Tuesday June 11999
It is almost a lock for Bad Ass Billy Gunn to win the King of the Ring tournament this year because the WWF beleives that winning the King of the Ring would propel Bad Ass Billy Gunn into stardom like it did to Owen Hart,HHH,and Stone Cold Steve Austin.I expect to see Billy Gunn face the returning KOR champion Ken Shamrock in the finals.
It's possible that the man under the hood will turn out to be Shawn Michaels. Some are saying it's Vince McMahon himself. No matter who it is, we didn't see him so they still have time to decide who it's going to be.Also another person could be the Greater Power is Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Stone cold defeated him at the King of the ring a few years back, then at the end Austin had an interview in which he stated "Austin 3:16 Said I just whooped your ass." Also I heard Jake the Snake brought Austin to wrestling. So I guess Jake is the "Maker" in which the undertaker claimed he would meet.
Also, according to Madden,"Macho Man" Randy Savage is being seen by many wrestlers backstage as the man with too many gimmicks. Savage has been using catch phrases on WCW TV, such as,"If ya smell what the Mach is cookin" and referring to Pimps and Ho's in his interviews. When asked about his gimmick, Savage said that he wanted to mold his character around a "Bad Boy" image and have more of a "HIP" look. Savage has recently been telling people that he'll steal ideas from anybody and everybody.
There has been major backstage heat concerning Kevin Nash and "Hollywood" Hogan over the WCW Heavyweight Title. Apparently, Nash feels that his title reign should last through Starrcade in November, while Hogan wants his title back by the Bash at the Beach. Hogan requested to several officials that he wants Randy Savage to beat Nash for the title at the Great American Bash, then for him to beat Savage and re-capture the WCW Heavyweight Title. As of right now, World Championship Wrestling's bookers haven't decided on whether to accept Hogan's idea or not, but most likely won't so.
The GDTV angle you saw last night on Raw where D-Lo Brown and Mark Henry were in the bathroom getting taped will be turned into "Goldust TV." This will be Dustin Runnels newest program with Titan Sports.
Jesse "The Body" Ventura turned down World Championship Wrestling’s offer to wrestle at Starcade against "Hollywood" Hogan. The original deal was for Ventura to get paid $2.5 million up front, then receive another $2.5 for wrestling Hogan. As of right now, Ventura won’t be wrestling in World Championship Wrestling anytime soon.
Diamond Dallas Page recently expressed interest in starting up his own stable in World Championship Wrestling. Page wants his stable to consist of "Bam Bam" Bigelow, Kanyon, and Hammer. Page does have creative control in World Championship Wrestling and there’s a good chance that this might happen in the weeks to come.
Terry Taylor has been telling other World Wrestling Federation bookers that they should push Chyna into being the Women’s Champion instead of Debra.
As you know, Mick Foley will under-go surgery on both his legs in weeks to come. Foley is expected to be out four to six weeks but will have an major upcoming angle with Triple H. A match between him and Triple H is expected to break out at Summer Slam.
Bart Gunn asked the World Wrestling Federation for a contract release this past week so that he can explore other federations such as World Championship Wrestling. The World Wrestling Federation has yet to reply back to Gunn about this, but most likely won’t so.
The reason why Dean Malenko and Chris Benoit have been pairing up with Roddy Piper is because World Championship Wrestling believes this is a great way to get Malenko and Benoit over with the fans.
At a creative meeting this past week, Eric Bishoff told his employees that World Championship Wrestling would beat the World Wrestling Federation in ratings by this fall. Boy is he a dumb fuck
wrestling fans may want to pick up the July edition of Playboy, which will have a big feature ARTICLE on wrestling. Nick Randall mentioned that he contributed on the wrestler bios section of the feature. It'll be a positive piece, he said, not negative like so many other media outlets are doing.
WCW has big plans for Tank Abbott. They have signed him to a multi-year deal. Terms have not been disclosed, but they have good plans
Gillberg has resigned by the WWF, there has not been any reports for how long or for how much.
The WCW star Asya will be on Jenny Jones this tuesday.
Mark Mero's return has been one story, but the WWF is in knots trying to figure out what his new gimmick will be. I have word that the WWF will try to bring him in and feud with Meat of PMS. Either that, or he will return to his "Wild Man", and no, not "Johnny B. Badd" gimmick, and get involved with the Hardcore Division. As of right now, the WWF thinks the hardcore matches are getting more boring by the week, as all they really have are Hardcore Holly and Al Snow. I say, put Road Dogg up in there
WWF superstars Mark Mero and Sable have recently moved to Orlando. Many wrestlers are turning to Florida to live, including the Big Show, and Chris Jericho.
A big time wrestling movie has caught the interest of Warner Brothers film executives. A script has been circulating and WB has expressed interest in producing the film, and distributing it.
Arnold Schwarzenagers name has been bouncing around as the actor that could be given a starring role.
I caught a promo for the Howie Mandel Show on CBS and it advertised Stone Cold as the top guese. The show is on at 3:00 PM here on the west coast.
Chris Candido & Tammy Lynn Sytch are selling their WWF Bodydonna's oufit for the starting price of $500. Both of the outfits are signed by both Chris & Tammy.
thats all for today
Monday May 1 1999
The big news coming out of this past weekend is the apparent departure from the WWF of Rena Mero a.k.a. Sable. The WWF took the WWF Women's title from her when she refused to wrestle and then took her off all major storylines. The WWF has went as far as to remove Sable from the box art of the upcoming video " Come Get Some: The Women of the WWF" and the WWF has all Sable merchandise on clearance. This latest move by the WWF adds to months of talk that the two parties were not getting along. The WWF says Sable has been "suspended indefinitely" I'll keep you posted.
My buddy BK called me with this interesting news. He says Goldberg has demanded more money per year ($1.5 million), less time on the road (about half as much as before), and complete creative control over his storylines. WCW will give Goldberg $1.3 million a year and he'll only work TV, PPV, and major house show dates. He will not have control over the booking of his matches or angles.
Some talk that Curt Hennig is thinking of retiring from wrestling. Hennig is still having a hard time dealing with Rick Rude's death and is mad with WCW over the way the company uses him.
Shane Douglas has rejected another offer from the WWF. Word is that Shane would have made more money than he ever would have in ECW. The reason why he might have turned it down was because he might have wanted a guarenteed IC title or World title reign. The WWF has now given up hope and consider the contract talks dead. There is also a rumor that Shane wants to go back to ECW, and may be talking to Paul Heyman about a return. More details as they come.
Only more than a fourth of the tickets available for the Nitro at the Houston Astrodome have been sold for tonight. WCW is worried that due to the size of the Astrodome and very little tickets being sold, the place will look empty come air time.
Word is Toy Biz is very unhappy with the slow sales of WCW toys. The company will issue most of it's planned WCW toys but may not do anymore after that point. This is just a rumor but it comes from a Toy Biz employee.
WCW has stopped production of Chris Jericho merchandise and have also stopped selling Jericho shirts. More evidence that he likely on his way to the WWF.
So Far there has been 12 bids on Sunny's implants. The bids right now are up to $7,800
WWF.com Reports that Milk's The Bottom Line, Stone Cold Steve Austin will be in Teen People Yearbook. This will be going onto newsstands June 11th with the "Got Milk" advertisement.
As some may have seen on SUNDAY NIGHT HEAT, Triple H has been removed from the King of the Ring brackets. It seems he will be facing Mankind in some sort of a gimmick match, while the 9th Wonder of the World Chyna will replace Triple H in the KOTR tournament.
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin will be making an appearance on Oprah Wimphery this June
World Wrestling Federation Superstar and former heavyweight champion, "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels, is going to be a daddy soon.
Shawn and his wife Whisper (the former WCW NITRO Girl) have been sharing the news with friends that they are expecting their first child after being married only a few months.
The two were married around April 1st of this year, after only knowing each other a short amount of time... they met Valentine's Day weekend and fell in love.
Soon we literally will have a "Heartbreak KID" running around.
Due to the success that Chaos comics had with the Undertaker comic book, they are planning on releasing a couple more comics that revolve around WWF wrestlers. Chaos comics reached an agreement with Titan sports and got the rights to produce comic books for Steve Austin and Mankind. Steve Austin's comic book will be a 4 issue set, and will be entitled, "Tougher than the rest". It is currently being developed at this point and is scheduled to hit newstands in September. Mankinds comic book is also in the developmental stages and is scheduled to be released in August. On a side note, the Insane Clown Posse is also currently working on their own Comic book.
Jim Cornette, head instructor of the World Wrestling Federation Funkin Dojo training camp, has been calling the World Wrestling Federation's officials and has been telling bookers such as Vince Russo to push The Brood and the Hardy Boys. Appearantly, Cornette feels that the World Wrestling Federation is not paying enough attention to them and feels that they have what it takes to be a future star in the company, but isn't giving them the chance to do so.
Reports are that Brian Lee, formely known as Chainz of DOA, has had talks with the Undertaker in getting his job back with the World Wrestling Federation. Lee and the Undertaker are good friends, but don't look for the World Wrestling Federation to re-sign Lee to a deal any time soon.
Bret Hart had this to say in his Calgary column about his brother
Reflections of a big brother
By BRET "The Hitman" HART -- For The Calgary Sun
But the stars are burnin' bright like some mystery uncovered
I'll keep movin' through the dark with you in my heart
My blood brother.
-- Bruce Springsteen
I just can't believe it.
My brother Owen has been taken away from me.
He was such a wonderful human being and I will miss him so much.
I've tried and tried to sum up into words what he meant to me. What he meant to all of us who loved him.
It seems everyone knows by now what a great husband, father, son and brother he was.
He was, without a doubt, the finest family man that I ever knew.
His life was centred around his wife, Martha, his one and only childhood sweetheart, and his two beautiful children, Oje and Athena.
So many times, I remember he sprinted from the door of the plane, his two carry-on bags in each hand, at a full run, worn out and weary, just to clear customs, through the sliding doors, to their outstretched arms.
A man with no vices. None.
His only obsession, his family. Always his family.
And oh, how he loved them all!
I don't believe anyone knew Owen as well as me, except Martha.
I recall, so often, in airports, hotel rooms, dressing rooms, long drives on endless highways, his only dream was to come home to his wife and his two children.
He almost made it, only days before moving into their dream home.
He worked so hard for that dream. It's all so unfair, an exhausting argument with God.
A long and sad meditation on fate and purpose and love.
I'm so sorry, Martha. You and he deserved so much to have all your dreams come true.
As your brother, if you can hear me, and I know you can, you would be so very proud of her. I understand, even more so than before, why you fell in love with this girl and why your loved her so much.
As your brother, I promise to watch over Athena and Oje. To be there for them.
To try my best to make up for your absence. To tell them about you and to never let them wonder what you were like. To help Martha forever and to insure what you wanted the most: that Oje and Athena are raised with respect and love and that they'll be guided by your spirit to have integrity and conscience. That they will make you proud.
Martha wouldn't have it any other way.
Neither will I.
My mother and father, I know what he meant to you, to all of us Harts, and I hope, in our sadness, we can find some way to overcome this tragedy and move on again.
The Harts are loved and admired for our strength.
This will be a true test.
We all have so many wonderful and beautiful thoughts and memories of Owen, I wouldn't know where to start. I can't.
I've concluded that we can only hold on to all those memories and like our lost brother, Dean, we will laugh and smile and talk endlessly of how you made this world a better place.
Owen, you were the funniest person I ever knew. I thank you for that.
I will smile to myself forever at all the funny things you did.
A prankster?
Nobody but all of us who knew you will ever understand how hilarious it was to be around you.
Prank me anytime, Owen, I'll be waiting for your call.
You were a great man who never, ever lost his heart of a child.
I will hold dear my memories of all the places, distant lands and people we saw together.
The sunset in Guam. The breathtaking beauty of Cape Town, South Africa. Our hell ride to the Taj Mahal in India. The serenity and beauty of the Hong Kong skyline. The harsh realities of Hiroshima and Auschwitz, where we paid our silent respect, and maybe more importantly our trip to Jerusalem, the ceaseless wonder.
For, like Jesus, nailed to the cross, to a grid of paradoxes, you balanced yourself between the torment of not knowing your mission and the joy you took in carrying it out.
Owen, you have all the answers now. I remember always being your protector. Looking out for you.
I feel my heartache and my eyes begin to sting when I think, why wasn't I there to protect you in the Kemper Arena in Kansas City last Sunday.
To question if this was really necessary. Shame on you, Vince McMahon.
Owen, I loved wrestling with you.
You were a great wrestler from start to finish and millions of your fans all around the world will never let that be forgotten.
Maybe it's not important, almost kind of meaningless, but I know you were proud of your accomplishments, as I was, and you were one of the greatest athletes to ever set foot in a wrestling ring.
Everyone has a song in their heart.
My families have always been professional wrestling.
The hardest aspect of it was always the neverending loneliness.
In reflection of that, both you and I understood from the very start that we were singing a very sad song.
But neither of us, even at this dark hour, are ashamed at having sung that song.
For, no matter what anyone ever thinks, Owen, yours will always be the most beautiful song I've ever heard.
I'm lonely for you already.
The world loved you very much and we will all miss you for a very long time.
Your loving brother,
Bret
Sunday May 30 1999
According to several media reports, Vince McMahon is planning to sell 20 percent of the World Wrestling Federation in an IPO. Since the reports have come out, spokespeople with the World Wrestling Federation have denied that the decision to go public has actually been finalized, although they did admit that it’s under consideration. Variety Paper reports that McMahon hired Bear Stearns to handle an IPO that could raise about $150 million for the company. By going public, McMahon would have to reveal the finances of the company to stockholders, which would change many wrestler's perspectives on whether he pays a fair percentage of the World Wrestling Federation's earnings.
Sable has been released from the WWF. The WWF got rid of her because she was going through frequent absences. The WWF wasn't happy with all the time she took because of the Playboy shots. Now she is taking more time off becuase she has an issue in September. Mark Mero is not happy that Sable is gone from the WWF either. Dont take this rumour to seriously. This is just a rumours. I will have confirmation on this in the next couple of days.
It appears that Bill Goldberg proposed a new contract to World Championship Wrestling a few days ago. Goldberg's agent, Jim Whyett, told World Championship Wrestling that Goldberg wanted $1.5 million a year, work less house show dates, and gain some creative control in the company. World Championship Wrestling agreed to two of Goldberg's requests, but said no to the part on Goldberg gaining creative control within the company.
Sources close to Chris Jericho are practically confirming that he's headed to the WWF in July when his WCW contract runs out. WCW has already stopped selling Chris Jericho merchandise, and is probably going to take him off TV (or job the shit out of him) until his contract is up
Rob Van Dam was reported to be signing a 2 year, 1.6 million dollar contract with WCW. That is not the case as of yet but he is still expected to go to World Championship Wrestling. I hope he doesn't go there because he will be put back by the older wrestlers in WCW
Once again, the World Wrestling Federation attempted to sign Shane Douglas to a deal, but the result of it was as predicted, Douglas turned it down. The World Wrestling Federation considers the negotiations dead as a result. The downside guarantee offered would have been more than he ever made previously, said one source. No word on why Douglas turned down the offer, but there is already speculation that he and Extreme Championship Wrestling may talk about potential reconicliation.
Curt Hennig and WCW are not on very good terms at the moment. As it appears, Hennig is tired of being put in the mid-card matches and involved in a boring angle that he currently has going with Konnan. He feels his career has taken a plunge for the worse and Curt has also been extremely depressed over his best friend's, Rick Rude's, death about 7 weeks ago. As a result of all this, he is seriously considering retirement.
Steve Regal is probably still in drug rehab were he has been for the last few months. The WWF wants ECW to hire him since authorities are threatening to deport him if he doesn't find a job soonI think he will end up in WCW, because as I reported a few weeks ago, he has been backstage at several WCW house shows, and was even backstage for Slamboree.
Brian Adams will soon be repackaged in WCW and will be given a new gimmick. If you may recall, he was originally supposed to do a Hindu gimmick back in January, but that was scrapped. WCW is kind of upset that they are investing a decent amount of money in him and using his very rarely and thus it's a total waste. Adams gets paid about $300,000 a year, which is a heavy amount for a wrestler like him, and as stated before, WCW doesn't contact him a lot to wrestle to top all. WCW wants to get more out of what they pay him, and a new gimmick will be better for the company and his career as well. No word yet on what his new gimmick will be, but it should debut within the next 2 months.
Hardy Boyz will have a new gimmick, and they will be pissed. They will be full time heels. At first WWF was going to make them join DX, but they droped it because of Shawn Micheals.
Doc Henerix is also going heel, because he has been with the WWF for 5 years and has not gotten enough ring time.
For the past few months the Undertaker has been speaking about a higher power that he's obeying.If you have seen the RAW tapings results then you would know that after the Corporate Ministry attacked Stone Cold Steve Austin they held him back and someone in a hooded robe walked up to SCSA showing his face to Austin,but only SCSA could see the face.Ive heard that the higher power could be Stephanie or Linda McMahon,but I seriously doubt that.My Undertaker source told me that it could be Kane,to me it would make perfect since that it would be Kane.Right now Kane is a mid-carder when he used to be a main-eventor,being the Higher Power would put him back into the main-eventor seat again.Also,in another match Kane and Xpac lost their titles which leads me to beleive that they are gonna break up soon.If Kane became the Higher Power then HBK might comeback and rebuild DX so then it would be DX and the Union feuding with the Corporate Ministry.That would also make DX even more popular than they ever have been and also give the Union a better image.This is just my opinion,take it how ever you wanna take it,but its not confirmed or true until it happens.
It is reported that The Bulldog might go to WWF to avenge the recent tragic death of Owen Hart. It is not yet signed and sealed. I'll bring you all the news on this when I get it.
Dave Whistler from WKLS 92.4 in Bowerstown, California asked a trivia question about Owen Hart asking what the last thing he said before he died. He later answered by screaming "Ahhhhhh".
He said "he was trying to sell tickets" and I guess some how using death can sell tickets.
Bishoff met with his staff of wrestlers on May 17 and informed them that the company is going to focus its booking efforts on ten top names, which are believed to be "Hollywood" Hogan, Kevin Nash, Bill Goldberg, Bret Hart, Randy Savage, Lex Luger, Rick Steiner, Sting, Scott Steiner, and Ric Flair or Roddy Piper.
I am hearing that an upcoming match between Tank Abbot and Rick Steiner may in fact be a shoot fight (real life fight). More ont his as I get it.
Reminder to Canadian fans Sunday Night Heat will debut on CTV Sports Net tonight.
Word is that Playboy Magazine has interest in doing a pictorial this fall with the World Wrestling Federation's blonde bombshell, Debra. On a side note, Sable just finished her second shoot with Playboy this past month, that issue will hit newsstands on August 3, 1999.
A brief update on Ed Ferreira's relationship with the World Wrestling Federation . . . Appearantly, heat between the World Wrestling Federation and TV writer, Ed Ferreira have settled down even more. Ferreira was given a $1000 weekly raise by Vince McMahon for deciding to stay with his company.
Thats all for today
