WOW MAGAZINE : december 2000 vol. 2 Issue 8
PARTY ANIMALS
WCW’s Filthy Animals party as hard as they work in the ring
by Ben Adeline
[Rey Mysterio Jr. Tygress Paul Orndorff (not a Filthy Animal) Konana Juentud Guerrera Disqo Big Vito (not a Filthy Animal)]
The team that parties together wins together - and has the most fun. Seriously. And that’s not just the words of wisdom from The Three Wise Men: Jim, Jack and José. Ok, the New York Yankees don’t have such a motto, and they’re pretty successful, but it definitely has a home in World Championship Wrestling. And not many guesses are needed to know who operates under such a philosophy.
These fun-loving partiers could only be The Filthy Animals: Konnan, Disqo (formerly Disco Inferno), Juventud “The Juive” Guerrera, Rey Mysterio Jr. and Tygress, The crew has picked up - in the after-hours scene, that is - right where Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and the rest of The Four Horsemen left off.
Flair danced all night, danced a little longer.
The Filthy Animals party all night, party a little longer.
The Horsemen, especially those of the 1980s and early 1990s, were the wild boys of wrestling. What Flair and company preached as their over-the-edge lifestyle was just that. If something wild and crazy was happening away from the ring, it was a good bet that Flair was front and center.
Gettin’ down and dirty
The next generation of night owls - night crawlers is, perhaps , a better term - features thee heavily tattooed. Highly energetic luchadors, a hip-swiveling, hip-hop wanna-be and a bad-to-the-bone babe. Yep, The Filthy Animals are leaving their mark - an exclamation mark, no\ doubt - on WCW these days. Mysterio (real name: Oscar Gutierrez) and Gurrera (real name: Eduardo Anibal Gonzalez) were world tag team champions at the beginning of September 2000. Konnan (real name: Charles Ashenoff) was kicking his lingo with a wordsmith ability that would make Eminem envious. Disqo (real name: Glen Gilbertti) is more Dr Dre. than John Travolta these days, or at least he’s trying to be. And Tygress (real name: Vanessa Sanchez), well, she’s just one get-in-your-face gal.
The Filthy Animals are, without question, a force to be reckoned with - in the ring, and certainly after hours.
“Since we party well together, we mesh together well in the ring,” said Konnan. “The Steiner Brothers had that chemistry because they’re brothers. Same for Harlem Heat (Booker T and Stevie Ray). Scott Hall and Kevin Nash have it because they hang out everywhere.
“Partying together makes you bond together stronger, because then you're not under the in-ring stress; you can basically do whatever you want, stay out as late as you want, drink what you want … just have fun,” continued Konnan. “Plus, being with friends, you don’t have to worry about being stabbed in the back.
“A lot of other wrestlers seek us out, to see where we’re gonna party. Wrestlers always know, or think, that being seen with us can get them in trouble.”
[‘The Juice’ captured the WCW world tag team title on Aug. 14. 2000, with Rey Mysterio Jr.]
The Filthy Animals clearly are the non-conformists of the business. Rules? What rules? They live by their own code of ethics, which probably is something along the lines of the nastier, the better.” Think Mysertio wears those horns for the heck of it? Think again. Think “Air Juvi” is too cute to cause chaos? Think again.
This bunch takes partying as seriously as Lance Storm takes wrestling.
“A Filthy Animal is … filthy,” said Konnan. “We’re late-, late-, late-night partiers. We ain’t afraid to go to two after-hours clubs after all the other clubs java closed. The one thing about us, though, is we won’t party with just anybody. We have certain people that we party with (away from the ring), like Jeff Jarett, referee Mark Johnson, Nash, Billy Kidman and Hall.
[In September, Disco Inferno changed his name to Disqo.]
Future Filthy animal clique members, according to Konnan, could be Sean O’Haire and the members of 3 Count.
Fun with filth
WCW management this summer implemented a fining system for performers who don't arrive at an arena by a predetermined time. The fines start at $500 and go up for each offense. Naturally, The Filthy Animals were the first ones fined. No worries, Konnan said, that was to be expected. In fact, he added, the fine was sort of a badge of honor.
“I didn’t want to be late, but felt I had to be late, to give honor to the name Filthy Animals,” he said.
“It’s the tightest feeling ever getting to work in the same company with my friends, and also in the ring,” added Mysterio. “We’re throwing down 100 percent, in the ring and out. We’re gonna make this rise all the way to the top, and do it together.
[Rey Mysterio Jr. added devil horns to his look as a member of The Filthy Animals.]
“We go out there and have fun in the ring, being a bit naughty with the people, messing with them in a good way, making them laugh. Seems like it's working,” continued Mysterio. “People don’t hate us; they’re obviously with us. And that’s a good thing.”
The three-way alliance of Konnan, Mysterio and Gurrera is a natural. Each honed his skills south of the border, with Konnan hitting the highest peak in the ring and out. Konnan and Mysterio were tag team champions in mMexico. Guerrera and Mysterio were longtime rivals - in the United States and Mexico - and they clearly complement each other’s style. Then there’s Disqo, arguably one of the sport’s least-respected, yet most-talented performers. Disqo knows the business, loves the business and studies the business. His fervor for wrestling landed him a spot this summer on WCW’s creative team. Disqo mind for the business is as keen as anyone’s. His ideas have helped the others, even though they actually have more mat experience. Disqo is a past champion and a proven partyer. Wrapping up the unit is ex-Nitro Girl Tygress, the ain’t-afraid-of-no-one business manager. She’s the brains of the bunch - and clearly the beauty, too.
[Mysterio flies in with a legdrop (above) while ‘The Juice gets two feet up on his opponent (right).]
Innovating, not imitating
What D-Generation X has done in the World Wrestling Federation, THe Filthy Animals hope to match in WCW.
The Filthy Animals concept came to television life last year, with Kidman, Konnan, Eddy Guerrero and Mysterio. Guerrero soon bolted to the WWF while Kidman skipped into singles action. Konnan was sidelined for three months at the start of the year after the ouster of then-WCW President Bill Busch. And this fall, he’s slowly recovering from a torn right triceps, suffered at the hands of Van Hammer.
[Konnan is the unspoken leader of The Filthy Animals.]
“Things are getting better; that’s how I’m looking at it” said Konnan. “Vince Russo’s presence has been a blessing for this bunch. I think he sees our talent; he doesn’t let personal feelings get in the way. Being opinionated in this business gets you in trouble; people just want to be told what they want to hear. But I can't be like that. Nash is a lot like that. Hall is a lot like that. I guess that’s why we always seem to be in trouble. I’d rather have you hate me for what I am than love me for what I;m not. I;m not gonna put up some fronts, some masks.”
None of The Filthy Animals is an impostor. What you see is what you get.
[Tygress and Mysterio show Filthy Animalunity with matching outfits.]
“Everyone knows Rey is a great wrestler. Everyone knows Juvi is a great wrestler. Everyone knows Disqo is underrated. Now we’re gonna parlay out ability into success,” said Konnan. “We’re respected by the fans and the wrestlers; they know who’s good; they know who has charisma.”
'I'd rather have you hate me for what I am than love me for what I'm not.’ - Konnan
Konnan’s Top 5 Party Cities:
1. Toronto
2. Las Vegas
3. Miami
4. San Francisco
5. Tijuana, Mexico
Top 5 Least Like to Join The FIlthy Animals:
1. Doug Dellinger
2. Kronik
3. Randay Savage
4. Wildcat Willie
5. Lance Storm
