The first trainer for the new Tough Enough is new WWE signee Booker T.. I think that he could be good in that role.
Dixie Carter answers a fan's question about Booker T. and Kevin Nash not being in a Main Event Mafia reunion in TNA. She says that Booker was not available for the angle, but Nash was under contract with TNA. He was released for reasons that she wouldn't disclose, leading to his going to WWE. She says that the MEM angle was going to be short-term to lead to something else, and not with the entire original group.
PWInsider.com adds that Nash had signed a new contract in November 2010, and that Booker T. was never scheduled for a TNA return. He had come to terms with WWE months ago, but didn't sign right away because something came up that prevented him from doing so. The contract was waiting for him when he was ready, and now he is under contract with them.
Dixie Carter says that her biggest mistake in TNA was the move to Monday nights, because the audience much prefers watching Impact on Thursdays. The ratings bear that out.
Up next, PWInsider.com's questions. I don't have anything to add/say on the first two, but #3 wants some guesses for the WrestleMania card.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
First Tough Enough trainer, Dixie Carter talks MEM, a Hall of Fame, and her biggest mistake, WrestleMania speculations, the AWA, Raw guest hosts, Bearer returning?, notes NC Impact taping, guest at FCW, more Jersey Shore-Impact talk, TNA Hall of Fame?, El Generico, Abdullah The Butcher, Armando Estrada, Nunzio, and Edge updates, Nowinski talks concussions, WWE stock update, Impact and Superstars ratings
Friday, February 4, 2011
Questions on Nash, Kelly, Booker, HBK's inductors, and Mania, new potential national promotion in the works, ex-WWE and TNA wrestler done with wrestling?, former Raw guest host talks the Rumble, Nash's advice to TNA, Sting rumors, Angle contract update, more on Tough Enough, Barrett talks UFC
Thursday's news starts with questions unsurprisingly. Here's what PWInsider.com was asked today:
Someone apparently thought that Kevin Nash had retired and were wondering why he was in WWE. He didn't retire. He was in TNA, and this is his attempt at one last big run in WWE.
Someone wants to know if we'll see Kelly Kelly turn heel. It'd be something fresh, but I think it's more likely we'll see Drew McIntyre try to get new life as a babyface at the end of the angle.
Should Booker T. return as that gimmick or King Booker? Unless he's feuding with Sheamus, I say have him be Booker T. Even if he's feuding with Sheamus, he doesn't need the king garb. He can just reference being a former King of the Ring. We'll find out more about Booker's future WWE role on Smackdown (remember that I try to avoid spoilers here).
The fourth question is about the chances of Triple H and Kevin Nash inducting Shawn Michaels in Atlanta. If they want to do that, I'm sure WWE would let them.
The next question is about whether WrestleMania should directly follow the Royal Rumble. Read on for my answer and all of today's news.
Someone apparently thought that Kevin Nash had retired and were wondering why he was in WWE. He didn't retire. He was in TNA, and this is his attempt at one last big run in WWE.
Someone wants to know if we'll see Kelly Kelly turn heel. It'd be something fresh, but I think it's more likely we'll see Drew McIntyre try to get new life as a babyface at the end of the angle.
Should Booker T. return as that gimmick or King Booker? Unless he's feuding with Sheamus, I say have him be Booker T. Even if he's feuding with Sheamus, he doesn't need the king garb. He can just reference being a former King of the Ring. We'll find out more about Booker's future WWE role on Smackdown (remember that I try to avoid spoilers here).
The fourth question is about the chances of Triple H and Kevin Nash inducting Shawn Michaels in Atlanta. If they want to do that, I'm sure WWE would let them.
The next question is about whether WrestleMania should directly follow the Royal Rumble. Read on for my answer and all of today's news.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Superstars and Impact thoughts- 2/3/11
It's a big night for Impact tonight, as Mr. Anderson defends the TNA World Championship against Jeff Hardy. But before we get to that, it's over to WGN America for WWE Superstars. My thoughts on the Thursday shows after the break!
Positive things about Matt Hardy, OMEGA Reunion?, new WWE TV deal, Tough Enough and Nash updates, Justin Bieber at WM27?, WWE video game canceled
We start today's news with some questions, not surprisingly. Someone wants five positive things about Matt Hardy. Kind of an odd question, but I'll give it a go:
1. He's presumably made a lot of money over the years for WWE.
2. He worked for pretty much 12 years straight, barring injury and the brief period of time where he was released.
3. He successfully went from being a flashy tag team guy to a solid singles mat wrestler.
4. He was able to use fan demand to return to WWE soon after his release. Few have been able to do that.
5. He's stayed relevant for over a decade. That's also no easy task sometimes.
Then someone asks if there will be an "OMEGA reunion" of Shannon Moore and the Hardys in TNA. I wouldn't rule it out. If Shane/Gregory Helms comes in, it seems pretty likely they'd play off that history at some point.
The other questions are specific to PWInsider.com, so after the break I'll go right into news.
1. He's presumably made a lot of money over the years for WWE.
2. He worked for pretty much 12 years straight, barring injury and the brief period of time where he was released.
3. He successfully went from being a flashy tag team guy to a solid singles mat wrestler.
4. He was able to use fan demand to return to WWE soon after his release. Few have been able to do that.
5. He's stayed relevant for over a decade. That's also no easy task sometimes.
Then someone asks if there will be an "OMEGA reunion" of Shannon Moore and the Hardys in TNA. I wouldn't rule it out. If Shane/Gregory Helms comes in, it seems pretty likely they'd play off that history at some point.
The other questions are specific to PWInsider.com, so after the break I'll go right into news.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Nash interview, Benoit on DVDs, Laycool, shortest title match ever, Jericho, Abyss, Flair, HHH, Kenny Dykstra, and Tommy Dreamer updates, Daniels back in TNA, another Daniels has a tryout, Martha Hart lawsuit update,role for new TNA signee revealed
Kevin Nash takes a few more shots at TNA in a new interview. After initially praising the company and Dixie Carter, when asked about what he thought that TNA felt the big pop he got at the Royal Rumble, he replied "I'm sure they (TNA) realized they were right that they shouldn't have signed me, they should have tried to cut my pay, and they were dead-on. That mindset has proven to be effective and to me, it solidifies they're on top of their game." Ouch.
In TNA's defense, I don't remember anything near the pop that he got in the Rumble during his run then. He didn't add all that much in his last time in TNA. He's not the kind of guy that that crowd gets behind these days. Also, WWE fans hadn't seen him in what, 8 years? And the Diesel gimmick is from like 1996. So that accounts for at least some of the pop.
Next, he takes up for Ric Flair after him being left behind in Europe. "I don't care what he's done or what he's said, he's earned the right to - you make sure Flair gets where he's supposed to be. You don't leave him stranded in the middle of Europe." I'm not crazy about them leaving him stranded, but he definitely shouldn't have been allowed on the bus after pulling that stunt. They weren't going to send him home, but they didn't know what they'd do in the future with him either. He was broke, so he couldn't call a cab or anything. I guess they could have had someone go separately with him to the next city (and pay for it from Flair's pay of that next night)? It's a tricky situation.
Also in the interview he says that his future lies in the hands of the WWE Creative team. He's having a meeting with them tomorrow (Wednesday). If they saw something in him in the Rumble, he's open to just about anything going into WrestleMania. He won't work full time though. He says that he woke up sore from the Rumble. He'd like a match against The Undertaker or teaming with Big Show. Kane and Wade Barrett are also possibilities. He's asked about a possibility of Sting coming to WWE, and Nash says that he'd be a "damn fool" to turn down such an offer. As far as a Main Event Mafia reunion in WWE of Nash, Sting, and Booker, Nash noted that Kurt Angle's TNA contract is up in August. Angle has said that he will likely stay in TNA for the remainder of his wrestling career.
More news and PWInsider's questions of the day answered after the break.
In TNA's defense, I don't remember anything near the pop that he got in the Rumble during his run then. He didn't add all that much in his last time in TNA. He's not the kind of guy that that crowd gets behind these days. Also, WWE fans hadn't seen him in what, 8 years? And the Diesel gimmick is from like 1996. So that accounts for at least some of the pop.
Next, he takes up for Ric Flair after him being left behind in Europe. "I don't care what he's done or what he's said, he's earned the right to - you make sure Flair gets where he's supposed to be. You don't leave him stranded in the middle of Europe." I'm not crazy about them leaving him stranded, but he definitely shouldn't have been allowed on the bus after pulling that stunt. They weren't going to send him home, but they didn't know what they'd do in the future with him either. He was broke, so he couldn't call a cab or anything. I guess they could have had someone go separately with him to the next city (and pay for it from Flair's pay of that next night)? It's a tricky situation.
Also in the interview he says that his future lies in the hands of the WWE Creative team. He's having a meeting with them tomorrow (Wednesday). If they saw something in him in the Rumble, he's open to just about anything going into WrestleMania. He won't work full time though. He says that he woke up sore from the Rumble. He'd like a match against The Undertaker or teaming with Big Show. Kane and Wade Barrett are also possibilities. He's asked about a possibility of Sting coming to WWE, and Nash says that he'd be a "damn fool" to turn down such an offer. As far as a Main Event Mafia reunion in WWE of Nash, Sting, and Booker, Nash noted that Kurt Angle's TNA contract is up in August. Angle has said that he will likely stay in TNA for the remainder of his wrestling career.
More news and PWInsider's questions of the day answered after the break.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
NXT Thoughts- 2/1/11
It's a new month and a new episode of NXT. Four hopefuls seek to become the next WWE superstar. Here are my thoughts on the show:
More on Mistico's signing, biggest recent secret in wrestling, WWE mentioning TNA, WWE giving wrestlers time off, Five good things about Eric Bischoff, Divas' Title match, new TNA signing, more to come, Booker T. autobiography in the works, Diesel, Flair, and Rock updates, Smackdown rating, Raw dark match
The first news story of the day is more on the signing of Mexican wrestling star Mistico. He was offered a chance to go to WWE several years ago, but turned it down. He now wishes he had taken them up on their offer then. He was dissatisfied with with the company he was working for (CMLL), as they pushed a talent to his level that he didn't feel was ready. He considered going to rival promotion AAA, but decided against it.
He doesn't own the rights to the name or gimmick of Mistico, so he won't be using it in WWE. It's likely that he'll start his tenure there in FCW.
Update: CMLL now claims that Mistico is still under contract with them. However, some speculate that this is a plan to reuse the gimmick for someone else. Any other updates will be reported on.
It's time for questions again. The first asks about the best-kept secret since the internet starting covering backstage happenings. They say John Cena's big return at the Royal Rumble. That's hard to argue with. We didn't think he was coming back for months, and I believe he had said as much in an interview.
Next up, why doesn't WWE mention other wrestling companies?
He doesn't own the rights to the name or gimmick of Mistico, so he won't be using it in WWE. It's likely that he'll start his tenure there in FCW.
Update: CMLL now claims that Mistico is still under contract with them. However, some speculate that this is a plan to reuse the gimmick for someone else. Any other updates will be reported on.
It's time for questions again. The first asks about the best-kept secret since the internet starting covering backstage happenings. They say John Cena's big return at the Royal Rumble. That's hard to argue with. We didn't think he was coming back for months, and I believe he had said as much in an interview.
Next up, why doesn't WWE mention other wrestling companies?
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