Back in the early 2000s, Jackass was one of the most popular TV shows on MTV.
The exploits of Johnny Knoxville, Steve-o, Bam Margera and co.
got three seasons, and spawned a big screen movie in 2002 - with sequels arriving in 2006
and 2010.
It was after the release of 2006’s Jackass Number Two that plans for them to work with
WWE took place - and nearly lead to a match against Umaga.
I am El Fakidor Laurie Blake - and this is Jackass’ Missing Summerslam Match.
Steve-o and Chris Pontius of Jackass made their WWE debuts in October 2006, where they
were attacked in the ring by the Samoan Bulldozer Umaga.
Sadly for any future relationship with WWE and the pair, Steve-o and Pontius laughed
throughout the beatdown which was not looked upon kindly by WWE.
As Bryan Alvarez described it in Figure Four Weekly #591: “Steve-O was laughing afterwards,
so Umaga kicked him HARD in the back, chopped the s*** out of him, and hit the big splash.
Steve-O was still alive, so Umaga kept clobbering and kicking and slamming him, I guess hoping
to shut him up for good.
I could have watched that all night.”
I mean considering Steve-O went on to be launched into the sky in a porta loo on a bungee cord,
this probably seemed like quite a fun day out.
No wonder he laughed.
[QUOTE] Alvarez added, “Steve-O of Jackass said Tuesday that he knew he was stupid for
laughing after Umaga first destroyed him, and that he was manhandled afterwards and
remembers nothing from that point until when the doctors examined him.”
[QUOTE]
The following year in the summer of 2007, USA Network’s Bonnie Hammer reportedly suggested
to Vince McMahon that one of the reason’s Raw’s ratings were slipping was because
they weren’t using enough celebrity appearances.
This is where the cast of Jackass came in, which was pushed by Shane McMahon who was
a fan of the show.
USA Network were also airing Steve-o’s new show Dr. Steve-o in October and wanted to
use Raw as a way to promote it.
According to Bryan Alvarez, the plan was for WWE to debut Johnny Knoxville, Steve-o, Bam
Margera, Wee Man and the rest of the main Jackass crew, and they would get involved
in the Great American Bash match between Umaga and Jeff Hardy - where they would cost Umaga
his Intercontinental Championship.
From there they would then have a handicap match between the cast of Jackass and Umaga
at Summerslam - where through shenanigans the Jackass guys would get the win over the
Samoan Bulldozer.
It nearly fell through as soon as plans were put in place, though.
The Jackass crew came into WWE to shoot images for Summerslam promotional images when Steve-o
started asking random wrestlers to choke him for a laugh.
According to Bryan Alvarez, “Vince was irate and nearly axed the entire deal, but Shane
McMahon, who was the guy pushing hardest for the deal in the first place, talked him out
of it and cooler heads prevailed.”
What didn’t help matters either is that Bam Margera suffered an injury recently and
was already planning on dropping out of the match.
Wonder where he got that from?
In the end it wasn’t WWE that reportedly pulled out of the match, but the Jackass crew
themselves.
In June 2007 Chris Benoit murdered his wife and child and killed himself; an event that
shook the wrestling world and put it under a microscope by the mainstream press.
WrestleZone reported after the Benoit double murder suicide became big news, Johnny Knoxville
started to get cold feet about working with the company.
“Knoxville and the rest of the group began distancing themselves from WWE.
What started off as a several promised TV and PPV appearances soon scaled back to Jackass
only working the SummerSlam PPV.”
[QUOTE] According to WrestleZone, once Knoxville pulled out, the match was scrapped as he was
the main guy of the group.
However in a 2008 interview on JackassWorld, Knoxville answered a fan’s question about
Summerslam and said that he couldn’t fit WWE’s demands into his schedule.
The interview is sadly no longer available, but PWInsider noted from the time, “He said
that they didn't back out.
He said WWE has been good to them and WWE tried to put something together with the crew…
He said that he thinks the sides got their signals crossed and that WWE wanted more of
a commitment than one night so WWE decided to go in a different direction.
He put over WWE and said that there are no ill feelings whatsoever.”
[QUOTE]
We’ve got other WWE Backstage Exposes here on WrestleTalk so click the videos on screen
right now for more information.
I’ve been El Fakidor Laurie Blake and that was lucha.