The Great Power Uti vs Drew Tossel Pro Wrestling USA 03-01-1985
Once I found out this existed I HAD to get it on the blog.
Few people in wrestling are as fascinating as The Great Power Uti, King of Nigerian professional wrestling. I mean first off, it's always surprising when you hear of wrestling in a place you never expected. We know about the major hot spots ( Japan, Most of Europe, North America, etc ), but it's always jarring when you hear of a wrestling scene in a new part of the world. I guess it makes sense because professional wrestling's story structure is simple enough that it can translate to any part of the world. It's good vs. evil, heroes vs. villains, and The Great Power Uti vs. all who came before him. I did the most amount of research I ever did for an entry, which means I read a chapter from Mick Foley's book and listened to Cliff Compton's Art of Wrestling , both about The Great Power Uti. I don't know if his name is Power Uti or the Great Power Uti, but I keep hearing Cliff Compton''s voice saying The Great Power Uti in my head. The Great Power Uti was the king of Nigerian wrestling and had been for decades. I say was because he was arrested for allegedly murdering his wife in 2018 and there is NO FOLLOW UP ANYWHERE. He could be dead or in prison or wrestling Sylvan Grenier in a soccer stadium, I have zero idea. I NEED YOUR HELP KEITH MORRISON. Cliff wasn't the only one who encountered Uti, as Mick Foley talked in is first book about going on a tour overseas as a young man and encountering Uti. Mick Foley isn't the meanest dog in the yard, definitely a saying, but even he thought Uti was a jerk. Time didn't soften his greatness, his power, or his shitty attitude as though he encountered him some two decades later ... Cliff Compton felt the same way. Both men had different encounters with Uti, but the conclusions were the same
He was an asshole who was terrible at wrestling
Can't relate.
I implore you to listen to Cliff's episode of Art of Wrestling (#59, I didn't even need to look it up it's burned in my brain), for more great stories about dealing with The Great Power Uti. According to Cliff, pro wrestling is still considered real over there and Power Uti was the legitimate world champion to them. They had very little exposure to pro wrestling outside of "Smackdown 2005-2007", hence why a guy like Cliff or Festus would be brought over. The Great Power Uti wasn't just a big fish in a small pond, he was the only fish in the pond. While there were wrestling tours into Nigeria, it didn't seem like there were enough to make a dent in Uti's foothold of dominance. Top Dog Power Uti over here. Now, this also raises an interesting question.
Was The Great Power Uti a top dog in Nigeria by decision or necessity?
Obviously he had to have encountered pro wrestling at some point in his younger days. Sid he have bigger aspirations of achieving overseas success or was this always his desire? . We will never know. I still don't even know if he's in fucking prison for murdering his wife, how am I going to find out his origin story. Either way, it transitions into our next match. Not the murder part, the philosophical question part. The Great Power Uti was the King of Nigerian wrestling, but on at least one occasion he took a crack at the U.S.A.
Pro Wrestling U.S.A. for that matter ( that's how you do a fucking transition) in March of 1985 as we have a rare televised match between The Great Power Uti and the Great Wimpy Drew Tossel. I'm not sure how to explain Pro Wrestling USA as I don't fully understand it. My rudimentary understanding of it was it was an attempt to counteract WWF expansion. All the other territories ( AWA, Jim Crockett, WCCW, Memphis,etc) were going to attempt to work together under the Pro Wrestling USA banner and stem the tide. What went wrong? I'm not going to bother doing research so let's just assume what probably happened. Wrestling promoters being wrestling promoters. So Pro Wrestling USA was just a blip on the radar on Vince McMahon's rise to national wrestling domination. I'm gonna get at least one Musclebear reader because I said Vince McMahon , rise, and domination in the same sentence. Part of Pro Wrestling USA must have been an initiative on bring in new talent, and thus The Great Power Uti.
Both men are already in the ring for the introductions as we first meet Drew Tossel. Drew Tossel is the most character actor looking motherfucker I've ever seen in my life. He looks like about 8 different actors I can't name. It's got to be the almost bald head. Power Uti introduced next and it's weird to see him so young. Pretty much all the footage I've seen of Uti are from the mid 2010s, so this Uti still has a spry in his step. He also has a pep in his step. He also has a random title belt, a headband, and NO SHIT ON HIS ARMS.
All these shitty wrestlers thinking there's too much shit on their arms. There's a bad wrestler on screen now, that's the joke.
I'll give Uti this, The Power name fits as he's in great shape here. A feeling out process with some odd looking lockups, but Tossel catches a quick advantage with a cheap shot during a break. He throws another which leads to do Uti doing maybe he worst sell I've ever seen. Uti follows that up some of the worst punches I've ever seen. Uti whips Tossel into the ropes and comes off with a SORT OF SLINGBLADE DEAL. It didn't look great but it didn't look bad. Progress always marches forward. Headlock takeover by Uti because I assume he's gassed already. Tossel gets up but a Big Fireman's carry by Uti., That' looked nice. Uti holding the arm and wrenching it, working the arm and then he sort of...uhh...stops that and just hugs Tossel to get him into the ropes. They break in the ropes and then they do THE SOFTEST LOCKUP I'VE EVER SEEN. Oh my god it looked bad. Something's gone wrong here as now Tossel has a headlock, but Uti shoots him into the ropes. LEAPFROG BY Uti, and then A NO LOOK LEAPFROG BY UTI, Oh my god actual good stuff followed by an Ok chop by Uti. Uti got ups man. Snapmare by Uti and maybe he's turning the corner. Maybe he is Great. He gets Tossel up in a bodyslam and then promptly drops him as Uti falls into a split and stumbles around the wrong.
Not Great Power Uti/Bob.
Uti then does a terrible small package for a near fall. Uti whips Tossel into the ropes and hits, you guessed it, a terrible clothesline for the win.
Oh my god this sucks. This is the fun kind of suck though. Like I was entertained by the audacious suckitude of it all. It's weird to see I saw flashes of potential in Uti, but I legitimately saw some glimmers. Unfortunately they were just that glimmers, because he might be the suckiest suck who ever sucked. Good for him though man, as looking at this match it's clear he made the right decision by setting up his homebase in Nigeria.
And the right decision for us, because god that sucked
TLDR Review
The Great Power Uti isn't good. Drew Tossel looks most like the chief from Death Wish 3. Super Festus and Super Domino for New Japan Tag League
If you're interested in more condensed version of my thoughts, You can check out my Twitter where I talk about wrestling or stress out during Boston Celtics games. Hell, I'll even take suggestions for matches you want to see reviewed. You can also check out my Youtube where I make weird videos where I put on wigs in front of a camera to mask my true identity.