The Real World’s Heavyweight Champion (WWF, January 19, 1992)

As Hulk Hogan was to the WWF, Ric Flair was to Jim Crockett Promotions, later World Championship Wrestling under Ted Turner. The penultimate NWA or WCW World Heavyweight champion, “The Nature Boy” was the glue that held the promotion together. But that wasn’t the opinion of a certain Jim Herd, who took over as Executive Vice President in January, 1989. […]

Rockers Kick Off (WWF, January 12, 1992)

The year 1992 kicked off in sensational fashion in the World Wrestling Federation when tag team specialists The Rockers – Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty – split up on The Barber Shop. In the lead up to the Barber Shop segment – taped December 2, 1991 and aired January 12, 1992 – there had been clear dissension after a series […]

Trashing the Competition (WCW, December 18, 1995)

Right from the start of the Monday Night War – which began on September 4, 1995 with the debut of Nitro – Eric Bischoff made his intentions felt. He knew he had to be aggressive in order to compete with the well established WWF and their flagship programme, Monday Night Raw. If Lex Luger’s unexpected return to the company on […]

Shooting From Ringside (AWA, January 25, 1975)

We sometimes hear – especially in the early days of professional wrestling – about ‘shoots’ taking place inside the ring. This was all before it became ‘sports entertainment.’ But there was a time when the wrestlers took the business very seriously, and as a result, so did the fans. There’s been tales of the public trying to get at the […]

The Kobe Sumo Shoot (SWS, April 1, 1991)

There seems to be some confusion about exactly WHEN Earthquake (John Tenta) had his “shoot” with Koji Kitao in Japan. Some sources – even JJ Dillon in his book Wrestlers are Like Seagulls – claim that it occurred in the Toyko Dome on March 30; it didn’t. While Tenta and Kitao did have a match, it was perfectly fine, and […]

The Monday Night War Begins (WCW, September 4, 1995)

The Mall of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was used just once – as far as we can tell – as a wrestling venue. While it still would not equate to comparisons to other buildings like the Tokyo Dome, Dallas Sportatorium or the old ECW Arena, it did host a momentous night in the history of professional wrestling. On September 4, […]

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 2007 – Minoru Suzuki vs. Yuji Nagata

Note: This article was written in 2017 2007: Minoru Suzuki © vs Yuji Nagata – Triple Crown titleWrestle Kingdom (attendance: 28,000 / 18,000)http://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00168_1_7 It’s the first appearance of the Wrestle Kingdom name. New Japan celebrate their 35th anniversary by inviting All Japan to compete in a joint celebration (AJPW was founded in the same year) with the intention to recapture […]

NJPW Toukon Shidou Chapter 1 2006 – Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Katsuyori Shibata

Note: This article was written in 2017. 2006: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Katsuyori ShibataToukon Shidou Chapter 1 (attendance: 31,000)http://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00167_1_8 We took a look at Shinsuke Nakamura for the 2004 event and in 2006 we meet the other two ‘New Musketeers’. Hiroshi Tanahashi and Katsuyori Shibata. Both graduates of the NJPW Dojo (alongside Nakamura), New Japan planned to build the future around […]

NJPW Toukon Festival 2005 – Heat vs. Tiger Mask IV

Note: This article was written in 2017 2005: Heat © vs Tiger Mask – IWGP Junior Heavyweight titleToukon Festival: Wrestling World 2005 (attendance: 46,000 / 36,000)http://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00165_1_3 It’s been six articles since we looked at the junior heavyweights, and you may be wondering why that is. In 2000 the role of booker in New Japan was taken over by Riki Choshu, […]