Sherri Martel Passes Away

[Nate 0]

from WWE.com:

 

"Sensational" Sherri passes away

By Corey Clayton

Written: June 15, 2007WWE is saddened to learn of the death of WWE Hall of Famer “Sensational†Sherri. She was 49.

 

In the early 1980s, Sherri began her career in the AWA. In 1985, she defeated Candi Devine to become the AWA Women’s Champion. Their rivalry lasted more than a year with the championship trading hands on several occasions.

 

It was during this time that she began perfecting her skills as a manager, leading “Playboy†Buddy Rose and “Pretty Boy†Doug Somers to the AWA Tag Team Championship. On June 28, 1986, Martel would win the AWA Women’s Championship for a third and final time from Candi Devine.

 

On July 24, 1987, “Sensational†Sherri debuted in WWE, pinning her trainer and mentor the Fabulous Moolah to become Women’s Champion. Sherri defended the gold against Debbie Combs, Velvet McIntyre, and Desiree Peterson.

 

She quickly earned the reputation as someone who would do anything to win, even if it meant using unsavory tactics. Her rivalry with Moolah continued as they became the captains for the first-ever female Survivor Series teams in 1989. Sherri held the championship for 15 months before losing to Rockin’ Robin.

 

In the early ‘90s WWE phased out the Women’s Division, leaving Sherri to focus on managing the male wrestlers. Her first client was “Macho Man†Randy Savage. It was during this time that she became “Sensation Queen.â€

 

The couple had rivals with Miss Elizabeth, Hulk Hogan, Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire. In 1991, “The Million Dollar Man†Ted DiBiase enlisted her services. After that relationship dissolved, she took on the managerial duties of Shawn Michaels.

 

In 1994, Sherri appeared in WCW as “Sensuous†Sherri managing Ric Flair during his rivalries with Sting and Hulk Hogan. After separating from Flair, she became “Sister†Sherri guiding Harlem Heat to seven WCW Tag Team Championships.

 

Sherri was enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. “Million Dollar Man†Ted DiBiase was her presenter.

 

man thats ironic that in the same week Vince McMahon "dies" someone within the WWE family dies, RIP Sherri

[Bruiser Chong 0]

WHAT?

 

Seriously, this is more surprising than Bad News or Bam Bam. Good call on killing off Vince McMahon. Who was it that said someone was going to die this week because of what happened on RAW?

[luke-o 0]

RIP Sherri.

 

This is sad news.

[Thanks for the Fish 0]

This will be awkward for the wwe to handle given the current storyline.

 

Anyody have the WM7 Savage vs Warrior encounter and post match angle on youtube (or the less popular though likely better options) ??

[TheFranchise 0]

RIP and all, but HTQ already started this thread in GW.

[redbaron29 0]

Holy Shit! She wasn't that old. Wonder what Smackdown will do in regards to the ten bell thing they got planned for Vince. Do you splash a screen @ the beginning to RIP Sherri only to show the beginning of Smackdown with the ten bell angle? You really cant take a high road on this one (after all you faked a fucking death)

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Holy Shit! She wasn't that old. Wonder what Smackdown will do in regards to the ten bell thing they got planned for Vince. Do you splash a screen @ the beginning to RIP Sherri only to show the beginning of Smackdown with the ten bell angle? You really cant take a high road on this one (after all you faked a fucking death)

As far as the ten bell salute, I think that's traditionally given to wrestlers who die while an active part of the company. Sherri's more of a Bam Bam/Ernie Ladd case where you place their picture on the screen at the beginning of the broadcast and continue on. As for Smackdown, it's reasonably late in the process where they might not even be able to edit the show if they wanted to. Regarding Vince, I'd like to think the viewers can make a determination between a death that's part of the show and one that's outside of its parameters. It's awkward in a way but not a huge problem.

[Nate 0]

RIP and all, but HTQ already started this thread in GW.

whoops sorry about that i didnt think to look in that thread, i figured since it was reported on WWE's site it would be in the right section

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

As I stated in the other thread, use this thread to discuss the angle's impact on WWE programming, the other to discuss her life/career. If HTQ sees otherwise, so be it.

[haVoc 0]

Her death will have ZERO impact on the storyline.

[Mike wanna be 0]

Her death will have ZERO impact on the storyline.

Agreed. But should it?

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

As I stated in the other thread, use this thread to discuss the angle's impact on WWE programming, the other to discuss her life/career.

I agree with this idea, and have edited the sub-titles of each thread accordingly.

 

This one really sucks, because you never heard anyone say a bad word about Sherri.

[haVoc 0]

Her death will have ZERO impact on the storyline.

Agreed. But should it?

 

No. It will just be awkward when they show her caption at the beginning of the show and then have 90 minutes of a 2 hour Raw revolve around Vince's stupid storyline.

 

Matter of fact, I wouldn't be shocked if they did nothing for her since creative will believe Sherri's death will steal Vince's thunder.

[Nate 0]

Her death will have ZERO impact on the storyline.

Agreed. But should it?

 

No. It will just be awkward when they show her caption at the beginning of the show and then have 90 minutes of a 2 hour Raw revolve around Vince's stupid storyline.

 

Matter of fact, I wouldn't be shocked if they did nothing for her since creative will believe Sherri's death will steal Vince's thunder.

 

now that would be very vile if WWE was that shallow

[Vern Gagne 0]

They'll mention her death. It might not be at the beginning of Raw, but a few segments into the show.

[Hawk 34 0]

How will this make things awkward? This will have zero impact on the McMahon angle. They'll acknowledge it via the usual means of either the open with the caption or in the middle of the school with Ross and King sharing quick thoughts on her passing/legacy. Sherri's name isn't major enough (in the grand scheme of things) to alter any booking plans.

[Downhome 0]

I don't think it'll actually change any plans that WWE has for the Vince angle. I'm not sure how anyone could even think that. It's just going to be very, ummm, touchy for them to mention it and I imagine they'll do it in a way that doesn't make much of an impact at all, and after the quick mention they wont mention anything about it again for a long time, not until they mention it on a DVD or some sort of video package or something in the future.

 

Didn't WWE simply not mention a death or two in the past, simply because they didn't want it brought to the attention of the fans? I forget who it was, or the couple of people it was, but I'm pretty sure there's been a few they didn't mention just because they didn't want the fans to even realize it. Was it Crash Holly maybe?

 

I don't think WWE would do that to Sherri just because of the Vince angle, but hell, you never know with them.

[The Dames 0]

They didn't even bother to acknowledge Bad News Brown died....

 

Dames

[mfn 0]

I could sit here and tell you all why I think that it won't impact the current storyline at all, but pretty much everyone else has said what I had to say so...

 

I don't think it will impact at all. As 'Sensational' as Sherri was, she's not going to be that well known with today's wresting crowd, so like everyone said, a quick visual at the beginning of programming and that's about it.

[Scroby 0]

They didn't even bother to acknowledge Bad News Brown died....

 

Dames

but I think that might be because WWE and Bad News had a falling out. I could be wrong though.

[Toxxic 0]

What really annoyed me about Crash's death was not just how little WWE cared, but how full-blown TNA went with it because it almost made it seem like they were doing it to show WWE how they should have done it. Given that Sherri appeared as a prospective Bobby Roode manager not that long ago, I think TNA might well do the same for this if WWE don't say much, and will certainly mention about how crass it is to fake a death. Which I agree with to an extent, but they'd be doing it for political ends, not necessarily because they really think it.

 

This is possibly more about TNA than WWE, but I'm damned if I'm going to start a thread about this in TNA, cos that WOULD get closed.

[Perfection 0]

Just damn. It's always so depressing to see someone so young associated with the wrestling business pass on. Does anyone have any idea why she died? Did she have cancer or something because its not everyday average weight 49 year old women die. I always enjoyed her as there has never been anyone quite like her.

 

Well to everyone who made the comment that it would look really bad if someone actually did pass away during this stupid mcmahon death angle, you were 100% right. Im guessing that more time will be spent on this idiotic fake death storyline than actually paying tribute to someone who was really respected and loved by many in the industry and was such a big part of the business. I hope I'm proven wrong.

 

A sad day for the wrestling world, no doubt about it.

[Perfection 0]

I could sit here and tell you all why I think that it won't impact the current storyline at all, but pretty much everyone else has said what I had to say so...

 

I don't think it will impact at all. As 'Sensational' as Sherri was, she's not going to be that well known with today's wresting crowd, so like everyone said, a quick visual at the beginning of programming and that's about it.

 

You are probably right and it's sad that its looked at that way.

[Jingus 0]

What really annoyed me about Crash's death was not just how little WWE cared, but how full-blown TNA went with it because it almost made it seem like they were doing it to show WWE how they should have done it. Given that Sherri appeared as a prospective Bobby Roode manager not that long ago, I think TNA might well do the same for this if WWE don't say much, and will certainly mention about how crass it is to fake a death. Which I agree with to an extent, but they'd be doing it for political ends, not necessarily because they really think it.

TNA is always happy to get a little "rub" from whoever they can name-drop for whatever reason.

 

 

Will this affect the storyline? Not one bit. And it shouldn't. If Vince & Co. are sociopathic enough to think this was a good idea in the first place, they sure as hell aren't going to let the (premature) death of (yet another) wrestler (who worked for them) get in the way of it. It's just a bad coincedence that it happened the very same week as this angle. Hey, we all knew there's a chance of Vince dying in a car crash for real later that night, they just hoped nothing like that would happen, and, well, it did.

[Mecca 0]

Just damn. It's always so depressing to see someone so young associated with the wrestling business pass on. Does anyone have any idea why she died? Did she have cancer or something because its not everyday average weight 49 year old women die. I always enjoyed her as there has never been anyone quite like her.

 

Well to everyone who made the comment that it would look really bad if someone actually did pass away during this stupid mcmahon death angle, you were 100% right. Im guessing that more time will be spent on this idiotic fake death storyline than actually paying tribute to someone who was really respected and loved by many in the industry and was such a big part of the business. I hope I'm proven wrong.

 

A sad day for the wrestling world, no doubt about it.

 

Would you like them to do an hour tribute to someone who hasn't appeared on TV on a regular basis and years who most of the fans wouldn't even know who she was........

 

I think some people need to get a quick grasp on reality and what's fake on TV..........it never ceases to amaze me how many people who consider themselves smart fans still act like wrestling has this real grasp to it so anytime they do a storyline regular TV show type storyline it always becomes distasteful and awful.........light up.

 

It's sad she died, I remember watching her growing up, RIP to her but her death shouldn't be used in some way to discredit the WWE because that is bush league.

[Perfection 0]

Just damn. It's always so depressing to see someone so young associated with the wrestling business pass on. Does anyone have any idea why she died? Did she have cancer or something because its not everyday average weight 49 year old women die. I always enjoyed her as there has never been anyone quite like her.

 

Well to everyone who made the comment that it would look really bad if someone actually did pass away during this stupid mcmahon death angle, you were 100% right. Im guessing that more time will be spent on this idiotic fake death storyline than actually paying tribute to someone who was really respected and loved by many in the industry and was such a big part of the business. I hope I'm proven wrong.

 

A sad day for the wrestling world, no doubt about it.

 

Would you like them to do an hour tribute to someone who hasn't appeared on TV on a regular basis and years who most of the fans wouldn't even know who she was........

 

I think some people need to get a quick grasp on reality and what's fake on TV..........it never ceases to amaze me how many people who consider themselves smart fans still act like wrestling has this real grasp to it so anytime they do a storyline regular TV show type storyline it always becomes distasteful and awful.........light up.

 

It's sad she died, I remember watching her growing up, RIP to her but her death shouldn't be used in some way to discredit the WWE because that is bush league.

 

And it never ceases to amaze me there are people like you who come on here and act like you are sooooo much smarter than everyone else by telling us its all a storyline, as if we didn't already know that. It shouldn't be about if she has recently been on tv or not. It shouldn't be about whether new fans have a clue who she is. Class and appreciation for the person she was and what she meant to many, should be the priority. The ten bell salute should be only reserved for real deaths and not something along the lines of yet another overdone mcmahon storyline.

 

No I wouldnt or want an "hour dedicated to her" but when someone who is REAL dies, who had a big impact in wrestling and is well known by many fans, is ignored in light of a fictional and total BS storyline that is made for nothing except to stroke mcmahons ego, that is BS. Watching smackdown right now is honestly making me sick watching cole and jbl having to tell us all what a great guy he is and acting all sad, especially in light of the fact she passed away.

 

And not so much as a "in memory of" at the beginning. Not sure if they would have had time to edit that in but then again even if they did, considering the gravity of mcmahons ego stroking, I suppose even if they did have time, they wouldn't. God knows the storyline death of mcmahon is more important than the death of a real person.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

C'mon now, they put it on their front page of the website. Their not blowing it off.

[Mecca 0]

Smackdown is taped for one.......wait till Raw......

 

I just think it's totally bush league to use someones death to push your opinion of how you hate a storyline because you don't like it......and that's what I see that post as you doing.

[Mecca 0]

C'mon now, they put it on their front page of the website. Their not blowing it off.

 

The WWE is and will forever be the devil to some people.......for awhile we didn't have any of that and it was fine but this is become really stupid.....

 

Sherri is dead and we have people seriously taking time to use it to bash a WWE storyline to support their opinion cmon seriously....

[UZI Suicide 0]

Smackdown is taped for one.......wait till Raw......

 

I just think it's totally bush league to use someones death to push your opinion of how you hate a storyline because you don't like it......and that's what I see that post as you doing.

 

I think it's totally bush league to run a dumbass storyline like this, running "tribute shows" for the man and giving him 10-bell salutes used only when wrestlers really do pass away. The stupidity of it is magnified by the fact that now a real person from the wrestling community has actually died (a WWE Hall of Famer no less).

 

It's just so retarded.."WWE is sad to announce the passing of Sherri Martel... now, tune into Smackdown tonight as we pay tribute to the presumed dead Mr. McMahon!"