Welcome back to TPWW.net, The People's Wrestling Website. It's been a pretty busy week here in the TPWW "offices" with a few ideas and projects being planned out, including TPWWGames.com, a new and more advanced wrestling forum/message board, and finally, a new women of wrestling gallery. All that will be worked on in the coming days, and each of the aforementioned should hopefully be launched soon. But for now, the task at hand is today's news and rumors...
More information has been released regarding the death of Rodney Anoai, better known to the wrestling world as former WWF champion, Yokozuna. It was originally reported on several sites around the Internet, including WWF.com, that Anoai died in his hotel room in London. However, new information reveals that Yokozuna's unfortunate death actaully took place in Liverpool, England and not London. Thanks to the several readers in the United Kingdom who sent along that info.
Remaining on the subject of the saddening death of Yokozuna, according to several United Kingdom news outlets, Yokozuna's death, which was caused by a heart attack, may have occured when he saw a spider in his hotel room and panicked. It is known that Yokozuna had extreme arachnophobia, the fear of spiders. MarilynManson6 sent along the following report: "Today in England, several news stations reported that doctors stated that Yokozuna had a terrible phobia of spiders. Before every show, he went into the hotel he was staying in and made sure everything was perfectly clean and spider-free. The doctors reportedly stated that he was a rather healthy athlete as far as illnesses go. They think that in his hotel room there may have been a spider, which caused Yokozuna's heartattack when he saw it. The fans in the Sheffield arena, where Yokozuna's next show was supposed to be, were crying because of his death. My condolences go out to all his family, friends, and fans."
And as a side note, the WWF has done a great thing and has opened a tribute page in memory of Yokozuna. The page can be viewed HERE.
In other news, with Shawn Michaels' recent appearance on Raw is War as a suspect in the "Who hit Austin?" angle, rumors have once again risen regarding a possible return to the ring for Shawn Micahels. According to Dave Meltzer, there has been talk of a possible one time return to the ring in a match at WrestleMania 2001 at the Houston AstroDome, although nothing is final yet. That would definitely be huge. The only question is, who would he wrestle?
Stephanie McMahon has reportedly taken a large role in writing recent WWF programs, according to Dave Meltzer. Stephanie definitely has become one of the WWF's "MVPs" lately, with her huge involvement in major WWF angles.
THQ's WWF No Mercy has apparently been delayed in the United Kingdom. Michael Butler sent along this report: "I see you posted my information about the UK release dates in Monday's news and rumors report, which I thank you for doing. However, there has been a change in the release date of one of the titles. I phoned THQ in the UK and they now inform me that Smackdown! 2 will still be released on the 1st of December, BUT, No Mercy will now be rleeased two weeks later on the 15th of December."
As for a release date for the upcoming video games here in the United States, the pretty much uniform date for Smackdown! 2 I've seen almost everywhere is November 15, which is a Wednesday. As for WWF No Mercy, I've heard everything from November 11 to November 15. As of now, it appears that No Mercy will be released at least a couple of days before Smackdown! 2.
Chris Jericho will be doing a few upcoming promotional tours in the United Kingdom in preparation for the WWF's upcoming UK-only PPV in December. Mark Howlette from Cumbria, England sent along the following dates and appearances:
November 28 - Opening a store in Sheffield and signing autographs
November 29 - Appearing on breakfast show, "Big Breakfast"
WCW will hold a pay per view on November 16 in Obernhausen, Germany. However, arguably WCW's biggest star, Goldberg, will not be in attendance at the PPV, nor will he even travel to Germany. According to various reports, Goldberg, who is Jewish, feels uncomfortable travelling to Germany and working in the same places where Hitler and Josef Stalin gave speeches. WCW has respected Goldberg's request and will allow him to miss the show.
We may eventually see a split and feud between "That 70s Team," Mike Awesome and Crowbar, according to Dave Meltzer. I would have no problems with that. Mike Awesome has been severely lacking one thing in WCW that he always had in ECW: someone who's willing to take bumps for him. And I think WCW may have just realized who the right man is.
Changing gears to ECW news, according to Wade Keller of the Pro Wrestling Torch, before being booked to win the ECW tag titles, the Full Blooded Italians were required to sign an agreement that they would drop the ECW tag titles before jumping ship, if they should choose to. One half of the FBI, Tony Mamaluke, is currently working without a contract.
The following matches have been officially announced for ECW's upcoming PPV, November to Remember on November 5:
- Jerry Lynn vs. Corino vs. Credible vs. Sandman - World Title, Double Jeopardy (Two singles matches at same time)
- Rhino vs. New Jack - Television Title
- FBI vs. Mikey & Tajiri - Tag Titles
- CW Anderson vs. Super Crazy
- Kid Kash, Doring, & Roadkill vs. Simon Diamond, Julio Dinero, & EZ Money
- Balls Mahoney & Chilly Willy vs. The Baldies - Flaming Tables Match
- Nova vs. Chris Chetti
The old clock on the wall tells me it's time to wrap this one up. Until next time...
Triple A
TripleA99@aol.com