World Wrestling Federation

[KingBoggs33]

WWF News & Notes

June 1991

• Jake Roberts' Injury Was Real
The shocking attack on Jake "The Snake" Roberts that left him temporarily blinded was more than just another WWF storyline. Roberts was legitimately dealing with a shoulder injury, and WWF officials elected to write him off television in one of the most talked-about angles in company history. By all accounts, the gamble paid off. Ratings for both Monday Night Raw and Saturday Night's Main Event saw a noticeable increase during the build, proving the storyline generated exactly the type of buzz officials were hoping for. While Roberts is expected to return soon, don't expect him to be a full-fledged fan favorite or villain. Instead, the WWF plans to keep Jake walking the line between both roles. Current plans have him heading straight into a major program with Ted DiBiase.

• Ted DiBiase's Debut Exceeds Expectations
Speaking of Ted DiBiase, company officials were reportedly thrilled with the reaction to his surprise WWF debut. The reveal of The Million Dollar Empire instantly established DiBiase as one of the promotion's premier villains, and the expectation backstage is that he will remain near the top of the card for the foreseeable future. Officials reportedly see DiBiase as one of the cornerstones of the company moving forward, with his rivalry against Jake Roberts expected to dominate much of the summer.

• Why Terry Funk Won the WWF Championship
One of the more surprising creative decisions this month was placing the WWF Championship on Terry Funk. According to sources, officials ultimately felt that Ric Flair vs. Terry Funk represented a stronger marquee attraction for SummerSlam than Ric Flair vs. Tito Santana. Despite dropping the championship, company officials were said to be extremely pleased with Tito Santana's reign. Internally, Santana has been credited with helping the WWF expand its popularity in Mexico while proving himself to be a dependable and respected world champion during a critical period for the company.

• Titan Sidelined for Several Months
The injury suffered by The Titan on Monday Night Raw was legitimate and forced the WWF to make significant changes to its television plans. Those changes ultimately led to Dynamite Kid capturing the WWF Television Championship at Saturday Night's Main Event. While Titan is expected to miss several months of action, sources say he is aggressively rehabbing and has set a personal goal of returning in time for the Royal Rumble.

• More Makeshift Tag Teams Coming?
The success of the unlikely pairing of The Warlord and Junkyard Dog has reportedly encouraged WWF officials to experiment with additional tag teams made up of established singles wrestlers. While the company still plans to emphasize traditional tag teams, don't be surprised if several new pairings begin appearing over the coming months.

• Concern Over Junkyard Dog's Conditioning
Not all of the backstage news surrounding Junkyard Dog has been positive. Officials reportedly remain concerned about his conditioning and feel he is nowhere near the physical shape needed for a full-time schedule. While everyone acknowledges the value of JYD's name and popularity, there has reportedly been frustration that he has shown little interest in improving his conditioning. Those close to the situation say JYD feels he has already accomplished everything he set out to do in professional wrestling and isn't interested in dramatically changing his lifestyle at this stage of his career.

• Why The Nasty Boys Left the WWF
The departure of The Nasty Boys has become one of the more talked-about stories backstage. According to multiple reports, the incident stems from WrestleMania VII, where country music legend Willie Nelson was on hand to perform the National Anthem. The story making the rounds is that Brian Knobbs and Jerry Saggs jokingly presented one of the WWF Tag Team Championships to Nelson as a gift while visiting his tour bus. Once WWF officials discovered what had happened, the duo was reportedly forced to retrieve the championship. Nelson was said to be disappointed after believing the belt had genuinely been given to him. Although the WWF reportedly smoothed things over with Nelson, management was furious with The Nasty Boys, and shortly afterward they were sent to WCW.

• Andre the Giant's Health Taking a Toll
There continues to be growing concern regarding Andre the Giant's health. Sources indicate Andre has experienced a significant physical decline over the past several months, forcing the WWF to dramatically alter several long-term creative plans. Combined with Jake Roberts' injury, officials were forced to pivot away from what had originally been planned for the summer. Instead, Andre is expected to become involved in the Million Dollar Empire storyline as a way of explaining his reduced schedule. Going forward, don't expect Andre to wrestle often, and when he does appear, it will likely be in tag team or multi-man matches designed to protect him. It's being said Andre is trying his best to make at least to Wrestlemania VIII where he plans on retiring.

• Nikita Koloff's Final Run
The arrival of Nikita Koloff has been well received within the locker room. Those close to Koloff say he has made it clear this will likely be the final chapter of his in-ring career. Widely respected by his peers and still considered to be in tremendous physical condition, Koloff reportedly feels financially secure and wants one last meaningful run with the WWF before eventually retiring and dedicating himself to full-time ministry work.

• Earthquake Wants More Competition
Despite holding the WWF Intercontinental Championship, Earthquake is reportedly unhappy with his current role on television. Sources claim the champion believes the Intercontinental Title has always represented the "working man's championship" and feels frustrated by the lack of meaningful singles matches. WWF officials are said to understand his concerns and are already working to line up several higher-profile programs for the massive champion throughout the summer.

• Big Surprises Ahead
Behind the scenes, there is considerable excitement regarding the WWF's plans for the remainder of 1991. Company officials are reportedly preparing several major debuts over the coming months, with many believing SummerSlam could become one of the biggest events in company history. While names remain tightly guarded, expectations backstage are extremely high.

• WrestleMania VIII Headed to Canada
In one of the biggest announcements in company history, the World Wrestling Federation has officially selected SkyDome in Toronto, Ontario as the host venue for WrestleMania VIII. The event will mark the first WrestleMania ever held outside of the United States, signaling the WWF's continued expansion across North America. Company officials reportedly considered several major stadiums before settling on SkyDome, believing the state-of-the-art venue and passionate Canadian fanbase make it the perfect stage for what is already being described internally as the biggest event in WWF history.

The decision comes as no surprise given the enormous plans already in motion. While several additional marquee matches are already being discussed. Officials believe WrestleMania VIII has the potential to become the highest-grossing event the WWF has ever promoted. Tickets are expected to go on sale the night after SummerSlam, and early projections suggest demand could shatter every attendance and gate record in company history.

[rainmakerrtv]

Always love a behind the scenes look. Wherever Dibiase goes, success comes to him. The Andre article is timely for me, given I have some people on my roster whose physical conditioning IRL is gradually slowing down or curtailing some of their performance. 

[KingBoggs33]

15 hours ago, rainmakerrtv said:

Always love a behind the scenes look. Wherever Dibiase goes, success comes to him. The Andre article is timely for me, given I have some people on my roster whose physical conditioning IRL is gradually slowing down or curtailing some of their performance. 

I appreciate it.

I wasn't sure how to handle the Andre situation because, in real life, he was barely able to get around by this point and was essentially wrestling on borrowed time. At the same time, this is a fantasy project where we're changing everyone's trajectory, so it's always a balancing act. I want to stay grounded in reality, but I also recognize that part of the fun of fantasy booking is giving people the moments they never got. It's definitely a double-edged sword.

With Andre especially, we all know he sadly passes away in just a couple of years, and I don't necessarily want that real-world sadness to define his role in this universe. I think I've finally come up with an idea that lets me respect where he was physically while still giving him the swan song he deserved. My goal is for Andre to leave this project on the brightest possible note, and I think the story I've got planned will do exactly that. It also played a factor to why I ran Toronto for WM 8.

[spaldoni]

I'm with Rain, I love behind the scenes reports 

Dibiase and Jake will be one of the top feuds in the game. I'm hoping Jake calls in some sinister allies to help fight the Empire. This has so much potential. 

I have to say, Tito had a very respectable world title run. I've always been a fan of his work in the ring and he deserved his moment 

AHHHHHH ok the Titan injury totally makes sense now. I thought he was going to have a long run with the TV title and was surprised when he dropped it. Another reason why I love these behind the scenes reports 

I always loved getting creative by pairing up wrestlers for a tag team. It's fun experimenting 

Sounds like JYD is a bit burnt out 

The reason for the Nasties leaving was one of the most creative ways out I've ever read LOL. 

If anyone deserves to leave on the highest note possible, it's Andre 

Nikita's in a good place and I'm sure will go out with a bang 

Earthquake spoke and the higher ups listened 

I have a feeling the months between SummerSlam and Mania will be off the charts.