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As I See It: Thoughts On A Legend And The Holidays

As I See It: Thoughts On A Legend And The Holidays

Posted: Sep 19th 2016 By: Bob Magee

House of Hardcore returned to the 2300 (ECW) Arena on Saturday night.

Along with a blow-away match between Sami Callihan and Ricochet, Terry Funk has been scheduled to second Tommy Dreamer in his main event match against "Broken" Matt Hardy.

Terry worked the Icons of Pro Wrestling Convention earlier in the day, but came into the ring earlier on, introduced by Tommy Dreamer, who explained that Funk has had health issues (at the very least, he had hip surgery) and seems to have announced his retirement with "now I don't wanna leave this ring quite yet because I won't be getting back in again". Mind you, this is the same Terry Funk who has announced his retirement at least half a dozen times. But even walking into the 2300 Arena, he was shuffling in more slowly than usual. There was also a report that he was dizzy.

And...if nothing else... he IS 72 years old, folks.

Even Terry Funk isn't immortal....despite what most of the last 25 years would suggest otherwise. Far too many wrestling fans only know the legend who appeared at the ECW Arena, and whose presence (along with "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert) helped start the original Eastern Championship Wrestling in 1993. Most don't know of the long career in Championship Wrestling from Florida....his reigns as NWA Champion...his almost 20 years of tours in All Japan Pro Wrestling...his program with RIc Flair in the NWA...tours for IWA Japan and the King of the Death Match tournaments (see Mick Foley's books).

Take some time and check around on YouTube, Daily Motion, etc.

If this IS goodbye at the ECW Arena, I'm glad I was there Saturday.



With this being late September, and only days away from the official start of, the calendar turns toward Fall and the last months of 2017, and yes...the holidays. Your friendly not-so-local retail mega-store will soon be killing millions of trees to print advertisements to sell you and I all sorts of goodies (as soon as they get done killing them for Halloween). TV ads are already running on QVC, and Hallmark Channel is yet again plugging their Christmas movies. Pretty soon, people will maul each other to get the newest iThing... or even something for their kids.

In keeping with the actual spirit of the seasons... the season of light and the season of the Christchild, the wrestling community will reach out to those in need. Independent promotions hold a wide variety of events to benefit various food pantries, fundraisers for homeless or domestic violence shelters (the latter all too timely these days)...and Toys for Tots drives.

Over the years, promotions in my area ranging from the family-friendly United Wrestling Coalition to the hardcore themed Combat Zone Wrestling to indies of various sizes and types throughout the United States and Canada hold them. If you're a independent wrestling promotion, and you HAVEN'T thought of doing a charity-themed holiday show to give back to your community....time to start planning.

Four events scheduled so far:

* Ring Wars Carolina has a fundraiser for the Lumberton, NC food bank on November 5.

* The Delaware/South Jersey based East Coast Wrestling Alliance already has Toys for Tots V scheduled for December 4.

* United Wrestling Coalition presents its annual Toys for Tots show on December 10 in Wrightstown, NJ. In the nearly 20 years they have held these shows, UWC has collected well over 18,000 toys for the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign.

* Insane Wrestling Alliance presents Santa Slam II on December 17th at The American Legion Post 250 Middleburg , FL. The promotion seeks to surpass its total of 135 toys collected in 2015.

If you or your local promotion plans on such an event, please send an email to bobmagee1@hotmail.com and let me know about it.

Until next time...

 

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Supplemental Information

1

Spotlight in History

  • 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
  • 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
  • 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
  • 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
  • 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles

Week of Sun 04-26 to Sat: 05-02

  • 04-26 2008 Jerry Bostic def. Joshua Smith for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-26 2008 Shane Rawls def. Ky-Ote for the 3DW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Buster Cherry def. Bud Barnes for the SWCW All-American Title
  • 04-26 2014 Chaz Sharpe def. Kevin James Sanchez for the SWCW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2014 Sam Stackhouse def. Warhammer for the SRPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-26 2024 Miranda Gordy def. Sgt. Slice for the CPW Women’s Title
  • 04-26 2025 Deacon Hendrix became the RWE Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Family Affiliated (Athan Sorrow & Rika Wildlee) became the RWE Tag Team Champions
  • 04-26 2025 Gluttony became the RWE United States Champion
  • 04-26 2025 Bishop Simon became the RWE Light Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-26 2025 For God And Country (Pastor Brent & Corporal Punishment) def. The Main Characters (Sean Ryan & Daniel Aaron Michalles) for the WAH Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 1978 The Assassin became the TSW Louisiana Champion
  • 04-27 1981 Junkyard Dog & Dick Murdoch def. The Grappler & The Super Destroyer for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 The Sharpe Brothers (Chaz Sharpe & Rich Sharpe) def. John O'Malley & All-American Aaron for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-27 2003 Se7en def. Aaron Neil for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-27 2008 Tyrone def. Jerry Bostic for the 3DW Violent Division Title
  • 04-27 2019 Brandon Groom def. Brian Dixon for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-27 2019 Doc Black became the BCW Heritage Rivalry Champion
  • 04-28 1954 Red Berry def. Whitey Whittler for the TSW Tri-State Title
  • 04-28 1976 Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch def. Buck Robley & Bob Slaughter for the TSW United States Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 1980 Kevin Von Erich def. Toru Tanaka for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 1989 The Simpson Brothers (Steve Simpson & Shaun Simpson) def. Beauty & The Beast (Terrance M. Garvin & The Beast [2nd]) for the WCCW Texas Tag Team Titles
  • 04-28 2000 Heather Savage def. Jenna Love for the OPW Oklahoma Womens Title
  • 04-28 2002 Summer Rain became the OCW Oklahoma Womens Champion
  • 04-28 2007 Eric Rose def. Jersey Devil for the UWF06 Light Heavyweight Title
  • 04-28 2007 Joe Herell became the UWF06 Violent Division Champion
  • 04-28 2017 Brandon Groom def. Sam Stackhouse for the BPPW Oklahoma Title
  • 04-28 2018 Dusty Gold def. Wesley Crane for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-29 2006 AWOL def. Michael York for the TPW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2006 Natural Born Sinners (Appolyon & El Lotus) def. Pretty Young Things (Cade Sydal & Mitch Carter) for the ACW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2006 Rexx Reed def. Carnage for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2006 Carnage def. Rexx Reed for the ACW Hardcore Title
  • 04-29 2007 Aaron Neil def. Tyler Bateman for the MSWA Oklahoma Title
  • 04-29 2007 Brad Michaels def. Ryan Davidson for the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2007 Bad Boy & Outlaw became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2011 The Unknown & Johnny USA def. Michael H & Mr. Big for the NCW Tag Team Titles
  • 04-29 2011 Mr. Big became the NCW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Sam Stackhouse def. Prophet for the BYEW Heavyweight Title
  • 04-29 2012 Rage Logan became the MSWA Mid-South Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-29 2012 Nemesis (Damien Morte & Damon Windsor) became the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champions
  • 04-29 2017 Aaron Anders became the ComPro Oklahoma X Division Champion
  • 04-30 1954 Frenchy Roy became the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 1971 Toru Tanaka def. Johnny Valentine for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 04-30 2004 Shadow of Death def. Terry Montana for the TPW Hardcore Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ryan Reed def. Rolling Thunder for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2011 Ray Martinez def. Ryan Reed for the UWE United States Title
  • 04-30 2016 Ray Martinez became the SRPW Heavyweight Champion
  • 04-30 2022 Clayton Bloodstone def. Ky-Ote for the NCWO Choctaw Nation Title
  • 04-30 2023 El Gallardo/El Vaquero def. Cappuccino Jones for the BPW Lion Heart Title
  • 04-30 2023 Heavyweight Grappling (Dan Webber & Morrison) def. Subject To Death (Cade Fite & Leo Fox) for the BPW Oklahoma Tag Team Titles
  • 05-01 1981 Super Destroyer def. Jim Garvin for the MSW Louisiana Title
  • 05-01 2016 Skylar Slice def. Nikki Knight for the MSWA Ladies Title
  • 05-01 2021 Fuel def. Derek James for the UWE Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1969 Johnny Valentine def. Fritz Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Title
  • 05-02 1975 Mad Dog Vachon def. Billy Graham for the WCCW Texas Brass Knuckles Title
  • 05-02 1977 Stan Hansen def. Dick Murdoch for the TSW North American Title
  • 05-02 1984 Krusher Khrushchev became the MSW Television Champion
  • 05-02 1984 The Rock-N-Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) def. The Midnight Express (Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Titles
  • 05-02 2009 Ozzy Hendrix def. Shank for the SWCW Luchadore Title
  • 05-02 2015 Gail Kim became the IWR Diamonds Champion
  • 05-02 2015 Kareem Sadat became the BCW Independent Hardcore Champion
  • 05-02 2021 Drake Gallows def. Blade [2nd] for the AIWF National Title
04-30
  • Joe McCarthy Apr 30th Today!
  • Anarchy [2nd] Apr 30th Today!
  • Billie the Kiid Apr 30th Today!
  • Dustin Tibbs Apr 30th Today!
  • Prince Maivia May 1st
  • Nightmare [1st] May 2nd
  • Barrett Brown May 2nd
  • Americos May 2nd
  • Big Bossman May 2nd
  • Don Fields May 2nd
  • Kari Wright May 2nd
  • Lester Welch May 3rd
  • Johnny Humble May 3rd
  • Lily McKenzie May 3rd
  • Jay Hazzard May 4th
  • Malik Mayfield May 4th
  • El Hijo del Mascara Sagrada May 4th
  • Dory Funk May 4th
  • Bull Schmitt May 4th
  • Maria Brigitte May 5th
  • Bill Watts May 5th
  • Zane Morris May 5th
  • El Gallardo May 5th
  • Olivier Vegos May 5th
  • Pat O'Dowdy May 5th
  • Princess Victoria May 5th
  • Miss Diss Lexia May 5th
  • El Matador Dos May 5th
  • Claire Watson May 6th
  • Hercules May 7th
  • Richie Adams May 8th
  • Jake Danielsson May 9th
  • Tito Santana May 10th
  • Rook Tyler May 10th
  • Sunny War Cloud May 10th
  • Billy Brown May 10th
  • Jerry Brown May 10th
  • Psycho May 11th
  • Big J May 11th
  • Charming Charles May 11th
  • Brock Baker May 12th
  • Sol Yang May 12th
  • Bill Howard May 12th
  • Sensei Jamo May 12th
  • Dave Ryda May 13th
  • Little Boy Blue May 13th
  • Lars Manderson May 13th
  • Karl Krupp May 13th
  • Prince Mahalli May 13th
  • Stan Kowalski May 13th
  • Maggie Rae May 13th
  • Danny Hodge May 13th
  • Payton Scott May 13th
  • Pete Maguire May 13th

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