Credit to Mike Jenkins & pwinsider.com for this live report:
– The show opened with Tara singing her entrance music and Generation Me having her back. Mickie James came out and got in Tara’s face. Gen Me then grabbed Tara which brought out Eric Young. It set up Mickie vs. Tara in a cage for later tonight.
– Eric Bischoff was pissed at AJ Styles for losing the TV Title to Douglas Williams. Rhino chose the wrong time to come in and ask for a new contract because he was told no and beaten up by Fortune.
– Fortune, Bischoff, Jeff Jarrett and Abyss were in the ring when EB called out Matt Morgan. Morgan came out and was told next week it will be him vs. Mr. Anderson and the winner gets a title shot at Jeff Hardy. Morgan said that Anderson has not been cleared to wrestle. EB said if he doesn’t wrestle, he is fired. People groaned because they know no one important gets fired for real in wrestling.
– Brother Ray brought out a guy he called Devon and did a promo saying he was Team 3D and he could team with anyone and still be as good as they were. Good promo.
– Ray was proven incorrect as he and his imposter lost to Ink Inc when the imposter was pinned.
– The Motor City Machineguns beat EB’s security team after Beer Money came out and attacked the champs.
– Angelina Love and Velvet Sky beat Sarita in Daffney in the first match of the Knockouts tag title tournament.
– Douglas Williams beat Abyss to retain the TV Title. Afterwards, AJ Styles attacked the champ and left him laying.
– In the main event, Mickie James beat Tara inside the cage.
— WWE officials paid a visit to the company’s Tampa based developmental facility this week interviewing contracted talent about participating in the revival of Tough Enough on the USA Network. Previous seasons of the program solely featured unsigned talent.
The casting process is expected to conclude next month with the series likely debuting in the spring.
— Natalya noted on Twitter that a Santa’s Little Helper Match will take place at Tribute to the Troops, which is being taped this Saturday in Fort Hood, Texas.
She wrote, “Looking for a santas helper outfit for tribute to the troops- but santa’s helpers aren’t as built in the front and the back as this one!”
— The NFL’s Tennessee Titans are preparing to oppose WWE’s registration of the trademark ‘Titantron’.
— Current creative plans call for Melina to turn heel and feud with Divas Champion Natalya. It’s expected to be a slow turn. The idea was first conceived a few weeks ago and it said that Melina garnered heat because she was negative about going bad.
Meanwhile, a renewed on-screen relationship with John Morrison which was recently teased on Monday Night Raw is considered a dead idea.
— Creative has devised long-term storyline plans for Randy Orton, The Miz, Sheamus, Edge, John Cena and The Nexus through February.
— The pre-sale code for the Jan. 31 Monday Night Raw taping at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island is ORTON. Tickets for the pre-sale are on sale now through Friday morning via Ticketmaster.com.
sources: Wrestling Observer Newsletter, PWInsider.com
— Discussions between Bill Goldberg and WWE officials regarding induction into next year’s Hall of Fame class in Atlanta, Georgia are said to be cold at this point. (source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
— Today is WWE play-by-play commentator Michael Cole’s birthday, who turns 42 years old.
— WWE Monday Night Raw on Feb. 28, 2011 will be held at the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, New York. Tickets go on sale Dec. 18, 2010. (Thanks to Devin Cutting)
— Tentative plans call for Triple H to return next month at the Royal Rumble for a match with Sheamus.
— It is said that Wes Brisco and Xavier Woods were tapped to be called up to the main roster fairly soon before Brisco tore his ACL at a FCW live event last month in Punta Gorda.
— According to video game industry sources, sales for Smackdown vs Raw 2011 are at the same level as last year, which would be considered a major positive considering that sales throughout the industry are down. It’s also a positive because sales for the game were down the past two years.
— According to sources within TNA Wrestling, Taylor Wilde is through with the company. However, officials are open to bringing her back in the future.
— Ric Flair didn’t appear at Sunday’s Final Resolution pay-per-view because TNA Wrestling were already over his allotted dates for the year and didn’t feel it was necessary that he work the event.
— Mick Foley appears on Last Call with Carson Daly this Friday night on NBC. The show airs at 1:35 a.m.
— Tara, who tore a ligament in her elbow during a Steel Cage Match against Mickie James at Monday’s iMPACT! taping, noted last night on Twitter that no surgery will be required.
— Ric Flair will be on hand for tomorrow’s Tennessee Titans vs. Indianapolis Colt game at LP Field in Nashville as an Honorary 12th Titan. Before the game airs on television, “The Nature Boy” will get nearly 70,000 fans amped by raising a #12 Titans flag to salute those attending the game.
— Numerous Jersey All Pro Wrestling officials are on hand for this week’s iMPACT! tapings in Orlando. TNA Wrestling coordinates live events with JAPW officials when they hold shows in New Jersey.
— While Samoa Joe is free and clear from all contractual obligations with TNA Wrestling, he is available to appear at this week’s television tapings if officials choose to use him. Both sides remain in negotiations for a new contract.
— Many backstage are impressed with Tara and Mickie James working through injuries at this week’s television tapings. Tara tore a ligament in her elbow, while James hurt her knee Monday.
— TNA World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy returns to Superior Court of Moore County in North Carolina today to face multiple drug trafficking charges.
The charges against him are as follows: conspiracy to traffic in Opium, trafficking in Opium by possession, two counts of possession with Intent to Distribute, felony possession of cocaine, felony maintaining a controlled substance in a vehicle/dwelling/place and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
— Beginning tomorrow night on iMPACT!, Jeff Jarrett will hold an open challenge where he’ll pay money to anyone who can “make him tap.” Though plants were used, some fans in attendance believed the challenge to be legit and thus security had their hands full trying to keep them from hopping the rail.
– WWE Champion The Miz is hosting today’s episode of the syndicated entertainment gossip program TMZ on TV. Check your local listings for time and channel.
– Chris Jericho will be signing copies of Undisputed: How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps on the day of its release, Feb. 16, at Borders Books on Broadway in New York City. A book signing is also set for Borders in Torrace, California on Feb. 22. Additional dates will be announced.
– Randy Orton is featured on the cover of the latest issue of WWE Kids Magazine.
In recent weeks we’ve been covering the story that WWE is testing a new masked character for John Cena, his “Mexican cousin,” Juan Cena. Juan Cena has been competing at live WWE events, wrestling in main events against The Miz, Wade Barrett and Kane.
This past weekend, Juan Cena wrestled at live events in Kentucky and Tennesse, challenging Kane in the main events .. Both matches ended with Nexus storming the ring, attacking Cena and removing his mask – only to have Cena fight back and send Nexus running.
From what we’ve heard, WWE is still testing out the character and there are no immediate plans to introduce him as an on-air character. However, fans who attend live events in the coming months have a good chance of seeing Juan Cena.
SEScoops.com reader Rusty Richardson sent some new pictures of Juan Cena from this past weekend .. Check ’em out below:
WWE taped Friday’s episode of Smackdown from the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio. Credit to Wrestling News World for this detailed report:
* The show opens with World Heavyweight Champion Kane begging Edge to surrender Paul Bearer. Edge is shown on the big screen and tricks him with another dummy version of Bearer.
* They plug the main event of World Heavyweight Champion Kane & Alberto Del Rio vs. Edge & Rey Mysterio.
* Jack Swagger b. Kaval when Kaval submitted in the ankle lock. Kaval may have suffered a legitimate leg injury in the bout. After the match, Swagger says he was cheated last week by Kofi Kingston.
* Hornswoggle b. Jack Swagger’s eagle mascot. The match saw Hornswoggle throw brad crumbs on the mat to distract the eagle. He landed a Tadpole Splash and got the pinfall victory.
* A segment is taped where Chavo Guerrero and a partner of his choosing challenge Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov for the WWE Tag Team Championship later tonight.
* Kofi Kingston b. WWE Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler via disqualification when Jack Swagger pulled Kofi out of the ring and locked him in the ankle lock.
* Chris Masters comes out for the Masterlock Challenge against “Dashing” Cody Rhodes. Cody makes Masters put on hand sanitizer and file his nails. He tries to leave when Masters grabs his face but Masters put him in the Masterlock.
* WWE Tag Team Champions Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov b. Chavo Guerrero & Drew McIntyre. Santino connected with the cobra on Chavo and followed it with the pinfall victory. After the match, Drew McIntyre hits Chavo with a DDT.
* WWE Divas Champion Natalya w/Beth Phoenix b. Layla w/Michelle McCool after making her tap in the Sharpshooter.
* World Heavyweight Champion Kane didn’t come out for the main event so Teddy Long came out and made the match Alberto Del Rio vs. Rey Mysterio & Edge in a handicap match. Kane came out mid-way through the match and Edge met him at the ramp and they fought to the back. Kane is shown on the big screen chasing after Edge. Kane pushes a ladder off a cliff thinking it’s another Paul Bearer dummy but it’s actually Paul Bearer. Rey ended up beating Alberto Del Rio to end the show.
Once again, Helms has gone on Twitter and essentially called Michaels a hypocrite for claiming to be a devout Christian while still “murdering animals” and hanging their heads on his wall (ie. hunting). Helms wrote:
“I think I might go murder some animals for fun and hang their heads on my wall cuz that’s what Jesus would do. Right @ShawnMichaels_ ?”
Once again, HBK was prompted by his Twitter followers to respond to Helms’ remarks. Like last time, Michaels takes a cool, laid back approach and signs off with another smiley face..
“Jus got bak. Wow u guys r fired up! Sorry u have 2 deal w/it. Don’t worry, I don’t. Comes w/the territory. have zero desire 2 do the internet stuff other than corresponding w/u. U can make ur own decisions & I will respect them. May I now return to having fun w/ u all please. Life is 2 short 4 me 2 go thru High school again:-) “
Our readers have been very vocal about this topic on the SEScoops comments section … Comment below and let us know what you think about the situation – does Helms have a point attacking HBK – or is he way out of line by judging his religious faith?
Warning: The following contains a minor *Spoiler* for Friday’s SmackDown
At Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown tapings, it was announced that the Rey Mysterio vs. Alberto Del Rio match at the upcoming Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view will be a Chairs match.
With that match set, here’s the updated card:
Tables Match for the WWE Title
The Miz (c) vs. Randy Orton
TLC Match for the World Heavyweight Title
Kane (c) vs. Edge
Chairs Match:
Alberto Del Rio vs. Rey Mysterio
WWE’s Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view event takes place in less than two weeks on Sunday, December 19th.
COMMENT BELOW: What do you guys think – are you excited for this show? Is WWE going to close out 2010 with a bang – or is this just another 2nd tier gimmick show?
— Goldust announced on his Twitter account this evening that he will be sidelined for “five to six months” after undergoing shoulder surgery Friday.
— Two additional matches were taped for this week’s episode of WWE Superstars tonight at the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio: Tyler Reks vs. JTG; Trent Barreta vs. Curt Hawkins.
Matches taped last night at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky were Eve vs. Alicia Fox and Zack Ryder vs. Ezekiel Jackson.
— Today is former WWE Diva Sunny’s birthday, who turns 38 years old. Today would have also marked as “Ravishing” Rick Rude’s 52nd birthday.
— The Dec. 6 episode of Monday Night Raw drew a 3.1 cable rating, drawing 4,800,000 viewers over the course of two hours. The show did hours of 3.0 and 3.29.
Last week’s King of the Ring themed show garnered a 3.4 cable rating during its regular time slot.
— WWE developmental wrestler Seth Rollins (a/k/a Tyler Black) worked a dark match prior to tonight’s SmackDown taping in Dayton, Ohio. He lost to Cody Rhodes.
— Tonight’s NXT main event will feature Alberto Del Rio and Conor O’Brian vs. Daniel Bryan and Derrick Bateman.
— The latest word on Triple H is that he is not expected to return to WWE programming until January at the earliest.
He has been sidelined since April due a torn biceps tendon.
— The Dec. 4 episode of A.M. Raw scored a 0.31 cable rating, with 363,000 viewers.
— Former WWE Diva Serena is advertised to return to Ring of Honor on Saturday, Dec. 18 at the company’s Final Battle 2010 internet pay-per-view event. She will be teaming with Sara Del Rey against Awesome Kong and Daizee Haze in a tag match.
— Goldust announced on Twitter that he will be undergoing surgery to repair his injured shoulder. He wrote:
“Unfortunately, I have to have surgery…out for some time.”
— USA Network president and WWE ally Bonnie Hammer took the number three spot in The Hollywood Reporter’s Women In Entertainment Power 100 list, beating out Oprah Winfrey, who took 4th. You can check that list out at HollywoodReporter.com.
— Former WrestleMania celebrity and boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been charged with criminal battery after poking his finger on a man’s face, according to TMZ.com. Security officer Shayne Smith alleges that he got into a verbal dispute with Floyd Mayweather, who got physical with him and left a bruise on his cheek.
“The willful and unlawful use of force and violence upon Smith caused redness and discoloration to the area which was battered by Mayweather,” reads the complaint. For more details, visit TMZ.com.
— Former WWE developmental star Flash Flanagan played the role of the waiter in the John Cena and Nexus hotel scene on Monday’s RAW. He currently works on the indy scene.
— WWE officials are looking to hold a fifth season of NXT, which is why the company’s top developmental talent were held off the new season premiering tonight on WWE.com. Officials are hopeful that the program will find a home on U.S. television.
— WWE returns to the Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on July 6, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale January 28, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. (Thanks to Devin Cutting)
— According to WWEDVDNews.com, a “Best of SmackDown” 2010/2011 DVD set is scheduled to be released in late 2011.
A DVD and Blu-ray set examining the rivalry between “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock is also on tap for the end of next year.
— Magnus returned to action at last night’s Xplosion taping in Orlando, Florida, working a match against Tommy Dreamer. Dixie Carter noted in a recent message on Twitter that Magnus and Desmond Wolfe would be returning soon as London Brawling.
— TNA X Division Champion Robbie E squared off against Shark Boy at last night’s Xplosion tapings and did not have the title with him.
— Tara suffered an arm injury during her match with Mickie James at last night’s iMPACT! taping in Orlando, Florida.
“Tore a ligament in my elbow last night in a match against @mickiejames,” she wrote on Twitter. “It was my good elbow, but we made history. We were main event.”
She is expected to be sidelined for several weeks.
TNA Wrestling has released Knockouts Tag Team Champion Hamada from her contract. She held the title alongside Taylor Wilde.
Beginning this week on iMPACT!, a tournament is being held for the vacated belts. The first match will feature Sarita and Daffney vs. Angelina Love and Velvet Sky.
After calling Shawn Michaels one of the biggest drug abusers and hypocrites in the history of pro wrestling and a “cock-eyed cross-eyed piece of sh**”, former WWE star Shane Helms is back with some more words for the Heartbreak Kid.
“I wonder if I backstab a bunch of people and hurt careers & families and slaughter animals for fun but then pray on stage, that make it ok? Just wondering? :-) But enough about that hypocrite, I’m home after a great but hard working tour and got to catch up on my DVR’s.”
Shawn Michaels has issued his first comments regarding Helms’ verbal attack, responded to his fans on Twitter who asked if he’s heard what Helms said about him. Michaels wrote:
“From u all I hav. Verbal attack? Wow pretty scary. Thoughts? Sticks & stones I guess? :-)”
Former WWE star Shane “Hurricane” Helms has made some pretty shocking allegations about Shawn Michaels, saying he’s one of the biggest drug abusers and hypocrites in the history of pro wrestling and calling him a “cock-eyed cross-eyed piece of sh**.
On the latest episode of his weekly “Highway 2 Helms” online video show, Helms’ co-host Marty Gardner him who his least favorite wrestler of all-time is. Helms did not hesitate to name Shawn Michaels.
Helms stated that Michaels was one of his idols growing up, but “he really let me down as a person” when he got to work with him in WWE.
Helms then took the gloves off and tore into Michaels, calling him “the biggest hypocrite in the business” and claiming “his whole religious gimmick is a f***ing work.”
Helms said that he can’t deny Michaels is one of the best WWE performers of all time and his matches WrestleMania matches with The Undertaker were classics – but as a person, Michaels is a “cock-eyed cross-eyed piece of sh**.
Helms then told a story about being so angry at Michaels at a show last year that he wanted to attack him – even if he’d lose his job over it. Michaels was having an argument with Chris Jericho backstage, with Michaels yelling loudly at Jericho. Helms did not say what the argument was about, but said he sided with Jericho in the situation.
Helms went on to say Michaels is “one of the biggest drug users in the history of the business…who has snorted more coke and done more steroids” than anybody else in wrestling. Yikes!
— On Monday’s RAW, Santino Marella and Vladimir Kozlov captured the WWE tag team championships in a Fatal Fourway match. The finish came after John Cena distracted the Nexus members, allowing Santino to hit his Cobra finisher and get the pin.
— Also on RAW, we saw the debut of Tyson Kidd’s new (huge) bodyguard, former developmental star Jackson Andrews. Andrews has been billed at over 7 feet tall in FCW and has been working live WWE events in recent weeks.
From what we’ve heard, WWE was very happy with Kidd’s match with DH Smith on last week’s Superstars and their rematch on RAW where Jackson Andrews was introduced. Kidd getting a new bodyguard is a good indication that WWE is behind his character.
— SEScoops.com news correspondent Devin Cutting has sent in word that WWE will be touring Australia and New Zealand next summer. Here are the dates & locations for WWE’s summer 2011 “down under” tour:
* July 1st – Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia
* July 2nd – Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia
* July 3rd – Burswood Dome in Perth, Australia
* July 4th – Entertainment Centre in Adelaide, Australia
* July 5th – Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Australia
* July 6th – Vector Arena in Auckland, New Zealand
Tickets for these shows go on sale on January 28t at 9 AM.
