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Charges Against Gaspard Dropped, Domino Comments On Rumors

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— The city of Columbus, Ohio dropped jaywalking and resisting arrest charges against former WWE talent Shad Gaspard. He was arrested at the Arnold Sports event earlier this year. Gaspard plead guilty to obstructing official business and was fined $500. Click here for more details on this story.

Gaspard maintained his innocence and his wife went on Twitter while he was jailed and said that he was mistreated during his arrest.

— Cliff Compton (a/k/a Domino) indicated on Twitter that the chances of him returning to WWE are highly unlikely.

He wrote, “I will return to WWE when Axl and Slash reunite.”

The former WWE star is comparing the situation to Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose’s relationship with former bandmate Slash, as the two haven’t spoken since the mid-90s. Rose said two years ago that there was no chance that they would reunite – saying that one of the pair would “die” before such an event could occur.

JR Blog: Is CM Punk The Next Austin? Underutilized Talent

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

The New Steve Austin DVD Project: “What details do I know about the Stone Cold DVD that is being produced? I know that Steve is really hands on the project and will be involved throughout the production of the entire project, that a WWE camera crew & a producer spend parts of three days at Austin’s Broken Skull Ranch in South Texas earlier this week, and that no subjects were ‘off limits’ as Steve told me he talked about a litany of controversial topics that he had never addressed before on any other DVD including some of an extremely personal nature. I don’t know the release date of this multi disc set but it will be after October 25 when the much anticipated HBK-Hitman Rivalry DVD is released but in time for holiday shopping.”

Will ROH’s New Show Hurt TNA? “Do I think that ROH will adversely affect TNA once ROH begins airing their weekly, syndicated TV show? Likely not. Wrestling fans have proven over time that if multiple brands are compelling enough that they will watch. While my focus is on WWE, I am a fan of the genre and wish success to whoever is earning a living in it. ”

Is CM Punk the Next Steve Austin? “I hope not. I hope that Punk is simply the best CM Punk that he can be. The best for Punk has yet to come in my view. Punk being compared to Austin is inevitable because both are ‘defiant’ and ‘anti establishment’ persona’s but their in ring styles, body types, etc are distinctly different.”

Who’s the Most Underutilized Persona in WWE? That’s a loaded question. Could be several people, if those people were asked the same question. Zack Ryder fans would say Zack, etc. I might suggest William Regal who has a refined,  multiple skill set who can wrestle, talk, manage, train talent and broadcast.



MAILBAG: Will Vince McMahon Headline Next Year’s HOF?

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SEScoops Mailbag for July 29th

(submit YOUR questions to [email protected])

Q: I just read the article about CM Punk getting McMahon to pay royalties for the “Cult of Personality” theme. What was the case with Sandman’s theme back when he was with WWE? It was an instrumental of Korn’s “Twisted Transistor”. – Ryan B.

A: WWE had inquired about the rights to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” after the first One Night Stand, but they wanted a ridiculous amount of money (many millions) that the company wasn’t willing to pay. Frankly, I don’t blame them. McMahon allowing Punk to use the Living Colour song is, in many ways, revolutionary for them as it has always been their policy to avoid that sort of thing. I thought that maybe it was a one time thing on Raw, but according to Punk’s interview with Bill Simmons this past week, it’s going to be his permanent theme.

Q: I know it’s a little early to speculate, but with the recent storyline of Vince McMahon being “relieved of his duties”, do you think Vince will headline next year’s Hall of Fame ceremony? Or since WrestleMania is in Miami, could The Rock headline the HOF? – Rory B.

A: I’ve believed all along that Rock will headline next year as there is no better place for it than Miami. I believe Randy Savage is now under consideration as well and, while I’ve always thought Savage deserved to be the headline induction all on his own, now that he’s gone, I’d be fine with he and Rock co-headlining. As for Vince, it’s not a horrible idea given the storyline, but I would be STUNNED if this happened. First, I fully expect Vince to be back on TV in some position of power before then, anyway. Second, Vince is very strict at the HOF ceremonies that people not thank him or mention him and he rarely appears before the live audience (his induction of Steve Austin being one of the few exceptions). For him to basically put himself into the HOF is something I can’t see him doing, and being that he’s not likely to retire until he’s dead, it will be a shame for him to go in posthumously and not be there to give a speech.

Q: With WWE now apparently looking at returning to long-term booking, do you think the whole CM Punk angle is building towards Punk (anti-hero) vs. HHH (corporate boss) at WrestleMania next year? It makes sense, and with Rock vs. Cena would be another great main event, especially as they have never had a singles match.
And of course, this would leave Undertaker free to face Sting, right? Right? – Russell, UK

A: Long-term booking? Are you talking about the same company that drafted SIX different scripts for Raw last Monday before deciding only hours before the show what they were going to do? As reported on SEScoops, one of those scenarios had Triple H giving Punk a pedigree and having Alberto Del Rio cash in his MITB briefcase to win the title. I agree that Punk and Triple H seems to be the direction they are going, and it’s a fresh match I wouldn’t mind seeing at Mania (if Steve Austin is unwilling to wrestle one more match against Punk), but they came *this close* to doing the match at Summerslam in a few weeks with little build. That’s not a company with much of a long-term blueprint. As for Undertaker, some rumors have WWE grooming Mark Henry to face Taker at next year’s Mania as he continues to destroy everyone in his path on Smackdown. I think what they’re doing with Henry is great and all, but being that the two of them already had a Mania match and it sucked, Sting could not be any worse.

Q: The last time there was any mention of Lita, she attended WrestleMania Axxess and was never heard from again. Is she staying away from WWE because of what happened that year? – Kirk R.

A: I am unaware of anything that happened. Reports were that she didn’t seem too happy to be at Axxess this year, but she was still there. Plus, she had a cameo on Raw last year when Pee-Wee Herman guest hosted, so the relationship there is fine should she ever want to return.

Q: At Vengeance 2006, WWE did a storyline with imposter Kane vs. the real Kane. If you watch the match, the crowd was chanting ”boring” at one point. Is that the reason they suddenly scratched the [whole thing]? Who was the imposter Kane? – Simon Babu

A: That whole angle went over about as well as a fart in church. It was conceived as a way to promote Kane’s movie See No Evil, the first of the WWE Films, and yes, that PPV match was a killer. The funny thing is that the Kane imposter won clean over the real Kane, which is kind of a big deal, yet the very next night, the entire thing was aborted when they had Kane rip off the other guy’s mask and throw him out of the building. Fake Kane was played by Drew Hankinson who would go on to greater success on TV as Festus and Luke Gallows.

Q: What are you thoughts on WWE introducing a Divas tag team Championship? I always thought it would be a good thing because the Divas title alone is not enough since they have to stay in line and wait for so long to get a title shot. Would you recommend a WWE Tag team championship for Divas? – John

A: Repeat after me – NO. NEW. TITLES. Heaven forbid the Divas have to “wait in line”, as you say, for a title shot. I mean, it’s so unfair. Then again, when the WWE Title changes hands three times in eight days, this is the sort of thing people are conditioned to expect. I’m not a fan of TNA having Knockouts tag belts and I sure as hell don’t think WWE needs them. Why bother when the women only get 30 seconds on Raw for a 14-Diva tag match?

Q: Kurt Angle is one of the best pure wrestlers in the business. Where do
you rank him all time? Also, do you think his match with Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 19 is one of his best matches? – Troy

A: He’s definitely a top 10 all-time performer. Having won a gold medal in the Olympics and making the transition to pro wrestling as seamlessly as he was able to do is incredible. He can do comedy better than anyone, or he can be deadly serious, so he’s versatile as well. On top of that, his record of titles and accomplishments, his string of classic matches in both WWE and TNA, and his ability to make anyone he’s in the ring with look good (we’ll forget that one Royal Rumble match with Mark Henry) is all the proof you need. As for his match with Lesnar, I don’t think it was one of his best. The two of them had much better matches later in the year, including a fantastic Iron Man match on Smackdown.

Q: Why does WWE always sell Wrestlemania tickets so early, when nobody knows what is going down, they don’t know the match card, what if they pay over a grand for a ringside ticket, and when it comes time for Mania, all huge stars are injured and they have to go through a really slow show featuring people from the lower brands? – Javad Hussain from Scotland

A: You’re absolutely right. From now on, WWE should wait until the last possible minute and try to unload 70,000 tickets in one week.

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

SmackDown Match Preview, Sin Cara Removed From Intro

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— Advertised for tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown is an appearance by Triple H, who will address the WWE Title situation. The synopsis reads: “Newly-christened WWE COO Triple H made monumental shifts in the WWE landscape on Raw. How will The Game’s new regime affect Friday Night SmackDown when the suited Cerebral Assassin comes to town?”

Matches slated to take place are as follows:

* World Heavyweight Champion Christian vs. John Morrison (Non-title Match)

* A.J., Kaitlyn and Natalya vs. Alicia Fox, Rosa Mendes and Tamina

* Mark Henry takes on a local competitor

* WWE Tag Team Champions David Otunga and Michael McGillicutty vs. Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso (WWE Tag Team Championship Match)

* Intercontinental Champion Ezekiel Jackson vs. Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase (Handicap Match)

* Randy Orton vs. R-Truth

— Tonight’s episode of SmackDown has already aired overseas and Sin Cara has been removed from the intro.

The masked grappler is currently serving a 30-day suspension due to his first violation of WWE’s Talent Wellness Program. Though he is advertised for upcoming events, the Wrestling Observer reports that WWE may terminate their partnership with him after his suspension concludes.

source: F4WOnline.com

*SPOILERS* WWE SmackDown Tapings Results For Tonight

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WWE SmackDown on Syfy

WWE taped this week’s episode of SmackDown on Tuesday night from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Credit to Wrestling News World for this live report:

* Triple H came out to open the show and said he re-signed CM Punk to a WWE contract on Monday night. When he talked about the state of the World title, World Heavyweight Champion Christian came out and cut a promo. Hunter announced he’ll defend the title against Randy Orton in a No Holds Barred Match at SummerSlam.

* R-Truth comes out and starts talking conspiracy and little Jimmy’s. Hunter informs him that he will face Randy Orton tonight. He also said that Christian will face John Morrison and that match is up next.

* World Heavyweight Champion Christian vs. John Morrison. Winner via Kill Switch, Christian.

* Wade Barrett comes out and cuts a promo on Daniel Bryan. Bryan comes out and says Heath Slater cut the same promo last week and he made him tap out. Barrett punches him and taunts him with his own Money in the Bank briefcase. Daniel eventually counters and puts Barrett in the LeBell Lock.

* Backstage, Teddy Long is talking to Zack Ryder. Mark Henry walks up to them and Ryder tells him that he will find him an opponent.

* AJ, Natalya & Kaitlyn vs. Tamina, Alicia Fox & Rosa Mendes. Winners after Alicia Fox pinned AJ, Alica Fox, Tamina & Rosa Mendes.

* Mark Henry b. Bobby Howard (local worker) w/Zack Ryder. Teddy Long comes out and says no one wants to fight Henry. Sheamus comes out and says he’ll fight him and grabs a chair. Henry fleas as Sheamus comes at him.

* Backstage, Triple H makes Zack Ryder Teddy Long’s assistant.

* WWE Tag Team Champions David Otunga & Michael McGillicutty vs. The Uso’s. Winners after the McGillicutter on Jey Uso, David Otunga & Michael McGillicutty.

* Backstage, Johnny Curtis says he will make his Smackdown debut next week.

* The Raw Rebound airs showing Rey Mysterio Winning the WWE Championship, Jim Ross returning, John Cena vs. Mysterio, Cena winning the WWE Championship and CM Punk returning.

* Backstage, Matt Striker interviews R-Truth. R-Truth says a good R-Truth is a bad R-Truth. He says he’s like an eagle swooping down and grabbing a snake like a viper.

* Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase b. WWE Intercontinental Champion Ezekiel Jackson in a handicap-match after Rhodes hit Cross Rhodes.

* Jinder Mahal and The Great Khali cut a promo in Punjabi from the second level of the arena. “USA” chants fill the arena.

* Randy Orton vs. R-Truth. I’m told Truth had a lot of heat on him. World Heavyweight Champion Christian comes out to watch the match from the top of the ramp. R-Truth gets the win via disqualification when Orton uses a chair. After the match, Orton hits an RKO on R-Truth on the announce table. The crowd goes crazy as he hits it again.

Dark Match Main Event:

* Zack Ryder comes out and announces World Heavyweight Champion Christian vs. Randy Orton for the title in a Street Fight. Christian wins after a roll-up after interference from Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase. Orton gives them all three RKO’s to end the taping. As they walk up the ramp the referee gives DiBiase a wedgie.

WWE Makes Announcement For Raw, Helms Releases iPhone App

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— WWE announced Thursday evening via Twitter that CM Punk will speak this Monday on Raw.

Their announcement reads: “BREAKING NEWS: “BREAKING NEWS: This Monday on #Raw, @CMPunk will make his first official statement since his shocking return to WWE.”

It was advertised during WWE Superstars that Triple H will have to resolve “one unprecedented controversy” with Punk and John Cena holding two versions of the WWE Championship.

— Former WWE talent Shane Helms (a/k/a The Hurricane) has released an app for the iPhone. The app, which was developed by Figure 4, includes the following features: access to all of Helms’ social media; a soundboard of original, thoughtful quotes; his upcoming schedule; take a photo with Helms.

More details on the app are available here.

Eve Responds To Criticism, Discusses Working With McMahon

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Eve Torres took part in an interview with the Peoria Journal Star promoting tomorrow night’s Raw live event at the Peoria Civic Center in Peoria, Illinois, which she will guest host. She was asked whether she finds working with WWE head Vince McMahon intimidating.

“Vince has always been so hands-on, and that’s why WWE does so well. You hear it straight from the horse’s mouth,” she said. “He teaches us what it means to be a sports entertainer and how to captivate (an audience). He has given me personal feedback. Is it intimidating? Heck, yeah, it is. It’s kind of hard to break the ice with him when you’re first starting here. But eventually you feel a little more comfortable. It’s a family feel, the WWE.

She also responded to criticism that the quality of the Divas division is lacking.

Torres said, “We have to work basically in a man’s world. I definitely, without sounding like I’m complaining, will state that we have it the hardest in the WWE. You don’t see much of us (on TV programming).

“When it comes to the live events, you get to see great Diva matches you don’t see on Monday Night Raw. We have great fun and some awesome, kick-butt matches. There are a lot of liberties we take (during live matches) we can’t take on TV. I’m proud of the Diva division. We’re in a struggling place right now in terms of TV time, (but) I know what each of us are capable of.”

She also reveals which past Diva she most emulates, transitioning from a dancer to WWE, and more. To read the full interview, click here.

VIDEO: Zack Ryder’s Z! Long Island Story (Ep. 24)

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Mr. Long Island Iced Z is back with Episode 24 of the Z! True Long Island Story:

Spike TV Rebranding Itself: TNA Programming In Jeopardy?

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Spike TV, the cable network that is home to TNA Wrestling’s flagship show Impact Wrestling, recently confirmed reports that the network will be re-branding itself in the coming months.

Spike has catered its programming to young men since it launched back in 2003 – but after several years of declining ratings, the network is looking to broaden its appeal and will soon begin airing shows for men and women aged 18-49.

Spike is expecting to lose UFC programming and it’s being speculated that the new direction for Spike may hurt TNA and their Impact Wrestling show, despite Impact doing well for Spike’s demographic. During a recent investor conference call, Spike made no mention of TNA – and UFC was barely mentioned.

If TNA were dropped from Spike, it would hurt the company big time unless they could secure another national TV deal.

While Impact Wrestling getting dropped from Spike would be a devastating blow to TNA, that seems unlikely at this point – since Impact still doubles the network’s average rating and does not cost Spike much in TV rights fees.

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

McMahon Breaks WWE Policy For Punk, Nitro DVD A Hot Seller

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— Among those within WWE, the most notable thing about CM Punk’s return on Raw is that he got Vince McMahon to do what he’s had a policy in most cases against doing—pay royalty rights to use popular songs instead of WWE-created music.

— Diamond Dallas Page, who hosts WWE’s recently released The Very Best of WCW Monday Nitro, stated on Twitter that it is the company’s second best-selling DVD of the past two years. He also urged fans to start “hammering WWE” for a sequel.

— Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is in New Orleans, Louisiana today to begin filming the G.I. Joe sequel Cobra Strikes. He plays Roadblock.

— WWE concludes filming today for their upcoming Steve Austin video release at the Hall of Famer’s ranch in Tilden, Texas.

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

Wrestler Files Multi-million Dollar Lawsuit Against Hall of Famer

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Former independent wrestler Devon Nicholson has filed a 6.5 million dollar lawsuit in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against Larry Shreve (a/k/a Abdullah the Butcher), a WWE Hall of Famer.

The lawsuit stems from a 2007 match in Ottawa, Ontario, where Nicholson alleges that Shreve cut him with a razor blade without his permission. Nicholson alleges that Shreve’s blood mixed with his own and gave him Hepatitis C.

Nicholson learned of his infection in mid-2009. That September, WWE rescinded their three-year contract offer to Nicholson, allegedly on the basis of his disease.

According to Nicholson, his lawyer met with Shreve in September 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia, and agreed to provide blood work. Yet, the suit alleges, Shreve never provided the promised sample or result.

The source of the report is available here.

Shreve posted this note on his Facebook page on July 17: “I received my medical reports; I have NO hepatitis, or AIDS and anything. My blood tests are ALL negatives then these fools will be prosecured in justice… Hannibal, Billy Graham and especially New Jack, the most vulgar Boy whom business knew!”

TNA Signs Reality Star, Destination X Buyrate, Hogan-Bischoff

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– According to TMZ.com, reality TV star Jessie “Mr. Pec-Tacular” Godderz (“Big Brother”) has signed a deal with TNA Wrestling. Godderz, a former body builder, has been training at Bully Ray’s wrestling school in Florida and is expected to debut later this year.

– A rough estimate on pay-per-view buys for TNA’s Destination X last month would be between 8,000 and 8,500, which is a slight decrease from the prior month’s Slammiversary pay-per-view.

– Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff’s Micro Championship Wrestling will debut on TruTV on September 14th at 10pm EST. The series is currently slated to run for six episodes.

– TNA star Jesse Neal announced on Twitter last night that he and girlfriend wrestler Christina Von Eerie are engaged and will be getting married in Vegas:

“It is official guys me and Christina r engaged! She is the love of my life and we r happier then ever!!!!!”

VIDEO Of The Miz On George Lopez From Wednesday Night

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WWE Superstar The Miz appeared on TBS’s Lopez Tonight with George Lopez on Wednesday to promote WWE’s SummerSlam pay-per-view in Los Angeles.

The WWE superstar explains what happened when he tried to take his pants off at a PGA tournament, and when he caught his own father forging his autograph for fans. Plus, George gets “The Miz” to audition for “DWTS,” using an audience member as his dance partner.

Here’s the video:

VIDEO: New Trailer For WWE ’12 Game Featuring The Rock

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The latest trailer has been released for WWE’s new WWE ’12 video game franchise – which is due out on November 22nd, two days after WWE’s Survivor Series pay-per-view.

The trailer features video footage and in-game footage of The Rock, who announced earlier this week that he’ll be appearing at Survivor Series to confront John Cena.

Video game publisher THQ’s stock took a major beating this week – falling over 15% after the company slashed its annual earnings forecast for the year. THQ’s game sales were way below expectations for the first half of the year – which CEO  Brian Ferrell called “Clearly, a disappointing performance.”

During an investor conference calls this week – executives stressed the company would thrive in the third quarter, when it expects to generate the most revenue and earnings per share in the company’s history – with the new WWE ’12 game being a big part of that plan.

Here’s the new trailer for WWE ’12:

VIDEO Interview With John Morrison & Melina

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Arda Ocal (@arda_ocal) of the Score Television Network has a fun and light chat with WWE stars John Morrison and Melina. Highlights include:

– John’s injury and his return on RAW
– The famous “Royal Rumble 2011 elimination save” that kept Morrison in the Rumble
– Parkour and how often he thinks about doing it around rooms
– Both share their favourite “Vince McMahon” moment
– Checking out the “Air Guitar Championships” and what song they enjoy rockin’ out to the most (and who would play “pec drums” in their air band)
– Does John ever rock out to his own theme song?

Here’s the video of the interview:

Tarver Accuses Cena Of Intentionally Breaking His Arm

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Tyrone Evans (a/k/a Michael Tarver), who was released last month from his contract with WWE following several months of inactivity, posted a bizarre diatribe on his Twitter account today accusing John Cena of feeling threatened by his talent and intentionally fracturing his arm with a chair during a pay-per-view event last year to put him out of commission. The founding Nexus member also alleges that Cena laughed in his face afterwards.

Here is his post in its entirety:

“Family im a baaad man YAHWEH NISSI ,, soooooooo stop me if you heard this one for starters I went from sleeping in a car to being on 2 Wrestlemanias fun fact there soooooo this guy has a dream job but an adv he meets his dream girl assn db on his dream job he was to be away From his kids so he makes it work while spendiing 3 years trying to get his daughter to tampa to live him away from addcict mother

“Now during this dream job he fights trains show crazy potential on the mic regarded as one the best ever in developmental so he moves on ,,,To nxt and raw where he is burried on tv treated like trash back stage to the point where a certain top superstar takes notice of this Guy building steam with his promos back stage and begins to feel threatend so one night on a ppv the champ purposely fractures this Persons arm with a chair and after.the match backstage laughs in his face about it and walks off you know im talking about you just cant see See him anyway he takes out threats to his throne back stage to the point where the even get released from their dream job and ironicaly This guys dream wife leaves him tthreatening to take everything from him a month later on the se day his daughter was to move in with With them now his daughter is hysterical beyond help and has to be sent back home after three years of fighting and one week there

“Hmmmmm makes you wonder is it worth it because in your opinions WHO DO YOU KNOW WHO IS BAD.ENOUGH TO SCARE A BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY So I saw to all things mention ME ,,,,,,,,IM THAT BAD MAN ,,,,,,,,,,,YAHWEH NISSI”

WWE Keeps Returns A Secret, Tyler Reks Comments On Raw

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— WWE officials went to great lengths to keep the arrivals of both CM Punk and Jim Ross a secret before they aired on Raw. Both talents were hidden from almost everyone in the organization. They were sent to different hotels from everyone else in fear that someone would see them and relay it online. Neither came into the Hampton Coliseum until they were given the cue to appear, both being sequestered somewhere on the premises. They were not even on the sixth and final script for the show and aside from those who had to directly interact with them on television, all performers weren’t aware of either of talent being in Hampton, Virginia. Ironically, the arena itself was advertising Punk for the event.

— Tyler Reks, who has portrayed a heel character since debuting last October on the SmackDown brand, went on Twitter to defend himself for congratulating Rey Mysterio on his WWE Championship victory on Monday’s Raw.

Reks wrote, “Lotta talk about me celebrating Rey’s win with everyone last night. Bottom line is that Rey is my friend & I wanted to say congrats. No crime in that.”

— WWE Hall of Famer Harley Race is advertised to host SmackDown live events on August 27th, 28th and 29th in the state of Missouri as WWE stops in Cape Girardeau, Springfield and St. Joseph.

source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Mick Foley’s WWE Return, Big Show’s Time Off, Sheamus A Face?

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– Former WWE champion Mick Foley was backstage at Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown taping from Philadelphia – and we can now confirm that Foley is in negotiations to return to the company.

Foley was asked today by a fan on Twitter whether he would consider working for WWE again. Foley responded:

“Sure, I would – I’m considering it right now.”

– SmackDown star the Big Show is taking a few months off to rest his body. At 39 years old, Big Show is at the point where he can prolong his career by taking time off every now and then for the benefit of his long term health.

– There have been talks of turning Sheamus babyface and having him heel with Mark Henry this fall.

– Here are some recent WWE attendance figures:

* RAW on July 22nd in Springfield, MA drew 4,000 fans for $120,000.
* RAW on July 23rd in Wildwood, NJ drew 6,000 fans for $195,000.
* SmackDown on July 23rd in Pittsburgh, PA drew 4,300 fans for $156,000.
* RAW on July 24th in Upper Marlboro, MD drew 3,300 fans for $112,000.
* SmackDown on July 24th in White Plains, NY was a sellout of 4,300 fans for $180,000.
* Monday Night RAW on July 25th from Hampton, VA was a sellout with 8,000 fans.

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

Details On Plans For Del Rio To Win The WWE Championship

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Over the past several months, there have been various reports claiming that Royal Rumble and Money in the Bank winner Alberto Del Rio has been slated to win the WWE championship a few times this year. Thus far, those plans changed each time and he has yet to capture WWE’s top prize.

As noted in an earlier report, WWE’s original plan for Summerslam was for Alberto Del Rio to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase and challenge John Cena for the WWE title at SummerSlam. With SummerSlam taking place from Los Angeles, WWE saw dollar signs in their top heel Mexican star wrestling for the WWE title at a major pay-per-view in a strong hispanic market.

Additionally, WWE had discussed the idea of Del Rio holding the WWE championshpi heading into the company’s tour of Mexico in October.

Plans for Del Rio at Summerslam changed when the decision was made to bring back CM Punk sooner than expected.

According to Dave Meltzer, this is at least the 4th time Del Rio had been scheduled to win the WWE or World Title and it didn’t end up happening.

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

Original Plan For RAW: Triple H Supposed To Lay Out CM Punk

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Monday’s RAW featured Triple H’s first night in charge as well as the surprise return of WWE title holder CM Punk.

According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there were actually six different scripts written for RAW – one of which would have resulted in Triple H laying out CM Punk with a pedigree.

Although the obvious scenario would be for WWE to capitalize on CM Punk’s recent popularity and push him to the moon, most of the scenarios presented for Monday’s RAW were not to get Punk over, but to emphasize Triple H’s new role as Vince McMahon’s successor.

Prior to WWE settling on what we saw unfold on Monday night, the original plan for CM Punk’s return was for him to get attacked and pedigreed by Triple H. Alberto Del Rio then would have come out, cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase against John Cena at SummerSlam.

While this would have certainly put Triple H over as a major heel and led to an eventual program with a babyface CM Punk cooler heads prevailed and the angle of Punk getting squashed on the night of his return was scrapped.

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

Latest On Sarita Following Facial Paralysis, Turning Point Info

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— Sarita, who announced three weeks ago via Facebook that she had suffered facial paralysis, continued to wear a protective mask at this past weekend’s TNA Wrestling live events as well as last night’s Impact Wrestling taping in Orlando, Florida. Her condition, however, has improved in the meantime.

Sarita is advertised to appear at this weekend’s live events in Texas since the organization is targeting the Hispanic demographic with Mexican America and Sangriento. She will also appear with AJ Styles at Direct Auto Insurance 6630 South Congress Avenue Austin, Texas tomorrow from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

— TNA Wrestling’s annual Turning Point pay-per-view event is scheduled for November 13, 2011 at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida.

— Gunner and Murphy are advertised to appear at EAW Wrestle War V, which takes place Friday, August 26, 2011 at the National Guard Armory in Wentworth, North Carolina.

source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

AUDIO: CM Punk Interviewed By ESPN’s Bill Simmons

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CM PUNK appeared on the BS Report radio show this wee, hosted by ESPN’s Bill Simmons. You can listen to audio of the interview at ESPN.com. Here’s a recap of what CM Punk said about:

His new theme song “Cut of Personality“:

He’s a big advocate of wrestlers changing their characters – their look, their music, etc. It was time to change. It probably cost WWE a lot of money to license the song and he’s worth it.

* LISTEN HERE: “Cult of Personality” Music Video

Why he returned so soon:

It would be cool to stay off television for a while but SummerSlam is now and he wanted to capitalize on the momentum of the angle. He enjoys working with John Cena and likes their feud. He still loves what he does.

Wrestlers boring him:

He grew very bored of pro wrestling and still is at times. Certain guys on the roster do the same thing day-in and day-out and that’s not him. He questions everything and tries new things – and whatever he’s doing right now is working.

His epic shoot promo on RAW several weeks ago:

He knew WWE would cut him off at some point – but he wanted to push the envelope as much as he could. It was not scripted – everything he said was from the heart. He understood certain things are off limits – and he did go too far with a few of his comments.

Whether he was really leaving WWE:

His mind was made up to leave WWE. He made the decision to stay in WWE the day of the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. He wasn’t playing games or trying to get more money from WWE – he was very burnt out and spent a lot of time weighing his options.

JR Blog: His Return To RAW, Punk vs. Austin, Samoa Joe In WWE

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

His Return To RAW This Week: “It was very exciting Monday night getting a shot to work back on Monday Night Raw which was my broadcast home for so many years. I felt a little rusty at times but getting a strong main event with time in which to invest, Mysterio vs. Cena, was helpful and was also really fun to call.”

“I arrived at the Hampton Coliseum after the matches had started Monday night and stayed on a TV crew bus until just moments before I was introduced by HHH. Sort of flew by the seat of my pants for the broadcast which keeps one of their toes. Bottom line is that I had a blast and can’t wait to do it again next week even though I fully realize that Michael Cole won’t make things easy at the announce table.”

CM Punk vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin: “Do I think an Austin vs. Punk match would ever happen? Same old story, never say never. Punk would love it and Austin likely would as well if all the pieces fell into place such as Steve’s professional schedule, etc. I don’t know the answer but right now I’d say it’s somewhat of a long shot. ”

Austin Wanting Samoa Joe In WWE: “Do I share in @steveaustinBSR take on Samoa Joe? I like Joe’s in ring work and his potential plus he has a unique body type that I feel is an asset.”

*SPOILERS* TNA iMPACT! Wrestling Tapings Results For Thursday

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Credit to SEScoops.com reader Eric for the following TNA Impact Wrestling tapings from Monday night’s show in Orlando:

* Kurt Angle opens the show and calls out Hulk Hogan to squash their beef. Angle says Hogan has been calling him to join Immortal. Angle runs down Hogan and Eric Bischoff and says he is going to win the World Title at Hardcore Justice. Angle says again he has never beaten Sting. Hogan talks about being the best and carrying the business on its back, changing wrestling. Hogan says he wants Angle to make money. Angle says he respects Hogan or he would be whipping his ass right now. Angle wonders if Hogan still has it. Hogan says he won’t wrestle again due to his back surgeries. They go on and Angle thinks Hogan still has it. Angle says he won’t take money from Hogan to take out Sting and that Hogan needs to do it himself.

* Rob Van Dam beat Gunner in a Bound For Glory Series match.

* Backstage segment with Eric Bischoff, Jeff Jarrett, Abyss, Bully Ray and Mr. Anderson. The Network wants Bischoff to bring in more X Division wrestlers. Hogan walks in and talks about taking Angle out. Sting shows up in a suit, carrying a cage that’s got a cover over it. Sting says he is the executive of the Network and confirms Angle vs. Mr. Anderson in a cage match. Fortune will be around the ring as lumberjacks to make sure Immortal doesn’t interfere, like they always do.

* Alex Shelley and Brian Kendrick come out to cut a promo on Austin Aries, bringing him out. This all leads to Shelley vs. Kendrick vs. Aries for the title at Hardcore Justice. Abyss interrupts and wants his title shot against Kendrick tonight. Sting appears on the big screen and announces Abyss vs. Kendrick in Ultimate X.

* Crimson beat Bully Ray in a Bound For Glory Series match.

* Winter beat Tara.

* Traci Brooks comes out with Velvet Sky. They invite ODB and Miss Jackie down to the ring. Another long in-ring promo here. Velvet is going to take it anymore.

* Fortune is backstage talking about their six-man match at Hardcore Justice. Sting appears and says what’s in his cage is a present for Eric Bischoff.

* Brian Kendrick retained the X Division Title in Ultimate X by defeating Abyss. Kendrick countered a chokeslam attempt and grabbed the belt on the way down for the win.

* Kurt Angle beat Mr. Anderson in a steel cage match. During the match, Immortal came down and fought with Fortune who was at ringside. Mexican America also got involved. Bully Ray got in the cage and went to give Anderson a steel chair but held onto it, causing a distraction and Angle to hit the Angle Slam for the win. The lights went out and Sting appeared in the ring to raise Angle’s arm and have a few words.

Latest On KOW Joining WWE, Laurinaitis Added To WWE Site

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— Multiple sources believe Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Hero, who perform as The Kings of Wrestling for Ring of Honor, will conclude their obligations with the organization next month and join WWE immediately thereafter.

Though they are advertised for the August 13th Ring of Honor television taping in Chicago Ridge, Illinois, one source says it’s possible they will debut for WWE—bypassing developmental—before the end of the month. There are also rumors that they could be involved in CM Punk’s current storyline.

— A profile on John Laurinaitis, WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent Relations, has been added to the Alumni section on WWE.com.

Contrary to CM Punk’s derisive remarks concerning the corporate executive during a pseudo-shoot promo last month on Raw, Laurinaitis is referred as “a respected WWE employee” in his bio. His previous life as “a successful sports-entertainer” in both Japan and the United States is also acknowledged.

source: ProWrestling.net