Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Here’s the set up.

A bunch of fine wrestling enthusiasts over at The Death Valley Driver Message Board thought up a great way to both promote discussion on their board, and educating wrestling fans on matches they may or may not have seen. As there isn’t much footage from the 1970s and back saved for history, the end of the territories and the beginning of national promoting serves as the jumping off point for this process.

It’s called the 80s Project and it focuses on a promotion/territory for the entire decade. In specific it highlights famous angles, wrestlers, feuds, moments, and most relevant to this discussion – MATCHES. About twice a year (so far) they hold nominations for matches, and thanks to the refining of the system, a committee goes over the suggestions and board nominees, looks up the footage, and makes official nominations. From there a match must get a certain amount of support to make the 150 slots open for disk selections. Then the disks get sent out, and people like me send in a ballot with what I think the top 100 matches are.
I’m reviewing matches from the Mid South promotion run by Bill Watts from 1979 until 1987, when it was bought by Crockett Promotions. Only matches from January ’80 until Dec. ’89 are eligible within the context of the Death Valley Driver 80s project. In this case I’ve got 150 matches (not counting “bonus track” matches) that I have to rank from number one (the best match) to one hundred, while cutting fifty matches. All the matches are in chronological order on 10 DVD disks. I’ve got roughly 4-5 months from January 1st of 2008 to finish the disks and send in a final ballot to the fine people running the poll.

Polls like this are very subjective. It combines your personal product knowledge, leanings, tastes, booking and wrestling work ideologies, among tons of other factors. I’ve decided to take you inside the whole process to view my honest thoughts and opinions from match to match – through early and late ballots – to the final submitted ballot. In fairness, I’ll also post a link for every match I review to the thoughts others are sharing on the same match at Death Valley. Hopefully you’ll get a well rounded view of these matches.

A few things you should know. I’ve been a fan since 1987. I’m 27 and have been fascinated with the business for over twenty years now. I consider wrestling an artform, much like dance or other performing arts, and I consider promoting/booking an art in it’s own right. Obviously this all has the duality of being a business and a magicians act in many ways, itself a performing art.
I am a passionate fan who is often more interested in the history and the business side as the “show”. I lean towards work rate and a stiffer style. I like a lot of technical catch and chain wrestling, as well as strong style. I enjoy consistent selling, but I’m accepting of SOME no selling and high spot work. I also enjoy a solid brawl, though the good ones have to be great after all I’ve seen. My “home” promotions were WWF as a kid, ECW from ’95-01 as a teen into my twenties, and Ring of Honor since ’02. I’m also a collector of wrestling and specific wrestlers, so I have a background in some territory stuff going back as far as the 50s. I also have watched a ton of All Japan and to a lesser extent, New Japan, so that has influenced me. I’ve been online pretty much daily as wrestling goes since June 1997.

If you think debating the nuts and bolts of wrestling or learning about long dead promotions is lame, then you should probably bail now. I’ll be self aware about the issues I bring up in my head on this, but I will not feel shame or embarrassment for taking this somewhat seriously. Is anything else we do more or less important? I say no. So those are the basics. Let us begin then.

I’m a real “lost inside my head” kinda guy. I like exploring and detailing most everything, so a few of these reviews might get long winded. I’m not good with brevity, and since I’m doing this for me just as much as you, I’m not gonna self edit at times. Skip ahead if you get bored. If you do dig some of the examinations (like the thought processes of why someone favors one thing over another and self-evaluation), feel free to e-mail or leave comments. I’d love discussions to start here.

I’ll up the first review tonight hopefully. I’ve got over a notebook of stuff right now and I’m almost done with disk 3 (I’m about 45-47 matches in) as we speak. Hopefully I’ll be loyal to typing up the notes/drafts most days to catch up. Here’s a preview of our first 8 matches:

1. Bob Roop vs. Mike George (12/16/81)
2. Mr. Olympia vs. Paul Orndorff (2/3/82)
3. Bob Roop vs. Ted DiBiase (4/2/82)
4. Junkyard Dog vs. Nick Bockwinkel (6/11/82)
5. Mr. Olympia vs. Bob Roop (7/15/82)
6. Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia vs. Ted DiBiase & Hacksaw Duggan (8/18/82)
7. One Man Gang vs. Buck Robley (Lumberjack Match) (9/15/82)
8. Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia vs. Ted DiBiase & Matt Borne (Loser Leaves Town) (10/27/82)

John Philapavage can be reached by e-mailing Johnnyp@mmaopinion.com