popturf

pro wrestling

where the ultimate warrior died

from the ultimate warrior posted in pro wrestling by nevereatshreddedwheat

Warrior (aka The Ultimate Warrior and formerly James Hellwig before he legally changed his name in 1993) collapsed on April 8, 2014 while walking with his wife in this residential-style hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital at the age of 54.

Two days prior he was at Wrestlemania 30 as he had just been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. He had only recently reconciled with Vince McMahon and the WWE, and the day before he died he made his first appearance on RAW in 18 years.

view full location details...

hartford civic center

from wrestlemania, lawrence taylor posted in pro wrestling by pete_nice

On April 2, 1995, Wrestlemania XI was held at the Hartford Civic Center (now called the XL Center).

The main event of Wrestlemania 11 featured Lawrence Taylor (NFL linebacker from the NY Giants) beating Bam Bam Bigelow.

The WWF championship saw Diesel (escorted by Pamela Anderson) defeating Shawn Michaels (with support by Sid and Jenny McCarthy).

view full location details...

madison square garden

from wrestlemania, hulk hogan, mr. t posted in pro wrestling by pete_nice

On March 20, 1994, Wrestlemania returned to Madison Square Garden for its tenth installment.

In Wrestlemania X, the singles match for the WWF Championship saw Yokozuna defeating Lex Luger by disqualification, and then Yokozuna lost to Bret Hart.

Wrestlemania 10 also had the first ladder match in Wrestlemania history, with Razor Ramon defeating Shawn Michaels.

view full location details...

gramma b’s (former)

from road warriors, rick rude, barry darsow, eddie sharkey posted in pro wrestling by nevereatshreddedwheat

A former pro wrestler named Eddie Sharkey was bartending at Gramma B's in Northeast Minneapolis in the early 1980s when a few of the young bouncers caught his eye. Just to give you an example of the big men keeping an eye on the place, Richard Rood, even at 6'3" and 235 lbs, was still outsized by several others including Joe Laurinaitis, Michael Hegstrand, Barry Darsow and John Nord. Laurinaitis, would later recall that Gramma B's, frequented by bikers, wasn't your friendly neighborhood bar.

Sharkey, who had wrestled for the AWA in the 60s, decided to start a wrestling promotion in 1982 called Pro Wrestling America. He plucked the bouncers from Gramma B's as talent, opened a school in the basement of a church and trained Rood, Laurinaitis, Hegstrand and Darsow to become pro wrestlers.

view full location details...

gramma b’s (former)

from road warriors, rick rude, barry darsow, eddie sharkey posted in pro wrestling by nevereatshreddedwheat

Laurinaitis (aka Animal) and Hegstrand (aka Hawk) would go on to form the Road Warriors tag team. Rood would become "Ravishing" Rick Rude, John Nord would wrestle as the Berzerker in WWF and Darsow would gain fame as Smash, one half of the tag team Demolition.

A few of the many other wrestlers later trained by Sharkey include Scott Steiner, Sean Waltman and Jerry Lynn.

Gramma B's was eventually closed in 1984 for failure to pay taxes. This spot is currently occupied by the tiki bar Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge.

view full location details...