On August 9, the world lost Kevin Sullivan. While casual fans may not remember him as well for never having a WWE run and not being as featured on screen in WCW by the time the Monday Night War heated up, he was nonetheless a deceptively important figure. His influence as a performer and his contributions to creative were hugely important in their time and had a ripple effect that has been felt to this day. Indeed The Taskmaster may well have been one of the greatest wrestling minds to have ever lived.

Kevin Sullivan Was An Ahead Of His Time On-Screen Character

Kevin Sullivan first carved out a spot in the consciousness of wrestling fans en masse wrestling in Florida, where his Prince of Darkness persona captured by he imagination of
fans and made him a heel who transcended the his regional territory to grab attention
in national wrestling publications and lead to his work with WCW.

Sullivan’s work as a cultish figure was so memorable that it led a number of fans
to actually think he’d had something to do with the death of his ex-wife and
family in 2007. More importantly, Sullivan was among a small cohort of
wrestlers working more overtly sinister, borderline supernatural characters
that paved the way for characters like The Undertaker and, down the road, Bray
Wyatt to break the mold of wrestler as athlete or cartoonish character to
inspire real fear in fans and offbeat storylines.

In the shorter term, a toned version of Sullivan’s personal also became central
to WCW programming during Hulk Hogan’s initial babyface years in WCW. Rebranded
as The Taskmaster, he became a player-coach type leading the polarizing Dungeon
of Doom faction.

Kevin Sullivan Knew How To Book Heat

To have heard Dusty Rhodes tell the tale, when he took over booking for WCW, one of his first orders of business was to get Kevin Sullivan on his payroll. The premise was simple: Sullivan knew how to book heat.

The art of getting fans truly invested in hating the heels is deceptively tricky, and Sullivan was deservedly well respected in this very specific domain. He was a complement to Rhodes in this way, and he continued to be a valuable contributor as things got rolling in the days of the New World Order. While Eric Bischoff typically gets credit for masterminding (and ultimately fumbling) the nWo concept, Sullivan’s influence is easy to detect in some of the faction’s earlier brutal beat downs of the babyfaces and other dastardly deeds.

Kevin Sullivan Navigated Tricky Waters Booking WCW

As a booker behind the scenes, one of the items Kevin Sullivan didn’t get enough credit for is doing his job amidst competing political factors and considerations. WCW was notorious for having to kowtow to the whims of a larger bureaucratic management structure, not to mention having a revolving door of leadership.

More specifically Sullivan was in charge of creative when Hulk Hogan signed on, with his infamous creative control and political stroke. It’s well documented that, when fans were lukewarm on The Hulkster, Sullivan pushed for a heel turn long before the nWo storyline started up and Hogan was ready. On top of that, Sullivan had to find something to do with an influx of talents Hogan wanted with him in WCW, or whom WCW opted to hire to recreate the feel of 1980s WWE. While a lot of fans had maligned the often hokey Dungeon of Doom concept, Sullivan capably explained late in life that his idea was to get as many of the associated talents on one segment to still free up TV time for the rest of the roster.

Sullivan also booked his way through one of the diciest situations imaginable as he wrote his own feud with Chris Benoit, which included Benoit taking Sullivan’s real life wife, Woman, from him in a wild situation of life ultimately imitating art, given she actually did ultimately leave Sullivan for Benoit. Sullivan was also a key figure when Brian Pillman’s Loose Cannon gimmick took off, including a memorable worked shoot moment in which Pillman called him “booker man” mid-match.

Kevin Sullivan’s contributions on screen and, all the more so, behind the scenes made him a hugely important figure in wrestling history. It’s very sad to see him go at the age of 75, but he won’t soon be forgotten.

Kevin Sullivan left an indelible mark on the pro wrestling industry through his in-ring performances and his role behind the scenes as a booker.

Known for his dark, occult-inspired gimmicks and intense feuds, Sullivan was a key player in the wrestling world, particularly during his time in World Championship Wrestling (WCW). This article explores his storied career and lasting legacy.

Early Life and Wrestling Beginnings

Born Kevin Francis Sullivan on October 26, 1949, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Sullivan started his wrestling journey in 1970.

He initially competed in various National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories across the United States.

Standing at 5’9″ and weighing around 250 pounds, Sullivan was not the largest wrestler, but he compensated with his ferocity and character work.

The “Prince of Darkness” in Championship Wrestling from Florida

Sullivan truly began to make waves in the wrestling world during his time with Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF) from 1982 to 1987.

It was here that he developed the “Prince of Darkness” persona, a gimmick that played into the 1980s Satanic Panic.

Adopting the role of a cult leader, Sullivan’s character was steeped in mysticism and the occult, making him one of the most intriguing heels of the era.

His “Army of Darkness” stable, which included wrestlers like “Maniac” Mark Lewin, Luna Vachon, and Bob Roop, was infamous for its eerie promos and intense rivalries with the likes of Dusty Rhodes and Barry Windham.

WCW and the Dungeon of Doom

In 1987, Sullivan joined Jim Crockett Promotions, which would later become World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

Here, he formed The Varsity Club, a stable that included Mike Rotunda and Rick Steiner. However, Sullivan’s most memorable contribution to WCW was the creation of the Dungeon of Doom.

This faction, which included notable wrestlers like The Giant (Big Show) and The Barbarian, was formed with one goal in mind: to destroy Hulk Hogan and the legend of Hulkamania.

The Dungeon of Doom was involved in some of WCW’s most famous storylines of the mid-90s, including the WarGames match at Fall Brawl 1995.

Kevin Sullivan Booking and Behind-the-Scenes Influence

Sullivan’s influence extended beyond his in-ring persona. He became a pivotal figure in WCW’s booking team, particularly during the Monday Night Wars.

His booking style was known for its unpredictability and willingness to push boundaries. In 2000, he was promoted to head booker of WCW, a role that placed him at the center of several controversies, most notably his professional rivalry with Chris Benoit, who had an affair with Sullivan’s then-wife, Nancy (known in the ring as Woman).

Retirement and Later Years

After losing a retirement match to Chris Benoit at Bash at the Beach in 1997, Sullivan shifted his focus entirely to booking and behind-the-scenes roles.

He continued to work in various capacities for WCW until its eventual sale in 2001. Post-WCW, Sullivan remained active in the wrestling world, working in independent promotions and making sporadic appearances.

He also co-hosted a podcast, “Kevin Sullivan’s Helluva Deal,” which gave fans insight into the mind of one of wrestling’s most creative bookers.

Kevin Sullivan’s Legacy and Passing

Kevin Sullivan’s legacy in professional wrestling is one of innovation and intensity. His work as a heel wrestler and booker left a lasting impact on the industry, influencing how characters and storylines were developed.

Sullivan passed away on August 9, 2024, at the age of 74, after dealing with health issues stemming from an accident earlier that year. His death was mourned by fans and colleagues alike, marking the end of an era in professional wrestling.

Read More – Pro Wrestling Legend Kevin Sullivan Passes Away At 74

Triple H is well aware of the impact Kevin Sullivan left on pro wrestling after the legend passed away at the age of 74.

Sullivan suffered several health complications after being involved in a car accident back and the news broke Friday morning that ‘The Taskmaster’ had passed.

WWE made a post on social media extending their condolences to the Sullivan family following the tragic loss and Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque penned a nice tribute to Sullivan, as ‘The Game’ respected the pro wrestling game of his influential colleague.

“Kevin Sullivan had one of the most unique minds in the history of our industry, pushing creative boundaries and developing some of the most intriguing characters to step into the ring. He had an unwavering passion for what we do. My thoughts are with his family, friends & fans.”

Sullivan never had an extended run in WWE, but his impact in the world of wrestling is clearly indelible. While working with Championship Wrestling from Florida, Sullivan designed a persona stemming off the “Satanic Panic” of the 1980s. The act caused plenty of controversy and he also stemmed that into the cult-like Varsity Club faction. It’s pretty undeniable that the Wyatt Family and the new Wyatt Sicks faction would have never taken place if it wasn’t for Sullivan laying the groundwork decades ago.

Sullivan can also be credited as one of the names to have WWE against the ropes during the Monday Night Wars as he was a major part of the development of the NWO.

We at SEScoops would like to send our prayers and thoughts to Sullivan, his family, friends and fans at this time.

RELATED: Pro Wrestling Legend Kevin Sullivan Passes Away At 74

The wrestling world lost a master storyteller and booker in Kevin Sullivan, who sadly passed away at 74.

Florida wrestling personality Barry Rose confirmed the news, “With the heaviest of hearts, we are devastated to have to report the passing of the legendary Kevin Sullivan. May he RIP and his family, friends and fans find comfort in how much he was loved.”

The legend’s heath took a turn for the worse as he developed sepsis and encephalitis while hospitialized. Ric Flair took to social media last night sending out prayers and well wishes to his long-time colleague.

Sullivan transcended pro wrestling by shocking the Championship Wrestling from Florida territory by leaning into the “Satanic Panic” of the 1980s. He’d notoriously go to the grocery store in Kayfabe attire to make residents feel uncomfortable. Sullivan would also go on to form the cult-like varsity club that featured Mike Rotunda and Rick Steiner.

“The Taskmaster” remained an active wrestler in the heyday of WCW and was vital in the formation and development of the NWO. While never apart of the faction, Sullivan notoriously quarantined Hulk Hogan until it was time for him to turn heel at Bash At The Beach 1996. Kevin Nash also greatly credits Sullivan for his ability to book and helped to make NWO one of the hottest acts in pro wrestling history.

Before his health took an unfortunate decline following a car accident earlier this year, Sullivan was an active podcast voice on “The Taskmaster Talks” with Jon Pozarowski and “Tuesdays With The Taskmaster” on AdFreeShows.com. He also appeared as a priest in recent vignettes shot by Karrion Kross.

Fans and wrestlers alike came to the aid of Sullivan after he remained hospitalized as they raised over $20,000 to help pay for his expenses.

We at SEScoops would like to send our prayers, thoughts and condolences to Sullivan, his family, friends and fans at this time.

RELATED: Wrestling Community Raises Over $20K For Kevin Sullivan GoFundMe

The wrestling community is often unfairly burdened with having a “bad” reputation, especially when it comes to online discourse over recent years. However, there are plenty of examples of the community rising to the occasion in times of need. The most recent example of the community’s tendency to step up for social good is wrestling legend Kevin Sullivan’s recent GoFundMe campaign.

Kevin Sullivan has been a prominent figure in the professional wrestling industry for many decades, making a notable impact as a wrestler, manager, and backstage producer in nearly every promotion he’s participated in. Unfortunately, the former WCW Tag Team Champion has recently experienced significant health issues. On July 5th, The 74-year-old’s family created a GoFundMe to assist with medical expenses.

“On May 12th, 2024, while in Florida for autograph signings, Kevin suffered a devastating accident. He underwent emergency surgery that saved his leg and life but faced severe complications, including sepsis and encephalitis. This unforeseen catastrophe has placed an immense financial burden on his family, as Kevin has been in and out of consciousness in the ICU, far from home.”

Kevin Sullivan GoFundMe Page

Nicole Sullivan set up the GoFundMe, which states that the funds raised would help cover medical expenses, transportation costs, occupational and physical therapy, and much-needed at-home nursing care.

Once the news of Sullivan’s situation reached the public, fans and those within the professional wrestling industry rushed to support The Taskmaster. At approximately 5 p.m. EST on July 5th, the campaign had only accumulated about $3,000. However, as of this writing, we’re proud to report that the campaign has well exceeded it’s goal, with over 220 supporters raising nearly $25,000 for the ring veteran.

Some of the biggest contributors to Kevin Sullivan’s GoFundMe came from top names in the wrestling industry. These included Jim Cornette, WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes, AEW’s FTW Champion Chris Jericho, former TNA Executive Scott D’Amore, and WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page.

We at SEScoops encourage all who can to donate to Kevin Sullivan’s GoFundMe campaign, which can be found here:

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SEScoops sends sincere wishes for good health to Kevin Sullivan and his family.

Kevin Sullivan has had a rough journey over the past several weeks and ‘The Taskmaster’ is getting a little help from fans and some major wrestling names.

Unfortunately, Sullivan was involved in a car accident back on May 12 while in Florida for an autograph signing. The aftermath was devastating but the hospital was able to save his leg and his life. However, Sullivan developed sepsis and encephalitis and in turn, has been hospitalized in ICU.

Sullivan has been in and out of conciousness, but ‘The Taskmaster’ keeps fighting on. His insurance plan has been nearly exhausted due to the ongoing expenses and his family has created a GoFundMe to help him and his family afford his recovery.

Not only did fans come out of the woodwork to help Kevin Sullivan, but a lot of big names in the pro wrestling world have too.

RELATED: Kevin Nash and Scott Hall Talk Unlikely nWo Backstage Influence

Jim Cornette and his wife Stacey donated $5,000 to the cause, Chris Jericho donated $2,500, Scott D’Amore donated $1,500, Cody Rhodes sent Sullivan $1,000 and so did Diamond Dallas Page. Norman Smiley also donated.

The original goal for the GoFundMe was $20,000, but with the help from his colleagues and wrestling fans, the donations are up to over $24,000.

The Sullivan family listed all that the money will go to in helping Kevin and it includes continued hospital expenses, skilled nursing care, acute and subacute occupational and physical therapy, recurring medical expenses and transportation.

You can still donate to Sullivan by going to The GoFundMe page.

We at SEScoops want to wish Kevin Sullivan a very speedy and healthy recovery from this unfortunate situation.

RELATED: Cody Rhodes Ensures Disabled Fan Attends Money in the Bank After Tickets Are Unfairly Revoked

AEW is apparently going through some changes, and that called for a big firing this week, one that left many in shock. Kevin Sullivan was fired from his position with Tony Khan’s company, and some are critical of this decision.

We previously reported that Kevin Sullivan was fired from AEW. Not to be confused with the wrestler Kevin Sullivan, AEW’s Sullivan joined AEW in October 2019, making him one of the organization’s most seasoned backstage figures. Prior to his time at AEW, he had an extensive background in the wrestling industry, having served as Vice President of Production and an executive producer during his tenure with IMPACT Wrestling.

Kevin Sullivan Departs AEW

In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer noted that Kevin Sullivan, who has been with AEW since they started the company, was fired in a surprising fashion. Nobody saw it coming, as Michael Mansury simply told Sullivan that they’re going in a new direction for 2024. Meltzer wrote:

“The story going around was Mansury told Sullivan that morning that they were moving in another direction in 2024.

Sullivan had no idea it was coming and was given no real explanation as to why, just that it was a Mansury decision.
People in the division didn’t even know that Mansury was Sullivan’s boss, noting that among those who worked in production that was never made clear.

The story in production is that nobody else was expected to be cut, but it was a team created by Sullivan so they are his guys.”

Tony Khan reportedly faced criticism within AEW due to a recent firing that surprised many in the company. Kevin Sullivan held the position of Vice President of Post Production, and his termination left people within AEW feeling shocked by the decision. Some wondered why Tony Khan didn’t step in and stop this from happening as well.

Kevin Sullivan had been with AEW since its early days, earning respect behind the scenes. He also had played a pivotal role in building the post-production team, primarily based in Nashville.

It appears that AEW is going to go in a different direction production-wise in 2024. They no longer needed Kevin Sullivan around to fulfill his duties. At this time, Sullivan’s firing is the only one that is expected, but he did leave a team of his curated guys behind in AEW.

What’s your take on AEW going in a different direction with production in 2024? How will that change things for fans watching at home? Let us know what you think by engaging on social media! 

Kevin Sullivan has explained the logic behind WCW’s decision to feature Goldberg versus Hulk Hogan for free on Monday Nitro. The two faced off on the July 6, 1998, episode of Nitro in a WCW Heavyweight Championship matchup. Goldberg defeated Hogan to claim the gold for the first time.

Speaking on his podcast, Taskmaster Talks, Sullivan stressed how the decision to have Goldberg win the belt on Nitro was “made by the corporate side of the business.”

“They were into merging with AOL and they wanted to have a show and tell so those people from the corporate side were in with AOL and they were looking to see if they would buy,” Sullivan explained. “They brought them to the wrestling and they saw that building full and they knew they had a winner.”

Kevin Sullivan: “They Left A Lot Of Money On The Table”

Sullivan stressed how the match was originally meant to take place on a WCW pay-per-view. He recalled J.J. Dillon informing him of WCW’s decision to have it on Nitro for free instead and how the call came from corporate. According to Sullivan, it left him in a state of disbelief.

“It was a corporate decision. They left a lot of money on the table on that one. It would have been a huge PPV,” Sullivan said. “The people would have paid money and would have seen a clean finish. They would have been salivating for the next one when Bill defended against any of the top NWO members.”

He listed several nWo members that could have subsequently feuded with Goldberg. From a rematch with Hogan, he also mentioned Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and even Scott Steiner as contenders against Goldberg.

Kevin Sullivan highlighted how WCW could have “gone down the line” and delivered an impressive 6-month run without “cute finishes.” As far as he’s concerned, “they blew a big year.”

Kevin Sullivan will be appearing on Jim Cornette’s podcast, Jim Cornette’s Drive-Thru, to give his perspective of Nancy Benoit’s story. He will also be interviewed about how the tragedy and its fallout have affected him.

Cornette announced the news during a recent episode of his show. He stressed how he wanted to give Sullivan a platform to address the situation. He believes that the recent episode of Dark Side of the Ring unintentionally painted Sullivan in a negative light. The show premiered with a two-hour special on the Benoit family tragedy.

“The glaring exception was Kevin Sullivan and because he was not there to tell his story, he came off badly, undeservedly so I thought because a lot of us in wrestling know a lot of the backgrounds and more of the personalities and more of the stories than just these knuckleheads that think they know everything on the internet.”

Kevin Sullivan’s Untold Story

Jim Cornette shared how he brought up this issue with the show’s producer Evan Husney and director Jason Eisener. According to Cornette, Kevin Sullivan’s absence from the show can be attributed to either miscommunication or a lack of communication between the parties. Cornette promised that this would be a topic of conversation between himself and Sullivan.

“He didn’t know what the thing was gonna be like and he didn’t know how big this thing was going to become and he didn’t want to upset Nancy’s parents, but anyway now that Evan and Jason was kind of feeling bad that his story was not in there and as both you and I talked, we thought that he undeservedly came off badly because he wasn’t there to talk and just one line saying ‘Kevin Sullivan declined to be interviewed for this show’ made it sound like he had something to hide or he was trying to protect himself, when in actuality it was lot of case it was the other way around.”

Cornette explained that he’s not doing the episode for a “big ratings deal.”

Instead, he hopes that everyone will listen with an open mind in order to hear Kevin Sullivan’s unheard side of the story.

“[…] that’s the one [story] that has not been told, of all of this, that’s the one that hasn’t been told because of Kevin’s desire basically not to hurt the family anymore than they’ve already hurt by all of this…”

Jim Ross has reflected on his discomfort at WCW’s decision to turn the real-life issues between Chris Benoit and Kevin Sullivan into an angle. Nancy Benoit had been married to Sullivan from 1992 to 1997. In 1997, WCW started an on-screen romance between Benoit and Nancy. They would eventually have a real-life affair.

“I thought their private life got way too public,” Ross said on his podcast, Grillin’ JR. “It became an angle, it became a storyline. As if we’re obligated to share our personal life and that should be voluntary, it should not be made a storyline out of.”

Ross continued, “I felt like making that, the marriage, the adultery, all this other stuff was simply unnecessary, we have to be more creative. Did we have to go there? I wasn’t really sure what was true in that whole deal and what wasn’t. In any event it made me uncomfortable.”

Dark Side of the Ring Season 2 premiered last night on VICE TV. It began with a two-hour special covering Benoit’s tragic story. Chris Jericho narrated the documentary. Alongside Chavo Guerrero, he was heavily involved with the process of helping the production put the episode together.

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Soon to be two-time WWE Hall of Famers Scott Hall and Kevin Nash recently appeared on Corey Graves’ After The Bell podcast. The former ‘Outsiders’ tag team were discussing the nWo faction on the show amid the group’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame in April.

Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Syxx, Hulk Hogan and ?

Hall and Nash are being inducted alongside Sean ‘Syxx’ Waltman and Hulk Hogan, two of the bigger members of the eventually inflated group (Hogan of course being the main star and initial leader). During the show Graves asked the pair who they would consider should be appearing with them on stage at the ceremony. Scott Hall mentioned Eric Bischoff, who has been a name brought up by fans and critics alike recently. Kevin Nash however had a more intriguing suggestion:

“Kevin Sullivan. Though this was Eric’s idea, Sullivan was the one that made sure… there’s always been this equation; that if you’re heels, in order for you to be successful…it’s like a hot air balloon. The more you ‘heat’ that balloon the higher it goes.”

Driving Force Behind The ‘Heat’

Nash elaborated further, confirming that Sullivan was one of the driving forces behind the nWo group keeping their ‘heat’ every week. “Sullivan just really battled day in day out to make sure that they didn’t take heat off us. Nobody got to the nWo. And so he [Sullivan] always books heat, his booking of that heat is what made the nWo.”

Scott Hall would then eco Nash’s thoughts, saying “I want to concur Corey. Kevin Sullivan, who I’m a huge fan of, it was like what we call back in the day like a heel Booker. I’m gonna pile on with what Kev said. We were hot coming in the door because we came off Vince’s [McMahon] TV. We were Razor [Ramon] and Diesel, and what are they doing here!? This is before [the] internet, this was before anybody had a cell phone. People thought it was real, people thought Vince sent us there to destroy WCW.”

The nWo will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this April as part of WrestleMania 36.

You can catch the After The Bell podcast every Thursday through Endeavour Audio.

Kevin Sullivan does not believe wrestling fans think Ring of Honor’s product is cool. He believes the roster is as talented as any he’s ever seen but he lacks faith in the promotion itself.

The 68-year-old former Dungeon of Doom leader was a guest on Interactive Wrestling Radio in May. Sullivan had plenty to say regarding his feelings towards Ring of Honor during the show.

Kevin Sullivan Interview Highlights

On the topic of Ring of Honor’s roster, Sullivan had this to say.

“Let me tell you about their talent. I’ve seen them all in my 40 years. Jay Lethal and Jay Briscoe matches are just as good as Funk and Brisco, Flair and Steamboat,” Sullivan said. These guys are just superb. They’ve got some great young talent. Dalton Castle? He’s a special talent. They get Cody [Rhodes] there. He’s a special talent and an influx of New Japan guys.”

Sullivan believes the only reason ROH broke their attendance record at Supercard of Honor this year is the event is held over WrestleMania weekend. He believes WWE draws the house for them in that situation.

“What are they going to do if they’re wrestling fans?” Sullivan asked out loud. “Of course, you’re going to go to the show! They haven’t drawn! Are you kidding me? What else would a wrestling fan do?”

Sullivan then described what he feels is definitive proof that ROH is not seen as cool by fans.

“I’ll give you why and I think this is the definite proof. Last Saturday, Ring of Honor was in Chicago with Cody and all of the boys, right? They drew 1,600 people. On Sunday, All In drew 11,000 people in 29 minutes and 31 seconds. What is wrong with this picture? People look at Ring of Honor and think it is uncool.”

What do you think of Kevin Sullivan’s comments about Ring of Honor?

Major League Wrestling has announced the first 4 participants for the July 19th, 2018 Battle Riot match. Not surprisingly, the sadistic Kevin Sullivan is among the first group of confirmed entrants.

MLW promises the winner of the match will earn a shot at the MLW World Championship currently held by Shane Strickland. Eliminations occur via pinfalls, submissions, or from being thrown over the top rope.

“A mash-up of a battle royal, royal rumble and anything goes street fight, this super-sized main event will feature 40 wrestlers with new participants entering the ring every 60 seconds.”

The match will be filmed for MLW’s weekly television series, “MLW Fusion” on BeIn Sports. The event will be held in Queens, NY at the Melrose Ballroom on July 19th, 2018.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qFDyPfyHM8

First Battle Riot Participants Announced

4 wrestlers have been confirmed for Battle Riot so far:

John Hennigan – the man known as Johnny Impact/Mundo/Hennigan/Nitro has been with the company since late last year. It’s a big summer for Johnny, who will also be a participant in the upcoming season of Survivor.

As Johnny Impact, he is also booked for Slammiversary on July 22nd, just 3 days after Battle Riot takes place. Hennigan will also be featured in the 4th season of Lucha Underground which premieres tomorrow on the El Rey Network.

Davey Boy Smith Jr. – One-half of the Killer Elite Squad, Smith debuted in the original Major League Wrestling 14 years ago. The original MLW formed out of the ashes of ECW but was only short-lived. Promotion owner, Court Bauer, would later be hired to work as a writer for WWE.

“Taskmaster” Kevin Sullivan – the man who once put together the alliance to end Hulkamania will be in an MLW ring on July 19th. With names like Sullivan, Col. Robert Parker, and Tony Schiavone, MLW likes to pay homage to the past. While Sullivan’s best days might be behind him, he was always ahead of his time, meaning he’s still got something to offer modern-day wrestling.

ACH – ACH has been a featured performer for MLW since its re-launch. The Dragonball Z fan will have his work cut out for him if he is to outlast 39 other participants, however.

MLW also stressed the following in regards to Battle Riot:

There will be surprises! There will be legends! There will be WTF entries! And there will be no disqualifications!

Roman Reigns is a hot topic of conversation in the professional wrestling world. Much of that discussion has to do with whether or not The Big Dog should turn heel or not.

Reigns is continuously pushed as the top babyface of the company, but the WWE Universe has been denying him for the past several years by booing him relentlessly.

Many WWE legends, such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, believe the time is now to turn Reigns heel. Add former WCW star Kevin Sullivan to that list.

He recently joined Interactive Wrestling Radio (IWR) and offered his thoughts on the Reigns situation. Here’s what he had to say:

“It is so easy. I think I could get him (Reigns) up and running in 8 weeks. To me, it doesn’t matter if they cheer him or boo him as long as it gets asses in seats. I used to think you could get a guy over just by pushing him. You can’t do that anymore. This is now. Wrestling fans are conasaursnow.

“Like the cigar days or the wine craze where everybody was a conasaur of wine. Now everybody is a conasaurs of wrestling and they’re not going to take you shoving people down their throat. I think this is a challenge that they think they’re going to win. I think they should cut their losses and turn him.” 

You can listen to Sullivan on Interactive Wrestling Radio by clicking this link here.

This year’s 2018 WWE Hall Of Fame class is complete. The inductees who will be honored the night prior to WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans are Goldberg, Mark Henry, The Dudley Boyz, Hillbilly Jim, Ivory, Jeff Jarrett, Warrior Award recipient Jarrius Robertson, and Celebrity Wing inductee Kid Rock. As with every year, WWE fans like to debate who has been snubbed from the honor for the past several years, and who got the call too soon before a more deserving candidate.

One name WWE fans bring up is none other than Kevin Sullivan; who has more than 50 years of experience in the business after his work with promotions such as CWF, NWA, and WCW. Sullivan was recently interviewed on the Pancakes And Powerslams Podcast to talk about several professional wrestling topics. He was asked about not yet being inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame. Sullivan divulged that he doesn’t think he’ll ever go into the Hall Of Fame because he never worked for WWE:

“No, because I didn’t work [in the WWE],” said Sullivan. “I don’t think that’s ever gonna happen, and I don’t blame them. They have their own company, and their own stars. Hey, I’m gonna be honest with you, probably my time has passed [and WWE] will never even think of that.”

You can listen to Sullivan’s interview on the Pancakes And Powerslams show by clicking this link here.

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

On the latest Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast, Kevin Sullivan joined the show to discuss the current WWE television product. Sullivan, best known for his role in WCW and booking during the nWo’s heydey, gave his thoughts on the current World Heavyweight Title feud between Roman Reigns and AJ Styles. Sullivan says he feels if WWE went back to their ‘Attitude Era’ ways, they could increase the quality of their programming.

Sullivan suggests the WWE creative team looks back at when Steve Austin and the New World Order were drawing the most money. Sullivan says the performances were more “real” during that time, and feels WWE should have their writers study their tape library.

‘The Taskmaster’ gave his thoughts on a recent episode of RAW, criticizing AJ Styles’ character during his interactions with Roman Reigns.

“I happen to watch the other night and I flipped RAW on and the second hour had just started and the kid from TNA, AJ Styles and Roman Reigns had an interview, and here is the World Champion, who looks like he is going to take Rock’s place eventually in the movies, and he’s a handsome kid with a lineage of drawing money, and here they are booing that guy,” Sullivan said. “But now here is AJ, a guy who has got beat twice already against a part timer – and I love Jericho – and they did the angle where his former friends came down and beat up Reigns and he said he didn’t know anything about it. This is wrestling, either run and help the guy, or run in and kick the s–t out of the guys beating him. What is he Switzerland? Is he neutral?”

Sullivan also feels WWE isn’t giving their wrestlers enough time in the ring on TV. “The matches don’t mean a thing, but they give these guys six minutes with their entrances when these guys are terrific athletes,” he said. You can listen to the entire podcast here.

– For whatever reason, a fan in attendance at the WWE Tribute To The Troops and SmackDown tapings in Jacksonville, Florida on Tuesday night had his Chris Jericho sign confiscated by security. Jericho ended up responding to a tweet about the fan having his sign taken away. He wrote the following basic response:

Haha really? https://t.co/BwwRLLeChT

— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) December 9, 2015

– This week’s edition of WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross’ “Ross Report” podcast features part two of his excellent interview with former WCW booker Kevin Sullivan. The official description for the episode, which you download right now at PodcastOne.com, reads as follows:

“Kevin Sullivan returns to talk about his booking days at WCW, Brock Lesnar, how he’d change today’s wrestling product, whether there’d be a Stone Cold Steve Austin if there hadn’t been a Brian Pillman, and the murder of his ex-wife Nancy Benoit & her son, and the suicide of her then husband, Chris Benoit.”

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On the next edition of MSL & Sullivan, the weekly podcast on MLWRadio.com, former WCW booker Kevin Sullivan brought up a previously unknown wrinkle to the complicated relationship that Hulk Hogan had with the company. In a passage sent out in advance (the episode goes up tomorrow, October 23rd), Sullivan is quoted as saying the following about legendary manager Jimmy Hart:

Besides him getting a payday from WCW, he was getting paid by Hulk. So I was inclined to use Jimmy because of the creative control. He wasn’t getting a percentage. He was getting a flat fee. Every January 1st or 2nd he got a check written to him. Six figures.

When co-host Mister Saint Laurent asked why Hogan put so much faith in Hart, Sullivan explained their relationship:

Out of all the people Hulk had, he felt more secure with Jimmy because Jimmy had no vices. I think it happened in Memphis when Hulk first got there. Jimmy probably got him rides and he would ride with Hulk. When you finished Memphis, you had to go to Louisville, which was a brutal ride. 380 or 400 miles. He would get him a ride. He knew the places, this was the deep south, this was Kentucky Fried Chicken, Jimmy would talk the guy into grilling Hulk a dozen chicken breasts. That kind of thing. I think it started from there.

Mexican wrestling legend and former WCW star Konnan recently spoke with Marc Madison of The News Hub about a number of topics. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.

On working with Kevin Sullivan: “It was excellent because Kevin was the one that had originally called me because Woman (Nancy Sullivan) was working at the time which you remember was his wife at the time. I think that she was the one that told him, ‘look, this Konnan’s I believe you can do something with him especially since you don’t have any Latino’s’. He called me and when I got there he really helped me out a lot. I was actually going to do a program with Hogan at one point for Mexico and the United States. I think what happened and I’m not sure, I have ask him about this and it is something that I want to ask him the next time I see him is, this is what I really think happened.

I got there and they really had big plans for me but I don’t think they thought I didn’t know how to wrestle the American style which Paul E made that same mistake. When I went in there, he put me in there with some American guy and we had some terrible match and I told Paul E, I don’t know how to wrestle American style. They think just because you speak English, that you could also wrestle the style and I think the same thing happened with Kevin. So I had to be deprogrammed. I had to learn how to wrestle American style. By the time, I learned I think my stock fell in their eyes. But Kevin was always like a mentor to me there.”

On the most underrated faction he was a part of in WCW: “I think the one that comes to mind is the Filthy Animals. Imagine this in the same faction. You had Torrie Wilson, Billy Kidman, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, Disco Inferno, Konnan and then for a while there we had Juventud (Guererra). So there is a lot of talent right there and they just didn’t do anything with us. The problem with WCW was and we all know and it’s been well documented and I know this is going to sound redundant but you had an owner that was a mark for the stars and the stars dictated what they wanted and they made sure that none of us got through. So none of us did, a lot of these guys had there to go to WWE. I give Vince credit for that.

Chris Jericho and Rey and (Chris) Benoit and Eddie had to leave WCW to become stars, would never had happened had they stayed. The funny thing about that group was I’ll tell you how it was formed. I had actually gone to Vince Russo who had just taken over and I said, ‘look, they’ve been burying us since before you got here and I don’t know if you have any plans to do anything with us but let me get a bunch of my friends, put us together and let us have fun and if you want bury us then at least we’ll be together and we’ll get buried together’. So I basically got a bunch of my friends which were the people I just named. Torrie was actually going out with Billy so we just brought her into the fold. That’s basically how the group came about. We did some angle where we buried Ric Flair in the desert, somewhere in Vegas I believe and nothing ever happened after that. We just knew they weren’t going to do anything but at least we were having fun being together.”

Check out the complete interview at The-NewsHub.com.

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David Arquette is a former WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Being a World Champion normally means you’re a big star. Vince Russo was a former World Champion. The Great Khali is a former World Heavyweight Champion. Just so we understand each other, these guys, in my opinion, are not among the biggest stars in the history of pro wrestling.

Do we understand the formula?

Today, we are going to look at five legends of the ring who were without a doubt top stars in their prime. At one point or another, each person on this list could be considered “the guy” in the business. All were top stars who reached Championship-level success at one time or another, however they all shared one key factor in common — they pretty much sucked in the ring.

A lot of people have different ideas of what a “good worker” really is. Generally speaking, if you’re in the business, a good worker is someone who can take the live crowd on an emotional journey. Most of the people on this list were able to do that, however if you’re a die-hard fan of the sport, you have a different opinion of what a “good worker” is. To those people, a good worker is someone who took the time to perfect the craft, the art and skill of what goes on inside the squared circle. Guys who have matches that are considered “match of the year” candidates. Guys who could have what die-hard fans call “five-star matches.”

That is who we are looking at today. Guys who by die-hard fan standards would be considered god-awful workers. Guys who couldn’t have a classic, five-star match to save their life, even if they’re able — usually due to star power and enthusiasm — to pop a crowd during a match.

With all of thr explanation out of the way, let’s take a look at who made the list of the top five biggest stars who weren’t good workers.

#5. Hulk Hogan

The guy knows how to have a classic match. His WrestleMania VI clash with Ultimate Warrior, who we’ll be talking about later, surprised many. Still, if you examine the match with your “worker” glasses on you’ll notice that it wasn’t exactly a catch-as-catch-can classic by any means.

It was a great match though in the sense that the crowd was totally invested. A lot of that had to do with the promotional build-up to the match and the characters involved. The same can be said for Hogan vs. The Rock at WrestleMania X8.

A Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat classic it was not.

But the response from the fans was about as passionate as things get. Hogan can have great matches when everything falls into place, but you can’t put just anybody in the ring with him and expect a great match. As far as his star-power is concerned, Hogan is one of — if not the biggest — stars in the history of the sport.

Hulk Hogan comes in at number five.

#4. Andre the Giant

Andre The Giant is one of the biggest and most recognizable stars in professional wrestling history. In his prime as a young wrestler he would come off of the top-rope, he could throw a pretty impressive dropkick and was a lot more agile than he became later in his career.

Most will remember the run Andre The Giant had in WWE in the 1980s, but prior to that he was actually a pretty solid in-ring worker. His most famous years, however, saw a number of rest-holds killing the majority of the time in his matches. It was almost a sure thing that there would be a few bear-hugs, nerve-grip holds and the ever-popular butt-smash in the corner spot.

So again, Andre wasn’t the best in-ring technician, but he was a huge star — literally — and could elicit a great reaction from the crowd from bell-to-bell when matched with the right guy.

Regardless, Andre comes in at number four.

#3. Kevin Nash

Outside of a few matches with Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, better known to WWE-exclusive fans as “Diesel,” rarely had a match above a two-star rating. He was one of the first workers to be labeled as a guy with “five moves of doom,” long before that torch was passed to John Cena.

However, Nash was a big ingredient in the pro wrestling explosion of the late 1990s. His move to WCW, which led to the formation of the nWo, was arguably the jumping-off point of the Monday Night Wars, which ultimately led to WWE’s “Attitude Era.” WWE was forced to switch gears and change the way they do business, and Nash, along with Scott Hall, were two key players at the root of all of these changes.

Despite his importance level in the business, his work level earns him the bronze medal as one of the biggest stars who wasn’t a “good worker.”

Continued on page two …

A lot of the factors in pro wrestling are subjective. Some people enjoy this, some people enjoy that. Some fans prefer a better in-ring technician, some like a strong promo guy and others enjoy a great character. No one is wrong, because it’s all personal preference.

Generally speaking, when an editorial features a list, it’s “the best of” or “the worst of.” Today, we are going to switch gears a bit.

In keeping with the subjective theme, today we are going to look at who I personally consider to be the five best factions in the history of the business. Not the five best, my five favorite. And I’ll explain why, starting with …

#5. The Varsity Club

Many of the current generation of wrestling fans may have never even heard of The Varsity Club. Growing up, they were one of my favorite wrestling stables.

The original group consisted of Kevin Sullivan, Mike Rotunda and Rick Steiner, all of which wore their amateur wrestling letterman jackets. The guys were among the most legitimate tough guys in the business at the time, and the group had the perception of being the baddest son of a bitches on the planet.

As is the case with any wrestling stable, as time went on the group was watered down. Members such as “Dr. Death” Steve Williams and “Dangerous” Dan Spivey were added to the mix, and before too long, the group ceased to exist. While they were around though, in my opinion, they were pretty damn cool.

#4. The Fabulous Freebirds

As far as I’m concerned any writer who doesn’t include The Fabulous Freebirds on their “top stables” or “top factions” lists should have their head examined. The Freebirds were as cool as it got when I was a youngster.

The group was led by Michael “P.S.” Hayes, a current WWE creative team member who is credited with introducing theme music to the ring-walk portion of the professional wrestling presentation. The group consisted of Hayes, Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy and Buddy Roberts. Roberts was considered a great in-ring technician, and prior to the Birds, had a lengthy career worthy of Hall Of Fame status. In fact, Roberts was part of the original “Hollywood Blondes” tag-team, a name that was later used for the team of “Stunning” Steve Austin and “Flyin'” Brian Pillman. Gordy was a legend in Japan and portrayed the “enforcer” role in the group. Hayes was a rock star and easily one of the most charismatic wrestlers of his time, if not of all-time.

Later on, Hayes and Jimmy “Jam” Garvin would bring back The Fabulous Freebirds as a straight tag-team act. How this group has yet to receive an induction into the WWE Hall Of Fame confuses me to this very day.

#3. D-Generation X

I’m of the belief that there is not a fan of North American professional wrestling that has not heard of D-Generation X. That would mean they did their jobs and left a lasting legacy in the business.

D-X consisted of Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Chyna and Rick Rude. When the group officially formed, you could make the argument that along with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, they officially ushered in the infamous “Attitude Era” in WWE. They did things for shock value at a time when Howard Stern, The Jerry Springer Show and many other shock-television style shows reigned supreme. It was a natural fit, and the group really cemented Triple H as a main event performer in WWE.

Later on, as is the case with every faction or stable in history, an attempt was made to get the gang back together, only this time — it worked. You could argue that the second version of D-X was actually more successful than the first. The second group featured Triple H as the leader instead of Michaels, and his group consisted of Chyna, Sean “X-Pac” Waltman, “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn and “The Road Dogg” Jesse James. Anyone who saw WWE RAW the night that D-X “invaded” WCW will never forget that moment. It was amazing entertainment and really symbolized the “Monday Night War” going on at the time between WWE and WCW.

D-X was brought back again in the 2000s as a straight tag-team act that featured the two original members — Triple H and Shawn Michaels. Personally, I didn’t enjoy that run nearly as much as their first run, but it was still a cool thing to see the two back together having fun.

Continued on page two …

Global Force Wrestling (GFW) issued the following …

Global Force Wrestling and KevinSullyTV team for a worldwide video marketing campaign fueled by the fans on social media outlets such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. With daily exclusive video content, fan engagement is high as Global Force Wrestling promotes the upcoming Wrestle Kingdom pay-per-view event set for Jan 4, 2015.

With over 100 videos and more than 240 different meme and print style adverts, the exclusive content slated for the campaign is more than any other major sporting event to date. This exclusive daily video content gives the fans something new and exciting every day, including the announcement that legendary Hall of Fame announcer, Jim Ross will call the action. Thus far the Wrestle Kingdom 9 campaign has made over 4 million impressions in the first 30 days.

“We have put together a stellar campaign that will attract fans around the world,” said Kevin Sullivan, President and Executive Producer at KevinSullyTV. “We wanted to create awareness through the power of ‘storytelling’ and engage the audience while keeping the message authentic and real.”

“This is a venture that has never been done in professional wrestling,” said Jeff Jarrett, CEO of Global Force Wrestling. “Daily on-demand docu-style content is truly where the future is heading. Understanding the audience and delivering what they want is what we strive to do.”
Global Force Wrestling and KevinSullyTV also created a 30 minute pre-show airing now for free at GFWWrestling YouTube channel giving the fans even more behind the scenes insight and never before scene interviews before the Jan 4 event. GFW cable and satellite partners will also be airing the pre-show leading up to the event, as well as the Flipps app.

“Global Force Wrestling Presents: New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 9” will air exclusively on pay-per-view in the United States live at 2 a.m. ET on Jan. 4, (4 p.m. in Tokyo). The four-hour telecast also will air in primetime in the United States at 7 p.m. ET on your pay-per-view provider, including Dish, AT&T U-verse, Comcast and Verizon. Fans can also watch via the Flipps app worldwide. Visit Flipps.com or download the app now.

On Sunday night, both Jeff and Karen Jarrett tweeted out a link to another “It’s Coming” teaser video for the new Jarrett pro wrestling promotion. Jeff tweeted the following:

Here it is…Another step! RT @karenjarrett: Another sneak peak of what’s to come! #ItsComing @eonline @kevinsullytv http://t.co/bh2Pf57Sk4

— Jeff Jarrett (@RealJeffJarrett) March 3, 2014

You can watch the clip above, or at Vimeo.com.

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