Pro Wrestling Updates

[kristie]

Anyone see the end of RAW tonight?

yup. not impressed.

 

[rags]

IMHO, and I've said this for years, there's too much back story and not enough actual action. In a 3-hour episode of Raw, count the actual minutes of action that you get.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Wrestling card results use to be reported in the newspaper.

This one is a real gem...

GRAHAM DISQUALIFIED VS. RACE
Sunday July 29, 1979
The Tampa Tribune
Tampa, Florida

Mike Graham tried to win the NWA World Heavyweight Title and came up empty handed. He was disqualified in his match with NWA champion Harley Race before a record crowd of 8,165 at the St. Petersburg Bayfront Center.

A gray-haired lady with a metal cross hanging around her grandmotherly bosom stood, and shook her fist at ring and swore like a sailor at the prone and bleeding figure of Harley Race, Champion of the National Wrestling Alliance. "I hope you bleed to death, you son-of-a-_____!,"

Race had just escaped with his title when the Tampa star was disqualified for throwing the 250 lb. champ over the top rope.

Earlier in the bout, Graham had pinned Race for the count but referee Don Curtis was unconscious outside the ring.

In his frustration Graham dragged the dazed champion back in the ring, pinned his shoulders to the mat, and made off with the splendid 14-carat-gold championship belt under his arm.

Race knelt in agony, blood running in rivulets from his forehead down across the peacock tattoo on his left arm. He raised his arm like a wounded bear, but the crowd responded with boos, taunts and obscene gestures. A meteorite shower of crumpled paper cups sailed into the ring.

Crawling slowly out of the ring and escorted through the crowd by police, the crowd chanted "You got beat, you got beat!" Race was a tired defeated figure, with the hard times of wrestling stamped on his face.

As a young teenager he won money for whipping opponents at carnivals. At age 16 he had pinned pro wrestler Bill Cole to the mat in Waterloo, Iowa to win a purse of $25. In 1969 in Lubbock, Texas he had rushed to the ring to administer artificial respiration to Iron Mike DiBiase, who would die.

In a double bull rope match, Dusty Rhodes and Cowboy Bill Watts whipped King Curtis and Jos LeDuc. All four wrestlers were covered with blood.

Jack Brisco avenged the back-jumping tactics of Don Muraco by defeating the Hawaiian. Muraco worked on Brisco with a foreign object and tried to break his leg with a punishing figure-four-leg- lock until brother Jerry Brisco, in street clothes, came to the rescue.

In the American grain, foreigners are always suspect. Only in the world of pro wrestling could a black man who wears a mask become a hero for a largely white blue-collar audience. In a $3,000 In Silver vs. The Mask match, Sweet Brown Sugar took the money and kept his identity by defeating the ugly Mongolian giant Killer Kahn subbing for Sonny King.

Good triumphed over evil as Steve Keirn, Jim Garvin and Jerry Brisco downed Bugsy McGraw, Killer Kahn and Mike Hammer.

Highly touted Tommy Rich knocked off Thor the Viking.

Villain Brian St. John stopped Reggie Parks.

Outstanding newcomer Buzz Sawyer won the NWA Rookie Challenge match by beating Oklahoman Jim Shields.

*There was a pic in the paper of Shields shaking Sawyer's hand with the NWA Rookie of The Year Trophy in Buzz's other hand.

Beer and the bloody action usually incite a bit of rowdiness in the fans. There was one spectacular fist fight in the stands that had the police scurrying to restore order. Another spectator went into the ring after Bill Watts but was rescued by police just before the Cowboy could use his famous Oklahoma Stampede.

Six policemen and twenty security guards kept order.

 

[DanteEXT]

Saw some headlines, Brock vs Kofi on the first SD FOX show. Guessing they'll put the title on Brock for the mainstream attention. How long until they rehash the Brock vs Roman for the title feud?

 

[Stash]

Saw some headlines, Brock vs Kofi on the first SD FOX show. Guessing they'll put the title on Brock for the mainstream attention. How long until they rehash the Brock vs Roman for the title feud?

I think Brock's appearance is certainly about getting the attanetion and ratings right off the bat. I'm not crazy about how WWE bends over for Lesnar, but his name does have some measure of mainstream appeal and it's smart to use him to get Smackdown on Fox off to a good start. But I'm not happy with the idea of having yet another full-time guy like Kofi dropping the title to the world's biggest part-timer. Brock has his name and doesn't need the title, and he shouldn't have it.

Between the draft and Smackdown and NXT debuts, I hope they have some interesting surprises and storylines cooked up. There's an opportunity to reach a new audience and they shouldn't show the same old, same old as they have lately.

 

[kristie]

looks like AEW's new show on TNT now has a name.

https://uproxx.com/prowrestling/all-elite-wrestling-tv-show-officially-dynamite/

 

[timb2]

WWE still ratings going down.....Rumor is Cedric Alexander is the latest wrestler who has talent and now will wrestle into obscurity.One shot in the 3rd hour and now NO TV because of Vince McMahon . If Roman Reigns or Brock Lesnar cannot be the main attraction for almost every segment......PREDICTION-First Smackdown on FOX, Brock Lesnar beats Kofi Kingston the title and Kofi gets to continue play GOOF TROOP in the New Day still and never challenge for a World Singles Title again and goes into obscurity with Cedric Alexander,Shelton Benjamin,Asuka,Kairi Sane,Ruby Riott,Sara Logan,etc..Never get the correct push. Like Andrade,Ali,Riccochet.etc...Also the Marie pregnant angle looks like punishment for Marie getting pregnant a 2nd time and her Hubby going into rehab...They are being ruined..........HOW IS IT THE FIEND HAS ONE MATCH WITH FINN BALOR AND NOW IS THE MAIN ATTRACTION VS SETH ROLLINS???? Would not be the WWE wants to sell Halloween Masks with Halloween coming???

 

[big dog cowboy]

HOW IS IT THE FIEND HAS ONE MATCH WITH FINN BALOR AND NOW IS THE MAIN ATTRACTION VS SETH ROLLINS????

Same way Dolph Ziggler shows up, title shot. Shaha Banks, Brock Lesner, Nikki Bella, Randy Orton.....

Seems to be the newest thing for the last year or so. It's STUPID!

 

[timb2]

Watched the NXT show on Wednesday night on USA Network. Not bad. First match had 4 women 4 way. The only one I knew was Mia Yim.....2nd bout was a squash match hyping some new guy from North Carolina.Lasted about 10 seconds. I guess he is suppose to be like the new Goldberg,but he looks like a Mountain Man.....3rd match was somewhat good. Roderick Strong beat Velveteen Dream for the title.... Strong is very good in the ring and would make a great rival to smaller WWE stars like AJ Styles and Finn Balor. Strong should make the WWE Main Roster sometime in the future...Velveteen Dream had the look but he was pretty bad in the ring as a worker. I see Velveteen Dream better as a Manager at the next level...Dream just looked awkward .He is gangly and almost clumsey... Best match was the Womens 4 IMO,but they probably won't get the credit they need to make it to the WWE....The 2nd hour was on WWE and I wasn't interested.

 

[Stash]

Watched the NXT show on Wednesday night on USA Network. Not bad. First match had 4 women 4 way. The only one I knew was Mia Yim.....2nd bout was a squash match hyping some new guy from North Carolina.Lasted about 10 seconds. I guess he is suppose to be like the new Goldberg,but he looks like a Mountain Man.....3rd match was somewhat good. Roderick Strong beat Velveteen Dream for the title.... Strong is very good in the ring and would make a great rival to smaller WWE stars like AJ Styles and Finn Balor. Strong should make the WWE Main Roster sometime in the future...Velveteen Dream had the look but he was pretty bad in the ring as a worker. I see Velveteen Dream better as a Manager at the next level...Dream just looked awkward .He is gangly and almost clumsey... Best match was the Womens 4 IMO,but they probably won't get the credit they need to make it to the WWE....The 2nd hour was on WWE and I wasn't interested.

I think you need to adjust your expectations about "making the main roster". Given NXT's success and now a television deal, it's not the big deal in pay that it was before. I need fact, several of the NXT talents are perfectly happy where they are and are in no hurry whatsoever to risk getting lost in the shuffle going to another roster.

Johnny Gargano is a prime example. And the Undisputed Era would be another. None of them are big guys and few, if any, would receive any attention on RAW or Smackdown, so they're in no rush to go anywhere. And on the part of the NXT show you didn't see, Lio Rush returned as a clear example of the grass not being greener.

 

[DanteEXT]

I had read how WWE was changing things up this week on top of the FOX move. So I tuned into RAW Monday. New set, pyro then Brock comes out, destroys Mysterio and his son in the opening segment. Same show in a new wrapper.

Now it's AEW night. Going to try and watch some though I usually am getting ready for bed during its first hour. DVR on Vue will be set though.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Raw was better this week. Still not nearly as good as it could be.

NXT should be interesting to see they can keep the momentum going.

Pretty fired up to see AEW tonight. PLEASE be as good as I hope it will be. I want Vince to feel some heat.

Finally Smackdown. Surprise surprise they are dragging out The Rock. They just better not give Kofi's belt to Lesnar. Not a big Kofi fan. Just strongly opposed to a part time guy wearing the strap.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Results from St. Louis-10/2/81

From the Checkerdome (18,055 - record attendance & gate receipts)

1) Dewey Robertson vs. Bulldog Bob Brown ended in a draw

2) Rufus R. Jones beat Gene Lewis

3) Kevin, David & Kerry Von Erich beat Greg Valentine, J.J. Dillon & Johnny Valiant when David pinned Valiant

4) Dick the Bruiser beat Von Raschke

5) Jack Brisco beat Ted DiBiase to win the Missouri State title

6) Andre the Giant & Rocky Johnson beat Ken Patera & Sgt. Slaughter by disqualification

7) NWA World Champion Ric Flair vs. Harley Race ended in a draw (60:00) when the time limit expired in the third fall

While many current fans do not realize it, but the "center" for Pro Wrestling for a long time was St. Louis.

And this is ridiculously strong card is an example of the cards regularly held in the Checkerdome.

This is as good a card as what Vince puts on for many of his pay-per-views– And maybe even better!

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Gotta say I'm a huge fan of 60 minute, 2 out of 3 fall matches.

Yes, it's a much slower work rate than what we see today.

However the crowd was "controlled" so much better during that era. They would key down during the rest holds and if the wrestlers knew what they were doing (Race & Flair certainly did) they would bring them to a frenzy state with a legit pin-fall.

Love 2 out of 3 fall matches because guys learned to take a pin. That's gone by the wayside... Each finish becomes a questionable finish.

I couldn't conceive how Vince's writers would choregraph a 60 minute match today. They wouldn't know what to do.

 

[aria]

Anyone watching AEW’s debut tonight? Thought the first match between Rhodes and Sammy Gavara? was well choreographed and lots of talent. Second match not so much. Jericho looks like he’s more in Fozzy shape than wrestling shape. Great to have JR back, it’s obvious they’re a little more edgy with their comments than what you would typically hear on WWE.

 

[timb2]

AEW Results
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...grades-reaction-and-highlights-from-tnt-debut

 

[DanteEXT]

Anyone watching AEW’s debut tonight? Thought the first match between Rhodes and Sammy Gavara? was well choreographed and lots of talent. Second match not so much. Jericho looks like he’s more in Fozzy shape than wrestling shape. Great to have JR back, it’s obvious they’re a little more edgy with their comments than what you would typically hear on WWE.

Thought the show was well done. I like how they are playing it as wins and losses matter. Just wish they'd also make rules matter all the time.

 

[Stash]

Anyone watching AEW’s debut tonight? Thought the first match between Rhodes and Sammy Gavara? was well choreographed and lots of talent. Second match not so much. Jericho looks like he’s more in Fozzy shape than wrestling shape. Great to have JR back, it’s obvious they’re a little more edgy with their comments than what you would typically hear on WWE.

I watched both last night. I thought NXT's in-ring workrate killed most everything that AEW did, save for some of the stuff the Bucks and Omega did while that was still a match.

So are there no DQ's in AEW or do they just make things up as they go along?

Guevara looks like he has talent, but he also looks like he could use some developmental time as well. Hit and miss on his overall work.

Cody is a solid midcard in-ring talent in my opinion. Always will be.

I was impressed by the lighting and cameras for AEW's first televised show, but not their stage set or pyro. That looked bush league.

For all the money Jericho is being paid, the least he could do is to do a few crunches once in a while. He's running a lucrative "con" on the billionaire's kid, as are they all.

 

[Stash]

Thought the show was well done. I like how they are playing it as wins and losses matter. Just wish they'd also make rules matter all the time.

Yeah, that was a sore spot for me too. No DQ's? Or no logic?

 

[DanteEXT]

Yeah, that was a sore spot for me too. No DQ's? Or no logic?

I think it's just a convenience (or lazy) thing to throw logic out the door. They could have worked a spot where the other 5 guys were in a corner fighting with the ref trying to regain control and have Mox sneak in and drag Omega into a brawl & out of sight.