Post by WCWA Online on Jul 4, 2013 7:59:35 GMT -5
Trent Acid
In the early days of WCWA, WCWA was a very different company. It frankly didn’t make sense. It existed in the same universe as both WWE & TNA, but there were a ton of stars from both, and shows like WCWA Wrestlemania happened. It’s what most bookers do when they first started. One of the first indy acts I grabbed a hold of and really made my own were Trent Acid and Johnny Kashmere, the Backseat Boys.
The Backseat Boys were instrumental in a crucial point in WCWA’s development as I was struggling for an identity as a company. When Trent and Johnny got over with the audience I was writing to at the time, it showed me that a “super indy” alternative to ROH would work, that an ECW type “#3 company” was a viable option and that writing could be done with “unknown” guys with the right character development. Without Trent Acid being such a natural charismatic wrestler and a solid act to write, I’m not sure if that would’ve been possible.
Trent Acid can also be directly attributed to me still being a wrestling fan. By 2003, I was very uninterested in WWE and TNA was hardly a blip on the radar. But I heard of this “ultra violent wrestling” that was running in the ECW arena.. Guys getting hit with weed whackers and breaking light tubes over each other. I was intrigued and immediately sought out as much CZW as I could get my hands on. Through that, I was highly exposed to Trent Acid.
There was a time when Trent Acid could’ve been argued as one of the top acts of WCWA and unquestionably a top five. In one of WCWA’s many “planned, but changed for something else” times, Trent Acid was going to beat Spanky for the WCWA Heavyweight title, but it was ultimately shifted to Samoa Joe.
Trent unfortunately passed away on June 18 2010. When he passed, I had an angle in mind for a return to the company for Trent and Johnny. I wrote them out because I simply had nothing left for them at the time. The angle that I had planned was that Trent and Johnny were cast aside and unwanted because Johnny was a homosexual and Trent had a drug problem. That they were demonized because of this. I may have still continued with the angle, had these things not been a reality and had his drug problem not been what ultimately ended Michael Verdi’s life.
Trent Acid is one of wrestling’s best unsung talents and it’s a shame he was taken from us so soon. Today we hope to memorialize him forever in what little way we can, in the WCWA Hardcore Hall of Fame.
In the early days of WCWA, WCWA was a very different company. It frankly didn’t make sense. It existed in the same universe as both WWE & TNA, but there were a ton of stars from both, and shows like WCWA Wrestlemania happened. It’s what most bookers do when they first started. One of the first indy acts I grabbed a hold of and really made my own were Trent Acid and Johnny Kashmere, the Backseat Boys.
The Backseat Boys were instrumental in a crucial point in WCWA’s development as I was struggling for an identity as a company. When Trent and Johnny got over with the audience I was writing to at the time, it showed me that a “super indy” alternative to ROH would work, that an ECW type “#3 company” was a viable option and that writing could be done with “unknown” guys with the right character development. Without Trent Acid being such a natural charismatic wrestler and a solid act to write, I’m not sure if that would’ve been possible.
Trent Acid can also be directly attributed to me still being a wrestling fan. By 2003, I was very uninterested in WWE and TNA was hardly a blip on the radar. But I heard of this “ultra violent wrestling” that was running in the ECW arena.. Guys getting hit with weed whackers and breaking light tubes over each other. I was intrigued and immediately sought out as much CZW as I could get my hands on. Through that, I was highly exposed to Trent Acid.
There was a time when Trent Acid could’ve been argued as one of the top acts of WCWA and unquestionably a top five. In one of WCWA’s many “planned, but changed for something else” times, Trent Acid was going to beat Spanky for the WCWA Heavyweight title, but it was ultimately shifted to Samoa Joe.
Trent unfortunately passed away on June 18 2010. When he passed, I had an angle in mind for a return to the company for Trent and Johnny. I wrote them out because I simply had nothing left for them at the time. The angle that I had planned was that Trent and Johnny were cast aside and unwanted because Johnny was a homosexual and Trent had a drug problem. That they were demonized because of this. I may have still continued with the angle, had these things not been a reality and had his drug problem not been what ultimately ended Michael Verdi’s life.
Trent Acid is one of wrestling’s best unsung talents and it’s a shame he was taken from us so soon. Today we hope to memorialize him forever in what little way we can, in the WCWA Hardcore Hall of Fame.
The Original Sheik
Ed Farhat, The Original Sheik, was hardcore before there was a word for it. With such tactics as throwing fire into an opponent’s face, stabbing opponents with a metal spike or a pencil, The Sheik instantly carved a legacy of blood and violence for himself across several continents.
The Sheik’s reputation lives for itself, but he should forever be remembered as the innovator he is. That there are no rules or regulations to what pro wrestling is. It can be adapted to any ideology. The Detroit territory booked by Farhat was one of the bloodiest and most violent territories around in the 60s and 70s and would greatly influence what would become “hardcore”. The Sheik’s tours with FMW in Japan are legendary and should be remembered not just for what The Sheik himself did in the ring, but how he mentored the forefathers of Japanese hardcore and taught them what he knew.
The Sheik’s legacy lives on as his two students, Sabu and Rob Van Dam, are among the most famous wrestlers around today and are both sure fire hall of famers in their own right.
Ed Farhat, The Original Sheik, was hardcore before there was a word for it. With such tactics as throwing fire into an opponent’s face, stabbing opponents with a metal spike or a pencil, The Sheik instantly carved a legacy of blood and violence for himself across several continents.
The Sheik’s reputation lives for itself, but he should forever be remembered as the innovator he is. That there are no rules or regulations to what pro wrestling is. It can be adapted to any ideology. The Detroit territory booked by Farhat was one of the bloodiest and most violent territories around in the 60s and 70s and would greatly influence what would become “hardcore”. The Sheik’s tours with FMW in Japan are legendary and should be remembered not just for what The Sheik himself did in the ring, but how he mentored the forefathers of Japanese hardcore and taught them what he knew.
The Sheik’s legacy lives on as his two students, Sabu and Rob Van Dam, are among the most famous wrestlers around today and are both sure fire hall of famers in their own right.
Gary Michael Cappetta
Gary Michael Cappetta has one of the most recognizable voices in professional wrestling. Having appeared for extended stints in WWWF, WWF, NWA, WCW, and Ring of Honor, Cappetta’s work bridges gaps and generations.
For WCWA, Gary Michael Cappetta brought an instant level of credibility. For me to picture the same man introducing my stars as had introduced Ric Flair, Sting, Terry Funk, Dusty Rhodes, The Road Warriors, and so many others in the past helped to give me goose bumps on many an entrance. Cappetta may have been seen as a round peg in a square hole in WCWA, but to me, Cappetta was the PERFECT fit and the exact ring announcer I was looking for.
We are proud to honor GMC with this induction to the WCWA Hardcore Hall of Fame.
For WCWA, Gary Michael Cappetta brought an instant level of credibility. For me to picture the same man introducing my stars as had introduced Ric Flair, Sting, Terry Funk, Dusty Rhodes, The Road Warriors, and so many others in the past helped to give me goose bumps on many an entrance. Cappetta may have been seen as a round peg in a square hole in WCWA, but to me, Cappetta was the PERFECT fit and the exact ring announcer I was looking for.
We are proud to honor GMC with this induction to the WCWA Hardcore Hall of Fame.
Tracy Smothers
T is for Terrible, H is for Hell, U is for Ugly, and G is for Jail, cause a thug can’t spell. And let me tell you, if I hear a “Tracy Sucks” EVERYONE DIES! Ultra mass super mega homicide!
Tracy Smothers is one of the best in ring workers of this generation. A veteran of WCW, ECW, WWF, SMW, W*ING, FMW, and pretty much every independent known to man. Tracy Smothers is one of the last guys who came up in the territorial system, having the opportunity to work for Memphis, Mid South, Continental, and others before they closed.
Tracy entered WCWA and brought his legendary reputation with him. And he fit into WCWA instantly with a style that showed he could brawl in the crowd with Necro Butcher, go hold for hold with Chris Hero, wrestle strong style with Eddie Kingston, or wrestle comedy with Beef Wellington. Every aspect of WCWA, Tracy succeeded in.
As his WCWA in ring career has ended, Tracy has taken on the important role of a road agent for WCWA, helping young wrestlers develop their skills. To honor him as he continues that role, we would like to welcome him to the WCWA Hardcore Hall of Fame.
Tracy Smothers is one of the best in ring workers of this generation. A veteran of WCW, ECW, WWF, SMW, W*ING, FMW, and pretty much every independent known to man. Tracy Smothers is one of the last guys who came up in the territorial system, having the opportunity to work for Memphis, Mid South, Continental, and others before they closed.
Tracy entered WCWA and brought his legendary reputation with him. And he fit into WCWA instantly with a style that showed he could brawl in the crowd with Necro Butcher, go hold for hold with Chris Hero, wrestle strong style with Eddie Kingston, or wrestle comedy with Beef Wellington. Every aspect of WCWA, Tracy succeeded in.
As his WCWA in ring career has ended, Tracy has taken on the important role of a road agent for WCWA, helping young wrestlers develop their skills. To honor him as he continues that role, we would like to welcome him to the WCWA Hardcore Hall of Fame.
Jake Roberts
Trust me.. Jake Roberts was far ahead of his time. In a time and place when everyone else was screaming, ranting and raving, spitting and snorting.. Jake spoke softly and carried a mean stick. Jake didn’t need to scream because the words he was saying were much more effective and could be said in a soft tone and Jake’s actions showed that despite him not raising his voice, his words should be believed. Promo work as a whole came light years ahead thanks to Jake Roberts.
Jake was also an innovator in the ring. His finishing move, the DDT, has become a stable of almost every wrestler’s arsenal and prior to Jake, the DDT was simply not a move. And despite a million wrestlers since him performing the DDT, no one has ever performed it with such velocity and viciousness. DDT in the poison world is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, a brutal dangerous and controversial outlawed poison. When Jake was asked what his DDT stood for, he somberly replied “the end”.
Jake Roberts is by far one of the very best there’s ever been and we at WCWA would like to honor him with an induction to the WCWA Hardcore Hall of Fame.
Trust me.. Jake Roberts was far ahead of his time. In a time and place when everyone else was screaming, ranting and raving, spitting and snorting.. Jake spoke softly and carried a mean stick. Jake didn’t need to scream because the words he was saying were much more effective and could be said in a soft tone and Jake’s actions showed that despite him not raising his voice, his words should be believed. Promo work as a whole came light years ahead thanks to Jake Roberts.
Jake was also an innovator in the ring. His finishing move, the DDT, has become a stable of almost every wrestler’s arsenal and prior to Jake, the DDT was simply not a move. And despite a million wrestlers since him performing the DDT, no one has ever performed it with such velocity and viciousness. DDT in the poison world is dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, a brutal dangerous and controversial outlawed poison. When Jake was asked what his DDT stood for, he somberly replied “the end”.
Jake Roberts is by far one of the very best there’s ever been and we at WCWA would like to honor him with an induction to the WCWA Hardcore Hall of Fame.
Andy Kaufman
“I’m smarter than all of you hillbillies from Memphis, Tennessee.. You see, I’m from HOLLYWOOD!”
Andy Kaufman is probably one of the greatest performers ever. Not in wrestling.. He was a pretty terrible wrestler. But his act, which can’t accurately be described as anything, was one of the most phenomenal things I’ve ever witnessed. And unlike the few similar people to him, Andy never let on that his hoaxes were in fact, works. And while dressing up in a wig and fake mustache and insulting your audience may be considered crude by some, when Andy did it, it was brilliant. Andy’s best work however, was probably his wrestling.
Andy wasn’t so much a “wrestler” as an entertainer who happened to enjoy wrestling. Andy was a fan of the work. The idea that these men could pretend to fight and could get thousands of people to buy into the act. But Andy was too small to compete with men. So he competed with women. This in itself was revolutionary because prior to Andy, it would’ve been deemed completely inappropriate for any women to do ANYTHING physical with Andy. So the often inter-gender matches in WCWA can be looked at as a nod to Andy, who crowned himself the undefeated Inter-Gender Wrestling Champion of the World.
Andy’s wrestling matches were most like apartment wrestling videos that you’d see in Apter mags than pro wrestling. They often took place on gym mats rather than a wrestling ring, and were simply Andy holding the women down. Andy offered any woman who could beat him various prizes, ranging from $5000 (in the early 80s, which by inflating would be a LOT more), the championship belt, his head being shaved, and finally his hand in marriage. No woman ever defeated him. However, the story goes that these inter-gender matches were often a way for Andy to ask the women he was wrestling out on dates.
Andy’s biggest wrestling angle came with Jerry Lawler in Memphis. Following a match with a woman in Memphis, Lawler entered the ring and got physical with Andy. The end result was Andy getting piledrivered, twice, which resulted in Andy Kaufman getting a disqualification victory over Lawler and a trip out of the building in an ambulance. Despite having no actual injuries, Andy wore his neck brace any time he was in public at all, including when he was in bed with his girlfriend! Andy and Lawler’s angle went onto the David Letterman Show, which has to be seen to be believed.
Andy took the fact that his work with Lawler was, in fact, a work, to his grave.
Andy Kaufman: Gone but never forgotten. Dank you veddy much.
“I’m smarter than all of you hillbillies from Memphis, Tennessee.. You see, I’m from HOLLYWOOD!”
Andy Kaufman is probably one of the greatest performers ever. Not in wrestling.. He was a pretty terrible wrestler. But his act, which can’t accurately be described as anything, was one of the most phenomenal things I’ve ever witnessed. And unlike the few similar people to him, Andy never let on that his hoaxes were in fact, works. And while dressing up in a wig and fake mustache and insulting your audience may be considered crude by some, when Andy did it, it was brilliant. Andy’s best work however, was probably his wrestling.
Andy wasn’t so much a “wrestler” as an entertainer who happened to enjoy wrestling. Andy was a fan of the work. The idea that these men could pretend to fight and could get thousands of people to buy into the act. But Andy was too small to compete with men. So he competed with women. This in itself was revolutionary because prior to Andy, it would’ve been deemed completely inappropriate for any women to do ANYTHING physical with Andy. So the often inter-gender matches in WCWA can be looked at as a nod to Andy, who crowned himself the undefeated Inter-Gender Wrestling Champion of the World.
Andy’s wrestling matches were most like apartment wrestling videos that you’d see in Apter mags than pro wrestling. They often took place on gym mats rather than a wrestling ring, and were simply Andy holding the women down. Andy offered any woman who could beat him various prizes, ranging from $5000 (in the early 80s, which by inflating would be a LOT more), the championship belt, his head being shaved, and finally his hand in marriage. No woman ever defeated him. However, the story goes that these inter-gender matches were often a way for Andy to ask the women he was wrestling out on dates.
Andy’s biggest wrestling angle came with Jerry Lawler in Memphis. Following a match with a woman in Memphis, Lawler entered the ring and got physical with Andy. The end result was Andy getting piledrivered, twice, which resulted in Andy Kaufman getting a disqualification victory over Lawler and a trip out of the building in an ambulance. Despite having no actual injuries, Andy wore his neck brace any time he was in public at all, including when he was in bed with his girlfriend! Andy and Lawler’s angle went onto the David Letterman Show, which has to be seen to be believed.
Andy took the fact that his work with Lawler was, in fact, a work, to his grave.
Andy Kaufman: Gone but never forgotten. Dank you veddy much.