WWF New Generation Thread III

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1673040678303965185

Crazy that the Bend Ems were in the works for that long. I thought first set didn’t get released until late ‘95.

 

[BruiserBrody]

By 97 there was definitely an IWC beyond the SKeith, Herb Kunze newsgroups. How much of that residue is left after 25 years is the question.
There are things like women of wrestling pics/commentary sites that somehow still exist from 97ish era. I am not sure how deep one would have to google to pull up old sites that have survived like Herb's notes.
--
I associate the bendies with 96/97 so seeing Macho got a prototype is a surprise. I don't even remember the WWF really promoting them, but by 96 my interests were not on buying action figures and Sept 96- Feb 97 is my WWF blackout period where they canceled syndication and I was stuck without a source to watch anything but Nitro at my neighbor's.
Our big local vintage toy store has a ton of the bendies and I used to be like "They made him?!" a lot. The bendies survived into 1998 at least.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Bend Ems survived until ‘00-‘01. And they started in ‘95. I have a King Mabel Bend Em somewhere.

Edit- ‘94! So a Macho Man Bend Em wasn’t too far fetched.

1994 WWF Just Toys Bend-Ems Canadian Series 1 Doink

Wrestling Figure Database (WFD) brings you the best visual examples, most accurate checklists, and a host of other features. We're a living, breathing, ever-growing database, and we partner with the wrestling figure collecting community to bring you the most-comprehensive catalog of wrestling...

wrestlingfiguredatabase.com

1994 WWF Just Toys Bend-Ems Canadian Series 1 Lex Luger

Wrestling Figure Database (WFD) brings you the best visual examples, most accurate checklists, and a host of other features. We're a living, breathing, ever-growing database, and we partner with the wrestling figure collecting community to bring you the most-comprehensive catalog of wrestling...

wrestlingfiguredatabase.com

Sounds like the ‘94 ones
Might have been limited to Canada.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1673420873620144128

9 years into being a JTTS. Why not bet on yourself and give the UWF/Global/NWA Dallas/ECW SOMETHING a chance???

He was in WCCW for less than a week in like 1985/86. The story went that he didn't even last long enough to pick up his paycheck at the end of the week.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1676642732922511361

I am sure Gene Hackman Vs The Barbarian was electric.

 

[Valeyard]

Hey without Hack Man, Bischoff doesn't develop a heel persona, so his place in wrestling is set.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://www.facebook.com/100066969734097/posts/pfbid0t1gXunwYCSGoHL1y4ezojyXJz1bP3TdhyhAkN5sri4PZhm3CQ5mJGSEN4kNqZhPfl

Paging @BruiserBrody

 

[BruiserBrody]

I'm surprised he was in Philly on Saturday. The Oneida Pow Wow was this weekend. I guess the payday beat out the heritage.

 

[SuperMachine#1]

https://www.facebook.com/100066969734097/posts/pfbid0t1gXunwYCSGoHL1y4ezojyXJz1bP3TdhyhAkN5sri4PZhm3CQ5mJGSEN4kNqZhPfl

Paging @BruiserBrody

I got a question that's been bugging me for over 30 something years: The Clash Of The Champions Thanksgiving Thunder on TBS Nov 1990 had a tag team match for the Pat O' Connor Tag Team Tournament at Starcade. There two teams from Africa would go against each other to see which would go on in the tournament, so its two African Americans The Beast and Kaluha vs Sgt.Kruger and Col.DeKlerk. Ok I know that DeKlerk was Roco Rock but the other guy Kruger looked like Matt Borne with out a beard but other people say it was Ray Apollo.... I could never find out who this dude was.

 

[AA484]

I got a question that's been bugging me for over 30 something years: The Clash Of The Champions Thanksgiving Thunder on TBS Nov 1990 had a tag team match for the Pat O' Connor Tag Team Tournament at Starcade. There two teams from Africa would go against each other to see which would go on in the tournament, so its two African Americans The Beast and Kaluha vs Sgt.Kruger and Col.DeKlerk. Ok I know that DeKlerk was Roco Rock but the other guy Kruger looked like Matt Borne with out a beard but other people say it was Ray Apollo.... I could never find out who this dude was.

Pretty sure it was Apollo, although Borne was hopping around at that point after a run in USWA-Texas.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://www.facebook.com/100066969734097/posts/pfbid0t1gXunwYCSGoHL1y4ezojyXJz1bP3TdhyhAkN5sri4PZhm3CQ5mJGSEN4kNqZhPfl

Paging @BruiserBrody

So I asked his wife about this. Sounds like Jules was looking forward to seeing Bill Eadie again, but never saw him on Saturday. Only other thing I got out of her was that Jules finally got to meet Lita, which he was very excited about.

 

[Valeyard]

See there's enough wiggle room in that story for a podcast.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1678433905790296064

Crush does the Yoko injury angle 2 days later. He then vanishes until October.

Anyone know off hand if he was legit hurt or something?
WWF showed great restraint not putting Crush and Savage against one another on Survivor Series teams

Wonder if the heel turn was done to balance things out when Lex went face? .

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1679092861860552705

I Never heard the gambling debt stuff I guess?

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

Hey Mick Foley/Marc Nero’s beef was just brought up so I think you will be glad to know that they made up a few years back.

https://www.facebook.com/100044576373055/posts/pfbid029tDjfNZHBLgERarCnXdaf8pqZ8aNkobFfWoXjoQ1aJZfReGMqrb8BVpYvpwigGBLl

Also TIL Marc Mero had a brother who also briefly wrestled (and looks almost exactly like him).

 

[Valeyard]

Initially looked like Mero's brother wasn't wearing pants.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1679672062082957312

 

[Valeyard]

You know, I'd have been fine with 1993 Hogan and Taker doing some superhero babyface shit.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

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IRS’ blue shirt is up there with Ax’s fluffy hair for the definitive “I’ve already given my notice.” look in classic WWF.

 

[HarleyQuinn]

By 97 there was definitely an IWC beyond the SKeith, Herb Kunze newsgroups. How much of that residue is left after 25 years is the question.
There are things like women of wrestling pics/commentary sites that somehow still exist from 97ish era. I am not sure how deep one would have to google to pull up old sites that have survived like Herb's notes.

Kind of an "old" bump but I remember perusing Google Group archives several years ago (like mid 2010s?) and they had independent wrestling results going back to 1998/1999/2000 (I remember Pennsylvania being a particularly hot spot in written up results... Steel City Wrestling was one of the promotions I ran across a lot maybe?).

It wouldn't surprise me if there were dirt sheet notes from that time period but I don't know if there is still a Google Groups archive to search.

 

[BruiserBrody]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1683507331596972033

I wonder what the trajectory of Borga was penciled in for before Luger's turn a few weeks earlier? Maybe as simple as being a big lug for Hogan to beat on if he sticks around on one level or another?

 

[Valeyard]

Bret. Maybe Hogan but Bret was the one guaranteed to be there week to week.

I would've been all about Borga/Taker, even though I know how bad it could be. That's the kind of match I can see them penciling in for Wrestlemania by November.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1683930115858923521

TIL Well Dunn got squash victories.

 

[JHawk]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1679672062082957312

I laugh every time Bruce says "Vince never told Bret he was getting Hogan" because even the in-house magazine was doing stories about it

 

[BruiserBrody]

It was probably for the best for Bret almost as Hogan would have likely made sure to steal the thunder on his way down at Summerslam, and Hart would have had to rely on a editing spin job to help recover. Plus, Hart would have been on top for another bunch of months with lousy attendance (we can assume working Lex and Yoko, Borga, etc) and have another reign where the stink was on him of poor houses.
His 94 win instead allowed him to conquer the monster at Mania, and then have a bunch of good matches with Owen. It didn't draw well either, but at least the workrate was there and Hart got a nice run to establish he belonged in the mix with enough time passing in between reigns that the fans were happy to see him back on top.
What finish do you even do for Bret/Hogan? A play off of WM6 where Hogan misses the leg drop and blows out a knee, gets locked in the sharpshooter and stunningly submits? Can't see Orange man going for it.

 

[Valeyard]

Big boot gets caught, Bret trips him, Sharpshooter, Hogan passes out (never comes close to submitting or looking weak), handshake. Hogan leaves when he's told he won't get his win back.

Or just do the finish from Bret/Diesel with the surprise roll up. Hogan being out-wrestled would make sense and he can do some post-match scene-stealing to get the heat back.

But really it'd be an overbooked non-finish when Yokozuna and a heel army get in the way. Awkward handshake, rematch never happens, but we get some post-match celebrating with Bret looking pissed and Hogan doing his poses in pink sunglasses.

 

[Cackling Co Pilot Kamala]

I would like a universe where Hulk Hogan faces heel Owen Hart. The Rocket King ‘s selling for the Hulkster would make Shawn Michaels’ selling at SummerSlam ‘05 look like Zeus’ selling at SummerSlam ‘89

 

[Valeyard]

Imagine a world where the trials don't happen (or at least happen as they did) and Hogan turns on Luger instead of Tatanka. It would reinvigorate the company.

 

[JHawk]

Is there realistically any finish to Hogan-Bret that would have been worse than what we actually got at SummerSlam?

 

[Valeyard]

It depends. Can Hogan get the fireball to work?