Wrestling News

[Rezen]

I'm looking forward to Joey Mercury's return. I hope the current plan of putting him the Straight Edge Society goes well.

 

[Will E Worm]

Demolition goes Ringside in latest shoot

Two hours with Demolition discussing their best matches sounds like two hours well spent. That’s what we get on Ringside With Demolition, the latest from Kayfabe Commentaries.

Like the Vader volume from this series that SLAM! Wrestling reviewed recently, Ax (Bill Eadie) and Smash (Barry Darsow) sit down with KC’s Sean Oliver to reflect on some of their greatest bouts, while watching them, albeit with no audio or video to the viewer.

The former WWF tag champs start the shoot discussing how the team was formed, including how Randy Colley was the first Smash, all while applying their face paint. Some pretty normal stuff starts, with Ax talking about his time as the Masked Superstar and Smash as Krusher Kruschev.

Matches don’t start until the 45-minute mark, but when they do, some real dandies here.

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[Will E Worm]

RVD Explains How He’d Spice Up Wrestling

How to “Spice Up” Today’s Wrestling: “I would say bring back the day of the jobber. When I was a fan, when I was younger, wrestlers were larger than life because I would watch them totally annihilate some local scrub, some guy that was in the ring, I didn’t know who the jobber was. We called those enhancement matches and they hardly ever do them anymore. That to me was how you build the wrestler, and when I found out two of these superstars would be battling each other, whether it was near me at a live show or when it was on Saturday Night’s Main Event, that was huge and it drew great interest and enthusiasm because I got to see these two big wrestlers who I’ve seen just destroy everybody actually face each other.”

Van Dam feels that the Monday night wars forced both companies to abandon jobbers and always put on marquee matches, but looking back, it’s hurt the companies’ abilities to build stars and the overall product:

“Ever since Monday Night Wars, every single match from the bottom to the top of the card seems like it has to be main-event quality — superstar vs. superstar, superstar vs. superstar — and then you gotta find a political way to go into the finish, you know, to try to deck one guy while doing what you want with the other. It’s a bunch of bulls**t I think. You know, I really think that the enhancement matches were what brought everybody into WWE in the ’90s.”

The possibility of returning to WWE or going to TNA: “I mean, it’s possible that I could be interested in either TNA or WWE if it was the right amount of work vs. pay ratio. That’s basically what it is, and I haven’t had that deep of conversations with anyone yet, really. So I don’t know if it’s out there or not, since I haven’t been the active one out there pursuing, you know, the information comes to me as it comes when they’re reaching out to me.”

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I agree with RVD. Jobbers need to be brought back.

"Van Dam feels that the Monday night wars forced both companies to abandon jobbers and always put on marquee matches, but looking back, it’s hurt the companies’ abilities to build stars and the overall product"

 

[Will E Worm]

RVD Explains How He’d Spice Up Wrestling

The "Monday Night Wars" hurt wrestling and forced younger talent to be held back.

What's going to happen when the older wrestlers are gone and no one is there to take their place?

Wrestling promotions need to start thinking about that. If not then they are just trying to make a quick buck and don't care about wrestling.

Stop supporting promtions like that.

 

[Rezen]

I've always appreciated a good jobber. Dusty Wolfe, Reno Riggins, Barry Horrible Witz, Buddy Lee Parker, Pez Whatly, Joey Maggs, The Italian Stallion....

These guys severed a purpose, they built the guys and made them look good. Jobbers can do that. I don't complain about squashes, I never mind seeing a new guy showcase his move set against a pencil neck geek. I like Big Zeke killing bitches dead. I used to like Vader mauling a WCW jobber or three at one time.

They are called enhancement talent for a reason. Scotty II Hotty is another example, as is Val Venis at the end of his WWE run. Those guys could make Snitsky look good, and did.

 

[Will E Worm]

Raven vs. WWE, New Venue For Pittsburgh Live Event

-- The IRS in the US is looking to clamp down on businesses who attempt to pass off their regular employees as independent contractors. A lawsuit brought against WWE by former WWE & TNA star Scott "Raven" Levy and others, which said that wrestlers should be considered employees, was shot down by the courts. This could be an interesting situation for WWE.

That's a stupid move and I'd say unconstitutional.

-- Devin Cutting sent this in: Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling will be moving the March 13th TNA Live! show in Pittsburgh to the Ches-a-rena Entertainment Complex. Due to the unfortunate circumstances with the Rostraver Ice Arena, TNA had to change venues. All tickets purchased for the March 13th Pittsburgh event originally scheduled at the Rostraver Ice Arena will be honored at the Ches-a-rena Entertainment Complex. TNA will have an extremely limited number of seats available at http TicketMaster..com going back on sale now. In addition, TNA will have a very limited number of standing room only tickets available at the door for only $10. Go to prowrestlingevents..tk or prowrestlingevents.webs.com for info about upcoming wrestling shows worldwide.

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[Will E Worm]

Update On ECW Roster Moves

Batista is currently being listed as WWE champion on the 'Smackdown Superstars' page on WWE.com. So it seems he hasn't actually moved brands. As for the 'free agents' from ECW here are the official and unofficial moves so far (as of this Monday's taping):

Official:

Smackdown - Ezekiel Jackson.

Unofficial:

Raw - Christian, William Regal, Yoshi Tatsu, Vladimir Kozlov, Zack Ryder

Smackdown - Trent Barretta, Caylen Croft,

Unknown - Abraham Washington, Tony Atlas, Tyler Reks, Shelton Benjamin, Goldust, The Hurricane, Vance Archer

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[Will E Worm]

Winnipeg mainstay George "Red" Eakin dead at 81

George "Red" Eakin, a Winnipeg wrestling mainstay as a performer and a wrestler has passed away Sunday morning, after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 81.

Eakin was an outstanding amateur wrestler, born on September 19, 1929 in Winnipeg, who first delved into the pro ranks in Winnipeg's active club scene in 1952 for the Crescent Boxing and Wrestling Club's summer match series at the North Main Drive In. Some of his earliest "semi-pro" successes took place under that club's banner, where we excelled in both singles and tag team competition, forming a successful partnership with the popular Johnny DePaulo.

However, it was under Gordon Mackie's Madison Wrestling Club banner that Eakin saw his greatest success. Between 1952 and 1968, Eakin wrestled 401 matches out of the club's 632 events. More than 100 of those were in tag team action with frequent partner, Gus "Frenchy" Champagne.

Eakin held the Madison Club heavyweight title nine times, trading the title with the likes of Moose Morowski, Bulldog Bob Brown, and Lorne Corlett (who gained greater fame world-wide under the surname Von Steiger).

Eakin did equally well in tag team competition, holding the Madison Club tag titles on six occasions -- five times with Frenchy Champagne and once with Buddy Sprott, who is best known for his work internationally as Ricky Hunter (aka The Gladiator).

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At 6'0" and 218 pounds, his skills on the mat attracted attention and Eakin did train briefly with Verne Gagne in Minneapolis with aspirations of a full-time pro career. However, he was discouraged by the lack of job security, and with a career as a fireman in Winnipeg, he elected to stay close to home.

For many years, Eakin served as a referee for the higher-profile cards promoted by Alex Turk.
In addition to his occupational and wrestling pursuits, Eakin is regarded as an outstanding football player and as a member of the Norwood-St. Boniface Legionaires, won the Canadian senior championship. George also served as a lineman for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers football club for many years.

Eakin's last match took place in Brandon, Manitoba on November 15, 1974 when he teamed with a young Roddy Piper to oppose Joe Carona and The Scorpion.

 

[Will E Worm]

All Charges Dropped Against Former TNA/ECW Star.

All changes against former WWE/ECW/TNA star David "Kid Kash" Cash were dropped on February 11th in court in Jonesboro, TN. He was facing charges of identity theft, forgery, and theft.

The woman who had pressed the charges, a former acquaintance of Cash, recanted her story, admitting that Cash used her credit card with her knowledge and permission and that she pressed charges because she was mad at him for ending their relationship.

Cash had previously stated that he used her credit card with her permission, that the charges were under $100, and that he paid her back in cash the next day.

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[bridgetisgod]

my melina vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhEve_aSoMg

my alicia fox vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJFEFCO-m6E

my gail kim vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpe8pMS4ThQ

 

[Will E Worm]

WWE releases two wrestlers, a diva and a ref

Released -- Paul Burchill, Maria Kanellis, and Gregory Helms, who also worked as The Hurricane, as well as referee Scott Armstrong.

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I guess Helms will show up in TNA like Shannon Moore.

They both can job to Jay Lethal and Consequences Creed. :tongue:

 

[beany_man]

Taz: oh my god, is that-----

Tenay: THAT'S THE HURRY CAIN!!

Taz: He's crossed the line!

Tenay: *serious voice* Let's hear what he has to say..

 

[Will E Worm]

Umaga died of 'acute toxicity'

The results are in for the toxicology study of World Wrestling Entertainment performer Eddie "Umaga" Fatu, who died at age 36 of a heart attack in Houston on December 4, 2009.

Dan Morgan, supervisory forensic investigator for Harris County, told me in an email, "The cause of death is acute toxicity due to combined effects of hydrocodone, carisoprodol, and diazepam."

Hydrocone is a painkiller. Carisoprodol, commonly called soma, is a muscle relaxer. Diazepam, commonly called Valium, is an anti-anxiety medication.

In the statement of condolence published on the WWE website at the time of Fatu’s death, the company for which U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon was the long-time CEO made what many observers felt was the gratuitous point that he was no longer under contract to WWE. Fatu had been released six months earlier after failing a drug test under the company "wellness policy" and refusing to go to rehab.

The Fatu toxicology results come just a day after Brian Lockhart reported, on the front page of Hearst newspapers in Connecticut, that a Congressional committee and a White House drug policy office "dropped the ball" on the investigation of drugs and death in pro wrestling that followed the June 2007 murder-suicide of Chris Benoit.

Linda McMahon will be appearing in a live televised debate with the other GOP Senate candidates in Hartford on Tuesday night.

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"The cause of death is acute toxicity due to combined effects of hydrocodone, carisoprodol, and diazepam."

 

[Will E Worm]

Angelo Poffo was wrestler, promoter, father to two stars

Angelo Poffo, who died this morning at the age of 84 in Sarasota, Florida, needs to be remembered as far more than just the father of Randy "Macho Man" Savage and "Leaping" Lanny Poffo. He served his country in the Navy, set a world's record for sit-ups, was one of the greatest heel wrestlers of his era, promoted against the establish wrestling hierarchy, and, was one of the most notoriously frugal wrestlers in history.

After all, at one point, he was a manager named "The Miser."

Poffo thought that baseball was going to be his ticket to success. He played his way onto the DePaul University baseball team as a catcher. "My catching was good, and everything, but my hitting was bad. So I had to give it up," recalled Angelo in 2005. At DePaul, Poffo studied physical education and played competitive chess. Before being hit by a baseball and getting plate-shy, Poffo played ball with George Mikan, who would later become the first big NBA star. DePaul is also where he met his wife of more than 50 years, Judy Sverdlin.

On July 4, 1945, while serving in the Navy, Poffo set a world record of 6,033 sit-ups in four hours, 10 minutes. "Somebody did about 5,000 and his abdominal aorta broke and he died. So I did 6,000 and I was so happy that I was still alive, I did 33 more sit-ups, one for each year of Jesus Christ's life," recalled Poffo.

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[Will E Worm]

Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on March 27, 2010.

WWE has made some goofy decisions when it fills out its Hall of Fame — Johnny Rodz, Refrigerator Perry and Pete Rose among them. But Maurice “Mad Dog” Vachon, who will enter the Hall of Fame on March 27, is about as good as they come ... a guy with as much bark as bite.

Now 80, Vachon competed at the 1948 Olympics as an 18-year-old amateur wrestler, first meeting a guy he would later become a bitter rival of in the ring — Verne Gagne.

Vachon became a bouncer in Montreal before giving pro wrestling a try in 1954. He bulked up a bit, shaved his head and grew a goatee. He looked south of the border and found success. He was soon transformed into Mad Dog, becoming a despised heel, at one time living in Winnipeg, an important stop on the AWA circuit.

He had a leg amputated in 1987 after being struck in a hit-and-run accident. That would be exploited in a 1996 WWE storyline when Diesel ripped the artificial leg off Vachon, who was being honoured at an In Your House pay-per-view. The leg was then taken by Shawn Michaels, who clocked Diesel and got the pin.

Around the ring.

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[mushroomhunting]

I agree with RVD. Jobbers need to be brought back.

"Van Dam feels that the Monday night wars forced both companies to abandon jobbers and always put on marquee matches, but looking back, it’s hurt the companies’ abilities to build stars and the overall product"

i dunno man. Wcw always had jobbers, losing to Steiner, Golberg, Outsiders, even Jericho was taking out the jobbers.
We all know Wcw held back alot of the smaller talent, nonetheless they always had jobbers.

 

[Will E Worm]

i dunno man. Wcw always had jobbers, losing to Steiner, Golberg, Outsiders, even Jericho was taking out the jobbers.
We all know Wcw held back alot of the smaller talent, nonetheless they always had jobbers.

A jobber as in just someone coming up or someone from a wrestling school.

Not jobbing good talent or young talent to old wrestlers.

 

[Will E Worm]

Jericho Nominated for Award, Vladimir Kozlov on RAW, More

- WWE will be running a Supershow at Madison Square Garden on June 19th. You can purchase tickets at Impulsetickets.com.

- WWE has officially added Vladimir Kozlov to the RAW roster page.

- Chris Jericho has been nominated for the “Most Metal Athlete” award at the Golden Revolver metal awards in Los Angeles on April 8th. Jericho will be also hosting the show that airs May 22nd on VH1 Classics.

Artice

 

[Will E Worm]

Sandy Scott dead at 75

The career of Sandy Scott, the Hamilton, Ontario-born tag team star who died at age 75 this morning after a battle with pancreatic cancer, can be examined as a perfect prism through which to view the history of wrestling in the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling territory. Consider a sampling from his experiences in the Carolinas as part of more than 40 years in the business:

• In the 1950s and 1960s, Scott and brother George headlined cards as "The Flying Scotts," one of the most important tag teams in the most important tag team territory in the country.
  
• In the 1970s, he lent his expertise to up-and-coming stars like Jerry Brisco, and added tag combos with the likes of Nelson Royal and Bearcat Wright to his résumé.
  
• In the 1980s, he was a key front office executive for Jim Crockett Promotions, booking towns and venues, handling TV ads, and keeping a lucrative business thriving.
  
• In the 1990s, he worked for World Championship Wrestling and watched in dismay at the "suits" in Atlanta mismanaged the company on its road to ruin.

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[Will E Worm]

Julie Hart writes back at the Hitman

Julie Hart, ex-wife of Bret Hart, has responded to comments made by her former husband in his recent autobiography.

Hart, who was married to the "Hitman" for 20 years, has now penned her own autobiography coming out later this year.

"There are two sides to every story," Hart states to SLAM! Wrestling. "There were many incidents he wrote about that I would like to share my perspective on.

"The book took me six years to write, it is very dark; I think people will be shocked at a lot of things. I cover a lot of different issues that fans are expecting and some they aren’t."

The 49-year-old mother of four said that she was "shocked" to read details about the affairs that her former husband was involved in.

"I actually wondered at one point as to whom I had married, he definitely led a double life. The lifestyle that wrestlers maintained on the road 24 hours a day was very hard to turn off when they came home."

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The Hitman, who is a former seven-time World Champion, released his candid autobiography, Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling, in 2008 and depicted his wife as being constantly frustrated with him.

"I wish he had given some examples of why I would be mad," exclaims Hart. "It was tough being married to him and stardom has a price to pay when your family isn’t quite in the same spotlight. I suppose to Bret it felt like I didn’t care enough by the sound of his book."

"There was a time when I believed that there was a clear line between Bret Hart the character and Bret Hart the family man, but now looking back I’m a little confused about who he was. He always said family was first and business was second, I’m scratching my head about that one."

Adulated by millions of wrestling fans all over the world, the Hitman was away on the road for long periods at a time while Hart found it tough to raise her children as a single parent.

"It was especially hard when the children were younger," adds Hart. "He missed out on a lot of things the kids were doing. I did a lot of normal family things with them to help distract from the fact that their dad was gone."

The relationship broke down and in 2002 Bret filed for divorce. "I think it was the right thing to do. We both came to a fork in the road and no longer had it in us to walk with each other in the same direction."

Despite all the negatives that Hart has faced involving professional wrestling she has no bitterness towards the business.

"Wrestling gave me and my family a lot of opportunities," Hart explains. "It was very generous to us, I grew up in a small town so going to all these big cities and a new country was truly an amazing experience."

Hart, who has for the last ten years has been deeply involved with charity work, is now looking forward to the future. Among her current projects is a virtual museum paying tribute to legendary wrestling promoter Stu Hart, the father of Bret Hart.

Her autobiography is expected to be available worldwide in the summer of 2010.