February 2021 – Page 6

— Jim Ross has posted a blog on his website talking about last night’s Raw/Saturday Night’s Main Event taping in Washington D.C. He talks about Mike Adamle being named the General Manager of Raw, saying that it was a shocker. Ross wrote, “The naming of Adamle as Ras GM was universally considered a shocker by the Raw superstars. I did not see this one coming and it will be most interesting to see how the former NFL running back and sports broadcaster settles into his new, high profile. Some wrestlers were especially vocal regarding Adamle’s announcement which was kept as a well concealed secret.” He also said Michael Cole will be back on Raw next week. Now that Adamle is going to be busy on Raw, it looks there’s going to be a new ECW announcer. Apparently, Ross gave the name away. Ross wrote, “With Adamle focusing on Raw, rumor has it that Todd Grisham will join Tazz on ECW TV show going forward.” You can read his blog in its entirety at this link.

— Regarding the supposed Raw/ECW taping on 12/1 in Washington D.C., the ECW taping is still on, reports PWInsider.com. The deal is that WWE will be taping ECW prior to Raw on weeks in which SmackDown is being taped on a Sunday for some reason. SmackDown’s occasionally taped on Sundays to accommodate international tours. At the moment, it doesn’t look like ECW will be with Raw full-time.

— Victoria is the latest Diva to be featured in WWE.com’s “Summer Skin” feature. You can see her material at this link. She lists Sensational Sherri as her favorite WWE Superstar.

See RECENT photos of Randy Savage!

The following is from WWE.com:

Preview: Proving their mettle
August 8, 2008

In celebration of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, SmackDown’s Divas will compete in a special Six-Diva WWE Olympic Tag Team Match, pitting Michelle McCool, Maria & Cherry against Natalya, Victoria & Maryse. Which team will prove its mettle?

Before WWE Champion Triple H collides with The Great Khali at SummerSlam, the two will square off in an Indian Broken Glass Arm Wrestling Contest on SmackDown. With razor-sharp shards of glass just inches from each Superstar’s bare arms, the risk for injury is high. Who will emerge unscathed, ready for their title match at the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer?

Last week on SmackDown, Mick Foley suffered a brutal attack from Edge after offering advice on how the Rated-R Superstar should approach his looming Hell in a Cell Match with Undertaker at SummerSlam. Can Edge find another way to overcome his SummerSlam nightmare in time? Or is he destined to become another victim of The Deadman’s wrath in the sadistic structure?
Tensions continue to mount between Jeff Hardy and Montel Vontavious Porter. Will the two Superstars wait until their battle at SummerSlam to settle the score, or will they continue their war on SmackDown?

As SummerSlam approaches, tune in to Friday Night SmackDown at 8/7 CT only on The CW Network to witness all of the action. And don’t forget to catch the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer, Sunday, Aug. 17 only on pay-per-view.

* VIDEO of BROCK LESNAR Training For Saurday’s Fight – HEATH HERRING is a DEAD MAN!!

WWE announced the following rules for the Unforgiven 5-man Scramble match on the WWE Fan Nation site:

* The match has a 20-minute time limit. The champion and a randomly selected challenger will start the match, with a new challenger entering the match every five minutes.

* If a Superstar scores a pinfall or submission on any other Superstar in the match, he is declared the “temporary” champion for match purposes (and is not officially recognized as champion in the title history). He holds that designation until another Superstar scores a subsequent pinfall or submission on any other Superstar.

*SPOILER* Unforgiven SmackDown! Main Event Announced .. Triple H vs. ???

1911

St. Joseph, Missouri:

– George Hackenschmidt beat Leo Pardello 2 falls to 0

1914

Minneapolis, Minnesota:

– Charlie Cutler defeated Henry Ordemann to win the American Heavyweight Championship

1928

Michigan City, Indiana:

– Ed “Strangler” Lewis defeated Wayne Munn to win the Illinois and Michigan version of the World Heavyweight Title and unify it with his undisputed title

1934

St. Louis, Missouri:

– World Heavyweight Champion Jim Londos beat Gus Sonnenberg

– Ernie Dusek beat Sol Slagel

– Abe Coleman beat Dick Raines by countout

1957

Seattle, Washington:

– Ed Francis and Henry Lenz defeated Red Bastien and Roy Heffernan to win the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Titles

1963

Omaha, Nebraska:

– AWA Champion Verne Gagne beat The Sheik

– Fritz Von Erich beat Crusher

– Waldo Von Erich beat Gordy Nelson

1970

Orlando, Florida:

– NWA World Title: Dory Funk, Jr. defeated Bob Orton by countout

– Sailor Art Thomas & Louie Tillet defeated Mephisto & Dante by DQ

– Sam Steamboat drew Hiro Matsuda

– Vivian Vachon defeated Paula Kaye

– Missouri Mauler defeated Jack Brisco

1973

St. Louis, Missouri: (Attendance: 10,544)

– NWA Champion Dory Funk Jr. defeated Johnny Valentine in 2 out of 3 falls

– Rufus R. Jones and Dick Murdoch went to a 20-minute draw as the survivors of a tag elimination bout

– Harley Race defeated Jack Pesek

– Terry Funk and Dory Funk Sr. defeated Sonny Myers and Steve Bolus

– Dan Miller defeated Rick Renaldo

– Ronnie Etchison defeated Bennie Ramirez

1976

Omaha, Nebraska:

– Texas Death Match: Baron Von Raschke beat Pampero Firpo

– Larry Hennig & Jos Leduc beat Jimmy Valiant & Johnny Valiant

– Jean Antone beat Betty Niccoli

– Bob Backlund drew Harley Race

– Khosrow Vaziri beat Buddy Wolff

1977

Miami Beach, Florida:

– Texas Bullrope Match: Dusty Rhodes defeated Ox Baker

– Lights Out Match: The Assassin defeated Superstar Billy Graham (Jos LeDuc special ref)

– Jack & Jerry Brisco defeated Buddy Wolff & Steve Strong by DQ

– Mike Graham beat Bob Orton, Jr.

– Zeigfreid Stanke defeated Tully Blanchard

San Antonio, Texas:

– Ivan Putski beat Black Gordman

– AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel beat Les Thornton

– Great Goliath beat Lord Alfred Hayes

– Moondog Mayne beat Dan Burdick

1978

Amarillo, Texas:

– Dory Funk, Jr. and Larry Lane defeated Brute Bernard and Frank Morrell to win the NWA Western States Tag Team Titles

1981

Memphis, Tennessee:

– Sonny King beat Ali Hassan via DQ

– Dream Machine beat Tommy Gilbert

– Dream Machine, Angel, & Gypsy Joe beat Eddie Gilbert, Sonny King, & Ricky Morton

– Eddie Hogan beat Buddy Wayne

– Tony Charles pinned Billy Robinson

– Southern Champ Jimmy Valiant beat Hector Guerrero

– The Bounty Hunters (David and Jerry Novak) defeated Bill Dundee and Tommy Rich in a no-disqualification Title vs. Hair match for the AWA Southern Tag Team Titles

– Jerry Lawler pinned Austin Idol

1986

Charlotte, North Carolina:

– Misty Blue defeated Linda Dallas

– Ron Bass & Nelson Royal defeated Jim & Mack Jeffers

– Don Kernodle defeated Thunderfoot

– NWA Mid Atlantic Heavyweight Champion Sam Houston

– NWA US Champion Magnum TA pinned the Barbarian

– Ron Garvin fought Tully Blanchard to a 30-minute time-limit draw

– NWA Tag Team Champions Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated Bobby Eaton & Dennis Condrey

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada:

– Joey War Eagle defeated Jet Star via disqualification

– Sgt. Slaughter defeated Danny Johnson

– Little Farmer Pete pinned Frenchy Lamonte

– Pat & Mike Kelly fought Angelo Mosca Jr. & Vic Rossitani to a no contest

– Jimmy Valiant fought Abdullah the Butcher to a no contest

– The Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering) defeated Nikita Koloff & Baron Von Raschke

– NWA World Champion Ric Flair pinned National Heavyweight Champion Dusty Rhodes (w/ Baby Doll)

Atlanta, Georgia:

– Ron Bass fought the Barbarian to a draw

– Baron Von Raschke defeated the Italian Stallion

– Jimmy Valiant defeated NWA TV Champion Arn Anderson via disqualification

– The Midnight Express (Dennis Condrey and Bobby Eaton) defeated The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton) to win the NWA World Tag Team Titles

– The Road Warriors (w/ Paul Ellering) defeated NWA Six Man Tag Team Champions Ivan & Nikita Koloff via disqualification

– National Heavyweight Champion Dusty Rhodes (w/ Baby Doll) fought Tully Blanchard (w/ JJ Dillon) to a 20-minute time-limit draw

– NWA World Champion Ric Flair pinned Ron Garvin

1987

WCCW Star Wars: Fort Worth, Texas:

– The Dingo Warrior defeated WCWA Texas Heavyweight Champion Bob Bradley to win the title

– WCWA World Heavyweight Champion Kevin Von Erich defeated WCWA World Tag Team Champion Al Madril to retain the title

– Abdullah the Butcher defeated Tony Atlas by countout

– The Fantastics (Bobby Fulton and Tommy Rogers) and The Rock ‘n’ Roll RPM’s (Mike Davis and Tommy Lane) fought to a double-countout

– Kerry Von Erich defeated WCWA World Tag Team Champion Brian Adias

1989

International Bash: Kansas City, Kansas:

– Rick McCord defeated Bobby Jaggers

– Tiger Mask defeated Tommy Sharpe

– Dory Funk Jr. & Terry Funk defeated Doug Somers & Gary Young

– Tenryu defeated Bill Irwin

– Akio Sato defeated Curtis Hughes

– (Special Referee: Pat O’Connor): The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith & The Dynamite Kid) wrestled The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) to a time limit draw (30 minutes)

– AJPW World Tag Team Title Match: Jumbo Tsuruta & Yoshiaki Yatsu defeated Stan Hansen & Terry Gordy to win the titles

– WWA World Heavyweight Title Title Match: Mike George defeated Steve Ray by countout

1991

Portland, Oregon:

– Brad Anderson and The Hood (Ricky Santana) defeated The Wrecking Crew (The Equalizer and The Grappler) for the NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Titles

Bayamon, Puerto Rico:

– Carlos Colón defeated Greg Valentine to win the vacant WWC Universal Heavyweight Title

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

– WCW US Tag Team Champions Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Barry Windham & Terry Taylor (sub. for WCW TV Champion Arn Anderson)

– Brad Armstrong defeated Moondog Rex

– Bobby Eaton fought Tom Zenk to a draw

– WCW Tag Team Champions Doom defeated Tracey Smothers & Steve Armstrong

– Brian Pillman defeated the Big Cat

– WCW US Champion Lex Luger & Sting defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair & Sid Vicious via disqualification

1992

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

– Ron Simmons pinned Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker

– Terrance Taylor pinned Tom Zenk

– Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Diamond Dallas Page & Vinnie Vegas

– Larry Zbyzsko pinned Marcus Alexander Bagwell

– Brian Pillman pinned Richard Morton

– Sting, Dustin Rhodes, & Ricky Steamboat defeated WCW US Champion Rick Rude, Arn Anderson & Bobby Eaton

– Abdullah the Butcher pinned Cactus Jack in a steel cage match

Naucalpan, Mexico:

– Dos Caras defeated El Canek to win the UWA World Heavyweight Title

1995

Maryville, Tennessee:

– Boo Bradley pinned Chris Candido

– Ricky Morton beat Unabom via DQ

– Tracy Smothers & Robert Gibson beat The Gangstas

– The Dirty White Boy pinned Buddy Landel

1997

Cape Girardeau, Missouri:

– The Renegade defeated Terry Taylor

– Syxx & Vincent defeated High Voltage

– WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated Alex Wright

– Jeff Jarrett defeated Syxx

– Lex Luger & the Giant defeated Meng & the Barbarian

2020

NJPW New Beginning in Sapporo night two: Sapporo, Japan:

– Toa Henare pinned Yota Tsuji

– Manabu Nakanishi & Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Tiger Mask beat Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma & Yuya Uemura

– El Phantasmo pinned Gabriel Kidd

– Hirooki Goto & Tomohiro Ishii & Robbie Eagles beat trios champs Shingo Takagi & Evil & Bushi in a non-title match

– Jon Moxley & Sho & Yoh & Ryusuke Taguchi beat Minoru Suzuki & Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Douki

– Tetsuya Naito & Sanada & Hiromu Takahashi beat KENTA & Jay White & Taiji Ishimori

– Zack Sabre Jr. beat Will Ospreay to retain the British heavyweight title

– Kazuchika Okada pinned Taichi

source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

— As reported earlier, Joey Mercury cut an in-ring promo at a Maryland Championship Wrestling indy show two weeks ago saying he was returning to WWE in the form of a tag team with Christian York. There definitely does seem to be something to the story because he’s not take any indy bookings after the month of December.

— The Daily Star has an interview with WWE Diva Katie Lea. “I think there are a lot of very good girls on Raw and Smackdown, ” Katie says. “There’s a lot of effort put in and the producers are taking it very seriously, I think the division is on the way up.” Katie also believes the match quality of the girls is the same as the guys. “Audiences see the guys more as the hero figures and the girls as glamorous. We are not seen as superhumans. In terms of match quality, I would say the girls are the same as the guys now,” Katie said. {Interview with Katie Lea}

— WWE Diva Jillian Hall recently attended her high school reunion and said that a lot of people were surprised by her radically different physical appearance. “Everyone thought that I was completely different than I was in high school, looks-wise, and I am. I’m the same person, obviously, with the same personality. But, looks-wise, some were very surprised,” Jillian said. “Some already knew, though, because they had seen WWE. But, some people didn’t recognize me or even know who I was.” Click here for the latest edition of Diva Dish, which also features tidbits on Mickie James’ appearance on Psych tonight, Michelle McCool spending time with her family, and Maryse talking about how sexy she is. “I consider myself the sexiest woman in the world. I don’t think it’s possible to be sexier than I am. I think eventually my star will say ‘The Sexiest Woman in the World,'” Maryse explained.

Click here to see how Jillian USED to look like (>>)

MyNetworkTV in New York City (WWOR – Channel 9) issued the following release today:

My9’s SmackDown Block Party – 1211 Avenue of Americas between 47th and 48th, New York City, NY from 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Don’t miss out on your chance to celebrate the launch of Friday Night SmackDown on My9 on Friday, October 3rd with your favorite SmackDown Superstars Jeff Hardy, Zach Ryder & Curt Hawkins*, act out your favorite SmackDown entrance and take home a DVD of the experience, get exclusive SmackDown airbrushed tattoos, compete in SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 video games & more!!!

SmackDown has a new home, new attitude. SmackDown premiers on Friday October 3rd only on My Network TV. Check your local listings or log on to www.mynetworktv.com to find your local station.

* Limited space available, pick-up a wristband at the start of the event for a guaranteed Superstar photo or autograph.

* Mick Foley’s TNA Debut Confirmed .. Plus: NASH Leaving TNA For WWE? [>]

— The Sun conducted an interview with Chris Jericho. The headline of the article reads Jericho: It ends at No Mercy. In the interview, Jericho strongly insists that his feud with Shawn Michaels will end at No Mercy next Sunday. He also warned fans not to expect a “classic bout.”

“I think it’s going to be a great ending to one of the best feuds, one of the best angles, of all time — that I can guarantee,” Jericho said. “Whether it will be match of the year, match of the decade, match of the century or even match of the night, that’s not as important to me as putting a real nice exclamation point on the end of this story that we’ve created.”

Jericho said the creative team doesn’t give him a script telling him what to say (practically all of the WWE stars’ promos are scripted word-for-word). “Nobody ever gives me a piece of paper and tells me to say what’s on it. That is not how it works. The best characters are extensions of your own personality — and nobody knows what I would say in the ring better than I do,” Jericho said. “Sometimes they’ll give ideas of what they want me to say and I have to make it mine.”

Quite like his memorable angle with Trish Stratus a few years ago, his angle with Michaels has been generally brainstormed by the actual participants instead of the WWE creative team. The article notes that a major part of the success of the program is due Jericho & Michaels coming up with the material themselves instead of relying on the WWE writers to feed them lines. Jericho also added that the angle wasn’t concocted “in an office.”

“We weren’t just throwing ideas against the wall, we had a plan. And that’s one of the reasons why the angle has been so memorable. It wasn’t just manufactured in an office. It came from our experiences and our lives,” Jericho said.

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

— The final edition of Smackdown on The CW last Friday night drew a solid 2.4 rating on the fast nationals, reports www.f4wonline.com. The final number will be released later this week.

— Jim Ross has posted the foreword for the upcoming biography of wrestling legend Dan Hodge on his website, which you can read at the following link.

Click here to find out which WWE Diva Matt Hardy is dating

Based on last night’s SmackDown! tapings, here is a spoiler-free preview for Friday night’s show:

– Brie Bella vs. Natalya Neidhart

– R-Truth vs. Shelton Benjamin

– Jeff Hardy vs. MVP

– Great Khali will wrestle a handicap match

– Carlito & Primo Colon and Jesse & Festus vs. Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder and Kenny Dykstra and Ryan Braddock

– Triple H vs. Big Show

Complete *SPOILERS* for SmackDown! & BRET HART Shoots HARD On Ric Flair [>]

Source: TheSun.co.uk

Paul Heyman has posted a new column at the UK Sun website, which can be read here in its entirety. Some highlights:

Regarding Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff’s new project, Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Wrestling, Heyman says, “No matter what, the Hulkster will emerge as a big time winner on television. This guy could fall into an ocean of manure and find the one diamond at the bottom of the heap. With all the controversy surrounding Hogan’s personal life – from his son Nick’s incarceration and imminent release from jail … to daughter Brooke’s barely clothed body popping up and out on every Hollywood blog … to The Hulkster’s divorce from wife Linda and her public antics with a teenage paramour – Hogan has been in the headlines in ways he could have never imagined two years ago.”

On whether “Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Wrestling” is the next big concept in sports entertainment, Heyman says, “I doubt it. But it’s different. It’s new. It’s an alternative that’s not trying to be WWE, or WWE-Lite, or the next ECW, or some storyline-driven version of UFC.”

Heyman also thinks WWE and TNA need to revamp their television formats. “Well, let me rephrase that. WWE needs to revamp its television format, and the copycat WWE-Lite mentality that prevails in TNA will simply follow suit. The formula still being used has worked wonders for the billion dollar warchest owned by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, but Vince needs to change his product with the times. The audience is screaming not only for new characters and new storylines, but simply a new way of presenting the product.”

* Lance Cade FIRED For Backstage Incident, CENA’s Return & Stacy Keibler Maxim Pics [>]

— It was announced in a commercial during tonight’s Cyber Sunday pay-per-view that John Cena would be returning to WWE at next month’s Survivor Series pay-per-view. The pay-per-view will be held in Cena’s hometown of Boston, Massachusetts on Sunday, November 23. Cena is presently featured on the promotional poster for Survivor Series.

— Shaquille O’Neal of the Phoenix Suns was in attendance at tonight’s Cyber Sunday pay-per-view at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Santino Marella mentioned him during his promo talking about washed athletes up coming to Phoenix to fade away and Shaq was shown on camera to a big pop.

— For people in the Maryland/Washington D.C. area, the local MyNetworkTV affiliate, My20 WDCA, is holding a contest for fans to win tickets to next year’s WrestleMania. You have to tune into SmackDown for the next three weeks for a secret phrase. For more information on the contest, visit WDCA.com.

Click HERE for pics from Cyber Sunday (>>)

J.R. Spoils Who The New ECW Announcer Will Be, Cole Update, Raw/ECW Tapings

SmackDown! Preview: "Proving Their Mettle"