Written by Darbie Gatorade

When I am bored I often have to deal with an unsuspecting flow of creative juices. Someone recently challenged me to come up with some fantasy booking ideas and I sometimes get carried away. What started out as a fun little game ended up being a 42-match marathon. When you read down this list of matches, please remember that wrestlers are assumed to be in their prime.

In my mind this is the ultimate wrestling show (which would end up being a full blown weekend of incredible matches). In fact I have split the madness up into three nights, with three strategically booked cards, each with multiple epic main events. I took a lot of time organizing the cards so the shows would flow in a manner that would keep the fans attention. It’s not as easy as it looks, considering I set a rule that I could only use a wrestler once for the entire weekend. This my attempt at fantasy booking.

Look at each match, close your eyes, and imagine how the match would play out in your head. You might find your own creative juices flowing. You’re encouraged to leave comments at the bottom of the page. Please use your imagination when you read this article and enjoy yourself!

(more…)

Promoting the Promoters
Originally published in August 2004
Written by Darby Gatorade

Vince McMahon Sr. & Jr.: The McMahons are undoubtedly the “cream of the crop” as far as Wrestling Promoters go. Vince Sr. got started in the Northeast with his partner Toots Mondt with a promotion called Capitol Wrestling. Vince Sr. eventually broke off from the NWA in 1963 and formed the World Wide Wrestling Federation; following in the footsteps of the AWA, which broke off in 1960. The New York territory was known as the place to be for American wrestlers, and it was the place to make the most money. Booking Madison Square Garden in a city like New York was beneficial to everyone involved! Of course Vince Sr. sold the WWF to his son, Vince Jr, who took the company to new heights and eventually put just about everyone else out of business. Despite that, Vince Jr. has done a lot for wrestling and single handedly brought it into the homes of a huge percentage of fans around the world. After many accusations of steroid abuses and exposes’, the Mcmahons renamed their organization – from WWF, World Wrestling Federation to WWE – World Wide Entertainment, (WWE).

(more…)

The Undertaker: Dead Man Walking
Originally published on March 7, 2005
Written by Kirsty Quested

Author of The Best There Is, Was, and Ever Will Be, The King of Harts, and HBK Going the Distance

On November 23rd 1990, at Survivor Series, the collective intake of breath was audible throughout the arena, throughout living rooms across the world. Chills ran down spines as the gong sounded, followed by the mournful but sinister sound of the funeral dirge. Out of the shadows came a fearful presence – huge, brooding, and implacable. As the behemoth took his first measured steps towards the ring, fans worldwide caught a glimpse of the deathly pale face, the dark eyes shadowed by the brim of his hat. This was no colorful cartoon-like gimmick. As he reached the ring, the world was introduced to a man who would leave his indelible imprint on the world of professional wrestling in ways no other performer has, or ever will. The man from the dark side – The Undertaker.

(more…)

Manager’s Corner: “Classy” Freddie Blassie
Originally published on September 16, 2003
Written by Kenneth Coker

He was a man who kept giving. He was a man despised by many fans in the United States and overseas for his “Classy” Freddie Blassie character. Yet, when the curtain went down, Freddie Blassie, real name, Fred Blassman, was one of the most charitable men to ever step into a wrestling arena.

Freddie Blassie began his wrestling career at the ripe age of 17. Blassie, the son of blue collar working class parents, worked two jobs at this point in his life, serving as a butcher, while feeding his wrestling obsession during the evening.

During World War II, Blassie made the ultimate sacrifice, and gave of himself. Putting his life on the line, as part of what Tom Brokaw has called “The Greatest Generation” during that conflict.

(more…)

The Top 20 Heels of All-Time
Originally published on April 15, 2004
Written by Darby Gatorade

In my humble opinion, heels are the hardest workers of all in wrestling. Any shmuck can go out as a babyface and get cheered, but in order to get the crowd to REALLY hate you, and have them wishing that the babyface shmuck would tear your head off, you have to understand the ins-and-outs of wrestling and the psychology from start to end. I’m just a fan, but I recognise that it’s not as easy as it looks. The reaction a heel gets is often refered to as “heat” and in many cases, you either have it — or you don’t have it. These are some of the wrestlers and factions that exemplify that definition.

(more…)

THE BRAWL FOR ALL
Another WWE Black Eye…Literally
Originally published May 23, 2003
Written by Emer Prevost

Anyone remember the Toughman competition? You know, that sport where redneck wannabe boxers step into a cheap ring in a seedy arena and beat the crap out of each other? You may have seen it on the FX Network, and it still sucked. Well, this 24 year old sport is the last thing you would expect the WWE to rip-off of, right? Well, if you thought that, you haven’t been watching the WWE for too long, or you have simply phased out the Brawl For All tournament.

(more…)

The SuperPlex Heard Round the World
[ Originally published in June 2003 ]
Written by Brad Dykens

(more…)

A Tribute to the King of Harts
Originally published in 2004
Written by Kirsty Quested

“Do nothing wrong, play by the rules, be a good person… do everything right… it doesn’t guarantee you anything.” – Owen Hart, 1997

When Owen Hart spoke these words in reference to the tragic death of his young nephew, Matthew, he could never have known how horribly prophetic they would be of himself. His life, so tragically cut short, epitomised that of a “good person,” the kind the world unquestionably needs more of. There’s another old saying that fits Owen Hart – only the good die young. Many know of the tragedy of his untimely death. With the exception of his profile in the (then) WWF, what is less known is how he lived.

(more…)

The Top 20 Babyfaces of All-Time
Originally published on March 31, 2004
Written by Darby Gatorade

Note about photo: The von Erich family…. left to right: Kerry, David, Mike, Chris (with belt), Kevin, and Fritz.

The von Erich Family: Fritz von Erich was a major heel in the 60s & 70s as a typical Nazi sympathizer, which was easy heat back then. Once Fritz settled in Texas he and his wife started having kids, a whole crop of boys who would grow up to be the State’s most popular wrestlers. Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris von Erich were adored by all the fans that came to see them at the famed Sportatorium for events promoted by their father with World Class Championship Wrestling. With every huge babyface, you need a heel (or heels) to go up against them. For the von Erichs, this was the Fabulous Freebirds, who came from Georgia; and you bet your ass they used that to get under the Texas-fans skin.

(more…)

My Tribute to Miss Elizabeth
Originally published in 2003
Written by Brad Dykens

I don’t make it a habit to pay tribute to fallen wrestling personalities with a big article or column. That would be a full time job. But when I heard about the shocking news of Elizabeth’s passing, I felt compelled to say a few words in her honor.

Liz had more class than all the divas in the WWE combined, and then some. Elizabeth broke into the wrestling business as a shy, soft-spoken, stand-by-your-man valet. Even Randy Savage, who treated her like crap, always came back for more of Elizabeth’s sweet southern nature.

I’m not afraid to admit it, I had Elizabeth’s poster on my wall growing up. You know, that head shot with a ton of cleavage that made any man (or adolescent boy) drool with excitement. I even did my best to hand draw my version of the photograph (bare in mind I am not an artist).

(more…)