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.
