Greatest pro-wrestling debacle

[Loss]

For those who would know, would Hiroshi Wajima's megapush in 1987 All Japan register here?

[goc]

I can't even call trying to associate WWE with Greg Hardy a stretch because that would be giving it too much credit. WAY WAY out there.

[DGinnetty]

The Wajima thing was a mess. Pushed him like crazy, and it never took. Choshu's group was getting ready to jump by late 86 anyway, so Wajima's push just sped up the departure.

 

Perhaps we should thank Baba for pushing Wajima, because the failure may have been the impetus to turn Tenryu in May of 87.

 

Dan

[Mad Dog]

When you're talking about debacles, how about WWE constantly aligning themselves with domestic abusers? First Hunter is still proud of his best pal Floyd Maywether, and the guy who owns the site of the next Wrestlemania just responded to the release of photos showing the beating his player laid on his girlfriend by doubling down and promising to extend his contract.

 

Now that's not to say WWE had anything to do with the issues themselves, but it's a bit troubling when they continue to back the abusers/enablers. It's like the message being sent is they support women's issues for PR purposes but you bitches better keep in line.

 

The media is crammed to the gills with Floyd Mayweather enables and apologists. I think it makes them look bad but a lot of people in the sports world give him a total pass for being a piece of shit.

[BruceTharpe]

There have been too many ridiculous debacles disguised as "Monday Night Sports Entertainment" it would take forever to list them all so I won't even go there. I will say the Fritz Von Erich worked "heart attack" in the ring.

[goc]

Actually that's a hell of a pick Bruce. I'm surprised that hasn't been mentioned yet actually. That was definitely another one of those things that helped drive the nail into the coffin of World Class.

 

Fritz coming on TV and announcing that Lance Von Erich was a fake was another awful debacle. Trying to create a fake Von Erich itself was a debacle but then openly telling the fans that you did it was incredibly short sighted.

[jdw]

The Wajima thing was a mess. Pushed him like crazy, and it never took. Choshu's group was getting ready to jump by late 86 anyway, so Wajima's push just sped up the departure.

 

Perhaps we should thank Baba for pushing Wajima, because the failure may have been the impetus to turn Tenryu in May of 87.

 

Dan

 

It wasn't even that insane of a push.

 

He got a title match against Flair. He got pinned. The number of people Flair got "clean" wins over in title matches after his first tour as NWA champ were Steamboat (1982), Kerry (only because it was the title change in 1984) and Wajima. Same series as the Wajima match, Flair couldn't pin Yatsu in a title match. Jumbo hadn't jobbed clean to Ric since 1981. Tenryu did a DQ job in 1984. Kabuki (!?!?) did a DQ job in 1983. Choshu had the DCOR in 1985.

 

He had a series of title matches with Hansen. The only one that had a real finish had Hansen pinning him. He got one Tag Title match, against the Road Warriors. Jumbo & Wajima lost it. A month later Misawa got his first Tag Title match. Jumbo & Misawa won it... with Misawa getting to pin DiDiase.

 

Baba pushed him, but in a more cautious fashion than one would have thought. He didn't get a Goldberg push. He started working full time on the first series of 1987. He got pinned by Flair on the second series. Hansen pinned him on his third series. No one of note was sacrificed to the alter of pushing Wajima.

 

Hard to compare it with the push of Ogawa by New Japan.