Old School Observations/Questions Thread 2020-21

[Master Thrasher]

Probably a typo.

 

[Epic Springs]

Re-watching Beyond the Mat on Netflix...

Michael Modest and Tony Jones are highlighted as two indy standouts. I know Modest went on to have a decent career in the indies in the late 90s/early 2000s but I don't know much about Tony. Did he ever go on to do anything noteworthy?

Also, did their trainer, Roland Alexander, have any other noteworthy students?

 

[HarleyQuinn]

Also, did their trainer, Roland Alexander, have any other noteworthy students?

I remember Roland was more of a force in the early 2000s and probably doesn't get the credit he deserves. His influence was less as a pure "trainer" and far more notable as a promoter in terms of the talent he was accumulating.

https://www.pwinsider.com/article/81389/apw-promoter-roland-alexander-passes-away.html

"A year later (2000), the promotion ran the (King of the Indies) tournament again, bringing in an insanely stacked crew of talent including Samoa Joe, Daniels, Low Ki, Adam Pearce, Doug Williams, Daniel Bryan, Bryan Kendrick, Scott Andrews, AJ Styles, Super Dragon, Kazarian and more. The show was beyond spectacular, including the first-ever Ki vs. Joe and Ki vs. Bryan (then Bryan Danielson) match.

Alexander opened APW in 1991 under the title "Pacific Coast Sports." The school was pretty much in a garage, which the promotion touted by naming it's events "Garage Wars."

There were a number of talents that came out of the school to make legitimate names for themselves in the pro wrestling world, including Matt "Spike Dudley" Hyson, Mike Modest, Donovan Morgan, Bison Smith, Mike "Crash Holly" Lockwood and Vic Grimes, among others, all of whom had runs with WWE, ECW or Pro Wrestling NOAH."

 

[alfdogg]

https://youtu.be/YZDokCH9z5I

I feel like this is the moment that got the ball rolling on Taker. Maybe it's hindsight, but he doesn't look out of place at all with Warrior and Savage despite being fairly new at the time, and Warrior did a great job selling his presence.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://youtu.be/YZDokCH9z5I

I feel like this is the moment that got the ball rolling on Taker. Maybe it's hindsight, but he doesn't look out of place at all with Warrior and Savage despite being fairly new at the time, and Warrior did a great job selling his presence.

I have ZERO recollection of this and it seems even the WWF never really played it up after Mania while the Taker/Warrior feud progressed. I am a bit stunned the WWF would telegraph Savage losing so obviously by setting up a new Warrior angle.

Taker mauled Koko and Dusty at SSeries and IIRC it took both Road Warriors to dump him from the Rumble, so he had been well booked at the biggest shows up to that point. Taker gets a face pop for squashing Snuka at Mania if my recent viewing holds true.

For me, Taker shoving Warrior in the casket was the memorable moment that put him over as a true threat. Then a few weeks later on SNME he no sold Hogan's shots and Hogan ran off after the Triangle of Terror rather than dealing with Taker. Warrior then tried and failed to knock Taker off his feet on national TV.

Cool find!

 

[LaParkaYourCar]

https://classicwrestlingreview.com/2020/03/22/halloween-havoc-95/

Here's my review of Halloween Havoc '95.

 

[Super Leather]

https://rocknwrestling.blogspot.com/2020/03/rock-n-wrestling-bret-vs-stone-cold.html

I wrote a column about the Bret/Stone Cold epic at WrestleMania 13 that was intended for PORK magazine before it ceased production. Posted it on my blog 23 years to the day.

 

[King Kamala]

Doesn't warrant a thread but the new episode of WWE Untold on the Network on the Bash at the Beach '98 main event is a pretty fun watch. I didn't learn anything but I think this is the first time I recall Dennis Rodman talking about his wrestling career at length.

 

[Epic Springs]

I enjoyed it only for Rodman's foul mouth. I'm actually pretty sad they couldn't get the Mailman to say a few words.

 

[King Kamala]

It's the 19th Anniversary of the series finale of WCW Monday Nitro.

Almost two decades later and I'm still wondering why WCW put a Shawn Stasiak/Bam Bam Bigelow squash match on their last show.

 

[Master Thrasher]

It's the 19th Anniversary of the series finale of WCW Monday Nitro.

Almost two decades later and I'm still wondering why WCW put a Shawn Stasiak/Bam Bam Bigelow squash match on their last show.

I'm surprised Bam Bam didn't go to the WWF.

 

[snuffbox]

He couldnt even beat a football player or Goldust

 

[King Kamala]

I'm assuming Bammer had that sweet Turner Sports contract and had bitter feelings about how his mid '90s run ended. Plus WWE didn't really take any WCW guys older than their mid thirties besides DDP (and that was only cause he took a massive paycut cause he really wanted a WWE run).

I love Bam Bam but I can't see an '01-'02 run being any good tbh. Could he have been used well? Maybe. But I think there's a 0% chance of him actually being used well in that era of WWE.

 

[alfdogg]

Was there any interaction at all between Flair and Perfect during his 2002 run? Seems kinda crazy that they wouldn't reference their history at all, but it never happened that I can remember.

 

[Baby Shoes]

Nothing is coming to mind but Perfect’s run was roughly around four months and I think he spent quite a bit of it on Sunday Night Heat instead of RAW.

 

[Master Thrasher]

The Benoit doc got me interested in watching Judgment Day 2005. This is the show where Eddie does a massive blade job. It's gross.

I kind of wanted JBL to win so I could see the Staples Center crowd riot.

The card overall was bad. Why does the Undertaker care about Booker T dissing Smackdown? Dawn Marie and Torrie Wilson had a match. There was a promo for Kenzo Suzuki.

 

[SFH]

The Benoit thing didn't really offer any new information other than David's POV and it really put me in an unnecessary depression after watching it.

 

[King Kamala]

https://twitter.com/JeremyTheMVP/status/1243442355354529793
Yesterday was the 20th Anniversary of "IT'S...IT'S THE WALL, BROTHER!"

Now I know what I'm watching on WWE Network today. It also had IIRC Mike Modest getting a non-title win over then WCW Cruiserweight Champion The Artist Formerly Known as Prince Iaukea and Sting dumping a bowl of bean dip on Lex Luger's head. All time great Nitro IMO.

 

[LaParkaYourCar]

https://classicwrestlingreview.com/2020/03/29/november-to-remember-95/

Here is my review of ECW's November to Remember '95.

 

[Brocklock]

Rob Bartlett doing a godawful Mike Tyson impression while Vince laughs during the entirety of Shawn Michaels vs MAx Moon from the first episode of Raw might rank high on a list of the most cringeworthy shit that has gone down on a WWE/WWF show.

 

[Master Thrasher]

I watched one of the early Smackdown's that had the Rock & Sock Connection vs The Big Show and Undertaker in a Buried Alive match. Kane showed up several segments in this show as he was jumped in the parking lot by HHH, X-Pac broke up with him, HHH beat him with Chyna interfering, and going after HHH in the main event. Now this gets kind of weird and maybe Russo was still with the company: Show starts burying Mankind and HHH comes out and KO's him with sledgehammer. Then HHH starts burying Mankind and Show/Taker win the match. I'm like "wut"?

 

[King Kamala]

Not an action figure guy but I'm always tempted to become one when I see the new vintage ones trending on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/RingsideC/status/1245752489816850433
'02-'03 era Orton (complete with sling)

https://twitter.com/RingsideC/status/1245748442418368522
Weasel Suit Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (RIP)

https://twitter.com/RingsideC/status/1245750338038226945
What is the audience for a conservative college lecture circuit era Ultimate Warrior action figure?

Some other cool ones I saw were '00s era Kofi, a cool "Superstar" Billy Graham, a sweet Greg The Hammer Valentine, and VISCERA! Another one I saw that was a headscratcher was Triple H from the brief era where he wore biker shorts in the mid '00s. I guess it's no more of a headscratcher than Viscera but Idk.

Edit---oh shit. Viscera comes with a Hardcore Title (I don't even remember ever being Hardcore Champ. Must've been in 24/7 era). So that's way cooler than the worst era of Triple H.

 

[alfdogg]

How much of Brawl 4 All was really a shoot? I'm sure Bart Gunn is a tough guy IRL, but his win kinda felt scripted after the Dr. Death match. Seems kinda fishy that he goes to a decision with Bob Holly, then after Doc he knocks everyone out

 

[King Kamala]

Every shoot interview I read has said it was legit. Bob Holly is tougher than nails and Bradshaw got KTFOd by Joey Styles. Not sure how legit of a badass Godfather is (despite being Kama The Supreme Fighting Machine).

We'll find out next week on Dark Side of the Ring on Vice.

 

[Master Thrasher]

That reminds me, I was at the show that ended Steve Williams and probably Bart Gunn's WWF careers.
https://www.wrestlingdata.com/index.php?befehl=shows&show=20627

I think I remember him getting KO'ed but I didn't think it was serious.

 

[King Kamala]

https://thehardtimes.net/blog/we-interviewed-wwe-tag-team-legends-demolition-and-it-turns-out-they-dont-know-shit-about-the-80s-leather-daddy-scene/
Great satirical news article from yesterday. I laughed.

Partially cause I can totally believe Bill Eadie would have no idea what a leather daddy was.

 

[alfdogg]

https://twitter.com/maskedwrestlers/status/1246478008585801729

 

[LaParkaYourCar]

https://classicwrestlingreview.com/2020/04/05/survivor-series-95/

Here's my review of Survivor Series '95.

 

[King Kamala]

https://twitter.com/davidbix/status/980642949448028160
Two years since Bix posted it and we haven't gotten any answers on why WWF paraded out a fake Sammy Hagar (who looked more like a Dana Carvey impersonator)

 

[King Kamala]

https://youtu.be/d0mwC1xjzOc
It's 20th Anniversary of the reboot episode of WCW Monday Nitro. Of course, the collaboration between Eric Bischoff and Vince Russo would lead to WCW reclaiming the top spot in the wrestling world where they remain to this day.

Or something to that effect.