2017 Pro Wrestling Thread

The Cole/Fish/O'Reilly have officially been dubbed The Undisputed Era on NXT. And in last nights tapings, it looks like they're teasing Roddy joining them and a participant in the Mae Young Classic joined the stable as well.

Also...LIO RUSH. DEBUT.

 

You would think, although the E does have a history of doing things like that before. Back when Bret Hart and the E weren't getting along, they redid the Montreal Screwjob with He Who Shall Not Be Named as Stu Hart, who had been taken to the show by his kids who didn't get along with Bret, in attendance.

But you'd also think, seeing that Dana is a goodwill ambassador for them, that they wouldn't do anything to upset her.

 

RIP to the greatest manager of all-time.

 

Heenan is already annoying Monsoon up there.

 

Let's hear some of your favorite Heenan moments.

 

Can't watch that without getting choked up.

 

Holy shit, RIP.

He'd had a pretty rough last decade-plus, with cancer taking a huge toll (BTW, fuck cancer), and he ended up having his jaw removed, and had a couple of bad falls with broken bones. You knew he wasn't in too good shape a few years back when the E did the documentary on him and he never appeared in it, with his wife and daughter speaking for him. His wife, thought said he'd never lost his sense of humor.

So many memories of the Wease, err, Brain. I wasn't allowed to stay up and watch Prime Time Wrestling because it was on past my bedtime, which sucked because it was really the only regular show that would have regular matches instead of squashes. But when we first got a VCR, it was the staple that was programmed each and every week, and I always looked forward to coming home after school and watching the tape. I always preferred the dark blue background, because it felt more intimate (no, not like that) in which Gorilla and Brain were just putting on a show for me.

My knowledge of him comes from his WWF stint, although I saw a few things from his AWA time. I guess my favorite moment, among many, are when he had a "debate" with Ken Patera, which, when you see how dueling promos are today, was pretty ahead of its time. Heenan takes an unbelievable bump after Patera wraps the belt around his neck and pulls him away.

The aftermath on Primetime was fun. First episode afterward, Gorilla acts somewhat sympathetic as Brain is in pain. At one point, Brain takes some medicine, puts it in a cup and drinks it. As he drinks, Gorilla yells out, "Kenny!" And Bobby splurge the drink all over the place. Then Gorilla explains that he's just saying hi to Kenny who is shooting Camera No. 4.

Then months pass with Heenan just wearing the neck brace, , and Gorilla starts making remarks about how Brain is milking the injury for all its worth. Brain takes exception, Gorilla demands proof, and tells him Jack Tunney gave a deadline for proof or Brain's fired from PTW. (Brain, of course says he can't be fired because he's the host, which was a longtime debate between the two). Brain spends a show frantically calling for his X-Rays. They finally arrive, and it's the X-Ray of a foot. Even Heenan kinda laughs about it. Then the next show, Heenan brings out his "doctor" who's a quack, and Gorilla brings out another doctor who deems Brain to be perfectly fine (this clip is on YouTube.)

So many other great memories. His work with Andre in setting up WM3. When he held the NWA title and gave a heckuva promo where he said Ric Flair was coming (comparing Flair as ice cream to Hogan as horse manure) was definitely a mark-out moment. His broadcast of the '92 Rumble is fantastic (love how he cheers Piper, then immediately turns on him). His goading of Orndorff as "Hulk Jr." until he turned was the first real heel turn that I remember. One time, he was insulting the Big Bossman's mom, so Bossman dragged him to the ring and handcuffed him to a barrier. It was unique in that they didn't go to commercial, and instead, shows him screaming for help the whole time.

His WCW stint was meh and he even admitted himself he was disillusioned by the company was was pretty much mailing it in. His books were pretty good; not among the best, but good reads. One thing that surprised me from his books was that he had dropped out of school in eighth grade. He pulled off being a sophisticated well-spoken professional so well.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things, but today, my childhood just got a little farther away.

RIP Weas, er, Brain.

Oh, and again, fuck cancer.

 

I started following pro wrestling in the mid-80s, and Heenan was one of the guys, next to Hulk Hogan, that really made me appreciate this crazy form of entertainment. Kayfabe hated his guts, but he was so entertaining.

I thought the cruelest thing was that Heenan was one of the greatest, wittiest talkers ever, and his throat and oral problems robbed him of that in his final years.

Nonetheless, RIP, and a little piece of his HOF speech in 2004.

 

Watching the 1992 Royal Rumble right now.

Heenan at his finest.

 

Heenan was one of those guys you loved to hate. He'd get on your nerves, but you couldn't wait to see what he'd say/do the next week. RIP Brain