Here you will find entries about the re-building of the National Wrestling Alliance® and other things I have on my mind.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Charlotte, NC (May 26, 2008) – The National Wrestling Alliance® is pleased to announce the addition of The Midnight Express: “Lover Boy” Dennis Condrey and “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton to the NWA™ Hall of Fame. To many the “Midnights” (and with their Manager, NWA™ Hall of Famer James E. Cornette) are the very definition of tag team wrestling. Condrey, Eaton and Cornette are the most popular and most acclaimed version of the team and is celebrating their 25th anniversary together this year.
Over the year’s the Midnight Express has battled just about everyone on the Pro Wrestling scene. They were involved in memorable feuds over the NWA™ World Tag Team Championships with Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard, The Fantastics and The Road Warriors. Most fans would argue that the “Midnight’s” greatest foes were and still are NWA™ Hall of Famer’s The Rock and Roll Express.
“We’ve always planned for something special for the people of Atlanta and with inducting the Midnight Express into our Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Express confirmed for the date our matchmakers have come up with a special attracting featuring these two great tag teams, ‘The NWA™ Hall of Fame Match,’ it is our goal to make the NWA™ Hall of Game Match a special part of our larger events world wide” stated Robert K. Trobich, NWA™ Executive Director.
The Midnight Express joins Tommy “Wildfire” Rich and The Iron Sheik as the announced honorees in the Class of 2008. More inductees will be announced soon.
Tickets to this event are on sale now at ticketmaster.com or the Philips Arena Box Office. For more information on the National Wrestling Alliance® please visit nwawrestling.com.
Charlotte, NC (May 21, 2008) – Khosrow Vaziri better known as The Iron Sheik has “terrorized” his opponents while entertaining generations of Pro Wrestling fan’s for close to four decades. Although The Iron Sheik turned “Pro” in 1972 he has been competing on the grappling scene since the mid 1960s and was a member of his native Iran’s Olympic Wrestling Team during the 1968 Mexico Olympics. In 1971, he won the AAU Greco Roman Gold Metal. Vaziri was also once a bodyguard for the family of the Shah of Iran.
The Iron Sheik was always a feared man in the ring because of his deadly armature background and “win at all costs” attitude. Throughout the years The Iron Sheik feuded with many of the best the National Wrestling Alliance had to offer including Dusty Rhodes, Tommy Rich, Dick Murdock, Ronnie Garvin and Sting.
Championship gold did not elude The Iron Sheik, while competing with the NWA™ he earned several NWA™ titles, but it wasn’t until 1983 when he won the WWE® Championship from Bob Backlund ending Backlund’s 6 year reign as Champion. His run as WWE® Champion ended 4 weeks later loosing that title to Hulk Hogan in Madison Square Garden. The Iron Sheik would then move into the tag team ranks with partner Nikolai Volkoff winning the WWE® Tag Team Championships under the watchful eye of Manager “Classy” Fred Blassie.
The Iron Sheik is a true legend of the mat game. In 2005 he was inducted into the WWE® Hall of Fame and today is retired from in ring action, but is till very active as he is being re-discovered by a new generation of fans as a regular on the popular “Howard Stern Show.”
Tickets to this event are on sale now at ticketmaster.com or the Philips Arena Box Office.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Charlotte, NC (May 19, 2008) – On June 7, 2008 the National Wrestling Alliance® kick’s off their 60th Anniversary at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA. Not only will the night feature great pro wrestling from the brightest and best the NWA™ has to offer, it will also feature the 2008 NWA™ Hall of Fame inductions.
“This is our third Hall of Fame class and I am very pleased with who the selection committee selected. I am also please to announce that NWA™ Hall of Famer Jim Cornette will be the MC for the ceremony,” said NWA™ Executive Director Robert K. Trobich.
The first inductee of the Class of 2008 is one time NWA™ Worlds Heavyweight Champion “Wildfire” Tommy Rich. Rich began his 34-year in-ring career in the Southern parts of the NWA™ and was a multi-time regional Champion through out the late 1970’s and 80’s. On April 27, 1981 Rich became the youngest NWA™ Worlds Heavyweight Champion by defeating NWA™ mainstay Harley Race. Rich is also known for his hard hitting bloody matches, considered by many as some of the bloodiest in Georgia wrestling history. “Wildfire” is still very active in the pro wrestling scene and still one of the most popular pro wrestler’s in the State of Georgia.
“Wildfire” Tommy Rich will be participating in a match against one of his biggest rivals on June 7th when he faces the “Madman from Sudan” Abdullah the Butcher.
...and in true "David Marquez" fashion its something to do with television. About a year ago I found this great series of interviews done by the TV Academy called the Archive of American Television. It's just about everything I've wanted to know about television, its a series of interviews with TV pioneers, everyone from Q Card guys to video tape editors to boom microphone operators to producers to directors to talent! Its amazing! These people are amazing. Just think of the crap they had to go through to make a business out of a glowing box. I was taught by folks just like these because in recent times I have been called "out of date" in my method of production and hell are these new TV people wrong! I know what I was taught was 100% correct...you don't have to switch cameras just 'cause you have 14 cameras, the magic in TV is making that one camera catch you and that is what I try to do! Anyhow, if you find the time please check this out http://tvinterviewsarchive.blogspot.com.
Tonight (or this morning) I have come to the conclusion that Post Fruity Pebbles are way better that Cap't. Crunch cereal. It has been an inner war for a very long time, but the antic of Bedrock's best won the battle! Sorry Cap't., watch out for the soggy's.
2008 marks the 60th Anniversary of the National Wrestling Alliance and we are going to try and milk it for all its worth (all those years with Disney taught me that millstones equal profits)...Currently the plan is to kick off the year long celebration in Atlanta on June 7 in the Philips Arena, but we are starting the campaign this month at our event in Enid, OK on May 31.
The decision of the kick off came when the our kind internet fans started a "broohhaha" over our June 7th card. Although this is the largest venue we've produced a show for in our minds it was business as usual cause arena's are nothing new to us anymore. When we learned that the fanatics in Georgia made our date nothing short of WrestleMania (sarcasm) I knew we needed something to grasp on to and try (AND I MEAN TRY) to meet their perceptions and expectations, thus the 60th Birthday kick off!
I must admit that at first this was just a marketing gimmick, but after some though it really became reality, especially after I was emailed the speck logo (created by Mike Mondragon AKA Disco Machine http://www.myspace.com/discomachine) and thought..,"hmmm, we can do something with this!"
At that moment I called Bob Trobich and pitched the idea of the year celebration and Atlanta and all and he said "sure." SURE?! Thats it? That's all I needed (I guess) and we started blues skying and coming up with other promotional ideas. Anyhow, the June 7th show is already being called a flop by critics (you see only WWE runs major buildings; everyone else is a failure) and the best part is that they are dead wrong!
From a business stand point it is a great relationship with the folks at the building, they are happy with the show we've produced for them on paper and knowing the financial's they will do better than good. Am I saying we are going to draw tens of thousands for them? NO! And they know that (you see I'm an honest wrestling person; go figure)! The other reason its a success is that we have built a reputation within the Arena world for producing a quality, entertaining product. I am very proud of my staff, everyone! They have helped us go so far! I ask the question to everyone I talk to about this:
"Why run a rec center or H.S. gym if you can run the Orleans or American Bank Center?"
Now, don't think I'm against gyms (we have a card at Santa Ana H.S. on June 1 and the JFK Rec Center in Newark, NJ on June 14) but we have evolved and in 20 years I have gained a lot of knowledge on how arenas work and partnering with real entertainment promoters - SUE ME FOR WANTING TO DO BIGGER THINGS!
There is always hate when people are uneducated. That is 100% of the pro wrestling business and the so called "internet reporters." I rarely get calls to verify a story or a statement, its just gossip and rumor for the most part and these "reporters" are not responsible for their "reports." They have no idea how damaging their words can be to a business like ours, they forget that non-wrestling people read them too, especially in today's world with access to info the way we have it and can get it! WOW, it wasn't my intention to get on a rant like this, but MAN!
Anyhow, hope to see you on June 7 in Atlanta! We're putting our best foot forward...Thanks for your continued support.
Seeing that today is Mother's Day in these United States (of America) I figured that this would be a good subject to blog about. Although I have many MOTHER'S in my life (you'll get that later; I hope) I want to write about two women that are very special to me, they are my actual Mom and her Mom.
My Mom's name is Dorothy. I never asked why she was named that, I always thought that was a very old sounding name and never matched her personality, you see my Mom is kinda crazy (in a good way) and I guess to figure her out we have to go to her Mother, Awilda (who is crazier and I did ask her once where her name came from and she told me her Mom...SEE!) and analyze.
Both of them have been a big part of my life and not just in the "Mom" way. At times they have not been supportive at all! They are very (VERY) opinionated and LOUD (their both full blooded Puerto Rican)
People who know me know that I'm pretty fun to be around and I want to say I get that from these two. I can remember at the earliest of my days, my Mom dancing around the house to Disco or Motown or Salsa, I can't remember a time back then when I wasn't watching American Bandstand with her and us goofing off. I also remember her taking me and my Sister to a Roller Rink not that far from our house in La Puente, I still enjoy roller skating, although I wasn't that good at it; she was. My Mom had me young, she was still in H.S. and I guess that is why we did simple youth type things for entertainment (not to mention that we were dirt poor and that type of stuff was cheap!)
Then there's GRANDMA, she's a hoot! I don't think I've been on so many adventures with anyone else. She has been the only constant in my life. I can't remember a time when she wasn't there or if I was away not on the phone with me if only for a few minutes. She was born in Puerto Rico in the '30s and moved to New York very young. She was a member of the "Pink Latinettes" (a girls gang) and her nick name was "Cheena" (cause of her slated/Asian type eyes). She is your stereotypical "Puerto Rican," I remember a few years back I questioned her on the validity of the gang, and she came out of her room like she was Wonder Woman wearing a pink satin jacket with the word "Cheena" on the front. She still dyes her her hair a type of blond and like my Mom is very youthful herself. There are times she breaks into song and dances around and then there are times when she'll do something absolutely insane (but that's for another time).
Both of these ladies have been through hell! Some of it was self inflected, but most unwarranted. I really feel for them, I was around for most of it.
But these two really follow "every cloud has a silver lining..." and to a degree I do too. Anyhow, thanks for reading about my crazy ass MOM'S! I know I will write more about them soon...there's a lof of material there ;) Happy Mothers Day!
RELAXED! Yes friends, since my last post I have not had more than a few hours sleep. My days and nights have been a full on whirlwind! Tonight I sat, alone in the living room in a vintage cigar chair and smoked a nice Punch "Maduro-Maduro" accompanied by an orange juice glass full of Southern Comfort with a few pieces of ice floating. I grabbed the first book I could find ("Andrea Mitchell: Talking Back") and threw on a set of head phones and listened to the ipod and read.
The book was a memoire of her days in TV news at NBC covering the White House. It was whatever, but I for once in a long while say I sat and "did nothing," that is until now.
Now I am working on what we will be doing next with the "NWA Wrestling Showcase" and the expansion of a project called the "NWA Television Network." This is a hell of an undertaking and we are getting ready for the NWA's 60th birthday and a pretty big show in Atlanta at the Philips Arena.
Well I will update this again soon. We have lots of work ahead of us and not a lot of time (or man power).
I have been influenced by many different people and things in my time. Early on in life I firmly believed that I was going to be a GREAT DISNEY ANIMATOR! I poured over animation books and just about anything that I could get my hands on that explained movement and attitude. Now, in the 80s, it was much harder to find this type of material. It wasn't like today when you can press a button on a keyboard and order a "how to" or Flash program and learn at home, if you wanted to do this you had to search out the info; I sat at the library a lot! So between books on pantomime to puppetry I kind of figured out how to create "life," but that all changed when I got the bible of animation, "The illusion of life: Disney Animation by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston." This book became my life. Ever day no matter if I was sitting in a Jr. High classroom or packing for the last day of HS school, that book never left my book bag!
I would sit, copying all of the classic drawings. I got real good too. This is one reason I pretty much failed every course I was required to take in order to graduate. I was going to be an animator and that was that!
In the book I took in all of Frank and Ollie's techniques of emotion and exaggeration and noticed how close to real life it was. My drawings were looking "real," and my simple animations were "flipping" the right way.
If you have been reading this, you all know I went away from animation all together, but everything I read in that book is still the foundation I preach today to the young talent I work with. I guess you can say I'm in a different kind of "cartoon business."
While with Disney I was privileged to have met many Disney Legends including Ollie on several occasions. The first time I met him (with Frank) was at Disneyland during a merchandise event held at the Disney Gallery in New Orleans Sq. I waited in a very long line to met the guys and when it was my turn I had nothing for them to sign, no camera to pose for a photo and I just stood there looking at them looking at me. Finally Ollie said:
" Hi, what is your favorite character?"
And I believe my answer was: "Jiminy Cricket."
Frank's reply was: "Oh...he's a Ward (Kimball) fan."
That was it, I did not thank them, nothing, just "Jiminy Crickett," and for some reason I'm sure that's what they were really thinking..."Jiminy Crickett, this kid's a nut!"
Anyhow, I am glad to have had the self taught education that I have had and a great educator like Frank (who has also passed) and Ollie. His words I take and use most everyday when producing or directing. Not to mention that I still enjoy watching his work to this day! I just may have to pop in "The Jungle Book."
Howard Brody had acted as "editor" and informs me that I misspelled Dennis' last name. The correct spelling is Coralluzzo. Here's a bit about Dennis. I liked my short time with him :)
On my myspace page I have a picture of me laying in a hospital bed and I seem to be asked the same question, "what happened?" I guess enough time has passed and I guess its time to talk about that "hot summer day."
On two consecutive mornings I woke up with a "spasm" in my leg and foot. After taking a shower on the second day and starting my day I was sitting at my home computer working on emails and in a flash my head crashed against the keyboard and about 2 seconds later I was back up like nothing had happened. Following those events my foot started to "spasm" again and then I new that something was wrong! So like the fool that I am I stumbled to the car and drove myself to the Burbank Urgent Care. There I sat for close to 2 hours "spasming" all the while. Once the doctor decided to see me he had no clue to what was happening. He suggested that I go to the emergency, so again I drove myself to St. Joseph's in Burbank where they were waiting for me. Now, all this time I did not take the situation too serious because hell if there was a real problem the urgent care people would have arranged a ride; right?
So the emergency people rushed me to a bed, I signed all kinds of papers and was rushed into a big white room where a group of Umpaloompa looking folk prepped me for a cat scan. That was quick and harmless and I was sent back to the room and I waited for 3 or 4 hours to see a doctor. Finally he comes in and tells me that he doesn't see anything. Mind you he has not seen my foot get all crazy! He was trying to tell me that I was suffering from some kind of headaches. Well as he was ready to send me home my foot started acting up and I pulled my sock off and asked if this looks like a headache to him? He said no and sent for a neurologist.
In comes Dr. Melvin Balafski, this man looked like he was ready to go home or he came in just to see me. It took him like 2 hours to come in and I was sound a sleep when he got there!
He started asking questions and said something like "I can't believe I'm here to see a guy with a migraine." Right! So we talked a little more, the wrestling topic came up and I learned he was from Chicago and when he was younger he was a fan (were'nt we all?) Anyhow, while we were talking my foot went at it again, but it was under a blanket and he did not see it and he asked me to "do it again." WHAT? He sat in a corner chair as my foot sat naked, I wanted it to do it so bad, I wanted to go home. OK, it finally happens for about 3 seconds and he asked if I made it move, when I said no, he asked if this is how its been the whole time, and I said yes.
Involuntary Movement:
Still laying on the slab, he started poking at my foot, leg and calf. He used sticks and a spur! I really couldn't feel anything and that is what puzzled him. Now this is all on my left side, the right was perfect. In fact when he ran the spur up my right foot I practically kicked him in the face, that thing hurts! The Dr. tells me that he will have to admit me. I said he couldn't cause I had to be in Texas for a big double shot weekend - priority's!
Well he was pissed at that point! He tried everything to get me to say in the hospital for tests, he said I needed an MRI, BRI, ZRI anything that ends with an "I"! But, I checked myself out signing a paper stating that if I were to die he nor the hospital were liable.
The next day I was off to Texas, cane in hand...how stupid was I?
So I arrive and no one knows what is going on. All the staff knew was I was not feeling well. In my mind, knowing the pro wrestling business, I thought that if people knew I had a STROKE I was prey!
Yes folks, I didn't say it early on, I was diagnosed with some kind of stroke. The second Dr. looked at the car scan and noticed "spots" and that was his professional opinion.
Anyhow, I was walking around backstage in my full suit, getting ready to conduct interviews and we had a full house of over 5,000 in Houston. I was so confused. I've never really taken any type of medication, so they really did a number on me. My speech was slurred, I could not stand up straight without the cane and I felt like hell. The venue I was in was an open air rodeo arena and it was raining and it was humid. YES I WAS STUPID!
Here is a interview from that day that I conduced with Bob Trobich, one day after having a stroke. You'll notice I'm leaning on Bob, I'm trying to make it seem that I could not hear him, but in reality he is helping me stand up & at the end of the video I pretty much start loosing it and can't think:
The next night we were bussed to McAllen and we crowned new NWA World Tag Team Champions in Karl Anderson and Joey Ryan. I actually had a great time, well what I do remember!
So I get back home, check myself in the hospital and spend 5 days and 4 nights in St. Joesph's where I was poked and pulled every which way, had test after test and fought with just about anyone who walked into the room. My Mom and Grandmother visited and so did my Sister. Shanesphotos.com came by and snuck hot dogs and ice cream to me. That was great!
In the end I did in fact suffer from a stroke and after 6 different types of MRI's they said I have 3 lesions on my brain. Today, I still feel weird cause I don't know what is going on in there! I try to take each day as easy as I can, but with the cards, wrestling people, production people, Nissan Motors and just about everyone else its very hard to keep things easy.
So, I gotta say that I've really done something special just keeping my head up and in the game while dealing with this stuff. Thanks to everyone who has helped me during all this crap, don't think I didn't take notes! And to the fans, always a big thanks, your professional support is one reason I keep pressing on!
As a kid I would save what money I would get (usually a few bucks) or "find" to buy two magazines. I was obsessed with both MAD Magazine and Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI). I was all about MAD because of the East Coast "old style" of comedy and of course the art. There would be hours on the weekends that I would not pop my head out of my room because I was drawing and recreating the pages of MAD; I really liked Mort Drucker and Don Martin's work!
PWI on the other hand was a different world to me because I got the chance to read about fighters that I did not get to see on television. Remember, these were the territory days of the early 1980s and there was really no Cable TV. Locally in Los Angeles, we got the stuff from the Olympic and mostly early WWF programming. But, with PWI, I was able to imagine the craziness of Memphis, the blood and guts of Carlos Colon and Puerto Rican Wrestling and the huge crowds of Japan. PWI also covered the NWA pretty heavily then too. I was totally sucked into the "who is better Harley Race or Bob Backlund", "The WWF or NWA?"
It's sad to say that the mighty pro wrestling publishing groups do not really exist and it is hard to find PWI. But, last night I was at a newsstand and found an issue and started to thumb. It's really fun for me to cruise PWI today because I know close to 60% of the talent they cover, so its a real good feeling to see your friends being spotlighted.
Well for the first time in my career I have been looked upon as worth in the grand old publication. Last month I (along with Bob Trobich) was asked to participate in an interview and talk about what we are doing post TNA. Let me tell you what kind of a rush I got when Stu Staks (the publisher) called me and made the request. It took everything in me not to bust!
So for those of you interested in our storied organization please pick up the June 2008 issue and check out the story. Its 6 pages FULL COLOR! I appreciate what PWI did for us, they really did us a good service.
Our Newark event was a great success! We entertained well over 3,500 great people in Newark, NJ at the JFK Rec Center. For the most part the whole night was fun, but there were several moments that I wish I could forget. We've had this date put together since November of last year and simply was going to be a regular card, but turned into a Showcase TV taping at the last minute and we had to make "it" work for television.
The East Coast crew is lead by Ricky O (he's also one of the three commentators on the Showcase) and I feel they always do a great job planning and executing a date.
Well anyhow, I will be able to go into this much more in a bit. The reason I have to cut this short is because I have to go into a planning meeting for the April 18/19 TV tapings (back on the East).
Thanks to all involved with NWA Pro East and all the officials of the City of Newark, NJ.
. Here is video from my WLW TV program. It features Sid Vicious Vs. James "The Griz". The action is being called by Steve Murphy of St. Louis and Larry "The Axe" Henning. These guys took over after Gordon Solie was too sick to travel or speak.
So, I took the last few minutes to go over my long day. What I was doing was stalling while I compressed the Sid video for youtube, but youtube wants to be an ASS! Now after I spent the last 40 minutes or so editing and compressing the file they want to goof with things and not allow it to work! What the hell is their problem? I'm on a deadline! I hate myself.
It's a little past 10:00pm on the West Coast of the United States and I am still at my desk working. Now this is not abnormal at all, I'm usually working at this hour, but today was a bit different because I started at about 9:30am (again not unusual) making phone calls to the East for our Newark card. Here is what I did today:
6:00 am - Woke up (because some ass decided that was a good time to start hammering outside) 6:15 am - Dozed back off 6:23 am - Woke back up 6:30 am - Started watching the John Adams series on HBO 7:15 am - Woke back up (somehow I fell back asleep and the hammering started again) 7:18 am - Started Adams again 7:30 am - Started HD dub of the Showcase for a TV station 9:00 am - Got out of bed and watched my landlady's D-in-law tear up my backyard and plant flowers 9:15 am - Bob Trobich called me 9:20 am - Took a shower 9:34 am - Sat at the desk 9:37 am - Andy Schmitz called 9:45 am Ricky O called 10:01 am - Stopped the HD dub and shipped it FedEx 10:20 am - THE WORLD CHAMPION CALLED 10:50 am - Started producing elements for next weeks "Hollywood Edition" of the Showcase 11:23 am - Andy called back 11:38 am - Chris Macneill called 11:43 am - Talked to Twin River Marketing about the card on the 18th 11:56 am - Tried calling referee's in Rhode Island 12:19 pm - Started laundry 12:56 pm - Tried calling Ed Chuman 1:08 pm - Went and bought Starbucks! 1:36 pm - Went back to same shopping center and bought Subway 1:57 pm - GOT FAT 2:00 pm - Conducted Conf. call with Macneill and Houston TV Station all while editing TV 2:37 pm - Messed with Shanesphotos.com because he was frustrated with the NWA site ;)
MAN AM I EVER TIRED THINKING OF ALL OF THIS AND I DID MAKE A LOG TOO!
Anyhow, now I'm finishing a youtube clip of a Sid Vicious match from the WLW days. The publicity people in Wildwood thought it would be a good idea if we posted one. I have no idea what it will do or generate and interest.
I still have to pack for my 9:00 am flight and finish a flyer for Lodi. Ahhh, the life of a pro wrestling promoter.
Tomorrow I will be taking my, what seems to be hundredth trip to the NY/NJ area. Please don't take this as complaining, cause I'm not. My first trip to the East was for the Cauliflower/NWA 50th event in Cherry Hill, NJ (by now you should remember that's where I met Solie and the rest). I remember flying into Philly (Side note: while waiting for my bags I was standing next to Roy Jones, Jr. at that time he was considered one of the best on Earth) and driving into Jersey with Chris Hansen and Keith King. Anyhow, that was the first of what would be many, many wrestling related trips there.
I want to say that three or four years ago I started going that way to scout talent for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Kevin Quinn (at the time the Inoki Dojo trainer) and I were sent to a show specifically for that reason. A local guy named Eric brought us in and stagged a show just for us. Just so we could look at East Coast talent. I must admit that we were very pleased with the turn out and some had lots of potential. Also there were Chris Candido and Tammy. It was nice to catch up with them, I hadn't seen them since the WWF and mid west, it had been years. That day I learned that Jersey was a "hot bed" for pro wrestling. I knew Dennis Carluzzo was pretty successful and I knew if I got "in" with the right people "things" would progress the right way.
A year or so after the trip with Quinn I went back to scout at an event billed as Cyberspace Wrestling Federation (later NWA Cyberspace) ran by a couple named Billy Firehawk and Daisy. The show was full of fine talent! After that first event I knew that these might be the people to partner with. Once they joined the NWA via Fred Richards (the local member) I made several other trips that year. I tried negotiating with Firehawk, but he had his crew that had his ear. It was very clear that they didn't want an "outsider" coming anywhere near their toy. I say toy cause that is what it looked like to me. I didn't know Firehawk or Daisy before and I grew fond on them. I knew they were being taken advantage of and I knew that "my" folks could help them a lot, but my words fell on deaf ears.
During one of those Cyberspace trips, Eric introduced me to Rick Otazu or Ricky O. Ricky is a local promoter and Eric felt that maybe we could work together, so way late at night (maybe 2 AM) Ricky jumped in his car and drove from Lodi, NJ to Long Island...FOLKS THAT IS NO SHORT TRIP!
That morning we talked wrestling. I found out that Ricky was at the Cherry Hill show too; he was working for Carluzzo. So after about an hour or three Rick, Eric and I agreed to start a new company.
I came up with the name...Liberty States Wrestling...I really like the sound of it. Greg Young did up a logo and we started pressing forward on our first event. I wanted to make these cards NWA ones, but Richards had a deal with Firehawk, Liberty States would be non-affiliated. I thought it was pretty dumb for us not be able to use the NWA name with me being a member and all, but I respected my NWA brothers wishes and didn't run as such. In time, Richards did allow us to use the NWA Champions in the area, but that was when Cyberspace was running into trouble. During this time, Ricky brought in a jolly fella he called "Sumo Jeff." I liked Jeff, but he was not in the wrestling business, he was very much a super fan. "Sumo Jeff" did not last.
Our first event was put together by Ricky and me. He choose the Lodi Boys and Girls Club; Lodi was his home town. We had a great card headlined by NWA World Champion Christian taking on local hero Jay Lethal (Lethal had signed to TNA about a month or so before). At this time my relationship with TNA was solid and they worked very well with me to make the event a success, but back then the needed promoters like us to showcase their talent because they were not touring or promoting events.
That night we saw 700 beaming faces. Eric put himself in the opening match without telling anyone of us. I was mad at first, but then laughed my ass off to see how over he got himself. Christian/Lethal was a hit (I think this was Christian's first non-WWE card outside of the Impact Studio) and everyone was happy, that was until after the ring came down and the people went home. Some of the boys on the East must have thought I was a chump or novice promoter and they tried hard to push their rates on me, but we did not budge, we paid what we agreed on walking in. Then there was a situation with WWE Tough Enough Winner Dan Puder (this was his first "real" show too) and his payout. Let's just say that I saved Eric's ass on that one and paid out the nose for Mr. Puder (not ragging, I like Puder).
So why all this blah-blah?
This Friday Rick and I will be producing another event together. The relationship has been outstanding. I have met many wonderful and interesting people through him (especially his Wife and kids). Dave Grecko is his right hand man and is a walking pro wrestling encyclopedia. He has been a great help over the years.
So tomorrow Jeremy Schott (the head of NWA TV/Video production) and I will be flying into Newark, NJ. This time for the City of Newark, Ricky has forged a fabulous relationship with them and this is our third outing for them. Its great to see the kids in that neighborhood happy. Its great for the guys to work in front of a packed house too! Our average draw at the JFK Rec Center is 3000!
It's great going to Jersey! I will be able to meet up with Mario and Thom Savoldi, maybe go to the City and hang a bit cause I'll be back on that side of the world on April 18 & 19 for shows in Lincoln, RI and Wildwood, NJ.
As Spring of 2008 begins I see the colors start to change (or what color there is in California) and the blossoms bloom. The main color that I see changing is the color of my hair. More and more each year I see the dark getting lighter and now the blond(ish) brown is straight up white. I pretty much passed the gray stage and well I gotta get use to having white hair!
People who know me already know I'm an "old soul" and I constantly get teased for being a "Grandpa," but the white hair is going to do me in! Anyone have any tips?
But seriously, I know that this is just a part of the circle...and I don't think Brian (the guy who cuts my hair) is going to get started on "painting" my head each month. The last year has been a pretty strenuous one, and I've always noticed how having a "big job" turns the color of their heads, just look at the past few presidents (not that I'm anything close to the President of the US)!
Like most guys my age I remember the promotion and build up to the first WrestleMania that pitted Hogan and Mr. T against Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper (my favorite at the time) and I also remember all the other Mania's too. I was in attendance at the LA Sports Arena for Hogan/Bundy in the cage, but those are not the memories I want to talk about.
When I was a teenager my parents decided to have more kids. To be honest with you I'm not sure they decided, but they had two more anyways. I already had a younger sister (2 years younger than me) April and then we ended up with another sister, Lori and finally Noel (he never went by Noel but his middle name of Matthew) a year after her. I bet you could imagine a teenager who was ready to get his license and car, but was told "not yet" because you are getting a new sibling. Not the news you want to hear when you were making plans for the "great escape."
So the Mania memories I want to share have to do with my brother Matt.
From his first days at home I seemed to be his keeper. Both my sister April and I were on duty all the time and with two babies we were always doing something with them. Of course I was either drawing or watching television (mostly cartoons, news and pro wrestling). As time passes and the babies grew up a bit, Matt really gravitated to pro wrestling too. I want to say by the time he was two he knew all the guys names on television and starting to imitate moves on our couch. He would also jump and dive onto me all the time saying he was Jimmy Snucka. He was especially a fan of the Ultimate Warrior and Bret Hart. I also think he was really into Razor Ramon too. It seemed that the most fun we had together had to do with wrestling and he could not wait for the PPVs and his favorite WrestleMania!
Our family was pretty poor and we never seemed to anything the right way. Like most people in our neighborhood we had a "black box" (AKA an illegal cable converter box) that allowed us to watch cable TV for free and PPVs too. The box was pretty much crap cause every so often the picture would scramble for a minute or two and there was nothing but sound. That would drive Matt nuts. I can visualize today his little body jumping on the bed wearing his Warrior T-Shirt or yelling at the Big Boss Man or marching around like the Macho King. Those were great times! We spent many Mania Sunday's together, then I had to grow up (well kind of).
No longer a teen and graduated and all it was time for me to move out and make it on my own (right, like that happens). With no college education and a year or two old HS diploma I set off and land in Springfield, MO and a job at KYTV (only for a week or so) then TeleCable Productions leaving my 'rasslin buddy behind. The distance put a strain in our relationship because he was growing too and being the baby of the family he figured out quick that he could "get" things real easy. There would be time I would visit, talk on the phone with him and feel that we have grown apart. The fact was we had. By the time I returned to California in late 1999 and I seen him all grown up, he was a completely different person. No more kisses, no more hugs all of that was in the past.
I miss my brother and our times together. You see he died four years ago in a drunk driving accident (he was the drunk driver) and he had fallen into a dark place. He would not communicate nor show emotion, he just yelled and did what he wanted. I tried talking with him, but he would have nothing of it. Sad really, inside I knew he was still a good kid...we all are.
So my WrestleMania memories are the ones I had with my brother Matt and that is how I remember him. I know if he were with me today he would be on the road working with the NWA. I know no matter what he would have had a hell of time laughing at me and how far I've gone with it. I'm sure Matt will resurface in other entries, maybe next time I will tell you about a trip to see Fantasia in the theaters for the re-release...that was a good time! Boy time does fly by.
When people find out that I have started a blog and if they really know me they will say "but you hate the Internet." The fact is I do not hate the Internet, I hate incorrect pro wrestling Internet Reporting.
Growing up I looked up to many of the people I watched on television news. We had Walter Cronkite, Peter Jennings, David Brinkley, Barbra Walters, locally Jerry Dunphy and the like. To me all of these people embodied professionalism and the presentation of their stories were top notch and well planned and researched. I knew from an early age that what these people were saying was serious. I can remember my whole family sitting in our living room watching the news together and my Grandfather especially would be watching very close. You would have thought he was watching the Super Bowl or naked people.
Today, television is a very different place, as is society. I've noticed that us Humans have become very cynical with everyday situations (I too am at fault here, but I try) and modern broadcasters or reporters use that tone in their reports. This holds especially true with pro wrestling journalism (if you can call it that).
Now, I do have to give credit to folks at pwinsider.com, wrestlingtorch.com and some of the smaller sites because they have contacted me to verify a source. To me that adds tons of credibility and respect. I know that the behind the scenes world or pro wrestling has changed and I think I have evolved with it, but for some reason the majority of pro wrestling reporting has not. I am very aware that this business is sensational and tabloid to a degree, but the "news" that a fan might have access to is in my opinion tainted and very much kayfabe in a different way.
Once while with Disney the suits wanted us to look out for "Internet Disney Reporters" because they were evil. Since I was already in the wrestling business I already knew how to handle myself when around an "average person" asking questions, but to be honest with you, these very enthusiastic fans (Disney or wrestling) are the very reason pro wrestling is still around and they are a necessary evil to todays promoters and talent. I just wish that the majority or contributors and stringers would look past their nose and "wrestling logic" and report the news. Is that too much to ask for?
So, I do love the Internet (and getting way more comfortable with pro wrestling sites). There is a lot of knowledge there for you to feed on, but there is also a lot of false. To any reporter out there seeing information on the NWA I'm easy to find.
About three weeks ago we realized that we needed a major person to join our company either in front of the camera or behind the scenes in an office position. This person had to be someone that could turn heads and grab some attention because as of late (my opinion) our promotion has been sitting kind of still, no movement in either direction.
So, what is a promoter/producer to do? I know go find a talent that would help achieve our goals. Now, in my business the true "King" of the box office is Hulk Hogan (and he know it), but his asking price is way out of our league. TNA has many top stars that would work at our arena events, but they don't need a guy like me any longer so that is out of the question. Then, I start to dig through old contact sheets and phone books looking for a name (or names) that may work. I noticed several guys who would be perfect for that role, but sadly they are no longer alive. The search continued and I went on to do other tasks (like watching Crockett stuff on YouTube) and that's where I found my answer.
In the YouTube search for WTBS, NWA, WCW, Crockett a clip of Sid Vicious, the one where he's getting injured on television, the one they played back so many times, well I watched and watched and then reacted.
Rick Otazu (Ricky O) is my business partner on the East Coast and provides commentary on the NWA Wrestling Showcase program. He is very dedicated to our cause and I knew he kept tabs on pretty much everyone. My call to was pretty specific:
"Hey? Do you think there would be any interest in Sid?" and his answer was much more explicid than "Yes!"
We went through the routine, blue sky booking and then Ricky said he had his number, well it turns out to be a bad one, but Ricky every the go getter found a good one and mid-day sometime 10 days ago Sid Vicious and I were talking and striking a deal for him to compete with the NWA. This is the type of talent that I need to continue building the NWA brand and seeking new interest from industry.
Sid agreed to the terms and then we set out to tell the world that the biggest free agent in pro wrestling found a home and that his comeback would be the greatest comeback in all of sports and entertainment! Quick back story on the injury. During a match against Scott Steiner in 2001, Sid suffered a leg fracture. The reason is that he landed his 300 pound + frame on one foot while kicking with the other. He broke his left leg in half, snapping both the fibula and tibia, with at least one of the bones breaking through the skin. A 17" rod was placed in his leg and Sid walked with a cane for some time after thinking to himself that his wrestling days were numbered. Until now. 7 years later, Sid is ready to get back to the business he loves. The way he sees things is that his injury was a "blessing". It allowed him to preserve himself and he tells me that he is 100% and is ready to take names! My thought through out all of this was:
"MAN! HOW CAN THIS MAN EVEN WALK TODAY!"
I'm happy that we have the international platform to allow Sid his comeback. I know that he has his goals set to return to the WWE and I'm sure that will happen in the future, but for the mean time Sid will appear exclusively on NWA television until the end of 2008 and hopefully beyond. His first date with us April 18 in Lincoln, RI (www.twinriver.com) and the following night in Wildwood, NJ at the Arena. Tickets are on sale now through the venues box office and ticketmaster. Come on out and show Sid you did not forget about him. Even the WWE thought it was news:
http://www.wwe.com/inside/industrynews/6740456
The photo above is courtesy Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazine and screen grabs from my World Legion Wrestling TV show from Missouri.
This Sunday the WWE will induct NWA Legend and Hall of Famer Gordon Solie into it's Hall of Fame during their WrestleMania weekend in Orlando, FL. Since Tuesday's announcement that Solie is being inducted I have been asked my opinion on what he might have thought about the honor. For those of you not in the know, I worked with him in late 1997 and all of 1998 at World Legion Wrestling, a promotion I started in Springfield, MO (eventually Harley Race, Karl Lauer and Solie came on as co-owners and the Race Family still runs it as World League Wrestling). When blue skying the concept of running cards and the possibility of producing television I daydreamed about my "All Madden" (Note: Marquez uses football term, maybe history making event) team and Race and Solie were on that list.
I remember freezing my butt off in November 1997 at our Walnut St. office located in the Vandervort Building downtown. I'm sure I was there, tipsy as ever (in those days a night didn't go by without getting totally waisted on hard booze) talking all of this over with business partner's Chris Hansen and Greg Young. I can remember Greg playing with the name "New Legion Wrestling" while Chris was helping me book our future. Well, when we got to Solie's name on the list, we both looked at each other and said:
"You think he's still alive?"
Days later I contacted Karl Lauer, a wrestling friend from Southern California and Vice Chairman of the Cauliflower Alley Club and inquired about Solie's whereabouts and Lauer told me that he is fine and well, still living in Florida. I asked for a number and I got it. When I first called him, I got a machine and yes it sure was Solie's voice. I had heard him enough on television to know what
Some time passes and the annual Cauliflower Alley Reunion was here and Lauer tells me that Solie did indeed RSVP to attend. Our first show was all planned out and I was going to be able to meet face to face with him.
Hansen and I landed in Philly and drove to Cherry Hill and check in. The first person I see is Fred Blassie (mark out moment for me) and then in the distance was Solie and guess who he was talking to? Give up? Harley Race! I thought I had hit the jackpot, I would be able to hit two birds with one stone. So we go to the room, shower and change. I have always been one to "dress" for occasions and well let's just say I felt a bit over dressed for day one of the Reunion (although I must say looking back I was not the only sore thumb, I believe that Bob Trobich, Howard Brody, Dennis Carluzzo and maybe Danny Hodge were "dressed" too) but I think because of my approach and attire, I got close to Solie.
I introduced myself to him and he said he remembered my name from the phone messages. I apologized for bothering him during his difficult time and had I known I would have let up. He told me not to worry and thanked me for the acknowledgment. At that moment, he lit a cigarette, something I would watch him do many, many more times. He then figured out a way to get rid of me, he introduced me to Lou Thesz and tell him about what I was planning to do. So, I started my spiel and Thesz looked at me like I had 9 heads! I can remember the Champ saying:
"Why do you want to do that? Do you know how many people try this and fail? You might want to think of something else to do with your life and money."
Then he invited me to sit at the bar with him, Hodge, Abby the Butcher and maybe Dan Severn. Anyhow I was the odd man out and Solie had quietly slipped away.
The next morning I dressed down a bit, probably just loosing the tie trying to look a bit more casual and I spotted Solie in the lobby talking with Killer Kowalski. Solie asked me to sit and he started to talk to me about television production. He was drinking (again something I saw and participated with him many, many times) Vodka and handed my his napkin and a pen and asked me to draw out the way I seen the camera layout. So I started drawing this plan out and Solie commented on my penmanship and control of the pen. Boy did I smile, ya see I wanted to be a Disney Animator early on and for years I sat and drew every character I could memorize, so that really meant something to me. What I didn't know is that he was a bit of an artist too! After I finished my drawing he seemed pleased and said that he would consider coming on board as announcer and he told me his fee and that he would only fly Delta. Now, if you have not noticed I have not once mentioned that I offered him the job of announcer. I did introduce myself and I did tell him what I intended on doing with World Legion, but I never ever told him I wanted him to be the voice of the program. I guess one would think that seeing I called him so damn much, I also thought that he talked to Lauer too and he knew everything. The night ended and we went our own ways, this time though with a handshake and his room number.
The next morning seemed to be a big day. There was a lot of people and this is where I got to talk with Harley Race and invite him to be apart of the team too. I wanted Race to come on in a creative role and I understood his popularity in Missouri. I can recall I stopped him in mid flight going back to a table with three beer's in his hand. I could tell that he wanted no part of the conversation and I told him what I was thinking. His reaction was close to Thesz, but more cheerful and he asked who I was thinking about for the announcing and I told him I was not sure really and before I could tell him that I spoke with Solie, he pointed him out in the room and said:
"You could count me in if you can convince that man over there to be in it too."
With that he walked away and I was standing in the middle of a full convention floor thinking, "man...what just happened?" I knew Solie was in already and maybe 10 minutes later, I interrupted his beer (he was holding court with Charlie Thesz, his wife BJ, Dory Funk and I want to say Jim Cornette) and said:
"Mr. Race. Mr. Solie is in, our first show is November...."
He was shocked, I was pleased and well the rest is history. I spent many night learning from him and listening to him like he was a priest. But getting back to the WWE Hall of Fame and what I think what Solie would have said. I think he would have been proud to be honored by his peers, especially after all the years that had passed. I do know he was very vocal about Vince McMahon. I don't remember his killing him, just not being happy with him for whatever reason. I'm sure it stems back to WTBS and the WWF taking over his shows time slot. I do know he was invited to stay on, but (boy I hope I get this right) I think he quit or declined the offer because the WWF wanted him to introduce McMahon on TV and "put him over." I also believe there was something about a tuxedo too.
I do believe that he would have been happy to attend and catch up with old friend. I know I am happy to know that this generation of Sports Entertainment fans will get the chance to hear about him. I don't know if any of them will care or seek out info on him, but I'm glad that Solie will be in the publics eye one more time.
I'm going to try and post some photos and screen captures from the WLW days. I'm not sure I know how to do that, but I'll try and if I mess it up I will try again once someone shows me how. Also, there is also a Gordon Solie webite out there now at www.gordonsolie.com and if you have not ready his book please do so. It's great and I hear Bob and Pam are working on a second one.
Hello everyone! Welcome to my little piece of the world wide web. For some time I've been asked by many to write about my involvement in pro wrestling. For some reason lots of folks (fans and non-fans) thinks that I have the most unusual job on earth...a pro wrestling promoter. In today's entry I'll take you on a trip on the way back machine...back to the Summer of 1988 and the first card I promoted to the "Sold Out" April 4 event in Newark, NJ.
In 1988 I was still in High School. I have always been around pro wrestling since as long as I could remember. I attended my first event in the early '80s at the Grand Olympic Auditorium then my family moved "East" and I started going to the San Bernardino Arena. In the Mid-80s, the McMahon expansion started and his cards were moved to the Los Angeles Sports Arena and The National Orange Show Pavilion.
At the Olympic, without a doubt, my favorite person was Fred Blassie! I'd sit and watch him chew and gnaw on his man's head until it bled. I remember ring announcer Jimmy Lennon and watching TV commentator "Judo" Gene LaBell. I also remember meeting Jesse Hernandez for the first time at the Olympic and then again in San Bernardino and my long relationship with Karl Lauer began at those buildings too. Anyhow, I could go on and on and I guess there is a lot of time to reflect in future entries, so back to the subject at hand...ME!
My first event was a total flop. I thought I knew what I was doing, but I didn't. I contacted a local "Outlaw" group (Note: The word Outlaw in pro wrestling back then had the same definition as Backyard Wrestling today, wish I would have known that) and boy did they take me for all I was worth (yes, that night I lost it all $2,400). I promoted in the Fontana High School gym and drew maybe 60 people; mostly friends and family. The talent on the program was all local, some good, most not. The big stand out was the late Louis Spicolli. That night I felt horrible because I could not pay anyone. You see, some of the people I went into business with went into business for themselves! The money was stolen and I was left high and dry, but that did not stop me, nope! I made good to most of all the talent (see some didn't want to see or talk to me) and that night ended up being the night I truly figured out what I wanted to be, what I wanted to do as a career. Also that night I produced my first pro wrestling TV show. I proudly have those 3/4" tapes in the archive. I have not looked at them in a while, but I think I will here soon. I will try and grab some screen captures to share!
I would not promote another event for almost 10 years later, you see I learned quick that you can't earn a living in pro wrestling, so I turned to my other passion; television. From the early 1990's to today television or video production has supported me, but these days pro wrestling is a damn good runner up!
In 1997 I started a production company in Springfield, MO. I was working as a producer and director for a local TV station and after 4 years I decided to leave and venture out on my own. At that time I was a "smoker", now I wasn't a chain smoker or anything, but I did enjoy "finer tobacco" like $15.00 cigars and $200 pipes, ya you can be a $100 millionaire in Springfield and at times I lived like I was one too. So one day at "Just for Him" (http://justforhim.com) I met Chris Hansen, Greg Young and Stuart Stokes, they seemed to have the same interests as me and they or should I say GREG YOUNG (Greg and I still work side by side today) convinced me to cash in my stocks and start a production company. In a few weeks Marquee Multimedia, Inc. was formed. For a while we were riding high, "Just for him" became a client and we were helping to revolutionize the media world in Springfield and I thought:
"Maybe this is a good time to revisit the pro wrestling thing?"
Within weeks from me saying this I was the Founder of World Legion Wrestling and was business partners with Harley Race, Gordon Solie, the Marquee Boys and Karl Lauer. I had learned a lot in my time in Missouri and since leaving California I had still been involved in the "wrestling scene", so we ran for a bit, produced some wonderful television (that aired on a dozen or so TV stations up and down the Mississippi) and befriended a host of new talent. during this time I also started working with the WWF and WCW around Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas and I even made a few trips to Power Pro Wrestling in Memphis. Also at this time I became a Member of the National Wrestling Alliance® for the first time allowing me to meet Howard Brody, Ed Chuman, Dennis Carluzzo, Jim Cornette, Doug Gilbert and a host of others. It was Solie who wanted us to be with the NWA. I can recall Race not being warm to the idea, but I really loved Solie so my vote went that way, but the NWA relationship did not last too long because Brody booted me out with something that had to do with the NWA World Title and Dan Severn. In early 2000 I moved back home and the Race family assumed the promotion. I thought I was "over" wrestling at that point, but boy was I wrong!
I was back home for only a few months and working for Disney when I got a call from Al Issics (you longtime internet fans should remember Al. He was the editor of scoopswrestling.com) and he told me to go to Santa Ana and meet up with Rick Bassman. As I remember it Al said:
"Dave, do you know where Santa Ana is? There is this place called the Galaxy Theatre and a guy named Bassman who has a deal with the WWF. I think they could use you, especially your TV skills."
So the meeting was set and I went and met up with Bassman and Roger LeBlanc in a weird office atop the Galaxy. I remember that day I met a very young Samoa Joe and a very large man named Brett (I would later know him as "Schwag.") The meeting went well and Bassman hired me to produce and direct his TV. In my time with UPW I met a lot of people who are the backbone of my operation today. I directed John Cena (Prototype then), a Russian named Staz, Chris Daniels, Frank Kazarian, The Havana Pitbulls, Heidenrich, Aaron Aguilera, RVD, The Hardy Boys, Nathan Jones, HHH...man the list goes on and on. Worked with Bruce Prichard on shooting, talked with Jim Ross and Paul Bearer about management. I also met Kevin Quinn, Jon Ian, Rick Knox, Joe Schmoe, Chris Bell, Todd Kennely and really so many more!
Boy is this ever long. I never intended to write this much, but since I started guess I should finish.
From there I went to work for Xtreme Associates AKA XPW. Now, this is a chapter in itself! You see my thoughts of pro wrestling was nothing like what XPW was doing at the time. I never directed blood baths before, not was I accustomed to hardcore at all! Remember I was NWA or 'rasslin to the bone! I was there for a little over a year and I'd be lying if I said that was not a fantastic ride...so much crazy stuff happened in those offices. Out of that time came relationships with Kevin Kleinrock, Ryan Katz, Webb, Gay Mike and Kaos. It was neat to see people I knew at WWF and WCW on XPW cards, I was just very confused and well again, Xtreme is its own entry! Maybe after the XPW reunion "Cold Day in Hell" I will reflect a little closer on my time directing XPW.
After XPW left pro wrestling again to work in Creative for Saturn Films, Inc. a production company owned by actor Nicholas Cage. But, during this time I felt "something" was missing from my life. After a year or so I went back to Disney saying good bye to Hollywood and again after a few short months back with Disney pro wrestling rear's its ugly head.
Inoki Sports Management, Inc. came my way via Samoa Joe and Joe Schmoe. They operated an exclusive pro wrestling/MMA school in Santa Monica. It was funded by New Japan Pro Wrestling and I was hired as Director of Business Development. I was placed in charge of "running the dojo" and creating business opportunities for NJPW in the States. My first "big thing" was negotiating a video license with WWE for NJPW footage to be used in the Chris Benoit DVD. After that deal I was made a Vice President of the company and I started to get into a groove that was exciting. I started recruiting new talent and signed the first NJPW/TNA talent trade agreement. Our training facility was considered one of the best in the US and I was very proud of that. I also started playing with the idea of local television again and the thought that we were going to start running more cards in SoCal (to this point we were only doing one or two a year with the highlight being the Best of American Super Jr.'s) but that failed because the TV people we were in bed with just didn't understand pro wrestling, go figure. This is when the NWA re-entered my life on account of Mr. Inoki. He was the NWA Member in Japan and I knew that the NWA brand would help us at the Dojo, so I became his Proxy to the LLC. Some time after that I was told that I was going to start running small cards on Sundays. At first I was excited because I know this would be a selling point to get "outsiders" to come and stay and train with us and that concept worked for a while. We had guys from all over the world live at the Dojo. The Dojo also became a place for production too! We rented the place to MTV several times, all of the training for Nacho Libre was done there and we almost had The Rock too. After about a year of Sunday Dojo events, the whole crew became sour to the idea. They were not working at all and new influences were everywhere and in my mind not good influences either. In time all of us left the Dojo, but great things were in our future, but we didn't know it!
In 2006, I joined the NWA as the Member in California. I had the bug to promote and I was lucky that John Rivera believed in me. We incorporated NWA Pro Wrestling, Inc. and at that time we were still working with Inoki. That year NJPW was not going to fund the annual Super Jr. show, so Rivera and I ponied up and did. We stagged it at the El Monte High School and the production was great! We light the thing, had the multi camera switch set up and I was on cloud 9! The show was a great one. The wrestling was outstanding. The only real problem was that like most low budget events we didn't have enough money to advertise, so the draw was low. I think all total we had 300 something paid. Not bad...but not good either. That night after that tournament, while driving home, I knew I could do something bigger and "do something" with the NWA brand. I had a great stable of stars lead by a guy I found in Nashville, TN, Karl "Machine Gun" Anderson and I knew, just knew with the right people around me we could blow the NWA name up. I'm so great full to Rivera too, he was very supportive and positive...he could have walked away.
I was underfunded (as usual) and again luck came my way, this time in the way of Kleinrock. He was now the VP of Big Vision Entertainment and they were going to start distributing more pro wrestling to retail stores. I jumped at the chance to work with Kevin again and I started shooting and directing many of Big Vision projects. Kleinrock kept me alive during those times and the highlight was producing and directing the Eddie Guerrero Memorial show in Denver (that is also an entry for later) and that is where LUCHA came back into my life...REAL LUCHA! The other project that Kleinrock and I did was a series of shows under the name of SoCal Championship Wrestling. I did not understand the format at all, but went along with it. We had death matches, classic matches, you name it and we shot it. Later I realized that those cards were tests for Wrestling Society X and Kleinrock sold the idea to MTV!
Back to NWA Pro Wrestling...the promotion was gearing up and I acquired a booking agent, Chris MacNeill out of Las Vegas. He was a retired Comedy Agent and represented Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld. He took us to a whole new level - ARENAS!
Our first event was to be a NWA/TNA card in Lowell, MA. We were booked in the Paul Tsongas Arena, a 10 thousand plus seat area and I wanted to do it up with a BANG! So I booked TNA talent and though we were going to be a hit. Well things went south and problems began with TNA. So I pressed on, TNA pulled their talent, but I wasn't too worried cause I knew I would have at least our World Champion...in the end TNA sued me and I ran the show with NWA World Champion Jeff Jarrett Vs. Christian Cage. That was the last time I worked hand and hand with them and at the same time I was to promote a card in association with Boyd Gaming, Inc. and their Orleans Arena property and that too was to be an NWA/TNA Mega Card, but with no TNA what is a promoter to do? LUCHA TO THE RESCUE!
I'm going to skip Liberty States Wrestling out of New Jersey for a the moment, but will return to the subject soon!
I have never been a fan of Mexican Lucha. I want to make that clear, but over the last few years it has grown on me. All of my experiences with Lucha was bad. Vampiro had used me several times in Mexico to direct TV for TeleVisa (I broke the color barrier there and I'm MEXICAN TOO) and that was a horrible time, I made a trip to Mexico once to work out a deal with local promoters to become NWA members and that went south (I even got Mario Savoldi to join me...he still hates me for that one) anyways, all things Lucha was bad to me, but I did remember the Eddie Memorial and how there were a lot of people and the recent FCW events at the Olympic...Lucha was my key. I went into my first Orleans meeting and said:
"Forget about TNA! I have something that will sell...it's Mexican Lucha Libre."
All the suits at the Casino wasn't amused. I can remember Orleans VP Steve Stallsworth not looking too happy. He was expecting Spike TV wrestlers and I'm throwing SUPER PORKY at him. After about an hour or so, I get them to agree to an "International Tag Team Tournament" something called "La Copa de Lucha!" I made up the name on the spot, it sold and we drew well over 3,000 people and I did three more Orleans dates not to mention dozens more in major venues across the US.
NWA Pro Wrestling was doing great. I shot all the cards but one, Houston. In a match that pitted "The Real American Heroes" Karl Anderson and Joey Ryan (they were on a Pro American campaign) against TJ Perkins and Ultimo Dragon, the Heroes and Manager Vanderpyle said a few choice words to the almost 5,000 all Hispanic crowd and started a full blown RIOT! This would have made beautiful television. The Heroes were forced to leave the ring and it took me and 8 others to get them back. The Houston Police Officers did not lift a finger to help and that left Ultimo and TJ in the ring. Referee Joe Furrer was knocked out by a rock and the Ring Announcer Andy Schmitz covered him as more rocks and dirt started to fly. I was forced by the building owners to stop the show. I grabbed Jesse Hernandez (who at times works as a Lucha Producer for us) wearing his referee gear and we tore threw the massive, irate crowd, made it to the ring and I told Jesse to start counting. He was puzzled, so I started to count, he continued and looked over at TJ and Ultimo just sitting on the mat, Jesse got to 10 and counted them out, the people started yelling that they had til 20 (lucha rules) and Ultimo grabbed the microphone and told me to re-start the match and to get the Americans back out; I wanted to kill him for that! Anyhow, we took an intermission, got the ring cleared and got the building to let us go straight to the Santo Main Event. Man was that a mad night and I don't have any of it on tape...
Today, the NWA is re-building. We ended our relationship with TNA and got out property back. We stagged an international World title tournament (that's going to be a great entry), crowned a new Champion in Adam Pearce, promoted more arena cards, launched a new TV series on the Dish Network, brought in three major promoters in New Japan, IWA- PR and Blue Demon in Mexico, we toured Australia and well, just two days ago we signed Sid Vicious to a multi-date contract that starts April 18th in Lincoln, RI (for tickets www.twinriver.com). I'm dedicated to making the NWA into the international powerhouse it once was. I have a lot of help doing that too and I am very happy to have so many talented people working with me. I am also very pleased with the positive reaction to the wrestling community, fans seem to like what we are producing. I don't want people to think that we are resting on any type of laurels. We have a lot of work ahead of us and we know our role in the pro wrestling industry. I know what the NWA is now and what I intend it to be in maybe 10 more years. I'm taking one day at a time. Thanks for reading and I promise that future blogs won't be this long.
