The latest WWE and AEW News and Results
On this week’s DragonKingKarl with Karl Stern, you have the questions and I have the answers.
We have several great topics and questions to discuss this week including the Roddy Piper movies Hell Comes to Frogtown and Body Slam, masked wrestlers of the territorial era, Mr. Wrestling II and his legal mystery unearthed, Jake Roberts, Sting, Rick Rude, Sonny King, early 1990s WCW feuds, and much more!
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The continued decline in WWE ratings have led to a change at press time as Bruce Prichard will take over as full creative head under Vince McMahon starting immediately and Paul Heyman, at least in theory, will return to just being a television performer.
WWE announced on 6/11, “In an effort to streamline our creative writing process for television, we have consolidated both teams from Raw and SmackDown into one group, led by Bruce Prichard. Paul Heyman will concentrate on his role as an in-ring performer.”
Heyman was working with dual contracts, a performer’s contract and an employee management contract, the latter of which was terminated on 6/11.
Raw had been doing its lowest ratings in its history during the pandemic but every wrestling show has had similar drops. What was notable is that the idea that Vince McMahon even said himself at the last conference call was that Raw was introducing so many new stars and it would take time to get them over, but claimed the numbers would bounce back when the new stars got over.
Johnny Walker, better known as 70s and 80s star Mr. Wrestling II, has passed away at the age of 85.
Born John Francis Walker in Charleston, NC, he made his debut in 1955 and worked for nearly 10 years under his birth name before retiring. He returned a few years later under a mask as The Grappler before going back into semi-retirement in 1972.
However, it was his decade-plus run as Mr. Wrestling II that many fans are the most familiar with. Originally teaming with Mr. Wrestling (Tim Woods), he worked in Florida and Georgia and held the Georgia heavyweight title ten times. He also worked in Mid-South Wrestling and was part of a memorable angle with a young Magnum T.A.
He retired in 1990 after working sparingly for WWF, Continental Championship Wrestling, and other groups.
He was also the favorite wrestler of past U.S. president Jimmy Carter and his mother and was even invited to Carter’s inauguration. He had to decline due to insisting on wearing his mask which was an issue with the Secret Service.
Walker, who was living in Hawaii, leaves three sons behind. His wife Olivia, who designed robes for Ric Flair at one point, passed away in 2000.
