Moondogs
Encyclopedia
The Moondogs were a professional wrestling
stable in the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF) and in two Memphis
promotions: the Continental Wrestling Association
(CWA) and the United States Wrestling Association
(USWA). Known for wrestling in blue jeans, sporting shaggy blond hair and beards and carrying animal bones around with them (which they chewed on and used as weapons), The Moondogs became notorious in the CWA and the USWA for their wild, brawl-filled bloodfests where weapons often came into play (essentially the hardcore
style).
(WWF) in 1981, where they defeated Rick Martel
and Tony Garea for the WWF Tag Team Championship. After winning the title, Moondog King was replaced by Moondog Spot after King—a Canadian—was denied entry into the United States. Rex and Spot's gimmick consisted of them carrying chewed up bones to the ring and wearing cut-off blue jeans. While in the WWF, the Moondogs feuded with Tony Garea, Rick Martel
, Bob Backland, Ivan Putski
, Pat Patterson, and the Wild Samoans
.
In 1984, on an episode of Maple Leaf Wrestling
, Moondog Rex earned a WWF Championship
title shot against Hulk Hogan
. Rex and Spot teamed together until 1990 in various promotions.
(USWA), with numerous members winning the USWA tag team titles on several occasions during the late 1980s and early 1990s as well as Moondog Spot, Moondog Spike and Moondog Cujo's long running feud with Jeff Jarrett
and Jerry Lawler
and The Bruise Brothers during their stint in the USWA. Their feud with Jarrett and Lawler was later voted the 1992 PWI Feud of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated
.
, with April Pennington acting as their manager. On November 29, 2003, Moondog Spot died in the ring during a tag team match in Memphis.
Moondog Cujo
appeared at the Clash of the Legends
show in Memphis (headlined by Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Wight) on April 29, 2007, where he defeated The Barbarian
.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
stable in the World Wrestling Federation
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) and in two Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
promotions: the Continental Wrestling Association
Continental Wrestling Association
The Continental Wrestling Association was a wrestling promotion managed by Jerry Jarrett. The CWA was the name of the "governing body" for the Championship Wrestling, Inc. promotion which was usually referred to as Mid-Southern Wrestling...
(CWA) and the United States Wrestling Association
United States Wrestling Association
The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
(USWA). Known for wrestling in blue jeans, sporting shaggy blond hair and beards and carrying animal bones around with them (which they chewed on and used as weapons), The Moondogs became notorious in the CWA and the USWA for their wild, brawl-filled bloodfests where weapons often came into play (essentially the hardcore
Hardcore wrestling
Hardcore wrestling is a form of professional wrestling that eschews traditional concepts of match rules in favor of matches that take place in unusual environments, using foreign objects that are not normally permitted...
style).
World Wrestling Federation
Moondog Rex and Moondog King joined the World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWF) in 1981, where they defeated Rick Martel
Rick Martel
Richard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
and Tony Garea for the WWF Tag Team Championship. After winning the title, Moondog King was replaced by Moondog Spot after King—a Canadian—was denied entry into the United States. Rex and Spot's gimmick consisted of them carrying chewed up bones to the ring and wearing cut-off blue jeans. While in the WWF, the Moondogs feuded with Tony Garea, Rick Martel
Rick Martel
Richard Vigneault is a retired Canadian professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation between 1980 and 1995 under the ring name Rick Martel...
, Bob Backland, Ivan Putski
Ivan Putski
Józef Bednarski , is a Polish former professional wrestler and bodybuilder. He is known by the ring name Ivan Putski and was given the nicknames "The Polish Hammer" and "Polish Power"....
, Pat Patterson, and the Wild Samoans
Wild Samoans
The Wild Samoans was the professional wrestling tag team of Afa and Sika in Mid-South Wrestling, the National Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Federation . The Samoans held 21 tag team championships around the world.-Gimmick:...
.
In 1984, on an episode of Maple Leaf Wrestling
Maple Leaf Wrestling
Maple Leaf Wrestling was the unofficial name in the 1970s and 1980s of the professional wrestling promotion run by Frank Tunney in Toronto.-Queensbury Athletic Club:...
, Moondog Rex earned a WWF Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
title shot against Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
. Rex and Spot teamed together until 1990 in various promotions.
United States Wrestling Association
The Moondogs' success mostly came in the United States Wrestling AssociationUnited States Wrestling Association
The United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
(USWA), with numerous members winning the USWA tag team titles on several occasions during the late 1980s and early 1990s as well as Moondog Spot, Moondog Spike and Moondog Cujo's long running feud with Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
and Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lawler
Jerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
and The Bruise Brothers during their stint in the USWA. Their feud with Jarrett and Lawler was later voted the 1992 PWI Feud of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
Pro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
.
Independent circuit
In the latter part of 2003, the Moondogs (Spot and Puppy Love) began working in Memphis WrestlingMemphis Wrestling
Memphis Wrestling is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:Memphis Wrestling evolved from an earlier short-lived promotion called Memphis Championship Wrestling.-Television:...
, with April Pennington acting as their manager. On November 29, 2003, Moondog Spot died in the ring during a tag team match in Memphis.
Moondog Cujo
Lanny Kean
Lanny Neal Kean, Jr. was an American professional wrestler. He competed under several ring names, including Moondog Cujo and Cousin Junior. He died of a heart attack on January 13, 2009.-Career:...
appeared at the Clash of the Legends
PMG Clash of Legends
The PMG Clash of Legends, Starring Hulk Hogan was an American professional wrestling show promoted by Memphis Wrestling owner Corey Maclin in conjunction with Hulk Hogan, which took place on April 27, 2007 in the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee...
show in Memphis (headlined by Hulk Hogan vs. Paul Wight) on April 29, 2007, where he defeated The Barbarian
Sione Vailahi
Sione Havea Vailahi is a professional wrestler best known in wrestling as The Barbarian.-Life and career:Born and raised in Tonga, Sione was one of five teenagers sent by the King of Tonga to Japan to study Sumo wrestling in the mid 1970s. Tonga Fifita was one of the other teenagers...
.
Core
- Moondog King (Ed WhiteEd White (wrestler)Edward J. "Ed" White was a Canadian professional wrestler, best known as Moondog King of the Moondogs when he joined the World Wrestling Federation in the early 1980s. White won 48 championships in Canada and around the globe...
) - Moondog Rex (Randy ColleyRandy ColleyRandy Colley is a retired professional wrestler better known as Moondog Rex.-Professional wrestlling career:Colley competed in the World Wrestling Federation, where in 1981 he won the WWF Tag Team Championship with Moondog King as the Moondogs...
) - Moondog Spot (Larry BookerLarry Latham (wrestler)Larry Booker was a professional wrestler best known as Larry Latham, Iss Spot and Moondog Spot.-Career:...
) - Moondog Spike (Bill SmithsonMoondog SpikeBill Smithson was a professional wrestler who wrestled as Moondog Spike during the early 1990s with Moondog Spot from 1991 to 1992 and Moondog Cujo from 1992 to 1993 as part of the Moondogs.-Career:...
) - Moondog Cujo (Lanny KeanLanny KeanLanny Neal Kean, Jr. was an American professional wrestler. He competed under several ring names, including Moondog Cujo and Cousin Junior. He died of a heart attack on January 13, 2009.-Career:...
) - Moondog Splat (Bill "Bubba" White)
- Moondog Max (John Walton)
Others
- Black Moondog (aka The Big Black Dog)
- Moondog Fido
- Moondog Fifi (Dianne Von Hoffman)
- Moondog Rover (Paul J. Mcknight)
- Moondog Mange (Jimmy Stone)
- Moondog Lonnie MayneLonnie MayneRonald Doyle "Lonnie" Mayne was an American professional wrestler in the 1960s and 1970s who frequently went by the name Moondog Mayne. Mayne wrestled in various NWA territories as well as the WWWF...
- Moondog Ed Moretti
- Moondog Puppylove (Mike Flowers)
- Moondog Spot/Spike 1987-1988 (Tony Nardo)
- Moondog Nathan (Nathan Brian Randolph)
- Moondog Splash (Eddie Harrell)
- Moondog Duke (Frank Cody)
- Moondog Ravage (Brad Worrell)
In wrestling
- Double-team finishing moves
- Backbreaker hold / Diving elbow drop combination – WWF
- ManagersManager (professional wrestling)In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
- Lou AlbanoLou AlbanoLouis Vincent "Captain Lou" Albano was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1969, then he became a manager, until 1995....
- Downtown Bruno
- April Pennington
- Jimmy HartJimmy HartJames "Jimmy" Ray Hart is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE. He is best known for his work in the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling under his nickname "The Mouth of the South." He has managed many professional...
- Gabriel Grange AKA Doctor Grange managed Max
- Lou Albano
Championships and accomplishments
- Continental Wrestling AssociationContinental Wrestling AssociationThe Continental Wrestling Association was a wrestling promotion managed by Jerry Jarrett. The CWA was the name of the "governing body" for the Championship Wrestling, Inc. promotion which was usually referred to as Mid-Southern Wrestling...
- AWA Southern Tag Team ChampionshipAWA Southern Tag Team ChampionshipThe AWA Southern Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team title in the Tennessee area from the 1940s through the late 1980s. It was originally named the NWA Southern Tag Team Championship from its inception through 1977, when it was renamed the AWA Southern...
(1 time) – Rex and Spot
- Dyersburg Championship Wrestling
- DCW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- International Championship Wrestling (New England)International World Class Championship WrestlingInternational World Class Championship Wrestling was an independent professional wrestling promotion based in Boston, Massachusetts. It was promoted by Angelo Savoldi and his sons Mario, Tom, and Joseph Savoldi....
- IWCCW Tag Team ChampionshipIWCCW Tag Team ChampionshipThe ICW / IWCCW Tag-Team Championship was the top tag-team championship of International World Class Championship Wrestling between 1984 and 1995 where IWCCW closed down operations...
(1 time) – Spike and Spot
- Ozark Mountain Wrestling
- OMW Tag Team Championship (1 time)
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI Feud of the Year (1992) vs. Jerry LawlerJerry LawlerJerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
and Jeff JarrettJeff JarrettJeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
- United States Wrestling AssociationUnited States Wrestling AssociationThe United States Wrestling Association or USWA was a professional wrestling promotion based in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by former CWA owner Jerry Jarrett.-Foundation:...
- USWA World Tag Team Championship (14 times) – Splat and Spot (4), Spike and Spot (3), Rex and Spot (3), Cujo and Spike (2), Cujo and Spot (1) and Rover and Spot (1)
- World Wrestling CouncilWorld Wrestling CouncilThe World Wrestling Council is one of Puerto Rico's two main professional wrestling promotions, the other one being the International Wrestling Association....
- WWC Caribbean Tag Team ChampionshipWWC Caribbean Tag Team ChampionshipWWC Caribbean Tag Team Championship was a third-string Tag Team title that was defended in the World Wrestling Council.-Title history:...
(1 time) – Rex and Spot - WWC North American Tag Team ChampionshipWWC North American Tag Team ChampionshipThe NWA North American Tag Team Championship was a major tag team championship that was used and defended in Capitol Sports Promotions...
(2 times) – Rex and Spot - WWC World Tag Team ChampionshipWWC World Tag Team ChampionshipThe WWC World Tag Team Championship is the tag team title contested for in the Puerto Rican professional wrestling promotion, the World Wrestling Council.-Title history:-External links:***...
(1 time) – Rex and Spot
- World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
- WWF Tag Team Championship (1 time) – Rex, King & Spot (who replaced King during title reign)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Feud of the Year (1992) vs. Jerry LawlerJerry LawlerJerry O'Neil Lawler is an American professional wrestler, wrestling commentator, musician, businessman, commercial artist and film actor, known throughout the wrestling world as Jerry "The King" Lawler. He is currently signed to WWE, working on its Raw brand as the color commentator and occasional...
and Jeff JarrettJeff JarrettJeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
- UFO Wrestling
- UFO Tag Team Champions 2008-2009 (1 time) Max and Bidondi "The Animals"
- Ultimate Wrestling Dynasty
- UWD Hardcore Champion 2007-2008 (2 time) Max
- New World Wrestling
- NWW Tag Team Champions 2005-2006 (1 time) Max and Kohuko
- New Generation Wrestling
- NGW Tag Team Champions 2004 (2 time) Max and Ryan Bean