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.

WWE was part of what could have been a PR disaster with a wheelchair-bound fan who purchased tickets. It all worked out well for the fan in the end.

Here's an interview with Dolph Ziggler. Nice touch calling the column "Gorilla Position" and a good read with someone who's familiar with THIS BUSINESS. It's a nice change of pace for Ziggler to be a face, though he's really lost in the shuffle right now. Ziggler's the very definition of a workaholic. He's always doing something. Entertaining interview.

Batista's return was always set for the Monday before the Rumble to get a big rating for that show and for the PPV itself. Advertising that is certainly one way to keep WWE on people's minds during the holiday season.

Update: Batista has a big goal for a return. I'm sure the "smarks" would crap on it, but Batista vs. Brock could really be something special.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. Oh, boy. I don't think there's any kind of anti-indy bias from the WWE higher-ups. They push who they think will make money and don't push who they think won't do that. It's really that simple.

2. I think there's a segment of the audience who will never be happy with WWE's push of Bryan (see Punk's run as champ). There's part of the audience who's going to have a hard time swallowing Bryan as the top guy over a bigger guy like Cena or Orton. The WWE audience is not the same as the ROH audience. I'd be very surprised if Bryan's pushed as "the guy" any time in the near future. Though if he starts making more money for the company than Cena, maybe that would change.

3. WWE generally likes for its performers to be acclimated to the WWE style or knock off some ring rust. It's not meant to be some kind of burial. Tensai and Kharma skipped NXT.

4. I think it was WWE's way of giving some momentum back to The Shield after them losing to Punk at the PPV. WWE's booking isn't COMPLETELY senseless.

5. Flashback to NXT Season 3: "What is the deal with WWE's infatuation with Kaitlyn? Ok. She is pretty, but no more so than any of the other divas. All she is good for is feuding with Vickie. She's clearly not ready for the ring", etc. It's way too early to write her off. People change. WWE's priority with her is "Total Divas", not being the next Trish Stratus. I think she'll be fine.

More wrestling tomorrow.