Wrestling Observer Flashback–08.01.88

This is the extended obituary issue for Bruiser Brody, which is a really interesting history of the wrestler but not much for news, so this will be a quick one otherwise.

– Actual numbers for the Bash PPV, which in fact did between 350,000 – 400,000 buys.  That sounds REALLY high, but just shows how impressive the PPV market used to be.  That’s with a “universe” of 10 million homes, assuming a 4% buyrate.  Outside of WWF shows and some boxing, this makes the Bash the highest-grossing PPV in the short history of the medium.

– A Japanese paper is reporting that the TBS purchase of the NWA happens within 60 days, with Jack Petrick overseeing the merger and Dusty Rhodes left in control of the promotion. 

– Jerry Lawler and Kerry Von Erich have been doing “unification” matches in the Memphis area, typically ending with Kerry piledriving him for the DQ because a piledriver is illegal.  However, the World Class title is supposed to change hands on a DQ (really? I thought it was just countouts?) so someone dropped the ball on the booking.  Rematches will be no-DQ, there must be a winner matches, so Dave wonders how they’re going to get out of those ones. 

– Verne Gagne is planning “WrestleRock III” from the Metrodome in November, to be shown on PPV with 50,000 people in the stadium and ZZ Top playing a concert.  There is literally no part of that statement that didn’t turn out completely false.

–   DJ Peterson and Curt Hennig are both coming into the WWF.  I recall Peterson’s stay being extremely short-lived, like doing some house show jobs.  Hennig has a strong chance of not happening because he already agreed to terms twice previously and then burned Vince by staying with the AWA. 

– Hercules sliced his arm open taking a table bump in a match with Ultimate Warrior at a TV taping and needed 76 stitches.  Hopefully he’s got some kind of magic medical serum to help his muscle heal faster.  Apparently both guys have heat for smashing TV monitors in the process, which isn’t surprising because they’ve been seemingly using those same damn monitors since 1987 to save money.

– Dean Malenko has retired from wrestling and is working the counter for an airline.

Light news week this time around, but the Brody bio is well worth reading.