September 28, 1992
- WCW TV ratings have hit the lowest in the 20-year history of wrestling on TBS. The company had previously set low-ratings records earlier this year, but that was during the summer when TV ratings across the board always drop a bit. TV ratings usually start going up around August, but WCW's keep going down. WWF ratings aren't doing great either and the Flair/Savage match on Prime Time Wrestling, with a nearly unheard-of world title change on free TV didn't do great either, despite being hyped well in advance on WWF's syndicated shows.
- Butch Reed has been fired from WCW after only being employed for 2 weeks because he no-showed the latest TV tapings. Meanwhile, Paul E. Dangerously has been benched for now and won't be on TV for awhile. It's no secret Watts has wanted to get rid of Dangerously for awhile. Jimmy Garvin and Michael Hayes both had their existing contracts bought out, although Hayes was offered a new contract to stay on as an announcer.
- Meanwhile, Brian Pillman's contract situation seems to have been resolved, but Dave doesn't have details. He spoke to Watts, who assured him that it's been fixed and that Pillman is not going to be buried.
- The lightheavyweight division has been put on hold for now. Brad Armstrong was stripped of the title at the last Clash of the Champions due to a legitimate injury and a tournament was announced to crown a new champion, but it won't happen for now (and never did. The title never came back). Word is Watts isn't a fan.
- The top-rope rule has been completely eliminated and the rule change will be announced on TV this week.
- Dave apparently spoke to Watts this week in regards to all this and more. Watts admitted to Dave that his primary goal is to get financial losses under control. He also said that he disagreed with Kip Frey's steroid policy (of rewarding people with bonuses for volunteering for testing instead of punishing those who fail tests) and also said Jesse Ventura wasn't worth what they spent to get him. He also addressed the Jake Roberts hiring, confirming that Kip Frey had offered Jake a large guaranteed contract but Watts wouldn't agree to it. After much haggling, Jake agreed to Watts' $1000-per-match deal. All future contracts that wrestlers sign will be up for renewal every 4 months and WCW can decide to cut them at any time. Watts admitted that this gives wrestlers no security but says, "If you want security, go to work in a bank. You have the choice. You can make big money or you can have security. There's never been a time in America when you can get both." During the discussions, when Dave asks him about the fairness of these deals, Watts repeatedly shrugs it off, saying, "Life isn't fair."
- Watts also confirmed getting rid of contracts that pay wrestlers for dates they miss due to injuries, defending it by saying the wrestlers are independent contractors. "We're doing away with it. If they want insurance, they make enough money. They can get their own."
- In regards to hiring his son Erik, Watts said that his son's contract is the same as everyone else's and then goes on to list all of his son's athletic credentials (football, amateur wrestling, etc.) as if that matters. Erik Watts was dogshit in the ring, for anyone who doesn't remember.
- From here, Dave essentially sums up Watts' business philosophy (TL;DR - fuck the talent, if you don't like what we offer, go work somewhere else) and wishes him luck, while also pointing out that Verne Gagne had a similar philosophy and he's no longer in business. Dave especially thinks making wrestlers fend for themselves if they suffer on-the-job injuries is unfair, especially since the "independent contractor" thing is such bullshit.
- Finally done with WCW (for the moment) and on to the big WAR/WWF combined show in Japan. Undertaker was the most over WWF star. Genichiro Tenryu vs. Ric Flair for the WWF Title in a 2-out-of-3 falls match was the main event and ended in a double count-out in the final fall, which infuriated the fans because Japanese fans LOATHE bullshit finishes. Not doing a clean finish, especially on a big show like this, is the worst thing you can do in Japan, Dave says.
- WATCH: Ric Flair vs. Genichiro Tenryu - WWF/WAR 1992 show
- One of the no-name jobbers (Tom Hankins) who accused Pat Patterson of sexual harassment was on the Geraldo Rivera show this week to tell his story again in an episode about gay harassment.
- In Mexico, wrestler Aguila Solitaria comes to the ring carrying a bird like Koko B. Ware. At a show this week, the bird got loose and ran wild at ringside, causing a ruckus.
- Former WCW wrestler PN News debuted for UWA in Mexico as a heel.
- The Sheik, still hospitalized from complications from the burns he suffered in FMW, is expected to be out of the hospital in 3-4 weeks and should be able to resume wrestling again shortly thereafter.
- Former GWF founder Joe Pedicino has started a new business called Food Fax, where they fax lunchtime menus to offices within a 6-mile radius of any restaurants that want to be included. Dave needlessly throws in a savage fat joke here, saying, "What a shocker, Pedicino coming up with a new idea that revolves around lunch."
- Sgt. Slaughter has begun a new role as sort of a trouble-shooting agent/referee so he's probably retiring from the ring. Slaughter will referee the Warrior/Savage vs. Flair/Ramon tag match at Survivor Series (nope) and at the latest tapings, got in between Undertaker and Nailz, who had a confrontation.
- WATCH: Nailz and Undertaker face off, while Sgt. Slaughter just sorta casually shouts at them from outside the ring
- Neither Hawk or Sid Justice have been released from their contracts yet. Technically both are still suspended, which means they can't work indies. Hawk is trying to get released while Sid seems content to just let his contract run out. Quieters.