i grew up watching or attending Portland Wrestling from 1983 till its ending in 1991 our wrestlers were more watched than Portland Trailblazers, i got to watch & meet so many great legends & in the late 90's got to know Larry Oliver through mutual friend. the 80's was best time for wrestling & many greats were in Portland!
Looking when Sawyer worked in Portland, this was in 1982. Roddy was still working for Crockett and in Georgia at the time (Roddy didn't make it to WWF until mid-1984). Roddy made several appearances in Portland when working for Crockett. Including getting Jim Crockett Jr. to have him and Flair face off for the NWA title in Portland (there is a great promo where Piper - who was US champ at the time) talks about how much Portland means to him and brought up Lonnie Mayne and Frank Bonnema
Ditto, watching Big Time Wrestling- "The Very Best In Wrestling Action!" My brother and I watched every Saturday night, went to the events at the Arena in Seattle. Great times.
Not one flippy doo choreograph spot, no thumbtacks, florescent lights, stupid crowd chants, or any other stupid shit, watching this made me smile, the crowd was legitimately lit, and this is in the North West not in some mecca this was awesome territory wrestling
As good as Roddy Piper in this match was Rip Oliver. His theatrics in the ring, on the apron, and on the floor, reacting to everything, is brilliant. Amazing job of enhancing Roddy Piper's return
My Father just told me he worked on the waterfront in Portland with two former Portland wrestlers in the late sixties/early seventies.One was Rocky Brown aka Felix Von Luckner and Ed Peterson aka Eric Von Luckner. Anyone heard of these guys?
Yea, he was not good but at least he did not call the matches. From every thing I have heard about Don Owen, he was a gem of a man. In a sport not known for integrity especially with promoters, Owen was regarded as one of the most honest promoters in all the business and one of the most beloved.
According to Dean Silverstone, who promoted Super Star Wrestling in Washington state and in Vancouver, and now owns and operates the Golden Oldies Record store in the University District in Seattle, Don Owen was very predjudiced against Jewish people, referring to Sam Muchnick as "that jew bastard in St. Louis" and because Dean is jewish, Owen put the kibosh on a potential partnership with Gene Kiniski and Sandor Kovacs to promote (NWA) in the state of Washington due to the fact that he wasn't going to be "no business partner with a jew".....
don't get me wrong, all the things about down Owen being fair and a good payoff man and all that but this comes from a person that has had first hand knowledge of the kind of person he was...anytime I go to his store we talk about records and wrestling and I consider Mr.Silverstone to be totally honest about what he says in his book called "I Ain't No Pig Farmer"- The Story of an Old-School Wrestling Promoter
Just in this one match, there's a lot of talent. Buddy Rose and Matt Bourne were two of the best. Of course, Piper was terrific. Rip Oliver and Ed Wislowski were also very good. That's enough talent for an entire territory, and they are all in one match.
I was there that night, but then again who wasn't? That building was PACKED that night. It was one of those things you don't forget. I remember being confused a bit, because Bourne always looked so much like Rip Oliver. I was like 8. Damn feathered haircuts. The one thing I always disliked with Portland Wrestling, though, was that the count-out was a 20 count. It took forever.
I think this was before Roddy went to WWF. Ed Wiskoski went on to be Col. DeBeers in the AWA. My guess is this took place late 1982 early 1983 since Don Koss is calling the match, so it took place after Frank Bonnema (the longtime announcer for Portland) passed away in October 1982
@@chuckgan I just looked up in wrestlingdata.com. For a week in 1984, Piper did a tour in the Pacific Northwest and worked four matches. On March 17, 1984 in POrtland, there was a match where Piper, ROse and Sawyer beat The Assassin, Wislowski and Oliver. I think that is this match. I am surprised to learn that Piper would have been allowed to leave the WWF for a week in 1984, as that was just as his run there was heating up. But I think in the first half of '84, McMahon hadn't yet cracked down on exclusivity.
@@seanabbins5481 | "But I think in the first half of '84, McMahon hadn't yet cracked down on exclusivity..." Thats probably why. But do note Playboy Buddy Rose worked for both PNW and WWF/E simultaneously from 1982 to 1985.
@@MoniqueFromPlymouth Monique, it seems as though there was a shift in policy during the mid 80's. During Vince's first couple of years, he was still doing things the way his father did them, and his father did do a little bit of talent sharing. But he was also staying in the northeast. In 1984, the national expansion was underway and by the end of the year, several territories participated in "Pro Wrestling USA," which "invaded" the northeast. Maybe because Don Owens didn't participate in that invasion, he could let Piper and Rose work both territories. Or maybe certain wrestlers were given an exception because of who they were. I never realized there were any exceptions at all during this period until recently.
Buddy had the same deal when he made his run in New York in 1981-82. Anytime Vince didn't have him booked, he flew on his own to Portland to work for Owen. When VKM finally got into Oregon, Roddy refused to work shows in Portland because he respected Don Owen so much and didn't want to be a part of trying to shut him down. One of the reasons Roddy and VKM had a falling out in the late 80s
ROWDY RODDY PIPER,in the 1986 in pipers pit with Andre the Giant was the reason I keep watching WWF because of piper when he insults a guess he didnt like and also his feuds was great.
no wonder wwf became number one these other promotions had an ugly ring design, bad lighting small turnbuckles with little padding for the wrestlers, announcers that were mediocre at best.
David(Fidel) Sierra. He worked several territories. Also was Top Gun in Portland later on towards the end of the promotion and was The Saint in Florida around 84-85.
i grew up watching or attending Portland Wrestling from 1983 till its ending in 1991 our wrestlers were more watched than Portland Trailblazers, i got to watch & meet so many great legends & in the late 90's got to know Larry Oliver through mutual friend. the 80's was best time for wrestling & many greats were in Portland!
Looking when Sawyer worked in Portland, this was in 1982. Roddy was still working for Crockett and in Georgia at the time (Roddy didn't make it to WWF until mid-1984). Roddy made several appearances in Portland when working for Crockett. Including getting Jim Crockett Jr. to have him and Flair face off for the NWA title in Portland (there is a great promo where Piper - who was US champ at the time) talks about how much Portland means to him and brought up Lonnie Mayne and Frank Bonnema
Hot Rod was my all-time favorite. What a legend.
Roddy Piper in his prime. He was one of the best that's for sure!
RIP Piper. You will be missed.
I miss watching Portland big time wrestling on Sat nights
Ditto, watching Big Time Wrestling- "The Very Best In Wrestling Action!" My brother and I watched every Saturday night, went to the events at the Arena in Seattle. Great times.
My guess is this was in 1984? That Superman shirt is when Piper wore that in WWF.
Rod will always be a Legend..but especially in Portland- he was a God!
and everywhere else he wrestled... Mid Atlantic Legend and Maple Leaf Wrestling Legend and WWF Legend and WCW Legend... the list goes on.
Not one flippy doo choreograph spot, no thumbtacks, florescent lights, stupid crowd chants, or any other stupid shit, watching this made me smile, the crowd was legitimately lit, and this is in the North West not in some mecca this was awesome territory wrestling
Piper is awesome my favorite of all time Rowdy Rowdy Piper RIP 🤔🧐
It's weird seeing Bourne, Rose and Piper all as babyfaces.
Piper as face would become normal in the long run. Rose and Bourne remain the odd ones to this day.
don owens was awesome
As good as Roddy Piper in this match was Rip Oliver. His theatrics in the ring, on the apron, and on the floor, reacting to everything, is brilliant. Amazing job of enhancing Roddy Piper's return
My Father just told me he worked on the waterfront in Portland with two former Portland wrestlers in the late sixties/early seventies.One was Rocky Brown aka Felix Von Luckner and Ed Peterson aka Eric Von Luckner. Anyone heard of these guys?
Yea, he was not good but at least he did not call the matches. From every thing I have heard about Don Owen, he was a gem of a man. In a sport not known for integrity especially with promoters, Owen was regarded as one of the most honest promoters in all the business and one of the most beloved.
According to Dean Silverstone, who promoted Super Star Wrestling in Washington state and in Vancouver, and now owns and operates the Golden Oldies Record store in the University District in Seattle, Don Owen was very predjudiced against Jewish people, referring to Sam Muchnick as "that jew bastard in St. Louis" and because Dean is jewish, Owen put the kibosh on a potential partnership with Gene Kiniski and Sandor Kovacs to promote (NWA) in the state of Washington due to the fact that he wasn't going to be "no business partner with a jew".....
don't get me wrong, all the things about down Owen being fair and a good payoff man and all that but this comes from a person that has had first hand knowledge of the kind of person he was...anytime I go to his store we talk about records and wrestling and I consider Mr.Silverstone to be totally honest about what he says in his book called "I Ain't No Pig Farmer"- The Story of an Old-School Wrestling Promoter
@@d820m sounds like he was even better than I thought
@@rancidcrawfish who, Don Owen? Better because he didn't like jews?
Pipers version of the DDT looked sick.
RIP Roddy.
Piper still is the man
The two out of three fall format is something the wrestling business shouldve never veered away from
Just in this one match, there's a lot of talent. Buddy Rose and Matt Bourne were two of the best. Of course, Piper was terrific. Rip Oliver and Ed Wislowski were also very good. That's enough talent for an entire territory, and they are all in one match.
R.I.P. Paul and Roderick
I love the old school.... nothing better than this... you don't need all the fancy garbage that they use to today.
Imagine what Oliver's Klan would have been if Rip would have had Mean Mike Miller and The Dynamite Kid with him at the same time!!!
So many Saturday nights
I was there that night, but then again who wasn't? That building was PACKED that night. It was one of those things you don't forget.
I remember being confused a bit, because Bourne always looked so much like Rip Oliver. I was like 8. Damn feathered haircuts.
The one thing I always disliked with Portland Wrestling, though, was that the count-out was a 20 count. It took forever.
Piper was up in the NW long before WWF! Big time Wrestling!!
I think this was before Roddy went to WWF. Ed Wiskoski went on to be Col. DeBeers in the AWA. My guess is this took place late 1982 early 1983 since Don Koss is calling the match, so it took place after Frank Bonnema (the longtime announcer for Portland) passed away in October 1982
83 o 84 during Rose's short babyface run.
@@chuckgan I just looked up in wrestlingdata.com. For a week in 1984, Piper did a tour in the Pacific Northwest and worked four matches. On March 17, 1984 in POrtland, there was a match where Piper, ROse and Sawyer beat The Assassin, Wislowski and Oliver. I think that is this match. I am surprised to learn that Piper would have been allowed to leave the WWF for a week in 1984, as that was just as his run there was heating up. But I think in the first half of '84, McMahon hadn't yet cracked down on exclusivity.
@@seanabbins5481 | "But I think in the first half of '84, McMahon hadn't yet cracked down on exclusivity..." Thats probably why. But do note Playboy Buddy Rose worked for both PNW and WWF/E simultaneously from 1982 to 1985.
@@MoniqueFromPlymouth Monique, it seems as though there was a shift in policy during the mid 80's. During Vince's first couple of years, he was still doing things the way his father did them, and his father did do a little bit of talent sharing. But he was also staying in the northeast. In 1984, the national expansion was underway and by the end of the year, several territories participated in "Pro Wrestling USA," which "invaded" the northeast. Maybe because Don Owens didn't participate in that invasion, he could let Piper and Rose work both territories. Or maybe certain wrestlers were given an exception because of who they were. I never realized there were any exceptions at all during this period until recently.
He had permission from Junior to work Portland. Don Owen was like a second father to him.
Buddy had the same deal when he made his run in New York in 1981-82. Anytime Vince didn't have him booked, he flew on his own to Portland to work for Owen.
When VKM finally got into Oregon, Roddy refused to work shows in Portland because he respected Don Owen so much and didn't want to be a part of trying to shut him down. One of the reasons Roddy and VKM had a falling out in the late 80s
This was awesome. Thanks for posting
legend
I would rather watch these old reruns over the WWE today. Those days were great.
Oliver's Clan. Number 1!
I was there!
I was there wen this happened 😅😅😅😅😅
Piper did CV the DDT before Jake The snake
Alex Batey, Rose (when he worked for the WWF in the early 80s) also had an agreement to work in Portland on days where is wasn't working for WWF
Buddy Rose became a star in the WWF in 82/83
I hope Tom Peterson is happy
I think that might have been a fast 3 count...
Piper with a DDT !!!!
"Then imagine...whuyt I could do to...YOU!"
Jesus I would have hated to have a ticket in the upper level
Courage or crazy
That doesn't look like the original assassin.
ROWDY RODDY PIPER,in the 1986 in pipers pit with Andre the Giant was the reason I keep watching WWF because of piper when he insults a guess he didnt like and also his feuds was great.
was Piper in the wwf when hw did this?
Michael Warren no
Looks like from 1982. Piper came to the WWF in Spring of 84
I mean, it’s not MJF on Long Island…
Buddy rose really hates rowdy roddy piper
Was in 1987 or 1992
1983 or 84
Don Owen was about as bad as David Crockett on the mic
got to love Don owens, but his mic skills suck.
Don Owens was classic hometown Portland. That's part of what made him so beloved. He's everyone's grandpa
Sounded like Don Koss to me.
Playboy belly rolls 😆
no wonder wwf became number one these other promotions had an ugly ring design, bad lighting small turnbuckles with little padding for the wrestlers, announcers that were mediocre at best.
Who was the assasin? Too skinny to be Jody Hamilton.
BarranquitasBoy David Sierra I think
David(Fidel) Sierra. He worked several territories. Also was Top Gun in Portland later on towards the end of the promotion and was The Saint in Florida around 84-85.