Ricky Steamboat and Shane Douglas don’t like the criticism they’ve gotten in WCW. Dustin Rhodes is bummed about Barry Windham turning on him. Does Randy Savage need a break from wrestling? Being a smaller wrestler is in instead of being a larger than life persona. Kevin Sullivan recent attacks and blood feud with Brian Lee in SMW. All this plus much more in the magazine!
MAILBAG
Dave from New York thinks that Vader has lost what little brain matter he has thinking that Rick Rude would give the WCW United States Championship to Vader for defending the title at Halloween Havoc against Nikita Koloff. Vader has either gone crazy or just has sour grapes about the matter. Phil, also from New York, thinks that Shawn Michaels should look at Nurse Vanessa for a new manager now that he isn’t managed by Sherri Martel.
Sara from Pennsylvania thinks that the WWF can withstand Bam-Bam Bigelow, which was an article in the February ’93 magazine. She notes that Bigelow is very overrated and flops when he gets in major promotions. She suggests that he return to bounty hunting. Meanwhile, Tim from Florida disagrees and thinks that Bigelow would be able to defeat WWF World Champion Bret Hart if given the chance. Abe from Vermont is confused why Madusa continues to hang around guys like Rick Rude and Paul Orndorff after what Paul Dangerously did to her. He says that Madusa is a bright, talented wrestler and should see through their actions. Pamela from Oklahoma City thinks it is an embarrassment to have Doink the Clown competing in a WWF ring. If Doink was a mascot, then sure that’s fine. However, it’s virtually impossible to take the WWF seriously with a clown competing.
LOCKER ROOM REPORT: written by: Bill Apter
Apter thinks that the Steiner Brothers moving to the WWF is the perfect move, though he would never suggest anyone moving from WCW to WWF. They have great talent and charisma making them a much needed addition to the WWF roster and the tag team division. Apter also believes that the WWF having WrestleMania in Las Vegas is a perfect fit and should have been before WrestleMania IX.
Bill is not a fan of Doink the Clown being an in-ring competitor and doesn’t understand why they have him in the ring. Apter thinks it is normal for Lawler to act as a good guy in Memphis but change on WWF television. Lawler is just a unique person. It makes no sense to him as to why the Moondogs are cheered in the USWA. They have tasted blood and can’t be trusted. It makes sense that Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels are feuding and even more sense that Sherri Martel has sided with Jannetty. He thinks that Jannetty shouldn’t trust Sherri, though.
Apter doesn’t understand why fans are condemning Jimmy Snuka calling him old and slow. Bill thinks that Snuka still has what it takes in the ring and continues to entertain fans. Lastly, Apter likes that Rod Price is the Global North American Champion. He thinks that Price has what it takes to be a star of the 90s and is exactly what a young, promising company like Global needs as its champion.
STRAIGHT TALK: written by: Eddie Ellner
Eddie wonders if Vader’s recent title win over Ron Simmons may give him megastar status similar to what Sting obtained when he pinned Vader recently for the WCW World Championship, though Sting lost it soon thereafter. Harley Race and Vader may be the best duo since Race managed Lex Luger. Ellner has a Hulk Hogan Watch and it’s been over a year since Hogan has wrestled and the world hasn’t stopped spinning and children aren’t crying themselves to sleep over it. He says that in regard to Bob Backlund that he is enjoying him in the ring, but if he ever wins the championship again he will lick the neck boils on Apter’s neck in public (I wonder if that happened). The success of Kerry Von Erich in the United States Wrestling Federation could lead to Kerry competing in larger venues, which ends in sadness.
Ellner isn’t all that excited about Lawler joining the WWF as he thinks Lawler will just be another sheep in the flock in no time. The split between Mr. Perfect and Ric Flair wasn’t a plan by Flair as Perfect continues to dominate his matches with Flair and his henchman Razor Ramon. He can’t remember the last time anyone cared who was the tag team champions in the WWF. He doesn’t buy into the statement that Steve Williams weakened Ron Simmons two days before Simmons would lose the WCW World Championship to Vader. He didn’t seem to enjoy the ideal of a Moondog battle royal being sanctioned in USWA. Lastly, the fall from grace that Paul E. Dangerously is quite shocking to him and proves that things can always get worse.
NEWSLINE: WCW: written by: Andy Rodriguez
Andy thought that Starrcade and the King of the Cable match between Sting and Vader was quite exciting. Sting won the event and believes it brings him closer to regaining the WCW World Championship. Two days after the loss, Vader won the WCW World Championship from Ron Simmons. Vader and Race believe they will be champion for a long time and Simmons has already began to request rematches with the new champion. Simmons doesn’t think the excuse of Steve Williams attacking him after their Starrcade match as being a viable reason he lost the championship.
The Great Muta defeated Masa Chono on January 4th to win the NWA World Championship and he hopes to make the championship important again in the US. Brian Pillman has stepped up as a possible challenger citing he’d challenge Muta while he and Austin went after the tag championships, too. The Steiner Brothers finished their WCW contract on the 1/4 show losing to Hawk and Kensuke Sasaki. Jushin Liger won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. Erik Watts commented on being pinned at Starrcade, which Watts felt was a blow to his career considering his recent success in WCW. He may not win every match but he’ll try every time.
RICK STEAMBOAT & SHANE DOUGLAS: IT’S NOT THEIR FAULT THAT THEY’RE CHAMPIONS BY DEFAULT: written by: Chris Bernucca
There aren’t many steady teams in WCW, there’s about four teams that stay together. Douglas and Steamboat can’t be blamed for that and Douglas notes that they won the titles by a legit three count. Many people believe that Dustin Rhodes could have pinned Ricky Steamboat, but didn’t because he thought Steamboat was injured. Ricky says that was a decision by Dustin and he can’t control another man and his decisions. Three teams that held the tag titles in ’92 aren’t part of WCW so the talent pool isn’t the same that could have been. Barry Windham thinks a team with Brian Pillman could overcome the champions, but that’s just about it. Steamboat and Douglas aren’t going to apologize for their title reign.
DUSTIN RHODES: THE ANGUISH OF BETRAYAL IS STILL AN OPEN WOUND: written by: Dave Rosenhaum
Dustin has been asking himself hundreds of times whether or not he did something wrong to cause Barry Windham to turn on him. Dustin has been suffering from the turn by Windham and even fans have been taunting him. Dustin knows he did the right thing by not pinning Steamboat when he thought he was badly injured. Dustin admits he may have made a poor judgment call. he is adamant that it doesn’t make him a soft wrestler. Rhodes doesn’t know if he can trust anyone now that his good friend Windham turned on him, too. Dustin wonders how strong his bonds are with Ricky Steamboat and Shane Douglas if Windham turned on him.
NEWSLINE: WWF: written by: Chris Bernucca
Ric Flair is experiencing the worst slump of his career continuing to lose matches to Mr. Perfect and WWF World Champion Bret Hart in January. Mr. Perfect has been on a good winning streak, same goes for Yokozuna. Yokozuna is so large that Bret Hart may not be able to get the Sharpshooter on him if they were to meet in the ring. Yokozuan recently destroyed Jim Duggan in Texas. The beating was so bad that Duggan was stretchered out and was bloodied. Kamala is no longer under control of Kimchee but rather managed by Rev. Slick.
Sherri Martel is now associating herself with Marty Jannetty because he checked up on her after accidentally breaking a mirror in her face. Shawn Michaels has been dodging the challenges or top challengers allowing himself to be counted-out. Money Inc. have retained the WWF Tag Team Championships over the Nasty Boys on consecutive nights. Bill Irwin and Scott Putski competed at a recent WWF taping with Putski doing the best out of the two. Horace Boulder, the nephew of Hulk Hogan, had a couple of matches but isn’t expected to sign with the company. Hulk Hogan has been seen often doing public appearances and his new movie Mr. Nanny will be released in mid-January.
OVERWHELMED BY SAVAGE INTENSITY: THE “MACHO MAN” NEEDS A BREAK: written by: Andy Rodriguez
1992 was a yo-yo year for Randy Savage and tested him to a high degree. Savage started 1993 by losing to Yokozuna, but that wasn’t enough to convince Savage that he needed to take a break. Nobody would have though this back in April 1992 when Savage won the WWF World Championship. However, over the summer Savage announced he was getting a divorce from Miss Elizabeth, which was an emotional toll on him. He also had to deal with getting the fans attention with Ultimate Warrior at SummerSlam ’92. Three days after the event, Savage lost the WWF World Championship to Ric Flair, who had attacked Savage after his match with Warrior. Savage needs to reassess his options to get the fire back to compete in a WWF ring and chase after the WWF World Championship.
SMALL IS BIG: IS THE ERA OF SUPER HEAVYWEIGHTS OVER IN THE WWF?: written by: Chris Bernucca
Three years ago being the WWF World Champion was a big deal, but it’s small potatoes these days. The wrestlers holding championships in that time weren’t shorter than 6’4’’ and all weighed at least 280lbs. Now, the average height in 6’1’’ and weights 237lbs. The new era is smaller wrestlers who are more technically sound in the ring. There aren’t many big wrestlers who are in line for a title shot. Instead, the smaller wrestlers have been getting the better of larger competitors and find themselves in line for championship matches. It is noted that the smaller wrestlers as champions still standout, and are just noticeably different when next to larger wrestlers.
THE INQUIRING REPORTER
The question issued to fans of the magazine is whether or not Hulk Hogan should continue his movie career. It’s mostly a mixture of people thinking he can or can’t act, with one thinking that Hogan could try to act and wrestle at the same time, but it would be difficult due to the schedules.
NEWSLINE: INDEPENDENTS: written by Bob Smith
Rock N’ Roll Express and experiencing a career rebirth competing in Smoky Mountain Wrestling having traded the tag championships with the Heavenly Bodies. The Heavenly Bodies are currently battling the Stud Stable with the winners getting a shot at the Rock N’ Roll Express. Ron and Don Harris have entered the USWA and beat the Moondogs to win the titles on December 28th.
Road Warrior Hawk, perhaps the hottest American wrestler, teamed with Kensuke Sasaki to win the IWGP Tag Team Championships from Tony Halme and Scott Norton. Hawk also recently beat Rambo for the CAW Heavyweight Championship. Salvatore Bellomo has stepped up and issued a challenge to Kevin Sullivan. Bellomo believes he is the toughest wrestler going and Sullivan has accepted the challenge.
KEVIN SULLIVAN TRIES TO BURY BRIAN LEE: THE ASSAULT HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD!: written by: Bob Smith
Dutch Mantel, a dangerous wrestler himself, was shocked by the actions of Kevin Sullivan attacking Brian Lee with a spike recently in Smoky Mountain Wrestling. Lee was confused who was tormenting his life and when he finally met the Master, Sullivan tossed a fireball into Lee’s face. Sullivan stabbed Lee 44 times with the spike that left Lee with numerous injuries including a ruptured spleen. People over in Japan are also appalled by the actions of Sullivan and he may not be competing in Japan as a result.
Originally, Sullivan was banned from SMW for life, but the ban was short-lived allowing Lee to get revenge on Sullivan. Lee promised to make sure Sullivan would bleed ten times worse than he did. Despite losing most of the matches, Sullivan is still confident that Lee’s blood with stain the ring mats. Bob Armstrong has said that if the spike comes out then he will make sure to bust Sullivan open himself. Kevin Sullivan is done with his heinous actions.
That’s if for this edition of Inside The Magazine, what did you think of the magazine or what was going on in wrestling?
Thanks for reading.