Dark Side of the Ring - Cocaine And Cowboy Boots: The Herb Abrams Story FULL RECAP
Perhaps one of the most under the radar craziest legends in wrestling is that of Herb Abrams and his failed Universal Wrestling Federation. With dreams of grandeur of not only rivalling Vince McMahon and the WWF but crushing them, Abrams was an eccentric individual with a love of professional wrestling, which was only outweighed by his tragic vices. On the newest episode of Dark Side Of The Ring, we look at Cocaine And Cowboy Boots: The Herb Abrams Story.
As always, the episode is wonderfully narrated by Le Champion Chris Jericho.
Interview subjects include the UWF wrestlers Mick Foley, B. Brian Blair, Steve Ray, Rick Allen (aka Sunny Beach), wrestling historian John Arezzi, UWF General Manager Lenny Duge, UWF manager Marty Yesberg,
The episode begins discussing the launch of UWF at a fan convention held by Arezzi.
Arezzi talks about how Abrams having Bruno Sammartino immediately making UWF seem legitimate.
The group discusses Abrams approaching talent to come on board.
At the press conference debuting the new federation things immediately go crazy as they choose to start an angle between Dan Spivey and B. Brian Blair.
Abrams announced that his booker would be Blackjack Mulligan, who at the time was in prison for counterfeiting.
Abrams also announced he would be using Bruiser Brody, even though he had been murdered in Puerto Rico a year prior.
Foley talks about the conviction and excitement that Abrams had making those around him think he could really pull it off.
Nobody seems to know where Abrams had actually made his money, except longtime friend Lenny Duge who confirms he was in the clothing business.
In October 1990 UWF Fury Hour debuts on cable.
The group discusses the immense star power on the roster at the time, including names such as Paul Orndorff, Chief Jay Strongbow, Dr. Death Steve Williams, Bob Orton, Dan Spivey among others.
Blair and Foley discuss the freedom that Abrams gave them compared to other bookers, in particular Vince McMahon.
Duge discusses Abrams meeting with McMahon about promoting the West Coast and is blown off.
This fuels his anger and makes him further expand his roster to compete.
Yesberg details meeting Abrams for the first time. He was put up in a 2-bedroom estate, where he is visited that night by Abrams with two high-class call girls and a giant bag of cocaine.
Duge shows off the UWF Television title and how it was laid out that he could hold it in a way signalling an “FU” to Vince McMahon.
They discuss Abrams bringing in Andre The Giant, where it was announced he was signed to a long-term deal.
Vince would immediately retaliate by signing and bringing back Andre, dealing a huge blow to the UWF’s credibility.
The group discusses Abrams constantly changing booking style, changing things on the fly in order to keep things exciting. If it entertained Herb, it must be entertaining the world.
Yesberg discusses starting a feud with Abrams and feeling confident it would keep him around.
Talk moves to Abrams attempting to emulate the merchandising tactics of the WWF, showing ads for shirts, the UWF Powerline and the infamous UWF Cookies.
In June 1991, UWF would put on their first Pay Per View, Beach Brawl.
In a baffling move, Abrams selects the Manatee Civic Center in Palmetto, Florida as the location. Palmetto is over an hour away from any other major markets.
Allen believes it was selected since the WWF ran TV tapings there.
Duge acknowledges he knew there was no way they could sell the building out.
Abrams would become entangled in the days leading up to the PPV in Florida’s notorious nightlife.
When Duge arrived in Florida he found Abrams in bad shape after partying for days on end and tells him after the show he needs to get into rehab.
Abrams arrives to the show to find thousands upon thousands of empty seats.
During the show Abrams was doing ring announcing but also running in and out of the bathroom, doing cocaine.
Blair says it was one of the biggest flops in PPV history.
Duge admits the show was a tremendous financial loss.
Following the show checks start bouncing for the talent and they begin confronting Abrams.
Blair recalls going to visit Abrams hotel room and being greeted by two naked girls and finding Abrams naked with two giant piles of cocaine.
Yesberg recalls a time where the TV crew refuses to work until they are paid. They call the bank who confirms that he has multi-millions of dollars in the bank. He had two bank accounts, one with all the money, and the other one that he cut the checks from that would bounce.
Following the show, Abrams was threatened with being thrown off the fifth floor by a group of disgruntled workers.
Duge admits telling people not to accept a check from Abrams if they were not comfortable.
Yesberg remembers being threatened simply due to being associated with the company.
Ray and Allen discuss Abrams growing paranoia, believing he was constantly being recorded, leading to him tearing apart rooms to find the microphones.
Yesberg talks about Abrams standing in his hotel rooms, naked except for cowboy boots (which he never took off) staring through the peephole stating “shh, they’re coming”
Ray talks about a time that Abrams tried paying a hooker with a check knowing he couldn’t, and two thugs busted in the room, leading to Herb running naked out the window and running through a neighbourhood.
Even though the UWF has essentially ceased operations, Abrams is able to book a PPV called the Blackjack Brawl in Las Vegas following the success of WWF’s WrestleMania IX.
Abrams is actually able to book the MGM Grand for the show.
Foley remembers Herb bringing him up to his penthouse suite the night before the show, and discussing how huge the show is going to be. Abrams then proceeded to show yellow leather ostrich-skin cowboy boots with UWF on them. Herb believed this would blow people’s minds.
The show once again failed to draw more than a few hundred people, leaving most of the arena completely bare.
It was clear during the show that Abrams was out of his mind during the show.
Foley would work with Jimmy Snuka during the show and would work their way into the empty crowd, to which Blair asked him what the hell he was doing?
Both Foley and Ray confirm their checks did not clear for the show.
Everyone remembers after the failure in Vegas, Herb leaving LA for good and returning to New York.
Most believed that at this point he had cleaned himself up.
The footage is shown from July 17, 1996, of a longtime friend visiting Herb at his office. This is the last known recording of Abrams.
He would disappear and be dead days later.
Duge and Allen remember finding out about Abrams’ death.
On July 23rd, 1996, police were called to his office where he had been running around naked covered in oil and cocaine chasing two hookers with a baseball bat.
Rumours abound of how exactly he passed away, varying from the police sodomizing him with a baton, him running into a closed-door in his erratic state, him having a heart attack when the police showed up, to having a seizure in the jail cell.
Yesberg believes he faked his death, telling a story of a promotion running under the name of UWF. The promoter was approached by a small man in blue jeans and cowboy boots who said they would sue them for using the name.
Foley does not believe that Abrams could lay low and must be dead.
Duge knows he would have heard from Abrams if he was alive.
We see Allen visiting Abrams grave.
Allen talks about inheriting Herb’s dog Cokey.
Ray tearfully mourns the loss of his friend who always believed in him.
When asked where he believes Abrams would be if he was alive, Foley jokingly says “Time” and he would be visiting him in jail over milk and Herbie cookies.
In the end, Herb Abrams legend only continues to grow in the years since his death. It’s clear that despite all of the horrible things that occurred around him, everyone who knew him was very loving and affectionate of Mr. Electricity. In a season of episodes telling such tragic tales, and despite the tragedy of Abrams’ life itself, this episode feels more like a celebration of the man, his work, and his life. A lot of stories from the UWF are glossed over or not mentioned at all, like the Dr. Death/Steve Ray story, but the story was more about Herb himself than the promotion. Join us next week for the tale of the Road Warriors before season two wraps up with a look at Owen Hart.