Welcome back to another classic encounter in Calgary’s rich past. This time around we will take a look at a young “cocky” wrestler by the name of B.G. Holliday as he takes on a young Chris Benoit. Holliday never became an international super star like Benoit did, he would never become multi time world champion in the major federations. However, he was a talented grappler and had one important thing that many of the famous wrestler’s lacked in this promotion. He had absolutely great mic skills, he had the gift of gab. While legends such as Bret Hart, Chris Benoit & The Dynamite Kid may have been some of the greatest technical wrestlers of all time, most Stampede stars were not great on the microphone, especially early in their careers. And this is where Holliday really shined. His mic skills, even at this early stage of his young wrestling career, were some of the best in the territory and he reminded me very much of Chris Jericho in both his wrestling and his mic skills. A cocky Jonathan Holliday quickly became “the man that fans loved to hate” in the territory. Interestingly, Holliday was involved in some of the “darker moments” of Stampedes history. This was a time when the promotions business side became less well run by its promoters and as a result wrestlers were leaving for bigger organizations with bigger wallets. There is a story that the Dynamite Kid, after returning from the WWF injured, broken and addicted to drugs,became jealous of Holliday’s quick success in Calgary, wanted to run him out of town and bad mouth him in the industry. If this famous story was an exaggeration of real events I can not tell you, however there are great stories of a back ally fight in Calgary on electric avenue between the former British Bulldog and Holiday over drugs, jealousy, and pay days that needed to be settled. Other events are rumored to have taken place between the two, but as they are both unconfirmed and very illegal, I shall not get into them. Just realise that both men left Canada soon after, and it was not because they didn’t like the cold weather! Enjoy the match and I will return with another “ring- a ding-dong -dandy” next week!
Its time once again for another old school classic Stampede Wrestling moment from the PatMan. This time around I am including one of Stampede Wrestlings most talented wrestlers who, like many others, went on to enjoy great Success in the WCW ,WWE and Japan. Unfortunately, his story did not end with success but rather with horror and shocking acts of brutal crime that I need not remind any of you about. Yes, of course, I am referring to Chris Benoit. Lets look away from his horrific end to life and temporarily concentrate on him at a much younger age where his wrestling was all that mattered. Chris Benoits in ring abilities were very impressive right from the get go, and his obsession with emulating his icon The Dynamite Kid are visible in many of his earlier matches. I have for you today what could very well be Chris Benoits first chance at the taste of a championship belt. His opponent was a very talented grappler by the name of The Great Gama, the mid heavyweight champion and a much more experienced wrestler than young Chris was at the time. Worth noting in the video is the appearance of Davey Boy Smiths “evil cousin” Jonny Smith who is up to his usual heel antics. Also worth noting later in the video is an in ring interview where another young wrestler destined for success, Flying Brian Pillman , can be quickly seen several times to the left of Chris Benoit. Our very own Audio Master G ,who was actually body slammed by Chris Benoit onto a couch in his childhood back in Calgary may be interested in this classic match as he is the only person I know who took some bumps form him. Maybe he could have given the Great Gama a few tips? If you don’t know that G had encounters with Chris Benoit & Bad News Brown while I took an accidental hit from The British Bulldog & encountered an angry Bret Hart at Safeway, you clearly must download our Stampede Wrestling podcast, found at both Wonderpodonline.com and right here at BoredWrestlingFan.com ! You can check out my Classic PC Game Picks & Wonderpod video game podcast episode 70 over at Wonderpodonline.com also, if your interested! See you all next time.
Hello to all you lovely men, women and children of the Bored Wrestling Fan community! I thought it might be fun to post an article straight out of the “Jamie Kennedy Experiment” vaults for your perusal and this is something I’d quite like to do over the next couple of months! Of course, my writing style has really changed since some of these articles made it online and I’ve DEFINITELY become a better…ahem…broadcast journalist in the meantime.. I hope you enjoy!
A number of merry months ago, I put together a piece of writing which I felt did justice my love and appreciation for what we as modern wrestling fans have come to take for granted; an entrance theme which accompanies each superstar down the aisle-way and into the ring. It wasn’t always this way, entrance music was reserved for the very top stars in the professional wrestling industry and even some of them didn’t get their own theme!
Themes or “feemz”, as the ever-witty internet wrestling community has dubbed them (due to the genuinely fascinating subject of some of our fellow fans dropping out of school.. Go figure, do all some of us have nothing better to do than bashing the product we watch and the people who view it alongside us!?), have become as much a part of the wrestling world as a referee who gets knocked out with even the slightest stray glance of a performers boot/elbow/hair/wind. There are people out there who collect theme music from each different promotion and for each wrestler and diva, which in my opinion is kinda cool. Yeah sure it’s geeky but it’s no more or less geeky than your film fanatic friend who downloads movie soundtracks every weekend. CD albums have been produced by several of the big player promotions in the business in a rather successful attempt to cash in on their fans obsession with the tunes and songs which signal the arrival of a particular grappler. Yours truly has purchased several of these and would now like to take the time to discuss and name his top 5 favourite entrance themes. Some of these you will agree with, some of these you will detest. Either way, I’m anticipating some heavy emailage from a bunch of you channeling the spirit of YOUR United States Heavyweight champion “The Miz” and asking me – “Really? REALLY!?”
As always, in absolutely no particular order.. (Simply because this writer is really rather rubbish at deciding which things he likes better than others when it comes to wrestling. Seriously, you should see me trying to decide what VHS or DVD to watch. It’d probably irritate the hell out of several of you less nerdy than myself! However, to hell with you! And gimme my damn lunch money back!)
“I Won’t Do What You Tell Me” – Stone Cold Steve Austin
This one, for me at least, is a no brainer. I’m far from ashamed to say I still mark out with my mark out whenever I hear this song. This is perhaps THE song for entering any room full of strangers. Of course I would never be quite that pathetic but I can dream nonetheless about being immediately surrounded by babes upon walking through the door. The glass breaking has been the cause of many a huge pop from live WWF/WWE audiences throughout the years. You need look no further than effectively any episode of RAW, Smackdown or indeed any Pay-Per-View event which Steve Austin has headlined or appeared at while using this music. Wailing sirens, dangerous sounding guitar chords and a menacing tone all make this a strong contender for one of the best pieces of wrestling theme music ever written. Go on, go to YouTube, look up the song, listen and just tell me you don’t feel like a genuine bad ass who could stand up to your evil billionaire boss and make him even richer through PPV revenue, merchandise and live attendance. In the late 90’s, Stone Cold was the man and a lot of credit must go to the music which told us he was in the house. What a performer. What a tune.
“ Schizophrenic” and “Ode To Freud” – Mankind
It’s hard to explain just how awesome a gimmick the original Mankind character was upon his arrival into the then World Wrestling Federation. Clearly, upon reading Mick Foley’s very first book, the gimmick would never have met the success it experienced had the WWF writers had their way. “Mason The Mutilator” indeed guys and gals.. Mick Foley would enter arenas up and down the US and abroad to a sinister, slow dirge of strings which would never fail to make people pay attention. The true success of any character in the wrestling industry can be based on how the people react when they see the man or woman portraying it. Make no mistake about it, fans had a mixture of intrigue and sheer horror as they watched “Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy” stumble down to ringside ready to put his body through hell. And after the massacre? Well it’s only logical to have a beautifully haunting piece of piano music signal the exit of Mankind right? That Foley, he sure did have some exciting and damn good ideas in his head. One thing’s for sure though, the quick one and two punch of these musical pieces have to be on my list of favourite wrestling theme songs.
“ Bad Guy” – Razor Ramon
Here we have the first one of this here list which may surprise some folks. I know I have at least one wrestling-loving fiend of a buddy who is not entirely fond of the music which aided Scott Hall’s passage down to the squared circle during his highly successful first run in the WWF as “The Bad Guy” Razor Ramon. The screeching tire sound may have made its home more famously in a future theme of the previously mentioned Mick Foley but it is here that I prefer it. Suspiciously based on music from gang-related films such as “Scarface”, this song will forever hold a special place in my heart. The synth’s permeated through the track only add to the cool 80’s vibe which is given off here. The babyface-era Razor was one of my childhood favourites and this tune just rocked my Hulk Hogan/WWF brick logo socks right off.
“ Next Big Thing” – Brock Lesnar
It’s quite scary to think how far Mr. Lesnar has come since his departure from World Wrestling Entertainment in order to pursue a career in professional American football. Now one of the biggest names in the ultimate fighting world, there are a lot of wrestling fans who barely remember his forced-down-your-god-damn-throat dominance in the earlier part of this decade. Simply put, Lesnar was what John Cena is now. I.e, the man the WWE want you to accept as the “Next Big Thing” in wrestling. Brock actually went some way to achieving acceptance with the audiences of wrestling due to his rapidly improved performances both in-ring and from a verbal standpoint. No doubts about it, the crunching guitar riff and opening animalistic wail which open the theme song up let each and every fan know who was coming through that curtain. Personally, I’ve always been a fan of theme songs which perfectly accompany the character and can paint a picture of what they will look and act like. This one exactly captures Brock Lesnar as a WWE superstar in my mind. Oh how I long for the days of his never-coming return!
“ Break Down The Walls” – Chris Jericho
Another one which may shock some folks, this just has to be included. In order for it to work however, we have to stick the outrageous “Y2K” countdown in at the very beginning. This is wrestling theatre at it’s finest. What better way to announce that a certain superstar is coming out than to have his very own countdown clock and forthcoming explosion?! The song itself is none too shabby and features lyrics which can be grabbed and stuck into the fans collective skulls. If ever Chris Jericho needed a theme song which would help him mark his passage from World Championship Wrestling and into the World Wrestling Federation, this was it. The drama which was created and the buzz which floated in the air when Jericho made his entrance was only enhanced by this terrific wrestling theme tune.
So there you have it. Obviously, as always with these top 5’s, I had to pick and choose here. There are many, many, MANY other theme songs which I am very, very, VERY fond of. Bret Hart, Goldust, John Cena, D’Lo Brown, Sid, Ted DiBiase Sr. The list could quite literally go on and on forever with no end in sight. This writer had to simply pick the 5 which have stood out most to him in his experience of watching pro wrestling. The 5 themes which have made goosebumps appear all over my body in place you don’t want to hear about. What I do want to hear about however is what you think. I want to know which wrestling themes have inspired, entertained and downright made you excited to be a follower of the wonderful world of wrestling. Emails can be directed towards – jamiekennedy@live.com and we can discuss together like the real nerds we are. And we’re damn proud of it. TAKE IT HOME!
Happy New Year to one and all! I’d hope each and every single one of you have been ploughing merrily into the beer/wine/champagne/snakebite (?) by now and simply having a ball of a time. Here’s to a good 2011, both in wrestling and for everybody personally. On with the topics!
Matt Hardy Says He Will Change Pro-Wrestling in 2011..
The saga of one Matt Hardy continues to be ongoing into the new year it seems, with this latest video tirade from the former WWE mid-card star. In his most recent video, Matt (who was wearing a “PG SUX!” t-shirt) asked his loyal fans how he should get his hair cut. Adding to this, the man decreed that he would make 2011 his year and would definitely “change pro wrestling forever”.
Having been a big Hardy Boys fan over the years, I’ve enjoyed pretty much everything Matt has been associated with. His much-lauded tag-team with brother Jeff was responsible for many fantastic matches in the late 1990’s/early 2000’s and I loved his initial solo run as “Matt Hardy: Version 1”. It’s therefore pretty sad to see where he’s ended up, even if the guy himself appears to be pretty happy with life. Sure, this writer is all for engaging your fan-base. However, didn’t Matt say almost exactly the same things last year?
It’s seen as fact now that Matt will join his sibling in the merry land of TNA when his no-compete clause with WWE expires. Will he become just another WWE release who is pushed to the moon by the fine folks at Orlando? Or will he show his true potential as a star and further his career in the iMPACT! Zone? Only time will tell. One thing’s for sure, taking cheap clothing-related shots at your former employers is hardly professional or befitting of a man who was such a company man up until recently.
FCW Champion to be Pushed Upon Main Roster Arrival..
It seems the youth initiative in WWE is set to proceed, with Welsh grappler Mason Ryan the next in line to receive a shot at stardom. Company officials are apparently extremely high on Ryan, who stands 6 ft 6 in and weighs in at around 280 lbs. What won’t be hurting his career is his striking resemblance to huge WWE name Dave Batista, who had recently left the company in the Summer.
Word is that the promotion are looking to almost immediately push Mason to the moon and have him slot comfortably into a high position on the card. Ryan (real name; Barri Griffiths) has an impressive physique and an intimidating presence, something us fans know will stand him in good stead.
Having seen the man perform in person, he does come across scarily similar to Batista, albeit a very raw and untested Batista. There was also a lot there to remind me of a younger Brock Lesnar too. This might be one to keep your eye on for the new year. Perhaps a move to the struggling Smackdown brand is in the Welshman’s near future, where they are in dire need of some top-line help.
TNA Star Set To Return North of the Border..
Having been one of the young wrestlers TNA hoped would become a major player, Shawn Hernandez is ready to return to the company early in the new year. The big man has been plying his trade in Mexico for the past while, on extended leave from the Orlando-based group. Featuring on cards promoted by Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA), it now seems as though he’s ready to have another crack at success in North America.
In my humble opinion, I was really disappointed by Hernandez feud with fellow man-mountain, Matt Morgan last year in TNA and would love for him to be given another chance in a profiled program. It just seemed to be a case of the pair not gelling with one another inside the ring, failing to capture the fans imaginations and leading to some stifled and rather uninteresting matches. Hopefully, we can chalk this one up to experience and both men will find their rhythm with other opponents in the future.
Hernandez was clearly the stand-out from the well received “LAX” team with Homicide and would have been a clear favourite to become a main event-level performer in 2010. This never seemed to happen for the big guy, and while we can argue about why not – he obviously deserves another shot.
I’d love to hear YOUR opinion on the topics discussed here. Quite frankly, they’re as important as mine. Sometimes even more so! The banter and chatter amongst fans is truly what makes pro wrestling such an amazing form of entertainment. Almost everybody has something to say. I love that. You can leave a comment below or send a quickfire email my way – jamiekennedy@live.com I’ll be sure to respond to anything and everything. Quite frankly, I just love talking to people about the wild and wacky world of wrasslin’! TAKE IT HOME!
With quite a lot going on in the wrestling world as we head towards the end of the year and into the annual “Wrestlemania Season”, you fine readers may well see a lot more of the “Mat Musings” concept. This is simply because there is a hell of a lot to talk about this time of year, specifically when it comes to World Wrestling Entertainment. Having said that, one of the topics in this article has absolutely nothing to do with the biggest company in all of the wrestling kingdom! With that said, on with the topics!
Scottish Wrestler to Appear on TNA Maximum iMPACT! Tour..
I have no clue how familiar many (or indeed any) of you are with the wrestling scene here in the UK. As it happens, it’s going through quite the boom period in regards to talent – which will be obvious to any of you who regularly tune into WWE or TNA television. The amount of British-born grappler’s currently making headlines in the major promotions is at an all-time high. This obviously bodes well for my local scene as the bigwigs at WWE and TNA seem to be on the lookout on this side of the water.
Recently, none other than Jeff Jarrett was flown in at the expense of TNA wrestling to hold a seminar with the young students of The “Scottish Pro Wrestling Academy” and the hard-working roster members of “Premier British Wrestling”. PBW has recently joined up with the “British Wrestling Council” (an institution put in place to improve the safety and working conditions for all those involved in the British wrestling scene, be they wrestler, manager, announcer, referee or ring crew) and this marks a clear statement of intent from TNA to sweep the shores of the UK for talent.
Adrian McCallum, who goes by the ring name “Lionheart”, was the man chosen by Jarrett at these training sessions to show the biggest amount of potential. Lionheart has long been a local favourite in Scotland, specifically Glasgow, and there is a fantastic buzz and excitement over him being given this opportunity. Having had the chance to see him wrestle a number of times, I can tell you that he reminds me of a younger AJ Styles and will no doubt thrive in front of a huge crowd at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow. Go get ’em buddy!
A special mention must be given to Ross Watson and his gang over at PBW too, for all the hard work they have put in removing the stigma and overall ‘cheapness’ of the British product. Their live shows are regularly jam-packed full of wrestling-hungry spectators and it wouldn’t be stretching the truth to say that nobody leaves a show feeling disappointed. This writer is in no way associated with PBW but feels that credit is due for all their efforts! It’s exciting to think, for somebody like me who is trying to break into the British wrestling scene, that someday I could perhaps be a part of all this. You just never know!
Vince McMahon Banking on Brock Lesnar..
When WWE announcers start mentioning something heavily on TV at the direct request of their boss, it’s a good indication that the company and its owner are fairly confident said thing will come to fruition. The undoubted largest company in professional wrestling have always been very careful when it comes to things like this. Mr. McMahon really does like to follow through on things and doesn’t often leave things to chance, with his wrestling promotion at least.
There is still a lot of talk regarding the possible appearance of UFC performer and ex-WWE superstar, Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania this coming spring. Personally, I’m not entirely sure what to make of it all. I find it very difficult to imagine that Dana White, the owner of UFC, would allow one of his contracted fighters to show up on a WWE show for any reason. WWE and UFC may be two different monsters but they are in the business of ratings and trying to secure a bigger audience than the other, on the face of it. On the flip side, Lesnar appearing at the most-watched wrestling show of the year could be seen as the perfect advert for UFC. The chance of grabbing some new viewers could be a clever move, with WWE receiving the “cool” rub of being associated with mixed martial arts. Perhaps there is something in it for both sides afterall.
From a purely personal standpoint, I would love to see Brock back in a WWE ring. The chances of him ever returning full-time are extremely slim, which I realise, but a one-off appearance would only heighten my anticipation for the event. By far one of my favourite superstars from the past decade, “The Next Big Thing” became a world class main event level wrestler very fast – learning off peers such as Kurt Angle and The Undertaker with superlative quickness. With his intimidating size and impressive agility, I’d be a liar if I said I wouldn’t “mark out with my mark out” if the master of the “F5” showed up with his game face on.
Yours truly can recall being mega-disappointed with the way the man’s wrestling career ended. Coming to a close in complete and utter insouciance, his match with fellow-leaver Goldberg was treated with disdain by those in attendance at Madison Square Garden. It was a sorry end for the man in whom Vince McMahon saw great things. It would be entirely fair to say that Lesnar would still be a huge star in the land of the WWE had he not decided to pursue an American Football career, tired of the long roads he had to travel with the industry.
The only thing for us fans to do, is play the waiting game. It’ll certainly be an interesting watch to see if WWE ramp up their interest in their former champion. Or perhaps they already know something the rest of us do not..
I’d love to hear YOUR opinion on the topics discussed here. Quite frankly, they’re as important as mine. Sometimes even more so! The banter and chatter amongst fans is truly what makes pro wrestling such an amazing form of entertainment. Almost everybody has something to say. I love that. You can leave a comment below or send a quickfire email my way – jamiekennedy@live.com I’ll be sure to respond to anything and everything. Quite frankly, I just love talking to people about the wild and wacky world of wrasslin’! TAKE IT HOME!
