Greatest Tag Team Battles: The Rockers vs The Brain Busters - January 23, 1989 [Videos]

The Rockers consisted of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty who wrestled as a team together from 1985 until late 1991. During 1987, while known as The Midnight Rockers, the team held the AWA World Tag Team Championship titles two times for a combined 201 days. Known mainly as "good guys" throughout their formation, the team did spend a short time in the CWC with villainous personas, being self-obsessed, conceited glory seekers. However, by the time they joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1988, the tag team reverted back to fan favorites.

Managed in the World Wrestling Federation by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, the team took their name, The Brain Busters as members of the Heenan Family. The Brain Busters included professional wrestlers Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard who began wrestling as a team in the NWA in 1986. Voted 1989 Tag Team of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated, The Brain Busters were WWF World Tag Team Champions for a total of 76 days and NWA World Tag Team Champions two times in 1987 and 1988 for a combined 323 days.  Both Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012 as members of the Four Horsemen.

In a series of 69 matches across the United States and Canada during 1988 and 1989, the tag teams of The Rockers and The Brain Busters created some of the best tag team matches in the World Wrestling Federation. On January 23, 1989 at Madison Square Garden, with Hulk Hogan vs Big Bossman headlining and a "sold out crowd of 23,000" fans in attendance, The Rockers and The Brain Busters "stole the show" with an excellent classic pro wrestling match.

For historical viewing, below are five videos containing the January 23, 1989 match. The match was originally televised on the MSG Network featuring commentary by broadcasting legend Rod Trongard and Londoner Lord Alfred Hayes.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

For an extensive look at the tag team rivalry between The Rockers and The Brain Busters visit the following link "The Rockers vs The Brain Busters History."

Royal Rumble 1992: World Wrestling Federation's Greatest [Videos]

The 1992 Royal Rumble participates pictured (L-R) from entries 1 to 30

Below take a look at one of the greatest Royal Rumble matches of all time, the main event of the 1992 WWF Royal Rumble. Adding to the excitement of the 30-man match, the winner would be awarded the vacant WWF World Heavyweight Championship.

The match included some of the most accomplished professional wrestlers in WWF history, 22 of the 30 men in the match held a championship title at some point in their WWE career. The most famous participates included in the 1992 Royal Rumble match included: Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Sgt. Slaughter, Sid Justice, The Iron Sheik (Colonel Mustafa), Jimmy Snuka, The Undertaker, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, "The Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, Tito Santana, Mike Rotunda (I.R.S.), Haku, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, "The British Bulldog" Davy Boy Smith, The Big Bossman, Nikolai Volkoff.

However, due to various reasons this Royal Rumble match did have some noticeable missing participates. Notable WWF wrestlers of the time and future hall of fame members missing from the 1992 Royal Rumble included Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Mr. Perfect, and Ultimate Warrior. Nevertheless, the 1992 Royal Rumble match stands as one of the top three Royal Rumble matches in the history of the event.

Invite someone to watch the 1992 Royal Rumble for the first time and using the photo from this post, have them choose their top three potential winners. Then watch as the surprise winner takes home the World Wrestling Federation World Heavyweight Championship title. The match can also be watched in high definition on the WWE Network: http://network.wwe.com/video/v31345295

1992 WWF Royal Rumble PPV Introduction by Vince McMahon

The 1992 WWF Royal Rumble Match

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan

The Legacy of Tito Santana [Rare Videos]

Photo Credit: Steve Taylor 1986

Born Merced Solis, but known to millions of professional wrestling fans as Tito Santana, he was one of the most popular wrestlers in the 1980s. While in the World Wrestling Federation, Santana held the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship (2 times), and the WWF Tag Team Championship (2 times). Santana also was the King of the Ring tournament winner, held on October 14, 1989, in Providence Rhode Island. On that night Santana gained victories over Bad News Brown, The Warlord, Akeem, and his former tag team partner Rick Martel. Later recognized in 2004 by the WWE as a member their Hall of Fame, Santana has been involved with professional wrestling since 1977.

Outside the WWE, Santana won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship (1 time), AWF Heavyweight Championship (2 times), IWCCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time),
UCW Heavyweight Championship (1 time), USA Pro Heavyweight Championship (1 time), and the RWA Heavyweight Championship (1 time).

Merced Solis and Viola Solis, Texas 1969

From humble beginnings in south Texas, the man who would become Tito Santana was a Mexican-American migrant worker as a child picking asparagus in Illinois, strawberries in Wisconsin, and tomatoes in Indiana. Santana didn't attend school regularly until he was a freshman in high school in Mission, Texas. After high school, Santana attended West Texas State University where he was a football teammate with future WWE Hall of Famer Tully Blanchard. In 2008, Santana authored his wrestling memories in the book, Tito Santana's Tales From the Ring.


Below are SIX rare videos:

1) Merced Solis (known then as Richard Blood) vs Charlie Fulton.

July 1978 

2) Tito Santana vs. Greg "The Hammer" Valentine

July 1985 Intercontinental Championship Match ending.

3) Piper's Pit Interview with Tito Santana from August 1985.

4) Tito Santana Promo for an event at the Cow Palace in 1988.

5) Tito Santana's 2004 WWE Hall of Fame Induction

6) CBS News report on Tito Santana from June 2013.

Photo Credit: Steve Taylor 1986

Greatest Matches of All-Time: Tiger Mask vs Dynamite Kid - April 21, 1983 [Video]

NJPW Big Fight Series II 1983

Tiger Mask vs Dynamite Kid

April 21, 1983 marked a historic night in professional wrestling. The event was NJPW Big Fight Series II held in Toyko, Japan. The wrestling card included wrestlers such as Ed Leslie, Killer Khan, Paul Orndorff, Antonio Inoki, Tatsumi Fujinami, and Riki Choshu. With some good matches, the highlight of the event was the World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Title Match between Dynamite Kid (Thomas Billington) and Tiger Mask. These two wrestlers represented wrestling's most influential in-ring performers and their match highlighted athleticism and intensity.

Watch the the FULL MATCH below:

The Hart Foundation: A History of Promos 1985-1991 [10 Videos and 11 Photos]

One of the most unique combinations of tag team wrestling styles were represented in the form of the Hart Foundation. Formed in 1985, in the World Wrestling Federation, the Hart Foundation started out as one of the most villainous tag teams on television. Ranked by many as one of the "Top 10" tag teams of all-time, the Hart Foundation were two-time World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions and recently inducted as a team into the WWE Hall of Fame - Class of 2019.

Jimmy Hart's Hart Foundation talk about the "end of the Killer Bees" in 1985

"What...is a Female Dog?" Interview in 1986 with The Hart Foundation

"Billy Jerk Hayes" The Hart Foundation with Mean Gene Okerlund in 1987

"Brutal in Pink" The Hart Foundation with Mean Gene Okerlund in 1987

"25 percent...25 percent!" 1988 Promo by The Hart Foundation

"If you can bottle and contain it..." The Hart Foundation 1989 Promo

1990 Promo stating that the "The Pink and Black Attack is Back!"

1991 Interview speaking about The Nasty Boys. "We think you're scum!"

Bonus Video: The Hart Foundation - Hall of Fame Inductees - Class of 2019

Bonus Video: Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart laughing

Hulk Hogan 2017 Interview [Videos]

Hulk Hogan 

Perhaps the most recognized and most popular wrestler of the 1980s, Hulk Hogan (born Terry Bollea) has been in the public spotlight for nearly 40 years. Beginning his wrestling career in the summer of 1977, Hogan became international known by 1985 as a champion in the World Wrestling Federation.

Below is a nine minute excerpt of a 2017 interview with Hulk Hogan, as he reflects on his 40 year involvement with professional wrestling and his recent controversy leading to his firing from WWE. 

Ric Flair featured on ESPN's 30 for 30 Documentary Television Series [Videos]

Adopted as an infant, Ric Flair became one of the best professional wrestlers of all time. For many years, his wrestling persona was larger than life.

Flair had a natural ability in the wrestling ring and on the microphone. He truly is an entertainer and had an amazing professional wrestling career. In addition, it can be said that Ric Flair lived his wrestling gimmick, which also blurred the lines of entertainment and reality. He became "The Limosene Ridin’, Jet Flyin’, KISS stealin’ WHEELIN’ 'N DEALIN’, SON OF A GUN!!!!!"

Flair is officially recognized as a 16-time world champion (eight-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, six-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion, and two-time World Wrestling Federation Champion).

Entitled 30 for 30: "Nature Boy," this documentary directed by Rory Karpf examines the exciting and sometimes tragic life and career of professional wrestling legend Ric Flair. It first aired on ESPN on November 7, 2017.

Part 1: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x68bmx5

Part 2: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x68bsai

Classic WWF/WWE Moments from Halloween [Videos]

 

Halloween with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper - 1985

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper with Halloween Tips - 1989

Halloween with Stephanie McMahon - 2002

Hulk Hogan in Japan on May 3, 1993 with the World Wrestling Federation Belt [Rare Video]

Less than one month after winning the World Wrestling Federation Championship at Wrestlemania IX, Hulk Hogan took the title to Japan and wrestled an excellent match against Keiji Mutoh for the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. 

Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon at WrestleMania IX on April 4, 1993 [Rare Video]

After Bret Hart lost the World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship Belt to Yokozuna in the main event of Westlemania IX, Hulk Hogan appeared at ring side to assist Hart. In an "unscheduled" match, Hulk Hogan accepted Yokozuna's impromptu challenge and faced off against him in what turned out to be a 22 second match where Hogan won the World Wrestling Federation Heavyweight Championship.

Below is a rare video of the owner of the World Wrestling Federation, Vince McMahon embracing Hulk Hogan after Wrestlemania IX went off the air on Sunday, April 4, 1993.

Wrestlemania IX Statistics
Date: Sunday, April 4, 1993
Start Time: 4:00 PM
Venue: Caesars Palace
Estimated pay-per-view buys: 430,000 households

Tito Santana defeated Papa Shango (Dark Match) in 8 minutes
Tatanka defeated Shawn Michaels by countout in 18 minutes
The Steiner Brothers defeated The Headshrinkers in 14 minutes
Doink the Clown defeated Crush in 8 minutes
Razar Ramon defeated Bob Backlund in less than 4 minutes
Money Inc. defeated The Mega-Maniacs by DQ in less than 19 minutes
Lex Luger defeated Mr. Perfect in 11 minutes
The Undertaker defeated Giant Gonzalez by DQ in 7 minutes
Yokozuna (with Mr. Fuji) defeated Bret Hart in 9 minutes
Hulk Hogan defeated Yokozuna (with Mr. Fuji) in 22 seconds

Bobby Heenan dies at age 73

One of the most celebrated and talented contributors to the world of professional wrestling, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan passed away on September 17, 2017 at his home in Largo, Florida.

Beginning his professional wrestling career in the mid-1960s, and making his last televised pro wrestling appearance in late 2006, Bobby's 40 year involvement with the industry greatly impacted the "golden age of wrestling."

Known to be one of the best wrestling managers, Bobby was honored by the editors of Pro Wrestling Illustrated with the Manager of the Year Award in 1972, 1976, 1989, and 1991. His time managing Nick Bonkwinkel, Andre the Giant, Mr. Perfect, "Ravishing" Rick Rude, and Ric Flair are all highlights of his career.

The self-proclaimed "broadcast journalist" provided often biased and hilarious commentary. From 1993 to 2000, Bobby was a color commentary for three of the most popular professional wrestling television programs of all time: WWF's Monday Night Raw (1993), WCW Saturday Night (1994), and WCW Nitro (1995-2000). For his significant on-air impact, Bobby was honored by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter as the best color commentator for three years in a row (1992, 1993, 1994). One of his best performances can be heard, alongside Gorilla Monsoon, watching the 1992 Royal Rumble.

Rest in Peace, "The Brain"