Saturday, December 21, 2024

New Grail Card Update 3! ITS COMPLETE!

As you can read from the title of this blog post, after over two and a half years I have finally completed my grail card from the 1988 NWA Wonderama set, card #339 Four Horsemen.



Please read the past blogs to get the full story on this card, especially Update Part 2.

May 17, 2022: New Grail Card
February 11, 2023: New Grail Card Update

JJ Dillon was announced to be at WrestleCade back in the Spring, after I missed out in May I put my sights on November.  I knew I wouldn't be able to go myself, it's the day after Thanksgiving, my wife's favorite holiday, and I went to WrestleCon this year. 

Thankfully good buddy Brandon lives in North Carolina and was willing to go to WrestleCade this year to get JJ Dillon to finish the card.  Brandon had already gotten Lex and David Crockett to sign it for me at last years WrestleCade.  

I've heard from so many people that JJ wasn't doing well, physically, and this just be one of if not his final conventions appearance so I sent 5 NWA Wonderama Cards for JJ to sign.  My buddy Brandon said JJ seems great, but was moving a little slow, he wouldn't be surprised if his conventions days were coming to an end.  

Brandon's wife took the great pictures of JJ signing the cards, JJ liked how I had them set on the paper with the corner holders, made it easier for him to sign them, he also talked about the images in each of the cards. 





These are the five cards that I got him to sign this go round, I would have preferred if he signed the logo card a bit smaller as I plan to get several other signatures on it.
  

These are the previous cards I already had signed by JJ so I have completed the NWA Wonderama cards featuring him, and I have that WCW card signed as well.  


Here the tally sheet on what I spend completing this card:

Purchased card on eBay May 9, 2022 cost $42.20
Arn Anderson signed June 10, 2022 cost $25
David Crockett signed November 26, 2022 cost $40
Lex Luger signed November 26, 2022 cost $40
Ric Flair signed January 15, 2023 cost $87.89
Tully Blanchard signed May 4, 2024 cost $40
JJ Dillon signed November 30, 2024 cost $25
Various Shipping Charges for mailing card: $23.40

Total cost: $323.49

I'm on the fence about getting this graded and authenticated.  I guess it depends on the cost.  I only know of 1 other card that is signed by all 6 men.

My buddy Jay & I attended the 2009 NWA Legends Fanfest in Charlotte, NC that featured a 4 Horsemen reunion.  I posted a blog about it back in 2015 and you can read that here: NWA Legends Fanfest 2009

At that convention we could get two items signed, Jay got this free program and he had Ole Anderson, Barry Windham, & Lex Luger sign it then, he found it recently and at my encouragement recommended that he finish it off.  I mean with that Ole Anderson signature if he didn't to, I would have done it.  Brandon was able to get JJ and Arn Anderson to sign it for him, he just needs to Ric Flair to finish the piece.
  

I'm very excited to have completed this card.  It feels great to have such an amazing piece in my collection.  I can't help but feel, what is next!?

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!

Thursday, December 19, 2024

My Rasslin Results: November 6 - December 17, 2024

Here are the results to my last shows of the year:


November 6, 2024
AEW: All Elite Wrestling                        SNHU Arena Manchester, NH
Dark Match: Satnam Singh with Jay Lethal pinned Colt Cabana
Dark Match: Nyla Rose pinned Liviyah

Ring of Honor - aired November 7, 2024
Katsuyori Shibata pinned The Butcher

Dynamite - Live on TBS
Darby Allin & Orange Cassidy fought Death Riders: Claudio Castagnoli & PAC with Wheeler Yutah to a no contest
Fight Without Honor: The Conglomerations: Tomohiro Ishii, Mark Briscoe, & Kyle O’Reilly defeated  Ring of Honor World Champion: Chris Jericho, Big Bill & Bryan Keith when Ishii pinned Jericho
Adam Cole pinned Malakai Black
Jamie Hayter pinned Penelope Ford
Ricochet & Powerhouse Hobbs defeated The Don Callis Family: AEW International Champion: Konosuke Takeshita & Kyle Fletcher when Ricochet pinned Takeshita

Rampage - aired November 8, 2024
Hikaru Shida pinned Vivian Van
The Undisputed Era: Matt Taven & Mike Bennett defeated The Dark Order: Alex Reynolds & John Silver and The Infantry: Charlie Bravo & Shawn Dean with Trish Adora, Lee Moriarty, & Shane Taylor
Top Flight: Dante & Darius Martin with Action Andretti & Leila Gray defeated JD Drake & BEEF
Lio Rush pinned Komander with Alex Abrahantes


November 8, 2024
NJPW: New Japan Pro Wrestling     Memorial Auditorium Lowell, MA
Fighting Spirit Unleashed

IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion: David Finlay pinned Kevin Knight
Grizzled Young Vets: James Drake & Zack Gibson defeated New Japan Strong Tag Team Champions: TMDK: Mikey Nicholls & Shane Haste to win the championships
Lio Rush pinned Mustafa Ali
Best 2 out of 3 Falls: The West Coast Wrecking Crew: Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs defeated Dirty Work: Fred Rosser & Tom Lawlor 2 falls to 1
1st Fall: Tables Match: Lawlor put Nelson through a table
2nd Fall: Submission Match: Isaacs submitted Rosser
3rd Fall: Last Man Standing Strap Match: Lawlor was eliminated then Rosser
New Japan Strong Women’s #1 Contender Match: Hazuki defeated Anna Jay, Koguma, and Trish Adora pinning Adora
Los Ingobernables de Japon: Openweight Champion: Shingo Tagaki & Yota Tsuji defeated The Undisputed Kingdom: Matt Taven & Mike Bennett
Ryohei Oiwa pinned KENTA
Shota Umino & Tomohiro Ishii defeated TMDK: Bad Dude Tito & IWGP World Heavyweight Champion: Zack Sabre Jr when Unimo pinned Tito
AEW International Champion: Konosuke Takeshita pinned TJP
NJPW Strong Champion: Gabe Kidd pinned Kosei Fujita


November 29, 2024
North Atlantic Wrestling Assoc. (NAWA) The Community Center     Fairfield, ME
10 Bell Salute to Tommy Savoldi
Dunky Boy Bandit pinned Dave Dyer
Alex English with Coach pinned Teddy Jaxx
Tony Atlas & Cousin Larry defeated The Holy Roller & NBK with Robert Benson the 3rd when Larry pinned NBK
JP O’Reilly pinned Samiel Matthews with Coach
Malos with Mr. Nobody pinned Stormy Savage
NAWA Champion: Hazard pinned Mark Moment with Santone


December 7, 2024
Lutte NSPW: North Shore Pro Wrestling Centre Horizon     Quebec City, QC
Red Kingdom: Azaelle & Damian Wild defeated La Sainte Trinite: Leo Harvey & PL
Triple Threat: Shawn Martel defeated Hayden Bright & Golden Greg
Dylan Donovan pinned Pee Wee with Golden Greg
Interviewer Audrey Moreau forced to the ring by Matt Falco & Claude Maloon, and attacked by Falco 
Fatal 4 Way: Matt Falco with Claude Maloon defeated Mitch Thompson, Yann Pike & Leon Saver pinning Pike 
Marko Estrada & Mike Marston defeated Diamond Dynasty: Zak Patterson & Michael Styles when Marko pinned Style
Junior Heavyweight Champion: Kristara pinned Loue O’Farrell with Vlada
South Shore Wrecking Crew: Tag Team Champions: Jack Saunders & Tom LeBlond and Giovanni defeated Michel Plante, Dani Leo & Alex Silva when Saunders pinned Plante
Matt Angel pinned Trevor Lee
NSPW Champion: Travis Toxic pinned Stu Grayson


December 14, 2024
Limitless Wrestling             AmVets Hall     Yarmouth, ME
Limitless Rumble
Four Way Scramble: Conan Lycan defeats Aiden Aggro with J-Heru and Anthony Greene and Zak Patterson when Lycan pinned Patterson
Ashley Vox & Gabby Forza defeated Delmi Exo & Paris Van Dale when Gabby pinned Van Dale
B3CCA pinned Kylie Rae
Limitless World Champion: Dezmond Cole pinned Calvin Tankman 
Limitless Rumble: Channing Thomas defeated Ace Romero, Aiden Aggro, Alexander Lee, Armani Kayos, Ashley Vox, B3CCA, Brett Ryan Gosselin, Brian Black, Bulk Bronson, Conan Lycan, Covey Christ, Dean Furnacola, Delmi Exo, Diego Alvarez, Gabby Forza, J-Heru, Jada Stone, Jariel Rivera, Love Doug, Milo Mirra, Rip Byson, Rudy Lockheart, Santa Claus, Seabass Finn, Sidney Bakabella, Tony Atlas, Troy Nelson, Tyree Taylor, Zak Patterson last eliminating Rip Byson




December 17, 2024
NXT                                                             Memorial Auditorium     Lowell, MA

Live Show

Oba Femi pinned NXT Tag Team Champion: Axiom with Nathan Frazer

Meta-Four: Jakara Jackson & Lash Legend defeated Sol Ruca & Zaria when Legend pinned Ruca

Jaida Parker with Bronco Nima & Lucien Price pinned Wren Sinclair with Myles Borne & Tavion Heights

NXT Tag Team Champions: Axiom & Nathan Frazer defeated Gallus: Mark Coffey & Wolfgang with Joe Coffey when Frazier pinned Wolfgang

Promo Segment with Ethan Page who attacked Je’Von Evans with a chair

NXT Champion: Trick Williams wrestled Eddy Thorpe to draw after a  Double Pin 


Aired December 24, 2024

Stephanie Vaquer pinned Cora Jade

Lexis King with William Regal defeated NXT Heritage Cup Champion: Charlie Dempsey with Wren Sinclair by disqualification to win the championship

The Unholy Union: Alba Fyre & Isla Dawn defeated Fatal Influence: Jacy Jayne & Jazmyn Nyx

Ashante Adonis with Nikita Lyons pinned Dion Lennox

Promo Segment with NXT Champion: Trick Williams,  Eddy Thorpe, & Oba Femi setting up a triple threat match for the title at New Years Evil 

NXT Tag Team Championship #1 Contendership Christmas Chaos Fatal Four Way: Out The Mud: Bronco Nima & Lucien Price defeated Hank And Tank: Hank Walker & Tank Ledger and No Quarter Catch Crew: Myles Borne & Tavion Heights and The D'Angelo Family: Channing Lorenzo & Luca Crusifino with NXT North American Champion: Tony D’Angelo and Andrianna Rizzo


Going to my first every NXT event and having it be a double episode taping was even better!

I have two shows lined up in January 2025 both Limitless Wrestling

12th in Herman
18th in Yarmouth

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! 

Friday, December 13, 2024

Quebec Wrestling Adventure

There is a Quebec only Hockey League called LNAH: Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey that my son Canaan and I like to go to watch games.  We went in the March of 2023 & 2024 and now December 2024.  There are 8 teams in the league and we want to go to all of the venues and see all of the teams.  We have been to 4 venues.  We decided to go again in December because Canaan is going to college in Presque Isle and one team plays north of there and is far away from the other teams.

Total Mileage driven on the trip was 1,081.5 miles or 1,740.5 km. 

On Friday 6th I headed north to pick up Canaan after his classes were done for the day and we continued further north to Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec home of the 3L.  It's 244 miles to his college in Presque Isle, then another 135 miles to the hotel in Quebec.  We crossed over in Van Buren into New Brunswick, Canada.  


We got to the hotel about 630pm just long enough to check in and head over the the game.  3L was playing Laval, which is our favorite team in the league.  It was a great game with 3L winning 4 - 2.





Saturday was the big wrestling themed day for us.  We headed out to Quebec City and the Museum of Civilization 128 miles or 206 km from the hotel.  We got parked in a garage across the street from the Museum, everything else we were doing Quebec City was in walking distance.

The Lutte exhibit at the museum was tremendous, it was far more than just objects to look at, there was some very unique immersive displays.  I'm going to do a separate post just about the exhibit going into a deep dive on my thoughts, for now here are some photos that I took.




























After we left the museum we walked up to the German Christmas Market in Old Quebec checking all the pine kiosks, the puppet show, and we put eyes on Santa Claus.  The shops were expensive, but it was a lot of fun to take them all in and experience the Market.  We checked out a few other shops and got some popcorn at Boutique Mary's Popcorn, where Canaan got caramel corn and I got the Quebec style which is a mixture of maple, white cheddar, and yellow cheddar, it THE BEST!








As we had plenty of time before wrestling, we drove out to the Sanctuaire Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré as Canaan wanted to check out the near century old church.  The church is huge, the architecture is amazing and it was all decked out for Christmas.










We went to the Wal-Mart to pick up some Canadian goods for stocking stuffers and what not that we don't have back home.  We had quite a bit of time to kill before the show and with no place to go we sat in the van in the parking lot and watched part of a movie on my phone, like being at a mini drive in theatre.

The show took place at the Centre Horizon is a multi story building which was built in 1948, it currently features a bowling alley on the ground floor, a full boxing gym, and on the 4th floor North Shore Pro Wrestling!


NSPW was founded in 2008 and has since then become the prominent promotion in Quebec City running near 40 events in 2024.  I've been following NSPW for years on the Facebook and watching their shows on IWTV.

Loue O'Farrell is an NSPW regular that I have enjoyed watching her wrestle for several years and how I became a fan of NSPW.  She is someone that I hope Randy brings down to Limitless Wrestling, she could have some fantastic matches with Becca, Gabby, Ava and others.

They sell fresh popped popcorn at the show and they have all these flavor options to sprinkle on the corn!  Genius!!! 


Doors opened at 7pm, two pre-show matches started at 730pm and then the main card at 8pm.  They ran a strict 15 minute intermission.  Before the show I got cards signed by and a photo with Trevor Lee, during intermission Stu Grayson finishing my Super Smash Brothers card collection.



I talked to some NSPW Staff members, they have a permanent set up on the 4th floor, the do not break the ring down, they have a great entrance way, set lighting, a big screen to show entrance videos, and a really dedicated team to put together a polished looking show. 





Pre-Show
Red Kingdom: Azaelle & Damian Wild defeated La Sainte Trinite: Leo Harvey & PL



Triple Threat: Shawn Martel defeated Hayden Bright & Golden Greg

Main Card
Dylan Donovan pinned Pee Wee with Golden Greg

Interviewer Audrey Moreau forced to the ring by Matt Falco & Claude Maloon, and attacked by Falco 

Fatal 4 Way: Matt Falco with Claude Maloon defeated Mitch Thompson, Yann Pike & Leon Saver pinning Pike 

Marko Estrada & Mike Marston defeated Diamond Dynasty: Zak Patterson & Michael Styles when Marko pinned Style

Junior Heavyweight Champion: Kristara pinned Loue O’Farrell with Vlada



South Shore Wrecking Crew: Tag Team Champions: Jack Saunders & Tom LeBlond and Giovanni defeated Michel Plante, Dani Leo & Alex Silva when Saunders pinned Plante

Matt Angel pinned Trevor Lee

NSPW Champion: Travis Toxic pinned Stu Grayson



There are several wrestlers on this show I would love to see down in Limitless.  It was a great night of wrestling, every match was good to great, it was a PACKED house and a very lively crowd.  The opening tag team match really got the crowd going, I do wish it was on the IWTV presentation. 

It looked like Falco wrecked Audrey with that kick, but the way he helicoptered her across the ring by the hair was WILD!  The rematch between Loue and Kristara did not disappoint and lived up to my expectations, very happy I got to see this rematch live.  Trevor Lee vs. Matt Angel was outstanding with a fantastic finishing sequence.  The main event was excellent.  

When I watch on IWTV it's with English commentary, however there in person everything is in French, and quite frankly that just doesn't matter because when wrestling is done right, it doesn't matter what language it is in.  

I hope to get to see another NSPW wrestling show someday.  I didn't get a lot of photos but you can check out the album they posted on their facebook page.  

After the show I had a wonderful conversation with Loue, and got her to sign my NSPW card of her.  She's a wonderful person. 


After the show Canaan and I drove back to the Days Inn Rivière-du-Loup, which is about 2 hours away, getting back to the hotel about 1am.  Sunday morning we were on the road by 830am to head home.  It started snowing overnight and the roads were not great.  On the TransCanada Highway it appears they were only cleaning the travel lane as the passing lane was snow covered.  We stopped in Edmundson as I tried to find cheezies and covered bridge chips.  I did manage to find some covered bridge but struck out on cheezies.

We crossed back into Maine in Van Buren, the image below was Route 1 between taken Van Buren and Presque Isle but that was essentially how the road was the whole 75 miles to Houlton.  I dropped Canaan off at his college and continued south stopping in Houlton for a fries and a soda at McDonalds.




Interstate 95 was decent in Houlton and got better the further south I went.  I only stopped one other time at Dysart's in Herman.  I made it home about 5pm.  It was a long day and some difficult roads at times.  It was a fantastic weekend overall! 


For those wondering this is a map of the route I drove from my home in Gardiner and back.  Again total Mileage driven on the trip was 1,081.5 miles or 1,740.5 km.  Long weekend! 

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!