paul sosnowski

Andre comes storming down the aisle, screaming and shoving and terrorizing the fans. He is accompanied by Arnold Skaaland. Andre attacks and chokes out the ring announcer. Behind the referee's back, Hogan and Andre start with a collar and elbow tie-up before the bell even rings. Andre clubbers Hogan and headbutts him, we are underway. Andre whips Hogan to the opposite corner, but is met with a boot to the face. Hogan hammers Andre, but is caught in a bearhug. Hogan breaks it with some elbows to the chest. Andre chops Hogan and sends him flying down to the mat. Hogan starts beating Andre down with a double fist. Andre stops him with a kneelift and undoes the turnbuckle. Hogan reverses Andre and pounds his head into the metal buckle twice. Andre is down. Hogan punching and kicking him. Andre headbutts Hogan twice and goes for the big boot, but Hogan escapes to the outside. Andre quickly follows him and throws him into the ring. Andre catches Hogan in a torturous twisting armlock and works over his arm for several minutes. Finally Hogan breaks it with a hair pull and catches the Big Man in a front facelock guillotine. Andre is down to his knees and Hogan takes him to the mat. Andre gets back to his feet, still in the headlock and both men tumble over the top rope to the floor. Hogan grabs Andre by the head and the tights and pulls him over. Andre hits a headbutt, Hogan is swinging wildly, another headbutt by Andre and Hogan is staggering. Hogan tries to stop Andre from getting back in the ring and holds his leg, but Andre breaks free as the referee finishes his count. Andre wins at 8:18 Hogan immediately goes after Arnold Skaaland and attacks him for no reason. Arnold did nothing the entire match. Hogan swings a chair down on Arnold, which infuriates the Giant. Andre comes after Hogan, another big headbutt, brings the chair down on Hogan and chops him over the guardrail into the crowd. Hogan comes back, Andre headbutts him again and bodyslams him on the floor. Andre then throws him into the post and leaves the ringside area. 2 1/2 ***. Definitely nothing special here

Abby attacks Dusty in the aisle during his entrance, while he is taking his shirt off. He rams Dusty into the railing four times and Dusty comes up bleeding within seconds. They brawl into the crowd, Abby hits Dusty with a water bottle. The wrestlers try to pull them apart, then start carrying Dusty out to seek medical attention. But, of course, Dusty immediately returns to ringside, ready to continue the fight. He tries to get in the ring, but Abby sends him into the post. The referee is checking Dusty's wounds, but Dusty insists he is ok and the bell rings to officially start the match. Dusty bladed near his eye, he is the definition of a crimson mask. His whole face and head are soaked. Abby is raking at the cut, kicks Dusty and thrust chops him in the throat. He throws Dusty outside into the railing again. Dusty Dusty comes back with 3 bionic elbows, but collapses from pain and blood loss. . Abby drops a big elbow, but only gets a one count. Dusty hits two more bionic elbows, and then suddenly hits a running elbow to Abby's face. Abby punts Dusty in the head, follows up with some headbutts. Dusty grabs Abdullah by the ear, and starts biting it. The Butcher screams in pain. A few more elbows and Abby is down. Dusty gets an elbow drop. The Butcher is bleeding now. A second elbow drop for a 2 count. Dusty pushes the referee out of his way. Then he comes back and Dusty swats him down. 2 more bionic elbows and Dusty punches the referee in the face for the DQ at 4:27. More bionic elbows, big pull apart brawl. Bad News Allen attacks Dusty, but Wahoo McDaniel makes the save. Dusty and Abby continue their brawl in the crowd. The whole fight and brawl and attack went about 11 minutes, but the official time was only 4:27. 2 1/2 ***. An incredible spectacle between two legends

El Canek wants to start the match against Hogan, but Andre starts screaming at him to GET OUT! The chants for Hogan are deafening. Hogan quickly turns Andre around into a double armlock, but Andre starts climbing the ropes with his feet as Hogan holds him. The ref calls for a break so Hogan just drops him. Andre is not happy and lays on his back, howling in pain. Collar and elbow tie up, Andre gets Hogan in a gigantic headlock. Hogan drops down to the mat and Andre leaps over him! Giant slap from Andre in the corner, Andre turns around and starts shoving Hogan in the corner with his giant butt. Canek tags in, kneelifts and dropkicks Hogan. Canek starts choking Hogan in the corner, but Hogan picks him up and runs with a bearhug into the opposite corner. Hogan slams Canek and tags Inoki. Andre tries to run from Inoki, but Hogan grabs him by the hair and Inoki chops him hard in the corner. Andre comes back with a double noggin knocker. Big overhead chop sends Hogan to the floor. Canek comes in and gets Inoki up in a backbreaker submission hold. Inoki slams Canek and makes the tag. Hogan hits some kneelifts and a legdrop. Inoki gets Canek in a drop toehold and attempts an indian deathlock, but Andre makes the save. Hogan hits a brainbuster suplex on Canek. Hogan hits a running elbow on Canek and follows with the Axe Bomber. Andre runs in and stomps Hogan, headbutt, big chops. Headbutts Hogan a second time. Andre takes Hogan up for a huge suplex. Andre is laughing maniacally, but misses a diving headbutt. Hogan nails Andre in the head three times and goes for the axe bomber on the big man, but is met with a Giant Boot. A second big boot sends Hogan to the floor, Inoki runs in from behind and dropkicks Andre out after him. Inoki and Canek start brawling. Hogan and Andre are fighting up the aisle. Double Countout at 9:40 2 1/2**.

This is the first of 3 singles matches they had in Japan in 82. Andre comes to the ring accompanied by Arnold Skaaland. He's a malicious monster heel, shoving and screaming at the crowd. Hogan and Andre start shoving each other before the bell. Andre drops a hammerfist and takes Hogan to the mat, controlling his arm and shoulder. He starts smothering Hogan with a face palm, Hogan backs Andre into the ropes for a break. But Hogan starts hammering Andre, a big chopping fist to the head, but the Giant does not budge. Andre grabs Hogan and nails him with a huge headbutt and Hogan goes to the outside. But wait, Hogan recovers and sneaks back in, whips Andre across the ring into the corner post. The Giant is down. Hogan hits a kneelift, but Andre gets him in the dreaded bearhug. Hogan nails Andre in the head and opens a cut, biting down on it. Andre goes down again. Hogan gets him in a bearhug and actually lifts the Giant off the mat a little bit. Andre shoves him off and knees him in the face. Andre chops Hogan and hits another big headbutt. Big boot to the face and Hogan goes over the top again. He struggles to get back in the ring, but Andre hammers him down twice. Hogan climbs up to the top rope and hits Andre with a double axe handle!!! Andre chops Hogan again but Hogan comes at him with the AXE BOMBER. Hogan hits another one and they both go over the top rope to the floor. Double countout at 9:48. 3 *** But wait, its not over. They continue brawling on the floor. Other wrestlers try to break it up, but Andre chokes out Hogan with the ringside cables. Finally Antonio Inoki makes the save. Andre back in the ring, faces off with Hogan and Inoki, but realizes he is out numbered and backs down. He skulks away, screaming and showing his hate for all involved and unleashing his wrath on anyone who gets in his way. Andre and Hogan have a rematch in 3 weeks. But next week it's Hogan and Inoki vs Andre and El Canek!!!

Forty years ago today. Anyone who has not seen this, really should watch it now!!!

I'm not even sure who his opponent is. Someone said maybe Sakaguchi?

Occasionally I find a match on rutube, that doesn't seem to be online anywhere else. I can never figure out how to download from rutube and then convert the file from FLV to MP4. Can someone please convert this match for me and then send me a link or send me the file if possible? Thanks https://rutube.ru/video/dba482984967fd16ace5ec008a42e8f8/

Once again, this is for the NWA International Tag Team Titles. Baba and Jumbo are the champs. We are in Tokyo. Dory and Jumbo start the match, collar and elbow tie up. Dory can't get control, so he quickly tags his brother. Terry and Jumbo engage in a test of strength, gets Jumbo to his knees. Jumbo back up with an arm wringer and takes Terry down with a hammerlock. Dory back in, Jumbo controlling him with arm and shoulder locks. Funks regain control, Terry comes off the second rope with an elbow smash to Jumbo's left arm. Giant Baba finally tags in for the first time, Jumbo comes off the top rope with an elbow to Terry's shoulder. Jumbo big uppercut to Terry's jaw. Terry's hits some nasty 12-6 elbows to Jumbo's back and neck. Baba goes up to the top rope!!! And just kinda steps down towards Terry... Baba controlling Terry's arm. Jumbo comes in and yanks Terry's arm so hard that he lifts him off the mat, twice from a standing position. Dory finally tags back in, nails Jumbo with some uppercuts, and a strange looking splash to Jumbo's back. He tosses Jumbo to the outside and Terry piledrives him on the floor!!! Jumbo rolls back in, Dory nails him with some elbows, gives him a bodyslam and drops an elbow for the pin at 12:16 (complete). Second Fall--- Jumbo is still selling his neck from the piledriver. Dory hits him with 3 big uppercuts in the corner, drops a knee on Jumbo's face...Terry tags in, the Funks whip Jumbo to the ropes and hit him with a double standing elbow smash. Terry legdrops Jumbo. some punches to the face and chops are exchanged. Baba tags in, Terry swinging wildly and missing. Big boot to the face and Baba hits a swinging neckbreaker, Dory makes the save with a knee to Baba's back. Terry knocks himself silly with a headbutt to the big man. Jumbo quick tag, hits Terry with some elbows to the face, hits the flying kneelift on Terry. Immediately tags Baba, who hits the boot to the face for the pin at 3:13!!! Third Fall-- Terry and Baba start off, Baba hits Terry with some overhead chops. Jumbo tags in with some uppercuts, into a perfect double underhook suplex. Terry recovers and hits one of his own!!! Dory comes in and exchanges elbows and hammer fists with Jumbo in the corner. Jumbo takes Dory up for a high vaulting overhead belly to belly suplex. Terry makes the save, Jumbo misses a dropkick. The Funks hit a double atomic drop on Jumbo. Dory hooks the abdominal stretch on Jumbo, Baba breaks it with some chops to Dory's chest. Baba slams Dory and boots him in the face. Abdominal stretch by Baba. Terry makes the save, Jumbo runs in. Dory backdrop suplexes Baba. Terry throws Jumbo to the outside. The Funks pick up Baba for a double team suplex. Jumbo and Dory exchanging chops. Dory brainbusters Jumbo, but Baba trips him and Jumbo falls on top for the pin at 5:23. Terry is furious and tries to suplex the referee afterwards!!! The Destroyer runs in and makes the save from ringside. The match was shown in its entirety, which is always a big plus for me. I was expecting better overall, but the third fall was great. i will give it 3 1/2 ***

Final word on this matter. According to cagematch, it appears that All Japan Summer Action Series Part II, ran from August 18, 1978 until September 14, 1978. There were no shows for the next 3 weeks (9/19 or 9/21). The new tour, Giant Series started October 6th.

Trust me, I did a lot of research two weeks ago and I can conclusively say that Dory was never in Japan during 78 until the RWTL.

Yes, of course I have seen your Dory thread. Funny story, yesterday I thought I had discovered a new match that sounded pretty great. It was the Dory and Murdoch tag from 12/12/71 against Sakaguchi and Yoshimura. Then about a half hour later, I was going through your thread and saw that you had already reviewed it. Lol

The midget match today, is the first match from the 6/1/79 card, which could also mean another NWA title match between Harley Race and Wahoo!!!

Looks like we got 2 matches today from the first night of the Gold Cup Tournament 10/30- 11/1/81 Dick Slater vs Evan Johnson and Tom Prichard vs Don Serrano. Maybe this means we will be getting one or two Bockwinkel vs Wahoo matches? And maybe Bockwinkel vs Santana?

AWA Tag Titles are on the line, one fall match! Ricky Steamboat in the AWA, woohoo!! This is the first time I am seeing young Onita, pre-deathmatches. Greg and Onita start, Greg takes him down with a headlock into an armbar. Onita gets the rope break. Brunzell tags in, continues to work the arm. Tag to Steamboat, this is a treat!!! Steamboat and Brunzell test of strength, Brunzell breaks it off, armdrags Steamboat, Gagne tags in with an elbowdrop off the top onto Steamer's arm. Steamboat and Greg run and criss cross. Onita tags in comes off the top rope and superkicks Greg!!! Brunzell hits Onita with a high and perfect dropkick. Brunzell sunset flips Steamboat, but only get a one count. Steamboat slows him down with a headlock on the mat. Greg misses a dropkick. Onita tags in with a wicked running clothesline that takes Brunzell's head off!!! He follows up with a flying bodypress off the top rope. Brunzell and Gagne make some quick tags, working over Onita's leg, Greg hits a flying kneedrop off the top. He then does the Terry Funk, falling backwards, indian deathlock. Onita rolls outside for a break before tagging Steamboat. Steamboat hits Greg with the huge running karate chop, which Greg takes an awesome bump. Steamboat with a slam and elbow drop before Brunzell tags in again. Brunzell locks on a figure four, but Onita comes off the top and breaks it up. Big kneelift from Steamboat, he and Onita double chop Brunzell. Onita double underhooks and legdrops Brunzell Steamboat hits a perfect flying bodypress. Gagne tags in and hits a running elbow into the dreaded Gagne sleeper. Onita comes off top again to break it up! Onita gets the abdominal stretch on Greg, who reverses it. Onita dropkicks Gagne over the top rope to the floor, then goes for a huge dive. He totally overshoots, Gagne doesn't catch him and all and I think Onita knocked himself out!!!! This has to be seen to believe it. Brunzell and Steamboat brawl on the outside. Somehow Greg gets Onita back in the ring, but Onita tries to press slam him. Brunzell from the outside grab's Onita's leg and trips him with the heel tactic while Gagne gets the pin at 15:12. This was a really fun, old school tag match. So good and so simple compared to the usual All Japan tag style. I smiled and enjoyed the hell out of this. 3 and 3/4 ****

This is for the NWA International Tag Team Titles, which the Funks had just regained from Ciclon Negro and Killer Karl Kox in Lubbock TX on September 26, 1973. It is a 60 (61?) minute draw, but it is not complete. However, the footage I have lasts about 44 minutes and is PERFECT VQ. Jumbo has been wrestling professionally less than SEVEN months. He already faced Dory back in May for the NWA World Title in a 55 minute match!!! (not taped) That was 4 days before Dory lost the title to Harley Race in Kansas City. (Did Dory ever have hair? Lol) Someone famous enters the ring and shakes hands with all 4 competitors...Unfortunately I'm not sure if it's Karl Gotch, Billy Robinson or someone else... Dory and Baba start the match...within seconds...it is clipped!!! Arrgh. We pick up with Baba wringing Dory's arm and shoulder. Tags Jumbo who continues. Dory backdrops Jumbo. Jumbo and Dory struggle, but Jumbo kip ups and hits a backslide for one count. Frustrated Dory tags his brother. Terry slams Jumbo and legdrops his face. Jumbo slams Terry, tags Baba who proceeds to stomp Terry three times in the stomach. Jumbo whips Dory into the corner, both turn around ready to swing fists, but cooler heads prevail. Dory gets a full nelson on Jumbo, Terry runs in and tries to elbow Jumbo in the face, but hits Dory instead!!! Baba comes in and hammerfists Dory's back. Big chop, tags Jumbo who slams and hits a great overhead belly to back suplex on Dory for a 2 count. Terry tags in wild and piledrives Jumbo, hits the over the knee backbreaker. Dory tags in, big elbowdrop, Funks then double team elbow Jumbo in the face. Terry eats a dropkick from Baba, Jumbo comes in and does it again. Jumbo hits a high bridging suplex for the pin at 23:57 (ONLY 8:11 shown...) Second Fall--- Jumbo whips Terry hard twice into the corner, Terry hangs upside down on the outside. Baba gets Terry in a very high bearhug into a boston crab. Jumbo in with a grinding standing headlock on Dory and hits a very high backdrop for a 2. Dory nails him with two of the hardest uppercuts I've ever seen. Terry struggles to double underhook Jumbo. Baba tags in with uppercuts and chops of his own. Terry and Baba are out on the floor, and Terry nails him with a dropkick!!! Terry comes off the top rope with a big elbowsmash. Baba chops Terry and he flies over the top rope. Dory takes Baba down with a headlock, then transitions to a rolling cradle for 2. Dory and Jumbo have a long test of strength which Jumbo turns into a double wristlock. Terry drops an elbow on Jumbo, who struggles and bridges out. Baba tags, takes Terry's arm and hits giant chops to Terry's chest, big boot to the face for 2. Baba stomps Terry's stomach, then hooks him in the abdominal stretch, Dory saves. Jumbo tags in and immediately gets Terry back in the stretch. Jumbo running bulldogs Terry hard into the top turnbuckle. Terry hits the rolling cradle. Jumbo is up with two shoulder blocks. He goes for another, but Terry catches him and rolls him up for the pin at 17:24 (COMPLETE) Third Fall is JIP!!! Arrrgh. Jumbo is stomping on Terry's knee, takes him into a boston crab. Dory tags in, takes Jumbo down. Shoulderblock. Jumbo hiptosses Dory, backslide for 2. Dory gets Jumbo in an abdominal stretch. Terry sneaks in twice and punches Jumbo hard in the ribs. Jumbo reverses and now Baba sneaks in and kicks Dory's ribs. Jumbo hits a double underhook suplex. Terry gets in and nails Jumbo hard in the face with punches. Then picks him up and executes one of the fastest airplane spins I've ever seen. Baba saves Jumbo from the pin, Dory slams Baba and stomps him. Dory ventures to the top rope and is caught and slammed, ala Flair. Baba drops knees on Dory three times, then hits another DROPKICK!!! He misses a second dropkick, Terry comes in and nails Baba with some huge elbows into his neck. TWO MINUTES LEFT!!! Baba stomps Terry's back and then hooks a one legged crap and armbar. Jumbo stomps Terry and throws a big dropkick in Terry's face. Baba chops! Jumbo backdrops and slams Terry. Baba slams Terry and knees him in face for 2. Dory tags in with a high backdrop suplex on Baba for another 2 count. Dory uppercuts, Baba chops. Baba hits a swinging neckbreaker on Dory....ONE COUNT...and the bell rings. IT"S A DRAW!!! Jumbo is pissed, but everyone shakes hands afterward. Funks retain the titles. (9:02 shown of 18:39) This is a legendary match. It's a great match. I LOVED this match. But WTF with the weird crazy editing. I would rather they heavily clipped the first two falls and shown the 3rd fall in its entirety. I really enjoyed this, but I can't rate it higher because we are missing so much of it. We only get to see about 35 minutes out of the 60. SOLID FOUR STARS * * * * !!!!

Thanks, I have the Houston match, seen it many times.

This is from the Olympic Auditorium in LA. It's for the NWA International Tag Team Titles, which the Funks have held since December 7, when they defeated Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki in Sapporo. It's the earliest footage I have ever seen of Terry Funk, he's about a month away from his 28th birthday, and definitely has to be the first time I've seen the Funks as a team, AND it's a complete match The Funks do an interview at ringside for Japan TV. Dory says "We respect them, but we just beat them last night in Amarillo". Terry says "They have come a long way just to be disappointed." Very mellow interview from the Funks. Terry starts the match, getting in Baba's face, but then quickly tags out to Dory. Sakaguchi comes in, takes Dory to the mat with headlocks. Baba, at age 34 is moving around quickly, but Dory takes him down with a drop toehold. Terry drops knees on Baba's injured leg, twisting it repeatedly. Dory off the second rope, drops a huge knee into a spinning toehold. Terry drops backwards with it. Sakaguchi gets the tag, Funks work on his leg as well. Great punches to the gut by Dory, Saka fires back with chops. Terry hits a legdrop on Baba, but misses the 2nd one. Sakaguchi flips Terry over the post into the corner. Baba hits a big boot to the face, drags around both Funks with a standing headlock. Dory with more great uppercuts. Baba gets a sleeper on Dory. Terry hits a backbreaker on Sakaguchi over the knee, then hits another for the pin at 15:22. Second fall begins with Terry hammering Sakaguchi's back. Dory hits 3 uppercuts, stomping his back as well. Baba gets the tag. Flips Dory in the corner and whips Terry into his brother. Baba takes down Terry with a nasty looking hammerlock. Terry gets whipped into the corner again, but walks it off and makes the tag. Baba wrenches on Dory's arm and brings in Sakaguchi. Chops and uppercuts all around. Double team big boot on Terry. Sakaguchi hits the longest atomic drop on Terry for the pin at 14:20. Third fall, Sakaguchi tosses Terry over the top rope. Terry argues with the referee that it should be a DQ and wants his hand raised, but the ref denies the win. Terry goes to the floor, Dory whips Sakaguchi out for a double team on the outside. Dory drops some hammering elbows on Saka's back. Slam his head into the mat. Baba tries to save. Back in the ring, Dory gets Saka in an abdominal stretch, Baba runs in with some chops. Funks hit a double team, double underhook suplex on Sakaguchi, Funks hammer double elbows to Saka's chest. Dory goes for the pin, but is too close to their corner. Baba makes the tag and comes out the top rope with a big kneedrop on Dory for the victory at 4:20!!! TITLE CHANGE!!!! Terry protests with the referee and argues and challengers ringsiders to come and get him. Baba and Sakaguchi strap on the belts and do an interview for Japan TV. Some parts of this match were a little slow for my taste, but I will give it 4****. The finish was pretty great.

Cody vs Okada is one week from now, not in a month

Alfredo has both matches. It says the Teranishi match is only about 10 minutes and doesn't have a finish.. If you don't know who Alfredo is, PM me

I'm looking forward to watching the match against Steamboat and Onita from All Japan 6/8/82 (Drive)

The Winnipeg match is February 7, 1985

Just to clarify something, Midnights vs Road Warriors was broadcast on WCW Saturday Night on 7/12/86. Taped on 7/6 in Raleigh NC

I ordered it from Alfredo. I have a feeling it is not complete

Excellent, thank you!!!

Thanks. Can anyone figure out the discrepancy with Andre the Giant vs The Spoiler on 6/22/79? Clawmaster has this date for it on Andre's record book. The one from Paul Boesch's Wrestling Spectacular on youtube...