Originally Posted by retrogearsolid
lmao, that's hilarious. I knew it was bad, but I didn't realize it was that bad. Not only did Jericho bone Steph, I am certain that one of her kids is his. That would explain the kind of treatment he's getting from The Omega One.Originally Posted by iLL I AM
I know a few of us have been pondering this...and I just came across some stats to support what most of us already knew...
Including the last match they had on the Mike Tyson RAW, Triple H is 25-6-1 vs. Chris Jericho. 13 of those wins are in tag matches, 9 are singles and 3 are Chamber matches. 1 of the Jericho wins was his Title victory on RAW (one of the biggest pops I've ever heard)...which ended up being overturned that same night. Another was in Smackdown back in '02 which Jericho won with a roll-up. Another was the Tag match that had the changed finish because HHH tore his quad.
25 wins in 32 matches.
Did Y2J bone Stephanie or some @%*$? Triple GOD has no mercy on this dude. I had thexcombo when I read that HHH wanted Jericho to cut his hair before he made his Y2J debut in '99 because he "resembled" him too much and didn't want to confuse the fans.
- Most of the Wrestlemania plans are starting to take shape internally, with the two dream matches being Bret Hart teaming with Shawn Michaels to take on a heel tandem of Vince McMahon and Triple H in a street fight (a match which Vince has wanted to do for years) and John Cena vs. The Rock. Obviously, WWE has had to change the proposed matches with directions leading to Wrestlemania being altered. Backup plans are now tentatively in the works, which include
- Shawn Michaels vs. Undertaker rematch
- Triple H vs. Sheamus for the WWE Championship
John Cena vs. Batista is the likely other main event, with some combination (most likely Batista being champ and Cena challenging via a possible Rumble victory). Other matches being talked about are Randy Orton vs. Ted DiBiase and CM Punk vs. Rey Mysterio in a hair vs. mask match. Officials have their preferences but are starting to get into full blown planning mode for the event. Speaking of Punk, he was originally scheduled to win the ECW Homecoming Tournament and face Christian at the Royal Rumble.
- Bret vs. Vince McMahon in a street fight is still tentative, based on Bret's physical limitations.
CM Punk and Luke Gallows were thrown into the tag title picture as a filler, since Shawn Michaels won't be involved in the Bret Hart angle as of this writing. They decided against Punk jobbing to Christian at the Royal Rumble, and want to keep him strong heading into his planned Wrestlemania match with Rey Mysterio, an angle that they plan to include reference to Mysterio's real life painkiller addictions.
Creative is keeping a lot of angles "open ended" at the moment so don't be surprised if things change.
[color= rgb(255, 0, 0)]I don't mind a few of those matches (keep the Title off Batista and hopefully Cena doesn't winthe Rumble)...but a big[/color][color= rgb(255, 0, 0)]if Sheamus vs.HHH for the Championship goes through. I @*+*$!* knew it...this guy just wants fresh meat that he can bury and win the strap from. Another quad injury for HGHis long overdue.[/color]
Why Bret Hart didn't appear on this week's RAW and when you can expect to see him again.
- The decision to hold off Bret Hart's return was made over the weekend, just not many people knew about the change and were still under the impression he'd be there last night. They opted to go with the slower build to the angle as to not distract from the Royal Rumble plans. The word now is that Bret will be back the Raw after Royal Rumble in two weeks.
Full details on the lead up to Bret Hart's return.
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Bret Hart first contacted WWE in February of 2009 to let them know that he was open to returning for a storyline. Hart's girlfriend was going to school in Calgary and he would be based out of Calgary for a few years instead of Hawaii, where he had been. Bret was getting bored with retirement and thought of getting back into wrestling.
Bret notes that there were times when WWE seemed interested and other times when they really didn't seem interested in his return at all. He told them a few times that if they weren't that interested, he was fine with that and then he would always hear immediately back from them with interest. Talks for this year's WrestleMania angle got serious last September.
There is a storyline in place through WrestleMania between Hart and Vince McMahon with hope for some sort of street fight or at least a showdown between the two at WrestleMania. Due to concussions from the past and his stroke in 2002, Hart is very limited to what he can do in the ring. He can't take a traditional flat back bump. Obviously challenges like these could affect what happens between Bret and Vince. The original script for the RAW angle a few weeks back was for Vince to slap Bret in the face. Because of the concussion issue, they changed it to a kick in the stomach. It actually ended up being a kick to the groin from Vince, a miscue that Bret felt made the segment better.
Both Bret and WWE have laid out the basic details of the storyline and agreed on them. Each side has veto power regarding minor details. Hart is scheduled to return at next week's RAW and is scheduled to be a regular on RAW through February. Bret's contract with WWE is for through April and is only for this storyline. Bret is said to be open to ideas if WWE is interested in using him past that point and is open to signing a longer contract. If no contract would be offered, he is still open to appearing on the occasional show for the next few years while he's mostly based out of Calgary.
Other sources report that revealing Bret's stroke from 2002 in the storyline has been talked about. Apparently it will be a significant part of the angle at some point. Bret's concussion issue is less likely to be brought up because it's such a sensitive issue right now.
On the plane trip from Hawaii to RAW, Bret's sciatic nerve in his lower back was acting up badly, causing concern that he would be limping to the ring. Bret rested after the trip and was pain free by the time RAW came on Monday night.[/font]
Bret says confrontation with Shawn Michaels on RAW was unrehearsed and heartfelt.
- Bret Hart wrote the following on his Facebook page:
"It's worth mentioning that although I did see Shawn earlier in the afternoon in the cafeteria, our in-ring face-off was unrehearsed and heartfelt on both sides and I can finally say that Shawn and I have finally made peace in what has been a long, draining, and sometimes pointless war of personalities. As for everything else that happened, on one hand, I finally found some closure. On the other hand, as far as Vince McMahon goes, I haven't closed anything at all. I have a lot of friends in a lot of places and we'll just have to see what happens next."
Triple GOD not happy with Bret Hart being back in the 'E.
Reports are beginning to circulate that Triple H is not happy WWE is bringing Bret Hart in and that he has even told people he hopes it doesn't last. Bret Hart is willing to bury the hatchet to the point where can remain cordial with Hunter and Michaels. I haven't heard about Michaels, but Triple H has said he won't lie down and "brown nose" Hart.
[color= rgb(255, 0, 0)]Go suck a $@#+, Omega.[/color]
The real story behind Jeff Hardy's WWE departure and why he joined TNA; how Vince tried to play it off; when Hardy was supposed to return toWWE.
The Jeff Hardy "he had three strikes on the Wellness Policy and was going to get fired anyway" is, according to reports, a "cop out" by Vince McMahon and the WWE to attempt to head off their complete surprise that Jeff signed a short term deal, believed to be for 90-days, with TNA.
Jeff had a verbal agreement to return in time for Wrestlemania 26, believed to be a surprise entrant in the Money in the Bank ladder match. This agreement was evident by Jeff winning a Slammy, still being referenced on TV, and having his DVD consistently promoted long after the release date. "They wouldn't have kept putting him over on TV if they didn't know when he was coming back," said one source. Vince privately "flipped a lid" when he heard Jeff had signed a deal, but played it off as "no big deal" publicly. He was immediately removed from the WWE intro video.
Jeff Hardy was telling people that he joined TNA due to the company's easier schedule, since they made a deal where he wasn't going to have to work any house shows. AAA made a similar offer to him, but that would entail flying to Mexico, and they never made a firm money offer.
There is some confusion as to when Jeff agreed to the deal, that even he is being mum about in his own circles. The general consensus seems to be that he agreed to the deal on the Friday before the Monday show, and Hogan and company wanted Jeff to post on Twitter that he would be attending the TNA live Impact "to visit friends," so that no one would tip off him being there backstage before the show to spoil it.
As for Jeff's indictment, reportedly he will still be able to travel to Orlando (as of now) for his employment requirements until trial. However, once the trial begins, he is likely to be required to remain in the area where it takes place. This is why he hasn't been added to the roster page on TNAWrestling.com, since even Jeff doesn't know 100% what he will and won't be able to do. The indictment caught everyone off guard since his lawyers had led him to believe that it wouldn't happen.
Why WWE changed the Royal Rumble WWE Title match.
- Randy Orton vs. Sheamus for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble was decided on some time before last Monday's RAW, a switch from the planned Sheamus/Cena title match. This was done because it doesn't appear likely that The Rock will be working Wrestlemania 26 (as of now) and they are going with their backup plans. This switch should make Cena one of the favorites to win the Rumble, and if he does win, it's possible he "cashes in" his title shot a month early at the February pay-per-view as part of the angle.
No plans to take WWE Title off Sheamus anytime soon.
- There are no plans to take the WWE Championship off of Sheamus anytime soon. Despite his critics, it would completely deflate the mega push given to him if he drops the title this soon.
Why John Cena has had a light schedule recently; will have major back surgery sometime in the future.
- Another factor in John Cena's light schedule lately is that his back has been bothering him pretty bad, according to reports. It's no secret that someday Cena is going to have to have major back surgery for bulging discs, but recently they've been especially bad. They are having him take it easy on TVs (short match with Sheamus, 3-way last week, Tag Team match this week and not being in the Royal Rumble title match) and on the road so he can be as back to normal as he can be for Wrestlemania.
John Cena & Kofi Kingston vs. Legacy match changed twice before RAW aired.
- The John Cena/Kofi vs. Legacy match changed twice during the course of the day. It was originally going to be for Cena/Kofi's spots in the Royal Rumble on the line (which would have been made by guest host Jon Heder), but they didn't want to saturate Heder's appearance on the show so kept him strictly involved with the main event. Then, it was planned to have Legacy take out Cena backstage before the match to have it be a handicap match (with Cena coming out for the save at the end) as to protect Cena from working a match, but he told officials his back was feeling well enough to work a tag team match. He was in pain after the show, but those close to him called it "no more than he usually is."
Shawn Michaels to step away (again) after Wrestlemania.
The current plan is for Shawn Michaels to take time off after Wrestlemania 26 next year. Michaels is not included in post-Wrestlemania house show advertisements and has let officials know he wants a break similar to what he took this year after his match against The Undertaker.
As we've reported, there has been a lot of talk about doing Michaels vs. The Undertaker Part II even though WWE officials would most desire Bret Hart & Shawn Michaels vs. Vince McMahon & Triple H in a street fight.
Why TNA changed to a traditional ring and how Hogan & Bischoff went about it.
- The decision to go with the 6-sided ring was one of the first things Hulk Hogan decided upon coming into the company. None of the wrestlers were told of the change in advance. They simply showed up to the arena and saw they were going with a traditional 4-sided ring again. The fans were very vocal before, during and after the show of their dislike of the change. A few regulars noted that the bad reaction came from the fact that they felt like the 6-sided ring was part of TNA's "identity." Quite a few people told Hogan and Eric Bischoff before the show that it wasn't going to get over by trashing the old style ring, and how they should simply just not mention it
(and just let the change be obvious without acknowledging it).
Backstage opinion in TNA of Genesis PPV.
- Not a lot of positive reaction internally amongst the locker room to the actual show itself. Some seem to feel like "change for the sake of change" is detrimental to the product (i.e. having Daniels jobbing to Sean Morely) and Hogan's approach should be more gradual as to not alienate fans. Most understand why Hogan is "blowing his load" so quick as to generate interest and try to turn things around for TNA as quick as possible.
Jeff Hardy's involvement with TNA and what was planned for him at Genesis.
- Jeff Hardy's involvement in TNA was described to me as "unknown." He has been in touch with Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff about his legal status, but even Hogan is being tight-lipped about the details (which is surprising for someone who can't resist talking about everything and anything). Brian Kendrick was going to debut for the company at tonight's first batch of TV tapings, but was put in Jeff Hardy's spot in the X Division title match vs. Amazing Red instead.
Vince McMahon's reaction to Monday Night iMPACT and some of their surprise appearances.
Vince was said to be perplexed (but not shocked) Ric Flair appeared on Impact. Vince laughed heavily seeing Sean "X Pac" Waltman and Scott Hall appear on the show but did appreciate the main event of Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles.
Dana White calls Vince McMahon "an animal".
At a recent UFC PPV post-event press conference, UFC President Dana White was questioned about WWE running head-to-head with UFC Fight Night Live on January 11th, with Mike Tyson as the guest host of Raw. Below is a quote of what White said:
"I mean we're not trying to go against him. That night is the night Spike wanted the fight. Spike wanted the fight that night, so that's the night they called for it and Vince goes into (expletive) war mode. He's calling up (Mike) Tyson. He's bringing this guy back and the Rock might come back. I love it. He's a (expletive) animal. You've never heard me say we're going to kick the (expletive) out of Monday Night Raw. You've never heard me say that. I think we're two totally different, pro wrestling is totally different than the UFC and mixed martial arts. And I respect this guy. I like Vince McMahon. I've had breakfast with him. He's a good guy, but he is a (expletive) animal. I'm not trying to beat him on Monday night. I don't think we would beat them. Those guys pull killer ratings. It's been like the highest rated show on television forever. We're just putting a fight on Monday night because Spike wants us to."
Ric Flair speaks on why he signed to TNA and details on his contract.
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Ric Flair says his main reason for joining TNA and making his debut this past Monday night on iMPACT! was because unlike WWE, he felt wanted by the organization.
In an interview with Mike Mooneyham of the Charleston Post and Courier, he said he didn't want to sit at home watching two wrestling shows on Monday nights when he feels he can still contribute to the industry.
"I think I certainly can add something to the show," Flair said. "And the nice thing is ... they want me."
Flair says he waited for WWE to call him back after he worked a brief angle with Randy Orton this past June, but they never called him back to do a follow-up.
Flair says he was feeling great following his recent wrestling tour of Australia, both mentally and physically, and felt he shouldn't have to sit on the sidelines when he can strongly contribute to TNA.
Mooneyham noted: "Flair says he loves WWE and always will, but that he needed this opportunity for himself. ... It's a matter of pride, of belonging, of feeling that old familiar adrenaline rush. Flair says he is excited and energized by the positive vibes coming reverberating throughout the company (TNA)."
[/font]-[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]-- Ric Flair signed his deal with TNA just a few days before the live episode of iMPACT. His deal is for 65 appearances over one year's time. It's believed Flair is working on a guaranteed money deal and is still able to book his own outside-TNA appearances. In an effort to get him on that Monday's show, word is that TNA offered Flair more money.
It's said that TNA really wants Flair to be part of "the team" and be a face for the company. Some feel that Flair's heart isn't really in TNA and he's more interested in the money than helping TNA succeed.[/font]
Jeff Jarrett's new role in TNA.
- Jeff Jarrett remaining with TNA was a compromise mediated by Dixie Carter as part of the agreement for Hogan to come on board as a partner. The plan is for Jarrett to return to a full time in-ring role and will have limited, if any, backstage responsibilities.
Heat on Jeff Jarrett over botched iMPACT segment.
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]On the live Monday night iMPACT taping, Jeff Jarrett returned to the Impact Zone to address the crowd. He gave a gracious, if not somewhat self-congratulatory, celebration interview for the progress of TNA and his role in it.
Hulk Hogan fired back that Jarrett was talking too much about himself and he didn't want to him reference "I, I, I" again. Hogan came across as having an attitude and perhaps raining on Jarrett's hard-earned parade. It wasn't supposed to come across that way.
Jarrett was supposed to come across as self-absorbed and borderline delusional, but some of the ideas to get him there were edited out by various factions behind the scenes in recent days. Some insider references were removed and Jarrett himself may not have wanted some things that would have stung too much to be talked about, such as pushing himself at the expense of others.
Because Jarrett came up short on some of the items he was supposed to say, he essentially didn't set the pin up properly for Hogan to knock down. So Hogan came across more heelish than intended.
There was recognition behind the scenes that the Hogan-Jarrett did not come across as the creative team originally envisioned and intended, with the heat being put on Jeff Jarrett.[/font]
Batista speaks on his family and criticizes WWE's younger stars.
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]WWE Smackdown star Batista does not sound particularly high on WWE's "champions of tomorrow" as he feels that other wrestlers of his generation are a dying breed. The Animal tells Manila Standard Today, "We're dinosaurs in this age of instant gratification. We are not just athletes, we are also storytellers and I don't see that in the newcomers," Batista said in an interview with the Manila Standard Today.
Regarding his future in sports entertainment, the multi-time champion believes he will be "fat and retired" five years from now. If he's still working for WWE, it would be in a behind-the-scenes role.
Batista spoke briefly about his family, namely his two-year-old son and the two daughters he has from a previous marriage with a Filipina. "It's rough having daughters," he shares. "But my girls are tough. They don't need me to protect them. I feel sorry for the guys who will date my daughters."[/font]
[color= rgb(255, 0, 0)]What "stories" does this guy tell in the ring?[/color]
Big Show says there's "not anybody good enough" to take his position.
The UK Sun has a new interview online with Big Show. In it, he warns younger workers that he's not going to give up his spot as a main event talent. Below are the notable quotes from the interview:
"I want to let you know flat out there's not anybody good enough to take my position. And I'm certainly not going to give my position up just because I've been on top for a while, and nor would anyone else. If there's another giant that can walk in and take my position, then good for him. He can run with it and I'll retire. Until then I'm going to work on top as long as I can, make as much money as I can and entertain the fans as much as I can. It's up to the younger generation to come to the locker room, step up and be leaders. Every one of us who is on top right now has had to fight and dig and bend to the penthouse and bend to the outhouse as far as booking and positioning goes. I'm not just going to lay down because somebody new comes in - they're going to have to earn it."
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/2800445/Big-Show-warns-WWE-youngsters-over-main-event-status-Exclusive-UK-Sun-interview-with-Big-Show.html]Click here[/url] to read the interview in its entirety.
Big Show's knee isn't 100% yet.
- Big Show's light schedule has been because his knee still isn't 100% from his minor surgery a few weeks back. He had told people he was feeling "great" immediately after it, but a few days later the pain started setting in again - prompting him to believe he was a little premature with his 100% diagnosis and slowing down for a little while.
TNA wants to bring J.R. in.
- TNA has been making a hard push to bring Jim Ross into the company, but Ross has taken the "thanks, but no thanks" stance on their offer.
Bryan Danielson's first feud on ECW to be vs. William Regal.
- Bryan Danielson's first feud on ECW will be with William Regal, as of now. They were originally planning on bringing him straight up to Smackdown, but with the forthcoming ECW changes (and the likelihood he'll end up on Smackdown eventually anyway), they are planning to start him on ECW by the end of February.
[color= rgb(255, 0, 0)]Assuming they go ahead with that feud, it should produce some quality matches.[/color]
Hulk Hogan interview; speaks on if he'll wrestle for TNA, his relationship with Vince Russo, how long his contract lasts, using older guysand more.
The following are excerpts from a recent Hulk Hogan interview. Below are the highlights:
If he'll ever wrestle for TNA given his health: You know, and it's the perfect way and I don't mean to use this guy's name over and over again, but I have to, because he's so good at what he does: they're bringing me in to be the Vince McMahon for TNA. If you were to hire Vince McMahon, if Dixie Carter were to hire Vince McMahon and say, 'Go in and do what you do,' that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to make sure from the beginning of that show to the end of that show, everything that goes on in that company from the promotion, the licensing, the merchandising, advertising; I'm going to make sure everything that goes on in that company I have a handle on.
How long his contract with TNA lasts: I'm not sure. I think it's a year with rollovers, you know, if we're both happy. It's definitely a year, it's not any shorter than that. But it's something that we both want to work together and we both agree that if we don't get along or Dixie and I two or three weeks into this thing, if she goes, 'Hogan, how come you're letting the Martians wrestle the elephants? That's not what we want.' We agree to disagree and we've made that real clear that if they don't like the direction I'm going in, or if they can't handle the change or that they think I'm wrong, that I'll just walk away, or whatever you want to call it, they'll fire me or I'll quit or whatever. We wanted to have this flexibility because I wanted to do a lot different stuff, brother. I mean, I've been watching TNA and they got a ton of talent there and they do a lot of things right, and I'm not trying to compete with Vince, or I'm not trying to hurt Vince McMahon, but I just want to put out a better product than he does.
Rocky relationship with Vince Russo: Well, I'm involved from writing the shows, to saying goodbye at the end of the night, to planning the merchandise and the licensing, and if we should keep doing house shows if they're not a return on the investment. And Vince Russo's an issue. He works for me now, and if it was the old Hulk Hogan or if it was the old-school wrestling mentality -- like a lot of the fans say, 'Just fire his $*@ -- get rid of him, Hogan' -- that could have happened because when he came to WCW, the first statement he made before he ever met me, was, 'The first thing I'm going to do is get rid of Hulk Hogan,' and that was in a booking committee with Kevin Sullivan and a bunch of other wrestlers, and that's the first thing he said. He had never met me. So he fired me, because he was in that position at the time, and I had two years left in my contract and I was making a million dollars a month at the time. That's a lot of money, just to pull out of somebody's pocket and fire somebody when you've never met them.
Hulk Hogan on using older guys: When you talk about the older guys, my philosophy is different than the WWE. Where Vince McMahon will ride someone until they drop and then he'll shoot 'em and eat 'em... "What I believe is that if you can bring someone older to the table that has wisdom, who's established, that the young guys can get the rub off - there's no reason to shoot 'em and eat 'em. Keep them around, make them work and make the transition.
Hulk Hogan on Bret Hart's return at RAW: I expected a bunch of different stuff, from Bret's look - I was looking for something really exciting. I was like "oh my gosh, man, this is going to be fun" but then I saw it and went "hmmmm." I smell blood. I watched the show after that with Tyson and the show before that with Timbaland and I liked those shows better. But that's just me.
Hulk Hogan on stars wanting to come to TNA: "My phone's been ringing so much from guys who want to come in. Thank god, that's the easy part. Because I was all messed up in the head and I thought that would be tough. I was in the airport with one of the guys from the WWE and they said "the guys in the WWE are cheering us on like crazy."
Bret Hart interview; speaks on the future of his program with Vince, why he came back now and more.
The Calgary Herald has a new interview online with Bret Hart. Below are the notable quotes:
The future of his program with Vince McMahon on Raw:
"I hate to tell you what's going to happen,"
"I don't want to ruin it for anybody."
"I don't mind throwing a few punches (at McMahon)."
How legitimate his segment with Shawn Michaels was on last Raw:
"We had a rough idea of what we were going to do . . . but we didn't really speak to each other (before)," Bret says. "My impression was that (he) was actually pretty sincere. He apologized for a lot of what happened. . . . I think it was like a million pounds off of his back. . . . There was a couple of times when it looked like he was going to start crying."
"There was a lot of real emotion in that little segment. . . . I think it was a surprise to him as much as to me."
If WWE bringing him in was their way to compete with TNA:
"(TNA is) playing it up like that," he says. "Like WWE was scared of whatever Hulk Hogan was going to do, so they went and got Bret Hart to compete."
Why he came back now:
"Like a lot of people, I got a little worried about my finances last year when the stock market crashed. But it's kind of rebounded and I was in a position where I could either walk away from this deal or I could do it. . . . I'm not opposed to making a little money . . . but I still don't need to do it."
http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/BACK+RING/2425695/story.html]Click here[/url] to read the piece in its entirety.
Mickie James interview; speaks on Piggy James angle, her favorite Diva to work with and more.
NorthJersey.com has a new interview online with Mickie James. Below are the highlights:
Favorite Diva to work with: Probably my favorite on any given night would be Beth Phoenix. She's tough and she's strong, but I know that I can go in there … on any given night and we could tear the house down.
Thoughts on the Piggy James angle & if she was hesitant to do it: Well, no, because I don't think I'm heavy, for one. I'm only 130, 135 pounds. But at the same time, no, because it's entertainment. Is it my favorite? I don't really know. I guess we'll have to see where it goes. It depends on the payoff. We're telling stories and we're building emotional things where people can actually connect with it. And I think that a lot of women in general, society has put on this thing where every female should look like Paris Hilton who is 6-foot something, and 100 pounds. That's not how America is and that's not how the real women in the world look.
Breaking into social networking: I'll tell you what happened. I flipped out finally. I've been pretty angry with so many people posing [as me]. Fans come to me and they'll be like, 'Oh I talked to you on MySpace all the time.' And I'm like, 'No you don't.' I have given this speech that I don't have a Facebook or MySpace a thousand times … the reason why I haven't gotten one is because it's beyond me as to why all these people can pose as me on a forum, but my manager told me - she pretty much made me - she said I had to get something. She's trying to work me into getting a Facebook and a MySpace just for my own personal [needs], 'cause I'm also working on a country music album right now.
http://www.northjersey.com/arts_entertainment/80043502.html?c=y&page=1]Click here[/url] to read the full interview.
Why Mickie James was really sent to SmackDown.
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]-- The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports the reason Mickie James was moved to SmackDown - besides an apparent weight issue - was that she was annoying certain people backstage on RAW. Reports claim she was being too emotional about a relationship she had just broken up from. One source thinks company officials just moved her "to get her out of their hair."[/font]
RVD on whether he thinks WWE or TNA is better and rips ECW.
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]During an interview with Empire Wrestling Radio, Rob Van Dam said he feels WWE's product "is king" and the only real selling point for TNA is "saying they're not WWE."
"I think when you talk about the product, you have a lot to consider. WWE is king. A lot of fans are turning toward TNA just because TNA's strongest point is 'Hey, we're not WWE.' When you see WWE arenas packed all the way to the roof and when you see TNA's crowd, you know who is king," Van Dam said.
He also took shots at WWE's version of Extreme Championship Wrestling, saying they will have to change the brand name soon because they "made it suck."
"They took a product that was superior in originality and they watered down to make it mean the same as one of their lesser show, and then eventually mean even (less)," he said. "It has no connection or affiliation now whatsoever with the original ECW. In fact, I heard they're going to stop doing it real soon because they made it suck so bad."[/font]
Ted DiBiase Sr. scouting and evaluating talent at WWE developmental.
- Ted DiBiase Sr. is down in Tampa scouting and observing talent at Florida Championship Wrestling all week. The WWE plans to "overhaul" its roster in the coming weeks are underway (releases have already started). WWE is looking to bring new faces into the developmental system.
CM Punk buries Hulk Hogan and TNA.
CM Punk buried Hulk Hogan in an interview on Seattle radio. Below is a transcript of what Punk said courtesy of The UK Sun:
"I have a lot of friends that work [for TNA] and I do watch the show, but I seem to watch it on perpetual fast forward. I hope, I really hope that something comes of it. But I have zero faith in Hulk Hogan as a man, who is what, 60 years-old? And tries to dress like he's 18 and lives on the Jersey Shore. For a guy I've never met, I've formulated enough opinions about him... I really trust that he's not in this for TNA and he's not in this for the business. He's in this for himself. Hulk Hogan, I hope you prove me wrong. I hope there's competition because when there's competition [WWE] steps up, everybody makes more money, and I think it makes the business healthier and that's what I'm looking forward to, but I don't have much hope."
Reaction to Tommy Dreamer leaving WWE and what his future plans are.
- There was not much surprise over Tommy Dreamer leaving WWE but there's a lot of sadness and disappointment across the board. Tommy had been pushing to be in the ECW Homecoming tournament, and when that didn't materialize, he decided he wanted to leave. Word is spreading he had approached WWE officials about returning to a role as an agent and in talent development, but he was told that there wasn't a spot for him there anymore, despite Dreamer being in a more powerful role within the company a few years back. Tommy Dreamer will, in fact, be off to TNA once he is free of his non-compete for the WWE.
Tyler Reks incident on a plane in Green Bay.
There was an incident recently involving Tyler Reks at the Green Bay airport. According to WWE sound engineer Marc Lanciaux, Reks became "terrified" when he saw the airplane flap move just before takeoff and demanded to be removed from the flight. Lanciaux posted a blog entry where he refers to Reks as "Einstein". Below is an excerpt:
Our flight sat on the deserted taxiway for a while. I was almost in La-La land when the pilot came on the PA and made the same exact announcement from the previously botched flight. "Folks, we are going to turn around and return to the gate. We have a passenger that wants to get off the plane, and we are going to oblige that passenger. Sorry for the delay." Now awake, I wondered if that exact announcement comes directly from the pilot's manual.
This time, instead of a frightened teen running off the plane, one of 'our guys,' one of the new wrestlers that recently started traveling with the show walked out. Though I recognized him, he's so new that I'm not sure what his name is. After today there's probably no good reason to try and find out either. I will just call this unknown wrestler 'Einstein.' Turns out that Einstein was sitting near the wing, and out the window, witnessed a terrifying (to him) event. To his horror, one of the flaps that make the plane fly or land or whatever it is that those moving parts on the wing do… moved! GASP! After witnessing this, Einstein freaked out, telling the flight attendant that he was a pilot himself and he knew that wasn't supposed to happen. He was sure the plane was unsafe. He started getting louder and louder, and more and more obnoxious. The decision was made. Time for Mr. Einstein to go bye-bye. Our flight turned around and my double date with both Ginger and Mary-Ann was ruined. On his way out the door, Einstein mumbled that if anyone else on the plane didn't want to die, they should get off the plane too. I'm sure that the waiting TSA knuckle-draggers had a field day with this guy.
Lanciaux later posted on Twitter: "Thank you Tyler Reks for not only delaying our flight, but also for providing me with blog material. Nice knowing ya."
Tyler Reks is as "good as gone".
- Tyler Reks is "good as gone" from the WWE once they decide to make more cuts. He was already on the fence before, but was a favorite of Vince McMahon (which is why he was given the trial run of dark matches lately), but many think that the latest flight incident was too much for them to keep him.
Jerry Springer talks about his upcoming RAW hosting gig.
Reader Nick Fox sent along the following:
I attended a taping of the Jerry Springer Show this morning in Stamford, CT. Before the taping, Jerry asked if there were any questions from the audience.
I ended up asking him "Why did you want to guest-host Monday Night Raw?" He pondered for a second, but then said "Because they asked."
What was funny is that he didn't know the date of Raw he was hosting and he seemed confused. Someone on his security team had to tell him it was February 15th.
He then said, "I do stupid things!" and I wished him Good Luck!
Eric Bischoff thinks he's better than Vince McMahon.
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Eric Bischoff spoke to Alez Marvez of http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/50567]ScrippsNews.com[/url] about his new business partnership and on-air and Here are some highlights:
Why He Joined TNA: "It was the combination of a lot of things," Bischoff said of his TNA interest. "Most of all, I like Dixie. She has a lot of integrity and I like to be in business with people like that. Secondly, I saw an opportunity. The way we have our deal structured is great for Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment. And this provided me with a chance to get back into a business I love. I believe a creative person who has a certain feel for this business can change the fortunes of this company in a good way."
His Strategy To Make TNA #1: "No matter what people have said or written about me, I know what I accomplished changed the business and had a positive impact. I also made a lot of mistakes and have the scar tissue to prove it. I'm going to try and repeat the good stuff and avoid the bad stuff."
His Relationship With Vince McMahon: "I have a tremendous respect for Vince and, in a perverse way, I like him. But at the end of the day, I think I'm better than him. I'm more creative than him and have a better feel for the business." Bichoff laughed, "It's just that he happens to be a lot more successful than I am."[/font]
Vince McMahon takes control of WWE Films.
According to Variety, Vince McMahon is taking control of WWE films. WWE has cut ties with Lionsgate and 20th Century Fox, and have signed new deals with Samuel Goldwyn Films to oversee theatrical releases, while Vivendi Entertainment will handle films across various home video formats in North America.
The company plans to produce a total of 9 films through 2012, while they also are hoping to retain the rights to all the films. This is because WWE still has designs on their own TV channel, and the films would be a part of the programming.
The article also mentions that WWE Films will focus on family films and comedies, instead of films like The Marine 3.
Randy Orton to star in new film.
According to Variety, Randy Orton will star in the WWE Films production of Big Red. There is no word on what role Orton will play yet. Here is the description of the film… "In 1965, as the world changes all around him, 12-year-old Andy Nichol comes of age when he's asked by his favorite teacher, Mr. Simon, to partner with school outcast Big Red for an English assignment."
TNA reportedly interested in signing Ricky Ortiz.
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]It's been noted in recent weeks that TNA officials are searching high and low for new talent. While the company's main focus remains in acquiring 'big names' from year's gone by, they're still very much interested in landing talent that have fallen under the radar as it were. One such name is former WWE performer Ricky Ortiz. Some members of TNA upper management feel Ortiz could be like another Matt Morgan -- a talent with WWE experience but little exposure, who they can repackage as a 'TNA guy'.
According to Anthony DeBlasi of Wrestling-News.com - who has numerous sources within TNA - company officials are contemplating signing the former college athlete, who was released this past August by World Wrestling Entertainment.
Should Ortiz return to national television, it will likely be under an all-new identity as he appeared on a World Wrestling Council show just one week past his release from WWE with a drastic change in appearance. Working as a heel against former TNA performer Shane Sewell, Ortiz had noticeably cut off his trademark 'fro' and switched his in-ring attire from baggy exercise pants to standard wrestling trunks.
While Ortiz has not appeared on too many independent cards since his departure from WWE, he has not hung up the boots as he is accepting bookings through talent agent Bill Behrens.[/font]
Spoilers for this week's SmackDown (1/22):
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Spoilers for this week's TNA iMPACT (1/21):
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Spoilers for next week's TNA iMPACT (1/2:
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Triple H vs. Sheamus for the WWE Championship
Am I the only one who wanted to cry after reading Triple H in the world title picture AT WRESTLEMANIA AGAIN?
WrestleMania XXV Triple H vs Randy Orton
Wrestlemania XXIV Triple H vs Randy Orton vs John Cena
Wrestlemania XXII Triple H vs John Cena
Wrestlemania XXI Triple H vs Batista
Wrestlemania XX Triple H vs Chris Benoit vs Shawn Michaels
Wrestlemania XIX Triple H vs Booker T
Wrestlemania XVIII Triple H vs Chris Jericho
Wrestlemania XVI Triple H vs The Rock vs The Big Show vs Mick Foley
The last 10 years, Triple H has been in 8 WWF/E/World Title matches. Now maybe if He was a cool guy, maybe there wouldn't be an issue. But come on,WrestleMania 16-26 He has the chance to make it 9 title matches? Seriously.
And whats more sad, is they stunted Bookers' WWE push by not having him go over. Plus no other star has been able to really get up to his status other thanhis hand chosen or leaders in merchandise sales and the few who fought their way up.
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