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Issue # 263
Date:
Sunday June 27th, 1999 7:51 pm
The Wrestling Booking Sheet
KING OF THE RING RESULTS
By Nate Pelley of The
Smackdown Newsletter
To subscribe to The
Smackdown, e-mail
the_smackdown-subscribe for your free subscription
The event, which took
place live in Greensboro, NC, was another PPV success for
the company. Here are your complete results:
-In a King of the Ring
Quarterfinal match X-Pac defeated Hardcore Holly by DQ when
Holly attacked X-Pac with a chair.
-In a King of the Ring
Quarterfinal match Kane pinned "The Big Show" Paul Wight
after a chair shot to the head, while the referee was out
cold.
-In a King of the Ring
Quarterfinal match "Mr. Ass" Billy Gunn defeated "World's
Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock when referee TEddie Long
stopped the bout due to Shamrock's severe internal bleeding,
caused by an attack from Steve Blackman earlier.
-In a King of the Ring
Quarterfinal match "Road Dogg" Jesse James defeated "9th
Wonder of the World" Chyna (with "Triple H" Hunter Hearst
Helmsley) following the pump-handle slam.
-In a #1 Contender's
Match for the WWF Tag Team Titles, The Hardy Boyz (with
Michael Hayes) defeated the Brood (Edge & Christian) (with
Gangrel) when Jeff pinned Edge following the Hardy-cutter.
Gangrel had accidentally sprayed his red liquid into the
eyes of Edge, setting up the pin.
-In a King of the Ring
Semifinal match, "Mr. Ass" Billy Gunn defeated Kane after
"the Big Show" Paul Wight interfered and nailed Kane with a
chair.
-In a King of the Ring
Semifinal match, X-Pac pinned "Road Dogg" Jesse James
following the X-Factor.
-WWF Champion The
Undertaker (with Paul Bearer) pinned The Rock following a
Tombstone piledriver to
retain the title.
-In the King of the
Ring Finals, "Mr. Ass" Billy Gunn defeated X-Pac to become
1999 King of the Ring, pinning him following the Fame-asser
from the second rope.
-Vince McMahon & Shane
McMahon defeated "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in a ladder match
to gain 100% control of the WWF. Shane had been "injured"
and replaced by "Lethal Weapon" Steve Blackman, but GTV
revealed Shane and the Mean Street Posse joking in the back,
and Shane was forced to wrestle by Shawn Michaels.
===========================================
Pro wrestling becomes
object of inner strife
By Mike Mooneyham
Sunday, June 27, 1999
Professional
wrestling, it seems, has become an easy target of late for a
litigious, lawsuit-happy society that's constantly searching
for someone or something to blame. Recent events have opened
the business to critical media scrutiny. Violence, lawsuits,
sex, scandal and death have dominated the headlines and
provided fodder for the masses.
The business, though,
has been attacked from the inside as well. Equally
unsettling has been the stance taken by some who have
benefited from the industry.
"Professional
wrestling has become a sleazy display of graphic violence,
sexual themes and dangerous stunts," Martha Hart, widow of
Owen Hart, recently said in announcing a 46-count lawsuit
against the WWF and others.
Rena Mero, the artist
formerly known as Sable, also blasted the business in a TV
Guide cover story, defending her choice to refuse to expose
her breasts in the ring despite posing nude for Playboy.
"There is a time and
place for that," said Mero, who recently filed a $110
million lawsuit against the WWF. "I do not feel like in the
middle of a wrestling arena where they're serving alcohol
and there are screaming fans, including children in the
front row - I don't feel that is the proper place to be
exposed. Posing for Playboy for me was a classy and tasteful
thing to do."=
On the surface their
points are well taken. There are certain facts, however,
that cannot be easily dismissed. Both financially prospered,
directly or indirectly, through their association with the
wrestling business.
Owen Hart made a
living - a good one at that - by participating in an
industry that his wife now vilifies. It was his involvement
in the business that for 13 years put food on the table and
secured the dream home they were to have moved into a week
after his tragic death.
Martha Hart told her
hometown
Calgary Sun newspaper that
"Owen was not a tacky, sleazy wrestler," and said on the
Larry King show that she and Owen lived a "different kind of
lifestyle where our children go to a private school with
reputable people." While she certainly can be excused for
making such statements in her heart-wrenching time of grief,
the fact remains that Owen chose to work for the WWF and
wrestling had always been a major part of his life. He loved
the business and proved it by traveling the world and
mastering nearly every pro style.
Rena Mero, as well,
achieved fame and fortune as a result of her notoriety in
the wrestling business. Magazine spreads, television roles
and lucrative public appearances never would have
materialized had the WWF not placed the character Sable in
the pro wrestling spotlight. She earned nearly $1 million
last year largely through exploiting her body. She had
little wrestling or acting ability, but through the business
was able to land Playboy and TV Guide covers and a
WWF-marketed "Sable Unleashed" video that was one of the top
sports videos of the year.
Perhaps Rena Mero, who
some colleagues viewed as arrogant and aloof, could have
elicited more sympathy had she turned down this exploitation
from the beginning rather than allowing herself to be
marketed and making a fortune off that exploitation.
One would be blind to
the truth to deny that major problems exist in the business
and need to be corrected. But to assert, as some critics
have, that the wrestling business killed Owen Hart is
unfair, just as it is to claim that the industry forced Rena
Mero to compromise her values.
Owen Hart didn't die
in a stunt designed to pop ratings, nor was his death
related to other serious problems in the business such as
drug use, violence or sex aimed at young children who can't
tell the difference between fantasy and reality. His Blue
Blazer gimmick had no other purpose than to spoof the
competition, namely Hulk Hogan and Sting, which makes his
death more senseless.
Hopefully there is a
greater lesson to be learned. The human costs have escalated
out of control, and its clear that the business needs to put
on the brakes. The demand to produce more television and
more compelling television has taken a toll on both
management and performers, with the human byproducts being
increasing injury and divorce rates, morale problems and
drug overdoses. The Owen Hart tragedy provided a convenient
springboard to talk about the business and changed many
people's perceptions of wrestling as a harmless TV soap
opera. What many are now seeing is a business consisting of
antisocial images exemplified by the leading federation's
glorification of its major star who mocks religion (Austin
3:16) and whose trademark middle-figure gesture is a staple
on Monday night cable television, along with liberal doses
of sex, Satanism, violence and vulgarity.
• ACW will present a
six-match card Saturday night bc July 3ec at
Burke High School. The main
event will pit local mat legend Burrhead Jones and Carolina
Twisters head coach Martin Williams against The Gambler and
Bubba Shults. Tony Charles will serve as guest referee.
Also on the show: The
Menace vs. Johnny Blade for the ACW title; Wildcat vs. Big
Jack Spurrs; Hoss vs. The Spoiler; Crazy Train vs. Kevin
Anderson; and Jess Bradley vs. Tank Abrams. Also on tap will
be a 15-man, $5,000 battle royal.
Mike Mooneyham can be
reached by phone at (843) 937-5517 or by e-mail at mooneyham.
More wrestling news with Mike Mooneyham is avail=
able every Monday on
The Wrestling Observer Hotline. The number is
1-900-903-9030. Calls
are 99 cents per minute, and children under 18 must get
parental permission before dialing.
===========================================
LIVE NITRO NOTES
Written by reader:
TheROQsez
I have been a very
loyal supporter of WCW for the past several years. I have
attended all Nitro's in the Superdome, and this was by far
the worst show I have ever seen, in person or on television.
I am forced to say that the WWF is providing the better
product by far at this time. The WCW just doesn't get it.
Master P may be a chartbuster for rap music lovers, but
there is absolutely no entertainment value to his
association with wrestling. The crowd, except for a few
seemingly misplaced fans, were totally turned off by his
singing, the birthday party, and their participation in the
tag match. Enough said. It isn't working and is geared to a
limited crowd who does not seem to be the base audience for
WCW.
The other matches were
awfully lame. There seemed to be no solid storylines being
followed or developed other than the Flair group versus the
Bagwell group. The Sting/Nash/Macho/Sid angle seems to be
going nowhere fast. The match with Sting and Sid was so
short and meaningless. What an insult for the main event.
After the cameras went off, Sting told the Madness group,
"If you guys don't like it, I got two words for ya...." and
of course the crowd yelled "suck it!". Lex seemed upset that
Sting had said this. He refused to address Sting or the
Superdome crowd after being coaxed by Sting to do some mic
work. As Bobby Heenan departed, Sting passed Heenen, who
also seemed upset by Sting's actions, and had a verbal
exchange with him. What was Stink thinking? The WWF is
getting over on its own without his help.
All in all this show
stunk up the Superdome and that is hard to do since the
Saints have been doing it for so long. When I got home, I
watched the tape of RAW that I had set up and was thoroughly
entertained. Good wrestling action, crisp angles,
showmanship, etc. The WWF is clearly the better product at
this time. Even ECW is more entertaining! It is hard to
believe how the powers that be at WCW can do so poorly when
they have a talent pool that is better and larger than the
other federations. ECW should not even be close to WCW, but
even they are more entertaining at this point!!
===========================================
Southern States
Wrestling, Summer Bash 99, Sat. July 10th, 8:15 PM
Civic Auditorium in
Kingsport TN
Main Event - SSW Title
vs $1,000, Champion Iron Cross vs.Beau James
w/PJ SharpIron Cross
says he will throw the money to the crowd!!!!!
3 WAY For SSW
TAG TITLES, The Christian
Brothers vs. Death & Destruction vs. The 1st Family
Appalachian Title -
The War Machine vs. Rock n Roll Ricky Harrison
7ft, 270 lbs "Big" Ron
Ray vs.
Germany's Heinrich Franz
Keller and more!!!
Tickets go on sale
July 1st at
CATS CDS, 1711 Ft. Henry DR.
in Kingsport
SSW on TV
Be sure to watch SSW
on Sunday July 18th at 2PM on UPN 30 WAPK. Join Chip
Kessler and the SSW
stars for all the action.
All dates and lineups
are subject to change.
Aug. 4, Haysi, VA
Dickson Co. Fair
Beau James, Iron
Cross, War Machine and more
Sat. Aug. 7th,
Kingsport, TN Civic Auditorium All The SSW Stars.....TV
Taping
===========================================
New Dimension
Wrestling in Thomasville, NC this Sat. night
New Dimension
Wrestling will be returning to Thomasville, NC this Sat.,
night, July 3rd, with
another huge live t.v. taping wrestling show at the
National Guard Armory
(off of National Highway), 7:30p.m. belltime.
Over 25 NDW Wrestling
superstars are scheduled to appear including Venom,
Beastmaster Rick Link,
Otto Schwanz, Cham Pain w/Sheri, Nite-Stic Eddie
Brown, Dirty White
Boy, Toad, Chilly Willy, "Loose Cannon" Gunner,
Gravedigger, Mr.
Excellent, and more.
Advance tickets are
available now at Southwest Expressions (Archdale)
336-434-5659 or at
Hix Insurance Center (S. Main
St., High Point)
336-882-3310. Tickets
will also be available at the armory the day of the =
wrestling show. Call
the New Dimension Wrestling hotline at 336-882-4921 or
on the worldwide web
at www.ndwwrestling.com for more information.
===========================================
The staff of The
Wrestling Booking Sheet
Editor: Steve
Appy
Columnist:
Mark George
Columnist: SamJerry
Columnist: Fritz
Capp
Columnist: Rick Phelps
Columnist: Cindy
Barnes
Columnist: Josh Hewitt
Columnist: Swami
Columnist: Tom Misnik
Columnist: Nate Pelley
Columnist: Robert Troy (Osiris)
Columnist:
Tom
Kirkbride
Columnist: Ryan S. Oaks
Columnist: Darren Kramer
Any submissions sent in by readers or columnists become the
property of The Wrestling Booking Sheet, and are subject to
editing due to grammar, spelling, or content. Any
information taken from The Wrestling Booking Sheet must be
credited properly, with our E-Mail address listed. We have
no problem if you want to use our stuff; just credit it
properly.
Copyright- Steve
Appy of The Wrestling Booking Sheet ©1998, 1999, 2000
"When you're young and you
pick up a guitar, it feels so powerful. It feels
like you pulled the sword from the stone. I used to believe
that it could save the world. But I don't really believe
that anymore." - Bruce Springsteen
"The greatest challenge of
adulthood is holding on to your idealism
after you lose your innocence and believing in the power of
the human
spirit after you come crashing into the limits of the real
adult
world." - Bruce Springsteen
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