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Post by Kenneth Coker on May 9, 2004 12:16:53 GMT -5
I, for one, always think Memphis in the 70's and 80's did as good a job as anyone at booking a World Champion, and making the World Title matches seem as if they meant something out of this world.
My question is, which World Champion did you like to see travel to Memphis more?
Was it the NWA Champion in Harley Race, or maybe Nick Bockwinkel, representing the AWA?
Or possibly Curt Hennig or Ric Flair?
My personal favorite to watch on Memphis is Nick Bockwinkel. He seemed to really get under the skin of the fans with his ultra high class look and manner of speaking.
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Post by markdi on May 9, 2004 13:10:04 GMT -5
Bockwinkel was the most frequent as I remember. And he was one of the greatest of all times IMO. Outstanding promos, great match physcologly, could work the crowd like no other, generate huge amounts of heat, etc. The man had everything.
He and Lawler were a match made in heaven. I think they both did there best against each other.
Mark
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RJC725
Pinned a jobber on TV
Posts: 58
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Post by RJC725 on May 10, 2004 3:16:26 GMT -5
It would be Ric Flair in my book, he only made a couple of appearences in the area that I know of. When Flair showed up, to wrestle Jerry Lawler on TV, he made an impression on me. Since that day I enjoyed watching this man, I wish he would have made more stops in the area, I would have loved to see him come to Louisville.
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Post by markdi on May 10, 2004 17:42:53 GMT -5
It would be Ric Flair in my book, he only made a couple of appearences in the area that I know of. When Flair showed up, to wrestle Jerry Lawler on TV, he made an impression on me. Since that day I enjoyed watching this man, I wish he would have made more stops in the area, I would have loved to see him come to Louisville. I agree about Flair also. I wish he would have made more stops in the area, but w/ Memphis more closely related w/ the AWA at the time it was unfortunate. The few times Flair did come through, he and Lawler had some great promos and pretty good matches. Not to take anything away from Lawler, who was one of the best at telling a story in the ring, but he worked best when working w/ the World Champs. Mark |
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RJC725
Pinned a jobber on TV
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Post by RJC725 on May 10, 2004 18:04:18 GMT -5
Not to slight anyone, but Nick Bockwinkle would be next on the list, thats the first wrestler I ever saw that used those big words. ;D What a promo he could cut, and a damn fine talent to boot.
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CWFAN
Loses for free on TV5
in public if you weel
Posts: 20
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Post by CWFAN on May 11, 2004 9:14:42 GMT -5
You really can't go wrong with any of these champions.But i would definitely put Flair and Bockwinkle at the top of the list.Race could work a good match as well. By the time Hennig won the title it lost most of it's prestige.And the matches were so-so the match in Memphis was better than the ESPN match in Vegas of course we know why that was now don't we?
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Post by Kenneth Coker on May 11, 2004 21:31:49 GMT -5
You really can't go wrong with any of these champions.But i would definitely put Flair and Bockwinkle at the top of the list.Race could work a good match as well. By the time Hennig won the title it lost most of it's prestige.And the matches were so-so the match in Memphis was better than the ESPN match in Vegas of course we know why that was now don't we? I think Memphis did something from 1984 on that the AWA really lost touch with when the World Champion would come to town. Memphis made it seem as if the belt meant something. By the time Lawler won the belt, probably Memphis was one of the few cities where the title still held great merit. Kinda sad that Verne let the times pass him like that. |
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RJC725
Pinned a jobber on TV
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Post by RJC725 on May 12, 2004 17:44:34 GMT -5
I think Memphis did something from 1984 on that the AWA really lost touch with when the World Champion would come to town. Memphis made it seem as if the belt meant something. By the time Lawler won the belt, probably Memphis was one of the few cities where the title still held great merit. Kinda sad that Verne let the times pass him like that. At that time, Lawler was on top of his game, he was on a level with Hogan and Flair, fans who didn't see Memphis wrestling knew who he was. I think Lawler could have given AWA a couple more years, but AWA dropped the ball. And after stripping him of the title, and forgetting that he ever existed. |
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Post by markdi on May 12, 2004 19:56:52 GMT -5
At that time, Lawler was on top of his game, he was on a level with Hogan and Flair, fans who didn't see Memphis wrestling knew who he was. I think Lawler could have given AWA a couple more years, but AWA dropped the ball. And after stripping him of the title, and forgetting that he ever existed. I never really understood taking the belt from Lawler  Didn't seem to have made sense at the time for the AWA. I mean they were a dying area by this time and had the belt on an established star who could have kept some interest on the AWA even based in Memphis. They then give the belt to Zbyszko (?) who was not an established star in an established area at the time. Not as Lawler was. What sense did Verne have to take the strap from Lawler? How did that make sense to him? I know we can't know what was in Vernes head at the time, but damnit that just didn't make sense at all. Mark |
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Post by funkyflashman on May 14, 2004 16:14:45 GMT -5
Well....it helped that Larry was/is (maybe?) Verne's son in law and was working for peanuts.  |
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Post by markdi on May 14, 2004 17:41:52 GMT -5
Well....it helped that Larry was/is (maybe?) Verne's son in law and was working for peanuts. I understand but damn if I'm gonna screw up my business for my son-in-law. Mark |
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Post by cwildkats on May 15, 2004 11:39:00 GMT -5
Without a doubt nick bockweinkel.The days before cable tv,all i ever knew as a youngster was what i read in wresting magazines,and bockwienkel with bobby henning,and the way lance sold the story,i had a sense that this was historical when lawler got his shot at bockweinkel.i think bobby henning was his manager anyway.time plays tricks.but bockweinkel was the cream of the crop back in the day.
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