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Chris Jericho’s 10 Favorite Things. Bad Review on WWE Studio’s No One Lives, WWE Tries to Trademark XFL.

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– WWE is trying to register the trademark for XFL. They have an existing live application  filed in 2009,  under XFL LLC. It is still pending, as WWE has not provided a customary ‘Statement of Use’ for the trademark. The difference is the new application is for use in wrestling and football.

– The Toronto Star has a review of WWE Studios’ No One Lives, which played this weekend at the Toronto International Film Festival and tt wasn’t favorable. Here’s part of what they wrote:

“While parts of it are deliberately campy, the low-budget production veers onto the amateurish and some of the jump cuts make it look like it was edited with a switchblade. Or make that a butter knife.”

– Former WWE star Chris Jericho revealed his 10 favorite things in an interview with Alter the Press:

VIDEO: TMZ TV Talks about Triple H’s Haircut, WWE Features Wade Barrett.

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– TMZ TV posted the following video covering Triple H’s new haircut.

Related Articles (Opens in a new window)
– Photos: Triple H Has A New Short Haircut
– POLL: Which Triple H Do You Like Best?

http://youtu.be/mKd8gEWlWk4

– WWE.com posted an article about Wade Barrett’s return in “Superstar Spotlight”

“Barrett has always remains unchanged in his perpetual search for domination. As long as there is authority, Wade Barrett will be there to not only challenge it, but also uproot it and attempt to take its place. As long as this bare-knuckled Brit is on the prowl, the world of WWE is just a little less safe than it once was.

Following a partially dislocated elbow that kept him out of action for nearly seven months, a reinvigorated Barrett made his intense return to WWE. The English Superstar used his downtime to get back to basics and “reignite the flame” – presumably through participation in the sort of bare-knuckle boxing he took part in early in his past. Picking up a microphone, he served notice to the WWE Universe that he was “open for business.” Whatever that meant, it was sure to spell disaster for anyone who stepped in his way.”

 

 

Paul Heyman Pro CM Punk On Twitter, VIDEO: Otunga & Hudson On Oprah

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– Paul Heyman has began posting and re-tweeting positive comments for WWE Champion
CM Punk on Twitter.

– WWE Superstar David Otunga  and fiancee Jennifer Hudson will appear for a sit down interview on Oprah’s Next Chapter:

Sound Off 236: It Is Finally Time To Move Ryback To Phase 2?

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DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 236)
*right-click, “Save As”, or stream it!

Est. Runtime: 1 hour, 13 minutes

Solomonster talks about the new Punk/Heyman alliance and whether they should add anyone else, the pussification of pro wrestling with all these threats of storyline lawsuits, why it’s time to pull the trigger with Ryback and who his next opponent should be, Bully Ray’s status with TNA confirmed, No Surrender predictions, the fall of cage matches, a rant on WWE banning Orton’s punt kick, and will fans dress up as Cena and Orton in 20 years the way they do now with stars like Hogan and Savage?

Want your question on the air? Send feedback to [email protected].

Wanna subscribe to the Sound Off via iTunes? CLICK HERE!

Visit The Solomonster on Twitter @ twitter.com/solomonster

Friend The Solomonster on Facebook @ facebook.com/thesolomonster

Subscribe to The Solomonster on YouTube @ TheSolomonster

Creative Commons License
Solomonster Sounds Off by The Solomonster is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Glenn Jacobs Says Kane Is Everything He’s Not; How He’s Been Able To Last In Professional Wrestling

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Speaking to Times of India, Glenn Jacobs says he’s not at all like his sadistic Kane character in real life.

“Kane is everything I’m not,” he said. “But also, I think that what has always drawn people to Kane is that he has an emotional depth. The presentation is awesome, he’s a great character. All the things he says, people always see that there’s something behind that and that’s what they relate to. I’m pretty much the opposite. I’m not Kane for sure.”

Jacobs, who portrayed a character similar to Kane in the 2006 slasher film See No Evil, feels his involvement with wrestling taught him how to act.

He said, “I don’t know if wrestling naturally progresses to acting. It depends on the individual. You have Dwayne (Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson) who’s probably doing the best of everybody, but it’s hard to say if it’s a natural thing that happens after wrestling. Of course, acting is what we do as part of the entertainment. In fact, we are more like a live action soap opera. I wore a mask for most of my career, but that helped me with certain skills that people have otherwise. One time someone asked Robert De Niro what acting meant to him and he held his hand in front of his face and said ‘this is me when I’m angry’, ‘this is me when I’m sad’ and so forth. All that time, his face didn’t change but you could see something did change that expressed those emotions and you could tell what he was trying to say…”

In his twenty-first year as a professional wrestler, Jacobs feels he has been able to withstand its rigors by keeping himself in shape.

“What we do is athletic, basically. There were the days when the guys were huge and bulky and with bellies, but now we have to be in good shape,” he said. “We have to have pretty good endurance. I’ve been pretty fortunate as far injuries are concerned. I’ve had minor injuries… Torn a bicep, broken a hand… It’s the worst for some people who get the nagging injuries, but I’ve taken good care of myself.”

Jacobs also discusses his promotional trip of India, whether he would be interested in appearing in a Bollywood film, the hardest part of being a wrestler and more. The full interview is available here.

New Match Announced For Night Of Champions, New WWE Movie Receives Bad Review, Wade Barrett

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– WWE.com announced Sunday afternoon that Randy Orton will face Dolph Ziggler in a singles match next Sunday at Night of Champions.

Following their scuffle on Friday’s SmackDown, an irate Ziggler confronted SmackDown General Manager Booker T’s Senior Advisor Theodore Long to demand a third match with The Viper. Orton pinned Ziggler on the prior week’s show while The Showoff overcame Viper in a re-match on Raw.

– Toronto Star has published an unfavorable review of WWE Studios’ No One Lives, which debuted Friday night at the Toronto International Film Festival.

“While parts of it are deliberately campy, the low-budget production veers onto the amateurish and some of the jump cuts make it look like it was edited with a switchblade. Or make that a butter knife,” Tony Wong wrote.

The reviewer wrote that No One Lives should find an audience with WWE fans, or die hard followers of director Ryuhei Kitamura.

– Wade Barrett is featured in today’s “Superstar Spotlight” on WWE.com. Click here to view his photos and videos.

Mark Henry Training For His Return, SmackDown Social Media Score & More

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– Sin Cara defeated Michael McGillicutty on this weekend’s Saturday Morning Slam show.

– Friday’s WWE Smackdown had a Trendrr.tv social media score of only 77,771, down 20% from the previous week. Smackdown ranked #2 on cable TV Friday night, trailing “Stand Up 2 Cancer” coverage.

– WWE’s Chief Financial Officer, George A. Barrios, will participate in the Credit Suisse 3rd Annual Small & Mid Cap Conference, on September 21, 2012, in New York, NY. Presentation materials can be accessed at Corporate.wwe.com/investors on September 21st.

– Mark Henry continues to train for his eventual return to the ring. Henry, who has lost a lot of weight in the past few months, noted on Twitter over the weekend that he’s now lifting weights again.  Check out a recent photo of Mark Henry looking skinny.

[Video] AYS: Paul Heyman Tuxedo Match, Miz-Fantasy Football, Roman Reigns, WWE

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– WWE NXT star Roman Reigns (formerly known as Leakee), defeated Heath Slater at Saturday night’s live event in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

– James Laurinaitis, the son of wrestling legend Road Warrior Animal (and nephew of John Laurinaitis), has signed a huge 5-year contract with the NFL’s St. Louis Rams that could be worth upto $41.5 million. The deal includes a $23.5 million guarantee.

– Recently released WWE developmental diva Sofia Cortez (Ivelisse Vélez) teased on Twitter over teh weekend that she might be getting back into MMA. She will be appearing several wrestling convention appearances later this year and can be booked through [email protected].

– Episode 37 of WWE’s Youtube show Are You Serious? Featuring footage from the 90’s match between “Paul E. Dangerously” vs Jim Cornette in a Tuxedo Match.

 

WWE Pulls Cameron Appearance, Sheamus’ Brogue Kick Baned, Kassius Ohno’s KO

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– WWE’s ongoing storyline of SmackDown General Manager Booker T banning Sheamus’ Brogue Kick is being used at live events. At last night’s SmackDown show from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Booker T banned the kick for Sheamus’ street fight against Alberto Del Rio.

– WWE NXT star Kassius Ohno tweeted the following about his discus elbow finishing move, which he’d dubbed, the “KO” –

“A Rolling Elbow minus the ‘roll’ is simply an elbow. Discus throwers spin in a circle to build momentum & increase power. The trick is maintaining accuracy as the elbow connects. If done right, the move is incredibly effective. Can’t fault someone for utilizing such a devastating maneuver. Besides, you never know where that certain someone may have picked up the technique. Tanaka? Misawa? Or… My dream is to carry on the legacy of the Elbow from Mitsuharu Misawa just as he carried it from Jumbo Tsuruta and brought it to new heights”

– WWE Diva Cameron, who is currently serving a 15 day suspension following her recent DUI arrest, is no longer being advertised for an upcoming autograph signing with Brodus Clay and Naomi at the Steiner Sports Store in Garden City, NY on September 22nd.

Cameron can return to work after September 14th, but it’s not a good sign that she’s been pulled from that appearance.

CM Punk Talks Trash About The Rock – Rock Responds To Locker Room Heat

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WWEDVDNews.com has published some interesting quotes by CM Punk and The Rock from the new “John Cena vs. The Rock: Once In a Lifetime” DVD and Blu-ray, on sale this week.

Here are some highlights of what Punk said about The Rock:

The Rock vs. Cena Rivalry: “I wish we could get more face to face stuff, you know, but I guess that’s kind of the dichotomy we’re stuck with. I also think that’s what makes it interesting.”

Rock Returning & Main Eventing: “It’s been a frustrating year. Not just for me but a lot of other Superstars. The Rock waltzes in and he wrestles two days a year. Rock says this place is family, well, I hang out with my family as often as I can.”

During the documentary portion of the DVD, The Rock addresses rumors that the WWE locker room was not happy about him returning and being featured in a main event spot:

“I strip away all the BS that can be fostered in the locker room with some of the guys. strip away all that, because I don’t hear all that, it’s all noise, and it’s all bullshit to me.”

Kurt Angle Addresses Status For TNA No Surrender, Opening For Tonight’s Pay-Per-View, Sarita

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– Despite a nagging leg injury, Kurt Angle says he will compete at tonight’s No Surrender pay-per-view event.

“Getting Ready for tag title Match tonight at No Surrender Ppv. My Injury Will Not Hinder My Ability to Wrestle. I Won’t Let It!!!” he wrote on Twitter this afternoon.

Angle and AJ Styles will face Christopher Daniels and Kazarian in a TNA World Tag Team Championship Match.

– TNA Wrestling has released the music video that will kick off tonight’s No Surrender pay-per-view event featuring the semifinals and finals of the Bound For Glory Series.

http://youtu.be/Va2I2I_rp1c

– Sarita, who competes internationally as Dark Angel, is featured on the cover of the latest issue of Super Luchas. She is currently on a two-month wrestling tour of Japan for all-women’s league STARDOM’s 5 STAR Grand Prix Tournament.

Video – Sarita takes huge face first fall onto hardwood floor

Wade Barrett Scratched From House Show Main Event, Tyler Reks Discusses WWE Career

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– Wade Barrett was advertised to face Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus in the main event at Saturday’s SmackDown live event at Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario but the match was changed to a Street Fight between Sheamus and Del Rio the World Heavyweight Champion won. Barrett instead faced Ted DiBiase, who he defeated.

– Future Endeavors (www.future-endeavors.com) celebrated its two-year anniversary Wednesday with a nearly two-hour interview with Gabe Tuft, known in WWE as Tyler Reks. Subjects broached include:

* How he broke into the professional wrestling industry
* How CM Punk misled him before the 2011 Royal Rumble
* The secret to Ryback’s non-existent pyro
* How his recent stripper gimmick had actually been years in the making with a story he said he has never told before
* The rise and fall of the Mid Card Mafia cartoon and its possible return
* His opinion on independent wrestlers that come into WWE
* His opinion on many WWE superstars and officials including HHH and his former partner Curt Hawkins, who he describes as a young Shawn Michaels

The full interview is available here.

Sheamus Discusses His New Submission Maneuver, Ryback Entrance Video Released

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– With Sheamus’ Brogue Kick banned by SmackDown General Manager Booker T, the World Heavyweight Champion heads into his Night of Champions match with Alberto Del Rio with a new submission maneuver; Cloverleaf.

Innovated by WWE Hall of Famer Dory Funk, Jr., Sheamus says former WWE and WCW competitor Dean Malenko’s use of maneuver inspired him to master the hold.

“Dean was one of the greatest submission experts ever, and as history has seen, he’s made hundreds and hundreds of Superstars tap out [to the Cloverleaf],” Sheamus told WWE.com. “It’s one of the most agonizing and painful submission holds, and it’s also one of the most effective. Plus, being Irish, the Cloverleaf fits me well.”

To read the full article, click here.

– WWE has released Ryback’s current entrance video featuring “Meat On the Table” by Jim Johnston.

Booker T Talks About His New Book, Reliving Those Memories & More

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SmackDown General Manager Booker T recently appeared on Extreme Pro Wrestling Radio on 100.3 FM KFAN in Minneapolis and spoke to hosts Big D & Crisco about the following topics:

HIS BOOK “FROM PRISON TO PROMISE”: “It wasn’t a struggle to write it but it was to read it back. It takes me down that road again! I hope it touches troubled youth and helps them feel, if Booker T can do it…so can I, thats the reason I wrote the book!”

IT WAS DIFFICULT TO RELIVE THE MEMORIES: “It was but it totally happend by accident. I took a trip to Newport & stayed on the beach. I stayed there for 3 months by myself & just reflected & all of these memories that I tried to hide & bury came flooding back! It was a real trip & I thought I really need to get all of this down on paper. I have always wanted to write a wrestling book, I ended up writing my life story! I cover where I come from, who I am, what builds my character, how did I end up being funny or so stupid at the same time! Everything I went thru built who I am, it made me way toughter than I ever thought I could be especially walking thru those prison walls. You never understand it until you’re looking it in the face & remember what my mother has always told me, you know right from wrong, and I knew I did wrong so I had to pay for it and go from there.”

DID YOU EVER WORRY HOW YOU WOULD BE VIEWED BY PEOPLE AFTER PUTTING THIS BOOK OUT: “Nah, you only live once & you cant worry about what people are gonna think about you after the fact or anything like that. That was my life, that is who I was and right now…I’m on a mission from God to help as many kids as I can before I leave this place we call earth. I have very little time to think about what someone thinks about me after writing this book!”

Booker T goes on to talk about what brought him from the comentator’s table to the GM office and who will take home the World Title @ Night Of Champions! Hear the entire interview here.

Plans For Rey Mysterio & Sin Cara’s New Tag Team

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– With WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart returning to the scene of the Montreal Screwjob for the first time in 15 years on Monday’s WWE RAW, WWE is encouraging fans to tweet their favorite Bret Hart memories with the hashtag #BretMemories. WWE will select some of the tweets and feature them on the new WWE app.

– We reported earlier this week that WWE has big plans for the new Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara tag team, with the duo slated to win the WWE tag titles, break up and then eventually wrestle at WrestleMania 29.

The latest on this situation is that Rey Mysterio would likely play the heel in this feud, despite some resistance from several people in management. Mysterio is in the twilight of his career, a legend and still moves a ton of merchandise, but the feeling is that Sin Cara has a better chance of getting over as a babyface.

When Will Beth Phoenix Return To The Ring?, WWE Highlights Defunct Titles, WWE Classics On Demand

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– Beth Phoenix, who is currently taking a leave of absence from WWE following the loss of a loved one, has been pulled from advertisements for several upcoming events. The official WWE website had her listed as appearing at events beginning on October 1 after she was pulled from last week’s Australian tour and all events in September, but her next advertised appearance is now slated for the October 22 Raw in East Rutherford, New Jersey. She is then not listed for any events until December 28.

– Defunct wrestling titles are highlighted on this week’s episode of WWE Vintage Collection. The following matches aired on the show: The York Foundation vs. Dustin Rhodes, Big Josh and The Z-Man for the WCW World Six-Man Tag Team Championship (WCW Main Event – November 3, 1991), Barry Windham vs. Larry Zbyszko for the NWA Western States Heritage Championship (NWA Bunkhouse Stampede – January 24, 1988), Dino Bravo vs. Tiger Chung Lee for the WWF Canadian Heavyweight Championship (WWF All American Wrestling – January 12, 1986), Chris Jericho vs. The Rock for the WWF Undisputed Championship (WWF Royal Rumble – January 20, 2002). (Thanks to Devin Cutting)

– This week’s WWE Classics on Demand updates are as follows: Macho Madness – The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection (Part 2), WWF at Philadelphia Spectrum (August 27, 1988), AWA All Star Wrestling (August 15, 1981), ECW Hardcore TV (April 28, 1998), Stampede Wrestling (July 1978).

– Brodus Clay is featured in today’s “Superstar Spotlight” on WWE.com.

Who Cody Rhodes Thinks Should Wear A Mask, WWE Stars Audition For Santino Marella On “Foreign Exchange”

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– Cody Rhodes, who has become obsessed with unmasking Sin Cara on WWE programming, rattled a top ten list of celebrities he thinks should put a mask on to WWE.com.

On actor Jonah Hill, he states, “We live in a day and age where you no longer have to be talented, or even good-looking, to be in films. These days, Jason Segel, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill … We can identify with them because they don’t take care of themselves and they’re kind of funny, I think — or is that quirky? Either way, I enjoy nothing they do.”

Rhodes also takes aim at ESPN commentator Skip Bayless: “Another person in dire need of a mask. After watching [Dallas Mavericks owner] Mark Cuban rip [ESPN commentator] Skip Bayless from head to toe over stats that Skip Bayless should have known, I lost my interest in Skip Bayless’ show and started to trust [ESPN commentator] Stephen A. Smith, which I never thought would happen in a million years.”

The SmackDown star thinks Ang from the VH1 reality series Mob Wives is in dire need of a mask as well: “For obvious reasons, I will plead the fifth on why Big Ang needs to wear a mask. All you need to do is Google ‘Big Ang,’ and you’ll find two excessive reasons for a mask.”

The full list is available here.

– Santino Marella is searching for his first international correspondent for “Santino’s Foreign Exchange’s.” He conducts his search with a number of WWE Superstars.

POLL: Do you think Brock Lesnar should make a UFC Return be inducted into the UFC HOF?

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Paul Heyman weighed in on weather Brock Lesnar should be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, and if he should ever compete in the octagon again.  Now it’s time to tell us your thoughts! Be sure to leave a comment below.

Related Article:
Paul Heyman: Brock Lesnar Should Be In The UFC HOF, MMA Return.

[poll id=”7″]

[poll id=”8″]

 

Paul Heyman Talks Brock Lesnar UFC Return

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Paul Heyman spoke with MMA Junkie about his on screen protegee Brock Lesnar. Here are the highlights:

– Brock Lesnar has main evented 3 consecutitive Pay-Per-Views with an impressive million buy rate each. Competing in less than 10 MMA bouts and with a 5-3 record, does Lesnar belong in the UFC Hall Of Fame?  

“Of course he is [a UFC Hall of Famer],”  “Listen, here’s the thing: Look at the three that he lost to, number one. Number two, what if Brock Lesnar did what everyone else did and said, ‘Feed me a guy every other month for three years so I’ll get six victories a year. I’ll be 18-0 before you put me in there with a Frank Mir, a former UFC heavyweight champion, or Randy Couture and the legends of legends in UFC.'” “But he didn’t do that. He walked in and said give me your best.”

– Would Brock Lesnar make a UFC return? 
“I think Dana White would love to have Brock Lesnar back,” he said. “I think Lorenzo Fertitta would love to have Brock Lesnar back. Does Brock Lesnar want to go back? I don’t think Brock has anything to prove in the UFC anymore. He’s 35 years old. He made a lot of money in the UFC.

“His house and his farms and his cars and everything that he owns is paid for. Why would he go in and risk injury and concussions and risk any kind of physical damage when he doesn’t need to? That’s the thing you have to understand. How hungry can a fighter be when he has millions and millions of dollars in the bank? What’s there for him to gain? Another run as UFC heavyweight champion? Why would he do that?”

View the entire article here

CM Punk’s DVD Screening Rescheduled, Ringsidefest Selling Out

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– Tickets for the upcoming Ringsidefest event in New York City on October 20th, which will feature signing appearances by CM Punk, Sin Cara and AJ Lee, are selling very quickly.

– WWE champion CM Punk has confirmed that the screening of his upcoming DVD, “Best In The World,” has been rescheduled. Punk has announced on Twitter:

Sheamus’ Brogue Kick, Jack Swagger’s Time Off & WWE Studios’ The Day

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– After 12 days of being shown in very limited number of movie theaters, WWE Studios’ The Day had grossed just $19,222.

– On Monday’s RAW, Jack Swagger told General Manager AJ Lee that he will be taking time off following a multi-month losing streak. Swagger will not be appearing on television for several weeks to sell the angle, but is currently scheduled to appear at the October 1st WWE RAW from his home state of Oklahoma.

– SmackDown General Manager Booker T banning the Brogue Kick on his show is one of the reasons Sheamus recently used the Texas Cloverleaf submission to win a match on RAW. There has been talk of the Brogue Kick being banned from RAW as well, which would likely result in Sheamus continuing to use the cloverleaf as his finisher.

(Sources: PWInsider.com, f4wonline.com)

Video Of Wade Barrett’s Return To SmackDown, Ziggler vs. Orton At NOC Update

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– Today’s wrestling birthdays include ormer WCW World Heavyweight Champion David Arquette (41), Lodi (42) and RAven (48).

– On Friday’s SmackDown, Dolph Ziggler demanded a match against Randy Orton at WWE’s upcoming Night Of Champions pay-per-view. SmackDown General Manager Booker T will give Ziggler an answer on next week’s show, just days before the PPV.

– Here is video of Wade Barrett’s return to WWE television from Friday’s SmackDown:

Impact Wrestling Rating & Viewrship Data For Thursday, Impact Rewind Video

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– Thursday’s episode of TNA Impact Wrestling drew a 0.96 cable rating, down from 1.07 the week before.

Thursday’s show averaged 1.22 million viewers for the 2-hour broadcast, down 200,000 viewers from the week before (1.42 million viewers).

Impact ranked #46 on cable and #35 among the coveted males 18-34 demographic.

– Here’s this week’s Impact Rewind show:

Raven Talks About The Origins Of His Character, Johnny Polo, Working With CM Punk

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Former WWE, WCW and ECW star Raven spoke with Inside The Ropes Radio this past Thursday night about the following topics:

Origins of The Raven Character: “I was talking to DDP one day, I was saying I was having trouble getting booked anywhere. Page goes “it’s because you’re a chicken shit heel” He said “you should be more of a bad ass” I didn’t wanna be a bad ass because everyone wants to be a tough guy. Page had mentioned the Point break movie and said I looked like one of the red hot chilli pepper guys. He said I should do something alternative, so I drew on all the emotional baggage from my childhood and I created the Raven character. It annoys me when Page says he created it, which is ridiculous because I had to create the character, the promos, the concept. I came up with the idea that Dreamer and I went to summer camp and Beulah was the fat chick.”

His Johnny Polo Gimmick: “I’d been in the business like 4 years. They made me an Associate Producer of raw. They were grooming me to be on the booking committee. I used to write the second rate shows like All American. He also made me a manager because he thought I was too small, at the time the guys were bigger, all the smaller guys were in the tag team. I didn’t like the Johnny Polo moniker. If anything the way I talk didn’t fit me. I didn’t feel I was the character. I wanted to wrestle. Shane McMahon should’ve been Johnny Polo, with the silver spoon in his mouth.”

Returning To WWE in 2000: “I get hired by JR. He says he can’t give me a big downside because I’d just got clean. Unfortunately, Vince McMahon hated me. Michael Hayes told me Vince had said “Who the fuck hired Johnny Polo?” I still had heat for walking away. Who would dare walk away from the 4th floor office?! Then I was in the hardcore thing and got it over.”

Wworking with CM Punk In TNA: “He had a very inflated sense of self importance at the time. He thought he was so much better than he was. Not that he was bad, he just wasn’t as good as he thought he was. I don’t watch wrestling anymore, because it’s too disappointing but I was doing a personal appearance where they show PPVs and you’re watching the show. Wow, watching him, he became phenomenal. The two pay per views I seen, he was the best thing on them. I have nothing but respect for him. It was just back then, he had an inflated sense of self importance.”

Vader Talks WWE Return, His Moonsault, Feuding With Cactus Jack & More

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Kayfabe Wrestling Radio
Hosted by Alan Wojcik & Spug
Listen Live on Tuesday Nights 9pm ET on www.wildtalkradio.com
Check out the archive: http://wildtalkradio.com/kayfabe/kayfabe090412.mp3
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Like Us on Facebook- http://facebook.com/wildtalkradionetwork & http://www.facebook.com/KayfabeWrestlingRadio

Former WCW Heavyweight Champion, WWE Legend and current NWA Ring Warriors star Vader joined Kayfabe Wrestling Radio Tuesday Night. In a nearly 15 minute interview, he discussed his recent WWE return for the lead-up to RAW 1000, where he learned to wrestle and how he got into New Japan Pro Wrestling, using the moonsault and the logistics of using such a move, his upcoming match with NWA Ring Warriors, the classic series with Cactus Jack, his historic match with Ron Simmons, his interactions with both of his famous managers: Jim Cornette and Harley Race, the difference between Japan and American wrestling audiences and so much more.

How he came to be in New Japan Pro Wrestling: “I was in need of things for a short time, so I went over to Europe with the CWA and Otto Wanz and I would actually go over and stay 4-5 months of the year; go over in the spring and coming back in November or December after the Bremen tour and there was 4 or 5 different cities we’d run that cumulated the European tour. I started over there in 1986-7 after a short stay in AWA; I was young, the beer was cold and the houses were full. It was just a great time; Otto ran a class act and there was some talent there, there really was a lot of good wrestlers there and really that’s where I learned to wrestle. I held the World Title over there three times for Otto. So, that was a good start, and from that point, actually, Masao Hattori, he was a referee and associate for (Antonio) Inoki and Inoki had sent him over. I had met Masa Saito in CWA, and he had had a little run in with the law and actually his first match back on television was with Greg Gagne, “Big” Scott Hall and myself against Masa Saito, Larry Zbyszko, and a third party, I can’t remember his name. There’s where I was introduced to Masa and I’m don’t know if he was really in great ring shape, but I guess he was impressed because it was from that match that my career started over in Japan.”

His use of the moonsault and the first time he performed the move life: “I think, and I’m making this claim on your show so, it was against Davey Boy Smith in the WCW pay-per-view, and I threw the first 400 pound moonsault ever, on a live pay per view. I have never done one in the ring; I had a trampoline at home that I had dug in for my son, ground level, and I was practicing there. I could do a flip and land on my feet on the trampoline and I got pretty good where I could do about three or four in a row. So, I got 2 Cold Scorpio and went out before the matches; of course, Scorpio could go out and do just about anything off the ropes, a very talented wrestler and good friend of mine, and we went out there and threw a couple and he said ‘If I can do it, you can do it’, so I did one before the show and it worked out well. So, I told Davey Boy, and if you knew Davey Boy you knew that was no way he was going to happen, so basically I had to work on him for an hours saying ‘I can do it, I can do it’ and he actually made me go back out to the ring with Scorpio and said ‘Let me see if you can do it’ so I had to throw a second one.”

His classic series with Cactus Jack and if they were given more leniency to be more stiff and hard hitting: “You know what, first of all, Cactus Jack; I call him Jack (Mick Foley), he’s a big strong guy and the reality of it and I’d say this to his face; he’s a good friend of mine, a great friend of mine, but he’s not the most athletic guy in the world and not the strongest guy in the world. He doesn’t spend much time in the gym and is not the big, muscled up guy, but, literally, he’s a genius in the ring. I mean some of the stuff he came up with, in that period and year after year throughout WCW and WWE, what he’s come up with; I mean, any guy that can make a living putting a sock on his hand, in my mind is pretty good and to get over with it like he did with it. He’s definitely a Hall of Famer, and I’m sure he’ll get his due soon. But, we did have some great matches, and it was a different era and we did what we wanted to do. I don’t ever remember going into a discussion, saying ‘This is what we want to do’, we just pretty much did what we wanted to, within reason, of course.”

About his return to WWE for the Raw 1000 lead up and the reaction he got: “You know what, as far as I’m concerned, WWE is a class act. I appreciated the opportunity; I had a lot of fun, saw a lot of old friends and caught up. (They were) just a class act from A-to-Z, so I was grateful… I was surprised; I wouldn’t go so far as to say overwhelming. I was surprised, it was a good reaction; a great crowd. (Heath) was a good worker, a good wrestler. I got the call a few days before from the office; I was actually in Florida on business so I went up there and it turned out very well.”

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