Yup, Ron Shaw was a guy who was on almost every week when I watched in the early 1980s. Although Bruiser Brody died two months after the above-discussed match, Manny either purposefully distorts his timeline when speaking about the match, or he believes all of this happened after Brodys death. Here are some of the guys I remember well: The Unpredictable Johnny Rodz Rodz was one of those prelim wrestlers who was a step above the normal jobber, in that he occasionally won a watch and people still respected him even if he often lost. Johnny Rodz has been training students for over 30 years, out of Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn. What made the jobber great was they looked like your or your friends dad. a few times he was allowed to get offense in but mostly strictly took the punishment. Ill always remember him as th 1st victim of Blackjack Mulligans clawhold, wher the big red X got placed over the T.V. Rockland/Westchester Journal News. in the locker room Good times! He was such a jobber that he got elevated to substitute referee for a short period. This is the strange case of Manny Fernandez versus Invader 3. This included writing articles and taking photographs. Especially Masao Hattori, who has known me since 79. He had his biggest run with Estrada as Los Conquistadores. With referee James Beard down, Riviera would hit Lawler with an object and pin Lawler. Pro Wrestling Stories - Your daily source of nostalgia and a peek behind the curtain wall of wrestlings past! It was like a water pipe that exploded; it was grotesque! One theory is that Invader 3 had a condom full of blood and bit into it when needed. Hes just done what he came to Puerto Rico to accomplish.. for 3 reps in 2022. Ray Napolitano, a wrestler from the United Kingdom, told him to consider moving overseas. Sign up for IndependentWrestling.TV (https://independentwrestling.tv/promotion/BEYOND) using promo code BEYOND to stream every Beyond Wrestling event FOR FRE. This would lead to a televised match the next week on July 21 between Riviera and Lawler, which ended in a No Contest after interference from Dundee & Dangerous Doug Gilbert. Was it an eye for an eye, as he firmly claims? Matt Riviera (born May 18, 1983), is a Semi-retired American professional wrestler and podcast host. Weight and Height. [2] In the UK, Paul LeDuc said he was "treated like a god". Over the years, Manny Fernandez has changed the timeline of events claiming that he was avenging Bruiser Brody. [17] The British band The Dogs D'Amour named a song after him on its In the Dynamite Jet Saloon album in 1988. Johnny Rivera | Profile. Youre right, he was a classic jobber who for a while seemed to be a pushed star, but settled into the prelim matches. Alex Pawlowski Feb 23, 2017 1:30PM. Date Of Birth: Unknown. Was there real heat between Savoldi and Marzino? That was one strange rule at MSG about no masks. Stampede Wrestling had really great jobbers. Johnny Rivera is not due to play near your location currently - but they are scheduled to play 1 concert across 1 country in 2023-2024. Savoldi hated Slyvano Sousa, but when Marzino and Sousa worked together, guess who had to put who over? Tiger Chung Lee Lee originally came in as a mid-level star and actually challenged Tito Santana for the Intercontinental Title, but he eventually settled into jobber status (although he always got his offense in). rene goulet rusty brooks WWE Tony Leone Dennis Stamp AWA State Patrol George South WCW. TCW is the promotion where Matt Riviera has wrestled, as well as promoted. I got so excited I ran to my front door and screamed outside to anybody within earshot that Special Delivery was going to win!!! Youve mentioned all the WWF jobbers I could think of Tony Zane and the Mulkeys in the NWA. Johnny Rivera is a American Professional wrestler. Amongst all the shocking theatrics of that evening and decades later, there is still much debate about what happened. Musical icon Kid Rock and golfer John Daly (golfer) were in attendance for the event. Fred also wrestled in The Boston Garden in a couple jobber matches. He began wrestling professionally in 1953 and retired in 1977, having worked in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan and Canada. I am not familiar with any of those other names that you listed, but I certainly remember Pete Sanchez. Matt Riviera was on the show as his net worth was 5.5 million dollars. Looking for Johnny Rivera online? retired in 1986. Here is the schedule and scoreboard for any . [1], In 1971 and 1972, Two Rivers had several matches in Ontario and Quebec, often as part of a tag team with Johnny War Eagle. So, I knew I had to get in there and get out as fast as I could. and dont forget Silvano Sousa, a prelim supposedly from Providence. Ha, someone called me out on Sharpe many years ago (and many comments down below). Now extremely animated, he implored Manny- already on the top rope again- to cease the brutal onslaught. Canadian International Heavyweight Championship, NWA Southern Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version), "Canadian Hall of Fame: Billy Two Rivers", "37th Parliament, 2nd Session Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, Northern Development and Natural Resources", "Complaints lodged against radio stations", "Film captures the intensity of Oka Crisis", "Billy Two Rivers Dead at 87 a personal take", "Shams and Cover-ups: The Spectacle of History in Paul Muldoon's "Meeting the British" and "My Father and I and Billy Two Rivers", "Billy Two Rivers, former pro wrestler, to settle lawsuit against Van Morrison", "A Brief History of Musicians Being Sued by Their Album Cover Subjects", Billy Two Rivers at Online World of Wrestling, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Billy_Two_Rivers&oldid=1140392362, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in Canadian English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 22:25. PRETTY BOY LARRY SHARPE, LEAPING LANNY POFFO (both WWF), TONY RUSSO, THE SCORPION, VAN VADER, VAN HAMMER (Jim Crockett & Georgia Championship Wrestling). I always remembered Rivera from the old days. A disturbing incident occurred in Puerto Ricos WWC between Manny Fernandez and Invader 3 on May 11th, 1988. Lawlers son, Brian Christopher Lawler would be in his corner. So, my mindset was, One of these guys is going to pay for it one way or the other., I got back, and I said, This has got to be done., I planned it out; my wife was a flight attendant for U.S. Air; I had my ride, did my thing, and got the hell out of there.". DeNucci held the Tag Team Title twice in the 1970s. Jeff Rhodes all thru the 70s the tall lanky blonde wrestler went up against all the main bad guys.and took tremendous beatings week after week..Finally winning his first match on tv vs The PatriotWhat do you know, Jeff Rhodes finally wins one was Vinces call.. He retired in 1977,[1] and has stated that one of the best parts of his career was "ending my career healthy". Frankie Williams and Steve King, of course. [1][2] He grew up in Kahnawake speaking Mohawk at home. I dont remember a lot from his wrestling years, because I was 12 years younger than him. We welcome newcomers as well as wrestlers with previous experience. And he concluded, Id be interested to see the actual medical report. Marzino was booked at the cape cod collisium and was working with Frankie Williams. Thats why I dont Two Rivers was born in Kahnawake, Quebec, on May 5, 1935. It strikes me that one could divide the aforementioned names into two groups: the pseudo jobber, such as DeNucci, Lee, Rodz, and Estrada, who actually mounted a fair amount of offense and, in the process, served as a stepping stone for opponents seeking main card status; on the other hand, there is the legitimate jobber, such as the Irish Terry Gibbs of the world, who served as little more than a human punching bag to get heat from the crowd (in the case of a villain) or showcase a faces talents. [2] In 1978 Rivera returned to the WWWF as a heel under manager "Classy" Freddie Blassie and challenged Bob Backlund for the WWWF title in several cities, including at the Philadelphia Spectrum. That evening at the Coliseo de Catao in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Manny Fernandez was scheduled to wrestle an unknown opponent but insisted on a ranked one like Carlos Colon or the Invader 1. I went on to the airport and walked onto the airplane with my wrestling gear. I dont want to get into all those details, but I think this is a case where storyline and reality crossed paths.. All Star Wrestling 12/08/1979 The Grand Wizard leads Ken Patera to the ring to face Johnny Rivera. Bruiser took me everywhere in Japan so that I didnt have to spend money. Savoldi did not like Marzino to much, so that was the reason for Marzino losing so much. 1 blog for 1980s WWF pro wrestling and matches at the old Boston Garden, The image of the Boston Garden program is used with permission. It is infamous for some of the most passionate and rabid wrestling fans who, throughout history, often take things a little too far. PAP58: PA Power Wrestling's Jeff Upson @PAPowerWrestle And Eric Knopsnyder @KnopsKnotes Discuss Refereeing From The PIAA State Tournament With 14 Year Veteran And College Referee Jason Rivera. The confusion of Mannys timeline of events is either on purpose or by accident, as demonstrated throughout this piece. ', I dare anyone who says that to you to go drink a gallon of pigs blood and Vodka and go chase them around. He also appeared in several films. Larry Zbysko,although he did lose these matches. Wrestler Links. He began promoting wrestling events under the name of Global Pro Wrestling. A list of wrestlers Rivera defeated during his career is a who's who of the sport. Nonetheless, he was respected during this final run and "Did Manny have something hidden in his knee pad? Episode 5 of The Matt Riviera Show featured an interview with former bodybuilder, Dave Palumbo. However, Manny seemed to think it through when the Invader appeared and hesitated. At the age of 12 after coming across a television program, WCW Worldwide, Matt began his love for professional wrestling after watching Dick Slater wrestle. Here are the Mat Pack's latest individual rankings for the seven-county South Jersey region. And he does it two more times! [19], Two Rivers' name has entered popular culture in many forms. At first, there was nothing out of the ordinary about the Fernandez and Invader 3 bout until about the 5-minute mark. How long do you think that person is going to last without puking?". He can be contacted by e-mail at jojst1@gmail.com. In Toronto at that time: The Mercenaries vs. Johnny Rivera & La Bala Negra. You know, I rarely do interviews other than wrestling storylines, but of the questions, I got, probably 35 of them asking if it was a work or a shoot. I remember Zumhofe and Jake the Milkman Milliman well from the AWA. Instead, Invader 3 stepped up to the challenge. I still believe it was because Marzino was good friends with Savoldis Massachusettes girlfriend Joann. And although I cant reveal everything, just imagine what his heart was feeling when he was going through all this? Honerable mention to Manuel Soto and El Olympico. In the second fall, Conway submitted to Funaki via a rear naked choke. Everything was going his way. De 2007 a 2011, las inducciones comenzaron el 6 de marzo, aniversario de la fundacin de la promocin. Men (Heavyweight):. S.D. Doctor D David Schultz was supposed to wrestle some upper-tier talent. 1964. Lawler and Dundee would attack Riviera before cutting Rivieras prized perm in the middle of the ring. A British racing horse shared it. He lost. And Ron Shaws biggest claim to fame was that he defeated David Sammartino on All Star Wrestling. After leaving the WWF, he feuded with Pedro Morales in Hawaii and California. They finally relaxed the rule when Mil Mascaras came along. But I confess that it was dangerous.". Our body has a defensive mechanism that reacts to certain things. One of the foremost reasons Bill Apter has lasted five decades in this business is his consummate professionalism and respect towards the wrestlers. From 1957 to 1959, he wrestled primarily in North Carolina, also teaming with Antonino Rocca and Red Bastien. He served a lot of the Hispanic heels well, losing several matches each to Johnny Rodz, Jose Estrada, Jose Luis Rivera and Sylvano Sousa. Eugene Rapay. not on this list? Perfect, but in 1981, a skinny Hennig was a young buck who gave the heels all he had before losing. A rich WWF jobber history. The startled referee seemed agitated and frantically called for the bell. Subscribe To The PA Power Podcast On Apple Podcasts And Give Us A Review! Chris, you can blame that on Angelo Savoldi! Rivera was born in the Bronx, NY, and attended high school at Benjamin Franklin High School. The high risk he took was incredible. [9] In 1990, Two Rivers helped lead the Mohawk nation during the Oka Crisis. Just like I love Terry [Funk], Dickie [Dick Murdoch], but the way they did it just ate me up, so I knew I had to do something. Dundee would accept the metal briefcase & then nail Riviera & Bradford with it before taking off with the money. Stan Stasiak goes one-on-one with Larry Zbyszko. Fred Marzino was the ultimate jobber to the jobbers. During the dispute, the First Nations group blockaded a bridge, and a member of the Sret du Qubec was killed. In addition to the wrestling business, he has also appeared in movies and television shows. How are David Horowitz, or Iron Mike Sharpe? How Manny Fernandez and Invader 3 got that ring to become drenched in blood is still a kayfabe secret, not ready to be exposed just yet. The Iron Empire lost the NWA World Tag Team Championship to Kazushi Miyamoto and Rob Terry in Tokyo, Japan on February 23, 2017. You take one of ours; well take ten of yours.". At a USA Championship Wrestling event in Jackson, Tennessee on July 7, Matt Riviera and Boyd Bradford would present Superstar Bill Dundee with a briefcase containing $100,000 if Dundee would agree to retire from wrestling. After being told at the age of 15 that he was too young to legally being training as a professional wrestler, Riviera began doing everything he could to get his foot in the door of the wrestling business such as creating wrestling programs. "First of all, I think they were more shocked, Manny added. Charlie Fulton was a very decent preliminary wrestler in the early 80s. The poem discusses watching him in a wrestling match and compares the predetermined outcome to the Boston Tea Party. Well, you cleared it up because it was afterward.". wolfman farkus? Manny Fernandez and Invader III (Johnny Rivera) had no real beef with each other but to really sell the "revenge" angle Rivera drank a mixture of pig's blood and vodka before the match (a lot of it) and when Fernandez dropped that first knee Rivera legit started vomiting up . Meanwhile, through all the histrionics, the announcers were either playing their role to the hilt or unaware of where all this was going. as The Invader by Mano Negra ( 1983/02/20) as Invader #3 by Invader #2 ( 1998/08/01) Matches Fought. [1], In 1996, Rodz was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame class of 1996[13] by Arnold Skaaland.[1]. After he retired, he helped train Mick Foley and Shane Douglas. Ion Croitoru, aka Johnny K-9, aka Bruiser Bedlam, has died. This text is hidden because it is only available in German language. Such a great era. While wrestling for these NWA promotions, Riviera has also won several regional championships such as the IHWE Heavyweight championship, NWA Lonestar Tag Team championships with partner Greg Anthony, and twice holding the Western States Heritage title. Also, from the early 1980s WWF, Laurent Soucie (got a push of sorts, that faded quickly) and Barry Hart (had the heart on the back of his jacket, I think this was also Barry Horowitz?) They held the title for three months before dropping them to the team of Mr. Moto and Duke Keomuka. 1. Classic WWWF All-Star Wrestling from February 1976. Pete Sanchez, among others, have already been mentioned here but others were Toms Marin, Eugenio Marin, This quote would cause the WWE to release a press statement attempting to clarify their Wellness Policy guidelines on growth hormone use: WWEs comprehensive Talent Wellness Policy, which is administered by an independent, third-party, clearly states hGH and hCG are among a long list of banned substances, however, due to certain medical conditions, there are a variety of therapeutic exemptions that account for approximately 7% of our contracted talent.[24], The story was picked up by numerous websites, including Forbes.com, Deadspin.com, & BleacherReport.com[25], On February 14, 2018, Matt Riviera made his hip hop music debut, releasing the song and music video for Best Meats in the Rump (Juicy), a collaboration with DJ Mr. Mixx of controversial rap group, 2 Live Crew, & pro wrestling manager, Boyd Bradford. It is time to open a new chapter in my life by closing this one. Actual name Bill Eichenberger. And this tragic real-life event is also somehow involved in the Manny Fernandez versus Invader 3 angle. How are you going to satisfy all the stupid people? asked the interviewer. Real Name. Ron shaw, Moondog spot. He died of complications from a stroke in 2001 at age 54, if I remember right. The Samoans take to the ring to battle Johnny Rivera and Dominic DeNucci. [1][5] When he, also from Kahnawake, returned to the reservation on a break from wrestling, he met 16-year-old Two Rivers, became his guardian and took him to Columbus, Ohio, for training. As such, Doctor D unexpectedly fought Swede Hanson! Ken Jugan Strange evening, all around, as I recall. With that disclaimer, we have strived to provide relevant information to help you, the reader, decide what really happened during this notorious encounter. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Johnny_Rivera&oldid=1092217870, This page was last edited on 8 June 2022, at 22:09. Signature moves: Dropkick. Believe it or not, kayfabe still exists to a degree in wrestling. Curt Hennig Sure, Hennig became a huge star in the AWA and later in the WWF as Mr. Johnny Rivera Edit 285 Rankings Compare Johnny Rivera to. [13], Also during this period, Riviera was involved in angles & matches with Buff Bagwell, Bob Holly, Tony Atlas, & Tim Storm as well as various other wrestlers on the independent wrestling circuit. This is awesome, however theres a whole batch of job guys that were stars in their territories before vkm got them. [8] The team would go on to face the top teams in the NWA and are the current champions. And I distinctly remember Jones getting promo time. There was a Masked Executioner who got a push for a bit, then went to Jobberville. NJPW Greatest Wrestlers ( Los Grandes Luchadores de NJPW, en espaol) fue el segundo Saln de la Fama de New Japan, establecido en 2007 para honrar a los luchadores que han luchado por la promocin. [4] As a wrestler, Riviera has won the TCW Heavyweight Championship as well as multiple tag team championships with various partners such as Jeff Jett, as Reckage & Romance; with Tim Storm as the Natural State Connection; with Greg Anthony as The Empire; and with Jerry Lawler. Tidbits. [1] He also formed a tag team with Don Eagle from 1956 to 1959. But he also often lost to other people. And like a magician, I wont reveal completely what happened. It looked like the guy was going to die., "Yeah. Bob Bradley [21] In 2013, he would appear on the Bravo TV network show Millionaire Matchmaker, Season 6 appearing in the episode titled, The Dancer and the Wrestler. In another interview, this time with TMPT, Manny was more explicit in his explanation of what happened against Invader 3. In June 11, 2020, Johnny Rivera was the featured singer on Norberto Vlez's YouTube channel titled "Sesiones Desde La Loma Ep.