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What a great, innovative finish! Match was a slow starter in my opinion but definitely picked up at the end. Enjoyed this one.

My first exposure to Billy Joe Travis, but I am liking what I see so far.

You know what, I don't actually think I've seen the '93 show. I shall add it to the dreaded list of things I have to watch.

Yes, and it's actually a pretty fascinating one. From his days as a ranger to his short stint in WCW to why he ended up robbing a bank and spending years in prison. I remember Raven mentionning that he met Ross at some convention and thought he had a great story to tell. I didn't get why, then I listened to the interview and understood. He also comes off as a really good guy. FYI The shoot was conducted by Highspots and it's well worth a watch.

I am trying to think of a more obscure former WCW worker that Flair could shack up with. I have: 'Hard Work' Bobby Walker Ice Train Scott 'SickBoy' Vick The Gambler Frankie Lancaster

I for one encourage 1980s yearbooks wholeheartedly!

I was a big fan of Ohtani as a Junior, and loved his springboard dropkicks. To be his heavyweight run was something that I had forgotten about completely until reading this thread, to me that says it all. I feel he really shone at the 1997 BOTSJ. I love that tourney so much, and he was one of the highlights for me (as well as the glorious appearances of Robbie Brookside and Ian 'Doc' Dean; but I digress)

A+ Great, great, great.

My favourite Wrestling forum by a mile. Being a fan for 22 years and being the most knowledgeable person in my friend group (who are all big fans) to coming and discussing with people who blow my knowledge out of the water is a blast! Having so much fun here; learning all the time and improving my posting style to have the ability to succinctly put my points across in a friendly and non aggressive manner. I really enjoy all the audio content that is churned out by some of the more "senior" posters on this board. Thank you to one and all for making this place awesome!

I can only get emotionally invested in characters I like (which I assume is the norm) - Unfortunately it's quite rare for me to get emotionally behind performers nowadays. Random recent ones include Daniel Bryan, Enzo Amore and Sami Zayn. I think for me; it's rooting for the smaller underdog character. I can still enjoy matches that I don't have much of an emotional connection; if not I wouldn't be watching anymore. I think for me, the person that can get me shouting and screaming has been, and always will be Ric Flair. For me, Starrcade '93 was when I was totally caught up in the emotion of Flair challenging Vader for the strap. I remember being so happy when he overcame the monster, in front of his home-town fans, friends and family. To me moments like that make me happy to be a fan; unfortunately these moments aren't as common anymore.

I think it's the Madison Square Garden - August 9, 1996 show that you may be referring too; however it may of been the Tacoma, WA - October 12, 1996 show OR Toronto, Ontario - Exhibition Stadium - August 24, 1996 Ladder match. I'd actually love to see Goldust / Michaels ladder match, sounds a lot of fun.

I will switch on the Mookeighana signal.

That's a well constructed argument, however I'd like to see comparable numbers of how well they actually drew when main eventing house shows. I am glad you said a draw in WWF though; Leslie added NOTHING in WCW in my opinion.

Hennig was built up as a great worker before the internet had much of any wrestling talk. The WON and Torch and other newsletters loved him going back to his AWA Title reign, which was 1987. I don't think hardcore fans at the time were all that enamored with his Mr. Perfect gimmick, other than it got him a WWF push rather than getting buried in the prelims. I'd also extend it: Dave rambles on about how people in the business (read guys who came along in the past 15 or so years) looked at Hennig as a great worker. Likely because he was something they great up watching, and relative to the WWF he was a worker that "worker based" wrestlers would have liked. Much as in 15 years we'll have a bunch of guys in the business who think Punk and Cena are all time greats... which they may or may not be. The major reasons Beefcake doesn't get talked up is: * he sucked as a worker * he had no influence in the business (since being a sycophant had a long history in the business) * he never drew of note * he wasn't a real top of the card guy There basically is no case for him. I'm tempted to argue that Beefcake was more of a draw in the WWF than Hennig. I'd like to read this argument Matt D.

I am from Blackpool, England; and if anyone has followed British Wrestling / William Regal's career you will know how Blackpool played a large part in British Wrestling in the past. From the shows that were on in Blackpool Tower Circus, to the '£10 if you can survive for 3 minutes with a wrestler in the ring' at the Pleasure Beach to all the other spot shows around the resort. ALL the major WoS names have worked in Blackpool at some point; timing is everything though. WoS went in 1988, I didn't start really taking a big interest in Wrestling until 1991 so I never had a chance to see any of the WoS in Blackpool as a kid *sigh*. More recently a promotion called UWA ran their second set of tapings out of the Ice Arena of the Pleasure Beach in 1998 that I attended. All Star (Dixon) has run Blackpool forever, and he has a weekly show in the summer months at the Winter Gardens as well as spot shows on the same day at two of the holiday camps in the area.

About halfway through this so far, and really enjoying it. I think you hit the nail on the head with Onita, he made a career on 80% facial expressions and 20% bleeding; it worked for him I guess! (I think having bucket-loads of charisma also helped to be fair!) I am looking forward to watching the 1991 yearbook; I have it pencilled in to order at the end of the year after I have gotten through 1990. I am looking forward to the Bill Dundee/Jamie Dundee stuff from Memphis as I haven't seen any of that before as well as Eric Embry being, well, Eric Embry. Things I have learned about Eric Embry recently: He lived in the apparently Sportatorium for a period in 1988 so this may explained his dishevelled look that he sported! I also didn't realise that his career was cut short in 1992. If he was still working do you think that he would of just worked indies until his career petered out, or would he of been able to get the book for someone like SMW? I also like the touch of adding the little sound clips between segments. As always, thanks Will, Charles and Childs for a fun discussion.

I don't think our US friends have heard of Crinkly Bottom.

It was pretty much a sell-out, all but the cheapest tickets had sold out the day after the lineup was announced. From a live perspective, was the main event the better than the previous Tanahashi/Okada matches in your opinion? Many snowflakes are getting thrown around currently by various people.

John Lovits as Paul Heyman. Noel Edmonds as Ted DiBiase. and I think Fred Ward would be PERFECT as Vince.

Thanks, will check this out. I always try and go to Dixon shows as they run A LOT round here in the Summer (3 shows on one day in September within a 10 mile radius of my house for example) but never had chance to see him until this weekend. See all the others before plenty of times so know what to expect from them.

LuFisto has a strange body shape. Chubby Abs.

Looking forward to this, as really enjoyed the 1990 podcast.

That was the first match I have ever seen of his, so I'd be interested if you could point me in the direction of better matches as you aren't the first person who holds Dynamite in high regards.

Kimona was awesome.