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Wrestling Observer Newsletter

PO Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228 March 28, 1994

WRESTLEMANIA X

Thumbs up 339 (74.7%)

Thumbs down 60 (13.2%)

In the middle 55 (12.1%)

BEST MATCH POLL

Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels 353

Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart 101

WORST MATCH POLL

Lex Luger vs. Yokozuna 173

Earthquake vs. Adam Bomb 143

Doink & Dink vs. Bam Bam Bigelow & Luna Vachon 82

Quebecers vs. Men on Mission 40

Alundra Blayze vs. Leilani Kai 9

Based on phone calls and fax messages to the Observer as of Tuesday, 3/22. Margin of error: +-100%

Shawn Michaels put on one of the greatest individual performances in the history of the business at Wrestlemania X on 3/20 in New York's Madison Square Garden to highlight what the consensus is the best PPV show in WWF history. Michaels, in one of his last shows with the company before going on a what is planned to be a several month long sabbatical, put on a performance that left just about everyone in wrestling in awe in his ladder match loss to Razor Ramon. The match, probably the best match ever on a WWF PPV show, somehow overshadowed one of the greatest matches in WWF history between Bret Hart and Owen Hart that opened the show and a WWF title change with Bret's later regaining of the WWF title from Yokozuna in an average match in the evening's finale. The Hart-Hart match, with Owen scoring the surprise clean win to elevate him into the upper echelon, appeared when it was over to be a strong match-of-the-year candidate and was a tad better than the legendary Rick Steamboat-Randy Savage Wrestlemania III match which has largely been considered the greatest match in modern WWF history because of the stronger finish and every bit as good overall work.

Aside from the two excellent matches, Wrestlemania X would have been a mediocre show. However few shows in history from any promotion have ever had two matches of that quality and I was shocked at how many thumbs downs and thumbs in the middles this show received. From our poll standpoint, this show did about the same as Wrestlemania VI and worse than King of the Ring from last year. Even the first WCW Clash of the Champions on March 27, 1988 in Greensboro which had matches that finished first and second (Sting vs. Ric Flair and Midnight Express vs. Fantastics) in the match of the year balloting couldn't match the 1-2 punch in match quality and that show had nothing but two matches either. Some of the 1989 WCW PPV shows had more great matches, but none had two matches this great on the same show. The only other show that comes to mind that might have been comparable as far as the top two matches are concerned would be an August 22, 1985 All Japan women's show (double main event of Chigusa Nagayo vs. Devil Masami and Lioness Asuka vs. Jaguar Yokota) and those matches were both heavily edited when they appeared on television so comparisons can only be made based on reports from those who attended live. The December 10, 1993 All Japan women's show at Korakuen Hall which had two tag matches with the same four women back-to-back, if they are considered as two separate matches, could be comparable and Cactus Jack and Eddie Gilbert had three memorable matches on the same night in Philadelphia on a Joel Goodhart show several years ago.

Besides the work quality of two of the matches, Wrestlemania X appeared to have set a record for the largest gate for a pro wrestling show ever in the United States (the WWF's three best gates in history were for stadium shows in Toronto, London and Tokyo), although no figures were available at press time and that was a record that had been primed to be broken for several years simply by charging higher prices to a Wrestlemania even in a large indoor arena and selling out. The old U.S. record was $1,628,000 set in Atlantic City for Wrestlemania V (Hulk Hogan vs. Randy Savage). This show sold approximately the same number of tickets (in the 19,000 range, selling out in three days) but had higher ticket prices. Those who were there live reported that there were large blocks of empty seats, particularly at the top, but even in the lower regions, so there were a surprising number of no-shows. In typical WWF fashion, the company sent out a press release after the show claiming the show was expected to draw the largest PPV audience of all-time. I just hope they don't say things like this in the court room or they'll have even more indictments to worry about. As expected, this year's Wrestlemania appears to have actually drawn the lowest buy rate of any WM in the past, a 1.7--down about 15 percent from last year, but between live and PPV that almost surely will be by far the biggest wrestling show of the year. That figure would translate into about 390,000 buys or an estimated $5.27 million company gross. I haven't received a report as far as the adjacent Paramount Theater goes, except that tickets were still available at the door that day.

As for Cactus Jack, his right ear was ripped off on 3/16 in Munich, Germany during a match against Vader, an accident reminiscent of a famous wrestling incident in the late 1950s between Killer Kowalski and Yukon Eric. Jack (Michael Foley) went into the ropes and hung himself between the second and third rope. The pressure of the tightened cables was such that his right ear was torn completely off and his left ear was split badly, needing more than a dozen stitches to close the cut. Ring announcer Gary Cappetta took the right ear and iced it, however doctors were only able to save about one-third to one-half of the lower part of the right ear. Jack actually continued the match for another 2:00 or so, making a big comeback before doing the planned job. Reports we have received are that Jack's hearing is okay and he's in remarkably good spirits. He returned to the U.S. from Germany on Friday or Saturday and is receiving daily in-home treatment from a nurse. There is no definite prognosis on when he'll be able to return to wrestling, although he is said to be hopeful of returning in time for the 4/17 Spring Stampede PPV show in Chicago. Almost shockingly in the poorest taste possible, WCW in its company newsletter made a joke out of the injury calling him "Vincent Van Jack" saying "Jack did his best Vincent Van Gogh imitation" and said how after the match Cactus grabbed a photographer to make sure he could capture this Kodak moment on film forever and said Jack was being sent home from the tour EARly and closed with, "If Cactus Jack hit the ropes differently, we could be making comparisons to John Wayne Bobbitt rather than Van Gough (sic)" and even had a photo caption saying that Cactus' friends can cross ear muffs from their Christmas list for him this year.

In the late 1950s, Kowalski wrestled Yukon Eric, a famous wrestler during the period who did a strong-man gimmick, and came off the top rope with a kneedrop which somehow caught Eric on the ear. Because so many of the wrestlers in those days had cauliflowered ears due to years of lengthy matches being held in snug headlocks as did Eric, the ear was brittle and broke right off. The incident garnered much national publicity and helped turn Kowalski into one of North America's leading heels, a position he maintained for more than 15 years after. Eric, as it turned out, was so depressed from this and other events in his life that he committed suicide a few years later.

Jack wasn't the only injury suffered on the WCW German tour. On the final night of the tour, 3/20 in Hamburg in the final of a tournament to determine the first WCW European champion, Vader (who pinned Ric Flair in the semifinals) suffered a broken eardrum in a loss to Sting, which caused him problems with his balance and he had to be carried from the arena. Vader was hospitalized after the show and according to one report needed surgery although that wasn't able to be confirmed. Initial reports from Europe were that the doctors told him he'd be out of action for several weeks, although WCW officials have said he isn't going to miss any dates. What is uncertain right now is if his condition will allow him to appear on the UWFI 4/3 card because of the rougher style employed there (scheduled for 4/16 PPV in the U.S. although Vader's match itself won't be televised in this country due to his WCW contract). Vader, wrestling as Super Vader, will be working in the first round of a tournament that based on bracketing, he probably would go to the finals in (against possibly Gary Albright or more likely Nobuhiko Takada) if it went as it looks to be scheduled. If Vader misses the first date, it would severely weaken the tournament that already is somewhat anti-climactic because UWFI's grandstand play brought fans' hopes up for seeing "dream matches" with stars of other promotions, Akira Maeda in particular, that aren't going to happen. In addition, Ron Simmons suffered a torn bicep on the same 3/16 show in Munich in a tag match with Steve Austin against Too Cold Scorpio & Marcus Bagwell, and was sent home. No word on how long he'll be out of action, but torn biceps if it's a minor tear would probably be about six weeks out and if it's a major tear, like Scott Steiner suffered a few years back, can be in excess of six months. Ref Nick Patrick had to return home due to a family emergency and referee Randy Anderson suffered a broken leg early in the tour. With both referees scheduled gone, WCW had to enlist hardcore wrestling fan Didier Gapp from France as an impromptu referee which reportedly caused numerous problems due to his inexperience.

Wrestlemania X opened with a Little Richard (the 50s icon, not the former Roller Derby skater) lip-synch rendition of "America the Beautiful" complete with entourage by the Stamford, CT Baptist Church, which came off well on PPV but didn't go over at all in the building. Reportedly after the show there was heat in that Richard got out of the building after doing his thing and wouldn't sign autographs for the guys backstage. Some weren't particularly happy that when Little Richard was on Jay Leno on 3/16, he never mentioned being at Wrestlemania. Jennie Garth reportedly wouldn't do the vignette planned and seemed when she came out before the final match that she wanted to be anywhere but where she was, and Bucky & Vinny were no-shows to the disappointment of nobody. The other celebrities, in particular Burt Reynolds who is a legitimate wrestling fan because of Ron Simmons (and rumored to be an Observer reader), were largely praised. The reason Burt Reynolds had his hand in a cast is because he decked someone who tried to mug him two days earlier in San Diego, which is why he said how glad he was to be there. The lookalike Bill Clinton idea and two vignettes (with IRS and another with Ted DiBiase, whose original major role in the show was reduced to a 30 second cameo) were really lame, even by Wrestlemania standards. Jerry Lawler had four months worth of material ready and was outstanding in his designed role as staff comedian, and was actually funnier than Bobby Heenan would have been in the same role.

A. In the dark match, The Heavenly Bodies beat Bushwhackers in about 7:00 when they did the battering ram on Jimmy Del Rey, but behind the refs back Tom Prichard came off the top rope on Butch and reversed the positions. Told it was a one-star match.

1. Owen Hart pinned Bret Hart in 20:26. They started out scientifically. After Bret reversed a ride and Owen took a bump to the floor, Owen got back in the ring and gave Bret a hard slap. The early part of the match was matwork with perfectly executed high spots and lots of near falls throughout. Owen used a german suplex, reversed a move into a tombstone piledriver and missed a head-butt off the top rope. Bret got a series of near falls as well. The first attempt at the sharpshooter wound up in a double reversal. Bret did a plancha over the top rope onto Owen, but "injured" his knee once again. Owen went to work on the knee, wrapping it around the post three times and put on the figure four, but Bret reversed it and the two wound up in the ropes. At this point both were selling their knees. Bret came back with an enzuigiri and got a nearfall after Owen took a chest-first full-speed ahead crash into the turnbuckles. Bret followed with a bulldog, a piledriver and a superplex while standing on the top rope for near falls, each time with Owen barely kicking out. Bret was awesome in making his comeback while still selling the knee. He went for a sleeper but Owen broke it with a low blow and put the sharpshooter on in the middle but Bret broke the hold. Bret came with the sharpshooter but Owen made the ropes. Bret came off the top rope onto Owen's shoulders for a victory roll that looked to be the finish, but Owen used a Mexican reversal of the spot and got the stunning three count for a tremendous finish. While the idea of Owen beating Bret was a surprise, but not a total surprise, the idea going in he'd do it clean in the middle was almost unfathomable, but also made it obvious that Bret was ending the show with the title belt. Although the win solidly elevated Owen to the top of the ladder on the heel side, his post-match interview showed that he's badly in need of a manager to effectively stay in that spot for any length of time. ****3/4

2. Bam Bam Bigelow & Luna Vachon beat Doink (Ray Apollo) & Dink in 6:09. This was meant as a breather after the first match, but Bigelow and Doink worked hard and worked well together but because of what they were following they had a hard time getting heat. Bam Bam knocked Dink off the apron and destroyed Doink, pinning him with a head-butt off the top rope. After the match Bam Bam & Luna went for a double splash on Dink, who moved except Luna's splash still hit him because he didn't move fast enough in a blown spot. A lot better than their house show matches. *3/4

3. Randy Savage beat Crush in 9:43 in a falls count anywhere match with falls not counting and victory achieved when one person couldn't return to the ring after one minute after the fall, which is a flawed concept if you take it seriously because what happens if a fall occurs in the ring? At a house show in San Jose which may have been the first night they tried this concept (with miserable results) they had a fall end in the ring, then had to roll out of the ring to make the concept work. This much better than what they've been doing at the shows. Crush won the first fall in the aisle in :45 when he pressed Savage and dropped him on the guard rail. Actually Savage didn't make it back into the ring until 2:10, which is much longer than one minute, but they must have had a slow stopwatch. In the second fall Mr. Fuji gave Crush salt, but Savage pushed Crush's hand and the salt when in Crush's eyes and Savage delivered the elbow off the top. To make the concept work, he then had to throw him on the floor before getting the pin at 4:30 elapsed time. Crush wasn't going to make it in time, but Fuji poured a glass of water on him which revived him. Crush backdropped Savage over the top rope, but as they brawled on the floor, Savage posted Crush, rammed him into the ring steps and clotheslined him over the guard rail. Crush responded with a superkick on the floor. Crush went for a piledriver in the aisle but Savage reversed it and rammed Crush into the well, threw him threw a few doors like it was the closing of the old TV show "Get Smart", and scored a pin at 8:09. Savage then tied Crush's feet to a chord. He was supposed to hang Crush upside down and leave him hanging and get back in the ring to win, which was a pretty creative finish, but apparently he missed his Boy Scout knot tying classes because he didn't knot part of the job done. Crush couldn't get back in and the match was called after 9:43. **3/4

4. Alundra Blayze retained the WWF womens title pinning Leilani Kai with a german suplex in 3:23. They didn't have a chance. They exploded fireworks for Blaze's ring entrance to try and get over that she's something special and the women's matches are important but nobody is buying it yet. The two did all they could given the amount of time they had, but had almost negative heat and in the building people treated it as if it was intermission. It's going to be a very long and very difficult process in getting this division over. *1/4

5. Men on a Mission beat Quebecers via count out so Quebecers retained the tag title in 7:45. Given the participants (I'm speaking of Men on a Mission), the match didn't have much chance of being good. Guess what? It wasn't, although there were a few good moves thrown in. Pierre was backdropped over the top rope by Jacques into almost a backward tope on Mo. Mo pulled off a somersault bodyblock in the ring. The Quebecers did a double-team suplex on Mabel which got a crowd pop because they teased not being able to do it (although that's a babyface spot). MOM did their finisher on Pierre while Oscar stopped Johnny Polo from interfering. Mo clothesline Pierre over the top rope and Mabel splashed him on the floor and he was counted out. Finish was really weak. *1/4

6. Yokozuna retained the WWF title beating Lex Luger via DQ in 14:40. Mr. Perfect was the guest ref and played an expected role in the outcome. On the confidential run sheet before the show, this match was listed as being 25:00 (for the record, the finishes weren't listed and in the run sheet the main event was listed as Yokozuna-Luger winner vs. Bret Hart which shows just how much trouble they went through to keep the final result a secret) and thank God it didn't last that long. This was one nerve hold after another by Yokozuna. The guy has just gotten so heavy he has no stamina. He can work in a sense of his ability for somebody who is 580 pounds, but he needs to lose a lot of weight. Awful match. Luger made the comeback after Nerve Hold-a-mania by running Yokozuna into the unpadded turnbuckle (Yokozuna pulled the padding off early but never used it), three clotheslines, a bodyslam and the forearm for the KO. Luger then brought Jim Cornette in the ring and beat up Fuji, then covered Yokozuna. Perfect wouldn't count the fall and kept checking on Fuji. Finally Luger grabbed Perfect to count the fall and Perfect DQ'd him. They did a post-match argument backstage. The finish was a total screw-job but at least it had a purpose--that being the only thing in the match with any redeeming social value. Although this didn't come across on television, apparently this match didn't have much crowd reaction and was filled with "boring" chants. 1/2*

7. Earthquake pinned Adam Bomb in :35 with the Earthquake splash. Harvey Wippleman started making fun of Howard Finkel, with a new hairpiece (I was dreading the aspect of the show with Finkel's new hairpiece and even though it didn't get over at all live, it wasn't an embarrassment although Howard was sans hairpiece the next night in Poughkeepsie so what was the point?) and ripped his tux. Finkel shoved down Wippleman. Bomb then snatched Finkel but Quake made the save and won almost immediately. DUD

8. Razor Ramon retained the IC title in a ladder match with Shawn Michaels in 18:47. Diesel clotheslined Ramon early and was thrown out. Michaels took so many great bumps you couldn't begin to list them all. When the ladder got involved, Michaels did a slide kicking the ladder into Ramon who was on the floor. He gave Ramon a ladder shot to the ribs and destroyed him in the ring with the ladder and threw the ladder at his back. As Michaels climbed the ladder, Ramon pulled his pants down and bare-assed, Michaels did an elbow drop off the second highest step of the ladder and a splash off the second step of the ladder. Michaels climbed up again and Ramon tipped over the ladder and Michaels caught his throat on the top rope. After a double collision, Ramon reversed a whip and Michaels hit the ladder and went over the top rope to the floor. He was trying to take the ladder with him so it would land on him but didn't quite hold on. Ramon took the advantage with several ladder shots. On the floor Ramon slingshotted Michaels into the ladder, which then fell on Michaels. Ramon hit Michaels in the jaw with the ladder and he took another bump over the top. With Ramon on the ladder, Michaels came off the top rope with a double sledge knocking Ramon and the ladder down. Both men climbed to the top again and this time Ramon suplexed Michaels off the ladder but Ramon fell off as well. Ramon got back up and Michaels dropkicked the ladder and Ramon fell off once again. Michaels came off the top rope with the ladder and splashed Ramon and hit him with a superkick and jumping piledriver. Michaels then came off the ladder with a splash with the ladder. Michaels climbed up again, Ramon knocked the ladder down and Michaels not only crotched himself on the top rope but managed to tie his ankle in the ropes and Ramon climbed up and got both belts. If you haven't seen this match, make sure you do as it'll be remembered for many years. Watch how ladder matches now become the hottest gimmick on the indie scene. *****

9. Bret Hart pinned Yokozuna in 10:36 to win the WWF title in an anti-climactic match. Roddy Piper got a huge pop as guest ref but once the match started the crowd was spent from the previous match. Hart tried all he could but this was nowhere near as good as their match at last year's Wrestlemania or numerous house show bouts between the two. At one point Piper decked Cornette. There were several near falls that got good pops. But the finish was weak, with Yokozuna setting Hart up for the banzai, but slipping and losing balance and getting pinned. After the match about a half-dozen faces including Luger hit the ring for the celebration with McMahon, Pat Patterson and Gorilla Monsoon in as well, and Owen Hart came down the aisle for the final scene giving Bret a dirty look to end the show. **1/4

The much-publicized Vince McMahon lawsuit against New York Post sportswriter Phil Mushnick was dropped this past week. McMahon dropped the suit shortly after attempting and failing to get a ruling from the presiding judge to put the suit on hold until after completion of his and his company's upcoming trial on steroid distribution and conspiracy in steroid distribution. When the judge turned down the ruling, McMahon dropped the case. The only information available regarding the case because of a judges ruling pertaining to the case is that the case was settled with both sides not coming to agreement on what the facts of the case were (in other words, neither side admits the other was right) and that the case was settled without Mushnick or the Post paying any money to Titan.

Since last week's issue, a lot more developed in what will probably turn out to be mainly a publicity stunt regarding getting Tonya Harding to sign with the All Japan women's promotion. On 3/16 as I'm sure you're all aware, Harding pled guilty to obstruction of justice, a felony, and was sentenced to three years supervised probation, fined $160,000, ordered to quit the United States Figure Skating Association (effectively ending her competitive skating career) and ordered to undergo psychiatric testing. Harding's only response when asked about the reported $2 million offer from All Japan women by the nest of news reporters who camp outside where she's living, which was a major topic of conversation on radio talk shows early in the week was, "Get real" after "No comments" to just about every other question asked. The lead story on Entertainment Tonight on 3/17 was on Harding and the All Japan women's promotion which featured several clips of the 12/6 Sumo Hall card, and the offer, which they reported still stands. E.T. reported Harding's representatives were looking to gather more information on the company and details on the offer. The clips that aired were largely of the Shinobu Kandori vs. Akira Hokuto main event, and showed photos and talked about Aja Kong and Bull Nakano, and showed a prospective photo of Tonya wearing Aja Kong face-paint. Harding's forced leave of the figure skating world removed her from the world championships that were scheduled to start 3/22 in Chiba, Japan, a city about an hour North of Tokyo. The negotiation sessions in Japan that were scheduled are out the window. However, according to the 3/22 Nikkan Sports, Toshikuni Matsunaga, the Vice President of the All Japan women's office (younger brother of Takashi Matsunaga who was quoted in all the newspapers and appeared on several television shows this past week), one of the four brothers who are co-owners of the company, was leaving that day for Portland for a meeting with Harding's representatives. However, according to our sources within the company, Harding's representatives are overloaded with work stemming from her guilty plea and numerous other offers including a movie deal, that they haven't been able to arrange for a negotiating session and privately those in the promotion don't see the deal as much of a possibility. Takashi Matsunaga told the press in Japan on 3/19 the company was still working on bringing her to the 3/27 Yokohama Arena show, but given Harding's legal status in not being able to travel outside Oregon, Washington and California without petitioning the court, the odds of being able to pull that off in such a short period of time would be difficult, which also would mean it would be under court discretion whether she'd even be able to accept the offer. There has already been interest in the U.S. to pay-per-view the Tokyo Dome show on 11/10 provided Harding would wrestle on the show, although one would have to think the odds of this ever taking place are so slim they almost shouldn't be discussed. However, in the past week, reporters from France, Germany, ABC-TV and the Wall Street Journal have all come to the group's offices in Tokyo for interviews for upcoming stories. The only other story reported in Japan this past week regarding this was another interview by Akira Hokuto, who spent one week wrestling in Korea and returned and once again said she'd like to be Harding's trainer because the two have the same look. Hokuto also said she would be the best teacher for Harding as a heel (funny that the word "heel" was used as if it's part of the Japanese language) in that promotion which would be Harding's role, because she's said she's the best heel wrestler.

Between Harding and Hulk Hogan, in the week leading up to Wrestlemania, the WWF got the big donut when it came to mainstream pub. Hogan, who at this point still hasn't signed a WCW contract but appears that more likely than not will do so, appeared on both Regis Philbin (a regular slot for WWF performers prior to PPV shows) and Conan O'Brien, largely plugging his "Thunder in Paradise" show which opened on television this past weekend to horrible reviews (TV Guide gave it a one on a one-to-ten scale calling it "violent, dumb and dull" and saying that Hogan's facial expressions are all the same, like he swallowed a bottle of kaopectate). In the interviews, Hogan said that in a few weeks he'd have an announcement that would rock the wrestling world. It is expected the announcement of the signing will take place before the McMahon trial, in which Hogan is expected to be one of the key witnesses against his former boss. Hogan appeared to make his plans even clearer in a segment in Chicago on 3/17 on the Danny Bonaduce (Danny Partridge) radio show where he plugged the Flair-Steamboat match on 4/17 and challenged the winner. Hogan's much-hyped first appearance on WCW Saturday Night on 3/12 combined with a Steamboat vs. Steve Austin No. 1 contenders match drew a 2.8 rating, which is higher than usual, but a lower rating than Rob Parker wearing a chicken suit drew and the same rating a Brian Pillman vs. Mongolian Mauler headliner a few weeks back did.

The announcement of All Japan's television show being cut to 30 minutes last week was followed by another announcement every bit as potentially disastrous for the company. Nippon TV, which considered dropping the show because one of the sponsors pulled out but eventually went with the 30 minute format, announced its new season schedule (In Japan the television season starts in April as opposed to September in the United States but unlike the U.S., the new schedule is only announced two weeks before the start of the season) and All Japan was moved from Sundays at 12:30 a.m., which is a death slot in and of itself, to Saturday nights from 2:30 to 3 a.m., which is even more deadly. The new time slot pretty well eliminates any casual fans from viewing the television. While television hasn't proved to be as important in Japan as far as drawing fans, because so many more big-name wrestlers are known to the general public as celebrities and their name value without television is strong, it will be have severe negative effects in two ways as far as getting the young wrestlers, which are really the life blood of the company, over. They can always bring in Giant Baba, Dory Funk, Abdullah the Butcher and Stan Hansen to spot shows and the public that doesn't watch television will still know the names, and they'll always be able to draw in Tokyo because so many fans are such ardent followers, but it's going to hurt, more as time goes on. Not only will the young wrestlers have left television time and fewer matches to get themselves over in with the show cut in half, but in that time period even if they are on television and have good matches, they are only being watched by the hardcore fans and while they can get over to them, there is nothing they can do to capture the interest of the general public. However, few think this change is of promotion-threatening importance, since All Japan women, which had a weekly highly-rated Saturday afternoon time slot for years, lost their slot in the late 80s after the Crush Gals and Dump Matsumoto era ended and were moved to a monthly show in the graveyard time zone, and the company's popularity was still able to make a comeback over the past few years due to getting over a generation of new talent and interpromotional booking.

UWFI announced this week the first round of its 16-man tournament which will take place 4/3 at Osaka Castle Hall (for PPV air date in the U.S. on 4/16--or the night before WCW's Spring Stampede). The eight match announced line-up, and these matches are being listed as they are bracketed in the tournament (winner of match one faces winner of match two in the second round on 5/6 at Budokan Hall, winner of that match faces winner of the winner of matches three-and-fourth in the semifinals in July at Budokan with the finals on 8/24 at Budokan Hall). 1. Dan Severn vs. Masahito Kakihara; 2. Salman Hashimikov vs. Super Vader; 3. Dennis Koslowski vs. Naoki Sano; 4. Kiyoshi Tamura vs. Badnews Allen; 5. Yoji Anjyo vs. Victor Zangiev; 6. Gary Albright vs. Billy Scott; 7. Vladimir Berkovich vs. Jean Lydick; 8. Nobuhiko Takada vs. Kazuo Yamazaki. From the bracketing it looks like either Albright or Takada would face Vader in the championship match, but because of Vader's injury, if he can't appear, the entire tournament would be messed up. The PPV show will consist of seven of these eight matches minus the Vader match. Hopefully the play-by-play announcer will either be different or improved this time around.

As expected, Satoru Sayama entered a New Japan ring for the first time since his first pro wrestling retirement in 1983 on 3/16 at the Tokyo Gymnasium which will lead to a singles match with Antonio Inoki at either the 5/1 Fukuoka Dome show or the January 4, 1995 Tokyo Dome show. Inoki, who made a rare wrestling appearance on the show, which drew 9,200 fans (about 1,400 shy of capacity), introduced Sayama to the crowd which chanted his name and Sayama said he'd like to wrestle Inoki before he retires. The nature of the angle is such that it appears to be Inoki gaining final revenge over the incident from years ago when Sayama quit the business, vowing the never return, but at the age of 37, he's being lured back by a final shot at making a big payoff because when Inoki really retires, the one big money match stemming from a "real" angle will be gone for him. I wonder if when Riki Choshu decides to retire, that Akira Maeda will do the same, although Maeda at least has been making big money all these years while Sayama has simply been a fighting coach at his own gym. Also on the show in the main event, Hiroshi Hase captured the WCW International title pinning Rick Rude with a Northern Lights suplex in 16:52. The two are scheduled to be rematched on 3/24 in Kyoto where the title will most likely revert back to Rude. Since the idea of Japanese winning major American titles for one week is hardly something new and it is widely expected Hase will drop the strap back and that the change will never be acknowledged in the United States, Hase did an interesting post-match interview. Hase in the interview said that if he doesn't beat Rude on the 24th, then the title win in Tokyo meant nothing because unless he defends it in the United States at Spring Stampede, then it'll never be acknowledged in the U.S. and it's like it never happened. It's the first major singles heavyweight title won by Hase, who is the best worker in the company, but hasn't to this point been pushed as one of the top guys on the ladder, partially due to his own unselfishness as a team leader in his role as assistant booker constantly setting the example by doing clean jobs whenever it is necessary to set someone up for a big match or put someone untalented over the right way. He's still probably going to lose to Rude since that's his role in the promotion, but it did create added interest in the rematch.

The 37th annual Cauliflower Alley Club banquet took place 3/19 in Studio City, CA. The dinner mainly features retired wrestlers along with some ex-boxers and movie stars. Among the wrestlers present and receiving awards were Dick Hutton, an NWA-champ from the late 50s who was a great amateur beforehand, Billy Robinson, Al "Kangaroo" Costello, Sherri Martel, Peggy Allen and Penny Banner while other honorees who weren't able to attend included Ed Francis, Nobuhiko Takada, boxer Oscar De La Hoya and Susan Green. Among other major names in attendance were Gene Kiniski, Lou Thesz, Gordon Solie, Gary Juster (latter two doing some tapings for upcoming pre-Slamboree telecasts), Verne Gagne, Danny Hodge, Tiger Conway, Dick "Destroyer" Beyer, June Byers, Bette Clark, John Tolos, Hardboiled Haggerty, Yoji Anjyo, Don Curtis, Toru Tanaka, Bruce Swayze, Red Bastien, Pepper Martin and Gary Albright.

WWF's Fan Fest was largely a financial success, as all seven sessions drew a sellout 2,200 fans at $22 a pop. Reports we received were that the only negative were there were far too many fans crammed in for the two-and-a-half hour sessions and the lines for autographs for the superstars was more than 30 minutes a pop in some cases and other lines were lengthy as well for climbing into the ring, calling matches and getting photos taken at the Face-to-face set. The wrestlers and Vince McMahon were said to be very gracious to the fans once they got to meet them. Secondary characters were available for autographs with little or no wait. The WWF was seemingly aware of the problems, so upon leaving, the WWF gave each fan a free pass good for a future WWF event. As mentioned on television, the WWF is planning on including Fan Festivals annually as part of Wrestlemania weekends and perhaps other PPV shows as well. With the upcoming trial, the company is going out of its way to present a positive image to offset what will almost certainly be negative publicity in about six weeks. The old-time wrestling media, for the most part ostracized by Titan in 1984, some of whom have been cooperated with over the past year and others who weren't, were all catered to like they haven't been in years, including, if you'd notice, photographers from non-Titan publications being allowed at ringside for the first time.

This is the first issue of the current four-issue set. If you've got a (1) on your address label it means this is your final set of Observers. Our schedule over the next few weeks can't be labeled as a definite weekly. I'm undergoing abdominal surgery on 3/29 stemming from the burst appendix in December. There may be an issue next week but most likely there won't be. I don't want to put a definite date on when the next issue will be after that other than it will be as soon as possible. After that point there should be no interruptions in the weekly schedule until the WWF trial, which is scheduled for 5/2. There may be a double issue in this set depending upon if more than one week is missed and how much news there is. Renewal rates in the United States, Canada and Mexico remain $12 for eight issues, $24 for 16, $36 for 24, $48 for 32 up through $60 for 40. Rates for the rest of the world for weekly airmail delivery are $9 for each set of four issues up through $90 for 40.

Fax messages can be sent to the Observer at 408-378-6562 after Noon Eastern time on a daily basis and phone messages can be left 24 hours a day at 408-379-8067.

RESULTS

3/2 Arena Coliseo in Mexico City (EMLL): Olimpico & Ultimatum b Comodin & Rey Bucanero, Escudero Rojo & Chamaco Ayala & Reyes Veloz b Ludwig Star & Mestizo & Gran Apache I, Guerrero del Futuro & Guerrero Maya & Damian el Guerrero b El Filoso & Metalico & Oso Negro, Dandy & La Sombra & Pantera II b Tornado Negro I & Cachorro Mendoza & Javier Llanes, Dr. Wagner Jr. & Gran Markus Jr. & Gladiador Jr. b Los Brazos-DQ

3/3 Blackburn, England (WWF - 3,900): Sparky Plugg b Brooklyn Brawler, Diesel b Virgil, Earthquake b Adam Bomb, Tatanka b Kwang, Jeff Jarrett b Rick Martel, Randy Savage b Crush, Alundra Blayze b Leilani Kai, IC title: Razor Ramon b Shawn Michaels

3/3 Pachuca (AAA - 15,000 sellout): Zafiro & Diamante & Brillante b Terremoto & Maremoto & Hecatombe, Rey Misterio Jr. & Winners & Love Warrior Super Calo b Angel Mortal & Mr. Condor & Gallego-DQ ****, Los Payasos d Tinieblas Jr. & Latin Lover & El Mexicano **1/2, Konnan El Barbaro & Octagon & Mascara Sagrada b Black Cat & Mascara Ano 2000 & Universo 2000 **

3/4 Arena Mexico in Mexico City (EMLL): Felinito & Damiancito el Guerrero b Bronceito & Aguilita Solitaria, Panico & Tornado Negro I & Guerrero de la Muerte b Chicago Express & El Filoso & Metalico, Mascara Magica & Justiciero & Americo Rocca b Kahos I & Cadaver de Ultratumba & Espectro Jr.-DQ, Mocho Cota & Negro Casas & Sangre Chicana b Ultimo Dragon & Ringo Mendoza & Silver King, La Fiera & Rayo de Jalisco Jr. & King Haku b Emilio Charles Jr. & Mano Negra & Black Magic

3/4 Fort Oglethorpe, GA (TWA): Tim Strong b Jamie Strong, Tracy Black & Billy Montana b Gene Spurlock & Dark Knight #2, Max Von Hess b Richie Dye, Roger Sartain b Joel Travis, Big Tiny & Ken Arden b Bubba Humphrey & Woody Woodchuck, C.M. Quick & Fly Guy b Sam Colt & Keith Hart

3/5 Cuautla (AAA): Centurions I & II b Espeulas de Oro I & II, La Briosa & Neftali b La Rosa & Vicky Carranza, Misterioso & Love Warrior Super Calo & Solar d Angel Azteca & Winners & Volador ***1/2, Pirata Morgan & Fuerza Guerrera & Blue Panther b El Hijo del Santo & Tiger Mask & Tinieblas Jr.-DQ ***, Jerry Estrada & La Parka & Fishman b Perro Aguayo & Heavy Metal & Latin Lover ****

3/5 Inman, SC (Pro Wrestling Federation - 75): Randy Sledge b Russian Assassin, Chief Black Eagle b The Executioner, Texas Outlaw b Scott Powers, George South b American Ninja, Star Ryder & Italian Stallion b Terry Austin & Austin Steele-DQ, Black Eagle won Battle Royal

3/6 El Toreo in Naucalpan (UWA - 3,500): Teutones I & II & Titere b Oriental & Seminarista & Dragon Chino, Ruben Juarez Jr. & Celestial & ? b Gran Sheik (Arias Romero) & Zandokan II & Bucanero Jr., El Texano & Negro Navarro & Shu el Guerrero b Yamato (Kim Duk) & Villano III & Scorpio Jr., Canek & Halcon Dorado Jr. & El Monarca b The Killer & Andy Barrow & Enrique Vera, WWF lt hwt title: El Signo b Crypt Keeper (Jose Estrada Jr.)

3/6 Watham, MA (USWF - 781): Tony Roy b Perry Saturn-DQ, Bulldozer b Mad Dog Richard, Little Louie & Jamie West b Mighty Herc & Brittany Brown, Richard Byrne b Mike Sharpe, Terra Ryzing DCOR Rio Lord of Jungle

3/10 Morristown, NJ (East Coast Pro Wrestling): Jacknife Johnny b Metal Head, Spanish Fly b Dennis Knight, Fly b Vinnie Powers, Devon Storm d Kodiak Bear, Gino Caruso b Powerhouse Chuck, Flyboy b Inferno Kid, Rocky Jones b Storm

3/11 Munford, TN (USWA): The Spellbinder b Ron McClarity, Billy Travis DCOR Ken Wayne, Wolfie D b J.C. Ice, Jerry Lawler & Brian Christopher b Moondogs-DQ

3/11 Union, SC (Big Time Wrestling - 225): Tommy Welker & Chris Hammer (Chris Hamrick) DCOR Bruiser Brothers, Nighttrain Jones (Joe Thomas) b Bad Dog, The Crusader b Billy Ray Badd-DQ, Jay Eagle & Johnny Red Cloud DCOR Scotty Piper & Bo Dalton, The Assassin b Super Rocker

3/11 Fort Oglethorpe, GA (TWA): Widow Maker b Danny D, Richie Dye b Kurt Von Himmler, Woody Woodchuck b Sam Colt, Roger Sartain b Joel Travis, Big Tiny & Ken Arden b Billy Montana & Johnny Blaze, C.M. Quick & Fly Guy & Randy Steel b Sam Colt & Keith Hart & Kurt Von Himmler

3/12 Mount Holly, NC (Championship Wrestling Alliance - 135): Magnificent Marshall & Gentleman James b Don Nie & Billy Diamond, The Lumberjack b Texas Ranger, Emilio Ulacia DCOR Rebel Stud, The Sawyer Brothers DDQ Barry Rose & The Breeze, Jay Eagle b Chris Hamrick, D.L. Cool & The Eliminator b Rattlesnake Westbrook & Mad Dog Malone-DQ, Funktown Kid b Blond Sweetheart

3/14 Memphis (USWA - 1,400): King Cobra b Leon Downs, Skull Von Crush b Jeff Gaylord, Loser leaves town: J.C. Ice b Wolfie D, USWA tag title: Moondogs b Spellbinder & Billy Travis, Robert Gibson b Koko Ware-DQ, Jerry Lawler b Tommy Rich-DQ, Unified title vs. USWA title: Eddie Gilbert b Brian Christopher to win USWA title, Rage in a cage: Lawler & Christopher & Dream Machine (Troy Graham) b Gilberts & Rich

3/14 Greenville, SC (J.B. Promotions - 700/heavily papered): Johnny Wild b T.W. Steel, Max Miles b Panhead Nelson, Randy Mulkey b Matt James, Davis Isley b The Assassin (Ken Timbs), Steve Carlton (yeah, right, next thing you know some baseball player will call themselves Greg Gagne) & J.W. Steele b Jason Ultima & Rick Michaels, Greg Valentine & Original Masked Undertaker b Rock Rowland & Billy Starr

3/14 Tampa (Florida Wrestling Alliance): Surgeon General #2 b Billy Mack, Frankie Rose b Red Devil, Surgeon General #1 b Randy Fuller, Manny Fernandez b Bill Pain-DQ, Haystacks Calhoun Jr. b The Executioner, Armed Forces b Rick Thames & Sonny T

3/15 Funabashi (New Japan - 2,200 sellout): Yuji Nagata b Tokimitsu Ishizawa, Manabu Nakanishi b Tadao Yasuda, Akitoshi Saito b Satoshi Kojima, Great Kabuki b El Samurai, The Barbarian & Hercules Fernandez & Scott Norton b Osamu Kido & Shinya Hashimoto & Riki Choshu, Jushin Liger & Masa Chono b Killer Bee & Black Tiger, Michiyoshi Ohara & Tatsutoshi Goto & Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura b Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka & Hiroshi Hase & Tatsumi Fujinami 21:46

3/15 Albany, KY (SMW - 450): Thrillseekers (Lance Storm & Chris Jericho) b Infernos (Brian Keyes & Anthony Michaels), Ladder match: Tracy Smothers b Chris Candido, Handicap match: Tim Horner b Dick Murdoch & Jim Cornette, Dirty White Boy & Dirty White Girl b Brian Lee & Tammy Fytch, SMW tag title: Rock & Roll Express b Heavenly Bodies-DQ

3/15 Tampa (IPWA): A.J. Andrews DCOR Jammin Johnny, Mike Haynor b White Shadow, Manny Fernandez b Luis Morales, Haystacks Calhoun Jr. b The Assassin, Vern Henderson b Jeff Bradley, Handicap match: Rick Thames & Sonny T b Randy Fuller

3/16 Tokyo Gymnasium (New Japan - 9,200): Nobukazu Hirai b Tokimitsu Ishizawa, Manabu Nakanishi b Yuji Nagata, Michiyoshi Ohara & Great Kabuki b Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka, Jushin Liger & El Samurai b Killer Bee (Brian Blair) & Black Tiger (Eddy Guerrero), Scott Norton b Power Warrior, Shinya Hashimoto b The Barbarian, Masa Chono & Osamu Kido b Antonio Inoki & Tadao Yasuda-DQ, Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami & Yoshiaki Fujiwara b Tatsutoshi Goto & Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura, WCW Intl title: Hiroshi Hase b Rick Rude to win title

3/16 Munich, Germany (WCW): Paul Roma b Alex Wright, Ron Simmons & Steve Austin b Marcus Bagwell & Too Cold Scorpio, Frank Anderson b Harlem Heat Koal, Maxx Payne b Harlem Heat Kane, Johnny B. Badd b Paul Orndorff, Sting & Rick Steamboat b Ric Flair & Steve Regal, Vader b Cactus Jack

3/16 Evansville, IN (USWA - 400): Danny Davis b Leon Downs, USWA tag title: Moondogs b Spellbinder & Jeff Gaylord, Tommy Rich b Billy Travis, Taped fist match for USWA title: Brian Christopher b Doug Gilbert, Coward waves the flag for Unified title: Eddie Gilbert b Jerry Lawler, Lawler & Christopher & Davis & Travis b Gilberts & Rich & Skull Von Crush

3/16 Kushiro (FMW - 3,310 sellout): Tetsuhiro Kuroda d Masato Tanaka, Battle Ranger b Damien, Big Titan b Sabu, Combat Toyoda & Crusher Maedomari & Shark Tsuchiya & Tsuppari Mack b Megumi Kudo & Miwa Sato & Yukie Nabeno & Keiko Iwame, The Sheik b Masaru Toi, Tarzan Goto & Mr. Gannosuke b The Gladiator & Ricky Fuji, No rope barbed wire street fight tornado death match: Atsushi Onita & Sambo Asako & Katsutoshi Niiyama b Mr. Pogo & Goro Tsurumi & Hideki Hosaka

3/16 Gifu (All Japan women - 2,380): Kumiko Maekawa b Rie Tamada, Chikako Shiratori b Chapparita Asari, Aja Kong & Sakie Hasegawa b Kyoko Inoue & Tomoko Watanabe, Manami Toyota b Kaoru Ito, Bull Nakano & Yumiko Hotta b Toshiyo Yamada & Takako Inoue

3/16 Portage La Prairie, Manitoba (River City Wrestling): Sluggo Smith d Robby Royce, Jason the Terrible b The Outpatient, Crybaby Levinsky b Vance Nevada, Jason's Outlaws b Levinsky's Machine

3/17 Hof, Germany (WCW): Too Cold Scorpio & Marcus Bagwell b Harlem Heat, Frank Anderson b Alex Wright, Steve Austin b Johnny B. Badd, Vader b Maxx Payne, Sting & Rick Steamboat b Paul Orndorff & Paul Roma

3/17 Sapporo Nakajima Gym (FMW - 4,860): Gosaku Goshagawara b Mr. Chin, Battle Ranger & Masato Tanaka b Tetsuhiro Kuroda & Goshagawara, Sabu & Damian b Masaru Toi & Hideki Hosaka, The Sheik NC Goro Tsurumi, Combat Toyoda & Shark Tsuchiya & Crusher Maedomari b Miwa Sato & Yukie Nabeno & Megumi Kudo, Big Titan & The Gladiator & Ricky Fuji b Sambo Asako & Mr. Gannosuke & Katsutoshi Niiyama, Tarzan Goto b Mitsuhiro Matsunaga, WWA Brass Knux title: Mr. Pogo b Atsushi Onita

3/17 Hyden, KY (SMW - 200): Thrillseekers b Well Dunn, Ladder match: Tracy Smothers b Chris Candido, Handicap match: Bob Armstrong b Dick Murdoch & Jim Cornette, Dirty White Boy & Dirty White Girl b Brian Lee & Tammy Fytch, SMW tag title: Rock & Roll Express b Heavenly Bodies-DQ

3/17 Mie (All Japan women - 1,100): Rie Tamada b Chikako Shiratori, Chapparita Asari b Kumiko Maekawa, Bull Nakano & Yumiko Hotta b Kyoko Inoue & Toshiyo Yamada, Takako Inoue b Tomoko Watanabe, Aja Kong & Sakie Hasegawa b Manami Toyota & Kaoru Ito 20:18

3/17 Plant City, FL (Plant City Wrestling Federation): Jerry Flynn b Luscious Luke, Chubby Mo Cool b Hit Man, Vern Henderson b Butch Long, Ned Brady b Cody Wade, Cuban Assassin b Odessa Slim, Rick Thames & Sonny T NC Randy Fuller & Jimmy Watts

3/17 Winnipeg (River City Wrestling): Dean Ducharme b Todd Bullet, Constable Kane & Caveman Broda & Vance Nevada b The Outpatient & Dakota Moondog & Pink Panther, Brian Jewel & Jason the Terrible DDQ Stan Saxon & Dark Jason, Sluggo Smith b Bobby Jay, Sgt. Steele b Robby Royce

3/17 La Puente, CA (International American Wrestling - 115): Fisico Nuclear b Vandal Drummond, Thunder Machine b Kimera, Dinamico Jr. b Poison, Rick Sadist & G.Q. Gregory b Prime Time Peterson & Super Storm, Mercurio & Chamaco Rebelde b Capitan Oro & Super Boy, Larry Ludden DCOR Mr. Outrageous

3/17 Shelbyville, TN (All-State Pro Wrestling): Boogie Woogie Boy b Rex Rider, Big Bubba b Blackie West-DQ, Tiny b Bongo Cool, Gypsy Joe b Chris Kerns, Billy Montana & Ken Arden b Ben Mullins & Glen Mullins

3/18 Frankfurt, Germany (WCW): Too Cold Scorpio & Marcus Bagwell b Harlem Heat, Steve Regal b Johnny B. Badd, Ric Flair & Rick Steamboat b Paul Orndorff & Paul Roma, Vader b Maxx Payne, Sting b Steve Austin

3/18 Hamamatsu (WCW - 3,470 sellout): Tokimitsu Ishizawa b Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Osamu Kido b El Samurai, Satoshi Kojima b Shinjiro Ohtani, Great Kabuki b Yuji Nagata, Takayuki Iizuka & Akira Nogami b Michiyoshi Ohara & Tatsutoshi Goto, Akitoshi Saito & Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura b Tadao Yasuda & Manabu Nakanishi & Riki Choshu, Jushin Liger & Tatsumi Fujinami b Killer Bee & Black Tiger, Shinya Hashimoto & Hiroshi Hase & Masa Chono b Rick Rude & Scott Norton & Hercules Fernandez

3/18 Barbourville, KY (SMW - 625): Thrillseekers b Well Dunn, Ladder match: Tracy Smothers b Chris Candido, Handicap match: Bob Armstrong b Dick Murdoch & Jim Cornette, Dirty White Boy & Dirty White Girl b Brian Lee & Tammy Fytch, 60:00 marathon match for SMW tag title: Heavenly Bodies b Robert Gibson & Tim Horner

3/18 Indianapolis (Championship Wrestling America): Jerry Faith b Doug O'Briley, Lady Vendetta b Lisa Crockett, Mad Man Pondo b Dan Anderson, Sean Casey b Gigolo Joe, Bar Room Brawlers b O'Briley & Flash Flannagan, Flannagan b Mike Samples-DQ, Flannagan won Barbed wire Battle Royal

3/18 Dallas (GWF): John Hawk b Marc Valiant-COR, Rod Price b Scott Putski, Plowboy Wilbur b Sweet Daddy Falcone, GWF title: Chris Adams b Moadib-COR, Mike Davis b Iceman King Parsons-DQ, Country whipping match: Action Jackson b Francis Buxton-DQ, Awesome Kong & King Kong b Putski & Valiant-DQ, Price b Jeep Swenson-DQ

3/18 Scranton, PA (WWWA): Johnny Gunn b The Terminator, Jim Neidhart b King Kaluha, Irish Leprachuan b Mighty Doom, The Boss (Ray Traylor) b Jack Hammer-DQ, The Warlord b Abdullah the Butcher-DQ, Demolition Ax & Blast b Diamond Express-DQ, Road Warrior Hawk b Nailz-DQ

3/18 Yahaba (Michinoku Pro - 925): Wellington Wilkens Jr. b Naohiro Hoshikawa, Terry Boy b Masato Yakushiji, Gran Naniwa b Yone Genjin, Taka Michinoku b Shiryu, Super Delfin & Ginsei Shinzaki & Layo b Michinoku & Shu el Guerrero & Kazumichi Nakajima

3/18 Dolton, IL (Windy City Wrestling): Kevin Quinn b Jake Milliman, Christopher Daniels b Danny Dominion-DQ, Smith Brothers DDQ Texas Hangmen, Ken Erikson b Ike Andrews, K.C. Knight NC Mike Anthony (not USWA wrestler of same name), Koko Ware b Mike Samson-DQ, Knight & Anthony b Senji & Takayama

3/18 San Bernardino, CA (Golden State Wrestling Association - 100): Kid Chaos b Kimera, Thrashmaster DCOR The Renegade, Jason Redondo b Robbie Victory, Larry Ludden b Scott Cole-DQ, Redondo DCOR Jeff Bennett, Rick Sadist DDQ Eric Studd, Sadist won Battle Royal

3/18 Fort Oglethorpe, GA (TWA): Mike Collins & Dakota Outlaw b Billy Montana & Tracy Black, Richie Dye b Kurt Von Himmler-DQ, Widow Maker & Bubba Humphrey d Sam Colt & Keith Hart, Ken Timbs b Randy Steel, C.M. Quick & Fly Guy b Big Tiny & Ken Arden, Roger Sartain & Mad Jack b Joel Travis & Frankie Lee

3/19 Tokyo Korakuen Hall (All Japan - 2,100 sellout): Rusher Kimura & Mitsuo Momota b Haruka Eigen & Ryukaku Izumida, Johnny Ace b Tamon Honda, Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas b Mighty Inoue & Takao Omori, Giant Baba & Kenta Kobashi & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi b Akira Taue & Masa Fuchi & Yoshinari Ogawa 28:04, Steve Williams b The Eagle, Stan Hansen b John Nord, Toshiaki Kawada b Johnny Smith, Mitsuharu Misawa b Jun Akiyama

3/19 Wurzburg, Germany (WCW): Too Cold Scorpio & Marcus Bagwell b Harlem Heat, Non-title: Maxx Payne b Steve Regal, Steve Austin b Johnny B. Badd, Sting & Rick Steamboat b Paul Orndorff & Paul Roma, Non-title: Vader b Ric Flair

3/19 Yokohama Arena (RINGS - 8,156): Prelim results unavailable, Herman Renting b Todor Todorov, Dick Vrij b Bart Vail, Bitarze Tariel b Clemenchov, Volk Han b Georgi Gandelaki, Akira Maeda b Andrei Kopilov

3/19 Fukaya (New Japan - 1,800): Tatsuhito Takaiwa b Tokimitsu Ishizawa, Satoshi Kojima b Nobukazu Hirai, Yuji Nagata b Manabu Nakanishi, Kuniaki Kobayashi & Great Kabuki b Tadao Yasuda & El Samurai, Black Tiger & Killer Bee b Shinjiro Ohtani & Jushin Liger, Michyoshi Ohara & Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura b Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka & Masa Chono, Hiroshi Hase & Shinya Hashimoto b Akitoshi Saito & Tatsutoshi Goto, Scott Norton & Rick Rude & Hercules Fernandez b Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami & Osamu Kido

3/19 Harlan, KY (SMW - 450): Thrillseekers b Well Dunn, Ladder match: Tracy Smothers b Chris Candido, Handicap match: Tim Horner b Dick Murdoch & Jim Cornette, Dirty White Boy & Dirty White Girl b Brian Lee & Tammy Fytch, 60:00 marathon match for SMW tag title: Heavenly Bodies b Robert Gibson & Tracy Smothers

3/19 Miyagi (FMW - 2,088): Masato Tanaka b Tetsuhiro Kuroda, Sabu b Gosaku Goshagawara, Crusher Maedomari b Nurse Nakamura, The Sheik b Koji Nakagawa, Combat Toyoda & Shark Tsuchiya & Tsuppari Mack b Megumi Kudo & Miwa Sato & Yukie Nabeno, Goro Tsurumi b Damian, Mr. Pogo & Hideki Hosaka b Battle Ranger & Tarzan Goto, Street fight: Atsushi Onita & Sambo Asako & Katsutoshi Niiyama b Big Titan & The Gladiator & Ricky Fuji

3/19 Kasugai (All Japan women - 2,295): Prelim results unavailable, Kyoko Inoue b Kaoru Ito, Aja Kong & Yumiko Hotta b Suzuka Minami & Manami Toyota

3/19 Marumori (Michinoku Pro - 422): Wellington Wilkens Jr. b Naohiro Hoshikawa, Leopardo Negro b Masato Yakushiji, Terry Boy d Taka Michinoku, Shiryu b Gran Naniwa, Ginsei Shinzaki b Kazumichi Nakajima-COR, Great Sasuke & Shu el Guerrero b Yone Genjin & Super Delfin

3/19 Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico (WWC): Hurricane Castillo Jr. & Mohammad Hussein (Lou Fabbiano) b El Bronco #1 & Pulgarcito, Dutch Mantel NC Atkie Malumba (Ben Peacock aka Giant Kimala II), Pulgarcito b Tahitian Warrior (Lloyd Anoia), Jose Luis Rivera b El Exotico, Masked Butcher b Cyclone, Rey Gonzales b Greg Valentine, Carlitos Colon DDQ Abdullah the Butcher

3/19 Shenandoah, PA (Championship Wrestling America {not related inn any way to Indianapolis group of same name} - 1,650 sellout): Johnny Gunn won Battle Royal, Ray Odyssey b Abbuda Singh, The Spiders b Super Jocks, Irish Leprachuan b Little Doom, Tito Santana b Jim Neidhart, Gunn b Damien Demento, Doink the Clown (Steve Keirn) b Jerry Lawler-DQ

3/19 Andover, MA (Century Wrestling Alliance - 1,000): Kevin Sullivan & Tasmaniac DDQ Tommy Dreamer & Vic Steamboat, Misty Blue b Nasty Girl, The Trouble Makers (Double Trouble) b The Lazer & El Mascarado, Knuckles Nelson b Randy Starr, Tony Rumble b The Intern, Tony Atlas b Candy Man (Jerry Seevey), Honkytonk Man DDQ Vic Steamboat

3/19 Harvard, IL (Windy City Wrestling): Steve Bishop b Blake Bosworth, Jake Milliman b Ike Andrews, Christopher Daniels b Trevor Blanchard-DQ, Kevin Quinn b Mike Anthony, Manson Brothers DDQ Senji & Takayama, Wrecking Crew (not former WCW team) & Haystacks Ross b Texas Hangmen & J.R., Koko Ware b Mike Samson-DQ

3/19 Auburndale, FL (UCWA - 250): Odell Scaggs b Dirty Dave, Sensual b Mystique, Tommy Wright b Rick Ryder, Vern Henderson b Ned Brady-DQ, Lanny Poffo & Kevin Katlyn b Motor City Bad Boys-DQ, Rocky Johnson DCOR Buddy Valentine

3/19 Shelbyville, TN (All-State Pro Wrestling): Rex Rider b Bongo Cool, Big Bubba b Blackie West, Candi Divine b Robbie Rage, Gypsy Joe b Tiny-DQ, Big Bono b Rex Rider, Billy Montana & Ken Arden b Ben Mullins & Glen Mullins

3/20 Hamburg, Germany (WCW): Too Cold Scorpio & Marcus Bagwell b Paul Orndorff & Paul Roma **1/2, Non-title: Rick Steamboat b Steve Regal 29:28 **1/2, Johnny B. Badd & Maxx Payne b Harlem Heat *1/2, Non-title: Ric Flair b Steve Austin **1/2, European hwt title tournament final: Sting b Vader to become first champion ***1/2

3/20 Tokyo Korakuen Hall (All Japan - 2,100 sellout): Masao Inoue d Tamon Honda, Tsuyoshi Kikuchi & Satoru Asako b Kentaro Shiga & Mighty Inoue, Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura b Ryukaku Izumida & Haruka Eigen, John Nord b The Eagle, Akira Taue b Doug Furnas, Kenta Kobashi b Johnny Ace 21:22, Stan Hansen & Takao Omori b Mitsuharu Misawa & Jun Akiyama, Steve Williams & Dan Kroffat & Johnny Smith b Toshiaki Kawada & Masa Fuchi & Yoshinari Ogawa

3/20 Tokyo Korakuen Hall (New Japan - 2,100 sellout): Yuki Ishikawa & Tokimitsu Ishizawa b Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Shinjiro Ohtani, Satoshi Kojima b Yuji Nagata, Great Kabuki & Michiyoshi Ohara & Kuniaki Kobayashi b Manabu Nakanishi & Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka, Black Tiger b El Samurai, The Barbarian & Power Warrior b Hercules Fernandez & Scott Norton, Jushin Liger & Hiroshi Hase b Killer Bee & Rick Rude, Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami b Kengo Kimura & Tatsutoshi Goto, Masa Chono & Shinya Hashimoto b Akitoshi Saito & Shiro Koshinaka

3/20 Shiraishi (FMW): Gosaku Goshagawara b Mr. Chin, Masato Tanaka b Tetsuhiro Kuroda, Battle Ranger b Damien, The Sheik & Sabu DDQ Big Titan & The Gladiator, Combat Toyoda & Crusher Maedomari & Shark Tsuchiya & Tsuppari Mack b Megumi Kudo & Miwa Sato & Yukie Nabeno & Keiko Iwame, Tarzan Goto b Ricky Fuji, No rope barbed wire street fight tornado death match: Atsushi Onita & Sambo Asako & Katsutoshi Niiyama b Mr. Pogo & Goro Tsurumi & Hideki Hosaka 21:02

3/20 Kita (All Japan women): Chapparita Asari d Rie Tamada, Kaoru Ito b Tomoko Watanabe, Bull Nakano & Sakie Hasegawa b Suzuka Minami & Takako Inoue, Manami Toyota b Mima Shimoda, Yumiko Hotta & Aja Kong b Toshiyo Yamada & Kyoko Inoue

3/20 Akita (JWP): Prelim results unavailable, Mayumi Ozaki b Yagi, Plum Mariko & Devil Masami b Hikari Fukuoka & Cutie Suzuki

3/20 Hiraga (Michinoku Pro): Terry Boy b Naohiro Hoshikawa, Shiryu b Masato Yakushiji, Kazumichi Nakajima & Wellington Wilkens Jr. b Leopardo Negro & Yone Genjin, Ginsei Shinzaki b Taka Michinoku, Great Sasuke & Shu el Guerrero b Super Delfin & Gran Naniwa

3/21 Nagoya (New Japan - 11,000 sellout): Satoshi Kojima b Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Manabu Nakanishi b Nobukazu Hirai, Osamu Kido & Tadao Yasuda b Yuji Nagata & Shinjiro Ohtani, Akira Nogami & Takayuki Iizuka b The Barbarian & Killer Bee, Hiro Saito & Yoshiaki Yatsu b Kuniaki Kobayashi & Akitoshi Saito, Rick Rude b Masa Chono, Power Warrior b Hercules Fernandez, IWGP jr. title: Jushin Liger b Black Tiger, 2/3 falls: Michiyoshi Ohara & Tatsutoshi Goto & Great Kabuki & Shiro Koshinaka & Kengo Kimura b Hiroshi Hase & Keiji Muto & Yoshiaki Fujiwara & Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami, IWGP hwt title: Shinya Hashimoto b Scott Norton

3/21 Poughkeepsie, NY (WWF Monday Night Raw tapings): Razor Ramon b Diesel-DQ, Lex Luger b Rick Martel, Owen Hart b Mark Kruger, 1-2-3 Kid b Black Phantom (David Heath), Crush b Ray Hudson, Earthquake b Adam Bomb, Ramon b Austin Steele, IRS & Jeff Jarrett & Head Shrinkers & Rick Martel b 1-2-3 Kid & Sparky Plugg & Tatanka & Smoking Gunns, Luger b Bam Bam Bigelow, Yokozuna DCOR Earthquake, Quebecers b Bushwhackers, Tatanka b Chris Hamrick, Diesel b Antonio Lisea, Jarrett b Koko Ware, Owen Hart b ?

3/21 Yamato (All Japan - 1,800): John Nord b Tamon Honda, Johnny Ace b Johnny Smith, Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura & Mitsuo Momota b Masa Fuchi & Haruka Eigen & Ryukaku Izumida 24:46, Steve Williams & Dan Kroffat b Yoshinari Ogawa & Mighty Inoue, Stan Hansen b The Eagle, Mitsuharu Misawa b Doug Furnas, Kenta Kobashi & Jun Akiyama & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi b Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue & Takao Omori 23:00

3/21 Tokyo Korakuen Hall (All Japan women - 1,950): Rie Tamada b Chikako Shiratori, Kaoru Ito b Tomoko Watanabe, Suzuka Minami & Chapparita Asari b Mima Shimoda & Etsuko Mita, Manami Toyota b Takako Inoue, Yumiko Hotta b Sakie Hasegawa, Aja Kong & Bull Nakano b Kyoko Inoue & Toshiyo Yamada 21:59

Special thanks to: Jeff Osborne, Shannon Rose, Dave Pinsky, Richard Lannon, Thorsten Sackmann, Steve "Dr. Lucha" Sims, Jason Meier, Matthew Cail, Karin Moore, Mad Jack, Dan Parris, Ric Gillespie, Rich Palladino, Peter Schaar, Buddy Lamantia, Jason Peters, Brian Hildebrand, Tony Freidman, Kurt Brown, Buddy Phillips, Matt Lansley

JAPANESE TELEVISION RUNDOWN

2/19 JWP: 1. Hikari Fukuoka pinned Cutie Suzuki in 21:10 with a dropkick off the top rope and moonsault. Nice moves back-and-forth. Highlight was Fukuoka missing a plancha off the top rope to the floor and crashing on the floor. ***1/4; 2. Chigusa Nagayo made Plum Mariko submit to the sleeper in 22:40. Mariko jumped Nagayo at the bell and Nagayo bled from the first minute. Although the women fans were solidly behind Nagayo, the male fans who have no loyalty to her legendary status because they weren't fans in that era, were booing her since she worked as a heel. Mainly submissions by Nagayo and good mat wrestling. Match was totally carried by Nagayo and had great psychology and heat, but no spectacular moves. ***3/4; 3. Dynamite Kansai & Mayumi Ozaki beat Devil Masami & Candy Okutsu in 25:54. The match started out okay but slowed until about the 15:00 mark. At that point it got really good with a lot of near falls. Highlight was Masami legdropping both her foes off the top rope simultaneously on two different occasions but them kicking out at two each time. Masami kept getting near falls on both. When Okutsu tagged in at 25:00, you could sense everyone in the crowd knew they were going to the finish. Masami went to suplex her partner onto Kansai, who got her knees up and quickly rolled over and pinned Okutsu. ***1/2

2/23 ALL JAPAN WOMEN: 1. Suzuka Minami & Chikako Shiratori & Kumiko Maekawa beat Etsuko Mita & Tomoko Watanabe & Rie Tamada. It was Maekawa and Tamada's television debut and they looked green. Shiratori is beginning to show that she's got a little potential. All action with a lot of near falls, but the younger girls didn't know how to work to get heat. Minami and Mita carried it well enough that it was good. Minami surprisingly pinned Mita after a dropkick off the top rope. **1/2; 2. Takako Inoue pinned Mima Shimoda after a flying knee to the back off the top. Both worked hard and did a lot of near falls with suplexes but not much heat. After the match, Cutie Suzuki came to ringside and challenged both women. When Takako accepted and went to shake her hands, Suzuki slapped her hand away to set up a major show match soon. **3/4; 3. Aja Kong & Bull Nakano beat Sakie Hasegawa & Kaoru Ito in 22:31 when Nakano pinned Hasegawa after a legdrop off the top rope. Kong & Nakano sold a lot to make the match better than it would sound on paper because of the size difference between the two teams. Because of that, it was a tremendous match. ****; 4. In a non-title match, Yumiko Hotta & Kyoko Inoue beat Manami Toyota & Toshiyo Yamada in 22:02. Match was super from start to finish. At one point Kyoko did 26 reps in the giant swing on Toyota. Awesome spot as Toyota was running across the ring to do a tope and just as she went through the ropes, Hotta kicked her in the chest. Toyota later did an Eddy Guerrero tope. Yamada did a plancha off the top rope onto Kyoko, who moved and wiped out her teammate. Finally Hotta pinned Toyota after a power bomb. ****1/2

2/26 NEW JAPAN: 1. Choshu & Fujinami & Chono & Kido & Hase beat Koshinaka & Kimura & Kabuki & Goto & Ohara in a best-of-three fall six man tag match that went nearly 30:00. Only highlights of the first 25:00 aired on television. Hase did a 29-rep giant swing. Koshinaka pinned Choshu with a german suplex to win the first fall. Chono made Ohara submit to the STF in the second. Fujinami made Goto submit to the scorpion in the third. What aired on television was excellent largely due to Hase who was in most of the way and carried the match for his team; 2. Steiners beat Liger & Power in 13:05. A super match. Scott suplexed Liger all over the place early. Liger made a comeback with a rana and a plancha off the top rope to the floor. Scott came back with an overhead belly-to-belly and put Liger in the STF. Power tagged in and did a Road Warrior no-sell spot on a piledriver by Rick. Liger tagged in and got suplexed all over the place by Scott again. The Japanese did a dangerous double-team move when Power had Rick on the floor and lifted him up for a back suplex, and Liger came off the top rope to the floor with a flying clothesline for a double-team move on the suplex. Liger got several near falls on Rick, and then Power got Rick in the Power special submission but Scott made the save. The Steiners came back and Rick gave Liger a belly-to-belly superplex but he kicked out, and Scott gave Liger a DDT off the top rope and he kicked out again. Power started clotheslining the Steiners all over. Finish came with Power having Rick on his shoulders and Liger coming off the top with a cross-body, but Rick turned it into a powerslam for the pin. I've seen Rick do that move many times in the U.S. but this was the best I've seen it executed. ****1/4; 3. Hashimoto pinned Tenryu in 15:04. Although this wasn't billed for the IWGP title, Hashimoto before the match said that if Tenryu could beat him, he'd give him the belt. A lot of matwork early but these guys worked even stiffer than you'd imagine. Hashimoto got yet another bloody nose. Match was intense, with great psychology and great heat. Tenryu kicked out of Hashimoto's finisher running DDT and Hashimoto kicked out of Tenryu's finisher the power bomb. Hashimoto finally won after a belly-to-belly, enzuigiri and a second running DDT. The place went nuts seeing the new generation wrestler beat the legend. ****

2/27 ALL JAPAN: 1. Takao Omori pinned Johnny Gunn with a german suplex. Decent pacing but no heat at all. *; 2. Kawada & Taue beat Patriot & Eagle when Kawada made Eagle submit to an abdominal stretch. The work was very good but again the lack of crowd heat made the match seem nothing special. **1/2; 3. Misawa & Kobashi & Akiyama beat Hansen & Nord & Rob Van Dam in 18:00 when Kobashi pinned Van Dam after a power bomb and jacknife pin. Van Dam has improved a lot from when he first came to New Japan. Nord is still clumsy but is aalso getting better. It was a good match but not nearly the level of a usual All Japan main event. ***

3/5 NEW JAPAN: 1. Hase made Tadao Yasuda submit to a short arm scissors in 10:26. This was Yasuda's pro debut and he was super green. Yasuda, 30 years old, about 6-4, 280, was a former decent level sumo, but from his debut, he didn't show any potential but will get a push because he's somewhat famous from sumo and has size. Hase was his trainer, but even so, he showed nothing nor have a hint of having any real potential, almost like a younger Wajima. Hase was so great at wet-nursing him through the match that he exemplified why he's one of the best in the world and made the match also. *1/4; 2. Yoshiaki Yatsu & Hiro Saito & Norio Honaga beat Koshinaka & Kabuki & Ohara when Yatsu pinned Ohara with a bulldog headlock. Only the end aired and it looked good. Yatsu looked fine in his first match with New Japan in almost ten years although he's nothing like he was years ago when he was in the top five in the world; 3. Hashimoto pinned Liger in a battle of world heavyweight champ vs. junior heavyweight champ in 23:08, after a brainbuster. Liger wore a new ring costume without a top and with only a face-mask. He didn't do any flying and the match was mainly matwork and stiff blows. Liger kept working on Hashimoto's knees, and since he was the underdog, had the advantage almost the entire match. Liger got several near falls including a DDT off the top rope, a Frankensteiner off the top, a german suplex and a dropkick off the top. The place went nuts when Hashimoto kicked out of the Frankensteiner off the top. Finally Hashimoto cut him off with an ipponzei (judo hiplock) and stiff kicked him until the finish. ***1/2

3/6 ALL JAPAN: 1. Misawa & Kobashi beat Hansen & Baba in 35:51. This match, complete with the pre-match hype, post-match drama and interviews took up the entire television show. The first 20:00 was just okay. Baba was over like crazy in the match and his presence was responsible for the heat and interest, but you really have to suspend disbelief watching him even though he works about as good as you can expect from a 56-year-old man with no physical credibility. The last 10:00 was great with a lot of near falls, including Kobashi kicking out of a Baba piledriver, Kobashi getting his foot on the rope at the last second ala Flair after a Hansen lariat. The place went nuts at the 30:00 and 35:00 call, as if the match going that long with Baba involved all by itself is something to cheer about. Place went nuts when Baba kicked out of Kobashi's moonsault, but finally Misawa pinned Baba after a flying clothesline off the top rope. Fans chanted like crazy for Misawa since he won, but the biggest reaction after was for Baba as a sympathetic older man who had done his best against men who are not only young enough to be his kids but in many ways are almost considered as his kids. ****1/4

UWA

The only major news is that Scorpio Jr. turned babyface on 3/6 when he returned from Japan, feuding with long-time partner Shu el Guerrero. It started in a heel vs. heel trios match, however all the heels turned on Scorpio, making him a face.

Things should be slow for the next month as El Toreo is booked because of the upcoming national elections on Sundays from 3/20 through 4/10, so the next show won't be on 4/17.

EMLL

Negro Casas turned babyface on 3/4 at Arena Mexico and is feuding with Mocho Cota. After a trios match where they teamed with Sangre Chicana against Ultimo Dragon & Silver King & Ringo Mendoza, the two split up and brawled for 20 minutes all over the building before the other wrestlers pulled them apart.

ALL JAPAN

The annual Champion Carnival singles tournament started 3/19 at Korakuen Hall with no surprises as Steve Williams beat The Eagle, Stan Hansen pinned John Nord, Toshiaki Kawada pinned Johnny Smith (sub for Dan Spivey who canceled the tour due to an injury) and Mitsuharu Misawa pinned Jun Akiyama. The 3/20 tourney results saw Nord beat Eagle, Akira Taue pinned Doug Furnas and Kenta Kobashi pinned Johnny Ace while on 3/21, Hansen pinned Eagle and Misawa made Furnas submit.

It's evident plenty of folks are paying attention to the rapid improvement in Takao Omori, as on the 3/20 Korakuen Hall show he teamed with Hansen to beat Misawa & Akiyama.

The 3/13 television show did a strong 3.7 rating, although they've got only two more weeks to get numbers like that before the time slot kills any real chance to draw much above a 1.0.

NEW JAPAN

The 3/21 Nagoya show drew a sellout 11,000 as both singles champs retained their crowns as Shinya Hashimoto pinned Scott Norton in 18:55 with a running DDT and Jushin Liger pinned Black Tiger in 16:14 in a Frankensteiner in what was reported as a great match. In a rematch of their NWA tournament final in Tokyo in 1992 and their horrible match in Philadelphia later that year, Rick Rude pinned Masa Chono.

The annual Young Lions tournament looks like it'll come down to Manabu Nakanishi vs. Satoshi Kojima. Kojima has already clinched a spot in the finals.

Keiji Muto had his first match since the Tokyo Dome and subsequent knee surgery in Nagoya but was pinned in the third fall by Shiro Koshinaka in a New Japan vs. Skinheads ten-man tag match.

Antonio Inoki worked on 3/16 at the Tokyo Gymnasium in a tag match with a rare DQ finish teaming with rookie Tadao Yasuda to lose to Masa Chono & Osamu Kido when referee Masao Hattori ruled Inoki's chokehold illegal and disqualified him when he refused to stop choking Chono. The gimmick they are using is that in a martial arts rules match which Inoki is billed as the specialist in, choking is legal. Apparently this was done to set up an Inoki vs. Chono match as well for 1994.

3/12 television show did a 5.1 rating.

OTHER JAPAN NOTES

Akira Maeda drew a "poor" crowd of 8,156 to the Yokohama Arena on 3/19 as he beat Andrei Kopilov in the main event which shows just how much his drawing power has dropped.

Sensing the problem Maeda two days later put together a deal to bring 1992 Olympic gold medalist in judo at 209 pounds, 23-year-old Tabil Haharashivili (not certain of spelling) to be his opponent on the 4/23 card in Hiroshima as a fresh new martial arts superstar.

It appears Pancrase will have a 5/31 Budokan Hall show with Minoru Suzuki vs. World heavyweight kick boxing champ Maurice Smith and Masakatsu Funaki vs. Wayne Shamrock as the double main event.

Ryuma Go's latest promotion called Championship Wrestling Japan has shows 3/23 to 3/26 using Jesse Barr, Bruiser Brian Cox, Red October (C.W. Bergstrom) and Lou Andrews from Oregon as his foreign talent.

FMW ran a big show in Sapporo on 3/17 with Mr. Pogo retaining the WWA Brass Knux title pinned Atsushi Onita after three piledrivers and Mitsuhiro Matsunaga made his return after being out since 12/8 after major knee surgery but lost to Tarzan Goto.

Perhaps because the company has run too many shows at Korakuen Hall. Perhaps because it was just six days before the Yokohama Arena big show. Perhaps because the card was on a Monday night. Perhaps it is what everyone predicted would have to happen sooner or later in that Korakuen Hall can't keep being an automatic sellout building with so many shows running each week, since the day before both All Japan and New Japan ran shows in the Hall. Whatever the reason, All Japan women failed to sellout Korakuen Hall on 3/21, the building they usually sell hundreds of standing room to every time they have a show, for the first time in years, doing maybe 100 tickets shy of capacity for a nothing card headlined by Aja Kong & Bull Nakano vs. Toshiyo Yamada & Kyoko Inoue.

Mil Mascaras & Dos Caras will team up for the first time in Japan in more than ten years on the late April WAR tour. The next tour which starts this week will have King Haku, Corazon de Leon and Norman Smiley (EMLL's Black Magic) as foreigners.

Two Japanese wrestlers, who I believe were WAR's Gedo & Jado, worked over the weekend as Senji and Takayama for Windy City Wrestling.

USWA

The gate on 3/14 held up to $8,800 coming off the big show the previous week. The headliner was a Rage in the Cage with Jerry Lawler & Brian Christopher & Dream Machine vs. Eddie & Doug Gilbert & Tommy Rich ended with the faces winning, but after the match Skull Von Crush interfered and got the key to the handcuffs and gave it to Eddie Gilbert, who locked up Lawler and unlocked the heels and Lawler took a major pounding. Lawler is missing the 3/21 show, largely because he's scheduled for WWF voice-overs that morning (syndicated shows airing this weekend are being done in the early a.m. on 3/21 so they can talk about Mania instead of being done in advance as is the usual case).

Also in the Rage in the Cage, Rich attacked TV announcer Cory Macklin, who did the show on 3/19 with his arm in a sling.

Eddie Gilbert beat Christopher on 3/14 in a match to unify both the USWA and Unified titles. However on 3/19 television, Christopher challenged Eddie just for the USWA belt and put up his '93 Blazer. The match was said to be okay. After a ref bump, Doug Gilbert came in with a chain but when Christopher ducked, hit Eddie. Doug then KO'd Christopher. Eddie tried a bulldog on the floor but Christopher shoved him off into the post and jumped into the ring to beat the count, and under this week's Memphis rules, the title can change hands via count out.

They aired a clip from 3/18 in Middleton, TN where The Moondogs destroyed Billy Travis. During a Dogs squash, Travis & Don Bass came out swinging guitars at the Dogs and Spot juiced hardway. Travis in his interview said he went out to find a partner who could swing a guitar as well as he could.

They set up a feud with Von Crush vs. Dream Machine when Von Crush did an interview and said he'd never heard of Machine. Machine came out and slapped him in the face.

Vince McMahon did his weekly heel interview saying Memphians sounds like Amphibians and compared the fans to reptiles I guess. McMahon said that Lawler would be afraid to come to Wrestlemania and that the reason Lawler wasn't going to be on the 3/21 card is because he was afraid of the Steiners being there.

3/21 show is headlined by a Moondog Battle Royal, which is under Royal Rumble rules and each man as they enter can bring a 2x4 into the ring and use it. The last two men left then are each given garbage cans to pound on each other. In other bouts, Christopher & Steiners face Gilberts & Rich, Moondogs defend the tag titles against Bass & Travis, Rock & Roll Express vs. Well Dunn with the winners facing Moondogs, Machine vs. Von Crush, Ronnie Lottz vs. Bert Prentice and prelims.

In Evansville on 3/16, Eddie Gilbert slapped the ring announcer who bled from the mouth. That show drew more than double the usual weekly crowd with 400 fans attending, largely due to the Rock & Roll Express billed to appear, but were disappointed when both no-showed (they were working for SMW that night).

SMW

Just a regular weekend with no major shows, however Bob Armstrong was ill for part of the weekend and was replaced by Tim Horner in his scheduled handicap matches against Dick Murdoch & Jim Cornette, and Ricky Morton has tonsillitis but still worked through the 17th, but was replaced by Horner and Tracy Smothers respectively in one hour marathon matches on 3/18 and 3/19.

With Chris Jericho leaving for a tour for WAR and Lance Storm returning home to Canada to get married, the Thrillseekers won't be back until May.

With the Heavenly Bodies gone until probably around November, Cornette is going to manage Bruiser Bedlam (Johnny K-9) who is going to get a major push as the top singles heel.

Dutch Mantel is done as color commentator for the present time since he's booking Puerto Rico for WWC, but expect the two groups to work together. Les Thatcher will work with Bob Caudle at the next taping until they get a new regular color man.

On television this weekend, Dirty White Girl did an interview building up the 4/1 Bluegrass Brawl saying that Tammy Fytch was a rat who runs from hotel room to hotel room looking for new meat. Fytch came back and said it'll be easy to win a match where the loser gets stripped of their clothes with White Girl because all you have to do is pull out $10 and she strips automatically.

Bad timing department. Smothers and Chris Candido had a very good ladder match on television Saturday that for one day people were raving about, and by the next day everyone forgot about it.

HERE AND THERE

Mike Samples suffered third-degree burns on 3/18 in Indianapolis doing an angle to set up a ring surrounded by fire match. Samples, the heel, had too much rubbing alcohol poured on him by Flash Flannagan (who has had fire thrown at him a few times before), who got the bottle from Samples' manager, and when he torched him, the flame was way too large. Even the referee, who managed to put out the flames by smothering Samples with his jeans jacket, had minor burns. The ring surrounded by fire match, which has been done a few times in Japan (FMW and W*ING), was originally an idea from Puerto Rico from an outdoor stadium main event between Hercules Ayala and Carlos Colon.

Dennis Coraluzzo and Mark Bodie drew a sellout 1,650 on 3/19 in Shenandoah, PA using Doink the Clown (Steve Keirn) vs. Lawler as the headliner.

Killer Kowalski is now writing a weekly pro wrestling column in the Boston Herald.

Tom Reeder has International Wrestling shows 3/25 to 3/27 in Arizona and New Mexico with Tito Santana and Greg Valentine as headliners.

Former wrestler and promoter Antone Leone passed away. Leone, who was sometimes confused with the more famous Baron Leone, last promoted wrestling in the early 80s around Bakersfield, CA.

Congrats to Wayne Coulter of the Real Wrestling Hotline whose wife gave birth on 3/17.

MaryLou Gantner, the mother of former pro wrestler Ed Gantner who committed suicide a few years back which she blamed on kidney failure due to prolonged steroid use, spoke against steroids on 3/21 before the President's Council on Physical Fitness.

AAA

The promotion continues to be the hottest in the world when it comes to drawing fans. On 3/19 in Toluca for just a regular card headlined by Konnan & Perro Aguayo & Heavy Metal in a trios match, they drew 20,000 fans in the baseball stadium and turned away another 5,000.

The 3/3 show in Pachuca, which aired 3/19 on television in the United States, which was also just a regular show with no stip matches drew a sellout 15,000. That show featured one of the better matches on television in the U.S. so far this year with underrated heels Angel Mortal & Gallego & Mr. Condor against Winners & Super Calo & Rey Misterio Jr. Misterio pulled off yet another new move, running across the ring apron and leaping onto Condor's shoulders and taking him over with a flying ankle scissors. He won the first fall with a move that looked like it would be a dropkick off the top rope but turned into a Frankensteiner, which when he did it first last year everyone was going nuts over and now he's taken his repertoire so far it's considered ordinary. He also did a Silver King flip dive where he ran across the ring, jumped on the middle rope and dove over the top rope onto the floor on the other side while doing a flip in mid-air. Calo & Winners did simultaneous dives through the ropes with mid-air flips as well. It's interesting how "smart" the newspaper reporters are here, because the reporters heaped most of their praise on the heels, which is deserved because nobody would dare try moves like that unless they had total faith in the person at the bottom catching them. The only thing memorable about the main event is one bizarre ring entrance. New Japan wrestler Black Cat, who wears a black mask here, is a main event heel now. Cat, who was born in Mexico and started his career here before going to Japan in the late 70s and becoming a full-time worker for New Japan underneath. Anyway, this Mexican came out wearing a gi (judo outfit) with a Japanese flag on it to the Bruce Springsteen "Born in the USA" entrance music, while manager Damian (Amigo Ultra) from FMW was waving the American flag.

Nothing new on TripleMania although current tentative plans are to return to the United States in June for some California dates which we should have more definite news on in the next issue although Pena has talked of running four more shows in both San Jose and Los Angeles this year.

Rio Nilo Coliseum near Guadalajara, the site where the Blue Panther vs. Love Machine mask vs. hair match last year drew 21,000 fans, which was being considered as one of the TripleMania sites, was closed down permanently this past week.

The 3/20 television show was taped is Cuautla on 3/5 with the main emphasis put on feuds with Perro Aguayo vs. Fishman and Jerry Estrada vs. Heavy Metal in a brutal trios main event (Estrada-La Parka-Fishman vs. Metal-Aguayo-Latin Lover). It's a good bet that there will be a hair vs. mask and hair vs. hair matches with those wrestlers at TripleMania. Estrada hit a gusher. Estrada, Parka and Metal took turns taking Cactus Jack bumps over the guard rail into the second or third rows. Metal also leaped off the guard rail with a flip bodyblock onto Estrada who was lying on the third row chairs after taking a header over the rail. The funniest thing is there was an "I Love La Parka" fan club at ringside with little kids chanting "I Love you" at this heel doing a skeletor gimmick. Heels won in two straight when Metal went for a Frankensteiner but Estrada not only blocked it and turned it into a power bomb, but then in the same move picked him up by the legs and turned him over into a boston crab for the submission.

Talk of a AAA show in Tijuana on 4/15.

WCW

Brian Pillman's status with the company is up in the air right now. Pillman's contract expired without sides reaching an agreement for renewal, and Pillman was originally pulled from all shows and publicity was given word to remove him for future pub, although it appears right now he'll remain and finish out what was already booked for him at the 4/17 PPV show.

A lot of work is being done overseas this past week. WCW signed Marel Ausun, who was the WWF promoter in Germany which should give WCW primary access to the best arenas. It is believed the idea of having Hulk Hogan on the shows caused him to switch allegiances even though WWF largely packed them in on the recent German tour while WCW didn't do nearly so well for what were all sold shows. In addition Eric Bischoff was in Sweden this past week trying to put together a television deal in that country (which gets no WWF television so WCW will be the first guys in town) building the show around Frank Anderson, the former Olympic medalist that is working internationally for the company. Talk within the company is also that they may contact Davey Boy Smith again, but for exclusively European dates. Bischoff has also opened talks with Ron Skoler because the company wants to use Konnan on West Coast house shows although I don't know if Konnan's drawing power will translate well. Bischoff also met with Chip Minton, a member of the U.S. bobsled team at the recent Olympics who during the Olympics said he wanted to become a pro wrestler.

Looks like Tully Blanchard vs. Terry Funk will take place on the Slamboree PPV show on 5/22 in Philadelphia. Negotiations to bring in Bruno Sammartino as one of the legends seemingly have broken down.

If Pillman does stay, somebody ought to inform Bobby Heenan that the Hollywood Blonds were never managed by Rob Parker. Since Heenan wasn't around, it's a natural mistake to assume such, but now that he's said it several times on television, somebody ought to correct him.

The 3/12 WCW Saturday Night show did a 2.8 rating for Hulk's first appearance, while the new-look Main Event show did a 2.1 and new-look WCW Pro did a 1.6.

A correction from last week is that the All-Nighter did a 1.2 rating, not a 1.5. The number is still good enough that TBS is said to be considering making it an annual event, but other All-Nighters have done better.

On the 3/19 television show they aired a Steamboat-Paul Roma match which included Steamboat using a figure four and the Steamboat-Flair interview where they built up some heat for the match.

Alex Wright, the 18-year-old son of scientific legend Steve Wright from England, worked on the WCW tour after so many had gone down with injuries and was said to have been impressive.

Bryan Yandrisovitz (Brian Knobs) and Rick Rude filed a counter lawsuit on 2/28 against Johnny Small and Randy Jordan stemming from the lawsuit filed after a brawl at the Charlotte Night Club Coyote Joe's on 12/23. The wrestlers claim that Jordan, "fortified with liquid courage," hit Knobs over the head with a beer bottle and Small, also allegedly drunk, hit Rude in the face twice and cracked a tooth. Both wrestlers are seeking damages in excess of $10,000.

WWF

Highlights from the 3/21 Monday Night Raw tapings saw Lou Albano come out during a Quebecers interview and say he's got a mystery team to challenge for the belts, which will turn out to be the Head Shrinkers, who are going face.

Koko Ware returned but was pinned by Jeff Jarrett's DDT, but after the match Randy Savage and Ware cleaned house on Jarrett.

The 3/28 show will be headlined by Lex Luger beating Rick Martel with the torture rack, while the 4/4 show has the ten-man tag match that was scheduled at Wrestlemania although I believe Martel replaced Diesel on the heel side, as would have happened at Wrestlemania if you noticed the interview backstage when they shot the couldn't agree on a captain angle to excuse not holding the match due to time constraints (IRS & Martel & Jarrett & Shrinkers vs. 1-2-3 Kid & Sparky Plugg & Tatanka & Smoking Gunns) which wound up with IRS pinning Kid.

Shawn Michaels was at Raw interfering in a Ramon vs. Diesel match.

Mr. Perfect did an interview talking about Lex Luger.

It appears the current marriages when WWF returns to U.S. arena shows in a few weeks will be Bret vs. Owen or Yokozuna, Yokozuna vs. Earthquake in some cities, Luger vs. Perfect, Ramon vs. Diesel, Head Shrinkers vs. Quebecers, Jarrett vs. Plugg, IRS vs. Tatanka.

The television deal in Bethlehem, PA where Luger came out with the belt was clearly a swerve, because the decision to go with Hart couldn't have been a last-minute one. The decision is pretty much an admission the Luger experiment has failed, which one has to credit McMahon with making. We received a surprising amount of calls from people who thought Luger got screwed since no doubt he was "promised" the title at one point, which is pretty well the story of his career, but you have to be able to carry the ball when you're given the push and nobody has ever been given as big a push in this business while having proven so little. When one looks at Luger, he by all accounts should be a huge drawing star, but even in a cosmetic profession, looks aren't everything and this is more a charisma profession than a cosmetic profession these days, and the bodies don't mean nearly what they used to because that secret is out of the bottle as well.

Chet Coppock, who is the Chicago Bears stadium voice and a Chicago sports d.j., did the radio of Wrestlemania with Gorilla Monsoon.

The reason Stu & Helen Hart weren't at Wrestlemania is because Helen Hart was hospitalized about a week before the show.

Both WWF Mania and All-American were done live Wrestlemania weekend from Madison Square Garden. WCW should copy that policy.

Don't know what the status of the Steiners is other than they don't appear to be part of any current plans, but are under contract until mid-December. They were sent to Memphis by WWF which shows the relationship still exists, although the primary focus for the Steiners is clearly their New Japan dates. Jacques Rougeau did an interview over the weekend talking about how they had run the Steiners out of the WWF.

It appears McMahon & Lawler will now host Superstars while Johnny Polo & Stan Lane (as play-by-play) will do Challenge. Guess we'll know for sure over the weekend. Lane, Polo and Shane McMahon will be working as assistant television producers and it's expected the younger McMahon will start becoming visible as an announcer. They are also going to change the way they promote the local events on the shows.

Vince McMahon's voice was totally shot doing the live Raw from Poughkeepsie, from both doing Mania and then early the next morning doing voice-overs for this coming weekend's Superstars.

Savage did an interview over the weekend making references to someone who stabbed "us all" in the back which was obviously in reference to Hogan, although he didn't use Hogan's name.

The March to Mania special did a 3.5 rating on Sunday, although many think that number was greatly boosted by its movie-lead in on USA (Rambo) doing a whopping 6.0. The Monday replay did a 2.6, while All-American that weekend did a 2.3 and Mania a 1.4.

WWF is returning to Europe this week.

Rocko Gibraltar, doing a garbage man gimmick, is supposed to be heading in as a regular.

Pat Patterson, Terry Garvin and Bruce Prichard were at Killer Kowalski's show on 3/12 to scout Ron Reis.

The New York Daily News gossip columnist reported finishes for Wrestlemania the day of the show, from what was overheard during a conversation with Lane, Polo, Luger, Crush and Bret Hart at a New York steak house. It was clear someone did overhear the conversation, but misinterpreted it as what was reported was that Luger would win, and then Mr. Perfect would screw him out of the title in the match with Hart when that isn't exactly how it went. However, on 3/22, the paper's gossip section reported that Vince McMahon changed the original script from Luger winning the title and losing it to Hart because of the item in the paper and the fact WWF fans were congratulating Hart on becoming the champion all morning at the Doral Court Hotel before the show ever took place. However, the finishes as reported by the Daily News on 3/20 don't make sense as compared to what took place. If McMahon actually changed the finishes of a show of this calibre with all the planning that went into it just to make a newspaper report inaccurate, he'd have lost his mind as bad as Bill Watts did since Watts in the same situation would have changed the finish despite a new finish not making sense because of the belief it proved wrestling was real (I can recall a 1985 incident in Houston that fits this bill exactly), when all it did in was create a situation that made no sense.