GSR

Rude, Tito and Valentine (by your criteria) I'd say are bigger slam dunks than Jake and possibly Dibiase as well.

Jerry Lynn working as a jobber in the dying days of the AWA. I had no idea he even worked there until watching a bit of 1989 TV yesterday. In the shows that I saw he put over Col. DeBeers, Larry Zbyszko and Kokina Maximus.

I enjoyed this and didn't have a problem with Todd at all. Admittedly at times you almost forgot he was there, but at the same time he would pop up with titbits and snippets of information that added to the discussion. As someone who is ploughing through some 1989 AWA at the moment, I liked the talk about The Team Challenge Series and matches that were held in that 'pink room', as the podcast explained the reasoning behind it.

Dana White said Phillip Nover was the second coming of Anderson Silva and Georges St.Pierre. I stopped listening to him years ago.

Been going through some OVW TV from 2009. It's after the time WWE pulled out of using them as a developmental territory, so there are not really any 'names' there anymore. Nick Dinsmore was around the start of the year doing the U-Gene gimmick, as was Idol Stevens (Damien Sandow) whilst Mike Mondo was there for a bit, but i think these were all OVW originals or Danny Davis trainees. As a result there is a real mixed bag of guys there. Some chap called Damon Lewis is doing a knockoff Goldberg act, the wonderfully named Igotta Brewski is ridiculously jacked, Fang looks like the lightest wrestler ever, Jamin Olivencia is all over the shows (along with his entourage Benny the Producer and Andrew the Director), whilst Dave Mastiff and the Blossom twins (from the UK) turn up towards the end of the year. Less said about Twinkletoes, the commentator come manager from the UK the better! The best thing though was what a tremendous promo Dean Hill is. There's a fairly long running storyline involving the Insurgency (an Iraqi sympathising group), where eventually Bin Hamin (the leader of the group) bloodies up Hill. It leads to an unsanctioned fight where Hamin shaves off Hill's handlebar moustache. He then cuts this incredible promo about how his grandfather was the sheriff of Louisville and he had a handlebar moustache, so when he joined the police force he grew it as a tribute to him. How his wife and children had never seen him without it and how his grandchild didn't recognise him. Just phenomenal stuff. Eventually Hill gets his retribution and shaves Hamin in a cage match. I wasn't expecting much from this stuff, but Hill's promos and performance blew me away.

This is more like it! I didn't bother with the previous episode of Exile, but this one is absolutely getting downloaded over the weekend.

In Bret Hart's first singles run (around 88/89) he used the piledriver as his finisher.

Didn't he also wrestle as Curly Bill briefly? What the hell was that? A veiled reference to Bill Watts? Yup, when he was aligned with the West Texas Rednecks. No idea the reasoning behind the name.

On a similar note, a few weeks back I was working on listings for my HWA discs and it was the period where the WCW guys who'd been signed by WWF were assigned to the territory. Anyway, Jodie Fleisch and Jonny Storm had a match there on their 2002 US tour and it's quite the site trying to see Cornette (who was doing commentary with Les Thatcher) call a Fleisch vs Storm bout!

There were definitely works in the early days of Pride and I'd be suspicious of anything involving Takada from back then.

Yeah, he makes mention of the fact that he isn't drinking or eating this week on several occasions to the point it was clear someone has had words with him about him. Another great interview and considering how many shoots/interviews Cornette has done, nice to hear a couple of stories that I haven't heard him mention before (the one about Flair coming to a WWF PPV with Reid in the late 90s and one with Nikita Koloff for starters).

Been reading some old Observers from 2001, and interesting to see that when Shelton Benjamin & Brock Lesnar were getting their start in OVW as the Minnesota Stretching Crew that Meltzer was certain that Benjamin would be the bigger star of the two, going as far too call him 'a sure fire can't miss prospect'. Funny how things panned out...

Jim Breaks vs Kung Fu (09.03.86) Referee Peter Szakacs gives both men their instructions and as soon as Kung Fu turns his back, Breaks grabs him and rams his head into the turnbuckle. Fu was having none of that and goes over to Breaks' corner and does the same to him. He opens quickly, then Breaks grabs the wrist and takes Fu down with it, working it over and 'snapping' it before telling someone in the crowd to 'shut yer mouth'. Leg dive from Breaks and he starts on Fu's ankle. The abuse from the crowd continues and this time he tells someone to 'get a big pillow for that mouth of yours'. He lets go of the ankle to continue arguing with the ringsiders, steps with one leg between the ropes but Fu is up and kicks it before dragging Breaks along by his ears and ramming his head into the turnbuckle. Fu turns his back, Breaks charges at him but is met with a chop to the head. He steps out of the ring and onto the apron and as Kent Walton stands up, Breaks tells him to sit back down. Walton says that Breaks has never forgiven him for when in one bout he informed the referee about Breaks' cheating and grabbing the trunks to get a fall! Round two is cut from the broadcast, but as the third is about to start two members of the audience try to goad and bait Breaks, dancing and gesturing at ringside (although the one old chap appears to be drunk more than anything) and he responds with 'I pay tax for you?'. Breaks works on Fu's wrist, but he grabs Breaks' ear and nose with his bare feet. Breaks tosses him out of the ring and when he's back on the apron tries to ram his head into the post. Fu blocks it and it's Breaks' head that meets the turnbuckle. Fu climbs up to the top rope, leaps at Breaks but he ducks out the way yelling 'I'm not stupid' whilst pointing to his head, though seconds later gets schoolboyed for the first fall. He returns back to his corner, but gives Fu a dig in the stomach as he passes him then someone from the crowd hands him a dummy. He's not impressed, 'this should not be happening Mr Walton!'. Down one fall in the contest, Breaks starts the next round by saying 'Look, lets wrestle. If you can't trust me who can you trust?', which brings roars of laughter from Kent Walton. They shake hands but Breaks pulls him in and lands a punch to the face. Szakacs thinks that there was something suspicious with the shot, but Breaks swears that it was an open hand telling him 'you just be careful who you're talking to, I was a European champion!'. Nerve and pressure hold by Fu, and when Breaks tries to charge the unsuspecting Fu he's met with another chop. Breaks with a headlock and he tells the cameraman to 'get that camera on me whilst I'm on top'. He gives Fu's nose a quick yank after the bell has rung, but insists it was 'on the bell'. Round five and he is arguing with everyone and tells Fu 'don't you be saying to me I rabbit'. Arm lever by Fu and he turns it into an orthodox double arm lock, however at this point he leans back to the canvas, puts his feet round the front of Breaks and starts rubbing his nipples with his feet (I kid you not!). As expected this angers Breaks and he ties Fu's arm up in the ropes, then tightens them under the pretense of that he's trying to release him. Someone from the crowd shouts 'Breaks you s___house', and he then apologies to them! He applies the Breaks special immediately for the submission, and the drops Fu on the tope rope when he releases the hold. Arm wringer by Fu is met with a punch to the mid-section from Breaks, and at this point Fu has had enough of Breaks' cheating. He goes on the offense before Breaks stops him with another punch right in front of the referee this time, and gets a second and final public warning. Whilst the MC is announcing the public warning, he applies the special again and Szakacs taps him on the shoulder. Breaks celebrates thinking that he has got the second fall and won the match, but he is in fact disqualified for continuing the attack after the public warning. This is the Jim Breaks show and is a fantastic one man performance from him. Fu's offense is incredibly lame, and I have no idea in the slightest what he was even attempting at that one point when he had the double arm lock applied. I'd put this up there with the Cortez bout from '76 as the perfect introduction to anyone for what Breaks is about. Not sure off the top of my head what is left for Breaks after this (bar the already watched Bainbridge bout), but probably his last great televised bout. Enjoyed this one immensely.

Jim Breaks vs Jackie Turpin (06.05.82) This match was fought under slightly different rules as there were no rounds, just a straight 20 minute match with two falls required to be declared the victor. The focus here was Breaks working on Turpin's arm in all manner of ways to try and soften him up for the Breaks Special submission. All sorts of bending and manipulation of the arm and wrist the wrong way, 'snapping' them, even tying Turpin's arm up in the ropes to weaken it, then weakening it even more under the guise that he was trying to untangle the said arm. Intermixed are some obligatory Breaks mouthing off at the crowd with one woman shouting 'get his ears Jackie' to which Breaks responds 'shut your fat mouth!', and some rule breaking behind the refs back. Turpin gets the first fall after Breaks riles him up with an open handed slap, the angered Turpin goes after Breaks who then proceeds to drop to his knee, gets up and then does this a second time. Breaks then catches him with a head mare, Turpin at this point drops to his knees, Breaks looks to Max Ward and whilst he's not paying attention Turpin gets him with the folding press pin. Breaks equalizes sharpish after the resumption, going back to working the arm and getting the submission with his signature move. At one fall each Breaks again focuses on the arm and for a second time applies the Breaks Special, however Turpin holds out and Breaks has to put him down as he an no longer keep him lifted turning it into a hammerlock. Turpin escapes then runs off the ropes and goes for a flying cross body, though Breaks ducks and Turpin goes sailing over the top rope to the floor in a great bump. Usually when anyone takes a bump to the floor it is usually match over (see Haystacks vs Daddy) and potential injury angle (see Rocco vs Dynamite), yet to my surprise Turpin managed to beat the count and get back in the ring. Breaks charges at him, Turpin sidesteps him and rolls him up for the three count and the win. Breaks is clearly not happy and proceeds to attack Turpin on a couple of occasions after the match. This was a real good TV bout, with a surprise ending that I wasn't really expecting both in Turpin beating the count after the bump to the floor and then getting the win over Breaks.

Jim Breaks vs Sammy Lee (07.15.81) Breaks is sporting a silver jacket with the words 'CHAMP' on the back and shoves Lee during the referee's instructions. Lee starts skipping and bouncing around the ring which doesn't impress Breaks; some flashy kicks, a backflip and someone from the crowd yells 'sort him out Sammy', which receives a 'shut yer mouth' response from Breaks. A super quick leg trip takedown from Lee, an Indian Deathlock and Breaks crawls to the ropes for the release. He gets up and points his finger to Lee whilst mouthing off at him. Breaks again has resort to grabbing the ropes to break a Lee submission, and then he's not happy when in his eyes Lee doesn't break the hold quickly enough. Towards the end of the round he's looking for the Breaks Special and starts to bend the rules, punching and hair pulling behind the referee's back. The cheating continues into the next round, but as he's choking Lee on the ropes he tries to propel him backwards to the canvas but Lee pulls out a backflip, Mongolian chops and a folding press for the pin. The crowd starts chanting 'easy, easy', which does little to ease Breaks' temper. Breaks opens the next round with yet more closed fists to the face behind the referee's back, this time Lee retaliates finally having enough of Breaks' persistent rule breaking. Closed fists to the face of Breaks, forearms, a dropkick and then an uppercut, but because he didn't allow Breaks to get back to his feet he gets the first public warning of the match. The crowd aren't happy, Lee turns his back on Breaks giving him the advantage he needed to drag Lee down and get the equalizing fall. The ref finally catches Breaks in the next round giving him his first public warning. He tries to post Lee, who runs up the turnbuckles and does a backflip, unloads with rapid fire kicks, chops, a reverse kick before getting a folding press for the pin. As Brian Crabtree is about to announce the result, Breaks goes 'what about the kicking Crabtree?', and then challenges Lee saying he'll wrestle him for money. This was a very fun sprint, not a great match per se, but highly enjoyable, entertaining and a ton of fun for what it was.

Kamakazi vs Jim Breaks (10.07.81) Breaks starts before the bell has even rung, annoyed that Kamakazi was introduced first he informs MC Brian Crabtree that as he is a champion shouldn't he be introduced first? Kent Walton informs us that Kamazaki is oriental, when he is in fact a masked Maurice Hunter. This is probably one of the worst matches that I have seen involving Breaks and I can only put that down to Kamakazi, who has some nice spots but that is pretty much it. Masked wrestlers were quite a novelty over here, but even that can't disguise how bland and boring Kamakazi is. A round is edited out and as the bout is tied at one fall apiece, Kamakazi takes a tumble to the floor appearing to have fallen between the top and middle ropes as he tries to come off them. The match at that point is then stopped with Kamakazi unable to continue, a lacklustre finish to what was a lacklustre match in general. The highlight is probably after the bout when referee Jeff Kaye points out Kamakazi did injure himself and it was nothing to do with Jim Breaks, and in this instance the opponent has the option of accepting the decision (ie taking the win) or refusing it (so the bout is declared a no contest). Crabtree asks Breaks what he wants to do, and in a heartbeat he accepts the win.

Steve Grey vs Ritchie Brooks (05.14.86) Brooks is a 21 year old who has only been in the business a couple of years at this point. A side headlock and arm lever from him as he has some early dominance. Full nelson which Grey breaks and releases himself from and Brooks is back to working the side headlock which Grey handstands and flips his way out of. He tries to throw Brooks, but the youngster cartwheels through it. An arm lever which Brooks nicely escapes from before a back hammer and wristlock by Grey to close out the round. Round two and a quick schoolboy attempt from Grey. A cravat and headmare before a full nelson. Grey whips Brooks into the ropes, he ducks looking for the back body drop but Brooks goes over for a sunset flip, folding press by Grey and Brooks spins him out. Grey hooks the leg but Brooks sits down on him, reverse double leg nelson, countered with a folding press by Brooks but instead of going over he holds a headstand position for the first fall. Round three is cut from the broadcast, and Grey starts to work on Brooks' arm in the fourth. Backdrop and headmare from Grey but a quick roll up from Brooks gets him a two count. Brooks this time focusses his attention on Grey's left arm including throwing both a dropkick and head butt to it; he goes for a second dropkick but Grey steps out of the way. Boston crab by Grey but he gives up on the hold when it's clear to him that Brooks wont submit and with Brooks in pain from the crab attempt he looks for the surfboard submission, but the round ends before he can fully apply the hold. In to the next and a posting from Grey followed by a headmare and with Brooks clearly suffering with his back Grey again tries for the surfboard. This time he is in the centre of the ring and with plenty of time remaining is able to apply the hold getting the equalizing submission. The sixth and final round and Brooks is still selling his back. After his success in the previous round Grey goes for the surfboard, but Brooks struggles and fights the attempt to the point that Grey gives up on the hold. Over the shoulder backbreaker but he can't quite get Brooks up and he continues to concentrate his efforts on the weakened back of Brooks. Brooks gets a brief advantage returning his efforts to Grey's left arm even managing to execute a straight arm lift. He goes to post Grey but it's reversed and Brooks crashes into the turnbuckle. He fights off another surfboard attempt, but Grey grabs the double leg and turns it into a Boston crab. The timekeeper announces sixty seconds left and Grey decides to give up clear in his mind that Brooks wont submit to that hold. With the time limit expiring he goes for one last surfboard but no luck, and the bout is declared a draw. I thought Grey did a tremendous job on this one and Brooks more than played his part. Grey gave him enough early and made Brooks seem like a credible threat to the point that when he rolled Grey up in the fourth, I genuinely thought Brooks was winning 2-0. As the match wore on the experience of Grey showed, whilst Brooks still had his hope spots. Brooks selling of the back was really nice, although you could question the over reliance on going for the surfboard (though it is a Grey staple), whilst there was a sense of a real struggle and fight over the hold in the last round. It also made a change to see Grey in the role of the veteran here working with a young and up and coming wrestler. Good stuff.

Steve Grey vs Jon Cortez (07.27.81) Prior to this match Johnny Saint comes into the ring as this is to be an eliminator for a shot at Saint's World Lightweight title later in the year. This is fought at a much quicker pace than the previous bout with Cortez having the advantage in the first round, even going for a pin attempt when turning a Grey back hammer escape into a sunset flip. At the end of the first we see Grey lose his temper thinking Cortez's attack came after the bell. Into the second and a front head chancery by Cortez which Grey spins out of and again Cortez is not breaking when on the ropes. Great action towards the end of the second as Grey tries to keep hold of a wrist lever whilst Cortez does all he can to escape. Full nelson by Cortez which is reversed by Grey, which Cortez then turns it into a crucifix for another pin attempt, but he's not happy with the referee thinking he's slow with his count. Cortez goes for a straight arm lift submission and then continues to concentrate on this hold, applying it a second time and when he goes for it a third (which could well get him the submission) Grey responds with a forearm smash that drops Cortez who has a look of 'Well the f____, so it's like that is it?' on his face. The bell rings to end the third but the two continue to argue after the bell with Cortez not happy at all about how Grey got out of the hold. Both are sweating considerably at this point with Cortez again looking at the left arm of Grey. Another straight arm lift but Grey escapes the fingerlock, stands on Cortez's shoulder, leaps to the canvas and hits a dropkick. Cortez barely beats the count and looks shattered. He bides his time trying to rest in the corner and slowing the pace whilst Grey beckons him to come in to the centre of the ring to continue. Leg grab from Grey and a kick to the thigh of Cortez and he isn't happy, complaining to the referee again. Grey has him backed up to the ropes and Cortez strikes him which prompts Grey to retaliate with a forearm to the chest and another kick to the leg. They again continue arguing after the bell and butt heads this time. The penultimate round and Grey looks for the surfboard, but has to give up when he can't get Cortez's arms. Cortez continues to suffer and sells the surfboard attempt nicely with his legs seemingly giving way. Monkey flip attempt from Cortez and Grey lands on his feet, tries it again but to his dismay he again lands on his feet. Goes for it a third time, but Grey drops him down for a folding press and Cortez just about kicks out in time and yet again there is more argy after the bell with Grey slapping Cortez. With one round left, Cortez jumps Grey immediately. Grey ends up getting his legs caught between the bottom two ropes and falls backwards hanging upside down outside the ring. The Red Cross and St. John's Ambulance come to help Grey, but the bout is called off with him unable to continue and Cortez is the victor by TKO. This is a great, great match, and is probably the best match I've watched from 80's WOS so far. It doesn't have the high impact moves of Haward vs Myers, but I feel is a better match. The bout is really heated with both being more aggressive than normal (you rarely see Grey like he is in this one), as the added incentive of the title shot against Johnny Saint for the winner gives an added dimension to the contest. It'll take something special to beat this for my WOS match of the decade.

Moving these over from the GWE sub-forum. Steve Grey vs Jon Cortez (12.13.73) This is one of the earliest Grey bouts on tape, with the only one earlier that I could find being a match against Eddie Capelli from the year prior. It is also during this bout that Kent Walton informs us how Grey teaches handicraft to OAPs and the handicapped! Nearly the entire first round of this contest was worked around a headlock, firstly with Cortez in control and then Grey. After two rounds of straight wrestling Cortez starts to get more aggressive in his offense, firstly palming Grey in the face and then hitting him with a great sounding uppercut. He cartwheels out of a headmare immediately throwing a dropkick and Walton is not happy with Cortez losing his cool thinking that it could spoil the contest. Cortez continues to be the aggressor into the fourth giving Grey a shot whilst he is on the ropes and another uppercut. Grey responds with a dropkick of his own which catches Cortez in the chest. He does a nice sell job as though he's been winded, even delaying releasing Grey when they are in the ropes on the next move to give him a little bit more time to get his breath back. Grey lands on his feet from a monkey flip and when Cortez tries it again Grey holds on to the knee as he goes over to take it with him. The finish comes after Grey again lands on his feet from a monkey flip and surprises Cortez with a dropkick, he follows up with a headmare but Cortez comes back with a cross body for the pin. A slow burner of a bout as I went in with pretty high expectations from these two. It really picks up from the third round and it's interesting to see them work for so long just off a headlock. I've another Grey/Cortez match to come (from eight years later) so it will be interesting to see how it compares to this one. Johnny Saint vs Steve Grey (01.28.80) This is a return contest from the previous December where Grey came out on top. They open up quickly with Saint catching Grey in an armlock, who does all he can to try and escape; he biels him off the ropes, holds on to referee Peter Szakacs to flip over, tries using the top rope all whilst Saint maintains hold of the armlock. With the round closing out Grey finally works out an escape and frees himself. On to the second and the two exchange holds, each trying to gain the advantage but with Saint mainly having the upper hand. He moves back to working on Grey's arm and similarly to the first Saint holds on to the move despite everything that Grey tries to escape. Head mares are having no luck and eventually he rolls backwards, forwards and throws a grounded kick to the chest to release himself. Saint moves to working on a hammerlock as the bell sounds to close out he second. Again Saint concentrates on the arm and with a back hammer in place looks for a pinfall, but a series of reversals sees Saint spin Grey out of a folding press. Grey grabs the arm and wrenches Saint as he finally starts to get some ascendancy in the bout. He turns his attention to Saint's left arm, but Saint flips out of the hold and again moves back to holding the advantage. Hip toss takedown and pin attempt from Grey for a two count, double arm stretch by Saint and Grey repeatedly kicks Saint gently in the jaw to force the escape. Dropkick from Grey and Saint comes off the ropes with a sunset flip for a near fall. Saint takes a bump over the rope early in the fourth after being spun out of a Grey hold. A series of pin attempts by both and then Grey runs off the ropes, Saint leaps over him and immediately drops down into a ball. Saint offers the hand, Grey takes it, Saint flips him over and covers him for the first fall. Saint opens the next round with an abdominal stretch as he looks to take the contest in two straight. Grey briefly makes a come back, but Saint goes back to working for the submission. A single leg crab is followed by a full boston crab that Grey ends up powering out of, over the knee backbreaker, side surfboard and a version of the torture rack backbreaker all by Saint as he tries for that second fall. Before Round Six starts, Kent Walton says that Johnny Czeslaw hasn't been well and sends him his best wishes whilst quipping about not putting any half nelsons on the nurses! At this point Walton stops calling the action and mentions how Steve Logan has recently had to retire due to injury and both Johnny Yearsley and Gwyn Davies are out of action recovering from injuries. He then talks about the 'clever boys' who write for 'sleazy newspapers' who say that the wrestlers don't really get hurt, and how he wishes they could get in the ring with one of these two. Back to the action and Grey has a back hammer on Saint that he flips over the back of. Grey misses a dropkick, Saint shoots him into the ropes looking for a hip toss take down but Grey reverses it into a backslide for the equalizing fall. With the bout all even Grey is back to working on Saint's arm, but he escapes and turns the tables starting on Grey's ankle in an attempt to try and slow him down. Monkey climb escape from Grey, Saint lands on his feet and looks to try and post Grey in the corner but he reverses it. Saint blocks the posting and ducks under Grey who goes over the top and down the back for a double leg nelson, folding press by Saint and Grey spins him out. Saint drops down and tries to schoolboy Grey but he turns on the move and tries for another pin attempt. Double leg nelson by Saint this time, folding press by Grey and he has the legs trapped and shoulder's down for the decisive fall. After the bout Saint says that as Grey has now beaten him twice, it's only fair that Grey now gets a shot at his World Lightweight title. This was a great match that was fought at a tremendous pace from the onset. Often these matches will start out slow and they will move things up as the match progresses but that was not the case here. I hated the way that Saint got his fall, but this bout is a really good advert for him as a lot of his 'kooky stuff is kept to a minimum and wasn't really on show here. It'd be interesting to find out what led to Walton going off on one as it was so out of the blue and unexpected. I'd rank this a notch below Grey's bout with Jon Cortez (from 07.27.81) but still one that is well worth checking out.

With the exception of Breaks' match against Peter Bainbridge, the Kamakazi one is the worst I've seen involving him. I'll dig up my reviews when I've a bit of time and add them to the thread.

Was Pritchard also the guy that had the very briefly lived interview segment they did with the western/farm theme? I am having trouble searching it because the details are so hazy now. Only segment I even remember from it was a Shawn Michaels/Razor Ramon confrontation. It was not on TV very long. Possibly Rio Rogers? I remember Prichard doing commentary briefly using this gimmick, but can't remember ever seeing an interview segment. Batista's first (non-Leviathan) appearances in the WWE probably fit in here too, as Reverend D-Von's bodyguard/enforcer 'Deacon Batista'.

They always seem to recycle the 'impersonations' gimmick every few years as Big Show briefly did it in the early 2000s as a way to 'show his personality', even defeating Kurt Angle on a PPV imitating Hogan as 'The Showster'.

The Head Hunters showing up on one random episode of Raw from 1997 seemingly to be managed by Jim Cornette, having a brawl with Owen & Davey Boy only to be never seen again.