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From: Wendy
I was a big fan of the original Tough Enough. Season 2 had winners Linda Miles and Jackie Gayda. I was really disappointed that Jake and Kenny didn't win. I know that Kenny went on to eventually wrestle in TNA. I can not, however, find any information on Jake. I think his last name was Darren but I am not even sure of that. What do you know about his life post TE2?
Cewsh: Extremely little. As best as I can tell he did some indy shows after Tough Enough 2, but was never picked up by WWE. And then he fell off of the map completely. There are some mentions on forums here and there that people met him at various gyms, but that’s about as far as it goes.
Sorry to disappoint you, but if it helps you can drown your sorrows by enjoying one of the films that he is credited with on IMDB, such as “The Black Butt Sisters Do Los Angeles”.
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From: Brad W
If you made the WM30 card, what would be your top 5 matches? Whether you use The Rock, Lesnar, HHH, and Taker is up to you.
Cewsh: Oh man, you’re putting me on the spot here. What would I book if it were me? Alright, it would look like this:
Championship Unification Match - John Cena vs. CM Punk
(Punk wins the World title AND the Royal Rumble on the same night, John Cena keeps the WWE title, and Punk begins the inevitable. This is the biggest match that WWE can possibly put on, and it’s the perfect time.)
The Undertaker vs. Kane
(The Undertaker’s last match. Let Kane be the one to end the Streak and lay his brother to rest, and they can retire together.)
For Control of WWE – Triple H vs. The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar
(The McMahon storyline is clearly leading to some kind of confrontation to determine who will be the on screen figurehead of WWE in the future. So Triple H, Stephanie and Vince all choose their avatar to duke it out for supremacy. It’s like the Wrestlemania 2000 main event, except actually interesting. You can pretend that you wouldn’t pay to see this match, but you’d be lying to yourself.)
Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus
(Turn Sheamus heel, improve his character by 10,000%, and make this match for the first shot at the Unified Championship. These two are not capable of having a match that is less than amazing together.)
Dolph Ziggler vs. Big E Langston
(The bodyguard turns on his boss because the boss is acting too nice. Big E Langston is a gigantic star just waiting for that break out match. Here it is.)
Of course, that’s just me. And if I really had free reign you’d see Batista coming back in a pink shirt and pinning Cena and Punk at the same time.
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From: Mark
Do you know how this works with wrestlers, some like Kofi and Ryback have it while others do not, do they ask to have it and is it the company that pays for it or the wrestler seeing that it is a extra cost, not counting Kane in this as it is part of his gimmick.
Cewsh: Generally speaking, the longer you’ve been in WWE and the more prominent you are, the more say you’re likely to have in what your entrance is like. What music you have, your video, etc. But pyro is a significant expense, and not too many people have it these days. So management, (likely Vince specifically,) decides where it is necessary and who gets it, especially in cases like Kofi Kingston where he debuted with it.
And no, WWE does not force the wrestlers to pay for the pyro themselves.
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From: blurg
Why didn't WWE create a vampire stable in ECW with Kevin Thorne, Ariel, and Gangrel was their leader? Would've been epic don't you think?
Cewsh: Funnily enough, it seems that Kevin Thorn himself had the same idea that you did, as he has said in interviews that when he was presented with the idea, he really wanted to do the vampire gimmick and have Gangrel be a part of it; basically reforming the Brood.
I would say that the main strikes against that idea were the fact that ECW became less a show about crazy gimmicks or classic ECW, and more a developmental territory, thus making a vampire gimmick no longer sensible. Though it is interesting that Gangrel came back and did some appearances for WWE in 2007, so it certainly was a possibility. Chalk that one up to a missed opportunity.
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From: Mike
Possibly stupid question; Why do all the Knockouts, and lately a lot of the Divas, wear tights under their little shorts when they wrestle? They never used to, and you don't see any of the guys doing it, so why do the ladies?
Cewsh: Perverts.
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From: Yorsh
Is Vince (McMahon) really a genius? Cuz, really, he (or the wwe at least) seems to lose the ball very frequently (like, almost every week). I know that many people says that he is a genius, but really, who deserve the credit? Him? the wrestlers? The writers? It seems like the only thing that vince does is to allow (and ban) in tv what he wants in it. And we have to remember that he didn´t like (gold mines) wrestlers like Austin and Punk, but he loved Mason Ryan, so we can say that he doesn´t have a good taste.
Cewsh: There are a lot of disparate opinions floating around out there about what Vince McMahon is and what he isn’t. I’m not going to play into that sort of rumor mongering about his personal life and character, but you can find evidence out there to support any few of the man you may want to have; from “Absolutely insane and in love with Shawn Michaels” to “benevolent savior of wrestling.” I doubt anyone outside of his immediate family will ever really know what he’s like as a person.
Then Again, There Might Be Some Mixed Messages There.
But you wanted to know if he was really a “genius” as some have called him, and that’s a very subjective term. As a promoter of wrestling, someone who markets his product and expands it across the world, he is beyond incredible, and has no peer in this industry. I don’t think we’ll ever see anyone do the kinds of things that he did, in terms of rapidly growing not only his own business, but the global industry of professional wrestling as a whole, and bringing it to mainstream prominence not once, but twice. Whether he was a genius or lucky or whatever you want to say, his legacy speaks for itself.
As for the product on the screen, it’s hard to ever be sure exactly how much of a hand he has in any given thing that you may see in this era. In the old days, (meaning up until the Attitude Era,) the booking was done by Vince and Pat Patterson, but now it seems that Vince’s role is to tweak things to improve them, based on his vast knowledge of what works and what doesn’t. Sometimes he gets invested in a character and pushes them forward, and sometimes he hates a character and pushes them back. Without a list of who is who, I couldn’t tell you how his track record is. But since we all tune in week in and week out, the company he built must be doing something right. WWE is Vince McMahon, and it is very much built in his image and with his mind. If you love WWE then there's your answer right there.
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From: Charles Kinbote
I always thought that after the Montreal Screwjob, Neidhart and Bulldog left WWE, and Foley threatened to but didn't, and that was it. But lately I've been reading that a bunch of wrestlers actually left as a result. I saw Crush's name mentioned, and Rick Rude was another (according to Dr. Wikipedia). Do you perchance have a full list of wrestlers who ended their WWE careers for any amount of time as a result of the screwjob? I'm curious about who else is on that list, and shocked that I never knew there even was a list beyond a few guys in the Hart Foundation.
Cewsh: This is interesting, because I think that what Mick Foley wrote in his book, (that lots of people wanted to walk out but that most ultimately did nothing about it, including him,) has been generally accepted and unquestioned as the truth of the matter since the book was published. It would be impossible to know what the individual motivation was for the guys who left without talking to them, or hearing interviews on the subject, but I think we can narrow down some suspects. Let’s take a look at some people who left the WWF in the second half of 1997/early 1998.
Curt Hennig
Davey Boy Smith
Jim Neidhart
Barry Horowitz
Del Wilkes
Clarence Mason
So I would have to say that beyond the additions of Clark and Rude, the story is the way that we all thought it was.
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From: No Name
Whatever happened to Mike Adamle? He used to be a nice fit for WWE and their creative system, although he got lots of heat. Answer this or ill kick your asses.
Cewsh: You know, I remember the old days when we could go a whole mailbag with no threats of physical violence against us. It was a more peaceful time really, a golden age.
But as for Mike Adamle, he didn’t work out as a personality on television, mostly due to the numerous and continuous mistakes he made with names and concepts on the air. In interviews, his broadcast partners have said that he was also fed intentionally inept lines to build up this “dunderhead” of a character, but he’s been universally positive about his experience with WWE, and doesn’t seem bitter about how he was portrayed. In an interview with Monday Night Mayhem, he mentioned that he asked to be sent down to FCW to improve but that didn’t happen. So he became GM and then he was let go in 2009.
Now he’s a sports anchor for the NBC affiliate in Chicago, IL. Don’t feel bad for him, though. He’s one of the most sought after sports anchors in the country, and you can hear him doing his thing in the slightly tamer world of Arena Football for the Chicago Rush.
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From: Kevin
First, can you settle an argument for my buddy and I? The CM in CM Punk...I'm positive it stands for Chick Magnet. He's convinced its somebody's initials. He says he'll only admit he's wrong if you settle this. My question is about the Shield. They seem kind of stagnant. Ive been waiting for new members, or one of them to sort of break out on their own and maybe some dissension and feuds between them. But for all the possibilities and options the WWE had with them...they don't seem to be pulling the trigger on any of them. Where do you see the Shield headed?
Cewsh: First of all, tell your friend that he’s awesome for considering us the only source credible enough to settle this timeless argument. As for the nickname, here’s Punk’s answer from a 2006 interview with IGN.com:
“"Originally it stood for Chick Magnet. I got put into a tag team with this other dude on a whim because somebody didn't show up to a show. It was only supposed to be a one-shot deal, I wasn't even ready to wrestle yet, I didn't have gear or anything, they just put me in the ring and beat the crap out of me. I had to come back the next month and the next month and it was something that stuck.
I tried to get rid of it, and it wound up getting shortened to the initials. I was always Punk, but Chick Magnet at least got shortened to CM. I tell people it stands for C. Montgomery Burns, as in Mr. Burns from The Simpsons. I tell people they are initials for my real name, Chuck Mosley, which is not true at all. I'll say it stands for Crooked Moonsault, Charles Manson…Cookie Monster is another good one."
So there you go. I will testify in court that your friend now owes you $5,000.
Now to your actual question. It’s inevitable that stables like the Shield will start to slow down about 6 months into their run, and we’re at about the 8 month mark right now. I don’t see them adding any new members, as all 3 have said that a fundamental part of this stable is that it isn’t too big to be beatable, while being big enough to outnumber any one guy. I think we’re going to see the group take more losses in the months to come, as they already have, and then I think either Reigns or Rollins will begin to break away from the group and be positioned as a big babyface star for next year. The smart money is on Reigns, if they think he’s ready.
One way or another, I would be very surprised to see the Shield existing in it’s current form by this time next year.
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From: Sleazy (Of The Wrestling Show With Sleazy and the Fatman)
My question is this: Do you think that news and rumors of professional wrestling has helped or hurt this era of wrestling we are in, and why?
My question is this: Do you think that news and rumors of professional wrestling has helped or hurt this era of wrestling we are in, and why?
Cewsh: That is one of the defining questions of this era of wrestling. The simple answer is that we won’t know until further down the road when we can look back and truly see the impact that it has had.
The more complicated answer is that it has both helped AND hurt this era of wrestling. News and rumors have given fans a look into the industry from the outside, and have given a lot of fans the opportunity to better understand the performers and their performances. You see this especially on the independent scene, where the wall between wrestlers and fans has come down a lot, and has led to a much more open landscape.
But WWE has obviously been rocked the most by these changes, as they’ve had to adapt to everything from spoiled storylines, to backstage things being brought onto the shows by the fans, to people getting pushes because the internet has decided that they should. It’s a turbulent time, and I don’t envy the people who have to write these shows, because now they have to serve more masters than ever before. But as a fan with a completely unprecedented level of access into the amazing world of wrestling, it’s not too shabby.
That isn’t to say there isn’t a dark side to all of this. Poorly researched rumor mongering, and terrible journalism have made the world of news and rumors treacherous and untrustworthy. It’s hard to know where the truth really is and even if there is any. But in the end, trying to find out the truth is almost half the fun.
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From: Sally
Hi, If you could spring clean the WWE of about 10 wrestlers, never to be seen again, who would you choose? I have asked this of about 5 friends and the results have been much the same. Would love to see your learned response. Thanks.
Cewsh: Ooh, the ol’ “Who would you fire?” game. It’s infinitely more awkward when I play it, as several of the people who might be named actually read this site themselves. But it’s hard to find your way in the night if you don’t burn some bridges first, so let’s have a go at this.
Seems Safe.
My major rule for cutting people, is that they have to be men or women who have so little momentum that it would take an extraordinary investment of resources to make them into something with real value to the show. So while Brodus Clay isn’t doing much of anything right now, he’s so big, and has won so often, and is so recognizable by fans that it wouldn’t take much to steer him in a new direction and get something going. They also have to be people who wouldn’t gain anything from simply being sent down to NXT for more experience, like the Kaitlyns of the world. Bear those things in mind as you read my list.
Aksana
Alex Riley
Bo Dallas
Camacho
Curt Hawkins
Epico
Ezekiel Jackson
Jinder Mahal
Yoshi Tatsu
Zack Ryder
Now I’ll sit back and wait for all the hate mail.
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From: Whitney
I know I asked you about Mickie James leaving the WWE but I have two more questions to ask, did Mickie and John Cena date? And was John the reason why Mickie James got fired from the WWE?
Cewsh: Around 2008 or so, a rumor got going online that John Cena was having an affair with Mikie James, who was engaged to Kenny Dykstra at the time. Here is what Dykstra had to say in an interview with SEScoops.com (via WrestlingINC.com): Doane says he discovered James had been cheating on him with the Cenation leader when he caught her searching online rumors of her act of infidelity with the query "Mickie James dating John Cena. "Upon confronting her about it, "She stared at [the computer] for like legit two minutes and I'm looking at her like "Did you forget how to read? Say something, WTF." She got up and ran into the other room crying saying she was sorry and she felt bad and admitted to it."
Now, we need to take this with a grain of salt, as Ken Doane has been spewing bitterness along these lines for a long time now, far past the point of real credibility. The truth is that we don’t really know if they ever had a real relationship as neither one has come out and told us, nor are they likely to. But as for John being the reason that Mickie was fired, well that rumor comes directly from good ol’ Ken Doane as well. So if you believe him in general, then there you have it.
I suspect it was more a mix of Mickie being dissatisfied with has WWE promoted her country album and WWE having very little for her to do.
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From: Max Martinez
Why did WWE do away with "King Of The Ring" ?
Cewsh: Because it was a poorly drawing pay per view year to year. Historically, fans don’t tune in to watch tournaments, unless they are extremely, extremely good.
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From: Allan
Kurt Angle in his prime VS. Bob Backlund in his prime!! Who wins and why?..THAT would have been a sellout..Talk about Mat Wrestling.
Cewsh: You mean like in a real wrestling match? Or who would be booked to win? In a real wrestling match in their primes, Kurt Angle would mop the floor with Backlund and just about everyone else except maybe a Danny Hodge or a Jack Brisco. He was an Olympic Gold Medalist at it. They don't hand those out to the guy with the most aerodynamic haircut, (though he would have won for that, too.) As to who would be booked to win, that’s probably Backlund, though the dirtsheets would be really mad about it afterwards.
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From: Luke
Who do think will be in the "new" Main Event Mafia?
Cewsh: Tiger Ali Singh, The New Shockmaster (played by Colin Delaney), Virgil and Axl Rotten.
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From: Jacob
I haven't seen Ted DiBiase Jr wrestle in like a year. Do you have any update on him? He has a lot of potential!
Cewsh: Well, he’s around. You know, doing stuff. Here, i'll prove it.
Here, He's Holding A Dog.
Here, He's Wearing A Hat.
Here, He's Stealing A Baby.
He's keeping busy.
He’s still employed by WWE, and for a long time he was tailgating with fans outside of the arena before shows. I’m not really sure why the man can’t even seem to get a foot in front of a camera without the camera running away at top speed, but just keep on hoping. One day the Dibiase Posse will have it’s answer.
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From: Kevin
As far as the "Holy S***-o-meter" matches go...nothing will ever touch the epic Foley/ Taker HIAC match. I know that the spot of Foley getting tossed off the cell was planned (& I've heard that Taker was actually against it). 2 questions...was the chokeslam through the top also planned, or just a chaotic coincidence? Also, I've also heard Taker had a broken foot during the match (which seemed to irk him when he dropped onto the mat after the chokeslam). How/ when did he break his foot?
Cewsh: There seem to be some contention as to whether or not the chokeslam through the cage was planned or not. It is widely believed that the panel he fell through was meant to give eventually for a more careful fall through the center and the chokeslam sped up the process much to their surprise, but watching the video, the Undertaker placement of Foley seems very deliberate. It hasn’t been specifically confirmed either way like the first dive off of the cage has, so it’s open to interpretation. As for my opinion, I think the fact that Foley and Taker have not spoken openly about the cage breaking by surprise is a pretty clear indicator that it wasn’t a surprise to them. But until either one says for sure, it’ll remain one of those topics of debate.
As for the Undertaker’s ankle, he actually suffered a CRACKED ankle with bone chips during the angle where he was throwing furniture around in Paul Bearer’s home. Oddly, Paul Bearer also injured his ankle during that same angle.
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From: Raj
Do you think we will ever see Lita return to WWE. By far my number one female wrestler of all time in the company - would be great if she returned and took the title of most women’s championship reigns off Trish.
Cewsh: This is one of those, “never say never” sort of questions. While Lita has expressed in the past that she is on good terms with WWE and is open to sporadic appearances, she doesn’t seem overly eager to get back in the ring full time as she continues to do charity work worldwide and tour with her band, the Luchagors.
Could we see her again? Absolutely. But will she be winning titles anytime soon?
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From: Fanny
Was I on acid way back when, or did WWE at some point plug the gap of a stretched roster with Big Bossman crashing Big Show's dad's funeral and towing the coffin off with his car, laughing as he went?
Cewsh: Both.
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From: Kimi Raikkonen
Do you think, if ever someone who was serious about it turned up, that Vince could ever be convinced to sell the rights to WCW and what could you imagine could be done with it? I think its an interesting scenario but at the same time i doubt the pro wrestling market as it is today is big enough to have two super promotions again.
Cewsh: Here’s the thing about the right to WCW, or WCW or any other defunct wrestling body. They aren’t inherently worth very much. If you bought the property from WWE, you would get the tape library, the logos, the title history, and the name. What you would not get is an entire promotion unto itself. So the only way that WCW could be relevant again would be if a strong financial backer sunk millions of dollars into opening a new wrestling promotion, bought the rights from WWE, (who wouldn’t be keen to sell,) and then negotiated with a television network/Netflix/Hulu/etc for broadcasting rights. Then they would have to assemble a roster out of people who are not under written contracts to WWE, TNA, ROH or NJPW, which would largely be a bunch of nobodies. Then they would have to sink money into a national scale advertising campaign to promote awareness to their product, and then they would have to put on years worth of shows before the concept began to drum up real interest with viewers.
That’s not to say that it CAN’T be done. TNA has made virtually every mistake possible during it’s history, and yet they still built themselves from nothing to relative prominence over the post 11 years. But for another national company to enter the fray, a major shake up in the industry would need to take place, just from a finding talent perspective. If TNA goes under, though, things could get interesting in a hurry…
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From: Tyler
My question is about the WWE App "polls". Are they rigged? Me and my friend were talking about this during one of the votes and we thought back to the Vicki job poll and I don't see 22% of fans voting for her to keep her job....
Cewsh: The general idea of the polls is that they are legitimate, but WWE intentionally leads fans to the selection they want. For example, if they want Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton to have a No DQ match, they’ll put in two other match types that fans historically don’t have great enthusiasm for or that are basically the same thing, (2/3 Falls and Street Fight respectively,) so that the fans can participate, but WWE can still plan ahead.
And hey, never underestimate the contrarianism of the general audience. I proudly voted in favor of Vickie that night. A vote for Vickie is a vote for freedom and apple pie. Probably.
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From: Bill Helegers
Hey guys this is Bill from Australia. With the recent face turns of superstars such as Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler, CM Punk and apparently Mark Henry what do you think is behind so many recent turns? Is the WWE trying to freshen up their product? With so many face turns you would think A heel turn is likely soon. Who do you think it will be? Orton possibly (Cewsh Note: This question was originally answered before the events of Summerslam)? Thanks guys keep up the good work?
Cewsh: I think that the biggest reason is that they hardly had any babyfaces on the roster at all before these changes. Beyond John Cena and Daniel Bryan, you have Kane out with a kayfabe injury, Kofi Kingston out with a real one, Chris Jericho leaving the company, Triple H, the Rock and the Undertaker off of the shows, Alberto Del Rio turning heel, and a whole lot of nothing going on in terms of up and coming babyfaces. So it’s just a balancing of the scales. Guys like Cody Rhodes and Mark Henry were due a freshening up of their characters, while CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler were simply too over with fans to ignore.
The summer is the time that WWE experiments with new faces in new places. Now they’ll all get the chance to sink or swim until Wrestlemania season comes around.
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From: Michael Martin
In recent weeks, we've all heard of the TNA situation with a lot of the talent being unhappy. WWE is where my heart is but I try to keep up with TNA as well as ROH. I feel like TNA might be on to something with the Ace's & 8's storyline. Do you think in the long run, we could see this story line actually coming in to the WWE family and they actually getting an invasion angle right this time? How would you see it brought in, fueds, ect. and do you think this would be a good look for WWE?
Cewsh: Look, do you really think that Vince McMahon is going to do an invasion angle with a lot of people who his audience has never heard of? One led by the former Bubba Ray Dudley of all people?
The Invasion angle was a once in a lifetime possibility, and we have to accept it for what it was, and that we’ll never get another shot at it. If TNA went out of business and Vince McMahon bought it, it would be stripped of all useful talent and video footage, and then it would go to the sunny pastures where WCW and ECW live now, never to be heard from again. And it would very difficult to blame him for doing so.
Very, Very, Very Difficult
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From: Max
I wonder why we never saw Hogan vs Flair at WrestleMania 8. Do you know why?
Cewsh: Well the hot rumor of the day was that Hogan and Flair had wrestled a few house show matches to get ready for the obvious Wrestlemania main event, and they stunk the place out so badly that Vince changed it on the fly to the matches against Sid and Savage, respectively. There has been a lot of doubt thrown on this theory, though Flair and Bret Hart have both suggested that Flair was having a lot of trouble with self confidence and adjusting to the WWE style during that period.
For the record, here is what former WWE writer JJ Dillon had to say about why the match didn’t happen:
"You take risks. You would've thought it would've been a natural dream-match. And it didn't have the box office sizzle that we all would assume that it would. And after a run that was disappointing in markets (like Tampa) where it should have done well and it didn't... it's like Vince (McMahon) said - that match got booked 5 years too late."
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From: Nate
A handful of years ago, I vaguely remember reading that John Nord (AKA Yukon John, The Berzerker in WWF, and later in WCW under his real name) had a "Bible-thumper" gimmick at one point. Perhaps my Google-Fu is failing me, but I now can't seem to locate anything about this. If history is any indication, religiously-themed gimmicks tend not to last very long, so that may be why. (Think Friar Ferguson, Reverend D-Von, Mordecai, etc.) Any idea on when this gimmick for Nord might have been and with that promotion?
A handful of years ago, I vaguely remember reading that John Nord (AKA Yukon John, The Berzerker in WWF, and later in WCW under his real name) had a "Bible-thumper" gimmick at one point. Perhaps my Google-Fu is failing me, but I now can't seem to locate anything about this. If history is any indication, religiously-themed gimmicks tend not to last very long, so that may be why. (Think Friar Ferguson, Reverend D-Von, Mordecai, etc.) Any idea on when this gimmick for Nord might have been and with that promotion?
Cewsh: Yep, Nord sure did have a “bible thumper” gimmick. It was one of a variety of wacky gimmicks that he held while working for Verne Gagne’s AWA in the 80s. And yeah, the less said about it, the better.
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From: E.J. Tootill
Do you think that by going to TNA and doing comedy spots or being overexposed or not properly used that the legacies of Sting, Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, Ric Flair and any other guys who made a name for themselves and were main-eventers in all of the orginizations that they have been in over the years will destroy the legacy that they built up in the years past?
Cewsh: I realize that TNA fans who read the reviews probably think that I loathe the promotion, and take every chance to bash it for no reason. Honestly though, there are just a lot of sad realities that TNA fans have to come to accept. For example, do I think that working for TNA will ruin the legacies of the wrestlers in question? Nope. Because the vast majority of WWE fanbase is completely unaware of TNA’s existence.
And with those guys in particular you have Van Dam, who is already back with WWE, Sting, whose status as the godfather of TNA has actually earned him more respect than obscurity would have, Angle, who resurrected his credibility after the shambles that marked the end of his WWE run, and Flair and Hogan, who have worked tirelessly over the past decade to destroy their own legacy in other ways.
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From: Yorsh K.
Hi, I am from Mexico. My question is: Should (if it happens at all) Austin Vs Punk be the main event of Wrestlemania XXX? Or do you think that that spot should belong to John Cena? I think Wrestlemania XXX should be HUGE. And they should try to make the best card possible. But I can´t imagine right now a bigger match than Austin/Punk. (no, not even Cena vs The Rock 3).
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From: Nick Tullikopf
What match of Undertaker's streak was the most impressive and why?
Cewsh: I think his match at Wrestlemania 9 is his most impressive. Carrying Giant Gonzales to even the most rudimentary match is an achievement that you should be gilded in bronze for having on your resume.
Giant Gonzales. Legend Killer.
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From: Patrick Hocker
The Rock vs. HBK. Will we ever see it?
Cewsh: Nope.
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From: Batman
Nailz was the scariest superstar of all time! How many PPVs was he on? When was he scheduled to face the Undertaker? Will we see him back one day? When the Boss Man died, did he laugh? Who's cooler, Nailz or Snitsky?
Cewsh: Weird. I always saw Batman as more of an Adam Bomb fan.
I Think He Definitely Wouldn't Like Roderick Strong.
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From: Justin
Hey guys happy to see the mailbag back. I have a question about championship belts. I was planning on buying the old WWE championship on WWE Shop. So I was wondering if I should buy the replica or the commemorative title. Any recommendations?
Cewsh: Well the only real difference between the two if that the replica is made out of metal and the commemorative is made out of plastic. Both are the size of the actual belt, and the plastic on the commemorative is high quality, so either way you’re not getting the tiny kids belts you see at Wal Mart or anything. Here's the visual difference between the two. If you can't tell any difference, then I wouldn't sweat the details.
But, if you’re looking for the option that is the closest to the real thing, you’re going to want the replica.
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From: Austin Hall
I heard that when Vince McMahon retires, WWE will fall into the hands of Steph and Triple H. Is that true? If so why do you think he picked them instead of Shane. could it be due to Shane liking more traditional hardcore wrestling?
From: John
Is Shane O'Mac done, like completely done with the WWE? I know he had started doing his own thing but I miss him on TV. Do you think he'll ever be back or are his WWE days behind him?
Cewsh: We’ve had more than a few Shane McMahon questions lately, funnily enough. I’m guessing that as Vince’s career clearly winds down, people are looking to the future. But to all you Shane O’ Mac fans out there, I’m afraid there’s only bad news. Shane formally left WWE a number of years ago to pursue other business interests and all signs clearly point to Stephanie McMahon and Triple H being the future of WWE. Stephanie is the current Executive Vice President of Creative Development and Operations and Paul Levesque is the Head of Talent and Live Events, so the transition will be a smooth one when it takes place.
They'll Make The Most Adorable CEOs.
In the meantime, Shane hasn’t just been sitting at home twiddling his thumbs. He’s the active CEO for China Broadband Inc. and sits on the Board of Directors for International Sports Management, which represents some of the biggest name golfers in the world. And I wouldn’t rule out seeing Shane again in the future. With the McMahon family, you never know.
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From: Rene
I've been following this site since 2000, when I was 14. Thank you for all the hard work your team has contributed over the years, I do appreciate it. My question to you is one that has been bothering me for years. And I can't even find the answer via Google: What episode of Smackdown did the Undertaker infamously utter the phrase "At No Way Out....there will be......no....way........out.."? I am dying to find it!! Thank you so much!
Cewsh: It has actually proven to be shockingly difficult to discern the origin of the famous phrase. From what little my research has turned up, I almost think that it may have been the Big Show who uttered the famous words before his barbed wire cage match with JBL in 2005. But if any of you readers have more insight into exactly how it went down, write in to the mailbag and let us know, because now this is going to bug me all week.
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From: Albie
Don't you think it's odd how when Gail Kim debut in WWE in a divas battle royal, Jazz was automatically eliminated from the match and lost her title because she was knocked unconscious, yet on the divas battle royal a few weeks ago AJ was "knocked unconscious" and the referees managed to let her stay in the match and she ended up winning? Hmmm...
Cewsh: Wait, wait, wait. You’re either suggesting that there’s some kind of conspiracy in place among the referee union in WWE, or that WWE didn’t show consistency in their booking across two unconnected events a decade apart.
You Were In On it The Whole Time, Weren't You?
I admire your tenacity in pursuing continuity, but maybe ease off the throttle a bit there, muchacho.
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From: Hardcore
Hi all - big fan of the site since about 98. Question - when I think of wrestlers who have not yet been awarded a spot in the Hall of Fame, I can't help but wonder if/when Rick Martel will make it. In fact, it's relatively surprising he hasn't already given that he was an AWA Champion and Pro Wrestling Illustrated once had him beating Hogan in a fantasy matchup back in about '86. Thoughts?
Cewsh: Terrific question. He isn’t talked about much these days, but in the late 70s and early 80s, Rick Martel was as hot any wrestler in the world. He was the star of NWA, had a great look and very good in ring skills, and he was poised to become a really huge star. Mostly because he looked like a cross between Hulk Hogan and Scott Baio, which, in the 80s, caused all vaginas within a 30 mile radius to become magnetized when you walked by.
His Finishing Move Was "The Smolder."
Unfortunately, he never quite made it to the heights where many thought he could go, and in WWE he is primarily known for a number of babyface partnerships, and a fun run as “The Model” Rick Martel.
His Finishing Move Was "The Restraining Order."
The trouble with the WWE Hall of Fame, or maybe the beauty of it, is that it isn’t clear exactly what the criteria is to get in. Some guys have been inducted who had the bulk of their success outside of WWE, while many others who had more success there have been left out. I think the general rule is that you will be honored if you contributed something to WWE and left a legacy that was either significant, well remembered by fans, or both. Martel will likely find his way in somewhere down the line, but there’s a long line ahead of him.
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From: Sundeep
For the questions about people with different nationalities who won the WWE/WWF championship you forgot Great Khali
Cewsh: The Great Khali won the World Heavyweight Championship, not the WWE Championship. Just for fun, here's a list of all of the different nationalities that have won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship if we include the WCW lineage and show the first person of that nationality to win it:
Ric Flair (America)
Bret Hart (Canada)
The Great Khali (India)
Kane (Spain)
Sheamus (Ireland)
Alberto Del Rio (Mexico)
And yes, you are reading that right. The only non-Americans to ever hold the WCW World Heavyweight Title were Bret Hart and Chris Benoit. And Benoit held it for less than 24 hours.
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From: Bill
Do you think that since TNA has 4 pay per views now that WWE will do 4 or 5 pay per views soon?
Cewsh: No. WWE’s pay per views actually make money.
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From: Max Machukie
Hi guys, love the site since 90s, got a question regarding an old angle from 1988.. involving Andre and one Jake the Snake Roberts.. Now im possibly marking myself out but was the angle of the heart attack scripted? Or is Andre the Morgan Freeman of heart attacks? Thanks keep up the good work dudes
Cewsh: It was 100% fake. Andre was actually a surprisingly great actor whenever his role didn’t involve a lot of speaking parts. Check out The Princess Bride for more of it.
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From: Aaron
I would like to point out that on the list of WWF/WWE Champions and the different nationalities, Bret Hart seemed to be excluded from this list. Another one that came to mind was Chris Jericho but, he was actually born in New York during his father's stint as a Ranger hence, giving him dual citizenship between Canada and the US. Was Bret Hart left off of this list for a reason? Thanks for any insight, folks!
Cewsh: Well, as I understood that dude's question, he was asking how many DIFFERENT nationalities had won the WWE title. And since Ivan Koloff was the first Canadian champion, I listed him for that country. Several Canadians have won the title at various times, including Jericho, Hart, and Edge.
But Not You, Roddy Piper. Never You.
Also, I completely forgot to include that America is also a country and that I do not, in fact, live on a patch of air hovering in between Canada and Mexico. So that makes it 9 nationalities thus far.
Cewsh: Well, off the top of my head, the last time it happened in a high profile match was when Roddy Piper beat Hulk Hogan with a sleeper at WCW Starrcade 1996. But after looking into it, I'm reminded that Dolph Ziggler did a backpack version of it recently, and won matches on Smackdown in that way.
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From: Adam Craner
As i write this i am currently watching the Rock/Austin match from WM17, Austin just applied the Million Dollar Dream and it led me to thinking, when was the last time a match was won/ended with a sleeper hold? Not a submission (STFU, Anaconda, Sharpshooter etc) but a bonafide genuine sleeper hold where the arm fails to stay up after the third try..its a move thats considered to be genuinely dangerous if applied right but nowadays, its merely a filler..so yeah, my question is that.
Cewsh: Well, off the top of my head, the last time it happened in a high profile match was when Roddy Piper beat Hulk Hogan with a sleeper at WCW Starrcade 1996. But after looking into it, I'm reminded that Dolph Ziggler did a backpack version of it recently, and won matches on Smackdown in that way.
Beyond that, you'd have to go to people working old school gimmicks on the independent scene for the most part.
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From: Phlavin
What ever happened to that guy who won Tough Enough, Andy? I haven't even heard of him being in developmental. Is he still with WWE?
Cewsh: Andy Leavine got released from his development contract in April 2012 and now works for World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico, where's he's one half of the tag team champions.
He needed seasoning badly, and he wasn't going to get it in WWE, so him working internationally is a great opportunity for him, and you'll no doubt hear his name again in the future.
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From: Jaden
I was watching Impact on Thursday ,and Jeff Hardy started chasing Bully Ray. He fell down on the ramp and a ref had to escort him to the backstage. I was wondering did Jeff get hurt like Triple H did in 2001 or was it part of the storyline?
Cewsh: It appears that Jeff suffered a legitimate hip injury during his match on Impact, but that he will be fine going forward.
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From: Wendy
For months Evan Bourne has been tweeting that he will "Be back soon". Since he has been suspended a couple times for failing "wellness testing" do you think it is possible that WWE is holding him out til his contract expires so they can release him?
Cewsh: I wouldn't think so. The nature of the injury he suffered has made it so that getting him back up to 100% has been a challenge. He's appeared at NXT a few times recently, but WWE officials have said that they don't feel that he's back up to full speed. But his is getting there, and once he is, you'll see him back on your television screen.
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From: Noah
1. Knowing your fandom towards the (great) one they call Shinsuke Nakamura, how do you think he'd fair in a major American promotion? Obviously the language barrier would be an issue, but do you think a set of circumstances could present itself to where Nakamura could have a successful run in WWE, TNa, etc? If so, how would you like to see it done?
2. What other Native Japanese wrestlers do you think could do good business in the US?
3. Do you think a promotion like DDT, or a westernized version of it, could be successful in a US/European market?
4. If you could book a WWE/NJPW supercard, what would be your three "big money" matches? And would you go directly for the Cena/Tanahashi bout?
Thanks in advance for answering, all the hard work, and hilarious screen caps!
Cewsh: Firstly, thanks for the love, amigo. This is a great batch of questions for Japanese Wrestling fans, so let's dig into it.
1. I think that of all of the major Japanese wrestlers of the moment, Shinsuke Nakamura is the one who would easiest be able to adapt to new styles. He's proven himself extremely capable at wrestling luchadors, brawlers and just about everything else. And his extreme eccentric character would play great in WWE, where the language barrier would present a problem to any foreign performer not doing such a clear cut gimmick.
2. Basically, I had to place money on anyone from New Japan making it in WWE, it would be Okada first and Nakamura a close second. Other Japanese guys who could make it in the US, but not necessarily WWE, are Kota Ibushi, KENTA, (who has already proven it in ROH,) Toru Yano, Togi Makabe, SUWAMA and Tetsuya Naito.
3. I think that DDT is maybe a little too Japanese to work in America, because the things they ffind quirky and irreverent are things that many Americans would find just plain weird. But I think that Chikara is a spiritual sibling to DDT at the very least.
4. Oh man, my dream WWE vs. New Japan card? You don't realize how long I poured over making this card for one throwaway question. But if it happened, I would have to stop watching wrestling, because nothing could follow it.
WWE VS. NJPW SUPERSHOW BLOWOUT FUCK OFF SPECTACULAR
John Cena vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
CM Punk vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Brock Lesnar vs. Yuji Nagata
Randy Orton vs. Katsuchika Okada
Sheamus vs. Togi Makabe
Dolph Ziggler vs. Tetsuya Naito
Daniel Bryan and Kane vs. Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Chris Jericho vs. Prince Devitt
Big Show, Brodus Clay, Tensai and Big E Langston vs. Bob Sapp, Akebono, Manabu Nakanishi and Strong Man
WWE, MAKE THIS HAPPEN DAMMIT!
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From: Cody
Just want to say i love the site, first time question asker to the mail bag, my question has to do with Obama care. I have been under the understanding that wrestlers do not have provided insurance, or no insurance at all, with Obama Care coming, how will the WWE handle that with superstars?
Cewsh: For this question, I consulted a medical biller with 7 years experience who has had experience preparing for the Affordable Care Act.
“WWE doesn't have to do anything. WWE won't do anything. Wrestlers are not employed. The only Superstar I know they will have to do something for is Triple H because he's employed by the office. Wrestlers will have to provide themselves with coverage purchased on the individual market UNLESS they can prove it is not affordable to them because the premiums would be more than 8% of their household income. That probably won't apply for WWE employees, but I can certainly see it counting for TNA's undercard and professional independent wrestlers, and retired wrestlers.
But whereas before insurance coverage was too expensive for independent wrestlers due to their preexisting conditions, on 1/1/14, anyone with preexisting conditions, (old injuries, etc) will be able to get affordable insurance without those conditions being factored into the cost of their healthcare. Unfortunately that means premiums are likely to increase for everyone for a few years. Analysts believe that premiums will go up for a few years, but they also believe that premiums will go down after a few years as we transform into a more universal system.
Just getting rid of the preexisting condition clause is an amazing thing for professional wrestlers.”
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From: Whitney
Why is John Cena the biggest star in WWE?
Cewsh: Witchcraft. Also, have you seen his abs?
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From: John
Have you ever heard of Territory League? I believe its run by Rikishi.
Cewsh: Territory League is a really interesting new promotion/concept that is run by Rikishi. The idea behind it is complex and there are a number of rules that I won't go into, but the basic idea seems to be that teams from various cities, comprised of different divisions, (heavyweight, tag team, luchador, and crusierweight,) that compete for city supremacy. The idea seems to be tho have a promotion to sort of recreate the territory feuds of yesteryear. Specific information on shows is kind of scarce right now, but here's Gangrel describing it in a recent interview with 411mania.com:
“"We've taken it so that wrestling is no longer an individual deal, you know, wrestler on wrestler. We have eight or nine teams, I'm on the LA Templars, and there's four teams going into this Final. You have a Heavyweight, a Cruiser, a Lucha and a tag team. So these five members, whoever is battling that day, will come to the ring as a team and go from the ring to the crowd, where there are cages, like MMA cages, which is your locker room, much like a hockey bench or a dugout. Then each wrestler will come out and win or lose for his team, and the team with the most wins that night, gets the win...and will go on to battle for the Rodney Anoa'i Cup, and one will leave as champion that night."
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From: Kelly
What can you tell me about Damien Sandow? As an English teacher, he speaks my language. But other than that, his real name and his wrestling background would help.
Cewsh: Damien Sandow's real last name is Aaron Haddad, and he was trained by Killer Kowlaski, making his debut in 2001. If you were watching WWE closely through the 00s, you have actually seen him briefly before as one half of the “Teacher's Pets” tag team with KC James, that represented the debut of those two and their manager, Michelle McCool.
McCool, Sandow and KC James
Sandow was actually in WWE's developmental system off and on for a full decade as Aaron “The Idol” Stevens. While he was there he was lauded repeatedly as one of the most promising talents under contract, but WWE just could never find the right character to give him to bring him up to the main roster. After WWE dropped OVW as their developmental territory and changed to FCW, they re-signed Sandow and then finally brought him up to the main roster in a featured role in 2012.
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From: Ben In England
I keep seeing rumors about the Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle returning to the WWE. I would LOVE to see him come back for his last run with the WWE, but why did he ever leave? Just think of all the great matches that may never be: Angle vs CM Punk, Angle vs Daniel Bryan, and Angle vs. Ziggler would be 5 star matches no doubt.
Cewsh: Kurt Angle was essentially released from the WWE for his own good. His health was eroding quickly, and his neck injuries were creating a scary situation. At the time, Angle was going through a tough time in his marriage and wasn't in a very good situation, and the belief was that he'd just keep wrestling until he killed himself, and WWE had to step in and make him stop wrestling. Angle has since said in recent interviews that they were right to do it, because he was a shell of his former self and it was a wake up call.
Kurt signed with TNA and has recovered to a large extent, allowing him to have a very respectable second half to his career. TNA's much lighter schedule has kept him much healthier, and now if he comes back to WWE, it will be in a much better way than it would have been if he stayed.
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From: Anupam
Thank you very much for answering my last question. I love your website and this is where I get all my wrestling news. With your current knowledge of the WWE roster, who do you believe will be the next breakout star? Someone who impresses you enough to make you say he will be Intercontinental champion or Tag champ or World champ soon. Like Stone Cold saying he thinks Fandago will be Intercontinental champ soon.
Cewsh: Big E Langston.
Also, This Mysterious Stranger.
There are a lot of people on the roster and in development who I think have the potential to be key players for years to come if things work out well. Like them or not, Fandango, Paige, AJ, Bray Wyatt, Adrian Neville, Kassius Ohno and Sin Cara all have every tool that they need to make a major impact in WWE sooner than later. It's just a matter of which one gets the right opportunity to do so and capitalizes on it.
But ultimately, they're all just competing for second place. If Big E Langston is not one of the top 3 stars in this company in 5 years time, then WWE will have made a huge mistake.
And yes, that was an Arrested Development reference.
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From: Simon
Has there ever been a reason given as to why TNA appear to have dropped the King of the Mountain match? I always thought it was a great concept that seems to have fallen by the wayside since Hogan & Bischoff came on board. Coincidence?
Cewsh: Simple answer? Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff didn't like it.
When those two came in at the beginning of 2010, they made a lot of changes to TNA. The got rid of the six sided ring, they did away with most of the familiar gimmick matches, and they brought in a ton of new roster members. Unfortunately, not all of the changes were popular or, as it turned out, successful, but the King of the Mountain match was one of the casualties of the changeover. Also, try explaining the concept of a reverse ladder match to a non wrestling fan, and observe the look that they give you. We're probably better off.
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From: Kay
Can Divas still do Playboy? Who was the last one?
Cewsh: From the late 90s to the mid 00s, a number of WWE Divas appeared nude in Playboy magazine due to a partnership that was formed between the two brands. Among those who posed were Chyna, Sable, and Torrie Wilson, and it used to be a yearly reveal before Wrestlemania. The last one to do so was Maria Kanellis in 2008, after which WWE decided to move to a more serious and respectable women's wrestling division. In terms of how they dressed, I mean. Not in terms of how credible they were made to look.
Amusingly, after this TNA decided to get in on the Playboy publicity and Tracy Brooks posed nude for them, only to have her photos get bumped from the magazine after new management at Playboy decided that they wanted nothing to do with the wrestling business. Poor TNA can't catch a break.
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From: Kevin
Just curious on your views or the Curtis Axel/ Heyman pairing. Seemed kind of anti-climactic to me. Just seems like with Punk taking time off and Brock being done for a bit, they needed something for Heyman to do, as well as Hennig sitting around, so they just killed 2 birds with 1 stone, despite if it makes sense or not.
Cewsh: It was completely out of nowhere, and the logic behind the choice isn't obvious to anyone except the people who made it. But as Michael McGuillicutty, Hennig had been around and paying his dues for a number of years and had never received any prolonged exposure on the main roster, so I'm sure that they figured he would still be new to a majority of their audience, and it isn't hard to sell him based on his lineage and in ring skills.
And Beard.
We'll have to see how it turns out. WWE and Paul Heyman have made gold out of much less talented guys than Axel. But I'll admit that I was among those scratching my head when he was revealed.
That theme song is rad, though.
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From: Who Knows
Hey guys, was wondering if you could help me resolve some childhood memories brought about by a recent Smackdown episode! Mark Henry is without doubt a very strong chap(albeit not enough to pull two trucks silly WWE!) but as I remember watching the World's Strongest Man contest over here in the UK as a youngster in the 90's, I don't think I ever remember him competing in it.
If he did, it must have been during the times of the Scandanavian/Nordic dominance and I don't remember Mark winning a single event ( may have been the same year Nathan Jones got his arm broken in an arm wrestling contest with Magnus Samuelsson). Would appreciate finding out just how exaggerated his strong man gimmick is and also why doesn't the WWE scout these contests for talent? Cheers fellas.
If he did, it must have been during the times of the Scandanavian/Nordic dominance and I don't remember Mark winning a single event ( may have been the same year Nathan Jones got his arm broken in an arm wrestling contest with Magnus Samuelsson). Would appreciate finding out just how exaggerated his strong man gimmick is and also why doesn't the WWE scout these contests for talent? Cheers fellas.
Cewsh: Funny you should ask about that. Recently Dave Meltzer and the Observer listed Henry's credentials for being called the World's Strongest Man. To read the context and find out about other contenders in wrestling for that title you'll have to check out the newsletter, but the relevant bit goes like this:
“...Mark placed first at the Arnold Strongman classic in 2002 but he also has the highest five-lift total in history (i.e. the three power lifts plus the two Olympic lifts -- all set in drug tested competition). He snatched 180kg, clean and jerked 220kg, squatted 432.5kg, benched 265.5kg and deadlifted 410kg. All done without squat suits or bench shirts.”
In other words, dude is STRONG. And he has as much right to that title as anyone.
STRENGTH!
As to why WWE doesn't recruit from Strongman competitions, the answer is pretty simple. What would they do with them? Most of the competitors are older than people WWE looks for and have no experience in physical competition. So the return on investment is much lower than, say, a football player. Plus, enthusiasm for Strong Man events in the United States has dwindled considerably in any case.
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From: Barry
In the previous mailbag, a reader submitted a question regarding Jack Swagger's violation of the wellness policy, in particular the policy surrounding a violation of law in which a talent whom is arrested, convicted, or admits "to use, possession, purchase, sale, or distribution of drugs will be in material breach of his/her contract with WWE and subject to immediate dismissal" In your response, you stated that "technically" his arrest is not a conviction and therefore, "technically" he was not fired. As a big wrestling fan and also an attorney, I want you to know that while your analysis is flawed, your final answer is correct. The WWE under the wellness policy has the option regardless if a talent is convicted or arrested, to subject that talent to dismissal. While under the rule of law there is a huge difference between convicted and arrested, under the policy as written there is no difference.
The key reason why Jack Swagger is still employed is derived in the "subject to" portion of the policy. "Subject to" creates for the WWE a choice of remedy in a breach of the contract and thus allows them to choose whether to enforce or not enforce said provision. If the policy read "shall be" there would no lee way and Swagger would be terminated. The key is the difference between words subject and shall and the respective legal significance. The WWE attorney who created this policy wrote it in a way to allow the WWE to analyze each particular case based on their needs, instead of making it uniform. The WWE policy is well constructed; with the goal in mind of doing what is best for the business, interests, and public relations of the WWE. The policy was not created for talent enforcement, and thus Jack Swagger is still around by choice.
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From: Michael
First of all i would like to say i been coming to this site for years and i love it. My Question is who are your Top 5 wrestlers from WWE, ROH, and TNA, and which company do you like the most (Favorite to least favorite)
Cewsh: My top 5 lists shake out like this:
WWE
5) David Otunga
4) Sin Cara
3) Daniel Bryan
2) Alberto Del Rio
1) Dolph Ziggler
TNA
5) BIG ROB TERRY
4) Gail Kim
3) Joseph Parks
2) Christopher Daniels
1) AJ Styles
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From: Colin
I've always been curious what were the reasons why the Ultimate Warrior kept leaving the WWF?
Cewsh: Well it’s been less about the Ultimate Warrior leaving, and more about him being tossed out on his ear after pissing everyone off. The first time he left, it was because he held Vince McMahon up for more money before he would perform at Summerslam in 1991. Vince paid it, and then promptly suspended Warrior for threatening to not show up. Warrior tried to get his release and was told he was under contract until 1992, conceivably while people in the office made rude gestures at him.
In 1992, Warrior was brought back in, only to be released for real in the weeks before Survivor Series 1992. It’s not 100% clear as to why, but the common belief is that Warrior failed a drug test, and WWE was on trial for steroids at the time. And then in 1996, Warrior made another comeback, only to be released again for no showing some shows, the cause for which WWE and Warrior have very disparate views of.
So yeah, Warrior was his own worst enemy during a volatile time. That pretty neatly sums it all up.
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From: Kelly
Can you tell me who Antonio Cesaro is related to in WWE to be getting so much air time, when he's boring the hell out of everbody. He even gets a title and still nobody cares about him. He can't get any heat even by stupid yodelling, so why the useless push? I give up, who is he related to? It can be the only reason.
Cewsh: This is another installment of “PEOPLE WITH OPINIONS THAT MAKE SMARKS ITCH.”
Cesaro is regarded far and wide as an extraordinarily gifted in ring performer. He hasn’t found the right character to suit him yet, but give it time. WWE sees the potential in him.
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From: Zanphter
This question about the TNA/WWE show rumor. IF this were to happen, what kind of matches would you like to see?
Cewsh: I’d pay good money to see Big Dick Johnson wrestle Don West.
VS.
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From: Jimmy
Hi guys. I wonder if you can help to settle an argument for me. How many nationalities have held the WWF/WWE title since its conception? My count is 6, my friend 9.
Cewsh: If we’re counting anyone who was not born in the United States, and only the WWE Championship, and not the World Heavyweight Championship, here’s a list of the first wrestler from each nation to win the title:
Bruno Sammartino (Italy)
Ivan Koloff (Canada)
Antonio Inoki (Japan)
Iron Sheik (Iran)
Andre the Giant (France)
Kane (Spain)
Sheamus (Ireland)
Alberto Del Rio (Mexico)
Unless you want to include Puerto Rico as an independent nation separate from the United States, it looks like the real answer is 8.
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From: Whitney
I wanted to know why Mickie James left (WWE) and if she will ever come back; because the WWE Divas division sucks.
Cewsh: WWE released James, saying that they wanted to move the division in a new direction. Without getting too deep into things, James had been on the wrong end of a number of dangerous looking botches, and her character had taken a huge credibility hit after the whole “Piggy James” fiasco, so whatever the reason, the time was probably right to move on.
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From: Brett
If you were Vince McMahon and you could draft one performer from TNA who would you pick? And if you were Dixie Carter, Bishoff, Jarrett, or whoever and you could draft one full time guy from WWE besides Cena or Punk who would it be?
Cewsh: This is actually a great question, because I’ve thought a lot about this over the years, especially ever since talent stopped jumping ship. If I were Vince McMahon and I could have any TNA talent on my roster, I would take Magnus with no hesitation. Guys like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels are amazing, but they’re getting older, and most of WWE’s audience wouldn’t have any idea who they were to start with. They wouldn’t know Magnus either, but here’s a guy who looks like a Greek god, is growing quickly as a performer, and who is still only 27. Add in a British accent and experience as an American Gladiator, and you know that Vince can do something with that.
Whew. And So Could I.
As for TNA, their situation is a little different. Much of their main event scene is aging quickly, and they need people with credibility who can have consistent main event matches that work. So if they can’t have John Cena or CM Punk, I am convinced that the best thing for them would be Randy Orton. However you may feel about the man, he’s an incredibly smooth wrestlers, and he has proven able to adapt to a whole range of different styles. In TNA, his promo skills will look much better, and his occasional Wellness issues will be a complete nonfactor. It’s a good fit. Just a shame we’ll never see it.
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From: Steve
Who is rumored to be the fourth man (in the Shield)? Why can't WWE adapt a dream match type of feature like NWA did back in the 80's? Perhaps like a wheel of fortune type spin piece with matches on it.
Cewsh: The first question there is in reference to the rumor that the Shield would soon be joined by a fourth member. To my knowledge the rumor is hardly definitive, but I have heard the rumor accompanied by the names Kassius Ohno and Corey Graves. Whether that is just speculation on the part of the rumor spinners, or whether they are really being considered isn’t for me to say. But stables tend to go south in a hurry once they bring in new members beyond the originals, so I wouldn’t be too terribly excited about the prospect.
I’m not really sure what “a dream match like feature like NWA” is in reference to, but WWE does indeed have a big wheel with matches on it. It’s called Raw Roulette, and it happens about once a year or so.
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From: Ben E. King
Who has better ratings? TNA now or WCW in it's dying days?
Cewsh: TNA has pretty much averaged a 1.0 throughout its entire lifespan as on television. There have been fluctuations in either direction, but never more than half a rating point, and then it always creeps back to the average. WCW, on the other hand, averaged a 2.3, through its last year on television, which is actually a little bit better than the ratings that WWE Smackdown gets now.
Of course, there are all sorts of factors involved here, like cable’s growth in the years in between, the decline of wrestling interest and traditional cable viewers in general, and all of that jazz. So you could say that TNA’s 1.0 is more impressive than WCW’s 2.3. But in literal terms, WCW’s were higher.
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From: Lee Cundiff
Hey man best wrestling site on here, i buy and sell old dvds and was watching the one night stand ecw ppv from 2005 were jbl literally busted blue meanie apart it was a full on assault that to me didn't look scripted it seemed he made a bee line and just beat the hell out of him so much so that other ecw wrestlers took exception to it, am pretty sure it wasn't scripted so can you shed any light on the background and aftermath and if jbl got heat because of it.
Cewsh: It’s nice to be able to actually give an answer that is more than just hearsay, because both JBL and Blue Meanie have discussed the situation at length. Essentially, JBL has been known as a guy who plays harsh pranks on younger wrestlers, and he had a major reputation as an old school bully backstage. Apparently Blue Meanie said some harsh remarks about this and it got back to JBL, so when the big brawl happened at the end of One Night Stand, JBL made a bee line for Meanie and clubbed his face off. Here's the video of it happening:
Afterwards, JBL got bags of heat from all over the industry, but he was never punished for it by WWE as far as I can tell. It was pretty par for the course for the guy, honestly. The two have buried the hatchet in recent years, so there’s no remaining drama from this. Here's Manie giving an interview about the whole thing and explaining how it has all blown over in recent times.
But yeah, JBL shoot beat Meanie to bits on a live PPV. Good times.
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From: Jeffrey Winner
Ryback latest promos in the last three weeks with him with a skull cap....is he wearing an earpiece and getting scripted promos and responses? Interestingly enough the complaints came in and IWC questioned it and he begins wearing the skull cap in the promos (with Cena, Jericho, Foley, etc)
Cewsh: It never even crossed my mind that that could be an option, but now that you mention it, I don’t see why it couldn’t be possible. Referees have similar devices in their ears to get signals from the back, so why not Ryback?
I can’t remember if I’ve ever seen him cut a promo and do anything physical in the same segment, so you may be on to something here.
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From: Rob
I really hope you can answer this, if so I will have a termendous amount of respect for you, as I have emailed the WWE this same question and they do NOT answer. On WWE's on wellness policy this is what is stated; Section 14 of the Wellness Policy, which is titled Discipline for Violation of Law, reads: "Any WWE Talent, who is arrested, convicted, or who admits to a violation of law relating to use, possession, purchase, sale, or distribution of drugs will be in material breach of his/her contract with WWE and subject to immediate dismissal" SO why have they done NOTHING in regards to Jack Swaggers recent arrest for DUI.
Cewsh: The politician’s answer is that Jack Swagger still has a pending court date on June 25th to establish whether he is guilty of the charges leveled against him in the eyes of the law. “Arrested” is an iffy term to apply to this, since I haven’t seen the police documents, so he’s scooting by on a technicality. If he is convicted at his court hearing, then by the rules of the Wellness Policy, WWE would be obligated to terminate his contract. But since that gives them plenty of time to wrap up his current storyline without having had to interfere with Wrestlemania, it would appear that WWE has chosen to let things go until the courts sort out his definitive guilt.
Since the charge is more serious than just being caught with drugs in your system, WWE may be waiting to see the severity of the situation before deciding whether to fire or suspend him, and in the meantime, they seem to be trying to get as much out of him as they can before then.
If he’s still unpunished 2 months from now, then there’s a serious issue. In the meantime, they aren’t TECHNICALLY breaking their own rules.
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From: Tim
Excuse me, but this is a show so doesn't anyone see the screw up of Christy Hemme as more of a detriment to the show than what Aries did? Heels depend on that heat they get in order to get over with the fans and when some dumb skirt who could not wrestle and now cannot even read off a cue card fouls up all the attention is drawn toward what Aries did. Get rid of Hemme, she has zero talent, is NOT attractive, and adds absolutely nothing to the show. Yes discipline Aries but accusations of sexual harrassment have gone way overboard and this is just another example.
The Segment In Question.
Look, I’ve seen a lot of really awful statements directed at Christy Hemme over the past week since these events took place, and I’ve see an awful lot of people trying their level best to defend Austin Aries and rationalize what he did. Yes, he’s a heel. Yes, he’s an excellent professional wrestler. But you need to understand that what he did constitutes sexual harassment and that is not a debatable thing. You can’t abuse non wrestlers without them knowing it’s coming and you absolutely cannot stick your dick in a woman’s face just because she had the gall to mix up the order of the teams coming to the ring. Any attempt to justify that action just labels the person doing it as a delusional sociopath who cares more about defending his favorite wrestlers than he does about standing up for women’s rights. And I don’t have much time for that, or for the person doing it.
I won’t be answering any further letters on this topic. What Aries did was wrong, and he has been punished and reprimanded for it by both TNA and Spike TV. Let’s just move on.
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From: Anti Cewsh Army
So answer me this question.....according to the ever 'wonderful' Cewsh, Jeff Hardy won't go back to WWE because he loves his 'drugs'....well like I said, answer me this. The guy has been sober since mid-2011, and according so SEVERAL has wrestled the best he has ever done in ages. Do you just have a personal hatred for the guy and refuse to accept the fact that he has sobered up, or are you just a bitter wrestling fan that is pissed he beat Aries for the belt at Bound For Glory?
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CALM DOWN. He's Just Doing Yoga. Sheesh.
At the very least, it would get more buys than TNA.
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From: Jeff Salvetti
Who is the head booker for Raw?
Who is the head booker for Raw?
Cewsh: You know, for such a simple seeming question, you're about to get stuck with a stupid inconclusive answer. Sorry, pal.
For a number of years until recently, Brian Gewirtz was the Head Writer for the Raw Brand of WWE. He was let go as the company decided to move on without him, and last year a new man was promoted to the position, by the name of Eric Pankowski. Unfortunately he, too, was removed just a few weeks before Wrestlemania, and then the Head Writer duties fell into the lap of a man named Adam Rudman. Rudman barely made it 2 months before he was shown the door, and now, to the best of my knowledge, NO ONE formally holds that position. At least not yet.
Vince Russo: "Come On Baby, Ring For Me. I Haven't Ruined Anything In At Least A Year!"
Stephanie McMahon oversees the writing teams, so there is still someone keeping an eye on everything, but if you're asking what hand is on the tiller, I regret to inform you that the captain has been thrown overboard.
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From: Nate M
One day recently, I was reading the Wikipedia article on the original ECW. When I got to the part about the company's bankruptcy, it stated that part of the balance of their assets at the time was "the remaining inventory of merchandise" valued at a whopping $4. This is probably a long shot, but have you any idea what item(s) comprised such a small amount?
Cewsh: Now THAT is a really specific question.
I did some digging on your behalf, and obviously finding detailed financial records for independent wrestling companies that went out of business in 2001 is a task that would make even a lifelong accountant drink himself into an early grave. I wasn't able to track down this mysterious piece of merchandise, but I did find out that both Sabu and Steve Corino were owed exactly $2 each when the company filed for bankruptcy. So it seems possible that Paul Heyman was attempting to sell them both on the wrestling black market and filed them under Merchandise. It’s as good an answer as any.
Also amusing is that one of the assets that Vince got when he bought ECW was a 1998 Ford truck that was co-owned by Tommy Dreamer. I wonder if Tommy got to keep it. Because if so, Vince McMahon basically paid off the car payments in passing, so pretty sweet deal there, Tommy.
Man, That's So Like An Athlete To Blow All His Money On Such An Extravagant Vehicle.
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From: Bill Helegers
My question is in regards to Test.At one stage it seemed that he was set for a Main Event run. What happened to that? Apart from a brief feud with HHH and DX he never broke through. He had potential and I think could have made a pretty good main eventer if given time to develop. It was a shame he passed away so young. Thanks guys.
Cewsh: What happened to Test, in life and in wrestling, is a sad and cautionary tale. Tackling this question requires addressing the 3 different times that Test was set to get a serious push, and the reasons why each of them fizzled.
The first time, in 1999, when Test was being pushed as Stephanie McMahon’s love interest who she scorns for Triple H, it’s pretty universally acknowledged that test wasn’t ready for that big a role on the show. His matches weren’t good enough and his promos were awful, and he just needed more seasoning in general before it was his time. Nothing wrong with that, happens to the best of us.
Then came the push at the end of the WCW/ECW Invasion storyline where Test won the immunity battle royal and joined the hot Unamericans group. The group was positioned for a serious, serious push by all accounts, but was ultimately torpedoed by Test, (and to a lesser extent Christian,) for the stupidest reasons possible. He wouldn’t cut his hair or wear regular wrestling tights. Allegedly he also told WWE that he felt his future was as an actor, not a wrestler. So his days were numbered.
Finally, there was his big return in the new ECW, where he was much more muscular and initially got a big push as a monster.
Rumors That He Sat On A Pin And Deflated Like A Balloon Are Likely Exaggerated.
Legend has it that he cut the promo of his career to Vince McMahon before a show, and then promptly tanked it in front of the live audience, causing McMahon to lose all faith in him. True or not, he was gone shortly thereafter.
Test career didn't lack for opportunities, but for one reason or another, he never rose to them. It’s a shame, but there it is.
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From: Jordan D
I was just wanting to ask if you could do a talent evaluation of NXT stars. I saw a house show post saying that bray Wyatt and Alex Riley were awful and no one knew who they were. Bray Wyatt is hopefully going to be given the right push, because he can be a star. His NXT gimmick is amazing. I just would like for everybody who reads this site to not be in the dark on these NXT guys/divas that get called up.
Cewsh: As it happens, I did just that sort of talent evaluation on this very site at the end of last year. Just click the picture below and enjoy!
CLICK ME IN, COACH. I'M A WINNER.
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From: Max
A) What are wrestlers really like in real life? Which wrestlers are true "douchebags" and which ones aren't? Can you give a few examples?
B) How is it that the Undertaker has gained so much backroom respect? What makes him so special behind the scenes and sets him apart from the countless other wrestlers who have worked just as hard? What is his actual relationship like with Vince McMahon? And does Triple H really not get along with Undertaker?
Cewsh:
A) We can only go on what other people say about them, when it comes to figuring out wrestler personalities, and those reports are often contradictory. For example, some people say that Triple H is cruel, aloof and political, and some say that he is driven, knowledgeable and generous. Which one is true? No way to know beyond getting to know him yourself.
When it comes to people who are thought well of universally, though, John Cena, Bobby Eaton, Diamond Dallas Page, William Regal, The Rock and the Undertaker are all people who I have never heard one reputable bad word said about.
He Has Kind Eyes.
B) Respect is why the Undertaker is so well thought of. He’s been around longer than any other active WWE wrestler, he’s worked through horrible injuries and carried the company through it’s darkest periods, and from what I’ve heard, he’s helpful, accessible and looks after the more inexperienced people. It’s a rare wrestler that commands utter respect and appreciation, and the Undertaker has been that guy in WWE since some of it’s wrestlers were in diapers.
As for his relationships with Vince and Triple H, I wouldn't begin to speculate. But I guarantee you that both are built first and foremost on a foundation of respect.
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From: TC
I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who thinks DZ is terrible and quite frankly I don't care what the people have to say. Hes terrible, and deserves no title.
Cewsh: I'm pretty sure that's not a question, Dr. TossCock.
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From: Anupam
Now that Dolph Ziggler is the Champ who do you think would be the best feud for him now. Alberto Del Rio or Jack Swagger or someone else.
Cewsh: The best thing about having a champion like Dolph Ziggler is that there really isn’t anyone on the roster that he CAN’T work with. I would eagerly anticipate title defenses against Del Rio, Sheamus, Randy Orton, Mark Henry, Rey Mysterio, Sin Cara, Wade Barrett, Kofi Kingston, The Miz, CM Punk, John Cena, Ryback. Basically everyone. It’s going to be a good year for Smackdown title matches.
But if I had to choose between Swagger and Del Rio, I'm going Team Del Rio all the way. I wouldn't pay money to see a Jack Swagger match if it took place in a bouncy castle with Bobby Lashley's picture on it.
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From: Johnny
I've read interviews with Ryback where he says he wants to be the face of the company. Is he delusional? In my opinion he's quite poor in the ring, unless he's squashing, his mike work needs vast, vast improvement, and he looks like he's trying to hard to be intimidating. How long do you think Ryback will last for? I think he'll become champion, fail miserably, and then feud in the midcard until he's released. Unless they have him become Skip Sheffield again.
Cewsh: These days we get more questions about Ryback than about any other topic. It’s not even close. I think he’s still growing as a performer, and his booking over the past few months has not helped him at all, (he has now lost at 6 consecutive pay per views, and doesn’t look likely to beat Cena at Extreme Rules.) But any time you have a guy who has a look like his, and aggression like he has, you have the potential for something incredibly special. And it’s entirely possible that, if given a good chance, he could become a top guy one day. Guys who have both the look and the intensity don’t come along often, and WWE are not going to give up on Ryback until they are absolutely certain that he can’t succeed for them. Seeing as he already has once at Hell in a Cell, Ryback isn’t going anywhere for a long time.
And seriously, nobody in WWE is going to mention the name "Skip Sheffield" ever again, no matter how sad that makes Mrs. Cewsh. If she had it her way, we would all be chanting "YEP YEP YEP" right now.
Though I Will Admit That That Catchphrase Is Ridiculously Catchy. YEP YEP YEP.
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From: Wendy
I have heard Colts punter Pat McAfee talk about how hard it is to find jeans due to the size of his legs. Ryback has massive legs. I would like to see a picture of him in jeans and not a singlet. I know this will sound crazy but for some reason I find him attractive.
Cewsh: I feel like I’m about to disappoint you with the revelation that Ryback likes his jeans baggy. But here’s a picture of him out of his work clothes all the same.
Important Note: The Miz Is That Guy In Your Group Of Friends That Wears A Suit To The Club.
Never let it be said that we aren't ready and willing to cater to reader crushes of all shapes and sizes.
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BONUS QUESTION:
From: Sean Connell
Best guesses on Punk's future after his eventual return?
Cewsh: It's tough to say, but I think we may have a clue based on HOW he'll be returning. By all accounts, he's set to return at or around WWE Payback in June, which just so happens to be taking place in his hometown of Chicago, IL. Considering the fact that CM Punk is revered like, well, a Second City Saint there, I think there's a solid chance that he'll be coming back as a babyface. Punk and Cena joining forces to finally defeat the Shield? It's more likely than you might expect. So get your fingers nice and limber, because that one is going to start so many internet arguments that I'm going to hire Judge Mills Lane just to come in and officiate them.
A Dated 90s Reference That Our Core Demographic Has Never Heard Of. Obviously, I Am The King Of Blogging.
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From: James
Hi there, gents! I am drawing a blank, trawling the internet trying to find out where and when Wrestlemania 30 tickets go on sale! Found ALOT of re-sale sites selling them but I'm sure they haven't gone on sale yet. Long story short I met (my) wifey at Wrestlemania 20 and what better way to celebrate (my anniversary). Thanks! Keep up the good work guys!
Cewsh: In their Wrestlemania 30 press conference, WWE announced that they would be releasing the details about ticket sales during the summer time. So there’s nothing to know for now. The best bet on when they’ll open general admission ticket sales is some time around November, so you have plenty of time to plan your Wrestlemania anniversary.
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From: TC
Why did the WWE give Dolph Ziggler such a big push when there are superstars who deserve it more? His gimmick is terrible and he's a bad wrestler. Oh, and lets not forget, he was a part of the Spirit Squad....
From: Chris
After watching the latest episode of MNR, I am convinced that advancing a storyline that has nothing to do with the Undertaker is the reason I and many others watch only WM. The Shield, a threesome that not only looks bad during the match, but wins. I watched a couple of the moves by Rollins and they didn't even make contact...what is the point of having them wrestle with the UT, Kane, and Bryan, other than experience? I think the concept is fine, but a threesome is just not what sells and never will.
Cewsh: So the two of you hate Dolph Ziggler and the Shield, respectively? I think you guys should team up. It’s your only chance once the internet learns of this.
(Also, here are some famous threesomes that have drawn in wrestling: The Freebirds, the NWO, The Hardy Boyz and Lita, original DX, the BWO, the Legion of Doom, The Kings of Wrestling, The Second City Saints, Misawa’s Generation Army, etc.)
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From: Anupam
In TNA Bully Ray is the champ and in WWE Cena is the champ. The wwe heavyweight title does not mean as much as the WWE Championship belt so I do not care who has that title. Who do you think deserves to be TNA Heavyweight champion and WWE champion?
Cewsh: I know this wont be a popular choice, but I think the two champions right now should be John Cena and Bully Ray, exactly as they are. Cena’s title win came off of the back of a 3 year long storyline feud, and it’s his first in well over a year, so there a lot of new and interesting match ups that he can get involved in, (Ryback, for example,) that will feel fresh because they kept the title out of their top guy’s hands for so long. Taking the title off of Cena now would rushing it substantially, and I have major doubts about Chris Jericho being up to an extended title reign at this point in his career.
As for TNA, Bully Ray also just won the title at the conclusion of a long, long storyline. Frankly, TNA has so much trouble actually getting heels over to any extent, that when they find one capable of being an effective champion, (Bobby Roode last year, for example,) they need to hitch their wagon to that and ride it for all it’s worth. And besides, Bully is just keeping that title warm for AJ Styles anyway.
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From: Brad
I know there haven't been many rumors of anyone in WWE or TNA jumping ship. If you had to take a stab in the dark, what big star who is currently on one of their rosters would you guess would be the next one to jump?
Cewsh: If I were WWE, I would be counting down the days until Magnus’ contract came up and they could negotiate with him. The man is a walking pile of money that TNA has no idea what to do with.
I Mean Seriously, It's Not That Hard. Amazing Body, English Accent, American Gladiator. Figure It Out.
But I would guess that the next guy to jump ship will be Kurt Angle. From interviews he’s given, he really seems to want to end his career in WWE more and more with each year that goes by, and TNA has phased him out of the main event scene altogether. Could be a matter of time.
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From: Jason Smith
When is the wwe gonna get it together and finally sign Luke Hawx? He is one of the best antagonists in wrestling today, and not only that, but he is (also) one hell of a wrestler.
Luke Hawx
Cewsh: Luke Hawx, who some readers may remember better as Alter Boy Luke from the XPW days, is a fine talent, and has done small things with WWE numerous times before, but he spent the 00s doing nothing much in particular after XPW closed. With the opening of Extreme Rising, Hawx was a given a much bigger spotlight and push than ever before in his career, due mainly to his bitter feud in the ring and in real life, with Shane Dougla. If he continues to be notably successful in his work there, it’s entirely possible that WWE will come calling. I’m not sure that he’s on WWE’s radar right now, and I can’t really blame them. There are a lot of fish in the wrestling sea, and Hawx has some red flags, (injuring Matt Hardy, already 32, etc.) If you’re a fan of his, then keep up the support for the man, and with any luck he can get some buzz going and get a real chance at the big time.
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From: Jeff H
What is the bloodiest fued you guys can remember? Any match that stands out and make you say "WTF?"
Cewsh: There are 3 matches that immediately spring to mind. I would recommend not watching them while eating or babysitting. I will helpfully link to all 3 here so that you can blissfully ignore my warning and traumatize the neighbor's baby.
Great Muta vs. Hiroshi Hase – 12/14/92
Eddie Guerrero vs. JBL – WWE Judgment Day 2004
Sergeant Slaughter vs. Iron Sheik – Boot Camp Match - 6/16/84
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From: John L
First I know everybody know Jake The Snake Roberts want to make a comeback to WWE and win the 2014 Royal Rumble but my question is do you think Jake have the chance to win it all and have one last run with WWE? Thanks, you guys are the best.
From: Kevin Woolery
Wondering what your thoughts are on the recent interview Jake "The Snake" Roberts gave, where he claimed that he wanted to compete in and win next years Royal Rumble. I have no reason to believe that the WWE would have him win the Rumble, but what are the odds that they would let him compete? Also, as I am also a Bronco fan, was wondering if you knew what Darren "Puke" Drozdov has been up to since his injury.
As for Droz, after his injury, WWE kept him on the payroll doing various things, notably as one of the regular columnists on their website in it’s early years. He remains employed there to this day.
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From: Billy Guthrie
I was wondering who would you pick for a money in the bank match. For me it would have to be.
1) CM Punk
2) Adrian Neville/PAC
3) Seth Rollins
4) Chris Jericho
5) Drew McIntyre
6) John Morrison/surprise return
With Drew winning.
Cewsh: Good question! Here’s how it should shake out.
1) Bobby Lashley
2) Goldberg
3) Ryback
4) Brock Lesnar
5) Sheamus
6) Mark Henry
And then they would just take turns bench pressing the ladder, until one of them realized that you’re supposed to climb it. Hijinks ensue.
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From: Allen
I've always wanted to know why Vince Mcmahon didn't sign Paul Heyman after he was done in WCW after 1992?
Cewsh: There were some talks between the two sides, as I hear it, but Paul had gotten a major settlement payout from WCW after he charged them with anti-Semitism for their treatment of him, so he was financially set. Right around that same time, it so happened that Tod Gordon was in the market for someone new to run his wrestling promotion, Eastern Championship Wrestling. The rest is history.
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From: gomzzak
In terms of merchandise sales, and popularity has John Cena finally beaten Steve Austin and Hulk Hogan? Are there any websites/links where it clearly reveals the amount of merchandise sales done by Austin, Hogan, Cena or The Rock? Also, was Steve Austin, in his prime, really the highest merchandise seller for WWE? Because, in my opinion, Vince McMahon was pissed off at Hogan for leaving WWE for WCW and hence decided to bury hogan's popularity in every way possible. Back in 1996 to 1998, when WCW was kicking WWE's ass, I remember Scott Hall and Kevin Nash saying that NWO was more popular than DX. Is it true?
Cewsh: Unfortunately, the number for individual merchandise sales figures aren't available, and WWE only started making their financial records public at all when they became a publicly traded company in 1999, after the Austin merchandise craze had slowed down a bit. From the personal accounts of people who worked there during the Hogan and Austin eras, though, the sales figures for those two are completely untouchable in wrestling history. And Austin did indeed have the hottest period of merchandise selling in history, though since Hogan was a top for much longer, he no doubt sold much more overall.
And yes, the NWO was bigger than DX. By a lot. Like, a whole lot.
As Illustrated Here, In Kevin Nash's Spike Chart.
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SPECIAL BONUS QUESTION:
From: Samuel Cooke
Will 2010s NJPW take over 1990s AJPW as the greatest period in wrestling history?
Will 2010s NJPW take over 1990s AJPW as the greatest period in wrestling history?
Cewsh: Well I'm sure you could easily find a million people who would be ready to argue which era is the best era in wrestling, and some of them might even be willing to do it without stabbing you for disagreeing with them. But in terms of where modern day New Japan stands in the hierarchy of great eras, I think we're still too soon into it to say. After all, if we acknowledge the modern era of New Japan as being from the moment Jado and Gedo took over the booking, I believe we're only 3 years into that era then. Which would only put us into 1992 in terms of All Japan's run of greatness. New Japan has a long way to go and a lot of stars left to make, and they certainly need to prove that they can succeed without Tanahashi on top, (which Okada has begun to do for them.) But god damn are they ever off to a great start.
We could be seeing history being made right in front of our eyes. And if I were you, I'd be heading over to Rudo Reels to make sure I don't miss a single second.
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From: Lucas
You were incorrect in your latest edition of the mailbag regarding GTV. It turned out to be Glenn Ruth (formerly Thrasher of The Headbangers) behind it all. This was revealed when he outed Beaver Cleavage's "motger" putting make up on that looked like bruises and talking about how she was going to get him in trouble for abusing her. This effectively ended the Beaver Cleaver character and reunited The Headbangers. The G in GTV ended up standing for "Glenn".
Cewsh: It was speculated by many that the theory you mentioned was the truth behind GTV, but it absolutely was not confirmed to be the case definitively. While Thrasher was shown in the angle you mention as having used GTV to reveal the truth, there was no sign that he had been behind any of the other videos and it was never brought up again. Ed Ferrara, assistant writer for Raw at the time, said that the angle was originally meant for Goldust and the angle was just kind of resolved with no definitive explanation after Goldust left for WCW. So if you want to believe that it was all Thrasher’s doing, then that’s as good a kayfabe answer as any.
But seriously, why would Thrasher have been videotaping segments with Val Venis and the Big Show comparing penis sizes? That’s going to bother me all day.
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From: Wayne Hollander
Rumors have been persistent about midcarders being invited back into the WWE fold......what about John Morrison? Any word on when/if he might return? Same question about Kharma...
Cewsh: The best news we have on Morrison came after he wrestled a show in Mexico back in December. While there, he told fans that he was going to return to WWE “in about 6 months”. So whether he’s signed a contract or is just being optimistic remains to be seen. It’s worth mentioning that there never appeared to be any bad blood there over his departure, though. So odds are great that we’ll see him again.
And The Man Does Know How To Make An Entrance.
As for Kharma, she has returned to independent wrestling, notably making her return to Shimmer at their Volume 53 show on Wrestlemania weekend. In regards to her return to WWE, there are only two things that we know, but they may paint an interesting picture. WWE recently renewed the copyright on the name “Kharma” and Kharma herself declined a contract offer from TNA recently, according to multiple sources. Maybe that adds up to nothing, maybe that adds up to a return to WWE. We can only hope.
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From: Psycho Hank
Why didn't Vader have a more memorable run in WWE? After a big feud with HBK, he sort of fizzled out, never won a championship. He was awesome.
Cewsh: It really depends on who you ask. But the most commonly given reasons for Vader being run out of town are:
- Shawn Michaels hated him.
- Vince wouldn’t fully get behind a star that he didn’t make.
- Vader didn’t draw as much as they expected.
- Vader had a bad attitude and worked extremely stiff with WWE’s top stars.
I imagine the truth is somewhere in the second two, as Vader just didn’t fit well in a more controlled WWE environment. To get the most out of him, you had to let Vader be Vader. Vince wouldn’t, or couldn’t, and so the whole thing fizzled.
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From: Sammy Armogan
First off... Like everyone else I would like to express how much I enjoy your site! And while I'm the last of my breed here out of my friends as in still a wrestling fan.... So I usually have tonnes of questions and things I wonder and never get to ask anyone... So here's my question... Who was undertakers last loss? How? When? Etc:...... Thanks
Cewsh: Well his last loss is NOW from this past Monday Night, when he, Kane and Daniel Bryan lost to the Shield.
What A Jobber.
But to find his last loss of any kind before that , you have to go all the way back to Bragging Rights 2010, when he lost a Buried Alive match to Kane. So yeah, the Shield are the first people to beat the Undertaker in over 2 and a half years. And they’re the first people not named Kane to beat him since Elimination Chamber 2010, over 3 years ago.
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From: Rowley
is there anyone on the wwe & tna main roster who you think should get pushed to become the next main stars
Cewsh: For TNA, that one is easy. Christopher Daniels. The man is better in and out of the ring right now than he has been at any point in his career, and TNA has given him the shaft more than any other person that has ever worked for their company. He has the gimmick, the sidekick, the promo skills, and the match quality. The only thing standing in his way is a glass ceiling.
Relevant.
For WWE, it’s a little tougher to say, since there’s so much great young talent waiting for their chance, and I think they have a good handle on who they’re pushing now. But of all the people who aren’t getting a push to the top at all, Drew McIntyre is the one who most deserves one. It’s baffling to see him in a midcard comedy act, and I think he’ll be a big star for some company someday, one way or another.
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From: Dan
As always, great to see the mailbag back. You guys do an awsome job. I was wondering if you guys have any idea, weather it would be wwe or tna stars, if there might be any current wrestlers in either organization who are heel that might be turning face in the near future? Im always curiouys to know this. Also, do you think Aj Styles will end up joining the Aces and Eights? Wheres the Aj Storyline going in your opinion? Thanks guys!!
Cewsh: I’m one of the worst predictors of things in wrestling who have ever lived. But I think that the AJ Styles storyline in TNA right now is meant to mirror the Sting/NWO storyline from the WCW days. So they’ll tease AJ choosing one side or the other for awhile, and then he’ll go after Bully Ray in a big match, probably at Bound For Glory, if they have the patience to wait that long. If AJ joins Aces and Eights then he’ll just be another face in the crowd, and the whole storyline will be for nothing.
As for anyone turning soon, I would bet my beard that Mickie James from TNA and Big E Langston from WWE will both turn in the next 6 months. Mickie is chasing the Knockouts title right now, and is getting progressively more aggressive, and TNA needs another female heel right now. And while the Big E turn might be soon into his WWE career, he has such incredible potential that there’s no way that they don’t make him a singles act sooner than later. Partnerships in WWE never last, and the one between Langston and Ziggler is even more doomed than most. I wouldn’t expect that stable to outlive Ziggler’s inevitable title loss.
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From: Wendy
I know this is going to sound really perverted but... I have been watching wresting for years. I do not watch to see the guys nearly naked. With that said I have noticed that Damien Sandow is either very blessed or wears a massive cup. Any insite???
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From: John
First of all, I wanted u to know I love the site. My question to u, What's going on with Jeff Jarrett in TNA? I haven't seen him since he lost his match against Kurt Angle few years ago!
Cewsh: This is a TNA heavy mailbag, isn’t it? There’s no real news on what Jeff Jarrett is doing in TNA at the moment. He was initially removed from television back in 2011 because he was overseeing the launch and running of Ring Ka King, TNA’s offshoot wrestling promotion in India, and he was also developing a TNA project for the SPEED channel. But Ring Ka King has closed, (or more accurately but canceled, as it was a television show and not a touring promotion,) and the SPEED project never materialized. So in theory, he’s working with the agents and the writing team right now behind the scenes. He may well be done as an onscreen member of the TNA roster, especially after they left him off of the nostalgia show they taped recently.
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From: Andrew
Why did the Miz go from a WM main eventer to lower card matches so quickly?
Cewsh: He made too many Miztakes. AHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA
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CEWSH REVIEWS EXCLUSIVE:
From: Anonymous
If you had to pick two matches. one that you think of as the greatest of all time and one that is your favourite all time, what would they be?
Cewsh: Good lord, what a question to put me on the spot. Let's see. I hope you don't think that I'm too hipsterish with this answer, but it's impossible for me to call any match that took place outside of Japan in the 90s as the objectively BEST match ever held. Whether you want to call it Kawada vs. Misawa or Kobashi and Misawa vs. The Holy Demon Army, or Kobashi vs. Misawa, All Japan has a grasp on that honor so tightly that it's pretty much suffocating. If you haven't seen any of the great All Japan matches from the 90s before, then I suggest you head on over to our official Japanese and Mexican wrestling sponsor RUDO REELS and scoop some of that up. It it seriously the highest evolution of wrestling that there has ever been and is ever likely to be.
If I have to cop out and choose only ONE, then I have to choose Toshiaki Kawada vs. Mitsuharu Misawa from 6/3/94. That is as close to you will ever find to being the definitive answer to that question. And I'll give you that one for free right here, because I love you all and want you to be happy.
Now, if we're talking my FAVORITE match, then that's a whole different kettle of fish. I go back and forth on that one, but I always come back to this as my favorite wrestling match of all time:
Just amazing. So much of who I am as a fan wrapped up in that one match.
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From: Wayne
First off glad to see the mailbag back - Rajah has been a part of my enjoyment of rasslin since I started watching in '98. Two questions:
First off glad to see the mailbag back - Rajah has been a part of my enjoyment of rasslin since I started watching in '98. Two questions:
1) Is the Rock scratched from the next PPV due to his injuries?
2) Do you know the backstage word on why Zack Ryder never got a big sustained push, despite a long period where he was clearly very over with live TV crowds??
Cewsh:
1) The Rock is definitely scratched from the next PPV, yes.
2) There’s no real reputable word on why, but it seems as though the belief with Ryder is that he was not sustainable as a top star. He just didn’t have the talent to make it on that level, and his reactions did cool off significantly after his US title win.
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From: D-Bomb
Quick question... What exactly was GTV hidden camera act the WWE did during the attitude era? It never fully developed and I was always left wondering what it was leading up to. Thanks!
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From: turdpower
Hello, how did you see HHH being involved during the 2001 invasion angle had he not been injured?
Cewsh: I think that had Triple H not gotten injured when he did, the Invasion Angle as a whole would have looked very different. The consensus opinion is that they rushed the Invasion due to Triple H’s injury ruining months and months of booking that they had set up. Had none of that gone away, Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit would have been pushed to the moon, and the Invasion would have been pushed back. If they had waited, as they always intended too, we likely would have had Ric Flair as part of the Invasion at the very least. Which would have changed everything.
As for Triple H’s role, I suspect he would have taken the role that Kurt Angle wound up adopting, as the trueborn WWE savior fighting Steve Austin. The fans were already ready for a face turn, and the reversed marquee matchup seems like a can’t miss idea.
Sadly, we’ll never know for sure.
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From: Matthew Matteny
Is is just me or did wwe just rip off the bully ray recap segment from a few weeks back on impact. I was just curious about your thoughts on weather or not this was actually the long term plan or was the wwe just trying to play catch up after bischoff claiming that tna has more of a long term booking approach than wwe.
Cewsh: For those unaware, after turning heel recently and revealing himself as the leader of the Aces and Eights since their debut last year, Bully Ray did a backstage video where he explained how everything came together and how it had been his plan all along. Ryback did a similar video on Raw last week.
Here's Bully's:
And here's Ryback's:
The videos are similar, certainly. I think it’s very possible that WWE producers were influenced by TNA in this case, though this storyline is rumored to have been planned since before the Royal Rumble. So while the video may have been influenced by TNA, that “long term booking” comment from Bischoff still remains dubious.
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From: Cameron
Good to see the mailbag again. Alright news is circling that the next in line to be called up to the main roster from NXT are Ohno, Wyatt, Neville, and Paige. Now don't get me wrong all of those are awesome talents but my question is why do you think they haven't pulled the trigger on Steamboat Jr. yet? You'd think he would automatically be over with the fans just with the name he carries and from what I've read and seen he seems more than main roster ready. Do you think he's just stuck in the WWE's long long line of young and midcard talent or is there a part of his game he doesn't have ready yet?
Here He Is With A Puppy.
Cewsh: Well the word out of Orlando is that Steamboat is hurt right now, which explains his absence from NXT, as well as his not being called up. I think most people believe that he’s ready when he returns from injury, but WWE has to wait until they find the right fit for him on the main roster. You don’t want a talent like that called up when there’s nothing for him to do, or he’ll never get the chance to make it. I still believe that this is Steamboat’s year, so we’ll see.
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From: Jenn
What's going with Maria Kanellis lately? Seems like she all of a sudden on this huge crusade to get her job back in the wwe, the company at one point seemed too good for her. I've heard the rumors about the backstage heat, i also know her fiancee mike bennett had a tryout with the company months ago and no one's heard anything...do you think maria's comments not only came back to bite her on the backside, but mike bennett's chances to make it big as well and she realizes that?
Cewsh: Maria has long been rumored to have some pretty serious heat with Kelly Kelly and the Bella Twins. She’s acknowledged it herself, though Kelly no longer works for WWE. But it is entirely possible that those issues might keep her from wanting to work there or keep WWE from wanting to hire her. However, I sincerely doubt that any of that hurts Mike Bennett’s chances to get signed, as WWE has shown repeatedly that they don’t punish wrestlers for things their girlfriends/wives do. If they did, then John Morrison would have been mopping the floors at Titan Towers.
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From: Gavin
I know their almost 50, but would you think Undertaker or Stone Cold, or HHH would do a full time schedule again?
From: Benny Trujillo
is there any chance we will ever see rock vs michaels..it seems like they never wrestled in singles matches against each other, or maybe i'm wrong, but anyways that would truly be a great match ..
Cewsh: Sorry guys. Due to injuries, retirement and simple old age, the answer to both questions is a pretty definitive no.
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Alright kids, that's it for today. Send in your questions (HERE) or (HERE) and I'll catch you next week.
Sincerely,
Cewsh Von Cewshenstein
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