By: David Stephens of WrestleView.com
Ousta! Welcome back to the only WrestleView column covering topics both nowhere yet everywhere at once. If you are new to the column you are probably going to hate us for the first couple weeks, but then you are going to hit a point where you say ?oh wait a minute, I think he gets it?. Don?t worry, that’s exactly how it is designed to be. This column is all about gut reactions and traveling thoughts. As the great Andy Kaufman once said: ?I just want real reactions. I want people to laugh from the gut, be sad from the gut, or get angry from the gut?.
The entire Institute for Wrapping Things Up is in turmoil this week. A fight has broken out between David and frequent contributor Jared over who won the battle this past Monday night. One of our senior board members will be acting as the judge when next week in this column we present the first ever ?Kayfabe Kourt?. This is a piece you will not want to miss!
What’s in the News?
All news is gathered from WrestleView.com unless otherwise noted
The Manila Standard Today has an interview up with WWE star Batista where he comments on some of the current veteran talent in WWE and his feelings on the “newcomers” not impressing him much.
“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.”
ESPN.com is featuring an interview with WWE star John Cena where he talks about wanting to stay in wrestling and WWE as long as he can.
“I’ve wanted to do this all my life. I can’t imagine doing anything else. Some people as a kid play baseball and basketball and then don’t get to do it for a living. I always wanted to be a wrestler. I love my job too much to leave it. I’m going to stay as long as my body allows. My wife understands this. She was there with me when I had no money. Granted, sometimes she has to use a cardboard cutout of me at the movie theater to pretend we’re on a date. But she understands.”
According to The Nashville Sound.com, WWE Diva Mickie James will be releasing her debut country single in February, while the Full CD will be released in March.
I?m going to get this
Bill Goldberg will become the first professional wrestler inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame chairman, Lynne Kramer said the following:
“In their own way, each one of them have overcome adversities, challenged stereotypes and blazed a trail for others to follow.”
While plans are always subject to change, The Figure Four Weekly Newsletter reports that the following matches are being planned for WrestleMania 26 this year. Early plans include Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker, a possible street fight between Vince McMahon and Bret Hart where Hart wouldn’t be required to take any bumps, Randy Orton vs. Ted DiBiase, Chris Jericho vs. Edge (if Edge is ready) and Sheamus vs. Triple H for the WWE Championship. Obviously these plans leave out one of the WWE’s biggest stars John Cena on the biggest card of the year. Were told they are still pushing hard to get Dwanye “The Rock” Johnson back for a big Cena vs. Rock match, but that isn’t likely to happen. Instead, the plan is for some kind of an interpromotional match between Cena and Batista.
The Wrestling Observer is reporting that former TNA Knockouts Champion Angelina Love (Lauren Williams) has signed a new deal with TNA Wrestling to make her official return to the company. While not confirmed, it is possible she will make her return during this Monday’s big three-hour Impact. Williams parted ways with the company back in September over issues with her work visa.
This could very well spell the end of Lacey Von Erich’s run in TNA. It’s a shame, I was actually becoming a fan of the beautiful LVE
To follow up on earlier reports, The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted last week that Terry Taylor was very upset with Jesse Neal for taking the steel chair shot right to the head from Hernandez at TNA’s Final Resolution PPV. Taylor reportedly made it clear that wrestlers should never do that anymore and to get their hands up to block it in the future. It was said to have been made very clear that unprotected chair shots would no longer be tolerated.
While this is certainly a worthy cause, the real issue is not with TNA or WWE, but the small Indy companies that don?t mind 1,000 chair shots to the head for the slight chance of increasing attendance
During an appearance on the “Opie and Anthony” radio show recently, WWE star MVP told a story about a wrestler trying to bully him at a TNA show many years ago while he was having a tryout. The wrestler turned out to be Raven. MVP said he got in his face when confronted and Raven said he was just kidding when pressed over the situation. He said he was simply taking it as Raven trying to bully a new guy.
Clearly the prison experienced MVP did not feel like dealing with anymore ribs, can?t blame him
Earlier reports stating that the Smackdown crew in WWE were cleaner than the Raw crew in terms of marijuana use are said to be incorrect reports The Figure Four Weekly Newsletter. Were told both rosters are said to be about even in usage, although usage company-wide is said to be down since fines were increased to $2,500 per failure.
what’s worse, marijuana, or a pain killer addiction? I?m not advocating either, but if forced to choose…
TV trends are usually pretty predictable — doctors one year, lawyers the next. No one guessed that 2010 would be the year of the little people.
Spike TV is expected to announce next week that it’s launching a program called “Half Pint Brawlers” this summer, a half-hour reality series starring little person wrestlers.
“Puppet is this incredibly charismatic character,” says Sharon Levy, senior vice president of original series at Spike TV, about the star of “Half Pint Brawlers.”
The six-episode series follows the over-the-top antics of Puppet, who calls himself “the Psycho Dwarf,” and his stable of “psycho midget” wrestlers as they travel the country putting on shows, building a successful business and dealing with the bigger world.
Ok, I was pretty much joking about getting Mickie James? country CD? BUT I will watch this!
PWInsider is reporting that over 400 fans were turned away from today’s party with Hulk Hogan and Bubba the Love Sponge at Universal Citiwalk’s Margaritaville in Orlando, Florida after filling the venue. In attendance were Hogan, Bubba, Eric Bischoff, Vince Russo, Scott Hall, Jeremy Borash and Kip James. Footage was being filmed all day and is likely to appear on tomorrow night’s live three-hour Impact.
and TNA still had to paper the iMPACT crowd? How many people did this party hold? 20?
The Wrestling Observer is reporting that Bubba the Love Sponge will debut as the new backstage interviewer for TNA tonight on Impact.
logically the next move after banning your talent from appearing on his show is to hire him, obviously
Following UFC 108 this past Saturday, Dana White was asked at the post-event press conference about going head-to-head with WWE Raw on January 11.
“I love Vince. He’s a (expletive) animal isn’t he? 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,” said White. “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.”
According to the Daily Mail UK, Steve Austin was involved in a scene in which Sylvester Stallone accidentally breaks his neck. While filming a fight scene for an upcoming movie, the fight was so realistic that Stallone ended up with a hairline fracture in his neck.
“Actually, my fight with Stone Cold Steve Austin was so vicious that I ended up getting a hairline fracture in my neck. I’m not joking.
I haven’t told anyone this, but I had to have a very serious operation afterwards. I now have a metal plate in my neck.”
PWInsider.com is reporting that former WWE Divas champion Melina is expected to be out until July at the earliest. Reason being is because of her scheduled ACL surgery. For those unaware, Melina injured herself during a match on December 29 in Manchester, N.H.
I hope this doesn?t impact her ring entrance!
For those who watched the final segment of last night’s WWE Raw, Vince McMahon nominated Bret Hart’s father, the late great Stu Hart for the 2010 WWE Hall of Fame.
very well deserved nomination
Jeff Hardy’s drug arrest went before the Grand Jury on Monday in Moore County, North Carolina, according to Pro Wrestling Insider.
The Grand Jury determined that there was sufficient evident to indict the former WWE World Heavyweight champion, thus the case will move forward to the superior court.
Hardy’s case is expected to be set on the docket within the next week.
On September 11, 2009, Hardy was arrested on charges of trafficking in controlled prescription pills and possession of anabolic steroids. Investigators would find powder cocaine, and drug paraphernalia.
When Monday Night Raw lands in Nashville, Tenn., the special guest host will be no stranger to the WWE Universe: William Shatner. Shatner is the host of his own show, Shatner’s Raw Nerve, where he hits just that in his celebrity guests: Their raw nerve. The show airs Tuesday nights on the Bio Channel. In between riveting guest interviews, the former Star Trek star also makes time for charity. Shatner has spearheaded The Hollywood Charity Horse Show, where the proceeds go to various children’s chairities. This year marks the show’s 20th anniversary with a star-studded even on May 1 in Los Angeles.
This has the potential to be amazingly hilarious
Bryan Alvarez is reporting that Jeff Hardy had a verbal agreement with WWE to return to the company prior to the former World Heavyweight champion re-debuting last night on Impact. Obviously, his appearance on Spike TV was a big surprise to the WWE brass. Apparently Hardy has signed a short-term TNA deal.
why a short term deal? SEE: ?Jeff Hardy Indicted? above
As seen at the beginning of ECW, WWE has again edited the opening to its television programming. Recently, Hulk Hogan was removed from the opening and replaced with the “Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase and Mick Foley was removed and replaced with Jeff Hardy. Following his return to TNA on Monday, Hardy himself has now been replaced with Kofi Kingston. Surprisingly, “Nature Boy” Ric Flair, who also appeared on TNA programming this past Monday and who is more prominently featured than Hardy in the opening, has not been removed.
can?t blame them for that
According to a new report by The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Ric Flair signed his deal with TNA Wrestling just a few days before the big Monday night event on January 4 in Orlando, FL. WrestleView.com reported on Monday afternoon that Flair was spotted in an airport in Charlotte heading to Orlando on Monday. Were told Flair’s deal with TNA is for 65 appearances over a one year period. The belief at this time is that he will be working on a guaranteed money deal and he would still be able to book his own outside appearances (either involving public appearances or business deals). Any reports suggesting that Flair’s deal with TNA was through Panda Energy if anything were to happen with TNA long-term have not been confirmed at this time.
and Cary Silken is still waiting to get reimbursed for Flair negating on their contract, so is High Spots?
Ratings
RAW 1/4 ? 3.6
ECW 1/5 ? 0.9
iMpact 1/4 ? 1.5
Gerweck.net put together show averages for 2009
RAW ? 3.57
ECW ? 1.15
iMPACT ? 1.14
Smackdown ? 1.94
WWE Stock Update
Week Ending December 31st 2009
Open ? 15.55
High ? 15.64
Low ? 15.25
Close ? 15.33
Volume ? 567,743
Quick Results
RAW January 4th
-Maryse def. Brie Bella
-MVP def. Mark Henry, Carlito and Jack Swagger in a Fatal Four Way Match
-Unified Tag Team Champions DX def. Chris Jericho & Big Show
-WWE Champion Sheamus def. Evan Bourne
-Randy Orton def. Kofi Kingston
TNA Impact January 4th
-Steel Asylum Match: Chris Sabin vs. Alex Shelley vs. ?Notorious 1-8-7? Homicide vs. Kiyoshi vs. ?Black Machismo? Jay Lethal vs. Consequences Creed vs. Suicide vs. Amazing Red ? NO CONTEST
-TNA Knockouts Championship: ODB def. Tara (c)
-TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championships: Awesome Kong & Hamada def. Taylor Wilde & Sarita (c)
-?Super Mex? Hernandez & ?The Blueprint? Matt Morgan def. Raven & Stevie Richards w/Daffney
-?The Pope? D?Angelo Dinero def. Desmond Wolfe
-?Samoan Submission Machine? Samoa Joe def. Abyss
-TNA World Heavyweight Championship: ?The Phenomenal? AJ Styles (c) def. ?Olympic Hero? Kurt Angle
ECW January 5th
-Shelton Benjamin def. Chavo Guerrero (ECW Homecoming Qualifying Match)
-Ezekiel Jackson def. Vladimir Kozlov
-CM Punk def. Mark Henry (ECW Homecoming Qualifying Match)
Superstars December 31st
-Divas Champion Melina def. Alicia Fox
-Shelton Benjamin def. Vance Archer by Disqualification
-Cryme Tyme def. Mike Knox & Charlie Haas
-Jack Swagger & Carlito def. MVP & Chris Masters
Smackdown January 1st
-CM Punk def. Matt Hardy in a Beat the Clock Challenge Match
-Kane vs. Dolph Ziggler ended when the time expired in their Beat the Clock Challenge Match
-The Great Khali def. A local athlete
-Intercontinental Champion Drew McIntyre def. John Morrison by disqualification in an Intercontinental Championship Match
-Mickie James def. Beth Phoenix
-Rey Mysterio def. Chris Jericho in their Beat the Clock Challenge Match
-Batista vs. R-Truth ended when time expired in their Beat the Clock Challenge Match
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