Friday Night Smackdown was a really fun show to tape Tuesday night in the Tulsa Convention Center and brought back some really great memories of yesteryear. My first time to ever step foot in a wrestling ring was in that arena to referee a 10 minute time limit draw between Mike George and Treach Phillips around 1974. Because Tulsa is finishing a new arena, the BOK Arena, next door to the Convention Center that will seat approximately 16-18,000 when it opens this fall, Tuesday night’s SD taping was likely the last wrestling event ever in the old home of the UWF. Too bad the "Big Cowboy" wasn’t there but Bill Watts is not a big fan of wrestling these days and Bill not attending Tuesday night did not surprise me.
One a side note, I mistakenly walked into a storage closet which I mistook for a make shift office that was one door over and I remembered "busting" a well known wrestler smoking pot in that room well over 20 years ago. My how times have changed. There was not "Dr. Black" back in the day….unfortunately.
If you listen to the commentary Friday night with Mick Foley and me, you just might mine some interesting nuggets out of the show which very well could bring a smile to your face. Mick and I are working diligently to improve our commentary and we remain steadfast with our goal of becoming the best broadcast duo on any WWE TV program. One of my mentors, the late, WWE HOF’er Gorilla Monsoon used to tell people not to break their arms patting themselves on their back and I don’t want to do that but I am confident that our mission statement will come to pass much "Sooner" than expected. (more…)
As I write this I am preparing to drive from Norman to Tulsa, a two hour drive, to broadcast Friday Night Smackdown for air this Friday night. This will be my first broadcast in the Tulsa Civic Center in over 20 years since the UWF days of Cowboy Bill Watts. I have great memories of that period of my professional life highlighted by Steve "Dr. Death" Williams ascension to becoming UWF Champion and having epic and physical battles with Big Bubba Rogers aka The Big Bossman and the One Man Gang. I wonder how many guys in the business today could or would hold up to the physicality that Watts demanded back in the day. I have a feeling that some "superstars" would fold their tents and head to the house with "injuries" because few men can or feel motivated to maintain the physical style of wrestling that Watts demanded on a regular basis.
This will be my second Smackdown with my new color analyst Mick Foley and we should be better than we were last week which I did not think was a bad effort. Developing chemistry takes time and I know without fail we will arrive at that desired destination as it is just a matter of when not if. (more…)
After Night of Champions, where Raw Superstars suffered three prominent losses, the Monday night brand is left with no World Championship. Perhaps more important, though, is the fact that WWE is currently without its Chairman.
During last week’s Draft, WWE Champion Triple H was randomly selected to SmackDown, taking his title with him. On Sunday night, John Cena had a chance to bring the title back to Raw, but was unable to defeat The Game. Similarly, Batista attempted to win Edge’s World Heavyweight Championship, but couldn’t come out on top against the Master Manipulator. (more…)
From: Bill Watts
Subject: Obituary on Oni Wiki Wiki
I have already sent you my ‘memorial’ to my friend… Oni Wiki Wiki… I went to his service… saw his sons… Lee and Chilton… and his daughters.. Chris and Cindy… and spoke a few words… He touched a lot of lives… and was a man of ‘quiet strength and dignity’… in a crazy business…
Here is what was in the Tulsa World today…
Wrestler ‘Wik’ known for fast moves in ring
by: JENNIE LLOYD World Staff Writer
6/29/2008 12:00 AM
The professional wrestler had a 27-year career in the southeastern U.S.
"OniWikiWiki" was known as the barefooted Hawaiian wrestler with a mean flying head-scissors and a deft top-rope ring walk. (more…)
We have finalized the date for J.R.’s #2 to open at the 19th street exit off I-35 in Moore, Oklahoma to be Monday July 14. Luckily for me I will be able to be there with the Smackdown tapings being on Tuesdays. Now that I don’t go out of town every Sunday, my football season, as far as traveling to away Sooner games and watching the NFL on Sundays at one of our restaurants, is not only possible but will happen.
I’ve been reading about recent NWA news and it is hard for me to relate to today’s NWA even remotely resembling the original version and that is said with no offense to those who are diligently working with today’s organization. With out all the great territories who had weekly, first run TV shows in syndication that usually garnered great ratings featuring some of the biz’s biggest stars, it just "feels" like an indy organization with a famous name. I am a big proponent of all wrestling doing well including the hard working folks at Ring of Honor but there will never be another true NWA, Mid South, Georgia Championship Wrestling, World Class, etc due to the financial make up of today’s business which cable TV has enabled for one or two (that’s being optimistic) wrestling companies to earn money and stay a float. (more…)
Ah, the times they are a-changing – and upon further review – for the better.
This Friday night will be my first broadcasting voyage with my new partner, Mick Foley, and I am looking forward to watching the airing of Friday Night SmackDown with great anticipation. Mick is one of my oldest friends in the biz, which as most vets will attest, is a business where a guy can count their bonafide friends on one hand – which is akin to most forms of sports and entertainment. Mick Foley is a great human being, a bestselling author, a legit Hardcore Legend and a student of the game. Not a bad combo for this Okie to deal with I assure you. (more…)
It is always good to visit Texas for yours truly as it’s one of the closer road trips I have to take living here in Norman, Oklahoma. San Antonio is an awesome city and the WWE HQ hotel there was the Hyatt on the River Walk which was a superb locale. Plus, the Hyatt wasn’t under renovation, which broke a recent string of several hotels we have stayed in that were "under construction to better serve you".
Of course, the Annual WWE Draft spawned several sensational, Internet stories and conspiracy theories about why people were drafted to particular brands, etc.
I have read that I knew that I was leaving Monday Night Raw prior to the draft. Wrong. I had no clue as to the move….had no travel booked to go to Houston, including no hotel room there booked prior to Tuesday nor did I take an extra suit to wear Tuesday night as I thought I was coming home, as usual. Thanks to Southwest Airlines I made it to Houston by the middle of the afternoon and then had to go purchase a new suit. After seeing about a zillion TV commercials where GeorgeZimmer touts his Men’s Warehouse Stores and how they can help a man out who is in need of emergency apparel, I gave them a try. Men’s Warehouse came through just as they say they will on their ads, which was greatly appreciated. (more…)
"Wik" was an amazing athlete who was one of college football’s greatest kickers at the University of Hawaii. He was featured in the Guinness Book of World records for his barefoot kicking as a collegiate football player. I rode hundreds of miles in the old "Oklahoma Territory" with men like Wik, Dan Hodge, and Scandor Akbar teaching me the ropes. I am forever indebted to them and so many more, especially The Big Cowboy, for being patient with me and for being mentors. Even though most won’t remember Oni Wiki Wiki’s wrestling career, trust me when I say that he was one of the great "Island Wrestlers" to ever migrate to the mainland. And an even better, kind hearted but tough as nails athlete/human being.
J.R.
—– Original Message —–
From: Bill Watts
Subject: The Ring Bell tolls — Oni Wiki Wiki has left us
The bell tolls again for another ‘pro-wrestling great’… Oni Wiki Wiki… the ‘barefoot Hawaiian’… real name: Wallace Lam Ho… transitioned at age 88 this Monday… (more…)
Changes in one’s life take some adjusting to especially at my stage of the game. This week I received an unexpected change in my professional address. Within hours of writing an emotional blog, I am positively moving on. I am going to do all I can to make Smackdown the best program the WWE produces. Working side by side with Mick Foley should be fun. It will be entertaining I assure you. Mick is a great friend and a man I greatly respect. The Smackdown roster is loaded with exceptional talent and the WWE wants the brand to grow and I intend to do all that I can in my role to facilitate that growth. (more…)
As many of you know, I was “drafted” to Smackdown Monday night in the “random lottery”. Obviously that means I will be leaving Monday Night Raw and my long time partner Jerry Lawler.
I am not happy about this surprise development.
I also contemplated calling it a career Monday night and not going to Houston to tape SD.
After speaking with my wife and thinking on this matter until 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, I have decided to do the right thing for the fans who care and the talent who care and begin my new assignment. (more…)
