Daily News Update: 1996 Edition

Notes from the October 21 96 Observer in lieu of any news today:

– Bret Hart apparently signed a gigantic deal with the WWF, including a match with Steve Austin at Survivor Series and a rematch with Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania, said to be lower than the $4 million per year that WCW was offering, but over a much longer term. So expect to see Bret Hart in the WWF for a long time.

– Although ratings for Nitro are up, total viewership of wrestling is actually way down from the syndicated era. This whole Monday Night Wars thing is probably a flash in the pan.

– Wahoo McDaniel has decided to retire at 59, due to major heart problems.

– Ric Flair is having rotator cuff surgery and will be out for a while, with Jeff Jarrett already slotted into the Horsemen to replace him.

– Sting will be back on Nitro 10/21 and probably at Havoc, maybe with some kind of character change?

– No one knows what’s up with Mr. Perfect’s supposed return to the ring. Maybe an angle?

– Vic Venom has been fired from Livewire. Doubt we’ll hear much from him again. The show is a total disaster anyway.

– Ken Shamrock was set to come in, but his contract demands were really high, so it’s probably not happening.

There you go!