Retro Rasslin' Review

We're kicking off Ric Flair's birthday month (Flair-uary) with "The Nature Boy" in CWA! The Memphis territory wanted their biggest star, Jerry "The King" Lawler to be the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. However, Memphis' business relied on Lawler always being on the card and that wouldn't be possible if "The King" traveled as the champ. At this point, though, they were still trying to make Ric Flair and Jerry Lawler a hot feud. It didn't last long before real life bad blood seeped in. Hear about it all here as we go retro and take the time back to 1982!

MATCH: youtu.be/rUVA5qchql0

FULL ARCHIVES: www.nopleasedontpodcast.com/RRR -- bhmprowrestling.com/?page_id=44

MERCHANDISE: redbubble.com/people/retrorasslin

On June 3, 1994, Toshiaki Kawada challenged Mitsuharu Misawa for his All-Japan Pro Wrestling Triple Crown Championship at AJPW Super Power Series 1994 Day 16 in Tokyo, Japan. "Uncle" Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter gave the match an historic 6 stars!

It was talked about before on the podcast about just how amazing Mitsuharu Misawa was, but now we get to appreciate Toshiaki Kawada, who racked up tons of titles, stars, and other accolades throughout his illustrious career.

Also, we get to find out why Rocky Romero hates Kawada and what Troy and Santiago think of him as well. Does the match hold up? Was Dave Meltzer overstating how good this match was? Listen in and find out!

MATCH: youtu.be/rUVA5qchql0

FULL ARCHIVES: www.nopleasedontpodcast.com/RRR -- bhmprowrestling.com/?page_id=44

MERCHANDISE: redbubble.com/people/retrorasslin

While they both eventually ended up working for Vince McMahon in the WWF, Jerry "The King" Lawler" and "Macho Man" Randy Savage were bitter rivals between their two feuding Tennessee-based promotions. While Lawler was always the top dog in the NWA-backed CWA, Savage was the banner carrier for his father, Angelo Poffo's ICW promotion. While the two companies never inter-mingled, ICW stars constantly threw out personal jabs and made real-life challenges on their television shows to the top stars of CWA. CWA's talent always ignored ICW's ongoing pokes and prods. It wasn't until ICW officially shut its doors that Jerry Jarrett and Jerry Lawler decided to sign Randy Savage and Lanny Poffo, and the dream feud could finally take place between "The King" and "The Macho Man". Go back to the years 1985 and 1993 to watch these amazing Memphis Cage matches held under the CWA and USWA banners!

MATCHES: youtu.be/BtAD4_dMwvg -- youtu.be/nXStxNV7RSg

FULL ARCHIVES: www.nopleasedontpodcast.com/RRR -- bhmprowrestling.com/?page_id=44

MERCHANDISE: redbubble.com/people/retrorasslin

Mil Máscaras, born Aarón Rodríguez Arellano, is a world-renowned luchador that tore it up throughout Mexico, Japan, the United States, and everywhere for decades. If one were to make a Mt. Rushmore of Lucha Libre, he would certainly be one of the 4 faces on that mountainside. There will be more episodes dedicated to him in the future, but today, Troy & Santiago are traveling back to 2005 to just scratch the surface.

While this episode is dedicated to the amazing, legendary Mil Máscaras, we are doing a dedication to the memory of La Parka, who sadly passed away on January 11, 2020. Rest in Peace, La Parka II!

MATCHES: youtu.be/wEw46Jd8Ya4 (Start at 4:00)

VISIT: www.nopleasedontpodcast.com/RRR -- bhmprowrestling.com/?page_id=44

Hop onto the canvas of the time traveling wrestling ring with hosts Troy & Santiago as they head to the Continental Wrestling Association in the 1970s to kick off "Jerry-uary"! On a mid-August night in 1977 in the Mid-South Coliseum in front of 8,397 rabid fans, Southern Champion Jerry "The King" Lawler took on bitter rival "Superstar" Bill Dundee in a Hair vs. Car match, where Lawler's manager, Mickey Poole's hair was on the line. Lawler and Dundee were sometimes partners but mostly enemies throughout the late 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. They eventually went their own ways, with Dundee headed south to WCW and Lawler going north to the WWF, but they scorched the earth in the Memphis, Tennessee territory behind them.

MATCHES: youtu.be/Cg7VLsYBYKU (Start at 1:10)

VISIT: www.nopleasedontpodcast.com/RRR -- bhmprowrestling.com/?page_id=44

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MUTA!!! Your favorite time-traveling marks are heading back to witness one of the Great Muta's most historic matches in NJPW as well as one of his alter ego, Keiji Mutoh's greatest matches in AJPW! The man born as Keiji Mutoh on December 23, 1962 is mostly known for his work as the Great Muta. He has held championship gold in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), and more as well as winning multiple awards from wrestling and sports magazines. Mutoh also formed his own Japanese wrestling promotion, Wrestle-1, in 2013. The kayfabe son of the Great Kabuki; The Overlord of the Shining Wizard; The Moonsault King; The Master of the Poison Mist is now semi-retired, but still pops up from time to time in promotions across the world.

MATCHES: tinyurl.com/MutaVSLiger - tinyurl.com/MutohVSTenryu

VISIT: www.nopleasedontpodcast.com/RRR -- bhmprowrestling.com/?page_id=44

Your favorite time travelers are spending their first day of Hanukkah by covering the masked luchador best known under the ring names Místico, Carístico, Sin Cara, and Myzteziz in honor of the man's 38th birthday. From 2006 to 2011 Urive was the top tecnico and was the biggest box office draw in Mexico for a number of years. On this episode, hosts Troy & Santiago invite you to watch along to Caristico, Mistico, & Atlantis vs. Ultimo Guerrero, Volador Jr, and La Mascara. They then bring the mood down with a disappointing Caristico vs. Mistico match.

MATCHES: (1 - Starting at 0:05) youtu.be/ObBr3coedr0 - (2 - Starting at 2:55) youtu.be/Y_o0nmYPgG4

VISIT: www.nopleasedontpodcast.com/RRR -- bhmprowrestling.com/?page_id=44

Before Austin Aries went on to be one of the longest reigning TNA Champions in history and before Tyler Black went on to rule the WWE Universe as Seth Rollins, they faced off the Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Title. Before the 2010s and going into the 2010s, these two had a feud that tore down multiple arenas with their greatness. To honor the 10 year anniversary of their 60-minute draw at Final Battle 2009, Troy & Santiago review two matches between Black & Aries.

MATCHES: (1) tinyurl.com/AriesBlack1 - (2) tinyurl.com/AriesBlack2

VISIT: www.nopleasedontpodcast.com/RRR -- bhmprowrestling.com/?page_id=44

WWE wasn't the only place Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle did battle. When Brock left WWE and won the IWGP Heavyweight Title in NJPW, Kurt (who was employed by TNA at the time) went to Japan to take the gold from "The Beast Incarnate".

Meanwhile, TNA Unbreakable 2005 is remembered for the three-way match for the X Division Title between AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, and Christopher Daniels. It received a 5 Star match rating from Dave Meltzer and was ranked by TNA as the 4th greatest moment in the company's history.

MATCHES: (1) youtu.be/IhSaNW7cMC8 - (2) youtu.be/U28pyOAMXcI

VISIT: www.nopleasedontpodcast.com/RRR

The PPV is considered the first time most viewers in the United States were exposed to the lucha libre style of wrestling, and contributed to several AAA workers, especially Eddie Guerrero, Rey Misterio Jr., Konnan, Psicosis, and Juventud Guerrera. Troy & Santiago review the semi-main event, which was a tag team Lucha de Apuestas, Mask vs. Hair match between Octagón & El Hijo del Santo taking on La Pareja del Terror (Art Barr & Eddie Guerrero). While not the main event of the show, the semi-main event was rated 5 stars by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, which also voted La Pareja del Terror the Team of the Year and Art Barr the Heel of the Year.

MATCHES: (1) youtu.be/NJ_1DPGIX3I

VISIT: www.nopleasedontpodcast.com/RRR