Greetings.
Like many of you, I’m looking forward to the upcoming WWE Super Showdown pay-per-view in Melbourne, Australia on Saturday, October 6, featuring the penultimate showdown between “the Game” (Triple H) and “the Phenom”(the Undertaker).
If this does prove to be the final curtain call for both of these icons, I’d like to give them well deserved props for not only having repeatedly raised the proverbial bar during their legendary careers, but also for having inspired a whole new generation of up and coming superstars.
In a lot of ways Hunter and ‘Taker’s final blowoff reminds me of the epic showdown between Smokin’ Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali – the legendary “Thrilla in Manila”.
Given their propensity for rising to the occasion on the biggest stage, it’s conceivable that the Game and the Phenom will render a classic of similar proportions in Melbourne.
At this stage, the remainder of the card has yet to be finalized, but I’m told that the WWE is planning to pull out all the stops to make this one of their biggest shows of the year. Not only should that set the stage for the upcoming Survivor Series and the Royal Rumble mega shows but could conceivably help to lay the groundwork for a wrestling renaissance in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.
I might add that many of today’s fans seem to be under the impression that this is the first time major league wrestling has been seen in the land Down Under, but that’s certainly not the case, as wrestling has a long and glorious history in that part of the world.
I remember, back in the `80`s, when I was the NWA world mid-heavyweight champion, touring Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, along with the NWA heavyweight champion Ric Flair, Harley Race, Don Muraco, Luke Williams, Champagne Jerry Morrow, my brother Keith and Kiwi star – Rick Rickard and fan interest was over the top.
Prior to that, Australia and New Zealand were wrestling hotbeds, as far back as the 1920’s, during which they produced world class superstars such as former NWA world heavyweight champion Pat O’Connor, Ray Gordon, Ken Kenneth, John da Silva, Al Costello, Roy Heffernan, Norman Charles, Luke Williams, Nick Carter, High Chief Peter Maivia (the grandfather of Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson) and Haku, among others .
While I’m pleased to see the WWE is reviving big time pro wrestling in places like India, the Middle East and the South Pacific, I`d like to point out that for it to really flourish in that part of the world, the WWE needs to painstakingly restore wrestling at the all-important grass roots level, by establishing vibrant local promotions and developing homegrown stars, not just by having the occasional big show with a bunch of Americans and whatnot. That will take considerable time and money, but, as my dad used to say, “there’s no shortcut to any place that’s worth going to.”
In closing, I’d like to pay my respects to the late, great Burt Reynolds, who passed away this week. Burt was a huge wrestling fan and made cameo appearances at several of the Wrestlemanias back in the ‘80’s. By all accounts, he was a great guy and will be missed. R. I. P., Bandit and thanks for the memories.
I shall look forward to catching up with you all next time for more news and views from the wrestling scene.
For more news, rumors, videos, podcasts and exclusive articles, follow us on Twitter @PWPNation.
