Comeback? Sure!
I’m back, and better than ever. Got a knack, for making things better.
Hello and welcome to somewhat of a rebirth here in the Pinfall Recall World. Yes friends that’s right, I, Andrew Kearney, am back and better than ever. I feel the timing for this couldn’t be better and I can say that I’m extremely excited to start this new chapter in the book of Pinfall Recall. It’s been at least two years since I was a fully active member of this great team but I can only see that as being to our advantage as we look to progress and carry on the excellent work demonstrated by the existing team members. We’re all a couple years older and a couple years wiser since I was last around…quite whether the wrestling industry as a whole has progressed in that time I’m not too sure but I’ll sure as hell enjoy talking about it here with you all. I also just wanted to send out a public thank you to RDB, Milo, Ed, and of course CK and JG for making this return possible. Now I want you all to kick back and just relax as you jump back into the trip known as Andrew Kearney…or AK…or Kearney…well you get the idea.
The purpose of this little piece is to give you all an insight into my views of the current state of professional wrestling. Now I’ll be honest with you all, my finger had certainly slipped way off the pulse over the last two years of absenteeism but since about ‘Mania this year, I’ve been getting back into the swing of things. As hard as I try though it is definitely still a case of as and when I can with regards to the actual watching of the shows. I mean I do try and catch Raw every week, the same with SmackDown also and for some reason, unknown to me or anyone else, I rarely miss an episode of TNA iMPACT. So I definitely do try to keep on top of things but it certainly does take a pretty dedicated loser to watch every single piece of weekly televised wrestling.
I don’t watch TNA week in week out because I think it’s such an awesome way to spend two hours each week. I think it’s definitely more a case of sheer bewilderment and curiosity that keeps on drawing me back in. I just wanted to make that point perfectly clear before we delve any deeper. Quite simply, the list of things wrong with TNA is longer than my arm and longer than I’m willing to discuss at this moment but the biggest problem that I have with the product is that far too much of it just doesn’t make sense and the reasons to actually care about what’s going on are so few and far between.
In terms of WWE I think there are signs of a decent product in there from time to time, particularly on the SmackDown brand in my opinion. But even then you can spend a couple hours watching Raw or SmackDown and still wonder what happened come the end of the show. I also may have made a fairly large mistake recently as over the last few weeks I’ve been watching my entire anthology of every WWE Raw from 1999 and that really has fuelled even greater cynicism and dismay at the current product. But as I said, from time to time I’m pleasantly surprised and satisfied after watching a WWE show, a lot more than was the case a couple of years ago at least.
But at the end of the day, there’s plenty for me to talk about and I sincerely hope you all enjoy jumping on the back of Pinfall Recall’s own British Invasion.
As has been stated on the forum and the most recent podcast, I am really aiming to add a lot of content to the blog in the form of columns, articles and other fun filled features. So please stay tuned to that the website and the forums for all of my upcoming Pinfall Recalling…and you may also want to keep an ear out for a certain British voice on an upcoming podcast…just sayin’.
I am most definitely back ladies and gentleman and you will unquestionably be seeing a lot more of all over the Pinfall Recall Universe!
Wrestling News Digest 6/9/09 Part 2: Four Batista-Free Months and More
Welcome to Pinfall Recall’s Wrestling News Digest, your daily collection of all the news in the professional wrestling world. Each day we collect all the news from WWE, TNA, ROH, and more, and deliver it to you in one easy to read posting. No more clicking 30 links and loading 30 pages to read 3 lines of text. Just point your browser to Pinfall Recall every day for all the wrestling news you need.
After the jump (the read more button) you’ll find today’s top stories, immediately followed by all of your news divided up by organization, for your viewing pleasure.
So, for the latest on how long Batista will be out injured (again) and more…
Wrestling News Digest 5/22/09: More Vince vs. the Nuggets news, TNA heads to Colorado, Legends of the Arena card set, and more
WWE
More Vince vs. the Nuggets news
- WWE.com has posted the “fallacious, rejected Kroenke-writ release” on WWE.com. Also, the website has announced that Mr. McMahon will confront Denver Nuggets Owner Stan Kroenke on Raw Monday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
- Shane McMahon and John Cena were at the Lakers game yesterday, and interviewed by the LA Times, discussing the Denver deal and the move to LA. The video is here
Credit: 411mania.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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TNA
TNA releases Sewell and signs new female, Christopher Daniels interview
- Shane Sewell has been released by TNA, according to Jeremy Borash’s Twitter page. Borash also claims that TNA has signed a “well known” female.
- The Miami Herald interviewed Christopher Daniels, discussing TNA, growing up in North Carolina, being a smaller gut in a business of big men and more. You can check out the full article here.
Credit: 411mania.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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TNA heads to Colorado to capitalize on WWE situation
- TNA sent out the following press release, announcing that they are heading to Colorado:
Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling Heads to Colorado, for Sure!
DEJECTED WWE FANS CAUGHT IN THE “DENVER DEBACLE” GET A $10 DISCOUNT FOR TNA TICKETS WITH THEIR UNUSED WWE TICKETS FROM COLORADO SHOWS.
DENVER, May 22 /PRNewswire/ — Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling is bringing a slam-dunk show to Colorado - and unlike its competition, the superstars of TNA will not skip town.
The TNA Live! Tour invades the Pueblo (Colo.) Convention Center on Friday night, May 29, and then moves to Cheyenne, Wyo., on Saturday night, May 30 at the Taco Johns Event Center. Both shows start at 7:30 p.m., and anyone bringing an unused WWE ticket from its recently-cancelled Colorado shows to the box office in Pueblo or Cheyenne will receive a $10 discount for tickets for either TNA show.
“Some of the biggest pro wrestling fans in the nation are in Colorado,” said TNA Wrestling President Dixie Carter. “It was sad to see the WWE pull out of all their scheduled shows in Colorado recently because of the scheduling conflict with the NBA playoffs. I want everyone in Colorado to know that TNA Wrestling is coming and we hope to see you at our first shows ever in your state. For WWE fans that paid for any of these cancelled events, we are offering you $10 off the purchase of tickets to come see us and enjoy the best fan experience in pro wrestling.”
Carter also confirmed that TNA is “formally inviting” all Nugget players, coaches, broadcasters and front-office staff to the Pueblo show.
Appearing live will be “The King of the Mountain” Jeff Jarrett, “The War Machine” Rhino, “The Monster” Abyss, The Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Sky), Cute Kip, the Motor City Machine Guns, “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan, TNA X Division Champion Suicide, Lethal Consequences, Taylor Wilde, “Showtime” Eric Young, Brutus Magnus, Kiyoshi, and more.
Cross The Line to TNA Wrestling, the most innovative experience in professional wrestling today. “TNA iMPACT!” airs every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Spike TV.
Credit: 411mania.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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Other
Legends of the Arena card set for next month
- The following is the card for the Legends of the Arena show set for June 27th:
Sandman with Tod Gordon vs. Sabu with Fonzie with special guest referee Terry Funk
The Franchise Shane Douglas vs. Al Snow with Head
Chris Hamrick vs. Crowbar
BWO vs. FBI with Big Sal-
Raven vs. Justin Credible with Jason and Chastity
Rhino vs. Spike Dudley
Balls and Axl vs. The Baldies
CW Anderson with Jack Victory vs. 2 Cold Scorpio
Also appearing, Tammy Sytch, Gary Wolfe, Scotty Riggs, The Queen of Extreme Francine and many more!
Credit: PWinsider.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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That’s all for today’s Wrestling News Digest. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another easy to digest batch! Or, subscribe to our blog feed to get the latest Wrestling News, as well as our columns and podcasts, delivered right to your favorite feedreader. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact the Pinfall Recall team on the forums or by emailing them directly through the links below.
Cliff Karklin (CK) - CK@PinfallRecall.com
Joshua George (JG) - JG@PinfallRecall.com
Robby Boydstun (RDB) - RDB@PinfallRecall.com
Milo Taibi (Milo) - Milo@PinfallRecall.com
Wrestling News Digest 5/21/09: HDNet heads for the chopping block, Time Warner buys Midway, Dawn Marie has another baby, and more
WWE
Santino storyline continues online
- There is a new goofy video feature focusing on Santino Marella on WWE.com. The video features Santino in-character furthering an internet-only storyline WWE has been pushing on the website recently.
Credit: wrestlezone.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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TNA
Time Warner buys Midway but leaves TNA
- Today, Time Warner put in an official bid of $33 Million in an effort to acquire all of the American assets of Midway Games, Inc.. The agreement does not include the Company’s development studio in San Diego and the TNA franchise games, nor does it include the Company’s development studio in Newcastle which had developed the Company’s recently released Wheelman game.
Credit: 411mania.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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ROH
HDNet heads for the chopping block
- Multichannel News is currently running an article discussing the HDNet situation. Time Warner Cable confirmed to the trade Monday it will stop offering HDNet and HDNet Movies across all of its systems effective May 31. Time Warner Cable director of corporate public relations Robyn Watson stated the following…
“There’s a limited appeal for the programming. In a world with more than 100 HD channels, being in HD is not enough. We are adding other channels in HD to give our customers more choice.”
Mark Cuban emailed Multichannel News to say that they were still negotiating, and also stated…
“[T]here are millions of viewers who enjoy our unique and exclusive programming. We are not a cookie-cutter network like those from the big media conglomerates. HDNet’s viewers do business with providers specifically to get our programming.”
You can read the full article here.
Credit: 411mania.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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Other
Dawn Marie has another baby
- Former WWE Diva and ECW original Dawn Marie gave birth to daughter Katie this past Tuesday. Marie had to have a C-section, but is apparently doing fine health-wise.
Credit: wrestlezone.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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That’s all for today’s Wrestling News Digest. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another easy to digest batch! Or, subscribe to our blog feed to get the latest Wrestling News, as well as our columns and podcasts, delivered right to your favorite feedreader. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact the Pinfall Recall team on the forums or by emailing them directly through the links below.
Cliff Karklin (CK) - CK@PinfallRecall.com
Joshua George (JG) - JG@PinfallRecall.com
Robby Boydstun (RDB) - RDB@PinfallRecall.com
Milo Taibi (Milo) - Milo@PinfallRecall.com
Pinfall Recall News Digest For May 10th
WWE
Track Listing For 12 Rounds DVD
- Here is the listing for WWE’s 12 Rounds DVD which comes out on 6/30.
* PG-13 and Director’s Cut versions of film
* Audio Commentary Track with Director Renny Harlin, Writer Daniel Kunka and John Cena
* Two alternate endings
* Featuette: Crash Course: John Cena Stunts
* Blooper Gag reel
Blu-ray:
* All the aforementioned above as well as:
* Featurette: “Streetcar Crossing: Film with Caution”
* Featurette: 12 Bonus Rounds: Making Magic Behind-the-Scenes”
* Featurette: “Keeping Score: The Music of 12 Rounds”
* Round and Round with Director Renny Harlin and John Cena
* Viral videos
Credit: PWInsider
Discuss on our forum!
TNA
TNA’s Free Webmatch of the Week
…can be found right here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL0-6jEqWkc
credit: ME
Discuss on our forum!
ROH
ROH House Show Results!
# Ring of Honor returns to Edison, New Jersey tonight, with the following card:
* ROH Title Match: Jerry Lynn © vs. Jay Briscoe
* ROH Tag Team Title Match: The American Wolves © vs. Bryan Danielson and Kevin Steen
* Chris Hero
vs. Sonjay Dutt
* Colt Cabana vs. Joey Ryan with Prince Nana
* Necro Butcher and Delirious vs. Claudio Castagnoli and Jimmy Rave w/Prince Nana
* Brent Albright and Erick Stevens vs. Super Smash Brothers
* Eddie Kingston vs. Ricky Reyes
* Also scheduled to appear: Kenny King and Rhett Titus
credit: 411mania.com
Discuss on our forum!
Other
New JR Blog
Here’s hoping that everyone is having a great day. The weekend is upon us and then it is back on the road for me as I leave Monday for Dayton, Ohio to prepare for another taping of Friday Night Smackdown. The smoker is fired up so let’s get rolling with some BBQ’ed random thoughts…..
For those that have made comments on my most recent Smackdown blog on WWE.com and that took ALL my comments seriously, as Michael Cole would say, “Please, stop the pain.” Humor, or attempts thereof, take many forms and my intent with that particular blog, as I try to do more often than not when I write, is to have fun.
Because I am pro choice & pro same sex marriage, does that mean I have to like all intergender wrestling matches because I don’t. BTW that’s as much as I will ever discuss politics or religion on this site. We aren’t here to address the world’s problems or to change the direction that wrestling is or isn’t traveling.
Tag team wrestling. Seems like it has become topical over the past few days. We have received a fair amount of feedback on this site regarding it. Again, I reiterate that I am a fan of tag team wrestling or should I say good, tag team wrestling. It really doesn’t matter who says what company is or is not prioritizing tag teams because until an established tag team headlines a PPV then it seems to me that tag teams, no matter how good they are, are still viable, important, semi main/under-card contributors. A resurgence of long arcing, tag team issues that culminate with those teams squaring off on PPV main events or even co-main events would suit me just fine but until then it is what it is.
Friday Night Smackdown provided the most compelling elements of WGN America’s WWE Superstar broadcast Thursday night. Edge ’s verbal skills continue to just get better and better and wait until you hear Edge’s guest commentary on Friday Night Smackdown during the main event featuring Jeff Hardy vs. Chris Jericho.
Is this WWE fan LeBron James year to lead his Cavs to the NBA Title? I vividly remember “King James” attending a Monday Night Raw at the then Gund Arena in Cleveland his rookie year. We had a nice chat after the event walking to our vehicles and he signed my TV format that night. Really a classy young man as all have seen with his many TV interviews, etc. Since then LeBron has provided me a signed basketball and a signed Cav’s home jersey that we will eventually display at J.R.’s Family BBQ in Norman, Oklahoma. LeBron is a great example of what is really good about pro sports and is a young man who knows he has been blessed with amazing gifts and doesn’t take that fact for granted.
I saw on the ‘net that it was May 8 (that’s today as I write this) 2006 that was the date that I came back to Monday Night Raw full time after battling a colon cancer issue. 2005 was an interesting year for me and I got a huge break considering my tumor was not malignant. Fans still write about “Dr. Heiney”, etc and all that sort of stuff expecting me to rant about it but I am so much more thankful that I am cancer free and still alive that all that other stuff that has happened on TV is no more than a dot on my personal, radar screen.
Somehow some idiot will go on another’s website message board and turned my preceding statement into me “bitching” about not being on Raw and being “stuck’ on Friday Night Smackdown which reeks of some having a chronic case of the “dumbass.”
A-Rod returns to the Yankees lineup Friday. Does any one outside the world of pin stripes care? Alex Rodriquez can;t have any thing short of a great year for 1. the Yankees to battle their way into the playoffs and 2. to do the right thing by his teammates and fans after creating such a firestorm with his off the field BS of a few months ago. Hearing less from A-Rod in the near future on any subject might be something #13 should consider.
I got a nice email recently from Torrie Wilson who is on NBC’s newest reality show that starts imminently. She’ll be in a Costa Rica jungle with a slew of other celeb’s with the object to see who can last the 30 days as I understand the premise. Torrie isn’t a “dumb blond” by any stretch of the imagination and is dead set on proving that fact on her reality show opportunity. Torrie is in amazing physical condition which will help her cause in less than Marriott surroundings in the jungle. She sent us an autographed swimsuit to display in our BBQ joint and I have this revelation, the swim wear did not consist of an overabundance of material.
Speaking of lovely, smart and sexy WWE Divas, it is amazing how many folks check out the Daily Diva section of www.wwe.com. And I’m not even counting how many times the King logs in, so to speak.
From my days associated with the Atlanta Falcons in the early 90’s, I got to know Bret Favre and found him to be one helluva guy. Tough minded, competitive and a super guy to be around. But he’s a football player who loves to play the game. Bret was put on Planet Earth to be a quarterback. All great players, wrestlers too, have difficulties knowing when to hang up their gear. Let’s all remember that it was the media that started the Favre to Minnesota story, not Bret. He seems to have made it clear that he is retired, yes I know that he’s said it before, but this time I think he will stay retired. He certainly doesn’t need the paycheck and I do know personally that he loves his off time hunting and fishing. Plus, what network wouldn’t love to have the future Hall of Famer in their broadcast booth or studio if he’s “football bored” and wants to stay associated with the game? NBC’s brilliant Dick Ebersol is likely already all over this one.
There was a time in my life when I was joined by several Atlanta Falcons on a regular basis and we thought that we could drink all the Crown Royal in Atlanta but we failed miserably. Thank goodness I met Mrs. J.R. about that time or my life story, if I were able to remember it, might resemble a sad, country song. A party can be found in Hotlanta every night even without seeking one out.
I think the HBK vs. Undertaker Wrestlemania 25 match could be made into one helluva documentary styled DVD. I know some of the biggest stars in the biz who would love to talk about it including some of the HOF’ers who were present that day. This match will live forever in the annals of WWE and should be celebrated sooner than later even though both men are on hiatus for the time being.
Manny Ramirez really screwed up. Duh. How could Manny’s doctor accidentally violate the MLB drug policy so blatantly and not be remotely aware of what he or she was doing? Will Ramirez seek restitution from his doctor for the $7M Manny is losing as a result of his suspension. Highly unlikely. Everyone should stop the insanity and just say no and work within a zero tolerance or something damn near it.
WWE’s much anticipated DVD release of “The Rise and Fall of WCW” will no doubt create controversy which in turns creates cash. Where have I heard that before? Some have refused to be interviewed for this project which is understandable for many who have already discussed the topic endlessly. I would have personally liked to have heard Bill Shaw’s thoughts, and I use that term loosely, but he declined. This DVD, as I understand it, will focus more on the WCW side of this equation from those who were there. I wasn’t there when it “fell” and arguably wasn’t there when it “rose” but I came in to WCW with the original class and discussed my tenure in Atlanta which was more positive than negative. It will be interesting to see how much of my contributions to the DVD will make air. For the record, I don’t “blame” any one from the old, WCW regime for not wanting to be involved in this process and for a variety of reasons. I do know that this DVD is getting tons of internal attention and I fully anticipate that it will be a compelling DVD and one that I can’t wait to watch.
What will you bet that the Rick Pitino to the Sacramento Kings story isn’t being fueled by rival colleges who want to hurt Louisville’s recruiting efforts? The same thing usually happens every December, more often than not it seems to come from the Dallas Morning News, regarding Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops leaving the Sooners. Bob has been at OU since ‘99 and has no plans on leaving any time soon but those sort of stories do adversely affect recruiting as kids are kids and are impressionable and are also more media savvy than any other generation.
A Terry Funk Roast is being planned for October in New Jersey which I am sure will be a blast. I love the idea of doing Roasts on DVD but with WWE being PG rated and Roasts usually not being, it wouldn’t be a good fit on that particular platform. Nonetheless I am betting a slab of ribs that the Terry Funk Roast will be a fun event to attend and wish the promoters well.
Cowboy Bill Watts turned 70 this past week. He’s still feeling great and going strong. Bill “understood his audience” better than the vast majority of his peers in wrestling and was a real student of ring psychology. Cowboy wasn’t a great in ring performer, better than he’s often described as being, but not great. But he made fans believe and he knew how to promote himself particularly w/ mic time. How many wrestlers can you name who were headlining MSG their third year in the biz? I can think of Rock and Brock Lesnar off the top of my head but Watts did it in 1965, decades before any one else of accomplished the same feat. “Bombastic Bill” is featured prominently in the new book, “The Midnight Express and Jim Cornette 25th Anniversary Scrapbook” which is available at www.jimcornette.com. Watts’ hand written memo regarding the art of and the importance of doing promo’s is a must see and, like the rest of this classic publication, is a must read.
I have worked diligently to keep up with your questions and comments on our Q&A section of this site. It is updated as we speak and I will continue to work on it sporadically throughout the weekend.
Keep in mind that we ship non liquid, non food items any where in the world. That means our autographed J.R.’s Cookbook and autographed, black, Trucker’s Caps, among other items. I hope that you will take a moment and check out our specials in our on line store.
With the wife out of town, I found myself watching WWE 24/7 On Demand until 3 a.m. this morning and that’s not a complaint. I love the 24/7 service and encourage all fans to check it out as it is a great value. I truly lead an exciting life do I not?
Apparently the WWE’s tour of Mexico is back on and I know that the advance ticket sales are MASSIVE. The international growth of the WWE brand in the future is going to be a major part of the company’s success and will further strengthen the brand which should enhance the stock price one has to assume.
I hope to see a huge crowd of WWE fans Tuesday night in Dayton for a full night of WWE action including SD, ECW, and WWE Superstar content. I am arriving in Dayton on Monday in time to watch Raw even though I always DVR it. I have fun “entertainingly” hammering Raw on my blogs but don’t kid yourself, I regularly watch the WWE’s #1 TV priority. I can always count on the King breaking out a spiffy, new T shirt and his comedic banter directed to his broadcast partner, the “vintage” Michael Cole, has been fun to listen to lately especially when “Oh, My” Cole retaliates.
Remember that the Q&A section is updated and you’re cordially invited to visit it.
Boomer Sooner!
J.R.
credit: jrsbarbq.com
Discuss on our forum!
Wrestling News Digest 5/8/07: Apologies, Weekend cards, New TNA show gets a host, and more
Editor’s Note: I apologize for the lack of a news post yesterday. I had much more homework than anticipated and didn’t get a chance to post anything. I posted a couple tidbits from yesterday in this post if you’d like to catch up. Have a great weekend.
Sincerely,
RDB
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WWE
12 Rounds on DVD, WWE weekend cards
- WWE’s 12 Rounds will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on 6/30. The “Extreme Cut” releases will include two alternate endings along with other extras.
- While TNA has this weekend off, WWE gets back to a normal house show schedule with both Raw and Smackdown having three house shows prior to their weekly televised events. Of course, this Sunday is Mother’s Day, so for you fans in Wheeling, West Virginia and Fort Wayne, Indiana, you can take Mom to the matches!
Raw kicks off their run on Friday, May 8th at the Louis J. Tullio Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania with WWE Champion Randy Orton, United States Champion MVP, John Cena, Batista, Big Show, The Miz, Kofi Kingston and Matt Hardy scheduled to appear.
Raw continues their run on Saturday, May 9th at the Chevrolet Centre in Youngstown, Ohio with the following announced matches:
- John Cena & Batista vs. Randy Orton & Big Show.
- United States Champion MVP vs. William Regal.
- Unified Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo Colon vs. Ted DiBiase & Cody Rhodes.
Raw then has their last house show of the weekend on Sunday, May 10th in WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia with a 5pm start with the same lineup at Youngstown, except they are listing MVP vs. The Miz for the U.S. Title.
Credit: 411mania.com and PWinsider.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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TNA
New TNA series gets a host
- According to Jeremy Borash’s Twitter account, the rumored TNA Epics show will debut shortly in the UK, with Mick Foley as host. Here is what Borash had to say…
“How much does TNA love the UK? They will be the first place on earth to get our new “TNA EPICS” show hosted by Mick Foley! Details soon!”
Credit: 411mania.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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TNA and Konnan drop lawsuits, Spencer Pratt may appear in TNA, more
- TNA and Konnan have dropped their respective lawsuits against each other, and there was no financial settlement involved. Many were surprised, since TNA was very determined to take the case to court.
- Spencer Pratt (TV’s The Hills) is in negotiations to make an appearance at the Slammiversary PPV.
- Both AJ Styles and Jackie Moore are in Seattle to film a reality series for a major network.
Credit: 411mania.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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Other
Rob Van Dam cancels signing, issues apology
- Rob Van Dam issued the following this afternoon:
When Kirk White first called to see if I was available to at the Big Time Wrestling convention in May, I immediately thought of how much fun we had last year. As he named the other wrestlers that will be there this year, I was glad to have something like this to look forward to.
Hanging out with Fonzie, and Bret Hart, Scotty 2 Hotty, Marty Janetty and everyone else he named is guaranteed to be a good time. I haven’t seen Justin Credible in years, or Spike Dudley! This is going to be an awesome event for sure. I told Kirk that SVD and I would be happy to be there…but there was just one thing to consider.
A huge project is on the table with an unknown variable. Wrong Side of Town - the action movie written to star Rob Van Dam- was originally scheduled to be filmed and finished by May 9th, but was dealing with current delays. Kirk and the Van Dams hoped that everything would work out for the best, and we’d be seeing everybody in Newark, California.
As it turns out, Wrong Side finally came through in May, and I am now on the set filming with Batista, Ja Rule, Stormy Daniels and others that are helping make this project an awesome venture that I hope all of you will enjoy later this year. However, I will not be finished filming until after May 9th. We are as bummed as you are that we’ll miss you at the BTW convention this year, and we hope you’ll understand.
More details in the next couple days will be available at www.robvandam.com.
Thank you for understanding.
RVD
Credit: PWinsider.com
Discuss this news on the forums
_____________________________________________________________________________
That’s all for today’s Wrestling News Digest. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another easy to digest batch! Or, subscribe to our blog feed to get the latest Wrestling News, as well as our columns and podcasts, delivered right to your favorite feedreader. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact the Pinfall Recall team on the forums or by emailing them directly through the links below.
Cliff Karklin (CK) - CK@PinfallRecall.com
Joshua George (JG) - JG@PinfallRecall.com
Robby Boydstun (RDB) - RDB@PinfallRecall.com
Milo Taibi (Milo) - Milo@PinfallRecall.com
Wrestling News Digest 5/4/09: Undertaker injured, Hernandez injury timetable, Bret Hart going to ROH, and more
WWE
Undertaker injured, may need surgery
- According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the Undertaker was not brought into the Madison Square Garden Smackdown last week due to him suffering from both hip and knee issues. The talk is that he will need some surgery on his knee, and will be out for an undetermined amount of time. The feeling is that when they do surgery that they may find more serious issues.
With the Undertaker’s injury status, and the future of Jeff Hardy unsure as of now, WWE made the effort to push CM Punk as one of the brand’s top faces. This was also the reason for the John Morrison face turn.
Credit: 411mania.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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Batista discusses his future
- Batista was interviewed by The Daily Mirror in Great Britain recently to promote the WWE Judgment Day PPV, commenting on several topics, including noting he didn’t know he wouldn’t be utilized for Wrestlemania XXV until the Thursday before the PPV and being let down by it.
In regard to the long-term future of his career, Batista commented, “It’s something that I’ve been thinking about a lot. I really just have mixed feelings about it right now. I have just about another year left on my contract which I want to fulfil and when I start getting close to the end of that contract that’s when I’ll make a final decision.”
Batista also commented on injuries, his recent return, working heel down the line and more. You can read the complete interview by clicking here.
Credit: 411mania.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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WWE and “Superstar” Billy Graham resolve dispute
- World Wrestling Entertainment sources confirmed this afternoon that the company does not intend to prevent former WWF champion Superstar Graham from using his ring name now that they have released him from his consultant’s contract.
Apparently the verbiage in the contract was simply standard issue for all performers, but since Graham has been using the names forever, there isn’t an issue in WWE’s eyes and he is free and clear to do whatever he wishes outside of their auspices.
Credit: PWinsider.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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Gregory Helms discusses his new role
- Gregory Helms has a new Myspace blog posted, discussing his move to a backstage interviewer, which you can read here.
Credit: 411mania.com
Discuss this news on the forums
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TNA
Hernandez injury timetable, iMPACT schedule, more
- Shawnhernandez.net , the official website of TNA’s Hernandez, is listing a 6-9 month recovery time due to his recent neck surgery.
- The following matches will be taped tonight for Thursday’s episode of TNA Impact:
* Main Event Mafia vs. Mick Foley, Jeff Jarrett, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, & Daniels
* Suicide vs. Consequences Creed for the X-Division Title
* Beer Money Inc. vs. Eric Young & Jethro Holliday in the Team 3D Tag Team Tournament
* Awesome Kong vs. Velvet Sky in a Stretcher Match
- TNA tapes tomorrow night as well, as they are taping three weeks of TV over the next two days.
- The company’s next house show swing starts May 15th:
* May 15th: Florence, SC
* May 16th: Greenville, NC
* May 17th: Fayetteville, NC
Credit: 411mania.com
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ROH
Bret Hart to appear at ROH show
- Ring of Honor made the following announcement today:
A Wrestling Legend Makes His ROH Debut
Monday, May 04, 2009
- Ring of Honor Wrestling is very happy to announce that a Hall of Fame wrestling legend will be in attendance on Friday night, July 24 when ROH returns to the Ted Reeve Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The legendary Bret “Hitman” Hart will be on-hand for a special autograph signing prior to the ROH event, as well as making an appearance during the course of the night’s show. Tickets for this event on 7/24 are already on sale here at www.rohwrestling.com, stay tuned to the website for more details regarding the special autograph signing.
The addition of this multi-time World Champion adds to an already special weekend where ROH presents back-to-back events from the Ted Reeve Arena with Bret “Hitman” Hart appearing on Friday night July 24 and “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair in attendance on Saturday night July 25! More details will be available in the coming weeks right here at ROHWrestling.com.
Credit: 411mania.com
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ROH superstar returns, debuts, injuries, and Necro Butcher just misses MTV nod
- Sonjay Dutt and Ricky Reyes return to the company this weekend.
- Joey Ryan debuts with the company this weekend.
- There is no word on Tyler Black’s participation this weekend. As of today he is booked on the shows, but he cancelled his FIP appearance over the weekend due to a neck injury.
- The Necro Butcher scene from The Wrestler, where he and Mickey Rourke use a staple gun in a “CZW Hardcore match”, did not make it into the final five nominees for the “WTF Moment” for this year’s MTV Movie Awards. The final five are:
* Amy Poehler - Baby Mama, Peeing In the Sink (Universal Pictures)
* Angelina Jolie - Wanted, Curved Bullet Kill (Universal Pictures)
* Ayush Mahesh Khedekar - Slumdog Millionaire, Jumping in the Poop Shed (Fox Searchlight)
* Ben Stiller - Tropic Thunder, Tasting the Decapitated Head (DreamWorks SKG/ Paramount Pictures)
* Jason Segel and Kristen Bell - Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Naked Break-Up (Universal Pictures)
Credit: 411mania.com
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Other
Dwayne Johnson lands big Disney role
- Dwayne Johnson has already nabbed another lead role in a Disney film as Production Weekly has him attached to star as Captain Nemo in a planned remake of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The film is slated to film later this year in Australia.
Credit: PWinsider.com
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That’s all for today’s Wrestling News Digest. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another easy to digest batch! Or, subscribe to our blog feed to get the latest Wrestling News, as well as our columns and podcasts, delivered right to your favorite feedreader. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact the Pinfall Recall team on the forums or by emailing them directly through the links below.
Cliff Karklin (CK) - CK@PinfallRecall.com
Joshua George (JG) - JG@PinfallRecall.com
Robby Boydstun (RDB) - RDB@PinfallRecall.com
Milo Taibi (Milo) - Milo@PinfallRecall.com
Wrestling News Digest 5/1/09: Vince talks to shareholders, Info of Kurt Angle’s WWE release, Batista in Pacquiao’s corner on Saturday night, and more
WWE
Vince McMahon discusses Playboy, a new TV program, MMA, more
- Here are some notes from the WWE Annual Shareholders Meeting held today:
- Vince McMahon said that Playboy wanted to work with WWE again this year, but Vince turned down the offer because of WWE’s new “PG environment”.
- A shareholder asked if “Mr. McMahon” could be the person who ends The Undertaker’s Wrestlemania undefeated streak. Vince McMahon said that him ending the streak would probably anger a lot of people, so it’s unlikely to happen.
- Vince McMahon said that he is not interested in running an MMA promotion.
- Vince McMahon said that WWE is looking into creating a Wednesday night TV program. He feels that it would not be overexposure due to the huge number of TV stations available & that being on TV every weeknight would make it easier for the fans to follow along with the storylines or catch up if they miss any of the TV shows.
To read the rest go here
Credit: 411mania.com
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TNA
Roxxi released
- TNA Wrestling released Roxxi yesterday, according to several sources. As previously noted on PWInsider.com in our Elite section, Roxxi and Rhaka Khan had been serving a 60 days suspension following a backstage issue that became physical several weeks back at an Impact taping.
Credit: PWinsider.com
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Article detailing Kurt Angle’s WWE release
- The Miami Herald has a fantastic article up on what happened back in 2006 when Kurt Angle was released from WWE following his suspension. The article reveals a lot about the inner workings of WWE’s Wellness Policy and such. Check out the article here.
Credit: 411mania.com
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ROH
Little Guido to wrestle with ROH
- Former WWE and ECW star Little Guido will work the June 13th Ring of Honor return to the Hammerstein Ballroom.
Credit: 411mania.com
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Other
Ric and Reid Flair to appear at wrestling event for police department
- The Shelby Star out of North Carolina has an article up about Ric and Reid Flair being set to appear at the Shelby Rec Center for an independent wrestling card designed to raise funds for future Shelby City Parks and Recreation projects and the Shelby Police Department. The show is scheduled for Saturday. Check out the article here.
Credit: 411mania.com
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Steve McMichael going to a HOF, Batista in Pacquiao’s corner for Saturday night fight
- Four Horsemen member and former football great Steve “Mongo” McMichael will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame this year.
- Batista will be accompanying Manny Pacquiao to the ring for his fight against Ricky Hatton.
Credit: PWinsider.com
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That’s all for today’s Wrestling News Digest. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another easy to digest batch! Or, subscribe to our blog feed to get the latest Wrestling News, as well as our columns and podcasts, delivered right to your favorite feedreader. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact the Pinfall Recall team on the forums or by emailing them directly through the links below.
Cliff Karklin (CK) - CK@PinfallRecall.com
Joshua George (JG) - JG@PinfallRecall.com
Robby Boydstun (RDB) - RDB@PinfallRecall.com
Milo Taibi (Milo) - Milo@PinfallRecall.com
Wrestling News Digest 4/30/09: Superstars and iMPACT previews, ROH Newswire, Elix Skipper’s son murdered, and more
WWE
WWE Superstars preview
- Taped for tonight on Superstars:
- Carlito vs. Ted DiBiase.
- Evan Bourne vs. Paul Burchill.
- Gail Kim & Maria vs. Michelle McCool & Alicia Fox
Credit: PWinsider.com
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TNA
iMPACT preview
- The following is the final line-up for tonight’s TNA iMPACT! show on Spike TV:
- Amazing Red & Suicide vs. Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley (Tag Tourney - Round 1)
- Homicide vs. Brutus Magnus vs. Doug Williams
- Awesome Kong vs. Madison Rayne (Stretcher Match)
- Abyss vs. Cody Deaner
- Samoa Joe & AJ Styles vs. Kevin Nash & Booker T
Credit: wrestlezone.com
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ROH
Ring of Honor April 30th Newswire
- ROH officials received signed contracts back from Prince Nana for May 8th in Boston and a Six-Man Tag Team match has been added to the card. The team of Brent Albright, Erick Stevens, and Colt “Boom Boom” Cabana will oppose Nana’s force of the crown jewel, Jimmy Rave, Claudio Castagnoli, and Joey Ryan! It turns out that the voicemail message at the end of the most recent ROH Videowire at http://www.rohvideos.com/watch?v=YIVZg5BlP-A was indeed Joey Ryan letting Nana know that he’s on board with the Embassy; and to that end he will bring the sleaze to Boston and Edison along side Rave, Dirty Ernie, Castagnoli, and Nana! This also means that Nana will be in Ryan’s corner in Edison on May 9th as he takes on Cabana in a singles contest!
- ROH officials are happy to announce that we have come to terms with Nick and Matt Jackson – collectively known as The Young Bucks. This incredibly exciting tag team will make their ROH debut in Philadelphia on May 29th and 30th as part of the next set of Ring of Honor on HDNet National Television Tapings. The Bucks will also compete on June 12th in Manassas, VA and on June 13th at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. ROH’s tag team division is about to get hotter!
- ROH officials are in negotiations to bring a high profile talent to Toronto when Ring of Honor returns to Canada on July 24th and 25th and the Ted Reeve Arena. As already announced, ROH Ambassador “Nature Boy” Ric Flair will appear on July 25th. We will keep you posted as information becomes available.
- Don’t forget you can catch up with Ring of Honor on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/rohonhdnet. See what is going on minute-by-minute in ROH on Twitter.
- The injury bug’s bite still stings. Jon Davis of the Dark City Fight Club has been in contact with the ROH office over the past 36 hours to update us on his situation. His left wrist was completely dislocated in the tag team match against Kevin Steen and Jay Briscoe in Dayton. Doctors in Dayton reset the wrist, and advised Davis not to compete until a more thorough exam was completed. That exam was finished late Tuesday and the prognosis is unclear. It appears a tendon in his hand may have ruptured, which would require immediate surgery to repair. We will have more information in next week’s Newswire as updates come in.
- Just added to the ROH on HDNet National Television Tapings on May 29th and 30th at the Arena in Philadelphia: Tyler Black, Eddie Kingston (5/30 only); Brent Albright, Erick Stevens, Rhett Titus, Kenny King, and Austin Aries. These in addition to those talents already announced including the Young Bucks, KENTA, and ROH Ambassador “Nature Boy” Ric Flair! Tickets are on sale now at www.rohwrestling.com.
Credit: 411mania.com
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Other
Elix Skipper’s son murdered
- According to NBC 4 and The Columbus Dispatch, LeMarcus Skipper, 22, was shot and killed in his Columbus apartment. He was living with his grandmother at the time, and is the son of former WCW and TNA Champion Elix Skipper. An investigation is ongoing.
- More on the fatal shooting of Elix Skipper’s son Lemarcus, who was 22 not 21 as previously reported is now available.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/04/30/adead.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101
Police have released the name of the man who was gunned down in his Near East Side apartment after answering a knock at his door yesterday afternoon.
Lemarcus D. Skipper, 22, died shortly after he was taken to Grant Medical Center. He was shot multiple times, Sgt. Eric Pilya of the homicide squad said.
Pilya said Skipper was shot after opening the door at 3:45 p.m. at 155 N. 17th St., Apt. G. At least two men barged in and one of them fired a gun, Pilya said.
Not long after the shooting, a patrol officer caught a man at the nearby corner of N. 20th Street and Mount Vernon Avenue. Police said it appeared that he had fled the apartment, and they questioned him at headquarters.
“At this point in time we’re treating him as a witness,” Pilya said last night.
Skipper lived with his godmother, who was in the tiny apartment when the shooting occurred. She identified the man captured by police after the shooting, Pilya said.
Police said they are following up leads in order to identify the suspects. The slaying is the 27th in the city this year
Credit: 411mania.com/wrestlezone.com
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“Playboy” Buddy Rose’s cause of death
- OregonLive.com is reporting that Playboy Buddy Rose passed away due to natural causes; he was 56. This is according to the Clark County Medical Examiner’s office. You can check out the full article here.
Credit: 411mania.com
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Sonny Siaki set to donate kidney to ailing brother
- Former TNA star Sonny Siaki has been cleared to give his sick brother, Bernard, one of his kidneys. The operation is scheduled for June 5. To read more:
http://www.savebernardsiaki.org/_/Blog/Entries/2009/4/29_Donor_is_Found!_Operation_is_Set!.html
Credit: wrestlezone.com
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That’s all for today’s Wrestling News Digest. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another easy to digest batch! Or, subscribe to our blog feed to get the latest Wrestling News, as well as our columns and podcasts, delivered right to your favorite feedreader. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact the Pinfall Recall team on the forums or by emailing them directly through the links below.
Cliff Karklin (CK) - CK@PinfallRecall.com
Joshua George (JG) - JG@PinfallRecall.com
Robby Boydstun (RDB) - RDB@PinfallRecall.com
Milo Taibi (Milo) - Milo@PinfallRecall.com
Wrestling News Digest 4/28/09: Judgment Day card, TNA to pick up former WWE star, ROH injury and tapings update, and more
WWE
Judgment Day card as of now
- The following matches have been announced for the WWE Judgment Day PPV:
* ECW Title Match: Christian © vs. Jack Swagger
* WWE Title Match: Randy Orton © vs. Batista
Credit: 411mania.com
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TNA
No Slammiversary fanfest, Angelina Love cleared for action
- As of today, there are no plans for TNA to run a fanfest the weekend of Slammiversary.
- Angelina Love has been cleared to wrestle, as she is advertised on the weekend lineups.
Credit: 411mania.com
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Former WWE talent to join TNA, Bonaduce may return
- TNA Wrestling officials have reportedly reached out to former WWE star Lance Cade about joining the promotion.
The former three-time WWE tag-team champion is apparently interested in the offer, but has to first finish up some scheduled dates in Japan.
His former tag-team partner, Trevor Murdoch, has recently debuted with TNA on iMPACT! under the name “The Outlaw Jethro Holliday” and has advanced in the current tag-team tournament the promotion has going on right now.
- Danny Bonaduce said on his radio show out of Philadelphia that when his contract with Hulk Hogan’s “Celebrity Championship Wrestling” ends, there’s a good chance he’ll be back in TNA Wrestling. Jeff Jarrett has apparently claimed that the door is open for Bonaduce to return if he chooses to.
Credit: wrestlezone.com
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ROH
ROH injury report, taping news, and more
- A few injuries to report from the Mid-West loop. Roderick Strong needed 10 stitches to close a wound suffered in his ROH title bout against Jerry Lynn. Jon Davis from Dark City Fight Club suffered a dislocated wrist but still worked the next day.
- El Generico is off next weekend’s events in New Jersey and Boston due to his knee issues. Surgery is looking more and more likely.
- Announced for the 5/29 and 5/30 ROH on HD Net tapings at the ECW Arena are ROH champion Jerry Lynn, ROH Tag Team Champions The American Wolves, Ric Flair, KENTA, Jimmy Rave, Prince Nana, Colt Cabana, Brodie Lee, Roderick Strong, Kevin Steen and Jay Briscoe.
- There’s been some talk of taping some ROH on HD Net episodes in Las Vegas down the line. There are tapings set for Philadelphia through July.
- ROH currently has a Buy 3, Get 1 Free sale on DVDs, including the recent Ric Flair debut. ROH has released the Indianapolis debut on DVD as well on www.rohwrestling.com.
- There’s talk of adding a big name to the Toronto return weekend, but nothing confirmed at this time.
Credit: PWinsider.com
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That’s all for today’s Wrestling News Digest. Be sure to come back tomorrow for another easy to digest batch! Or, subscribe to our blog feed to get the latest Wrestling News, as well as our columns and podcasts, delivered right to your favorite feedreader. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact the Pinfall Recall team on the forums or by emailing them directly through the links below.
Cliff Karklin (CK) - CK@PinfallRecall.com
Joshua George (JG) - JG@PinfallRecall.com
Robby Boydstun (RDB) - RDB@PinfallRecall.com
Milo Taibi (Milo) - Milo@PinfallRecall.com