QUESTIONS!

[nbpsfc]

I was wondering, why is the WWE using guys like Undertaker just to push new guys?

Partly it's because Undertaker wants to work with new talents and elevate them. The other part of it is that it's exactly what guys in his position are supposed to do. Guys that have been on top for a while are in the unique position of helping to elevate young/new talent. I think it's great that Taker does that. I wish everyone in his position did.

Where is Justin Credible originally from? I have often heard Connecticut.

I am not sure where he is originally from but I know he lived in Connecticut back in the pre-WWE ECW days.

Why is Umaga receiving such a push? He has a basic set of four or five moves, and seemingly no wrestling skills. He already had a first go-round as Jamal, before being released in favor of Rosey. Why would they bring back Rosey's old tag partner and release Rosey immediately before Umaga's debut? Does WWE really think Umaga will last in matches against Triple-H and HBK? The push is enormous but he seems like he would be a better fit in a mid-card position.

It's funny, people (myself included) rag on creative when they do things wrong, then others rag on them when they do things correctly. They are pushing Umaga very well in my opinion. Most fans don't even know or remember that he was Jamal. He is pretty talented for a guy his size and has done a good job with his character. He also has a very over mouthpiece to do his promos for him and get the fans to care about him. They are pushing him because that is what you do in the wrestling business, you push guys you hope will get over on top very hard. Now, I don't know if he will get over long term, but I could definitely see him having a program with John Cena for the WWE Title, and him being viewed as a legitimate, credible challenger when it happens.

Do you think if Taker was in Batista's place at the 8/1 ECW show and Taker had that match against the Big Show that the fans would have booed Taker and treated him the same way that they treated Batista?

I definitely don't think he would have gotten the treatment that Batista did. The ECW fans in NY booed Batista because they don't respect him, that simple. I would like to think that they wouldn't have done that to Taker since he has paid his dues and is a legitimate legend in the business. The real ECW fan base always showed respect to people of Taker's stature and treated them with respect. I think they would have given Taker a good reaction.

What ever happened to WWE internet show during Raw? It seems to have vanished.

It disappeared a few weeks ago without a word. From what I was told, WWE made the decision to get rid of it because it wasn't successful financially but I haven't gotten that confirmed and WWE isn't saying a word about the disappearing broadcast. Maybe it's just on "hiatus", like they said Byte This was when they had actually canceled it. We are still waiting for the return of that show and I think we will continue to wait a long, long time.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/4 for 8/7

The wrestlers seem to be getting hurt often and with medical costs going through the roof, who pays for the costs? I believe I saw a contract on the web that stated that the expense is the wrestlers. Is this true or does WWE pay for it? I am a computer Tech and my rates are huge so I couldn't fathom there rates.

I think pretty much everyone in America is aware of the ridiculously high cost of health care, and that is just for people who aren't in high risk jobs. Wrestlers are independent contractors so they are responsible for their own health coverage, if they can get it. If they get hurt on the job, WWE covers the costs of the medical treatments for the injury though. They have also been known to help out with some other medical costs that don't involve an in-ring injury.

Since the Orton Knows Best segment from Raw, we've heard about "Nick Hogan" being an indy wrestler, "Hulk Hogan" being a Hulk impersonator, but was wondering if you had any news about the girl that played Brooke in the bit?

All I was told was that she was an "actress/model". I didn't get her name.

I had a question involving JBL's recent commentary. When he mentions the past careers of current wrestlers in other promotions (Like Kendrick in Zero-One) does he have to check with Vince first to make sure it's all right for him to say the promotions name on TV?

The announcers often meet with Vince before the show and go over the broadcast but they don't really go over what they can and can't say. He expects them to know what he wants and if they don't, they hear about it after the show. During the shows, Vince is on the headsets most of the time. He tells the announcers things he wants hammered home to the fans and if they go down a road he doesn't want them to go down, he tells them to go in a different direction. With Smackdown, if something is in the commentary that he doesn't like, he has the announcers redo it in the studio on Wednesday nights. In this case, my understanding is that JBL probably didn't clear it first and then, since it wasn't edited out, Vince didn't mind.

I'm wondering how the Rock was during his stay in the WWF/E. Was he a good guy backstage? Did he have any problems with any wrestlers? Did he cause any problems?

From what everyone told me, Rock was about as low maintenance as a top guy could be. He was always confident in himself and his position, but wasn't diva-like in any way. He just did his business.The only person I ever remember hearing he had any problems with was Triple H.

Where is Bam Bam Bigelow and why is he not on my TV?

Because your set isn't tuned to Court TV! Seriously, Bigelow had a motorcycle accident last year and is facing charges in court in Florida stemming from the incident. In fact, he was arrested last week do to liquor being involved (his blood alcohol level was over .20) and was in jail trying waiting to post bond. As far as wrestling goes, he has said his body is breaking down and he is done with working matches. He is smaller now than he was and the business has taken its toll on him. It's a sad story.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/5

Is Brent Albright related to Gary Albright?

Nope, Brent Albright, aka Gunner Scott, is not related to the late Gary Albright, who was a star in All Japan Pro Wrestling.

Did DX take their name in honor of the Honda CRX DX?

Nope.

Who are the top 10 guys in the ring. Just ring skill not mic.

Right now, and this is just my opinion, I would say Bryan Danielson, Kurt Angle, Samoa Joe, Christopher Daniels, Fit Finlay, Rey Mysterio, CM Punk, Edge, Super Crazy and Homicide are the ten best in-ring workers in North America.

Is the WWE Hardcore Title officially back or was it just being used as a prop for the Foley/Edge vs. Funk/Dreamer feud?

Apparently it was just a prop for that feud, since it was never really defended, and isn't even mentioned now.

I was wondering the other day who do you think is the best wrestler in TNA and should be given a "push".

I think the best wrestler in TNA is Samoa Joe, but he is already getting a pretty good push. To me, the person that TNA need to push that they aren't is Ron Killings. He's been with the company for years, always works hard, is over with the crowd, but TNA seems to always push him briefly, then do nothing with him.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/6 for 8/9

Why was The Daily Lariat moved off the Xtra site and back onto the original site?

We had a number of readers email us and ask us to do so since they only had time to visit one of our sites during the day. We aim to please, so we moved it back since we figured everyone who goes to www.PWInsiderXtra.com also comes here to the mothership.

I was reading somewhere that there is a fifth McMahon in the family. My question is, and this may seem stupid, is there another McMahon that has never had an on-screen role. If so, why haven't they ever been seen with the rest of the family and what is their role with the company, if any at all?

There are four members of the McMahon family, as we know them: Vince, Shane, Linda and Stephanie. There is no fifth Beatle, er McMahon.

I read a lot of places that, "Samoa Joe needs to be pushed harder by TNA." or "Samoa Joe needs to be the face of TNA." What more can TNA do for the guy? They have made him undefeated for the past year and half, he never loses face in any match I have seen him in, and his DVD was done very well. So my question once again is, what more can TNA do for Joe?

To me, the obvious thing that you missed is put the World Title on him and make him the top guy in the promotion. I think it would signal a new era in TNA. I would have Jeff Jarrett and Sting work the way that Triple H currently is in WWE. He is in an important position but not in the title hunt. To me, that makes two storylines on Raw "top programs" and strengthens the brand overall. I think TNA should do the same thing. If they do, they have their program for the "established stars" but also have a storyline for "their new stars".

I know that WWE tried to get a timeslot for WCW when the first bought WCW. They weren't able to do so while they had Raw on TNN (now Spike TV). Now they are back on USA and they were able to get a timeslot for their version of ECW. Do you think that if WWE would have stayed with USA in the first place, that they would have gotten a timeslot for WCW and not have the catastrophe that was the invasion angle?

The company that tried very hard to get a timeslot for WCW was Fusient Media Ventures, which Eric Bischoff was a part of. They were close to buying the promotion when AOL Time Warner, which owned WCW, decided that they didn't want wrestling on TNT or TBS anymore due to them taking the networks in a more upscale direction. At that time, no network of any stature wanted to put wrestling on TV, as ECW found out when the WWF took their TNN slot and they searched in vein to find a new home. USA felt burnt by WWE's move to TNN/Spike and wanted no part of carrying wrestling at that time, which changed over time obviously. So, even though WCW was still doing a 2+ for Nitro, no network would give it a timeslot. That greatly decreased the value of the company, which had lost tens of millions of dollars the year before anyway, and WWE ended up buying it for a song. I think even if WWE had been on USA, they wouldn't have gotten a slot for it since USA wouldn't have wanted to give all that time to a wrestling show. About the only chance WCW would have had of finding a new home would have been with TNN, but WWE beat them to the punch, effectively killing WCW in the process.

I've read on this site that Lance Storm had turned down an offer to compete at both ECW ONS II and the weekly ECW show since he was displeased by the booking angles. Also, I read that Masato Tanaka did not join on because he would be paid less than what he currently receives over in Japan. However, do you still see the WWE possibly contacting past ECW Alumni like 2 Cold Scorpio, New Jack, Perry Saturn, and/or Mike Awesome?

One issue here is money, as we have said before. WWE doesn't want to pay that much to the older ECW guys. Scorpio does well working overseas and is probably pushing forty now, if he's not past it. New Jack? I just think he brings way too much baggage to the table to work for a publicly held company. On top of that, since they aren't doing the true ECW style, I don't know how much value he would have for them anyway. Saturn is out of the business and last I heard, was in decent shape for a guy his age but not wrestling shape. Awesome is pretty much retired. That doesn't mean we may not see one or two of these guys for a one-shot appearance or short run, but WWE's plan for ECW is to use it to bring in new talent, not go back and relive the past. That is pretty evident by now.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/6 for 8/9

Whatever happened to Giant Gonzalez?

His is a sad story. He's in failing health and last I heard, was confined to a wheelchair back in his native Argentina and looking for aid to live from the government. He has had a number of health issues over the past few years.

Whatever happened to Juventud Guerrera in WWE? The last time I saw him was with the Mexicools on Smackdown. I always thought he was a great cruiserweight.

He is a great worker. The problem is that he has a penchant for doing and saying things that tick off his bosses and his co-workers. He had problems in WCW and then in WWE. He got so much heat backstage on his WWE run that people didn't even want to be around him out of fear that they would get nailed with "guilt by association". WWE released him months ago and has no plans to bring him back. It's a shame, he's his own worst enemy.

I'm finally understanding the concept of ECW being a 3rd brand and not the old ECW. What kind of brand, I don't know yet, but with that said I think the ECW name is all that holds it back from being truly a 3rd brand. So let's say Raw was the storyline show, Smackdown was the wrestling show, and ECW was a test show for things. Wouldn't it be unfair to criticize WWE for not having enough wrestling on certain shows, not enough long matches, etc. since they want the 3 brands to be different? I'm always seeing WWE get ripped apart on this site, and most of the times for good reason, but with this idea, is it justifiable?

I don't think it is. The idea for all three brands is to draw money. I am all for making the brands different, but I think they also need to be made to represent wrestling promotions. I think focusing each brand on a single element would be a mistake for WWE.

Was Andre the Giant ever NWA World Champion? And if not, why?

No, Andre never was the NWA Champion. One reason why was he worked for the McMahon family almost exclusively in the US. Even if he hadn't, they wouldn't have put the title on him. Back then, the feeling in the business was you couldn't put the belt on Andre because he was so big, the fans wouldn't believe anyone could legitimately beat him.

I am curious how much longer the makeshift tandem of Charlie Haas and Viscera will last? They are the living personification of the true "odd couple" when it comes to looks and wrestling styles. I would much rather have Haas reunite with Shelton Benjamin (since they're both heels now) to strengthen RAW tag team division down the road.

Honestly, they will stay as a team as long as creative needs them to be one. It's not like they have any big plans for the twosome so as long as they fill a role, they will be used in it.

 

[nbpsfc]

AYE DOES ECW GET TAPED AT THE SAME ARENA AS SMACKDOWN ON THE SAME NIGHT?

most of the time

 

[GFlower8]

thats alot of readin

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/10

What ever happened to Daniel Puder. Did he not make the transition into WWE-style wrestling, or did WWE lose faith in him?

Honestly, Puder was probably on borrowed time from the start, since many within WWE were annoyed with him embarrassing Kurt Angle during their shoot match on Smackdown (although whoever thought up that idea is the one who should be held responsible). He worked for OVW until the Fall of 2005, and was then released. Puder also turned off some people with what has been said to be an arrogant attitude. Since leaving WWE, Puder has worked on independent shows, and has also gotten involved in MMA again as well.

Do you think either Antonio Inoki or Giant Baba could ever be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame?

Could they? Sure they could, and if WWE was interested in having a legitimate Hall Of Fame, they would be included. However, I just don't see either man being inducted anytime soon, unless WWE starts having business relations with Inoki again for some reason.

I've been wondering about two of the coolest Wrestlemania moments from the past: the Hart Austin double turn from Wrestlemania 13 and the Hogan turn from Wrestlemania 18. My question is whether or not these turns were planned in advance or if the crowd actually did the booking. I recall hearing that the Hart - Austin turn was planned (and executed perfectly), but I've heard no such thing about the Hogan turn. If it was spontaneous, did Vince tell Hall and Nash to attack Hogan on the spur of the moment?

Both turns were planned in advance. In the case of the Hogan turn, it was not the original plan, but when Vince McMahon saw the reaction Hogan was getting upon his return (particularly when he went face to face with The Rock), plans were changed and it was decided to break Hogan away from the NWO and turn him face. However, it was not spontaneously made the day of the show.

Over the weekend I watched an old tape containing an SMW fanweek Q&A with Jim Cornette from August 94 (4 hours of brilliant stories that reminded me why I love wrestling). Anyhow, the Sullivan / Kanemura incident came up as a question. Cornette gave his side of the story - he'd been told Kanemura's specialty was to get 'big juice from arm' giving Cornette the idea to put him in with Sullivan. Unforunately everybody in the room was familiar with the incident so the actual wrestling match wasn't discussed. I vaguely remember the Apter mags reporting Sullivan brutalizing a young Japanese wrestler (but keeping kayfabe). So, can you give the specifics of the incident?

It's pretty simple actually. Kanemura was being interviewed on SMW, and he was ambushed by Kevin Sullivan. Sullivan began "spiking" Kanemura in the arm, and Kanemura went crazy with the bladejob, and his arm was a bloody mess. Brian Lee, who Sullivan was feuding with, made the save. It was a very bloody incident, and SMW hyped it up, putting an "X" across the screen so it would be seen as even more violent (thus having to be censored). The late Victor Quinones, who bought Kanemura to SMW, later stated that he had told Kanemura "Do what they ask you to, but don't get stupid" but that Kanemura "got stupid" when it came to the angle and getting juice from his arm.

It's widely known that Vince McMahon never liked Ted Turner and WCW, but do you know what was his attitude toward the other wrestling organizations and their promoters. Did McMahon have a negative or cordial attitude to Verne Gagne of the AWA, The Von Erichs of World Class, and even to the Asian Companies like Inoki of New Japan, and Baba from All Japan. Also, how does he feel towards TNA and Dixie Carter?

Well, Vince took Verne's top babyface (Hogan), heel manager (Heenan) and TV personality (Okerlund) so you can imagine he wasn't fond of him. In fact, a lot of people were shocked to see Verne Gagne inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame, given the history of bad blood between them. World Class is interesting, as their stranglehold on Dallas made it the one market Vince couldn't conquer in the 80's. He did enter a brief business relationship with them (I think it lasted one match, with WWF sending Ricky Steamboat to World Class for one show) and later hired Kerry Von Erich. Vince also, and he probably wouldn't admit this, took a lot of television production ideas from World Class, which was pretty revolutionary in the 80's when it came to televised wrestling. WWF did have a business relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling for many years, and did promote a few "Supershows" with All Japan, so obviously he thought enough of the companies to do business with them at different points. As for TNA, all Vince has ever said publicly about them is that he "wishes them well". However, you can bet Vince isn't crazy about another company offering three-hour PPV's once a month, since it could bite into his PPV profits.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/10

I know that many people ask about WWE's The Coach, but checking out his bio, at 6 feet 3 inches and 230 lbs., the guy's a legitimate athlete. He was both a high school and college basketball star in his home state of Missouri. Plus, he was an editor at his college's paper as well as it's play-by-play man for their major sports teams. Anyway, my point is obviously this guy's got some underutilized talent which is like the WWE way of business. But here's WWE's quandry: Does he announce or wrestle or neither? It seems like right now he's a jack-of-all-trades but a master of none. Currently, he's not a good announcer and I think he's got X-Pac heat instead of good heel heat. I think they should quietly train him to be a wrestler and when he's ready yank him from the booth and get him in the ring. I know my question is long, but, like him or not, The Coach is on arguably wrestling's best show and we can't avoid him unless we hit the mute button. I would finally force him to back up his criticisms and maybe not get his butt whooped or rely on outside interference. I'd also ditch the whole Coach nickname (Who the Hell did he coach?) and go by his full name of Jonathan Coachman. Anyway, my question is what would you do with The Coach? Thank you for your time.

I'd like to thank the president of the Jonathan Coachman fan club for writing in. Just kidding. Seriously, I think Coach missed his era. He could have been a great heel manager back in the days when male heel managers were the norm. He has shown he can work a decent match, but more importantly, he can take a bump. As a Play-by-play announcer, I think he is awful, but would love to see him get a stable of wrestlers to work with as their mouthpiece. That would make better use of his skills than his current role of "making the Raw decisions that Vince doesn't want to bother with".

You guys always talk about the WWE video library, I'm just wondering what the library physically looks like? is it literally just a big room full of shelves of tapes at WWE head quarters? Are the WCW and ECW libraries kept separately?

It's several rooms of tapes, mostly located in Connecticut, although I believe some of the WCW tapes may still be in a storage facility in Georgia.

Who makes Rey Mysterio's masks? Also what is with the "Aaliyah" on his arm?

Since joining WWE, I believe most of Rey's masks and gear have been made by WWE's tailors and wardrobe department. However, he does have at least one mask that, believe it or not, was made by fashion designer Louis Vuitton. Aaliyah is his daughter's name.

How could Bret Hart turn down his fans when they chanted "One More Match" at his Hall Of Fame induction? Hogan came back because if it, why not Bret?

For starters, Hulk Hogan was going to come back for more matches regardless of what was chanted at his Hall Of Fame induction. As for Bret Hart, he CAN'T come back. He suffered complications from the concussion that ended his career, and later had a stroke. He has made an amazing recovery from the stroke, and is enjoying his life in Italy with his beautiful wife. If he could wrestle, he would, and has said that he would have loved to been able to come back and wrestle Kurt Angle. However, he physically can't, and so, he won't.

Who has held a "world championship" belt the most times? and why isn't THAT person considered as the "bar" to reach, instead of Flair with his 16 or 17 world championship runs?

THAT person is Ric Flair. Whether you count it as 16, 17 or 21, no one has held a World Title more times than Ric Flair.

 

[Justin]

THIS IS WHAT I WANNA KNOW...

1.HOW MUCH DID VINCE ACTUALLY PAY TO OWN WCW??

2.IS THE FOOTAGE OF SABU'S FIRST BARBWIRE MATCH AVAILABLE ANYWHERE?? (not the ecw match with terry but the very first one)

3.ROMOR HAS IT THAT TED TURNER IS INTERESTED IN THE WRETSLING BIZZNESS AGAIN ANY TRUTH TO THAT?

4.WHAT WAS WWE'S/WCW MOST SUCCESSFUL PPV? I KNOW WRESTLE MANIA 14 SOLD OVER 700,000 PPV BUYS DUE TO THE TYSON APPEARANCE AND I'M AWARE THE WCW'S HALLOWEEN HAVOC 98" SOLD OVER 350,000 BUT WHAT WAS THE MOST BOUGHT EVENT THUS FAR??

5.UNDERTAKER V.S MANKIND HELL IN A CELL 98" WAS A SHOOT MATCH OR WHAT?? I KNOW THOSE BUMPS WERE NOT PLANNED BEFORE HAND..

6.ANY SABU INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ON THE NET? (not gimmick interviews tho)

7.WOULD YOU CONSIDER TNA THE MODERN DAY WCW? IF SO/IF NOT WHY?

8.WHAT THE HELL DOES SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT MEAN?? AND WHAT MADE THE OTHER COMPANYS DIFFERENT?? (wcw/ecw)

9.TNA BEEN TAKIN PERSONAL SHOTS ON THE WWE FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS.. WILL VINCE TAKE THIS PERSONAL AND SHOOT BACK OR WHAT?

10. (dumb question) DOES VINCE CONSIDER HIMSELF A WRESTLING FAN?

 

[nbpsfc]

THIS IS WHAT I WANNA KNOW...

1.HOW MUCH DID VINCE ACTUALLY PAY TO OWN WCW??

2.IS THE FOOTAGE OF SABU'S FIRST BARBWIRE MATCH AVAILABLE ANYWHERE?? (not the ecw match with terry but the very first one)

3.ROMOR HAS IT THAT TED TURNER IS INTERESTED IN THE WRETSLING BIZZNESS AGAIN ANY TRUTH TO THAT?

4.WHAT WAS WWE'S/WCW MOST SUCCESSFUL PPV? I KNOW WRESTLE MANIA 14 SOLD OVER 700,000 PPV BUYS DUE TO THE TYSON APPEARANCE AND I'M AWARE THE WCW'S HALLOWEEN HAVOC 98" SOLD OVER 350,000 BUT WHAT WAS THE MOST BOUGHT EVENT THUS FAR??

5.UNDERTAKER V.S MANKIND HELL IN A CELL 98" WAS A SHOOT MATCH OR WHAT?? I KNOW THOSE BUMPS WERE NOT PLANNED BEFORE HAND..

6.ANY SABU INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ON THE NET? (not gimmick interviews tho)

7.WOULD YOU CONSIDER TNA THE MODERN DAY WCW? IF SO/IF NOT WHY?

8.WHAT THE HELL DOES SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT MEAN?? AND WHAT MADE THE OTHER COMPANYS DIFFERENT?? (wcw/ecw)

9.TNA BEEN TAKIN PERSONAL SHOTS ON THE WWE FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS.. WILL VINCE TAKE THIS PERSONAL AND SHOOT BACK OR WHAT?

10. (dumb question) DOES VINCE CONSIDER HIMSELF A WRESTLING FAN?

hit up www.pwinsider.com and e-mail the squares that work there they'll answer all these questions i'm sure


but i can answer question 5, that wasn't a shoot match, most of the bumps were at the spur of the moment though, like when he threw him off the cage, as they were up there mankind told taker to throw him off

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/11

At this point, do you guys think the ECW Championship is the most important title right now in the WWE the way they are pushing it? I mean, when you have Angle, Sabu, and RVD in a ladder match just to determine the number one contender, it makes the other titles look weak in comparison.

While I definitely think the level of talent in the challengers for the ECW Title is impressive, I don't see the title as being any more important than the WWE Title that Edge and John Cena are fighting over. I would say it is more important than the World Title on Smackdown, since that belt is still recovering from some poor booking decisions (Rey winning the belt without beating the former champion, losing non-title matches via pinfall, etc.).

When a worker comes out from underneath the ring for a run-in - or bursts through the mat, for that matter - are they placed beneath the ring before the show, made to wait underneath the ring for the duration of the show? Or is there a method sneaking them in when the camera and the crowds attention is drawn away from the ring? Specifically, I'm thinking of the 1999 St Valentines Day Massacre PPV when Big Show made his WWE debut by busting through the mat during the Austin-McMahon cage match. That's a long time for a guy of Show's stature to be under a ring.

It really depends on the situation. Sometimes, the wrestler will be able to use a trapdoor or hidden tunnel to get under the ring. Other times a wrestler will run out and get under the ring during a point in the show when the lights are turned off. Still other times, a wrestler will get under the ring after "riding" out to ringside under an object (like Undertaker's casket). And in some cases, yes, the wrestler will have to camp out under the ring for several hours before making his appearance. One of my favorite stories of this happening was when Tommy Rich was hidden under the ring for a Jerry Lawler vs. Austin Idol cage match in Memphis. Rich flew in from Japan, arriving early the morning of the match, and was placed under the ring with an air mattress and a six-pack of beer. Rich actually went to sleep and woke up when the first match began.

How common is it for a wrestler to allow another wrestler to blade him? I thought it was pretty much standard wrestlers would always cut themselves, but when you watch hardcore matches (CZW for example) it appears the wrestlers are the ones busting open their opponents. Do the hardcore guys simply not care? & secondly what are the behind the scenes relationships / friendships like between the hardcore guys? To allow another guy to perform stiff brutal & crazy moves on you must require a high level of trust.

Most wrestlers I have spoken to prefer to blade themselves, and do not feel comfortable allowing others to cut them open. Obviously, there are exceptions, and there are those who allow others to slice them open. As for the relationship between wrestlers, yes, there is a high level of trust. Obviously, whether you are talking about hardcore weapons matches, or allowing someone to perform suplexes and slams on you, there has to be a level of trust, since you are putting your body and well being in their hands.

I was watching an old MMA tape (possibly UFC 26 or 27 from 2000) & during the commentary it was mentioned one of the fighters had defeated Bam Bam Bigelow in his previous fight. I assume this was correct so do you know what Bam Bam's MMA record was?

To the best of my knowledge, Bam Bam Bigelow's MMA career began and ended with one match, for the U-Japan promotion, on November 17, 1996, where he was destroyed by Kimo Leopoldo. Kimo took Bigelow down, mounted him and began throwing punches before taking Bigelow's back and getting the win with a rear naked choke in the first round. Bigelow later claimed that it was a work, and that he was asked before the match to "do business", although many feel that was just Bigelow trying to save face after the loss.

Has WWE ever shown any interest in Bob Sapp? He fits the description of what Vince seems to look for in a WWE superstar.

I've actually never heard of WWE having any interest in Sapp, believe it or not. He was briefly under a developmental contract with WCW, but they didn't see a future in him, so he was released. Sapp has had incredible success in Japan, both in MMA and Pro Wrestling, becoming a bonafide mainstream celebrity in that country.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/11

I know Sabu is homicidal, genocidal, and suicidal, and that the numerous scars about his torso are often pointed to as evidence of that. What I was wondering was, did Sabu really attain all those scars during wrestling matches? The scars on his torso seem located in areas that one would not traditionally injure to such an extreme extent in the context of a wrestling match, and wrestlers of similar hardcore backgrounds do not usually have scars of this nature. So are these scars all from past wrestling wars or is there another story?

The scars are from wrestling. You have to remember that Sabu first gained recognition in the FMW promotion in Japan, and worked a lot of no-rope barbed wire matches (and if you've seen Sabu in a barbed wire match, you know he will run right into the wires with no shirt on). Another early Saby trait was to "celebrate" following his matches by moonsaulting a table until it would break, often resulting in him getting cut on the broken table fragments.

In the Summerslam poster, Kane and Undertaker are standing together on the balcony of the house, throwing somebody off of it. Is this some foreshadowing from the WWE, or do I have too much free time?

It was just WWE trying to come up with something for them to do on the poster that would be interesting.

I wanted to ask if you see interest from Vince and HHH or the current WWE audience for the match between DX and the Hardyz to decide who really was the tag team of the 90's Attitude era? I don't think it could happen in the past due to Michael's absence during the Hardyz reign..and all I can remember we got was Hardyz vs two man power trip (HHH/Austin).

Honestly, this is the first time I've seen anyone suggest a DX vs. Hardys match. I don't think many fans think of DX being a tag team as much as a "group", like the Hart Foundation of the same era or the NWO. I think most people would argue the Hardys, Edge & Christian or The Dudleys as being the dominant team of the era.

I'm wondering if WWE is trying to recapture the glory from the Attitude Era in some small way. Starting with WrestleMania a couple years ago we seen the re-emergence of the "Deadman" Undertaker, lately we have seen the reformation of DX... and now with the resigning of Jeff Hardy we may see the Hardy Boyz back together. I am just trying to figure out if they are getting ready to start pushing the envelope once again? What are the plans on the future.. or are they just trying to keep the nostalgia around?

Obviously, WWE has learned that nostalgia sells, and if it makes money, you can count on WWE to ride it as far as they can (and often run it into the ground). At the same time, we've also seen them push John Cena, Edge, and others, so it isn't like WWE is totally "stuck in the past".

Is there any chance of Bryan Danielson being in WWE or TNA?

From what I understand, Danielson is pursuing his education, and as a result likes to be able to dictate his own schedule. In my opinion, Danielson is easily the best worker on the scene today not associated with either company, and he would be a huge asset to either if he were to sign with them.

 

[nbpsfc]

8/14/2006


Do you think WWE should go out and get more Cruiserweight wrestlers like WCW's Alex Wright? Plus do you know where he is now?

I don't see the point to be honest. WWE doesn't push the Cruisers now, so I don't see what would be accomplished by bringing in more of them. Last I heard, Wright went home to Germany. I have no idea what he is doing now.

I know the poster for Survivor Series that was circulating on the internet, which said DX would take on the nWo, is a fake, but if it wasn't do you think WWE could pull it off with most of the original members of both factions or will they have to use new talent?

The last run of the nWo in WWE failed miserably, and that had the original guys. I don't see them being able to make it work now, all this time later. The fans didn't care then, plus Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Hulk Hogan are all so much older now. It's not like you could expect a good match out of them. The fans don't want to see Hollywood Hogan either, so I think that the idea would bomb if they tried it.

Why do they still continue to use John Cena's spinning championship if he doesn't have the belt anymore?

Two reasons. One, he is their top guy and they expect the title scene to revolve around him for the foreseeable future. Two, they sell a lot of replicas and make money on it.

In my opinion, Kurt Angle is wasted with his Wrestling-machine-character. I miss the times when he delivered intelligent promos with classic facials (all intelligent), followed by top-notch-matches. Now, we have the same top-matches, but the insane "machine"-character, which reminds me of Spike, the dog. I think, it makes Kurt look dumber, than he is. Your opinion?

I don't mind his new character at all. In fact, I like it. Kurt is a legitimate wrestling machine, so it makes sense to put him in the role. I have always wanted to see him in a role where he got to play a serious character, so I like it.

In a recent q and a you mentioned The Rock had issues with Triple H. I was wondering what those issues where and how what was the conclusion of the issues between them?

From what I was told, Rock (who is a no-nonsense, non-political type) didn't like what he perceived to be Triple H's backstage machinations. A number of wrestlers have said the same things (there is a great shoot that Kip and BG James did after they left WWE) about HHH, but Rock was ahead of him on the depth chart so he didn't have to hide his disdain for him. There was no resolution. Rock still doesn't like him.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/13 for 8/16

Despite not liking energy drinks to begin with, does a drink named after a sock that was pulled out of a guys crotch (Mick Foley's) really make anybody want to drink it?

Well, it wasn't named after Mr. Socko but I agree with you, it doesn't make for a very nice image for wrestling fans.

I have a couple questions pertaining to Hulk Hogan. By what he has done in the past with the situations with Jarrett, HBK, and walking out on Vince McMahon during The Mr. America angle, is it really fair for Hogan to criticize Warrior in "The Self Destruction of The Ultimate Warrior", for doing the wrestling business wrong, when at times Hogan himself has done the same thing? Also when did Hogan start being bitter backstage and political about the direction of his character? Was he this way in the 80's early 90's?

Hogan has always been protective of his career, going all the way back to the 80s. The more power he got, the more he protected his own interests. I don't blame him for that because he has made a lot of money and is a true legend of the business. What I can say in Hogan's defense against Warrior is that Hogan did it over a period of time and was an all time great whereas Warrior didn't and wasn't. So, in that vein, I think he earned the right to criticize Warrior. But, he certainly does open himself up to criticism when he did the same kinds of things that he criticizes Warrior for.

I was wondering if all of the Von Erich's were still alive today who do you think would have the best career?

I think David probably would have. Kerry was a mess by the time he was in his early thirties. Kevin is still alive. Mike and Chris weren't very good workers, so I will go with David. He seemed to have the most aptitude for the biz.

Upon seeing RVD's badly whiffed Van Daminator on ECW last night - I was wondering if there is a "protocol" for blown spots...I realize Kurt Angle only had a split second to react and decide whether to sell the move or not - and I also know at this level so few "mistakes" are made that they probably aren't expected...but could Angle "no sell" that then improvise something in the case of such a badly missed spot?

It really depends on the situation and is a judgment call of the guy or guys involved. Generally, the worker will sell it but sometimes it looks so bad that they don't and they move on with another spot. I can remember a lot of times where the announces then say that the spot in question missed.

With ECW One Night Stand passed and another ECW pay-per-view coming up, will ECW ever side with a TV-MA rating? There are a number of factors for ECW to count in, (obscene chants, the extremeness of matches) is it possible that ECW on Sci Fi or ECW PPV's will ever get the TV-MA rating?

Uh, no. That ECW is dead and gone. This is WWECW where marketing is important. They don't want to put out a "blue" product. And Sci Fi doesn't want one. So, don't count on getting that rating any time soon.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/13 for 8/16

I read the ECW report (8th June). In it Dave said RVD "whiffed" the Van Daminator. I've never seen the word 'whiff' used outside of scent related things. Ever. By the afternoon, reader feedback, and off-air reports all contained this odd turn of phrase. Where did it come from?

You aren't a baseball fan. If you were, you would know that the word comes from that sport, when a batter swings and misses at a pitch.

I remember about 5 years ago or so when you guys were with the the "other site", there was a poll that lasted a few months where members and visitors could vote for the "hottest" female indy workers in the industry. Have you considered doing something like that again?

Sure, Buck does tournament polls all the time. We have the Greatest Entrance Music running right now in the poll section. Drop Buck a line with your suggestion by clicking here.

Hi Dave, on 07/10/06 in the Q &A section you answered a question in regards to another disgruntled ECW fan who wants the "old ECW" and you stated how Vince McMahon simply wanted to create a third brand. I am all for Vince to want to create another brand since he has the money for it. However, why in the world did he have to call it ECW? Why call it ECW if it wasn't going to be ECW? And why call it ECW because it meant the bar would be raised so high that there is no way they could reach it. Why not just say he was bringing back WCW, WCCW, or a new brand called OVW? And do you think fans would still be as upset with the third brand if they used any other letters beside ECW?

He called it ECW because:

1) He owned the name.
2) It had a history and a following.
3) It did a few successful PPVs.

Vince knew hardcore fans wouldn't love his vision of ECW but he didn't care. He wanted to market it to the masses, so that is what he did. And to be fair, by the time it started, it's not like there was a huge fan base that he would alienate. Sad, but true, most of the ECW fans from 2000 have moved on. So, Vince wanted to create a product his current fans would like.

I just recently watched the video of Kimona stripping in the ECW arena and was wondering what the first song she danced to was. I know the 2nd was "Man in the Box," but I can't come up with any info on what the first song in her routine was. Thanks for the help.

You watched her dance and you care about the song????? I was five feet away from her and I never even heard music while she was doing her thing. I am kind of proud of that!

If Vince McMahon Does Decide to purchase Both www.pwinsider.com and www.PWInsiderXtra.com and run them as "Separate" brands much like the failed Brand
Extension, Wouldn't that make you Dave a Hypocrite since you have agreed with 96.7 percent of the population that Brand Extensions don't work?

You need to call a friend because friends don't let friends type drunk. If you don't have one, just call rent-a-friend. Someone will be your buddy for a price.

Every now and then I like to include really stupid questions like this one. I hope all of you who read it now feel a bit better about your day. See, it could be worse. You could be the dope that asked this one (and many, many other stupid questions, even though I have asked him repeatedly to stop sending them).

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/17

I was wondering, why did they took the Undertaker/Khali match off of the Summerslam card? I mean it wasn't the reason I was ordering the pay per view but just curious as to why at the last minute did they take it off.

I suppose I could be cruel and just say "because Khali sucks", but I will try to give a better answer. WWE has finally realized what many of us knew right away, which is that the Great Khali is not a very good in-ring worker, and it is better for his matches to be on a pre-taped program where editing and camera work can hide some of his deficiencies. So, the match was taken off of the live PPV and put on the pre-taped Smackdown.

A Hulk Hogan question for you. I grew up watching Hogan in the 80's and late 80's early 90's he was huge! WCW 90's he trimmed down considerably and I noticed this more than ever the other day watching him on an old Nitro. RAW last night he came out and ripped of his shirt and he's huge! Do you think he's on the juice or do you think its just a getting old thing?

Hulk Hogan definitely slimmed down, actually starting at the end of his big WWF run from his glory days in WWF. In all honesty, Hogan didn't really need to be carrying a lot of the extra weight, and looked good during his WCW run. As for his recent increase in size, I think it is a combination of aging and his love of unhealthy food, plus the fact that he isn't as active anymore in the ring or the gym.

My mother was at a yard sale and came across a cool find some old Raw magazines from ate 97 early 98 and in one they have an interview with HHH that seemed real in it he bashed Bret Hart saying he held back Owen and the Anvil and never tried to make anyone but himself. He then bashed Hogan and Flair by saying Hart would become one of them and hang around to long. So my question is do you agree with him about Hart and how did him and Flair become such great friends.

I definitely don't think Bret Hart held back Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart or anyone for that matter. If anything, Hart helped Neidhart add years to his career with the Hart Foundation stable in 1997. Triple H's interview was just the typical WWE attitude towards WCW at the time, bashing the veterans who were in WCW as "overstaying their welcome". It was just typical business at the time. As for Triple H and Ric Flair, Triple H has always been a huge fan of Ric Flair, and the two have grown close over the last few years.

There's something that I can't understand concerning Brock Lesner. It seems every time he's name comes up, most of the time in relegation to a possible return to WWE, EVERYONE seems to hold the opinion the he should be re-hired and be placed in a high profile role in the company. The last I recall, In his short stint with the company, he was pushed to the moon and back! In less the a year he was given things the took people like Austin, RVD or Benoit years to accomplish. He has proven time and time again how unreliable he is with his constant mood-swings and life-direction changes. Granted, The guy had a lot of talent but after all the issues he had with the WWE after all they gave him, Why the hell should they even consider hiring him and giving him another shot at superstardom?

I can't speak for everyone, but my reasoning for WWE bringing back Brock Lesnar and putting him on the top of cards is simple. WWE put a lot into making Brock Lesnar a star, and never got a lot of return on their investment. If he were to come back, many fans would still see him as "The Next Big Thing" and he could be put in top matches and put over the true next big star, be it Bobby Lashley, Carlito or CM Punk. Other than the WWF Title loss to Eddie Guerrero and the Wrestlemania XX loss to Bill Goldberg, its not like Brock did jobs on his way out of the company. He is still seen as a top star, so if WWE could bring him back and use his status in the eyes of the fans to their advantage, they should.

Do you see the NEW ECW going 2 hours with all the wrestlers there. I think they should do it. The NEW ECW needs more belts and it would make it a better show for doing it. 1 hour for Wrestling so 1970s. I love TNA but 1 hour is killing TNA. So should ECW be 2 hours long? Also TNA?

To answer your second question first, I think TNA would greatly benefit from having two hours. Trying to put together a three hour PPV every month with only four hours of TV time to set up matches is difficult, and while TNA has done a good job most months, having two hours would help them in creating more interest and stronger cards without having to rush through segments at times. As for ECW, I am fine with them only having an hour for now, since the idea of having four hour television tapings may not be a good one. However, if WWE is planning on adding more ECW PPV events to the calendar, a two hour show would be a good move.

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/18

I was just curious after reading a post about whether given the circumstances that WWE was going under if Vince would sell the WWE. But since the WWE is a publicly traded company (eg: shareholders), would it be possible for some multi-billionaire to purchase the majority shares and gain control over the WWE?

To make this very clear, the chances of WWE "going under" are pretty slim. Even if WWE were to somehow stop making money and burn through their extensive cash reserves, Vince McMahon has enough money of his own to keep the company running for years to come. As for some billionaire buying up shares of stock and gaining control, that can't happen either. Vince is the majority shareholder, and there will never be a time when there will be more stock available than what Vince has. Without getting into technical terms about the different types of stock, basically WWE is the type of stock you can buy and "go along for the ride" with, but never have any say about where the company goes.

"In Hogan's autobiography, he says that The Iron Sheik told him that Verne Gagne had offered The Iron Sheik $100,000 to break Hogan's leg in their Madison Square Garden title bout, but Vaziri correctly saw the potential for making millions working with Hogan and refused." Information on Wikipedia is 50/50 at best. Do you know if there is any truth to this statement?

This story has been told by Hogan and Sheik numerous times. I don't believe Verne Gagne has ever admitted to it, but most people within the industry believe it very well could be true.

Do you think it would be a good idea if WWE brings the Hardcore title back to ECW?

Honestly, no. With only one hour of TV a week, I don't really think there is time to properly get over two singles titles.

A question about The Nature Boy(s). First off did Rogers have anything to do with the initial training of Landel and Flair?? If so was that when he gave them permission to use the "Nature Boy" gimmick?? If not then how did Flair and Landel both end up with it?? Also do you think there will ever be another prominent "Nature Boy" in the business or will Flair take the gimmick with him into retirement??

Ric Flair began using the "Nature Boy" name in 1975 at the suggestion of booker George Scott, due to the similarities between the two (blond, arrogant) and Flair started using the figure-four, as Rogers had. In 1978, Rogers lost to Flair in the "Battle Of The Nature Boys" sort of putting an official stamp on Flair using the name. As for Landel, I he started using the name in 1979 after dying his hair blond. Landel did face Flair in 1990 in WCW, in a match won by Flair. Honestly, give Ric Flair's stature in the business, I don't see anyone calling himself the "Nature Boy" and being taken seriously (although some independent performers have tried it).

Could you please explain to me what is so awful with Chris Benoit's mic skills? Although I agree he's never been and never will be The Rock or Chris Jericho on the mic, it seems like a habit nowadays to bash his mic work in order to find the proof he doesn't belong to main events and 'downgrade' him to his endless mid-carder status when people can't find any flaws in his in-ring work. From what I've seen of him, he always sounds like he's gonna rip off his opponent's head whenever he talks, and has also shown he was able to cut great memorable promos on his own to give credibility to his character (e.g the Raw show after Backlash 2004). So what's your take on that?

I think the problem with Chris Benoit's mic skills are that they are rather one-dimensional. Benoit can cut a good, intense, serious promo when needed. He has never been a talker like The Rock, and quite honestly, has proven he doesn't need to be. Chris Benoit isn't multi-faceted on the mic, he's multi-faceted in the ring. Are promos the weakest part of his game? Probably, but when you're so strong in other areas, you can get by on just being an average mic worker. For everyone that said Chris Benoit could never be a main eventer, the bottom line is that he won the World Title in the main event of a Wrestlemania, and that can never be taken away from him. He has earned his place in history.

 

[GHP]

That was a good question about Benoit, I think his mic skills have been holding him back since he is one of the greatest technical wrestlers ever in the business. I think its too late for him though, I doubt he will ever get the World title ever again

 

[nbpsfc]

Answered on 8/19

With at least one Pay-Per-View a month from WWE, it seems to me like they're going through feuds way too fast and the titles have less and less meaning. But I also do know that PPV's are a great profit for WWE. I think a good way is keeping the monthly PPV's, and not having SO MANY PPV's a year, but having PPV's rotate between Raw, ECW, Smackdown, and the 4 main joint PPV's in between? Sure to do this evenly there would still be 13 PPV's, and I'm sure it would take away the effect from One Night Stand, but WWE could still keep the monthly PPV but this way the product won't be so stale, and you won't see (for example) Edge vs. Cena every month, or Booker vs. Lashley. What are your thoughts on this?

I like the idea of having the PPV events rotate amongst three brands, which in theory would give each brand around three months to build to a show, but I don't see it ever happening. WWE will just continue to add PPV events to the schedule, and if ECW gets to the point that they are having a PPV show every two months, I don't expect WWE to take away from the already established Raw and Smackdown shows. It will just be a more cluttered PPV schedule. And they'll continue to burn through matches and feuds, and waste potential money makers by rushing them onto PPV because they need something as a "quick draw" instead.

Love the site, although I do feel you are sometimes overly critical of the WWE product. The criticism is, however, usually justified. I have a question which regards TNA's Matt Bentley. Do you ever see WWE bringing him in to work an angle with his relative Shawn Michaels? Perhaps he could be introduced via DX? What are your thought? Also, do you see WWE bringing in AJ and Samoa Joe when their current TNA deals end?

How are we overly critical if the criticism is justified? Anyway, I don't see WWE every going for Matt Bentley. While he is a solid worker, he's hardly in the top mix of TNA these days, and if they really wanted him, they probably could have had him already. Being related to Shawn Michaels really hasn't meant much to his career, in my opinion, as he's worked hard to get where he is today. I'm sure WWE would love to have AJ Styles and Samoa Joe, but Styles and Joe have made the decision not to go there. Obviously, in the future, WWE might make the right offer and get them to come in, but for now, both have made the decision to stay with TNA.

I'm an elite subscriber and I have been listening to the interviews with Stan Hansen and Del Wilkes on the website which I really enjoy and I was wondering how long a tour of Japan is?

While this can fluctuate by a few days, most of the major companies in Japan tour for 2-3 weeks, then take off for around three weeks. I've always been a fan of that system, as it allows the wrestlers to have long breaks to rest injuries, while at the same time gives the companies a long period to build up matches for the next series of shows. Unfortunately, because wrestling in the U.S. is built up around the idea of live (or same week taped) television, I don't ever see WWE adopting that practice.

I recently saw King Kong Bundy on a rerun of Married with Children, and wondered if the peak of Bundy's wrestling career was headlining WM 2?

I would say absolutely, without a doubt. Bundy's biggest run started at Wrestlemania I when he squashed SD Jones in nine seconds, peaked at Wrestlemania II and his main event loss to Hulk Hogan, and by the time Wrestlemania III rolled around (where he teamed with midgets), he had come down the other side of the mountain. During his big run, Bundy was headlining shows against Andre The Giant and Hulk Hogan, as well as teaming with Big John Studd against the British Bulldogs. Definitely the top of the mountain for him.

Without getting into personal salary issues. I wonder how internet wrestling shows and websites get big name wrestlers to agree to interviews. I'm assuming there are fees paid for this, if so what is the average amount paid?

I can honestly say that I have never been involved in a situation where a wrestler was paid to do an interview, either here on PWInsider.com or on SportsTalkCleveland.com. Usually, the wrestler is either doing the interview because they have something they want to promote (like a book) or the interview is set up through a convention or live event promoter who is looking to plug his show in conjunction with the interview. I'm not saying that it doesn't happen, because I know for a fact that certain wrestlers do request a fee to be interviewed, and that some sites have paid those fees. However, we won't ever be doing there here, and I couldn't tell you what the "average amount" is for those that do.