Andrew Lutzke
Presented by Sean Oliver and the Kayfabe Commentaries Crew
The Man (Part 2): While keeping up a full time schedule as booker, on screen and in ring talent, and TV producer for his own promotion (SMW), Cornette also took up an offer from the WWF to be an on screen talent for them. He was introduced on the August 2nd 1993 edition of Wrestling Challenge by fellow wrestling managerial legend Bobby Heenan. Some fans at the time retroactively felt his real debut was at the King of the Ring ’93 as the mysterious photographer who blew fire in Hulk Hogan’s face, allowing Yokozuna to re-capture the WWF World title. This was assumed to be the case after Cornette was named Yoko’s “American Spokesperson”, to go along with Mr. Fuji who managed the massive sumo star.
Cornette brought up his “Heavenly Bodies” team from SMW – Tom Pritchard and Jimmy Del Ray and the tandem was put right into a World tag title match at Summerslam that year, after that though the team was quickly lost in the shuffle, being trapped in an endless series of matches with the Bushwackers the only other bright spot being a Survivor Series ’93 win over SMW rivals – The Rock and Roll Express.
Yokozuna was guided by Cornette at Summerslam ’93, where Yoko was to face all- American powerhouse Lex Luger. Cornette’s impact was immediate as he made sure the contract stated that this would be Luger’s only shot at the title and also that Luger’s surgically implanted steel plate in his forearm would have to be covered up during the duration of the bout. Yoko would retain through a count out loss.
Yoko would face a pro-America team at Survivor Series that included Luger, The Steiner Brothers and The Undertaker and this would lead directly to Yoko’s next big challenger as Yoko and Taker ended up eliminating each other while brawling on the floor. Yoko was fearful of Taker’s pain tolerance as well as his caskets that he often surrounded himself with. Naturally this led to a “casket match” title defense at the Royal Rumble ’94. Cornette and Fuji pulled off all the stops to help Yoko defend his title by hiring a litany of heels to storm the ring and beat down the Undertaker. Eventually the Dead man’s urn was spilled out and with it his powers, spirit and soul. Taker would lose the match and disappear until August.
Cornette then watched as Yoko’s two top threats co-won the Royal Rumble and each earned a World title match at Wrestlemania. The 600 pound champion would struggle mightily with having to fight twice in one night, surviving a re-match with Luger thanks to a controversial disqualification ordered by special ref Mr. Perfect. In the second bout, special ref Roddy Piper wouldn’t give Yoko such an easy out and counted the fall against him – giving Hart the World championship again.
With Taker still gone, Cornette teamed Yoko up with Fuji’s other charge, Crush and sent the duo after the beastly champions The Head Shrinkers. The Shrinkers retained the belts at King of the Ring ’94 thanks to help from Luger. Yoko would finally have to face the Undertaker that year at Survivor Series, with Chuck Norris at ringside to prevent any outside interference like the last encounter. This time Taker successfully tossed Yoko in the casket and Yoko would be gone till Spring tending to his weight issues. In the meanwhile Cornette briefly managed a goofy gimmick in The Mantaur.
That year’s Wrestlemania saw Owen Hart promise a mystery partner to take on the World tag champions, The Smoking Gunns. Yokozuna would be that man and Cornette guided the men to the belts that night. Owen and Yoko would go on to defend primarily against The Gunns and The Allied Powers (Davey Boy Smith and Luger). Prior to Summerslam ’95 The Bulldog would turn on World Champion Diesel and he then joined Cornette’s stable. This led to Shawn Michaels and Diesel challenging Owen and Yoko in a match where every champion in the WWF was involved in one match. Owen was late to the show and the Bulldog took his place, leading to the shenanigans at the finish where Owen charged the ring and took the pin – temporarily awarding the “Dudes with Attitudes” with the gold. Owen and Yoko would lose the belts the next night to The Smoking Gunns.
The Bulldog pursued Diesel’s World championship, meanwhile, Owen and Yoko split up – with Yoko tangling with fellow heel King Mabel briefly – stemming from an altercation after Yoko and Mabel maimed the Undertaker and crushed his face with leg drops. At Survivor Series ’95 “Camp Cornette” were forced to clash during a “Wild Card” tag team match that saw Owen and Yoko on one side and Bulldog on the other. Owen and Yoko would deliver serious damage to Shawn Michaels during the match and force Shawn out of action for several weeks. Bulldog continued his World title chase against new champion Bret Hart.
Camp Cornette would gain a new member in January of 1996 with Vader joining the WWF roster. He and Yoko had issues right away as they came to blows during the Royal Rumble match. The next night on RAW Vader got himself suspended for attacking WWF President Gorilla Monsoon. Owen Hart was busy with Diesel’s attempts at revenge for Shawn’s injuries, as well as Shawn Michaels’ himself when Shawn returned to action.
Yoko would split from Camp Cornette and team with Ahmed Johnson and Jake “The Snake” Roberts at Wrestlemania 12 to battle Vader, Owen and the Bulldog. Yokozuna would have his leg snapped by Vader in a vicious angle on RAW and establish Camp Cornette as top threats to World Champion Shawn Michaels.
Bulldog and Vader both received PPV matches against Shawn over the summer, with Vader even pinning Shawn during a six man tag bout that July. Vader was to win the title at Summerslam, but Shawn vetoed the plan, feeling Vader was too stiff among other things. Camp Cornette fell apart that Fall as Cornette was knocked loopy in a match in September with Jose Lothario, and signed a document that gave crooked attorney Clarence Mason the rights to Bulldog and Owen, who captured the tag belts that same night.
Cornette and Vader parted company soon after with Paul Bearer taking on Vader as his charge. That essentially ended Cornette’s role as a big time manager. Somewhat sad as originally the booking plans were for Cornette to be managing World Champion Vader – all the way into early 1997.
Cornette was used briefly that winter, first trying to recruit rookie sensation Rocky Miavia, then taking Salvatore Sincere’s corner to try and avenge Rocky’s shunning of him. Cornette was able to focus on being part of the creative team, and occasionally be a guest commentator on WWF TV. He managed the Samoan Swat Team for one appearance in 1997 and that was dropped right away. In early 1998 he was used again to manage an NWA “invasion” of the WWF- stemming from a series of quasi-shoot promos Cornette had cut on the modern WWF, WCW and ECW product.
Cornette’s NWA faction would include Jeff Jarrett, Barry Windham, The Rock and Roll Express, The “New” Midnight Express and Dan Severn. The angle was used to try and make Cornette and his ‘rasslin’ look out of date, instead of building to anything significant. It was over quickly.
Cornette would eventually return to a medium he enjoyed when he was allowed to be in charge of the WWF/E developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling. Cornette would groom Brock Lesnar, Batista, Randy Orton and many other future stars for the WWE, but eventually constant headaches caused by the WWE creative team and office workers led to Cornette’s dismissal in July 2005 after several incidents – culminating with Cornette slapping Santino Marella after Santino failed to show fear during a skit with “The Boogey Man”.
Cornette would sign on with TNA nearly a year later and become their onscreen “Managerial Director”. Jim took on Matt Morgan as his bodyguard in an attempt to help Morgan get over. Eventually Vince Russo was signed by TNA to help creative, which ruffled Jim’s feathers since he was one of Russo’s most outspoken critics. Jim’s TNA run would end soon after as it was decided Cornette needed to be supportive of the creative team, and that would be impossible with Russo in charge.
In 2009 Cornette signed with Ring of Honor to help book and acted as an on screen “executive producer”. He returned to OVW in 2010 to act as head booker, but left the promotion a year later when they signed a working agreement with TNA. Cornette remained in ROH until the Fall of 2012, when he was removed as booker- then a few weeks later, Cornette had an outburst backstage and was given “a sabbatical” from ROH as a result.
Cornette keeps busy working independent dates, fan fests, doing shoot interviews and will probably remain working for as long as he wants to be involved in the wrestling industry.
The Shoot(part 2):
Vince gloats about Rick Steiner’s injury and names Bischoff his official assistant and Flair is the GM of WCW. The Steiners vs. Malenko and Saturn is made for Summerslam and that again is a “shoot” style match with both teams working stiff.
Flair comes out and calls Bischoff “Judas”. Dusty Rhodes joins Dustin and cuts promos for Dustin. Mick Foley signs with WCW.
Terry Funk “no shows” the September PPV but Vince won’t fire him because Vince still wants revenge.
October PPV has Brock back, and Terry Funk beats Eddy Gurrerro when Eddy slips and KO’s himself, so Funk is still IC champ.
Tazz vs Bigelow is signed for the November PPV and they stiff each other and finally cops have to break it out. Tazz is “fired” for a “fan” being injured in the brawl.
Road Warrior Animal is forced into a handi-cap match against The Dudley Boyz – who over whelm him.
HHH finally returns and beats Funk for the belt.
December PPV – Funk wins a match but Taker comes out and takes him out – Sting locks on a “shoot” scorpion death lock and beats Jericho – Hawk returns to save Animal
January – Hogan returns, Austin wins the WWF title, Rock calls out Sting, Taker is wrestling when Terry Funk attacks him with a flaming branding iron –Beniot vs Angle 20 stiff mins
February – Dusty calls out Hogan, Sting responds to Rock, Foley calls out Austin
*** Side story – Dusty Rhodes and Ric Flair went on TV in 1986 or 87 and both proclaimed that “I won’t do a job in front of 70,000 people” “Neither will I! – So that’s where we lie…huh…”
Funk is attacked by mysterious men while at a gas station, and finally that takes things too far and it’s WCW vs WWF at Wrestlemania – losing group will disband:
World title: Austin vs. Foley
“Last Ride of the Desperado”: Terry Funk vs. Undertaker
Sting vs. Rock
Hulk Hogan vs. Dusty Rhodes – Jimmy Hart and Jim Cornette are in each corner
Vince McMahon vs. Ric Flair – Bischoff has to face Flair if Flair wins
Dudley Boyz vs Road Warriors
Beniot vs. Kurt Angle
HHH vs Booker T – IC/US title unification
Edge/Christian vs. Nova/Jerry Lynn – Ladder
Big Show/Kane vs. Steiner Bros.
Chris Jericho vs. Lance Storm
Dustin Rhodes/Jeff Jarrett vs. The Hardy Boyz
Eddy/Saturn/Malenko vs. Chavo jr./Chrus Candido/Rey jr.
Brock Lesnar vs. Bam Bam Bigelow
Rhyno vs. Kevin Nash
14 man Battle Royal: Blackman, D Lo Brown, Al Snow, Val Venis, Bull Buchanan, William Regal, RVD, DDP, Justin Credible, Bill Demott, Harris Boys, and Kanyon
At the end of the night – both crews win the same amount – Vince fires WCW anyway – Flair comes down and says Vince, you lost to me and so I got to wrestle Bischoff, who I beat….so WCW WON! WOOO!
Jim admits that politics would have altered a bunch of what he booked, but it was just meant as an exercise if what could have happened.
Cornette explains how long he booked and how burnt out he is. Cornette explains that he used to go to Bruce Pritchard’s house daily and do nothing, since Bruce was his boss and Bruce wouldn’t do anything until Vince approved it.
Final Thoughts: Despite Jim’s overabundance of old guys being pushed for this angle, this is still a very fun watch as Cornette is just entertaining to listen to. As usual with the Guest Booker DVDs, I enjoyed the “shoot” portion much more than the actual “fantasy booking” portion. Have to recommend it though as Cornette can read a box of cereal and still be entertaining.
