The Reverend

Haven't seen any posts about this on here yet, so thought I'd start one. The Iron Claw about the infamous Von Erich family is filming now for release next year. 

Director Sean Durkin is a relative newbie, but his previous work has been fairly well received and there's a few biggish names appearing: Zac Effron and Lily James for example. We may see a number of wrestling names in it too with MJF announced yesterday as fake Von Erich, Lance.

So what do we think? Biopics have been money makers in the last few years with 'Bo Rhap', 'Elvis' and 'Rocket Man' all doing big box office. Wrestling films are always a tough one, as there has to be enough away from the sport to feature, otherwise you may as well just stick wrestling on. The Von Erichs certainly have a compelling off-screen story (someone send the director the notorious 'sleaze-list') and Hollywood loves a bit of tragedy.

Maybe this could be like Mickey Rourke starring The Wrestler and will hopefully give wrestling a bit of a mainstream and positive spin.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Iron_Claw_(film)

https://variety.com/2022/film/news/zac-efron-the-iron-claw-a24-first-look-1235425761/

Now on sale: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bushwhackers-Blood-Sweat-Cheers/dp/B0BHKYMTS5/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=1GFE5ZT3ALOAR&keywords=blood+sweat+and+cheers&qid=1667316503&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjc4IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=blood+swrat+and+cheers%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1

Just had my copy delivered and had a flick through. Looks like it could be a good read.

News coming in that Japanese legend Antonio Inoki has passed away. What a career that man had.

1 hour ago, Egg Shen said:

love these retro posters...

 

Where's the halftime raffle? 

Just to once again say that this thread is awesome, definitely one of the best on here, a big thank you to @air_raidfor all the hard work in compiling these posts. 

A big question though is - how much of this stuff is languishing in the vaults? I know these are house shows, but it wouldn't surprise me if there is a fair bit. With new characters etc. it may have been that some of the main suits weren't in attendance personally so would want to watch back at Titan Towers to check out performance, reaction etc. if only from a hard cam.

Also the infamous Dynamite Kid back injury was a house show - yet fan footage clearly shows a camera man in attendance. If they were filming back in 1986, then no reason they wouldn't have done in later years too.

When it was happening I absolutely despised 1993. I suppose after how big 1992 was, it just seemed a complete let-down. Not only the in-ring stuff, but the fact that it had suddenly become very uncool. There was no merch in the shops and all the kids in school had turned their backs on it too.

But now I really like watching it for the sheer diversity of it all. I always used to think if it like an Indy promotion, but watching now it actually seems more like someones Hasbro Figure Fed come to life! 

Sad news coming in that referee Dave Hebner has passed away. The quintessential referee for me having got into wrestling in the 80s and 90s 

Vince goes to prison - spends 23 hours a day on lock-up with a cell mate who has a chronic sneezing problem. Justice is served.

29 minutes ago, Vamp said:

Hasn't he said in the past that he was abused by his step father and had sexual experiences with his cousin who then went onto marry his step father? 

I kinda assume that's why he's always been fascinated with doing an incest angle. 

I'm more surprised he's never done an angle involving crushed leaves. 

I think in his infamous interview with Playboy he alluded to the fact that it was possibly his Mother who sexually abused him. 

Certainly could explain a lot! 

Looks like she's finally being let go:

Quite surprised she's still been affiliated with them for so long after her in-ring career stopped. Very surprised too they didn't bring her in for the Cardiff thing (yeah, I know it's Wales but UK, Wales, England - most Americans don't have a clue) and maybe have a send-off there.

She may not have been there long, but she still leaves a bit of a legacy.

1 hour ago, Thunderplex said:

Was it the Nashville Fairgrounds that Terry Funk had his (not quite) final match with Bret Hart?

It was at the Tri-State Fairgrounds in Amarillo

50 minutes ago, air_raid said:

I'd be tempted but not sure it would be worth it since its a bit of a niche interest within a niche interest and I imagine it costs a bit to get a book published. And I haven't really got the time to do it properly - I scribble these down in bits and pieces on iphone Notes whenever I have two minutes free at a time.

@air_raid- sent you a PM. 

Considering most of the news about this has been put out today, I think filling the Motorpoint in less than a month seems a tad bit ambitious. All very strange: 

https://wrestlingnews.co/other/aops-new-promotion-wrestling-entertainment-series-wes-debuts-june-4-at-motorpoint-arena-in-nottingham-england-will-stream-live-on-fite-tv/

Sorry if this has been posted already and for bumping the thread (seemed the best place to put it - what happened to the general info thread anyway?) 

Seems WWE Home Video is still alive here in the UK with this soon to be released gem:

https://wwedvd.co.uk/wrestling/summerslam-1992-30th-anniversary-edition-blu-ray/

Shame they'll probably miss a trick and not make it a deluxe package with some of the build-ups to the matches from TV shows, extra interviews, the general media newsreports and press conferences they did surrounding the show - and maybe if it exists, the presentations they did to the legends on the night. Whole treasure trove of stuff they could do.

But hey buy this Blu-ray if you want to or not! 

I seem to remember the Killer Bees doing it in mid-80s WWF after they started wearing masks to the ring (but not the match itself). Always seemed strange that these Babyfaces were given such a heelish device to win matches.

*EDIT* - here they are doing it on SNME (at the 2:02 mark)

18 minutes ago, JNLister said:

I think it's meant to be that in this tryout match he was doing a British gimmick, but if/when he comes in full time he may do a voodoo gimmick instead.

Has there ever been any photos or a general idea of what the Sir Charles gimmick entailed? I'm guessing British meant wearing a tophat, so it was nice and easy to switch to the voodoo Papa Shango instead.

There's a photo of UK star Dave Bond (which I think is in Simon Garfield's book 'The Wrestling') in which he is seen in bowler hat, suit and carrying an umbrella. I wonder if in some strange incident someone thought this was what Sir Charles should look like.

4 hours ago, bAzTNM#1 said:

Why haven't we had a big Russian heel smashing everybody yet? You know Vince is prone to that kind of stuff.

I was thinking this the other day, 'cos Vince is always about 3 or 4 years behind modern culture - expect one in about 2026.

I couldn't see that getting over on TV in the US for the audience they now cater for. But what's more surprising is why they don't have a Ukrainian babyface.   

I'd make sure that Magnum T.A. didn't get in his car that night - Magnum would've been a big deal in the mid to late 80's and beyond, in either WCW or WWF.

Actually had it being Sting's chin coming out of that shed or whatever it was. 

As much as I'd really like to get excited about Wrestlemania season and watch this live - I really just don't think I could be bothered with this line-up.

Quick question though - how would you fix it and what does everyone think would make a great Wrestlemania card for this year?  

Personally if they just threw together a highlight package of the best of previous Manias, I might actually be interested to watch! 

Bit of a tenuous one - but what about Ron Simmons to induct him? 

4 hours ago, Infinity Land said:

What were some WWF matches with blood from say Hogan's 1st reign to WM13 Bret & Stone Cold.

Flair v. Savage WM8 and...?

Rude vs Warrior - Summerslam '90 cage match 

**SOLD**

A bearhug and a hiptoss amongst the moves in this fight from 'the greatest film ever made' (A. Partridge) 

https://youtu.be/kcWMYwPCIXk

Not surprising really as Milton Reid the actor playing against Roger Moore had a minor wrestling career in the UK.

Later in the film (I can't find the clip at the moment) Bond takes on two Russian agents at the Pyramids. During that fight he excutes a perfect bodyslam against one of them.

18 hours ago, Snitsky's back acne said:

I always felt they missed a trick by not having Tenta come back in 98 as Earthquake. Imagine him managed by Vince v Austin, The Rock, Kane, Undertaker etc.

Matches wouldnt have been great but it was the Attitude Era. Quake could work at a main event level and they could have got six months to a year out of him in marquee matches I reckon.

The major problem with Tenta then though was that he was no longer that huge, mobile bulk. He'd slimmed down and looked really quite odd with this new physique. He lost that imposing size, and the solid mass, he once had, and his leotards were almost hanging off him. He probably still would have been able to work, but he wouldn't have come across as this monster, just a weirdly out of shape flabby bloke.

It’s a really sad state of affairs, At one time she had the world at her feet, I honestly believe that she could’ve been a huge breakout star and crossed over into the mainstream with her looks, charisma and talent. I think a lot of it was wrong time. Wrong place. 1997, when she hit her pinnacle in the WWF (and most downloaded celeb or whatever it was) saw the promotion and the industry in a bit of a mess. Had she not peaked then, I think off the back of the heat wrestling was getting in ‘98 and ’99 she could’ve ended up in a mainstream movie or TV show.

But why did she end up like this? Well the substance abuse problems are a major factor, but I’ve worked with her when she came over to the UK and I have to say that she has a real problem accepting the fact her time is done.

She’s like Katie (Jordan) Price in that way. She had everything when she was young – but can’t handle the fact it’s no longer there (despite the fact she’s the one who ballsed it all up). In her mind she is still the 1997 Sunny. She has a rule (and this all from her mouth) that she wouldn’t date a man over the age of 28 and she insisted that everyman still wanted her. She sat having breakfast showing a video of her latest ‘boyfriend’ playing with himself – but I’m pretty sure it was just a generic wank video she’d pulled off PornHub or somewhere. Quite pathetic.

It’s really sad what happened to her – her book was a complete mess (and I had a major problem with her about that) and even her porn career was utter dross.

In her eyes she’s still a star and relevant – and she can’t accept it’s over. The sad thing is the industry she got involved in, and the people she associated with, screwed her up at a really young age.

The only saving grace in all this – everytime you see her a headline with her name, you almost expect it to be about her passing away. It’s sad that’s actually it’s a relief that it’s just about her going batshit mental again!