Today would have been Brian Pillman's 50th birthday

rovert

An excuse to post Dave's super long write up around the time of the Pillman DVD. According to Melanie, his widow during the last years of his life Meltzer was his best friend so this is rather definitive:
http://www.hack-man.com/Wrestling/NewsArticles/200610xx-Meltzer-Pillman.html



Inspired a lot of great and terrible worked shoots but cool as all hell in early 1996.

Your Edges, Punks and Steens owe a debt.

gnfnrhead

Pillman was class. It's a shame what he was reduced to towards the end. He deserved much better, especially after what he did to get out of his WCW contract so he could jump to WWF.

Stereomaniac

Man, I was crushed when Flyin Brian died. I was quite young at the time, but used to love his psychology! He actually psyched out Goldust in his last angle. Amazing performer. Godspeed.

starviewadams

Always loved Pillman's work both in ring and on the mic,so sad how his life was cut short.

D.Q

Fantastic read there. Meltzer should write books. It read better than most WWE biographies I have read. A few unofficial biographies from Meltzer would be incredible reading I'd say.

Pillman was JUST before my time as far as watching regularly goes. I have obviously seen the gun angle, and saw him a few times in the background of docs on the screwjob but thats about it.

Stereomaniac

Look up on You Tube videos of him and Austin teaming against Flair and A.A

rovert

D.Q wrote: »

Fantastic read there. Meltzer should write books. It read better than most WWE biographies I have read. A few unofficial biographies from Meltzer would be incredible reading I'd say.

Pillman was JUST before my time as far as watching regularly goes. I have obviously seen the gun angle, and saw him a few times in the background of docs on the screwjob but thats about it.

It is very hard to put yourself into the context unless you lived it but Wrestling in the 1980s & 90 revolved almost exclusively around steriod freak stiff bodybuilders. So this match was fairly revolutionary at a time when a dropkick was a big move :P. The crowd doesnt seem to know what to make of the guy in the mask at the start but they are losing their mind by the mid point seeing stuff they legitimately never seen before:

^ Being a dork here but sadly this version clips off 20 seconds too soon. After you watch the match watch from the 8.04 in this video to see the crowd giving it a standing ovation:

D.Q

awesome pin at the end. Very enjoyable match!

rovert

D.Q wrote: »

awesome pin at the end. Very enjoyable match!

Love Jesse's mark out for the moonsault around the 3 minute mark.