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Am 05. Mai 2002 flog die WWE RAW-Crew nach einer erfolgreichen Tour durch Deutschland und Großbritannien zurück in die Staaten. Auf dem mehr als zwölf Stunden dauernden Flug geschahen unglaubliche Dinge, welche die Wochen danach für Gesprächsstoff sorgen sollten und den Job von "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig kosten sollten. Die folgenden Texte sind die News-Items der drei großen amerikanischen News-Magazine 1Wrestling, Wrestling Observer und PWTorch in chronologischer Reihenfolge, damit ihr alles, was über den Flug zu erfahren ist, auf einen Blick lesen könnt.
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( Dave Scherer, 6.5.2002 )
I got word that there was some kind of incident on the flight back from the shows in England with the WWF wrestlers on it. I am not sure what happened yet or who was involved, but the word going around was that whatever it was, the WWF office is not happy and there will be repercussions from it.
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( Dave Scherer, 6.5.2002 )
To follow up on our earlier report about the WWF's plane ride back from England, while details are still sketchy, it appears that at least part of the problem on the plane ride home from England, with the Raw group, involved some of the wrestlers "getting wild and out of hand". What made it worse was that Jim Ross, Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, who are all considered office, were on the plane so what happened is well known by the bosses. It would not surprise me to hear about some form of disciplinary action being taken, but that is just speculation at this time. I will have more on it as it comes in.
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( Georgiann Makropoulos, 7.5.2002 )
As far as the trouble on the plane trip back from The UK in the chartered flight, a very reliable source informed me that one of the problems was that Michael Hayes went to sleep. During his nap in a "traditional wrestlers rib," he had his hair cut by some unnamed fellow passengers. That ribbing happened a lot in the past, but lately we haven't heard much about it.
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( Bob Ryder, 7.5.2002 )
Hall was not involved in the incident on the plane that had been discussed earlier this week and reported on the Newsline and in Georgie's column involving Michael Hayes' mullet being cut off. Hall was said to have been "totally out of it" for the entire flight. Hayes was reportedly furious about having his hair cut and wanted to fight just about everybody on the plane, according to our sources. The mullet was pinned to the wall last night in the locker room at RAW.
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( Dave Scherer, 8.5.2002 )
Numerous sources are telling that there is a lot of heat on both Curt "Mr. Perfect" Hennig and Dustin "Goldust" Runnels for their actions on WWE's "Animal House" tour of Europe last week. As we reported yesterday, partying was running rampant at high levels during the swing. From what I have been told, Hennig is in serious hot water and may have already been released by the WWF. As of yesterday, the word going around was that he would be let go. From what I was told, Runnels will not be released but is in the doghouse in a major way with the company.
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( Dave Scherer, 8.5.2002 )
More details continue to come out from the WWF's now legendary flight back from the UK last weekend. Of course, it was on that flight home where agent and creative team member Michael Hayes' fell asleep and had his world famous mullet haircut cut off. The mullet was then hung up on the wall backstage at Raw, in an ultimate insult to Hayes. Hayes has always been extremely protective of his hair, and was said to be irate about what happened.
There are some people I have talked with that feel that Hayes at least had a part in precipitating the incident. He was reportedly somewhat belligerent on the plane and was said to have had an altercation with Bradshaw. From what I was told, Hayes hit a cut that Bradshaw had on his head and the cut was busted open. Bradshaw, ticked off by it, then reportedly decked Hayes. I am not sure if Hayes' hair was cut before or after the altercation.
A lot of people in WWE are wondering how all of the shenanigans went down with Jim Ross on the tour, and on the airplane. With Ross being the VP of talent relations, a few people I have spoken with in the company are wondering why he didn't do anything to diffuse the problems before they got out of hand.
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( Dave Scherer, 8.5.2002 )
To follow up on my story from earlier today, WWE officially announced on their website that Curt Hennig has been released, after we reported it earlier today. While they didn't give any reasons, sources have told us that it was due to his conduct on the UK tour. I can see why WWE doesn't want to talk to the media any more. For the second consecutive day, we have broken the news of one of their wrestlers being released before they did (as yesterday we broke the story of Scott Hall being released).
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( Dave Scherer, 8.5.2002 )
More information is now available on the firing of Curt Hennig. The final straw took place on the flight home from the UK when he reportedly got into it with Brock Lesnar and the two fought. I have heard from numerous sources that Hennig instigated the fight, and that Paul Heyman did his best to calm Lesnar down. David Hernandez sent word that Hulk Hogan was on the Bubba the Love Sponge radio show and said that HHH tried to break up the fight and all three fell into the emergency exit door. According to Hogan, it almost opened in mid-flight, which obviously would have been disastrous.
When I first reported on Monday that I heard crazy things happened on the plane ride, I had no idea how crazy they actually were. This tour sure makes it look as if WWE is, at least partially, losing control of their company.
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( Dave Scherer, 8.5.2002 )
The word I am getting is that the fight between Curt Hennig and Brock Lesnar started over the two of them talking about who was the better amateur wrestler, and it escalated from there. That is downright amazing to me.
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( Dave Scherer, 9.5.2002 )
People have asked me what the reason for the heat on Dustin "Goldust" Runnels was coming from the UK tour. In addition to reportedly having a lot to drink, sources have told me that he got on the microphone system of the charter plane and began singing "love songs" to his ex-wife, Terri Runnels. From what I was told, Dustin made her very uncomfortable by doing so and she went and asked him to stop. He reportedly kept it up until Jim Ross finally told him to stop. Apparently, Ross was asleep during the first set of arias. This made for a very uncomfortable situation. As of this point, he won't be fired but from what I have heard, he's "on the bubble" and he had better focus more on his work if he wants to stay around.
As for any net reports about Eddie Guerrero, he was described as a "complete angel" on the plane to me, so don't believe what you see reported at "newz" sites about him. It isn't true.
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( Dave Scherer, 9.5.2002 )
I have more details on the altercation between Curt Hennig and Brock Lesnar, which led to Hennig's dismissal from WWE. Throughout the plane ride back from the UK, Hennig was reportedly ribbing Lesnar a lot and egged him on about who was the better shooter (Does Hennig have a death wish?) until they finally got into it on the plane. Lesnar took down Hennig a few times in the aisleway, and HHH, Paul Heyman and Fit Finlay (who is an agent) told him to chill out, and Brock did. Then, it started up again when Hennig reportedly wouldn't let it die and HHH got in the middle of it. From what I heard, Hulk Hogan's account of them almost opening the emergency door was very much overstated. HHH did get somewhat pushed against a door while breaking it up, but it wasn't close to opening a door.
Hennig, who is an "old school" wrestler and into pulling ribs, was also doing goofy stuff on the plane like putting shaving cream in Big Show's hair.
In the past, Hennig had gotten heat with management with how he has dealt with Lesnar. The two had ridden together on the road (since they are both Minnesotans) and management was said to have not been happy with the bad habits Curt was teaching Lesnar. They stopped riding together for a while, but began again after the split. This had helped put more heat on Curt and, combined with the events of the weekend, led to his dismissal. As far as I can tell, Lesnar has no heat with management over this. It is looked at as Hennig's fault entirely.
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( Dave Scherer, 9.5.2002 )
I have been asked what Steve Austin's reaction has been to the entire plane incident and whether he did anything while the hijinx were taking place. From what I was told, he and Debra sat up front, watched the movie and fell asleep. He didn't want any part of the shenanagins that were going on, and didn't take any part in it. From what I heard, Austin was very vocal at TV on Monday about not wanting Michael Hayes to be his agent anymore because of his actions on the plane.
Undertaker, on the other hand, was somewhat in the middle of things and worked as a calming influence, especially with Bradshaw after his confrontation with Michael Hayes.
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( Dave Scherer, 9.5.2002 )
There was a lot of heat on many of the agents on the plane ride back from UK for letting things get as out of hand as they did. From what I heard, people like Gerry Brisco, Michael Hayes and Arn Anderson were chastised by management for letting things get out of control. Only Fit Finlay, Johnny Ace and Dave Hebner were not held accountable. I also heard that management wondered why Jim Ross didn't take a greater stand while all of those things were going on.
Due to Michael Hayes' behavior on the plane, it's pretty much a unanimous feeling that he "got what he deserved" with the hair cutting. Hayes was cutting promos on people on the plane and got into the fight with Bradshaw, which I heard from everyone that Hayes started. Because of how Hayes acted and people feeling he "deserved it", people don't want to say who actually cut his hair so no one gets heat for it.
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( Martin Calvin, der den Credit an den Newsletter von ProWrestlingTorch.com gibt, 13.5.2002 )
Vince McMahon eventually gave everyone a verbal thrashing for their behavior on the plane ride back home from the UK. His words didn't carry as much credibility as they would have had McMahon not gotten into a playful scuffle with Kurt Angle last year on a charter flight himself that resulted in Undertaker choking out Angle from behind on a "run-in" to save Vince. The biggest incident involved X-Pac cutting off Michael Hayes's ponytail on the flight. Hayes was considered to be among the more belligerent and annoying passengers. X-Pac, who doesn't drink, cut off his ponytail while he slept, which received cheers from many other passengers. When Hayes woke up and noticed his missing locks, he cut a promo on Gerald Brisco, assuming he
was the culprit. X-Pac stood up and took credit, at which point Hayes backed down. A sign was taped up at Raw the next night stating: "Auction: Freebird Ponytail, proceeds benefit Alcoholics Anonymous."
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( Dave Scherer, 14.5.2002 )
For those curious, the word I am getting is that there were no issues backstage among all of those involved in the plane ride debacle last week. From what I was told, while Bradshaw and Michael Hayes weren't best pals, they were professional in working with each other.
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( Mr. Tito, der den Credit an den Newsletter vom Wrestling Observer gibt, 15.5.2002 )
All of the problems from the flight home from England were believed to be caused by the fact that Vince McMahon was not around, and given the fact that discipline among wrestlers hasn't been taken seriously in the WWE, especially with everything Hall has done up and until he was fired. (Meltzer, 2002)
Ric Flair actually got a little wild, too, on the plane ride home to the US from England, but Jim Ross actually calmed Flair down when he told him to. (Meltzer, 2002)
Everyone backstage is anticipating to see how Vince McMahon handles all of the talent who were involved with the plane incident or any other problems on the European tour, despite what he has done to Hennig or Hall already. (Meltzer, 2002)
Michael P.S. Hayes got yelled at pretty good by Vince, Stephanie, and Jim Ross at RAW last week. They felt that Hayes should lead by example and not start trouble. (Meltzer, 2002)
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( Dave Scherer, 15.5.2002 )
After getting his hair cut on the plane ride home from the UK, Michael Hayes never went to a real hair stylist to get the mess fixed. As of this week at TV, he still hasn't. So, he is still walking around with the cut he got on the plane.
