Matt Striker Keeps it Old School

Twitter: @badguywrassler

By Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway
EDITED FROM AN ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 2018 

What fun to come across this photo on Twitter of Matt Striker and "Good Ol' J.R." Jim Ross. It was taken at a World Class Revolution wrestling event at Southfork Ranch outside Dallas, Texas. 

Conrad Thompson noticed something about the t-shirt Matt is wearing, and pointed the photo out to me. It is an old Mid-Atlantic Gateway t-shirt which was sold here many years ago. That made me smile. 

A former WWE Superstar and broadcaster, Striker is most recently known in wrestling for being the lead announcer for "Lucha Underground", which aired for four seasons on the El Rey Network. During that time, it was one of my favorite hours of television every week. Although the program showcased modern-day styles in wrestling (along with a heavy dose of superhero/science-fiction story telling), Matt managed to weave many "old school" wrestling references into his commentary on the show, my favorite being a nod to Greg Valentine's famous t-shirt "I Broke Wahoo's Leg" from season one. I always get a kick out of those references. Even though he is a veteran of the pro wrestling business, Matt is at heart an old school wrestling fan like the rest of us. A very nice fellow, as well.

J.R. digs our little website, too, we're told. He even told Bruce Mitchell once on his podcast that the Gateway was "an icon on my iPad."

We have great respect for both of these gentlemen, so it goes without saying we're honored.

EDITED FROM AN ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 2018

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See also: "For Matt Striker, the Past is Prologue" (A look at a couple of those early Mid-Atlantic references on Lucha Underground.)

Matt Striker Always Makes Us Smile

Twitter: @badguywrassler

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway
EDITED FROM AN ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 22, 2018 

What fun to come across this photo on Twitter of Matt Striker and "Good Ol' J.R." Jim Ross. It was taken at a World Class Revolution wrestling event at Southfork Ranch outside Dallas, Texas. 

Conrad Thompson noticed something about the t-shirt Matt is wearing, and pointed the photo out to me. It is an old Mid-Atlantic Gateway t-shirt which was sold here many years ago. That made me smile. 

A former WWE Superstar and broadcaster, Striker is most recently known in wrestling for being the lead announcer for "Lucha Underground", which aired for four seasons on the El Rey Network. During that time, it was one of my favorite hours of television every week. Although the program showcased modern-day styles in wrestling (along with a heavy dose of superhero/science-fiction story telling), Matt managed to weave many "old school" wrestling references into his commentary on the show, my favorite being a nod to Greg Valentine's famous t-shirt "I Broke Wahoo's Leg" from season one. I always get a kick out of those references. Even though he is a veteran of the pro wrestling business, Matt is at heart an old school wrestling fan like the rest of us. A very nice fellow, as well.

J.R. digs the our little website, too, we're told. He even told Bruce Mitchell once on his podcast that the Gateway was "an icon on my iPad."

We have great respect for both of these gentlemen, so it goes without saying we're honored.

EDITED FROM AN ARTICLE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED JULY 22, 2018

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See also: "For Matt Striker, the Past is Prologue" (A look at a couple of those early Mid-Atlantic references on Lucha Underground.)

This Photo Made Us Smile

Twitter: @badguywrassler

What fun to come across this photo last night on Twitter of Matt Striker and "Good Ol' J.R." Jim Ross. It was taken at a World Class Revolution wrestling event at Southfork Ranch outside Dallas, Texas.

Conrad Thompson noticed something about the t-shirt Matt is wearing, and pointed the photo out to me. It is an old Mid-Atlantic Gateway t-shirt which was sold here some 10-15 years ago. That made me smile.

A former WWE Superstar and broadcaster, Striker is currently the voice of "Lucha Underground" on the El Rey Network, one of my favorite hours of television every week. Although the program showcases modern-day styles in wrestling (along with a heavy dose of superhero/science-fiction story telling), Matt manages to weave many "old school" wrestling references into his commentary on the show, my favorite being a nod to Greg Valentine's famous t-shirt "I Broke Wahoo's Leg" from way back in season one. I always get a kick out of those references. Even though he is a veteran of the pro wrestling business, Matt is at heart an old school wrestling fan like the rest of us. A very nice fellow, as well.

J.R. digs our website, too, we're told. He even told Bruce Mitchell on his podcast a couple years ago that the Gateway was "an icon on my iPad."

We have great respect for both of these gentlemen, so it goes without saying we're honored.  - D. Bourne

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See also: "For Matt Striker, the Past is Prologue" (A look at a couple of those early Mid-Atlantic references on Lucha Underground.)

Greg Valentine break's Wahoo's Leg - 40 Years Ago Today

by Dick Bourne
Mid-Atlantic Gateway

It is one of the most iconic images from the 1970s in Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling and Jim Crockett Promotions: Greg Valentine with a big grin on his face, wearing his newly won Mid-Atlantic championship belt, and sporting the infamous "I Broke Wahoo's Leg" t-shirt.

It's hard to believe that match happened forty years ago today. It took place on Wednesday night, September 7, 1977, at a TV taping at the WRAL television studios in Raleigh, NC. The match stands the test of time and is available in its entirety on the subscription service NWAOnDemand.com.

Wahoo McDaniel and Greg Valentine feuded over the Mid-Atlantic heavyweight championship for much of 1977 and early 1978. The zenith, however, was the memorable televised bout where Valentine regained the title from McDaniel and broke his leg in the process. It is one of the most famous matches and famous angles in Mid-Atlantic Wrestling history.

But part of what made it so memorable was Valentine's classic t-shirt that he wore in the aftermath. It was a simple black shirt with block lettering that simply said "I Broke Wahoo's Leg", and on the back of the shirt read the equally in-your-face declaration - - "No More Wahoo."

Valentine wore the t-shirt on television and in arenas for months, enraging fans along the way. A photograph appeared in "Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Magazine" and in newsstand magazines as well, with a grinning Valentine wearing the shirt and the belt, taunting Wahoo and creating heat for their return bouts that would follow when Wahoo returned to action.

In an interview with the Mid-Atlantic Gateway, Valentine admitted that the t-shirt wasn't his idea. "It was George Scott," Greg told David Chappell. "George Scott was the booker back then. It was mainly his idea. I certainly give him the credit."

Greg would explain in TV interviews that he had the t-shirts custom made for him at a shop in Las Vegas, never mind the fact that the familiar look of the t-shirt could have been made in any t-shirt shop in any mall in America in those days. But the line was funny, and served to only further enrage Wahoo's fans.

Sweet G.A. Brown's 45-rpm single serves as a backdrop to the the action figure of Greg
Valentine wearing tiny replicas of the Mid-Atlantic heavyweight title belt and the famous t-shirt.

The match and the angle still live on today in popular culture. Facsimile shirts are spotted being worn by wrestling fans (even journalists!) at wrestling conventions. Collectors can custom-order a miniature "I Broke Wahoo's Leg" shirt for their action figures. Wrestling broadcaster Matt Striker mentioned the famous t-shirt in 2014 during a match on an episode of "Lucha Underground." And singer/songwriter Sweet G.A. Brown immortalized the classic wrestling angle in his wonderful song "I Broke Wahoo's Leg" which I have written about previously here on the Gateway.  

Greg tells us that even forty years removed from that match, fans still ask him about it.  "I get asked to sign my autograph that way," he told me. "All these years later, people still remember that."

Greg Valentine and his famous t-shirt in 1977 and 2005. (Blake Arledge Photo)

Valentine re-created the angle at a Legend's Show in Spartanburg, SC, also wearing a replica of the Mid-Atlantic title belt. The site of Greg wearing that shirt and belt in 2005 took you right back to 1977.

So today we raise an elbow and celebrate this lasting memory of one of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling's most brutal feuds and memorable moments. It is has proven to be a moment that Mid-Atlantic Wrestling fans have not forgotten.

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See Also:

Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Title History
Classic Mid-Atlantic Match from 1977 on NWAOnDemand.com Subscription Service 
For Matt Striker, Past is Prologue
The Coolest 45rpm Vinyl in the Mid-Atlantic Gateway Collection ("I Broke Wahoo's Leg")

I Broke Wahoo's Leg - Revisited

Greg "The Hammer" Valentine in 1977 (inset) and 2005.
(Blake Arledge Photo)

One of the most enduring images from Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling in 1977 was Greg Valentine's simple black t-shirt that read: "I Broke Wahoo's Leg." (On the back it said "No More Wahoo")

At a Wrestling Legends show booked by George South in Spartanburg in 2005, Greg Valentine re-enacted that scene that had taken place 28 years earlier.

Greg wore a nearly identical t-shirt to the ring and also sported a replica of the old Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship like the one he took from Wahoo during the very match where he broke Wahoo's leg.

That belt was briefly recognized and defended as the Mid-Atlantic Heritage Championship from 2005-2009. It was retired by the Masked Superstar (Bill Eadie.)

Greg really seemed to enjoy that night in Spartanburg. Seeing him come down the aisle with that belt and that t-shirt took you straight back to 1977!

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In some ways, you can say that 1977 angle was culturally relevant. It became the title of a wonderful song about various dastardly deeds of the devil on singer/songwriter Sweet G.A. Brown's album "Wordsmith." Give his brilliant song a try; it's deliciously twisted and the chorus is addictive. We wrote about it earlier on the Gateway.

 

It also became a talking point by Lucha Underground commentator Matt Striker when attempting to explain the frame of mind of luchadore Pentagon Jr.  We wrote about that, too.

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For Matt Striker, The Past is Prologue

"I harken back to events that made everything you remember possible. 
I am aware of origins."   - Matt Striker

I don't know Matt Striker, but I suspect he and I might get along if we ever crossed paths.

Striker is the play-by-play broadcast voice of Lucha Underground, the cutting-edge wrestling program that airs Wednesday nights at 8PM ET on El Rey Network. At present, El Rey Network can be a little hard to find; it's a relatively new network. But I absolutely promise you if you make the effort to get there, Lucha Underground is so worth that effort.

It might seem strange that a 53 year old fan of 1970s and 1980s territorial wrestling like me, terminally stuck in the past and who has very little interest in today's wrestling product, could be so enthusiastic about such a modern, alternative product as Lucha Underground. But I am completely, totally, 100% head-over-heels in love with this show. Nothing else in wrestling compares to it today. Heck, not much on TV compares to it today. It is the best hour of my television week.

Lucha Underground combines the best parts of Mexican lucha libre, American independent style, Japanese strong style and even a little European style, too. It is the perfect hybrid, making it almost a style all its own. It also contains some the best story-telling through a series of short, gritty, cinematic style vignettes. It's just magic and wonderful in every way.

I didn't know a whole lot about Matt Striker when I discovered Lucha Underground. I wasn't watching WWE when he was a regular wrestler and commentator there. I first became aware of him when he and Ricky Steamboat dubbed commentary for the 1-hour broadway Flair vs. Steamboat match from the "Boogie Jam" in 1984 that was on Ricky Steamboat's WWE DVD set. Hearing him on that, I figured he had to be a big fan of the 1970s and 1980s. And it appears I was right.

From the onset, I enjoyed Striker's enthusiastic commentary on Lucha Underground. He and his broadcast partner Vampiro do an outstanding job on calling their matches. They walk the line perfectly between the professional call of the action and also letting you know they are fans just like us. For my money, they are the best in the business right now.

Matt Striker and Vampiro call the action on Lucha Underground.

As I got interested in Lucha Underground, I quickly started picking up on Striker's frequent references to old-school wrestling, making comparisons to wrestlers and teams from the 1970s and 1980s. Some of these were very obscure, some more widely known. I loved it! His analogies seemed almost educational at times. He would even occasionally reference angles from 40 years ago, but without making them seem like old references or being out of place.

Two quick examples: Charlie Brown and Greg Valentine's famous t-shirt "I Broke Wahoo's Leg"...