PWI Weekly for October 28, 2024
PWI Weekly for October 28, 2024
Spooky Edition: Joe Hendry, Stephanie Vaquer, Halloween Havoc, And More
“Bonfires burning bright / Pumpkin faces in the night I remember Halloween.” So sang the great American bard himself, Glenn Allan Anzalone, on the classic Misfits track, “Halloween.”
Yes, it is that time of year again when most of the PWI staff are knee-deep in candy and scary movies, while noted curmudgeon Matt Brock is preparing to chase away trick-or-treaters from the door of our office building. We hope you enjoy this spook-tacular Halloween-themed edition of the PWI Weekly, replete with all of the scary references that we can fit into it.
WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
Just like the titular character from the movie, Candyman, when you say his name he appears. And fresh off his World heavyweight title loss at Bound For Glory, even more people seem to be saying the name of Joe Hendry.
The Edinburgh, Scotland, native has enjoyed a banner year in 2024. Appearances on WWE’s NXT brand, as well as the music streaming charts, served to introduce “The Prestigious One” to new audiences worldwide. But it’s in his familiar haunt of TNA Wrestling where Hendry impressed the most. This past Saturday night, the Scot finally had a chance to reach the summit of the TNA mountain by dethroning Nic Nemeth for the promotion’s top prize. Alas, thanks to interference from John Layfield, that did not happen. Following the show, many fans took to social media to say that TNA missed an opportunity to go all in on its hottest star.
While it may not yet have been his night, we have to believe that at some point Joe Hendry will be a World champion. Because … say it with us: “Candyman … I believe in Joe Hendry!”
A QUICK WORD ABOUT …
With her devilish horns and her dark persona, Stephanie Vaquer looks like she leaped straight from the pages of a dark fantasy novel. However, the impression she has been making recently in WWE has been anything but fictional.
Alongside Giulia and the incoming Zaria (DELTA), Vaquer is part of a triumvirate of women being embraced by WWE audiences for their unique looks and different ring styles. That’s something we at PWI like to see all year round—not just at Halloween.
While losing her on such short notice must have felt like a horror story for CMLL (and, by extension, AEW) it’s hard to fault the Chilean grappler for following her dream and giving the women of NXT nightmares.
SPOOKY SPOTLIGHT CARD
MICHIGAN
DETROIT—World Championship Wrestling Halloween Havoc at the Joe Louis Arena: Booker T defeated Brian Armstrong … Johnny B. Badd and The Honky Tonk Man fought to a time-limit draw … Paul Orndorff & Paul Roma beat Marcus Alexander Bagwell & The Patriot to become WCW World tag team champions … Dave Sullivan beat Kevin Sullivan … Dustin Rhodes defeated Arn Anderson … U.S. champion Jim Duggan beat Steve Austin via DQ to retain the title … Big Van Vader pinned The Guardian Angel … Brian Knobbs & Jerry Sags defeated Bunkhouse Buck & Terry Funk … WCW World heavyweight champion Hulk Hogan defeated Ric Flair in a Steel Cage match to retain the title.
(10-23-94)
—Liz Hunter
FROM THE VAULT
The Undertaker isn’t the only wrestler with a reputation for hauling opponents away from the ring in body bags. In the above photo, taken at last year’s Champion Carnival final, All Japan’s Voodoo Murders carry Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Kenoh to the back.