Posts Tagged ‘match’

A monumental match for the ages!

Posted: September 25, 2015 in Entertainment, Professional Wrestling
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On October 3, I will be facing a wrestler whom I have a boatload of respect for.  We are talking about a man who has done things right, straight from the outset of his career.  A man that stood out like a beacon in the post-World of Sport dark days of the British pro wrestling scene around the turn of the century, due to his outstanding, physical style and intensity.  I’m talking about Doug Williams.

StarBuck vs Williams

Doug Williams is a world-traveler and time-tested veteran in the wrestling business.  He long wrestled for Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan before heading out to TNA Impact Wrestling, where he captured the X-Division and tag team championship (with Magnus).  Williams wrestled extensively for ROH (Ring of Honor) in the States prior to his jaunt in Japan, and it was in ROH that he captured their PURE title, a championship that was established to exude the excellence of the pure wrestler prototype — no bells and whistles, no gimmicks needed.

Doug Williams has faced the best of the best in the pro wrestling industry, and today, he stands as the “International Ambassador of British Wrestling” and the living hallmark of the traditional British wrestling style.  I’ve equally faced the absolute best in the pro wrestling industry, from former ECW champion Steve Corino to former WWE US champion Tajiri to arguably one of the greatest wrestlers ever out of Europe in Dave “Fit” Finlay to the world-renowned former NWA TV champion, Keiji “The Great Muta” Muto.  But never have I faced the best out of England.

On October 3 at Rumble in Rauma, the Finnish wrestling fans are going to be in for a treat.  They are going to witness a historical first, when the best out of England meets the best out of Finland.  Two men — two gladiators — who will go out there with their respective national pride, as sportsmen, and grapple in what is sure to be a classic, memorable bout for the ages in the annals of not only Finnish wrestling, but European pro wrestling on the whole.

Don’t miss out on this one if you are living in Finland.  Make plans to join FCF Wrestling for Rumble in Rauma on October 3 at Ooperin Juhlatalo, with a showtime of 20:00 for this monumental card, which will also feature FCF champion Valentine defending against former Danish champion Chaos; Swedish GBG champion Harley Rage defending against Finland’s transsexual superstar Jessica Love; Europe’s top female wrestler Alpha Female of Germany vs. Regina vs. Julia Kyy in a women’s Triple Threat match; high-flying Englishman “Flash” Morgan Webster and Swedish high flyer Timmy Force against the massive team of King Kong Karhula and Pyöveli Petrov; and much, much more!

Tickets available online now at: http://www.horror-shop.net/rumble-rauma-2015-paasylippu-p-5751.html

Rumble in Rauma poster

Six-man roughhouse

Posted: March 26, 2014 in Professional Wrestling
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This past weekend in Hannover, Germany, I was part of a six-man tag team match-up that served as a good warm-up for the six-man slobberknocker that will take place on April 12 in Helsinki at FCF Wrestling‘s Jatkosota 2014.

In Hannover, I teamed with Ecki Eckstein and Stampede Simon to face the trio of American bad boy Sam Elias, Val Verde and Johnny Rancid.  I was particularly impressed with Sam Elias, who reminded me more than a bit of early Steve Austin, circa. 1991-1193 in WCW.  Elias caught me out with a wicked knee to the gut, after which his team laid the heat on heavy.  I stayed alive, with the “Eye of the Tiger” blazing in my spirit, and rallied back to tag in Eckstein, who capitalized on the situation and scored the win for our team, pinning Rancid with a powerbomb.

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On April 12 in Helsinki, however, the stakes are even higher, after the upset win that Sly Sebastian scored over Finnish wrestling veteran Stark Adder at Talvistoa VIII this past March 8 in the tag team encounter between Sly and partner Kristian Kurki against Adder and Ricky Vendetta.  I forecast already in my FCF Year in Review 2013 blog, that Sly Sebastian was really starting to take off, after honing his skills patiently as a wrestler over the past three years.  Sly finally pulled off his biggest career win at Talvisota VIII, even if it was in tag team action, and now Stark Adder is raving mad about the upset.  Adder wants to trample out the flickers in Sly’s eyes before blaze gets out of control, and so Adder and Vendetta have recruited new FCF champion, “Wildman” Heimo Ukonselkä, to be their partner on April 12 and challenge Sly and Kurki to a six-man rumble.  That’s where I decided to take up the slack and offer myself as Sly’s and Kurki’s partner for FCF’s Jatkosota event.

Both Sly and Kurki helped Yours Truly this past January, when with Mikko Maestro as our fourth member, we overcame the team of Swedish snobs, Bättre Folk.  Therefore, now it’s my turn to help them, as they answered the call at my behest last time.

April 12 is bound to be one hell of a slobberknocker, so get your tickets NOW online: www.fightclubfinland.fi/kauppa.php

As an additional note: this spring season, both Ricky Vendetta and I were asked to be a part of “Duudsonit tuli taloon” (The Extreme Dudesons, Finland’s version of Jackass) TV-series, which will be airing on MTV in Finland.  Check program listings here: http://www.mtv.fi/duudsonit/

Ricky Vendetta and I will be featured on the Dudesons TV show this spring.

Ricky Vendetta and I will be featured on the Dudesons TV show this spring.

 

StarBuck defeats TAJIRI for the WNC title!

Posted: March 3, 2014 in Life, Professional Wrestling
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I just came home last night from a tremendous few days in Tokyo, where this past Thursday night, February 27, I defeated my long-time nemesis “The Japanese Buzzsaw” Yoshihiro Tajiri for the WNC (Wrestling New Classic) championship title.

StarBuck WNC photo 01

Our match was grueling and hard, as Tajiri laid his kicks into me so hard that I thought I was a soccer ball.  He went after my arm, the psychology of which I only understood later on in the match when I attempted to first hoist Tajiri for my trademark finisher, the spike piledriver.  He was able to escape by capturing my weakened arm on the lift portion of the move, trapping me in a unique submission attempt.  I made a rope escape, and moments later, as Tajiri charged me, I caught him out with a hotshot, landing his throat on the top rope, after which I immediately captialized with a successful spike piledriver for the pinfall and victory.

Tajiri kicks awat at me (photo by Yuichi Kojima)

Tajiri kicks awat at me (photo by Yuichi Kojima)

This win puts good ol’ StarBuck into the wrestling history books, as the fourth WNC champion in history, behind Akira Nogami, Osamu Nishimura and Tajiri.  On a personal note, this victory was incredibly sweet for me, as I returned to Japan after a nine-month absence, during which I had to rehabilitate my herniated neck.  In my first match back to Japan since May 2013, the fans at Shinjuku Face arena in Tokyo exploded in support of Yours Truly, rallying behind with much support as I claimed the WNC title.

The piledriver spells title victory! (photo by Yuichi Kojima)

The piledriver spells title victory! (photo by Yuichi Kojima)

Tajiri and I have had our wars, and I highly respect him as one of my greatest opponents ever.  In 2010, we traded the FCF championship back and forth a couple of times.  In 2011, I defeated Tajiri in the finals of the SMASH title tournament to become the first SMASH champion.  Now, in 2014, I was able to go over Tajiri to claim the WNC championship.

With my friends Mayumi and Dr. Terasaki at Antonio Inoki's famous Saka Bar

With my friends Mayumi and Dr. Terasaki at Antonio Inoki’s famous Saka Bar

It should also be noted, that at the end of the night, after I had won the title, my Synapse teammates entered the ring and Akira Nogami took the mic, announcing that our group is disbanding and going our separate ways.  I would like to thank Akira, Syuri Kondou, Yusuke Kodama and Horizon (the latest member of Synapse) for the times that we had as a unit.  I never fought alongside Kodama or Horizon, as they joined the team after my last tour of Japan in May 2013, prior to my return now this past week, but with Akira and Syuri I team on numerous occasions.  We were a dominant in 2012-2013, but all good things must come to an end, and so it is with the tale of Synapse.  No bad blood, no remorse, no regrets.  A friendly parting, with mutual respect displayed by all.

Synapse's last stand (photo by Michiro Tomita)

Synapse’s last stand (photo by Michiro Tomita)

More infos: www.wnc-pro.com

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Now, this coming Saturday at Winter War VIII (Talvisota VIII) in Helsinki, Finland, the WNC organization has demanded that I defend my newly-won crown against the challenge of former European wrestling champion, Bernard Vandamme!

I already have a gruelling Stretcher Match against Valentine for the BWA title, and with my wife’s valet career riding on the line, so this new development means double duty for me on the night of March 8 in Helsinki!

I will have to be training like an animal all this week to get ready for the double-edged sword that awaits me.  You can be sure that Vandamme remembers 2006, when I tood the Eurostars European championship from him at the first first Talvisota event in Vantaa, Finland, and this means Vandamme would be hungrier than ever to redeem himself against me now with the WNC title riding on the line.

I am not turning away any challengers, however, regardless of the circumstances.  Bernard Vandamme can bring it on, because this old war horse is waiting for him.  The Alpha Male, try to take his piece of meat away from him.TSVIII_starbuck_vandamme

TSVIII_jullari

United we stand, divided we fall

Posted: January 8, 2014 in Professional Wrestling
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This weekend on Saturday night, January 11, in Helsinki, it’s Finland vs. Sweden in another chapter of an age-old rivarly between these nations.

Hot on the heels of Finland’s Junior Ice Hockey team winning the World Championships against Sweden a few scant days ago, the feelings on both sides of the fence are hot and heavy.  Only this time, the battle will be waged in a professional wrestling ring, and not an ice hockey arena.

It seems fitting, that to start off the New Year, the Bättre Folk contingent in FCF Wrestling has set out to claim this year as their own.  After my Eurosport co-commentator Robert Holmström issued the challenge for me to round up three partners for myself, right on a live WWE Vintage wrestling broadcast in late December 2013, I knew there was no backing down.  Holmström, Valentine, Conny Mejsel and Steinbolt all want to write a new chapter in the annals of Northern European wrestling, by establishing their group as the alpha males to begin the second decade of Finnish professional wrestling.  But me, I just can’t have that.

Whether people love me or hate me, the one thing that nobody can take away is the fact that I am the pioneer and founding father of professional wrestling in the country of Finland.  This is my heritage, my imprint for all times, for the history books.  I’ll be damned if I let some arrogant pack of Swedish prissies and pricks take over here in Finland, as long as I live here and call FCF Wrestling my homebase!

So I thought quick and snappy, right on the air at Eurosport, of who I could ask to be my partners at FCF’s Saturday Wrestling Slam 2 this coming Saturday night.  In reality, my choices were self-explanatory.

I thought of all of the wrestlers that Bättre Folk has sabotaged since their inception during the summer of last year.  Valentine, Steinbolt and Holmström all assaulted FCF General Manager Kristian Kurki in September.  What they didn’t realize is, that Valentine’s backstabber backbreaker to Kurki in that very attack actually set his injured spine back into place, making him able to compete again.  Now that is bad news for Bättre Folk!

It was Holmström, Valentine and team valet Barbie that struck out against both Sly Sebastian and I in our singles match back in October.  I think Sly has some bones to pick, as that match was to be his testing ground to see whether he could procure a BWA title shot against me.  The no-contest ruling following Bättre Folk’s attack in that bout certainly didn’t do Sly’s aspirations any favors.  Oh, and I certainly haven’t forgotten about Barbie striking my wife in the melee, either…

Then I thought of my young and ambitious protege, Mikko Maestro, whom Valentine gave a serious concussion to in September during a match between the two.  Maestro’s father even emailed me and asked that I beat the living daylights out of Valentine for causing that harm to his son.  So really, there you have it: my team, all of whom gladly accepted the invitation to lay the thrashing of a lifetime on Bättre Folk this coming January 11 in Helsinki at Nightclub Tähti.

The bemusing fact is that Robert Holmström, in all of his Machiavellian grandeur and high imagination, feels that he is fit to climb into the ring as an active competitor with his team on January 11.  I personally find that both absurd and hilarious!  Robert might be a former referee, dating back many years, but he was never schooled to be a wrestler.  Refereeing and wrestling are worlds apart, like comparing tomatoes to beef jerky.  I really believe that Robert Holmström’s participation in this coming four-on-four Survivor Series-style elimination tag team match at FCF’s Saturday Wrestling Slam 2 will be his team’s downfall.

The bottom line is, this coming Saturday night in Helsinki, this Swedish quartet known as Bättre Folk is in for a world of trouble.  They are the catalysts of the woe that they have themselves caused, and now they will all pay the piper … one by one … down they fall … and their fall will be great.

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Saturday Wrestling Slam 2

January 11, 2014

start time 18:00, doors open 17:30

Nightclub Tähti, Fredrikinkatu 42, Helsinki

All ages welcome.

Tickets 15 Euros at the door.

www.wrestling.fi

Vote for the best FCF wrestling match of 2013

Posted: December 21, 2013 in Professional Wrestling
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Vote for the best FCF match of 2013.

Vote for the best FCF match of 2013

Posted: December 20, 2013 in Professional Wrestling
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FCF Wrestling in Finland would like to wish all the fans a Merry Holiday Season, and in doing so, the promotion offers up the chance to vote for your favorite match-up of 2013.  I have a couple of matches up in the running, one where I beat Valentine for the BWA Catchweight championship back in May, and another where I team with my protege Mikko Maestro against Stark Adder and Ricky Vendetta from February.

There’s a whole list of other goodies to choose from, also, as FCF events saw many stellar matches this past year.  Make your voice heard, and place your vote via Facebook at the following app: https://apps.facebook.com/opinionpolls/poll?pid=ACMHI-UJvRo

Here are the match videos of the candidates, so be sure to cast your vote!

StarBuck Christmas graphic web

The cultural significance of PURORESU

Posted: November 6, 2013 in Life, Professional Wrestling, Social commentary
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The cultural significance of PURORESU.

Young Lion Syndrome?

Posted: October 15, 2013 in Professional Wrestling
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On October 26 in Vantaa, Finland, I make my in-ring comeback after rehabbing my C6-C7 vertebrae, against fan favorite grappler Sly Sebastian. This event, entitled Lokakuun Luuvitonen (basically and loosely translated in english: An October punch in the face!), will also be FCF Wrestling‘s comeback to the city of Vantaa, where FCF last appeared in February 2009.

Back on May 11 this year, when I won the BWA Catchweight championship from Valentine in Espoo, Finland, Sly Sebastian put out his challenge for my newly-won title immediately after the match. However, at the time, FCF General Manager Kristian Kurki had other plans for FCF’s next event on June 8, where I was to defend my new gold strap against Sweden’s Conny Mejsel. Therefore, Sly Sebastian never got his wish fulfilled, but alas, here we are in the month of October and all is right in the world again, as now, the young lion gets to prove his worth against the pioneer of our sport here in Finland on October 26 at Vantaa’s Vernissa venue.

I am not putting the BWA title on the line in this match, because like I told Sly back in May, he has to earn his shot at the belt, which means either he has to score notable victories over established names in singles matches, or then he has to beat me in a non-title match. Sly has mainly been a tag team competitor alongside punker Vili Luupää over the past year, and I really don’t see reasonable grounds to just throw out and offer him a title opportunity as of yet.  Maybe in some ways, Sly is experiencing “young lion syndrome“, which bears reading up on, if you are unfamiliar with the concept.

Nonetheless, if the young man Sly Sebastian manages to get the duke on me on October 26 in my Finnish comeback match, then I will be more than happy to oblige and give him his sought-after title contention opportunity.

Sly Sebastian is ambitious, that is for sure. He has improved his game especially over the past year in leaps and bounds, and he is rising up the ladder. But wanting to bite off a chunk that is too big to chew might prove fatal for the young lion at Lokakuun Luuvitonen on October 26 in Vantaa…

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Lokakuun Luuvitonen

26.10.2013. Showtime @ 18:00, doors 17:30

Kulttuuritalo Vernissa

Tikkurilantie 36, 01300 Vantaa

The Vernissa cafeteria will be open during the event.

Tickets:

Ringside seats: 20e (Attn: limited amount available!)

Other tickets (standing room only): 12e in advance, 15e at the door.

Ticket pre-sales on till 20.10.2013

Buy your tickets here: www.fightclubfinland.fi/kauppa

vernissa2013_paikkakartta

British Invasion!

Posted: October 13, 2013 in Professional Wrestling
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I just returned tonight from England, after competing at the Wrestling Rampage event at the GL1 Leisure Center in Gloucester last night, where I went up against local favorite, “English Bulldog” Matt Jarrett.  The event had a good deal of hype and press, as Jarrett and I did promotion for the show the day prior with BBC, Radio Gloucester FM and main area newspaper, The Citizen, in addition to posters well-spread all across town.

The Citizen newspaper runs a big piece on my match

The Citizen newspaper runs a big piece on my match

I downed Jarrett in our bout, retaining my title in under 10-minutes.  My opponent suffered an injury during the course of the match, which I capitalized on, dropping him with my piledriver in quick order.

I was honored to meet and get to know UK ring legend Marty Jones, with whom I had a really great chat over the ins and outs of the wrestling business, including memories of him working in my homeland of Canada for Stampede Wrestling promoter Stu Hart.  Marty had some hilarious stories about the likes of JR Foley and “Big” John Quinn, one of which entailed Stu’s pet cow Daisy being butchered up behind his back and fed to him as a rather crude prank.  Talk about a rib!

Below is a nifty, old match from the early ’80s, with Marty Jones squaring off against the legendary Dynamite Kid.  Enjoy!

Bloodbath in Gothenburg!

Posted: September 9, 2013 in Professional Wrestling
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This past weekend, our Finnish FCF Wrestling contingent descended on Gothenburg, Sweden and kicked some major posterior in front of a sold-out 600-strong, screaming audience of grappling fans.  Putting personal differences aside for one night, for the sake of representing the top promotion in Northern Europe today, our faction – comprised of FCF champion King Kong Karhula, “Wildman” Heimo Ukonselkä, Valentine, Jessica Love and myself – made an indelible imprint on the Swedish that will not be soon forgotten.  Indeed, we marked new territory and took names in the process!

Me laying down the smack on GBG boss Lady Delores (photo by Trygve Finkelsen)

Me laying down the smack on GBG boss Lady Delores (photo by Trygve Finkelsen)

For me personally, it was a sweet occasion on the night of September 7, as I was able to exact a measure of personal revenge on GBG’s Conny Mejsel, for the way that he and Valentine left me laying in Helsinki back on June 8 this year.  Truth be told, it was not easy to stand in the same ring alongside Valentine, representing FCF Wrestling, after the way that he has attacked both me and my wife over this past year.  At least we were able to have separate dressing rooms, to keep any possible altercation from happening between our parties backstage.  That said, I can be professional and do business for the sake of the business itself, but as soon as we have our rematch, I will make sure that Valentine is stretchered out of the building.

Aguila Roja is in dire straits at the hands of StarBuck

Aguila Roja is in dire straits at the hands of StarBuck

I was initially scheduled to face Conny Mejsel, but truth be told, since I am still nursing my C6-C7 vertebrae back to health and full function, I was not willing to risk my health at the hands of such a ruthless bastard like Mejsel.  I know that the man will give me a ferocious fight, so I told GBG Wrestlings president Lady Delores, that I would not wrestle Conny Mejsel on September 7 in Gothenburg, and my replacement would be FCF champion King Kong Karhula.  My words fell on deaf ears, as Delores demanded that I face masked man Aguila Roja, and that I would not be getting out of Gothenburg without a fight.  Well, they wanted blood so I gave them blood.  Not only did I put down Roja and beat him unmercilessly, I also floored Conny Mejsel, who felt like he had a bone to pick with me over my decision of not facing him.

Conny Mejsel tastes the wrath of The Rebel!

Conny Mejsel tastes the wrath of The Rebel!

Bad Buddha and Scandinavian Shiva (Masters of the Mystical Arts) assist Mesjel after I left him plastered with my spike piledriver

Bad Buddha and Scandinavian Shiva (Masters of the Mystical Arts) assist Mesjel after I left him plastered with my spike piledriver

Right now, Conny Mejsel is locally on the level of a “Stone Cold” Steve Austin in terms of popularity in Gothenburg.  His hometown cheers him on like the second coming of The Beatles.  I was told after I left Mejsel laid out in the center of the ring following a rambunctious spike piledriver, that I would not be safe walking the streets of the city any longer.  That, folks, is what we call HEAT!

Personally, as soon as my neck injury is rehabilitated and I am back in full fighting form, I will be more than glad to give Conny Mejsel any kind of match that he wants!

Prepare for the inevitable, Mr. Mejsel…

 

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