Archive for the ‘ Etc. ’ Category

[Site News] Goodbye The Pro Wrestling Nerd and Hello Pro Wrestling Update

pwu

After eight awesome months, I’m shutting The Pro Wrestling Nerd down for good. Ever since starting this site back in July I have seen my readership grow, my writing improve, and more importantly I have seen the way I take in wrestling grow and evolve. And with this growth it’s time to change gears and start something new. Next month my new site, Pro Wrestling Update, will launch and I couldn’t be more excited about it. Although still a one man operation at this point (I don’t accept free labor), Pro Wrestling Update presents a shift in the way I’m going to do things; this site represents wrestling journalism and commentary the way I want to see it done: without all the tabloid gossip, spoiler reporting, and the dirtier aspects of the industry that continue to make the pro wrestling media irrelevant in many people’s eyes. At Pro Wrestling Update, you’ll still find news, recaps/reviews, features, all sorts of wrestling site staples but the news reporting will be relevant and will not rely on misleading headlines or female wrestlers in skimpy outfits for hits. Pro Wrestling Update is for the wrestling fan who wants to be informed and entertained without being insulted.

Right now I’m still working out the kinks, but make sure to bookmark Pro Wrestling Update for future reference. It’s just a landing page right now but the site is all but set to go live Wrestlemania 29 weekend. You can also follow me on Twitter for more site-related announcements (or general wrestling blather) and “like” the new PWUpdate Facebook page which will kick into gear once the site does. As for The Pro Wrestling Nerd…the site will stay up as long as WordPress (and the internet) exists so feel free to scope through the archives to get a handle on my writing style. Hopefully you’ll dig it and follow me over to my new digs.

The end is truly the beginning and I cannot be more thrilled.

2013
03/11
CATEGORY
Etc.
Features
News
Leave a comment

[Etc. News] Former Freebird Buddy “Jack” Roberts Passes Away at 65

Roberts (pictured right) with his Freebirds cohorts Michael Hayes (center) and the late Terry Gordy (left)

It is sad to report that one-third of the legendary Fabulous Freebirds trio, Buddy “Jack” Roberts, has passed away at the age of 65. Although he had a string of health problems later in life, including a battle with throat cancer, the cause of death is currently undetermined.

Roberts is undeniably best known as the third member of The Fabulous Freebirds, a wrestling trio that included Michael “P.S” Hayes and the late Terry “Bamm Bamm” Gordy, that most notably shook up the wrestling world in the early to mid-1980’s with their feud against The Von Erichs in Texas-based World Class Championship Wrestling. The feud, which raged on for a decade in various forms, is seen as one of the greatest wrestling feud/rivalries of all-time. Roberts also had a notable feud in WCCW with “Iceman” King Parsons which resulted in the loss of his hair and the subsequent wearing of a wig under amateur wrestling headgear, a gimmick that Kurt Angle would himself use during his WWE run.

As a younger wrestling fan who was born just after the Freebirds/Von Erichs feud cooled off I never really got to see Roberts do his thing outside of random scattered matches on WWE Classics on Demand. However I’ve always enjoyed his work on one level or another; he was the guy on The Freebirds who normally took the pinfall loss or the one who did the majority of the bumping against The Von Erichs or other foes. He also gave good interviews and had a very distinct voice which he was unfortunately robbed of due to the cancer. In essence he was the less appreciated member of The Freebirds, but still performed an integral role and he will be missed by wrestling fans new and old alike.

Rest in peace, Buddy Jack.

—–

Follow The Pro Wrestling Nerd on Twitter

“Like” The Pro Wrestling Nerd on Facebook

2012
11/29
CATEGORY
Etc.
News
TAGS






Leave a comment

[TNA News] AJ Styles to Write Autobiography

VIP Ink Publishing announced yesterday that TNA superstar AJ Styles has signed on to pen his autobiography. According to the publisher, the book will cover his whole life from his humble beginnings in a miltary family, through his struggles with poverty, to his rise in the world of professional wrestling and his time with TNA. The press release also makes mention of Styles’ devotion to Christianity and further probing has found that the publisher is definitely steeped in the faith, so expect a lot of talk about that as well. No word on a release date or anything.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t peg Styles as one to want to write an autobiography but I’d definitely be interested in checking it out as long as it reigns in the preachier aspects. There’s a fine line here and judging by the publisher he’s signed on with and his own religious beliefs, it could potentially overshadow the other aspects of the book (namely the pro wrestling stuff, which yes I care about the most). We’ll see though; I’m willing to give it a shot.

[Extra props go to PWTorch for first reporting this and, in turn, bringing it to my attention.]

—–

Follow The Pro Wrestling Nerd on Twitter

“Like” The Pro Wrestling Nerd on Facebook

2012
11/14
CATEGORY
Etc.
News
TNA
TAGS



Leave a comment

[Etc. News] Brad Armstrong Passes Away at 51

Armstrong during his long run in WCW

Sad news to report; WWE has reported that Brad Armstrong, a member of the legendary Armstrong wrestling family, has passed away today at the age of 51. Although never reaching the heights of popularity like his younger brother Brian (known best as “The Road Dogg” Jesse James), Brad was a mid-card mainstay for the entirety of the 1990’s in WCW, wrestling under such names as Buzzkill and Arachnaman as well as his birth name. Armstrong found early success in WCW, becoming the last man to win the original Light Heavyweight Title before its vacancy in 1992, and from there was used most of the time to put other wrestlers over. He also had a successful run in Jim Cornette’s territory Smoky Mountain Wrestling in the mid-90’s, winning the Heavyweight Title. No word on the cause of death, but he had been to the doctor for an undisclosed medical issue the week prior.

With WCW being my drug of choice as a young wrestling fan, I saw a lot of Brad Armstrong and always enjoyed his work. I still remember the first time I ever saw him wrestle: he acted as the replacement partner for his father Bob Armstrong, teaming with Georgia legend Thunderbolt Patterson to defeat Baron Von Raschke and Ivan Koloff at Slamboree 1993.It was my first WCW PPV and even though Armstrong would languish silently in the midcard for most of the time after (minus his Buzzkill stint in WCW during the Vince Russo years) I was always happy to see him wrestle (I marked out hard when he showed up to wrestle at the 2005 WrestleReunionconvention in King of Prussia, PA). Brad was one of the good ones, but the subtle sort of good that few fans ever talked about due to the lack of a big push.

My thoughts, condolences, and prayers go out to the Armstrong family during this trying time.

Got a Brad Armstrong memory/know more about his career than I do? Share it below in the comments section.

–

Follow The Pro Wrestling Nerd on Twitter

“Like” The Pro Wrestling Nerd on Facebook

2012
11/01
CATEGORY
Etc.
News
TAGS
Leave a comment

[Etc. News] “Diamond” Dallas Page Helping Jake “The Snake” Roberts Mount a Comeback

Photo Credit = WWE.com

In an interview with Newsday, professional wrestling legend “Diamond” Dallas Page announced that he is currently in the process of helping fellow legend Jake “The Snake” Roberts get back into shape for a potential comeback to the squared circle. The process began three months ago in Gainesville, TX when Page contacted Roberts and offered to help him get back into shape (Roberts at the time was 302 pounds) using his “DDPYoga” program, a low-impact workout system Page himself developed to cope with a series of nagging injuries he had related to his in-ring worked. Page has since expanded the program which is used by athletes and non-athletes alike to great results.

Roberts has already lost 35 pounds thanks to the program and Page has moved him to a house in Atlanta to continue the workouts as well as train the 57 year old superstar on how to use current day social media (Facebook and Twitter, for example) to both self-promote and connect to his fanbase. Naturally with both being used to being in front of the camera, the Page/Roberts union is being taped for a possible documentary on the recovery and (hopeful) return of Roberts whose “personal demons” have continually derailed his career and life over the past thirty years (most notably chronicled in the 1999 documentary Beyond The Mat which showed Roberts as a broken-down drug addict who had thrown away his legendary career). Page will be keeping tabs on Roberts’ sobriety and if he slips up even once, Page will kick him out of the house and end the treatment.

This story has the potential of becoming one of the ultimate comeback stories if Roberts can stay healthy and stay off the drugs/alcohol. Much respect to Page for reaching out like he has to help a fellow journeyman; yes it’s good promotion for DDPYoga but he is going above and beyond the call of duty here and doing more good than most wrestlers ever find themselves doing. I’ll be keeping an eye on this story as it develops and keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn’t end in yet another Roberts tragedy. You can do this, Snake.

For more information on DDPYoga and how you can jump onto the program, check out the official website.

–

Follow The Pro Wrestling Nerd on Twitter

“Like” The Pro Wrestling Nerd on Facebook

 

2012
10/29
CATEGORY
Etc.
News
WWE
TAGS

Leave a comment

[Site News] ‘Pro Wrestling on Netflix’ Added to Site

No real news per say, but just a site update: I have created a “Pro Wrestling on Netflix” page on here, indexing all the pro wrestling-related content available on Netflix’s “Watch Instantly” service (from actual wrestling stuff to movies that feature wrestlers). On that page is a Netflix link as well as an Amazon Instant Video link in case you don’t subscribe to Netflix and want to still stream some pro wrestling (Amazon does charge a la carte however, just to warn you).

I know this isn’t exactly anything new, but it’s something I think is important and worth spending the time to curate. You can either click the page on the top right of this site or you can head over to the page by clicking this very phrase you are reading.

If I’ve missed anything, please email me at theprowrestlingnerd[at]live[dot]com or leave a comment below.

–

Follow The Pro Wrestling Nerd on Twitter

“Like” The Pro Wrestling Nerd on Facebook

2012
08/29
CATEGORY
Etc.
News
TAGS



Leave a comment