Showing posts with label Chris Jericho. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chris Jericho. Show all posts

Friday, September 8, 2023

Who are the only 3 wrestlers to compete at Madison Square Garden, Wembley, Arena Mexico & The Tokyo Dome

There are only 3 wrestlers to have ever competed at Madison Square Garden, Wembley, Arena Mexico, and the Tokyo Dome.  I think everyone can guess who one of the is, but I think the other two will surprise you.
  
There have only ever been two shows at Wembley, and except for one show in 2019 only wrestlers in the WWE have competed at Madison Square Garden.  Arena Mexico is owned by CMLL and no other wrestling company has held a show at this venue.  The Tokyo Dome has hosted numerous wrestling shows from various promotions since it opened in 1988 with annual January 4th NJPW wrestling show held every year since 1992.  


 Chris Jericho

The one that I feel everyone will guess would be Jericho.  He just competed at AEW's All In London at Wembley, spent years in the WWE and had recent big matches with New Japan at Wrestle Kingdom plus his exploits in Mexico well documented in his book.  His CMLL trading card is his official Rookie card, and is a highly sought after collectible. 

Arena Mexico 
April 23, 1993, CMLL 
Ciclon Ramirez, Corazon de Leon, & Lazer Tron defeated Felino, Javier Cruz, & Titan

In this match Lazer Tron was portrayed by Hector Guerrero, the same gimmick he was using in Jim Crockett Promotions and other NWA territories.  This was also Jericho's debut match in Mexico.  

Tokyo Dome
January 4, 1997, NJPW Wrestling World in Tokyo Dome 1997
Super Liger defeats Koji Kanemoto

The infamous Super Liger match where the costume was too small and the mask didn't quite fit and the match was very bad, ending the gimmick after just one appearance.  This was not Jericho's Japan debut but it was his NJPW debut.  He did a few tours of New Japan in 1997, one show in 1998 and didn't return to the promotion until after his WWE run in 2018.  

Madison Square Garden
October 30, 1999, WWE House Show
The Rock defeated Chris Jericho

This was Jericho's 25th match with the WWE.  An interesting note, while researching this I discovered that Jericho's first every wrestling match in the WWE was a house show August 21, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada where he defeated the Big Boss Man in a Nightstick match.  

Wembley
August 27, 2023, AEW All In London 2023
Will Osprey with Don Callis pinned Chris Jericho with Sammy Guevara

Not much to say about this one, it was a hell of a match and I would put this on the level of Rock vs. Hogan as far as it being a generational encounter. 


Juice Robinson

What's interesting to note about Juice is that 3 of his 4 appearances have a connection to New Japan Pro Wrestling.  After touring the independents Juice signed with WWE in 2011 where he spent the next few years in the developmental never going to the main roster.  He entered New Japan in 2015 staying with them until signing with AEW in late 2022.

Arena Mexico
August 18, 2017 CMLL Super Viernes
Juice Robinson, Marco Corleone, & Matt Taven defeated Diamante Azul, Valiente, & Volador Jr.

Juice toured CMLL as part of their relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling.  This was his debut match in Mexico and CMLL, Marco Corleone competed in WCW and WWE as Mark Jindrak.  

Tokyo Dome
January 4, 2017 NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome
Cody Rhodes pinned Juice Robinson

Juice has joined NJPW as a Young Lion by his own choice in 2015 and worked his way up the ranks to have this huge singles match with Cody in the Dome.  This was Cody's New Japan debut.  

Madison Square Garden
April 6, 2019 ROH/NJPW G1 Supercard
New York Street Fight: Flip Gordon & Lifeblood: Juice Robinson & Mark Haskins defeated Bully Ray, Shane Taylor, & Silas Young 

This is the only non WWE show to take place at Madison Square Garden since November 14, 1960.  I attended this sold out history making event!  This match doesn't stand out or resonate with me from this evening.  I'll have to go back and watch it. 

Wembley
August 27, 2023, AEW All In London 2023
Bullet Club Gold: Jay White, Juice Robinson, & Konosuke Takeshita with Don Callis and The Gunns defeated The Golden Elite: Kenny Omega, Adam Page, & Kota Ibushi

This was an outstanding match, since the debut of AEW Collision on June 17th Juice has been on quite the tear in AEW looking the best he ever has.  He and Jay White have formed an outstanding tag team as well.



John Tenta

For me this is the name that shocked me the most on this list, Earthquake.  He got his start in Sumo wrestling and debuted in pro wrestling with All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1987 wrestling in the promotion for two years.  He made his WWF debut in 1989 as a plant in the crowd for a segment where Dino Bravo and The Ultimate Warrior did push ups with Tenta sitting on their backs, he attacked Warrior.  Tenta would retire from wrestling in 2003 with his final matches being where he started, for All Japan Pro Wrestling.

Arena Mexico
December 3, 1993, CMLL Super Viernes
John Tenta, Dr. Wagner Jr., & Pierroth Jr. defeated Corazon de Leon, El Rayo de Jalisco Jr. & Haku

Tenta left the WWF In January 1993 and would wrestle in the WAR promotion in Japan until he returned to the WWF in January 1994.  This match would be his only wrestling match in Mexico.

Tokyo Dome
March 30, 1991, SWS Wrestlefest in Tokyo Dome
John Tenta defeated Koji Kitao

This was a joint show with Tenryu's SWA: Super World of Sport & the WWF.  He wrestled as John Tenta and not Earthquake wrestled for years in Japan with All Japan before going to WWF.  Two days later on April 1st in Kobe they had their infamous shoot incident where Tenta would win by DQ.  I had always heard about that match, I didn't realize they worked a match two days before with no issue. 

Madison Square Garden
February 19, 1990, WWF on MSG Network
Earthquake pinned Ronnie Garvin

Nothing special about this match, he had been with the promotion for 5 months at this point and I'm more surprised he hadn't compete sooner at MSG.

Wembley
August 29, 1992, WWF Summerslam 1992
WWF Tag Team Champions: The Natural Disasters: Earthquake & Typhoon defeated The Beverly Brothers: Beau & Blake Beverly

This show is more significant than this match.  It was the first WWE PPV held outside North America, but didn't air until 2 days after it was recorded.  This was just a mid card match that was adequate.  What everyone remembers is the Legion of Dooms entrance and the main event of Bret Hart vs Davey Boy Smith.  

I bet you even forgot that Randy Savage defended the WWF Championship against the Ultimate Warrior on this card...they wrestled 28 minutes! This was their first match against each other since Warrior "ended" Savages Career at Wrestlemania VII in 1991.  


I hope you found these random facts as interesting as I did, let me know!

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

Until next time! 

Sunday, August 27, 2017

The Final Ride of Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat


Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.  A perennial babyface in all the documentaries and interviews I have watched or books I have read I have never heard anyone say anything bad about Steamboat in anyway.  In fact everyone praises how much they enjoyed wrestling Steamboat and how good he was in the ring.


On August 24, 1994 at Clash of the Champions XXVIII  in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Steamboat defeated "Stunning" Steve Austin to win the United States Championship.  During the match Steamboat injured his back, he managed to wrestle at house shows the next four days defeating Austin at each one.  Unfortunately the injury was too severe and signaled the end of Steamboats in ring career.  Or did it?

In the years that followed Steamboat would show up in wrestling in different rolls for TNA, Ring of Honor, and various independents, but he never stepped in the ring.  In 2005 he returned to the WWE as a road agent.  He made it known that he would like to come out of retirement in 2006 at WrestleMania to have a match with Ric Flair, I really wish that, that would have happened.

Even though he didn't wrestle Flair he did step back into the ring for the first time in almost 15 years, at WrestleMania XXVI teaming with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper & Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka losing to Chris Jericho in a three one on handi-capped match.


Steamboat looked amazing!  He literally looked like he never lost a step sinking in those deep arm drags, skinning the cat, coming off the top rope, launching himself over the top rope to the floor!  Amazing!

The next night on Monday Night Raw, April 6, 2009 in Houston, Texas Steamboat teamed with CM Punk, Jeff Hardy, Johcn Cena, & Rey Mysterio to defeat Jericho, Edge, Kane, Matt Hardy & The Big Show.


On April 26, 2009 at the Backlash pay-per-view in Providence, Rhode Island, Steamboat stepped in the ring with Chris Jericho losing in twelve and a half minutes.  Once again Steamboat looked phenomenal in the ring.

In June Steamboat started working select house shows wrestling Sheamus, Drew McIntyre, and Chris Jericho.  He won all but his match with Jericho in Japan on July 8, 2009.  In August he teamed with his son Richie defeated Hiram Tua and Orlando Colon at WWC Summer Madness in Puerto Rico.
 
Richie Steamboat
Steamboat would next compete in the ring on June 18, 2010 once again teaming with Richie at FCW's Father Day Salute in Ft. Myers defeating The Dudebusters.  This is Steamboat's last match to date, and as it's been seven years it's safe to say it was his last.

The Dudebusters: Trent Barreta & Caylen Croft
No one in wrestling has ever returned to the ring after a 15 year layoff looking as good as Steamboat did.  It would have been nice to have seen one of those matches in person or at least released on home video.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you at it check out my weekly podcast Podcast of 1,000 Holds on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!

The Matches

April 5, 2009 WrestleMania XXVI Houston, Texas
with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper & Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka was defeated by Chris Jericho

April 6, 2009 RAW Houston, Texas
with CM Punk, Jeff Hardy, John Cena, & Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Chris Jericho, Edge, Kane, Matt Hardy & The Big Show

April 26, 2009 Backlash Providence, Rhode Island
defeated by Chris Jericho

June 6, 2009 WWE House Show Pensacola, Florida
defeated Sheamus

June 13, 2009 WWE House Show Binghamton, New York
defeated Drew McIntyre

June 14, 2009 WWE House Show Hersey, Pennsylvania
defeated Drew McIntyre

July 3, 2009 WWE House Show San Diego, California
defeated Drew McIntyre

July 8, 2009 WWE House Show Tokyo, Japan
was defeated by Chris Jericho

August 1, 2009 WWE House Show Cape Cod, Massachusetts
defeated Drew McIntyre

August 2, 2009 WWE House Show Hyannis, Massachusetts
defeated Drew McIntyre

August 15, 2009 World Wrestling Council, Bayamon, Puerto Rico
with Richie Steamboat defeated Hiram Tua & Orlando Colon

June 18, 2010 Florida Championship Wrestling, Ft. Myers, Florida
with Richie Steamboat defeated The Dudebusters: Caylen Croft &  Trent Barreta

Monday, February 22, 2016

WWE Fastlane Feedback

You see what I did there.....


Greetings and thanks for stopping by the Wrestling Insomniac for my thoughts on this WWE Pay Per View.  Did we still call them Pay Per View's?  Should we start calling them Supershows or Mega Events?

Pre-Show 

2 out of 3 Falls United States Championship
Champion Kalisto defeated Alberto Del Rio 2 falls to 1
Good match, Del Rio is really good and Kalisto was able to show himself off more in this match than he had previously.  Del Rio was disqualified after attacking Kalisto with a chair to lose the first fall.  He quickly got the pin for the second fall after a second rope double foot stomp.  The third fall and win went to Kalisto with a school boy.

Fastlane

Sasha Banks & Becky Lynch defeated Naomi & Tamina
Banks submitted Tamina with the Bank statement.  I wasn't expecting much from this match but it was really good.  All 4 woman fought hard putting on a great match.


Intercontinental Champion: Kevin Owens defeated Dolph Ziggler
Such a great match, seriously a toss up between this and AJ vs. Jericho for match of the night.  Owens had just won the Championship Monday night in a 5 way match.  I am such a huge fan of Kevin Owens, probably my favorite wrestler in the WWE right now.  He is so good in the ring and I love his trash talking during the match, telling Dolph "Your hometown likes me better than you" and his hatred of Michael Cole.  I hope we see the package piledriver again!

Big Show, Kane & Ryback defeated the Wyatt Family
Ryback pinned Luke Harper with a botched version of his finish that appeared to injure Harper's shoulder.  The ending of this was pretty good, but it was an ok match.

Diva's Champion: Charlotte w/ Ric Flair defeated Brie Bella
Charlotte submitted her with the figure 8.  I really hated that Brie is using Bryan's gimmicks with the YES chant, kicks, YES lock and everything else she stole from her husband to get herself over.  Charlotte looked good in the ring, not surprising.


AJ Styles submitted Chris Jericho
A truly fantastic match indeed!  Their third and by far their best match.  I hated that Jericho kicked out of the Styles Clash, but they seem to be phasing that move out for the Calf Crusher.  Styles showed in this match why he deserves to debut in the WWE bypassing NXT and getting an immediate push.  Styles and Okada share the honor of the best dropkick in wrestling.
Jericho once again botched AJ's springboard backflip into a reverse DDT spot.

Cutting Edge/Peep Show segment with Edge & Christian and guest New Day
A waste of time, I didn't find it overly funny and all it did was build towards a New Day vs. League of Nations feud.

Curtis Axel w/ Social Outcasts defeated R-Truth
and unadvertised match that could have stayed off the card.  Goldust came out to help Truth but inadvertently caused Truth the match.

Roman Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar and Dean Ambrose
Reigns pinned Ambrose to win the match and to face Triple H at WrestleMania for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.  This match was really good, and the finishing sequence was great.  It was obvious Reigns was going to win.  Storyline wise it makes sense for Reigns and Triple H to wrestle at WrestleMania I just don't think the WWE Championship needed to be involved.

The biggest pops of the night were for AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, Lesnar, & Ambrose.  The Crowd was hot all night so that makes it better.

Going forward I think we will definitely see Ambrose vs, Lesnar at Mania and I'd like to see AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens.



After the PPV WWE announced the NXT Signing of Shinsuke Nakamura.  I cannot wait to see him on the main roster, I think we have the first Japanese guy that is going to be a main eventer in WWE and possible win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Finally, Mauro Ronallo called the pre-show match with JBL and Byron Saxton, seriously he is so much better than Michael Cole that I like watching Smackdown more just to hear Mauro call the action.



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Later readers!