Wrestling bears~!

Wrestling formerly being a weekly attraction in most towns within the Unites States, often called on some more unusual gimmicks to get people through the gates. Often they would be things like "Death matches" or "Cage matches", or lady wrestlers and midgets wrestlers. One staple of the olden times however was the Wrestling BEAR.

I have to say that one of the worst matches I ever saw involved a bear, but it did draw the crowds, so what can I say.
Anyway, here are some matches of man and bear....


Gordon Solie: "550 pounds of supple muscle..."


The Destroyer commentates his own bout against Viktor the wrestling bear.


Terrible Ted, probably the most famous wrestling bear. Terry Funk once famously painted Ted white after the athletic commission said "you can't bring Terrible Ted to the building", so Frosty the Polar Bear turned up as a substitute.


Promo involving Ginger the Bear, sadly no, the bear does not talk.


Some old footage of the Bear taking on ALL COMERS.

The won't let me embed the worst one i've seen, but this might be it here. (No disrespect intended to the late Mr Hart)
BEAR IN A CAGE

I am disappointed I could not locate any footage of Gentleman Ben, perhaps the best named of all the bears.

Wrestling music videos and intros

These days, the music video or hype video is essential to building up a big match on pa-per-view. Or the weekly tv show. Or a DVD release. Or a video game release. Or... well, you get the drift. They do so many now, they tend to lose their impact. I think the UFC still does them well, and they have to, because building up fights is the name of the game.

Anyway, before I digress into a curmudgeonly state, I wanted to go back. Back to when the music video was a new phenomenon.
And pro wrestling was quick to realise that the format made for a great way to package the company's overall product, or highlight a particular wrestler or team of wrestlers. Here are some of the more memorable ones from days gone by....


World Class Championship Wrestling



Pro Wrestling Illustrated - Lords of the Ring


Memphis Wrestling - Jerry Lawler "Glory Days"


Memphis Wrestling - The Fabulous Ones


The Road Warriors (doing their own singing!)


Memphis Wrestling - Rock 'n Roll Express


One of the greatest.....Memphis Wrestling - The "New" Fabulous ones (actually the Bruise Brothers.... just keep watching)

AND JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT, OLD SCHOOL INTROS


WWF Coliseum Home Video Intro


WWF Coliseum Home Video Intro (2nd version)


WWF - Saturday Night's Main Event intro (original)


WWF - Saturday Night's Main Event intro (2nd version)


WWF- Superstars of Wrestling (special nostalgia for those of us from New Zealand)


This was the 2nd Superstars of Wrestling theme, shortly before the show was taken off the air in NZ.


World Class Championship Wrestling - Championship Sports intro


Georgia Championship Wrestling intro (the original GCW)


AWA All Star Wrestling intro ("....Japan.....Australia....."


NWA JCP - World Wide Wrestling


NWA New Zealand - On The Mat (Here's a REAL piece of Kiwi nostalgia)


Southwest championship Wrestling intro


....and a newer one, WWE's "Desire"

Special shout out to the crew at IPW New Zealand, their intro for their TV show "IPW Ignition" is bang on the money.

Roddy Piper gets ribbed in his WWWF debut

DESCRIPTION FROM YOUTUBE: "Clip of Roddy Piper's WWF TV debut from 1979"

COMMENT FROM YOURS TRULY: This is Piper's debut TV appearance for the latter-day WWE, at the time called the WWWF. Before he takes on regular enhancement talent Steve King, Piper attempts to plays his set of bagpipes.

I say attempts, because as you will see, he doesn't make a very good job of it. That's because, as Piper discovered afterward, that "Classy" Freddie Blassie had cheekily stuffed the pipes with toilet paper, preventing them from functioning properly. Roddy Piper was not impressed and only stayed around for one more match, not returning until 1984 when he was truly "Hot Rod".

SIR LANNY POFFO

DESCRIPTION FROM YOUTUBE:"From October 13, 1984."

COMMENT FROM YOURS TRULY: Many long-time wrestling fans remember the poetic Mr Poffo as either "Leapin' Lanny Poffo" with his frisbee-throwing entrance, or as the evil Genius, with gown, scroll and Honour Roll moonsault finishing move that was far ahead of its time.

But before that, down in Memphis, Lanny for a while came to the ring as Sir Lanny, complete with suit of armour. Which he wore in a couple of battle royals (one of which he did later in the WWF and it ended up in Home Video form for all posterity).

AWA Team Challenge Series Survival Series Battle Royal August 25, 1990

DESCRIPTION FROM YOUTUBE: "AWA TCS Survival Series Battle Royal August25,1990 Brad Rheingans,Col DeBeers,Hangman Killer,Russian Brute,Curtis Hughes,Wayne Bloom,DJ Peterson(TTc),Johnnie Stewart,Mike
Enos,Trooper(TTc),Unknown Soldier(DeBeers),Jake Milliman"

COMMENT FROM YOURS TRULY: When the AWA was on its last legs, they had the idea to have all the 'talent' they had left form into teams and then challenge each other. Unsurprisingly, it was called the Team Challenge Series. Unsurprisingly, nobody was that interested. Surprisingly, nobody was that interested so they took to filming many of the matches in an empty "secret" arena. Surprisingly, the arena was pink. Unsurprisingly, they had many battle royals and wacky gimmick matches. Surprisingly, one of the gimmick matches was a 'turkey on a pole' match. Surprisingly, the turkey was not cooked. Surprisingly, Jake 'the Milkman' Milliman won the 'Turkey on a pole' match. Unsurprisingly, nobody was that interested.

Anyway, here's a battle royal featuring three teams of participants. And what participants they are.

Ted Arcidi is very excited

HUGGIN~! TED ARCIDI... "Mr 705" that's as in 705 lbs. A mere 319 kilograms he was able to lift. Here he lifts a very small wooden table. But you can feel the joy. Or cocaine.

Who can doubt the genius of Mr. Paul Christy?

Mr. Paul Christy, in his first and LAST appearance on WWF's "Tuesday Night Titans" TV show, after imbibing several alcoholic beverages, attempts to combine the disciplines of professional wrestling, magic tricks and hypnotism. He does not succeed. OR DOES HE?

And he owns many apartment buildings.



....and interviewed by perennial World's heavyweight champion, Lou Thesz in this segment. A segment where Mr Christy talks about how to handle a lady, it's okay to elbow her, but don't go hitting her. Then he imitates the Crusher by munching the microphone.