The Rock n' Roll Express: The Most Prolific Tag Team of All Time

A week ago my buddy texted me and said "Name the team that wrestled for the WWE, WCW, ECW, TNA, and Smoky Mountain Wrestling"  I responded The Rock n' Roll Express, turns out he was talking about the Insane Clown Posse.  This lead to a conversation about where the Rock n Rolls had wrestled and he said, "This was less fun than I anticipated"  I disagreed because I thought it was a fantastic conversation, we both learned something new and I got me thinking.

While the Rock N' Rolls didn't wrestle as a team in ECW, Ricky Morton did wrestle for the promotion.

Recently my friends and I were discussing how Sting and Jeff Jarrett are the law two active wrestlers on national television in a major company that really came from the territory system.  I remember the territory days when wrestlers traveled around from promotion to promotion, and my friends and I always kept track of wrestlers that succeed collecting championships along the way.

While I feel like FTR is the best tag team today, and there is an argument to be made that they are the best tag team of all time.  There is no doubt no one has had the run as a tag team like the Rock n' Roll Express.  They even wrestled once on a Big Time Wrestling Show.

The first time Ricky and Robert teamed together was not as the Rock n' Roll Express.  On April 21, 1980 for the CWA: Continental Wrestling Association, at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee Ricky Morton & The Gibson Brothers: Ricky and Robert teamed to defeat Danny Davis and The Blonde Bombers: Larry Latham & Wayne Ferris.  They did wrestler a few tag team matches through the rest of 1980.

In 1983 Jerry "The King" Lawler officially teamed them together anointing them The Rock n' Roll Express in the CWA, who knew 41 years later they would still be rocking and rolling together.

The Rock n' Rolls were a product of the territory system wrestling all around the NWA territories from 1983 - 1988, including CWA, Mid-South Wrestling, Houston Wrestling, Central States Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Florida, Jim Crockett Promotions / Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling, and the Universal Wrestling Federation. 

 

In JCP they help the NWA World Tag Team Championships 4 times and were embroiled with high profile matches and feuds all through those hot 1985 - 1988 years.  

On December 13, 1988 they main evented the the AWA: American Wrestling Association's on PPV: Super Clash III battling the Stud Stable to a double count-out.  The most memorable match from that show is Jerry Lawler defeated Kerry Von Erich to unify the AWA and World Class World Championships by referee stoppage, but that was not the main event of the card, the Rock N' Rolls were.

Other independent promotions they competed in included the USWA sporadically from 1989 -1996, SMW: Smoky Mountain Wrestling From 1992 - 1995 where they captured the tag team championships 8 times and OVW: Ohio Valley Wrestling in 1999.  

In 1993 while representing Smoky Mountain Wrestling they challenged for the SMW Tag Team Championships wrestling The Heavenly Bodies at WCW SuperBrawl III on February 21st in Asheville, NC.  A few months later they lost the SMW Tag Team Championships to The Heavenly Bodies at the WWF Survivor Series November 24, 1993 at the Boston Garden.

They wrestled several house show matches for the WWF in 1993 & 1994, returning in 1998 for the NWA invasion angle competing at WrestleMania 14.  In 2017 they were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.  Their only matches in Germany and Austria we in 1994 with the WWF. 

They joined WCW: World Championship Wrestling in 1990, Gibson was injured keeping him out of action for a couple years and Morton stayed on Wrestling heel for a spell in WCW.  The returned to the promotion in 1996 wrestling the Horsemen and challenging Harlem Heat for the Tag Team Championships.

Since the year 2000 they have competed for multiple promotions with stand outs being NWA TNA in 2003, several New Japan Pro Wrestling US shows in 2019 & 2020, Ring of Honor, GCW: Game Changer Wrestling, and the Billy Corgan promoted NWA where they captured the World Tag Team Championships for a 9th time. 

While they have not had matches in AEW: All Elite Wrestling, they have appeared on multiple occasions were attacked by FTR on Dynamite and got involved in the Young Bucks vs. Proud and Powerful match from Full Gear 2019. 

In Japan 

In 1988 they wrestled for All Japan they competed in the Super Power Series in May and returned for the Giant Series tour in October.  In the AWA the challenged Bad Company for the companies Tag Team Championships.

In July of 1993 and November of 1994 they toured the Japanese promotion WAR: Wrestling and Romance. 

In May 1996 toured FMW: Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling. 

There is no other team that has teamed longer than the Rock n' Rolls, appeared in more major promotions, and no other team has had the staying power that Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson have had.

I've had the pleasure of seeing the Rock n' Roll Express wrestle live twice.  In 1998 at WrestleMania 14 and in 2019 in Lowell, MA at New Japan Pro Wrestling.  In I've seen Ricky Morton wrestle live twice at shows here in Maine with his son Kerry Morton.  In 2006 I met the Rock N' Rolls at Carson's Pro Wrestling World in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

I'm extremely excited to see the Rock n' Rolls Wrestle once again at Joey Janela's Spring Break 8 in Philadelphia this year!

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 Limitless Wrestling: The First Five Years, or any of my other books as well.  

Until next time! 

What Qualifies As A World Heavyweight Championship?

What makes a championship in wrestling a World Championship?  When I was a kids Pro Wrestling Illustrated was the premier wrestling news source for me and I always agreed with their recognition of the World Championship.

A Tweet from April 3, 2020 Pro Wrestling Illustrated currently recognizes four World Championships WWE World Championship, the WWE Universal Championship, the AEW World Heavyweight Championship, and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

For PWI the criteria is that it's actively defended around the world against high quality opponents.  Which makes sense.  At the same time though with a championship like the NWA World Championship has an internet show that is available around the world and is accessible to everyone.  During this current title run aside from the United States, Aldis has defended the championship in the UK multiple times and Canada.  Shouldn't it still be considered a World Championship?

Historically PWI recognized:

NWA World Heavyweight Championship 

July 14, 1948 - January 11, 1991

May 8, 2006 - May 13, 2007

AWA World Heavyweight Championship 

August 16, 1960 - December 12, 1990

WCW World Heavyweight Championship 

January 11, 1991 - December 9, 2001

ECW World Heavyweight Championship 

July 6, 1999 - April 11, 2001

June 13, 2006 - February 16, 2010

World Heavyweight Championship WWE Big Gold

September 2, 2002 - December 15, 2013

TNA World Heavyweight Championship

May 13, 2007 - August 1, 2015

I haven't always agreed with PWI when it came to it's World Championship recognition.  For instance the ECW World Championship, they didn't give it recognition until six months into Taz's title reign.  The company had, had PPV's for years by then and had a national syndicated show and rabid fan base.

Other promotions call their title a World Heavyweight Championship including PWG, Progress, CZW, even my home promotion Limitless Wrestling calls their championship a World Championship.

Limitless Wrestling has a huge following on YouTube with 685 Thousand subscribers.  Their video of Kris Statlander vs. Christian Casanova has 41 million views, they have 28 other videos that have anywhere from 1 million to 32 millions views each.  MJF, their first champion, defended it in the United Kingdom.  Is this sufficient criteria?

With all this being said I'm still looking for the answer to the question.  What is the criteria that qualifies a title to be considered as a World Heavyweight Championship?

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!

The Last Match: Hulk Hogan in Major Promotions

As we all know Hulk Hogan is one of the biggest stars in all of professional wrestling and significant runs in several major promotions.  This post will look at the last matches that Hulk Hogan had in those promotions.

TNA: Total Nonstop Action
January 27, 2012 Manchester, England
TNA Maximum Impact Tour 2012
with "Cowboy" James Storm & Sting defeated Bobby Roode, Bully Ray, & Kurt Angle

Hogans final five matches were for the Dixie Carter run TNA between 2010 and 2012.  His only singles match in the promotion came at Bound For Glory 2011 in a loss to Sting.  His total time in the promotion as 4 years where he served mostly as an on air authority figure.

He was supposed to have a feud with Jeff Jarret in 2003 that was set up after his match with Chono in 2003 for NJPW when Jarrett attacked Hogan with a guitar.  However due to injuries the match never happened.  This would have been Hogan's first match for the NWA Championship since October 1983 when he wrestled Harley Race to a double count-out.

WWE: World Wrestling Entertainment
August 20, 2006 Boston, Massachusetts
SummerSlam
defeated Randy Orton

Hogan first debuted in the then WWF on December 17, 1979 defeating Ted Dibiase at Madison Square Garden.  He would be a constant to the promotion until April 1981 where he went to the AWA.  He return in December 1983 where Hulkamania ran wild for a decade.  After the demise of WCW Hogan would have to short runs in the WWE as an in ring competitor and now works in an ambassador role.

I was actually at this match in Boston, compiling this blog is when I realized that I was there live for Hulk Hogan's last match in the WWE.

NJPW: New Japan Pro WrestlingUltimate Crush II
October 13, 2003 Tokyo Dome in Japan
defeated Masahiro Chono

Hogan debuted in NJPW in May 1980 in the 3rd Madison Square Garden Series.  Over the next five years he had multiple tours each year even after winning the WWF Championship.   He returned for a few matches in 1993 and the January 4th Dome show in 1994, and then his final match in 2003.

WCW: World Championship Wrestling
July 9, 2000 Daytona Beach, Florida
Bash at the Beach 2000
defeated Jeff Jarrett to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship

Hogan's six year run with WCW began and ended at the Bash at the Beach pay-per-view in Florida winning the WCW World Championship both times.  The first, July 17, 1994 in Orlando he pinned "Nature Boy" Ric Flair and the last in controversial fashion pinning Jeff Jarrett.

 AWA: American Wrestling Association
November 14, 1983 Phoenix, Arizona
defeated Jerry Blackwell

Won a Battle Royal

Hogan debuted in August 1981 after being fired from the WWF for appearing in Rocky III.  He started out as a heel but soon became a fan favorite and we got our first glimpses of Hulkamania.  He had several title matches against Nick Bockwinkel but the matches usually ended with Hogan winning by DQ or being awarded the title only to have the decision changed to a DQ leaving Bockwinkel as champion.

When Dale Gagne tried to claim the AWA and it's lineage he recognized Hulk Hogan as being a former AWA World Champion.  However the WWE lawsuit in 2007 - 2008 ended Gagne's claim and Hogan is not officially recognize as a former champion.

His final night with the promotion he competed in two matches.

NWA: National Wrestling Alliance
October 21, 1983 St. Louis, Missouri
defeated Crusher Blackwell

As Sterling Golden NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Champion

Hogan wrestled for numerous NWA promotions including Championship Wrestling from Florida and Georgia Championship wrestling, however this match in St. Louis was his last match on a NWA affiliate sanctioned show.

All images I found online using a google search.

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!

Reflections of a 40 year old Wrestling Fan.

Back on June 24th I turned 40 years old and honestly I'm having a hard time with it.  Over the years I have I've picked up and put down a lot of interests and hobbies, some of them I just lose interest in and others I feel like I'm "too old" for.  One thing that I have never given a single thought to stop watching is professional wrestling.

My love of wrestling has never waned, in fact my passion for professional wrestling has grown over the years.  My collection of wrestling memorabilia and collection habits has changed tremendously though.  Beginning with getting my first job and driver's license at age 16 and until the majority of my collection was destroyed in a basement flood I collected everything and anything wrestling that I could get my hands on.  Side note, you can read about the flood and how it lead to me getting a tour of Titan Towers here: My Tour of Titan Towers.

My buddy Jay and I had a weekend route that we would take hitting up a half dozen flea markets, KB Toys, yards sales, and other places looking for anything wrestling.  After the flood wrecked everything I became a bit depressed and really thought what do I need with all this stuff anyhow.  At the end of the day no one cares about it besides me and the reason it was in the basement to begin with is because when we moved into this house I didn't have a space of my own to display it.  Before have kids I had a wrestling room where I stored it all, now I didn't have that.

My collection is much more scaled down and I'm a lot more selective about what I spend my money on.  Especially when it comes to wrestling figures, they are so damn expensive now!  The two things that I collect the most are my ticket stubs from events that I have attended and my signed trading cards.  I also have a large collection of wrestling related books and DVD's, however, my I don't buy nearly as many DVD's as I used to.  I like to buy wrestling documentaries over full events.

My favorite time of wrestling to watch is the mid 1980's Jim Crockett Promotions / NWA at the height of the Horsemen.  There is just something about the style of wrestling that appeals to me the most.  My buddy Jay and I over the last 25 years frequently talked about how great it would have been to go to a Jim Crockett Promotions / NWA event or an AWA show.  Sadly we never made the journey to see the original ECW, a regret.  Hell it took us 24 years to go to finally go to Madison Square Garden.

I do feel fortunate though that I was able to attend two WCW shows in the late 1990's.  Nitro in Boston on June 9, 1997 and a WCW Saturday Night taping in Portland, Maine on May 19, 1998.  I've also attended two TNA shows first on June 24, 2007 at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom in New Hampshire and then on December 4, 2009 in Portland, Maine.  In the last three years I've attended four Ring of Honor shows, two Pay Per Views which I had front row for, and two house shows including their debut in Maine.  I also attended the NJPW & ROH G1 Supercard at Madison Square Garden.  I'm not sure how other people feel about it but I really like going to shows from different promotions.

On the WWE side of things I've been to a few dozen events including 6 PPV's, WrestleMania 14 & 24,  Backlash 2005, SummerSlam 2006, Survivor Series 2008, & Royal Rumble 2011.  Also a five hour WWF TV taping in 1995, and Monday Night Raw in 2005.  Also a WW-ECW house show when they first relaunched as their own brand.  I haven't been to a Smackdown TV taping by I'm not sure that matters. I'd like to go to an NXT show someday.

At this point in my wrestling fandom I still have a list of wrestling events, wrestlers, promotions, and venues that I want to go to and see.  Some of them are more realistic than others but here goes:

Go to a show in another country, to expand on this I also want to attend any Lucha Libre show in Mexico. I'm spending 4 nights outside Ottawa, Ontario, Canada this September and I'm hoping to check this one off

A lot of historic wrestling buildings like The Omni & The Sportatorium have been demolished.  Others like the Greensboro Coliseum and Cow Palace no longer run wrestling shows with regularity. Venues I'd like to see a show at include: ECW Arena, Maple Leaf Gardens (now Mattamy Athletic Centre) and the Hamburg Fieldhouse & Mid-Hudson Civic Center where WWF taped their television shows.  Pipe dream venues are the Tokyo Dome, Korakuen Hall, and Arena Mexico.

Promotions and events I want to go to include: an official NWA show, Chikara's King of Trios, any PWG show but Battle of Los Angeles specifically, Progress Wrestling, CZW Tournament of Death, and others.

The list of wrestlers I want to see wrestle live that I haven't is huge but there are some more than others including: The Rock n' Roll Express (this door is closing), British Strong Style, Toni Storm, Jimmy Havoc, The Von Erichs, Rickey Shane Page, Josh Alexander, Christi Jaynes, and so many more.

So far I have been to 240 wrestling events in 11 different states.  I once had considered trying to go to a show in every state but that would be very expensive, so now if it works out then it works out.  For those wondering its Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, & Florida.

I've seen a lot in wrestling over the years and I feel very fortunate for the shows I have been to and the places I have been.  As you can see there is so much more that I want to see and experience.

Talking to my friends our next big wrestling trip is going to the ECW Arena.  A couple times a year they have a wrestling convention during the day and a wrestling show in the evening. That is what we are looking at doing as it makes the trip there worth it.   

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!

AWA Team Challenge Series on the WWE Network

Recently I found an unaired pilot that the AWA filmed on the WWE Network.  This was centered around the Team Challenge Series and featured wrestling in a studio with no audience.  The wrestlers came to ringside with a very bad green screen showing fans cheering on while a audience noise track was played.  They would cut to canned footage of people who appear to be in a bar.  They might have been watching actual wrestling, but it was not these matches.  Even the camera angles with funky with the hard camera looking down at the ring at an angle and instead of center on the ring it was closer to a corner post.

The opening features bikini clad girls in a ring that keeps say "Yay, yay, yay, for the AWA" with clips of the flag, AWA logo, some mat action, a rock n roll band, and the Beverly Hills knockouts.

Vern Gagne greets us sitting on his dock looking like he's about to go fishing, while his dog sits on his lap.  We then cut to Ralph and Greg Gagne in the satellite base letting us know that this product is nothing like we've ever seen before.  We are going to feel the action, inside the ring.  They are also providing the commentary, which is done in post production.
 

Tommy Jammer coming to the ring

Tommy Jammer vs. Tom Burton

They circle, lock up, arm drag by Burton
They circle, hip toss by Burton
They circle, lock up, body slam by Burton - we get a slow motion replay
They circle, lock up, arm drag, hip toss, and body slam by Jammer in rapdi succession
Lock up, Burton backs Jammer into the ropes, misses a right hand Jammer with an arm drag then they cut to the "crowd" back to the action we see Burton backing Jammer into the corner, Irish whip is reversed Burton comes out of the corner and Jammer with a powerslam then a standing splash or surfer splash for the three count.  Time of the fall 1:46. We got 11 offensive moves in this match.  In the replay   

Promo with Baron von Raschke of the Blitzers and Sgt. Slaughter of the Snipers talking about how Raschke's team member Paul Diamond taking on Slaughters team member Col. DeBeers.

Promo from the Destruction Crew, Mike Enos & Wayne Bloom. 

The Destruction Crew with Luscious Johnny V vs. Jerry Lynn & Ricky Rice

I figured that this would be a squash match but for the first two minutes Mike Enos took a beating with no offense.  He rakes Rice's eyes and tags in Bloom who takes over where Enos left off getting in no offense as Lynn and Rice work the left arm and shoulder.  Finally the Crew took over on Lynn working the lower back until hitting him with the Doomsday Device for the three count at 4:39.
The Crew took a beating for the first three minutes of the match.

Post match Eric Bischoff conducts an in ring interview with Johnny V & The Destruction.

Promo from Sgt. Slaughter talking about the team challenge main event with Col. DeBeers taking on Paul Diamond in an over the top rope king of the hill match.  Cut to Col. DeBeers talking about his upcoming match. 

Ralph and Greg talk about how the teams are selected randomly which is why we have enemies on the same team.

Beverly Hills knock outs segment is next.  It's basically Foxy boxing, three 1 minute rounds and they have giant gloves.  The ring looks like a 10 foot ring with the everlast turnbuckle pads covering all three ropes.

After the second round the Blonde Bomber takes off her gloves and attacks her opponent with knees to the back, a flying snapmare, and a suplex.  Of course she isn't disqualified and is forced to put her gloves back on for the 3rd round.  Mid way in the round the Bomber attacks again with shoulder tackles and kicker her opponent when she is down.  This boxing match has better wrestling than the actual wrestling matches so far. We are getting a second 3rd round

Ralph and Greg talk about the Team Challenge series, three randomly selected teams where each win gets you points.  The winning team get $1,000,000!

Promo from "Hard Rock" Paul Diamond about his match with Col. DeBeers.

Team Challenge Series King of the Hill Match
"Hard Rock" Paul Diamond vs. Col. DeBeers

You can only win by throwing your opponent over the top rope to the cement floor.  Paul Diamond with a an impressive looking dropkick until the slow motion replay shows that he never came close to hitting DeBeers with it.  Otherwise it was actually a pretty good match.  Finish came when DeBeers set up Diamond for a piledriver and he was back body dropped over the top rope at 5:49.

Sgt. Slaughter vs. The Terminator

This match had a lot of lock ups into side headlocks with push off into the ropes to set up a spot usually a shoulder tackle.  Once Slaughter did a high cross body for a two count.  At the five minute mark Terminator finally got the upper hand by ramming Slaughter's head into the turnbuckle, but forty seconds later Slaughter was back in control.  Finish came at 6:26 when Slaughter got the submission with the cobra clutch.

Post Match: Eric Bischoff interviews Slaughter at ringside.

Ralph and Greg Gagne sign off promising an exciting a hour of wrestling next week.

All in all this was not a great hour of wrestling.  If this was the innovations that the AWA was hoping would bring fans to their product they were sadly mistaken.

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!

The Last Match: AWA World Champions

In this post we take a look at The Last Matches of former World Champions of the American Wrestling Association.

Verne Gagne

June 29, 1986 AWA Denver, Colorado
with Greg Gagne & "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka defeated Boris Zhukov, North The Barbarian, & Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie

Ten time AWA World Champion for a combined reign of 4,677 days

Gagne was a celebrated amateur wrestler including being an alternate for the 1948 US Olympic Wrestling team.  He turned pro in 1949 founding the AWA in 1960.  Gagne awarded current NWA Champion Pat O'Connor the AWA World Championship stating that if he didn't defend it against Gagne in 90 days he would be stripped of the title.  O'Connor didn't so the AWA awarded the championship to Gagne.

I recommend watching the WWE's documentary The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA for a detailed history of the Gagne and his promotion.  Gagne passed away April 27, 2015 at the age of 89.
 

Nick Bockwinkel

May 23, 1993 WCW Slamboree 1993, Atlanta, Georgia
wrestled Dory Funk Jr. to a 15 time limit draw

Four time AWA World Champion for a combined right of 2,990 days

To me Mr. Bockwinkel is the most sophisticated wrestler there has ever been.  His dress, his demeanor, his promo style, and even his in ring style displayed this in all footage I have ever seen of him.  Trained by Lou Thesz he debuted in 1955 and traveled around the country including feuding with Dory Funk Jr over the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.

In 1970 he joined the AWA teaming with Ray Stevens being managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.  He won his first AWA World Championship on November 8, 1975 holding it for 1,714 days and during this title run he wrestled WWF Champion: Bob Backlund to a double count out in a unification match on March 25, 1979 in Toronto.  Bockwinkel passed away on November 14, 2015 at the age of 80.

The Crusher

February 15, 1988 WWE, Omaha, Nebraska
with Ken Patera defeated Demolition: Ax & Smash by disqualification

Three time AWA World Champion for a combined reign of 122 days

The first blur collar wrestler and arguable to most famous wrestler from Milwaukee The Crusher began his career in 1949.  The Crusher started as a heel, but in the mid 1960's became a babyface for the remainder of his career achieving a level fandom few do.  He had a very unique and entertaining promo style.  If you're not familiar take the time to YouTube some of them.  The Crusher died October 22, 2005 from a brain tumor at the age of 79.

Dick The Bruiser

February 4, 1988 AWA, Minneapolis, Minnesota
defeated Sheik Adnan Al-Kassie by disqualification

AWA World Champion November 12 - 19, 1966.

The Bruiser wrestled for thirty years starting in the mid 1950's primarily known for his tag team with The Crusher the duo are 12 time tag team champions.  The Bruiser also ran his own Indianapolis based  World Wrestling Association promotion from March 1964 until his death November 10, 1991 at the age of 62.

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!

The Last Match: Legends of the AWA

In this post we take a look at the Legends of the American Wrestling Association.  These men may have wrestled elsewhere in their career, but when I think of them in my mind the AWA was there home.

Greg Gagne

May 4, 1991 AWA, Bloomington, Minnesota
with Wahoo McDaniel defeated The Destruction Crew: Mike Enos & Wayne Bloom

Gagne debuted in 1972 for the AWA the promotion that he primarily competed until his retirement in 1991.  He is a two time AWA International Television Champion and two time Tag Team Champion with Jim Brunzell as the High Flyers.

Larry "The Ax" Hennig

January 30, 1986 AWA, Peoria, Illinois
with Scott Hall defeated Sheik Adnan Al-Kassie & The Mongolian Stomper

The Ax debuted in 1963 for the AWA after being trained by Verne Gagne.  He traveled around the territories and had a successful tag team with Harley Race in the mid to late 60's.  In 1982 he held the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championships with his son Curt for 6 days from April 27 - May 1st.

Baron Von Raschke

February 10, 1996 Superstars of Wrestling  Princeton, West Virginia
defeated David Lynch

Raschke debuted in 1966 after being trained by Verne Gagne & Mad Dog Vachon.  He held numerous championships around the territories.  His dreaded claw hold was censored on WWWF television for the blood it drew.  He headlined Madison Square Garden on March 28 and April 25, 1977 being defeated by champion Bruno Sammartino in both bouts.  A documentary on Raschke called The Claw is currently in post production, I'm looking forward to checking it out.

"Pretty Boy" Doug Somers

October 30, 2011 Rampage Pro Wrestling/ NWA Warner Robins, Georgia
defeated by Frankie Valentine in a First Blood match

I don't know a lot about Doug Somers but this is what I have been able to find.  He started wrestling sometime between 1971 - 1973 in Florida.  He wrestled for the Crockett's, Portland Wrestling, and the AWA.  In 1986 he began teaming with "Playboy" Buddy Rose in the AWA where they would go on to win the Tag Team Championships.  They would feud with the Midnight Rockers: Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels in Somers most famous march the bloody Las Vegas Showboat casino.

In 1989 he toured All Japan wrestling, WCW in late 1991, and the WWE in 1992.  He returned to wrestling after a 16 year absence in 2008 for a match and then more steady in 2010 & 2011.  I always enjoyed watching Somers in the ring he was extremely underrated and it would be nice to have learned more about his career.  Sadly Somers died earlier this year on May 16, 2017 at the age of 65.

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!

They Wrestled in the WWE?

In this post I take a look at a few guys that you may not have known ever wrestled in the WWE.  Everyone one of these men I associated with wrestling in World Class, the NWA, Japan, AWA or anyplace but the WWE;

Jumbo Tsuruta
April 1, 1974 Madison Square Garden defeated Johnny Rodz

Tsuruta was recruited into wrestling by Shohei "Giant" Baba and sent to Texas to train with Dory Funk Jr.  He is the man who unified the NWA International Heavyweight, NWA United National, & the PWF  World Heavyweight Championships into the All Japan Pro Wrestling Triple Crown Championship on April 18, 1989.  He is also a former AWA World Heavyweight Champion and held numerous other championships.

However, I never knew that Jumbo had a match in the WWE.  His one and only appearance was on April 1, 1974 at the fabled Madison Square Garden where he defeated Johnny Rodz.  This match was part of a short 4 match tour he made in the States also wrestling in NWA St. Louis and Championship Wrestling from Florida.

Gino Hernandez
February 8, 1977 Philadelphia, PA defeated Sylvano Sousa at Championship Wrestling TV Taping
February 9, 1977 Hamburg, PA drew Johnny Rodz at All Star Wrestling TV Taping
March 7, 1977 Madison Square Garden defeated Johnny Rodz

When I hear the name Gino Hernandez the only place I think about it Texas.  Hernandez debuted in 1973 after training with Jose Lothario for Joe Blanchard's Southwest Championship Wrestling.  In Southwest he feuded with Lothario before forming a top heel tag team with Tully Blanchard; The Dynamic Duo.  In World Class Championship Wrestling he feuded with the Von Erichs teaming with "Gentlemen" Chris Adams losing a famed hair vs. hair match at the Cotton Bowl on October 6, 1985.  He turned on Adams in December blinding him with the Freebirds hair cream.

Sadly Hernandez died on February 2, 1986 from a cocaine overdose he was only 28 years old.

David & Kevin Von Erich
November 19, 1979 Madison Square Garden David defeated Davey O'Hannon 8:47
January 21, 1980 Madison Square Garden Kevin pinned Johnny Rodz with a Thesz press

The world famous Von Erich family are a Texas Wrestling institution.  There has been so much written about the Von Erich's that I don't need to rehash it here.  I knew about Kerry's run in the WWE from 1990 - 1992 but I wasn't aware of any other time on of them wrestled in the WWE.

You Tube: Kevin Von Erich vs. Johnny Rodz

However, in a five month period brother's David, Kevin, & Kerry all did.  For David and Kevin not only was it their only appearances in the WWE but it was at Madison Square Garden which is significant.  Incidentally Kerry defeated Jose Estrada on March 24, 1980 also at MSG.

"Wildfire" Tommy Rich
January 28, 1980 Scranton, PA wrestled WWF World Champion: Bob Backlund to a 60 minute time limit draw
February 18, 1980 Madison Square Garden defeated Johnny Rodz 7:41

Tommy Rich debuted in 1974 and is most likely best known for four day reign as the NWA World Heavyweight Champion defeating Harley Race on April 27, 1981 in Augusta, GA and losing it May 1, 1981 in Gainesville.

Prior to that though Rich made two appearances in the WWE where he wrestled then champion Bob Backlund and later making his only appearance at Madison Square Garden.  Otherwise Rich spent the majority of his career in the Southern Promotions and a couple years in ECW as the Big Don.

Greg Gagne
January 17, 1977 Madison Square Garden defeated Johnny Rodz
April 21, 1980 Madison Square Garden pinned Jose Estrada after two dropkicks
August 9, 1980 Shea Stadium pinned Rick McGraw

The son of promoter Verne Gagne his name is synonymous with the AWA.  I knew he had worked for both WCW and the WWE in producer or agents roles after his in ring career ended however I can't recall ever hearing about him wrestling anyplace other than the AWA.

YouTube: Greg Gagne vs. Jose Estrada

The pattern that stands out for all of these competitors is that each of these competitors wrestled at Madison Square Garden which has long been considered the mecca of wrestling venues in the United States.  The only other connection is other than David Von Erich, they all wrestled "The Unpredictable" Johnny Rodz.

"The Unpredictable" Johnny Rodz

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Re-Post: Book Review Positively Page: The Diamond Dallas Page Journey

Re-Posted from my original blog as I am removing all wrestling references off of it making it a family blog.

By: “Diamond” Dallas Page with Larry Genta

Page Count:      443

Publisher:          Positive Publishing

Release Date:   February 1, 2000

ISBN:              0967992206

This book is written in three narratives; Diamond Dallas Page, the co-author Larry Genta, and numerous family and friends sharing their comments and thoughts on Page.

It starts out with Pages life growing up, getting into the night club business, transitioning into a manager with the AWA, to a manger in WCW, and finally to a wrestler in WCW.

Through-out the book it is mentioned several time by both Page and other how great of a self promoter he is.  And that is exactly what this book is, 443 pages of Page and others telling us how great Page is. 

If you are a wrestling fan and are reading the book for the purposes of learning some stories of behind the scenes of his time in the AWA or WCW, this is not the book for your.  Although he tells a few in depth stories, he mostly glosses over everything involving wrestling storylines or backstage gossip.  He does go into great detail about training at the WCW Power Plant and being on the tonight show and back stories of non-wrestling related ventures. 

For the most part though, it’s Page putting himself over.  The book was even self-published to avoid editors and so he could maintain control of the content.  Which is evident when he would tell a story, then someone else would tell the same story using different words and then he would re-cap the story again!  You just spent four pages reading the same story 3 times in 3 different ways. 

I had started reading this back when I first bought it in 2000 and couldn’t get through it because it was so boring.  I recently decided to give it another chance and had to force myself to finish reading it. 

If I could make a couple bucks off it I would sell it, but Amazon has it used for 36 cents, so I am probably better off throwing it away. 

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Re-Post: DVD Review WWE Top 50 Superstars of All Time

Re-Posted from my original blog as I am removing all wrestling references off of it making it a family blog.

Hosted by Todd Grisham, WWE’s 50 Greatest Superstars is an excellent countdown documentary of the 50 greatest stars as decided by the current superstars in the WWE.

Each wrestler featured is highlighted in a 2.5 – 3 minute bio-clip featuring highlights of great moments as well as comments both old and newly recorded by fellow superstars.  The bio-clips for the top 5 were a couple minutes longer.  Most of the bio-clips are extremely emotional and can make you laugh, smile, and at times cry. 

One of my favorite bio-clips is of Bruno Sammartino for the comments from Vince J McMahon and the old comments from Bruno himself.  I would truly love WWE to put out some documentaries on the 60’s & 70’s with the old footage.

William Regal, Arn Anderson (both should have their own DVD’s), and Matt Striker provide some of the best comments on almost every superstar.  Other’s that comment frequently are the Miz, JJ Dillon, John Cena, Jerry Lawler & Billy Kidman.  There are many, many more that comment as well.  

As far as placement on the list, I don’t agree with Rey Mysterio being in the top 10, and am appalled that Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard were left off the list.

Number 1 on the list is Shawn Michaels, and he deserves it, Chris Jericho sums it up best with, “He steals the show at every event that he is on, because he’s Shawn Michaels and that’s what he does.”

The Extra’s on this 3 DVD set are amazing as they cover a broad spectrum of time including:

NWA World Championship: Lou Thesz vs. Argentina Rocca

Buffalo, NY

Women’s Champion: The Fabulous Moolah vs. Susan Green

Madison Square Garden – June 16, 1975

Boxing Match: Gorilla Monsoon vs. Andre The Giant

Puerto Rico – September 23, 1977

AWA Heavyweight Championship Match: Jerry “The King” Lawler vs. Curt Hennig

August 13, 1988

WWE Championship: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair vs. Bret “Hit Man” Hart

Saskatoon, Canada – October 12, 1992

Undertaker, Ken, Matt & Jeff Hardy vs. “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Triple H, Edge & Chritian             RAW – April 23, 2001

Eddie Guerrero vs. Big Show

Smackdown! – April 15, 2004

World Heavyweight Championship: Edge vs. The Undertatker

WrestleMania XXIV – March 30, 2008

Plus many, many more matches, 21 in all. 

Definitely a great DVD to add to the collection!

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AWA SuperClash III

I recently was looking through the vault section of WWE Network in the AWA and found four of their supershows, including the only AWA PPV just listed in the TV section.  The shows are this one here, Super Sunday, WrestleRock 86 and Superclash II.

SuperClash III

December 3, 1988

Chicago, IL

UIC Pavilion

Commentators: Lee Marshall & Verne Gagne

Interviewer: Larry Nelson

Ring Announcer: Gary Michael Capetta

Duration: 2 hours 34 minutes

Attendance 1,672

Cactus Jack & The Rock n' Roll RPM's vs. The Guerrero Brothers: Mando, Chavo, & Hector

Guerrero's get the win after a moonsault press from Mando onto one of the RMP's.  Ok match basically a squash. - Ray Stevens on Color Commentary

WCCW Light Heavyweight Championship: Jeff Jarrett vs. Eric Embry 

Embry was a solid hand in the ring, but there is no way in hell he was a Light Heavyweight.  Very short match only 4 minutes really no time to get it going, Embry gets the win on a roll up to capture the title for the fourth time.

Incidentally, Cactus Jack would go on to defeat Embry for the title on 12/30/1988 for a five day reign if that tells you how much they watched the scale in this division. 

"Boogie Woogie Man" Jimmy Valiant vs. Wayne Bloom

Valiant wins in 24 seconds with a back elbow and an elbow drop. 

WCCW Texas Champions: Iceman King Parsons vs. Brickhouse Brown 
Another short match, nothing to write home about.  Parson's wins after hitting Brickhouse Brown with a foreign object.

Women's Champion: Wendi Richter & The Top Guns: Derrick Dukes & Ricky Rice defeated MAdusa Miceli & Tag Team Champions: Bad Company: Paul Diamond & Pat Tanaka w/ Diamond Dallas Page 
This was a ridiculous cluster of a match!  First off another short less than 6 minute match where they tried to get too much in.  This would have been better off with Madusa and Richter having a singles match.  Richter got the pin on Madusa after Tanaka accidentally superkicked Madusa.
After the match Top Guns were announced as the new tag team champions, but as Madusa was pinned the titles officially never changed hands.

Greg Gagne vs. "Rugged" Ronnie Garvin for the vacant International Television Championship
Garvin had defeated Gagne for the Championship in September and at some point the title was held up after a controversial match.  Another match under 6 minutes, not a bad match but it should have been given more time.  The finish was abysmal as Gagne defeated Garvin by count-out to claim the vacant title.  

P.O.W.W. Lingerie Street Fight Battle Royal

The Syrian Terrorist defeated Bambi, Peggy Lee Leather, Laurie Lynn, Brandi Mae, Malibu, Nina, Pocohantas & Luna Vachon last eliminating Brandi Mae.
Two ways to be eliminated, either having your clothes stripped down to your lingerie or being thrown over the top rope to the floor. This was garbage! 

Boot Camp Match: Sgt Slaughter vs. Colonel DeBeers w/ Diamond Dallas Page
This was a no rules, no referee in the ring come as you are.  Slaughter wore his combat helmet into the ring.  In the opening moments it sat edge up in the ring, DeBeers accidentally took a bump on it, looked very uncomfortable and it appears to slightly lacerate his back.  The action spilled to the floor and Slaughter went for a pin attempt, so I guess it's falls count anywhere.
In less than six minutes Slaughter won with the cobra clutch, of course the referee had to enter the ring to call the match.  Adnan Al Kaissie and The Iron Sheik attacked Slaughter after the match.  Ironic because in just over two years these three would be programmed together in the WWF.

WCCW Tag Team Champions: The Samoan Swat Team: Samu & Fatu w/ Buddy Roberts vs. Michael P.S. Hayes & Steve Cox
Decent match, almost 8 minutes!!! Hayes had a member of the SST pinned after a DDT when Buddy Roberts clocked him when the referee wasn't looking allowing the SST to retain.

Indian Strap Match: Wahoo McDaniel vs. Manny Fernandez
This was a great match, as expected between these two.  They really beat the tar out of each other, and bloodied each other well before Wahoo hit all four corners taking home the victory.

AWA World Champion: Jerry "The King" Lawler vs. WCCW World Champion: Kerry Von Erich
This is the famous match where Kerry was playing around with the blade in the locker room and cut himself on the arm before the start of the match. At the start of the match they had Lawler slam his arm on the "ring post" to explain the blood.

This match was ok, and being the only match to go longer than 9 minutes, it lasted 18, it probably shouldn't have.  Kerry was busted open and the finish came when Kerry had Lawler down in the Iron Claw and the referee stopped the match due to cuts.

The Rock 'n Roll Express: Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson vs. The Stud Stable: Robert Fuller & Jimmy Golden
So this is the last match on the card, it's a decent match until the finish where the match was thrown out for no real reason fora  double disqualification.  Great way to end the card AWA.

There are twelve matches on this card with only one breaking the nine minute mark and that was the Championship unification match.  In my opinion none of the other matches even had a chance to really get going as they were over just as the guys got warmed up. 

Of all the AWA super shows on the network this is the worst and sad that this is also AWA's only PPV and this is what they deliver.  It's no wonder they only drew 1600 fans to a 9500 seat venue.

The AWA would have Superclash IV April 8, 1990, by then they had fallen so far that they didn't even have television cameras at the show.  The AWA would officially close it's doors just over a year later.

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AWA SuperClash II

I recently was looking through the vault section of WWE Network in the AWA and found four of their supershows, including the only AWA PPV just listed in the TV section.  The shows are this one here, Super Sunday, WrestleRock 86 and Superclash III.

SuperClash II

May 2, 1987

San Francisco, California

The Cow Palace

Commentator: Rod Trongard

Duration: 2 hours 28 minutes

"Rock N' Roll" Buck Zumhofe vs. Sheik Adnan Al-Kaissie 
This match was horribly long!  First all the walk and talk of Al-Kaissie at the beginning of the match, then the super slow cadence of it made it practically unbearable.  Al-Kaissie got the pin with his feet on the ropes similar to how Billy Graham pinned Bruno.

Super Ninja w/ Mr. Go vs. DJ Peterson
Super Ninja's arm gauntlets cover the back of his hands and I'm pretty sure they are supposed to be chinese stars, but they are swastika's.

This match was not as terrible as the first, but pretty darn close.  15 minute time limit draw.

Women's Champion: "Sensational" Sherri Martel vs. Madusa Micelli  
1 Fall 1 hour time limit
Doug Somers accompanied Martel to ringside. Great match!  Very hard hitting, I mean these girls really put it to each other.  Madusa busted out a picture perfect airplane spin!  Martel got the win with a roll up pulling the tights.

World Heavyweight Champion: Nick Bockwinkel vs Curt Hennig 
1 Fall 1 hour time limit
Fantastic match that went 23 minutes.  Bockwinkel worked the left arm for the majority of the contest out wrestling Hennig frustrating him.  As the match built towards a finish Curt attempted several pin falls but couldn't put the champion away further frustrating him.  Then it appears Larry Zybyszko who was sitting at ringside handed Hennig a roll of quarters clocking the champion and getting the three count.

After the match Hennig gave Zybyszko the roll back, but Ray Stevens at ringside exposed the foreign object.  A meeting in the ring with the referee, Stanley Blackburn, and Stevens leading to Blackburn declaring the title to be held up until the championship committee can review the tape.
Hennig was the babyface in the match, and the fans were excited that he won the championship.
Much like at Super Sunday the crowd chanting bullshit after the reverse decision.  Eventually though the decision was upheld and Hennig was declared champion.

Six Man Tag 
The Midnight Rockers: Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty, and Ray "The Crippler" Stevens vs. "Playboy" Doug Somers, Kevin Kelly, & Buddy Wolfe, w/ Sherri Martel
Jannetty took a beating for a long, long time, playing what I dub the Ricky Morton roll of the tag match.  He would fire up and the crowd with rise up with him, until the heal would bring him back down.  When he finally made the hot tag, after at least 15 minutes of punishment, the crowd figuratively exploded!  It was the hottest of hot tags!
The finish came when a minute after Jannetty finally tagged out, the match broke down and Stevens rolled up Somers in a small package for the pin.  Stevens was not the legal man in the ring.

Jerry Blackwell w/ Buck Zumhofe vs. Boris Zhukov w/ Adnan Al-Kaissie
This was nothing more than a steaming pile of garbage.  Blackwell won.

Russ Francis in green jacket

Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka & Russ Francis vs. The Terrorist & The Mercenary 
Russ Francis played in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers and he spent a lot of time on the outside of the ring in this match.  Once Snuka finally made the tag Francis showed us he could handle himself in the ring getting the win with a splash off the top rope on the Terrorist.  The crowd was jacked and could see many of them literally jumping up and down.

After the show was over they had a series of interviews in the empty arena with the majority of the wrestlers that were on the show.

Notes:

Ray Stevens joined Trongard on commentary for the The Women's and World Heavyweight championship matches.

This would be the fourth and final reign for Bockwinkel as champion who held the AWA World Championship an impressive 2,990 days in total.

Kevin Kelly would go onto the WWE to be Nailz.

The Terrorist is Brian Knobbs and The Mercenary Ron Fuller

Russ Francis is the son of wrestling promoter Ed Francis.  He competed in the WrestleMania 2 battle royal and was one of the final four competitors.  He wrestled in the late 70's while playing in the NFL.

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