Greg Gagne and The Freebirds were shown in a match in Highlander which was supposed to be from Madison Square Garden. Where they actually shot the match, I don't know. More interesting to me is the article on the top ten wrestlers to NEVER appear in WWE. #4 is New Jack. #4 IS NEW JACK?
You're right! Except for that part where that was a Bryan Danielson chant in ROH. I know, never let facts get in the way of a good troll but that was just lame Dougie
The Freebirds got a short run when Vince took notice of World Class, as well as because of Michael Hayes having a music career. He actually wanted Hayes to go solo for the benefit of the "Rock n' Wrestling" concept, but Hayes refused. There are also stories about a meeting between Vince & Hayes/Gordy/Roberts that did not go well.
In the case of the Von Erichs & Greg Gagne, the W(W)WF often brought in outside talent to work at one-shot appearances at MSG when they were still an NWA territory.
Rock n Roll Express were on a PPV, as were Kronik. Not sure how obscure that makes them in that case. The website appears to be run by fun people. Maybe one day someone will try another list and add ''Benoit'' and see if anybody notices.
Due to one of my guys having it at work and me reading through it to him on numerous occasions, I can say with impugnity that the intro paragraph is wrong and all these guys except Crowbar and Joe are actually in the WWE encyclopedia. That thing was pretty thorough, although I know a few weird ones were missing (Matt Morgan wasn't in there, for one).
I suspect it has something to do with Punk's DVD exposing the WWE Universe to the fact that an awesome wrestler named Samoa Joe exists, so why not keep acknowledging that he exists.
Maybe because, given the ECW connection, it was more plausible for Jack to hit WWE rings than for Magnum, Nikita, and the Midnights. By the time the 90s hit, most of those guys were either crippled or retired or somewhere else.
Not saying it's right; just putting up a somewhat reasonable explanation.
Yeah, there are a few interesting one-shots you can find floating around from the territory days - and not just from the WWF. I found a Lawler/Dusty/Magnum vs. Blanchard/Ole/Arn match once on YouTube (it was nothing special).
New Jack actually had a try-out in 06 IIRC around the time MVP came along.
according to the shoot i heard (cant recall which one) he did the try out, blew up like 5 minutes into the match and said something like "i shouldnt have to try out, yall know who i am and what i can do."
MX was called up to NYC during their World title run in 86 i believe to discuss a possible jump and they got the marketing pitch, rather than the "who we gonna work with" pitch.
thats in both Corny shoots... its funny how he tells the same story while in WWE and after.
Gagne match with Tonga Kid and Brunzell against the Freebirds was from a Pro Wrestling USA card I attended at the Izod Center (which was then called the Brendan Byrne arena) in East Rutherford, NJ in April 1985. I remember the camera on a wire above the ring. Didn't know what they were filming until I saw the movie. No way you have AWA guys at MSG. This match was also on the card and was exposed on TV, see at 6:45:
When the W(W)WF rejoined the NWA in 1971, they were technically obligated to both demote their top title to regional status and recognize the NWA belt as their world title (and bring in the champion to defend his title). They sort of did the latter, but they almost always promoted their own champion as the top guy.
Yeah I knew Gordy was def one of them. I remember reading somethin' once about the crowd pop was Freebird came over the speakers in MSG but that wouldnt make sense since they were already using Badstreet.
Oh yeah they had that match at one of the early '93 WCW PPVs, Superbawl III I think. And then Cornette was like "F workin' with WCW again" and he took 'em to WWF for Summerslam.
I'm seriously on the verge of changing my name for public use. Between the Glee/American Horror Story guy, this guy, the head of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and a writer for the Orlando Sentinel, I have lost ALL my Googleability.
The Sentinel writer is probably the worst, because he's Ryan T. Murphy, and because I grew up in Orlando and attended several seminars and young writer's workshops with the Orlando Sentinel back in high school, so all my old teachers probably assumed I went on to write for them. If I had actually gone to my reunion last month I'm sure it would've been extremely awkward.
They literally left WCW, did a pitstop in ECW where Styles buried them on commentary and the Dudleys mocked them in promos, and then worked for half a second in WWF where the Acolytes beat them down and they got ran off by a bunch of guys. All within less than two weeks or so, I think.
Never understood the whole "try-out" thing for established (term used loosely) dudes like New Jack -- What are you really trying him out for? To see if he can act like New Jack? He is fucking New Jack (maybe call him Dough Boy to further rip off the genre? Or just go completely racist and call him "Crip"?) -- Are you really trying to see if he can really wrestle and then you can repackage him into "Making a Difference New Jack"? -- Nonsense...
its a combo of wanting to see if you can work first hand. See if the northeast (more than likely northeast when they try you out so Vince and the inner circle can see you) markets take to you... and more than likely when/if they tell you to job do you get the booboo face. check your ego type shit.
thats why they try-out established stars from outside the bubble.
This was more of a rhetorical question but I appreciate you walking me through it as you, Flair4, and NWA88 (and a few others) can always be counted on to be pretty cool -- I think it's definitely check your ego type shit -- There's plenty of tape out there to see if an established guy can work -- If they can fit in seems to be more the impetus for tryouts -- And I suppose the definition of an established star can vary widely as a Central Californian like yours truly might know who a guy like New Jack is from reading the internet but might not recognize him outright in a whole new character -- Put 50 lbs. on Spike Dudley, change his name, shave his head and give him new tights and I'd have no fucking clue who he was...
Hindsight is 20/20. At the time Joe was being booked pretty strong, and it looked like he was a guy TNA would build around. And as bad as it has been at times for him in TNA, he's never been booked as an illiterate savage who couldn't speak English (or any other language known to man).
Greg Gagne and The Freebirds were shown in a match in Highlander which was supposed to be from Madison Square Garden. Where they actually shot the match, I don't know.
ReplyDeleteMore interesting to me is the article on the top ten wrestlers to NEVER appear in WWE. #4 is New Jack. #4 IS NEW JACK?
Oh, WWE: "You're going to get your ***** head kicked in" is a Bryan Danielson chant.
ReplyDeleteJoe's was "Joe's gonna kill you."
Not in ROH.
ReplyDeleteNever knew Crowbar had a cup of coffee in WWE.
ReplyDeleteMy large collection of ROH DVD's begs to differ.
ReplyDeleteThen I suggest you break out Main Event Spectacles.
ReplyDeleteYou're right! Except for that part where that was a Bryan Danielson chant in ROH. I know, never let facts get in the way of a good troll but that was just lame Dougie
ReplyDeleteKroniK was a weird inclusion because they had a lengthy stint in the company as Crush and Adam Bomb.
ReplyDeleteIt was a latte.
ReplyDeleteEven worse is noted douchebag Vampiro at number five.
ReplyDeleteI had the same reaction to Jack, yeah. What a trainwreck that would have been.
ReplyDeleteThey had to fill that list out with someone. Pickings were pretty slim because there was so much crossover.
ReplyDeleteThe Freebirds got a short run when Vince took notice of World Class, as well as because of Michael Hayes having a music career. He actually wanted Hayes to go solo for the benefit of the "Rock n' Wrestling" concept, but Hayes refused. There are also stories about a meeting between Vince & Hayes/Gordy/Roberts that did not go well.
ReplyDeleteIn the case of the Von Erichs & Greg Gagne, the W(W)WF often brought in outside talent to work at one-shot appearances at MSG when they were still an NWA territory.
I still think it's cool that they mention Samoa Joe.
ReplyDeleteRock n Roll Express were on a PPV, as were Kronik. Not sure how obscure that makes them in that case.
ReplyDeleteThe website appears to be run by fun people. Maybe one day someone will try another list and add ''Benoit'' and see if anybody notices.
Due to one of my guys having it at work and me reading through it to him on numerous occasions, I can say with impugnity that the intro paragraph is wrong and all these guys except Crowbar and Joe are actually in the WWE encyclopedia. That thing was pretty thorough, although I know a few weird ones were missing (Matt Morgan wasn't in there, for one).
ReplyDeleteNew Jack over Magnum, the Midnight Express AND Nikita?!?!
ReplyDeleteAt least they got #1 right
ReplyDeleteThey mention Samoa Joe on Foley's new DVD too. They must want him or something, perhaps to fill the tough samoan role on the roster.
ReplyDeleteI'll always enjoy The Undertaker just stopping in the middle of their match and just yelling out "FUCK!"
ReplyDeleteThey could have renamed this 'cross-promotional favors and guys we brought in with the intent to shit all over them'.
ReplyDeleteBut they've already got Roman Reigns for that.
ReplyDeleteI suspect it has something to do with Punk's DVD exposing the WWE Universe to the fact that an awesome wrestler named Samoa Joe exists, so why not keep acknowledging that he exists.
Public Enemy was there before they said they were. They did a dark match at Survivor Series 95.
ReplyDeleteI love how TNA is generically referred to as "the indies."
ReplyDeleteWhich one was KroniK
ReplyDeleteWhat the actual fuck?!
ReplyDeleteMaybe because, given the ECW connection, it was more plausible for Jack to hit WWE rings than for Magnum, Nikita, and the Midnights. By the time the 90s hit, most of those guys were either crippled or retired or somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteNot saying it's right; just putting up a somewhat reasonable explanation.
I knew about Samoa Joe's appearance - but I was kind of shocked that they acknowledged it due to him primarily being considered a TNA guy.
ReplyDeleteIf it wasn't on TV then it never happened :-).
ReplyDeleteYou mean Bombastic Bob Holly and Bodacious Bart Gunn doesn't count as the Midnight Express?????????
ReplyDelete14 Superstars you didn't know appeared in WWE
ReplyDeleteBY HOWARD FINKEL, RYAN MURPHY & KEVIN POWERS
Ryan.... something you wanna tell us in between drinks buddy?
ReplyDeleteHe's also a Cena running mate. Apparently they once rapped together...
ReplyDeleteThey've expressed interest in Joe before, and I think at the time Joe wasn't interested.
ReplyDeleteR&R was there during a pretty horrible stretch for the WWF/E. I was watching at the time and I had forgotten about it until they mentioned it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, there are a few interesting one-shots you can find floating around from the territory days - and not just from the WWF. I found a Lawler/Dusty/Magnum vs. Blanchard/Ole/Arn match once on YouTube (it was nothing special).
ReplyDeleteWe've mentioned this on WWE.com articles posted on the blog before, It's just a weird coincidence
ReplyDeleteNew Jack actually had a try-out in 06 IIRC around the time MVP came along.
ReplyDeleteaccording to the shoot i heard (cant recall which one) he did the try out, blew up like 5 minutes into the match and said something like "i shouldnt have to try out, yall know who i am and what i can do."
im late to the party. :(
ReplyDeleteDidn't Taka and Sasuke have another match? Maybe one where the commentary doesn't include racial slurs?
ReplyDeleteAnd you call yourself the number one draw, for Shame!
ReplyDeleteOh im the number 1 draw... undisputed.
ReplyDeleteMX was called up to NYC during their World title run in 86 i believe to discuss a possible jump and they got the marketing pitch, rather than the "who we gonna work with" pitch.
ReplyDeletethats in both Corny shoots... its funny how he tells the same story while in WWE and after.
At the time WWE simply wanted Joe to be a dancing Samoan fool like Rikishi, whereas in TNA he's booked somewhat respectfully.
ReplyDeleteI'd say it's closer to an indy promotion then any sort of competition to WWE.
ReplyDeleteI knew about the dark match, but I never knew they were in the WWF in 1999.
ReplyDeleteThat match is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure which match is in the video, but they had 2, the one at Canadian Stampede and then another on Raw the next night.
ReplyDeleteBuff? C'mon, Buff's WWE stint was legendary considering it lasted around a month or so.
ReplyDeleteGagne match with Tonga Kid and Brunzell against the Freebirds was from a Pro Wrestling USA card I attended at the Izod Center (which was then called the Brendan Byrne arena) in East Rutherford, NJ in April 1985. I remember the camera on a wire above the ring. Didn't know what they were filming until I saw the movie. No way you have AWA guys at MSG. This match was also on the card and was exposed on TV, see at 6:45:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-6OdotH_4Q&list=PL0610043FD0BB2882
When the Freebirds were there for the cup of coffee in 1984, they had Cyndi Lauper's manager David Wolff act as their manager.
ReplyDeleteAs for one shots, I loved how they brought in Harley Race as NWA Champion to take on Bob Backlund.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YF67XhcTrM
I remember it just for how bad it was. The NWA Invasion. It was like the New Nexus, if they kept going when Punk abandoned them.
ReplyDeleteWhen the W(W)WF rejoined the NWA in 1971, they were technically obligated to both demote their top title to regional status and recognize the NWA belt as their world title (and bring in the champion to defend his title). They sort of did the latter, but they almost always promoted their own champion as the top guy.
ReplyDeleteIt did not go well for them. They were gone almost overnight.
ReplyDelete'There are also stories about a meeting between Vince & Hayes/Gordy/Roberts that did not go well.'
ReplyDeleteYeah they fell asleep at a meeting or at least some of them did and they got poop-canned b/c of it.
Now that I think about it, I remember hearing about it a few days ago. Didn't P.E. fuck up backstage or something?
ReplyDeleteI was at the Tacoma Raw show.
ReplyDeleteYeah I knew Gordy was def one of them. I remember reading somethin' once about the crowd pop was Freebird came over the speakers in MSG but that wouldnt make sense since they were already using Badstreet.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah they had that match at one of the early '93 WCW PPVs, Superbawl III I think. And then Cornette was like "F workin' with WCW again" and he took 'em to WWF for Summerslam.
ReplyDeleteI'm seriously on the verge of changing my name for public use. Between the Glee/American Horror Story guy, this guy, the head of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and a writer for the Orlando Sentinel, I have lost ALL my Googleability.
ReplyDeleteThe Sentinel writer is probably the worst, because he's Ryan T. Murphy, and because I grew up in Orlando and attended several seminars and young writer's workshops with the Orlando Sentinel back in high school, so all my old teachers probably assumed I went on to write for them. If I had actually gone to my reunion last month I'm sure it would've been extremely awkward.
They literally left WCW, did a pitstop in ECW where Styles buried them on commentary and the Dudleys mocked them in promos, and then worked for half a second in WWF where the Acolytes beat them down and they got ran off by a bunch of guys. All within less than two weeks or so, I think.
ReplyDeleteAfter checking again, no Buff or Gagne. But all the rest are listed.
ReplyDeleteI think they had plans for KroniK but KroniK weren't happy with how they were presented and decided to bail.
ReplyDeleteAnyone see the one about "guys you never knew were in WCW?" I definitely didn't know that Rhino ever had a WCW match.
ReplyDeleteNever understood the whole "try-out" thing for established (term used loosely) dudes like New Jack -- What are you really trying him out for? To see if he can act like New Jack? He is fucking New Jack (maybe call him Dough Boy to further rip off the genre? Or just go completely racist and call him "Crip"?) -- Are you really trying to see if he can really wrestle and then you can repackage him into "Making a Difference New Jack"? -- Nonsense...
ReplyDeleteMan, where'd you get your NWA rulebook, the Library of Congress or something?
ReplyDeleteAt least that worked out well fo- OH WAIT.
ReplyDeleteThe last 4 years of his TNA career have been REAL respectful
ReplyDeleteits a combo of wanting to see if you can work first hand. See if the northeast (more than likely northeast when they try you out so Vince and the inner circle can see you) markets take to you... and more than likely when/if they tell you to job do you get the booboo face. check your ego type shit.
ReplyDeletethats why they try-out established stars from outside the bubble.
This was more of a rhetorical question but I appreciate you walking me through it as you, Flair4, and NWA88 (and a few others) can always be counted on to be pretty cool -- I think it's definitely check your ego type shit -- There's plenty of tape out there to see if an established guy can work -- If they can fit in seems to be more the impetus for tryouts -- And I suppose the definition of an established star can vary widely as a Central Californian like yours truly might know who a guy like New Jack is from reading the internet but might not recognize him outright in a whole new character -- Put 50 lbs. on Spike Dudley, change his name, shave his head and give him new tights and I'd have no fucking clue who he was...
ReplyDeleteLOL...the actual original intent of the NWA was to have one world heavyweight championship for one wrestler.
ReplyDeleteHindsight is 20/20. At the time Joe was being booked pretty strong, and it looked like he was a guy TNA would build around. And as bad as it has been at times for him in TNA, he's never been booked as an illiterate savage who couldn't speak English (or any other language known to man).
ReplyDeleteThe match was shot in New Jersey. Apparently if you look closely you can see the banners from the Meadowlands.
ReplyDeleteI think they brought Flair in for a one-shot against Backlund at one point too.
ReplyDeletenot lot of love for AJ Styles who's actually a great wrestler
ReplyDeleteI've watched 4 ROH joe matches in the last two days and they have literally not chanted joes gonna kill you once. You fucking sanctimonious moron.
ReplyDeleteThree days later. dude.
ReplyDeleteGet a life.
It hurts when I make you look like a fucking fool, doesn't it?
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/epmXA8w0Qjo
ReplyDeleteMe = Brody
You = Luger
Congratulations on your... win?
I hope they chant joes gonna kill you during this match!
ReplyDeleteYou're a sad fucking simpleton.