– The plan right now is for Jim Ross, Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler to announce WrestleMania with Todd Grisham, Matt Striker and Josh Matthews doing backstage interviews and such.
– Word is that Stu Hart’s video package for the WWE Hall of Fame is really good. It may debut on this week’s Friday Night SmackDown.
– As of this week, the decision still hadn’t been made whether John Cena vs. Batista, Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels or Edge vs. Chris Jericho would be the last match at WrestleMania. The Unified Tag Team Title match is currently scheduled to open the show with Money in the Bank going on second. Vince McMahon vs. Bret Hart would likely go somewhere in the middle of the card. Of course, all of this is subject to change.
– The plan right now is for Jim Ross, Michael Cole and Jerry Lawler to announce WrestleMania with Todd Grisham, Matt Striker and Josh Matthews doing backstage interviews and such.
– Word is that Stu Hart’s video package for the WWE Hall of Fame is really good. It may debut on this week’s Friday Night SmackDown.
– As of this week, the decision still hadn’t been made whether John Cena vs. Batista, Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels or Edge vs. Chris Jericho would be the last match at WrestleMania. The Unified Tag Team Title match is currently scheduled to open the show with Money in the Bank going on second. Vince McMahon vs. Bret Hart would likely go somewhere in the middle of the card. Of course, all of this is subject to change.
— Matches set to take place on tomorrow night’s episode of WWE Superstars on WGN America are as follows:
* Christian, Mark Henry and Yoshi Tatsu vs. Jack Swagger, William Regal and Zack Ryder
* The Bella Twins vs. Jillian and Katie Lea
* Kane vs. Shelton Benjamin
— Kelly Kelly has relaunched her official website, www.kellykellywwe.com.
— The Arizona Republic newspaper is getting in the WrestleMania spirit by hosting “WrestleMania Wednesdays” online chats. This week, Scottsale, Ariz., natives Nikki and Brie Bella will answer questions in a live, one-hour chat. You can join them today at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. MST at azcentral.com.
— Matches set to take place on tomorrow night’s episode of WWE Superstars on WGN America are as follows:
* Christian, Mark Henry and Yoshi Tatsu vs. Jack Swagger, William Regal and Zack Ryder
* The Bella Twins vs. Jillian and Katie Lea
* Kane vs. Shelton Benjamin
— Kelly Kelly has relaunched her official website, www.kellykellywwe.com.
— The Arizona Republic newspaper is getting in the WrestleMania spirit by hosting “WrestleMania Wednesdays” online chats. This week, Scottsale, Ariz., natives Nikki and Brie Bella will answer questions in a live, one-hour chat. You can join them today at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. MST at azcentral.com.
– Despite WWE advertising it yesterday, John Cena did not appear on last night’s NXT. Cena was scheduled to come out, open the show and address the NXT rookies.
– The dark main event after last night’s SmackDown tapings saw Rey Mysterio, Triple H, Edge and John Cena defeat CM Punk, Batista, Sheamus and Chris Jericho.
– WWE’s SummerSlam will be returning to Los Angeles this year. It was announced at last night’s tapings that tickets for this year’s show at the Staples Center go on sale this coming Saturday.
– WWE Studios will begin producing a movie about Hall of Fame Class of 2010 member Gorgeous George’s life and legacy in early 2011.
– Despite WWE advertising it yesterday, John Cena did not appear on last night’s NXT. Cena was scheduled to come out, open the show and address the NXT rookies.
– The dark main event after last night’s SmackDown tapings saw Rey Mysterio, Triple H, Edge and John Cena defeat CM Punk, Batista, Sheamus and Chris Jericho.
– WWE’s SummerSlam will be returning to Los Angeles this year. It was announced at last night’s tapings that tickets for this year’s show at the Staples Center go on sale this coming Saturday.
– WWE Studios will begin producing a movie about Hall of Fame Class of 2010 member Gorgeous George’s life and legacy in early 2011.
Check out this clip of TNA star Mick Foley’s appearance on Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central.
The Foley skit begins around 5 minutes into the clip, with Foley and Daily Show a correspondent explaining how the health care debate in the United States is quite similar to pro wrestling.
Check out this clip of TNA star Mick Foley’s appearance on Jon Stewart’s “The Daily Show” on Comedy Central.
The Foley skit begins around 5 minutes into the clip, with Foley and Daily Show a correspondent explaining how the health care debate in the United States is quite similar to pro wrestling.
WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin appeared on Hardcore Sports Radio this week and discussed TNA Wrestling challenging WWE on Monday nights. Despite the fact that Austin is aWWE guy through and through, he says “competition is great for the business” and hopes TNA can give WWE a run for its money.
“I wish the TNA people all the luck in the world because it means more of the boys have jobs and it gives fans an alternative” Austin said.
TNA has a lot of the WCW pieces in place (Hogan, Bischoff, Flair, Sting, The Band), but Austin doesn’t know if TNA will ever be able to reach WCW’s popularity peak. “I don’t know if we’ll ever re-create that Nitro-Raw war,” he said. “WCW kicked our ass for two years, then we smoked their ass and never looked back and put them out of business.”
Even though he wishes good luck for TNA, he knows it will be close to impossible for them to realistically push them to the brink like WCW did. “I don’t think anyone will ever come close to really giving true competition to WWE because they’re so far ahead of the game, they’re rooted in their system, and they’re a winner.”
– Batista was legitimately busted open last night by Kofi Kingston during their match on RAW.
– The following matches were taped before Monday’s RAW for this week’s WWE Superstars show:
* Bella Twins vs. Jillian Hall & Katie Lea
* Christian, Mark Henry & Yoshi Tatsu vs. Jack Swagger
* Zack Ryder and William Rega
– During the commercial break before the Bret Hart & Vince McMahon WrestleMania contract signing, CM Punk came out and challenged Rey Mysterio to a match that would take place after RAW went off the air. When RAW concluded, the two wrestled a 10 minute match and Mysterio earned the win with the 619. Mysterio celebrated with the fans after the win.
– Batista was legitimately busted open last night by Kofi Kingston during their match on RAW.
– The following matches were taped before Monday’s RAW for this week’s WWE Superstars show:
* Bella Twins vs. Jillian Hall & Katie Lea
* Christian, Mark Henry & Yoshi Tatsu vs. Jack Swagger
* Zack Ryder and William Rega
– During the commercial break before the Bret Hart & Vince McMahon WrestleMania contract signing, CM Punk came out and challenged Rey Mysterio to a match that would take place after RAW went off the air. When RAW concluded, the two wrestled a 10 minute match and Mysterio earned the win with the 619. Mysterio celebrated with the fans after the win.
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Ross reveals that after months of negotiations, he’s come to terms with WWE for a new contract and will be signing it this week. Plus, Ross discusses Gorgeous George being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and more. Some highlights:
His WWE Contract Status: I will be signing another contract extension this week with WWE to allow us to get past Wrestlemania and to give us more time to finalize our newest agreement which will hopefully see me remaining with WWE for the long term future. At least, that’s the goal for all involved. I’m going into this negotiation with a positive frame of mind and hopeful that all will work out to everyone’s mutual happiness at the end of the day.
Talking With Steve Austin Over The Weekend: I talked with Steve this weekend and he was really excited about being back on Raw and feeling that live audience, adrenaline rush that one experiences. I cannot name any wrestler who better connected with their audience than did Stone Cold Steve Austin and I’ve seen a few in my day. I even think Steve was going down from LA to San Diego on Sunday, he’s still old school, to be ready to rock the house Monday night. Obviously, WWE will be promoting the film “Damage” starring Stone Cold that will be out on DVD on March 23 which is only 8 days from now.
Gorgeous George in WWE’s Hall of Fame: WWE announcing Gorgeous George as a new inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame is a cool thing for the business. When I first got in the wrestling biz in 1974, my boss, Lee Roy McGuirk, was a former wrestling star who had crossed paths with Gorgeous George on many occasions. I heard numerous GG stories from McGuirk who was a former NCAA Champion at Oklahoma A&M (Oklahoma State) and was considered one of the toughest men in the business. McGuirk was a old school guy with a “jock mentality” and he wasn’t crazy about the show biz aspect of the Gorgeous George persona but McGuirk always said that George Wagner was much tougher and more skilled in legit wrestling than people would ever give him credit for being.
WWE sent out the following press release this morning announcing that wrestling legend Gorgeous George will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame later this month:
Gorgeous George Enters Hall of Fame
STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–World Wrestling Entertainment® (NYSE: WWE) today announced that Gorgeous George, the man often credited with creating American pop culture and who set the standard for future WWE Superstars and influenced such greats as Muhammad Ali, James Brown and Bob Dylan, will be inducted into the WWE® Hall of Fame on March 27, 2010. His 96 year-old former wife, Betty Wagner will accept the honor on his behalf. The Hall of Fame ceremony will be broadcast that night on USA Network at 11 PM ET from the Dodge Theater in Phoenix, Arizona.
“A mighty spirit. Crossing paths with Gorgeous George, was all the recognition and encouragement I would need for years to come.â€
“Gorgeous George’s was a pop-culture innovator who took risks pushing the social envelope and did things that no other performer had ever dared to do,†said CEO and Chairman Vince McMahon. “He was a cultural tour-de-force who set the standard that many in the world of sports and entertainment still emulate today.â€
The significance of Gorgeous George’s legacy led WWE Studios to option the rights to his story for a major motion picture slated to begin production in 1Q 2011.
Muhammad Ali, whose notorious boastful and arrogant style derived from George, stated, “I made up my mind after meeting Gorgeous George to make people angry at me…I saw 15,000 people comin’ to see this man get beat. And his talking did it. I said this is a good idea.â€
Bob Dylan, the music poet, said, “A mighty spirit. Crossing paths with Gorgeous George, was all the recognition and encouragement I would need for years to come.â€
Gorgeous George, born George Wagner, single-handedly changed the dynamics of not only wrestling, but entertainment and sports in the 1940s-1950s. His character was an arrogant aristocrat dressed in silk, lace and chiffon robes who spoke in a braggadocio style, often referring to himself as “The Toast of the Coast†and “The Sensation of the Nation.†Audiences around the country came to see Gorgeous George perform live, and tuned their TV sets in to see what he would say or do next, making Gorgeous George one of the biggest celebrities of his day, and an influence on pop culture for generations to come. As popular as Lucille Ball and Bob Hope, media observers believe more Americans purchased televisions to watch Gorgeous George perform than to see Milton Berle.
Others to be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame on March 27 include Ted “The Million Dollar Man†DiBiase Sr., former Women’s Champion Wendi Richter, Maurice “Mad Dog†Vachon and Japanese legend Antonio Inoki.
Raw and Impact reviewed with a rant on TNA, plus news on the ratings, Jeff Hardy possibly headed to prison, a new member of the Hall of Fame and a look back at WrestleMania 7!
— Though it has not been confirmed, the feeling among several WWE sources is that Gregory Helms sealed his fate with the company when he was arrested for public intoxication in Kentucky in late January, reports the Pro Wrestling Torch. He was brought back to television shortly after the incident, but was the victim of a beatdown angle and never appeared in a WWE ring again.
“He gave them an excuse,” said one insider with knowledge of the situation.
Helms developed a reputation as a party guy within the company by posting notes on Twitter about drinking contests and parties he took part in. Though it initially seemed harmless, a few eyebrows were raised when he posted a message regarding a drinking contest that he and Christopher Daniels were having last August, which was proceeded by the TNA star being arrested on charges of driving under the influence just miles from Helms’ North Carolina residence.
— Last Monday’s special guest host of Raw, Criss Angel, was originally scheduled to have a more physical role on the show but plans were scrapped a few days before the event for his safety.
“Inside scoop – I was supposed 2 do something in the ring at Raw but a few days be4 it got cancelled 4 my safety – it would have been awesome,” Angel wrote on his Twitter account.
— The TV Guide preview for tonight’s Raw is as follows: “Guest host Steve Austin presents a WrestleMania rewind.”
— Though it has not been confirmed, the feeling among several WWE sources is that Gregory Helms sealed his fate with the company when he was arrested for public intoxication in Kentucky in late January, reports the Pro Wrestling Torch. He was brought back to television shortly after the incident, but was the victim of a beatdown angle and never appeared in a WWE ring again.
“He gave them an excuse,” said one insider with knowledge of the situation.
Helms developed a reputation as a party guy within the company by posting notes on Twitter about drinking contests and parties he took part in. Though it initially seemed harmless, a few eyebrows were raised when he posted a message regarding a drinking contest that he and Christopher Daniels were having last August, which was proceeded by the TNA star being arrested on charges of driving under the influence just miles from Helms’ North Carolina residence.
— Last Monday’s special guest host of Raw, Criss Angel, was originally scheduled to have a more physical role on the show but plans were scrapped a few days before the event for his safety.
“Inside scoop – I was supposed 2 do something in the ring at Raw but a few days be4 it got cancelled 4 my safety – it would have been awesome,” Angel wrote on his Twitter account.
— The TV Guide preview for tonight’s Raw is as follows: “Guest host Steve Austin presents a WrestleMania rewind.”
Stratus showed up with a “new” look, having colored her hair blonde the way it was almost a decade ago in her early WWE days .. Check her out, lookin’ hot as ever:
— While the clip of Bill Goldberg pinning Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XX was largely aired this past week on Raw to put over tomorrow night’s special guest host, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, WWE has indeed been in talks with the former wrestling megastar regarding a relationship renewal.
WWE officials recognize he’s not going to come back and wrestle, but they’re hopeful of reaching a deal where they can use his likeness in video games and perhaps an induction into next week year’s Hall of Fame class considering they are running low on “main eventers.”
Next year’s Hall of Fame class is expected to have a WCW theme considering that it will be taking place in Atlanta, Georgia.
— WWE’s recently released Shawn Michaels DVD, Shawn Michaels – My Journey, has HBK doing commentary for a 1992 match in Ottawa against Bret Hart. It’s worth noting because Michaels goes out of his way to put over “The Hit Man” after proclaiming for a number of years that he was very good, but not great. Michaels relays his past history with Hart, saying both tried to work past their conflicts in spite of their paranoia and shared belief that management kept them at odds because they thought it was best for business. The piece was taped prior Hart’s return to WWE as Michaels said he hadn’t seen him since “Montreal.” Michaels added he had Hart’s phone number and wanted to call him to bury the hatchet because it sends a bad message to people if you can’t forgive and forget. Ultimately, he never ended up calling him.
— Today marks the six-year anniversary of WrestleMania XX, which saw Chris Benoit triumph over Triple H and Shawn Michaels to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. After the match, Eddie Guerrero came to the ring and the two embraced while confetti dropped for an emotional ending. WrestleMania XX also marks as the final wrestling matches of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Bill Goldberg and Brock Lesnar — for now.
— Regarding Awesome Kong’s apparent departure from TNA Wrestling, one person inside the company commented, “That is one crazy woman. Say what you want about Bubba, but attacking the guy would be assault anywhere else in America, then she threatens to sue him? Only in America. Sad to lose her as a talent but I don’t think anyone will miss her personally.” (source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
— On her Twitter account, Tara expressed her displeasure with being left off WWE’s “Top 25 Most Impactful Women” list. She wrote, “(It) doesn’t surprise me. That’s an example of my experience at WWE. Unappreciated.” She then posted a link to a fan’s graphic spoofing the list, ranking her at No. 26.
— As reported earlier, Sarita will soon be heading to Tokyo, Japan for a brief wrestling tour. She will be wrestling on Fuka’s retirement show at Korakuen Hall on Mar. 28 and then again on Apr. 3 at Shin-Kiba 1st Ring. You can view an event poster for one of the shows the TNA Knockout will be on at the following link.
— Regarding Awesome Kong’s apparent departure from TNA Wrestling, one person inside the company commented, “That is one crazy woman. Say what you want about Bubba, but attacking the guy would be assault anywhere else in America, then she threatens to sue him? Only in America. Sad to lose her as a talent but I don’t think anyone will miss her personally.” (source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
— On her Twitter account, Tara expressed her displeasure with being left off WWE’s “Top 25 Most Impactful Women” list. She wrote, “(It) doesn’t surprise me. That’s an example of my experience at WWE. Unappreciated.” She then posted a link to a fan’s graphic spoofing the list, ranking her at No. 26.
— As reported earlier, Sarita will soon be heading to Tokyo, Japan for a brief wrestling tour. She will be wrestling on Fuka’s retirement show at Korakuen Hall on Mar. 28 and then again on Apr. 3 at Shin-Kiba 1st Ring. You can view an event poster for one of the shows the TNA Knockout will be on at the following link.
— Jim Ross wrote on his official website that it’s unlikely he’ll return to working WWE television on weekly basis in response to a reader who asked if he’ll be paired with Jerry “The King” Lawler again.
“I don’t think that WWE is interested in putting me back on weekly TV and all the travel that comes along with it at this time,” Ross wrote. “Would I love to work with King again? Certainly. Is this my call? Nope. Do I think that I will ever be paired with Lawler again on a regular basis? Highly unlikely.”
— WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper will be appearing in a wrestling-themed episode of the crime drama Cold Case airing tonight on CBS at 10:00 p.m. Playing a character named “Sweet Sil,” Piper bleached his hair blonde for the role.
— Tyler Reks is on the road this weekend with the SmackDown brand. He beat Jimmy Wang Yang at yesterday’s SmackDown live event in Stockton, California.
