Re-Post: American Wrestling a BBC Documentary

Re-Posted from my original blog as I am removing all wrestling references off of it making it a family blog.

American Wrestling a BBC Documentary

By Louis Theroux

I found this documentary on You Tube by typing Wrestling Documentary in the search field and scrolling through the list.  This is posted in Louis Theroux You Tube Channel. 

This documentary was part of a series on the BBC Louis Theroux’s Wild Weekends, and the presenter, Louis Theroux, knew nothing of professional wrestling.  Filmed in 1999 the feature starts at a WCW Monday Nitro in Gainesville, Florida April 19, 1999.  Full results are below.

Those he interviewed were “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Goldberg, Alex Wright, and Dewayne Bruce aka Sgt Buddy Lee Parker the head trainer at WCW’s Power Plant.  When Theroux attempted to ask questions to Bruce about what is now commonly known if wrestlers plan their matches in advance, Bruce pulled kayfabe on him and got quite irritated which showed later at the WCW Power Plant.  

Rick Deezel on his call in show

Between the filming at Monday Nitro and the Power Plant Theroux met up with indy wrestling promoter Rick Dieezel and the AIWF, American Independent Wrestling Federation.   At a show in Westfield, North Carolina Theroux assisted in setting up the ring and was given a tutorial on independent wrestling and got to witness someone’s first training session on taking bumps.  This show was at the height of barbed wire craze of the late 1990’s when almost every independent wrestling group relied on the usage of weapons and bleeding in many matches.

AIWF is now known as Allied Independent Wrestling Federations is a smaller version of what the NWA was.  http://aiwf.net/  

"Pistol" Pez Whatley

At the Power Plant Louis is greeted by assistant trainee “Pistol” Pez Whatley and is put through a very rigorous training.  Other trainees that we see are Chuck Palumbo, Hardbody Harrison, Angry Allan aka Allan Funk aka Kiwi in WCW.   During promo training we get to witness Pistol but out a classic old school promo that was fantastic!  Sadly though Whatley passed away in January 2005 after suffering a heart attack. 

Sgt Buddy Lee Parker

This documentary is a prime example of the rumored bullying by Bruce that occurred at the power plant over the years.  

All in all this was a nice short feature, at 49 minutes, done during the late 90’s wrestling resurgence.  It’s very well done and worth checking out.

Here's the link: American Wrestling (BBC Documentary)

WCW @ Gainesville, FL - O'Connell Center - April 19, 1999 (8,567 paid)
Monday Nitro:
Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko defeated Scott & Steve Armstrong
Psychosis defeated Juventud Guerrera, Blitzkreig, and WCW Cruiserweight & Tag Team Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. to win the cruiserweight title
Brian Knobbs pinned Hak in a kendo stick vs. trash can match
Buff Bagwell pinned Disco Inferno
WCW Tag Team Champion Billy Kidman fought Raven (w/ Perry Saturn) to a no contest in a Raven's Rules match at 2:45 when, after Raven lifted a steel chair to block the Shooting Star Press, Chris Benoit & Dean Malenko ran out and attacked both men; eventually, WCW Cruiserweight Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. ran out and helped Saturn clear the ring; moments later, after Saturn and Mysterio had words, they fought until Kidman dropped Saturn and then Raven hit Kidman with the DDT; Benoit & Malenko then ran back into the ring, with the six men brawling to close the segment
WCW US Champion Scott Steiner pinned Scott Norton
Kevin Nash pinned Ric Flair (w/ Arn Anderson) at 10:16 with one foot on his chest following the powerbomb; prior to the bout, Nash cut an in-ring promo saying he would get revenge on WCW World Champion Diamond Dallas Page for putting Hulk Hogan on the shelf; he then said that if Bill Golberg was to take the title from DDP later in the show, then he would see him at Slamboree; late in the bout, referee Charles Robinson refused to count Flair down after he sustained the powerbomb, with Gorgeous George and Randy Savage then appearing ringside, George jumping Robinson, putting on his referee's shirt, and making the count; after the bout, several medics came out, clumsily pulled Flair out of the ring, and took him backstage on a stretcher; Roddy Piper came out with them and badmouthed Flair as Flair was taken backstage and into a waiting van; Anderson protested the lack of medical equipment in the van before it was releaved Flair was being taken to the Central Florida Medical Hospital
WCW World Champion Diamond Dallas Page fought Bill Goldberg to a no contest

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