As promised loyal readers, my thoughts on the Return of John Cena. Let's just say I needed a few days to cool off after my reactions on the post match show for the Rumble. I'm still sticking to my guns her and saying Cena in main event for Mania is a bad idea. I'm not disputing his role as one of the biggest draws for the WWE, it's just we have seen enough of him as champ, at least for now .

Let me clear something up first. I really do like Cena and feel he brings so much to the ring. He is absolutely is amazing on the mic and can pump up the crowd. His interaction with the fans is fantastic, and you can tell he truly loves them and appreciates them. At a house show in Canton Ohio he went into the crowd and asked for a blow up Cena hand from a young fan to beat up a prone Randy Orton with. Heck this guys even loves the fans who hate his guts. On Raw he almost broke down and cried to the chants of Cena Sucks. This is what we need as a champ. Someone who is loved and hated and loves every minute of it. I will even go on record as saying his win over Triple H at Mania 22 was one of the greatest Mania moments ever. The fans in Chi town were so pissed leaving the event it created the ultimate buzz for the WWE. But that was at a time when the fans wanted Triple H to win.

With that being said, we don't need this now. He was champ for almost 2 years and that my friends is to long. This is not the Hogan era of champions anymore. There are not just a few pay per views a year and limited network air time. Now we see the champs each and every week and have pay per views every month and half, if not sooner. Seeing the same person win each and every pay per view detracts from the spectacle. Yes I know people will pay to see him lose, but they eventually have to see him lose.

To use another sporting example for this, look at Formula One. Ferrari and Michael Schumacher dominated the sport and won 5 straight championships. Yes they were fantastic and Ferrari has a huge fan base, but ratings dropped as fans got sick of the same results each and every race. It was not till Renault and Fernando Alonso starting winning did people start to care again and ratings went up.

And so it is with Cena. He has his share of fans but also many who can't stand him. Over this summer I wanted Khali to win the belt from him just so we could have another champ. And I hate Khali with a passion, and would say he does not even deserve to be in the WWE, let alone be its champ in any capacity. But I was so sick of seeing Cena win time and time again that I wanted Khali to carry the gold so bad.

Now we actually have enough guys on Raw who could be or contend for the championship, but to put it right back on Cena and have him go on another run will only cause fans to lose interest. Right now Triple H, HBK, Jericho, JBL, Umanga, Orton and even Kennedy could be considered possible champs, or at least contenders. And what about all the push for Jeff Hardy. After all the great matches he has given over the past few weeks, the WWE just is going to kill his momentum and push him aside. I fear he will end up being forgotten in all the Cena hype. At let me say, he deserves to be at Mania in the main event and should be the next champ.

I really feel the WWE is making a big mistake here. Wow us with something fresh and new. Not the same old story again. Trust me Vince, the fans will become bored very soon with this. It's just like a new relationship. At first it all fun and exciting, but once it settles in it becomes old hat an the spark dies. That is what is happening now. Yes Cena at 30 at the rumble was exciting, and even the though of him main eventing at Mania at first seems great. But look at the long haul. Him going back to his dominance of the belt again, especially with all the other possible contenders, will become old and fans may look elsewhere to spend their dollars. As the old saying goes, be careful of what you wish for, for you might get it.

Posted by JSX at 9:07 PM | Permalink | Comments

Labels: wrestlemania 24

Posted by Matt Loede at 1:06 PM | Permalink | Comments

www.f4wonline.com

Here are the tentative plans for WrestleMania.

The plan right now is for Cena to wrestle Triple H for the title at Mania, which means Cena is winning the title from Orton at No Way Out. There have also been talks of a three-way match with Orton, Cena and Hunter. Either way, Triple H and Cena are definitely going to be in the title match. Behind the scenes, it's been said that Triple H has been politicking like crazy ever since Sunday night.

They're doing two Elimination Chamber matches at No Way Out; one for Raw and one for SmackDown. Undertaker is winning the SmackDown one, which means it will be Edge vs. Undertaker for the belts and the WrestleMania streak.

Currently, there are plans to do a Flair vs. Kennedy match, but this one could very well change. Shawn Michaels has been pushing to wrestle Flair in his final match.

MVP will be wrestling Matt Hardy for the U.S. Title, which has been the plan forever.

The remaining big stars such as Jeff Hardy and possibly Randy Orton if he's not in the title match will participate in the Money in the Bank match.

There will likely be something involving Vince McMahon and Finlay. There have also been talks of Vince vs. Foley, Foley vs. Shane McMahon, or Finlay & Foley vs. Vince & Shane.

Labels: f4wonline, wrestlemania 24

Posted by Matt Loede at 1:04 PM | Permalink | Comments

From Pro Wrestling Insider:

WWE Hall of Famer Bobby Heenan underwent another reconstructive surgery where additional tissue and skin were transferred to his neck to help with the healing process following his surgery replacing his jawbone. Healing has been extremely slow due to the radiation treatments Heenan underwent in the past when he was suffering from cancer. The replaced jawbone bone is doing well and is set in place.

Heenan, who is said to be getting better and has joked he wants out of the hospital, will start physical rehabilitation to help regain strength and begin walking again (as he's been bedridden for so long) shortly.

Labels: bobby heenan

Posted by Matt Loede at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

John Cena® Rumbles In New York City…Next Stop Is WrestleMania® 24

John Cena Returns to Monday Night RAW®

STAMFORD, Conn., January 28, 2008 — He was supposed to be injured and out of action for as long as a year, but WWE® Superstar John Cena shocked the wrestling world Sunday night by entering the Royal Rumble Match at No. 30 in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 20,000 fans at Madison Square Garden. Cena won the 2008 Royal Rumble Match by tossing Triple H® over the top rope.

With the victory in the 2008 Royal Rumble Match, Cena earns a World Championship opportunity against the title holder of his choice at WrestleMania XXIV on Sunday, March 30, in Orlando, FL.

Stay tuned to Monday Night RAW at 9 PM ET/PT on USA Network to see which champion John Cena will choose to face at WrestleMania XXIV. To see a replay of John Cena’s triumphant return to the ring, call your local cable provider and order the 2008 Royal Rumble in HD only on pay-per-view.

Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: WWE), can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

Labels: john cena

Posted by Matt Loede at 11:28 PM | Permalink | Comments

WrestleMania main event coming into focus

After watching Raw last night, it isn’t crystal clear what the WrestleMania XXIV main event will be, but we can be fairly certain what it won’t be – Randy Orton vs. John Cena.

Although Cena won the Royal Rumble match on Sunday to earn a shot at Orton’s WWE title at WrestleMania, it was announced on Raw that Orton instead will defend the title against Cena at the No Way Out pay-per-view on Feb. 17. As expected, it also was announced that there will be an Elimination Chamber match at No Way Out, with the winner challenging the WWE champion – either Orton or Cena – at WrestleMania.

Although WWE was anything but predictable at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, I have to think it’s highly unlikely that anyone other than Triple H will win the Elimination Chamber match. The other competitors are Umaga, Shawn Michaels, Jeff Hardy, Chris Jericho and JBL.

Assuming that Triple H does win that match, there would be three possible scenarios for WrestleMania: Triple H vs. Cena, Triple H vs. Orton or a triple-threat match.

The most likely matchup might be Triple H-Cena. It was the WrestleMania event two years ago, and it was scheduled to be the main event again last year before Triple H was injured and his spot was taken by Michaels. As far as the WWE pecking order goes, Cena and Triple H clearly are the company’s two biggest superstars.

Ever since the No Mercy pay-per-view in October, however, it seemed that WWE was building to a Triple H-Orton match at WrestleMania. Ironically, that was scheduled to be the WrestleMania main event in 2005, but the audience forced a booking change because it got behind Batista and WWE responded by putting him in Orton’s spot.

Since winning the title in October, Orton has been put over strong, and that push would seem like a waste of time if he doesn’t go to WrestleMania with the belt around his waist. I could envision a scenario in which Orton somehow escapes with the title at No Way Out, and Cena faces someone else at WrestleMania before going after the title – which presumably will be held by Triple H at this point – after WrestleMania.

The idea I like best is the triple-threat match. If there was a controversial ending in the Orton-Cena match at No Way Out, it would be logical to have them both go to the WrestleMania main event against Triple H. All three wrestlers have story line issues with one another, and it would be a fresh matchup in a sense since we already have seen singles matches between them but never a three-way.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

Other thoughts on last night’s Raw:

Cena’s emotional promo was a strong way to open the show. Cena has the type of charismatic personality that moves fans to really love him or really love to hate him, which makes for an electric atmosphere. The verbal back-and-forth between Cena and Orton was very good. …

The tag-team main event in which Orton and JBL defeated Jericho and Hardy was solid. Cena’s run-in at the end was predictable, but I thought it was a nice touch that JBL bailed on Orton after promising that he would have his back. After all, there’s no honor among thieves. …

On the Nov. 5 episode of Raw, Vince McMahon put DX back together for what he said was “one night only.” However, Triple H and Michaels also reunited last month on the Raw 15th anniversary show and again last night. Three nights only? I enjoy DX so I’m not complaining, just pointing it out. Actually, with Triple H’s heel turn likely in the near future, this could be the last time we see DX for a while. …

I’m not sure where WWE is going with the Mickie James story line, but I am intrigued. I hope she isn’t turning heel, because James comes across as the most likable of all the women wrestlers in WWE. …

Cody Rhodes’ awkward-looking arm-drag on Carlito made my arm hurt. …

Santino Marella had the line of the night. I don’t think I am allowed to repeat it on a family Web site, but it had something to do with Maria, a monument and Jim Ross’ pants. …

Just wondering: Is William Regal going with that ridiculous-looking mop-top look because he is going to lose a hair match somewhere down the line?

Labels: baltimore sun, john cena

Posted by Matt Loede at 11:26 PM | Permalink | Comments

The Chavo Guerrero Champion's Fiesta was crashed tonight by CM Punk. Punk clearly will not go quietly as the former champ after getting screwed in a no DQ match by an Edge spear. Punk crashed the party tonight dressed as a Mariachi band member and hit Chavo over the head with a guitar. So it looks like we will see these two reignite a feud. Should be interesting to see if Punk ends up with the belt as I see him winning Money in the Bank at Mania. Perhaps they will forgo a ECW title match or maybe Punk will win it back an drop it before Mania, much like he did for the Rumble. In other Punk news he beat Elijah Burke clean tonight to gain momentum again. And I feel its safe to say Burke's days are done. He had been missing from ECW in the past few shows and tonight lose pretty much buried him.

Did I miss a memo, but when did Kane join ECW. I know they are sharing talent, but this guy has been on the show for at least 2 months non stop. I feel it would be a good move for him since he really doesn't have much on Smack Down. Tonight he took on Shelton Benjamin and won via count out. I would say Benjamin looked good against some real competition since joining ECW. Look for him to start making a run for the gold soon. He may end up in a match at Mania for the ECW belt, not sure who he will face, but it seems logical.

The rest of the night featured Kofi Kingston beating another jobber, but he does look impressive. Can't wait till he gets his first major match. He brings allot of energy to the ring and it should be fun watching his development. The tag champs Miz and Morrison had the honor of beating on Colin Delaney this week. Though this week Tommy Dreamer came to the ring to rescue the kid. Will we see Dreamer and Delaney team up? Who knows, who cares. And finally Victoria put a whooping on Kelly Kelly tonight. Let me just say Victoria's Widows Peak move is devastating. I'm really surprised she does it on other females as this move would be crushing on male competitors. Then Layla and Lena Yada came in the ring to kick the beaten Kelly. So that was ECW again folks. If you missed it, you really didn't so don't feel bad. Till next week gang.

Posted by JSX at 11:23 PM | Permalink | Comments

That's right, he's back and perhaps bigger than ever. What a difference a day makes as the wrestling landscape going into Mania has been blow wide open by the return of John Cena. After winning the Rumble it will only be a matter of time till he is champ again. The WWE wasted no time by moving the potential Orton and Cena Mania match to No Way Out in two weeks. Sorry Randy, It looks like your days are done as champ. Don't feel to sad though, you'll get another chance in years to come. This time I'm afraid you just weren't ready as your inability to carry any heat on your own became very clear. This will speed up things and allow Triple H to enter back into the main event picture. Tonight we saw the announcement of the elimination Chamber match. It will be H, Jericho, Umanga, JBL, Jeff Hardy and HBK. The winner takes on the WWE champ going out of No Way Out. I for one do not like the idea of fast tracking Cena back to the championship. But that's another blog for another day. We can't be spoiling all the fun at once, how else will we get you to come back to this site.

We also set up Kennedy and Flair tonight,as Kennedy announced he rather end Flair's career, instead of fighting for a chance at the title. This will only help rebuild Kennedy's profile after he didn't do much in 07 after winning Money in the Bank. Of course his time off for various reasons helped put a damper on things, but he still came back flat and only recently has started to gain some decent momentum. It should be a good match and hopefully they continue to let Flair win cleanly, as it only makes it more legitimate.

Of course with a new DX shirt there needs to be a DX appearance to help sell it. And tonight we got to see them take on Umanga and Snitsky. Umaga again showed why he is one of the best workers in the ring today. He put on a great performance against Triple H and HBK despite looking like an overgrown tomato in his new ring attire. I wonder if there are some plans for Snitsky as he again finds himself against some high profile names. He really didn't do much to warrant a push, but they must have brought him over to Raw for a reason. It's not like ECW has a glut of talent holding people back.

Again Mickie James was traumatized by yet another thrashing at the hands of Beth Phoenix. Ashley and Jillian were also there but neither made an impact. And in case you though I was going to let it go from last week, the offer of a date is still there Mickie. Still love ya girl and know deep down you'll get your win over Beth. Can we say at Mania. Perhaps we can celebrate together after the event. Let me know. And of course wrestling fans I think we all no what the response will be. The same as it was last week. To quote Mr. McMahon's entrance, "No Chance In Hell". O well guess will just try again next week.

We also got a sneak peek at Maria's Playboy layout tonight as her pants were pulled down to revel her undies courtesy of opponent Melina. Of course Santino would have none of this, and quickly covered his Maria. Should be interesting to see were this angle goes, as you have to think Maria gets some kind of match at Mania to push her spread in Playboy. I don't think they would have her go against Phoenix as the match would be terrible, but they have to do something to promote her. I wonder if Ashley and possible Carlito find themselves in a inter gender tag match against Maria and Santino?

Posted by JSX at 12:12 AM | Permalink | Comments

Foe those of you that a lot of free time and enjoy a good laugh, the following was passed along to us from Michael Hayes (no, not that Michael Hayes):

Hey - heard Cena is rumored to do something tonight on Raw after last night's victory?


Passing along a link from YouTube - about 30 reviews were put up today from last night's Royal Rumble:


http://tinyurl.com/2l8erb


It'd be awesome if you could post. Let me know, thanks!

Well Michael, it's up, so click away!

Labels: 2008 royal rumble

Posted by Matt Loede at 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments

After Sunday night’s Royal Rumble, everything has changed. With the shocking return of John Cena to the ring after four months on the injured list and his victory in the Royal Rumble Match, the world of reigning WWE Champion Randy Orton may have been turned upside down.

When Raw rolls into Philadelphia, you can be certain that Cena will have anything but brotherly love on his mind. Will the former WWE Champion be gunning to recapture his title?

And what does Orton, the man credited with putting Cena out, have to say about his return? With Cena back, how desperate will Orton be to keep his gold? He managed to defeat Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy at the Rumble, but he was pushed to the limit. Has the Legend Killer seen the last of Hardy?

In other Raw action, Chris Jericho and JBL will undoubtedly continue their deeply personal feud after their bloody match at the Rumble. Y2J appeared like a man possessed when he and JBL met in the ring on Sunday, glaring at his rival through rivulets of blood trickling down his face. How much more personal can the rivalry between these two get? Is there any step they’re not willing to take?

And what about Maria and the opportunity Ashley presented to her at Royal Rumble – the honor of possibly posing in Playboy? Maria’s beau, Santino Marella, doesn’t want anyone seeing her “boobies,” but how does the lovely Diva feel about the situation? Will she become the latest WWE Diva to grace the cover of Playboy?

Labels: chris jericho, john cena, maria, randy orton, RAW

Posted by Matt Loede at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments

Below are two links to check out in terms of Cena's Comeback to the company last night.


The National Ledger:
John Cena Returns, Wins WWE Royal

Baltimore Sun:
Royal Rumble Thoughts

Labels: baltimore sun, john cena

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:56 AM | Permalink | Comments

What else can you say? The company threw everyone for a loop on Sunday night as they brought back the biggest star in the company as John Cena returned as the 30th man in the Royal Rumble, danced with both Batista and Triple H, and in the end, won the event. I don't think that if you would have asked 1,000 people Sunday morning that know the product who was going to win the Royal Rumble, anyone would have guessed Cena.

You have to wonder when the idea came to the company and to Cena that he would be able to be back, look 100 percent, and eventually win the match. It was the biggest shocker of this year without question (I know we're only 28 days in), but overall, I can safely bet that once 2008 closes, this will be the surprise of the year.

So where do we go from here? Well, the company still has plenty of options, starting with they can hot-shot the belt back on Cena as early as tonight if they wanted, and then the Rumble results can go out the window and they can go in a totally different direction. Why not? Who wouldn't want to see Cena-HHH II at Mania, the match we should have seen at Mania 23?

Or how about Cena vs Jeff Hardy? Then there is always the call for a four-way with Orton, Cena, Hardy and HHH. So much can happen between now and 62 days when the fireworks go off at WrestleMania 24, that its hard not to get excited about what they can do with a healthy Cena back on board.

With that, here are my early picks for what and how Mania is shaping up:

John Cena vs Triple H (I think H will actually have the belt as champion)
Undertaker vs Edge (World Heavyweight Title)
Chavo vs Mysterio (ECW Title, just have a feeling)
Randy Orton vs Batista (in some weird cross-promotion match)
Jeff Hardy vs Umaga (IC Belt, who wouldn't want to see that?)
Ric Flair vs Ken Kennedy (another career ending match for Flair)
MVP vs Matt Hardy (US Title)
Candice vs Beth Phoenix (Womens title)
Money in the Bank (Punk, who wins it, Shawn Michales, Khali, Finlay, Kane, Snitsky)
Mick Foley vs Vince McMahon (just a hunch)
JBL vs Chris Jericho (some stip like last man standing)
Big Show vs Hulk Hogan (still calling for this)

Labels: 2008 royal rumble, hulk hogan, john cena, wrestlemania 24

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:48 AM | Permalink | Comments

Join Matt Loede and John Sefcik for the Let's Wrestle Royal Rumble Post Match show. The pair break down the card, as well as give their thoughts on the shocking ending to the Royal Rumble. Click below to hear Matt and John break down the entire 2008 Rumble card!

Labels: 2008 royal rumble, john cena, triple h

Posted by Matt Loede at 10:48 PM | Permalink | Comments

From Wrestling Observer:

Vince McMahon has given his approval for an incest storyline. As we reported last week the angle would involve Ohio Valley Wrestling wrestlers Katie Lea and Paul Burchill. The angle would likely take place on either ECW or Raw, because there is some concern that it would get the wrong kind of heat if it were to take place on SmackDown! - which is on network television.

McMahon has wanted to do an incest angle for years. He once suggested that he be the father of his daughter Stephanie's baby. As revealed on the McMahon DVD, Stephanie turned down the angle. According to her, Vince was to reveal himself as the father of her baby; when she said no, he pushed for Shane to be the father, but she turned that idea down as well.

Labels: katie lea, paul burchill, vince mcmahon

Posted by Matt Loede at 5:26 PM | Permalink | Comments

Join Matt Loede & John Sefcik from Let's Wrestle as they preview the entire WWE Royal Rumble card from MSG on Sunday night. The pair give their winners, go over each match, and then give their many thoughts on the actual Rumble match. Click in now to hear the preview for the ROYAL RUMBLE!

Labels: 2008 royal rumble

Posted by Matt Loede at 3:15 PM | Permalink | Comments

Tonight's Smack Down emphasized possible rivalries for the Royal Rumble on Sunday. Overall it was a fairly entertaining night, which is a nice change considering the past few weeks have been lack luster. First let's take a look at the verbal highlights. MVP and Flair again had a good exchange. I really like how Flair complements MVP's boastfulness, but still puts the youngster in his place. MVP adds to these exchanges with his over the top cockiness. This match should be a big boost for MVP as he gets his chance to take on a true legend. So far MVP has done a great job sparring with Flair verbally. If he can match this in the ring, he will truly elevate himself and be ready for a major title push later this year.

On the other verbal front, Batista laid yet another egg. He came out and stated he last became champ by winning the rumble and to expect that again. That really was all he said. This guy tried so hard this time to add emotion, but he just can't do it. If he could add this aspect there is no doubt in my mind he could be one of the biggest names on the roster. The fans love this guy, but he is horrible on the mic and just can't develop any heat for his programs. Unlike MVP, who may see his career rise, Batista may lose all the momentum he has gained over the past months. It does not look like he is in the cards for a big match at Mania, and really hasn't done much on Smack Down as of late.

The weaken your opponent by placing them in a match featuring a unfair advantage played out tonight with Mysterio taking on Ryder and Hawkins. Mysterio would survive via a DQ due to the Edgealights bringinng a chair to the game. Let me say Ryder and Hawkins impressed tonight. They mixed it up pretty good with Mysterio's high flying antics. They had a great push when they were the Major Brothers and looked primed to enter into the tag mix. Come on WWE, with these guys and the other strong tag teams on Smack Down, why are we not featuring them more. This would be a great addition to pay per views, thus sparring us from having to suffer through matches featuring Khali or Mark Henry. Also you can take the belts off Miz and Morrison and let those guys develop their solo careers.

Tonight we saw the turn of Chuck Palumbo to evil. He was involved with Jamie Noble and Michelle McCool against Miz, Morrison and Layla. Pulumbo accidentally knocked out McCool when he pushed Jamie Noble into her. This sent him into a berserker like rage in which he beat on Noble and even knocked McCool out again. Good, evil, gay, straight, champ or not I have to agree with the fans tonight. Chuck Palumbo, you suck. Don't see this angle paying off, but look for Noble and Palumbo to have some exchanges at the Rumble.

The Belfast Brawl featured Finlay laying a good old fashion Irish beat down on Khali. Please let this one end as there is really nothing that can be done to make it interesting. Of course this should carry over to the rumble as Finlay will have to protect Hornswoggle from getting destroyed by Khali. The question is will Hornswoggle turn on Finlay. Vince planted the seed tonight not to trust anyone at the Rumble, not even Finaly. We shall wait and see on this one.

The evil Undertaker is back folks. He showed the true dark side of the Dead Man tonight by choking out Big Daddy V. This move was so vicious V had blood spewing from his mouth. Mark Henry even ran to the ring to check on his fallen comrade and commented to the Taker that he went to far. This match tonight did prove why V should get a decent push. Of all the big men that the WWE has pushed lately, he is the only one who has some talent. Henry has had his chance, and still does not impress, while Kahli just down right stinks. Of course look for V, Henry and the Undertaker to clash during the Rumble.

We even got a look to the future tonight as Edge took on CM Punk. This match was awesome as both men really left nothing in the tank. Lots of good physical action in the ring and great use of moves off the ropes. As I have stated in previous posts look for this to be a major rivalry after Mania. I saying you will see a title match between the two at Summer Slam. It was great to see Punk take on a high caliber opponent and not look out of place. Hopefully this match convinced the powers that be to move him off the death trap know as ECW.

Posted by JSX at 10:10 PM | Permalink | Comments

Article with John Cena from The Sun in the UK

Cena: I won't wrestle at ManiaBy The LILSBOYS

Published: 23 Jan 2008

JOHN CENA will definitely NOT be competing at WrestleMania 24.

The former world champion has been out of action with a torn pectoral muscle since October.

And although his rehab is going well, WWE bosses are sending him to star in their latest action movie 12 Rounds — meaning he will not wrestle at the big event on March 30.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Cena said: “I most likely will be at WrestleMania in some capacity, but you probably won't see me on camera.

“I'm actually moving to New Orleans in one week and spending some time with the police there, to learn how to be a better cop as that's what the film is about.

“The movie to take up the bulk of my time through to US Memorial Day, which is at the end of May.

“I know we're going to film on Saturdays, but I'd like to be at the Hall Of Fame as that's an event that I really love.”

A passionate wrestling fan and WWE figurehead, Cena is upset at missing out on the WrestleMania but feels he has to put the future of the company first.

He added: “I tried to plead my case, but with the writers' strike and the talk of a possible actors' strike it has to be done now.

“The success of WWE Films rests on getting a theatrical release out for late 2007/early 2008 and this one was already in talks.

“I got hurt in October but it was planned back in July. We had a good script and a solid story.

“Too many of the wheels were in motion to just pull on the breaks.

“Will I do all my own stunts in this film? Probably not.

“But we will get a movie out there, extend the brand and increase WWE awareness.”

The good news for Cena's fans is he will almost certainly return to action as soon as shooting is over.

He said: “I do four to six hours of physical therapy each day. My goal is get back into the ring as soon as possible.

“I'm sick of sitting on the sidelines.”

Labels: john cena

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:24 AM | Permalink | Comments

From PWInisder

Here is the latest on the Bobby Lashley-WWE situation. Lashley has definitely informed WWE that he wants to leave the company. There are a lot of reasons for him wanting to do so. The word we have gotten is that part of it has to do with how his girlfriend Kristal Marshall was treated by the company when she balked at being paired with Edge and doing the Lita gimmick, and was then quickly released. Let's just say that there is a line of thought that at least part of why she didn't want to do the angle was fear of a racial element being added to the storyline by the Smackdown creative staff.

I have also heard of other issues behind the scenes where Lashley reportedly feels like he hasn't been treated well himself while he has been out rehabbing. There is said to have been little communication between Lashley and Vince McMahon and no firm plans in place to get him back on TV now that his injury has healed and this was frustrating to him.

At this point, Lashley needs to negotiate an official release from WWE as he is still under contract (and thus is still listed on the company website). As always in this business, things can change at the drop of a hat but for now, his plan is to move on from WWE and then plan the next phase of his life.
Here is the latest on the Bobby Lashley-WWE situation. Lashley has definitely informed WWE that he wants to leave the company. There are a lot of reasons for him wanting to do so. The word we have gotten is that part of it has to do with how his girlfriend Kristal Marshall was treated by the company when she balked at being paired with Edge and doing the Lita gimmick, and was then quickly released. Let's just say that there is a line of thought that at least part of why she didn't want to do the angle was fear of a racial element being added to the storyline by the Smackdown creative staff.

I have also heard of other issues behind the scenes where Lashley reportedly feels like he hasn't been treated well himself while he has been out rehabbing. There is said to have been little communication between Lashley and Vince McMahon and no firm plans in place to get him back on TV now that his injury has healed and this was frustrating to him.

At this point, Lashley needs to negotiate an official release from WWE as he is still under contract (and thus is still listed on the company website). As always in this business, things can change at the drop of a hat but for now, his plan is to move on from WWE and then plan the next phase of his life.

Labels: bobby lashely, edge, kristal marshall

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:21 AM | Permalink | Comments

Press Release from the WWE:

STAMFORD, Conn., January 23, 2008 – World Wrestling Entertainment® and its partners kick off the 2008 WrestleMania Fan Axxess tour this month, giving fans the opportunity to watch, attend, and experience all things WWE®. Serving as the official kick-off on the “Road to WrestleMania,” the award-winning annual tour is WWE’s largest interactive mobile marketing initiative and is coming off a record breaking year that brought more than 237,000 fans out to various events nationwide.

The 2008 FanAxxess Tour will invade 10 major cities across the U.S. and Canada before landing in Orlando, Fla. in March, home of WrestleMania 24. Kicking off in New York City on January 25, the tour will visit Toronto, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Nashville and Miami. 2008 Fan Axxess Tour partners include THQ Inc., GameStop, USA Network, Sci Fi Channel and CW Network.

WWE Legends Jimmy Hart and Hillbilly Jim will host the tour, appearing in the main ring to greet fans and run ongoing contests and product giveaways from WWE and its partners. All Fan Axxess events are free and open to the public.

“The WrestleMania Fan Axxess Tour has developed into a fantastic annual event for WWE fans, affiliates, sponsors and promotional partners,” says Monty Ross, Senior Director of Marketing for WWE. “In 2008, we’re offering those partners new and exciting ways to tap into WWE’s devoted fan base through an incredible selection of interactive elements.”

Fans visiting the tour this year will find themselves with more exciting and interactive tour elements than ever before, including:

§ Fans get their chance to perform their own Superstar entrance with “Extreme Entrance,” presented by the CW Network. Participants are introduced with their choice of Superstar theme music and are filmed walking into the ring. The entire experience is burned on a DVD as a WWE take-home.

§ “How Raw Are You?,” presented by the USA Network, will pit fans against each other in a trivia contest to test their knowledge of 15 years of RAW history.

§ “Superstar Ink” allows fans to brand themselves with airbrushed versions of their favorite WWE Superstar logo tattoos.

§ Fans go head to head in the “’SmackDown vs. Raw 2008’ Challenge” sponsored by Gamestop, playing one another in the immensely popular video game title for a chance to win a WWE Championship replica belt.

§ “Fan Nation Station” will showcase WWE and partner products and services, and will survey fans for feedback on the tour.

§ Various WWE Superstars will appear at each stop to greet fans and sign autographs.

The Fan Axxess Tour started in 2004. It has developed into a 4,000 square foot interactive experience filled with consumer and sponsor friendly elements and activities. WWE won a Gold Award in the Mobile Marketing category from Corporate EVENT magazine for the 2006 WrestleMania 22 Fan Axxess tour.

Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/

Labels: wrestlemania 24, wwe axxess

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:18 AM | Permalink | Comments

The official kickoff on the road to Wrestle Mania will begin on Sunday night at the royal Rumble. The winner will get their shot at any title and one of the main events for Mania. And what a winding road it has been and will continue to be leading up to Mania. The WWE has done a good job keeping under raps who will be the participants for the WWE and World Heavy Weight titles. This has been great for the fans as it leaves the results of the rumble up in the open.

With that being said let me peer into my crystal, ala the departed Ariel, and see what is in store for us. As for the Rumble, look for the Undertaker to win and take on Edge at Mania. Not much of a secret here as they have been developing this angle for a while on Smack Down. It's the other two major events at Mania that are very interesting to say the least.

For the main event of the WWE title look for it to be Triple H and Jeff Hardy as we have reported here. Right now Hardy is on fire and for him not to have the title by Mania would crush the momentum he is gaining. Triple H will find himself in this match courtesy of a win in the Elimination Chamber at No Way Out. Plus with Hardy/Triple H it gives us a main event we have not seen before. It looked for awhile that Batista would cross over to Raw and meet Triple H, but we have seen that one before and right now it looks as if they don't know what they will do with Batista. You have to figure Orton's time is up since he really hasn't gone over to well as champ, so he should be dropping the belt soon. I really think there is no way he goes to Mania with the gold. Plus if the rumors are true of Cena returning to face Orton, there is no way they would want a title match with little build up to the event.

Finally, for the Money in the bank match look for CM Punk to win and make his move off of ECW. Now that the belt is off him I believe he will get his chance to make the big time. It has been long overdue as he really is the only person, besides Kelly Kelly, that anyone gives a damn about on ECW. Shelton Benjamin will fill the void eventually as champ and continue to take on the collection of stiffs they have for the brand. Especially since it does not look like they want the Miz and Morrison to lose their tag belts. As I have stated before in past writings, look for Punk to win and then use his chance to take on Edge for screwing Punk out of the ECW title. This will bring him to Smack Down and a program during the summer or fall for the US title.

Posted by JSX at 1:24 PM | Permalink | Comments

Jamie Jones
Dalton Daily Citizen

The “grind.”

For professional wrestlers, there is no offseason. They don’t get vacation — unless they get hurt. Pay-per-views, live television programs, house shows on the weekend, autograph signings, special appearances, photo shoots, gym workouts, physical therapy sessions, etc. Whatever leftover time is dedicated to your real life.

If you even have one.

Amy Dumas, who reached stardom as the World Wrestling Entertainment grappler Lita, said she retired from wrestling in Nov. 2006 because of the grueling schedule that kept her busy almost every day of the year during her eight-year career. WWE officials wanted Dumas to resign for five years.

“It was kind of just like a been there, done that,” Dumas said during a recent interview from Atlanta. “Been there, done that. Man, I have other stuff to do.”

She said the freedom of being able to eat dinner without having to answer a phone call or attending a friend’s birthday party is liberating. While exiting the bright wrestling spotlight, Dumas formed an Atlanta-based punk rock band called The Luchagors.

Dumas admits she hasn’t watched much wrestling since leaving WWE. She still keeps in touch with former WWE diva Trish Stratus because they’ve followed similar career paths. She also regularly talks to former boyfriends Matt Hardy and Adam Copeland (Edge).

After Dumas began dating Copeland shortly after breaking up with Hardy, their relationship turned into an onscreen angle. It also resulted in Lita turning heel and portraying a much less desirable character. She doesn’t attribute that character change as a reason for retiring.

“Having the last two years of my character pretty much being a ringside slut, but when you think of Lita, you think that she could actually go out there and wrestle,” Dumas said. “It wouldn’t totally taint my legacy.”

Dumas points to three distinct high points in her wrestling career: a “Raw” main event featuring her and The Rock vs. Triple H and Stratus; another “Raw” main event pitting her against Stephanie McMahon with The Rock as guest referee when she won her first women’s championship (the first time ever two women met in a main event); and her third women’s title win against Stratus on “Raw.”

Click here to read the rest of the article

Labels: Lita, the rock, triple h, trish stratus

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:18 AM | Permalink | Comments

Let's Wrestle and Electric Assets is teaming up to give away a great Prize pack for this years WWE Royal Rumble! All you have to do is sign up for our email (sent each day with posts and breaking news!). We will take the next 30 emails, assign each a number, and if that number wrestler wins the Royal Rumble - YOU WIN!

Don't forget to Check out all the breaking news on this year's Royal Rumble by clicking this link: 2008 ROYAL RUMBLE

Our Grand Prize package will include:

Royal Rumble 2007 DVD
Chris Jericho “Save_Us. 222” T-Shirt
John Cena “My Life” DVD

Enter now for your chance to win!

Labels: 2008 royal rumble

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:16 AM | Permalink | Comments

Amazon.com has posted the cover art for the upcoming 2-disc "Triple H: King of Kings" DVD that is scheduled to be released on March 25, you can see it above. The DVD cover was the original promotional poster for last year's Unforgiven pay-per-view, but they later switched it to a poster featuring Undertaker because of his in-ring return.

Labels: triple h, undertaker

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:14 AM | Permalink | Comments

Source: JRsBarBQ.com

Jim Ross is back with another blog from JRsBarBQ.com. Here are the highlights for this week:

- No, the wrestlers do not stay at the same hotel, but catching them at the right moment at the hotel, while they are not dining, or waiting in line at an airport will oftentimes work. It is a game of chance, but some fans seem to know where the wrestlers stay better than many of us in the company. Don’t ask me how, as I haven’t a clue.

- The WWE has a group of people that consider various sites for WrestleMania and they try and work a year or two in advance. I was in that loop at one time, but no longer am. I have a good idea where Mania will be in 2009, but that isn’t for public consumption — as of yet.

- The WWE has access to the complete WCCW library, so one would think that material would be a staple on WWE 24/7 for years to come. I see more World Class oriented DVDs being released in the future as well. Iceman was a solid in ring hand, but a better talker than a wrestler in my opinion. “It be’s that way, some time,” as Ice Man used to say.

- A one time, Gary Hart was one of the very best managers in the biz. Bill Watts once told me that when Hart was on top of his game he was hard to beat and could verbalize with the best of them. Gary Hart created a legitimate aura that encouraged fans to genuinely dislike him and fans would pay to see him and his wrestlers destroyed. That emotion is largely missing today. I am sure that Gary could contribute creatively with any company, but sometimes it is really challenging for “old timers” to survive in the corporate world of which they are unaccustomed.

- Injuries shortened Tazz’s wrestling career. I am sure he would have preferred to go out on his terms, but that, unfortunately are the breaks of the game sometime. If Tazz had remained healthy he would have had a great run in the WWE, despite his critics saying he was too short, which I personally never bought into.

- I do not personally know if Bob Sapp wants to make the physical commitment to become a wrestling star. I do like wrestlers who come from successful tenures in other sports or with extensive sports backgrounds getting into wrestling, but only if their hearts are in it.

- There was nowhere to go with that scenario of J.R . being a bad guy. There was no pay off. I wasn’t going to become a wrestler and I felt I was cast in that role by people, more or less out of spite, because they knew I had no desire to become an in-ring performer whether it be a good guy or a bad guy. It was short term, near-sighted booking that had no pay off and was merely a TV ploy to perhaps enhance ratings.

- I could see factions and groups coming back, before I could see young wrestlers going out on their own and verbalizing their own promos.

Labels: jim ross, wrestlemania 25

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:11 AM | Permalink | Comments

Yes, Chavo did it, with some help from Edge of course. So I guess the new rivalry will be CM Punk and Chavo. I'm not sure if this is such a good move. Nothing against Chavo, he's great in the ring, but I'm not sure if he has a large enough profile to boost Punk. One would figure by now Punk would be moving onto bigger things than the ECW, but for variuous reasons has not seen his push. It looked like things were going well with Morrison and the Miz, but that ended as soon as it began. As I stated in previous writings, this may lead to Punk finding his way to Smack Down looking for revenge against Edge. Who knows, but I feel this throws another cloud over ECW. Not sure what direction this show is going, and with Chavo as its champ it further muddies the situation. We shall have to wait and see how all this plays out.

Tonight we also saw the debut of Koffi Kingston. I like what I saw out of the guy. Plenty of athletic moves and lots of energy. But if he is to make a lasting impression he will need more than this. The WWE generally doesn't push the athletic guys much, as they favor more traditional wrestlers. It will be interesting to see what else he can bring to the table and if he can find himself in a major program or fall off the face of the earth like Elijah Burke

Posted by JSX at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments

Below is the official synopsis for WWE's No Way Out pay-per-view courtesy of inDEMAND:

Two miles of chain and ten tons of steel will surround WWE Superstars as they fight for honor, glory and revenge in the Elimination Chamber. Don’t miss Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho, Jeff Hardy, Undertaker, Batista, Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, Edge and all your favorite Superstars at WWE No Way Out, Sunday, February 17th

Labels: jeff hardy, no way out, triple h

Posted by Matt Loede at 9:58 PM | Permalink | Comments

Hello wrestling fans and welcome to our blog also coming at you in HD. Each post will be even more clear and crisp than before. It will almost be like I'm sitting right next to you typing these words live. Yeah, I'm not really sure how you can make writing HD, but everyones doing it so I though we could join the fun. At any rate the WWE's first night of HD really wasn't that impressive. Again we had a handful of matches that would not even sell a house show. We were treated to Kendrick and Umaga in a Rumble qualifier, Bob Holly and Carlito again, and Finaly and Hornswoggle against the Highlanders.

To show you how poor the matches were tonight, one of the best matches was the women's match. Yes, I know I usually will say how bad this can be and describe it as only on for eye candy, but tonight the match was the second best one on the show. Beth Phoenix and Mickie James put on a great display of technical and high flying wrestling. Phoenix displays in ring prowess that would make most of the men jealous, and James brought her high energy presence to the ring. With Phoenix winning again tonight, James showed some distress in the locker room. Cheer up Mickie, your time will come and I believe in you. And if that time never comes, well let me say I would love to take you out the next time your in town to help you forget your troubles. Yes ladies and gentleman tonight begins the JSxpress's attempt to get a date with Mickie James. Please feel free to check it out weekly as I strike out time and time again. Nothing like a little public humiliation for the sake of readership.

Triple H would qualify tonight for the Rumble after beating his secret opponent(s) Snitsky, Mark Henry and William Regal. Nothing really impressive in these matches but it was good to see H get in. There was talk of the Big Show showing up tonight, but the WWE is saving him. It should be interesting to see if the Show makes in the Rumble.

The best match of the night was the first one with Kennedy and HBK giving another great performance. Its sad this program may be coming to an end as Kennedy is looking like he is finally living up to his potential as a top talent. Of course working with HBK makes it easy. They don't call him the show stopper for nothing. He has raised Kennedy's game and they have given some great matches over the weeks. Tonight was great with HBK flying over the ropes at Kennedy and Kennedy busting himself open. Like I said great stuff, hopefully this is not the beginning of the end for Kennedy.

On the verbal front Y2J had a horrible rebuttal to JBL's taunt last week. Jericho did not have any of his electricity and really didn't do anything to fuel the fire between these two. Come on Y2J, JBL even taunted your kids and all you could to was come out and talk about how your one kid was close to crying because he thought you were a coward. Lame, lame, and even more lame. And of course we had the meeting of the main eventers for the upcoming pay per view. This one dealt with respect and a possible handshake. And of course it ended in violence with Hardy giving Orton the twist of fate. I give Jeff credit for interacting with the crowd as he went around ringside asking fans their names and saying he respected them more than Orton. No wonder this guy is loved by the fans. This is the type of champ we need and look for Hardy to have a huge 08, and dare I say it, he will main event Mania as champ.

Posted by JSX at 11:28 PM | Permalink | Comments

Tonight's WWE Raw will be the first of its kind offered in Hi-definition. The superstars will be on display in sharp, vivid color in all of their matches and glory. The show will also feature a double main event, with Shawn Michaels facing Mr. Kennedy, and Triple H facing a mystery opponent for a chance to get back into the Rumble.

Mr. Kennedy and Shawn Michaels are two Raw superstars with no love lost. They've defeated each other in the ring in seperate matches and bragging rights are on the line. Kennedy claims he's better than HBK and says HBK can't accept it due to arrogance and pride. Will Mr. Kennedy prove again that he can defeat the Heartbreak Kid? Or will Michaels use Sweet Chin Music to quiet the loudmouth Kennedy?

In WWE Raw's other main event, Triple H will be looking to qualify for the Royal Rumble, again. It is unknown right now who Triple H's opponent will be, but speculations can be made. Will Mr. McMahon pit Triple H against familiar foe, Umaga? Or maybe Randy Orton? There's always the chance that Mr. McMahon will make Triple H face his friend Ric Flair yet again. Who will HHH's opponent be and can be he win his way to the Rumble?

Catch Monday Night Raw on USA in Hi-Def, Monday at 9PM EST!

Labels: RAW, USA Network

Posted by Matt Loede at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments

From Pro Wrestling Insider:

The new issue of WWE Magazine features Jeff Hardy on the cover, and inside the featured interview with him the photos show him bound in chains and underwater, but you can clearly see that the background is the inside of the elimination chamber. This leads me to think that Randy Orton retains the title at the Rumble and Jeff will be a part of the Chamber match at No Way Out.

Labels: jeff hardy, randy orton

Posted by Matt Loede at 6:52 PM | Permalink | Comments

Jim Ross' website issued the following announcement today:

A new, two year contract has been signed between Jim Ross and World Wrestling Entertainment. Ross, a 34 year veteran of pro wrestling/sports entertainment, is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame and has been with the company since debuting at Wrestlemania 9 in 1993. Ross and his fellow WWE Hall of Fame partner, Jerry “the King” Lawler, comprise the broadcast team on the WWE’s longest running, flagship broadcast, “Monday Night Raw” which airs live on the USA Cable Network every Monday night at 9/8 central time and globally in over 100 countries. No other details on the terms of the contract have been released.

Labels: jim ross

Posted by Matt Loede at 9:27 PM | Permalink | Comments

Yes another lack luster night of network TV for the WWE. I know there trying their best to keep the results of the Rumble and who will be main eventing Mania a secret, but do they have to bore us to tears in the process. Tonight again featured multiple who cares matches. We saw the WWE's biggest stiffs Mark Henry and the Great Khali again in matches that mean nothing. I hope Batista is not going to get saddled with Mark Henry in the future. As it looks like the Undertaker will be Edges main challenge, it leaves Batista in the void. I really hope they have big plans for him, as he showed in 07 that he has the talent to be a major star. Also we got to see the same Kahli and Finlay match. It's sad to see a great worker like Finaly getting stuck in a go nowhere program. Also we a had a Divas match with Michelle McCool and Layla, not really much to report there.

Some of the highlights included a a good verbal and physical exchange with the Undertaker and Big Daddy V. This was the way you want to build tension for the Rumble. Get two good ring performers and a good mic man like Matt Striker and let it go. Also another good verbal exchange was between MVP and Rick Flair in the VIP Lounge. Like there was any surprise here, as MVP is a great heel and we all know about Flair. Again this did a great job of selling their match at the Rumble as MVP shot his mouth off how he was and is better than Flair was when he was younger and definitely were he is now. It was also good to see my favorite tag team of Yang and Moore defeating Deuce and Domino. I'm not sure how much longer they will wait to put the belts on Yang and Moore but their time has come. With all the good tag teams on Smack Down it's possible tag tams may become fashionable in the WWE again.

The main event tonight was another treat as the newly made friends Edge and Chavo took on Mysterio and CM Punk. It ended in a DQ as Edge hit Mysterio in his bad knee wit a chair before Mysterio could pin Chavo. This match featured plenty of great moves by all the participants and could possibly develop an interesting plot in ECW. With Chavo now a part of the Edge/Vickie fold, and hell bent on winning the ECW belt, could we see Mysterio getting involved in the mix. This would add a huge spark to ECW as they would have some legitimate talent questing for the belt. Also there looks to be no story for Mysterio now on Smack Down, and Punk really has had no legitimate challengers since the Miz and Morrison became tag champs. It would be some good matches with the 3 men and it would test Punk and see if her is ready to make the next step.

Posted by JSX at 2:29 PM | Permalink | Comments

It's been talked about for the past few weeks, but now it looks as if it actually may happen. WrestleMania 26 is being bantered about already, and the location of the event may be the new stadium where the Arizona Cardinals play - The University of Phoenix Stadium. There was an article today in the Arizona Republic about the WWE touring the Stadium, which could hold up to about 73,000. The rumors flying around right now is that the event next year - Wrestlemania 25, will be back in New York City at Madison Square Garden, and then Phoenix would get WM 26. Below is the link to the article from the Arizona Republic:

Talks ongoing to bring WrestleMania in 2010

Labels: arizona, wrestlemania 26

Posted by Matt Loede at 10:00 PM | Permalink | Comments

We talked about this two weeks ago or so, but there has been lots of talk about the WWE trying hard to get John Cena to work at Mania, possibly against arch-rival Randy Orton, who possibly could drop the belt by then. Now, PWInsider has also put the possible shot of Cena working the show out there...below are the details:

There is a lot talk backstage about John Cena returning from his torn pectoral muscle at this year's WrestleMania 24. While it is unlikely he will wrestle, it is possible he will have a physical role in the show maybe as an enforcer or referee. As of this week, creative is hopeful and including him in their plans for the show.

Labels: john cena, pwinsider, wrestlemania 24

Posted by Matt Loede at 9:52 PM | Permalink | Comments

-- It was announced on this week's ECW show that Kofi Kingston will finally make his television debut on next week’s show. WWE has been airing "coming soon" promo vidoes for Kingston, who has been working house show and dark matches in preparation for his debut.

-- Also announced on ECW is that next week’s show will be headlined by ECW Champion CM Punk vs. Chavo Guerrero. This will be the main event for the fourth week in a row and this time the ECW Championship will be on the line. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Edge will be in Chavo’s corner for the title match.

Labels: c.m. punk, ecw, kofi kingston

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:29 AM | Permalink | Comments

The following matches are confirmed for tonight's edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown!:

- Deuce and Domino vs. Jimmy Wang Yang and Shannon Moore

- Finlay vs. The Great Khali

- Layla vs. Michelle McCool

- MVP’s VIP Lounge with Ric Flair

- Batista vs. Mark Henry

- Edge and Chavo Guerrero vs. Rey Mysterio and CM Punk

- Also expect appearances from Vickie Guerrero, Hornswoggle, Big Daddy V, Matt Striker and more!

Labels: finlay, mark henry, michelle mccool

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:28 AM | Permalink | Comments

From Wrestling Observer Newsletter

There is some good news and bad news on the PPV front for WWE. Cyber Sunday in D.C. was not the flop that it appeared to be when the original numbers were released. WWE's original numbers had them at 191,000 buys. The new chart lists them at 292,000 buys. Now Survivor Series on the other hand, did its worst business in years. The event only drew 325,000 worldwide buys, 200,000 of which came from North America. This is down from last year's 383,000 & 234,000 figures. It should also be noted that WWE's corporate website totaled 852,000 buys for PPV events held in October & November. They have 275,000 buys for No Mercy & 325,000 for Survivor Series. That would leave Cyber Sunday at 252,000 buys, so there appears to be a discrepancy somewhere. This should all be cleared in a few weeks when releases their final year-in-review financial statements in early February. They are expected to release the final worldwide numbers of all of their 2007 PPVs at that time.

Labels: Cyber Sunday, survivor series

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:27 AM | Permalink | Comments

From: PWTorch

We can now confirm that The Big Show has signed a contract with World Wrestling Entertainment. The deal is "Signed, sealed, delivered," says a source close to The Big Show. According to PWTorch, all the paperwork has recently been completed and The Big Show is officially back on the WWE roster.

Expect The Big Show to return to WWE television programming within the next few weeks.

As we previously noted, The Big Show explored a boxing career since he left the WWE in 2006. In the process, he has lost a considerable amount of weight.

Labels: the big show

Posted by Matt Loede at 5:38 PM | Permalink | Comments

From Wrestling Observer:

According to sources WWE Developmental wrestlers Katie Lea and Paul Burchill's gimmicks will be repackaged as a brother and sister duo who have sexual tension between them, similar to the movie Cruel Intentions.

Labels: katie lea, paul burchill

Posted by Matt Loede at 5:33 PM | Permalink | Comments

Candice Michelle, who was feuding with women's champ Beth Phoenix, should be back in the ring in the next few weeks after breaking her collarbone in a nasty fall during a RAW match two months ago. Michelle fell on her head and knocked herself out after being knocked off the top rope during a match with Phoenix on the show. She is expected to possibly be pushed towards a Mania rematch with Phoenix, who has been feuding with Mickie James.

Labels: beth phoenix, candice michelle, mickie james

Posted by Matt Loede at 9:24 AM | Permalink | Comments

The push for Jeff Hardy has gotten so over with the fans, there are some sources saying backstage that he deserves to beat Randy Orton for the WWE Title at the Rumble and for him to advance to a WM main event match. One thought is for him to go up against Triple H at Mania, as the two have had an on-and-off storyline that resulted in a match at Armageddon where Hardy beat HHH for the right to the title match with Orton at the Rumble. Hardy is quickly becoming the biggest fan favorite in the company, and the decision makers are well aware of it.

Labels: jeff hardy, triple h

Posted by Matt Loede at 9:23 AM | Permalink | Comments

The storyline for the WWE as they hit their peak three months of the year leading to WrestleMania 24 could be the return to the ring of three major superstars. We've already seen the return of Chris Jericho and John Bradsahw Layfield, aka JBL, but now sources are indicating that another former star is ready to make his return in a BIG way. Reports say that Paul Wight, otherwise known as The Big Show, is on his way back to a WWE ring near you.

Wight walked away from the WWE back in December of 2006 after holding the ECW Title and dropping it in one of the worst WWE PPV's ever - December to Dismember to Bobby Lashley. The following week in what ended up being his final match in the company he was beaten in a one-on-one match by Lashley. It was after that he walked away from the final two years of a 10-year contract that he signed to come over from WCW to WWF (at the time) in 1998.

The 400+ pound Wight left the company in bad shape. He was not only burned out upstairs, but also had numerous health concerns in terms of his weight as well as body parts that were just banged up and never got a shot to heal. The word going around now is that he is ready to go from a health standpoint, and that he is more than refreshed to be able to get back in the ring and give it 100 percent.

What impact Wight will have remains to be seen. For the most part of his career he has been used in the role of the late, great Hall of Famer - Andre the Giant. To be honest though, Show could not hold a candle to Andre's career, and by now those comparisons should be long gone. Show is what he is - a big man that can move and that has skills in the ring. He is not Andre, nor will he ever be, and the moment the company realizes that, the better off he will be.

The first thought about Paul's return is that they can push him into what would be an interesting WrestleMania storyline with Hulk Hogan. It was thrown around last year in Detroit to re-create that Hogan-Andre WrestleMania III storyline that Wight would come back to fight his good friend, but he never did, and then when things fell apart with Hogan, the whole idea was scrapped. Now, one year later, that match very well could take place.

Hogan seems to be on the verge of a match, and for sometime it was thought to be against the lumbering Ox - The Great Khali. But given a choice, there is no question that Hogan would rather work with Wight, his long-time friend and a guy he has always had the back of. The two actually did wrestle in August in a match in Memphis that was supposed to be Hogan and Jerry Lawler, but the WWE didn't allow Lawler to do it, so they pulled Show in to do the job to Hogan.

So with the Royal Rumble now less than two weeks away, look for there to be a spot kept open, and it very well could go to the returning Wight. If it does not, I would expect to see him in a ring within a week or two of the event with a role in getting ready for a push towards a Mania 24 match.

Labels: hulk hogan, paul wight, the big show

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:53 AM | Permalink | Comments

World Wrestling Entertainment issued the following announcement today:

World Wrestling Entertainment Announces Suspensions

STAMFORD , Conn. , January 16, 2008 – Derrick Neikirk and Neil Bzibziak, two developmental talents in the WWE farm system (Florida Championship Wrestling), have been suspended for violations in accordance with WWE’s Substance Abuse and Drug Testing Policy.

Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/

Bzibziak wrestles under the ring name "Chett the Jet."

Labels: Derrick Neikirk, Neil Bzibziak

Posted by Matt Loede at 5:39 PM | Permalink | Comments

We reported a few days back about WWE star Mr.Kennedy getting hitched, and now there are various sites reporting that John Cena also has gotten married. Word is that Cena has married long-time girlfriend Liz. He had proposed to her back in September. This pic is reportedly from the after-party that took place following the wedding. Notice she is wearing a ring on her left hand, so it does make sense.

Labels: john cena

Posted by Matt Loede at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments

Brian Fritz of the Orlando Sentinel noted in one of his recent columns that former WWE Hardcore Champion Mick Foley will be retiring this year. Foley had talked about his match with Jonathan Coachman on television being his last match, but also pitched an idea for after WrestleMania 24. Mick was also recently involved in a match with Hornswoggle on RAW.

Foley originally retired from World Wrestling Entertainment in 2000, with the idea that he would still appear once or twice a year. With his knee and back problems, Foley is said to be mentally ready to be finished for good.

Labels: brian foley, hornswoggle, mick foley

Posted by Matt Loede at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments

Thursday, January 17 6-8 p.m.
Shoppingtown Mall, 3649 Erie Blvd. East, DeWitt, NY

Meet WWE Superstar Santino Marella at the Time Warner Cable Kiosk!

Friday, January 18 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Legacy KIA , East Syracuse, N.Y.

Meet WWE superstar Jeff Hardy before the show at Legacy KIA.

6717 Manlius Center Rd.
East Syracuse, NY 13057

Main Number - 315-432-9944

*Appearance limited to the first 500 people.*

Saturday, January 19 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Saturday’s Market Route 230, Middletown, PA
Meet Batista at an Autograph Session!

Thursday, January 24 4-6 p.m.
Game Stop, New York, NY

Meet Tommy Dreamer at an Autograph Session!

Friday, January 25 6-8 p.m.
JWAC Collectibles 163 Union Street, Lodi, NJ

Come meet Mr. Kennedy starting at 6:00 p.m.!

For more information, call (917) 449-3463

Saturday, January 26 12-2 p.m.
Best Buy, 24 Universal Blvd., Warwick, RI

Meet WWE Superstar CM Punk at Best Buy on behalf of Cox Communications!

Friday, February 1 4-6 p.m.
Landmark Chevrolet, Houston, TX
Meet MVP at an Autograph Session!

Tuesday, February 5 6-8 p.m.
Peoria Civic Center 201 SW Jefferson Ave., Peoria, IL

Meet WWE Diva Maria at the Peoria Rivermen Hockey Game on behalf of Comcast!

Appearance open ONLY to Peoria Rivermen Hockey Game ticket holders.

Labels: batista, c.m. punk, maria, mr. kennedy

Posted by Matt Loede at 9:53 AM | Permalink | Comments

From Pro Wrestling Insider:

Here is the current lineup for the Royal Rumble:

- World Champion Edge vs. Rey Mysterio.
- WWE Champion Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy.
- U.S. Champion MVP vs. Ric Flair.
- Chris Jericho vs. JBL.
- 30-Man Royal Rumble. Current participants:

From Raw:
Umaga - Defeated Hacksaw Jim Duggan on December 31, 2007 edition of Raw (taped 12/29) from Greensboro, North Carolina.
Snitsky - Defeated Drew McIntrye on January 4th at a house show in White Plains, New York.
Hardcore Holly - Defeated Trevor Murdoch on January 5th at a house show in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Mick Foley - With Hornswoggle, defeated The Highlanders on January 7th on Raw from Uncasville, Connecticut.
Cody Rhodes - Defeated William Regal on January 11th at a house show in Jacksonville, Florida.
Santino Marella - With Carlito, defeated DH Smith & Super Crazy on January 12th at a house show in Tallahassee, Florida.
Carlito - With Santino Marella, defeated DH Smith & Super Crazy on January 12th at a house show in Tallahassee, Florida.
Shawn Michaels - Defeated Trevor Murdoch on January 15th on Raw from Mobile, Alabama.

From Smackdown:
Hornswoggle - With Mick Foley, defeated The Highlanders on January 7th on Raw from Uncasville, Connecticut.
The Undertaker - Announced on WWE.com on January 8th.
Batista - Announced on WWE.com on January 8th.
Kane - Announced on WWE.com on January 9th.
Finlay - Announced on Smackdown on January 11th.
Jamie Noble - Defeated Chuck Palumbo on the January 11th edition of Raw (taped 1/8) in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
Great Khali - Announced on WWE.com on January 15th.
Mark Henry - Announced on WWE.com on January 15th.

From ECW:
John Morrison - With The Miz, defeated Jimmy Yang & Shannon Moore on January 6th at a house show in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
The Miz - With John Morrison, defeated Jimmy Yang & Shannon Moore on January 6th at a house show in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
Shelton Benjamin - Defeated Tommy Dreamer on January 12th at a house show in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

Labels: 2008 royal rumble

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:37 AM | Permalink | Comments

WWE has announced two matches for next Monday's Raw:

- Ken Kennedy vs. Shawn Michaels.

- Triple H vs. A Mystery Opponent for a spot in the Royal Rumble.

Labels: mr.kennedy, RAW, shawn michaels, triple h

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:35 AM | Permalink | Comments

What the heck happened to all the entretaining ECW shows we had going into this year. Granted they still lacked behind Raw and Smack Down, but at least you didn't feel like a complete loser wasting 1 hour of your life watching this crap. Yes the Smack Down talent share helped out, but why are we back to watching matches that could not cut it at a house show. For those who did not watch I'm really not going to spoil anything her for you because it all sucked big time. I'm not kidding when I say it was an hour of my life I will never get back.

Tonight were treated as Kane destroyed some sad jobber they keep dragging into the ring for comic relief. Guys the act is lame, it stunk the first time and it's not getting any better. Please let it die already. Also we had Nunzio, yes Nunzio. At least he didn't disappoint as he allowed Shelton Benjamin to beat on him this week. Kelly Kelly came out and did what she does best. And by that I mean parading around half naked. And we also saw the WWE Tag Champions Miz and Morrison take on the Highlanders. This was a let down after the champs previous great matches against Yang and Moore. Please take the belts off them already and let them continue their pursuit of ECW gold. I really don't see how this is helping either Miz or Morriso and I'm surprised they have been champs this long. Let a real tag team be champs and let these guys develop in pursuit of the ECW title.

Finally, lets talk about Edge's appearance tonight. I'm not sure if I'm grasping at straws here due to my mind just trying to justify why I wasted 1 hour watching this garbage tonight, but could there be a possible Edge/Punk program in the cards. They exchanged some decent banter during the Cutting Edge segment and Edge screwed Punk in his match against Chavo again. So now Chavo has his title chance courtesy of Edge. The matches have been good between Chavo and Punk, but I can't see this program going on to long. Will Punk lose his title and find himself on Smack Down seeking revenge. This could be a possibility, but right now it looks like Edge will be preoccupied with the Undertaker. It could possibly happen if Punk wins the Money in the Bank match at Mania and then takes it to Smack Down in his quest to take out Edge. Look for these two to meet in some capacity this year. Or perhaps my mind is playing tricks and causing delusions so I can justify watching the junk they call wrestling on ECW.

Posted by JSX at 11:14 PM | Permalink | Comments

Official Press release from the WWE

January 14, 2008--World Wrestling Entertainment® fans will soon be getting their weekly doses of high-energy entertainment delivered in stunning high definition. Beginning the week of January 21, WWE’s Monday Night RAW® and A.M. RAW on USA, ECW®: Extreme Championship Wrestling™ on SCI FI Channel, and Friday Night SmackDown® on The CW will all be delivered in HD.

WWE will also broadcast its pay-per-views in HD, starting with Royal Rumble on January 27.

“The move to high-definition programming is another step in WWE’s ongoing mission to provide fans with the most engaging, exciting product possible, and our programs look spectacular in HD,” said Mike Grossman, Senior Vice President, Television Operations. “This upgrade will be the first of many technological advances for our brand in 2008.”

WWE’s switch to high-def was made possible by a series of upgrades to the company’s television studios in Stamford, Conn. The $20 million HD renovations included refitting of equipment to broadcast WWE programming and global pay-per-view programming in high definition on cable and satellite systems around the world. The WWE also worked with NEP Supershooters to build two new state-of-the-art production trucks, and will lease a custom transmission truck designed for HD transmission.

WWE built new sets for RAW and SmackDown for their HD debuts.

WWE programming reaches nearly 16 million people per week in the U.S. “Monday Night RAW” on USA Network is the most watched regularly scheduled program on ad-supported cable television in the U.S. “Friday Night SmackDown” on CW is the No. 1 program on broadcast TV Friday nights among males 18-24.

Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/

Labels: RAW, smackdown

Posted by Matt Loede at 5:42 PM | Permalink | Comments

From Wrestling Observer:

According to sources, Vince McMahon has pulled the planned WWE produced Randy Savage and Sting DVD's that were scheduled to hit the stores later this year.

The two DVD's were originally scheduled after TV producer Kevin Dunn and his department released a list of DVD releases for this year to video distributors, without Vince and the WWE Creative department making the final call. When Vince found out about the planned DVD's on Savage and Sting, he immediately cancelled all plans.

The DVD's were brought up in the first place because Vince didn't think the company was making enough first run releases and he wanted new DVD's on big named legends. The general feeling is that WWE has pretty much covered everyone who would be marketable enough from the past and anyone pre-1984 wouldn't sell. WWE has covered most ever major star of the past 23 years, with the exception of Sting and Randy "Macho Man" Savage. No word yet on why McMahon pulled the Savage DVD, but it's believed to be because of the long rumored beef between the two. The Sting DVD was canceled because he is currently under contract to TNA.

Labels: randy savage, sting, vince mcmahon

Posted by Matt Loede at 3:35 PM | Permalink | Comments

I think a Jim Ross quote could some up the end of tonight Raw. Once again Jeff Hardy goes above and beyond in his push for a major title. Other than his own death, I really don't see him doing anything more shocking than what has been displaying these past weeks. To bad we had to sit through almost 2 hours of nothing to get to this great climax. It started off with Hardy and Orton exchanging verbal barbs in anticipation of their match tonight. These two did a good job and it was nice to see Orton showing why is is such a jerk. If there were questions on his ability to pull off being a heel and champ at the same time, I feel Orton helped to put some of those doubts to rest tonight. He has such a great arrogant demeanor that makes you just despise this guy.

We then had to sit through the usual Diva match so all can get their eye candy. Tonights special was Beth Phoenix, Melina and Jillian against Ashley, Maria and Mickie James. It was the evil Divas turn to win this time, with Phoenix unmercifully slamming James to the mat for the pin.

We then were presented with a display of who cares matches starting with HBK qualifying for the Rumble with a win over Trevor Murdoch. Really, I thought for a second he would lose and Murdoch would be main eventing Mania. Triple H utterly destroyed Snitsky, thus eliminating any chance of Snitsky making any noise on Raw. And Hornswoggle went through a mini rumble. And I mean mini. He took on pint size versions of Mankind, Kennedy, Batista and Kane before meeting Kahli in the ring. Of course Finaly came to the rescue. This lead to another reference of Finlay and Vince having an agreement. As i stated earlier, look for Finlay to get a title chance on Smack Down. I really don't see much coming of this supposed secret agreement. At last but not least Rick Flair stays alive with a win over William Regal. Didn't see that one coming, considering Flair is scheduled to take on MVP at the Rumble.

JBL also did a great job of establishing himself as the main heel on Raw. With tons of fireworks and balloons he made a great speech to an injured Jericho who was resting at home after his beat down last week. JBL is so arrogant and just an all around jerk, that you have to love to hate this guy. He came out tonight to tell Jericho's children what a loser there dad was. You got to love making this feud as personal as possible. I questioned JBL's desire to get back in the ring, but after tonights promo he more than silenced those doubts. He not only has brought his A game, but he has sent a message to all the heels in the WWE. Gentleman this is how you play dirty and get people to hate your guts.

Back to the main event. Seriously, how long to Jeff Hardy either kills himself or at least does serious injury to his person. Tonight he jumped off the support for the stage onto a prone Orton. Both men were "carried" off on stretchers, but when will this become a real scene. When Hardy becomes a major champ will he be able to carry this momentum of high risk moves. How much longer till his body breaks down. Granted he is very charismatic inside and outside the ring, but he can't keep this pace up forever. It will be very interesting to watch his career in the upcoming year. Let's hope he can stay healthy enough to continue thrilling us for many more years.

Posted by JSX at 11:21 PM | Permalink | Comments

Labels: batista, WWE

Posted by Al Gordon at 9:31 PM | Permalink | Comments

- On whether Jim Ross told Brock Lesnar to do the Shooting Star Press at Wrestlemania in order to create a "Wrestlemania moment", as Brock recently claimed in UK's Powerslam magazine:

"I don’t think I have ever read Powerslam Magazine, but nonetheless I have no idea what Lesnar is talking about. That assertion is just plain stupid. Even when I was in charge of talent relations I never got involved in match structure. The WWE provided Lesnar a wonderful opportunity to earn a great living for many years and Brock chose to leave. He chose to leave, no one forced him out. I have no idea where his “Wrestlemania Moment” story came from but I could truly care less what history Lesnar cares to rewrite. I know I personally treated Brock Lesnar fairly and honestly and went far above the call of duty with him on more than one occasion no matter the “poor me” B.S. one sometimes hears. However, I do wish Brock well in his MMA career. but for some reason one could surmise that controversy may well follow the talented athlete there as well."

- "I like the new Texas Stadium hosting Wrestlemania someday. I have discussed that very thing on this site a few times. Dallas is a great city and Jerry Jonesland will be a world class facility. And with the Cowboys moving to their new stadium in a few years, the older Texas Stadium would love to have WrestleMania, I’m sure. Heck, they hosted many World Class events there in the past. And a lot of them are on the new World Class 2-disc DVD set, including Kerry versus Ric Flair and Fritz’ retirement match against Bundy."

- "I have no plans to retire anytime soon so hopefully my ringside seat won’t be available for a while. I think JBL should come back and finish his career if he is healthy and he apparently is healthy enough to compete. I sure hope so. Athletes want to play in every “game” they can and there is no doubt that JBL still has some gas left in the tank and he is not an old guy. Old school jocks want to go out on their terms and JBL fits that mold. I think JBL will do well and will add a spark to Raw. I am also sure I will hear my share of Oklahoma jokes from the native Texan turned Manhattanite."

- "We are due to record more of the Roundtables after the first of the year, but I don’t know the details. When they call and schedule me, I show up and enjoy the process a great deal. We are left to be freer flowing, which is a departure from Cable or PPV."

- As to why the Raw announce table was moved back near the entranceway for a time:

"I never heard a viable reason for the location change, but it sucked to sit next to the pyro and so far away from ringside. I think it was to differentiate the announce teams, as Smackdown stayed at ringside and Raw got moved to the back of the room. It also might have had something to do with Bischoff as the Raw G.M. and the fact that WCW oftentimes had their announcers out in left field… so to speak."

- On whether Undertaker will ever write a book:

"I have a great relationship with the Undertaker and his story may be told one day. but it would not surprise me whatsoever if The Undertaker never writes his autobiography. Taker’s legacy in the WWE will be every much as significant as Andre the Giant’s when all is said and done. I was very high on Taker in WCW, but if my memory serves me correctly Ole Anderson wasn’t and he was the boss at that particular time. Taker is a WCCW alumni. like Steve Austin, who made the journey from Dallas to Atlanta to the WWE."

- On the possibility of Sid Vicious or Bob Sapp coming in to WWE:

"I do not know Sid’s physical well being or how he would physically hold up wrestling a full time schedule. However, on the surface one could surmise that Sid would help the WWE at least for the short term with a little good fortune. It essentially comes back to how well Sid is and who he would be competing against? Some have speculated that Bob Sapp might not be committed to a pro wrestling career. I really don’t know, but Bob does have “presence” without fail. It would be interesting to see how well Sapp would do if he was really committed to becoming a great in ring performer."

Labels: jim ross, sid vicious, undertaker

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:19 PM | Permalink | Comments

Hacksaw Jim Duggan (54) & Gene Snitsky (38)!!!

Labels: gene snitsky, jim duggan

Posted by Matt Loede at 7:10 PM | Permalink | Comments

Labels: jbl, jeff hardy, jericho, randy orton, triple h, wwe raw

Posted by Al Gordon at 1:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

The latest article from wrestling writer Mike Mooneyham concerning Randy Orton:

By Mike Mooneyham (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Sunday, January 13, 2008

Controversy has surrounded Randy Orton ever since he made his WWE debut six years ago.

The 27-year-old third-generation wrestler has flirted with superstardom for most of that time, only to have disciplinary problems and an overall lack of maturity bring him back to reality, or at least as much reality as can be hoped for in a business based on fantasy and deception.

Although he is the current WWE heavyweight champion and has held a number of titles during his run with the company, Orton has failed to show the consistency that defines a true superstar, not the generic term used by WWE for all its performers.

Orton has been accused of harassing WWE divas, trashing motel rooms and violating the drug policy His attitude problems, though, started well before WWE. Orton joined the Marines after graduating high school but left a year later with a dishonorable discharge due to unauthorized absences and disobeying a direct command. He spent 38 days in the brig at Camp Pendleton. A tattoo on his left arm which once read "USMC" for United States Marine Corps is now covered up.

WWE realizes the tremendous upside to Orton. Few performers on the company's roster have been able to attain the rarefied status occupied by the likes of Triple H, John Cena and The Undertaker, but Orton has been poised at the threshold, with the company anxiously waiting for a sustained stretch where Orton stays out of hot water and truly comprehends the responsibility such a position demands.

"Randy is a talented and good-hearted kid but he has to make better choices, especially when it comes to anger issues," Jim Ross said last year after the company took action against Orton for unprofessional conduct.

Orton has been candid in the past when publicly discussing his personal demons. Concerning a past suspension over a drug violation, he once told WWE Magazine, "My problems came to a head when I decided to smoke a joint and someone smelled it and stooged me off. You know who you are, so if you are reading this, thanks. But I've also had a few outbursts of anger on the road. I get loud and verbally abusive. But I've nipped that part of me in the bud."

Orton also publicly discussed an incident in which he ruined an expensive Louis Vuitton bag owned by a former WWE diva by pouring ointment, Flexall and tanning lotion inside.

"The reality is the company brought in this diva and she couldn't walk without falling over her own two feet," Orton told the magazine. "She had no respect for the business. She'd say, 'I'm here to help your show, it's not doing too good.' She would call people by the wrong name and rub us the wrong way. I took it upon myself to mess with her my own way."

While the company doesn't necessarily want Orton to lose his edge and swagger, a couple of traits that serve him well inside the ring, officials want to have faith in him that he will conduct himself as a professional and not bring them any undue attention. His lineage has been a blessing, but with it comes tremendous responsibility.

Sources say the outspoken Orton, unlike most others on the WWE roster, stands up to established power brokers such as Triple H and Shawn Michaels. He admits being a natural heel because, as he has said in the past, it's "the real Randy Orton times 10." His cocky attitude, though, has more often than not caused him problems backstage.

Labels: randy orton

Posted by Matt Loede at 9:20 PM | Permalink | Comments

WWE RAW superstar Ken Kennedy (Ken Anderson) married his girlfriend, Shawn Trebnick this past Friday. Matt Hardy posted a new blog on his MySpace about going to his wedding:

Whoa dudes! We've had three hard days of celebrating this monumental marriage (a.k.a. partying, LOL), but now it's time to go home. Finally, I am back in my room after a really nice wedding tonight that capped off an extremely fun 3 days in Minnesota. I have to admit, I haven't ran this hard over the course of three days since my appendix ruptured. But-I held up just like the old self, actually better! It was great getting a chance to spend so much good, quality time with Shane, Ken, Jamie, Dara, and Hassan. It was almost like the old golden days, traveling on Smackdown with the CCB's! I'm exhausted from sleeping only a few hours a night and wearing those damn uncomfortable tuxedo shoes, HA! But, in all actuality-I did get alot of compliments on my very not-me tuxedo look-I'll have to post you guys and gals some pixs when I get a chance. If I crash now, I can sleep three and a half hours before I gotta get up and catch that flight back to NC-so I'm going for it. Good night to you all my peeps, I got nothin' but love for ya! And congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, may God bless you guys in your new journey in life!

Labels: ken kennedy, matt hardy

Posted by Matt Loede at 9:17 PM | Permalink | Comments