WON News + Notes, January 8th Issue

[The Decemberists 0]

WWE officials have either finalised or are putting the finishing touches on a deal that should get them, temporarily, back in the US mainstream. The Vince promo of 1/1, which mentioned Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell and telling Rob Conway "You're fired!" was scripted to be the start of a big angle. The only details available at the moment are that it will lead to a Vince McMahon vs Donald Trump 'Battle of the Billionaires' angle leading up to, most likely a match at the Royal Rumble with Trump and Vince in the corners of two wrestlers. This would be great to get two wrestlers some mainstream publicity as whoever Trump picks to be his wrestler will get a major rub and it's great for Vince from an ego stand point as he'll get mentioned in the same breath as Trump in all the stories. Surprisingly this idea wasn't one that WWE came up with, but rather they were asked to do it by NBC Universal who were looking for some publicity stunts to 'heat up' Trump to help ratings for the next season of 'The Apprentice'. The McMahon vs. Trump progam is scheduled to be heavily promoted by NBC with the idea being that will lead to increased ratings for Raw. The pay off for the angle is likely to be either at the Rumble or a Raw shortly afterwards.

 

Live event attendences have started to improve, which is normally the first sign of a business turn around. Not including the traditionally huge post-Christmas week shows (they drew 20,411 fans for the 12/28 show in East Rutherford, NJ), the last two months of house shows and TV tapings have been averaging 6,600 paid. To beat that two month average you'd have to go back to March/April of 2002.

 

The 12/18 Raw did 4.85 million viewers, although if you ignore the opening hour it did 5.29 million in it's regular time slot.

 

The 12/22 Smackdown did a 2.87 rating. The major market ratings were... 3.0 in New York (3.4 for Matt Hardy vs Nitro), 3.2 in LA (3.8 for UT & Kane vs Booker & Finlay), 3.9 in Chicago (4.3 for UT & Kane vs Booker & Finlay), 2.4 in Philadelphia (2.9 for Batista vs Sylvan), 2.0 in San Fran (2.4 for JBL promo and Diva promo/match), 3.2 in Detroit (3.5 for Hardy vs Nitro and UT & Kane vs Booker & Finlay), 4.4 in Atlanta (4.7 for Hardy vs Nitro and JBL promo and Diva match) and 4.0 in Houston (5.2 for UT & Kane vs Booker & Finlay). The show did a 2.61 in English speaking household and a 5.1 in Spanish language households. Segment-by-segment rating - Benoit vs Chavo gained 126,000; the Mercury promo followed by the Hardy/Nitro match added 407,000 viewers; The JBL promo and Divaz match added 112,000; UT & Kane vs Booker & Finlay gained 112,000 which isn't all that great for a lengthy main event.

 

The Christmas night 'Tribute to the Troops' show did a 2.75 rating (2.75 first hour; 2.74 second hour). It was the second highest watched show on cable that night behind the NFL which did a 7.85.

 

The 12/26 ECW 'Best of 2006' show did a 1.36. Although the lowest rating ECW has had, it still held up better than was expected.

 

The 12/29 Smackdown 'Best of 2006' show did a 2.5 rating with 3.82 million viewers which was better than expected and thanks to most network programming was reruns. Smackdown finished in last place, behind FOX airing 'The Rundown', the 2003 movie starring The Rock, which did a 3.1 rating and 4.84 million viewers.

 

K-Fed is getting plenty of internal praise for his attitude backstage. Unlikely many outsiders they bring in he eats with the wrestlers and hangs out in the locker room and was asking advise from the boys over what he could do with his angle.

 

Batista's Rumble opponent at the Rumble will be decided by a 'beat the clock' angle where whoever wins their Smackdown match quickest gets the title shot.

 

Heyman is still under contract and still on the payroll. He's at home working on non-wrestling projects and WWE have kept him to stop him from going to TNA and to give time for fences to be mended.

 

David Lagana was pushing hard for Masters to join ECW and get a major heel push. It's 50/50 over this happening though as Brian Gerwitz wants to keep him on Raw as he sees him as a guy they can use to put people over without devaluing him as he's seen as a jobber anyway.

 

There will no Assy McGee vs Vince McMahon's Ass lawsuit. WWE and Cartoon Network have worked out a deal where WWE.com can continue the cartoon.

 

Jay Leno mentioned K-Fed beating Cena on Tuesday night, saying "Usually when Federline is on top of someone for ten seconds, they end up pregnant".

 

It's not 100% by Conway is likely to be moved to Smackdown and reform La Resistance with Sylvan.

 

The story behind HBK's promo on Raw this week was that he was attacking TNA's James Gang (when he spoke of people who used to be big stars and are now certain jerking somewhere else) and also Bret Hart and Kurt Angle (when he talked about those who calls themselves 'the best in-ring performers in the world'). Michaels legitimatly feels that he (or maybe he and Flair together) is the best in-ring performer of modern times and has a genuine resents others who claim they are.

 

The DX vs Rated RKO match at the PPV will be a Tag Title Match after all. This is the first time in long while when main events have had a match of the tag titles.

 

The following comments were heard from fans under the age of 25 prior to the 1/2 Smackdown tapings, "Isn't TNA another brand of WWE?'; 'ECW needs tag team titles'; 'What channel is CW on?' and 'This show will be airing on Spike TV tonight'.

 

George Murdoch who debuted on the 12/26 Smackdown house show is 6'8 and 375lbs. No guessing as to why he was called up to the main roster without even being on Deep South TV then. He only started training in August. He got recuited when some wrestlers spotted him working as a bouncer in LA and Dreamer said that with his size he should enrole in UPW but Murdoch said he wasn't interested. Dreamer took his phone number and Laurinitis rang him soon after and signed him immediatly.

 

The front runner for the location of Wrestlemania in 2008 is Orlando. It was orginially planned to be in Las Vegas.

 

Claudio Castagnoli was fired due to visa issues. He was in the States on a tourist visa rather than a working visa. WWE signed him before checking this out. The blame for that has gone on Mike Bucci (Simon Dean). When Laurinitis found out he cancelled the contract as it would cost several thousand dollars to sort out a working visa and he didn't feel Castagnoli was worth the extra investment. Having said that, ROH booker Gabe Sapolsky who has used Castagnoli for a long period of time says that he has a Green Card so none of that should have been a problem.

 

Kenny Bolin, 46, the OVW color commentator was hospitalised over the weekend due to congestive heart failure, which sounds a lot worse than it is. Brolin, who weighs about 425 to 450 had put on about 150lbs over the last seven years without any change of eating habits and his childhood best friend Jim Cornette had made him go to a doctor who had given him Lisx (diuretics) to take as he was retaining a lot of water. Apparantly he wasn't too good about taking them. Bolin's been told that he has to start taking this pills and needs to change his diet. It wasn't that he was eating a lot, but what he was eating was very unhealthy. In what sounds like a sitcom angle Jim Cornette is going to teach him how to shop for healthy food.

 

Danny Basham is currently in a commissioner-type role in OVW as he recovers from injury.

 

The the 12/26 house show they confiscating a ton of signs at the door. On the banned list now is anything lewd, anything TNA related, anything anti-babyface and anything plugging a website. When Teddy Long came out later on in the show and said they were having a best sign contest that didn't really get him over with a lot of fans there.

 

In the new WWE magazine JBL is asked about his least favourite match and he picks the infamous mixed tag with Trish, Chris Nowinski, Jackie and himself, saying that it was "the worst I've ever been associated with, I was so embarrassed, I wanted to quit the business."

 

As a birthday present for Jason Roberts (Tony Chimmel's understudy on Smackdown) they had Big Dick Johnson molest at a house show.

[Craig Th 0]

Trump vs Vince? Wow, okay........

[Black Lushus 0]

so we already know Trump's golden boy will be Cena...

[slimm44 0]

Wouldn't it make sense for Vince/Trump at Wrestlemania, and not the Rumble? I call shenanigans!

[Thanks for the Fish 0]

I wonder if Trump will bring Miiss America with him to battle a Diva as well...

 

While it's not really a terrible idea, wrestling has certainly seen worse, I don't know why Trump wants any part of it. Then again his grade school tirade of insults against Rosie shows he's low class, even if he does have money. McMahon and Trump are probably kindred spirits.

 

This would be better leading up to WM, however Trump has The Apprentice to push now. It will be interesting to see who Mcmahon and Trump will pick - Trump could pick DX, and McMahon Edge and Orton however we don't need another McMahon vs DX feud. Cena is an obvious candidate to get the rub here, but what heel would VKM back- Umaga? This could easily be a cross-brand deal.

 

What about Trump picking Ric Flair? Or even Shane McMahon?? What is Hogan doing these days? Could we see Flair w Trump vs Hogan w Vince? Hogan vs Shane?? The rumored WM match is supposed to be Hogan and VKM vs Bischoff and Big Show with the big drama being will Hogan turn on Vince. This storyline could start with the McMahon/Trump angle with Vince and Hogan being victorious leading Big Show and Bischoff to jump into the angle when Trump/Flair(or Shane) leave vanquished.

 

Yeah, whatever.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Federline looked to become a full time wrestler. His rap career is going nowhere, and his meal ticket is getting divorced from him. Of course one JBL ass soaping and he'll be long gone.

[Black Lushus 0]

mock me all you want, but I'm convinced Federline could be a great manager for someone.

[Dimensions 0]

I think it'd be funny if Trump had some skits imitating the apprentice leading up to the PPV with wrestlers being eliminated until Donald got his winner.

[Thanks for the Fish 0]

I think it'd be funny if Trump had some skits imitating the apprentice leading up to the PPV with wrestlers being eliminated until Donald got his winner.

 

It would be funny if he was looking for his Wrestling "Apprentice" to fight Vince. It would even be better if he was using developmentals. Maybe this is how they could introduce Rodimer?

[Ginger Snaps 0]

Thank you for posting this, Decemberists.

 

Trump v. Vince sounds like the latest embarrassing thing the WWE is going to devote hours of airtime on.

[NoCalMike 0]

I believe the confiscating signs bit, because over the last month or so, you saw a lot of Anti-DX-Pro-RKO signs pop-up such as "Orton Please Kill DX" stuff like that, and then suddenly as of a couple weeks ago, there never seems to be ANY Anti-DX signs anymore.....

[Guest mst3krules]

Kenny Bolin, 46, the OVW color commentator was hospitalised over the weekend due to congestive heart failure, which sounds a lot worse than it is.

 

"It sounds a lot worse than it is"??? Congestive heart failure is very serious, especially at that young of an age. It's a result of a damaged or weakened heart that isn't beating properly and fluid builds up in the body, which is why the Lasix/diuretic is needed. I've had 3 aunts and an uncle die of this and my father is currently dealing with it. I hope that he really starts taking this seriously.

[razazteca 0]

Wouldn't it make sense for Vince/Trump at Wrestlemania, and not the Rumble? I call shenanigans!

Well since the Network is demanding this angle I'm surprise it isn't going to climax at a SNME event.

[Mecca 0]

George Murdoch........otherwise known as G-Rilla. Last I heard he was in the process of being moved from DSW to OVW.

[Thanks for the Fish 0]

Yeah, I don't think Murdoch was getting the call-up, he was just wrestling for the agents probably to see where he was at. It's strange that he was being moved since he is so green, I'm betting the wwe likes his size and he was thinking about quitting. Bill Demott is said to run a really physically demanding training schedule and G-Rilla didn't seem to want to go to UPW and was only enticed to train with a developmental deal - his hearts probably not completely in it. They probably gave him a house show match to show him the light at the end of the tunnel and moved him to OVW where Bill Demott and his crazy workouts are not.

 

From what I understand he wasn't even wrestling in Deep South, but was the outside muscle for Siaki and Perez(Urban Assault aka the LAX rip-off).

 

Oleg Prudius(Vladimir Kozlov), Jake Hager and Dan Rodimer along with George "G-Rilla" Murdoch were all scheduled to move to OVW from Deep South. Supposedly with a few OVW wrestlers scheduled to head to DSW, with the idea of exposing some of the talent to the "territory feel", as well as living on the road.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

I don't know...this could be a pretty big coup if WWE really does get to work with Donald Trump. I mean, he's a controversial figure with huge name recognition, he has a well known and successful TV show...seems like it could be something big for WWE if they play their cards right.

[Guest Toddiwod]

I don't know...this could be a pretty big coup if WWE really does get to work with Donald Trump. I mean, he's a controversial figure with huge name recognition, he has a well known and successful TV show...seems like it could be something big for WWE if they play their cards right.

 

Donald Trump + Tombstone Piledriver = only outcome I'm willing to accept.

[iliketurtles 0]

Orlando??? for Wrestlemania 24? Here come the TNA rumors.

 

Why not Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay?

[pochorenella 0]

The front runner for the location of Wrestlemania in 2008 is Orlando. It was orginially planned to be in Las Vegas.

I go to Orlando quite often, so if I could score some tix I'd be sure to go. But is there another somewhat big facility other than TD Waterhouse Centre? I was there last year for the RAW/SD! taping the day after the Royal Rumble in Miami (which I also attended) and it seemed rather smallish, specially if you consider doing a WrestleMania there.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Trump's going to get a rushed Dan Rodimer... isn't he?

 

Hopefully it's Kenny.

[JN News 0]

The story behind HBK's promo on Raw this week was that he was attacking TNA's James Gang (when he spoke of people who used to be big stars and are now certain jerking somewhere else) and also Bret Hart and Kurt Angle (when he talked about those who calls themselves 'the best in-ring performers in the world'). Michaels legitimatly feels that he (or maybe he and Flair together) is the best in-ring performer of modern times and has a genuine resents others who claim they are.

 

 

 

 

Typical HBGay trying to spit in Bret Hart's face. I always felt that Brokeback Hickeybottom was just as overrated as HHHonker. They seriously need to STFU, and leave Bret alone.

[Black Lushus 0]

The story behind HBK's promo on Raw this week was that he was attacking TNA's James Gang (when he spoke of people who used to be big stars and are now certain jerking somewhere else) and also Bret Hart and Kurt Angle (when he talked about those who calls themselves 'the best in-ring performers in the world'). Michaels legitimatly feels that he (or maybe he and Flair together) is the best in-ring performer of modern times and has a genuine resents others who claim they are.

 

 

 

 

Typical HBGay trying to spit in Bret Hart's face. I always felt that Brokeback Hickeybottom was just as overrated as HHonker. They seriously need to STFU, and leave Bret alone.

 

okay...stop...

[Craig Th 0]

Wouldn't it make sense for Vince/Trump at Wrestlemania, and not the Rumble? I call shenanigans!

They are doing that because his show premieres in Jan or Feb, so they want to hype it up. It would be dumb to have to it at WM if all they are trying to do is market The Apprentice.

[J.T. 0]

I doubt very highly the HBK blast was on Bret. Angle and the James Gang are whats new and current, Bret hasnt stated anything publically (that I can recall) recently, so why would HBK say that now? Plus Dave is always trying to stir shit up with Bret and Shawn.

[JN News 0]

I doubt very highly the HBK blast was on Bret. Angle and the James Gang are whats new and current, Bret hasnt stated anything publically (that I can recall) recently, so why would HBK say that now? Plus Dave is always trying to stir shit up with Bret and Shawn.

 

 

 

Good point, there. I guess Meltzer just can't let it go.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Plus Dave is always trying to stir shit up with Bret and Shawn.

Since when?

 

I guess Meltzer just can't let it go.

 

If there is one person that can't let this Shawn/Bret thing go, it isn't Meltzer.

 

Is it really impossible to think that Shawn would take a shot at Bret for no reason?

[Jaxxson Mayhem 0]

That "no anti-babyface signs" shit is bullshit.

 

 

 

Thanks for typin all this up.

[Guest Toddiwod]

Is it really impossible to think that Shawn would take a shot at Bret for no reason?

 

I suppose its not impossible. I'd just hate to think so. I know HBK isn't too popular around these parts, but I've always liked the guy. I must admit however, that once I started to really have knowledge of the insides of the business, I've been finding out more and more about the guy that I'm not crazy about. Same thing with Hogan.

[Timmy8271 0]

Wrestlemania in Orlando? Hell Yeah, I'll be there.

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

Trump backing Nitro against Vince backing Cena is riiight there. They've even been feuding for the last few months off and on unofficially.

 

On top of that, Cena already has been mentioned in the media, and Nitro looks like a million bucks. They could even long term it with Nitro running some type of corporation for the stars, with Federline guest starring in that stable.

 

PLZ just long book for once WWE.

[Gary Floyd 0]

There will no Assy McGee vs Vince McMahon's Ass lawsuit. WWE and Cartoon Network have worked out a deal where WWE.com can continue the cartoon.

Seeing the McMahon's ass cartoon, I would have to say "Wow, Assy McGee isn't that bad afterall"