Classic Era Flashbacks

Kace-1 · Dec 12, 2018

This is a celebration/recognition of Pro Wrestling as it was prior to the end of WWF WrestleMania 17 in 2001. I consider everything up to that moment to be the Classic Era. I'll probably update once a day or so. Feel free to post as well, obviously.

This one is a 2-parter as one led to the other. 1992, Baltimore Arena. Nikita Koloff is challenging Rick Rude for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship with Rude's manager, Madusa at ringside. The referee winds up getting wiped out and that leads to Cactus Jack showing up to assist Rude. Jim Ross and Sting are on commentary and Sting feels fed up with the assistance Rude is receiving and decides to intervene despite having a WCW World Heavyweight Championship bout coming up against the Champion, Big Van Vader. Jake Roberts, fresh from his departure from the WWF uses this moment of seeing someone be a hero as his cue to arrive and attack.

This would lead to Bill Watts, the head man at WCW announcing that there would still be a World Heavyweight Championship match with Vader defending against one of the top contenders whose name would be literally pulled out of a bag. The name drawn was Ron Simmons and this is where he gets his shot at the Championship. Representing Vader at ringside is his manager and former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race.

Kace-1 · Dec 13, 2018

1986, a young man going by the name Jack Foley is having an unsuccessful run in the WWF. He is served up as fodder for the higher ranked competitors and unable to get above preliminary level. Things would begin to turn around upon leaving the WWF and reinventing himself as Cactus Jack, but for now here's a future WWF Heavyweight Champion suffering at the hands of Hercules Hernandez.

Kace-1 · Dec 14, 2018

1993, SMW television. The Rock 'N' Roll Express are ready to unveil their tag team partner for a series of upcoming 6-man tag bouts against the Heavenly Bodies and Bobby Eaton, all managed by Jim Cornette. This is the big reveal and it turns out to be one of Eaton's more recent tag team partners in WCW.

TheRobotDevil · Dec 17, 2018

Kace-1 said:
This is a celebration/recognition of Pro Wrestling as it was prior to the end of WWF WrestleMania 17 in 2001. I consider everything up to that moment to be the Classic Era. I'll probably update once a day or so. Feel free to post as well, obviously.

This one is a 2-parter as one led to the other. 1992, Baltimore Arena. Nikita Koloff is challenging Rick Rude for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship with Rude's manager, Madusa at ringside. The referee winds up getting wiped out and that leads to Cactus Jack showing up to assist Rude. Jim Ross and Sting are on commentary and Sting feels fed up with the assistance Rude is receiving and decides to intervene despite having a WCW World Heavyweight Championship bout coming up against the Champion, Big Van Vader. Jake Roberts, fresh from his departure from the WWF uses this moment of seeing someone be a hero as his cue to arrive and attack.

This would lead to Bill Watts, the head man at WCW announcing that there would still be a World Heavyweight Championship match with Vader defending against one of the top contenders whose name would be literally pulled out of a bag. The name drawn was Ron Simmons and this is where he gets his shot at the Championship. Representing Vader at ringside is his manager and former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Harley Race.

Have you seen the Jake The Snake documentary? It was actually really good

Kace-1 · Dec 17, 2018

TheRobotDevil said:
Have you seen the Jake The Snake documentary? It was actually really good

Yes. It was great and quite human.

TheRobotDevil · Dec 17, 2018

Kace-1 said:
Yes. It was great and quite human.

I thought it was awesome. Like you said it was extremely human. Was great to see him get the support he did and get back on his feet. Very well done

Those are some great classic clips you put up. A lot of memories :suds:

Kace-1 · Dec 17, 2018

1977, Japan. It's the battle of the Antonios as famed superstar Antonio Inoki deals with a behemoth known as the Great Antonio. The Great Antonio was Antonio Barichievich, a Yugoslav Croatian who would make his home in Montreal, Quebec. On this particular night, he decided to tempt fate against Mr. Inoki, certain he could withstand any form of punishment his opponent would attempt to inflict. Antonio Inoki decided challenge accepted and what follows is one of the more infamous bouts in Japanese wrestling history.

Ojb81 · Dec 17, 2018

Kace-1 said:
1977, Japan. It's the battle of the Antonios as famed superstar Antonio Inoki deals with a behemoth known as the Great Antonio. The Great Antonio was Antonio Barichievich, a Yugoslav Croatian who would make his home in Montreal, Quebec. On this particular night, he decided to tempt fate against Mr. Inoki, certain he could withstand any form of punishment his opponent would attempt to inflict. Antonio Inoki decided challenge accepted and what follows is one of the more infamous bouts in Japanese wrestling history.

That sucked

Kace-1 · Dec 18, 2018

1998, Taz is preparing for a showdown with Bam Bam Bigelow for the ECW World Television Championship, but first he has a match against the WWF contracted Brakus to deal with.

Kace-1 · Dec 19, 2018

1986, during NWA World Wide Wrestling "Pistol" Pez Whatley finds himself at an impasse. Since arriving at Jim Crockett Promotions aka the Mid-Atlantic territory, he has won some and lost some, on TV and off. He has been allied with Jimmy Valiant in his ongoing war against Paul Jones. During this interview, Pez realizes his breaking point which is after all he's been through just to get where he is, he finds himself being qualified by skin tone by his friend, the "Boogie Woogie Man." What follows is Pez reacting and Ron Garvin having a quick preliminary match.

Kace-1 · Dec 20, 2018

1990, WMC-TV studio in Memphis. Eddie Gilbert and Jerry Lawler just flat out don't like each other. This one involves Eddie Marlin, Jerry Lawler, Eddie Gilbert, a parking lot, and a car.

Kace-1 · Dec 25, 2018

December 25, 1982, Reunion Arena in Dallas. After months of buildup, Ric Flair defends his NWA World Heavyweight Championship against Kerry Von Erich. The NWA and its World Class affiliate want to make sure that no shenanigans take place so along with David Manning, a second referee is added to the match which the fans get to decide with a vote. The vote goes to Michael Hayes of the Fabulous Freebirds who have recently migrated to Dallas from Atlanta and are friends with the Von Erich brothers.

What follows is the start of one of the more famous rivalries in pro wrestling.

Kace-1 · Dec 27, 2018

1985, Atlantic City. The AWA has their ESPN deal going and the main event is Larry Zbyzsko against Greg Gagne. At ringside is Larry's tag team partner, Nick Bockwinkel who is there to add color commentary to the bout. Prior to the match there's a taped interview with Larry Zbyszko showing off some nunchucks skill. Onto the match itself which has a bring-your-own-weapon kind of start before Dick Whoehrle finally brings some order. Zbyzsko, flummoxed at Gagne's ability to keep bringing the fight to him gets upset and it's up to Bockwinkel to calm him down. Larry is not in the mood to calm down, however and he leaves behind bodies on the mat and makes an enemy out of Nick Bockwinkel.

Kace-1 · Dec 28, 2018

1997, WWF Raw is War. Just prior to WrestleMania 13, Bret Hart is feeling a lot less friendly and is convinced there's a conspiracy against him. This leads to Steve Austin, Sycho Sid, and the Undertaker all showing up for a fight. Sid and 'Taker wind up brawling with each other while Austin and Hart have their own fight. Various front office personnel attempt to break things up and Shawn Michaels and makes an awkward cameo.

returnofjakedog · Dec 28, 2018

Kace-1 said:
1985, Atlantic City. The AWA has their ESPN deal going and the main event is Larry Zbyzsko against Greg Gagne. At ringside is Larry's tag team partner, Nick Bockwinkel who is there to add color commentary to the bout. Prior to the match there's a taped interview with Larry Zbyszko showing off some nunchucks skill. Onto the match itself which has a bring-your-own-weapon kind of start before Dick Whoehrle finally brings some order. Zbyzsko, flummoxed at Gagne's ability to keep bringing the fight to him gets upset and it's up to Bockwinkel to calm him down. Larry is not in the mood to calm down, however and he leaves behind bodies on the mat and makes an enemy out of Nick Bockwinkel.

By the early 80s the AWA was outdated and pretty lame but I always remember seeing this one.
The Road Warriors were the ultra-heels and taking on young babyface Curt Hennig and Baron Von Raschke (a goose stepping babyface?? WTF?!?). Decent match until Curt does a masterful job getting himself literally hung in the ring ropes, and then blades himself while the Warriors beat on him with a chair!
Also great post match footage of Hawk and Animal brawling with the crowd on the way out! They were lucky to escape unharmed as the crowd was in a frenzy by the end of this!

Kace-1 · Dec 28, 2018

returnofjakedog said:
Also great post match footage of Hawk and Animal brawling with the crowd on the way out! They were lucky to escape unharmed as the crowd was in a frenzy by the end of this!

I'd argue the crowd was lucky on that exchange. Both those guys along with Demolition Smash and Rick Rude were bouncers back in Minnesota before going into pro wrestling. I imagine a gig like that leads to dealing with crowd control.

returnofjakedog · Dec 28, 2018

Kace-1 said:
I'd argue the crowd was lucky on that exchange. Both those guys along with Demolition Smash and Rick Rude were bouncers back in Minnesota before going into pro wrestling. I imagine a gig like that leads to dealing with crowd control.

Yeah, but even baddasses will be torn down by numbers. If 20 people surged in, a real possibility in this instance, then they would be screwed and torn apart. I heard an interview with one (forget if it was Hawk Animal, or Paul) said they were fighting for their lives and just wanted to get back to the locker room before they got hurt.
That being said: Did you see the dude hit Hawk over the head with the chair? It looked he didn't get full force at all but it stunned Hawk for a moment. Not sure if it was a slight bell rung stun, or a "WTF?? That moron didn't just hit me with a chair, did he?!?" moment but pretty funny.
Also the cops arguing with him and then hauling the guy away. I think it was the same guy with the chair......

Kace-1 · Dec 28, 2018

returnofjakedog said:
That being said: Did you see the dude hit Hawk over the head with the chair? It looked he didn't get full force at all but it stunned Hawk for a moment. Not sure if it was a slight bell rung stun, or a "WTF?? That moron didn't just hit me with a chair, did he?!?" moment but pretty funny.
Also the cops arguing with him and then hauling the guy away. I think it was the same guy with the chair......

For what it's worth it was even worse in the Mid-South venues. Jim Cornette has shared some of his experiences while working in that territory with the Midnight Express.

returnofjakedog · Dec 28, 2018

Kace-1 said:
For what it's worth it was even worse in the Mid-South venues. Jim Cornette has shared some of his experiences while working in that territory with the Midnight Express.

Yeah. I've heard some of those. The Freebirds had an infamous moment or two like that. I couldn't find one offhand though. Will try again later.

returnofjakedog · Dec 28, 2018

.......and of course the 3rd Man reveal. That one turned things on their head!

Classic Era Flashbacks

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