WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
3/22 Raw TV results from San Jose, CA: John Morrison over Miz; Kofi Kingston over Kozlov for the tenth and final MITB spot; Legacy & Sheamus over Triple H & Randy Orton; Shawn Michaels over Kane; and Maryse, Michelle McCool & Alicia Fox over Beth Phoenix, Gail Kim &Eve Torres. The show drew 13,376 people. For Superstars on Thursday they taped Rey Mysterio vs. Tyson Kidd which was said to be very good, and CM Punk vs. JTG.
NXT tonight on SyFy includes Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel vs. Wade Barrett & Skip Sheffield and Daniel Bryan & Michael Tarver vs. David Otunga & Darren Young.
We're looking to hear from any readers attending Wrestlemania events this coming week at you2us@wrestlingglobe.com.
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Raw last night did a 3.2 rating and 4.5 million viewers, down around 20 percent from last Monday. They didn't lose people to Impact, but the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars on ABC did a monster 15.6 rating and 25.1 million viewers for the 9-10pm hour.
Wade Barrett broke his nose at the tapings.
Batista's security team on Raw included local indy wrestlers from All Pro Wrestling--Dave Dutra, Dylan Drake, Derek Sanders, Timothy Thatcher, Adam Thornstowe, and Paul Isadora.
American Idol's Fantasia Barrino is booked to sing America the Beautiful to open Wrestlemania 26.
Melina wrote a blog on the WWE website discussing her recovery from ACL surgery. She also talked about past injuries noting she suffering from depression in 2008 when during the draft show she fractured her heel. "It broke into four pieces and it jammed into my ankle. I had surgery for that as well," she wrote. "They put in two plates and six screws. I wasn’t able to walk for 3 months, which is very fortunate but didn’t feel that way at the time. During that injury I went through so many things personally. I was depressed. I questioned my worth. Not just in wrestling but in every aspect of my life. One day maybe I will explain further but for now I just want to thank you all for seeing me through that. I couldn’t tell you then but I can now, reading your emails and watching your YouTube tributes gave me strength to keep moving forward."
There is an interview with WWE Magazine's Jeff Ashworth at http://tinyurl.com/ygt6mpo. He says regarding the April issue just out hyping Wrestlemania with 26 different covers, "Anything of this magnitude goes through Vince for sure, but another unique fact is that Vince approves every cover, and typically has options to choose from. So in the end there were more than 26 covers designed, probably twice that number mocked up, and he signed off on all of them. He’s a busy guy, but he makes the time for stuff like his. He’s an incredibly hands-on CEO."
Meanwhile, Matt Hardy goes slowly insane in a Jaquzzi late last night at http://tinyurl.com/ydvjg65. He appears to have finished playing "video games" and says this year he's going to reinvent himself.
The Fight Network's Survival of the Hitman documentary premiered last night in Canada. The film is also online at http://tinyurl.com/ydk6qpx. I haven't had time to watch yet but I'm told it's very good.
ESPN Page 2 has a story on Bob Uecker going into the Hall of Fame at http://tinyurl.com/yglc6cn.
Bob Uecker last night and this morning was trending within the Top 20 web searches on Google.
The first issue of Titan Publishing’s WWE Heroes comic series went on sale today.
Jim Ross will be a guest on The Sean & John Show on AM1560 in Houston on Wednesday at 6 pm.
The CBS Evening News piece on MVP will air on Wednesday night.
Goldust and Dolph Ziggler are appearing on Wednesday afternoon at Armando Estrada's restaurant in Glendale, AZ. More information at www.steakandlemonade.com.
TNA WRESTLING NEWS
3/22 Impact TV results from Orlando, FL: The Beautiful People & Daffney over Tara, Angelina Love, Sarita & Taylor Wilde; Rob Terry over Tomko; Jeff Jarrett over Mick Foley in a "Your Fired" match; Matt Morgan vs. Hernandez was a no contest; and Jeff Hardy & Rob Van Dam over Beer Money.
An entertaining show, perhaps the best under the new regime. I often disagree with the creative direction but this is a definite step forward in terms of promotion and building towards a pay-per-view. While ratings are important in today's world of corporate wrestling it was nice to see focus shift towards selling tickets; and at least attempt to create the illusion of an event unique enough for fans to pay extra to see.
There are tapings today for the March 29 Impact which includes Tara vs. Daffney in a first blood match and Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam & Eric Young vs. The Wolfpac.
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Impact last night did an 0.86 rating and 1.2 million viewers--a very slight increase from last Monday. I wouldn't put it past Spike to do another 180 and air a replay on Thursday.
Bubba the Love Sponge suffered a suspected fractured nose during the segment with Mick Foley. Bubba said on his radio show this morning that he was going for an X-Ray later today to find out for sure. He said the EMT backstage used a tampon to stop the bleeding.
The injury angle last night with Hernandez was to explain his absence over the next few week's as he's heading to Mexico to work for AAA.
Announced for Lockdown on April 18 in St. Charles: AJ Styles vs. The Pope for the TNA heavyweight title and Team Hogan (Abyss, Hulk Hogan & TBA) vs. Team Flair (Sting, Ric Flair & TBA).
They are now doing free glow in the dark face painting for fans going into the Impact Zon--I assume so they can look like Jeff Hardy.
Earl Hebner has told people recently that WWE contacted him to be part of the Bret Hart-Vince McMahon storyline. No idea whether he is under contract to TNA. He was fired from WWE in 2005 for selling merchandise without authorization.
The Fox News affiliate in Pensacola has a nice story on TNA coming to town at http://tinyurl.com/ygg75ex. The reporter is called Kevin Sullivan, but obviously not that one.
Brian Fritz has a Q&A with Daniels at http://tinyurl.com/yc99v3q. He jokes that the young guys in the locker room view him as a veteran, while other veterans view him as a young guy. "I still feel like I'm a guy that's trying to make that break on to the top levels. So I never look at myself as somebody who's made it, or somebody that's achieved all he wants to achieve. I still kind of look at myself as a young lion, which is kind of ridiculous, but that's how I feel about my career in terms of still trying to learn stuff and get better and keep trying to achieve. So I never really thought about the longevity of it until maybe like a year or two ago, and now I'm looking at my career in terms of, like my next big goal is to make it to 20 years. Once I've been doing this for 20 years, I'll take assessment of where I'm at and see what I want to keep doing, but right now I don't look at my career in terms of, 'Oh it's coming to a close' or 'Oh it's closer to the end than it is to the beginning,' that type of thing. I just keep plugging along, you know? I'm like the Energizer bunny of wrestling."
A lot of readers have asked this. Desmond Wolfe's valet Chelsea is a model/dancer from Orlando called Alison Skipper. She has done print and ad work for the past few years including shoots for Vogue magazine and a television commercial for Walt Disney World.
Namco Networks out of San Jose, CA signed a deal with TNA to develop a game for the iPhone, iPod touch and other mobile platforms in 2011.
OTHER WRESTLING NEWS
Sad to report the passing of former WWWF referee Jack Savage on Sunday. He was 60. Jack officiated matches in the 1970s and 1980s at television tapings in the New England and Philadelphia area. He also at one time worked for Killer Kowalski's IWF promotion. One of Jack's friends, Sean O' Reily, wrote, "I worked with Jack more than any other ref. He knew what he was doing and really helped carry his load. Inside the ring, in the dressing room, or just hanging with the boys making sure dope kids like me didn't get into any trouble. Always protected the boys from pissed off bookers after we would screw up the finish. Taking the blame more times than not."
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a story on Baron Mikel Scicluna who passed away over the weekend. The story at http://tinyurl.com/y9ucwmh includes quotes from the Baron's son Michael who described his father as reserved and quiet. "I remember as a kid going to the store and people would be standing in line saying, 'There's that dirty, no-good, so and so.' But he was just a laid back, gentle giant. Everybody loved him." Former studio wrestling announcer Bill Cardille is also quoted. "He was a villain, but you knew when you talked to him that he was a gentleman. He treated everyone with respect. Anybody that crossed his path and got to know him even a little bit knows Baron Scicluna as an outstanding person and gentle man."
Dragon Gate USA is trying to lure Ring of Honor ticket holders with a discount for their head to head shows this weekend in Phoenix. DGUSA booker Gabe Sapolsky writes, "Simply bring your ringside or GA ROH ticket to their March 26 show to the DGUSA event that night. It will then instantly become a $20 off coupon for A-ring Rows 1-5 tickets. This is for March 26 and A-Ring Rows 1-5 only." More info at www.dgusa.tv.
Chris Hero signed a new contract with Ring of Honor.
Mark Jindrak who has spent the last few years in Mexico working under the name Marco Corleone has apparently left AAA and is now a free agent.
MTV2 and MTV Tr3́s (Latin American cable channel) has a new show launching Saturday nights in May called Lucha Libre. The show will be repackaged AAA footage with English-language commentary.
EWE out of Virginia is co-promoting a charity event on April 24 with Abyss, Desmond Wolfe, D-Lo Bown, Sonjay Dutt, Bill Apter, Melissa Coates and several reality TV stars. The event is to raise money for breast cancer as a tribute to Jenn Lyon of Survivor fame who recently passed away. They are doing a special mixed battle royal with the wrestlers and reality stars. More info at http://tinyurl.com/ykonjco.
James Guttman has new audio interviews online with Jesse Ventura and former ECW manager Joel Gertner at www.worldwrestlinginsanity.com. Gertner is looking to return to wrestling this year with MXW Pro Wrestling. "That's a project I was involved with in the middle part of the decade from about 2004-2006. We went on hiatus for about 3 years but we are now back with a vengeance. And we have a show set for Toad's Place in New Haven, Connecticut (on May 16) and I would definitely suggest, recommend, and implore any serious wrestling fans from the New York metro area, from the New England area, from all points - seriously, if you're within 250 miles of the show, there's no reason for you not to be there. It's going to be an unbelievable atmosphere in a legendary rock-n-roll concert venue that has hosted The Rolling Stones, U2, Tribe Called Quest, Billy Idol, and Megadeath and now it's going to host MXW and our 16 man tournament which is going to be the focus of our upcoming show, Come What May."
Percy Pringle (aka Paul Bearer) talks his career, the loss of his wife, his plans for the future, and much more at www.totalaccessnetwork.com./radio.htm
The Carnage Crew at www.carnagecrew.net has a new audio show with Ted DiBiase Sr. talking about his Hall of Fame induction.
Monday's New York Daily News had a feature on the hottest celebrity legs in Hollywood. Stacy Keibler made the shortlist along with the likes of Alessandra Ambrosio, Eva Mendes, Heidi Klum and Jessica Alba.
The Heyman Hustle has some photos of Trish Stratus who is once again a blonde at http://tinyurl.com/yfk7occ.
Today's Diva of the Day is Brooke Hogan at http://www.thewrestlingpress.com/DailyDiva.
