Alex Marvez's weekly look at professional wrestling   http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/24228

By ALEX MARVEZ
Scripps Howard News Service
Thursday, June 14, 2007

No pro wrestler may be more anxious to see "Sicko'' than Carlos "Konnan" Ashenoff.

The new documentary finds acclaimed director Michael Moore taking a critical look at the U.S. health care system, which is a view Ashenoff shares after his recent medical problems. While preparing to undergo hip replacement surgery last year, Ashenoff was told he also would need a kidney transplant.

Unable to procure health insurance independently or through Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Ashenoff traveled to Mexico for his hip procedure and will do the same once a kidney donor is finalized. Ashenoff said his hip replacement cost $30,000 in Monterrey rather than the $80,000 to $90,000 price tag he was touted in the U.S. and that he will save even more on his kidney transplant.

"In the U.S., it would be between $100,000 to $120,000. In Mexico, it will be about $30,000," said Ashenoff, who turned 43 last week. "And don't be swayed by the fact it's Mexico and you think you're getting superior care here. You're going to get taken care of.

"This just shows how much corporate greed there is. You see it at all levels. They prey on the fact people are sick and nail you for as much as they can."

Such outspokenness has helped make Ashenoff one of pro wrestling's most controversial yet popular characters. When TNA wrestling told Ashenoff it wouldn't cover the cost of his kidney replacement, long-time wrestling fans Anthony DeBlasi and Georgiann Makropoulos spearheaded a fundraising drive that has generated more than $14,000 for his medical expenses. The Mexican-based Asistencia Asesorma y Administracion (AAA) promotion where Ashenoff works in the front office on weekends will pick up most of the remaining costs.

Another wrestling fan has helped Ashenoff find a potential donor who is being tested within the next two weeks for surgery in early July.

"All I can say is, 'Wow!'" said Ashenoff, who isn't sure what triggered his kidney problems. "All the sacrifices I've made _ the holidays I've missed because I had to work, the times I got screwed over and lied to by promoters _ this made it worth it. The fans came through for me when my own company (TNA) didn't."

TNA, which lent Ashenoff the money for his hip surgery, has continued to book Konnan on television tapings and pay-per-view shows despite his health woes. A wheelchair-bound Ashenoff has sizzled on the microphone during interviews to promote his LAX tag-team of Nelson "Homicide" Erazo and Shawn Hernandez on TNA Impact (9 p.m. Eastern, Thursdays, Spike TV).

But despite LAX's popularity, TNA has toned down its push of the act amid concerns Ashenoff may ultimately be leaving for full-time work in AAA. Fresh off a red-hot feud with Team 3-D (a k a The Dudley Boys), LAX is relegated to a mid-card match against Terry "Rhino" Gerin and Brandon "Senshi" Silvestry on Sunday night's Slammiversary pay-per-view show emanating from Nashville.

"I always thought talent should override (backstage) politics and obviously it doesn't," Ashenoff said. "We're at a crossroads. TNA can use us and draw the Latino audience they so desperately need plus feature someone that got popular. You'd think business-wise it would behoove them to promote us. But right now, they think I may leave so they're really not promoting us like they should.

"But still, thanks to the vision of (TNA executive) Dixie Carter and the relentless work ethic of Jeff Jarrett and the whole TNA crew, we've been able to surpass everyone's expectations. Right now, we are a promotion that's growing and cultivating new talent. I'm very proud to be part of that."

Behind the scenes, Ashenoff was influential in bringing high-flying "lucha libre" performers like current World Wrestling Entertainment star Rey Mysterio into the U.S. grappling scene.

Ashenoff is now trying to organize a pure lucha libre promotion for the U.S. to capitalize on the genre's popularity among the sizeable number of Mexican fans that have migrated.

"I've always said whoever opens a Latino promotion in the U.S. will be a very rich man," said the Cuban-born Ashenoff, who was raised in Miami and currently lives in the San Diego area.

Even with his current health woes, Ashenoff said he hopes to resume wrestling by year's end.

Fans wanting to contribute to Ashenoff's medical fund can email [email protected] for more information.

LESNAR UFC?: Brock Lesnar's impressive mixed martial arts debut earlier this month on the Dynamite USA pay-per-view show has caught the eye of Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White. Lesnar, a former WWE champion, scored a first-round TKO over judo specialist Min Soo Kim.

"I'm interested in Brock Lesnar and would really love to do something with him," White said. "He's an incredible athlete and it would be interesting to see how he would do against the world's best (fighters)."

Rich Franklin vs. Yushin Okami will headline Saturday's UFC 72 pay-per-view show emanating from Belfast, Ireland. While the overall card (which has a 3 p.m. Eastern start time) should be entertaining, Franklin and Okami will have a difficult time matching the excitement of Spencer Fisher's three-round decision over Sam Stout in the main event of Tuesday's Ultimate Fight Night telecast on Spike emanating from Hollywood, Fla.

WWE FAMILY VALUES: For those wanting to remember Vince McMahon from before he was allegedly "blown up" in a tasteless storyline car explosion on this week's Monday Night Raw telecast (9 p.m., USA Network), check out WWE's newly released DVD entitled The Most Powerful Families in Wrestling. Other clans featured besides the McMahons include the Guerreros, Von Erichs, Funks and Harts.

WWE also recently released The Ladder Match, which is a three-DVD set of 21 such bouts spanning nine hours (including what is touted as the first recorded ladder match between Jake "The Snake" Roberts and the late Sylvester "Junkyard Dog" Ritter from Calgary's Stampede Wrestling in 1979). For more information, visit www.wwe.com.  

More of the Carlos Ashenoff interview can be found at www.wrestlingobserver.com.  Questions can be sent to Alex Marvez c/o the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33301, or e-mailed to [email protected].  Please include your full name and city of residence. Because of volume, no phone calls will be accepted and letters will not receive a written reply.