Friday, July 31, 2015

Krazy G


Krazy G first appeared in Arizona in the late 2000s, coming in from California where he likewise saw activity. Well, he's still around and is supposed to be making his way back to Arizona this year.

On the Indy scene he has feuded with another relative unknown, but nonetheless colorful performer by the name of Death Clock.

There have been better "gangster wrestlers" in the past to come through the west, including the ultra controversial New Jack and in Tucson, the lanky Gangsta Man. Krazy G may be a new face and name, but the role is not all that unique. Still, it will be interesting to see what he can do with the routine and if he gets a push this go around.

Good luck, Krazy G.

Death Of Roddy Piper

Roddy Piper passed away  on July 31. Need anything more be said?

In life he made us laugh, boo, jeer and cheer.

In death...he makes the strongest of men fight to keep from crying.




Thursday, July 30, 2015

Kellen Raeth

In  a throwback to arrogant strutting heels from the past like Buddy Rogers, Don Arnold and the Grahams, Kellen Raeth is a standout in modern wrestling. Trained by Dash Venture Sullivan and Buddy Wayne in the Seattle area,  he has been making a name for himself throughout the west. He is a throwback to days long gone.

All he has to do is step through the curtains from the locker room and spread his arms in an expression of "here I am" to get the crowd going. Belittling pins, finishing off his opponent with a finger or foot on their prostrate bodies,  smirking poses in the middle of a match as he has the upper hand and a firm knowledge of ring psychology so lacking in many you see today says it all. The minute he enters the ring, the people in the stands know he is bad, just by the way he carries himself. Even people unfamiliar with him, know they are supposed to boo him.

A recent feud with Randy "The Pimp" Taylor has offered fans a series of "old school" matches at their best.

Kellen's wife is also a capable lady wrestler.



Thursday, July 23, 2015

Meet Dale Pierce July 29

Meet author Dale Perce selling copies of his wrestling books and  Western history books at the Thurston Co. fair in Lacey, Washington for an exclusive engagement on July 29.

For those interested in these books, but unable to attend, Wrestling In Akron is readily available on Amazon.

The History Of Az. Wrestling may be ordered at http://www.lulu.com/content/16473758

 His book on Wild West gravesites may be found at http://www.lulu.com/content/7155196

And The Crowd Goes Wild about Az. favorite Ron Sutherland, who now runs shows in Washington, is orderable at http://www.lulu.com/content/14847433

Pops Ballard Relocates

Pops Ballard, a popular referee in Az. int he 1990s and 2000s has relocated up to Washington state, where he has been active for a number of promotions.

If Az. fans were wondering where he went, there's the answer.

Monday, July 20, 2015

Sonico

A smaller one of the luchadores in size, but big on ambition is Sonico, making the rounds in the west. Frankly, he is fairly new in the game, but has already created a massive fan following that just keeps growing bigger and bigger.

The dynamic luchador is involved in a major feud with black wrestler, Randy Zellers, who would be apt to remind older western fans of the long retired Black Mamba. The feud could spill throughout several independent promotions in the west.

Longtime western manager, the Time Traveler, being nicknamed The Dean Of Mean as the manager for Zellers and his partner, Ogre, as part of an "evil college fraternity" did not endear himself to Sonico in a recent encounter. from ringside, the cunning manager pulled out a sea shell of  all things and raked it across Sonico's eyes whenever he was brought to the manager's corner. As of yet, Sonico has been unable to get his hands on the troublesome veteran manager, but vows the day will come.

Look for this grudge to really get violent.   

In the meantime, Sonico continues to draw the interest of the fans and has proven to be a colorful, charismatic, high flying performer.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Matador

Long before Tito Santana became The Matador in the WWF, there was another Matador plying his trade around the USA. Usually on the undercard, he was seen mainly as a carpenter or someone who built up the wrestlers he faced. he seldom won, though hew as capable and charismatic in the ring.

This Matador made the rounds in the southwest and southeast. The Gulf Coast was an area where he received a moderate push for a change and was able to show his stuff. In the southwest, he was again, usually seen putting other people over.

In his arsenal, he did include a flying dropkick which he used on occasion, when he did win, to put his opponent down for the count.

Ole!

Ike Eakins

Ike Eakins was born in Evansville, Indiana and traveled the entire USA. Though he had a number of southwestern matches, he received his biggest boost in the southeast, where he often teamed with Eddie Graham.

Style and appearance wise, he would have been apt to remind more modern fans of the late Dick Murdoch.

Eakins died in 1968 from one of the most horrendous deaths in all of wrestling. After wrestling a match, he complained of major pain in his side, but chose to return to his hotel room rather than go to the hospital. He had broken ribs and did not know it. One of these punctured a lung and caused violent, fatal hemorrhage, where he choked and coughed up blood all over his hotel room before dying.  He was found dead the next day in a room that looked like something form a horror movie, as defined by one of those who saw it.

Friday, July 3, 2015

Ron Sutherland Book Finding Northwest Circulation

As he is running now in the Washington area, the book put  out on Lulu on Ron Sutherland will be seeing distribution at several SCW shows, be stocked in certain libraries, and be available at varied book fests in Washington and Oregon. The book will also be sold at some Arizona shows when Sutherland makes his return to Arizona for fall bookings 

The book may also be ordered at http://www.lulu.com/content/14847433

The book is not fancy, but full of data, covering the start of Sutherland's career in 1987, to his move to Washington.

Sutherland presently runs SCW. Info at http://www.wildmatch.blog.com

Give Eddie Lopez A Visit

Arizona mainstay, Eddie Lopez, is buried under his real name of Al Romero at the Resthaven cemetery in Glendale. His grave is a simple,  flat headstone.

Lopez wrestled from the 1960s into the 1990s regularly in Arizona. He held the Western States Tag Team title with Kurt Von Steiger and also held the Arizona title many years.

Curiously, he never wrestled as a rule breaker, but always a fan favorite.

Among his many opponents in Arizona  were Don Arnold, The Comancheros, Jody Arnold, Paul Harvey, Buddy Rose, Maniac Mike Gordon, Bobby Mayne (Jaggers), Apache Gringo, The Mercenary, Attacullaculla, John Ringer, the Lumberjacks, Tony Hernandez, the Von Steigers, Chuck Karbo, Don Kent, Jimmy Kent, Paco Nunez, The Warlock, Ali Bey, The Grim Reaper, Kangaroo Karson, Freddie Gomez, Sweet Daddy Watts, Bearcat Wright, Sweet Daddy Slime, Henry Pulusso, Killer Kane,  Dirty Dick Rains, The Mongol, John Shane, Zulu, Duke Keomuka, Karl Von Brock, Fidel Grimo, Nano Ortega, Eddie Sullivan, Ken Lucas, Woody Farmer, Cowboy Claw, Sergeant Shultz, Paddy Ryan, Chuck Hondo, Masked Frankenstein, Zodiac, Gallo Castro, El Mustang, Tony Bernardi, David Mendez, Buddy Dixon, Tom Ramirez, JT Law, Bull Zambrano, Black Mamba, Illustrated Man, Bonecrusher, Steve Dezire, Ron Newstrom and The Beast

.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Big Dogg

While he has worked throughout the Midwest, southwest and parts of Mexico, Big Dogg from out of Texas has yet to make it to Arizona, but maybe someone will take note.

Trained at the wrestling school operated by Shawn Michaels in san Antonio and hen given added pointers by Manny Fernandez, it shows on this guy and if you find that hard to believe, search for some of his matches on You Tube.

Big Dogg started late. he was around 30 when he got into wrestling and has since put 15 years into this trade since. he is still going strong, barring a brief time out due to legitimate injury recently.  Matches with a luchador known as Extremo are well worth viewing.

Vocal on the mike, always making it a point to do promos or arrive at an interview in a suit, with a cowboy hat (picture how well the crowd likes a "black cowboy" in Texas). capable in the ring and as underhand as a rulebreaker as they come, he is a throwback to the 1980s rather than someone from the current crop of unoriginal Indy wrestlers out there.

Everything is right about this guy, really. He is even apt to remind really old fans of Sweet Daddy Siki.

If you have a chance to see him on a card, check this guy out.