Taz is in fact heading to TNA and is expected to begin working as Samoa Joe’s advisor. Sources have confirmed that Taz does in fact haave a non-compete clause with WWE, and once it expires he will be able to appear on camera. There’s no word on the length of his non-compete agreement, but he is clearly being teased for a TNA debut.
ProWrestling.net reports that he will enter the company as an advisor or manager for Joe, and will likely make a transition to the broadcast booth as a color commentator at some point.
It remains to be seen where Don West fits into the long-term picture of the broadcast team.
Multiple sources claim that Jeff Jarrett and Mike Tenay have spoken out against the idea of using a three-man broadcast team in the past. West may have more value as a backstage pitch man than a color commentator, but Jeff Jarrett has resisted past pushes from others within the company to shake up the broadcast team.
More than one source has stated that while Dixie Carter likes West personally, she is not a fan of his performance as a color commentator. There also may be a chance that Jarrett and Tenay would change their tune regarding a three-man team if it meant keeping West onboard.
Here are the ratings broke down for Raw this week* 9:00 - 3.70 (Jericho/Steamboat/Cena Interview)
* 9:15 - 3.31 (Batista vs. Chavo/Shane Talks With Batista)
* 9:30 - 3.71 (Kane vs. CM Punk,Santino/Santina/Beth Phoenix Interview)
* 9:45 - 3.48 (Beth Phoenix vs. Melina, Shane Talks With HHH)
* 10:00 - 4.04 (John Cena vs. Chris Jericho)
* 10:15 - 4.03 (Edge Beat Down of Cena, Rey Mysterio vs. Big Show)
* 10:30 - 3.67 (Superstars Video Recap, Legacy Talks)
* 10:45 - 3.82 (HHH vs. Randy Orton)
* Overrun - 4.26 (HHH vs. Randy Orton Finis
John Cena, turns 32 years old today.
Last week's episode of Friday Night Smackdown was tied for the No. 7 rated network television show in Hispanic English-language homes.
WWE Hall of Famer and former Chicago Bears football player William "The Refrigerator" Perry, 46, is currently hospitalized in serious condition in South Carolina. He was admitted more than a week ago as a result of complications from Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a chronic inflammation disorder of the peripheral nerves. He is expected to recover. Perry was inducted into WWE's Hall of Fame in 2006 due to WrestleMania being in Chicago. He was one of several football players to take part in the Battle Royal at WrestleMania 2.
TNA owner Jeff Jarrett tells the UK Sun that Bobby Lashley's Mixed Martial Arts training will not prevent the former WWE superstar from competing at 100% in TNA's 6-sided ring. "We've addressed that and it's not a problem."
When asked whether whether it's important for TNA to keep bringing in new stars, Jarret said, "Some come in and some go out – but that's what makes a good line-up. As you can tell from the response with Bobby, people have been very receptive. Nobody guessed!"
Jarrett also took a shot at WWE, saying that he and TNA Wrestling have actually encouraged Lashley to pursue outside interests while being a part of TNA, such as his MMA career and other business ventures. "We're different from organizations. We want Bobby to be happy in both fields and we feel there is a good marketing aspect to it. MMA will help him - and it will help us."
Lashley makes his TNA television debut on this week's edition of iMPACT! and is currently training for his 3rd MMA fight on June 27th.
Lashley's association with TNA has pretty much killed any chance Lashley had with the UFC in the near future. UFC President Dana White doesn't want any association with Pro Wrestling at this time as he and the UFC continue to build the brand.
Nobody within WWE was too surprised to hear that Bobby Lashley has signed with TNA, and it was always seen as a matter of “when” and not “if.”
Booker T has been a close friend of Lashley's for pretty much his entire career, and Kurt Angle had also pushed for Lashley to come in to TNA.
TNA offered Bobby Lashley a deal similar to Kurt Angle's where they give him the breathing room to do his MMA stuff. Lashley’s training facility is in Florida about three hours away from Universal Orlando where TNA tapes the majority of their programming.
WWE does not see Lashley signing with TNA as a major loss, as opposed to how they would view someone like Rob Van Dam signing with the competition.
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Ravishing Rick Rude passed away ten years ago on Monday.
Taz has been added to the Legends Of The Ring VIII convention on May 30th in Monroe, NJ at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. This features Sting, who is making a rare autograph convention appearance. Also at the event will be Kurt Angle, Eric Bischoff (another guy who rarely does these), Lex Luger, Pat Patterson, Konnan, and others.
In a cost-cutting measure, World Wrestling Entertainment released "Superstar" Billy Graham, 65, from his $2,000 per month level consulting contract this past week — saving $24,000 annually.
The WWE Hall of Famer was given 90 days notice that the company was canceling the contract with one year remaining on it.
The move is said to be similar to what they did with fellow Hall of Famer Afa Anoa'i, Sr. a few weeks ago. The father of former WWE wrestler Manu was told that the company was re-evaluating all deals of that type as a result of the waning economy.
There is fear within WWE right now that cuts could be on the way with the annual 'spring cleaning'. This normally happens this time of year following the WWE Draft.
Former WWE star Gene Snitsky was spotted hanging out with TNA talent at a bar following Sunday's Lockdown pay-per-view in Philadelphia. He was also backstage at the show earlier in the night, and it is believed that he was looking for work. However, the odds are against it happening.
WWE Women's champ Melina has developed a ton of heat in the locker room for openly complaining about the recent WWE draft results. Her complaints about being moved to Smackdown have generally drawn eye-rolling and laughter from the wrestlers who feel that she had to know it was a possibility to be drafted just like everyone else.
Melina has worked hard to improve her imagine in the locker room for the past year or so, but she once again has found herself in hot water after rubbing people the wrong way with her latest complaints. Although sources are calling it a bit melodramatic. It was more of a case that she didn't want to leave her friends and the brand she's got used to, rather than that she thinks Smackdown is Beneath her and is kicking up a fuss.
The tears seen on Raw reportedly continued in the backstage area.
It had been discussed that Rey Mysterio's move back to Smackdown was to take advantage of the Hispanic viewership the show has
Umaga returned at this weeks' ECW/Smackdown tapings, defeating R-Truth in a dark match.
Ric Flair is scheduled to return to Ring of Honor at the next set of TV tapings for HDNet on May 29 in Philadelphia, PA at The Arena (former New Alhambra Arena/ECW Arena). The company will also be holding a TV taping the following night on May 30 at The Arena as well. While it was reported earlier that Flair was being brought in at an estimated $15,000 per appearance, sources in ROH are stating that Flair is actually coming in at less than that. There remains lots of talk about the last set of TV tapings two weeks ago when Flair was first brought in and how it only drew several hundred people. To make matters worse, there were reports that fans were "leaving in droves" before the show had even finished. One positive is that production was said to be improved with much better lighting.
TNA wrestler Sting's name actually came up this year regarding a possible induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.
The reigning TNA World Heavyweight Champion got support because a number of people involved in the company's creative and producing process that were asked for input were not even aware he was working for the competition.
Sting is on good terms with Vince McMahon, so the company will likely produce a DVD based on the WCW footage they own and consider him in conjunction for the Hall of Fame when his time in TNA comes to an end.
Former NWA and ECW champion Terry Funk will be returning to the ring on September 19th for the Wisconsin independent promotion Heavy on Wrestling. Funk will wrestler Arik Cannon. Ric Flair will be the special referee for the match
To end today's news, here is your only Gold Medal Wrestling Star, Kurt Angle
PHILADELPHIA — Pro wrestler Kurt Angle is sitting outside the studio after a radio interview, mashing out e-mails on a BlackBerry with his thick thumbs.
Squeezed into a pinstripe formal business suit, the hulking 215-pound athlete looks like a bulldog in a sailor’s costume. One thing’s for sure: The garment isn’t off the rack.
“I’m listed at 6-feet-2,” he says in his deep ashcan voice. “Everyone in wrestling is four inches shorter than the program says they are.”
In case you hadn’t noticed, professional wrestling is outsized. It’s also overdemanding.
As the Johnny Pin Lately of the sport, Total Nonstop Action, the circuit Angle wrestles for, has to hustle even harder to gain ground on the dominant WWE.
That means taping weekly cable matches at its Orlando, Fla., studio (Thursdays at 9 p.m. on Spike TV), staging three untelevised programs a week in smaller towns, and turning out a monthly pay-per-view event.
As the TNA’s marquee talent and biggest draw, Angle is called upon to take part in all of it.
“It’s very grueling,” he says. “There’s no time off. We don’t have an off-season. That’s why it’s so difficult on wrestlers. That’s why they break down physically.
“They try to rotate them in and out so nobody gets burned out,” he says. “Except for me.”
Taking your lumps is a big part of the job description for Angle and his brawling brethren. The tricky part is figuring out how many you can take.
“I’m getting too old for this,” he concedes. “I’m 40 and I’ve got 32 years of wrestling, quote unquote, amateur and pro, under my belt,” he says, giving his victory digits a workout.
It’s the first part of that r sum , the amateur designation, that sets Angle apart. He was a singularly distinguished heavyweight at both the collegiate and international levels. Angle won two NCAA titles before taking the world championship and the Olympic gold medal in consecutive years in 1995 and 1996.
Growing up in Pittsburgh with four older brothers, Angle bear-hugged the sport at age 8 and never relinquished his grip. His father, Dave, was always there to cheer him on until he died in a construction accident when Angle was 16.
After winning the state title as a Mt. Lebanon High School senior, Angle was offered a scholarship to wrestling powerhouse Oklahoma State, but he wanted to stay in Pennsylvania and enrolled at Clarion University.
Soon after his 1996 Olympic win over Iranian heavyweight Abbas Jadidi (you can see the match on YouTube), Angle retired from the sport.
“I was done,” he explains. “I just wanted to get out. I was tired of the training.”
After trying his hand at a couple of professions, Angle discovered his second calling.
“I turned on ‘Raw’ in 1998 and watched Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mick Foley and The Rock and I thought, ‘Wow, that’s kind of cool. I could do that,
