Memorial Shows

[XL]

If memory serves WWE have held three Mermorial Shows in the wake of a wrestlers death. Eddie and Benoit were Main Eventers who died whilst with the company and Owen - whilst not a ME star - had tenure with the company/respect in the locker room.

Everybody else got the small mention/In Memory graphic treatment.

My questions are: Would anybody who died whilst employed with the company get the full blown Memorial Show threament or just the Main Event guys? Zack Ryder for example.

Secondly, are there guys out there that would still get the full works even if they are no longer employed? I'm thinking Hogan/Macho/Warrior/etc.

Thoughts?

[Seth82]

I believe they were involved in the Brian Pillman memorial shows

[XL]

I mean Memorial Raws then.

[Xero]

I don't think they'd get a whole RAW dedicated to them unless they were beloved by all. A segment, some mentions, and maybe scatter in some memories from the roster, but otherwise I think it'd be business as usual. Like a RAW is Owen-lite.

The Benoit RAW only happened the way it did because it caught everyone off guard that day. Had they found him, say, on Friday, regardless of circumstances, it would have been, at best, akin to the Owen RAW.

I think it would also depend on the circumstances, too. After Benoit, WWE is even shy about doing the graphics or mentioning the deaths.

As for guys who might get them that DON'T work for the company, outside of Hogan, I couldn't see them getting a RAW dedicated to them. Hogan I could absolutely see. One thing we have to keep in mind, and I know it's terrible to say this, but it'd be about the ratings for someone like Hogan. Benoit, Eddie and Owen died under contract, and that was a major reason they did what they did.

[XL]

Yeah, I figured the whole thing with Benoit would have "left a bad taste in the mouth" when it comes to these things.

End of the day, most wrestler deaths are gonna be drug related.

[dhellova guy]

I think they felt, at least somewhat, responsible for Owen's death, and thus the memorial show. If, as your example suggests, Zach Ryder died due to his own stupidity (drugs, murder/ suicide, drunk driving crash), he would get a mention (or less). If he died of "natural causes" or was killed, he would get a segment at the begining of Raw with all the wrestlers standing on the ramp and 10 bell rings.

That seems the extent to me.

[Gass]

Benoit should have killed himself on a Tuesday.