Official Pro-Wrestling Thread (WWE, TNA, ROH etc.)

[duffer]

Won't ever look at Japanese wrestling or Dean Malenko the same way ever again. Wrestling is filled with seedy characters. The book does mention Michelle McCool quite extensively. Apparently she was having an affair with Benoit, but was angry that Benoit would not leave his wife. She since has broken the marriage of The Undertaker as Taker has left his wife and has been in a relationship with McCool for a long time.

McCool also apparently became a 'favourite' for the older, veterans (take from that what you will) and apparently has a serious eating disorder and drug addiction.

Well Michelle's a newbie onto the scene so I can guarantee that what she's done is nowhere near what Lita has done to get to where she got in the industry, was basically the community box for most Upper carders and writing stuff, Matt Hardy should've known better.

Not surprised McCool is now a drug addict, most women who are forced into whoring themselves out end up depressed and needing an escape from reality. Problem is this type of thing happens everywhere in life and especially in the entertainment industry.

However I do know that Trish Stratus was different and considered quitting many many times before Vince convinced her to stay because she was the only real draw he's ever had as a woman.

 

[Agent TBY]

Say what you will, but I think Meltzer is full of hot air, second only to Scott Keith in that regard. If he gets all these supposedly "inside" stories, why does the Pro Wrestling Observer never contain any information about the serious problems of the industry before they end up on mainstream news? The PWO never ran stories about Benoit's alleged mental instability, or about the prescription scam that rocked the E after Benoit. Not surprisingly, we haven't had any updates since, either. Oh, and they ran a story about someone's house in Florida or Atlanta (can't remember which) being stashed. Well, we never found out whose house it was, or what happened to them after.

Personally, I find the credibility of the book a bit suspect. It's clearly cashing in on the negative publicity that wrestling's been getting since the Benoit incident. "Everyone thinks wrestling has deep, dark secrets, so I might as well write a book about the hideous underbelly of the industry". Also, I find it funny that it mentions the Dave Lagana story, but completely leaves out "Chief of Staff" Johnny Ace being a total wanker.

4. Sullivan booking era, "In 2000, Chris Benoit threatened his bosses in Ted Turner's World Championship Wrestling with the promise that he would mutilate himself on live television if he was forced to go through a storyline he didn't like." Story in detail, obviously.

Funny how he went through with the storyline and then walked out on the company, throwing the Heavyweight Title in the trash, then. I admit I'm not much in the know, but Benoit's being unfairly painted as a hardcore nut. I know what he did was heinous, but the sheer amount of people trying to vilify him further just sickens me.

 

[sledger]

Say what you will, but I think Meltzer is full of hot air, second only to Scott Keith in that regard. If he gets all these supposedly "inside" stories, why does the Pro Wrestling Observer never contain any information about the serious problems of the industry before they end up on mainstream news? The PWO never ran stories about Benoit's alleged mental instability, or about the prescription scam that rocked the E after Benoit. Not surprisingly, we haven't had any updates since, either. Oh, and they ran a story about someone's house in Florida or Atlanta (can't remember which) being stashed. Well, we never found out whose house it was, or what happened to them after.

Personally, I find the credibility of the book a bit suspect. It's clearly cashing in on the negative publicity that wrestling's been getting since the Benoit incident. "Everyone thinks wrestling has deep, dark secrets, so I might as well write a book about the hideous underbelly of the industry". Also, I find it funny that it mentions the Dave Lagana story, but completely leaves out "Chief of Staff" Johnny Ace being a total wanker.



Funny how he went through with the storyline and then walked out on the company, throwing the Heavyweight Title in the trash, then. I admit I'm not much in the know, but Benoit's being unfairly painted as a hardcore nut. I know what he did was heinous, but the sheer amount of people trying to vilify him further just sickens me.

Yeah AWTA, there has been a lot of cash in on the "benoit incident" in the last 6months or so, theres some DVD kicking around about the Dark side of pro wrestling, which has been pretty much panned by everyone of any note for the same reasons you have listed above.

Meltzer I am unsure of, he knows what he's talking about in terms of actual wrestling, i'll give him that, but i'm sceptical of how much he actually knows in terms of his "inside scoops and stories etc..."

 

[Majin]

Yeah got to be honest, book strikes me as a load of tosh. Some of it you could believe but starting to try and get people to believe that Vince and Steph cuddle each other to sleep in front of HHH among the other ridiculous crap, nah man.

 

[Agent TBY]

Meltzer I am unsure of, he knows what he's talking about in terms of actual wrestling, i'll give him that, but i'm sceptical of how much he actually knows in terms of his "inside scoops and stories etc..."

So do you, but you're not trying to sell a newsletter based on "inside scoops and stories etc.."

 

[masterblaster]

Yeah AWTA, there has been a lot of cash in on the "benoit incident" in the last 6months or so, theres some DVD kicking around about the Dark side of pro wrestling, which has been pretty much panned by everyone of any note for the same reasons you have listed above.

Meltzer I am unsure of, he knows what he's talking about in terms of actual wrestling, i'll give him that, but i'm sceptical of how much he actually knows in terms of his "inside scoops and stories etc..."

Well this book is getting some great reviews and if it's telling the truth, it's actually doing the industry a lot of favours. I have no doubt that some of those atrocities happened up in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

This book also differs from many others by the fact it cites sources who were in the industry at the time. Rather than the author just looking at newspaper or internet articles, this author has apparently gone to the source. So ex WWE writers, ex NJPW wrestlers and even Paul Heyman is credited for being a source!

I can't say whether the book is entirely true myself, but certainly this is probably the most valid account of the 'dark side' of pro wrestling.

 

[masterblaster]

Yeah got to be honest, book strikes me as a load of tosh. Some of it you could believe but starting to try and get people to believe that Vince and Steph cuddle each other to sleep in front of HHH among the other ridiculous crap, nah man.

We fans really have to take off the rose tinted glasses. The wrestling business is a piece of crap full of the sleaziest people in the world. Fan and hero worship would only take us so far. While a lot of it may not be true, how can you be sure that the NJPW, NWA and stories about torture during training camps hasn't actually happened?

Also the story about Dean Malenko still using and allowing Eddie Guerrero to continue to use drugs is bordering on sickening. You like and respect these guys for what they do in the ring, fine. But how can you be so sure that this stuff didn't happen?

 

[Agent TBY]

Even if it were true, I don't really care, to be honest. Backstage politics exists everywhere in this day and age, and wrestling just happens to be a business full of rednecks who beat up their wives and **** in women's bags. What else could you expect from people who put their bodies and sanity on the line every time they step into the ring?

I'd much rather focus on what they're showing us, than the **** they have to hide. Just like the hot women in movies and on TV.

 

[sledger]

yeah tbh, this supposed "dark side" will exist in any sport, or pretty much any business full stop, you could write something about the dark side of cricket and bring out the classic cronje and azharuddin remarks etc... Bottom line for me is, the WWE, and wrestling in general is an extremely dodgy business, filled with terrible people, but essentially it is irrelevant, because its what they do in the ring that matters to anyone watching, their own dodgy personal lives etc... are their problem as far as i'm concerned.

There will be nasty truths in every sport (though that stuff about malenko..if thats true then its pretty awful).

 

[masterblaster]

Even if it were true, I don't really care, to be honest. Backstage politics exists everywhere in this day and age, and wrestling just happens to be a business full of rednecks who beat up their wives and **** in women's bags. What else could you expect from people who put their bodies and sanity on the line every time they step into the ring?

I'd much rather focus on what they're showing us, than the **** they have to hide. Just like the hot women in movies and on TV.

That's a pretty crappy attitute to have. Granted the common person can't change the industry, but a lot of the awful things that have happened to wrestlers of the past should not happen to wrestlers of the future.

Another review of the book from an online blog:

When Benoit arrived at the dojo, he was subject to the same ruthless treatment of "learning respect for the business" that he was subject to in the Hart Dungeon. The NJPW dojo tactics may not be as well known, so I will share one with you as it relates to Benoit: Randazzo details how Benoit once talked about one training exercise in which he would stand in front of a group of NJPW veterans who would take turns punching him in the ears until they bled.

But those like Benoit who passed the dojo exercises, no matter how demeaning they were, they would ultimately be treated to the finest accommodations while working for New Japan and would be worshipped by the Japanese populace.

You can only imagine how all these events would be enough to mess up people. There's countless more stories like this and it sickens me.

 

[masterblaster]

Some more facts from the same review:

Enter the Federation again, a company later to become the WWE. Randazzo first goes into detail about Vince McMahon and the way he approached business, some details which may surprise some people, but not others who know better... all painting the picture that Vince expected that, if he could do something with no problem, then the wrestlers who worked for him should do exactly the same thing.

At first, though, life in Vince McMahon's company was good for Benoit... until two things happened, one that changed the WWE, the other that changed Benoit, and both in ways that could never be classified as "good things."

For the WWE, it was Stephanie McMahon ascending to the head creative position in the company. Along with her rise to prominence came the rise of the man known as Triple H, who would begin dating Stephanie and ultimately marry her. Stephanie's propensity for being like her father, in that she expected people to kiss her ass and didn't take well to any form of criticism, and Triple H's ability to manipulate most anyone who crossed his path, led to the creative direction of the company being decided by those who were willing to kiss up to Vince's daughter and write simply to please the two McMahons in charge.

Anyone who became one of Stephanie's favorites was considered untouchable, including former Smackdown head writer Dave Lagana. Randazzo details how Lagana asked for ***ual favors among not just the women, but some of the men, and that WWE personnel knew what was going on but did nothing because Lagana was a kiss-up to Stephanie. Not until word of what Lagana was up to became knowledge to one of WWE's longtime wrestling employees (hint: it wasn't Triple H) that it ultimately led to his dismissal from the company.

This looks like such a great read. The longtime WWE wrestler who told McMahon about Lagana was indeed The Undertaker.

 

[Athlai]

Not sure how much truth you can really draw considering the circumstances. I mean horrible crap sells and this is the underbelly of a story telling industry. Certain things seem undeniable though, like the hazing and the McMahon ass kissing. The exploitation of the woman is the most disturbing point raised so far I reckon.

 

[sledger]

Not sure how much truth you can really draw considering the circumstances. I mean horrible crap sells and this is the underbelly of a story telling industry. Certain things seem undeniable though, like the hazing and the McMahon ass kissing. The exploitation of the woman is the most disturbing point raised so far I reckon.

Tbh I find that the least surprising thing to come to light, doesnt surprise me in the slightest tbh, and again, you get this in all sort of industries, not of which are particularly respectable.

This looks like such a great read. The longtime WWE wrestler who told McMahon about Lagana was indeed The Undertaker.

That doesnt at all surprise me tbh, Mark Callaway seems much like his on screen persona whilst the "american badass", sure he'll give you a hard time, but he's the kind of guy whose respect you can earn, and once you get it he won't go around treating you like crap, and generally does the right thing.

 

[Majin]

Not denying that there are probably ridiculous hazing incidents in wrestling, especially in Japan, but that doesn't change the fact that some of the claims being made by this book are more ridiculous than the storylines Vince has been greenlighting over the past few years. But only time will tell on this so for now I am not particularly concerned about it just yet.

 

[sledger]

Lol at this weeks RAW rating - 3.0, with the ratings dropping continually you would have thought the writers and creative team would get their fingers out and put together something good, but obviously not. And this $1m giveaway is dire, its pretty much bribing people to watch the show, ffs, Vince must be stupid.

 

[sledger]

And on another dissapointing note, it seems that the Y2J/HBK feud is being given hardly any exposure, as on the front page of the WWE website under the RAW section its not even referenced, insteand focusing on the money giveaway and Jeff Hardy, not good.

Hoping that if Jericho goes onto launch a feud with anyone, he will win the blow off, just has to for the sake of what little credibility he still has.

 

[sledger]

AND......one more thing....whilst I have the thread to myself.....


Has anyone else seen the HBK vs Shelton Benjamin match from RAW in 2005? I think it was the first RAW after Backlash of that year.....

what a match, one of the best matches on RAW I have ever seen, why the hell they stopped pushing him I'll never understand, the crowd were way into it, both guys were getting a lot of pops from the crowd. If they had kept up with the way that went, Shelton could have been maineventing by now, instead he's jobbing around on ECW, I mean ffs, WWE after pushing him hard for a lot of 2005 just buried and misused him (just like every other midcard guy who was showing lots of promise at the time barring Edge, ie: Carlito, Christian)...and they wonder why people don't tune in to watch HHH vs Cena, stupid company.

 

[Agent TBY]

Yeah remember that match vaguely. It finished with Shelton springboarding into a superkick in the ring from the apron, didn't it? Awesome match, and don't forget, HHH jobbed to him in consecutive weeks soon after that!

Well, Shelton has zero mic skills. What he really needed was a manager, but he got stuck with his momma.

 

[sledger]

Yeah remember that match vaguely. It finished with Shelton springboarding into a superkick in the ring from the apron, didn't it? Awesome match, and don't forget, HHH jobbed to him in consecutive weeks soon after that!

Well, Shelton has zero mic skills. What he really needed was a manager, but he got stuck with his momma.

Yeah that was the one, shows what great athletes both of them are, and actually showed up HBKs ability to mat wrestle really well also. The idea of Shelton going toe to toe with HBK and going over HHH in the present day is absolutely unthinkable, its such a dissapointment that he's ended up this way, and no suprise that the ME scene is so stagnant.

Haha forget what happened to his "momma, last I remember was soeme stupid feud with Viscera....dire.

 

[pinchy81]

ATTN WWE FANS OF AUSTRALIA...WRESTLING IS COMING BACK ON FREE TO AIR!!!: okay not really wrestling but WWE Afterburn which is better than nothing Will be starting this Sunday at 3pm on Channel 9 in case you wanna check it.