Post by CW .org .info .net on Mar 29, 2023 10:27:31 GMT -6
TRI-STATE WRESTLING ALLIANCE
**
1
April 16, 1989
Newark, DE
* Don Muraco -vs- David Schultz - Double DQ...
* Bam Bam Bigelow -vs- The Mystery Man - Double DQ...
* WWA Title:
Tom Brandi beat champion Joe Daniels via DQ...
**
2
January 27, 1990
Philadelphia, PA
McGonigle Hall
Winter Challenge
* Rockin' Rebel beat Joey Maggs...
* WWA Junior Heavyweight Title:
Champion Johnny Hotbody beat Tony Stetson via DQ...
* Larry Winters beat D.C. Drake...
(Stretcher Match)
* Bam Bam Bigelow -vs- Terry Gordy - Double Count-Out...
* Junkyard Dog beat Paul Jones...
(Dog Collar Match)
* Nikita Koloff beat Manny Fernandez via DQ...
* AWA World Title:
Champion Larry Zbyszko beat David Sammartino (w/ Bruno Sammartino)...
**
3
March 31, 1990
Philadelphia, PA
McGonigle Hall
Spring Spectacular
* Jules Strongbow beat Randy Lewis via DQ...
* Rockin' Rebel beat CN Redd...
* Johnny Hotbody -vs- Tony Stetson - No-Contest...
(Taped Fist / First Blood Match)
* Tom Pritchard beat Cheetah Kid [Ted Petty]...
* DC Drake beat Larry Winters...
(I Quit Match)
* Misty Blue Simmes beat Kat LeRoux...
* Paul Orndorff beat Austin Idol...
* USWA Unified World Title:
Kerry Von Erich beat champion Jerry Lawler via DQ...
* Tully Blanchard beat Bam Bam Bigelow...
(Cage Match)
**
4
June 8, 1990
Delaware, MD
>> No match results are available.
**
5
June 9, 1990
Philadelphia, PA
McGonigle Hall
Summer Sizzler
* Paddy O'Brien beat Boy Gone Bad...
* Tom Brandi & Mike Kaluha -vs- The American Pitbulls - Double COR (Count-Out)...
* JT Smith beat Mr. Sandman...
* Larry Winters & Rockin' Rebel & Tony Stetson beat DC Drake & Johnny Hotbody & Mondo Kleen - Elimination Match...
-- Kleen pinned Rebel.. Hotbody pinned Stetson.. Winters pinned Kleen.. Winters pinned Hotbody.. Winters pinned Drake..
Winters was the final survivor..
* American Brass Knuckles Title:
The Cheetah Kid beat Tom Pritchard to win the championship...
* Bob Orton Jr beat Don Muraco...
* Jerry Lawler beat Austin Idol via DQ...
* Nikita Koloff beat Manny Fernandez - Russian Chain Match...
* Paul Orndorff beat Tully Blanchard...
**
6
July 1, 1990
Madison, NJ
* The Cheetah Kid & Tom Brandi beat King Kaluha & Ron Shaw via DQ...
* Misty Blue Simmes beat Linda Dallas...
* Larry Winters beat King Kaluha via DQ...
* SD Jones beat Mike Sharpe...
**
7
July 21, 1990
Philadelphia, PA
Max Myers Playground
* Michael Bruno & Jimmy Jannetty beat Mr. Sandman & CN Redd...
* DC Drake beat Larry Winters...
* Jules Strongbow beat Mike Sharpe...
* Little Louie beat Tiger Jackson...
* Bob Orton Jr -vs- Ken Patera - Double COR (Count-Out)...
6. Johnny Hotbody DCO Tony Stetson.
7. Ken Patera DCO Kamala.
8. Rockin' Rebel won a "battle royal" to win the first TWA Title. However, the title was immediately held-up.
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Autumn Armageddon
September 15, 1990 in Philadelphia, PA
Penn Hall drawing 1,500 ($22,000)
1. Eddie Gilbert pinned Cactus Jack.
2. Sandman pinned JT Smith.
3. Adrian Street pinned Jimmy Valiant.
4. DC Drake pinned Rockin' Rebel to win the held-up TWA Title.
5. Rockin Rebel won a "reverse cage battle royal." Also in the match were Bounty Hunter, Cheetah Kid, Crybaby Waldo, Ghetto Blaster, Ron Shaw, Top Gun, Triton, Larry Winters, and eleven others.
6. Tony Stetson beat Johnny Hotbody in a "hair vs. hair" match.
7. Kevin Von Erich & Chris Adams DCO Al Perez & Austin Idol.
8. Manny Fernandez DDQ Abdullah the Butcher.
9. Jerry Lawler beat Terry Funk via DQ.
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December 4, 1990 in Philadelphia, PA
Original Sports Bar drawing
1. CN Redd beat Johnny O.
2. Ghetto Blaster KO The Titan.
3. Michael Bruno beat Glenn Osbourne via DQ.
4. Mr. Sandman beat Wild Child.
5. DC Drake & Larry Winters beta Jimmy Jannetty & Rockin' Rebel.
6. Cactus Jack pinned JT Smith.
7. Tony Stetson pinned Johnny Hotbody in a "falls count anywhere" match.
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January 28, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA
Original Sports Bar drawing
1. Johnny O beat Glenn Osborne via DQ.
2. CN Redd beat Wild Child.
3. JT Smith drew The Bounty Hunter.
4. Bam Bam Bigelow beat Mr. Sandman.
5. The Titan beat Ghetto Blaster in a "taped fist" match.
6. Rockin' Rebel & Jimmy Jannetty beat DC Drake & Larry Winters in a "Texas tornado" match when Rebel pinned Drake.
7. Johnny Hotbody beat Tony Stetson in a "stretcher" match.
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February 24, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA
Original Sports Bar drawing
1. Johnny Hotbody & CN Redd beat The Pitbulls.
2. Bam Bam Bigelow DDQ Crybaby Waldo.
3. DC Drake beat Rockin' Rebel.
4. Glenn Osbourne pinned Johnny O.
5. Little Louie beat Pepe Gonzalez.
6. Tony Stetson beat Mr. Sandman via DQ.
7. The Bounty Hunter pinned Michael Bruno.
8. Larry Winters won a "battle royal."
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Winter Challenge II
March 2, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA
Penn Hall drawing 1,735 ($32,629)
1. Al Perez pinned Stan Lane (13:08).
2. JT Smith won a "ringmaster rumble." Also in the match were: Don E. Allen, Bulldog Brower Jr., Michael Bruno, Cry Baby Waldo, Ghetto Blaster, Hoss, Jimmy Jannetty, Johnny O, Glenn Osbourne, Rick Perez, CN Redd, Rockin' Rebel, John Rock, Sabu, Sandman, Wild Child, and Larry Winters.
3. Ivan Koloff beat Manny Fernandez (9:19) in a "Russian chain" match.
4. Cactus Jack pinned Eddie Gilbert (12:23) in a "falls count anywhere" match.
5. The Sheik DDQ Abdullah the Butcher (5:03).
6. Tony Stetson pinned Johnny Hotbody (12:57) in a "barbed wire" match.
7. JT Smith beat TWA Champ DC Drake (18:26) via DQ.
8. Jerry Lawler beat USWA Unified Champ Terry Funk (11:39) via DQ in a "fan participation lumberjack" match.
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May 4, 1991 in Newark, DE
Newark High School drawing 300
1. TWA Champ DC Drake beat JT Smith via DQ.
2. Eddie Gilbert pinned Buddy Landel.
3. Abdullah the Butcher DDQ Bam Bam Bigelow.
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May 11, 1991 in North East, MD
drawing 6001. TWA Champ DC Drake beat JT Smith via DQ.
2. The Honkytonk Man pinned Paul Orndorff.
3. Cactus Jack pinned David Sammartino.
4. Bam Bam Bigelow DDQ Abdullah the Butcher.
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May 11, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA
St. John Neumann High School drawing
1. JT Smith beat Mr. Sandman.
2. Larry Winters beat Jimmy Jannetty.
3. Johnny Hotbody & CN Redd beat The Pitbulls when Hotbody pinned Spike.
4. Rockin' Rebel beat John Rock.
5. TWA Champ DC Drake beat Tony Stetson in a "dog collar" match.
6. David Sammartino beat Cactus Jack.
7. Paul Orndorff beat The Honkytonk Man.
8. Bam Bam Bigelow DDQ Abdullah the Butcher.
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Spring Spectacular II
May 18, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA
Penn Hall drawing 1,253 ($22,311)
1. Pitbull Spike won a "ringmaster rumble." Also in the match were: Bulldog Brower Jr., Michael Bruno, Cry Baby Waldo, Delaware Dynamo, Johnny O, Glenn Osbourne, Rick Perez, Pitbull Rex, CN Redd, John Rock, Sandman, and Tony Stetson.
2. Johnny Hotbody & Larry Winters beat Jimmy Jannetty & Rockin' Rebel to become the first TWA Tag Champs.
3. Eddie Gilbert NC Cactus Jack in a "barbed wire" match.
4. Al Perez & Buddy Landell beat the Fabulous Ones via DQ.
5. TWA Champ DC Drake pinned JT Smith.
6. USWA Unified Champ Jerry Lawler beat Honkytonk Man via DQ.
7. Paul Orndorff beat Rick Rude via DQ.
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Summer Sizzler II
August 3, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA
Penn Hall drawing 562
1. Sandman pinned Rockin' Rebel (8:26).
2. Cactus Jack pinned Eddie Gilbert (16:13) in a "falls count anywhere" match. This is the first of three falls.
3. Luna Vachon beat Madusa Micelli via DQ.
4. Eddie Gilbert beat Cactus Jack (9:50) in a "stretcher" match. This was the second of three falls.
5. Cry Baby Waldo beat The Spoiler & Rick Perez (4:23) in a "handicap" match when he pinned Perez.
6. Buddy Landell DDQ Austin Idol (12:17).
7. The Fantastics (Rogers & Fulton) beat Stan Lane & Jim Cornette (14:33) when Fulton pinned Cornette.
8. Larry Winters, DC Drake, & Johnny Hotbody beat JT Smith, Tony Stetson, & CN Redd (35:03) in an "elimination" match. Bam Bam Bigelow was the special referee. Drake pinned Redd. Smith pinned Drake to win the TWA Title. Smith was counted out. Winters pinned Stetson.
9. Eddie Gilbert DDQ Cactus Jack in a "steel cage" match. This was the final fall of their match.
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August 19, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA
Original Sports Bar drawing
1. Glenn Osbourne pinned Jimmy Jannetty.
2. Mr. Sandman pinned Michael Bruno.
3. Johnny Hotbody beat Rick Perez.
4. Tony Stetson beat Rockin' Rebel via countout.
5. DC Drake pinned CN Redd.
6. The Bounty Hunter beat Ghetto Blaster.
7. JT Smith pinned Crybaby Waldo.
8. Cactus Jack pinned Johnny O.
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August 20, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA
Original Sports Bar drawing
1. Glenn Osbourne beat Mr. Sandman.
2. Tony Stetson beat Johnny Hotbody.
3. DC Drake beat The Bounty Hunter.
4. JT Smith beat Cactus Jack via countout.
5. Tony Stetson beat Glenn Osbourne.
6. DC Drake pinned JT Smith.
7. Tony Stetson pinned DCD Drake to win the first TWA Bar Wars Title.
TWA Bar Wars Title Tournament Bracketing
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Autumn Armageddon II
September 21, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA
Penn Hall drawing 1,524 ($27,000)
1. Sandman won a "last blood battle royal" (13:10). Also in the match were: Mr. Anthony, Ernesto Benefica, Michael Bruno, Cry Baby Waldo, Ghetto Blaster, Jimmy Jannetty, Johnny O, Glenn Osbourne, Rick Perez, Rockin' Rebel, Sabu, and Tony Stetson.
2. TWA Champ JT Smith pinned DC Drake (12:48).
3. Tony Stetson pinned Sandman (7:04).
4. The Blackhearts beat Johnny Hotbody & DC Drake (sub for Larry Winters) (16:03) to win the TWA Tag Title when Drake was pinned.
5. Owen Hart pinned Takayuki Iizuka (21:40).
6. Terry Funk DDQ Kevin Sullivan (11:02).
7. Eddie Gilbert & Madusa Micelli beat Cactus Jack & Luna Vachon (12:22) when Micelli pinned Vachon.
8. Abdullah the Butcher beat The Sheik (5:17) in a "steel cage" match.
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October 1, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA
Original Sports Bar drawing
1. Crybaby Waldo & Michael Bruno beat John Rock & The Bounty Hunter.
2. Glenn Osbourne beat Johnny O.
3. DC Drake beat Glenn Osbourne.
4. Jimmy Jannetty beat Rick Perez.
5. Mr. Anthony drew Rockin' Rebel.
6. TWA Champ JT Smith pined Johnny Hotbody.
7. Tony Stetson pinned Mr. Sandman.
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October 26, 1991 in Pine Hill, NJ
Overbrook High School drawing
1. Pitbull Rex pinned Johnny Hotbody in a "loser eats dog food" match.
2. Tony Stetson beat Rick Perez.
3. Crybaby Waldo beat Michael Bruno & Johnny O in a "handicap" match.
4. DC Drake pinned Glenn Osbourne.
5. TWA Tag Champs The Blackhearts beat Rockin' Rebel & Jimmy Jannetty when Destruction pinned Jannetty.
6. Steve Williams beat Bam Bam Bigelow via DQ. Buddy Rogers was the referee.
7. Eddie Gilbert DDQ Kevin Sullivan.
8. Buddy Landel pinned JT Smith to win the TWA Title.
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November 16, 1991 in Chichester, PA
Chichester High School drawing
1. Johnny Hotbody pinned Rick Perez.
2. TWA Tag Camps The Blackhearts beat Tony Stetson & Michael Bruno when Destruction pinned Bruno.
3. Crybaby Waldo beat Bam Bam Bigelow via forfeit.
4. The Chichester Crusader pinned Mr. Sandman.
5. Jimmy Jannetty beat Glenn Osbourne via DQ.
6. PNW Champ Demolition Crush pinned Billy Jack Haynes.
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November 19, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA
Original Sports Bar drawing
1. Johnny Hotbody beat Michael Bruno.
2. Glenn Osbourne beat Rick Perez.
3. Crybaby Waldo DCO Mr. Anthony.
4. Max Thrasher beat Harley Watkins.
5. Rockin' Rebel pinned Jimmy Jannetty.
6. TWA Bar Wars Champ Tony Stetson beat Mr. Sandman.
7. New England Champ Johnny Rodz beat Skull Von Cross.
8. TWA Champ Buddy Landel beat JT Smith via submission.
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December 7, 1991 in Philadelphia, PA
Cabor Rams Youth Association Building drawing
1. Crybaby Waldo pinned Dynamo.
2. Rick Perez beat Jimmy Jannetty via reverse decision.
3. Tony Stetson pinned Glenn Osbourne.
4. Mr. Sandman pinned JT Smith.
5. Max Thrasher pinned Rockin' Rebel.
6. The Pitbulls beat Johnny Hotbody & Don E. Allen when Rex pinned Allen.
7. Paul Orndorff beat TWA Champ Buddy Landel via DQ.
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Cancelled: January 24, 1992 in New Castle, DE
Cancelled: January 25, 1992 in Philadelphia, PA
This scheduled matches for this show included
Buddy Rogers vs. Buddy Landel
Steve Williams & Terry Gordy vs. Dan Kroffat & Doug Furnas
Eddie Gilbert vs. Kevin Sullivan (falls count anywhere)
Chris Benoit vs. Shiro Koshinaka
***
TWA Title
1990/07/21 Rockin' Rebel Philadelphia, PA
Won battle royal to become first champ
Title immediately held-up
1990/09/15 DC Drake Philadelphia, PA
1991/08/03 JT Smith Philadelphia, PA
Wins in six-man tag match
1991/10/26 Buddy Landel Pine Hill, NJ
1992/01 PROMOTION CLOSES
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TWA Tag Team Title
1991/05/18 Johnny Hotbody & Larry Winters Philadelphia, PA
Beat Rockin' Rebel & Jimmy Jannetty to become first champs
1991/09/21 The Blackhearts: Apocalypse & Destruction Philadelphia, PA
Beat Hotbody & DC Drake
1992/01 PROMOTION CLOSES
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TWA Bar Wars Title
1990/08/20 Tony Stetson Philadelphia, PA
Beat DC Drake in tournament final to become first champ
1992/01 PROMOTION CLOSES
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**
Joel Goodhart
At the time of this 1991 interview, Joel Goodhart, with his beard, glasses, and long hair, looked more like a roadie for the Grateful Dead than a successful albeit controversial wrestling promoter from Philadelphia. Goodhart earned a loyal following by promoting an influential brand of wrestling called (at the time) "shock wrestling." Today this brand of wrestling is called "extreme wrestling," and both versions feature copious blood loss and use of objects like trash can lids and broken bottles to scar opponents. In 1992, Goodhart declared bankruptcy and ended his promotion, but the violent wrestling tradition has been carried to new heights by another promotion, Extreme Championship Wrestling, which until its recent demise had a weekly cable program on The Nashville Network and regular pay-per-view shows.
originally born in Philadelphia, and I lived in Philadelphia all my life, except in 1971 when I lived in Honolulu, Hawaii. I'm 38 years old, and I've lived in Philadelphia 37 of my 38 years.
I went to my first match when I was four-and-a-half years old. I've been a fan now for 34 years. I got involved with the business aspect of wrestling about seven years ago. That's a long story, but, keeping it simple, I was in the insurance and investment business for 13 years. One of the accountants who worked very closely with me referred me to some people who, as I found out after I did some insurance work for them, were also wrestling fans. We started traveling to and from matches together, and one time we were just kinda shootin' the shit. He had been in the valve business for about 10 years and was looking to kinda inch his way into something. I had been in the insurance business at that time for about 10 years and was looking to inch my way into something, and it was almost perfect timing. This happened to be in 1984, right after the WWF decided to start marketing Hulk Hogan.
We had never been in a retail business before, but one day we were sitting around, just eating chicken cutlets, and somebody said, "You know, we ought to open up a wrestling store." And that's how I got into this business. We opened up a wrestling store back in 1985. It took us that long to get off the ground. And one thing just led to another. I eventually bought my partners out, and now I'm the sole proprietor of the largest independent wrestling promotion in the country. When we had the store we started developing a mailing list. We became pretty good friends with Dominic DeNucci , and Dominic suggested that with the people we knew, we could quite possibly get into a promotion. We promoted a card that was absolutely the worst wrestling card I've ever seen. But it was our first time at it. Let's put it this way, after years of going to the matches and being a fan, and now being involved where you're actually the boss.... I have a large ego, and it got soothed real quickly. We got a taste of it, and after the card lost as much money as it did, we decided to get out of it. We stayed in the promotion end of it in the sense that we were sponsoring lunches with the wrestlers and bus trips and whatever, but we decided to stay away from the actual promoting of wrestling cards. When the NWA came to Philadelphia, they contacted us about helping them out. So we promoted several cards for the NWA. But aside from that, we never went into independent promotion. When I bought my partners out, I got heavily into it because it's something I always wanted to do. And that's where it's gone.
We're the most violent wrestling organization in the United States by far. I think that we are the only organization that's attempting to roll back the clock 20 years. We're not on television. We don't want TV. We've made no bones about the fact that we do not want to be on television. Our slogan is, "We wrestle, we brawl, we do it all." And we do provide wrestling, but we also provide brawling. We provide blood and guts. Today's [wrestling] is so sanitized a sport that if you watch TV, you're not watching wrestling anymore. Some groups call it "sports entertainment." Other groups have no sport and no entertainment. The reality here is that we are the only organization of its kind in the country that makes no bones about the fact that, if you come to our wrestling card, you will see violence. When was the last time you watched the [WWF or NWA] and saw true violence? It doesn't happen, and that's what professional wrestling's all about.
We don't want kids at our shows. If they come, it's because the parents appreciate what we're doing. At our crowds, I'd say 75% are over the age of 30. We go to an adult audience. We have found what we consider to be a niche in the marketing, just like, I guess, porno films are a niche in the marketing. It is not kids, although I will tell you this, that if parents bring their kids to our cards, they'll see less violence on our shows than they will on Saturday morning watching "Ninja Turtles." I took my kids to the Ninja Turtles [movie], and it was like 38 people dying in 1 hour. The reality is that if you watch professional wrestling done the proper way, what the parents will always get through to the kids is that ultimately the good guy will win. And that's not necessarily true in these other situations. The bottom line is, if you want to show your child all aspects of life, that's fine. I have two boys, 11 and 8. They watch wrestling for what it is. They don't wrestle at home. These parents let their kids wrestle at home because they think it's fake. My kids understand that what we do is not fake. It's real, and they wouldn't dare try it. I don't really take them to the WWF, so they don't really have anything to compare it to. The whole reality to this thing is that pro wrestling is a sport. It is perceived as a sport. It's accepted as a sport, except for some organizations.
One time I was caught in the middle of Abdullah [the Butcher] against the Sheik. I was coming down the aisle the same time Abby was coming down the aisle. I got my ass kicked three times by Abby. Because of my high visibility in the Philadelphia community, because of being on the radio, because of being a promoter, I try to stay out of the way. I'm not Vince McMahon. I can't go on TV and pretend I'm a shlub when everybody in the world knows [I'm the boss]. I can't do that. I don't like to lie to the public. Everybody knows that these guys have to come to me for a paycheck, so it's pretty tough to have them beat the hell out of me. I fined Abdullah the Butcher $5,000 through the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission. He has yet to pay it, and one of the reasons I have him on this card coming up is to try to collect my five grand. Well, the State Athletic Commissioner will be there, and I'll hopefully get this thing taken care of. I'm staying the hell away from [Abdullah].
[The Sheik's] a lunatic. The man, he's a nut. The Sheik makes Abby look like a pussycat. I don't know why I get myself involved in this stuff, except that I'm a wrestling fan. The Sheik is a maniac. I'll tell you something about the Sheik, a true story. He comes in from Michigan and he drives. He will not fly. And the reason he won't fly is no airline will issue him a ticket. That's the kind of men I have to deal with.
I can't see anything past tomorrow to be honest with you. This year we're running about 40 cards. Next year we'll be at about 125. My goal within a three-year period is to be running a circuit similar to Memphis, in that we would be running literally almost every day. Now that we've organized Philadelphia and we're got Philadelphia and Delaware and some of south Jersey, we're looking to expand into Pennsylvania. What's happened is, in Philadelphia there's basically two weekends a month we can wrestle, because one weekend the WWF is in, and one weekend WCW is in. By us expanding our territory, we'll be able to wrestle the same weekends the WCW and WWF are wrestling. I think realistically right now, we're at about 140 cards per year next year. Three years from now we'll be up to 365.
I'm not going to tell you that I'm a man of money and a man of wealth. I had built up enough to be able to cover it. I will tell you that down the line, I plan to be a millionaire in this business, and promotion is the way for me to do it, since I can't wrestle for the shits. I own a wrestling school that's providing income, [my] radio show is certainly working for me, but I plan to make a substantial sum of money giving fans what they want