What a Racket! Jim Cornette Joins the WWF

Brian Damage

He was loud, arrogant, boisterous and outspoken. Jim Cornette was and still is to this day….one of the greatest promos in pro wrestling. His entire career was spent as a manager for a number of promotions and territories including Mid South, World Class, Memphis and the NWA/WCW. How did this southern good ol’ boy become a major player up north for the World Wrestling Federation? This is the unlikely story of how Jim Cornette came and briefly conquered Vince McMahon land.

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Savage Summer: The Sweepstakes for the ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage

Brian Damage

In the summer of 1985, things were really heating up in the World Wrestling Federation. Vince McMahon’s national expansion was well underway, Hulkamania was running wild and a wrestler deemed the ‘top free agent in all of professional wrestling’ had his sights on the WWF. The free agent in question was none other than the ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage. After his father’s ICW promotion folded and fresh off a big run in the Memphis territory where he faced the likes of Jerry Lawler and the Rock N Roll Express….Savage was lured to the big spotlight of the WWF. Continue reading

The Rise, Fall and Possible Comeback of Managers in Professional Wrestling

Brian Damage

There was once a time in professional wrestling when it was absolutely essential for a heel wrestler to have a manager. Someone who could talk up an upcoming match, interfere in said match and make that heel wrestler look more villainous. The names may have changed, but there was always a seedy, manager for a wrestler to hire. Names like Jim Cornette, Bobby Heenan, JJ Dillon, Paul E. Dangerously and Sir Oliver Humperdink were just some of the all time great managerial characters in wrestling history. They were just as important as the wrestlers themselves. As the years have gone by, managers are seen less frequently and in some ways are a dying breed. Continue reading

Wrestling With Sin: 192

Brian Damage

This is the 192nd installment of the ‘Wrestling with Sin‘ series. A group of stories that delves into the darker, underbelly of pro wrestling. Many of the stories involve such subjects as sex, drugs, greed and in some cases even murder! As with every single story in the Sin series, I do not condone or condemn the alleged participants. We simply retell their stories by researching interviews, newspapers, magazines and various other sources of media. Continue reading

Wrestling With Sin: 181

Brian Damage

This is the 181st installment of the ‘Wrestling with Sin‘ series. A group of stories that delves into the darker, underbelly of pro wrestling. Many of the stories involve such subjects as sex, drugs, greed and in some cases even murder! As with every single story in the Sin series, I do not condone or condemn the alleged participants. We simply retell their stories by researching interviews, newspapers, magazines and various other sources of media. Continue reading

Whatever Happened to Dawn Marie?

Brian Damage

She was an aspiring model and actress who jokingly said she wanted to pursue a career in professional wrestling. That comment led her to a career working for both ECW and WWE. She would file a lawsuit against the WWE and also become an advocate for wrestlers getting health benefits. Today we ask…’Whatever Happened to’ Dawn Marie? Continue reading

Wrestling With Sin: 158

Brian Damage

This is the 158th installment of the ‘Wrestling with Sin‘ series. A group of stories that delves into the darker, underbelly of pro wrestling. Many of the stories involve such subjects as sex, drugs, greed and in some cases even murder! As with every single story in the Sin series, I do not condone or condemn the alleged participants. We simply retell their stories by researching interviews, newspapers, magazines and various other sources of media. Continue reading