Saturday, June 29, 2013

RIP Matt Borne

Matt Borne was one of the more successful local wrestlers in the 80s and early 90s, advancing onto the national stage with runs in WWF and WCW. But his own personal demons kept him from ever achieving long term success in the business.
1957-2013 RIP

Matt followed his father, one of Portland's all-time biggest draws, Tough Tony Borne, into the business in the late 1970s. He held the Pacific Northwest tag team title with Mr. Electricity Steve Regal (not to be confused with the WWE/WCW wrestler) and Rip Oliver. He also held the PNW Heavyweight title for one day in 1981, winning it from Buddy Rose, and losing it back to him the next day.

He had success in Mid-South Wrestling, forming a stable called the Rat Pack with Ted DiBiase and Jim Duggan, and holding the Mid-South tag team title with DiBiase in 1982. 

His first national run came as a preliminary wrestler for the WWF in 1985 and 86. This run would be completely unmemorable if not for the fact that he faced Ricky Steamboat on a card titled WrestleMania.

After finishing up in the WWF, Borne had his most success in World Class Championship Wrestling. He held the tag team title with Buzz Sawyer and Jeff Jarrett, and had two reigns as the Texas Heavyweight champion. He had a memorable feud with Kerry Von Erich just before Von Erich went to the WWF as the Texas Tornado.
WCW 6-man Champs

His next national run came in 1991 when he signed with WCW. Borne was Big Josh, a lumberjack from the woods of Oregon. He debuted by jumping out of the crowd to save Tommy Rich from a beatdown. Rich would then train him to become a pro wrestler. He held the 6-man tag team title with Dustin Rhodes and Tom Zenk and the U.S. tag team title with Ron Simmons. He never progressed past the mid-card, mostly because the gimmick wouldn't allow it, and left the promotion in the spring of 1992.

Doink the Clown
A few months after leaving WCW, Borne arrived in the WWF for the biggest run of his career. He became Doink the Clown, an evil clown who played pranks on the babyface wrestlers. He feuded with Crush and faced him at WrestleMania 9. He faced all the top stars in the WWF at the time, including Mr. Perfect and Bret Hart, but unfortunately, his drug problems got in the way and he was fired in the fall of 1993.

Shortly after Eastern Championship Wrestling became Extreme Championship Wrestling, Borne became a character called Borne Again, mocking the Doink persona, and aligning with ECW champion Shane Douglas. But the character never got going as his personal problems once again got in the way.

Borne in 1996
He continued to appear on independents as Doink the Clown. He returned to Portland in 1996 and became a regular for Sandy Barr's Championship Wrestling USA. He had a lengthy feud with Jesse Barr that included many different gimmick matches like chicken wire cage matches. Borne began to book the shows and the quality of the KOIN T.V. program really turned around. Crowds were seemingly increasing when Sandy closed the promotion down. I never knew the story behind this, but always assumed it was a split between Barr and Borne.

Borne worked with Ivan Kafoury to start the new Portland Wrestling in 1997. It was in this promotion, that he trained former U of O football player Josh Wilcox, and put together a card for Wilcox's debut that drew over 700 fans and received news coverage. There hasn't been a local show of this magnitude since.

He continued to wrestle through the 2000's, including appearing as Doink the Clown on the Raw 15th Anniversary special, and most recently appearing on KPTV's Portland Wrestling Uncut. He was found dead by his girlfriend on June 28th.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

ECCW results - Chilliwack, BC 6/22/13


1) Alex Plexis defeated Artemis Spencer

2) Bishop defeated Danni Deeds

3) Lak Sadartha defeated Randy Hawkins & Senor Cerveza

4) The Cremator defeated Hellion

5) ECCW Woman's champ Nicole Matthews defeated Cat Power

6) Kenny Lush defeated Tony Baroni

7) The Riot defeated the Administration

ECCW results - Surrey, BC 6/21/13

1) ECCW tag champs the Bollywood Boyz won a 3-way over the Riot and the Amerikan Guns

2) Reia Von Slasher defeated KC Spinelli

3) Artemis Spencer defeated Riot by DQ

4) Lak Sadartha defeated Daniel Adonis

5) Moondog Manson, the Cremator, & Rockford defeated the Administration

6) Azeem the Dream defeated Ray Brooks

7) The Stallions & KC Spinelli defeated the GODS & the Natural

BCW results - Portland, OR 6/23/13

BCW @ N. Portland Eagles

1) Damon Scythe went to a double countout with Erik Hanson

2) Psydesho defeated Boy Toy Billy

3) Pat Large & Gentleman George defeated Mob Inc. by DQ

4) Emperor Void defeated Keith Atkins

5) Tex Thompson & Lonestar defeated Buddy Highway & Gregor Petrov 

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Portland Wrestling Uncut Off Until Fall

After the show at 212 Sports, the promotion announced the cancellation of their T.V. taping due to a broken ring. Normally I could accept that. They discovered the ring was broken the day of the event. But it seems a little odd to me they couldn't rent a ring from one of the other promoters in town, especially considering one of those said promoters works for them as a referee.

Then a week after the cancelled taping due to the broken ring, they announced they would not be taping any new shows until Fall. Their facebook post referenced summertime activities and sporting events as the reason. Seems to me that college football and playoff baseball in the fall would make for far greatest competition than the sun in the summer.

So for the second time in it's short history, when this promotion started building some momentum, they have gone on a hiatus. Oh well. DOA, BCW, and WCWC will be running shows all summer long, and I'm sure none of them plan on going on a three month hiatus if a ring breaks.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

BCW results - Portland, OR 6/16/13

BCW @ N. Portland Eagles

1) Lonestar defeated Psydesho

2) Gregor Petrov defeated Boy Toy Billy after Roy Lovejoy interfered

3) Emperor Void won a 3-way over Erik Hanson and Damon Scythe

4) Gentleman George Michael & Pat Large defeated Mob Inc.

5) Steve Rush & Iron Man defeated Buddy Highway & PUG in a double dog collar match

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Portland Wrestling Uncut T.V. recap - 6/15/13

-Joe V and Mike Santiago open the show. Joe says the PNW heavyweight title has been held up after the controversy surrounding last night's title match at 212 Sports.

-Joe V interviews Wade Hess and Thunder, which brings out RAVENOUS Randy and Scotty Mac to set up a tag team match. But before that match can start, the Blanchard Brothers come out and the match becomes a 3-WAY DANCE!

-Joe V and Roddy Piper on commentary

-Match #1
Wade BY GOD Hess & Thunder vs. RAVENOUS Randy Myers & Scotty Mac vs. the Blanchard Brothers was ruled a no-contest when all hell broke loose with all six guys fighting in the ring at once

-Joe V interviews Eric Right and his personal trainer Valentine, leading to a confrontation with Ethan HD setting up the next match

-Match #2
Ethan HD defeated Eric Right by DQ when Right wouldn't stop GROUND AND POUNDING HD after he was hitting on Valentine. After the match, Valentine made Right do push-ups.

-Don Coss hosts the FLASHBACK: Buddy Rose v Jonathan Boyd

-Match #3
Mike Santiago defeated Pugsley with the LETHAL WEAPON

-Match #4
Big Ugly & the NEW PNW tag team champs Colt Toombs & Pat large defeated Exile, Dr. Kliever, & Eric Baeden when Large pinned Baeden with a small package

Very poorly put together show this week. Obviously rushed. Joe V and Santiago opened the show, but then Joe and Piper did all the PBP. During the main event, the announcers went to a commercial and came back, WITHOUT actually going to a commercial. Then a few minutes later, a commercial was randomly inserted into the match.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

ASW results - Cloverdale, BC 5/31/13

1) Nate Daniels & Ritchie Destiny def. Collin Cutler & Azeem the Dream

2) KC Spinelli def. Kat Von Heez

3) The Breakers def. Danni Deeds & Alex Prestige

4) Michelle Starr NC Mike Roselli

5) Honky Tonk Man, Ravenous Randy Myers, & Andy Bird def. Vance Nevada, Disco Fury, & Great Kasaki when Honky pinned Nevada

Monday, June 10, 2013

Upcoming Events

6/14 - PWU in Clackamas, OR @ 212 Sports, 8:00 PM (Piper's Pit, Battle Royal, Exile v Ugly, Blanchards vs. Mac/Myers)

6/15 - PWU in Beaverton, OR @ KPTV Studios, 2:00 PM and 4:30 PM

6/16 - BCW in Portland, OR @ N. Portland Eagles, 6:00 PM

6/21 - ECCW in Surrey, BC @ Sullivan Community Hall, 8:00 PM

6/22 - ECCW in Chilliwack, BC @ Princess Armory, 8:00 PM

6/23 - BCW in Portland, OR @ N. Portland Eagles, 6:00 PM

6/28 - ASW in Cloverdale, BC @ the Fairgrounds, 8:00 PM (No DQ Retirement match - Michelle Starr v Mike Roselli, Gangrel v Lush, Breakers v Regime, Kasaki v Destiny)

6/30 - BCW in Portland, OR @ N. Portland Eagles, 6:00 PM

7/5 - ECCW in Port Coquitlam, BC @ the Elks Hall, 8:00 PM

7/6 - ECCW in Vancouver, BC @ Russian Community Centre, 8:00 PM (Colt Cabana)

7/7 - BCW in Portland, OR @ N. Portland Eagles, 6:00 PM

7/7 - WCWC in Salem, OR @ Houck Middle School (Hess/Smith v Causmo/Nelson, Bravo v Right), 5:00 PM

7/12 - DOA in Keizer, OR @ the Lions Club (Hess/JSinn/Exile v Kliever/Vargas/Large, Ethan HD v Quiz, Santiago v Jeremy Blanchard, MJ v Bettie Black), 7:30 PM

7/14 - DOA in Portland, OR @ the E. Portland Moose Lodge (Hess v JSinn v Kliever v Jeremy Blanchard, Edwards/Gibson v Quiz/Santiago, Ethan HD v Bubba Blanchard, Exile v Vargas), 4:00 PM

Portland Wrestling Uncut T.V. recap - 6/8/13

-Jonas Robinson interrupts Joe V as he's opening the show and says he will join him on commentary since Josh Wilcox is out this week. Joe interviews Colt Toombs & Pat Large and the Blanchards & Mr. Ooh La La about tonight's tag team title match.

-Match #1 - PNW Tag Team Championship
Colt Toombs & Pat Large defeated the Blanchard Brothers (c) to win the title when Toombs pinned Bubba after Scotty Mac and Randy Myers interfered. The Blanchards brawled with Myers and Mac after the match.

-Roddy Piper chased Jonas Robinson away during the previous match and took over the color commentary.

-Toombs and Mac are shown backstage celebrating their title win, not even phased by the fact they won with shenanigans. They say they will defend the titles Friday at 212 Sports.

-Joe V interviews the Blanchards, who challenge Mac and Myers to a match on Friday.

-Match #2 - Battle Royal Qualifier
Ethan HD defeated Demarcus James after Gentleman George accidentally tripped Demarcus. George and Demarcus argued after the match.

-Joe V interviewed Dillon Divine, who will attempt to win a PWU contract and a spot in the #1 contender battle royal in the next match. Divine does a crazy gimmick.

-Match #3 - Battle Royal Qualifier
GRESHAM SAVIOR Buddy Highway defeated Dillon Divine with a superkick
Highway wins his first match on PWU, and Joe V reacted like he was Jim Ross and Barry Horowitz just won a match

-Joe V interviewed Thunder and Wade Hess. As Hess entered the ring for the start of their match, Pugsly and Jorel Nelson jumped Thunder. Thunder fought them off and threw them out of the studio.

-Match #4 - Battle Royal Qualifier
Thunder and Wade BY GOD Hess defeated Dr. Kliever and Eric Baeden when Thunder pinned Baeden after a lariat. After the match, Kliever attacked Baeden.

-Joe V interviewed Big Ugly, who called out the Grappler and the new PNW champ Exile. Ugly says Exile doesn't need Grappler in his corner. Exile agrees to give Ugly a rematch on Friday, much to Grappler's chagrin. Ugly says he will only take the match if Exile is a man and faces him without Grappler. Exile says he will handcuff Grappler in the corner so he won't interfere. Ugly brings out the REPLACEMENT WRESTLERS, who tackle Grappler and handcuff him. Poor Grappler, everyone hates him.

I really enjoyed the show this week. I liked the heavy promotion for Friday's house show. They've done a good job building it, so it will be interesting to see what kind of crowd they draw.

Northwest News

-Wade BY GOD Hess defeated Dr. Kliever to unify the DOA PNW and Heavyweight titles on 6/7 in Keizer, OR

-After some shenanigans in their loser leaves town match in May, area veterans Michelle Starr and Mike Roselli will meet June 28th in Cloverdale, BC in an anything goes retirement match for All-Star Wrestling. Former WWF star Gangrel will be on the show to defend his ASW Trans Canada title.

-Colt Cabana will be wrestling on the ECCW show July 6th in Vancouver, BC

-Portland Wrestling Uncut is running a show on Friday June 14th at 212 Sports in Clackamas. Roddy Piper will host a Piper's Pit, plus a #1 contender Battle Royal, Ugly vs. Exile for the PNW title, Mac/Myers vs. Blanchards, and Toombs/Large will defend the tag team title.