Yep. Regal was born in 1968, and started wrestling when he was 15. It was in the dying days of the Carnys. Its been a known fact for years, and its on his Wiki (for whatever Wikis worth).
Here, I found a video on YouTube. He was wrestling as "The Destroyer", this was long before he came to the US
Oh I see now. That's Blackpool Pleasure Beach, it's like a show place. I was imagining him in some fairground booth like the bare knuckle fistfights they had back in the '20s !
JJ , the names are ringing a bell. I do remember Kendo Nagasaki!
New Orleans Superdome around the late 70's or early 80's, the fanbase was 95% minority blacks, they'd sell out the Superdome more often than not, and the audience believed it all to be real. Kayfabe (telling the public it was real) was in full effect at this time, and in front of the most hostile fanbase in the history of the business. They all would come to see one man, and when he came to the ring to Queens "Another One Bites The Dust", the pop from the stadium was so loud many oldtimeers said it dwarfed Hulk Hogans pops at Madison Square Garden during his prime.
They came to see The Junkyard Dog.
So how dangerous was it for Pro Wrestlers in the days of Kayfabe? In mid-South Wrestling promoted by Bill Watts it was extremely dangerous for all the heels (bad guys), and it was common for a fan to take a punch at them, throw a glassful of acid or piss, come at them with a knife, etc... Watts security team was the stuff of legend throughout the business. Any wrestler that was going thru a hint of endangerment from a fan (or fans) was instructed to not just lay out the fan, but make them bleed openly to discourage the behavior. Any wrestler ever laid out by a fan was immediately fired.
Besides that the fan would be swept up by Watts security, and brought to "the room" in the back of the stadium away from spectators. The fan would receive a real beating from security, sometimes from Bill Watts too who used to be a wrestler (and was a legit tough guy), or if it were real bad they'd let the wrestler get some shots in. That's just how it was. The fan would be given a talk from Watts, and no charges were ever filed on either side. Hey, it was the south.
So back in the day when the show was over there'd be a dozen or so fans waiting in the back of the stadium to jump the heels, so the heels would get in the trunks of the babyfaces car to exit the stadium. As I said earlier the audience was completely enthralled with The Junkyard Dog. He was one of them, they completely adored the man, and any heel in a program vs the Dog made huuuuuuge money. The heels that were generating the most heat in the business, The Fabulous Freebirds, were coming to Mid-South Wrestling to do a feud with the Dog.
Michael Hayes is the one in the middle, and the story & angles in general revolved around him as he was the only one of the three that could talk (cut a great promo). Well Watts was regarded as the best booker in the business, brought the 3 in to talk their usual smack (which would be racially driven), and had them in a 3 on 3 tag team match vs The Junkyard Dog and 2 others (I dont know who they were).
As the match was progressing the Dog and his allies were getting the upper hand on the Freebirds, the fans were hysterically happy, and then suddenly Michael Hayes throws flame from his hand that goes into the Dogs face! (It was a harmless magicians cream used for wrestling angles often). Watts security was on high alert for the spot, and as soon as the Dog hit the mat writhing in seeming excrutiating pain the Birds hauled ass to the back, got in two trunks of two cars, and were sped immediately out of the stadium.
The Junkyard Dog was blind! He was being forced to retire! In a real tv news interview wearing blind persons glasses crying, saying he didnt know what he would do to make a living anymore. The fans of JYD stretched across 3 states (Mid-South Wrestling territory). Sylvester Ritter (The Junkyard Dog) was instructed by Watts to not ever show his face in public without the glasses, and always have someone with him to help him walk or get around like any blind person. He said he never kept his eyes closed for so long that week. At his home JYD said he received tens of thousands of letters from fans that were truly crushed and devastated, and many of those envelopes had one to five dollars, sometimes just change. The total dollar amount that was sent to Mr Ritters home came to over $15,000.00. Yes thats a shoot.
The retirement ceremony would be at the Superdome, and all fans were invited to say good bye to The Junkyard Dog one last time. Of course the Superdome sold out in record time, and that evening JYD was being led out to the ring wearing his blind glasses, and holding onto a mans shoulder walking in front of him. The place was wailing in sorrow - women, children, and even many men in tears. The music was being played, and the sobbing cheers were deafening.
So JYD is able to finally get into the ring with help, and was making a tearful good bye to all the fans he loved, would love forever, and you kids be good, and respect your parents, and then all of a sudden the Fabulous Freebirds music starts playing. The Freebirds were interrupting the JYD ceremony! The hate from the crowd being poured at the 3 of them as they made their way to the ring was truly intimidating. The Freebirds get into the ring, Michael Hayes jerks the microphone from JYDs hand, and he starts gloating what they did, and were going to do to him right then!
So all the fans started pushing to the ring.
In exact order The Freebirds were swept out of the stadium, put into the trunks, sped out, and many were taken to the room. That week JYD miraculously regained his sight! The main events for the coming months were JYD vs Freebirds in some capacity, and all sold out.
Fascinating thread, Tongo. I'm enjoying all the anecdotes. I've been a fan of pro wrestling ever since I was three or four years old and stumbled across Sting vs. Flair on TV. I still watch wrestling every week, no matter how much the product pales in comparison to what it was during the late 90's/early 2000's.
Fascinating thread, Tongo. I'm enjoying all the anecdotes. I've been a fan of pro wrestling ever since I was three or four years old and stumbled across Sting vs. Flair on TV. I still watch wrestling every week, no matter how much the product pales in comparison to what it was during the late 90's/early 2000's.
Thanks Cap, and the product pales allright. The Attitude era was killed when Vince went public with WWE. All the edginess was slowly sucked out to whats left is todays product. I see HHH about to faceplant a handcuffed Daniel Bryan, and when Kurt Angles supposed to do a surprise run-in, they have his theme song playing! If its a surprise hes back, then why is his song playing?! Its the little things. Plus all these scripted promos by the same writing staff make everyone sound the same. Theres mostly nothing organic or fresh about it.
I just finished watching Legends House. Its a 10 part series where 8 legends live together in same house for a month. First season had Rowdy Roddy Piper, Hacksaw Jim Dugan, Hillbilly Jim, Tony Atlas, Gene Okerlund, Howard Finkel, Pat Patterson, and the Mouth Of The South Jimmy Hart. Was it good? Hm.
By the time the season was finishing up it became very touching. These guys were on the road with each other 300+ days out of the year, for bout 20 years, and they hardly really knew each other until this series. I have to confess the "mark" in me just enjoyed seeing these guys outside of the office.
WWE wanted to go ahead with a 2nd season. Names seriously talked about for season 2 were Undertaker , CM Punk , Ric Flair, and Hulk Hogan. All productions delayed or may not occur at all due to current WWE financial cutbacks.
This took place May 5th 2002 in the WWF after the company finished its last show on their european tour. Vince McMahon chartered their own private plane. Only people from the company were on it, and Vince decided to have an open bar.
To start off the festivities Brock Lesnar and Curt Hennig decided they were going to wrestle in the middle of the aisle. Both guys were amateur wrestling champions from Minnesota, and though it started as playful rough housing, it became serious. The two were like locked up going back and forth, then were right up against the emergency escape door. You know,the one that always opens in movies blowing everyone and thing out of the plane. HHH, Finley, and Heyman had to break it up.
The bad singing of Dustin Rhodes singing/serenading to his now ex-wife Terri (Marlena). Jim Ross had to break that one up. As JR would say "It was bad folks! It was bad!". Im guessing Dustin (Goldust) was doing it on the airplane microphone.
Michael Hayes (formerly of The Fabulous Freebirds) has publicly come forth on his days of drugs and drinking. This was one of those days. Hayes working high up in the front office was drunk, and beliggerent. Many people have said Hayes turns into Mr Hyde when drinking. Well he was being abusive to everyone, and nobody dared lay a hand on him thinking he'd be fired. Well JBL was somehow asleep in his chair during this chaos with a bandage on his head from a deep cut that occured his last match. Hayes walks up to JBLs sleeping body, yells "You pussy!", and punches him right on the wound.
JBL is jolted awake, sees a snearing laughing Hayes looking down at him, blood is going all over his brand new clean suit, and he gets up. It only took one punch as Hayes was knocked out cold. Best part is Sean Waltman (1 2 3 Kid, X Pac) then took a pair of scissors, and cut off Hayes lengthy blond ponytail. The plane erupted in cheers as Waltman held up the hair.
Ric Flair was around 60 at this time. He was running around drunk in his robe, and nothing else. He would run up to a stewardess, open the robe, and go "WOOOO!" then do his dance don the aisle with his pecker flip flopping to the wind.
Throughout all of this Scott Hall was overdosing on a variety of pills. He was shaking, shivering uncontrollably, and coming in and out of consciousness. When the plane landed they had to put him in a wheelchair to wisk him thru the airport.
The end results was a public apology Jim Ross had to make to the associated press on behalf of the WWE. Scott Hall was released from the company. Dustin Rhodes was in the doghouse with the company till his release a few months later.
I've heard about that one. That was bad. It makes a good story now, but man, that was bad. Just imagine all of the stuff these guys did before anybody cared about that sort of thing.
Tonight Steve Austin has Vince McMahon on his podcast, and Im sure that will be question #1. I was eager to hear this pod anyway because McMahon NEVER does "unsafe" interviews. Remember Bob Costas? Vince about had a complete roid rage meltdown on about 5 minutes into the 2nd video.
Just finished listening to the Austin/McMahon podcast. Re; CM Punk, the only thing insightful Vince said was that it was unintentional Punk was fed-exed his termination papers on his wedding day. He said it was coincidence. He needs a moderator to deal with Punk, and there isnt one like Jim Ross, who bridged a real life gap between Austin and McMahon at one time.
It's hard to believe that it was mere coincidence that Punk got the termination papers on his wedding day. Did you listen to the Art of Wrestling podcast that had Punk as the guest that came out recently? I believe Punk a little more than Vince on this one.
I heard the Colt Cabana highlights where Punk described the promo he cut on Vince & HHH, and I believe he said it. I also believe Vince wouldnt address Punk knowing he'd have 0 chance to get the audience on his side. Vince didnt want to talk about Jim Ross's firing either.
All these guys in the locker room are encouraged to "take a chance", be ambitious, and the one guy that did all that got no mention during that topics discussion - CM Punk.
I'm a Big CM Punk fan. Huge respect for what he has achieved and his performance skills but come on, he walked out under contract and didn't come back. He may of had his contract terminated "fired" on a technicality but it's still quitting in my books. They reached out and he didn't come back. I don't blame him for that but they didn't give WWE much choice but to fire him. Whether you believe the timing was a coincidence or not makes no difference. Not like his head was on the chopping block and he beat them to the punch. He violated his contract by walking out with zero notice because he wasn't happy and after a reasonable amount of months WWE terminated the contract. I'd do the same thing if I was in Vince's shoes.
This was a somewhat memorable meet-again between Cornette & the Gangstas (Mustafa & New Jack). The rasslin' they did back when was in the kayfabe era, in the south, and they pushed aaaaaall those racial tension buttons to get crowd reactions/hype. New Jack ended up becoming the most notorious pro-wrestler of our generation, and one of ECWs biggest stars. Vince McMahon would never hire New Jack because he was afraid he couldnt control him. He was probably right.
Reply to Topic
Yes thats a shoot.
, CM Punk 
)
