I am posting a Herb Kuntz Wrestling tid bits from 1/25/90...... I was un able to find one from the 24th of Jan in the 8 years worth of copies I have. This is another long way FYI...... It is well worth the read but it is very long. From: [email protected] (Herb Kunze) Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling Subject: Wrestling Tidbits - 01/25 Keywords: WWF,NWA,AWA,Wrestling Message-ID: Date: 25 Jan 90 17:02:20 GMT Sender: [email protected] Distribution: rec Lines: 429 Posted: Thu Jan 25 18:02:20 1990 { Well, here goes. This another looong installment. Hope yall enjoy it. As usual, feel free to send me any comments you might have. Now, on with the show...Herb... } - WrestleMania VI prospective matches: Although the WWF is keeping quiet on the main event of WM VI, most bets say it will feature Hulk Hogan vs. Ultimate Warrior, as weve predicted on the net. Other matches on the card are slowly being announced, however. These matches include Rowdy Roddy Piper vs. Bad News Brown, Dusty Rhodes vs. Randy Savage (no doubt Sherri Martel and Sapphire will play a role in this match), Ted DiBiase vs. Jake Roberts (set up at the rumble when Jake stole the million dollar belt, apparently), and the Rockers vs. The Powers of Pain. The surprise match features the champs, Andre and Haku, defending against the Sheepwhackers. For some reason, the Sheepwhackers are an incredible draw (never underestimate the stupidity of the public...), so its quite expected that the Whackers will take the straps. - Adding fuel to the rumour fire, it seems that Hulk Hogan and his wife are expecting their second child shortly. Rumour has it that Hogan wants to spend some time at home again with the family. - This weekends Saturday Nights Main Event features Hogan and the Warrior vs. Curt Hennig and Lanny Poffo; we know what happens here. Other matches are Jim Duggan vs. Randy Savage, Dusty Rhodes vs. Rick Rude, Jake Roberts vs. Greg Valentine. - It looks like the Clash of Champions: Texas Shootout on February 6 is going to mark the end of the new face four horsemen. On this card, Ric Flair, Sting and Arn Anderson take on Muta, Dragonmaster, and Buzz Sawyer. Its expected that Sting and Flair will end their friendship here to help set up their championship match at Wrestle War 90 in Greensboro on February 25. In other matches in Greensboro, the Steiners will defend the tag belts against Ole and Arn Anderson, Lex Luger will face Dr. Death Steve Williams for the U.S. title, and 7-foot-10 El Gigante will meet 6-foot-10 Big John Studd. It seems clear that these matches make sense (i.e. have heel/face format) only if Ole and Arn join Flair as heels. Question: Will Tully return to re-unite the heel four horsemen in the future? - Rival organizations All-Japan and New Japan have joined hands to stop the American invasion to the Land of The Rising Sun. The WWF is planning to enter the Japanese market with its stars and the Japanese are hoping the marriage will dissuade them from going. - The Junk Yard Dog has resurfaced in the USWA in Dallas and will be fighting Jerry Lawler for his belt. Lawler regained the belt from King Cobra a week ago. - Don Muraco is signing up top names for a short tour of New Zealand next month. - Coming back for a one-night stand in Reidsville, N.C., on February 17 is Ricky Steamboat. Also on the card will be Tully Blanchard. Its unclear to me what organization is arranging the card. - Caught the AWA ESPN show this week. They were advertising matches for early January, so the show wasnt particularly current. In any case the feature match had the Destruction Crew meet Brute Force. Brute Force is the team of Dave Kasper and Ricky Rice. Prior to the match, announcer Lee Marshall entered the ring to make the presentation of Rookie of the Year plaques from Pro Wrestling Illustrated (apparently, Bill Apter couldnt make it). Of course Lee never mentioned that the award was for Rookie of the Year; he just called it an achievement award voted to the Crew by the fans. The Crew tossed the awards aside, saying they need nothing. They then went on to beat Brute Force after a double team on Kasper. - Okay, due to popular demand Ive typed in the final five years of the 80s in review. Again, this is courtesy of the March 1990 issue of Inside Wrestling and is presented here without permission. ( Once again, Ive inserted my own comments in {} brackets. ) Away we go... * 1985 * - Hulk Hogan seemed to be everywhere, appearing on The Tonight Show with Joan Rivers, The Love Boat, Search For Tomorrow, and the Grammy awards program. - Steve Williams eye was cut wide open by a Brad Armstrong elbow; he received 108 stitches and wrestled again that same day! - Chris Adams and Kevin Von Erich feuded throughout the World Class area for almost the entire year. - Stan Hansen employed a Boston crab submission hold to take Rick Martels AWA title. {The Brazos Valley Backbreaker was the name Stan gave this hold. It helped that he used the turnbuckle to brace himself...something that referee missed entirely.} - Ken Patera and Mr. Saito were found guilty of assault charges stemming from a 1984 fight with the police in Wisconsin; they both were sentenced to two years in prison and six years probation. - Hulk Hogan injured talk show host Richard Belzer on the Lifetime cable network program Hot Properties when he demonstrated a front-facelock on Belzer then dropped him to the floor; verdict in a lawsuit is still pending. {Actually, as reported on the net, this lawsuit was settled out-of-court a short while back.} - After Mike Von Erich underwent surgery to correct a shoulder injured at the Hands of Gino Hernandez, he contracted toxic shock syndrome. {The depression induced by this syndrome helped lead to Mikes suicide.} - The wrestling world lost Wild Bull Curry, Eddie Graham, Rick McGraw, Jay Youngblood, and Inside Wrestling columnist Dan Shocket. - Ringside seats for the first WrestleMania at New Yorks Madison Square Garden cost $100. - Magnum T.A. won the U.S. title from Tully Blanchard in an I Quit cage match. - The Freedom Fighters - Justice and Flash made their debut in the Mid-Southern area. {Of course, Justice is currently known as the Ultimate Warrior and Flash is currently known as Sting...} - Aged legends Fred Blassie and Lou Albano faced off in a steel cage match in Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. {This sounds pretty scary!} - David Shultz hit ABC-TV reporter John Stossel during a 20/20 report on wrestling. {At the order of Vince McMahon, David claims...} - Pro Wrestling Illustrated and its sister magazines upgraded the WWF belt to world title status. * 1986 * - The Road Warriors captured $1-million in prize money by winning the inaugural Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup tag team tournament. - The Machines invaded the WWF. {One of the dumbest concepts ever in the WWF, and thats saying a lot.} - WrestleMania II was held in three different locations: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York; Hulk Hogan downed King Kong Bundy in a cage match in the main event. - Citing a conflict over the disqualification rule, the World Class Wrestling Association withdrew from the NWA. - Wrestling TNT, the WWFs crazed talk show on USA cable network, was cancelled. - Japanese wrestling legend Antonio Inoki battled former boxing champ Leon Spinks October 9 in Tokyo; Spinks was pinned in the eighth round. - Capt. Lou Albano appeared in the film Wise Guys with Joe Piscopo. - Jesse Ventura starred in The Predator with Arnold Swarzeneggar. - Mid-South changed its name to the Universal Wrestling Federation. - The NWA unified the National and U.S. titles. - 70000 fans packed Exhibition Stadium in Toronto to witness a WWF card headlined by Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Orndorff. {Guess who was in that crowd...right! me. It was a bitterly cold August night and I just wanted to go home because I couldnt really catch all the action anyway. It convinced me I would never attend a live supercard again, not even WrestleMania VI, slated for Toronto April 1.} - The Road Warriors first displayed their new steel-spiked leather vests. - A new NWA World title belt was created, costing a reported $28000. - Gino Hernandez blinded Chris Adams by throwing a black liquid in his face. - Wrestling mourned the loss of Warren Bockwinkel, Tarzan Tyler, and Gino Hernandez. {As I recall, Tarzan The Boot Tyler died in a car crash somewhere in Canada along with Mad Dog LeFebre and another Montreal star. Gino died from a cocaine overdose - at this point in time World Class Wrestling was a pretty drug crazed organization if you believe Penthouse.} - Hulk Hogan suffered a concussion and spinal injuries in an attack from King Kong Bundy in Arizona; he wrestled and defeated Randy Savage two days later in New York. - Rookie Lex Luger turned some heads with an upset victory over Bruiser Brody in a $25000 bounty match in Florida. * 1987 * - WrestleMania III drew a live crowd of 93173 to the Pontiac Silverdome; Hulk Hogan pinned Ander the Giant in the main event. {A r.e.a.l.l.y boooring main event that was highlighted by a dozen restholds.} - Kerry Von Erich made his return to Texas after being sidelined 17 months after his motorcycle accident. {Weak ankle and all. As the story goes, Kerry would continue to rebreak the ankle before it could heal properly and wrestle most of his matches with this broken ankle, feeling no pain thanks to large doses of novacaine (sp). Eventually, doctors were forced to fuse the ankle because of Kerrys recklessness.} - Jerry Lawlers head was shaved by Austin Idol and Paul E. Dangerously following his loss to Idol in a cage match. - Magnum T.A. made an emotional appearance at the second annual Jim Crockett Sr. Cup tag team tournament; Dusty Rhodes and Nikita Koloff defeated Tully Blanchard and Lex Luger in the tournament final. {Didnt Magnum interfere in the match to help Dusty and Nikita get the win?} - Ric Flair regained the NWA title from Ronnie Garvin at the fifth annual Starrcade event. {Ronnie had taken a 40 day break without defending the title. Somehow this was approved by the Championship Committee.} - The first-ever War Games bout was held on July 4 in Atlanta. - Hacksaw Duggan and The Iron Sheik were arrested by New Jersey police on May 26; Duggan was charged with marijuana possession and drinking while driving; Sheik was charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana. Duggan received a conditional discharge; Sheik received one year probation. - Wrestling mourned the tragic loss of Mike Von Erich; two weeks later, Kevin Von Erich returned to the ring in what he said was his most difficult match ever. - Demolition appeared on the WWF scene and was instantly tagged as being imitation Road Warriors. {I still dont think that Demolition are anywhere near the level of competence of the Road Warriors. I honestly hope that Vince demotes Demolition and passes the World tag titles to the faster - albeit smaller - teams for a while.} - Starrcade 87 became the NWAs first-ever pay-per-view television event. - ABC-TV reported John Stossel received $425000 from Titan Sports in an out-of-court settlement from the December 1984 incident in which he was hit by David Shultz. - Malcom King Kong Kirk died in the ring on August 24. {Lets see. Malcolm was wrestling Big Daddy; both of them are over 300 pounds. Bid Daddy splashed Malcolm from the top rope and Malcolms heart stopped. After this point, most big men no longer performed their splash from the top. Both Kamala and Bam Bam Bigelow stopped using this moved, for example.} * 1988 * - Turner Broadcasting System purchased the National Wrestling Alliance from Jim Crockett Promotions. - Hulk Hogans first WWF title reign came to an end at the hands of Andre the Giant. {In The Saga of The Evil Twin Referees. Despite some comments to the contrary on the net, I still have to say that I found this angle involving twins Earl and Dave Hebner insulting. The How much did the plastic surgery cost? speech from Hogan really left me embarrassed to say that I was a fan.} - Pay-per-view wrestling became a television staple as the WWF and NWA hosted three PPV cards each. - Jerry Lawler realized a lifelong dream by capturing the AWA World title from Curt Hennig; he later defeated Kerry Von Erich at SuperClash III to unify the AWA and World Class titles. {Somehow this situation went nuts and we still have a unified belt that some people still recognize. Unfortunately for Jerry, no one important seems to recognize it.} - Nikita Koloff married Mandy Smithson on September 20. {Mandy later died from Hodgkins Disease. Nikita left the NWA to spend her final weeks with her.} - Carlos Colon wrestled Hercules Ayala in Puerto Rico in a ring surrounded by fire! - Brother Love appeared in the WWF. {Youd figure that Vince would monitor fan reaction to his schemes and adjust himself accordingly. Nope. He still wants to force this guy down our throats.} - Sting and Lex Luger defeated Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard to win the third annual Crockett Cup tournament. {Good match.} - Adrian Adonis died June 4 in an automobile accident in Newfoundland. - Bruiser Brody died July 17 after a dressing room stabbing in Puerto Rico. {Its sad that no justice was done to balance this crime.} - Road Warrior Animal suffered serious eye injuries as the result of a melee with Warlord and The Barbarian during a weightlifting challenge on January 30. - WrestleMania IV was held in Atlantic Citys Trump Plaza. - Ultimate Warrior feuded with Bobby Heenan throughout the WWF, often stuffing him into a weasel suit after the bouts. - Dusty Rhodes won the third annual NWA Bunkhouse Stampede. - Forbes magazine estimated the net worth of the WWF as $100-million. - King Kong Bundy appeared in the Richard Pryor comedy Moving, a Vendex personal computer commercial, and an episode of Married With Children. - Terry Taylor and Curt Hennig moved to the WWF. {They wrestled each other in their debut match. Pre-Mr. Perfect Curt pinned pre-rooster Terry.} * 1989 * - Pay-per-view television reached new heights of influence as the NWA and WWF hosted five PPV cards each. - The Ric Flair - Rick Steamboat wars thrilled the wrestling world. {The statistics show that more people watched Ric Flair fight Rick Steamboat on April 2 than saw Hulk Hogan fight Randy Savage. Smart choice.} - Hulk Hogan starred in No Holds Barred, which also led to a feud with co-star Zeus. - The Megapowers - Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage - split up in February. {Hulk Hogan with yet another tremendous acting job: Liz, please be okay, please, please...... Blech!} - Brian Pillman, The Great Muta, and The Skyscrapers arrived in the NWA. - Chris Von Erich trained for his pro debut. - Robin Green became Woman, cutting short a love affair with Rick Steiner. - WrestleMania V grossed $25-million, as reported by Forbes magazine. - Wrestling mourned the loss of Mandy Koloff, Paul Boesch, and Mildred Burke. - The Ding Dongs appeared in the NWA and disappeared shortly thereafter. {The NWA does listen to its fans and got rid of something that we did not like.} - Dusty Rhodes shocked the wrestling world by moving from the NWA to the WWF. {Yet another clown in the circus.} - Vince McMahon appeared as a guest on Late Night with David Letterman. - Eric Embry won control of Texas wrestling by defeating P.Y. Chu-Hi; the new USWA effectively closed the door on World Class and the Texas era of the Von Erichs. - Antonio Inoki was elected to political office in Japan. {and was knifed by a fanatic late in the year.} - Terry Funk attempted to suffocate Ric Flair with a plastic bag on May 7 in Nashville. {Is this right? Didnt Funk do the piledriver on the announcers table routine at this show? The plastic bag move came later in the year at a Clash, if memory serves.} - Wahoo McDaniel announced his retirement. {after suffering a detached retina thanks to the Destruction Crew.} - Pro Wrestling Illustrated Weekly newsletter commenced publication. - Curt Hennig and Lanny Poffo destroyed Hulk Hogans WWF championship belt. {One of Hulk Hogans belts...Hogan cried over the belt, but it didnt seem like he was ever without one while a replacement was made.} - What the heck. Lets reminisce some more. Also from the March 1990 Inside Wrestling, heres a list of important dates in the 80s, both wrestling related and otherwise: 1980 April 12 : U.S. announces boycott of Moscow summer Olympics. April 24 : Iranian hostage rescue fails; eight Americans killed. May 18 : Mt. St. Helens erupts. July 18 : Verne Gagne defeats Nick Bockwinkel for AWA title. August 9 : Larry Zybyszko vs. Bruno Sammartino in Shea Stadium. September 4 : Shohei Baba defeats Harley Race for NWA title. September 10 : Harley Race defeats Shohei Baba for NWA title. November 4 : Ronald Reagan elected president. December 8 : John Lennon shot. 1981 January 20 : 52 U.S. hostages released by Iran. March 30 : President Reagan and press secretary James Brady shot. April 12 : First space shuttle mission ever. April 27 : Tommy Rich defeats Harley Race for NWA title. May 1 : Harley Race defeats Tommy Rich for NWA title. May 19 : Nick Bockwinkel awarded AWA title when Verne Gagne retires. June 21 : Dusty Rhodes defeats Harley Race for NWA title. July 29 : Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer married. September 17 : Ric Flair defeats Dusty Rhodes for NWA title. September 21 : First woman Supreme Court justice, Sandra Day OConner, confirmed. 1982 April 2 : Falklands war begins. June 15 : Falklands war ends. June 28 : Bob Backlunds cage match with Jimmy Snuka in New York. June 30 : ERA amendment fails ratification. July 4 : WWF champion Bob Backlund vs. NWA champion Ric Flair. August 29 : Otto Wanz defeats Nick Bockwinkel for AWA title. October 9 : Nick Bockwinkel defeats Otto Wanz for AWA title. November 10 : Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev dies at 75. December 2 : First artificial heart implant. 1983 March 2 : Final episode of M*A*S*H April 4 : Space shuttle Challenger completes maiden voyage. May 6 : Hitler diaries declared a hoax. June 10 : Harley Race defeats Ric Flair for NWA title. June 18 : Shuttle astronaut Sally Ride is first U.S. woman in space. August 30 : Shuttle astronaut Guion Bluford is first black in space. October 23 : Tommy Rich - Buzz Sawyer Last Battle of Atlanta November 24 : Ric Flair defeats Harley Race for NWA title. December 26 : Iron Sheik defeats Bob Backlund for WWF title. 1984 January 6 : Australian woman mother of first test tube quadruplets. January 17 : Supreme Court upholds use of videorecorders in home. January 23 : Hulk Hogan defeats Iron Sheik for WWF title. February 10 : David Von Erich found dead in Japan. February 22 : Jumbo Tsuruta defeats Nick Bockwinkel for AWA title. May 2 : Soviet Union withdraws from Olympic games in L.A. May 6 : Kerry Von Erich defeats Ric Flair for NWA title. May 13 : Rick Martel defeats Jumbo Tsuruta for AWA title. May 24 : Ric Flair defeats Kerry Von Erich for NWA title. October 31 : India Prime Minister Indira Ghandhi assassinated. November 7 : Ronald Reagan re-elected in landslide. 1985 February 18 : Roddy Piper vs. Hulk Hogan live on MTV. March 11 : USSR leader Chemenko dies, replaced by Mikhail Gorbachev. March 31 : WrestleMania I May 11 : First WWF Saturday Nights Main Event program. July 13 : Live Aid raises $70-million to help starving in Africa. September 19 : Thousands die in Mexico earthquake. October 7 : Hijackers seize Achille Lauro cruise ship. November 19 : First U.S.- USSR summit in six years. December 29 : Stan Hansen defeats Rick Martel for AWA title. 1986 January 20 : First Martin Luther King day observed. January 28 : Space shuttle Columbia explodes. April 28 : Chernobyl nuclear accident. June 29 : Nick Bockwinkel awarded AWA title from Stan Hansen by default. July 4 : Statue of Liberty centennial celebration. July 26 : Dusty Rhodes defeats Ric Flair for NWA title. August 9 : Ric Flair defeats Dusty Rhodes for NWA title. October 14 : Magnum T.A. career cut short by car crash. November 3 : Iranian arms-for-hostages deal made public. 1987 January 5 : President Reagan produces first U.S. trillion-dollar budget. March 19 : Jim Bakker resigns his ministry. March 29 : WrestleMania III live attendance: 93173. April 12 : Mike Von Erich commits suicide. May 2 : Curt Hennig defeats Nick Bockwinkel for AWA title. May 27 : 37 sailors on U.S.S. Stark killed by Iraqi warplane missile. September 25 : Ronnie Garvin defeats Ric Flair for NWA title. October 19 : Stock Market crashes. November 11 : Van Gogh painting sets sales record: $53.9 million. November 26 : Ric Flair defeats Ronnie Garvin for NWA title. 1988 February 5 : Andre the Giant defeats Hulk Hogan for WWF title. March 15 : NASA study released detailing ozone layer depletion. March 27 : Randy Savage wins WWF title tournament. May 9 : Jerry Lawler defeats Curt Hennig for AWA title. July 3 : U.S. Navy missile downs Iranian airliner, killing 290. July 17 : Bruiser Brody murdered in Puerto Rico September 13 : Hurricane Gilbert slams Mexico, killing hundreds. October 3 : Space shuttle Discovery completes first mission since Challenger. November 8 : George Bush elected President of the U.S. 1989 January 20 : George Bush inaugurated President of the U.S. February 7 : Larry Zybyszko wins battle royal for AWA title. February 20 : Rick Steamboat defeats Ric Flair for NWA title. April 2 : Hulk Hogan defeats Randy Savage for WWF title. May 7 : Ric Flair defeats Rick Steamboat for NWA title. October 17 : Earthquake hits San Francisco; World Series postponed. November 9 : East-West Berlin passage allowed; Berlin wall crumbles. December 2 : Bush-Gorbachev summit meeting. Well, thats it for the Inside Wrestling review. The above took me about an hour to type in, so I hope you all enjoy it and make my time sacrifice worthwhile. Herb... *********************************************************************** * Herb Kunze * Whether you like it or not, * * Applied Math Department * learn to live with it, cause * * University of Waterloo * Im the best thing going today! * * [email protected] * - Ric Nature Boy Flair * ***********************************************************************
Posted on: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 14:44:12 +0000
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