Tuesday, June 2, 1998
Costumed players duke it out in Battle Royal
FUNDRAISER: Fraternity, pro wrestling team up
to benefit Make-A-Wish
By Greg Lewis
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
The UCLA campus has added another sport to its storied
tradition: pro wrestling.
The fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) sponsored SlamFest 98
Thursday night to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The
action-packed event kicked off quickly with an every man for
himself, no-holds-barred Battle Royal. Fifteen costumed wrestlers
rushed into the ring and went crazy at the sound of the bell. White
Trash, Johnny Hemp and Speedos quickly established themselves as
crowd favorites. Wrestlers took turns throwing each other out of
the arena, until Speedos threw White Trash over the top rope and
into the crowd to claim the Battle Royal title.
The second match featured the popular "High Flying" Johnny Hemp
running out of the locker room waving a black flag with a marijuana
leaf in the center, and the song "Smoke Two Joints" blaring. Hemp,
featured in an upcoming issue of High Times magazine, made easy
work of the youthful Crazy-1.
Special guest Bruin basketball forward Sean Farnham announced
the next match, which featured White Trash vs. Kaos. White Trash,
true to his name, entered the arena with cigarette in mouth and
Ralph’s brand vodka in hand. With loud encouragement from the
crowd, White Trash put away Kaos using the old powder-in-the-eyes
while the ref’s not looking trick.
The next bout was a tag-team fight featuring Glittzy Greg, Big
Pete and "Lone Wolf" Randy McQuade vs. Azteca, "Skull Crusher" JJ
Floyd and Chester Ike Adam, aka CIA. Kevin Daley, Rico Hines and
Earl Watson, the other Bruin hoopsters in attendance, led the crowd
in heckling the immensely overweight "New Age Hillbilly" team of
Big Pete, Lone Wolf and Glittzy Greg.
Subsequent matches included the bongo-banging Nick Beat taking
on Battle Royal champion Joe "Speedos" Bowman, the Navajo Kid
fighting Gary "Crusher" Key and "Beautiful" Jack Stud locking up
with Byron.
As we all know, no night of professional wrestling would be
complete without the introduction of a folding chair from the
stands. Speedos used the chair to finish off Nick Beat after
numerous suplexes and body slams.
Southern Cal alumnus Jack Stud got the crowd riled up by
praising the lowly Trojans, but ended up submitting to Byron after
having a table broken over his back.
The match between Navajo Kid and Crusher Key was marked by
bickering between Navajo Kid’s manager, Richard Wad, and Crusher’s
manager and girlfriend, Diva. After Navajo’s friend Cincinnati Red
came rushing out of the locker room to help defeat Crusher, the
lovely Diva stepped into the ring and kicked the portly Wad
repeatedly in the stomach. When Wad, Red and Navajo Kid ran off in
fear, Diva was declared the winner.
Two former WWF superstars were showcased in the tag-team grand
finale. The Honky-Tonk Man, whom the crowd had been anxiously
awaiting, appeared in his Elvis jumpsuit singing "The Honky-Tonk
Song." The long awaited "mystery guest" turned out to be the
popular former WWF Champion, 600-pound Yokozuna. Honky-Tonk teamed
with Cincinnati Red, and Yokouna paired up with current Southern
California Championship Wrestling (SCCW) champion "Sheriff" Jess
Hansen. Hansen softened up the Cincinnati native, and Yokozuna flew
off of the top rope to pin Red before he ever had a chance to tag
in Honky-Tonk.
After the final bout was completed, the fans were invited down
to ringside to collect autographs and chat with the wrestlers.
Yokozuna had the biggest following, with a line stretching about 50
feet.
AEPi sponsored the event in conjunction with the SCCW in order
to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. SCCW vice president
of operations and AEPi brother Kevin Kleinrock called the event
lively and entertaining. A specific dollar amount was not
available, but Kleinrock was certain that enough was raised to make
the event a success for the charity.