The Old School questions thread

[yankovic fan 0]

The Youtube thread made me think.

 

I just got done watching a 40 man battle royal from 1992 won by Davy Boy Smith, on Daily motion. I remember back then watching a 40 man on Prime time (or superstars not sure) that Berzerker won. Furthermore, I remember reading 'Battle of the Titans' in WWF magazine in 1992 and it talked about a 40 man won by Tatanka with the same ending sequence as the one I just watched on Daily Motion, only replace DBS knocking out the Beverly's with Tatanka doing it.

 

My question is were they just going around having random 40 man's at house shows and tapings with random winners in 1992? If so how many does footage exist? I'd be curious to compare them. Granted how imaginative is booking on that outside of the finish?

[King Cucaracha 0]

The Tatanka won battle royal was released on VHS, I believe on "Bashed In The USA". I remember the article in the WWF Magazine around that time too, putting over Tatanka winning the match and staying undefeated.

 

I never knew about the others though.

Edited March 7, 2008 by King Cucaracha

[King Kamala 0]

I may be just imagining things but I remember Heenan and Monsoon mentioning The Berzerker's 40 man battle royal win during The 1993 Royal Rumble. Heck as a mark I thought he had an outside shot. He won all of his matches by countout after throwing the guy out of the ring!

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

That 40 man battle royal on Prime Time wrestling is one of the matches I remember clearest despite not having seen it in fifteen years.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I may be just imagining things but I remember Heenan and Monsoon mentioning The Berzerker's 40 man battle royal win during The 1993 Royal Rumble. Heck as a mark I thought he had an outside shot. He won all of his matches by countout after throwing the guy out of the ring!

 

I remember seeing this match on Primetime Wrestling. Like the match in the youtube thread, there were quite a few jobbers involved. I think Berzerker didn't even enter the ring 'til roughly halfway through the match...he kept walking around the outside, pulling guys out.

[Ed Wood Caulfield 0]

When did the WWF announce that they were moving WrestleMania VII from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena?

[DrVenkman PhD 0]

Sounds like it was "almost definite" as of February 18, 1991.

 

http://groups.google.ca/group/rec.sport.pr...c304c3dd99b3a0f

[Slickster 0]

WWF @ Cincinnati, OH - Riverfront Coliseum - May 18, 1992 (9,160)

Wrestling Challenge taping:

Tatanka won a 40-man battle royal at 13:16 by last eliminating Blake Beverly & WWF Tag Team Champion IRS; other participants included: Shawn Michaels, WWF IC Champion Bret Hart, Sgt. Slaughter, Tatanka, Tito Santana, Kerry Von Erich, Barry Horowitz, Jim Powers, Kato, Skinner, Repo Man, Dale Wolfe, the Brooklyn Brawler, Brian Costello, Reno Riggins, Brian Donahue, Barry Hardy, Chuck Casey, Ron Cumberledge, Col. Mustafa, Crush, Mark Spears, WWF Tag Team Champion Ted Dibiase, the Nasty Boys, Beau Beverly, the Legion of Doom, Koko B. Ware, Owen Hart, the Natural Disasters, Virgil, and Tom Stone

 

WWF @ Lexington, KY - Rupp Arena - May 19, 1992

WWF Superstars taping:

Tito Santana won a 40-man battle royal

 

WWF @ Hamilton, Ontario - Copps Coliseum - June 1, 1992 (9,000)

WWF Superstars taping:

Davey Boy Smith won a 40-man battle royal by last eliminating the Beverly Brothers at 10:19; other participants included: WWF Tag Team Champions Ted Dibiase & IRS, Virgil, Barry Horowitz, Rick Johnson, Al Hunter, Bob Knight, Glen Ruth, the Beverly Brothers, Jim Powers, Duane Gill, Repo Man, Brian Knobbs, Tatanka, Sgt. Slaughter, Jerry Saggs, Rick Danger, Jerry Davis, Kerry Von Erich, Barry Hardy, Tony Ulysses, Owen Hart, Koko B. Ware, WWF IC Champion Bret Hart, Bruce Mitchell, Kato, Jim Bruznell, Skinner, the Dublin Destroyer, Phil Apollo, Tito Santana, Rick Martel, Joe Milano, and several other unknowns

 

WWF @ Ottawa, Ontario - Civic Center - June 2, 1992

Wrestling Challenge taping:

The Berzerker won a 40-man battle royal by last eliminating Kerry Von Erich and Skinner at the same time at 9:57; other participants included: Davey Boy Smith, WWF IC Champion Bret Hart, the Beverly Brothers, Virgil, Kato, Owen Hart, Koko B. Ware, the Nasty Boys, Tito Santana, Tatanka, Sgt. Slaughter, Rick Martel, WWF Tag Team Champions Ted Dibiase & IRS, Duane Gill, Joe Milano, Jim Brunzell, Bob Starr, Bret Johnson, JA Gooden, Steve Martinez, Bob Bradley, Bruce Mitchell, Barry Horowitz, Bob Knight, Jerry Davis, Joe McMullen, Al Hunter, Jim Powers, Scott Palantonio, Barry Hardy, Nick Danger and 3 others

 

--So they just ran a battle royal at each of their bimonthly TV tapings using some of the contracted talent and adding prelim guys to pad out the total to 40.

[King Kamala 0]

Huh, surprised to see Tito win one of the 40 man battle royals. He was strictly JTTS material by May '92.

[Ed Wood Caulfield 0]

Sounds like it was "almost definite" as of February 18, 1991.

 

http://groups.google.ca/group/rec.sport.pr...c304c3dd99b3a0f

 

Well, when was it announced on WWF TV?

[Lil' Bitch 0]

Was there any truth to the rumor of Mark Jindrak headlining one of the SummerSlams against whoever the champion was (forgot which year) or was that another SK lie?

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I can't see how that could have possibly even been rumored. I don't remember Jindrak at any time being positioned as anything more than a low-to-mid carder in his WWE run.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I can't see how that could have possibly even been rumored. I don't remember Jindrak at any time being positioned as anything more than a low-to-mid carder in his WWE run.

 

Actually, I too distinctly remember rumors of Guerrero/Jindrak and Benoit/Hirohito (Kenzo Suzuki) co-headlining Summerslam 2004. In fact, I think it came directly from the Observer. I don't know if it was really the "plan" or an idea that was greatly exaggerated, but it was definitely on the burner that year in some capacity. I'm sure whatever plans they had were out the window by mid-2004 though.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I do remember the Benoit/Suzuki rumors. I just can't see any way Jindrak would have possibly been positioned to be a title contender. If it was rumored ever, it must have been extremely preliminary.

[LivingLegendGaryColeman 0]

I don't know how legit it was or as realistic as when they were going to use Hirohito until the "controversy", but I seem to remember the Jindrak rumor too because I remember at the time it seemed hard to swallow that they were thinking of having Benoit/Hirohito, who had yet to be seen, and Guerrero/Jindrak as main events for the second biggest PPV of the year. Back at the time it was rumored was when Jindrak was drafted from RAW (as a tag team wrestler) to Smackdown and started his "Reflection of Perfection"/Lex Luger gimmick with Teddy Long as his manager. I know they always had plans for Jindrak that they seemed to drop because I remember them rumoring he was going to be in Evolution at one point, then Orton's Evolution like group. After they gave up on the RoP gimmick, he wound up in Angle's group with Luther Reigns.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I remember Jindrak and his partner (Lance Cade?) being rumored to join Orton along with Maven in a new group. It seems like WWE dropped the ball with all those young guys they were intending to push at the time.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Kenzo was going to come in with the Hirohito gimmick and be pushed as a top heel right away, and headline a few PPV's against Benoit. Then the backlash against the Hirohito gimmick happened, plans got shelved, and he never came close to the main event.

 

Jindrak was going to be in Evolution, and they even taped vignette's for him as part of the group. Then they saw him wrestle.

[Timmy8271 0]

Jindrak is way better than Batista. At least he is now.

[King Kamala 0]

I must be the only mark for the evil basketball player gimmick that Mark Jindrak had for about a minute and a half on WCW Saturday Night in late '99. Heck, I may be the only person who remembers that.

[LivingLegendGaryColeman 0]

I must be the only mark for the evil basketball player gimmick that Mark Jindrak had for about a minute and a half on WCW Saturday Night in late '99. Heck, I may be the only person who remembers that.

 

I don't remember ever getting to see the actual gimmick itself, but I remember one time when messing around on eBay looking for like WCW I came across an official WCW 8 x 10 of that gimmick that someone had gotten Jindrak's autograph on.

[AnnieEclectic 0]

This is something that has been bothering me for damn near ten years. Hopefully someone knows what I'm talking about.

 

Around 1996, whenever the WWF would advertise their "Superstar Hotline" they would have this generic music playing in the background. Why was it the EXACT SAME music that Lex Luger used for his WCW entrance music, even during his small stint as WCW Champion? Is it, like, general music that anyone can use? If so, why did WCW give one of their top three guys at the time THAT music? The Giant also used it during this timespan of his team with Luger, and a lot of jobbers used it at certain points too. I'm also pretty sure that the WWF used it for other things besides just the background music for commercials. Does anyone know who used it first, and why they both used it? It's not even good music.

 

Generic "Public Domain" instrumentals are good for cheap, quick and dirty things thrown together if you have a lack of thought process. And WCW was such a company through the years

 

I think at one point Chris Jericho came out to ESPN Baseball Tonight music! (not the main theme but one of the bridges they use)

 

So its even doubtfull that the WWF originated the piece, usually they copyright everything they do in-house

 

yea that song was his first WCW theme and I used to think it was awesome (still mark out when they use it for ESPN)

 

other good ones were Malenko's and Benoit's (which I heard on Ricki Lake and other talk shows back in the day)

 

 

I saw this sub-convo on here (yeah, it's on page 70 or so... I get bored at work) and had to add - I will NEVER forget when I was going back through my Kids in the Hall episodes and there's a fake perfume commercial featuring Francesca Fiore (a Scott Thompson character) and there's fire and flames everywhere...

 

and the background music is Harlem Heat/Booker T's theme!!!

 

I marked hard there. KitH AND Booker T? Awesome.

 

-Annie

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I'm pretty sure that Harlem Heat music is some kind of public domain/generic music.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

I'm pretty sure that Harlem Heat music is some kind of public domain/generic music.

 

A lot of the music that WCW used was/is public domain. I once heard Eddy Guerrero's original music in a porno flick.

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

Since we're on the subject, does anybody know the name of (or where to find) 2 Cold Scorpio's first theme in WCW? The one he had before that gawdawful one that they did the music video to?

[Jericholic82 0]

on the topic of the generic themes, It's funny how WWE will edit some of the wcw generic themes on 24/7 and dvds. Like I was just watching the 6/23/97 Nitro and they edited out 1.Jericho's baseball tonight theme, 2. Alex Wright's music, 3. La Parka's theme. yet kept everything else like Chavos first generic theme (his actual first theme was Eddy's old wcw generic theme)

[canadafour 0]

What was a better submission, the crossface or the rings of saturn??

 

I liked the rings of saturn better, I used to love seeing Benoit/Saturn face off in WCW.

[King Kamala 0]

Alright I sort of asked about this in the Natural Born Thrillers thread but no one answered. Can anybody explain to me the Sting Vs Vampiro Vs The Demon three way feud from Summer of '00? That shit was so convoluted. The absurdness of Kane/Undertaker paled in comparison.

 

 

[garfieldsnose 0]

Excuse my ignorance, but after reading some of the posts above, what was the backlash of the Hirohito gimmick? I got back into wrestling around this time, but I only watched RAW, not Smackdown. I'm positive Kenzo only appeared on Smackdown with Rene Dupree as a tag team. Can someone fill me in on the blanks? Thanks.

 

Hah, I rhymed.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Excuse my ignorance, but after reading some of the posts above, what was the backlash of the Hirohito gimmick? I got back into wrestling around this time, but I only watched RAW, not Smackdown. I'm positive Kenzo only appeared on Smackdown with Rene Dupree as a tag team. Can someone fill me in on the blanks? Thanks.

 

Hah, I rhymed.

 

 

Emperor Hirohito was the Japanese leader who bombed Pearl Harbor. Kenzo Suzuki's original gimmick called for him to be the grandson of this emperor. It was tasteless and received a ton of backlash before he even made tv, prompting the company to change plans.

 

This would be akin to a promotor bringing in a guy named Bin Laden in a few years and claiming he was the illegitimate son of Osama.

[LivingLegendGaryColeman 0]

Excuse my ignorance, but after reading some of the posts above, what was the backlash of the Hirohito gimmick? I got back into wrestling around this time, but I only watched RAW, not Smackdown. I'm positive Kenzo only appeared on Smackdown with Rene Dupree as a tag team. Can someone fill me in on the blanks? Thanks.

 

Hah, I rhymed.

 

Hirohito was supposed to be a character on RAW and they even had a few vignettes on RAW. They were more like teaser videos, as they just were like Japanese War clips. I wanted to verify information, and here were some of the news tidbits I found from LordsofPain and Rajah which I am remembering hearin back then:

 

The new Hirohito character that has been alluded to on RAW will be for Kenzo Suzuki. Based on the vignette that aired, there are some people in Japan who feel that this angle will backfire huge to the point where WWE may not be able to return to Japan since it could potentially offend some Japanese right wing politicians who will feel that it is mocking Emperor Hirohito. Right now the plan is for Hirohito to debut on the 5/10 RAW from San Jose and they are also toying with the idea to have him be accompanied by a bodyguard. According to sources, the company has contacted "one of the bigger stars in industry for the role."

 

The word from backstage is that Kenzo and Hiroko Suzuki talked Vince McMahon into nixing the Hirohito gimmick due to the potential backlash it would have with WWE's loyal Japanese fans. WWE makes a lot of money off its tours to the region, and offending them with such a gimmick would not be worth it.

 

Suzuki will now likely move to SmackDown, although, was originally scheduled to be in RAW's main-event in a title feud with Benoit.

 

Some sources claim that this was a thoroughly-planned angle by WWE, and Benoit and Jericho were announced as being from the US to create US vs. Japan feuds with Hirohito. Both men were expected to work high-profile feuds with Suzuki's Hirohito character, although plans have been scrapped. It is not known how highly he'll be pushed on SmackDown!

 

So this was all like May 2004 and by beginning of June he debuted on Smackdown under his real name.