Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling From: hekunze@jeeves.uwaterloo.ca (Herb Kunze) Subject: Wrestling TidBits - 04/14 Message-ID: Sender: news@watdragon.uwaterloo.ca (USENET News System) Organization: University of Waterloo Date: Fri, 15 Apr 1994 00:44:17 GMT Lines: 175 { First off, thanks to everybody that sent me e-mail wishing me well. I was truly surprised to find two-dozen get well notes after posting the reason for my absence. I'm much better now and, while I still have a little problem focussing when there are many moving objects, it seems to be clearing up. Thanks again to the well-wishers. Herb... } - Vince McMahon's trial starts 05/02/94. There are two charges against Vince and two against Titan Sports, namely each of - Conspiracy to distribute anabolic steroids and defraud the FDA, and - Illegal possession of anabolic steroids with intent to distribute. The two charges against Vince combine for a maximum possible jail sentence of 8 years and and a maximum fine of $1/2-million. The charges against Titan add an additional $1-million maximum fine. Originally, the additional possibility of the government seizing all of Titan's assets could have killed the company, but that's no longer the case - Titan Towers, etc., will not be forefeited should the company be found guilty of the charge. So, in some way at least, the WWF should survive whatever the outcome of this trial may be. As we get closer to the trial date, things should definitely get interesting. - The Heavenly Bodies, Tom Prichard & Jimmy Del Ray, lost their "losing team has to leave SMW" match again the Rock & Roll Express. The Bodies are, of course, coming in full time to the WWF. Jim Cornette will work as their manager on TV but not at the houses. Also on this 04/01 card, Tracy Smothers and Chris Candito had a ladder match that Meltzer gave a ****1/2 rating and called "completely different from the WrestleMania match." He said it "contained a lot better wrestling spots along with the daredevil spots off the ladder." Still, it didn't contain a career-best performance like Shawn Michaels put out for the WrestleMania match. - The "for all intents and purposes undefeated" Steve Keirn debuted this past weekend with tag team partner Bobby Eaton as Bad Attitude. Keirn looks too damn old to be credible, especially in that costume, but the team is getting a medium push, with taped wins over Thunder & Lightning and the Sullivans. - The second UWFi Shootfighting PPV airs on tape on 04/16/94. - Also on 04/16/94, New Japan will be running its annual Top of The Super Junior tourney. - WCW has Spring Stampede on 04/17/94. Tentative line-up includes: - Ric Flair vs. Rick Steamboat for the WCW Title - Nasty Boys vs. Cactus Jack & Maxx Payne for the WCW Tag Titles in a falls-count-anywhere Chicago street fight - Rick Rude vs. Sting for the WCW International Title - Vader vs. The Boss - Steve Austin vs. Great Muta for the US Title - Steve Regal vs. Brian Pillman for the TV Title - Dustin Rhodes vs. Bunkhouse Buck (Jimmy Golden) in a bunkhouse match *- Johnny B. Badd vs. Diamond Dallas Page *- Danny Bonnaduce vs. Christopher Knight The last match has "Danny Partridge" vs. "Peter Brady" in what will hopefully be the dark match on the show. The second last match is a replacement for Tom Zenk vs. Terra Rizin', with somebody having the good sense to realize that even Tom can't carry Terra to a great match. This show will be called by the three man team of Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan & Jesse Ventura. Rick Rude was originally supposed to drop his title to Sting on this show -- it seems clear that none of the other titles are going to change hands -- but balked at the suggestion. Word now is that the title change will happen in Fukuoka in two weeks. We'll have some feel for the future of Brian Pillman after this show. He's been working without a contract and word is he wanted a raise while WCW was offering a cut. If he's buried here, then he's history for sure. Ditto for Steve Austin, who is also starting negotiations with WCW about a new contract deal. Talk has both guys already jumping to the WWF. Talk persists that Hulk Hogan will face Ric Flair at the Great American Bash PPV in July. Hogan is expected to appear at Spring Stampede and give this match some fuel if this is the case. Hogan will be known as Terry "Hurricane" Hogan when they bother to call him anything besides just Hogan since the WWF is being a stickler about the rights to the name. - I don't know about the rest of you, but I was certainly glad to see Erik Watts get his chance to regain his stolen trophy from Tex Slazenger and Shanghai Pierce. Who would have thought that Bunkhouse Buck would run in and destroy the trophy over Dustin Rhodes' back? Now this, yes, this, is good booking. Argh. At least they continued to do a fantastic job building the Ric Flair vs. Rick Steamboat match, with Flair wrestling a quick squash in his suit and refusing to break the figure four. - Maybe somebody can explain this to me. Ric Flair vs. Rick Steamboat is being built up solidly. Flair is the bad guy in this pairing. No problem so far. In upcoming weeks, Arn Anderson gets a DQ win over Paul Diamond (still pretending to be Japanese) when Pat Tanaka interferes. Arn wants satisfaction so he calls on a tag team partner to help him settle things -- Rick Steamboat. Huh? Don't tell me they are gonna ignore Arn's strong link to Flair? The new booking team has to be judged by the Saturday shows since they are locked into airing what was taped for the other shows when Dusty was ending his booking stint. That's why I don't get too upset at seeing stupid inconsistencies between the "old" and "new" shows (like the grating fact that Flair is a heel in one clip and a babyface in the next). This would be the first big confusing move for me. Maybe they'll do a "mutual respect" angle coming out of the Flair vs. Steamboat match at Spring Stampede? - Crush is now using a heart punch as a finisher. They only give this finishing move to the most skilled of wrestlers. He's set to have cage matches against Randy Savage at the house shows. - Bull Nakano will come in to the WWF in December full-time for six months to feud with Madusa. Well, Curtis, Andy, what do you say? - It started at the last batch of TV tapings when the Diesel vs. Razor Ramon feud got rolling and kept moving last night at the most recent TV tapings. Diesel won the IC Title. The WWF airs a hardcore angle this week to set up the IRS vs. Tatanka house show matches. As we all know, IRS claimed that Tatanka had to pay a gift tax on the headdress that he recently received on RAW. IRS came down to ringside during the first Tatanka vs. Kwang match a couple of weeks back and during the re-match he comes down and rips the headdress apart after tying Tatanka to the ropes to watch. IRS also destroyed Jay Strongbow, who attempted to save Tatanka. This past weekend saw them set up the Jeff Jarrett vs. Doink & Dink house show matches when Dink came out to tell the referee that Jarrett cheated to beat Sparky Plugg. Jarrett chased Dink off and Doink jumped out of "nowhere," tossing a bucket of water (oh no!) on Jarrett. - All of this leads to the WWF "WrestleMania Revenge Tour" at the house show. That's where they charge you twice as much to see loaded shows at your arena. The shows will also take the special effects for entrances on the road. The line-up for each night of the tour will contain some of: - Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart for the WWF Title - Diesel vs. Razor Ramon for the IC Title - Alundra Blayze vs. Luna Vachon for the Women's Title - Randy Savage vs. Crush in a cage match - Lex Luger vs. Curt Hennig - IRS vs. Tatanka - Jeff Jarrett vs. Doink & Dink - Yokozuna vs. Earthquake - WCW has Slamboree II on 05/22/94. Tentative line-up includes: - Rick Rude vs. Vader for the WCW International Title - Steve Austin vs. Johnny B. Badd for the US Title - Steve Regal vs. Larry Zbyszko for the TV Title - Dustin Rhodes vs. Bunkhouse Buck Lotsa talk that Tully Blanchard vs. Terry Funk will be one of the legends matches on this show, leading to the return of Tully. Other legends slated as appearing include Verne Gagne, Dusty Rhodes, Killer Kowalski, The Assassin, Ray Stevens, Red Bastien, Larry Hennig, Ole Anderson, Blackjack Mulligan, Tommy Young, Lou Thesz. - The WWF has the King of the Ring PPV on 06/19/94 from Baltimore. - WCW has The Great American Bash on 07/17/94 from Miami. - Videos: I have posted something about the availability of videos. If you missed it, I'll send it to you in e-mail upon request. Basically, all of the tapes in my video collection are available. Some time in the next week or so, I should be uploading a revised version of my tape list to the ftp site. If you are interested in getting a copy of VideoMarinepiad I, drop me some e-mail. In response to e-mail questions, yes, VideoMarinepiad will most likely become a regular event. The plans are in the works for VM II in June. All promotions will be considered for participation in VM II and hopefully we'll showcase a diverse selection of matches so that fans of any one promotion won't feel insulted. Stay tuned. With my vision trouble clearing up, I had the chance to watch a WWF house show the other night. This was the MSG show that featured the Quebecers regaining the WWF Tag Titles from Marty Janetty & 1-2-3 Kid in a ***1/2 match as well as a 70 minute long New York Royal Rumble that was about ***. Just for the record the participants, in order of entry, were Diesel, Mo, Butch Miller, 1-2-3 Kid, Scott Steiner, Mike Sharpe, Samu, Bob Backlund, Jeff Jarrett, Virgil, Bam Bam Bigelow, Randy Savage, Adam Bomb, Sgt. Slaughter, Crush, Mabel, Jim Powers, Bastion Booger, Luke Williams, Owen Hart, Rick Martel, Bret Hart, IRS, Johnny Polo, Scott Putski, Fatu, Marty Janetty, Bart Gunn, Shawn Michaels, and Doink. Herb...