Old Memphis Wrestling

[HossCat73_rivals]

Did you go to any of the WWF stuff at Rupp back then? Had my first beer spilt on me there imp:

I went to a few in late 80s/early 90s..With my burnt out memory I saw:

Andre
Demolition
Randy Savage
Lanny Poffo (Poet by that time, Leaping Lanny before that)
Roddy Piper
Road Warriors
Kamala
Iron Sheik
Nakita Kolaff
Honkey Tonk Man
Hillbilly Jim

I honesty can't remember if I saw Hogan or not, but I swear he came to town around the same period. This woulda been before NWO Red and Black, etc..

 

[HossCat73_rivals]

dp

 

[HossCat73_rivals]

Funny what you remember..The roar from the crowd when the ring officials would tie the tag-team ropes to the top turn buckle.

That and the fist-fights in the crowd if you bad mouthed Dusty Rhodes.

 

[ZakkW]

In the profession they call those guys "jobbers", a guy whose sole job in the organization is to get bigger stars over - guys like Brooklyn Brawler, Iron Mike Sharpe, Barry Horowitz, and S.D. Jones . Sometimes, a former mid-card guy or main eventer will get relegated to "jobber to the stars" status when their push is over, which means they have an entrance and appear to be a contender, but whose jobs are to fill space on the card and get wrestlers the organization is trying to push, over. They have a good showing, give some good bumps and take control of the match at some point, but end up losing - Doink, Texas Tornado, and Koko B. Ware spring to mind here. This is typically just before you see someone like that leave the promotion.

Seems like there was a guy on there who got his *** kicked every single week. Pat something?

 

[barbourfor3]

I do remember Eddie Gilbert running over Lawler in the parking lot.


Anyone remember Lawler throwing Jimmy Hart's gold album off the bridge? Can't remember if it was in Memphis or Louisville

 

[RUPPsRevenge1]

That was back when wrestling was real.

 

[BlueBleedingMarine]

Seems like there was a guy on there who got his *** kicked every single week. Pat something?

Pat Hutchinson

 

[TexasTimCat]

Len Rossi and Bearcat Brown
Don and Jackie Fargo

Used to go the Louisville Gardens every Tuesday night with my dad and uncles; watch every Saturday morning on WDRB 41

Texas Tornado Death Match !

Good times !

 

[AustinTXCat]

I well remember Jerry Lawler and Jimmy Hart. Cool thread.

 

[AustinTXCat]

Funny what you remember..The roar from the crowd when the ring officials would tie the tag-team ropes to the top turn buckle.

That and the fist-fights in the crowd if you bad mouthed Dusty Rhodes.

I met Dusty Rhodes at a BBQ sponsored by a FL auto parts store in late 1980. Dude was a trip.

 

[MegaBlue05]

I loved Memphis rasslin'

The current Versailles police chief is the the brown-haired guy in this video promo (starts at :55 seconds)

 

[elwood_blue]

I loved Memphis rasslin'

The current Versailles police chief is the the brown-haired guy in this video promo (starts at :55 seconds)

That promo video is [laughing]. Everybody's gaydars must have been broken back then because that is some seriously fruity ish.

 

[MegaBlue05]

That promo video is [laughing]. Everybody's gaydars must have been broken back then because that is some seriously fruity ish.

Apparently they were supposed to be "boy toy" babyfaces for the ladies. The homoerotic undertones are strong on that one.

 

[Count_Dooku]

Back in the 80's the wrestlers didn't stay in Louisville. They stayed in Southern Indiana. There was a restaurant (I don't remember the name) where a number of the wrestlers ate every week. I had a relative that worked there and always talked about how nice they were, especially Jimmy Hart. Many weeks I would go to the Green Tree Mall and run into wrestlers. I ran into Jerry Lawler many times, and one time Plowboy Frasier was there with another wrestler (I can't remember who). Such great memories.

 

[rabidcatfan]

Back in the 80's the wrestlers didn't stay in Louisville. They stayed in Southern Indiana. There was a restaurant (I don't remember the name) where a number of the wrestlers ate every week. I had a relative that worked there and always talked about how nice they were, especially Jimmy Hart. Many weeks I would go to the Green Tree Mall and run into wrestlers. I ran into Jerry Lawler many times, and one time Plowboy Frasier was there with another wrestler (I can't remember who). Such great memories.

That was the good 'ole days. Back when it wasn't just sports "entertainment", but was real wrestling (at least most people believed it was real still). It started getting like that again around here for a time when OVW was affiliated with the WWE. Used to see big-time guys like Chris Benoit, Mark Henry, Edge, and Big Show (among others) walking around places like Jefferson mall or Kroger's in Louisville all the time.

 

[Wrong]

I would have my tape recorder ready to record "Everybody Wants You" when the Fabulous Ones would come out so I could play it later.

they had a rotation of cities that they would go to each and every week. my Moms cousin would go to the Louisville Gardens each week and try to fight them. He thought it was completely real.

 

[ktbug]

I am going to laugh about that video all week. Is it true that Dutch Mantell was 1/4 wolf? That dude has as much fur as a Doberman.

 

[Free_Salato_Blue]

I am going to laugh about that video all week. Is it true that Dutch Mantell was 1/4 wolf? That dude has as much fur as a Doberman.

Reminds me of George Steele. Today you don't see anyone get into the business past 30 like he did.

 

[elwood_blue]

I would have my tape recorder ready to record "Everybody Wants You" when the Fabulous Ones would come out so I could play it later.

[laughing] I used to do the same thing, but I'd record stuff from the radio. I couldn't imagine jamming some Billy Squier and 5 seconds into it hearing Lance Russell yell out "And here they are! The Fabulous Ones!"

 

[akers65]

I went to a few in late 80s/early 90s..With my burnt out memory I saw:

Andre
Demolition
Randy Savage
Lanny Poffo (Poet by that time, Leaping Lanny before that)
Roddy Piper
Road Warriors
Kamala
Iron Sheik
Nakita Kolaff
Honkey Tonk Man
Hillbilly Jim

I honesty can't remember if I saw Hogan or not, but I swear he came to town around the same period. This woulda been before NWO Red and Black, etc..

Half of that list performed at my grade school gym on several occasions. It only seats a couple hundred people. That was about 1976. Bob Hortorn Jr broke a guy's jaw, dude was trying to help his hero. One short jab and now that guy really has a glass jaw. Those fans in there were crazy.

One old lady took her pocketbook to my buddy's head because he said it was fake and her guy was going to lose.

Had a looser gets painted yellow match.

All in all everyone seemed to have a good time. I can't believe how big wrestling has grown and how many who performed there made it big.

 

[Count_Dooku]

Here is a pic of Dutch and Lance Russell taken a few months ago.

 

[UKWildcatT]

Half of that list performed at my grade school gym on several occasions. It only seats a couple hundred people. That was about 1976. Bob Hortorn Jr broke a guy's jaw, dude was trying to help his hero. One short jab and now that guy really has a glass jaw. Those fans in there were crazy.

One old lady took her pocketbook to my buddy's head because he said it was fake and her guy was going to lose.

Had a looser gets painted yellow match.

All in all everyone seemed to have a good time. I can't believe how big wrestling has grown and how many who performed there made it big.

That was actually ICW, the Poffo's outlaw group.

Funny just saw this thread. I was actually with Doug Gilbert last night and getting ready to meet up with him.

I'll ask him about the car crash with Lawler. Good dude, especially when talking about one of my favs: his brother Eddie

 

[BlueBallz_rivals30790]

Nick Bockwinkel made a few appearances. I remember them pumping him up for his first appearance by showing him carrying a refrigerator on his back.

 

[akers65]

That was actually ICW, the Poffo's outlaw group.

Funny just saw this thread. I was actually with Doug Gilbert last night and getting ready to meet up with him.

I'll ask him about the car crash with Lawler. Good dude, especially when talking about one of my favs: his brother Eddie

Yes I think it was the ICW. Man that was a while ago, makes me feel old

 

[JonathanW_rivals]

Wrestling was much better back then. Lawler, Dundee, Mantel, the Fabulous Ones, Jimmy Hart, Kamala, Randy Savage, Eddie Gilbert.

 

[BlueBleedingMarine]

Crusher Broomfiled, Ronnie "Fists of Stone" Garvin, Pistol Pez Whatley

 

[UKWildcatT]

the other nature boy, Buddy Landell. Early rock and roll express. Road Warriors made appearances here and there. I remember Fire and Flame? Tag team with fire/flame masks.

That was Don Bass and Roger Smith (Dirty Rhodes). Extremely valuable guys for Jarrett. They also had runs as the Assassins (were involved in the Kaufman angle) and the Interns in 85.

 

[BlueBallz_rivals30790]

I can't remember, need some help, a guy that showed up on occasion wearing a cowboy hat, bull whip and wrestled the whole time with a chew in his mouth. As the guy would be laying there, he would spit tobacco on them.

 

[UKWildcatT]

Dutch Mantel

 

[WildcatFan1982]

I can't remember, need some help, a guy that showed up on occasion wearing a cowboy hat, bull whip and wrestled the whole time with a chew in his mouth. As the guy would be laying there, he would spit tobacco on them.

That sounds like Stan Hansen but I'm not sure he ever wrestled in Memphis.

 

[UKWildcatT]

That sounds like Stan Hansen but I'm not sure he ever wrestled in Memphis.

He wrestled one TV match against Tom Prichard, winning the "TV title" (a short lived title). Hansen promptly challenged Austin Idol for the International Title (beating him the following week).

They feuded around the horn with Idol finally regaining the title in a bull rope match. Hansen then left the territory (was only around a month or so)

 

[HossCat73_rivals]

Stan Hansen partnered up with Ole Anderson there for awhile, too.

 

[UKWildcatT]

Stan Hansen partnered up with Ole Anderson there for awhile, too.

That was Georgia, not Memphis

 

[HossCat73_rivals]

That was Georgia, not Memphis

ok...speaking of Stan Hansen, at one point in time he was tag team partners with Ole Anderson.

 

[Spanish Radio]

Yes I think it was the ICW. Man that was a while ago, makes me feel old

I saw the Macho Man and Ronnie Garvin put on an hour and thirty minute steel cage match at Prestonsburg High School gym. That match was amazing. During that match everyone went down to ring side. I think my dad paid $15 for us to see that card.

Can't remember much about the rest of the card except that I had a great time as a 12 year old.

As an aside the biggest pop I ever heard was Lawler being lowered from the ceiling in Rupp Arena with the Prelude to Rocky's theme playing. The kids stomping on the risers at Rupp, sounded like an earthquake, when Lawler was in trouble was amazing. I thought the seating might collapse and kill us.

 

[akers65]

I saw the Macho Man and Ronnie Garvin put on an hour and thirty minute steel cage match at Prestonsburg High School gym. That match was amazing. During that match everyone went down to ring side. I think my dad paid $15 for us to see that card.

Can't remember much about the rest of the card except that I had a great time as a 12 year old.

As an aside the biggest pop I ever heard was Lawler being lowered from the ceiling in Rupp Arena with the Prelude to Rocky's theme playing. The kids stomping on the risers at Rupp, sounded like an earthquake, when Lawler was in trouble was amazing. I thought the seating might collapse and kill us.

P-burg is just down the road a bit
My grade school was Martin

 

[UKWildcatT]

I saw the Macho Man and Ronnie Garvin put on an hour and thirty minute steel cage match at Prestonsburg High School gym. That match was amazing. During that match everyone went down to ring side. I think my dad paid $15 for us to see that card.

Can't remember much about the rest of the card except that I had a great time as a 12 year old.

That was another ICW show and I hope that $15 was the total for the whole family.

 

[Spanish Radio]

That was another ICW show and I hope that $15 was the total for the whole family.

3 of us. I couldn't imagine the 2 top performers at WWE putting in an hour and half in a steel cage today.

Lucha Underground is having one match for an hour next week.

 

[UKWildcatT]

This is still ICW related, but Garvin "outed" Savage on TV, saying he has a Poffo and was in jail after being busted shoplifting steaks.

The ICW group, which had some legit shooters like Bob Roop, Orton, would go to Rupp Arena to challenge the Jarrett group to legit fights

 

[UKWildcatT]

Here's a great old poster in this thread
(Can't figure out how to post pics)

http://wrestlingclassics.com/cgi-bin/.ubbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=print_topic;f=1;t=114113