Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson comes from a family that is deeply entrenched in the history of pro wrestling. His grandfather, Peter Maivia, was a Samoan wrestler of great renown, while his father Rocky Johnson was the first Black Georgia Heavyweight Champion. However, that is not all when it comes to Johnson’s heroic wrestling lineage, as his grandmother, the wife of Peter Maivia had a pretty storied career of her own!
Dwayne Johnson in Black Adam
Lia Maivia was one of the first female promoters in wrestling, famously in charge of promoting one of wrestling’s biggest events in Hawaii, titled ‘A Hot Summer Night‘, which brought in about 20,000 spectators on August 3, 1985. The event saw some of the biggest names in wrestling come down to Hawaii, among them Bruiser Brody, Antonio Inoki, Andre the Giant, and of course, Ric Flair, who was defending his World Heavyweight Championship title.
Ric Flair...
Dwayne Johnson in Black Adam
Lia Maivia was one of the first female promoters in wrestling, famously in charge of promoting one of wrestling’s biggest events in Hawaii, titled ‘A Hot Summer Night‘, which brought in about 20,000 spectators on August 3, 1985. The event saw some of the biggest names in wrestling come down to Hawaii, among them Bruiser Brody, Antonio Inoki, Andre the Giant, and of course, Ric Flair, who was defending his World Heavyweight Championship title.
Ric Flair...
- 4/2/2024
- by Anuraag Chatterjee
- FandomWire
Sport's Strangest Crimes returns to BBC Sounds with comedian Adam Hills telling the story of the life, legend and death of Bruiser Brody, one of 1980s wrestling’s biggest stars. Frank Goodish was a larger-than-life character, said to stand 6ft 8 inches tall and weigh in at over 300lbs. He had a shaggy mane of jet black hair and bushy beard to match, giving him an imposing presence tailormade for professional wrestling.
- 3/27/2024
- by PodcastingToday
- Podcastingtoday
The Von Erich family is one of the most celebrated, storied and tragic dynasties in professional wrestling history. Now, their remarkable – and short – run is ready to move from the legend of the ring to the prestige of the big screen, as the trailer for The Iron Claw has debuted.
In the trailer for The Iron Claw — which just jumped even higher than it was on my list of most anticipated movies of the year — we see the drive, struggles and “curse” of the Von Erich family as they face opponents in and demons out of the ring.
The Iron Claw’s official synopsis, as per A24: “The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality...
In the trailer for The Iron Claw — which just jumped even higher than it was on my list of most anticipated movies of the year — we see the drive, struggles and “curse” of the Von Erich family as they face opponents in and demons out of the ring.
The Iron Claw’s official synopsis, as per A24: “The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. Through tragedy and triumph, under the shadow of their domineering father and coach, the brothers seek larger-than-life immortality...
- 10/11/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
For months now, we've been seeing paparazzi photos of Zac Efron looking extremely beefy with a silly haircut, and hearing reports about "The Bear" star Jeremy Allen White's "gross" diet in preparation for the new A24 film, "The Iron Claw." For outsiders looking in, "The Iron Claw" looks like a wrestling drama, and many are thrilled to see the pair of actors step into the squared circle of muscle ballet. However, the average Joe's opinion of wrestling is rooted in the heyday of Hulkamania, the Attitude Era of the late '90s, or through crossover stars who have since become actors. Here's the thing: It's really cool that Allen and Efron are going to be in a wrestling movie, but if you're anticipating something like the extremely fun "Fighting With My Family" starring Florence Pugh or the deeply moving biopic "Cassandro" starring Gael García Bernal ... you're in for a hell of a rude awakening.
- 10/11/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Antonio Inoki, whose most famous moment on the world stage was an unorthodox exhibition match against boxing champion Muhammad Ali that aimed to settle which sport could beat the other, died Friday in Japan. He was 79 and no cause of death was released.
Inoki was considered a combat sports trailblazer, but also was a successful entrepreneur and politician in his native Japan, where he was one of the country’s most famous people.
In wrestling-mad Japan, Inoki was considered its most important star, selling out countless arenas and stadiums from the 1970s and on. He was also the first Japanese wrestler to win the WWF championship and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010.
But all that was a prelude to the Ali exhibition on June 26, 1976, when Inoki took on the champion in a bout that was a precursor to today’s mixed martial arts matches.
In addition...
Inoki was considered a combat sports trailblazer, but also was a successful entrepreneur and politician in his native Japan, where he was one of the country’s most famous people.
In wrestling-mad Japan, Inoki was considered its most important star, selling out countless arenas and stadiums from the 1970s and on. He was also the first Japanese wrestler to win the WWF championship and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010.
But all that was a prelude to the Ali exhibition on June 26, 1976, when Inoki took on the champion in a bout that was a precursor to today’s mixed martial arts matches.
In addition...
- 10/1/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
WWE
Four years after his shock return to WWE, Brock Lesnar has been steadily built up into the most unstoppable monster in professional wrestling… maybe in professional wrestling history.
What are the points of comparison? Bruiser Brody was bigger and more unhinged, and Big Van Vader was just as horribly violent, but both men were capable of losing a singles match to the right opponent. Abdullah The Butcher was a gruesome sideshow attraction, and no matter how overwhelmingly monstrous Umaga seemed, he was only created to be fed to John Cena.
Well, Lesnar lost to Cena too – in his first match back in the company in 2012 – and then he came back and ate him alive at SummerSlam 2014 for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, causing impromptu conga lines to break out in the homes of wrestling fans worldwide.
Following that win, fans began to cheer for the vicious, unholy heel more often than not,...
Four years after his shock return to WWE, Brock Lesnar has been steadily built up into the most unstoppable monster in professional wrestling… maybe in professional wrestling history.
What are the points of comparison? Bruiser Brody was bigger and more unhinged, and Big Van Vader was just as horribly violent, but both men were capable of losing a singles match to the right opponent. Abdullah The Butcher was a gruesome sideshow attraction, and no matter how overwhelmingly monstrous Umaga seemed, he was only created to be fed to John Cena.
Well, Lesnar lost to Cena too – in his first match back in the company in 2012 – and then he came back and ate him alive at SummerSlam 2014 for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, causing impromptu conga lines to break out in the homes of wrestling fans worldwide.
Following that win, fans began to cheer for the vicious, unholy heel more often than not,...
- 3/16/2016
- by Ben Cooke
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Break out the tissues, because it’s time to reflect on better days gone by. Wrestling is one of the most physical sports in the world, and the toll it takes on the body has left larger than life characters in tatters by the time they retire. This article will look back at the saddest, showcasing some of the most beloved athletes who decided to—or in some cases, had to—stop doing the thing they loved.
Retirement is something that we all look forward to, but walking away from something you’ve dedicated the entirety of your life to can be one of the hardest decisions to make, and one of the toughest pills to swallow. These brave gentlemen had the wherewithal to do what was best for their futures; some with grand spectacles and celebrations of their accomplishments, and some walked away into the sunset. All of them were legends,...
Break out the tissues, because it’s time to reflect on better days gone by. Wrestling is one of the most physical sports in the world, and the toll it takes on the body has left larger than life characters in tatters by the time they retire. This article will look back at the saddest, showcasing some of the most beloved athletes who decided to—or in some cases, had to—stop doing the thing they loved.
Retirement is something that we all look forward to, but walking away from something you’ve dedicated the entirety of your life to can be one of the hardest decisions to make, and one of the toughest pills to swallow. These brave gentlemen had the wherewithal to do what was best for their futures; some with grand spectacles and celebrations of their accomplishments, and some walked away into the sunset. All of them were legends,...
- 2/18/2016
- by David McCutcheon
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Over the years, professional wrestling has been heavily influenced by the world of horror. Dating back to the days of Bruiser Brody and Ox Baker, there has always been an element of madness and terror in the business, helping to create characters that have kept fans on their toes.
Some of the most iconic and enduring gimmicks of all-time were created with the intention to strike fear in the hearts of the audience. The Undertaker, Andre the Giant, Psycho Sid, Mankind, Jake Roberts, Kane…the list goes on and on.
However, this propensity for trying to craft innovative, fearsome gimmicks has also resulted in some of the most laughable characters and ridiculed moments the business has ever seen.
But, hey, coming up with new ways to scare people is tough (just ask Stephen King.) Sometimes you just have to take a trip to the local Halloween shop, blindfold yourself,...
Over the years, professional wrestling has been heavily influenced by the world of horror. Dating back to the days of Bruiser Brody and Ox Baker, there has always been an element of madness and terror in the business, helping to create characters that have kept fans on their toes.
Some of the most iconic and enduring gimmicks of all-time were created with the intention to strike fear in the hearts of the audience. The Undertaker, Andre the Giant, Psycho Sid, Mankind, Jake Roberts, Kane…the list goes on and on.
However, this propensity for trying to craft innovative, fearsome gimmicks has also resulted in some of the most laughable characters and ridiculed moments the business has ever seen.
But, hey, coming up with new ways to scare people is tough (just ask Stephen King.) Sometimes you just have to take a trip to the local Halloween shop, blindfold yourself,...
- 2/17/2016
- by Jacob Trowbridge
- Obsessed with Film
WWE.com
Every wrestler needs a gimmick. If you’re a tough amateur wrestler, or boxer, like, say, Danny Hodge, then your gimmick will likely be based around your sporting prowess. Ditto for stars like Kurt Angle, Mark Henry, Ken Shamrock and even latter day Brock Lesnar.
However, if you’re just a good, solid wrestler, then people need a reason to come and watch you wrestle – and this is where the power of a good gimmick comes into play.
Who would you rather watch wrestle a main event, Texas Red, ‘Mean’ Mark Callous or The Undertaker? If you answered anything other than ‘Taker, then you’re a nob, plain and simple.
A good gimmick can mean the difference between languishing in the mid card and rocketing to the top of the sport, or, to put it into more salient terms, a good gimmick and a bad gimmick are usually...
Every wrestler needs a gimmick. If you’re a tough amateur wrestler, or boxer, like, say, Danny Hodge, then your gimmick will likely be based around your sporting prowess. Ditto for stars like Kurt Angle, Mark Henry, Ken Shamrock and even latter day Brock Lesnar.
However, if you’re just a good, solid wrestler, then people need a reason to come and watch you wrestle – and this is where the power of a good gimmick comes into play.
Who would you rather watch wrestle a main event, Texas Red, ‘Mean’ Mark Callous or The Undertaker? If you answered anything other than ‘Taker, then you’re a nob, plain and simple.
A good gimmick can mean the difference between languishing in the mid card and rocketing to the top of the sport, or, to put it into more salient terms, a good gimmick and a bad gimmick are usually...
- 3/10/2015
- by Chris Quicksilver
- Obsessed with Film
Only six years in length, The Undertaker’s pre-wwf career is a prime example of a wrestler taking a situation where much is not expected, but motivating themselves to earn the absolute most out of each seemingly dead-end stop along the way. As “Texas Red” in World Class Championship Wrestling he faced the likes of Bruiser Brody as a rookie, moving onto to Memphis as ex-convict Master of Pain and gaining experience with the likes of Dutch “Zeb Colter” Mantel and Jerry “The King” Lawler. The great benefit to being in Memphis in 1989 was the co-promotional deal that Memphis and World Class had signed to create the Uswa, allowing Calaway to also wrestling in Dallas as masked grappler The Punisher, too.
By the time he made it to New Japan as “Punisher Dice Morgan” in 1990, he was moving quickly along, an abbreviated stop in WCW as Mean Mark Callous being...
By the time he made it to New Japan as “Punisher Dice Morgan” in 1990, he was moving quickly along, an abbreviated stop in WCW as Mean Mark Callous being...
- 1/20/2015
- by Marcus K. Dowling
- Obsessed with Film
Facial hair is an important part of wrestling – of course, that’s because it’s an important part of manliness, and manliness and pro wrestling go hand in hand. Only the toughest of the tough can truly hope to step through those ropes and earn a living, and usually, those are guys with so much testosterone that’s it’s oozing out onto their faces. Bad-ass bearded barbarians like Ivan Koloff, Bruiser Brody, and Daniel Bryan have set records and whipped behinds all over the world. Stone Cold Steve Austin would have been a bit sickly-looking without his trademark goatee. Even The Rock had some sweet sideburns when he was making a name for himself.
Amongst all pro wrestling facial hair, though, the most exalted specimen is the mustache. The face fur of the working man, mustaches have found an everlasting home on the men who ply their trade in the squared circle.
Amongst all pro wrestling facial hair, though, the most exalted specimen is the mustache. The face fur of the working man, mustaches have found an everlasting home on the men who ply their trade in the squared circle.
- 11/2/2014
- by Scott Fried
- Obsessed with Film
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