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*SPOILERS* WWE SmackDown Tapings Results For Tonight

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WWE SmackDown on Syfy

Credit to SEScoops.com reader Corey for the following WWE SmackDown spoilers from Bakersfield, California.

Dark Match:

* Bo Rotunda defeated Joey Ryan.

WWE SmackDown (Airing Tonight on SyFy)

* Intercontinental champion Cody Rhodes successfully defended against Ezekiel Jackson.

* Justin Gabriel beat Tyson Kidd with the 450 splash in what was said to be an exciting match.

* WWE Champion Alberto Del Rio defeated Daniel Bryan via submission in a non-title match.

* WWE Divas Champion Kelly Kelly and AJ Lee defeated Alicia Fox and Natalya.

* Mark Henry won a battle royal to become the new #1 contender to the World Heavyweight Title. The match came down to Henry, Sheamus, Wade Barrett and Sin Cara. Henry ended up eliminating Sin Cara in the end to win. SmackDown ends with Henry and Randy Orton staring each other down.

Dark Match Main Event:

*Orton and Sheamus defeated Christian and Alberto Del Rio. Sheamus chases Alberto to the back as Orton RKOs Christian.

Original Sin Cara Eligible To Return, WWE Cancels Live Event

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— Luis Ignascio Urive Alvirde, the original Sin Cara, is eligible to resume performing since his thirty-day suspension for his first violation of the company’s drug testing policy expired on Tuesday. Alvirde’s future with the organization, however, remains in doubt. Developmental talent Jorge Arias (a/k/a Hunico) assumed the character at this week’s and last week’s SmackDown tapings and there is talk it may be permanent as company officials are reportedly sour on Alvirde due to his performances and attitude.

— This Sunday’s SmackDown live event in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada has been canceled. A Raw live event scheduled for that day was also canceled.

Meanwhile, Evan Bourne and Kofi Kingston are advertised as a tag team for Friday’s and Saturday’s Raw live events in Saskatchewan.

— Jose Vargas, Brodus Clay’s opponent on this week’s episode of WWE Superstars, is California based independent wrestler Orion. He competes for Legion Championship Wrestling.

source: PWInsider.com

Reason For Live SmackDown, “Future Endeavor” Trademarks

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— Syfy and WWE announced today its first ever WWE Smackdown live special, SuperSmackdown Live, on Tuesday, August 30 at 8-10PM/ET on Syfy, originating from the INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. The reason for the schedule change is because the original September 2 air date falls on Labor Day weekend. Officials are anticipating a poor rating for that day and therefore the show will air three days earlier.

— WWE recently filed trademark applications for the terms “Future Endeavored,” “Future Endeavor” and Mr. Future Endeavor.” The terms are for John Laurinaitis’ on-screen character.

source: PWInsider.com

WWE Under Fire After Vickie Guerrero Fat Jokes

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Lisa Wright, who is the program director of the national non-profit organization Council for Unity, wrote a letter to the Be A Star Alliance questioning their affiliation with WWE after receiving an e-mail concerning the “fat jokes” being directed towards performer Vickie Guerrero on television.

She asks how the anti-bullying organization’s partnership with WWE fits their mission to show tolerance and respect since professional wrestling consists of name calling and threats culminating in violence.

Her statement reads:

“I recently received an e-mail regarding your alliance with the WWE. The e-mail pointed out the “fat jokes” about Vickie Guerrero. Wrestling as I perceive it consists of name calling and threats culminating in violence to settle conflicts. How does this fit with your mission to `Show Tolerance and Respect?’ Are you saying this behavior is alright for entertainment value? As an employee of a member organization listed on your website, your questionable judgment reflects poorly, not only on you, but on all the organizations listed there.

“As an organization whose mission is to prevent violence and bullying, we must be careful who we partner with and what messages that partnership sends. As we look for funding, ways to market our mission, and new partnerships, we must remain aware of the cultural forces that impact those that we serve. Furthermore, we must be sensitive not to promote the very negative behaviors that we have spent our professional lives trying to prevent. I fail to see how an alliance with the WWE will do that. We must be aware that in our business, as in life, actions speak louder than words. The WWE may, in principal, be against bullying and the violence that so often accompanies it, however, the very nature of the business is not conducive to a culture of inclusion and peace that we here at the Council for Unity seek to create. To that end, we respectfully request the removal or our organization from your web site.”

WWE and The Creative Coalition teamed up for a party centered around SummerSlam and the “be a STAR” initiative last Thursday in Los Angeles, California promoting anti-bullying. Contrary to the campaign, Jerry Lawler made jokes concerning Guerrero’s weight days later on Raw while she occupied the announce booth for a segment.

DISCUSSION: We want to know what you think .. WWE claims to be an anti-bullying organization – so does their constant ridiculing of Vickie Guerrero’s weight violate that? Or are the “Vickie is fat” jokes part of the ‘entertainment’ ?

MAILBAG: Is The Wrestling Media Killing Pro Wrestling?

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SEScoops Mailbag for August 18th

(submit YOUR questions to [email protected])

Q: I would like to know the real reason for the Stone Cold Steve Austin heel turn at WrestleMania 17 when he joined Vince McMahon. Do you think that was a good move for business? – Troy

A: Austin has said that it was all his idea and he now regrets doing it. Instead of a handshake, if he could do things differently, he would have given McMahon a Stunner to close out the show. At the time, he felt his character was getting stale and needed a fresh start. As far as whether it was good for business, the numbers don’t lie. Ratings began a slow descent that they’ve never recovered from and thousands of fans who watched wrestling back then stopped doing so, never to return. It killed their golden goose and don’t think that it doesn’t play a role in why they’ve been so resistant to turning John Cena heel all these years. More than a decade later, WWE recently began conducting focus groups to see how they can work to get back what they refer to as “lapsed” fans.

Q: It is quite clear that Melina has a poor reputation with the locker room and just about everyone. My question: I believe in “Have A Nice Day”, Mick Foley was very complimentary of her to the point where it was a little creepy. Was this tongue-in-cheek or did Mick really see something in her? It just doesn’t add up. – Paul from Bangor, ME

A: Nope, Mick is a very big fan and thinks quite highly of her, not necessarily from an in-ring POV, but more as a nice, warm person. It’s not a gag. If you ask me, I think he probably just wanted to Bangor (get it? Because the person writing in is from a place called Bangor? Okay, let’s forget this ever happened).

Q: Is the [wrestling] media killing wrestling? Back in the day, WWE had better ratings and more fans then they do now. Could it be spoilers that ruin the surprises or the wrestlers’ personal lives getting on the internet or what? The fans used to love the Hardy Boys, but now people bash them for their mid-life crisis. Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior are disrespected because of their personal lives, but they used to be idols. – Austin N.

A: What a tired argument. The media is not killing wrestling, dumb wrestlers (and bookers) are killing wrestling. It’s like saying guns kill people – no, people kill people and just happen to sometimes use guns. Spoilers have been readily accessible on the internet since at least the mid-90’s and it’s never been proven that a live show consistently outperforms a taped show. The Hardys? People bash them because they’re a few fries short of a Happy Meal and bring scrutiny upon themselves by having their home raided by police, or by posting ridiculous YouTube videos of themselves eating grapes and tasering their girlfriend and running around their home with a gun pretending to chase ghosts. You can’t blame the media for that. As for Hogan and Warrior, they used to be idols to many fans because those fans were 10-years old and didn’t know any better. Now that they’re running around with iPhones cutting promos on each other every five minutes, it’s just sad. That hardly means I hold Steve Jobs and Apple responsible for their silly behavior.

Q: What if one day the WWE were to “really change forever”, as Triple H told us it would, and the company produced [more interesting] storylines and make ALL their championships seem important. Do you think WWE would be better off if they switch all of their programs from the USA network and SyFy to ESPN? And if they were to get a deal right now with ESPN, do you think it would mean anything? – Adrian Ramlochan from Trinidad

A: If only if it were as easy as you make it out to be. WWE isn’t in a position where they can just snap their fingers and shift their programming onto another network. As a matter of fact, wrestling is nowhere near as hot as it was a decade ago and TV executives have figured out the dirty little secret about wrestling fans –by and large, they don’t watch other programming on a promotion’s home network. UFC got lucky when Ultimate Fighter got a slot immediately after Raw and took off because contrary to what Vince McMahon would have you believe, there is lots of crossover between the wrestling and MMA audience. But that’s the exception, so if wrestling fans are only going to watch wrestling shows and wrestling isn’t the hot commodity it once was, then what other network would want it? WWE found that out the hard way when Spike ended negotations to bring them back and left USA as the only suitor. Nobody else wanted them, including ESPN. Besides, it’s a sports network and WWE thinks sport is a dirty word. They’re entertainment now, you see. It wouldn’t be a good fit.

Q: What was the fallout about between Goldust and his father, the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes that caused them not to talk to each other for 5 years? – Rory B.

A: It revolved around Dustin’s relationship with his future wife, Terri, who he first met in WCW. He talks about it in his book, “Cross Rhodes: Goldust Out Of The Darkness”.

Q: I remember earlier this year, Cody Rhodes said that when he wins at WrestleMania 27, he would unmask Rey Mysterio. When that time came and he won the match, he just grabbed his protective face mask and left. What’s up with that? – Chase Hawkins

A: Just another stipulation, much like John Cena getting fired, that WWE either forgot about or decided wasn’t worth mentioning again. Perhaps Alberto Del Rio remembered Cody’s earlier vow during the Raw Money in the Bank match last month when he ripped Mysterio’s mask off his face and threw it into the crowd. Another example of Mexicans taking jobs that Americans don’t want.

Q: Is there a RAW GM anymore? The computer seems to be around at all the RAW [shows] and Pay-Per-Views, but no annoying dinging sounds in the middle of promos. So do you know what happened to the GM? – Abbas

A: Victim of the recession. Lost his day job and couldn’t pay his internet bill anymore.

Keep those questions coming to [email protected] and remember to include your name!

Syfy Announces Live WWE SmackDown Special For This Month

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SYFY PRESENTS FIRST EVER LIVE WWE® SMACKDOWN® SPECIAL ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 30 AT 8PM/ET

NEW YORK – August 18, 2011 – Syfy and WWE announced today its first ever WWE Smackdown live special, “SuperSmackdown Live,” on Tuesday, August 30 at 8-10PM/ET on Syfy, originating from the INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas.

The Tuesday night special will feature WWE’s biggest Superstars and Divas, including World Heavyweight Champion Randy Orton®, Christian®, Sheamus™, Mark Henry®, Sin Cara™, Cody Rhodes™, Wade Barrett™, Daniel Bryan™, Brodus Clay™, Natalya™ and Alicia Fox™.

The special will re-air in SmackDown’s regular time slot on Friday, September 2 from 8-10PM (ET/PT).

SmackDown is averaging 3.1 million total viewers for 2011 to date.

Kevin Nash Forced To Dye His Hair, Return Kept Confidential

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Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view featured the surprise return of one of the biggest pro wrestling stars of the 1990’s – Kevin Nash. Nash brutally attacked CM Punk following his WWE championship win, allowing Alberto Del Rio to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase and leading to a great deal of speculation as to who hired Kevin Nash to attack Punk. Nash was on RAW this week to explain his actions, but his explanation that a powerful friend texted him with instructions to “stick the winner” of the WWE title match did little to make sense of what really went down the night before.

We’ve got a few new backstage details regarding Nash’s WWE return:

– WWE did everything they could on Sunday night at SummerSlam to keep his return a surprise. Nash was flown into Los Angeles on Saturday and was kept in a secluded area of the Staples Center up until the main event where he did his run-in. In another measure to prevent news from leaking out about the surprise appearance – Nash’s return was not listed on WWE’s official booking sheet for the show.

– Despite a lot of resistance from Nash, WWE forced Nash to dye his hair jet black prior to appearing on television. Nash is said to be very comfortable with his silver-haired look, but WWE officials think it makes Nash look too old and would not cave.

It’ been said that Nash had a similar situation in TNA Wrestling, where company officials wanted him to dye his hair to look younger, but Nash got his way with TNA management.

Young Bucks Have Heat Already In WWE, Booker T’s Future

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– Earlier this week, we reported that the Young Bucks tag team (formerly Generation Me in TNA) received a WWE tryout prior to Monday’s RAW from San Diego, California.  WWE announcer Booker T spoke about the Bucks’ tryout on Twitter – and made reference to a recent Rob Van Dam interview where RVD called out the Bucks for being cold to him backstage in TNA and not even shaking his hand.

Booker said that at Monday’s tapings, the Young Bucks did not introduce themselves to him when they walked by him backstage. Booker T said later in the day, one of the Young Backs was leaning on his jacket yet still never introduced himself to Booker.

The Young Bucks are a talented team with a ton of potential, but they will never get too far in the business by offending the legends in the locker rooms.

– Booker was asked why he’s not still wrestling. Booker said he’s done it all and has nothing left to prove. He then said he wants to finish like he started – strong.

– When asked by another Twitter follower whether he would ever reunite with his former tag team partner Goldust, Booker said that they talk about it all the time, and to never say never.

Goldust later replied to Booker’s tweet, saying that he and Booker could capture the WWE Tag Team Titles again soon.

Hulk Hogan Responds To Ex-Wife Linda’s Latest Wild Claim

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Linda Hogan insinuated this week that Hulk Hogan carried on an intimate relationship with longtime friend Brutus Beefcake. The ex-wife of the TNA Wrestling star appeared on Matty P’s Radio Happy Hour to pitch her recently released memoir, Wrestling the Hulk: My Life Against the Ropes. One question e-mailed into the show asked: “Do you believe that Hulk and Brutus Beefcake ever had an intimate relationship?” She replied:

“Wow, let me think about how to answer this so I don’t end up getting a lawsuit. A little bird told me, ‘Yes, they think they did.'”

Hogan responded to Linda’s remarks via Twitter and said he feels sorry for her.

“Feel sorry for Linda Hogan. I can’t believe how low a person will go, even to lie to hurt others just to stay in her perverted spotlight.”

“She will have to answer to the power upstairs for her evil lifestyle, I can only pray for her, what a wasted life, God bless her.”

JR Blog: Being Left Off SummerSlam, RAW’s 3-Man Team

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WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with another blog, which you can read in its entirety over at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR wrote about:

Not Commentating At SummerSlam: “Obviously I would have liked to have been a part of the Summer Slam announce team but I enjoyed Tweeting throughout the show and gained about 2,000 new followers as a result.”

The Live Crowd At SummerSlam & Which Match Stole The Show: “The Staples Center live audience really did their share in making the PPV feel special. It can’t be overstated how important the live audience is to any TV broadcast. I felt that Christian vs. Orton stole the show Sunday and that the final, two Summer Slam main events delivered as they should.”

RAW’s 3-Man Announcing Team:  “I thought the three man announce team had a solid night in SD and it shows that we are all working hard to establish rhythm and develop chemistry. I’ve read where some think that I’m the ‘3rd wheel’ in the scenario which is somewhat insulting but motivating at the same time.”

The New Stone Cold DVD: “Worked Tuesday night viewing the new Stone Cold DVD with Steve Austin and the talented WWE TV production crew. Austin’s FOUR DVD set will be in stores around the end of November and should be on shelves worldwide for the holidays. @steveaustinBSR and I did alternate commentary ala a narration on Steve’s Wrestlemania bouts vs. Bret Hart (WM13), HBK (WM15), and the Rock (WM17). Even though these matches have been on other DVDS they have never had our alternate commentary which will provide fans will a unique, inside look at the matches in both an informative and humorous, at times, manner. This was one of the most enjoyable broadcasting experiences that I’ve had in years.”

“The closing music video for the 2+ hour documentary portion of the Austin DVD is as moving as any I’ve ever experienced in the business.”

Mysterio Injury Update, Dolph Ziggler Injured, Roundtable

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– To update the news of Rey Mysterio working through a knee injury, Mysterio tweeted on Wednesday night that he underwent an MRI on the knee yesterday – which is not true. Mysterio actually underwent on MRI last week – and Rey mentioning the MRI this week was a way to continue the reality-based storyline from Monday’s RAW where Rey suffered an injury at the hands of Alberto Del Rio.

According to a WWE source Rey Mysterio’s latest knee injury will probably not require surgery – but he will take time away from the ring instead and undergo physical rehabilitation to heal the knee.

– WWE United States Champion Dolph Ziggler wrote on Twitter that he is currently suffering from a pulled groin.

Ziggler defeated Alex Riley in a dark match prior to Sunday’s SummerSlam pay-per-view, but did not wrestle on RAW. He and Vickie Guerrero did [hilarious] commentary during the Jack Swagger vs. Alex Riley match.

– WWE’s On Demand cable channel will be debuting a new Legends Roundtable next Monday featuring wrestling’s biggest outdoor events.

Who Came Up With “Little Jimmy,” Boxing At WM28 Update

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– During a recent interview with Charlotte Magazine, RAW superstar R-Truth reveals the origin of his “Little Jimmy” gimmick. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that it was WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon who came up with the ‘conspiracy’ gimmick and the Little Jimmy scapegoat character. Truth also told the magazine that he ad-libs 90% of his promos and that he’s still working on a hip-hop mixtape.

– As we reported earlier this week, we might see a professional boxing match at next year’s WrestleMania 28 pay-per-view between Monte Barrett and David Tua. Barrett, who is friends with John Cena, told 8countnews.com that he will be meeting with Vince McMahon and John Cena next week to discuss.

– Lilian Garcia noted on Twitter that she will be shooting a music video for hew new single this weekend.

UFC Officially Announces FOX TV Deal (Press Release)

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The UFC has officially announced what we reported here earlier this week – that their business relationship with Spike TV is over and they’ve reached a new blockbuster television deal with FOX broadcasting that will see up to 4 live events on FOX each year as well as the UFC’s Ultimate Fighter show moving to FOX-owned cable channel FX.

In a move that looks like Spike is trying to save face and after getting ‘dumped’ by UFC, Spike TV has issued the following statement, claiming they have cancelled their hit Ultimate Fighter series:

“The Ultimate Fighter season 14 in September will be our last. We are increasing our commitment to distinctive, original series that we own such as Auction Hunters and Bar Rescue which are delivering on our goal to reach a broader audience. Our 6-year partnership with the UFC has been incredibly beneficial in building both our brands, and we wish them all the best in the future.”

Here’s the official press release from the UFC:

Los Angeles – Today, Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC), the world’s leading mixed martial arts organization and No. 1 Pay-Per-View event provider in the world, finds its perfect media match in FOX, the No. 1 television network in the country. FOX Sports Media Group, the umbrella entity representing FOX Networks Group’s wide array of sports platforms, has reached a multi-year, multi-media rights agreement with Zuffa, LLC, owner of the UFC brand.

The landmark agreement, which puts UFC on par with many of the country’s professional sports organizations, delivers four live events in prime time or late night each year to the FOX broadcast network, home to the country’s biggest sports events, including the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500. The first live event airs Saturday, Nov. 12 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT. Additional programming on multiple FOX networks launches January 2012 and includes live fights, pre and post shows, countdown shows, UFC Unleashed, UFC Primetime, the UFC Knockout series, Best of Pride, weigh-in specials, and much more original content from extensive Zuffa archives. The agreement also provides for developing robust mobile and authenticated online offerings to exploit a vast array of digital platform rights.

In spring 2012, THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER, UFC’s signature weekly reality show moves to FX, FOX’s general entertainment cable network now in more than 99 million homes. With the move to FX, the show will feature a newly-designed format. FX is also set to televise another four-to six-live UFC events annually, with a mixture of additional events and programs heading to FSMG cable networks including FUEL TV.

“We’re excited to be part of the FOX family,” says Dana White, UFC President. “The UFC is finally where it belongs on the number one network in the country and aligned with the most prestigious sports properties in the world. I’ve always said that the UFC will be the biggest sport in the world and with this relationship it will become a reality.”

“My brother Frank, Dana and I always believed that our passion for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts would help us to build the UFC into a successful global brand and ultimately make it one of the premier sports properties in the world,” said Lorenzo Fertitta, Chairman and CEO of the UFC. “The partnership with FOX is a major step in making this a reality and also builds on the great relationship that we already have established with FOX in Latin America, Australia and Europe.”

“Mixed martial arts is not only the fastest growing sport in the world, but also the world’s most exciting form of man-to-man competition, and the UFC is the world’s premier MMA organization,” said FSMG President & Co-COO Eric Shanks. “Since FOX Sports is America’s No. 1 sports network and FOX is America’s No. 1 network for young adults, the UFC on FOX is a perfect match.”

“UFC’s growth over the past decade is nothing short of phenomenal and it has become one of the marquee sports in this country,” said John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX Networks. “There is a reason for its rising popularity. It features some of the greatest athletes in the world, and we believe it will be a terrific addition to our schedule and look forward to our relationship.”

Founded in 1993, UFC has been on a meteoric rise since 2001 when it was acquired by Zuffa, LLC, owned by Lorenzo Fertitta, Frank Fertitta III and Dana White. UFC’S first brush with FOX Sports goes back to June 2002, when Fox Sports Net carried UFC’s first non-pay-per-view event on basic cable television, and delivered what was then its largest audience to date. Through cooperation with state athletic commissions, consistent rules were established and refined for competition through officiating, judging, the addition of weight divisions, length of rounds and better equipment. Combined with an unyielding devotion to fighter safety, the UFC has vaulted to mainstream status in the minds of US sports fans attracting major sponsors such as Bud Light, Dodge and Harley Davidson.

UFC has displayed tremendous growth in digital and social media consumption. Unique visitors to UFC.com tripled between 2006 and 2010 (2.1 million to 6.3 million), and UFC established local web sites in 10 countries and Latin America. Using a unique blend of incentives, promotions and original content, including live bouts, UFC has seen its number of Facebook friends increase from 800,000 in 2009 to 6.1 million at present, outpacing the NFL, MLB and the NHL. UFC currently ranks second to the NBA in social media followers among the major sports organizations. Additionally, UFC President Dana White regularly interacts with over 1.5 million fans that follow him on Twitter.

Mixed martial arts skews much younger than more established US sports, which ranged from age 43 for Super Bowl XLIV to 61 for horse racing’s Triple Crown in 2010. Thus far, the median age for UFC on Spike in 2011 is 36 and 56% of UFC fans fall into the adult 18-34 demographic. Live UFC programming performs extremely well in the advertiser attractive, hard-to-reach male 18-34 demographic, with live event programing averaging a 1.53 rating, making it a top-20 cable show this year.

Video: Zack Ryder’s Latest Z! True Long Island Story (Ep. 27)

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Mr. Long Island Iced Z is back with another edition of the Z! True Long Island Story.

In episode 27 27 features cameos from Hornswoggle, Rosa Mendez and R-Truth.

Woo woo woo – you know it!

Nash Pulled From Upcoming Appearances, Kim In Philadelphia

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— Championship Wrestling International announced Thursday that Kevin Nash has been pulled from their 2011 East Coast Invasion due to his obligations with WWE. The ten-day tour kicks off today in the eastern region of Canada.

“Wrestling fans, we regret to inform you that Kevin Nash will not be with us for the Invasion Tour of the Maritimes,” said Donnie Abrue, Head of Talent Relations.

“As most fans are aware, Kevin Nash recently returned to World Wrestling Entertainment. Nash has been under contract to WWE for several months and was free to work elsewhere as long as WWE wasn’t in need of his services at that time. Nash competed in the main event for CWI this past May without any issue.”

— Gail Kim announced today on Twitter that she had to cancel her advertised appearance at this November’s Wizard World Austin Comic Con in Austin, Texas. She did, however, reveal that she will be appearing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania next week, but did not release further details.

Chris Jericho Talks CM Punk, WWE PG, Storylines

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Chris Jericho

Former WWE superstar Chris Jericho appeared on the Between The Ropes radio show this week – and we’ve got a detailed recap below.

Jericho has been performing with his metal band Fozzy in recent months, but has indicated on several occasions that he’s open to returning to WWE when the time is right.

Here are some highlights of what Jericho said about:

Whether he can believe it’s been 12 year since his WWE debut:

“It doesn’t really seem like it was 12 years unless I think really hard about all the stuff that’s taken place since then. But I can remember writing that promo that I did like it was yesterday in the apartment I was in on the floor, just kind of writing down ideas and writing out the whole promo because back in that time there was no writers or creative as they call it. It was basically you were just on your own. You might have a couple of ideas to throw around but most of it was just coming from your own brain and just saying it the way you wanted to say it. There was no rehearsals or anything like that. You would just go out there and do it. So that’s the biggest change between the WWE in 2011 and the WWE of 1999.”

The current PG-13 programming in WWE:

“I don’t care about PG-13 or Attitude Era. If you’re a great performer, you can make it work no matter what it is. And I never really cared because I might have gone 5% into the Attitude Era or 5% into the overly PG era but I pretty much just did my thing and made it work with whatever was given to me by the boss of the company. That’s a copout if people say ‘well, I don’t like it because it’s PG-13 or I can’t work within the PG-13 system’. That’s BS. It doesn’t matter. If you’re a good guitar player, you can play Van Halen or Georg Jensen jazz. It’s just an excuse.”

Simplistic storylines and playing into the current one with CM Punk:

“That’s what it’s always been about man. It’s always been about that and the best guys can do that no matter what rules or guidelines are given to them. That’s why the Punk thing worked so good because it was something different. It was Punk vs. the status quo of the WWE. It wasn’t so much the insider topics. I’m sure guys like you and me thought that was funny but your average person doesn’t have a clue about stuff like that. They just know that Punk is doing something he’s not supposed to be doing and saying something he’s never said before. That’s also why I don’t think the thing (Kevin) Nash worked out so well this week because they went too inside.”

You can subscribe to Between The Ropes on iTunes at this link.

Video: First Footage Of Brock Lesnar After Surgery

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In a major publicity coup, Fusion® Ammunition has released an the first video of former Undisputed UFC, WWE and NCAA heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar following his recent life-saving surgery.

Fusion® is well known as one of Brock’s major sponsors, and this video is nothing short of fascinating. You can check out the video featuring Brock’s comments along with some amazing hunting footage below. Fusion® issued a press release regarding their exclusive video, which reads:

ANOKA, Minn. – August 17, 2011 – Federal Premium’s Fusion® spokesperson and MMA superstar BROCK LESNAR declares “he’s back.” After a 2nd stint with diverticulitis causing surgery in May, Brock is ready to return to the Octagon. Before he begins training again, Lesnar stormed the prairies of North Dakota for a prairie dog hunt south of Bismarck, ND.

Don’t Count Him Out

Lesnar went under the knife and had a foot of his colon removed on May 26, 2011 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. After a short hospital stay, he went home to Alexandria, Minn. and then onto his farm in Saskatchewan where he has been since recovering. Lesnar feels like a new man and believes becoming the UFC Heavyweight Champion again is in his future.

Check out this first video footage of Brock Lesnar following his colon surgery:

Steen & Cabana Takes Shots At Melina’s Reported Booking Fee

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It was reported earlier today that a promoter who reached out to former WWE talent Melina Perez to book her for an independent wrestling event was informed by her representative that she is asking for $3,000 per appearance, as well as first class travel and hotel accommodations. Reigning PWG World Champion Kevin Steen, who has competed on the independent circuit for over ten years, made fun of the former WWE Diva’s reported asking fee.

He wrote on Twitter, “$3000 plus first class air and hotel?! Fuck…I’ve been charging way too little…”

A Twitter user then asked Steen, “Is there any real evidence that claim is accurate?” He responded, “Who cares?! I want to make fun of it. So it’s true.”

Ring of Honor talent Colt Cabana also lampooned Melina’s reported demands, writing to Steen on Twitter: “My wrestling fee has now gone from 2 diet cokes and a cupcake to 3 bajillionfajillion dollars… Pay up promoters!”

Steen then wrote a message predicting that John Morrison will follow Melina’s lead out of WWE and work indy shows alongside her. He wrote to Cabana: “I think that once her boyfriend gets released, promoters can save on (transportation) and book both of them. She’ll just ride with him.”

Anarchy Championship Wrestling promoter Darin Childs also gave his take on the matter, writing on the microblogging website, “As a promoter I should never do things like this, buuuut can we all LOL together at Melina’s appearance demands?”

Meanwhile, Melina garnered numerous messages today on her Twitter account regarding the claim and privately indicated to some users that it is untrue.

Gail Kim’s First Post-WWE Appearance, Rotten Denies Report

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— Gail Kim, who is currently under contract to WWE, is being advertised to appear at the Wizard World Austin Comic Con. The event takes place November 11-13, 2011 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas.

Other wrestling talent slated to appear include Maria Kanellis, Candice Michelle, Charlie Haas and Brimstone (who lists himself as an actor, author, philanthropist and comic book hero, in addition to professional wrestler).

— It was reported last week that former ECW star Axl Rotten was seeking donations on Twitter because he would be evicted from his home if he didn’t come up with $5,000. He caught wind of the report and says it is absolutely untrue.

Rotten released the following statement: “Yes, I am having financial issues right now (along with millions of other Americans) I DID NOT EVER post anything asking for fans to give me $5000. I have asked for support from “friends and fans” alike. I want this to be made 100% clear! Yes, times are very tight for me, I’m working hard at going back to school, finding a “9 to 5″ job and seeking as many bookings as I can get.”

— Territory League has announced that Rikishi will face Gene Snitsky on August 27, 2011 in Sun Valley, California. Kizarny is also scheduled for the event.

Sin Cara Update: Suspension, Backstage Heat, Hunico

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Last week on SmackDown, we saw developmental wrestler Hunico make his WWE television debut, donning the mask of Sin Cara while the original Sin Cara (Luis Ignascio / Mistico) finishes up this 30-day suspension this week.

A WWE source has informed us that it was in fact Hunico working as Sin Cara once again at Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings from Bakersfield, Californi – set to air on Syfy this Friday night.

Luis Ignascio, will be eligible to return to WWE this weekend – but many are questioning whether he’ll be brought back at all. After a rocky start in WWE over the past several months due to blown spots, poor matches and an overall underwhelming rookie year, the original Sin Cara reportedly has “nuclear” backstage heat on him.

Pictures of Sin Cara Unmasked

JBL Talks About How The PPV Industry Will Change Dramatically

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– Former WWE star John Bradshaw Layfield posted an interesting blog on Facebook today – explaining that he feels the pay-per-view industry is on the verge of being totally revolutionized, and it will be to the benefit content providers of WWE, TNA and UFC.

“PPV will change also dramatically over the next decade. PPV sold over the Internet is in its infancy, but with Internet enabled TVs growing-that will change.

Now imagine this. WWE or UFC does a PPV and they really now do sell it worldwide. Every Internet receiver in the world can buy it-no longer do they have to rely on a local Internet company in China or India-they own their own channel and sell it direct. This involves an education process, but one I think is taking place and will happen over the next 7-10 years.

PPV numbers will go up by a multiple of what they are now and all revenue is kept by the content owner. WWE could sell the PPV for $4.99 in Africa or China where they don’t have a cable partner and you can’t charge as much-but open it up to millions that way. Or, if you sell it for the current amount-you keep all the money.

Costs are a onetime issue. They remain the same-so all the extra income is pure bottom line profit.

See a change coming? I do.

A smaller group like TNA that has still marketable recognizable worldwide stars can do this as well and wouldn’t need cable deals all over the world to make it work. The Internet gives them a worldwide cable deal that they own. To me, this should be their model now.

I believe UFC will be the biggest sport in the world due to the fact that they can draw stars from virtually every continent and use them in front of their worldwide audience. When it comes time for a company with a billion people worldwide watching weekly to sell PPVs-what is five million buys. Futuristic? Yes. Will it happen? I believe it will.

So is wrestling dead? Not by a long shot, in fact it’s best days could easily be ahead-it’s just the way it is distributed will change…for the better.

Makes a Wrestling god want to come back….OK, maybe not, but will be fun to watch. “

VIDEOS: Ultimate Warrior’s “Injections Of Inspiration”

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Since launching his new One Warrior Nation project to get his fans to realize their full potential and live purposeful, meaningful lives, the Ultimate Warrior has begun posting motivation videos which he’s titled, “injections of inspiration.”

We’ve got parts 1 and 2 below .. Part 2 is worth checking out, as Warrior addresses fans “in character” as the Ultimate Warrior:

INJECTIONS OF INSPIRATION #1 With “Dr. Warrior”

INJECTIONS OF INSPIRATION #2 (Warrior Talking As “Ultimate Warrior):

Love Wants To Face Stratus, Knockout Shooting Reality Show

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— Angelina Love was asked today on Twitter who her dream opponent would be and revealed that it is a fellow Canuck.

“Canada vs Canada – Trish Stratus,” Love replied.

The seven-time WWE Women’s Champion has indicated numerous times in recent years that she keeps up with the TNA product, however, she has yet to state whether she would join the promotion. She attended her first TNA live event this past June as it took place near her residence in Toronto, Ontario. She later indicated on Twitter that Mickie James, Tara and Winter slept over at her house.

— Miss Tessmacher stated Tuesday on Twitter that she was shooting a pilot episode for her reality show. Further details were not disclosed.

— “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan guest stars on the premiere episode of CMT Made tonight at 10 p.m. ET/PT.

Melina’s Booking Fee Disclosed, Harry Smith Heading To Japan

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— According to a promoter who reached out to Melina Perez to book her for an independent wrestling event, the former WWE Diva’s representative is asking for $3,000 per appearance, as well as first class travel and hotel accommodations.

— Japanese based promotion Inoki Genome Federation announced today that recently released WWE talent Harry Smith will appear on their Aug. 27 show.

— Kevin Eck, who announced last Wednesday that he was leaving his job as sports content editor and professional wrestling blogger at The Baltimore Sun to become a member of the WWE creative team, officially starts with the entertainment organization on Aug. 29.

— K-Mart is running a promotion where customers receive a free WWE Fathead with purchase of $30 or more WWE merchandise.

source: PWInsider.com

VIDEOS: New Gameplay Footage From WWE ’12

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Video game website GameTrailers.com has released new gameplay videos of the upcoming WWE ’12 game from THQ.

Based on what we are seeing from this game, it looks to be a real winner. This is a total reboot of the WWE video game franchise – rebuild from the ground up.

An overview of the new features in WWE 12.

Meet the superstars of the WWE!