Off the Ropes Podcast

I'm doing a wrestling-ish podcast, it's called Off the Ropes and it's on The Nerdy Legion podcast network.

There's a guy named Martin who started the Valiant Central website which is all about Valiant Comics.  Cousin Paul and Martin started the Valiant Central Podcast talking about, you guessed it Valiant Comics.  That first podcast spawned many more and through the love of Valiant Comics Paula and Martin met Todd and Ronnie.

Todd and Ronnie started the Off the Ropes podcast and at Paul's urging I started listening and I like what I heard.  I was invited to be a guest on the shows, which I did with episode 7, it was a blast.  I earned the moniker the Dean of Wrestling and was invited to be a regular from them on.

We've done four episodes together with episode 10 being an interview, more of a conversation, with Ring of Honor's Adam Page.  It really well as we didn't ask him the same old questions the everyone asks, but went with some off the wall ones that he really enjoyed.

This podcast actually lead to my buddy John and I taking the plunge and starting a podcast of our own called "What Did You Watch This Week?"  It's basically what we've been doing for nearly 20 years, talking about TV shows and movies, and now we record it.  Episode 3 dropped March 28th and it's been a blast.

I also was a guest on the Nerdy Legion podcast talking about Daredevil Season 2 with Martin and Nick.

I've found a new addiction, and that addiction is podcasting!!

So please check us out at these links:

Off the Ropes

What Did You Watch This Week? 

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Limitless Wrestling Results 3/19 "Don't Fear The Sleeper!"

It was another great night for Limitless Wrestling as over 150 fans attended the “Don’t Fear The Sleeper!” event on March 19^th, 2015 at the American Legion in Orono. 

Alex, Mikey, Canaan, and myself piled into Vanna and headed north stopping at the Fairfield for a beverage on the way.  As become the custom we parked at the venue and walked the 30 feet to the Orono House of Pizza for dinner.  There we saw Randy’s parents, Roy, Scott, and Cheryl.  Also Anthony Greene and his girl came in.

The show opened with the Fatal 4-Way that saw Da Hoodz get the victory beating The Influence, M1nute Men, and The Beaver Boys.  Da Hoodz are really, really good and Davey Cash reminds me of "Boston Bad Boy" Tony Rumble.

It was cool seeing the Beaver Boys in person, I would have like to have seen more in ring action from them.  I really enjoyed the match all 4 teams put on a great show and it really kicked the card off.

Alex chopping Xavier Bell while he's held by George Gatton

Xavier Bell was entertaining all night long, not just in his match with George Gatton.  He was exceptionally hilarious later on when he was on commentary.  I'm not to sure about Gatton, his style was very peculiar and I couldn't wrap my head around it. 

I wasn't very excited about Wrecking Ball Legursky being the mystery partner for DangerKid against Alexander Lee and Aiden Aggro.  This was the best match I have ever seen him in.  He was great as the big guy throwing Lee and Aggro around.  The heels won using a chair and they set up a match between Kid and Aggro for May, and possibly Kid and Lee in July.

I was shocked to see Scott Wild defeated Brian Myers, it was a good match.

Sonya Strong has fast become one of my favorites to watch in the ring.  This day she wrestled veteran and fellow Mainer Mistress Belmont.  When this match was announced I was really excited because I've seen Belmont in some pretty fantastic matches.  But these two just didn't seem to click in the ring.  And I mean that in the most respectful way, like Shawn Michaels and Mr. Perfect are two of the greatest of all time and yet I can't recall a good match where they faced each other.

It was a good match and I enjoyed it, one of my favorites of the night, they were just off a step at times.  Sonya is on the poster for the next show in May and I'm very excited to see who her opponent will be.

Alex Mason's losing ways continued this time against the Concept.  The crowd really loves to hate Mason and I think it great.

The 4 way elimination matched featured 3 guys I had never heard of before.  Sasha Jenkins was the stand out, very athletic, I would really like to see more of him in the future.  Johnny Clash looks good but we didn't get to see much of him in the ring, another guy I would like to see return.

The main event six man tag was friggin awesome!  Everyone in that match is really good, and you would be crazy to say you don't want to see any of them back.  I think EYFBO should come back for one of the Fatal Four Ways matches. I would like to see Chris Dickinson vs. Ace Romero.

Randy delivered once again with a kick ass show.  He posted that he wasn't happy with the show and was going to make up for it in May, but in my opinion you would be hard pressed to find anyone of the fans that attended that night!

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The Last Match - Legends of the Ring

For this edition of The Last Match we feature 6 of the all time greats in professional wrestling.  I have never meet and of these legends nor have ever seen them live in the ring. 

Pat Paterson & Manager The Grand Wizard

Pat Patterson

Considered to have one of the greatest minds in wrestling Patterson's career both in the ring and behind the scenes spanned more than 50 years.  Famously known for being the first WWE Intercontinental Champion and later as one of Mr. McMahon's stooges Patterson is well respected by all.  Patterson has two final matches, the first in 1987 as a regular competitor and the second in 2000 as he and Gerald Brisco briefly returned to the ring feuding for the Hardcore Championship. 

August 31, 1987 Montreal Forum lost to Brutus Beefcake, Mr. T was special referee

Second final Match

King of the Ring, June 25, 2000 lost Hardcore Championship to Crash Holly 

Patterson was defending the belt against Jerry Brisco in a hardcore evening gown match.

“Nature Boy” Buddy Rogers

The original Nature Boy, Buddy Rogers in ring career spanned more than 40 years he is a former NWA World Champion and the first ever WWE (WWWF) World Champion.  Rogers was the first bleach blonde arrogant heal and was the basis for many other that followed including Ric Flair.  It is little known that he was also the basis for Butch Reed's Natural character in the WWE.

On July 9, 1978 Rogers lost a battle of the Nature Boy match to Ric Flair.  He had agreed to wrestle Buddy Landel in early 1992 however the match never took place.  Rogers died on June 26, 1992. 

September 17, 1983 Baltimore WWF House Show

Teamed with Jimmy Snuka to defeat IC Champion Don Muraco & Lou Albano

Arnold Skaaland

The Golden Boy had an illustrious 30 plus year career both in the ring and out has a manger and later agent in the WWE.  Skaaland is known for managing both Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund during their Championship title runs and is best known for by my generation for throwing in the towel allowing Iron Sheik to defeat Backlund for the championship.  Skaaland died March 13, 2007.

January 1, 1984 Hartford, CT WWF House Show

Teamed with Jimmy Snuka to defeat IC Champion Don Muraco & Lou Albano

Pat O’Connor

From New Zealand O'Connor is a former AWA & NWA World Champion. O'Connor set many records for attendance and ticket sales in the Chicago against the likes of Yukon Eric, Bruno Sammartino, and his NWA World Championship loss on June 30, 1961 to "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers.  O'Connor died August 16, 1990.  At Starrcade that year WCW held the "Pat O'Connor International Tag Team Tournament" which you can read a blog I wrote about it here.

February 4, 1982 defeated Takashi Ishikawa AJPW New Year Giant Series 1982 Tokyo

Lou Thesz

A legitimate hooker Thesz is considered by many as the greatest professional wrestler of all time.  Thesz career spanned an unbelievable 58 years from 1932 to 1990.  He held the NWA World Championship three times for a total of 3,749 days.  Thesz contribution to wrestling is immeasurable.  He passed away April 28, 2002 from complications to an aortic valve replacement.     

December 26, 1990 Hamamatsu, Japan NJPW King of Kings

Defeated by Masahiro Chono at age 74

Bruno Sammartino

The "Living Legend" debuted in 1959 in Pittsburgh his adopted home town.  Four short years later he would submit Buddy Rogers in less than a minute for the WWWF Championship, his two combined reigns lasting 4,040 days.  Although Sammartino has success around the world he primarily competed in the north east for the majority of his career where is sold out Madison Square Garden a record 187 times.  

Moments after defeating Rogers for the WWWF Championship

WWF house show Baltimore, MD August 29, 1987

Champion Hulk Hogan & Bruno Sammartino defeated King Kong Bundy & the One Man Gang when Hogan pinned Bundy

Legends Battle Royal

In 1987 WWF hosted a battle royal that featured some of the greatest wrestlers of all time.  For many of these wrestlers is would be there last match in wrestling and for other their only match in a WWF ring.  For the purposes of my column "The Last Match" I only count traditional wrestling or tag team matches.  

The competitors:

Lou Thesz, Pat O'Connor, Nick Bockwinkel, Bobo Brazil, Gino Brito, Edouard Carpentier, Al Costello, The Crusher, Dominic DeNucci, Tony Garea, Rene Goulet, Gene Kiniski, Killer Kowalski, Pedro Morales, Baron Mikel Scicluna, Arnold Skaaland, Chief Jay Strongbow, & Art Thomas. 

WWF House Show East Rutherford, NJ The Meadowlands November 16, 1987

Lou Thesz won last elimination Pat O'Connor at 11:11

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