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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 27, 2020 20:42:10 GMT -5
He actually corresponded with the guy who did the Wrestlecrap website, who did a couple of features on s the Shark gimmick they did in WCW, since they couldn't use Earthquake, and the masked gimmick he did, with the oddities, with the Cartman doll. He actually responded and was pretty cool about it. I know the WWF used his sumo past to put him in a sumo-rules match with Yokozuna, who never wrestled sumo, though the biggest yokozuna of the time peried was Chad Rowan, aka Akebono, who is from Hawaii and a lot of Polynesians were recruited into sumo, along with Rowan, though he was the first non-Japanese to be allowed to rise to the yokozuna rank (I believe). He was a legit collegiate wrestler, too, st Louisiana State University, in NCAA competition, at the super-heavyweight level. He had also finished 6th in the World Junior Wrestling Championships, at age 18. He went into sumo after college. His shikona (ring name, based on sumo traditions) was Kototenta Toshikatsu (Tenta the Harp), though he was later renamed Kototenzan Toshimitsu (Heavenly Mountain Harp). he spent 8 months in sumo, racking up 24 consecutive victories; but, his body was getting banged up and he would be required to lose his tiger tattoo to move up in rank, because of the yakuza connotation, in Japan. He then went to All-Japan and trained for puroresu and debuted in 1987. Here's an interview with him, after leaving sumo... Tenta's debut, in pro wrestling, as Giant Baba's partner... Nice afro and handlebar mustache on Goro, there.
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Post by Batflunkie on Jul 28, 2020 18:18:50 GMT -5
Hard to believe that Earthquake was ever that slim!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2020 19:05:12 GMT -5
As a kid, the Earthquake Splash was scary to me. I mean that. Yes, I always knew wrestling was scripted (it had to be, right?), but the thought of that weight doing that move on people, well that episode of “The Brother Love Show” where ‘Quake attacked Hogan could have given me nightmares!
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 29, 2020 11:00:19 GMT -5
Couple of RIPs from the distaff side of pro wrestling. GLOW favorite, Sally The Farmer's daughter, aka Beckie Mullen, has passed away from colon and kidney cancer, at 55. She was part of the initial GLOW season Essentially, she played a hybrid of Daisy Mae, from Li'l Abner, and Ellie Clampett, from the Beverly Hillbillies and soon had wrasslin' sisters, including Babe, portrayed by Ursula Hayden, the current owner of the GLOW trademarks, which led to the documentary and the Netflix tv series (which is more than David McLane ever accomplished). Also passing away, though cause unknown, was Kat LeRoux.... Kat is on the right, shown with tag-team partner Linda Dallas, who were known as the Nasty Girls. LeRoux was part of a group of women's wrestlers who were independent of The Fabulous Moolah's group, which kept them, mostly, from working for the WWF; but saw them work for Crockett, the AWA and multiple territories. LeRoux, Dallas and babyface Misty Blue Simmes were all graduates of Killer Kowalski's wrestling school (which also produced Chyna and Triple H) and worked shows for his IWF promotion, as well as other Northeastern independents. They also worked for the AWA, when they ran a regular womens division, built around Sherri Martel and Madusa Micelli, along with the likes of Candy Devine, Heidi Lee Morgan, Bambi and Peggy Lee Leather. The trio would later work for the short-lived Ladies Professional Wrestling Association (LPWA) which attempted to do a serious womens promotion, after GLOW was a hit, featuring many top women, including Lisa "Ivory.Tina Ferrari" Moretti, Terri "Tori in the WWF" Power, Magnificent Mimi Lessos and more. Kat vs Misty Blue, from the old World Championship Wrestling Saturday show (Crockett era)... Cheat finish and Tony & David Crockett spend more time promoting the Great American Bash tour. The women were never promoted strongly, apart from Misty Blue and they didn't stick around long. You can also see Teddy Long, when he was a referee, with some hair. Kat vs Reggie Bennett, from LPWA, with commentary from Joe Pedicino (who ran GWF and did the Superstars of Wrestling bloc, on Atlanta tv, as well as Pro Wrestling this Week) and Jim Cornette...
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 31, 2020 18:20:28 GMT -5
Just lost a real wrestling legend: Mark "Rollerball" RoccoRocco was a massive star in the World of Sport era, in the UK, as well as worldwide, with the exception of North America (mainly because he rarely worked here). He was a 4th generation wrestler, son of Jumping Jim Hussey, whose own father and grandfather had been wrestlers. He originally trained for equestrian events, but also secretly trained with wrestlers, at his father's gym. He was a natural nd made his name first in Europe, before centering in the UK, in the heavy middleweight division, eventually winning the world title in 1981, wrestling for Dale Martin and Joint Promotions (kind of the British version of the NWA, a conglomeration of regional promotions, where Martin was the London promoter. Fading star Mick McManus hitched his wagon to Rocco's rising star to stay on top and they did big business; though more because of Rocco, at that point. Rocco was noted for hard-hitting matches and a wild style and had notable bouts against young Tom "Dynamite Kid" Billington, Rocco was brought to Japan, where he donned a mask and became Black Tiger, the villainous rival to Tiger Mask. There, he and Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama) tore up the ring, working a mixed style, including British style, as Sayama had trained and wrestled in the UK, as Sammy Lee. Sayama, Rocco and Billington would have matches that would change the course of wrestling around the world, launching the age of the junior heavyweights, that would produce the likes of The Cobra, Jushin Liger, Chris Benoit, Great Sasuke, Taka Michinoku, Eddie Guerrerro, Dean Malenko, Rey Mysterio Jr, Psicosis, Juventud Guerrerra, Robby Brookside and more. He was also responsible for revolutionizing British wrestling, influencing British wrestlers, including Fit Finlay, William Regal, Robby Brookside, Nick Aldis, Tom Latimer, Doug Williams, Marty Scurl, and others. Rocco and Sayama had memorable bouts over the WW Jr Hwt title and Rocco would later appear as Black Tiger in Madison Square Garden, wrestling The Cobra (George Takano) for the vant title, losing to the Cobra and elevating the young star (who did a couple of tours with the WWF, before they went national and he moved on to SWS. Rocco eventually left Joint Promotions and went to work for Brian Dixon's All-Star Wrestling, but, a heart condition ended his career, in 1991. In retirement, he built up a successful business, in Tenerife, Spain. Rocco was the rare British performer to mix in American style entertainment and could go with the Japanese wrestlers. He faced young Flying Fuji Yamada, in the UK, who would go on to become Jushin "Thunder" Liger, in New Japan; but, Rocco's retirement in 1991 prevented them from renewing their matches in Japan, after Yamada found fame as Liger. Rocco vs Dynamite Kid, from 1980... and Keichi "Flying Fuji/Jushin Liger" Yamada, from 1987...
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Post by codystarbuck on Jul 31, 2020 18:30:58 GMT -5
Clip of Black Tiger vs The Cobra, in MSG, in 1984, for the vacant WWF World Jr Hwt title...
Tribute video (set to Queen's "Headlong,") of some World of Sport footage of Rocco, with a little bit of Black Tiger, at the end.
Black Tiger vs Tiger Mask...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2020 8:15:49 GMT -5
Oh no!
Before I watched US wrestling, I grew up on World of Sport (the show ended in 1988). My earliest childhood wrestling memories are of WOS: Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, Jamaican George, etc. Rocco was another one.
When I first watched US wrestling, the rules were jarring as UK wrestling had 2-out-of-3 falls. But I think I prefer the US rules.
RIP.
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 1, 2020 18:09:50 GMT -5
Oh no! Before I watched US wrestling, I grew up on World of Sport (the show ended in 1988). My earliest childhood wrestling memories are of WOS: Big Daddy, Giant Haystacks, Jamaican George, etc. Rocco was another one. When I first watched US wrestling, the rules were jarring as UK wrestling had 2-out-of-3 falls. But I think I prefer the US rules. RIP. I kind of liked the European round system, as each round tells its own little story.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 4, 2020 6:22:19 GMT -5
Fascinating:
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Post by Deleted on Aug 5, 2020 7:04:12 GMT -5
More interesting merchandise:
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Post by codystarbuck on Aug 5, 2020 12:00:34 GMT -5
More interesting merchandise: That is way more muscle definition than Jake Roberts ever had. Heck, any muscle definition is way more than Jake Roberts ever had. Muscular was not an adjective that you applied to Roberts. Didn't need it, since he could work and had the best psychology in the business (and the most messed up real psychology).
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2020 6:45:41 GMT -5
Today marks 25 years since WCW aired CLASH OF THE CHAMPIONS XXXI. It took place in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Vader defeated Ric Flair and Arn Anderson in a handicap match in the main event. The opening bout was a solid one, as Sting and Road Warrior Hawk beat Meng & Kurasawa.
Vader’s final PPV appearance for WCW was at BASH AT THE BEACH ‘95, which took place a month earlier, but his final supercard appearance was at this CLASH event. It’s a shame his WCW run ended so ignominiously. And it only went downhill from there as it seemed like the WWF either didn’t know what to do with him - or didn’t want to utilise someone who had made their name elsewhere.
Vader was the same personality as either a face or heel. I like that. Jake Roberts was the same. It can be odd when dastardly heels turn face but then start playing to the crowd, tagging fans’ hands, smiling, joking, etc. Face or heel, Vader was badass. I wish his WCW run had ended better (and Hogan should have done the job to Vader at least once).
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2020 16:50:16 GMT -5
So Marty Jannetty posted on Facebook that he killed a guy when was 13 for trying to molest him, then goes on the radio to clarify he didn't say he killed him just that the guy disappeared, but if cops wanna find the guy they should check a river.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2020 18:19:35 GMT -5
I read about that. Shocking!
What chance would the cops have after all this time, assuming Jannetty’s words are even true? I’m sure the police will want to interview him, but he might just backtrack. And even if they feel there is something to go on, what chance of a body after 46 years? Even if they checked missing persons’ reports from that year, without a body, can you charge someone for murder?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2020 18:40:03 GMT -5
You can charge without a body. I'm not sure how much effort they'll put into it, though. I mean a drug dealing pedophile isn't the most "appealing" (very wrong term, but I am blanking on the correct one) victim.
edit: I should say I think you can charge for killing (murder specifically? not sure) without a body, but that could also be a state-by-state thing.
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