Tag: wwf - Page 9

November 20, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Shinya Hashimoto fired from NJPW, Wrestlemania X7 sets records, more

Posted on December 5, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

Shinya Hashimoto, who headlined more big gates at the Tokyo Dome than any wrestler in history, was shockingly fired by New Japan Pro Wrestling on 11/13 after a weekend filled with turmoil after news got out he was negotiating with Pro Wrestling NOAH.

The story was among many things that is threatening the future of the All Japan/New Japan relationship, which started off with the big success on 10/9 at the Tokyo Dome and has since seemed to start falling apart. There were already some cracks noticeable in the foundation of the angle before the word getting out of Hashimoto’s negotiations to appear on the 12/23 Pro Wrestling NOAH show at the Tokyo Ariake Coliseum, which at this point, isn’t scheduled to happen. The firing seems to open the door for Hashimoto joining NOAH as a regular, to go along with doing his own shows, which at this point appears to be scheduled, if everything works out, early next year.

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November 13, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWF not buying WCW, ECW November to Remember review, more

Posted on November 28, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

With the WCW crew enroute to Europe for a one-week tour, the questions about the future of the company remain.

With little substantial information available, much of the talk going around consists of rumors, but it is clear the two possibilities remain–the company will either be purchased by a group headed by Eric Bischoff, or have its expenses cut to as much bare bones as possible and remain part of Turner Broadcasting. While the rumors within the company were strong of the latter most of the week, that still seemed to be the least likely possibility based on those closer to the situation.

Based on an article in the online Broadcasting and Cable magazine, using Linda McMahon as the source, talks have broken down between the two companies. The WWF purchase, considered the most likely scenario just a few weeks ago, had strongly cooled in recent weeks. Vince McMahon, publicly, as late as 11/1, had talked about it as being something the company was looking into and it was still under consideration as late as the weekend.

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November 6, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Bret Hart retires, Halloween Havoc review, more

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

In one of the strangest endings to one of the strangest pro wrestling careers in history, Bret Hart officially announced his plans not only to retire, but to walk away completely, from a business often dubbed inside as the Hotel California, based on the line from an old 70s song.

“You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.”

Hart’s career in the ring was almost surely over, due to a series of concussions suffered starting most likely on 12/19 from the famous kick by Bill Goldberg in the Starrcade WCW title match. There have been doctors that have surmised he actually had suffered a concussion in the ring before that match, which magnified the damaging effect of the kick on his brain. But in any event, his continuing to wrestle, and suffering more head trauma, particularly in one of his final career match, a hardcore match against Terry Funk, led to his suffering about ten percent brain damage, some of which may be permanent.

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October 30, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Death of Yokozuna, Bret Hart leaves WCW, more

Posted on November 14, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

Rodney Anoia, who was the heaviest superstar in the history of pro wrestling and a two-time WWF champion under the name Yokozuna, passed away suddenly on 10/23 in a Liverpool, England hotel room a few weeks after his 34th birthday.

Anoia was the most successful of the huge Samoan clan of wrestlers started by Afa & Sika Anoia, his uncles, when they began wrestling in the early 1970s. He was one of the biggest stars in the business around the world during his WWF run, which lasted from late 1992 through 1996.

Whether Anoia was the heaviest man ever to perform in the world of pro wrestling is a matter of conjecture. It is believed that Anoia weighed close to, if not, 800 pounds in late 1996, at about the time the WWF stopped using him because of his weight problem.

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October 23, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: The fates of WCW and ECW

Posted on November 6, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

It’s come down to the finish line in the story of how the wrestling industry is going to shake down.

Exactly what the future of World Championship Wrestling and Extreme Championship Wrestling will end up being is up in the air, and it has never been a more harrowing time to be a full-time pro wrestler in the United States.

Most believe the two most likely companies that will wind up owning WCW before the next few weeks are up are either the World Wrestling Federation, or a company put together by Eric Bischoff. Many sources close to the situation seem to peg the WWF deal as being far more likely since at press time it appeared the Bischoff group had taken itself out of the running. The belief is that the WWF would run WCW as a separate company building up to a promotion vs. promotion feud, which wouldn’t occur right away, but with both groups under t

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October 16, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Potential WCW sale, New Japan vs. All Japan, plus more

Posted on October 30, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

With its wrestlers in Australia and its front office personnel in a total state of uncertainty, media reports continued hot and heavy regarding a potential imminent sale of World Championship Wrestling.

While virtually all reports listed Mandalay Sports as the prime suitor, with a group headed by Eric Bischoff, most of the talk over the weekend involved a longshot in the deal which has been rumored for some time, the potential of the World Wrestling Federation buying out its long-time competitor, particularly after a story on 10/9 in Multi Channel News.

Based on sources very close to the details of the potential sale, no deal has been finalized at press time. Both companies, and perhaps others, are involved in various degrees of negotiations to purchase the company from Turner Broadcasting, which has owned the company since buying out Jim Crockett Promotions in late 1988. Those close to the negotiations expect a deal finalized within the next two weeks.

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October 1, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Disappointing WCW ratings, WWF Unforgiven reviewed, more

Posted on October 23, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

Whatever changes in the landscape temporarily that would result from the WWF going to a lower rated network appear to have been overstated.

It was thought that this would be the week for WCW to capitalize, as viewers, used to WWF on Monday nights, would switch to WCW when finding other programming on the USA Network. Even though, due to the court decision coming in late and Viacom not getting nearly the amount of publicity they had planned to hype the debut of Raw, the fact is WWF was able to push it all week on its own programming, there was still more advertising for Raw over the weekend mainstream then ever before, and the return of Steve Austin didn’t hurt.

The result was a number well under what was the Raw average, but had to be considered a good sign overall since it was better than most had predicted for the first show on the new station without nearly the promotion they had originally planned for.

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September 18, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Raw/Nitro ratings war, NJPW vs. AJPW, more

Posted on October 10, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

In what was the most significant, and closest Monday night ratings race so far this year, a heavily criticized edition of Nitro on 9/11 scored the highest rating for the show in its regular opposed format since 1/10 and the closest margin between the two shows since 12/20.

Nitro finished with a 3.20 rating (3.47 first hour; 2.93 second hour) and a 4.8 share. Raw did a 5.90 rating (5.36 first hour; 6.38 second hour) and an 8.9 share.

Whether it was the return of Ric Flair, the wedding angle, the WWF being hurt badly by pre-emptions the past two weeks, or an overall positive trend for the company, doing a number like that, particularly with football competition thrown in, was from a pure ratings standpoint, the most impressive number the company has done all year. What was ironic is that it came on the same night where in Charlotte, all those same factors drew 1,657 paid, most of whom purchased tickets in the past week when it was clear Flair would return for the show, and even with that announced, that number for Flair’s return is Charlotte speaks volumes.

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September 4, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Fantastic WWE Summerslam reviewed, big ECW weekend, more

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

As the bar raises once again, the question becomes when does the bar hit the breaking point.

SummerSlam was a spectacular show, with a great main event storyline going in, and even with a little tweaking of the main event itself due to Kurt Angle’s injury, a strong storyline paid off at the end while leaving the viewers still wanting more. But the match that stole the show was the tables, ladders and chairs match with Christian & Edge, The Dudleys and the Hardys.

There were numerous spectacular bumps from the top of the ladders, both in the ring, and over the top rope through tables. Although everyone involved was probably plenty sore the next morning, nobody was seriously hurt. Earlier in the show, Shane McMahon did a spectacular looking stunt bump, falling backwards some 30 feet into what was apparently a very safe crash bad in a garbage bin. It’s already a given that not just independent wrestlers, who imitate what they see in the big-time, but kids in their backyard, are going to imitate what the WWF does.

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August 28, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Hall of Fame issue

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

In our largest one year inclusion in history, seven new members were named to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in a balloting of performers, front office people, reports, historians and some well known wrestling experts.

Four of the newcomers were voted on by the largest voting panel to date and three others were chosen largely by lobbying from historians providing research as to why they clearly belonged.

Voted in were two wrestlers who have come very close in recent elections, Mick Foley, who came three votes shy last year, and Shinya Hashimoto, who came one vote shy last year, along with two others voted in on their first eligible ballot, Steve Austin and in something of a mild surprise, Akira Hokuto.

Foley, who already had strong credentials last year, only added to his resume over the past 12 months.

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August 21, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Steve Austin to return, WCW Thunder canceled, more

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

Steve Austin this past week received medical clearance from Dr. Lloyd Youngblood to return to active wrestling in eight weeks, most likely at the October PPV.

Austin, who had been on the sidelines since November and had neck surgery in January that put his career in jeopardy, got what was regarded as a cautious okay after exams on his neck on 8/10 and on his knees on 8/12. After the neck exam, Youngblood suggested he stay out another two months to be on the safe side. The knee exam showed that with his time off, there had been no added deterioration and his legs themselves are the strongest they have been in years because he’s been very limited in his ability to do upper body exercises, so in training has concentrated on his legs.

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August 14, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WCW turmoil, Hall of Fame candidates, more

Posted on September 4, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

The turmoil regarding the future of World Championship Wrestling continues with what apparently is a shake-up leaving Brad Siegel backing Vince Russo in complete control of the company.

At the same time, the losses continue to escalate, with July’s losses estimated at $7 million, the most, by far, of any month in the history of a company now on track to lose close to $80 million over the course of this year.

The main stories going around, seem to involve the prospective merger of AOL and Time Warner, and getting the company’s losses under control. Rumors are flying everywhere that the company is looking to dump most of the high priced talent, although at press time, nobody, with the exception of Roddy Piper, whose situation is up in the air due to legal reasons, has even been approached about either a buy-out or being let go.

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August 7, 2000 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Gordon Solie passes away, Owen Hart lawsuit developments, more

Posted on August 28, 2017 by Dave Meltzer

Gordon Solie, an icon figure of this industry who announced more pro wrestling matches on television than any man who ever lived, passed away from brain cancer officially on 7/28 at the age of 71.

Solie was found that morning by his family, and it is being listed as the date of his death. It is believed his death may have taken place as early as late Wednesday night, as nobody heard from him on Thursday, and the house was exactly the same on Friday morning as it was on Wednesday night, when his daughter was over for dinner.

Solie’s distinctive voice and understated announcing rhythm was the trademark of pro wrestling in the Southeast for more than two decades and in some ways the symbol of pro wrestling in the 1970s. He commanded so much respect in the business that he was acknowledged, even for years after it was no longer the case, as the unquestioned best announcer modern wrestling ever had.

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