Playboy Buddy Rose Face Turn Portland Wrestling 6/18/83

My Portland Wrestling collection is available for purchase on an external hard drive. For more information, email me at [e-mail]
From Saturday, June 18, 1983....Perhaps the biggest moment in Portland Wrestling history as, after seven years as the most hated wrestler in Portland history, Playboy Buddy Rose turns face! The build up to this was classic as Rose returned to Portland & needed to find a partner. Rip Oliver was also trying to find a new Clan member. Rose & Oliver agreed to help each other find partners. On June 4, 1983, Rose announces that he "outbid" Rip Oliver to bring Dynamite Kid to Portland to be his partner. During their first match as a team on June 11, 1983, Kid turns on Rose. During an interview the next week Oliver, The Assassin & Dynamite Kid attack Rose and beat him bloody. What followed later that night is in this clip.

[@billyfranklin85]

Old school pop from that crowd!!! Simply awesome!! We'll never see anything like that ever again....

[@Lurvy1963]

Who would ever thought that Playboy Buddy Rose would turn to the fan favourite side of the ring, team with Billy Jack Haynes and Curt Hennig against Rip Oliver and his treacherous clan that includes the Assassin and the Dynamite Kid. It was one of the most delightfully shocking sights to see it the Pacific Northwest. More shocking than a Sasquatch sighting. And as always legitwrestling, another exciting match from the past! Keep up the good work guys!

[@zisoul]

I hope Buddy Rose's Estate will release Bio book Buddy was putting finish tuches on when he passed way. RIP Buddy Rose. Peace.

[@alexxemak]

man,do i miss this stuff. I wish there were more local wrestling on tv. saturdays were great. we'd get this stuff in the morning and then all-star & stampede in the afternoon. loved it

[@jameslott5954]

this was one of the best wrestling angles ever...nobody ever expected buddy rose to turn face...buddy went from the most hated to the most loved in less than the blink of an eye....truly great stuff

[@jad43701]

and 1 year later turned back to heel.

[@jamestyree8884]

@@jad43701 I'm glad the babyface run didn't last long. He was way more entertaining as a heel. I think a lot, if not most people felt that way. I have no doubt he sold way more tickets as a heel.

[@jad43701]

@@jamestyree8884 Some folks are just built to play a heel. Ole Anderson for one. I could never buy him as anything but a heel.

[@jamestyree8884]

@@jad43701 I will admit I marked out big time the night buddy turned, but by the following week it was already kinda "meh" lol

[@frakplease3771]

PBR was one of the best crowd workers absolutely

[@DMGGameplays]

The promos back in those days were just pure. No over-dramatic shit like nowadays...

[@jimmyolsen5897]

WHAT

[@riprogers8313]

Watch the reaction to this crowd!!! That's because buddy rose was heel for seven years beer this turn- in today's wrestling they turn back and forth so much nobody knows what anybody is!!!

[@GregoryWeagle]

I'm surprised the ring didn't break like in ECW.

[@xxfaze1xx]

iam only 18 so this is way be4 my day but even though its in the past i still get chills watching it and its crazy for me to see one of my favorite wrestlers of all time in curt henning so young this is great i wish wretling was more like this now a days

[@darkstar6909]

Great stuff. I grew up in Coastal Washington in the late 70s, and it seemed that just about everyone watched Portland Wrestling then. These guys kept our attentions without pyrotechnics or scantily clad playmates running around the ring.

[@rodzor]

Frank Bonnema being able to call this would have made it that much more epic 🙏

[@aceldamia9114]

I can't believe I wore that... I'm the kid at 3:55, bottom of the screen in the grey shirt and dark sleeves (it had Mickey Mouse on the front) pushing past Grizzly Adams in yellow. At least I wasn't wearing a homemade crop top, though. A completely unforgettable moment.

[@frasierthebichon7422]

Acel Damia .....yeah ok

[@forgetyourlife]

Thats me in the red shirt standing on the rope to the right. I was 10yrs old.

[@The1baddman]

Rest in Peace Rip Oliver, The Dynamite Kid, Curt Henning, and Buddy Rose.

[@satan3959]

*Hennig, not Henning

[@madbrowniac7871]

The1b: And now Jody "The Assassin" Hamilton.😔🎤🔔 × 10 🤼‍♂️🤼‍♂️B.W.

[@rodzor]

Sandy Barr

[@monkey2230]

Dutch Savage

[@thepleiadianlightgridproje4337]

It was an amazing time

[@seamus1956]

Rose wasn't a jobber. He had a great stint in the old AWA (tag team champions, doncha know) and basically worked all around the world. Remember, this was back when local promotions had nearly the same draw as some of the national stuff. For a big man, he was one of the most athletic and agile wrestlers I have ever seen. PNW was lucky to have him.

[@paladin1726]

PNW was lucky to have him, and used him wisely. Buddy and Rip the Crippler.

[@EricK-gr1nz]

Watching the security guy just throw his hands in the air when the flooded the ring was hilarious. He had no chance! Lol!

[@VancouverTVGuy]

The "Playboy" will be missed by old-school fans.

[@ronaldboyker9781]

Amen!

[@fuzzfrancis435]

He was always "that much better" than everyone.

[@terryduffield5860]

Legend

[@HeavyJ713]

As much as I love todays wrestlers as workers but the days of moments and reactions like this are long gone unfortunately

[@Tito74]

Love all this Portland wrestling footage here on you tube!

[@larrystarstruck]

Two legends in this gone that I know of. Curt Hennig and Buddy Rose. Both rest in peace. Great clip of when wrestling was wrestling.

[@riprogers8313]

I have never seen anything like this in my life This is why there is one turn - is Buddy Rose over or not . What a moment in Portland wrestling!!!!this is why I love wrestling !!!

[@111RAMONES]

Thanks for this!!! wow I lived for this every saturday night Big Time Wrestling out of Portland Oregon. these guys were Gods!! I live in Olympia Washington this was some serious PNW wrestling

[@stevenfortunato2965]

Olympia Lowlife I’m from New York and I came across PNW wrestling via tape trading n internet, I’ve said forever that Portland had the best angles and was the most believable at times. Great , classic stuff.

[@frakplease3771]

​@@stevenfortunato2965no bigger lowlife than a New York rat 🐀🐁

[@paladin1726]

Saturdays as a wrestling fan kid were pretty spectacular. Cartoons in the morning, followed by youth sports. WCCW in the early afternoon, followed by NWA on WTBS. Then after the parents go to bed, Tom Peterson wakes you up for Portland Wrestling. If you missed any of it, the Oregonian had the results in the sports section.

[@xxllmm4]

Great Clip!! One of the best Portland Wrestling videos of all time. I rember seeing this when I was 9

[@petepettit3098]

I grew up in Vancouver, WA, watching this in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Loved that you could watch it Saturday night on KPTV from the Portland Sports Arena. Then during the week they would be wrastlin' at a school somewhere around portland/ Vancouver. Many times we would see Dutch Savage, Lonnie "Mad Dog" Mayne, Tony Borne and others fishing together at Felida Moorage. Beating each other with a coal miners glove on Saturday and fishing together on Sunday. Good times.

[@frakplease3771]

Grew up in Vancouver as well, Ben Franklin, Shumway, Hudson's Bay HS. Did 40 hours community service Ft Vancouver 👍✌️

[@brucedavis76]

The pinnacle of Portland Wrestling!!!!

[@nsamuy]

WOW this takes me back. I lived in Aberdeen in the 80s and I totally remember this. thanks for sharing!

[@duckmangooo7376]

Grew up watching the great ones of years gone by. Wrestling matches in the front room with dad,my brother Jim before it came on.

[@randysager3660]

Just over a year later Buddy would once again become a heal

[@zisoul]

This is a dam great moment in PORTLAND WRESTLING and in the history of WRESTLING.This here is WRESTLING,when it use to be Sports Entertainment.

[@wademoran549]

that kid who playboy buddy ask to come in the ring was me. I sat next to Rose who was an eldery woman that the wrestlers greeted before the matches started. She was there every week. Fun night

[@YowzaBowzaWowza]

Ringside Rosie used stand up and shake her fist at the heels!

[@paladin1726]

@@YowzaBowzaWowza She was one of the best things about Portland Wrestling. I would've loved to have met her but I was never allowed to go.

[@paladin1726]

What did Buddy say to you? Do you remember?

[@davidbolander6186]

60's 70's 80's. When wrestling was good. Good babyfaces, good heels and good stories.

[@tommytacoma8247]

Best Pop Ever !!

[@dsfddsgh]

I'm from Oregon and i remember Portland Wrestling going back to the late 60's so this brings back some good memories. lol Don Owen was always so awkward on the mic.

[@paladin1726]

The more he talked, the greater it was. He sounded like everyone's grandpa

[@murdough208]

man buddy was great on that mic

[@drewbog1055]

Billy Jack is the only one still with us

[@kidz4p509]

It’ll be a sad day when he leaves this world. But at least, he’ll reunite with the other 5.

[@James-qq2vq]

One of the most memorable moments of portland wrestling

[@donleedonnelly757]

My mom and I always take one or two trips to Portland a month from outside of Tacoma and this was one trip that was memorable. Then 6 years later my roommate (now wife) we moved to Portland and became regulars at the Portland Sports Arena

[@tlbradio]

Portland Wrestling is underrated !

[@tundratom1]

Playboy Buddy Rose and Jesse 'The Body' Ventura, yes the former Governor of Minnesota used to be partners in POrtland Wrestling

[@Plexpara]

What a time What personalities Listen to the crowd

[@gregstephens4028]

This stuff was awesome. Wrestling is way too predictable nowdays.

[@rlouie05]

Would something like this work in WWE today where a heel simply says he's sorry for all the bad things he's done through the years?

[@lambert581]

From what I hear Buddy Rose was one of the nicest wrestlers ever

[@tcda3640]

Great Guy... Paul was a kind loving guy. He loved people kids especially.

[@crazedlink]

RIP Buddy Rose

[@tamihughes7576]

Now that's over like Rover!! RIP Buddy!

[@bryanzimmermann4372]

Playboy Buddy Rose was a consummate worker and could sell better than 95% of the stars in his day. This was at the Apex of Don Owen's Portland wrestling 1979-end of 1983 with Adonis, Piper, Martel, Sheepherders, Dr. D, Rose, Oliver, Hennig, Dynamite Kid, Billy Jack

[@rodzor]

Matt Borne

[@Dietpepsivanilla]

"Playboy" Buddy Rose had a nice, but short run as in the WWF with The Grand Wizard as his manager. It all ended with a Bob Backlund Chickenwing. Still, it was a great run. Too bad he became as bloated as Adrian Adonis later in life.

[@Kroder]

Dude do you have any of this stuff for sale on DVD? I have been looking for old PW footage for years. Preferably from 1980 to 1990.

[@alexandermacdougall7873]

The Playboy was great

[@tonyarceneaux286]

May he rest in ☮️.

[@Brando-Lee3725]

Medicine Man turned me on to this great vid ! Damn , i miss oldschool territory wrestling ! I would buy EVERY wrestling mag i could as a kid , scour the TV guide looking for any and every wrestling show i could find ! I would stay up till 2 in the morning at 10 or 12 yrs old to watch a random wrestling show just cause ! was born in lexigton kentucky so i saw TONS of Memphis wrestling growing up ! While all the kids around me in 4th grade were Hulkamaniacs , ( ok i dug Hulk too then) I was preaching the names of Lawler , The Fabs , Dundee and Dutch . NWA guys like Dusty,Magnum and the road warriors ! Flair , Rock nRoll Express . World class Von Erichs , Freebirds etc... most looked at me like i had turds hanging out my mouth ! Id bring my mags to school showing Brody and Abdullah in bloodbaths ! Ok ... Ill shut up . I got excited bout the glory days

[@LegendKiller03000]

Memphis and Portland had some classic stuff

[@musicguy64]

It sure is....he was in Portland from 1982-1983.

[@Supernd01]

Buddy doesn't way 271 pounds. He weighs 217 pounds.

[@davidwesley2525]

Buddy's rear end weighs 217 pounds , his belly weighs another 100 pounds.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@stevekoenig3684]

Rose got his start in wrestling in the AWA under his real name, Paul Perschman. He was a journeyman, but a tough one. Later, he wrestled in World Class against the von Erichs.

[@tonyarceneaux286]

He also held AWA tag team titles with Doug Sommers.

[@thewrestlingfan]

Dutch is so exited he shit his coat.

[@anthonywilson4181]

The good old days

[@murdough208]

Rip playboy

[@classicsurvivor]

Sports arena was a bowling alley.

[@fatdaddyeddiejr]

grigsolve And a flea market from time to time.

[@mkl62]

At the first Wrestlemania, Tito Santana defeated The Executioner in the first match. The Executioner was Buddy Rose.

[@Suckmypivot]

WWE emulated the old school Heel turns face -> Short face run -> Turns heel angle with CM Punk. Wrestling is still good.

[@leaper3694]

rose was a nw legend , great bumpin heel

[@xxllmm4]

WE GOT PANDEMONIUM IN THE RING!

[@wwffan1967]

bowling alley? I heard it was a skating rink, it sure had that look.

[@KurtMiller-y2w]

They had a flea market there on weekends if I'm not mistaken

[@KaneRobot]

1:37 Dynamite was fucking insane

[@tcda3640]

Old skool

[@kevinklingered]

rose could work a crowd and a wrestling ring

[@darkstar6909]

@lockenjr I was doing the same thing up the coast and a state away in Aberdeen

[@dsfddsgh]

Curt Henning was so scrawny back then . 🤣

[@hirsutelungproductions2426]

He was lanky back in those days.

[@nellbowie7986]

Wow what a pop

[@kevinryan8055]

Funny how things change when Roddy Piper comes to town

[@MrDownslider]

So this was obviously before Mr Perfect starting hitting the weight room.....wink , wink...

[@seanfried]

he was the man in eugene too

[@manzi71]

I only wish that John Cena would say sorry for being born.

[@tonyrowland9216]

Was there tha night.

[@zenoftupac9096]

Would have been cool if an ECW ring collapse happened here. Lots of talent in this match

[@stankormy5717]

Pandemonium!

[@kidz4p509]

This really happened?

[@brucedavis3816]

Anyone know the reason PB put on so much.wait!!!

[@brucedavis3816]

Oops weight!!!

[@davidwesley2525]

@@brucedavis3816 over eating DUH! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@brucedavis3816]

@@davidwesley2525 don't be a comedian when you grow up.......laughing at your own jokes proves how dumb your comment is!!!

[@danielhadley4815]

He was diabetic

[@brucedavis3816]

@@danielhadley4815 thanks!!

[@DanteDDL67]

Could the referee be more disinterested?

[@fatdaddyeddiejr]

DanteDDL67 Sandy Barr was a classic incompetent referee. Plus he owned the Portland Sports Arena. So Don Owens made him the referee and Barr didn't charge him rent as long as he was the ref.

[@fatdaddyeddiejr]

Classic moment in Portland wrestling history.

[@TheMexicaster]

... I mean... Curt Hennig would not have had such a great career without PNW... same with Roddy Piper

[@tonyarceneaux286]

Rest in ☮️ to both wrestlers.

[@kroc1976]

Wrestling will NEVER be this cool again

[@larrydaugherty2605]

Sad but true. Its not traditional wrestling with kayfabe and all of that. Its sports entertainment. Its crap Imo.

[@davidwesley2525]

@@larrydaugherty2605 W.W.E. is now a Crappy soap opera.

[@phillipdickson9449]

I like how the assassin tried to hurt Curt Henning then turned around and quietly saved his life when his neck got caught in the ropes.

[@musicguy64]

From 1969-1991, when the promotion closed, Portland Wrestling ran out of the Portland Sports Arena on N. Chautauqua St. in North Portland. Prior to that, it was a bowling alley. PW moved there when the downtown Portland Armory was closed by the city. The city of Portland found the building and helped pay for Don Owen to move his operations there in the late 1960's. They ran very rare shows at the Memorial Coliseum (late 60's & mid 80's) or Expo Center in 1980 for a Rose/Piper match.

[@MisterBeauJanGels]

They also ran the Expo Center in May 1983 for Piper vs. Ric Flair.

[@musicguy64]

This footage came from my collection. Most of the 19777-86 footage you see came from me. The 1977-79 footage is what I spent two years & over $1,000 in saving & restoring. Legitwrestling bought a set of the DVDs from me (51 in all) & posted most of the matches that are on those discs....... Simply want to take credit, where credit is due....

[@danlivni2097]

Did you have a Sony Betamax player back in the late 70s. Those were the first players that could record off the TV.

[@theringallothersports5784]

musicguy64 that you for sharing this stuff. I grew up in Lowell, MA and was a big magazine kid starting buying them when I was 7 years old in 1972. Pacific Northwest was a great territory and when KZbin hit, I couldn’t wait to watch PNW, Mid-South and so many others. Are you selling these? I would be very interested. Thanks!

[@bryanlane3713]

I wish there was more stuff from 72-77, with bo Ramos, the kangaroos, Dutch, all those guys.

[@Lurvy1963]

Whoever puts up the videos, it is still damn good to relive the memories from Portland Wrestling's past. It shows how great the regional scene was and great it could be today.

[@hueymartin7317]

Portland Wrestling at I'ts Best.Yesssssssssssssss

[@TheMexicaster]

Will wrestling EVER be this cool again? I really think this kind of action could never happen again. This was a golden age before McMahon ruined it. Early WWF was cool but now... meh.

[@philipcollins3937]

You are so right.

[@jonathanconrad3941]

You are so right, Rip! I only wish I saw it live on tv. For me, this was like watching the Masked Superstar turn face in Mid-Atlantic. You can't beat the pop Buddy got that night. All we need is more videos of Rip and his Hustle!

[@paladin1726]

I remember that night. And at that hour, I had to keep the TV down really low so my parents didn't know I was watching. And I freaked out to the tune of getting a massive headache stifling all of the screaming that was inside of me. Best night ever in Portland Wrestling. The bandage made it 100x better, and having Dynamite as a legit dangerous heel in the clan. Brilliant stuff. The best of the best where wrestling is concerned.

[@poppiarlin5612]

Now that’s wrestling!

[@tonyarceneaux286]

Rest in ☮️ Don Owens.

[@YowzaBowzaWowza]

My first memory of Portland Wrestling was watching it on a black and white TV at Grandma’s house in N.Portland in the early 70’s. It was a match where The Kangaroos cut off Jimmy Snuka’s hair! Grandma (1893-1986) was very upset!

[@jasonhodgin1792]

That is the absolute best referee outfit ever.

[@murdough208]

agreed

[@fatdaddyeddiejr]

Jason Hodgin Sandy Barr was a classic incompetent referee

[@seamus1956]

What referee outfit? That's what Sandy wore to the arena.

[@mrtxprince]

RIP Playboy. Its no secret that Shawn Michaels wouldnt be what he is today if it wasnt for you. Thanks for the memories.

[@ElectricStrider1]

What a neat retrospective. I'm glad I grew up when wrestling mattered. =)

[@josemontano7767]

Pboy must have gotten lots of ring Rats that night!

[@medmar76]

This kind of performance is what made fans believe (just for a brief shining moment) that it was all real!

[@KurtMiller-y2w]

I'd put this old portland wrestling up against any other wrestling

[@BlingToYoRing]

you're thinking about being in shape too much. that's the problem with wwe today: they want ALL bodybuilders. they need guys like buddy rose. if everyon'es cookie cutter, it gets boring. where's the earthquakes? see what i mean? they need more guys like trevor murdoch. if your gimmick isnt a bodybuilder gimmick... then you shouldnt always look like one.

[@nassermj7671]

The Good guy is the real guy

[@tonyarceneaux286]

Couple of years after this Billy Jack Haynes would be a heel.

[@jimlbw71]

MAN i'm old. lol . Portland Bigtime Wrestling, it was all us kids had to watch on tv that was exciting.