February 15, 1993
- Major shakeups in WCW as Bill Watts and Jim Ross both lost significant power this week. Turner/WCW executives Bill Shaw and Bob Dhue have divided the company into 3 parts: a PPV division (headed up by some executive lady named Susan Sidello), a TV division (head not yet named), and a wrestling product division that Watts will remain in charge of. Since TV is the most important part of the company, whoever ends up running the TV division might become the most powerful front office employee. Right now, the leading candidates are reportedly Keith Mitchell, David Crockett, Tony Schiavone, or Eric Bischoff.
- Jim Ross, formerly VP in charge of television, took the biggest fall, being removed from the VP position and also being removed from all television and will no longer be doing announcing for the company, which Dave pretty much calls a stupid decision. Tony Schiavone and Eric Bischoff will take over announcing duties on shows Ross previously called. Many in WCW are happy about the decision because Watts and Ross are both extremely unpopular in the locker room. Turner management also laid down some new rules, clearly aimed mostly at Watts, saying that executives can no longer yell and swear at employees. Also, they can no longer wear jeans or Zubaz and are expected to wear suits and ties (this rule is aimed at Dusty Rhodes, Dave says).
- Furthermore, WCW has put together a massive booking committee that will now handle booking storylines and angles. Bill Watts, Dusty Rhodes, Greg Gagne, Bill Dundee, Jim Barnett, Keith Mitchell, Ole Anderson, Jim Ross, Lary Zbysko, Susan Sidello, Mike Graham, Eric Bischoff, and Michael Hayes are all on the committee. Ric Flair may be joining as well as soon as he returns to the company and Sid Vicious was promised a spot on the committee if he signs also. Dave feels like having this many cooks in the kitchen is a mistake.
- With Watts losing significant power, the issues regarding Rick Rude being paid while he's injured have been worked out. Rude has been paid what he felt he was owed and has returned the US title belt and is expected to be back in the ring when he recovers.
- Johnny B. Badd is expected to also stay now, having gotten a more favorable contract worked out by going over Watts' head to Bill Shaw and negotiating a new deal.
- Hulk Hogan will be returning to the ring after a 1-year absence at Wrestlemania 9, teaming with Brutus Beefcake against Money Inc. Hogan's recent negotiations with Turner were apparently just a bargaining tool to get more money out of Vince. Part of Hogan's reason for returning is to regain his popularity in wrestling in hopes that those fans will then go see Mr. Nanny when it comes out this summer. After several flops in a row, Hogan's Hollywood star is fading and he needs this movie to be a success if he wants to keep his dream of being a marketable actor alive.
- New Japan is still expressing interest in Hogan, to try and bring him in for a show in May, possibly to book him in a match against WCW champion Big Van Vader, which obviously has a lot of political ramifications if it were to happen. Dave can't imagine Hogan agreeing to lose and WCW won't allow their world champion to job to WWF's biggest star, so he can't see how that match could ever happen.
- Ric Flair has reportedly not received an official written release from WWF yet. WCW received confirmation of a release from WWF, but it wasn't notarized and until they can get it legally confirmed, WCW has put all plans to announce Flair's return on hold. If they don't get things straightened out in the next few days, it's unlikely Flair will appear at SuperBrawl as planned.
- Phil Mushnick wrote a column in the New York Post this week claiming that the Ultimate Warrior is preparing to file a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Vince McMahon and the WWF for break of contract "and other, nastier things." Mushnick also reported that the federal probe into WWF is intensifying and that beyond steroids, the investigation now includes tax evasion, violation of child labor laws, pedophilia, sexual extortion, and illegal drug use and distribution beyond just steroids.
- Andre the Giant's body was flown back to the United States this week because they couldn't find a crematorium in France that could handle his large body. He is expected to be cremated and his ashes scattered near his home in Ellerbe, NC. Wrestling organizations around the world continued having moment of silence or ten bell salute ceremonies in his honor this week and media outlets across the globe have written about his death.
- A journalist named Gare Joyce wrote a story called Brawl In The Family in a Canadian magazine called Saturday Night. It's a piece about Bret Hart and the Hart family and Dave says it's one of the best mainstream pieces of journalism ever written about pro wrestling. I googled and couldn't find it but I'm interested if anyone else can.
- Kerry Von Erich's cocaine possession charge will be sent to the grand jury next week to decide whether to indict him. This is going to have a sad ending very soon...
- Dave compares Jan. 93 to Jan. 92 business stats. Even with the impressive ratings of Monday Night Raw, WWF's overall TV ratings are down 20% from last year. But overall, January 93 was actually the best month either WWF or WCW have had in months and was the first time since mid-92 that numbers actually ticked up instead of down.
- Dave says the AAA match featuring Psicosis/Heavy Metal/El Picudo vs. Rey Misterio Jr./Super Calo/Winners was the best lucha match he's ever seen and gives it the full 5-stars. Here's a video that looks like it was filmed on a calculator.
- Chris Jericho won the Rocky Mountain Wrestling heavyweight title in a barbed wire match this week. The match caused a bunch of fuss with the local commission and health officials who were concerned about all the blood and possibility of HIV or hepatitis being spread to wrestlers or even fans.
- Terry Funk's part in Sylvester Stallone's upcoming movie Demolition was cut at the last minute.
- In USWA, the cross-promotion with WWF continues, as Doink wrestled several matches and even Howard Finkel, working as a heel, wrestled Downtown Bruno (Harvey Wippleman) to a no-contest. Before the match, Finkel did an interview doing the whole Andy Kaufman gimmick about being a big shot from New York and shit-talking Memphis. Lex Luger will be working here next week.
- Mr. Perfect blew out his knee at a house show last week and has been on crutches ever since and is expected to be out for about 3 weeks.
- Monday Night Raw did a 3.0 rating, which is the highest for any regular WWF cable show in almost a year and even higher than the last Clash of the Champions. Maybe this Raw show will be a success after all.
- A Los Angeles TV station refused to air a Yokozuna match this week because of heavy protests from 3 different groups (Association of Asian Pacific American Artists, Japanese American Citizens League, and Media Action Network for Asian Americans) because of the Yokozuna character perpetuating Asian stereotypes. I guess having a Samoan guy pretend to be Japanese rubbed some people the wrong way.
- Marty Jannetty was fired a few weeks ago because he was found passed out in the locker room. He claims he was just sleeping but yanno. Ray Stevens is the one who reported it to management and Stevens now has heat with other wrestlers because he used to be a wrestler and the belief in the locker room is that all the boys should stick together and not snitch on one of their own.
- The Tazmaniac (Tazz) got a tryout at the latest WCW tapings.