company debut with a job to Ambrose last week.
Dean Ambrose defeated Dolph Ziggler in the quarterfinals of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament (16:41)
Ambrose won after hitting Dirty Deeds following a scramble. Another very good match and this show is off to a solid start. Lots of good near falls, including Ziggler selling his knee, but still hitting a Superkick and a Famouser. They had a scientific match, similar to the old Ring of Honor Pure Championship matches. Unique spot where Ambrose and Ziggler were on the top rope together, where they did a double knockdown spot to the floor after landing simultaneous right hands.
Ambrose cut a promo afterwards saying if he became champion at Survivor Series, there would be less talking and more action. Well, he’s screwed.
The New Day defeated the Usos and Ryback by DQ (5:49)
Lame finish. Jey Uso got the heat for most of the match after a tope onto Big E. and Xavier Woods. Uso got the heat for most of the match until Ryback went into the ring illegally and shoved the referee for the DQ. Afterwards, Ryback threw Woods onto Big E. and Kofi Kingston. The Usos had their faces painted like the French flag.
HHH talked with Cesaro before his match with Roman Reigns. HHH told Cesaro he had everything it took to make it to the top, but he was lacking that extra something. He had the ability. HHH, using dialogue that sounds like it came straight from Vince McMahon’s mouth, told him to reach for the brass ring tonight, basically implying he could join the Authority if he beat Reigns. Cesaro looked at his hands after HHH left.
Reigns came out and talked about his fan section, dubbed “The Roman Empire.” Reigns said he knew the road was going to be tougher for him since he refused to join the Authority. But he’s gone too far to sell out now. After getting booed in Manchester, Reigns got a much better reception tonight.
Roman Reigns defeated Cesaro in the quarterfinals of the WWE World Heavyweight Title Tournament (20:21)
Reigns won after a series of counters ending with the Superman Punch and the Spear. Another solid match, but I didn’t think it was as good as Ambrose-Ziggler. Cesaro did a great job of carrying him. Cesaro went for the equalizer late, but Reigns escaped and got the finishing combination. Earlier, Cesaro twirled Reigns around for a 6-rep Giant Swing, which turned into a Sharpshooter, then a crossface before Reigns escaped with a Samoan Drop. Reigns backdropped Cesaro over the top rop, and Cesaro sold his right elbow. Reigns forgot which arm he was supposed to be selling midway through the match.
They did a tribute to Nick Bockwinkel, posting a graphic with JBL and Michael Cole putting him over as the greatest technical wrestler of all time. It was very nice and they invited viewers to go to WWE.com for more interviews regarding Bockwinkel.
The Dudley Boyz defeated the Ascension (3:12)
Bubba Ray Dudley pinned Viktor after the 3-D. It sure did fill 3 minutes.
Alberto Del Rio and Zeb Coulter were stopped backstage by Renee Young. HHH walked in and gave the same speech to Del Rio that he gave earlier to Cesaro about going from the Man of the People to being the Man.
Kalisto did an inset promo about people saying his win over Ryback was a fluke. He said his dreams are bigger than any man and he’s fighting for his life.
Alberto Del Rio defeated Kalisto in the quarterfinals of the WWE World Heavyweight Tournament (10:04)
Del Rio won with the Diving Double Foot Stome while Kalisto was tied to the tree of woe. This was Del Rio’s 4th Raw since his return, and this was the third crowd totally silent for him. He feels like a bigger deal on the underground circuit that he does in WWE because they don’t know how to book superstars that will get over to minorities. It doesn’t help the pairing with Coulter isn’t over a lick. Match was a Lucha-style, which the fans in South Carolina weren’t familiar with.
I guess sensing the attention Holly Holm’s upset of Ronda Rousey received over the last 48 hours, they put Paige’s contract signing with Charlotte in the main event segment. These people have no clue. They went five minutes reciting scripted dialogue, which didn’t have 2% of the impact Holm’s forearm shiver on Rosey did at the weigh-in. Charlotte brought up her late brother Reid, then started to cry, and it felt so forced. Charlotte said Paige was there for her when Reid died, and she thought they were family. Charlotte said it wasn’t about a championship, it was about who has your back at the end of the day. But Paige let her selfish ways get in the way. Charlotte said a champion is someone that little girls watch at home wanting to be like. Charlotte said she won’t be champion forever, but she won’t lose it on Sunday and when she does, it won’t be to someone like Paige.
Paige said no one will have Charlotte’s back on Sunday, not even Ric Flair. Charlotte shouted her down and she just. kept. talking. Then Paige said something about Reid not have much fight in him. God this was awful. They started brawling, but the fans weren’t that hot for it. Charlotte kept escaping from the refs in a pull-apart while the fans just watched without reacting. Charlotte never did sign the contract, which was stupid since that’s what the whole show was built around. A disgusting segment.
SUMMARY:
There are times after big UFC events where on the following Monday’s Raw, the WWE looks like a company that lost it’s relevance and doesn’t even know it. Tonight was largely a good show which also should have anyone who cares about the WWE’s future scared straight. The final segment wasn’t manipulative. It had the ambition to manipulate but failed. And it reeked, not just in terms of quality but of an antiquated mindset of what lures viewers to shows. Charlotte is not a talking personality, but the company put her in that role. In the main event, no less. And that speaks volumes to how out of touch Vince McMahon, Kevin Dunn and other WWE power brokers have worn out their welcome. I have no idea how a company that loses 25% of its audience in three years doesn’t have mass turnover at the main creative end, and tonight was a desperate ploy that failed miserably.
We’re looking for your thoughts on UFC 193 and also the Tenryu retirement show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to Dave Meltzer
We’re also looking for live reports from Raw tonight in Greenville, SC with Superstars matches. dark matches and anything else not evident from the live show. Tonight’s show, the go-home Raw for Survivor Series, features quarterfinals of the WWE championship tournament, with Roman Reigns vs. Cesaro, Alberto Del Rio vs. Kalisto, Kevin Owens vs. Neville and Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler. Undertaker is also booked on tonight’s show so they’ll probably do an Undertaker & Kane vs. Wyatt Family angle of some sort.
We’re also looking for reports on yesterday’s Lucha Underground tapings in Boyle Heights, Saturday’s WWE show in Minehead, England and NXT shows in Winter Haven, Orlando and Sebring, Florida, at Dave Meltzer
Exclusive news on WrestleMania, how SummerSlam has changed due to the Seth Rollins injury, updates on Rollins, notes on the WWE title tournament and what key stars besides Rollins and Randy Orton are now unlikely to wrestle at WrestleMania is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
We also look at the different potential finishes of the WWE title tournament, how it looks to be progressing, a look at the Royce Gracie vs. Ken Shamrock fight and look back 20 years to their two previous fights, lots of notes on the fight, and the back story.
We also look at WrestleMania tickets, the Wayne Rooney angle, Dwayne Johnson and Dave Bautista update, More on Alberto Del Rio’s outside business and his angle in Puerto Rico, Undertaker week, WWE make more network predictions, notes from the next Madison Square Garden show, notes on Raw this week, Ronda Rousey talks WWE Divas division, what WWE star is ready to return from surgery, plus notes on all the WWE & NXT arena events of the past week and business note.
We also have our monthly business rundown of WWE and TNA, to see how both groups are doing as compared to the same period last year, as well as a breakdown on how every different WWE main event is drawing over the past month.
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It’s pretty much official today, which has seemed likely since ROH lost prime time, Destination America will be dropping all its pro wrestling programming. ROH announced its new expansion in syndication into a number of key markets today in conjunction with the news of being off DA.
Axl Rotten on Twitter noted that former ECW star Hack Myers will be undergoing brain surgery at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Best wishes to Myers on a successful surgery and speedy recovery.
I hope Raw does a feature on Nick Bockwinkel tonight. They have run a nice five minute tribute feature on the network I’m told with comments from Gene Okerlund, Greg Gagne and Baron Von Raschke. One thing making it a solid shot is that he’s in their Hall of Fame. If Jerry Lawler was still on Raw, it would be a lock since he and Bockwinkel had so many big matches. But I’m guessing at the very least, John Layfield would bring his name up and say something nice about him.
The WWE.com had a poll of fans who they most want to win the tournament. The numbers have fluctuated over the past two days, but the last time I checked, Cesaro was way ahead with 36 percent, and unless somebody shows this result to Vince and presses him on it, one would think Cesaro has no chance to win today. Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose were dueling evenly for second place, both around 19-21%, with Kevin Owens around 13-16% while there very limited support (as in less than 5%) for Dolph Ziggler, Kalisto and Neville, and less than no support for Alberto Del Rio.
It’s Undertaker week on the WWE Network, including Undertaker’s Greatest Rivals part one tonight after Raw with JBL and part two after Smackdown with several wrestlers talking about their matches with him in a panel format. There will also be a 25 year special on Tuesday at 9 p.m. and Undertaker’s Gravest matches on Wednesday at 9 p.m.
Topps has announced a new WWE trading card series, Undisputed, that will be released on Wednesday. It will have the most autographed cards of any previously released WWE card product, from current names like Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, John Cena, Charlotte and Sasha Banks, to Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart, Trish Stratus Ric Flair, and NXT stars like Sami Zayn, Samoa Joe and Enzo Amore, as well as Pete Rose, Lawrence Taylor, Razor Ramon, Big Bossman, Junkyard Dog, Davey Boy Smith, Curt Hennig and Jay Strongbow.
Spectre with Dave Bautsita remained No. 1 at the box office in the U.S. with $35.4 million this past weekend. It debuted at No. 1 in Australia with $12,069,993 (thanks to James Stanios)
This made its way around the Internet recently, but WWE Divas champion Charlotte told The Sun that she would align herself with the Authority in order to make a match with Ronda Rousey happen. Here’s the interview.
The city of Albuquerque is planning a big celebration of sorts for Holly Holm’s title win over Ronda Rousey on Saturday.
The Holm title win was on the back cover of both of Melbourne’s daily newspapers with further coverage in both the news and sports sections. There were also editorials about the brutality of the sport and using the term sport in quotes. (thanks to Daniel Arnephy)
Tickets for the UFC 1/17 show in Boston featuring TJ Dillashaw vs. Dominick Cruz for the bantamweight title, Anthony Pettis vs. Eddie Alvarez, Travis Browne vs. Matt Mitrione, Tim Boetsch vs. Ed Herman, Paul Felder vs. Daron Cruickshank, Patrick Cote vs. Ben Saunders and more go on sale Friday to the public at 10 a.m priced from $250 down to $50. Fight Club members can get ticketsWednesday and there will get a code for an Internet pre-sale on Thursday.
Josh Koscheck will make his Bellator debut at Bellator 148 on Friday, January 29th against Matt Secor at Fresno, CA’s Save-Mart Center. In the co-main event, Paul Daley faces Andy Urich, so if both men win, you have a ready-made big fight for an early-2016 tentpole show.
Former UFC title contender, current podcast host, and ESPN analyst Chael P. Sonnen will receive the George Tragos award at the 2016 National Wrestling Hall of Fame’s Dan Gable Museum during induction weekend on July 14-16. The George Tragos Award is given to an exceptionally competitive wrestler who adapted his or her wrestling skills and competitive nature to excel in MMA.
Dong Hyun Kim will now fight Dominic Waters at UFC Fight Night 79 in Seoul, South Korea on November 28th. Waters replaces Jorge Masvidal, who was moved up to the headline bout against Benson Henderson when Thiago Alves was forced out due to a rib injury. Waters made his UFC debut in July, losing a decision to George Sullivan at the TUF 21 Finale.
MISCELLANEOUS
AAA results from last night in Ciudad Juarez for a TV taping: Dinastia b Mini Abismo Negro, Speedball & Australian Suicide b Daga & Steve Pain, Garza Jr. & Psycho Circus b Dark Cuervo & Dark Scoria & Zorro, El Hijo de Pirata Morgan & Parka Negra & Taurus b Blue Demon Jr. & Electroshock & La Parka, Rey Mysterio Jr. & Psycho Clown & Chris Masters (as a mystery babyface) b Averno & Chessman & Psicosis. Psicosis replaces Cibernetico, who was at Arena Mexico and has left AAA. Pretty much sold out. After the show, Rey Mysterio Jr. & Konnan came out and talked about the history of wrestling in Ciudad Juarez, and Konnan also talked about Eddy Guerrero, who started his career in that arena. This was the first major AAA show in the city in years (thanks to Antonio Garza)
Barry Rose pointed out that today is the 36th anniversary of the death of Eric the Red, real name Eric Hansen, a week after suffering serious head injuries after being hit by a car in Tampa after he had wrestled that night in Miami Beach. Eric Hansen’s intro to pro wrestling was notable as he was from British Columbia, and Karl Gotch was taking on all comers with the idea anyone who he couldn’t submit in five minutes would win money. The wrestlers trained Hansen, who was a huge guy, to just hold onto the ropes so as not to go down, and he was able to do it. Of course, in wrestling, soon that was built up that some fan got the better of Gotch, and JWA in Japan, hearing about that, booked him for a tour and that’s how his career got started.
Premier Wrestling on 11/28 in Gilroy, CA at the IFDES Lodge-Portuguese Hall with a one-night three-way round robin with Jeff Cobb (6-3-1), Timothy Thatcher (4-2-1) and Joe Graves (2-1-1) fought with rounds. JR Kratos (9-2) vs. Gabriel Gallo (4-0) will be the main event. There will also be a womens’ title tournament with Nicole Savoy (3-1), Kahmora (1-1), Raze (0-2) and Kikyo Nakamura (0-1). Tickets are at www.premierwrestle.com
Pro Wrestling Phoenix from Saturday night in Council Bluffs, IA: Con Artiest b Robert Storm, Marek Brave won Battle Royal, Pat Powers b Purple, Hype Gotti & Tony Cortez & Zac James b L-Ray & Joey Daniels & Paul Daniels, Devin Carter b Dalton Lee Roth, Mad Dog McDowell & Jon West b Connor Braxton & Eddie Machete, Mark Sterling b Marek Brave. Next show is 11/29 in Omaha at the Waiting Room Lounge.
SPW from Sunday in Sacramento: Airon Skye won over Johnny Maverick, Scoot Robinson and Truex, Rik Luxury b James Von Eeerie, Sir Samurai & Drake Fost b Mustafa Saed & JD Bishop and TLO & Jonny Yen, Daniel Torch b Will Roberts, Scoot Robertson b Joe DeSoul, Michael Hayashi b Virgil Flynn, Brain Tannen (formerly in WWE developmental) b JR Kratos-DQ. Next show is 12/20 with Tannen defending against Robertson at the SPW Arena in Sacramento. (thanks to Mike Millerick)
NWA Mid South from Saturday night in Dyresburg, TN: Tim Storm b Josh Lewis, Jeremy Moore & Roosevelt b The Posse, Rob Conway b Apoc, Van Vanhorn b Chris O’Neal, Heat Seekers b Matt Riviera & Storm to keep NWA tag titles.
WrestleZone from Saturday night in Aberdeen, Scotland before 840 fans, a sellout: The Rejected b Mr. P & Kaden Garrick, Shawn Johnson b Lord Mr. Malice, William Sterling b Blue Thunder Damien b Bryan Tucker & Johnny Lions, Lewis Girvan & Debbie Sharpe b Aspen Faith & Sammii Jayen, Scotty Swift won over Alan Sterling, Crusher Craib & Bingo Ballance. Mick Foley was at ringside as commissioner for the night. Foley used Mr. Socko on Russell and Sterling at one point on the show.
CHIKARA ends season 15 on 12/5 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia with Hallowicked vs. Icarus vs. Eddie Kingston for the Grand Championship in the main event.
Lucky Pro Wrestling from Sunday in Clinton, MA: Verne Vicallo & Delmi Exo b Tequilla Rosee & Tomahawk, Davianne & Travis Gordon b Scott Levesque & Nikki Valentine, Tessa Blanchard & Anthony Greene b Scotty Slade & Alexus Nevaeah, Jessicka Havok & Brandon Webb b Natalia & Anthony Stone, Keith Gordon b Christian Casanova, Anthony Greene & Tessa Blanchard b Verne Vicallo & Delmi Exo, Davianne & Travis Gordon b Brandon Webb & Jessicka Havok, Tessa Blanchard & Anthony Greene b Daviaenne & Travis Gordon to win tournament
ON THIS DAY IN PRO WRESTLING HISTORY INTERNATIONAL (thanks to Graeme Cameron)
1968 – Skull Murphy beat Tex McKenzie in Melbourne to win the IWA title
1973 – Sara Lee & Sylvia Hackney beat Mariko Akagi & Peggy Kuroda in Fukushima to win the WWWA tag titles
1979 – Rusher Kimura beat Verne Gagne via count out in Wakayama to win the IWE title. This match was Gagne’s last pro wrestling singles match defeat
1982 – Faraon beat Mascara Ano 2000 in Mexico City to win the NWA light heavyweight title
1986 – Blue Panther beat Gran Hamada in Mexico City to win the UWA jr. light heavyweight title
1996 – Hisakatsu Oya & the Head Hunters beat Masato Tanaka & Koji Nakagawa & Tetsuihiro Kuroda in Osaka to win the World Six Man Street fight titles
2012 – Prince Devitt (Finn Balor) beat Marty Scurll in St. Ives to win the IPW British cruiserweight title
