brody
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,463
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Post by brody on Sept 29, 2017 9:43:26 GMT -5
culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-back-day-february-1985-part-one/February 1985 saw the WWF and MTV present "The War to Settle the Score" which directly set up Wrestlemania, the Hulkster goes to the Grammys in style, several Hall of Famers leave the WWF circus, Vince McMahon's love of a pop song alters WWF booking plans, David Schultz shoots on Mr. T and winds up unemployed, a former World champ is arrested, St Louis nearly undergoes a major ownership shift, Georgia turns to rookies to salvage the promotion, the AWA creates a new title, the Road Warriors nearly start another riot, Verne and a headliner have a falling out, Sgt. Slaughter ends up with a very unique partner to face the Road Warriors in Chicago, Pro Wrestling USA puts on a major card in the WWF's backyard despite the promoters feuding with each other and much more!!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2017 17:14:15 GMT -5
Verne never learned "You don't mess with a wrestler's Japan tour money".
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brody
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,463
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Post by brody on Oct 13, 2017 12:54:42 GMT -5
culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-back-day-february-1985-part-2/Ric Flair crossed many time zones to defend his NWA gold against international stars, one of the icons of the NWA and WCW signs with JCP, Barry Horowitz gets his first push...sort of...., Jimmy Hart and Jerry Lawler have their final showdown, Lawler teams with a notorious heel, a champion walks out of World Class without dropping the strap, the Von Erichs continue their blood feud with Chris Adams and Gino Hernandez, one of the most famous matches in Mid-South history is set up, Houston fans are treated to a loaded card, Jim Crockett loses another headliner to the WWF, a former World champion departs JCP as well, plus the WWF invades many southern towns as JCP tries to fire back by heading into a WWF stronghold. Plus more news, notes and results from February 1985!!
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brody
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,463
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Post by brody on Nov 10, 2017 10:30:23 GMT -5
culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-back-day-march-1985-part-one/Wrestlemania 1 shook the wrestling world to it's core in March of 1985. Plus the WWF signed 3 other contracts worth potentially millions of dollars tp their bottom line. Also covered is the stories of Ted Turner and Vince McMahon butting heads over money and other issues as their business relationship crumbles, an Amazon invades the women's division, a celebrity is injured by Hulk Hogan, an infamous murder suspect nearly becomes part of the Mania event, Mr. T proves to be a lousy guest, the headliners Maina paydays cause some ill feelings, Bruno Sammartino thrashes the some WWF stars while doing public relations for the company, plus more news and notes!
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brody
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,463
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Post by brody on Dec 9, 2017 7:45:45 GMT -5
culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-back-in-the-day-wrestlemania-1/I proudly present the 6,329th review of Wrestlemania 1 on the internet! It is a necessary evil as I climb through wrestling history month-by-month. Inside I cover the somewhat surprising story the main event tells -something I don't remember grasping in previous viewings over the years. Plus, Wendi Richter continues to deliver poor matches amid major hype, Buddy Rose is good at this whole pro wrestling thing, King Kong Bundy is a lying liar, Special Delivery Jones may have Wolverine-like recuperative powers, JYD manages to get winded from laying on the mat, the WWF rulebook changes match from match, Captain Lou is sedated, Barry Windham's collarbone gives him CTE, an MSG janitor gets his Wrestlemania moment, and more!
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Post by Joe Neglia on Dec 14, 2017 1:28:37 GMT -5
Yes and no. Scott really did want to push Buddy, but Rose had already pissed off so many people in the company due to his extracurricular habits invading the locker room that Scott was pretty much his only defender and couldn't get the leverage to do anything with Buddy.
I've always been of two minds about Murdoch leaving just as the company started hitting hyperspeed. He was a known goof-off that didn't take things too seriously, and that could have led to him doing some odd things on national TV; on the other hand, if anyone would have been receptive to some of the weird "on location" skits they started doing with the likes of Fuji and Mean Gene, it would have been Dick.
I've read that McMahon made sure Lou was completely sober for this one show, so that might account for it if true.
That, of course, is because Andre hated working with Studd and wanted no part of it. Not due to Studd's level of talent or anything, Andre just did not like other wrestlers working a "giant" gimmick. Felt it diminished his value.
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Mozenrath
FANatic
Foppery and Whim
Speedy Speed Boy
Posts: 121,068
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Post by Mozenrath on Dec 14, 2017 2:18:50 GMT -5
I wonder why he was cool with working Kamala, selling for him, etc. Think the whole "savage" thing made it less competition to him, since that was the focus more than the "Ugandan Giant" thing with size, or something else? I know he apparently disliked Uncle Elmer and explicitly told him that, with Heenan warning Elmer to not bother Andre, so it wasn't just Studd on his shit list.
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Post by Joe Neglia on Dec 14, 2017 16:28:32 GMT -5
I wonder why he was cool with working Kamala, selling for him, etc. Think the whole "savage" thing made it less competition to him, since that was the focus more than the "Ugandan Giant" thing with size, or something else? I know he apparently disliked Uncle Elmer and explicitly told him that, with Heenan warning Elmer to not bother Andre, so it wasn't just Studd on his shit list. Kamala wasn't actually as tall as the other "giants" (he was billed as 6'7" and was likely in the 6'4" or so range for real) and he never made it a focal point of his gimmick, with "Ugandan Giant" being switched out constantly with "Ugandan Warrior" and "Ugandan Soldier" (only early on with the latter).
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Mozenrath
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Foppery and Whim
Speedy Speed Boy
Posts: 121,068
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Post by Mozenrath on Dec 14, 2017 16:44:05 GMT -5
I wonder why he was cool with working Kamala, selling for him, etc. Think the whole "savage" thing made it less competition to him, since that was the focus more than the "Ugandan Giant" thing with size, or something else? I know he apparently disliked Uncle Elmer and explicitly told him that, with Heenan warning Elmer to not bother Andre, so it wasn't just Studd on his shit list. Kamala wasn't actually as tall as the other "giants" (he was billed as 6'7" and was likely in the 6'4" or so range for real) and he never made it a focal point of his gimmick, with "Ugandan Giant" being switched out constantly with "Ugandan Warrior" and "Ugandan Soldier" (only early on with the latter). Ah, okay. I can see where that'd bug him less.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2017 15:28:01 GMT -5
I wonder why he was cool with working Kamala, selling for him, etc. Think the whole "savage" thing made it less competition to him, since that was the focus more than the "Ugandan Giant" thing with size, or something else? I know he apparently disliked Uncle Elmer and explicitly told him that, with Heenan warning Elmer to not bother Andre, so it wasn't just Studd on his shit list. Kamala wasn't actually as tall as the other "giants" (he was billed as 6'7" and was likely in the 6'4" or so range for real) and he never made it a focal point of his gimmick, with "Ugandan Giant" being switched out constantly with "Ugandan Warrior" and "Ugandan Soldier" (only early on with the latter). Wasn't he billed 6'10 in his initial Memphis vignettes (filmed in either Lawler or Jarrett's back garden?)
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brody
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,463
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Post by brody on Jan 14, 2018 3:37:52 GMT -5
culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-back-day-march-1985-part-2/Part 2 of our look into March 1985 sees the AWA stars bomb in St. Louis, 2 legendary sports broadcasters call the action for a special WWF radio broadcast, Harley Race has a falling out with his business partners, Jim Crockett and Ole Anderson invade the WWF's territory with Vince's former stars, the story of the wrestler who sued a promoter over payoffs, the Road Warriors get physical with fans during a TV taping, Pro Wrestling USA runs a mess of a TV taping as the wrestler's feuds are unclear and WWF angles are pushed, Baltimore fans are treated to a card loaded with JCP and AWA talent, plus more news, notes and results!
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brody
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,463
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Post by brody on Jan 19, 2018 12:20:57 GMT -5
culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-back-day-march-1985-part-3/Part 3 of our look back at the wrestling world in March 1985 sees Bruiser Brody creating waves in Japan, an MMA legend debuts as a teenage pro wrestler, Memphis brings in the AWA champ - just not the one who happens to be legally holding the title, The Freebirds turn heel during an infamous angle in Florida, Gary Hart and Chris Adams have a falling out in Texas, Fritz teases expansion, a Hercules backstage brawl story, subterfuge in San Antonio sees Joe Blanchard lose his promotion, an arson nearly sees a promoter arrested, WTBS becomes a wrestling hub with the fate of the nation's wrestling landscape in the balance, Bill Watts threatens to book the Road Warriors with shooters if they don't listen, Dusty plots a closed circuit counterstrike to Wrestlemania, domestic violence gets a big pop, plus more news, notes and results!!
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Ultimo Gallos
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Dreams SUCK!Nightmares live FOREVER!
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Post by Ultimo Gallos on Jan 19, 2018 13:01:03 GMT -5
Kamala wasn't actually as tall as the other "giants" (he was billed as 6'7" and was likely in the 6'4" or so range for real) and he never made it a focal point of his gimmick, with "Ugandan Giant" being switched out constantly with "Ugandan Warrior" and "Ugandan Soldier" (only early on with the latter). Wasn't he billed 6'10 in his initial Memphis vignettes (filmed in either Lawler or Jarrett's back garden?) Barefoot Kamala and I are the same height. So he was 6'3". But he looked so much taller on TV.
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brody
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,463
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Post by brody on Jan 20, 2018 7:49:18 GMT -5
culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/starcage-85/The AWA put on a super card in the weeks following Wrestlemania featuring Sgt. Slaughter and Jerry Blackwell locked in a cage with the Masked Superstar, King Tonga, and Sheik Adnan in a bloody war of attrition. Verne Gagne returned to the ring to team with his son Greg to avenge recent evil doings from Nick Bockwinkel and Mr. Saito. Curt and Larry Hennig go blow for blow with the Road Warriors. The Tonga Kid's rise continues he partners with Jim Brunzell to tangle with cagey vets Billy Robinson and Bobby Duncum. The mid-west's favorite Nazi, Baron Von Raschke partners with Buck Zumhofe as they clash with their sworn enemies Steve Regal and Jimmy Garvin. Bob Backlund and Brad Rheingans bring their grappling A-games into a bout with Larry Zbyszko and Butch Reed, plus more action! Along the way we enjoy some technical gaffes, Bob Backlund managing to have the worst match on the card, good old fashion promotional propaganda, music videos and other fun.
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Post by cabbageboy on Jan 20, 2018 10:49:25 GMT -5
I often wondered why Backlund basically did nothing in the business after his big title run ended in 1983. Was he just totally burnt out? It'd odd because his 1994 heel turn totally revitalized his career, showing that maybe he should have turned heel and gone insane back when he could have drawn the big money vs. Hogan.
It's really kind of stunning how both the AWA and NWA cratered in 1986 and 87. I will say this about the AWA: There were weeks where they definitely had the best weekly wrestling program during the ESPN era. Throwing out Hennig/Bockwinkel or Rockers vs. Rose/Somers on regular TV blows away most other televised wrestling of that era.
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brody
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,463
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Post by brody on Feb 3, 2018 18:36:53 GMT -5
culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wwf-torontos-maple-leaf-gardens-4-21-85/The WWF presents one of their best tag team matches of the era as Ricky Steamboat and Tito Santana combine to battle Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake. World Champion Hulk Hogan faces Paul Orndorff, who finds himself in a moral crisis. The undercard is full of a healthy dose of bad matches (Ivan Putski), inane commentary, steroids and Bret Hart trying to steal the show while tangling with George Wells.
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brody
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,463
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Post by brody on Feb 8, 2018 2:51:19 GMT -5
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brody
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,463
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Post by brody on Feb 18, 2018 3:55:39 GMT -5
culturecrossfire.com/wrestling/wrasslin-back-day-april-1985-part-one/April 1985 sees a top WWF heel find the error of his ways, a riot breaks out in California, a former NWA champion appears to sign with the WWF-then backs out, a legend appears on TNT and promises to bring in a new heel faction, Hulk Hogan butts heads with the WWF brass over drugs, Vince McMahon looks to fund a sport that is not wrasslin', An NWA legend returned to help his "brother", the National tag team champions implode, Flair fights a Freebird in the Omni, plus more news, notes and results!
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Post by Joe Neglia on Feb 19, 2018 3:07:01 GMT -5
With the ratings success the WWF is enjoying on the USA network, McMahon began looking into other forms of “sports entertainment” to put on TV. He and the USA network agreed in principal to develop a roller derby league, but McMahon would eventually get cold feet and back out of the plan. I didn't know I wanted this until I learned I could never have it.
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Post by evilone on Feb 19, 2018 5:35:20 GMT -5
It takes special kind of talents to be AWA in '80s and fail to WWF completely.
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