November 17, 2003
- K-1 announced their big New Year's Eve show will be headlined by Bob Sapp vs. Akebono, the legendary sumo wrestler. The announcement last week was the biggest press conference in K-1 history and the fight is expected to be the most heavily promoted non-boxing combat match of all time. The announcement of the fight was so big that three of Japan's national networks broke into regular programming to show the press conference live. It was also all over the sports news here in the U.S. Dave calls it the biggest match of this kind since Ali vs. Inoki in 1976. As we've established, Sapp is a mega-star right now, and Akebono, who is significantly bigger than Sapp, recently resigned from the Japanese Sumo Association and signed a multi-million dollar contract for multiple fights with K-1. Sumo is huge in Japan and Akebono is a legend of the sport, the first foreigner (he was born in Hawaii) to reach the level of yokozuna and only the 66th in the history of sumo. This fight is expected to set records on New Year's Eve. Speaking of...
- New Year's Eve is a huge night in Japan, with a big musical event that is usually the biggest night of the year for TV ratings. On top of the K-1 show, both PRIDE and Inoki doing big NYE MMA events as well, and now K-1 dropping this bomb into the fray, NYE this year looks like it will be one of the biggest nights in recent Japanese television history. And in probably-related news, Antonio Inoki has ceased working with PRIDE. Inoki had been working with the company as a matchmaker, producer, and their connection to NJPW and he was behind PRIDE's massively successful New Year's Eve shows the last few years. But now he's broken away to do it on his own, without PRIDE, and will be running his own competing show against them. Given all the TV competition, at least one of these shows is probably going to be a big flop. Dave predicts it will be Inoki (he will be correct).
- While we're still on the subject of PRIDE, they just held arguably their best show ever. Wanderlei Silva won the toughest tournament in MMA history while Mirko Cro Cop suffered his first career loss, tapping out to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. UFC fighters were all over the show as well, with Dana White doing commentary on the Rampage Jackson/Chuck Liddell's fight. Show was compared to WWE's Wrestlemania 17 by many in terms of spectacle and all around classic show. They sold out the Tokyo Dome and probably set a gate record too. There's a lot more here, but it's all strictly MMA stuff with no important wrestling connection.
- And sadly, we're back with another story we've heard all too many times in 2003 alone: Mike Lockwood, better known to most as Crash Holly, passed away last week at age 32. Lockwood had been living with WWE wrestler Stevie Richards at his home in Florida, after splitting up with his wife recently. Richards wasn't at home and became concerned when he kept calling and Lockwood didn't answer. Eventually, he called police for a wellness check who entered the home and found him dead. Preliminary reports are that it's believed to have been an overdose of pills and alcohol. Lockwood was reportedly depressed over the nasty breakup of his marriage and was planning to move back across the country to California before he died. He'd most recently worked with TNA and was scheduled to start with NOAH in January.
- It's extra sad because when Lockwood entered the business, most recall him as a clean-living vegetarian fitness freak, not someone they would have predicted would die from an OD. But he began drinking in the 90s and those alcohol issues (along with perceived attitude issues) ended up costing him a shot in ECW. Then he landed in WWF as Crash Holly and that went well for awhile, but he got in trouble on several occassions for being drunk at public company appearances. Near the end of of his WWE run, he was complaining a lot about how unhappy he was and WWE rarely booked him, to the point that Lockwood had started picking up bouncing and security jobs to make extra cash while still under contract. He moved from North Carolina to Stevie's place in Florida after separating from his wife, but they weren't yet officially divorced. As a result, his wife had first right to the body and she held a funeral for him in NC, rather than in California where his parents and daughter (from a previous relationship) had requested it. Just a few months ago, he joined TNA as Mad Mikey and had made a few appearances, but that's about it. WWE made no mention of his death on either show this week.
- While we're talking depressing deaths, remember the story a couple months back of Pitbull II and his girlfriend both being found dead with their infant children still in the house? Well, toxicology results are back and as suspected, both of them suffered overdoses of fentanyl found in Oxycontin. Neither had prescriptions for the drug and police are looking for who sold it to them.
- Seems a little premature, but Dave is looking back briefly on the year that was in 2003 and what it means for 2004. There's not much optimism to be had about the state of the industry right now. To start the year, PRIDE's owner committed suicide while K-1's owner got indicted and is soon headed to prison on tax evasion chargers. Bob Sapp was exposed as a kickboxer and pro wrestler and while he's still a draw, Dave can't see that sustaining at this level in 2004. NOAH is stable, while ROH has cult popularity on the indies. Those are the only real success stories of 2003. WWE has all the money in the world and will be fine, but their popularity is undeniably diminishing and nearly every aspect of business has declined. Mexico is basically the same as it's always been and probably won't change significantly unless the TV situation changes. NJPW continues to be a mess because of Inoki and for the first time in years, they look to be in real danger as a promotion. TNA somehow survived the year but is still no closer to getting a TV deal than they've ever been, and with ratings for WWE continuing to decline, it's gonna be difficult to convince a network to take a chance on a distant second place competitor. Keiji Muto teamed with K-1 for his big WRESTLE-1 idea and that flopped and AJPW looks to be in rough shape as a result. And that's basically the state of the business as we wind down 2003, with no real sign that anything is going to improve soon.
- Fan backlash seems to have finally gotten through to Antonio Inoki. After the terrible reaction the recent shoot matches on major NJPW shows have received, the upcoming Jan. 4 show at the Tokyo Dome is expected to be all worked matches. The theme is NJPW vs. other promotions and they plan to bring in several big name outsiders to try and create interpromotional dream matches (Inoki has not even remotely given up on his vision yet, don't be fooled).
- Teddy Hart has been calling ROH officials almost daily to apologize for the incident last week, but booker Gabe Sapolsky is still staunchly against bringing him back, feeling it would undermine his respect with the rest of the locker room. ROH owner Rob Feinstein however, expects it to all blow over and hopes Teddy will be able to come back eventually. Hart didn't help his cause any by doing an interview this week saying that he always does backflips after every match as a tribute to Owen. He also said his job is to entertain the fans and pointed out that they gave him a standing ovation after all his flip antics at the ROH show. This dude just doesn't get it. He also said AJ Styles and Steve Corino are jealous of him, specifically talking about Styles giving him a list of moves he didn't want him to do and said "Styles didn't invent those moves." Dave notes that the moves in question were signature spots AJ does or was planning for his main event match and he asked the lower card guy not to do them first, which is basic common courtesy in wrestling. Anyway, Hart brushed off the ROH drama and said his only goal is to wrestle in WWE (still waiting, dork).
- Lex Luger was brought in to last week's TNA show, to the shock of nearly everyone. This was 100% Sting's doing. He didn't insist on it, because Sting isn't the kind of guy who holds up companies with ultimatums, but he strongly pushed for it, and Luger ended up teaming with Jarrett against Sting and AJ Styles. In exchange for TNA doing him that favor, Sting has agreed to work more shows for the company. It's the first appearance for Luger since the death of Miss Elizabeth earlier this year and his multiple arrests around the same time. It was also his first match in the U.S. since WCW folded (he worked a handful of shows for WWA overseas last year and looked awful then). There was a lot of controversy about it, both publicly and backstage, to the point that Dixie Carter issued a press release on the matter:
- It is rare that TNA ever responds to media, no matter how off it may be from fact. But we strongly believe it is appropriate at this time to address what is being said about Lex Luger appearing on our November 12th pay-per-view telecast.
- TNA is about opportunity — for wrestlers new and established. For the fans, TNA provides a weekly program that showcases today’s hottest talent, introduces the stars of tomorrow, and provides the opportunity to re-experience wrestling icons. Since its inception, TNA has paid homage to NWA legends who have laid the foundation for our company.
- As far as TNA talent is considered, we could not be more proud of our entire roster who give their heart and soul week after week to build this special group. We believe in being compassionate and giving guys a chance. From new, incredibly talented young men to veterans who may need lifting up when trying to change their lives. Surrounding a man with the kind of environment we enjoy backstage at TNA can only be considered a very good thing. We are about accentuating the positive, not the negative.
- When our talent approaches management and recommends giving someone an opportunity, we listen, and that is the case with Lex Luger, as well as others. The success of bringing Lex to TNA won’t be measured with pay-per-view buys. It will be measured by what a man does with an opportunity given.
- Anyway, the match was fine and Sting looked good. Dave thinks WWE should try to bring him in for a short-term program because he still looks fully capable of going in the ring, the crowd here in TNA loved him, and Sting in WWE would get a hell of a nostalgia reaction. Long-term, Dave doesn't see Sting committing to anything like that at this point in his career, and WWE doesn't do short-term signings, so don't hold your breath.
- WATCH: Sting & AJ Styles vs. Lex Luger & Jeff Jarrett - TNA (2003)
- Just 5 months after his "miracle" neck surgery, Kurt Angle's neck is apparently in rough shape again. At the time Angle got the surgery, many in the company, and even many doctors outside of it, were against the procedure, feeling that it wasn't sufficient and without proper neck fusion, he still wouldn't have the stability needed to withstand taking bumps. He got an MRI and is awaiting results but for now, he's still working (he ends up taking the rest of the year off after Survivor Series and returns in late January).
- Notes from next week's Smackdown tapings: doesn't look like John Cena is done being a heel after all. More of a tweener now. Maybe? At the end of the show, the newly babyface Cena turned on his partner, Chris Benoit and laid him out, to a chorus of boos. This was a controversial decision backstage. It was originally written for Cena and Benoit to stand tall after the match as partners and shake hands, but Michael Hayes pushed to have Cena be more like Steve Austin, where he is on his own and fights everybody. This went back and forth all day with none of the writers or agents agreeing. Finally, an hour before show-time, Vince made the decision to go with Hayes' idea. As soon as it was over, basically everyone realized it was a bad move. They have a potential babyface superstar in John Cena and trying to fight it is a bad idea, and everyone realized it immediately from the crowd reaction (more on this next week).
- Chris Nowinski has been cleared to resume training after suffering post-concussion symptoms. The issues were so severe that it has apparently altered his brain to the point that he's been sleepwalking, which is a new thing for him. He recently fell 6 feet during a sleepwalking incident and has often woken up in places with no idea how he got there. He still suffers headaches, but they aren't as bad as they were (he ends up doing non-contact training but that makes things worse and by mid-2004, he's still not any better and ends up officially retiring and the rest is history).
- Trivia note: Chris Jericho's 6-minute long title reign with the Intercontinental championship last week was officially the shortest reign in the history of the belt. The previous record was held by Shane Douglas, who held it for all of 11 minutes back in 1995.
- Bryan Danielson worked a dark match at Raw in Boston. They announced him as being from Boston to get him a babyface reaction. It was him vs. Arch Kincaid and the crowd turned on the match because Danielson was wrestling a technical, holds-based style and the crowd, not knowing who either of these guys were, had no interest in that shit. (I have interest in that shit. C'mon WWE Vault, let's see it!)
- Stevie Richards also worked a dark match, and came out to his friend Crash Holly's music. After the match, Richards nearly broke down crying in the ring and was consoled by Victoria.
- Tajiri's sidekicks are now going by simply Sakoda & Yang. They have dropped the idea to name the group Yakuza after Tajiri repeatedly expressed discomfort with it.