June 26, 20169 yr comment_5758089 I will be on the lookout for that main event! Boesch vs. Hart is online!
June 26, 20169 yr comment_5758107 This is a Chicago Death match. We have a special ref in Mike Mazurki who by looking at his IMDB credits was a great character actor usually as a gangster. The loser of the match had to say Uncle over the microphone. The stips of the match were if Hart wins he gets to announce the next card. If Boesch wins Gary Hart can't bother him. This wasn't Tully/Magnum but was interesting . It was hard for the guys to call stuff with the mike, and working with a green ref. Still it was fun. I wonder how much a Boesch match popped the gate?
June 26, 20169 yr comment_5758110 Mike Mazurki was a wrestler before he became an actor and was the original founder of the Cauliflower Alley Club. I remember seeing him on a lot of television programs when I was a kid - Gilligan's Island for one. On another sidenote - we heard from Tommy Siegler's son and sent his father free access to the site. We've talked to so many wrestlers who are thrilled to see classic matches of themselves when they were younger: Nick Kozak - JJ Dillon - One Man Gang - Kevin Von Erich - Jim Cornette - Ricky Morton - Robert Gibson - Bobby Eaton . . . the list goes on an on. There's a huge intangible value in paying back some of these guys who literally sacrificed their bodies for wrestling - even if the payback is providing them with a little enjoyment by seeing themselves in action (and showing their families) at an earlier time in life. This a project for the fans - but it's also a tribute to the guys who wrestled in these matches as well. THANK YOU!
June 26, 20169 yr comment_5758115 Online now - from December 18, 1981 - Dory Funk Jr. vs. Tank Patton!
June 27, 20169 yr comment_5758176 Nice mid-card match online now - DON SERRANO vs CYCLONE NEGRO from January 29, 1982!
June 29, 20169 yr comment_5758234 This is an undercard match. It's purpose is to be a match that holds water, but not to upstage the main events. Here they pretty much exchange holds. They keep it some what entertaining. Both guys at times showed flashes of charisma. I enjoyed Serrano's sell of Cyclone's punch. Solid stuff.
June 29, 20169 yr comment_5758259 Not much Cyclone Negro footage out there anymore. He was a big star in Florida and Texas - especially Amarillo where he had some legendary Texas Death Matches against DORY FUNK SR.
June 30, 20169 yr comment_5758325 Ricky Morton vs The Grappler This was a lot of fun while it lasted. It went about 7 minutes, but we got to see what both guys did well. With Morton it was his fire and selling. The Grappler was his psychology. 1st we saw well he worked over a neck, next we got to see him work over Morton's legs. Mesh what these guys bring to the table and you get a good match. We get a Brody run in because he's feuding with Grappler. 2 3/4*
July 2, 20169 yr comment_5758430 Gino Hernandez - Mark Lewin Double Feature ONLINE NOW! And for those of you who aren't Mark Lewin fans per se - watch him work these matches as a babyface - watch his facial expressions - it was a different style back then - a slower more deliberate style because these guys had to preserve their bodies / they worked every night. Listen to the fans - and that's no canned audio like they use today. The fans are into it. Personally - I'm a HUGE Mark Lewin fan and it's clear throughout this collection that he can get over well as a babyface OR a heel. The first match - September 12, 1980 for the American Title - is possibly Lewin's best performance on the collection. Look at the fire in his babyface comeback in the third fall. Gary Hart and Gino (of course) are also great here. Logical finish. Even though Lewin "lost" it's a textbook example of looking strong / keeping your heat. If the story is compelling enough the people don't even remember who lost! Also compels them to comeback next week to see the rematch. Other things to watch for is Lewin's nice dropkick out of nowhere - and Bronco Lubich nails Hart with a hard right hand! Excellent match. The rematch from October 3, 1980 has Gary Hart in a Straitjacket! Give it to Paul Boesch and Houston Wrestling AGAIN for being innovative. At 5:45 of the first fall - OMG - Lewin spits right in Hart's face - and there isn't a damn thing Hart can about it because he's in a straitjacket! Talk about stiff. Lewin works the headlock for most of the first fall - which I know some of you guys won't like - but look and listen to the crowd. They were into is and it was great psychology / storytelling for the day. Less is more and that's all Mark needed for his babyface shine. Mark Lewin is a huge babyface in Houston in this match. Crowd is really into the action. Amazing third fall comeback by Lewin - Gino as expected - takes some really amazing bumps. Finish is classic Mark Lewin. What impresses me is that the people believed. Watch them as they try to help wask out Mark's eyes after the match. This is what I call crowd involvement where they feel they are literally part of the match. That's why back in the day you'd have to watch out for fans actually hitting the ring. No guardrails was a factor in that too though! Different age - different era.
July 2, 20169 yr comment_5758433 My thoughts on the 1st match. This was just one hellacious fight. Gary Hart worked his ass off here too. Lewin is much better as a walking tall face. The first fall was high energy. Hart sets up the heat by posting Lewin 2 or 3 times on the outside. Eventually Lewin turns the table and posts Hart. Now the comeback here is great with both heels feeding him. The 2nd fall is great with Gino bumping and eating all Lewin's offense.. Gino slows the pace down to get some heat. Then we build to the finish. The 3rd fall is all chaos, but quick. At the end Gary Hart's jacket is ripped up. This was a great Gary Hart performance, Lewin played his role spot on, and Gino was great with all the little stuff. 3 1/2
July 3, 20169 yr comment_5758455 The rematch. This had its moments. Gary Hart in the Straight Jacket. Lewin keeps staring down at Hart. I like Hart sitting down next to the cop so the fans don't sucker punch him. I loved the finish of the 1st fall. This match felt like it was missing something.
July 4, 20169 yr comment_5758560 Thornton vs Diamond I really loved this match.They meshed the British style with the southern style seamlessly. Thornton brought this real rugged technical style that really generated heat with the crowd. Diamond sold really well.When Diamond was on offense he didn't look smooth, but it was focused. I loved the finish to the 3rd fall, and it was a match that made both guys. Watching Thornton work over Diamond was a real joy. 4*
July 4, 20169 yr comment_5758561 I also loved Boesch narrating over highlights of angles and him wrestling in the 30's.
July 4, 20169 yr comment_5758565 I like these double uploads keep it up. I didnt mind the TV special. It did worry me that the only match taped from 1970 was his own which would be a shame. Lots of slideshows which is fine considering the time but overall a nice little treat. I enjoyed the junior match a lot. I didnt think I would like these matches but Thornton was really good as was Diamond, just a good competitive match that I hope we see more of.
July 5, 20169 yr comment_5758630 Online NOW: UWF Tag Team Title Match! WILD BILL IRWIN / BAD LEROY BROWN (with Gen. Skandor Akbar) vs. TERRY TAYLOR / HACKSAW JIM DUGGAN from December 12, 1986! With JIM ROSS on commentary! Includes post-match interviews.
July 5, 20169 yr comment_5758631 That sounds like a fun change of pace. Now that we're past the holiday I have to play some catch up.
July 6, 20169 yr comment_5758700 Tag Title match This is a solid tag, but it's set up for the NO DQ Christmas show. We get a solid shine for the babyfaces. Then Brown takes a bump to the corner and the ring breaks. I gotta give credit to the wrestlers. Sometimes you seem them fail sometimes pull it off. I thought they did a good job covering while the ring was repaired. The bread and butter was Taylor's FIP. He's busted open and the heels do a great job of working over the cut. The finish is what is needed to set up the stips for the next match. We got some fun post match promos. 2 1/2*
July 9, 20169 yr comment_5758938 Don Fargo vs Pepper Gomez Wow this was a lot of fun. Their might have been one bump in the whole match. Fargo's antics were so over the top it generated heat from the crowd. Loved how he attempted to work over Gomez's stomach to no avail. Watching Fargo was such a joy. He had me smiling the whole match.
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