The Prince of Princes:The Prince Iaukea Collection

[mysterydriver]

From the poster who brought you "Sick Boy: The Nausiating Collection" "Disco Will Never Die: The Disco Inferno Collection" as well as collections on Ludvig Borga and Giant Gonzales comes "The Prince of Princes: The Prince Iaukea Collection."

Trained by the Malenkos and Rico Federico, Iaukea debuted on WCW TV in 1996 and would quickly make a name for himself ...well ... some people knew who he was. This collection contains 10 of his matches...


uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6wNsScIPn04
Prince Iaukea vs. Konnan

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dcJAc7CovT0
Prince Iaukea vs. La Parka

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw80TvusBR8
Prince Iaukea vs. Psychosis

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PGrII-IkY0s
Prince Iaukea vs. Yuji Nagata (12/1/97)

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MNtAze-rys4
Prince Iaukea vs. Yuji Nagata (3/19/98)

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=31yksFCCxE8
Prince Iaukea vs. Booker T (C) [TV Title Match]

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=j0r3F0ZUFGo
Prince Iaukea vs. Eddie Guerrero

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aSIv30bcHJ0
Prince Iaukea vs. Glacier

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-SPkYAnjKw8 (Part 1)
uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gThY-d40UMQ (Part 2)
Prince Iaukea vs. Norman Smiley
[Starrcade 1998]

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mOE1K2xAZDw (Part 1)
uk.youtube.com/watch?v=di5blggkR64&feature=related (Part 2)
Prince Iaukea vs. Chris Jericho (C) [Cruiserweight Title Match]
[Spring Stampede 1998]

[AriadosMan]

No TAFKAPI, that was one of the lamest of lame WCW angles. I'm surprised he never feuded/teamed with Maestro during that angle.

[Mongo & Pepe: Back in Black]

Oh man, I was hoping for some Artist stuff. Sharmell/Paisley was hot when she was with him!

[Rube]

Jericho demands that Prince Nakamaki weigh in. uk.youtube.com/watch?v=h2sa6lv0wHc

[Mongo & Pepe: Back in Black]

Here's a short Artist video, complete with "Purple Rain" ripoff theme music:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_IiFCEWmP0

[Mozenrath]

Man, that Konnan match sucked. And it sure as hell wasn't Konnan's fault. Well, this time, anyway.

[rzombie1988]

I always liked Iaukea, and am glad so much of his stuff made it on youtube. I really thought he had a cool look, and a cool sounding name. I'm sure I'm the only one who thinks this, but it's a shame he never got picked up by WWE.

[angryfan]

I demand video, any video, of TAFKAPI hitting his jumping DDT cleanly. Good luck finding it, though, as I don't think he ever came within three feet. I remember he tried it on poor Candido, missed so badly that he had to tap Chris's leg as he flew past, and Chris, God bless him, sold it like a bullet to the head.

Best line I ever heard about the Prince was from Les Thatcher, who was promoting HWA locally at the time. He said, "I can picture it in the Wrestling Observer, PRINCE IAUKEA FINALLY HITS FINISH CLEANLY, and below that in small print "Wrestlemania card also announced".

[Banjo Is Broken]

This seems like something that would belong in the "DVDs that would sell 0 copies" thread.

[Mozenrath]

Jeez, after watching him wrestle Konnan, Psychosis, and La Parka, I'm convinced this is one of the most overpushed duds in wrestling history. Awful, sloppy ring work.

And one lame haircut.

[mysterydriver]

kiddobradley said:

Jeez, after watching him wrestle Konnan, Psychosis, and La Parka, I'm convinced this is one of the most overpushed duds in wrestling history. Awful, sloppy ring work.

And one lame haircut.

I couldn't find the match where he won the TV Title from Steven Regal or you'd probably be even more convinced.

[Mozenrath]

mysterydriver said:

kiddobradley said:

Jeez, after watching him wrestle Konnan, Psychosis, and La Parka, I'm convinced this is one of the most overpushed duds in wrestling history. Awful, sloppy ring work.

And one lame haircut.

I couldn't find the match where he won the TV Title from Steven Regal or you'd probably be even more convinced.

All of those workers, having to put him over and carry his ass....

[mysterydriver]

banjobrown said:

This seems like something that would belong in the "DVDs that would sell 0 copies" thread.

;D I take that as a compliment.

[Hiroshi Hase]

Here is where Iaukea loses the TV title to Ultimo Dragon on Nitro, April 1997, his ribs are taped up in this match after being attacked by Regal earlier in the night:

www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/Ultimo+Dragon+TV+title/video/x1g4i6_ultimo-dragon-wins-tv-title_sport

[acressl]

I actually liked the Prince (well, perhaps liked is too strong) until he became T.A.F.K.A.P.I. He wasn't exceptional or memorable, but look at that rap sheet up top. He was squashed by some of WCW's finest. And think, If I allowed myself to live vicariously through him, I've already met some of my favorite wrestlers.

[Mozenrath]

Anyone have video of him attempting his finisher that never worked?