R.I.W Wrestling Legend: Outback Jack

Posted on April 12, 2025 by bloodlinematt

Thanks for joining me once more at the Rotten Ink Arena as today’s R.I.W Wrestling Legends update is about a Superstar that took WWF in the late 80’s by storm but in a short amount of time fell down the card and his career fizzled away like dust in the Australian wind. And now that we have found our seats right here in the front row, I think our subject is in the opening bout and if you have not guessed it yet, we will be talking about the one and only Outback Jack, a grappler who had action figures, trading cards and shirts released by WWF and once he was let go they never spoke of him again. But I can hear his song playing now so let’s sit back and enjoy our time with this Wrestling Legend.

Outback Jack started his wrestling career in1986 after being trained by Les Thornton and started to work for Stampede Wrestling out of Canada and was quickly brought into the WWF that same year, as Vince McMahon wanted to bring the Australian superstar in to capitalize on the popularity of the film Crocodile Dundee and they quickly started airing vignettes of Outback Jack in the Australian Outback and had him doing all types of things from driving a jeep around to claiming he learned wrestling moves from the Aborigines. They brought him in and the fans seemed to love him as he got the cheers and he would get some big match wins over the likes of Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, Iron Mike Sharpe and Barry Horowitz. But while he was popular, he started falling down the card and started to be used a jobber to bigger stars as he would loss to the likes of Ron Bass, Killer Khan, Sika and Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, but all the while Outback Jack would still be getting wins over fellow enhancement talent it was clear that his days for WWF was numbered. The WWF was going to put Outback Jack in a tag team with Hillbilly Jim, and they were going to try and give the pair a major push, but they changed their minds as Outback Jack was let go in 1988 and that as well pretty much ended Outback Jack’s career as he would not have another match until 2019 as there has been a rumor he wrestled in a Tag Team match as a surprise for AWL (Australian Wrestling League).

Outback Jack was a wrestler who was over with the fans who was booked strong at the start but it’s clear the company lost interest and faith in him quick as he was starting to be used as a jobber to their Heel superstars in a pretty quick fashion. One would have to guess that Vince had lost interest in the Australian Outback culture that was made famous by the Crocodile Dundee film or that they just did not see the skill or superstar quality in Outback Jack. As a youngster I always remember being entertained by Outback Jack and remember some of his matches, but let’s be honest we wrestling fans remember his character more then we do his in-ring skill. I as well remember having his trading cards from Topps that was apart of the WWF series. I can also remember always wanting his LJN figure as it was a super cool toy and was always trying to trade with a friend on the playground who had it. One thing that I think works against Outback Jack for being a full Wrestling Legend is that he had a very short career and pretty much lasted only two years before retiring. I also have heard rumors that his time with the WWF was cut short due to the fact that he was not well liked by fellow wrestlers who found his personality to rub them the wrong way. He was also said to have been ribbed all the time by the British Bulldogs with many of the pranks being downright mean! While he might not have been the best in ring worker, Outback Jack was a great character in 80’s WWF that even with a very short run is still remembered and has fans to this day.

We are now at the point of this review where we will be taking a look at the DVD set and review some of the matches on the discs like always between 4 to 8. I want to thank Coliseum Of Wrestling & Boxing for having this set in stock and also want to thank Outback Jack for his hard work in the world of wrestling. I also want to remind you that I will only be breaking down randomly select matches from this set and will be breaking down the match and will be rating the matches on a 5 Star rating system. I also only choose from Single matches, as I want to break down his matches that showcase his style. Here is what the stars mean ½ Means a really terrible match, * Means a bad match, ** Means a below average match, **1/2 Means a good average entertaining match, *** Means a good match, **** Means a great match, ***** Means an epic match. So if you are ready, let’s step into the ring with Outback Jack.

Best Of Outback Jack

Match 1: Outback Jack vs. Rick Rude

After Rick Rude insults the crowd and posses for the ladies in the crowd the bell rings and he starts beating the hell out of Outback with some punches and forearms. Outback makes a small comeback but eats a boot to the face knocking him to the mat, and then Rude drives his face into the mat a few times before Outback tries once more to make a short comeback, but is cut off and Rick Rude gets Outback Jack into a back breaker submission hold and wins the match when Outback taps. This is a total squash match and Outback Jack is used as an enhancement talent jobber as he barely gets any moves in and when he does Rick Rude shrugs them off and continues to beat him up before easily making him tap out in seconds to a backbreaker. And as always Rick Rude is a great heel who gets great heat from the crowd as he is cocky and always has great insults to the fans. Outback Jack has the fans on his side and when he makes his small comebacks they cheer for him, its clear by this match he was not a major star in the WWF’s eyes but in the fans eyes he was a favorite. Over all a good squash match that highlights just how good Rude was in the ring.

Grade: **1/2

Match 2: Outback Jack vs. Butch Reed

As soon as the bell rings Outback Jack starts paying attention to Butch Reed’s manager Slick and that’s a big mistake as he is attacked from behind with a knee to the back, and then throws him into the ropes and makes him eat a nasty looking elbow, Outback is rocked but makes a small comeback before Butch makes him eat punches again and hits him with some powerful moves, and Outback attempts to fight back but is over powered and finished for the three count after Butch jumps off the top rope and nails him with a clothesline. This is another squash match as Butch Reed destroys Outback Jack and does so in quick fashion. Butch Reed looks like the powerhouse he was and uses big moves and strong looking hits, the fans also hate him and he feeds off that heat. Outback Jack looks like a total jobber as he starts the match paying attention to his opponent’s manager and then gets his butt kicked for the next two minutes before getting pinned. And worse, Outback looks weak as his comebacks are easily shrugged off and he is beaten down for his tiny efforts. A great match for Butch Reed to show his power and a bad one for Outback Jack who looks like a jobber.

Grade: **1/2

Match 3: Outback Jack vs. Frenchy Martin

As the bell rings they size each other up with each testing the water by pulling off small moves on one another. But as the match gets going its clear that the power of Outback is overwhelming Martin who is on the receiving end of some big moves. But Martin is able to make a comeback after he pokes Outback in the eyes and is able to land some big chops that knocks Outback to the mat and allows him to keep on beating on him. But Outback is able to comeback after reversing a whip into the corner and then is able to use his finishing maneuver the boomerang to get the three count. This is a very typical early on the card match that does a great job of building up the crowd by letting them see a fan favorite like Outback Jack as the fans are clearly on his side and are behind his victory. Outback wrestles a very brawling style in the match and plays off the crowd really well with his moves. Frenchy Martin does a great job of selling for Outback as well as does a great job playing the cheating heel when he is needed to get the heat. Over all a simple yet very entertaining match that proves Outback Jack could have been a really good mid-carder if they would have gotten behind him.

Grade: **1/2

Match 4: Outback Jack vs. Steve Lombardi

Hillbilly Jim makes the introduction for his friend Outback Jack as they two had just started to team up with each other, and when the bell rings Outback Jack overpowers Lombardi who gets frustrated over the power difference and takes his anger out by yelling at the referee, and his anger mounts as Outback Jack even out chain wrestles him! No matter what Lombardi does, he can not get the better of Outback who has a response for every move and hit he tries to pull off, that is until he kicks Outback in the gut and then starts biting him on the head and then uses cheap shots and eye pokes to keep the matching going his way. But after taking a beating for a short time Outback Jack takes back over the match and after some clotheslines and a running bulldog Outback gets the pin and wins the match. This is a match that allowed Outback Jack to look like a solid mid-card face as he was able to beat career jobber Steve Lombardi in a mostly one sided match, and Outback even is able to show off his strength by throwing around and over powering his opponent. And while Outback Jack was very limited in skills, he knew how to play off the crowd and did just enough in this match to be entertaining. And Steve Lombardi while a jobber always could get passable to good matches out of limited wrestlers.

Grade: **1/2

Match 5: Outback Jack vs. Ted DiBiase

Ted attacks Outback before the bell rings and even when it rings he keeps the assault going, but Outback with a massive clothesline turns the table and starts pounding on DiBiase who changes the tide with a boot to the face that rocks Outback. DiBiase then lands a middle rope elbow and then a drop fist to the downed Outback who is clearly in trouble now, as DiBiase drops another fist its clear that Outback is dazed. DiBiase continues to beat up Outback and with the Million Dollar Dream DiBiase gets the win as Outback is put to sleep and after the match gets the money shoved into his mouth. This is another squash match as Ted DiBiase makes short work of Outback Jack and puts him to sleep pretty easy and even makes the downed Aussie eat a hundred dollar bill. DiBiase looks great and hits all his signature moves and even does a good job of making Outback not look like a total jobber. Outback does a great job as the fans love him and by getting his butt kicked he helps get DiBiase even more heat as let’s face it, DiBiase was one of the best wrestling heels in 80’s wrestling. Over all a good match that was entertaining for a squash match.

Grade: **1/2

Outback Jack was a lower mid-carder who was originally brought in with bigger plans but his limited in ring work and the company’s faith in him dropping fast made him a fan favorite who did a great job of putting over the company’s heels, and having one of the companies catchiest songs at the time. But the event is over and I see that Joker and Mr. X, part of the cleanup crew, are coming out to sweep up the spilt popcorn so we should head out before the Rotten Ink Arena doors are locked for the night. But as we make out way out of here, I should tell you that out next update will have us meeting once more here at The Rotten Ink Arena as we will be watching Earthquake in action! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a wrestling match or two and as always support your local wrestlers. Do you feel that? The tremors have already started!

R.I.W Wrestling Legend: Ox Baker

Posted on June 13, 2023 by bloodlinematt

The doors of the Rotten Ink Arena are open, and this “R.I.W Wrestling Legend” update is one that comes with a warning as the main event star is a heel who struck fear into not only his opponents’ hearts but also the fans as he was the master of the heart punch, the one and only Ox Baker who was one of the meanest wrestlers in the business whose legend is still spoken about among the world of wrestling fans. I mean who else has the legacy of “killing” two of his opponents with his finishing move, and then went on to star in movies including one by director John Carpenter? So let’s get to the snack bar and grab some nachos and a drink and find our seats as this one is going to be one menacing event. Also make sure to watch out for a rogue Heart Punch as Ox Baker is a mean, mean man.

Ox Baker started his Pro Wrestling career in 1964 and was trained by Bob Geigel, Pat O’Connor and “Killer” Buddy Austin, and while he started out as a baby face he soon would be the world of wrestling’s most feared heels. Like all wrestlers of his time, he started working many of the NWA territories like World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) and Central States Wrestling (CSW) and would even find himself in title matches against the likes of Fritz Von Erich. With Ox standing 6’3” tall and weighing over 300 pounds, he got attention and started finding himself being a draw as fans wanted to see him in action. In 1967 Ox would find himself working for the WWF and would have big matches against such names as Smasher Sloan, Dr. Jerry Graham, Gorilla Monsoon, Toru Tanaka and Woody Farmer. Once his short run was done, he headed back to touring around and building his name bigger and bigger as most places he was being booked would have him win most of his matches. By 1968 he would find himself working in Canada for Stampede and would work matches against The Mongolian Stomper and would even win the NWA Calgary Canadian Heavyweight belt from him but he would lose the belt a few days later to Waldo Von Erich. Throughout the rest of the 60’s, he would travel around working matches in many promotions in America, Canada and Japan and would work matches against names like Bill Watts, Bulldog Brower, Rocky Johnson, Ivan Koloff, Terry Funk, Dick Murdoch, Cowboy Bob Ellis, Blackjack Lanza, Lou Thesz and Strong Kobayashi to name a few. He would also capture and lose the NWA North American Tag Team Belts during the late 60’s. Ox was becoming such a big attraction as his finishing move the Heart Punch was gaining fear as fans worried about their favorites being it by it.

The 1970’s continued for Ox as he would work Japan as well a run in the AWA, and in 1971 during a tag match Alberto Torres was teaming with Cowboy Bob Ellis and after taking a Heart Punch by Baker, Torres passed away three days later. 1972 his heart punch finisher once more was blamed for the death of wrestler Ray Gunkel who died in the locker room after the match and these two deaths added to his feared reputation. And during the early 70’s, Ox would also be collecting belts and while he would not hold many of them for long times he still was winning them. In 1974 while in Cleveland, Ohio a match between Ox Baker and Ernie Ladd caused a riot when Ox kept hitting Ladd with the heart punch after the bell rang, and fans got so mad that they went after Ox to save Ladd. Like before, Ox would spend the rest of the 1970’s as a journeyman wrestler working for promotions all over the world and along the way would still be winning belts as well as tormenting the fans with his wins over popular baby faces. During the 70’s he would have matches against such names as Andre The Giant, Sailor Art Thomas, Pampero Firpo, Pepper Gomez, Bobo Brazil, Dusty Rhodes, Ivan Putski, Giant Baba, Bob Backlund and Haystacks Calhoun. Some of those were high profile feuds for Ox. During this decade he built himself as one of the world’s biggest heels, secured that he was a draw for promotions and made his finisher The Heart Punch the scariest finisher in the sport at the time.

Besides working for the NWA, in the 80s Ox Baker would also work for New Japan Pro Wrestling and would have matches with Antonio Inoki and Tatsumi Fujinami and would even team with Tiger Jeet Singh while in Japan. He also would have a blink and he was gone return to the WWF as he was managed by The Grand Wizard and after doing one TV taping he was gone. Throughout the 80’s he would work matches for the territories and would start winding down his full time in ring career by the end of the decade. And even as he was getting older, he still was a main event star and the fans by this point loved to hate him. In many promotions he was the kind of heel it was all right to cheer for. After working some matches with the AWA he would retire from in ring work in late 1988 and would go on to do commentary for companies as well as would open his own wrestling training school. Ox Baker would have a few matches in 2008 for UCW as he took on Moonshine McCoy and in 2013 once more he would wrestle this time for CCW and would even become the CCW Champion after winning a battle royal. In 2014 he would once more say he was retired and by late 2014 he sadly passed away from a heart attack at the age of 80. While gone from this Earth, his legacy of being one of the sports most feared and epic heels will live on forever.

When I was growing up, Ox Baker was always showcased as a very dangerous heel in all the wrestling magazines and books I was reading and it all came down to his finisher the Heart Punch! Plus I knew of him for his acting roles in such films as “Escape From New York” and can remember seeing clips of him on the game show “The Price Is Right” on grey market tapes, not to mention seeing some of his matches as a kid and hearing about his legacy made him seem truly like the meanest of all wrestling heels. Besides his massive size and his killer finishing move, his long mustache and the devil point eyebrows made him stand out and look super mean and even evil to a point. With his appearance and brawling style I think that is why he really is one of that era’s best heels as he really did standout from the others and fans really did believe that he was a bad man. And of course the deaths that his Heart Punch was connected to had nothing to do with the move and were really natural causes and an injury, but man these allegations really did help his legacy and made him a bigger star as fans did not know what to expect and he just seemed so dangerous. And I would say that Ox was smart for being a traveling Heel as it made him feel like an attraction when he came to town and would wrestler the territories main faces. And I do think that if he was younger in the 1980’s he would have made a great roster member for the WWF and could have been a big match heel for Hulk Hogan. And I also need to say it’s crazy that Ox Baker is not in the WWF Hall Of Fame as of this update’s posting.

We are now at the point of this review were we will be taking a look at the DVD set and review some of the matches on the discs like always between 4 to 8. I want to thank Coliseum Of Wrestling & Boxing for having this set in stock and also want to thank Wild Ox Baker for his hard work in the world of wrestling. I also want to remind you that I will only be breaking down randomly selected matches from this set and will be breaking down the match and will be rating the matches on a 5 Star rating system. I also only choose from single matches, as I want to break down his matches that showcase his style. Here is what the stars mean ½ Means a really terrible match, * Means a bad match, ** Means a below average match, **1/2 Means a good average entertaining match, *** Means a good match, **** Means a great match, ***** Means an epic match. So if you are ready, let’s step into the ring with Ox Baker.

Best Of Ox Baker

Match 1: Ox Baker vs. Blackie Guzman

Ox and Guzman lock up, and it’s clear that the power is with Ox as he backs his opponent into the ropes and breaks the hold clean, and the fans are behind Ox in the match from the start and Ox then starts working on the arm and shoulder of Guzman and really focuses on them with holds, smashes and locks keeping Guzman injured and his momentum down the whole time. And every time Guzman tries to make a comeback Ox cuts him off and keeps working on his shoulders. After smashing him a few times with clubbing forearms Ox tosses Guzman out of the ring, and once back in the ring Ox hits the Heart Punch and pins and wins the match. This is a one sided match and shows the mean streak as well as the power of Ox Baker as he works nerve holds and beats the hell out of the shoulder of Blackie Guzman before hitting him with the Heart Punch for an easy win. Poor Blackie Guzman tries to fight back but his attempts fall flat, as Ox does not even flinch and just keeps on beating him up! This is a squash match that is entertaining as seeing Ox hit the Heart Punch is cool to see as always.

Grade: **1/2

Match 2: Ox Baker vs. Rev. Tiny Hampton

Tiny is able to get the first hit off and this angers Ox who stalks him around the ring as Tiny tries to talk his way out of being attacked, but it does not work as Ox hits a kick and a forearm smash that causes Tiny to crash to the mat. Tiny gets some advise from his manager but it does not help as Ox continues to smash him into the mat and even chokes him on the ropes. But Tiny is able to even the match when he hits Ox in the throat a few times and the two end up exchanging punches back and fourth and like before Ox gets the advantage, that is until Tiny’s manger districts the referee and Tiny then throws powder into the eyes of Ox blinding him and allows him to unload on him. Once Ox is able to see better he fights back and beats down Tiny and even goes after his manager, and when Tiny goes out after him he is beaten up so bad that he gets counted out and Ox wins the match. When this match starts it looks as if it’s going to be a very easy and quick win for Ox Baker as he just beats the heck out of Tiny, but after powder to the eyes the match becomes a true contest. These two have great chemistry together as they are both brawling heels and both just use brute moves and punches to try and win. Ox does a great job of not only looking like a badass when its needed but also sells really well for Tiny throughout making him look like a contender. No grand moves are thrown in this bout as it really is just mostly smashing, punching and stomping it has a real hoss fight to it, and the fan in attendance are really into it as it’s clear they are behind Ox Baker the man the fans loved and hated at the same time. Over all a good entertaining match.

Grade: **1/2

Match 3: Ox Baker vs. Brusier Brody

The two lock up and move around the ring with finally Ox being able to back Brody into the ropes and lands a massive hit to his chest and then the two start trading hits and Ox keeps trying to choke Brody who does his best to not allow that. The two trade hit for hit and even both kick each other in the gut, but neither man is going down as this is truly a battle between two big men heels. Both men get the momentum on their side for brief moments but each cut each other off as the fans seem to be in awe of watching this brawling battle. Ox ends up getting Brody into a bear hug, but Brody breaks the hold and makes Ox pay by landing some smashing hits and tosses Ox out of the ring and goes out after him and once back in the ring Ox goes for the Heart Punch and misses and hits a steel chair hurting his hand and this allows Brody to hit Ox with the chair and get the win via pin. This is the match I was most looking forward to watching as this truly had the making of two brutal brawling masters slugging it out in the ring, and for the most part it lived up to what I wanted from it and that’s to be entertained and watching two big monster heels trading punches. Both guys look good in the match and both guys get their moments to shine as well as sell well for each other, and while 99% of the match is punches, kicks and forearm smashes and both heels stand toe to toe and just try and beat the hell out of each other. The fans are really into it and the finish of Ox missing his punch and then getting clobbered with a chair was a fitting ending for this hoss fight. Over all a good match that throws technic out the widow and just brings a hard hitting brawl to entertain.

Grade: ***

Match 4: Ox Baker vs. Hercules Ayala

The two big men lock up and this leads to Ox being able to get Hercules into an arm bar and keeps working it over and when breaking the hold he even uses the ropes in order to get the referee to hold back Hercules, as Ox is playing mind games with his opponent. Ox keeps up this attack the arm and play mind games for a while as the fans seem to be loosing interest in this tactic. They come alive when the two have a test of strength and Ox keeps cheating in order to get the leverage, that is till Hercules’s power kicks in and he takes Ox to the mat and delivers some big stomps and then gets him into the corner and lands some smashing forearms. Ox pokes Hercules in the eyes and this gives him a few minutes to catch his breath and land some hits, but Hercules bounces back fast and knocks him to the mat and this time drops some knees. The two end up exchanging hits and after failing to hit the Heart Punch three times, Ox is rolled up and Hercules gets the win via pin. This is a very odd match that is short, filled with lots of rest holds, at times both men seem to be moving in very slow motion, lots of miss cues, they lost the fans at the start but do bring them in at the end and is just kind of a bland match and that’s odd as I am a fan of both wrestlers. No real big moves are thrown in the match and it’s your basic brawling big man style, at one point a fan is so annoyed with the match that he gives Ox the middle finger! Not much to say about this one besides it was a letdown and that at times it seemed as if Ox was having some mobility issues.

Grade: *1/2

Match 5: Ox Baker vs. Austin Idol

Austin Idol starts the match on the microphone yelling at Ox Baker and as soon as the bell rings Ox is on Idol and rams his face into the turnbuckle a few times, but when Ox goes for an early Heart Punch and misses this gives Idol and chance to make a comeback with an atomic drop and Idol then goes for the figure four, but Kevin Sullivan and Mark Lewin enter the ring and break the hold and attack Idol and the referee throws out the match and gives the DQ win to Austin Idol. After the bell rings Ox even takes a towel and starts choking the referee with it as all hell breaks loose in the ring. This is a very quick match that does not have much moves, holds or punches and goes from a promo being cut on Ox to the two barely locking up to having outside interference make for a DQ ending that is very much disappointing as I would have liked to seen Idol and Ox have a big brawl. The match is not much of a match, but it is cool to see Austin Idol pick up Ox Baker for an atomic drop even if he is shaky and does not hold him up for long. And it was great seeing Ox Baker super aggressive as soon as the bell rang and even went for his finisher quick. A throwaway match that has some good brawling at the end even if Ox Baker is not in the end brawl.

Grade: *1/2

As you can see, Ox Barker was a big man wrestler who traveled the world and was a heel draw in every territory and for his time really was one of the scariest workers in the business. And really he was a wrestler from my childhood that was working that I remember and was a fan of do to his legacy in and out of the ring, and he was one that I would have loved to see wrestle live. And what is crazy is that Ox wrestled into his 80’s showing that wrestling was in his blood. But as you can see, the event is over and the fans are heading out, and that is our sign to also leave and while we make our way out let me tell you that our next update is going to be a fun epic one as we will be joining Indiana Jones on a epic adventure thanks to Marvel Comics! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a wrestling match or two and as always make sure to support your local wrestlers. See you soon as this next one update really will be epic and action packed.

R.I.W Wrestling Legend: Cowboy Bob Ellis

Posted on March 13, 2023 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to another “R.I.W Wrestling Legends” update that is taking place here at the Rotten Ink Arena. As you can see, this update has a Texas theme as our subject for this update was a true legend and major draw in the Lone Star State and was also the man who created the legendary wrestling move the Bulldog! And this wrestler is Cowboy Bob Ellis, a true Icon of wrestling who was a fan favorite his whole long career who sadly does not get the coverage nor recognition he should. So if you are ready, grab yourself a beer and maybe a steak sandwich from the snack bar as its time to talk about this Texas wrestling icon that was one of the most popular Cowboys in wrestling for decades.

Cowboy Bob Ellis started his wrestling career in 1957 and was trained by Ed Lewis and Sandor Szabo and was a major star almost from the start and started wrestling for the NWA territories in the Texas area. He was known from the start as being the protégé of one of his trainers Ed “Strangler” Lewis and it help boost his statues on the cards as he was super skilled and was a great talent in the ring. And because of his popularity he was booked for many NWA territories like Stampede Wrestling, Central States Wrestling and even the AWA! And because the fans loved him, he was a major draw when his name was on the posters and they would come and pay to see him in action. Cowboy Ellis was a skilled wrestler who would wrestle a technical style and yet could also brawl with the best of them, and he looked liked an actor from the Western shows on TV and this made him popular with the ladies. During his time in wrestling, Cowboy Bob would win many titles and would be booked in big matches against the likes of such names as Buddy Rogers, Fritz Von Erich, Dick The Bruiser, Bob Geigel, Mighty Atlas, Angelo Poffo, The Sheik and Killer Kowalski to name a few. Ellis would create his own finishing maneuver that would be called the Bulldog, a move that is still used by many wrestlers to this day! Bob Ellis would even wrestle in World Wrestling Council out of Puerto Rico and like everywhere he wrestled, he was a draw for them. After a very long career that lasted decades Cowboy Bob Ellis would retire from in-ring action in 1982. All through his career, Ellis was respected and loved by fans, and as of this posting Cowboy Bob is still alive and is in his 90s! While never on the same level as a Ric Flair, Buddy Rogers, Hulk Hogan, Nick Bockwinkel or Bruno Sammartino, Cowboy Bob Ellis was a workhorse who was skilled in the ring and was dependable, was a draw, was loved by fans and did it all while wearing his cowboy boots.

The strangest thing about Cowboy Bob Ellis is that he very much is a true legend of Texas Wrestling and is also the man who invented the move the Bulldog so you would think his name would be used more often when fans and promoters talk about the legends of the sport and it’s a shame that Ellis is not even in the WWE Hall Of Fame yet as he should at least be apart of the Legacy inductions. Cowboy Bob Ellis was a great face that was ready for a fight and would be cheered by young and old as his skill and for many years was considered the best “Cowboy” in wrestling and was always looked at as one of the best wrestlers in general when on a card. The sad part about Cowboy Bob Ellis’s long and very successful career is that you can hardly find any real in-depth history of his in-ring career and oddly enough he does not even have a Wikipedia page, and that’s shocking as far less Legendary wrestlers do. Another thing that I think keeps Bob Ellis from being as big as he should be is that while he won titles in many federations he has never captured gold in any of the bigger ones like AWA, WWF and the major NWA ones. Plus while he was a nice guy in the world of wrestling, he later got involved in some shady stuff dealing with Horse Racing and this tarnished him in some fans eyes, as he was convicted of fixing races with others to collect money in bets. While in real life he may have done something very crooked and wrong, you still cant not take away from his in-ring work as a wrestler as he really was a icon who worked his ass off to put on some very great matches for the fans. I can remember the name Cowboy Bob Ellis from the years of watch and reading about wrestling, but this will be the first time I get to watch some of his matches and that really cool as I am looking forward to it.

We are now at the point of this review where we will be taking a look at the DVD set and review some of the matches on the discs like always between 4 to 8 of them. I want to thank Coliseum Of Wrestling & Boxing for having this set in stock and also want to thank Cowboy Bob Ellis for his hard work in the world of wrestling. I also want to remind you that I will only be breaking down randomly select matches from this set and will be breaking down the match and will be rating the matches on a 5 Star rating system. I also only choose from Single matches, as I want to break down his matches that showcase his style. Here is what the stars mean ½ Means a really terrible match, * Means a bad match, ** Means a below average match, **1/2 Means a good average entertaining match, *** Means a good match, **** Means a great match, ***** Means an epic match. So if you are ready lets step into the ring with Cowboy Bob Ellis.

Best Of Cowboy Bob Ellis

Match 1: Cowboy Bob Ellis vs. Bob Geigel

From the start of the match Cowboy shows Geigel that he is here to fight and why they call him the Pride Of San Antonio Texas and he comes after him strong, but when Geigel gets a cheap shot to Cowboy’s kidney area the match quickly turns in his favor as the pair go back and fourth exchanging holds with Geigel trying to find ways to cheat as Geigel keeps going for kidney shots as well as aims for his neck with punches. But even with cheating Cowboy keeps the momentum in his favor, until Geigel knocks Cowboy out of the ring and delivers more cheap shots that just angers Cowboy who unleashes on him and once more takes full control over the match as the fans cheer him on. No matter what small attempts Geigel makes to turn the tide Cowboy cuts it off and keeps control, in the end Cowboy and Geigel fight to a time limit draw. This is a classic style match with two guys that knew how to entertain as well as work the fans into massive cheers. Geigel is a perfect chicken heel who does dirty moves, begs not to be beat up and has the fans hating him, well mostly the ladies as they love Cowboy and during the match stand at ringside to cheer him on as well as even wipe the sweat from him as he walks by! Cowboy Bob Ellis really impressed me with his old school style and I would also like to see more of Bob Geigel matches. Over all a very good match!

Grade: ***1/2

Match 2: Cowboy Bob Ellis vs. Bobby Heenan

The match starts with Cowboy Bob and Heenan fighting before the bell rings with Cowboy even wanting to bash him with a chair that the referee stops. Once in the ring, Heenan uses an object to hit Cowboy in the eyes given him a small advantage over his bigger opponent, and Heenan then keeps on attacking the eyes making Cowboy blind and swinging wildly at anything that is moving. Cowboy finally turns the momentum of the match when he rams Heenan’s crotch into the post buying him some time to try and get his site back, but Heenan cuts him off again and goes for the eyes several more times. Cowboy finally has had enough and just goes crazy on Heenan and finishes him off with a massive hit to the face, knocking him out and giving the Cowboy the three count. This match is more about the art of selling then pulling off moves as both guys do a great job with selling for each other with Heenan almost being over the top cartoonish in nature and Ellis selling that he cannot see for a bit will remind fans of how Shawn Michaels use to sell in the 90s. Cowboy is great and delivers a brawling style match, while Heenan might be the greatest Manager of all time, his wrestling in this match is not great as his punches look very weak and 98% of the match his him cheating and bumping around the ring. Over all, a very silly match that had the crowd yelling and screaming so it did its job as its clear fans live Cowboy Bob Ellis.

Grade: **1/2

Match 3: Cowboy Bob Ellis vs. Jimmy Ford

Jimmy Ford jumps Cowboy as he is getting into the ring and does not even have his entrance gear off and lands some massive hits to him in the corner. Cowboy has enough real quick and beats up Jimmy and puts him into a sleeper hold and puts him to sleep and wins the match in 27 seconds! Wow, this was a total squash match and Jimmy Ford is the biggest jobber we have ever seen in one of these reviews, as he looks like a total curtain jerker, and Cowboy Bob looks like a million dollars as he shrugs off being jumped as the bell rings and then destroys the guy attacking him. Barely a match but was entertaining if you like Cowboy Bob as you see him set a company record. Can’t give it any higher of a score and only reason I gave it two is cause it made Cowboy look good and put him in the history books for a fast win.

Grade: **

Match 4: Cowboy Bob Ellis vs. Tony Romano

The start of the match has Cowboy and Romano testing each other and not being two aggressive as they want to make sure that they do not underestimate each others skills, and at one point when the action starts to be pressed by Cowboy Romano goes on the run! But Cowboy tracks him down and takes it to Romano who is being out worked in the ring. After a small comeback from Tony Romano, Cowboy makes the comeback and places him into the sleeper hold and puts him to sleep for the win. This match is clearly Cowboy Bob facing a lower mid-carder for International Championship Wrestling and was pretty much a squash match with Tony at least being able to have some moves thrown in to not make him a total jobber. Cowboy wrestles his more brawling style in this match and is great like before, but one thing I did notice is that he does not get the big cheers like he normally does from the crowd and it makes me wonder if they were just sick of seeing him every week, or if it was just a bad crowd that night. Over all a good match that was quick and straight to the point of getting Cowboy Bob another win on TV.

Grade: **1/2

Match 5: Cowboy Bob Ellis vs. Wildman Watson

It’s the battle of Texas as these two Lone Star State wrestlers square off in the ring with them at first exchanging hits, but Cowboy Bob ends up getting the upper hand first as he out wrestles Wildman who ends up showing Cowboy that he as well as some skill, and even sneaks in some cheating moves like biting Cowboy’s hand. Once Cowboy gets a chance to collect himself he takes back over the match and once more out wrestles the Wildman by getting him in all types of holds and does so fast and flawless. Wildman gets frustrated and starts attacking Cowboy’s eyes with his fingers causing him major pain, but by cheating and making Cowboy mad becomes Wildman’s undoing as Cowboy finishes him off with the bulldog and the three count for the win. A good match that mixed hard hitting and technical styles and pitted two Texas wrestlers against each other that worked well in the ring. While it was very clear that Cowboy Bob was the more skilled of the two, Wildman did a good job of putting up a fight and looking like a threat. I also liked that Wildman would cheat every chance he could and all it ended up doing was making Cowboy mad and making Wildman’s beating worse. While this was clearly just a match that pitted a popular veteran against an enhancement talent but the work the two did made it feel bigger than that. A good match that told a story and the fans loved to cheer for Cowboy Bob as he was on that night.

Grade: ***

After watching this DVD, I can say that I am a fan of Cowboy Bob Ellis now as he was a classic career long fan favorite who was skilled in both technical moves as well as could brawl like a slugger and when on could chain his moves together and they looked smooth and flawless. It’s crazy that he never got a good run in the WWF in the 70’s as I think he could have been a big star for them and could have had some great matches against their talent. And I would say if you like old school wrestling way before the Sports Entertainment fully took over, you should go to YouTube and watch some of his matches and see if you agree that he should be in the WWE Hall Of Fame via the Legacy. Well the this update is winding down and Rotten Ink Arena is closing up for the night so before we go I should let you know that our next update will take us to The Rotten Ink Ranch as it’s time for another Wild West Roundup so that means we will be talking a classic western film released by Alpha Video as well as enjoying a big bowl of chili. The film we will be talking about is the 1943 film The Law Rides Again that stars Ken Maynard and let’s be honest keeps up the western theme we have had this month! So as we exit the doors I want to say read a comic or three, watch a wrestling match or two and as always support your local wrestlers. See you next update for some chili and classic movie talk.