[1975-03-17-WWWF-MSG] Bruno Sammartino vs Spiros Arion

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWWF Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino vs Spiros Arion - WWF MSG 3/17/75 Texas Death

This is up on the Cock. It is the Texas Death Match which is a month prior to the Greek Death Match also up on the Cock. In February, Bruno was disqualified for shoving a ref off during a rope break thus necessitating a Texas Death Match (a No DQ match in today’s lingo). Classy Freddie Blassie is Arion’s manager. I believe Arion was a good friend of Bruno but turned on him to set this up. I am sure my good friend Chief Jay Historian @Ricky Jackson can fill in the details.

I feel the term “punch-kick” wrestling is thrown around far too frequently and usually for matches that are actually great but don’t have enough gymnastics bullshit for the modern viewer. However this match was indeed “punch-kick” wrestling in its truest form but I think this match does a great job showing the difference between good “punch-kick” wrestling and bad “punch-kick” wrestling.

Bruno is the king of “punch-kick” wrestling . He does it with ferocity and passion. He whips the crowd into a frenzy you want to see him pour it in and send the heel packing with fists a fury. The opening shine of fisticuffs and a Bearhug is great. Later comebacks where he punches Arion so hard that he is sent careening out of the ring also great. The best part of the match of the pump fake kick that got the crowd whipped up and screaming for him to do it only for to wind up stomp him in the head was great. So people that label a match they don’t like as “punch-kick” is lazy and shallow. Get to the heart of the matter and explain yourself because “punch-kick” can be awesome. However it can also suck out loud.

Spiros Arion gave a shitty “punch-kick” performance and while I have an open mind it seems like he is a shitty wrestler. Besides his bitchin’ mop of black hair, I don’t have anything nice to say about him. He is antithesis of Bruno. He is tepid, slow, lazy and uninteresting. His strikes were weak and he didn’t do anything to generate heat. He didn’t really cheat outside of one ballshot but it wasn’t super obvious to the whole crowd. He didn’t stooge or bump big. Compared to George The Animal Steele or Superstar Billy Graham he was a waste of space. His transitions were boring weak kicks. He committed the greatest sin any wrestler can make he is boring.

Bruno seems to win on a bodyslam but Arion’s foot was on the bottom rope. Arion shows most of his passion here. I will keep my mind open for the Greek Death match but Arion laid an egg In this one. 

[Ricky Jackson]

Yes, Arion and Bruno were partners in the late 60s. Arion was gone from the territory for 5 years or more. He came back and teamed with Strongbow for a while, chasing the Valiants for the tag straps. Eventually Jay ended up accidently costing Arion a match against Killer Kowalski on TV. He finally turned on Jay shortly after during a match against the Valiants. Bruno stormed the ring, but was triple teamed by Arion and the Valiants. On the Jan 1975 MSG show Arion roughed up Bruno protege Larry Z after beating him in a match, and Bruno made the save

I love this 3 match series at MSG. The crowds are as hot the they get, given extra passion because of the Italy vs Greece aspect. The Feb match is great. I don't remember a lot about the Texas Death other than the hot crowd and the disputed finish. April match is cool for being a proto-I Quit/Submission match

[Superstar Sleeze]

That sounds like an amazing angle Kelly thanks for the info! You know I love you brutha but Arion is just not for me. Too damn boring but Bruno was so great in the Greek Death match that it can it be denied.