Monday, August 30, 2010

What You Didn't See On RAW: Major Cage Match

Following tonight's edition of WWE Raw from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, Sheamus defeated The Undertaker and John Cena to retain the WWE Championship in a steel cage match in the dark match main event. Undertaker used the Hell's Gate submission hold on Cena.

After the match, Kane ran out followed by The Nexus. Kane and The Undertaker fought while The Nexus attacked Cena. MVP, Mark Henry, John Morrison, Evan Bourne and Matt Hardy (who was selling a limp) made the save.

After the other four members of The Nexus were taken out, everyone hit their finishers on Wade Barrett to end the taping and send the crowd home happy.

MVP Shoots Down Rumors

-- MVP recently shot down rumors on his Twitter that he would be debuting a new "rapper" gimmick. He posted the following… A) my name is not Alvin Burke B) I'm not working on a "rapper" gimmick! C) My new intro will debut soon with me & Cenas project to follow. Not sure where these rumors started but we never reported them here on this website.a

Rumors On The New TNA Signing?, Mickie James To TNA?

-- The new TNA signing today is likely either Carlito or Mickie James. TNA president Dixie Carter recently attended a Mickie concert and had a meeting with her. The two seemed to have hit it off well. Carlito's no-compete clause expired several days ago as well and 'The Pope' all but spoiled it with his tweet. We shall see soon but it's likely one of them. Shelton Benjamin is also a possibility but a fairly low one at that.

-- Mary Michael, who is the agent for Mickie James, said recently "To lay the rumors to rest, as of yet I can confirm that Mickie James has not signed a deal with TNA." Take that for what it's worth.

WWE Title Unification Match Set


-- It was announced during this week's RAW that Divas Champion Melina will face one half of the self-proclaimed "Co-Women's Champions," Team Lay-Cool, at Night of Champions in a match that will unify the Women's and Divas titles. Additionally, every active WWE Diva on the roster will be at ringside as lumberjacks to insure that is a fair fight.

Names at Ringside for RAW

- John Cena’s father was sitting at ringside for tonight’s show. Cena’s cousin, rapper Trademarc, who appeared on Cena’s CD and did Kurt Angle’s TNA theme song was also at ringside.

Has TNA Signed Carlito?

-- TNA Wrestling President Dixie Carter announced this afternoon on Twitter the signing of a performer to a new talent contract. Shortly thereafter, "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero commented the following on the social networking site: "Just heard the news. Now THAT....That's Cool!" Many of his followers believed he was alluding to Carlito, as that was the Puerto Rican star's catchphrase during his time in WWE. D'Angelo noted in a follow-up message that his earlier tweet was purely coincidental and that he has no idea as to who was signed. "Whoa! Just got the "News" of Pope's earlier news. That was purely coincidental. For The Record, Pope has NO CLUE as to who was signed," he added. Right.

Jim Ross Blogs (RAW Memories) - DX, Rock, Austin, More

Jim Ross has posted a new blog entry at http://www.JRSBARBQ.com/ Here are the highlights…

On Working With Jerry Lawler: Teaming hundreds and hundreds of Monday nights with Jerry Lawler at the broadcast booth which have created lifetime memories. We were lucky that we were able to develop chemistry and allowed to be ourselves. Our team worked and we had a ball that I wouldn't trade for any thing I've ever experienced in broadcasting. I often wonder how many shows that the King and I actually broadcast on Monday nights. Someone somewhere likely has a number but suffice to say it was a bunch.

On DX: DX...which helped launch HHH, re-invent HBK and made stars of Billy Gunn, Road Dog, and Chyna. Every one came along at the right place at the right time with the right presentation for their persona's in a male friendly 18-34 demo. To me, this faction was as good as it gets and ranks in the same breath with the Horsemen.

On The Rock: The explosion of The Rock who Hollywood discovered and away the Great One went to become a major player on the silver screen. Rock's verbal skills and 'look' set him a part and captivated the imagination of film makers and fans the world over. The Rock was a once in a life time athlete/personality in the mat game....a natural entertainer.

On Flair And HBK's Goodbyes: The goodbyes....Ric Flair's emotional good bye on Raw was the culmination of the most auspicious 'retirement' of any pro wrestler in history. It was a legitimately emotional night that Monday in Orlando. My tears that night at ringside were as real as they get.

HBK's farewell...it touched me and moved me to tears again even though I was in a safe environment, my home in Norman. When Shawn mentioned me in his farewell address my eyes welled with tears. That was an amazing honor for me following WM26. (I've always thought that going to San Antonino to speak with Shawn about ending his 4 year or so hiatus was one of my best accomplishments in WWE.)

Be sure to check out the full blog at http://www.JRSBARBQ.com/ You all should definitely read these and his BBQ sauce is freakin' amazing.

Huge 10-Man Match To Headline RAW Tonight

The main event for tonight's 900th edition of WWE Monday Night RAW will be an elimination match featuring Sheamus, John Cena, Randy Orton, Chris Jericho and Edge vs. The Nexus (Wade Barrett, David Otunga, Heath Slater, Michael Tarver and Justin Gabriel).

Numerous surprises are also planned for tonight's RAW. Several WWE Hall of Famers are backstage.

Report: Oxycodone & Other Pills Found Near 'Luna'

TMZ acquired the police report from the Pasco County Sheriff's Office filed in regard to former World Wrestling Entertainment performer Gertrude "Luna" Vachon's death on Friday. The following was noted:

* Vachon was actually found dead in her own temporary home, not her mother's home. Investigators say they discovered a box containing crushed Oxycodone pills near a snorting straw. The box containing Oxycodone was beside a pile of "blue, chalky debris next to a small straw" in Luna's kitchen.

* "Multiple prescription bottles and miscellaneous unsecured pills" were discovered in the master bedroom alongside a small plate containing more pill residue and another snorting straw.

* Vachon's mother — the person who discovered the body — told police that her daughter "often appeared 'medicated' as she suffered from several wrestling injuries."

* An autopsy has been completed and the official cause of death is expected to be determined within the next few weeks.

Jeff Jarrett Marries Kurt Angle's Ex-Wife?, Details

It would appear that Jeff Jarrett and Kurt Angle's ex-wife Karen have tied the knot as she recently changed her Twitter handle from Karen Angle to Karen Jarrett. She announced in April that she and Jarrett were engaged.

Following her October 2008 divorce from Kurt, Karen became romantically linked to the TNA Wrestling co-founder. The relationship was said to have started while Karen and Kurt were separated. The situation was revealed in July 2009 when a caller claiming to be a former TNA employee called The Bubba the Love Sponge Show.

AAA Star Headed To WWE?, New WWE Talent

-- WWE has reportedly signed UK wrestler Martin Stone to a developmental contract.

-- There is talk that WWE is interested in signing AAA star Alex Kozlov. Kozlov appeared on SmackDown! Friday night, under the name Carlos Sanchez, losing to Alberto Del Rio.

Team 3D's TNA Contracts Expire, A New TNA Signing?, Corgan

-- Team 3D's TNA contracts expired on Saturday.

-- The angle that Billy Corgan filmed with AAA stars and Hernandez will air as a part of the World Stage of MTV special on Friday September 17th on MTV Latin America. The show airs on other MTV networks internationally on October 8th.

-- TNA Wrestling President Dixie Carter announced this afternoon on Twitter the signing of a new performer to a talent contract. "Just signed a new talent contract on someone you guys have been asking about. Stay tuned!" Carter wrote.

Tiffany Scheduled For Court This Week - Details

WWE Diva Tiffany (Taryn Terrell) is scheduled to appear in court on September 2nd. She will appear in Los Angeles Municipal Court, Division 141, facing misdemeanor charges of assault. Tiffany was arrested back on August 8th in LA, following an altercation with husband, Drew McIntyre. The couple were reportedly heading back from a party at the Playboy Mansion when a loud incident led to the hotel's security calling local authorities. Tiffany was taken into custody, booked placed into the Van Nuys Valley Jail until her $20,000 bail was posted the next morning.

Drew McIntyre was not taken into custody or charged in any way for the incident, which he claimed to he a misunderstanding when he spoke with the Scottish media. Once they were made aware of the situation, WWE sent Tiffany home immediately. She was also removed form the Smackdown opening video.

Huge 900th RAW Tonight, Bret-RAW Tonight?

Members from RAW, SmackDown! and NXT will be in attendance for tonight's special 900th episode of RAW celebration. WWE are also bringing in some Hall of Famers to appear on the show.

Bret Hart is scheduled to appear on tonight's show.

Major Fight At WWE Live Event

  • A brawl broke out amongst fans at Sunday night's RAW live event in Newark, New Jersey over a T-shirt John Cena had thrown to the crowd just before his Steel Cage Match with Sheamus.

    According to a fan who witnessed the incident, the melee lasted approximately 15 minutes before Prudential Center staff broke it up. The correspondent also noted that over 10 people were ejected from the arena and some children were hurt during the brawl.
  • Randy Orton Injured + Released TNA Talents

    -- The opening credits for TNA Xplosion feature Homicide (released), Suicide (hardly ever seen), and Velvet Sky, Lacey Von Erich and Madison Rayne as a unit. Wow.

    -- Randy Orton was pulled out of a planned cage match with Sheamus tonight in Newark, NJ due to a stiff neck. He worked an angle with John Cena where Cena fought Sheamus and Orton was put in a six-man tag, allowing him to protect his neck. He'll be at RAW this week.

    Bragging Rights Poster Revealed

    WWE Bragging Rights 2010 will take place on Sunday, October 24, 2010 from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

    Here is the promotional poster:



    New Trish/Lita Together Pics, Alberto Del Rio's SD! Opponent

    As we noted that Lita and Trish Stratus attended a local event in Toronto, Ontario Saturday night headlined by legendary Luchador el Hijo Del Santo. After the event, Right After Wrestling's Arda Ocal caught up with Lita, who told him that she plans to open up a Lucha Libre themed restaurant in the Atlanta area. Her band, the LuchaGores, are currently on hiatus, as other members of the band have other endeavors they are currently focusing on. Lita also has movie projects on the horizon. She is in town visiting Trish Stratus to speak about upcoming business projects. We were sent several photos earlier tonight of the two together at the event. Trish looks great while Lita is looking a little rough these days.





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    -- Carlos Sanchez, who portrayed Alberto Del Rio's opponent on Friday's episode of SmackDown, was AAA star Alex Koslov. According to a backstage source, company officials are interested in signing the Moldovan-born grappler to a contract. We'll keep you posted as we get more.

    Tiffany Suspended

    -- We can now confirm that former Playboy model and WWE Diva Tiffany was indeed suspended by World Wrestling Entertainment following her August 8 arrest. She is due in court this week in Los Angeles for a preliminary hearing. Her lawyer claims she'll be completely vindicated. For those wondering, Tiffany and Drew McIntyre are still together so things seem to have been worked out between the two.

    Vince McMahon Praises John Cena - Read His Comments

    An interview with John Cena is available at http://www.bostonherald.com/

    Of his movie roles, Cena says "I play a superhuman on WWE television and I played damn near a superhuman in 12 Rounds and The Marine."

    The article also includes the following Vince McMahon quotes about Cena:

    "You have to start with the quality of the human being. John is an extraordinary human being; he's honest, he's loyal. He's full of himself, too. But he's like a throwback to the type of individual it's difficult find these days, someone with old-fashioned values. In addition to that, he's a Neanderthal when it comes to strength."

    “No matter how good you are as a human being, you need talent. You could tell that John had talent - very raw talent, mind you.‘


    According to the article, Vince held a meeting with WWE talent years ago, saying he was looking for someone who was ready to reach for the brass ring.

    "Step on people on the way over if you have to. Apologize later. I'm looking for someone with courage that wants to break out and be ballsy enough to take on the responsibility of being the top guy."

    "At the end of the meeting, someone came over and said, ‘I'm your man,' and that was John."

    Serena Finally Speaks Out On WWE Firing - Details

    Serena issued the following statement on Twitter in light of her release from World Wrestling Entertainment, which was announced by the organization Friday:

    "To each and every one of my extraordinary fans, I would like to thank you for your love and support. The past year of my life has been an amazing journey. The people I’ve come to know will always be in my heart and the unique places I’ve been have shown me how beautiful the world is. I feel very blessed. I fell madly in love with pro wrestling when I was just 11 years old. I pursued my childhood dream with every ounce of passion I had and I couldn’t be more proud of where my career has gone so far. I am so excited about the future and continuing to become as great as I can be, hopefully inspiring others along the way. “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined”…Dreams do come true ?.. I love you all– Serena"

    Lita & Trish Hang Out Last Night, Rosa Mendes Push Planned?

    -- Rosa Mendes may be getting a bit of a push after Tiffany's recent suspension with WWE. Rosa is booked to work with Kelly Kelly against Michelle McCool & Layla at upcoming WWE events.

    -- Lita attended a Toronto indy event last night, accompanied by Trish Stratus. The event was headlined by El Hijo Del Santo. She said she plans to open a lucha libre-themed restaurant in the Atlanta area and has a couple of business projects on the horizon. Her bund The LuchaGores is on hiatus right now. She mentioned that she was in town visiting Trish to discuss some upcoming business projects.

    HBK At RAW?, UFC Beats WWE, Sheffield Update

    -- Skip Sheffield, who is currently out with a broken leg, was advertised for next week's Puerto Rico tour.

    -- A recent poll on the New England Sports Network asked fans which event they were most excited to see at the TD Garden. UFC 118 was the top vote-getter at 46%, with RAW 900 at 36%, the circus at 9% and Justin Bieber at 8%.

    -- Shawn Michaels Tweeted the following regarding Monday's RAW 900: no I won't b there. I have business elsewhere that day & Tue. sorry. He also mentioned that he had turned down two movie roles, saying he would rather be silly than serious.

    -- An article on the arrest and suspension of Tiffany is available at http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ The story features a comment from a WWE spokesperson, who said "WWE are aware of the situation and have taken appropriate disciplinary action."

    Carlito Tweets - Possible ROH Debut + Free Agent Status

    Carlito is now free of his no-compete clause, according to this tweet:

    My no-compete expired 2day! Let me go outside and c what freedom smells like!

    He also tweeted about the possibility of going to Ring of Honor:

    ROH? I'd would b gr8 2 do a show 4 them! That crowd would boo me out of the building...and I'd luv it! Just give me a mic and stand back!

    Carlito's new haircut with much shorter hair.



    Sunday, August 29, 2010

    Alberto Del Rio's Ego, Finlay's Status

    » WWE newcomer Alberto Del Rio has already developed a bad reputation among those in the locker room. He has complained to fellow wrestlers about the company's decision to remove the mask he donned while working in Mexico. Many feel he should be thrilled with the push WWE officials have given him thus far rather than moaning.

    » Though Vince McMahon made the call to pull Finlay from television due to his advancing age, 51, he is being booked to appear on live events to work with younger talent. Many feel rookies working with rookies does no good, but Finlay, as well as Goldust, can be solid teachers in the ring at house shows.

    » Mexican wrestler Psicosis II was scheduled to receive a tryout with WWE but no word on if it has taken place yet. He is not to be confused with former WCW Cruiserweight Champion and WWE performer Psychosis.

    Backstage Update - Team 3D & TNA Wrestling

    As reported on earlier this week, Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon) did not take part in the TNA iMPACT! TV tapings this past Monday and Tuesday in Orlando as their contracts with the company have expired. They are not booked for the No Surrender PPV next Sunday (September 5), but were slated to take part in the Bound for Glory PPV in October.

    Various sources within TNA are expecting they will re-sign with the company. It should be noted that there were some lower tier individuals within WWE pitching for the return of The Dudley Boyz leading to a DVD release. Keep in mind this was only something pitched as many in the company still have negative feelings towards Bubba, but have always thought Devon was a nice guy and easy to work with.

    HBK & Michael Cole Take A Fishing Trip (Pics)

    Shawn Michaels has been tweeting about a fishing trip in Texas with Michael Cole, including numerous photos of the two together. The photos show Cole and Shawn on a fishing boat with several major fish that they caught. This is hilarious in more ways than one.





    --

    'The Beautiful People'-LayCool War Of Words Continues

    This week's episode of TNA Wrestling's new behind the scenes program ReACTION saw the recently reunited pairing of Angelina Love and Velvet Sky slam those who have attempted to imitate The Beautful People stable over the years.

    Love charged during the pseudo-shoot program, "We created a group that has been like no other for women in professional wrestling. People have tried to be like this. People wanted to join us. No can do."

    Sky added, "And for all you wannabe Beautiful People girls out there... you know exactly who I'm talking about, get a life. You will never be us."

    Angelina then cryptically noted, "And you're not cool by the way. You're not cool."

    Some have interpreted their message as a thinly veiled potshot towards WWE Diva alliance Lay-Cool — Michelle McCool and Women's Champion Layla. Both have directed similar remarks towards rival performers in the past, with Love recently stating the following on her Facebook account while watching television: "So this is what I get for quickly flipping thru the channels on a friday night......a blonde & a brunette blatantly ripping something off........BRUTAL!!!"

    Apparently in response to the TNA Knockouts' most recent comments, Layla remarked the following on Twitter yesterday:

    "Living the dream & so blessed!!
    1 thing I know when u r attacked u have 2 decide if it's worth the time & effort to retaliate
    Not worth the press
    Plus don't deserve the press we get even tho they want it & need it :-)
    Real talk"


    It was reported this past June that the Lay-Cool act was concocted due to WWE's creative department being embarrassed by The Beautiful People making their female performers look second-rate by comparison.

    To view The Beautiful Peoples' ReACTION promo, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg3J7-tQqf8

    Meow.

    Jarrett & Angle Daughters Appear In Taylor Swift Video

    All three of Jeff Jarrett's daughters (Jaclyn, Joslyn and Jeryn) as well as Kurt Angle's daughter Kyra appear in Taylor Swift's new music video for her single "Mine." The video shows Taylor growing up, and Jaclyn portrays a young Taylor. When Jeff's wife Jill was fighting breast cancer back in 2007, Taylor apparently became very close to the family and has stayed that way.

    How Old Is Sgt. Slaughter? Kevin Sullivan On Luna's Death

    -- Sgt. Slaughter is 62 today. Happy birthday Sarge!

    -- Kevin Sullivan, who worked a lot with Luna Vachon, released the following statement yesterday evening: "I am saddened to hear of the passing of Luna Vachon. Not only was she a fantastic performer, but I was lucky enough to consider her a dear friend and I will miss her greatly. Luna was an integral part of my career and I would not have succeeded without her. We have lost a great performer and an even greater person. My condolences go out to her family and to her friends."

    Saturday, August 28, 2010

    WWE Confirms The Firing Of Smackdown Diva Serena

    The following was just posted on WWE.com, confirming our report this past Monday night. WWE waited this long to announce the firing due to her appearing on this week's SmackDown!. The show was taped last Wednesday in California. Here is the WWE.com statement:

    WWE has come to terms on the release of WWE Diva Serena. We wish Serena the best in all future endeavors.

    While specific details surrounding her abrupt departure from the organization have yet to be disclosed, it is said that she was let go in a disciplinary measure. According to one source, she was not "living out" her Straight Edge Society persona in public. The decision to cut the six-time Ohio Valley Wrestling Women's Champion was actually made a last weekend, but word had not surfaced until Monday night.

    TNA iMPACT! Rating + Kurt Angle Endorses Linda McMahon

    -- Thursday night's edition of TNA iMPACT! did a 1.07 (1.1) cable rating, with 1,443,000 viewers.

    -- Kurt Angle posted the following on his Twitter feed: To all connecticut residents, as u know linda mcmahon is running for office. I worked with linda on many projects in wwe. Linda was a professional that got things done. I worked with her on "smackdown ur vote" among many other projects. She is smart, bright and a true leader. I am now in tna and it doesn't benefit me to talk about linda or what a great woman she is. I saw with my own eyes. She's honest, sincere and always looked out for what was best to her employees. Linda was the positiveness in wwe. She has the qualities that I would want in a politician. She listens to you, and always does the right thing. If I were living in connecticut, I would vote for her with pride and an eagerness to get the economy, real estate and health reform back on track. Remember, I'm in tna and I don't plan on leaving but I want what is best for this country, and linda mcmahon has that "IT" factor you rarely see in today's leaders. Good luck linda. GOD bless, kurt angle 1996 olympic gold medalist and proud AMERICAN

    900th RAW Surprises Planned + How Old Is Great Khali?

    -- The Great Khali celebrates his birthday today as he turns 38 years old.

    -- As noted earlier, WWE Superstars from both RAW and SmackDown! will be on hand for the record-breaking 900th edition of the longest running, weekly episodic television program in history: Monday Night RAW. According to a reliable source, names from the past will also be appearing to give the show a nostalgic feel. No names have been revealed to us as of this writing.

    Luna's Death Causes Online Surge + Boogeyman's Return

    -- Matt "Spike Dudley " Hyson has announced that he will be retiring after his appearance for Real Action Wrestling on September 11. Said Spike: "Win or lose this will be the very last time Spike Dudley ever steps into a wrestling ring. I am retiring for good, I have had a great career and it's time for a new chapter."

    -- The wrestler formerly known as The Boogeyman — now billed as The Boogie Man — is advertised to appear at tomorrow night's Booker T promoted Pro Wrestling Alliance event in Houston, Texas. For more information on the show, visit www.bookertpwa.com.

    -- News of Luna Vachon's passing today provoked an explosive surge in an online interest pertaining to the former WWE performer as she is currently the top trending topic on Google. She was also at one point the top trending topic on both Yahoo and Twitter.

    -- Former WWE Women's Champion Jazz celebrates her 37th birthday today while WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter celebrates his 62nd.

    More On Luna Vachon's Death - Autopsy Set For Tomorrow

    As reported earlier, former WWE performer Gertrude Vachon (a/k/a Luna Vachon) died this morning at her mother's home in Florida. She was 48.

    In an update on the situation, TMZ.com reports that Vachon was found dead by her mother at approximately 10 a.m. this morning, according to law enforcement officials. She had just lost everything she owned in a massive house fire and was staying with her mother.

    Authorities currently do not believe there was any foul play involved in her passing. An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow. The results likely won't be released for 6-8 weeks. The same goes for Lance Cade.

    Expect many other media outlets to pick this story up in the coming days especially once an Associated Press report comes out.

    Kimbo Slice Leaving MMA For Boxing - Details

    Kimbo Slice is apparently leaving MMA for boxing. Boxing promoter and former WZR Radio guest Gary Shaw told ESPNNewYork that he has a boxing deal in place with Slice that would see him make his boxing debut by the end of the year.

    Kimbo is apparently working with California-based trainer Clemente Medina and is expected to debut sometime between October and December. Shaw thinks a successful run could have Ferguson poised for title contention within six or so fights.

    Kurt Angle Speaks - TNA Contract Expiring, Retiring & More

    Kurt Angle says he’s going to continue wrestling full-time until his TNA deal expires in a year, but after that, he’ll have to evaluate his future.

    In an interview with Kevin Eck of the Baltimore Sun, Angle said, “I believe that you’re not going to see much more of Kurt Angle.”

    “Financially, I’m fine,” he said.. “The hard part about leaving wrestling is I’ll miss it. I have a couple of food companies now and I’m doing movies. If I do retire, I think it’ll be a retirement match, and then a part-time schedule. It’s so hard for wrestlers to leave the ring. It’s difficult and I’ve given it thought. I have one year left on my contract with TNA and then I will evaluate from there.”

    Angle says his knees, lower back, and neck are “always stiff,” but he hasn’t felt this good in a decade.

    “I think this is probably the best I’ve felt, and it has a lot to do with the reduced work schedule in TNA where they’re not using me at every house show,” Angle said. “So having that lighter schedule has allowed my body to recuperate more.”

    Angle needs to scale back the physicality of his in-ring style if he wants to continue wrestling, but he doesn’t know if he’s capable of that.

    “Many people have told me, including Vince McMahon himself, that my work style is too intense; too aggressive. I don’t know if I can ‘work smarter,’ if you want to put it that way,” he said. “I learned from wrestlers like Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit, who were under-sized, to make up for that by working with much more intensity.”

    Angle also talked about his movie career, which stars in TNA he thinks have what it takes to carry the company into the future and more.

    WWE Confirms The Death Of Luna Vachon


    World Wrestling Entertainment has been made aware of the passing of Gertrude (Luna) Vachon. WWE extends its deepest condolences to the Vachon family.

    Ms. Vachon was under contract with WWE at various times from 1993 through 2000, and performed under the name “Luna” Vachon. She last performed for WWE in early 2000.

    BREAKING NEWS: Luna Vachon Found Dead

    Former WWE performer Luna Vachon was found dead this morning at her mothers home. She was just 48 years old.

    She was staying with her mother after her own home was recently burned down in a fire.

    Those are the only details available at the moment.

    She is survived by her two sons.

    SyFy Filming At WWE Developmental - NXT Season 3?

    The SyFy network once again had their TV cameras at the WWE developmental tapings this week filming matches.

    Based on who wrestled at the tapings, you could speculate as to who might be on season 3 of NXT.

    Superstars that wrestled and haven’t previously appeared on NXT included Xavier Woods, Idol Stevens, Bo Rotunda, Richie Steamboat, Wes Brisco, Tag Team Champions Johnny Curtis & Derrick Bateman, Hunico & Epico and FCW Heavyweight Champion Mason Ryan.

    There have yet to be Diva Rookies on NXT, but we've heard that the idea is being strongly considered for Season 3. Divas in action included Aksana, AJ Lee, Livianna and FCW Divas Champion Naomi Night.

    The Florida Championship Wrestling website recently confirmed that it will be holding live events in the coming weeks featuring the stars of "NXT Season 3," so perhaps we'll see NXT Season 3 on SyFy in some capacity this fall.

    Chyna Freaks Out Over A Spider

    -- Former WWE performer Chyna claims she was bitten on the leg by a poisonous spider which has left her barely able to walk. The former WWE Intercontinental Champion told TMZ she went to a doctor due to the swelling and he recommended she visit the hospital for further treatment. However, she didn't go to the ER as advised because she felt "It would have cost too much." She instead operated on herself with a Swiss Army knife. She used the knife to dig out the swollen golf ball sized lump that had formed in her leg and was left with a bloody crater. She claims she's in so much pain, she "can barely walk." To view TMZ's story with published pictures of the matter, go to their website.

    Tough Tony Borne Passes Away At 83

    Anthony Osborne, who often worked under the name Tough Tony Borne, passed away this morning at his home at the age of 83. Osborne was one of the Pacific Northwest's top stars in the 60s and formed a tag team with Lonnie Mayne (Moondog Mayne) that was considered one of the best ever in that area.

    Osborne was also the father of Matt Borne (Doink the Clown).

    We would like to send our condolences to the friends and family of Anthony Osborne.

    Mick Foley's Big Announcement, Consequences Creed

    -- Mick Foley tweeted the following: I will have a huge announcement in a week. Not just a plug for a show, or a book, but something really big!

    -- The wrestler formerly known as Consequences Creed has a new Twitter account, @XavierWoodsPhD, based on his FCW gimmick.

    Thursday, August 26, 2010

    ** SPOILERS ** Smackdown Taping Results for Tonight

    Here are more details on tonight's show (friday 27), thanks to D.W. Weber:

    1. Kane beat Rey Mysterio in a no DQ match with the chokeslam.
    After the match Alberto DelRio attacked Rey and took him out, Rey was helped to the back.

    2. CM Punk pretty much destroyed JTG in a quick match. I don't think JTG hit any offense. Punk went back to using the Anaconda Vice for the submission win. He then cut a promo to the rest of the Straight Edge Society saying basically "that's how you get it done."

    - Rosa Mendes was shown back in Teddy Long's office using the shake weight. Hornswoggle was hiding in the plant again like last week. He and Teddy had a kinda funny verbal exchange, even though Horny just grunted. It came down to Teddy thinking he could use Hornswoggle to do some spy work for him.

    3. Kofi Kingston beat Dolph Ziggler by countout. The stipulation was that if ziggler got DQ'd he would loose the belt. So still IC champ, Ziggler

    4. Jack Swagger beat MVP in a takedown challenge. Swagger wore the amateur wrestling head gear like Rick Steiner used to wear. So Swagger gets to host the VIP lounge in the future.

    5. Alberto DelRio beat a local wrestler. I forgot what name they used, but my friend identified and I remembered him as Alex Kozlov, who briefly worked in TNA.

    6. Big show (w/Kelly Kelly) beat Luke Gallows (w/SES).

    - Undertaker came out and cut a long promo on Kane in what will be in the main event slot on television. They went back and forth about who's more evil and who the devil likes better, and stuff like that.

    Dark Match

    1. Kane defeated Jack Swagger and Big Show in a Triple Threat to retain the World Hvt. Championship. Show replaced Mysterio since he was "injured" earlier. Kane won, of course, by first knocking Big Show down from the ropes when Show was trying to climb out and then chokeslamed swagger for the pin.

    After the match, Undertaker came out and exchanged with Kane. They did the double chokeslam tease to each other again and Swagger hit Taker from behind. Kane escaped. Taker then tombstoned Swagger to send the crowd home happy.

    Notes: The arena was really empty. The entire upper deck was closed. Fans here really don't turn out for Smackdown anymore. The Raw house show here before WrestleMania was crazy full. That Cena sure does bring the crowds.

    Report: Stephanie McMahon Reportedly Gives Birth

    Stephanie McMahon reportedly gave birth to her third child Tuesday, a baby girl. The name of the child has yet to be revealed.

    While the story is not 100% confirmed, it was publicly said on more than once occasion that McMahon was due to give birth this summer. Back in March, she appeared visibly pregnant at a rally event for her mother's Senate campaign.

    McMahon already has two daughters; Aurora Rose Levesque (born July 24, 2006) and Murphy Claire (born July 28, 2008).

    Carlito Explains Absence/Rehab

    -- Fans may recall Carlito mysteriously disappearing from World Wrestling Entertainment airwaves for a few months late last year shortly after his tag team partnership with his brother had ceased. The former WWE Superstar explained today on Twitter that he was removed from television last fall because he was sent to a rehabilitation facility to be evaluated for drug addiction. He says he passed the center's various tests and it was determined that he was not a drug addict. He was then sent to a psychiatrist, which he felt was "a waste of time." Carlito remained off television until November because management felt he was "very angry" at work. "Ha, I was off tv in late 2009 because I was sent on a lil "sabatical," said Carlito, responding to fan asking about his disappearance last year. "And by "sabatical" I mean I was sent to a rehab facility for a few days to be evaluated. I passed, they said I wasn't an addict. Then I was sent to a psychiatrist...a waste of time! Then they kept me at home because they felt I was very angry at work! I was!"

    How Old Is Petey Willians, Batista-NBC

    -- Former TNA X Division Champion Petey Williams turns 29 years old today. It is said that he is currently working as a personal trainer in Michigan.

    -- Dave Batista is set to appear on NBC's Chuck this fall. Batista, Eric Roberts and Joel David Moore are set to play three soldiers of fortune, and Batista's character will have a previous relationship with Casey. The episode will air this fall. Steve Austin also returns to the show this season, but in a different episode.

    Katie Lea's News

    -- From Diva Dirt: Former WWE Diva, Katie Lea, who took part in a tryout match with TNA on Monday night, was our special guest on last night's episode of Diva Dirt LIVE. In her first interview since being released by WWE in April, Katie gives her thoughts on her release, tells us about her tryout with TNA on Monday, which Divas she would have liked to work with, the story behind her goth gimmick and reveals the original plans for her storyline with Paul Burchill. Katie also took calls from our listeners, answering their questions too. You can listen to that at http://www.diva-dirt.com/

    Playboy Model At FCW + Another New WWE Diva,

    -- Former WWE developmental wrestler Jenny Quinn was backstage at last Thursday's Florida Championship Wrestling show in Tampa. The former Playboy model was released last February.

    -- WWE developmental Diva AJ Lee wrestled against Women's Champion Layla at the SmackDown! live event in Odessa, Texas this past Sunday. Lee wrestled as the babyface and was billed from Odessa, likely to help with her face character. Layla cut a promo on Lee before the match and won with her finisher. WWE was planning to begin debut promos for Lee on SmackDown! a few weeks back but they still haven't aired.

    Carlito's Future?

    -- Carlito's ninety-day no-compete clause with World Wrestling Entertainment expired over the weekend. He is now free to join any wrestling promotion with national television exposure.

    Ratings - WWE NXT & SD! Ratings

    The August 13th edition of WWE SmackDown! scored a 1.6 rating with 2,691,000 viewers.

    Tuesday's edition of WWE NXT scored a 0.93 cable rating, with 1,130,000 viewers.

    Y2J's WWE Contract (Backstage Update)

    -- In an update on Chris Jericho's contract status with World Wrestling Entertainment, his current deal — which was signed in 2007 — expires in a few weeks and he has yet to sign a new one. While both sides are negotiating a new deal, it is not guarantee that he will remain with the company.

    Jake "The Snake" Roberts Announces Retirement

    Jake "The Snake" Roberts, 55, announced his retirement from active wrestling Sunday night at an independent show in New York, ending a 35-year career.

    During an in-ring speech, the inventor of the DDT discussed the loss of his father, Grizzly Smith, who passed away in June. He said he entered the wrestling industry to make him proud.

    Roberts thanked the fans and said he could no longer compete due to health reasons.

    Roberts achieved his greatest fame with the World Wrestling Federation during its 'Golden Age' era in the 1980s. He also wrestled for the National Wrestling Alliance in 1983, World Championship Wrestling in 1992, and Asistencia Asesoría y Administración during the latter portion of his career.

    Some Must-Read Hulk Hogan Tweets - Lots Of 'News'

    Since starting his own, legit Twitter account, Hulk Hogan has been answering a lot of fan questions. Some highlights:

    On whether Hogan Knows Best will return: "Could be a new show about my new positive life with Jennifer,Tna ,business,real friends,starting over only real stuff no haters"

    On heel Hogan coming back: "never say never."

    On American Gladiators coming back: "no the show was to expensive to produce when u can do the same number with a cheap reality show"

    On Halloween Havoc 99 where he laid down for Sting: "those were wack times. That was the old Russo and the old me.it was all stupid"

    On Steve Austin turning down his WrestleMania challenge a few years ago: "he always said if there was money to be made let's do it , I thought he was serious"

    On bringing Steve Austin to TNA, because he is the biggest draw in wrestling history: "oh he is ?"

    On whether he reported Jesse Ventura to Vince McMahon when Jesse was trying to form a union: "Vince already knew about it, I just said I didn't think it was a good idea. jesse a clown, at that's how the boys have though of him. he was running his mouth like usual trying to get everyone in board everyone knew"

    On whether he'd be wekcomed back to WWE: "all I can say is,if there's money to be made,Vince is all business"

    On whose idea it was for the Mr. America character: "mine,but Vince was supposed to run with it.the hatred knew it would get over so they killed it.the first match in the garden"

    On what he would do differently in life: - "get divorced instantlyafter Nick was born"

    On the steroid situation in WWE in the 80s: - "horrible, that the kind of stuff most guys did before breakfast that's a shoot"

    On whether Vince McMahon would send a main eventer to rehab: "Vince doesn't play games with anybody.he treats everyone the same way"

    On whether anyone tried to shoot on him in the ring:"ya , couple guys.Billy Robinson and fuginami in japan"

    On Bret Hart's return: "I love Brett because I know who he really is. Really glad to see him back"

    On Hiro Matsuda breaking his ankle as Hogan was starting out: "30yrs ago that's how they got rid of marks in the fla territory"

    On the rumour that he and Shawn Michaels fought over Shawn's overselling at SummerSlam: "Not true"

    On Randy Orton: "he's got it figured out. There only very few who really get it"

    On wrestling The Rock at WrestleMania: "it freaked me out when 75thousand booed him"

    Terry Funk Speaks - HardCORE Justice + The End Of ECW

    Terry Funk was recently on Wheelhouse Radio, here are some highlights…

    On The Current State Of Wrestling: "Wrestling should always be an extension of his own personality. I think that actors aren't wrestlers and wrestlers aren't actors, wrestlers are wrestlers. I'm not really fond of the much control that they put on their product as they do in New York [WWE], I think the individuals should be given a bit more control and be able to be themselves a bit more then the characters that they do. I feel ROH accomplishes that."

    On The End Of ECW: "They forgot what was meant by the word Extreme just be evolving. Extreme at first was a bunch of guys busting their asses to give you the best they were physically capable of doing and it wasn't with garbage lids, pails and other stuff…they went the other way at the end and I think that was the wrong road to travel…we all have to have our extreme matches but you have to build it on a foundation and that up there [ECW] was built on a foundation."

    Was He Asked To Go To HardCORE Justice?: "Well I think that they knew I wasn't gonna go, you know I made the statement before that I'm not going down there…I don't want to go down there and if I wanted to go I'd call em up and tell em' I wanted to be there…it wouldn't be bad if they made the gesture but they knew I wouldn't go. Nor did I want to be in the ring at that time, so what am I going to be some idiot at ringside? Oh look there's Terry Funk and look at how old he is now."

    Christian Joins Twitter, JR At NOC PPV?, Kaval-WWE

    -- Christian has opened an account on Twitter. It can be reached at Christian4Peeps.

    -- Jim Ross noted on his Twitter account that he will be attending Night of Champions. Though J.R. was not on hand for SummerSlam, he routinely performs backstage duties at pay-per-view shows.

    -- NXT Rookie Kaval has "taken over" WWE.com as a result of his victory in this week's NXT Rookie Challenge. Next week's show will be the season two finale.

    WWE Films Update - John Cena & Edge Movies


    -- John Cena's will begin filming for his next WWE Films project on October 4th in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The film, titled Blood Brothers will see Cena play Sam Cleary, a police officer and one of three brothers (the other two are a Bail Bondsman and a thief). They will seek a reward the FBI has offered for the return of a kidnapped American billionaire being held in a Mexican dungeon. This is Cena's fourth WWE film, and the first one in some time that will not be shot in New Orleans.

    -- Edge started shooting Breaking the Rules, formerly Chasing the Hawk, earlier this month in Louisiana. Jamie Kennedy, Jennifer Esposito, Philip Baker Hall, Jessica Walter, and Alicia Witt are starring in the film along with Edge. Edge was originally going to play a lawyer trying to track down his stolen car, but that role is now Kennedy's role. Edge will now play a corrupt cop that Kennedy is trying to bring down when his car goes missing. Paul Giammatti was originally offered the role Kennedy ended up with.

    Backstage Update - The Sandman & TNA Wrestling

    As noted yesterday here on the website, The Sandman missed this week's TNA iMPACT! tapings. Word is that he missed his flight on Monday, but he was then not brought in for the second day of TV tapings on Tuesday.

    It should be noted that some feel that he may already be done with the company. There were some against the company bringing in some of the ECW talent, who are working on per event deals, despite being given contracts "on camera".

    The Real Reason RVD Is Gone From TNA Right Now

    Because of the new tournament involving the now vacated TNA World Heavyweight Championship (an idea done at the last minute), all previous booking plans for the Bound for Glory PPV in October has changed. The planned angle of having Kurt Angle go from No. 10 to No. 1 in the rankings leading to a title match and most likely title win at Bound for Glory is now off because of the tournament.

    As reported earlier, TNA's deal with Rob Van Dam was running out of dates and they ran this angle to explain his absence. His contract with TNA called for him to earn more money per match if they started to go over the limit of dates he agreed to. So they decided to run the Abyss attack angle instead of paying more with costs being cut virtually everywhere in the company. You can read into that what you will. RVD will be back down the line.

    Both Sting and Kevin Nash have been booked sparingly as well because of the company trying to keep costs low. Ric Flair has the same kind of deal with TNA and it is believed that that they are coming close to going over the amount of dates he agreed to. However, in Flair's case the belief is that will continue to pay his price for going over dates.

    The Latest On New Florida Promotion - Name Revealed

    Here is the latest on the new promotion out of Florida that Milton Wilpon/Peter Karoftis/Sean Davis are working on. The promotion has been named Worldwide Wrestling Promotion, and while it was planed for a fall launch, it has been pushed back to January of 2011. An email was sent out to talent this morning, explaining the delay. Davis wrote to the talent that the financing side of the company had told the wrestling side the following…

    "Our original time table is not at all feasible. While we were all committed to launching in October we know now that has become an impossible goal. Our new goal is to start operations in the first part of the new year however we do not as of today have a firm date. That unfortunately means that contracts will have to be changed to a new starting date."

    In the email, Davis states that the financial side feels that the delay is needed, and that he "fought this decision KICKING AND SCREAMING (literally)". He also stated that the move had to be made, because if it wasn't, the company would not move forward. Davis goes onto explain that WWP's attorneys will draw up contract addendums, and that if they didn't wish to sign them, he understood.

    "You will still be welcome to come back to work for us in the future once we are up and running in the early part of the new year. For those of you that sign the contract addendums you will be receiving extra shares of company stock and the addendums will also spell out our full health and benefits plan that will be made available to you."

    Davis also discussed that they have been through a lot already, and that there were forces out there that were trying to stop them…

    "[These forces are] doing whatever they can to sabotage everything we are trying to do and doing everything in their power to make sure that this company will never launch. I can promise you though that no matter how many hurdles we have to jump over that there are people here dedicated to doing everything they can to make sure this company WILL launch and we will be a long time player in this industry."

    Davis stated that WWP was not simply launching "a new independent promotion or something that is going to be on the long list of fly by night wrestling companies that have come and gone." He then went on to explain that they plan on "becoming over the next decade the premiere wrestling company in the world" but that "obviously does not happen overnight."

    Davis promised to share details on several deals that the company had completed over the next few weeks. The promotion has also reached out to both Paul Heyman and Jerry Jarrett.

    Edge To Star In WWE Film, Skip Sheffield Injury Update, More

    -- Deadline.com reports that Adam "Edge" Copeland will be featured in the next WWE Films project, titled Bending the Rules. Copeland will star opposite Jamie Kennedy, playing a dirty cop who is charged with corruption. Kennedy will play the DA who wants to take the cop down. Production has already started in New Orleans. Jessica Walter (Arrested Development), Jennifer Esposito (Rescue Me, Crash), Alicia Witt, and Phillip Baker Hall are also attached to the project.

    -- As reported on earlier, the fear is that Nexus member Skip Sheffield suffered a broken ankle at a WWE event over the weekend in Hawaii and that he could be missing a lot of time as a result. Last night's RAW was taped in Los Angeles last week following Summerslam so they were safe for that show. It remains to be seen if an angle will be run on next week's 900th episode of RAW in Boston to explain why he won't be used on a regular basis (that is of course assuming the injury is as bad as it is being reported among the wrestling media). Believe it or not, there has already been talk in WWE of killing the Nexus angle by October.

    Wednesday, August 25, 2010

    TNA iMPACT! Results For NEXT Week (9.02) ** SPOILERS **


    Dark Match:

    * Shannon Moore & Christina Von Erie vs. Okada & Cookie (Becky Bayless). Winner via Jumping 2nd rope neckbreaker from Moore to Okada, Shannon Moore & Christina Von Erie.

    TNA Impact (Airing next Thursday on Spike TV):

    * Hulk Hogan is out first with Eric Bischoff and Ms. Tessmacher. He says he loves coming to work because the greatest talent in the wrestling business is here. He says they call the guys in the semi-final the Final Four and calls thenm all out. Mr. Anderson, D'Angelo Dinero, Jeff Hardy and Kurt Angle come to the ring. Hogan says everybody knows what happened to Rob Van Dam and whoever gets the belt needs to raise the bar. Bischoff says the decision to strip RVD was one of the hardest decisions he ever made. While talking, Abyss comes out with Janice. He gets in the ring and Hogan says nobody called him. Abyss says he has a newsworthy revelation from them. Hogan says to stop the crap because everybody knows it's Flair and Fourtune. Abyss says they were never Fourtune or EV2.0. He says he has a date of the revelation and it's 10-10-10. Hogan tells Abyss to get out of his face. Abyss says when they arrive they're not just taking over but will turn things upside down and get rid of Dixie Carter and everybody else in the ring. Hardy attacks Abyss and has to be held back by everybody. Abyss says nobody's life will ever be the same after 10-10-10.

    * The Beautiful People of Velvet Sky & Angelina Love vs. Madison Rayne the Masked Rider. Madison and the Masked Rider were not announced. Winner after a helmet shot to Velvet while the referee was distracted, Madison Rayne and the Masked Rider. After the match, she took her mask off to reveal herself to be Tara.

    * Stevie Richards vs. Abyss. Winner via Stevie Kick, Stevie Richards. Abyss brought a chair in the ring but the referee stopped him which allowed the kick. Abyss was looking for Janice but someone had moved it and that's why he used a chair. After the match, Abyss beat up Richards and tossed the referee out of the ring. Brian Kendrick ran out and made the quick save. He hit a baseball slide dropkick to Abyss and helped Richards get away.

    * EV2.0 of Tommy Dreamer, Sabu, Rhino and Mick Foley come out. Foley is limping heavily. Dreamer gets the mic and demands Fourtune come to the ring for attacking Foley in the back. Fourtune come out and stay at the entrance ramp. AJ Styles says this is his house and everybody needs to shutup. AJ asks if they really think they have a chance at No Surrender? Does Sabu think he can beat Douglas Williams? Does Rhino think he can handle Abyss? Then AJ Styles vs. Tommy Dreamer in an I Quit match? Dreamer says they don't have to wait until the PPV, they can come to the ring right now. It can be the four of you vs. the four of us. I think we went to commercial and came back after that. When the music stopped, AJ said their suits cost too much to ruin. Fourtune leaves and EV2 are left in the ring.

    * In the back, Jeff Jarrett asks Samoa Joe to be in his corner again, this time in his match against Sting. He's not going out there just for himself, he's going out for everybody in TNA and for Joe. Joe says he's right and he's learned you look out for your own.

    Jeff Jarrett vs. Sting w/Kevin Nash. Winner after a failed suplex attempt, Sting. Jarrett tried to suplex Sting into the ring but Nash tripped Jarrett and Sting landed on him. Nash and Sting were beating up Jarrett after the match so Hogan came out. While Sting and Nash were waiting for Hogan to attack, Samoa Joe ran in and cleared the ring.

    * Desmond Wolfe & Magnus w/Chelsea come to the ring. Wolfe says while Beer Money and the Motor City Cap Guns have been killing each other, him and Magnus have been proving themselves on Xpolosions and will show at No Surrender. Magnus calls MCMG a couple of hobbits sitting around the TV playing video games. He says everybody should be embarrassed to have MCMG as their tag champions but he and Wolfe are here to save the day. The Motor City Machine Guns' music hits and they join Wolfe and Magnus in the ring. Aex Shelley asks the crowd if they think Magnus' hat is stupid. He congratulates Wolfe and Magnus for becoming #1 contenders. Shelley says if they think they killed themselves in 5 matches with Beer Money to just lose the belts to them at No Surrender then they're not thinking straight. Sabin says yes, they do like to dabble in some video games and yes, he does find Ms. Pac Man sexy you douche bags. Sabin says the only tag teaming they've been doing is with each other. Wolfe says he gets it, they're calling they were supposed to be a couple of poofs yet they're the ones with a girl. Shelley asks if they're such big men, why does Chesea always have an unhappy look on her face. Wolfe tells Chelsea to tell these wankers what real men they are. Chelsea says if there was a sword fight right now, his weapon would fall short. Wolfe and Magnus attack MCMG and wipe them both out.


    * AJ Styles, Kazarian & Beer Money, Inc. w/Ric Flair, Matt Morgan & Douglas Williams vs. Tommy Dreamer, Sabu, Rhino * Brian Kendrick. This is an elimination match. Sabu has been eliminated first. Kazarian eliminated next by Kendrick. After that, Kendrick gave a flying kick to the referee and the match broke down. A giant brawl broke out all over the place, other refs had to come out and restore order. Kendrick was eliminated due to disqualification. Mick Foley has also come to ringside. Abyss came out to the ring and started brawling with Rhino all over the place leading to Rhino being counted out and eliminated. Roode eliminated next by Dreamer. Storm eliminated next by Dreamer. Winner via Pele kick, Fourtune. Morgan and Flair caused a distraction which lead to the finish.

    * Jeremy Borash just announced we have the real main event now with the Fatal Four guys. Mr. Anderson & D'Angelo Dinero vs. Jeff Hardy & Kurt Angle. Winner after a mic check to Kurt Angle, D'Angelo Dinero & Mr. Anderson. Dinero stole the pin again so he and Anderson came to blows and ended up brawling around the ring. Angle and Hardy ended up brawling too. Security ran out and broke up both fights but the fights kept restarting.

    Xplosion:

    * Eric Young & Orlando Jordan vs. Generation Me. Winner via schoolboy from Young to Max Buck, Eric Young and Orlando Jordan.

    * TNA X Division Champion Douglas Williams vs. Jay Lethal, non title. Winner via giant neckbreaker, Jay Lethal.

    The RAW Ratings Are In

    -- As noted earlier, WWE RAW on Monday did a 3.23 (3.2) cable rating with 4,800,000 viewers. Hour one did a 3.12 (3.1) while hour two did a 3.34 (3.3).

    -- WWE AM RAW on 8/21 did a 0.47 (0.5) cable rating with 512,000 viewers.

    Major Drug Testing At iMPACT! Today

    -- TNA is running another series of drug testing at the tapings today in Orlando. According to a source, talent were subject to physicals, blood work and drug screening. The screenings were believed to be random.

    Major Update - Serena Fired For 'Behavioral Issues' - Details

    Serena's sudden release from World Wrestling Entertainment is being compared to Mickie James' dismissal from the organization earlier this year as both involved matters concerning behavioral problems on the road.

    Serena had been warned several times by management to tighten up her road behavior as she was putting her job at risk. It ultimately reached a point where WWE had no choice but to let her go, just as a big push was planned no less. It should be noted that paparazzi photos of Serena out in Hollywood walking to a nightclub recently surfaced online.

    It is said that the episode of WWE SmackDown! in which Serena was caught drinking alcohol at a bar was designed to send a message to her. An irate CM Punk immediately chastised her following the airing of the video, but she was forgiven the following week. Luke Gallows, however, refused to follow suit and walked out on his fellow Straight Edge Society members.

    News of her departure from WWE is being kept under wraps internally, but an announcement is expected to be made this weekend after WWE SmackDown! airs on Friday. The show was taped last Wednesday in California.

    Report: The Sandman No-Shows iMPACT! + Abyss Sick

    -- The Sandman wasn’t at last night’s TNA iMPACT tapings as scheduled, and the word going around backstage was that he no-showed. The buzz backstage is that they are short on talent for the EV2.0 faction.

    -- Abyss received props from the locker room for still wrestling despite battling a case of food poisoning. Abyss worked at last night’s tapings and is back for tonight’s tapings.

    Major Issue At Last Night's iMPACT! Tapings + Joe Returns


    -- Last night’s TNA iMPACT tapings were delayed because Ken Anderson didn’t arrive to the building until long after the taping had started. Anderson was scheduled to be in the main event and was involved in an angle to set up the match. They ended up holding extra dark matches until he arrived. The word backstage was that travel issues were to blame.

    -- Samoa Joe returned at last night’s tapings and defeated Orlando Jordan. This was the first time Joe was booked for iMPACT since he blew up at Vince Russo at others inside a production truck. Joe was upset that the ring announcer gave away the ending to his 10-minute time limit draw against Jeff Hardy. The incident resulted in all wrestlers being banned from the production truck from this point forward.

    The Future Of Nexus + The Reason For Tag Title Change


    -- The latest twist in the Nexus storyline is that the title match ban for the group's members has been lifted, as announced by RAW's General Manager last night. Wade Barrett will compete for the WWE Title in Night of Champions' Six Pack Challenge. Members of Nexus have actually been getting WWE Tag Team Title shots against The Hart Dynasty at WWE live events over the past few weeks.

    -- It is believed that Nexus in its current form will cease come October.

    -- Vince McMahon made the decision to rename the Unified WWE Tag Team Championship the WWE Tag Team Championship because he wanted new belts to be marketed. Another reason given for the change is that it's easier for talent to pass through airports with one set of belts than two. It is currently unknown if the belts will be considered a brand new championship or if they will carry the lineage of either one or both Tag Team Championships.

    Who Was Backstage At iMPACT?, Katie Lea-TNA Update, Christy

    -- TNA Knockout Christy Hemme is now on Twitter at @chemme.

    -- Despite his illness, Tommy Dreamer worked last night's TNA iMPACT tapings in Orlando and appeared on camera. Dreamer has been suffering from flu-like symptoms and has had a fever and vomiting.

    -- As noted before, former WWE Diva Katie Lea Burchill wrestled a tryout match with TNA at last night's tapings, losing to Madison Rayne. Jeremy Borash wrote the following on Twitter regarding her tryout: "The fmr Katie Lee Burchill did great in her TNA dark match tonight. Future KO?"

    -- Independent women's wrestler Christina Von Eerie was backstage at last night's TNA iMPACT tapings but did not wrestle in front of the crowd, according to reports. The talk backstage was that Von Eerie may be a new valet for Jesse Neal & Shannon Moore's team - Ink Inc.

    The Latest On Serena's Firing From WWE Inside Here

    As reported late last night here on the website, Serena has indeed been released from World Wrestling Entertainment.

    While specific details surrounding her abrupt departure from the organization have yet to be disclosed, it is said that she was let go in a disciplinary measure. According to one source, she was not "living out" her Straight Edge Society persona in public. Really. It should be noted that paparazzi photos of Serena out in Hollywood walking to a nightclub recently surfaced online.

    The decision to cut the six-time Ohio Valley Wrestling Women's Champion was actually made a few days ago, but word had not surfaced until Monday night.

    It would appear that an official announcement has not yet been made by WWE as she's due to make an appearance on this week's edition of Friday Night SmackDown!, which was taped last Wednesday. She accompanies Luke Gallows to the ring for a match against Big Show.






    How Old Is Vince McMahon Today?, Alberto Del Rio-WWE, RAW

    -- Alberto Del Rio is featured on the cover of the latest issue of Super Luchas.

    -- Last week's episode of Monday Night RAW scored its highest rating for Score in Canada since moving to the network in 2006.

    -- The TNA Triple Threat Cross The Line Vol. 3, featuring Turning Point, Final Resolution and Against All Odds is presented in 16:9 video format, and not 4:3 as other releases were.

    -- Vince McMahon celebrates his 65th birthday today. 65 is considered the standard retirement age in the United States. I'd advise you NOT to say Happy Birthday to Vince today if by some chance you run into him! It's well known that he hates getting older. He also hates sneezing as he can't control the sneeze according to Paul Heyman.

    Tuesday, August 24, 2010

    **SPOILERS** TNA iMPACT! Results For This Week

    Dark Match
    Madison Rayne defeated Katie Lea Burchill

    Xplosion
    Eric Young defeated Jeremy Buck. Orlando Jordan got involved in the match at a couple points.

    TNA X Division Champion Doug Williams won a four way match involving him, Amazing Red, Jay Lethal, and Brian Kendrick. Jay Lethal laid out Red for the pin, but Doug threw Lethal out of the ring and covered Red for the victory.

    TNA IMPACT!
    TNA World Tag Team Champions Motor City Machine Guns defeated Generation Me in a non-title match. After the match, the Guns raised the Buck's hands

    The Original Beautiful People of Angelina Love and Velvet Sky came out to cut a promo stating that they were a unit again. They trash talked Madison Rayne. This led to Madison and the helmeted biker bodyguard coming out, with the biker girl taking off the helmet to show the mask that she wore on The Whole F'n Show. Madison mentioned how she, Angelina, and Velvet were committing copyright infringement by using The Beautiful People's music, which she wants to own the rights to. This led to verbal insults that turned into a pull-apart brawl between all four.

    Rhino called out Abyss and the two brawled. The brawl went through the Impact Zone and ended up near the area by the Spanish Announce Table. Rhino laid out Abyss with a gore

    Desmond Wolfe defeated Stevie Richards via Tower of London

    Something happened backstage and Angelina Love came out again and called out Madison Rayne. They started brawling around ringside before a match started which saw TNA Knockout Champion Angelina Love defeat Madison Rayne in a non-title match following her bicycle kick.

    Mick Foley came out to cut a promo on Ric Flair.

    TNA President Dixie Carter came out for a promo and talked about the ups and downs of TNA at this time. She asked Ric Flair to come out. Flair ended up hitting on Dixie, including asking her to "come back to the hotel." She told Flair that she was going to suspend him but not the rest of Fortune for his actions. This led to all of Fortune walking down to the ring, and Flair threatened Dixie. It looked like Dixie's husband got in the ring to try to defend his wife, but he was beaten down by Fortune. Hulk Hogan, Jeff Hardy, The Pope, Kurt Angle, and Mr. Anderson came to the ring. Hogan says that he gets partial say due to running things with Dixie. Using this power, Hogan revokes the suspension for Flair. Hogan says it will be his four versus Flair's four tonight. Flair and Hogan traded words before EV 2.0 ran out to brawl with Fortune.

    Samoa Joe defeated Orlando Jordan with the Muscle Buster. After the match, Jeff Jarrett came out and put over how the people like Samoa Joe and himself helped build TNA. Jarrett asks Joe to be in his corner for his match with Kevin Nash later in the night. He wants Joe to prevent Sting from getting involved. Joe takes the mic and tells Jarrett that he doesn't choose sides. Joe says that he has one side that he is on and it is his own side. Joe leaves as Kevin Nash walks down to the ring.

    Kevin Nash defeated Jeff Jarrett. There was a ref bump and Jarrett had the match won with the stroke. Sting came down and laid out Jarrett with the bat allowing Nash to get the pinfall.

    Eric Bischoff came out and asked Sting what he wanted. Sting said he wanted Hogan. Hogan snuck into the ring from the crowd and laid out Sting with a chair making the save for Jarrett.

    Beer Money defeated the FBI (Tony Luke and Guido) with the DWI on Guido. FBI hardly got in any offense whatsoever during the match. After the match, James Storm and Robert Roode continued to beat down the FBI and hit Guido with the beer bottle, causing him to bleed. Roode and Storm then hit another DWI on Guido.

    In the main event, Kurt Angle, The Pope, Mr. Anderson, and Jeff Hardy defeated AJ Styles, Kazarian, Douglas Williams, and Matt Morgan. The finish came when Kurt Angle hit the Angle Slam on Kazarian, but Angle did not know that Pope had made the blind tag and Pope covered Kazarian for the victory. Pope and Angle argued after the match and that led to Hardy and Anderson trying to break it up.

    EV 2.0 came down to the ring to brawl with Fortune.

    This was a fun match that had a really hot sprint of everyone hitting their moves towards the end.

    Haas Speaks On Cade

    -- Right After Wrestling with Arda Ocal and Jimmy Korderas spoke with Charlie Hass last night. Hass discussed Lance Cade's passing, stating the following… "I was a pall bearer at (Lance)'s funeral. It's been a rough year for me. The two people who were with me when we found my brother dead were Umaga and Lance Cade. They were with me on December 14, 2001 when we found Russ dead in his apartment. Now I look at that as both of those gone in six months, my two best friends. It sucks."

    TNA Hires New Marketing Executive - Details Inside

    It has been announced that TNA has hired Al Ovadia as their chief marketing officer. He will be overseeing marketing development and licensing for the company. Ovadia has been involved in several aspects of the entertainment world, which include the following…

    * Executive vice president of Sony Pictures Consumer Products
    * Vice president of licensing and merchandising at Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
    * Vice president of network creative services at NBC Television

    Breaking News: Serena Gone From WWE

    WWE has released WWE SmackDown! diva Serena.

    Serena had just made her in ring debut on last week's Smackdown. More details as they come.

    A WWE announcement is likely forthcoming.

    WWE Smackdown Diva Released

    WWE has released Smackdown Diva Serena, who just made her official in-ring debut last Friday. I haven't heard anything further as of this writing.

    Shocking Ex-WWE Diva Claim + Katie Lea Burchill To TNA

    -- Former WWE Diva Katie Lea Burchill worked a dark match prior to tonight's iMPACT! taping from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Working under the name Kat Larue, the former WWE performer lost to Madison Rayne. Along with six other wrestlers, she was released from her WWE contract on April 22, 2010. Her ninety no-compete clause had recently expired.

    -- Celebrity gossip blog crazydaysandnights.net, which rarely covers professional wrestling, noted the following 'blind item' last week concerning a former WWE Diva performer: "This former WWE entertainer has come a long way down from her height of fame. You can now find her servicing club promoters in return for getting booked at clubs." Yes, that means performing sexual acts for bookings.

    Breaking News: ROH Star Quits + Nexus-FCW Update

    -- ROH talent Skullcrusher Rasche Brown tweeted the following this evening: "Just quit ROH.... good luck in your future endeavors. Remember, always remain in control! Keep it real 24 7"

    Sources indicate that Brown was taken off all scheduled ROH events after he missed the HDNet tapings this past weekend. It is believed that Brown offered to work the shows in Charlotte and Richmond this weekend to make up for missing the tapings, but when he got pulled anyway he decided to quit.

    With the recent booking changes in the company, it is expected that there will be some roster changes coming up.

    -- All of the Nexus members have been removed from the FCW roster page. The only names still on the roster who are also appearing in WWE are Caylen Croft, The Usos, Serena, Tamina, Trent Beretta and the NXT Season 2 rookies. Abraham Washington and Tyler Reks are also there, but have not been on TV since the draft. Alberto Del Rio was removed from the page not long after his first vignette aired on SmackDown.

    Ted DiBiase Admits To Taking Steroids - Details

    In a recent interview with The Courier in the UK, Ted DiBiase admitted to taking steroids.

    "I took steroids (during my WWF career) for a very short time. It should be obvious by looking at me that I didn't take them regularly because I was in good shape, but I was never massive. My strength was my ability to talk and my work in the ring. I always looked like an athlete but I didn't look like Charles Atlas.

    "The thing about the steroids was I was always afraid of them and I finally had a doctor tell me about the effects and that warned me right off them - that was it for me with that stuff. The only other drug I took for a while was cocaine. Now this doesn't sound like the Million Dollar Man, but I stopped doing that because I was cheap - I didn't want to spend the money on it!"

    Chris Nowinski Responds To WWE Allegations - Details

    In an interview with The Hill, Chris Nowinski responded to WWE's response to his statements on Lance Cade. Some highlights:

    On WWE's claim that he never spoke with Lance Cade: "They don't think I've ever met my 2003 tag team partner in the WWE developmental system who I worked with in Cincinnati and Louisville in 2002-2003 almost daily and saw regularly while working with WWE until 2007?"

    On why he spoke out: "When someone would disrespect a deceased former employee, when she's seeking [a Senate seat], as a patriot you have to say something. You want to make sure good people are in those jobs."

    On WWE's claim that nobody asked him to take steroids: "The point I was making was that they reward people who take steroids."

    "I can never prove I had that conversation with Lance because Lance died when he was 29 years old. They want to call me a liar -- the person who can confirm it is dead after he worked for them for [almost a decade]."

    On not telling WWE about his concussion history when he was hired: "[I] was unaware that I had a concussion history until the last one."

    On WWE's claim that the average talent works 135 days a year: "Not every talent performs 200 days a year. I may have rounded up."

    Team 3D’s TNA Contracts Set To Expire This Week

    The duo known as Team 3D, Brother Ray and Brother Devon, may have already made their final appearances with TNA Wrestling as their contracts are set to expire this week.

    Though the team was not written into this week's shows, Brother Ray is backstage at today's television taping working as a producer. Meanwhile, it is unclear whether Devon is on hand for the event.

    It is said that the two sides are negotiating but a deal is not close to being reached.

    Team 3D's last appearance with the organization took place on Thursday's episode of ReACTION as they were featured in a segment concerning the beating Fortune laid on EV2.0 the previous week on iMPACT!.

    Team 3D joined TNA in late 2005, and won both the NWA and then TNA tag team titles during their time with the company. Their last appearance on TV for the company was last week's promo on TNA Reaction.

    The Latest Update On Scott Hall & Rehab

    The press release sent out last week, claiming that Scott Hall was again dealing with pneumonia-related issues, looks to be false. While the release stated that Hall missed his Northeastern independent bookings due to another bout with Pneumonia, a statement from PWS stated that Hall was being sent to Texas for a "court mandated rehab" that was being paid for by the WWE. I reported weeks ago that I had heard the pneumonia story was complete BS and was being used as a cover-up.

    TNA star Kevin Nash has confirmed that his friend Scott Hall is back in a substance abuse rehabilitation facility.

    Nash wrote on Twitter.com/RealKevinNash:

    “Scott is under care in the WWE’s wellness program. God bless Ann and Vince for taking care of my friend.”

    There had been some confusion lately as to whether Scott Hall had been hospitalized or was in rehab after statements were issued by independent wrestling promoters claiming both scenarios.

    Much to its credit, WWE has an ongoing policy where it pays for drug treatment programs for any current or past superstar that asks for the help.

    Best of luck to Scott Hall in getting himself together.

    How Old Is Eve Torres & The Usos?, Cena-Hannah Montana

    -- Jimmy and Jey Uso celebrated birthdays Sunday as the twin sons of WWE alum Rikishi turned 25 years old.

    -- Eve Torres celebrated her 26th birthday Saturday.

    -- John Cena appears in a new episode of Hannah Montana Forever, premiering Sunday, September 12 (8:00-8:30 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel. The WWE Superstar guest stars as himself to provide Miley's brother Jackson with some real life motivation. Yup.

    Rosie Lottalove's TNA Firing

    -- Rosie Lottalove's wrestling ability was a source of contention amongst some in the TNA locker room as they felt she and fellow Team 3D Wrestling Academy students Rob Terry and Jesse Neal were not ready to be featured on national television and should still be training.

    Monday, August 23, 2010

    Report: Divisiveness In TNA w/ Roster Members


    There is said to be a lot of divisiveness within the TNA locker room between talent who have been there for years and those new to the roster. One exception is Ric Flair who has been described as getting along with just about everyone on both sides. Hulk Hogan is not overly disliked, but many feel they brought him in with high hopes, hasn't improved business and isn't very dedicated to TNA.

    Many of the talent who have been with TNA for years were not fans of bringing in the ECW talent and putting a lot of focus on them. One member of the roster new to the company, Rob Van Dam, has been very outspoken about the difference he feels he has made along with Jeff Hardy. RVD made some comments recently that some found had interesting timing now that he is taking some time off from the company.

    Rob Van Dam wrote, "I'd imagine a lot of the old TNA guys are feeling like they're taking a back seat. The thing is..you can't argue with numbers. Last week TNA broke new all-time records for ratings! TNA needed a change. The 6-sided ring and the great technical wrestlers–that nobody knew–wasn't working. TNA brought in two rock stars, and look at the company now! Dixie often points out how hiring Jeff Hardy and RVD started a whole new era, why do some of the wrestlers not see it? Too young, too green, too selfish to have the correct perspective. Whereas some of the TNA `stars' are lucky to get recognized walking around the studios, Jeff and myself live like actual celebrities, signing autographs and taking pictures EVERYWHERE we go. Without experiencing this, it's probably hard to imagine. In fact, very few wrestlers stick out in people's minds the way that Jeff and I do. WE love our fans and we love their love. TNA is blowing up. Good things will come our way and I see it all happening now. This is a very exciting time. More people watching TNA means more people exposed to the other wrestlers on the card too...as long as they're good enough to hang around with the rising standards."

    Major Backstage Update On TNA Tryouts Inside

    » We have new details on the actual process of what it means to get a tryout match with TNA. Indy wrestler Rob Eckos, who just recently signed with TNA, took part in TNA tryouts at the TV tapings several weeks ago along with former ROH Champion Xavier which prompted the discussion (although Eckos never spoke of the actual details of the process). The deal with TNA tryouts or anyone who works dark matches who isn’t under a deal is you fly yourself to Orlando on your own dime, work the match for free and pay any additional expenses out of pocket except for hotel which TNA picks up. In comparison, indy talent that work dark matches at WWE TV tapings or work as an extra (security or other roles) get anywhere from $200 to $300 per appearance.

    Skip Sheffield Injury Update, New WWE Talents


    -- Skip Sheffield, who reportedly suffered a broken left ankle at Wednesday night's RAW live event in Honolulu, Hawaii, did not work WWE's show in Japan and China. Though specifics of his status are unclear, he is expected to be sidelined 'for some time' and will likely need surgery.

    -- World Wrestling Entertainment has re-signed Vic Adams to a developmental contract, a wrestler released last August. Florida Championship Wrestling officials have discussed pairing Adams with Xavier Woods (a/k/a Consequences Creed) in a tag team. It has also been confirmed that WWE re-signed Brian Cage (a/k/a Kris Logan) to a developmental contract. The California based grappler was originally signed by the organization in June 2008, and then released last September.

    Michelle McCool Suffers Wardrobe Malfunction

    -- Michelle McCool suffered a wardrobe malfunction during Tuesday's live episode of NXT as her right breast briefly popped out of her top while she was cheering Kaval's rap performance. The camera quickly panned away from McCool, who was wearing a tube top dress. Images have surfaced online of McCool's slip.

    Michelle McCool Suffers Wardrobe Malfunction, RAW-NXT

    -- Michelle McCool suffered a wardrobe malfunction during Tuesday's live episode of NXT as her right breast briefly popped out of her top while she was cheering Kaval's rap performance. The camera quickly panned away from McCool, who was wearing a tube top dress. Images have surfaced online of McCool's slip.

    Bobby Lashley Taken To Hospital Last Night - Details

    As noted very late last night here on the website, Bobby Lashley was on the losing end of his sixth MMA fight last night at Strikeforce: Houston, when the referee stopped the contest at the end of the second round. Lashley had taken a barrage of hammerfists from opponent Chad Griggs to end the round, and was slow and shaky in getting to his feet. He was also visibly gassed and had a huge cut.

    Lashley was taken to a local hospital after the fight, due to extreme dehydration and a laceration below his left eye. He was treated with several bags of fluid via IV and released.

    Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said that the promotion would have a chat with Lashley to see if he wanted to continue in MMA, but indicated that he would love to have Lashley back. Officials with the promotion are now saying that Lashley vs. Batista is likely to happen, with Coker saying "That's going to be up to Bobby and let's see what Bobby wants to do."