John & Rick Davidson were a major tag team in the Michigan/Ohio area in the late 1970s, where they cheated and brawled their way through a number of opponents. Sadly, they were hot at a time when wrestling was not, going through a lag between the era of cable television and the death of the territorial days. Had they come along earlier or later they could have really made it big, perhaps even becoming immortals in the profession.
Rick eventually went to Los Angeles to work for Labell and at this time, this one great promotion was in its death throws as well. Davidson did what he could, had some interesting matches and eventually decided to head eastward again.
It was at this time he did his only stint to my knowledge in Arizona. It would have been some time in 1982 if memory serves me right,. where he drove through Phoenix and picked up an extra paycheck on a Friday night.
As a guy coming from Los Angeles and being a one-night deal, he was billed as a special attraction to face Jody Arnold.
Arnold had spent more than a decade as a top heel in Arizona, when he suddenly made a turn and became a fan favorite. He was more or less the man to beat with the Pheonix promotion. Thus, Davidson was thrown against him.
The bout went 2/3 falls, with the two men trading pins the first two times aorund. In the third fall, Jody managed to catch Davidson in one of his famed power slams that literally rocked the ring. Afterward, it was a matter of pinning his opponent.
The match was over and Jody had added prestige in the eyes of the regional fans, while Davidson simply collected his pay and moved onward, never to returns to Phoenix again.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
The Los Cruces Armory
Like Arizona, new Mexico did not always get a fair shake in the publicity area. During the 1950s, there was a working agreement between Arizona and one Pietro Roise, who ran shows at the Los Cruces Armory in New Mexico. This office has received very little press or remembrance in history.
Several wrestlers who were active in Arizona at the time ventured into New Mexico under this promotion, either wrestling with fellow grapplers from Arizona with whom they already had feuds or facing the Texans brought in from Amarillo and El Paso.
Among those heading eastward into New Mexico were Hans Scrabel, Juan Humberto, Ricky Waldo, Tom Renesto, Lou Plummer, Bull Montana, Henry Pulusso, Kit Fox, Bull Montana and Brute Bemis.
One of the most popular grapplers working the New Mexico/Arizona circuit was one Bobby Pico (real name Roberto Pico, not to be confused with Pancho Pico/Julio Arguello who was a different person). The odd thing about Bobby Pico was he did not fight in the flying luchador style, but was more of a brawler, giving the villains a taste of their own medicine.
Don Arnold, already established as a muscular heel who used gigantic words and stressed his brain power as a deadly combination with his brawn in Arizona, became hated in New Mexico as well. Usually, his devastating bearhug and backbreaker were the only things needed to win his matches, but a roll of dimes hidden in his fist also helped him gain a few illegal victories here.
Though the promoter focused his efforts on the Armory shows in Los Cruces, he also did infrequent events in other towns.
Among those heading eastward into New Mexico were Hans Scrabel, Juan Humberto, Ricky Waldo, Tom Renesto, Lou Plummer, Bull Montana, Henry Pulusso, Kit Fox, Bull Montana and Brute Bemis.
One of the most popular grapplers working the New Mexico/Arizona circuit was one Bobby Pico (real name Roberto Pico, not to be confused with Pancho Pico/Julio Arguello who was a different person). The odd thing about Bobby Pico was he did not fight in the flying luchador style, but was more of a brawler, giving the villains a taste of their own medicine.
Don Arnold, already established as a muscular heel who used gigantic words and stressed his brain power as a deadly combination with his brawn in Arizona, became hated in New Mexico as well. Usually, his devastating bearhug and backbreaker were the only things needed to win his matches, but a roll of dimes hidden in his fist also helped him gain a few illegal victories here.
Though the promoter focused his efforts on the Armory shows in Los Cruces, he also did infrequent events in other towns.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Gangsta Man
"Who is this Snoop Dog-looking mother..."
This was the statement of a wrestler unfamiliar with wrestling in Tucson when he saw the tall, thin black man with his bandanna and street clothes, ambling to the ring on a promotional video..
Enter Gangsta Man.
Active approximately 1995-1999, he saw most of his work in Tucson and though far too small and skinny to make it in the big time, he had his moment on Indy cards. Though not the most skilled or built of wrestlers, he had an ability for doing the most with what he had. He was also good on the mike, which covered some of his inexperience in other facets of wrestling.
And he did kind of resemble Snoop Dog.
To see this guy was to dislike him, for a multitude of reasons. Some fans really hated the "bopper" image he gave off, while others loathed his audacity for not really being built like or looking like a wrestler, but going out there to do it anyway. He just oozed slime and many fans flat did not like his appearance or his tirades on the microphone. This of course had the people yelling for his scalp whenever he was in front of them.
Had he just been more muscular or heavier, he might have gone someplace.
For whatever reason, he never really looked into doing Mexico, as did many of the smaller wrestlers from Arizona, finding success in places like San Luis Rio Colorado, Nogales or Mexicali.
Maybe he was happy just doing his own thing in his native Tucson?
In any case, Gangsta Man became a big part of Arizona wrestling for a while, then called it quits as quickly and mysteriously as he arrived.
For a while there was talk of teaming him with The Black Mamba, another drawing card in Arizona, but this never came to be.
Some of the people he faced in Tucson included Ron Sutherland, The Death Dealer, Billy Scream and Super Serial Killer.
This was the statement of a wrestler unfamiliar with wrestling in Tucson when he saw the tall, thin black man with his bandanna and street clothes, ambling to the ring on a promotional video..
Enter Gangsta Man.
Active approximately 1995-1999, he saw most of his work in Tucson and though far too small and skinny to make it in the big time, he had his moment on Indy cards. Though not the most skilled or built of wrestlers, he had an ability for doing the most with what he had. He was also good on the mike, which covered some of his inexperience in other facets of wrestling.
And he did kind of resemble Snoop Dog.
To see this guy was to dislike him, for a multitude of reasons. Some fans really hated the "bopper" image he gave off, while others loathed his audacity for not really being built like or looking like a wrestler, but going out there to do it anyway. He just oozed slime and many fans flat did not like his appearance or his tirades on the microphone. This of course had the people yelling for his scalp whenever he was in front of them.
Had he just been more muscular or heavier, he might have gone someplace.
For whatever reason, he never really looked into doing Mexico, as did many of the smaller wrestlers from Arizona, finding success in places like San Luis Rio Colorado, Nogales or Mexicali.
Maybe he was happy just doing his own thing in his native Tucson?
In any case, Gangsta Man became a big part of Arizona wrestling for a while, then called it quits as quickly and mysteriously as he arrived.
For a while there was talk of teaming him with The Black Mamba, another drawing card in Arizona, but this never came to be.
Some of the people he faced in Tucson included Ron Sutherland, The Death Dealer, Billy Scream and Super Serial Killer.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Irish Mist
Irish Mist had humble beginnings as a cocktail waitress in Phoenix, when promoters thought due to her looks, she could be a draw as a wretsler. She looked kind of like Brooke Shields, so maybe they did have something, but in an incredible blunder, they failed to capitalize. Instead of having her booked as a fan favorite, they had her on the cards as a rule breaker.
Having her go out as a manager for Sergeant Shuttle 1&2 for a time, when she was training to wrestle, really did nothing for her image. No matter how hot she was as a looker, no one was going to side with a couple Neo-Nazis, not even in the most red-neckish parts of Arizona.
Where both she and the promotion could have made a killing selling shirts with her image on it, signed photos and other junk, they did not because the people hated her due to her affiliation with the top heels. They just would not cheer for her and would not buy anything with her face on it.
Irish Mist started wrestling in 1990 and was done by 1993. During her brief career, most of her matches were with Miss Vicious. The curious thing was Vicious was normally hated with a passion by Arizona fans, but became an instant favorite when matched against Irish Mist.
No one ever bothered to ask why someone from "Ireland" would not have an Irish accent and would associate with Nazis.
One of Mist's best matches came at Graham Central Station in Phoenix before a crowd of over 1,000. Again facing Miss Vicious, the match seemed certain to be headed toward a stalemate when in the final few seconds of the encounter, Vicious managed a surprise pin.
Having her go out as a manager for Sergeant Shuttle 1&2 for a time, when she was training to wrestle, really did nothing for her image. No matter how hot she was as a looker, no one was going to side with a couple Neo-Nazis, not even in the most red-neckish parts of Arizona.
Where both she and the promotion could have made a killing selling shirts with her image on it, signed photos and other junk, they did not because the people hated her due to her affiliation with the top heels. They just would not cheer for her and would not buy anything with her face on it.
Irish Mist started wrestling in 1990 and was done by 1993. During her brief career, most of her matches were with Miss Vicious. The curious thing was Vicious was normally hated with a passion by Arizona fans, but became an instant favorite when matched against Irish Mist.
No one ever bothered to ask why someone from "Ireland" would not have an Irish accent and would associate with Nazis.
One of Mist's best matches came at Graham Central Station in Phoenix before a crowd of over 1,000. Again facing Miss Vicious, the match seemed certain to be headed toward a stalemate when in the final few seconds of the encounter, Vicious managed a surprise pin.
Billy Scream
Billy Scream started out in Tucson as a trainee of Ron Sutherland, making his debut in Tucson in the late 1980s. He also saw action in Phoenix and environs, but only on an irregular basis. Among the people he faced were The Lumberjacks, John Ringer, Death Dealer, The Golden Eagle, Lance Ferraro, JT Law and The Black Mamba.
Though closely resembling one of The Nasty Boys, both in physical appearance and style, he was always a fan favorite with the audience.
On many occasions, Scream teamed with his trainer and would also come to his rescue in singles matches where Sutherland was being double teamed. It became common to see Scream charging the ring with a chair in hand, cleaning house.
Scream retired in 1994, but made a comeback when Sutherland started promoting his Rage In The Cage promotion. Though he did not appear on every card and had to take time out for injuries sustained along the way, he was still a mainstay, facing a variety ion opponents.
The inevitable happened when Scream made one of his celebrated run-ins, got Sutherland disqualified and caused his mentor to turn on him. After a very brief Tucson run as a villain, Sutherland recanted his evil ways and mended his rift with his favorite stduent.
Scream quit for good in 2000.
Though closely resembling one of The Nasty Boys, both in physical appearance and style, he was always a fan favorite with the audience.
On many occasions, Scream teamed with his trainer and would also come to his rescue in singles matches where Sutherland was being double teamed. It became common to see Scream charging the ring with a chair in hand, cleaning house.
Scream retired in 1994, but made a comeback when Sutherland started promoting his Rage In The Cage promotion. Though he did not appear on every card and had to take time out for injuries sustained along the way, he was still a mainstay, facing a variety ion opponents.
The inevitable happened when Scream made one of his celebrated run-ins, got Sutherland disqualified and caused his mentor to turn on him. After a very brief Tucson run as a villain, Sutherland recanted his evil ways and mended his rift with his favorite stduent.
Scream quit for good in 2000.
A Parade Of Famous Masons Book & E Book
A Parade Of Famous Masons is another book and e book by me at http://www.lulu.com/content/9091275
The book opens in the first section with lists of masonic lodge members in varied realms of work such as actors, politicians, bullfighters, ball players, writers and even wrestlers. The wrestlers include such notables as Wild Red Berry, Harley Race, Jim Londos, Jerry Graham, Gory Guerrero, Bull Ramos and Two Ton Harris.
The second and third portions of the book offer more in-depth bios and stories. There is a particularly interesting story about Jim Londos and how, at least according to masonic lore, he chose to deals with a rival promoter who came to the newly-opened Phoenix Madison Square Garden during a show and sliced a load of car tires on the parking lot to try to make fans afraid of attending the shows.
The book opens in the first section with lists of masonic lodge members in varied realms of work such as actors, politicians, bullfighters, ball players, writers and even wrestlers. The wrestlers include such notables as Wild Red Berry, Harley Race, Jim Londos, Jerry Graham, Gory Guerrero, Bull Ramos and Two Ton Harris.
The second and third portions of the book offer more in-depth bios and stories. There is a particularly interesting story about Jim Londos and how, at least according to masonic lore, he chose to deals with a rival promoter who came to the newly-opened Phoenix Madison Square Garden during a show and sliced a load of car tires on the parking lot to try to make fans afraid of attending the shows.
Eddie Guerrero In Arizona
Shortly afterward, Eddie would hit the big time in AAA, followed with his run in WCW and the WWF. For these promotions, he would become a big draw. After all,. there was name recognition right off the bat due to Gory Guerrero being a mainstay in the area and well-recognized by the older fans, as well as the matches his older sons had in the area. While Gory has often been mistakenly branded a Mexican wrestler, he was born in the small town of Ray, Ariozna.
Eddie looked back on his career, wild lifestyle and conversion to Christianity in his own autobiography, while much has been written on him in the magazines, books and on the net. There is no point in rehashing the bulk of it. Biographies, statistics and career info may be found from a number of sources on and off line.
After Eddie suffered a fatal heart attack, he was laid to rest in Scottsdale, Arizona, far away from his deceased father and founder of the dynasty, who rests in El Paso.
The legend, however, lives on.
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