Pinfall Recall
The Best Wrestling You’ve Ever Heard

CK and JG again bring you “The Best Wrestling You’ve Ever Heard” with our newest RAWcast.  Listen as we freak out over Melina’s new finisher… and talk about how Cena basically killed Y2J.  All you have to do is CLICK HERE

If you’d like you can talk about this on OUR FORUMS with other amazing wrestling fans.

Do you want to SUBSCRIBE to Pinfall Recall on iTunes and you’re too lazy to look it up in the store? In that case, JUST CLICK HERE and it’ll do all the hard work for you!

CK and JG come to you with another special podcast.  We’re here to talk about Survivor Series, Divas, beardspears and more.  So if you want some fucking awesome wrestling analysis, CLICK HERE.

Also you’re welcome to discuss this on OUR FORUMS with other awesome wrestling fans.

Do you want to SUBSCRIBE to Pinfall Recall on iTunes and you’re too lazy to look it up in the store? In that case, JUST CLICK HERE and it’ll do all the hard work for you!

WWE

Monday Night Raw rating

- The November 24th episode of Monday Night Raw did a 3.3 cable rating, up dramatically from last week’s 2.9. The 9PM to 10PM hour did 3.19 and the 10PM to 11PM hour 3.39. 

This was most likely due to the return of John Cena.

Credit: wrestlezone.com

Discuss Raw and more right here on the Pinfall Recall Message Boards

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Next week’s Monday Night Raw card, Slammy Awards return

- It was announced on tonight’s Raw that next week’s show will feature John Cena vs Kane in the main event. Also scheduled for the show is a singles match between Rey Mysterio and The Miz as the Intercontinental Championship Tournament continues. 

- It was also announced that WWE will be bringing back the Slammy Awards in 2 weeks on a special 3 hour edition of Raw.

Credit: wrestlezone.com

Talk about the return of the Slammys and more right here on the forums

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Gail Kim to Smackdown

- It looks as if Gail Kim will be working on the Smackdown brand when she returns to WWE TV. Kim was brought up to the TV tapings this week and shot promotional photos and footage for inserts into WWE’s TV programming. She could make her WWE return as soon as tonight’s Smackdown tapings.

Credit: 411mania.com

Discuss the Divas division and more here on the forums

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Other

Hogan to referee Reid Flair’s debut match

- Posted on Highspots.com

Live wrestling action featuring REID & DAVID FLAIR managed by RIC FLAIR versus THE NASTY BOYS managed by JIMMY “MOUTH OF THE SOUTH” HART, and more to be announced! 

Just announced! Special Referee for the main event… HULK HOGAN! 

It should be noted that since Hulk Hogan became a megastar, he has only appeared on the independent wrestling scene twice. Once for the XWF and once for his match against Paul Wight in 2007. 

For more information on this star studded event CLICK HERE.

Credit: wrestlezone.com

Discuss this event right here on the forum

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Ric Flair slams TNA…while sitting next to Mick Foley

- On a recent episode of WWE 24/7’s “Legends Of Wrestling” round table discussion, Ric Flair was on the panel along with Mick Foley, Gene Okerlund, Tazz, and Jim Ross. Ric Flair made some rather harsh comments towards TNA and some of it’s talent. 

Flair’s stated working for Vince Russo in WCW “was the most disorganized & disabled wrestling company alive.” 

The discussion eventually switched gears to the the Oklahoma character Ed Ferrara played in WCW, Flair said that he was embarrassed to be part of the company, however when it was all said and done, Jim Ross is in the Hall Of Fame and a top announcer while “they’re in the shit can. Nobody knows who they are and nobody cares. They work for TNA. What is TNA?” 

What is ironic is he was sitting next to Mick Foley when making that comment. Due to the time period this was filmed, Mick Foley may or may not have had to bite his lip to not say anything back in defense. 

Eventually, they started discussing the Madison Square Garden incident from 1996, Flair said that “Scott Hall’s claim of fame was being in the ring at Wrestlemania X when Shawn Michaels was wrestling a ladder.” Flair also commented that Kevin Nash, “had zero talent, he was in the right place at the right time. He had the look and the machine (WWE) got behind him but zero in the ring. ZERO!”

Credit wrestlezone.com

Talk about the interview here on the Pinfall Recall Forums

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If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact the Pinfall Recall team on the forums or via e-mail.

CK@pinfallrecall.com

JG@pinfallrecall.com

DC@pinfallrecall.com

RDB@pinfallrecall.com

Milo@pinfallrecall.com

Download podcasts here on the website or via iTunes using the keyword Pinfall Recall.

This week I, the benevolent and magnificent RDB, am posting the statements. What will this hard hitting Pre-Journalism major throw at the team members this week? Well to find out you are going to have to scroll down there minions! Now quit dawdling and read on in the latest edition of Pinfall Recall’s Totally True or Fuckin False!

Your team members are:

CK- Pinfall Recall Co-Founder

JG- Pinfall Recall Co-Founder and CK’s better half

Milo- The newest Pinfall Recall team member and newsman

DC- Pinfall Recall’s resident charismatic Canadian

RDB- Pinfall Recall team member and news fetcher

On to the statements!

Statement 1:  The whole Roddy Piper marijuana is being blown out of proportion and will do no harm to his legacy.

CK: Totally True. I really don’t think that smoking a little marijuana is going to hurt the guy’s legacy. Piper is a big part of wrestling’s past, and people will always remember him more for Piper’s Pit than they will for Piper’s Pipe.

JG: Totally True. Pot is not a gateway drug contrary to popular belief, and to be honest people don’t care about pot anymore.  It used to be a big deal if someone was a pot smoker.  Now it’s more of a big deal if a celebrity ISN’T a pot smoker.  It’s not a big deal to me, and I don’t think the WWE or its fans are going to spend too much time discrediting everything Roddy has done just because he lights a joint once in a while.

DC: Fuckin False. I have no respect for piper even though he beat Cancer, how magical. But in all honesty, to have such a dirty habit such as smoking pot and using a diesease as a scape goat is bullshit, I hope that WWE boycotts Piper as he is no example of how a wrestler or fan should act. RIP Rodney the Piper.

Milo: Totally True. Roddy Piper was known for being unruly during his time with the WWE anyway, I don’t see how him smoking pot would tarnish or even put a smidge on his legacy. As long as he’s not hurting anyone in the process, let him do what he likes, I say. I doubt a little bit of pot smoking will do damage to the image of a 3 time NWA heavyweight champion.

RDB: Totally True. If Hulk Hogan can molest his daughter’s ass on camera, why can’t Roddy Piper smoke weed? The man is Canadian too so he doesn’t know any better, it is legal up there. And he lives in Portland Fucking Oregon! There’s burned out potheads everywhere you turn down here, and you could go downtown and get a dimebag easier then you can get ice cream. Give the man a break, he’s old and a legend, he’s earned his peace…pipe.

Statement 2: Kozlov has become an afterthought in the WWE Title picture with the resurgence of Jeff Hardy.

CK: Fuckin False. But this is only because I don’t honestly feel that he was a true thought in the picture anyway.  Combine that with Edge’s re-insertion into the picture from Survivor Series, and I think we’ll be seeing Kozlov getting involved in some matches that will allow his in-ring skills to mature without being in such an incredibly important position on the show.

JG: Totally True. Kozlov was pushing up to the top with a force that I hated to see.  The good news is that now that Jeff Hardy is showing more emotion, no one cares about Kozlov.  *SPOILER ALERT* Now that Edge is back, no one likely even remembers Kozlov’s name.  The only problem I can really see now is… where the fuck does Kozlov go now?  They pushed him to the top, then brought up Jeff Hardy VERY quickly and then let Edge come back.  What happens to Kozlov?  RELEASE!

DC: Fuckin False. The Moscow Mauler is not being over looked, if anything, WWE is building up Jeff for Kozlov to cut down, I think Kozlov looks impressive as ever.

Milo: Fuckin False. Vladimir Kozlov may be quite green in the ring, and have dreadful mic skills, but the potential for him to be an absolute beast and be a world champ is still there. I think its just important for him to keep getting in-ring work, and develop his skill-set before he wins a major title. The idea of Kozlov becoming an afterthought, though, is a bit silly at this point in his career. He could be one of the next great heels in WWE history.

RDB: Totally True. Because of what happened last night. I remember about a month ago I was at No Mercy and believed that Kozlov was going to be the guy taking the gold off of Triple H. He was badass and a force to be reckoned with. Then Jeff Hardy caught fire and I noticed that no one was talking about Kozlov anymore. Suddenly Jeff was the favorite (until Edge returned) and now Kozlov has nowhere to go. Look for the inevitable big man vs. big man feud for Kozlov to enter and I bet he goes against Undertaker at WrestleMania.

Statement 3: WWE’s stock and Raw’s lower than normal ratings are something to be concerned about.

CK: Totally True. But no more than these kind of drops have been alarming in the past.  We’ve seen big drops before, and they seem to turn around.  Fact of the matter is, the economic condition of the USA is scaring many people, and there are a while lot of TV viewers spending more time worrying about their financial positions instead of watching TV.  Most shows are dropping in the ratings now, aside from a select few, so while it is certainly a cause for concern, I don’t think it’s cause for major alarm.  None of the shows are going anywhere, as those kind of ratings are still solid for cable TV.

JG: Fuckin False. I think this is the tide of the economy.  I honestly don’t see WWE having ANYTHING to worry about for quite some time.  In a worst case, McMahon will dip into some of his billions in order to save his baby because it will DEFINITELY come back up.  The truth is that even though McMahon is a money grubbing bastard, he’d rather take some of his money to make it work than see the company go in the shitter.  WWE will be fine.  They may have lower ratings and some lower ticket sales, but it happens.  It’ll be fine.

DC: Fuckin False. If anything it will convice WWE to book the best Quality shows in recent history! Like Cody Rhodes says, Its like Addition by Subtraction. I see this being the boost to the WWE to make it better than the Attitude era.

Milo: Fuckin False. WWE really has no major competition, and as long as that’s the case, they’ll manage to land on their feet. I also think that John Cena’s return will help boost ratings. Whether you love him or hate him, you must admit that he gets people watching the brand.

Yes, WWE’s stock has taken a dramatic fall of late, but look around. Basically every major company’s stock has dropped. Until we get our economy straightened out (Who knows how many years from now that’ll happen), WWE’s stock really can’t be judged poorly for recording low numbers.

RDB: Fuckin False. Everything is down. The whole US economy is as about as attractive Josh with his pants off, eating cheetos and watching porn. It’s not pretty. Hell if you are making a profit then you should write a book about it since it seems to be the hardest thing to do these days in big business. The ratings will return with Cena which is why they gave him the belt last night instead of having him chase the thing. Raw is actually putting together some good matches and it’s only a matter of time before people notice and start tuning in.

Statement 4: In hindsight, WWE should have kept Mike Adamle on as General Manager of Raw.

CK: Fuckin False. While it may be coincidence that the booking improvements occurred after his departure, I think it is safe to say that the ability to execute these types of angles would have been seriously hampered by Adamle’s “acting” in the position.  His removal was the right move to make at the right time.  WWE gave him 3 distinct opportunities to make a TV role work, and it just wasn’t right for Mike.

JG: Completely and Totally Fuckin False. I am ecstatic that that fucker is off TV.  I hated him on TV and I am unbelievably happy that he’s gone.  It’s kinda shitty how it happened considering they didn’t tell him about it, but I’m glad.  I don’t really have much else to say about it.  It’s just false.  Bringing McMahons back on air has ALWAYS increased ratings, so this can’t possibly hurt.  Hooray for the return of Nipple H.

DC: Totally True. Ive said it a million times and ill say it again, WWE really dropped the ball with Adamle, they had something going with his Adamle Originals and his Neutral/tweener/newbie Character, He was literally my favorite GM of all time and I really hope WWE brings him back. AS much as I love all the McMahon’s, Adamle was really rocking my boat.

Milo: Totally True. Not to suggest that he should have been kept on TV for another year, but another couple of months would have made it look like he was given a fair shake as Raw GM. Yes, he struggled mightily during his brief time on TV, but he was in the wrong place and wrong time more than anything else. If this was a time that WWE was excelling in the ratings, he could have kept that spot a bit longer, and improved over time.

RDB: Totally True. The WWE needs an on air General Manager for Raw. After Bischoff was fired I started to lose interest. Vince said he was going to find a GM, that never happened. He died, came back, died again and only then did we get a freaking General Manager for Raw. I liked Adamle. Sure he flubbed some lines and wasn’t really intimidating, but when he slapped Orton in the face I thought this guy had a future. Obviously I was wrong. To be frank, I’m not all that excited that Shane and Steph are back because they’ll only be around for a few weeks and then Raw will be left the same boring place it was after Bischoff. Adamle at least had a swagger that I could enjoy. He wasn’t threatening but with him at the helm we saw the Championship Scramble match, Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho in arguably the best singles ladder match of the decade, and Raw became fun again for a few weeks. It was a mistake to leave Raw without a figurehead.

Statement 5: We will see roster’s cut due to hard financial times in WWE (ala TNA).

CK: Totally True. We already have been.  We’ve seen a whole chunk of Talent released over the last month, but if you want my opinion, most of them were the right people to cut loose.  Its a shame when the economy forces these kinds of decisions, but they need to be made.

JG: Fuckin False. We’ll see rosters cut due to them having to pay the bigger stars to stay or to come back (Christian Cage), and we’ll see rosters cut due to drugs and ‘roids and to lack of talent (both on the creative team and the actual wrestlers).  The hard financial times won’t end up having an impact on the product at all.

DC: Totally True. But to an extent, I think we’ll see a few people get the big Axe, but not as many as specualted, WWE is a very succesful company and to keep it that way they need their performers! In the long run I think WWE will be fine! Unlike TNA.

Milo: Fuckin False. The WWE doesn’t have nearly the amount of underutilized talent that TNA has, which is really what roster cuts are all about. Money does play a part, but not nearly to the extent that people think. If money was foremost in roster cuts, than John Cena or Triple H would be getting cut, because their getting paid considerably more than lower card scrubs. If a guy isn’t being used at all, and management is unable to conjure up a future storyline in which they would have relevance, they are the ones to get cut. Because WWE doesn’t have a ton of those guys, I doubt you’ll be seeing upcoming sweeping changes.

RDB: Totally True. The WWE is doing what it can to keep stock up and to keep its product entertaining. If that means that Vinny Mac is going to have to cut some of the fat (like he has been doing a little bit) then he will do so. WWE wants to hold on to big name talent and get whatever they can from TNA which means that some lower card guy’s have to go. This happens every year it seems like but with the economy down I think that the more talent slips up then the less likely they’ll be asked to come back next Monday, Tuesday or Friday night.

WWE

Monday Night Raw preview

- There will be the first round of a tournament to determine the number one contender to William Regal’s Intercontinental Title.

- There will be a rematch between the teams of Rey Mysterio/Shawn Michaels and The Miz/John Morrison.

- John Cena returns to Raw. Yes, the company is actually hyping that.

Credit: PWinsider.com

Talk Raw on the Pinfall Recall Message Boards, talk this topic here

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Two Divas return to Raw

- As PWInsider.com reported exclusively this morning in the Elite section of the site, former TNA Knockouts champion Gail Kim was brought to this week’s TV tapings and is backstage at Raw. Kim is expected to debut shortly for the company

- As mentioned earlier today as well, Melina was also brought up to TV this week. She returned to the ring a few weeks back at the Florida Championship Wrestling TV taping after rehabbing the fractured heel she suffered last June. 

Credit: PWinsider.com

Discuss this topic right here on the forums

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WWE keeping stars on their toes, Former star selling TV products

- Jason Powell of Prowrestling.net is reporting that WWE may have strategically made the decision to release their latest round of wrestlers over the course of several weeks as opposed to all at the same time. The report suggests that the move was done to appease Wall Street, and to let them know that they are constantly evaluating their talent and making cut backs when necessary. In addition, it’s being said that releasing talent one-by-one as opposed to all at once keeps the talent on their toes, and ensures they are always on their best behavior, as cuts could happen at anytime.

- Former WWE superstar and Tough Enough winner Maven Huffman is apparently a resident guest expert on the Home Shopping Network where he assists in selling products. His latest appearance on the network was to promote a self-cleaning kitty litter box.

Credit: wrestlezone.com

Talk about this subject here on the forums

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TNA

Sting’s “Mafia” future, TNA to sign Super Crazy?

- The plan for Sting currently is to not have him participate in the Main Event Mafia beat downs. The word is they are doing a “Godfather” type thing where he lets the henchman do the dirty work, he watches and keeps himself out of it. Also, if and when they turn him babyface, the turn can make sense and the faces will be able to forgive him. 

- TNA is interested in signing Super Crazy when his WWE no-compete clause expires. The general feeling is he will accept if an offer is made.

Credit: wrestlezone.com

Talk TNA and more right here on the forums

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iMPACT rating

- This past Thursday night’s edition of TNA Impact drew a final 1.1 cable rating. That’s the same number the show drew last week, and has been the same number the show has been hovering around for quite sometime. The highest rated segments of the show were the first and final quarter hours

Credit: wrestlezone.com

WWE

Jeff Hardy Found Unconcious, According To WWE.com

WWE.com story posted at approximately 4AM, November 23, 2008

“Jeff Hardy was found unconscious in a stairwell at his hotel in Boston today, and was rushed to the nearest emergency room.

Due to privacy issues, WWE is not releasing the name of the hospital.

WWE.com will have more information if it becomes available.”

credit: wrestlezone.com

Discuss here!

WWE Edits Eddie Guerrero DVD

WWE has edited the forthcoming Eddie Guerrero DVD by removing any mention of Chris Benoit from the Guerrero tribute show that aired on Raw. In addition, the storyline between him and Chyna has been removed out of respect to Vickie.

credit: wrestlezone.com

Discuss these edits right here!

TNA

Jarrett/Angle Update

The Wrestling Observer is reporting that Kurt Angle and Jeff Jarrett are most likely going to be continuing their feud heading into the Genesis PPV which airs in January. The current creative plan calls for Angle to win his match against Rhino at Final Resolution and then earn his rematch against Jarrett at Genesis. The company had originally planned on having the match take place at Final Resolution, but felt it would be a smarter move to hold off until the storyline had a chance to develop more fully.

credit: wrestlezone.com

Discuss this angle right here!

Other

Eric Bischoff Comments On Cease And Desist Order

“Prior to receiving the letter, I got a call from Brian Knobs who informed me that Vince’s surrogate Johnny Ace called Brian, who hasn’t worked for WWE in a decade, and threatened him not to go near any WWE talent or events as no one who is associated with CCW will ever work for WWE again. Then I found out that Jimmy Hart, one of the hardest working and loyal people I have ever met, was told he was no longer going to be used for WWE promotions because of his association with CCW, even though he asked for and received permission to do our show! As we subsequently learned, Vince went ballistic after viewing an episode of CCW and ordered Johnny to make the calls.”

“According to Brian, Johnny told him that Vince was furious that CCW “exposed” the business. If that statement weren’t so transparent it would almost be funny. Even the most die-hard WWE loyalist knows that Vince has exposed the business more than anyone in history whenever it suits his financial self-interest (see avoiding regulation and taxation by athletic commissions) or lame creative decisions (Hornswaggle).”

credit: wrestlezone.com

Discuss the many intriguing levels of Eric Bischoff right here!

WWE

Randy Orton Interview

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/2008/11/20/7482571.html

Maybe being the youngest heavyweight champion in WWE’s history went to Randy Orton’s head.

Maybe hearing a symphony of boos and cheers from thousands of people every night affected his perspective.

But Orton needed a reality check. And two years ago, he got it from Vince McMahon, who happens to sign the paycheques.

“I wasn’t thinking before I was saying things,” says Orton, who seems to have matured through the humbling process. “I was taking the heel persona a little too seriously. I was told, ‘This isn’t going to work for you. That’s what the ring is for. This is a publicly traded company and you’re not a kid anymore.”

It was a chat with McMahon and subsequent suspension that had an impact.

“Vince said he couldn’t have somebody who was a loose cannon. He said if any person was going to stop Randy Orton from succeeding, it was Randy Orton.”

So why didn’t one of the other wrestlers, one of the veterans, give the third-generation star a reality slap?

“I’m sure Triple H was probably thinking it. He probably had a hundred of those conversations with me,” says Orton.

He says internet reports at the time accused him of trashing a hotel room, something he says just wasn’t true.

“I came home early from a show in Germany and the night before I flew out, a couple of the other wrestlers, who I won’t name, got out the fire extinguishers and had a war in the hotel. There was thousands of dollars worth of damage. Everybody thought it was me because I flew home right after. There were signs in arenas: ‘Randy Orton destroyed my hotel room.’”

Orton says he’s looking forward to tomorrow’s Survivor Series, where Team Orton will take on Team Batista.

“Being part of it is awesome,” he says. “My goal this show and every time I got out there is to steal the show.”

At age 28, Orton says he’s still on the rise.

“You look at the talent and you’ve got a lot of the veterans getting to the age where they have to slow down … lighten up their schedules, maybe do some movies,” says Orton. “You’ve got a big crop of second- and third-generation wrestlers. And you’ve got a lot of new guys with limited experience. There are very few wrestlers at the level I’m at. There are going to be a lot of things for me to do down the road, movies and sponsorships, but my goal is to be the No. 1 guy here.

“As long as I’m kicking ass and taking names, the titles will find me.”

Orton was recently ranked the No. 1 wrestler by Pro Wrestling Illustrated, but he says he doesn’t pay much attention to those accolades.
“If I’m first or 60th, it doesn’t really matter to me,” he says. “But when my wife sees the magazine at Walgreen’s … she’s like, ‘That’s so cool!’ “They can hate me. I would love for all of them to hate me. It really means nothing to me.”

Since he’s The Legend Killer, does he see himself as a future legend?

“I’m a future Hall of Famer,” he says. “I’m already a three-time champ. Age is on my side. Nothing is going to stop me.”

But what about the injuries, the broken collarbone he got in June’s One Night Stand match against Triple H, a setback that sidelined him until early this month?

“If I tear a muscle, I’ll come back. I’ll keep coming back. Doctors now, they fix you up better than ever. I’ll definitely be a household name if I’m not already,” says Orton.

And what about August’s motorcycle accident that could have killed him?

“I was 3-4 weeks from returning to the ring, maybe not even that long,” he says. “I was going up a hill at night. A car swerved into my lane and I had two options — to slide into the wall or try to make a turn. If I’d slid into the wall at 30 miles an hour, I would have been pretty messed up. I didn’t have enough road, (hit a curb), and landed a couple of hundred feet away. I was wearing a helmet or I would have been dead. I really got lucky. We’d just had the baby. I got to stay home some more and spend time with the baby.”

He’s back riding again.

“The first time back I was a little nervous, but that went away,” he says. “The accident wasn’t my fault. I just learned how to ride. Before the injury, I wasn’t that experienced.”

So what’s next?
“Batista’s in my sights. [John] Cena tore his pec before we could wrap up our feud. And I want to prove to everybody I’m better than Rey Mysterio. We had a run on Smackdown!, but I’d like to have a good run with him.”

It’s been well documented that Orton is the son of Cowboy Bob and grandson of Bob Sr., but what about his uncle Barry O, who was also a wrestler?

“When it comes to wrestling stats, he’s not up to par with my father and grandfather,” says Orton. “He’s not a big part of our family. My wife and I had a baby girl (July 12) and I never got a call from him. I did everything I did by myself. My dad helped me get my foot in the door, just like his dad helped him get his foot in the door.”

It’s obvious Orton still is brash and bold? So how has he softened? How has he turned into a better person?

“We were just in Scotland, Ireland, Germany and Italy … and Tampa before that,” he says. “After being gone so long, when I got home, I walked into our house and my daughter and wife were sleeping. They looked so beautiful, so peaceful. I just watched them for a bit. I knew then what I had with my wife. She’s one of a kind.

“My daughter (Alanna) was so happy to see her dad. She remembered me. I’m very lucky, there’s no doubt.”

See, it’s hard to hate the guy now. Within the heel, there’s a big heart. 

Discuss this interview right here!

Ken Kennedy Apologizes For Mistakes

IT is often said that you should never meet your heroes.

Ken Kennedy had been in WWE a wet weekend when FT was blown away by the Green Bay Grappler.

He swaggered into global superstardom like it was his birthright. 

He was charming, opinionated, humble and witty, and also a fantastic wrestler, and we spoke a few times as his career rocketed towards the very heights of WWE.

We cheered along in person for his high point: victory in the Money in the Bank Ladder match at Mania 23 in Detroit.

Then Kennedy had some bad luck: a minor tricep injury was misdiagnosed as serious, costing him his briefcase, and things went downhill from there.

His European media tour in August of 2008 was a farce, during which he told FT and everyone who would listen that he didn’t use steroids, and had been clean for a year, no less.

He was promptly suspended by his employer a mere two weeks later.

To say your trusty correspondent was less than impressed would be as mild as a DDT from my nan.

FT is the only place in the British national print media pro-wrestlers can be heard and we print their comments in good faith. If they lie, we all look stupid.

So you can bet your inflated wallet-wasting mortgage that I was looking forward to talking to Kennedy again. 

I got my chance this week. We got to the point. Why did Kennedy talk out of his backside when last we met?

He says: “Overall I made a mistake. I’m sorry for it, I’m trying to move on and get past it. 

“I would love to sit down with you for two or three hours and explain things.

“I was on a time schedule, so I would omit certain parts that I did not deem necessary. There is a lot more to it than what was said.

“It’s something I feel passionately about. I believe wrestling has changed, and of course it’s still apparent because I hear stories about the past, and how things were in the 80s. They are funny now, but at the time it was horrific, what happened on the road, and all the unethical things people did.” 

But Kennedy adds: “I stand by the fact that I stopped taking steroids for cosmetic reasons.

“If you simply look at pictures of me, there’s a huge difference from when I started to now.

“When one partakes in those substances … at the time I thought I was impervious, invincible.

“I ran into some of those situations, and you don’t quit cold turkey – there are health risks.

“What we do is not ballet, it’s an inevitability of our job, and people get hurt.”

Kennedy is off on the long term-sick, having dislocated his shoulder and undergone surgery. 

He estimates he’ll be back in another two or three months. 

There are positives on the horizon: his first acting venture, Behind Enemy Lines, has been a blast. Injury has allowed him the time for filming. 

Mania 26 in Houston is on Kennedy’s mind for a spectacular return. A certain Stone Cold Steve Austin, friend and mentor, will be joining him on a card that’s bound to be stellar.

Kennedy says: “He’s always maintained he could come back and wrestle any time.

“Steve put in his time, and he still puts it in. He has a tremendous wrestling mind.

“It wasn’t just a case of the right place at the right time. You can’t bottle that, you can’t teach that, he just had that God-given talent.”

credit: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/inthering/view/59529/Ken-Kennedy-sets-the-record-straight-/

What do you think of Kennedy’s return? Discuss here!

TNA

Releases To Come

- In recent weeks that has been talk among TNA officials about parting ways with some of the undercard wrestlers not being used. Since September or so, TNA hasn’t felt the need to use everyone at every set of tapings, so a lot of talents are going unused. There has been talk on this for a while, but discussions have increased lately, reports PWInsider.com. Basically, the reason why TNA hardly ever fires people outright WWE-style is because Jeff Jarrett & Dixie Carter have soft spots and really doesn’t like firing people. So far this year, with the exception of Pat Kenney & Glen Gilberti (although their contracts were up), no one’s been outright fired. Everyone that left either left on their own accord, or their contracts were up, or they were on a pay-per-appearance deal and no longer being used. They have yet to fire someone in the middle of a contract (Karen Angle’s status with TNA still remains unclear).

credit: rajah.com

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ROH

Updated PPV Card

Below is the lineup for tonight’s ROH PPV taping:

* ROH Title Match: Nigel McGuinness © vs. Bryan Danielson
* I-Quit Match: Austin Aries vs. Jimmy Jacobs
* SHIMMER Title Match: MsChif © vs. Sara Del Rey
* Roderick Strong,  and Brent Albright vs. Chris Hero, Go Shiozaki and Davey Richards
* Delirious vs. Rhett Titus
* Four Corner Survival Match:: Claudio Castagnoli vs. Sami Callahan vs. Silas Young vs. Alex “Sugarfoot” Payne
* Non-PPV Match: Samoa Joe vs. Tyler Black

credit: 411mania.com

ROH fan? Discuss in our ROH section!

Other

Former WWE Diva Wins Ms. Bikini America

- Former WWE Diva Krystal Marshall won Ms. Bikini America today. She not only won her height class, but also the overall championship as she beat out more than 400 contestants. Marshall recently had a child.

credit: 411mania.com

Discuss here!

WWE

WWE Stars In Washington To Promote Upcoming Iraq Visit

- Chris Jericho, William Regal, CM Punk, Beth Phoenix and Brie Bella will be doing a media appearance in Washington, DC on December 1st to promote the annual Tribute To The Troops special. WWE performers will be taking off for Iraq after the December 1st Raw from Washington, DC. The Tribute to the Troops show will air on NBC on December 20th at 9pm.

credit: 411mania.com

Discuss right here!

Random News

- Eve Torres, Michelle McCool and Kelly Kelly are all featured in a photo shoot for the December issue of Muscle and Fitness Magazine.

- Dustin Rhodes is expected back shortly with WWE and will again be portraying the Goldust character.

- Peter Segal, who directed Get Smart has signed on to do a second Get Smart film and is also officially set to direct DC Comics’ Shazam! Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who was in Get Smart has been rumored to play either Captain Marvel or Black Adam in the film.

- Recently released Diva Lena Yada commented on her release at www.unique-divas.com. She said she wasn’t surprised by the release.

credit: 411mania.com

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WWE.com Spoils Main Event Match

- Tonight on SmackDown, Jeff Hardy will wrestle WWE Champion Triple H. If Jeff Hardy wins the match, he will be added to the Triple H vs. Vladamir Kozlov match at Sunday’s Survivor Series, making it a Triple Threat match. WWE.com has jumped the gun and updated their Survivor Series preview page to include Jeff Hardy in that title match, revealing he’ll win tonight’s match with Triple H on SmackDown. Oops. (Update: The spoiler has now been removed from WWE.com)

credit: rajah.com

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Maryse Push Delayed Due To Backstage Issues

Maryse hasn’t been featured too much on SmackDown as of late due to backstage heat with Michelle McCool. The two SmackDown Divas recently had some sort of altercation backstage.

Since the altercation, WWE has put Maria in the spotlight instead.

credit: pwtorch.com

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Brian Kendrick WWE Magazine Quotes

- The latest issue of WWE Magazine features an interview with SmackDown wrestler The Brian Kendrick. When asked what his holiday wish is, he makes an interesting quote. Kendrick said, “A world without laws. I don’t like the idea of people telling you that that there’s a right way to live and wrong way to live, and that’s what laws do.”

credit: rajah.com

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TNA

TNA’s Thanksgiving Impact

- After the turkey, tune into Spike at 9pm ET for TNA’s holiday event

- This Thursday night, TNA Wrestling returns to SpikeTV for a very special holiday edition of “iMPACT!”

- It will be two hours of Total Nonstop Action as TNA presents our annual “Turkey Bowl” competition!

- Nine TNA superstars will compete in a series of three-way bouts, with the winners advancing to a final three-way main event match later in the night. The winner of the Turkey Bowl competition gets $25,000 from TNA Wrestling, while the loser must wear a Turkey costume!

- The three-way qualifying bouts are as follows:

- Match #1: Hernandez of The Latin American Xchange vs. “The Guru” Sonjay Dutt vs. “The War Machine” Rhino

- Match #2: Alex Shelley of The Motor City Machineguns vs. Consequences Creed vs. Cute Kip of The Beautiful People

- Match #3: X Division Champion Sheik Abdul Bashir vs. “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan vs. Jimmy Rave of The Rock N’ Rave Infection

- Also scheduled for Thursday’s broadcast on SpikeTV are appearances by The Main Event Mafia of TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting, Kurt Angle, Booker T, Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner, plus the young lions led by Samoa Joe and AJ Styles, the ladies of the TNA Knockout division and so much more!

- Join us this Thursday night for the special Thanksgiving edition of “IMPACT!” on SpikeTV!

credit: 411mania.com

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Other

Starrcade DVD Details

- Here are the updated details on the WWE’s Starrcade DVD:

For close to two decades, it was the signature event – first in NWA, then WCW. Some of the greatest Superstars in wrestling history had defining moments at the event. Starrcade may be gone, but fans of sports entertainment continue to celebrate its rich tradition and lasting legacy. Now, for the first time on DVD, the greatest matches of Starrcade are collected in a 3-disc set, along with a new and exclusive documentary exploring the 18-year history of the event, including comments from Ric Falir, Dusty Rhodes, Magnum TA, Road Warrior Animal, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, David Crockett, and others. The featured matches, as voted by the WWE Universe, are counted down by some of the key players from the time.

 Documentary chapters:
- Crockett Promotions
- Thanksgiving Tradition
- Starrcade Is Born
- Dog Collar 
- A Flare For The Gold
- Starrcade’s Success 
- “I Quit”
- The Scaffold 
- Moving Out
- Competition
- The Beginning of WCW
- Ric Flair is Starrcade
- Reaching for New Concepts
- Bischoff Revitalizes Starrcade
- Goldberg’s Impact
- The Legacy of Starrcade 

Disc 1
Gene Okerlund - # 25

The Match of the Decade
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan
Starrcade December 29, 1996

Jim Ross - # 24

Iron Man Singles Tournament
Sting vs. The Great Muta
Starrcade December 13, 1989

Jim Ross - # 23

Unified World Tag Team Championship 
Barry Windham / Brian Pillman vs. Ricky Steamboat / Shane Douglas
Starrcade December 28, 1992

Gene Okerlund - # 22

WCW World Heavyweight Championship 
Goldberg vs. Kevin Nash
Starrcade December 27, 1998

Gene Okerlund - # 21

BattleBowl
Starrcade December 29, 1991

Tully Blanchard - # 20

2 out of 3 Falls for the WCW United States Championship
Dustin Rhodes vs. Stunning Steve Austin
Starrcade December 27, 1993

Disc 2
Tully Blanchard - # 19

NWA World Tag Team Championship
Road Warriors vs. Arn Anderson / Tully Blanchard
Alternate Commentary: Todd Grisham / Road Warrior Animal
Starrcade November 26, 1987

Tully Blanchard - # 18

Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Jushin Thunder Liger
Starrcade December 29, 1996

Tully Blanchard - # 17

Scaffold Match
Rock ‘n Roll Express vs. The Midnight Express
Starrcade November 26, 1987

Ric Flair - # 16

NWA World Heavyweight Championship
Ric Flair vs. Lex Luger
Starrcade December 26, 1988

Jim Ross - # 15

Eddie Guerrero vs. Shinjiro Otani
Starrcade December 27, 1995

Road Warrior Animal - # 14

NWA World Tag Team Championship
Dusty Rhodes / Sting vs. Road Warriors
Starrcade December 26, 1988

Ric Flair & David Crockett - # 13

King of Cable Tournament Final
Sting vs. Big Van Vader
Starrcade December 28, 1992

Ric Flair & David Crockett - # 12

NWA World Tag Team Championship
Brisco Brothers vs. Jay Youngblood / Ricky Steamboat
Starrcade November 24, 1983

Ric Flair & David Crockett - # 11

NWA World Heavyweight Championship
Dusty Rhodes vs. Ric Flair
Starrcade November 28, 1985

Dusty Rhodes - # 10

WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Eddie Guerrero vs. Dean Malenko
Starrcade December 28, 1997

Artwork subject to change 

Disc 3
Road Warrior Animal - # 9

Iron Man Tag Team Tournament
Road Warriors vs. The Steiner Brothers
Starrcade December 13, 1989

Dusty Rhodes - # 8

Ladder Match for a Contract for the World Cruiserweight Championship
3 Count vs. Jamie Knoble & Evan Karagias vs. Jung Dragons
Starrcade December 17, 2000

Dusty Rhodes - # 7

Iron Man Singles Tournament
Sting vs. Ric Flair
Starrcade December 13, 1989

Dusty Rhodes - # 6

Dog Collar Match
Greg Valentine vs. Roddy Piper
Starrcade November 24, 1983

Road Warrior Animal - # 5

Scaffold Match
Road Warriors vs. The Midnight Express
Alternate Commentary: Todd Grisham / Road Warrior Animal
Starrcade November 27, 1986

Jim Ross - # 4

WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Sting vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan
Starrcade December 28, 1997

Ric Flair - # 3

Steel Cage Match for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
Ric Flair vs. Harley Race
Starrcade November 24, 1983

Tully Blanchard - # 2

Steel Cage “I Quit Match” for the NWA United States Championship
Magnum T.A. vs. Tully Blanchard
Starrcade November 28, 1985

Ric Flair - # 1

WCW World Heavyweight Championship
Ric Flair’s Career Is On the Line
Ric Flair vs. Vader
Starrcade December 27, 1993

Jim Ross – Close

Credit: PWinsider.com 

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New JR Blog

Jrsbarbq.com

Random thoughts on a busy weekend headlined by the nationally hyped Oklahoma-Texas Tech game here in Norman on Saturday night and then on to Boston EARLY Sunday morning for the Survivor Series. so here’s what’s on my mind today….

I have been trying to write as many fresh blogs as possible the past few weeks which has seen me write at all hours of the day and night. Being at one time a member of WWE corporate one learns to multi task as a means of self survival which is most Likely the same with all big corporations. I read on another website where someone responded to me writing “another blog” but asking the profoundly stupid question, “Doesn’t J.R. work?” Pardon me while I roll my eyes.

 

A fan wrote me and asked if I thought that there would be more talent cuts within the WWE soon and my honest and direct answer is that I don’t know. However, if forced to make a prediction I would think yes and that unfortunately, but honestly, it isn’t a bad thing to change the bottom and then the middle of the lineup at least annually. Roster “upgrades” was always my goal when I worked in talent relations as it is today. However, the more cooks in the kitchen regarding who goes and who stays makes it more difficult in my opinion. 

 

The hardest part of the talent relations job for me was giving an individual the bad news that they were being released. I disliked that aspect of the job immensely. Years ago when former or active wrestlers had the responsibility of saying adiós to talents some of those individuals seemed to actually enjoy their power trips and providing bad news. Looking at it in hindsight, most of these men who were in positions of power were bullies at heart with low self esteem. 

 

My friend Travis Hafner and his wife Amy are traveling down to Norman this weekend to see the Sooners play Texas Tech. Travis is the DH for the Cleveland Indians and his wife surprised him with OU tickets for the “big game” as an anniversary gift. 

 

Another notable heading to Norman this weekend is Jimmy Johnson of NASCAR fame whose wife is an OU graduate plus Jimmy is friends with OU head coach Bob Stoops. There is a good chance that Jimmy will enjoy some J.R.’s BBQ at some point this weekend.

 

Rowdy Roddy Piper was featured on my wife’s favorite show TMZ this week apparently smoking some pot.  Roddy’s reason was essentially medical in nature as in treating his cancer but nonetheless it reminded me of the territory days in the 70’s when many wrestlers would smoke pot recreationally on virtually a daily basis which seemed to act as a sedative for some of the higher strung alpha males. As the legend has it, “Hippie” Mike Boyette, who allegedly liked to smoke a joint occasionally, even had marijuana scented air freshener in his vehicle just in case he was pulled over by the police and if they smelled pot Mike would laugh and demonstrate the pot scented, air freshener.  I can remember WAY back in the day when JYD’s adoring fans in southern Louisiana would bring Dog grocery sacks full of pot as a show of their admiration.  Ernie Ladd used to talk to JYD all the time about what the Big Cat referred to as “demon week.” 

 

One can expect a fierce effort from Chris Jericho this Sunday at the Survivor Series in Boston when he defends his World’s Title against the returning John Cena. So much as been made of John’s return, and rightfully so, that it seems as if Jericho is almost the “forgotten man” in this promotional equation. Jericho is a gamer and will be physical and challenging for Cena come Sunday. This will be an intense match and may surprise some fans with its level of physicality. I’m never right with my predictions (announcers never are, are they?) but I would consider taking Jericho and the points Sunday even though the reigning champ is seemingly the underdog going into the match. 

 

I read where Abdullah the Butcher is retiring and a big event in his honor will be held soon in Puerto Rico for him. If one throughly examines Abby’s “run”,  it is actually pretty damn amazing for a performer who was somewhat athletically limited but made up for it with a unique look and amazing crowd psychology. Abby was a fearless antagonist who perfected a very straight forward and physical style that, over the years,  endured racism,  the ever changing and fickle territory system, and in ring styles that seemingly morphed on a regular basis to survive for decades, most of the time as a main event star in a wide variety of areas and especially in Japan. I have great respect for Abby’s business acumen and his longevity. Years ago when I was a member of one of the volatile WCW “booking committees”, Abby gave me a heads up that some on the committee were out to “get me” for their own political gain and to have me replaced on the committee. I appreciated the heads up but in hindsight I wish I had helped my detractors facilitate my booking committee demise as being in that asylum was a bigger pain in the ass than it was worth and all for not one extra dollar. The late Gary Hart always called Abby “Butch” which sticks to me this very day. Congrats Abby on a wonderful career and best of luck with the continued success of your Atlanta area restaurant. 

 

Many of you are responding well to our holiday gift offers many with FREE SHIPPING with many orders starting under $20. Check out our cap and shirt combo that include a free, personalized photo and our personally autographed J.R.’s Cookbook. We are also selling a ton of our J.R.’s Original Beef Jerky which is 97% fat free and a great snack. 

 

No announcer assignments have been made yet for the Survivor Series that I am aware of and all I know that Tazz, the World’s Angriest Announcer, and I are doing in Boston is the WWE Title Bout and the Casket Match. I assume that there will be more but that’s pure speculation. 

 

It is my understanding that we are taping two episodes of Friday Night Smackdown in Albany, New York on Tuesday night which might become something that occurs on a more regular basis as a means of being a cost cutting measure. That sure works for me as it means one less week on the road. It is not easy voicing over a pair of shows that total 22 segments of TV but I will trade the extra work for a week at home any time. FYI, I worked until almost 3 a.m. Wednesday night/Thursday morning putting the finishing touches on the commentary for Friday Night Smackdown that airs this Friday night on MyNetworkTV. 

 

Thanks for stopping by and visiting our site. I hope that you will tell a friend about our site and continue to support our efforts in selling our products that we are very proud of and of which we work so hard. This is crunch time for us and if you think we can help with your holiday shopping to some degree we certainly appreciate the opportunity.

 

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.        

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John Cena/Mickie James Update

John Cena & Mickie James had been reported as dating for a while now, but it appears that relationship may have been ended recently by Cena. 

Mickie James had previously dated Joey Mercury & Kenny Dykstra.

credit: wrestlezone.com

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WWE

Revelation of who created Kung Fu Naki

- ProWrestling.net reports that Sho Funaki has been pushing the idea of the Kung Fu Naki character for a few years. He has been showing up at TV tapings with the same sheet of paper that contained his ideas for the character for quite some time. While the creative team may have altered the character, the original idea belongs to Funaki. Vince McMahon used to roll his eyes whenever the character was presented to him, but obviously something changed. Vince has a notoriously bad memory and one source says it’s possible that Vince doesn’t even remember the character being pitched to him before. 

Credit: wrestlezone.com

Talk WWE, Kung Fu Naki, and everything wrestling right here on the Pinfall Recall Message Boards

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TNA

TNA stars invade New Japan

- TNA Superstars Kevin Nash, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, and Team 3D are being advertised for the January 4th 2009 Tokyo Dome show promoted by New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Credit: wrestlezone.com

Talk TNA and New Japan right here on our message boards

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Other

Reid Flair gets legendary training

- Reid Flair has been sent to former NWA World champion Harley Race’s WLW Wrestling Academy in Eldon, Missouri and will be training there through the end of the month in order to get additional seasoning as he prepares for his debut match next month.

Credit: PWinsider.com

Which legend would you want to be trained by? Talk about this story and more here on our forums

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ROH strikes PPV deal with DirecTV

- DirecTV and Ring of Honor have announced a deal together that will see ROH PPV’s added to their line-up beginning sometime in early 2009. The first PPV announced to air with DirecTV will be the recently taped “Rising Above” show featuring Nigel McGuiness vs Bryan Danielson. DirecTV will be offering ROH Classics in addition to all PPV’s as an InDemand feature. 

Credit: wrestlezone.com

Excited about seeing ROH on your TV? Well rejoice on our forums here

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Goldberg on Hogan’s wrestling show

- Former WCW & WWE champ Bill Goldberg is being advertised for an appearance on this week’s episode of Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling. The show is scheduled to air multiple times this Saturday on the CMT network.

Credit: wrestlezone.com

Discuss Goldberg, Hogan’s CCW and more right here on our message boards

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Rob Conway interview on a possible return to WWE, La Resistance and more

- In You Head Radio interview with Rob Conway hosted by Jack, One Inch Biceps and Barbie Richards! Here are just a few highlights from the Interview to hear the full Interview head on over to InYourHeadOnline.com

- In Your Head Wrestling Radio interview with Rob Conway, Wednesday November 12th 2008 

- Rob joins the guys and straight away says he loves the name Oneinchbiceps he says it takes guts to have that name.

- Jack asks who was most helpful to him in OVW, Robs says Danny Davis helped him the most he was very hands on so too was Nick Dinsmore.

- On OVW Robs tells the guys that he helped to train a lot of talent back then including Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton.

- Some calls come in, Brian asks who did Robs WWE entrance theme, (the “just look at me” one) , Rob says it was done by Jim Johnson but everyone thinks it was Randy Newman.

- PH420 asks Rob was he disappointed not to have tagged with Nick Dinsmore in WWE, Rob says they did some house shows but never got the chance on TV, but if they did they could have gotten it over.

- Joel asks if Rob misses Sylvain Grenier, Rob does and says he had his most success with Sylvain like being WWE tag team champs with La Resistance.

- Rob also tells the guys that he got on really well with Sylvain and WWE broke up La Resistance because the started doing the Mohamed Hassan angle and could only focus on one anti American group at that time. On Rene Dupree Robs says he was very young for his push, just 19 and couldn’t even drive a rental car and because of his age they didn’t have too much in common.

- A call comes in from kicks who asks what it was like being in the ring with the rock, Rob replies it was a great experience it was awesome he never heard a crowd pop like that it was deafening.

- On his time in WWE, Rob says he enjoyed it, he didn’t like his entrance theme he thought it killed the crowd and tried to get rid of it but was fearful of getting heat for speaking up. He though his Ironman gimmick from OVW would have gotten over in WWE because it was basically who he is. When it came to The Conman gimmick you had to use your imagination as to what you made of the gimmick, Rob recalls Vince walking by backstage and yelling at him to do it the Conway.

- Jack asks Rob if he would ever go back to WWE, Rob says you never know in wrestling but he was pretty satisfied with his run.

- Finally Rob tells us to check out eBay because he usually puts his ring gear up for auction around this time of year to raise funds for a friends son who has a rare bone disease.

- You can check Rob out at myspace.com/therobconway

- Or contact him at doitheconway@aol.com 

- Rob says he has some matches up on ovwrestling.com and also at nwawrestling.com

Credit: 411mania.com

Talk about this interview and more right here on our forums

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