🎤 The Two Dusty Rhodes Promos of June 25, 1988 [Videos] 🎤

🎤 The Two Dusty Rhodes Promos of June 25, 1988 🎤

Aired the same day. Two very different vibes. Same Dusty Rhodes message.

🧠 PWR Insight:

This double-promo drop which aired on the same day, gives us a rare peek at Dusty's versatility as a performer. One promo is for the people in the building—loud and charismatic. The other is for the folks watching quietly at home—raw and grounded. Both are brilliant and classic promos from one of the greatest on the microphone. 

Dusty Rhodes with Crowd Reaction

Aired June 25, 1988

Dusty Rhodes with Jim Ross

Aired on June 25, 1988

🔊 Which do you prefer? Sound Off in the Comments Section.

“Which Dusty speaks louder to you—the cowboy commanding cheers, or the red-cap storyteller talking straight to the camera?”

Audio Samples:

🎧 Dusty Rhodes Promo – Cowboy Hat (With Crowd)

View on Vocaroo >>

🎧 Dusty Rhodes Promo – Red Cap (Studio, No Crowd)

View on Vocaroo >>

 

🎤 Want to watch more Dusty Rhodes PROMOS:

Search for Dusty Rhodes on the main page search bar or visit the following: HARD TIMES PROMO, Vince McMahon speaks with "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes in 1978, Being the Badest of the Bad, The Bull of the Woods PROMO, Guest on The Brother Love Show.

💥 SummerSlam '90 Shockwave: The Rise of Power & Glory [Videos]

💥 SummerSlam '90 Shockwave: The Rise of Power & Glory

🔍 Backstory: March 12, 1990 – PRIMETIME WRESTLING

On this episode of WWF PRIMETIME WRESTLING, the popular Hercules teams up with Paul Roma.

Hercules & Paul Roma vs The Brooklyn Brawler and Black Bart

🔍 Backstory: July 8, 1990 – WRESTLING CHALLENGE

On this episode of WWF WRESTLING CHALLENGE, the popular Hercules is saved by Paul Roma.

Hercules and Jim McPhearson vs The Orient Express

🔍 Backstory: July 21, 1990 – WWF Superstars of Wrestling

On this episode of WWF Superstars of Wrestling, the Rockers try to help Paul Roma off the wrestling mat after his defeat against Dino Bravo. Roma did not like the help from the Rockers and Hercules agreed.

Paul Roma vs Dino Bravo

WWF Superstars of Wrestling

July 21, 1990

Power & Glory's first promo

WWF Superstars of Wrestling

July 21, 1990

🔍 Power & Glory Early Promos: July 1990 

Hercules and Romo introduce Slick as their Manager

WWF Superstars of Wrestling

Filmed on June 25, 1990

Aired on July 28, 1990

Power & Glory with Slick

WWF Wrestling Challenge

Filmed June 26, 1990

Aired July 29, 1990

Special Report with Gene Okerlund on Power & Glory

WWF PRIMETIME WRESTLING

Aired July 30, 1990

Hosts Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan

📅 Classic Match Spotlight: Rockers vs. Power & Glory at SummerSlam 1990

Date: August 27, 1990
Venue: Philadelphia Spectrum
Match Length:  6 minutes
Commentary:  Vince McMahon and Roddy Piper
Result: Power & Glory defeat The Rockers

🔄 Aftermath & Legacy

This match showed Marty Jannetty had solid ring ability, as he faced two-on-one for the entire match.
At Survivor Series 1990, Paul Roma’s PowerPlex helped eliminate Michaels again—keeping the feud thread alive! The Rockers were more established as a tag team, so this was a BIG victory for Power & Glory.

Power & Glory would face the Rockers a few more times on the house show circuit, with the Rockers earning a notable win during a WWF tour of Japan in 1991—a small but satisfying measure of revenge.

Shawn Michaels, despite the injury angle, would go on to become one of the greatest pro wrestlers of all time, redefining what a main eventer could be.
Roma would eventually make a surprising move to WCW and even earn a controversial spot in The Four Horsemen, while Hercules and Jannetty—both respected by fans—would fade into more transitional roles by the mid-‘90s.
This match, however, stands as a key turning point for both teams and an early glimpse into the fire that would launch Michaels into superstardom.

🔢 PWR Rating: 7/10
While the match was brief and mostly one-sided, the storytelling and implications make it a standout moment in tag team history. It marked the arrival of Power & Glory, protected a legit injury angle for Shawn Michaels, and gave Marty Jannetty a rare solo showcase. Not a classic bout, but a classic moment.

Matchguide Rating: 5.49 based on 78 votes.

💎 Hidden Gem Spotlight: Ric Flair vs. Junkyard Dog – Clash of the Champions XI

💎 Hidden Gem Spotlight

Ric Flair vs. Junkyard Dog – Clash of the Champions XI

📅 June 13, 1990 | 📺 TBS | 🏆 NWA World Heavyweight Championship

"To be the man… you’ve got to beat the man!" – Ric Flair
“Grab them cakes!” – Junkyard Dog

 

🛣 The Road to Coastal Crush

In mid-1990, Ric Flair was deep into another golden run as the NWA World Heavyweight Champion, flanked by the Four Horsemen and dodging top contenders left and right. But at Clash of the Champions XI, held in Charleston, South Carolina, he met an unlikely challenger in the beloved powerhouse: Junkyard Dog.

Though best remembered for his WWF run, JYD had made his return to the southern scene in WCW, becoming a surprise fan-favorite in the NWA title picture. This match would mark JYD’s final major world title challenge on national TV—a collision of two iconic forces, each representing a different era and style.

🔥 Match Breakdown

This was classic southern-style storytelling. The clash wasn’t about high spots—it was about attitude, charisma, and power.

• Flair bumped like crazy to make JYD look like a monster.

• JYD used his signature headbutts and brute strength to keep the champ on the run.

• Flair’s use of the chair did not work on JYD's hard head.

• The crowd? Red hot throughout, rallying behind JYD every time he rallied back.

• Just when it looked like JYD might shock the world, The Horsemen struck—causing a disqualification and beating down JYD in classic Flair fashion. 

• The brawl with Horsemen sets up Sting’s return.

💥 Aftermath & Legacy

The post-match attack set the stage for Sting’s return and reignited the fire heading into Great American Bash ’90, where Sting would finally dethrone Flair.

But for JYD, this bout was a farewell to world title contention—an underrated performance in a role he rarely got to play: the main event hero on a big TV special.

This match is often overlooked, but it’s pure pro wrestling theater—short, sweet, and packed with energy.

📼 Watch It Back

Intro for Clash of Champions XI

with Tony Schiavone

Tony Schiavone interviews Junkyard Dog

Clash of Champions XI

The Four Horsemen Speak

with Tony Schiavone

Clash of Champions XI

JYD and Flair's walk to the Ring

Clash of Champions XI

NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match

Ric Flair (c) vs Junkyard Dog

Clash of Champions XI

Post Match

Rocky King Interview

with Jim Ross

Clash of Champions XI

Watch the full Clash of Champions XI event at: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x94pjf2

📊 Match Rating 

Not a high-rated bout—Cagematch averages a modest 4.2/10—but it’s a compelling snapshot of WCW’s transition era. WCW’s direction in June 1990 was much different than WWF at the time, some saw WCW floundering while building toward Great American Bash.

🔍 Hot Tag Notes

🔹 Flair's robe game was elite here—gold trim in enemy territory.
🔹 JYD was visibly slowing down physically but still oozed charisma.
🔹 The crowd's reaction was louder than some PPVs that year!
🔹 This match helped hold fans’ interest while Sting was injured.
🔹 A surprising stat: “Cagematch voters rate it only 4.2/10—far lower than typical Clash main events

🔹Showing his physical decline, JYD still earned audible cheers, proving his connection with fans

🔹 Jim Ross and Bob Caudle on commentary = chef’s kiss 🎙

Search Ric Flair in the search bar on the homepage for more: https://prowrestlingresource.blogspot.com

🏆 WWF Jobber Hall of Fame: Inductee - Mario Mancini [Videos]

 

🏆 WWF Jobber Hall of Fame: Inductee #01

Mario Mancini

“The First Step on the Ladder to Greatness”

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📆 Active Years:

WWF: 1984–1992

🎭 Look & Gimmick:

The clean-cut, no-frills Italian-American underdog—often introduced from “Milford, Connecticut.” Basic blue trunks, black boots, and a whole lotta heart.

🔥 Greatest Bump:

Versus The Undertaker – 1990
He was The Deadman’s first televised victim on Superstars of Wrestling (Nov. 17, 1990). Took the Tombstone like a pro.

💥 Most Notable Opponents:

• The Undertaker

• King Kong Bundy

• Greg "The Hammer" Valentine

• "Macho Man" Randy Savage

• Brutus Beefcake

• "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase

• Kamala

• "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff

💡 Fun Fact:

• Mario was known backstage as a reliable and respected enhancement talent.

• He now trains future pro wrestlers at Paradise Alley Pro Wrestling in Connecticut.

• Was the first match opponent for several major stars.

📼 Match Clips:

Mario Mancini leaves the ring after a match (1984)

Mario Mancini vs "Dr. D" David Schultz (1984)

Mario Mancini vs Brutus Beefcake (1984)

Mario Mancini vs Greg Valentine (1985)

Mario Mancini vs Ted DiBiase (1991)

🔥 Claim the Gold: Harlem Heat’s First WCW Tag Title Victory [Videos]

 

🔥 Claim the Gold: Harlem Heat’s First WCW Tag Title Victory

On January 14, 1995, WCW Saturday Night broadcasted a pivotal moment in tag team history. Harlem Heat—Booker T and Stevie Ray—defeated Stars & Stripes (Marcus Alexander Bagwell & The Patriot) to win their first WCW World Tag Team Championship. Though taped weeks earlier in December 1994, this match officially launched one of the most decorated tag team runs of the '90s, making 1995 a good year for the Harlem Heat!

It wasn’t just a win. It was a statement. Harlem Heat had long hovered near the top of the tag division, bringing a street-tough attitude and unmatched charisma. With Sister Sherri guiding them, they finally captured the gold and never looked back.

The match itself saw the babyface team of Bagwell and The Patriot putting up a solid fight, using speed and teamwork, but Harlem Heat played it smart—capitalizing on distractions and Sherri’s ringside presence. When the dust settled, Booker T scored the decisive pinfall, and a new era began.

This win kicked off Harlem Heat’s reign of dominance. The team would go on to hold the WCW Tag Team Titles a record 10 times, solidifying their legacy as legends of the division.

🏆 10 Reigns of Harlem Heat – A WCW Tag Team Legacy

Reign	Start Date	Event	Opponents Defeated	Notes
🔥1	Dec 8, 1994	WCW Saturday Night (taped)	Stars & Stripes	Aired Jan 14, 1995
🔥2	Jun 21, 1995	WCW Saturday Night (taped)	Nasty Boys	Regained titles
🔥3	Sep 23, 1995	WCW Saturday Night	Buck & Slater
🔥4	Jun 24, 1996	WCW Monday Nitro	Lex Luger & Sting
🔥5	Aug 10, 1996	WCW Saturday Night	Steiner Brothers	Title reinstated
🔥6	Oct 27, 1996	Halloween Havoc	The Outsiders	Reign reversed
🔥7	Jul 13, 1997	Bash at the Beach	Hall & Savage
🔥8	Aug 21, 1997	WCW Thunder (taped)	Steiner Brothers
🔥9	Feb 21, 1999	SuperBrawl IX	Windham & Hennig	Vacant title
🔥10	Jul 12, 1999	WCW Monday Nitro	Benoit & Saturn	Final reign

Ten-time champs. Countless classic matches. Harlem Heat remains WCW’s hottest legacy in tag team wrestling.

📼 Watch the Match:

Harlem Heat vs Stars & Stripes

WCW Saturday Night 

Aired January 14, 1995

🔗 WCW Saturday Night – Harlem Heat vs. Stars & Stripes (January 14, 1995)

🥇 Legacy Spotlight:

Harlem Heat would go on to headline WCW’s tag division well into the Monday Night Wars. Booker T’s breakout singles career also makes this first title win all the more special—it’s where the legacy really began.

Harlem Heat Promo Highlights

🔥 Before the Break: Hogan vs. Orndorff, April ’85 [Videos]

 

🔥 A Hidden Chapter in a Legendary Rivalry

Before the betrayal, before the crutches, and before the steel cage showdown on Saturday Night’s Main Event, there was a handshake in Philadelphia.

On April 27, 1985, just weeks removed from the main event of WrestleMania, WWF Champion Hulk Hogan defended his title against his former WrestleMania tag team opponent, “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff. This bout, taped at the Spectrum and broadcast on PRISM, has remained largely buried in the archives—until the Pro Wrestling Resouce showcase.

What makes this match special isn't just the action. It's the moment that followed it.

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🎯 Match Breakdown

Orndorff wrestled the entire match in full heel mode—arrogant, frustrated, and clearly out to prove a point. Hogan, fresh off cementing Hulkamania on the grandest stage, was still riding the wave of mainstream stardom.

The match itself was intense and competitive, a throwback to when even WWF’s biggest stars laid it in.

And then, the unexpected.

After taking the loss, Orndorff slowly stood… and offered his hand.

Hogan, after a pause, accepted.

No low blow. No cheap shot. Just a handshake.

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📚 Context & Legacy

This match marked the start of Orndorff’s slow-burn face turn—a direction that would evolve over the next several weeks. By mid-1985, Orndorff would fully align with Hogan in a united front against heels like Piper, "Ace" Bob Orton, and Heenan.

But fans who only remember the famous heel turn in 1986 may not realize that Orndorff’s arc was built on earned trust. This handshake? It mattered. It laid the groundwork for a story that would explode the following year.

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🔥 Hot Tag Notes

• The match was taped at the Philadelphia Spectrum and aired on PRISM, a local pay TV service—an early example of WWF’s expanding national strategy.

• Commentary during this era was handled by WWF's Gorilla Monsoon and PRISM's Dick Graham—though other versions of the bout exist with different dubbing.

• This bout is a perfect snapshot of WWF storytelling before weekly RAWs, before social media angles—when a handshake in one city could echo for a year.

• This handshake subtly begins Orndorff’s shift to babyface status, which would build for months before his famous heel turn in ’86.

• This match is rarely referenced in retrospectives, yet it plants the seeds for one of the most iconic feuds of the decade.

• Orndorff’s ability to walk the line between face and heel made him one of the most believable threats to Hogan’s reign.

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📸 Screenshots & Highlights

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📼 The Match

🎞️ Watch it: Watch on YouTube

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📎 Related Reading

📖 Missed the aftermath? Check out our 2019 spotlight on their explosive feud:

👉 Hulk Hogan & Mr. Wonderful – The Feud That Could Have Been More 

✅ [Classic WWF Showdowns – 1985 Archive (coming soon)] Before the Break: Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Orndorff – April 27, 1985

🖤 Squash Match Spotlight: Bret Hart vs. Barry Horowitz

🖤 Squash Match Spotlight: Bret Hart vs. Barry Horowitz

📺 WWF Wrestling Challenge – Aired September 12, 1993
📍 Green Bay, Wisconsin (Taped August 17, 1993)
🎤 Commentary: Jim Ross & Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
⏱️ Duration: 3 minutes, 34 seconds

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💼 A LESSON FROM THE BEST

Barry Horowitz was no stranger to defeat — but when he stepped in the ring with Bret Hart, he didn’t just lose. He got outclassed.

This was Bret Hart in full technician mode: surgical precision, crowd connection, and championship swagger. Just months removed from dropping the WWF Title at SummerSlam, the Hitman was focused, fired-up, and flawless.

Horowitz, ever the pro, sold every move like a car crash. And Bret? He worked the match like he was still the champ.

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🔍 MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

• Horowitz opened with a cheap shot in the ropes, earning instant boos — classic heel jobber tactics.

• Bret responded with a hip toss, scoop slam, and second-rope elbow — the full Hitman Combo.

• Mid-match headlock sequences gave Bret time to work the pace and spotlight his control.

• Finished with a lightning-fast Sharpshooter that popped the crowd.

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🧠 LEGACY NOTE

While Barry Horowitz would gain cult status years later for his short-lived push, in 1993 he was still the textbook enhancement guy — and this match with Bret is a shining example of how to elevate both talents in under 4 minutes.

This wasn’t a squash of disrespect — it was a clinic. And it showed just how much pride Bret took in every match, title or not.

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📼 SQUASH STATS

Winner	Bret Hart
Loser	Barry Horowitz
Finish	Sharpshooter (Submission)
Time	3:34
Date Aired	September 12, 1993
Taped	August 17, 1993 (Green Bay, WI)
Show	WWF Wrestling Challenge

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🔗 WATCH IT AGAIN

📹 Bret Hart vs. Barry Horowitz – WWF Wrestling Challenge (1993)

🥩 Squash Match Spotlight: Yokozuna vs. Scott Taylor & Bert Centeno

🗻 Squash Match Spotlight: Yokozuna vs. Scott Taylor & Bert Centeno

📺 WWF Superstars – January 8, 1994
📍 Lowell, Massachusetts
🎤 Commentary: Vince McMahon & Stan Lane
⏱️ Duration: 2 minutes

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💣 A MASSIVE START TO ‘94

1994 began with a boom — or more accurately, a splat.
Scott Taylor and Bert Centeno stepped into the ring with Yokozuna, and let’s just say... they didn’t make it out the same.

With Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette lurking ringside, Yokozuna wasted no time imposing his will on the much smaller opponents. This wasn’t a match. This was a warning shot for the rest of the WWF.

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🎯 MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

• Bert Centeno opens… and is flattened immediately.

• Tag to Taylor, who tries to use speed — and gets caught mid-air with a clothesline that nearly twists him inside-out.

• The jobbers briefly attempt a double-team, but Yoko no-sells it with a Samoan growl and a double shoulder block.

• A monstrous Banzai Drop on Taylor finishes it. Centeno didn’t even get tagged back in.

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🎙️ COMMENTARY SNAPSHOT

McMahon: “Yokozuna may be more dangerous than ever in 1994.”
Stan Lane: “That’s two-for-one on the Banzai menu tonight!”

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📼 LEGACY NOTES

This match is a classic example of Yokozuna’s post-championship booking: still dominant, still terrifying, and able to take out two men with theatrical ease. For Taylor, it was an early test that he’d pass years later under a new gimmick. For Centeno… well, at least he tried.

🧠 Legacy Bonus:
Scott Taylor would go on to reinvent himself years later as Scotty 2 Hotty, but here in 1994, he was just another victim of Yokozuna’s path of destruction.

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⭐ SQUASH STATS

Winner	Yokozuna
Losers	Scott Taylor & Bert Centeno
Finish	Banzai Drop on Taylor (Pinfall)
Time	2 minutes
Aired	January 8, 1994
Taped	December 15, 1993 (Lowell, MA)

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📼 WATCH IT AGAIN

✨ Squash Match Spotlight: Aja Kong vs. Chaparita Asari [Videos]

🩸 Squash Match Spotlight: Aja Kong vs. Chaparita Asari

📺 WWF Monday Night RAW – December 11, 1995
🎤 Commentary: Vince McMahon & Jerry "The King" Lawler
🕓 Duration: 4 minutes, 5 seconds
📍 Richmond Coliseum, Virginia

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💣 BACK TO BRUTALITY

In late 1995, the WWF briefly opened the door to a new level of physicality in the women's division — and Aja Kong walked right through it.

For fans watching at home, the name Aja Kong didn’t come with much backstory. But one look at her no-nonsense entrance, face paint, and lethal demeanor told you everything you needed to know: this woman was a destroyer.

Standing across the ring was Chaparita Asari, a 4'9", high-flying dynamo with the heart of a lion and a jaw made of steel. Known for her gymnastic offense and innovative aerial attacks, Asari tried her best — but this wasn’t going to be a back-and-forth contest. This was survival.

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🎯 MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

• Asari opened fast with a springboard moonsault to the outside — a jaw-dropping move that wowed even the jaded Richmond crowd.

• Inside the ring, she hit a beautiful flipping senton… but that was the last offensive flurry she’d see.

• Aja Kong caught her, grounded her, and began the dissection.

• A brutal spinning backfist echoed through the arena — and may have legitimately rocked Asari.

• Kong dragged her opponent up like a rag doll and ended things with a devastating over-the-shoulder backdrop driver for the clean pinfall.

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🎤 COMMENTARY CLASSIC

“With Aja Kong just destroying this poor young, (Kong kicks Asari in the chest) OHH FORGET ABOUT IT, Chaparita Asari.” – Vince McMahon

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📼 LEGACY NOTE

This match was part of a short-lived push by the WWF to bring in talent from All Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling (AJW) and experiment with a more competitive women’s division. At the time, Aja Kong was lined up for a major feud with Alundra Blayze (Madusa), but plans were abruptly shelved when Blayze left the company and infamously dropped the title in WCW.

Still, for one night, Aja Kong got to show North American audiences what she was made of — and it was terrifyingly glorious.

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📼 WATCH IT AGAIN