– Skip Sheffield wrestled a dark match prior to Monday’s RAW from Memphis. Sheffield wrestled as a babyface and defeated Michael McGillicutty.
– Matches taped prior to RAW for Thursday’s WWE Superstars:
- Evan Bourne vs. Epico
- Mason Ryan vs. JTG
Skip Sheffield Works RAW Dark Match, Superstars Matches
Jesse Neal Says TNA Refused To Pay Medical Bills For Neck Injury
Jesse Neal revealed during an interview with Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline.com that TNA Wrestling refused to pay his hefty medical bills stemming from a neck injury he suffered at the May pay-per-view event Sacrifice.
The injury occurred during the conclusion of the match pitting Ink, Inc. against Mexican America when Hernandez executed a dominator-like finisher on Neal. An MRI showed he had a bulged disk after being spiked into the mat.
Neal said TNA paid for the initial MRI but refused to cover any of the other medical costs related to the injury—which he still must pay. “It’s my name, it’s going against my credit…It’s hard to swallow sometimes,” Neal says.
Neal wasn’t booked for any matches until October as a precaution following the neck trauma. The Florida native says he returned a lot quicker than he was supposed to. He adds, “Of course I was still hurt, but when you’re sitting on your ass at home, you’re making no money, and I had to get back into it.”
Neal parted ways with TNA last month after organization officials asked him to relocate from Florida to Louisville, Kentucky to further his wrestling training in Ohio Valley Wrestling. He was unable to comply with their request because the money they were offering “wasn’t even anything close to live on.”
Jericho Continues To Refute Raw Speculation, Christian Update
— Chris Jericho has continued to refute rumors that he is returning to WWE at tonight’s Raw SuperShow in Memphis, Tennessee. He tweeted a photo of himself and a friend snowboarding.
He wrote, “Beautiful day on the mountain! #bestJan2ever @speewee @holowatuk pic.twitter.com/eoPQZBj9.”
— Christian, who has been sidelined since November 9, 2011 due to an ankle injury, is now advertised for WWE’s annual post-WrestleMania tour of the U.K. in April. He is tapped to return to the ring no later than February.
— WWE will hold a Raw live event at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts on Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.
— Michael McGillicutty won the WWE Magazine 2011 Fantasy Football League.
Update On Randy Orton’s Return, ‘Taker & McCool Not At Raw
— It was reported Sunday that Randy Orton, who is out of action after suffering a herniated disc on the L4-L5 level on the left side, would be returning on Jan. 16 Raw SuperShow in Anaheim, California. He is now scheduled for all SmackDown events beginning on Jan. 17.
— A photograph circulating online of The Undertaker and Michelle McCool arriving at an arena parking lot is being inaccurately depicted as being taken today in Memphis, Tennessee. The photo is over a year old as it was taken in September 2010.
— The Nasty Boys, Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags, appear at the In Your Face Wrestling Academy 3 Mcelwain Ave. Cohoes, New York this Sunday from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
— Jerry Lawler headlines AAW Wrestling’s event on Feb. 24 in Merrionette Park, Illinois at 115 Bourbon Street. Visit aawrestling.com for more information.
JR Blog: Lesnar Returning To WWE, Tonight’s RAW
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety over at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR wrote about:
Tonight’s WWE Raw: “It’s a very important Raw tonight in Memphis for a variety of reasons. It’s the first event of the New Year, the build to the Royal Rumble begins to a certain degree as the Rumble officially kicks off WM28 promotion, a marquis matchup for the WWE Title between two of WWE’s most outstanding, young talents in Punk and Ziggler, the reveal of the mystery person, and follow up on what on how Raw left the air last Monday with Kane’s perplexing message to John Cena. Everyone needs to be on top of their game tonight in Memphis.”
Brock Lesnar Returning to WWE: “Will Brock Lesnar return to WWE full time or part time? For those that know Brock well, the answer to this question is actually quite simple. It’s NO. Brock dislikes, putting it mildly, traveling. Plus, he doesn’t need the money even though he’s smart enough to not turn down a big payday if the lay of the land is to his liking. That’s why the UFC thing was good for him because he could earn big money by traveling 2-3 times per year to fight.
“I could see Brock doing a major, one off WWE appearance ala a Wrestlemania, but not this year, and doing so while not even making the live Raw events that lead into it. I could also see WWE traveling to Brock to shoot vignettes to build whatever match that he might be booked. For fans who think that Lesnar will return to make a significant amount of TV dates only and then only work a handful or so of PPV’s, I hate to burst your bubble, but in my opinion that simply isn’t happening.”
UFC President Comments On Brock Lesnar’s WWE Future
Following Brock Lesnar’s first round loss at Friday’s UFC 141 pay-per-view, the former heavyweight champion announced his retirement from the sport of mixed martial arts.
At the post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White was asked about the possibility of Lesnar returning to WWE , despite having one fight left on his UFC contract. White stated:
“When you retire, he retires under contract. I have no idea (the length of the contract). Listen, I’ve had my moments with Brock Lesnar, but I’ve had a great relationship with him and we’ll figure it out, no big deal. I’ve never had a situation with a guy where we haven’t done the right thing.”
Watch All 6 “It Begins” Videos Here
The wait is finally over .. It’s January 2nd, 2012 – and tonight on RAW, we’ll find out who is behind the cryptic videos we’ve been seeing for almost 2 months. We’ve gathered all six videos here, so you can re-watch them and catch any clues you may have missed earlier.
Hit up the comments section below and give us your last-minute predictions on WHO will be returning tonight on RAW.
It Begins:
Second Coming:
Look Within:
Control:
Prophetless:
TheEndBegins:
Sound Off 199: Brock Lesnar Retires And 2011 Year In Review!
DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST HERE:
Solomonster Sounds Off (Episode 199)
*right-click, “Save As”, or stream it!
Est. Runtime: 2 hours, 26 minutes
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! The first Sound Off of 2012 features a Year in Review for WWE, TNA and ROH, including a top 25 list for WWE and an impassioned rant on one thing that is killing its product and must change right now. Solomonster also has some frank words for the folks cheering Randy Orton’s injury, thoughts on the Kane promo from Raw last Monday, Brock Lesnar’s retirement from UFC and possible future in wrestling and a lot more. At nearly two-and-a-half hours, it’s also one of the longest shows ever, a fine way to start the new year!
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
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Solomonster Sounds Off by The Solomonster is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Ring of Honor Announces 3 More Matches For Saturday’s Taping
Three more matches have been announced for Ring of Honor’s first television taping of 2012 this Saturday night from the Du Burns Arena in Baltimore, MD. The new bouts include:
– ROH World Champion Davey Richards & Kyle O’Reilly vs. Caprice Coleman & Cedric Alexander
– “Die Hard” Eddie Edwards vs. Mike Mondo
– “The Dominant Male” Tommaso Ciampa with The Embassy vs. TJ Perkins
These matches are in addition to the previously announced Grudge Match, with ROH World Tag Team Champions Jay & Mark Briscoe facing Roderick Strong & Michael Elgin.
New Years Video Messages From Matt Hardy & Ultimate Warrior
— Matt Hardy has posted a new video message wishing his fans a happy new year and a prosperous 2012. Matt Hardy challenges everyone to work hard, be the best person you can be, be honest with yourself and others and have the courage to change and grow.
Matt says he has a lot of resolutions this year and hopes 2012 is a great year for you. Check it out here:
— Also wishing fans a happy new year is WWE legend the Ultimate Warrior. Warrior explains how to achieve your New Year’s Resolution’s – and why simply wanting a better life is not enough to achieve your goal.
Chris Jericho Having Fun With Internet Rumors (Pictures)
It’s January 2nd, 2012, which means – tonight is the night we find out who has been behind the cryptic videos airing on RAW over the past couple months.
With the rampant rumors that Chris Jericho is returning to WWE on tonight’s RAW, the following image has been circulating online of Chris Jericho reportedly at the airport today – flying to Memphis, where RAW takes place.
Jericho, who has been vehemently denying that he’s returning to RAW tonight, says the image is a fake:
“Apparently I’ve been cloned…or somebody has started a great rumour!! #waroftheworlds”
He has since posted links to various hilarious pictures of Chris Jericho sightings throughout the world – and throughout history!
MVP Explains Why He Left WWE, Says Laurinaitis Gets A Bad Rap
It has been a little over a year since MVP announced he would be leaving WWE. A good amount of soul searching and discontent with his position in the organization led to his final decision.
“I guess more than anything it was that my contract was coming to a close,” he tells the Miami Herald. “I had a year left on my contract. John Laurinaitis was coming to me to re-sign like he had a number of times. I had actually been avoiding him because I hadn’t made my decision yet. I was still trying to figure out what I wanted to do. I hadn’t come to terms with my decision. “On a professional level it was a culmination of a lot of things. I just wasn’t happy anymore and felt I wasn’t being given the opportunities that I had been given previously. It was time for me to make a decision, and I didn’t want to re-sign. I asked if I could be out of that final year so I could go and pursue my original dream of wrestling in Japan.”
WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent Relations respected his decision. MVP feels he receives unnecessary flack.
“I have to say John Laurinaitis gets a bad rap from a lot of people,” MVP said. “He is in a really crappy position. His job makes you very unpopular. He and I had a good relationship. He was the guy that hired me and gave me my first opportunity. John Laurinaitis, a.k.a. Johnny Ace, spent 10 years in Japan with the All Japan [Pro Wrestling] promotion. He and I would talk about Japanese wrestling all the time over beers.”
MVP also discusses his passion for Japanese wrestling and life after WWE. The full article is available here.
RAW Preview: Punk vs. Ziggler, “It Begins” Revealed
Tonight’s episode of WWE RAW Supershow takes place from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee.
– WWE Champion C.M. Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler.
– The big reveal from the cryptic “It Begins” videos will take place.
– Brodus Clay will make his long-awaited return to WWE television.
Announced for the live crowd (possibly dark matches) are:
– Jerry Lawler vs. Michael Cole in a Memphis Street Fight.
– John Cena vs. Kane in a “Raw Challenge match.”
Cena & Kane’s Feud, FCW Champ Back On The Road & More
– According to fans in attendance, the John Cena vs. Kane matches at this week’s RAW live events have been mostly one-sided for Kane until he uses a chair and gets disqualified, with Cena getting the upperhand after the match and clearing the ring.
– Cox Communications has WWE Classics On Demand still, with footage on it that won’t be removed until January 22nd. WWE was actively advertising a “Raging Rebels” theme for January; no indication has been given by WWE or Cox that the service will be discontinuing in the near future.
– FCW Champion Leo Kruger was back in action at Friday night’s RAW live event in Hartford, Connecticut. Kruger, who has previously worked as a heel, teamed with Alex Riley and Mason Ryan to defeat the team of Tyler Reks, Curt Hawkins and JTG.
WWE PPV & TV Stats For 2011, Belding Wants To Be RAW GM
– John Cena appeared in 11 out of 13 WWE pay-per-view main events in 2011. CM Punk had the second-most pay-per-view main event matches in 2011 with 7. The Miz and Alberto Del Rio followed with 5 pay-per-view main events while R-Truth had 4.
– Randy Orton appeared in 35 main events on WWE TV throughout 2011, beating John Cena who had 27 TV main events. Christian came in third with 22 TV main events, Alberto Del Rio and R-Truth with 19, CM Punk and Sheamus with 18, Mark Henry with 17 and a four-way tie with Daniel Bryan, The Miz, Tyson Kidd and Dolph Ziggler appearing in 16 TV main events.
– Actor Dennis Haskins, best known as Mr. Belding from Saved By The Bell, recently spoke with MemphiSport.com about his quest to become WWE’s RAW General Manager.
There is a petition going around on Twitter to get Haskins hired by WWE as the RAW General Manager. Haskins has appeared on Zack Ryder’s YouTube show and is a known wrestling fans. There was talk months back of Haskins hosting RAW but it never happened.
The petition currently has less than 400 signatures. Haskins is asking fans to bring “Belding For GM” signs to Monday’s RAW Supershow in Memphis. He has received the support from guys like Ryder, The Miz, CM Punk, Diamond Dallas Page and others.
Cena Mentioned On CNN & Says He’s Ready For 2012
– John Cena was featured on CNN during Saturday night’s 2011 Year In Review recap show, hosted by Anderson Cooper.
Cooper made mention of Cena’s announcement on the death of Osama bin Laden to the live audience at the end of WWE Extreme Rules, which included CNN playing a YouTube clip of the announcement and showing the PPV graphic.
– John Cena sent the following tweet to recognize the end of 2011 and the start of 2012:
“A polarizing 2011 comes to an end. One filled with love and hate. The struggle continues tomorrow. A new day. A new year. Rise Above Hate. “
* Picture of CHRIS JERICHO At The Airport TODAY: Heading To RAW?!
Orton Scheduled For Shows This Month, Macho Man Remembered
— Randy Orton, who is out of action after suffering a herniated disc on the L4-L5 level on the left side, is scheduled for the Jan. 16 Raw SuperShow in Anaheim, California and the Royal Rumble taking place Jan. 29 in St. Louis, Missouri.
— The back page of USA Weekend features an article on the late Randy Savage. The legendary wrestler died of a sudden heart attack while driving with his wife, Barbara Lynn Payne, in Seminole, Florida on the morning of May 20, 2011.
— SmackDown ring announcer Lilian Garcia rang in the new year by partying with her TNA Wrestling equivalent, Christy Hemme. A photo of the two with former WWE Diva Candice Michelle is available here.
— Former WWE Diva Stacy Keibler is featured in the latest issue of the National Enquirer with a story devoted to the best and worst beach bodies in Hollywood.
source: F4WOnline.com
Randy Orton Says He’s “Pain Free”, Comments On Hiatus
Randy Orton, who remains sidelined after suffering a herniated disc on the L4-L5 level on the left side, was asked how he was doing on Twitter.
“Pain free at the moment,” he responded. “I do some kind of therapy/rehab every morn and night. Funny to sit back and watch the rumors.
He was then asked about his mindset following the injury.
“Enjoying every minute actually,” he responded. “Getting to spend this much time in with Sam and Al is great. I think we all needed it.”
Orton also says he has read all the rumors concerning his injury. He says “It’s hilarious.”
McCool Responds To Her Critics After Being Asked About ‘Taker
Michelle McCool has been greatly criticized over the years for taking the fast track to WWE glory. After entering an intimate relationship with The Undertaker in late 2007 (who she married in June 2010), many critics attributed her position in WWE to her influential partner rather than her ability to perform. Speaking to Inside Wrestling, the four-time champion is asked why she has received so much flack.
Dan Murphy asks McCool, “I know you like to keep some things private and this was never announced, but you did marry The Undertaker. He’s obviously a veteran and icon in the business with a lot of influence. Was it the Diva Search background or having the relationship with someone like him that’s responsible for the heat and resentment you got?”
She responds, “Bottom line: People in our business are always going to look to find reasons to see the negative in somebody and to become resentful. I don’t really know where it began: probably with me getting the tag as “Diva Search reject.” But I don’t know anybody who, if they had an opportunity like the Diva Search, they wouldn’t jump at it. If they didn’t jump at it, they’d be idiots.
“People can say what they want to say, but at the end of the day, I can look at myself in the mirror. I know how hard I fought. I know how many storylines I pitched. I know how hard I worked in the ring. I can’t tell you the number of times I was one of the first people at the arenas or at TV, constantly trying to better myself. I can honestly say that my hard work paid off. My resilience paid off. My persistence paid off. That’s all there is to it. People are always going to say what they want to say and believe what they want to believe, but that’s the bottom line.”
Sunny Wants To Leave Pro Wrestling, Johnny Jeter Resurfaces
— The legendary career of Tammy “Sunny” Sytch could be coming to an end. The WWE Hall of Famer has indicated that she’s looking to part ways with the industry she has been a part of since 1992 to start a family.
She stated Friday on Facebook, “ok seriously……i wamt a ring on my finger and a husband……a decently looking one……bc i want a good looking kid.”
Many of her friends didn’t take her claims seriously. She wrote in response, “you all think im joking….im not. want to get out of the business, get married and get prggers.”
Sytch then wrote the following day, “OMG…i THINK IM ACTUALLY GETTING MARRIED!!!!”
— Shelly Martinez posted a photo of herself partying with former WWE talent Johnny Jeter in Los Angeles, California on New Year’s Eve. The former Spirit Squad member completely moved on from the wrestling industry following his departure from WWE in 2008 as he has not competed in any matches since then. He is now pursuing a career in accounting.
— Sean “X-Pac” Waltman will appear at Wrestling Universe 34-29 Francis Lewis Blvd. Flushing, New York on February 3, 2012 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Visit www.wrestlinguniverseonline.com for more information.
First Details On Chris Benoit Film – WWE Stars To Be Portrayed
SRG Films’ upcoming film Crossface retelling Chris Benoit’s descent into double murder and suicide will feature actors portraying his wrestling peers.
“Eddie [Guerrero] is obviously very important to the story,” Sarah Coulter tells WorstPreviews.com, who has already written the first draft of the script. “Triple H, Kurt Angle, they’re all there, but it’s early and things can still change.”
Regarding whether the film will be a biopic, Coulter says, “Chris had a remarkable career. You take a look at his time in Japan and with Stu Hart, and you realize that you’d need more than one movie to tell the entire Chris Benoit story. Ultimately, it’s about the 2007 murders/suicide, so we had to pick and choose the right moments in Chris’ career that may have been factors in his downfall.”
Coulter adds several actors are under consideration for the lead role and that an official casting announcement will be made soon.
Video: Rowdy Rody Piper’s New Years Resolutions
WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper checks in with a new comedy video where he reveals his New Years Resolutions for 2012:
Matches Announced For SmackDown, WWE Star Changes Brands
— Next Friday on the first SmackDown of 2012, World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan will put his title on the line against Big Show and Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes will defend his coveted gold against Booker T.
— Following an unsuccessful stint on Raw, Drew McIntyre returned to Smackdown on Friday’s show. His resolve and worth was called into question by Teddy Long in a backstage segment as the General Manager matched him up against Ezekiel Jackson. If McIntyre couldn’t win, Long said he’d have to start thinking about letting him go. While McIntyre argued with the referee about having his feet on the second rope during an attempted pinfall, Jackson swooped in and grabbed him by the tights to roll him up for the win.
After the match, McIntyre demanded that Long not count the match as a loss, claiming the referee was biased. Long would retort that he disliked losers, but especially ones who make excuses.
— Shelly Martinez posted a video fulfilling Dolph Ziggler’s request to the “Blue Meanie Dance.”
— WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel handled ring announcing duties at this week’s Raw live events.
Former Diva Upset With WWE’s Shabby Treatment Of Natalya
Friday’s episode of SmackDown saw Alicia Fox drop Natalya with a Scissors Kick for the decisive win. Then with Natalya still reeling, Tamina blasted her own partner with a kick to the face, followed up by a Superfly Splash from the top rope. Former Diva Cherry, a close friend of Natalya’s, was alarmed by WWE’s shabby treatment of the third-generation grappler.
She tweeted, “WWE have lost their minds! I have no idea what the hell they’re doing to Natalya! You’re wasting the talent of one of the best wrestlers you’ve got!”
Regarding the loss, Natalya wrote, “It’s not how hard you get hit, but how Many times you get hit, get up and keep on fighting. That’s hart…I mean heart.”
Stephanie Doing More Photo Shoots, Interview Next Week
Stephanie McMahon will appear on Heavy Muscle Radio with Dave Palumbo and Chris Aceto this Monday night at 8:00 p.m. to discuss her workout regime and growing up in a WWE family. The podcast will be available at RXMuscle.com.
Palumbo, who helped McMahon get in the best shape of her life after giving birth to three children, stated on the RXMuscle.com forums that more photo shoots displaying her new trim figure are planned. Chris Zimmerman, who shot the McMahon workout pics, praised her kindness.
He wrote on RXMuscle.com, “When Dave asked me to shoot Stephanie and told me just what a genuinely nice person she was, I said sure…But still was not ready for how truly nice she was.
“I grew up watching her family. I guess shows like TMZ kinda brainwashed me that stars don’t want to be bothered by “us normal folk.”