Tom Zenk wins the WCW TV Title

The WCW TV Title

episode

When Ole Anderson returned as WCW chief booker in May 1990 he set out to replace WCW's contracted wrestlers with cheap, short term workers who could be pushed or jobbed as it suited him. That meant using the contracted workers in such a way that they "don't get hot or have any noticeable following - so when they're cut loose at the end of their contracts, it isn't [widely regarded as] a loss." (WON 9/24/90).

It was widely expected that, after a brief exposure to Anderson's regime, most of WCW's young contracted workers would jump to Titan when their contracts expired in early 1991. Tom Zenk however had a 2 year contract (unusual at the time). It would need additional pressure to make Zenk quit. When Zenk refused to go, Anderson applied the simple logic that "getting beat kills your career" and booked Zenk to an unending series of losses and humiliations - (Part 1 (Jan - May 1990); (Part 2 (June - December,1990)

But in the end it was Anderson who was forced out......

In the first week of December 1990, NWA confirmed Ole Anderson's sacking and the release of road agent Bob Roop. An interim booking committee was appointed comprising Jim Ross, Tony Schavione, Kevin Sullivan and Ric Flair. The new committee began to discard Ole's cronies - in particular JYD, Iron Sheik, Night Stalker (Bryan Clark) and Rocky King (WON 12/10/90).

At last the contracted workers began to be pushed again.

But initial talk of Zenk getting a push seemed premature when the booking sheets for January showed him against the Iron Sheik for the 1/11 Meadowlands show.

Finally, however, in December, a brief push arrived with Zenk booked to win the World TV Title revitalizing a belt that had lost much of its status during Arn Anderson's tenure. "A television taping on 12/4 at Center Stage in Atlanta before a sellout crowd was headlined by Zenk winning the TV title from Arn Anderson after a dropkick off the top rope.... a great match. They are doing a gimmick where Zenk has a 46 match winning streak so he's getting a big push now with the new booking team" (WON12/17/90).

January 1991 - as well as holding the World TV Title,

Zenk had been voted "Sexiest Man working in WCW"

Anderson appeared for the match with a bandaged wrist and plastered forehead, feigning injury as an alibi for his impending loss. He led the match, as the 'heel' should, but had obvious difficulty keeping pace for the full period (17 minutes), resorting to frequent rest intervals. Zenk was in great shape, physically and mentally, motivated again after a demoralizing year. His win over Anderson was popular, with solid crowd support throughout the match.

After the Zenk-Anderson title switch was aired (Saturday -12/22/90) WON reported (1/8/91) - "An old-style match which lasted 17 minutes. Slow builder but tons of heat for the finish which was most impressive ......" The match drew a 3.4 rating, the best rating for the WCW Saturday show since February 1990.



a sellout crowd ... headlined by Zenk winning the TV title from Arn Anderson after a dropkick off the top rope.... a great match.... the entire crowd on its feet for the finish and the new champion

But the momentum gained by Zenk's title win was quickly wasted through the booking committee's incompetence.

The mismanagement began with WCW's claim of a 45 (sometimes 46) match winning streak for Zenk prior to winning the TV title - as if the last 7 months of Zenk's downcarding by Ole had never happened.

Matches were being taped and broadcast out of chronological order - which wasn't unusual - but the announcing team's continuity seemed to fail them when it came to putting Zenk over, as the sheets were quick to pick up -

"In the commentary on the Zenk-Anderson match they talked of Zenk having a 45 match streak coming into the match. At Starrcade it was 35, but he was pinned at Starrcade" (Meltzer, WON 1/8/91).

Meltzer fails to mention that Starrcade came after the title change but was broadcast first - a familiar booking practice about which he, later, was to make a very great deal!

Problems in WCW booking and continuity deteriorated further when Dusty Rhodes arrived as chief booker in early January, 1991.

Rhodes had been a major figure in the Crockett NWA clique in the days before Turner. Returning to Atlanta [having being pink-slipped by McMahon] Rhodes began to consolidate his power base within the organization by reforming the old Crockett clique. Barry Windham and Kevin Sullivan were brought in as members of the booking committee. Magnum TA was brought in as road agent.

Anderson, another member of the Crockett clique, was immediately booked to regain the World TV title from Zenk at a TV taping on 1/14/91. Rhodes' son was coming in and Rhodes had no intention of letting Zenk get over with the belt ahead of Dustin.

Zenk was left unaware of the proposed title switch until the last minute. Anderson was informed some time in advance. "It's something" he told his fans "you can take to the bank". A week before the match was aired (but several weeks after it had actually been taped) Anderson prepared the TV audience for what was to come -

"People have been telling me what I couldn't do all my life. A lotta people call me an [under]achiever, Zenk. They say you're not big enough. You don't have a body like Tom Zenk's. You shouldn't have got what you got in this life. Well, my friend, you look in these eyes and I looked in yours and I've seen that same fire and I feel I've seen that same hunger; that will to achieve when everybody thinks you can't. So remember one thing, Greek God. This might be a grandstand play for you or a way to get beautiful women. But, by God, that's how I make my living and I'm better than everybody else. A couple of broke knuckles, a few stitches makes no difference when you're a world class athlete; when you're a world champion, you suck it up and go. Now you wanna be somebody? You wanna elevate yourself? Next week, my friend, make your grandstand play right on this show. I don't think you're man enough to jump on me. Bottom Line."

Anderson's speech provides a Rorshach image of his preoccupation with Zenk's looks ("Greek god"), Zenk's physique ("a body like Tom Zenk's") and Zenk's ability "to get beautiful women" - preoccupations that mock Anderson's public profile as a 'blood and guts' wrestler. The consensus in the locker room was that "you can talk that kind way when Flair or Dusty are in your corner and you already know what's coming. Arn was angry that was Zenk main-eventing outside the ring. Arn and Flair would hang with Zenk and Pillman to get their leftover women. They were supposed to be the main event but outside the ring they just couldn't compete."

During Clash of Champions XIV (1/30/91) Missy Hyatt announced the results of voting for "The Sexiest Wrestler working in WCW" - "Everyone knows it should have been me, but my favorite wrestler won it. He looks great in his tights, he's got a great tan, and best of all he's single ... and he really is sexy. He's our World TV champion, the Z-Man. Congratulations gorgeous..."

Two years later, Zenk offered to act as witness in Hyatt's sexual harassment claim against WCW management. Shortly after that, WCW management decided not to renew Zenk's contract.

The match was dominated by Zenk until Anderson, reversing a cross body block, used the ropes to pin Zenk. The outcome was not popular with the crowd, with Anderson booed all the way out of the arena.

The title change was widely reported in the press.

Rhodes then booked Zenk to continue defending the TV title in arenas and TV matches until the title switch finally aired. TV matches included the match against Eaton at Clash of Champions XIV on 1/30/91, a full two weeks after Zenk had been booked to drop the belt.

* * *

Normally, this lack of continuity would have passed unnoticed, with maybe a brief mention in the wrestling sheets. But on this occasion, Dave Meltzer at the Wrestling Observer Newsletter decided to make an issue of it - not on principle - but in his own defense!

In mid-January 1991, America was at war in the Persian Gulf. At WWF, McMahon and Patterson were doing all they could to cash in on the conflict. They decided on a Hogan vs Sgt. Slaughter feud for Wrestlemania VII. Slaughter hired the "Iraqi" Sheik Adnon as his manager, denounced the US, burned the flag and took to wrestling in a pair of boots "sent him by Saddam Hussein'. Hogan set out to tour US military bases and was said to be "preparing to travel to the Middle East."

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter condemned WWF for using the war to build heat for its top heel. McMahon retaliated by accusing WON editor Dave Meltzer of journalistic bais against WWF.

Meltzer chose to defend himself by picking an issue where he could prove his own impartiality by criticizing WWF and WCW equally. The issue he chose was the practice of not recognizing title changes until the match had aired on TV.

First, Meltzer criticized WWF for booking Kerry Von Erich to defend the title he'd lost to Curt Hennig until the title switch had been broadcast on TV. Then, turning his 'impartial'
eye to WCW, he noted -

"It's already been reported in many daily newspaper wrestling columns and all the newsletters that Arn Anderson beat Tom Zenk for the TV title. On Wednesday night, at the Clash [of Champions XIV], in front of an audience of millions, if Zenk shows up with the belt, column readers of mine and all the others will write and ask what gives. The only answer is - WCW doesn't recognize title changes that occur on television tapings until the match airs on television. If that exposes the business, you can't blame the reporter because WCW like the WWF is in control of the situation. We can only report. As I told Dillon [WWF], and I meant it completely, that it genuinely pained me to have to write about the Von Erich-Hennig situation in November just as it will pain me next week to have to write about the Zenk-Anderson situation if Zenk is announced as champ on Wednesday's Clash." (WON2/4/91).

On the other hand, Meltzer barely blinked when Zenk, having won the TV title from Anderson on 12/4/90 was booked to lose to Eaton at Starrcade '90, two weeks later, in a match where "Zenk wasn't acknowledged as TV champion" (WON 12/24/90). Once again the reason was that the Anderson/Zenk title switch had yet to air on TV. But in proving his 'impartiality' Meltzer was forced to a double standard - where it was alright for Zenk to be champion and wrestle as non-champion but not alright for Zenk to be non-champion and wrestle as champion.

Despite Meltzer's protestations, "Dixie Dynamite" proceeded unchanged, with Zenk booked to defend the title he'd dropped, two weeks earlier, according to Rhodes' script.

For an increasingly bemused Zenk, it was business as usual in WCW's mismanagement of his career - with the TV belt itself just another weight to be carried around in his sportsbag. No extra pay came with the belt and his booking schedule offered little more than a three-way program for the TV title with Zenk (face) Eaton ('tweener) and Anderson (heel) - and Anderson booked to retain the title indefinitely (WON 1/14/91).

Zenk's "push" had lasted just over three weeks.

Fictional interview of TV Champ Tom Zenk by Eddie Ellner ANALYSIS OF TOM ZENK'S 1990 RESULTS