December 2006 News Archive (Page 2)

• TNA is interested in signing Amy Dumas (formerly Lita of WWE), but it remains unclear if the interest is mutual.

• Jim Cornette and Vince Russo are now working together in a creative capacity. The two attend production meetings and have had friendly discussions, despite not always getting along. Sources do say, however, that Russo is bottling up anger over Cornette's vocal reactions to proposed TNA Wrestling segments that he doesn't like.

• While backstage at the Spike TV Video Game Awards, Kurt Angle continued talking about plans to fight Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell or Tito Ortiz later this year.

Match 1: WWE Champion John Cena vs. World Tag Champion Edge
- Cena defeated Edge

Match 2: CM Punk vs. Shelton Benjamin
- Punk defeated Shelton

Match 3: The Undertaker vs. Johnny Nitro (w/ Melina)
- Taker defeated Nitro

Match 4: ECW Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Hardcore Holly in a Non-Title Match
- Lashley defeated Holly

Match 5: Umaga vs. Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy
- Umaga defeated Hardy

Match 6: Carlito vs. World Tag Champion Randy Orton
- Carlito defeated Orton

Chris Masters faced “Santa Claus” (JBL in disguise) in a Masterlock Challenge. Torrie Wilson, Maria and Kristal played Santa’s helpers and handed out presents.

The following report is courtesy of wrestleview.com ...

Teddy Long is in his office with Booker T and Finlay. They want a rematch against Cena and Batista. He says no way. But since Kennedy hasn't been seen since the PPV, and MVP is still in a burn unit, they would take on the the Brothers of Destruction in the main event.

- World Champion Batista squashed Sylvan
Batista comes out and wishes everyone happy holidays. Santa comes out and throw shirts to the crowd, then attacks Batista. He walks up the ramp and T-Long comes out and makes it Santa vs. Batista "right now!" He ends up killing santa and it's Sylvan.

- Johnny Nitro defeated Matt Hardy
Mercury came out to the crowd applauding him, then shows the footage from the PPV. Then says he blames Matt and Jeff Hardy. Matt comes out and says they didn't mean to hurt him like that. Then Joey wants Matt to fight but Matt wouldn't do it. So he fights Nitro instead.

- Chris Benoit beat Chavo Guerrero
Pretty much the same match as the last 3 or 4. Benoit going for the sharpshooter a few times. He finally gets the cross face locked in and Vicky hits him with the belt and gets Chavo DQ'd. Chavo yells at Vicky. Maybe the end of that feud?

- The Boogeyman defeated Gregory Helms
Helms comes out and says he has beaten everyone put in front of him, and he's going to eat a lot during Xmas so he can go for the heavyweight title. Then Boogeyman's music hits and they go at it. Boogeyman ends up worming the announcer.

- Ashley Massaro & Layla El defeated Jillian Hall & Kristal

- Undertaker & Kane defeated King Booker & Fit Finlay

• As noted for the last few weeks since the initial TV tapings, last night's episode of TNA iMPACT! featured Samoa Joe suffering a severe sprain of his MCL ligament in his knee. Joe did not wrestle at the last set of TV tapings that took place this past Monday, but is expected to be ready for the Final Resolution PPV on January 14. Joe is scheduled to being physical therapy on his knee shortly.

• For those wondering, TNA is claiming that they legitimately set aside one million dollars for the Voodoo Kin Mafia's challenge against Vince McMahon and DX.

• If you speak Spanish and are looking for extra work, TNA Wrestling added the following on their website:

"TNA Wrestling is seeking a candidate to provide English-To-Spanish translation of various marketing materials and news items for our website on a regular basis. The job is part-time and can be done from home. Candidates should provide any past translation experience and references as well. You must be 21 or older. Please send your resume information to info@tnawrestling.com."

• WWE.com has added a new feature up where Hulk Hogan has interviewed Sylvester Stallone at this link.

• WWE got a lot of national publicity in many markets with a short AP story about Kevin Federline competing against John Cena on the January 1st, 2007 edition of Monday Night RAW. The Washington Post also mentioned Federline's upcoming match with Cena yesterday in its gossip section.

Lilian Garcia took a few moments to speak candidly with WWE.com about her life-changing experience at WWE’s Tribute to the Troops in Iraq. From singing the National Anthem to visiting wounded soldiers, Garcia called her experience “amazing.”

“This is my third trip – twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. I’m always the first in line to go. I already told Vince I want to go next year,” Garcia said. “It is such an experience. It’s unforgettable. It’s life-changing.”

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Jeff Hardy was recently interviewed by Up & Coming magazine. Here are a few excerpts:

On his return to the Crown Coliseum and Fayetteville after being absent from WWE for three years:
"It's always great because we were, Matt, my brother and I, were kids and our dad would take us to Fayetteville and that was the closest access to professional wrestling. We always wanted to go back to our closest venue to our home and actually be the performer instead of the spectator. It's always a great response when we go back there and I'm looking forward to it, to Fayetteville. This is the first time I've been back to Fayetteville since I came back to WWE so it should be pretty sweet."

On growing up in Cameron and in this area:
"We grew up farming tobacco until my dad went full time in the Postal Service. We were pretty much working our asses off, like farming tobacco, and we really got a good idea what it was like to take part in hard labor at a very young age. I think that made us really strong in our lives to grow up doing something that not many kids are ever around, and like living out in the country is such a blessing.

To this day, I love it. I couldn't imagine living in some city or any other state or whatever. I remember there was a time before Matt and I made it and I said, 'Oh yeah, when I make it, I want to move out to L.A. or Hollywood or somewhere big.' But now that I've got out been out all around the world and saw these different choices, it really is 'There's no place like home.' And Cameron is my home and that's forever."

To read the full interview, click here.

On his personal website, Jim Ross recently commented on the following issues:

On Rob Van Dam's future with WWE:
"There were lots of emails this past week about RVD. I look at RVD as being one of the cornerstones of the new ECW. Rob is a talented and unique performer, obviously. I know Rob has done well financially in the WWE and has earned every penny of his cash. I hope Rob has a long productive future with the WWE but in the end that will be Rob’s call."

On rumored matches for WrestleMania 23 this year:
"If you are reading where “X” match has been booked for Wrestlemania 23 then I have some beach front property in Oklahoma to sell you. Point is I doubt very seriously that a Wrestlemania card has been finalized but I am sure it will be the best one available and most doable when the card is released. It is Wrestlemania after all."

On TNA's Voodoo Kin Mafia & their $1 million challenge to WWE:
"I haven’t changed my tune on the ”$1M Challenge”. No, I don’t think the WWE should or ever will acknowledge it. It is a publicity stunt designed to get folks talking and to help draw ratings and sell PPVs. Will it? You tell me."

• When Edge and superstar Shelton Benjamin were on CNN’s Showbiz Tonight promoting the WWE Tribute To The Troops special, the female host mentioned the mortar attack that occurred while the stars were in Iraq.

But things got awkward when she mentioned the mortar that landed only 300 yards from the base while the wrestlers were at Camp Victory. After they aired the footage of the attack the host said: "Now, we all know wrestling is fake...big shocker, but what goes on in Iraq is real ..."

Then, she asked Edge how he felt about traveling to Iraq and he responded that this was his first trip because the first time the WWE superstars went, he had suffered a broken neck in the fake industry.

• King Booker’s new independent Wrestling Promotion in Texas - Pro Wrestling Alliance - will hold its first live event at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena tomorrow.

The main event will include Charile Haas vs. Booker. Shelton Benjamin, MVP, Rene Dupree, Umaga, Sylvan, Sharmell, and Boogeyman are all scheduled to appear.

• Michelle McCool is still at home recovering from her kidney problems, believed to have stemmed from an eating issue. She can't do much physically, so there's no time table for her return.

• With no more ECW house shows - and WWE moving wrestlers such as Lashley to the ECW roster - things aren’t looking good for ECW mid-carders right now. Expect to possibly see more ECW stars being fired in the coming weeks.

• At RAW Monday, security was turning away all fans with signs that had the letters "VKM" and "TNA" on them. These were references, of course, to the Voodoo Kin Mafia and TNA Wrestling.