May 03, 1993
- A promotion that didn't even exist a year ago is expected to draw a crowd of over 50,000 for AAA's first ever Triplemania event this week, which would make it the largest paid crowd for a wrestling show in North America since Wrestlemania 6 three years ago (remember, WM8 was heavily papered). The rise of AAA in Mexico is the biggest success story since WWF's national rise in 1984. They have quickly become the most consistently successful drawing company in North America. Dave goes on to recap how AAA took on the 60-year established EMLL, how it was formed, and how guys like Rey Misterio Jr. and Psicocis are responsible for ushering in a new style in AAA that made other promotions seem old and outdated. He also notes how AAA's success mirrored WWF's because of the way they went about it. They took advantage of television like no other promotion in Mexico ever had, they brought in Mexican celebrities and rock stars and spent a lot of money on production value that makes AAA look far more major league than the competition. If this AAA show sells out like they hope it will, there's already talk of possibly running a show in the 130,000 seat Azteca Stadium and attempting to break the WM3 record for largest wrestling crowd of all time.
- WCW ran its best angle in years this week between Cactus Jack and Big Van Vader, although it nearly wasn't an angle at all. They had a rematch from the show the week before, and this time it ended with Vader powerbombing Cactus on the concrete floor. The angle was supposed to be Cactus gets injured by the powerbomb, doing a stretcher job, and taking a few months off. That all happened, however, in reality, Cactus really did get injured, as his head bounced off the floor with a sickening thud. Cactus was legitimately knocked unconscious and lost feelings in his arms and legs, and was immobilized and rushed to the hospital, all of which aired on television. On TV, it looked like a career/life-threatening injury and the live crowd thought he had broken his neck. As of press time, all Dave knows is that Cactus suffered a severe concussion, which is made more dangerous by the fact that he had already suffered a previous concussion in the other Vader match just 2 weeks ago. The numbness in his hands reportedly still hasn't gone away, which could be an indication of nerve damage. No one knows how long he'll be out, but even best case scenario, no one expects him back within the next month (didn't come back until September).
- Only about 400 tickets have been sold for WCW's upcoming Slamboree PPV in 3 weeks. Dave says it's a shame that they can't change plans and just go ahead and book a Vader vs. Cactus main event for that show because it's easily the hottest angle in the business right now.
- Dave decides to go on a rant about how far wrestlers are willing to go these days. Between Cactus getting seriously injured almost every week now and with FMW promoting "bed of nails" matches and "exploding barbed wire death matches." He also criticizes the "can you top this" moves of guys in AAA like Misterio, who are literally risking paralysis or their lives every time they do some new crazy move. Where does it end, Dave wonders. He talks about how The Sheik nearly died last year in a ring-fire for FMW and talks about another Japanese wrestler (Tiger Katayama) who is a quadriplegic now from a botched move and says he hopes someone doesn't have to die in order get workers to tone it down.
- Chris Jericho, who Dave notes is "from Calgary" (he's from Winnipeg, Dave! You stupid idiot!) debuted in EMLL this week and looked great, although he blew some spots early in the match.
- New Japan is threatening legal action against UWFI for using Big Van Vader, claiming he's under contract to them until Feb. 1994. UWFI and Vader argue that the contract is void since NJPW stopped booking him months ago.
- Jerry Lawler vs. Randy Savage in a cage match for USWA in Memphis drew a decent crowd and ended with Sensational Sherri running in and getting her dress ripped off as she tried to climb out of the cage.
- The Harlem Knights are done in USWA, but Dave isn't sure why (I'm pretty sure those Men were headed out on a Mission up north).
- Nailz is now working indie shows as The Convict since WWF will no longer allow indie promoters to use the name Nailz for him.
- Paul E. Dangerously was on a radio show this week and talked about his involvement in forming a new promotion in Austin, TX.
- In WCW, scriptwriters have begun writing some of the promos for the wrestlers this week. Dave says to expect more cute puns and one liners in interviews and says that hiring scriptwriters was most likely an Eric Bischoff decision rather than Dusty or Ole Anderson.
- Sid Vicious has not signed a contract yet but everything is agreed to and he should be coming in soon. There's also talk of bringing Ultimate Warrior in to work WCW PPV events, but no idea how serious those discussions are.
- Ric Flair's Gold's Gym in Charlotte is opening this week and Macho Man is scheduled to appear as a special guest and sign autographs. Also, Gene Okerlund keeps plugging Flair's gym opening on local TV in Charlotte. Naturally, all of this is a little odd since Flair works for WCW now and Macho Man and Okerlund are both WWF employees.
- The Hollywood Blonds did a promo on TV this week and Dave says they are quickly becoming the best tag team in the world and says Austin in particular is growing by leaps and bounds, personality-wise. Who knows, maybe that kid'll become something one of these days...
- A Michigan newspaper did a story on Vinnie Vegas (Kevin Nash, who is from Michigan) and asked him about steroids. Nash said WCW started testing for steroids last year, which must be big news to everyone else in WCW, jokes Dave.
- Lightning Kid started with WWF this week using the name Kamikaze Kid and was squashed like a jobber, which makes Dave think he'll probably start out as a faceless jobber and start lucking into some big wins to get him over. He will be the youngest (20 years old) and lightest (under 200 pounds) wrestler to get a push in WWF in more than a decade.
- The Smoking Guns debuted, under the names Billy and Bart Gunn. They're formerly the Long Riders of IWF in Florida.
- Dave speculates that Jim Ross is already gaining significant power in WWF, more than just an announcer, and may be involved in booking decisions.
- Bobby Heenan will be hosting Raw full time now. Dave says someone needs to get Heenan a full time role on a sitcom instead, because he's that good. Also, the angle on this week's episode of Raw, with a WWF fan asking his girlfriend to marry him was actually a shoot and everyone was relieved that she said yes.