Wrestling With Lockdown November Challenge

 

I saw this on Twitter on November 9th, thought it was cool but decided to put it here as I had already missed a third of the month. 

1) First wrestling you remember seeing?

I don't have a first time I saw wrestling memory, I just know I've always watched wrestling because my Dad did.  Same with my kids, they didn't discover it on their own I've been watching wrestling with them since they were babies.

2) First wrestling show you saw on TV?

Probably WWF Championship Wrestling.  It was definitely the World Wrestling Federation.

3) First Live Wrestling Show?

June 4, 1989

World Wrestling Federation (WWF)

Cumberland County Civic Center

Portland, Maine

Taken by my pal Phil who was front row at this show

Tim Horner defeated Barry Horowitz

The Warlord defeated Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart
Dino Bravo pinned Hercules special referee “Rugged” Ronnie Garvin

“American Dream” Dusty Rhodes (sub. for Jake ‘The Snake” Roberts) defeated “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase

Bret “Hitman” Hart fought Mr. Perfect to a 20-minute time-limit draw

WWF Tag Team Champions: Demolition: Ax & Smash defeated Twin Towers: Big Bossman & Akeem the African Dream

“Macho Man” Randy Savage with “Sensational” Sherri Martel defeated WWF World Champion: Hulk Hogan via count-out

You can read my blog post about this show here.

4) Last Live Wrestling Show?

August 21, 2020

North Atlantic Wrestling Assoc. (NAWA)

Outside at Skip’s Bar

Buxton, Maine

Alexander Lee, taken by me

“Flash” Nick McKenna pinned B.A. Tatum with Owen Brody

The Competition: Champ Mathews & Conner Murphy defeated Allen Prophet JP O’Reilly when Mathews pinned O’Reilly

Cousin Larry pinned Dozer with Coach Beavis with the whoopie cushion

Dale Dalton pinned Owen Brody with B.A. Tatum with an inside cradle reversing a jackhammer attempt

“Lights Out” Lee Miller defeated Kyle Hanson by disqualification

Triple Threat: Malik Logan defeated Blade Bandit and North Atlantic Champion: Alexander Lee pinning Bandit to win the championship

You can read my full report about this show on my blog here.

5) First Wrestling Merch?

It had to be my Hulk Hogan LJN  figure.  However I do remember getting the Wrestling Album VHS and being over the top excited about it.

That is my original figure and championship belt

6) Favorite Babyface?

Ricky Morton of the Rock n' Roll Express has to be the greatest pure babyface of all time.  Yes I know he was a heel as Richard Morton for a couple years but that never worked.

7) Favorite Heel?

The Four Horseman, when they were bad no one was better. 

8) First Wrestling Crush?

9) Scariest Moment?

This is very hard pin down because I've watched so much wrestling in my life.  In recent years on live events though I saw a guy do a shooting star press of the top rope and land on the ring post right in front of me and I thought for sure that he was dead.  He was just fine though.

10) Most Emotional Moment?

Live at WrestleMania XXIV for Ric Flairs "last match" with Shawn Michaels.  A life long Ric Flair fan it was very emotional for me.  

11) Favorite Authority Figure?

I don't really care about authority figures, I'd rather have my wrestling with out them.  However, Teddy Long was consistent and always gave us some great Tag Team Matches.

12) Favorite Wrestling Era?

1983 - 1988 NWA / Jim Crockett Promotions hands down!

13) Favorite Wrestling Podcast/YouTube?

Podcast: The Art of Wrestling with Colt Cabana and YouTube: Being the Elite 

14) Favorite Ring Gear?

I love a good wrestling robe but The Great Muta always brought the awesomeness 

15) Favorite Ring Entrance?

If we are talking everyday entrance not just big events then currently it's Asuka.  

16) Favorite Promo?

That's tough, there are so many great talkers out there in wrestling, today Eddie Kingston is delivering, and Tully Blanchard still has the juice.  Going back in time the Dusty Rhodes Hard Times promo of course stands out.  A few years back Christopher Daniels cut this bad boy before his Ladder Wars tag team match at All Star Extravaganza, incidentally I sat front for that show.  

17) Favorite PPV?

SummerSlam 2002 was an amazing show beginning to end with no bad matches at all. 

18) Most Underrated Wrestler?

Brad Armstrong 

19) Funniest Moment?

I can't pick one, but it probably involved Chuck Taylor in CHIKARA or PWG

20) Best Non-Wrestling Appearance By A Wrestler?

probably Batista as Drax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

21) Best Manager?

Bobby "The Brain" Heenan

22) Best Wrestling Debut?

In recent years, Shinsuke Nakamura in NXT against Sammy Zayn

23) Best Faction?

The Four Horsemen

24) Best Finisher?

Awesome bomb and Brainbuster 

25) Favorite Tag Team?

Currently FTR, others include Young Bucks, Rock n' Roll Express, Midnight Express, British Bulldogs, Arn & Tully aka The BrainBusters, Americas Most Wanted and more

26) Favorite Use of A Celebrity?

Currently Pat McAfee is doing really well, however Pete Rose was excellent in his multiple WWE appearances. 

27) Most Exciting Wrestling Storyline?

Most emotional was told on BTE with Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi leading toward their tag team match.  Long term story telling that was just great! 

28) Best Comeback?

Shawn Michaels, has to be Michaels coming back after his back injury.  Although if Covid hadn't been a thing Edge would most likely have taken that accolade. 

29) Wrestler You Imitate the Most?

"Nature Boy" Ric Flair

30) Why Do You Love Wrestling?

I can't this easily, I just do and I love it so very much!

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page, check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network and while your at it pick up my book over at Amazon in Kindle or Paperback.

Until next time!!

Signed Trading Cards: Faby Apache

I'm very excited to share these cards with you.  I'm a huge fan of Faby Apache and had the tremendous pleasure of meeting her in New York at WrestleCon in 2019.  At that time I did get three cards signed by her.  Earlier this year I got my hands on a box of the 2019 Panini AAA Lucha Libre Worldwide trading cards and in that set there were three Faby Apache trading cards. 

I mailed these cards to Faby on July 24, 2020, she received them on October 16th, she mailed them back on October 27th and I got them on November 19th.  It's amazing how much longer they took to get to her in Mexico than it took for them to get to me.  She told me that the Mexico post office is notoriously slow, she was correct.  

This card is the sets base card.

This is from the Campeonatos or Championship subset.  In AAA Faby Apache has held the Reina de Reinas, Campeonato en Parejas Mixtas AAA, and Campeonato De Tercias AAA titles. 

This is from the Mascara vs Cabellera or Mask vs. Hair subset.  In her career five of these matches four of them in AAA winning three of the matches.  

These are the cards that I got signed by her in New York.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page, check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network and while your at it pick up my book over at Amazon in Kindle or Paperback.

Until next time!!

The Undertaker's NJPW Run of 1990

In March 1990, while he was in World Championship Wrestling, The Undertaker had a three week tour on New Japan Pro Wrestling wrestling 14 matches between March 2nd and March 23rd under the name of "Punisher" Dice Morgan.

His debut match for New Japan was on March 2nd at Korakuen Hall teaming with Bam Bam Bigelow  defeating Masa Saito & Shinya Hashimoto.  He only wrestled in one singles match on the tour otherwise it was in tag team and multi-man matches.  With Scott Hall he even challenged for the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships.

March 2, 1990 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo

with Bam Bam Bigelow defeated Masa Saito & Shinya Hashimoto

This match is the only match they have on New Japan World.  Dice Morgan pins Masa Saito for the win after and elbow drop off the top rope.  

March 3, 1990 Kitamimaki, Nagano
with Mike Kirchner & Bam Bam Bigelow lost to Masahiro Chono, Riki Choshu & Shinya Hashimoto

March 5, 1990 Naha, Okinawa
with Mike Kirchner & Nord the Barbarian lost to Kengo Kimura, Masa Saito, & Osamu Kido

March 6, 1990 Urasoe, Okinawa
with Bam Bam Bigelow & Nord the Barbarian lost to Masa Saito, Riki Choshu & Shinya Hashimoto

March 8, 1990 Naze, Kagoshima
with MIke Kirchner lost to Masa Saito & Shinya Hashimoto

March 9, 1990 Tokunoshima, Kagoshima
with Pegasus Kid defeated Cheetah Kid & Nord the Barbarian

March 11, 1990 Nishinoomote, Kagoshima
with Nord the Barbarian lost to Bam Bam Bigelow & Scott Hall

March 14, 1990 Hitoyoshi, Kumaoto
with Larry Cameron & Mike Kirchner lost to Kengo Kimura, Riki Choshu, & Shinya Hashimoto

March 15, 1990 Kurume, Fukouka
with Bam Bam Bigelow lost to Koji Kitao & Masa Saito

March 18, 1990 Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi
with Cheetah Kid lost to Kego Kimura & Shinya Hashimoto

March 19, 1990 Hiroshima

IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: with Scott Hall lost to Masa Saito & Shinya Hashimoto

March 20, 1990 Takaishi, Osaka
with Larry Cameron lost to Masa Saito & Shinya Hashimoto

March 22, 1990 Nagoya, Aichi
lost to Shinya Hashimoto

March 23, 1990 Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
With Pegasus Kid defeated Cheetah Kid & Scott Hall

It wasn't a very successful run in terms of wins and losses winning only three of the matches on the tour.  I couldn't find any of these matches on YouTube.  

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page, check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network and while your at it pick up my book over at Amazon in Kindle or Paperback.

Until next time!!

Signed Trading Cards: Colonel DeBeers, Heidi Lee Morgan, Anne Casey, & Jerry Stubbs

This batch of signed trading cards feature cards that I designed using the Iphone & Ipad app called Rookies.  The app is baseball themed however you can design the front and back of the card yourself with multiple options.  You buy cards in packs of 20 and it can be one single card or 20 different designs, they cost $13.99 a pack plus shipping, it's less than $1 a card. 

Colonel DeBeers

Trained by Harley Race he debuted in 1973.  He entered the AWA in 1985 where he competed until 1991 when the promotion folded.  I am most familiar with DeBeers from his time in the AWA specifically his feud with Scott Hall where DeBeers accused him of using Steroids.  Which he probably was. 

Heidi Lee Morgan

A second generation wrestler Heidi Lee Morgan debuted after training with the Fabulous Moolah.  She made history in May 1987 when she challenged Wendi Richter in the first known women's Steel Cage Match for the NWF Women's Championship.  She held the LPWA Tag Team Championship with Misty Blue Simmes and was defeated by Alundra Blayze in the finals of the WWF Women's Championship tournament. 

Ann Casey

Trained with The Fabulous Moolah debuting in 1962.  She held the USA Women's Championship from 1974 until she retired from wrestling in 1992.  

Mr. Olympia Jerry Stubbs

Stubbs debuted in 1970 under his own name.  Later in Mid-South Wrestling he wrestled as Mr. Olympia, even teamed with Arn Anderson who wrestled as Super Olympia.  As the story goes, Stubbs was the original Mr. Perfect and explained the concept to Curt Hennig.  I sent him the cards above and he sent me back all the pictures below.  

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page, check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network and while your at it pick up my book over at Amazon in Kindle or Paperback.

Until next time!!

Survivor Series & 30 Years of the Undertaker

This Sunday, November 22, 2020, not only marks the 34th annual Survivor Series but the 30th Anniversary of The Undertaker.  Mark Calaway began his wrestling career in 1987 after training with "Mad Dog" Buzz Sawyer.  Debuting under a mask as Texas Red and wrestled his first match against Bruiser Brody for World Class Championship Wrestling.  Ironically Percy Pringle III, who would go on to be Paul Bearer, managed Texas Red that night in his debut match.

Calaway would travel to CWA, which later became the USWA, wrestling under several names including the Punisher and The Master of Pain.  In 1989 he would sign World Championship Wrestling as "Mean" Mark Callous and was paired with Dan Spivey as the Skyscrapers.  The team didn't last and Taker found himself with Paul E. Dangerously as his manager.  While in WCW he would wrestle in New Japan as "Punisher" Dice Morgan.   

He would leave WCW in September 1990 wrestling a couple matches in the USWA before making his debut in the WWE at the Survivor Series, November 22, 1990 the Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut. 

Over the next 30 years The Undertaker would dominate the WWE winning a version of the WWE and World Heavyweight Championship seven times.  He would also amass the greatest WrestleMania winning streak of all time winning 21 consecutive matches before losing to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX.  Two of this 21 victories were against "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels, a man that Undertaker states is the greatest of all time. 

In the end his Mania record stands at 25-2 with his final match against AJ Styles at WrestleMania XXXIV being a cinematic Boneyard Match.  In the Last Ride Taker stated that his match with Styles is his last and he his retired from the ring.  But is he really?

According to Sports Betting Dime, In a recent interview with Yahoo!, Undertaker used the phrase "never say never" when asked about his recent retirement.  Already 55 years old, it's possible he really has stepped in the ring for the last time.  But former greats like Ric Flair and Sting were active even later in life.  At least one more in-ring appearance seems more likely than not at this point.

Dubbed as The Undertaker's Final Farewell the 2020 Survivor Series will emanate from the WWE Thunderdome  at the Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida currently featuring six advertised matches with two of them being traditional five on five Survivor Series matches.  The remaining four matches being Raw Champions vs. Smackdown Champions. 

I really wish the WWE would return the Survivor Series to an entire card of traditional Survivor Series matches.  That's what made the event unique and original when it debuted with the catchphrase Teams of Five Strive to Survive!  They should make Clash of Champions a card of Raw Champions vs. Smackdown Champions.

Here is the card:

Team Raw: AJ Styles, Keith Lee, Sheamus, Braun Strowman, and Matt Riddle vs. Team Smackdown: Kevin Owens, Jey Uso, King Corbin, Seth Rollins, and another member to be determined
Opening odds Team Raw -140 vs.Team Smackdown +100

Team Raw: Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, Lana, Lacey Evans, & Peyton Royce vs. Team Smackdown: Bianca Belair, Ruby Riott, Live Morgan and two other members to be determined
Opening odds Team Raw -225 vs.Team Smackdown +175

Intercontinental Champion: Sami Zayn vs. United States Champion: Bobby Lashley
Opening odds Zayn +225 vs. Lashley -300

Raw Tag Team Champions: The New Day vs. Smackdown Tag Team Champions: The Street Profits
Opening odds The New Day -120 vs. The Street Profits -120

Raw Women's Champion: Asuka vs. Smackdown Women's Champion: Sasha Banks
Opening odds: Asuka -120 vs. Banks -120

WWE Champion: Drew McIntyre vs. Universal Champion: Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman

Here is who I want to see win, Zayn, New Day, Asuka, McIntyre, who do I think is most likely going to win, Lashley, Banks, New Day, Reigns.  I'm indifferent about both Survivor Series Matches, I'd like to see AJ go over in the men's but would be happy with Kevin Owens.  On the Women's side I need to know who the final two competitors on Team Smackdown is to make my decision. Either way I will be tuning in the Sunday!

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page, check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network and while your at it pick up my book over at Amazon in Kindle or Paperback.

Until next time!!

Signed Trading Cards: Brittany Brown, Robert Fuller, & Mario Mancini,

This batch of signed trading cards feature cards that I designed using the Iphone & Ipad app called Rookies.  The app is baseball themed however you can design the front and back of the card yourself with multiple options.  You buy cards in packs of 20 and it can be one single card or 20 different designs, they cost $13.99 a pack plus shipping, it's less than $1 a card. 

Brittany Brown

I message Mrs. Brown on Facebook inquiring if I could send her the card.  I mailed it on October 17, 2020 and got it back just nine days later on the 26th.  A Massachusetts native she trained with the Fabulous Moolah and others debuting in 1984.  She wrestled regularly through 1998 and then returned for a few matches in 2010 with Magnificent Ladies Wrestling.  Had a multi-year feud with Brandi Alexander.  

Robert Fuller

Probably best known for his time in WCW as a Manger under the name Colonel Robert Parker, Robert Fuller is a third generation wrestler who began wrestling in 1970 in the Alabama and Tennessee territory.  With his brother Ron Fuller they ran the Continental Wrestling territory on an off for several years.
The first card is from the 1995 WCW Main Event Cardz set, the second card is one that I had custom made using the Rookies App.   

Mario Mancini

Mario wrestled for the WWF as enhancement talent from 1984 - 1992.  I find him to be unique as he never wrestled anyplace other than being and WWF jobber which is odd.  I mailed this card to Mancini on 10/24/2020 and got them back six days later on the 30th.   Although I appreciate that he signed the card for me it does annoy me that he signed the back of the card.  In every letter I send I specifically ask if they would please sign the front for display purposes.  

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page, check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network and while your at it pick up my book over at Amazon in Kindle or Paperback.

Until next time!!

Signed Trading Cards: BIanca Belair, Kerry Morton, Johnny Rodz

I haven't shared a new signed cards because I haven't been going to wrestling events to get them.  Earlier this year I did several through the mail requests but I haven't sent any in quite a while.  However here are some that I got back over the last couple months.

Bianca Belair

This card is from the 2019 Topps WWE Womens Division set. I mailed this card to the performance center on September 28, 2019 and go it back August 31, 2020  

Kerry Morton

The son of Ricky Morton, I bought these cards direct from Kerry via his Instagram, they are apart of the Indie Supercard wrestling trading card game.  If anyone is interested in one of the cards let me know.  

Johnny Rodz

This is a custom card made by D'Elanas trading cards, who you can find on Instagram.  This is made in the style of the 1988 NWA Wonderama cards.  I mailed this to his wrestling school on August 21, 2020 and got it back on September 3, 2020.  

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page, check out my weekly podcast The Wrestling Insomniac on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network and while your at it pick up my book over at Amazon in Kindle or Paperback.

Until next time!!