Answering The 10 Count: Paul Diamond

We recently had the honor and privilege to chat with a former co holder of the AWA world tag team championship and former WWF, ECW and WCW star Paul Diamond. Diamond talks about his early days in pro wrestling, how he got his wrestling name, his time in the AWA, ‘Diamond’ Dallas Page, his venture into the WWF and how he got his gimmicks. He also talks about the affair that got him let go from the WWF and working with Shawn Michaels and his wrestling school.

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One Hit Wonders: The ‘Rhythm & Blues’ Tag Team

Brian Damage

In 1989, the WWF careers of both The HonkyTonk Man and Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine were stagnating. Individually, they had solid runs as Intercontinental champions. With nothing for either man to do creatively, Pat Patterson came up with the idea of making Honky and Valentine a tag team. Both wrestlers were okay with forming a tag team as they both got along and felt it could have them still be a part of WWF’s programming.

Farewell to a Super Hero: The Origins of The Blue Blazer

Brian Damage

May 23rd, 1999 is to this day, one of the darkest days in not only WWE history, but in the entire business of professional wrestling. At WWE’s pay per view chillingly titled ‘Over the Edge,’ ‘The Blue Blazer’ Owen Hart plunged seventy eight feet from the top of the rafters at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. It was supposed to be a grand entrance for The Blue Blazer character as he was to descend down from the rafters using a safety harness. Instead, the harness gave way and Owen tragically died at the young age of 34.

The Model of Success: Rick Martel’s WWF Heel Turn

Brian Damage

To many wrestling fans of a certain age, Richard Vigneault, better known by his ring name Rick Martel, is best remembered for his ‘arrogance’ spraying heel persona. It is that gimmick which is the focus of today’s piece.

Power Without Glory: The Story of the WWF’s tag team Power and Glory

Brian Damage

A cool name, a great finisher yet it still didn’t work out for Hercules and Paul Roma as ‘Power and Glory’. In today’s piece, Brian takes a look at the history of the short-lived team and what went wrong along the way.

Heads Up: The Rise of Al Snow in ECW

Brian Damage

In 1995, Al Snow was one of the hottest free agents in all of professional wrestling. WCW was just starting to try and legitimately compete with the World Wrestling Federation. Each promotion was signing top wrestling talent from all over the country. One of those wrestlers was Al Snow, who had made a name for himself in various territories including Jim Cornette’s Smoky Mountain Wrestling. Snow had great charisma and could flat out wrestle.

Remembering the WWF’s ‘GTV’

Brian Damage

In early 1999, a series of grainy, black and white hidden camera videos began airing on WWF television. The videos would capture both heels and babyfaces in compromising positions. The videos were originally labeled GD TV, but it was later shortened to simply G TV. Fans began to speculate who was behind this voyeuristic look at the WWF locker room.