Annons
A best-of International Championship Wrestling video from the 1970sThey accepted this, though, as part of their education; it's what they needed to do to advance up the card and make more money. Yet, when they did – flying to Japan, Puerto Rico and Mexico – there were still downsides: wrestling in these places was dangerous. American legend Bruiser Brody was stabbed to death in Puerto Rico in 1988 after a fight with a promotor.What this ended up creating, however, was a respect for the business in every wrestler, as well as a high level of skill. Everyone knew how to work a crowd, and by the time WWE (or WWF, as it was called back then) became a global phenomenon in the late 80s – when the real money started being made – most of their roster had spent years in the territory system already. They were ready, in other words, even if the territories they were leaving behind weren't.WWE was owned by Vince McMahon, a man whose tastes were softer-edged than the territories. He called his product "sports entertainment", not pro wrestling, and admitted quite openly that it was staged. Regardless, on Hulk Hogan's giant back, he propelled WWE to unheard-of heights.
Annons
Annons
The WCW Viagra-on-a-pole matchAlong with WCW's complete mismanagement – which included actor David Arquette winning their World Championship, a Viagra-on-a-pole match and tolerating a backstage climate of pointless politicking and ageing superstars – this pushed WWE so far ahead that, in 2001, Turner tapped out and sold WCW to McMahon for almost nothing.It had taken him 20 years, but at last Vince was the only dog in town.The company launched their WWE Network last week in the UK, nearly a year after doing so in the US. The online archive offers not just every past WWE and WCW pay-per-view, but also every live WWE one – including Sunday's Royal Rumble and March's Wrestlemania – at £9.99 a month. A good deal when you consider that usually pay-per-views cost £19.95 on Sky Box Office.
Annons
Annons
Annons