Match of the Day (R.I.P. Edition)

Today we visit Japan for a tag team match.
The team of the late Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy and the late Steve "Dr. Death" Williams vs the late British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith and the late Bam Bam Bigelow.
All four have left us way too soon, but left behind a great legacy of wrestling.

The new Mrs Undertaker

via Fanhouse
It can now be confirmed that WWE legend and multiple-time champion The Undertaker and current co-Women's Champion Michelle McCool were married on Saturday at a private ceremony in Houston, Texas. The two have been romantically linked since 2007.

The ceremony was attended by family and friends in and out of the wrestling business, including Torrie Wilson, Lisa Marie Varon, and a very pregnant-with-twins Sharmell Sullivan-Huffman, the wife of Booker T.

Both have been previously married. McCool (real name Michelle McCool, if you can believe it) divorced her first husband, her high school sweetheart, in 2006. The Undertaker (real name Mark Calaway) has been married twice before, most recently divorcing his wife Sara in 2006-2007, in case you did not notice the tattoo of the name "Sara" on his neck disappearing slowly over the last few years.

Money in the Bank PPV

Here is the poster for the Money in the Bank PPV scheduled for July 18th from Kansas City Missouri.

Happy Birthday and Match of the Day

Today would have been the 64th birthday of Frank "King Kong Brody" Goodish and we celebrate with the match of the day, when he met NWA World Champion Ric Flair for the Heavyweight Title in 1983. This was in the wrestling hot bed of St Louis, Missouri and at what looks like the Keil Auditorium. In this era you sell out an arena with just the names and the title, no gimmicks, no fireworks or giant tv screens and not even tv in the US. This was taped for audiences in Japan, who were nuts for Brody and his monster like persona.
As Ric Flair said in his book "To Be The Man" this match played a huge part in him getting bookings and respect in Japan. This win over a man with Brody's reputation in Japan was a tremendous boost to Flair's marketability.
Of course this was also the day of the 1 hour time limit title match with 2 out of 3 falls and the fans knew they would get a least 30mins of action if not the full hour. These men were proud to put on a show like that, instead of the 10 minute bumpfest we see now that pass as wrestling matches.



Thanks to stupid Youtube we only get the first 10 minutes. The rest you cannot imbed.

Happy Birthday

Today is the birthday of the man formerly known as James Hellwig, now known simply as Warrior.
He was The Ultimate Warrior and won the WWF Heavyweight Title at Wrestlemania VI in Toronto, when he pinned Hulk Hogan.
Here he and former partner in the Blade Runners, Sting meet Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart on WCW Monday Nitro in 1998.
this proves you never say never in the world of pro wrestling.



From 1991 he meets up with the Undertaker

Great American Bash 1996

Today in 1996, WCW held its annual Great American Bash PPV in Baltimore, Maryland.
The semi main event was a tag team match with two of the original 4 Horseman, Ric Flair and Arn Anderson against NFL players Kevin Green and Steve McMichael.
If you were following WCW at this time you will not be surprised at how this all ended.

Match of the Day

From November 1985
Dusty Rhodes, Magnum TA and Jerry "The King" Lawler take on Arn and Ole Anderson and Tully Blanchard in a bunkhouse match. Classic stuff from Memphis.

Grizzly Smith dies at 77

CANOE -- SLAM! Sports - Wrestling - Grizzly Smith dies at 77

TNA News

CARTER SAYS TNA ABOUT "TO CHANGE FOREVER"
- TNA President Dixie Carter announced on her Twitter this morning that
"TNA's about to change forever." In one of the earlier posts, Carter
suggested a surprise for the upcoming Slammiversary pay-per-view and today
added that she can't wait to share the news with everyone including her
staff and talent. "It's 6:30 am. Been up for hours. So excited I can't
sleep," she wrote.

Now given Hogan's love of hyperbole and overstatement this could be anything since he is in tight with Dixie Carter. Could be nothing and just a way to get people to by the Slammiversary and watch TNA Impact on Spike TV.

Match of the Day

Today its the legendary Rock N Roll Express in All Japan Pro Wrestling to take on Tiger Mask II and Shinichi Nakano. The Express were at the height of their popularity in the US and were having a great run in the NWA/WCW, feuds with the Midnight Express, Rick Rude/Manny Fernandez and the Russians of Koloff,Koloff and Khruschev made them hot commodities.
Here they venture to Japan for a series of bouts for All Japan against one of the top teams at the time.

Remember?

When the WWF could do this and make it look legit? or should I say The Rock and Stone Cold could make it look believable and we bought it?

A verbose Stan Hansen highlight of Hall of Fame induction

CANOE -- SLAM! Sports - Wrestling - A verbose Stan Hansen highlight of Hall of Fame induction

"Mr. Indiana" Tom Lynch a key figure in Indianapolis territory

CANOE -- SLAM! Sports - Wrestling - "Mr. Indiana" Tom Lynch a key figure in Indianapolis territory

very cool story about wrestling in the 60s and 70s in and around Indianapolis.

A Look at ECW

courtesy of Deadspin.com, they have a great look at ECW and its short but stellar history.
This is way better than I could have done so please enjoy.

Dead Wrestling Company of the Week

Mexican Wrestler KOs a fan

this guy was probably pretty drunk to try and grab a luchador's mask and he deserved a nice punch in the mouth.

TNA July PPV

The show will take place on July 11 at the iMPACT! Zone at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. and features the returning Kurt Angle.

Match of the Day

Your Match of the day is from June 6th 1997 ECW Wrestlepalooza.
ECW Heavyweight Title match between champion Terry Funk and challenger Chris Candido. Candido was filling in for the injured Stevie Richards. Richards had a legit neck injury and was advised to take time off by his doctors or risk permanent injury to his spine and neck.
Candido and Funk put on a fairly decent match but did not set the world on fire.

Undertaker News

UNDERTAKER OUT OF ACTION FOR A FEW MONTHS
- The Undertaker is out of action for the whole Summer after he received a broken orbital bone and nose, injuries he suffered in a match against Rey Mysterio last week on Smackdown. The Phenom was supposed to be part of the Smackdown fatal four way main event at the upcoming pay-per-view but his participation has been removed with a new challenger chosen duringyesterday's Smackdown tapings which will air this Friday. Taker was just coming back from his post-WrestleMania hiatus and suddenly he now finds himself with a few more extra months of leave!

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat DVD

The new Ricky Steamboat DVD will be released June 29th and will attempt to cover the career of a great wrestler. You can pre-order it at Amazon for the newly reduced price of 26.49.

Here is what the 3 Disc set has to offer

DISC ONE:
Documentary Chapters:
Growing Up
Training
Traveling
Mid-Atlantic
The Dragon
WrestleMania III
World Champion
Fire Breathing Dragon
Mentoring
Hall of Fame
Legacy

Special Features:
Ricky's First Car
Mike Graham Remembers Richard Blood
Ricky Forgets His Name
Having a Positive Attitude
World Wide Wrestling - February 16, 1982
Tuesday Night Titans - April 5, 1985
Steve Lombardi Remembers Ricky's First Match in the WWE
The Body Shop
All-Star Wrestling - June 22, 1985
Becoming the Dragon... The Three Moments of Truth
Chris Jericho Meets Ricky Steamboat For The First Time
Tuesday Night Titans - September 10, 1986
Update with Gene Okerlund
Superstars - January 31, 1987
Dragon in the Oven
Superstars - April 11, 1987
Return from Japan
World Championship Wrestling - March 18, 1989
William Regal Remembers Watching Ricky Steamboat & Ric Flair
World Television Champion
WCW Saturday Night - September 19, 1992
Ricky Steamboat's Induction into the WWE Hall of Fame - April 4, 2009

DISC TWO:

NWA World Tag Team Championship Match
Jack & Gerry Brisco vs. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat & Jay Youngblood
Starrcade November 24, 1983

NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs "Nature Boy" Ric Flair
Boogie Jam March 17, 1984
(Commentary by: Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat & Matt Striker)

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Cowboy Bob Orton
Capital Centre July 20, 1985

Lumberjack Match
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. The Magnificent Don Muraco
Maple Leaf Gardens September 22, 1985

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts
Boston Garden August 9, 1986

Intercontinental Championship Match
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Randy "Macho Man" Savage
WrestleMania III March 29, 1987
(Alternate Commentary by: Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat & Matt Striker)


DISC THREE:

2 out of 3 Falls Match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. "Nature Boy" Ric Flair
Clash of the Champions VI April 2, 1989

United States Championship Match
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Lex Luger
The Great American Bash July 23, 1989

WCW World Tag Team Championship Match
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat & Dustin Rhodes vs. Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyzsko
Clash of the Champions XVII November 19, 1991

Iron Man Challenge Match
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Rick Rude
Beach Blast June 20, 1992

No Disqualification Match for the WCW World Television Championship
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Steve Austin
Clash of the Champions XX September 2, 1992
(Alternate Commentary by: Ricky Steamboat & Matt Striker)

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat vs. Chris Jericho
Backlash April 26, 2009