Wrestling On Thanksgiving

I've never been to a wrestling show on Thanksgiving, I would like to.  Growing up pro wrestling on Thanksgiving night was common place starting with Starrcade 83 and then later with Survivor Series.  Before that even in the territories wrestling was huge business on Thanksgiving and Christmas nights.

Starrcade 1983 was the first Starrcade event promoted by Jim Crockett Promotions featuring the stars of the NWA.  That first card was STACKED featuring  the infamous Greg Valentine vs. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper Dog Collar Match, Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood taking the NWA World Tag Team Titles from The Brisco Brothers, and of course the Main Event with Ric Flair claiming his second NWA Worlds Championship from Harley Race.

Starrcade would be held on Thanksgiving night until 1987, airing on closed circuit from 1983 - 1986 and making it's Pay-Per-View debut with the 1987 edition.  They were forced to move Starrcade by the Pay-Per-View companies because of another Thanksgiving night tradition that started in 1987.

The WWF Survivor Series ran it's debut PPV event on Thanksgiving night in 1987 as direct competition to Starrcade 1987.  Vince McMahon used the leverage of the very popular WrestleMania III forcing PPV companies to choose between carrying Starrcade or Survivor Series. This lead to only a few providers carrying Starrcade.

This event featured only 4 matches all being 5 vs 5 elimination matches, or 5 teams vs 5 teams in the instance of the Tag Team match. This even featured the first televised confrontation between Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan since their WrestleMania III main event.

Survivor Series would be held on Thanksgiving Day through 1990, and then in 1991 was moved to Thanksgiving Eve, a night that would host the PPV through 1994.  In 1995 it was moved to Sunday evening.  

One of my all time favorite matches took place 29 years ago today, on Thanksgiving Night November 28, 1985 at Starrcade.  The "I Quit" Steel Cage Match between Tully Blanchard and Magnum TA for the NWA United States Championship. Tully NEVER said "I Quit".

I cannot find any other promotion that ran a PPV in the United States on Thanksgiving.  I'm not aware of any local show happening in Maine on Thanksgiving.   In modern times, the Worcester, Massachusetts based Wrestling Open has now run on Thanksgiving night the last 3 years.

Worcester is just too far to travel on Thanksgiving night for me, thankfully it is broadcast live on IWTV.  Someday I will make it a show on Thanksgiving night mostly to check box to do something that I have read about so extensively in wrestling.   

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

Wrestled In All 50 States: Tommy Dreamer

In this post we take a look of the debut matches Tommy Dreamer in every state, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.   I pulled the results from Cagematch so I cannot guarantee 100% accuracy that it's the first match in the State, but he hit all of them.

UPDATE: Mr. Dreamer messaged me he's wrestled in all the Canadian Provinces and 111 Countries! 

First State: New York 02/20/1991 for IWCCW

Last State: Alaska 04/09/2021 for WrestlePro

1991: 3

1992: 2

1993: 2

1994: 5

1995: 1

1997: 3

1998: 7

1999: 4

2000: 6

2001: 6

2002: 6

2003: 6

2006: 1

2018: 1

2021: 1

Alabama
10/15/1998 Anything Goes: John Kronus, New Jack, Spike Dudley & Tommy Dreamer defeat Jack Victory, Justin Credible, One Man Gang & Rod Price
ECW - Event at the Civic Center in Montgomery

Alaska

04/09/2021 Shane Douglas defeats Tommy Dreamer (7:28)

WrestlePro Alaska Northern Expansion Tour  at the Denali Harley-Davidson in Palmer

Arizona

01/06/2003 Tommy Dreamer defeats Aaron Aguilera

WWE Sunday Night Heat #232 - TV-Show at the America West Arena in Phoenix

Arkansas

01/13/2001 ECW World Tag Team Title: Danny Doring & Tommy Dreamer  defeated The FBI: Little Guido & Tony Mamaluke

ECW - Event at the Pine Bluff Convention Center in Pine Bluff

This was the last ECW Show, so odd to take place in Arkansas.

California

07/16/2000 Stairway To Hell: ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Justin Credible defeated Tommy Dreamer (12:20)

ECW Heat Wave 2000 - Pay Per View at the Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles

Colorado

08/23/2001 Justin Credible defeats Tommy Dreamer

WWF Sunday Night Heat #161 - Dark Match at the Pepsi Center in Denver

Connecticut

06/28/1992 Ray Odyssey wrestled Tommy Dreamer  to a Time Limit Draw

Century Toyota - Event in Wallingford

Delaware

03/26/1994 Chad Austin, Tommy Cairo & Tommy Dreamer defeat Rockin' Rebel, The Pitbull & The Sandman

ECW - Event at the William Henry Middle School in Dover

Florida

09/24/1994 Tommy Dreamer defeats The Sandman

ECW - Event at the GFCC Gym in Ocala

Georgia

05/03/1998 The Sandman & Tommy Dreamer defeated The Dudley Boyz: Buh Buh Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley

ECW Wrestlepalooza 1998 - Pay Per View at the Cobb County Civic Center in Marietta

Hawaii

01/02/2003 Lance Storm defeats Tommy Dreamer

WWE RAW House Show - House Show at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu

Idaho

10/04/2002 Test defeats Tommy Dreamer

WWE RAW House Show - House Show at the Bank Of America Center in Boise

Illinois

10/21/1995 The Public Enemy: Johnny Grunge & Rocco Rock and Tommy Dreamer defeated The Eliminators: John Kronus & Perry Saturn and Too Cold Scorpio

Lucha Libre AAA - Event at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago

Indiana

01/04/1998 Axl Rotten, Balls Mahoney & Tommy Dreamer defeated The FBI: Little Guido, Little Guido & Tommy Rich

ECW - Event at the Tyndall Armory in Indianapolis

Iowa

08/25/2001 The APA: Bradshaw & Faarooq defeated Mike Awesome & Tommy Dreamer

WWF House Show - House Show at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Des Moines

Kansas

03/25/2000 Death: Tommy Dreamer defeats Yoshihiro Tajiri

ECW - House Show at the Century II Convention Center in Witchita

Kentucky

01/20/1998 Rob Van Dam & Sabu defeated Mike Samples & Tommy Dreamer

Kentuckiana - Event in Louisville

Louisiana

09/03/1998 Sandman, Spike Dudley & Tommy Dreamer defeated The Dudleys: Big Dick Dudley, Buh Buh Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley

ECW - Event at the Riverfront Center in Alexandria

Maine

04/19/1991 The Georgia Guerillas: Georgia Guerilla #1 & Georgia Guerilla #2 defeated IWCCW Tag Team Champions: The Madison Brothers: GQ Madison & TD Madison to win the titles

IWCCW - Event in South China

Maryland

10/29/1992 Chris Candido defeats Tommy Dreamer

AWF/MEWF/WIN/WWA - Event in Glen Burnie

Massachusetts

10/23/1993 Tony Atlas defeats Tommy Dreamer

CWA - Event in Wakefield

Michigan

01/28/1994 The Tazmaniac defeats Tommy Dreamer

AAPW - Event at the Taylor

01/28/1994 Also competed in a 10 man Battle Royal won by Jim Neidhart

Minnesota

05/05/2000 Tommy Dreamer defeats Lance Storm

ECW - House Show at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center in Duluth

Mississippi

10/07/2006 The Sandman & Tommy Dreamer defeat Matt Striker & Rene Dupree

WW-ECW House Show - House Show at the Forrest County Multi-Purpose Center in Hattiesburg

Missouri

04/16/2000 Extreme Bullrope: Dusty Rhodes, New Jack, The Sandman & Tommy Dreamer defeat Jack Victory, Rhino, Steve Corino & Yoshihiro Tajiri (14:49)

ECW on TNN #35 - TV-Show at the Family Arena in St. Charles

Montana

12/05/2003 Mark Henry defeats Tommy Dreamer

WWE RAW House Show - House Show at the Metrapark in Billings

Nebraska

10/23/2001 Russ McCullough defeats Tommy Dreamer

WWF Sunday Night Heat #169 - Dark Match at the Civic Center in Omaha

Nevada

08/17/2001 12 Man Tag: Albert, Billy Gunn, Scotty 2 Hotty, The Big Show & The Hollys: Crash & Hardcore Holly defeated Chuck Palumbo, Hugh Morrus, Mike Awesome, Sean O'Haire, Shawn Stasiak & Tommy Dreamer

WWF House Show - House Show at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas

New Hampshire

06/01/1991 The Billion Dollar Babies: GQ Stratus & Mike Samson defeated IWCCW Tag Team Champions: The Madison Brothers: GQ Madison & TD Madison to win the titles

IWCCW - Event at the Wolfeboro

New Jersey

10/03/1993 Gino Caruso & Tommy Dreamer defeat Flex Lavender & Johnny Rotten

IWCCW - Event at the Parsippany in Troy Hills, New Jersey

10/03/1993 LA Gore won a 15 Man Battle Royal 

New Mexico

06/14/2002 Raven defeats Tommy Dreamer

WWE RAW House Show - House Show at the The Pit in Albuquerque

New York

02/22/1991 TD Madison defeats Equalizer Zap by DQ

IWCCW TV Taping - Event at the Our Lady Of Guadalupe Youth Center in New York City

North Carolina

02/06/1999 Justin Credible defeats Tommy Dreamer

ECW - Event at the Academy Recreation Center in Concord

North Dakota

09/26/2003 Test defeats Tommy Dreamer

WWE RAW House Show - House Show at the Fargo Dome in Fargo

Ohio

05/22/1998 The Dudleys: Big Dick Dudley, Buh Buh Ray Dudley & D-Von Dudley defeated Spike Dudley, The Sandman & Tommy Dreamer

ECW - Event at the Masonic Auditorium in Cleveland

Oklahoma

12/21/2002  If Raven Wins He'll Be Back On RAW: Raven defeats Tommy Dreamer (5:43)

WWE Sunday Night Heat #230 - TV-Show at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City

Oregon

11/24/2018 Tommy Dreamer defeats Derek Drexl by DQ

DEFY City Of Thorns - Event at the Hawthorne Theatre in Portland

Pennsylvania

03/06/1993 Tommy Dreamer defeats Peter Weeks

IWCCW TV Taping - Event in Hamburg

03/06/1993 Tommy Dreamer defeats Dr. Johnny Wildside

IWCCW TV Taping - Event in Hamburg

Rhode Island

01/20/2003 Singapore Cane: D-Lo Brown defeats Tommy Dreamer (3:26)

WWE RAW #504 - TV-Show at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence

South Carolina

06/12/1999 Tommy Dreamer defeats Steve Corino

ECW - Event at the Memorial Auditorium in Spartanburg

South Dakota

09/06/2002 Tommy Dreamer defeats Steven Richards

WWE RAW House Show - House Show at the Sioux Falls Arena in Sioux Falls

Tennessee

06/14/1997 USWA Unified World Heavyweight Champion: Jerry “The King” Lawler wrestled Tommy Dreamer to a No Contest

USWA - Event in Memphis

Texas

09/11/1997 ECW World Heavyweight Champion: Shane Douglas defeated Tommy Dreamer

Terry Funk Presents Wrestle Fest: 50 Years Of Funk - Event at the Tri-State Fairgrounds Maxor Pharmacies Coliseum in Amarillo

Utah

04/06/2002 Crash & Spike Dudley defeat Steven Richards & Tommy Dreamer

WWF RAW House Show - House Show at the E Center in Salt Lake City

Vermont

11/09/2003 Batista defeats Tommy Dreamer

WWE RAW House Show - House Show at the Memorial Auditorium in Burlington

Virginia

12/10/1999 ECW World Tag Team Champions: Raven & Tommy Dreamer defeated Jack Victory & Steve Corino

ECW - Event at the Siegel Center in Richmond

Washington

06/28/2001 Tommy Dreamer defeats Ladies Choice

ECCW - Event in Longview

Washington D.C

02/11/2000 Jack Victory, Rhino & Steve Corino vs. Pitbull #1, Sandman & Tommy Dreamer

ECW - House Show at the Nation Nightclub

West Virginia
05/25/1997Beulah McGillicutty & Tommy Dreamer defeat Francine & Shane Douglas
ECW - Event at the State College in West Liberty

Wisconsin

02/18/1999 Sandman & Tommy Dreamer defeat Jack Victory & Steve Corino

ECW - House Show in LaCrosse

Wyoming

09/14/2002 Tommy Dreamer defeats Steven Richards

WWE RAW House Show - House Show at the Events Center in Casper

Puerto Rico

02/21/1994 Tommy Dreamer defeats Hiroshi Hatanaka

IWA Puerto Rico TV Tapings - TV-Show in San Juan

02/21/1994 El Texano & Tommy Dreamer defeat Bull Pain & Hiroshi Hatanaka

IWA Puerto Rico TV Tapings - TV-Show in San Juan

02/21/1994 Lucifer & Tasmaniac defeat El Magnifico & Tommy Dreamer

IWA Puerto Rico TV Tapings - TV-Show in San Juan

I'm not sure who will be next, if you have suggestions let me know.

I pulled the images from the internet, credit to those who took them. 

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!

The Times I've Seen Zack Sabre Jr. Wrestle Live!

Zack Sabre Jr has been one of my favorite wrestler for over a decade, when I first saw him in Progress and PWG.  As I do when I find a wrestler that I like I look for more matches watching him hone his craft in NOAH, WXW, and indies.  You can even read my blog post from December 2015 about some of his matches: Random Wrestling: Zack Sabre Jr.

I love Zack's style of wrestling and the most unique submission moves I've ever seen.  It's been a pleasure to watch his career grow over the years and although he has captured numerous championships, and I have to admit I did get emotional watching him win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

In this blog we will look at the matches I have seen him compete in live and in living color!!  

January 30, 2016

Limitless Wrestling American Legion Hall         Orono, ME

Zack Sabre Jr. pinned Chris Hero in 24 minutes 10 seconds

I still can't believe this one happened! In the weeks leading to the show Zack Sabre Jr. was announced first. I couldn't believe it, quite frankly that he was coming to an indie show Maine. We've had names in Maine on indies in the past, but before Limitless it wasn't a regular thing. If having Sabre on the show wasn't exciting enough, a couple weeks prior Chris Hero was announced. Randy stated it really was last minute how it all came together.

Then we got the graphic that they were facing off against each other and I just couldn't believe it! We are getting on of the hottest matches in the world, in the middle of small town Maine at an American Legion hall on, what turned out to be, a stormy January night.

At that time they were in the middle of what would turn into an tremendous run of matches in an 18 month period. From June 2015 to January 2017 they faced off in 9 matches singles matches (okay 1 was an elimination triple threat) in Evolve, PWG, WXW, & AAW and every single time they tore it up going hard for 20 plus minutes every time.

At that time I was used to "headliners" coming into Maine and just "getting their shit in" and I had accepted that because that was independent wrestling in Maine. On this night ZSJ & Chris Hero set a standard in Limitless Wrestling that has kept going to today. They gave it their all and put on a caliber of a match that was equal to or even greater than they had done or would do anywhere in the world. After the show I got a photo with both of them, it still ranks as one of the greatest matches that I have ever seen live! You can read my post about this show here: Limitless Wrestling: Under Fire

He signed this card for me at the show, I ordered this card from the UK at the beginning of the month after I learned that he was booked to appear. Released in 2014 by Resurrection Magazine, I feel positive that this is Sabre's rookie card.  Sabre was impressed that I had the card and I told him I ordered it from the UK when he asked where I got it.  He signed it for free because he said I already paid for the card.

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April 4, 2019

WrestleCon Supershow Hilton Grand Ballroom Manhattan, NY

Zack Sabre Jr. submitted Shane Strickland

In 2019 my buddies Jay, Mikey, & I traveled to New York City for WrestleMania weekend. We didn't attend any of the WWE events instead hit all of the independent wrestling that we could. This show was match 1 of 3 that I saw Zack compete this weekend. If you would have told me that April evening that we were seeing two future World Champions squaring off I would not have believed you.

To me the match was just okay, I felt their styles just didn't mesh well. To be frank I thought Zack outclassed Swerve that night. You can read about this show here: Indie Mania 2019 Part 1

I got these cards signed on Thursday April 4th before the Wrestlecon Supershow.  The first card is from the 2016 PWG Battle of Los Angeles set and the second from the 2017 PWG Battle of Los Angeles set.  I have a rule about not getting the backs of the cards signed but we were talking about his trip to Limitless Wrestling and he signed them quickly.  I wasn't going to ask him to sign them again, although I just might if I meet him again. 

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April 5, 2019

Revolution Pro Wrestling Hilton Grand Ballroom Manhattan, NY

British Tag Team Champions: Suzuki-Gun: Minoru Suzuki & British Heavyweight

Champion: Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Will Ospreay when Sabre pinned Ospreay

What a match!! We had front row for this amazing UK based REVPro show. Look at the 4 competitors in this match! ZSJ, Suzuki, Ospreay, & Tanahashi!! WILD! This match went almost 22 minutes and they laid everything in, stiff strikes, great submission wrestling, practically flawless story telling. Truly amazing match worth the price of the ticket for this match alone on the show. It was the best match of the weekend for me, and considering the number of high quality matches that we took in, that is saying something!

You can read about this show here: Indie Mania 2019 Part 2

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April 6, 2019

New Japan Pro Wrestling / ROH Madison Square Garden         Manhattan, NY

G1 Supercard

British Heavyweight Champion: Zack Sabre Jr with Taka Michinoku defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi by submission

The last show of the weekend for us was also our biggest event of the weekend. For the first time in nearly 60 years a wrestling show happened at Madison Square Garden that was not promoted by a McMahon / WWE saw New Japan and ROH team together for the G1 Supercard. The show was Sold Out and stacked with amazing wrestlers. The ROH portion of the show, for the most part, fell VERY flat for me. The New Japan portion was tremendous.

The 7th match of the Main card saw the RevPRO British Championship successfully defended by Sabre submitting Tanahashi. Thinking back New Japan has a working agreement with RevPRO for years and it's very cool that RevPRO was presented as this historic wrestling card at MSG.

I was in the balcony and couldn't get any great photos, but here is one of the Great Muta and Jushin Thunder Liger in the ring that I took.

You can read about this show here: Indie Mania 2019 Part 3

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April 16, 2023

NJPW: New Japan Pro Wrestling 2300 Arena                 Philadelphia, PA

Collision in Philadelphia

Team Filthy: Tom Lawlor, Royce Isaacs, & Jorel Nelson defeated TMDK: NJPW Television

Champion: Zack Sabre Jr., Shane Haste, & Bad Boy Tito

Much like MSG, the former ECW Arena, now called the 2300 Arena, is a venue that I had to see wrestling at live. I was the prime demographic for ECW and would have LOVED to go to one of their shows, but it was not to be.

I had mentioned to my buddy Mikey that when my wife and Wesley take their annual April Vacation trip to Ocean City, Maryland if there was a big show in the northeast we should go. As luck would have it, NJPW announced Collision in Philadelphia during that weekend!

We were supposed to have front row at this show, however they moved our seats back and put the announcers and commentators directly in front of us on the fan side of the guard rail. It was cool to have NJPW ring announcer Takuro Shibata right there to get this video, but we paid a lot of money for front row and traveling to the ECW Arena for the first time, it was frustrating to not have the front row seats we paid for. When we selected our seats they did not have the announcers list as being here.

Zack competed in a six man tag team match falling short to Team Filthy. It was very cool to see him at the NJPW Television Champion and of course to see him tie his opponents up with his signature style.

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November 8, 2024

NJPW: New Japan Pro Wrestling    Memorial Auditorium                            Lowell, MA

Fighting Spirit Unleashed

Shota Umino & Tomohiro Ishii defeated TMDK: IWGP World Heavyweight Champion: Zack Sabre & Boy Dude Tito when Umino pinned Tito

When this show was announced I wanted more than anything for Sabre to defeated Naito for the World Title and come to Lowell to defend the Championship. Well, most of that came true, he won the title and came to Lowell as Champion, and a few days before the show was announced to be in a tag team match. Slightly disappointing, but I got to see Sabre has champion so it's all good.

I was very excited when they announced a Meet and Greet with Sabre, I had met him before at Limitless and at WrestleCon 2019 but I had to get a photo with him as the Champion.

The meet and greet was awesome, Sabre took his time with to talk to everyone, no one was rushed it was very nice experience. We chatted about him winning the title, his time in Maine with Limitless, which perked right up for talking how much he loved the experience and he remembered very specific details. Then we chatted about the ridiculous cost of tickets.

The show was extremely good, our first time sitting in the balcony here and I would again in a heartbeat! The view was phenomenal the matches were excellent and the crowd was very vocal!

Sabre's match was excellent, it was awesome to see him walk out and be announced as champion. They furthered a lot of stories tonight including the build between Sabre & Umino for WrestleKingdom.

I can't imagine this will be the last time I see Sabre wrestle live, but I guess you never, never, know.

Thank you for reading, please leave a comment, check out my other posts, and if you want like my blogs Facebook page.  You can also head over to Amazon and pick up a copy of my book the 2024 Limitless Wrestling Almanac, or any of my other books.

Until next time!