The WWE has wrestle mania tomorrow headlined by the Donald Trump vs Vince McMahon toupe match.Even though I will not be watching Wrestlemania it really should be a good show as it's the 20th anniversary of the famous wreslemania III sellout at the pontiac silver dome.
I will try to catch the WWE hall of fame inductions on USA if things work out.
April will be a huge month in the UFC. In just the next week we will see.
ultimate fight night 9 on 4-5. I will watch this event and review it on this blog
The debut of the new season of the Ultimate fighter on Spike. This season has all the making for both great drama and exciting bouts. I will try to follow this show on the blog as well.
Ufc 69 will be on PPV next Sauturday. Like wrestlemania I will not purchase the card but it should be a good show. The Koscheck vs Diego Sanchez bout should provide tremendous fireworks.
On Saturday 4-21 the UFC will be showing UFC 70 on a same day tape delay on Spike TV. This show has a very good line up. I would recommend fans take the opportunity to watch this card because it is a show I would seriously consider buying on PPv, but because the UFC could not reach an agreement with HBO you can now see this show for free on spike TV.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Time to say hello to the shut ins: Remembering Ron Morrier
It's Saturday morning in the late 1980's I am 7 years old lying in bed waiting for the signal. What was the signal?
It was my grandparents turning on KONA radio at which point I would jump out of bed run into their bedroom and pile into bed with them. Shortly after grandmother would get up and start breakfast while grandfather would do calisthenics culminating in a brisk set of twenty push ups counted out in Japanese.
Then we would go down stairs and watch Vancouver B.C. All Star Wrestling. The program was hosted by a man named Ron Morrier. Morrier like his counterpart in Portland Frank Bonnema
was a talented pro broadcaster who enhanced the show without insulting your inteligence or bashing you over the head with over promotion. Morrier would Always take the time to say hello to the shut ins at the beginning of the program.
profile here
Ron Morrier on you tube with Roddy Piper and Rick Martel Here
It was my grandparents turning on KONA radio at which point I would jump out of bed run into their bedroom and pile into bed with them. Shortly after grandmother would get up and start breakfast while grandfather would do calisthenics culminating in a brisk set of twenty push ups counted out in Japanese.
Then we would go down stairs and watch Vancouver B.C. All Star Wrestling. The program was hosted by a man named Ron Morrier. Morrier like his counterpart in Portland Frank Bonnema
was a talented pro broadcaster who enhanced the show without insulting your inteligence or bashing you over the head with over promotion. Morrier would Always take the time to say hello to the shut ins at the beginning of the program.
profile here
Ron Morrier on you tube with Roddy Piper and Rick Martel Here
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Football and Wrestling Great Ernie "The Big Cat" Ladd passed away Saturday
Career retrospective here
classic interview circa 1978 en re: Andre the Giant
The combination of Ernie Ladd and Andre the Giant was box office gold throughout the country during the 1970's.
According to Dave Meltzer's book Tributes II.
"perhaps his(Andre's) biggest opponent during the 1970's, was Ernie Ladd, a 6-9 320lb
former pro football lineman whom he drew many big gates with in battles of the giants.
Ironically, because Ladd had achieved so much fame in football before wrestling, his real height
was known, promoters never tried to exaggerate his height as would normally been the case
in those days. It was funny because Andre at the time was billed at 7-5, yet the the two were roughly the same height."
classic interview circa 1978 en re: Andre the Giant
The combination of Ernie Ladd and Andre the Giant was box office gold throughout the country during the 1970's.
According to Dave Meltzer's book Tributes II.
"perhaps his(Andre's) biggest opponent during the 1970's, was Ernie Ladd, a 6-9 320lb
former pro football lineman whom he drew many big gates with in battles of the giants.
Ironically, because Ladd had achieved so much fame in football before wrestling, his real height
was known, promoters never tried to exaggerate his height as would normally been the case
in those days. It was funny because Andre at the time was billed at 7-5, yet the the two were roughly the same height."
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Buddy Rose
Classic Portland Wrestling footage from 1983.
One of the best wrestling story lines I have seen in the last thirty years.
Perfectly constructed and superbly executed. After seven years of being
the #1 heel/badguy in the NW Buddy Rose became a fan favorite. This
could never happen in modern pro wrestling because guys go back and
forth every other month. What makes this clip even better is the supporting
cast . The Dynamite Kid (one of the best in ring performer I have ever seen who achieved tremendous success in the WWF 1/2 of the British Bulldogs tag team), Curt Hennig (another very good Wrestler who became a big star in the late eighties and early nineties), and then their is Billy Jack Haynes who could have been the biggest star of them all if he wasn't so difficult to get along with. TheIcing on the cake is Rose inviting the fans to jump in the ring. What fan hasn't dreamed of having that opportunity?
One of the best wrestling story lines I have seen in the last thirty years.
Perfectly constructed and superbly executed. After seven years of being
the #1 heel/badguy in the NW Buddy Rose became a fan favorite. This
could never happen in modern pro wrestling because guys go back and
forth every other month. What makes this clip even better is the supporting
cast . The Dynamite Kid (one of the best in ring performer I have ever seen who achieved tremendous success in the WWF 1/2 of the British Bulldogs tag team), Curt Hennig (another very good Wrestler who became a big star in the late eighties and early nineties), and then their is Billy Jack Haynes who could have been the biggest star of them all if he wasn't so difficult to get along with. TheIcing on the cake is Rose inviting the fans to jump in the ring. What fan hasn't dreamed of having that opportunity?
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Randy Couture
The first UFC Pay Per View I purchased featured a main event of Randy Couture vs Tito Ortiz.
Tito Ortiz had been the champion in the 205 lb division for three years and dominated everyone he had faced. Randy couture the former heavyweight champion had recently turned 40 and been kocked out in two of his last three fights, few gave him a chance of unseating the invincible champ.
The main event of ufc 44 was classic story of the old master vs the young hotshot bully. The fairy tale version ,where the old master has enough gas left in his tank to take the arrogant young guy to the woodshed and teach him a lesson. This bout was magical as Couture dominated the seemingly unbeatable 28 year old champion. In the prefight video package Ortiz spoke in hyperbole while Couture simply said "he's no slouch, but everything he can do I feel I can do just a little bit better. For 25 minute Couture proved his point schooling Ortiz in all facets of the fight game both kick boxing and wrestling. I was completely amazed that a fourty year old could perform at that level and even more amazed he could keep it up for 5 five minute round.
Couture had a two year run at the top of the 205 division until he was knocked out twice by UFC posterboy Chuck Liddle. Couture was now 42 and had been ko'd twice. To no ones surprise he annouced his retirement. Then a couple months ago it was annouced that Couture at the age of 43 was coming out of retirement to take on the reigning ufc heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia.
Sylvia a 6'7 monster who has to cut weight to make the ucf's 265 pound weight limit was obviusly a very dangeroug opponet for the 43 year old 6'0 220 Couture.
I decided not to buy the Pay Per View. I did not begrudge Couture for taking the fight .
Pay days for UFC main eventers have gone from 50,000 to over a million dollars. I also understood why the UFC made the bout. They had a champion who was not marketable and needed some one they could put him against who would lure pay per vier buyers. I did not think the 43 year old Couture had a reasonable chance of winning and I did not want to see him get hurt.
I have never been more happy to be proven wrong. I followed the fight on the internet.
The first site I went to crashed in the second round, due to to much traffic. the next two sites I visited had the same problem. Finally the dust settled and I was able to get the result. Randy Couture had shocked everyone again. He had duplicated his effort from the Ortiz fight,but this was even more remarkable. By all accounts the 43 year old Couture used his quickness!! to out box Sylvia, he also demonstrated his world class wrestling skills effortlessly throwing around the 265+ champion like a rag doll. Absolutely amazing!
Tito Ortiz had been the champion in the 205 lb division for three years and dominated everyone he had faced. Randy couture the former heavyweight champion had recently turned 40 and been kocked out in two of his last three fights, few gave him a chance of unseating the invincible champ.
The main event of ufc 44 was classic story of the old master vs the young hotshot bully. The fairy tale version ,where the old master has enough gas left in his tank to take the arrogant young guy to the woodshed and teach him a lesson. This bout was magical as Couture dominated the seemingly unbeatable 28 year old champion. In the prefight video package Ortiz spoke in hyperbole while Couture simply said "he's no slouch, but everything he can do I feel I can do just a little bit better. For 25 minute Couture proved his point schooling Ortiz in all facets of the fight game both kick boxing and wrestling. I was completely amazed that a fourty year old could perform at that level and even more amazed he could keep it up for 5 five minute round.
Couture had a two year run at the top of the 205 division until he was knocked out twice by UFC posterboy Chuck Liddle. Couture was now 42 and had been ko'd twice. To no ones surprise he annouced his retirement. Then a couple months ago it was annouced that Couture at the age of 43 was coming out of retirement to take on the reigning ufc heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia.
Sylvia a 6'7 monster who has to cut weight to make the ucf's 265 pound weight limit was obviusly a very dangeroug opponet for the 43 year old 6'0 220 Couture.
I decided not to buy the Pay Per View. I did not begrudge Couture for taking the fight .
Pay days for UFC main eventers have gone from 50,000 to over a million dollars. I also understood why the UFC made the bout. They had a champion who was not marketable and needed some one they could put him against who would lure pay per vier buyers. I did not think the 43 year old Couture had a reasonable chance of winning and I did not want to see him get hurt.
I have never been more happy to be proven wrong. I followed the fight on the internet.
The first site I went to crashed in the second round, due to to much traffic. the next two sites I visited had the same problem. Finally the dust settled and I was able to get the result. Randy Couture had shocked everyone again. He had duplicated his effort from the Ortiz fight,but this was even more remarkable. By all accounts the 43 year old Couture used his quickness!! to out box Sylvia, he also demonstrated his world class wrestling skills effortlessly throwing around the 265+ champion like a rag doll. Absolutely amazing!
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