Perhaps you can fool some of the people all of the time, and fool all of the people some of the time, but you can't "ghoul" any of the people (especially New Wavers) any of the time. That's the conclusion we've drawn from the outpouring of mail here at NWW HQ.
Once Ted DiBiase's Undertaker made his initial appearances on the syndicated WWF broadcasts for the weekend of June 18, 1994, our fearless readers went into action, asking: "Who was that werewolf in sheep's clothing?"
While Ted's "Underfaker" has done a spectacularly splendid job impersonating matdom's favourite crypt keeper, our volume of mail speaks for itself. The fans immediately knew that something was rotten in Transylvania.
Upon first inspection, this grapping grim reaper had mastered all of the Undertaker's standard moves and timing perfection, but the slight physical differences were the eventual telltale signs of another Ted DiBiase con job.
So who is this number-two ghoul you ask? He's none other than "Prime Time" Brian Lee! This tenacious, tough-as-nails competitor has been ruling the rings under Jim Cornette's Smoky Mountain Wrestling banner in Kentucky for quite some time. The former Smoky Mountain Wrestling heavyweight champion is no stranger to world-class competition; he's faced the very best in regional talent.
His background also includes ample stints on both sides of the fence - he's competed as a fan favourite and other times as a rule breaker. He's held back the underhanded challenges of the Dirty While Boy, "Sweet" Stan Lane, Dr. Tom Prichard, and Jimmy Dell Rey. Currently, he is splitting his time between limited WWF bookings and matches in Smoky Mountain, where he's teaming with Chris Candido against the Rock & Roll Express over the SMW tag-team straps.
He should be in the WWF on a full-time basis just at the time you read this, and his matches with the Undertaker will reach fever pitch in their post-SummerSlam rematches this fall.
Brian's "dead-on" impersonation of "the Dark One" (Mark Calaway) has been so accurate that this upcoming Undertaker versus Underfaker series of matches has already become the talk of the mat lands.
It will be interesting to see fan reaction to these matches; the contests will no doubt rely on visual pre-skills. While both men have proven their agility and prowess in the past, a series of bouts in which both participants move in a very cautious, stalking manner might prove to be either a hit or a miss. We won't know for sure until the mail starts pouring in with your comments and criticisms.
More than anything else, this surge in interest proves a dire need for the rotation of top stars. Few can dispute the huge popularity of the Undertaker, but his brief hiatus from the squared circle (to spend time with his wife and new baby) only increased his tremendous fan appeal.
For the top stars, it is a necessary ingredient for long-term popularity. How many times have you seen popular wrestlers eventually wear out their welcome by staying in a promotion for far too long?
Of course, the very nature of the wrestling business has changed to such an extent that there are really only two sources for full-time employment in the United States - namely, the WWF and WCW. If wrestlers are to accept long-term, exclusive contracts with one of the "big two," they should certainly consider limiting the number of matches per year in order to avoid fan burnout. Taking fewer bookings over the course of a year will decrease annual income, but it will certainly add additional years of demands, which will translate into untold greater long-term revenue.
Nonetheless, this surprising "dueling ghouls" storyline has sparked interest on the par of New Wavers world-wide. We're glad to see the matchmakers have come up with an idea capturing the imagination of the fans. That's the most important result for any promotional effort. If the fans show a curiosity about a confrontation, the promoter is doing his job.
At any rate, my money is riding on the Undertaker, because the Underfaker doesn't stand a ghost of a chance!