The following is a reprint of the Torch Newsletter WCW Newswire from five years ago this week.

-Jason Powell, Torch assistant editor

* * *

Torch Newsletter Archive
By Wade Keller, Torch editor
WCW Newswire
Originally published: Pro Wrestling Torch Weekly newsletter #452
Cover dated: August 9, 1997

WCW SATURDAY NIGHT
July 30 in Gainesville, Ga. (2,300 sellout), WCW Saturday Night taping: Dave Taylor beat Joe Gomez, Chris Jericho beat Psicosis with a Boston Crap, Alex Wright beat Chavo Guerrero Jr., Harlem Heat beat High Voltage, Curt Hennig beat Bobby Eaton after which Dallas Page ran out and had to be held back by security, Chris Benoit & Steve McMichael beat Los Villanos, Dallas Page beat Vincent after which Hennig attacked Page, Syxx beat Billy Kidman with a Buzzkiller after which Flair attacked Syxx, Alex Wright beat Scott Riggs, Konnan beat Psicosis with Tequila Sunrise after which LaParka chased Konnan away with a chair, and Dean Malenko beat Lenny Lane with the Texas Cloverleaf.

One of the generators in the truck blew out, so they sent out a dark match to stall while they tried to fix the equipment. Dallas Page pinned Curt Hennig with a fisherman's suplex in a dark match. He gave Hennig a Diamond Cutter after the match. Like his match earlier, Hennig took some nice bumps. Flair came out after the match to console Hennig and taunt Page. Hennig then jumped Page from behind and Flair joined in. The Giant came out to make the save, although Page had already cleared the ring of Flair and Hennig on his own. Not much of a match, but a good time-filler.

Because the generator could not be repaired, they concluded the event with a final dark match. Rick & Scott Steiner fought The Faces of Fear to a double countout. Steve Richards was backstage and was scheduled to wrestle Lenny Lane for WCW Main Event. Raven was also backstage and may have been involved in Richards's match, but the generator going out killed that. The main event was scheduled to be Wrath & Mortis vs. Flair & Hennig, but it didn't take place.

ON THE ROAD
Aug. 3 in Grand Rapids, Mich. at Van Andel Arena: Chris Benoit beat Barbarian via tapout, Alex Wright beat Chris Jericho with a handful of tights to retain the WCW Cruiserweight Title, Eddie Guerrero pinned Dean Malenko with his feet on the ropes, Rick & Scott Steiner beat Harlem Heat, Jeff Jarrett beat Ric Flair, and Lex Luger & Dallas Page & Giant beat Kevin Nash & Scott Hall & Syxx when Luger racked Syxx.

WCW NOTEBOOK
Mike Tenay spent last weekend in Mexico filming footage for a series of mini documentaries on Mexican wrestling. Konnan wasn't happy that Tenay chose to follow the EMLL group rather than Konnan's Promo Azteca. There is belief that part of the reason WCW is pursuing a relationship with EMLL so strongly, besides their quality talent, is to take some power away from Konnan and his crew of Mexican wrestlers. Konnan voiced his displeasure with the WCW situation on a radio show in Mexico...

Eric Bischoff held a meeting about two weeks back with the wrestlers explaining a new policy banning all vulgar or suggestive words and gestures from television. With WCW drawing such strong ratings, WCW is now facing stricter scrutiny from the higher-ups in TBS and Time-Warner. A few days later at the July 28 Nitro, Syxx interfered in the Flair & Hennig vs. Bagwell & Norton match by yanking Flair off the ring apron. In the process, Syxx yanked down Flair's trunks. Backstage after the match Bischoff took Flair and Syxx into a room and chewed them out for the move. Flair left the room first, and when Syxx finally exited, he was hot. He told people Bischoff had fired him for "breach of contract" because of the move. Syxx had built up a track record when he yelled a very distasteful comment at Harlem Heat on the July 15 Nitro, plus he and Flair had set the standard for suggestive comments during their interviews over the past few months, plus he does the bucking bronco and inner-thigh chopping gesture. Anyway, the situation was soothed over and Syxx's "firing" was rescinded within 30 minutes. They went so far as to tell Psicosis that he should prepare to face Dallas Page at the start of the second hour in place of Syxx. There was heat within the Nash faction that Flair didn't get scolded since he knew the finish of the match and he didn't tie his trunks tight because he "gets his jollies" from mooning the crowd...

Sci-Fi show "Babylon 5" begins airing at 10 p.m. ET on TNT in January, so the periodic three-hour Nitro format may end starting in 1998...

WCW is looking into honoring Verne Gagne at the October Minneapolis house show and Crusher at the Milwaukee house show...

The July 28 Nitro in Charleston, W.Va. drew a sellout of 9,575 (8,769 paid) for $129,411...

On WCW syndicated television in Chicago this past weekend, they aired interviews hyping the Sept. 7 United Center house show match between Flair and Hennig. Flair talked as if Hennig had already betrayed him. Oops. That angle may not even occur, although it was originally planned. Flair vs. Jarrett was changed to Flair vs. Hennig and Jarrett vs. Malenko. Also, add Scott Hall & Syxx vs. Steiners...

TBS wants a WCW wrestling show Wednesday nights, but WCW is fighting it a bit since it would overwork the crew and overexpose the product…

Early estimates for the Bash at the Beach buyrate (with Dennis Rodman) are in the 0.8 to 1.0 range, which would be a bit disappointing considering the price paid for Rodman and the hype going in. The 1.5 buyrate the WWF did for the Wrestlemania with Lawrence Taylor was considered a huge disappointment...

WCW is running an outdoor show Aug. 23 in Greenville, S.C. at Municipal Stadium with Luger vs. Hall, Flair vs. Jarrett, Rey Jr. vs. Konnan, Steiners vs. Wrath & Mortis, Malenko vs. Eddie Guerrero, Eaton vs. Dave Taylor...

Psicosis, Juventud, Rey Jr., and perhaps a few other Mexicans received raises and now earn a guaranteed $150,000 per year...

Curt Hennig is kicking himself for not working out a bit in a WCW ring before his match at the Clash. As a result he was unfamiliar with the tension in the ropes and therefore missed the top rope bump at the end of the bout...

Aug. 2 TV Guide: "How was WCW Bash at the Beach superior to the Las Vegas rematch between Tyson and Holyfield? More action, better price, less bloodshed, better announcer, better undercard, better music, and obviously better nicknames. Wrestling kicks boxing's butt"...

The Aug. 4 Nitro dark match saw Prince Iaukea pin Brad Armstrong...

We suggest these recent related articles...

WWE FLASHBACK: Kane character debuts 18 yrs. ago today in first-ever Hell in a Cell match - Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels

HIAC FLASHBACK: Kane beats Undertaker in HIAC match 5 yrs. ago today, plus Randy Orton vs. Sheamus for WWE Title

ROH FLASHBACK: The aftermath of Joe vs. Kobashi 10 years ago today