Pro Wrestling

Obviously we all know the more well known ridiculous pro wrestling conspiracy theories like the famous 90s conspiracy that the original Ultimate Warrior died and was replaced by someone else and the very disturbed people who claim Chris Benoit is innocent and that Kevin Sullivan is the one actually responsible. But surely there are some more ridiculous theories out there that aren't quite as well known as those that can be shared in this thread. Just the other day I was reading a topic on the ever awful Wrestlingforum.com speculating about Daniel Bryan's tweets and whether he was still trying to prepare for a comeback. Which then lead into someone speculating that his…

Was messing around with Booking Revolution (fun little game by the way) and a matchup that happened for me was Barry Windham vs Kerry Von Erich. That got me thinking that would be a great match I think, but it doesn't look like it ever happened. According to WrestlingData.com, they faced each other in tags in Championship Wrestling from Florida in May 1982. Does anyone know if any of those made tape?

So for this week's podcast we are returning to our booking committee format for a discussion Rebooking the WWF in 1991, a very interesting time that began the downturn for the company. We're looking to get some feedback on what you think needed to be done to make things succeed during a period where popularity fell. Starting as everything was on January 1st 1991, what do you book for WrestleMania 7? Do you run with the Slaughter Gulf War angle? What do you do with Warrior's WWF Title run? What do you do with the incoming Sid Justice and Ric Flair? What do you do with the titles? Where does Hogan fit in? As always, we'll be reading the best feedback/ideas on the show and…

Bro lets pretend for a moment Vince doesnt hate the actual wrestling that happens between bell to bell what matches do you think he would he select re thread title?

A couple of months ago, somebody started a thread in the Modern WWE folder entitled: "Dean Ambrose: Am I Missing Something?" the gist of which was that they didn't see the big deal about Ambrose, or why other people thought he was a big deal. Last night, due to severe boredom, I watch parts of RAW. Honestly, I couldn't sit through the whole thing, but I watched parts. The Dean Ambrose thread came to mind...but not because of Dean Ambrose, for two other reasons. Firstly - and I hate myself for writing this, since it makes me look like I am agreeing with two people I can't stand, and who can't stand each other, namely Jim Cornette and Vince Russo - but I do NOT ge…

Listening to the recent Wrestling Eye Podcast about Bearcat Wright. (http://wrestlingeye.libsyn.com/wrestling-observer-hall-of-fame-2016-candidate-series-bearcat-wright) The conversation got me thinking. Normally something someone says on a podcast wouldn’t drive me to make a separate thread but, I then saw this topic (http://prowrestlingonly.com/index.php?/topic/13026-best-black-wrestler-ever/) and that got me thinking about it once more. So my question for everyone is, what does it mean to be a “Black-Wrestler”? Someone like Bearcat Wright made his blackness part of his character, representing not just a black athlete but a black man of the day. He represented w…

So this match up has just been announced for the British Empire Wrestling show in May. Any UK based PWO folks going? Should be a fun showcase of what Stardom has to offer as well as a chance to check out some other cool stuff.

So I'm watching 1986 Memphis TV on YouTube, and around October they bring in Sputnik Monroe in to introduce his son Bubba to the territory. He's obviously not the greatest worker but he's not Erik Watts-ing it out there either. Within a couple weeks, he's losing in 25 seconds to Jerry Lawler. With wrestling being wrestling, I figure there has to be a story behind that one.

So for this week's podcast we're delving into some truly awful stuff, and looking to debate the Worst Matches to ever "grace" a Pay-Per-View broadcast, and as such are looking to get your nominations for what you think should take the wooden spoon. Simply put, what is the worst match you personally feel you've ever seen on PPV? Could be an outright four-finger stinker, or a promoted match that just fell so far short of expectations that it'd scarred your fandom forever - which do you feel is the worst, and please explain why. As always the best contributions will be read on the show and you'll be credited accordingly. So what's your pick for this lofty honour? EDIT …

So, instead of hating on everything as usual, everywhere on the interwebs basically, I thought some positivity would be nice. I'm asking myself, are there moves that are generally loved, or almost generally? What moves do you specifically love seeing, or hearing sometimes? For example, the first one that comes to my mind is the, as it is now called, Phenomenal forearm. I loved seeing it back in TNA, soved it ever since and am SO hyped that it has now become his finishing move, although I really liked the Styles Clash as a visual as well.

Just seeking a bit of guidance for those who know this match and the TV leading up to it well. According to Wikipedia, the formation of the Dangerous Alliance and their rivalry with Sting begins at the tail end of 1991. However, the War Games is in May 1992. Considering time constraints, what is a good jumping on point in terms of weekly television to get the build up to the War Games as effectively as possible? If I had time, I'd be looking from the start of course, but I'm assuming (hoping?) that there might be a way of looking at it from closer than the 1991 footage.

On the Voices of Wrestling podcast they pointed out that ROH is being bullied by NJPW to do these angles. They are in a position of vulnerability because without these NJPW guys, why would anyone go to these ROH shows? That's why they're failing because they have the cushion of the NJPW guys to say when they need a big house, they lean on other talent from mainly NJPW. Who in ROH has the potential to break out and become a star besides Lio Rush who just got there? Let's be honest, Adam Cole is at the peak of his star unless he goes to the E, Roddy the same thing, ACH isn't what we think he is to them and the other guys are just cogs in the wheel. Why aren't ROH bringing i…

Over on the DVDR 80s project Too Short match reviews, I've seen guys let a bad performance from the ref adversely affect their rating of the match. I think Goodhelmet is pretty big on this. So ... What are you looking for from a ref? What are some examples of the best and worst refs? Who is your favourite ref?

I don't know if there's anything to this, but I'm starting this thread so the topic can be explored more. The death of the territories and rise of the WWF happened in a similar time frame to companies like Wal-Mart putting so many local businesses out to pasture. I'd like to look at FCC regulations regarding cable television and labor laws passed in the 80s that were more favorable to big players, and the impact that may have had on the territories. In other words, I'd like to explore the politics of cable television's rise. It also seems like there's stuff here worth exploring as it relates to the death of manufacturing and the impact that had on the culture, and as …

So, for this week's podcast, we're looking to talk about classic episodes of wrestling television, and would like your suggestions for your personal favourite individual episode of wrestling TV you've ever seen. It can be from any company at any point in time, but we're looking for your pick for the particular episode, what you thought made it great as an entire show, and why it stands out to you so much over all the others. Whether it's great matches, great angles, a dynamic energy or personal nostalgia, what makes it your favourite? As always, the best contributions will be read and discussed on the show, and you'll be credited accordingly - so what's your pick? E…

There's a lot to be said about this. First stuff that came to mind: I watched the Lawler-Snowman stuff yesterday and wouldn't exactly describe those Memphis studio fans as being "racially progressive". I am shocked that it's the black guy that the other commentators on Raw always make fun of. WWE having quotas for ethnicities and apparently checking how much time every ethnicity gets in case someone accuses them of racism. Etc.

I started reviewing all the CHVs in chronological order on my blog, but GWE kind of killed my momentum there. Thus I am bringing it to PWO. Note: I'm skipping pay-per-views, because it's pointless to look at those here. The first three can be found here. I watched the others without reviewing them, but here is the quick details. WF001: Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps, & Bodyslams HIghlight? Almost nothing, maybe Butcher Vachon's wedding Recommend? Avoid at all costs. Bad comedy, matches cut to seconds, just a brutal tape. WF002: Hulkamania Highlight? Hulk Hogan vs Big John Studd (12/10/1984) **** Recommend? Hell yes. That Studd match rules, but there…

from 411 "It’s official: Tammy Lynn Sytch is an adult film star. TMZ reports that the former Sunny has confirmed she signed a deal with Vivid Entertainment to do a porn film and has already shot the video. The film will be titled Sunny Side Up: In Through the Backdoor. Sytch told the site that Vivid head Tommy Hirsch’s initial deal of $100,000 was too low, but that the company came back with a “much, much higher” offer that she agreed to. She added that she is taking her WWE Hall of Fame ring off the market as a result" thoughts? As a Sunny fan from way back in the mid to late 90s its really depressing watching her fall further and further how many people in here a…

The WCW One warrior nation run was brutal, some of the worst booking Ive ever sat through. Im not sure Warrior was done as a wrestler at that point, he was in good shape and deserved a decent program How would you have booked him in WCW at that point in time?

This is not so much a post for listing out the stereotypes in wrestling, since stereotypes exist in all forms of entertainment, but a post to felicitate discussion on how it is treated. I have a lot to say, but I am finding it difficult to articulate my thoughts. Principally, I am reminded of the story when Tiger Ali Singh asked Vince to reconsider the angle where his Turban was removed - for laughs, IIRC - because of its importance in his local culture. Vince, apparently, listened to him, and then just said "Go and fucking do it." I am not saying he should not have booked that angle, but I do want to talk about how it was booked and treated. To put it mildly, fo…

This is something I've pondered for years now. While a knee-jerk reflexive view of "race in wrestling" would tell us that it is typically marked by jingoism, xenophobia, and small-minded patriotism, I'm going to argue that while that might have been true of the crowds it is not true of the performance practices of the wrestlers. Race and nationality are cultural constructs -- they are constructed and performative in ways that are obvious. In wrestling, they have always been fluid in ways that are remarkably "progressive" if one thinks about it. - Think of Sheik Adnan Al-Kaisey, who spent a good portion of his career in the native American gimmick of Billy White Wo…

Thought as the year is still young, it might be fun to have a thread for people to write about shows they've been to this year. I'm always curious to see what shows people have been to, who's been standing out and who to keep an eye out for. To get the ball rolling, here's some words on the only show I've been to so far in 2016 House of Pain Wrestling - 31/01/16 My first show of the year was a House of Pain Wrestling show in Calverton, Notts,. HOP is an academy based promotion, with all the workers coming from their training school, run by BritWres standout Stixx. HOP shows are a nice opportunity to see up-and-coming guys for a reasonable price (6 matches for £5) …

It's May 1, 2016, this is my 10,000th post here at PWO, and our long national nightmare is over. After over a year and half of sharing and watching footage, nominating candidates, discussing and debating their relative merits, and being amused and annoyed by the results the Pro Wrestling Only Greatest Wrestler Ever Project has concluded. To me the end of the project is both satisfying and sad. More than that, these feelings of satisfaction and sadness have manifested themselves on both the macro and micro levels. On the one hand I am very happy with my list. Looking over it today I was shocked by how little of it I would amend if I were to stick with the same…

Brain hemorrhage... http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/514171/

Just found something a bit exciting, a while ago WWE teased a Undertaker on 5 matches Taker had you didnt know and one was Taker/Savage that they taped. Now on my local wrestling news site I saw WWE is after ideas on what DVD titles should come out in 2017 and one was called Unreleased matches 1986 - 1995 which would be awesome news because that match would fit perfect on that collection. If we did get this titles what other matches from this time frame would you expect to see?