From: ottoh3@CFSMO.Honeywell.COM (Otto Heuer #3)
Subject: Re: [WCW] Watts vs the Japanese
To: rec.sport.pro-wrestling
Posted-Date: Sun, 23 Aug 92 23: 31:44 cdt
Organization: Honeywell Systems & Research Center
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1992 04:31:44 GMT
Received-Date: Sun, 23 Aug 92 23: 31:07 CDT



czavisa writes:

[ about NWA tag team tournament finals ]

| Before the match, Watts huddled with Japanese contact Hiro
| Matsuda at told Matsuda in no uncertain terms that Liger would 
| not be permitted to do any aerial moves in the bout.  Matsuda
| was told, "We don't do that doe-see-doe bullshit over here in
| this country."

| In the match, Liger did his best to follow the dictates of
| Watts and Matsuda, but after seven minutes of working Koloff's
| arm and nearly putting the crowd to sleep, his natural instincts
| took over and Liger started to turn it up a notch.  This climaxed
| with a moonsault off the top rope and reports say that Watts
| nearly did a similar move out of his chair when he viewed it on
| the monitor.

| Even though Liger was allowed to escape with his life, Watts
| vowed not to be embarassed in that way ever again.

Okay...

| The very next day, July 13, Watts flew back to Atlanta to 
| begin making plans to break off the connection with New
| Japan.  However, a quick meeting with Ted Turner let Watts
| know that Turner was counting on over one million dollars
| of revenue from two Tokyo Dome shows to be held in 1993.

Whew!

Thank gawd for Turner!

Even if his actions are based strictly on money and could
probably care less about the wrestlers or the fans, if the end
result means we get to keep seeing some of the Japanese stars,
I'm all for it!

Chris then goes on with some story about Watts having secret
meeting with Akira Maeda to bring in his talent from his 
RINGS promotion, but then admits that this part was just made
up in Chris' mind.

BTW, I *did* like the remark from "Bill Watts" you gave just as
they were about to sign the contract:

| "Maeda, I really liked the way you boys wrestle," Watts said.  
| "Of course, we have to get rid of those sissy leg cusions
| and all that crazy kicking.  Real American wrestlers don't go
| for all that bullshit."

Chris then starts listing what Watts has done since becoming the
new chief:

| Liger is brought to the U.S. to work for a week, but he is not 
| allowed to do any flying moves and gets pinned by half the
| wrestlers in WCW.

| Hiro Hase, one of the most gifted wrestlers in the world,
| is brought in for the tag tournament and is allowed to go no
| further than the quarter-finals.

| WCW sends a variety of wrestlers to New Japan's big August
| tournament for the NWA World Title, but conveniently keeps
| their current and former champions at home while sending a
| few wrestlers who can charitably be referred to as slugs.

| The NWA World Tag Team Titles

not to mention the WCW World Tag Team Titles

| are placed on two American wrestlers who are mainstays for 
| New Japan's principle rival--All Japan Pro Wrestling.  

| If you did not know better
| you might think that Bill Watts and WCW couldn't care less
| about making the best use of their Japan connection.

You said it, Chris!

When Watts took over from K. Allen Frey, I was skeptical, but
decided not to pass judgement on The Cowboy until he had had
some time to show us what his plans were.

Well, I think he's been given MORE than enough time...when
you have such wonderful high-fliers at your disposal and all
you do is tell them "sorry--no flying" (not to mention
letting potential world-stars slip through like Chris Benoit
and The Lightning Kid), I say it's time to make a change.

I'm not saying to fire Watts--he *has* brought in some good
ideas.  Hell, he got Sting and a few others to work like I
thought I'd never see them work!  But when he's trying to
sever connections with the Japanese promotions (and tried to
cancel both the NWA singles tourney as well as the NWA tag
tourney)... we need to get someone to hold his reigns and
steer his creativity in the correct directions.

I'm not saying I could do better in his position, and I'm not 
saying I know who could, but it sure would be nice if we
could have Sting working & doing jobs *AND* being able to see
great Japanese, Mexican, and American high fliers!

Well... I've said more than enough.  Time to go watch Jerry
Lynn and The Lightning Kid team up to beat on some poor
jobbers.  :-)

		--Otto "Cactus Hack" Heuer