I don’t know if Peacock has it, but WWE had a Mid South collection, 70s-80s era, run by Cowboy Bill Watts. It later upgraded to UWF, which eventually merged with WCW. It had some named wrestlers in their beginning stages, such as Hacksaw Jim Duggan, One Man Gang, Junkyard Dog, Paul Orndorf, Kamala and Sting. It was also Jim Ross’s first gig as an interviewer, and later on commentary.
AEW Dark Taz/Excalibur moment of the day
Today’s episode is brought to you by Bangers and Mash.
- Cesar Bononi looks like a giant violent mean librarian that can hurt you.
- J. Peterson, J. Robinson, J. Peterman, which one is the wrestling coach at Minnesota?
- Ex compares Jade Cargill vs. Red Velvet rivalry to Taz vs. Sabu. Taz responds, “That’s why I love you Excalibur, and Sabu hates you.”
- Even though Zack Clayton’s from Jersey, he’s very intelligent.
- Calls Fulton “Dreadlock Jones.”
- As a result of too many chairs to the head, Taz sees things like butterflies and birds.
- Ex asks Taz if he wants to go to the pub for some Bangers and Mash. Taz responds “It took ya 5 matches.”
- The two debate over whether Mr. Hughes wore a tie.
- Yuka Sakazaki likes get Texas Truckers to honk their horns.
- Moment of serendipity when Taz says “Yuka, you gotta finish her off, girl!” Yuka then says “Okay!”
- Taz would pay Angelico a large amount of money to teach Luther to dance.
- The Blue Thunder Bomb should be named Blue Thunder Jones in the annals of wrestling.
Skye Blue vs. Renee Michelle
Ex: Real Fire and Ice thing we got going on here with Renee with the red hair and attire, and Skye Blue.
Taz (deadpan): That’s a good observation. That’s why you win an award every three months. The best announcer in the world. Ever. Because of those observations.
RIP Lanny “The Genius” Poffo. Son of Angelo Poffo and brother of Randy Savage, possibly his greatest achievement in wrestling was beating world champion Hulk Hogan clean in the ring on Saturday Night’s Main Event in November 1989.
I also liked that Excalibur showed some geek comic book cred tying Fire & Ice into DC Comics.
ETA: Though, in the comics, Fire was actually green, not red, and shot green flames, so minor Excalibur demerit
i remember im for that and mainly getting in squash tag matches on the old superstars shows oh and bad poetry
Jerry Lawler had a stroke today and is recovering in a Florida hospital.
Reportedly he’s awake and lucid, but his condition is still considered serious.
Well, that kind of makes my headline contribution look inappropriate, but I think Jerry would approve.
AEW Dark Taz/Excalibur moment of the day
Today’s footnote wrestler reference: The Missing Link.
I actually saw him as Dewey Robertson in Greenville SC many moons ago. He was a babyface undercarder before he reinvented himself as the Missing Link.
- Ex calls Serpentico using a “self-assisted headbutt.” Taz says The Missing Link did it better.
- Ex makes a reference to Queen’s Radio Gaga during Dalton Castle’s match.
- Ex says he has a method for remembering the Trustbusters’s theme music: it’s the 777th best comedy on HBO, Entourage. Taz says he never watched it, but changes his tune when Ex invokes “Corporate Synergy.”
- Taz: It’s insecurity when somebody wears a mask. Ex (not taking the bait): What about Super Strong Suplex Machine?
Dante Casanova vs. Dalton Castle
Castle almost misses one of the steps as he descends.
Taz: You know that’s what happened, he slipped on the stage on that magic pixie dust. That stuff is slippery.
The Boys serve as human steps for Dalton to enter the ring.
Ex: You know what’s not slippery? It’s the backs of The Boys because Dalton Castle, as sure footed as ever, makes his ascent into the ring. Much longer than the typical entrances we get here at AEW Universal, Taz.
…
Taz, singing along with Castle’s music: Doodle up, up up buh bow, bam! Dant dant dow, Da-an Castle.
Ex: Scatman Jones.
Taz: Pixie pixie pixie dust man… He’s got the boys with him… He almost took a bump… Off the stage…
Jerry Jarrett has died at age 80.
His run as a wrestler and promoter was largely before my time, but he definitely left his mark on the industry, and his kid, despite being shit as a booker, has been a consistently good worker for almost 40 years now both as a face and as a heel.
AEW Dark Taz/Excalibur moment of the day
Today’s episode is brought to you by John Mayer. Taz opined that he was Lucha wrestler Gravity’s actual identity, then walked it back.
- Ex reminds fans that Rampage will air at 7 pm this Friday instead of its usual time. Taz tells everybody to set their VCRs.
- Fuego’s opponents drag him away from his tag partner. Taz says he looks like Ex when he’s being dragged out of a bar. Ex says he looks like a drunken rattlesnake.
- “Don’t minimize my comments, please.”
- Gravity somersaults onto the top turnbuckle then dives on Kip Sabian. Taz says he’s always dreamed of doing a maneuver like that. Ex wonders how Bam Bam Bigelow would have reacted seeing Taz doing the maneuver. Taz replies “He would have kicked my teeth down my throat to be honest.”
- Taz: You’re going at him using your body like a weapon, like a torpedo. A torpedo without arms." Ex: “I don’t think torpedos have arms.”
- SAP wanted Taz to sing on their soundtrack, but they couldn’t come to terms on the money.
- Luther and referee Bryce Remsburg call each other idiots and bald-shame each other.
- Diamante tells her opponent, “They’re not here to see you!” Taz says the same about Ex.
- Tells Ex he should have an entrance like Dalton Castle’s when he walks into a bar.
- Terry Yaki, no relation to Wo Sabi.
- Castle screams “You don’t even speak” to an opponent. Ex wonders if he went to the Luther School of Professional Wrestling.
Hyena Hera vs. Mei Suruga with Baliana Aki
This was one crazy-assed match. Suruga is another one of those pint-sized Japanese wrestlers who turn into psycho wolverines in the ring.
Ex: The “Big Apple Girl,” as she’s known, Taz.
Taz: The Big Apple Girl Mei Suruga? She’s living in Manhattan now? New York? Big Apple?
Ex: No no, she likes apples.
The taller Hera pats Seruga on the head and tells her “It’s so cute you want to be in the ring with me, Mei.” Seruga clamps her teeth around Hera’s wrist and Taz’s favorite referee Bryce Remsburg tells her “No biting.” Mei chases him around the ring.
Taz: That would have been awesome, Bryce’s finger flyin’ around Universal in Orlando!"
…
Suruga mounts Hera in the corner and unhinges her jaws like a python, preparing to take a huge bite. Remsburg interferes.
Taz: Bite his arm! Dammit Bryce, get out of the way!
Ex: Taz, now you see the whole apple thing? She likes the sound and sensation of biting into a crisp apple. She’s looking to recreate that at any possible time, even in the midst of a wrestling match!
Taz: What a crazy gimmick. Does she like Gala apples?
Ex: She likes Gala, she likes Washington Delicious, she likes Fuji apples…
Taz: Honey Crisp! Honey Crisp! Honey Crisp! How about Macintosh Jones?
Ex: She even likes Granny Smith apples. A little tart.
Taz: Granny Smith, a little green… Why doesn’t Aki run and just get a barrel of apples for Mei so doesn’t have to bite the fingers of Hyena?
Ex: Taz, because we’re in Orange County Florida.
…
Hera makes a comeback and Suruga starts crying in the ring.
Taz: Aw don’t, she’s cryin’, sounds like you cryin’ when I had to lose a match.
…
Ex: Mei Suruga, pulling out all the stops. The psychological warfare on Hyena Hera…
Taz: Ah yes, it definitely affected my psyche, I tell ya that!
Allright guys, I’m sure that between us we can scrounge $9 billion out of the couch cushions. Now who wants to be General Manager of NXT?
Heh, am I the only one of us who watches WWE events any more?
I don’t have anything bad to say about Elimination Chamber. I get the feeling Angelo Dawkins is about to be Marty Jannetied, because Montez Ford demonstrated he can easily succeed on his own. Dom got huge heat and didn’t even try that hard. Johnny Gargano showed how good he was as a utility wrestler, and Liv Morgan continues to impress. Seth vs Logan Paul for WM has been destined, and it’s pretty likely a Lashley vs. Lesnar no DQ followup will ensue.
No way Zayn was going to win the belt from Roman, but they at least opened the door for him and KO to team against the Usos and win their belts. There was actually less physical activity in that match than the others, mainly because they maintained a slow pace to keep the audience captivated.
The in-ring work was above average for a WWE PLE, but the ‘Road to Wrestlemania’ outcomes were never in doubt. Only surprise was Usos getting into Canada. Didn’t like the low-blow DQ. I know it’s wrestling, and one can predict the outcomes 95% of the time, but it’s like WWE didn’t even try to make me believe that there could be a surprise winner.
And while the Elimination Chamber concept must take center stage, it’s criminal how WWE treats the women’s titles. HHH is doing better than VKM, but there is still so much room to improve. One of the 3 should have been defended. It’s a PLE. Don’t waste time with all the vignettes. Give us a women’s title match…any women’s title.
im watching it now and im wondering if they let Heyman book the men’s EC like he was in 1995 Philly cause they did sabu and dreamer proud
What did the winner of the women’s rumble get? because they said Asuka gets to fight Belair at wm for winning the women’s ec ?
and when did Michael cole get so old? and their heel announcer stinks … and auska reminds me of a girl of questionable mentality I used to know … is there pics of her without the face paint ?
and bret and shawn should have gotten involved somehow just to make the occasion ya know ?
watching prime time wrestling from 1986 and theres single matches with the hart foundation and everyone’s confused about it and I know they tried to get them over as single wrestlers for years before bret finally got over but its funny listening to the commentary knowing in 10 years bret helped keep WWE afloat after most of the 80s stars fded
Women’s Royal Rumble winner Rhea Ripley (way too many Rs) got to select her WrestleMania opponent and chose Charlotte Flair.
You have been out of touch for a while. Better get used to Corey Graves. He’ll still be there after you jump another 10 years. Here’s Asuka without face paint.
That’s an old one. She just posted a selfie of her after arriving in Montreal with no face paint on her twitter.
very nice but she can get the looney face expressions off so well … like when a certain girl would get near her “pod” she’d ilck the glass …