Wrestling Observer Newsletter
PO Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228 ISSN1083-9593 May 8, 2000
Mark Coleman was the big winner but Kazushi Sakuraba came out as the big hero in the highest profile MMA show in history on 5/1 at the Tokyo Dome.
Coleman defeated Akira Shoji, got what amounted to a forfeit win over New Japan's Kazuyuki Fujita and became the first man in nearly five years to tap out Igor Vovchanchin, who went into the tournament as the top rated heavyweight in the world, before 38,000 fans (ticket prices ranged from $950 for ringside down to $57 for the upper deck so the gate was several million dollars). In doing so, Coleman became the only man who can truly have a legitimate claim to being the toughest all-around fighter on the planet and the first Pride world heavyweight champion, scoring a rare double since he was also a former UFC champion.
Sakuraba, a Japanese pro wrestler who started with the old UWFI promotion, went into the martial arts history books, gaining an untainted victory over Royce Gracie, who had never lost in MMA fighting and captured three of the first four UFC tournaments in 1993 and 1994 establishing himself as the pioneer and first legend of the sport. The battle of stamina and will ended when Gracie's brother and manager Rorion threw in the towel after a 90:00 match that will become legendary when Royce could no longer stop the smaller Sakuraba who finally wore him down with leg kicks in the sixth and final round.
As impressive, after battling 90 minutes, Sakuraba, who trained down from his usual 190-195 pound fighting weight (he weighed in at 190 for his first round match against Guy Mezger) to 174, probably because of the realization of how big a part stamina would play in the Gracie match (Gracie, on the other hand, came in at 186 for added strength, but couldn't out muscle Sakuraba, up from 178 for his match with Takada on the 1/30 Tokyo Dome show) came out for his second round match against Vovchanchin, giving up more than 50 pounds against the top rated heavyweight, and from all accounts was winning the first for the first ten minutes. At that point, he hit the final wall of exhaustion, and couldn't get his body to do anything. He had done enough in the first ten minutes that even while taking a beating in the final five minutes, the judges ruled the match a draw and sent them out to the overtime round. Sakuraba was willing, but at that point, his mentor, Nobuhiko Takada, also threw in the towel.
Coleman earned $190,000 in prize money for the win. Vovchanchin got $47,500 for second place while Sakuraba and Fujita each got $23,750 for losing in the semifinals, although many also received appearance money to be in the show (Ken Shamrock received $350,000 for his match and Gracie reportedly received even more). As with the RINGS tournament where a pro wrestler made the final four in a tournament of 32 martial artists from around the world, in this tournament that started in January with 16 men, saw two pro wrestlers make the final four.
The show also marked the return after more than three years to the UFC's other early pioneer, Shamrock, who left the MMA world after beating Brian Johnston in the first round of the Ultimate Ultimate on December 7, 1996 before bowing out of the tournament due to a hand injury. Shamrock, 36, who as UFC's headliner drew the three largest non-boxing "legitimate" sports PPV buy numbers for matches at UFC's 1995 peak before going into the WWF in 1997 when UFC encountered political problems, put on an impressive performance. He became the first fighter to stop fellow pro wrestler Alexander Otsuka (Takashi Otsuka) in an MMA fight, knocking the Japanese star out with four hard punches to the face at 9:43. Otsuka had lost matches previously to both Renzo Gracie and Vovchanchin, but both were via decision after going the distance, after making his name in MMA with a shocking upset of Marco Ruas. Otsuka did lose a Pride main event with a tap to Takada, but that was a worked match. Shamrock is under contract for one more fight for DSE, tentatively scheduled for February of 2001, also at the Tokyo Dome.
The show, largely because of the Gracie-Sakuraba match, lasted six hours and ten minutes, airing live on PPV in Japan. It will air in a heavily edited form on American PPV on 5/13 mainly to dish owners as most of the major cable companies are not carrying the show and airs on 5/6 on the Fuji TV Network, with the entire show edited down to 90 minutes, in Japan. We should have a complete report on the show in next week's issue after viewing the tape.
The sad part of the show is that this appears to be the peak of the sport for Japan, because the last conquest, the final absolute victory by a Japanese fighter over one of the two "unbeatable" members of the Gracie family (Royce and Rickson) under the Gracies' own hand-picked rules has been achieved, thereby ending the myth. Even though this had the toughest one-night tournament ever, it didn't draw as well as the 1/30 first round show because even after everything that has happened, Takada is still more of a drawing card against Gracie than Sakuraba due to his past success in pro wrestling, and in Japan, the audience for these shows is mainly pro wrestling fans, and there wasn't as much drawing appeal for a tournament in Japan that everyone expected would come down to either Coleman or Mark Kerr against Vovchanchin, even with the return of Shamrock as part of the show. Some also felt that the quality of the 1/30 show, in particular because of the disastrous Gracie-Takada main event, led to a lot of fans who bought tickets to that show not caring about seeing Gracie fight again.
Because of the no time limit stipulations for all of Gracie's matches, DSE promoters had the Tokyo Dome rented until 9 a.m. the next morning (which was the absolute latest time possible to end the show and still have the building ready for the baseball game scheduled the evening of 5/2), as opposed to the 11 p.m. that the building is traditionally rented for all sporting events in Japan. The next day, Gracie announced he wanted to come back to Pride for a rematch with Sakuraba. In an interview at his hotel, where he was limping from the leg kicks and his face was swollen, Gracie admitted Sakuraba was a great fighter.
1. Igor Vovchanchin defeated Gary Goodridge via TKO in 10:14. The two exchanged punches standing before Goodridge took Vovchanchin down. They traded punches on the ground, Goodridge from the top and Vovchanchin from the bottom until Vovchanchin escaped. They traded again standing and Vovchanchin connected with a solid right which led to the ref stopping the fight. There were some in attendance who felt it was a quick stoppage but all accounts reported this as a good match.
2. Sakuraba beat Gracie in 90:00 when Gracie's corner threw in the towel before the start of the seventh round. Sakuraba came out with two others, all wearing old Strong Machine masks. Finally Sakuraba removed his mask and revealed his dyed orange hair. The match had the settings of a pro wrestling match since Gracie was a total heel, even missing the rules meeting, and Antonio Inoki came to ringside for a presentation before the match started, and apparently Inoki appearing so prominently at the show drew some heat since New Japan is on TV-Asahi and this show was taped for rival Fuji TV, which is also the reason Shinya Hashimoto didn't appear at the show. Sakuraba was better striking and Gracie was unable to take Sakuraba down. For a long period of time, Gracie held a clinch on the ropes and refused to break even though ordered to by the referee, which made him more of a heel since he was ignoring the rules as if they didn't apply to him. Sakuraba did a lot of clowning around, since he was never in trouble, trying to pull down Gracie's pants, trying to pull his gi over his eyes like in an ice hockey fight, and throwing in pro wrestling spots like Mongolian chops to keep the audience entertained. At one point Sakuraba even attempted a piledriver, which as you can imagine, didn't work. Gracie kept flopping to his back to avoid trading on their feet, and Sakuraba would avoid going to the ground and getting caught in the guard. There were also rounds where Sakuraba would be on top in the guard. Sakuraba was working on an armbar and a kneebar in the first round and had the kneebar pretty close when the round ended. The second and third rounds were boring, largely consisting of Gracie holding the clinch on the ropes and Sakuraba's occasional clowning like pulling his pants down to show his underwear. Gracie was working for a choke when another round ended but for the most part was unable to do anything on offense to him, since he couldn't stand with him and couldn't take him down. It was considered a boring fight, but once it past the 45 minute mark, the crowd sensed it was seeing history and started getting into it. Gracie had a cut opened above his eye. Both were tired and both gained second winds. Finally, in the fifth round, Sakuraba's leg kicks he was doing throughout the fight, not a lot of them, but after fighting for more than an hour, they started taking effect. At the 67:00 mark, Sakuraba landed a lot of punches and Gracie seemed in trouble at the 74:00 mark but hung on. In the sixth round, Sakuraba landed a punch which bloodied up Gracie's mouth. He finally knocked him down the first time when Gracie went down after a low kick. Sakuraba got a second knockdown about 85:00 in with a flurry of punches and kicks. At about the 87:00 mark which Gracie taking a beating, Rorion Gracie, grabbed the towel and was about to throw it in. In a scene almost out of a pro wrestling match, Helio Gracie, the elderly father of Royce and Brazilian fighting legend in the 50s, refused to allow his son to throw in the towel and Gracie hung on until the end of the round. Seeing the condition his son was in between rounds, Helio at that point told Rorion to throw in the towel. The crowd gave both men huge ovations when it was over. In defeat, Gracie got a lot of compliments for the guts and stamina he showed. Helio Gracie shook hands with Sakuraba after the match which was considered a big deal.
3. Coleman beat Akira Shoji via unanimous decision after 15:00. Coleman was able to take Shoji down and while on top connected on a lot of body punches. Shoji's ribs took so much damage they became discolored. Shoji got away at about 7:00, but Coleman took him down again. Toward the end of the round, Shoji was on his feet and got a punch and kick in just at the end of the round. Coleman clearly won the decision.
4. In the upset of the night, Fujita beat Mark Kerr via unanimous decision in 15:00. From all accounts, Kerr simply gassed out, something he had never done in an MMA career which up to this point he had never lost a match either in MMA or submission fighting with several world titles in submission fighting under his belt. Kerr had shaved his head for the fight. Fujita came out to Inoki's theme music. Kerr took Fujita down and punched and kneed him, busting up his nose. Suddenly, about five minutes into the fight, Kerr just died. Fujita, who had Brian Johnston of New Japan in his corner, was able to take him down and pound on him, and even nearly got a choke. Fujita continued to physically overpower and dominate Kerr with several more takedowns and delivered knee after knee to him. It was a huge deal in Japan that a pro wrestler beat an unbeaten Vale Tudo fighter and co-favorite to win this tournament under their rules. Said to be a very exciting match.
5. Guy Mezger won a decision over Masaake Satake after 20:00. Satake, much larger than Mezger, was able to avoid being taken down, something he couldn't do with the stronger Coleman in his 1/30 Tokyo Dome match. It was mainly standing and it was so-so. Mezger was able to take Satake down in the second round and physically dominated him to win the decision. Most reports indicated this was a boring match.
6. Vovchanchin beat Sakuraba in 15:00 when Takada threw in the towel before the start of the second round. To the shock of almost everyone, Sakuraba came back out, wearing his Strong Machine mask, and threw it to the crowd. Sakuraba did well early, before gassing out. He scored several takedowns despite giving up more than 50 pounds, and nearly got an armbar once. He gassed and the last few minutes just seemed to be hanging on waiting for the round to end. Vovchanchin was able to give him two german suplexes and many punches, with Sakuraba bleeding from the forehead in the last five minutes.
7. Coleman beat Fujita in what basically was a forfeit. Fujita came in limping with his leg heavily taped. The match actually started and Fujita went for a tackle, but two seconds into the match, Johnston threw in the towel. Fujita in a post match interview, crying, said that he had injured a knee ligament (as well as suffering a possible broken nose) in delivering so many knees to Kerr's head. The belief is Fujita came out because there was an added bonus for appearing and losing as opposed to not being able to come out.
8. Shamrock beat Otsuka in 9:43. Otsuka had Kazunari Murakami as his second while Shamrock had Pete Williams and Mezger. They exchanged some punches early. Otsuka, trying to entertain the crowd, started running the ropes for a big laugh, since Shamrock is a pro wrestler. Shamrock wouldn't do any pro wrestling. Shamrock took him down in the corner and pounded on him for five minutes and went for an armbar, but didn't get it. Shamrock then pounded on him from the mount for three more minutes and went for another armbar but Otsuka escaped and got away. Otsuka tried to take Shamrock down, but Shamrock blocked him. Shamrock cut Otsuka's eye with a punch, then nailed him with four hard punches to the head and Otsuka went down and the ref stopped the match. After the match, Rock and roll legend Eric Clapton hit the ring (Clapton came to Japan for the 1/30 Dome show as well) to celebrate with Shamrock. Shamrock gave a long speech after the match in English. It was so long, and because it was so late at this point, the Japanese started booing him.
9. Coleman beat Vovchanchin in 23:09. The championship match was also no judging so there had to be a positive winner, with 20:00 rounds. Coleman took Vovchanchin down. Coleman was punching from the top and Vovchanchin was punching from the bottom. Coleman started body punching. For several minutes, Coleman held Vovchanchin in that position. Finally Coleman tried a shoulderlock and an armbar. Vovchanchin's arm was discolored from the pressure but he didn't tap. We're told Coleman's technique on the move wasn't good, but since he has unreal power, he was still able to do a lot of damage. Coleman continued to dominate from the top until the end of the round. In the second round, Coleman took Vovchanchin down again and threw more punches. Coleman gave up his mount for a side mount, and started throwing knee after knee to Vovchanchin's head until Vovchanchin finally tapped out. It was only the second time in more than three dozen MMA fights that Vovchanchin had lost (the first being early in his career via submission to Ilioukhine Mikhail). Coleman was then presented with Pride's first world heavyweight title belt by DSE President Naohito Morishita.
Most people had Coleman as one of three favorites going in, with Vovchanchin and Kerr. Coleman started in UFC and dominated through his wrestling skill and power, before his career hit the skids after Maurice Smith beat him via decision to win the UFC belt when he gassed out in one of the most famous UFC matches of all-time. Coleman was then knocked out by Pete Williams after again gassing out, and lost a very controversial decision in a close match to Pedro Rizzo when he again tired late in the fight and also lost a worked match via tap out to Takada. He was able to change his training, something many were skeptical of his ability to do, and physically dominated Vovchanchin in a long fight. Coleman is living proof of the axiom that because so many tactics are legal in MMA, that it is impossible to fully predict what will happen.
The finish where Rock went over Hunter Hearst Helmsley for the WWF title that was generally expected at Wrestlemania, took place four weeks later at the Backlash PPV on 4/30 at the MCI Center in Washington, DC, where Steve Austin made his return.
The card, probably the strongest American PPV show this year (due to the Villano III vs. Atlantis main event, the 3/17 EMLL PPV show easily beats it out for best PPV), was notable for a lack of creativity, which actually made it a stronger show. The show was the most wrestling oriented WWF PPV show in years. The match quality was strong enough to more than make up for a lack of swerves, and as the main event pop showed, sometimes the most obvious finish is the best finish for that very reason. The return of Austin, which was show was built around, was both good and bad. It was good in that it was handled well based on Austin's physical limitations. The bad was it did show to those looking closely his physical limitations. He came in, hit everyone with chairs, and left. But it was also clear he almost more liked a shorter Harris twin than Stone Cold Steve Austin, which is the reality of what recovering from very serious surgery is, couldn't move well and couldn't even deliver a stone cold stunner in the ring. This was scheduled to be a one-time thing to help pop a buy rate and, after being at least partially responsible for the third highest Raw rating (for a show he didn't even appear on) and second highest Smackdown rating (for a show he did) in history, it did. The decision was made not to have Austin out there for the entire match because there was no point in him standing around taking focus away from the match and putting focus on him doing nothing, so a storyline was created where they acted as if he wasn't going to appear, only to, predictably, have in show up at the climax of the main event.
The other angles were equally predictable. Buh Buh Ray Dudley putting Trish Stratus through a table had been built toward for weeks. For better or worse as far as what it says about the wrestling audience, the crowd had little actual interest in the Dudleys vs. T&A match, which went too long for that reason. Fans were chanting for the table and had no interest in anything except the expected spot, but the spot was over, built up well, and delivered.
It was the wrestling that carried the show, in particular, the first two matches (Edge & Christian vs. X-Pac & Road Dogg; Scotty 2 Hotty vs. Dean Malenko) and the final two (HHH vs. Rock and Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit). But there was nothing that could be categorized as really bad, and even in the dead matches, they were fast paced high intensity matches that told a story. Ref bumps only happened in the final two matches, in the main event because the nature of what their story was with Shane McMahon and Earl Hebner necessitated one, and in Jericho vs. Benoit because they didn't want to beat either guy so they took the shortcut out, which was well executed, but took what had been an outstanding match down a peg. Reports live were that the show had tremendous heat, but that didn't come across well on television and from watching the reaction didn't seem to be the case. It more appeared that the characters ring entrances got great responses and people popped for the trademark maneuvers, but the audience was hard, as the wrestlers had to work very hard to get crowd reactions from matches. The major negative on the show, and what was uncharacteristic, was the camera work. There were more key missed spots on this show than on most WCW PPVs. The cameras were out of position for most of the dives. They were focusing on Trish Stratus' cleavage during near falls. They actually live largely missed the Benoit-Jericho finish, which was only evident on the replay. In most cases, for the real big spots, the replays did catch up.
The show drew a sellout crowd of 17,867 (announced as 19,101, please don't ask me why), which was a paid of 16,614 for $540,820 and another $170,693 in merchandise.
The show aired on a 50-minute tape delay on Ch. 4 in the United Kingdom. There were two major edits. They edited out the blood on X-Pac's face and also freeze framed, both live and on the replays, so the fans couldn't see Stratus go through the tables.
1. Edge (Adam Copeland) & Christian (Jay Reso) retained the WWF tag titles beating X-Pac (Sean Waltman) & Road Dogg (Brian James) in 9:23. Strong opener. Dogg kicked Christian in the back really hard. There was a big pop for a near fall after Edge did a diving head-butt on Dogg. Christian delivered a double reverse DDT before making the hot tag to Edge. They did so much at the finish, maybe too much, that it was hard to keep up with, but the near falls were great, especially when Edge schoolboyed X-Pac. Finish saw X-Pac have Edge pinned, but Christian hit him with the ring bell. The bolt on the bell cut X-Pac open hardway and he needed a few stitches. Edge ended up getting the pin, which got a huge pop. Although it wasn't noticeable, X-Pac in particular got tired early due to asthma, and called for the finish several minutes before hand which may have explained the finish happening so quickly. ***
2. Dean Malenko (Dean Simon) pinned Scotty 2 Hotty (Scott Taylor) to retain the WWF lightheavyweight title in 12:59. Fast-paced excellent match and Malenko was the unnoticed in-ring star of the show. Malenko mainly worked the leg, then they built the finish where they traded near falls. Scotty did a bulldog and the worm. Malenko went for a pin using the ropes, teasing the Smackdown finish, but ref Jack Doan caught him this time. Malenko did a form of a Tiger driver for a near fall and later a powerslam. Malenko snapped Scotty's neck on the top rope when Scotty tried to throw him over the top. Finish was innovative, with Scotty going for a top rope superplex and Malenko reversing it into a dangerous looking DDT off the top. The last few minutes really picked up the heat and intensity. ****
3. Big Bossman (Ray Traylor) & Bull Buchanan (Barry Buchanan) beat Acolytes (John Leyfield & Ron Simmons) in 7:41. This was a stiff, fast-paced match, particularly considering these were all big men, but couldn't follow the previous two matches. Buchanan did some nice athletic moves. Faarooq worked better than usual as everyone was getting up and down. In the overused move of the night, Buchanan superplexed Bradshaw with a near fall. Bradshaw did his clothesline for a near fall on Buchanan but Bossman saved. Finally Bossman hit Buchanan with the night stick and Bull did what basically was a famouser off the top rope on Bradshaw for the pin. *3/4
4. Crash Holly (Erin O'Grady) scored the first pin to retain the hardcore title in a match with Matt & Jeff Hardy, Perry Saturn (Perry Satullo), Bob Holly (Robert Howard) and Tazz (Peter Senerca) in 12:20. Everyone worked hard and stiff but it was almost like the Battle Royal in that it was too many guys brawling at the same time making it hard to watch. Jim Ross at least twice mentioned Tazz as a former ECW champion. There was a stage fixture symbolic of the moving hook in the backlash promos that Crash and Matt Hardy climbed. Crash ended up falling first, first time hooking his ankle and hanging backwards (a spot Pat Patterson popularized in the 70s in cage matches) before falling. Matt ended up delivering a plancha from about 12-13 feet up from an unstable structure (part of which broke at about the same moment) which the cameras missed the first time. Jeff did a huracanrana off the structure and looked like he hit his head going under. The crowd died when all six wound up back in the ring after seeing the stunts. Tazz did a shotgun lariat on Crash. Bob hit Crash with a street sign. Really the story was that everyone was beating up on Crash. They brought in the typical hardcore weapons like cookie sheets and road signs. The match dragged, however. Everyone kept breaking up the pins. There was a big pop when a ladder was brought up which the Hardys used as a weapon. Jeff did a swanton off the top of the ladder (which Matt was holding steady or Jeff for sure would have broken his neck) but Matt & Jeff fought each other over the pin. Tazz got the Tazzmission on Crash but Saturn hit him with a road sign. Matt & Jeff did planchas on Bob and Saturn leaving Crash to pin Tazz in the ring. *3/4
5. Big Show (Paul Wight) pinned Kurt Angle in 2:37. Show got a huge reaction coming out to Hulk Hogan's music and parodying Hogan's mannerisms and interview. The crowd popped huge for it as parody. Vince McMahon specifically told the announcers not to mock Hogan as the feeling was doing so would be seen as coming down to the level of the competition. If there was a mock, it was Jim Ross noting when the crowd chanted "Hogan" that it's been a long time since so many fans in one building have chanted for Hogan and he wasn't even there, and when Angle kicked out of the legdrop. After Angle kicked out, Show got serious, mean and choke slammed him for the pin. It was entertaining for what it was, but anyone on the roster could have been used in Angle's spot since the match was meant as a comedy squash, as opposed to someone whose star is on the rise.
6. Test (Andrew Martin) & Albert (Matthew Bloom) beat The Dudleys (Mark Lomonica & Devon Hughes) in 11:04. The entire match was a build for the table spot. Stratus did an interview before the match that had Buh Buh mesmerized, if that's the right term. She has to be a great athlete for her ability to run in those heels. Fans weren't into the match at all. T&A got the face reaction coming out, largely for Stratus' artificially enhanced physique, but Dudleys were the faces in the match since the crowd was into the table spot. There were some missed spots early on. Fans were chanting for tables, even as the guys were doing near falls. Ross seemed almost unhappy with the crowd reaction, pointing out the tables chant in the middle of the match was akin to chanting for a car wreck during a race. Finish saw D-Von pull Buh Buh out of the way of Test's elbow off the top finisher. They set up 3-D, but Stratus got on the apron and took off her jacket and started wiggling her T&A, and Buh Buh lost interest in the match. He turned around and Test hit him with a high kick for the pin. After the match, the Dudleys did 3-D on Albert and D-Von was occupied with Test. Buh Buh went after Stratus, but she again kissed him. He shook off the magic powers of the kiss and instead power bombed her off the top rope through the table. She did the stretcher job. She apparently has asked for Buh Buh to not protect her as obviously as he's done for the other women so she'd take more of the bump, which he was a little reluctant to do, but agreed to it, as I guess she wanted to get over as someone who can do her own stunts. **
7. Eddy Guerrero retained the European title beating Essa Rios (Jose Seldano) in 8:43. I guess the entire GED and prom gimmick was only for an excuse to rip Chyna's dress off since they've never shown her in her underwear before. Guerrero and Chyna came in driving a '57 Chevy, to make sure everyone recognizes this as the single most stereotype racial character in the industry. He "arrived late" so they went to the ring in prom clothes. Guerrero actually wrestled in dress shoes and dress pants, but was wearing white sox. Rios seemed nervous and missed some moves early, at one time slipping off the ropes. The cameras were out of position when Rios missed a pescado. Guerrero took a real bad bump on the back of his head from a Lucha high spot. The cameras missed Guerrero's plancha. They were batting about .800 by this point on missing flying spots. Chyna shoved Lita off the top rope and she fell just shy of the Spanish announcers table (which she wasn't allowed to break since it was off limits for the main event). Rios did an Asai moonsault and crashed on, but didn't break the English table. Rios did a missile dropkick to the back in the ring. Rios did another great running dive over the top near the corner and hurt his elbow on the landing. Rios was on the top rope but Chyna grabbed his leg, causing him to crotch himself. Guerrero delivered a superplex off the top. Guerrero went up but Rios did an armdrag off the top. Rios did a high moonsault but Guerrero got his knees up, then scored the pin with a whirly bird into a neckbreaker. After the match, Rios dropkicked Guerrero into Chyna and as she was stunned, Lita tore her dress off. **3/4
8. Chris Benoit retained the IC title beating Chris Jericho (Chris Irvine) via DQ in 15:08. This was an excellent match until a lackluster finish. The crowd heat wasn't there until the latter stages. Benoit did a rolling german suplex early, then backdropped Jericho out of the ring and missed a tope. The cameras were perfect for this one. Benoit dropkicked the steps into Jericho's stomach which he sold later in the match. Jericho later hit the quebrada but started selling his stomach instead of going for the pin. They threw wicked chops back-and-forth. Benoit swatted away Jericho's springboard dropkick (cameras totally missed that one). Jericho delivered a double power bomb. Benoit finally got the crossface. Fans were really into the move and it was a great rope break spot. Benoit tried for it again in the middle but Jericho fought his way free. Jericho put on the walls for another great rope break spot. Ref Tim White got bumped and Benoit hit Jericho with the title belt but Jericho kicked out of the fall when White recovered. Benoit gave Jericho a snap suplex on the belt and went for the diving head-butt, but Jericho grabbed the belt and put it in Benoit's path, and Benoit's nose smashes open (but apparently wasn't broken but was bleeding badly) on contact. White called for the DQ on Jericho. Jericho put White in the walls after the match until the other refs broke it up. Ross at first said the DQ was a bad call because the cameras totally missed the finish, but then after the replay showed the finish perfectly, he said it was a good call. ***3/4
9. Rock (Dwayne Johnson) won the WWF title from Hunter Hearst Helmsley (Paul Levesque) in 19:24 in a match with Shane McMahon as ref and Vince and Stephanie McMahon in HHH's corner. McMahon announced about card subject to change saying Austin wouldn't be there. Throughout the show they pushed the odds being against him with Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco aligning themselves back with Vince and that Austin mysteriously hadn't arrived, of course, guaranteeing he would. Ross also brought up internet rumors about Austin turning on Rock (which guaranteed he wouldn't) and didn't bring up internet rumors that had the finish down pat perfectly (and by not changing the finish to a worse finish because the real finish was out, it showed again why surprises in this industry are at times highly overrated and the most logical end to a story is more often than not the best one because it's the most logical). Vince kept interfering. HHH & Shane hugged early to everyone knew it was a biased ref deal. It was mostly a punch, kick fast-paced match. Fans were chanting for Austin numerous times during the match. After a long chinlock spot, they were both knocked down with a simultaneous clothesline spot. Vince hit Rock with the title belt and Shane went to count fast but Rock kicked out. HHH took a Harley Race bump over the top to the floor. Rock DDT'd him but Shane wouldn't count. Rock punched Shane who took a bump to the floor. HHH whipped Rock into the steps. He set up a pedigree on the spanish announcers table, but Rock stopped him with a low blow and as Shane got up to hold on, Rock delivered a rock bottom to both of them through the spanish table. Vince started pounding on Rock, who no sold and glared at him. But this distraction allowed HHH to hit a low blow and pedigree, but no ref. Vince called to the back and Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco (moving at three times the speed of either Hulk Hogan or Kevin Nash the next night in Nitro) ran in with ref shirts on. Jim Ross said that Patterson must have gotten back from the parade (there was a high profile Gay Rights parade in Washington, DC that afternoon). Patterson & Brisco attacked Rock. Patterson still has the best punches from the mount of any pro wrestler alive or dead. When HHH got the mount and started pounding, they weren't even in Patterson's league. Stephanie gave Vince a chair. Vince gave Rock a weak chair shot that Rock had to sell. If it was anyone else in any other match the crowd would have groaned. They wanted to, but quickly realized this was Vince and rock so they let is slide. Austin's music played immediately so that may have helped. Austin hit HHH, Patterson, Brisco, Shane, Vince and HHH again with hard chair shots. He got down on his knees to bad mouth Vince on the ground, and then had a very difficult time getting up. Luckily it was momentarily and very few saw it because he was looking far too mortal for Stone Cold Steve Austin at that point. Austin walked off, while Linda McMahon came out with Earl Hebner. Stephanie tried to block and ring but Linda shoved her down. Rock used the spinebuster and people's elbow on HHH and Hebner counted the fall. After the match, Rock was celebrating when he was interrupted by Austin's music. They teased the idea that they would fight, but instead they toasted each other and the belt, but sort of teased they could do something later. Austin left and Rock's music played as the show went off the air. ***3/4
Coming at the same time as his brother suffered the family's most crushing defeat since their father suffered a broken arm in a match when he was past 40 years old in a legendary three hour match in the 1950s, what is expected to be Rickson Gracie's toughest modern test on 5/26 at the Tokyo Dome is in jeopardy.
There are problems going down regarding the 5/26 Tokyo Dome match and with former pro wrestler and now Pancrase biggest draw Masakatsu Funaki. Masami Ozaki, the President of Pancrase, has threatened to pull all the Pancrase fighters, which would include Funaki, off the show, which would kill the show, because the Coliseum rules committee wouldn't allow head-butts or elbows to be used in the main event since Gracie nixed them. There is amazing irony in all this. Years ago, the Pancrase fighters, when Pancrase was doing very well in Japan and MMA style was just beginning to take hold, used to talk about UFC in derogatory terms as being brutal fighting because of the lack of rules and the fact a lot of people who shouldn't have been involved have been used, and theirs as being sport fighting with well trained athletes. The Gracies used to protest every rule change claiming it was taking the Vale Tudo out of the game. Now, a few years later, when the biggest myth of the pre-UFC era, Rickson Gracie, now 40, meets the original star of Pancrase, Funaki, 31, but having fought far tougher opponents during his career, with both long past their fighting primes, it is Funaki's side that wants everything legal and Gracie's side that wants head-butts and elbows taken out. This is also scheduled as a no time limit match and the referee, doctor and even his own seconds can't stop the match for Gracie (they can for Funaki), so even the clean finish of Royce losing wouldn't happen in this match because Gracie has in his contract that the corner can't throw in the towel, all rules demanded by Rickson, which he claimed was stemming from the referee stoppage of brother Royler's match with Kazushi Sakuraba last November. They were lucky with the last match because any form of fight where the referee and doctor, let alone your own corner, don't have the power to stop it is ridiculous in any day and age.
On 5/2, Ozaki met with TV Tokyo, which is broadcasting the show live, and the Coliseum 2000 (which is running its first show ever) rules committee demanding head-butts and elbows be legal. The station said because it was airing live, there was a violence concern because many young children would be watching the match, which is expected to draw a monster television rating. Ozaki countered by saying pro wrestling, which kids also watch, features elbows and head-butts as routine moves.
The ban of the two moves came at the demands of Gracie, who if he pulls out, would mean the show couldn't take place and the feeling is everyone involved felt forced to agree with his terms.
There is general feeling that despite the demand, that Pancrase and Funaki can't pull out of the show. From a monetary standpoint, this will be the company's highest profile event and biggest income event of the year. In addition, the belief is that with a signed contract with TV Tokyo, that the station, if Pancrase pulls out and the show would have to be canceled, would sue the promotion.
Funaki suffered a large cut above his right eye in training on 4/26, needing seven stitches. He said it would be no problem as it pertains to the 5/26 date of the fight. Rickson Gracie began training on 5/3 in Japan at Hakuba Village in the mountains of the Suwa prefecture. That Funaki injury story may also be a case where you have to read between the lines.
The California State Athletic Commission officially voted to legalize and regulate mixed martial arts as a sport unanimously at its 4/28 meeting.
This should lead to a wide variety of shows taking place in California, which is home to many of the country's highest profile fighters, and is expected to turn the state into the mecca of the sport which major shows expected in most of the big cities and major arenas starting in the fall. The decision is a reversal of what appeared to happen last month when commissioner Al Ducheny proposed legislation banning chokes, which would have applied to all sports. Ducheny reversed his stance, citing meetings with Jeff Blatnick's Mixed Martial Arts Council as well as the California State commission's own medical advisory board. There was even a commission member who at first voted with Ducheny to ban chokes from all sports that apologized for not doing their homework. Another factor in the reversal is that the United States Judo Federation sent the commission a letter regarding with dangers of chokes, and noted with both Los Angeles and San Francisco bidding to host the 2012 Olympic Games and with judo as an Olympic sport, this law would cause a major conflict that would hurt both cities chances.
William Rosenberg, the executive director of the judo federation wrote, "to alter the rules of an Olympic sport, without an exhaustive research effort, relative t the specific topic at hand is an irresponsible act."
Because of a 90-day delay due to various procedures, it is expected the first shows will take place late in the summer and it is expected for UFC to try and bring a PPV to California this year, which would be the highest profile state in the nation they've staged such an event in since one of the early UFC shows took place in Buffalo, NY.
It is expected numerous promotions will begin running MMA shows, and Frank Shamrock is in the midst of putting together a new submission wrestling sport and guidelines to encourage a fast-paced spectator friendly sport.
On 5/1, with the largest combined audience watching pro wrestling in more than three months, Raw drew its second highest rating in history while Nitro drew its lowest rating since the early stages of the show.
Paced by a cage match with Rock vs. Shane McMahon becoming the second most watched pro wrestling match ever on cable television with the over-run being viewed by approximately 10,576,500 viewers, Raw finished with a 7.40 rating (6.62 first hour; 8.11 second hour) and an 11.1 share. Nitro finished slightly below its low mark of the past four plus years set just two weeks earlier with a 2.46 rating (2.62 first hour; 2.31 second hour) and a 3.6 share. Nitro served as a lead-in for a repeat of the movie "Assault on Devils Island" starring Hulk Hogan, which only drew an 0.96 rating. Overall the combined wrestling audience during the combined hours of 10.4 million was actually slightly lower than the audience watching the over-run of Raw by itself.
What does that mean? The low Nitro first hour showed that the Thunder show killed virtually all casual fan interest in the product, but the die-hards stayed, as evidenced by very few first hour viewers switching to Raw when the show started (an amazingly tiny total of 201,000 homes nationally). About 45% of that die-hard Nitro audience switched to Raw when Nitro went off the air, and by the time the main event ended, more new viewers had tuned to Raw than the total number of viewers watching Nitro.
Rock vs. Shane McMahon drew an 8.23 final quarter which drew to a 9.10 rating and 16.2 share for the over-run. The 8.11 second hour was the second highest in history, trailing only the second hour on May 10, 1999, which did an 8.42. Nitro's Hogan vs. Awesome main event drew a 2.56 rating.
In the head-to-head quarters, Raw opened at 5.67 (Dudleys vs. T&A, beginning of opening heel interview) while Nitro was at 2.49 (DDP vs. Abbott; Nash angle with Konnan, Misterio Jr. and Kidman). Raw grew to 7.05 (McMahons & HHH & DX interview) to 1.94 (Luger-Russo confrontation). The other two quarters saw Raw at 6.64 (Too Cool vs. Hardys, McMahon yelling at Hebner) to 2.45 (Abbott vs. Arquette) and 6.76 (Kat & Jacqueline vs. Terri & Kat; Jericho vs. X-Pac) to 2.56 (Hogan vs. Awesome).
The 7.15 rating for Raw on 4/24 was at the time the fifth highest cable rating for pro wrestling in history. The four highest TV ratings for pro wrestling, in order were the February 18, 1985 "War to Settle the Score" Hulk Hogan vs. Roddy Piper match which drew a 9.1 on MTV; the July 23, 1984 MTV "Brawl to End it All" on MTV with Wendi Richter managed by Cyndi Lauper vs. Fabulous Moolah, which did a 9.0; the January 24, 1988 Royal Rumble as a live USA Network special, which did an 8.2, and the May 10, 1999 episode of Raw, which did an 8.09.
The 4/24 and 5/1 ratings were actually more impressive as there were far fewer television stations in the 80s, thus equivalent shows that drew 9.0 ratings then are doing 5.5s today. The past two weeks were the only shows of the top six where one hour of it was going head-to-head with another major wrestling show on free television. The first Rumble was going head-to-head with an NWA PPV event.
The Benoit & HHH vs. Rock & Jericho match, with the over-run being seen by 9,984,000 viewers, is now the fourth most viewed watched match in the history of pro wrestling on cable television. The record was 10,721,000 for the Undertaker vs. Austin match on June 28, 1999. In third place now with 10,452,000 viewers was the over-run on May 10, 1999 of Rock & Austin & Vince vs. Undertaker & HHH & Shane.
Smackdown on 4/27 did a 5.40 rating and an 8.5 share, barely finishing below its 5.43 record which was set going against the President's State of the Union address which meant the networks were all running the same programming. This rating, spurred largely by the return of Austin, which was pushed from the beginning of the show, was against first-run programming on NBC. The final quarter with the Austin angle drew a 6.59 (equivalent to a 7.75 cable rating because UPN only airs in 85% of the country but is compared in the ratings on 100%), which is by far, the highest quarter in the history of Smackdown.
Thunder on 4/26 did a 2.72 rating for the show where Arquette won the WCW title. The number was higher than Thunder had been drawing over the past six months, but down from the previous episode two weeks earlier. The Arquette deal wasn't a success even if the show drew a higher rating than usual since the main event drew a 2.25, which was the lowest rating of any segment on the show and lost 25% of its audience largely after the Paisley vs. Tammy match on a show which went unopposed. The show hovered at the 3.0 level (even for Paisley vs. Tammy, peaking at 3.01 for the Russo/Douglas/Bagwell vs. Flair/Luger/Elizabeth interview) which showed they have increased curiosity in the product overall but they gave people a main event they specifically didn't want to see, before a big drop after that match to a 2.63 for Booker T vs. Awesome and the Hart interview and a further drop for the latest title switch.
Weekend ratings saw Livewire at 1.5 (2nd highest rated show on USA network all day), Superstars at 1.8 (3rd highest) and Sunday Night Heat at 2.59 (highest). WCW Saturday Night was back hovering at record low levels with another 1.3 (4th highest of the day on TBS).
On 4/28, ECW held up well with the show that figured to include both title changes from Philadelphia (actually only the Credible win over Dreamer aired, as they only aired a clip of Tazz' post match interview and didn't even air the finish of Dreamer's win) going head-to-head with the WWF's Greatest Hits special on UPN which delivered a disappointing number. WWF did a 2.02 rating and 4.0 share for a special that was well promoted. ECW did an 0.88 rating, down from usual but not bad considering it was head up with and a 1.7 share. The show started strong but didn't have its usual build, as the Credible title win only got the rating up to 0.91. RollerJam dropped all the way to an 0.57.
The AAA/EMLL block on Galavision on 4/25 drew a 1.3 Hispanic rating, and a 3.2 among its target Male 18-34 audience.
OBSERVER POLL RESULTS
Traditional Observer PPV poll results based on phone calls, fax messages and e-mails to the Observer as of Tuesday, 5/2.
WWF BACKLASH: Thumbs up 182 (94.8%), Thumbs down 2 (1.0%), In the middle 8 (4.2%). BEST MATCH: Dean Malenko vs. Scotty 2 Hotty 75, Chris Jericho vs. Chris Benoit 72, Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Rock 15, Eddy Guerrero vs. Essa Rios 12. WORST MATCH: Acolytes vs. Bossman & Buchanan 71, Big Show vs. Kurt Angle 67, Test & Albert vs. Dudleys 19
EYADA POLL RESULTS
Results of the daily poll on the eyada.com web site. New questions will be up every day at approximately 3 p.m. Eastern rime with the results being announced at the start of the Wrestling Observer Live internet audio show the following day as well as listed each week here.
For Monday night (4/24), did you think?: a) Raw was better 60.6%; b) Nitro was better 21.9%; c) Didn't watch Raw 2.4%; d) Didn't watch Nitro 9.1%; e) Didn't watch Raw or Nitro 6.0%
Will Eric Bischoff or Vince Russo hold the WCW heavyweight title belt before the end of this year? a) Yes 58.9%; b) No, they'll want to but they'll be fired first 17.1%; c) No, they'll want to put Goldberg will refuse to do the job 5.9%; d) No, because it will hurt the credibility of the title 18.1%
What did you think about Backlash? a) Thumbs up 65.3%; b) Thumbs down 2.9%; c) Thumbs in the middle 8.3%; d) Didn't see the show 23.5%
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RESULTS
4/22 Lawrence, NY (USA Pro Wrestling - 400 sellout): Mr. Puerto Rico won three-way over Filthy Creep and Prince Nana, Filthy Creep b Biggie Brooklyn, Julio Fantastico b Xavier, Cousin Luke & Thunderbolt b Metal Maniac & Nick Maddox, Duke Snider b Bullet, Demolition Ax & Jimmy Snuka Jr. b New Rockers, Natural Born Killers b Boogie Knights, Masked Maniac b Ken Sweeney, Manny Fernandez DDQ Kid USA, Big Dick Dudley b Equalizer, Jimmy Snuka b King Kong Bundy
4/23 Monterrey (EMLL): Silver Star & Astro Rey Jr. & Salsero & Mosco de la Merced b Rencor Latino & Violencia & Jungla Negra Jr. & Diluvio Negro II, Negro Casas & Felino & Antifaz & Tarzan Boy b Pimpinela Escarlata & Scorpio Jr. & Zumbido & Damian, Super Parka b Pierroth Jr.
4/23 Monterrey (AAA): Norteno & Astro Negro & Pancho Tequila b Chicano & Century 2000 & Chy Escobedo, Rocky Marvin & Mini Abismo Negro b Octagoncito & La Parkita, Maniaco b Picudo, Oriental & La Parka Jr. & El Alebrije b Sergio Romo Jr. & Pentagon & Jerry Estrada
4/24 Tokyo Korakuen Hall (Big Japan): Daisuke Sekimoto b Ryuji Ito, Hiromi Yagi b Chihiro Nakano, Terry Bull & Harley Lewis & Tower of Doom b Mustafa & Daikokubo Benkei & Abdullah Jr. Kobayashi, Masayoshi Motegi & Crazy Sheik (Julio Estrada) & Abdullah the Butcher b Mens Teioh & Jun Kasai & Kamikaze, Mike Samples b Tomoaki Honma, Wife Beater & John Danzig b Winger & Shadow WX, WEW hardcore title: Ryuji Yamakawa b Kintaro Kanemura
4/25 Charlotte (WWF Smackdown/Heat tapings - 15,340 sellout): Joey Abs b Ricky McDaniel, Dupps b Scott Vick & K.Krush, D-Lo Brown b Al Snow-DQ, Rikishi Phatu b Viscera, Steve Blackman b Val Venis, Godfather & Taka Michinoku & Sho Funaki b Headbangers & Stevie Richards, Essa Rios & Val Venis b Eddy Guerrero & Chyna, Lt hwt title: Dean Malenko b Scotty 2 Hotty to win title, Test & Albert b Hollys, Chris Jericho & Tazz b Perry Saturn & Chris Benoit, Christian b Road Dogg-DQ, Rikishi & Big Show b Kurt Angle & Big Bossman & Bull Buchanan, Hardcore title: Crash Holly regained belt over Matt Hardy in melee, Godfather b Al Snow-DQ
4/25 Syracuse, NY (WCW Thunder - 3,405/1,269 paid): Ernest Miller b Bam Bam Bigelow, Chris Kanyon b Sean Stasiak, Billy Kidman b Horace Hogan, Tables match: Sting b Wall, Paisley b Tammy Sytch, Mike Awesome b Booker T, WCW title: David Arquette & Diamond Dallas Page b Jeff Jarrett & Eric Bischoff (Arquette pins Bischoff to win title)
4/26 Glens Falls, NY (WCW - 2,566): Three Count b Jung Dragons, Mike Awesome b Bam Bam Bigelow, Cruiserweight title: Chris Candido b Artist, Tank Abbott b Meng, Big Vito & Johnny the Bull won four-way over Harlem Heat 2000, Ron & Don Harris and Bryan Clark & Brian Adams, Tables match: Jim Duggan b Wall, Diamond Dallas Page b Jeff Jarrett
4/26 Tokuyama (New Japan - 2,700 sellout): Hiroshi Tanahashi b Wataru Inoue, Black Cat & Tadao Yasuda b Rick Cornell & Chuck Palumbo, Junji Hirata b Dan Devine, Kendo Ka Shin & El Samurai & Jushin Liger b Shinya Makabe & Minoru Tanaka & Koji Kanemoto, AKIRA & Hiro Saito b Shinjiro Otani & Shiro Koshinaka, Kenzo Suzuki & Yutaka Yoshie & Takashi Iizuka b Michiyoshi Ohara & Tatsutoshi Goto & Super J, Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi & Kensuke Sasaki b Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Masahiro Chono
4/26 Hirosaki (Big Japan): Yoshiko Tamura & Kiyoko Ichiki b Chihiro Nakano & Misae Genki, Mustafa b Daisuke Sekimoto, Crazy Sheik b Winger, Wife Beater & John Danzig b Jun Kasai & Tomoaki Honma, Masayoshi Motegi & Abdullah the Butcher b Abdullah Jr. Kobayashi & Daikokubo Benkei, Kamikaze & Mens Teioh & "Shadow WX & Terry Bull & Tower of Doom & Mike Samples
4/26 Robinsonville, TN (Memphis Championship Wrestling TV taping): Bull Pain & Todd Morton b Rodney & Pete Gas, Reckless Youth b Fabulous rocker, Steve Regal b Hammer, Blue Meanie b Jim Neidhart, Joey Abs NC Curtis Hughes
4/27 Kagoshima (New Japan - 2,800): Wataru Inoue b Katsuyori Shibata, El Samurai b Shinya Makabe, Tadao Yasuda & Dan Devine b Kenzo Suzuki & Black Cat, Shinjiro Otani & Koji Kanemoto b Kendo Ka Shin & Minoru Tanaka, Michiyoshi Ohara & Satoshi Kojima & Super J b Junji Hirata & Shiro Koshinaka & Chuck Palumbo, Hiro Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto b Jushin Liger & Takashi Iizuka, AKIRA & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Masahiro Chono b Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi & Yutaka Yoshie
4/27 Utica, NY (ECW - 1,350): Steve Corino b Chilly Willy, Kid Kash b Johnny Swinger, Tommy Dreamer b Simon Diamond, Danny Doring & Roadkill b Little Guido & Sal E. Graziano, ECW title: Justin Credible b Jerry Lynn, Nova & Chris Chetti b C.W. Anderson & Bill Whiles, TV title: Rhino b Yoshihiro Tajiri
4/27 Cuernavaca (EMLL): Ave de Fuego & Sakura b Danny Beltran & Kid Relampago, Black Thunder & Baron Sinistro III b Amurabi & Relampago Negro, Las Bestias Negras I & II & III b Brazo de Platino & Brazo de Oro & Brazo de Oro Jr., Perro Aguayo & Emilio Charles Jr. b Dr. Wagner Jr. & Pierroth Jr.
4/27 Cookeville, TN (NWA World Wide fair show - 200): Colorado Kid b Big Bully Douglas, Air Paris b Elix Skipper, Sean O'Hare b G.Q., Kid Romeo & Mike Sanders b Alan Funk & Mark Jindrak, Shasta McNadsty NC Ron Harris
4/28 Ponce, Puerto Rico (IWA - 7,800): Essa Rios & Lita b Shan Hall & Andres Borges, Jesus Cristobol (not Tarzan Boy) b Fidel Sierra, Pain b Giant Silva, Nuevo Gran Apolo b Andy Anderson, Shane b Ricky Santana, IWA tag titles: Chicky Starr & Victor the Bodyguard b Miguel Perez & Huracan Castillo Jr. to win titles, Submission rules: Ricky Banderas b Steve Bradley, Tiger Ali Singh b Val Venis, Rock & Kane b Dudleys
4/28 Misaki (New Japan - 2,700): Katsuyori Shibata b Hiroshi Tanahashi, Minoru Tanaka b Shinya Makabe, Shinjiro Otani & Koji Kanemoto b Kendo Ka Shin & El Samurai, Kensuke Sasaki & Shiro Koshinaka b Dan Devine & Rick Cornell, Chuck Palumbo & Tadao Yasuda b Hiro Saito & Super J, Jushin Liger & Junji Hirata b AKIRA & Satoshi Kojima, Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi & Takashi Iizuka b Tatsutoshi Goto & Michiyoshi Ohara & Masahiro Chono
4/28 Schenectady, NY (ECW - 1,500): H.C. Loc b Mad Dog Mike, Chilly Willy b Simon Diamond, Tommy Dreamer b Johnny Swinger, Little Guido b Kid Kash, Danny Doring & Roadkill b C.W. Anderson & Bill Whiles, Nova & Chetti b Baldies, ECW title: Justin Credible b Jerry Lynn, Sandman & Yoshihiro Tajiri b Rhino & Steve Corino
4/28 Ventura, CA (XPW): Tool b Dynamite D, West Side Ngz b Kid Kaos & Steve Rizzono, Pogo b Jimmy, Damian Steele b Carlito Montana, Messiah b Johnny Webb, Public Enemy b Axl Rotten & Supreme, Sabu b John Kronus
4/29 Poughkeepsie, NY (ECW TNN tapings - 2,500 sellout): Little Guido b Johnny Swinger, Tommy Dreamer b Simon Diamond, Lance Storm b Kid Kash, Nova & Chris Chetti b C.W. Anderson & Bill Whiles, Danny Doring & Roadkill b Baldies, ECW title: Justin Credible b Mikey Whipwreck, Jerry Lynn b Scotty Anton, Yoshihiro Tajiri & Sandman b Rhino & Steve Corino
4/29 Hershey, PA (WWF - 8,620 sellout): Bob Holly b Al Snow, Bull Buchanan b Bradshaw, Hardcore title: Crash Holly b Steve Blackman, European title: Eddy Guerrero b Tazz, Kane b Big Bossman, IC title: Chris Benoit b Chris Jericho-DQ, Arm-wrestling: Terri b Kat, Lt hwt title: Dean Malenko b Scotty 2 Hotty, Big Show b Kurt Angle, Four-way for tag titles: Edge & Christian won over Test & Albert, Hardys and Dudleys
4/29 Nagasaki (New Japan - 2,500): Hiroshi Tanahashi b Wataru Inoue, Shinya Makabe b Katsuyoshi Shibata, Kenzo Suzuki & Junji Hirata b Chuck Palumbo & Rick Cornell, Minoru Tanaka & Shinjiro Otani & Koji Kanemoto b Kendo Ka Shin & El Samurai & Jushin Liger, Dan Devine & Shiro Koshinaka b Super J & Michiyoshi Ohara, Tadao Yasuda & Takashi Iizuka b Hiro Saito & Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Yutaka Yoshie & Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi & Kensuke Sasaki b AKIRA & Tatsutoshi Goto & Satoshi Kojima & Masahiro Chono
4/29 Hamamatsu (FMW): Ricky Fuji b Flying Kid Ichihara, Kintaro Kanemura b Yoshinori Sasaki, Gedo & Jado b Willie Takayama & Hideki Hosaka, Kaori Nakayama & Chocoball Mukai & Kyoko Inoue & Kodo Fuyuki b Yuka Nakamura & Emi Motokawa & Azusa Kudo & Tetsuhiro Kuroda, Willie Williams b Koji Nakagawa, Mr. Gannosuke & H b Crazy Boy & Masato Tanaka
4/29 Manati, Puerto Rico (IWA - 625): Angel b Shan Hill, Pain DCOR Giant Silva, Andy Anderson b Nuevo Gran Apolo, Fidel Sierra b Jesus Cristobol, Ricky Banderas b Steve Bradley, Tiger Ali Singh b Shane, Chicky Starr & Victor the Bodyguard NC Miguel Perez & Huracan Castillo Jr.
4/29 Memphis (Power Pro Wrestling TV): PPW title: Wolfie D b Derrick King, Lance Jade NC Moondog Spot, Regulators & Seven b Alan Steele & Havoc & Blade Boudreaux-DQ, Rob & Boudreaux & Spot & Derrick King & Ali b Seven & Brandon Baxter & Regulators & Havoc & Aristocrat
4/29 Sapporo (Big Japan): Winger & Jun Kasai b Harley Lewis & Terry Bull, Tower of Doom b Mustafa, Abdullah the Butcher & Crazy Sheik & Masayoshi Motegi b Abdullah Jr. Kobayashi & Daikokubo Benkei & Mens Teioh, John Danzig & Wife Beater b Ryuji Yamakawa & Mike Samples, Shadow WX b Tomoaki Honma
4/29 LaGrange, GA (NWA World Wide - 230): Big Bully Douglas b A.J. Styles, Jamie-san won three-way over Yun Yang and Adam Jacobs, Rick Michaels & David Young b Ashley Hudson & Cory Williams, Paisley b Mona, Ron Harris b David Finlay, Chris Harris b Terry Taylor, NA title: Colorado Kid b Jerry Lawler
4/29 Memphis (Memphis Championship Wrestling): Ronnie Mullet b Fabulous rocker, Curtis Hughes b Bud Ghanja, Jim Neidhart b Miles Long, Masked Man #1 b Don Montoya
4/29 Bakersfield, CA (Xtreme Pro Wrestling): Tournament to crown new XPW champ: Messiah b Johnny Webb, Damien Steele b Carlito Montana, Sabu b John Kronus, Axl Rotten NC Homeless Jimmy, Sabu b Steele, Sabu b Messiah to win tournament, Tool b Dynamite D, Pogo b Jake Lawless, Public Enemy won three-way over West Side NGZ and Kid Kaos & Steve Rizzono
4/29 Niigata (Michinoku Pro - 385): Gran Apache b Tsubo Genjin, Sumo Dandy Fuji b Chad Collyer, Masaaki Mochizuki b Sasuke the Great-DQ, Great Sasuke & Gran Hamada & Jinsei Shinzaki b Tiger Mask & Minoru Fujita & Kazuyu Yuasu
4/29 Osaka (Gaea - 850): Meiko Satomura b Saiki Takeuchi, Toshiyo Yamada b Sakura Hirota, Chigusa Nagayo & Toshie Uematsu b Chikayo Nagashima & Rie, Mayumi Ozaki & Akira Hokuto & Devil Masami b Kaoru & Aja Kong & Lioness Asuka
4/30 Yokohama Bunka Gym (Pancrase - 3,500): Kosei Kubota b Massive Ichi, Takaku Fuke d Daisuke Watanabe, Hikaru Sato b Michael Sa Jin Kwok, Minoru Suzuki b Sean Daughterty, Osami Shibuya b Hiroshi Ota, Bob Stines b Jason DeLucia, Kiuma Kunioku d Shonie Carter, King of Pancrase title: Semmy Schiltt b Yoshiki Takahashi
4/30 Beppu (New Japan - 3,500): Hiroshi Tanahashi b Katsuyoshi Shibata, El Samurai & Tadao Yasuda b Chuck Palumbo & Dan Devine, Shinya Makabe b Kenzo Suzuki, Shinjiro Otani & Koji Kanemoto b Jushin Liger & Minoru Tanaka, Takashi Iizuka & Junji Hirata b Super J & Hiro Saito, AKIRA & Tatsutoshi Goto & Michiyoshi Ohara b Kendo Ka Shin & Shiro Koshinaka & Kensuke Sasaki, Yutaka Yoshie & Yuji Nagata & Manabu Nakanishi b Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Masahiro Chono
4/30 Monterrey, Mexico (AAA): Cuerno de Chivo & ? & ? b Imagenes I & II & Alfredu, La Parkita & Octagoncito & Mascarita Sagrada b Mini Abismo Negro & Rocky Marvin & Espectrito Jr., Hair vs. hair: Oscar Sevilla b Angel Mortal, Nygma & Charly Manson & Picudo & Espirtu b AAA Psicosis & Histeria & Maniaco & AAA Mosco de la Merced, Mexican national lt hwt title: Hector Garza b Sangre Chicana to win title, La Parka Jr. & El Alebrije & Panther & Haytor b Cibernetico & Electro Shock & Pentagon & Abismo Negro-DQ
4/30 Kanazawa (FMW): Flying Kid Ichihara b Crazy Boy, Emi Motokawa b Yuka Nakamura, Azusa Kudo b Kaori Nakayama, Hideki Hosaka & Yoshinori Sasaki b Ricky Fuji & Kintaro Kanemura, WEW tag titles: Koji Nakagawa & Gedo b Willie Williams & Willie Takayama, Masato Tanaka b Jado, H & Mr. Gannosuke & Tetsuhiro Kuroda b Kodo Fuyuki & Kyoko Inoue & Chocoball Mukai
4/30 Hohara (Michinoku Pro - 318): Minoru Fujita b Kazuya Yuasu, Masaaki Mochizuki b Tsubo Genjin, Jinsei Shinzaki b Chad Collyer, Great Sasuke & Gran Hamada & Tiger Mask b Sasuke the Great & Sumo Dandy Fuji & Gran Apache
4/30 Guanica, PR (IWA - 460): Nuevo Gran Apolo d Andy Anderson, Giant Silva b Pain, Angel b Shan Hall, Jesus Cristobol b Fidel Sierra-COR, Steve Bradley b Ricky Banderas-DQ, Chicky Starr & Victor the Bodyguard b Miguel Perez & Huracan Castillo Jr.-DQ, Shane b Tiger Ali Singh
5/1 Baltimore (WWF Raw is War/Metal tapings - 11,553 sellout): Scott Vick b J.R. Ryder, Dupps b Christian York & Joey Matthews, Lt hwt
ECW: According to Paul Heyman, TNN brought up the possibility of moving the show from Friday to Tuesday which he said he wasn't interested in. Heyman said that he figures it's a matter of time before they're kicked off TNN so there is no point in moving to a new night and having to rebuild an audience. He's been mad about the lack of promotion of the show in the past and said he was miffed because they had a show two weeks ago where a WWF wrestler wrestled a WCW wrestler on their show and TNN never promoted it as such and tried to get publicity for that episode of the show. On the TV this week, as they came back from a commercial, Heyman actually got on the show a line about how they're sick of the commercials but TNN needs the money because they have to raise the $100 million to pay the WWF. Heyman is going on the assumption that the court is going to rule against USA, and at that point, WWF goes to TNN
The 5/14 PPV from the Rave in Milwaukee has 2,400 tickets sold in a building set up for 3,000 to 3,300. ICP Juggalo Championshit Wrestling just sold the building out last week. The plan is to do the Anarchy Rulz PPV in September in Chicago again
The FMW/ECW relationship nearly fell apart this past week. FMW faxed ECW a letter, upset because Mike Awesome wouldn't be appearing on their shows this week as they had advertised. In the letter, they threatened legal action and ECW assumed it meant against them. That, combined with the fact FMW owes Balls Mahoney either $2,000 or $5,000 for past tours led to ECW not sending either Mahoney or New Jack to Japan as scheduled this week. FMW stated the whole thing was a misunderstanding and that they were in the letter threatening legal action against Awesome and WCW, so it was expected that Jack and Mahoney will appear on the 5/5 FMW show, but only that show, barring another problem. Where that still could fall apart is that when Jack and Mahoney didn't come, FMW in their place brought in Matty Smalls (Matthew Anoia) & Fatu (Sam Fatu), who had formerly worked there as Armageddon and they debuted on the 5/1 show in Hiroshima. There is a lot of talk that due to playing before generally small crowds, that FMW is in bad financial condition right now
There is nothing new on the Storm situation. He has committed to stay through the PPV, and has yet to make any decision. WWF and WCW have expressed at least some interest although it isn't believed that either side as of the weekend had made a serious offer. Heyman has offered him an incentive-based contract to stay and promised his a program with Credible for the title, and he started along that direction at the TV tapings in Poughkeepsie
The Poughkeepsie show on 4/29 drew a legitimate sellout of 2,500 with virtually no paper. Guido beat Johnny Swinger in a bad opener with Swinger missing a lot of spots. Dreamer beat Simon Diamond in a decent match. The TNN opening saw Credible be interviewed. Storm came out and talked about how he trained Credible in Calgary and how by throwing down the tag titles he was throwing away their friendship and they started bawling. This led to Francine, Dawn Marie and later Jazz getting into it. Raven ended up brawling with Storm leaving Credible to brawl with Dreamer. It all wound up with Kid Kash and Storm in the ring and Storm winning a singles match. Nova & Chetti beat C.W. Anderson & Bill Whiles in a match which saw the Baldies, New Jack and Chilly Willy all end up doing run-ins. Doring & Roadkill beat Tony DeVito & Angel in a match where Grimes and Mahoney also ended up running in. Credible beat Whipwreck in what was described as a *** match. Told that Credible's first two title defenses the previous two nights against Lynn were in the ***1/2 to **** range and the best ECW title matches from an old-style perspective in years. Lynn beat Scott Anton when the Network interfered and Rhino put Anton through a table. Cyrus tried to get Lynn to join the Network but he blew him off. Van Dam did a run-in after the match and another big dive. Tajiri also did a run-in and Corino told him he'd better rejoin the network because he had nobody to team with him. Tajiri then popped open a beer can and Sandman's music played. Sandman & Tajiri beat Rhino & Corino in the main event when Tajiri pinned Corino after a double foot stomp off the top through a table stacked up on top of Corino
Super Crazy had the weekend off visiting family in Mexico
Grimes returned after his honeymoon
Jason Knight didn't work any of the three shows so Credible's entourage consisted only of Francine. The third night in Poughkeepsie, ten state troopers showed up looking for him and late that evening he voluntarily turned himself in to police in Walkill, NY on a bench warrant for a DUI many years back and jumping bail. He is charged with jumping bail and has a 5/10 court date. He was released on $500 bail
In a very controversial move, Paul Heyman never aired the Dreamer vs. Tazz title change match on either the syndicated or TNN shows. Heyman claimed he was never given the proviso by the WWF that Tazz doing a job couldn't air on television, but claimed he did so because he had other things more important to show
The lawsuit involving the infamous ECW fire incident on October 28, 1995 is scheduled to go to court this week in Philadelphia. The incident took place at the ECW Arena involving Terry Funk and Mick Foley ended with a flaming chair in the ring and the fire spread due to kerosene soaked towels and went into the front row and burned fans. All this happened as the lights were turned off to set up an angle and caused a stampede toward the exits that resulted in others being hurt. The plaintiffs, Raymond and Teresa Schweitzer, claims he was burned, and is seeking restitution for his medical problems (from pwbts web site)
Too Cold Scorpio worked the ECW show at the Arena last week because he was already in the area working the Gary Albright show. He may be used again when ECW tours near his Atlanta home but there are no plans to bring him in as a regular.
WCW: Booker T was injured taking the power bomb through the table from Mike Awesome (apparently his legs got caught in the ropes changing the trajectory of his bump) and will be out for two weeks. This takes his match with Scott Steiner off the PPV. It appears from Nitro that the main event in the three cages will be a three-way with Steiner, Jarrett and DDP although even at Thunder when it was over the main event was the three-way with Jarrett, DDP and Arquette
Nitro on 5/1 from Birmingham, AL at the BJCC drew 6,195 fans, which was 3,635 paid and $77,090. Courtney Cox was unable to repeat her TV ratings drawing power on "Friends" airing on several segments where she was with her husband David Arquette on location talking about going back to Nitro to wrestle. Kurt Russell also made a cameo. There was then a confrontation in the parking lot. Stone Cold Hogan crashed his car into the heels car and everybody fought. Smiley beat Crowbar in 4:57 in a hardcore match which was ungodly horrible when Smiley tripped over his partner into actually cradling Crowbar. Smiley came out with Ralphus under a mask (Ralphus is at this point scheduled to be the third man with Funk and Smiley in the hardcore title match on the PPV unless someone in power gets a touch of sanity), and Ralphus got his head caught in the ropes and stayed there the entire match. This looked so stupid. Watching the crowd reaction to this match was like watching a comedian tell jokes that nobody was laughing about. DDP, Kanyon and Arquette came out to no real pop with the belt. When Arquette started talking, the audience started booing. He said he'd give up the title. Bischoff told him he couldn't and that he'd have to be in the three cage match at Slamboree. Russo, Liz, Jarrett and Kimberly came out with Bischoff. Luger ran out in the middle of all this looking for Liz. Bischoff told Arquette he'd have to defend against Abbott. DDP said he wanted the match with Abbott. It set up Abbott vs. DDP and if Abbott won, he'd get a title match. Abbott came out for a pull-apart. The problem was security after a few seconds never touched Abbott, and he was standing there lost not doing anything. Stasiak was shooting free throws the entire show. The idea was he was going to sink 5,200 in a row. Of course, he could do this in two hours. So he was one short of the all-time record when Hennig tackled him at the end of the show. Wall beat Horace Hogan in a tables match in 2:19. What a difference between working a match with Wall and Kidman. Real bad. Kidman ran in and was thrown around like a jobber by Horace, but it allowed Wall to choke slam him through a table for the win. They doubled on Horace after until Hulk came out. Awesome came up from behind. Hogan beat all their asses before they overpowered him. Awesome actually power bombed Hogan through a table. Hogan didn't take the power bomb off the top like they teased he would, but took more of a sunset flip through a table. They cutaway immediately to make sure the segment didn't leave an impact. Hogan is the smartest man in wrestling. Russo challenged Luger to a match later in the show. Morrus won a three-way over Jarrett and Steiner in 2:30. Bischoff told Morrus that if he lost, the entire MIA group (Chavo Guerrero Jr., Van Hammer and Lash Leroux) would be fired. Steiner had Morrus in the recliner, but Jarrett hit Steiner with a guitar to set up their short-term angle and Morrus pinned Steiner. Bischoff then told the four they were all fired anyway. They called them Misfits in action. I small another lawsuit threat by the Misfits. Sting and Vampiro fought in a graveyard. Vampiro broke a tombstone over Sting's head and he fell into a grave. Officially, because Sting may have died, the match was a no contest. Sting's hand crawled from the grave with the announcers screaming that Sting was alive. Those poor announcers having to sell this crap. It's as bad as those Austin segments when they tried to embalm him alive a few years ago. Well, not quite that bad. Abbott beat DDP in 1:55. Kanyon and Arquette were in DDP's corner. He took the punch from Abbott, and wobbled but ended up getting up, thereby, well killing isn't the right term, but you know, Abbott's finisher before the Goldberg program. Jarrett hit Page with a bottle so Abbott won. Page went out on a stretcher in an ambulance. Hogan and Awesome were fighting backstage. Kidman challenged anyone to come out, and insulted Nash in particular. Nash came out and kicked his ass and with the size difference, boy does this not get Kidman over. And with the fact Nash treated him like the ultimate green boy, it didn't help any better. Konnan and Misterio Jr. came out for what was the single stupidest segment of the show in a long time. No, not because they could bring them back with an impact and had Nash by himself kick all three of their asses which was booking stupid, but they do that all the time. But because they laid out a script that required Misterio Jr., who is months from his knee being ready, and Nash, who is still weeks away from his ankle being better, to run. It's bad enough that under the best of circumstances Nash can't run because of his knee and because he's a 41-year-old man who weighs it looks like 335 pounds. But throw in an ankle that needs to recover shows that nobody has learned anything from the stupidity of the Goldberg ankle. Misterio Jr. also slipped, and one more knee injury and his whole career could be over. Risking both of their injured legs before they are recovered for the sake of a really bad skit is worse than bad booking, it shows zero care about the health of the talent. Russo was in the ring waiting for Luger. Douglas and Bagwell beat up Flair. Luger came in fighting with security he was maced and handcuffed. Liz hit Russo with the bat and ran off. Then Adams & Clark came out and beat up all the security guys. Then the "real" cops came out and maced Adams & Clark. Amazing watching Flair & Luger used as set up guys to Adams & Clark can get the heat. Nash, who after all this, had beaten Misterio Jr. and Konnan into near death, then started smashing their car up. Vampiro did an interview. A crow was on a perch below the big screen. Sting, now totally healthy, came down from the ceiling, and landed way too fast, and destroyed Vampiro with a bat. It must be bad karma because Sting has had two bad landings in his last three tries on a skit he probably did 50 times or more without any problems. Arquette pinned Abbott in 2:13 when Page gave him the diamond cutter. I know, Page was just stretchered out and taken in an ambulance a half hour earlier. Guess what? He drove back the ambulance and ran to the ring to lay out Abbott. That was a great idea. At least it was the first time I saw Hogan and Austin do it. It was already lame when Sandman did it. Nobody cared by now it's become such a cliche. Part of the problem is that somebody thinks this is a Roadrunner cartoon, and it's not. If people are left for dead, they shouldn't be fine 30 minutes later. It's like Sting was knocked into complete unconsciousness and was fine a segment later. But last week, he got bathed in blood, and two days later, hadn't even taken a shower. Finally Awesome pinned Hogan in 7:13. It was a pathetic match as these two, because neither sells and Hogan can't take Awesome's big moves, are terrible opponents for each other. They acknowledged Awesome as world champion from another organization. Kidman and Bischoff came out. Hogan was beating up Awesome and Kidman by himself until Kidman came off the ropes with a chair and Hogan did one of his patented incredibly obvious blade jobs and Awesome pinned him. Hogan made his own comeback until an indie wrestler ran into the ring for no reason other than to make people think fans were hitting the ring to save Hogan, and thus encouraging fans to actually do so, which is always brilliant booking. The red liquid fell from the ceiling and Hogan was drenched in it as the show went off the air
Goldberg was said to be really upset, and rightfully so, with how Abbott was handled on the show. It doesn't kill their feud in the sense that there should be some interest in Goldberg coming back even if he was against Evan Karagias. But Abbott in the role as Goldberg's opponent, whatever aura he should have brought to the table to make him a viable opponent for Goldberg, is totally gone
5/2 Thunder taping from Memphis at the Round House. In matches taped for World Wide, Ron & Don Harris squashed Korey Williams & Ashley Hudson. Disco Inferno pinned Mike Rapada (Colorado Kid). Madusa pinned Mona with a german suplex. Before Thunder started, Bischoff came out and told the crowd not to chant FUNB (FU New Blood) as a way to get the crowd to do so. Show opened with the faces (Hogan, Horace, DDP, Kanyon, Kronic, Sting, Flair, Luger and MIA) in the parking lot waiting for Russo and Bischoff. When the limo arrived with Russo, Bischoff, Douglas, Bagwell, Awesome, Kidman and Jarrett, a big brawl started. It was broken up. Russo then yelled at Miller, Candido, Tammy and Vampiro for not helping out. Russo then announced the entire show would be New Blood vs. Millionaires Club under New York rules with no rules, no ref and the match ends when the guy counts his own fall. Millionaires Club came out and brawled with another pull-apart. Kanyon pinned Jarrett with the flatliner when Kimberly went to hit Kanyon with a guitar but instead Page came out and hit Kimberly with the guitar. Said to be good. Luger beat Wall in a tables match. Russo was doing commentary as was Flair. Horrible match. Russo laid out Flair with a bat shot. Luger had Wall racked and Russo hit Luger with a bat but in dropping Wall, he went through the table and lost. Bagwell & Douglas went after the downed Flair & Luger until--guess who was set up again--yep, Kronic made the save. Once again Flair is a set up man for Brian Adams. Flair was still laid out when Kidman came out for their match, which ended up having no ending. Misterio Jr. and Konnan ran in from the crowd and joined in until Nash came out and destroyed everyone, power bombing Konnan. After the match backstage, Hogan started beating on Kidman all the way back to the ring. Awesome ran out as well so it was Hogan & Nash vs. Awesome & Kidman ending with Hogan running Kidman off and Nash power bombing Awesome. DDP beat Vampiro. Sting ran out in a druid costume and he and Vampiro fought all over the place until the dreaded red liquid fell from the sky on Vampiro. DDP used the diamond cutter and counted his pin. Sting beat Awesome when Leroux, Hammer and Chavo all beat up Awesome and Sting used the scorpion deathlock on him for the submission. Hogan wrestled Steiner for the first time ever. They ended up in the crowd where Morrus jumped on Steiner and he and Hogan double-teamed him. Steiner just left. I guess he was counted out. Adams & Clark beat Douglas & Bagwell when they did the double choke slam on Douglas and Clark counted his own pin and left with the title belts. No idea if it was a tag title change, but most likely it wasn't. Flair interfered in the match. Russo then chewed out everyone that lost. Savage's limo pulled up. The New Blood went to the ring with weapons and challenged everyone setting up a Battle Royal with the winner of it being the No. 1 contender and facing whoever holds the world title on the 6/11 Great American Bash PPV in Baltimore. As the match went on, besides NB and Millionaires Club, the Harris Twins, Mamalukes, Disco, Abbott, Duggan (who is no longer the TV champion since Russo doesn't like the TV title--actually, I'm in agreement since there are enough worthless belts out there and it was basically something for Jimmy Hart to use for WCW Saturday Night and since that show is canceled, I guess so is the belt), Harlem Heat 2000, Madusa, Mona, Asya and finally Savage got out of the limo last and came in. Match was said to be a total mess. Savage threw a bunch of people out and brawled out of the ring with Candido. Hogan was eliminated when Bret Hart hit him with a chair but then Hogan pulled Kidman out with him. Jarrett and Page went out together leaving only Flair and Douglas. Russo came in with the bat when Flair got the figure four on, but Flair moved and Douglas got hit in the leg with the bat. Flair threw Russo out, hit Douglas with the bat to knock him over and win the match. Yep, Flair is in the main event for that PPV being put in a position to have to sell buys after being buried for the last several weeks underground as Adams' set-up man. Got a feeling the champ by that point would be Steiner. Hogan tried to suplex Kidman through a table, but for the first time, Kidman got offense on Hogan and reversed the move and Hogan went through the table and Bischoff counted to three. Savage then chased Bischoff and Kidman through the crowd. The big finish was totally screwed up. The idea was that Jarrett and Page were to climb a scaffolding. The idea is that Arquette would climb the scaffolding, hit either Jarrett or Page, and it would make sense to be Jarrett and that is who I was told it was supposed to be, with the guitar, who would take the bump and they gimmicked part of the stage that they would fall through (similar to Mick Foley's bump at No Way Out and Crowbar's bump that nobody remembers into the gymnastics pad). When leaving the ring, by accident, Asya stepped on the set and fell through, so everyone could see it was gimmicked. Arquette then ran out and apparently wasn't given directions as to what to avoid, so he stepped and fell into the gimmicked part of the stage. So Jarrett and Page improvised up there with Page deciding to save the show and take the bump into what was already evident as a gimmicked hole in the stage. No idea at press time how this will be edited to attempt to make the save on television
Torrie Wilson missed Nitro due to having minor surgery
Some notes on the 4/26 Thunder TV show taped in Syracuse, NY the previous night. The only way to describe the show was very sad. The only things on the show that were compelling TV were a very good Kidman vs. Horace match, and parts of the interplay with Flair, Luger, Russo, Douglas and Bagwell. But parts of that were really sad. Flair is still easily the best interview (except Anderson, but you know the drift there) in the company but Syracuse, NY may not have been the place to pull out those 80s names that were never big deals in the WWF which is all the local fans there grew up on. When they made the stip where Flair got five minutes with Russo and Russo didn't sell it, and then said this is where I'm supposed to play chickenshit heel to zero pop, he came off as such a mark playing to this tiny audience, virtually none of whom were in the building and it was embarrassing. Luger actually did a decent promo, and that doesn't happen every day. Regarding Tammy Sytch, that was even sadder. I'm very sensitive to the problems of women in the late 20s or mid-30s (Sytch is 27) who are still trying to look 18 because that's the look the pro wrestling audience fantasizes about, which unfortunately isn't possible in most cases naturally. This leads to those unhealthy secrets whether in Hollywood, modeling, or this business, of bulimia, chain smoking, GHB, speed or worse. But for a woman who looks 35 to dress in front of people like she's 18 just killed her status as a sex queen dead that she could have saved by dressing smarter. If you actually look closely, I doubt Sytch's body is terribly different from Stephanie McMahon's, who through great usage of make-up and smarter dressing, gets away with playing the sex symbol even though she doesn't have the bikini body that the other WWF women being pushed do have, largely through artificial means. The match was the all-time worst as well. You had women showing lots of skin to a heavily male audience, most of whom were college students that didn't even have to pay for tickets, and they still got booed. Bret Hart's concussion is clearly effecting him. He's been great on some TV and media appearances (and apparently not as great on others), but the lengthy sit-down interview of him in this state didn't work on a pro wrestling TV show. I recognize they are paying him big money and feel the need to get him on TV because he is a big star and he can't wrestle yet. But on a show where guys get run over by cars and are back seven days later, presenting him in that position and having him not able to wrestle due to an injury that on television to the uninitiated viewer looks like a typical pro wrestling spot makes him come across as weak. Everyone has their own opinion regarding David Arquette getting the belt. It got a little media, but not enough to justify the excuse to do it because of all the mainstream pub they'd get. It really came across as some people using the fact they run the company, or have input to those who do, using the company and its fans to kiss up to someone for a Hollywood connection for life after wrestling. It is the reality of what wrestling probably always has been, it's only more blatant now because in the old days the final decision making power rested with the promoter, who at the end of the year, generally wanted to make a profit. With this company, while there is pressure to make a profit, the pressure isn't nearly as great as the company is going to continue to exist even as a money loser. It's sort of offensive as a fan to recognize they aren't booking for fans, but booking so if/when this job explodes, maybe they'll have a friend who can get them a television connection. Of course, if the ratings go through the roof and they draw a big buy rate, then that's all anyone looks at today is how the business did this week anyway
Some schedule notes for July. The 7/4 Thunder taping due to the holiday, scheduled for Columbus, GA has been moved to 7/5 so Thunder will be live that week. Also, there is no Nitro on 7/17 as TNT is doing a two-part movie in prime time on Sunday and Monday that week that they are hopeful of getting an Emmy Award for. Nitro will take place live on 7/18 at the Palace in Auburn Hills, MI while Thunder will air live on 7/19 from Fort Wayne, IN
I don't know if this matters in any decisions but the 5/7 Slamboree PPV is from Kemper Arena in Kansas City as is well known, but lost in the shuffle is that would have also been Owen Hart's 35th birthday. Bret Hart is not expected to appear on that show. As of right now, they are only figuring on paid attendance in the 6,000 range for the PPV and in the 4,000 range in the massive TWA Dome in St. Louis for 5/8 Nitro. WCW drew 29,000 the first time they ran the building in the middle of a major blizzard. . Former WCW ring announcer Gary Cappetta has written a book detailing his 21 years working in the pro wrestling industry (1974-1995). The book is expected to be released in November
Maestro (Robert Kellum) was given word that he's being released as of 5/31. Barbarian (Sionne Vailahi) was also released. Bobby Eaton's contract expired and wasn't renewed. They hadn't used him hardly as at all over the past several years but had been kept around because he was so well liked by all the old-timers and whenever someone would want to fire him, people always went to bat for him. The bad thing was how it was handled. Eaton, who is now 41 and in his prime was one of the greatest workers the business had seen up to that point in time, didn't get a check in the mail one week and called about it and was told at that point he was no longer with the company. He called J.J. Dillon about it, and Dillon told him his contract had expired and he wasn't being renewed. Eaton was probably the only person left who had been with the company uninterrupted from the Turner buyout of Jim Crockett in 1988, and his tenure with Crockett dated back to the Midnight Express days in 1985
Vampiro on 4/26 had a contract dispute with WCW which even resulted in him contacting WWF. By the next day, everything had been smoothed over and he apologized and was expected to sign a new deal this week
Evan Kavagias (Evan Karagias) was offered a new deal for $85,000 per year
Bret Hart is booked starting 5/15 on all Nitros and Thunders from this point forward. The ones he's not scheduled for next week are 5/8 in St. Louis at the TWA Dome and 5/9 in Springfield, IL because he's scheduled for depositions in Kansas City by the WWF attorneys for the Owen Hart lawsuit on those days
There has been some internet talk about a Nitro in Toronto in September. They do have a hold for the Air Canada Centre, but I'm told that is far from a done deal
The Chavo Guerrero Jr., Hugh Morrus, Van Hammer, Lash Leroux group calls MIA (Misfits in Action) seems to be put together as a cross between the original Dudleys and the Oddities
David Arquette, who learned about winning the title the afternoon of the Thunder show, when the idea was formulated, and at the time was asked to keep it through the PPV, in an Alex Marvez interview on wrestlingobserver.com said about the offer, "I said I felt alright, but I did feel kind of weird. Obviously, I don't deserve it. These guys are so skilled and it takes so much athleticism and gymnastics and strength, not to mention all the acting stuff that goes into it, it's really hard." Arquette said he learned wrestling from Kanyon, DDP and Shane Helms in a ring at the warehouse where they practiced before doing the movie "Ready to Rumble," and said he messed around when the ring was up while they were doing the movie. After the show in Syracuse where he won the title, Arquette was buying food and drinks at the bar for everyone, not just wrestlers but also fan hangers-on, and he was, unlike many celebrities who get involved, very well liked by the wrestlers, even the ones who didn't think using him in that way was a smart idea. Arquette is said to be splitting his earnings from doing the pro wrestling to the family of Owen Hart, Brian Pillman and to Darren Drozdov
Michael Modest and Christopher Daniels were both told to be patient because WCW is first trying to get over the wrestlers who have been around longer (I know what you're going to say about Mike Awesome but if you've been a star elsewhere the rules are different and before you bring up Japan, there is nobody in power with clue one about Japan). Daniels is under contract but hasn't been used. Modest isn't under contract but has. Basically both were in some form brought into the company due to the recommendation of Jim Barnett, who is close friends with Kevin Sullivan and Gary Juster, so they picked the wrong contact who got them in at this point
Entertainment Tonight, Extra and Access Hollywood all mentioned the Arquette title win
At one point there was an idea about moving WCW Saturday Night to a morning time slot because it was doing poor ratings. Now, since going to the recap format instead of using it to give matches to the younger wrestlers, the numbers are up a little and fairly competitive with what the rest of the station is doing. What that means for the future is unclear although it may mean the show won't move in July after all
Dusty Rhodes will be returning to the organization as the host of WCW Classics which will be tapes of old Crockett and WCW matches dating back to the mid-80s that will appear on the new Turner South network when it debuts in the summer. Rhodes will be doing wrap-arounds for the matches and his segment in the pilot was said to be horrible. Rhodes delivered no insight and little content in general about some matches that he actually booked himself. At the Nitro tapings in Birmingham, ring announcer Dave Penzer plugged the show and that Rhodes would be the host
There is some talk that Dustin will be taking on a character as legally close to Goldust as he they'll be able to legally get away with
Rave (Bradley Cain) and Lane (Len Carlson) have apparently been given a release as well. The former Lodi had real good charisma at ringside, but was totally lost as a wrestler in the ring (you know the old Peter Principal applied, he was so good they promoted him to a new job he was bad at). Lane was good in every role they asked him to play and why they didn't use him, considering some of the people they have used as regulars and pushed, is beyond me
Thunder on 4/25 in Syracuse, NY drew 1,269 paying $29,559. House show on 4/26 in Glens Falls, NY drew 2,566 paying $53,914. The Glens Falls show was headlined by DDP over Jarrett and Duggan (who is from Glens Falls) over Wall in a tables match. The top matches advertised were Sting vs. Scott Steiner and Flair & Luger vs. Bagwell & Douglas, none of whom appeared nor were there any mentions of them not appearing at the show. To show who is really over and who isn't among paying customers, during the show the chants throughout were "We Want Flair" and not any of the rest. Merchandise for 4/24 through 4/26 was $31,814 or $5.75 per paying customer (with such a high percentage of comps one would think the merchandise levels should be artificially higher, but as we've found out over the years, the reality is usually not the case in that people who get free tickets rarely buy much merchandise)
WWF: Representatives of New York State Senator Tom Libous, who is contemplating introducing legislation that would mandate drug testing for all wrestlers to perform in New York, and representatives of both WWF and WCW are scheduled to meet to work out a compromise in the proposed legislation
The only thing seemingly confirmed for the Judgment Day PPV on 5/21 in Louisville with a Rock vs. HHH rematch for the title with a whole slew of stipulations to be added by Vince to stack the deck against Rock and probably Edge & Christian vs. Dudleys for the tag titles with Edge & Christian as full-fledged heels and Dudleys playing strong babyfaces
Raw on 5/1 in Baltimore drew a sellout 11,553 paying $339,265. Test & Albert beat Dudleys again, this time after doing the 3-D on Test, Christian & Edge did a run-in and Christian used the reverse DDT on D-Von allowing Test to get the pin. The segment was hilarious. Christian & Edge were totally mocking the insider lingo used on WCW and again said they were going to do a run-in, which they did. DX and the McMahons came out for a long interview. HHH had his arm in a sling (a worked injury) and cut a very strong promo. Vince also got super heat and kind of implied a physical threat toward Linda. They did a worked minor shoulder separation (which came out on Smackdown as a work) because they needed a storyline excuse not to do Rock vs. HHH since they wanted to stack the deck against Rock on this show but wanted to save that match for the PPV and it wouldn't make sense for HHH to wrestle in anything but the title match if he just lost the belt and he's part of the family. Crash Holly got jumped in the parking lot by the parking lot attendant but he kicked out and threw the guy in the trunk of his car and ran off. Too Cool beat Hardys in an excellent match in 4:46 when Grandmaster pinned Matt with a superkick. The only negative is Matt had to sell way too long while Scotty set up the worm, and then after Scotty did it, Matt got right back up. Vince was yelling at Hebner backstage. What ridiculous over-the-top facials. I'd say Vince is the greatest acting heel in the world but who knows where the act starts and stops. Kat & Jacqueline beat Terri & Ivory in 4:04 when Kat pinned Terri. It was bad, but probably not as bad as you'd think. Jericho beat X-Pac via DQ in 3:45. Action was real good. Finish was lame as X-Pac shoved Earl Hebner, who shoved X-Pac down and DQ'd him. Jericho put the Walls on X-Pac till Dogg made the save, but Hebner shoved down Dogg as well. The finish was lame in a wrestling sense, but it did make storyline sense. Rock did a promo. Vince, Shane, Stephanie and HHH came out to set up the cage match for the title as the main event. HHH after was crying to Shane about him deserving the shot. HHH is a very selfish son-in-law. Big Show & Rikishi beat Edge & Christian in a tag title match via DQ in 1:53. Edge & Christian challenged any two singles wrestlers to come out. Show dressed up like Rikishi and was called Showkishi. Edge hit Show with the ring bell for the DQ. They tried to run away but Dogg & X-Pac, top heels moments earlier, threw them back in to allow Show & Rikishi to give them the stinky face. Guerrero beat Rios in 2:01 with the whirly bird into the neckbreaker. Way too short for these two. This was only there so Chyna could strip Lita of her dress and leave her in her bra and panties. Benoit pinned Tazz in 1:21 with a fisherman suplex when Saturn distracted Tazz. Again too short to mean anything. Tazz and Saturn brawled until Bob Holly came out and dove on both of them. Tazz tore his bicep brawling with Saturn and will be undergoing surgery next week. The next day at TV they taped an angle, which I believe airs on 5/7 on Heat rather than Smackdown, where Benoit attacks Tazz in the parking lot and injures him so potentially set up Benoit vs. Tazz with Tazz having a program when he returns. At this point it looks like he'll be out three months. Crash was doing an interview when Blackman attacked him. As Crash ran away, two members of the Baltimore Ravens attacked him, but he got away. This made ESPN Sports Center, which I'm sure is exactly what it was there for. Finally, Rock beat Shane in 9:14. Patterson and Brisco came out to ref, with Patterson in the ring. Ross said when the two came down that Patterson always brings up the rear. This match had a ton of heat and the ratings speak for themselves. Shane's offense was still looking real lame, though. HHH interfered using a stick through the cage. Rock got it and used it on Shane. When Rock went to climb out, Patterson stopped him with a low blow. Patterson tried to shove Shane over so he'd win the title. The crowd was chanting for Austin as I'm sure everyone expected an Austin run-in, and believe me, the show was booked so people would expect that and it would lead to a big rating. Rock used the rock bottom on Patterson. Shane took a big bump into the ring from the top of the cage and Rock hit the people's elbow. Brisco slammed the door in Rock's face as he tried to leave. HHH got in the ring and pounded on Rock as everyone waited for Austin. Instead, they got Hebner. Hebner threw Brisco into the cage, shoved down HHH, Rock gave HHH a sidewalk slam and climbed out of the cage to keep his title
Stu Hart specifically called up Benoit and Jericho this past week to thank them for standing up for him and wanting to not do the show when it came out he wasn't going to have any part or be involved in it. To a lot of people, that seemed to answer questions as to what his feelings about everything were
The FCC staff report on the UPN/CBS/Viacom merger recommended approval of it. When the approval comes down, it is considered that it would be within days that the merger officially takes place. The merger would mean that Viacom, through ownership of CBS, UPN, TNN, Nickelodeon, MTV, etc. would own 41 percent of the television stations in the country, well above the 35 percent FCC limit. Whether the WWFE would be owned in part by this conglomerate, which is looking to buy an equity stake as well as own all programming, depends on how the courts rule on the USA Network's case against the WWFE with USA claiming it only needs to match the Viacom offer as it pertains to the wrestling programming to enforce its ability to match an outside offer deal, rather than match the entire offer including aspects that don't have to do specifically with the programming of the four television shows (Raw, Heat, Livewire and Superstars) in question
Obviously the WWF is hoping the court rules in its favor to get the media synergy of all the various networks and partial ownership of the company by Viacom working together to strengthen the promotion. TNN is expected to undergo new management for the next TV season and drop the country image and try and target young males, figuring pro wrestling as the perfect start point. CBS has talked about the idea of running pro wrestling specials on Friday or Saturday nights before the major PPV shows as well as made-for-TV movies the WWF would produce. In addition, WWF feels the MTV tie-in will help them since they are wanting to launch their own record label and bid for major artists
On several news stories about the WWF/USA lawsuit, it noted that USA if they get the WWF would be adding a new WWF show to air on Wednesday nights. According to those in the WWF, there has never been any discussion about adding any new wrestling programming for next TV season
Austin is actually a long way from returning to the ring, as evidenced by his limited use on the PPV. Austin was only used for the one spot during the match because they didn't think it would be beneficial to have him standing around for most of a 20:00 match. He wasn't in good enough physical condition to do much of anything, and as you can tell, he can't even execute the stunner yet. He's just started lifting lightly. He has another doctors exam this coming week to determine how well the bone taken from his hip to reconstruct his neck is healing. He still has some dead spots in his hand. Austin has made it clear he doesn't want to come back and be a Hulk Hogan, who lives off the name he made years ago and can't work up to main event standards any longer. It is not even a definite he'll ever wrestle again, and at this point they are looking at SummerSlam as an earliest possible return to actual wrestling date
Undertaker is expected in the ring at the King of the Ring PPV in June and on television a few weeks before that
Shawn Michaels is expected to return in his old commissioner role sometime around the middle of the month. Jim Ross teased it in an internet report and Michaels wrote back that while he'd be glad to be back, that nobody from the company had told him he would be back or given him a date
Billy Gunn met this past week with Dr. Jim Andrews in Birmingham and he's just starting rehab on his shoulder and should be out for several more months
Smackdown/Heat tapings on 5/2 in Richmond, VA. In dark matches, Scott Vick beat Julio Fantastico in an average match with no heat, and Dupps beat Christian York & Joey Matthews. York & Matthews looked a lot better than Dupps, but the crowd didn't care about either team. For Heat, Snow & Blackman beat Taka & Funaki. Snow did a flapjack on Funaki on the entrance ramp. Godfather pinned Brown in a match with no heat. Venis beat Saturn in another match with no heat. Malenko tripped Saturn on purpose, which airs after Smackdown but stems from something that would take place later live. Dudleys beat Too Cool in a very good match. Both teams were cheered. Edge & Christian did commentary and promised another run-in. Just as Scotty was about to do the worm, Edge speared him to lead to him getting pinned, designed to turn Edge & Christian even stronger heels because they kept fans from seeing the worm. For Smackdown, Jericho won the IC title from Benoit in the best match on the show. Hebner, who lives in Richmond and that fact was pushed hard the entire show, was the ref. Benoit shoved Hebner out of the ring. Jericho got the belt and hit Benoit with it and then gave him the quebrada, which is back to being called the lionsault, for the pin when Earl ran back in. Benoit may be getting the belt back very shortly. The McMahons and DX did the long interview, ordering a main event of Rock & Hebner vs. DX and if either Rock or Hebner were pinned, whoever pinned either of them would win the WWF title. Guerrero & Chyna beat Rios & Lita. Lita kept running from Chyna. Angle pinned Bob Holly. Rikishi beat Edge & Christian via count out. After the match they doubled on Rikishi until Too Cool saved and they all danced afterwards. As a way to turn the Dudleys face, Stephanie, Tori and Dudleys had a backstage argument with Stephanie yelling at the Dudleys for their treatment of women. Buh Buh teased attacking Stephanie but D-Von stopped him. Hardys beat Test & Albert in a good match. Big Show, dressed up as Conan the Barbarian, as Shownan the Barbarian, no contest Buchanan. Show choke slammed him twice and kicked him out of the ring. The bell just rang. Crash Holly beat Malenko when Saturn accidentally cost him the match. Malenko and Saturn brawled after the match to no crowd reaction. The idea is to turn Saturn face and have him feud with Malenko and totally break up the idea of the Radicals as they have Benoit and Guerrero booked strong as singles in directions away from Malenko and Saturn. In the main event, midway through the match, HHH took the sling off and suddenly his arm was fine. Rock worked virtually the entire match with Hebner only getting in once. Rock pinned X-Pac so he kept the title. After the match, DX destroyed Rock & Hebner for a long time. Hebner bled from the mouth (stage blood). Jericho, Rikishi, Big Show and the Dudleys with tables came out for the save and the show ended with Buh Buh putting Brisco through a table. Hebner did a stretcher job. They didn't do an injury angle with Rock, who won't be at TV next week because he'll be filming "Mummy 2" in England. The idea is that TV next week has to be built around Jericho, Show, Rikishi and Dudleys as the top faces so this show was designed to elevate all of them
Some notes from Smackdown on 4/27. It was Val Venis, not Lita, who tagged with Essa Rios in the match with Guerrero & Chyna, as was listed in last week's issue. As expected, the Austin deal didn't come across too badly on TV. It was cheesy, but not a television disaster as it was live
I was on vacation in Los Angeles so saw the Smackdown on KCOP-TV, which has been criticized for overly catering to wrestling fans at the expense of news credibility to keep the huge wrestling audience tuned into their 10 p.m. news. One thing I can say is that criticism is totally justified. All day on the station, they kept plugging a behind the scenes with Road Dogg as the most hyped thing on the newscast. This was even during afternoon programming. The newscast featured two different lengthy pro wrestling stories. The first, on Road Dogg, was both good and bad. Road Dogg was really good, and they talked about his background, mentioning he came from a wrestling family and his father was a huge star in the South. He said his brothers work for another wrestling company, using a tone of voice (the "I've got to be careful so I don't get in trouble" tone) to say it. He mentioned he makes considerably more than his father did at the peak of his career and noted his father was on top. They talked about his Persian Gulf war background and his two children, ages nine and three. He said he doesn't let them watch WWF programming live, but will tape the shows and let them watch his matches, editing out offensive parts like when he says "suck it." He said the nine year old sometimes gets grief in school when he plays a heel role on TV. He also said that he doesn't do the pelvic thrusts where the water comes out of the bottle (to look like he's coming) anymore because of complaints, not from the fans, but from some of the other wrestlers, which actually sounds strange considering all the mannerisms done routinely on the show that are just considered part of the show. The newscast, on the other hand, claimed his real name was Jesse James, and claimed he was the third biggest star in WWF behind Rock and Austin. The credibility of the newscast was even worse by a totally lame story that was later in the newscast about young women who are wrestling fans that go to the matches dressed to kill. The story used bogus stats to claim that the WWF was the highest rated television program among women in the United States and credited the numbers listing WWF No. 1 in every female demographic except 55+, where they claimed it was No. 2, to A.C. Neilsen research. Stop laughing, there is actually a statistical way they did it to make that statement accurate even though it was highly misleading and hardly speaks well about the credibility of the newscast. They added up every female viewer credited to the WWF network, which is seven different television shows per week, and using that number, more women do watch WWF than watch the single prime time episode of "ER" every Thursday night. Of course if every single episode of "Friends" nationally in syndication was added together with the weekly prime time show it would draw monstrous numbers as well that would blow WWF away. They claimed women from all over the world come to WWF wrestling shows at the Staples Arena in Los Angeles. The show they did the interview at was Wrestlemania, which was hardly indicative of a typical WWF house show, finding a woman who came in from Australia at the card. They interviewed a bunch of women, a few who said they came because their boyfriends were fans and now like it, most who came to see The Rock, and Mick Foley and Edge were also named by different women as to why they like the WWF
Sean Waltman missed TV last week due to the death of his mother-in-law from a long bout with cancer
WWF Aggression CD sold 62,877 units last week for No. 26 on the charts. The sales were up 17%, its first week to show an increase since it was released, even though its spot on the charts fell, because the entire music industry was way up because of it being Easter week
Wizards of the Coast Inc. filed a lawsuit on 3/23 against WWFE to keep the WWF from launching game cards that freelance game designer Michael Fitzgerald claims are based on his ideas. The claim is that the WWF has taken key design features without permission or license into their game. Wizards is releasing a game with WCW in June. Fitzgerald had first met with Comic Images, a New Jersey publishing company, about working with WWF and designing a trading game last year and had the mockup for the game prepared. Comic Images told them the game was being opened up to other companies. Fitzgerald, who didn't have a contract with Comic Images or the WWF, received no payment for his idea, then pitched it to WCW, which signed a contract with him last July for the game called WCW Nitro scheduled to be released next month. Wizards is asking the court to grant a permanent injunction against the WWF from releasing its game, which is also scheduled to come out at the same time
On the Billboard rec sports video charts, the WWF occupied the top six spots with Rock-Know Your Role, Austin vs. McMahon, Best of Raw, Stone Cold Saga Continues, WWF's Most Memorable Moments of 1999 and the debut of Rock: The People's Champ. In all, WWF had 14 of the top 20 and WCW had none of the top 20. There was a debut at No. 10 of XPW's Xtreme Wrestling: Hardcore Conception. It's damn impressive to put out a video that ranked higher than any WCW video has in months, let alone got higher on the charts than "Wrestling with Shadows" and all but one or two WCW videos have ever done and none lately. ECW has never even had a video released to commercial outlets (they are scheduled to finally release videos to outlets this year). For actual numbers in what that means, the XPW video sold 400 copies over the one week period nationally which is all you need to get to No. 10 on that chart. The No. 1 video of the week, virtually always a WWF video of either Rock or Austin, often sells about 5,000 units
Mick Foley's appears on CBS TV's "Now and Again" on 5/5 at 9 p.m. and Steve Austin will be appearing on Nash Bridges in the final two episodes of the season on 5/5 and 5/12
The wrestler we figured in last week's issue as K.Krush, doing the rap gimmick in dark matches at the last taping, was in fact that person, real name Ron Killings
Gangrel is a few weeks from returning
Viscera suffered a separated shoulder last week at TV and is expected out for six weeks
The story Jim Ross told about Kurt Angle actually winning the NCAA championship in the heavyweight division while only weighing 196 pounds is a true story and it's actually an amazing feat if you understand college wrestling. The wrestler he beat in the finals that year was Sylvester Terkey, who now works under the name The Collector for Ohio Valley Wrestling. On Ohio Valley TV, they've been pushing that fact on television seemingly to build for a match between the two
WWF has talked with Brock Lesnar, the current NCAA heavyweight champion who has a great look for wrestling as he's 6-3, 265, with a tremendous physique and looks like the blond haired version of Steve Austin, but only larger. Both WWF and WCW have expressed interest in him as he met with Bischoff and Russo. Since the meeting, he spoke with both Gerald Brisco and Kurt Angle and indicated to them he was leaning toward WWF. If he signs, and he has a meeting next week in Stamford, CT, he would start with Ohio Valley Wrestling, as his assistant coach at University of Minnesota and former training partner Shelton Benjamin is already in Louisville. Benjamin is said to have a great attitude toward pro wrestling, although he has yet to appear on television yet. They are also looking at potentially bringing in a third wrestler from the same college team
A few more XFL notes as it pertains to rules. All players will earn $50,000 per year with $3,000 bonuses going to the team that wins each game and additional bonuses in the $25,000 to $30,000 range for the team that wins the overall championship. Coaches will be paid a $150,000 base plus bonuses based on winning. XFL is hiring dance coaches for every time and each team will be given its own unique dance which the players will be encouraged to use after touchdowns and major plays. Besides no fair catches, kickoffs will be from the 25 yard line and kickoffs can't be allowed to go into the end zone for a touchback. They are considering four points for any field goal of more than 50 yards. They will try and build local teams around players from the area with a territorial based draft
The 4/28 IWA show in Ponce, Puerto Rico which was headlined by Rock & Kane over Dudleys and also featured WWF performers such as Val Venis, Essa Rios and Lita (as well as WWF contracted performers who are working as regulars for the promotion like Steve Bradley, Tiger Ali Singh, and Giant Silva) drew about 7,800 fans paying in excess of $175,000. Rock was over as you'd expect Rock to be over. When the match was over, Paul Bearer, Rock, Kane and special ref Savio Vega all delivered people's elbows to the Dudleys. For protection because Puerto Rico has a history of being dangerous, they put the main event on in the middle of the show. The crowd got dangerous late in the show after Singh's match with Venis. Ricky Santana's valet called Havana ended up exposing her breasts early in the show. Also Miguel Perez & Huracan Castillo Jr. lost the IWA tag titles to Chicky Starr & Victor the Bodyguard, who had jumped from WWC
SummerSlam which takes place on 8/27 in Raleigh, NC was not a five minute or one hour sellout. As of 4/28, four days after tickets had been put on sale, they had sold 8,326 tickets in the building which will be set up for about 15,700. The feeling is that the fans in Raleigh, having never paid more than $40 for top tickets for any show ever in the market, are balking at the $300 ringside as there are many seats still available at press time in the first ten rows. In another era (like even two years ago), the idea of selling 8,326 tickets for a show four months away would be considered grounds for a major celebration
There was a very strange quote from Mad Dog Vachon in an article on him in the Orlando Sentinel. Vachon called current wrestling garbage, but then when asked about his participation in the Shawn Michaels vs. Diesel match in 1996 when Kevin Nash removed Vachon's artificial leg, Vachon acted as if he didn't know it was going to happen which is almost impossible to believe. His quote on the incident was, "Some people will do anything for money. I am not one of them. I was never so humiliated in my whole life. Vince McMahon was behind the whole thing, and that's one of the things I don't like about him. Sometimes he can be a real sneak.
MSNBC ran a segment on Bradshaw on 5/1 as an update on a segment they ran about his stock market acumen in February. They updated all his purchases from February and everyone one of his stocks, including WWFE, has gone up and he's overall made a huge profit. Bradshaw's stock tip was to buy MCIworld.com and his track record is very strong, as he more than doubled his stock portfolio in 1999. When he was on 2/28, he picked WWFE (up 48%), Citigroup (up 20%) and Walmart (up 20%)
Jodie Fleisch, the British high flyer who works for Michinoku Pro (originally under a mask as Doc Chan and now under his real name) is expected to get a look, perhaps before the show starts or possibly in a dark match before the 5/6 Insurrextion U.K. PPV show. Benoit is going to bring Tom Billington (Dynamite Kid) to the show which will be the wheelchair-bound Billington's first WWF show he would have seen live in probably more than a decade. Billington was Benoit's hero growing up in Edmonton and Benoit is almost amazingly patterned in the ring and his look after Billington, who was also one of the greatest in-ring performers this business has ever seen
In an Alex Marvez interview at wrestlingobserver.com, Steve Regal talked about his addictions that nearly cost him both his career, family and even his life. Regal, who is wrestling in the Memphis promotion to get ready for a return to the WWF, is now 255 pounds, down from 290 at his peak. He said his drug problems started when he tore up his knee in a match in Japan against Benoit and kept wrestling. He said WCW encouraged him to get the operation but he refused, and would take more and more pain pills to keep going. He said in a later match in Las Vegas against Benoit, he re-injured it to where he had no choice but to get the operation. This led to more pain pills. Then he injured his neck in late 1996, which led to more pain pills and then muscle relaxers, but the pain was so bad he couldn't sleep, which led to sleeping pills. Then, he and Benoit were in an auto accident in Tupelo, MS together in January 1997 and his career went downhill from that point. He couldn't train because his neck was hurting and the car wreck made everything worse. Without training, he started putting a lot of weight on. He was told to lose weight but he couldn't train, and this continued until WCW released him and WWF signed him up. Then he Continued on page 18.
THE READERS PAGES
WCW
Tell me what credibility the WWF title has? What credibility can a title decided on the inclinations of a promoter really have? Not one with half a brain believes that WWF, WCW or ECW are real athletic competition. What credibility is there in a title given to you depending on what someone else's view of entertainment is? I don't respect HHH as a great wrestling champion and I dare say that nobody does. Nobody respects Rock or Steve Austin as being great wrestling champions because they never were. They didn't beat anyone in a wrestling match for a title. They are entertaining enough to warrant TV time. The WWF title is a prop, as is every other wrestling title. Because ECW doesn't change its titles as often, does that mean ECW's title has more credibility than the WWF title? We all know Mike Awesome jobbed to Tazz because he had to, and Tazz let Tommy Dreamer pin him. Paul Heyman did what he felt he had to do to make his fans happy and stick it to WCW while making his company look like it was important by getting it mentioned on WWF television. Does that make the ECW title less credible? Of course not.
I guess I should start debating my friends over who has the most credible adjustable bed in hospital dramas or maybe we should discuss whose spaceship is the most credible in a Sci-Fi movie or which football movie has the most credible football. This isn't church and David Arquette holding the title isn't the end of the world. Joe Consumer doesn't care about the credibility of the title or its lineage. I used to, but most of the ten million viewers don't care. Only true marks discuss this stuff. Its WWF marks who make every excuse for WWF failings and they whip out the bull horn when WCW screws up.
Kent Collins
You said that the WCW title should be build up to mean something to the fans like it did in the old days, but I have a problem with this. Today the younger generation has little respect for anything. Why would they respect a title? You write that WCW should change with the times. Isn't WCW not respecting the world title a sign of changing times?
Pro athletes have no loyalty to teams save a few players. Wrestling world titles are the only ones defended on almost a weekly basis. Doesn't multiple title defenses devalue the title? The world boxing titles are defended once or twice a year, and hardly ever against the No. 1 contender. Those belts have value because the matches mean something.
This would be the same if they had the Super Bowl every month. By the third Super Bowl in a year, people wouldn't care. The secret in adding value to a title is to not defend it every week, but instead maybe every other month so that true hype can be built up.
Stu Gautz
DM: Actually most pro boxing titles mean little. A title belt means what its value is at the box office and what its value is to the individuals chasing or holding it. Nothing less and nothing more, and in any professional sport, that's really the real world value of its championship. The reality in today's society is that the World Wrestling Federation championship is more important than the World Greco-Roman wrestling championship, even though one is won and lost in real competition and the other is decided upon by Vince McMahon. The people who talk about athletic credibility in comparing pro wrestling to sports saying because one is predetermined and thus it doesn't count are the marks. The real world is both are very similar once you reach the professional level. They are professional athletic businesses and the real life value of all championships in sports, and pro wrestling championships are no different, is their economic credibility. If we go with the idea that Wrestlemania this year drew 800,000 buys at an average of $42 per buy, and if those same four guys were put in a show without the title at stake, or with a title that nobody actually cared about thus had no economic value at stake, you'd have to be very generous to think it would do 500,000 buys. So the value, economically, of that belt for that one day alone was more than $12 million. The HHH vs. Cactus match that drew 480,000 buys the previous month if HHH didn't put at stake a championship that meant something, I think they'd be have drawn maybe 300,000 buys with that match. So that belt was worth another $5.4 million on that day. Even if those numbers are low, the belts value over the course of a year is tens of millions of dollars just on PPV let alone the value of it for house shows and television ratings. The Super Bowl winners probably don't train nearly as hard as the World Greco-Roman wrestling champions either, but the most important thing in sports is the Super Bowl in this country (worldwide it would be the World Cup and maybe the Olympic glamour sports every four years) because the public and media and economics have deemed them so, not because they are inherently more important than a championship in a less glamorous sport. With the proliferation of titles in boxing, inherently most mean little except for a few titles held by name value fighters and that doesn't matter whether the fights are predetermined or not. The world title in WWF and WCW should mean something, not for history or tradition, but because if used correctly, it will have monetary value, either for TV ratings or box office and if used correctly, for both. The biggest shows in the history of this industry, not just going back in time but over the past year, including the past two Wrestlemanias, were built around a quest for a championship belt in WWF. Occasionally an angle gets over so big that it's bigger to the mainstream that a quest for the belt doesn't figure into the equation (Hashimoto vs. Ogawa), but in more cases than not, the biggest money angles involve that quest. Probably the biggest non-title angle in WWF history was Austin vs. McMahon, but the buy rate for its singles match was less than many title matches with far less hype. Ruining a minor belt may not hurt a company. Ruining the one major belt may not even necessarily kill a company, but it does kill the easiest way to built to a rating or a big buy rate and pop live attendance. For people running the companies to dismiss that reality of who is champion and the importance of the main event program in a company shows who does and doesn't understand the business of wrestling.
WCW is a company run and booked by people who hate pro wrestling. They are spitting on their title, every wrestler who ever held that title proudly, every wrestler who took seriously wrestling for it and every fan who ever took pro wrestling seriously. This was a move to mock history and try and tell its audience they are fools to watch their garbage. I get their point. I'm pulling the plug on watching this sick, inept promotion.
Steve Yohe
Montebello, California
Like most people, I prefer WWF over WCW right now. Like most people, I also want WCW to get better. In a competitive wrestling war, the fans win. Thanks to the last wrestling war, there are no more squash matches on television. But it's hopeless. WCW is done. How can I even fondly remember Ric Flair's title reigns when it's the same belt worn by David Arquette. I can't and won't watch anymore. I know the days of Ric Flair can't lost forever, but it should have never come to this. The more I think about it, the more I wish the NWA had just folded when Jim Crockett had his money problems. I know the world title doesn't mean much, and the people who book it should understand this is exactly why it doesn't mean much, but Arquette has won more world heavyweight titles than Chris Jericho, Brian Pillman, Owen Hart and Arn Anderson combined.
David Greenbeck
After watching both shows on 4/24, I came away with a stronger feeling than ever that Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff are not the answer to what ails WCW. I know I'm going to get bad mouthed for not giving the saviors enough time to show what they can do, but that's fine. I'm a wrestling fan and Nitro was sad. When the only signs I've seen out of WCW in the past three weeks is moving away from anything resembling decent in-ring work, comically bad segments (Hogan and his Jedi power comes to mind), booking directed at smart marks who make up such a small percentage of the audience and pointless jabbing at a superior product, there is now way I can think anything but WCW is headed down the wrong path again.
While I think there is a higher level of energy on the show and the workers are more motivated, the bad booking negates the harder work. When the WWF caught up to WCW in 1988, Raw was consistently the much better show and it took months and months of that before there was a big change in the ratings. Yet I hear people proclaiming that Nitro is on its way to dethroning Raw? What? It may be true that WWF sometimes is in cruise control, but that doesn't change the fact that every program is rock solid. Plus, they can put together a blow away show, an example being on 4/17. WWF has never had so many performers that were over in its history. While not there yet, they are slowly training the audience to appreciate good wrestling. The big kicker in all of this success is that Undertaker and Austin have been on the shelf for months. I want WCW to get better so there is some semblance of competition, but it's really ignorant to think that WCW will surpass WWF within the year. The fact that Russo and Bischoff panicked and hotshotted the title change the third week in shows they don't have the patience to do what is necessary to build the show back up. What did WCW gain from DDP beating Jarrett in one of the most anticlimactic title changes in history? You tell me. That was terrible, terrible booking. The chase of the world title is probably the most important part of the booking scene in any federation, as evidenced by Rock's year without the strap and the same with Austin in 1998. WCW has thrown that to the wind. The remaining credibility the belt had now is gone.
James Kelly
Arlington, Virginia
So what's Russo's excuse of the week going to be this time? According to my calendar, Monday was the anniversary of the opening of the Empire State Building, so that must have been the reason for the ratings being what they were. Russo sure got everyone talking about WCW. Unfortunately, just about everyone except for Bob Ryder was talking about how their product sucks. Russo is just like the previous WCW bookers who would hear crowds boo and groan loudly and actually think they were doing a great job of drawing heat when the fans were actually saying they would never be fooled into paying for that crap again. Obviously the millions of viewers of pro wrestling just don't understand pro wrestling as well as Russo does.
Gary Will
Waterloo, Ontario
STING
I have a thought in reference to Sting dropping from the rafters. I think it's debatable whether it is in poor taste or not that they are doing the drop again. I think the fact the stunt just does so little to add to the product, and therefore is so unnecessary, is what makes it so offensive. Obviously, WCW knows that there was going to be at least a portion of their TV audience and talent roster that was going to be offended by the stunt, so if it's not going to make a big difference in the product, why do it?
But I thought the 4/24 incident was clearly offensive, to me, at least, because of the visual of the "bloodied" Sting hanging lifeless from the device. All I could think about was the mob scene in Kansas City after the Owen Hart tragedy. To my surprise, I haven't heard anyone else draw any parallel's between Sting being bloodied and lifeless hanging from a harness and the Owen Hart tragedy, so I don't know, maybe it's just a reach on my part. But even if it is a reach, I'm just a fan, and the fact that I can perceive why people would think it's tasteless and can be bad for business and the people in charge of WCW that are so-called professionals at this can't see that speaks poorly about WCW. Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff have gone on record saying they just want to win and they'll do whatever it takes and I guess they meant it. To me, the saddest part is not only was the angle tasteless, but it does nothing to help them win, to improve ratings or improve the company.
Mike Wisniewski
After 4/24, I'm pretty disgusted with WCW. At least this time nobody has used the "Bret was there and okayed it" excuse. The way I look at it, Eric Bischoff said it wouldn't be done anymore. Maybe he didn't promise it, but he still said it. He promised Martha and Stu and Helen Hart and Chris Jericho as well as all of Owen's friends in WCW at the time. He promised the wrestling fans as well. Not only is the drop in disgustingly bad taste, but it proves Bischoff's word isn't worth jack. I wrote him a letter last week and did it again after the second time. If it happens again, I'm not watching WCW until Bischoff and Russo are out of circulation. I know that people who defend Sting coming down, point to Eddy Guerrero, but what does that have to do with anything? I'm offended by the Guerrero portrayal and have written WWF to tell them that. But Vince McMahon never said "We will never do an offensive racial stereotype again," did he?
Zach Adams
DM: Actually as I recall McMahon said they don't use racist angles in the WWF. As for Bischoff, I don't recall him ever saying anything at the time of Owen Hart's death other than for now they wouldn't do the drop out of respect to Owen, but I was under the impression he and Sting both left the door open that they may do it again at some point. I could be mistaken, but that's how I remember the situation.
I happened to be in Revere the night of the Erich Kulas situation and sat eight or nine rows back. Yes, the site lines are poor and most people including myself didn't know what was going on until the EMTs came out. It was a 95% adult crowd, rowdy and liquored up.
As for Sting, it is my opinion having read and watched everything about the Owen Hart death that WCW stunts with Sting are fine. If Steve Borden and Bret Hart feel it is okay, and having seen Sting do it live in Boston three years ago where he took DDP back up with him, it seemed very safe. The question everyone should be asking before putting down WCW is, do stunt people stop doing stunts due to a death? No. Do we stop taking trains if a train crashes? No. Do auto racers stop driving due to many deaths in that sport? No. It was a horrible accident that most likely could have been avoided. I feel when all the facts come out in court, it will show the rigging wasn't done safely. Steve Borden has a family and he's a born again Christian. Do you think he would do this if he felt he was in danger? No.
Matt Cail
Boston, Massachusetts
MARKETING TO KIDS
It's really depressing to hear my fellow wrestling fans respond to Phil Mushnick. Rather than arguing his points or providing counter arguments, they simply berate him, call him names and dismiss him as some crackpot with an agenda. Sure, he has an agenda, but most of his points are dead on. I've loved pro wrestling for years, but I recognize the fact that as a business, it has some serious ethical flaws. The following points made by Mushnick about North American wrestling seem pretty much irrefutable:
1) Pro wrestling companies market a violent, misogynistic, homophobic, stereotype-laden product.
2) Wrestling companies heavily market this product to children
3) Wrestling companies permit, if not actively endorse, rampant steroid use among their employees and drug problems have led directly to an extraordinary number of premature deaths
4) Wrestling companies lie pathologically about all of the above issues. They have every reason to.
Again, I accept these problems and consequences. Wrestling is a very dirty business and fans who can't admit to the truth about that had better have arguments to support their case. Most of the people who have responded to Mushnick so far simply reinforce the stereotype of wrestling fans as ignorant, aggressive, close-minded fools.
Paul Galbraith
Does the WWF market to kids, meaning those under 13 years old, as I really don't think the product is objectionable to teenagers? Yes. It is relevant. No.
The whole topic is much ado about nothing. Kids will watch wrestling because they like wrestling. Kids have been watching and attending wrestling TV shows forever. Were Jerry Jarrett, Eddie Graham and Roy Shire selling toys, video games and other kid oriented products? No. But kids were still watching Jerry Lawler, Jack Brisco and Ray Stevens.
The WWF, and to a lesser degree, WCW, have taken advantage of the fact that kids watch wrestling and sell products to them. The best analogy I can come up with is the advertising of cigarettes aimed at children. Did Joe Camel make kids smoke? No. But for the kids who did smoke, did Joe Camel make them choose the Camel brand? Yes.
Do action figures and video games make kids watch wrestling? No. But for kids who do watch, they'll buy those items.
So the question becomes should be the product be toned down because kids watch the show? That depends on whose responsibility you think it is to censor what kids watch, the promoters, the parents or the government. We already know the promoters won't. The parents who are concerned about it already do. For those who don't like the fact that some parents let their kids watch or think they don't have to make an effort to monitor or censor what their kids see, the government is their last option.
I believe Phil Mushnick falls into that group. That's what provokes such a visceral reaction to me. The "doing it for the kids" line strikes a chord with a lot of people these days. This translates into, "you're too stupid, unable or unwilling to take care of your kids as we see fit so we'll do it for you."
Jason Campbell
Sandusky, Ohio
SYTCH
I know people are going to say a ton of mean things about the way Tammy Sytch looked on Thunder. But I'd ten times rather see her looking like she's at a healthy body weight that looking like Francine looks.
D.L. Burrell
KULAS INCIDENT
While reading the last few issues, I've made several notes.
The Erich Kulas incident will never go away for ECW, especially since it seems the number of people who were there live seems to have grown quite rapidly. The tape was first given to me through some friends in the indy scene in Northern California. I've talked about the tape with members of the WWF. Everyone knows the tape well. One could even remember seeing me and my friends who were there. The tape has made the rounds in wrestling circles, among fans and participants alike. Still, it has had little effect on the business regulating itself.
Almost four years later, the stories and perspectives change. I was there, including with one of the people who wrote a letter to the Observer. I remember things much differently, even differently from what watching the tape shows. The show was much rowdier then usual. The doors opened earlier and the beer sold much faster than at the previous months show. The near riot that broke out afterwards was a direct result.
The truth is, the whole even was very surreal. Nothing seemed right. It was always what I expected a great "shoot-angle" would look like. Even the tape seems like something is off. It reminded me of watching the Memphis angle with Jerry Lawler and Snowman. No one was sure what was happening. Since New Jack stayed in character after Kulas was bleeding so badly, it was even harder to figure out what was really going on. A few minutes later, after New Jack left the ring, we all realized what was going on. At that point, ECW ceased to be a fun alternative.
Christopher Garcia
Santa Clara, California
Continued from page 15. had two bouts of pneumonia which delayed his WWF start. When he started with WWF, he was terribly out of shape. He's had a couple of stints in rehab, bounced from WWF, back to WCW, and again back to WWF since then. He said he never felt healthy again until October of 1999. He also talked a lot about British wrestling, saying that the young wrestlers in England should try and learn from people like Johnny Saint or Steve Graham to learn the old British style that's dying so they could be unique and get a spot in the U.S., because by just copying what the Americans do with the clothesline, high flying, they won't be able to compete for jobs with Americans who do it better
Tim Russert did an interview with Bob Costas, who is a long-time wrestling fan dating back to the days of growing up in St. Louis watching Sam Muchnick wrestling (Costas hosted the KPLR-TV St. Louis wrestling retrospective that Muchnick's former right hand man Larry Matysik put together a few months back and also hosted a favorable NBC look at WWF in 1984 before networks ever paid any attention to pro wrestling) and KMOX radio, at a time when doing so was actually major sports news since KMOX was one of those famous sports stations and the top rated station in the St. Louis market, actually covered several of McMahon's early WWF house shows with Costas hosting live play-by-play. Costas said that McMahon is peddling filth to children and he would never let his kid watch it, and also brought up being a wrestling fan as a kid
Smackdown tapings on 4/25 in Charlotte drew a sellout 15,340 paying $453,720. House show on 4/29 in Hershey, PA drew a sellout 8,620 paying $249,348. Merchandise for the past week combining Raw, Smackdown and the house in Hershey (not including the PPV) was $267,472 or $7.53 per head. In Hershey, most of the big names like Rock and DX were given the night off but they still drew the largest gate in the history of the city for a show headlined by Benoit over Jericho via DQ (they did basically the same match and finish as the PPV the next night) and Edge & Christian winning a four-way over Dudleys, Hardys and T&A.
