Main Event Reax - 9/18/13, Interviews with HHH/Bully Ray/Sandow/Luger/Scotty Riggs/Ziggler, Foley appearance, NoC refunds, more on TNA stopping touring, TNA drops live events, OVW talent on the road, Brisco surgery, new wrestling book, where's Punk?, Smackdown party, Bryan retrospective and Questions on Stephanie selling stock, Orton as the face of WWE, Hogan's TNA role and McMahons logic

Main Event:
Nice continuity with Riley replacing Miz on commentary.

Pretty good match between Axel and Ziggler. I can't quite put my finger on what makes Axel a good performer vs. a great performer (more charisma would certainly help), but I still feel like he's a work in progress. That's ok, though. Right now, he just needs to be a solid mid-level guy looking to make it further in THIS BUSINESS. Ziggler is also missing just a little something to be an A player vs. B+ player. It's definitely not from lack of trying on his part.

I enjoyed the HHH interview segment. I was thinking they should take a break from Bryan vs. Orton (or at least save the third PPV singles match for HIAC) so as to not run it into the ground.

Kofi vs. Fandango was pretty good. Both men have potential to go further in their careers. It won't be an overnight thing, but with enough work and the right circumstances, good things could come.

I'm sure WWE will point to Sandow winning this match when they have him go back on a big losing streak. "He doesn't lose ALL the time! He beat Gabriel!" Good little squash match for what it was. I hope they don't damage Sandow too much.

Everything else from yesterday is after the break.
Triple H had a Q&A in New Hampshire. I'll be really interested to see that DVD, and where things go from here behind-the-scenes from Haitch.

Mick Foley will be appearing at a big celebration for a YMCA. Foley's not the first guy I'd associate with the YMCA, but it's cool that he's doing appearances like that.

Cox Cable gave refunds to fans upset at the ending to Night of Champions, since WWE invalidated the finish to the main event. That's seriously one of the stupidest things I've ever read. Has anyone sued MLB or the IOC for anything they've overruled?

Update: WWE issued a statement on the situation. They should have had Zack Ryder respond.

As for TNA running Las Vegas regularly, one source in the company drew attention to the expenses of running the West Coast (even though Nevada isn't on the Coast), including increased travel costs and such.

Bully Ray was interviewed to promote some December Impact tapings. He's pretty entertaining. I snickered at the Devon joke. I do wonder how much longer he can "go"; he's confident that it can be a while.

TNA dropped two live events in Kansas in early October due to scheduling issues. I wonder what attendance would have been.

Lei'D Tapa is working this weekend's TNA live events, replacing Gail Kim. Given how few Knockouts TNA has right now (note that Taryn Terrell is on leave), it's probably a good thing to be preparing new performers for the main roster.

Gerald Brisco underwent hand surgery. I hope it went well!

"The Squared Circle: Life, Death and Professional Wrestling" by David Shoemaker will be released on 10/31. It covers a lot of ground and could be quite the read.

C.M. Punk was at an AFI concert on Monday. I was definitely surprised that he wasn't booked for Raw. I wonder what's going on there.

Update: Punk has several nagging injuries he's working through. If him missing Raw means he can still work PPV matches, it's a necessary evil.


Damien Sandow was interviewed ahead of last week's Smackdown taping. I'm surprised WWE didn't book the interviewer to go over. Cool that he plugged that charity.

Lex Luger talked about his journey towards Christianity. WWE needs a Pat Robertson character.

Scotty Riggs talked about his time in WCW and more. That's a name I haven't seen in a while!

Dolph Ziggler was interviewed about his recent concussion, stealing the show and more. Ziggler is a huge perfectionist. I appreciate his work ethic, but he's already doing really well! I'm not crazy about throwing around terms like "face" and "heel" so much. Ziggler's pretty entertaining as the smartass who's full of himself.

Renee Young and Eva Marie had birthdays this week, so WWE held a small party backstage at Smackdown. It's cool that they do things like that.

Young is being praised for her work in the company. They've definitely hired worse females for similar roles.

WWE.com looked at the early career of Daniel Bryan. How awesome is it that someone people said would never make it in WWE is now a 3-time top champion (2 WWE, 1 World)? The indies definitely have their fair share of shady promoters. It's still shocking to me when they name drop someone like Low Ki or Nigel McGuinness. In the past (and sometimes still today), WWE doesn't give too many props to non-WWE guys and promotions. Unless they're under the WWE banner, of course. I'm glad that Bryan's not working in that paper mill. Bryan and Kendrick could have been pretty cool, though I really liked the dynamic between Kendrick and Big Zeke.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. That actually would have been pretty funny, if unfitting for Show being devastated by what the HHH regime is doing to him. Besides, Stephanie selling stock is BEST FOR BUSINESS.

2. They have enough faith in him to put him in this position, as risky as it is. That's about the best I can say.

3. Hogan definitely had a hand in bringing in certain talents in 2010 and with the pushes of those talents. I don't think he has that pull now. And maybe he won't have any pull in a few weeks when his contract comes up.

4. Sometimes I feel promoters try to show THEY'RE the ones in control, not the fans.

5. There's a big piece of the puzzle they didn't address in their answer: USA Network loves the McMahons being in power struggle angles. I don't know if HHH and Stephanie would do this many appearances of their own free will given how the rigors of being major behind-the-scenes players and parents to two young children.

More wrestling tomorrow!