Week in Wrestling #12
Wrestling News From the week of
October 10 - October 16, 2015
October 10 - October 16, 2015
Reason for Cena's Time Away
The Sporting News reported that Cena’s hiatus from WWE is because he’s going to be hosting a fitness reality TV show for FOX. The show is listed as being filmed from 10/26 until early-to-mid January, although it said most of the work would be done over a two month period. After Hell in a Cell, the first show Cena is advertised on is the annual Holiday week show on 12/26 in Madison Square Garden. WWE has not confirmed Cena doing the show and stated his leaving was due to personal reasons.
The Sporting News reported that Cena’s hiatus from WWE is because he’s going to be hosting a fitness reality TV show for FOX. The show is listed as being filmed from 10/26 until early-to-mid January, although it said most of the work would be done over a two month period. After Hell in a Cell, the first show Cena is advertised on is the annual Holiday week show on 12/26 in Madison Square Garden. WWE has not confirmed Cena doing the show and stated his leaving was due to personal reasons.
Lana and Rusev Engaged
After photos had gotten around recently of Lana (Catherine Joy Perry) with an engagement ring from her social media accounts, the assumption was that she and Rusev, who purchased a home together some time back in Nashville, were engaged.
TMZ confirmed that Rusev (Miroslav Barnyashev, 29) and Perry, 30, had gotten engaged last month when he popped the question in their backyard by the swimming pool.
This story broke less than a week after WWE started an angle on the 10/5 Raw where Summer Rae had just proposed to Rusev, and he accepted, with the proviso that he first had to win the WWE title before they could get married. The fact Rusev had gotten engaged in real life to Lana was known to the higher-ups, and there’s little doubt in my mind the decision to do the angle with Summer Rae on 10/5 was due to it. And in storyline, ever since the engagement, they have changed it from Rusev and Lana being enemies to Rusev still having the hots for Lana and Summer clearly being the substitute, as opposed to the replacement.
With the story breaking, WWE turned it into storyline. Keep in mind that WWE constantly plugged how TMZ broke the story, and WWE only mentions the media source that broke the story if they feed the story to them first and have a good relationship with them. The idea they were blindsided by this wasn’t the case.
What we do know is that WWE was fully aware of it coming out, but Vince McMahon wasn’t happy it got out. It makes sense when you think about it, because it’s not about getting engaged, but about maintaining character and storyline in public. Part of the job of a WWE performer in social media is to play the role, although then again, you can argue, starting at the very top, that the rules don’t always apply.
On Raw, Rusev wrestled Ryback, and Summer Rae was in Rusev’s corner. The announcers wondered why she was there since everyone knows Lana and Rusev are engaged, “as reported by TMZ.” But after the match, Summer ripped Rusev a new one, screaming at him for having been engaged for a month and never telling her. She called him a narcissistic, egotistical, jealous, lying, cheating bastard and slapped him in the face. He grumbled some stuff in Bulgarian and it was over.
They had started Dolph Ziggler romancing Summer a few weeks ago, with the idea she was thinking of leaving Rusev, until the proposal that came out of nowhere and seemed to indicate a major change in storyline. Ziggler has since been removed from any interaction with Rusev or Summer, but there were teases of a heel turn. In theory, Cena should lose the U.S. title either on Raw on 10/19, or at the Hell in a Cell PPV, since he’s going on a sabbatical. He pinned Ziggler in a very good television match and there hasn’t been a tease of Cena with anyone else for the PPV. If Summer is to suddenly help Ziggler beat Cena, leading to a Rusev turn with a face Lana, then we can conclude they had a direction and likely changed it and sped it up with the engagement. But if Rusev has no program, that means the angle on Raw was to get out of the storyline and with no future direction. For Ziggler, the innocent bystander so to speak, the key would be that if Lana dumped him in storyline, he’d come off bad, so they had to walk away from his romance with Lana without damage to him.
Given Cena leaving, Ziggler is going to need some kind of a program going forward.
Rusev & Lana was another example of art imitating life as the two were put together two years ago in developmental. She had been with the company for four months at that time, after being signed from a camp where they recruited women from Southern California modeling agencies.
He started training eight years ago at Rikishi’s school in Torrance and was signed by WWE five years ago. He had been managed by Raquel Diaz (Shaul Guerrero), Nick Rogers and Sylvester Lefort before being put with Lana. Since it was Dusty Rhodes idea to put them together, and it’s crazy how many scripted relationships in pro wrestling turn real, the most notable being Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella and HHH & Stephanie, which were both booked by writers in storylines long before they became real-life, and ended up being married couples.
After photos had gotten around recently of Lana (Catherine Joy Perry) with an engagement ring from her social media accounts, the assumption was that she and Rusev, who purchased a home together some time back in Nashville, were engaged.
TMZ confirmed that Rusev (Miroslav Barnyashev, 29) and Perry, 30, had gotten engaged last month when he popped the question in their backyard by the swimming pool.
This story broke less than a week after WWE started an angle on the 10/5 Raw where Summer Rae had just proposed to Rusev, and he accepted, with the proviso that he first had to win the WWE title before they could get married. The fact Rusev had gotten engaged in real life to Lana was known to the higher-ups, and there’s little doubt in my mind the decision to do the angle with Summer Rae on 10/5 was due to it. And in storyline, ever since the engagement, they have changed it from Rusev and Lana being enemies to Rusev still having the hots for Lana and Summer clearly being the substitute, as opposed to the replacement.
With the story breaking, WWE turned it into storyline. Keep in mind that WWE constantly plugged how TMZ broke the story, and WWE only mentions the media source that broke the story if they feed the story to them first and have a good relationship with them. The idea they were blindsided by this wasn’t the case.
What we do know is that WWE was fully aware of it coming out, but Vince McMahon wasn’t happy it got out. It makes sense when you think about it, because it’s not about getting engaged, but about maintaining character and storyline in public. Part of the job of a WWE performer in social media is to play the role, although then again, you can argue, starting at the very top, that the rules don’t always apply.
On Raw, Rusev wrestled Ryback, and Summer Rae was in Rusev’s corner. The announcers wondered why she was there since everyone knows Lana and Rusev are engaged, “as reported by TMZ.” But after the match, Summer ripped Rusev a new one, screaming at him for having been engaged for a month and never telling her. She called him a narcissistic, egotistical, jealous, lying, cheating bastard and slapped him in the face. He grumbled some stuff in Bulgarian and it was over.
They had started Dolph Ziggler romancing Summer a few weeks ago, with the idea she was thinking of leaving Rusev, until the proposal that came out of nowhere and seemed to indicate a major change in storyline. Ziggler has since been removed from any interaction with Rusev or Summer, but there were teases of a heel turn. In theory, Cena should lose the U.S. title either on Raw on 10/19, or at the Hell in a Cell PPV, since he’s going on a sabbatical. He pinned Ziggler in a very good television match and there hasn’t been a tease of Cena with anyone else for the PPV. If Summer is to suddenly help Ziggler beat Cena, leading to a Rusev turn with a face Lana, then we can conclude they had a direction and likely changed it and sped it up with the engagement. But if Rusev has no program, that means the angle on Raw was to get out of the storyline and with no future direction. For Ziggler, the innocent bystander so to speak, the key would be that if Lana dumped him in storyline, he’d come off bad, so they had to walk away from his romance with Lana without damage to him.
Given Cena leaving, Ziggler is going to need some kind of a program going forward.
Rusev & Lana was another example of art imitating life as the two were put together two years ago in developmental. She had been with the company for four months at that time, after being signed from a camp where they recruited women from Southern California modeling agencies.
He started training eight years ago at Rikishi’s school in Torrance and was signed by WWE five years ago. He had been managed by Raquel Diaz (Shaul Guerrero), Nick Rogers and Sylvester Lefort before being put with Lana. Since it was Dusty Rhodes idea to put them together, and it’s crazy how many scripted relationships in pro wrestling turn real, the most notable being Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella and HHH & Stephanie, which were both booked by writers in storylines long before they became real-life, and ended up being married couples.
WWE and ESPN Partnership
WWE made a deal with ESPN where SportsCenter will do a weekly segment covering WWE news and interviewing a character. Jonathan Coachman handles the segment. The first segment was on 10/13 with Rollins, who was in character, and then asked some obviously pre-planned sports questions. The segment is part of a business deal. There shouldn’t be an issue of ESPN covering WWE because the audience and interest level is large enough to warrant the coverage. It’s not sports, but they cover a lot of things, like the hot dog eating contest and such, that they’ve made into a big deal that aren’t really sports either.
What’s going to be an issue is when there is a real pro wrestling news story that isn’t positive for WWE, and those things are bound to happen, then what? Once you’re covering it, a sports news show couldn’t very well then run away from things like the Snuka murder case–a historical legend in a murder case with a shady back story of 31 years of it being ignored. And there will be real stories all the time. If they aren’t covered, that’s where there is a credibility issue in covering wrestling.
WWE made a deal with ESPN where SportsCenter will do a weekly segment covering WWE news and interviewing a character. Jonathan Coachman handles the segment. The first segment was on 10/13 with Rollins, who was in character, and then asked some obviously pre-planned sports questions. The segment is part of a business deal. There shouldn’t be an issue of ESPN covering WWE because the audience and interest level is large enough to warrant the coverage. It’s not sports, but they cover a lot of things, like the hot dog eating contest and such, that they’ve made into a big deal that aren’t really sports either.
What’s going to be an issue is when there is a real pro wrestling news story that isn’t positive for WWE, and those things are bound to happen, then what? Once you’re covering it, a sports news show couldn’t very well then run away from things like the Snuka murder case–a historical legend in a murder case with a shady back story of 31 years of it being ignored. And there will be real stories all the time. If they aren’t covered, that’s where there is a credibility issue in covering wrestling.
Mark Henry retiring
Mark Henry, 44, who has talked retirement for years, insists that when his contract expires after WrestleMania this year, he will retire. He said he had decided to retire in 2013, but Vince McMahon talked him into signing one last three-year contract.
With the exception of Undertaker and HHH, Henry, who debuted in 1996, has the most consecutive tenure of any wrestler on the roster. Glen Jacobs started in 1995 as Isaac Yankem (and he’d done a few shows before that), but the Kane character, or at least this version of it, dates back to late 1997.
Mark Henry, 44, who has talked retirement for years, insists that when his contract expires after WrestleMania this year, he will retire. He said he had decided to retire in 2013, but Vince McMahon talked him into signing one last three-year contract.
With the exception of Undertaker and HHH, Henry, who debuted in 1996, has the most consecutive tenure of any wrestler on the roster. Glen Jacobs started in 1995 as Isaac Yankem (and he’d done a few shows before that), but the Kane character, or at least this version of it, dates back to late 1997.
Hell in the Cell Lineup
The update on Hell in a Cell is the entire card looks like it’s been released with the exception of Cena’s match, if he’s wrestling. With most key people accounted for, Cena vs. Ziggler seems like the option. The card has Lesnar vs. Undertaker and Wyatt vs. Reigns as the Hell in a Cell matches, Rollins vs. Kane for the WWE title, New Day vs. Dudleys for the tag title, Owens vs. Ryback for the IC title, and Charlotte vs. Nikki Bella for the Divas title and Orton & Ambrose vs. Harper & Strowman.
The update on Hell in a Cell is the entire card looks like it’s been released with the exception of Cena’s match, if he’s wrestling. With most key people accounted for, Cena vs. Ziggler seems like the option. The card has Lesnar vs. Undertaker and Wyatt vs. Reigns as the Hell in a Cell matches, Rollins vs. Kane for the WWE title, New Day vs. Dudleys for the tag title, Owens vs. Ryback for the IC title, and Charlotte vs. Nikki Bella for the Divas title and Orton & Ambrose vs. Harper & Strowman.
Mania Travel Package Gone
All WrestleMania travel packages that were put on sale on 10/13 sold out within 90 minutes, including the $6,600 package that includes front row seats.
All WrestleMania travel packages that were put on sale on 10/13 sold out within 90 minutes, including the $6,600 package that includes front row seats.
New WWE Kids Show
WWE is looking at adding yet another show. Whether this is for the network or broadcast TV is unknown, but it’s a unique attempt to do a show aimed at young kids. A pilot for a WWE NXT show is being shot in conjunction with the TV tapings at Full Sail University. The concept is kids, ages seven to 14, as the talent doing interviews and features with NXT talent.
They are looking for both boys and girls and multiple ethnicities as the broadcast talent. One person in the company hinted that this may be a vehicle for Izzy and even if it doesn’t end up being that way, that it was inspired by her. It is not a coincidence she’s in all those crowd shots placed so prominently in the front row and featured on videos.
WWE is looking at adding yet another show. Whether this is for the network or broadcast TV is unknown, but it’s a unique attempt to do a show aimed at young kids. A pilot for a WWE NXT show is being shot in conjunction with the TV tapings at Full Sail University. The concept is kids, ages seven to 14, as the talent doing interviews and features with NXT talent.
They are looking for both boys and girls and multiple ethnicities as the broadcast talent. One person in the company hinted that this may be a vehicle for Izzy and even if it doesn’t end up being that way, that it was inspired by her. It is not a coincidence she’s in all those crowd shots placed so prominently in the front row and featured on videos.
Hall of Fame Talks
Lots of talk regarding The Freebirds to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year in Dallas. For one, Michael Hayes is still with the company and they like to have at least one inductee with ties to the history of wrestling in the area. The Von Erichs are already in, and I don’t see them putting in area legends like Gary Hart, Bruiser Brody, Johnny Valentine, or Gene Kiniski. For one, none are alive. Last year they didn’t induct any Bay Area legends. Ray Stevens was on the list, they were even collecting his memorabilia for doing so, but then made the call against him, likely because Vince doesn’t like to remind people that so many wrestlers passed away young.
Lots of talk regarding The Freebirds to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year in Dallas. For one, Michael Hayes is still with the company and they like to have at least one inductee with ties to the history of wrestling in the area. The Von Erichs are already in, and I don’t see them putting in area legends like Gary Hart, Bruiser Brody, Johnny Valentine, or Gene Kiniski. For one, none are alive. Last year they didn’t induct any Bay Area legends. Ray Stevens was on the list, they were even collecting his memorabilia for doing so, but then made the call against him, likely because Vince doesn’t like to remind people that so many wrestlers passed away young.
James Storm to NXT
James Storm debuted at the 10/8 NXT tapings. He got a huge reaction, the biggest of anyone on the show. He beat Martin Stone and then did the “Sorry about your damn luck” catch phrase. Storm is expected to be a player/coach here as noted last week, although Prowrestlingsheet.com, in a story that Storm retweeted, said that Storm has not signed a contract.
The story said TNA has offered Storm a new deal with a big pay increase, which is a surprise since nobody is getting significant offers from TNA these days except the unofficial feelers for Alberto El Patron (John Gaburick, who came from WWE, thinks Alberto is a huge difference making star). It’s pretty much impossible for me to believe WWE would put Storm on TV, even at NXT, if there was a chance he was going to sign with TNA. Storm was offered a similar type deal as Samoa Joe, where he could work indies, but not TNA or ROH.
James Storm debuted at the 10/8 NXT tapings. He got a huge reaction, the biggest of anyone on the show. He beat Martin Stone and then did the “Sorry about your damn luck” catch phrase. Storm is expected to be a player/coach here as noted last week, although Prowrestlingsheet.com, in a story that Storm retweeted, said that Storm has not signed a contract.
The story said TNA has offered Storm a new deal with a big pay increase, which is a surprise since nobody is getting significant offers from TNA these days except the unofficial feelers for Alberto El Patron (John Gaburick, who came from WWE, thinks Alberto is a huge difference making star). It’s pretty much impossible for me to believe WWE would put Storm on TV, even at NXT, if there was a chance he was going to sign with TNA. Storm was offered a similar type deal as Samoa Joe, where he could work indies, but not TNA or ROH.
More TNA Talent Coming?
The deal regarding TNA talent may be something Vince McMahon has rescinded upon, as he didn’t want to use people who had merchandise deals elsewhere. Or it could be that because NXT isn’t on television that the rules are different. What’s weird is that Storm will be appearing regularly on TNA television for the next two months or so because that’s how long it’s going to be on TV getting through the bracketing he’s in. The only ex-TNA talents hired, Sarah Stock (who hadn’t worked TNA for a few years), Storm and Samoa Joe are not earmarked for the main roster, nor right now is Asuka, who is there both to work with Dana Brooke, who is being earmarked, and also because NXT as a brand is known for great women’s matches and with the exception of Bayley (and to an extent Emma), the women who built it are all on the main roster now.
Storm and Joe are to add experience levels to the third touring brand. It’s a good idea for the younger wrestlers to work with the experienced veterans, as you’ll notice Joe and Rhyno are working a lot with Baron Corbin, who they see as a future main roster star. It’s real interesting with Corbin and Mojo Rawley, because they both came from football and when they started, Rawley was given almost a Goldberg push and then they pretty much dropped it. Corbin was then given a similar push and is being focused on, while Rawley is doing the tag team with Zack Ryder with that really bad prelim gimmick.
The deal regarding TNA talent may be something Vince McMahon has rescinded upon, as he didn’t want to use people who had merchandise deals elsewhere. Or it could be that because NXT isn’t on television that the rules are different. What’s weird is that Storm will be appearing regularly on TNA television for the next two months or so because that’s how long it’s going to be on TV getting through the bracketing he’s in. The only ex-TNA talents hired, Sarah Stock (who hadn’t worked TNA for a few years), Storm and Samoa Joe are not earmarked for the main roster, nor right now is Asuka, who is there both to work with Dana Brooke, who is being earmarked, and also because NXT as a brand is known for great women’s matches and with the exception of Bayley (and to an extent Emma), the women who built it are all on the main roster now.
Storm and Joe are to add experience levels to the third touring brand. It’s a good idea for the younger wrestlers to work with the experienced veterans, as you’ll notice Joe and Rhyno are working a lot with Baron Corbin, who they see as a future main roster star. It’s real interesting with Corbin and Mojo Rawley, because they both came from football and when they started, Rawley was given almost a Goldberg push and then they pretty much dropped it. Corbin was then given a similar push and is being focused on, while Rawley is doing the tag team with Zack Ryder with that really bad prelim gimmick.
WWE eyes more Talent
Lucha Underground announcing a second season was of interest to WWE because we’re told there were three wrestlers under contract to Lucha Underground that they were interested in. Angelico are Ricochet are two of the names. Ricochet lives in Orlando already, as he’s the roommate of Apollo Crews. If they can sign him, it’s already been talked about fast tracking him to matches with Finn Balor, but he’s got a seven-year contract with Lucha Underground and New Japan was looking at doing a lot with him as well.
Lucha Underground announcing a second season was of interest to WWE because we’re told there were three wrestlers under contract to Lucha Underground that they were interested in. Angelico are Ricochet are two of the names. Ricochet lives in Orlando already, as he’s the roommate of Apollo Crews. If they can sign him, it’s already been talked about fast tracking him to matches with Finn Balor, but he’s got a seven-year contract with Lucha Underground and New Japan was looking at doing a lot with him as well.
WWE/ Evolve Deal
As of 10/14, there was no official on-paper deal with WWE and Evolve, but based on WWE sending Sami Zayn to the Evolve shows this coming weekend they have a working relationship. Plus, what HHH said about Evolve and Gabe Sapolsky, and what Sapolsky said as well, clearly something is happening, but one person close to the situation said it would be a while before any official deal would be concluded, if one ever is, but they are helping them out.
HHH sent Zayn to help Evolve with ticket sales for its shows on 10/17 in Queens, NY, and 10/18 in Deer Park, NY, which are iPPV shows. They are not allowing Zayn to appear on the iPPVs. He will be doing an autograph signing for the fans live and will cut a promo in the ring, but the promo is not allowed to air on the iPPV, or at least wasn’t just yet. Zayn is recovering from shoulder surgery and the last word we heard regarding his expected return was at the end of the year. Regarding the Matt Riddle deal, we’re told that Riddle actually said WWE set the deal up with Evolve, and that is correct, but that the reports that WWE sent Riddle to Evolve are not the case.
As of 10/14, there was no official on-paper deal with WWE and Evolve, but based on WWE sending Sami Zayn to the Evolve shows this coming weekend they have a working relationship. Plus, what HHH said about Evolve and Gabe Sapolsky, and what Sapolsky said as well, clearly something is happening, but one person close to the situation said it would be a while before any official deal would be concluded, if one ever is, but they are helping them out.
HHH sent Zayn to help Evolve with ticket sales for its shows on 10/17 in Queens, NY, and 10/18 in Deer Park, NY, which are iPPV shows. They are not allowing Zayn to appear on the iPPVs. He will be doing an autograph signing for the fans live and will cut a promo in the ring, but the promo is not allowed to air on the iPPV, or at least wasn’t just yet. Zayn is recovering from shoulder surgery and the last word we heard regarding his expected return was at the end of the year. Regarding the Matt Riddle deal, we’re told that Riddle actually said WWE set the deal up with Evolve, and that is correct, but that the reports that WWE sent Riddle to Evolve are not the case.
Tokyo Dome Main Event Set
Kazuchika Okada defending the IWGP heavyweight title against Hiroshi Tanahashi is now officially the main event for Wrestle Kingdom 10 on 1/4 at the Tokyo Dome.
This marks the third time in the last four years the two have headlined Japan’s biggest pro wrestling event of the year. In 2013, Tanahashi pinned Okada to retain the IWGP title, and the same thing happened in 2015. Both were among the best matches of their respective years.
But there is going to the well once too often and New Japan is clearly past its peak, its top stars are physically beaten up. While still able to produce excellent matches on big shows, you can clearly see the difference in wrestlers like Tanahashi and Tomohiro Ishii due to the punishment they’ve taken in recent years, to where they may have to eventually join the likes of Yuji Nagata and Satoshi Kojima in the multiple-man prelims at some point, although with Tanahashi, just on name value, it will probably be some time before that happens. More importantly, the new stars aren’t there, and even if recruiting gets to the level of the 70s, 80s and 90s New Japan, it takes years before those dividends pay off. If New Japan had surpassed WWE as a model of booking and growing a fading wrestling business, WWE’s greater foresight with the emphasis on developmental has put it in far better position for the long run no matter the in-ring product quality.
Kazuchika Okada defending the IWGP heavyweight title against Hiroshi Tanahashi is now officially the main event for Wrestle Kingdom 10 on 1/4 at the Tokyo Dome.
This marks the third time in the last four years the two have headlined Japan’s biggest pro wrestling event of the year. In 2013, Tanahashi pinned Okada to retain the IWGP title, and the same thing happened in 2015. Both were among the best matches of their respective years.
But there is going to the well once too often and New Japan is clearly past its peak, its top stars are physically beaten up. While still able to produce excellent matches on big shows, you can clearly see the difference in wrestlers like Tanahashi and Tomohiro Ishii due to the punishment they’ve taken in recent years, to where they may have to eventually join the likes of Yuji Nagata and Satoshi Kojima in the multiple-man prelims at some point, although with Tanahashi, just on name value, it will probably be some time before that happens. More importantly, the new stars aren’t there, and even if recruiting gets to the level of the 70s, 80s and 90s New Japan, it takes years before those dividends pay off. If New Japan had surpassed WWE as a model of booking and growing a fading wrestling business, WWE’s greater foresight with the emphasis on developmental has put it in far better position for the long run no matter the in-ring product quality.
Puma/ Ricochet Deal
Everything regarding Ricochet/Prince Puma as it pertains to New Japan is said to be worked out. He can do New Japan as Ricochet as long as it doesn’t conflict with the TV tapings, which are his first contractual priority. He will be on the entire tour. He was also originally booked for a major match at the Tokyo Dome, but we’re not sure about the Lucha Underground TV tapings schedule in January.
Everything regarding Ricochet/Prince Puma as it pertains to New Japan is said to be worked out. He can do New Japan as Ricochet as long as it doesn’t conflict with the TV tapings, which are his first contractual priority. He will be on the entire tour. He was also originally booked for a major match at the Tokyo Dome, but we’re not sure about the Lucha Underground TV tapings schedule in January.
Alberto Del Rio Up in the Air
Alberto El Patron’s tenure with the company for season two is right now up in the air. A multiple number of sources have indicated issues from his side, both financial and creative, and that he is right now unlikely to return, but that it could still happen. He was the promotion’s highest paid wrestler and on television, came across as its biggest star, and those close to the situation have said that he can get out of the contract.
There was the feeling he was promised it would be built around him and he didn’t see that as happening. He had publicly said things about how he was told when the second season would start filming, and it got pushed back several times. Personally I’ve seen guys screwed everywhere by creative. In his case, with this group, I didn’t see that at all. He was pushed as the top star babyface with Prince Puma as the upcoming babyface.
Of late, there has been some form of communication with TNA, which had wanted him as soon as he got his WWE release, and has said they will make him the top star of the promotion if he comes in. Obviously, given the Hernandez mistake, TNA can’t directly negotiate a deal with him unless he gets a written Lucha Underground release. New Japan has interest in him, since they know they need a new headliner in the mix. The name is there and he worked for New Japan frequently as Dos Caras Jr., so knows the style. But whether he can compete at the “Big Four” level is the question.
WWE has always wanted him back. They never wanted him to leave in the first place as he was told by HHH to just take the six months off and let things die down after he slapped an employee, and for legal reasons having to do with an outstanding lawsuit from another case of a talent (Show) that allegedly roughed up an employee and the employee had filed suit, that they felt they had to get rid of him when he slapped Cody Barbierri after Barbierri made a racial remark that he got wind of. He was told he’d be brought back in six months, but he said that if the situation wasn’t settled in the phone call, it would never be settled.
A lot of the talent was pretty strong privately that he should be brought back as he was well liked. He had noted when he left that he was fortunate that he could make the same money outside WWE and work a less taxing schedule, be in more control of his destiny and see his family more. But a lot of that was the Lucha Underground contract since he was the highest paid guy in the organization. But there is talk within WWE about him coming back, not that it’s a done deal and even those close to him have hinted to me more about him going to TNA and not WWE.
Alberto El Patron’s tenure with the company for season two is right now up in the air. A multiple number of sources have indicated issues from his side, both financial and creative, and that he is right now unlikely to return, but that it could still happen. He was the promotion’s highest paid wrestler and on television, came across as its biggest star, and those close to the situation have said that he can get out of the contract.
There was the feeling he was promised it would be built around him and he didn’t see that as happening. He had publicly said things about how he was told when the second season would start filming, and it got pushed back several times. Personally I’ve seen guys screwed everywhere by creative. In his case, with this group, I didn’t see that at all. He was pushed as the top star babyface with Prince Puma as the upcoming babyface.
Of late, there has been some form of communication with TNA, which had wanted him as soon as he got his WWE release, and has said they will make him the top star of the promotion if he comes in. Obviously, given the Hernandez mistake, TNA can’t directly negotiate a deal with him unless he gets a written Lucha Underground release. New Japan has interest in him, since they know they need a new headliner in the mix. The name is there and he worked for New Japan frequently as Dos Caras Jr., so knows the style. But whether he can compete at the “Big Four” level is the question.
WWE has always wanted him back. They never wanted him to leave in the first place as he was told by HHH to just take the six months off and let things die down after he slapped an employee, and for legal reasons having to do with an outstanding lawsuit from another case of a talent (Show) that allegedly roughed up an employee and the employee had filed suit, that they felt they had to get rid of him when he slapped Cody Barbierri after Barbierri made a racial remark that he got wind of. He was told he’d be brought back in six months, but he said that if the situation wasn’t settled in the phone call, it would never be settled.
A lot of the talent was pretty strong privately that he should be brought back as he was well liked. He had noted when he left that he was fortunate that he could make the same money outside WWE and work a less taxing schedule, be in more control of his destiny and see his family more. But a lot of that was the Lucha Underground contract since he was the highest paid guy in the organization. But there is talk within WWE about him coming back, not that it’s a done deal and even those close to him have hinted to me more about him going to TNA and not WWE.
TNA Tournament Foolishness
The next few months of TNA television will have a new format that debuted on 10/7, a show built around a lengthy tournament for the vacant TNA title.
The tournament, which was taped in late July, was based on a storyline where Matt Hardy, who had just won the title at Bound for Glory on 10/4, vacated it for the good of the company and the business when Ethan Carter III got an injunction which would not allow him to appear as champion on television, claiming Jeff Hardy helped him win the title match.
The funny part of the storyline is that Matt Hardy vacated the title for the good of the company because due to court delays, the idea is that it would be months before the case would be settled due to the injunction and TNA is built around its title and it would cripple them not to have a champion for months. You can fill in the punch line on that. In addition, the idea is EC 3 got an injunction because he lost the title. Well, before, if Hardy was champion, he’d get a rematch right away. With the tournament, there is no title shot for him and instead of just having to face Hardy and beat him to get the title, he now has to win a several month long 32 man tournament. In theory, shouldn’t he then voluntarily drop his injunction and just settle out of court for his title rematches?
But in real life, the idea was to spend these months doing the tournament and this was the storyline they came up with. They did six matches on the first TV show and the tournament is 61 matches, so it should probably cover 10 or 11 weeks of programming.
The next few months of TNA television will have a new format that debuted on 10/7, a show built around a lengthy tournament for the vacant TNA title.
The tournament, which was taped in late July, was based on a storyline where Matt Hardy, who had just won the title at Bound for Glory on 10/4, vacated it for the good of the company and the business when Ethan Carter III got an injunction which would not allow him to appear as champion on television, claiming Jeff Hardy helped him win the title match.
The funny part of the storyline is that Matt Hardy vacated the title for the good of the company because due to court delays, the idea is that it would be months before the case would be settled due to the injunction and TNA is built around its title and it would cripple them not to have a champion for months. You can fill in the punch line on that. In addition, the idea is EC 3 got an injunction because he lost the title. Well, before, if Hardy was champion, he’d get a rematch right away. With the tournament, there is no title shot for him and instead of just having to face Hardy and beat him to get the title, he now has to win a several month long 32 man tournament. In theory, shouldn’t he then voluntarily drop his injunction and just settle out of court for his title rematches?
But in real life, the idea was to spend these months doing the tournament and this was the storyline they came up with. They did six matches on the first TV show and the tournament is 61 matches, so it should probably cover 10 or 11 weeks of programming.
Tournament Takes Angle off TV
The reason they did another injury angle with Kurt Angle, even though he beat Eric Young on Bound for Glory, is that with the next few months of television already taped in July, while he was recovering from his latest surgery, they had to do another injury to take him out again.
The reason they did another injury angle with Kurt Angle, even though he beat Eric Young on Bound for Glory, is that with the next few months of television already taped in July, while he was recovering from his latest surgery, they had to do another injury to take him out again.
TNA Cancels Tour
The final U.S. house show tour of the year, from 10/29 to 11/1, was canceled due to poor advances. TNA evidently claimed it was due to logistical problems, and advances were fine. If the advances were fine, the shows would have been run. Talent was notified on 10/9, making it pretty difficult to get new bookings three weeks out. According to people on the show, when talent was told about the cancellations, they were told they were getting partial pay for the dates, “although not a lot.”
That tells you something when the advances are so bad that the company makes out better with partial pay, but saving the costs of actually doing the show and the trans. This was a major loss of confidence, because sources at WWE, Lucha Underground, New Japan and AAA all confirmed getting phone calls from talent inquiring about the possibility of coming in. WWE is very much in the idea they can pick and choose. Unless it’s a real big star, we’re told Lucha Underground and AAA want talent that already has experience in the Lucha style.
The shows were 10/29 in Thibodaux, LA, 10/30 in New Orleans, 10/31 in Baton Rouge and 11/1 in Biloxi, MS. The surprise is that the New Orleans show had been promoted as “The Battle of New Orleans,” at the Lakefront Arena, and was a One Night Only PPV taping with a loaded lineup of Angle vs. Young in a cage match, Kim vs. Kong in a cage match, The Wolves vs. EC 3 & Tyrus in a tag title match (which was funny since at Bound for Glory part of the angle was that Tyrus didn’t want to team with EC 3 to go after the tag team titles), Roode vs. Matt Hardy for the King of the Mountain title and Abyss vs. Robbie E.
The final U.S. house show tour of the year, from 10/29 to 11/1, was canceled due to poor advances. TNA evidently claimed it was due to logistical problems, and advances were fine. If the advances were fine, the shows would have been run. Talent was notified on 10/9, making it pretty difficult to get new bookings three weeks out. According to people on the show, when talent was told about the cancellations, they were told they were getting partial pay for the dates, “although not a lot.”
That tells you something when the advances are so bad that the company makes out better with partial pay, but saving the costs of actually doing the show and the trans. This was a major loss of confidence, because sources at WWE, Lucha Underground, New Japan and AAA all confirmed getting phone calls from talent inquiring about the possibility of coming in. WWE is very much in the idea they can pick and choose. Unless it’s a real big star, we’re told Lucha Underground and AAA want talent that already has experience in the Lucha style.
The shows were 10/29 in Thibodaux, LA, 10/30 in New Orleans, 10/31 in Baton Rouge and 11/1 in Biloxi, MS. The surprise is that the New Orleans show had been promoted as “The Battle of New Orleans,” at the Lakefront Arena, and was a One Night Only PPV taping with a loaded lineup of Angle vs. Young in a cage match, Kim vs. Kong in a cage match, The Wolves vs. EC 3 & Tyrus in a tag title match (which was funny since at Bound for Glory part of the angle was that Tyrus didn’t want to team with EC 3 to go after the tag team titles), Roode vs. Matt Hardy for the King of the Mountain title and Abyss vs. Robbie E.
RAW Ratings keep Falling
Going against the combination of the NFL and Major League Baseball playoffs, combined with a lethargic product, Raw on 10/12 did a 2.32 rating and 3.27 million viewers (1.47 viewers per home), breaking the all-time non-holiday modern era viewer low and tying the ratings low. The show was fifth for the night on cable, beating everything non-sports related.
The previous low was a 2.32 rating and 3.32 million viewers mark set on the 9/28 show.
The NFL number was down from recent weeks, as the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Diego Chargers game did 12.18 million viewers. But it also faced competition with the playoff games on TBS with the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs doing 5.78 million viewers against the first half of the show, and the New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers did 3.96 million against the second half.
The show saw a consistent and significant viewership decline as the show went on. The 8 p.m. hour did 3.52 million viewers, but the big drop from usual was in the 9 p.m. hour as it fell to 3.25 million. The 10 p.m. hour did 3.08 million viewers. It was the least watched 9 p.m. hour of Raw since years before the Monday Night Wars ended, even including holidays, breaking a mark set two weeks earlier. The third hour was the second lowest non-holiday number, ahead of only the 3.02 million viewers on 9/7.
Going against the combination of the NFL and Major League Baseball playoffs, combined with a lethargic product, Raw on 10/12 did a 2.32 rating and 3.27 million viewers (1.47 viewers per home), breaking the all-time non-holiday modern era viewer low and tying the ratings low. The show was fifth for the night on cable, beating everything non-sports related.
The previous low was a 2.32 rating and 3.32 million viewers mark set on the 9/28 show.
The NFL number was down from recent weeks, as the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Diego Chargers game did 12.18 million viewers. But it also faced competition with the playoff games on TBS with the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs doing 5.78 million viewers against the first half of the show, and the New York Mets vs. Los Angeles Dodgers did 3.96 million against the second half.
The show saw a consistent and significant viewership decline as the show went on. The 8 p.m. hour did 3.52 million viewers, but the big drop from usual was in the 9 p.m. hour as it fell to 3.25 million. The 10 p.m. hour did 3.08 million viewers. It was the least watched 9 p.m. hour of Raw since years before the Monday Night Wars ended, even including holidays, breaking a mark set two weeks earlier. The third hour was the second lowest non-holiday number, ahead of only the 3.02 million viewers on 9/7.
TNA Ratings Up
Impact on 10/7, with the post-Bound for Glory show and first week of the world title tournament drew greatly increased ratings. The 9 p.m. show was up 22 percent to 335,000 viewers. The midnight replay was up 62 percent to 112,000 viewers, which is the second best replay rating since the move to Wednesday. The total of the two shows, 447,000. It was best since 9/6 and fourth best since the move to Wednesday.
Impact on 10/7, with the post-Bound for Glory show and first week of the world title tournament drew greatly increased ratings. The 9 p.m. show was up 22 percent to 335,000 viewers. The midnight replay was up 62 percent to 112,000 viewers, which is the second best replay rating since the move to Wednesday. The total of the two shows, 447,000. It was best since 9/6 and fourth best since the move to Wednesday.