Fans of Pro Wrestling Thread

[Lomax]

hey guys,

Just wanted to start off by saying how much I haved enjoyed your podcasts for the last 2 and a half years as this is my first post on any of your forums.

I know that Scott and Chris aren't big wrestling fans but I wanted to start a thread where fellow TTF fans could discuss our love of the sport of pro wrestling (yes, I'm not ashamed to call it a sport). I first became a fan at age 5 when I went over a cousin's house to watch Summerslam 88. I was hooked for life (or should I say, "4 life"). As I got older I started watching other promotions like WCW, ECW, New Japan, All Japan, FMW, ROH, TNA, and various indy promotions. My favorite stars of all time include Macho Man Randy Savage, Bret Hart, Steve Austin, pretty much the entire ECW roster, Great Muta, Hayabusa... i could go on and on.

Anyway, what's some of your stories?

[Arthur Ratnik]

"Superfly" Snuka was arrested near my home town for roughing up a hooker. "Classy" freddie Blassie came back into town, bailed him out and called a local reporter a "pencil neck geek".

[ljacone]

I've been a wrestling fan since around the time of Wrestlemania 2. I have fond memories of my father taping Saturday Night's Main Event and watching it on Sunday morning with my brother -- including the classic cage match between Hogan and Orndorff for the title and the 20 Man Battle Royale right after Andre turned heel. Or the classic matchups of Randy Savage and George Steele where Ricky Steamboat would get involved -- including Savage crushing Steamboat's larynx with the ring bell!

I've lapsed a few times but never entirely. Was a huge fan of WCW and ECW back in the day. I lived in NY so we got ECW Hardcore TV for YEARS before they started getting big. Always dug puroresu, including New Japan and All Japan, plus later NOAH. My favorite Japanese fed was always Michinoku Pro, though, because Kaientai DX was huge for me.

Right now I mostly watch Smackdown and Superstars. Raw has too much nonsense. I was following TNA pretty religiously for a while but am currently somewhat lapsed. I do like in general what they do though.

[ljacone]

Just bought my ticket to go see Smackdown at the Bi-Lo Center in Greenville on 11/1. Got 5th row bleachers opposite the Titantron. Not bad for $16!

And now I am reading that ROH is coming to Spartanburg in December. SCORE!

[panpan23]

Deadspin has an excellent occasional feature called "Dead Wrestler of the Week." A little morbid, I know, but every piece is a nice appreciation of a wrestler who has passed.

[bigraj]

I'm a lifelong fan of pro wrestling, going back to my earliest memories of watching it with my grandparents. Grew up mainly an NWA fan, watching NWA member (and NWA friendly) companies like Mid-South (later UWF), WCCW, and Jim Crockett's shows on TBS. Also started watching the AWA on ESPN in the mid-80s when I started watching WWF shows.

My favorite year in pro wrestling is easily 1989. WWF was still doing monster business and putting on good quality shows: The Mega Powers exploded, the tag division was very strong with Demolition on top with the Hart Foundation, Rockers, Brain Busters and others doing great stuff. Rick Rude and Ultimate Warrior had a great feud for the IC title. Great stuff, but the NWA was even better: The Great Muta-Sting feud, Flair-Steamboat trilogy for the World Title, Funk-Flair, Steamboat-Luger, Pillman-Luger, Road Warriors - Skyscrapers, The Steiner Brothers and Doom both debuted that year. So much great stuff, and all-time classic matches (Flair-Steamboat at the Clash of Champions in New Orleans is the GOAT, in my opinion) and storylines.

WWE held Raw here in Lafayette last week and, while not the greatest show on TV, it was very fun to be there in person. Can't wait for them to come back to the CajunDome.

[ljacone]

I'm going to the Smackdown! taping tonight at the Bi-Lo Center here in Greenville. Not sure what is planned for the show (last week's episode and last night's Raw gave no teasers), but the locally advertised dark main event is Randy Orton, Big Show, and Sheamus taking on Mark Henry, Cody Rhodes, and Christian in a 6 man tag match, with Booker T as the guest ref. (Can you DIG that, sucka?) I am sitting opposite the Titantron so I should get a good view. I forgot my camera but I will try to take some pics with my phone and post them.

I'll be the guy in the Big Show shirt and khakis, since I have to go to the arena right after work.

[Dezreavey]

Awesome photos dude!

[ljacone]

Smackdown! was a good show, but unfortunately I forgot my camera and I am back to using my Razr phone so the camera on that is not the best. Still, it was great to finally see one of my favorites, The Big Show, in action, including Chokeslamming Christian and throwing a big KO punch.

The "E" is coming back in June for Raw, so I am going to try to get tix to that as well!

[Lomax]

I'm attending a chikara show on saturday and was wondering if anyone else follows the promotion. I love the fact that most of their dvd covers are homages to various comic covers.

[Lomax]

Been meaning to update on the show i attended...
It was one of the best shows i think i ever attended. Met many of the wrestlers as they were all over the building meeting with fans. I got to shake Colt Cabana's hand at his merch table. Also a great women's match featuring some of the top stars of the Sendai promotion in Japan. Awesome show from top to bottom. Had 3rd row seats. I was even in a group photo they took with fans celebrating their ten year anniversary. Here is that photo:



I'm on the bottom right in the black t-shirt with the two buttons on each shoulder.

[Arthur Ratnik]

Any of you guys know anything about JAKKS WWF action figures? I just got a big old tub of them and another tub of accessories from circa 1997. Did I score or get hosed? Are there any rarities I should be looking for?

[Arthur Ratnik]

[Lomax]

I don't know what all of those are worth, but you do have some complete sets(the entire nation of domination, the headbangers, the 1st new age outlaws figures). I think both the yokozuna and the honkey tonk man figure are limited editions. Plus, the less popular figures (like the truth commission guys) tend to go for more money because there were less in circulation. Also, you're giant/big show figure is a WCW figure from around 97/98. Here is a listing of all of those figures from 1997

Dude, I would have loved to of owned all of those as a kid. It was around this time when wrestling action figures started getting enough points of articulation that you could better recreate actual wrestling moves. I'm sort of embarrassed to say that I still played with those figures well into high school with my younger cousin (He was younger than me so that was my excuse to myself).





P.S. Chris if you're interested in selling any of those, let me know. I would love to own that Vader figure with Jim Cornette.

[Lomax]

And now, the awesomeness that is "Rowdy" Roddy Piper

[Arthur Ratnik]

Here's the E-Bay auction:

[Lomax]

Lomax presents: the match of the day

[Lomax]

match of the day: 4th of July Edition

[ljacone]

The Great American Bash was almost always a great card. Boggles the mind that WWE has no interest in using that name anymore!

[Lomax]

must see this film