Matt D Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 A few things about the match, most of which I've said before. 1.) It was Martel's debut to the territory really. He came in very shortly before the Race matches and the way that they build him up as a babyface in the first quarter of 1980 is really incredibly well done. Here, though, he was new enough it was almost felt like Crockett sending a Magnum vs Flair match to help prop up another territory's big show. There's not even the proximity to Canada connection since he was billed from France. 2.) Frank Bonnema basically explains/rationalizes, at length, the neverending armwork as "control" and while I really like him as an announcer in general, that's one of the best things i've ever heard an announcer do. 3.) I think it says a lot about both Race and Martel (at this early point in his career) when you look at how they chose to work this match relative to the big matches that Martel would have later in the year and then later on in the AWA. EDIT: I'm not sure what else I'd REALLY suggest from Portland in 1980. Past the matches listed (though the Midget match is a bit slight since we don't have much of it). If you're going to watch that then you should watch the June 14, 1980 Battle Royal too). So much of what worked for it for me was to see it in context and how things led into each other and how Buddy would deal with different situations even if they weren't meant to be MOTY whatevers. I realize I haven't seen that six man vs Lightfoot/Youngblood/Cortez which I didn't realize existed, so I'm excited to track that down someday and see some babyface Cuban. I guess if I had to suggest one more 1980 match from Portland I'd go with Rose/Wiskowki/Fidel Cortez vs Sheepherders/Jonthan Boyd - 2/3 Falls - July 19, 1980 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Race seemed to like winning the first fall in less-than-impressive fashion and then giving the second fall to the local babyface to build excitement going into the third. He followed that pattern with Billy Jack a few years later in Portland. It comes across as putting himself over, where had the match only been one fall he would have taken it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 A few things about the match, most of which I've said before. 1.) It was Martel's debut to the territory really. He came in very shortly before the Race matches and the way that they build him up as a babyface in the first quarter of 1980 is really incredibly well done. Here, though, he was new enough it was almost felt like Crockett sending a Magnum vs Flair match to help prop up another territory's big show. There's not even the proximity to Canada connection since he was billed from France. 2.) Frank Bonnema basically explains/rationalizes, at length, the neverending armwork as "control" and while I really like him as an announcer in general, that's one of the best things i've ever heard an announcer do. 3.) I think it says a lot about both Race and Martel (at this early point in his career) when you look at how they chose to work this match relative to the big matches that Martel would have later in the year and then later on in the AWA. All good context and yes, Martel did progress quickly. This isn't really a good showing from him in my opinion, but Race carried it well. EDIT: I'm not sure what else I'd REALLY suggest from Portland in 1980. Past the matches listed (though the Midget match is a bit slight since we don't have much of it). If you're going to watch that then you should watch the June 14, 1980 Battle Royal too). So much of what worked for it for me was to see it in context and how things led into each other and how Buddy would deal with different situations even if they weren't meant to be MOTY whatevers. I realize I haven't seen that six man vs Lightfoot/Youngblood/Cortez which I didn't realize existed, so I'm excited to track that down someday and see some babyface Cuban. I don't want to get too granular at this point since I'm not doing that for every group. I'd prefer to just limit it to the best stuff. I guess if I had to suggest one more 1980 match from Portland I'd go with Rose/Wiskowki/Fidel Cortez vs Sheepherders/Jonthan Boyd - 2/3 Falls - July 19, 1980 I will add that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Having to wake your opponent up after a sleeper was pretty common in territories where the sleeper was put over as a dangerous move, wasn't it? I know I've seen it in British wrestling. It works a lot better when it's a heel who applied the hold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 It was used a decent amount in Portland on Buddy Rose to comedic effect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodhelmet Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Having to wake your opponent up after a sleeper was pretty common in territories where the sleeper was put over as a dangerous move, wasn't it? I know I've seen it in British wrestling. It works a lot better when it's a heel who applied the hold. They were doing this as late as the push with Beefcake when the sleeper was his finisher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Jeff Kaye vs Tony Walsh (World of Sport 01/28/80) This was a really fun match made by the contrast of Kaye's gymnastic highspots against the cheating and ground attack of Tony Walsh. I really like Walsh as a heel because he goes out of his way not to do anything fancy that might solicit an accidental cheer until the final few minutes when he needs more than cheating to secure the match in his favor. But by then, the crowd hates him enough that they aren't popping for the athletically impressive stuff he does. He leaves most of the flash to Kaye. Pretty cool how Walsh sneaks in the punches and jabs, both bending and outright breaking the rules, but I also enjoy how he sets up his own embarrassment spots like the alternating stomp between Walsh's back/ribs and hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Johnny Saint vs Steve Grey (World of Sport 01/28/80) Well I'll be damned if this isn't the most impressive wrestling match I've ever seen. In terms of presenting wrestling as a serious sport by using the holds, maneuvers and other actions in the ring to convey a story and manipulate emotions of those watching, this is really one of the best examples I can recall seeing of what wrestling can be at its absolute best. It serves as a tribute to the art form, and looks like the pinnacle of what wrestling is capable of when stripped down to its most fundamental parts. Both men are marvels as mat wrestlers (understatement of 2014) and while I don't think I've watched enough World of Sport yet to do a write-up that does this justice, this is as good as just about any wrestling match I have ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 I'm seeing a lot of 2/2/80 online. Are we sure on the date there? ... Let me rephrase that. Is the one that says 2/2/80 on youtube this match? Because if so I might jump into my WOS watching early based on that write up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Yes, that's the match, but based on the date OJ provided, the real date is 1/28/80. I think the YouTube date is an error. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Jon Cortez vs Peter Lapaque (World of Sport 01/28/80) I think it's interesting how the vertical base isn't the assumed position of normalcy in this style. Anyone who wants to be competitive should be capable of devising a hold or counter from any position, no matter how atypical. I think this match does quite a bit to get over the idea that offense or defense can come from any position. It's cool how they build the match too. I've always thought the rounds system was the antithesis of building drama in wrestling match, but they really work it to their advantage here. Just when it appears tempers are about to flare, the round is over which would normally kill a match at the worst moment for me, but what they are actually doing is setting up the next round and thus building suspense for and teasing aggression that is later to come. The new rounds aren't "restarts", they are simply new chapters in the match. And this is the first time that's really clicked for me, be it because I saw the right match or because I saw something well-worked. By the final round, these two guys are waylaying each other with brutal uppercuts and while this never boils over in a way that the sportsmanship is lost, the aggression reaches a peak. I also like how decisive Cortez getting the consecutive pins at the finish was. What a great card. I find this style so easy and refreshing to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Jon Cortez vs Jeff Kaye (World of Sport 02/05/80) This wasn't as fluid as Saint vs Grey, but that's an awfully high threshold and it's probably not fair to hold everything to that standard. Still, it was another fantastic match from World of Sport with a pretty vast array of impressive holds and counters. The headscissors Cortez - who looks like a world beater in this - locks on Kaye is amazingly tight, and watching Kaye struggle with everything he has to counter it is awesome. Again, they are sportsmen and seem impressed with each other, to a point where this takes on a sparring session feel the longer it goes. At times, they even have smiles on their faces. That sounds lame and not very compelling, but it works and surprisingly this still doesn't feel like an exhibition. I've come to realize that not every great wrestling match needs to have a strong babyface/heel alignment and a meaningful personal issue. It's usually preferable of course, but if your work is this good, you can get away with letting your wrestling speak for itself. Check out all the work around the full nelson in Round 5. This becomes quite the spirited game of chess as the match progresses. It's almost playful. So far, I've seen four matches and they are four different representations of the style, which is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Yes, that's the match, but based on the date OJ provided, the real date is 1/28/80. I think the YouTube date is an error. 2/2/80 was the air date. I'm thrilled (and slightly relieved) that you're enjoying this stuff. If there's anything you want to see that's not online let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 Thanks, I will let you know. There are a couple of things I may ask you for, actually. Jim Breaks vs Young David (World of Sport 02/13/80) Really great. So Young David is exactly as his name suggests, this skinny, impressionable kid who has no idea what he's up against. Jim Breaks is rough around the edges and is a total asshole, stretching this kid and taking unnecessary cheapshots when he's already clearly more skilled and experienced. And as the match progresses, something unintended happens. In addition to being this little punk's opponent, Breaks is also his teacher. So Davey Boy starts taking cues from the jerk and fights fire with fire -- sometimes successfully and sometimes unsuccessfully. But he proves himself a quick study and gives Breaks a far tougher match than he might have had Breaks been able to just control himself and wrestle without being a prick, in the end holding him to a draw after 12 rounds. Breaks can't just do anything -- he has to rub his opponent's face in everything he does. And with this kid, it backfires. Beautiful story and another high end match for the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 Pat Roach vs Dalibar Singh (World of Sport 04/21/80) This was my least favorite match so far, not because it wasn't good, but because it was the least unique. This felt very much like All Japan/New Japan heavyweight matches in the same time period. Maybe it's because this is the first heavyweight match I've seen from World of Sport. This is a very good match by any standard, but unlike the others, it's not a remarkable one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteF3 Posted January 11, 2014 Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 I think Singh is about the most boring WOS worker ever, for whatever that's worth. For Roach to get a match that good out of him is a credit to him as a worker. The heavies are definitely going to be more about storytelling than slick work, for the most part. When they hit, they really knock it out of the park--but the style definitely is more conventional as a whole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 Buddy Rose vs Rick Martel (PNW 04/26/80) This is built around Buddy Rose wearing a mask/wig combo (I'm guessing he lost his hair??) and Martel trying to rip it off. Rose neutralizes him by working over his knee like clockwork and busting out some great offense and holds. Rose gave an awesome performance in this match, but it seemed like he was wrestling himself, as Martel was really green and it showed, as he did nothing for me in this. But Buddy laid out a really strong match, took excellent bumps and worked the crowd like a champ. Not much more you can ask for in a wrestler's performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted January 11, 2014 Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 Buddy Rose vs Rick Martel (PNW 04/26/80) This is built around Buddy Rose wearing a mask/wig combo (I'm guessing he lost his hair??) and Martel trying to rip it off. Rose neutralizes him by working over his knee like clockwork and busting out some great offense and holds. Rose gave an awesome performance in this match, but it seemed like he was wrestling himself, as Martel was really green and it showed, as he did nothing for me in this. But Buddy laid out a really strong match, took excellent bumps and worked the crowd like a champ. Not much more you can ask for in a wrestler's performance. I tweeted Rip Rogers about this match and he confirms it was Buddy telling Martel what to do. I personally thought more highly of Martel's performance than you. I thought he sold really well, and showed good baby face fire. I'm sure it was Buddy telling him to work over his back, and Martel did a great job at that. It was a match that made sense, their seemed to be no wasted movement in it. Most importantly it told a great story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted January 11, 2014 Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 I think Singh is about the most boring WOS worker ever, for whatever that's worth. For Roach to get a match that good out of him is a credit to him as a worker. The heavies are definitely going to be more about storytelling than slick work, for the most part. When they hit, they really knock it out of the park--but the style definitely is more conventional as a whole. Count Bartelli is the most boring I've seen. Singh had zero personality and would rarely emote, but he did the smash mouth stuff as well as anyone and when they'd put him in there with Pat Roach or Terry Rudge the matches were good. If he was the lead guy, then they tended to be weak. The heavies take some getting used to, and unfortunately the most exciting heavyweight worker, Steve Veidor, stopped appearing on TV around this time. Bridges, Quinn and St. Clair jump to All-Star within a few years and the promising young heavyweights of the 70s fail to materialise into anything, so Roach ends up being the cream of the crop working mostly catchweight contests with the occasional challenge from a young heavyweight like Tom Tyrone. Roach was one of the best big men ever; whether that comes across in the matches to follow we shall see. This is a judgement call, but I think it would be better if you labelled World of Sport as either Joint Promotions or All-Star Promotions as WoS was simply the name of the television program and was cancelled in September '85. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 This is a judgement call, but I think it would be better if you labelled World of Sport as either Joint Promotions or All-Star Promotions as WoS was simply the name of the television program and was cancelled in September '85. How do you know which it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loss Posted January 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 I tweeted Rip Rogers about this match and he confirms it was Buddy telling Martel what to do. Was Rip Rogers working there at the time? I'm just curious how he would know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoe Posted January 11, 2014 Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 I tweeted Rip Rogers about this match and he confirms it was Buddy telling Martel what to do. Was Rip Rogers working there at the time? I'm just curious how he would know. I believe he was. I know he was there in 1980. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteF3 Posted January 11, 2014 Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 This is a judgement call, but I think it would be better if you labelled World of Sport as either Joint Promotions or All-Star Promotions as WoS was simply the name of the television program and was cancelled in September '85. How do you know which it is? Most noticably, All-Star has a big star pattern on the ring mat and a slicker, somewhat Americanized presentation in general. I think they were the only ones doing graphics at the start of rounds. That said, the sharing of Joint and All-Star of the television slot doesn't begin until you get to '86. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohtani's jacket Posted January 11, 2014 Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 All-Star Promotions began sharing the time slot from the start of '87 after Joint Promotions' five year extension with ITV expired at the end of '86. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bix Posted January 11, 2014 Report Share Posted January 11, 2014 Buddy Rose vs Rick Martel (PNW 04/26/80) This is built around Buddy Rose wearing a mask/wig combo (I'm guessing he lost his hair??) and Martel trying to rip it off. Rose neutralizes him by working over his knee like clockwork and busting out some great offense and holds. Rose gave an awesome performance in this match, but it seemed like he was wrestling himself, as Martel was really green and it showed, as he did nothing for me in this. But Buddy laid out a really strong match, took excellent bumps and worked the crowd like a champ. Not much more you can ask for in a wrestler's performance. I tweeted Rip Rogers about this match and he confirms it was Buddy telling Martel what to do. I personally thought more highly of Martel's performance than you. I thought he sold really well, and showed good baby face fire. I'm sure it was Buddy telling him to work over his back, and Martel did a great job at that. It was a match that made sense, their seemed to be no wasted movement in it. Most importantly it told a great story. I'm not sure what it says about Martel that he had been working for 7 years at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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