goc

For all the bad shit people have tried to say about WWE in this situation, man am I glad they won't clear him to return. "Brain lesion causing seizures" is about as good a reason to stop wrestling as there is.

If anyone is looking at this stuff and planning to watch it later, I'd advise downloading it as you can never be too sure how long stuff like this is going to actually stay up on youtube.

So apparently Loss is the only person who actually read my original post so thanks to him. Seems like everyone else just wanted to prove the point. And some of these "nuh uh it's not even a thing" examples are totally fucking shit. Like "but WWE has a lot of people of color in the company so there's no racism there" or "WWE has had a women's wrestling division for over a decade, there is clearly no sexism or misogyny" level examples.

But clearly that must ALWAYS be true! Even if it means I have to bitch about Hulk Hogan not wanting to put over Billy Kidman.

I guess I can just relate to people who have fond memories of the past and still long for it. Like the way I long for that period a few months ago where you stopped posting.

So what you're saying is valid criticisms = ageism? I'm sorry should people just agree with someones statements and actions simply because they are older? That seems like a very backwards attitude to me. I'm talking about the "old fucks" "shaking their canes at all the whippersnappers in their yard" type of language that gets thrown around. If a woman criticizes something about wrestling then it's not going to be acceptable for her arguments to get refuted with "just some dumb bitch" "she must be on her period" type of bullshit yet when it comes to older people in wrestling just insulting their age seems to be all the argument needed some times.

Some of you guys sure did go out of your way to prove my point about ageism in wrestling fans.

It let him get a worked win so he didn't have to kick Ospreay's ass in a real fight.

So after seeing some of the reaction to Vader beating Will Ospreay in their match and recalling the whole twitter "debate" that preceded it I had to ask myself if there is any other fan base that seems to have such rampant ageism as pro wrestling does? It's not just about not wanting to see "old guys" wrestle but it seems like any time anyone from the wrestling world over the age of 40 says something that isn't lavishing praise on current wrestling there is a huge barrage of vitriolic comments ranging from calling them "old fucks" to saying they need to get back to their retirement home or the standard "old man shakes fist at cloud." And of course the frequent wild exaggeration about "30 minute headlocks" whenever someone tries to say that wrestling was better in the 70s/80s/or pretty much anything pre-1995. It seems like there are a lot of wrestling fans that can't disagree with something an older wrestling personality says without coming up with some insult about age. All sports have some aspect of ageism as any time an athlete gets to a certain age (which varies sport to sport) people start a retirement clock on them. But it goes beyond "when is this guy going to retire?" to almost acting like anyone past a certain age shouldn't be allowed to even have an opinion on pro wrestling anymore. So I thought I'd start this topic just to try and start a conversation about why ageism seems to be readily accepted in pro wrestling fandom and if there is any other kind of fan base that's comparable in that aspect.

Taped at The Junction in San Antonio, TX on 1/30 Southwest Championship Wrestling airing on Saturday 2/4 in local markets -Show intro- Steve Stack: Welcome to another edition of the most exciting hour in all of professional wrestling right here on Southwest Championship Wrestling! We have a lot of news to get to in the hour but I know the thing everyone wants to know right away is just who won that Loser Leaves Texas match last Sunday night at the HemisFair Arena. And I'll let him come out here now and tell you himself. -David Von Erich comes to the interview area with a large bandage on his forehead David Von Erich: I might still be showing the wounds of war but I'm showing them right here in Texas while Tully Blanchard is showing them somewhere a little further north! My doctors told me that I shouldn't wrestle this week after all the blood I lost last Sunday night inside the steel cage and for once I decided to listen to them. That Texas Death Match in the Cage was without a doubt the most brutal match I've ever been in. But I still walked out of that Cage while Tully Blanchard had to be carried out on a stretcher. This is the last time I'm going to be on the show for a few weeks as I leave to go wrestle in Japan in a few days but I just want everyone to know that I am grateful for all the support they gave me last Sunday night and throughout my whole battle with Tully Blanchard and Sunshine. And I promise you that when I get back from Japan I am going to give you all a Southwest Heavyweight Champion you won't have to be ashamed of after having to spend so much time looking at that belt around the waist of Tully Blanchard and now Mr. Saito. When I come back here in three weeks I am going to make sure that belt goes around MY waist! -David Von Erich leaves the interview area Steve Stack: There you have it ladies and gentlemen, David Von Erich was the man who walked out of the Cage last Sunday night victorious while Tully Blanchard left not the arena on a stretcher and not shortly after that he had to leave the entire state of Texas. Right now we've got to take a time out for our sponsors but when we come back I'm going to talk about someone making their return to the Southwest area who will be in the main event at the HemisFair Arena this Sunday night taking on Mr. Saito for the Southwest Heavyweight Title! Don't go away, we'll be right back with that big news! -First commercial break- Steve Stack: We're back on Southwest Championship Wrestling and before we went to break I told you that someone was headed back into the area and would be facing Mr. Saito for the Southwest Heavyweight Title this Sunday night. That man is none other than the man of a thousand masks, Mil Mascaras! We haven't seen him here in the area since he was suspended after accidentally hitting referee Carl Fergie with a chair but the last match he was involved in was against Tully Blanchard for the Southwest Title, a match that Mascaras won by disqualification. He would have received a rematch for the title but was suspended before that could take place so AWA President Stanley Blackburn decided it would only be fair that his first match back would be for the Southwest Heavyweight Title. Mil couldn't be here in The Junction with us today but he did send us this video talking about the match this Sunday night against Mr. Saito. Steve Stack: We've only seen a small glimpse of what a match between Mil Mascaras and El Gran Apollo would look like but when they did face off against each other after a battle royal a few months ago it was as clean and scientific a match I've seen in a long time. If they were to wind up wrestling for the Southwest Heavyweight Title I know the fans really would be winners and - -Suddenly Mr. Saito and Masao Ito come out to the interview area Mr. Saito: Hey! Why you talking about Southwest Title match with no Mr. Saito? Why you talk like I'm no the champion? You think Mil Mascaras just walk in here and take belt from me? I don't care how famous is Mil Mascaras, nobody can take my belt from me! Steve Stack: Well at the risk of upsetting you even more, it seemed almost certain that El Gran Apollo was about to take the Southwest Title from you last Sunday night until your associate here ran down to the ring and pushed him off the top rope. Mr. Saito: This man here to be my bodyguard! I tired of how everyone want try work against me, I can't even trust referee here! Masao Ito an honorable man, like all from Japan, he don't lie and cheat and steal like you Americans. I know everyone here hate to see a strong Japanese man be the champion because it make them know that Japan make the best wrestlers like Japan make the best cars and Japan make the best electronics. That is why I call my friend Masao Ito to come here to protect me from all who want to cheat me. Steve Stack: If he's only here to protect you from being cheated, why is it that he ran out and attacked El Gran Apollo in a no disqualification match where it wasn't even possible for Apollo to cheat because there were no rules. Mr. Saito: If there no rules then Saito don't cheat either! I don't need answer more questions from you! Now is time for Masao Ito to go to ring and show why I bring him here to protect me. He going to show you just how better is Japanese wrestler when he destroy fat ugly American wrestler Mike Fever. -Mr. Saito and Masao Ito leave the interview area as Saito goes back to the locker room while Masao Ito goes down to ringside Steve Stack: Well that is the first matchup scheduled for today so I guess we'll go ahead and send it down to the ring now where Mike Fever is waiting to take on the newest arrival to Southwest Championship Wrestling, Masao Ito. After the match Masao Ito still refuses to break the choke on Mike Fever and suddenly Mike Jackson and Tony Torres run down to the ring to try and help out. Masao Ito attacks Jackson & Torres and takes them both down to the mat with vicious chops to the head and throat. Masao Ito finally leaves the ring but not without leaving a trail of carnage behind him. Steve Stack: Masao Ito clearly didn't care about winning that match! All he wanted to was punish the unfortunate Mike Fever and he clearly achieved that objective as Mike Fever is in bad shape right now! But this Sunday night Masao Ito is in for a much bigger challenge than Mike Fever as he is going to have to contend with the man who he cost a chance to win the Southwest Heavyweight Title, El Gran Apollo! Right now we have to take another time out for our sponsors but don't go away because when we come back we're going to talk to the Southwest Tag Team Champions The Fabulous Ones and apparently we've also got a video taped message for The Fabs from none other than The Assassin! Don't go away we'll be right back! -Second Commercial Break- Steve Stack: Well fans you just heard the comments of The Assassin who has declared that the war with The Fabulous Ones is not over. Now I'm standing with Stan Lane and Steve Keirn, gentleman what are your thoughts on the message that The Assassin has sent to you? Steve Keirn: I don't really have any thoughts about it Steve Stack. Do you still check under your bed for monsters? Are you afraid of the boogeyman? Because that's all The Assassin is right now to me. When he was actually here we beat him and now he's barred from the AWA so what is there to worry about? Stan Lane: We've got a lot on our minds without having to worry about idle threats from a sore loser. We've got a lot of people who are actually here in the area who want to try and take these Southwest Tag Team Titles from us. This week we defend the titles against Goldie Rogers and Timothy Flowers, The Grapplers are here and we know they want a shot at us and WE still have our sights set on the AWA World Tag Team Titles currently held by The Road Warriors. So forgive us if we don't have any time to talk about The Assassin, while he's trying to find a place to work and a new partner, we're actually here wrestling every night and defending these Southwest Tag Team Titles. Steve Stack: It is true that there is a lot of competition in the area looking for those titles. Last week you defeated the team of Pat Rose & Ron Sexton, this week you take on Jim Holliday's 'Dream Team' of Goldie Rogers and 'Diamond' Timothy Flowers and like you said, The Grapplers have made it known they are back in the area with the goal of winning back the Southwest Tag Team Titles they once held. What does it feel like to know that you are one of the most hunted tag teams in the world, that people from around the country come here to the Southwest area just to try and defeat you? Steve Keirn: Quite frankly it feels good Steve Stack. When everybody wants to try and take a shot at you, it must mean you are one of the best. And we think we are THE best. All we need is a match with The Road Warriors and we can prove it. Steve Stack: Well I'm sure Stanley Blackburn is going to have to eventually grant that title match as your record speaks for itself and I can't think of a bigger tag team match in the wrestling world right now than The Fabulous Ones versus The Road Warriors. Gentleman thank you for your time and good luck this Sunday. -The Fabulous Ones leave the interview area and Man Mountain Link comes in Steve Stack: Now my next guest is a man who has just recently abandoned his quest for success in the tag team ranks and has decided to go back to being a singles wrestler. I know this might be a touchy subject for you, but I'd like to ask you just what caused your decision to end your partnership with your brother Tiny Anderson? Link: It's no real secret that Tiny and I weren't exactly winning a lot of our matches together. I thought our team should work a certain way and he wanted it to be something different. Those kinds of disagreements happen between tag team partners and certainly between brothers and we couldn't find a way to make our partnership work. But that doesn't change the fact that Tiny is my brother and that I love him and if he needs my help I'm gonna be there for him. Steve Stack: I'm glad to hear that ending your tag team with Tiny didn't impact your relationship as brothers. This Sunday night you'll be taking on another man who is fresh out of tag team competition and looking to make a name for himself as a singles wrestler, the former Assassin #2, Vic Rain. What are your thoughts about taking on a man with the kind of reputation for violence that 'The Canadian Wildcat' has? Link: I heard about his reputation, how he got banned from wrestling in Canada because he hurt too many people and was too violent. But I don't think he did that to anyone MY size. It's a little hard to push around a Man Mountain and that's what he is going to have to get in the ring with this Sunday. I came here to beat Mike Masters and take the Television Title from him, and now that he has it back that is still my goal. When I beat Vic Rain that is going to put me back in contention for the TV title and this time I'm going to squash Mike Masters like the bug that he is and walk around with that belt on my shoulder because I don't think it's going to fit around my waist. -Man Mountain Link leaves the interview area Steve Stack: Well that match between Man Mountain Link and Vic Rain should be something to see as both men have a lot to gain by a victory and a loss would certainly set them back on their path to success as a singles wrestler. Right now we've got to take a break but we have something that I KNOW you are going to want to see when we come back because this week we got a video sent to us from none other than 'Hacksaw' Jim Duggan! We're going to hear the first comments from him since the betrayal of Ron Starr which led to his broken arm so don't go away because you won't want to miss it! -Third commercial break- Steve Stack: Ladies and gentleman as you can see Jim Duggan may have a broken arm but certainly not a broken spirit! And what an incredible announcement he just made, next Sunday night 'The American Dream' Dusty Rhodes is going to be in the HemisFair Arena to take on 'Sheik' Ron Starr! Sheik Adnan al-Kaissie now officially manages all of Ron Starr's affairs and is the one who signed the contract for that match to take place and he also had something to say about 'The American Dream' coming to the Southwest area and we will hear those comments later on in the program. But right now I'd like to bring out a tag team that's just returned to the area and will be in action here on television today, former Southwest Tag Team Champions: The Grapplers! Steve Stack: The last time we saw you two here in Southwest Championship Wrestling you were betrayed by your former manager Don Carson who helped The Sheepherders defeat you for the Southwest Tag Tag Titles. Why did you leave the area after that incident and what has led you back here? Grappler #1: We left here to chase after that snake Don Carson. After he turned on us to help The Sheepherders they beat him bloody and he left Texas, never to return. We went after him and although we liked seeing him get up by The Sheepherders, we wanted our own revenge. We got it and then we started hearing all this talk about how the competition here in Southwest had gotten so much better and how there was this hot new tag team taking over the world named The Fabulous Ones. Well we don't care who they've beat in the past because they haven't beaten The Grapplers! We're back here to take back the Southwest Tag Team Titles that we never really lost, they were just stolen from us with the help of Don Carson, and we're back here to end all this talk about how The Fabulous Ones are the best tag team in wrestling. Steve Stack: This Sunday night you take on the rising young team of Steve Pardee and Larry Hamilton and if you are victorious in that match it seems very likely that would put you in line for the next Southwest Tag Team Title shot. Grappler #1: Steve Pardee and Larry Hamilton might have been a rising young team before we got here to the area but we're going to put a stop to their rise this Sunday night. Nobody is going to stand in our way of getting to The Fabulous Ones including those two chumps standing in the ring now. It's time for us to go show everyone why The Grapplers are soon going to be 3 time Southwest Tag Team Champions! -The Grapplers head down to the ring Steve Stack: Well fans you've heard it from The Grapplers, they have only one goal and that's to beat The Fabulous Ones for the Southwest Tag Team Titles. And now let's head to the ring where The Grapplers are getting ready to take on Jimmy Doo and Ken Johnson. Steve Stack: A very dominating win by The Grapplers who look even better than the last time they were here in the area. They seem destined for a collision course with The Fabulous Ones but before they can get there they are going to have to get through Steve Pardee and Larry Hamilton this Sunday night and that is no easy task. Right now we've got to take a commercial break but don't go anywhere because when we come back we're going to play the video from Sheik Adnan al-Kaissie talking about 'The American Dream' Dusty Rhodes coming into the area to take on Ron Starr and we will also talk to El Gran Apollo about his recent issues with Mr. Saito and now Masao Ito. Don't go away, we'll be right back! -Fourth commercial break- Steve Stack: Sheik Adnan certainly seems to be drunk on the glory of his plan to injure Jim Duggan. I'm sure Dusty Rhodes is going to have something to say about all of that when we hear from him next week right here on the program. But right now I'd like to bring out a man who represents the American Dream in his own way, a man who escaped the communist regime of Cuba to come to this country and has found incredible success in the world of wrestling, El Gran Apollo! Steve Stack: Apollo over the last few weeks you've been involved in a battle with Mr. Saito in which you've seemed to have his number but yet you've been unable to take the Southwest Title away from him due to the matches ending in disqualification. Last Sunday night was supposed to be the remedy to that issue as you two competed in a match with No Disqualifications but instead it only allowed Mr. Saito to enlist the help of his new ally Masao Ito who interfered and cost you the match. Now this Sunday you've got a chance to avenge yourself against Masao Ito, what are your thoughts about facing him after seeing him in action earlier today on the program? Apollo: I think he don't want to win this Sunday, he only want to hurt me. But I wrestle a lot of people who want hurt to hurt me here, Jose Lothario, Mr. Mexico, Cuban Assassin and now they are gone and Apollo is still here. So I don't afraid of Masao Ito and I know he don't hurt me. Steve Stack: Mil Mascaras is going to be making his return to the area this Sunday night in a Southwest Title match against Mr. Saito. If Mil Mascaras wins the Southwest Title, would you still want to challenge for the Southwest Title knowing it meant you had to compete against your friend? Apollo: Mil Mascaras is good friend to me, he help me a lot last year. But in wrestling you know sometime you have to wrestle your friend. I want to be the champion and Mil want to be the champion too but can only be one. So if we need wrestle each other then we can do it and after we wrestle then we still friends. Steve Stack: Well we will see if that situation ends up coming to pass, good luck in your match this Sunday night against Masao Ito. Apollo: Thank you Steve Stack. Y gracias a todo mis hinchas, sin ti no soy nada. Lo siento no poder ganar el campeonato pero nunca voy a dejar de luchar por ti! -El Gran Apollo leaves the interview area Steve Stack: Now before I bring out my next guest I'd like to make it clear that this time there will be no fighting here at the interview area. I asked Ken Lucas not to come to the Junction today because I know how volatile his situation with Eddie Gilbert is and I wanted the chance to talk to Eddie Gilbert on the program without having to worry about a fight breaking out. And so now let me welcome to the program a man who has been at the center of controversy here over the last month, Eddie Gilbert. Eddie Gilbert: Steve Stack, before we get into the interview I just want to say that I am deeply sorry for the way that I treated you here on the show two weeks ago. I never meant to put my hands on you or harm you in any way and I am thankful that you have allowed me back on the program. Steve Stack: Well I suppose I will accept your apology but I have a lot of questions for you and I'm not sure you're going to like them. Eddie Gilbert: I know that the people want to understand why I've acted the way that I have over the past month or so but it's really hard for me to explain in the small amount of time that I have here. All I can really say is that I know people look at me like I'm the bad guy in this situation, that I've done something wrong in attacking Ken Lucas and trying to injure him with the Piledriver. But that's only because people here don't know the real Ken Lucas like I do. They only know a little bit of his history, they know about his team with Ricky Morton but they don't know the decades of history he has in the wrestling business and all the other partners that came before Ricky Morton and myself. Steve Stack: Eddie I didn't bring you on the program to talk about the history of Ken Lucas' career, I wanted to ask you why you attacked Ricky Morton and ended his career with the Piledriver and why you've attempted to do the same to Ken Lucas over the past two weeks. Eddie Gilbert: But its all connected Steve Stack, the present situation is formed by the history of the past. My actions towards Ken Lucas are predicated on me knowing the things he has done in the past, the way he's treated his tag team partners, the way he has discarded them and left their careers in shambles after he was done using them. And that's what he tried to do to me, he used me. He is an old man who can only be relevant by teaming up with young men like myself. Steve Stack: It seems like you're doing everything you can to avoid giving me a simple answer as to why you've suddenly turned against Ken Lucas and started trying to injure him. Eddie Gilbert: I can't give you a simple answer to a complicated question Steve Stack. You give me the proper amount of time next week to answer the question in full and I will do so. Steve Stack: Well I'll keep that under consideration. Right now we're about out of time in this segment so let me just ask you one more question. This Sunday night you'll be facing Ken Lucas in singles competition, the first time you two have ever been on opposite sides of the ring against each other. Is your intention to win the match this Sunday or are you more concerned with trying to injure Ken Lucas with the Piledriver? Eddie Gilbert: My intention is the same as it's been over the past few weeks. To protect myself against Ken Lucas, that's all I've been trying to do. Maybe you can't understand how trying to Piledrive a man on concrete floor is a defensive measure but I assure you that's what it is. And I hope next week you'll allow me the time to explain just what I mean by that. -Eddie Gilbert leaves the interview area Steve Stack: Well unfortunately I really don't have any better understanding of this situation than I did before that interview. But one thing I do know is that this Sunday night Ken Lucas and Eddie Gilbert are going to wrestle each other for the first time ever and I know that Ken Lucas is very eager to get Eddie Gilbert in the ring and try and get some measure of revenge for what Eddie did to Ricky Morton and what he's been trying to do to Ken Lucas. Right now we've got to take our last commercial break of the program but don't go away because when we come back we've got a Southwest Television Title match as the champion Mike Masters defends against youngster Tony Torres in our television main event! We'll be right back! -Fifth and final commercial break- Steve Stack: We're back on Southwest Championship Wrestling and with me now is - Jim Holliday: With you now is the man who you continue to short on interview time! Why am I out here last in the short amount of time you have before the main event!? My Dream Team of Goldie Rogers and Timothy Flowers are wrestling for the Southwest Tag Team Titles this Sunday night and you didn't even schedule them for an interview! Next week I am going to be the manager of both the Television champion AND the tag team champions and I will demand that you give me the proper amount of time to say what I need to say out here! Steve Stack: It seems like everyone has a problem with the amount of time they have on the show today. Holliday: Fortunately my man Mike Masters is in the main event here and so I think I'll just stick around and help you do commentary on this match so I can talk about how Mike Masters is such a great television champion and how he's going to wipe that mat with Tony Torres today and then Tiger Conway Jr. this Sunday night. Steve Stack: Words can't express how much I'm looking forward to having you with me on commentary for this next match. We need to go ahead and send it down to the ring now so we can make sure we have a full 10 minutes for this match in case it goes to the time limit. Holliday: You really think that punk Tony Torres has a chance of lasting 10 minutes with Mike Masters!? You're crazy Steve Stack! Steve Stack: A very valiant effort from the young Tony Torres in that match, he looks to be really improving fast since his arrival here in the Southwest area! Holliday: What are you talking about Steve Stack!? He just got demolished by Mike Masters, the only reason that match even went that long is because I told Mike Masters to make sure I had time here on commentary to say what I needed to say! I'm going down to the ring to escort my champion back to the locker room and I'll see you next week when I come out here with The Gentleman's Club with all 3 of my men wearing championship gold! -Jim Holliday leaves the interview area Steve Stack: That is a possibility as this Sunday night Jim Holliday's Dream Team of Goldie Rogers and 'Diamond' Timothy Flowers will have a chance to win the Southwest Tag Team Titles as they face the champions The Fabulous Ones. But that's just one of nine of the big matches that are scheduled to take place this Sunday night at the HemisFair Arena! Be sure to be there when Mil Mascaras makes his return to the Southwest area as he takes on the Southwest Heavyweight Champion, Mr. Saito! We'll see Roy Lee Welch trying to avenge his loss last week against 'Sheik' Ron Starr! Ken Lucas will battle Eddie Gilbert in their first match against each other and the first match for both of them since the end of their partnership and the injury to Ricky Morton! We'll also see El Gran Apollo take on Masao Ito, The Grapplers take on Steve Pardee and Larry Hamilton and much more! You won't want to miss the action Sunday night at the HemisFair Arena! We're out of time for today's program but be sure to join us next week for more of the most exciting hour in all of professional wrestling, right here on Southwest Championship Wrestling! Scheduled for Sunday, February 5th at the HemisFair Arena in San Antonio, TX Southwest Heavyweight Title: Mil Mascaras vs. Mr. Saito Southwest Tag Team Titles: Goldie Rogers & Timothy Flowers vs. The Fabulous Ones Roy Lee Welch vs. 'Sheik' Ron Starr El Gran Apollo vs. Masao Ito Ken Lucas vs. Eddie Gilbert Larry Hamilton & Steve Pardee vs. The Grapplers Southwest Television Title: Tiger Conway Jr. vs. Mike Masters Man Mountain Link vs. Vic Rain Pat Rose & Ron Sexton vs. Tony Torres & Mike Jackson

The Flame, Phil Hickerson and Dirty Rhodes is a pretty awesome fat man team. Hickerson and The Flame cutting promos together would be good stuff. A 6 man between them and Lucas, Whatley & Ron Starr would be a hot main event for a small territory like Smoky Mountain. Lucas & Whatley might need to watch out though, Ron Starr has proven to not be the most trustworthy partner at times. Tom Prichard played a great champion who tries to avoid defending his title in 1989 Continental, I think he probably had the chops to pull it off in late 84. I'm obviously a big Roy Lee Welch fan so I like what you're doing with him here and am interested to see where his Submission Invitational goes.

I decided to watch this because I remembered both Matt and shoe talking about how good this was and yea go ahead and count me in. There's nothing fancy about this match but everything is done really well with good selling and a nice sense of escalation. I really want to see more from Thornton after this match because I know Don Diamond probably isn't as good as Thornton made him look in this one. One thing to say for Don Diamond is that he is definitely in the top 5 for best curly fros of the 80s.

I liked this a lot, maybe my 2nd favorite strap match after the legendary Carlos Colon vs Stan Hansen match. They do a good job of using the unique stipulations and I really liked that they didn't do the usual "both guys touch the corners and fight over who gets the fourth one" finish. I like my 80s stipulation matches to be hate filled and bloody and this delivered.

There's no way McGregor could take a Superman Punch from Roman Reigns and not get knocked the fuck out.

That's stupid. Why would you just stand there and let a guy play patty cake on your chest?

This match was fucking king-sized. A lot of times a Texas Tornado match just feels like chaos but this had a lot of structure to it, and I liked how they kept kind of resetting to Duggan & JYD standing back to back in the early part of the match. The finish and the post match are wild, especially Dr. Death's bumps for Butch Reed's shoulder tackle and the way Darsow just TOSSED little Pee Wee Anderson in the air. This might be the most pissed off I've ever seen Houston crowd as they were throwing trash in the ring like it was a 1996 nWo segment. Tito running out to make the save really popped the crowd and man everything about this match ruled. It's too bad the follow up 6 man wasn't very good because they set the table really well here.

And here is another legitimate post from me for this thread: I don't understand the praise of stiffness in wrestling. I mean there really isn't a whole lot of skill involved in legitimately hitting a guy really hard in the face with your forearm. Or chopping a guy hard as shit to where you break the skin. There's a whole lot more skill in being someone like Jose Lothario or Jerry Lawler who can throw a worked punch that looks like it's killing a guy but probably barely even grazes them. I mean the whole point of wrestling is to create the ILLUSION of hurting your opponent, not to actually do it. You've managed to parody yourself even better than I did with Lord Alfred Hayes, well done.

Wait why is not liking 80's US wrestling not acceptable but outright dismissing lucha libre fine? Because the number of people who have written about how great 80s wrestling is is much greater than the number of people who write about the "lesser form" that is lucha libre.

Wrestling criticism will never be taken seriously if it allows for such egregious views as "Bobby Eaton is overrated" or "RVD is actually good" to be stated in the open without fear of reproach or ridicule. If we have reached that stage, something has gone very wrong. Well not on my watch, One-punch boy.

Just watched JYD/Duggan vs. Neidhart/Big John Studd and although it was a pretty basic match there was still enough there to keep me entertained. I knew there would be better matches on the site but I just couldn't resist seeing Duggan & JYD team up. The sequence where Neidhart did a headlock takeover and JYD countered into a head scissors was a big "whoa did that just happen??" moment for me. Duggan doing a sunset flip was also kind of mind boggling. The finish was pretty good with a lot of Studd & Neidhart stumbling into each other leading to Studd shoving Neidhart around after the match. Seemed like they were setting up a Studd face turn and a match against Neidhart but I didn't look at results for the shows following this match so I'm not sure if that actually happened.

I liked this a lot too. I liked the way they got the first fall out of the way really quick by having Lucas & Morton get disqualified for tossing Tully & Gino over the top rope. This had a kind of unique structure because it was mostly the heel team that was in trouble during the whole match with the FIP section being pretty short. I liked the finish too because it put over that even when Gino & Tully were outmatched by their opponents they could still figure out a way to cheat themselves to a victory. I thought Ricky Morton looked really good here too so it was nice to see that he had already kind of reached his peak a year before the Rock N Roll Express even formed.

I don't know what all Brock supposedly refused to do but if it involved going into really hardcore territory, Brock doesn't seem the type who is going to agree to take a bump on thumbtacks. And I don't blame him either.

I said this on twitter, that guys were responding because they wanted to be the one to get the money and mainstream attention from doing something with McGregor at Mania. But I guess that's not as fun of a narrative to run with as "dumb wrestlers get worked!" What amuses me about that is that if the opposite had happened and a bunch of wrestlers had instead responded with "we all know he's just working because he wants to be involved in something at WrestleMania" they would have gotten shit on for not being smart enough to play along with the work and try to get involved in whatever McGregor would be doing at Mania.

Oh, here is another one from me: I think Todd Grisham was a really good announcer. He wasn't an over the top screamer, he didn't beat you over the head with the same tired phrases and he had an understated sarcastic sense of humor that would just pop up and surprise you some times. Considering that those are qualities that run almost completely contrary to what WWE wants from it's announcers, it's no surprise that he was not a favorite of Vince or Kevin Dunn. But I don't really get why he has a bad rep with certain circles of fandom. Let's not forget that when Grisham was paired up with Matt Striker, Striker was actually somewhat of an internet darling as a color commentator and people thought he had some big future in the job. Somehow Grisham managed to reign in Striker's worst tendencies because once Striker started doing commentary with other people he quickly started going over board and got exposed as not being very good.