Friday, December 28, 2018

Signed Trading Cards: MSP, Josh Briggs, Anthony Greene

These cards I got signed at the Limitless Wrestling "No Control" event that took place on November 30, 2018 at the Portland Club.  You can read my report about it here.


Anthony Greene
The first card is a limited edition hologram to go along with his original set.  The card was made by Todd Graham of Proving Ground Brand where you to can get your own custom trading cards made.  Following the link above of catch him on Facebook.  The second card is AG's Limitless card.  I got the hologram card by trading with AG as I had an extra Limitless card.


Josh Briggs
The first card is from the Limitless Series 1 set.  The second card was from a limited edition 9 card Limitless Wrestling Moments set.  I was very fortunate to get a set of these.  This card features the moment from September 22, 2017 when Teddy Hart issued an open challenger that was answered by Briggs.  The match was delayed but eventually happened at "Feed the Need" on May 11, 2018, Briggs defeated Hart.


Maine State Posse
The fist card featuring all three members of MSP: Alexander Lee, Danger Kid, & Aiden Aggro, the second card is also from the Limited Edition set.  The moment is from September 14, 2016 "Past Your Bedtime" in Orono, Maine.  This show featured the birth of the Maine State Posse, albeit in a losing effort to Christian Casanova & Brick Mastone.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Big Van Vader

This write up started as a brief career overview of Big Van Vader for my upcoming post about Wrestlers Who Died in 2018, however the more I wrote I decided to make this a post on it's own.

The Baby Bull in the AWA
After a failed football career Leon White was trained by Brad Rheingans debuting in the AWA as the Baby Bull in 1985.  In 1986 worked for Otto Wanz's Catch Wrestling Association under the name Bull Power.  The following year he won the CWA World Championship ending Wanz's near 9 year run as champion.  Strangely the match took place in Denver, Colorado.  He would go onto hold the championship three times.

Bull Power with the CWA Championship
He debuted in New Japan Pro Wrestling in 1987 after being given the gimmick Big Van Vader and demolished Antonio Inoki in short order in his debut match causing a riot in Sumo Hall.  On May 25, 1989 he won his first of  three IWGP Championships.

Big Van Vader IWGP Champion
In November 1989 he debuted in Mexico for the Universal Wrestling Association.  He defeated El canek to win the UWA World Heavyweight Championship, a title he would hold for one year.  He also wrestled a couple matches for CMLL a few days after winning the UWA Championship.

Big Van Vader with the UWA Championship
In February 1990 New Japan battled All Japan in Supercard that lead to Vader going on to have a memorable feud with Stan Hansen including having his eye popped out of it's socket.  Vader pushed it back in and continued the match.

After getting his eye popped out
The first time I ever saw Vader was watching the Wrestle War 1991 tape and seeing Vader and Hansen battle to a wild and crazy double DQ.  On July 12, 1992 Vader defeated Sting at the Great American Bash to win the WCW World Championship, he would hold the title three times.

Big Van Vader with WCW Championship
I loved watching Vader in WCW he was so dominate and was just the man.  Then he went to WWF and well, he just wasn't.  After WWF he would return to prominence in All Japan winning the Triple Crown Championship and NOAH winning the GHC Tag Team Championships with 2 Cold Scorpio.  He would bounce around the independents, making sporadic appearances in TNA, WWE, and AJPW.

Big Van Vader as Triple Crown Champion
Vader & Scorpio NOAH GHC Tag Team Champions action figures
I saw Vader wrestle live just once on June 1, 2012 at the Pro Wrestling Syndicate 5th Anniversary show in Rahway, New Jersey.  On the card he wrestled Too Cold Scorpio in a hard hitting match that was much better than I expected it would be.  Vader won with a Vader Bomb.

My photos of Big Van Vader vs. 2 Cold Scorpio

From August 21, 1989 to December 12, 1989 Vader accomplished something that I do not think anyone else has ever duplicated.  He held three different world championships in three different promotions on three different continents.  Mexico's Universal Wrestling Association, Austria's Catch Wrestling Association, and Japan's NJPW IWGP Championship.

He caught the headlines once again in the summer of 2016 after Will Osprey and Ricochet had a much herald match in New Japan Pro Wrestling.  Vader was very critical of the match which lead to a twitter feud between Vader and Osprey.  This lead to a match on August 12, 2016 that saw Vader defeat Osprey at RevPro Uprising 2016 in Bethnal Green, London.

In April 2017 he wrestled his last tour of Japan, a three day stint wrestling in six man tags in Tokyo, Fukuoka, and Osaka.  His final match came on May 25, 2017 defeated The Ironman at WrestleJam V in Ringgold, Georgia.

In November of 2016 after a vehicle crash, Vader was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and was very public about the fact that he only had a couple years left because of it.  A year and a half later he succumbed to pneumonia on June 18, 2018 at the age of 63.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast Podcast of 1,000 Holds on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Signed Trading Cards: Penelope Ford, Darby Allin, MJF, & More

These sixteen cards I got signed at the Limitless Wrestling "No Control" event that took place on November 30, 2018 at the Portland Club.  You can read my report about it here.  Normally I don't post this many cards at once, but most of these cards are Limitless Wrestling cards so it made sense to group them together.


This first bunch starts out with LAX formerly the EYFBO and is signed by both Santana and Oritz, Brody King, Eli Everfly, Kris Statlander, Rich Palladino, Bear Bronson, Thick Boys, and Jay Freddie.  I had gotten the Thick Boys card signed by John Silver in September.  Also Rich Palladino was the ring announcer at the first ever indy show I attended back in 1997.


This second group starts with Kevin Blackwood, followed by Max Smashmaster, an MJF card from the All In set followed by MJF's Limitless Wrestling card.  Darby Allin starts the bottom row and then his 2018 PWG BOLA card.  Next we have Penelope Ford card from the All In set and finally a Travis Huckabee Chikara card.  I bought this card from him for only one dollar

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Limitless Wrestling No Control Results


Last Friday, November 30th, I made the drive south to Portland for the final Limitless Wrestling card of 2018 at the Portland Club.  I met Mikey, Roy, Phil, and  host of other regulars with a sold out crowd that was itching for a great night of wrestling.  When it comes to the Portland Club I'm not a fan of the parking situation or the lighting when it comes to taking pictures with my phone because they just don't come out well.  However, everything else about the venue is tremendous!


Speaking of photos these fantastic images that you see with this report are courteous of SunnyD Photo, you can find her on Instagram here. Harry Aaron, who typically is the ringside photographer is now doing videography and he brought in Sunny to take over at ringside.  This was her first time and she got some fantastic shots.

Ace Romero pinned Darby Alin with a lariat

Once again Limitless opened big with a hell of a match!  These two have different styles  but they meshed so well.  Darby is so athletic and seems willing to do anything in his matches.  At one point Darby had jumped on onto the top rope while holding onto Romero who viciously pushed him into one of the columns that was wrapped with Christmas lights.


Very hard hitting match that ended with Ace wrecking Darby with a lariat for the pin.

Kevin Blackwood & Harlow O'Hara defeated Doomfly: Eli Everfly & Delilah Doom


Delilah Doom maker her Limitless debut tonight.  Very fast and frenzied match that was fantastic.  Crowd was into this from beginning to end and I know I'm not the only one that wants to see Doomfly back in tag competition here in Limitless.  Finish came when Doom was isolated in the ring and took a couple high impact moves before getting pinned.

Ashley Vox submitted Anthony Greene with the Platinum Hunnies



Hands down match of the night! Sincerely go out of your way to see this match you will not be disappointed.  Greene was dominate most of the match using his size to his advantage.  Vox kept battling back and locking on her finisher wearing Greene down.  The Hunnies interfered several times through out the match until Vox accidentally took them out with a dive after Greene side stepped her.  Vox locked her finisher on for the submission.  I loved this match!  Crowd was into this big time, they were on there feet and the "tap" chant was deafening!


Post match Kris Statlander came out cutting a promo stealing the attention from Vox's victory.

Shooting Gallery: Daniel Garcia & Brandon Thurston defeated Thick Boys: John Silver & Jay Freddie with Puf

Very good tag match, and unlike most it didn't break down into a tornado match.  I really enjoyed watching Thurston and Garcia in the ring with there mat wrestling.  finish came by them pinning Silver with an angleslam lungblower combo

"Dirty Daddy" Chris Dickinson submitted Josh Briggs



I love watching Dickinson in the ring and this match was no different.  Dirty Daddy worked the leg th entire match with some loud has hell kicks.  Briggs continued to show why he's one of the best up and coming big men in wrestling.  Finish came when Dickinson locked in the STF for the surprise submission.

DJ Z pinned Christian Casanova with Stokely Hathaway

DJ Z is replacing the injured Tom Lawlor.  I said this in September and I'm going to reiterate it here, I was never impressed with DJ Z in Impact but these last two shows have made me a fan.  Really good match, highly entertaining.  Ref got bumped and Hathaway threw a gold chain into the ring, Casanova tried to use it but Kevin Blackwood prevented it from happening.  DJ Z got the win pinned Casanova when the ref came to.

Post match a match was for January was set when Hathaway challenged Blackwood and Harlow to a tag match in January against Casanova and Austin Theory, if Blackwood wins he gets his a rematch with Casanova if he loses then he has to get the Dream Team logo tattooed on his arm.

Scramble Match
Puf defeated Brandon Kirk, KTB, Bear Bronson, Brett Domino, & Troy Nelson

As always these scramble matches are friggin awesome!  Puf came out to Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas in Christmas themed gear and had the crowd hopping.  Match opened with everyone beating on Domino after he cut an arrogant (read hilarious) promo.

Eventualy the match broke down to just Brandon Kirk and Bear Bronson in the ring, they both had chairs and sat down in what I thought was going to be them trading shots, instead Kirk got two staple guns and they traded staples to the head.  Bronson then took money from referee Kevin Quinn and stapled money to Kirk's head even forcing Quinn to do it.  Bronson then powerbombed Kirk on two chairs facing each other.

The finish though saw Puf get the pin on Domino and then lead a dance party with Nelson and Bronson.

Kris Statlander pinned Penelope Ford



Good match that was back and forth with Statlander squeaking out a win.  Post match she jumped by Ashley Vox which set up an unsanctioned matched between the two on January 11th.  The Vox vs. Statlander feud has been excellent this year in Limitless and I look forward to the blow off next month.


Maine State Posse: DangerKid, Aiden Agro, & Alexander Lee defeated Travis Huckabee, Green Ant, & Thief Ant

Fun match these six man tags are the best with the lucha rules.  Evidently the storyline is that Huckabee treats the ants like crap?  I wasn't actually clarified so it felt out of place.  Huckabee took the pin for his team.  I'm looking forward to the next trio that comes in against MSP.

LAX:Ortiz & Santana defeated JT Dunn & Brody King with MJF



LAX might just be one of the best tag teams around right now.  Brody King tore it down in the ring tonight.  He moves around in a way a guy his size shouldn't!  Match started slow and really built to crescendo where LAX pinned King for the win.


Post match Ace Romero came out and challenged the Kings, Anthony Greene came out, hugged Dunn but then superkicked him. January 11th's it'll be Take Me Home Tonight vs. The Kings

What a fantastic night of wrestling!  I couldn't have asked for a better distraction for myself after a long week.  Can't wait for January 11th!

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

AWA Team Challenge Series on the WWE Network


Recently I found an unaired pilot that the AWA filmed on the WWE Network.  This was centered around the Team Challenge Series and featured wrestling in a studio with no audience.  The wrestlers came to ringside with a very bad green screen showing fans cheering on while a audience noise track was played.  They would cut to canned footage of people who appear to be in a bar.  They might have been watching actual wrestling, but it was not these matches.  Even the camera angles with funky with the hard camera looking down at the ring at an angle and instead of center on the ring it was closer to a corner post.

The opening features bikini clad girls in a ring that keeps say "Yay, yay, yay, for the AWA" with clips of the flag, AWA logo, some mat action, a rock n roll band, and the Beverly Hills knockouts.

Vern Gagne greets us sitting on his dock looking like he's about to go fishing, while his dog sits on his lap.  We then cut to Ralph and Greg Gagne in the satellite base letting us know that this product is nothing like we've ever seen before.  We are going to feel the action, inside the ring.  They are also providing the commentary, which is done in post production.
 
Tommy Jammer coming to the ring
Tommy Jammer vs. Tom Burton

They circle, lock up, arm drag by Burton
They circle, hip toss by Burton
They circle, lock up, body slam by Burton - we get a slow motion replay
They circle, lock up, arm drag, hip toss, and body slam by Jammer in rapdi succession
Lock up, Burton backs Jammer into the ropes, misses a right hand Jammer with an arm drag then they cut to the "crowd" back to the action we see Burton backing Jammer into the corner, Irish whip is reversed Burton comes out of the corner and Jammer with a powerslam then a standing splash or surfer splash for the three count.  Time of the fall 1:46. We got 11 offensive moves in this match.  In the replay   

Promo with Baron von Raschke of the Blitzers and Sgt. Slaughter of the Snipers talking about how Raschke's team member Paul Diamond taking on Slaughters team member Col. DeBeers.

Promo from the Destruction Crew, Mike Enos & Wayne Bloom. 

The Destruction Crew with Luscious Johnny V vs. Jerry Lynn & Ricky Rice

I figured that this would be a squash match but for the first two minutes Mike Enos took a beating with no offense.  He rakes Rice's eyes and tags in Bloom who takes over where Enos left off getting in no offense as Lynn and Rice work the left arm and shoulder.  Finally the Crew took over on Lynn working the lower back until hitting him with the Doomsday Device for the three count at 4:39.
The Crew took a beating for the first three minutes of the match.


Post match Eric Bischoff conducts an in ring interview with Johnny V & The Destruction.

Promo from Sgt. Slaughter talking about the team challenge main event with Col. DeBeers taking on Paul Diamond in an over the top rope king of the hill match.  Cut to Col. DeBeers talking about his upcoming match. 

Ralph and Greg talk about how the teams are selected randomly which is why we have enemies on the same team.

Beverly Hills knock outs segment is next.  It's basically Foxy boxing, three 1 minute rounds and they have giant gloves.  The ring looks like a 10 foot ring with the everlast turnbuckle pads covering all three ropes.


After the second round the Blonde Bomber takes off her gloves and attacks her opponent with knees to the back, a flying snapmare, and a suplex.  Of course she isn't disqualified and is forced to put her gloves back on for the 3rd round.  Mid way in the round the Bomber attacks again with shoulder tackles and kicker her opponent when she is down.  This boxing match has better wrestling than the actual wrestling matches so far. We are getting a second 3rd round

Ralph and Greg talk about the Team Challenge series, three randomly selected teams where each win gets you points.  The winning team get $1,000,000!


Promo from "Hard Rock" Paul Diamond about his match with Col. DeBeers.

Team Challenge Series King of the Hill Match
"Hard Rock" Paul Diamond vs. Col. DeBeers



You can only win by throwing your opponent over the top rope to the cement floor.  Paul Diamond with a an impressive looking dropkick until the slow motion replay shows that he never came close to hitting DeBeers with it.  Otherwise it was actually a pretty good match.  Finish came when DeBeers set up Diamond for a piledriver and he was back body dropped over the top rope at 5:49.


Sgt. Slaughter vs. The Terminator

This match had a lot of lock ups into side headlocks with push off into the ropes to set up a spot usually a shoulder tackle.  Once Slaughter did a high cross body for a two count.  At the five minute mark Terminator finally got the upper hand by ramming Slaughter's head into the turnbuckle, but forty seconds later Slaughter was back in control.  Finish came at 6:26 when Slaughter got the submission with the cobra clutch.


Post Match: Eric Bischoff interviews Slaughter at ringside.

Ralph and Greg Gagne sign off promising an exciting a hour of wrestling next week.

All in all this was not a great hour of wrestling.  If this was the innovations that the AWA was hoping would bring fans to their product they were sadly mistaken.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Wrestlers on TV Shows: The 70's


The Six Million Dollar Man
Season 3 Episode 16 & 17 The Secret of Bigfoot Parts 1 & 2
Aired February 1 & 4, 1976

Steve Austin is investigating the disappearance of two friends in California who were studying earthquakes and evidence suggests that a Sasquatch was involved.  Bigfoot is played by Andre the Giant.  Not only do these episode feature Austin fighting Andre's Bigfoot, but also space travelers!


Most people know that Andre the Giant starred as Fezzik in the Princess Bride but his first acting role outside of wrestling was on The Six Million Dollar Man.  He also has guest parts on other shows such as: BJ & The Bear, The Fall Guy, The Greatest American Hero, Conan The Destroyer, Micki & Maude, and the 1991 Zorro TV series.


Are You Being Served?
Season 7 episode 5: The Hero
Aired November 16, 1979

After a disagreement between Captain Peacock and Mr. Franco of the sports department they were supposed to have a boxing match, however Captain Peacock chickened out and there were no boxing gloves to fit Mr. Franco.  In the end Mr. Humphries ends up wrestling Mr. Franco, and of course the ring is set up on the sales floor.


Mr. Franco was played by English professional wrestler Jackie Pallo who was a top star on television in the 1960’s & 70’s with his feud with Mick McManus.  Pallo also held the British Heavy Middleweight Championship for a time in 1969.


Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!

Saturday, November 10, 2018

ROH Lewiston, Maine Live Report

Ring of Honor finally made their debut in my home State of Maine as part of the Global Wars Tour featuring talent from New Japan Pro Wrestling.


As excited as I was when Ring of Honor announced their Maine debut there was a couple things that surprised me about it; the fact that it going to be on a Wednesday night and at the Colisee in Lewiston.  Nothing against Lewiston, it was a rich history of professional wrestling with the Armory hosting the WWF from the late 60's to the early 80's.  Also I attended numerous EWA events at the Armory in the late 1990's, it's one of my favorite places to attend wrestling.

However, in the last 35 plus years WWE has only had two shows at the Colisee primarily sticking to Portland, Augusta, & Bangor.  WCW only ran two shows in Maine, Portland and Bangor, and TNA's only show was in Portland.

Roy, my daughter Addison, and I headed to the Dirty Lew for a night of wrestling.  We saw some familiar faces we typically see at show here in Maine including my buddy Phil.  My high school chum Ben had the seat behind me, it's always nice running into Ben.

Our seats were fantastic!  The venue was set up for about half a house, out seats were center ring in the front row of the first section off the floor so we were elevated over everyone on the floor even when they stood up.  Not bad at all for $30!  The house was maybe 1,000 people, but they were a lively crowd that were up for all the matches.  I do have genuine concern if ROH will come back, I hope they do.


The matches were really good with some really great talent and everyone work hard putting on a good show.  Unfortunately two times during the night they lost power to their equipment and the fist time the building lost power as well with the emergency lights coming on.

Dark Match
Ryan Nova pinned "Retro" Anthony Greene with the Platinum Hunnies


It was a nice surprise seeing AG on the show.  He got a good pop and was over with the crowd who booed Nova heavily only because they favored AG.  AG got a good ovation after his loss and I'm hoping this is a good step towards him signing with ROH. 

Thursday Night ROH had a show in Lowell where Greene wrestled in the dark match on the losing end of a six man tag.

Main Show - Aired on Honor Club
Commentary by Ian Riccaboni & Colt Cabana

Flip Gordon pinned Eli Isom


Solid opening match.  Flip was over with the crowd and he gave us some flips.  I wasn't impressed with Eli Isom at all, he botched a spinebuster where he just gently layed Flip down on the canvas.  Flip for the pin after a flip five.

Tag Team Champions: SCU: Scorpio Sky & Frankie Kazarian defeated The Bouncers: Brian Milonas and Beer City Bruiser


Great tag team wrestling with the champs bumping all around for bigger team.  I really like Beer City Bruiser.  He is a throwback to 70's wrestlers like The Crusher and The Bruiser.  Finish came when Milonas was in the corner and got caught by the champs for a double powerbomb.


World Television Champion: Jeff Cobb pinned Cheeseburger


Matches started off with Cheeseburger attempting multiple offensive moves and Cobb defending them like it was nothing.  He basically treated Cheeseburger like he was a child.  Eventually Burger did get so offense in that rocked Cobb for a bit, but then Cobb hit tour of the islands for the pin.

World Six Man Tag Team Champions: The Kingdom: Matt Taven, TK O'Ryan, & Vinny Marseglia defeated Dalton Castle & The Boys


For majority of the match Marseglia did his hide under the ring crap which was fine with me until of course he came out.  Overall I enjoyed the match, a lot of wild brawling in and out of the ring with very little actual tagging.   Once Marseglia came out from under the ring he got in a bit of offense before Castle it Bang-A-Rang for a two count.  The match broke down again and the finish came with Marseglia and O'Ryan hit house of a thousand horses on one of the boys for the pin.


I'm waiting for O'Ryan to breakaway from the Kingdom and become the singles star he is destined to be.

The Briscoe Brothers: Mark & Jay defeated Hangman Page & Cody with Brandi Rhodes


This match was fantastic!  All four of these guys are so good and they put on the match of the night here.  Page was the star of the match hitting his apron shooting star press to the floor and buck shot lariat.  He then hit a moonsault from the top rope to the floor on both Briscoes.  Cody hit Crossrhodes on Mark but Jay broke it up.  Cody was sent to the floor and after an attempted second rope rite of passage on Mark, Jay hit Hangman with the Jay Driller and Mark a froggy bow for the pin.


Juice Robinson pinned "Fallen Angel" Christopher Daniels


This was a good match but I think it had potential to be much better.  Juice for the win with pulp friction,

Bully Ray & Silas Young defeated The Young Bucks: Nick & Matt Jackson


This was great match.  Ray and Young dominated Matt for the majority until he made the hot tag to Nick who came in a house of fire.  Surprisingly though, the bucks took the loss when Matt was hit with a low blow and Silas hit his finish.  The fans were shocked that the Bucks lost and disappointed.





LIJ: Tetsuya Naito, Sanada, Bushi, & Evil defeated World Champion: Jay Lethal, Jonathan Gresham, Chris Sabin, & IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion: Kushida




This match was all over the place!  LIJ and especially Naito was extremely over getting the biggest reaction of the night.  There was a lot of very fast paced action where Sabin and Kushida busted out some great combinations.  Gresham looked damn good in the match and we got the see LIJ get all their shit in.  Finish came when Gresham was hit with destino by Naito for the pin.




It was a fun night of wrestling, best show I've seen in the building and I went to the two WWE shows I spoke of earlier.  I really hope that ROH returns to Lewiston or anywhere in Maine in the future.

I didn't bring my good camera to take pictures, I just used me phone.  I used to bring my good camera and take tons of pictures at shows, now I just want to watch the matches and the only reason why I even take pictures is for my blog. 

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!