HIDDEN GEM: External Occipital Protuberance

He might have a future.

David Ruhl vs. Gino Marella
Date: March 16, 1961
Location: Exhibition Auditorium, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

This is from Stampede Wrestling and Marella is better known as Gorilla Monsoon. The unnamed commentator says that this is for $550 as they go to the mat to fight over arm control. Ruhl manages to roll him over and get Gino down, only to have a heck of a press to get himself out of trouble. Gino’s full nelson has Ruhl in trouble and they even go to the mat where Ruhl finally escapes.

Marella sends him flying again and some forearms have him in even more trouble. With the stand up not working, Ruhl takes him down by the leg and then forearms away at the back. Marella grabs something like an Attitude Adjustment from his knees but Ruhl is right back with a hammerlock. A crucifix gets two (after several attempts) on Marella, who gets back up, throws him around a few times, pounds on the top of Ruhl’s head, and then throws him around again. They slug it out again but time expires at 10:00.

Rating: C. Marella really did come off like a monster, but it was fascinating to see him not only in the ring but looking so young. He had a better control of the fundamentals than most people his size and that fits the kind of things he would say on commentary. Good enough match here, with Ruhl as the technician and Marella as the monster he couldn’t take down.