WWF 1992: Going Forward

Word coming out of Stamford is that the WWF is looking to beef up their roster a bit, and I don't mean by injecting them with more steroids, even though the Warlord and Davey Boy Smith are still on their roster. The WWF's plan is to hire more enhancement talent to exclusive deals. This would mean that they would not have to rely on local workers who lie about their experience just to get featured on WWF TV as they can vet these talents and have them working in house. However, they are open to signing some talent to handshake deals and letting them work other shows to make more money as that can help the WWF with its budget.

The WWF is also looking to rebuild their women's division. Apparently Vince McMahon has opted not to do business with the Fabulous Moolah ever again. I do not want to print anything until it has been confirmed as what I have heard from various sources is pretty serious. It is common knowledge, though, that Moolah had a pretty tight control on women's wrestling in the United States, which is why many talents opted to go overseas and wrestle for AJW over the years. The word is that the WWF doesn't want a bloated women's division, but enough workers to give the division depth in case a worker they're pushing gets injured, quits, etc.

As you may have seen from the ads running on the USA Network, as well has been mentioned on the WWF's TV programs, Prime Time Wrestling is no more. In its place starting next Monday night will be Monday Night Raw. The plan is to be live every other week, meaning that two episodes would be taped in one night. This has factored into the recent change that is said to be coming down for the syndicated offerings, Superstars Of Wrestling and Wrestling Challenge. With the duo of Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan becoming more popular as a broadcast duo not only with the fans, but behind the scenes as well, Wrestling Challenge is set to become the A show, with Superstars Of Wrestling becoming the B show, as well as shortening its name to Superstars. Rumors have been swirling about the formats for both Challenge and Superstars, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

It has been confirmed that the WWF entered working agreements with AJW, Florida based independent promotion ICWA, and the USWA based in Memphis. The WWF is said to be high on talent in all three organizations, and the talent trades can be a good way to bring in talent to put over established WWF talent that may need wins on TV. All three organizations are also said to have entered agreements with the WWF that allows for the Federation to send talent over to those companies for development if need be.

Jim Herd is out, and Eric Bischoff is in. Jim Herd's fate was pretty much sealed when he let Ric Flair go to the WWF. That was bad enough, but then he let Ric go to the WWF with the World Title as the big gold belt appeared on WWF TV! Ted Turner was furious according to many, and while he kept Herd on in his role, he was already searching for a new Executive Producer. By the time Starrcade '91 rolled around, Ted Turner's mind was made up as he liked what Eric Bischoff brought to the table. It is said that Turner was looking for someone who was not your traditional wrestling guy, but also was a fan of the wrestling business at the same time. Eric Bischoff checked those boxes, and it will be interesting to see how WCW goes forward with Bischoff at the helm.

Eric Bischoff has apparently wasted no time putting his fingerprints on WCW as he is said to be signing new talent for the Light Heavyweight division, as well as to help add some sorely needed depth to the tag team division. Bischoff isn't looking to go head to head with Vince McMahon and the WWF just yet, but who knows what will happen with some coaxing from Ted Turner.

In a rather bizarre twist, Jim Cornette, who left WCW because of a falling out with Jim Herd, is back in WCW after a falling out with Tim Horner and opting not to help him fund Smoky Mountain Wrestling. Tim Horner did find a financial backer, and has hired on Bob Armstrong as the head booker. Cornette was not shy at all when he called me and told me his side of the story of the fallout with Tim Horner. Apparently Horner agreed to pay Cornette and Stan Lane $1,000 each for their appearances at the first set of SMW shows in late 1991, but shorted them by a few hundred dollars, making up excuses such as the gate not being what he thought it would be, sudden car repair expenses coming due, etc. The final straw was Horner "not having the money" to pay what he owed Jim Cornette and Stan Lane in back payments, and both Cornette and Lane called it quits. Jim Cornette is set to be reunited with Jim Ross in the broadcast booth on the Saturday night TBS show. Speaking of which...

Eric Bischoff is making some more moves, this time on the broadcast side of things. Power Hour has been scrapped, with Main Event now moving into the Saturday morning time slot. Main Event is also changing formats, and will now be a recap show. The syndicated Pro Wrestling will now be a recap show as well. World Championship Wrestling, as in the TV show, is being rebranded as "Saturday Night" and will maintain the successful 6:05 Eastern time slot. Saturday Night will be the featured A show, and Worldwide will be looked at as a B show, but storylines are still expected to be progressed on Worldwide as well. Bischoff has also negotiated with a number of TV affiliates in the US to air Worldwide in afternoon time slots on Saturdays, which could get interesting as the WWF has Wrestling Challenge airing on Saturdays in various afternoon time slots as well, though about an hour after Worldwide on most stations. The thinking behind making Worldwide a B show is to give lower to midcard talent TV time, as well as time for younger talent to hone their craft as they'll have more room for error. WCW Saturday Night this weekend is also expected to feature a big announcement from kayfabe Commissioner, Magnum T.A. Not even I know what it will be. Probably that Jim Herd is out and that we shouldn't expect to see Robocop, the Black Scorpion, the Ding Dongs or the Creatures to return anytime soon.