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PWINSIDER Q & A: DID WCW CAUSE ITS OWN DOWNFALL, WWE VS. ECW ON TNN, AUSTIN'S HEAT ARMANDO'S DROPPED BALL AND MORE

Having read on PWInsider.com that there 99.9999% chance that Austin vs. Hogan will never happen due in part to heat earlier in Austin's WCW career, I was curious to who else Austin holds a grudge against from those days. I saw a promo he cut in ECW where on top of impersonating Hogan, he also ripped into Dusty Rhodes, Eric Bischoff and Eric Watts. Does Austin still hold a grudge against those three? Is there anyone else he will not work with due to issues earlier in his career in WCW or other Indies?

At this point, who Austin will work with is kind of a moot point since his body can't handle wrestling more than an occasional match, if that.  His heat in WCW was largely against those who held him back, didn't respect him or got pushes that they didn't deserve because of who they were friends with.  That covers the people mentioned above in his mind.  I also know he is not fond of Jeff Jarrett, stemming back to their days together working in the USWA where Jarrett's father ran the promotion.  At this point though it really doesn't matter.  His career is pretty much over and all he really has left in him is novelty matches.

Has WWE dropped the ball with Armando Estrada? I know he's got a decent role as ECW's GM, but it doesn't seem like he's really allowed to do much on the show, and could be doing so much more. After accidentally getting over so big in the beginning, it doesn't seem like they've allowed him to recapture that momentum.

I think they could definitely be doing more with him than they are but on the other hand, after a while he kind of came off as a one trick pony, doing the same schtick over and over again.  I think they could get more out of him if they developed his character past where they have him now.  It's just a matter of them committing to do so.

Here's a two-part question. I've read on this site that USA Network Head Honcho Bonnie Hammer was around for both of WWE's stints on the network and she was very instrumental with their success. So that prompted me to think whether or not the same person who's the head of Spike TV was in charge back when the network was called TNN? If the answer is "yes", then did he or she feel that TNA is/was a better wrestling product than the original ECW at that the time? I seemed to recall from the "Rise and Fall of ECW" DVD that Paul Heyman said TNN did all they could to bury it upon its debut.

I don't remember who was in charge of TNN back when they signed ECW, and later WWE, but I can tell you that the network definitely viewed the WWF as a Cadillac and saw ECW as an AMC Pacer (and old, OLD car for those who don't know).  This was very clear in the terms that the sides got when they signed on.  ECW actually lost money being on TV because they didn't get production checks for their shows from TNN and they had to up the look of their show per the contract.  I forget the figures but it cost them tens of thousands of dollars weekly to improve their production values just so that they could air on TNN.  The hope was that the increased exposure would lead to more tickets and PPVs sold.

WWE on the other hand got a massive, $550,000 a week check to produce Raw and their other shows when they jumped from USA.  In the end, it came down to WWE being the established brand and TNN needed them, while ECW was the upstart who TNN felt needed to be on their network.  Heyman definitely feels that TNN did all that they could to bury ECW.  One thing he can point to to prove that is that they signed a deal with WWE while they were airing ECW.  They made it really clear how they felt about ECW then.

First off let me say the site is awesome guys! Now my question: Out of all the Japanese wrestlers who have wrestled for major promotions in the United States, who has been the most successful one in America? I believe it is either Great Muta or Jushin Liger, what do you think?

I would go with Muta.  He had a very good run in WCW and his character was such that it didn't matter that he didn't speak English.  He was still able to get over.

Do you believe WCW was their own poison to themselves being no more? Do you think WWE will bring back in the future any likeness of WCW at all? Brand, PPV reunion show, T-Shirts or DVDS?

The people in charge at WCW over the last five years of its existence were absolutely responsible for its demise.  From the ridiculous deals they gave talent, to the often awful booking, to the ridiculous mismanagement of the company, and of course the overspending and heinous lack of any sense where money was concerned , this was a company that was run into the ground by greedy, overwhelmed and downright stupid people.  There was so many people in WCW that were just taking whatever they could out of it that in the end, they killed their cash cow.

At this point, I don't see WCW bringing back WCW in any significant way.  What is the point?  It's a company that died seven years ago.  What is there to bring back, really?  It's totally in the past.

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