Classic Matches History Wrestlers Results Collectibles

Classic Matches

July 12, 1972: International All Star Wrestling

Photos by George Beppu.

In March 1972, The Civic Auditorium, the site of weekly wrestling shows in Honolulu, closed its doors and ceased operations and promoter Ed Francis had nowhere to hold his weekly wrestling shows. Instead, Francis started promoting wrestling at the Honolulu International Center Arena, which was owned by the City of Honolulu and had restricted wrestling events to once or twice a month depending on the time of year.

The HIC seated over 8,000 fans for wrestling and in order to fill the arena, Francis started flying in top wrestlers from around the country. On this night, Francis used wrestlers from Detroit, California, and a few local wrestlers who stayed in town after the Civic closed. Ed Francis changed the name of his promotions from Big Time Wrestling to International All Star Wrestling.

Dory Funk Sr. tussles with Kenji Matsuoka
Dory Funk Sr. struggles to get out of Matsuoka's nerve hold.

In the opening match, Dory Funk Sr. downed Kenji Matsuoka. In other action, Ed Francis beat Stan Kowalski, Wild Bull Curry won over Sandor Kovacs. In a tag team match, the team of Sam Steamboat and Jimmy Snuka defeated The Masked Executioner and Mr. XXX.

Ed Francis breaking out from Kowalski's full nelson
Ed Francis breaking out of Stan Kowalski's Full Nelson.
Bull Curry
Bull Curry plays to the crowd.
Snuka attempts to unmask Mr. XXX
Jimmy Snuka attempts to unmask Mr. XXX.
The Masked Executioner's deadly Claw Hold
The Masked Executioner tried to apply his deadly Claw Hold on a downed Sam Steamboat.

The first main event was billed as a Return Death Match with the Sheik versus Flying Fred Curry. During the match, the Sheik's manager entered the ring and both he and the Sheik started working Curry over and when the referee tried to stop them, he was knocked out.

The Sheik jabs Fred Curry with a foreign object
The Sheik jabs Flying Fred Curry with a foreign object.
A bloody Sheik continues to work over Fred Curry
A bloody Sheik continues to work over Flying Fred Curry.

As the Sheik and his manager continued to work over Curry, his father Wild Bull Curry came to his son's aid. Upon seeing this, the Sheik and his manager fled the ring and Bull Curry, acting as an unofficial referee, counted out the Sheik and declared his son the winner of the match.

The Sheik batters Curry with a chair
The Sheik batters Fred Curry with a chair.
An innocent looking Sheik wields a sword
A bloody and innocent looking Sheik plays to the crowd with a sword.

The other main event had Handsome Johnny Barend defending his North American Championship against Freddie Blassie. Barend retained his title when Blassie was disqualified for refusing to stop biting Barend in the ring.

Johnny Barend welcomed by the fans
A lei laden Johnny Barend is welcomed back by the fans.
Johnny Barend sizes up Blassie for another blow
Johnny Barend sizes up Fred Blassie for another blow.
Barend pulverizes Blassie in the corner
Johnny Barend pulverizes Fred Blassie in the corner.
July 12, 1972
Blassie gets his revenge
Fred Blassie gets his revenge.
Blassie bites Barend
Classy Freddie Blassie displays his signature move: biting his opponent.
April 4, 1978
Classic Matches History Wrestlers Results Collectibles