BEN! Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 There's a big gap in the timeline between Poffo and Kellum getting signed... 1994 - Savage signs with WCW - After SMW closes, Kellum starts using Gorgeous George III gimmick in TN. III probably because a Gorgeous George, Jr. worked in TN previously. 1995 - Savage tells Poffo he bought the Gorgeous George name (from who I don't know) and wants to bring him into WCW with the gimmick. Poffo never debuts with the company. 1999 - Kellum is signed to WCW. He wrestled a couple of dark matches with the Gorgeous George III gimmick although those may have been prior to signing a contract. - Savage had been gone for a while and returns all yoked up with his new broad named 'Gorgeous George'. - Kellum debuts as The Maestro. - Savage splits with his yak. - She ends up in ECW as 'George'. 2000 - Kellum is released from WCW and starts working indies as The Stro 2001 - WCW bought by WWF 2010 - WWE inducts Gorgeous George into the WWE HOF with his first ex-wife Betty accepting. Reportedly, WWE acquired the film rights to make a film based on the life of Gorgeous George as well. No further progress on that to date. One would presume that WCW would've trademarked the name in 1999. I seriously doubt Kellum would've bothered doing it himself although it turned out he was actually related to the original somehow. There were multiple Gorgeous George, Jr.'s running around prior to Kellum using the gimmick as well. And I seem to recall hearing that one of Wagner's wives, maybe Betty, used to con promoters and wrestlers by selling them the gimmick even though she didn't actually own it. Maybe that's who Macho thought he bought it from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thee Reverend Axl Future Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 Also, the GG bio book came out in 2008 and got over with the literary set, which probably was the impetus for the WWE to think about making a film (and thus the (deserving) HoF induction). - RAF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buy Me a Burrito Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 I don't know if this question goes here or in the Japan folder, but I'm going to ask it here. You always hear about how Terry Funk is a really big deal in Japan and how much of a legend he is, so why was he wrestling in garbage feds with Foley in the mid-90s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollywood Cibernetico Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 I don't know if this question goes here or in the Japan folder, but I'm going to ask it here. You always hear about how Terry Funk is a really big deal in Japan and how much of a legend he is, so why was he wrestling in garbage feds with Foley in the mid-90s? I guess it was like Booker T, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Sting, Hogan, and other bonafide legends working for TNA. All of the guys mentioned at one point did something where WWE was not an option. Perhaps Funk pissed someone off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillThompson Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Or maybe he just didn't want to work for the WWF at that time, or WWF didn't want him because they didn't think he could go in the ring any longer. It's certainly a possibility, and from all I've heard Terry really enjoyed what he was doing in the mid-90s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tromatagon Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Booker T is the shit and all but bonafide legend? Don't get me started on Jeff Hardy dog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Commander Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 I don't know if this question goes here or in the Japan folder, but I'm going to ask it here. You always hear about how Terry Funk is a really big deal in Japan and how much of a legend he is, so why was he wrestling in garbage feds with Foley in the mid-90s? quite a few Japanese legends from the 80s/90s are freelancing in a lot less glamorous locations these days. Some are just their micro-federation. But there's stuff like Kawada in HUSTLE that could be similar to Funk working some real underground stuff in the 90s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Maybe it's just what he wanted to do and WCW/WWF had no interest in him due to his age? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buy Me a Burrito Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 I just don't understand a dude in his fifties doing deathmatches and the money being worthwhile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tromatagon Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Funk was wrestling in garbage promotions because the mainstream was pissed that he didn't stay retired Forever Forever Forever 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt D Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 This is a really valid question and it's the sort of thing that's confused me before. I will give you guys a clue though. Go try to figure out why Onita is in the WON HOF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tromatagon Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 My explanation was in someone's book, I just don't remember who said it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuerrillaMonsoon Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 They cover it in that Foley doco on WWE Network at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattdangerously Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Maybe Funk just wanted to do something different? It's not like he needed the money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirSmUgly Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 While watching the Rumble '93 today, I saw Flair and Lawler, two heels, tear into one another. It led me to researching how much back history in terms of feuds there was between them, thinking that I was getting some sort of easter egg for fans who might have seen these two feud in Memphis months earlier or something. Anyway, this led me to reading a few articles on Flair and Lawler drawing a record gate in Memphis in 1985. In one article, posted here, I read this sentence: "Even with Hulk Hogan on the card, Vince couldn’t draw in Memphis in 1985." I looked around to try and find numbers for WWF shows in Memphis in 1985, but I couldn't find anything. I know that a few of you are privy to these numbers. In short, is this statement true? If it is, that is pretty amazing. I wonder if there were other territorial holdouts too. For example, did WWF and Hogan draw well in Minneapolis, Portland, Charlotte, Atlanta, etc.? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Go try to figure out why Onita is in the WON HOF. Because he was All Japan's junior ace in his first career, and created the monstrosity that's known as FMW in his second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cool arrow Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Speaking of Rumble '93, this has always bugged me: Yoko and Savage are the last two in the ring. Savage (somehow) gets Yoko off his feet, then goes up and hits the elbow. Yoko kicks out, and in the process launches Savage over the top. Illogical but whatever, Yoko wins in the end. So the next night on Raw, Vince is saying that Yoko has never been off his feet. Rob Bartlett reminds Vince of the finish of the match the previous night, which causes Vince (in so many words) to tell Bartlett to shut the fuck up. We know Savage wasn't big on calling it in the ring, so I assume that was all supposed to happen. But if so, why did Vince kayfabe it the next night? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sydneybrown Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Savage didn't knock Yoko down, Yoko missed a corner splash and fell over on his own. Duggan was the first person to physically knock Yoko over. Odds are that Vince screwed up and said that Yoko "had never been off his feet" and then Rob stupidly pounced with a correction. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babylonianfrost Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 I looked around to try and find numbers for WWF shows in Memphis in 1985, but I couldn't find anything. I know that a few of you are privy to these numbers. In short, is this statement true? If it is, that is pretty amazing. I wonder if there were other territorial holdouts too. For example, did WWF and Hogan draw well in Minneapolis, Portland, Charlotte, Atlanta, etc.? There's an amazing thread about this over at PWO called "Vince McMahon vs. the World" that goes into an unbelievable amount of detail about the expansion/invasions, but as far as Memphis...I think this was Vince's first incursion (courtesy of KrisZ): WWF @ Memphis, TN - Convention Center - June 24, 1984 (950)SD Jones defeated Lanny Kean Jesse Ventura defeated Billy Travis Big John Studd won an 18-man battle royal by last eliminating Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant Big John Studd defeated Joey Rossi Mil Mascaras defeated Samula WWF IC Champion Tito Santana & Jimmy Snuka defeated WWF Tag Team Champions The North-South Connection via disqualification WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeated Moondog Rex WWF @ Louisville, KY - Convention Center - June 25, 1984 (2,500) Paul Orndorff defeated Billy Travis Mil Mascaras defeated Jerry Valiant Big John Studd won an 18-man battle royal by last eliminating Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant Big John Studd defeated Lanny Kean WWF IC Champion Tito Santana defeated Joey Rossi SD Jones defeated Moondog Spot Jimmy Snuka defeated Samula WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan pinned Moondog Rex That same night Jarrett ran this show the day after Vince invaded Memphis and notice the crowd size CWA @ Memphis, TN – Mid-South Coliseum – June 25, 1984 (11,000) Porkchop Cash & Scott McGhee d. The Scorpions Mark Batten, Dutch Mantell, & Johnny Wilhoit d. Masao Ito, The Nightmare, & Keith Roberson The Animal d. Rick McCord Jim Neidhart d. Stan Frazier The Rock n Roll Express d. Lanny Poffo & Randy Savage by DQ Southern Heavyweight Title: Jimmy Valiant d. Rick Rude © by DQ The Fabulous Ones d. The Pretty Young Things Tennessee Street Fight: Eddie Gilbert & Tommy Rich d. Phil Hickerson & The Spoiler National Tag Titles: Austin Idol & Jerry Lawler d. The Road Warriors © by DQ Memphis wasn't amenable to the WWF brand, nor was Texas or a couple of other places, IIRC. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SirSmUgly Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 AWESOME! That is exactly the type of info that I was looking for. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Bugg Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Well hell, you've got Moondog Rex in the main against Hogan, that doesn't exactly jump out to me as a money-grabbing main event. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Bugg Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 But upon further research just now the Convention Center isn't a really big venue, and remember the WWF was running shows in high schools around this time as well, so 950 isn't a bad number. Still, they got their asses kicked attendance-wise by Memphis wrestling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babylonianfrost Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Well hell, you've got Moondog Rex in the main against Hogan, that doesn't exactly jump out to me as a money-grabbing main event. Conceded, but I oddly really want to see Mascaras/Samu and Santana-Snuka/North-South. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben. Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 How did HBK feel about having Jose Lothario on the road with him during that time? I feel like his dickish attitude back then would have had him annoyed that Hall and Nash were being cutting edge in WCW while he was saddled with his geriatric trainer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Playa Shunna Ver 3.0 Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 How did HBK feel about having Jose Lothario on the road with him during that time? I feel like his dickish attitude back then would have had him annoyed that Hall and Nash were being cutting edge in WCW while he was saddled with his geriatric trainer. Lothario was probably instant one night stad repellant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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