1.
Ted DiBiase Jr.
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Theodore Marvin Ted DiBiase Jr. is an American entrepreneur, actor and retired professional wrestler, best known for his time with WWE. After being trained by Chris Youngblood and Harley Races Wrestling Academy and he won the Fusion Pro Tag Team Championship with his brother Mike DiBiase in February 2007, and also toured Japan with Pro Wrestling Noah. Due to injury, he relinquished the championship in January 2008 and he made his WWE television debut on May 26,2008, and quickly formed a tag team with Cody Rhodes. The duo won the World Tag Team Championship twice before forming The Legacy faction alongside Randy Orton, following The Legacys dissolution, DiBiase moved into singles competition and received the Million Dollar Championship from his father Ted DiBiase. DiBiase left WWE in 2013 due to commitments and other business pursuits. Aside from professional wrestling, DiBiase is also an actor, making his debut in The Marine 2. DiBiase was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and was raised in Clinton and he knew fellow professional wrestler Christie Ricci as a child, as they attended a Sunday school class together. He graduated from Clinton High School in 2001, at Clinton, DiBiase was the football teams starting quarterback. He enrolled at Mississippi College in Clinton and was a wide receiver for Mississippi Colleges football team before leaving the squad following his freshman season. He also played soccer in college, and received awards in both sports and he graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Business Administration. During his time in college, DiBiase considered becoming a minister, DiBiase and his older brother Mike DiBiase, received professional wrestling training from Chris Youngblood in Amarillo, Texas, before going to train at Harley Races Wrestling Academy. The DiBiase brothers made their professional wrestling debut on July 8,2006 for World League Wrestling, on February 17,2007, they won the Fusion Pro Tag Team Championship by defeating Raheem Rashaad and Juntsi. In early 2007, DiBiase also wrestled on tours in Japan for Pro Wrestling Noah, in July 2007, DiBiase signed a developmental deal with World Wrestling Entertainment and debuted in their training territory Florida Championship Wrestling. He made his FCW debut on August 4 in a tag match, in which he and Jake Hager defeated Keith Walker. In October, DiBiase became a member of the Next Generation Hart Foundation faction alongside Harry Smith, TJ Wilson, Nattie Neidhart and he quickly separated from the group, however, and gained Maryse as a valet. On December 18,2007, DiBiase defeated TJ Wilson to win the FCW Southern Heavyweight Championship in New Port Richey, Florida. DiBiase, however, was unable to defend it due to an injury sustained, as of March 2008, DiBiase had suffered from a multitude of injuries including sciatica, a fractured left knee, separated ribs, broken finger, and bone spurs in his elbow. Due to these injuries, DiBiase competed sporadically in FCW for the few months
2.
Miami, Florida
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Miami is a seaport city at the southeastern corner of the U. S. state of Florida and its Atlantic coast. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, Miamis metro area is the eighth-most populous, Miami is a major center, and a leader in finance, commerce, culture, media, entertainment, the arts, and international trade. In 2012, Miami was classified as an Alpha−World City in the World Cities Study Groups inventory, in 2010, Miami ranked seventh in the United States in terms of finance, commerce, culture, entertainment, fashion, education, and other sectors. It ranked 33rd among global cities, in 2008, Forbes magazine ranked Miami Americas Cleanest City, for its year-round good air quality, vast green spaces, clean drinking water, clean streets, and citywide recycling programs. According to a 2009 UBS study of 73 world cities, Miami was ranked as the richest city in the United States, Miami is nicknamed the Capital of Latin America and is the largest city with a Cuban-American plurality. Miami has the third tallest skyline in the U. S. with over 300 high-rises, Downtown Miami is home to the largest concentration of international banks in the United States, and many large national and international companies. The Civic Center is a center for hospitals, research institutes, medical centers. For more than two decades, the Port of Miami, known as the Cruise Capital of the World, has been the number one cruise port in the world. It accommodates some of the worlds largest cruise ships and operations, Metropolitan Miami is the major tourism hub in the American South, number two in the U. S. after New York City and number 13 in the world, including the popular destination of Miami Beach. The Miami area was inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous Native American tribes, the Tequestas occupied the area for a thousand years before encountering Europeans. An Indian village of hundreds of people dating to 500–600 B. C. was located at the mouth of the Miami River, in 1566 the explorer, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, claimed it for Spain. A Spanish mission was constructed one year later in 1567, Spain and Great Britain successively controlled Florida, and Spain ceded it to the United States in 1821. In 1836, the US built Fort Dallas as part of its development of the Florida Territory and attempt to suppress, the Miami area subsequently became a site of fighting during the Second Seminole War. Miami is noted as the major city in the United States conceived by a woman, Julia Tuttle, a local citrus grower. The Miami area was known as Biscayne Bay Country in the early years of its growth. In the late 19th century, reports described the area as a promising wilderness, the area was also characterized as one of the finest building sites in Florida. The Great Freeze of 1894–95 hastened Miamis growth, as the crops of the Miami area were the ones in Florida that survived. Julia Tuttle subsequently convinced Henry Flagler, a tycoon, to expand his Florida East Coast Railway to the region
3.
Clinton, Mississippi
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Clinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi, the population was 25,216 at the 2010 United States Census. Founded in 1823, Clinton was originally known as Mount Salus and it was named for the plantation home of Walter Leake, third governor of Mississippi, which was located in Clinton and built in 1812. In 1828, the city changed its name to Clinton in honor of DeWitt Clinton, the first road through Mount Salus/Clinton was the Natchez Trace, improved from a centuries-old Native American path. Currently Clinton has three highways that pass through the city, U. S. Route 80, Interstate 20 and the Natchez Trace Parkway, Mississippi College is the second oldest Baptist university in the world, and was the first coeducational college in the United States to grant a degree to a woman. Clinton is home to sports teams known as the Clinton Arrows, hillman College, originally for women, was founded in 1853 as Central Female Institute, supported by the Central Baptist Association. It changed its name in 1891, Mount Hermon Female Seminary, a historically black college, was established in 1875 by Sarah Ann Dickey. It closed in 1924 as students moved to co-educational institutions, the Clinton-Vicksburg Railroad was the second-oldest in the state, incorporated in 1831. It contributed to the export of 20,000 bales of cotton annually from this city, cotton from three surrounding counties was shipped through Clinton and by rail to Grand Gulf on the Mississippi. Grant had mistakenly believed that John C, pemberton, a Confederate general, would attack him at Clinton. Grant finally took Vicksburg in this campaign and it was disrupted by white insurgents. Among the black victims were schoolteachers, church leaders and local Republican organizers, whites had been attacking black and white Republicans in every election cycle, and that year the paramilitary Red Shirts arose in the state to suppress black voting. During World War II, Camp Clinton was established, a German POW camp south of town which housed about 3,000 German soldiers, most of the prisoners were from the Afrika Korps. Of the 40 German generals captured in the war, Camp Clinton housed 35 of them, the German soldiers provided the labor to build a replica model of the Mississippi River Basin for the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, used for flood prevention. Clinton, the smallest city to ever host a Fortune 500 company, was the headquarters for WorldCom from the mid-1990s until 2002 and it went bankrupt due to what was at the time the largest accounting scandal in U. S. history. The financial dealings resulted in fraud-related convictions of Bernard Ebbers, CEO and Scott Sullivan, the company changed its name to MCI and moved its corporate headquarters location to Ashburn, Virginia. It still occupies the massive former WorldCom compound in Clinton, on April 15,2011, an EF3 tornado struck the city at about 11,00 a. m
4.
Mike DiBiase (born 1977)
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Michael Mike Wills Foreman DiBiase is an American retired professional wrestler. A third generation wrestler, DiBiase is the grandson of Iron Mike DiBiase and Helen Hild, while there, DiBiase became the first-ever PWF West Texas Wrestling Legends Heritage Champion. He also won the 2006 Jay Youngblood Memorial Tag Team Tournament Cup alongside Radical Ricky Romero III, DiBiase and Romero became the first tag team in professional wrestling that consisted of two third generation superstars, and became known as Team 3G. In mid-2006, the DiBiase brothers went to train with former NWA World Heavyweight Champion and WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race, the DiBiase brothers began working as a tag team, and made their debut in April 2006, beating the then-WLW Tag Team Champions. DiBiase continued his stay in WLW and became one half of The WLW Tag Team Champions with Wild Wade Chism, on January 13,2007, DiBiase returned to PWF for their Wrestlution event, where he defeated Mosh Pit Mike. Both DiBiase and his brother Ted signed contracts with Pro Wrestling Noah in late January, in February 2007, DiBiase suffered a torn ACL during a training session with Race. DiBiase had immediate surgery and was out of action for five months. Due to his injury, he and “Wild” Wade Chism were stripped of the WLW Tag Team Titles, during his injury, DiBiase relocated back to Amarillo, Texas and began scouting matches and offering advice to young wrestlers. He also made several in-ring appearances at the weekly events, on March 3,2007, he vowed to win the PWF West Texas Wrestling Legends Heritage Championship, after he had returned. His next appearance was on April 28,2007, when he awarded the 2007 Jay Youngblood Memorial Tag Team Tournament Cup to the team Pain Inc, on December 8,2007, DiBiase won the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship by defeating Damien Wayne in Las Vegas, Nevada. DiBiase added the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship to his collection on August 6,2008, defeating Chaz Taylor in Amarillo and he was later stripped of the title, however, for missing a scheduled title defense on October 4. On May 1,2009, DiBiase lost the NWA North American Championship to Apollo and he retired from professional wrestling later that year. DiBiase is a third generation wrestler, his grandfather, Iron Mike DiBiase, and his grandmother, Helen Hild, were professional wrestlers. Both his younger half brothers Ted Jr. and Brett wrestled professionally, DiBiase competed in amateur wrestling, college football, and soccer, before becoming a professional wrestler. He also worked as an account executive for MCI WorldCom, on January 23,2014, DiBiase was arrested following a 12-hour standoff with police in Amarillo, Texas. Initially sought by police for a violation, a SWAT team used tear gas to arrest DiBiase for both the parole violation and hindering apprehension. Finishing moves Million Dollar Dream Signature moves Dropkick Fusion Pro Wrestling Fusion Pro Tag Team Championship – with Ted DiBiase Jr
5.
Brett DiBiase
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Brett DiBiase is an American retired professional wrestler and professional wrestling referee. He is best known for his time in Florida Championship Wrestling and he is a former FCW Florida Tag Team Champion with Joe Hennig as The Fortunate Sons. DiBiase is a third generation professional wrestler and his grandmother Helen Hild and adoptive grandfather Iron Mike DiBiase were professional wrestlers, as was his father, The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase. DiBiases older brothers, Mike and Ted Jr. are also professional wrestlers, DiBiase made his debut for World Wrestling Entertainment s developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling, in mid-2008. On August 19, DiBiase defeated Sheamus OShaunessy, but was defeated by Stu Sanders the following week, throughout the end of the year, he continued wrestling in FCW, competing against wrestlers including Gavin Spears, Dolph Ziggler, and Sinn Bowdee. In early 2009, DiBiase competed sporadically for FCW, although he teamed regularly with fellow wrestler, Maverick Darsow. He also competed in tag team and singles matches, and defeated Byron Saxton in late March. DiBiase made his FCW television debut on the May 17,2009 episode, a few weeks later, DiBiase competed in a battle royal to become the number one contender for the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship, but was eliminated. On the June 7 episode of FCW, DiBiase lost to Klein and they competed against each other on numerous occasions throughout June, July and August. At WWEs SummerSlam pay-per-view in August 2009, DiBiase made an appearance as a fan in the audience. The following night, on August 24, DiBiase made his debut on Raw, appearing in segments with The Legacy faction consisting of Orton, Cody Rhodes. After his appearance on Raw, he returned to FCW, where he formed a tag team with Joe Hennig known as The Fortunate Sons, on January 14,2010 at an FCW television taping, The Fortunate Sons won the FCW Florida Tag Team Championship by defeating The Dudebusters. On March 13, The Fortunate Sons lost the titles to The Uso Brothers, at the April 8 FCW television tapings, Hennig blamed DiBiase for the loss, and in a match the two fought to a double disqualification. At an FCW event on April 29, DiBiase faced Hennig again and he underwent surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament on May 18. During his rehabilitation time, DiBiase joined the team for FCWs television program. In May 2011 it was reported that DiBiase had begun to train as a due to on-going problems with his knee. On August 22, DiBiases father revealed that due to continuing problems after four surgeries. According to his father, DiBiase was to be released from his contract at the end of the month, DiBiase is a third generation wrestler
6.
Iron Mike DiBiase
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Michael DiBiase was an Italian American professional wrestler, also known by his ring name Iron Mike DiBiase. The adoptive father of professional wrestler The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, he was married to Teds mother Helen Hild, as an amateur wrestler, DiBiase, representing the US Navy, was the 1946 AAU champion in the UNL division. He then wrestled at the University of Nebraska, and competed at UNL in the NCAA tournament in 1947 and 1948, DiBiase made his professional debut in 1950. In 1963, DiBiase became the 131st and last knockout victim of light heavyweight boxer Archie Moore, DiBiase is one of the few professional wrestlers to die during a match. On July 2,1969, in Lubbock, Texas, DiBiase had a heart attack in the ring during a match with Man Mountain Mike. Harley Race, recognizing a heart attack, attempted to perform CPR on DiBiase, DiBiase was pronounced dead at the hospital
7.
Professional wrestling
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Professional wrestling is a dramatized athletic performance that portrays a combat sport. Various forms of weaponry are sometimes used, the content – including match outcomes – is scripted and choreographed, and the combative actions and reactions are performed to appear violent without injuring the wrestlers. Before the 1980s, these facts were considered trade secrets, in the mid-90s, the presentation of scripted events as legitimate is known as kayfabe. Although the combative content is staged and communicated between the wrestlers, there are physical hazards involved - including permanent injury and death. While it has declined in Europe, in North America it has experienced several different periods of prominent cultural popularity during its century. The advent of television gave professional wrestling a new outlet, unlike in Europe, show wrestling has become especially prominent in Japan and in North America. In Brazil, there was a popular wrestling television program from the 1960s to the early 1980s called Telecatch. High-profile figures in the sport have become celebrities or cultural icons in their native or adopted home countries, although professional wrestling started out as petty acts in sideshows, traveling circuses and carnivals, today it is a billion-dollar industry. Revenue is drawn from live event ticket sales, network television broadcasts, pay-per-view broadcasts, personal appearances by performers, branded merchandise, pro wrestling was also instrumental in making pay-per-view a viable method of content delivery. Annual shows such as WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, and formerly Bash at the Beach, Halloween Havoc, home video sales dominate the Billboard charts Recreational Sports DVD sales, with wrestling holding anywhere from 3 to 9 of the top 10 spots every week. Due to its persistent cultural presence and to its novelty within the performing arts, there have also been many fictional depictions of wrestling, the 2008 film The Wrestler received several Oscar nominations and began a career revival for star Mickey Rourke. Because actual events are often co-opted by writers for incorporation into storylines for the performers, special care must be taken when talking about people who perform under their own name. The actions of the character should be considered fictional events, wholly separate from the life of the performer and this is similar to other entertainers who perform with a persona that shares their own name. Some wrestlers will incorporate elements of their real-life personalities into their characters, even if they and those who participated felt that it was necessary that spectators should be kept in a constant and complete illusion of a real competition to keep audience interest. For decades, up until the mid-1980s, wrestlers lived their lives as though they were their characters. Wrestlers, bookers and promoters all rigorously enforced the illusion and very few were allowed into the society of professional wrestling to maintain suspension of disbelief. The practice of keeping the illusion, and the methods used to do so, came to be known as kayfabe within wrestling circles. An entire lexicon of slang jargon and euphemism developed to allow performers to communicate without outsiders knowledge of what was being said, occasionally a performer will deviate from the intended sequence of events
8.
Omaha, Nebraska
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Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, Omaha is the anchor of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, which includes Council Bluffs, Iowa, across the Missouri River from Omaha. According to the 2010 census, Omahas population was 408,958, according to the 2014 Population Estimates, Omahas population was 446,599. Including its suburbs, Omaha formed the 60th-largest metropolitan area in the United States in 2013, the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, Nebraska-IA Combined Statistical Area is 931,667, according to the U. S. Census Bureaus 2013 estimate. There are nearly 1.3 million residents within the Greater Omaha area, comprising a 50-mile radius of Downtown Omaha, Omahas pioneer period began in 1854, when the city was founded by speculators from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa. The city was founded along the Missouri River, and a crossing called Lone Tree Ferry earned the city its nickname, Omaha introduced this new West to the world in 1898, when it played host to the Worlds Fair, dubbed the Trans-Mississippi Exposition. During the 19th century, Omahas central location in the United States spurred the city to become an important national transportation hub, throughout the rest of the 19th century, the transportation and jobbing sectors were important in the city, along with its railroads and breweries. In the 20th century, the Omaha Stockyards, once the worlds largest, Omaha is also the home to five Fortune 1000 headquarters, Green Plains Renewable Energy, TD Ameritrade, Valmont Industries, Werner Enterprises, and West Corporation. And Leo A Daly, the Gallup Organization, of Gallup Poll fame, Enron began in Omaha as Northern Natural Gas in 1930, before taking over a smaller Houston company in 1985 to form InterNorth, which Kenneth Lay moved permanently to Houston, in 1987. The modern economy of Omaha is diverse and built on skilled knowledge jobs, in 2009, Forbes identified Omaha as the nations number one Best Bang-For-The Buck City and ranked it number one on Americas Fastest-Recovering Cities list. Also, Omaha hosted the U. S. Olympic swim trials in 2008,2012 and 2016, the word Omaha means Dwellers on the bluff. In 1804 the Lewis and Clark Expedition passed by the riverbanks where the city of Omaha would be built, there was fierce competition among fur traders until John Jacob Astor created the monopoly of the American Fur Company. The Mormons built a town called Cutlers Park in the area in 1846, while it was temporary, the settlement provided the basis for further development in the future. Through 26 separate treaties with the United States federal government, Native American tribes in Nebraska gradually ceded the lands comprising the state. The treaty and cession involving the Omaha area occurred in 1854 when the Omaha Tribe ceded most of east-central Nebraska, Logan Fontenelle, an interpreter for the Omaha and signatory to the 1854 treaty, played an essential role in those proceedings. Before it was legal to claim land in Indian Country, William D. Brown was operating the Lone Tree Ferry to bring settlers from Council Bluffs, Brown is generally credited as having the first vision for a city where Omaha now sits. The passage of the Kansas–Nebraska Act in 1854 was presaged by the out of claims around the area to become Omaha by residents from neighboring Council Bluffs. On July 4,1854, the city was established at a picnic on Capital Hill
9.
Dory Funk Jr.
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Dorrance Earnest Dory Funk Jr. is an American professional wrestler and wrestling trainer. He is the son of Dory Funk and brother of Terry Funk and he is credited with the invention of the Texas cloverleaf submission hold and runs the Funking Conservatory, a professional wrestling school. He is a world heavyweight champion, having held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship once. To date, he was the fifth longest reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion of all time, in addition, he also held the major heavyweight titles WWC Universal Heavyweight Championship once, the CWA World Heavyweight Championship once. He is also a 2009 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee and he is currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling as the Pacific Wrestling Federation chairman. Funks first match was a victory over Don Fargo in Amarillo, West Texas State University All American Jerry Logan was in Funks corner and Fargos brother, Jim, was in his corner. Dory was supported by the whole West Texas State University football team and he was doing his student teaching as coach of the Tascosa High wrestling team under Coach James Kyle. Funk started in his fathers Amarillo promotion and fought Harley Race, Iron Mike DiBiase and he demonstrated a rugged hard hitting style that gained attention. He would eventually move on to Florida, Missouri and Japan where his skills improved as he used uppercut forearm smashes, Dory and Terry are the only brothers in history to each hold the title. Funk finally lost the NWA World Championship on May 24,1973 after a recovery from a pickup truck accident on his fathers Flying Mare Ranch in West Texas. Dory was forced into the ring in Kansas City, losing the belt to Harley Race, Race held the title only a few months before dropping it to Brisco. In truth his father told the NWA board of directors that he didnt want Dory Jr. to lose to fellow face Jack Brisco, so Race was given the nod instead. He performed regularly throughout the NWA, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic and Ontario as a heel, Georgia, Florida and Central States regions, through the 1970s, in Toronto he fought Ric Flair for the NWA championship. In 1984, he and his brother Terry competed in a tag match against Bruiser Brody. As well they had a series of matches against Abdullah the Butcher, in Tokyo they were placed against each other in a tournament and Dory won the match. In 1986, Dory made his WWF debut in a team alongside his brother Terry, the brothers performed at WrestleMania 2 defeating the Junkyard Dog and Tito Santana. Terry left the WWF shortly after WrestleMania, but Dory remained, mostly tagging with brother Jimmy Jack Funk and he made an appearance for WCW at the Slamboree 1993, A Legends Reunion Pay-Per-View, wrestling Nick Bockwinkel to a time limit draw. He also made an appearance with the WWF as a participant in the 1996 Royal Rumble
10.
Terry Funk
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Terrence Terry Funk is an American retired professional wrestler and actor. He headlined ECWs premier annual event, November to Remember. Funk has been inducted into halls of fame, among them WWE, WCW. Funk was born in Hammond, Indiana on June 30,1944 and his father, Dory Funk, was a professional wrestler and promoter. Following the end of World War II, the relocated to Amarillo, Texas. After graduating from school, Funk attended West Texas State University. Funk started his career in 1965, working in his father Dory Funk, Sr. s promotion in Amarillo, Texas. He and his brother, Dory Funk, Jr. quickly rose up the ranks as a team and in matches against top names like Ernie Ladd. They became big money wrestlers by the end of the decade, in 1975, Terry defeated Jack Brisco for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in Miami, when Dory failed to appear for a title shot. He began a fourteen-month title reign defending the title against Jack Brisco, Dusty Rhodes, Carlos Rocha, Giant Baba, in addition to North America, he defended the belt in Australia, Japan and Singapore. The historic reign ended in Toronto when he was defeated by Handsome Harley Race, Race lifted Funk for a shinbreaker and then trapped him in an Indian death leglock. When Funk failed to respond to referee Fred Atkins the match was stopped, Terry and Dory, Jr. also made a name for themselves in Japan. Terry became a star in the eyes of the Japanese fans with his over the top mannerisms, sometimes colorful get-ups, in Japan, the Funks were heels until they faced The Sheik and Abdullah The Butcher in Tokyo. The two later faced Stan Hanson, Bruiser Brody, and Giant Baba in memorable feuds as well, Terry Funk made his World Wrestling Federation debut in 1985 after a brief run in the AWA. In his televised debut on Championship Wrestling, he not only beat Aldo Marino, Funk attacked Phillips, after Phillips made the mistake of putting on Funks cowboy hat. Funk also had a gimmick of carrying an iron with him to ringside. The attack on Phillips lead to a feud with Junkyard Dog, in the mid-1980s, Funk teamed with Dory and Jimmy Jack Funk, a storyline brother. They were managed by Jimmy Hart, at the time, he had a heated rivalry with the Junkyard Dog which led to a match between Terry Funk and Hoss Funk and the team of Tito Santana and Junkyard Dog at WrestleMania 2
11.
Manager (professional wrestling)
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In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. A female accompanying character is called a valet, although proper managers can also be female. The wrestler that a manager manages is called his or her charge, a wrestlers manager has nothing to do with their real-world agent. A manager is somewhat like an agent for an actor or an athlete, he helps his client to book matches and appearances. Within the context of storylines, the positions the charge for title opportunities, decides whom to trust as an ally. Outside of storylines, a job is to help the wrestler theyre paired with get over. For this reason, managers are usually paired with wrestlers who the writers feel have great potential, for example, if a wrestler can perform well in the ring, but lacks the gift of gab, a manager will cut promos for him. Often the very act of aligning with a manager, or conversely breaking away from a manager theyve worked with, can change a wrestlers alignment, making them a sudden fan favorite or villain. While the basic goal of a manager to give his or her wrestlers a push does not change, a heel manager, for example, may have their wrestler constantly duck tougher opponents while cheating to help them win when they do wrestle. Certain wrestlers employ a kind of manager, known as a handler. If a wrestlers character calls for it, a handler is the person who can control a wild wrestler prone to go out of control. A classic example of this was The Undertaker, who in his early Deadman persona could only be controlled by Paul Bearer, a recent example of this was wrestler Umaga and his handler, Armando Estrada, as well as Rusev and his ambassador, Lana. Most managers are male, a female who accompanies a wrestler to the ring is often referred to as a valet, valets, in general, rarely cut promos, instead simply making their presence felt by accompanying a wrestler during his promo. Although true female managers are rare, some have had long and storied careers, a male wrestler or character accompanying a prominent female wrestler to the ring could be considered a valet as well, though this is exceptionally rare. Enforcers appear in storylines where a wrestler needs to have back watched, enforcers will keep outside interference from taking place in a match, or become outside interference themselves. Outside the ring, they protect their charges from ambushes by other wrestlers. They tend to come from the ranks of larger, more intimidating looking wrestlers. From the early years of pro wrestling to the mid-1990s, managers were very common because they served a secondary purpose, a managers job was to cut promos on behalf of clients who may not be as charismatic
12.
Color commentator
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A color commentator is a North American term for a sports commentator who assists the main commentator, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. In other regions this role is referred to as an analyst or summariser. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, the color commentator provides expert analysis and background information, such as statistics, strategy and injury reports on the teams and athletes, and occasionally anecdotes or light humor. Color commentators are often former athletes or coaches of the sport being broadcast, the term color refers to levity and insight provided by a secondary announcer. A sports color commentator customarily works alongside the play-by-play broadcaster, commentary teams typically feature one professional commentator describing the passage of play, and another, usually a former player or coach, providing supplementary input as the game progresses. Additionally, former players and managers appear as pundits, carrying out a role to the co-commentator during the pre-game show preceding a given contest. In American motorsports coverage, there may be as many as two color commentators in the booth for a given broadcast, in the United Kingdom, the term color commentator is relatively unknown, rather the role is called analyst, summarizer, or simply commentator. Cricket coverage on ESPNcricinfo uses similar terminology, in Australia, the term is not used. Those giving the analysis alongside the main commentator are sometimes said to be giving additional or expert analysis, or are special comments, there is no mention or translation to the term color. In Denmark, Norway and Sweden the term ekspertkommentator / expertkommentator is used for a sidekick to the play-by-play announcer. In Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries, the position is known as a comentarista and comentador, respectively, similarly, in Finland kommentaattori is used for the second commentator, and selostaja for the main one. In France, the term for a commentator is consultant. In Italy, the commentator is usually referred to as responsible for the commento tecnico whereas the play-by-play commentator is the main telecronista. In Italy, too, the commentator is usually a person formerly directly involved in the sport. Recent Formula 1 races have no fewer than three commentators, the telecronista, a pilot, and an engineer, the last two sharing the commento tecnico. In Turkey, the term spiker is used for the play-by-play announcer whereas the color commentator is referred to simply as yorumcu, in some countries, the two-person commentating team is not used as much as elsewhere. In Germany, most broadcasts of sports matches traditionally feature a single play-by-play announcer who provides commentary, background information. If the broadcast is on TV, the announcer will usually not comment on visually obvious things, in those cases, a current or former athlete or coach is often used as co-commentator or Experte
13.
WWE
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Capitol Wrestling Corporation Ltd. was an American professional wrestling promotion and the sanctioning body for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and later World Wrestling Federation. Founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1953, Capitol Wrestling Corporation is the precursor to todays WWE, run by Jess grandson, Jess McMahon was a successful boxing promoter who began working with Tex Rickard in 1926. With the help of Rickard, he began promoting boxing at the third Madison Square Garden, a few years prior, professional wrestler Toots Mondt had created a new challenge of professional wrestling that he called “Slam Bang Western Style Wrestling”. He convinced wrestler Ed Lewis and his manager Billy Sandow to implement this new solution, after much success, a disagreement over power caused the trio to dissolve and, with it, their promotion. Mondt later formed partnerships with other promoters, including Jack Curley in New York City. Mondt eventually took over the New York wrestling scene, due to the fact Curley was dying, with the aid of several bookers, together, McMahon and Mondt created the Capitol Wrestling Corporation Ltd. which later joined the National Wrestling Alliance in 1953. In November 1954, Jess McMahon died and Ray Fabiani, one of Mondts associates, both men left the company in protest following the incident and formed the WWWF in the process, awarding Rogers the new WWWF World Heavyweight Championship in April of that year. He lost the championship to Bruno Sammartino a month later on May 17,1963, after gaining a television program deal and turning preliminary wrestler Lou Albano as a manager for Sammartinos heel opponents, the WWWF was doing sell out business by 1970. Mondt left the company in the late 1960s and although the WWWF had withdrawn from the NWA, Vince McMahon, at the annual meeting of the NWA in 1983, the McMahons and WWF employee Jim Barnett all withdrew from the organization. By March 1979, for marketing purposes, the World Wide Wrestling Federation was renamed the World Wrestling Federation and that same year, Vincent J. McMahons son, Vincent K. McMahon, founded Titan Sports, Inc. incorporated on February 21,1980, originally in Massachusetts. In 1982, Titan Sports Inc. acquired Capitols operations, effectively relocating its headquarters to Greenwich, in an attempt to make the WWF the premier wrestling promotion in the world, McMahon began an expansion that fundamentally changed the industry. In the end, the elder McMahon would never live to see his company grow from a promotion to what is now a worldwide organization. He died from cancer at 69 years old on May 24,1984. By 1985, Titan moved to Stamford, Connecticut then establishing a new entity in 1987 in Delaware which later merged with the old company in 1988. Titan later changed its name to World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Inc. before finally becoming World Wrestling Entertainment, list of independent wrestling promotions in the United States
14.
IGN
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The website was the brainchild of media entrepreneur Chris Anderson and launched on September 29,1996. It focuses on games, films, television, comics, technology, the company is located in San Franciscos SOMA district in California, United States. Originally a network of websites, IGN is now distributed on mobile platforms, console programs on the Xbox and PlayStation, FireTV, Roku, and via YouTube, Twitch, Hulu. IGN was sold to publishing company Ziff Davis in February 2013 and now operates as a J2 Global subsidiary. com, PSXPower, Saturnworld, Next-Generation. com and Ultra Game Players Online. Imagine expanded on its owned-and-operated websites by creating a network that included a number of independent fansites such as PSX Nation. com, Sega-Saturn. com, Game Sages. In 1998, the network launched a new homepage that consolidated the individual sites as system channels under the IGN brand, the homepage exposed content from more than 30 different channels. Next-Generation and Ultra Game Players Online were not part of this consolidation, dissolved with the cancellation of the magazine, and Next-Generation was put on hold when Imagine decided to concentrate on launching the short-lived Daily Radar brand. In February 1999, Imagine Media incorporated a spin-off that included IGN and its channels as Affiliation Networks. In September, the newly spun-out standalone internet media company, changed its name to Snowball. com, at the same time, small entertainment website The Den merged into IGN and added non-gaming content to the growing network. Snowball held an IPO in 2000, but shed most of its properties during the dot-com bubble. In June 2005, IGN reported having 24,000,000 unique visitors per month, with 4.8 million registered users through all departments of the site, IGN is ranked among the top 200 most-visited websites according to Alexa. In September 2005, IGN was acquired by Rupert Murdochs multi-media business empire, News Corporation, IGN celebrated its 10th anniversary on January 12,2008. IGN was headquartered in the Marina Point Parkway office park in Brisbane, California, on May 25,2011, IGN sold its Direct2Drive division to Gamefly for an undisclosed amount. In 2011, IGN Entertainment acquired its rival UGO Entertainment from Hearst Corporation, ultimately, News Corp. planned to spin off IGN Entertainment as a publicly traded company, continuing a string of divestitures for digital properties it had previously acquired. Financial details regarding the purchase were not revealed, prior to its acquisition by UGO, 1UP. com had previously been owned by Ziff Davis. Soon after the acquisition, IGN announced that it would be laying off staff and closing GameSpy, 1UP. com, the role-playing video game interest website Vault Network was acquired by IGN in 1999. GameStats, a review website, was founded by IGN in 2004. GameStats includes a GPM rating system incorporates an average press score and average gamer score
15.
World Tag Team Championship (WWE)
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The World Tag Team Championship was the original professional wrestling world tag team championship contested for in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Both titles were unified in November 2001, retiring WCWs championship, both titles were unified in 2009 into the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship, but remained independently active until the World Tag Team Championship was decommissioned in 2010. The championship was contested in wrestling matches. Bouts for the title headlined WWF events including In Your House 3, Fully Loaded, In Your House, the inaugural champions were the team of Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler, and the final champions were The Hart Dynasty. The World Tag Team Championship was originally known as the World Wide Wrestling Federation World Tag Team Championship, following the titles introduction in 1971, Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler became the inaugural champions on June 3. In 1979, the became known as the World Wrestling Federation World Tag Team Championship when the promotion was renamed the World Wrestling Federation. It began to be referred to as the WWF Tag Team Championship for short in the mid 1990s, in March 2001, the WWF purchased World Championship Wrestling. Soon after, The Invasion took place in which the WCW/ECW Alliance was ultimately dismantled, at the 2001 Survivor Series pay-per-view, the title was unified with the WCW Tag Team Championship in a steel cage match. The WCW Tag Team Champions, the Dudley Boyz, defeated the WWF Tag Team Champions, the Hardy Boyz, after the WWF/WWE name change in 2002, the championship was subsequently referred to as the World Wrestling Entertainment Tag Team Championship. Then, during a period of free agency after the brand extension. Brand without a tag team title, general Manager, Stephanie McMahon, commissioned a new WWE Tag Team Championship to be the exclusive tag team titles for the SmackDown. With the introduction of the World Heavyweight Championship on the Raw brand after the WWE Championship was moved to the SmackDown, brand, the WWE Tag Team Championship on Raw was now being referred to as the World Tag Team Championship. This was done so that the names of both tag team titles would mirror the names of the top championships on their respective brands. When the WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship switched brands during the 2005 WWE draft lottery, on the March 17 episode of ECW on Syfy, it was announced that at WrestleMania XXV both teams would defend their titles against each other and the winning team would hold both titles. The Colons defeated Morrison and Miz, and thus unified the titles into the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship, as the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship, the champions could appear and defend the titles on any WWE brand. On August 16,2010, the World Tag Team Championship was decommissioned in favor of continuing the lineage of the WWE Tag Team Championship, following the presentation of new championship belts to then-champions The Hart Dynasty by Bret Hart. Despite this, holders of the WWE Tag Team Championship in recent years have honored holders of the title when citing former champions. Following the events of the WWE brand extension, an annual WWE draft was established, after the World Tag Team Championship was unified with the WWE Tag Team Championship as the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship, the champions could appear on and defend the titles on any WWE brand
16.
Mike Rotunda
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Lawrence Michael Mike Rotunda is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s under the ring names Mike Rotunda, Irwin R. Schyster and V. K. Over the course of his career, Rotunda held championships including the NWA World Tag Team Championship, NWA World Television Championship, Rotunda attended Newark Valley High School in Newark Valley, New York. He participated in wrestling, becoming a sectional champion in the 215 lb class in 1976. After graduating from school, Rotunda attended Syracuse University. After graduating from Syracuse University, Rotunda traveled to Germany where he trained as a wrestler under The Destroyer. He debuted in 1981, wrestling for promotions including Lutte Internationale, Jim Crockett Promotions, Rotunda and Windham joined the World Wrestling Federation as The U. S. Express in 1984, during which time he would be billed as Mike Rotundo rather than Rotunda and they won the WWF World Tag Team Championship twice, first from Dick Murdoch and Adrian Adonis in January 1985. The US Express most notable feud was with The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, the US Express regained the belts in June 1985, but lost them two months later to Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine. Windham left the WWF soon after, Rotunda continued to wrestle in singles matches until he left the WWF himself, in early 1986. They were not considered top contenders, Express reunited in the AWA to wrestle at WrestleRock 86 on April 20,1986, defeating The Fabulous Ones. The team did not stay long as Windham left the AWA very shortly after debuting, Rotunda stayed around for a few more months with little success. Rotunda left the WWF in early 1987 and returned to Florida, there, he feuded with Sir Oliver Humperdinks Shock Troops stable. Rotunda began bickering with fellow Varsity Club member Rick Steiner, a graduate of the University of Michigan and this in turn led to the two arguing over which of them was the superior wrestler. Rotunda won the NWA World Television Championship from Nikita Koloff in January 1988 and he then began a feud with Jimmy Garvin, because Sullivan wanted Garvins wife Precious. Steiner left the group and began feuding with Rotunda, the enemies trading the Television Championship before Rotunda lost it to Sting. Dr. Death Steve Williams and Dan Spivey joined the Varsity Club in late 1988, referee Theodore Long turned heel during the match and administered a fast three count, enabling Rotunda and Williams to overcome the champions. Long went on to become a manager following the controversial officiating, in May 1989, Williams and Rotunda were stripped of the title and, shortly after Sullivan and Rotunda concluded a feud with the Steiner Brothers, Rotunda briefly left the NWA
17.
King of the Ring
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King of the Ring was a professional wrestling single-elimination tournament held by WWE. The tournament was held annually from 1985 to 2002, with the exception of 1990 and 1992, and from 1993 to 2002, the tournament endured a four-year hiatus until its return in 2006 as an exclusive event of the SmackDown brand. The tournament returned as an event for both WWE and Raw in 2008,2010, and 2015. WWE released a best of King of the Ring DVD in late 2011, although the King of the Ring tournament was not made into a pay-per-view event until 1993, the original King of the Ring tournament was held in 1985. This gimmick led to several notable feuds for Race with Junkyard Dog, Hulk Hogan, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Race eventually returned from his injury and briefly feuded with King Haku, but was unable to regain the crown at the 1989 Royal Rumble. King Haku then lost the crown to Hacksaw Jim Duggan in May 1989, King Hacksaw then lost it in September 1989 to Macho Man Randy Savage, who rebranded himself Macho King. Savage abandoned the Macho King gimmick upon his retirement in 1991, following which only wrestlers who had won the tournament, william Regal won the tournament while serving as General Manager of Raw and began displaying King Lear signs of tyranny and delusion. Triple H alluded to his King of the Ring victory as part of his integrated gimmick starting 2006 as the King of Kings, the King of the Ring was an event in which typically sixteen wrestlers wrestled in a one-on-one single elimination bracket. When a wrestler wins a match in the bracket, he advances to take on another wrestler who has also won, the final few matches would then take place at that years King of the Ring event. The winner of the match is officially crowned the King of the Ring. There were also matches that took place at the King of the Ring event since it was a traditional three-hour pay-per-view. After a five-year hiatus, the tournament returned in 2015 on the April 27 episode of Raw, bad News Barrett defeated Neville in the final round. From 1993 through 2002, King of the Ring was produced as a pay-per-view event, in 2006, the tournament finals were featured as part of the Judgment Day pay-per-view. In 2008 and 2010, the tournament was featured as a tournament that aired on Monday Night RAW. In 2015, the tournament was started on Monday Night RAW, the King of the Ring was the only one of the WWEs Big Five pay-per-view events to never be hosted at least once at Madison Square Garden. As of 2017, the King of the Ring will return as a WWE Network pay-per-view event, the tournament was held on July 8,1985 at the Sullivan Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. ^ Tito Santana fought Jim Brunzell to a draw, Brunzell then won a toss to determine who would continue in the tournament. ^ Rudy Diamond was a substitute for Bob Orton, ^ Mr. X was a substitute for Hercules Hernandez
18.
Million Dollar Championship
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The Million Dollar Championship was an unsanctioned professional wrestling championship in WWE created for The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase. The Million Dollar belt was designed by Terry Betteridge of Betteridge Jewelers in Greenwich and it is gold plated, made with cubic zirconia, with three small diamonds on the back. Ted DiBiase was unable to win the WWF Championship, having lost the match of the WWF Championship tournament at WrestleMania IV to Macho Man Randy Savage. During the Summer of 1988 DiBiase teamed with André the Giant, in a known as The Mega Bucks. A frustrated DiBiase decided that if he couldnt win or buy the WWF Championship he would purchase his own championship belt, in 1989, DiBiase unveiled a new championship belt, which he called the Million Dollar Championship. This belt never was officially sanctioned by the WWF, and DiBiase would rarely put his title on the line in matches, Jake The Snake Roberts stole the belt during their feud in early 1990. This also led to a turn for the Big Boss Man who resented his manager Slick selling his services to DiBiase in order to retrieve the belt from Roberts. The Boss Man then told both Slick and DiBiase that he couldnt be bought and immediately returned the bag to Roberts, DiBiase had his bodyguard Virgil get the belt back from Roberts back at WrestleMania VI after Jake was counted out during their match at the SkyDome. In 1991, DiBiases bodyguard Virgil rebelled against his master, turned face, Virgil won the match, making him the only wrestler to win the belt in the ring. However, DiBiase regained the belt with the help of Repo Man at Survivor Series Showdown, when DiBiase and IRS won the WWF Tag Team Championship on February 7,1992, DiBiase abandoned the Million Dollar belt. Ted DiBiase would later go on to award the belt to his newest protégé, The Ringmaster, after his protégé lost a match against Savio Vega on May 28,1996, DiBiase was forced to leave the WWF. Nearly a year later, when DiBiase was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 27,2010, he had the Million Dollar belt with him, saying he never leave home without it. On April 5, DiBiases son, Ted DiBiase Jr. after disbanding the tag team Legacy, came out holding the championship belt, wWEs official website confirmed the reactivation of the unsanctioned belt under DiBiase Jr. s profile. On the October 4 episode of Raw, Goldust attacked DiBiase Jr. on the November 8 episode of Raw, Goldusts own wife Aksana stole the Million Dollar Championship from him. On the November 15 edition of Raw, Goldust stole the belt back and returned it to DiBiase, Sr. who then offered to return it to his son, list of former championships in WWE
19.
WWE Championship
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The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE on the SmackDown brand. It is one of two titles in the WWE, alongside the WWE Universal Championship that was created for the Raw brand as a result of the 2016 WWE draft. The title is held by Randy Orton, who is in his ninth reign. The inaugural champion was Buddy Rogers, since its inception, the title has undergone many name changes due to company name changes and title unifications. From its inception until 2001, it was promoted as WWEs sole primary championship, an additional world title, the WCW Championship, was added after the then-World Wrestling Federations purchase of World Championship Wrestling in early 2001. The titles were unified as the Undisputed Championship. After the first brand extension in 2002 and the promotion becoming the WWE, the championship exclusive to SmackDown. ECW became a brand in 2006, adding the ECW World Heavyweight Championship. Over the course of the first brand extension, the WWE Championship switched between brands, usually as a result of the annual draft, the ECW Championship was deactivated in 2010, and the World Heavyweight Championship was unified with the WWE Championship in 2013. The championship was again the world title of WWE until the reintroduction of the brand extension in 2016. The title was introduced in 1963 with Buddy Rogers becoming the first champion, however, its origin is attributed to events that began in the National Wrestling Alliance, which had various territorial member promotions. In the 1950s, Capitol Wrestling Corporation was a member of the NWA and by 1963, during this time, Buddy Rogers held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship until January 24, when Lou Thesz defeated Rogers for the championship in a one fall match. After several years, the WWWF became affiliated with the NWA once again, although the full name appeared on the championship belts until 1998, the name was often abbreviated to WWF Championship, which became its official name in 1998. In 1991, World Championship Wrestling, a member of the NWA, in 1993, WCW seceded from the NWA and grew to become a rival promotion to the WWF. Both organizations grew into prominence and were eventually involved in a television ratings war. Near the end of the war, WCW began a financial decline. As a result of the purchase, the WWF acquired, among other assets, thus, there were two world titles in the WWF, the original WWF Championship and the WCW Championship, which was eventually renamed to the World Championship. In December 2001, the two championships were unified at Vengeance, at the event, Stone Cold Steve Austin defeated Kurt Angle to retain the WWF Championship, while Chris Jericho defeated The Rock for the World Championship
20.
WrestleMania IV
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WrestleMania IV was the fourth annual WrestleMania sports entertainment pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on March 27,1988, at the Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall in Atlantic City, the announced attendance of WrestleMania IV was 19,199. The main event was the finals of a single elimination tournament for the Undisputed WWF Heavyweight Championship. The main feud heading into WrestleMania was between Hulk Hogan and André the Giant, Hogan congratulated his friend and said that André was the real champion of superstars all around the world, but André exited the arena before Hogans speech was finished. In February, on an episode of Pipers Pit, Andre announced his new manager, Bobby Heenan, Hogan begged André to drop Heenan, but André refused. André said that he had come to challenge Hogan to a World Championship match at WrestleMania and he then ripped off Hogans Hulkamania shirt and tore off Hulks gold cross, turning heel. This culminated in their match at WrestleMania III in March. During the match, he set a WWF record by scoop slamming the 520-pound Frenchman and their rematch took place on the first edition of The Main Event in February, where André controversially won the title from Hogan in a screwjob plot involving a fake referee. After a reign of only 47 seconds André then sold the title to DiBiase, WWF President Jack Tunney, however, vacated the title and ordered it to be decided in a 14-man tournament at WrestleMania IV. While all of this was going on, Hogan formed an alliance with former enemy and top challenger to his WWF Championship. Savage had been a heel during most of his first two years in the WWF, but in the late summer of 1987 began a slow face turn. In his first major feud, The Ultimate Warrior began battling with Hercules over who the stronger, during a match on WWF television, Hercules attacked Warrior with his steel chain after a chain match. The event began with Gladys Knight singing a rendition of America the Beautiful, the first match was a twenty-man battle royal with the winner to receive a large trophy. After fourteen eliminations, the six participants were Brown, Bret Hart, Roma, Race, Jacques Rougeau. Race hit a body drop on Rougeau sending him over the top rope before Junkyard Dog punched him over the top rope. Brown dumped out Roma as Junkyard Dog was left to battle Hart, the duo double-teamed him and Hart caught Junkyard Dog as Brown clotheslined Junkyard Dog but Junkyard Dog sidestepped and Hart was hit with the clothesline. Brown was presented with the trophy, but Hart attacked him from behind and it was the first step of The Hart Foundation turning babyface over the next few months. The winners advanced to the quarterfinals, Rude and Roberts were both eliminated from the tournament, giving the One Man Gang a bye into the semifinals, as former champions, André the Giant and Hulk Hogan were given a bye and directly qualified for the quarters
21.
SummerSlam (1988)
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SummerSlam 1988 was the first annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event. It was produced by the World Wrestling Federation and took place on August 29,1988, in Madison Square Garden, located in New York City, the pay-per-view was created to help the company compete against rival promotion World Championship Wrestling. It was one of the first four annual pay-per-view events produced by the WWF, along with WrestleMania, the Royal Rumble, the event consisted of ten professional wrestling matches. The preliminary matches included a defense by Intercontinental Champion The Honky Tonk Man against a surprise challenger. The Ultimate Warrior won the match in just 31 seconds to end Honky Tonks 14 month title reign, the main event was a match pitting The Mega Powers against their long-time rivals, The Mega Bucks. Hogan and Savage won the match after Miss Elizabeth, Savages manager, distracted the André and DiBiase, in the late 1980s, Vince McMahons World Wrestling Federation s main competition in the professional wrestling industry was from Jim Crockett Promotions. McMahon countered Jim Crocketts successful Starrcade pay-per-view, which began airing in 1983, after defeating Crockett in the ratings war, McMahon created the Royal Rumble, an event airing for free on the USA Network in January 1988. The event set a record for the network with eight million households tuning in to watch the event. In retaliation, Crockett created the Clash of the Champions event, WrestleMania IV garnered higher ratings, and not long after, Crockett filed for bankruptcy and sold his company to Ted Turner, who renamed it World Championship Wrestling. As the WWF continued to replace its closed circuit programming with pay-per-view programming, in addition to WrestleMania in March, Royal Rumble in January, and Survivor Series in November, McMahon created an event for August, which he named SummerSlam. To keep the WWF from having a market monopoly, Turner began airing monthly WCW pay-per-views. As a result, both brought in hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue. SummerSlam became one of World Wrestling Federations most successful events and one of the Big Four pay-per-views, along with WrestleMania, Survivor Series and those four events, along with the King of the Ring, are known as the Classic Five. Prior to SummerSlam, The Honky Tonk Man had been the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWF history and he was originally supposed to defend his championship against Brutus Beefcake, but Beefcake was unable to compete as a result of a injury received from Outlaw Ron Bass the week before. The on-screen feud between Rick Rude and Jake Roberts began weeks before SummerSlam, as part of his gimmick, Rude would—after winning a match—invite a pre-selected woman from the audience to kiss him in the ring. On one occasion, one of the refused to comply, later identifying herself as Roberts wife. The two feuds first came together at WrestleMania IV, when—as the result of the vacating of the WWF Heavyweight Championship—a 14-man single-elimination tournament was set up to crown a new champion. Hogan and André had been disqualified in their match, while Savage and DiBiase reached the championship match, in that final match
22.
WWE Hall of Fame
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The WWE Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for professional wrestling personalities maintained by WWE. It was announced on the March 22,1993 episode of Monday Night Raw where André the Giant, the 1994 and 1995 ceremonies were held in conjunction with the annual King of the Ring pay-per-view events. In 1996, the ceremony was held with the Survivor Series event, for the first time in front of an audience as well as the wrestlers, after which. In 2004, WWE relaunched the Hall of Fame to coincide with WrestleMania XX and this ceremony, like its predecessors, was not broadcast on television. However, it was released on DVD on June 1,2004, beginning with the 2005 ceremony, an edited version of the Hall of Fame was broadcast on Spike TV and on the USA Network, these were aired on tape delay. Since 2005, the entire Hall of Fame ceremony has been packaged as part of the annual WrestleMania DVD release, in 2015, historical WWE Hall of Fame ceremonies became available on the WWE Network. Although a building has never built to represent the Hall of Fame. As of 2017, there have been 164 inductees – with 105 wrestlers inducted individually,11 group inductions, nine celebrities, the celebrity wing of the Hall of Fame is dedicated to celebrities that have made memorable appearances on WWE programming, and/or have had longtime associations with WWE. The award was created following The Ultimate Warriors death, during his April 2014 Hall of Fame speech shortly before his death, he proposed that there be a special category called the Jimmy Miranda Award for WWEs behind-the-scenes employees. Miranda, who died in 2002, was part of the WWE merchandise department for more than 20 years, traditionally, Dana Warrior will present the award. In 2016, WWE introduced a new category for the Hall of Fame called the Legacy wing, Inductees under this new category feature wrestlers from the early years of professional wrestling, primarily during the early part of the 20th century. All inductees thus far have been inducted posthumously and were recognized with a package at the ceremony. In 2012, The Post and Courier noted that the Hall has garnered criticism due to the inductions of questionable performers, and the omissions of major names within the industry. Bob Backlund declined induction multiple times, and The Ultimate Warrior wrote that he refused the honor in 2010, they were inducted in 2013 and 2014. Randy Savage was recognized as being absent, Chris Jericho said that the Hall achieved a level of legitimacy by inducting him in 2015. Slam Wrestling questioned how Koko B, ware, who primarily wrestled in the undercard, was inducted but former WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Ivan Koloff never was before his 2017 death. Bruno Sammartino, the longest reigning WWWF World Heavyweight Champion, was critical of the Hall of Fame. Sammartino disapproved of celebrity inductees such as Pete Rose and William Perry, is it a building I can actually go to
23.
Willcox, Arizona
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Willcox is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of the city was 3,757, originally known as Maley, the town was founded in 1880 as a whistlestop on the Southern Pacific Railroad. It was renamed in honor of a visit by General Orlando B. Willcox in 1889, in the early 20th century, Willcox had the distinction of being a national leader in cattle production. Willcox was among the locations of 26 Men, another syndicated series that depicted stories of the Arizona Rangers starring Tristram Coffin. Willcox is located in northern Cochise County at 32°15′20″N 109°50′8″W in the Sulphur Springs Valley, interstate 10 serves the city with three exits and leads 35 miles southwest to Benson, Arizona, and 74 miles east to Lordsburg, New Mexico. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 6.3 square miles, of which 6.1 square miles is land and 0.12 square miles. Willcox is home to Arizonas upcoming wine country, the Willcox wine region produces 74% of the wine grapes grown in the state of Arizona. As of the census of 2000, there were 3,733 people,1,383 households, the population density was 622.3 people per square mile. There were 1,652 housing units at a density of 275.4 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 74. 95% White,0. 70% Black or African American,1. 61% Native American,0. 83% Asian,0. 05% Pacific Islander,17. 63% from other races, and 4. 23% from two or more races. 41. 71% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race,27. 5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13. 2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the family size was 3.25. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 29. 4% under the age of 18,8. 1% from 18 to 24,24. 4% from 25 to 44,22. 2% from 45 to 64, the median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males, for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $24,334, males had a median income of $30,281 versus $15,532 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,815, about 21. 6% of families and 27. 0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36. 6% of those under age 18 and 24. 6% of those age 65 or over. Seventeen miles north of Willcox on what was once the York ranch, there are now miles of apple orchards and pistachio groves
24.
West Texas A&M University
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The university is part of the Amarillo metropolitan area with a population of 268,893. West Texas A&M University was established on September 20,1910, the university started out as one of the seven state-funded teacher colleges in Texas. In its first school year, West Texas State Normal College had 152 students and 16 faculty members and its first president was Robert B. A year after the Texas State House of Representatives approved the bill to establish West Texas State Normal College and it consisted of the schools only classrooms, laboratory, library, and offices. On March 25,1914, the burned down, however, classes continued in local churches, courthouses. Later, in 1916, a new Administration Building opened, West Texas State Normal College hired famed American artist Georgia OKeeffe to be the head of the Art Department from the fall of 1916 to February 1918. OKeeffe has been recognized as the Mother of American modernism, the first four-year college degrees were granted in 1919. The school changed its name to West Texas State Teachers College in 1923, in the early 1930s, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Society built its Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum on the campus. A powerful legislator at the time, Sam Hanna of Dallas County, though the West Texas regents first dismissed Duflot, he survived a second vote, and regent H. L. Mills praised him for the courage of his convictions. Many returning veterans from World War II enrolled at the institution in the latter 1940s, conditions were so overcrowded for a time that the former soldiers slept in the gymnasium, and beds were brought from a former Prisoner of War camp in Hereford. In 1949, the school changed its name, this time to West Texas State College. During the Cold War, attention at West Texas was focused on anti-communism, one history professor, John Cook, claimed that many of the films shown on campus, such as Communism on the Map, were propaganda. During this time too, the historian J. Evetts Haley ran for governor of Texas on a conservative platform. During the 1960s, the changed from a regional teachers college to a state university. Connally signed a bill to change the name to West Texas State University. The newly named school would gain a College of Arts and Sciences, a graduate school, and professional schools of business. Near the end of the 1960s, West Texas State obtained its own board of regents, established a School of Agriculture, a School of Fine Arts, by 1970, the student enrollment neared 8,000, but was decreasing. The primary reasons were the changes in the service system
25.
Alpha Tau Omega
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Alpha Tau Omega is an American social fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865. The fraternity has around 250 active and inactive chapters and colonies in the United States and has initiated more than 250,000 members, Alpha Tau Omega represents one-third of the Lexington Triad, along with Kappa Alpha Order and Sigma Nu. The Fraternity does not have chapters or affiliations outside the United States, the fraternitys non-profit organization is The ATO Foundation, which provides scholarships to its members. Alpha Tau Omega was founded at the Virginia Military Institute on September 11,1865 by Otis Allan Glazebrook, Erskine Mayo Ross, and Alfred Marshall. Glazebrooks plan was to use Christian brotherly love as a way to facilitate reconciliation between the North and South in the aftermath of the American Civil War. Anderson who was president during a membership crisis, the fraternity holds several retreats and training conferences. Altitude is a leadership retreat in the Rocky Mountains. Participants must be in good standing with their chapter in order to participate, leaderShape was started in 1986 by the fraternity, and was exclusive to members until 1988. LeaderShape was spun off into its own organization which holds week-long leadership, the presidents retreat is held every January as training for incoming chapter presidents and vice presidents. The Emerging Leaders Conferences, formerly known as the Regional Leadership Conferences, is a training conference. In 1935, Erskine Mayo Ross started the Alpha Tau Omega Foundation with a donation of $5000, the foundation is a 501 not-for-profit organization that provides educational opportunities and scholarships for the members of Alpha Tau Omega. In 2013, the chapter at Cornell University was shut down for repeated alcohol, in 2012, the fraternity at the University of Central Florida was suspended for hazing pledges, including forcing one pledge to stand in a bucket of ice water while fraternity members beat him. In 2008, the chapter at University of Nevada, Reno was put on following controversy over hazing practices. As many as eleven pledges were forced to seek medical attention following their consumption of raw chicken. List of social fraternities and sororities Official website
26.
Bill Watts
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William F. Bill Watts Jr. is an American former professional wrestler, promoter, and WWE Hall of Fame Inductee. Watts was famous under his Cowboy gimmick in his career, and then as a tough, no-nonsense promoter in the Mid-South United States. He was subsequently replaced by Ole Anderson who was succeeded by Eric Bischoff. As a professional wrestler, he feuded with WWF Champion Bruno Sammartino. In the 1960s, he wrestled in many areas, such as San Francisco, Chicago, St. Louis, during these periods, Watts challenged for both the National Wrestling Alliance and American Wrestling Association versions of the World Title. Bill Watts is perhaps more famous for being a pioneering promoter in the Mid-South area of the USA, with his base of operation being in the Shreveport. His promotion was known as the Mid South Wrestling, death Steve Williams, The Junkyard Dog, Ted DiBiase and Jim Duggan. Hes an outspoken critic on breaking kayfabe and smart wrestling fans, a Watts-run promotion always had face and heel wrestlers dress in different locker rooms and to have faces and heels not meet publicly. He has also known to revamp his booking plans in order to protect the business from such fans. After losing over half a million dollars, Watts sold the UWF to NWA Mid-Atlantics Jim Crockett Promotions, instead of having UWF a separate organization, Crockett sent his mid-card wrestlers to the UWF and had them quickly win their titles. Eventually, the UWF folded, and Crockett would be out by Ted Turner in 1988. Watts became Executive Vice President of World Championship Wrestling in 1992 and he took a lot of his old-school values with him, such as banning moves from the top rope and the babyfaces and heels separation. His tenure was not long, nor were his ideas overly embraced and he introduced his son, Erik Watts, to WCW around this time, who many felt was not ready for national wrestling. Under Watts reign as WCW chief, Ron Simmons became the first African-American professional wrestler to hold a widely recognized World Heavyweight Championship, mick Foley referred to Watts history of creating a black babyface and building the company around him, while talking about his match with Simmons. The circumstances of Watts departure in 1993 are controversial, prior to 1992, he had given an interview to a wrestling newsletter. Most notably, Watts had commented on Lester Maddox, a restaurant owner who was told he had to black people. Watts felt Maddox stood up for what he believed in and acted accordingly and he also made several other controversial statements in pertaining to race and sexual orientation. When he was hired by WCW, Watts had explained the situation to Turner president Bill Shaw, Watts was replaced by Ole Anderson
27.
Danny Hodge
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Daniel Allen Danny Hodge is a retired American wrestler and boxer. He is renowned for his career, both amateur and professional. He was born and raised in Perry, Oklahoma, where he continues to live and he is famous for the ability to crush apples with one hand, a feat which he demonstrated live on ESPN during the 2006 NCAA Wrestling Championships. He said his strength was due to having double tendons in his hands, at Perry High School in Oklahoma, Hodge won the 165-pound title at the state tournament in 1951. As a collegiate wrestler for the University of Oklahoma, Hodge was undefeated at 46-0 and he was a three-time Big Seven conference champ at 177 pounds, and won the 177-pound title at the NCAA championships those same three years, pinning all three of his finals opponents. Hodge was never taken down from a position while in college. He is the only wrestler to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated as an amateur wrestler. He worked as a wrestler for eighteen years, and was a 5-time USA Tag Team Champion, with Skandor Akbar. His reputation as a high school wrestler preceded him when he joined the US Navy in 1951, at Ames, Iowa, in April 1952, Hodge survived the US Olympic Trials, and was coached by Naval Academy Instructor Ray Swartz in the 174-pound division. At the Helsinki Olympics, Hodge was defeated by USSRs David Cimakuridze, going into May 1956 wrestling trials for US Olympic team, Hodge was middleweight favourite. He was eliminated on May 2 by William Smith, Smith was embroiled in controversy with the Central AAU and Hodge was his substitute. After two Olympics appearances, Hodge placed 5th in 1952, and won the Silver Medal in 1956, in Melbourne, the Dan Hodge Trophy, named after him, is the amateur wrestling equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. Trained by Leroy McGuirk and Strangler Ed Lewis, Hodge made his debut as a wrestler in October 1959. Hodges first major feud was with National Wrestling Alliance Junior Heavyweight Champion Angelo Savoldi, Hodges rivalry with Savoldi led to a bizarre event. Hodges father entered the ring during a match on May 27,1960. Savoldi required 70 stitches at a hospital, while Hodges father was arrested. On July 22,1960, Hodge defeated Savoldi for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship at the Stockyards Coliseum in Oklahoma City, Hodge became McGuirks principal headliner, and by 1962, Hodge was making upwards of $80,000 a year. Hodge was a perennial NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, holding the title eight times for a total of ten years
28.
Vincent J. McMahon
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Vincent James Vince McMahon, commonly known as Vincent J. McMahon or simply Vince McMahon Sr. was an American professional wrestling promoter. He is best known for running the Capitol Wrestling Corporation from 1954 to 1982, Vincent James McMahon was born on July 6,1914, in Harlem, New York. His father Roderick James Jess McMahon, Sr and he had an older brother, Roderick Jr. and a younger sister, Dorothy. As a child Vince would often accompany his father to Madison Square Garden where he would play, McMahon saw the tremendous potential for growth that the pro wrestling industry had in the era following World War II, especially with the development of television and its need for new programming. His control was primarily in Baltimore, New York, and New Jersey, despite its name, the WWWF was, like all professional wrestling promotions of that era, mostly a regional operation. It was however the one came to dominate the most lucrative region. In 1955, McMahon began airing his matches on television on Wednesday nights on the DuMont Network, the telecast originated from an old barn in Washington, D. C. In her biography, wrestler The Fabulous Moolah claimed that McMahon was one of the first promoters to split gate proceeds with his wrestlers. Unlike his son, McMahon believed that the job of a promoter should be kept backstage or behind the scenes, as a result, McMahon almost never came down to the squared circle. He can however clearly be seen standing ringside during the infamous Madison Square Garden Alley Fight between Sgt, accordingly, he disapproved of Hulk Hogans appearance in Rocky III in 1981, leading to Hogans temporary departure in favour of Verne Gagnes American Wrestling Association. When his son, McMahon Jr. purchased the WWF, he felt differently than his father on the issue, in 1982, McMahon sold the parent company of the World Wrestling Federation to his son Vincent Kennedy McMahon and his company Titan Sports, Inc. The younger Vince, much to his fathers concern, set out to make the WWF national. Had my father known what I was going to do, the younger McMahon told Sports Illustrated in 1991, the younger McMahons competitive tactics were successful, and the WWF quickly became the most prominent exponent of sports entertainment. Vincent Kennedy McMahon is still running his fathers promotion, which since 2002 has been called World Wrestling Entertainment, McMahons grandchildren Shane and Stephanie have also worked for the WWF/E. Vincent J. McMahon was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame class of 1996 by his grandson Shane. On the February 15,2016 episode of Raw, WWE announced they would give an award called the Vincent J. McMahon Legacy of Excellence Award, on the February 22 episode of Raw, Vince McMahon revealed that Stephanie McMahon had won the award. McMahon had two sons, Roderick McMahon III, and Vincent K. McMahon Jr. with his first wife Vicky H. Askew in 1945, McMahon married his second wife, Juanita W. Johnston, and the couple lived in Fort Lauderdale. McMahon would never live to see his company grow from a promotion to what is now a worldwide organization
29.
Pat Patterson (wrestler)
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Pat Patterson is a Canadian/American retired professional wrestler. He is currently employed by the wrestling promotion WWE as a creative consultant. The inaugural WWF Intercontinental Champion and creator of the Royal Rumble match and he has been described by journalist Dave Meltzer as Vince McMahons right-hand man and one of the chief architects of the WWF, playing an integral role in helping it become a global phenomenon. Patterson was born into an impoverished French-speaking family in the Ville-Marie arrondissement of Montreal, Quebec and he began training to wrestle at the age of 14 at Loisirs Saint Jean Baptiste. Patterson debuted in Montreal, Quebec in 1958, wrestling at the Palais des Sports for promoter Sylvio Samson, early in his career, he performed as Killer Pat Patterson. In 1962, Patterson - despite speaking no English - emigrated to the United States to pursue his wrestling career. He initially worked for Tony Santos Big Time Wrestling promotion in Boston, while living and working in Boston, Patterson met his long-term partner, Louie Dondero. In 1962, Patterson was recruited by Mad Dog Vachon for Don Owens Portland, in 1963, Patterson wrestled for promotions in Texas, Arizona and Oklahoma as part of a talent exchange organized by Owen. Patterson returned to Pacific Northwest Wrestling in 1964 and he held the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship on two occasions that year. On October 2,1964, Patterson defeated Pepper Martin for the NWA Pacific Northwest Heavyweight Championship and he held the championship for six weeks before losing to Martin. Patterson won the championship again in 1965 and 1966, in January 1965, Patterson was hired by Roy Shire for his San Francisco, California-based NWA San Francisco promotion. At Shires request, Patterson dyed his hair blond to form a tag team with Ray Stevens, the duo won the NWA World Tag Team Championship in 1965 and again in 1967. The Blonde Bombers were described by Bret Hart as considered by many to be the best tag team of the 1970s. In 1968, Patterson wrestled for NWA Western States Wrestling in Amarillo, Texas as Lord Patrick Patterson, winning the NWA North American Heavyweight Championship, in the same year, he undertook a six-week tour of Japan, facing Antonio Inoki in a series of bouts. After Stevens turned face in the late 1960s, he had a feud with the heel Patterson, culminating in the 1970s Texas Death match, in which Stevens won the title from Patterson. In 1970 and 1971, Patterson wore a mask during his matches, in 1972, Patterson turned face again, after feuding with Lars Anderson, who was managed by Dr. Ken Ramey. Later that year, he teamed with Rocky Johnson and won the tag team championship, in 1975 and 1981, Patterson won the Cow Palace Battle Royal in San Francisco. In 1977, Patterson wrestled for Eddie Grahams Tampa, Florida-based Championship Wrestling from Florida promotion, during his run, he won the NWA Florida Television Championship and the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship, as well as briefly serving as booker
30.
WWE Intercontinental Championship
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The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE on the SmackDown brand. Along with the United States Championship on the Raw brand, it is one of the two titles of the promotion. The current champion is Dean Ambrose, who is in his second reign and it is the third oldest championship currently active in WWE, behind the WWE Championship and United States Championship. It has been called a stone to the WWE Championship. In November 2001, the then-WCW United States Championship was unified into the Intercontinental Championship, in 2002 after the first brand extension, it became exclusive to Raw and the WWF was renamed to WWE. Later that year, the European and Hardcore championships were unified into the Intercontinental Championship, the following year, however, it was reactivated for Raw, followed by the United States Championships reactivation as a counterpart title on SmackDown. As a result of the 2016 draft, the Intercontinental Championship became exclusive to the SmackDown brand, the term intercontinental in the title originally referred to North and South America. In 1985, the belt design changed, the centerplate now centered on the Atlantic Ocean, in a map including western Africa. On April 10,1989, the championship was first defended outside of North America, by Rick Rude against The Ultimate Warrior in Milan, Italy. On March 30,1991, Mr. Perfect made the first Asian defense against The Texas Tornado at a WWF co-promotion with Super World of Sports in Tokyo, Japan. It first came to Africa on April 6,1997, when champion Rocky Maivia pinned Savio Vega in Durban, shelton Benjamin made the first Australian defense on April 7,2006, pinning Gene Snitsky in Brisbane. WWF North American Heavyweight Champion Pat Patterson became the champion on September 1,1979. Mr. Perfect would then go on to win a tournament to crown a new Intercontinental Champion, on October 17,1999, Chyna became the only woman to hold the Intercontinental Championship by defeating Jeff Jarrett at No Mercy. Then-United States Champion Edge defeated then-Intercontinental Champion Test, in 2002, after the first brand extension had begun and the WWF was renamed to WWE, Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff began unifyng his brands singles championships. On August 19,2002, Bischoff made a six-minute gauntlet match for the Hardcore Championship, tommy Dreamer successfully retained his title in that match, but lost to Van Dam in a hardcore match the next week. On September 30,2002, Bischoff scheduled another unification match, the match took place at No Mercy the following month and saw then-World Heavyweight Champion Triple H defeat then-Intercontinental Champion Kane, making him the Raw brands sole male singles champion. Christian won the royal to win the championship and restore a secondary singles title for Raw wrestlers to compete for. The first brand extension would end on August 29,2011, on May 31,2015, the championship was contested for in an Elimination Chamber match for the first time
31.
Hulk Hogan
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Terry Gene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, entrepreneur and rock bassist. Hogan is regarded by many as the greatest professional wrestler of all time, according to IGN, he is the most recognized wrestling star worldwide, aside from those promotions, he has notably performed for the American Wrestling Association, New Japan Pro Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Hogan is a world champion, a six-time WWF World Heavyweight Champion/WWF Champion. He was the first wrestler to win consecutive Royal Rumbles, in 1990 and 1991 respectively, Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. Hogan was born Terry Eugene Bollea in Augusta, Georgia in 1953, the son of construction foreman Pietro Peter Bollea and he has Italian, French, Scottish, and Panamanian heritage. When he was one and a years old, his family moved to Port Tampa. As a boy, he was a pitcher in Little League Baseball and he attracted scouts from the New York Yankees and the Cincinnati Reds, but an injury ended his baseball career. He began watching wrestling at 16 years old. While in high school, he revered Dusty Rhodes, and he regularly attended cards at the Tampa Sportatorium, Hogan was also a musician, spending ten years playing fretless bass guitar in several Florida-based rock bands. He went on to study at Hillsborough Community College and the University of South Florida, after music gigs began to get in the way of his time in college, Hogan decided to drop out of the University of South Florida before receiving a degree. Eventually, Hogan and two local musicians formed a band called Ruckus in 1976, the band soon became popular in the Tampa Bay region. During his spare time, Hogan worked out at Hectors Gym in the Tampa Bay area, many of the wrestlers who were competing in the Florida region visited the bars where Ruckus was performing. Among those attending his performances were Jack and Gerald Brisco, two brothers who wrestled together as a tag team in the Florida region. Impressed by Hogans physical stature, the Brisco brothers asked Hiro Matsuda – the man who trained wrestlers working for Championship Wrestling from Florida – to make him a potential trainee, in 1976, the two brothers asked Hogan to try wrestling. Having been a fan since childhood, Hogan eventually agreed. At first, however, Mike Graham, the son of CWF promoter Eddie Graham, refused to put Hogan in the ring, according to Hogan, he met Graham while in high school and the two did not get along. However, after Hogan quit Ruckus and started telling people in town that he was going to be a wrestler, in mid-1977, after training for more than a year with Matsuda, the Brisco brothers dropped by Matsudas gym to see Hogan. During this visit, Jack Brisco handed Hogan a pair of wrestling boots, in his professional wrestling debut, Eddie Graham booked him against Brian Blair in Fort Myers, Florida on August 10,1977 in CWF
32.
Madison Square Garden
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Madison Square Garden, often called MSG or simply The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Located in Midtown Manhattan between 7th and 8th Avenues from 31st to 33rd Streets, it is situated atop Pennsylvania Station. The Garden is used for basketball and ice hockey, as well as boxing, concerts, ice shows, circuses, professional wrestling and other forms of sports. It is close to other midtown Manhattan landmarks, including the Empire State Building, Koreatown and it is home to the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League, the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association, and residency to singer-songwriter Billy Joel. The Garden opened on February 11,1968, and is the oldest major sporting facility in the New York metropolitan area and it is the oldest arena in the National Hockey League and the second-oldest arena in the National Basketball Association. MSG is the fourth-busiest music arena in the world in terms of sales, behind The O2 Arena. At a total construction cost of approximately $1.1 billion and it is part of the Pennsylvania Plaza office and retail complex. Several other operating entities related to the Garden share its name, Madison Square is formed by the intersection of 5th Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street in Manhattan. It was named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States, two venues called Madison Square Garden were located just northeast of the square, the first from 1879 to 1890, and the second from 1890 to 1925. The first Garden, leased to P. T. Barnum, had no roof and was inconvenient to use during inclement weather, Madison Square Garden II was designed by noted architect Stanford White. The new building was built by a syndicate which included J. P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, P. T. Barnum, Darius Mills, James Stillman and W. W. Astor. It was 200 feet by 485 feet, and the main hall and it had a 1, 200-seat theatre, a concert hall with a capacity of 1,500, the largest restaurant in the city and a roof garden cabaret. A third Madison Square Garden opened in a new location, on 8th Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets, from 1925 to 1968, groundbreaking on the third Madison Square Garden took place on January 9,1925. Designed by the theater architect Thomas W. Lamb, it was built at the cost of $4.75 million in 249 days by boxing promoter Tex Rickard. The arena was 200 feet by 375 feet, with seating on three levels, and a capacity of 18,496 spectators for boxing. Demolition commenced in 1968 after the opening of the current Garden and it finished up in early 1969, and the site is now where One Worldwide Plaza is located. The new structure was one of the first of its kind to be built above the platforms of a railroad station. It was an engineering feat constructed by Robert E. McKee of El Paso, public outcry over the demolition of the Pennsylvania Station structure—an outstanding example of Beaux-Arts architecture—led to the creation of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
33.
Face (professional wrestling)
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In professional wrestling, a face is a heroic or a good guy wrestler, booked by the promotion with the aim of being cheered by fans. Faces, traditionally, wrestle within the rules and avoid cheating while behaving positively towards the referee, such characters are also referred to as blue-eyes in British wrestling, and técnicos in lucha libre. The face character is portrayed as a relative to the heel wrestlers. Not everything a face wrestler does must be heroic, faces need only to be cheered by the audience to be effective characters, the vast majority of wrestling storylines involving faces place a face against a heel, although more elaborate set-ups often happen as well. While many modern faces still fit this model, other versions of the character are now also common. A good example would be Stone Cold Steve Austin who despite playing an early on in his career would start to be seen more of an anti-hero because of his popularity with the fans. While clearly not championing rule following, nor submission to authority, during this time, wrestlers like Stone Cold Steve Austin and Sting used tactics traditionally associated with heels, but remained popular with the fans. Conversely, Kurt Angle was introduced to the then-WWF with an American hero gimmick based on his medal win at the 1996 Summer Olympics. He presented himself as a model, and stressed the need to work hard to realize ones dreams. Angles character served as a meta-reference to how wrestling had changed, unusually, Angle did not use any of these heroic mannerisms when playing a face character, instead acting as somewhat of an antihero with a few elements of the lovable loser character archetype. Fans sometimes dislike face wrestlers, despite the way they are promoted, some reasons for this include repetitive in-ring antics, a limited moveset, a lengthy title reign, lack of selling his or her opponents moves, or an uninteresting character. This often results in wrestlers who are supposed to be cheered receiving a negative or no reaction from the fans. Some face wrestlers would often give high fives or give out merchandise to fans entering the ring before their match, such as T-shirts, sunglasses, hats. Bret Hart was one of the first superstars to make this popular, rey Mysterio, who has been a face in WWE since his debut, would go to any fan wearing a replica of his mask, and touch their head with his head for good luck before wrestling. Alberto Del Rio, after turning face, would give his scarf to a fan before entering the ring. Big Show would give his hat to a fan when he was a face, the majority of the time, faces who are low-carders, or lesser known, are used as jobbers. These wrestlers usually lose matches against established wrestlers, some faces, such as Ricky Steamboat and Hulk Hogan, promoted an image as a family man and supported their persona by appearing with their family members before and after matches. These actions often relate to wrestlers promoting charity work or other actions outside of the ring, blurring the lines between scripted wrestling and their personal lives, glossary of professional wrestling terms Heel Foley, Mick
34.
Tommy Rich
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Thomas Richardson is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Wildfire Tommy Rich. He is a one time former National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Champion and he primarily appeared in Georgia Championship Wrestling and Memphis throughout the 1980s, as well as World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling throughout the 1990s. Rich started wrestling in 1974 in the promotions in Tennessee after training with Jerry Jarrett. Throughout the 1980s, he alternated his time between Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama territories of the National Wrestling Alliance and he won dozens of NWA regional titles during this time. He is best known as one of the stars of the TBS wrestling shows from the 1970s and 1980s. On April 27,1981, in Augusta, Georgia, he won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship and he dropped the belt back to former champion Harley Race four days later in Marietta. Race stated in a interview with RF Video that the title switch was to ensure a power struggle in the Georgia territory ended with promoter Jim Barnett victorious. He had a feud in Georgia Championship Wrestling with Mad Dog Buzz Sawyer for the NWA Georgia National Title. The feud lasted close to two years, culminating in the Last Battle of Atlanta, in 1983, which featured Sawyer and Rich in a fully enclosed, last man standing cage match. For years no video of this match was known to exist, however, Sawyer and Rich tried forming a team for a short period of time afterward to feud with a new team called the Road Warriors. Rich was later directed into a feud with Ted DiBiase and they had a loser leaves wrestling match that Rich lost. So, Rich put on a mask & came back as Mr. R DiBiase insisted that Mr R. was really Rich, then, on a TV match for Dibiases NWA National Title, Rich visited announcer Gordon Solie during the match. Dibiase unmasked Mr R to find that it was rookie wrestler Brad Armstrong, in all of the confusion, Armstrong pinned Dibiase to become NWA National Champion. Rich then returned to the Memphis area, where he formed a team with Hot Stuff Eddie Gilbert known as Fargos Fabulous Ones, the previous Fabulous Ones, Steve Keirn and Stan Lane, walked out on the territory. They held the AWA Southern Tag Team titles in 1984, then dropped them to Phil Hickerson, Gilbert, unaware his former partner was at the taping, badmouthed Rich, then the International Heavyweight Champion, until Rich came out to confront him. Rich immediately got the hand, running Gilbert into the steel ringpost several times. When Rich accepted Gilberts apology, Gilbert suddenly turned on him, after competing in Southeast Championship Wrestling, Rich would again return to the Memphis area in 1987 and contribute to one of the greatest feuds in wrestling history. Austin Idol versus Jerry Lawler went on for over a year, Rich hid under the ring for the entire event only to emerge during the cage match, causing Lawler to lose the match and his hair, which led to a heel turn for Rich
35.
Professional wrestling match types
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Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called concept or gimmick matches in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some of them occur relatively frequently, while others are developed so as to advance an angle, because of professional wrestlings long history over decades, many things have been recycled. These match types can be organized into several loose groups, the singles match is the most basic of all professional wrestling matches, which involves only two competitors competing for one fall. Victory is obtained by pinfall, submission, knockout, countout or disqualification, commentators and bookers generally explain it as saying the challenger must beat the champion. Playing into this, some storylines have heel champions protect their titles by losing in such ways. Time Limit matches were invented during the days of professional wrestling as a way to stop matches that went on for too long. A Battle of Respect is often held in tribute to another wrestler, on most occasions, one member of the team competes in the ring with one or more of his/her teammate standing behind the ropes. Wrestlers switch positions by tagging one another, usually similar to a five and, as a result. This can create tension during the match as a wrestler in the middle of the ring attempts to reach his/her teammate. In typical tag team matches, standard wrestling rules apply with an ending by pinfall, submission, countout. Promotions usually have established tag teams that most often compete in team matches rather than singles matches, though teams will often break up to pursue a singles career, teams often consist of real-life friends or relatives. On other occasions, teams are booked together by promoters based on their face or heel alignment in order to increase the amount of wrestlers on the card or to advance multiple storylines at once. Though common in Mexican lucha libre, at one point, World Championship Wrestling had a championship for teams of three, matches in which the entire team competes at once is often referred to as a tornado tag match, specifically in WWE. Matches can be held under standard rules or as a specialty match, such as a cage match or a ladder match. One famous example of this match is the Survivor Series match held in WWE at their annual Survivor Series pay-per-view, teams of four or five, though on some occasions as many as seven, compete under elimination rules. All other standard rules apply, and team members may tag in, while some teams are already established stables, others may need to recruit members for their team. In lucha libre promotions, a torneo cibernetico is a type of match between teams of up to eight wrestlers who enter in a predetermined order. A Winner Takes All match is a match where both wrestlers are champions going into the match, and the winner receives the championship of the loser and this is not the same as a championship unification match
36.
Brad Armstrong (wrestler)
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Robert Bradley Brad James was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Brad Armstrong. He is best known for his appearances with the promotion World Championship Wrestling in the 1990s and he was the son of wrestler Bob Armstrong and brother to professional wrestlers Steve, Scott and Brian. Brad Armstrong started out in the National Wrestling Alliances Gulf Coast territory and he was a face, or good guy, due to his good looks and superb wrestling ability. He feuded with Jerry Stubbs and Tom Prichard during his stay there, Armstrong moved to the NWAs Georgia territory, Georgia Championship Wrestling, in 1984, where he feuded with Tom McCartney, Ted DiBiase alongside his father Bob and White Lightning Tim Horner. Armstrong took great advantage of a mix of technical wrestling and explosive speed in his style, Armstrong held the NWA National Tag Team Championship twice that year, once with his father, and once with Horner. All three returned to Southeastern Championship Wrestling in 1985, before joining the NWAs Mid-Atlantic territory, Jim Crockett Promotions. Armstrong feuded with Jimmy Garvin, locked horns with the Four Horsemen, in 1986, Brad went on his first tour of Japan for All Japan Pro Wrestling, to take part in a tournament to determine the first World Junior Heavyweight Championship. Brad made it to finals, but lost the match and the title to Hiro Saito on July 31. In early 1987, Brad reunited with Tim Horner forming a tag team known as The Lightning Express, winning the UWF Tag Team Championship from future superstars Sting. They then feuded with the Sheepherders, later known as The Bushwhackers, Butch Miller and Luke Williams, to whom they eventually lost their belts. The Lightning Express then went back to Jim Crockett Promotions after the UWF was bought out by Crockett, but were not pushed, Armstrong bounced between singles wrestling, temporary tag teams, and sorting out personal issues for much of the next few years. Armstrong, under a mask and covered in feathers, would quickly have his name changed to Badstreet. The three Freebirds then won the WCW World Six-Man Tag Team Championship, while Hayes and Garvin held the WCW United States Tag Team Championship, Armstrong never revealed his Badstreet identity on television. As a result, he was able to interfere on behalf of both sides during the Freebirds win over the Young Pistols for the vacant U. S. Tag Team Championship at SuperBrawl I, firstly as himself on behalf of the Pistols then later as Fantasia on behalf of the Freebirds, all within the space of the same title match. In September 1991, Armstrong began to tour Japan with New Japan Pro Wrestling, on July 5,1992, Armstrong won the WCW Light Heavyweight Championship, by defeating Scotty Flamingo. He soon injured his knee during a tour of Japan in a match against The Great Muta in Sapporo and he returned weeks later, and remained with the company until early 1995. In June 1995, Armstrong joined Smoky Mountain Wrestling, by August, hed split his time between SMW in Knoxville and United States Wrestling Association in Memphis
37.
Glossary of professional wrestling terms
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Professional wrestling has accrued a considerable nomenclature throughout its existence. Much of it stems from the origins in the days of carnivals and circuses. In the past, professional wrestlers used such terms in the presence of fans so as not to reveal the nature of the business. In recent years, widespread discussion on the Internet has popularized these terms, many of the terms refer to the financial aspects of professional wrestling in addition to performance-related terms. A-show A wrestling event where a companys biggest draws wrestle, a-team A group of a wrestling promotions top stars who compete at an A-show. Abort To discontinue a feud, angle, or gimmick suddenly, usually without explanation or due to a lack of fan interest, ace A term typically only used in Japanese puroresu for a wrestler designated as the face of the promotion. Not necessarily the same as the top champion, examples of modern aces include Hiroshi Tanahashi in New Japan Pro Wrestling and Suwama in All Japan Pro Wrestling. Agent A management employee, often a former wrestler, who helps set up matches, plans storylines. Often acts as a liaison between wrestlers and higher-level management, referred to as producers by WWE and sometimes by other companies. Sometimes they help train and teach younger active wrestlers and give criticism, Alliance A cooperative relationship developed between two or more wrestlers, whether wrestling as a tag team or in individual matches. Alliances are often formed for the purpose of retaining titles between the members of the alliance, or to counter a specific foe or group of foes. The formation of an alliance can be a storyline of its own, an angle usually begins when one wrestler attacks another, which results in revenge. An angle may be as small as a match or a vendetta that lasts for years. It is not uncommon to see an angle become retconned due to it not getting over with the fans, Apter mag An old-style professional wrestling magazine that sticks to kayfabe articles. The term refers to the magazines at one time connected to journalist Bill Apter, B-show A wrestling event featuring the middle and lower-level talent of a wrestling promotion. Sometimes includes well-known wrestlers making a return or finishing up their career, b-team The group of wrestlers on a B-show. Babyface A wrestler positioned as a hero, who the crowd are typically cheering for in a match, often simply known as a face. Beat down A situation in which a wrestler or other performer is the recipient of a one-sided beating, blading A wrestler intentionally cutting themself to provoke bleeding
38.
Ric Flair
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Richard Morgan Fliehr, better known as Ric Flair, is an American professional wrestling manager and retired professional wrestler signed to WWE under its Legends program. Widely regarded as the greatest professional wrestler of all time, Flair has cultivated a legacy over a career that spans 40 years, Flair is noted for his tenures with the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. Since the mid-1970s, he has used the moniker the Nature Boy, PWI awarded Flair their Wrestler of the Year award a record six times, while Wrestling Observer Newsletter named Flair as the Wrestler of the Year on a record of nine occasions. According to Mick Foley, he had two stints as a booker in WCW, from 1989–1990 and again in 1994, Flair was the first titleholder of both the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and the WCW International World Heavyweight Championship. In being the inaugural WCW World Heavyweight Champion, he became the first WCWs Triple Crown Champion, having already held the United States Heavyweight. He then completed WWEs version of the Triple Crown when he won the Intercontinental Championship, after holding the WWF Championship. Richard Fliehr was born on February 25,1949 in Memphis, in the opening chapter of his autobiography To Be the Man, he notes that his birth name is given on different documents as Fred Phillips, son of Olive and Luther Phillips. He was adopted, at the time of his adoption, as reported in the chapter of his autobiography entitled Black Market Baby. Shortly afterward, the family settled in Edina, Minnesota, where the young Fliehr lived throughout his childhood, as a teen, Fliehr took a summer job as a lifeguard at a local pool in Minnesota. He received his first exposure to the business when he met the Vachon brothers. He dropped out of college without receiving his degree and he then worked as a bouncer at a nearby club, where he met Olympic weightlifter Ken Patera, who was preparing for a ring career at Verne Gagnes wrestling school. Patera introduced Flair to Verne Gagne, who agreed to him on as a member of his training class. Under the tutelage of Josh Klemme and Billy Robinson, Flair was friends with Ken Patera before entering wrestling, Patera had an association with Verne Gagne through his weightlifting career and with that relationship an opportunity arose for Flair to train with Verne Gagne as a professional wrestler. Flair attended Gagnes first wrestling camp with Greg Gagne, Jim Brunzell, Iron Sheik, the intensity of Gagnes training camp, which spawned several champions including Flair, caused Flair to nearly quit the camp until Gagne persuaded him to continue. On December 10,1972, He made his debut in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, Flair originally considered Rambling Ricky Rhodes, in tribute to Dusty Rhodes. Weighing nearly 300 pounds with brown hair, Flair scarcely resembled his future Nature Boy image. During his time in the American Wrestling Association, Flair had matches with Dusty Rhodes, André the Giant, Larry Hennig, Flair first competed in Japan in 1973 for International Wrestling Enterprise, due to a working agreement between AWA promoter Verne Gagne and the IWE. After Flair left the AWA for Jim Crockett Jr. s Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling in 1974, on April 27,1978, Flair challenged for the NWA United National Championship in a losing effort
39.
Dick Murdoch
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Hoyt Richard Dick Murdoch was an American professional wrestler. Murdoch was born in Waxahachie, Texas, frank Murdoch held the NWA Southwest Junior Heavyweight Championship three times in his career. Murdoch attended Caprock High School, where he took part in amateur wrestling, after graduating, Murdoch attended West Texas State University. Dick Murdoch started wrestling in 1965 as Ron Carson in a tag team with Don Carson and he soon started wrestling under his real name. In 1968, he formed a tag team that would continue throughout the early 1970s with Dusty Rhodes called The Texas Outlaws, after splitting with Rhodes, he wrestled for Florida Championship Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance, and Mid-South Wrestling. His most noted work as a wrestler came in Mid-South Wrestling in the early 1980s, the pair was the most popular champions in the region, attracting the hardcore, working class white fans with his Captain Redneck persona and JYD drawing the support of the black fan base. Their feud with the Fabulous Freebirds was perhaps Mid-Souths most compelling storyline, in 1984, he went to the World Wrestling Federation and formed a tag team with Adrian Adonis that captured the World Tag Team Titles. He left the WWF in 1985 after dropping the title to The U. S. Express and wrestled in Mid-South Wrestling briefly before turning up in the NWAs Jim Crockett Promotions in 1986 and he feuded with Ric Flair and attempted to win Flairs NWA World Title. In early 1987, Murdoch joined Ivan Koloff and Vladimir Petrov in their attempt to get Nikita Koloff and they feuded with Rick and Scott Steiner but could not win their title. Murdoch was the twenty-seventh entrant in the 1995 WWF Royal Rumble and he was eliminated by Henry O. Godwinn. Following his WWF appearances, he spent the rest of his wrestling on the independent circuit. Murdoch was married on September 21,1966 in Potter County, together, they had one child before divorcing on October 1,1973. Murdoch is the cousin of wrestler Killer Tim Brooks, over the years, many within professional wrestling who knew Murdoch have stated Murdoch was racist and was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. In a shoot interview, Bad News Brown accused Dick Murdoch of being a member of the Klan and this was also mentioned by Tito Santana in his autobiography, Tales From The Ring. Former WWE SmackDown head writer Alex Greenfield also related a story told to him by Dusty Rhodes about Murdoch driving them to a Klan party without telling him it was a KKK party beforehand, I said, you hit me one more time, Im hitting you back. He hit me, and I knocked him out, Murdoch appeared in 4 movies, The Wrestler, Paradise Alley, Grunt. The Wrestling Movie, and Manhattan Merengue and he also appeared on an episode of Learning The Ropes and an episode of The Jerry Springer Show
40.
One Man Gang
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George Gray is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, One Man Gang. For two years in the World Wrestling Federation, he was The African Dream Akeem, Gray, a native of South Carolina, trained with longtime local independent wrestler and promoter Chief Jay Eagle and Darren Rattlesnake Westbrooks. He started his career at the age of 17 on the Carolina independent circuit wrestling both under his name and as Crusher Gray. He then moved on to wrestle in the Kentucky/Tennessee area, including for International Championship Wrestling, Gray went in as part of a package along with Bragg, Westbrooks, and Ric Starr. One of Broomfields major angles was that his contract was owned by ICW Champion Randy Savage and he was managed by Kevin Sullivan, Theodore Long, Gentleman Jim Holiday, and Sir Oliver Humperdink in various territories. In the regional territories, he was a member of Skandor Akbars Devastation Inc. as well as working with Gary Hart in World Class Championship Wrestling. It was as a protégé of Akbars in the Mid-South territory where Gray would get the name that would stick with him the rest of his career. Making his debut in the territory by interfering in matches and assaulting the fan favorite, the Gang worked on-and-off in Mid-South in between tours of Florida, Japan, and Texas. He would also return to his territory, the Carolinas, to work for Jim Crockett Promotions. He worked in Texas All Star wrestling where he feuded with Big Bubba, in late 1986, Gang won the UWF Heavyweight Championship in an angle where the champion Terry Gordy was injured earlier in the evening by a revenge-minded Dr. Death Steve Williams. Gang, scheduled to face Gordy later on the card, was awarded the belt via forfeit and he held that title for six months, mostly facing Duggan, Williams, and Ted DiBiase. In May 1987, Gray began receiving inquiries from the World Wrestling Federation about coming up to wrestle for them. He promptly agreed to terms, but returned to the UWF in order to drop the title to Big Bubba Rogers, Gray made his debut in the WWF on May 12,1987, being managed by Slick, in a match against Jesse Cortez. One Man Gang participated in the first ever Survivor Series pay-per-view as a member of André the Giants team, fighting a team led by Hulk Hogan. In 1988, Gang entered the inaugural Royal Rumble at number 19 out of 20 participants and was one of the last two men left in the ring, before being eliminated by Jim Duggan. One Man Gang participated in the World Title Tournament at WrestleMania IV and he drew a bye in the quarterfinals before being disqualified in the semifinals against eventual-tournament-winner Randy Savage after Gang attempted to hit Savage with his managers cane. Following his loss at WrestleMania, Gang was placed lower on the card, feuding with Bam Bam Bigelow, in September 1988, One Man Gangs manager, Slick, announced that Gang was actually African and planned to re-embrace his roots. Akeem and the Big Boss Man captained a team that featured Ted DiBiase, the Red Rooster, during the match, Akeem along with teammate Big Boss Man handcuffed Hulk Hogan to the ring post and were later disqualified
41.
Jim Duggan
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James Edward Jim Duggan Jr. better known by his ring name Hacksaw Jim Duggan, is an American professional wrestler. He is signed with Global Force Wrestling and he is signed to WWE on a Legends contract. His best-known character is that of an American patriot, which sees him use a 2x4 length of wood as a weapon, the battle cry Hooo. and the U-S-A. In the WWF, Duggan was the winner of the first ever Royal Rumble match in 1988 and in WCW, he was a one time United States Heavyweight Champion, Duggan grew up in Glens Falls, New York, where he became a star athlete in high school. Duggan is of English and Scottish ancestry and his father was the Chief of Police for the City of Glens Falls. Duggan was a letterman in football, track, wrestling, in wrestling, Duggan won the New York State High School wrestling championship, unlimited weight class division – the first wrestler from Glens Falls to do so. Upon graduating from school, he was recruited by Ohio State University, but would instead choose to play football at Southern Methodist University. Duggan earned his bachelors degree in applied plant biology, after college, Duggan was signed by the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League, but was released after being plagued by knee injuries. Duggan broke into the wrestling business thanks in large part to wrestler Fritz Von Erich. The two met while Duggan was on a trip to SMU. Duggans first professional match was in 1979 against Gino Hernandez, Duggan began his career as a villain. Training at the Sportatorium in Dallas, Texas as well as with Samoan wrestling promoter Peter Maivia, Duggan gained the attention of Vince McMahon, Sr. after a brief stint with the WWF, Duggan began to work regularly for Georgia Championship Wrestling. During this time, Duggan was known by two in-ring aliases, in the United States as Big Jim Duggan and in Hawaii as The Convict, a masked wrestler. After wrestling for a Birmingham, Alabama-based promotion, Duggan began wrestling in a promotion based in San Antonio, in 1982, Duggan made his debut in Mid-South Wrestling. Upon debuting as a heel, Duggan soon became a member of the Rat Pack faction, alongside Ted DiBiase, Matt Bourne, after newcomer Hacksaw Butch Reed debuted within the promotion, Duggan and Reed had a personal feud for a time over who would be the true Hacksaw. The Rats also feuded with such as Reed, Magnum T. A. During this time, Duggan interfered in a DiBiase/JYD match while wearing a suit, causing JYD to lose a Loser Leaves Town match in New Orleans. After DiBiase aligned himself with Skandor Akbar, Duggan refused to go along with him, at this time, Duggan began carrying his iconic 2x4
42.
Matt Osborne
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Matthew Wade Matt Osborne was an American professional wrestler. Osborne was a second generation wrestler, the son of Tony Borne, in Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling on June 6,1980, he won his first championship, also the first of two tag titles he would hold with Buzz Sawyer. In Mid-South Wrestling, he allied with Ted DiBiase and Jim Duggan as a member of The Rat Pack, a heel stable, in Canada, he worked for All Star Wrestling and Maple Leaf Wrestling. Borne debuted in the WWF on March 2,1985, wrestling Rick McGraw to a draw in the Boston Garden. He was primarily a jobber, though occasionally beat other jobbers at house shows, the highlight of this stint was losing to Ricky Steamboat at the first WrestleMania in Madison Square Garden. His last match was a loss to George Wells in the Cow Palace on April 29,1986, in May 1986, Borne joined World Class Championship Wrestling. That September, he reformed his tag team with Buzz Sawyer under the management of Percival Pringle III to win a tournament to crown new World Tag Team Champions. He also won the Texas Heavyweight Championship and defended the title at the Christmas Star Wars event against The Iron Sheik. Borne and Sawyer feuded with fellow Pringle protege Dingo Warrior after falling out with him during a six man tag match, in 1991, Osborne signed with World Championship Wrestling and debuted as Big Josh, an outdoorsman who danced with bears and was friends with Tommy Rich. During his stint with WCW, Osborne won the United States Tag Team Championship with Ron Simmons, Borne made his final pay-per-view appearance for the company on May 17,1992 at the pay-per-view WrestleWar, where he defeated Richard Morton. On the May 23 episode of WorldWide, he made his appearance with the company as he defeated Tracy Smothers. After leaving WCW in 1992, Osborne returned to the World Wrestling Federation on September 21,1992 in Manitoba, competing as himself, he defeated Bill Jordan. Borne would shortly thereafter become Doink the Clown, in a villainous clown gimmick that would frequently pull tricks on wrestlers at ringside as well as fans and he would also briefly use the character in United States Wrestling Association in February before returning to WWF television in March. During this match, another Doink came out from under the ring and attacked Crush with another prosthetic arm, in the spring of 1993, Doink was given the opportunity to enter the King of the Ring tournament, facing Mr. Perfect in the qualifying round. After two time-limit draws, Mr. Perfect defeated Doink in their third match, at the Pay Per View itself, Doink distracted Crush causing him to lose to Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels. At SummerSlam Jerry Lawler hired Doink to wrestle Hart as he feigned injury, on the September 13,1993 Raw, Doink poured a pail of water over Bobby Heenan, marking his fan favorite turn. Shortly afterward, however, Osborne was fired for re-occurring drug abuses, following his departure, Doink was played by Ray Apollo. In 2001, Osborne appeared as Doink in the battle royal at Wrestlemania X-Seven
43.
Skandor Akbar
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Jimmy Saied Wehba was a professional wrestler and manager better known by his ring name Skandor Akbar, which translates as Alexander the Great. Akbar led the villainous stable Devastation, Inc, Akbar started out as a professional wrestler in 1963 as Jimmy Wehba. He changed his name to Skandor Akbar at the suggestion of Fritz Von Erich in 1966 in order to sound more Arabic, Akbar teamed with Danny Hodge and eventually turned on him, starting a feud. Akbar joined the World Wide Wrestling Federation for a run in the late 1970s and was managed by Freddie Blassie. Akbar also worked as a face in the Australian World Championship Wrestling territory for a season in the mid 1970s feuding mainly with The Great Mephisto, Akbar retired from active wrestling in 1977 and became a villainous manager in the Texas area. He always called his stable Devastation, Inc and he spent most of his time in World Class Championship Wrestling, Mid-South Wrestling and in 1991 the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico. Akbar smoked cigars at ringside, harassed the fans during his protégés matches, in 1994, Akbar briefly managed Kevin Von Erich as a fan favorite in the Global Wrestling Federation. Eventually, though, he turned on Von Erich only weeks before Von Erich decided to retire for good, Akbar also managed Toni Adams for a short time in the GWF. After his semi-retirement, Akbar still made frequent appearances on the independent circuit and he appeared on both the Heroes of World Class and Triumph and Tragedies of World Class retrospective documentaries, released in 2005 and 2007, respectively. From 2008 to 2010, he appeared as a manager in the Dallas-based Wrecking Ball Wrestling promotion. Often billed from Lebanon, Syria or Saudi Arabia, his father actually was from Lebanon, with two older sisters, he was the youngest of the family. On August 19,2010 it was reported that Wehba had died from prostate cancer, Championship wrestling from Florida, Skandor Akbar, a collection of flyers between Sept.21 – Oct.8,1971
