Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are in the booth, still taped from Huntington, West Virginia.
What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – October 27, 1991
Latest Wrestling Blogs
Ultimate Maniacs
Maybe I’m overthinking this but it’s been driving me crazy for 30 years since I was a kid. In 1992 Hulk Hogan is gone from the WWF for nearly a year. His longest absence by far since he got there. He teased retirement and may not come back. The company is looking for a new flagship star. Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage are the two guys most likely to carry to fill the role. They them up as the Ultimate Maniacs and they choose freaking red and freaking yellow as the primary colors of their tights and in their logo, instantly reminding everyone of Hogan and looking like cheap Hogan knockoffs. Do you think this was a Savage/Warrior decision or did Vince tell them to wear red and yellow because those are the ”official” WWF top baby face colors and is it a miracle he didn’t force Bret to wear those colors also?
I think you’re overthinking it. Nobody tells the Macho Man how to accessorize, brother.
Paul Gorilla Wight?
Hey Scott,
I'm sure a lot of folks decided to check out this week's episode of Elevation after hearing about the Outrunner's breakthrough performance (myself included). One of the things that I was surprised with was Paul Wight on commentary. In particular, his intro reminded me of an enthusiastic Gorilla Monsoon welcoming you to a PPV. Given Wight had a cup of coffee with good promos during the Showster phase of his career, could he transition into being a high-level play-by-play guy by simply channeling Monsoon and moving up the ladder to regularly hosting main shows? As someone who listens to him more frequently than me, do you see (or hear) something there?
He’s much better than he was to start, and he’s got a really fun conversational approach. They’ve tried him on lead before and it wasn’t great, but the more he works with guys like Ian Riccaboni the better he’ll get.
Unwanted streak
Jade Cargill wrestles. Shows absolutely no concern during the match. She wins. Rinse and repeat. The expiration date is long gone. When do you think the endgame will happen? At this point, the only options to beat her are Statlander(if she can stay healthy), Thunder Rosa (is she still employed there?) and Britt who's involved in a nonsense feud herself.
Are they still holding out hope for Sasha Mone to sign so she can be the one??
I don’t even know if Statlander is coming back. Honestly they just need to pick someone and beat Jade and move her into a real storyline. Dave thinks it should be Willow. They could even go for the gusto and pick someone like that Billie Starkz girl and build a new rookie star off Jade’s loss.
Hulk Hogan vs. The Genius (and other Dream Matches!)
So with the sad news of Lanny Poffo’s passing, a couple people recommended I review Hogan/Genius, given it was Poffo’s peak in the business- I figured I’d make a special short Friday Dream Matches column out of it, getting that and his one PPV match- The Genius vs. Brutus Beefcake from the 1990 Royal Rumble (with an all-time quip from Jesse Ventura)! Also I’ll toss in one of his last WWF bouts (in fact, I’m sure it’s his last TV match), as he teams up with his charges the Beverly Brothers against Max Moon & High Energy!
WWF WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE:
HULK HOGAN vs. THE GENIUS:
(WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event, Oct. 31st 1989)
* This is a bizarre one- a total mismatch featuring Hogan going up against the former “Leapin'” Lanny Poffo, a low-tier babyface with a penchant for acrobatic moves like the futuristic “Moonsault”, now reimagined as a mincing, effeminate heel (I’ve heard tell this was Lanny’s idea to avoid getting fired). Hulk Hogan and his cocainey best proclaims to Mean Gene that “if he’s so darn smart, how come he doesn’t know that mathematically, he can’t win, brother?” See, it turns out that the “three demandments” (training/prayer/vitamins), plus the 24 inch pythons, times the millions of Hulkamaniacs = Victory. Dang he’s as good at math as Steiner. Good diction too, as he sputters “POETIC PROWESS?!” at Mean Gene’s assertion. Then counters with a Longfellowian poem “Roses are red/violets are blue/the Hulkster’s a wrestler- Genius WHAT ARE YOU?!”.
Flashback Friday: Inside Wrestling January 1989
Greetings all! Today is the anniversary of the Friday, February 3, 1989 Main Event that aired on national TV featuring the Megapowers breakup. I was there, and when Jesse mentioned “the frozen tundra of Milwaukee, Wisconsin,” he wasn’t kidding. It was about 0 degrees out. And guess what? It’s nearly the same right now here in southeastern Wisconsin! Anyway, this week we look back at an issue of Inside Wrestling that went to press in October of 1988 that sold for $1.95 in the U.S. and $2.50 in Canada. In this issue, Eddie Ellner names the winner of his contest where fans were asked to write essays describing the most historical wrestling moment in history. But first, let’s go straight to the Ratings.
The SmarK Rant for NWA Power Hour – 05.11.90
The SmarK Rant for NWA Power Hour – 05.11.90
Oh man. I have gone over to the other side and this is my first ever rant on a MACBOOK.
Morning Daily News Update
WWE Confirm There Will Be Another ‘Sponsored Match’ At WrestleMania 39
WWE have announced that sponsors will again be heavily involved in a match at WrestleMania.
Drew McIntyre Heading For Huge WrestleMania Title Match
The Scottish Warrior will reportedly be in the hunt for championship gold at WrestleMania 39.
Why Vince McMahon Once Performed An Insane Stunt Inside A Dumpster
Vince McMahon once jumped off a stage inside a dumpster, because of course he did.
Evening Daily News Update
Lanny Poffo Passes Away Aged 68
Hacksaw Jim Duggan broke the sad news on social media that “The Genius” Lanny Poffo has sadly passed away.
Vince McMahon Facing Another Lawsuit Connected To “Horrifying Allegations” Following WWE Return
Yet another lawsuit has been launched following Vince McMahon’s return to WWE amidst allegations of sexual misconduct and hush money payments.
AEW’s Mammoth 2022 Earnings Revealed
According to a new report, AEW surpassed its previous earnings in the year 2022!
Shawn Michaels On Mandy Rose’s WWE Exit – “I Didn’t Fire Her”
Shawn Michaels opened up about Mandy Rose’s controversial exit from WWE.
RIP Lanny Poffo
I can only hope someone reads a really nice poem for him at his funeral. A great man and a hell of an underappreciated worker. Rest in peace.
The Outrunners are about to explode onto our tvs
https://youtu.be/hJI3_zMP5sE
I actually don't know which one they are using for their AEW themes, The first can use some polishing by the people who score GTAV, but it's still good. The latter I prefer, and I could see TK licensing a new from Dragonsound and getting them to perform live in a few years. I'm getting ahead of myself.
Anyway, these guys need to be held far away from the actual tag-team title scene for a while and just let them grow organically with the crowd, which I don't think will take long. I could see them establishing a stable cult following like the Best Friends and BAM! They're facing FTR in a “VHS” match where there's scratches on the bottom of the broadcast.
Their Twitter banners alone justify the follow. I think they’re gonna be a big grassroots deal in short time and I’m jumping on the train early.
Question
Scott,
Well now I’m really cheering for the Big Dog even harder.
Wait so do we like or hate Cody right now? I need to know what my opinion is to plan out my snark in advance.
Royal Rumble
I’ve noticed when entering Royal Rumbles almost every wrestler gets a chance to hit some high spots even on Stars above their level. Other then joke entries is there a wrestler you remember that the others wrestlers refused to sell for when they got in?
That would be pretty dumb of them to do.
Eliminator matches
Hey SK,
Random AEW question: what exactly is an eliminator match? Does losing one disqualify one from future contention? Does winning one get you an immediate title shot? Is the only way to win one by hitting the total elimination tag team finisher? Or that you can only win one by emulating Perry Saturn? I am so confused. It reminds me of the simpsons when the kids ask Homer what a muppet is… “it’s not quite a mop, it’s not quite a puppet, but oh man…..”
It’s a match where the challenger gets a title shot if they win, but if they lose then they’re eliminated from contention as long as the winner is champion. It’s just been treated as a non title match thus far but it actually opens up some neat booking ideas if done correctly.
Morning Daily News Update
“I Need Some Uce Juice” – Hulk Hogan Wants To Join The Bloodline In WWE [Video]
Hulk Hogan to replace Sami Zayn in The Bloodline?
Samoa Joe Wins AEW TNT Championship
Samoa Joe and Darby Allin went to war over the TNT Championship.
NJPW Star Came “Really Close” To Joining WWE
A New Japan star has opened up about just how close they came to joining WWE.
The SmarK Rant for AEW Dynamite – 02.01.23
The SmarK Rant for AEW Dynamite – 02.01.23
Hopefully the site will be back in working order again by the time you’re reading this.
Live from Dayton, OH
Your hosts are Excalibur, Tony Schiavone & Taz
Dynamite – February 1, 2023
Dynamite
Date: February 1, 2023
Location: Nutter Center, Dayton, Ohio
Commentators: Excalibur, Tony Schiavone, Taz
We are about a month away from Revolution and that means it is time to start hammering down the card. You can probably guess a good bit of it from here and that is a strong sign for the show. This week will feature a pair of title matches, including Jade Cargill’s latest conquest and Samoa Joe getting his rematch for the TNT Title. Let’s get to it.
Evening Daily News Update
Dark Side Of The Ring Season 4 Subjects Revealed
At long last, Dark Side of the Ring’s fourth season is in production, and a new report reveals some of the topics that will be covered!
Kota Ibushi Send Message To NJPW Following Shock Exit
Former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kota Ibushi broke his silence after officially becoming a free agent.
Sable Was Forced To Apologise To Top Stars Before WWE Return
Prior to making her return to WWE in 2003, Sable was made to apologize to top WWE stars for her previous behavior.
Logan Paul Comments On “Insane” Big Money UFC Deal
YouTube sensation Logan Paul described his new UFC deal as the “coolest thing in his life.”
To quote Edna Krabappel, Sami’s faking it
Per my previous email's “Summer of Sami” scenario, I offer the following fantasy booking for how the Roman/Sami story plays out.
Secretly, Roman and Sami have grown close, to the point that Roman now trusts Sami more than he trusts Heyman (and with good reason given Heyman's track record).
Furthermore, Roman's growing tire of the infighting with Solo and the Usos. And dealing with Kevin Owens. Which leads Sami to suggest a most diabolical scheme to deal with these issues.
First, Sami points out to Roman that just brutalizing Kevin Owens isn't enough. Because he keeps coming back, no matter how many times Roman and company beat him up.
So Sami poses the idea that they have to break Kevin Owen's soul. Break his spirit. Break him mentally.
So the two spend most of December and January carrying out a level of theater, just the two of them. Roman and Sami fake the idea of Roman getting tired of Sami's inability to destroy Kevin and the notion that he's not fully 100% loyal to the Bloodline. And the whole thing culminates at Royal Rumble, where Sami “turns on” Roman.
The beating serves two purposes. One, it tricks Kevin into thinking Sami's come to his senses and will join him in trying to stop Roman. But when Roman and Sami fight at Elimination Chamber, we'll get the Fingerpoke of Doom and Sami laying down for Roman and then, once Kevin comes down to the ring to go “what the hell?”, they'll finally deliever the beating to end all beatings to Kevin to be rid of him. With Sami delivering the first blow as he taunts Kevin with how retarded he is and how Sami and Roman tricked him and now have him at their mercy to finally destroy him, with Sami being the one to deliver the blow that will cripple Kevin for life. Of course, Cody Rhodes will save Owens from that fate, but Kevin will be broken mentally and realize that Sami's beyond salvation; as Sami and Roman spend the following Raw shit talking the fans and telling them how stupid they are and how they tricked them into thinking Sami had betrayed Roman.
The second purpose, is that it allows Roman to see just where his henchmen stand. Jey's rejection of Bloodline would be legit and be physically beaten in the fallout, after realizing how little Roman thinks of him, back into subservience.
But the biggest thing would be Heyman. Heyman is LIVID that Roman's thinking and scheming without Heyman's permission. Let alone that Sami has replaced Heyman as Roman's advisor. And we get the big twist: Sami has proof that Heyman's been embezzling money from Roman since he hooked up with him. LOTS of money. And Bloodline give Heyman the mother of all brutal beatings as Heyman is informed his services are no longer needed. Heyman is written out as we head straight to Wrestlemania with Cody/Roman and Sami/Kevin and Usos/______ and Solo/______, with Bloodline losing all of their matches and Roman sulking off afterwards to lick his wounds.
Sami vows to avenge Roman, setting up the feud with Charlotte as his Hellfire Queen against Cody and his wife as I discussed in my previous email. While Kevin Owens is still lurking about, wanting further revenge on Sami, for breaking his heart like he did. This would also further ensure Cody's status as the top face going forward and ensure Sami gets thermonuclear heat as the new big bad of the WWE and allow for the continuation of the Rhodes/Flair feud via Charlotte publicly siding with Sami and the Usos/Solo, while Roman remains the Shadow King, pulling the strings in the shadows as far as Sami remaining a surrogate for Roman.
How about that local sports team, huh? And those clowns in Washington, what a bunch of clowns.
What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – October 26, 1991
Vince McMahon and Randy Savage are in the booth, continuing the tapings from Wheeling, West Virginia.