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95-467: The MJN Nesheiwat Convention Center, a private, not-for-profit community organization dedicated to providing cultural, recreational and educational opportunities to the Hudson Valley is a dual venue comprising Mair Hall and McCann Ice Arena. Mair Hall is a 15,475-square-foot (1,437.7 m) space with the capacity to host 3,050 seated spectators and large expos and trade shows. On December 3, 2018

190-673: A high-tech competitor to regions such as Silicon Valley and Boston , it has since grown to represent the counties in New York between IBM 's Westchester County plants in the south and the Canada–US border to the north. The area's high technology ecosystem is supported by technologically focused academic institutions including Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute . Tech Valley encompasses 19 counties straddling both sides of

285-665: A lumberjack at In Your House 2: The Lumberjacks . His final appearance came on July 30, 1995, at a house show in Jean, Nevada , where he unsuccessfully challenged Shawn Michaels for the Intercontinental Championship. After this Rotunda then left the WWF. Rotunda returned to WCW in September 1995. On the debut of WCW Monday Nitro , which aired on September 4, 1995, he was introduced as Michael Wallstreet, but by

380-496: A 15-man Battle Royal, only to be paid by his former tag team partner Ted DiBiase to eliminate himself and give DiBiase the win. This was his final match. On the March 10, 2008, episode of Raw , The U.S. Express were falsely advertised for a rematch from WrestleMania I against Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik. Before it could start, Jillian Hall offered to sing " Born in the U.S.A. " for them, Rotunda gave her an airplane spin and

475-648: A Down , Mr. Bungle , Incubus , and Puya performed on February 18, 2000 as part of the SnoCore Tour . Kiss performed at the venue on November 28, 1984, as part of their Animalize World Tour . This was the first show with lead guitarist, Mark St. John , playing the entire show. St. John only performed three shows (two in full) with the group before being permanently replaced by Bruce Kulick . 41°42′18″N 73°55′46″W  /  41.704988°N 73.929557°W  / 41.704988; -73.929557 Hudson Valley The Hudson Valley (also known as

570-813: A WWE road agent and was occasionally seen on TV in 2008. He was furloughed, along with many other WWE employees, on April 15, 2020, and was officially released on September 10, 2020. In January 2021, on Raw Legends Night, Rotunda, as I.R.S., made his first appearance since being released by the WWE in a segment backstage with Ric Flair. On September 3, 2021, the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame announced that Rotunda will be inducted into its 2022 Class, along with announcer Jim Ross and Trish Stratus . The induction ceremony took place July 21–23, 2022. On January 23, 2023, Rotunda, as I.R.S., made

665-412: A burgeoning biotechnology sector in the 21st century, with over US$ 1 billion in planned private investment as of 2016, earning the county the nickname Biochester . The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area promotes historic, natural, and cultural sites in 11 counties. The Hudson Valley is divided into three regions: Upper, Middle, and Lower. The following is a list of the counties within

760-512: A comedy segment promoting the new A-Team film . After Ted DiBiase Jr. and Virgil were confronted by A-Team stars Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Sharlto Copley , in character as B.A. Baracus and H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdoch , respectively, Ted called in his "Uncle Irwin" (an allusion to the long-standing association of DiBiase Jr.'s father the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase with I.R.S dating back to Money Inc. ) into

855-513: A face before turning heel and joining Kevin Sullivan's Varsity Club , a group of wrestlers with amateur wrestling credentials. Rotunda began bickering with fellow Varsity Club member Rick Steiner , a graduate of the University of Michigan , over which of the two had a superior alma mater . This in turn led to the two arguing over which of them was the superior wrestler. Rotunda won

950-621: A final attempt to reclaim the tag-titles in a cage match in the lead-up to Summerslam '93 in a losing effort against the Steiners. After Money Inc. disbanded, IRS feuded with Razor Ramon , challenging him for the Intercontinental Championship at the Royal Rumble . Though Schyster had seemingly won the title after interference by Shawn Michaels , a second referee restarted the match, unbeknownst to Schyster, who

1045-1017: A freeway in much of Orange County and will be designated Interstate 86 in the future. Hudson River crossings in the Hudson Valley region from south to north include the Tappan Zee Bridge between South Nyack in Rockland County and Tarrytown in Westchester County, the Bear Mountain Bridge between Peekskill in Westchester County and Fort Montgomery in Orange County, the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge between Newburgh in Orange County and Beacon in Dutchess County,

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1140-452: A large proportion of the agricultural output. Meanwhile, land west of Hudson River contained smaller landholdings with many small farmers living off the land. A large crop grown in the region was grain, which was largely shipped downriver to New York City, the colony's main seaport, for export back to Great Britain. In order to export the grain, colonial merchants were given monopolies to grind the grain into flour and export it. Grain production

1235-416: A new group: Team 2000 . Wallstreet and nWo Sting followed. Wallstreet, along with the rest of Team 2000, feuded with nWo Japan throughout 1999. In December, Rotunda left New Japan when he was called back to WCW. He returned on October 28, 2001, for a one-night teaming with Masahiro Chono defeating Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima . Rotunda (as Mike Rotunda) returned to All Japan Pro Wrestling in

1330-456: A new tag team under the name "The New Money Inc." and they would have a big feud with Lex Luger and Tatanka but Windham wasn't up to it and Schyster was paired with Bam Bam Bigelow and after an unsuccessful effort to regain tag team gold. Schyster later refocused on singles wrestling. His feud with The Undertaker included Schyster repossessing the headstone of a child, and interfering in a Casket Match between The Undertaker and Yokozuna . When

1425-604: A new version of "The U.S. Express", but they were more or less used as a jobber team against up-and-coming teams such as Demolition in house shows. They were not considered top contenders. The US Express reunited in January 1986 in Japan. This would be Rotunda's first tour of Japan. The U.S. Express went to the AWA to wrestle at WrestleRock 86 on April 20, 1986, defeating The Fabulous Ones . The team did not stay long as Windham left

1520-404: A pair of scissors from his pocket which Studd used to cut The Giants long hair, with Vince McMahon claiming in commentary that they were raping André of his dignity. While it shocked the audience, in reality André had agreed to the haircut prior to the match as part of his ongoing feud with the 6'10" (208 cm) Studd over who was the true giant in professional wrestling. The only title change at

1615-499: A pricing game (similar to the "One Bid" qualifying segment of The Price Is Right ) along with Santino Marella , Jillian Hall , and Chris Jericho . Rotunda appeared on an episode of Monday Night Raw as a lumberjack in the "'80s Legend Lumberjack Match", in which Christian defeated Ted DiBiase Jr. On the May 5, 2010 SmackDown , Rotunda helped throw Drew McIntyre out of the arena. On June 7, 2010, I.R.S appeared on Raw in

1710-685: A professional wrestler under The Destroyer . He debuted in 1981, wrestling for promotions including Lutte Internationale , Jim Crockett Promotions and Championship Wrestling from Florida . Rotunda and Barry Windham joined the World Wrestling Federation as The U.S. Express in 1984, during which time he was billed as Mike Rotundo rather than Rotunda. They won the WWF World Tag Team Championship twice, first from Dick Murdoch and Adrian Adonis in January 1985. The US Express' most notable feud

1805-564: A sectional champion in the 215 lb class in 1976, and placing 4th at the New York State Championships. After graduating from high school, Rotunda attended Syracuse University . He competed in football and amateur wrestling, becoming Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association champion in 1981, in the heavyweight division and becoming a letterwinner in 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1981. After graduating from Syracuse University, Rotunda traveled to Germany where he trained as

1900-680: A show in Rhode Island, he attacked the state for being a tax haven for yacht owners from New York, or when wrestling in New Hampshire, he would get on the microphone and criticize the fans there for not having to pay a state income tax. When wrestling in England at SummerSlam 1992 , he admonished the crowd for not paying taxes and therefore being a burden on the Royal Family. To further add to this persona, one of his finishing moves

1995-541: Is a well-known and highly regarded real estate developer; he has diversified experience in all facets of the real estate industry. Nesheiwat made his mark in real estate through commercial development, specifically with retail plazas and residential sub-divisions. The McCann Ice Arena serves youth organizations, leagues and individuals for both recreational and competitive figure skating and ice hockey and offers open ice slots, group and private lessons, public skating sessions and private parties. McCann Ice Arena had briefly been

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2090-545: Is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s under the ring names Mike Rotunda , Mike Rotundo , Michael Wallstreet , Irwin R. Schyster , and V.K. Wallstreet . Rotunda held numerous singles and tag team championships including the NWA World Tag Team Championship , NWA World Television Championship and WWF World Tag Team Championship . On July 23, 2022, he

2185-687: Is home to the Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest, hosted at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. The region has sunlight, moisture, chalky soil, and drainage conducive to grape growing, especially grapes used in Champagne. Tech Valley is a marketing name for the eastern part of New York State, including the Hudson Valley and the Capital District . Originating in 1998 to promote the greater Albany area as

2280-480: Is one of the oldest winemaking and grape-growing regions in the United States, with its first vineyards planted in 1677 in current-day New Paltz . The region has experienced a resurgence in winemaking in the 21st century. Many wineries are located in the Hudson Valley, offering wine-tasting and other tours. Numerous wine festivals are held in the Hudson Valley, with themes often varying by season. Rhinebeck

2375-809: The Adirondack Northway and the New York Thruway , and with heavy state taxpayer subsidy , has experienced significant growth in the computer hardware industry, with great strides in the nanotechnology sector, digital electronics design, and water- and electricity-dependent integrated microchip circuit manufacturing, involving companies including IBM in Armonk and its Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown , GlobalFoundries in Malta , and others. Westchester County has developed

2470-606: The Algonquins lived along the river, mostly in peace with the other groups. The lower Hudson River was inhabited by the Lenape. The Lenape people waited for the explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano onshore, traded with Henry Hudson , and sold the island of Manhattan . Further north, the Wappingers lived from Manhattan Island up to Poughkeepsie . They lived a similar lifestyle to the Lenape, residing in various villages along

2565-605: The American Soccer Pyramid . They compete in the North Atlantic conference of the NPSL's Northeast region, and began their first season in May 2016. 42°0′N 74°0′W  /  42.000°N 74.000°W  / 42.000; -74.000  ( Hudson Valley ) Mike Rotunda Lawrence Michael "Mike" Rotunda Jr. (born March 30, 1958) is an American retired professional wrestler . He

2660-635: The Bee-Line Bus System in Westchester County and Transport of Rockland in Rockland County. The Hudson Valley is served by two airports with commercial airline service: Westchester County Airport (HPN) near White Plains and Stewart International Airport (SWF) near Newburgh . Commuter rail service in the region is provided by Metro-North Railroad (operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority ). Metro-North operates three rail lines east of

2755-685: The Giant Baba Six Man Tag Team Tournament, teaming with Steve Williams and Yoji Anjo . The team made it to the semifinals, losing to Genichiro Tenryu , Arashi , and Nobutaka Araya. On July 20, 2002, Rotunda and Williams entered the Stan Hansen Cup 4-Way, and lost to Mike Barton and Jim Steele , Rotunda being pinned by Barton. In autumn, Rotunda and Williams entered the 2002 World's Strongest Tag Determination League, finishing in 4th place with 9 points. Rotunda left All Japan in early 2003, after wrestling on

2850-628: The Hudson River Valley ) comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in the U.S. state of New York . The region stretches from the Capital District including Albany and Troy south to Yonkers in Westchester County , bordering New York City . The Hudson Valley was inhabited by indigenous peoples long before European settlers arrived. The Lenape , Wappinger , and Mahican branches of

2945-930: The Mid-Hudson Bridge between Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County and Highland in Ulster County, the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge between Rhinecliff in Dutchess County and Kingston in Ulster County, and the Rip Van Winkle Bridge between Hudson in Columbia County and Catskill in Greene County. The Walkway Over the Hudson is a pedestrian bridge which parallels the Mid-Hudson Bridge and

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3040-590: The NWA World Television Championship from Nikita Koloff in January 1988, and subsequently gave his Florida Heavyweight title to Steiner. He then began a feud with Jimmy Garvin , because Sullivan wanted Garvin's wife Precious . Steiner left the group and began feuding with Rotunda, the enemies trading the Television Championship before Rotunda lost it to Sting . "Dr. Death" Steve Williams and Dan Spivey joined

3135-484: The New Year's Shining Series Tour . He worked for IWA Japan from 2003 to 2004. Rotunda retired from professional wrestling on a regular basis in 2004, but still had sporadic matches and makes sporadic appearances. Rotunda started to run a security company with his wife in 2004. In 2005, Rotunda teamed up with his brother-in-law Barry Windham at WrestleReunion losing to Larry Zbyszko and Ron Bass . Rotunda

3230-732: The New York Yankees . The team is a member of the Mid-Atlantic League and plays at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill . The New York Boulders of the independent Can-Am League play at Clover Stadium , in Pomona, NY. Kingston Stockade FC is a soccer team representing the Hudson Valley in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), a national semi-professional league at the fourth tier of

3325-556: The Northwest Passage . During this attempt, Henry Hudson decided to sail his ship up the river that would later be named after him. As he continued up the river, its width expanded, into Haverstraw Bay, leading him to believe he had successfully reached the Northwest Passage. He also proceeded upstream as far as present-day Troy before concluding that no such strait existed there. After Henry Hudson realized that

3420-622: The Pascack Valley Line (serving central Rockland County) and the Port Jervis Line (serving western Rockland County and Orange County). Amtrak serves Yonkers , Croton-Harmon , Poughkeepsie , Rhinecliff-Kingston , and Hudson along the eastern shores of the Hudson River, as well as New Rochelle in southeastern Westchester County. The Hudson Valley Renegades is a minor league baseball team affiliated with

3515-506: The nWo after being offered a membership by former tag team partner Ted DiBiase. While in the nWo, Wallstreet remained in the low midcard. His highest profile match in this period was a loss to Jeff Jarrett at nWo Souled Out in January 1997. On the April 21 episode of Nitro , Wallstreet was forced out of the nWo when his nWo contract was declared null and void by J. J. Dillon , due to his pre-existing WCW contract. After being forced out of

3610-667: The AWA very shortly after debuting. Rotunda stayed around for a few more months with little success. Rotunda left the WWF in early 1987 and returned to Florida, where he won the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship in March. There, he feuded with Sir Oliver Humperdink 's "Shock Troops" stable. Later in the year, Rotunda joined the National Wrestling Alliance affiliate Jim Crockett Promotions , where he lingered at mid-card level as

3705-599: The British, under General John Burgoyne 's strategy, would be able to cut off the patriot hub of New England (which is on the eastern side of the Hudson River) and focus on rallying the support of loyalists in the South and Mid-Atlantic regions. The British knew that total occupation of the colonies would be unfeasible, which is why this strategy was chosen. As a result of the strategy, numerous battles were fought along

3800-563: The Civic Center during WWF Championship Wrestling tapings was on June 17, 1985 when The U.S. Express ( Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham ) defeated "The Foreign Legion" ( The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff ), regaining the WWF Tag Team Championship they had lost to the pair at Wrestlemania on March 31, 1985. The Mid Hudson Civic Center has also host a handful of episodes of Monday Night Raw between 1993 and 1995;

3895-697: The Hudson River to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, from east to west they are the New Haven Line (serving southeast Westchester County), the Harlem Line (serving Central and Eastern Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties), and the Hudson Line (serving western Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess Counties). West of the Hudson, New Jersey Transit operates two lines rail service under contract with Metro-North Railroad to Hoboken Terminal :

Mid-Hudson Civic Center - Misplaced Pages Continue

3990-516: The Hudson River was not the Northwest Passage , the Dutch began to examine the region for potential trading opportunities. Dutch explorer and merchant Adriaen Block led voyages there between 1611 and 1614, which led the Dutch to determine that fur trade would be profitable in the region. As such, the Dutch established the colony of New Netherland . The Dutch settled three major fur-trading outposts in

4085-692: The Hudson River. Other fortresses were located in various locations throughout the Hudson Highlands . In 1497, John Cabot traveled along the coast and claimed the entire country for England; he is credited with the Old World 's discovery of continental North America. Between then and about 1609, exploration took place around New York Bay , but not into the Hudson Valley. In 1609, the Dutch East India Company financed English navigator Henry Hudson in his attempt to search for

4180-427: The Hudson Valley became an agricultural hub, with manors being developed on the east side of the river. At these manors, landlords rented out land to their tenants, letting them take a share of the crops grown while keeping and selling the rest of the crops. Tenants were often kept at a subsistence level so that the landlord could minimize his costs. Landlords held immense political power in the colony due to driving such

4275-446: The Hudson Valley began to lead the farm-to-table movement , the local food movement , and sustainable agricultural practices . The fertile Black Dirt Region of the Wallkill and Schoharie valleys also began to be farmed. Dairy farms are predominant, though fruit, vegetable, poultry, meat, and maple syrup production are also common. Orchard cultivation is common in Orange, Ulster, Dutchess, and Columbia counties. The Hudson Valley

4370-444: The Hudson Valley fall within the Eastern Great Lakes and Hudson Lowlands Ecoregion . During the last ice age, the valley was filled by a large glacier that pushed south as far as Long Island . Near the end of the last ice age, the Great Lakes drained south down the Hudson River, from a large glacial lake called Lake Iroquois . Lake Ontario is the remnant of that lake. Large sand deposits remain from where Lake Iroquois drained into

4465-637: The Hudson Valley sorted by region. The Lower Hudson Valley is typically considered part of the Downstate New York region due to its geographical and cultural proximity to New York City . Lower Hudson Mid-Hudson Upper Hudson/ Capital District Major interstates in the Hudson Valley include Interstate 87 (part of the New York State Thruway ), a small section of Interstate 95 in Southeastern Westchester County, Interstate 287 serving Westchester and Rockland Counties, Interstate 84 serving Putnam, Dutchess, and Orange Counties, and Interstate 684 serving Westchester and Putnam Counties. parkways in

4560-409: The Hudson; these are now part of the Rome Sand Plains . Due to its resemblance, the Hudson River often has been described as "America's Rhine". In 1939, the magazine Life described the river as such, comparing it to the 40-mile (64 km) stretch of the Rhine in Central and Western Europe. The Hudson Valley has a long agricultural history and agriculture was its main industry when the region

4655-483: The March 13, 1993 episode was the first to be taped outside New York City's Manhattan Center . At the final taping of Championship Wrestling on August 5, 1986 (aired August 30), Harley Race was crowned the "King of Wrestling" after winning the 1986 King of the Ring tournament. Total Nonstop Action Wrestling taped their pay-per view event TNA One Night Only: #OldSchool at the venue on December 30, 2013. Impact Wrestling held their Rebellion pay-per view event at

4750-461: The Mid-Hudson Civic Center issued a press release announcing the name change of the Poughkeepsie building to the Majed J. Nesheiwat Convention Center. Majed "Mitch" Nesheiwat is a long time resident and business man of Dutchess County New York. Nesheiwat is the Founder and CEO of Gas Land Petroleum, which distributes petroleum products for companies such as Exxon Mobil, Shell, Sunoco, Gulf, Citgo, Phillips 66, and Conoco. Aside from distribution, Nesheiwat

4845-472: The Natural Disasters, losing the titles to them and then regaining them a few months later. Finally, in spring 1993, Money Inc. entered into a months long feud with The Steiner Brothers , and in June the two teams traded the titles three times in ten days, with DiBiase and IRS losing the tag team title twice to the Steiners. Ted DiBiase retired from wrestling to become a commentator in the summer of 1993, resulting in Schyster going back to singles competition after

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4940-526: The Nexus. Rotunda appeared on the April 9, 2012, edition of Raw . He, along with numerous other WWE officials and superstars, attempted to break up a brawl between Brock Lesnar and John Cena . On the January 6, 2014 "Old School" episode of Raw , Irwin R. Schyster encountered Big E Langston on his way to a match and told him to pay his taxes, to which Langston smiled. Immediately prior, Langston walked past fellow Million Dollar Corporation members, Nikolai Volkoff and Ted DiBiase . He continued work as

5035-415: The South" Jimmy Hart had been "bidding" for his services in the previous months and had gathered in the ring to hear who Savage had chosen. The venue was also where Heenan Family members Big John Studd and Ken Patera faced André the Giant and S. D. Jones in a tag team match. After knocking Jones out of the ring, Studd and Patera then double teamed André, knocking him unconscious. Bobby Heenan then pulled

5130-410: The Varsity Club in late 1988, and Rotunda teamed with Williams to win the NWA World Tag Team Championship from The Road Warriors . Referee Theodore Long turned heel during the match and administered a fast three count, enabling Rotunda and Williams to overcome the champions. Long went on to become a manager following the controversial officiating. In May 1989, Williams and Rotunda were stripped of

5225-443: The building of the Erie Canal , the area became an important industrial center. The canal opened the Hudson Valley and New York City to commerce with the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. However, in the mid 20th century, many of the industrial towns went into decline. The first railroad in New York, the Mohawk and Hudson Railroad , opened in 1831 between Albany and Schenectady on the Mohawk River, enabling passengers to bypass

5320-414: The colony, along the river, south to north: New Amsterdam , Wiltwyck , and Fort Orange . New Amsterdam later became known as New York City , Wiltwyck became Kingston , and Fort Orange became Albany . In 1664, the British invaded New Netherland via the port of New Amsterdam. New Amsterdam and New Netherland as a whole were surrendered to the British and renamed New York. Under British colonial rule,

5415-438: The fall of 1991. This culminated in a 6-man elimination tag team match at Survivor Series , where he teamed with The Natural Disasters in a losing effort against Bossman and The Legion of Doom (the former Road Warriors). In January 1992, he competed in the Royal Rumble match entering at number 18 and lasted 28 minutes, giving him the third longest run behind Roddy Piper and winner Ric Flair . In February 1992, Schyster formed

5510-525: The home of the Hudson Valley Bears professional hockey team and the Poughkeepsie Panthers semi-professional hockey team. McCann Ice Arena also serves as the home of Marist College Hockey. Mair Hall opened with a sold-out performance by Pete Seeger . ECW hosted their Hardcore Heaven pay-per-view event at the venue on May 16, 1999. Between July 1984 and August 1986, the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment ) taped their internationally televised WWF Championship Wrestling at

5605-439: The interior of the Northeast to the coast. Hundreds of factories were built around the Hudson, in towns including Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, Kingston, and Hudson. The North Tarrytown Assembly (later owned by General Motors ), on the river in Sleepy Hollow, was a large and notable example. The river links to the Erie Canal and the Great Lakes, which allowed manufacturers in the Midwest, including automobile factories in Detroit, to use

5700-441: The late 1800s, most farms transitioned from tenant farming to being family-owned, with more incentive to improve the land. Grain production moved west to the Genesee Valley , and so Hudson Valley farms specialized, especially in viticulture , berries, and orchard cultivation. Agriculture began to decline in the 19th century, and rapidly declined in the 20th century. By the 1970s, the United States' culinary revolution began, and

5795-457: The match. In early 2000, he took part in a "Lethal Lottery" tournament for the vacated WCW World Tag Team Championship , paired with Buzzkill . The two defeated Dean Malenko and Konnan in the first round, but lost in the quarterfinals to the Harris Brothers . Rotunda left WCW in the spring of 2000. He returned to Japan and also made some appearances for the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico. Rotunda returned to New Japan Pro-Wrestling in

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5890-604: The nWo, he continued to be against WCW by wearing an anti-WCW shirt to the ring and protesting what Dillon said. In the summer of 1997, he left for New Japan Pro-Wrestling and was a member of nWo Japan. He made only one appearance for WCW in 1998 under his real name losing to Booker T. on January 31 at Boston Brawl. He returned (as Mike Rotunda) to WCW at Starrcade 1999 , reforming the Varsity Club with Rick Steiner and Kevin Sullivan to team with Jim Duggan against The Revolution ( Shane Douglas , Dean Malenko , Perry Saturn , and Asya). His team lost when they abandoned Duggan during

5985-569: The next episode he was known as V.K. Wallstreet (the "V.K." an allusion to V incent K ennedy McMahon ) with announcer Eric Bischoff asking Bobby Heenan on-air why his name had suddenly changed. Rotunda used the name for nearly a year while wrestling in a lower midcard position. The highlight of this run came at the 1996 Battlebowl, where he teamed with Jim Duggan and made it to the semifinals before losing to Dick Slater and Earl Robert Eaton . Eventually his name returned to Michael Wallstreet and Mr. Wallstreet , and in December 1996, he joined

6080-430: The paintings of the Hudson River School were especially attracted to the region. The Hudson River valley runs primarily north to south down the eastern edge of New York State, cutting through a series of rock types including Triassic sandstones and redbeds in the south and much more ancient Precambrian gneiss in the north (and east). In the Hudson Highlands, the river enters a fjord cut during previous ice ages. To

6175-441: The region include the Bronx River Parkway , the Cross County Parkway , the Hutchinson River Parkway , the Sprain Brook Parkway , and the Saw Mill River Parkway serving solely Westchester County, the Taconic State Parkway serving Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, and Columbia Counties, and the Palisades Interstate Parkway serving Rockland and a very small portion of southwestern Orange County. New York State Route 17 operates as

6270-402: The river for transport. With industrialization came new technologies, such as streamboats, for faster transport. In 1807, the North River Steamboat (later known as Clermont), became the first commercially successful steamboat. It carried passengers between New York City and Albany along the Hudson River. At the end of the 19th century, the Hudson River region of New York State would become

6365-467: The river, including several in the Hudson Valley. In the early 19th century, popularized by the stories of Washington Irving , the Hudson Valley gained a reputation as a somewhat gothic region characterized by remnants of the early days of the Dutch colonization of New York (see " The Legend of Sleepy Hollow "). The area is also associated with the Hudson River School , a group of American Romantic painters who worked from about 1830 to 1870. Following

6460-413: The river. They traded with both the Lenape to the south and the Mahicans to the north. The Mahicans lived in the northern valley from present-day Kingston to Lake Champlain , with their capital located near present-day Albany . The Algonquins in the region lived mainly in small clans and villages throughout the area. One major fortress was called Navish, which was located at Croton Point , overlooking

6555-449: The room wherein Schyster announced he had repossessed Jerry Lawler 's crown, because Lawler had not paid long overdue taxes on the crown's gems. Later in the show, I.R.S, DiBiase Jr., Virgil and Rowdy Roddy Piper were confronted by the A-Team and Dusty Rhodes , who attacked them and reclaimed the crown. On the June 28 Raw, Rotunda was one of the four people who entered the ring to celebrate Ricky Steamboat 's career, but were attacked by

6650-463: The semi-retired Sammartino and challenging him to get in the ring). The venue was also where "Macho Man" Randy Savage (who had been billed as "the top free agent in pro wrestling") first introduced Miss Elizabeth (his then real life wife) as his chosen manager on an episode of Championship Wrestling on August 24, 1985 (taped July 30). Heel managers Bobby "The Brain" Heenan , Mr. Fuji , "Classy" Freddie Blassie , Luscious Johnny V , and "The Mouth of

6745-456: The show went to commercial, effectively ending the feud. In early 2009, Rotunda once again appeared as I.R.S in multiple segments of "Top Rope Theatre" on WWE.com. He played a prominent role in the conspiracy of the exclusively online storyline of the series, drawing Kelly Kelly into his schemes in opposition to his arch enemy "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan . I.R.S. appeared on the September 7, 2009, edition of Raw , which Bob Barker hosted. He played

6840-430: The show). Television commentators were WWF owner Vince McMahon (who at the time was only known outside of wrestling circles as an announcer and not the company owner) and "professional wrestling's only living legend" Bruno Sammartino , with Jesse "The Body" Ventura occasionally joining the duo or filling in for Sammartino (Ventura also wrestled on the show occasionally as Randy Savage's tag-team partner, usually taunting

6935-485: The slowest part of the Erie Canal. The Hudson Valley proved attractive for railroads once technology progressed to the point where it was feasible to construct the required bridges over tributaries. The Troy and Greenbush Railroad was chartered in 1845 and opened that same year, running a short distance on the east side between Troy and Greenbush, now known as East Greenbush (east of Albany). The Hudson River Railroad

7030-544: The summer of 1997 (as Michael Wallstreet), where he joined nWo Japan . He toured full-time with New Japan and was used in the midcard. Like many gaijin , he was not used at Dome Shows and was left off New Japan's top tournaments such as the G1 Climax and the Super Grade Tag League tournaments. Wallstreet did participate in two other tournaments. In May 1998, he teamed with Big Titan in a tournament for

7125-796: The summer of 2000, shortly after the Pro Wrestling Noah exodus. He reunited the Varsity Club, this time with "Dr. Death" Steve Williams . The team won the 2000 World's Strongest Tag Determination League and also challenged for the World Tag Team Championship , against Taiyō Kea and Johnny Smith on February 24, 2001, but lost. In late 2001, Rotunda returned to Team 2000 as part of the All Japan branch and returned to New Japan for one match, on October 28, teaming with Chono to defeat Tencozy . Rotunda finished

7220-436: The tag team Money Inc. with Ted DiBiase ; the two won the WWF Tag Team Championship together three times and was the dominant Tag-Team of 1992–1993. In the eighteen months Money Inc. were together, they held the titles for a total of almost fourteen months. Money Inc.'s first title reign was at the expense of The Legion of Doom, making Rotunda the only wrestler to twice defeat them for a tag team title. They then feuded with

7315-1030: The title and, shortly after Sullivan and Rotunda concluded a feud with the Steiner Brothers , Rotunda briefly left the NWA. He returned in 1990 as a face, using the shipowner gimmick Captain Mike Rotunda . He formed a "crew" (consisting of Abdullah the Butcher and Norman the Lunatic ) and feuded with Kevin Sullivan's new stable, "Sullivan's Slaughterhouse" ( Cactus Jack , Buzz Sawyer , and Bam Bam Bigelow ). In mid-1990, Rotunda turned heel again and became Michael Wallstreet , with Alexandra York (and her computer) as his manager. They founded The York Foundation . The two claimed to know (via computer analysis) how to win each match and how long it would take for Wallstreet to become victorious. In this brief run he

7410-648: The two eventually squared off at the 1995 Royal Rumble , the Undertaker was victorious following a chokeslam, but Schyster stole his urn after the match. I.R.S. then competed less frequently on WWF TV. His final three appearances on TV being a loss to Savio Vega in a King of the Ring qualifying match in June 1995, the July 17, 1995, edition of Monday Night Raw in a losing effort against Shawn Michaels and later that month as

7505-498: The vacant IWGP Tag Team Championship , losing in the first round to Kensuke Sasaki and Kazuo Yamazaki . In September 1998, he teamed with Scott Norton in a tournament to decide the #1 contenders for the WCW World Tag Team Championship. They made it to the semifinals, where they lost to eventual tournament winners Kensuke Sasaki and Yuji Nagata . In 1999, Masahiro Chono left nWo Japan and formed

7600-526: The venue on April 23, 2022. Anthrax , Exodus and Helloween performed at the venue on May 12, 1989. It was the last show of the Headbangers Ball Tour . IRSL Roller Derby action was skated here in April 1986, featuring the legendary San Francisco Bay Bombers vs. The Southern Stars. Roller Derby legends Ann Calvello & Joan Weston squared off in a no holds barred slugfest. One for the ages, spectacular banked track action. System of

7695-588: The venue. Notable wrestlers who performed at the events during this time include then WWF Champion Hulk Hogan , Junkyard Dog , "Macho Man" Randy Savage , André the Giant , Bret Hart , Brutus Beefcake , Greg "The Hammer" Valentine , The British Bulldogs , Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat , King Kong Bundy , Big John Studd , Ken Patera , Tito Santana , Don Muraco , The Iron Sheik , "Mr Wonderful" Paul Orndorff , Hercules Hernandez , Adrian Adonis and Rowdy Roddy Piper (who also hosted his "Piper's Pit" segment on

7790-485: The west lie the extensive Appalachian Highlands. In the Tappan Zee region, the west side of the river has high cliffs produced by an erosion-resistant diabase ; the cliffs range from 400 to 800 feet (120 to 240 m) in height. The Hudson Valley is one physiographic section of the larger Ridge-and-Valley province, which in turn is part of the larger Appalachian physiographic division. The northern portions of

7885-694: The world's largest brick manufacturing region, with 130 brickyards lining the shores of the Hudson River from Mechanicsville to Haverstraw and employing 8,000 people. At its peak, about 1 billion bricks a year were produced, with many being sent to New York City for use in its construction industry. Tourism became a major industry as early as 1810. With convenient steamboat connections in New York City and numerous attractive hotels in romantic settings, tourism became an important industry. Early guidebooks provided suggestions for travel itineraries. Middle-class people who read James Fenimore Cooper 's novels or saw

7980-688: The world. The New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railway began at Weehawken Terminal and ran up the west shore of the Hudson as a competitor to the merged New York Central and Hudson River Railroad . Construction was slow and was finally completed in 1884; the New York Central purchased the line the next year. During the Industrial Revolution, the Hudson River Valley became a major location for production. The river allowed for fast and easy transport of goods from

8075-441: The year teaming with Williams in the 2001 World's Strongest Tag Determination League, which they finished in 5th place with 6 points. In January 2002, Keiji Mutoh jumped to All Japan and eventually became the owner and president. With the arrival of Mutoh, a growing roster, and nagging injuries, Rotunda returned to the midcard. He entered the 2002 Champion Carnival , finishing in 5th place with 3 points. Shortly after, he entered

8170-752: Was also at high levels in the Mohawk River Valley. The Hudson River was a key river during the Revolutionary War . The Hudson's connection to the Mohawk River allowed travelers to get to the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River eventually. In addition, the river's close proximity to Lake George and Lake Champlain would allow the British navy to control the water route from Montreal to New York City. In doing so,

8265-422: Was called The Write-Off (i.e., a flying clothesline to an oncoming opponent). He made his pay-per-view debut at SummerSlam 1991 , defeating Greg "The Hammer" Valentine . Schyster also made it to the finals of the 1991 King of the Ring tournament , defeating The Berzerker , Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Jerry Sags before losing to Bret Hart in the final match. He then had a short-lived feud with Big Bossman in

8360-755: Was chartered the next year as a continuation of the Troy and Greenbush south to New York City, and was completed in 1851. In 1866, the Hudson River Bridge opened over the river between Greenbush and Albany, enabling through traffic between the Hudson River Railroad and the New York Central Railroad west to Buffalo . When the Poughkeepsie Bridge opened in 1889, it became the longest single-span bridge in

8455-415: Was first settled. Around the 1700s, tenant farming was highly practiced. The farms' main products were grains (predominantly wheat), though hops , maple syrup , vegetables, dairy products, honey, wool, livestock, and tobacco were produced there. The region became the breadbasket of colonial America, given that the surrounding New England and Catskills areas were more mountainous and had rockier soils. In

8550-637: Was formerly a railroad bridge. NY Waterway operates the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry between Haverstraw in Rockland County and Ossining in Westchester County, as well as ferry service between Newburgh in Orange County and Beacon in Dutchess County. Intercity and commuter bus transit are provided by Rockland Coaches in Rockland County, Short Line in Orange and Rockland Counties, and Leprechaun Lines in Orange and Dutchess Counties. There are also several local bus providers, including

8645-673: Was inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and as a member of The U.S. Express , Rotunda and Barry Windham were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in April 2024. Rotunda was born on March 30, 1958, in St. Petersburg, Florida . He attended Newark Valley High School in Newark Valley, New York . He transferred to Owego Free Academy where he lettered in football and wrestling. He graduated from OFA in 1976. He participated in amateur wrestling , becoming

8740-565: Was rehired by WWE as a road agent in 2006 and has made guest appearances as Irwin R. Schyster. One such appearance was on the August 6, 2007, edition of WWE Raw ; Mr. McMahon was discussing his IRS troubles with Jonathan Coachman , and when the conversation ended, I.R.S lowered the paper covering his face ( Financial Times ) and revealed himself. Rotunda appeared as I.R.S. on the December 10, 2007 15th Anniversary edition of Raw , winning

8835-406: Was then given the "Razor's Edge" while celebrating with the title belt. Schyster then feuded with Tatanka , whom he accused of failing to pay a gift tax on a "sacred headdress" he received from Chief Jay Strongbow . In mid-1994 he joined his former partner DiBiase's Million Dollar Corporation , originally the plan was to have his brother in law Barry Windham return reunite with Schyster and form

8930-545: Was undefeated and often a timer was present onscreen to further the duo's claim. The partnership ended when Rotunda left the NWA for a new role in the WWF, in January 1991. After WCW, Rotunda made his debut in March 1991 for New Japan Pro Wrestling . Rotunda returned to the WWF in April 1991, becoming Irwin R. Schyster , abbreviated to I.R.S. . Schyster had a heel gimmick as a former IRS tax collector from Washington, D.C. , harassing wrestlers and fans as "tax cheats" and scolding them to "pay their fair share". For example, at

9025-447: Was with The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff , to whom they lost the title at the first WrestleMania . The US Express regained the belts in June 1985, but lost them two months later to Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine . Windham left the WWF soon after. Rotunda continued to wrestle in singles matches until he left the WWF himself, in early 1986. He briefly returned to the WWF in the fall of 1986 to team with "Golden Boy" Dan Spivey as

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