Straight Shooting - Issue #82
by Fritz Capp
Exclusively for PWBTS.com
August 19, 2000

Hello everyone and welcome to this week's edition of "Straight Shooting". I have a funny feeling a lot of topics are going to be covered so let's get going.

It is no secret that I have been traveling to Wildwood a lot lately to see the NWA New-Jersey "Boardwalk Bedlam" series of cards they have run this past summer at the Wildwood Convention Center. Well last night was no different as I once again made the journey to Wildwood. I am glad I did as I got to see some old faces and meet some new people.

While there early in the day I had a chance to see Sabu and talk to him for about a half hour or so. We touched on a lot of topics, from ECW to Japan to XPW to Paul Heyman. The Heyman/ECW stuff I won't touch because of Sabu's upcoming lawsuit against him, all I will say though is that it should be an interesting court case to say the least. Sabu told me he was leaving yesterday morning (Friday) for a three week stint in Japan which was actually 2 weeks wrestling and 1 week autographs and such. He also told me that CZW was big over there (Japan) and was helping out Big Japan in a big way. As far as XPW is concerned he is happy there and he believes they have the right stuff to make it. There are a lot of rumors right now surrounding XPW and I for one will be watching to see if any of them play out.

I also had a chance to chat with Axl Rotten for a minute or two. I had to ask him what brought him to NWA New-Jersey and he was really candid about it, MONEY! Can't get any more honest than that can you?

This was my first opportunity to see Slam Vader and this guy looks so much like Vader it's scary. In fact when he hit the ring everyone thought it was Vader. It is a scary thought that there are two of them.

Crowbar was his usual pleasant self, greeting the fans and signing autographs as was pretty much everyone else. One thing I can say about NWA New-Jersey is that the fans have a lot of access to the workers, both before the show and at intermission. They also have a thing set up where all the guys go to hang out and grab something to eat after the show and they invite the fans to come along also. Rare, very rare.

Chris Candido was there but appeared to be a little sore from the previous night's match. That didn't stop him later on though from going out and having a great match with Sabu and Crowbar in a three way. In fact, he is probably a lot sorer today as he took one hell of a bump on the concrete floor where you could hear his head hit the concrete through the arena. Sometimes I just don't know how these guys get back up.

Tom Brandi (Sal Sincere) can really work a crowd. And this new thing he is doing by blowing a whistle into the mic for what seems to be forever is annoying as hell and the fans hate him for it. Then he trashes the women and I have to say it is pretty funny wondering what he is going to do next.

The new tag team in NWA-NJ, Touch Of Reality, made another good showing with what time they had, this time doing a run in on The FleshEaters, pretty much making quick work of them. To be honest, the team themselves thought they would be heels considering the size of the team (combined 630+ lbs) but they have been receiving face pops. Maybe it's Lana who causing that as she gets the calls from the guys when she comes out. And why not, she's hot. I believe it's not only Lana drawing the attention, but it's the mobility of the team themselves. Usually when you have a team that size they are slow and lumbering. Not these guys. When was the last time you saw someone 6'5" 325 lbs doing a run in hit the ring full speed and slide arms and face first underneath the ropes like a cruiserweight would? Keep thinking everyone because it doesn't happen too often. In the ring they don't blow up after two minutes of action and they can keep pace with the best of them. Plus that finisher is something that has to been seen. These guys have a shot if the right people see them. How can I tell? At intermission they signed autographs and took pictures from the beginning of intermission to the end of it, that says something considering how new they are to the promotion.

Another over NWA talent is Dave Mysterio. The girls just love this guy and everyone can see that this kid can go. Talking to Dave a million times like I have has taught me one thing, the kid understands psychology and ring presence and actually knows how to work. His latest matches have been against White Lotus, another one that is going to wow the crowd in the years to come. NWA-NJ was smart to put these two together as they can really feed off of each other.

The one I am waiting to see work is X-Factor. This guy looks to have all the tools and from what I have seen of him when he gets to do a spot or two he knows his way around the ring. I think we're all in for a treat when this guy get's let loose in the ring.

911 is the current NWA NJ Heavyweight champ. What can you say about 911. He punishes and is still the master of the chokeslam. He is over like crazy with the fans.

The Equalizer is another talent that NWA NJ has. This guy can go with the best of them, and even though he plays a good heel role, the fans still gather around him for pics and autographs.

Metal Maniac for all the heat he gets has to be considered someone who will do what it takes for the promotion. I mean, does this guy ever get a check mark in the win column? My guess is Manic has seen the lighting array of more arenas then Barry Horowitz.

The creme de la creme in NWA NJ though is Donnie B. This guy knows how to work a crowd. He can play any role and has many roles to play in NWA NJ. Manager, booker, co-ordinator and an all around clown, Donnie has a mind for the business that most wish they could attain. Plus the guy can run his mouth. How do I know that? I just did the first part of a series of exclusive interviews that I am doing for PWBTS.com with Donnie B. One thing Donnie can do is fill up a tape so it will still be a few days before it is online for everyone to read. Don't miss it because you will see just where this very talented person comes from in this first part and everyone he had the pleasure coming up in the business with.

I have to say that while NWA New-Jersey has some ways to go, they are really starting to get their act together. Everyone has to realize that they have only been under the new regime for a matter of months now and already you can see how far they have progressed from the predecessor. The former head of NWA New-Jersey (I don't really have to name him do I?) Only thought about himself and how he could profit from the venture. While it is true that all promoters are out to make a buck, the current regime is trying to do something more than just put on a show. They are trying to rebuild a promotion and that is not an easy task, especially in the promotion filled state of New Jersey.

New Jersey at the present time has more promotions that anyone should know what to do with. Here are the promotions listed on Whoo Wrestling for NJ. Now some are just starting, some have died (or should anyway), some are floundering but this is not to be an end all list, this is just to give you an idea of what is going on over there. NWA-NJ, CZW, JAPW, New Millennium, Atlantic Championship Wrestling, B.R.A.W.L., ECPW, Eastern Pro, Eternity Wrestling Association, Empire Wrestling Alliance, Independent Wrestling Federation, ISPW, Jersey Championship Wrestling, SSCW, UWWA, UWC, WWA, WWC and there are probably more springing up as I write this. Like I said, this list if from Whoo! and I am sure some have folded or moved, changed their name, combined or whatever. The point is running a wrestling promotion in NJ is no easy business. Dennis Coralluzo burned out a lot of areas through sheer stupidity and it will be hard to rebuild some of the places that used to have a solid wrestling fanbase. So anyone making any mark in NJ at the present time should be commended for their efforts.

There is another promotion in NJ that is starting to achieve some success and that is Combat Zone Wrestling. Billed as "Ultraviolet Wrestling", it is starting to make a name for itself. It appears though that some people have a problem with checking out the promotion because the promotion usually knocks it's hardcore predecessor, ECW. This is a mind set that has hurt ECW in the past, and could currently hurt CZW.

You see folks, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being faithful to a promotion. I know, I was loyal to ECW for a couple of years. But that mind set also hurts. The ECW fans who so steadfastly remain loyal to ECW and look down on CZW as copycats, could quite possibly be missing some great hardcore action. I know that tag match I saw between Cashmere/Acid and Mondo/Blade could have been at any ECW Arena show when I was going to ECW (‘95/'96) and the crowd would have been popping all over the place for it craving more. The reason I am talking about this is because I recently had a run in on the CZW message board with their fans. They decided to trash me because I said their promotion reminded me of ECW back in 93/94, just before they became Extreme Championship Wrestling. In all honesty, that was a compliment. I saw a lot of potential at the CZW show I was at. But instead of taking it as a compliment, they went nuts saying I was an ECW mark. Is everyone hearing me laugh as hard as I am at that remark. They even pulled the old routine of trashing my tattoo. Oh well, some things never change huh? Now it is not beyond me to have some fun when people are trashing me so I threw as much gasoline on the fire as I could and watched what happened. Needless to say, their board exploded with all kinds of insults and threats, you know the usual banter. Hell, even some of the guys that work there got into it. Talk about being a mark for yourself. The one that topped the cake was CZW's Pastor Jim. This guy basically proclaimed himself to be the "defender of the faith". I have to laugh when a worker gets caught up in something like this. This guy challenged me to show up at their next show, saying he was going to "kick my a**" and everything. Get real people, this is only wrestling. Not that I won't be at the next show. C'mon, they are having an Electrified Cage of Death match which not only electrifies the cage but also has explosives and a bunch of other gimmick matches that should be pretty damned good. Plus Acid should be back from Japan by then and I could probably get to see (hopefully) Cashmere/Acid vs. Mondo/Blade II (at least for me that would only be the second time I see these four guys in the ring at the same time) That is worth the price of admission alone. As far as all the threats from "Pastor Jim" and the CZW contingent, if they wanna play they can play all they want but if they think I'm coming down there without a surprise for them they are the epitome of the word "mark".

A good friend of mine sent me the following :

----- Original Message -----
From: chris irvine
To: pwbts@pwbts.com
Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2000 1:10 PM
Subject: Fwd: Final Bio, Please look over.

THE GREATEST HEAVY METAL BAND YOU'VE NEVER HEARD

Moongoose McQueen (vocals)
Shawn "Sports" Pawpp (bass)
Duke LaRue (guitar)
KK LaFlame (drums)
The Kid (rhythm guitar)

Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery - but don't try telling that to five heavy metal musicians from Delaware who have spent the last twenty years trapped in Japan, watching their image, their innovations, and most of all their music become some of the most popular music of our era, as they struggled to make enough money just to get back home to the good ole' USA.

FOZZY...five young men who continue to invite controversy...rumors continue to circulate that Moongoose McQueen is actually a professional wrestler named Chris Jericho(!).....others remain convinced that the rest of FOZZY are actually members of the amazing Atlanta based band Stuck Mojo. These rumors can be neither substantiated nor denied!

Join with us in celebrating the release that will make FOZZY the stars they should be, give them the happiness they deserve, and bring them the hordes of screaming women they've only been able to dream about for the last 20
years. Palm and Megaforce are happy to release the album you should have heard a long time ago. FOZZY (PALMCD2056-2) will be released on October 24th, 2000.

the REAL story...

In the fall of 1980 things looked bleak for good old American rock and roll, as new wave, disco and punk were all destined to be the "next big thing." It was then, amidst this musical melee, that five 18-year-old kids from Delaware were becoming known as a promising young heavy metal band.

Taking the name "FOZZY" from a famed East Belgium battleship from the Korean War era, the band was just a short while ahead of their time. Following the tried and true way of getting "famous" i.e.: playing gigs, shopping demos etc. the band was losing their momentum and energy, as the Go-Go's listening, Flock of Seagulls haircut wearing folk just weren't "getting it."

Somehow, one of their demo tapes made it across the Pacific and into the hands of Masami "Sammy" Tomami, President of Big Happy Rock Mountain Records, one of Japan's biggest record companies at the time. Sammy
contacted the band and arranged to fly them to the Orient where he offered them an exclusive, Japan-only 20 year contract. He claims the deal was "great for a band with minimal exposure, minimal experience and minimal talent." The naïve, young rockers happily and dreamily signed away the next 20 years of their lives. Four days later, due to Sammy's many tawdry investments, Big Happy Rock Mountain records went out of business and Sammy went into
hiding. At that moment, FOZZY became another victim of the monster we know and love as the "music business."

At this point, FOZZY was stuck in Japan with no money and no fame. In order to eat and keep a roof over their heads, they were forced into the various worlds of menial labor. Moongoose McQueen (the flamboyant lead-vocalist) worked at Makudonaldo playing the character Donaldo Makudonaldo (aka Ronald McDonald). Shawn "Sports" Pawpp (level-headed bassist) was an escalator hand rail wiper at a downtown Tokyo department store by day and a towel boy at a local bathhouse by night (where the band soon took up residence, which explains their amazingly youthful looks). No one has been able to find out exactly what happened to The Kid (non-speaking rhythm guitarist) to quiet his demeanor. Duke LaRue (blissfully unaware guitarist) was a chef at a sushi restaurant and KK LaFlame (dangerously unstable and irresponsible drummer) fed his dairy fetish as a sampler in a cheese shop. While their unflattering jobs and overwhelming depression all too often got the very best of them, they always had an outlet for their pent-up anger and frustration. FOZZY didn't let the music business heartbreak get them down, and they got through the worst of times by having the best of times doing what they do best...making music!

Even though their various incomes afforded them only the worst studio in Tokyo (Sounds Castle Magic), they made the music that would re-define a musical era. In 1983, they started to hear ridiculous rumors that the music
they had put their hearts and souls into had leaked back to the United States and was in the midst of becoming hugely popular. At first they were excited and looked forward to their long awaited return along with the hordes of screaming women that were sure to greet them upon arrival, as they had finally become the rock stars they were meant to be. Sadly, that never came to be, as rumor turned to fact when a sampler included in a Japanese music magazine, Riot Patch came their way. Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Dio, Twisted Sister, the Scorpions and several others were performing and becoming mega-stars from the now-legendary songs that FOZZY had spent so much time perfecting. Fueled by this heart-wrenching news, FOZZY worked even harder to make the money needed to return to the US and reclaim the glory that was rightfully theirs. After too many years at minimum wage salaries, they've returned to the United States and are ready to reclaim their heavy metal crown.

Recording not sponsored by or affiliated with the World Wrestling Federation.

Contact: Sonya Kolowrat, RykoPalm, 212.506.5823 or email sonya.kolowrat@palmpictures.com

Pat Tanaka of WCW, NWA, AWA and WWF fame is looking to hold a wrestling clinic in Philadelphia on September 15th, 16th and 17th. If you are interested in gathering information or actually attending the event go to http://pwbts.com/features/clinic.html Since Pat is not online per say (no official website) I told him I'd put the information on PWBTS.com for him. From what Pat has told me, he is getting a pretty good response so far and if this goes as he think it should he is considering going to other cities as he has done this in Springfield and is doing one in St. Louis at the end of this week.

You know what, I never did give the results for the NWA NJ Wildwood show did I? Let me recap that here.

NWA New-Jersey "Boardwalk Bedlam"
Wildwood Convention Center
Wildwood, NJ
August 17, 2000
Attendance - 1000+

The Flesh Eaters: Kuvatro & Manuu w/ Dapper Johnny went over Slayer, Johnny Kashmere and Breaker Morantz by pinfall. After the bout, the Flesh Eaters were squashed by " Touch of Reality" setting up a bout next week between Touch of Reality and a managed team from All-Japan Wrestling.

Big Slam Vader w/ Billy Mack pummled Metal Maniac w/Little Al

911 defended the NWA/Jersey title against Salvatore Sincere (with Dapper Johnny Falco) when Falco accidentally threw powder into Sal's face enabling 911 to get the chokeslam and the win.

Axl Rotten & Ironman Tommy Cairo beat The Goon Rocco Dorsey & The Equalizer. During the match Equalizer was busted open.

Dave Mysterio got the pinfall victory over White Lotus in a No DQ Falls Count Anywhere match with Donnie B.as the guest ref. In the beginning he said he was turning the managing of White Lotus over to X-Factor as he did not want anything to do with the match. Also the National Women's Alliance was at ringside as they too have a vested interest in this match as they have been feuding with Mysterio for quite a while now. Donnie then stated there was a special guest referee but no ref appeared so Donnie said he would go get him, returning with a ref shirt on. Donnie then proclaimed the new stip that the match was falls count anywhere. There were a lot of highspots between Mysterio and Lotus. At the end of the match though, Donnie took the obligatory ref bump which allowed a second referee to count the pinfall. The results of this match with Mysterio winning means that Mysterio gets Donnie B. one-on-one next week. This one should be good.

XPW Champion, SABU (with Lazy Farouk) beat both Chris Candido and Crowbar in a Coffin Match. The crowd was really up fopr this match. People, this match was a running exhibition of three talented people out to entertain the fans that were there to see them. The highspots and bumps were incredible. Sorry, but I didn't cover the match ala tape recorder because I didn't have one with. But the memories of seeing these three in the ring will last a good long time. Seeing Sabu again brought back a lot of memories as did seeing Crowbar as I watched him come up through the ranks as Devon Storm. Anyway after a ton of highspots the coffin became a main player in the match. It eventually got destroyed during the bout as a result of Sabu placing Crowbar on it then driving him through it and then Candido was then hit with an Arabian Facebuster through the coffin and took a ten count while Sabu and Crowbar continued the fight. Candido, even though counted out, came back during the match and traded chair shots with Sabu and Crowbar. At around the 20 minute mark, Sabu hit the Arabian Facebuster on Crowbar and Candido simultaneously while they were in what was left of the coffin. The referee then gave the ten count and Sabu was victorious.

And with that I am outta here. Remember wrestling is nothing more than it appears to be but also remember a quote from James Billington, "Intellectual and cultural freedom is the most important single precondition for the breakdown of the kinds of tyrannical and totalitarian systems that periodically threaten us."

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