Tuesday, July 8, 2008
RD REYNOLDS INTERVIEW SCHEDULED!
Today I spoke to "The Real Deal" RD Reynolds from wrestlecrap.com. To my joy and surprise, he agreed to sit down with me and do an interview for this blog! If you have a question for the king of crap, send it to: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com ASAP!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Naked Vickie, The Rock, and buying my old crap!
It's a pretty slow day for wrestling news, but I've come across a few tidbits I couldn't help but share.
There's a rather frightening rumor going around about Vickie Guerrero posing nude in an upcoming magazine layout. Reports of this are unconfirmed and also most likely untrue. The magazine mentioned was something other than Playboy, who WWE has had a good working relationship with in the past. If Guerrero were to pose for anyone it would likely be them, and even then I highly doubt it's going to happen. Then again, this is the same company who thought lots of people really wanted to see Chyna naked.
Natalya Neidhart told friends that both Vince and Stephanie McMahon requested her to change her hair color because they thought she looked too similar to Beth Phoenix. Neidhart is naturally a brunette.
Former TNA wrestler Ron "The Truth" Killings is scheduled to be called up to the SmackDown roster any week now.
Fans of The Rock may want to think twice before purchasing his new DVD. That is, if you care about old footage not being completely authentic. As usual the WWF logo is blurred out. However, this DVD also has a few other things missing. References to "WWF" are bleeped (which I know has been done on a few other DVDs since the name change, but not all of them), and during many of Rock's promos they have totally muted the announcers' talking.
In personal wrestling news, my bank account is much lower than I remember it being the last time I checked. In an attempt to make this better, I've decided to sell off some of my old wrestling merchandise. Some of the items for sale include:
A talking Diamond Dallas Page Wrestling Buddy plush doll! WWE has released a similar product featuring its stars. Now you can pit them against DDP in a WWF/E versus WCW dream match! It may need new batteries, as its been years since I've actually used the thing.
A 1990 WWF trading card of the late, great Miss Elizabeth. The card has held up well over time and lists Miss Liz as managing Hulk Hogan. Great for collectors or fans of "The First Lady Of Wrestling."
Various wrestling action figures. Some in the box, some not. Okay, most not.
Various wrestling and non-wrestling VHS tapes. The latest in modern technology! Come on guys. I know our technology grows too fast, but I can't be the only one who still converts VHS to DVD or some other current media, can I?
The book "I was a teenage professional wrestler."
Jesse Ventura's book "I Ain't Got Time To Bleed."
Various WWF/WWE and WCW magazines.
If interested in buying any of these items from me, or if you just want to comment privately to me concerning my blog, e-mail me at: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com.
Here's hoping for another great episode of Raw.
There's a rather frightening rumor going around about Vickie Guerrero posing nude in an upcoming magazine layout. Reports of this are unconfirmed and also most likely untrue. The magazine mentioned was something other than Playboy, who WWE has had a good working relationship with in the past. If Guerrero were to pose for anyone it would likely be them, and even then I highly doubt it's going to happen. Then again, this is the same company who thought lots of people really wanted to see Chyna naked.
Natalya Neidhart told friends that both Vince and Stephanie McMahon requested her to change her hair color because they thought she looked too similar to Beth Phoenix. Neidhart is naturally a brunette.
Former TNA wrestler Ron "The Truth" Killings is scheduled to be called up to the SmackDown roster any week now.
Fans of The Rock may want to think twice before purchasing his new DVD. That is, if you care about old footage not being completely authentic. As usual the WWF logo is blurred out. However, this DVD also has a few other things missing. References to "WWF" are bleeped (which I know has been done on a few other DVDs since the name change, but not all of them), and during many of Rock's promos they have totally muted the announcers' talking.
In personal wrestling news, my bank account is much lower than I remember it being the last time I checked. In an attempt to make this better, I've decided to sell off some of my old wrestling merchandise. Some of the items for sale include:
A talking Diamond Dallas Page Wrestling Buddy plush doll! WWE has released a similar product featuring its stars. Now you can pit them against DDP in a WWF/E versus WCW dream match! It may need new batteries, as its been years since I've actually used the thing.
A 1990 WWF trading card of the late, great Miss Elizabeth. The card has held up well over time and lists Miss Liz as managing Hulk Hogan. Great for collectors or fans of "The First Lady Of Wrestling."
Various wrestling action figures. Some in the box, some not. Okay, most not.
Various wrestling and non-wrestling VHS tapes. The latest in modern technology! Come on guys. I know our technology grows too fast, but I can't be the only one who still converts VHS to DVD or some other current media, can I?
The book "I was a teenage professional wrestler."
Jesse Ventura's book "I Ain't Got Time To Bleed."
Various WWF/WWE and WCW magazines.
If interested in buying any of these items from me, or if you just want to comment privately to me concerning my blog, e-mail me at: donaldtbishop@yahoo.com.
Here's hoping for another great episode of Raw.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Virgil loves America
I know I found this image a few days too late for the fourth of July holiday, but I still couldn't resist showing it off. Carl Weathers in Rocky IV has nothing on Virgil!
Friday, July 4, 2008
news
There is said to be legit heat between SmackDown divas Michelle McCool and Natalya Neidhart due to a recent incident involving the two. McCool reportedly tried to re-teach Natalya, an eight-year wrestling veteran, how to wrestle the "WWE style." This supposedly included showing her how to properly lock up.
Currently scheduled matches for the Great American Bash pay-per-view are as follows:
CM Punk versus John Cena vesus JBL for the World title.
Mark Henry versus Tommy Dreamer for the ECW title.
Cody Rodes and Ted Dibiase Jr. versus Bob Holly and a partner of his choice (possibly Dusty Rhodes).
Edge versus Triple H for the WWE title.
Rey Mysterio versus Santino Marella.
Shawn Michaels versus Chris Jericho (possibly in a Blindfold match).
Jericho versus Michaels was confirmed on this week's Raw. The other planned matches could still change.
Mister Kennedy isn't expected to get much of a push despite his move to SmackDown.
Currently scheduled matches for the Great American Bash pay-per-view are as follows:
CM Punk versus John Cena vesus JBL for the World title.
Mark Henry versus Tommy Dreamer for the ECW title.
Cody Rodes and Ted Dibiase Jr. versus Bob Holly and a partner of his choice (possibly Dusty Rhodes).
Edge versus Triple H for the WWE title.
Rey Mysterio versus Santino Marella.
Shawn Michaels versus Chris Jericho (possibly in a Blindfold match).
Jericho versus Michaels was confirmed on this week's Raw. The other planned matches could still change.
Mister Kennedy isn't expected to get much of a push despite his move to SmackDown.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Firings, midgets, and news!
Current WWE house show listings suggest that CM Punk may hold his World title for some time, and that at least one major Raw star could soon be turning heel.
A Raw brand house show at the Wildwoods Convention Centers Ocean in Wildwood, New Jersey on Aug. 8th lists CM Punk versus Kane in a World Heavyweight Championship match. On Aug. 23rd at Madison Square Garden, CM Punk is listed as defending the World title against Batista. Kane will also be challenging Kofi Kingston for the Intercontinental championship at that same show. In Paris, France on Sept. 27th, CM Punk versus Chris Jericho is listed as the World title match.
Keep in mind that cards are always subject to changes in wrestling.
WWE.com confirmed the release of Trevor Murdoch earlier today.
The RAW overrun this week did a 4.12 quarter hour rating, suggesting that putting the title on CM Punk increased ratings.
Speaking of CM Punk, his former wrestling home Ring Of Honor is attempting to cash in on their old roster member's recent WWE success. They released the following press release concerning a special on CM Punk DVDs.
CM Punk's Legacy Of Honor
Thursday, July 03, 2008
FIND OUT HOW TO WATCH A FREE CM PUNK VS. HOMICIDE MATCH AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE.
New WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk set the wrestling world on fire with his stunning victories over Edge and JBL on Monday Night Raw. WWE fans might have been surprised, but Ring Of Honor's faithful saw Punk's greatness before everyone else. Now we are giving you an affordable opportunity to witness it all for yourself.
CM Punk was one of the forefathers of ROH. He was one of the pillars that set the standard in ROH with memorable matches, promos and happenings. Now we want all the new Punk fans to witness Punk at his best in ROH. You can't call yourself a CM Punk fan until you've seen his work in ROH.
We have chosen some special DVDs that all CM Punk fans must see. We know money is tight so now these DVDs are on sale for only $12 each at www.ROHwrestling.com for a very limited time. Not affordable enough? You can also save an additional 15-20% on your entire order at ROHwrestling.com. Check the main page of www.ROHwrestling.com for details. Here are the Punk DVDs that you need to see for yourself to know the true CM Punk. Check out these titles for under $12 each for a very limited time:
First of all, If you want a very personal look at CM Punk check out "Straight Shootin' With CM Punk & Samoa Joe" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asppoint=moreinfo&catid=200&id=1220) as these two friends talk about life on the road, their careers and much, much more.
"World Title Classic" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asppoint=moreinfo&catid=161&id=285): ROH was a struggling company at its lowest point. CM Punk stepped forward and put the promotion on his back as he challenged now TNA World Champion and then ROH World Champion Samoa Joe for the ROH Title. The result was a classic that made everyone remember that ROH does pro wrestling best."
"Death Before Dishonor II: Part 1" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1752):
CM Punk & Colt Cabana put the ROH Tag Team Titles on the line against Jay & Mark Briscoe in a 2/3 Falls Match in the main event. Why is this one significant? Not only does it spotlight Punk as one half of the ROH Tag Champs, but Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat called it the best tag match he has ever seen live. Compliments don't get any bigger than that.
"Joe vs. Punk II" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=807):
The first Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk battle for the World Title was so great that a rematch had to be signed. This one was given five stars by The Wrestling Observer Newsletter and has gone down in history. The match was so good that Mick Foley watched the entire thing from the crowd and called it one of the best bouts he's ever seen. This is can't miss for all Punk and Joe fans.
"Death Before Dishonor III" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1352):
If you only get one DVD off this list make it this one. It was supposed to be CM Punk's final night in ROH before signing with WWE. Instead, it turned into one of the most surprising situations anywhere in wrestling this decade. This special 2 DVD set was designed to be an ode to Punk with highlights of his entire stay in ROH and a great World Title Match against then Champion Austin Aries. It doesn't get more essential than this double DVD set.
"Redemption" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1450):
No one knows what is going to happen next as CM Punk's ROH World Title reign continues. Punk is faced with three of his toughest enemies when he puts the World Title on the line vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels vs. James Gibson in an epic Elimination Four Way. The end of an era starts here.
"Punk: The Final Chapter" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1451):
CM Punk finally says goodbye to ROH on this emotional farewell show. You'll see exactly how much ROH means to Punk and Punk means to ROH as the tears flow when CM Punk battles long time friend Colt Cabana in a 2/3 Falls Match.
If you are looking for a CM Punk compilation DVD then look no further. You can now get four "Best Of" DVDs at www.ROHwrestling.com focused on CM Punk as part of this special, limited time $12 sale. Don't forget, you can also save 15-20% on your entire order so these DVDs are actually less than $12 each. Check out these titles:
"Best Of CM Punk - Better Than You" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1451):
A young, brash, cocky CM Punk is highlighted on this DVD as he first makes his name in ROH. This DVD focuses on his legendary feud against Raven and also features matches vs. Homicide, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, BJ Whitmer and others.
"Best Of Second City Saints - Chicago's Elite" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=947):
CM Punk joined forces with Colt Cabana and Ace Steel to be one of ROH's greatest factions ever. This compilation focuses on tag team wars against a wide variety of opponents.
"Best Of CM Punk Vol. 2 - Straightedge" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=1101):
CM Punk's star continues to rise on this DVD. You'll see Punk's memorable feud against the legendary Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and more as he battles Raven inside a Steel Cage, AJ Styles, Bryan Danielson, Doug Williams, Steve Corino and others.
"Best Of CM Punk Vol. 3 - The Legacy Continues" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=1906):
Punk has now taken his spot on top of ROH and you'll see how important he is with highlights of his matches vs. Samoa Joe and much more including his bloody feud against Jimmy Rave.
This is only a small sampling of what Punk accomplished in ROH. Ring Of Honor will always have a special place in CM Punk's heart and career. Punk's importance to ROH is immeasurable. Now the world is finding out about CM Punk. In order to truly understand who CM Punk is and what he's done you need to witness this stuff from Ring Of Honor. Don't hesitate because these DVDs will only be $12 each (plus save an additional 15-20%) at www.ROHwrestling.com for a limited time.
NOTE: You can check out a CM Punk vs. TNA Tag Team Champion Homicide match for free at www.ROHvideos.com and on Youtube at:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Mu6-zuIRM
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYBeQ2XQM-8
-ROHwrestling.com
A strange situation involving Bret Hart took place at the 2008 induction ceremony for the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame in Waterloo, IA. Hart was present to induct his late father, Stu, into the Hall. During his speech Hart began a rant against Greg Oliver, a reporter who during an afternoon ceremony earlier that day had received the James Melby Award for wrestling journalism. Hart eventually gave an ultimatum that he would leave the ceremony if Oliver didn't. When Oliver didn't budge, Hart kept his word and left the scene to a standing ovation from the crowd. Hart has had issues with Oliver dating back five years when Oliver released his book The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Canadians. He ranked Bret Hart number fourteen in a list of the greatest Canadian wrestlers of all-time.
“He remains incensed about ranking only 14th in wrestling historian Greg Oliver’s book...Fair enough. The book is wildly Ontario-centric and Oliver even ranks Sky Low Low above Bret...Bret acknowledges this obsessive, angry side of his personality, but he’s trying to change,” wrote Heath McCoy about Bret Hart in her book Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. McCoy was also part of a panel writing a book about Chris Benoit along with Greg Oliver.
TNA will be sending A.J. Styles, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley and either Curry Man or Johnny Devine to the 7/25 Arena Mexico show as part of the exchange that had CMLL wrestlers working the World X Cup. All TNA stars will only be working one date.
On July 1st, Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea appeared on the radio show Bubba the Love Sponge to discuss his ex-wife Linda, and getting pulled over by police a few weeks back on suspicion of an injunction violation. Nobody has currently found any evidence that an injunction exists, despite contrary claims from Linda Bollea. "The Hulkster" said that his daughter Brooke called him on the phone after finding Linda's new lover living at the house, and also driving one of Terry Bollea's Harley Davidson motorcycles, which he said was currently uninsured.
Scott Hall no-showed a wrestling show in Panama.
In an interview with the Poughkeepsie Journal, former WWE writer Chris Bell said he thought Vince McMahon has been responsible in trying to get wrestlers away from heavy drug use. Keep in mind the question was specifically asked of the period following the death of Eddy Guerrero. Bell brought up that Randy Orton and Chris Masters both had their names linked in a drug investigation, but that only one was fired from the company while the other was promoted to the World title level at essentially the same time. Bell then defended McMahon for "always being under the microscope" of the mainstream media, and blamed drug problems in wrestling on poor personal responsibility. He said every major sports organization should have a single doctor responsible for all prescriptions on the road, which WWE has just started doing. Bell closed the interview by suggesting Vickie Guerrero should have a job backstage with WWE, rather than an on-camera role.
The Fight Network is talking about doing a wrestling comedy show tentatively titled "Citizen Pain." Rumors circulating would have Al Snow starring as a wrestling booker and owner of a regional territory (his character would be modeled after Jerry Lawler). Rich Landrum, who announced wrestling in the 70s and early 80s for Crockett Promotions before Tony Schiavone was hired, is rumored to play the TV wrestling announcer role.
Robin Williams attended the Lucha Va Voom show on June 29th in San Francisco that drew an advanced sellout of 1,100 fans. The show also had Dana Gould (Produced of “The Simpsons”) as in-house announcer. Mexican exoticos Pimpinela Escarlata and Cassandro were the stars of the show, which featured music, strippers and a midget wrestler called Lil Chicken doing an 18-foot balcony dive.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! I'll see you all next update.
A Raw brand house show at the Wildwoods Convention Centers Ocean in Wildwood, New Jersey on Aug. 8th lists CM Punk versus Kane in a World Heavyweight Championship match. On Aug. 23rd at Madison Square Garden, CM Punk is listed as defending the World title against Batista. Kane will also be challenging Kofi Kingston for the Intercontinental championship at that same show. In Paris, France on Sept. 27th, CM Punk versus Chris Jericho is listed as the World title match.
Keep in mind that cards are always subject to changes in wrestling.
WWE.com confirmed the release of Trevor Murdoch earlier today.
The RAW overrun this week did a 4.12 quarter hour rating, suggesting that putting the title on CM Punk increased ratings.
Speaking of CM Punk, his former wrestling home Ring Of Honor is attempting to cash in on their old roster member's recent WWE success. They released the following press release concerning a special on CM Punk DVDs.
CM Punk's Legacy Of Honor
Thursday, July 03, 2008
FIND OUT HOW TO WATCH A FREE CM PUNK VS. HOMICIDE MATCH AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE.
New WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk set the wrestling world on fire with his stunning victories over Edge and JBL on Monday Night Raw. WWE fans might have been surprised, but Ring Of Honor's faithful saw Punk's greatness before everyone else. Now we are giving you an affordable opportunity to witness it all for yourself.
CM Punk was one of the forefathers of ROH. He was one of the pillars that set the standard in ROH with memorable matches, promos and happenings. Now we want all the new Punk fans to witness Punk at his best in ROH. You can't call yourself a CM Punk fan until you've seen his work in ROH.
We have chosen some special DVDs that all CM Punk fans must see. We know money is tight so now these DVDs are on sale for only $12 each at www.ROHwrestling.com for a very limited time. Not affordable enough? You can also save an additional 15-20% on your entire order at ROHwrestling.com. Check the main page of www.ROHwrestling.com for details. Here are the Punk DVDs that you need to see for yourself to know the true CM Punk. Check out these titles for under $12 each for a very limited time:
First of all, If you want a very personal look at CM Punk check out "Straight Shootin' With CM Punk & Samoa Joe" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asppoint=moreinfo&catid=200&id=1220) as these two friends talk about life on the road, their careers and much, much more.
"World Title Classic" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asppoint=moreinfo&catid=161&id=285): ROH was a struggling company at its lowest point. CM Punk stepped forward and put the promotion on his back as he challenged now TNA World Champion and then ROH World Champion Samoa Joe for the ROH Title. The result was a classic that made everyone remember that ROH does pro wrestling best."
"Death Before Dishonor II: Part 1" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1752):
CM Punk & Colt Cabana put the ROH Tag Team Titles on the line against Jay & Mark Briscoe in a 2/3 Falls Match in the main event. Why is this one significant? Not only does it spotlight Punk as one half of the ROH Tag Champs, but Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat called it the best tag match he has ever seen live. Compliments don't get any bigger than that.
"Joe vs. Punk II" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=807):
The first Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk battle for the World Title was so great that a rematch had to be signed. This one was given five stars by The Wrestling Observer Newsletter and has gone down in history. The match was so good that Mick Foley watched the entire thing from the crowd and called it one of the best bouts he's ever seen. This is can't miss for all Punk and Joe fans.
"Death Before Dishonor III" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1352):
If you only get one DVD off this list make it this one. It was supposed to be CM Punk's final night in ROH before signing with WWE. Instead, it turned into one of the most surprising situations anywhere in wrestling this decade. This special 2 DVD set was designed to be an ode to Punk with highlights of his entire stay in ROH and a great World Title Match against then Champion Austin Aries. It doesn't get more essential than this double DVD set.
"Redemption" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1450):
No one knows what is going to happen next as CM Punk's ROH World Title reign continues. Punk is faced with three of his toughest enemies when he puts the World Title on the line vs. Samoa Joe vs. Christopher Daniels vs. James Gibson in an epic Elimination Four Way. The end of an era starts here.
"Punk: The Final Chapter" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1451):
CM Punk finally says goodbye to ROH on this emotional farewell show. You'll see exactly how much ROH means to Punk and Punk means to ROH as the tears flow when CM Punk battles long time friend Colt Cabana in a 2/3 Falls Match.
If you are looking for a CM Punk compilation DVD then look no further. You can now get four "Best Of" DVDs at www.ROHwrestling.com focused on CM Punk as part of this special, limited time $12 sale. Don't forget, you can also save 15-20% on your entire order so these DVDs are actually less than $12 each. Check out these titles:
"Best Of CM Punk - Better Than You" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=161&id=1451):
A young, brash, cocky CM Punk is highlighted on this DVD as he first makes his name in ROH. This DVD focuses on his legendary feud against Raven and also features matches vs. Homicide, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, BJ Whitmer and others.
"Best Of Second City Saints - Chicago's Elite" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=947):
CM Punk joined forces with Colt Cabana and Ace Steel to be one of ROH's greatest factions ever. This compilation focuses on tag team wars against a wide variety of opponents.
"Best Of CM Punk Vol. 2 - Straightedge" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=1101):
CM Punk's star continues to rise on this DVD. You'll see Punk's memorable feud against the legendary Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat and more as he battles Raven inside a Steel Cage, AJ Styles, Bryan Danielson, Doug Williams, Steve Corino and others.
"Best Of CM Punk Vol. 3 - The Legacy Continues" (http://www.rohwrestling.com/shoponline.asp?point=moreinfo&catid=186&id=1906):
Punk has now taken his spot on top of ROH and you'll see how important he is with highlights of his matches vs. Samoa Joe and much more including his bloody feud against Jimmy Rave.
This is only a small sampling of what Punk accomplished in ROH. Ring Of Honor will always have a special place in CM Punk's heart and career. Punk's importance to ROH is immeasurable. Now the world is finding out about CM Punk. In order to truly understand who CM Punk is and what he's done you need to witness this stuff from Ring Of Honor. Don't hesitate because these DVDs will only be $12 each (plus save an additional 15-20%) at www.ROHwrestling.com for a limited time.
NOTE: You can check out a CM Punk vs. TNA Tag Team Champion Homicide match for free at www.ROHvideos.com and on Youtube at:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Mu6-zuIRM
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYBeQ2XQM-8
-ROHwrestling.com
A strange situation involving Bret Hart took place at the 2008 induction ceremony for the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame in Waterloo, IA. Hart was present to induct his late father, Stu, into the Hall. During his speech Hart began a rant against Greg Oliver, a reporter who during an afternoon ceremony earlier that day had received the James Melby Award for wrestling journalism. Hart eventually gave an ultimatum that he would leave the ceremony if Oliver didn't. When Oliver didn't budge, Hart kept his word and left the scene to a standing ovation from the crowd. Hart has had issues with Oliver dating back five years when Oliver released his book The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame: The Canadians. He ranked Bret Hart number fourteen in a list of the greatest Canadian wrestlers of all-time.
“He remains incensed about ranking only 14th in wrestling historian Greg Oliver’s book...Fair enough. The book is wildly Ontario-centric and Oliver even ranks Sky Low Low above Bret...Bret acknowledges this obsessive, angry side of his personality, but he’s trying to change,” wrote Heath McCoy about Bret Hart in her book Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling. McCoy was also part of a panel writing a book about Chris Benoit along with Greg Oliver.
TNA will be sending A.J. Styles, Jay Lethal, Sonjay Dutt, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley and either Curry Man or Johnny Devine to the 7/25 Arena Mexico show as part of the exchange that had CMLL wrestlers working the World X Cup. All TNA stars will only be working one date.
On July 1st, Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea appeared on the radio show Bubba the Love Sponge to discuss his ex-wife Linda, and getting pulled over by police a few weeks back on suspicion of an injunction violation. Nobody has currently found any evidence that an injunction exists, despite contrary claims from Linda Bollea. "The Hulkster" said that his daughter Brooke called him on the phone after finding Linda's new lover living at the house, and also driving one of Terry Bollea's Harley Davidson motorcycles, which he said was currently uninsured.
Scott Hall no-showed a wrestling show in Panama.
In an interview with the Poughkeepsie Journal, former WWE writer Chris Bell said he thought Vince McMahon has been responsible in trying to get wrestlers away from heavy drug use. Keep in mind the question was specifically asked of the period following the death of Eddy Guerrero. Bell brought up that Randy Orton and Chris Masters both had their names linked in a drug investigation, but that only one was fired from the company while the other was promoted to the World title level at essentially the same time. Bell then defended McMahon for "always being under the microscope" of the mainstream media, and blamed drug problems in wrestling on poor personal responsibility. He said every major sports organization should have a single doctor responsible for all prescriptions on the road, which WWE has just started doing. Bell closed the interview by suggesting Vickie Guerrero should have a job backstage with WWE, rather than an on-camera role.
The Fight Network is talking about doing a wrestling comedy show tentatively titled "Citizen Pain." Rumors circulating would have Al Snow starring as a wrestling booker and owner of a regional territory (his character would be modeled after Jerry Lawler). Rich Landrum, who announced wrestling in the 70s and early 80s for Crockett Promotions before Tony Schiavone was hired, is rumored to play the TV wrestling announcer role.
Robin Williams attended the Lucha Va Voom show on June 29th in San Francisco that drew an advanced sellout of 1,100 fans. The show also had Dana Gould (Produced of “The Simpsons”) as in-house announcer. Mexican exoticos Pimpinela Escarlata and Cassandro were the stars of the show, which featured music, strippers and a midget wrestler called Lil Chicken doing an 18-foot balcony dive.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! I'll see you all next update.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
WWE news
Brian Kendrick is said to be held in high regard by WWE agents and producers. Observers say he has a better approach and attitude than Paul London, who is considered an inconsistent performer and a "heat magnet" behind the scenes.
Wal-Mart has begun selling WWE DVDs called "Branded Classics." These are the UK's "Tagged Classics" put out for the American market. Some of the available DVDs in the "Branded Classics" series include the 2003 Royal Rumble and 2003 No Way Out, both of which heavily feature Chris Benoit. 2003 Backlash and Judgement Day are also available. Pretty much every WWE pay-per-view up to 1999 has been released as a Tagged Classic in the UK. Theirs have no music edits and no WWF logo blurs, but they are otherwise edited. I don't know if the American DVDs will be given the same treatment.
Ashley Massaro has requested her release from WWE due to her daughter being very ill.
In the wake of CM Punk's title win on Raw, this week's edition of ECW did a 1.4 cable rating, which is rounded up from a 1.38. The previous week's show did a 1.18, up from a 1.0 the week before that.
WWE is considering making SmackDown live once a month, specifically on Friday's before a pay-per-view. WWE hopes that this will freshen up the show and help boost ratings. However, Jim Ross said in his blog that he thinks the Friday before WrestleMania 25 will end up being the only time the live SmackDown idea actually happens. According to him, people who currently read TV spoilers only make up a small percentage of the regular audience. WWE has confirmed that they will be holding a live SmackDown in Houston, Texas the Friday before WrestleMania 25. This means another huge week for wrestling fans. It'll be a SmackDown on Friday night at the Toyota Center, the Hall Of Fame ceremony on Saturday night at the Toyota Center, WrestleMania on Sunday at the Reliant Stadium, and RAW back at the Toyota Center on Monday.
Melina broke her heel when she took a hard fall during an inter-promotional Divas tag team match on Raw. She's expected to be out for five months.
Wal-Mart has begun selling WWE DVDs called "Branded Classics." These are the UK's "Tagged Classics" put out for the American market. Some of the available DVDs in the "Branded Classics" series include the 2003 Royal Rumble and 2003 No Way Out, both of which heavily feature Chris Benoit. 2003 Backlash and Judgement Day are also available. Pretty much every WWE pay-per-view up to 1999 has been released as a Tagged Classic in the UK. Theirs have no music edits and no WWF logo blurs, but they are otherwise edited. I don't know if the American DVDs will be given the same treatment.
Ashley Massaro has requested her release from WWE due to her daughter being very ill.
In the wake of CM Punk's title win on Raw, this week's edition of ECW did a 1.4 cable rating, which is rounded up from a 1.38. The previous week's show did a 1.18, up from a 1.0 the week before that.
WWE is considering making SmackDown live once a month, specifically on Friday's before a pay-per-view. WWE hopes that this will freshen up the show and help boost ratings. However, Jim Ross said in his blog that he thinks the Friday before WrestleMania 25 will end up being the only time the live SmackDown idea actually happens. According to him, people who currently read TV spoilers only make up a small percentage of the regular audience. WWE has confirmed that they will be holding a live SmackDown in Houston, Texas the Friday before WrestleMania 25. This means another huge week for wrestling fans. It'll be a SmackDown on Friday night at the Toyota Center, the Hall Of Fame ceremony on Saturday night at the Toyota Center, WrestleMania on Sunday at the Reliant Stadium, and RAW back at the Toyota Center on Monday.
Melina broke her heel when she took a hard fall during an inter-promotional Divas tag team match on Raw. She's expected to be out for five months.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
CM Punk, Mr. Perfect, and Mike Austin.
The biggest post-Raw news item is unquestionably CM Punk's winning of the World title. If WWE's intent behind Punk wearing the big gold belt is to get fans interested in or talking about their product, mission accomplished! I personally didn't once change the channel off Raw after I saw Punk's segment, and this morning at my day job the few other wrestling fans in the building were discussing Raw for the first time in weeks and dropping Punk's name for probably the first time ever. The possibility of JBL capturing the belt the same night also kept me in suspense. At least until the familiar "deck stacked against the champion" cliche snuck its way into the program's writing and gave away the finish of the main event.
Punk's title win was a "too good to be true" moment for wrestling fans who have grown tired of WWE's by-the-numbers writing style. Pulling a WrestleMania IX (only in reverse considering Punk's weight and the face/heel role reversals) seemed like a move WWE would make. A slap back to reality, if you will. With WWE creative starting to think outside of the box, the big question now becomes: Where does CM Punk and WWE go from here?
That answer will likely depend heavily on the result of last night's Raw rating. Meanwhile, the top challengers for Punk's belt are logically JBL, John Cena, Batista, and former champion Edge. Edge is certain to continue his feud with The Undertaker on SmackDown at some point. Batista would have to turn heel for a match against Punk to work, according to one of the first rules of wrestling. The same goes for John Cena. However, Cena and JBL appear to once again be entering into a feud with one another. They don't need the World title to make that feud work, but it's quite possible one of them will get it by the next pay-per-view anyway. Regardless of how long his title reign lasts, hardcore CM Punk fans will surely feel the end came too soon.
A few other things have happened as a result of this move, by the way. The Raw brand once again has a Heavyweight championship, and the Money In The Bank storyline has now been concluded. At least until next year's WrestleMania when the match will more than likely take place again. Also, CM Punk is now the only man to hold the ECW, ROH and WCW/World titles.
Moving on to other wrestling news...
Here is the lineup for the upcoming two-disc Mr. Perfect DVD, courtesy of Silver Vision.
Disc 1:
Perfection
Twin City Origins
Building a Path
AWA
Mr. Perfect
Living up to His Name
Intercontinental Champion
The Prankster
Commentator
WCW
Return to the WWE
A Sudden Tragedy
Hall of Fame
The Perfect Legacy Lives On
Matches:
Curt Hennig vs. Eddie Gilbert
Madison Square Garden (21/11/82)
Curt Hennig and Scott Hall vs. Steve Regal and Jimmy Garvin
AWA Championship Wrestling (26/11/85)
Mr. Perfect Hall of Fame Induction
WWE Hall of Fame (31/03/07)
“Rap is Crap” Music Video
Vignettes:
Billiards October 1, 1988
Golf – Perfect Putt October 1, 1988
Darts October 8, 1988
Bowling October 8, 1988
Chess October 15, 1988
Basketball October 15, 1988
Ping Pong October 28, 1989
Diving November 4, 1989
Golf – Perfect Drive November 4, 1989
Horseshoes November 24, 1989
Baseball with Wade Boggs December 26, 1992
Football – Perfect Passer with Steve Jordan February 13, 1993
Basketball with Felton Spencer February 27, 1993
Hockey with Mike Modano March 13, 1993
Stories:
Curt Loved Karaoke
Disc 2:
60-Minute Time Limit AWA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Curt Hennig vs. Nick Bockwinkel
AWA Championship Wrestling (15/11/86)
Curt Hennig vs. Terry Taylor
Commentary By: Michael Cole and Mick Foley
WrestleFest (31/07/88)
Mr. Perfect vs. Bret Hart
Madison Square Garden (24/04/89)
WWE Championship Match
Mr. Perfect vs. Hulk Hogan
Madison Square Garden (15/01/90)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match with Special Referee Roddy Piper
Mr. Perfect vs. The Texas Tornado
Madison Square Garden (24/11/90)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect
SummerSlam (26/08/91)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Mr. Perfect vs. Shawn Michaels
SummerSlam (30/08/93)
Curt Hennig vs. Bret Hart
Uncensored (15/03/98)
The lineup is rather iffy, in my opinion. The rare AWA matches were a great inclusion, and Hennig's matches against Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels are definite classics. You also can't go wrong with the "Rap Is Crap" video or the sports vignettes. On the downside, there isn't nearly enough WCW footage. Hennig was a member of the NWO and a United States champion there, for crying out loud! WWE is also forgetting about Hennig's brief return to the company in 2002 before his death. They could at least show his final WWE match against Matt Hardy. There are also no matches involving any of Hennig's Intercontinental title wins, or any of his classic matches against Ric Flair. If you're a big enough fan of Mister Perfect's character though, you'll probably still get plenty of enjoyment out of this set.
Promoters in Peru are outraged that Triple H is no longer a part of the upcoming Raw tour, since they built all their advertising around him.
WrestleMania XXV tickets are going on sale September 20th.
WWE has apparently lost a few people in talent relations as well as corporate recently, which could explain the recent lack of communication with talent concerning the brand switches.
Vince McMahon was present at the WrestleMania press conference in Houston, but never appeared before the people because he was still selling his injury angle. A few local area papers in Houston reported that he'd been seriously injured when the scaffold fell on him on Raw.
Batista got several stitches following Raw. He went head-first into Edge. Both wrestlers were otherwise reported to be okay.
The plan to tape ECW before Raw has been pushed back to September.
Indiana wrestler "Even Colder" Mike Austin is still at large after impersonating "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at a Wal-Mart autograph signing. The WCWO promotion Mike Austin performs for claims Austin was sent to Wal-Mart to promote an upcoming indy show, but once there he began charging unsuspecting "Stone Cold" fans $10.00 USD for photos and autographs before fleeing with the fans' cash. An unidentified man acting as the imposter's manager at the signing told police the Wal-Mart knew his accomplice wasn't Steve Austin, but claims they still allowed him to sign autographs. Wal-Mart officials said they suspected something was off when "Steve Austin" showed up to the event with no security or police flanking him. They notified police once they believed the man at the signing wasn't the real deal. Ironically, a few years ago the real "Stone Cold" judged a "Steve Austin look-a-like" contest, which was won by his future doppleganger. Police are continuing to investigate the matter along with help from World Wrestling Entertainment.
SOURCES FOR THIS ENTRY: F4W newsletter
Punk's title win was a "too good to be true" moment for wrestling fans who have grown tired of WWE's by-the-numbers writing style. Pulling a WrestleMania IX (only in reverse considering Punk's weight and the face/heel role reversals) seemed like a move WWE would make. A slap back to reality, if you will. With WWE creative starting to think outside of the box, the big question now becomes: Where does CM Punk and WWE go from here?
That answer will likely depend heavily on the result of last night's Raw rating. Meanwhile, the top challengers for Punk's belt are logically JBL, John Cena, Batista, and former champion Edge. Edge is certain to continue his feud with The Undertaker on SmackDown at some point. Batista would have to turn heel for a match against Punk to work, according to one of the first rules of wrestling. The same goes for John Cena. However, Cena and JBL appear to once again be entering into a feud with one another. They don't need the World title to make that feud work, but it's quite possible one of them will get it by the next pay-per-view anyway. Regardless of how long his title reign lasts, hardcore CM Punk fans will surely feel the end came too soon.
A few other things have happened as a result of this move, by the way. The Raw brand once again has a Heavyweight championship, and the Money In The Bank storyline has now been concluded. At least until next year's WrestleMania when the match will more than likely take place again. Also, CM Punk is now the only man to hold the ECW, ROH and WCW/World titles.
Moving on to other wrestling news...
Here is the lineup for the upcoming two-disc Mr. Perfect DVD, courtesy of Silver Vision.
Disc 1:
Perfection
Twin City Origins
Building a Path
AWA
Mr. Perfect
Living up to His Name
Intercontinental Champion
The Prankster
Commentator
WCW
Return to the WWE
A Sudden Tragedy
Hall of Fame
The Perfect Legacy Lives On
Matches:
Curt Hennig vs. Eddie Gilbert
Madison Square Garden (21/11/82)
Curt Hennig and Scott Hall vs. Steve Regal and Jimmy Garvin
AWA Championship Wrestling (26/11/85)
Mr. Perfect Hall of Fame Induction
WWE Hall of Fame (31/03/07)
“Rap is Crap” Music Video
Vignettes:
Billiards October 1, 1988
Golf – Perfect Putt October 1, 1988
Darts October 8, 1988
Bowling October 8, 1988
Chess October 15, 1988
Basketball October 15, 1988
Ping Pong October 28, 1989
Diving November 4, 1989
Golf – Perfect Drive November 4, 1989
Horseshoes November 24, 1989
Baseball with Wade Boggs December 26, 1992
Football – Perfect Passer with Steve Jordan February 13, 1993
Basketball with Felton Spencer February 27, 1993
Hockey with Mike Modano March 13, 1993
Stories:
Curt Loved Karaoke
Disc 2:
60-Minute Time Limit AWA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Curt Hennig vs. Nick Bockwinkel
AWA Championship Wrestling (15/11/86)
Curt Hennig vs. Terry Taylor
Commentary By: Michael Cole and Mick Foley
WrestleFest (31/07/88)
Mr. Perfect vs. Bret Hart
Madison Square Garden (24/04/89)
WWE Championship Match
Mr. Perfect vs. Hulk Hogan
Madison Square Garden (15/01/90)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match with Special Referee Roddy Piper
Mr. Perfect vs. The Texas Tornado
Madison Square Garden (24/11/90)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect
SummerSlam (26/08/91)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Mr. Perfect vs. Shawn Michaels
SummerSlam (30/08/93)
Curt Hennig vs. Bret Hart
Uncensored (15/03/98)
The lineup is rather iffy, in my opinion. The rare AWA matches were a great inclusion, and Hennig's matches against Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels are definite classics. You also can't go wrong with the "Rap Is Crap" video or the sports vignettes. On the downside, there isn't nearly enough WCW footage. Hennig was a member of the NWO and a United States champion there, for crying out loud! WWE is also forgetting about Hennig's brief return to the company in 2002 before his death. They could at least show his final WWE match against Matt Hardy. There are also no matches involving any of Hennig's Intercontinental title wins, or any of his classic matches against Ric Flair. If you're a big enough fan of Mister Perfect's character though, you'll probably still get plenty of enjoyment out of this set.
Promoters in Peru are outraged that Triple H is no longer a part of the upcoming Raw tour, since they built all their advertising around him.
WrestleMania XXV tickets are going on sale September 20th.
WWE has apparently lost a few people in talent relations as well as corporate recently, which could explain the recent lack of communication with talent concerning the brand switches.
Vince McMahon was present at the WrestleMania press conference in Houston, but never appeared before the people because he was still selling his injury angle. A few local area papers in Houston reported that he'd been seriously injured when the scaffold fell on him on Raw.
Batista got several stitches following Raw. He went head-first into Edge. Both wrestlers were otherwise reported to be okay.
The plan to tape ECW before Raw has been pushed back to September.
Indiana wrestler "Even Colder" Mike Austin is still at large after impersonating "Stone Cold" Steve Austin at a Wal-Mart autograph signing. The WCWO promotion Mike Austin performs for claims Austin was sent to Wal-Mart to promote an upcoming indy show, but once there he began charging unsuspecting "Stone Cold" fans $10.00 USD for photos and autographs before fleeing with the fans' cash. An unidentified man acting as the imposter's manager at the signing told police the Wal-Mart knew his accomplice wasn't Steve Austin, but claims they still allowed him to sign autographs. Wal-Mart officials said they suspected something was off when "Steve Austin" showed up to the event with no security or police flanking him. They notified police once they believed the man at the signing wasn't the real deal. Ironically, a few years ago the real "Stone Cold" judged a "Steve Austin look-a-like" contest, which was won by his future doppleganger. Police are continuing to investigate the matter along with help from World Wrestling Entertainment.
SOURCES FOR THIS ENTRY: F4W newsletter
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