Rumored returns, arrivals, matches, etc..

[El-P]

Gedo. From nowhere.

 

And YUJI YASURAOKA. And yes, I can spell the name of a mid-90's WAR Jr. heavyweight without even checking... I'm not sure this is a good thing.

[Guest DWS]

You're right...now that I think about it, Nitro and (especially) Thunder weren't above the random appearances, either. Like Debbie Combs suddenly walking out for a women's match on Nitro.

 

Remember that Japanese contingent that appeared on early episodes of Thunder? Can't recall their names, but one babyface guy had the Japanese word for "Dog" spray-painted on his back. Tenzan suddenly appeared as a background character in a few NWO segments, as well.

 

It wasn't until years later that I found out "Flyboy" Rocco Rock did double-duty on the weekend shows as "The Cheetah Kid".

[rainmakerrtv]

You're right...now that I think about it, Nitro and (especially) Thunder weren't above the random appearances, either. Like Debbie Combs suddenly walking out for a women's match on Nitro.

 

Remember that Japanese contingent that appeared on early episodes of Thunder? Can't recall their names, but one babyface guy had the Japanese word for "Dog" spray-painted on his back. Tenzan suddenly appeared as a background character in a few NWO segments, as well.

 

It wasn't until years later that I found out "Flyboy" Rocco Rock did double-duty on the weekend shows as "The Cheetah Kid".

I thought that particular Cheetah Kid was Prince Iaukea .

[Al]

I don't know if it was Iaukea, but there was definitely a different Cheetah Kid floating around the East Coast indies at the time. I remember him getting a bit of press in the Apter mags.

[ButchReedMark]

I remember a "Cheetah Master" around that time in the ECWA who used to get a lot of writeups as well.

[Guest DWS]

I thought that particular Cheetah Kid was Prince Iaukea .

I'm proud to say I never knew that

 

It makes sense (either Iaukea or ECWA's "Cheetah Master"). I had always just assumed it was Rocco. I think I remember seeing WCW's "Cheetah Kid" around the second half of 1997. I remember Iaukea had kinda' disappeared after losing the TV title in the spring of '97, so it'd fit with that timeline.

[Tim Evans]

Reading this week's Classic Observer and Dave mentions Jim Cornette wanted to bring in Bill Watts as SMW's commissioner. I wonder how that would have worked out?

[rainmakerrtv]

I am pretty sure that Cheetah Kid in WCW was before Prince Iaukea. He was distinctly more cut in his physique than Rocco Rock, so I am pretty sure it wasn't Ted Petty. Cheetah Master was a completely different guy, he had long blonde hair and I don't think he ever wore a mask.

[MikeCampbell]

Kenzo Suzuki was supposed to come to the WWE in '04 as "Hirohito" and have programs with Jericho and/or Benoit playing up U.S. vs. Japan (hence Benoit being billed from Atlanta and Jericho from Manhasset).

[Guest Slickster]

Remember that Japanese contingent that appeared on early episodes of Thunder? Can't recall their names, but one babyface guy had the Japanese word for "Dog" spray-painted on his back.

"Freedom Dog" Michiyoshi Ohara

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsmaLQoxiLg

[sek69]

Kenzo Suzuki was supposed to come to the WWE in '04 as "Hirohito" and have programs with Jericho and/or Benoit playing up U.S. vs. Japan (hence Benoit being billed from Atlanta and Jericho from Manhasset).

 

I remember the Hirohito idea, but I thought the billed towns thing was due to Vince having another one of his quirks where he decided babyfaces wouldn't be billed from Canada anymore.

[Slasher]

Kenzo Suzuki was supposed to come to the WWE in '04 as "Hirohito" and have programs with Jericho and/or Benoit playing up U.S. vs. Japan (hence Benoit being billed from Atlanta and Jericho from Manhasset).

 

I remember the Hirohito idea, but I thought the billed towns thing was due to Vince having another one of his quirks where he decided babyfaces wouldn't be billed from Canada anymore.

 

I remember Edge being billed from Tampa briefly til his heel turn and he was back to being from Toronto.

[MikeCampbell]

I'm sure that Hirohito wasn't the ONLY reason why they started billing them that way.