You Know You Need A Tiger In Your Tank

Gino Hernandez VS Tiger Conway Jr - Houston Wrestling 11/30/1979

JJZ: So we got a quick little jawn right here. I don't recall seeing Gino Hernandez with the blonde locks before. Gotta say I prefer the dark hair, it goes better with his attitude. Gino and Tiger really sell the crap out of this match. It made everything feel so important. I especially liked how hard Conway had to work just get back in the ring. Also, swig of coffee for TCJ for taking fantastic bumps to the outside in both matches. He went through those ropes like a little kid jumping off his bed into a mountain of pillows. Tiger and Gino wrestled this match like a title was on the line. I actually had to go back and check that this was just a straight up match. Good stuff overall.

CJD: I've never seen the Handsome Halfbreed with the bleach job either. What a fantastic shithead heel he was in this match! Gino has that reputation of a great "What If?" that passed way too soon. I sometimes think that reputation exceeds his actual talents, at least in the ring. Not in this match, where he brought a little of everything, including his nastier side when he needed it. This match was rock solid. The structure was so sound and engaging. You could feel this was two younger guys who had some fresh ideas and energy for the time. This is a prime example of a match I enjoyed more than a star rating or what have you would indicate. This one will stick with me for a while.

Do What They're Paying You To Do, Break Legs, Break Legs

Greg Valentine VS Tiger Conway Jr - Houston Wrestling 5/18/1979

CJD: So I've got to be honest. I'm not familiar with Tiger Conway Jr or his dad. But reading up about them on wikipedia I'm blown away by what seemingly normal lives they lived as fixtures of the Texas wrestling scene for the better part of a century. Greg has two great matches with Jr that are online and I was torn which one to play. I think the other a month previous might actually be a little better?? So if you want to Tarantino me and go right back to it and hold up our imaginary title, by all means!! I have no idea what your Conway options are going to look like. I'm going with this match though because it felt so memorable. With the little bit of Gino hijinx, Paul Boesch rambling on about Greg's "brother" Johnny at ringside (who is his dad fyi, who had him wrestle as his younger brother so Johnny wouldn't seem as old, isn't pro wrestling great), to a couple of "oh shit!" spots by 1979 standards. These guys had great chemistry. Valentine had a bit more variety to his game than you might give him credit for. And I can say at least up against the Hammer, Conway Jr was no slouch himself!

JJZ: I've got to be honest in that I appreciate your honesty because honestly I have no fucking clue who TCJ is. Sip of Honest Tea for the honest CJD. I know you said you this match has some oh shit moments and I really popped for that first big spot onto the ringside table. I found this one going back and forth from a structured technical bout to a flst fight. Really solid match all around. It feels like the Hammer only ever brings his A game. These two had such great heat between the ropes. If I didn't know this shit was scripted I would've thought if given the opportunity, one of these guys would've broke an arm or a leg. Wonderful match.