• OLD SCHOOL HISTORY (May 9, 1999) – WWF Sunday Night HEAT
On this day in 1999, the World Wrestling Federation aired an episode of their weekly TV show ‘WWF Sunday Night HEAT’.
It was pre-taped at the Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum in Jacksonville, Florida and featured matches, interviews & storyline segments on the road to the ‘WWF No Mercy (UK) 1999’ PPV.
The card can be found right here:
1. The Acolytes vs. Road Dogg & X-Pac
2. Billy Gunn vs. Val Venis
3. WWF Hardcore Title: Al Snow vs. Head
4. Triple H vs. Road Dogg
5. Big Show vs. Mideon
6. Meat vs. Droz
WATCH: Awesome Sideview Of Paige’s Juggs:
• Flashback: Kamala Opens Up About Being Treated Poorly In The WWF
In this flashback article, we take a look at an interview Kamala did with “Not In The Hall Of Fame” back in 2012, where he talked about being treated poorly in the WWF.
Below are the highlights:
Now you had three successful runs in the WWF; in fact as Kamala you were pretty much successful everywhere. Now I hope you take this as a compliment, because this is how I mean it. I always thought of you as the ultimate Territory guy.
What I mean is that you were the perfect guy to be brought in, destroy a lot of mid-card baby faces on your way to challenging the top guy in the territory, before putting him over in front of a large crowd and then maybe putting over someone else before leaving for another organization. It also never got old seeing you in this role. You were in fact able to that three times in the biggest promotion going. People wanted to believe in your character.
“I wanted the people to believe in it. But you said three successful runs in the WWF. As far as popularity and being known, yes it was. But you just don’t know the price I paid for it.”
What do you mean?
“I really paid a price for being in the WWF. When I was in the WWF, I just didn’t make any money. I can remember sometimes, it was me, Kimchee, and my manager Dr. Harvey Wippleman. All three of us would get a room together. They (WWF) paid for our flight, but we always had to get our own rooms. After renting a car and being the third man and renting a room, I would sleep in the rental car and not stay in the room so I could save money. We didn’t let the boys know that and I begged them not to let the boys know that. I wanted to save as much money as I could to send back home or bring back home. That’s what I mean by I paid the price by being there.”
You weren’t treated well financially by the WWF?
“No. I was not any of the three times I went there.”
Why do you think that is? I did read in other interviews you did that at the SummerSlam 1992, with your match with The Undertaker that he was paid $500,000 and you were paid $10,000.
“If I have to bet my life on what The Undertaker got paid, I wouldn’t do it. I would never ask him. What happened was Steve Lombardi, you know him? He’s in with the office and has been there some twenty years. He was running around and went into the room where Pat Patterson was. Patterson had left, and left his briefcase. He (Lombardi) was scrambling through his books, and he saw what I made and he was exactly right.
He saw what The Undertaker made, and he said The Undertaker made half a million. Like I said, I couldn’t prove it, but he hit it right on the head with what I made, so I believe him about The Undertaker. You know, I’m not knocking The Undertaker. He’s a gentleman, and I like him. He’s a super nice man. I think he deserved every dime he got, but what about me?”
That certainly makes a lot of sense. There were a lot of people who paid money to see you go against Hulk Hogan or The Undertaker or Andre, and they (WWF) still show those matches on WWE Classics on Demand.
“Yeah, and you know my royalties from my dolls…they say my dolls don’t sell. If they don’t sell, than why in the world do they keep making them?
They (WWE) sent me a contract to sign. They know I’m broke, they know I don’t have much money, I never had any. They sent me a contract and a check for $10,000. What they do is take that $10,000 back out of every three months out of what they say I make. I don’t have any proof of what I make. I don’t know.
I could make $10,000 that quarter, but they send me a statement saying what I make which could be maybe $400. Actually, that is exactly what it was this quarter. They take that $400 against the balance you owe of that $10,000. That’s the way it goes.”
Wow. So they pay you $10,000, but they don’t pay you anymore until you make that ten grand?
“Yes, that’s right. They take that $10,000 back. It will probably take about five years to make all of that money back. After that, they (WWE) will send me checks for about $200, or $300 or $150 or whatever it may be. They say my dolls don’t sell.
I had the CEO call from Toys R Us as he read my story somewhere. He told me ‘James, please don’t let them do you like that. We have your dolls in my store, and we can’t keep them. They sell like crazy.’ If he’s telling the truth, I just don’t know what to do.”
