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The offical wrestling thread..News, spoilers and results.

New Pics of Taker
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When Undertaker Will Be Returning and His Return StorylineJun 13 2008 by Badrosesource: Wrestling Observer NewsletterAt the moment, Undertaker is slated to return in late July. The storyline will lead to a SummerSlam showdown with Edge.Taker did indeed take some time off to heal some nagging injuries, but there was also a feeling that his program with Edge needed to be put on the shelf, at least for a little while. They want to continue it, but it was going to run out of steam without a major angle.The creative team weren't told about Undertaker's leave of absence until a week ahead of time.
 
Here is video of Kane & Takers entrance plus 13mins of the match. Unfortunatly its incomplete as my batteries ran out but I will have pics of the whole show from Adelaide 24 June soon. This was my first time filming at an event so it was a trail run for next year. A lot of this was filmed right in front of security who gave me permission :lol:

These are mov files that are played on QuickTime but I can also play it on RealPlayer.

Kane's Entrance - Adelaide 14 June 2008
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=K4FKBJRL

Undertaker's Entrance - Adelaide 14 June 2008
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MSQVLIB0

MVP & Mark Henry vs BoD - Adelaide 14 June 2008 (Incomplete - 13 mins)
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2H7GEZ0P
 
Carlito Takes Aim At Triple H and His Marriage With StephanieJun 14 2008 by Mike RyanAt a press conference promoting the 7/2 Raw brand house in Santiago, Chile yesterday, Carlito took aim at Triple H and his marriage to Stephanie McMahon. Carlito spoke in Spanish, and there are two slightly different interpretations online from PWInsider.com and the Puerto Rican wrestling news site PRWrestling.com. Thanks to reader Nizzo, we were able to get a translation of what Carlito said according to the PRWrestling.com news post on the story.When asked about Triple H's marriage, Carlito said (PWInsider.com): "I may get in trouble, but that's why I'm here. My opinion is that it was a smart move by [HHH]. I think that's why he's champion now and has been champion in the past, it's easier to him. We, the real wrestlers, don't depend on people in the business. We don't have that benefit. We have to deliver the maximum in the ring. Others are given championships in a plate of gold or platinum, I'm happy for him."Same topic, but from PRWrestling.com: "Well I know I'll probably end up with problems but f--- it. It was a smart move on his part [to marry Stephanie McMahon]. That's why he's a champion now and has been for a couple of times. That makes your job a little easier, having people to help you backstage meanwhile us wrestlers break our asses off."Carlito on Triple H never going overseas to promote WWE (PWInsider.com): "I don't see him coming to Chile or Paraguay, places like that. He's always comfortable."Same topic (PRWrestling): "I've never seen Triple H making promos, traveling to Chile, Paraguay or any other place like that. He's always comfortable at home. That gives you an idea who's actually giving the 100% in this business."He also talked about some of the fans not respecting John Cena (PRWrestling): "Well, some people might hate him but you people don't really know how much of a worker he is. He really loves his fans. I know you people are sick of him being feed even if you don't want to. But you have to respect the guy. He's always making promos worldwide, has little days off, spends time with fans, etc. As much as you hate him, you have to respect him."During the press conference, Carlito also said that he has been discriminated against in WWE because of his Latin heritage, although he didn't specify anything. Carlito said his heritage makes things harder for him, but he doesn't regret being Latino.Mr. Kennedy was also at the press conference, but remained in character. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hogans Threatened, Latest On Trish, Huge Line-up For WWE Show At MSGJun 16 2008 by Mike Ryan-- The official website of Madison Square Garden has posted the line-up for the Raw/ECW house show scheduled for Saturday, August 23rd. A huge 10-man battle royal for a shot at Kane's ECW Championship later in the evening is scheduled. Also, all of the current champions on Raw are scheduled to defend their respective titles as well. Of course with next week's draft and whatever storyline twists incur between now and then, most of the card will likely change come August 23. Nonetheless, here is what they have scheduled at the moment: Fatal Four Way Match for the WWE Championship - John Cena vs. Triple H vs. Umaga vs. JBL; ECW Championship Match - Kane vs. TBD; Intercontinental Championship Match - Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho; World Tag Team Championship Match - Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes vs. Brian Kendrick & Paul London; Women's Championship Match - Mickie James vs. Beth Phoenix; Jeff Hardy vs. Snitsky; Mr. Kennedy vs. Lance Cade; 10 Man Battle Royal, with the winner to face Kane for the ECW Championship - CM Punk, John Morrison, The Miz, Shelton Benjamin, Kofi Kingston, Chavo Guerrero, Bam Neely, Tommy Dreamer, Matt Striker, Stevie Richards; Live Event Host - Maria.-- TMZ.com has an article noting that police from Clearwater, Florida are investigating threats made against Hulk Hogan and his family. According to TMZ, the threats allegedly came from member(s) of the family of John Graziano. Police have listened to the threatening voicemails and there's currently an "open investigation" regarding the matter. Furthermore, prowrestling.NET is reporting that a source close to radio personality Bubba The Love Sponge is saying he has plans to exclusively broadcast the threatening phone messages left on the Hogan family answering machine on his radio show tomorrow. You can listen to the FM stream at www.theboneonline.com, which airs at 6:00 A.M. ET in Tampa and Jacksonville, Florida. The show also airs nationwide on Sirius at 3:00 p.m. on Howard 101. Due to strong language, the FM broadcast will be heavily edited whereas while the Sirius broadcast will not. If you can't catch it, TMZ will likely post the audio tomorrow.-- Former WWE Women's Champion Trish Stratus' Travel Channel series is scheduled to debut in September, reports PWInsider.com. The show has Stratus touring the globe. On another note, she recently filmed an episode of the Canadian TV series Family Business, playing a wrestling champion. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Update on Vince and Stephanie McMahon, RAW's Hits and MissesWritten by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.com- Some notes from the 6/2 RAW which did a 3.06 rating with 4.62 million viewers: Kennedy's promo and Umaga vs. Kennedy lost 210,000 viewers, Vince's $1 million challenge interview and Rhodes/Holly vs. Carlito/Santino gained 374,000 viewers, Santino/Jericho's backstage promos and Holly/Rhodes/DiBiase's segment lost 284,000 viewers, Jericho vs. JBL gained 210,000 viewers, Phoenix & Lea vs. Melina & Mickie and Cade vs. Murdoch gained 75,000 viewers. John Cena and Mickie James backstage segment lost 240,000 viewers while the main event of John Cena vs. Jeff Hardy gained 289,000 viewers.- Vince McMahon wasn't in Fresno or San Jose, California this past week for the WWE TV tapings, which is odd because Vince rarely misses TV. No reason was given as to why he wasn't there, but everyone figured something big must be up. Stephanie McMahon also wasn't at the tapings but she stopped doing TV a few weeks back because she's in the third trimester of her pregnancy and isn't traveling much anymore. Stephanie is due to give birth next month as she is still working from home.
 
New Details on What WWE's Michael Hayes is Really Going ThroughWritten by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.com- As previously posted, Michael Hayes is making his return after being suspended for two months. Besides losing the two months pay, Hayes had to go to sensitivity training and alcohol recovery classes. He is being brought back as a creative writer while being demoted from being a company Vice President. This means he is no longer eligible for stock grants and performance bonuses, which can lead to some big money. Hayes also had to agree not to drink alcohol while doing anything associated with WWE including his job in Stamford, while on the road, after shows or at parties involving the talent. There was even talk of having him take Antibuse, medication that makes you vomit if you drink. He also had to sit down with Mark Henry and clear the air and may have to meet with the rest of WWE's African American talents. The general feeling within the company is that Hayes is a big part of the WWE creative process but they can do without him if he keeps up his old ways because eventually he becomes more of a liability than he is worth.
 
Orton Out Longer Than Expected, Latest On Flair, Curt Hennig's SonJun 15 2008 by Mike Ryan-- The severity of Randy Orton's broken collarbone is worse than originally thought. His return to the ring has been pushed back until at least October. The initial timetable for his return was just after SummerSlam.-- WWE is allowing Ric Flair to work independent autograph shows (like those ones with athletes and obscure former television stars) because the company gets a pretty big cut from them. However, the company will generally not allow him to do autograph appearances at non-WWE wrestling shows. Although, Flair is sti ll advertised to make an appearance at an independent show in Oakwood, Virginia later this month.-- "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig's son Joe was recently transferred from Harley Race's wrestling school to Florida Championship Wrestling. Hennig was allowed to train at Race's school because Race and grandfather Larry "The Axe" Hennig have been friends for 45 years and were a tag team in the 60s. Also, Joe's sister Amy, who is also under a developmental contract, is still training to be a wrestler at Race's school.
 
Triple H Speaks on Vince & Stephanie, Scott Steiner, MoreJun 16 2008 by Marc Middleton- Peter Rosenberg's full interview with HHH from last Thursday's press conference is now online. In it, HHH responds to Scott Steiner's recent comments about Ric Flair and himself. He said that he feels that if he saw Steiner tomorrow he's sure they would get along just fine. He said that Steiner is saying what he has about HHH because he had to blame someone for his failures. He added that since Steiner is "out of the limelight" (an obvious shot at TNA) he is trying to get noticed. He also said that more than just he and Shawn Michaels love Ric Flair, obviously.Triple H said he doesn't think he's wearing the WWE Title because he's married to Stephanie McMahon. "The second Steph and I in any way, shape or form got together, it became an issue. And that was something I had to accept in my career. People are always going to look at that and say that, but you have to look at it this way, Vince McMahon runs a billion dollar industry..."He's a pretty smart guy. I can tell you quite frankly, if Vince didn't think it was right for business, it would not be done on our show."***************************************************************************************************Jimmy Wang Yang Update, WWE SmackDown, More NotesJun 16 2008 by Marc Middleton- The 6/13 edition of WWE's Friday Night SmackDown did a 2.2 fast national rating. The final number should be out later this week.- WWE.com did 15.8 million unique viewers for the month of April, so the new Industry News feature really doesn't look like it's making a big difference. WWE's online merchandise sales for the month were up from last year as they averaged 900 orders daily, as compared with 756 at this point last year.- The general belief behind the suspension of Jimmy Wang Yang was that it's not because of steroids, but possibly some kind of recreational drug. The suspension of Wang wasn't a topic of hot conversation like Jeff Hardy or William Regal's suspension was. When the word got out that Wang had been suspended, several WWE Superstars were fearing a drug test and sure enough when the RAW crew got to Oakland for the show, there was a test waiting.
 
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WWE RAW Results - June 16, 2008Jun 17 2008 by BadroseEvent: WWE RAWLocation: Salt Lake City, UtahWWE RAW Opener:WWE Monday Night RAW kicks off tonight with Jim Ross welcoming us to Salt Lake City, Utah as John Cena's music hits and the former WWE Champion makes his way out to the ring.We start off with John Cena coming to the ring and he has something to say. Cena says that everyone knows that he says that he loves World Wrestling Entertainment. It brings the best entertainment that money can buy. The great thing about WWE is that it provides moments that transcend time when you know where you were when something happened. When Hogan slammed Andre. When Shawn Michael’s boyhood dream came true. Everyone knows where they were when Steve Austin whooped somebody’s ass. Cena says that with one million dollars at stake, every seat is full. The fans are excited about the moment. They are excited that in two weeks, one man will stand in the ring with their hand raised. They will say ‘The Champ...is interrupted by Triple H. Triple H comes to the ring. Hunter stares at Cena and then he tells Cena that he is right. It will be a moment that no one will forget. Hunter has been trying to tell himself that it is not personal, but he is having trouble believing his own rap. Last week, Cena cost him a match with Jeff Hardy. He is here to give Cena a warning and there will not be a ‘twice’. Hunter tells Cena that if he gets in his business, it will get real personal, real fast.Cena asks Hunter if what is good for the master is good for the flock. Cena points out what Hunter did to him last week at the announce table. Hunter tells Cena that he shouldn’t have showboated like a primadonna. Hunter says that Cena is so uncoordinated that he probably fell before he was hit. Cena reminds Hunter that he made him tap out the last time they met. Hunter points out that it was two years ago and things have changed. Cena says that it has not changed and they are the top two men in the business. Hunter says that it has changed because he is the champion. Cena says that even with the championship it does not mean a thing. Cena tells Hunter that until he beats him, he is nothing. Hunter tells Cena that Night of Champions is going to be a long night because he does not like to let his fans down. Hunter says that a lot of Cena’s fans won’t see the match because it is probably past their bedtimes. Hunter suggests that one of Cena’s fans could hand him his foam belt to ease things.Cena pushes Hunter and Cena’s shirt is off. Hunter then takes off his shirt and it is time for...Vince McMahon to come out to give out some money? Vince says that they are not going to go at it tonight. They will wait until Night of Champions. Vince reminds everyone that he is going to give out one million dollars. It is time for the money case filling. The password tonight is “Watch Raw & Win”. Vince asks Cena if he is going to win his match tonight. Vince tells Cena that he will be facing UUUUUUUmaga in a Street Fight. Hunter wishes Cena luck and tells him not to get hurt. Street Fight MatchJohn Cena vs. UmagaCena attacks Umaga as he enters the ring. Umaga with a thrust to the throat followed by a punch to the head. Cena tries for a sunset flip but Umaga does not go over. Umaga misses a punch. Cena gets Umaga up for a slam, but he cannot keep Umaga up and Umaga falls onto Cena for a near fall. Cena rolls to the apron and Umaga connects with a head butt. Umaga with a forearm that knock Cena off the apron and it is time for a commercial.We are back and Umaga punches Cena as they fight towards the entrance. Cena sends Umaga into the barrier. Cena with punches and then he charges at Umaga, but Umaga hits a Samoan drop on the steel ramp. Umaga drags Cena back to the ring and sits him up against the ring post. Umaga sets for a charge but Cena moves and Umaga hits the ring post. Cena runs Umaga’s back into the ring apron. Cena gets the mic and he hits Umaga in the head with it. Cena goes up top for a cross body but Umaga catches him and hits an uranage. Umaga covers Cena but only gets a two count. Cena blocks a punch and responds with punches of his own. Cena runs into a clothesline from Umaga. Umaga rolls out of the ring and it is time to rearrange the announce table. Umaga also grabs a chair and he throws it in the ring but Cena gets the chair and he hits Umaga in the ribs followed by a blockbuster. Cena with a leg drop to Umaga’s arm and then it is time for the FU but Cena cannot hold Umaga up as his back gives out. Cena rolls to the floor. Umaga sends Cena into the ring steps and then he rolls Cena back into the ring. Cena kick out at two and Umaga tries to figure out another way to finish off Cena. Umaga grabs the ring steps and throws them into the ring. Umaga is about to use the steps but Cena is able to get Umaga in the FU as Umaga drops the steps. Cena hits the FU for the three count.Winner: John CenaVince McMahon is atop the entrance way ready to give away some more money, $125,000. Vince dials the number and once again, it doesn't work right. A guy named Denzel picks up and freaks out when he hears its Vince. He gives out the correct password and Vince asks him what his favorite animal is. He says a dog and Vince asks him to bark like a dog. The guy sucks at it, Vince makes him a joke and congratulates him on winning $125,000. Vince introduces the Summer Beach Bikini Blowout.Summer Beach Bikini BlowoutThe Bikini Blowout begins with Maria coming out to the ring in a sexy white robe. SmackDown's Eve Torres is out next in a hot pink robe. We go to commercial as we get ready for more Divas to come out.Back from commercial and Melina, Maryse, Jillian Hall, Layla, Maria, Eve Torres and Lena Yada are all in the ring looking sexy. Charlie Haas is the host of this bikini contest and says each Diva can model their bikini for 15 seconds and the fans will choose the winner by cheering. Melina undresses first, dances and does her split in the ring as Maryse comes up and reveals a sexy black bikini. Up next is Lena Yada who is wearing a sexy white bikini. Layla undresses next followed by Jillian Hall who has a microphone. Jillian says she didn't come here tonight to model her bikini, but to sing. Lena breaks out in song as Haas cuts her off. Jillian doesn't even undress. Up next is Eve Torres, who easily might be looking the hottest. Maria undresses next and might have the loudest pop from the crowd.Charlie Haas goes through all the Divas with the fans and Maria easily gets the loudest ovation from the WWE fans. Haas announces Maria as the winner after getting props for all the Divas.
 
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Winner: MariaVince McMahon is back atop the entrance way, dialing another number to give out some more money, this time $100,000. A guy named Mike picks up the phone this time. Mike gives the correct password and since the guy is from North Carolina, Vince asks who is the most well known individual from North Carolina. The guy answers Ric Flair and Vince says no, that's not right. Vince was born in North Carolina too so that's what he was hinting at. Vince congratulates the guy as the Divas celebrate in the ring and we go back to commercial.- Back from commercial and the WWE Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho is backstage talking to someone, looking to be in a good mood. Jim Ross leads us to highlights from Jericho's Highlight Reel last week with Shawn Michaels.In the Arena:Vince McMahon is atop the entrance way again and brings out Hacksaw Jim Duggan, who is dressed in a tuxedo, as is his 2x4. Vince tells Hacksaw he cleans up nice and says if Ron Simmons was here he would say Damn! Vince lets Hacksaw dial the number this time and it goes through. The guys voice mail actually picks up and Vince leaves a message, telling him he had a chance to win $50,000 but he blew it. The guy from ePrize brings Vince out another phone number. Hacksaw dials this number too and its someone who has a DX ringtone on their phone. A guy named Jesse picks up the phone. The guy wins $50,000 and Vince asks him if he likes that. The guy goes to do the "Two words..." promo from DX but Vince tells him to do his best Hacksaw Jim Duggan impression, which he does.Carlito vs. Jeff HardyThey lock up and Carlito backs Hardy into the corner and he punches Hardy and slams his head into the turnbuckles. Carlito misses a quebrada but he lands on his feet. Carlito goes to the floor when Hardy moves and Hardy hits a somersault pescado before rolling Carlito into ring. Carlito with a slap to Hardy as he tries to get into the ring. Carlito hits a Roll the Dice while Hardy is on the ropes. Carlito with a shoulder to Hardy but Hardy with punches and kicks. Carlito with a drop kick to Hardy for a near fall. Carlito with a rear chin lock. Hardy with elbow as he gets to his feet, but Carlito pull Hardy back down to the mat. Carlito punches Hardy in the head. Carlito with a running back elbow for another near fall. Carlito with a surfboard but Hardy with kick and a mule kick. Carlito avoids the hesitation baseball slide for a near fall. Hardy with a jawbreaker and he sets for the Twist of Fate but Carlito avoids the hold and he puts Hardy in the Tree of Woe. Carlito tries for a baseball slide but Hardy pulls himself up. Hardy hits Whisper in the Wind for a two count. Hardy with a gourdbuster driver and then he goes up top for the Swanton but Carlito gets to his feet. Hardy with the Twist of Fate followed by the Swanton for the three count.Winner: Jeff HardyOnce again we go to Vince McMahon who is dialing another number. A guy named Kyle picks up the phone this time and of course gives out the correct password. Vince tells the guy to sing us a verse from the National Anthem. The guy starts singing and Vince cracks a joke referencing Jillian Hall. Vince congratulates the guy on winning $175,000. The guy asks if he can say one thing, Vince thanks him and he says Night of Champions is on his birthday. In the Arena:The WWE Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho makes his way to the ring next. Jericho says over the past week, people are looking at him differently, wondering how he did what he did to Shawn Michaels. Jericho replays the clip from the Highlight Reel where he attacked Michaels and threw him head first into the TV screen.Jericho says that what happened to Michaels was the fans fault. He says he came back to WWE to "Save Us" and these people don't want to be saved or deserve to be saved. Jericho goes on, obviously making his heel turn, blaming everything on the fans, saying they forced him to do it. Jericho says he is punishing Shawn Michaels for the fans sins. Jericho says he bets the fans want Shawn to come out right now and face him, kick him out of the ring and get revenge. Jericho says he also wants Michaels to come out and demands that he come out. Jericho gets the fans to chant HBK. Obviously Michaels doesn't come and Jericho says its because he's a coward, a worm and a sorry excuse. Ric Flair's music hits and out comes The Nature Boy, back to RAW as we go to commercial.Back from commercial and the fans are still standing for Ric Flair. The WWE Hall of Famer comes face to face with Chris Jericho, who looks puzzled. Jericho raises his finger at Flair and mumbles something. Flair slaps his hand out of the way and says he knows damn well that HBK would be here tonight if he could. Flair says he can't wrestle because he's retired but that won't stop him from fighting Jericho in the parking lot.Flair takes off his jacket, hits the mat and rolls outside, making his way outside to the parking lot as Jericho starts to follow him. The cameras follow the two to the outside where Flair is yelling and taunting Jericho the whole way. Flair walks through the outside door and Jericho stops. He opens the door, looks out of it and is met by Triple H. The Game backs him up and asks him if he thinks he has started enough problems in the past few weeks. Jericho says it is none of his business. Triple H says ever since he came back to "Save Us" that he's been looking for a reason to make him his business. Triple H says he just wants to fight Jericho, not get in everyone else's business. The two stare each other down as Jericho walks away and we go back to commercial.
 
Backstage:Back from commercial and Ric Flair is backstage yelling at Triple H, telling him he always wants to fight his battles for him and he came back to see him and he loves him. Vince walks up and says he can't have him interrupting his show because they are giving out money. Vince says Flair is doing a great job as an ambassador to WWE but he's going to have to ask security to escort Flair out of the building. Flair says bye to Triple H as Vince tells Flair to give him a call. Vince and Triple H have a few words now. Vince makes a match for later tonight, Triple H vs. Chris Jericho.Cryme Tyme vs. Cody Rhodes & Hardcore HollyAs soon as the match starts, Ted DiBiase Jr. makes his way to the ring and acts like he is going to get in. Apparently this distracts Cryme Tyme and lets Cody Rhodes get the pinfall and the win for a very short match.Winners: Cody Rhodes & Hardcore HollyWe go back to Vince McMahon on the entrance way. This time, a woman named Vicky picks up the phone. This is the second caller from North Carolina tonight who has won money. Vince tells the lady that in honor of Ric Flair being the 16 time World Champion, she has won $16. Yep, 16 whole dollars. The money music plays as we go back to commercial.Paul Burchill & Katie Lea vs. Mr. Kennedy & Mickie JamesThe men start things off and Kennedy with a waist lock and forearm followed by punches. Burchill with a short arm clothesline followed by a European uppercut. Kennedy with a back body drop for a near fall. Kennedy punches Burchill followed by kicks and punches in the corner. The referee admonishes Kennedy and that allows Burchill to attack Kennedy. Burchill with an arm bar and cross face. Burchill with knees and a short arm clothesline for a near fall. Burchill returns to the arm bar and cross face. Kennedy punches Burchill but Burchill with a forearm. Burchill with a boot to the back. Burchill charges into a boot and then he hits a running boot to the head for a two count. Katie tags in and she wants to slap Kennedy, but Mickie comes in and slaps Kennedy. Katie and Mickie exchange punches. Katie with a knee to the midsection but Mickie with a flying clothesline and some more clotheslines. Mickie with a cross arm neck breaker followed by a drop kick for a two count. Mickie goes up top and Kennedy spears Burchill off the apron. Mickie returns to the ring and she misses the Thesz Press but Katie with a back breaker for the three count.Winners: Paul Burchill & Katie LeaVince McMahon congratulates the winners and is back atop the entrance way, dialing another number of a lucky WWE fan. A girl named Alana picks up the phone and tells Vince she loves him. She finally spits out the correct password as she is crying and telling Vince that he has changed her life. He asks her who is the most handsome in the history of WWE and she says he is. Vince thanks her and tells her she has won $174,984.- We go back to commercial as Jim Ross plugs the main event tonight of WWE Champion Triple H vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho.In the Arena:Back from commercial and Vince McMahon is ready to give away some more money. So much for making tonight's segments more comedic. Vince dials the number and a guy named Peter picks up. Vince congratulates him on winning $75,000.- We go ringside with Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler who rundown the card for WWE's Night of Champions pay-per-view.Backstage:Triple H walks out of his locker room but is met by John Cena. Cena tells him he is going to tell him the same thing that he heard earlier, good luck and don't get hurt. Triple H walks off as Cena looks on and we go back to commercial.In the Arena:Back from commercial and Vince is giving out more money. Sounds like this guy has someone else on the phone playing around. The guy wins the big prize of $300,000.Triple H vs. Chris JerichoThey lock up and Hunter with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. Jericho with a kick and forearms to Hunter. Jericho with more kicks in the corner followed by punches as the referee threatens to disqualify him. Hunter with a kick and punches. Hunter slams Jericho’s head into the turnbuckle and he punches Jericho before the referee admonishes him. Hunter with a back body drop but Jericho with punches and an Irish whip but he misses the clothesline into the corner. Hunter moves when Jericho charges and Jericho goes into the ring post as we go to commercial.We are back and Jericho knocks Hunter out of the ring. We see some during the commercial footage of Jericho hitting an enzuigiri. Jericho with a baseball slide to keep Hunter out of the ring. Jericho punches Hunter and then sends him into the ring steps. They return to the ring and Jericho chokes Hunter in the corner. Jericho puts Hunter in the ropes and chokes him. Jericho continues to choke Hunter and stands on Hunter’s back. Jericho goes for the Bossman Splash in the ropes but Hunter with a clothesline and both men are down. Hunter and Jericho with punches but Jericho with a kick to Hunter. Hunter responds with the high knee and a clothesline into the corner. Jericho avoids the facebuster and Jericho tries for the Walls of Jericho but Hunter sends Jericho into the corner. Hunter with a spinebuster and it is time to set for the Pedigree. Jericho with a knee and forearm. Jericho with a bulldog and then he tries for the Lionsault but Hunter moves. Hunter tries for the Pedigree again, but Jericho gets on his knee and then he back body drops Hunter. Hunter goes to the apron and Jericho tries for the springboard drop kick but Hunter moves out of the way. Hunter and Jericho fight on the floor and Hunter punches Jericho. From out of nowhere, Lance Cade attacks Hunter and the referee calls for the bell.Winner by DQ: Triple HJohn Cena makes his way to the ring, clearing house. Cena turns around and Triple H spears him. Triple H and Cena brawl with each other as Cade and Jericho get back in the ring.Lance Cade drops Cena with his sitdown powerbomb as Jericho lays out Triple H. Jericho and Cade stand over top of the fallen John Cena and Triple H, applauding themselves as RAW goes off the air.
 
Flair's Return, Katie & DiBiase, Bad Part About This Site, Lance Cade and MoreWritten by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.comSome random thoughts from tonight's RAW broadcast...- I'm really getting bored with the Million Dollar Mania thing. I thought they were going to try and make the segments more entertaining this week? I couldn't tell. Hacksaw Duggan in a tuxedo isn't close to must see TV. I'll be bored with these segments until my phone rings.- It was good to see a little bit of fire in the opening segment with Triple H and John Cena. Maybe the best Cena promo in a while.- I was so bored with the Cena-Umaga match that I could have turned it off if it wasn't for doing coverage here on the site. That's the bad thing about this job, no matter how bad the product is, we have to watch it so we can provide you guys with the best coverage possible. We don't mind though.- Eve Torres is hot, probably one of the hottest Divas in WWE. Wow, Maryse is too. While I'm thinking about it, Jillian Hall's body is pretty solid too but she could use some work in other places.- I'm really liking how WWE is putting Jericho as the top RAW heel. A HHH-Y2J feud will have me hooked way more than a HHH-Cena or HHH-Orton program.- RIC FLAIR RETURNED TO RAW. Amazing moment, I really thought it was going to turn into some badass parking lot brawl. Instead, Flair walked out the door and the Flair-Y2J part of the segment ended in a very crappy way. I'd definitely love to see more of Flair on RAW.- Katie Lea and Ted DiBiase Jr. almost have me hooked as a fan of their work and characters. Almost.- Lance Cade, WTF?!? Awesome main event with Triple H and Chris Jericho but the ending had me wondering what the hell was going on. Are they really about to push Lance Cade this hard?
 
Lance Storm Says 'Tons' Of Small Wrestlers Use Steroids, HBK Wrestling SnitskyJun 14 2008 by Mike Ryan- Lance Storm has posted his latest Q & A on his website, which you can read at this link. In one of the questions, a reader asks him if WWE will start pushing "smaller" talent like TNA does. The question upsets Storm because the reader also called them natural, assuming that smaller wrestlers must not be on anything because they're small ("Do you think that WWE will ever focus more on the "smaller" more natural talent like TNA has done?"). "I don't like naming names but there are a TON of smaller guys in this business who are on as much if not more gas than the larger guys in this business," Storm explains. "Fans used to complain about WWE and WCW pushing jacked up monsters rather than smaller more talented guys like Benoit and Eddie, yet we now know that both of those guys were big steroid users. I know guys in this business under 175 pounds who are on steroids, so you can't just push smaller guys and lay claim to pushing more natural talent." Here is Storm's response in its entirety:A: Questions like this frustrate me. People need to understand that "smaller" and "more natural" can be two completely different things. The steroid issue is far more complicated than you think. I don't like naming names but there are a TON of smaller guys in this business who are on as much if not more gas than the larger guys in this business. Fans used to complain about WWE and WCW pushing jacked up monsters rather than smaller more talented guys like Benoit and Eddie, yet we now know that both of those guys were big steroid users. I know guys in this business under 175 pounds who are on steroids, so you can't just push smaller guys and lay claim to pushing more natural talent. Look at the signature pharmacy list, again not to bury anyone but there were a ton of small guys on that list. On the other hand, I firmly believe Mark Henry is actually clean and anyone I’ve ever heard from that knows him or has discussed the subject believes this too. Mark is a 400lbs monster who could actually be "natural" yet Funaki (of all people) was on the customer list of signature pharmacies so at least at one point in his career may not have been. The term "Small" and "Natural" do not necessarily go hand in hand. - In what looks to be an interesting match-up, Shawn Michaels is advertised to wrestle Snitsky at this Sunday's Raw brand house show at the Golden Spike Event Center Arena in Ogden, Utah. Other matches scheduled to take place on the show include John Cena vs. Umaga, Hardcore Holly & Cody Rhodes vs. Paul London & Brian Kendrick vs. Cryme Tyme, Mickie James vs. Beth Phoenix, Jeff Hardy vs. Lance Cade, Super Crazy vs. Santino Marella, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan vs. Ted DiBiase and Trevor Murdoch vs. Charlie Haas. Maria is also scheduled to appear.
 
Six Pro Wrestlers Named in Astin Drug Scandal Including MysterioJun 18 2008 by Marc Middleton- An indictment was recently filed against Dr. Phil Astin III, previously a personal physician to a number of professional wrestlers in the Atlanta area including most notably, Chris Benoit. Astin faces 175 federal counts of illegal prescription abuse to 17 different patients. At least six of these patients are believed to be professional wrestlers.Perhaps the most notable thing is that even though the government claimed Astin had prescribed ten months worth of steroids to Chris Benoit every three to four weeks for one year between May 2006 and May 2007 (and somehow, someway never failing a WWE drug test along the way), none of the counts regard anabolic steroid usage. Astin was largely known in the Atlanta sports community for prescribing anabolic steroids to athletes, and not exclusively to ones in the area.The government is going after Astin for prescribing drugs without often examining patients thoroughly. The indictment said that in one instance, drugs prescribed by Astin resulted in the death of a patient, believed to be former professional wrestler Mike "Johnny Grunge" Durham. Although, none of the counts in the indictment were related to Durham even though he was prescribed heavy doses of somas in the days before his untimely death in February 2006 at the age of 39.The 17 patients are referred to by their initials in the indictment. Two of the patients are Oscar Gutierrez, better known as Rey Mysterio, as well as former WWE wrestler Mark Jindrak, as the indictment includes previous charges related to distributing painkillers and other drugs to them last July. When questioned about his involvement with Astin during an appearance on Fox News' Red Eye program last August promoting his wrestling return at SummerSlam a few days later, Mysterio said he was prescribed pain medication from Astin due to six knee operations. He also denied ever using steroids. Jindrak is currently living in Mexico City, Mexico, competing for the CMLL promotion under the name Marco Corleone.
 
Also listed in the indictment are the initials CMB and NEB, likely referring to Christopher Michael Benoit and Nancy Elizabeth Benoit. The initials MAB and RWH are also listed and believed to be well known pro wrestlers. MAB appears to be Buff Bagwell, who's real name is Marcus Alexander Bagwell. RWH is believed to be one-half of the current WWE World Tag Team Champions, Hardcore Holly, who's real name is Robert William Howard. Last July, ABCNews.com reported that along with Benoit, Jindrak, and Gutierrez, Bagwell and Holly had their medical records seized by federal agents from Dr. Phil Astin's office. Lex Luger was also named in ABC's report, but no charges regarding him were filed in the indictment.The indictment lists Astin as prescribing drugs illegally to Chris Benoit from December 13, 2004 to June 22, 2007, the day Benoit killed his wife. Astin prescribed him 600 Lorcets and 600 Somas on December 13, 2004, which lasted approximately 19 weeks, before Astin gave him a refill on those same prescriptions, which lasted about four months. That was the regular pattern of dosages prescribed to Benoit every few months until his death.The indictment notes that Nancy Benoit regularly received prescriptions for Lorcet, Xanax and Somas -- mainly Lorcet -- from June 6, 2005 to May 30, 2007. According to the indictment, Nancy usually got 75 tablets of Lorcet every 11 days to nine weeks, although on August 11, 2006, she got an undated prescription allowing her to get 600 tablets of Lorcet and 600 of Xanax, which lasted eight weeks. From then on out she was getting 150 Lorcet tablets per visit, but on March 12, 2007 and May 30, 2007, she was given 120 tablets at first with the ability for 240 additional tablets with refills.According to the indictment, Jindrak regularly received huge quantities of undated prescriptions during his time in World Wrestling Entertainment, which lasted through July 2005. He was still being prescribed drugs well into his departure from the company. From April 29, 2004 to April 16, 2007, Jindrak received Percosets, Vicoprfen, Xanax, Lorcet, Soma and Adderall. After moving to Mexico City full-time in 2006, he would return to Atlanta every three months or so to visit Astin. On September 8, 2006, Astin prescribed Jindrak a total of 1,740 pills (120 Percosets, 90 Adderall, 600 Lorcets, 480 Xanax and 480 Soma), which lasted for three months. That was the usual pattern with his visits, every three months with the same number of pills. Although, Jindrak went through one batch in six weeks in December 2006-January 2007. On December 8, 2006, Jindrak received prescriptions for 1,770 pills and came back just six weeks later on January 19, 2007. That batch lasted for about three months before his next visit to Astin on April 16, 2007 in which he was prescribed 1,740 pills.Regarding RHW, who is believed to be current WWE star Hardcore Holly, he was prescribed Percoset, Lorcet and Soma every few months, and was given undated prescriptions for almost everything else needed. On September 19, 2006, Astin prescribed him total of 2,550 pills.MAB, believed to be Marcus Alexander Bagwell, was regularly prescribed pain killers from Astin. On December 7, 2006, Bagwell received prescriptions for Percoset, Lorcet, Xanax and Soma totaling 1,680 pills and came back for a similar refill ten weeks later. Bagwell regularly visited Astin every eight to nine weeks up until his arrest shortly after Benoit killed his wife and son. Bagwell's last visit took place on June 14, 2007 and he was prescribed the same four sets of pills, as well as 60 40 mg. tablets of Oxycontin on the side.And last but not least we come to Oscar Gutierrez, otherwise known as Rey Mysterio. Gutierrez also received undated prescriptions and post-dated prescriptions for either Percoset or Lorcet, although the dosages weren't as high as the other pro wrestlers. Since he lives in Chula Vista, California, he saw Astin less frequently than the other other wrestlers in question who all lived in the Atlanta area except for one. Since WWE's introduction of the Wellness policy in November 2005, he was only listed as having made two visits to Astin, which took place during the summer of 2006. WWE wrestlers are only supposed to use primary care physicians for prescriptions, so it seems a little strange that Gutierrez's primary doctor is in an Atlanta suburb when he lives in Southern California. On June 28, 2006, Gutierrez was prescribed 120 Percosets, 150 Lorcets and refills allowed for 450 more Lorcets. He received a similar level of medication a few weeks later on July 20, 2006 -- three days before losing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship to Booker T at the Great American Bash.At the time, Gutierrez was suffering from a major knee injury and had been putting off some much needed surgery for several months. Of course, Gutierrez was receiving the biggest push of his life in the wake of the death of close friend Eddie Guerrero, which is why he kept working through the injury. After losing the title, he kept going in order to work a three-month-long program with Chavo & Vickie Guerrero. He finally underwent knee surgery in October 2006 after his feud with the two came to a close, which put him out of the ring for about ten months. There were no records in the indictment of him dealing with Astin during his surgery recuperation.
 
Drug Related Notes on Teddy Long and a WWE LegendJun 18 2008 by Marc Middleton- Dave Meltzer has started posting back issues of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, starting with issues in early 1991. In the first issue he posted up, dated February 4, 1991, there are two really interesting tidbits regarding current ECW General Manager Theodore Long as well as WWE Hall of Famer Bobby Heenan that apparently went unnoticed through the years.The archived issue notes that in January of 1991, Theodore Long failed a drug test and was suspended for 30 days as a result by World Championship Wrestling, his employer at the time.The archived issue also notes that in January of that year, manager Bobby Heenan was found passed out on an airplane. According to his report at the time, when airport police were instructed by doctors to check his baggage to try and find out why he was unconscious, they found 48 grams of marijuana. He was later arrested.
 
Wrestlers Share Carlito's Feelings On HHH, Flair/ROH Appearance, WWE MusicJun 19 2008 by Mike Ryan- Regarding Carlito's comments on Triple H's position with World Wrestling Entertainment and his marriage to Stephanie McMahon at a press conference last week, a large percentage of the WWE roster share the same sentiments. However, there is a key difference as they keep their feelings to themselves and say it in private. A number of people have strong feelings over Triple H's position in the company, but it's a subject matter that almost everyone is smart enough to never talk about publicly as it's practically political suicide.- Ring of Honor made attempts to bring in Ric Flair and Kenta Kenta Kobashi for the Saturday, August 2nd show at the Hammerstein Ballroom, but WWE isn't letting Flair attend. Due to this, it looks Kobashi isn't attending the show either. NOAH was looking to get a photo shoot of Flair & Kobashi together.- If you recall, WWE bragged in a company website article a few months ago about how the "Leave the Memories Alone" song had increased in sales ten times over after being used for Ric Flair's farewell. What wasn't noted is that paid downloads of the song were at a meager 500 per week, but only increased to nearly 4,000 per week for about two weeks after it was played, so well, it's not like the song did incredible business like the company made it out to be. On another note, while some major musical acts such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Motorhead, Kid Rock, Creed and Uncle Kracker have done theme songs for WWE in past, the company pretty much seeks out little-known bands who are willing to provide songs for free in exchange for plugs on television regarding new album releases. WWE's music producer Jim Johnston complained in an article we linked to earlier in the week that the recording labels do anything to get play on MTV, but rarely think about going to WWE even though they reach a far larger audience
 
Backstage News on RAW's Writers, Michael Hayes and MoreJun 18 2008 by Marc Middleton- Michael Hayes was working backstage at RAW on Monday. Although he is no longer a vice president, he retained his role as the SmackDown lead writer following his 60-day suspension for using a racial slur. There is some speculation that he may address the entire locker room when everyone gathers for the WWE Draft on Monday.- RAW lead writer Brian Gewirtz and Gerald Brisco were among the backstage regulars who were not at RAW on Monday night. The company was originally slated to have that night off and tape television the week before, so a number of writers and agents/producers planned vacations. Bruce Prichard filled in for Brisco at the gorilla position.The writers who missed Monday's show are back on the job already because the draft is coming up. It will be a long week for the writers as they pitch their ideas for which wrestlers should switch brands, so the time off leading up to draft week came at a good time.
 
Vince McMahon Says That The Media Can Go 'Screw Themselves'Written by Ryan Clark on June 18, 2008 at 10:44:45Reader Devin Cutting sent the following:During the June 16th edition of the Countdown To Raw show on The Score in Canada, host Glenn Schiiler interviewed Vince McMahon. Below are some of the comments.GS: Canadian fans aren't eligible to win your millions, but I think people in this country still want to know. How did this idea come about? Did you just wake up one morning and say "You know what? I feel like giving away some money!"?VM: Quite frankly, that's about it. I mean the things that come out of my head sometimes...sometimes even I can't believe them and this is not necessarily one of my better ideas, giving away my personal money, and it's a total of a million dollars every Monday night. Last week, we had one lady from Texas win $2 and we had another gentleman from Wisconsin win $250,000 and I must admit it gave me more pleasure to give away the $2 than it did the $250,000.GS: You can see why people may think you're vindictive or mean-spirited when you get more joy out of the $2.VM: No, I don't think I'm vindictive at all. It's just what I enjoy.GS: You said you want to attract new fans to your product with this giveaway, but you're also inviting back former fans who have tuned out over the years, so I ask you this...what does the WWE product of 2008 have to entice people who watched during the Hulkamania years or during the Attitude era when superstars like Steve Austin and The Rock were on top?VM: It's a different program and, at the same time, it's very similar. It's still an action adventure. It's still...I won't use the word comedy, but we do humor. It's still a rock 'n' roll environment. It's still a soap opera. It's still action in terms of athleticism...so it's all those things and there's nothing like it on television. It's a variety show for sure. We've been in business for a zillion years and, every Monday night on USA and on The Score, we're there. We travel all over the country...a matter of fact, all over the world, producing and we're live every Monday night and there's so few shows like that. A matter of fact, we have more episodes than any prime time episodic program ever and that includes Gunsmoke and Lassie and things of that nature. We've blown away everybody. We're like 750 some odd episodes and counting.GS: You're bringing back the WWE Draft, which is coming up next week on The Score. What was behind that decision?WM: We don't do that necessarily every year, but I think we will in the future. It shakes things up. It refreshens the product and we have some major moves planned. It's a good thing. I think everyone looks forward to that because you don't know where the superstars or your favorite ones are going or which ones are coming, which issues are resolved, which ones are left open, so it's an exciting show.GS: This is a question we have asked WWE superstars in the past and I'd like to get your take on it. Often times it seems that the media only shows a genuine interest in wrestling when there's a tragedy or a negative event, yet when the WWE does something positive like the annual Tribute To The Troops show, a large portion of the media won't cover it. Does that bother you or do you just accept it at this point?VM: Well, the media can go screw themselves. Having said that, we're making an effort to be more media-friendly, but I don't know..I think we're a little too defensive. All of us enjoy this product from time to time and, yeah, we don't get the credit that we get, but that's life sometimes. Life is not necessarily fair, but we're trying to be more media-friendly and educate the media on who we really are and what sort of wonderful product this is and who are our fans and I think once the media finds out, more specifically, who supports us, who our audience really is, then they'll begin to understand.GS: You have a reputation for being an extremely hard worker and this industry is a passion of your's, obviously. How long do you see yourself continuing to do this?VM: I'll probably live somewhere beyond 100 and, every day that I do, I'll be in this business. I love this business. I'm third generation in this business. It really is in my soul and I love to perform. I love to entertain and that's what all of our performers love to do. You can't give your audience enough and they can recognize that and appreciate that, so again, it's a love of what I do. I mean I always say I never go to work because nothing I ever do is work.
 
Breaking News: WWE Developmental Star Strikes Police OfficerWritten by Ryan Clark on June 17, 2008 at 20:35:28Credit: PWInsider.comWWE developmental talent Stu Sanders was arrested on 6/15 in Tampa, FL and charged with Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer (a felony) and Obstructing or Opposing an Officer (a misdemeanor). The arrest took place outside of Champps Restaurant and Bar (2223 West Shore Boulevard North) at 2 AM. Sanders was released the next day.The exact details of what happened aren't known, but Sanders apparently was trying to leave the restaurant after an altercation with a female at the restaurant who he didn't know but that had bumped into him. As Sanders was leaving, a plain-clothes cop tried to stop him. It isn't known if Sanders knew the man was a cop before the incident. We can only assume at this point that the "battery" of the officer took place when he tried to stop Sanders from leaving.Sanders apparently has told other FCW wrestlers that he didn't know the man was a cop and that had he known, he wouldn't have tried to leave the scene. He said he was simply trying to leave the scene and not get into an altercation with anyone.The woman who bumped into Sanders declined to press charges and allegedly told authorities that she was at fault for the initial incident.Sanders is one half of the FCW Tag Team Champions with Drew McIntyre.
 
** SPOILER ** Undertaker's Return To Television, More On His Farewell TourJun 19 2008 by Badrose- Undertaker will return to television by crashing the wedding between Edge & Vickie Guerrero scheduled for a SmackDown taping in mid-July. He will then be plugged right back into his program with Edge and feud with him for at least the rest of the summer. If they don't have a match at The Great American Bash, then definitely at SummerSlam, although it looks like the wedding is happening before GAB, so they could hotshot it for that show too. There was a feeling that his feud with Edge needed to be put on the shelf for a little while, although he did have some nagging injuries to tend to. The feeling was that it was going to run out of steam without a major twist, hence the retirement storyline.- As noted earlier, despite his "retirement," Undertaker worked SmackDown's tour of Australia and New Zealand this past week. The decision for him to retire on television was a last minute move, but he had been advertised as the top star on the tour, so they decided to bring him on it. Tickets went on sale several months ago and the company drew huge advances everywhere, so a lot of fans were expecting to see him. The storyline explanation for his appearances on the tour has Shane McMahon coming out at the start of shows to say that he was talking with Vickie Guerrero and they agreed to let him have an "Undertaker farewell tour."
 
Backstage Update on Torrie Wilson and WWEJun 19 2008 by Marc Middleton- Torrie Wilson asked to be released from her WWE contract and the company obliged that request last month. Although surgeons had advised her not to wrestle due to her back problems, WWE officials were planning to feature her in a non-wrestling role by having her make special appearances.No solid idea why Wilson wanted out, but one source speculated that it was probably a combination of her wanting to be more involved with managing a business she opened and her desire for less travel. It's assumed that WWE agreed to cover the expense of her recent back surgery and some of the rehab costs as part of her release.
 
Backstage Update on Ric Flair's Surprise Return to WWE RAWWritten by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.com- There was internal debate last week whether or not to mention the return of WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair on WWE's web site prior to RAW. Obviously they opted to the surprise return of "The Nature Boy" instead.No word yet on whether or not Flair will continue the storyline with Jericho, Triple H and Michaels or if he will pop back up in a few weeks but it's likely he will stick around especially for his DVD release. ************************************************************************************************The Latest News and Plans on the Upcoming WWE Draft LotteryWritten by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.comThe WWE Draft takes place on Monday night June 23rd on a special 3-hour edition of WWE RAW. WWE has promised to shake things up - here's the latest Draft news:- Much like previous years, WWE is keeping the Draft very secretive, to the point that most all of the talent will find out if they're changing brands as soon as the audience does during the live show.- Umaga is expected to be traded to SmackDown. Carlito is another likely lock for Friday nights.- As stated on WWE RAW this week, The Undertaker will not be a part of the Draft.- Back in 2002, WWE did a live Draft for television and a secondary Draft with the results posted on the company website. A number of mid-level and lower-level wrestlers had to log on to the WWE site late at night after the draft to find out about their futures. It's expected that WWE will do something similar this year by announcing some of the trades on WWE.com after RAW as well as on ECW and SmackDown later in the week. **************************************************************************************************Jim Ross: WWE Draft Surprises & Speculation, Controversial 24/7 TapingWritten by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.com- Below are some comments from Jim Ross' latest blog over at jrsbarbq.com where he talks about the WWE Draft and filming of the most recent Legends Roundtable for WWE 24/7:The shows that yours truly was a part of on Thursday night are going to likely be as controversial as any ever featured on the Legends Roundtable….that is if they air close to what was actually said during the 3 plus hour taping session. No holds barred might be a nice way to describe the marathon taping session. But a helluva lot of fun, too. I am not sure when these programs will air on WWE 24/7 but I do strongly suggest you stay tuned. Without question, for my money any way, WWE 24/7 is the best bang for your wrestling buck out there. The panel consisted of our Host, Mean Gene Okerlund, Ric Flair, Mick Foley, Tazz (substituting for a vacationing JBL) and yours truly. There were, without question, some controversial statements made on this program especially from the always entertaining and outspoken Flair who was in rare form especially after being on the road so many days away from home in his role of WWE Goodwill Ambassador. Ric was entertainingly "on edge" and it showed when he talked about many aspects of Turner’s WCW especially his candid thoughts on the NWO being considering as one of wrestling’s greatest factions. A faction, by our definition, is a group of three individuals or more who stay together long enough to develop name identity and earn a discernible track record.Off camera we all talked about Monday night’s 3 hour Draft on Monday Night Raw on the USA Network which starts at 8/7 central which is one hour earlier than usual. Not one person on the panel or the crew had any concrete information as to what WWE Superstars were going where. I swear that I don’t think that even as I write this on Saturday that the draft has been finalized. If you are like many wrestling fans, including me, and like surprises then Monday night is certainly the night for you. I would wager a case of "J.R.’S BBQ Sauce" that virtually no talent knows for sure what fate awaits them come Monday night. Indeed speculation is running rampant regarding Monday’s Annual WWE Draft but that’s all it is or can be at this point….speculation.I was asked by a WWE fan in the DFW Airport on Friday afternoon if I thought any of the announcers would be drafted and I answered "no" because at the end of the day does any one truly care who announces what brand and the same goes for the referees. I would be shocked to see any draft pick wasted on an announcer or a referee as WWE fans want to see major superstars change addresses and begin new rivalries along with making fresh matches. I still hope that trades are incorporated in this presentation including driving traffic to WWE.com with "after hours" trades which might give some wrestlers a chance to make a fresh start, so to speak.
 
Lots of Backstage RAW News; Hope for Triple H, Star Upset, MoreWritten by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.com- A ton of news and notes are now coming in from last night's RAW. In case you are wondering, yes the show-ending angle with Vince McMahon from last night's RAW was done to put an end to the Million Dollar giveaway. No word yet on if they will carry it over to something else.The overall feeling backstage among management was upbeat, with the feeling among those in charge that they delivered a strong show. They should feel that way because they did. For the first time in a while the "anything can happen" feeling was back on RAW. You could make the argument that it's easy for it to be that way when you are moving major players around, for sure. I just hope that all of the new faces in new places signal the start of a new era in creative.With that said, it's fair to say that if you questioned them alone outside of a WWE function, there are definitely some people in the company wish the draft never happened. One top WWE Superstar was extremely upset backstage last night and we should have more on that later.There are also definitely some people that hope Triple H doesn't get "traded back" to RAW too. The feeling is that if he stays away, it will open up opportunities for others to break through on the show while as long as he is there, he will always be in the top storylines and will block the path of advancement for young guys to break through since he is the most over, not to mention powerful, guy in the company.The other announcers were having fun slagging on Mike Adamle last night, liberally busting his chops about his frequent mistakes and miscues. While you would think that at this point he has to be working the mistakes he constantly makes as part of his character, everyone I have asked about it tells me that is not the case. Adamle is messing up all on his own and people don't have any problem mocking him about it on the air. ***************************************************************************************************Who Tried to Kill Vince McMahon? The Undertaker? Another Whodunit?Written by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.com- With the shock ending to last night's WWE RAW and Vince McMahon apparently being "injured" after the WWE set collapsed on him, it looks like they are going to go with another "Whodunit?" type angle. I hoped they had learned their lesson from the Vince's son and Vince's limousine storylines but I had a bad taste in my mouth last night after watching the conclusion to RAW. Did someone try to kill Vince McMahon? We haven't heard much news yet on where this angle is headed but the one thing we have been told is that it came as a total surprise to most people backstage at RAW last night. The general feeling is only a handful of guys knew about what was going to happen.But where could they take this? I could see Vince taking himself off TV possibly, which has been talked about recently. Another thing I could maybe see happening is The Undertaker playing some kind of role in it. Maybe The Deadman could be pissed off at leaving WWE and come back as a mega heel on the RAW brand? It's likely that The Undertaker will be on RAW upon returning as SmackDown's roster is looking pretty beefed up.There's no telling where WWE is going with their latest bright idea but I'm sure we're all in for a surprise. Stay tuned as we will keep you updated with any inside updates we hear.Let me know what you guys think, I'd love to hear some ideas and thoughts.
 
New WWE SmackDown Announcer Jim Ross Makes an ApologyWritten by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.com- Jim Ross has posted another blog minutes ago and he seems a little more clam this time around but still clearly unhappy with the move. He really is doing the right thing for business and likely had some time to look back and look to the future. Highlights:Changes in one’s life take some adjusting to especially at my stage of the game. This week I received an unexpected change in my professional address. Within hours of writing an emotional blog, I am positively moving on. I am going to do all I can to make Smackdown the best program the WWE produces. Working side by side with Mick Foley should be fun. It will be entertaining I assure you. Mick is a great friend and a man I greatly respect. The Smackdown roster is loaded with exceptional talent and the WWE wants the brand to grow and I intend to do all that I can in my role to facilitate that growth.The abruptness of the “trade” shocked me. I most likely responded in a non professional way in the eyes of some fans. That’s their prerogative and each has the right to their opinion, As do I. Not to be cliche, but wrestling has been great to my family and me. I owe it to the business to “man up” and to kick ass on Smackdown. That’s my plan. My emotions are what they are and I will not apologize for my candor or honesty. My feathers were ruffled…poor me. I still bring bona fide passion to every broadcast and fully expect to deliver come show time. As I write this I am in the midst of some travel delays, but I will definitely be in Houston and will be looking forward to “business picking up”. I will practice what I have preached and feel that after sleeping on this major change all things happen for a reason. Life is good. My tank has been re-fueled. Let’s have some fun. For those of you that were offended by my earlier rant I apologize. For those that think “old J.R.” can’t get the job done, I suggest you sit back and watch. I wish my good pal The King and Michael Cole great success but my professional priority is to help Smackdown kick ass. In more ways than one, “the game is on”.Boomer Sooner!J.R.
 
Vince Storyline Mistaken for Real, Batista & Melina Updates, MoreWritten by Marc Middleton - As noted earlier, Melina suffered a legit ankle injury on RAW. No other details are known at this time except she seems to be doing fine and nothing was broken.- Batista and Edge are fine after clonking heads on RAW last night. Batista did get several stitches.- Vince McMahon was at the 'Mania press conference today. Nothing of note came out of it and Vince did not appear before the fans or media.- Several Texas media outlets actually picked up the Vince angle and reported that it was real. In all honestly, WWE did do the best job that they could have done with it and it had its 'real' looking moments especially with Triple H running over and Vince calling him by his real name as the show ended.
 
Spoilers: Complete WWE SmackDown Tapings to Air on 6/27Written by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.comWWE is currently taping this Friday's edition of SmackDown from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Special thanks to reader John Paul for text-messaging the following results. If you are attending a WWE event in the near future and would be interested in assisting us with text updates or a live report following the show, please email me.Dark Match:* Tommy Dreamer b. Kevin Thorn after hitting a DDT.WWE SmackDown: (Airing This Friday)* Mick Foley makes his way out to ringside. So far, no sign of Jim Ross.* SmackDown opens with Vickie Guerrero nearly in tears talking about Vince McMahon's "accident." She receives a lot of heat and wishes Vince well. She says she hopes he's not in a wheelchair. She announces new SmackDown color commentator, Jim Ross. He makes his way out to ringside as the crowd explodes!* Triple H comes out to cut a promo. He gets a huge pop. Triple H welcomes Jim Ross to SmackDown by saying he is the best and he's glad he came with him. He the talks about Night of Champions. Edge comes out to interrupt him. He tells Triple H that they can get both get along. Hunter disagrees by saying that both have too big of egos and that Edge won't have the World Championship after Sunday's Night of Champions pay-per-view.Edge combats by saying this is his house and that Triple H needs to respect him. Batista then comes out. Hunter then pushes Edge and Batista hits him. They both hold the title up while Edge is on the ground.* Rey Mysterio's last appearance on SmackDown is announced for tonight.* Big Show & Kane b. MVP & Mark HenryThe match was back and forth throughout. MVP tagged himself in and got in trouble with Kane. He tried to leave but Mark Henry threw him back in. Kane pins him for the win.* Finlay & Hornswoggle b. Zack Ryder & Kurt HawkinsHuge pop for Finlay & Hornswoggle. The match was pretty much one sided throughout and Finlay & Hornswoggle take the win. The Miz & John Morrison stand on the entrance ramp with their belts.* Edge b. Matt HardyI'm told this was a pretty decent match throughout. Lots of holds and counter holds. Edge wins with a spear after several near falls. Lots of crowd heat on Edge. * Maryse, Victoria, & Natalya b. Kelly Kelly, Michelle McCool, & CherryThe match was back and forth throughout. The crowd could have cared less. After all the divas get involved Maryse gets the roll up pin on Cherry for the win!* It is announced that Kennedy won't be on SmackDown until next week.* Vladimir Kozlov b. DominoReal quick match. Heat on both Superstars.* Rey Mysterio comes out wearing street clothes and his mask. He explains to the fans that he has been drafted to Monday Night Raw and he hopes everyone will tune in weekly to watch him. He goes on to say hopefully he can fulfill more of his dreams.Batista then comes out and says he will back Rey wherever he goes.* Batista vs. UmagaUmaga has control early on. The match moves slowly. Zack Ryder & Kurt Hawkins come running out while Edge grabs his belt. La Familia beat Umaga.Triple H comes out and helps Batista clean house. Pedigree and Batista Bomb on Zack Ryder & Kurt Hawkins.Batista grabs the mic and said at first he was upset about the Draft. Triple H then told him he was going to good on Raw. SmackDown goes off the air.
 
Who Will Be RAW and SmackDown's Top Heels and Babyfaces?Written by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.com- RAW's current top faces are set to be Batista, John Cena and Shawn Michaels with help from Kane, CM Punk and Rey Mysterio. The top heels will be Chris Jericho and JBL, which means a heel turn for Batista could come sooner than later. Randy Orton also will take the place of a top heel once he returns. John Cena vs. Chris Jericho could be a long-term feud with WWE holding off on Cena vs. Batista until the first of next year.As far as SmackDown goes, right now the top faces are set to be The Undertaker and Triple H, with Big Show, Jeff Hardy and Kennedy helping out. There's still a chance that The Great Khali will turn face to join that list. The heels look to be Edge, Umaga, MVP, Big Daddy V and possibly Shelton Benjamin. No word yet whether or not WWE will use Carlito in a heel or face role, even though he hates playing the babyface. ***************************************************************************************************Complete Results from the 2008 WWE Supplemental DraftWritten by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.com- Mark Henry has been drafted from SmackDown to ECW.Seems like a smart move. Will Henry win the ECW Title this Sunday?- Jamie Noble has been drafted from SmackDown to RAW.Huh? Maybe Noble will find him a good role on RAW.- Trevor Murdoch has been drafted from RAW to SmackDown.Hopefully Trevor won't be singing on Friday nights.- Big Daddy V has been drafted from ECW to SmackDown.Maybe this means we will be seeing Big Daddy and his boobs returning soon.- Deuce has been drafted from SmackDown to RAW.Will Domino follow or will they finally be breaking up?- DH Smith has been drafted from RAW to SmackDown.I wonder what this means for the team with Ted DiBiase?- Hornswoggle has been drafted from SmackDown to ECW.Haha. Horny gets EXXXTREME!- Super Crazy has been drafted from RAW to ECW.Somewhat of an ECW original, Crazy is back to the Extreme.- Chuck Palumbo has been drafted from SmackDown to RAW.Seems like RAW is getting a lot of the lower than mid-card talents, huh?- Brian Kendrick has been drafted from RAW to SmackDown.Does this mean the end of Kendrick and London's team?- Matt Striker has been drafted from ECW to RAW.Striker might bring some good heel heat to RAW.- Maria has been drafted from RAW to SmackDown.Maria is the first Diva to be drafted this year. Maybe she will contend for the new Divas Championship?- Shelton Benjamin has been drafted from ECW to SmackDown.Maybe Shelton will get a nice push now that he's back on Fridays.- Finlay has been drafted from SmackDown to ECW.I figured they wouldn't split the team of Finlay and Hornswoggle up.- Carlito has been drafted from RAW to SmackDown.As expected, Carlito gets moved. Is a big push on the horizon?- Layla has been drafted from ECW to RAW.Layla should add some spice to the Women's Division on RAW.- Kofi Kingston has been drafted from ECW to RAW.Intercontinental Title contender in the making?
 
Update on Rey Mysterio's Future with WWE & New ContractWritten by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.com- Rey Mysterio continues to negotiate with WWE officials regarding a new contract. He was under the impression that his contract was going to expire soon, but WWE enacted a clause that allows the time he missed due to injury to the end of the contract. Multiple sources report that WWE added 10 months to the contract. WWE generally negotiates contracts roughly a year before they expire.WWE started adding injury time to the contracts when they perceived that WCW wrestlers were milking injuries and collecting guaranteed money to sit home. WWE wrestlers are paid their downside guarantees during the time they miss with injuries, and they simply have the right to extend the contract if a wrestler is out for a certain length of time.In Rey's case, he missed approximately 10 months while recovering from knee surgery and his recent torn biceps. He is seeking a raise and feels that he's been underpaid compared to some of his peers, but WWE's obvious counter argument will be that he missed so much time due to injuries. Clearly, the next few months will be crucial for Mysterio, as he must prove that he can stay healthy. ***************************************************************************************************Chris Jericho Speaks on Storylines with Lance Cade and Shawn MichaelsWritten by Marc Middleton Got any news or results to send us? Please e-mail it to WNZ@wrestlenewz.com- Chris Jericho said his storyline with Shawn Michaels wasn't supposed to be as intricate as it's turned out. "It’s great," Jericho told the UK Sun. It was one of those things we just kind of stumbled upon. It was never planned to be such an intricate storyline, with all the ups and downs and ins and outs, but sometimes when you start working on something you realise that it’s really working out and it’s going good, you run with it. That’s what we did."Jericho also commented on the addition of Lance Cade to the storyline. "You’re just going to have to stay tuned and find out what happens with that," he said. "Like I said, the beauty of the storyline is that it started with Shawn and Batista, then I got involved, then it’s about me and Shawn and (Ric) Flair gets involved, then Triple H is involved and Lance Cade comes out. It’s a multi-tiered storyline and I like stuff like that." To read the full interview, visit thesun.co.uk.
 
Spoliers for SD! 8/1/08

- A WrestleMania XXIV video package is shown.

Dark Match:
- Funaki b. Nic "The Natural" Nemeth
- Funaki got the win via pinfall.

SmackDown: (Airing This Friday)
- Jim Ross & Mick Foley are out to a huge pop.

- The "Cutting Edge" will return tonight with an unannounced special guest.

- MVP has some words with Jeff Hardy at ringside.

- MVP b. Jimmy Wang Yang
- This was a squash match. MVP got the win via pinfall. After it was over Hardy attacked MVP for his comments he made last week.

- Ken Kennedy b. Shelton Benjamin
Kennedy got the win via pinfall in a non-title match.

- Brian Kendrick b. Stevie Richards
- Kendrick got the win via pinfall. The live crowd could have cared less.

- The Great Khali b. Jeff Hardy
- MVP came out and distracted Hardy, which caused Khali to get the win. Lots of "you can't wrestle" chants.

- Maria b. Victoria
- This was Maria's SmackDown debut. She got the win via pinfall.

- Big Show b. Domino
- This was another squash match. Big Show got the win with a chokeslam. After the match Umaga comes out to the ring and has a staredown with Big Show.

- The Cutting Edge is up next with a special guest, Mick Foley. Edge has a table, ladder, and chair in the ring. Edge talks about his upcoming Hell in a Cell Match at SummerSlam against the Undertaker. He asks Mick for help. Mick denies and they begin fighting. Edge puts Foley on a table and climbs up the ladder with a chair. He jumps off onto Foley. The show goes off the air.

This led to Big Show coming out and beating Edge in a quick Dark Match.
 
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