WWE News

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Rikishi Added To WWE Alumni, Chris Jericho In Commercial, More


- WNW reader Aaron Moore sent the following… Chris Jericho in a Gillette Commercial, Video at the link provided: http://beasuperstar.wwe.com/videos_express_to_impress.html

- Several Wrestling News World readers have sent word that Rikishi (a/k/a Solofa Fatu) has been added to the Alumni Section of the official WWE website. You can check it out at this link.

 

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JR Puts Over Lesnar, Denies Rumors Of A Raw Return, Comments On SD, Edge's Surgery, More

Jim Ross has a new blog now available on his official website. Below are the highlights:

- I did a radio interview yesterday on KREF here in Norman which is a sports talk station AM1400 and Brock Lesnar and UFC 100 still seemed to be the topic of the day. I find it unwise for those to think that UFC officials don't love Lesnar for a variety of reasons but specifically for the income he is and will produce. Every great promoter wants and needs a great villain as, especially in today's world, fans are more likely to pay their hard earned cash to see someone get their ass whipped that the fans detest than they will to see their favorite competitor roll over someone. Lesnar is a natural born predator, an avid big game hunter, who loves isolation and individualism, as do most successful amateur wrestlers, and who feels threatened by his prey and will always fight as if he were cornered. That's simply Lesnar's human instincts but without question when someone does finally beat Lesnar, and they will, that person will be the new UFC Messiah for finally overcoming the former WWE Champion and natural born, defiant badass.

- I enjoyed Seth Green's appearance on Raw Monday night and am still waiting for my check for my "likeness" appearing on WWE's Flagship Broadcast. That's likely as close as yours truly is going to come to returning to Monday night's variety/ sports/entertainment juggernaut to answer a question that many keep asking on our Q&A section of this site.

- The end of Friday Night Smackdown this week is one of the most chaotic last few moments of any WWE TV show in quite some time. Jeff Hardy and Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho and Dolph Ziggler is the main event.

- Ziggler is a smart kid with an athlete's mentality and I hope that he fully grasps the opportunity that has landed at the former Kent State star's feet.

- John Morrison and C.M. Punk have a really solid bout on SD this week as well. Morrison is going to be big sooner than later while Punk's days of being a highly, disliked villain lie ahead. There is no reason that both these men can't headline WWE PPV's in the near future.

- Check out the Allied Powers DVD from WWE regarding the many great tag teams that used to commonly dot the wrestling landscape. This is a well produced DVD and, as always, provides plenty of subjective debate regarding who should or should not be included on the list. I certainly feel some teams got a "pass" with their inclusion on the DVD but all in all it is a really fun one to watch. If you are a fan of tag team wrestling and also like the old school approach to wrestling then I feel you will enjoy this DVD just released this week.

- I did think that Miz and Morrison were unique choices to host the DVD and that someone like an Arn Anderson amd/or a WWE HOF'er might have offered more of a historical slant to the production but as is often said, "This is a young man's game."

- I talked to Edge mere minutes after his Achilles tendon surgery last week and he had a more positive attitude about returning to the ring than most would. Edge has been faced with many challenges over his career and if any one can return and be as good as they were before they were hurt then it will be him. However, we should all be realistic about this situation as Achilles tendon injuries can be devastating for an athlete that maintains a schedule like Edge. My money is on Edge to return ready to rock, be more popular than ever and perhaps even possibly having a one on one match with Chris Jericho at WM26 which could be a show stealer. Yes, that's all speculation but a guy can dream, can't he?

- Hard to believe that Bruiser Brody was senselessly killed today in 1988 at the age of 42. The wrestler who stabbed Brody to death in a Puerto Rican shower at an arena was tried and found innocent. The judicial system works in mysterious ways. Brody was arguably the best all around brawler I ever saw and was also one of the most fiercely independent individuals who ever laced up a pair of boots. Insiders either hated Brody or they liked and respected him. I have friends who still can't stand the late Frank Goodish and his free spirit but I miss the guy and always enjoyed being around him.

Click here to read JR's latest in its entirety.

 

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Batista Photographed On South Beach, ECW Rating Update, This Week's Wrestling DVD Sales


- Injured Dave Batista was recently photographed by the paparazzi on South Beach in Miami. You can view photos at this link.

- WNW reader Jonathan Hebert sent this in... I watched a replay of ECW and the rating was still TV-PG-V.

- Below is this week's Billboard Recreational Sports DVD sales chart:

1) WWE: Wrestlemania: 25th Anniversary
2) WWE: Macho Madness: The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection
3) WWE: John Cena: My Life
4) UFC: Best Of 2008
5) WWE: Judgment Day 2009
6) WWE: Greatest Stars Of The 90s
7) Phil Mickelson: Secrets Of The Short Game
8) UFC 92: Nogueira Vs. Mir
9) WWE: Backlash 2009
10) TNA Wrestling: Lockdown 2009: Six Sides Of Steel

 

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Ken Kennedy Teaching Summer School, NOC Note, Cody Rhodes In Commercial, More


- WNW reader Tyler Lawrence sent the following… The official theme song for this year's Night of Champions pay-per-view is "Loaded" by Shattersphere.

- WNW reader Valerie sent the following… Cody Rhodes is featured in a Gillette Fusion commercial similar to Jericho and Cena. You can check it out at this link.

- Wrestling News World reader Glenn Guinand sent word that there is an article online discussing how Ken Kennedy is riding out his 90-day non-compete clause by teaching summer school. You can check it out at this link.

 

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Ken Kennedy Teaching Summer School, NOC Note, Cody Rhodes In Commercial, More


- WNW reader Tyler Lawrence sent the following… The official theme song for this year's Night of Champions pay-per-view is "Loaded" by Shattersphere.

- WNW reader Valerie sent the following… Cody Rhodes is featured in a Gillette Fusion commercial similar to Jericho and Cena. You can check it out at this link.

- Wrestling News World reader Glenn Guinand sent word that there is an article online discussing how Ken Kennedy is riding out his 90-day non-compete clause by teaching summer school. You can check it out at this link.

 

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Weekend WWE Schedule - SummerSlam Tour Invades The Carolinas


WWE will begin their SummerSlam house show tour tonight and continue through the weekend with five shows. The Raw brand will be in Macon, Georgia tonight for a show at the Macon Centreplex Coliseum bell time is set for 7:30 p.m. local time.

SmackDown & ECW will begin their weekend tomorrow night at the North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, South Carolina. Bell time is set for 7:30 p.m. local time. Raw will be in Aiken, South Carolina tomorrow night for a show at the USC Aiken Convocation Center bell time is also scheduled for 7:30 p.m. local time.

On Sunday, Raw will hold a show at the Florence Civic Center in Florence, South Carolina. Bell time is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. local time and the following matches are being advertised locally: Triple H, John Cena, & Mark Henry vs. Randy Orton & Legacy in a Two on Three Challenge Match, MVP vs. The Big Show, and Kofi Kingston will defend the United States Championship against Chavo Guerrero. SmackDown & ECW will complete their weekend on Sunday at the Bi Lo Center in Greenville, South Carolina. Bell time is also set for 5:00 p.m. local time.

Next week's edition of Raw will be taped on Monday at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Bell time is set for 8:15 p.m. local time and John Cena & Triple H vs. Big Show & Randy Orton are being advertised locally as the dark main event. Next week's edition of ECW and SmackDown will be taped on Tuesday at the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia. Bell time is set for 6:45 p.m. local time with the dark main event being advertised as Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk in a Steel Cage Match for the World Heavyweight Championship.

If you are attending any of the above weekend house shows, please email a full result report to news [at] wrestlingnewsworld.com. Additionally if you are attending either of next week's taping and would be interested in sending us live text-message updates, please email your name and mobile number to wnwryan [at] yahoo.com. Thanks for your support, have an excellent weekend!

 

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Lilian Garcia At Tryst, Maria Trains At FCW, Eve Torres Dealing With Neck Problems


- Lilian Garcia hung out at the Tryst Nightclub at the Wynn in Las Vegas last night. She posted a photo of herself in the club on Twitter, you can view it at this link.

- Maria spent yesterday training at Florida Championship Wrestling in Tampa with the developmental workers. She wrote positively of the experience on her Twitter page, saying there are several talented workers she is looking forward to working with. Maria also posted a photo on Twitter of a scrape she got from training at this link.

- Eve Torres has been dealing with neck pain but it's nothing serious. She wrote on her Twitter page today she got it stretched out today at a local non-surgical spine care center in Southern California.

 

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The Big Show Comes Home, Evan Bourne: "They Decided Not To Punish Me For Other Peoples Mistakes"


- The Aiken Standard out of Aiken, South Carolina has an article online on hometown hero Big Show. The article, entitled The Big Show comes home, is being used to promote the Raw house show on Saturday. You can read the article, which refers to Ric Flair as "Rick Flair" and calls the live event "WWE Raw SummerSlam" at this link.

- The Columbia Missourian has an article online featuring quotes from Evan Bourne. Bourne talks about breaking into the business and having success in WWE. When asked about doing the Shooting Star Press in WWE, Bourne told the paper: "They decided not to punish me for other peoples mistakes... There's no pad there when you land, and no second chances — you got to hit it." Click here to read the full article.

 

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WWE Raw House Show Results (17.07.2009) - Macon, Georgia


Wrestling News World reader Landon Lamb sent the following results:

Tonight I attended the Raw Summerslam tour they had at the Macon Centreplex. It was about three times better than the show they had here last time.

Exactly around 7:30 the lights went dark and the ref escorted the upcomming ring announcer Angela I believe to the ring. She didn't sing the National Anthem, however the music was played.

First up: Evan Bourne vs. The Brian Kendrick.
Good amount of action, Evan got the win with the shooting star press. Nice pop for Evan, and good heat on Kendrick.

Second Match: Diva's Tag Match - Maryse & Alica Fox vs. Mickie James & Gail Kim.
Gail is excellent in the ring, excellent moves, Maryse got the pin with a DDT on Mickie.
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Before the Diva's match started Angela(the ring announcer) said our host Kelly Kelly had a prize. Kelly was revealed in the upper deck's, she said she had a WWE triva question and if the family got the question correct they would get a prize. The question: What is the next WWE pay-per-view. The family got it correct and they were awarded front row seats.
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Next up, Match Three: Primo Vs. Carlito.
Primo comes out and cuts a promo on how Carlito betrayed him and gave him the backstabber almost two weeks ago. He told us he's calling Carlito out.
Carlito comes out to very little heat, and the match is underway.
Primo got the win with a roll up.
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Next up, Match Four: Chavo Guerrero Vs Kofi Kingston. (United States Championship match)
Chavo out first to a decent amount of heat, Kofi out next to an excellent pop. Note: The title belt looked like on of the cheap plastic ones you would purchase at the gift stand.
Kofi got the win when Hornswoggle interuppted the match and Kofi gave him the trouble in paradise.
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Match 5: Santino Marella Vs .Jack Swagger.
Jack out first, with Santino comming out next to a good pop. Santino cut a hilarious promo on Swagger about how he was a bully in school, and how people used to call him a "Swagasaurus". Santino got in some good offense, however after some goofing recieved the Gut Wrench powerbomb and Swagger picked up the win.
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Match Six: Big Show Vs. MVP.
Big Show got the biggest pop of the night so far, and MVP got a smaller reaction. Show was having a hard time playing the heel, I saw him crack a smile due to the amount of cheers he was recieving. Horrible squash match, Big Show got the win with a chokeslam.
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Main Event: Legacy & Randy Orton Vs Mark Henry & Triple H & John Cena.
Legacy out first to a good amount of heat, next out Randy Orton to a mixed reaction. Henry out next to a good face reaction. John Cena's pop was ENORMOUS. The amount of cheer's he recieved echoing in the colliseum made my left ear pop. Triple H out to a tad smaller pop than John Cena's it was still quite loud.
Good amount of wrestling, hottest match of the night easy. Hot tag by Triple H to Cena set the arena on fire. Orton fell out of the wring and Triple H and Cena gave a Pedigree & Attitude Adjustment to Rhodes & DiBiase at the same time.

This ended out the night.

Biggest Pops in Order:
Cena's - Deafening.
Triple H - A tad less Deafening.
Big Show - A bit smaller than Triple H's.
Mark Henry - In between Kofi and Mickie's.
Kofi Kingston - Good pop.
Santino
Mickie James
Evan Bourne
Maryse - Very little heat on the diva's.

Biggest Heat:
Randy Orton
Legacy
Jack Swagger
Brian Kendrick
Carlito

Arena looked about 85% full which was MUCH more than last time.

After the show was over, Cena and HHH went around the arena giving high fives. I almost got crushed by John Cena fans when I was trying to exit.

 

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Angela Fong Update, Another Brother vs. Brother Feud


- Angela Fong is working this weekend as the Raw ring announcer. WWE is currently seeking a replacement for Lilian Garcia who is leaving the company when her contract expires. Fong did not sing the National Anthem prior to last night's show in Macon, Georgia but the music to the song was played.

- WWE has went to another brother vs. brother feud as Carlito faced Primo at last night's show. I originally heard they might hold Primo off TV to sell Carlito as a heel.

 

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Next Week's SmackDown Main Event Announced


- MyNetworkTV sent the following memo to it's e-mailing list subscribers:

Jeff Hardy Battles CM Punk This Week on MyNetworkTV‏

WWE Friday Night SmackDown (HD)
Friday, July 24th at 8/7c

CM Punk's barrage of personal attacks have only served to frustrate Jeff Hardy. Now, just days before the Night of Champions match, the enigmatic superstar makes a pledge to beat CM Punk. Will Jeff Hardy make good on his promise or will CM Punk ultimately put his championship dreams to sleep? Find out on an all new Friday Night SmackDown.

Go to http://prowrestlingevents.tk or http://prowrestlingevents.webs.com for info about upcoming wrestling shows worldwide.

 

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Summary Of WWE Vintage Collection On 7/18


The July 18th, 2009 edition of WWE Vintage Collection on The Score featured these matches:

* Jeff Hardy vs. Essa Rios from WWF Smackdown on March 2nd, 2000
* Juventud Guerrera vs. Billy Kidman from WCW Nitro on September 14th, 1998
* The Blue Blazer vs. The Million Dollar Man from WWF Saturday Night's Main Event on March 11th, 1989
* Cruiserweight Battle Royal from WCW Slamboree on May 17th, 1998
* Chris Jericho vs. Dean Malenko from WCW Slamboree on May 17th, 1998

Go to http://sportsentertainmentevents.tk or http://prowrestlingevents.webs.com for info about upcoming wrestling shows worldwide.

 

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Video Preview Of WWE's "The Rise And Fall Of WCW" DVD Set


Wrestling News World reader Robert Coral sent in the following video preview of WWE's The Rise and Fall of WCW DVD:

 

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WWE SmackDown/ECW House Show Results (7/18/09) - Charleston, South Carolina


Wrestling News World reader Scott Carasik sent the following:

The events went down as follows:
Match 1: Regal vs. Finlay
Regal looked overweight. Great technical match, and skull crush with the Shillelagh for the win.
Winner: Finlay

Match 2: Natalia and Katie Lea vs. Eve and Melina
Very typical solid women's match. Eve Torres had a great spear on Natalia though, Melina won with a hurricanrana on Katie Lea.
Winner: Eve and Melina

Match 3: Drew McIntyre vs. Rick "The Dragon" Steamboat
McIntyre cuts a heel promo and disses home crowd and claims to be a future HOF. Steamboat comes out as his and cuts a promo about how McIntyre would disgrace his heritage. Good technical match with a flying Crossbody by Steamboat for the win.
Winner: Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat

Match 4: Dolph Ziggler vs. John Morrison
Simple match with Ziggler winning by special.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Match 5: Kane vs. The Great Khali
Looked like a typical big man match, and then Kane kicked Khali right in the jewels when Khali lifted Kane up for his 2 handed chokeslam and got DQ'd.
Winner: The Great Khali

Match 6: Tommy Dreamer and Christian
Good match, lots of interesting moves I've never seen either do before. Dreamer wins with his DDT.
Winner and still ECW Champion: Tommy Dreamer

Match 7: The Hart Dynasty vs. Cryme Time.
I'm surprised at how huge of a pop Cryme Time got. Fun tag team match with a lot of good spots. The final spot wasgreat though. JTG had Tyson Kidd in a small package pin, then Natalya went into the ring as DH Smith distracted the Ref and flipped it into Kidd winning, then when the ref was still distracted, Shad jumped in and flipped them back for JTG to win.
Winner: Cryme Time

Match 8: Jeff Hardy vs. CM Punk
Main Event
World Heavyweight Title match
Extreme Rules
Awesome match with a lot of chair shots and high impact moves. Punk wins with the GTS after knocking Hardy off the ladder. After the match, Punk taunts Hardy who then gets up and hits the Twist of Fate and then the Swanton Bomb for the HUGGGGEEEEE Pop.
Winner and still World Heavyweight Champion: CM Punk

Overall every match went about 20-30 minutes and was a great show.

 

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Second Report: WWE SmackDown/ECW House Show Results (7/18/09) - Charleston, South Carolina


Wrestling News World reader Tyler C sent the following:

Here are the results for the SmackDown/ECW house show in North Charleston, SC on 7-18:

First off, the arena was only about half full. I found out about the event the day before it happened from your website and was still able to get floor seats. From my experience South Carolina has never been a very big wrestling state.

Finlay def. William Regal.

Finlay came out to a nice pop but Regal came out to HUGE heat. The match could not even start he was getting so much heat. After about 10 minutes, and multiple shouting matches with fans, the match got underway. Finlay got the win with the shillelagh.

Melina and Eve Toress Def. Katie Lea Burchill and Natalia

Good womens match here with Eve really standing out. She hit what I can only call a no-handed cartwheel splash on Katie Lea at one point that got a good pop from the crowd. I'd never seen that move before. Melina got the win with the Yoshi Tonic. After the match Eve was moving very slow and holding her neck so I wonder if it's really starting to bother her.

Ricky Steamboat def. Drew Mcintyre

Drew actually came out to some heat despite being an FCW worker. He got on the mic and ran down Charleston for being too small a city for his "debut." Steamboat came out to a nice pop and ran down Drew on the mic. Very slow match here. Mcintyre has a very slow, submission style which was kind of boring to watch. Match ends with Steamboat hitting the flying crossbody for the three.

Dolf Ziggler def. John Morrision

Dolf's out first and cuts a promo introducing himself. The kiddies around me were chanting for Rey Mysterio, but we got John Morrison instead. Not that that's a bad thing. Good match here that ended when Morrison went for the Starship Pain only for Ziggler to move and hit whatever his finisher is called for the pinfall.

Tommy Dreamer def. Christian in an ECW title match.

This match came right after the intermission so people were still coming back to their seats as it got underway. Justin Roberts introduced Dreamer as weighing 183 pounds, which Christian and Dreamer laughed at, so I assume it was a rib. The crowd was dead during this one - probably too busy feeding their faces. Christain started to get some heat by the end of the match when he'd try to get the crowd pumped up. Dreamer hit the DDT for the win.

The Great Khali def. Kane via DQ

The lights go out and Kane comes out to the biggest pop of the night so far. Khali comes out next and gets an equal pop. The lady in front of me, who was obviously not a fan, commented on how the Khali can barely walk and during the match kept laughing at his horrible selling. This match was pretty bad because it was booked to make Kane look weak against Khali. Kane eventually hit a lowblow to get disqualified and wandered off to the back.

Cryme Tyme def. The Hart Dynasty

The Dynasty comes out first and cuts a promo about being from the Hart Dungeon and how they deserve respect. Cryme Tyme interupts and gets a big pop for it. Shad runs through the audience and picks a girl up on his shoulders and carries her to the ring. The road manager following him didn't look happy and made him put her down. Good match here, better than the stuff they've been doing on TV. JTG wins with a rollup.

CM Punk def. Jeff Hardy in an Extreme Rules match for the WHC

Hardy comes out first, to his old music, and the pop of the night. He generally looked happy to be out there and smiled and chatted with fans while Punk came out. He seems kind of mopey sometimes on TV and seeing as how he's burnt out I wasn't expecting him to be so cheerful. Punk got booed pretty good throughout the match whenever he'd hit any offense. Match ended when Punk plucked Jeff off a ladder and hit the GTS. Fans immediately began running for the doors after the three count but I made my way to ringside to see if I could talk to Punk. A few minutes after the match Hardy picked Punk up and went to shake his hand before hitting the Twist of Fate and Swanton Bomb and then ran around the ring slapping hands with the fans. A few of us gave a "CM PUNK" chant as he walked to the back and all the kiddies looked at us like we had the plague.

It's been years since I've been to a WWE event and I think we, as internet fans, forget how much Vince has the casual fans eating out of his hand. I overhead I child behind me tell his friend, 'I used to love CM Punk, but now I hate him! He took Jeff Hardy's title!" I forget that some people actually believe these crazy storylines and could care less about a workers ability in the ring or on the mic. Oh well. To each his own.

Biggest Pop:
Jeff Hardy
Cryme Tyme
Kane

Most Heat:
William Regal (seriously)
CM Punk
The Hart Dynasty

 

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Third Report: WWE SmackDown/ECW House Show Results (7/18/09) - Charleston, South Carolina


Wrestling News World reader Daniel R Whitehead sent the following:

1. Finlay pinned William Regal after a shillelagh behind the referees back. Always good to see a Finaly/Regal match.

2. Eve Torres & Melina beat Katie Lea Burchill & Natalya when Melina pinned Katie Lea with a code red.

3. Ricky Steamboat pinned Drew McIntyre with a flying crossbody. Steamboat still awesome, McIntyre greatly improving.

4. Dolph Ziggler pinned John Morrison with his finisher. Really Good. Two future superstars.

5. The Great Khali beat Kane via disqualification after a low blow. Kane and Khali enough said.

6. ECW Champion Tommy Dreamer pinned Christian. Too short.

7. Cryme Tyme beat the Hart Dynasty with Natalya when JTG pinned Tyson Kidd after Shad reversed a small package after Natalya interfered by doing the same.Cryme Tyme and Hart Dynasty is starting to get real good chemistry together.

8. World Champion CM Punk pinned Jeff Hardy in an Extreme Rules Match. Really Good, MOTN!

Overall a really good show.

 

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TNA Commercials During SmackDown, Special Feature On The Bash DVD, More


- Wrestling News World reader Giuseppe sent word that several TNA Impact commercials have run over the last several weeks of SmackDown on the CW Network.

- WNW reader Anthony sent the following… The special feature for the Bash DVD is a video of Tony Atlas and Mark Henry after Henry had lost the Scramble match.

- Layla was at the American Airlines Arena today in Miami, Florida checking out the Miami Heat dancer tryouts.

 

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WWE Raw House Show Results (7/18/09) - Aiken, South Carolina


Below are quick results from last night's WWE Raw house show in Aiken, South Carolina:

* Evan Bourne b. The Brian Kendrick

* WWE Divas Champion Maryse & Alicia Fox b. Mickie James & Gail Kim

* Jack Swagger b. Primo

* WWE United States Champion Kofi Kingston b. Chavo Guerrero to retain

* Santino Marella b. Carlito

* Big Show b. MVP

* John Cena, Triple H & Mark Henry b. Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase & Cody Rhodes

 

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JR: Memphis Mayor Race, Bret Hart's Knee, United Way Commercial, More


Jim Ross has a new blog entry available on his official website. Below are the highlights:

- It looks as if as many as one dozen candidates may run for Mayor of Memphis including several professional politicos. The African American vote in Memphis will be critical for Jerry Lawler and his opponents. From what I read in the Memphis media, some of the black candidates may divide a large segment of Memphis voters which might enhance the King's chances of winning the election. Nonetheless it will be a daunting challenge for any candidate to win the October special election without an established, clear cut favorite and, unfortunately, it may be the candidate who spends the most money on TV and radio ads that "buys" their way into running the city of Memphis. The current Mayor is leaving office but will enjoy, from what I understand, an approximate $90K annual pension of which the Mayor of Memphis earns after one term in office or so it was told to me. The King has tremendous name identity in his home town but his path to City Hall won't be easy and is going to require using a great deal of "shoe leather" and pressing the flesh and spending virtually every waking minute working on his campaign. I haven't talked to Jerry in a couple of weeks but likely will soon, in Philly at the Night of Champions, and will be interested in seeing how his campaign is going.

- I got a nice email from "Hitman" Bret Hart a day or so ago and he is moving around very well with his new knee that replaced the original equipment several weeks ago. Bret is spending time in Calgary this summer and we were hoping to get together when WWE is in Alberta in a few weeks but that looks iffy due to our respective schedules. Bret and I stay in somewhat regular contact and I know he's been keeping an eye on the Hart Dynasty which are now appearing regularly on Friday Night Smackdown.

- I have recorded an United Way commercial with such luminaries as OU Head Football Coach Bob Stoops, OU Head Women's Hoops Coach Sherri Coale, Heisman Trophy winners Steve Owens, Billy Sims, and Jason White. I'm not sure how I made the cut on this one but I am proud to be associated with all these folks and even prouder to help the United Way. When the commercial is done we hope to get a copy to air here on our site. It is important for all of us to give back to our communities especially in today's challenging times. When I think about kids who don't have enough food to eat it makes me want to do more.

- Got somewhat of a break this week as I found out late Friday afternoon that the Smackdown announce team wasn't needed in Raleigh Monday to tape a Superstars' match. We will record ours on Tuesday prior to taping Friday Night Smackdown in Richmond, Virginia. I do plan on getting to Richmond, which was a vital part of the old Jim Crockett Promotions NWA territory back in the day, so I can watch my friends Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill of ZZ Top fame "host" Monday Night Raw.

- I'm beginning to like the guest host business for Raw more and feel like there are many WWE HOF'ers, for example, who can talk and who would be great "one off" hosts of WWE's top television priority, the home of the "A Listers," Monday Night Raw. Certainly celeb's who have projects to promote are viable candidates and especially those that are fans of the genre such as Seth Green last week in Orlando and ZZ Top coming up this Monday from North Carolina State University.

Click here to read the full blog.

 

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More On The Fan Incident At Yesterday's SmackDown/ECW House Show


WNW reader Joey sent word that the fan that hit the ring at yesterday's SmackDown/ECW house show in Greenville, South Carolina got on the apron during Chris Jericho's pre-match promo and event staff quickly tackled him and carried him out.