PWI Presents: Lords of the Ring Superstars & Superbouts

Pro Wrestling Illustrated Presents: Lords of the Ring Superstars and Superbouts

I was searching around HULU to see what they had one night and stumbled across this show.  I had never seen it before but I had seen the advertisement for it in several Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazines when I was kid.  The quality of the program is excellent, and it was apparently distributed by Artisan pictures.  They must have acquired the rights at some point.  

Update: I watched and wrote this 3 weeks ago and hadn't posted this yet.  As of today, 10/5/2015 this has been removed from Hulu.  

Hosted by Gordon Solie & Bill Apter

Run time 60 minutes released in 1985

World Class Championship Wrestling

David Von Erich Parade of Champions

May 6, 1984 Texas Stadium Irving, Texas

Commentator: Bill Mercer

Junk Yard Dog vs. The Missing Link with General Skandor Akbor

A clipped version of the match with only a couple minutes of the original match show.  Link originally got the pin by cheating but the decision was overturned and Link was disqualified.

Jim Crockett Promotions / National Wrestling Alliance

Starrcade ’83: A Flair For The Gold

November 24, 1983 Greensboro Coliseum

Commentators: Gordon Solie & Bob Caudle

Dog Collar Match

Greg “The Hammer” Valentine vs. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper

Started in Progress and clipped to a few minutes, Piper got the pin hogtying Valentine with the chain.

Solie and Apter talk about Gorgeous George and footage is shown of his ring entrance.  This led to the footage of “Exotic” Adrian Street and Miss Linda being shown including a promo with Bob Caudle.  Next they talked about wrestlers that came from the gridiron showing brief footage of a tag team match involving Wahoo McDaniel with possible Mark Youngblood vs. Dick Slater and Bob Orton Jr.

Jim Crockett Promotions / National Wrestling Alliance

Starrcade ’83: A Flair For The Gold

November 24, 1983 Greensboro Coliseum

Commentators: Gordon Solie & Bob Caudle

Carlos Colon vs. Abduallah the Butcher

Clips only as Abdullah is bloodied and then there is a ref bump, Colon locks in the figure four leg lock and Hugo Savinovich hits Colon with a foreign object allowing the Butcher to get the pin and the win.

Continental Wrestling Association

Mid-South Coliseum Memphis, Tennessee

Commentator: Lance Russell

Loser Leaves Town Match

Jerry “The King” Lawler vs. Bill Dundee

Clips only: Both men bloodied in this grueling match that sees Lawler get the pin after hitting the piledriver.

Gordon and Bill talk about Andy Kaufman and his time in wrestling.  They show footage Kaufman in action against Lawler and a post-match locker room promo with Lance Russell. 

May 24, 1973 Kansas City, Missouri

2 out of 3 Falls Match

NWA World Champion: Dory Funk Jr vs. Harley Race

Joined in progress in the 3^rd fall of the match; clips of the match are shown ending with Harley pinning Funk after a standing suplex winning the championship.

Jim Crockett Promotions / National Wrestling Alliance

Starrcade ’83: A Flair For The Gold

November 24, 1983 Greensboro Coliseum

Commentators: Gordon Solie & Bob Caudle

NWA World Champion: Harley Race vs. “Nature Boy” Ric Flair

Clips of this classic match with Flair winning his second NWA World Championship with a cross body off the top rope with Race tripping over special referee Gene Kiniski. 

Gordon and Apter talk about the different type of champions in wrestling leading to them talking about the people’s champion the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.

“American Dream” Dusty Rhodes vs. Tully Blanchard

Just a couple minutes of this match is shown.  I cannot tell what event his is from but it is definitely Jim Crockett Promotions and there are no commentators for the match.  

World Class Championship Wrestling

David Von Erich Parade of Champions

May 6, 1984 Texas Stadium Irving, Texas

Commentator: Bill Mercer

NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship Match

Fritz, Kevin, & Mike Von Erich vs Champions: The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael “PS” Hayes, Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy & Buddy Roberts

Clips of the match were shown, appears to have been a street fight as they are all dressed in jeans and cowboy boots.  Kevin pinned Buddy Roberts with a high cross body off the top rope.

Gordon talked about the death of David Von Erich and his sudden death in Japan on February 10, 1984.   A clip from the 1^st David Von Erich Parade of Champions was played of Jill Floyd singing “Heaven Needed A Champion.”  Bill Apter then introduced the PWI Match of the Year winner

World Class Championship Wrestling

David Von Erich Parade of Champions

May 6, 1984 Texas Stadium Irving, Texas

Commentator: Bill Mercer

NWA World Champion: “Nature Boy” Ric Flair vs. Kerry Von Erich

Just the last couple minutes of the match was shown with Kerry pinning Flair with a backslide to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.  Kerry would only hold the title for 18 days before losing it back to Flair in Yokosuka, Japan.

Jim Crockett Promotions / National Wrestling Alliance

Clip of Tully Blanchard vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat

I would live to find this match because I’ve never seen Tully Blanchard vs. Steamboat before.

National Wrestling Alliance/ New Japan Pro Wrestling

May 24, 1984 Yokosuka, Japan

NWA World Champion: Kerry Von Erich vs. “Nature Boy” Ric Flair

Clips of the match where Flair recaptures the gold from Von Erich

Jim Crockett Promotions / National Wrestling Alliance

1984

“Boogie Woogie Man” Jimmy Valiant vs. Assassin #2 w/ Paul Jones

Clips of this match where Valiant forcing the Assassin to unmask and it’s Hercules Hernandez.

Continental Wrestling Association

Mid-South Coliseum Memphis, Tennessee

January 9, 1984

Commentator: Lance Russell

The Fabulous Ones: Steve Keirn & Stan Lane vs. The Moondogs: Rex & Spot w/ Jimmy Hart

We are joined in progress of a pier six brawl with clips of various moments of the match with no ending shown.

Continental Wrestling Association

Mid-South Coliseum Memphis, Tennessee

June 24, 1984

Commentator: Lance Russell

“Macho Man” Randy Savage & Lanny Poffo w/ Angelo Poffo vs. The Rock N’ Roll Express: Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson

The only clip we get is Savage piledriving Morton through a table.

Continental Wrestling Association

Mid-South Coliseum Memphis, Tennessee

July 23, 1984

Commentator: Lance Russell

The Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal w/ “Precious” Paul Ellering vs. The Fabulous Ones: Steve Keirn & Stan Lane

Once again clips of a wild brawl with no ending shown.

To close out the show there is a montage of action with George Thorogood and the Destroyers version of "Willie and the Hand Jive" playing. In fact here it is:

Thanks for reading, please take a moment to like this pages Facebook page, leave a comment, or even give me a follow on Twitter. 

Later Readers!

The graphic at the top is the one you will find on Hulu.  The picture below is what I remember seeing in PWI, minus the DVD logo at the bottom center spine.

WWE Network MSG Special Thoughts

Madison Square Garden

October 3, 2015

House Show live special in WWE Network

No opening pyro the set up and entrance is that of a normal house show

Commentators JBL, Byron Saxton, and Rich Brennan.  Eden Stiles handled ring announcer duties.

Dolph Ziggler & Randy Orton vs. Sheamus & Rusev w/ Summer Rae

Decent opening match with Dolph taking the Ricky Morton heat before getting the hot tag to Orton.  RKO out of nowhere later and Orton gets the pin on Sheamus.   Crowd was hugely hot for Orton.

After the match Rusev called Sheamus a stupid American and called him useless, Sheamus brogue kicked him.  7/10

Video package from Raw of Rollins attacking Corporate Kane with a chair leading to Demon Kane coming out to attack him.

Backstage, Renee Young interviews with Corporate Kane on crutches.  He talked about helping Seth Rollins being worried about the Demon that keeps attacking him and how he would help stop it. 

Stardust vs. Neville

Pretty standard back and forth match with Neville hitting red arrow for the win. 5/10

Backstage, Renee Young interviews Paul Heyman who cuts yet another awesome promo as only he can do.

Video package for the upcoming NXT behind the scenes special coming soon to WWE Network that honestly looks amazingly good!  Debuts after Raw this Monday, 10/05/2015

Team Bella: Nikki, Brie, & Alicia Fox vs. Team PCB: Paige, Becky Lynch, & Divas Champion: Charlotte

Should be noted Bella’s were announced and came out as a team where as Team PCB had individual introductions playing off the tension in the team.  Side note, I really just can’t stand Nikki Bella at all anymore and would not be upset if something horrible, yet non-life threatening befell her.  Let’s get this straight, it’s not that she’s such a great heal and that’s why I don’t like her…I just don’t like her personally.  Like I don’t like Rey Mysterio.

Basically Paige is a bitch to Becky and Charlotte through-out the match then they dessert her and Paige is pinned after a rack attack from Nikki.  Good match though, nothing breath taking 6/10

Paige cuts a post-match promo essentially continuing her slow burn heal turn saying she doesn’t deserve to be treated like this and that she doesn’t know what she to them to make them do this.

Video package showing footage from Raw & Smackdown of the Wyatt and Reigns fued.  I don’t care at all about them being in a Hell in a Cell match.

Intercontinental Champion: Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho

Pre-Match promo Jericho announces that October 3, 1990 was his debut match making tonight his 25^th Anniversary in wrestling.  He points out Lance Storm in the front row his first ever opponent.  Then talks about his father playing hockey at MSG.  Jericho then points out Don Callis & Lenny St. Clair aka Dr. Luther also in the front row.  Not mentioned, but sitting next to them was Arnold Skaaland’s wife Betty.   She must be in her 80’s and I think it’s amazing that she wants to be there watching wrestling after all these years.

Owens comes out to a big ovation.    Outstanding match once again from Kevin Owens, this time with Jericho has his dance partner.  I would love to see these two guys again.  We get our first “This is Awesome” chant, deservedly so.  Non-stop action from bell to bell you wouldn’t believe it was their first ever match together.  They hit everything except the pop-up powerbomb, Owen’s took the win reversing a second walls of Jericho attempt into a small package.  8.5/10

Owens wished Jericho a Happy Anniversary as he was walking to the back.  He also stopped to taunt a crying child. Owens post-match antics 10/10

Promo for the new WWE Network Show “Breaking Ground” which is about the WWE Performance Center, looks greats.  Debuts 10/26/15.

Backstage shot of the Big Show looking angry.

Video Package of the Dudley Boys vs. New Day

Tag Team Champions: New Day: Kofi Kingston & Big E w/ Xavier Woods vs. The Dudley Boys: Bubba Ray & Devon

Pre-Match Promo during New Day’s entrance continued the hilarity they bring every week.  They played down the Dudley Boys calling this the end of their Goodbye Tour then continued their “Save the Tables Campaign.”  Dudley’s got a good ovation.

Crowd was hot for this match still hyped from the Owens vs. Jericho match.  Lots of “We want tables” and “New Day Sucks” chants.   New Day dominated both Devon & Bubba Ray early with quick tags and wear down holds.  Dudley’s hit a 3D out of nowhere and Woods hit the ring causing the disqualification.  New Day then beat down the Dudley’s then brought a table into the ring.  Xavier Woods played taps on this Trombone, back to too the action in the ring.  Dudley’s cleared Kofi & Big E then put Woods through the table standing tall.  Dudley’s win, New Day still champs.  7/10

Jon Stewart shown front row ringside with his son.

Unnecessary video package shown hyping the Brock Lesnar/ Big Show feud with some history re-written as they show clips of the 2002 Survivor Series match where Show beats Lesnar for the WWE Championship with no mention at all of Paul Heyman turning on Lesnar at they show, they even showed a clip of Heyman out of context being shocked and Lesnar being pinned. 

Brock Lesnar w/ Paul Heyman vs. The Big Show

Tremendous ovation at the opening note of Lesnar’s entrance music

Straight from the opening bell Show no sold a couple Lesnar clotheslines then he reversed an attempted double leg dumping Brock over the top rope.  Apparently Show is playing the unstoppable monster for this match.  Lots of Suplex City chants.  Whoah!! Three quick chokeslams from Show followed by a loooooong two count.  Show goes for the knock-out punch Lesnar ducks, 4 german suplex and an F-5 later Lesnar has his arm raised.  Pretty high impact 4 minutes of wrestling.  8/10

Post-Match Lesnar heads to the back, then decides to return to the ring where a the very stoppable monster is tossed around again with an overhead belly to belly suplex and another F-5.  Crowd sings nah-nah-nah-nah goodbye to Show as he leaves the ring.

Promo video for the Bayley vs. Sasha Banks 30 Minute Iron Man Match for NXT Takeover Respect this Wednesday 10/7/2015 on WWE Network.

Hype video for Cena vs. Rollins for the United States Championship Steel Cage Match including footage of John Stewart costing Cena the title at Summerslam

Steel Cage Match: United States Champion: John Cena vs. World Champion: Seth Rollins

The World Heavyweight Championship is not on the line.

Cena came out second, was greeted with “John Cena sucks” chanted to the beat of his entrance music.   We get that big match feel with the introductions taking place once both were in the ring.

Rollins using the cage early throwing Cena face first into the cage, I’m a fan of cage matches but I like some blood in my cage matches.  I’m 10 minutes into this match and really I’m not that impressed.  Crowd is into it but their previous matches at Summerslam and Night of Champions were much better.   They basically took every generic cage match spot and did them. 

Rollins gets the upper hand and Cena is down in the cage he looks like he’s about to escape over the top when Demon Kane comes down stopping him.  Rollins then decides lets goes for a frog splash off the top of the cage, eats canvas, then an AA and Cena retains.  6/10

Post-match Demon Kane enters the cage hitting Rollins with a chokeslam then a tombstone piledriver.  Demon Kane hold the WWE Championship high before dropping it on Rollins and leaving the ring to end the show.   

Overall it was a really good show it definitely had a different feel to it as the presentation was more than a House Show, but definitely not a PPV or Television event.  Matches had a house show feel to them as the focus was definitely on the wrestling more than anything else.  You know what it was, it was like a Coliseum Home Video exclusive type event.  That’s exactly what it was!

I would like to see WWE do more specials like this for the MSG house shows or other big house shows it would make WWE Network even more appealing.

Interesting note, no pyro of any kind was used, not for the opening, Dudleys, Lesnar, Kane, no one.

Later Readers!

IWE report 9/18/2015 Fairfield, Maine

IWE September 18, 2015

Fairfield Community Center

Finally, for the first time in over 9 months I was able to return to the Fairfield Community Center for a night of Professional Wrestling!  The last time I was there was in December 2014 for MEW.  I actually found myself getting very excited when I hit the exit ramp knowing what was to come.  

I met up with Roy at the Fairfield House of Pizza for some pie and great wrestling conversation.

We were met at the show by Mikey and Phil was there.  The show started 15 minutes late, which is not surprising.  What was surprising was that the rest of the show was well timed out with a reasonable intermission. 

Here’s the card:

The Mutts defeated John “The Bomb” Bryar and Aiden Andrews after Andrews was pinned.  Sonny wasn’t there so Bomb started the match on his own before Aiden ran in to become Bomb’s partner.  He proved to be useless as he was quickly pinned.

In Inter-gender action Sara D’Errico (Cali) defeated Levi Lexington w/ Beavis after hitting Diamond Dust.  Sara is Cali repackaged and renamed, same wrestling style though.

Primer Inc defeated Big Moxie & JP O’Reilly with Roadblock with a reverse DDT/double foot stomp on O’Reilly.  Big Moxie was better than I thought he would be.  With time and continued training he could be pretty good.

“Tower of Power” Mark Moment defeated Kenyon Mora.  I thought this would be better but the two just didn’t click. 

Twin Cities & MEW Champion: Adam Ricker pinned Crash Landing w/ Beavis.  This match wasn’t bad at all, mostly because it was kept to just a few minutes.  Greenleaf did his best to screw it up by botching  clear 3 count saying Crash kicked out, when he hadn’t, that or Crash forgot to kick out, either way it was botched.   Ricker hit the big ending for the win.

 

IWE Champion: Alexander Lee defeated “Da Hey Man” Eric Johnson.  I thought for sure that Eric would win the belt back on his retirement tour for one last run as champ and even retire as champion.

All and all not a bad show but my favorite part was spending time with my wrestling friends before, during, and after the show.

IWE comes back to Fairfield November 20^th with Robbie E. 

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Later Readers!!