Tuesday, October 30, 2018

World Class: Star Wars 1981 Review

About a month ago I was looking through the Hidden Gems section of the WWE Network and found the Star Wars 1981 World Class Championship Wrestling event.  I was pretty excited to find this because I've never seen it before and I'm a fan of the old World Class wrestling. I was also surprised it wasn't in the World Class section.

WCCW Star Wars 1981
Sunday February 22, 1981
Reunion Arena
Ring Announcer: Bill Mercer
Run Time 81 Minutes




Mil Mascaras vs. "Killer" Tim Brooks

Mil looks pretty good here, of course he is only 39 years old.  At the time of this match if you threw your opponent over the top rope you were disqualified.  The highlight of the match was Brooks throwing himself over the top rope in the corner trying to claim a dq victory.  Mascaras took three bumps in the match and no sold all three.  Finish came with Mascaras coming off the top rope with a flying body press.


No Disqualification
Fritz Von Erich vs. The Great Kabuki with Gary Hart

So this match was terrible. Highlight of the match was when a fan tried to attack Gary Hart and Gary leveled him, it was tremendous!  Fritz was in trouble with Kabuki dominating, so David ran in attacking Kabuki nailing a devastating back body drop and the Fritz got the pin.  Yup.

NWA World Champion: Harley Race vs. Kerry Von Erich

21 year old Kerry Von Erich was green as grass in this title opportunity.  Match was pretty clustery but it was a decent match.  Bronco Lubich was a terrible referee, just terrible.  He was slow, got in the way, just bad.  Harley was great, some classic Harley comedy with him selling the after effects of a sleeper hold and tumbling through the ropes.


Finish came when Harley bodyslammed Kerry on one of the ringside tables and then attempted a falling headbutt, but Kerry moved.  Both men were then counted out of the ring even though Kerry was three quarters of the way back into the ring when the referee finished the count.

WCWA World Heavyweight Tag Team Championships
David & Kevin Von Erich vs. Champions: Hercules Ayala & Ali Mustafa
The tag team championship was represented by a single large trophy.  Also Kevin is wearing boots in this match!  This match was a struggle of styles in the worst way.  You had the young Von Erich brothers who wanted to work a fast paced high intensity match that the crowd was very much into, and the big, slow, and plodding Ayala & Ali just slowed it right down.  But not in that good wrestling psychology way of slowing things down to build them back up, they just didn't want to move.
The Von Erich's won the title with a sunset flip.

This was taken right after Kevin & David won the match
Texas Battle Royal

The winner would receive $5000!  It looks like about twelve wrestlers in the match, you could be eliminated by pin fall or being thrown over to top rope to the floor.  Bruiser Brody won a very lackluster Battle Royal.

At the beginning of the matches the fans would gather around the ring for autographs from the baby faces, however when Kevin and David were in there the fans surrounded the ring and climbed up on the ring apron, it was pretty wild! Really showed just how popular they were with the fans.

There was only one camera that was used for the match, the hard camera but it would zoom in and move around following the action.  It came out very well.  I don't know who was calling the action, but it was a one man booth and he felt the need to talk non-stop and at times it was rough to listen too.

According to cagematch.net there was one other match on the card with Chang Chung defeating Bruiser Brody.  If you chose not to watch this then you are missing out on nothing.

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!

Friday, October 26, 2018

Pete Dunne: The Longest Reigning WWE Champion in 30 Years


At 524 days, as of October 26, 2018, the WWE United Kingdom Champion "Brusierweight" Pete Dunne has become the longest continuous reigning singles champion in over 30 years since Hulk Hogan's first title reign came to end on February 5, 1988.

Dunne represents the WWE's United Kingdom brand but unlike other champions in the WWE, Dunne defends his championship in promotions around the world.  Since winning the championship Dunne has competed in near 200 matches. While not all were title matches compare that to Brock Lesnar who wrestled just 17 matches in his 504 day reign as Universal Champion and Asuka who wrestled 149 matches in her 523 day reign as NXT Women's Champion.

In the near 66 year history of the WWE Pete Dunne ranks sixth on the list of longest single reigning champions.  That is not an accomplishment that you can dismiss as only Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Hulk Hogan, and Pedro Morales have had a longer continuous single reigns as a champion.

However, Dunne has as long way to go before he breaks into their ranks.  Pedro Morales', number five on the list, 1,027 days as the WWWF Champion is over 500 days longer then Dunne's.  In order to tie Morales, Dunne would need to hold the United Kingdom Championship until Thursday March 12, 2020.

Although I don't see Dunne holding the championship for another seventeen months I do think it would be amazing if he was the champion for over two years.

Here are the 15 longest single reigning champions in WWE History:


2,803 Days Bruno Sammartino WWWF World Heavyweight Champion May 17, 1963 - January 18, 1971


2,135 Days Bob Backlund WWF World HeavyweightChampion February 20, 1978 - December 26, 1983


1,474 Days Hulk Hogan WWF World Heavyweight Champion January 23, 1984 - February 5, 1988


1,237 Days Bruno Sammartino WWF World Heavyweight Champion December 10, 1973 - April 30, 1977


1,027 Days Pedro Morales WWWF World Heavyweight Champion February 20, 1978 - December 1, 1973


524+ Days Pete Dunne WWE United Kingdom Champion May 20, 2017 - current
  as of October 26, 2018


523 Days Lex Luger WCW United States Champion May 22, 1989 - October 27, 1990


523 Days Asuka NXT Women's Champion April 1, 2016 - September 6, 2017


504 Days Brock Lesnar WWE Universal Champion April 2, 2017 - August 19, 2018


502 Days Rockin' Robin WWF Women's Champion October 7, 1988 - February 21, 1990



454 Days Honky Tonk Man WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion June 2, 1987 - August 29, 1988



448 Days Trish Stratus WWF Women's Champion January 9, 2005 - April 2, 2006


448 Days Duane Gill WWF Light Heavyweight Champion November 17, 1998 - February 8, 2000


441 Days Sensational Sherri WWF Women's Champion July 24, 1987 - October 7, 1988


434 Days CM Punk WWE Champion November 20, 2011 -  January 27, 2013

For those wondering I didn't count The Fabulous Moolah's 10,170 days reign as Women's Champion because even though the WWE does officially recognize it, as it was the NWA Women's Championship until May 19, 1984 when it was renamed the WWF Women's Championship.  There is a lot of controversy surrounding the actual length of the reign and the number of times the lost it officially or otherwise until Wendi Richter defeated her for it on July 23, 1984.

Other former championships I didn't include because they were only recognized occasionally were the WWWF United States Heavyweight Championship (1963 - 1976),  WWF International Championship (1959 - 1984), WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship (1965 - 1985), WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship (1978 - 1989) and all WCW & ECW Championships.

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, October 23, 2018

35th Anniversary of The Last Battle of Atlanta

I found this entire card in the Hidden Gems section of the WWE Network.


Georgia Championship Wrestling
The Last Battle of Atlanta
October 23, 1983
The Omni, Atlanta, Georgia


Over a year ago the WWE uploaded just the main event of this card on the network.  They just recently put the entire card up just in time for the 35th Anniversary of the event.  There are no commentators for this event and it is shot with just one camera.

The camera appears to be very high up and zooms in and follows the action.  Occasionally fans will block the camera, especially when the action spills to the floor.  It was a hot crowd most of the night, especially for the main event. 

Les Thornton vs. Chief Joe Lightfoot

Lightfoot worked a cravat or head chancery for the majority of the match.  I've never seen this before and it was tremendous!  He'd work the hold and Thornton would try to reverse it numerous was and Lightfoot would just reverse it right into a snapmare and into the cravat.


Finish came when they Joe tried to reverse out of a full nelson and Thornton sat down on him for the pin, similar to when Owen beat Bret Hart at WrestleMania X.

Bruno Sammartino Jr. vs Pat Rose

Short match, Bruno Jr or David took control early working the arm, then it became a lot of punches and kicks.  Finish came when Sammartino caught Rose coming off the ropes into a powerslam for the three count.

Mask vs. Mask
Mr. Wrestling vs. Mr. Wrestling II

Mr. Wrestling was ordered not to wrestle by his doctor, he was replaced by Bob Roop and if Roop lost then Mr. Wrestling would lose his mask.  The fans were not happy about this.
Mr. Wrestling II held control and whenever Roop tried to reverse it he would fail.  The fans were into everything Wrestling II did.


Roop finally took control jabbing Wrestling  II in the stomach with Wrestling I's crutch while the ref was distracted.  Roop held control until Wrestling II reversed a fireman's carry into a roll up for the pin to a huge ovation.
Mr. Wrestling tried to get to the back but the ref cut him off in the aisle.  Wrestling II then ripped his mask off quite easily and Wrestling I pulled his shirt up over his head. 

National Heavyweight Champion: Brett Wayne vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts

I'm not familiar with Brett Wayne but he appeared to be a foot shorter than Roberts and it looked odd. Robert worked the left knee for the majority of the match and seemed more interested in punishing Wayne than getting the win.  Wayne was busted open at some point. 

Brett Wayne aka Brett Sawyer
Ole Anderson came out, he appeared to be trying to talk Wayne into giving up.  Anderson threw into the towel and the referee called for the bell.  The ring announcer then declared that the title can only change hands by pinfall or submission so even though Jake won the match Wayne retained the championship.

Ole and Mr. Wrestling II carried Wayne to the back.  All in all it was a decent match that started out very slow.  Post match it Buzz Sawyer and Roberts had an intense stare down in the aisle until Roberts walked away.

NWA World Television Champion: The Great Kabuki with Gary Hart vs. Ronnie Garvin

Hart was talking trash to Garvin before the bell when Garvin leveled Hart with a big right hand, much to the delight of the crowd.  Very slow match, Kabuki must have worked the dreaded trapezius hold for five minutes.  Kabuki got the pin after a distraction fro Gary Hart.  This match wasn't very good at all and at over 15 minutes was way too long.

The Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal vs. "Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant & "Pistol" Pez Whatley

This match never got started really and was a wild brawl right from the get go.  All four guys fought in and out of the ring and I can't recall the Warriors taking such a beating from anyone.  The referee disqualified the Warriors even though both teams should have been disqualified.


Steel Cage
Tommy Rich defeated Buzz Sawyer with Paul Ellering

The cage wasn't very tall and was unique because it had a roof on it and the wrestlers could grab the roof if they wanted too.  Paul Ellering was suspended in a cage over the ring to prevent him from interfering. This was a wild and bloody brawl and there was no referee in the ring.  The ring announcer would deliver the count verbally.  Rich got the win pinning the exhausted Sawyer.



Steel Cage
Ole Anderson defeated Paul Ellering

Because Rich won Anderson got his hands on Ellering in the ring.  Ellering was busted open every early one.  For most of the match Anderson just beat the dog piss out of Ellering.  Ellering did get some offense in after an inverted atomic drop that took Anderson out of it.

This was a card that was definitely built around that Sawyer vs. Rich cage match and the crowd couldn't have been more into it.  Except for Kabuki vs. Garvin the card aged well with the matches still being enjoyable.  I'm an old school fan and I enjoy some blood and guts in my matches. 

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!

Sunday, October 21, 2018

Central Maine Derby Live Report 10/20/2018


On October 20, 2018 the Northwood Knockouts of the Central Maine Roller Derby hosted a bout against the Spitfires of the Capital City Rollers at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.

Katie, Wesley, and I stopped at Chick-Fil-A for dinner before heading to the venue.  Honestly I'm surprised they have their bouts here because it has to be expensive to rent.  They use the main floor, the Center has staff working, I saw at least seven employees, and even though they had about 200 fans in attendance because the venue is so large it doesn't look like there is that many people there.

Tickets were $10 in advance and $12 day of the show, Wesley was free.  They started promptly at 6:00 pm as advertised with the team introductions and then they started right into the bout.  This was our second time attending Roller Derby, the first time was in August you can read about it here, first time for Central Maine Roller Derby.

The rules were the same this time as last, however straight way this bout had much more aggressive play and faster paced action.  These girls played rough and were knocking each other down, throwing big blocks and really going at it.  There was also less penalties in this bout.

It started off even but just before the end of the first half the Knockouts took decent lead and didn't let up in the second half.  In the end they won by 100 points with the final score being , I believe, 236 - 136.

Northwoods Knockouts

The Spitfires
Comparing the two I would say I really like the intimacy of the Lewiston Armory better, but the sounds system here was amazing and clear.  I enjoyed the game play at both but was really into the aggressiveness of tonight's action!


We both had a great time and will definitely be back for another bout.  I didn't bring my bring my camera so these pictures were taken with my phone.













The Northwoods Knockouts are part of  Central Maine Derby based in Bangor, Maine.  The league started in 2012, you can read more here: Central Maine Derby

The Spitfires are part of the Capital City Rollers based out of Fredricton, New Brunswick, Canada.  The league started in 2010, you can read more here: Capital City Rollers

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!

Thursday, October 18, 2018

The Undertaker vs. Triple H: The Singles Matches


WWE hosted Super Show-Down in Melbourne, Australia on October 5th with the main event The Undertaker vs. Triple H for the last time ever.  Triple H had Shawn Michaels in his corner while Kane was in the corner of The Undertaker.

The match itself was decent, not their greatest encounter but considering the physical condition of the Undertaker the last few years it was better than I expected.  I know there are some that feel the Undertaker should never lose again, and other that will say of course Triple H one his ego is too big to let him lose. 

If you look at the history of singles matches between Triple H & The Undertaker you would notice that Hunter has come out on the losing end the majority of the time. 

May 11, 1996 Kuwait City, Kuwait
Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeated The Undertaker by disqualification to advance in the 1996 Kuwait Cup

December 26, 1996 House Show, Chicago, Ilinois
The Undertaker defeated Intercontinental Champion: Hunter Heart Helmsley by disqualification


February 8, 1997 House Show, Penn Station New York, New York
Intercontinental Champion: Hunter Heart Helmsley defeated The Undertaker by disqualification, this was the infamous match where the Undertaker gave Helmsley tombstone piledriver on the escalator


September 23, 1997 Raw is War, Albany, New York
The Undertaker defeated Triple H by disqualification

Their first four matches ended in disqualification with both men getting two wins each.  They then began wrestling in a series of Casket Matches on house shows where Undertaker got the better of Helmsley in all of them.

November 16, 1997 House Show, Baltimore, Maryland
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Casket Match

November 21, 1997 House Show, Richmond, Virginia
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Casket Match

November 23, 1997 House Show, Hampton, Virginia
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Casket Match

November 23, 1997 House Show, Huntington, West Virginia
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Casket Match

November 28, 1997 House Show, Cleveland, Ohio 
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Casket Match


December 1, 1997 House Show, Syracuse, New York
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Casket Match

December 9, 1997 Dark March Raw is War, Durham, New Hampshire
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Casket Match

December 10, 1997 House Show, Bangor, Maine
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Casket Match

December 11, 1997 Dark Match Raw is War, Lowell, Massachusetts
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Casket Match

December 12, 1997 House Show, Chattanooga, Tennessee
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Casket Match

December 26, 1997 House Show, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Casket Match

December 27, 1997 House Show, Worcester, Massachusetts 
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Casket Match

After the run of Casket Matches at house shows or dark matches they didn't wrestle again for 16 months and that too would be a house show. 

April 3, 1999 House Show, Newcastle, England, United Kingdom
The Undertaker pinned Triple H with the Tombstone

This match in England is the first time that a match between them ended in pin fall or submission, otherwise they have all been disqualifications or casket matches.

June 21, 1999 Raw is War, Memphis, Tennessee
The Undertaker defeated Hunter Heart Helmsley by disqualification

July 13, 1999 Raw is War, Lexington Kentucky
The Undertaker defeated Hunter Heart Helmsley by disqualification

July 11, 2000 SmackDown, Oakland, California
Triple H pinned The Undertaker in a no disqualification match

This is Triple H's first pinfall victory over The Undertaker

August 20, 2000 House Show, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
The Undertaker pinned Triple H


April 1, 2001 WrestleMania X-7, Houston, Texas
The Undertaker pinned Triple H

May 15, 2001 SmackDown, Lousiville, Kentucky
The Undertaker wrestled Intercontinental Champion: Triple H to a no contest in a No Holds Barred match

February 19, 2002 SmackDown, Rockford, Illinois
The Undertaker wrestled Triple H to a no contest when Undertaker refused to compete in the match.
To me this should have been declared a forfeit win for Triple H

May 4, 2002 Insurrextion 2002 PPV, London, England, United Kingdom
Triple H pinned The Undertaker

June 15, 2002 House Show, San Diego, California
Undisputed Champion: The Undertaker pinned Triple H

June 23, 2002 King of the Ring, Columbus, Ohio
Undisputed Champion: The Undertaker pinned Triple H

August 26, 2002 Raw, Madison Square Garden
Triple H pinned The Undertaker after Brock Lesnar hit Undertaker with the WWE Championship

This would be last match between the two for over six years.  This was because various reason, the brand split, injuries, each taking time off.

October 21, 2008 SmackDown, Laredo, Texas
The Undertaker defeated World Champion: Triple H by disqualification when the Big Show attacked Undertaker

April 4, 2010 Dark Match Raw, East Rutheford, New Jersey
The Undertaker wrestled Triple H to a no contest


April 3, 2011 WrestleMania XXVII Atlanta, Georgia
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a No Holds Barred match


April 1, 2012 WrestleMania XXVIII Miami, Florida
The Undertaker defeated Triple H in a Hell in a Cell special guest referee Shawn Michaels

October 6, 2018 Super Show-Down, Melbourne, Australia
Triple H with Shawn Michaels pinned The Undertaker with Kane

Total Matches  33

Triple H: 6 wins, 24 losses, 3 no contests

The Undertaker: 24 wins, 6 loses, 3 no contests

Of the thirty three matches Triple H pinned Undertaker four times winning two by disqualification, Undertaker pinned Triple H seven times, twelve wins coming from Casket matches and five by disqualification.  

In the grand scheme of things even with Triple H getting the win at Super Show-Down he is far from equaling the amount of Victories that The Undertaker has over him.  That and with Triple H winning it makes sens for Undertaker and Kane to attack Triple H and HBK after the match to set up the tag match at Crown Jewel on November 2nd. 

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!