Chico Torres

And this is where I must differ from some of my fellow Vaulters. I’ve tried with Rey v Eddie at Havoc 97 a few times and it’s obviously not bad but just doesn’t do anything for me. Same as the Eddie vs Dean Malenko matches from ECW, they are the templates for the super workratey style which has become the predominant style of today.

It happened only a few times and every time it happened it was a big deal because it’s someone attacking the nice grandpa and it was shocking. Here is the Dream Machine attacking him

For those of you who have met UKFFers in the wild, do you reference each other with your kayfabe user names or do you use SHOOT NAMES?

I remember reading an article when Lance Russell died which likened him to Kermit and the live Memphis wrestling tv show as The Muppet Show, the charming friendly uncle just trying to oversee a pleasant show but having to maintain order as it inevitably descended into chaos while surrounded by lunatics. I always enjoy him getting exasperated at some heel breaking the rules, disappointed when someone turned to the dark side or gently carrying someone nervous through an interview. Both great in their own ways but I think he’s a lot better than Solie who comes across as cold whereas Lance Russell was more folksy. While I (sadly) didn’t grow up watching Memphis wrestling, Lance was the voice of WCW when I first watched it as he was the solo host of International Pro/Power Hour. That show was mainly edited to just show matches without the promos, angles, update segments for the most part and the comparison that @BomberPat made with Kent Walton is very apt, he commentated in a way that was welcoming rather than bombastic. Also the inspiration behind those Jimmy Hart classic

One malaka had Greek Cypriot as their religion. Am I unaware of a forum obsession with When Harry Met Sally with over 200 people naming it as their favourite film? It’s a lovely forum with some awful taste in books and authors.

The first time I came across a version of the UKFF in the late 90s it was a blue (I think) bulletin board style set up. I remember when there were so many different message boards, I think it’s just UKFF and DVDVR which are still around. What can I say, this place is incredible.

He didn’t even play the music!

Two of the greatest matches of all time between Jerry Lawler and Dutch Mantell, first a no DQ match and then a barbed wire match the following week

How could I forget possibly the greatest regular entrance ever, the only true sexy boy in wrestling, Super Porky

Finally another great comp, nearly one and a half hours of the Horsemen in War Games

Full agreement on the Ravishing One as well as both face and heel Hulkster. And fully endorsing Razor Ramon with that music and oozing machismo. Arn Anderson looking like he’s just finished a hard shift, walking to the ring while eloquently narrating how he will destroy his opponent directly to the camera and then doing the cut throat gesture. Sid obviously, and more specifically early 90s WCW Sid. Infinite aura. NWA era Road Warriors rushing to the ring to Iron Man, shedding the black spike shoulder pads and murdering opponents. Ultimate Warrior for the pure energy and chaos. Rock n Roll Express circa 1984-86, as soon as Rock n Roll is King music hits the sound of screaming girls is deafening. Shout out also to The Fantastics coming out to Sharp Dressed Man and making sure every lady in the front row got a hug and kiss. When AAA was on fire in 1993-95 they had incredible entrances as a regular part of every show. The OG La Parka’s entrance to Thriller with zombie girls and dancing was amazing. The Von Erichs but especially Kerry at the height of World Class, fighting their way through the women in the crowd and full on making out with a lucky fan along the way. And their eternal enemies The Freebirds, as soon as that famous first bar hit and out would come Michael Hayes as the most charismatic preacher leading his congregation. Our Earthquake for the way they would film him from a lower angle and from the back to emphasize his fatness. Ric Flair at the height of his powers. Jerry Lawler at the Mid South Coliseum. Last but definitely not least Jacques Rougeau in any incarnation, whether wearing a cape and mockingly waving a little flag, or singing I’m the Mountie or Not the Mounties, just a complete prick. Many more of course but that’s who come to mind right now.

I believe this was the first Nitro we got in the UK, air date of March 25 1996 in the US. Refreshing at a time when WWF was doing the most boring build to the most boring Wrestlemania main event ever.

I can’t remember the conclusion but at some point after the “wedding” he was co-managing Harlem Heat but then they fired him and he then became a French legionnaire.

One of the (many) great things about Ron Wright in SMW is that when he was playing the doddery old man gimmick in a wheelchair clutching at his heart and with a cosy blanket over his legs, he was actually only in his early 50s.

I haven’t seen the AEW match but comparing something to a Nasty Boys match shouldn’t be a negative statement (although I assume that’s how Easy E intended it). Their matches with The Steiners, Hart Foundation, LOD, Cactus/Maxx Payne, Cactus/Sullivan etc were awesome, the look and gimmick were great and they always had great theme music.

Col Parker was awesome with Sid, with Stunning Steve and the Stud Stable. Came from southern wrestling royalty and when he was in WCW he was only in his mid 40s and had just come from a great run in SMW and USWA yet aged himself perfectly as a manager and played him as a full on cartoon, just great pro wrestling bullshit. His courtship of Sister Sherri was great tv, two of the best to ever do it hamming it up Im sure he was heavily inspired by the incredible Ron Wright who he was in SMW with before he came to WCW who also played the fast-talking Kentucky fried southern gent with a dodgy ticker who would have to reach for his heart meds if he got caught interfering. Speaking of whom, this may be the most offensively redneck wrestling ever as Solie (who was likely sozzled) struggles to maintain order while surrounded by a plantation owner, a German stormtrooper, a Moondog, a Mongolian Stomper and a black bodyguard and…well here you go….

Most of it is on YouTube just not as individual segments but as part of the full USWA shows. Here’s a good example, I think Memphis wrestling is best watched as full shows

This is a classic Memphis angle with some of the greatest legends of the territory in Lawler, Dundee, Lance and Jimmy Valiant. Boogie Woogie is awesome here, incredible promo and a great example of how to make a great angle in less than 10 minutes (video won’t embed here for some reason) https://youtu.be/Fq9z8xflUVY?is=0H2-MSMIXvtNCZ7Q

It can’t be underestimated how great Dundee was as a booker for Mid South in 1984. The promotion wasn’t very hot when he took over, very Watts style big man territory that was in a bit of a lull after the JYD heyday and he got great and then relatively unknown talent from Memphis in the Rock n Roll Express, Midnight Express and Cornette, other young talent like Terry Taylor and The Fantastics and Magnum TA and basically booked it Memphis style. Great episodic tv and tons of heat as has been said by @Chili

Stop being so weird about this

The Medical Examiners Office has already confirmed his death, why would a wrestling promotion confirming it make it official?

Around this time there was also a version of The Truth Commission in the USWA led by The Commandant as the Lethal Weapon 2 esque baddie with some of the same members although they also had Mantaur (I think) as a masked member. Although I’m sure he appeared at least once in WWF as well but standing next to his team mates he looked comically fat and short so he didn’t last long.

Bill Dundee was one of the all time greats, the eternal friend and foe of Jerry Lawler. Wrestlers like him can’t and won’t exist ever again sadly but him, Lawler, Jimmy Hart and Lance Russell made Memphis wrestling the best territory ever. RIP to the Superstar.

Absolutely the USWA version was the greatest version of the Nation of Domination with PG-13, Jacqueline/Miss Texas as Queen Moesha, Tracy Smothers as Shaquille Ali and various others. I think the best member might have been long time Memphis announcer/promoter Randy Hales (one of the whitest men ever) becoming Randy X.

Here’s the familiar moment you knew Friday night was going to be great when the Cartoon Network ended and transitioned to TNT which meant Nitro was about to begin.