From: ag725@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Rick Scaia) Subject: [INFO] News From Dayton, 6/3/96 Date: 1996/06/05 Message-ID: <4p2p23$238@alpha.sky.net> followup-to: rec.sport.pro-wrestling Organization: The National Capital FreeNet Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling.info,rec.sport.pro-wrestling Back to the regular grind... here's the run-down of the weekly Alex Marvez column (reproduced, as always, without permission of the Dayton Daily News... but now brought to you with the full knowledge and blessing of Mr. marvez himself!): * Headline is in regards to the biggest story of the week: Scott Hall's WCW debut. But with a twist: "WCW misleading fans about news stars from WWF". While Alex is complimentary (calling the angle where Hall appears, still doing his Razor Ramon schtick and insinuating a WWF "invasion force," both "well executed" and "realistic enough"), he balances that with some of the very same concerns you heard from another great wrestling mind on RSPW earlier in the week. Namely, concern of the attempt to mislead fans into believing Hall and Nash are actually emmissaries of the WWF and concern over whether WCW can keep the momentum going on this angle (Marvez specifically sites WCW's "disorganized managedment and weak announcing" as reasons to doubt their ability to keep this angle hot). * Speaking of Kevin "Diesel" Nash, his debut may not be at the June 10 Nitro, but rather on the June 16 PPV. Former WWF'ers Men On a Mission also arrive in WCW later this month. * Marvez reports DiBiase gave notice last week, and is out of the WWF. He will surface in WCW in August (I assume when his contract is up with Titan), either as an announcer or as a manager. As we heard mid-week, Davey Boy Smith also gave his WWF notice, though there is NO word on him heading immediately to WCW. * Alex also runs down the WWF "In Your Dark House" debacle, including match results and the power outage that caused viewers to miss three matches on the original broadcast. Also, Marvez notes that "from all accounts, both shows [original broadcast and the Tuesday re-matches] were terrible." * Hunter Hearst Helmsley may be paying the price for the Clique's choice to break kayfabe at MSG last month. HHH, Diesel, Razor Ramon, and Shawn Michaels all celebrated together in the ring; Diesel and Ramon, of course, are gone and could not be disciplined. Michaels must be kept happy, as he is the champ. But HHH, who according the Marvez, was originally slotted to win the KotR tourney, instead dropped a 12 second match to Jake Roberts in a first round contest for KotR (to air on RAW today). Two leading favs to win KotR are now Vader and Steve Austin. * In the wake of the hot Goldust/Ahemd Johnson angle from RAW, look for a bitter feud to develop, with Ahmed coming out the champ. [Rick's note: on Action Zone, I noticed they have already added this match for the KotR PPV.] * On 5/27, the two hour Nitro did about a 2.8 rating (a 2.7 in the first hour, a 2.8 in the second), losing in the ratings battle to RAW, which did a 3.3. [In my opinion, the numbers over the past two months or so are proving, more than anything, that each show has built its own audience, with fewer people vascilating between shows on a week to week basis. Also, in my opinion, I may not actually know how to spell "vascilating" even though I am confident I used it in context properly.] * Road Warrior are out of WCW following a contract dispute; Marvez says they could soon be headed to the WWF. [Rick's note: I spied a Roadies promo on WCWSN... that that for what it's worth.] * ECW is trying to sign Paul Varlens of Ultimate Fighting Championship fame to feud with Taz. * Finally, in answer to a reader's question, Alex informs us that Todd Pettingill is NOT Vince McMahon's son. Shane McMahon is working as a WWF ref, says Marvez, though he is the heir apparent to the WWF empire. [Somebody really ought to call or e-mail Marvez with the question "Isn't Marlena really Jim Ross' daughter?" so these idiots on RSPW will stop believing it.] * Also, if *you* would like to leave a question for Marvez, you can now do so by calling (513)436-4636 and entering code number 3036, or by sending Alex e-mail at his new address: "alex_marvez@dni.com". Also, it seems like Alex has also surfaced on AOL; somebody with the screen name "Alex1Marv" has posted a couple times in the NewzFirst folder in the GSWrestling area. As always, I try to scour other info resources for the biggest and best news for my loyal readers. And as usual, you will have to settle for a bunch of crap I culled from various places on America On-Line: * From last week's TV tapings, we can now plot out the KotR tourney brackets to almost the semi-finals (there are two quarterfinal matches I did not find results for). Brackets now look like this: Warrior Goludst BYE Vader Vader Ahmed Vader HOG Bradshaw Bradshaw HHH ???? Jake Jake Austin Holly Austin Jannetty ???? Vega Vega Skip Mero Mero Owen Mero Yoko Owen Hope you can make out that make-shift bracket... didn't feel like drawing it all out to make it pretty. We have Mero and Vader confirmed for the "Final Four" who make it to the PPV. I'm assuming we also had Austin going over Vega (to make up for Austin dropping the strap match), and Jake going over Bradshaw (to avoid having a heel/heel match on PPV -- even if putting Bradshaw over would have been a WAY cooler move, IMODO). * Following his KotR match on RAW (which he dropped to Mero), Skip Candido needed help back to the dressing room and was holding his left arm. And ambulence was seen leaving shortly thereafter. In the WWF chat room on AOL this past week, Skip mentioned an injury and that he'd be out of action for about 5 weeks. * Conflicting reports regarding Ted DiBiase... some say he's done with the WWF, but others are saying he may be sticking around the WWF in a backstage capacity (working with the heels) till his contract is up in the Fall. But rumors of him heading to WCW as either an announcer or manager (as head of the WWF Invasion, or as Dallas Page's benefactor) persist. * Also conflicting reports about Bulldog. He *may* have taken back his notice of last week already. And despite rumors, you won't be seeing the 1-2-3 Kid jumping ship, either. * WCW Slamboree's buyrate: .40. No Hogan on that show; no friends of Hogan getting huge pushes; you do the math on what this means for future WCW shows. * After Brian Pillman met with the WWF week before last, he was set to meet with WCW brass this past week. However, he didn't make his scheduled appointment, instead conversing via phone. Pillman currently is working with ECW. * This isn't exactly big news, since it was on TV... but if nobody else is gonna give it proper mention, I'll do it here: on WWF TV this past weekend, Mr. Perfect had a GREAT interview with the DiBiase-less Steve Austin. Austin was super, and all but said he wanted to drop the IYH match to Vega so he could "have his independence" from DiBiase. Austin was also without the Million Dollar belt, but promised huge things in the future. Great interview. * As I said above, I utilize AOL for filling out this weekly report with interesting info. Particular mention should be made of the new "NewzFirst" folder, which along with NewzFirst himself has a great group of posters, including new AOL'er Alex Marvez. Much of what you read here is regurgitating from NewzFirst's folder. And AOL also is home to "Georgie's Chatterbox," as well as to such wrestling luminaries as Brian Pillman, Alex Wright, and Joe Pedicino. I am told that Prodigy, under Bob Ryder, has got a kick-ass wrestling board, but every time I stop by the Grandstand Wrestling Area on AOL, I am impressed by the improving quality of wrestling discussion there. Consider this a plug! * Here is the full line-up of WWF PPV dates and sites for the rest of 1996: - King of the Ring Milwaukee, WI June 23, 1996 - In Your House Vancouver, BC July 21, 1996 - Summerslam Cleveland, OH August 18, 1996 - In Your House Philadelphia, PA September 22, 1996 - In Your House Indianapolis, IN October 20, 1996 - Survivor Series MSG, New York City November 17, 1996 - In Your House Lakeland, FL December 15, 1996 Later..... -- Rick Scaia | I'm on the Web now! All of a sudden, I'm relatively sane | http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/~ag725/ ag725@freenet.carleton.ca | Prepare to be Disappointed!!! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------