German catch

[David Mantell]

Bit of a short one this - Bernie Wright and masked man The Outlaw are to do battle but the mystery man does his knee in coming off the top rope and is knocked out and carried off on a stretcher. Even Bernie looks a bit worried.

[David Mantell]

A few snippets of TV.

So e docu footage from a sunny evening at Haumarkt in 1978.  Jeff Kaye is a referee. Mighty John Quinn is there too, fresh from losing to Big Daddy at Wembley.  Johnny Rasputin Howard/Doyle in there too.  A couple of match clips interspersed with crowd shots.  I recognise Judd Harris and of course Quinn and Rasputin .

Short snippet of the Old and New Guards, Axel Dieter Vs Steve Wright. Heumarkt 1985

 

Two years earlier, Axel versus young hothead Klaus Wallas. Preceded by a Ringerparade including two guys who look a LOT like former WWWF World Tag Team Champions The Yukon Lumberjacks.

 

[David Mantell]

Quote

Quote

Question - how was RTL involved in this? Did they make the tape for the IBV/CWA or did they broadcast this on TV?

Any ideas, @Indikator,  @Jetlag, @sergeiSem ?

 

[David Mantell]

On 3/23/2025 at 6:43 PM, David Mantell said:

 

So e docu footage from a sunny evening at Haumarkt in 1978.  

You may notice a big guy called Georg Blemenschutz being interviewed.  Here is some more old footage of him against The Great Vladimir. Afa Ano'is also pops up on screen for some reason.  Apparently Big Georg B was an art expert awa from the ring

Actually that entire YouTube channel may be worth checking out:

https://www.youtube.com/@catchwrestlingsuperstars805

 

[David Mantell]

TV obituary for Otto Wanz 

 

[David Mantell]

Ringerparade was still an institution in 2002

 

 

[David Mantell]

13 hours ago, David Mantell said:

You may notice a big guy called Georg Blemenschutz being interviewed.  Here is some more old footage of him against The Great Vladimir. 

Couple of extra things I noticed.

1)Blemenschutz and the referee are doing the whole Guy Mercier/Michel Saulnier babyface beats up crooked referee situation at the time when Saulnier started doing this with Mercier/Asquini/Herve/et in 1978.  Maybe it originally came from Germany.

2) The ring looks a lot like the one in the September 1987 (I think Hamburg) tournament videos on @sergeiSem's channel.

[David Mantell]

Video about a mad Grandma fan in Austria 2003.  One promotion she visits has an old school German ring like the CWA with the navy/grey canvas and white ropes.

Also at the start a slightly melancholy visit to Heumarkt where neither the avenue staff not a nearby shop assistant seem to even know what Catch is.

[David Mantell]

I think we need to find out more about this Georg Blemenschutz, he was obviously a very important babyface in 70s Germany.

 

This is him doing a training session with two young wrestlers at Heumarkt 1967 (bits of the 1978 match stripped of colour at the start.)

[David Mantell]

https://www.geschichtewiki.wien.gv.at/Georg_Blemenschütz

Quote

Georg Blemenschütz, December 25, 1914, November 15, 1990, wrestler, sports organizer.

 

biography

Georg Blemenschütz was already a successful amateur wrestler in the 1930s.

 

After the Second World War, he turned professional. His career initially took him to England, Italy, Belgium, France, and Germany before he returned to Vienna, where professional wrestling tournaments lasting several weeks were held every summer at the Vienna Ice Skating Club's square on the Heumarkt . A mixture of sport, acrobatics, and elements of comedy, the matches were primarily intended to entertain the audience and soon became an attraction that thrilled the masses. When the international wrestling elite visited Vienna from June to August, a festival atmosphere prevailed at the Heumarkt. Around 40 to 60 fight evenings were held each summer, attended by up to 15,000 people daily. From 1957 onwards, Georg Blemenschütz not only acted as an active athlete but also promoted the event. Georg Blemenschütz was THE crowd favorite, with cheers like "Schurli, drink one eye out. Let the other one cry!" or "Rip open your chest and shit in your heart" also finding international media coverage. In 1963, Blemenschütz was involved in a pub brawl. The accusations that the fights at the Heumarkt had been rigged, which emerged in the subsequent court proceedings, were neither confirmed nor refuted. None of this diminished Blemenschütz's popularity, but rather marked the beginning of a particularly successful era of freestyle wrestling in Vienna. Georg "Schurli" Blemenschütz continued to compete in the ring until 1981. The "Strangler" had become the "Mummy of the Heumarkt." Otto Wanz succeeded Blemenschütz as organizer of the Heumarkt tournaments. Blemenschütz retired to private life and devoted himself to his collection of paintings and antiques, with a particular interest in the Biedermeier period. The four-time world and six-time European champion contested more than 600 professional fights, winning 348 of them.

 

literature

The wrestler was a collector. In: Der Standard, November 19, 1990

Genickbruck.com: Georg Blemenschütz

"Rip open your chest and shit in your heart." In: Wiener Zeitung, May 29, 2020

House of HistoryAustria: Catchen

 

[David Mantell]

On 2/21/2025 at 1:02 AM, David Mantell said:

Nice to get back to an older bout. Unfortunately 1980 seems to be the start off point for German footage beginning with the professionally filmed Wanz Vs Don Leo CWA title fight in Julyand before that reports of Wanz/Strongbow in '79, highlights of about 5 Roland Bock fights for the mid/late 70s and two early 70s cinema mini docus in B/W plus a few similar going back into the 60s. Hanover in September 1980 is the first real explosion of Germany footage.

Chris Colt in Europe 1980. A phrase which brings about visions of druggy chaos, of an ITV match not being screened due to being - says Kent Walton- "nothing whatsoever to do with wrestling," a Big Daddy tag match at the Royal Albert Hall which he spends wandering around at ringside and is later mythologised to have him actually shooting on and exposing Daddy.

None of that is really in evidence here. He shakes his head as he gets in the ring like an old biker hippy- think a heel version of Boogie Woogie Man Jimmy Valiant (but strictly a heel BWM, not the earlier Handsome Jimmy) being the usual American playing heel in Europe here against aging Axel "Only One Shooter Here" Dieter Senior. Axel snapmares Colt who complains his hair was pulled. Bodychecks. Lots of playing for time/working the crowd.  Axel take the bump several times to undo Colt armbars.  Axel does a decent toupee on Colt which explains his balding head. Colt resists further attempts before getting a kick in the head. Colt gets a good legdive on Dieter when the round bell goes. Dieter gets in one badly done toupee before retiring to his corner. DJ plays bluesy 60s powerr pop with a Hammond Organ audibly on it.

Round 2. Some more crowd play including Colt crouching in the corner at an "Axel, Axel" chant. Colt gets a standing full nelson.  Dieter, in the rigorous old German style half tries a few options before going for a hiptoss into armbar like a British armlift  position but prone on the mat. Colt pulls him into a headscissor, Axel tries an underneath lever out, then flipping up into a Boston Crab before finally going for a Frank Gotch toehold. He tries for the cross face, Colt tries for the ropes. The referee refuses him but accepts when he starts grabbing at the ring apron. Dieter chokes Colt on a rope (but why? How much had Colt done to justify the ref allowing that much retaliation?). He armdrags and armhanks Colt more to get some kicks and stomps on.  They shave hands and Colt gets a full nelson which he converts to a rear waistlock. Axel counters with a hiptoss but Colt has yet another headscissor ready. Axel uncorks himself in the guard position and gives Colt a cheeky kick to the head. It becomes more brawling and dirty wrestling in the corner, carrying onto and beyond the end of the round. More sixties beat music on the disco.  

Round 3 and Colt carries straight on with the dirties and gets a yellow card, the MC translates it to English for Colt as First Public Warning. I expect Coltvwas familiar with the phrase from England.  Axel posts Colt who lands upside down like Flair, flips to the apron like Flair but then lands ringside and gets a long near KO count, coming back only to get a backdrop and cross press for the winning fall

One was an aged oldstyle German, the other was a druggy American. I didn't expect to write so much about this bout. Clearly pre-Steve Wright German Catch and Seventies American heel work meshes nicely as styles.

Signsquad who I think is the same person as @sergeiSem has reuploaded this video with some new German commentary.

 

 

Quote

 

Quote

 

 

0:00

[Music]

0:08

Hello dear fans and welcome

0:10

to another a second

0:13

commented match from old times on

0:17

this almost dusty

0:20

Channel We are in September of the year

0:25

1980 We are in Hanover we are on

0:28

the Schützenplatz

0:30

And we are in the tent on the fourth

0:33

Place in

0:35

Hannover and we now see a match

0:39

between the man who is already here in

0:41

Ring can be seen Axel

0:44

Dieter and his

0:46

Opponent comes from Portland in

0:49

Oregon Chris

0:52

[Music]

0:56

Code This is exactly what you can find here

0:59

just a lot of time on the way to

1:04

Wrestling The camera pans us somewhere

1:06

into the dark and we try to

1:08

recognize who is coming and whether there is someone

1:12

Although one must say for 40 years

1:16

old film material is still

1:19

quite okay

1:22

And when they are in the ring under

1:24

stand in the light then you know who

1:27

who is

1:32

Chris

1:33

Gold with

1:35

the headband here with the

1:40

[Music]

1:41

Headband makes

1:44

a somewhat strange Einoge Is there

1:48

very relaxed I would

1:50

say but let us let

1:52

not

1:53

[Music]

1:54

[Applause]

1:55

deceive The referee takes care

1:59

Just take a moment and check here

2:03

Chris Cold once

2:04

by Flingernagels briefly nothing in the

2:08

Pants also what belongs there and

2:10

nothing to the

2:14

[Music]

2:18

Shoes And what a painstaking T-shirt

2:23

over the head

2:28

Yes, yes, such a person is

2:31

complete

2:34

Axelita is most likely also

2:40

finished Already a little annoyed too

2:43

the fact that this has been going on for so long

2:44

lasts

2:49

Ladies and gentlemen in the first fight

2:51

tonight's

2:53

opposite the red ring corner of the

2:57

World Cup winner Axel

2:59

[Applause]

3:05

his opponent in the

3:07

blue city of American panz

3:11

[Applause]

3:17

We don’t even get his

3:19

Home start called

3:23

At this time shortly before, at least

3:27

traveling in Oregon in Portwegs

3:31

in the east not the

3:36

West Pacific coast up to Canada

3:39

and we have the Ringong

3:43

The match is

3:46

started There is the first lockup There

3:49

goes straight into the ropes and Axelita

3:53

also solves

3:54

immediately It is claimed here that he has the

3:57

Hair pulled This is natural

4:00

direct cheese and there it also sets a

4:04

Head train of the parade action of

4:08

Axelita and again

4:11

He pulled my hair No

4:13

he pulled you by the neck and the

4:15

The referee also cannot

4:17

big on this game

4:19

[Applause]

4:27

a It goes straight back to the rope

4:30

led and the attempt No and also

4:34

successful here with the

4:35

[Applause]

4:37

Armd Ah show I'm the clever one here

4:41

Oh let's see how long this lasts

4:43

Axeler grins a little like that

4:47

tired

4:49

We will see how the

4:52

The respective tactics of the two are

4:54

Ring ropes and once down and once

4:59

over it and again under it under the

5:01

Arm here And the next shoulder block

5:03

sends Chris Cole to the mat

5:06

and out of the ring He is beside himself

5:10

has bent the cross directly.

5:13

of course not so good

5:16

[Music]

5:23

Ah, Chris is not pleased

5:30

But Cole does not protect against

5:33

Tiredness and goes directly into the

5:36

Hammerlock

5:39

Axel Dieter doesn't need 2

5:42

seconds to free yourself from it

5:46

Axel

5:48

an absolute wrestling specialist

5:51

something like the then

5:56

Ring Fox White exactly like her handle

6:00

to set

6:01

to escape to actually

6:04

to value to

6:05

[Applause]

6:06

set Col makes it

6:08

quite good here He also tries

6:11

continues to work with technology

6:14

stopped

6:16

complain here

6:19

twice with the Irish Rip on the mat

6:23

and there is

6:25

the standing headscissors Where to go

6:29

yeah, yes, sent over with the

6:32

Wrestling boots on the ears That one

6:34

a little

6:36

unpleasant R first

6:39

on So not

6:45

with the right pressure on the ears

6:48

for which exactly the remaining

6:51

Cauliflower the Culiflower

6:56

ears And again with the arm pull on the

7:01

Mat and

7:02

He immediately noticed that he had already

7:05

is again in the situation that he is here

7:07

has his feet stuck to his ears

7:11

[Music]

7:13

And this time it is the quasi drop kick

7:15

from the

7:16

Both feet are on the

7:21

Chest This takes a little bit of the

7:24

Air

7:26

Chris

7:27

C takes a break here and

7:30

also uses the famous

7:32

infamous

7:34

Spittimer Ben here off his feet but

7:39

the round is

7:40

Axel Dieter leaves it like this

7:43

first do not get cold and again with

7:47

the

7:49

Headscissor corner

7:50

a little pressure was pulled here

7:54

become much more

7:57

So balanced first round Much

8:00

Messing around as they say by Chris

8:04

Col and Axelita do not let the

8:08

Take bread from butter Does the whole thing go

8:11

very calm and relaxed

8:15

We will see how

8:18

the following

8:20

round will run

8:23

Chus is already pacing a bit

8:25

through the

8:26

Area complains here to Manfre

8:29

Cook apparently over

8:33

[Music]

8:35

something

8:36

And here we go with the round number

8:41

[Applause]

8:43

2 Achel always in forward movement

8:50

explains again without fists and in the

8:53

Middle of the

8:56

Rings Let's see how Chris Cole

8:58

take this to heart but at the moment

9:02

he first puts his hands to his head

9:03

and says I don't want to hear that

9:05

Here this birth and this

9:07

Whistling and the teachings There he is

9:09

now

9:11

in the Full Nelson and pulls to the

9:14

Hair This is of course firstly

9:17

banned and secondly still

9:21

forbidden and Axel will

9:23

most likely equal to Yes

9:25

once with the arm to the left and then

9:27

simply over the shoulder

9:30

pulled and off to the mat and there

9:35

pulled by the hair again and into the

9:39

Head scissors floor

9:41

but Axeleder can also

9:44

directly directly released KTK the legs

9:47

one leans back runs

9:50

of course danger again Yes, but the

9:52

Referee says here

9:55

submissive There the hand went again

9:58

to the hairline of

10:03

Axel Reverse Lock

10:06

and yes well says the ring rich then it would be

10:09

I do not care

10:12

you can grab ansil as much as you want

10:14

but

10:15

if he then already with half

10:17

Upper body is out he must then

10:19

solve the

10:21

Axelliter must but he does

10:23

[Applause]

10:24

not Will be a little longer

10:28

pulled along a little

10:30

[Applause]

10:35

adjusted again stand in the middle Rlock

10:38

probably steps on the nose

10:42

And second well not occurs but

10:44

Donkey ride

10:45

perhaps very

10:48

unpleasant

10:50

Hiptos head pull and this is now here

10:54

Axel Gita in

10:58

[Applause]

10:59

Pure culture And Chris Cole offers him

11:02

the hand and say please no more

11:04

Please do not put your face on your nose

11:06

I'm so pretty it's so uncomfortable

11:10

Let's not do this anymore

11:14

[Applause]

11:16

Okay unexpectedly Axel lets himself

11:21

a Gobi Hein and then he tries

11:24

to dig here but it works again

11:28

not And we have the same

11:30

Situation as two and a half years ago

11:34

Minutes Axel now on the mat and

11:38

but most likely

11:39

straight into the Ah I thought the head

11:41

comes but then he stands on the

11:44

ankle on the

11:45

Foot and levers

11:50

No problem at all, he says to himself

11:56

and Chris Cole just trying to

11:59

whole to escape the whole but

12:02

then sets his punches here

12:05

light

12:07

illegal with the headlock and then the

12:11

first the hidden punches and

12:13

now here with the very

12:16

obvious

12:19

Blows of time in one of Mark and there

12:24

is a fine of 20 marks he should

12:27

pay for the

12:29

unauthorized

12:30

[Music]

12:31

[Applause]

12:33

Boxing punches Axel now something here

12:35

He did quite well a few times

12:38

hit bill at the Chris

12:40

Co and with the quasi steam hammer of

12:44

back on the

12:46

Neck a little bit

12:50

Choking is not nice but effective

12:55

[Music]

12:57

and the round is over Gong not at all

13:00

heard

13:02

[Music]

13:02

[Applause]

13:05

[Music]

13:07

Break in the Kleiter another

13:09

Fine of 30

13:13

and because of further

13:16

[Music]

13:17

Cheating a second fine

13:21

while here I have big problems with

13:22

my technique

13:26

[Music]

13:29

So yes second round Chris C Match

13:33

come although not to the

13:36

particularly fine style and

13:39

[Applause]

13:41

[Music]

13:44

Wise and we expect exactly the round 3

13:49

and here comes Chris Code from behind more

13:51

or less from the

13:54

Nothing A so not paying attention and for

13:57

this attack is also available

13:58

straight away the yellow card

14:00

[Applause]

14:01

 

[Music]

14:04

Axelita here

14:06

battered recovers

14:09

high must go into the corner of the ring and

14:12

oh with both legs Nice counter here

14:15

and Chris Cold falls like lightning

14:22

hit and with here with the shoulder

14:25

in and then out of the

14:27

[Applause]

14:29

Ring That was almost like I'm going

14:32

about voluntary before I beating

14:33

cashier

14:35

[Applause]

14:41

Yes, but it goes straight back

14:44

received with a blow to the

14:46

Magen Backdrop Yes Yes and the cover

14:49

here 1 2 3 And this is the victory of the

14:54

quick victory by Axel Junior in round 3

14:57

after a back body drop

15:01

properly taken the air

15:05

Code and

15:10

is the whole thing through here

 

 

[David Mantell]

 

Quote

0:01
[Applause]
0:07
hello dear wrestling fans we are here
0:10
in Hannover
0:13
23.9180 the Schützenplatz and we have
0:16
a very special match today
0:19
picked out here to comment I
0:22
flying solo today so I have it
0:24
picked out and I also comment on it
0:28
and we'll just wait
0:30
on the presentation of the wrestlers
0:33
this match D and
0:35
[Applause]
0:37
Men's fight of the evening in a make
0:42
teamamp Z against Z followed
0:47
teams
0:49
opposite the team in the red ring corner
0:53
with the multiple world
0:55
[Applause]
0:57
[Music]
1:02
be
1:05
teammate
1:08
[Applause]
1:11
it they fight against the team in
1:14
the blue
1:17
[Applause]
1:21
[Music]
1:26
[Applause]
1:30
be
1:31
have der
1:34
winning Americans
1:37
[Music]
1:46
Master we have a
1:50
American Canadian tech team
1:54
dabeiki the man with the hat later
1:57
known as cola beers and its
2:00
techteam partners from
2:03
Canada is mus
2:07
morowski both the hard
2:11
Dogs from USA and Canada but him
2:15
Opposite stands a man who is here in
2:18
Hannover was a multiple World Cup winner
2:21
namely Axel
2:23
Dieter and I hope that I am not
2:25
often a junior will say and be
2:28
tetener we know him h here he is still Tino
2:32
We know him mainly as Salvatore
2:37
bomo the whole thing before his WWF
2:42
Adventure was 1984
2:47
[Applause]
2:47
[Music]
2:49
began and there are already various
2:53
Controversy stirred by
2:56
Ring announcer Manfred
2:58
Cook who just said that it
3:02
a deciding match in a few days
3:04
will give the loser will be the animal
3:07
have to leave no time limit no
3:09
Disqualification and Axel Dieter
3:12
just on mus morowski
3:15
meeting we had
3:18
here the ring bell has already rung
3:21
The referee is trying to somehow
3:23
to ensure that
3:25
it can also start and there we have
3:27
the lockup but Axel Dieter appears
3:30
out very quickly and sends wikowski
3:33
here hard on the mat with the hiptos
3:36
and the headgear is the same and once the
3:39
Nose bump and he steps again
3:43
the
3:48
Pote and W h the first sympathy bonus
3:52
arrival for the team axeler and
3:56
tinomo Axel continues unmolested
4:00
or in here from the leg and slingshot
4:05
on your own partner and there goes
4:07
back to the
4:09
Knees say I did something awesome here
4:11
this is all totally compliant with the rules
4:13
no problem for
4:17
us
4:18
Axel bobs here against Murski against the
4:23
others whose names I already know
4:25
has been cancelled, thank you very much
4:28
[Music]
4:31
K sees no light here
4:35
currently there was the upper body again
4:40
on the knee
4:41
pressed now the change to Mus
4:45
Murowski and directly the head puller
4:50
undowski thanks his very
4:52
own way only with the blow
4:54
into the stomach and then here with
4:56
this one steps on the forehead
5:00
not really illegal but still a
5:04
pretty mean action and then here
5:07
again the backward step to the
5:09
Neck that's not nice that's all
5:12
very very simple but also simple
5:14
effective and he can be found with Tino bomo
5:18
to this enables the
5:21
Canadian-American do an illegal
5:27
wechselowski says here we have
5:28
did nothing at all
5:31
here you can see refie if you have the H
5:33
look
5:36
dignity thaler
5:37
andski directly back in
5:40
Ring and with the punches that here
5:43
requested
5:45
will be there the refie goes in between and
5:47
counts opponents lying on the ground
5:50
but here again
5:54
to let go of his opponent and
5:57
who provokes hieromo
6:01
[Applause]
6:04
the attempt to change that reads the
6:06
refer to something quite surprising
6:08
go through and blomo here with the nrop
6:12
and a series of kicks to the face
6:16
and again with the knee to the side
6:18
from the head FT his second opponent with
6:22
but the use ski here directly from
6:25
body
6:27
Slam and goes to the rope but Axel
6:33
Dieter is actually ready and
6:37
holds it tight too, yes, and that leads
6:40
then to the hard crash and
6:44
the other one also crashes yeah
6:47
yes there is a good atmosphere in the
6:52
We will be Tina
6:59
and that is
7:00
a fine against the team aelita
7:04
undino bomo for illegal
7:11
combat action
7:13
Axel now back in the ring waiting for the
7:19
[Applause]
7:24
returning wikausi and the next
7:29
I would like to say with my head on the
7:38
Knee and further
7:41
there is the change and now we
7:45
kaowsk in the ring nurowski is the man with
7:49
the gleaming hair even if we
7:51
here
7:52
due to the contemporary document no longer
7:55
can really see well and
7:57
yes Tino here with the
8:00
European AP is coming from behind
8:06
Axel Dieter throws Wik here
8:10
from the ring on the other
8:13
seiteski who is here in the corner
8:18
hangs and comes back into the ring
8:22
and ends up here with a
8:25
tremendous momentum in head first
8:29
in the
8:31
Ring corner that made a lot of noise
8:34
Bomo can prevail despite
8:38
a kick and backdrop
8:40
oh and not in the middle of the ring
8:43
but very close to the corner of the ring
8:46
then it gets a bit harder
8:48
and from outside the intervention
8:52
Here Axel Dieter saw this and is
8:55
a little angry about this
8:58
Situation
9:00
but this leaves the referee with
9:02
and thus the two
9:04
uninspired here in the corner of the ring
9:07
unite and of course bomo adding the
9:13
staggers here
9:14
staggers through the ring once
9:17
actually to the other side and
9:19
can change there they have there have
9:22
the Americans of the Americans not
9:24
really good
9:26
watch out and continue here with
9:28
it
9:32
and the heyakers and axelers here
9:37
backward somersault from the
9:40
Ring hopefully there is nothing bad
9:43
happens with this
9:45
ringsturzomo takes over here directly without
9:48
Change without regard to losses of
9:52
Referee has a bit here too
9:54
the chaos here is trying to direct
9:57
and does not succeed
10:01
[Applause]
10:04
[Music]
10:05
owski should adhere to the fighting rules
10:08
hold
10:09
but they also keep bomo and
10:12
Axel dier does not follow the rule there is
10:14
the PIL driver against
10:16
bomo and the
10:18
reference applies here
10:22
through and decides that was the first
10:26
Fall murowski
10:29
as well as
10:30
wikausski disqualified and outside
10:33
of the ring it is more direct here
10:36
further around the ring in the ring
10:40
into the hall
10:43
the tent stands
10:46
[Applause]
10:50
stands and we don't see it but
10:53
We hear that the chaos is definitely
10:56
is still in power
10:58
[Applause]
11:03
eramp winner
11:09
deskamp and winner of the fight Axel
11:13
Dieter from
11:16
Berlin and of course Tino bomo from
11:21
Italy in Belgium
11:25
[Music]
11:29
the opposing team won
11:32
winner
11:34
abandonments
11:44
Berlin and there the
11:46
Decisive battle in the next few days
11:49
which has been set again completely
11:52
bring a lot of fire with them who must
11:54
Here the animal leaves prematurely it is
12:00
is esski or is it Axel Junior and
12:03
here just continues as if that were
12:04
Match not really over yet
12:07
an absolutely wild fight Axel
12:11
dieterim virtually from the
12:14
Ring and tries h
12:17
Dannowski in the corner again
12:20
neatly to
12:21
[Applause]
12:25
they don't even care
12:27
not that the match is over here
12:30
that the referee stopped the match
12:32
has with a
12:34
Disqualification that seems here
12:36
nothing to count here
12:39
by simply
12:40
still beaten and
12:45
[Music]
12:46
kicked and
12:48
exendlebow here kirgen
12:53
morurowski never strike likes against and and
12:56
oh not a beautiful but very
13:00
powerful kick in the face followed by
13:02
a dropkick and with that we have
13:05
celebrating in wrestling
13:07
axeleter and
13:08
Very
13:10
bomo yes that could still be something then

This is a bout we've not reviewed before. Previously we've seen Morowski and the Polish Prince against Axel "Only One Shooter Here" Dieter and the man who told him to "pull the f'n trigger then," Bob UFO Dellaserra but here instead of Bob we get a different fourth man, Tino Salvatore aka Salvatore Belomo, last seen on British TV in the January 1973 Fanfare For Europe beating Sailor Tug Wilson 1-0 and next seen 14 years later in January 1987 losing to Kamala (also a World Of Sport alumnus as the Mississippi Mauler) in the first of six WWF Specials.

It's not much of a tag bout to be honest.Dieter starts, gets beaten down, tags Tino who REALLY gets beaten down, eventually makes the hot tag to Axel who gives the villains a right proper pasting except it all gets out of hand with a DQ.for the heels after they bring a chair in the ring and pildrive Tino on it.  You know the score.

[David Mantell]

Not sure if pasting the translated transcript is a great idea, it takes a while to load and is fiddly for editing and I'm not sure I fancy copying and pasting translations from Welsh for Reslo or Japanese for puro company material.

[David Mantell]

On 3/16/2025 at 6:01 PM, David Mantell said:

So here we go with the tag match. @sergeiSem has the kid listed as then recently crowned World Heavy Middleweight Chic Cullen but he looks nothing like Frank! We'll call him "the kid" for now, I've tried listening to the MC but to no avail. RL and IG of course both have thoroughly heelish reputations on both sides of the Rhine. 

Rolo does his bit then tags in the kid who takes over. Trouble is when the kid wants to tag out, Rolo won't tag in, he steps back down to ringside.  This goes on for quite a bit, Big Rene has noticed something is amiss with the good guys.  He goes over and whispers something in Rolo's ear.  The plot thickens ...

Next time the kid wants to tag out, Rolo PUNCHES him.  Rene and Indio (savage heel gimmick, very Snuka with Albano) beat the kid down while Rolo stands back and watches. Then chaos, someone I at first thought was a mark but turns out to be another German good guy in street clothes pulls Rolo off the apron and gives him a right proper pasting.  He then jumps in the ring and hammers both villains, dumping them out of the ring and chasing all three out of the hall before going back to the kid and comforting him.  I think maybe a triple tag is in order, but first ...

Apparently "the kid" was Franz Van Buyten, so says Signsquad.

[David Mantell]

On 3/9/2025 at 10:56 PM, David Mantell said:

Quote

Franz Schuhmann vs. Jushin Liger

Match of the night and I want to come back later and do a proper blow by blow of this.  Liger is Fuji Yamada, twice former Mountevans World Heavy Middleweight Champion. Schumann is a key member of the post Steve Wright generation of German Youngsters who revolutionised the German style. Result: one for the purists (albeit with a couple of JapLucha aerial spots thrown in.)

Okay, here goes.

Schuman comes to the ring to a traditional Austrian marching brass band. They shake hands.

Round 1:  Schuman armdrags Luger who does it back to him. Schumann armbars Liger who rolls then tuns 90 degrees and flips up going over on his head then takes Schumann's wrist. He goes through a similar sequence. The third time while rolling, Liger sneaks in a ground position dropkick but Schumann easily nips up. Liger gets a side headlock and two twists into drop toeholds into Frank Gotch toehold (Satoru Sayama as Sammy Lee would do this at dazzling speed in 1980 on ITV and leave TV audiences agape. )  Liger switches to a side headlock, Schumann breaks it open into top wristlock then armdrag. Liger handstand headscissors Schumann, goes up on his head and perfectly toupees Schumann. Bear in mind (1) he's got a mask with floppy horns on (2) he has probably still never heard of Gilbert LeDuc even now.  Finger interlock. Schumann winning at first, bends back Liger who bridges nicely, then takes back advantage. Liger suddenly backdrops Schumann putting an end to that. Schumann gets fireman's carry takedown into armlock.Liger stands up but Schumman armdrags him.  He still has an arm so Liger uses a French style headscissor takedown counter. Schumann turns into upright position, rolls forward out and gets a headlock as the bell goes. DJ plays I Feel Love 

Round 2. Liger gets a leg, turns it over like a single leg Boston Crab and gets an arm too, forming a sort of half surfboard. He lifts up young Franzl for a sub He holds on to the end of the round 

Cut to climax  Round 3  Liger side headlock into camel clutch end of round.Bell rings

Round 4: Luger gets wrist lever, progresses to hammerlock, Franz gets another French escape with reverse snapmare. They come off the ropes and Liger's clothesline sends Schumman doing a 360 flip sell. Liger waits for the count Keichi suplexes Franz but only gets 1. He gets a perfect Johnny Saint/George Kidd/Steve Grey Surfboard. I reckon he's been taking lessons. Schumann hangs on and Liger releases and gets an eight count. Schumann Liger drop toeholds Franzl for 6 , slams and rolling splashes him for 9, gets an abdominal stretch then converts to a folding press. for 1. Bell goes.

Round 5 Yamada gets a bunch of Sammy Lee kicks to Franzl's legs, German suplexes him. Piledriver, spinning dropkick, Cut to Franzl clothesline and top rope flying shoulderblock . Bell goes

Round 6: Franz gets double underhook suplex for 2, Jushin gets middle rope flying bodypress for 2.  Liger dropkicks Schumann out of the ring and reverse flying tackles him at ringside.  (It's probably got a fancier name than that.).Cut to later -Liger charges and misses Franz who dropkicks Jushin leaning on the corner pad. They come off the ropes and Franz waistlock suplexes Liger  for 7 then long suplexes him for a two count pin.  Liger reverses a Schuman posting and flying headbutts him in the chest. He posts Schumann again but misses a follow up charge and Schumann belly to back suplexes Liger for 2. Schumann gets an arm but the bell goes

Round 7: Liger fells Schumann with 2kicks, powerslams and flying headbutts him from the top for 2.  Liger goes up top again but Schumman catches him up and Barry Windham Superplexes him . Liger knees Franz for 7.  Liger this time superplexes Franzl and crosspresses him for a pin of 2. Liger belly to back suplex es Schumann. Covers him but the bell goes

Round 8: Liger kicks a leg out under Franz. Gets an American figure four like Clay Thomson. Releases and goes to the top but misses an Ivan Koloff kneedrop. Franz gets a full Boston Crab  but releases eventually.  Liger is selling the leg. But when Franz whips him off the ropes, he comes back with a sunset flip which Franz reverses into a bridging folding press and a beauty!  But Liger crawls out and we briefly have a bascule until Franz breaks when he runs out of mat .  Schumann gets armlock on the mat but bell goes.

Round 9. Liger side headlock, shoulderblock and kick  and faceslam. Backbreaker sand moonsault (just like he did to Rocky Moran in Lewisham six years earlier on ITV) for the one required pin! They aboth shake hands with each other and with the referee plus Liger bows a bit.

This is now my favourite German match. Ahead of Owen Hart Vs Dave Taylor at Haumarkt in Vienna 1990 and putting Roland Bock Vs Antonio Inoki into third place. A joy.

Just discovered a standalone video of that match.

Also here is OJ's earlier review:

Quote

Franz Schumann vs. Jushin Thunder Liger (Bremen, 12/19/92)

I'd never bothered to watch this before. This was from some kind of Japanese tape and had Liger and another guy doing commentary over it. Heavily clipped with a lot of the focus on Liger. I wouldn't mind seeing the full match since it looked like one of Schumann's better bouts. 

By the way, the Euro Catch Festival has a page on English Wikipedia: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euro_Catch_Festival

 

[David Mantell]

Okay, from the Sublime to the Ridiculous. Otto Wanz's war with the Moondogs.  And not just any old Moondogs but Rex and King, the classic WWF World Tag Team Championship winning partnership.

December 1985, eight days before the Hansen-Martel title change. Rex by now was teamed with Spot. This trip to Europe was somewhere on route from Memphis and no DQ matches with the Fabulous Ones and WWF jobberdom in 86 after they rejected Vince's plan for a babyface run using material later recycled for the Bushwhackers.

Colour signal is really ropey, probably multi generation and well played. I expect most if not all early 80s B/W German tapes were originally in colour before suffering a similar fate.

Rex has a bone with him. He also has a bald guy who could be Baron Von Rashcke (also in Germany around this time.) but actually looks a lot like French "Russian" heel Le Grand Vladimir.

DJ playlist includes Take On Me by A-Ha, a hit only one year earlier.

Unfortunately it goes on for a long long time and is basically a Big Daddy solo match circa 1978 just before Max Crabtree finally banned Daddy from selling for opponents. Most of it is Otto bodychecking Colley. Otto does take a cross buttock press bump at one point but lands rather gently, Rex takes a much heavier one later on. Finish comes  with a piledriver where Otto rolls over on his backside so Colley's head couldn't possibly touch the mat, then a few more lockdowns then a slam and pin.

Hmmm, let's see what King can do ...

King is billed as Sailor White here but dressed totally as a Moondog. In fact this is 1981 Graz and I'm none too sure how this fits into the chronology of the Moondogs. Rex and King won the WWF World Tag Team Championship then King went abroad, tried  to come back into the USA via the Canadian border and was turned away. Did this trip happen during that period? In which case the White King is an incumbent tag champion in America during this title shot as I think Sgt Slaughter was (with JCP) a year later.  No sign of Captain Lou but he has a guy in a suit, bowler hat and grey beard in his corner as coach and second.

Otto is less roly poly here, it's a step back towards the chunkier compact Otto of a year earlier against Don Leo. He's got a whole little team of seconds including Tino Salvatore and Steve Wright, still with hair albeit receding and close cropped. It's all shot professionally on multicam by an OB unit and the colour signal is good.

Action is in progress as the video starts. It's no more scientific than the bout with Rex but its quite a wild brawl and I think @ohtani's jacket might like this one.  White has no time for round breaks; he launches himself viciously on Otto between one break and his seconds have to help him fend the Dog off - he gets a First Yellow Card.  Later when he refuses to release a hold Otto's seconds prise King off. Otto gets in a couple of bonus kicks and is ticked off by the referee.

OJ might be a little less happy with the finish as it's a stoppage knockout. King is never the same after he shoulders himself on the corner post and falls out of the ring. He takes various backdrops and is irresponsive until the referee declared him beaten. The audience are quite delighted as is Otto and it does feel like a fight has been decisively won.