Mick Foley underwent a minor back surgery recently. There's a reason he does standup instead of taking bumps now. I'm glad he has enough money to where he doesn't have to be thrown around a ring for a living.
Two of TNA's producers and editors have given notice to the company, both of whom had been there for years. It's a shame no matter how great the product is in 2015 from a wrestling standpoint, it's going to be damn near impossible to succeed with everything that's going on from a business standpoint (being shifted from Spike to Fridays on a lesser channel, backstage departures left and right, pay issues, etc.). If they do get canceled in September, I think they might as well turn those January dates in the UK into a farewell tour uthey're somehow doing well enough with their international deals to keep treading water.
Everything else from yesterday is after the break.
TNA's Eli Drake, formerly Slate Randall in NXT, was interviewed:
- It's great to be working with someone who's extraordinarily willing to help out.
- I wonder why WWE had him blacklisted?
WWE has reached out to WWNLive, the parent company of EVOLVE, FIP, and SHINE, about a working agreement. While nothing has been signed yet, there's talk of WWE wanting some sort of relationship in regard to the developmental end of their company. I would assume this would be something along the lines of having NXT names work those promotions and vice versa. That would be a really big deal for both sides if it comes true.
Updates:
- A large part of the impetus for the potential deal was Figures, Inc.'s new action figure deal with ROH. ROH just announced a Kevin Steen action figure, which would affect the market for one of Kevin Owens by WWE. The idea is that WWN would sign talents to contracts including merchandising rights, so if and when they were wanted for NXT, WWE wouldn't have to get the rights for their likenesses from another company.
- This move could really affect talents who have signed merchandising deals with exclusivity, making WWE less likely to sign them. If WWE partners with WWN, I'd think talents who want to make it to WWE someday would weigh the idea of getting their own action figure through, say, ROH if that means they might not be picked up by HHH.
- Another part of the deal being discussed is using talents from SHINE for NXT given how both are taped in Florida. That would be a big boost for the Divas division there and on the main roster.
Overall, that working relationship would be a real game-changer for the industry. I hope it would be a positive one.
Paul Heyman was on Chael Sonnen's podcast confirming the challenge for Lesnar vs. Austin was something done in-character. It sounds like the chances of the match actually happening are pretty low.
Triple H addressed Chyna's allegations from a recent interview. It's a real shame she might be remembered more for what she did outside the ring. She would be a definite Hall of Famer if her life hadn't gone the road it's gone down.
For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. As was alluded to, USA Network is in a lot more houses than Destination America, and even Smackdown has a bigger audience than ROH and Impact Wrestling combined. So, right now USA Network is the "go-to" channel for wrestling, with SyFy second and DA a distant third. As far as DA picking up other wrestling promotions, that's not out of the question. It will depend on how their current offerings do with audiences and advertisers. I would be surprised if they picked up a third wrestling promotion while TNA is still on the air, but I wouldn't rule it out. Especially if TNA's on its way off the channel.
I think using TNA talents in ROH matches and vice versa could help both promotions if done right. There hasn't been any talk of them working together, though, and I could see the ROH fans being hostile to the relationship.
2. I don't see why he couldn't be. We'll see if that happens, though. I suspect they still want Reigns and Orton ahead of him on the babyface totem pole.
3. After feuding with Cena, there's not much higher you can go. So, since WWE wants to keep Cena as an important part of things and isn't going to bump him out of working on a PPV, other talents inevitably end up less important than they were when working with him. As for Owens' future, I suspect fans will be complaining about his booking soon enough. He'll probably be about in Rusev's spot, since I strongly doubt they'll book him as the top heel above The Authority.
4. It's certainly not all on Creative. They have to have great workers and characters to make use of for things to work smoothly. I'd say it's more Vince's micromanagement than anything.
5. As was said, there's more protection than in the Curb Stomp. I don't see that move coming back for a while.
More wrestling tomorrow.
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