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.

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! 

The Natural Disasters: Tag Team Champions?

During a recent episode of my wrestling podcast Podcast of 1,000 Holds it was brought up about the Natural Disasters: Earthquake & Typhoon being Tag Team Champions and I refuted it because I honestly had no memory of them wearing the gold.

Contributor of this blog Roy of Roy's Reviews brought it to my attention that they did in fact hold the titles.  So I did a quick search and sure enough in 1992 they held the titles for 85 days.  Because of my error in knowledge I'm dedicating a blog post to the former Tag Team Champions.

Earthquake, John Tenta, joined the WWF in 1989 initially as the Canadian Earthquake before dropping the geographical location from his name. In 1990 he began a feud with Hulk Hogan culminating at SummerSlam 1990 where Hogan won by count-out.

Typhoon, Fred Ottman, also joined the WWF in the summer of 1989 working house shows until he TV debut in 1990 as Tugboat.  He would eventually team with Hogan in tag matches against Earthquake and Dino Bravo.

Tugboat turned heel in June 1991 deserting The Bushwhackers in a six man tag team match against The Nasty Boys and Earthquake.  Shortly thereafter he would change his name to Typhoon and join forces with Earthquake as The Natural Disasters.

Their first big match was at SummerSlam 1991 where they defeated The Bushwhackers who had Andre the Giant in their corner.  Post match they advanced on Andre but where stopped by the Legion of Doom.  They began a feud with Hawk & Animal that lead to a Championship match at Royal Rumble 1992 that the Natural Disasters won by count out.

Money Inc: Ted DiBiase & IRS w/ Jimmy Hart

This victory lead to their eventual face turn as their manger "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart used their guaranteed for his other team of Money Inc: "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase & IRS who defeated the Legion of Doom for the Tag Team Championships February 7, 1992 at a house show in Denver, Colorado.

The Natural Disasters defeated Money Inc by count out at WrestleMania VIII and won many matches by DQ on the house show loop.  Finally on July 20, 1992 in Worcester, Massachusetts in Superstars TV taping dark match they defeated Money Inc for the tag team championships.

Over the next 85 days they defended the titles at house shows against Money Inc then later The Beverly Brothers: Beau & Blake, while squashing jobbers on TV.

The only pay-per-view match as champions was at SummerSlam 1992 at Wembley Stadium in London, England against The Beverly Brothers.  This is also the only match on the WWE Network with them as champs.  I recently re-watched this match and it was terrible, just awful.  However, the fans were popping huge for them.  I truly cannot believe it or understand why.  I guess wrestling was simpler then, cheered for the good guys and booed the bad guys,

The Beverly Brothers: Beau & Blake

On October 13, 1992 in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada Money Inc defeated The Natural Disasters to win the titles in a match that aired November 1st on Wrestling Challenge.  The Disasters would win several house show matches but never regained the gold.

Their last match as a team in the WWE was a house show loss to the Headshrinkers: Fatu & Samu on December 12, 1992 in San Diego, California.  At the Royal Rumble in 1993 Typhoon entered at number 21 and when Earthquake entered at number 23 he attacked his partner eliminating him.

Moments after Earthquake eliminated Typhoon

There was no follow up to their dissolved partnership as Tenta would leave the WWF in 1993 then return for a Sumo feud with Yokozuna in 1994 before joining WCW later that year.  Ottman would join WCW in 1993 as the Shockmaster.

Ottman and Tenta would team up one more time as The Natural Disasters in a six man tag April 29, 2000 at a Future of Wrestling show where they teamed with Bobby Rogers in a losing effort to Larry Lane & The Suicidal Tendencies Dennis & Sean Allen.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other blog posts and like the Facebook page.

Later Readers!

Bonus:

Super World of Sports was a wrestling promotion in Japan that was started in 1990 by Genichiro Tenryu and they had a working relationship with the WWF before folding in mid 1992.  On April 17, 1992 in Yokohama, Japan The Natural Disasters defeated George & Shunji Takano to win the SWS Tag Team Championships.  They would lose the titles the next day on April 18th to King Haku & Yoshiaki Yatsu in Tokyo.

Follow this link to watch: The Natural Disasters vs. King Haku & Yoshiaki Yatsu

King Haku & Toshiaki Yatsu

This has nothing to do with anything, I just though Tenta throwing a drop kick was impressive!