The Wrestling Booking Sheet online newsletter

Issue # 417

Date: Tuesday November 30th, 1999 10:24 am

The Wrestling Booking Sheet

WWF CHANGING THE CONTENT OF SMACKDOWN?
Reported by Al Isaacs at: http://www.ScoopsWrestling.com
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the WWF will be
changing the content of Smackdown to fit a "TV-PG" rating,
as opposed to the current "TV-14" rating.

'As good business people, we are willing to initiate change,'
said Jim Byrne, senior vice president of marketing for the WWF.
The shows will contain 'less use of colorful language and less
sexuality.'

Obviously in fear of a mass exodus of advertisers, I imagine
that the WWF is hoping that this move will placate advertisers
& deflect the wrath of conservative groups like the PTC. After
all, these advertisers had little problem with the content before
the pressure was placed on them; will this move be the excuse
advertisers need to continue their relationships with the WWF?

It is expected that RAW will be unaffected by the change; since
the rating's are self-imposed (and not decided by an independent
body), the real question will be if the WWF actually produces a
show that truly fits the "TV-PG" label. Will the racier content
be toned down for a couple weeks, and then see a return to business
as usual? Time will tell.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BENOIT/HALL LADDER MATCH AT STARRCADE
Reported by Matt DiCarlo & Al Isaacs at: http://www.ScoopsWrestling.com

It was announced on WCW LIVE that the Chris Benoit/Scott Hall
US Title match at Starrcade will be a Ladder Match. Hall's past
artistic glory on a ladder makes this an interesting idea and
with Benoit as his opponent this could be a classic.

While Shawn Michaels received (deservedly) the lions share of
the praise for the Razor Ramon/HBK classics, Hall more than
pulled his own weight in both matches. Hall carried Goldberg
to a solid Ladder match at the 1999 "Souled Out" PPV and is
a good worker when motivated. Benoit could be the performer
to pull a classic out of him; at the same time, Russo could ruin
the match by booking several run-ins & giving it less than 10
minutes…
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
WWF MONDAY NIGHT RAW
LIVE FROM: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
By Rick Phelps (wrestleric)

Big Show/Kane versus Viscera/Big Bossman
X-Pac nailed Kane with a chair, allowing Viscera to hit a
big splash for the win. After the bell, X-Pac spit in the
eye of Tori and then hit her with a spin kick.
Winners: Big Bossman/Viscera via pinfall

--The history of the events that led to the engagement of
Test/Stephanie McMahon was shown.

--Degeneration X hit the ring. HHH said that Vince McMahon
made things personal and reminded McMahon that he could
not come within 50 feet of DX. HHH told Vinnie Mac that
he would beat him to within an inch of his life. He then
stated that there would not be a wedding tonight. McMahon
then told DX that they definitely needed protection against
him. He promised to have some of HHH's blood on his hands
at Armageddon. He then gave Test a wedding gift by allowing
him to face HHH, and X-Pac and the Outlaws would face The
Rock and Mankind. The boss then told DX if they interfered
in the wedding, that they would be fired.

--Al Snow told Head that he would be Mankind and Rock's
partner in their match against DX, whether the Rock liked it
or not.

Matt Hardy w/Jeff Hardy and Terri versus Edge w/Christian
At times, all parties at ringside got involved. In the end,
Edge got the victory following a spear.
Winner: Edge via pinfall

--Clips were shown from the bachlorette party in Las Vegas
on Sunday night, including Mae Young and Moolah all over
the stripper.

--Chyna said that her thumb has felt much better since she
smashed Chris Jericho with a hammer. She then challenged Y2J,
saying she could beat him with one hand. Jericho complained
that all he did was break Chyna's fingernail, but she had to
respond by giving him a concussion, ruining his Thanksgiving.
Miss Kitty then sprayed a fire extinguisher at Y2J, as Chyna
told him to "chill out."

Godfather versus Steve Blackman
Blackman defeated the Godfather with a monster kick to the
solarplexis.
Winner: Steve Blackman via pinfall

--The Acolytes, acting as if they did not know how to play
poker, were playing cards with the Dudley Boyz, insulting
Bubba Ray's mother. The Acolytes later poked fun at the
stuttering problem of Bubba Ray. The two teams ended up
fighting when Bubba Ray laid down SIX aces in a FIVE card
draw game.

--Al Snow told Mankind that he hated the eyebrow, the
elbow, and the Rock.

Too Cool w/Rakishi versus The Holly's
Hardcore began the match by insulting Rakishi and his weight.
Grandmaster Sexy took the win for his team after a Guillotine
Legdrop off the top on Crash. Rakishi then put Hardcore in a
belly-to-belly suplex and dropped a bonzai drop on his chest.
Winners: Too Cool via pinfall

HHH versus Test
The referee for this match wore a Vince McMahon mask and gloves.
During the match, the Stooges were shown in the back calling for
Vince to come see on the monitor what was happening in the match.
While the referee was down, Shane McMahon (in tuxedo) nailed HHH
with a chair, giving Test the opportunity to hit the elbow from
the top for the win.
Winner: Test via pinfall

--In the back, HHH told police officers that he wanted McMahon
arrested for violating the restraining order. McMahon and the
Stooges convinced the officers that he was nowhere near the ring.

--Michael Cole introduced Barbara Bush, the paramedic who had her
shirt ripped off by Ivory on Smackdown. B.B. as she said she is
called, challenged Ivory to an evening gown match. Ivory told her
that she made that challenge just to make friends with all of the
"perverts" in the audience. She then ripped off Bush's shirt.

Kurt Angle versus Val Venis
The Bulldog interfered in this match, knocking Venis off the top,
causing him to straddle the turnbuckle. Bulldog hit Venis with a
chair, who fell right into a reverse firemans carry suplex for the
win.
Winner: Kurt Angle via pinfall

--The Rock stood behind Al Snow as he was talking smack about the
Great One. The Rock referred to Snow as the janitor. The Rock
then told Snow where he could put a hockey stick from the locker
room (in the special way that the Rock does)

New Age Outlaws/X-Pac versus The Rock/Mankind/Kane
An overzealous Al Snow entered the ring and began assaulting DX
with Head. An angry Rock countered by checking Snow into the
Smackdown Hotel and dropping the elbow on the president of the
J.O.B. squad.
Winners: New Age Outlaws/X-Pac via disqualification

--The wedding festivities began. When the minister asked if
there was anyone who objected to the wedding, HHH's music began.
He then had the wedding party watch a video on the Titan Tron of
HHH pulling into a drive-thru chapel in Las Vegas, where he and
an unconscious Stephanie McMahon got married. Hunter threw his
voice to make it sound like she said I do. The bartender who was
at the bachelorette party apparently gave Stephanie something that
knocked her out on her feet. The bartender was also there to decorate
the car. Therefore, HHH is now a McMahon (by marriage), and Test
and Stephanie could not get married. As expected, the family and
Test were crushed, who went stalking after HHH.

Ricks Comments:
--I do not know how anyone could not like Chris Jericho.

--I love watching the Acolytes fight.....good old fashioned
bar brawlers.

--The look on McMahon's face was classic when HHH said that he
and Stephanie consummated the marriage on more than one occasion.

--Guys....sorry......Say I have bad taste....she may have a large
chest, but Barbara Bush other than that is not very attractive....
in my opinion.

--Why in the hell is arguably, the most popular and biggest
money draw in the WWF...The Rock messing around with second class
tag team matches?!?!?!?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ACCOLADES FOR MICK FOLEY
Written by reader: hanno@o...
I thought I would offer some comments on Mankind's book. I
couldn't wait for it to arrive in the shops (Australia) so I
ordered it direct from the States. Note: Anyone in Australia
- Its cheaper to buy direct from the USA even with the freight
and exchange rate.

Words do not do this book justice. I doubt very much if too
many people would be dedicated to achieving their dream the way
Mick Foley has. Imagine driving every weekend from Melbourne
to Sydney to learn how to wrestle (Sorry about the Aust. analogy)

I now have my opinions affirmed or renewed as a result of the
book. Here goes: Vince, your still tops, DDP still tops, WCW
- you deserve all you get. My one letdown was Rick Flair -
disappointing, thought he was better than MF indicates.

The only down side was when MF gets in character to describe
the matches. It was more entertaining for me when he told the
stories as Mick Foley - out of character.

The book is very funny, entertaining, funny, slightly sad in
small parts and should be an inspiration to all. Mick Foley -
when is book 2 coming? It engrossed me so much I was left on
a downer when I finished it. You tend to get very close to
Mick when reading it, then as it finishes he leaves your mind.

Mick Foley, you are a true champion, thank you for the
opportunity to be inspired. God bless you and your wonderful
family and may many years of happiness be yours.
Cheers,
Hanno.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE LIGER/JUVI TRAVESTY
Written by reader: Andrew Bryce (Andrew.Bryce)
First of all I can't believe Vince Russo called Liger a
"Japanese clown", in my view this is disgusting and even
if it is a work he still shouldn't of said it. Also the
IWGP Title should of never of been defended on Nitro as
this has degraded the title. Don't get me wrong, I love
Juvi Guerrera and I think he is good enough to be champion
but he shouldn't of won the title on Nitro and I can't
believe he didn't win the Title clean.

This is the first time that I have heard of an IWGP Title
match not having a clean finish. NJPW have a dome show
on Jan 4th 2000 and they have booked Jushin Liger to
wrestle Koji Kanemoto for the IWGP Title; this means that
Juvi will either have to go to Japan and defend the title
or he will lose it on Thunder. My bet is he will lose it
on Thunder and this will degrade the title even more.
-Andrew Bryce
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE CREDIBILITY OF THE IWGP JUNIOR TITLE
Written by reader: Kevin Bryce (KevinBryce)
You have just forgotten about the history of the IWGP
Junior Heavyweight Title, and possibly "killed" Jushin
Liger. The great names of Owen Hart, Ultimo Dragon,
Shinjiro Ohtani, Great Sasuke, Hirose Hase, Jushin Liger
and many more have held that Junior Heavyweight title,
and won it in the right way.

Now we have a Champion who has won it by smashing a bottle
of tequila on his opponents head, with the match lasting
under 10 minutes, and all I can sayit's a disgrace.

This title has now been involved in "Sports Entertainment",
and that is the bad thing. NJPW and Japanese Pro-Wrestling
is a sport which is dignified and ran like a wrestling
promotion, but now one of the major titles has been degraded
and I cant believe it.

I hope NJPW did not sanction this match and do not recognize
this as a Title change, as it will be a tragedy and I know
Juvi would not like to win the belt like that.

It looks like Liger will be in the U.S. for a month but I
want him to get out of America as soon as possible and bring
the belt back to Japan. Jushin Liger is not appreciated in
WCW (a 5 minute match proves this), and I do not want to see
him become a "Sports Entertainer"!!! ECW and Paul Heyman
wouldn't do this, so unless Liger can work some ECW shows,
I would rather see him back in NJPW.

I do not know what the Japanese mainstream media and fans
think of this, but can only think they will not be very
happy. When the rumor started that Liger may be working
some WCW shows, I said I was worried and hoped he wouldn't
have to get involved in a "Sports Entertainment" angle.
Unfortunately I had a reason to worry and I am so angry
at WCW.

Why couldn't that of just put Liger in the ring with
Malenko, Beniot, or Guererro and let them wrestle for 20
minutes in a non-title match? This would of been so much
better, and Liger would of had no trouble wrestling any of
these guy's as he has before.
-Kevin Bryce, London
P.S. Please NJPW do not work with WCW ever again.
It's "Sports Entertainment"!!!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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===========================================
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
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