Benoit Was Teacher, Friend To Punk
By Mike Mooneyham July 22, 2007 It could have been the highlight of his career. But the match never happened. CM Punk was scheduled to face Chris Benoit for the vacated ECW world title on the evening of June 24 at WWE’s Vengeance pay-per-view in Houston. Benoit, of course, never showed. The following night Punk [...]
Benoit Tragedy Mars Year
By Mike Mooneyham Dec. 30, 2007 The pro wrestling industry will not soon forget 2007. Never before in the history of the business has one story garnered such mainstream attention as the Chris Benoit double murder-suicide in late June. It was a gruesome, grisly tragedy that far transcended professional wrestling, yet its link to the [...]
Luger Puts Famous Face On Addiction
By Mike Mooneyham Dec. 23, 2007 America’s addiction to performance enhancement is one of the big stories coming out of 2007. And nowhere is that reflection greater than in professional sports. The Barry Bonds debate, the George Mitchell opus, athletes shooting up with steroids and human growth hormone. The epidemic continues to sweep through American [...]
Jury Still Out On Jericho
By Mike Mooneyham Dec. 16, 2007 The jury is still out on the return of Chris Jericho, but tonight’s Armageddon pay-per-view could play a big role in determining exactly where his push leads. WWE brought back Jericho last month in a move the company hoped would help fill the void created when its top star, [...]
Decision To Pull Flair Riles Fans
By Mike Mooneyham Dec. 9, 2007 The formula was to have been fairly simple for last week’s Monday Night Raw at the North Charleston Coliseum. Ric Flair, the greatest performer in the history of the business, would make his first live local wrestling appearance in more than three years. The moment would be even sweeter [...]
Mr. Kennedy Endures Pitfalls
By Mike Mooneyham Dec. 2, 2007 For a guy who’s destined for stardom, Ken Kennedy has had more than his share of ups and downs. There’s no argument that the charismatic heel known as “Mr. Kennedy” is a top-tier player in WWE. But injuries and suspensions have come at the worst possible times for the [...]
Book chronicles Batista’s highs and lows
By Mike Mooneyham Nov. 25, 2007 Batista is enjoying the view from his enviable position atop the wrestling world. He’s the WWE world heavyweight champion, is coming off a pair of monumental victories over The Undertaker at recent pay-per-views and is one of the biggest names in the sports entertainment industry. But it wasn’t always [...]
Moolah Enjoyed Fabulous Career
By Mike Mooneyham Nov. 18, 2007 For as long as I can remember, Mary Lillian Ellison has been “one of us.” Born in the small Kershaw County town of Tookiedoo, and living most of her life in Columbia, she was as much a part of the state as the palmetto trees that line its landscape [...]
Dreams Come True In Jericho’s ‘Lion’s Tale’
By Mike Mooneyham Oct. 28, 2007 Chris Jericho wasn’t sure if he would ever wrestle again after abruptly leaving the business two years ago to pursue other interests. That, however, was before he wrote “A Lion’s Tale: Around the World in Spandex,” which was released Thursday and already is climbing the charts at breakneck speed. [...]
Couple Turns Down WWE Offer
By Mike Mooneyham Oct. 21, 2007 Many aspiring young wrestlers would sell their souls for a shot at the big time. The chance to go to New York, sign a contract and appear in sold-out arenas and on national TV is an accomplishment the majority of wannabe grapplers will never experience. Most performers who call [...]