Radio WWF (partially found professional wrestling radio show; 1993-1994; late 1990s-2000): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 22:50, 13 January 2022

Gorilla Monsoon and Jim Ross providing commentary for the 1993 Summerslam.

Status: Lost

Radio WWF is a professional wrestling radio show. Produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE), it provided commentary for its pay-per-views, and discussed news surrounding the wrestling industry as a whole.

Background

In September 1993, the WWF started promoting a radio show that according to owner Vince McMahon, would enable fans to interact and ask unfiltered questions to the company's wrestling personalities.^[1] Entitled Radio WWF, the main host was wrestling commentator Jim Ross. The show would not only provide alternative commentary for pay-per-view events, but was also novel in that it discussed current events in the WWF and in the wrestling industry overall. For instance, the show reported the scissors fracas that occurred between WCW wrestlers Arn Anderson and Sid Vicious, which resulted in the latter being fired from the organisation.^[2]

At the 1993 Summerslam pay-per-view, Ross and Gorilla Monsoon provided alternative commentary for the show, with the show also being briefly promoted during the television broadcast.^[3] By 25th September, Johnny Polo, better known as Raven, took over as regular co-host from Monsoon.^[4] Nevertheless, Monsoon and Ross were also known to have provided alternative commentary for the 1993 Survivor Series event, although they switched over to the television broadcast with McMahon and Bobby Heenan taking over midway through.^[5] It is also possible that Radio WWF lasted long enough to cover the 1994 Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania X too.^[6]

Additionally, a segment on the 16th October 1993 edition gained infamy, featuring Randy Savage discussing Hulk Hogan. Savage made various comments surrounding Hogan's personal life, including steroid usage and his acting career, while also accusing Hogan of causing him and wife Miss Elizabeth to divorce in 1990 because Hogan had flirted with Elizabeth. It has led to discussion on whether the interview ended up being a shoot or a work, although according to the 25th October 1993 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Ross and Polo may have known in advance since they hyped the interview as saying that "Savage was going to make waves", with Ross asking leading questions to him.^[7]

Cancellation and Late 1990s Revival

At some point, Ross would be replaced as host by McMahon himself, with the fan questions now being screened in advance. Ultimately, the original show was cancelled primarily because it was unable to attract enough stations to carry it.^[8] Nevertheless, it did make a return in the late-1990s as an Armed Forces Network show, enabling those serving within the US military worldwide to be informed of the latest events surrounding wrestling.^[9] Radio WWF carried on until at least the 2000 Summerslam, with Michael Cole and Mick Foley as hosts,^[10] before quietly being discontinued.

Availability

Likely due to each version of the show proving unable to attract many stations to carry them, no recordings of Radio WWF have ever publicly resurfaced. It is therefore coveted media among those seeking the alternative pay-per-view commentary,^[11] as well as the Savage interview. Nevertheless, the Savage interview transcript remains publicly accessible on an archived Miss Elizabeth.com page.^[12]

Gallery

OSW Retrospective discussing Radio WWF.

Something to Wrestle with Bruce Prichard discussing the Savage interview on Radio WWF.

References

↑ Blog of Doom noting that a WWF Superstars of Wrestling broadcast had Vince McMahon promote Radio WWF. Retrieved 21st Dec '21
↑ WrestleCrap detailing the scissors incident. Retrieved 21st Dec '21
↑ KB's Wrestling Reviews mentioning the 1993 Summerslam show with alternative Radio WWF commentary. Retrieved 21st Dec '21
↑ Blog of Doom noting that a WWF Superstars of Wrestling broadcast promoted Polo as co-host of Radio WWF. Retrieved 21st Dec '21
↑ KB's Wrestling Reviews detailing a Radio WWF switchover during the 1993 Survivor Series. Retrieved 21st Dec '21
↑ KB's Wrestling Reviews mentioning a possible Radio WWF commentary of the 1994 Royal Rumble. Retrieved 21st Dec '21
↑ Reddit post containing the the 25th October 1993 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, which reported on the Savage interview. Retrieved 21st Dec '21
↑ WrestleCrap detailing WWF Radio and why it was cancelled. Retrieved 21st Dec '21
↑ Ring the Damn Bell detailing both versions of Radio WWF. Retrieved 21st Dec '21
↑ KB's Wrestling Reviews detailing a Radio WWF segment occurring prior to the 2000 Summerslam. Retrieved 21st Dec '21
↑ Twitter post discussing finding the Radio WWF pay-per-view commentary tracks. Retrieved 21st Dec '21
↑ Archived Miss Elizabeth containing the Savage transcript. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

[1] Blog of Doom noting that a WWF Superstars of Wrestling broadcast had Vince McMahon promote Radio WWF. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

[2] WrestleCrap detailing the scissors incident. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

[3] KB's Wrestling Reviews mentioning the 1993 Summerslam show with alternative Radio WWF commentary. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

[4] Blog of Doom noting that a WWF Superstars of Wrestling broadcast promoted Polo as co-host of Radio WWF. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

[5] KB's Wrestling Reviews detailing a Radio WWF switchover during the 1993 Survivor Series. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

[6] KB's Wrestling Reviews mentioning a possible Radio WWF commentary of the 1994 Royal Rumble. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

[7] Reddit post containing the the 25th October 1993 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, which reported on the Savage interview. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

[8] WrestleCrap detailing WWF Radio and why it was cancelled. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

[9] Ring the Damn Bell detailing both versions of Radio WWF. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

[10] KB's Wrestling Reviews detailing a Radio WWF segment occurring prior to the 2000 Summerslam. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

[11] Twitter post discussing finding the Radio WWF pay-per-view commentary tracks. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

[12] Archived Miss Elizabeth containing the Savage transcript. Retrieved 21st Dec '21

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 *[[Bill Longson vs Whipper Billy Watson (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 1947)]]
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+*[[Bradshaw vs Christian (lost footage of professional wrestling match; 2001)]]
 *[[Bret Hart-Hulk Hogan photoshoot (lost professional wrestling promotional photos; 1993)]]
 *[[Bret Hart vs Tom Magee (found untelevised professional wrestling match; 1986)]]
 *[[Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling (lost early BBC televised professional wrestling matches; 1938-1939; 1946-1947)]]
 *[[Celebrity Wrestling (partially found ITV professional wrestling reality show; 2005)]]
+*[[Chowdaheads (partially found unaired professional wrestling cartoon show; 1999)]]
 *[[Collision in Korea (found professional wrestling event in North Korea; 1995)]]
 *[[Collision in Korea wrestler sketches (lost North Korean pencil sketch portraits of professional wrestlers; 1995)]]
+*[[Cultaholic (lost debut video of professional wrestling YouTube channel; 2017)]]
 *[[ECW Anarchy Rulz (lost build of cancelled Nintendo 64 port of professional wrestling game; existence unconfirmed; 2000)]]
 *[[ECW at E3 2000 (partially found footage of professional wrestling at gaming trade event; 2000)]]
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 *[[Jake "The Snake" Roberts DDTs Hulk Hogan (lost Snake Pit segment; 1986)]]
 *[[The Last Battle of Atlanta (found untelevised professional wrestling steel cage match; 1983)]]
+*[[Lita (partially found training videos of professional wrestler; late 1990s-2000)]]
 *[["Plane Ride From Hell" (lost photographs of drunk wrestler incidents; 2002)]]
 *[[Screwed: The Bret Hart Story (lost unfinished wrestling documentary film; 2005)]]