The following is written by long time WrestlingClothesline.com supporter and contributor, Peter Staniforth. If you have any comments, questions, or inquiries regarding his statement, please contact him at Peterstaniforth@aol.com. It saddens me to see that the wrestling business is no different overseas than it is hear. Full of scum and promoters who just want to pass the blame. Peter, I'm behind you 100%! - Brett

Well, I haven't decided how regular I'll do this approach to my column (it depends on you, the reader most likely); but for a change of scenery I figured I'd have a chat about current issues in the wrestling business with one of my best friends in (and outside) of it. So, welcome to Philadelphia's finest; Maximum Championship Wrestling's Shaka. This is a column, honestly; but I guess it's also more of a typical conversation between two people who may look the total opposite of each other but have a downright spooky amount in common! I spend more time talking via AIM and email with this guy, than I do my own mother (yes, I'm a marvellous son!); so I figured for 2005 - a new approach to 'Foreign Object'. So welcome to the Peter and Shaka Show.....

Peter) So, hey buddy; and welcome to my column. Good to have you involved, and no wizzing on the sofa or sneakily putting any submission holds on the cat!

Shaka) It's good to be here. I promise I won't.... (looks around innocently).

Peter) Well, that's good news! So, to start off; one of the big stories right now is Abyss leaving TNA with a prospective WWE job in the offing. What do you make of this?

Shaka) I admit that I haven't stayed on top of the TNA situation, but I find it interesting that I'm hearing different stories about its financial situation.

Peter) Yeah, it's hard to get to the true roots of that. You never know how dramatic people are being, or even if Dixie and the TNA management are telling the full story. Mind you, in this strange business; you can't even rule out the possiblity of them portraying themselves as worse off financially than they are.

Shaka) As for Abyss leaving the fold, from what little I've been able to see of "Impact" (being from Philly, you know that meant that was cut short 3 months ago; no thanks to the zealots of TBN. I'd still like to know whose bright idea that was); I has mixed feelings about how Abyss was being used up. Abyss has a unique throwback feel to his gimmick that reminds of what you'd see during the Jim Crockett days in wrestling, and it seemed slightly out of place in TNA. Maybe he'd be better off in Japan like IWA or Zero One?

Peter) Well, you have to fear the worst for him in WWE. Either it's Vince infamous and legendary passion for 'big men' (insert your own joke), or he just wants a free hook-up on balloons and cookies. I expect the poor guy reduced to some kind of gimmick that embarrasses him beyond repair. But hey, Vince; if you're reading this (and I know your people do) - feel free to prove this cynical Brit wrong.

Shaka) Did you see that pig fly past the window?

Peter) Thank god. I thought I was having hallucinations brought on from watching too much wrestling.... So, what do you make of Brock Lesnar's allegedly wanting to return?

Shaka) This is something that really wracked my brain: Lesnar, who was practically SHOVED a couple of years ago in WWE, may have been too far too fast.

Peter) For sure. The talent is blatant in Brock, from OVW onwards but unless you knew it; then the viewer saw someone pushed from nowhere to the stars for no overly justifable reason.

Shaka) To put it another way, he was a classic case of a star that not only burned the brightest but also burned the fastest, to the point of having been used in storylines like tormenting the smaller Zach "Tenacious Z" Gowen which made him seem more psychotic than monster heel; as he was previously perceived to be.

Peter) Personally, I found that angle uncomfortable and unneccesary. But that's the route they go when they're desperate, in WWE Creative.

Shaka) Small wonder he wanted to try something different like say, the NFL? I almost looked forward to him putting the cleats on to see how he'd make out, because the usual transition between football and wrestling has always been someone from the gridiron going to the squared circle rather the other way around.

Peter) Yes, although I much prefer soccer to your football; I must admit I was rooting for him to succeed.

Shaka) Unfortunately, there was that small loophole called the "no compete" clause in Lesnar's contract that locks him out of going to work in any ring, be it Japan, TNA or even the smaller indies; which basically locks him out of wrestling. Especially now that his once intimdating presence is no longer desired in McMahon country, and I don't even have to imply how that might have even come about.

Peter) You don't need to imply.... A shadow hangs over Titan Towers these days, one of a huge nose. And a woman with a shrieking voice that can cause an animal to have a nervous breakdown up to approximately fifty thousand miles away from it.

Shaka) I can't even see him being a guest referee in All Japan. That gives me one more reason to hate the mainstream...

Peter) Can't disagree there. What do you think about all the shows and such to raise money for Sabu and his health?

Shaka) Given all the punishment the human body can take in a lifetime, it has a limitation. It's no secret that Sabu didn't just live up to the moniker given to him as being "homicidal, suicidal and genocidal", he was the one who set that very standard to begin with. To say that Sabu gave his all in match is an understatement. He may be known throughout the wrestling world as being a reckless "hardcore" legend, but in reality, he showed us all that it was possible to embody nearly every aspect of the game and make it work in a match.

Peter) I was hooked the moment I saw him in 1993. He was a HUGE part of my love for wrestling from then on. And in mid 2004, I got to see him work live for the second time; but best of all I finally got to meet the man himself.

Shaka) I've seen him lock on a shortarm scissors in the very same match that nail someone with an Arabian Facebuster and his
Triple Jump Moonsault, so you can't possibly tell me that Sabu was just hardcore. He gave us many awesome matches to talk about and put his own life at risk many times to entertain us all; until he couldn't do it anymore. He very well knows that he didn't have to, but he felt like it anyway; and showing gratitude still doesn't quite give it justice for me...

Peter) Agreed. How does 'thank you' compensate for all he's done purely to entertain? One of the greatest, just purely groundbreaking. What do you make of the ongoing Joanie Laurer/Sean Waltman debacle and it's latest twist?

Shaka) Wrestling's own version of Tommy Lee and Pam are back, and apparently "One Night In Chyna" wasn't enough to turn this couple back into wrestling's version to Ike and Tina it seems. If you were to ask me if I'd ever see these two as a couple, I would've doubted you; but I also know the world doesn't work like that.

Peter) Well, there are even women out there capable of putting up with me; so life is full of surprises in that way!

Shaka) I often wonder what Joanie sees in the guy, but if it's going to be left hooks and uppercuts; it ought to be her throwing a few back in defense before leaving for good. But, they're adults, and it's their life; but I'd be making some serious changes if my dirty laundry's getting aired. Nothing personal, mind you. I just never liked hearing about someone else's drama, and personally, I think Joanie deserves better if it's that bad.

Peter) I guess it started off amusingly enough for many, and even when it went downhill people still saw the lighter side of it. But the situation is turning quite nasty now, and it's a shame something can't be done to fix things before it goes too far. What do you think of the
possibility of a WWE barbed wire match?

Shaka) Does "Hardcore" still have a place in the world of Sports Entertainment? Talk about your double standards, but considering wrestling's dark and bloody history; it's kind of hard to picture a match like this not happening eventually. I mean if Vince had enough gall to buy out Heyman for ECW and actually allow a DVD like the Rise and Fall of ECW to be distributed (more money for him and NOT Heyman), why back out of a deal like a barbed wire match now? Vince did everything else; he smacked the industry in the face by systematically eliminating the competition over a 20 year period and monopolizing the very sport that he sought to have acknowledged in American mainstream pop culture, so what damage can a barbed wire match do that a Hardcore title hasn't done?

Peter) Well, we're both as fond of Vince McMahon as each other; clearly. But to answer your final question - probably not much.

Shaka) The viewing public has seen wrestlers bleed in other circumstances, they've even seen bloodbaths without the benefit of actual bloodletting (and if you remember Gangrel and the Brood, you know what I'm talking about).

Peter) Now there's a man I personally like a lot, Gangrel. Dave is a friend of mine, and possibly the greatest character of the WWF Attitude era in my view. So will, and can the match happen?

Shaka) It remains to be seen, but chances are I'll probably watch either Sabu and Funk's match at Born to be Wired or Onita and Hayabusa's Exploding Barbed Wire Death Match first...

Peter) Well, I won't argue with that. That's the problem with WWE, they jump on bandwagons and yet won't do it properly or look to the matches of that style that have really worked so as to get a proper feel for it. So, what have you been up to recently; aside from wrestling for MCW?

Shaka) I couldn't sleep after getting in a bit after 1am and then going to sleep around 2 and waking up around 6am, so I decided to do this in the hopes that my eyes would get heavy again. Plus, I always had weird sleeping patterns anyway. My older brother claims that I'm a vampire.

Peter) Ah, I'm an afternoon nap kind of guy myself; like half the business it seems! But, a vampire?!

Shaka) I'd agree with him to a point, but his patterns are just as weird as mine. If it wasn't for his crooked teeth, I'd call him a vampire too, but I let it go since I really am more nocturnal (I've been known to go on for an occasional 2 day stretch with no sleep but you're only young and crazy once. Now I'm just young).

Peter) I feel a lot more crazy than I do young. That's the magic of having two small children!

Shaka) I think I'll fire up the PS2 and have a round or two of Devil May Cry now...

Peter) Mmmm, PS2. Now that's an idea.... Well, it will either be a Fifa soccer game or Smackdown VS Raw for me. Well, Uncle Shaka (little Andrew made me say it; I tells you!); it's time to wrap up this experimentary column and to thank you for sitting down and talking. No tripping over the sofa or treading on the cat on the way out of my office, and since you behaved very nicely - the invite is in the post to come back anytime!

Peter Staniforth.
www.pswrestling.net

Peter is a UK based sports journalist, for www.pwbts.com, www.wrestlingdotcom.com, www.wrestlingclothesline.com, www.bgwwrestling.com, www.prowrestlingdaily.com, and the exclusive WWE writer for www.ukevents.net.

Peter has written for Bill Apter's "Total Wrestling" magazine, the well respected US based newsletter 'Wrestling Then And Now'; and also written press releases for the UK's WWE Euro Shop merchandise company. He was also mentioned on the credits of the cult wrestling simulation game by Adam Ryland - EWR 4.0.

Peter works for UCW (www.ucw-wrestling.co.uk) in a Talent Relations capacity, and also various USA based indy promotions. If you are a wrestler either USA or UK based, and looking for more bookings; please contact Peter.

Peter has written reviews for many wrestling video tape traders, who come highly recommended by him - including www.simania.co.uk, www.modtrom.com (the official production team for Jersey All Pro Wrestling), www.ruffneckwrestlingvideos.co.uk, www.violentjtapes.com, www.a1wrestlingvideos.com, and many more.

When using any of this information give proper credit to Cactusb and the Wrestling Clothesline at http://www.wrestlingclothesline.com

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