The Last Match: 80's Big Men

It has been a very long time since I wrote a The Last Match blog post.  Recently though I came across match footage of The Big Boss Man's last match and it was in Japan.  So I took a look see and sure enough he did, so I thought it was time a new The Last Match post.

Big Boss Man Ray Traylor

August 31, 2004 Tokyo, Japan IWA Japan 10th Anniversary Show

Semi Final: defeated Freddy Krueger

Finals: was defeated by "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan for the vacant IWA World Heavyweight Championship

Hard to believe the final matches of Ray Traylor's career were in Japan, although at only age 41 when he passed away less than a month after these matches, I don't think he intended them to be.  After his WWE fun finished in 2002 he didn't wrestle again until March 2004 when he was brought to Japan for IWA.  His final tour was August 28th through the 31st.  You can find his last match on YouTube. 

"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan

May 12, 2019 Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Destiny World Wrestling

defeated by Gursinder Singh

In a career that spanned 40 years I best know Hacksaw for the 2 x 4 carrying, cross eyed, flag carrying all American WWF mid card guy.  It wasn't until many years later that I saw his Mid-South run where he was on top of the territory.  When he entered WCW I would have like to have seen him return to his Mid-South style rather than continue his WWF character.

One Man Gang

March 28, 2009 Franklin, Pennsylvania International Wrestling Cartel: Night of Legends

defeated by "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan

Also known as Akeem the African Dream, Gang wrestled for 32 years debuting in 1977 with runs in Mid-South, World Class, before going to the WWF.  He debuted as the One Man Gang in 1987 and in 1988 debuted the Akeem character, joining the Big Boss Man as the team the Twin Towers.  He left the WWF in 1990 wrestling on the independents until 2001 with a couple of short stints in WCW where he won the WCW United States Championship.

Earthquake

July 19, 2003 Tokyo, Japan All Japan Pro Wrestling

teamed with George Hines & Robbie Brookside defeated Hiroshi Hase, Masayuki Kono & Shigeo Okumura

John Tenta ending his career in Japan is fitting as he began combat sports career as a sumo wrestler in the Japan Sumo Association and in pro wrestling with All Japan Pro Wrestling.  He joined the WWF in 1989 in a very memorable segment sitting on Dino Bravo while he did pushups and then attacking the Ultimate Warrior when he attempted the same.  After a good run with the WWF he followed Hogan to WCW where he had a string of gimmick names and then had to walk around with half  beard for a few months.  His last WWF run was a member of the oddities under a mask as Golga before ending his career back in Japan with All Japan. 

Until Next Time!

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Lucha Libre AAA, it's just not as good.

I've been a fan of Lucha Libre AAA for over 30 years since I first saw the 1994 When World Collide.  Through tape trading I got my hands on a copy of it and was hooked on this style of wrestling.  Luckily we got the influx of Lucha Libre thanks to their involvement in ECW and to a greater extent WCW. 

In the last 10 - 15 years it has been easier to watch international wrestling with the internet and streaming services, for a long time though you had to work hard for your fandom especially living in Maine where Lucha Libre was not prevalent.  TripleMania, Rey de Reyes, and Guerra de Titanes being the bigger events were the easier events to acquire.  

I was and am a huge fan of Faby Apache, Latin Lover, Dr. Wagner Jr., Blue Demon, and so many others that kept me hunting down the footage.  As time went on and it became easier to stream I watched it more and more.  Still in love with Faby Apache, but becoming a fan of Pentagon Jr. Fenix, Pagano, Psycho Clown, El Hijo de Fantasma, Lady Shani, Sam Adonis and SO many more.

Lucha Libre AAA had a style that was it's own with their presentation, bloody wars, and a yes history of being quite unorganized.  But I knew what I was getting into when I watched a show. 

In 2019 while Mikey, Jay and I were in New York City for WrestleMania weekend I was pumped to go to the AAA press conference at Madison Square Garden.  We were just going to watch from afar, but we were invited into the press conference and it was a very cool experience.

Even though there was no wrestling I count it as as an official AAA event.  They were there announcing AAA running a show in September 2019 in MSG, the then General Manager Dorian Roldán Peña spoke as well as several members of the AAA front office and Luchadores.  They gave us masks, we made the promotion video, I got photos with Blue Demon Jr and Konnan, it was Awesome!

Unfortunately ticket sales didn't go well, and they still ran the show, but it was in the small Theatre at Madison Square Garden.

In April 2025 WWE announced they were acquiring AAA and began running joint shows with the acquisition finalized in August 2025.  At first the changes we got better access to AAA shows with Cory Graves doing commentary, which was awesome.  The initial changes were subtle, but once they Fox TV deal for the Saturday night shows it's become full blown WWE Mexico.

Last nights Rey de Reyes was part 1 of a 3 episode TV show instead of a 1 night PPV or PLE as they call them now.  It opened with a 21 minute promo segment, and in a 97 minute tv show we got 3 matches that totaled 43 minutes of in ring time.

I appreciate being able to see Vikingo, Las Toxicas, Pagano and everyone else, but I don't want to sit though the video packages and talking segments.  It's also why I don't watch WWE TV.

The product has lost it's edge as well, not hardcore, no blood, and all the pomp and circumstance seems to have stopped, at least during the broadcast. I mean I'm happy for the exposure everyone is getting, but when every match has a WWE wrestler involved and they are also holding the championships for the most part.  It's such a dramatic change from before, that it's not the same and it never will be.  It makes me sad because it's the end of another era in professional wrestling. 

Until Next Time,

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books. 

The Times I've Seen Briscoe Brothers Live

I've been listening to another awesome episode of the 10 Bell Pod and this one is on life of Jay Briscoe.  Listening to the Manscout Jake Manning talk about Jay really got me thinking about his career and legacy and of course got me thinking about the times I've seen him, and Mark, wrestle live.

I actually own all of these Jay Briscoe matches on home video, so I rewatched all of them for this post.

June 1, 2012

Pro Wrestling Syndicate (PWS) The Rahway Rec Center, Rahway, New Jersey

Pre-Show Dark Match

The Briscoe’s: Mark & Jay defeated Davey Richards & Adam Cole when Mark pinned Adam Cole with a small package.

This was at the PWS 5th Anniversary weekend.  The reason we went to the show was to see The Great Muta.  He's one of my all time favorites and he was doing a rare indie appearance that weekend and we just had to go see him wrestle and do his meet and greet.

 

This show was ridiculously stacked but the Briscoe's wrestled on the pre-show because they were signed to Ring of Honor and this show was airing on Internet PPV.  I believe this was originally advertised as the Briscoe's vs. American Wolves, but Adam Cole replaced Eddie Edwards.

This was an intense fast paced match that showed how good the Briscoes have always been. Action was in and outside the ring, Mark reversed a vertical suplex into the small package.  Jay was limping after the match.

September 30, 2016

Ring of Honor (ROH), Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, Massachusetts 

All Star Extravaganza VIII 

Opening Round Match: Six-Man Tag Team Championship Tournament: Kushida, ACH, & Jay White defeated IWGP World Tag Team Champions: The Briscoe Brothers: Mark & Jay and NOAH GHC Tag Team Champion: Toru Yano when ACH pinned Yano with a 450 Splash

I recall going into the match I thought for sure the Briscoe's and Yano would advance and was shocked when the ACH got the pin.  Great match, again fast paced lots of action and everyone going all out.  I know they have teamed together frequently but Yano just doesn't fit with them in my eyes.

This was my first ROH show, happened to be a PPV, and we had front row right on the aisle.  There was 6 of us and we all wore Limitless Wrestling shirts. You can read my original report about it here: All Star Extravaganza VIII

June 23, 2017

Ring of Honor (ROH), Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, Massachusetts

Best in the World 2017

Dalton Castle & The Boys defeated World Six-Man Tag Team Champions: Bully Ray & The Briscoe Brothers: Mark & Jay to win the tag team titles when Castle pinned Mark 

Back in Lowell for another PPV, and we had the same exact front row seats as last time.

The real feud of this match was Dalton Castle vs. Jay Briscoe the pre-match promos was just Dalton and Jay talking.  Castle was MEGA over at this time and the crowd just loved he and the boys.  Bully Ray was a good fit with The Briscoe's for their shared intensity, but he busted out some comedy with Dalton.

Jay was plain angry the entire match in fact he was distracted going after the boys outside the ring when Dalton pinned Mark to a huge pop!

You can read my original report about it here: Best in the World 2017

May 9, 2018

New Japan Pro Wrestling / ROH, Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, Massachusetts

War of the Worlds

ROH Tag Team Champions: The Briscoes: Mark & Jay defeated Jushin Thunder Liger & Flip Gordon when Mark pinned Flip after an avalanche splash mountain neckbreaker combo

This was my third time seeing ROH at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium, this was also my first time seeing Liger live!  This was a house show, we had front row once again, but not in the same seats.  Every match with the Briscoe's is the same, high intensity and fast paced action.  Flip took most of the beating for his team, as it should be.  Crowd didn't care Liger lost, they just wanted to see him.

You can read my original report about it here: War of the Worlds Lowell

November 7, 2018

New Japan Pro Wrestling / ROH, The Colisee, Lewiston, Maine

Global Wars

The Briscoe Brothers: Mark & Jay defeated “American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes with Brandi & Hangman Page when Mark pinned Page with a froggybow after Jay hit him with a Jay Driller.

This was the first and only time ROH had ever been in Maine, and our second NJPW/ROH show of the year.  This venue had previously hosted two WWE events, and has since then hosted 3 Limitless Wrestling shows.  Oh yeah, Muhammad Ali defeated Sonny Liston for the boxing World Heavyweight Championship in 1965.

 

I did the meet and greet with the Briscoe's at this show got my photo with them and for my All In trading card signed by both of them.  I don't have that card anymore, after Jay died someone reached out to me about trading.  They were trying to get a complete signed All In set, so I now have their dual signed Missouri Wrestling Revival Card. 

What we didn't know was two months after this show Cody, Page, and The Young Bucks would announced AEW and would be leaving ROH.  The Briscoe's were leaning towards heel in this match, but still had the fans behind them.  Another great match you can read my original report about it here: ROH Lewiston, Maine Live Report

April 6, 2019

New Japan Pro Wrestling / ROH, Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York

G1 Supercard

IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions: Guerrillas of Destiny: Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa with Jado defeated ROH World Tag Team Champions: Villain Enterprises: PCO & Brody King and Los Ingobernables de Japon: Evil & Sanada and The Briscoe Brothers: Mark & Jay to win both championships when Tanga Loa pinned Brody King after a Superbomb

This was historic as no other wrestling promotion in 60 years had ever held a show at MSG other than WWE until this event.  We had front row in the balcony and it was amazing.

This match was a giant cluster and to be honest, not very good.  Briscoe's had a couple moments in it but they are probably best remember from the match with brawling with Big Caz and Enzo who jumped the rail after the match.  I don't know if ROH was trying to run an angle but it was never acknowledge on the broadcast and they kept the camera's off it.

You can read about it this show here: IndieMania 2019 Part 3

July 23, 2022

ROH: Ring of Honor, Tsongas Center, Lowell, Massachusetts    

Death Before Dishonor 2022

2 out of 3 Falls Match: ROH, IWGP, & AAA World Tag Team Champions: FTR: Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler defeated The Briscoe Brothers: Mark & Jay two falls to one

Fall 1: Mark pinned Dax with the Doomsday Device at 16:33

Fall 2: Dax pinned Jay with the shatter machine at 29:33

Fall 3: Dax pinned Jay with middle rope pile driver at 43:26

THIS IS THE GREATEST TAG TEAM MATCH I HAVE EVER SEEN LIVE!

Hands down, no doubt about it, and I can't imagine it will ever be topped on the list.  It had been over 3 years since the last time I saw the Briscoes and the been to Ring of Honor.  Since that time Tony Khan bought the promotion and Death Before Dishonor was the first ROH PPV under Khan after the sale finalized in May 2022.  I was on the fence about buying tickets, until the morning they went on sale and the two out of 3 falls match was announced.  I got VERY lucky and scored a front row ticket that ended up being right next to the commentators.

My seat was AMAZING.  It was a tremendous show from beginning to end, and FTR and The Briscoe's tore it up for almost 45 minutes! I wore my FTR shirt, Dax came around the front row and hugged everyone wearing an FTR shirt. I don't have the words to express just how good this match is.

Bonus:

These are the two times I've seen Mark Briscoe wrestle at AEW since he joined the promotion after Jay's passing. 

November 6, 2024

AEW Dynamite, SNHU Arena, Manchester, NH

Fight Without Honor: The Conglomerations: Tomohiro Ishii, Mark Briscoe, & Kyle O’Reilly defeated  Ring of Honor World Champion: Chris Jericho, Big Bill & Bryan Keith when Ishii pinned Jericho

April 17, 2025

AEW Collision, MGM Music Hall at Fenway, Boston, MA

Ring of Honor Tapings Episode 113 Aired April 24, 2025

8 Man Tag: AR Fox, Mark Briscoe, and Top Flight; Dante & Darius Martin with Leila Grey defeated Shane Taylor Promotions: Charlie Bravo, ROH Pure Champion: Lee Moriarty, Shane Taylor & Shawn Dean

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.