Buzz: Cade Gone?!, Flair Inducted and More...

* In a surprising move, WWE has released Lance Cade, who has been involved in the Jericho vs HBK program. Since separating from the redneck duo of Lance and Cade, creative never gave him the push needed. Here's WWE's formality statement.

* The 'Nature Boy' Ric Flair was finally able to accept his induction into the NWA Hall of Fame after the WWE c*ck-blocked him from doing so last summer...



* Ashley Massaro put up a blog on her MySpace hinting at what we can look forward to in the future...

"So I know from my last blog you guys are wanting to know about the big ole secret ;o) well youll find out soon enough I promise…and in the mean time, I can give you a little hint at a piece of wonderful news I got the other day. I’ll give you a few guesses. Heres your hint, k….it was awesome that I had an opp to do it last time and I loved it…..n….it starts with a capital P ))))))))"

* Scott Hall get's the 'Dumbass of the Month' award(but there's still 2 weeks left) for his involvement in 3 recent incidents, one of which involves a bar scuffle that stemmed from him telling some guy's wife how he'd like to pleasure her day in and day out, and then calling the husband a "f*cking mark" repeatedly. The husband's side of the story can be read here.

Buzz: SvR, Credible, Flair and More...

* There's some new screenshots and videos up on IGN.com of for the upcoming Smackdown vs RAW 2009.

* Reportedly, former ECW champion Justin Credible, who has been spotted working at his local Olive Garden, is actually currently going to culinary school. "Hey Credible! Get me more bread sticks!"

* Highspots.com payed Ric Flair a reported $50K to record a shoot interview yesterday that they will sell on DVD. Can't wait for the controversies and mud slinging to begin!

* Rumors are flying that Paul Burchill is once again on the chopping block.

* There's a great interview up with "The Wrestler" writer/director over at slashfilm.com. In it, he talks about coming up with the idea for the movie 15 years ago and what inspired him to do it.

* Rumor is that the WWE has NOT contacted The Honkey Tonk Man(The Greatest Intercontinental Champion of All Time) about coming in to work an angle with Santino Marella, but Honky is aware of Santino's countdown do beat his 64 week title reign.

JR's Latest on Jericho, Flair, Takeshi Morishima and More

The Boomer-Sooner Barbecuer has made his latest entry. Highlights...

On Chris Jericho's heel turn over the last few months...

"Chris Jericho has become an easy man to dislike these days and looks to be the hottest antagonist in the WWE now that fellow Canadian Edge is vacationing in his condo in Hell."

"Jericho's accidental punch to Rebecca Michaels' mouth resulted in still yet to be confirmed damage to the young mother of two and the wife of HBK."

The rumors swirling that Ric Flair is going to be refereeing...

"I read of this recent Flair news item and I'm not sure that I agree with this assignment. "Naitch" is and will always be "The Man' but "The Man" doesn't need to be refereeing any wrestling matches...at least in my view. Perhaps it's just me and the respect that I hold for Ric but the Nature Boy being a referee seems beneath Flair at this stage of his game. But one has to assume that a nice payday awaits pro wrestling's greatest in ring performer. "

What about the Adamle Original Championship scramble?

"WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson told me that he loved the idea of the "Championship Scramble" coming up at Unforgiven in about 3 weeks. Patterson created the Royal Rumble concept and apparently Pat has visualized the "Championship Scramble" and he feels certain that it will be exciting. Before critics damn the match perhaps we should allow it to actually happen. I am reserving my opinion until I see the match."

His thoughts on Ozzy Osbourne laying the next Affliction event...

"Is it a viable promotional concept to book Ozzie Osbourne to perform at the Affliction MMA event in Vegas on October 11? I think hardcore, ticket buying MMA fans could care less. Ozzie might even get booed out of the building by fight fans who want to see fights and nothing else. "

(Note - Megedeth played the last one and it went over like gangbusters, this upcoming card is stacked - so it should be awesome)

The WWE debut of ROH's Takeshi Morishima...

"Takeshi Morishima had a non televised match that I witnessed on Tuesday night before we taped Friday Night Smackdown. Morishima wrestles for the Ring of Honor organization which does a really nice job with their promotion for the record. When I saw Morishima in his wrestling attire I thought that the late Terry Gordy, who toured Japan many, many times back in the day, had fathered a "love child". Morishima's physique reminded me of the late Freebird in an crazy sort of way. If the young Japanese athlete can get to Gordy's level in the ring then Takeshi will have done something special because Gordy was extraordinarly special. "

His 2 cents on EliteXC's 'last shot' to draw a viewership on CBS...

"We will all see how serious CBS is in building this franchise, or not, by the number of promos CBS airs especially during NFL games for this broadcast. Kimbo Slice is an attraction who must be carefully matched along with being promoted as an attraction and not a highly skilled MMA fighter. The mystique of Kimbo, the street fighting legend, should be emphasized because that is what is real. Fans generally like street fighters but Slice's conditioning needs to imrove so that he can throw bombs effectively for more than a round or so. Gina Carano is the lovely face of Elite XC and is one of their most marketable entities. Carano is a star in the making who is athletic and combative but her ultimate future may be in other forms of entertainment such as action adventure films. Gina has "it" and should capitalize on "it" before mother nature and too many fists to the face take their toll. Carano fights are always entertaining and CBS needs to do all they can to make her a star. Will the fact that Carano was all over NBC's American Gladitor sway CBS's thinking?"

The status of the legendary "Killer" Kowalski...

"As I write this we await the inevitable news regarding the condition of Walter "Killer" Kowalski who has been in a coma for a few days now. Walter was one of wrestling's greatest stars over multiple decades and wrestled in main events all over the world. Kowalski was a buzz saw in the ring and usually set a pace that made most of his opponents very uncomfortable. Walter, a vegan, prided himself on his conditioning and stood over 6'6" and wrestled at one time at around 270-280 pounds."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Walter's family and friends."

We would like to send our thoughts and prayers to the Kowalski's

The Buzz: Kennedy's Contract, Ashley, Ventura, and More

- According the Wrestling Observer, if you want to book Ric Flair, the starting price of $12,500...!

- That same source says that Ken Kennedy's contract will expire this fall and some 'insiders' wouldn't be surprised to see the WWE let him go considering how he's had a tough time staying healthy and has seen little ring action this year. I personally have a hard time with the possibility of WWE letting him go, do to his marketability and mic skills...did they let Jesse Ventura go in the 80's when he got injured?...no, they moved him to color commentary. But if he does leave, don't be shocked if he ends up in TNA, especially with close, long-time friend Shawn Davari in the ranks.

- Ashley Massaro is deputing the claims that she was booked and showed up at a strip club in NJ last week. She posted her appeal on he official MySpace.

- Yes, that was Carlito's younger brother in that brief interview with Adamle last night. His ring name will be Primo Colon. He's been down in FCW training for a while.

- Eric Bischoff's latest endeavor will be a reality TV show called...'The Naked Cowboy'...seriously. It will pit street performers against each other in a competition to prove who will annoy me more.

- ...sid...siD...sID...SID...Scott Ferrall of Sirius Satellite Radio is confirming the reports that Sid is close to signing a new deal with the WWE.

- Last but not least, numerous outlets, including UPI.com, are confirming that Jesse Ventura will not be a US Senator...but a judge?

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- Former Minnesota governor and pro wrestler Jesse "The Body" Ventura is in negotiations to star in a daytime TV court show, sources say.

Ventura is talking with Twentieth Television to host a show in which he would appear as a judge in a courtroom-style reality setting, an enduringly popular genre that already has 11 such shows in first-run syndication, unnamed sources told TV Week magazine.

If the deal is completed, Ventura's show would debut in fall 2009, one of several personality-driven series getting ready for upcoming production, the magazine said.

Ventura was governor of Minnesota for one term from 1998 to 2002, and before that had a long, colorful career as a professional wrestler. The former U.S. Navy frogman has also acted in several movies and television shows.

JR's 2 Cents on Flair, Lesnar and More

Jim Ross gives some thoughts on the latest events in his recent keyboard mashing...

"The announcement a few days ago that Ric Flair and the WWE had mutually agreed to part ways surprised me."

"I do know that Ric had apparently received several offers to do numerous outside projects that were beyond the parameters of the WWE and that he seemed keenly interested in doing. Since the memorable Hall of Fame/Wrestlemania retirement weekend that really sent Ric off in style, Flair’s popularity is arguably at an all time high. There is no doubt that Ric can stay very busy over the next several months and earn significant money in the process."

"...I hope that Ric doesn’t succumb to a big money offer to actually wrestle. Any one who would pitch that idea doesn’t have Ric’s best interests at heart. "

Now that we got the 'Naitch' business out of the way, let's talk about the announcer moves. Are the temp or permanent?

"With Foley’s status as it is, I would not be surprised to see both Striker and Tazz back in the same, fill-in roles that they fulfilled this week on next week’s ECW and Friday Night Smackdown broadcasts. I also thought that Todd Grisham did a really nice job in his second week on ECW after replacing Mike Adamle who is the new, Raw G.M."

A big weekend for UFC and wrestling fans...

"From what I hear, and this isn’t official but what sources tell me, the UFC can actually cut Lesnar if he loses his first two fights and as we all remember that Brock lost his debut by being careless and allowing his inexperience to be exposed. Heath Herring, Lesnar’s opponent in Lesnar’s home town of the Twin Cities, is a veteran of many, many high profile fights over the years and Herring has far less pressure on him going into this fight than one would assume Lesnar has."

Admale's debut as GM of RAW...

"New Raw G.M.Mike Adamle did a solid job Monday night much to the chagrin of apparently an ample amount of Adamle haters. Being any brand’s G.M. is infinitely easier than being a member of any brand’s broadcast team. It would not surprise me to see Adamle settle in, get comfortable, and over exceed the expectations of his critics."

What about the Brett Favre cluster...fudge?

"The Green Bay Packers, an organization that I have long followed and respected, have completely bungled their dealings with the face of the franchise, QB Brett Favre. I am a player’s guy as a rule and this matter has been a complete embarrassment to the Packers, Favre’s family and the national Football League."

...and the status of Kennedy - Kennedy?

"Mr. Kennedy dislocated his shoulder Monday night in Macon in a match with U.S. Champion Shelton Benjamin and looks to be out of action for a few weeks depending on the results of his latest MRI."

Morning Buzz: Foley, Flair and More...Oh my

- Midway Games(who recently posted a second quarter loss of $34.8 million) has plans for big media events this weekend to promote the upcoming TNA "iMPACT!" video game. They have a lot riding on this one.

- Reportedly, one of the main factors for Mick Foley not wanting to continue his on-air commentating and possibly opting out of the WWE when his contract expires soon, is Vinny Mac barking lines to announcers through the headsets, which for obvious reasons can make it very difficult to focus...not to mention annoying as hell. They should switch to a teleprompter - "I'm Mick Foley?"

- Eric Bischoff compares Ric Flair's retirement to Brett Fav-era's retirement in his latest blog.

- The Sandman's son, Tyler Fullington, is the latest second gen'er that will make his debut. "Twisted Sand" as he'll be know as will make his debut with Pro Wrestling Unplugged on August 23rd, at the Clementon Amusement Park in Clementon, NJ.


- If you're in the Minneapolis area this weekend...more specifically tomorrow(Thursday), head over to the Mall of America in Bloomington for the UFC 87 Press conference with all the fighters, including Brock Lesnar.

- What do you want for your 101st birthday(other than a fresh diaper)? How about WWE tickets?

Monday Morning/Weekend Review Buzz: Tons of News

Tons of stuff to catch up on...here's what's buzzing...

WWE.com has officially announced the release of the Nature Boy...

WWE and Hall of Famer Ric Flair have mutually agreed to contractually part ways. After an extraordinary career Ric has chosen to pursue opportunities outside of WWE.

Flair released a statement through his agent:

"WWE and I parted on the best of terms. This gives me the chance to pursue new opportunities...corporate speaking engagements, product sponsorships, autograph shows for my loyal fans (who made me what I am today) and film and television roles. My agent and I are very excited about what the future holds!"

Wrestling and event promoters interested in booking Flair can contact his agent, Elaine Gillespie.

ELAINE GILLESPIE
THE GILLESPIE AGENCY, INC.
Advertising/Media/Public Relations
Booking for Wrestling Legends Mick Foley, Roddy Piper and Ric Flair
3007 Millwood Avenue Columbia, SC 2920
803-779-2126 BookRic@thegillespieagency.com

There is a 90-day non-compete clause in Flair's contract, so IF TNA does court him, don't expect to see him on TV until November.

- Davari's name change to Sheik Abdul Bashir was reportedly done so that TNA could own and copyright the name.

- As we touched on last month, TNA will be releasing a new Knockout video entitled "Knocked Out" on October 7, 2008. Originally Cristy Hemme was on the cover, but now they have replaced her with Karen Angle...


- The Miami Herald has an interview up today with TNA's Velvet Sky and Angelina Love. 'The Beautiful People' talk about TNA's women division and their backgrounds.

- In addition to Freddy Prinze Jr. last week, The Wrestling Observer is reporting that WWE has hired Hollywood writer, producer/director Michael Pavone to become a member of the creative team. Pavone is mostly known for writing television shows, such as Fox's Prison Break.

- TNA is reporting that Matt Morgan will be on the season finale of American Gladiators tonight on NBC.

"...see Matt competing once more in Powerball and for the first time, tackle the Pyramid and Gauntlet events. His performance in the Pyramid event demonstrate just how dominant he is and fans will be surprised to see a few classic wrestling techniques used in the process."

JR's Pre Bash Blog: Rampage, ECW Taping, Torrie and More

Jim Ross washes the BBQ sauce of his hands long enough to type up his recent thoughts before the Great American Bash:

History lesson

"Speaking of the Bash, it debuted in July 1985 in Charlotte with Ric Flair defeating Nikita Koloff to retain the NWA Title."

More thoughts on Rampage Jackson's tough week

"Hopefully all those that are close to "Rampage" will place this athlete’s health over all other matters concerning the Memphis native who has been a life long fan of fellow Memphis native and my former, long time broadcast partner Jerry Lawler. I pray that there are no drug issues in this young man’s life that we are unaware of and that Quinton receives the treatment he needs to live a healthy life."

What about rumors that ECW will start taping before RAW?

"That horse ain’t leaving the barn. Could there be some combo ECW/Raw live events? Sure. There could also be on going ECW/Smackdown live events too at the same time. However, that has zero to do with ECW moving its TV production to Monday night which, again, I don’t think will happen."

The latest on Torrie Wilson

"The beautiful Torrie Wilson, now in the clothing business in Houston, sent the Mrs. and me a hot, pink bikini that she wore on TV and autographed that we will frame and display in our Norman or Moore restaurant."

I'm on my way to Oklahoma!

"This one will have to have bullet proof glass and be anchored to the wall..."

Oh.

Bumping into old friends

"It was great seeing my old friend Terry Allen aka Magnum T.A. Tuesday night in Charlotte. Terry recently underwent back surgery and was walking with the aid of a crutch while he heals but was in great spirits. This guy has great character and perseverance and I never once have ever heard him say "poor me" due to the hand that was dealt him. Terry’s two, beautiful young daughters were wonderful to meet."

T.A. was bad ass!

NBA team in Oklahoma...

"It looks as if the OKC NBA team is going to be called the Oklahoma Thunder from what I hear"

...that doesn't make any sense. Why not the Cowboys, Marshall's, Q's, Briskets or Boomer-Sooners?

Morning Buzz: Brooke Hogan, Ric Flair's show and More

- In Touch and Life & Style magazines are both reporting that Playboy has made the offer to Brooke Hogan to appear nude in the magazine...! No word to whether she accepted or denied the offer.

Did Hulk Hogan push a handicapped person down a flight of stairs or kick a puppy? First Nick, then the Linda problems, he has diarrhea of the mouth when it comes to the Graziano's, now his baby girl might be in one of the biggest selling Playboy issues of all time! I know I'll buy 2 copies.

- Coming this Tuesday to WWE.com you can check out Ric Flair's new series called "Stylin' and Profilin'". To see the preview, click here.

- The August 2nd Saturday Night's Main Event will be taped on July 28th in Washinton D.C..

- According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, second guessing of the announcers switch increased this past week. Internally, there is said to be a tremendous amount of unhappiness with the Michael Cole/Jerry Lawler combination on Raw. Some officials have actually discussed shooting an angle that would put the old teams back together, but pretty much everyone believes that it's not happening anytime soon. Also, Vince is said to not be thinking about reverting the change, and just trying to get Cole to be the Raw announcer he wants him to be.

-Monty Brown made his in ring return at a PCW event a couple of weeks ago...

JR's Latest Entry: Flair, FCW and Much More

Boomer Sooner has a ton of BBQ merchandise and food sales going on. You can check out his blog for more info, but here's the meat of it...(get it? BBQ...meat...sorry)

What can we look forward to on Smackdown this week?

"Friday Night Smackdown is a unique broadcast and one that I am anxious to watch after the WWE TV folks finish their edits and production enhancements. The common thread that runs through the show is the "Reception of Edge and Vickie’s Wedding" which certainly seemed to have have its "moments" including the final few moments of the broadcast. We also had some intriguing wrestling bouts including a Hardy vs. Hardy match that completely surprised me as it relates to the direction the bout took."

The latest on the Ric Flair front...

"'Naitch' is still one of a kind, is happy, and enjoying life and has many unique and perhaps headline making opportunities ahead of him that will play out soon. And no, I am not going the "spoiler" route with this info in this space but, as a huge Flair fan, and without resorting to hyperbole I was extremely interested, as will many of you, in the potential of some of Ric’s future opportunities."

Dammit.

Thoughts on FCW's big tapings...

"Big week for Florida Championship Wrestling as they tape their first TV show this week at the new facility. I wish them all the best of luck. I was asked to provide the play by play for the first show but schedule’s would not permit it. I have heard that Todd Grisham will be handling the honors. FCW, in my opinion, should be operated like a NFL camp or perhaps and more specifically like a college athletic program where the athletes are tested physically, socially, academically and in character issues on an ongoing and regular basis. Again, I stress that the staff of FCW is under a microscope as much as any WWE employee from where I sit. The future of the company is the development of new stars and the WWE has no bigger assets than their talent."

GAB thoughts going into this weekend...

"The Great American Bash is this Sunday and it looks like Michael Francis Foley and yours truly will have 4 bouts to call. I do assume that HHH vs. Edge will close the show which seems to make sense to me but now that I am a Friday Night Smackdown team member I’m not overly unbiased."

"One of the most over analyzed bouts leading into the GAB this Sunday is the C.M. Punk vs. Batista World Title Bout."

"I like Punk’s uniqueness and his upward mobility and think he can only get better over time…in other words, Punk’s best days still lie ahead of him. Nonetheless I would not be shocked to see Batista win Sunday. However, that’s not to say I would be shocked with a Punk win either over the more established former champ."

We remember legends that left way too early...

"This week marks the deaths of two great in ring performers and long before their time. Frank "Bruiser Brody" Goodish was murdered in a shower stall in Puerto Rico and Frank’s alleged killer never was punished for his crimes, at least not formally. One would assume that any person who unnecessarily takes another’s life would have, at best, a guilty conscience over the heinous act. Frank was one of the brightest minds I ever encountered in the wrestling business but had a bad reputation for being a major problem to deal with for wrestling promoters over the years. I never saw this side of Frank personally but knowing some of the promoters that Frank worked for as an independent contractor handling his own business deals, travel arrangements and creative direction why should the wild haired brawler have trusted these wrestlers turned promoters based on many of their track records? I am not condoning "holding up" a promoter or not keeping one’s word but the Frank Goodish that I knew was a sharp, college educated athlete who was on his way to becoming a sports writer before breaking into pro wrestling and was never any thing but a friend to me."

"Terry Gordy also died this week a few years back of an apparent heart attack at only 40 years of age if I recall. Gordy, without question, was the best teenage, pro wrestler that I ever saw in my life."

Edge getting an endorsement deal...

"Nice gig for Edge getting on a national TV commercial for "Slim Jim". It airs for the first time as best I know Friday night on SD."

OOoohh yyyeEEAAHH! SNAP INTO IT!...oops, wrong guy.

What about Rampage Jackson's rampages this week...

"Speaking from experience, incidents like this that make national headlines in a negative vein don’t do the genre any favors especially a genre that is fighting a public perception battle with some uninformed media types and lawmakers. Like pro wrestlers, if the MMA fighters become their own worst enemies due to unfortunate situations like "Rampage" has found himself in then their business’s growth will be adversely affected and the public’s perception will feed right into the nay sayer’s hands."

"Another MMA thought, does anyone think that the UFC, which is the NFL of MMA, is paying too much attention to the upstart Affliction promotion?"

I'm glad you asked JR, because yes I do. They have what the UFC couldn't get...and couldn't keep. Much like WWE/WCW back in the day.

What's the deal with Kendrick?(in a wicked Seinfeld voice)

"Smackdown’s Brian Kendrick reminds me of the late Brian Pillman in so many ways especially Kendrick’s "look" and the legit confidence that Kendrick has in his in- ring abilities. Kendrick’s new associate that you will see this Friday night on SD is named "Ezekiel" and is a 300 pounder with significant presence."

...Really?! Do you have a BBQ rib lodged in your throat that's cutting off circulation to your brain? Ask your buddy The Rattlesnake if that runt reminds him of the "Loose Cannon".

"I remain in Brett Favre’s corner and feel that the Green Bay Packer front office needs to rehabilitate their relationship with the future HOF QB because if any one that thinks that Brett still can’t play QB at a high level in the NFL that person needs counseling. Arguably, aside from Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, who is a better QB in the league than Favre?"

Ok, I'm back to agreeing with you.

Any new memorabilia in the new BBQ joint?

"We were honored this week to receive the wrestling tights Batista wore when he won the Title at WM21. These rights mean the world to J.R.’S Family Bar-B-Q and to Batista, naturally."

Better wash them before the Board of Health finds out.

The latest Orton addition...

"All family members are healthy and Randy’s untimely collarbone injury has a silver lining after all as being home when his new born daughter is a true blessing. It sure beats showering with large, hairy men"

...yes...yes it does.

Afternoon Buzz: Legends, Flair, Hart and More

Legends of Wrestlemania just launched their site. The game is due out March 2009. Here's the skinny...

* DISTINGUISHED ROSTER AND MANAGERS - Relive the entertaining lives of more than 40 larger-than-life WWE Legends. Legendary Managers will also have extensive functionality, playing important roles in match outcomes.
* ABSOLUTE REALISM - Embrace a historically accurate representation of WWE telecasts from the Eighties and Nineties, including dynamic visual treatments, signature ring entrances, renowned commentators, notable venues and much more.
* COMBO FIGHTING SYSTEM - Explore a new, grapple-based fighting system that captures the high-energy action and drama seen in historic WWE matches. Players will have each Legend's arsenal of grapple moves, strike attacks, reversals and taunts at their disposal throughout a variety of current and nostalgic match types.
* WRESTLEMANIA TOUR MODE - Participate in key matches from multiple WrestleMania events. Vintage WWE footage will set up matches, explain feuds and detail the rivalries behind them, situating players in the heart of each contest.
* CREATE-A-LEGEND - Create the Legends of tomorrow, complete with customizable costumes, entrances, move sets and more.
* ONLINE FUNCTIONALITY - Challenge players around the world to matches on the biggest stages in WWE history.

- If you want to see Ric Flair's farewell to N.C. at the Smackdown taping, click here.

- Randy Orton has a baby's momma now. According to his site, him and his wife brought into the world Alanna Marie Orton, born Saturday July 12th at 924 pm. She was 8lbs 10 oz, and 22.5 inches long. congratulations to the Orton's.

- You can meet Edge Friday, July 18 – 6pm at Crue Fest's next stop at the Verizon Wireless Music Center in Noblesville, IN at THE SALOON with Q95 located in the south plaza.

- Bret Hart sat down with Canada (yes...the whole country) this week and gave his thoughts about MMA, what's missing in the industry, Davey Boy Jr and Nat, who he still talks with and the Hogan's...

"I think he showed his true colors. He's washed up. He exposed himself. It's pretty callous. I think he dug himself an even bigger hole on Larry King. He was always selfish. Everything Hogan ever did was for Hogan. That could have happened to anybody. We all have kids that age.

I know I wouldn't have handled things the same way. I would have been very remorseful."

Morning Buzz: Who's Dead or Alive or Poopy?

I don't know. I'm just as confused as you in regards to Kane's rant and why John Cena has a 3 year old's potty mouth. On with the buzz...

- According to Prowrestling.net TNA has released manager James Mitchell from his contract. His profile has been removed from their site.

- Here's the latest TNAU 'TV' show featuring 'Love Lines' w/The Beautiful People(Angelina Love and Velvet Sky).

(I made it 2:23 into it before jamming a pen into my eye...so let me know how it is)

- CM Punk's 'G.T.S' maneuver should be renamed 'I.J.B.Y.F.N.' for 'I Just Broke Your F'n Nose'! According to PWInsider.com, when Punk hit the finisher on Snitsky last night, he busted his nose for him as well...In Snitsky's case, it's probably an improvement.

- Mickie "Moose" Knuckles is expected to be back in the ring in six months, after breaking her right femur at an indy show last weekend.

- Go get the new Ric Flair DVD today.

Afternoon Buzz: Tons of DVD News, Dibiase's

-Silvervision out of the UK posted the details of 'The Life and Times of Mr. Perfect' 2 -disc DVD that comes out in September.

Disc 1

Perfection
Twin City Origins
Building a Path
AWA
Mr. Perfect
Living up to His Name
Intercontinental Champion
The Prankster
Commentator
WCW
Return to the WWE
A Sudden Tragedy
Hall of Fame
The Perfect Legacy Lives On

Curt Hennig vs. Eddie Gilbert
Madison Square Garden (21/11/82)

Curt Hennig & Scott Hall vs. Steve Regal & Jimmy Garvin
AWA Championship Wrestling (26/11/85)

Mr. Perfect Hall of Fame Induction
WWE Hall of Fame (31/03/07)

“Rap is Crap” Music Video

Vignettes
# Billiards October 1, 1988
# Golf – Perfect Putt October 1, 1988
# Darts October 8, 1988
# Bowling October 8, 1988
# Chess October 15, 1988
# Basketball October 15, 1988
# Ping Pong October 28, 1989
# Diving November 4, 1989
# Golf – Perfect Drive November 4, 1989
# Horseshoes November 24, 1989
# Baseball with Wade Boggs December 26, 1992
# Football – Perfect Passer with Steve Jordan February 13, 1993
# Basketball with Felton Spencer February 27, 1993
# Hockey with Mike Modano March 13, 1993

Stories
# Curt Loved Karaoke
# Lifestyles of Mr. Perfect

Disc 2

60-Minute Time Limit AWA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Curt Hennig vs. Nick Bockwinkel
AWA Championship Wrestling (15/11/86)

Curt Hennig vs. Terry Taylor
Commentary By: Michael Cole & Mick Foley
WrestleFest (31/07/88)

Mr. Perfect vs. Bret Hart
Madison Square Garden (24/04/89)

WWE Championship Match
Mr. Perfect vs. Hulk Hogan
Madison Square Garden (15/01/90)

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match with Special Referee Roddy Piper
Mr. Perfect vs. The Texas Tornado
Madison Square Garden (24/11/90)

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect
SummerSlam (26/08/91)

WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Mr. Perfect vs. Shawn Michaels
SummerSlam (30/08/93)

Curt Hennig vs. Bret Hart
Uncensored (15/03/98)

Just because I can, here's the vignette segment from the WWE Confidential that aired after Curt passed. Something to wet your whistle...



- Staying with DVD news, TNA will be releasing a TNA Knockout DVD this fall - details here.


- Watch an entire 9 minute chapter of the new Ric Flair DVD here.

- According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Ted DiBiase Jr's older brother Mike(30), who works the indy scene, got a look at before last week's Raw taping in San Antonio. The youngest DiBiase brother, Brett(20), is currently training at WWE's facility in Tampa(FCW).

Weekend Buzz: Part Deux

-George 'The Animal' Steele and Greg 'The Hammer' Valentine acting together...?

"When retired World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE), George "The Animal" Steele and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine buy a fish camp in the back woods of Florida, somethin' fishy is bound to happen!

Written and directed by Arte Tedesco. This independent film is loads of fun with references to the good ole days when the two wrestlers battled in the ring.

Visit www.Somethin-Fishy.org for more information."

Here's the film pilot for 'Somethin Fishy':


- The WWE 86'd Ric Flair's scheduled appearance at NWA-All Star Wrestling indy show in Oakwood, Virginia this weekend. Because they lost their big draw, the canceled the show and the promoter released a statement to complain to WWE HQ in this posting.

- Joey Styles's profile has been add back to ECW on WWE.com(?).

Afternoon Buzz: Get Smart, JBL's New Drink and More

- The Rock's...sorry, Dwayne Johnson's movie 'Get Smart' opened #1 at the box offic over the weekend with $39.2 million.


- JBL released a new energy drink for golfers, called 418. The theory behind this newest drink is to aid golfers by relieving pain, increasing focus and giving long, lasting energy without a crash. It also keeps you awake if you have to watch golf!


- Ric Flair is expected to be a part of the 3 hour Draft tonight.

- There are numerous reports saying that TNA gave away over half of the arena for Slammiversary in Southaven, Mississippi a couple weeks ago, just to fill seats.

JR's Talks: Sweaty Flair, Chris Jericho, Lance Cade and more

I'm a little late on this, but here's the skinny on JR's latest commentary...

Why does Ric Flair sweat like a fat guy in the shower?
"A..it was 90 degrees in Salt Lake City Monday (Naitch wasn’t the only one sweating wearing a suit) and the arena was hotter than hell and B…Flair is a habitual sweater from way back."

How is he as an ambassador?
"Ric loves his "Ambassador" role as Ric does exceptionally well at private functions where he can converse with corporate types. There are no plans for Ric to wrestle again but I liked seeing him on Raw even though one can argue that by promoting his appearance that it might have helped increase interest in the broadcast."

Segway to Chris Jericho
"Chris Jericho has arguably been, at least, the verbal star of Monday Night Raw the past couple of weeks. Nice illustration that one doesn’t have to yell to make one’s point while executing a big time promo. It’s hard to fathom producing Raw in San Antonio without HBK but that might be the case this coming Monday in Shawn’s hometown thanks to this to Michaels issue with Jericho specifically the HBK eye matter."

What are the details on the draft?
"There are seemingly endless questions regarding the format of this Monday’s tri-branded, WWE Draft. What brand drafts first….will this be a random lottery drawing….what happens if a champion IE Matt Hardy who is the reigning United States Championship which appears to be a Smackdown title is drafted to Raw? Does the wrestler leave the title behind or does the title come to a new brand? I know that these types of things have occurred in the past but is there a hard, fast rule on matters such as this here in 2008? Will there be trades as there has been before? Who will represent Raw which has no General Manager?"

Thanks, that answered...nothing.

Why was Lance Cade involved in a main event story line?
"...why not? The only way new wrestlers are going to rise to the next level is for them to step in the deep in of the pool and either sink or swim."

Opinion on the money giveaway this week?
"I thought the money give away on Raw was a much better presentation this week but, as usual, I would love to have seen more wrestling."

What about Harvey Wippleman's new book?
"...it was nice to see the sparkle in Harvey Whippleman aka Bruno Lauer’s eyes when he talked about actually getting his new book published. The big time wrestling stars usually get all the accolades and glory (and certainly the bulk of the money) but it is nice to see someone who has traveled many of the same miles if not more for a whole helluva lot less money be able to tell their story from an entirely different perspective."

Autograph signings planned?
"Jerry Lawler, Mick Foley and I will be appearing at a signing on Saturday July 19 from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. at Franklin Square Video located at 984 Hemstead Turnpike, Franklin Square, N.Y. 11010."(The night before Great American Bash)

Scott Steiner Shoots on Flair, HHH, and HBK

Kevin Eck of the Baltimore Sun, posted an interview with the freak himself, Scott Steiner. In what will end up being a controversial interview, but one with merit, he opens up about a lot of things:

"...I couldn’t be Triple H because there’s no way I could [have sex] with Chyna. And he was doing that before she even got face reconstruction."

"Look at Triple H’s career before he started (having sex with) the boss’ daughter: He lost to Ultimate Warrior in 30 seconds; he was losing to guys like Alex Wright in WCW; he lost to one of the Godwins in a pig slop match. And then all of a sudden he’s [having sex with] the boss’ daughter and he’s the toughest guy in the world. I’m not the only guy who thinks that. It’s no secret what Kurt Angle thought of Triple H and Shawn Michaels."

"Shawn Michaels is one of those wise-cracking guys who would say a smart comment to you, but then if you face him, he would run and cry somewhere. That’s exactly what happened one time when he was cutting down the Harris Brothers – I think it was Don Harris. Finally, he had enough. He waited until Shawn Michaels got in the room, kicked everybody out of the room, shut the door, grabbed him by the neck and was going to pound the [heck] out of him."

"If you want an honest opinion, you ask somebody who they would rather be on the card with – Hulk Hogan or Ric Flair. If they don’t say Hulk Hogan, they’re out of their minds. At least you knew when you were on a Hulk Hogan card you were going to get paid. Thank God in WCW we had guaranteed contracts. If we had been paid by the houses that we were drawing, we would have starved."

"Flair was messed up on so many different levels. One time in Baltimore, Sting was going to beat Flair for the belt. So Flair pulled Sting aside, and Sting thinks he’s going to tell him something about the match or give him some big knowledge, and this is what he said to him, and Sting could not believe it. Flair said, “When you get married, it’s a big deal. When you have kids, it’s a big deal. But there’s nothing like winning the world title.” Sting came back and grabbed my brother and I and Lex [Luger], and said, “You’re not going to believe what Flair just told me.” That’s how messed up he was."

"You have to respect the guys that have set attendance records and drew a lot of money – like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. And, of course, The Rock, not only for what he’s done in wrestling, but what he’s doing right now in the movies, which is unprecedented, where a wrestler has been so successful in Hollywood. One of the guys that I most respect is Kurt Angle. When he left WWE, I think a lot of people thought he was the best wrestler there."

JR's 2 cents...make that 3 cents

The never short on words, Jim Ross, updated us with his latest blog this morning. Highlights:

- "Congratulations to the WWE’s Ron Simmons, the first African American recognized as a World Champion by a major wrestling organization, for being inducted into the class of 2008 College Football Hall of Fame."

- ..."James Laurinaitis, is already looked at as a top ten draft pick in the 2009 draft." He goes on to say, "I had the chance to visit with James at WM24 in Orlando and he told me that one of the biggest factors in him coming back toOSU instead of taking the millions of dollars that he could have been paid by the NFL by coming out of college early. In a nutshell, James wanted the opportunity to walk onto the football field at the "Horseshoe" in Columbus with his Mom and Dad on the annual "Parent’s Day".

- "...Joe Buck would most likely have made a heck of a wrestling manager, after watching Wrestling from the Chase all those years growing up in St. Louis and with his natural gift of gab he inherited from his HOF father the late, great Jack Buck, one of my personal, broadcasting role models." (On a side note, I hate Joe Buck.)

- Checkout an interview with JR here.

- Mick Foley had a strong outing at Backlash, replacing Coach at comentary. "...only time will tell how good Foley will be and if Mick can elevate his game over the long haul, key term…long haul, with such veteran talkers as Lawler,Ventura, Piper, and Heenan."

- Speaking of 'The Brain', "Bobby is home…still going thru physical and speech therapy, has had yet another surgery to "tweak" the jaw bone and is progressing slowly but surely."

- He'd like to visit FCW in the near future to observe the developing talent.

- On the Benoit phone messages, "...I don’t fully comprehend why this information had to find its way into the general public’s hands. Unfortunately, some will continue to garner some sort of profit from this unthinkable tragedy utilizing things such as these personal phone messages."

- "Raw had approximately 5 million viewers Monday night which slam dunked the NBA Playoffs on TNT."

- "Do you think that for ECW’s 100th broadcast this coming Tuesday night on Sci Fi that there will be broadcasters sitting in their usual spots at ringside? Got to be, right? But who will it be? Could Joey Styles return to handle this particular broadcast? Would the WWE bring back PaulHeyman to be a part of the festivities? I know that I’ll be watching, but I also am a big fan of NASCAR and their occasional "car wrecks" too."

- On Ric Flair's new gig, "...Ric humorously said he was going thru "Post Wrestlemania Withdrawal ," but was really enjoying his new role. When his schedule permits, I would suggest that Ric get to spend some time in Tampa with the youngsters just as we have suggested that Bret Hart do as well."

A Whole Lot of Boomer Sooner

Highlights from his first blog of the day:
- "Please vote if you are eligible and don’t be a dumbass."

- Reflects on Ric Flair's greatest opponents and in his opinion it is Ricky Steamboat. their matches should be the benchmark to which aspiring wrestlers model their craft.

- ""Beyond the Mat" is making its rounds again..." he goes on to say that the producers must be sitting pretty financially and that those involved, especially him, were not paid a dime. (His fault for not establishing a royalty contract at the time...you new it would appeal to wrestling fans)

- "Let me be the first to suggest that the broadcasting tag team of Mike Adamle and The Tazz broadcast the 12 Diva Tag Team bout this Sunday in The Baltimore at Backlash, which is sold out, for the record. I’m not sure theMamajuna-fueled Jerry Lawler could handle it…so to speak."

- He is expecting big things from Natalia "Nattie" Neidhart

- In the 80's "McMahon wanted to hire Missy Hyatt to come to work for the WWE to host a TV segment called "Missy’s Manor". "

- "...WWE European Tour grossed approximately $14.5M in ticket sales alone..."

- "Don’t forget that you can buy our Bar-B-Q products, including our delicious Sauces, Beef Jerky, Peanuts, Chipotle Ketchup, Jalapeno Honey Mustard from our on line store and we ship world wide." Try his nuts, they're delicious.


Highlights from from blog 2 of the day:
- "The new King of the Ring, William Regal, is this week’s recipient of the coveted Raw Superstar of the Week and will receive lovely parting gifts from www.jrsbarbq.com for his gallant efforts in beating a vertically challenged athlete, a one legged Irishman, and Mr. Money in the Bank with a bad back on King Regal’s way to becoming King of the entire WWE. Cheers, King Regal, and tallyho with the launching of your “second career”."

- "The first two winners are now in the WWE Hall of Fame, Don Muraco and Harley Race, respectively. From 1987 to 1991, the KOR Tourney was held in Providence, R.I., the home of the legendary Friendly Tap, owned by former WWE referee Tim White."

- The new Hardy DVD "... is a fine piece of work."

- " I loved the fact that the three politicians had some fun with the opportunity..."

- " ...the action in the commercial break prior to the last segment of the three-hour “Gone with the Wind-like” marathon was “slobber-knocker” material. Damn, I miss Undertaker appearing on Monday Night RAW on a regular basis … but I digress."

JR's Back in the States

In his latest entry, Jim Ross talks about:

- How he watched "No Country for Old Men" twice on the plane and still don’t "get" the ending.

- Meeting foreign evolving "business partners".

- Joey Styles left the booth do be a part of the dot com team.

- Mike Adamle was a former NFL running back(?!).

- Of the King of the Ring tournament, he could theoretically see someone coming from out of nowhere and winning the tournament...including Lance Cade.(R U FN KDNG ME)

- Ric Flair being mentioned on the floor of the United States Congress this week.

- Clinton and Obama appearing on RAW certainly would make both candidates be perceived as less elite and more down to earth.