= = = = = = = = = = [ WCW ] = = = = = = = = = = (net) A masked PAT TANAKA (calling himself "GOTO") will job to KONNAN at the 16 June 1996 Great American Bash PPV. From what I'm told, the name is not a play on "Elg Otto". ;-) (www): WCW drew over 15,000 fans in Buffalo--one of their best gates in a long time. (www): The 24 June 1996 Nitro will feature STING vs LEX LUGER. Some people are speculating that this will be for the world title or that Luger will turn (possibly as the third WWFer) at the 16 June 1996 Great American Bash PPV. (torch): HULK HOGAN should be back in time for the 11 August 1996 PPV in South Dakota. (www): TED DIBIASE will be making around $250,000/year in WCW. Se my web page for other salary figures. My guess for the NFL vs WCW match: it ends in a no-contest when SCOTT HALL and KEVIN NASH come in. This pisses off NATURE BOY RIC FLAIR and MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE, who team together (along with STING) to take on the WWF invasion force. This is purely my speculation, however. Wrestlers rumored to be heading into WCW: KEVIN NASH, MEN ON A MISSION (mid-June), SIR OLIVER HUMPERDINK, BIGALOW, THE QUEBECERS (as THE FRENCH CONNECTION (July)), TED DIBIASE (as an announcer in late August, for at least three years), BRITISH BULLDOG DAVEY BOY SMITH (end of September), JEFF JARRETT (some time in late October/early November), CHRIS KANYON, PAT TANAKA, MEAN MIKE ENOS (either as THE MAULER or as one half of DOWN AND DIRTY), CHIP MINTON (olympian), CHRIS JERICHO, LANNY POFFO (as GORGEOUS GEORGE III), CHAVITO GUERRERO Wrestlers rumored to be gone from WCW: BELFAST BRUISER (also rumored to be back in a couple months, late fall, or early 1997 (though he denies it)), RENEGADE, BUNKHOUSE BUCK, SHARK (now back working but without a contract), THE ROAD WARRIORS (going to Japan for 4 weeks and probably won't return to WCW), DISCO INFERNO, HARLEM HEAT INJURIES: ROAD WARRIOR HAWK (ankle), JOHNNY GRUNGE (broken arm) = = = = = = = = = = [ WWF ] = = = = = = = = = = (www): LOOSE CANNON BRIAN PILLMAN has signed either a two-year or a three-year deal with the WWF. Rumors are saying that Vince McMahon is paying the hospital bills that Pillman's insurance did not cover, but just after the accident it was reported that WCW was paying Pillman's medical bills as a "good will" offering. Pillman no-showed the Peach State Wrestling card where he had agreed to do a wheelchair interview. PSW has a working agreement with WCW, so this was no big surprise. The WCW offer Pillman rejected was rumored to be a two-year deal for 1,200,000. Things Pillman reportedly didn't like about it: he wanted first-class plane tickets when traveling (a perk enjoyed by "NATURE BOY" RIC FLAIR, HULK HOGAN, and KEVIN NASH) and WCW wanted the option of being able to terminate his contract following a review every three months (which seems to be standard procedure in WCW contracts these days--MARC MERO balked at the idea, and EDDY GUERRERO, CHRIS BENOIT, and DEAN MALENKO got that particular stipulation removed from their contracts). Conflicting reports have come in on whether VINCE MCMAHON will allow BRIAN PILLMAN to finish the dates he is scheduled for in ECW, though Pillman will evidently be allowed to work other indie dates not associated with WCW or ECW. BRIAN PILLMAN will get to keep his 900 line (with the WWF getting no monetary gain from it, but also not letting it be associated with the WWF). He will be keeping the "LOOSE CANNON" name and gimmick. (wwf): BRIAN PILLMAN will hold a Press Conference at Titan Tower in Stamford, Connecticut this Monday (17 June 1996) to discuss the signing, and any other questions that the media might have. Several sources are reporting that JOHNNY GUNN will be coming in as SALVADOR/SALVATORE SINCERELY, doing a heel Don Juan-type character. (torch) HUNTER HEARST HELMSL'Y has been taken off all of the Summer PPVs, which is where WWF wrestlers make most of their money. (torch): YOKOZUNA will have his second "weight loss" vacation in July 1996. (net): THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR had a "no lose" clause put in his WWF contract. (www): Sports entertainers rumored to be JIM CORNETTE's special guest referee: MR PERFECT CURT HENNIG, THE MAN THEY CALL VADER, OWEN HART, SID VISCOUS, JIM THE ANVIL NEIDHART, HARVEY WIPPLEMAN, CLARENCE MASON, JERRY THE KING LAWLER (net) The new manager of the BODYDONNAS is rumored to be LOU ALBANO. (rspw): YOKOZUNA and FATU may not have quit the WWF. (www): This is the month that WWF will start HIV testing. Many sources say RON SIMMONS will be starting as a mid-card heel with the WWF on the 24 June 1996 Raw tapings or the 25 June 1996 Superstars tapings. (net): LOU ALBANO may be inducted into the WWF hall of fame this year. Sports Entertainers rumored to be heading into the WWF: TONY "DIRTY WHITE BOY" ANTHONY, TRACY SMOTHERS, DUANE JOHNSON (son of ROCKY JOHNSON), THE PUNISHER, WILD BILL IRWIN, TOM "JOHNNY GUNN" BRANDI, ALEX PORTEAU, BRIAN CHRISTOPHER (son of Jerry Lawler, even though both just turned heel in the USWA), DOUG FURNAS, DAN KROFFAT, BRET THE HITMAN HART, JIM THE ANVIL NEIDHART (either on June 23 or in July, though the WWF denies that he's coming in), MR PERFECT CURT HENNIG (wrestling by mid-November), BUDDY LANDEL (October), SID VICIOUS (the WWF no longer denies it), MARC HENRY (olympian), RON SIMMONS, DISCO INFERNO, THE KILLER BEES, GREG "THE HAMMER" VALENTINE, RAVISHING RICK RUDE Sports Entertainers rumored to be heading out of the WWF: THE BODYDONNAS, BRITISH BULLDOG DAVEY BOY SMITH, MANKIND, MILLION DOLLAR MAN TED DIBIASE, YOKOZUNA, FATU, BOB BACKLUND (may retire), BOB HOLLY, SUNNY (I really doubt this, but it has been reported by numerous sources). INJURIES: 1-2-3 KID (concussion), THE MAN THEY CALL VADER (leg), THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR (arm/shoulder), GOLDUST (20 stitches from hitting the ringpost wrong), BODYDONNA SKIP (elbow, out until early- or mid-July), OWEN HART (wrist), THE UNDERTAKER, WILDMAN MARC MERO (tongue) = = = = = = = = = = [ ECW ] = = = = = = = = = = (Hack-Man): ECW is still not being shown on Prime-owned Midwest Sports Channel. They have been given the option of airing it but feel it wouldn't pull in as many viewers as what they are airing instead (usually repeats of baseball). If anyone feels like letting them know that there are ECW fans going through withdrawal, they can be reached at (612) 330-2785. Talk to Corey Stolty. INJURIES: Just about everyone. Worth mentioning: STEVE RICHARDS is recovering nicely, SANDMAN (knee), 2 COLD SCORPIO (staph infection in a leg after having a knee drained), SABU (neck) = = = = = = = = = = [ MISC ] = = = = = = = = = = (net): The (re-)start date for the AWA has been changed to 13 July 1996. Still Rochester, MN. Still Verne Gagne. The only match announced thus far: TOM "Z-MAN" ZENK vs BARON VON RASCHKE. Reports from RSPW say that Vern is being financed by Rupert Murdoch and the Fox Network (wasn't Rupert the guy who was making fun of Turner's involvement in pro-wrestling?) The new AWA will have an hour show saturdays at 11:00 am on FOX, and once a month or every other month on Saturday nights at 11:30 pm Once the product is established a prime time slot on Monday nights possibly would be considered. Already signed and expected to end up as the new group's first world champions are THE ROAD WARRIORS and BRET "THE HITMAN" HART. "THE DEAN" GORDON SOLIE has signed to be the play by play announcer on the first shows. The booking committee includes VERN GAGNE, NICK BOCKWINKEL, Fox Sports president DAVID HILL, and former WWF booker PAT PATERSON. The TV coverage won't start until October 1996. Just watched a good 25-minute NPW match where Kamikaze "moonsault" Kid and Lenny Lane both did blade jobs in Austin, MN in front of about 30 people. Kid is supposed to get the NPW belt when the two have a re-match on 14 June 1996 in Austin MN. (www): JESSE THE BODY VENTURA has been fired from his KSTP morning radio show here in Minneapolis. If HULK HOGAN is really on his way out of WCW, this may leave the door wide open for Ventura to come back in as an announcer. He'd make a great color man for the first half of Nitro. MR PERFECT CURT HENNIG is listed as being on a card at St Croix Casino in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. It is being promoted by LARRY "THE AX" HENNIG's "Larry Hennig Wrestling Promotions". Card starts at 7:00 pm on Friday, 14 June 1996. Four matches featuring wrestling greats BARON VON RASCHKE, NORD THE BARBARIAN, "JUMPIN'" JIM BRUNZELL, "MR PERFECT" CURT HENNIG, NAILZ, BLACKTOP BULLY and THE BEVERLY BROTHERS. Special Guest Appearances by LARRY HENNIG and THE CRUSHER. This is a charity event for the Turtle Lake Fire Department. Ringside $25, General Admission $15. There is an autograph session as well. I will be out of town, unfortunately. If anyone can make this card, be sure to send me results via email (as well as posting to RSPWI, natch). INJURIES: KOUJI KANEMOTO (broken leg, out 2+ months) = = = = = = = = = = [ RATINGS ] = = = = = = = = = = 1-3 June 1996 (from hotlines, RSPW, WWW, and Entertainment Weekly): Raw = 2.3 Action Zone = 2.1 WWF Mania = 1.1 Nitro = 3.0 (first hour=2.8; second hour=3.2) Nitro Repeat = 1.1 WCWSN = 2.4 WCW Pro = 1.0 WCWME = 1.6 Here's the break-down for each of the 15-minute intervals (thanks to marvez & ryder); all times eastern: Nitro Raw 8:00 - 8:15: 2.0 8:15 - 8:30: 2.5 8:30 - 8:45: 3.0 8:45 - 9:00: 3.2 9:00 - 9:15: 3.2 2.3 9:15 - 9:30: 3.2 2.1 9:30 - 9:45: 2.7 2.7 9:45 -10:00: 3.4 2.5 Raw's ratings were highest when Sunny was doing color and when the tag match (with Sunny) was going on. Their ratings were lowest during the Goldust/Mankind segments. Nitro's ratings were the highest in the last 15 minutes, when Scott Hall came to the announcer's booth. Not many people seem to have switched from Nitro to Raw until it was half over. For 10 June 1996: Raw = 2.7 Nitro = 2.6 (first hour=2.5; second hour=2.6) Nitro Repeat = 1.4 (first hour=1.6; second hour=1.6) This is a record high for the replay of Nitro. For Torch subscription info, write to Wade Keller For the second week in a row there hasn't been much in the way of news reporting, but on the average it an excellent read. You may also send a question for Alex Marvez to answer Some decent free hotlines: (212)859-3500 NY info hotline (313)252-2200 x0928 ML Curly info hotline (410)385-9530 Chad Austin hotline (215)602-2856 Philly hotline (mostly ECW) (612)362-3608 Minnesota World TV Wrestling hotline (612)649-4924 Minnesota Mick Karsh hotline Hack Notes is now available via mailing list (as well as me posting it to RSPW, RSPWI, and putting it on my web page). Back issues are also available on my web page. To be added to the mailing list, send me email. I take no responsibility if I forget to send it out to the mailing list when I post it, as I tend to forget things from time to time. As always, the info in this post comes from various sources: wrestlers, hotlines, online forums, newsletters, and web pages. All names are trademarks of someone else. :-) This article is copyright © 1996 Otto E Heuer. All rights reserved.