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PWINSIDER Q&A: WWF ON WWE SHOWS, ECW, DYNAMITE KID AND MORE

I read a question on one of your earlier Q&A's about something called ' The Mass Transit incident'. Could you fill me in on what exactly that was and how it happened?

Here's the short version.  ECW had a show in Revere, Massachusetts in November of 1996 with D-Von Dudley & Axl Rotten vs. The Gangstas as one of the planned matches.  Axl couldn't make the event, so a local wrestler named Mass Transit (real name Eric Kulas, he did a Bus Driver gimmick) who was backstage was put into the match.  He, and his father who was with him, lied to the promotion about his age (he was 17, and claimed to be 19) and actually had false documentation to back up his claim.  He was asked if he would have a problem bleeding in the match, and he said no.  He then went to New Jack and asked New Jack to "gig" him, as he didn't know how to blade himself.  During the match, New Jack, rather carelessly, bladed him and he bled a lot.  A real lot.  However, Mass Transit still got up and assisted Mustafa in bodyslamming him to set up the finish of the bout.  In the back, Transit was in good spirits about his performance.  However, he later pressed charges and filed a lawsuit against New Jack and ECW for the incident. New Jack was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and found not guilty in criminal court.  A civil lawsuit was defeated when a jury heard that Kulas had asked New Jack to blade him during the match. Kulas died on May 12, 2002 following surgery complications, believed to be related to a gastric bypass operation.

I was wondering, on WWE dvd's and on hall of fame inductions, does Vince remind some of the legends not to say WWF? If you remember, Piper said WWF at Mania 21 but they edited it for the video release. A lot of the old timers still refer to it as WWF in shoots so does Vince just make sure they don't say it? Same with referring to Benoit?

Yes, the legends are told prior to the Hall Of Fame to avoid saying WWF during their speeches.  If it slips through, WWE will make the edit, but obviously they would prefer to just avoid it being said at all.  As for referring to Chris Benoit, obviously WWE does not make reference to him on shows.  Ric Flair mentioned him during his Hall Of Fame speech, and it was edited off the DVD version.

Now that ECW is a shell of its former greatness, has there been any consideration by the WWE of dropping the ECW name and renaming it something else?

None that I have heard of.  ECW is a name that WWE owns, and has a certain recognition factor, so they are using it.  At this point, with well over two years invested in the new brand, I don't see them changing it.

How long was the Dynamite Kid in the WWF, from start to finish? Was he out of the federation by the time Davey Boy Smith started wrestling singles matches, or did he hang on for a while?

Dynamite Kid wrestled his famous Madison Square Garden match against Tiger Mask in 1982, but he actually didn't start wrestling full-time for the company until 1984.  He actually started out working singles matches, and then the company brought in Davey Boy Smith in 1985.  The British Bulldogs had their WWF run last until Survivor Series 1988, which was Dynamite's last match for the company.  Smith would return two years later for his first WWF singles run. 

Have you heard of the WWE producing a movie on the life & career of the Fabulous Moolah (Lillian Ellison)?

I have not heard of any plans for a film based on the life of Moolah.

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