Strap in, Hidden Gem and Gem-ettes – it was CROCKETT CUP 1986 month. So this will be a longer one than usual. Also from the Vault in June: Stampede Wrestling’s weird late-90s reboot with Mauro Ranallo on commentary, more mid-80s stuff, and features from three different eras of Terry Funk. God bless the Hidden Gems.
Snake Charmer – GCW TV Title: Jake Roberts [c] w/ Paul Ellering vs. Ron Garvin (GCW 4/7/84)
Here’s the great thing about the Hidden Gems. This is for what was initially the Georgia TV Title, which after this match became the NWA World TV Title, which eventually became the NWA National TV Title after Jim Crockett Promotions purchased GCW back from the WWF, or something like that. It’s all for moot as the TV Title lineage was abandoned in 1985 as Dusty Rhodes became the first official NWA World TV Champion, which was actually the NWA TV Title, but now re-named and the OFFICIAL NWA World TV Title. Or something like that. Anyways, now I know more about the history of the TV Championship.
This GCW show took place a few months before the Brisco Brothers sold their shares of the company to the WWF, which led to the infamous Black Saturday TV show, and in addition to this match the card featured Nikolai Volkoff, Les Thornton, The Spoiler vs. The Masked Superstar for the NWA National Heavyweight Title, Brad Armstrong vs. Ted DiBiase in a Lumberjack Match, and Ronnie Garvin & Jerry Oates defeating The Road Warriors for the NWA Natioanl Tag Team Title.
It’s a match of pros but I kind of want to see what Garvin was doing teaming with Jerry Oates and beating The Road Warriors instead. It’s JIP and has what you expect – Ronnie moving forward, Jake backing away. Ronnie sells his tuchus off but these boys are not afraid to invite a Fast-Forward with a hold or two. There’s a nice moment here or there, like when Jake forces both of Ronnie’s shoulders to the mat but gets caught up in a bodyscissors that he sells so good, like every tightening snaps another rib. Jake bumbling around for Garvin swinging a chair around as the crowd gets all amped up is almost worth all the laying around they did – almost. The last half or so of this is chaos and worth watching though – Jake gets tied up in the ropes, pushes Garvin into the ref, grabs what might be a snake as Ellering climbs into the ring, Jake tries to throw snake on Garvin, but Garvin punches him for 3 and the championship. Heck of a finish, real journey to get there. *** and Kind of Recommended
Mr. Rhodes Goes to Minnesota – Dusty Rhodes vs. Larry Zbyszko (AWA 6/10/84)
This clip is six and a half minutes but we’re opening up with Dusty Rhodes in a cowboy hat in a pool. And he let’s us know that he could be chilling in this pool all week, but he’s going to chilly St. Louis with some knuckle sandwiches for a $100,000 Battle Royal. Cut to Dusty and Larry about to lock-up while Larry Nelson’s loud voice pipes in on commentary. They do the usual stuff – Rhodes firing off shots is magic, Zbyszko raking eyes and applying a front facelock builds heat, and a sly low blow and elbow drop wins it for The Dream. Kind of useless to rate this 5-minute match, but Dream got it done that night. Bet the Battle Royal was fun too. *** and Kind of Recommended
Battle of the Horsemen – Barry Windham vs. Arn Anderson (Mid-Atlantic 1/11/87)
This is technically from the NWA Pro Wrestling TV show, as Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling had merged into Jim Crockett Promotions by January ’87. It’s from an epic-looking sold out show in Charlotte featuring Ron Garvin and The Rock & Roll Express vs. Big Bubba & The Midnight Express, The Road Warriors vs. Rick Rude & Manny Fernandez for the Tag Titles, Tully Blanchard vs. Dusty Rhodes for the TV Title, and World Champ Ric Flair vs. US Champ Nikita Koloff. STACKED.
These two just have classic chemistry and basically go through the motions of what’s an incredible wrestling match. Arn talks shit, gets dropkicked out of the ring, talks more shit. Lots of arm ringing and Arn reactions and an amazing Arn spinebuster setup that he is so clearly pleased with himself about, until Windham is able to knee him in the balls which gets the desired reaction. ***1/2 and Recommended – I want the whole card.
Stampede Reboot Pilot (Stampede Wrestling 4/2/99)
Where do I even start?
I guess the first thing to say is that this pilot, ridiculous as it is, did result in Bruce and Ross Hart getting a year on The “A” Channel in Canada with a show that if anything introduced Tyson Kidd to TV wrestling. It also featured a young yet very similar-sounding Mauro Ranallo on commentary with Mark Kennedy, who exudes credibility with his thick Ned Flanders mustache but seems as terrified as a Will Forte character to be taking any part in this.
Taped April 2, 1999, as Bret Hart was sidelined from his WCW gig and Owen Hart was doing Blue Blazer stuff in the WWF, this new Stampede journey begins with LIGHTNING BOLTS and some Hart doing a voiceover with random clips of what looks like an old school Stampede Wrestling ring setup with a the crowd of mostly black t-shirts lit darker.
You’re here for Mauro and the insanity, and by insanity I don’t just mean the questionable wrestling matches and rushed TV presentation, but the names. The NAMES, man. THE NAMES. This is a show of an overwhelming amount of introduction to strange characters with insane nicknames, and in pro wrestling “strange character with insane nicknames” can range from terrible to the greatest. Some sound like the names of fictional wrestlers on a network TV show, some like Bruce Hart was just being a wierdo.
Jackie Chow and J. Edgar Hoover are among the referees. Most guys do brief inset promos during the match. There are a few managers, but none of them are really called attention to. Mauro and Mark hope to “call the action for your satisfaction,” giving you just enough Stampede chills to think this might be worth looking into.
1. Achem Albrecht vs. Badlands Bill Rogers: The SHARKETTES are at ringside for this one. Albrecht is more well known … maybe … for his run in the mid-90s as Brakkus, and Mark Kennedy is intrigued: “look at the pipes on him!” He calls out the champion TATANKA or Jim Neidhart or ANYBODY ELSE in an inset promo before he runs over Badlands with some terrible stomps and other sorts of bad-looking stuff. DUD
2. Crazyhorse Eddie Mustang vs. Dick Butkus Jr.: This is JIP at around 5 minutes, as are must of the matches moving forward. This was the first match where the names got kind of ridiculous, and I thought these two were a joke at first until the Hart Brothers naming strategy finally hit me – go full pro wrestling while at the same time alienating any ability to be taken seriously. GENIUS.
Crazyhorse Eddie is in jeans and a black “Stampede Wrestling Kicks Ass” t-shirt and he seems pretty terrible but also tries stuff like leaping DDT’s and running Stone Cold Stunner’s, so he’s extra terrible. He spins around and does the splits on his comeback and it … maybe … gets over. “He is plugged in, Mauro – he’s electrified!” During his inset promo he rants and raves: “Stampede Wrestling fans… let’s get loaded with Crazyhorse Eddie Mustang, it doesn’t matter who I’m getting in the ring with… any time, I’m gonna take you one toe over the line. Rock & Roll is here to stay, WOOO!”
ick Butkus Jr. a bald guy with two stars on his black trunks who apparently has martial arts training. Each guy gets his turn and Mustang wins. “The newcomer has definitely lit up this Stampede crowd… they are overwhelmed with his outlandish antics, and his determination!” DUD
3. Red Thunder vs. Principal Richard Pound: Of all the insane names, Principal Dick Pound is certainly one of them. Thunder fights through a Regal Stretch and catches the mustachioed and mostly bald principal with a superplex for the win. Pound attacks with a leather strap post-match and renders Thunder, as a young Mauro articulates, a “limp mass of muscle.” DUD
4. Big Daddy Marvin Pope vs. H. Ivy Thomsen: Marvin Pope played football in the CFL and now he’s here wrestling in a football jersey. H. Ivy Thomsen is from San Francisco, and, well. Wow. Real subtle there, guys. H. Ivy is a bald guy in a singlet, and the match is really more about Pope who immediately spears him on his ass. Pope sure does trip on an Irish whip but there’s fire, baby, including a big Stinger splash that might’ve been a clothesline. As he takes it to H. Ivy, Kennedy goes full Forte: “Pope said he wanted to give his hometown fans something to remember the first time out of the blocks and there’s no doubt he’s DELIVERING THE MAIL!”
An insane Irish whip sends H. Ivy’s side into the bottom turnbuckle and it just seems reckless. Everybody screws up a diving shoulderblock and then Pope ends it with a Rude Awakening. Between the football jersey and missed spots this is both insane and bad, but it also had more energy than anything else on the show. *
5. Greg “Pistol” Pawluk vs. Dirty Dick Raines: The action cuts in right as these two do a great old school Stampede hyper-speed skinny guy double crossbody. Pawluk is apparently a former national wrestling amateur champion and has been compared to both Dynamite Kid and Chris Benoit back when that kinda thing was good. Raines does a bad Thesz press off the top and takes an awkward bump off a back elbow to the floor, but a somersault plancha from Pawluk elicits a MAMMA MIA from Mauro, and soon legendary Stampede commentator ED WHALEN, who’s sitting front row, calls out Raines for using knucks. Pawluk does a Tiger feign kick into a clothesline and wins with a backslide, ending the most match-y of all these matches. **
6. Black Heart vs. Kenny Johnson: Though Black Heart is being established as a top heel, the real story here is neck brace-wearing referee Anthony McClanahan, a former Calgary Stampeder with the CFL who was exploring a wrestling career before a neck injury. This is a story because just a couple months in 2019 Anthony was sentenced to 15 years for killing his wife. So yeah.
Here, he referees this match between the masked Black Heart and Kenny Johnson, who has a blonde half-bald Hogan thing going on. He gets dropped with three piledrivers for a confident win from Black Heart, then gets stretchered out until Black Heart continues attacking him. Convicted murderer McClanahan fights back against Black Heart but is double teamed by Heart and Albrecht, who has re-entered the arena. Football guy Marvin Pope tries to even the odds but the Golden Knight (!?) runs in and we’ve got a full-on angle as another Calgary Stampeder (!?) runs out for the save. DUD
7. WOW North American Title: Tatanka [c] vs. Jason “The Sledgehammer” Neidhart w/ Jim Neidhart: The close-up of a wide-eyed Jason Neidhart – the cousin of Jim – applying a rear chinlock on Tatanka is certainly a way to begin a match. This is a whole lot of Tatanka in holds – tons, even. Then he does the exact comeback you expect, including The Anvil taking a bump, before a Samoan drop wins it. Such basic late-90s Tatanka indy nothingness. *
As the show ends, Mark Kennedy pleads: call and tell The A-Channel you want Stampede!!!
What is wrestling if not for the ridiculous? This is generally terrible but completely Recommended.
5. Crockett Cup 1986 (JCP 4/19/86)
This is, technically, the Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup. And HOLY BY GOD it is a STACKED 4-hour show with all kinds of legends and amazing hot wrestling. There’s no commentary either, so you can hear the fans and wrestlers more than usual. And it’s filmed with a ringside camera, so you’re right in the action. And there are big Marlboro and Budweiser ads surrounding the arena, so you’re reminded of what era you’re in.
There was a clipped version of this show released before on videotape, but since it was a long two-show tag team tournament wrestling event across a single day (afternoon and evening shows) it was never aired on TV and hasn’t been seen in full. The Hidden Gems Gods however blessed the wrestling fan with nearly the entire thing, outside of five first round matches: Wahoo McDaniel & Mark Youngblood over Bobby Jaggers & Mike Miller, Nelson Royal & Sam Houston over The Batten Twins, Jimmy Valiant & Manny Fernandez over Paul Jones’ Army (Baron von Raschke & The Barbarian), Steve Williams & Terry Taylor (replacing the injured Ted DiBiase) vs. Bill Dundee & Buddy Landel, and The Sheepherders vs. Chavo and Hector Guerrero. I think we’ll be fine, but I put 4 hours into this thing and at that point wouldn’t have minded seeing any of these.
When it’s mid-80s JCP the possibilities for greatness are kind of endless – this is peak NWA, with Flair and Dusty on top and the 4 Horsemen running wild and The Rock & Roll’s and Midnights and Paul Jones’ Army and Boogie Woogie Man and Russians and a working relationship with the UWF that got them The Fantastics. It was an incredible array of talent usually wrestling in front of a white hot Southern crowd.
1. Crockett Cup – Round 1: The Fantastics vs. The Fabulous Ones: This kicks off with as pure 80s dynamic you can get – the scuzzy Fabulous Ones opposite the babyfaced Fantastics, Tommy Rogers with his dukes up and Bobby Fulton doing a hip swivel before an arm ringer. Rogers is a classic on the apron as Fulton takes heat, but the complexity of some of the tag stuff at the end is incredible. One sequence goes like this – sunset cradle on Fulton, Fulton reaches for a tag but can’t get it, Rogers runs in all fired up but is pushed away by Lane, Keirn smirks and sticks his tongue out as he tries to pin Fulton to the mat. Fulton then rakes Keirn’s eyes out of desperation, but grabs his leg in pain and is clobbered by Lane and catapulted into the ropes. There’s no hope left! Everyone’s playing a role and it RULES.
Lane then FLEXES and spits at Rogers, but Fulton manages to trip Lane, however he’s punched in the throat and the crowd is hanging on EVERYTHING. They run the ropes and both collide and Fulton is RIGHT THERE for that tag to Rogers, which he gets a feeling of elation that just doesn’t exist in a wrestling crowd anymore. Amazing tag finish setup too – Rogers tags in Fulton, basically gets Irish whipped on purpose, takes a back body drop but lands on his feet, which enables Fulton to do a quick reverse cradle for 3 as the Fabulous Ones look confused. The Fantastic Ones aren’t like geniuses on offense but this is still a great tag match with some of the damndest wrestling ever at the end. ***3/4
2. Crockett Cup – Round 1: Koko B. Ware & Italian Stallion vs. Buzz Sawyer & Rick Steiner: A clear enhancement match, with crazy Buzz Sawyer forming an odd couple team with a young but emerging Richard Steiner. There’s a brief flash of brilliance at the start where Buzz locks up with Koko but they reach a stalemate, and Koko stares at him close-up like he is not to be messed with. It becomes the type of match the crowd tries to shout funny stuff at after a while though, as they’re given 15 minutes to do stuff and Buzz can only do so many awesome things. And he does them, but only a few. There’s some incredible bumps. And an awesome rope-running sequence that Buzz screams his way through, all while Koko is just THERE for everything. Plus when Stallion tries a drop down, instead of leaping over him and hitting the ropes like any old wrestler Buzz drops down too and GRAPPLES HIM!!! Too long, but BUZZ. **
3. Crockett Cup – Round 1: Brett Sawyer & David Patterson vs. Black Bart & Jimmy Garvin w/ Precious: A quiet Round 1 match, but there’s some stuff here. Sawyer gives it his best – spits at the opposition, hits a guillotine off the top rope that pops those in attendance. Black Bart takes an impressive back body drop. At about 5 minutes Gorgeous Jimmy starts getting real aggressive, and soon after he ends Sawyer with a confident brainbuster like he should. **
4. Crockett Cup – Round 2: Sam Houston & Nelson Royal vs. The Midnight Express w/ Jim Cornette: Nelson throws a punch or two and manages an abdominal stretch before the Midnights get right to the point and end it. Good, effective minute-long squash. *1/2
5. Crockett Cup – Round 2: Ron Garvin & Magnum T.A. vs. Buzz Sawyer & Rick Steiner: The absolute REACTION as Garvin and Magnum emerge from the locker room. The baddies here are aggressive, with Buzz being all crazy and biting Magnum, but once 5 minutes hits that’s Magnum’s cue to drop someone with a belly-to-belly. **
The Evening Section now begins as Tony Schiavone welcomes us to the show.
6. Crockett Cup – Round 2: Chief Wahoo McDaniel & Mark Youngblood vs. The Road Warriors w/ Paul Ellering: The Warriors are all over poor Mark Youngblood here, but because it’s Wahoo this isn’t QUITE as a squash, and the Chief gets to work a way-too-long test of strength spot with Hawk. Hawk eventually gets Mark with a diving clothesline and Chief doesn’t even bother to save. *1/4
Shaska Whatley cuts a promo in between the matches with Paul Jones standing by. “Jimmy Valiant don’t like ugly women, and you’re the ugliest one in the house,” he yells at a poor lady. Valiant grabs a chair for him to sit on in the ring and spits at him as Shaska backs off.
7. Crockett Cup – Round 2: Jimmy Valiant & Manny Fernandez vs. The Russians (Ivan Koloff & Nikita Koloff) w/ Eddie Gilbert: This has all the expected tricks, with the Russians dishing a beating but also the Russians getting their balls kicked a few times. There’s a long bearhug spot, but also Ivan takes a crazy old man bump off the top and the Valiant hot tag is HUGE. Valiant ducks a Russian Sickle from Ivan but gets hit by one from Nikita on the apron and loses. Aw. *3/4
8. Crockett Cup – Round 2: Steve Williams & Terry Taylor vs. Rick Martel & Dino Bravo: Dino Bravo has appendicitis, so Rick Martel is here and will concede the win to Taylor and Williams by forfeit. Awwww. Someone yells “Where’s Stan Hansen!?” as Taylor and Williams walk off.
9. Crockett Cup – Round 2: The Rock & Roll Express vs. The Sheepherders w/ Jack Victory: This is an incredible match, a slice of life from the 1980s when the guys who eventually became the goofball The Bushwhackers had a thrilling 10-minute match with the molten hot Rock & Roll Express. The Sheepherders and Victory do a pre-match ritual raising the New Zealand flag and doing some military march, so Ricky Morton grabs an American flag from someone in the crowd and holds it up to a huge pop. The match is all action – Sheepherders bump like an absolutely incredible pro wrestlers, then scream and are all aggressive on offense. The Rock & Roll’s have done some amazing hot tags but after the Sheepherders’ craziness this one felt extra hot. They send the Sheepherders into each other, then Victory runs in with the flag. Morton fights him off with the flag and the bell is rung and ROCK & ROLL ARE DQ’D!!! Wild, crazy, awesome wrestling. ****1/2
10. Crockett Cup – Round 2: The Fantastics vs. Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson w/ JJ Dillon: WHAT A MATCH!! There are a couple other-worldly Tommy Rogers out-wrestling Tully Blanchard sequences right away, before Tully and Anderson begin to work over Fulton and these two are just on another level of realistic tag team beatdown, covering every single one of their bases. “ARN, GIMME A KNEE!” Tully keeps trying to pin Fulton, and it feels so real as Fulton sells his ass off having to exert energy to keep kicking out. Rogers eventually hot tags, but a Gourdbuster seems to end him – HOWEVER, Fulton saves, Tully slugs Fulton, Anderson sets up a bodyslam, but Fulton fights Tully off and dropkicks Rogers over Anderson for the 3. Classic. ****
11. Crockett Cup – Round 2: Giant Baba & Tiger Mask vs. Black Bart & Jimmy Garvin w/ Precious: Poor Baba and Tiger Misawa get booed for being from Japan. Precious yelling at Baba post-match is INCREDIBLE. This is worked in front of a skeptical crowd, until Tiger Mask’s flip over the apron and backflips inside get OVER. Baba throws his chops, but also does a piledriver on Garvin that pops the crowd. Tiger takes a beating before Bart and Garvin bump and sell for Baba and Baba wins with a boot. I’m not sure anyone in the crowd was particularly entertained by this one. *1/2
12. Crockett Cup – Quarter Final: The Road Warriors w/ Paul Ellering vs. The Midnight Express w/ Jim Cornette: Just a master class in wrestling. Road Warriors are the prototypical unstoppable badass tag team, Midnight Express are the prototypical bumping and stalling tag team, and it all comes together here. The timing on everything is perfect. Condrey takes bumps that shouldn’t be physically possible. Eaton is a godly tag team heel – he thinks he outsmarts Hawk by sneaking outside, gets slammed back in, knocked outside, and knocked down again, with every step of the process timed and sold brilliantly. The best stuff. ****3/4
13. Crockett Cup – Quarter Final: “Dr. Death” Steve Williams & Terry Taylor vs. The Russians w/ Eddie Gilbert and Kortsia Korchenko: So this goes to a 20-minute time limit draw, and they pull some decent stuff out of that very tough task. To their credit, they keep it moving. There is a whole lot of Ivan Koloff bumping for takedowns early. It’s OK, but it’s a lot. Nikita’s muscle pose and Williams’ immediate dropkick response is definitely one for the ages though. And Dr. Death doing the gorilla press slam on Nikita is amazing too. A Russian forearm from the top gets a near fall with 30 seconds remaining and Ivan is PISSED. Taylor avoids a knee, inside cradle for 2, ding ding ding. Big Russians beatdown post-match, and both teams are out. **1/2
14. Crockett Cup – Quarter Final: The Fantastics vs. The Sheepherders w/ Jack Victory: There is a legitimate full USA Pledge of Allegiance pre-match. The guy who brought the USA flag used earlier and now high-fives someone, his work complete. This match is completely chaotic wrestling, with the Sheepherders maybe more amped up and crazy than before. Fulton bleeds early, Rogers gets a hot tag, the Sheepherders bleed, THE REFEREE BLEEDS. There’s no cutting off of the ring or any of that, just FIGHTING AND BITING. Incredible. Fulton uses a pipe or something. Eventually it just can’t be contained and the ref calls a double DQ, as a woman who appears to be Mad Maxine helps Victory away. Though they were eliminated in the quarters, Crockett Cup ’86 is all about The Sheepherders. ****1/4
15. Crockett Cup – Semi Final: Giant Baba & Tiger Mask vs. Ron Garvin & Magnum T.A.: Ron Garvin working an armbar on Giant Baba is special stuff, let me tell you. The crowd seems restless here, despite a few neat Tiger Mask spots and Baba and Garvin seemingly going extra in on each other. Magnum kind of catches a Tiger crossbody with a belly-to-belly for 3. The All Japan guys just didn’t translate in this tournament unfortunately. *1/2
16. UWF North American Title: Jim Duggan [c] vs. Dick Slater: This is a fine quick match if it didn’t have a long chinlock from Slater in the middle that didn’t add to anything. There’s Duggan’s amazing fire and some great punching from both as usual, plus a big guardrail bump by Duggan that just seems completely unprotected for the fans. Slater lands on the ref after a kickout, then drops a knee on the poor guy. Duggan takes a big corner bump, Slater sets up a piledriver, Duggan reverses it. Slater ties him up in the ropes but the ref backs Slater off, which leads to a Duggan football tackle for the W. *3/4
17. NWA World Heavyweight Title: Ric Flair [c] vs. Dusty Rhodes w/ Baby Doll: Paul Boesch rocks a pink-ish ensemble as he intro’s the match, only to be outdone by Ric Flair’s incredible robe that must be seen. This is the longest match of the show, and it’s two legends having a match that, though a little understated and quiet here and there, is one of their better big ones. Dusty bleeds and sells, Flair bumps and cowers, but perhaps the most fascinating part of all of this is the ringside camera getting the close-up audio and video of Baby Doll’s reactions, selling every ebb and flow of the match. She’s honestly amazing. “COME ON DUSTY, PUSH HIM! COME ON DAMNIT, PUSH HIM!” Also, I swear Flair let’s out a “fuck” when he leapfrogs Dusty and knows he’s about to be suckered into an elbow. Flair f’s with the crowd with a few foot-on-the-ropes kickouts, forces himself on Baby Doll, gets hit with a boot by Dusty, and it’s a DQ. Dusty hits the ref, hits Flair, and Baby Doll claps over his unsuccessful bid to win the championship. ***1/2
18. Crockett Cup – Final: The Road Warriors w/ Paul Ellering vs. Ron Garvin & Magnum T.A.: At 2 o’clock today, we began with 24 teams! And this match reeaaalllyyy sells that, because it just comes off as a final match of four guys who are TIRED. Lots of locking up, lots of T.A. selling, nothing particularly exciting. T.A. manages a belly-to-belly and tags in Garvin and none of it feels hot like it might’ve earlier. Garvin does the Hands of Stone but his hand is bandaged so he’s hurt, and Animal takes advantage with an iffy clothesline that Garvin has the good sense to bump onto his head for for 3. Big pop for the finish but this ended a great tournament poorly. *
Crockett Cup 1986 featured some all-time great tag teams and all-time great tag team wrestling matches, with a few stinkers here and there. Plus Flair vs. Dusty. This is 4-hours and there’s things that are skippable, but it’s Highly Recommended
Father Knows Best – Dory Funk Sr. Trains Dory Jr. and Terry (NWA Western States 2/1/71)
I say this as a massive Terry Funk mark, but this is some of the coolest wrestling footage I have ever seen uploaded to not just the WWE Network but the entire World Wide Web. It’s from Dory Sr.’s Western States promotion’s TV, and is introduced with Dory Sr. (who looks just like Terry) and a commentator who begins with this: “Well sports fans, as you know, professional rassling is uh… a big sport, and a lot of times these rasslers go into very secret workouts so that uh, they can come up with some new surprises for their opponents… and nobody’s been invited to these workouts!” That changes TODAY.
This is a little over 5 minutes of a a hard cam filming Dory Sr. and his boys doing wrestling training in the ring. He commentates over it all, noting that he shows them 95% of what he knows and keeps 5% in the back if they end up showing him too much trouble – it’s so hokey and adorable and weird and amazing. Terry gets a takedown and tries to impress dad with a spinning toe hold, which Dory Sr. tells him to let up on as Dory Jr. gets up all hot. Then Terry sells the a Dory Sr. hammerlock like he’s being attacked by a shark, and when Sr. releases it he pats his boy on the head. Terry tries to bodyslam pop, then puts him down and they all laugh. Dory Sr. just kind of arrogantly explaining why he’s doing this and that to his dumbass kids is the type of thing that makes the $9.99/month worth it. Highly Recommended
Texas Royalty – USWA Unified World Heavyweight Title Tournament – Semi Final: Terry Funk vs. Jerry Lawler (USWA 11/3/90)
PUNCHES!!! PUNCHES!!!!!! TERRY FUNK IS WET AND VAGUELY RIPPED AND THROWING PUNCHES. This is a semi finals match to see who faces Austin Idol for the USWA Unified World Title, a part of a tournament that featured Jeff Jarrett, Eddie Gilbert, Dick Murdoch, a young Mean Mark Callous AKA The Undertaker, and many many others. The Lawler vs. Callous match was a previous Hidden Gem, covered in WWE Network Hidden Gems – May 2018. AND IT IS ALL ABOUT TERRY FUNK’S PUNCHES.
As with any given Funk performance in this era, it’s all about the crazy – as Lawler’s obnoxious royalty music hits he slips out and storms to the back, allegedly to attack Lawler, and it’s real quiet for a minute before Lawler emerges unscathed and Funk runs after him and attacks him on the outside anyways. And then he just PUNCHES him. Over and over again. The stiffest hardway punches you ever will see. At one point he does the Braun Strowman ringside running spot and ends it with a PUNCH!!! Plus he yells at the ref, chokes Lawler with a cord, etc etc. Eventually he gets in a shoving match with the ref, which results in Terry slugging him and giving him a PILEDRIVER. Another ref comes in, SAME THING. CHAOS. Lawler takes an awesome bump off another Funk piledriver and Eddie Gilbert runs in to count but Lawler KICKS OUT AT 2! Then Funk and Gilbert do two amazing stuff piledrivers to Lawler where Gilbert holds Lawler’s legs after the drop, so his head is just planted on the mat. The bell rings for the DQ, but Gilbert makes a 3-count and continues to beat Lawler’s ass with Funk. **** and Highly Recommended
Terry Funk ECW Award Banquet (ECW 4/12/97)
This is from the Philadelphia Hilton Airport Hotel, because I bet that was the most convenient and affordable option. It is the speeches a part of a tribute banquet for professional wrestling legend Terry Funk held the night before ECW’s very first pay-per-view with a VERY intense TV-MA warning to begin.
It’s nearly two hours long, and I loved watching it. As someone who was born in the late-80s, these ECW guys in the mid-90s were so larger than life to me, and though that vibe went away with time this really puts it all in perspective, as I’m watching these super young guys up close in the flesh. They’re just being people, and I’m sure beneath the public face there was a dark circus at hand, but this is really just a bunch of brothers and sisters showing their upmost respect for Funk.
There is such a love everywhere, especially for Funk who you can tell has had a real affect on all these young 20-somethings. Sitting on the right side of the podium, Paul Heyman looking up at his creations with glee is so great too. The absolute soul of this company is on full display in this near 2-hour commemoration. Everybody keeps it short and sweet too, besides Paul E who of course goes 30. I guess New Jack went long too, but his clip got cut. Surprised face.
With Paul E to the right of the podium, honorary Funk is on the right with his wife Vickie. The rest of the primary roster sits on the perimeter. Joey Styles, who acts as host, tells a story of the Funker that includes this quote: “He tried to kill me on television.”
There’s really no readable way to cover this experience, so I’ll just recap some of my favorite moments:
The Sandman is one charismatic dude. “I’m living my life’s dream right now … I wish you guys could feel how I feel when I wake up every morning” – this, to the crowd, is hilarious. Vickie Funk handing him a beer gets a huge pop.
Everybody seems to love Stevie Richards, this young up-and-comer about to main event a pay-per-view. “Does anybody know anyone in this business who’s come so far so god damn fast?” asks Sandman.
Blue Meanie and Nova look like a couple of children. Meanie’s speech is SO humble and earnest, totally endearing. “I’m not used to talking in a normal tone of voice, so uh… please be patient.”
Perry Saturn doesn’t know if he’ll be wrestling when he’s 53, but he hopes he becomes half the man Funk is.
John Kronus just WOOOO’s and says, “I know I don’t say much but, I’d just like to say – I love you brother,” which was basically my wedding speech when I panicked and just told everybody I loved them.
I should probably talk about Funk. Watching him to the side, cracking up at these young guys and being clearly affected by their words is so cool to watch. Louie Spicolli notes that he could be making a lot more money doing a lot less, but he chose to stay in ECW. Funk is a wrestling legend, like one of the top legends there is, and you don’t get to see wrestling legends in this format very often.
Joey Styles begins an introduction: “When I heard this next speaker was coming to ECW, I got excited like a little kid – I never met him personally, I’d only seen him on television… he’s a phenomenal athlete, extremely young, it’s only gonna better better and better, he’s awesome in the ring, a hell of a guy to be around…” and Funk cuts in, “I thought you’d never introduce me.” POP.
It’s actually for Candido! With Tammy right behind him. Candido does a great Funk impression, and just tees off on a great tale that includes him referencing how there’s always a few minutes of silence when ya talk to Dory Jr. Hilarious.
“Very bright future, a lot of fun to be around – Louie Spicolli, come on up.”
Neck brace secured, Pitbull #1 thanks ECW for keeping him employed for a year.
Bill Alfonso is introduced as most annoying.
Taz is super respectful and seems like such a leader of this moment in ECW.
Beulah shocks and awes me, as she gets to the podium and says her dad might pass soon and she hopes Terry can walk her down the aisle one day.
Sabu and his Asian girlfriend give Funk an award, though Sabu does not speak.
Referee John Finegan begins to speak and someone says something about refs, and someone (I hope Sandman) yells out, “WHY DON’T YOU SHUT UP AND SHOW SOME RESPECT.”
Beyond The Mat Director Barry Blaustein is here. And Reggie Bennett, LPWA wrestler and former Over the Top star. She talks of Terry keeping a whole ramen shop in Japan entertained playing butt darts and it makes me want to be there and experience that life.
Tod Gordon tells a funny story where when he started ECW, Eddie Gilbert said he’d be the lead heel but needed Gordon to pick the top available babyface. First Gordon said Abdullah the Butcher, then Cactus Jack, and finally it was between Koko B. Ware and Terry. Poor Koko.
Terry Funk on the first ECW show: “Well, it wasn’t very good tonight… but we’ll get better.”
Paul E. Dangerously goes full Paul E. “Tod Gordon, thank you so fucking much for giving me a job in September of 93.” New Jack, who’s sporting an incredible white suit and hat, screams out “EC MOTHER FUCKIN W” at one point. Heyman notes how everyone on the roster went out and bought a suit and they’re wearing it because the man on his left had made such significant contributions to the industry that it mars them to put on their best clothes. Such rhetoric, and, well – true.
Heyman tells a story when he as a photographer in 1985 AWA, he was told by Road Warrior Hawk to go take a picture of Funk, because he’s a “real friendly guy.” Problem was, Funk hated photographers.
He also tells a long story about Funk’s determination to fight through injuries as some kind of dedication to the SPORT of wrestling that just feels tired and bad in retrospect. And of course, he ends it with what feels like a voyeuristic peak into a classic Heyman hype promo to get the roster to go all out:
“I thank you all tonight for your support in this product that is a tribute to this man. I thank you all tonight for the audience that you have given us for tomorrow’s show. Because if this how is what I think it will be, and if my dressing room can put in the performances and show the work ethic that I know my guys can give you… it’s not just a tribute to the audience, it’s not just a tribute to themselves, it’s not just a display of how hard they work… I swear to God that I mean this from the bottom of my heart, tonight and tomorrow … the work ethic that will be displayed by this dressing room tomorrow is a tribute to one man who showed us the way, who showed us the work ethic that we all strive to live up to – and that man is Terry Funk.”
“The man that Terry Funk picked by himself to carry his name into the future – I give you Tommy Dreamer.” Ugh.
Incredibly, Funk RUNS TO THE BATHROOM BEFORE HIS SPEECH.
And then he has this speech. And it’s perfectly Terry Funk. First he says he’s done wrestling in 1997, or at least the U.S: “No, I’m serious – I’ve loved every minute of it. It’s time to go home. It’s time to say goodbye. 97 is my year.” “Terry, you still the shit” says New Jack. Funk gets real deep at the end and gets everyone clapping for the fans and wrestlers as our final Hidden Gem of June fades out. Highly Recommended
