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Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Live Report: Glow vs. Grit: Roller Derby & Wrestling!


Saturday the 25th of May the wife, myself, and all three of the kids loaded up in Vanna heading north to Bangor for some roller derby and wrestling action!  When I was a kid Saturday mornings with my dad consisted of watching a block of candlepin bowling, roller derby, WWF wrestling and monster trucks.  So I was pretty psyched when this even was announced.  Now my wife isn't a fan of wrestling but she is a big fan of the roller derby, but I was still very surprised when on Thursday she said let's take the whole gang!

No trip to Bangor for us would be complete if we didn't grab a bite to eat at Chick-fil-A, so we had dinner there before heading over to the Cross Insurance Arena.  Tonight would be the first roller derby bout for Canaan & Addison and for Wesley his first time going to the matches.

The kids were free to get in, as was I because I'm a first responder, finally being a 911 dispatcher for 18 years got me a perk!  We sat up high for the roller derby bout so we could see the whole floor and then the kids and I moved down closer for the wrestling portion.


Central Maine Roller Derby was hosting the event as their Northwoods Knockouts took on The Inferno of the Androscoggin Fallen Angels Roller Derby League.  Kate and I have seen both of these teams before against other teams so it's cool seeing the face off against each other.



The bout was very competitive and the score stayed close, so close that at the end of the first half it was 82 - 80 in favor of the Inferno.  At the beginning the Inferno jumped out to a lead getting the score up 16 - 0 before the Knockouts came back and took over control.  Later in the first half  The Inferno were able to catch up taking advantage of a couple power jams.


I didn't bring my good camera, I should have, so the derby pictures I took with my phone are okay at best.


The second half the Knockouts jumped ahead early and and The Inferno just couldn't make the comeback.  Both halves featured some very hard hitting action and some really rough bumps.  These girls definitely bring it on the track. There was about 150 people, which is a great turnout, but looks small in this building.


The final score was 167 - 139 for the Knockouts.  After the bout they have the closing ceremonies including announcing the MVP's.  Addison had an event poster and was able to get many of the girls to sign it.


The wrestling matches, presented by Limitless Wrestling, started shortly after the derby was over.  The majority of the fans moved in closer to the ring side area including the kids and I.  Wrestling is not Kate's thing so she stayed up in our original seats.  Jess was taking photo's ringside and took this great picture of the kids and I for me.


Aiden Aggro pinned Alec Price



Decent match, lots of talking between the two Aggro really showed his athleticism.  My daughter made a comment to Price about his purple trunks, I wish I could remember as it was hilarious.
 

Danger Kid pinned CJ Cruz


This was the best match of the night.  I was really impressed with CJ Cruz and surprised with his skills.  This was fast paced with action in and out of the ring and some really impressive sequences.  I really enjoyed it and would like to see Cruz more.


Triple Threat: Alexander Lee defeated DL Hurst & Frank Jaegar



Fun match, Hurst is a great heel, Jaeger worked his ass off and is improving everytime I see him.  Lee headbutted everything which I enjoy.



Kalvin Strange pinned "Masshole" Mike McCarthy

Strange called the audience trash, my oldest son told him that he was trash, so my four year old kept yelling at him that he was trash.  I found it hilarious.  McCarthy kept doing a spot where he would pick his nose and try to shove it in Strange's mouth.  He finally succeeded after Strange got the pin holding the ropes.


There was only four matches on the card which was prefect because the combination of the two events about just about three hours.  After the show was over the wrestlers came back out to sell gimmicks, Addison got some of them to sign her poster.  Wesley wanted to meet wrestlers and he did so by walking up to them and staring for a few seconds. 

It was a wicked fun night and I hope they do another Roller Derby and Wrestling event.  Sincerely if you haven't taken the time to check out some roller derby you are missing out and need to go and experience it.  Check them out:




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. 

Until next time!

Saturday, May 25, 2019

How "Iron" Mike Sharpe Changed my Perception of Wrestling


Growing up I watched as much wrestling as I could find on my television.  I felt fortunate back then because I had all the WWF and WCW weekend shows.  Then one day on the local channel I found IWCCW: International World Class Championship Wrestling promoted by the Savlodi's.


I don't remember the exact date, which is odd for me but it was definitely early 1990's.  I was watching WWF Superstars of Wrestling and during the show "Iron" Mike Sharpe appeared and lost a match in short order to a bigger name.  I later learned the term jobber or enhancement talent, but as a kid the guys that lost week in and week out I referred to them as bums.  So to me "Iron" Mike Sharpe was a bum.

Channel surfing I found IWCCW and I was intrigued as to what this wrestling was.  It didn't have that polished looked of Superstars and the arena was small as was the crowd significantly.  I was greeted by the "Boston Bad Boy" Tony Rumble who was talking about the opening match and was putting over the next competitor like he was the baddest man walking.
 
"Boston Bad Boy" Tony Rumble
I was intrigued, I mean who was Rumble talking about!?! Everyone that I thought of was in the WWF or WCW so I couldn't even image.  And then Rumble held up his right arm bent at the elbow and slapped his forearm announcing "Iron" Mike Sharpe

What?  The bum from the WWF that just lost in a minute to Koko B. Ware?  I can beat up Koko B. Ware!  The camera cut from the control room to the arena and we see Sharpe walking to the ring and it's the same guy.

I thought, "Who is he going to lose to now?"  Then it happened, Sharpe hit and offensive move, and then another, and another.  His opponent, who I can't recall, couldn't get a move in to save his life.  About two minutes later Sharpe pinned him for the win.  I was shocked!

That's when it hit me there are bums for the bums!  I could be a bum to the bums! And that day started my dream of becoming a professional wrestler with my goal of being a jobber to the jobbers.  I kept my feet on the ground while reaching for those stars. 

IWCCW was my introduction to independent wrestling, my introduction to the fact that wrestling like baseball had the major and minor leagues.  I wouldn't consider that the way it is today because I prefer independent wrestling in the smaller intimate arena's that put you right there in the action.


But back then I just knew what I saw Mike Sharpe in the WWF he was losing and when I saw him in IWCCW he was going to win.  This lead me to thinking, what other bums in the WWF are actually better than I think they are? 

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. 

Until next time!

Sunday, May 19, 2019

Kerry Von Erich's NWA Championship Defenses


On May 6, 1984 at the David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions Kerry Von Erich pinned "Nature Boy" Ric Flair in-front of 32,000 people at Texas Stadium to capture the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.


David had unexpectedly died just three months prior in Japan at only 25 years old.  Many believed that David would one day win the world championship and that Kerry was given then honor as tribute to David.


I was just 5 years old when Kerry won the title, but when I got older I watched this match and from what I understood after Von Erich won the championship he lost it back to flair a few days later.  Similar to Ronnie Garvin I never knew that Kerry defended the title, but he did.

From what I could find during his eighteen day reign he defended the title thirteen times in three different territories against six different opponents.

WCCW: World Class Championship Wrestling
CWF: Championship Wrestling from Florida
AJPW: All Japan Pro Wrestling


May 7, 1984 WCCW Fort Worth, Texas
defeated Terry Gordy

May 8, 1984 WCCW Muskogee, Oklahoma
defeated Terry Gordy

May 11, 1984 WCCW Sportatorium
defeated "Nature Boy" Ric Flair

I think this match is special because the Sportatorium in Dalls was the center on the Von Erich wrestling universe and for Kerry step into the ring as the NWA Champion.  You can find this match on the WWE network in the vault section on the May 26, 1984 episode of World Class Championship Wrestling.  

May 12, 1984 WCCW San Antonio, Texas
defeated "Nature Boy" Ric Flair

May 13, 1984 CWF Ocala, Florida
wrestled Mike Rotundo to a draw

May 13, 1984 CWF Orlando, Florida
defeated Billy Graham

May 14, 1984 CWF West Palm Beach, Florida
defeated Ron Bass by disqualification

May 14, 1984 CWF Fort Myers, Florida
defeated Billy Graham

May 16, 1984 CWF Miami, Florida
defeated Billy Graham by disqualification

May 18, 1984 CWF Lake City, Florida
defeated Billy Graham

May 19, 1984 CWF Tampa, Florida
defeated Ron Bass by disqualification


May 22, 1984 AJPW Tokyo, Japan
wrestled Jumbo Tsuruta in a 2 of 3 falls match to a draw at one fall each

You can find this match on you tube and it's a pretty high quality.  

May 14, 1984 AJPW Kanagawa, Japan
defeated by "Nature Boy" Ric Flair 2 falls to 1 to win the Championship

Thank you to Cage Match for the results and full credit to the photographers who took the photos.

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. 

Until next time!

Thursday, May 16, 2019

Signed Trading Cards: Davey Boy Smith Jr., Ethan Page, Skylar, & More

This week we take a look at the cards that I got signed at Limitless Wrestling: Hooked on a Friedman May 10, 2017.  I had a Shazza Mackenzie card as well that I was hoping to get signed but she never came out and sold merchandise.  She walked through floor a couple times before the show but I figured she be out at intermission, she wasn't.

In total I added 16 new signed cards to the my collection.  I'm currently working on reorganizing the way I store my cards and the order that I store them in.  If you collect cards please tell me how your store and organize your cards.


"British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith Jr.

Bulldog was super nice to chat with, we talked about how in Japan he sometimes where the jeans with boots and the next night more typical wrestling gear.  He said the jeans was in the same style that his dad wrestled in, in his last WWF run but they are not at all comfortable to wrestle in.

The first card is a 2008 Topps Slam Attax card game, the second featuring Christian getting the ole high vertical suplex is from the 2010 Topps WWE set, above that is from the same set and features the Undisputed Tag Team Champions The Hart Dynasty.  I'd love to get Tyson Kidd & Natalya to sign it as well.  Finally we have the 2015 King of Pro Wrestling card from Japan.


Ethan Page

It was nice seeing Page back in Limitless at this show.  These are both independent cards, the first being from the the 2018 Limitless Wrestling set and the second as part of the 2019 Joey Ryan Spring Break 3 part Two set.


Mance Warner

This is the only card that I bought at the show, all the others I already owned.  This card is from the 2019 Highspots card set that they send out in their monthly subscription box.  I paid $5 for the card.


JT Dunn

I finally was able to get the three cards signed by Dunn!  For the last several shows he hasn't come out to sell merch.  All three are from Limitless Wrestling, the first from the 2018 regular set and the second two from the 2018 Moments sub set.  The middle card features Dunn's match with Cody Rhodes at Unreal on January 27, 2018 and the second is after winning the 2018 Vacationland Cup.

I have on other card signed by Dunn that you can see here.


Skylar

This card is from the 2018 Limitless Wrestling set.  This was Skylar's first Limitless show that I have seen her at since November 2017. 


Ace Romero

Both cards are from Limitless Wrestling, the first from the 2018 set and the second from the 2018 Moments subset.  This card is from  Hook, Line, & Sinker July 23, 2016.


Allie Kat

Kat was turned the card over to correct her hometown to Texas and I thought that that was all she was going to do when she signed the back.  I wasn't about to ask her to sign the front. The first card is from the 2018 Limitless Wrestling set and the second as part of the 2019 Joey Ryan Spring Break 3 part Two set.


Lisa Marie Varon

Also known as Victoria and Tara.  This card is from the Tristar 2010 TNA New Era set.  She was going by Tara in TNA and I asked her to sign the card as Tara, but I guess she didn't hear me.  Lisa Marie was very nice and courteous and is on her retirement tour after 19 years in the ring.

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. 

Until next time! 

Sunday, May 12, 2019

Limitless Wrestling: Hooked on a Friedman Live Report

May 10, 2019 Limitless Wrestling returned to the Westbrook Armory with Hooked on a Friedman,


My wife and youngest son have been gone for the week with her mother to visit family in Maryland, I started and ended my time alone going to wrestling.  Not a bad way to spend the week.

I've said this before and I'll keep saying it again and again but I love the wrestling community that I am apart of.  One that continues to grow thanks to the combination of outstanding wrestling that Limitless brings to Maine along with social media connections. 

I drove to the show tonight by myself, but I did not attend the show alone, not by a long shot.  Phil was there, I sat two people away from Phil at my first indy show in 1997 and basically have seen him at wrestling ever since.  It's been at least five years that I've hung out with Mikey, Roy, Josh & Jesse on and off at various shows even out of State.  Before he was the Barber, Bradford and I bonded over Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Chris Hero during a blizzard in Orono in January 2016.

I have internet wrestling friends that I've met because of this blog or Twitter like Brandon, Michael, Armand, TonyO and others.  I've got a subgroup of wrestling friends that collect trading cards.

In the last couples years going to Limitless I see so many people that I recognize at the shows, some I know their names like Cory, Jess, and Wendy.  While others just their twitter handle like Local Aquaman Expert and LWMaine Sign Guy, and many more that I have seen at the shows and sadly don't recall or even know their names but we wave a smile because it's a familiar face.  At the end of the day though we come together for a common cause that is the love of professional wrestling.

The show started twenty minutes late because of bad traffic crashes south of the venue that delayed wrestlers and fans.  But the doors opened on time and Victoria was and Davey Boy Smith Jr. were both there ready to meet fans.

Also the local NBC affiliate WSCH 6 was on hand including reporter Rob Caldwell doing a story on Limitless.  I'm curious when that is going to make air. 

I managed to grab quite a few decent photos so I have more on here than normal. 

Let's get to the matches;

Vacationland Cup Qualifying Fatal Four Way
Ace Romero defeated Jon Silver, Mance Warner, & "Dirty Daddy" Chris Dickinson


Mance brought a trash can to the ring with him.  My first time seeing him live and anyone that uses Simple Man in his entrance music is awesome.  Right at the bell Mance crushed Ace in the head the trash can taking him out for a spell.  Dickinson and Silver got the can on Mance's head and took turns kicking it wrecking the can and Mance in the process.



Lot of action in and out of the ring in this match.  Mance brought a table in the ring and while he and Dickinson tussled Ace speared the both into it.  Ace then caught Silver coming off the top rope for a sitout powerbomb and the pin.



Brad Hollister pinned Christian Casanova


This match had a slower pace than the first.  Hollister was throwing Casanova all around with high impact moves.  Casanova battled back with some good aerial offense but wasn't getting the job done so he went for his chain.  Kevin Blackwood made his return with the distraction allowing Hollister to finish Casanova continuing his losing streak.


Post match Blackwood cut a promo about being back after his vehicle accident this past winter.  He announced that it would be him vs. Casanova at the Vactionland Cup on July 12th.

It was great seeing Blackwood back, he got a decent pop for the surprise return.  I'm looking forward to seeing him back in the ring.  I hope Daniel Garcia isn't too far behind him. 

Kris Statlander pinned "Buzzkill" Pat Buck


Buck opened the match with a promo about being Stat's trainer and that she was like a daughter to him and that she should lay down for him.  Stat did, but reversed it into a small package for a two count to kick start the match.


This was a fun match, the fans are solidly behind Statlander, which is very surprising considering the war she has with Ashley Vox late last year / early this year and she was solidly the heel in that.  We saw some excellent wrestling in this, lots of wristlocks and reversals.  Stat cartwheeled out of a wristlock  and continued cartwheeling around the ring and got caught with a sick spear.
\


Stat reversed a tombstone piledriver into her finisher for the pin.  Really good match

Vacationland Cup Qualifying Fatal Four Way
JT Dunn defeated "The Rogue" Brandon Kirk, "All Ego" Ethan Page, and Adam Brooks


The match went to the floor fast and Adam Brooks took them all out.  Very fast paced and high impact match and at one point just looked like a flurry!  At one point all four competitors were down giving the fans a much needed moment to take it all in.



Kirk bought out his staple gun attempted to get Page, but was foiled by Brooks.  Eventually the staple gun came back into play with Kirk taking a staple to the back and on his tongue before eating a Death by Elbow from Dunn for the pin while Page and Brooks fought to get back into the ring.


Skylar with Jeremy Leary pinned Victoria


She's going by Lisa Maria Varon now but we all know her as Victoria.  Leary jumped Victoria before the bell and he and Skylar laid the boots in on Victoria before the ref cleared Leary from the ring.


Victoria applied a Muta Lock early in the contest and the tarantula later in the match.  Skylar applied her own version of a Muta Lock.  Victoria went for a widow's peak but Leary ran in pulling Skylar down and eating a kick from Victoria for his effort.  While the ref was getting Leary out of the ring Skylar his Victoria with the dreaded "brass knucks" for the win.


Post match Skylar offered her hand to Victoria who took it then hit the widow's peak to send us home happy.  Victoria said some words about supporting independent wrestling.  This is her retirement tour after 19 years in wrestling.


Intermission: got a photo with Mance Warner and we chatted a bit, super nice guy.

DL Hurst & Bret Domino defeated Thick Boys: Jay Freddie and Puf

Apparently Puf is officially a Thick Boy now.  Freddie took most of the offense in this match for his team.  Hurst and Domino looked good in the ring, they had some cool tandem offense like all good tag teams should have.


At one point Freddie was down, Puf took out Hurst and Domino.  He grabbed a beer to bring Freddie back into the things.  This lead to Jon Silver coming out and some scuffling between the teammates.  This was enough for Hurst to get the pin on Freddie.


Post match Freddie tried to fix things between Puf and Silver.  This lead to announcing they would settle their differences in a Denim Vest on a Pole match at the Vactionland Cup with Freddie being the special referee.

Allie Kat pinned "Heartcore" Shazza Mckenzie

I'm a big fan of Allie Kat, glad to see her back as I haven't seen her in over a year.  I think she is great and that being said I didn't think the same of this match.  It had some really good moments and a strong finish but the beginning looked like Shazza was moving in slow motion.  Her movements were very telegraphed and deliberate the fans around me thought the same thing.



Shazza delivered a series of wicked kicks to Allie when she was in the ropes.  Shazza also locked in a rear naked chocked a few times but Allie managed to comeback and hit the pussy piledriver for the pin.


New Hart Foundation: Davey Boy Smith Jr & Teddy Hart defeated Maine State Posse: Aidan Aggro & Danger Kid



This was tremendous!  Smith and Hart dominated the match with their high impact offense but Aggro and Danger Kid hung with them the whole time.  We say Davey Boy deliver the shoulder powerslam both running from the corner and off the second rope.



Smith pressed DangerKid and Teddy jumped off the top rope grabbing on the way down for a DDT, it was nuts!  Kid even took the Doomsday Canadian Destroyer with Smith pinning Kid for the win.





I honestly can't do this match justice because it was so good and unique.  Fans were hot through the whole match.  Post match both Smith and Hart cut promo's thanking the fans, putting over Limitless Wrestling and wrestling as a whole in general.






Limitless Wrestling World Champion: Maxwell Jacob Friedman with JT Dunn pinned Ashley Vox

Normally I won't call indy titles a World Championship but MJF has defended the title in both England and Canada, so it qualifies.  Dunn came out with MJF but a few minutes into the match was ejected from ringside.



MJF opened with a scathing promo about putting down Vox and women in general generating a lot of hate and discontent from the crowd.  Mikey mentioned he's surprised that no one has attacked him yet, I'd have to agree with Mikey.  MJF gets that old school white hot heat.


Ashley would take a tremendous beating repeatedly in this match but each time she would battle back with some high impact offense much to the delight of the crowd.  I was excited to see MJF bust out both a bear hug and torture rack style back breaker in the match.



Late in the match while on the floor MJF pressed Ashley over his head and just threw her into the crowd on both sides of the ring.  Probably would have been nice if they would have tried to catch her.  This was a fantastic visual!


A few moments later while MJF was on the floor Ashley dove at him three times sending MJF crashing back into Mikey and I.  The third time he threw himself back trying to launch himself into the fans, but hit the rock wall that was Mikey and I and didn't succeed.

As a front row fan I know that at times wrestlers and going to crash and land on us, I've accepted it.  I'm not one to dive out of the way every time they come near us though unless the wrestlers yell at us to move.  If either one of them would have said move, we would have.



Back in the ring the ref was knocked down and MJF got the title belt, Vox said that she would kiss his boot as he demanded at the beginning of the match, but she hit him in the junk instead.  Then hit him with the belt and locked on her finish, MJF tapped out but the ref didn't see it.

Eventually the ref came around again and Vox locked her fish hook back on, MJF then violently bit down hard on her finger covering her hand and his mouth with blood.  It was vicious!  He then drove her into the mat with Cross Rhodes for the pin.


Post match the fans threw trash into the ring which MJF encouraged.  He cut a promo saying we were trash and that JT Dunn was going to win the Vacactionland Cup and forfeit his title match.  Dunn hit MJF with Death by Elbow and cut a promo saying he was going to take the title from MJF.


I want to address the trash throwing bit, it was cool looking visual and it showed that MJF has some real heat with the crowd.  But goddammit don't throw full bottles of water and half empty cans of beer.  A bottle exploded on the floor in front of Mikey and I, luckily it wasn't glass.

It was an awesome show all in all which doesn't surprise me in the slightest.  Limitless returns with the Vacationland Cup July 12th at the Portland Club.  Along with was was already announced The Butcher & The Blade, Eli Everfly, & Hornswoggle are returning.  Tickets on sale May 20th. 
  
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. 

Until next time!