The Cost of Being A Wrestling Fan: June 2024

Here are the June expenses...

This month would been a lot lower as I was not going to go to Limitless on June 23rd as Kate and I were going to a concert, however it was postponed to July 26th.  

Again biggest expense was going to Limitless on June 23rd with the ticket, gas, and food totaling $56.47 and I spent another $45 on merchandise.  Megan Bayne had her Pro Wrestling Junkies cards and I really like those, I'm not surprised she charged $20 as she does tend to charge more like it's a convention than a local wrestling show.  I didn't need another shirt, but I really like Channing's design, I've been watching him wrestling for like 6 years and I really dig his gimmick right now, so that was $25 well spent.  It also helped that it was purple and not just black. 

I had to pay for the additional Barry Windham Autograph and shipping, $33.  You can read my post about the Barry cards and other NWA Wonderama Cards here: Signed Trading Cards NWA Wonderama

I bought the 4 episode season of Who Killed WCW from VICE tv on YouTube for $6.99, as I do with the Dark Side of The Ring Seasons.

The remaining $35.24 are my normal streaming services for Wrestling.

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!

Signed Trading Cards: NWA Wonderama

Let's take a look at some recent signed cards!

All of these cards are from the NWA Wonderama Jim Crockett Promotions Card Set.  The test market run was released in 1987 and the full set was released in 1988. 

I mailed these cards to my friend Antonio, he is a friend of a friend and did me a huge favor getting these cards signed for me at 80's Wrestling Con in Morristown, New Jersey on May 4, 2024.

  

This is my new Grail Card and you can read all about it in this post. New Grail Card Update 2!

This is the only test market card that I have, Antonio got this card signed by both Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson at this signing.  The test market cards have a cardboard color backing where as the complete set has a white backing. 

This card I had signed by Arn at Big Time Wrestling on June 10, 2022 in Webster, Massachusetts, it's great to have Tully's signature to finish it off.  Maybe  I should get Lex to sign this card?

These two JJ Dillon cards are great additions as well, this is the only card I have with JJ in wrestling gear, the others are suites.

I mailed these cards to Nic with Captains Corner.  I've done business with him in the past getting cards signed by Wendi Richter, Misty Blue Simmes, and Tessa Blanchard.  Barry Windham was supposed to appear at the Wrestling Classic in March, however a late snowstorm cancelled his flight.  My buddy Mikey was going and pre-paid for the Autographs. 

Nic was bringing Barry back for two signings on June 1st and 2nd in Massachusetts and New York to make up for the March one that was missed. I mailed him 3 cards total.

 This card I had signed by Arn Anderson at Big Time Wrestling June 10, 2022 in Webster, Massachusetts.

I absolutely love the green ink used on this signature.  Nic says it's a Deco Green Thin tip.  I definitely need to get Arn to sign this card someday. 

This card is the second logo card that I have signed from this set, the other is the Rock n' Roll Express.

In case you can't tell, these NWA Wonderama cards are my all time favorite cards to get signed.   

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! 

Signed Trading Cards: Barry Windham, Ronnie Garvin, Lex Luger, & Magnum TA

This post is highlighting the cards that I acquired during my IndyMania Wrestling Vacation in New York City April 3rd - 6th, 2019.

The theme in this post that links the wrestlers together is the NWA: National Wrestling Alliance.  All these wrestling in this post were prominently featured in that promoting during the heyday of Jim Crockett Promotions.  The NWA Wonderama cards are among my all time favorite to get signed.

Barry Windham

These cards I got signed on Friday April 5th at the Wrestlecon Convention.  The first card is from the 1988 Wonderama set for Jim Crockett Promotions, the second card is from the WCW 1991 Championship Marketing set.  Previously I had gotten a WWF card signed of him and Rotunda at the US Express.  Windham is one of my all time favorites, he was so good in the ring especially for a man his size.  His flying clothesline was tremendous!

Ronnie Garvin

These cards I got signed on Friday April 5th at the Wrestlecon Convention.  The first card is from the 1988 Wonderama set for Jim Crockett Promotions.  The second card is from the 1989 WWF Classic set released by Game Time Inc.  I recently wrote a blog about Garvin and you can about it here: Ronnie Garvin: His NWA World Championship Matches

Lex Luger

These cards I got signed on Friday April 5th at the Wrestlecon Convention.  My intention was to get three cards signed and I brought the extra and ask if he would like them.  I gave away many cards to wrestlers on this trip.  Luger at first said thank you, but then signed them all and gave them to me saying he had boxes of them at home.

Cards 1 - 3 are from the 1988 Wonderama set for Jim Crockett Promotions, cards 4 & 5 are from the WCW 1991 Championship Marketing set.  Card 6 is from the 1993 Merlin set that was released in Germany.  The final card is from the 1999 WCW Topps Embossed set.  These seven cards really show the progression of his career.

Magnum TA

This card I got signed on Saturday April 6th at the Wrestlecon Convention.  I bought the card direct from Magnum TA. It is in the style of the 1982 & 1983 Wrestling All Stars trading cards but this one is not part of either set and the back is white and blank.  I had gone over to his table just to tell him that his I Quit Steel Cage match with Tully Blanchard is one of my all time favorites.  I'm really glad that I picked it up!  Previously I had gotten an NWA Wonderama card signed by him.

I spoke with David Peck http://www.1982wrestlingallstars.com/ an expert on the Wrestling All Stars trading cards.  He let me know that a Wrestling All Stars calendar came out in 1984 for Mid-South Wrestling and that this image of Magnum TA is from January in that calendar.  This explains why the back is white and there is no traditional text.

You can watch his You Tube video on the calendar here: 1984 Wrestling All Stars Calendar

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!

AWA Wrestlerock 1986

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 and Superclash II & III.

April 20, 1986 

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Hubert H. Humprey Metrodome

Commentary: Rod Trongard & Larry Nelson
Interviewer: Ken Resnick
Ring Announcer: Gary Michael Capetta
Duration: 3 hours 42 minutes

At the beginning of the show there were so many empty seats on the floor and in the stands, it did fill in by the end of the show.  It was interesting that Rod Trongard called the first eight matches by himself before Larry Nelson joined him.  The faces and heels came from separate sides of the ring.  Also there were several guest ring announcers in the evening.

Opens with the national anthem sung live

Brad Rheingans vs. Boris Zhukov with Skandor Akbar
1 Fall 15 minute time limit
American Olympian vs. Evil Soviet Communist to a hilt.  Rheingans gets an interview on the way to the ring.  Rheingans took a beating for the majority of the match before making his comeback with a powerslam for the pinfall.  8 min 31 seconds.  Decent very formulaic for that time frame.

Midget Tag Team Match
Lord Littlebrook & Little Tokyo vs. Little Mr. T & Cowboy Lang
1 Fall 15 minute time limit
At the beginning of the match Trongard busted out this gem "Big or small short or tall the AWA has it all" and later "Coast to coast and border to border we go all over."  Not going to lie, I love it!
Not your typical comedy filled spotfest.  This match was actually a physical seriously contended match with what I would call only one comedy spot.  Lang and Mr. T got the win when Lang pinned Littlebrook with a scissor roll.  10 min 1 second.

Wahoo McDaniel vs. Col. Debeers
1 Fall 15 minute time limit
Short match, basically punch, kick, and chops with Wahoo getting disqualified for throwing DeBeers out over the top rope.  Post match McDaniels and DeBeers had a better match/fight on the floor before officials separated them.

Tiger Mask vs. "Rock n' Roll" Buck Zumhofe
1 Fall 15 minute time limt
Pre-match promo with Zumhofe while Tiger Mask made his entrance.  There was so much feedback you couldn't understand Zumhofe.  Mitsuharu Misawa was under the hood as Tiger Mask in thsi match.  This was no Dynamite Kid classic, in fact Zumhofe was outclassed by Tiger Mask who seemed not impressed to be there.  Tiger Mask gets the win when he does a front flip off the top rope and crashes into a standing Zumhofe.

Ken Resnick interviews Mike Rotundo & Barry Windham calling them former WWF Tag Team Champions.

Mike Rotundo & Barry Windham vs. The Fabulous Ones: Stan Lane & Steve Keirn 
I was never a fan of the Fabulous Ones, I always preferred Lane in the Midnight Express.  Really great tag team match with four guys that really know what they are doing.  Lane had Rotundo set up for a piledriver when Windham came off the top rope with a elbow to the back of the had and scored the three count.  Classic 80's good guy doing what the bad guy does and getting cheered for it.

Giant Baba vs. "Bulldog" Bob Brown
1 Fall 20 minute time limit
Terrible, just terrible.  Baba wins with a kick in the chest

Harley Race vs. Rick Martel
1 Fall 20 minute time limit
Interview with Race on the way the ring. I've never seen these two wrestle each other before.  This match started a bit slow but after a few minutes they turned it on and just went for it battling to a double count-out.  I'm not even angry about it, it was truly a fantastic match!  After the match they kept at it on the floor until it was broken up by officials.

Ten Women Battle Royal
Sherri Martel won last eliminating AWA Women's Champion: Candi Devine.  Other competitors: Joyce Grable, Kat LeRoux, Luna Vachon, Rose Devine, Taylor Thomas, Destina Montagus, Misty Blue Simmes, Debbie Combs. Near the end of the match Tongard confused Debbie Combs and Champion Devine calling one the other.

The only lady in match I had never heard of was Despina Montagas and I was very impressed with her in the match especially her strength.

Sgt. Slaughter vs. Kamala the Ugandan Giant with Skandor Akbar
Slaughter is in GI Joe ring gear.  Bad match, fans were popping big time for Slaughter though, who won by disqualification when Akbar interfered.  Larry Nelson conducted a post match promo with Sgt. Slaughter, he gathered up a few kids to say the pledge of allegiance.

AWA Tag Team Championship
Champions: "Big" Scott Hall & Curt Hennig vs. The Long Riders: "Wild" Bill & Scott "Hog" Irwin
1 Fall 60 minute time limit
 Hall is awarded a trophy from Pro Wrestling Report for being voted Most Popular Wrestler.  This match wasn't very good at all.  For some reason Hennig and Wild Bill were in the match 95% of the time.  Hennig pinned Wild Bill with a missile dropkick.

Larry Nelson conducted a post match promo with the champs.

European Rules Match
Scott LeDoux vs. Larry Zbyszko with Go the Ninja
10 two minute rounds with 1 minute rest breaks
Ken Resnick conducted a pre-match promo with Ledoux.  Special Referee Larry "The Axe" Hennig.  This match was basically a hot mess.  Both men wore four ounce karate gloves, but it was never made clear how you can win the match.  At the end of the first round the bell rang and Larry Nelson asked what that bell was all about.  Midway through the second round Trongard said this could end many ways.  It was basically punches, kicks, and take downs with then awkward ground grappling.  At the beginning of the 5th round Zbyszko throws LeDoux to the floor and posts him drawing the disqualification.  Larry Nelson conducted a post match interview with LeDoux.

AWA World Champion: Stan "The Lariat" Hansen vs. Nick Bockwinkel
1 Fall with a 60 minute time limit
On his way to the ring Hansen beat up Larry Nelson.  As you can imagine this was a wild and crazy Hansen style brawl.  I've never seen Bockwinkel in a match like this before, he didn't have a choice though, it was survival!  Also the perennial heel Bockwinkel was getting baby face reactions.  After several minutes of these guys beating the tar out of each other we get a ref bump and Bockwinkel gets several pin falls that the ref doesn't see.

Of course he comes too in time to see Hansen back body drop Bockwinkel over the top rope drawing the disqualification and giving Bockwinkel the win and Hansen retaining the title.  Of course after the match they keep fighting.  10 minutes 8 seconds, felt longer, in a good way.  Larry Nelson conducted a post-match interview with Bockwinkel.

Main Event Steel Cage
Greag Gagne & "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka w/ Verne Gagne vs. King Kong Brody & The Barbarian w/ Shiek Adnan Al-Kaissie 
1 Fall to a finish no time limit
If Greg & Snuka win Verne gets Al-Kaissie in the cage for 10 minutes.  This was contested under standard tag team rules, just in a cage.  Brody wasn't the typical wildman that we are used to.  Gagne and Brody got busted open well, Barbarian just has a cat scratch,  Oh my god, the pin fall came when Gagne was down on all fours, Barbarian and Snuka were both standing with Barbarian holding Snuka open for a shot from Brody who threw a dropkick knocking Barbarian backwards over Gagne tripping Barbarian and Snuka falling onto him for the pin...seriously.

All four men battle to the back and Vern grabs Al-Kaissie ramming him into the cage twice before throwing him in the ring where Al-Kaissie was bleeding profusely.   This wasn't your typical "10 minutes in the ring" this was a match! So yes Verne actually Main Evented the card.  Verne gets the pin with a small package. 3 minutes 49 seconds.  Larry Nelson conducted a post match interview with Verne who stated that, that was his last match.  Verne would wrestle three more matches after this before ending his in ring career.

Steel Cage
The Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal vs. The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael PS Hayes & "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin
In the first minutes Hayes eats the cage and is busted open.  Standard match with the Warriors dominating and getting a quick win after a few minutes when Hayes accidentally hit Garvin with a foreign object and Animal getting the pin on Garvin.  7 minutes 18 seconds.

Even though the previous match was announced at the Main Event the Warrior vs. Freebirds was the last match on the tape.  Checking a couple websites also shows that this match happened prior to Gagne & Snuka vs. Brody & Barbarian.

Also checking those same websites show that a match on the card appears to have been cut from this broadcast on the WWE Network.  The Rocker vs. Playboy Buddy Rose & Doug Somers.  Now before any says anything here is a video capture I found on the internet of the match with the WWE logo on the screen.

I wonder why it was cut.

Also cut from this version, and I'm not upset about it, was a concert performed by Waylon Jennings, to which I question about Waylon Jennings qualifies as rock music

This would be the last dome show for the AWA with an announced recorded attendance of 23,300 but inside the 65 thousand seat dome it looked sparse.  If I didn't list the time limit it was because it wasn't mentioned same with the time of the match.

Rod Trongard

Rod Trongard just has one of those amazing voices that I just love from wrestling's past.

I've never seen this show before and was surprised to see some guys on the show like Giant Baba, Rotundo and Windham.

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

Later Readers!

The Last Match: The Four Horsemen

August 2009 NWA Legends Fanfest

The Four Horsemen are arguably the greatest wrestling faction ever in wrestling.  Their creation was not the idea of a promoter but happened organically as 4 of the very best wrestlers in the world were teamed together because of various feuds and even though they were supposed to be bad guys, you couldn’t help but cheer them.   Starting in the National Wrestling Alliance and continuing into World Championship Wrestling the Horsemen lasted for 14 years with an ever changing line up of members never reaching the dominance of their initial mid to late 80’s run. 

 “Nature Boy” Ric Flair

Last Match September 12, 2011 Impact Wrestling TV Taping, Orlando, FL

Lost to Sting via submission to the Scorpion Death Lock

In an attempt to rewrite history Ric Flair and the WWE commonly refer to WrestleMania 24 vs. Shawn Michaels as Flair’s official last match.  However wrestling fans know that Flair first stepped back into the ring on a tour of Australia wrestling and losing to Hulk Hogan in several matches before he signed with TNA.  Flair’s time in TNA did nothing to enhance the legacy of “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, at least though his final match was against old foe Sting. 

Tully Blanchard

Last Match August 11, 2007 Charlotte, North Carolina NWA Legends Fanfest

Managed by “The Perfect 10” Baby Doll lost to Dustin Rhodes

I never had the opportunity to see Tully Blanchard wrestle live and that saddens me.   Tully Blanchard is one of the greatest of all times both in the ring and on the mic.  His career on a national level was cut off due to his decision to use drugs but he did clean up and change his life.  A couple of times he almost returned to WCW but unfortunately for one reason or another it didn’t work out.  Tully did wrestle several one shots in the mid 90’s for WCW, ECW and various independents.  He had a great feud in Carolina Championship Wrestling in 2004 – 2005 with Dusty Rhodes. 

I once saw a promo by Blanchard for this match on the internet, but I have never seen the actual match and can’t find a copy of the show.

“Enforcer” Arn Anderson
Last Match January 27, 1997 WCW Monday Nitro Des Moines, IA
Teamed with Steve McMichael w/ Debra McMichael defeated The Amazing French Canadians: Jacques Rogeau & Carl Ouelette

This match is available on the WWE Network which is cool because you can watch the match.  Arn has minimal offense taking the beating most of the match before tagging in Mongo who picks up the win.  Not what you would want to see as the Enforcers last match after the career that he had.  If you have the network you should check out WCW Slamboree 1993 which features Arn Anderson against NWA World Champion: Barry Windham.  This match was cut from the home video release but restored to the card on the Network.   Much like Ole, Arn ended his tenure in the horsemen as the groups Manager. 

Ole Anderson 

Last Match April 28, 1990 NWA House show Baltimore, MD

Teaming with TV Champion: Arn Anderson was defeated by Road Warrior Animal & Tag Team Champion “The Dog faced Gremlin” Rick Steiner.

Ole Anderson was the original veteran of the Horsemen, prior to that teaming with both Gene and Arn Anderson as part of the Minnesota Wrecking Crew.   Ole was wrestling primarily in Tag Team matches with Arn with his last PPV appearance being at WrestleWar 1990.  After his last match Ole stayed on as Manager of the Horsemen and later running WCW after Bill Watts was fired.  Ole was fired by Eric Bischoff when he took control in 1993.  The last appearance of Ole that I can find was at Slamboree 1994.  Ole has made several convention appearances being a regular guest at NWA Legends Fanfest.  I had the pleasure to meet Mr. Anderson when I attended the Charlotte convention in 2009.
  

“Total Package” Lex Luger
Last Match UWF06 Ardmore, OK August 26, 2006
Lex Luger & Buff Bagwell defeated Jeff Jarrett & Scott Steiner

Lex Luger replaced Ole Anderson as a member of the Horsemen in February 1987 and was kicked out of the group by the end of the year for not being a team player.  Luger was not picked up by WWE upon the closure of WCW.  Luger would win the WWA Championship and have one match in TNA in 2003.  After this match for Universal Wrestling Federation 2006 Luger would experience health issues with drugs and alcohol that eventually landed him in jail before becoming a born again Christian. 

Barry Windham
Last Match February 26, 2010 St. Petersburg, FL
Teamed with Jesse Neal defeating Kennedy Kendrick and Sin Bohdi for ACW/CCW

Barry Windham is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time and his addition to the Horsemen in 1988 spawned my favorite version of the team.  Barry Windham’s career spanned over 30 years starting in 1979 where he wrestled JJ Dillon in his debut match.   Personally Windham is one of my all-time favorite wrestlers.

Sid Vicious
Last Match WWE Monday Night Raw Fort Wayne, In June 25, 2012
Sid Vicious pinned Heath Slater after a Powerbomb

Sid was a guy that jumped around a lot from company to company and when he came in because of his look and size always made a big impact.  A multiple time World Champion for WWE & WCW he has always been a fan favorite.  I myself enjoyed seeing him in the ring dropping people with the powerbomb. 

Paul Roma
Last Match IAW, Independent Associate of Wrestling, March 24, 2007, Mishiwaka, IN
Lost the IAW Heavyweight Championship to Brian Costello at Clash at the Cave II

Many consider Paul Roma to be the X-Factor of the Horsemen.  Every member of the Horsemen had been a main eventer and well known to the fans except for Paul Roma.  Roma had been a member of some less than memorable tag teams in the WWE as one half of the Young Stallions and later Power and Glory never breaching the mid-card level.  He last wrestled in the WWE in July of 1991 and wasn’t seen again until he appeared at Slamboree 1993 as a member of the Horsemen.  Apparently a deal with Tully Blanchard was in the works but never came to fruition and we got Paul Roma.  Except for his time with the Horsemen his WCW run ended with nothing of note. 

Brian Pillman
Last Match WWE House Show October 4, 1997 St. Paul, MN
Lost to Goldust w/ Marlena

The differences between the beginning and end of Pillman’s career are as extreme as anyone I can think of in Professional Wrestling.   After leaving football Pillman started his career in Stampede Wrestling then came to WCW as “Flying” Brian Pillman a lightweight high-flyer and white meat baby face.  Pillman became more erratic near the end of his WCW run with the Horsemen where he was attached to the moniker “Loose Cannon.”  After a cup of coffee in ECW Pillman surfaced in WWE continue his crazed ways until his unexpected death on October 5, 1997. 

Chris Benoit
Last Match WWE ECW TV Charlotte, NC June 19, 2007
Chris Benoit defeated Elijah Burke by submission with the Sharpshooter

Chris Benoit is one of the greatest technical wrestlers in the history of wrestling.  His explosive, stiff, and snug style was honed in Stampede Wrestling and Japan before he exploded on the US scene in ECW, WCW, and the WWE.  Sadly, Benoit’s contribution to wrestling will be forgotten because of his heinous crimes that ended the life of Benoit and his family. 

Steve “Mongo” McMichael
Last Match WCW House Show Bethlehem, PA March 6, 1999
Four Horsemen: Steve “Mongo” McMichael, Dean Malenko, & Chris Benoit defeated Wrath & Tag Team Champions: Barry Windham & Curt Hennig

McMichael played football for the Chicago Bears winning a Superbowl with the team before ending his NFL career.   His first appearance in wrestling was in the WWE seconding Lawrence Taylor at Wrestelmania XI.  A few months later McMichael appeared on the debut episode of Monday Nitro as part of the commentary team.  About  a year later he ended up in the ring teaming with Kevin Greene to take on Ric Flair and Arn Anderson.  McMichael would turn on Greene for a briefcase full of money and join the Horsemen.  Somehow even though he had way less wrestling experience than Paul Roma, McMichael is still generally more accepted by fans than Roma as a member.

Dean Malenko
Last Match HWA Heartland Wrestling Association Cincinnati, OH 12/11/2001
Dean Malenko defeated Chad Collyer by disqualification

Malenko has the distinction as being the last member added to the Horsemen when they reformed during a historic Monday Nitro Segment September 14, 1998.  Malenko is one of the finest mat technicians wrestling all over the world.  He is currently a road agent in the WWE.  

James J. Dillon
Last Match NWA Live Event Albuquerque, NM December 1, 1988
Bam Bam Bigelow & Eddie Gilbert defeated Horsemen: Barry Windham & JJ Dillon when Gilbert pinned Dillon.  JJ was substituting for NWA World Champion: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair.

The manager of the Four Horsemen Dillon also competed in a Manager Bunkhouse Battle Royal on January 1, 1989 at the Omni in Atlanta.  JJ Dillon also competed in a six man tag at Deaf Wrestlefest 2009 in Edgewood, PA teaming with Frank Stalletto & Lou Marconi losing to Dominic DeNucci, Dr. Cody Michaels, & Shane Douglas.  Although I am primarily familiar with JJ being manager of the Four Horsemen and an authority figure with WCW he was also an active wrestler starting in the 60’s.

Other Horsemen
As far as I’m concerned Jeff Jarrett and Curt Hennig were never real members of the Horsemen and therefore I will not include them on this list.  Also I do feel that Sting was an official member of the Horsemen but he is still technically an active wrestler on the WWE roster. His most recent match as of this post was a losing effort against WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins September 20, 2015 at WWE Night of Champions. 

The Last Horsemen match 

This has been the most difficult match to find because trying to pin down an exact date when the final incarnation of the Horsemen disbanded is hard to do.  Essentially when Ric Flair became on air president of WCW the storyline was that Flair became all about himself and not the Horsemen.  The tension between Flair and Benoit & Malenko began.  From my research I would consider the Last Horsemen match to have taken place June 7, 1999 at Monday Nitro in Cleveland, OH.  

Ric Flair setup a match with he and Chris Benoit taking on Diamond Dallas Page & Bam Bam Bigelow for the WCW Tag Team Championship.  During the match Benoit went to tag in Flair who in turn short armed Benoit and then walked to the back.  Arn Anderson was at ringside and he climbed up on the apron and extended his hand to Benoit to take the tag, Perry Saturn ran out, Benoit tagged Saturn and the two went on to win the Tag Titles.  Yes that’s how things worked in WCW. 

So to me, that is the final Horsemen match with Flair turning his back on Chris Benoit, who at that point had been a member of the Horsemen since 1995.  To further show the end of the Horsemen, on the June 14, 1999 episode of Nitro Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Perry Saturn, & Buff Bagwell would team together defeating Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, DDP, & Kanyon.

Thanks for reading, please take a moment to leave a comment or like my pages Facebook page.  

Later Readers!! 

The 1998 NWA Invasion of the WWE

At the beginning of 1998 the WWE had been losing the Monday Night Wars to WCW and the nWo when they decided to stage their own invasion, however this invasion would be that of a previously established  wrestling identity that formed back in 1948, the NWA: National Wrestling Alliance. 

If done correctly this would be a great move for the WWE but an even better move for the NWA who had not managed to reclaim their national prominence ever since WCW’s withdrawal on September 1, 1993. 

It taken a year for the NWA to regroup and rebuild and in that time all of their major championships were vacant, except for regional championships, causing the titles to lose their integrity.  The NWA that emerged in 1994 was essentially a new organization that only shared the name of a once great empire of wrestling.

The new NWA started off badly when Shane Douglas famously threw down the NWA World Championship and raised the banner of Extreme Championship Wrestling.  The NWA quietly crowned a new champion in Chris Candido a few months later who a few months after that dropped the title to Dan Severn.  For NWA President Howard Brodie and Vice President Dennis Carraluzzo the deal with WWE had the potential to bring NWA back to the forefront. 

From left to right: Dennis Carraluzzo, Howard Brodie, & James E. Cornette

Jim Cornette hadn’t been a manager in the WWE for about a year when he was chosen to lead the charge waving the NWA banner into the WWE.  He had been doing commentary for Shotgun Saturday Night and cutting apparent shoot promos on his views in wrestling on RAW.  On December 30, 1997 in New Haven, CT Jim Cornette along with Brodie and Carraluzzo announced the invasion of the NWA on a Monday Night Raw that was taped to air on January 5, 1998.  It was announced that right now Jeff Jarrett would be battling Barry Windham for the vacant NWA North American Championship.   Reckless Youth had been the North American Champion since June 14, 1997 but he was stripped of the championship for this angle. 

With the assistance of Jim Cornette and his tennis racquet Jeff Jarrett pinned Barry Windham in less than 4 minutes to win the title.  Immediately after winning “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, the most popular WWE Superstar at that time, hit the ring to deliver a Stone Cold Stunner on Jarrett and then mock his strut.  This move essentially killed the NWA angle before it even started.  I can’t understand why the WWE would make the NWA look so weak instantly but having the apparent face of the NWA be fed to Austin.

The January 12^th edition of Raw in State College the NWA stable grew when perennial fan favorites The Rock n’ Roll Express debuted as the NWA World Tag Team Champions as heels with Jim Cornette as there manager.  Cornette had been battling against the Rock n’ Roll Express ever since they debuted as a tag team back in 1983, it made no sense to me seeing them aligned with him.  The tag titles had been held by CW & Pat Anderson since September 14, 1996 but they were stripped of the titles for the angle and the Rock n’ Rolls were simply awarded the championship.

Now I know what you are thinking, the Rock n’ Rolls were brought in with a big push to make up for the debut of the angle and it’s immediate burial by Austin.  Nope, they were paired with mid-card tag team Skull & 8-Ball and lost, granted by disqualifications, in 2 ½ minutes after Cornette interfered.  You can tell that the WWE really got behind this angle.

On January 19^th in Fresno, CA on Raw is War Barry Windham turned on his BlackJack partner Bradshaw to help Jeff Jarrett retain his title and he joined the NWA stable.   That same night for a taping of Shotgun Saturday Night to air on January 24^th the Legion of Doom defeated the NWA Tag Team Champions: The Rock n’ Roll Express by dq when Windham interfered.

The next night in Davis, CA for a Shotgun Saturday Night taping to air January 31^st Chainz defeated the NWA North American Champion: Jeff Jarrett by dq when rest of the NWA stable interfered.

Essentially we are 1 month into the angle and the NWA Stable has been regulated to losing matches, granted by disqualification, on the secondary shows to mid-carders.  This is not the way to get the NWA over as a viable threat to the WWE.  The NWA Stable needed clean finishes to the mid-card and dq loses or victories over the headliners.  

The month of February didn’t get much better Jeff Jarrett lost to Bradshaw via DQ at the No Way Out PPV on February 15^th in Houston, TX.  On February 17^rd in Waco, TX the Headbangers defeated the Rock n’ Roll Express to win the NWA World Tag Team Championships.  Nothing against the Headbangers, I’ve met them and they are wicked nice guys and to this day they can still go in the ring.  But at that time they were probably the lowest tiered tag team in the WWE.  This match was taped for Raw that aired on February 23^rd.

On this same episode of Raw taped on the 17^th Jeff Jarrett competed in his last match as part of the NWA in a losing effort to Ken Shamrock in a non-title match.  Jarrett voluntarily gave up the North American Championship and was next seen on WWE TV March 2^nd on Raw from Cleveland, OH.  Jarrett had returned to his country music singer Double J gimmick with Tennessee Lee managing him.   I have seen some sites that say Barry Windham was awarded the North American Championship on March 1^st by Jim Cornette, only to be stripped by the NWA on March 2^nd.  All the sites agree that the North American Championship was vacant on March 2^nd and a new champion wasn’t crowned until August 1, 1998 when The Colorado Kid defeated Recon in Nashville, TN.

The coolest part of this entire angle was the fact that the WWE brought in the greatest referee in the history of wrestling, Tommy Young, to act as the NWA referee.  He even had the NWA Logo on his striped referee shirt.  Tommy had severely injured his back in 1989 and basically hadn’t been seen since then, seeing him on TV made me pop each and every time.  They even ran an angle where being thrown over the top rope was cause for a disqualification under NWA rules.  That is how the Rock n’ Roll Express defeated the Headbangers on a special Raw Saturday Night on February 21^st, taped on the 16^th in Dallas, TX.  

On March 16^th in Phoenix, AZ for a RAW taping to air on the 17^th the Rock N’ Roll Express failed to capture the NWA Tag Titles from Headbangers and were attacked and kicked out of the NWA Stable by “Bombastic” Bob & “Bodacious” Bart the New Midnight Express.

I attended NWA Legends Fanfest 2009 in Charlotte, NC and on the first night they had a Q &A with Jim Cornette where I asked him “In the annuals of history of the Midnight Express, where do Bart Gunn & Bob Holly fit in?”  To which he laughed loudly and then told us the story of how they came to be.  Essentially what he said was the Vince McMahon was annoyed that when he and Cornette traveled together everyone would always ask him about the Midnight Express and not Cornette's work in the WWE.  So he called Cornette one day and said let's bring the Midnight Express back!

It appeared that on March 30, 1998 on Raw from Albany, NY would be the day that the NWA would have new life breathed into them.  On this night the New Midnight Express captured the NWA World Tag Team Championships from the Headbangers and finally the NWA World Champion appeared!  Dan “The Beast” Severn sauntered to the ring in a suit with his NWA World and UFC Superfight and Ultimate Ultimate Championships and he proceeds to stretch the Headbangers.  The WWE announced team puts Severn over as the true bad ass that he is.

I do wonder though, why it took nearly 3 months for Severn to be brought into the fold.  You would think that as NWA World Champion he would have been one of the first to come in and he would have carried the banner of the company that he had been their champion of for the last 3 years.

Dan Severn’s impact was minimal.  He wrestled sparingly in the WWE but would have matches with Owen Hart, Flash Funk, and the Headbangers, but the NWA Championship was never on the line.  By the time he made his WWE PPV debut at the King of the Ring in June he was no longer being recognized at the NWA World Champion nor would he bring the belt to the ring during his matches.  He would stay in the WWE until February 21, 1999 when he had his final match in Springfield, MA at a house show teaming with the WWE Tag Team Champions Owen Hart & Jeff Jarrett defeating the Godfather, Val Venis, & Steve Blackman.   Severn would lose the NWA World Championship on March 14, 1999 in Yokohama, Japan to Naoya Ogawa after 4 lackluster years as champion. 

Barry Windham would leave the WWE in May his last match a losing effort against Bradshaw on May 16^th in Anaheim, CA at a house show.

The New Midnight Express would go onto the feud with the Rock n’ Roll Express and the Headbangers losing several non-titles matches to the Bangers at house shows.  The Midnights would defeated the Rock n’ Rolls at Unforgiven in Greensboro, NC on April 26^th.  They would lose to the WWE Tag Team Champions The New Age Outlaws at the King of the Ring on June 28^th in Pittsburgh, PA.   On July 13^th at the Meadowlands Bart battled Bob in the opening round of the Brawl for All and won via judge’s decision.  Jim Cornette announced on commentary that the Midnight Express have broken up and this essentially ended the NWA Invasion Angle.  Bart and Bob would defend the NWA World Tag Team Championship in losing efforts at a few house shows to finish out July.  They would lose the belts to The Border Patrol on August 14^th in Greenville, NC.

The NWA Invasion did nothing to help the WWE with their war with the WCW and the nWo.  If anything the invasion hurt the NWA as it was made to seem as nothing more than a second tier promotion.  Except for the occasional match they were primarily in programs with mid-card talent and usually lost by dq on tv and clean at house shows.  It almost seems as though the WWE’s true reason for bringing the NWA on board was to bury them. 

Later Readers!