WWE Daily

The following is posted on Mick Foley’s Myspace account:

Misawa
I was really stunned to hear of the death of Misawa. At first we heard the death was a heart attack, and, as tragic as that would have been, there at least seemed be a rationale to such a death. I had heard that he’d been under incredible pressure over the last couple of years. But to hear of a death inside the ring was difficult to digest, because it’s obviously something that could have happened to any one of us - especially to someone who took so much physical punishment for so long. I always regretted that Misawa was the one top guy I didn’t get a chance to wrestle with when I was on my lone All-Japan tour in 1991 - never more so than today.

I will have plenty to talk about in the next couple of weeks. But for now, I just wanted to share those brief thoughts on one of the true all-time greats.

-Slam Wrestling reports that Billy Red Lyons died Monday after a long battle with cancer.

CM punk pay tribute to the late legendary Mitsuharu Misawa on tonight’s Monday Night Raw. As you can clearly see, CM Punk wrote Misawa’s name on his left wrist tape as he was walking down the cat walk to enter the ring.

-John Laurinaitis, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent Relations has released this statement on the passing of Mitsuharu Misawa:

Wrestling legend Mitsuharu Misawa passes

“On behalf of WWE, we were deeply saddened to hear of the tragic loss of Mitsuharu Misawa. We extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends and fans. Misawa will be remembered as one of the all-time greats in Japan.”

Laurinaitis worked with Misawa in the 1990’s in Pro Wrestling NOAH.

-More details on the death of Mitsuharu Misawa:

Mike Aldren of the Wrestling Globe Newsletter is reporting Misawa took the suplex at around 8:45 PM JST. The referee asked him if he could move, he responded by saying no and lost consciousness a few seconds later. The match was stopped just after the twenty-seven minute mark and Pro Wrestling NOAH officials came into the ring.

A doctor was brought in from the crowd and he tried a heart massage on Misawa (something that was performed on Owen Hart after his tragic fall). According to Aldren, Misawa had stopped breathing by that point and the massage brought back his pulse. He was rushed to a hospital and officially pronounced dead at 10:10 PM JST.

-Friends over on Gerweck.net has an $5 off voucher for this coming TNA Slammiversary pay per view being held at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan.. You get the voucher here.

-Jim Ross has posted the following on his JRSBARBQ.com website. Here are a few highlights:

JR Remembers Misawa : Mitsuharu Misawa was never an acquaintance of mine but I felt like I knew him from watching many of his DVD’s which were usually with men that I did know. Misawa was arguably the best in ring performer in the world in his prime. First of all, Misawa knew how to wrestle and how to wrestle physically. The fundamentals had been drilled into this legend as a young man who went on to become a Japanese National Amateur Champion. Several things stood out to me about Misawa. In addition to be a physical, fundamentally sound athlete, timing and toughness were two of his greatest attributes. Great timing is a gift that largely can’t be taught. It’s like ring psychology. Some of it can be taught but mostly it must be a learned trait and some people are in the business for years and never learn great timing or main event level ring psychology. Toughness is another trait that can be nurtured but generally can’t be taught. Misawa was naturally tough and it showed. And his fans loved him for it. They also loved his passion and the emotional ride on which he would take them. That’s what pro wrestling is, selling emotion.

JR Comments on Umaga’s Release: I haven’t commented much on the Umaga situation here but I have addressed that matter and many similar issues in the Q&A section. Nonetheless, I have been asked what is next for Umaga? I don’t have an answer as the man himself is the only one who can provide that info. I do hope that Umaga takes the time to carefully think things through and to evaluate all aspects of his life and not just his wrestling career. Umaga has been blessed with many athletic skills but nothing compares to the blessings of having a wonderful family which has to come first in any of our major decisions.

Read the complete entry here.

The SUN.UK has released an photo of legendary japanese wrestler Mitsuharu Misawa, after he collapsed in the ring. during an Pro Wrestluing NOAH Match in Hiroshima, Japan Saturday night. You an see the photo here.

Misawa has taken this move thousands of times, an routine back suplex but this time he remained motionless in the ring.

He was then stretcher to the ambulance, then he was declared dead at 10:10PM at an nearby local hospital Saturday night.

WWEDaily is truly sadden by the outcome and wishes the Misawa family our condolences.

WWE Daily has learned the passing an japanese legendary and founder of Pro Wrestling NOAH Mitsuharu Misawa, he collapsed in the ring following an “routine” belly to back suplex.

Th crowd, realized something went wrong went silent then began chanting Misawa’s name. It is believe that Misawa suffered from an heart attack following the move. EMTS attempted to revive him in the ring via AED in the ring and he was rushed out to an ambulance.

It is being reported that Misawa passed away at 10:10PM. There is an possible chance that he passed away before hand in the ring, but that is what reprots say.

PWInisder has more on the story, here.

Visitation for the Former WWF maganer John Tolos will be on June 3rd at the Crawford Mortuary located on 8717 Tampa Avenue in Northridge, California. Visitstion hours are between 5pm to 8pm. Call if you need direction: 282-349-9701.

The memorial service will be held on June 4th at St. Nicolas Greek Orthodox Church at 10 AM. Located at 9501 Balboa Blvd, Northridge, CA 91325

Also if anyone would like to send John’s son Chris a sympathy card, here is his address:
Chris Tolos - 23012 Bigler Street, Woodland Hills, CA. 91364-2705

John Tolos, who passed away on May 28 at the age of 78.

A legendary rough and rugged superstar who hailed from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, he and his brother Chris entered the then World Wide Wrestling Federation, and the Tolos Brothers captured the United States Tag Team Championship from Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski.

Tolos entered the WWWF as a singles competitor in the early 1970’s and had a series of matches with WWWF Champion Pedro Morales in New York’s Madison Square Garden.

One of Tolos’ longest running feuds was with his arch rival WWE Hall of Famer Classy Freddie Blassie. Their battles were epic in every sense of the word, and one in particular in 1971 drew an enormous crowd to the Los Angeles Coliseum. Tolos was a mainstay in the Los Angeles area for over a decade.

In his later active years, Tolos returned to WWE in 1991. He called himself “Coach”, complete with whistle, and was a manager to WWE Hall of Famer “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig, in addition to the Beverly Brothers.

Jim Ross has posted his week-end thoughts from the World Wrestling Entertainment world on which he resides in on his personal website.

Here are a few highlights:

Remembering the tragic death of Owen Hart:Today, May 23, is the 10th Anniversary of the death of Owen Hart. Owen died accidentally when a faulty harness malfunctioned while he was making an entrance from the rafters of Kansas City’s Kemper Arena. The PPV event, Over the Edge, is one that I have never watched….since that night a decade ago. I have always said that if I ever write a book about my career in the wrestling biz turned sports entertainment biz turned entertainment biz that I would likely watch Over the Edge so I could adequately address what effect that day had on my life and how I truly felt during those gut wrenching hours. I do remember that I had less than a minute to prepare for an on camera to tell our viewing audience that Owen had died. That wasn’t an easy assignment. I could not repeat what I said on that evening today if you held a gun to my head. I have blocked so much of that entire day out of my memory that it all seems like a blur to me today. I do know that if I watch the show again that all those memories will rush back and at that time I will write down my thoughts but until that day comes this PPV will never be viewed in my home.

As so many have accurately stated on many occasions, Owen Hart was a wonderful human being. Not only an extremely talented, perhaps underrated wrestler, but a loving husband, father, son, and brother. Plus, he was quite the character.

As the head of WWE Talent once upon a time, I had to have a “sit down” with a wrestler before a live TV show I was going to broadcast about the individual’s alleged drug use. I recall the rumor was that this person was allegedly using cocaine. Nonetheless the word of the meeting spread almost immediately amongst the wrestlers, imagine that (telephone, telegraph, tell a wrestler) and of course word got back to Owen. So later that day he purposely and literally ran into me in the hall way in the locker room area as I was walking with my head down looking at some notes for that night’s broadcast. When our bodies collided I looked up and saw it was Owen and he had taken powdered sugar off a donut and put an ample amount of it all under his nose and his eyes were barely open as if he was severely impaired. At that exact moment I did not think it was too funny, but within seconds and after he burst out laughing I easily found the humor in his stunt and it actually allowed me to release some of the stress that I was feeling from the previous “sit down.”

I also remember Owen driving a rental car from the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh across the street to the downtown Marriott in a vehicle that included Owen, Bret Hart, my wife Jan, me and someone else that I can’t recall. Bret was in a hurry to return to the hotel and Owen purposely missed every turn to get us to the Marriott and what should have been a 5 minute, or less, trip took approximately 30 minutes and at the end of the journey I thought Bret was going to assault his younger, prank playing brother. Owen would miss a turn, pass a church or something that resembled a church and then would invoke in the name of Clarke W. Griswold from the film “European Vacation”…. “Hey, look kids….Big Ben!” Owen had the ability to take a 5 minute, mundane drive and turn it into a 30 minute odyssey that was filled with laugher. At least for most of us.

Owen was also thrifty and instead of staying at hotel on the road he often times stayed with fans in their homes. He would sleep on the couch or in the spare bedroom of these fans and save the money for lodging and often times food as well. Some of those stories of “sleep overs” at the home of wrestling fans are classically hilarious. The “ribs” Owen played on is “hosts” are worthy of a movie script.

Owen and I also formed a broadcast team on a South African broadcast emanating from Sun City, South Africa in the late 90’s. I would love to watch that one again as Owen was excellent as a color analyst.

I miss you Owen and I hope that you have stayed on the good side of God with all those practical jokes that I know you are playing in Heaven.

Read the complete blog here.

Visit…The Owen Hart Foundation

This passed Saturday, May 23 is the tenth anniversary of the tragic death of Owen Hart. WWE Diva Natalya remembers that day very well. Here she has posted her thoughts on the anniversary of Owens death on WWE Universe:

Today is a really special day, as it marks the tenth anniversary of my uncle Owen’s passing.

Owen reminds me that there really is so much to be thankful for and so much beauty in the world.

-”Playboy Buddy Rose” Paul R. Perschmann died Tuesday in his Vancouver home, he was 56. The medical examiner said his death was from natural causes. Although Rose was know for his enormous size of over 300 lbs, Rose slimmed down to an 217lbs. For more information.

-Wrestling Daily has classic photos of former WWE Diva Torrie Wilson.

-See photos of former WWF Diva Ivory , go here.

The following is from Howard Finkel’s WWE Universe blog.

When I came into my office this morning here at wwe.com, I received an e-mail informing me of the passing yesterday of Playboy Buddy Rose, at the way too young age of 56. Now I know that a lot of you probably are unaware of this individual from a standpoint of prominence and performance, but for those of you who do remember, the Playboy was one of a kind.

He flaunted his lifestyle when he entered WWE rings in 1982. If it was wine, women, and song, the Playboy was right there, and he knew how to tug on the emotional strings of our fans back then. And his body composition was the exact opposite of what a playboy should look like; that definitely was a key to his getting over with our fans from a “negatively positive” standpoint.

Yet in the ring, he could move with the best of them. Deceivingly quick and cat like, Rose could go toe to toe with the best of them. His first meeting against Bob Backlund in Madison Square Garden even had my jaw dropping in amazement. This man gave the then WWE Champion a run for his money, in addition to the great Pedro Morales, and others as well. And the night that Buddy faced Bob for the first time in MSG, there were two of the Playboy’s fine ladies by his side, accompanying him. They wore top hats, tuxes, and tails, pretty classy. One of those ladies was a very young Sensational Sherri Martel, who of course would go on to manage the Playboy and Doug Summers in the AWA in 1986.

When Buddy returned back to WWE around 1990, he was carrying a little more “excess baggage” around his midsection, and he took that supposed “handicap” and capitalized on that as well. Remember the Blow Away Diet? He was the subject. And in the ring, I would introduce him at his weight of 317 pounds, to which he would come up to me, as cool as a cucumber, take the microphone from me, and say: “Correction. Tonight I weigh in at a slim and trim 217 pounds.” Boy, did he ever get booed for that. But that was the secret to his success. He knew what his role was, and he always seemed to press the right buttons to make himself a most unique character that stood out from the rest of the pack.

Playboy Buddy Rose was one of my favorites, and I’m saddened by the fact that he had to leave us so soon. Godspeed my friend, and the “wrestling arena up above” will now be welcoming one heck of a performer!!!

Playboy Buddy Rose (Paul Perschmann), one of the most unique individuals ever to compete inside the squared circle, passed away April 28 in Portland, Ore., at the age of 56.

At this time, cause of death is known, though he told people that he had been having blood sugar issues with his diabetes.

During the 1990’s Rose returned to the WWE Formerly known as the WWF, and gained even more notoriety by humorously promoting a product known as the “Blow Away Diet.” And despite his even bigger girth of being 317 pounds at that time, Rose would correct the ring announcement of his weight, adamantly saying that he was a “slim, trim 217 lbs.”Watch the video below:

Buddy Rose Blow Away Diet

The following is from Mick Foley’s Myspace account:

Wish I’d called
I had a really great weekend, and planned to share some of it with all of you, and maybe even tease a little bit of upcoming “Impact” for you.

I got home around midnight, and was looking around a drawer for something - a pen, a piece of paper, I guess it doesn’t matter. I ended up finding a folded piece of paper with some phone numbers on it - which is usually what I do with my phone messages. Fold them up, put them somewhere, answer them sometime. Except that this paper had a number that I never got around to calling. It was a call from Andrew Martin.

I once told Test that if I didn’t like him I wouldn’t waste time in my books ribbing him. He knew I liked him, and he was actually one of the few guys I kept in semi-regular touch with when I wasn’t regularly around the business. The calls never seemed that important - he’d tell me he had to “take a Foley” and I’d tell him to make sure to “wipe your Test”. But before he hung up, he’d always say “bye buddy”. Looking at that number on the folded piece of paper now, I sure wish I could have heard him say it one more time.