KingofSports Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 On 28/03/2018 at 4:32 PM, BomberPat said: Fell down a bit of a Kendo Nagasaki rabbit hole following the announcement of his autobiography, and discovered his name listed on a few RJPW shows. I enjoyed the few RJPW shows I'd seen - a bonkers mix of shoot-style, old legends well past their prime, and bonkers gimmicks. I particularly loved the Original Tiger Mask vs. Atsushi Onita feud they did there a few years back. Seeing the name, I'd assumed it was the Japanese version - but the thing that made me look into it was that his opponent was listed as Sammy Lee Jr. It wasn't a name I'd come across before, though obviously recognised that Sammy Lee was Sayama's old ring name - RJPW was/is Sayama's promotion, and he had handed down other past gimmick names to other wrestlers there in the past; Tiger Mask V, Super Tiger 2, and so on, but Sammy Lee Jr was a new one on me. Googling that one for more information, it turns out that Sammy Lee Jr was Kota Ibushi. Not only that, but the Kendo Nagasaki he fought wasn't the Japanese guy, it actually seems to have been Peter Thornley. The match was in 2008, so seems to be in line with Kendo's comeback in LDN, but I'm amazed all of this had passed me by. The Nagasaki name also pops up on a handful of RJPW shows into 2015, including matches either against or teaming with Gran Hamada, Ultimo Dragon, Great Sasuke. Anyone know anything about this? It sounds completely implausible to me that, outside of maybe the 2008 match, Kendo Nagasaki was wrestling in Japan, but I've read recaps/reviews of at least one RJPW show he appeared on that claims it was the British Kendo. I wouldn't put it past Sayama to have just stuck someone else under the mask, but has anyone seen any footage or photos of these shows? If it was him, is there a more bonkers "I never would have thought that could possibly have happened anywhere" match than Kendo Nagasaki vs. Kota Ibushi?! EDIT: Wikipedia is saying that the RJPW version is Kendo Nagazaki, and likely a Sayama trainee - which is certainly more plausible! Still seems to be absolutely no information anywhere, though, and I'm still curious about that Sammy Lee Jr match - and the insistence in recaps elsewhere that it's the British original. Surely you'd be able to tell watching a show whether the bloke you're watching is an unknown trainee or a bloke in his mid-60s? Thornley trained in Japan mid-late 60s. I remember doing some research a few years back, but whilst there is footage available from around that period, primarily JWA, I couldn't find any of his matches on tape. I think he worked in Mexico for a while as well - I could be mistaken. The only Kendo Nagasaki I've seen or heard referenced over there is Sakurada. Last thing I heard about Sayama was that he's training a new Tiger Mask, presumably an unknown. I have footage of what I believe may have been the only time where there were 4 genuine Tiger Masks in the ring at the same time. Oddly enough that was from a WKA show (World Karate Association). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Carbomb Posted March 29, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 29, 2018 7 hours ago, The Dart said: Hadn't anyone clued you in before that show? That he doesn't talk to anyone, etc. I'm surprised you didn't know what to expect! I had the absolute pleasure of working on I think 6 shows he was on, including the one in Ware you mentioned. Such a unique individual. Some had, but others I'd met had said things like "Ah, that's just some bitter people, he's fine", so didn't know which side to believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members PunkStep Posted March 30, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 30, 2018 Every story I've heard about him from some of the old boys, some from his old tag team partner Blondie Barrett, supports the theory that he was an utterly bizarre and inclusive (perhaps reclusive) individual. Lived the gimmick to the point that he became the gimmick and not a pleasant individual by all accounts. Ultra protective of himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEGABUCKS Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 Just saw WWE instagram page post a picture of Hulk Hogan with Big Show from The Andre the Giant premiere from today. Maybe Hulk is on good terms with WWE and could be at Wrestlemania? Maybe even as the mystery partner of Strowman or even in The Andre battle royal? Ok maybe not but looks like they are starting to acknowledge him again. They could have easily not post it if he was still in the dog house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members air_raid Posted March 30, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 30, 2018 They've been talking to Hogan, it's no secret. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted March 30, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 30, 2018 Their statement yesterday seems clear they don’t think it’s time yet: “Hulk Hogan is an important part of Andre the Giant's history, however his appearance at tonight's HBO premiere of the documentary and his plans to help others learn from his mistakes does not mean WWE is rehiring him. Hogan is not scheduled to be at any upcoming WWE events." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d-d-d-dAz Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 (edited) Even their statement last week when they admitted they’d had talks was tepid, at best. It was something like “we have been speaking to Mr Bollea about how best to use his considerable experience to make sure the current crop of superstars don’t make the same mistakes he did”. Which is a sly dig if ever I’ve heard one. Edited March 30, 2018 by d-d-d-dAz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members Supremo Posted March 30, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 30, 2018 “Have I got a second series?” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van Dammer Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 7 hours ago, Supremo said: Their statement yesterday seems clear they don’t think it’s time yet: “Hulk Hogan is an important part of Andre the Giant's history, however his appearance at tonight's HBO premiere of the documentary and his plans to help others learn from his mistakes does not mean WWE is rehiring him. Hogan is not scheduled to be at any upcoming WWE events." I think they're trying to gauge reaction to a potential return. They clearly want to do something so are drip feeding rumours to see how the media and fans react to it. Personally I dont think there will be that much of a reaction if he does return. He will be back in the next 12 months in some form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members WeeAl Posted March 30, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 30, 2018 I've been watching a few old WrestleMania shows this month. Six, ten and nineteen to be exact. I remember my belief at the time being that Mania 19 was a great show, one of the best ones overall at that point, mostly due to Austin/Rock, Jericho/Michaels, Brock/Kurt and the violence of McMahon and Hogan. However from watching it back, the whole bloody show actually delivers. All of the undercard matches are a heap of fun, including Taker Vs Big Show and Japanese Albert. What stood out to me now, that didn't at the time, was the pace of these short matches. These days there seems to be a general consensus that the in ring action, for the most part, is better than at any point in the past, even if the roster from top to bottom isn't quite as over as at some other periods. However I find that an awful lot of the sub ten minute matches (the lower and middle card ones anyway) on a WWE PPV show these days don't put enough of a focus on maximising their time, and use rest holds and a much more repeatable, generic match layout. Mysterio/Hardy, Los Guerrero's/Team Angle/Benoit&Rhyno and the aforementioned handicap match were all extremely fast paced, exciting and had twists and turns in their short time frame, whereas quite often today it feels like similarly placed matches on a PPV would feel like they are going to go twenty minutes and then have a sudden finish at eight and it feels like the match never even got going. I don't know if maybe I'm just forgetting the PPV being better throughout than I recall, or if it's just the 'member berries talking, but i'm beginning to wonder is this whole idea of the 'overall in ring action being so much better today', a bit of an exaggeration? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dart Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 One of the best Manias ever in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members WeeAl Posted March 30, 2018 Paid Members Share Posted March 30, 2018 4 minutes ago, The Dart said: One of the best Manias ever in my opinion. Oh certainly. I always had it in my head that it was because all of the main events, or 'featured attractions' delivered. Really though, almost everything delivered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CavemanLynn Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 There's undoubtedly a match formula that WWE talent follow regardless of match length. Then again, look at some of the names you mention in the "filler" matches - Mysterio, Benoit, Guerrero - most of those guys had over a decade of experience in other promotions all over the world. I seriously doubt they were having their matches plotted out by a road agent in the back. The current formula is just a sign of the system, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoUseforaUsername Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 So Triple H is a legit 6 ft. 1 at best these days. Hogan is an inch or so taller than him in that pic. Wasn't Hogan billed as 6 ft. 8 at his peak? I know they exaggerate, but bloody hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfoote Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 Hulk Hogan is 6'8, brutha, Terry Bollea is only 6'2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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