Ricky Jackson

...and only those who are part of the fb group can see the video. Sorry for the tease, but joining shouldn't be that difficult

A major holy grail of mine has just surfaced, or at least partial footage of it. Spiros Arion's heel turn on Chief Jay Strongbow from, I think, December 1974, which led to one of the all-time biggest feuds in the WWWF, Sammartino vs Arion. Footage was apparently filmed off TV with an 8mm camera https://www.facebook.com/TommygunVIdeo/videos/10156317301190030/

I grew up on WWF from the late 80s and early 90s and I think Jake is safely number 3 behind Hogan and Warrior (Savage in 87/88). His programs were much more important than anything Beefer had going for him, besides the team with Hogan. Demolition would be 4, or Piper after his comeback maybe. Beefer at 6 sounds about right. He was really over, but so were a lot of guys. The roster was crazy deep

As far as I can tell, Vince Sr was very much like his son (or more accurately, Vince Jr is very much like his father): in charge of booking the big picture programs, but also having a crew of people helping in different ways, such as Gorilla Monsoon in Pennsylvania/Deleware for example. None of this has ever really been properly documented though

Kayfabe version in my own head: In an Ironman match, best to submit early so as not to have too much damage done to whatever part is being worked on, hence quicker recovery time for the guy giving up the fall. Plus it gets the bad guy's submission hold over a bit, since it actually works on a top opponent for once. I always looked at a submission in a multiple fall match like that. They are rare rare events to happen to top end babyfaces in one fall matches. Martel submitting the AWA title to Hansen always come to my mind, and in the sense that the match itself is nothing special, it did the job of making it memorable outside of the title change portion. I've always been curious to the finish of Martel vs Hansen for the AWA title. Any insight why they booked Martel to submit to Hansen, khawk? Strange finish for a babyface. Was Martel done completely with Verne and the AWA after that night?

Cool. Thanks Matt

Maivia was a huge face star in Hawaii and California but in WWF his heel turn and feud with Backlund was pretty hot and warranted 3 straight MSG main events

All I saw was the Rumble. Missed the beginning and fell asleep halfway through (missed Titus tripping, so thanks for the gif Matt). Woke up for the final 5 or so guys. Good finish, right guy won and Bryan got the time record. And and least long haired dude, his mom or whoever, and green shirt dude couldn't get tickets. Fuck them

You may be thinking of the in-ring "debate" angle they did with Heenan and Ken Patera right after Patera returned from prison. They bleeped Heenan during it, I think when he made comments about Patera's wife and kids. It ended with one of the more violent bits of WWF TV from the time where Patera took Heenan's belt off and used it to strangle/whiplash him. Heenan wore a neck brace for months to sell it

I'm a wrestlingdata guy. I find they have a deeper amount of results from obscure promotions and the territory years in general compared to cagematch, so it would suck big time if that's lost

The show itself was broadcast on HBO and is otherwise notable for being Ric Flair's first match at MSG (which was on his first DVD). I don't know if it ever aired on WWE's pre-Network on-demand services, though. Flair's first MSG match was actually on the 3/1/76 show, and that is the one on his first DVD. His second MSG match was indeed on the show headlined by Bruno vs Hansen, but that match, against Frankie Williams, has never surfaced that I'm aware. Also, the botched bodyslam did make at least one other appearance on tape, on an episode of the old Tom Weaver Greatest Sports Legends show devoted to Bruno, in a blink and you miss it montage of Bruno's greatest foes

Thanks so much for all the complements guys. This was a special show for numerous reasons and definitely one I'll always remember. Titans 4 Life

https://soundcloud.com/prowrestlingonly/bruno-sammartino-1935-2018 The boys get together to say goodbye *Stick around until the very end for a few bonus features

2 things... Our tribute to Bruno drops tomorrow at 8pm eastern. I'm on vacation starting tomorrow so a new World Cast won't drop until May 16

I believe the first actual physical copy of the Observer I read was the one with the Moolah bio. It was eye opening stuff for me at the time because it went into major detail on the history of women's wrestling and all the sleazy stories

Not a playlist, but there are a ton of YouTube links to Bruno matches in yesterday's daily update on the Observer site https://www.f4wonline.com/daily-updates/daily-update-bruno-sammartino-harry-smith-gaburick-256031

One thing is for certain, Dave's bio of Bruno in today's WON is fantastic

No, the Network show is its own thing

And for those a bit more adventurous, one of my favorite Bruno matches, vs Spiros Arion 2/17/75 MSG

Here's a quick one that pretty much encapsulates Bruno's connection with the fans

I think he'll survive it Sullivan vs Dain was nuts

I think the actual number is about 45 or so, around the same as Backlund actually. So it's a pretty big exaggeration. I don't think Bruno even appeared on 187 MSG shows total. Wrestling at MSG was hot from 63-65, but was relatively cold for the rest of the decade with no sellouts from early 65 until June of 1970. Bruno's second reign was full of sellouts, but so were Morales', Graham's and Backlund's reigns. But whatever, Bruno was fucking God

This one hurts. RIP to the Living Legend