#107 – The Squared Circle of Horrors – Dusty! Curses! Grocery Store Death Match!
This week on the show we take a look at three classic tales of horror in a wrestling ring. First, we look at a truly old school casket match from 1980 involving Dusty Rhodes and Ivan Koloff. Next, we talk about the legendary feud between the Ultimate Warrior and Papa Shango. And, finally, we review one of the craziest things we’ve ever watched, the 1995 Big Japan Pro Wrestling GROCERY STORE DEATH MATCH. Please support the show by visiting the OSWP store at flairchop.com. We just released the second season of OSWP. This box set features OSWP episodes 51-75, the amazing art of Dean Stahl, and two brand new episodes that will never be posted on the website with over four hours of new content. On our first bonus episodes we discuss the VERY FIRST NWA TNA Wrestling PPV from June 2002 and on the second bonus episodes we break down the 1992 PWI 500. There’s also a special bonus easter egg featuring a special visit from Stone Cold Dre Austin. All of this for only $9.99. Also available now is the David Crockett’s Thanksgiving Day OSWP poster. Click on the banner ads to the right to purchase these fine products today!
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x14xy3n_ivan-koloff-vs-bob-backlund-msg-8-28-78_sport?search_algo=2
Here’s another Koloff match where he’s wearing that same awesome robe, which is described by Vince McMahon as “rather satanic”.
Match 1: Sounds like fun
Match 2: Made me stop watching Wrestling back in the day
Match 3: Groce!
😉
One more:
Otto Wanz is from AUSTRIA (Europe), not Australia!!
We Austrians ar a bit sensible about that…
Very sorry, that was a dumb error on my part. Sloppy reading.
-Dre
Kind of weird that “Kendo Nagasaki” was, in itself, a gimmick.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kendo_Nagasaki
If I’m reading the wikipedia entry correctly, then this Nagasaki is Kazuo Sakurada, the same Nagasaki who wrestled in the AWA in the mid-’80s (Pro Wrestling USA-era) and who, while in Florida a few years earlier, inspired one of my favorite Dusty alter-egos, “Mr. Ichiban”- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwrMSwu1afA
The grocery store death match makes any New Jack match look like Flair vs. Steamboat! This match was the drizzling shits, but it was fun to watch. My favorite part was the logic behind what the “wrestlers” (used very loosely) sold, i.e. the cardboard box was sold the exact same as a glass bottle to the head. Thanks fellas for exposing me to this nonsense, it really did brighten my day.
Only on part 2 of this trio of fantastic matches, but I had to stop and 1.) commend the amazing CryptKeeper, Dusty, and Warrior impressions by the Amazing Dre. And 2.) Tell you how much I LOVED the Papa Shango/Ultimate Warrior angle. I have vivid memories of watching The Ultimate Warrior hurl all over those poor EMT’s. I hope one of them was Rene Goulet. And Warrior bleeding that weird, almost black blood. Shango used to telekinetically set jobber’s boots on fire too (that’s Telekinesis Kyle).
Great job on the first half boys. I’m sure the second half will be TITS as well.
DLCP
Loved the Crypt Keeper and the episode.
This was very enjoyable.
I found this match from 1992 for a coliseum home video taping.
Undertaker and Ultimate Warrior VS Berserker and Papa Shango.
I thought it was a cool tag team match with Undertaker and Warrior.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0O5ojtqmpM
Keep Rocking it up old school style…
The Troilogy of Terror idea was pure genius! Absolutely loved it.
Papa Shango was indeed based on Baron Samedi from James Bond, who in turn was based on Baron Samedi – the major ‘character’ in voodoo.
In the quick 1-2-3 I was shocked, nay horrified that you missed the most obvious one, and you even referenced Halloween havoc 1990 – twice.
Barry Windham disguising himself as Sting and laying down for Sid. A classic twist that I cannot recall ever being used again. Its also further proof that WCW had no clue about visual effects.
Had this been the WWF, they would have either used a stand in who looked a bit like Sting (former pro bodybuilder) and had some muscle, or at the least, put him in a muscle suit.
WCW on the other had took a more lackadaisical approach.
Ole Anderson: “Hey Barry, put the pizza down and slap some make up on – your gonna pretend to be Sting tonight”
Barry “But mah hairs a longer than his boss”
Ole: “Fuck it, I got some scissors in the back, now get your fat ass movin'”
This was a particularly really good episode, thanks guys! The three different segments kept it fresh and well paced. Really love the quick 123 since you started doing those as well.
After the Hogan late 80s era of my early childhood, my brief dalliance with early 90s WWF began and ended with flipping over to see a Papa Shango squash match. Him against some hapless jobber where as soon as the bell rang the lights would go out, and when they came back on the jobber would be lying down in the ring, umoving…with his feet on fire. This was the most horrifying thing to me because I was absolutely sure this poor local schmuck was dead. So yeah I guess some dumb kids like me totally bought into the creepy voodoo thing although I guess it worked a little too well because I was too scared to watch again til the Attitude Era.
I loved the Cryptkeeper! I seriously thought you brought in a 3rd person to do the voice at first.
The only ring psychology I can think of as to why pinfalls come easier in Texas Death Matches is say the bad guy needs a break in the match. He may allow himself to be pinned to get a free 30 second rest.
I remember legit being weirded out by the voodoo curse on the Ultimate Warrior because I had just seen Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Seeing voodoo done “in real life” as opposed to the movies had me fearing for the worst. Does anyone know if that angle continued past the puking and “bleeding” scenes? Did Warrior and Papa just work house shows after that? What was the blow off?
I loved Dre’s Warrior impression.
Papa Shango must’ve quit voodoo school because he knew there was no money in Voodoo, but lots of money in pimpin’.
I…cannot wait…to watch the Grocery Store Death Match.
The Grocery Store Death Match is the greatest thing I have ever seen. Only 2 things were missing: Terry Funk and something exploding. If those 2 were added, this match would have be epic. EPIC!
Great episode guys!
Like Hardcore Bad Ass, I thought you brought in someone to do the voice. Silky smooth voice transitions.
That Warrior impression was absolutely terrific as well. Might be in the top 3.
The Warrior/Papa Shango vignettes were horrifying as I was a kid at the time. I also remember being significantly freaked out for the Undertaker/Warrior/Jake the Snake feud. That one was really bizarre and some of Jake the Snakes best work.
As always, keep up the good work fellas!
Was there a payoff to the Jake Roberts/Ultimate Warrior/Undertaker feud? I just remember the smiling toy cobra popping out of the jack-in-the-box and Jake having Warrior trapped in a box with a hole in the top for his head and Warrior being surrounded by snakes. Were there any wrestling matches that came out of this?
My guess is Warrior had some contract dispute so he left and it gave us Taker vs. Jake at Mania 8. According to Paul Bearer, Taker was supposed to tombstone Jake in the ring for the win in that match but Jake called an audible to take the tombstone on the floor to make himself look stronger since he was on his way out anyway.