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November 20, 2002
Big happenings this month, in UPW, for UPW
talent and in the so-called "SoCal scene."
Have you seen video of "Leonardo" Spanky at
Zero-One in Japan? Hashimoto had a beautiful idea
with this one. Cut Spanky's hair to make him
resemble Leonardo DiCaprio even more so than he did
already. Slap on a pair of very brief, hot
pink trunks and have him molest unsuspecting
Japanese schoolgirls on the second rope against the
ringpost, ala Leo and Kate Winslet, all to the tune of
Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On." Well, credit
both Spanky and Hashimoto -- it got over like a million
bucks and made Spanky into a major, overnight face
sensation in Japan, to the degree that national "Win A
Date With Spanky" contests were being held to overwhelming
response. Now, imagine if you will --in the day of
WWE soundtracks featuring artists like Saliva and POD-- a
ring entrance to Celine Dion! Couple with Spanky's
unique charisma. Talk about MAJOR overnight HEEL
sensation. I really hope that WWE takes a look at
using the "Leonardo Spanky" gimmick.
Off to Zero-One, representing UPW for the
November tour -- Sylvester "Predator" Terkay, Frankie
Kazarian, Nathan Jones, Jon Heidenreich and Jimmy Snuka,
Jr. Tom Howard will return to Zero One action in
December.
It was good seeing Spanky this week.
He was awaiting his call to "Smackdown!" action and came
to train with us at Ultimate University. Last
night's class, although strangely small for a Tuesday (Nov
19) became an unplanned, just plain awesome, advanced
outing. Shannon and Shane Ballard, Hardkore Kidd,
Keiji Sakoda, Shaolin Punk (returned from a scary incident
in Thailand), Andrew Hellman, Funky Billy Kim, Skulu,
Keiji Sakoda, Sabbath, Big Chris and overwhelmed but very
game newcomer Nikki Tsongas. Watching with UPW
writer/booker/play-by-play man Todd Keneley, we remarked
how there was probably not a better class held anywhere in
the US this week. Former WWE developmental wrestler
Aaron "Hardkore Kidd" Aguilera looked particularly
impressive: in-ring is tightening up and cracked the 250
lbs. barrier for the first time ever! Spanky was
there too and has just received the call to WWE. He
starts this Saturday in Syracuse, NY and we all wish him
the very best of luck!
Nathan Jones has come to terms with WWE, in
what will undoubtedly turn out to be a deal of major
proportions for all concerned. I firmly expect to
Nathan at the very top of WWE within 18 months, if
not a whole lot sooner. As many know, I started
Ultimate Warrior in 1985 and I can tell you, Nathan has
everything the Warrior had, and a whole lot more, plus a
good attitude. I couldn't be happier for the big
guy, as he's overcome some very trying times. Before
reporting to Orlando at the end of December, Nathan will
first finish out his commitments, with Zero-One (Nov
20-27), WWA in Europe (Nov 28-Dec 7) and back to Zero-One
(Dec 8 - 15). I'm going to head out to Orlando to
help him get settled in and will look forward to seeing
him on RAW soon thereafter. Shinya Hashimoto and
Yoshiyuki Nakamura and the entire Zero-One organization
all deserve our gratitude for the opportunities they've
given Nathan over the past year and for their help in
developing his skills.
The WWA tour should be interesting.
As I mentioned, Nathan will be on it, as will UPW
Lightweight Champion Frankie Kazarian (straight from Japan
to Europe for Frankie too) and......Sting. Sting is
due to drop by Ultimate University over the next week to
brush off some ring rust. I'm happy to say that I've
started to enjoy this business again and have once again
become a fan, and the fan in me eagerly awaits watching
Tom Howard and Sting run spots together.
A GIANT congratulations to new WWE World
Champion Lisa Marie "Victoria" Varon. Lisa Marie's
first experience was at UU, stepping into our
ring in early 2000. It's with great pride that
we see one of our own make it all the way to the top!
I hope to see Spanky and Nathan join her at this level.
By-the-way Victoria, you owe me five bucks!
I'm often asked WHO else I think will make
it to WWE. Here's my list:
*Televise "Skulu" Masalosalo (in my
opinion, ready for TV now, with the
undeniable "it factor" and charisma to burn)
*Frankie Kazarian & Chris Daniels (sooner
or later, eventually, and they "deserve" it, as much, if
not more, than most)
*Outlaw Mike Knox Hettinga
*Keiji Sakoda
*Van "Shaolin Punk" Ayasit, Sam "Andrew
Hellman" Culver and Mike "The Miz" Mizanin (still so early
in their development,
but they look like good bets
to me)
*Tom Howard & Sylvester Terkay (ready now,
but totally dependent upon their continued development in
Japan and desire to remain
exclusive to Zero-One)
*Erika Porter & Anni King
There's another group, consisting of
several standouts that have all the potential to make it
WWE, but need to focus on an area or two in order to grab
that brass ring. It's likely that I may have missed
someone who should be included, but.......Here's
that second list (in NO particular order): Brian
"Al Katrazz" Fleming, Mike "Outlaw Marshall Knox"
Kirkhart, Mark "Smelly" Bell, Aaron "Hardkore Kidd"
Aguilera, "Lil'" Nate Nickerson, Don "Hollywood" Yates,
Robert "Ghostwalker" Gallo, Shane & Shannon Ballard, Mike
"Kid Vicious" Balasis, Mikey Henderson, Tommy Wilson,
"Samoa" Joe Seanoa, Derrick Neikirk.
We also have an incredibly promising group
of newcomers, like Shane Roberts, Chris Mordetzky, Lamar
Tinnin and Alec Prokushev, that will make the future very
interesting. Some will make it and some, due to
injury or lack of desire and dedication, won't. All
told though, I would not be at all surprised to see 15-20
UPW/UU standouts go to the WWE over the next 3 years.
I'm glad to see SoCal faves Scott "Lost"
Epperson, Joe "Joey Ryan" Meechan, Benny "B-Boy" Cuntapy,
Tommy "Funky Billy Kim" Williams and Dimitri "Shawn
Riddick" Massarsky up their level of seriousness as of
late. In most cases, improved gimmick, physique and
psychology for all. If each continues on the road to
improving these all-important areas, I like their chances.
Speaking of "SoCal........"
The SoCal "scene." Where to start?
As those of you who spend a lot of time on
the internet know, the SoCal scene died this week.
That's right. it's dead. Over and gone with. (You're
not detecting a slight note of sarcasm here, are you?)
Now, don't get me wrong. Sarcasm aside, there's
nothing better than a "smart mark" who is such a big fan
that he manages to hold a job, put money aside to buy
tickets to wrestling shows and still find time to go on
the internet, to purchase video and to make his voice
heard, whether playing armchair booker or calling me or
anyone else every dirty name in the book. These guys
"get it," and they help to support any scene that may be
out here. I say to them - "bring the comments on
baby, you've earned the "right!" On the opposite
hand, there are these other guys..... Whew. More on
that later.
I want to voice some of my opinions first.
There is no real scene here. There is no
"territory," hence no territorial war and thus, no
"competition." There are a few of us doing what we
do, independently of one another, for our own reasons.
That having been said, I just don't get why
some people always insist on making a mountain out of a
molehill. It used to amaze me but now only simply
amuses me how a worker is deified simply because he's a
worker and a promoter is vilified simply because he's a
promoter. Unless of course, you're the NEWEST
promoter on the block, i.e. the newest "big thing" to hit
SoCal. Then you too are worshipped....but only for a
while.
<<Before I go on, I realize that I keep
using "SoCal" as a representative term of Southern
California wrestling as a whole. For those who are
uninitiated, the term SoCal is somewhat part of the
vernacular here, due to the fine and impartial work of
Steve Bryant and socaluncensored.com. , I hope and believe
that they will always maintain their high standards>>
It would be truly disgusting, if it weren't
so inherently amusing, how quickly organizations like MPW
and EPIC went from deification to vilification. I
barely know Paul and never met Gary (I hear he was at our
Galaxy show last week and wish he would've said "hello")
but I can imagine they got into this business either
because they're fans/marks, for ego, or for business
purposes (I got in originally for all 3 reasons).
When they started, they could do no wrong and by the end,
SoCal turned on them and professed just the opposite.
On the other hand, workers can do no wrong. Take
Messiah for instance. First, I feel horrible about
what happened to him. No one, and I mean NO ONE,
should ever have to experience what he did and I
wish him a full recovery and hope his attackers meet the
justice they deserve. Now that aside, Messiah had by
far the worst and most negative attitude of anyone who's
ever been part of the UPW locker room. His chief
contribution to UPW was getting fans to chant "Fuck Jesus"
at UPW's November 2001 show at The El Rey. Yeah, the
show with lots of children and potential investors in
attendance. But....Messiah's your hero? Just
because Messiah's a worker and Gary is a promoter, to many
internet knuckleheads, that makes Messiah a better person.
Jeez.
After three years of blood, sweat and
tears, and LOTS of MY OWN MONEY, the aforementioned El Rey
show was nearly UPW's demise. As many knew then and
more know now, I was raising money up until the day of the
show. I felt enormous pressure to pull the show off,
mostly self-induced, but also from many others who
insisted if the show didn't happen, then "UPW was
finished." I wonder if EPIC, or MPW, or the many
others that came before them and will come after, were
under this same sort of pressure. What if an
expensive out-of-town "guest star" also exerts this
pressure on you? Should the loss be shared by all,
or just the promoter? I don't know, at the end of
the day, the decision to go ahead or to pull the plug is
ultimately up to us, the promoter, and that being the
case, I suppose that Gary, like myself at The El Rey,
exhibited bad judgment in going ahead so close to show
date without having all of our ducks in a row. I
lucked out and pulled if off, most likely because I had a
3 year track record and a fair amount of good will behind
me. Gary wasn't so "lucky" (and if he doesn't start
up again, in retrospect he may consider this the best
thing that ever happened to him). At this
point though, people, it's bad judgment only. Hell,
I was exhibiting this same judgment AFTER 3 YEARS.
EPIC was barely even a promotion. All they had
was 3 or 4 shows under their belt. But at least,
they tried. They were not a "major" promotion.
There are no major promotions, here, or anywhere else in
the US, other than WWE (no, sorry-- ROH, and NWA-TNA for
that fact, are not major promotions). So, get over
it.
So to Paul and to Gary, and to the many
that tried before them, take it from someone who used to
take it personally, don't give two damns what these fair
weather knuckleheads write. And if you're coming
back -- I wish you the best.
So that brings me back to the other
internet marks, the ones who are so fickle that they can't
decide who they love or hate from week to week. The
ones who think their self-proclaimed influence should
allow them to weasel their way for free into a show.
The ones who bitch about spending ten bucks to get into
EWF, or having to buy burgers at The Galaxy. Clue
for you: People have to make a living. The
guys who owns The Galaxy has employees, rent and utility
bills to pay. Ron Rivera, Jesse Hernandez and
Martine Marin have bills to pay. I have bills to pay
(rent at the school, insurance, instructors, etc.)
Then after our business-related bills, we all have
to pay our personal bills (if you live with Mom &
Dad, you wouldn't know about that). Then after our
business bills and our personal bills, and only
then, can we hope to pay ourselves. So quit bitching about
buying burgers and show tickets and your big investment in
gas money to cart your carcass to a show you're going to
bag on anyway. Actually, I guess
all this complaining makes sense if you've blown your
entire allowance on zit cream and blow-up dolls. Any
one fit that description out there? Pull your paws
out of your trousers, raise your sweaty palms and shout
out "meeeee!" Good sonny, you can lower your hands
now and go back to writing your silly nonsense,
proclaiming the "death of the SoCal scene." FYI,
here's MY opinion of what that scene is.....
A handful of small, dedicated promoters
that have stuck to for better or worse, the few venues
that have been consistent in allowing us still to run, and
two distinct groups of wrestlers -- those that are
endeavoring to make it BIG and those who do it only for
the fun and camaraderie their participation provides.
I say, God Bless them all.
I guess since the "the scene" and thus,
UPW, are dead, I thought there'd be no harm in going on
the offensive. It's been fun actually, but now I'll
just shut up and go back to Ultimate University, where
myself and our fantastic instructors are working hard
toward sending our 20th wrestler to Zero-One and our 16th
to WWE. Or, as we fade into the sunset with the rest
of the SoCal scene, I'll check in with the network of
casting directors and agents we've developed over the
years, as we near our 500th(!) TV, movie and commercial
booking. As we gasp for our last breath, I suppose
maybe I'll hole up with our very small inner circle and
work on our upcoming 4th Anniversary Show (date change to
January 8 or 9). Then on February 11, I suppose
we'll drive the final nail in our coffin as we gather to
watch our third national documentary special, this
one on the Travel Channel. Oh wait, you'll have to
eulogize us afterwards, as UPW runs a minimum of 10+
casino dates from March - October 2003. Ashes to
ashes......
Lil' Nate is on tour with Roddy Piper, as
my favorite wrestler of all time promotes his "In The Pit
With Piper." Howard Stern, Mayor Willy Brown and
close quarters with the Rowdy One for 8 weeks in Billy Ray
Cyrus's tour bus. How much can a 16 year old
straight A student take? Can anyone say "Almost
Famous?" (Shelly, if you're reading, of course I'm
referring only to the touching mother-son reunion scene).
Van "Shaolin Punk" Ayasit will relocate to
Tokyo in late December or early January to train as a
"young boy" at the Zero-One dojo. Van is very tough
and has all the potential in the world and I expect that
this immersion will accelerate his rise in the business.
Sonicfish has done a fabulous job editing
"Rage at The River" and are now putting the finishes on
the "International Jr. Tournament" video. Buy 'em
now, along with "Future Shock" and the many fine "Rough
Cut" titles. Also, be sure to pick up "UPW
Vixxxens," "Bodyslam: The Making of a Pro Wrestler"
and "The Ultimate Pro Wrestling Training Series," all now
available on DVD at a retailer near you. If you buy
these titles, this will support UPW and help us stay in
business, which will in turn give SoCal's swell internet
marks someone and something to bitch at.
I'm really jazzed about our 4th Anniversary
Show (stay tuned to upw.com for ticket info). We'll
be pulling out all the stops. I'm particularly
excited about our "Tribute to the UPW Title." I hope
to see all of our Heavyweight champions lined up on stage
together. Sylvester Terkay, Smelly, Samoa Joe, Mikey
Henderson, Chris Daniels and Tom Howard are already
confirmed. Staz, Aaron Baker, Maddog Mike Bell and
Prototype John Cena have been invited. RIP Bad Boy
Basil.
Also included amongst those already
confirmed: Mike Modest & Donovan Morgan, Frankie
Kazarian, Hardkore Kidd and El Jefe,Looney Lane,
B-Boy, Rio Storm, Lil' Nate, Horshu, Lucky, Gonzo, Native
Blood, Skulu, Solo Snuka Jr., The Outlaws (Mike, Marshall
& Hollywood), Ruckus, Shooter Tony Jones, Scott Lost &
Joey Ryan, The Miz, Shane & Shannon Ballard, Kid Vicious,
Smelly, Savvy, Al Katrazz, Nikki Fuller, Derrick Neikirk,
Keiji Sakoda, Maxi Minx, Funky Billy Kim, Erika Porter,
Drunk Irishman and Anni King. I hope that Angel
Williams will be able to make the journey from Canada.
She has a solid skills, a great look and a sunny
disposition and would be a welcome addition to the women's
action for the evening. Being that it's a "reunion
show" of sorts, there's no telling who else may be on
hand. Sadyst, Carnidge and The Power Twins? Damien
Steele, Just inSane and Andy Judge? Miss Delicious?
Big Schwag, I'm holding the door open (and in your case,
wiiiiiiiide open).
In any case, we'll keep you apprised of
developments pertaining to our Anniversary show and to all
other UPW and UU related news. I'll catch up with
you next month. Happy Thanksgiving!
Rick
Just because I like this picture!
(l-r: with ORIGINAL UPW girls
Carnidge, Savvy, Looney & Miss Delicious) Ultimate
Update Archives: November
20, 2002
October 25, 2002
October 3, 2002 September
15, 2002 September
5, 2002 August
1, 2002 July
1, 2002 -- Ultimate University June
21, 2002 May
25, 2002 -- Japan and more
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