The News

3/18/2010

WWE is trying to work out a deal with Goldberg that would entail merchandising and next year's Hall of Fame. Wrestling isn't even a consideration.

Rumble's buyrate increased depite a higher price, thanks to more international buys.

Kofi Kingston upset Orton by getting up too quickly after an RKO earlier in the year, and that was enough to keep Kingston off of Mania. Ah, politics.

NXT's last episode got an 0.9, so it isn't getting over a 1.0 like they wanted, but hey it still beats Impact. Danielson > Hogan.


3/17/2010

Puropulse.

Impact got an 0.84, the lowest rating since it moved to primetime on Thursdays a few years ago. The main event of Styles vs Hardy did WORST. As the kids like to say: fail.

Part of Jeff Hardy's TNA deal is that his girlfriend and Shannon Moore will accompany him on the road (ie. babysit).

WWE will now fine a wrestler who does a deliberate unprotected chairshot to the head, or possibly ANY chairshot to the head.


3/10/2010

Rather low ratings for Monday. Raw got a 3.4, Impact got a 1.

Maria was canned because she said she eventually wanted to get a job that would enable her to start a family. Man what an outrageous, unforgivable statement! Doesn't she know that the highest thing she can attain in life is being grist for the WWE machine?

Haas had been given a raise and a new deal just to keep him out of TNA, but WWE decided they just couldn't figure out enough to do with him at his new price. He's got the 90 day non-compete yet.

After speculation that HHH would get a role in the upcoming Conan movie, he won't be in it. But it will have Bob Sapp and Nathan Jones.


3/9/2010

Sting made a big heel turn on Impact, so of course they had RVD beat him clean in like five seconds. TNA! TNA! TNA!

The Supreme Court ruled against an appeal by Hustler magazine regarding their use of nude photos of Nancy "Woman" Benoit. She had wanted the photos destroyed at the time (~20 years ago). This will allow for a lawsuit to take place.

Bragging Rights is being kept as a video game promotional tool despite its low buyrate.


3/8/2010

TNA has been trying to get RVD signed for tonight, and it looks probable. Hogan says it's a done deal but we'll see. By "we" I of course mean "anyone with enough time to waste that they'll watch Impact".

Shane's wife gave birth, and Steph is pregnant again.

WWE was able to increase its live show revenue in 2009, with more shows and tickets balancing out a drop in revenue per person. They also got more TV revenue, and though buyrates dropped, they lowered production costs and kept the high PPV price, plus wrestler bonuses go down in line with the buyrate. Something like WWE Classics had a revenue drop, but they cut the budget on the division by over 50% so profit increased. I have a feeling that unless revenue picks up they'll pay a price for all the cuts this year. DVD sales took a big hit and are unlikely to get much better.

Jericho is getting to be quite the backstage figure, for instance demanding a TV at a house show to watch the US vs Canada gold medal game, and helping to get management behind Danielson despite Danielson being a really talented indy guy. Because, if you get over on the indies, that's bad. Or something. A reminder that this company is hugely profitable and will be for the foreseeable future.


3/6/2010

Shawn and Taker are both likely to take time off after Mania. HHH wants to take off as well but he'll wait until at least one of them is back.

Dixie Carter says Sting has re-signed with TNA.

Sean Morley (Venis) is gone from TNA just after getting some big wins, over a disagreement about his wanting to work in Mexico on Mondays. "This is TNA."

The bans on referee names and the word 'wrestling' have been lifted in WWE because Vince stopped caring about them. The guy's a great promoter but he can also be absurdly capricious.


3/3/2010

Jeff Hardy has said he'll go to TNA full-time once his trial is over. Assuming he doesn't have a long jail term.

Hogan settled the lawsuit with the Grazianos and will likely have to pay them millions.

TNA is having Don West hawk merchandise as house shows with his Home Shopping Network/QVC style. W... what? TNA and a good idea???


3/2/2010

Added to Mania: Bret vs Vince. To be added: Rey vs Punk, HHH vs Sheamus.

Umaga died from an OD mix of painkillers and sleeping pills.

Scott Steiner wasn't re-signed by TNA because it was felt they could have him or Flair but not both. Weren't Flair and Steiner in WWE together? Oh what am I saying, it's TNA.

If Sting isn't at Impact on the 8th, it could signal that he's done with TNA.


3/1/2010

Puropulse.

Released: Helms, Burchill, Haas, Scott Armstrong. Signed: Orlando Colon.

WWE and Warrior were talking on good terms in order to get him in this year's Hall of Fame class (since he's from the area), but they couldn't agree on money.

Elimination Chamber is still called No Way Out in Germany, to avoid any allusions to Nazi war crimes. Wild Card has been re-renamed to Over The Limit. Bragging Rights will be brought back.


2/25/2010

Flair is out of the hospital and it's no longer clear he was ever there.

NXT got a ratings bump from the last ECW. Let's see if that holds up.

After doing the big re-vamp of the PPV schedule, WWE has now simply blanked the slate after Mania. Meltzer suspects that Survivor Series was killed because Vince wanted to blame the concept rather than the booking for the big drop the PPV did last year compared to 2008.

It appears Dreamer knew about ECW's closing in advance, thus his departure.


2/24/2010

Jericho vs Edge is confirmed for Mania. I'm somewhat amazed that the top matches (that, Taker vs Shawn, Batista vs Cena) are going along with a plan leaked months ago. Though the real key to Mania is the Shawn's Career stipulation.

Money in the Bank will still happen at Mania despite the upcoming PPV.

After initially refusing treatment, Flair went to the hospital.

UFC will have a PPV the night before Mania. That's a lot scarier to WWE's bottom line than anything TNA could do.


2/22/2010

Chamber PPV winners: Cena, who was then beaten by Batista; Jericho; Miz; McIntyre.

Taker was lightly burned in a pyro accident before his match. His jacket caught fire, he discarded it, and he poured water on himself before the match began.

Flair's wife was arrested for domestic violence after attacking him. Because what he really needs is ANOTHER divorce. Though maybe she wouldn't get alimony.


2/19/2010

NXT will certainly be different. The concept is that WWE stars will pair with developmental guys from Florida, and there will be a face side and a heel side each with four pairs. The funniest pairing is Miz as Danielson's "mentor". There will be a new slate of wrestlers every few months. For instance, Low Ki isn't in the first batch, but is sure to be in eventually.

Ezekiel Jackson was given the ECW title so that he would have more momentum when he goes to Smackdown.

WWE has renamed and moved several PPVs. Backlash, Judgment Day, The Bash and Breaking Point are gone (unless one of them replaces Survivor Series). Wild Card, Fatal Four Way and Money In The Bank are the replacements. Extreme Rules is now the Mania follow-up. Really? Isn't "Backlash" perfect for that and reasonably cool sounding? Hell of a lot cooler than "Wild Card".


2/15/2010

Impact will move to Mondays starting March 8th.

Puropulse.

TNA doesn't have any future dates set for Jeff Hardy at this point, and Jeff isn't in any hurry to wrestle there. Let me put some emphasis here: the guy with two WWE strikes and a big arrest hanging over him doesn't need TNA as much as it needs him.

Survivor Series is no more. It had the biggest buyrate drop of any 2009 PPV.

Lashley will now focus completely on MMA. Seemed like that was inevitable.

Danielson is now working as 'Daniel Bryan' in developmental. Why even bother with a name change if it's going to be that trivial?


2/10/2010

NXT won't just be a renamed ECW, but will be a different concept.

An MRI on Cena's neck/back showed minimal damage, so he should be back to regular work soon.

Meltzer claims that the Saints' "Who Dat" catchphrase originated with Junkyard Dog fans in the '80s. Color me skeptical.

The wrangling over Davey Richards had to do with him wanting $500 a night from ROH, an increase from $350. He'd been getting $500 from DGUSA and Evolve, and with the money being even he went with ROH due to their having more regular shows. Seems like he's burned or partially burned a lot of bridges, but $350 a night was pretty cheap of ROH considering his importance there.


2/5/2010

ECW is being renamed "WWE NXT". Anyone outraged over this needs to get a life.

Raw's EC match is Sheamus vs Cena vs HHH vs Orton vs DiBiase vs Kingston. Smackdown's is Taker vs Punk vs Jericho vs Morrison vs Rey vs Truth. It's worth noting that rumors have long been that Edge will face Jericho at Mania, though that was before Edge won the Rumble. Sheamus retaining would have to be the upset of the century.

DGUSA has decided against suing Richards. I would guess the same will happen with the Bucks. They will now put even more emphasis on their contracted Japanese talent.


2/2/2010

Edge returned to win the Rumble. Other winners: Taker, Sheamus, Christian.

Joey Mercury/Matthews is set to return to WWE.

After having the Young Bucks and Davey Richards get signed up and cancel appearances, Dragon Gate USA is making lawsuit threats. Based on 'verbal contracts'. Welcome to pro wrestling, Gabe.


1/30/2010

ROH is suing Flair after he stiffed them on appearances despite being paid in advance. I wouldn't be shocked if ROH waited until they knew he had some money to go after (ie. TNA deal).

WM 2011 will be in Atlanta.

Hogan is seeking to move TNA from having Russo write promos word-for-word, to giving wrestlers a few points to make and letting them use their own words.


1/29/2010

Matt Hardy was with Helms and Jericho. Hardy ran away with Helms, but unlike Helms he didn't return. Nobody is pressing charges for assault so all that will happen is a fine.

Puropulse.

Meltzer says that based on analyzing the ratings for 1/4 (Raw vs Impact) and 1/11 (Raw vs UFC), there was more audience crossover for UFC.

Orton has signed a long-term deal, possibly upwards of 10 years.

Taker's hip problems keep getting worse. Meltzer reports that he will likely need a replacement surgery after Mania, which would end his ability to be a regular wrestler. His knees are also giving him problems. So the Smackdown title match at Rumble is between two guys who have no business wrestling but are lifers and won't stop for anything. Shouldn't the Wellness Program cover that type of situation in addition to drug testing? Isn't that sort of thing just as much a cause of wrestler deaths as steroids?


1/28/2010

Jericho and Helms were arrested for being drunk in public after a show in Chicago. Probably won't mean anything more than a fine. The arrest took place at a gas station, so this might be for the best if one of them was about to drive. UPDATE: they were in a cab at the gas station. A drunken Helms hit several people, including Jericho and a woman, then fled the scene. He returned and was arrested. Baffling. Surely this isn't the same Helms who politely explained that the vertebreaker does, in fact, just drop people on the head.

The next Raw/Impact battle will take place on March 1st. Impact will shift to Mondays soon after that.

Hall decided not to wrestle on TNA's last PPV after he saw how bad he looked in tights. Question: why didn't FREAKING TNA see if he looked good enough to wrestle? Gah. Waltman also tried to back out when asked to replace Hall, but he didn't have a good excuse.

Ken Anderson (Kennedy) is working on a night-by-night basis with TNA, just in case he lands an acting gig.

Jeff Hardy is upset with WWE over Punk bashing Jeff after he'd left. Hey Jeff, maybe try not getting arrested with a crapload of drugs if you want people to be nice to you.


1/22/2010

Lesnar is well enough that there are plans for him to fight later this year, with 'summer' as a target.

Spanky/Kendrick was one of the wrestlers who got repeatedly fined for smoking pot.

WWE is prepared to pipe in chants for Bret in case a crowd doesn't respond to him.

Awesome Kong is trying to get out of TNA.


1/20/2010

Awesome Kong beat up Bubba the Love Sponge over Bubba's comments on Haiti. Maybe there's hope for TNA after all!

TNA planted local cheerleaders in the 1/4 Impact crowd so it would look better on camera. Possibly the most sensible thing they've ever done, though the only way I'd watch Impact is if they could plant one on my couch.

The group who ran Hogan's Australia tour is already bankrupt.

WWE was still trying to get Jeff Hardy back despite his arrest.

So if you bought the TNA PPV, you got to see a Styles vs Angle rematch that wasn't as good as the TV one and didn't have a clean finish. But how could that not be blatantly obvious when they did a full-course-of-finishers match on TV and didn't do any storyline progression afterwards? So in summation: why would anyone buy a TNA PPV?


Archive of news posts on the Benoit tragedy.