At the Jerry Lawler 50th Anniversary Celebration at The Ballpark in Jackson, Tennessee on September 26, Jerry Lawler & The Rock N Roll Express (w/ Jimmy Hart) faced Matt Riviera, Wildfire Tommy Rich, & Dangerous Doug Gilbert (w/ Ron Ratcatcher) in a Thunderdome Cage Match. although even as he was older, he was brutally strong and realistically [4], Two Rivers was trained by Don Eagle, a former World Heavyweight Champion in the Boston-based American Wrestling Association. Knowing that there is a man named Johnny Rivera, the Invader 3, who dared to sacrifice himself for the good of lucha libre was something. It affects me big time. Still today, wrestling in Puerto Rico inhabits a strange yet fascinating world where many fans are not entirely convinced that what they are watching is scripted. JJ Rivera (21) OF - Career Achievements: All-Crossroads League Second Team (2022) . what about lee wong, paul vachon,, leo burke?, the hangman was neil guay from quebec, poirrier, was baron gattoni ever a jobber? [4] After TCW folded in 2014, Matt would then move on to focus more on his own in-ring career. Johnny Rivera | Profile. Remember reading in the wrestling magazines of the day when he had to wear a mask with the just the face area exposed when he wrestled in Madison Square Garden because of an archaic rule that prohibited masked wrestlers from appearing at the particular venue. Ray Napolitano, a wrestler from the United Kingdom, told him to consider moving overseas. Steele and Murder One), The Kingz of the Underground (Ryan Genesis and Scot Summers), The Heatseekers (Elliot Russell and Sigmon), This page was last edited on 9 February 2023, at 01:19. Watch the match in question, Manny Fernandez vs. Invader 3: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. There are people who say we never went to the moon. "Was this a spontaneous thing? Jose Luis Rivera Those of us who are really old school remember that Rivera was known as Mac Rivera in his early days. He has also been published on Slam Wrestling and in G-FAN Magazine. Chris, you can blame that on Angelo Savoldi! You showed up knowing they would lose but oddly cheered them in defeat. Dundee would accept the metal briefcase & then nail Riviera & Bradford with it before taking off with the money. He just kept pounding away at Mancini with a big smile on his face before executing one of the best pins I had ever seen. Another theory suggests that he supposedly drank either pigs or goats blood with vodka and somehow was able to regurgitate the nasty concoction on call after Mannys knee dropped. Marzino was booked at the cape cod collisium and was working with Frankie Williams. To me, its a shoot. 10/6/76; Hamburg, PA; Fieldhouse 10/23/76 - included the Strongbow & Whitewolf vs. Executioners match from the 10/23/76 Championship Wrestling: Tor Kamata vs. Kevin Sullivan Nikolai Volkoff vs. Sunshine Jackson Stan Stasiak vs. Johnny Rivera Doherty was around much longer than Marzino so it made sense for Marzino to have to put Doherty over. Plus, Hulk Hogan, Tony Atlas, Ivan Putski, and many more in action! It was powerbomb city, I never saw such a catastrophe. He was billed as heralding from Sandwich, New York, and it was a rare day, in fact a very rare day, that he ever won a match on television. After slamming him, the 275 lb Fernandez climbed the nearest corner post and launched himself onto his downed opponent. He began promoting wrestling events under the name of Global Pro Wrestling. AJ Bordenet (12) INF - 2022: Made an impact as a freshman starting in 45 of 50 games played . 4 moves in 8 minutes. [20] Riviera would appear in all three aired episodes. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Those are acceptable, you know, and a lot of the wrestlers do do it, yknow, its not for me to say whos using what, but theyre very minimal doses.. Profile Profile. I remember watching on tv when Hercules Hernandez beat the crap outta Saxon. On the March 1, 2007 episode of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's Impact showed the Latin American Xchange (LAX) attacking Rodz as part of their feud with Team 3D. Ray Sepulveda 2 concerts. It is infamous for some of the most passionate and rabid wrestling fans who, throughout history, often take things a little too far. For a time, he also worked with Mike and Gene LeBell's NWA Hollywood Wrestling in the 1970s. Although there was a huge contrast in styles and body types, tagging with the Giant was his fondest wrestling memory. [9], On September 16, 2017 at CWA WrestleRaise III in Hot Springs, Arkansas, Matt Riviera interfered in the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Title match between NWA Worlds Heavyweight champion, Tim Storm and Jerry Lawler, subduing Lawler with an ether rag, and allowing Storm to pin Lawler to retain the title. In-ring experience: 47 years. You know, I rarely do interviews other than wrestling storylines, but of the questions, I got, probably 35 of them asking if it was a work or a shoot. Just like I love Terry [Funk], Dickie [Dick Murdoch], but the way they did it just ate me up, so I knew I had to do something. I believe he continued to wrestle in Puerto Rico after his WWF days were over, and his son, Jose, Jr., was also a star on that islands wrestling scene. Manuel Soto, Jose estrada, and the jobber of all jobbers the great joe turco, I also remember an obese guy named Rusty Brooks, balding with a moustache, who often appeared in the early to mid-80s. He continued, "I had that mindset already, going in there. [6] After losing the championship, Two Rivers considered moving to Calgary, Alberta, to work for Stampede Wrestling. even then,the ratings were outdated and they had articles written years before,I had never seen such a weird magazine, but it was a treasure,juxtaposing time and space in the wrestling world.There was an article there calledThree Rivers Report that mentioned Bill Berger as a successful fan favorite.It blew my young mind because I had only seen Berger A list of wrestlers Rivera defeated during his career is a who's who of the sport. As a promoter, Riviera took a local wrestling show and expanded it to an hour long show that was available to watch throughout the United States. Fred Marzino was the best jobber in Boston with his unbelievable bumps. Others from the time include Champagne Gerry Morrow, Makhan and Gamma Singh (who put the Bulldogs and Harts over in great battles). And in 1983 and 1984, both teamed as The Invaders in the newly renamed WWF. Rivera was born in the Bronx, NY, and attended high school at Benjamin Franklin High School. Johnny Rodz has been training students for over 30 years, out of Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn. He moved briefly to Puerto Rico before returning to New York City to begin a career in music. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Ao. After six months, which included teaming with Karl Gotch to defeat the Blond Bombers (Rip Hawk and Swede Hanson), he left for Japan until at least May 13, 1966, after which point there is no record of him wrestling again until 1971. on Oct.22,1979! Also, even though they were good friends, I cannot help but think that Marzino must have felt somewhat bad about being a doormat to The Duke (Doherty) so many times. Two Rivers was born in Kahnawake, Quebec, on May 5, 1935. Ha, someone called me out on Sharpe many years ago (and many comments down below). Nonetheless, he was respected during this final run and Billy Two Rivers ( Mohawk name Kaientaronkwen, [3] May 5, 1935 - February 12, 2023) was a Canadian Mohawk professional wrestler. After a temporary visit to Puerto Read Full Biography. Salvatore Bellomo Bellomo was another fella who seemed on the verge of being a star but never hit it big. While wrestling, he was still involved in promoting wrestling events, as well as beginning college. Man, I dont know how I forgot Sharpe on this list, but youre right, he was a classic jobber. Two-time NWA Tag Team champion "Raging Bull" Manny Fernandez always prided himself as one of the businesss toughest wrestlers. I believe that match is on Youtube now. Stampede Wrestling had really great jobbers. He flipped a coin to decide and it chose the UK, where he began working in October 1959. Gilbert had been legitimately injured in a car wreck months earlier, which became part of the plotline leading to Superstars angle. Fred also wrestled in The Boston Garden in a couple jobber matches. Haziel Rivera H. Rivera. Frankie Williams and Steve King, of course. Jerry Calhoun would eventually unlock the cage door & count the pin for Lawler. Ion Croitoru, aka Johnny K-9, aka Bruiser Bedlam, has died. My mom always told me to take care of myself, and I did, but some things are inevitable.". Ive never seen so many stupid people in my life. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Unless you were the one getting hit with the knee! Internet Wrestling Database. After a temporary visit to Puerto Read Full Biography. [1] Pro wrestling's blend of physicality and theatrics appealed to him and he soon became passionate about professional wrestling. Ive witnessed broken legs and knees in kickboxing; teeth knocked out, but nothing like this.. First reported by The Hamilton Spectator, we now know that Croitoru died in a Toronto halfway house, possibly of respiratory failure. Similar artists. Petruzzi, Ron Shaw, the Black Demon, and Charlie Fulton. In 2010, Riviera had a role in the drama, Step Away from the Stone. [9][10] His last WWF match was a loss to Gama Singh on June 19, 1985. All Star Wrestling 12/15/1979 [1], In 1971 and 1972, Two Rivers had several matches in Ontario and Quebec, often as part of a tag team with Johnny War Eagle. [4] As a wrestler, Riviera has won the TCW Heavyweight Championship as well as multiple tag team championships with various partners such as Jeff Jett, as Reckage & Romance; with Tim Storm as the Natural State Connection; with Greg Anthony as The Empire; and with Jerry Lawler. To this day, it affects me when we talk about Frank [Brusier Brody]. In June 11, 2020, Johnny Rivera was the featured singer on Norberto Vlez's YouTube channel titled "Sesiones Desde La Loma Ep. [1] He also has promoted wrestling events. ", "This incident with you and Invader [3] happened before that.". He got his first chance to be featured in a movie in the 2009 thriller, Blood Forest. understand why he was relegated to jobber status when he returned Lexi Lemuz L. Lemuz. Being the consumate pro, he didnt mind putting over younger stars, wrestlers alike.He was occasionally made special guest refferee. cowboy frankie laine, don kernodle (ex-Kangaroo) ricky sexton, johnny defazio, smasher sloan, sonny king, chuck oconnor, swede anderson, great yatsu, chief big heart, tony altimore, pete sanchez, kevin sullivan? A British racing horse shared it. Unfortunately, said upper-tier talent never showed up. He also began his first foray into promoting professional wrestling events at the age of 17 after meeting his mentor, wrestling trainer and promoter Bill Ash. Hugo continued, "What happened was very dangerous. Bulldog Lee Henningabout 70 years old and 160 pounds. One theory is that Invader 3 had a condom full of blood and bit into it when needed. Matt Riviera (born May 18, 1983), is a Semi-retired American professional wrestler and podcast host. The knee drop incident with Invader 3-where he spits up blood- whats the story behind that scenario? While it is true that the WWF relegated the great Swede Hanson to a This happened at a small venue in Catao where Capital Sports Promotions, now known as WWC, had their TV tapings. Fred Marzino was the ultimate jobber to the jobbers. To make matters even more bizarre, Swede Hanson WON! Chris Benoit jobbed a bit there at first. One more thing about Marzino and that is it. But after his match with Invader 3 in Puerto Rico, hes gained an infamy few wrestlers would long to carry. Either way, the fans bought that Hanson was tough, and even the way Vince McMahon would talk about Hanson during matches implied he was someone to take seriously as an opponent. (LogOut/ NJPW Greatest Wrestlers ( Los Grandes Luchadores de NJPW, en espaol) fue el segundo Saln de la Fama de New Japan, establecido en 2007 para honrar a los luchadores que han luchado por la promocin. At a USA Championship Wrestling event in Jackson, Tennessee on July 7, Matt Riviera and Boyd Bradford would present Superstar Bill Dundee with a briefcase containing $100,000 if Dundee would agree to retire from wrestling. I remember they got matched up against Sid and Vader. What a joy it has been to read these posts and now add my additions to this truly awesome list. Tune In On Spotify And Follow @PAPowerWrestle For All Your Pennsylvania Wrestling Needs! After leaving the WWF, he feuded with Pedro Morales in Hawaii and California. They finally relaxed the rule when Mil Mascaras came along. I can recall going to The Providence Civic for a show, back when. He also has promoted wrestling events. Soon, his downed foe reeled and went into an almost fetal position while safeguarding his stomach area. To call him a jobber does not do him justice or serve history correctly. intimadating. Here are some of the guys I remember well: The Unpredictable Johnny Rodz Rodz was one of those prelim wrestlers who was a step above the normal jobber, in that he occasionally won a watch and people still respected him even if he often lost. Get all the history, facts, and stats on the Superstars you love in the updated WWE Encyclopedia of Sports Entertainment.This bumper new edition packs more than 1,100 Superstars into more than 400 exciting pages, making it the perfect reference e-guide for the WWE universe. Marzino a young guy in his twenties had to put the old man Altamore over in his 50s. Go figure! Rivera Jr. vs. Beal Francisco Rivera Jr., TKO, R1 Both are washed af but Cisco has more in the tank than beal does, despite the age difference He landed flush with his right knee above Invader 3s stomach. The attack was so convincing he asked if Invader 3 had survived. The No. Ive called him Bostons favorite jabroni. Thanks for writing. I first started watching WWWF All Star wrestling back in 1966 and he was already a fixture on T.V. I am not familiar with any of those other names that you listed, but I certainly remember Pete Sanchez. I dont know much about what happened to Rivera since he stopped wrestling in the WWF. Johnny began using a mask design containing scattered stars and a planet resembling Saturn on each side even before his future tag team partner Invader 1, did. Other Seasons. So they can go to HRT places, they can get testosterone, you know, 100 milligrams a week, whatever they prescribe nowadays, umm, they can get hCG, they can do, you know, hGH if they want. John Rodriguez[3] (born May 16, 1941) is an American former professional wrestler. jumanji monkeys in police car; mount morrison south ridge trail; preston pippen college basketball. Were you afraid of a full-scale riot breaking out?" Discover (and save!) Youve mentioned all the WWF jobbers I could think of Tony Zane and the Mulkeys in the NWA. Sending the footage to a non-wrestling fan, an unsuspecting friend who also happens to be a surgeon, his honest opinion on what he thought happened was solicited. Powerbombed on top of the stretcher. ", "Right. Very close to the Springfield Civic Center. Johnny Rivera is an American salsa singer of Puerto Rican descent.. Rivera was born in the Bronx, NY, and attended high school at Benjamin Franklin High School.He moved briefly to Puerto Rico before returning to New York City to begin a career in music. 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