| WRESTLING REPORT 05/08/02 NOW THERE'S NO F IN WRESTLING! What a surprise this past Monday when I tuned into RAW. "Get the F out" slogan started the show, followed by Jim Ross declaring a new name but the same attitude. The WWF is no more. Take away the "F" and add an "E" and you have WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT. This all stems from a legal battle the World Wrestling Federation was having with the World Wildlife Fund. For years both companies used the initials WWF and for years the World Wildlife Fund did not like the fact that their letters were more commonly associated with professional wrestling. Eventually the battle went to the courts and was left up to a Judge to decide which company can have the rights to those three letters. Unfortunately for the WWF (the wrestling one), the WWF (the animal one) won. I'm not sure when exactly the World Wildlife Fund started up but I did hear that they first went by the letters "WWF" in 1961. The World Wrestling Federation didn't start using those letters until 1979. Prior to that, the Federation was known as the WWWF. Here is a look at the timelines that have lead us to where the WWE is at today: Starting in 1929 a wrestling organization was formed and known as THE NATIONAL WRESTLING ASSOCIATION (NWA). The NWA was then reformed on July 14, 1948 and renamed THE NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE. Then on January 24, 1963 Lou Thesz defeated the NWA Champion Buddy Rogers in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Promoters in the Northeast disputed this title change and broke away from the NWA. They then formed their own promotion called the WORLDWIDE WRESTLING FEDERATION (WWWF) and declared Buddy Rogers as their first World Champion. In April of 1979 the WWWF decides to drop one "W" and become known as THE WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION. On May 6, 2002 the WWF unveils their new name to the world on RAW. They announce that the company will now be known as WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT (WWE). Lou Thesz, who as noted above had a significant part in the formation of the WWWF, died last week. He was a former NWA World Champion, first winning that title in 1937. Also Wahoo McDaniel passed away last week as well. More JUDGEMENT DAY matches were announced this week. Click here to see the matches signed for this card so far. The WWF, oops I mean WWE handed out a couple of pink slips this week with both incidents stemming from their recent UK tour. First one to go was Scott Hall who, as one Internet source quoted as being a "mess on the European tour". This is disappointing to some fans as it was hoped he had cleaned up his act since leaving the old WCW. Now we can't go by just what we read on the Internet as gospel and we mustn't assume that this firing was definitely related to his substance abuse problems. At WWE.com it is stated that both WWE and Scott Hall came to a mutual agreement to part ways. The other wrestler to get the boot was Mr. Perfect Curt Henning. Apparently it was his behavior during the flight home from London that spawned this firing. It has been reported that he started spraying Shaving Cream at people during the flight and provoked Brock Lesnar into a fight. I have yet to hear the reasons for this next one but out of all this Goldust is said to be on thin ice as well as Michael Hayes. Some of the WWE's programs, mainly the syndicated ones, are undergoing some title changes. First off the show EXCESS which is on Saturday nights on TNN will be broken into two shows. The first hour will be called VELOOCITY and will feature the SMACKDOWN roster. The second hour will be called CONFIDENTIAL and feature RAW talent. The weekend shows METAL and JAKKED will be now known as AFTER BURN. Lita and Scotty 2 Hotty are both out until 2003 with neck surgeries. NEW CHAMPS: The WWE Hardcore Title played musical chairs again this week on RAW. It was during the Trish vs. Jazz match that saw the current champion Steven Richards come down to the ring. Bubba Ray Dudley came down with a referee and scored a pin-fall to regain the title, followed by Raven who won, then Justin Credible, Crash Holly, Trish Stratus?yes Trish Stratus, and finally Steven Richards again. William Regal defeated Spike Dudley to regain the European Championship on RAW. |