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Sonny was a WCW mainstay for many of the company's best years. Alongside stars like Kaz Hayashi and Ernest Miller, the evil Mr. Onoo made headlines in the arena. After he left, he made headlines outside of it for his discrimination suit against WCW. You've heard about it. Now hear from the man himself. Onoo talks to James Guttman about a ton of topics including the unfinished WCW angle he wished could have been completed, when the idea of the NWO was first discussed, Hogan and Bischoff in TNA, and tons more. For a full list of topics from Sonny's 36 minute ClubWWI.com shoot, head to: http://www.worldwrestlinginsanity.com/am2/publish/newsnotes/ClubWWI_Sonny_Onoo.shtml
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Sonny Onoo's story in wrestling is a unique one. After his WCW release, Onoo sued the company, citing the shrinking opportunities for minorities to succeed. Sonny's claims weren't just based on rumor and innuendo. He points to a number of things that former ClubWWI.com guest and then-WCW head writer Vince Russo did publicly to make that point clear. James Guttman mentions that Russo had said something on WCW Live, WCW's old web show, to that effect. Sonny says it was just one of many examples.
"As far as Russo goes, he said what he said. It's a matter of public record and, you know, anybody in a position of authority - at the time he was working for one of the largest entertainment companies in the world - just can't make a statement like that. Then, the company allowed him to follow up. That was the issue and the product was kind of obvious. He took all the Mexicans and all the Japanese off the table. I mean, that's just a matter of record. When he came in, Mexican and Japanese just disappeared."
Sonny and James go on to talk about how the wrestling business has become more corporate through the years, yet many backstage still act like it's a closed-door society. Onoo looks at the situation from a number of angles including AOL/Time Warner's place in WCW, what really killed the company, WWE going public, and more.
Another subject that comes up is Sonny's long time friendship with another former ClubWWI.com guest, Eric Bischoff. He talks about traveling the karate circuit with a young Eric and some of the discussions they had in WCW. Now, with Bischoff joining forces with Hulk Hogan in TNA, many have to wonder if a return to the four-sided ring may be in the cards for Mr. Onoo. Sonny then reveals that the possibility was there many years ago…and almost happened.
"Jeff Jarrett, when TNA at its inception many years ago, I had a meeting with Jeff to go work with them. I had a meeting with them in Vegas actually. We discussed where they were going and the possibility of me coming in and working with the company. There was conflict of a couple of things and that never materialized."
Onoo says that a WWE or even TNA run might not be so far off for him now, despite Vince Russo's spot in the company. He has a great deal of respect for Dixie Carter and the new wars that have been declared in wrestling.
"I don't know. I would love to go back and do something different. You know, revise my character and do something fun. It would certainly be fun. My youngest (son), who just turned 13, he's never seen me in that character aside from some videos. So it would certainly be exciting for him."
Sonny talks about the possibilities of the future, but also about the great moments from his past including conversations with Ernest Miller, working with Big Show before he was even in WCW, Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Kaz Hayashi, and tons more.
Remember, not only can you hear Sonny Onoo's brand new 36 minute shoot on ClubWWI.com, but you can hear over 200 more including: (in alphabetical order) Sivi Afi , Aaron Aguliera, Skandar Akbar, Brent Albright, Ole Anderson, Road Warrior Animal, Tony "T.L. Hopper" Anthony, Buff Bagwell, Doug Basham, Paul Bearer, Giant Bernard, Big Daddy V, Eric Bischoff, Steve Blackman, Brian Blair, Tully Blanchard, Nick Bockwinkel, "The Boogeyman" Marty Wright, Bad News Brown, D-Lo Brown, "Jumping" Jim Brunzell, Mike "Simon Dean" Bucci, Bull Buchanan, Lance Cade , Christian, John Cena Sr., Chaz "Headbanger Mosh" , Bryan "Adam Bomb" Clark, Rob Conway, Jim Cornette, Justin Credible, D-Ray 3000, Scott D'Amore , Christopher Daniels, Shawn Daivari, Dangerous Danny Davis, Dawn Marie, Damian Demento, Colin Delaney, Brother Devon, Demolition Ax, Demolition Smash, Bill DeMott, Ted DiBiase, J.J. Dillon, Nick "Eugene" Dinsmore, Disco Inferno, Spike Dudley, Hacksaw Jim Duggan , Kenny Dykstra, Bobby Eaton, Paul Ellering, Armando Estrada,, Manny Fernandez , Francine, Mr. Fuji, Dory Funk Jr., Terry Funk, Ronnie Garvin ,Jackie Gayda, Glacier, Sylvain Grenier, Tod Gordon, Zach Gowen, Juventud Guerrera, Chalie Haas, Chris Harris , Bruce Hart , Jimmy Hart, Diva Search's Jessica Hatch, Dave Hebner, Earl Hebner, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, Jon Heidenreich, Christy Hemme, Hillbilly Jim, Molly Holly , The Honky Tonk Man, Tim Horner , Scotty 2 Hotty, Sam Houston, Mr. Hughes, The Iron Sheik, Ivory, B.G. James, Jazz, Ahmed Johnson, Judge Jeff Jones, Orlando Jordan, Kamala, Kid Kash, Kevin Kelly, Pat "Simon Diamond" Kenney, Ron Killings, Cpl. Kirschner, Kizarny, Kevin Kleinrock, Brian Knobbs, Ivan Koloff, Nikita Koloff,, Bobby Lashley, Bruno "Harvey Wippleman" Lauer, Jerry "The King" Lawler, "The Total Package" Lex Luger, Buschwhacker Luke, Rodney Mack, Magnum T.A. , Balls Mahoney, Rick Martel, Clarence Mason , "Masterpiece" Chris Masters, Robbie McAllister, Rory McAllister, Matt Morgan, Ernest Miller, Missing Link, Father James Mitchell, Mo From Men on a Mission , Sean Mooney, Ricky Morton, Trevor Murdoch, Kevin Nash, Nidia, Nunzio, One Man Gang, Sonny Onoo, Paul "Mr. Wonderful" Orndorff, Oscar From Men on a Mission , Fred "Typhoon/Tugboat/Shockmaster" Ottman, Pierre-Carl Ouellet, Outback Jack, Diamond Dallas Page, Ken Patera, Jim Powers, Tom Prichard, Harley Race, Baron Von Raschke, "The Yeti" Ron Reis , Rhino, Dustin Rhodes, Tommy Rich, Rikishi, Paul Roma, "Super Hero in Training" Rosie, Jacques Rougeau, Terri Runnels, Lance Russell, Samoa Joe, Bruno Sammartino, Samu, Tito Santana, Dan "The Beast" Severn, Ron Simmons, Elix Skipper, Slick, Tracey Smothers, Al Snow, Sim "Deuce" Snuka, Dennis Stamp, George "The Animal" Steele, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner, Idol Stevens, The Stro, AJ Styles, Dave "Evad" Sullivan, Kevin Sullivan, Dave Taylor, Sylvester Terkay, ECW's Tiffany, Too Cold Scorpio, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, Jimmy Valiant, Johnny Valiant, Jesse "The Body" Ventura, Sid Vicious, Vito, Nikolai Volkoff, Koko B. Ware, Erik Watts, Steve "Dr. Death" Williams, David Young, Mae Young , Larry Zybszko, and More.
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