July 2007 News Archive

Multiple sources are reporting that TNA Wrestling has inked a deal to bring in Adam "Pacman" Jones as a professional wrestler.

Jones was suspended for the entirety of the National Football League's 2007 season (with a review of the punishment scheduled for after the tenth game) due to off-field conduct issues, such as fights at strip clubs. The guy is a real class act.

His recent request to join his fellow Tennessee Titans for training camp was also denied by the NFL.

According to PWInsider.com, the Titans had no issue with Jones joining the TNA Wrestling roster.

The following was written by Eric Bischoff...

Congress has “requested” documents from WWE relating to their drug testing policy. I hope that the likes of Dave Meltzer and Wade Keller are happy. I am sure they are, as more than likely they might get a chance to be on television, or at the very least will see the traffic to their websites and subscriptions to their wrestling tabloids increase. After all, they worked hard to contribute to the media frenzy that rushed to vilify the wrestling business. They continue to promote the “death and drug culture” on their websites and prop up self-promoting sycophants that still can’t deal with the fact that they are irrelevant.

This is nothing more than a chance for a handful of parasitic politicians who feed off the teat of the public coffers, and are more reliant on television face time than Joanie Laurer to extend their careers.

Perhaps congress hasn’t heard about the immigration problem, or issues like Katrina. Perhaps the fact that government funded and administered programs that allow astronauts to fly space shuttles while legally under the influence of alcohol is just not newsworthy enough. Maybe the fact that members of their own body like U.S. Representative William Jefferson is accused of soliciting bribes, laundering money, obstructing justice and hiding pay offs in his freezer is just too mundane and doesn’t equate to votes.

Or how about the esteemed member of congress from the state of Florida (Bob Allen) that was recently arrested for offering to polish the knob of an undercover police officer in a men’s room in exchange for a $20.00 bill? Congress feels the need/opportunity to stand up (get face time) and investigate professional wrestling. I’ve got a better idea. Hey Congress: investigate thyself.

Here’s a news flash: a disproportionate number of people who a drawn to the entertainment business appear to be predisposed to drug/alcohol use and abuse.

Click here to read the full blog entry.

In his latest blog, Jim Ross talks about the current Randy Orton storyline and the successful return of Jeff Hardy:

On Randy Orton Concussion Storyline: I don’t feel as if the WWE is exploiting the seriousness of concussions with the Randy Orton storyline, but are certainly drawing attention to the dangers of suffering from a concussion. There has always been a fine line between fact and fiction in wrestling which, in some circles, is referred to as suspending one’s disbelief. When the announcer’s change their tones or their delivery, it is to better fit the moment that we are in and often times is a function of how announcers are produced.

I have no idea what we will ever be able to do when our “levels” reach those that some remember for bona fide, tragic moments other than step aside and have new announcers without these experiences handle the show because there will be times when that particular delivery is called for.

On Jeff Hardy Return: Jeff Hardy’s return to the WWE and his subsequent “breakthrough” as a singles star is one of the great stories of the year. Jeff is arguably as popular as anyone on Raw as is proven by the reaction Jeff receives every time he is introduced. I am genuinely happy for the younger of the two Hardy brothers. Matt is doing great on Smackdown as well and who’s to say that both brothers couldn’t be champions at the same time as individual performers?

Triple H is featured on the promotional poster for Unforgiven. He's dressed as Conan The Barbarian.

Here's a look at it:

In a move that significantly widens the impact of the Chris Benoit murder-suicide case, two congressmen who opened steroid hearings into Major League Baseball have requested that World Wrestling Entertainment provide records pertaining to the WWE's testing policies and practices.

ESPN reports that in a three-page letter dated Friday, Rep. Henry Waxman, the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Tom Davis, its ranking minority member, asked WWE to provide a series of documents intended to give the committee and its investigation a detailed look at WWE's drug-testing policy, including information about the results of performance-enhancing drug tests on pro wrestlers.

"The tragic deaths of World Wrestling Entertainment star Chris Benoit and his family have raised questions about reports of widespread use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs by professional wrestlers," the congressmen wrote.

"These allegations -- which include first-hand reports of steroid use by prominent former wrestlers -- have swirled around the WWE for over a decade. Investigations by journalists have described a culture of performance-enhancing drug use in professional wrestling, high fatality rates among young professional wrestlers, and an inability or unwillingness of WWE to address these problems."

The letter from Waxman and Davis described WWE wrestlers as "multimedia stars that have an influence on the behavior and attitudes of the nation's youth."

"WWE has a responsibility to do everything possible to eliminate the use of performance-enhancing drugs -- or the perception of such use -- by its wrestlers."

The records request is wide ranging, and parallels what was asked of Major League Baseball. It seeks a list of drugs covered by its policies; the entity that conducts its drug testing; the number of tests it conducts annually; the protocols followed after a positive test; and the procedures for awarding exemptions.

It also wants hard figures about the number of tests that the WWE conducts each year; the numbers of wrestlers tested; positive results for each specific drug; and the number of positive tests for which wrestlers were penalized.

Continue Reading...

The following report is courtesy of lordsofpain.net...

- Batista over Domino with the Batista Bomb. Domino got a lot of offense, interference by Deuce.

- Hornswoggle beat Jamie Noble via count out to retain the Cruiserweight Championship Belt.

- Chavo Guerrero beat Eugene with the Frog Splash.

- Matt Hardy & Ric Flair beat MVP and Chris Masters when Hardy pinned Masters with the Twist of Fate. Afterwards, MVP got on the mic and told Flair and Hardy that he beat both of them, and Hardy challenge him to a match and he would choose the stipulations.

- Shows Kristal, Teddy Long, and Vickie backstage with Ron Simmons, Long asks Simmons to be his best man, Simmons accepts by saying Damn, of course.

- Mark Henry beat some dude, squash. Henry gets on the mic and lets everyone know that no man or beast can beat him.

- Jimmy Yang Wang & Torrie Wilson over Kenny Dykstra and Victoria when Yang pinned Dystrka with an awesome Asai Moonsault.

- Kane beat Dave Taylor with the Choke Slam.

- The Great Khali has a celebration filled with horrible indian dancers. Loud fireworks, Batista interrupts celebration and challenges Khali to a one on one match and takes down Khali.

Kurt Angle had an interview last night on 106.7 WJFK FM out of Washington DC. The entire interview is about 23 minutes long.

A fan submitted the following report to lordsofpain.net regarding what Angle had to say about TNA Wrestling and other topics...

• Talked about how hard it is for WWE to fill five hours of TV each week, especially when injuries take place.
• Said there are options other than WWE but you won't make as much money.
• Said he was overworked and under-appreciated even though he was one of the top 2 guys in WWE.
• Talks about his WWE injuries and coming back too early and not resting.
• Said he and John Cena were/are the two hardest working guys in the business.
• Said WWE chose Cena as their top guy because Cena was single and had a lot more to give towards the business, as opposed to a married man.
• Said Cena is not expected to be the best wrestler in the company, but he is expected to sell the most merchandise.
• Said Vince McMahon is getting a lot of bad publicity right now. Kurt praises Vince.
• Talked about his painkiller addiction and said it was not Vince's fault, it was his.
• Said he didn't like how his character in WWE was being utilized towards the end.
• Talked about an injury he suffered in a match with RVD. Said he called WWE and couldn't make the house show the next day. WWE said he had to. Kurt arranged a meeting with Vince at WWE HQ - Kurt wanted part time but Vince insisted he stay full time. Kurt said he quit.
• Said that TNA in a matter of time will start to compete with Raw.
• Said he is coming out with a book soon.
• Talked about how WWE is getting bad rap with the Chris Benoit stuff.
• Promoted his upcoming PPV match with Samoa Joe.

WWE announced Thursday that it has released Rene Dupree from his contract.

"World Wrestling Entertainment has come to terms on the release of Rene Dupree. WWE wishes Rene all the best in his future endeavors," read the WWE.com statement.

Below Jeanie Williams - the ex-wife of Stone Cold Steve Austin - pleads for the industry to change its ways before more young grapplers join the 105 who have already passed away in the last 10 years...

English born Jeanie has seen all sides of the business.

After meeting wrestler and long-term boyfriend Chris Adams, she left Southend-On-Sea to fight all over America as Lady Blossom, including a stint in major federation WCW.

She later became a wrestler's wife, having two children with grappling legend Austin. They were married through his glory years in the WWE and she even gave Steve the Stone Cold name that helped shoot him to fame.

But alongside the glamour, Jeanie saw the effects of steroids and other drugs first hand. Chris was a major abuser of drugs and alcohol and was killed in self-defense by a pal.

Jeanie divorced Steve after wrestling's travel schedule got too much to take. He also had a dark side and was later accused of physically assaulting his two subsequent partners.

She is now back in Southend and is a full time mom, writing the following into the Britain Sun:

I decided to speak out after reading about the shocking amount of wrestlers who have died.

I was saddened by both the number and how many of them I knew. Brian Pillman and Rick Rude were especially good friends with Steve.

Wrestling needs to sort out its steroid problem, as well as the schedule which forces people to take other drugs, so more don't die.

Wrestling is like a beauty pageant for women, the guys are competing to have the best body to get the best spots, which often leads to steroid abuse.

Click here to read the full interview.

Triple H may be returning at SummerSlam, but another superstar will be out of the ring for awhile.

WWE.com has an article up about Edge's successful surgery on his torn left pectoral muscle this past weekend in Birminham, AL with Dr. James Andrews.

The article also noted that the injury turned out to be much more serious than previously thought, with Dr. Andrews discovering that Edge had a quote "complete tear of the tendon attaching to the muscle – right off the bone."

"I didn’t think that the tear would be as significant as what we found when we went in. Initially, we had thought it was a partial tear, but it turned out to be much more significant – the injury could have been career-threatening if not properly repaired," said Dr. Andrews.

Edge is expected to spend the first four weeks after surgery healing and then an extra three to four months of full recovery.