WWF News: Backlash, Nash politics, Jericho, Steiner, more
    Submitted by Mr. Tito on Wednesday, March 20, 2002 at 1:19 PM EST

    The following news and notes comes from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter by Dave Meltzer. Subscription information can be obtained by Clicking Here.

    The promotional material out for WWF Backlash, the next WWF Pay Per View, says that the wrestlers on each side of the draft will wrestle each other on this show. However, note that this promotional material was put out before any of the Split plans have been finalized, so anything could happen.

    The WWF show taped in Japan, with Keiji Muto doing the announcing, won't be airing on television in Japan, as originally thought. The WWF figured that the television station from Japan was there to tape the show for a highlight package for news or a sports show, and NOT to air in it's full length.

    Antonio Inoki, the founder of New Japan wrestling, publicly stated that he hated the WWF before their recent tour of Japan, saying that the tour would fail and he ripped on the content of the WWF, such as having William Regal and Jim Ross kissing Vince McMahon's ass. After the shows were successful in Japan, Inoki said that he heard the WWF was successful in Japan and that younger Japanese fans love the WWF. Inoki then said he has to learn from the WWF and change his mind about his personal feelings towards it.

    The New World Order, mainly Hall and Nash, have been pushing harder than ever to get X-Pac into their group. Something may happen soon. It's said that Kevin Nash is just about unbeaten in his political battles with WWF management. There was a plan for X-Pac to interfere with a match at Wrestlemania and come out with Hall and Nash on RAW the next night. It's unknown when X-Pac will officially show up now, given the fact that the WWF continually pushes back angles and debuts from originally intended. (Note from Tito: For those who ENJOY reading spoilers, please highlight the following text --> --> On the recent Smackdown tapings, yes, I know, X-Pac makes his debut. News is posted assuming that not everyone knows what occurs on Smackdown, so play along. :) <-- <--)

    Nash's ease in backstage politics is already creating dissention in the WWF locker room. It's felt that Nash's moves are making him leapfrog over guys who have been working hard for their spots for the past few years. Also, the locker room morale is low because they can obviously see Nash's actions, which were expected, but yet nothing is done about it.

    No official decisions have been made about recent tryouts for the developmental territories. Talent director Jim Ross is expected to talk to Jim Cornette, head of OVW, and Les Thatcher, head of HWA, for any final decisions regarding new talent.

    Chris Jericho apparently pitched an idea to the WWF about having Stephanie McMahon tease that she was cheating with him only to come out that she was cheating with Jericho, as a way to get back at Triple H. However, this idea was rejected, just like the idea to have Stephanie cheat with Kurt Angle, in the summer of 2000, was turned down.

    Former NHL player, Tony Twist, recently called the WWF regarding a tryout for the developmental territories. Twist, since retiring from hockey, has tried to become a wrestler and he has been working for Harley Race's World League Wrestling recently. The WWF turned him down, however, citing that Twist was too old to get started.

    The WWF wouldn't let Hulk Hogan be on the interview show "Off the Record". Although many WWF wrestlers or personalities have been on the talk show, it's felt that the show often grills the wrestlers and it's apparent that the WWF didn't want Hogan to get attacked verbally.

    In a very strange coincidence, Aaron, one of the first cut from Tough Enough 2, actually went to the same school when they were younger and even played baseball together in High School as well as a college summer league. Aaron was persuaded to tryout for Tough Enough 2 when he saw how successful Maven was with the first Tough Enough.

    In yet another strange coincidence regarding Tough Enough 2. Do you remember in episode 1 when after woman contestant Jesse was yelled at by Ivory, she called her boyfriend about it? Well, her boyfriend is named Ryan Wilson and he has plans to train in WWF developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling.

    Val Venis has been given a name change. From now on, he'll be called the Big Valbowski instead of Val Venis.

    There has been no recent movement regarding Scott Steiner. Again, his health problems must be dealt with before anything can happen with the WWF. It's said, however, that interest in Steiner is not dead by any means, as there may be a contract offered at some point or some sort of talks will occur about Steiner entering the WWF.

    Both Rey Misterio and Eddy Guerrero have had recent contract with the WWF, and the WWF said that they wanted BOTH wrestlers once the Cruiserweight division was started up. Both Misterio and Guerrero were told that the division was a go.

    Rob Van Dam's recent travelling problems, causing him to miss a Houseshow, was for the fact that he lost his luggage at the San Antonio airport. Nearly all of the wrestlers have been told or learned to carry on their wrestling gear.

    The Undertaker had a flight cancelled or else he would have been at the recent Fort Wayne Houseshow. There, he would have wrestled Ric Flair in his only opportunity to prepare with Flair for the Wrestlemania match. So what you saw on Wrestlemania was a match that neither man truly prepared for, which turned out just fine.

    [ Credit: Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer Newsletter ]

    (Note: When using this news, please have the dignity to credit Dave Meltzer for the news AND Mr. Tito/Lordsofpain.net for compiling the Observer news. Thanks.)



    Matt Scrabonia sent this in

    Wrestlemania Weekend Notes...Sorry for the delay

    Wrestlemania weekend started on friday with an 8 hour drive up to Toronto from New Jersey...perhaps the most boring 8 hours myself and 2 other friends ever experienced...we arrived in Canada and had to rent a hotel room for the night because our reservation (at the Skydome hotel) was under the name of the friends who were meeting us there and whos flight got cancelled, causing them to drive all night on friday and causing us to get a room for the night....NOTE---Niagra Falls isn't good when it is raining and foggy...

    Saturday was a great day....we finally got into the Skydome hotel and noticed immediately that almost the entire crew for wrestlemania was also staying there...everyone had on some type of wwf shirt (wwf...raw...smackdown....xfl) and they all had credentials around their neck....it was so tempting to jump one of t he guys and run off with their "WRESTLEMANIA X8 ALL ACCESS PASS"

    Our friends went to Axxess and had a decent time...they said it was packed and the line for autographs was well over 2 hours...(4 hours for hogan who only signed for 1 hour, go figure). they said it was fun but not really worth the money...but I guess its something you have to do once...the city of Toronto is so clean and nice, while our friends went to axxess, my 2 friends i went to the air canada centre, the hoceky hall of fame, eaton centre, and the CN tower...all very impressive...for dinner, i will forever recommend Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant...great food and even better atmosphere (when crowded).....NOW THE REAL FUN.....The Skydome Hotel was blocked off by huge tarps which made it impossible to see inside the stadium all weekend, luckily we found a crack between the tarps and happened to see Saliva's dress rehersal which was complete with a few of the Titan Tron as well as the rest of the Skydome layout...an added bonus...A toronto newspaper happen to mention that many of the superstars were staying at the Crown Plaza Hotel....so we figured we would walk over and check it out...WOW!!!!!!! When we walked in we realized other people knew they were there...the lobby was packed...i had a great view of the entracnce the stars came in through....we talked with Terri, Edge, Lillian Garcia, Nidia, Maven, Brock Lesnar...also saw Vince/Linda McMahon, Kevin Nash and his "well indowed" girlfriend...WOW.....Val Venis and a few others....(got pics with most of them as well) once security kicked everyone out I thought we should try to get into the garage and see other people...we went down to the garage and of course the first car to pull up was non other than Shane and his wife (Marissa Mazolla)...wow is she hot...a special thanks to Shane McMahon for going way out of his way to talk to us and take some pics...he mentioned he was retired from the ring when I asked about a return....btw...Shane is HUGE...easily 6 foot and a huge upper body...never would have suspected that from watching him in the ring....next out of no where Lita comes walking in and takes some pics with us...again, another extremely nice and friendly person....finally, Jeff Hardy comes in and takes a few pics with us....also, he ended up shooting the breeze with us for what turned out to be 10 min....again, another HUGE thank you to Jeff for going above and beyond....

    Sunday was the big day....merchandise went on sale around 11 outside the Dome...i picked up the X8 jersey and the Icon vs. Icon t-shirt....people actually began to line up at the doors around 2...gates opened at 5:30 and it was freezing out....we went to the gates at 5:45 nd didn't get to our seats until about 6:30...very long lines and security which in my opinion wasn't tight...a basic pat-down...nothing special that would have caused a 45 min line outside to get in....our seats were on the floor literally right under the camera on the crane/dolly...heat was awful...they didnt show the broadcast in the stadium and the Fink welcomed us to Wrestlemania at about 7:30...than they had the 6-man tag which was boring as hell....the PPV was unbelievble in person...since i was right by the stage i thought the bands got a nice reaction...but later on i discovered that almost one one really popped for them...opening was nice...saliva and pyros...wow...RVD got a huge pop...no real big events until kurt came out and ripped on Canada...which us Americans loved and gloated about...the hardcore spots thoughout the night were classic and served up some good entertainment...Drowning Pool and Saliva did a good job in my opion except im not a huge fan of the HHH entrance song they performed...being close to the stage gave us an EXCELLENT view of Stacey Kiebler dancing with Saliva....OMG...WOW, that a sight....Rock vs. Hogan live was honestly one of the greatest experiences ever...the TV gives no justice to how "electric" the 68,000 fans were all match long....to my suprise almost everyone rooted for Hogan...i was silent cause i was honestly confused as to who to root for as well as being in aww as to how the crowd was acting towards Rock/Hogan....the post match events was something special..a moment i will never forget...Hogan passed the torch to the Rock and it was a Goosebump moment for me....the womans match was a filler and to be honest..by the time the HHH/Y2J match started, everyone was dead from the Rock/Hogan events....after HHH won he posed for about 10 min, than got on the mic and said "I'm not going to make a sappy speach...but to all the guys in the back....IT'S TIME TO PLAY THE GAME!!!!!" He walked up the ramp and than posed with the belts and that was it...a great Wrestlemania and i consider myself to be very lucky to witness the events in person...2 of my friends took home the chairs which looked real nice sitting in our hotel room all night!! the set was impressive and i guess somewhat different than usual..the spiral light rig was impressive and the spot lights along the sides of the arena as well as the lights in the upper tier made the entire stadium more exciting....

    all in all, a great experience and something i will never ever forget.....my first 'Mania.

    A great job by the WWF and the city of Toronto all weekend...everyone was more than accomidating...again, special thanks to Shane McMahon, Lita, and Jeff Hardy for just being "everyday people" and shooting the breeze with us.

    ----------
    Matt Scrabonia




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