I remember that like it was yesterday. Everything came together in just the right way that night, and they put on a perfect overall example of the best the art form has to offer.
Firebird
I remember that like it was yesterday. Everything came together in just the right way that night, and they put on a perfect overall example of the best the art form has to offer.
Sage
March 23, 1997 Rosemont, IL - In his first match ever at the WWF's premier pay-per-view event, the then-current Intercontinental Champion Rocky Maivia (aka Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) defended his title at WrestleMania XIII against "The Sultan", the masked & mute Middle-East menace managed by the unholy alliance of former World Title holders Bob Backlund & the Iron Sheik, with former IC champ The Honky Tonk Man providing guest commentary for the match.
Before joining the WWF in 1996, Johnson had been a college football player; in 1991, he was part of the University of Miami's national championship team. He later played for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League, and was cut two months into the 1995 season. This led to his decision to become a professional wrestler like his grandfather, Peter Maivia, and his father, Rocky Johnson.
As the first third-generation superstar in WWF history, Johnson was initially given a push as a heroic 'face' character, billed as 'The Blue Chipper' Rocky Maivia; he later (after turning "heel" due to fans increasingly displaying distaste for his clean-cut nice guy persona) would be billed simply as 'The Rock', eventually gaining world-wide recognition as "The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment".
Some fans were already starting to turn on him at his WM XIII debut, with several "Die Rocky Die" signs visible in the crowd. The match itself was close back and forth, with the Sultan taking early advantage due to his massive size and superior strength, but Maivia used his quicker moves and uber-athletic dynamicism to ultimately turn the tide and come out on top to retain the Intercontinental championship.
Fifteen years after his inaugural appearance at the greatest of all sports-entertainment events 'The Rock' will face current WWE franchise player, Superstar John Cena in their hotly-anticipated match at WrestleMania 28 Sunday, April 1st.
Sage
After 54 Years, Pro Wrestling's "Madman from Sudan" looking at retirement
At an appearance for All Japan Pro Wrestling this past January, the now 71 year old WWE Hall-of-Famer Abdullah the Butcher (real name Larry Shreve) hinted he would be retiring from the ring soon.
Standing 6 feet tall and weighing a robust 260 pounds, the Canadian native caught the attention of a Montreal promoter at age 17 and made his professional wrestling debut in 1958. Constantly roaming from region to region, in his persona as Abdullah Shereve propagated his reputation as the most brutal wrestler in the world.
Since his Sudanese gimmick required he speak no English, he possessed an extraordinary number of managers over the years, portrayed as "handlers" commissioned to control the madman and to do all the talking in promos and interviews.
Over the course of his half-century plus career, the Butcher distinguished himself as one of the world’s most feared rule breakers. One of the most brutal or "hardcore" pro wrestlers of all time, Abdullah carries a huge mass of scar tissue on his forehead, the result of frequent "blading".
In addition to his successes in North America, Abdullah the Butcher became a true international superstar by performing in the Far East, Europe, the Caribbean, Australia, and Africa. His violent battles are legendary; and the septuagenarian has remained a world-wide competitor and top attraction for over half a century.
Outside of wrestling, Shreve owns two restaurants (one in southwest Atlanta, the other in Japan) called "Abdullah the Butcher's House of Ribs and Chinese Food." A master BBQ chef, he has been seen manning the pit outside the Atlanta location.
VIDEOS -
WWE 2011 Hall of Fame Inductee Promo
From 1982 New Japan Pro Wrestling,
a bloody good match with Hulk Hogan:
Sage
10 Years Ago in Pro-Rasslin History - A True Legend Passes On
On April 28th 2002, only days after his 86th birthday, Pro-Wrestling icon LOU THESZ passed away from complications of triple-bypass surgery.
Regarded by many pro-wrestling chroniclers as its all-time greatest competitor and affectionately referred to as "THE MASTER", in his three reigns as World Heavyweight Champion of the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) Thesz held the title for 3,749 days (10 years, three months and nine days total), longer than anyone else in history.
An already accomplished high school freestyler, determined to master more than amateur skills and hungry to learn, Thesz turned pro at age 16 in 1932 and eventually came under the tutelage of THE wrestling phenom of the era, Wisconsin native Ed "Strangler" Lewis, who taught him the fine art of "hooking" (subjecting opponents to painful holds that would lead to a win by submission).
Thesz w/manager Ed Lewis, 1950's
Among his many other accomplishments, Thesz is credited with inventing a number of pro wrestling techniques including the belly to back waistlock suplex (later known as the German suplex due to its association with Karl Gotch), the Lou Thesz press, STF and the original powerbomb.
Winning his first heavyweight championship at age 21 in his home town of St. Louis, Thesz went on to gain national celebrity in post-World War II America as a superstar attraction well into wrestling's first television boom, and later, godlike reverence from a generation of fans in Japan where he was that country’s first international champion and the first American champ to defend the title on Japanese soil.
Awarded the World Title by the Alliance in 1949, for over six years Thesz was at the height of dominance of the wrestling world. Pushing back challenges from big name stars like Primo Carnera, Antonino Rocca, Verne Gagne, Baron Leone and Hans Schmidt, his reign was ended in early 1956 by "Whipper" Billy Watson in a match refereed by former boxing champ Jack Dempsey. After taking some time off for rest and recuperation, Thesz took the title back eight months later, officially holding it just over another year.
Featured prominently on wrestling magazine covers, the 230 pound 6 foot 2 inch skilled technical grappler AND legitimate tough guy remained at or near the top into the 1960's. With huge fanfare & impact in 1963, Thesz came out of semi-retirement to reclaim the NWA World Heavyweight Championship from the title holder of the time, long-time real-life rival 'Nature Boy' Buddy Rogers, in a historic and controversial match.
Legend has it Thesz told Rogers "we can do this the easy way OR the hard way!" Rather than chance Thesz tearing him up for real Rogers decided to 'do the job'. Upset with the outcome, several Northeast promoters (including Vince McMahon Sr.) broke with the NWA, and kept Rogers on as champion of their newly-formed World Wide Wrestling Federation, later known as World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and ultimately WWE.
In any event the NWA version of the belt stayed with Thesz until Gene Kiniski ended his third reign at the age of 50 in 1966, making him the oldest wrestler ever to hold the NWA championship.
Though Thesz 'officially' retired thirteen years later as an active in-ring performer, he has the distinction of being the only male wrestler to have competed in seven different decades, having worked his final match in 1990 against his protégé Masahiro Chono, a future NWA champion.
Even in retirement, Thesz worked in the business as a promoter, manager, color commentator, trainer and a special guest referee for important matches, one of the most famous being the NWA Heavyweight Championship match between Ric Flair and Dusty Rhodes on 9/17/1981.
From 1992 to 2000 Thesz was the president of the Cauliflower Alley Club, an organization for retired pro wrestlers. In 1999, his name was given to the Lou Thesz/George Tragos Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame for pro wrestling stars with successful amateur backgrounds at the International Wrestling Institute & Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, where he was an inaugural inductee.
To this day many scholars will tell you Lou Thesz was and is wrestling, pure and simple, embodying all that's good about a business that too often attracts its share of criticism - a one-man dynasty whose records will stand time's tests and the greatest example of all-around excellence the profession will ever have to offer.
VIDEOS:
The Top Ten Moves of Lou Thesz
Lou Thesz vs. Antonino Rocca
Sage
From 1998: Hulk Hogan vs Jay Leno! 'Actually' WRESTLING!!!
Along with his partner Diamond Dallas Page, JAY LENO puts
life and limb on the line against the NWO's Eric Bischoff and
"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan at WCW's Road Wild PPV 8/8/98!
The Results from CNN.com:
Leno takes on Hulk Hogan in tag team and wins
August 10, 1998
STURGIS, South Dakota - Thousands of bikers on Harleys revved their engines to rally Tonight Show host Jay Leno Saturday night, as he took on Hulk Hogan in the World Championship Wrestling ring at the Sturgis Motorcycle Classic.
The big-chinned comedian wore a baggy T-shirt and sweat pants instead of the DayGlo spandex favored by most wrestlers, as he teamed up with Diamond Dallas Page against Hogan and Eric Bischoff in the pay per view event.
Leno proved himself a real wrestler, dropping Hogan early in the match and later stunning Bischoff with a low blow and slamming his head repeatedly into the rings corner post.
The fans loved Leno. Clouds of exhaust filled the air as they goosed their motorcycle throttles in applause.
The victory for Leno and Page was due in part to Kevin Eubanks, the Tonight Show band leader and Leno's manager for the wrestling match. Eubanks stepped in and used a trademark Page move, the Diamond Cutter, to immobilize Bischoff so Leno could pin him.
Later, posing with an oversized championship belt, Leno was asked if there might be a rematch. "I dont know," he said. "I just wanted to hold the belt."
VIDEOS:
Pre-match Promo
Match Highlights
Sage
"Macho Man" Randy Savage - Another Year, Another HOF Snub
A year ago this coming Sunday, the pro-wrestling world lost one of its all-time greats: "Macho Man" Randy Savage.
Wrestling his first match in 1973 and his last in 2004, Savage first appeared in WWE in 1985 and became one of the company's most fascinating characters, creating a dynamic with his manager, the Lovely Miss Elizabeth, that hasn't been seen since.
Each night before WrestleMania, with much fanfare WWE introduces a new class into its Hall of Fame. These performers are well-deserving of the honor for either their in-ring contributions or status as a backstage icon. Inductees to the WWE Hall of Fame have ranged from some of the greatest workers of recent times such as Edge to legends of the past like Andre the Giant.
A two-time WWF World Champion and truly one of wrestling's most unique characters and best performers, Randy Savage should be in WWE's HOF today, tomorrow, next week and every single day after that. And yet, this year's ceremony has come and gone, and the Macho Man remains shut out.
Rumors persist as to exactly why Vince McMahon adamantly refuses to include Savage in the Hall of Fame. However, the truth has never been known (and might never come out), so there's no point in speculating.
While there are other notable exceptions that have eluded induction for various reasons, there is no more obvious choice for HOF inclusion than the "Macho Man" - and for as long as Savage continues to be black-balled VKM deserves nothing more than inclusion in Pro-Wrestling's "Hall of SHAME"!
VIDEO CLIPS:
Randy Savage with Morgan Fairchild on "The Arsenio Hall Show", 1989
Randy Savage and Mean Gene Talk Facial Hair
The Macho Man's Mega Mix (A Randy Savage/Miss Elizabeth Tribute)
Moderator
Thanks for the Tribute to one of my fave Characters from that era of WWF.
WOW listening to that first clip, I realize that Woody Harrelson in the movie "2012" sounds just like The Macho Man! I wonder if Harrelson had that in mind while portraying that character?
Mary and Baby
Sage
This Day in Pro-Rasslin History - Hulk Hogan Turns EVIL!
On July 7, 1996 at WCW's Bash at the Beach PPV held at the Daytona Beach Ocean Center, during a six man tag team match pitting company loyalists Randy Savage, Lex Lugar & Sting against The Outsiders (Kevin Nash & Scott Hall), Hulk Hogan sent shockwaves around the wrestling world by turning to "the dark side"
Hall and Nash came out for the match without their scheduled third man, saying he was "in the building" but they did not need him yet. Shortly into the match, Luger was taken out on a stretcher, turning the match into a two-on-two and teasing the possibility of Luger, a former WWF wrestler like Hall and Nash, being the "mystery partner".
Hall and Nash were in control of the match when Hulk Hogan came to the ring. After standing off with them for a moment, he suddenly attacked Savage, showing himself to be the Outsiders' mysterious third man and thus turning heel.
In a post-match promo lambasting fans and WCW for underappreciating his talent and drawing power, Hogan announced the formation of the New World Order (nWo) along with Hall and Nash, who had only recently arrived from the WWF with intentions of "taking over" WCW in the style of a street gang.
Hogan inspired enough vitriol in the audience that they pelted the ring with debris; announcer "Mean Gene" Okerlund had his nose broken by a beer bottle, and one fan jumped the security railing intending to attack Hogan. However, Hall and Nash restrained the fan before arena security escorted him out of the building.
To further signify his heel turn, in the following weeks and months Hogan grew a beard alongside his famous mustache and dyed it black, traded his red and yellow garb in for black and white clothing, often detailed with lightning bolts, and renamed himself Hollywood Hulk Hogan (often shortened to Hollywood Hogan).
One of the most influential angles in the history of modern-day pro wrestling, the nWo's notorious rise and continued onslaught against sports-entertainment became the most instrumental force behind WCW's two-year lead against the WWF in the "Monday Night Wars" of the mid-to-late 1990's.
Sage
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