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PWINSIDER Q&A: HOGAN-BELZER, KAYFABE, KURT ANGLE, FOLEY-HBK AND MORE

Answered on 1/17

Hogan choking out Richard Belzer. I've only recently found out about it and watched the video on youtube. Was it all a work?

Here's what happened, to the best of my knowledge.  Comedian Richard Belzer was hosting a cable show and Hulk Hogan & Mr. T were on to promote Wrestlemania.  Belzer asked Hogan to demonstrate a hold, so he put Belzer in a front facelock.  Belzer went limp, playing up the move, and when Hogan released it, Belzer fell to the floor.  Belzer jumped right back up, turned to the camera and sent the show to commercial.  It was obviously just the two men playing around.  However, Belzer had hit his head on the floor, and was bleeding from the head as a result.  Belzer later filed a lawsuit over Hogan dropping him on the floor and the two sides settled out of court. 

Kinda related to the above question, how could anyone in the 80's still maintain kayfabe? Was it more by that point just a suspension of disbelief? Do you think there was one defining moment that did away with kayfabe?

It was definitely more a suspension of disbelief in the 80's, and the simple fact that those in the industry never admitted it was a worked business.  I guess there were (and still are) some that "believe" that it isn't a work, but obviously they aren't reading this website.  As for a defining moment, it would have to be in February of 1989 when WWF issued a statement to the New Jersey State Athletic Commission that wrestling was "an activity in which participants struggle hand-in-hand primarily for the purpose of providing entertainment to spectators rather than conducting a bona fide athletic contest."  This was ton because WWF was trying to get away from the heavy taxes that New Jersey was imposing on televised athletic competitions. 

With the state of the Women's division within the WWE, has their been any discussion of eliminating the Women's title altogether?

I have not heard of any talks of getting rid of the title.  Despite what you (or I) think of the state of the division, WWE likes having the title around, if for no other reason than as an excuse to put Divas on TV.

I've always wondered was Mick Foley supposed to go over HBK at the Mind Games PPV? I heard the plan was for him to get the title but Vince changed his mind mid way through the match. If it did happen why would he do something like this? I always thought the Mankind character at that time would have been a great heel champ at that time.

There absolutely was not any plans at all to put the World Title on Mick Foley at the Mind Games PPV.  Remember, Mind Games was a "minor" PPV, and the title match was really just another challenge for Shawn to build up his title reign.  It would be a few more years before Vince McMahon would come to the realization that Mick Foley could be champion.

Is it true that Kurt Angle's TNA-contract includes a stipulation, that guarantees him the NWA World Heavyweight Title within 12 months after his TNA-debut???

I don't know if TNA promised Angle a title reign when he came to the company, or if Angle even cares about such things.  However, I am fairly certain that Angle doesn't have it stipulated in his contract that he must win the belt.  If he does, then Angle needs to be told that the business is a work.

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