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.

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Later Readers!

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!

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. 

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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!