Columnist John Katsilometes: Buffalo Jim pins the competition

Tuesday, Nov. 9, 1999 | 9:27 a.m.

John Katsilometes' column appears Tuesdays and Sundays. Reach him at 259-2327 or kats@vegas.com.

In professional wrestling, even the bouts out of the ring are, shall we say, predetermined.

Locally, Buffalo Jim Barrier has dropped the big elbow on a fledgling rival organization of disaffected former students, Sin City Wrestling.

The ragtag offshoot organization formed by Kelly Nunes and a handful of Barrier's disgruntled students set up shop in July. At the time they predicted a mass defection of Barrier's Buffalo Wrestling Federation students and spoke of gaining a Nevada Athletic Commission license to promote shows in Las Vegas.

Never happened.

The dozen or so Sin City scamps managed to pull off a single show in Bullhead City, Ariz., where no sanctioning license is needed to stage pro wrestling cards. Reportedly, they lost a lot of money that night, around $12,000.

By the end of September Sin City was out of operation. The club's listed phone number is out of service and Barrier is again without competition on the local wrestling circuit.

And Barrier boldly predicted all of this long ago.

"I hate to say I told you so, but I said they'd be in business for 90 days," the husky-voiced promoter said in a recent phone conversation. "They opened on July 1 and were out of business by the end of September. I was just about right on."

Barrier said he was even approached to buy Sin City's tattered ring, but balked because it was fitted with exposed bolts. Despite all of Sin City's complaints about Barrier allegedly shafting former members out of dues payments after they left the club and various other business transgressions (such as moving workout times to night and making it difficult for guys with night jobs to attend), he continues to survive and thrive.

"I've been holding regular matches for over a year, all of them successful," Barrier said. "I'm getting good at this business. I knew those guys would have an awfully difficult time of it."

Barrier's next show at Mahoney's Silver Nugget is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 29, the night before the Super Bowl. He hopes to feature former NFL player Steve McMichael (also a former World Championship Wrestling performer) on that card. The Silver Nugget shows usually draw between 800 and 1,000 fans, enough for Barrier to break even.

As for Sin City, the organization was doomed from the start if it couldn't turn an early profit in its Arizona show. There's already a formidable pro wrestling presence in Las Vegas, with the World Wrestling Federation and WCW making perennial visits to the Thomas & Mack Center and the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The WWF is still interested in opening a theme hotel near the Strip, and the WCW has its own sprawling Nitro Grill restaurant at Excalibur.

With all that, and Buffalo Jim, there's not much room for a group of young mavericks with little funding. Go back to what Barrier himself said a few months ago, calling the SCW, "No more than a fly."

And the tireless Barrier was ready with the Raid.

One message to the devoted people of the Stardust: I'm sorry about noting the faded paint, torn carpeting and cheap hot dogs at Wayne Newton's newest favorite casino.

As several employees reminded me, the hotel is undergoing a multimillion-dollar renovation in conjunction with Newton's arrival in January. The faded paint and torn carpeting near the sports book entrance are soon to be replaced; and the hot dogs are actually $2, not a buck.

But there is no word on whether Jimmie "J.J." Walker, a sports book fixture, is also due for a little sprucing up.

Tough luck dept.: Comedian/magician Mac King signed a lengthy deal at the Maxim just days before the hotel announced it would be closing Dec. 6. His last show at the Maxim's Comedy Max Showroom was Friday, although he'll be filling in for as long as the hotel stays open.

Also looking for a regular local gig is Barrie Cunningham, whose Jimmy Buffett/Neil Diamond odd couple tribute acts failed to arouse much of a following at the Gold Coast. Cunningham has returned to the "Legends in Concert" lineup and is on the cruise ship circuit, although he has had some discussions with the Beach, where his Buffett tribute is a better fit than the staid Gold Coast showroom.

More Maxim: As employees await word from hotel owner Premier Entertainment on whether they'll receive their vacation pay when the hotel closes, the property received some odd national coverage recently.

In the November issue of the sex-driven Maxim men's magazine (which has no affiliation with the hotel), a Sasha Lewis of New York City wrote:

"My girlfriend and I were about to check into Vegas' Maxim hotel, until we found out it wasn't the Maxim magazine hotel. No Pamela Lee. No free beer or orgasm-inducing gizmos. In protest we got our picture taken for you guys. Here we are, deep in the poker hole, drinking champagne in our bathrobes on the top of a limo. Life sucks."

The letter is accompanied by a photo of the two women atop a stretch limo in front of the Maxim's marquee reading "Grande Buffet."

The editor's response: "Thanks for the tip-off. We've sent a copyright lawyer out there to cheat at craps and 'miss' the urinal."

The place gets no respect.