January 2021 – bamdj.com

— This past week, the Atlanta-Journal Constitution ran a photo of former WCW World Heavyweight Champion Lex Luger, reports PWInsider.com. The paper noted Luger is still wheelchair bound and in rehab trying to overcome his physical issues. It was reported this past June that Luger is able walk for short periods of time.

— Trish Stratus has confirmed her account on MySpace, thus putting the many pages impersonating her to rest. As reported yesterday, Trish has an account on the WWE Universe site. She posted a blog yesterday confirming her MySpace account, which you can visit at www.myspace.com/trishstratus. In her blog yesterday, Trish wrote: “I have to admit, I’m new to this whole world, a world riddled with posers and fakes – you know who you are! I only recently entered this world – I finally entered the myspace world (www.myspace.com/trishstratus). I was contacted by myspace canada who asked if I’d be interested in taking over this one page that had a lot of friends (a lot of people talkin to a fake me!), and it was the one page they had gotten the most amount of reports about that it was a fake (some people know me well – luckily better than this poser).’ Trish also talks about her nomination for a Gemini Viewer’s Choice Award, which you can check out at the following link (voting has since closed). Trish said if she wins, she’ll do a photo shoot and post the pictures on the WWE site. You can read her blog post at the following link.

— Former WWE Diva Ashley Massaro has a new blog post, but it’s a sad one. Today, one of her pets ran outside the house and was instantly killed by a moving truck. {today is a sad day….}

See recent photo of Trish Stratus with Edge

Source: PWInsider.com

— Last night on RAW, the Slammy nominees for Superstar of the Year were announced. They are Edge, Batista, Jeff Hardy, Chris Jericho, Triple H, and John Cena. The award will be presented on next week’s three-hour Raw.

— WWE Intercontinental champion William Regal was not on the road over the weekend or at Raw last night as he’s still sick from the same undisclosed illness he picked up on WWE’s recent European tour.

— During last night’s ECW taping (set to air tonight), it was announced Hornswoggle and Finlay will fight Tony Atlas and Mark Henry at Armageddon.

* Former WWE Star Punches Out Robert Downey Jr. – Find Out Who!

source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

— In light of Gail Kim’s departure from the organization, and Taylor Wilde’s huge title push a few months ago garnering a lukewarm reception from the audience, TNA is searching for a top woman babyface character to lead the Knockouts division. They have a clear-cut lead heel in Awesome Kong, but no clear-cut lead babyface. Kim’s departure from the company & Wilde’s lack of crowd response played into Christy Hemme finally getting a chance after largely sitting on the sidelines since the birth of the Knockouts division late last year. Additionally, TNA has started looking outside for their possible star attraction as some girls currently not affiliated with the company are being considered.

— Last week’s edition of Impact set the company’s all-time audience record on 12/4 with 1.8 million viewers, beating out in total viewers, both episodes of Ultimate Fighter as well as the 12/2 ECW, even though all three episodes drew a higher rating than Impact. Impact did a 1.18 cable rating with a 0.91 in Males 18-34 and 0.89 in Males 35-49. Its greatest audience gain over usual was in the Males 50+ demo as the show drew a 1.20. In segment-by-segment notes, the Samoa Joe vs. Booker T match lost a slate of viewers. The match lost 46,000 viewers. “ODB’s Angle” with Taylor Wilde & Roxxi, as well as backstage promos featuring Team 3-D with Joe and Beer Money trying to get Abyss drunk gained 76,000 viewers. The mixed tag match featuring Christy Hemme & AJ Styles vs. Awesome Kong & Scott Steiner gained 30,000 viewers. The X Division tag match featuring Eric Young, Consequences Creed & Jay Lethal vs. Sheik Abdul Bashir, Jimmy Rave & Sonjay Dutt gained 30,000 viewers. More backstage stuff including a “Sarah Palin” promo with The Beautiful People, “Rough Cut” with LAX, and another segment of Abyss getting drunk gained 46,000 viewers and did the show’s peak rating at 1.25. Following the backstage segments, the ratings sank. The big promo segment featuring Jeff Jarrett, Kurt Angle & Rhino lost 92,000 viewers. The Rhino vs. Sting main event match was the big loser of the night, losing a whopping 137,000 viewers to finish at a 1.10 rating.

— Al Snow, who was backstage at this week’s set of Impact tapings, was apparently not used at either show. He did not appear on last night’s show, and it doesn’t look like he’s appearing on next week’s show either unless he filmed a backstage segment. SLAM! Wrestling talked with Al Snow this past week and the interview will be running tomorrow. SLAM! Wrestling revealed a quote from Snow regarding TNA. “I hope it evolves into something more or I wouldn¹t waste my time by going there,” Snow said. “TNA is right on the cusp of making an impact.”

See video of Raisha Saeed *TALKING NORMAL* (>>)

— There were two dark matches that took place at last night’s joint SmackDown & RAW TV tapings from Toronto. Before SmackDown began, Kizarny beat Zack Ryder. After Raw went off the air, John Cena took on Chris Jericho in a Streetfight. Cena won in about 5 minutes with the FU.

— Entertainment news site HollywoodReporter.com is reporting that NBC has cancelled Hulk Hogan’s show “American Gladiators” after just 2 seasons. The show did big ratings for season 1 but viewership tanked for the second season. Unlike most reality-style shows, American Gladiators was very expensive to produce.

— We reported last week, WWE has released the first batch of downloadable content for the new SmackDown vs. RAW 2009 videogame. Download Pack 1 includes 3 new playable characters (Evan Bourne, Ted DiBiase and Charlie Haas) and new ring attire for Chris Jericho. IGN.com reports that the Playstation 3 version of Download Pack 1 will also include a few exclusives – Holiday costumes for Kelly Kelly and Maria as well as alternate ring attire for Kane, MVP and Edge.

* BATISTA INJURED & Out 6 MONTHS! Will He Miss WRESTLEMANIA? Full Details [>]

As previously reported, Christian Cage’s TNA contract has expired and his profile was removed this week from TNA’s website. While he hasn’t told anyone in TNA that he’s leaving, the general feeling is that he made the decision to leave the company months ago.

Sources say that Cage lost interest with the product and was hard to deal with since October. During a meeting with Dixie Carter and Jeff Jarret, Cage said he had another offer and was considering taking it but hadn’t made up his mind.

TNA has had no communication with Christian since he was written off television in an angle where the Main Event Mafia laid him out. Had he stayed with the company, there was talk of using him as one a leader of the TNA Frontline stable.

Many believe that he has signed a deal with WWE and will debut soon on the Smackdown brand. He is expected to work a program with Edge and Jeff Hardy.

* Exclusive News On VINCE McMAHON’s Return To WWE Television [>]

— Following his release from World Wrestling Entertainment this past November, former ECW General Manager Armando Estrada has been busy opening a fast food restaurant in Glendale, Arizona called “Baby’s Steak and Lemonade.” You can catch him behind the counter there.

In an interview with SLAM! Wrestling, Estrada talked about his time with WWE. Estrada said WWE brass were concerned about fans cheering him due to how he pronounced his name when Umaga entered a program with John Cena at the start of 2007.

“I created that middle name. Paul Heyman helped me come out of my shell. I started rolling my R’s and Paul told me to do it every time,” Estrada said. “We couldn’t have the audience suddenly liking us, and I was told to remove that aspect. John Cena had been getting a mixed reaction and if this top heel and his manager were getting cheered, we ran the risk of the fans booing Cena. January 1st, 2007, in Miami, I was told, ‘You have to stop that.'”

Towards the end of his run in WWE, Estrada still traveled with the company, but was rarely used.

“I was still traveling every week to the television week and I was always being told you are going to start again next week. During that time we switched writers. Unfortunately, I got lost in the mix. There were 10 heels on ECW and five babyfaces.” Of course, he was then let go.

Unfortunately for him, WWE owns the name “Armando Estrada,” even though he created it in Ohio Valley Wrestling. “The original Armando I came up with it was my creation, my brainchild. My name to my short laugh, every catch phrase, every mannerism, breaking the cigar, I came up with ‘Samoan Bulldozer.’ Unfortunately, even though it is my name, I can’t use it.”

You can read the interview in its entirety at the following link.

— Justin Credible announced on his MySpace account (www.myspace.com/thatsjustincredible1) this week that he is no longer a trainer at Jason Knight’s wrestling school in Waterbury, CT. Credible wrote: “Hey Everyone. I just wanted to clear something up. I have received numerous messages asking about the wrestling training facility in Waterbury, CT, about rates, times, classes, etc. I don’t know if it is publicized still that I am training there, but I am no longer a trainer at Jason Knight’s wrestling school in Waterbury, CT. I would like to apologize for any inconvenience this may cause any of you.”

— SLAM! Wrestling has photos from the “Wrestlefest” convention in Carteret, NJ last Saturday. Among those in attendance at the event were Gorgeous George, Shannon Moore, Barry Horowitz, Abdullah the Butcher, Big Daddy V, The Iron Sheik, Vader, Ernest “The Cat” Miller, Vito (in a dress), Nikita Koloff, Sonny Onoo, and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart. You can see the images at the following link.

News on Manu getting kicked out of Legacy – Orton wanted him OUT!

Reader Ashley Colton sent the following:

Impact

As Dave Penzer was getting the crowd propped for the show, the Main Event Mafia of Scott Steiner, Kevin Nash & Booker T come down to the ring. Nash & Booker kick Tenay & West from the broadcast position and Steiner makes Penzer leave the ring. Nash & Booker are on commentary and Scott Steiner is the ring announcer.

Backstage, Kurt Angle has taken off Jeff Jarrett’s office. Jim Cornette comes in and says he cannot hijack the TV show. Angle says no one can stop him, Jarrett is still home nursing his injuries.

Sharmell is now the backstage interviewer and is with ODB. She’ll talks about her match with Kong, Raisha Saaeed, Sojourner Bolt & Rhaka Khan Sharmell says that MEM security escorted Taylor Wilde & Roxxi

4 on 1 Handicapped Match
Awesome Kong & the Kongtourage defeated ODB. Scott Steiner is absolutely hysterical “ring announcing” when
Kong pinned ODB following an Implant Buster.

Back in “Angle’s” office. JB is trying to get Angle to drop this and not to hurt people. He said he’s got Sting vs. Team 3D in a handicap match. JB said he’s got it on good authority that Mick Foley is on his way here. Angle asks him who’s side is he on. Kurt then gives JB a stack of MEM shirts to go and sell at the merchandise stand. And he better not pocket any of the money. He sends it back to Booker.

Sharmell is in the back with Rudy Charles, Andrew Thomas and Earl Hebner. She asks Charles & Thomas what are they gonna do for a living after Booker cripples them in the next match. Thomas says he’s not a wrestler…yet Rudy says he’s an accomplished amateur wrestler.

Booker T def Andrew Thomas & Rudy Charles when Booker pinned Thomas following a Book End. Total squash, Booker hit all his trademark moves on both refs. He continuously yelled at Hebner telling him to do his job & that this had nothing to do with him. Post match, Booker got in Hebner’s face and bullied him until Shane Sewell ran in and attacked Booker. He got in a few hits & chops, but Booker wound up hitting him with a scissor kick.

Back with Angle …Sting shows up and is like..you gotta be kidding me in regards to the handicap match against 3D.

Sharmell in the back with Matt Morgan. She says he’s in for the toughest match of his life as he takes on Petey Williams, who has to have one hand tied behind his back. He says he’s got sympathy for no one and for Abyss who is at home to watch this.

Between matches, Jeremy Borash is out selling t-shirts and questioning the actions of the MEM.

Matt Morgan def Petey Williams (Williams must have one arm tied behind his back)

Scott Steiner says :”I’d like to send a message to Barack Obama right now. Instead of building a wall to keep those Mexicans out, you should make a wall to keep those a****e Canadians from getting in.” Steiner even took a fan’s Canadian flag from ringside and said he wipes his a&** with it. He remained at ringside as Morgan just dominated Williams and instructed him during each pinfall to lift him up and punish him. Slick Johnson untied Williams while Morgan was distracted by Steiner.

Postmatch, Steiner got in the ring and instructed Morgan “to finish him” he wound up giving him a Hellavator and Steiner put him in the Steiner Recliner until Eric Young, Consequences Creed & Jay Lethal come in. Booker T then runs in with a microphone and continues commentary while beating on the fallen members of the Frontline.
Sharmell is in the back with the Motor City Machineguns. Sharmell mentions that members of the Frontline were getting beatdown but they were nowhere to be found, Shelley says they couldn’t tear themselves from their high def plasma TVs.

Team 3D defeated Sting by DQ. Pre-match, Brother Ray takes the mic and says he feels bad for Sting. That this beating is going to be nothing compared to what his MEM brothers did to him 7 or 8 weeks ago. Scott Steiner attempts to announce but Brother Ray keeps interrupting him yelling Blah every time he tries to talk. Steiner announces 3D from Dunkin Donuts from the great state of Obesity. Angle, Steiner and Booker all got involved. LAX, Mick Foley and Abyss all came down to even the odds. Foley said that this experiment is over. Since Steiner likes to play with weapons, he’ll have a weapons match against Abyss and tonight will also be a handicapped match with Kurt Angle taking on both members of LAX.

Don West, Mike Tenay & David Penzer all returned to their regular duties.

Jim Cornette announces at Against All Odds its going to be Booker T taking on Shane Sewell.

Abyss defeated Scott Steiner by DQ Weapons are only legal for Abyss. Steiner was DQ’d when Abyss went to hit Steiner with the ring bell and he hit Abyss with the lead pipe. Postmatch, Steiner was beating down on Abyss when Suicide made his entrance and helped Abyss before disappearing into the darkness.

Lauren is backstage with stars of a new show on Spike called Toughest cowboy and a live bull. Beer Money, Inc shows up and James Storm says he’s the toughest cowboy.

Kurt Angle defeated LAX when Angle pinned Homicide following an Olympic Slam.

Explosion
Brutus Magnus def Eric Young

** LEGENDS MATCH at WRESTLEMANIA: What Hall of Famers Will Be Wrestling??

Image: NJPW

Jon Moxley appeared at the end of tonight’s NJPW Strong, making it clear he would face KENTA in Japan.

KENTA, Hikuleo, and El Phantasmo jumped Lio Rush, Fred Rosser, and TJP following tonight’s main event when Rush pinned ELP. The lights then suddenly went out. Jon Moxley appeared when they came back on with the IWGP United States title and laid out Hikuelo and ELP with the belt. Moxley and KENTA traded blows, with KENTA going for the GTS. Moxley countered and landed the Death Rider DDT.

Moxley took a microphone and said that he doesn’t play political games, and that KENTA’s dream of becoming the United States champion had just become a nightmare. He then said into the camera that he would face KENTA in Tokyo “one of these days”.

Moxley has been IWGP United States champion for 392 days, defeating Lance Archer at Wrestle Kingdom 14 on January 4 of last year. However, he has been unable to come into Japan to defend the championship due to COVID-19 restrictions.

KENTA defeated David Finlay in a New Japan Cup USA tournament final in August to win a briefcase with a IWGP United States title match contract. He successfully defended the briefcase at Wrestle Kingdom 15 on January 4, defeating Satoshi Kojima.

— ContactMusic.com is reporting that “Oscar winner JENNIFER HUDSON’s fiance is in training to become a WWE wrestling superstar. Former Harvard Law School graduate and reality TV star David Otunga has landed a developmental contract at Florida Championship Wrestling, WWE’s developmental league in Tampa. His WWE debut has yet to be finalized, but the pumped-up tough guy hopes to be in the ring by the end of the year.”

— Rob Van Damn has posted a new blog entry talking about the Michael Phelps bong controversy, which you can read at RobVanDam.com

— Former WWE star Bobby Lashley’s second Martial Arts Fight has been announced. Lashley will compete on March 21 in Pensacola, Florida on a card that will feature both MMA and boing fights. No opponent has been announced yet. The event is being promoted by boxing legend Roy Jones, Jr., who will fight Omar Sheika in the main event. Also featured on the card is Seth Petruzzelli, who knocked out Kimbo Slice in 14 seconds on the final EliteX card on CBS.

** VIDEO of LASHLEY’s MMA Debut: First Round TKO! (Direct Link) [>]

PRO WRESTLING ILLUSTRATED DEBUTS NEW WEEKLY SEGMENT, JIM CORNETTE APOLOGIZES TO VINCE MCMAHON AND BASHES KEVIN DUNN, GREG GAGNE JOINS AS SPECIAL GUEST, KENNY BOLIN RETURNS, AND SO MUCH MORE THIS WEEK ON WHO’S SLAMMING WHO?!?

Pro Wrestling Illustrated debuts their new weekly segment, PWI Weekly, this week on Who’s Slamming Who. Frank Krewda takes a look at how WWE should snatch up Petey Williams, Christian’s somewhat underwhelming return to the WWE, and the incident involving Chris Jericho in Victoria, BC from last week.

Greg Gagne will be the special guest this week on Who’s Slamming Who. Gagne will be talking all about the new Gagne Wrestling Academy that just opened up. Gagne will also talk about his father getting inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and how surprised they were, working for WWE developmental, why he no longer works for WWE, OVW, Stephanie McMahon, Vince McMahon, tag team wrestling, CM Punk, and so much more.

Jim Cornette returns this week with an all new episode of Cornette’s Commentary. Cornette goes in-depth on the Chris Jericho situation from last week, apologizes to Vince McManon, talks about how McMahon once told him to eat shit and like it, goes off on a tirade on Kevin Dunn, and more this week on this forty minute adventure!

Who’s Slamming Who hosts Tommy Fierro and Brian Solomon will take a look at Sunday night’s WWE No Way Out PPV. The two will discuss Triple H and Edge winning the titles last night and where this leaves us for WrestleMania 25. They will also discuss Christian’s return to the WWE, other WrestleMania match possibilities, and more.

This week’s show will also have several debuts as far as new weekly segments go, including Howard Brody’s Cafe Brody, Graham Cawthon’s History of the WWE, and Axl Rotten’s Extreme Memories.

Kenny Bolin, who has been missing in action for several weeks on Who’s Slamming Who, makes his return to the show this week. Where has Kenny been and why hasn’t he recorded a segment in so long? Tune in now to find out!

Plus listen to all new exclusive segments this week by: Jerry Jarrett, Iron Sheik, Joe “The Assassin” Hamilton, Lanny Poffo, John Cena Sr., Headshrinker Samu, Bill Behrens, Michael Modest, Lodi, Allan Funk, Rob Feinstein, Evan Ginzburg, Danny Inferno, Ace Darling, Mike Quackenbush, Danny Doring, and more!

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Lex Luger Update, Trish Stratus On MySpace, A Sad Update From Ashley Massaro

Another Armageddon Match, Slammy Nominees, William Regal Update & More