In the latest fallout from Denver Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke screwing over WWE, a press release that Kroenke Sports wrote and wanted WWE to release has leaked online via TMZ. The press release, written by Kroenke, reads "By all accounts, Mr. (Stanley) Kroenke is one of the most respected professional sports team owners in the world.”
The release continues: “The professional way he and his staff good-naturedly handled this conflict gives further testament to the type of business leader he is."
Kroenke offered to let WWE tape RAW on Sunday night to air on Monday, but the condition was that they would be forced to issue the aforementioned press release written by Kroenke Sports.
While nothing is confirmed, the chances of WWE being the ones who leaked
this to TMZ are very high.
As noted earlier this afternoon here on the site,Matt Hardy edited the cryptic blog he posted on his MySpace account yesterday morning apparently hinting that his brother Jeff had signed a new contract with World Wrestling Entertainment. He removed the following passage: "The deal has been reached, the contract has been signed as of May 19th, 2009.. Why? What about Matt? I'm sucking it up and giving every fiber of my being for..for them. With a legitimately excruciating broken hand.. but really.. for what? Nothing really ever changes.. I hope this makes everyone happy.." He has since replaced it with the following: "Things aren't always what they seem in life. And before anyone criticizes me.. Everything I addressed is valid. I thank my people-you know who you are.." He then added links to various videos of The Hardy Show on YouTube. That to me is a sign that maybe a reality show deal has been inked. There have been ongoing talks with several networks in recent weeks.
WWE developmental wrestler Johnny Curtis recently suffered a concussion and has not wrestled in two weeks, reports The Sun.
The December 29, 1997 edition of WCW Monday Nitro recently aired on WWE Classics on Demand and eagle-eyed viewers could spot an 18-year-old Stacy Keibler in attendance at the Baltimore event as a fan. Cameras cut to her not once, but twice while Bret Hart explained his actions at the previous night's WCW Starrcade pay-per-view in which he attacked referee Nick Patrick and stepped in toward the conclusion of the Hollywood Hogan vs. Sting championship match as the impromptu referee. The future WWE Diva could be seen waving a big "Thank You Bret" sign in the audience. Keibler would be shown on television once again nearly a year later during the Starrcade 1998 pay-per-view while Konnan made his ring entrance for his match against Chris Jericho.
Rey Mysterio will be appearing at a benefit Lucha libre show on Friday, June 19 in Tijuana, Mexico to help pay for his uncle's back surgery. WWE officials aren't allowing him to wrestle on the show, but he will be signing autographs
The Ultimate Warrior is selling paintings he personally created, dubbing himself "The ULTIMATE Knife Painter." You can visit his website at www.WarriorGallery.com, which also features a message from Warrior discussing his voyage into the hobby.
Former WWE stars Bill "Demolition Ax" Eadie, Kevin Thorn, and Zach Gowen are advertised to appear at a Wolverine Pro Wrestling independent show in Westland, Michigan on Sunday, June 28th. Visit their MySpace page for more information on the show.
Nielson has released the top 15 programs on cable networks as compiled by for the week of May 11th-17th. The NBA Playoffs dominated the top seven spots on the list, while the two hours of WWE Monday Night Raw took 8th and 9th place.
The word that made the rounds regarding the developmental of the WWE produced "Rise and Fall of WCW" DVD is that the people involved in putting it together were said to be completely clueless to the actual history of the company reports The Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The knowledge of WCW for these certain individuals in WWE was described as simply searching the internet and reading basic historical material in what many described as "laughable" facts. Plus, there were many on the outside viewing the project as coming in with an inherent and obvious bias.
Since then things have changed and it appears the final product will be much better because they ended up interviewing a lot of people who worked for the company and were set straight on a variety of topics. As reported on earlier, the company reached out to Ted Turner, former WCW Executive Bill Shaw and Eric Bischoff to take part in interviews. All three turned down offers from WWE with Bischoff adding the following on his official Twitter page, "Chose not to participate in WWE's latest revisionist history initiative for many reasons including the obvious one."
The DVD, which is slated to be a three-disc set, will be released on August 25.
Yesterday was Chris Benoit's birthday, who would have turned 42 years old. also would have been Nancy "Woman" Benoit's 45th birthday.
Vince McMahon put the heat on Stan Kroenke, the owner of the Denver Nuggets, once again in a press conference yesterday in New York, now clearly designed to attempt to boost ratings for Monday's show.
McMahon talked about the skits they were going to run on the show, and the USA Network event sent executive vice president Chris McCumber there to encourage WWE fans to watch the show and show that wrestling fans can't be pushed around.
McMahon brought with him a copy of the press release the Nuggets were going to send out yesterday, after the two sides made a verbal deal for Raw to be taped on Sunday night at the Pepsi Arena in Denver.
The key passage was McMahon being quoted as saying, "I would like to thank Stan Kroenke and his management team for resolving this matter so quickly in a way that allows all WWE and Nuggets fans to watch two world class main events Sunday and Monday. By all accounts, Mr. Kroenke is one of the most respected professional sports team owners in the world, and the professional way he and his staff good-naturedly handled this conflict gives further testament to the type of business leader he is."
McMahon had WWE stop returning phone calls after seeing the quote they wanted him to sign off on, and then made the call to renege on the deal and move the show to Los Angeles. At the press conference he said their management team was "the most inept business management we've ever dealt with."
If nothing else, it was a poorly thought out press release because it failed to understand the most simple element of the McMahon psyche, that the quote would be seen as him backing down. Whatever was the easiest thing or most financially feasible move went out the window at that point.
McMahon said that had Kroenke simply called him up on the phone and apologized for the screw up, "I really don't know what I would have done, except I wouldn't have done this."
From all accounts, Kroenke never personally called McMahon during this situation.
McMahon's press conference today was clearly to try and turn Kroenke into a heel for his wrestling audience for Monday's show, and to transfer it by claiming that he disrespected the WWE and all its fans.
Kroenke Sports at this point said they had no interest in the game, saying "We're preparing for basketball games. Whatever he does from here is no concern."
“Some of the biggest pro wrestling fans in the nation are in Colorado,” said TNA Wrestling President Dixie Carter. “It was sad to see the WWE pull out of all their scheduled shows in Colorado recently because of the scheduling conflict with the NBA playoffs. I want everyone in Colorado to know that TNA Wrestling is coming and we hope to see you at our first shows ever in your state. For WWE fans that paid for any of these cancelled events, we are offering you $10 off the purchase of tickets to come see us and enjoy the best fan experience in pro wrestling.”
Carter also confirmed that TNA is “formally inviting” all Nugget players, coaches, broadcasters and front-office staff to the Pueblo show.
