Before the days of cable TV and National wrestling promotions, Bill Apter’s series of magazines (Pro Wrestling Illustrated, Inside Wrestling and The Wrestler) were often the best way for fans to know what was going on in the wrestling world outside of their territory.  Even today in the era of globalization and the internet, the PWI 500 issue remains an anticipated issue for the magazine.  Wrestling fans may not know Apter’s name, but many know the publications he created.

Those who saw him perform in the ring will never say they saw a talented in ring performer, but when Dennis Rodman competed for WCW he did so at a time when he was among the most known Basketball players in the world.  His association with the New World Order angle brought more mainstream attention to wrestling and helped to spike the buy rate of a major Pay Per View.

Lawrence Taylor may have been the undeserving recipient of the main event match at Wrestlemania XI, but he did not embarrass himself once he got into the ring.  He did all the necessary work leading up to the match (including a very realistic beginning to the angle at the Royal Rumble) and managed to be led to a decent match by Bam Bam Bigelow.

Yes we know that this man should NEVER have had the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and the booking at that promotion’s timeframe could be considered among the worst in wrestling history.  Still, David Arquette’s cross promotion did bring attention to WCW and his on screen persona was better than half of the roster at the time.  Arquette likely knows he had no business being the Champion but considering that he at least respected the industry and that the WCW World Title had a small fraction of worth left, it could have been much worse.  Actually, wasn’t it when Vince Russo was the champ?