Lebron wants the strap, TTTT update, Interview with Nese, Smackdown audience, Old School Raw names and Questions on Magnus, Santino, Double J leaving TNA, MITB and unifying titles

Lebron James tweeted about wanting a real WWE Championship. Some WWE names responded. Good work by Cena and Rock jumping on that. Justin Roberts got me to chuckle as well.

There will be no two-hour version of this year's Tribute to the Troops. For those looking for the other matches taped for the event, check WWE.com or their YouTube page. We didn't really miss anything monumental. Typical Main Event kind of fare.

Former TNA wrestler Tony Nese talked on "Pro Wrestling 101". Pretty good advice. Being on TV shouldn't be everything for a wrestler. There's a guilty pleasure in hearing TNA get wrecked every once in a while.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 12/30/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

Special TNA live event appearances, remembering Scott Epstein, TTTT audience, WWE production member passes away, Smackdown preview, Punk update, more on Lesnar, WWE live event canceled and Questions on TNA Xplosion, wrestling repeating itself, Batista at Mania, Sid Vicious and Roman Reigns

Taz cut a promo at a recent TNA live event in Long Island. Rosita was visiting at the event. Both live in the area. I'd definitely be OK with Rosita getting a second chance in TNA. Of note, Ethan Carter III beat Tommy Dreamer again at the show.

Here are details for the memorial for Scott Epstein. A number of performers have expressed condolences already.

Update: And here's the guest book. Extreme Rising had a 10-bell salute for Epstein ahead of a recent show. That's nice of them.

This year's Tribute to the Troops show did 2.31 million viewers. Not bad at all.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

TTTT Reax - 12/28/13, Impact audience, more TNA/HOH crossover, Park-Abyss update, Interview with Bully Ray, Y2J to talk to Hart, past Mania celebrity talks, Styles-TNA update, more Ricardo and Questions on TNA's top face and the Rumble

Tribute to the Troops:
I can only wonder how the Wyatt Family gimmick would fit with this kind of show.

Can't say I'm surprised with how the opening match ended. That's kind of par for the course with the Wyatts.

This feels like a setup for another tag match when Wyatt interferes.

Good little match while it lasted. This is kind of a fluff show, but I can't really complain.

I bet the odds are about 100:1 in favor of Cena, Punk and Bryan (if not higher).

That was a good six-man for what it was. This show's not about the in-ring action.

Not much to say about the non-wrestling stuff, other than I wonder if Beadle will be invited back after the confrontation with AJ.

Another quick match going to the babyface. It's kind of "escapism" tonight.

I liked Sandow's promo. I'd mark out hard if he beat Show clean.

Well, so much for that. Feel-good show it is.

Good ending.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

WWE live event notes, Del Rio returns, NYC man of all trades passes away, big names to miss Raw?, Y2J return update, status of original Sin Cara, what's Brock's future?, Raw audience, another Cornette shoot, wrestling legend reference, another Striker seminar and Questions on wrestling music, Davey Richards, Ziggler conspiracy and Bryan's push

A number of notes about WWE's recent Madison Square Garden show:
Bob Backlund was on-hand, as the show was just past the 30th (!) anniversary of Backlund losing the WWE Title to the Iron Sheik. I wish Sheik was there...

Michael P.S. Hayes appeared in front of the crowd, alongside Booker T.

Alberto Del Rio worked the opening match, losing to Rey Mysterio. I wonder where he fits into things now. Mysterio was said to be limping at one point.

El Torito teamed with Los Matadores to beat 3MB (with Ricardo replacing Slater).

NXT's Brandi Rhodes was backstage and DMC was in attendance.

Batista was advertised for the 3/9/14 return.

Kane wrestled Big Show in his previous wrestling outfit, minus the mask. That had to be kind of weird. Show was also noticeably limping.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Smackdown Reax - 12/27/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.

Jeff Hardy update, Punk appearance, another WWE tryout, upcoming Old School Raw, reaction to Jarrett leaving TNA, hype for TNA #OldSchool event, 3MB has a guest member, Interviews with Bryan/Big E+Ambrose/Reigns and Questions on Total Divas, WWE commentary, Batista and ex-ROH names to WWE

Following his kayfabe departure on Impact Wrestling, Jeff Hardy is still listed on the roster section of the TNA website. He's currently not advertised for any future dates other than the #OldSchool PPV on 12/30. Interestingly, Kurt Angle's not advertised for anything past the UK tour. TNA's live events and shows are really going to be lacking in top names for the next few months unless Sting returns. Notably, Bully Ray, Mr. Anderson, Bobby Roode and James Storm are all set for all upcoming events, so there are still big names there. Just not some of the most decorated members of the roster.

C.M. Punk was on a recent edition of Colt Cabana's Art of Wrestling podcast, alongside Ace Steel and Cliff Compton. It's great that Punk and Colt have such a good friendship.

Former University of Minnesota lineman Mike Rallis recently had a second tryout at the WWE Performance Center. That's been quite the busy place since it opened.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars and Impact Wrestling Reax - 12/26/13

Read on for my take on yesterday's Superstars and Impact Wrestling.

Main Event Reax - 12/25/13, Cole and Harlem Heat at indy show, WWE's App examined and Questions on that Cena guy turning heel, Batista's return and the Unified Title

Main Event (which was available at WWE.com):
WWE didn't know what they had in Goldust until he was gone. I'm really loving his comeback. Are there some other performers with his experience who can work like this (besides the obvious like Chris Jericho)? WWE could use some good older hands to mentor the up-and-comers.

Not a bad Divas match at all. Who else would mark out for Kharma returning to challenge AJ? Come on, Haitch. Make it happen.

I really liked Kofi vs. Fandango. I'm glad they got time to show what they could do in there. I think both men could do good things in the future if they continue to find themselves. It's going to take growing as characters and in storylines before they can get there, though.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Aries on Gamespot, pay on the indies, Bruno profiled, WWE does good deed, Interview with Ziggler, Batista notes and Questions from the reality distortion field, WWE training, WWE booking and Eva Marie

Here's Austin Aries doing some video gaming on Gamespot. Kind of a slow news day...

Here's the latest Pro Wrestling 101, with talk about the pay level of the independent scene. Promoters want to know who's really dedicated and who will stick around for the long run. It's not that different from other jobs in that regard.

Triple H and Bruno Sammartino are on a MSG show. I feel like Newsday should have double-checked WWE's figure about sellouts.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Top indie name update, TNA founder leaves TNA, Batista updates, Sting working live events, Interviews with Y2J/Cabana/JR+Miz, legendary tag wrestler in hospital, TNA in the UK and Questions on Batista in the Rumble, AJ and Joe in WWE, how big of a deal Bryan is and Reigns vs. Taker

Recently former ROH World Champion Davey Richards made references to going to Orlando, which is of course where TNA tapes a lot of its shows. It's been speculated that he was actually referring to working for EVOLVE when they go to that town next month. Richards has done a good job of stirring up interest in where he's going now that his ROH tenure is over. No update on the "American Pitbulls" going to WWE.

In news I never expected to report, TNA founder Jeff Jarrett has resigned from TNA. This would be something like one of the McMahons leaving WWE. Jarrett was pivotal to TNA making it through its early days and has almost always been an important part of things behind the scenes. In recent years, he was a big part of TNA's international ventures. His fingerprints were on the deals with AAA and Wrestle-1, as well as being behind the creation of Ring Ka King in India. With Hogan and Bischoff leaving, he had taken over some key roles backstage. TNA will still go on with him gone, but to say it's a new and unexpected era is an understatement.

Everything else from yesterday (including more on Jarrett leaving) is after the break.

Raw Reax - 12/23/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

Batista update, more on other WWE returns, more on Styles-TNA and Questions on Bryan's booking (again), Styles-TNA (again), turning Cena heel (again) and Roman Reigns

Any advertisements of Batista returning to WWE have been removed. Some people like to open their Christmas presents early...

In an update to a previous story, Sheamus is also advertised for the World of Wheels show on the weekend before the Royal Rumble. So, he could be coming back in the Royal Rumble along with Chris Jericho (and Batista? and Evan Bourne?).

AJ Styles continues to be booked on independent dates, spanning from next week to the end of April. He is still in negotiations with TNA about returning. I think a few months where TNA and Styles can get some breathing room before getting back to negotiations would be nice. I think it'd be nice if he came back right after Lockdown to set the stage for Slammiversary, but that's me.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Interview with Cody Rhodes, another Cena-Pebbles collaboration, Y2J-WWE teaser, '70s/'80s female star passes away and Questions on the WWWF and NXT

Cody Rhodes was interviewed. Nice insight into working with Dusty and Goldust, and Cody's very driven in his own right. It's pretty cool to see the three of them on the same page. It's also really cool to see Goldust working in today's audience. That character could have flopped HARD, but he made it work. Cody's really come a long way from his early WWE matches. I really enjoyed Dashing Cody and the following character. The mustache I wasn't as crazy about. And there's our latest tease for Cody vs. Goldust.

John Cena will be part of another Fruity Pebbles-themed promotion. #SlowNewsDay

Chris Jericho is advertised for a signing at World of Wheels on 1/25 in Pittsburgh, PA. The next night in Pittsburgh is the Royal Rumble. Make of that what you will. I'm a big fan of Jericho, but we're starting to get to the point where the law of diminishing returns is taking place. When he first came back in 2007, I was really hyped. He did great stuff in that run. The 2012 return was also great. But after the Ziggler feud, other than facing Punk, I don't feel like Jericho's added a lot to the WWE product. He's still "got it" from a wrestling perspective, but I think there needs to be some kind of shake-up with his character or something for it to feel fresh when he comes back. It feels like he's done everything and feuded with everyone.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Set for next week's Impact, Chavo talks TNA exit, why Steamboat was released, Christmas hype, WWE goes bowling, JR-Mania update, WWE/troops photos, Impact audience, major WWE return and Questions on kayfabe, PPV buyrates, TNA and the troops, Cena turning heel for the 4,955th time and the Divas Title at Mania

Next week's Impact will feature a "special announcement" by Dixie Carter, ODB vs. Lei'D Tapa and a Monster's Ball match pitting Joseph Park against Bad Influence. ODB vs. Tapa could be "bowling shoe ugly", but I think the Monster's Ball match could be kind of fun. Do they finally pull the trigger on Joseph Park actually being Abyss?

TNA put out some press releases about Chavo Guerrero's exit, a Christmas party and some donations related to Hurricane Sandy. Did anyone ever notice Chavo's family has a legacy in the business? It's hardly ever mentioned. The situation has become almost a parody of itself.

In an update to a previous story, Richie Steamboat was released from NXT some time ago after being injured for quite a while. It wasn't a recent deal. Sometimes tough decisions have to be made and talents with a lot of potential don't make it to the main roster.

Everything else from Friday is after the break.

Smackdown Reax - 12/20/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.

WWE names overseas, Interview with Lita, WCW content update, Saudi Arabia reacts to WWE, Raw press, update on TNA in the UK, WWE meets bowling, Smackdown dark match, results from last show at FCW Arena and Questions on NXT performers, the WWE Network, Morgan-WWE, WWE stars jumping ship and a potential Mania match

Vince McMahon, Big Show, R-Truth, Eva Marie and Alicia Fox went to the Middle East to visit with troops. I imagine that footage will pop up shortly.

Lita talked about WWE 2K14. She was a great addition to what was then the women's division. I loves the entrance music, too. It fit with her personality and image.

WWE is planning an ongoing series of WCW-themed DVDs. That's pretty cool. There's actually a part of me that wants to see Goldberg and Sting at WM30.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars and Final Resolution Reax

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's Superstars and Final Resolution edition of Impact.

Main Event Reax - 12/18/13, Punk a part of trademark trouble, last main event at FCW Arena, HBK appearance, WWE talent appearing, Interview with Edge, NXT updates and Questions on a big Bryan angle, Cena with The Authority, post-Creative careers and getting rid of Vince

Main Event:
Well that was something. I've got to cut WWE some slack given how much screen time they've got to fill every year. And that certainly wasn't the worst Christmas segment they've booked.

Nice tag match between Truth/Woods and 3MB. Truth and Woods really need a team name, but I digress. Woods seems to be getting more comfortable in the ring, and that's great to see.

I enjoyed AJ vs. Kaitlyn. They always have good chemistry. I hope both become wildly successful.

Fun main event. The Santa stuff didn't take away from things too much.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Post-Raw dark match, Lesnar tease, Interviews with Big E/Miz/Ryback/Tough Enoughers/Jimmy Hart, upcoming WWE matches, NXT trainer under the knife, bye bye FCW Arena, Ziggler storyline update, WWE holiday message, HBK tweet, Diva in Maxim list, Mavs star talks Hogan/Warrior, Raw audience and Questions on pushing Bryan, WWE's titles, TNA closing, Creative walking out and why WWE unified the top titles

After Raw, the fans in Dallas got Randy Orton vs. John Cena with Booker T as the special referee. Orton hit Booker and Cena with his championships for the DQ. Cena and Booker got even on him, then Booker did a spinaroonie. Top guys have a very heavy schedule.

Paul Heyman made news with this tweet. Lesnar vs. Orton would be something. I'd definitely rather see that than Brock vs. Taker, but I don't know if it would be as big of a draw.

Big E Langston talked about dream opponents and more. It'd be nice to see someone like Batista put Big E over, though I don't think Big E's a big enough of a deal yet to warrant that. Also, more props for Cena for helping out the younger guys.

The Miz gave an interview. Cool for him to put over those underrated guys. Miz is really overlooked at times.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

More names at WWEPC, TLC notes, Styles' TNA status, Interviews with Angle/Blue Meanie, Smackdown audience, twerking (seriously) and Questions on Hogan's mobility, pushing Bryan (AGAIN), WWE Creative problems and Styles in WWE

Canadian independent wrestler Mentallo also worked at WWE's Performance Center. He's got a great amount of experience at only 34, which could be quite valuable in the current WWE landscape.

Robert Anthony of Resistance Pro also worked there. He was once under a WWE developmental deal. Don't expect a lot of signings coming out of the tryout camp.

John Cena is reportedly uninjured after TLC, which is good.

There wasn't anything additional after TLC. Did there need to be?

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 12/16/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

Interview with Aries, possible Richards-WWE update, WWE expands in Middle East, Sheiky Baby talks 2013, new WWE signing, Y2J update, Divas Champion gets heat backstage and Questions on DX vs. Bryan/Punk, Summerslam in Philly, Zayn as Sin Cara, gimmick matches and pushing Bryan

Austin Aries talked after winning the X-Division Championship. I'm glad Aries has the attitude to go out there and do the best he can at what he's asked to do. I hope he regains the momentum he used to have as World Champ. I also like his philosophy of being able to work a number of different styles for different audiences.

ROH star Mike Bennett talked briefly about Davey Richards going to WWE. I'm pretty much ready for he and Edwards to make up their minds already. There hasn't really been any development in their possibly going there lately.

WWE will be running shows in Saudi Arabia for the first time ever in February. That will be an interesting experience. I wonder if there will be any restrictions on the Divas. I hope there's not an international incident, though part of me would love to see what kind of reaction a Zeb Colter promo would get.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

TLC Reax - 12/15/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's TLC PPV.

Former WWE commentary team at indie event, Raw after Mania sells out, Interview with Titus, TTTT preview, Cena vs. Orton update, WWE's underrated stars, another international WWE tour, another WWEPC trainee and Questions on WWE tape ownership, Vince vs. Stephanie, censorship, AJ Styles and DX vs. Punk and Bryan

Michael Cole was a part of a show with Booker T's wrestling school. I can only wonder how that went.

The 4/7/14 Raw in New Orleans sold out almost immediately. This is the show the night after WrestleMania. More seats could be released in the future. I'm glad WWE can still do big business at Mania time.

Titus O'Neil talked about that edition of Raw. I like how he and Darren blend. I think both men have improved from working as a team. PTP vs. New Age Outlaws would be pretty cool, though I don't see it happening.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

WWE TLC preview

Read on for what I'd do on tonight's PPV.

Queries on AJ Lee and Devon-NXT, WWE taping updates, NXT results, more on big WWE announcement, a look back at Smoky Mountain Wrestling, WWE wrestler in ER, two more names at WWEPC, Zbyszko appearance, WWEPC notes, Austin to interview McMahon?, Interviews with Maria/Reigns/Bret Hart/Eve/Daffney, Mad Dog remembered, Rayne update, Sting update, Impact audience and Questions on an NWA book, WWE's ticket sales, Kozlov and Dixie

First up, some queries:
1. I'd imagine AJ Lee's being "marginalized" because WWE's more focused on "Total Divas". She's doing pretty well for herself being Divas' Champion and paired with Tamnia, though.

2. I haven't heard anything about Devon becoming a trainer at NXT, though that's not a bad idea. As far as I know, he and Bully Ray still do their training academy, so they might want to stick with that.

WWE doesn't have any live events set for this weekend ahead of TLC. Next week, they'll have Raw live before taping Smackdown and the next week's shows. I'm sure the roster's looking forward to the brief holiday break.

For those wondering what's going on on NXT live events, here are some results from a recent show. I hope Kruger's new gimmick works out. It feels like he's been in developmental for quite a while. I also hope we get the full effect of Bo's gimmick if/when he's on the main roster. His gimmick's that he thinks everyone loves him, but he's really obnoxious and dorky.  It's kind of hard to describe. A little bit like when Kurt Angle drank milk and said he was our Olympic hero.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Smackdown Reax - 12/13/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.

Why Philly didn't get Mania, WWE meets Scooby-Doo, TTTT hype, WWE's Internet use profiled, issues for Main Event, Punk appearance, wrestler as Santa, new WWE training camp, JR talks AJ Styles and Questions on AJ to WWE, an ECW-themed Hall of Fame and the Slammys

WWE skipped over Philadelphia as a home for WrestleMania 31 because they felt Bay Area officials put forth more of an effort to draw WWE there. Philly reportedly didn't even give WWE a formal offer. Their loss! I'm glad WWE got a partner city who appreciates them.

Update: Philadelphia officials and WWE responded to the story. Hopefully if WWE does go there, the crowd doesn't try to show off how contrarian they can be.

I normally don't promote WWE's non-wrestling endeavors, but a trailer involving Scooby-Doo and WWE is too good to pass up. Cartoon AJ's pretty cute.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars and Impact Wrestling Reax - 12/12/13

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's Superstars and Impact Wrestling.

Main Event Reax - 12/11/13, new TLC match, former wrestler banned from Walmart, Warrior DVD in the works, details on WWE 50 book, WWE business (including Network) updates, Interviews with Sheamus/Kofi, WWE logo update, story on TTTT and Questions on WWE Creative, the American Wolves and popping the crowd

Main Event:
It's pretty cool that WWE has the top titles above the ring to sell TLC. Sometimes, the little touches add a lot.

Curtis vs. Dolph was a pretty good match from a technical standpoint. Both guys work quite hard in-between the ropes. It feels like both guys are hitting that glass ceiling where they both can do some pretty good work in the ring, but are missing the intangibles to really break out. Ziggler's pretty good in that area, but I don't see him as a top guy just yet.

That was honestly better than I was expecting from Natalya vs. Alicia. Good work, and that helped set up Natalya's match with AJ.

Good little tag match to continue that storyline. I continue to hope Woods acclimates to the main roster well. He's done fine so far in a somewhat limited role.

Interesting post-match. I'm not really into Clay vs. Tensai, but I'm not going to crap all over it if they work well enough.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

What happened before and after Raw, Slammy notes, TLC pre-show match, WM31 and Tribute hype, Del Rio update, Otunga appears, Interview with Striker, more Booker, JR podcast upcoming?, special WWE deal, Kendrick training, ranking WWE Champions, Jeff Hardy update, Raw audience, JR talks HBK vs. Bryan and Questions on title unification, PPV bonuses, who to blame for WWE's business and wrestling in 2014

In the pre-Raw dark match, NXT's Alexander Rusev defeated Zack Ryder. He's a big Bulgarian wrestler. I don't know much else about him.

After Raw, John Cena beat Randy Oton via DQ when Orton used a chair. Cena hit Orton with the AA, then brought out Daniel Bryan. Booker T. got Bryan to do a Spinaroonie, leading to Cena, John Laurinaitis, Titus O'Neil, Stephanie McMahon and C.M. Punk each came out and did one. Punk was in his briefs. That's got to be one of the strangest things I've heard happening at an event once the cameras were off. The only thing I can think of that could top it would be when Vince and Kevin Dunn ribbed Mark Henry with the "open challenge" thing, playing different entrance musics with no one coming out.

The Slammy fan voting was completely legitimate, much to the dismay of the "smarks" who are in the vocal minority with some of their opinions. The Superstar of the Year voting was said to be close. Always keep in mind the opinions expressed on popular websites don't necessarily match up with the opinions of the audience at large.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Punk tweet gets attention, Kane in-ring update, WM31 hype begins, new WCW releases upcoming, NXT guests, WWE press, Hogan stirs the pot, more on WWE's new signing, TNA seeking Indian talent, WWE charity, Interview with Petey Williams, Smackdown audience, complete list of Slammys winners, former World Champ out and Questions on WWE's titles, Sin Cara, Hogan at Mania, WWE building new stars and Sheamus at TLC

C.M. Punk tweeted this, presumably a shot at WWE's App. I hope someone tallied how many times they mentioned the App last night.

To follow up on the lineup for WWE's return to Madison Square Garden, Kane vs. Big Show in a steel cage match with Booker T. as the special referee has been set for 12/28 in New Jersey. This live event loop will be the first time Kane has wrestled since becoming Director of Operations. Kane and Show have been facing off for 14 1/2 years. Anyway, I don't know when we'll see Kane step back into the ring on TV, but it will be interesting to see what he'll wrestle in given his new character.

Booker T. and Sheamus were at a recent 49ers game to promote WrestleMania 31 coming to San Francisco. I wonder when Sheamus will be coming back. I kind of miss him. I think he's a great performer, but was getting quite stale. His character hasn't changed much in a while.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 12/9/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

Interview with Lanny Poffo, new WWE signing, Slammy nominees, TNA business profiled, video of big NXT debut, ex-WWF star pops up, top TNA name on the way out, WM32 location and Questions on Kofi and Cena

Lanny Poffo, brother to Randy Savage, talked about whether his brother should go into the WWE Hall of Fame. Ultimately I think the Hall shouldn't be about grievances behind the scenes, but who truly deserves to go in given their body of work. Glad he acknowledges that he's almost entirely known in this day and age for his brother. Savage vs. HBK would have been amazing. I definitely think WWE should have sent condolences to him and am not sure why they didn't.

WWE has signed a goalkeeper from the UK to a developmental deal. He could be down there for longer than a year. Some talents have been in the farm system for quite a while.

Here's an updated list of Slammy categories and nominees. I'm already tired of hearing about them and the show's not on yet.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

NXT star working live events, another big name at Slammys, top indie name makes NXT debut, WM31 location and Questions on Daniel Bryan (again), heading TNA Creative, Cena denial and independent contractors

NXT's Alexander Rusev is working this weekend's WWE live events. He made Zack Ryder submit. I kind of get Umaga vibes from him as far as being a big, "savage" dude. He doesn't have a lot of experience, so I'd be surprised if he made it to the main roster unless the higher-ups are so impressed with his size that they give him a shot. Either way, I think developmental's in pretty good shape as far as potential future call-ups goes.

Mick Foley will be at the Slammys to present the Most Extreme Moment Slammy. Fitting.

Solomon Crowe, the former Sami Callihan, made his debut at an NXT live event, with an attack on Kalisto. Kalisto's another well-received indie sensation, formerly wrestling as Samuray del Sol. Needless to say, there's some buzz about him making his mark down in WWE developmental.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

TNA reportedly signs ex-AAA star, ex-wrestlers appear, WWE Network update, Interviews with Natalya/JR/Hart/Stone Cold, possible new WWE ventures, Duggan update, WM31/WM32 updates, more WWE charity, more names set for Slammys, Angle appearance, popular comedian attacks TNA, Impact audience and Questions on TLC, taping Impact, 3MB vs. nWo, Vince pushing Bryan and scripted promos

In an update to a previous story, there are a number of reports coming from Mexico stating that TNA has signed the former Extreme Tiger. He competed at the most recent Impact tapings as Ultimate Tiger. I hope he does well there. They're doing some good things as far as freshening the roster.

Ted DiBiaise, Dr., The Godfather, Kelly Kelly and Maryse were at the Steel City Comic Con. That wound have been an interesting stable...

J.J. Dillon was part of  a "Toys for Tots II" event. Always good to see performers in the business doing things like that.

In response to information coming out from less-than-credible sources who might have jumped the gun, WWE.com sent out a statement about the WWE Network.We'll know the truth about plans for the network soon enough.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Smackdown Reax - 12/6/13

Read on for my take on last night's Smackdown.

WWE name change official, lucha star works Impact, big Dreamer-TNA promo, Interviews with Jeff Hardy/Sgt. Slaughter, Sin Cara update, the state of WWE Creative, another WCW DVD, Booker appearance, Striker wrestling seminar, Monster Factory profiled, perks for big upcoming live event and Questions on WWE games, WWE building new stars, TNA morale, NXT Divas and the IC Title

WWE.com is now referring to the former leader of Nexus as Bad News Barrett. That's really stupid and gimmicky.

Former AAA star Extreme Tiger competed at the most recent Impact tapings as Ultimate Tiger. More details on him here. I like his stats. Hopefully he'll be a good part of the new TNA. Things are slowly but surely turning around there, with new stars being pushed and other stars being used better. There are still some people I'd like to see limited in their roles or put out to pasture, but it's not as bad as some of what was seen in the Hogan/Bischoff era.

Tommy Dreamer put out a promo about his upcoming TNA match with Bully Ray. It will air at their One Night Only: Old School PPV. That was actually a pretty good promo to set up their match. They're not who they used to be, but maybe they can pull something good out.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars and Impact Wrestling Reax - 12/5/13

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's Superstars and Impact Wrestling.

Main Event Reax - 12/4/13, ex-WWE personalities appearing, more Slammy categories named, Raw audience, WWE corporate shakeup, Interview with Gail Kim, Tribute to the Troops details and Questions on challenging Vince, Total Divas vs. TNA, unifying the top WWE titles, Vince vs. Turner and Bischoff in the WWE HoF

Main Event:
I really liked Goldust vs. Ryback. Goldy has yet to overstay his welcome. I continue to hold out hope for Goldust vs. Cody at Mania, but there's no need to rush them into a feud as they're doing great now. I like the idea of the Rhodes Family vs. Axel and Ryback.

Good post-match to add heat to an eventual Tag Team Title match (I'm guessing at TLC).

I liked the tag match. Both teams showed some good energy. Keep an eye on Mahal and McIntyre. They're still young and gaining valuable experience. Not everyone's going to be an overnight success.

I enjoy the smug, self-centered HHH character for some reason. I don't like when he throw other talents under the bus, but it's amusing when he blatantly puts himself over.

I feel like they've really run out of things for Sandow to say at this point. I'm not saying his character should change much, but it's running a bit long in the tooth.

I enjoyed Sandow vs. R-Truth. Truth's still got "it", and Sandow continues to impress. I definitely see him as a future top champion. He still needs some polishing, but the signs are there for him to be a big deal.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

What didn't happen after Raw, which TNA stars are headed to India, The Slammys are coming, Memories of Mad Dog, was JR at OKC Raw?, Interviews with Miz/Bellas, TNA stars make guest appearances, key backstage WWE player returns, the status of Sin Cara, interesting DVD note, Impact audience, Smackdown audience, legends set for WWE shows, big WWE event set, WWE in interesting legal battle, Miz appearance and Questions on TLC, WM30 matches and Roman Reigns

Somewhat surprisingly, there was no dark match after Raw. They almost always have a little bonus for the crowd after the show.

Kurt Angle and Gail Kim will be in India next week to promote TNA. I hope that turns out well for them.

Here are some of the categories for the 2013 WWE Slammy Awards. I'm not really a fan of them. There's only so much to get out of the concept of a wrestling awards show.

Update: Jerry Lawler and Booker T. will be hosting. That's one way to get me to study for finals instead of watching Raw as it airs. Sounds BRUTAL.

Update: Also announced are Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Eve Torres and Christian. Could be some interesting stuff involving those names if you can sit through Lawler and Booker as hosts.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Dreamer-TNA update, WWE service ending, Interviews with Foley/Dutt, WWE scouting, when the next NXT taping is, WWE rookies of 2013, updates on a number of WWE talents, updates on top ROH names to WWE and Questions on Hogan at WM30, TLC and Shamrock-HOF

Tommy Dreamer has been added to the 12/28 TNA Hardcore Justice PPV taping in a tables match against Ethan Carter III. That should be something.

WWE's Classics on Demand service will end on 1/31/14. The WWE Network hasn't been officially announced yet, but it's got to be coming soon.

Mick Foley talked wrestling and comedy. I definitely don't want to see him get back in the ring given the abuse he's taken over the years.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 12/2/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

Updates on ROH stars to WWE, TNA-India update, Interview with Tapa, guest trainer in WWE, Royal Rumble poster and Questions on Punk vs. AJ Styles, TLC, Angle in WWE, TNA's Survivor Series and Punk vs. Bryan

Former ROH World Champion Davey Richards has parted ways with the company and pulled out of another tour with NOAH. This has some speculating on whether he and his oftentimes tag team partner Eddie Edwards will be heading to WWE. As of now, there is no confirmation of the team being signed to any kind of deal.

TNA stars will soon be promoting the company in India. Some TNA PPVs will be airing there in the near future. That's good.

Here's a big story on Lei'D Tapa. I'd still rather TNA have picked up Ivelisse. Glad they paired her with Gail, though. Gail can pass on some things to her.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Tribute taping details and Questions on Cena's number of title reigns, live event rosters, unifying the top titles, turning Cena heel and part-timers at Mania

Here are details for the taping of this year's Tribute to the Troops show. Expect a lot of babyface wins that night.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I believe when Jericho was in a similar situation, they counted him as winning both the WWF and World Championships. So, I think they could do the same thing here. How crazy is it we're talking about Cena winning that many top titles?

2. The card's always subject to change, but WWE does need to have a better idea of what the heck they're doing and which talents are on which shows.

3. I'm sure people would complain if Cena and Orton headlined Mania, not that it matters. In addition to what they said, WWE might have hit the panic button when needing a main event for TLC. Or they could just want the titles unified RIGHT NOW. There's no telling. It will certainly be interesting to see what they do at Mania now that they've played this card.

4. Not surprised we're getting this question. Just assume Cena is never turning heel ever. That way it'll be a surprise if/when he does.

5. Technically, Taker and Brock are a part of the current roster (and HHH to some degree). Mark Henry and C.M. Punk were also on the promotional material if I'm not mistaken. But there's definitely the problem of showcasing nostalgia acts at the expense of the current stars. WWE needs to address this, but they seem pretty content not to.

More wrestling tomorrow.

Wife of WWE HoFer passes, Interviews with Edge/Warrior, WWE charity, WWE artist speaks, Diva engaged, TNA goes overseas and Questions on abducting Bryan, Gut Check, Kim's Knockout challenge, rebuilding titles' prestige and WWE tape libraries

Princess Salima, wife of the Original Sheik, has passed away. She had been ill for some time and been on life support. Here's more on her life. Pretty cool story of the old days told there.

Here's an interview with Edge, mainly about music. He makes a good point about the heel not having a band play for them. WWE never gives Ziggler his due...

Randy Orton met a terminally ill kid. Way to blow the heel gimmick, Randy. Seriously, though; that's pretty cool.

Artist Rob Schamberger talked about working with WWE. He's really good.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Smackdown Reax - 11/29/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.

Questions on WWE's tape library, another lame Cena joke, wrestling visitors, TLC and newbie Divas

Nothing major happened on Thanksgiving, but here's my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. I think the question was about territories that aren't still in existence. I'm not enough of an expert to know of that. Wikipedia has a list of their current library.

2. I'm glad WWE doesn't try to appease the people who send in these terrible questions.

3. That's pretty much it.

4. That would actually be really funny, but WWE's moved on from the brand split and I think they legitimately just want one top champion.

5. You'd think they'd know by now how wrestling companies bring in people without much experience if they like their look.

Superstars and Impact Wrestling Reax - 11/28/13

Read on for my thoughts on the Thanksgiving editions of Superstars and Impact Wrestling.

Main Event Reax - 11/27/13, new WWE partners, TLC plan, Interviews with Ziggler/Warrior/Victoria (Tara), Cena on Hogan, Bryan angle update and numerous Questions on why WWE does what they do

Main Event:
Del Rio vs. Ziggler was really good from a storytelling and technical standpoint. I was very impressed. I still think Ziggler's missing a little something to be a top guy, but he hasn't really been given a shot to be in that role for long.

Funny Sandow promo. He's another guy who's not really doing anything of note, unfortunately.

Not exactly a great match for rebuilding Sandow. He got the win, but he didn't look like someone who could conceivably be World Champion.

I liked Fandango vs. Kofi a good deal. Both guys have something worth looking at. Progressing beyond what they have now will be key for them ever going up the card.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Criticism of Raw host, Raw guests, Cena net worth, Interviews with Miz/Brooke, new WWE hire, WWE's biggest moments, Nowinski on TV, Dynamite Kid update, new TNA international TV deal, Angle wrestles pop star, Bryan update, Raw audience, Show going back off TV and Questions on Raw commentary, Bryan as Unified/Undisputed Champ, Montreal, Hogan saving the Real Americans and Vince's direction

Matt Hardy questioned the point of Monday's Raw segments with Michael Strahan. There are valid points made about WWE's approach moving away from the superstars having feuds and such toward celebrities, comedy skits, etc. Most people point the finger to Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn for this approach.

Also visiting at Raw were "Super Size Me" director Morgan Spurlock and former Mean Street Posse member Pete Gas. I wouldn't be doing my major justice if I didn't mention the criticisms of "Super Size Me". Wikipedia has a starting point. Also, who do I need to talk to to make 3MB vs. Mean Street Posse a thing?

John Cena talked about how much his brand is worth. But WWE should totally turn him heel to appease the segment of the audience who streams PPVs and wouldn't buy heel Cena merch, right? As for Cena being able to hang with the younger performers, he's definitely still there (whether his critics will admit it or not).

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

What happened after Survivor Series, Interview with Miz, The Gooker returns, Smackdown audience, big guest at Raw and Questions on Bearer in the Hall, Hogan at Mania, wrestlers as non-wrestlers and Punk vs. Styles

After Survivor Series went off the air, Cena challenged Orton to the match now set for TLC. Kane went to attack Cena, but was held back HHH. They teased Kane turning on HHH, but Orton calmed him down. The Authority then went backstage. Cena insulted them, leading to HHH returning. Vince stopped HHH. Cena then verbally went after Vince. Vince made an effort to go to the ring, but Stephanie stopped him. After the Authority left, Cena sent well wishes to the crowd. I wonder how long they've had this angle planned, because it feels a little out-of-the-blue.

The Miz talked about the WWE schedule and more. I enjoy Miz's energy in public appearances. He's a very driven individual.

WWE has a new web series centered on the Gobbledy Gooker. Hey, if people watch it, they're doing their jobs. I think I might actually find a Gooker/Swagger Soaring Eagle match funny in a train-wreck fashion.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 11/25/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

Legend suffers stroke, WWE fan wins Studios role, remembering Mad Dog, wrestling collides with other sports, win tickets to Raw in Seattle, potential Henry spoiler and Questions on IWC delusions, Survivor Series, the PG rating and Hogan vs. Flair

Tom Billington, best known as the Dynamite Kid, has suffered a stroke. That's very unfortunate. I hope he comes out of it OK.

A WWE fan won a part in a WWE Studios film with The Miz. I wonder what working with Miz was like for her.

The New York Times and The Montreal Gazette both remembered "Mad Dog" Vachon. He was quite the character. That era gets further and further away...

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Survivor Series Reax - 11/24/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Survivor Series PPV.

Why DDP was at the WWEPC, cut Smackdown match online, new WWE Network job, GobbledyTweeter and a Question on Doink

DDP taught some DDP Yoga at the WWE Performance Center. I loved his motivational speaker gimmick. That smile gets me every time.

WWE taped 3MB vs. the Prime Time Players for Smackdown, but it didn't air. They posted the match on WWE.com. Oh, God. That Freebirds impression. I don't know how many people watching got the references, but I got a kick out of it.

WWE has another job opening for the WWE Network. That will be a big game-changer for the company.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Query on Sheamus, Steph talks WWE, Interviews with Hogan/Rhodes/Otunga/Merriman/Ryback, Sandow's good deed, big star at NXT, Update on top ROH team to WWE, TNA's big January show set, WWE and JR remember Vachon, a look inside TNA's new home, WWEPC to feel the bang, Angle to join 1DDay, TNA negotiating contracts with two top players, TNA trolling, defending wrestling, Turning Point audience and Questions on Bischoff post-TNA, wrestling photos, wrestling bears, wrestlers in other TV shows and Mania sets

First up, a query:
1. Sheamus is out injured, fella. I think we could see him back by Mania season, though.

Here's a piece on WWE having a large female audience. The WWE Network could be huge for them.

Hulk Hogan talked about WrestleMania XXX and other stuff. That's a minute of my life I can't get back. I'm warming up to the idea of Piper and Hogan vs. the Real Americans for that date, if for no other reason than the idea of a Piper's Pit segment with Zeb Colter. I picture Hot Rod returning to WWE only for Zeb to interrupt him leading to Hogan returning at WM30 for the match. The match could easily be a beatdown of Piper until Hogan gets the hot tag and cleans house on the Real Americans and Zeb. The purpose of the match is to give people some nostalgia, so it need not be a technical classic built to elevate Cesaro and Swagger.

Damien Sandow visited a teenager with a rare disease. That was sad to read. It makes complaints about college life seem very petty and minor.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Smackdown Reax - 11/22/2013

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.

Another Muppets/WWE crossover, pre-Turning Point angle, DOO at NXT, the next Great Khali, Maven AMA, Vachon passes away, Hall and Roberts face scam allegations, big TNA/Dixie piece, Interview with Hogan, Survivor Series pre-show note, Tribute airdate and Questions on NXT, musical chairs, changing wrestling history and the former Sami Callihan

Hornswoggle is a part of an upcoming Muppets movie. I wonder if his tattoos will be a plot point?

TNA shot an angle where Bobby Roode attacked James Storm in a bar before their match on the Turning Point edition of Impact. If they were trying to promote it as something not scripted as part of the show, it would have been wise to not put it on the #Impact365 page.

Kane was at the most recent NXT taping. That makes sense with his new job title.

An Indian wrestler who has been christened "New Khali" is training in Japan to become a WWE superstar.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars and Turning Point Reax - 11/21/2013

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's Superstars and Turning Point (Impact Wrestling).

Main Event Reax - 11/20/13, Interviews with Daniels/Booker/Hart/Punk, Mania a moneymaker, new Survivor Series title match, another Cabana tryout? and Questions on Cena staying in WWE, WM30 ending, Sting-TNA, JBL and free agents

Main Event:
Not a bad opening Divas' match. I'm not sure why they picked those two to compete of the possibilities they had, but it wasn't insufferable. I do feel like the Divas division could use some added pizzazz. Eva Marie and Jojo aren't exactly setting the world on fire.

I'd really worry about Del Rio's chances in WWE if he couldn't knock off Santino. Good little exhibition to show what Del Rio can do.

Miz vs. Kofi isn't the most intriguing or exciting feud, that's for sure.

I liked Kofi vs. Fandango. It wasn't amazing, but they had some good moments there.

Still not super-excited about Miz vs. Kofi. It feels very thrown together.

Everything else from Wednesday is after the break.

TNA Turning Point preview

Read on for what I'd do for tonight's Turning Point edition of Impact.

The AJ World Tour continues, WWE exec hire, Mania tickets note, Rey update, Interviews with Kaitlyn/Hero, Authority update, new WWE signee reports for training, Raw audience, JBL comments on TNA nod, WWE HoFer writing autobiography, Turning Point hype, TNA return and Questions on WWE conspiracies, Batista, Punjabi Prison, Brad Maddox and Hogan at Mania

TNA is setting up additional dates for AJ Styles to defend his version of the TNA Championship, both domestically and internationally. He could be facing Scotland's Lionheart soon. I think this is a cool idea to build the TNA brand.

WWE has named a new EVP of Programming as they get further along in their quest to make the WWE Network. He sounds like quite the catch.

WWE is quite happy with the current sales for WrestleMania tickets. That's a good sign.

Rey Mysterio was limping after Raw.

#*#$@% it, Rey. You had ONE JOB!

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Advertised names not at live event, WWE tapes Foley comedy act, #AskTenay, no more Classics on Demand, Cena hurt, match with no ring, Otunga snags magazine cover, WM30 hype, Cena ad, Turning Point press release, Interview with Rey, Smackdown audience, Mysterio back at Survivor Series, PPV Kickoff match, top ROH names at WWEPC, Vince returning soon?, identity of new Raw star and Questions on TNA giving Steiner a $&#*ing mic, non-WWE promotions on the WWE Network, today's roster vs. the past, Kaufman and Santa

Though Cody Rhodes and Goldust were advertised for a recent live event, they weren't there. No word on why that was. The card is always subject to change!

WWE taped a recent Mick Foley comedy show for the upcoming WWE Network. Guests included Joey Styles, Brodus Clay, Pete Gas, ex-Creative member Jen Bloodsworth and Foley's family. The latter were interviewed by WWE. The WWE Network could have some pretty interesting stuff going on...

Update: Here's a report from the show.

TNA will soon be adding a section to their website where fans can ask questions of Mike Tenay. Hopefully that goes better than #AskDixie. I think Tenay would probably have some smart insight on the current wrestling landscape.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 11/18/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

AJ returns, weird live event notes, Barrett update and Questions on the effects of Eddie's death, WWE sabotaging itself, social media and squash matches

AJ Lee was back in the ring at the 11/16 live event, teaming with Tamina in another loss to the Bellas. Right back to the grind...

Speaking of that live event, after a match between R-Truth and Curtis Axel, Axel asked to be introduced as still being Intercontinental Champion. Ring announcer Tony Chimel hit him with a Stone Cold Stunner for that, earning him a kiss from Nikki Bella. Sometimes WWE lets people have some more fun on live events, especially overseas when everyone's tired. Can't say I blame them.

Wade Barrett has returned to the U.S., so we could be seeing him soon. He was out renewing his work visa.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Interview with Ventura, live event correction, AJ Lee update, Mania party a success, TNA/Wrestle-1 results, country band to Raw, Lawler appearance and Questions on Hero-TNA, the post-Hogan era, Kim's open challenge and Hero's WWE exit

Jesse Ventura talked about wrestling amid his usual political spiel. I only cover his stuff when it's wrestling-related and don't endorse his political views.

The match AJ Lee collapsed in was a tag match where she teamed with Tamina against the Bella Twins. The match basically continued with the other three wrestlers while AJ was tended to. Dehydration's no joke.

AJ's saying she's ok after fainting at that event. I hope she's right.

It's estimated that 5,000 fans attended the WrestleMania Kick-Off party in New Orleans featuring Mark Henry, Sheamus, Rey Mysterio, Kaitlyn, Alicia Fox, Booker T., Mick Foley and Jimmy Hart. A number of injured performers on that list...

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

State of the WWE roster, WWE visitors and tryouts, big WWE presentation, Hogan-WWE update, Interview with DiBiase, Sr., Twitter needs the Carters, TNA-Orlando press release, WWE talks to Mickie, more on Dixie vs. AJ, Divas' Champ collapses, old-school autobiography, Impact audience and Questions on Survivor Series, TNA events, Mid-South, WWE books and Sabu

A number of performers in WWE are really banged up and tired from the ongoing European tour. It's important to note these are real people just like anyone reading this. They're human and can only take so much.

Former WCW performer Alex Wright visited at one of WWE's events in Germany. His students V.I.P., Adrian Severe and The Arabian Star all received tryouts. It's always good to have a deep pool of potential talents.

Also visiting at a recent WWE event was British performer Marty Jones, the man who trained the incomparable William Regal.

There was a History of WWE event in New York recently. I can't wait for that book.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Smackdown Reax - 11/15/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.

MLB makes Cy Young title belt, WM22 plans for Eddie and Bret, Interviews with Lawler/Robbie E, Punk's life after WWE, JR talks Eddie and Questions on Hogan vs. Bret, Hero-TNA and IWC denial

Major League Baseball presented its American League Cy Young Award winner with a championship in the mold of the current WWE Championship. That's pretty cool.

Update: Vince McMahon announced WWE will give each Cy Young Award winner a replica of the real thing. SMART.

Former WWE Creative team member Court Bauer talked about what could have gone down at WrestleMania 22. Eddie vs. HBK could have been AMAZING. I can't say I dislike Prichard's booking philosophies. I think Hart vs. Vince would have been a better match back then, but the story we got later was still pretty good.

Everything else from Thursday is after the break.

Superstars and Impact Wrestling Reax - 11/14/13

Read on for my thoughts on Thursday's Superstars and Impact Wrestling.

Main Event Reax - 11/13/13, Interview with DDP, new TNA PPV matches, when WWE will be back in Europe, UK show notes, more TNA Orlando tapings, WWE legend doing promotion, WWE doing more media, more on Hogan show, ex-Knockout in magazine, TNA star lands hosting gig, Regal puff piece, NXT hits big milestone and updates to the WWE Wellness Policy

Main Event:
AJ vs. Natalya was pretty enjoyable. Both ladies have become masters of their crafts to a degree.

Nice post-match to add heat to the AJ/Tamina duo. I wonder how long it will be until the inevitable breakup and feud.

That was a good backstage segment from Tyson and Natalya. Glad their characters are getting some development.

Pretty creepy stuff from Kane. I think the idea of him just being a regular guy who does terrible things is even more frightening than him being some kind of supernatural entity.

Gabriel vs. Kidd was a very fun match to watch from an artistic standpoint. Both men can do amazing things in the ring. Unfortunately, I don't see either man really progressing in his career if they get pigeonholed in that role. While being consistently employed as a lower-card "flippy guy" is better than being unemployed, I would hope that both men have loftier goals.

I was impressed by both teams in the final tag match. They're getting more cohesive and comfortable with each other. I hope all four men stay around for the foreseeable future (and I don't see any need to break either side up any time soon).

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Big Show update, Fandango note, former Tag Champ returning to WWE?, new Survivor Series match, TNA press release, more on Dixie angle, TNA guest, former DX member wrestling in NXT, McIntyre bruised, new voice in WWE, ribbing Reigns, Raw audience and Questions on Haitch, Hogan, royalties, changing TNA and the Wyatts

Big Show is said to be improving after tweaking his knee on Saturday. That's good news for WWE given how important of a part he is of Survivor Series.

Fandando's wearing a Union Jack on Raw was a nod to European/UK fans being responsible for the "Fandangoing" craze. Remember when that was a thing?

Evan Bourne is expected to return to the ring by the end of the year. It will be very interesting to see how he does after being away for so long. With two Wellness strikes to his name, I doubt he'll get a big push. Mysterio and Orton are former WWE and World Champions, so WWE's more willing to give them another shot. A lot of fans have probably forgotten about Bourne by now. I think it's worth seeing how he does with dark matches and live events, but it might be wise to spend more time and energy on performers like Tyson Kidd along with NXT's Adrian Neville and Sami Zayn.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

NXT injury notes, WWE main eventer hurt?, new WWE trainer, cameo on WWE live events, Heyman update, why match was changed, Interviews with Poffo/Y2J, live event note, JR talks Ohno, more Pro Wrestling 101, Smackdown dark match, recent TNA performer at WWEPC, Raw to have theme, Hero talks WWE release and Questions on praising WWE, Hero/Ohno, Bryan's booking and Jeff Jarrett

The following NXT talents are hurt:
- Enzo Amore has a broken leg and could miss more than six months. He's hysterical. I'd recommend checking his stuff out.

- Scott Dawson has a torn ACL. What little I've seen of him I've also liked.

- Judas Devlin has some sort of spinal injury. I can't say I'm familiar with him.

Also of note, Corey Graves has returned to action after a concussion.

Big Show was notably limping at a recent WWE live event. That's not good with a major PPV just around the corner.

Update: Show was said to be moving really slow in the main event vs. Orton. How is that any different from normal? OOOH HO HO HO HO. After his match, he thanked everyone in attendance for all their support over the years. Show gets mad respect from me for how many years he's been in the business. He's still an important player and can be valuable in the right role.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 11/11/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

TNA star crashes indy show, Interview with Shamrock, NXT stars get new names, Cena praises rising star, another ECW reunion and Questions on the new Kane, Hogan-WWE, Miz, Iron Sheik, Montreal, combining the top belts, Hogan's best matches, Survivor Series and Taker

TNA ran an angle where Bully Ray attacked Tommy Dreamer at a House of Hardcore event in order to set up a Falls Count Anywhere match between the two of them. That match will be at the same venue on TNA's One Night Only: Old School event on 12/30. Ray and Dreamer probably need the crutches of a big gimmick match to get a main event-level performance these days. Those bump cards are getting pretty full.

Ken Shamrock talked about WWE, UFC and more. Interesting thoughts about White and the MMA world.

NXT Tag Team Champions The Ascension have been given new names. Conor O'Brian will now be known as Konnor. Rick Victor will now be known as Viktor. I like what I've seen of the gimmick and hope it makes the main roster one day. The names are fitting.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Top NXT prospect released, Heyman returns, Alexander funeral info, WWE backstage shake-up, Roode signing, TNA live event notes, WWE changes schedule, Hogan updates, Interviews with DDP/Maryse, new TNA PPV taping and Questions on Ohno's release, Kaitlyn, Dreamer, JR and the zombie that is ECW

WWE has released Kassius Ohno, known all over the world as indy wrestling personality Chris Hero. Ohno/Hero is known for his work with the likes of Antonio Cesaro, Daniel Bryan and C.M. Punk. It's no understatement to say he's been highly lauded during the course of his career, so it's really a shame we won't be seeing him tear it up on the main roster.

Update: Hero's already getting booked on the indy scene, working 11/16 for Pro Wrestling Syndicate and in Pro Wrestling Guerilla in December. Glad he's getting work. Hopefully TNA's dialing him up right now, too.

Update: There were people on the main roster surprised that Ohno was released, as HHH praised the recent Ohno/Luke Harper match on NXT. I'm curious as to why he was released. There have been rumors around, but I'll wait to see if anyone credible mentions them before commenting.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Upcoming TNA matches, more on Slam City, Interviews with Cameron/Edge, Hardcore Justice PPV press, WWE business news, TNA injuries, Impact audience and Questions on paying hurt wrestlers, Pacman-TNA, J-E-Double-F and Goldust

The following have been set for next week's Impact:
- Kurt Angle vs. Austin Aries in a submission match in the TNA World Title tournament.
- Gail Kim vs. Hannah Blossom - if Blossom wins, she gets a shot at the Knockouts Championship.
- Mr. Anderson vs. Knux
- Daniels vs. Joseph Park
- Ethan Carter III in action

Not a bad line-up at all.

The following have been set for TNA's Turning Point edition of Impact in Orlando:
- Samoa Joe vs. Magnus in the TNA World Title tournament
- James Storm vs. Bobby Roode in the TNA World Title tournament
- Bully Ray vs. Mr. Anderson

These matches will likely have stipulations added. They all sound like winners so far.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Smackdown Reax - 11/8/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.

New Kayfabe Commentaries release, new WWE office, big WrestleMania party, WWE agent recognized, Interview with Foley, new WWE signing, Pacman press release, another WWE cartoon, WWE promotion, TNA PPV taping and Questions on the WWEPC, the WWE World Title, the Streak, Big Zeke and Flair

Kayfabe Commentaries has released a "Wrestling's Most Despised" DVD. I'd guess Hogan, Nash, Russo, Bischoff and Kevin Dunn all rank pretty high.

WWE is opening a new office in Munich, Germany. That's cool. Not sure what all that will mean for the company, but it's good they're expanding their international presence.

WWE will have a WrestleMania kickoff party in New Orleans' Champions Square on 11/15 featuring Sheamus, Rey Mysterio, Mick Foley, Mark Henry, Jimmy Hart, Kaitlyn, Alicia Fox and Booker T. are all scheduled to be there.

WWE agent Fit Finlay was recognized by ring announcer Justin Roberts at a live event in Belfast. Finlay was in the audience with his parents and stood up to a solid reaction.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars and Impact Wrestling Reax - 11/7/13

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's Superstars and Impact Wrestling.

Main Event Reax - 11/6/13, famed indy promoter passes, more TNA stars to Japan, Hogan-TNA (and Hogan-WWE) update, Interviews with Eve/Cena/Heyman, Reks takes aim at WWE cartoon, NXT star in dark match, help Hacksaw, Del Rio to work outside of WWE, Sin Cara update, identity of TNA returnee and Questions on Cena winning and the IWC really not getting it

Main Event:
I enjoy the dynamic of the Wyatt Family. They're just two big, animalistic dudes who work together to take apart their opponents. They stand out from other teams on the roster who are working hard but get somewhat lost in the pack. PTP continues to be smooth, too.

Can't say I'm shocked that Young was made a victim there. The Wyatts are posed for moving up the card. I wouldn't view it as any kind of sleight against Young (or PTP in general).

Nothing bad from Alicia vs. Nikki. They're not my favorites, but I'm fine with seeing them every once in a while.

Pretty glad to see Hunico and Camacho back in the mix, even in a loss. I've enjoyed Hunico's work for a long time. This adds something fresh to the tag team division. I'd be down for some other names being switched in and out to shake things up.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

New old school DVDs, Hogan appearance, more on TNA's schedule, TNA/OVW relationship over?, Interviews with Miz/RVD/Mysterio/Iron Sheik/Striker, classic wrestling tattoo, big wrestling film festival, Raw remarks picked up, Flair appearance, Carter memo, wrestling moves used in manslaughter, Impact tease, Corgan addresses TNA rumor, Raw audience, Impact preview, TNA seeking new hires and Questions on HHH behind-the-scenes, Rock, TNA (or anyone) catching WWE, match stipulations and Cena vs. JBL

Highspots.com has some new DVDs featuring old wrestling footage. That's pretty cool, since WWE doesn't have or use certain footage.

Hulk Hogan will be on Oprah's "Where Are They Now" series next season. Where he will be on 4/6/14 is a question a lot of people want answered.

Here's a piece on TNA returning to Universal Studios in Orlando. I love how they're skirting the issue of how going on the road didn't go well for them at all. Dixie does have a background in PR.

TNA talents training in OVW have been told to relocate to Orlando, so it looks like that relationship is done. Hopefully that's a good thing for those talents.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Update on Styles angle, more on Bellator, big wrestling convention, upcoming WWE cartoon, WWE ad error, Interview with Maryse, WWE signs Olympic wrestler, Indy wrestling notes, more on Corgan-TNA rumor, Smackdown audience, Main Event match and Questions on the Cerebral Assassin, WWE's tag teams, HBK vs. Bryan, AJ vs. Steph and WM30

AJ Styles defeated Judas Mesias to retain his unofficial TNA World Title. After the match, some AAA heels rudos including Konnan hit the ring only to be run off by Styles and Mesias. The plan is for AJ to continue to retain before returning to face the winner of the current TNA World Title tournament. I like this angle. No official word on Styles' contract past December, by the way.

Diamond Dallas Page was also at the recent Bellator event. As for TNA guys, neither Tito nor Rampage fought and King Mo lost. Rampage will debut against a new opponent on 11/15. I don't know when we'll see any of the Bellator names back in TNA. They are still under contract.

A whole slew of wrestlers will be at an upcoming event in New York. That would be an interesting Royal Rumble.

WWE is making a web cartoon about its superstars as kids. That actually sounds cool.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 11/4/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

TNA sale rumor intensifies, Updates on Axel and top ROH names, WWE Network status examined, RVD sighting, TNA cameo returns, Interview with Y2J, See Andre's house and Questions on Kofi, Angle, Orton, WWE stock and Bryan

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan has expressed interest in buying partial if not majority ownership in TNA. Corgan's been a big wrestling fan for quite a while, appearing in the original ECW.

There's no definitive update on when Curtis Axel will return to the ring or if WWE will do anything about the status of the Intercontinental Championship while he's out. It's a shame that his rebranding hasn't worked out as well as some have hoped. He's got raw talent.

It should be noted that indy stars Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards have not as of yet been offered WWE deals. Neither are currently under ROH contract. I'd be interested to see how they'd do in WWE or TNA. The latter should make them offers.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Query on ICP-TNA, more on top indie names potentially going to WWE, TNA-Orlando update, WWE represented at World Series, more on WWE's TV rights situation, Andre's home for sale, Boogeyman frightens, Interview with Bad Influence + Bully Ray, former ring announcer to wrestle? and Questions on the post-Bischoff era, Ted Turner, Bryan as WWE Champ and best wrestling crowds

First up, a query:
1. While I suppose it's always possible for ICP to return to TNA (or for any active wrestling personalities to return to any company for that matter), I haven't seen any indication that they're TNA-bound.

Former ROH World Champion Davey Richards teased that he and Eddie Edwards are headed to WWE. That's big news for both guys if it plays out.

TNA will be taping at a different sound stage from the original Impact Zone - Soundstage 19 instead of Soundstage 21. It will be interesting to see how that plays out.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Not-so-scary superstars, ex-WWE star spotted, Mick Foley Mystery, Interviews with Roberts/Bull Pain/Bryan/Cena, Stephanie update, more on TNA's direction going forward, Mickie-TNA update, more on Styles' status, big WWE book out next year, Henry costume, Hardy-TNA venture, Panda Energy-TNA update, Angle injury storyline update, Impact audience and Questions on TNA contracts, Summerslam's buyrate, Mike Sharpe and the WWEPC

WWE.com continued the Halloween theme by looking at not-so-scary superstars. Colorful characters can make wrestling enjoyable, but there can be overkill as well. There were some clever in-jokes in there. As for Seven, the story is that Turner execs didn't want to do the gimmick, so it got axed and we ended up with Rhodes doing a "shoot" on WCW.

Paul London was on the set of NBC's Revolution doing both acting and stunt work. Good for him. As far as high-octane "flippy" guys go, I enjoyed him.

Mick Foley was part of a College Humor video. That was actually pretty funny. Glad they referred to more than one gimmick.

Here's a Jake "The Snake" Roberts interview. Pretty intense, though really funny in places, too. Jake looks like Father James Mitchell in that one picture. As for Jake being about wrestling and not sports entertainment, throwing a snake on someone and coming to the ring with Alice Cooper sounds like the latter to me. Jake running TNA would be an interesting concept, though I don't see Panda Energy trusting the company to someone with his history.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars and Smackdown Reax - 11/1/13

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's Superstars and Smackdown.

WWE releases Q3 2013 earnings statement

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's WWE financial results.

Interviews with Hart/Matt Hardy/Kaitlyn/AJ/Hogan/Sullivan/Henry, HoFer visits at Raw, update on former Diva/Knockout, former WWE/World Champ at NXT, guests at Foley show and Questions on Otunga, Boogeyman, Dixie wrestling, championships in other companies and why the Styles angle is a good thing

Here's an interview with Bret Hart about wrestling in the UK. I can't be the only one who thinks his legacy's a little inflated.

Matt Hardy was interviewed. Sometimes I wonder if wrestling needs more sophisticated stories given some of the responses to the Bryan angle (he's "being buried", he "can't win", etc.). The fraction of fans who live and die by the Internet gossip sites isn't nearly as big as some on the IWC think/would like it to be. Otherwise, you'd think promotions like ROH would be a bigger deal.

Afa of the Wild Samoans visited at Raw. He's part of one of the most famous families in wrestling.

Kharma has slimmed down since leaving WWE. WWE return pls?

All of the non-financial news from yesterday is after the break.

Impact Wrestling Reax - 10/31/13

Read on for my take on last night's Impact Wrestling.

Main Event Reax - 10/30/13, former Knockout retiring, Styles' AAA opponent, new reality show with former Diva/Knockout?, Interviews with Kaitlyn/Rhodes Brothers/Nikki/JR/Swagger/Stephanie, Bischoff ally update, TNA schedule update, who was and wasn't at WWE TV this week, WWE event profiled, Little Boogeyman pops up, Heel Dixie strikes again and Questions on making TNA old school, why viewers tune out, Taker vs. Bryan, Divas in the Cell and HHH vs. Y2J

Main Event:
I really liked Ryback vs. Kofi. Ryback's a pretty solid power competitor. I've definitely seen more limited big guys pushed.

Not really in the mood for Santino vs. Slater shenanigans at the moment. Not a bad contest, but not my cup of tea.

For those who keep score, HHH and Show first faced off in 1999 (in a Handicap match also involving The Rock). So they've got some history. This part of the story feels fresh, so I can't complain too much.

Well, at least Fandango went over. I'm really not a Hornswoggle/Khali fan.

I hope the people who hate "sports entertainment" are upset at the combination of flashy colored flippy guys and a little person in a bull suit. That was really something.

More wrestling coming up.

What happened after Raw, WWE tryouts, HBK update, Interviews with Spike/Daniels, Punk hurt on Raw, former Divas' Champ at Performance Center, Goldust-indies update, Kofi hits NXT, ex-TNA Knockout at Raw, update on Hogan-TNA, Styles angle continues, TNA star lays down Bellator challenge, Raw audience, Dixie addresses latest TNA rumor and Questions on TNA invading, Magnus, Steph wrestling, changing WWE and Raw vs. Nitro

After Raw, HHH heeled the crowd in attendance for chanting "Yes!" He then "hired" the audience for the sole purpose of firing them before actually firing them. I wonder what investors feel about a company hiring thousands of employees before firing them outright that same day...

There were a number of students from Team 3D's wrestling academy receiving tryouts or being used as extras during the Raw taping. I wonder how TNA feels about that.

There are discussions to use HBK more on TV. If it gets Bryan further over, I'm all for it.

Here's a big interview with the former Spike Dudley covering a lot of topics. I always liked him.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

HIAC injuries, Interview with Dreamer, NXT stars scanned for action figures, HBK responds to fan backlash, Cena makes WHC vow, Ryback heels IWC, Cabana tryout?, Smackdown audience and Questions on indies vs. WWE, burying Ziggler, TNA's ring, the cost of going on the road and working the SEC

Big E Langston and Dean Ambrose both required medical attention after their match. Langston received stitches. Neither will miss ring time. Tough business.

Tommy Dreamer had an interview recently. Here are some highlights. Maybe I'm just giddy, but the porn story struck me as amusing. As for WWE and TNA "screwing over the audience", it'd be different if they didn't deliver the matches they promised. They do. They just do endings designed to set up rematches. It's the whole "unfinished business" thing. The idea of House of Hardcore being a major promotion is intriguing. It could be a long way away, but any change in the current national landscape would be something to spice things up. As for Rosita, I enjoyed what little I saw of her in TNA. I certainly wouldn't be against WWE giving her a tryout. She's young and shows both fire and commitment.

Mattel scanned a solid number of NXT talents for potential future action figures if/when those talents make it to the main roster. I wonder how an NXT line would sell? Either way, that's very smart on Mattel's part. There are certainly some talents there who would be cool to see in action figure form. Paige, Bayley, Scott Dawson, Enzo Amore...

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 10/28/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

New Henry look + update, Styles defending TNA Title outside of TNA, Interview with Bryan, Punk on documentary, Identity of Smackdown wrestler, Ricardo update, McCool goes to ER, More on Cena's injury, Del Rio appearance, Why Axel missed HIAC, Show update, TNA to tape PPVs in the UK, where's Mysterio? and Questions on THE HULKSTER IN TNA, JACK, why the WWE Title isn't as important as it used to be, Bischoff fact check, Cena's recovery and The Rogue AJ Styles

Mark Henry has stated that he's close to returning, and is sporting a new look. The Authority better watch itself when he comes back.

AJ Styles has teased that he'll defend the TNA World Title outside of TNA. The speculation is that that could mean Wrestle-1 in Japan or AAA in Mexico, both of which I believe TNA has good relationships with. I think that's a great idea to continue the angle. If he doesn't come back in 2014, this is a great sendoff.

Here's an interview with Daniel Bryan before Hell in a Cell. Four straight WWE PPV main events? Man, he is SO being buried. He might as well quit and go to TNA. It should be noted that PWInsider is one of the chief proponents of complaining about Bryan being "buried". I don't think "Final Countdown" would be as over with the audience at large compared to the die-hard IWC fans. Most viewers won't get the reference, or care.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

WWE Hell in a Cell Reax - 10/27/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Hell in a Cell PPV.

Hell in a Cell preview

Read on for how I'd book tonight's Hell in a Cell PPV.

Interview with Ariel/Brian Blair, Bischoff update, Taker-Mania rumor, WWE awards and Questions on Facebook implementation, Tito Santana, lolTNA, why refs do what they do and watching shows out of context

The former Ariel (Shelly Martinez) talked about her WWE exit. Here are some highlights. That escalated quickly... The Batista stuff was said to be really middle/high school-type behavior. Sometimes high-stress, loose work environments can bring out the worst in people.

There continues to be speculation over Eric Bischoff's long-term status in TNA after it was said he'd be "working from home". I don't think I'd mind him coming back to WWE in a limited role. Maybe to feud/work with Brad Maddox, whom a lot of people compare him to? I don't see it happening, and authority figures need to be kept to a minimum, but I'd personally like to see how it'd play out. Bischoff can be a pretty entertaining on-air character. Natural heel.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Interviews with Joey Styles/Big Show/Woods, TNA show updates, EC3 opponent, Otunga appears, ex-NFL star training for WWE, Santino's training academy, another Gut Check, TNA-MMA star injured and Questions on no Monday Night Wars, jobbers in the Hall, Bully vs. AJ, the hardcore style, Show working despite being fired and David Otunga

Joey Styles talked about a number of wrestling topics. Very smart guy.

There will be a number of Impact Wrestling tapings on the road in the future, but it won't be a regular occurrence. It will be nice to get out of Orlando from time to time.

TNA's going to be doing more live events once they return to Orlando for tapings. That's good, as the calendar right now looks really bare.

The 12/27 TNA event in Philadelphia has officially been canceled. There could be live events in the markets of canceled Impacts. Whatever gets their momentum going again in the post-Hogan (and Bischoff?) era.

TNA morale is said to be much higher after the recent talent meeting. With Hogan and Bischoff absent, I can't say I'm massively surprised.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Smackdown Reax - 10/25/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.

TNA tapings update, new TNA direction, TNA extends TV deal, more WWE-Komen work, Interview with Sheamus, new WWE DVD survey, TNA stars seek outside dates, Bischoff absent, Hall update, what's set for next week's Impact, competition for Impact and Questions on Ziggler heat, Cena failing Wellness tests, BFG vs. Raw, Goldust and Samoa Joe

TNA talents will be working Impact tapings near the end of November at Universal Studios. They're seeking to do some tapings there in December as well. The space used will be a different stage from the former Impact Zone.

Update: TNA put out a press release about the new direction for the company. I can't say that some of those ideas aren't good ideas. They need to do something to freshen things up and reprioritize. I really like the idea about new characters and training new talents. Obviously that's going to draw comparisons to WWE's new direction, but that's hardly a bad thing as WWE's really doing well in those regards.

Update: Morale is said to be up after today's talent meeting in TNA.

Here's another press release about their TV deal in France. It's great that TNA is achieving successes around the world.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars and Impact Wrestling Reax - 10/24/13

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's Superstars and Impact Wrestling.

Main Event Reax - 10/23/13, new match for HIAC, Interviews with Magnus/Luger, Foley talks Angle, WWE hangout, where's Shamrock now?, Bellas on Kimmel and Questions on Rock vs. Austin, endings to PPVs, Show buying stock and Steph getting her comeuppance

Main Event:
I enjoyed the opening match. I'm glad it had more story than "check out all these cool moves and big bumps we can do". Goldust understands ring psychology for sure.

Nice match from PTP and the Real Americans. Cesaro and Swagger make a great tandem and PTP continue to find their niche. I think everyone here could do bigger things in the future.

Not a terrible Divas' match, but not something I really wanted to see.

Sandow vs. Ziggler wasn't bad at all, other than the "neither guy is as big of a star as they could/should be" factor. Both men have a lot of potential. More experience would definitely help them both, but right now they're certainly showing they have what it takes to be impressive members of the roster.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Post-Raw dark match, Y2J and Edge respond to HHH, Wyatt update, praise for new star, manager to become wrestler?, original plan for Raw main event, possible Raw injuries, praise for NXT star, Interview with Mickie/potential WWE signee, Raw audience, WWE honored and Questions on Orton, Jim Johnston, Sandow's briefcase, DVRs and WWE does Dallas

Daniel Bryan beat Randy Orton after Raw. Pretty weird booking for a guy they're "trying to bury" and "not putting over".

Chris Jericho took a shot at Triple H after the Raw segment where HHH insulted Y2J's status in the company. I think it can be argued that HHH was the top name in the company for a while post-Attitude Era when he was working with the former WCW/ECW main eventers and leading Evolution. Even when Jericho was the top champion, he was presented as undeserving and clearly below the likes of Rock, Austin and HHH.

Update: Edge responded, too. Marks confirmed for being worked by the Cerebral Assassin.

Bray Wyatt was walking without crutches at Raw, so he could be cleared to return to the ring soon. Talk about dodging a bullet.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Better BFG crowd estimate, backstage BFG notes, NXT star note, Interviews with Credible/Rhino/Ambrose/Steve Cox, new combined wrestling fed, wrestler passes away, RVD update, Smackdown audience, Sunny health update, BFG injuries, Main Event match, Smackdown segment, NXT stars at Raw and Questions on Hogan's fame, the next generation of main eventers, Cena returning, Brawl For All and Renee Young

In a correction to a previous story, Bound For Glory is believed to have drawn between 3,500 and 4,000 fans. That's really not bad. They've done better, but that's not bad.

There was no talk backstage at BFG about Hulk Hogan returning, though it's not off the table. I have nothing new to say here: time to move on from the Hogan/Sting era.

Jeff Jarrett worked as an agent at Bound For Glory. I wonder if he'll be a bigger part of things behind the scenes now.

Justin Gabriel beat Tyler Breeze again on the 10/20 WWE live event. Breeze had a promo before the match. I like the character at least.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 10/21/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

NXT star/live event note, TNA Hall of Fame note, more on WWE Network, BFG attendance, BFG guest, potential future Knockouts, cable issues mar BFG, new face in TNA, Carter's opponent and Questions on journalism, WWE voting, TNA's ills, the HHH angle and Taker as a full-time guy

Tyler Breeze lost to Justin Gabriel on this weekend's WWE live event.

Samoa Joe, Sting and Magnus all gave speeches for Kurt Angle ahead of him going into the TNA Hall of Fame. Doesn't sound nearly as interesting as if EGO had interrupted.

WWE sent out an update about the status of the WWE Network. They remain tentative about it. They pretty much have to announce something at the Conference Call, right?

TNA sold at least 3,000 tickets before Bound For Glory. Not bad at all given some of the showings they've had.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

TNA Bound For Glory Reax

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Bound For Glory.

Bound For Glory preview

Read on for how I'd book tonight's Bound For Glory PPV.

Smackdown dark match, more on TNA taping changes, what's set for Raw, Interviews with Bully Ray/Zigger, 2014 WWE PPV schedule, Show angle update, more on NXT star, FIVE now a face, NXT Divas signing, big Foley anniversary, WWE Network update, another guest trainer at NXT, NXT angle update, BFG weekend notes and Questions on Hogan at Mania, the WCW comic and Sable in the HoF

The dark match for the most recent Smackdown taping saw the Prime Time Players defeat Los Locales (Ricardo Rodriguez and Tyson Kidd in masks). It makes me wonder if Los Locales will become something of a regular thing. I think both stars are talented, so I wouldn't have any problems with it.

TNA has officially canceled the 11/21 Impact taping in Baltimore. They're expected to tape shows at the Impact Zone that week instead. At least, I hope they are given the number of tapings they've dropped. The 10/24 and 11/7 "on-the-road" tapings are still set. Hopefully going back to the Impact Zone is a step in the right direction financially.

Set for Raw:
-A contract signing between Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan
-Shawn Michaels will be in attendance
-HHH's response to Big Show and the Rhodes brothers

That all sounds good to me.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Stipulation added to Bully vs. AJ, Impact taping updates, Interviews with AJ Styles/Rosita, Mysterio returns, Brock and Bryan sightings, another NXT tryout, more on TNA/WRESTLE-1, live event notes, Impact audience and Questions on Heel Dixie, TNA in Russia, Hogan-TNA, BFG and Sabin/Velvet

Bully Ray vs. AJ Styles at Bound For Glory is now a no-DQ match, the idea being that Dixie is putting the screws to AJ. I'm not nearly as excited about AJ winning as I am about TNA having to do something new after the PPV.

Here are some updates on upcoming Impact Wrestling tapings:
11/21 in Baltimore: Tickets have been taken off sale while the company determines whether to go through with it.

12/5 in Chattanooga will be moved to another market. No word on why it was canceled.

12/19 had yet to be announced. Its status/location is still in the air.

Tapings are still set for 10/24, 11/7 and 12/27. It will be very interesting to see what TNA pulls together for the other shows.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars and Smackdown Reax - 10/18/13

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's Superstars and Smackdown.

WWE returns, Hogan-TNA update, latest TNA malaise, top trainer at WWEPC, Mero speaks, Kane update, Interviews with Chavo/Angle, controversial new TNA shirt, TNA cancels at least one Impact taping and Questions on Steamboat Jr., 2nd-generation stars, title changes, Cena not being PG and piledrivers

Wade Barrett returned to the ring at a recent WWE event in Mexico. He defeated Zack Ryder with the Bull Hammer. Glad he's back. WWE could use some more names in the mix right about now.

Rey Mysterio made the save when Alberto Del Rio refused to release an armbar on Sin Cara following their match. Mysterio hasn't made his "in-ring" return yet, but is hoping to by the end of the year.

Hulk Hogan has been removed from all advertising for Bound For Glory. I'd much rather see Ethan Carter III anyway.

TNA canceled their 11/1 live event in Battle Creek, Mich. and no longer plans on holding an event near New York City next month. 2014's going to be an important year for the company financial-wise.

Impact Wrestling Reax - 10/18/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Impact Wrestling.

Main Event Reax - 10/16/13, big ex-WWE names meet, top indie name to WWE?, lucha star passes away, Interviews with Barrett/Mysterio/Angle, DX member at NXT show, 2K14 contest, sad Joey Styles note, Borash sighting, learn from Goldust and Questions on Cena's return, The Shield and an absurd HIAC

Main Event:
I enjoyed Ambrose vs. Ziggler. Both guys work hard and will hopefully be top stars in the future.

I've definitely seen worse "filler" six-man tags. It's good for the undercard guys to get some ring time to show what they can do and gain experience. Not everyone needs to be groomed to be a future main eventer.

I enjoyed Truth vs. Sandow well enough. Glad Sandow's finally getting some momentum (for now).

Yikes. I guess they were trying to reach a certain demographic with Fandango vs. Khali. It certainly didn't do anything for me. If it leads to Summer Rae becoming a wrestler, I might be fine with them feuding. But I would personally much rather have seen more from Truth and Sandow.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Wyatt update, Interviews with Bryan/Credible/"Jersey Shore"'s Angelina/Aries, what happened after Raw, AJ Lee update, Raw re-writes, why HIAC match was made, possible Survivor Series match, Raw audience, when you'll see Cena and Questions on baiting + switching, [know-it-all fans] and no-compete clauses

Bray Wyatt is walking around on crutches. He's been pulled from physical activity until further notice. I think they might mostly be able to dodge this bullet.

Former 2-time WWE Champion Daniel Bryan talked ahead of Raw. It's really funny to see him with the big beard dressed formally. That guy's entrance was kind of funny. Bryan's heel work was great.

Here's the latest Pro Wrestling 101 video with Justin Credible. He makes some really good points.

After Raw, Daniel Bryan beat Randy Orton with his flying knee finisher. After the match, he asked if the fans wanted to see an RKO. They, of course, chanted "YES!". So, he hit an RKO on the referee. Pretty funny.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

MMA challenge to C.M. Punk, WWE Comics details, Interview with Roman + Dusty/Jannetty/Bryan/Y2J, Wyatt update, Show to NXT, WWE seeks new hire, more on NYCC, country star hypes WWE, Taker sighting, Smackdown audience, Bryan signing, Main Event match and Questions on WWE-Twitter, Sandow as a face, Steiner on the mic, Zeus in the HoF and Bryan vs. HHH

Jason David Frank, who played the Green Ranger on the original Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers series and is now an MMA enthusiast, has challenged C.M. Punk to an MMA bout. I would watch the hell out of that. I also want to see a WWE/Power Rangers crossover. Someone get that going.

Here are details on the upcoming WWE Comics. My money. Shut up and take it.

Here's an article about wrestling in Tampa, featuring comments from Roman Reigns and Dusty Rhodes.

Marty Jannetty talked about his outside-the-ring problems. It's crazy how different things have turned out for himself and HBK. This guy sounds like he needs some kind of help.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 10/14/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

WWE live event notes, potential injury, TNA champion seeking reality show and Questions on TNA losing money, PPV refunds, HHH, WWE names outside of WWE and the build to BFG

Eva Marie worked the (stateside) 10/12 WWE live event, so it looks like we're going to be seeing her wrestle on a regular basis.

Bray Wyatt is said to have hurt his leg at a recent live event. He was helped to the back after a bump into the rail. It's pretty worrying how many WWE wrestlers aren't active for one reason or another. I think they need to evaluate some things.

Update: Wyatt stayed in his rocking chair on the 10/13 event, using Harper and Rowan as support as he walked to the back. Hopefully this doesn't derail him too badly.

James Storm wants a reality show. I'd probably watch it. He's quite the character.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

NXT talent/live events update, Vince rumorkiller, Knockout pregnant and Questions on WWE's training, Vince vs. HHH/Steph, Cena returning, Lei'D Tapa and Chris Benoit

The 10/11 WWE live event in Abu Dhabi (not Dubai!) featured Santino Marella beating Bo Dallas and Sami Zayn beating Brad Maddox. It looks like they're not too sure whether to make Bo a face or a heel. Maybe his character's so complex that he defies classification.

There were reports recently about this picture "giving away" Vince McMahon's phone number. That was just the number to contact him within the building. I can just imagine Vince inadvertently taking calls from "smarks" all night. "WHAT? PUSH DANIEL BRYAN? WHO IS THIS? I'M VINCE MCMAHON, DAMMIT!"

Here's another piece about WWE being in Abu Dhabi, featuring NXT's Sami Zayn! Far too many journalists get pissy about covering wrestling stories.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Styles autiobiography update, set for next week's Impact Wrestling, BFG line-up, Interviews with DDP/Cena/Hogan, HIAC note, UAE pictures, Impact audience and Questions on Cena vs. Bryan, unifying the top titles at Mania, worst PPV main event ever, Mickie-TNA and lolWCW

AJ Styles' autobiography has been pushed back as the publisher wants to include his current storyline, more copyright approvals and more interviews. That's probably for the best. This is probably the most interesting angle of his career.

On next week's Impact:
- The contract signing for the World Heavyweight Championship match between Bully Ray and AJ Styles.
- Bully Ray vs. Magnus.
- Samoa Joe vs. Chris Sabin
- Gunner vs. Knux
- Robbie E vs. Hernandez vs. Eric Young vs. Daniels

I can't wait for BFG to be done with. Bully Ray as top heel has gotten really stale.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars Smackdown Reax - 10/11/13

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's Superstars and Smackdown.

NXT appearances, NXT name change, Bruno video, former WWE/World Champ at NYCC, Hayes in hot water?, Updates on Goldust/RVD, WWE Comics cover, Interviews with Ziggler/Miz, NXT talent on live events and Questions on AJ, WWE killing PPVs, Khali and Midnight Riders

Alberto Del Rio and Christian appeared at the most recent NXT taping. Cool. They do a good job of featuring guests without making the show exclusively about them.

The former Gavin/Shawn Spears, who briefly wrestled on WWE's ECW brand, is now known as Ty Dillinger.

Here's video of Bruno Sammartino appearing during the Raw taping. HHH getting him in the Hall is amazing.

Sheamus will be at NYCC. I imagine he'll get a lot of Lobsterhead/Too Many Limes jokes.

Impact Wrestling Reax - 10/10/13

Read on for my take on last night's Impact Wrestling.

Main Event Reax - 10/9/13, Smackdown taping notes, new HIAC match, Interview with Bryan/Hemme, more WWE charity, WWE injury updates, more on HHH-Show BFG signing additions and Questions on Bryan's headbutt, Fandango, Brawl For All, no-compete clauses and XPW

Main Event:
Pretty good opening match. Everyone seemed motivated to impress despite being low on the card.

Tamina vs. Aksana wasn't bad, though it definitely wasn't AJ vs. Kaitlyn. I will say that Aksana has progressed from her early days and both performers seem like they're willing to put in work to get better.

Big E vs. Ryder wasn't bad at all. While I wouldn't recommend Big E to be a big singles star yet, I think he's doing well. Especially being only 27. I hope experience will do him well.

More wrestling coming up.

Cena doing media, BFG signings update, Raw audience, WWE roster split, Interview with Maryse, Smackdown dark match and Questions on facepaint, Dixie turning face, Shane O'Mac, HHH and Orlando Jordan

John Cena's doing a lot of media appearances in conjunction with WWE's work with the Susan G. Komen Foundation. WWE takes its charity work very seriously.

Update: Here's an appearance by Cena on "Good Morning America". Fighting cancer is a worthy cause.

Here's the updated line-up for TNA signings ahead of Bound For Glory. Still no Sting, Kurt Angle or AJ Styles. All three are scheduled for the BFG show itself, so it's a little odd that none of them will be signing.

Raw's audience was back up to 3.71 million this week. That's better than the previous week, but WWE would definitely like for the audience to be higher.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Query on Fandango's original dancer, Battleground notes, RVD update, WWE gets big award, Interviews with Thatcher/Aries/Mickie/Hogan, why Divas were paired, WWE GM going back to college, Smackdown audience, WWE champion injured, what happened after Raw, match made for Smackdown and Questions on Bryan vs. Lesnar, WWE not being as dumb as the IWC thinks, Raw dropping and Hogan vs. Austin vs. Cena

First up, a query:
1. I believe WWE replaced Fandango's original dancer because they wanted someone who was trained to take bumps and such. Enter Summer Rae. Here's a story on his previous dancer's whereabouts.

Bob Backlund was at the locale for Battleground for a paid photo op. He's quite the character.

There were a lot of "bullsh*t" chants in the arena for Battleground after the main event. WWE's job was to get people talking about the ending and tuning in to see what happens next. It looks like they succeeded on the first count at least.

Rob Van Dam is expected to take time off shortly. He has a very unique deal that allows him to work 90-day intervals before getting time off as needed. No word on when we might see him back. I wonder if this bit of news is partially why we're seeing Cena return so soon?

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 10/7/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Raw.

Stacy Keibler update, BFG airing in India, Angle in OVW?, Interviews with Victoria (Tara)/JR/Miz, PPV problems and Questions on buying Battleground, WWE's camerawork, the American Dream and legal stuff

In a story that shouldn't really surprise anyone, Stacy Keibler shot down the idea of a WWE return. I wonder what she'd think of "Total Divas".

TNA Bound For Glory will be aired live in India for free. I'm not sure what the market is for a PPV airing at 5:30 a.m., but it's cool that it's airing there. Hopefully that gets TNA some business.

Jamin Olivencia, the current OVW Heavyweight Champion, has made a challenge to Kurt Angle. That would definitely be big for TNA's sort-of official developmental territory. Olivencia recently lost to Ryback under the name Nick Nardone.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

WWE Battleground Reax

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Battleground PPV.

WWE Battleground Preview

Read on for what I'd suggest be done for tonight's Battleground PPV.

Interviews with Shamrock/WWE historian/Reigns, TNA does good deed for federal employees, NXT star on live events, no Khali on big screen, tag team star getting singles push?, Cena update and Questions on AJ Styles, Goldust, the Bellas and Taker

Ken Shamrock gave an interview about a number of wrestling topics. Looks like bringing him back won't be best for business. Vince is still in charge of Creative. If he doesn't want HHH out there, he can keep him back behind the scenes. As for a comeback, is there really that big of a demand for a 49-year-old retired MMA star who hasn't appeared in WWE in 14 years? He doesn't even have 6,000 Twitter followers. I don't even think TNA would take him at this point.

TNA is offering free tickets to an upcoming Impact taping for federal employees. That's actually pretty clever. They probably need help filling the venue anyway.

NXT Champion Bo Dallas worked this weekend's WWE live events, defeating Curt Hawkins. I bet a BOatload of people will be complaining that he's on that loop ahead of other NXT stars.

Update: Apparently Bo said it was great to be in Rochester, NY before his match. It was in Syracuse. This got Hawkins cheered. I think he'll be a great heat magnet. He's very punchable.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Identity of TNA's Ethan, Heel Dixie tweet, Interviews with Ryback/Reigns/Bryan, Impact audience and Questions on Aces and Eights, Punk, WWE PPVs, the HHH/Bryan story, and WWE post-Vince

New TNA character Ethan is former NXT performer Derrick Bateman. I already like him more than Lei'D Tapa. Yikes. Bateman definitely showed potential during his time in WWE. I think it was more of a case of WWE having too few spots than him not being talented. I'm not crazy about the Ethan character so far, but if anyone can make it work, it's Bateman.

TNA is on the lookout for more talent to bring in as well. I hope in the next year they make some steps in the right direction in that regard. While there are definitely some talented people in TNA who should be kept around, there are also definitely people I'd like to be replaced.

Dixie Carter put out a heel tweet. By default, she's more entertaining than a lot of TNA characters. I wonder if she enjoys the role and if she writes her own material.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Smackdown Reax - 10/4/13

Read on for my thoughts on last night's Smackdown.

More on new WWE figures, former ECW star to talk, WWE at the Olympics, Interviews with Darren Young/WWE Encyclopedia co-author, Cena appearance, new WWE signings, JR update, WWE seeks new VPs and Questions on Battleground, 2nd-generation chumps, Bryan vs. Lesnar, rehashing old angles and Cena saving the day

Here's the official press release on WWE working with McFarlane Toys. I look forward to seeing what other statues they'll have. C.M. Punk please?

Former WWE executive/ECW star Lou D'Angeli will be part of the Life is Beautiful Festival to discuss his time in the original ECW. Should be interesting.

WWE has filmed pro-U.S. promos for the upcoming winter Olympic Games. That's a big event to advertise on, so it makes sense to showcase the WWE name there.

Darren Young spoke to People magazine about his decision to come out. That's big press for WWE. I'm glad they've supported him in a positive way.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Superstars and Impact Wrestling Reax - 10/3/13

Read on for my thoughts on yesterday's Superstars and Impact Wrestling.

Main Event Reax - 10/2/13, new BFG match, Interviews with Aries/Miz/Stevie Richards/Brie, Cena profiled and Questions on Santino, Hardy, Bryan vs. Taker, the TNA Hall and breaking the ring

Main Event:
I enjoyed the Sandow promo, but that's generally the case. It's really time for his character to be doing something of note.

Really not crazy about Santino vs. Sandow. Santino's good in small doses, but Sandow should be doing something more important and looking like a potential World Champion. What if Del Rio gets hurt and RVD goes on hiatus? Sandow doesn't look like he's ready to take the reigns as a Champion with how they're booking him.

Interesting stuff from HHH. I see Show KOing Bryan for Orton to keep the Title on Sunday.

Fine showcase for the Wyatts. I feel like they need a purpose. They're not really doing anything storyline-wise since getting rid of Kane.

The Wyatts play their roles well. I liked Husky Harris, but I never expected this level of performance from him. I hope he keeps getting better.

Fine match for Axel. Remember when this guy was facing off with HHH and Cena? He's definitely fallen down the card since then.

Axel vs. Truth should be good.

No promo from Zeb!? Come on now.

Not a bad main event at all. I'm really impressed by the Real Americans and Tons of Funk are better than they have to be with their gimmick.
Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

What happened after Raw, new WWE products and marketing, Wyatt's character profiled, Survivor Series poster, Raw audience, Taker figure, another Wrestling Legends Night, Smackdown dark match and Questions on Jim Cornette, RVD, Sandow, Miz retiring and Vince knowing about dirtsheets

After Raw, C.M. Punk saved Daniel Bryan from another attack from Randy Orton. Ryback and Curtis Axel then came for Punk. Ziggler and the Usos then made the save. Punk hit the GTS on Axel, then everyone helped Bryan up before going backstage individually. I like the fact that some of those stars are getting the chance to be bigger parts of the show.

WWE put out a press release on some new merch they have. I picture some kid out there who's bankrupting his parents because he has to have EVERY. SINGLE. PIECE. of Cena merchandise.

Update: And here's a press release about a new marketing sponsorship. I think it's great they're getting these kinds of things.

Forbes.com (!?) talked about the Bray Wyatt character. Quite the interesting read.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Interview with Sandow/Severn, another NXT injury, Anderson update, WWE charity, Cena special appearance, ROH in TNA territory, more on Los Matadores, a change in Evolution, Kaitlyn, Mickie James and Velvet Sky

Damien Sandow talked ahead of Raw. I can't believe he was once seen as being on the road to the World Title. They've really dropped the ball on him post-MITB.

NXT's Scott Dawson says he's working with a knee injury. I've seen a little bit of his work. His character invites comparisons to Jamie Noble (in a positive way). I still look fondly on some of Noble's matches/segments.

Former WWF (and UFC) star Dan Severn talked in a brief piece. I don't remember him as well as I do Shamrock and Blackman.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Raw Reax - 9/30/13

Read on for my take on last night's Raw.

What Taker tweets mean, when new Knockout will appear, Attitude Era star wants WWE return, why NXT star left, WWE appearances, Cousin Luke passes away, Sandow attempts MITB cash-in and Questions on the history of wrestling on the Internet, Heel Dixie, HHH vs. Bryan and Big E's status

WWE continued their Undertaker-themed tweets. It seems like Todd MacFarlane is making a big Taker figure in conjunction with the Phenom Edition of WWE 2K14. Should be cool.

Lei'D Tapa will be wrestling on this week's edition of Impact, marking her post-Gut Check debut on the show. Tapa also competed on the One Night Only Knockouts Knockdown PPV. They're moving pretty quickly; they just ran a promo for her last week! But I don't suppose I can complain as it's definitely time for a new Knockout to show what she's made of.

Ken Shamrock has tweeted that he would like to return to WWE. I'd be surprised to see it, unless it was a one-time thing. I wonder if Spike/Bellator is thinking of making him an offer.

Former NXT signee Christina Vargas tweeted about why she left WWE. I wish her well in her post-WWE life.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Interviews with Masters/MVP/Jerry Jarrett/Zema Ion/Borash, TNA-OVW update, who's Ethan?, a look at TNA's schedule, buy old Sorensen ring gear, new HHH clip and Questions on using RVD, the ECW Arena, Heel Dixie, firing Hogan, HHH vs. Show and JR in TNA

Chris Masters talked about HBK, Cena, a WWE return and more. If he's working like he was at the end of his WWE run, I wouldn't mind him going to TNA. They need young blood right now and he fits the bill.

MVP was also interviewed about possibly returning to wrestle stateside. He's another guy I'd like to see in either nationally televised promotion (I almost said "major promotion", but I wonder if TNA is still considered a major promotion?). At any rate, he had some good things to say. International experience can definitely help people out in making it in the States.

Here's a long interview with TNA co-founder Jerry Jarrett about a multitude of topics. He's not shy about his feelings. He wrote a book about the early days of TNA if anyone's interested in checking it out.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.

Hogan-TNA update, Major TNA shake-up?, more on moving Impact, Ex-Tough Enough star works Bellator, NXT injury confirmed, WWE at NYCC, TTTT '13 confirmed, where's SMS?, wrestling Grand Marshalls, Taker rumors, Rhodes Family on Raw, WWE cards, Cena's reach, Foley promotion, grow a beard to get WWE tickets, Interviews with Sandow/Barrett, top WWE couple engaged, former ECW Champion at WWE live event, JR update and Questions on WWF vs. WCW tug-of-war, TNA's identity, headlining WM30, the NWA World Title and HHH's DVD

The following concerns a spoiler for next week's Impact: The most recent Impact taping was Hulk Hogan's last scheduled appearance under his current contract. Though the two sides continue to negotiate for a new deal, TNA has filmed a potential exit angle for him. Hogan has been unhappy with TNA for months, and the situation was exacerbated when Brooke was released without Hulk being informed. It seems Hulk wanted Dixie to help Brooke get into the country music scene, and that didn't happen. Eric Bischoff could also be on his way out by year's end. He's still a big ally of Hogan's, and has other priorities in addition to his TNA commitments; so if Hogan leaves, he might leave as well. If Hogan and Bischoff do leave, Jeff Jarrett could be replacing them in behind-the-scenes duties. Jarrett has been doing more backstage lately. As for what Hogan does if he leaves TNA, there's always the possibility that he can shake Vince down for one more big pay day at WM30. 

TNA is reconsidering the possibility of moving Impact permanently to Las Vegas. Currently TNA has Impact tapings on the road set through December.

Jeremiah Riggs, from the most recent season of Tough Enough, is on a Bellator card. It will be interesting to see if TNA gives him a look. The last thing they need right now is to continue to be seen as signing ex-WWE stars just for name value.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.