TNA Wrestling News (Page 2)

We talk a lot about WWE Divas (and can you blame us?), but don't worry TNA Knockouts. We haven't forgotten about you.

Here are a couple pieces of news regarding these TNA Wrestling beauties:

- A new backstage interview girl by the name of Lauren Brooke debuted at Sunday's TNA Lockdown. She was hired at the urging of Spike TV officials, who want more women involved in the backstage segments on Impact. Crystal Louthan is likely to continue in her similar role, as well, as TNA will simply have two women doing the backstage announcing.

- It was announced at this week's Impact taping that all of the Knockouts will be participating in a "Makeover Battle Royal" at TNA Sacrifice; the final two competitors will compete right then and there in a Ladder Match. The loser of the match will receive a "Britney Spears Makeover" by having her head shaved bald.

After speaking with Kurt Angle and Gail Kim, Kevin Eck of The Baltimore Sun has now published an interview with former WWE superstar, and current TNA wrestler, Rhino.

Here are excerpts from it:

Can you talk about the growth you have seen in TNA since you’ve been in the company and where you see things headed?
Yeah, it’s amazing. I came in a little under three years ago and we didn’t even have a TV deal. They were working on it, and Spike jumped aboard and the relationship to my knowledge has been great. The future looks great for the company. It’s growing each day, as far as the departments – whether it’s merchandise or the promotional team or just in the office. They’re hiring people because we’re growing so fast – the international market is just exploding and the fan base over here.

We’re running a lot of live events. I think we have 70 to 80 right now this year, and they’re adding more shows as we speak. Dixie [Carter, TNA owner] doesn’t want to go on the road as much as our competition because she wants us to have a family life, too. But we’ve got to take the wrestling to the fans. We can’t expect them to come down to Orlando or wherever we’re having our pay-per-views – 12 different venues a year.

What else do you think TNA has to do to get to the next level and become legitimate competition for WWE?
I think raising my pay a lot (laughs). I think we’re on the right track. It’s exploding. Obviously, when other wrestlers’ contracts come up with other companies or some wrestlers want to come back from Japan, certain moves will help out the company as far as signing guys. The guys that we have under contract like Shark Boy – I’m a big fan of his. The stuff he’s doing, it’s great.

All the guys here are elevating themselves. They’re given an opportunity and they’re taking advantage of it. So that raises the product. If some people do become part of the TNA team that aren’t with us now, I’m sure they’ll be a team player and help the company, and that will help the growth, too.

Read the full interview now.

Kevin Eck of The Baltimore Sun was backstage for last week's TNA iMPACT tapings. He conducted a series of interviews with talent backstage.

Here are highlights from his talk with Kurt Angle:

Historically, this business has not been great for marriages, especially when the wife also becomes talent. Did you have any trepidation about [Karen Angle] coming into the wrestling world?
When she did her first promo, I was blown away. I was thinking, “Wow, this girl is huge. She can make the company some money.” Jeff Jarrett came to me right afterward. He actually got out of the truck from directing, and we had just gotten backstage after doing the promo in the ring, and he said, “Kurt, she’s huge money.”

I said, “Jeff, that’s the same thing I was thinking when I was in the ring with her.” He said, “Well, will she take a job?” “I said, “You’re going to have to ask her.” She said, “Sure, but I have to be home this many days a month. I can’t do house shows; I can only do TV and pay-per-view. Every once in a while, pay to have my kids come down and go to Disney World while I’m working and it’ll be great.” Thank God, it’s actually brought us closer together. We spend more time together, and it actually did the opposite of what it’s done in the past to others. It’s been great.

Samoa Joe already has main-evented pay-per-views with you. Who are some others that you think will eventually rise up to the main-event level?
Actually, let’s talk about the guys. Samoa Joe isn’t there yet. If you’re going to put him on the same pedestal as me, I don’t think he’s quite there. Can he get there? Yeah. A.J. Styles, is he there? Not yet. He will get there. Robert Roode is a great example. He’s a guy that’s going to end up being a major big-time star. James Storm – another guy that’s mid-cardish right now that’s going to end up being a big star.

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Andrew "Test" Martin was arrested yesterday morning in Florida on charges of DUI and driving without a license.

According to the police report, the former WWE and TNA wrestler was pulled over by an off-duty police officer after she spotted a "reckless vehicle." A Florida Highway Patrol trooper responded and pulled him over.

Martin was arrested on charges of DUI and driving while his license was suspended or revoked. He was taken to jail after refusing to submit to a urine test.

"The defendant was constantly falling asleep in my vehicle," the trooper wrote. He was released later that evening after posting $500 bail.

Here's a look at TNA iMPACT Tapings for April 10:

- Show opened with Team Tomko and Team Cage. Sting & Kevin Nash vs. Team 3D was announced for the main event. Christian Cage told Tomko not to think because he was always one step ahead of him. The segment ends with Team Cage almost taking out AJ Styles, who was left all alone in the ring.- Consequences Creed defeated Jimmy Rave.

- Scott Steiner & Petey Williams defeated The Motor City Machineguns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley). Steiner had Petey do his last initiation which was cutting his hair.

- Contract signing takes place between TNA World Champion Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe for Lockdown. Both sign the contract and Joe promises to never wrestle again if he didn't win the title.

- Roxxi Laveaux defeated Angelina Love.

- "Super Eric" defeated Black Reign.

- Sting & Kevin Nash defeated Team 3D via DQ when both teams got involved to cause the DQ finish.

Check out the updated card for TNA Lockdown on Sunday, April 13. All matches will take place inside the Six Sides of Steel Cage...

TNA World Heavyweight Championship Match
- Kurt Angle (c) vs. Samoa Joe

Lethal Lockdown Match
- Team Cage (Christian Cage, Kevin Nash, Rhino & ?) vs. Team Tomko (Tomko, AJ Styles & Team 3D)

Xscape Match for the TNA X Division Championship
- "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal (c) vs. Curry Man vs. Sonjay Dutt vs. ?? vs. ?? vs. ??

Mixed Tag Team Match
- Booker T & Sharmell vs. Robert Roode & Payton Banks

- BG James vs. Kip James

- TNA Women's Champion Awesome Kong & Raisha Saeed vs. Gail Kim & ODB

Here are a couple TNA Wrestling tidbits that may interest fans:

- TNA has announced Sting will return at next week's first-ever live edition of iMPACT! The legend will do a live interview. Also announced for the show are Kurt Angle vs. AJ Styles & Tomko, Awesome Kong in action and more.

- After a successful house show tour of the north east last month, TNA Wrestling is returning to Vermont and New York in May. The details:

THURSDAY, MAY 8: BARRE, VERMONT
TNA Live at the Barre Auditorium, 7pm bell time. Tickets go on sale March 28 at www.flynncenter.org

FRIDAY, MAY 9: DERBY, VERMONT
TNA Live at the Indoor Recreation of Orleans County (IROC), 7pm bell time. Tickets go on sale March 28 at www.iroc.org/tna.html

SATURDAY, MAY 10: PLATTSBURGH, NEW YORK
TNA Live at the Crete Civic Center, 1pm bell time. Tickets go on sale March 28 at www.flynncenter.org

The following results for TNA Wrestling's Destination X pay-per-view are courtesy of wrestleview.com...

- LAX defeated Lance Hoyt & Jimmy Rave and The Motor City Machineguns to become the #1 Contenders for the TNA World Tag Team Titles. Hernandez with a huge sitdown powerbomb on Rave, but Shelley drops Hernandez with a reverse DDT. Hoyt takes out Shelley, Sabin with a DDT on Hoyt and Homicide with a gringo stunner on Sabin. Homicide with a dive to the outside taking everyone out allowing Hernandez to hit the Border Toss on Rave to get the pinfall. Great opener. After the match, they show highlights from the match. Joel and Jonny Fairplay from Survivor are shown at ringside as LAX celebrates.

- "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal defeated Petey Williams to retain the TNA X Division Championship. Rhaka Khan distracts the referee and Lethal gets thrown off the top rope by Scott Steiner. Williams then connects with the Canadian Destroyer, hooks the leg, but So Cal Val pulls the referees leg. Rhaka Khan goes after Val, but Sonjay Dutt runs out to protect Val. Williams then turns his attention back to Lethal and Lethal gets him in a small package to retain the X Division Title. After the match, Lethal celebrates with Sonjay Dutt and So Cal Val.

- Backstage, Crystal is with Samoa Joe, Christian Cage and Kevin Nash. She asks what they think Jim Cornette's decision will be tonight regarding Thursday's Six Sides of Steel match. Joe said no matter what decision is made, they will take out The Angle Alliance. Cage said as far as he is concerned, his hand was raised on Thursday and he won. He added that it didn't really matter in the end. Nash said the last thing The Angle Alliance would expect would be for him to start the match tonight and that we could see just that.

- Kaz & "Super" Eric Young defeated Black Reign & Rellik. Kaz with a double-team move on Reign and Rellik. All of a sudden music hits and Eric Young comes out dressed as a superhero. He poses as pyro goes off and then hits the ring taking out Reign and Rellik with a double dropkick. Young with a cross-body on Reign, but the pinfall gets broken up. Tenay and West call him Super Eric. Young then puts Reign and Rellik on his shoulders and hits a double death valley driver. Young covers Reign and gets the pinfall. After the match, Kaz and Young celebrate and pose.

- Awesome Kong defeated ODB & Gail Kim to retain the TNA Women's Championship. Kong drops Kim face first into the ring and then splashes Kim with a huge frog splash! ODB breaks up the pinfall and then chops Kong a few times. Kong with an Implant Buster on ODB. Kong goes up to the top rope, but ODB rolls away and avoids the splash. Kong's manager trips up ODB allowing Kong to hit ODB with the Awesome Bomb to get the pinfall and retain the TNA Women's Title.

- Back live, Jim Cornette is in the ring. He said if Team 3D make weight tonight then they won't have to weigh-in ever again. However, if they don't make weight then their contracts with TNA Wrestling will be terminated. Cornette then announced that after viewing the footage from Thursday, Kurt Angle's foot did touch the ground first and did win the match. He said he is hesitant to use video footage to make a new decision for the first time in wrestling so he asks the TNA fans what they should do tonight. The fans boo for giving the advantage to The Angle Alliance and cheer when Cornette said he wants to go backstage to tell them to suck it up. Cornette then announces that the decision from Thursday stands.

- Shark Boy & Curry Man defeated Team 3D in a Fish Market Street Fight (Team 3D made weight so they aren't fired). Devon with a reverse DDT on Curry Man. Shark Boy then drops a fish across the crotch of Ray and Curry Man connects with a cross-body on Devon. Shark Boy and Curry Man with two facebusters on Team 3D. They follow that up with two tornado DDT's on 3D as well. Curry Man gets dumped out by Ray and Ray puts Shark Boy on his shoulders. Devon is up and connects with the Doomsday clothesline. A trash can gets brought in and Curry Man hits Ray with it. Devine tries to powder Curry Man, but hits Ray instead and Devine gets sent into a table over the top rope! The finish saw Ray assist in a 3D, but Ray was still blinded and he gave Devon a 3D and Shark Boy got the pinfall for his team.

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Matt Morgan - a former WWE star and current member of the TNA Wrestling roster - is joining the cast of NBC's reality competition, American Gladiators.

He'll will continue to be a member of the TNA roster while competing on the show.

"To say I'm excited is a huge understatement," Morgan said. "Wrestling is in my blood and TNA will always be my home - and the chance to appear on both TNA and American Gladiators is a major personal accomplishment."

The following TNA iMPACT tapings will air tomorrow night, February 28:

- Booker T came out to the ring and called out Robert Roode. Payton Banks came out instead and told Booker that Robert was here, but that she had a message for him. Banks slapped Booker. Traci Brooks ran out and attacked Banks.

- Scott Steiner & Petey Williams defeated TNA X Division Champion "Black Machismo" Jay Lethal & Sonjay Dutt.

- Team 3D came out set to face Shark Boy and Curry Man once again, but neither could make weight. Shark Boy then issued a challenge to anyone to face them; out come Black Reign and Rellik.

- Shark Boy & Curry Man defeated Black Reign & Rellik. 3D attempted to interfere in the match until Kaz got involved. Kaz got a 3D for his troubles.

- Robert Roode then came out to the ring and called out Booker T. Booker runs out and the two brawl. Booker ends up getting handcuffed to the ropes when Payton Banks gets involved. Traci Brooks tries to make the save, but gets taken out and handcuffed, too.

- James Storm defeated Eric Young in a Ladder Match to capture the World Drinking Championship. Jackie Moore got the belt for Storm because Storm was "afraid" to climb up the ladder since he is playing up he is scared of heights before Elevation X. Rhino came out and gave Storm a Gore and took the belt from him.

- TNA Women's Champion Awesome Kong defeated Angelina Love. ODB and Gail Kim took Kong out after the match. Kong vs. ODB vs. Kim at Destination X for the TNA Women's Title was announced.

- TNA World Champion Kurt Angle defeated Kevin Nash. During the match, Karen Angle got bumped off the ring apron and AJ Styles carried her to the back.