WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT
Raw tonight is live from Nashville at Bridestone Arena with no guest host. The only thing announced is the anonymous GM making a ruling over the futures of Nexus. Randy Orton & John Cena vs. Sheamus & Edge is advertised locally as a dark match. There is also a Smackdown show tonight at the Savannah, GA Civic Center followed by TV tapings Tuesday at Philips Arena in Atlanta.
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Ricky Steamboat's health has improved to the point he is expected to return home to North Carolina later this week for a month of rest. Doctors in Tampa now believe that 57-year-old Steamboat
suffered a ruptured blood vessel, which caused bleeding on his brain, and not technically an aneurysm as originally diagnosed. "The WWE has been completely supportive in their efforts to be sure Rick has the very best doctors," said a family member adding that the company will release more information on his condition in due course. WWE reported on Thursday, just hours after Steamboat was admitted to hospital, that his ailment was "most likely not related to his performance on Monday night." The company has since removed videos of last week's angle from it's website and YouTube channel.
Wade Barrett and Drew McIntyre managed to obtain temporary work visas so that issue appears to be resolved. Barrett is expected to return to television as soon as tonight.
The Sun at www.the-sun.co.uk/wrestling posted a photo from the Undertaker-Michelle McCool wedding last weekend in Texas.
Bret Hart has blasted Martha Hart's lawsuit against WWE. He didn't address the royalty aspect of the suit but said Owen was a proud wrestler and would "turn in his grave" if he knew Martha was attempting to erase his past in wrestling. Bret wrote on his website: "I feel that it's ridiculous for anyone to think they are serving the best interests of Owen's memory or his children to pretend he wasn't a wrestler. Not only was he a wrestler, he was a great one and proud of it. I personally believe Martha Hart has done nothing to keep his memory alive and sadly, he fades from view a little more every year. I do suspect this lawsuit is more about publicity, ego, and small-mindedness than it is about pro-wrestling and all of those that are in it." Bret added that he hasn't seen Martha or her children in 10 years. "Martha can say or think whatever the hell she wants but the Hart family as a whole found a way to forgive and move on for the sake of the next generation's well-being. Just because Owen died doesn't mean the Hart legacy from Stu down to his wrestling sons and grandchildren has to die too. The best thing I can do for Owen's kids is take them backstage and introduce them to all the people who love and remember their dad. Owen is loved and missed everyday. Why Martha would insist they never know these people is sad and pathetic." Bret's complete blog is at www.brethart.com.
The Associated Press also talked to Bret about the lawsuit at http://tinyurl.com/35cca4e. "As much as I sympathize with Martha, I also think time's gone by enough that it's time to start celebrating what my brother Owen was," he said.
Connecticut Republican leaders are defending Linda McMahon against attacks over past steroid use by wrestlers. National party Chairman Michael Steele and state chairman Chris Healy has accused Democrats of going after Linda on wrestling issues because they have nothing else. Healy told press over the wekend that WWE has learned lessons about steroids and pointed to it's Wellness Program.
Alex Riley took a nasty bump to the head in a match with Kaval at the FCW tapings on Thursday. They stopped the match due to bleeding. Riley received some staples to the back on his head but is otherwise said to be okay.
FCW owner Steve Keirn is doing the guest GM gimmick in developmental. The current storyline is that he will appoint a different GM every couple of weeks.
The Miami Herald has a story on Dusty Rhodes promoting FCW at http://tinyurl.com/2aeugg4. He talks sbout wrestling exploding from regional territories to the global business it is today.
WWE's Summerslam marketing features Triple H and Undertaker, which indicates they are expected back before then. Taker suffered a concussion, broken orbital bone and broken nose in May while Triple H has been off television to film a movie for WWE Studios.
7-11 are sponsoring Summerslam again this year. The company is also partnering with Burger King for a kids toy promotion.
R-Truth and MVP are both working on new entrance music.
SmarTrend listed WWE among the top five companies in the movies and entertainment industry as ranked by operating margin. A healthy operating margin is required for a company to pay its fixed costs and generate cash. The other four company's were Time Warner, Imax, Cinemark and EDCI Holdings.
The St. Cloud, MN Times has a story on Eli Cottonwood at http://tinyurl.com/35s8fv2.
TOTAL NONSTOP ACTION WRESTLING
7/2 house show results from Brooklyn, NY: Amazing Red over Jay Lethal, Brian Kendrick & Homicide in a four-way; Angelina Love over Madison Rayne in a non-title match; Kurt Angle over Desmond Wolfe; Jeff Hardy over Abyss in a monster's ball match; Team 3D over Ink, inc. in a tables match; and Rob Van Dam over AJ Styles.
7/3 house show results from Asbury Park, NJ: Amazing Red over Homicide & Brian Kendrick; Angelina Love over Sarah Del Ray; Madison Rayne over Angelina Love; Jay Lethal over Desmond Wolfe; Jeff Hardy over Abyss; Team 3-D over Ink Inc. in a tables match; and Rob Van Dam over AJ Styles.
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TNA set a new U.S attendance record at Friday's show in Brooklyn by drawing just under 5,500 to MCU Park. The previous attendance record was 5,000 for Bound for Glory 08' at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, IL and the company's all-time record is a January 2009 show in London, England at Wembley Arena which drew 8,100. Jeremy Borash posted some footage from the show at http://tinyurl.com/37cv4md.
The company announced a return to New York City at the Hammerstein Ballroom on 9/23. They are also advertising a show on 9/23 at the Oklahoma State Fair.
Kurt Angle didn't wrestle in New Jersey. He cut a promo in the ring and also did a pre show autograph signing at the Medowlands. Those who spoke to Angle on Saturday said he was cordial but not in great condition.
Dixie Carter announced signing Douglas Williams and Magnus (Nick Aldis) to new long term contracts.
The Miami Herald has a story on Abyss who puts over Mick Foley and Hulk Hogan at http://tinyurl.com/395apm2. "Mick has always been someone I looked up to, even before I knew him,'' said Abyss. "Everything he has done for this business and brought to the table, not just for hardcore wrestling, the guy is pretty creative. I've never met a guy who is as witty and creative in his head. It's just the way he articulates himself." He added: "Working with him has been a dream come true. It was my dream match I never had until last year. To work with him after idolizing him and coming up in this business is an honor. As far as the hardcore stuff, I don't know if I can ever match what he has done. I'd like to come as close as I can. I have him up on this pedestal. He is the God of Gods when it comes to the hardcore stuff, and I will take a backseat to him when it comes to that any day."
Foley is scheduled to return to television full-time before the end of the summer.
Scott Hall didn’t show up for his pre trial conference on 7/1 relating to his arrest at a Florida bar in May. Judge Ralph Erikson ordered a review hearing for 7/22. Hall is charged with disorderly intoxication and resisting an officer attempting to make an arrest. Authorities were called to the Hitching Post Bar in Chuluota on 5/14 after Hall, who had been drinking heavily, had become aggressive towards patrons and staff at the bar. He also reportedly punched out the window of a car. Hall was working for TNA at the time of his arrest.
VIP fan interaction packages for Sunday's Victory Road pay-per-view in Orlando were reduced from $299 to $99. Anyone that already purchased tickets will receive a $200 refund.
Lisa Marie Varon (Tara) at http://tinyurl.com/353nayf says she doesn't consider herself retired from wrestling and talked about her TNA contract expiring. She claimed the Kim Couture angle last October was just supposed to be a scare down that turned into a shoot--but now they're friends and all is good between them.
The Trentonian (http://tinyurl.com/34aolge) and Brooklyn Eagle (http://tinyurl.com/32tt6sr) interviewed Jay Lethal. He says he's thrilled to be working a program with Flair and doesn't want to set any future goals because he's afraid to jinx himself.
OTHER WRESTLING NEWS
UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar defeated Shane Carwin via submission at 3:52 of round two at UFC 116 in Las Vegas on Saturday night. After surviving a barrage of first-round strikes, Lesnar scored a takedown in the second and forced Carwin to tap-out with an arm-triangle choke. Steve Austin, Jim Ross, Dwayne Johnson and Bill Goldberg attended the show and met with Lesnar backstage after his fight. At the post fight press conference (http://tinyurl.com/28hhpda) Lesnar praised his friend Paul Heyman for spotting his talent in WWE and pushing him to Vince McMahon. He said without WWE's exposure he would have never gotten an opportunity in the UFC... UFC President Dana White has already lined up Lesnar's next two fights--Cain Velasquez TBD followed by the winner of Junior Dos Santos vs. Roy 'Big Country' Nelson in August. However, Lesnar gave the impression he was in no hurry for his next title defense. "I'm expecting a baby in two weeks," he said at the press conference. "My wife (Rena, the former Sable) has been a trooper. She's been pregnant for 18 months these past two years. I'm going home tonight. I'm going to visit some family when I get home, and I've got some combining. I'm a farmer now, and I'm doing what I love to do. I've got some combining to do this fall, and I want to shoot a white-tailed deer and spend time with my family." White quickly responded by saying, "I've got to talk to Brock. Farming sounds fun and everything, but it's not what pays the bills."
Austin, Ross, Goldberg and Heyman talk up a victorious Lesnar at http://tinyurl.com/28hhpda.
TMZ spoke to Goldberg about Mel Gibson at http://tinyurl.com/36hmdvw.
A trailer for Dwayne Johnson's upcoming movie The Other Guys is at http://tinyurl.com/35c5bh7.
Today's Babe of the Day is at http://www.thewrestlingpress.com/DailyDiva.
