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WRESTLING GLOBE NEWSLETTER
Monday November 23, 2009
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Wrestling Globe Newsletter by Mike Aldren – All the latest professional wrestling news, gossip and occasional opinion direct to your mailbox.
WGN is read by industry power players, many top wrestlers and thousands of fans from all around the world.
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WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
11/22 Survivor Series PPV results from Washington, DC: Santino Marella over Chavo Guerrero was the dark match; Team Miz (The Miz/Sheamus/Drew McIntyre/Jack Swagger/Dolph Ziggler) over Team Morrison (John Morrison/Matt Hardy/Shelton Benjamin/Evan Bourne/Fit Finlay); Batista over Rey Mysterio via referee stoppage; Team Kingston (Kofi Kingston/Christian/MVP/R-Truth/Mark Henry) over Team Orton (Randy Orton/CM Punk/Cody Rhodes/William Regal/Ted DiBiase); The Undertaker over Big Show & Chris Jericho in a three-way to retain the World title; Team Mickie (Mickie James/Melina/Kelly Kelly/Eve Torres/Gail Kim) over Team McCool (Michelle McCool/Alicia Fox/Beth Phoenix/Jillian Hall/Layla); and John Cena over Triple H & Shawn Michaels to retain the WWE title.
Raw tonight is a three-hour Thanksgiving special with all three brands in Hershey, PA. Jesse Ventura is guest host promoting his new TV show.
Nothing else announced at press time but the updated TV format as of this afternoon included John Cena vs. CM Punk as main event and a wacky excuse to explain Maryse‘ absence after knee surgery. She is backstage and is scheduled to return tonight.
Smackdown/ECW tape TV on Tuesday at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT. We’re looking for reader reports to [email protected].
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Just a quick note to remind everyone to add [email protected] and [email protected] to your address book to ensure all emails from us arrive to your inbox.
Referee Scott Armstrong legitimately suffered a concussion last night at the PPV when he was accidently hit in the head by Sheamus during the Team Miz-Team Morrison opener.
As we noted last week, Rey Mysterio is getting knee surgery soon which explains the stretcher job last night. Big Show is also scheduled soon to get his knee scoped but won’t be missing much if any time.
WWE talent were recently notified that the annual Tribute to the Troops special will be taped in the Middle East following the November 30 Raw in Baltimore, MD. Highlights will air on NBC on December 19 as a one hour special. Due to the travel schedule, Smackdown/ECW TV will be taped this coming Sunday in Hampton, VA.
WWE has booked several little people for Raw on November 30 which will be hosted by Verne Troyer of Austin Powers fame.
Jim Ross in his latest blog at www.jrsbarbq.com mentions a speeding ticket he picked up this past weekend on I-27 between Lubbock and Amarillo, Texas, suggesting it was more to do with wearing a Sooners jersey noting the Texas Highway Patrol pulled him for doing 79 in a 70 zone despite other vehicles flying past him displaying Texas Tech flags.
Ross quipped, “$175 into the Texas kitty. I shudder to think what the ticket might have been if OU had beat the Red Raiders. A fitting in to a less than fun day. Do you think my Oklahoma tag had anything to do with Officer Fife issuing me a ticket and then having a story to tell the boys?”
CableFAX magazine listed WWE execs Donna Goldsmith, Michelle Wilson, and Stephanie McMahon in their November issue of Most Powerful Women in Cable.
The New York Post ran a story at http://tinyurl.com/yaywn4l noting that O.J. Simpson, 62, loves to spend his time in jail watching WWE programming. Maybe that was part of his sentence. Simpson is currently serving between nine and 33-years for multiple felonies.
Chris Jericho is interviewed at http://tinyurl.com/yfwztsh. He talks about the riggers on being on the road, and said for him, wrestling is the easy part: “You spend a lot of time sleeping. When you get on the plane, you watch movies or read a magazine or book, or just sleep, chill out, relax. Because a lot of the travels we make are very long, so you really just have to settle into it and not be too hyper; you just have to relax, otherwise you’ll lose your mind being on planes for, sometimes, 15 hours. You have to learn to relax when you’re traveling.”
On Hogan going to TNA, he sad: “Anything that makes that company bigger is better for us. Competition is what we thrive on, so good luck to them. I hope they get a real big boost from it.” He also talks about his Twitter account, his band Fozzy, and losing his XM radio gig for insulting Oprah.
The WWE website has a Where Are They Now with Mike “The Dumpster” Droese discussing how he got his WWE start at http://tinyurl.com/yf7nhq3. He now works as an elementary school teacher for students with learning disabilities in Tennessee.
Becky Bayless has a WWE.com cameo at http://tinyurl.com/ya2ukzr.
Superstars last Thursday did a 1.0 rating, up slightly on the week before.
Tommy Dreamer has replaced Tazz as host of WWE Classics On Demand’s History of ECW.
The Wilton Bulletin profiled former WWE and current Harlem Globetrotter executive Kurt Schneider with a comment on Vince McMahon’s promotional skills at http://tinyurl.com/yellrog.
A trailer for The Marine 2 with Ted DiBiase airs tonight. The movie is released on DVD on December 29.
Today’s Diva of the Day is Melina at http://tinyurl.com/yfw9egd.
TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION WRESTLING NEWS
Hulk Hogan went on SportFM Radio in Perth to promote Tuesday’s show at the Burwood Dome. In a statement that doesn’t bode well for Vince Russo, Ed Ferrera, et all, when asked about one thing he would change about the wrestling business, he said: “I hate the writers. I cannot stand that they have a writing team sitting in the back telling the wrestlers what to say and telling the wrestlers what to do in the ring… They have a team of writers in the back that don’t understand this business, that have never been to the big show, that have never been in the big main events… I’m going to take the writers and tell them, ‘Go get another job. Sit in the back. If I need you to write a jingle for a commercial, maybe we’ll use you for that.’ This is the wrestling business. If these wrestlers can’t talk and these wrestlers can’t wrestle then they need to head for the door. ” Regarding TNA talent, he said he really enjoys watching Kurt Angle, Sting and AJ Styles because they understand wrestling the old way and don’t sit in the back and choreograph their matches move for move. However, he also said, “Whoever’s not on my team… On Team Hogan at TNA, they’re going to be at the bottom of the pile.” He claimed he ran into Steve Austin just before he flew out to Australia. I know for a fact this never happened, but anyway, he said:
“I went to a Gold’s Gym in Venice Beach, California and there he was. He was working out during the day. He was doing a movie with my buddy Sylvester Stallone. And I told him, ‘Brother, I’m going back to work.
I’m getting back in the ring. If you want some come get some. Money’s not a problem. Your schedule’s not a problem. If you really want to get in the ring and you really want to make history then come get into the ring with Hulk Hogan.’ I did not get an answer.” When asked about his relationship with Vince McMahon, he said: “Brother, it’s a love-hate relationship, you know. I talk to him once in a while when ever he needs a main event for Wrestlemania but right now, once I get done with this Australian tour, I am going back to the United States to run TNA – Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. It’s another promotion that you guys are very familiar with here in Australia and I’m getting ready to take over the helm and it’s going to be the number one wrestling company in the world just like when I did back in the 90s when I formed the nWo and we took over the wrestling business. I’m going to do that again.” He did a good job of putting over TNA here, but made it clear he will bury anyone not on Team Hogan.
During another radio interview this past weekend in Perth, Ric Flair heeled on DJ Steve Mills and challenged him to a fist fight off-air. The story is that Flair was the in-studio guest, Hogan called in, and Mills made a wise crack that Hogan should let Flair win one match during the tour because Flair was old and doesn’t have much time left. Well, that comment didn’t sit too well with Flair, and havoc ensued.
Stories making the rounds that Flair called Vince McMahon shortly before signing the contract with Hogan. A few week’s went by before WWE made him a substantial offer to no-show the Hulkamania tour but by then he had already committed and signed with Hogan.
The tour continues with shows Tuesday at the Burwood Dome in Perth (they are now selling 2-for1 tickets at the Dome box office), Thursday at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, and Saturday at the Acer Centre in Sydney. We’re looking for reader reports to [email protected] with basic match results and any notes of interest. The reader report from Melbourne which I forgot to include yesterday is included in today’s mailbag.
Hogan’s book My Life Outside The Ring is now down to No.32 on the New York Times Best-Seller Hardcover Nonfiction list.
Kevin Nash wrote on his Twitter that he isn’t booked for the UK tour early next year. “I think the term is I cost too much money per show which makes me cost ineffective,” he Tweeted. He also noted that he had a voice over audition for Burger King this past weekend.
Bobby Lashley said he has been dealing with a tremendous amount of stress of late and would be making some serious life decisions this coming week.
OTHER WRESTLING NEWS
Welsh wrestling legend Orig Williams passed away last week from a suspected heart attack. He was 78. Williams was known as El Bandito in the ring and travelled the world in the 1970s, promoting wrestling shows, working mostly as a heel. He was also at one time a professional soccer player with Oldham Athletic and Shrewsbury Town in England, and was player-coach at Nantlle Vale in Gwynedd, North Wales, where he was prolific in the local newspaper for always getting sent off. He also fought in the Second World War. A few years ago Channel 4 in Wales surprised him with a ‘This Is Your Life’ type show which reunited him with old friends from his days in the Royal Air Force, and his football and wrestling friends who he hadn’t seen for many years. He is survived by his wife Wendy and daughter, Tara Bethan, who gained mainstream media attention in the UK last year for appearing on the BBC1 musical-entertainment show I’d Do Anything.
ROH tonight on HDNet has Sal Rinauro vs. D-Lo Brown; Brent Albright vs.
Kenny King; Eddie Edwards & Davey Richards vs. The Young Bucks for the tag titles; plus the airing of Nigel McGuinness’ farewell promo.
The Great Muta makes his wrestling convention debut at January’s WrestleReunion event in Los Angeles, CA.
Carolinas indy wrestler Amber O’Neal (kind of) appears in an upcoming issue of Hustler magazine. She is pictured in an Ad for a belt making company with belts draped over her suggestively, but there is no nudity.
You can find out more about Amber at www.amberoneal.net.
The former Jethro Holiday/Trevor Murdoch recently opened T Murdoch’s Bar & Grill in Eldon, MO.
ROH wrestler Eddie Edwards wrestled in Japan this past weekend which was his first match back following recent elbow surgery.
Tickets for Gabe Sapolsky’s Evolve group went on sale today for the debut show on January 16 in Rahway, NJ at the Rec Center. More info at www.evolvewrestling.com.
AAA announced that their animated movie would premiere on January 22, 2010.
WRESTLING GLOBE MAILBAG
Results from the Novomer 20 Hulkamania show in Melborne, Australia.
Nick Dinsmore & PimpFather b. Rock of Love.
Spartan 3000 b. Shannon Moore.
Nasty Boys b. Vampire Warrior & Black Pearl.
Brutus Beefcake b. Heindenreich.
Lacey Von Erich won the Bikini Contest.
Ken Anderson b. Seam Morley.
Solofa Fatu & Brian Christopher b. Orlando Jordan & Edward Smith Fatu.
Hulk Hogan b. Ric Flair.
The venue was the Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park (part of the Tennis
Centre). The crowd was at the high end of average – not small, but there
were plenty of bays or half-bays of empty seats. The area where I was
sitting looked empty, but that was mostly because we were by the ramp
and everyone was hanging over the side.
The atmosphere varied – I think some people were just there for Hulk
himself, and didn’t really get excited about some of the other matches.
Plenty of WWE t-shirts scattered through the crowd.
opening match was pretty much a warm-up; Nick Dinsmore (Eugene) and the
PimpFather (Godfather) vs Rock of Love. Nick was Eugene in everything
but name; a hyper little boy in a bearded 245 pound body. He read out a
poem he’d written to Australia, offering to stay and play rugby league.
PimpFather came out complete with Ho Train, also playing his old persona
in everything but name. Rock of Love were rude, obnoxious, and everyone
took an instant dislike to them – perfect heels. There were boos along
with chants of ‘put your shirt on!’ all through the match. For the first
while Rock of Love beat up on Nick with frequent tags – then Nick
managed a tag to PimpFather who picked up the pace, the skill level and
the excitement of the match before getting the pin.
The second match featured Spartan 3000 against Shannon Moore. Shannon
was over even before he showed his nose, and just got more so as the
match went on. Both men were very athletic, and it was a fast-paced
match. Shannon threw in a few very familiar moves (Whisper in the Wind
and what was nearly a Swanton Bomb). Unfortunately it wasn’t his night
and the crowd was disappointed to see him pinned.
Third match was announced as a tag match with Vampire Warrior and Black
Pearl vs the Nasty Boys, but after VW and Pearl were in the ring the
Nasties appeared on the big screen with Jimmy Hart, saying that since
they were in Australia they’d turned the match into an Aussie Street
Fight. The Nasties put themselves very much over with the crowd, not so
much by their announcement as the way they interacted with the audience
during their entrance. They took the time to walk to the sides of the
stage to shout and rev people up, and were the first performers to
really engage the audience. They then proceeded to go Hardcore on Pearl
and VW. The fight ranged around ringside and back and forth along the
ramp, involving chairs, boards trash cans and a mop. Chants of ‘Nasty!’
went on all the while, with the Nasties getting the win.
Fourth match was Brutus ‘The Barber’ Beefcake vs Heidenreich. This was a
very flat match – flat enough that it would have been the perfect time
for a bathroom break. The most fascinating thing about it was that
around a third of Brutus’ tights were fishnet. Brutus eventually got the
pin.
Next up was the bikini challenge, won by Lacey. It was just the bikinis
– no wrestling. All I can really say about it is that Hulk can’t teach
Vince McMahon anything about presenting women.
Match five featured Sean Morley vs Ken Anderson. Ken played to the crowd
beautifully, making references to his WWE persona. He stopped in the
ring and held out his hand as if for the overhead mic; when that wasn’t
forthcoming he took a normal mic and introduced himself as ‘Misterrrrrr
Andersonnnn!’. The audience loved it, supplying the ‘Kennedy!’, even
after Ken grinned and told them ‘No, Kennedy’s Dead’. The match,
unfortunately, was dull. Very dull, with a couple of high points that
raised hope before falling back into doldrums. It was the sort of thing
WWE announcers talk over. Finally, amid chants of ‘Boring!’ Ken built up
some momentum and took it home.
Match six was another tag match with Orlando Jordan & Edward Fatu
(Umaga) vs Brian Christopher and Solofa Fatu (Rikishi). This was fun.
Orlando is looking good – he’s aged around the face but otherwise he
looks just the same. Sadly he was outclassed here, the other three men
supplying most of the entertainment. Umaga was still Umaga (except in
name), while Brian and Rikishi played the kind of wrestling I personally
love – they were out there to have a match, but they were also there to
enjoy themselves. Rikishi had people laughing as he danced on the apron
during slow points in the match. He then got the pin on Orlando – by
sitting on him. After the match he, Brian and the ref spent a few
minutes rap dancing, which got the biggest pop of the night.
And then – the main event. Um. What to say? In a nutshell, Hulk has some
real juice left in the tank, but Ric is just going through the motions.
It’s possible that it was purely because it’s Hulk and it’s Hulk’s show,
but beside him Ric barely seemed to be there. There were some good
moments where Ric got in some low blows and other sneaky hits, and at
one point he locked in a Figure-4, but soon enough Hulk overpowered him
for the win. The match ended up a bit of a bloodbath, mostly due to some
really plainly obvious blading by Ric Flair. They both did it, but Ric
could be clearly seen scrubbing something across his forehead before
standing, spurting blood. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’d actually
overdone it, as there was way too much blood there.
All in all, a good show with spots of brilliance, but also some low
points. 8/10.
Panth
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