Updated throughout the day, it's the Torch News Ticker with all the news and info that's not fit for print. Keep it open in a new tab and bookmark it every Monday!

Sunday, February 17, 2008

11:00 p.m.

- Floyd Mayweather's angle with the Big Show is quickly getting press on boxing websites. Although boxingscene.com is off on some of the details - that Show wrestled Rey Mysterio in a match - they have a recap of Mayweather's involvement on the PPV. Article link.

- WWE sent a press release with satellite information on how to pick up highlights from No Way Out. Presumably, they want Mayweather's KO punch to get a lot of play on TV Monday morning. Press release.

6:00 p.m.

- WWE.com has interviews with Batista, Cena, Hardy, and Jericho from Las Vegas to preview No Way Out. No mention of Rey Mysterio, so, technically, he is still booked for the title match, barring an injury angle during the show. Check back tonight for our live coverage of the PPV, and be sure to send in your feedback for a post-PPV reax feature. WWE preview videos.

10:00 a.m.

- Results from New Japan's show today: Shinsuke Nakamura won the IWGP Unification match against Kurt Angle via submission in 14 minutes. .. As expected, with Tomko appearing on the IGF show the previous night, Tomko & Giant Bernard lost the IWGP Tag Titles to Makabe & Yano when Makabe pinned Tomko. ... Tanahashi beat A.J. Styles in 19 minutes, and Christopher Daniels beat Wataru Inoue in 13 minutes. Full results.

- WWE's name is getting a lot of press in the U.K. this morning, as Sebastian Coe, the chairman for London's 2012 Olympic games, expressed concern over the Olympics becoming entertainment if they don't win the battle against athletes using performance-enhancing drugs. "We could end up with a situation like WWE wrestling where everyone knows it is fake and they don't care," he said. Coe must have missed recent attendance records in the U.K. for WWE wrestling that no one cares about. Article link.

- Mike Mooneyham's Sunday column has quotes from Steve Austin on Ric Flair's retirement program. Article link.

***

Saturday, February 16, 2008

10:00 p.m.

- WWE results from LA: Torch correspondent Matt Massingham is on the scene from Staples Center. He reports a packed house, with only nosebleed seats available. Ongoing results coming on the main listing.

2:00 p.m.

RESULTS WANTED:

- WWE: The Raw brand returned to the States last night with a show in Fresno, Calif. They have a show tonight at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Good seats are still available. We're looking for reports on the California shows, plus the shows in Latin America from the Smackdown brand. Send in report.

- NJPW: New Japan has a big show on Sunday with Kurt Angle vs. Shinsuke Nakamura in an IWGP Title Unification match. Also booked is A.J. Styles vs. Tanahashi and Tomko & Giant Bernard defending the IWGP Tag Titles against Makabe & Yano.

- Jersey All-Pro: JAPW has a show tonight in Rahway, N.J., where scenes for "The Wrestler" movie will be filmed. Ron Killings will be in one of the featured matches where they will be filming lead character Mickey Rourke watching the match. Also on the card is LAX vs. Sabin & Shelley, plus matches with Teddy Hart, Jay Lethal, and Xavier. ... "Headlocked" comic artist Michael Kingston will be at the show promoting his potentially award-winning comic book. Kingston is up for several Eagle Awards in the U.K. for Favorite Comic Book of 2007, Favorite Newcomer Writer, and Favorite New Comic Book. Awards voting page.

1:00 p.m.

- WWE Smackdown from last night averaged a 2.8 rating, which was slightly up from last week. The show finished fifth on the night with a 2.7 first hour and 2.8 second hour. The show's ratings with adults 18-49 continues to wane, as the show averaged a 1.3 rating in the key demographic.

11:00 a.m.

JBL has been doing a ton of interviews this week...

- Miami Herald has an interview on the basics of JBL being forced into retirement, then making a return when his back healed enough. The second-half of the interview focuses more on JBL's wife, Meredith Whitney, who was interviewed in the latest issue of BusinessWeek. JBL said about Whitney, "She really didn't like me to return because she knew how bad I was hurt before, and she was worried about my health. But the more she has seen how my character is going, she really started to enjoy it." JBL said his look with the towel wrapped around a boxer's jacket was Whitney's idea for the character to look more like a jerk. JBL also talks about his energy drink and the Elimination Chamber match on Sunday. Interview link.

- Ottawa Sun has a few quotes from JBL on his energy drink and already hating the Chamber match before even stepping inside it. Article link.

- Brian Fritz has some quotes from JBL in the Orlando Sentinel on the talent in the Chamber match and the fine line between a really good and a really bad Chamber match. "These matches have a chance of being really, really good," he said, "and there's the downside risk of really, really bad. I'm surrounded by a load of talent on the Raw side. I think it's going to be really good. It's just a matter of keeping different parts moving and picking your spots." Article link.

10:00 a.m.

A busy Saturday morning. Let's check the news...

- Mike Mooneyham has a special column on Johnny Weaver after he died suddenly on Friday. Article link.

- At Inoki's IGF show today in Tokyo, Tomko made a surprise appearance and defeated Alexander Otsuka. Simon Inoki then hinted Tomko could be signing on as an IGF wrestler. Tomko is currently the IWGP tag champion, which could lead to a New Japan vs. IGF feud. ... Special appearances on the IGF show were made by Stan Hansen and Dory Funk, Jr.

- Results from NOAH's 2/15 show: Jun Akiyama & Kentaro Shiga beat Claudio & Chris Hero in the semi-main event. In the main event, Doug Williams & The Briscoes beat Misawa & Kotaro Suzuki & Yoshinari Ogawa. [Japan notes courtesy puroresupower.com]

- Hulk Hogan has an interview with the Winnipeg Sun on American Gladiators. He confirmed the show has been picked up by NBC for a second season. Hogan also points out that the show is drawing more female viewers than Desperate Housewives on Sunday nights. "They're interested in the physical contact. There's a huge need to see themselves out there as physical beings that are just as good as the men," he said. Interview link.

- Hogan also has an interview with the Globe & Mail in Canada discussing Gladiators. He talks about McMahon trying to end Hulkamania with his heel run before the WrestleMania 18 match against The Rock, where the fans cheered him. Almost foreshadowing his hints of a new promotion, Hogan said, "That was the most enjoyable part of my career. I realized that you can't force-feed the fans something they don't believe in. You can't force-feed the fans something they don't want." Interview link.

***

Friday, February 15, 2008

6:00 p.m.

- JBL is interviewed by Kevin Eck of the Baltimore Sun on a lot of pro wrestling subjects before JBL cuts a promo on U.S. politics. Regarding his return match against Chris Jericho, JBL told Eck they were working snug, but "I’m not sure it’s because we meant to work snug or we’re both rusty. In fact, right now I’ve got a tooth that’s missing because of Chris. He knocked it right out, and I just haven’t had time to have it fixed."

JBL said the return to the ring came earlier than expected, which has left some ring rust. "I really planned on coming back later in the year, and the deal with Jericho just happened, so I came back a lot earlier than I expected to," he said. "I still don’t have the ring rust off yet and still don’t have my body hard enough to do what I need to be doing. And, honestly, my mind is not where I need to be to be in a truly important singles program yet." He said there are times when he misses doing commentary with Michael Cole, who he was complimentary of. Article link.

- Jim Cramer, of Mad Money, gave a recommendation in his Lightning Round to buy shares of WWE stock. He said he was on the conference call on Tuesday and recommends WWE as a "winning stock". WWE's stock price dropped to $16.84 (17 cents loss) at the close of Friday's trading. The price peaked at $17.13 early in the morning before declining the rest of the day.

5:00 p.m.

- WWE issued a press release today that the company had a total of 57,628 fans on the Smackdown/ECW tour of Latin America this past week. WWE is claiming four out of the five shows were sold out, including both shows in Santiago, Chile on Feb. 13 and 14. Carl DeMarco, who is president of WWE's Latin America and Canada offices, said they expect to continue bringing the product to the Latin American market. Press release.

- Eminem's publicist, Dennis Dennehy, is saying the rumor of Eminem pursuing a pro wrestling career is false. Dennehy said the source that gave mediatakeout.com the information is "making stuff up". Article link.

4:00 p.m.

- Wrestling legend Johnny Weaver passed away today at the age of 73. Bruce Mitchell has a take on the main listing.

- WWE will have its annual stockholder meeting on Friday, May 9 at the Holiday Inn in Stamford, Conn. The meeting is limited to shareholders who have proof of ownership, and they must own stock as of March 14. Press release.

1:00 p.m.

- The Atlanta Journal Constitution has a follow-up story on the Benoit police report that came out earlier this week. They include a quote from WWE attorney John Taylor on the findings: "I think this absolutely, positively proves this was a domestic dispute. There is a clear motive for murder here. This is not the product of concussions or steroids."

It's not that simple. The issue is whether Benoit's physical and mental condition was brought on by years of prescription drug and steroid use to cope with his profession, plus having the brain of an 85-year-old from having untreated concussions brought on by his profession. That's for debate in a court of law. Article link.

12:00 p.m.

- Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff planning to launch new promotion with TV backing. Details on main listing.

- WWE has teamed with ultimatebet.com to promote WrestleMania with poker and Texas Hold 'em tournaments. Story link.

10:00 a.m.

- Wrestling author Irv Muchnick has an important column on beyondchron.com looking at the irony of Roger Clemens having his day before Congress while pro wrestling sits on the sidelines. "In polite company, it will always be more respectable to discuss whether Clemens set fake records in a real sport than to ponder a pandemic of avoidable real deaths in a fake sport," writes Muchnick. Column link.

9:00 a.m.

- The Tampa Tribune is reporting that Ted DiBiase, Jr., the son of Ted DiBiase and currently in WWE's FCW developmental program, was arrested and charged with DUI this morning in Tampa, Fla. He was involved in a car accident at 3:30 in the morning when his Cadillac SUV crashed into another vehicle. No one was seriously injured, but police said, "DiBiase had an odor of alcohol on his breath, his speech appeared to be slurred, his eyes were bloodshot and glassy, and he was unsteady on his feet." He was given a field sobriety test and his blood alcohol level was determined at 0.137, which is far, far above the legal limit of 0.08. Bail was set at $500. Article link.

- Mediatakeout.com has a story this morning on rapper Eminem rumored to have signed a deal with WWE. A source close to Eminem told the website that he is currently taking private wrestling lessons and training to get in the ring. He's supposedly three or four months away from making a debut. Story link.

***

Thursday, February 14, 2008

11:00 p.m.

- Variety has a story on WWE's fourth feature film, "12 Rounds", beginning principal filming on Feb. 25 in New Orleans. The film has a $20 million budget and will be released by 20th Century Fox in 2009. John Cena will star in the movie alongside Steve Harris, who is most recognizable for his role on "The Practice", has starred in recent movies, "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" and "Bringing Down the House". IMDB.com has updated information on the movie and the rumor is that Al Pacino and Lou Diamond Phillips will have roles in the movie. Variety article.

7:00 p.m.

- Steve Austin has a candid interview with UGO.com on his future in the wrestling business and DVD that was released on Tuesday. Austin told the entertainment website: "If I really needed the money, I would go back. Luckily, I always invested wisely. Don't get me wrong, I love the business. But I don't miss it." He said life has gone on for him beyond wrestling, and he's enjoying hunting and fishing without injuries holding him back.

Austin is candid about doing the cameo appearances, which he said: "Once you've been as big as anyone has ever been, to do anything less is anticlimactic. ... When I do events now, and you hear the roar of the crowd, honestly, I feel like I'm ripping people off. I can't be that old Stone Cold." Article link.

- TNA has sold out the Feb. 21 house show at Webster Hall in New York City, according to a text message sent to Mobile subscribers. They are also expecting the Feb. 22 house show in Long Island, N.Y. to sell out.

5:00 p.m.

- Josh Stewart at the Long Island (N.Y.) Press has a good interview with JBL on a variety of subjects, including his new energy drink, his current WWE run, and politics gone bad. Interview quotes on the main listing. Interview link.

- WWE.com is reporting that Rey Mysterio suffered an injury to his right biceps muscle at Wednesday's live event in Santiago, Chile. His status for No Way Out is unknown right now. More details to come.

4:00 p.m.

- The price of WWE stock continued its week-long surge, surpassing $17 per share and closing at $17.01 today. The price peaked at $17.25 in the afternoon before settling to $17.

- WWE CFO Frank Serpe will be presenting on behalf of WWE at the OC Growth Stock Conference in San Diego, Calif. on Tuesday. Serpe's presentation on growth opportunities for mid-sized companies, especially overseas in India and China, will begin at 3:30 p.m. EST and be streamed on WWE's website. Press release.

2:00 p.m.

- Mike Roe recommends this story on Lucha Va Voom, the wackiest Lucha organization ever conceived, based out of Los Angeles. The shows are the stuff of legend in Southern California, especially when Super Porky is on a card. It's a mix of Mexican wrestling, burlesque, and comedy with characters like "Los Crazy Chickens" - strippers in diamonds, feathers, and leather. Article link.

11:00 a.m.

- After a successful fourth quarter earnings report, several WWE executives received additional shares of company stock for meeting performance goals, according to SEC documents filed this morning. Kevin Dunn was awarded 68,200 additional shares to bring his total to 148,067 total shares. Michael Sileck was awarded 55,800 shares, bringing his total to 267,813 shares. John Laurinaitis received 24,800 additional shares, and his total is now 57,203 shares.

- New details from the Fayette county police investigation into the Chris Benoit family tragedy have been reported in the Fayette Daily News this morning. The report suggests tried to place a phone call for help prior to being murdered. Story on the main listing.

9:00 a.m.

- In honor of Valentine's Day Jim Ross was interviewed in the Orlando Sentinel on a variety of diva-related subjects. Asked what he thinks of the possibility of TNA having a one-hour show devoted to the Knockouts on their roster, Ross said: "This is news to me but doesn't seem like a sound idea. It seems to be based on the success of a handful of matches that were allowed to not be overthought and that allowed the talents to go out and do their thing without being overmanaged. Talent-depth issues would be a definite concern for an all-women's broadcast. I have no idea if the WWE is thinking of such a move, but if they were I would be shocked." Interview link.

- BuddyTV has an article on Linda Bollea believing that Hulk is behind a damaging article set to be published in the National Enquirer regarding the family's marital problems. A reporter for the Enquirer told Linda's attorney that they are "preparing for publication an article discussing the Bollea marriage, specifically commenting on Mrs. Bollea's erratic behavior, her drinking habits and verbally abusive language directed at both her husband and her children." Linda's attorney points out that Hulk is close to the reporter doing the story, which could lead to a biased and one-sided piece. Article link.

***

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

11:00 p.m.

- The Atlanta Journal Constitution has a report on Wednesday's meetings in Atlanta between the Regulated Industries & Utilities Committee and about 80 people representing pro wrestling to contest Senate bill 413. Mark Henry was quoted in the paper, as he called the bill a "knee-jerk reaction to the Chris Benoit tragedy." He added, "That was one man's struggle against drug abuse and mental illness. It had nothing to do with wrestling." (The question is whether the stresses from the wrestling business brought on the drug abuse and mental illness.)

A vote on the bill is expected next week, but the testimony from pro wrestling representatives showed the Committee they have work to do on getting the bill cleared. A member of the Committee was quoted as saying the bill is like "Big Brother" and "heavy-handed". Article link.

- ROH Notes: ROH has booked an eight-man tournament for their March 14 and 15 shows in Dover, N.J. The tournament will determine who will compete in a Four Corners Survival match on March 16, with the winner facing the ROH champion later on that show. The title match will be taped for their sixth PPV. Match line-ups are: Delirious vs. Necro Butcher and Brent Albright vs. Go Shiozaki on 3/14, then Davey Richards vs. Claudio and Erick Stevens vs. Tyler Black on 3/15. ... The Briscoes will return from a tour of NOAH for the March shows. They'll face Tyler Black & Joey Matthews on March 14, then B.J. Whitmer & Brent Albright on March 15. ... ROH Newswire.

- Kurt Angle will be on the album cover for the rock band Emmure's next album. They'll be doing the theme music for the Slammiversary PPV in June. TNA story.

6:00 p.m.

- Pro wrestling representatives from WWE, TNA, and independent organizations met with the Regulated Industries & Utilities Committee in Atlanta this afternoon to lobby against Georgia Senate bill 413, which would lift WWE's exemption from regulation in Georgia and subject pro wrestlers to random drug testing.

Representatives tell the Torch they were "successful" at the meetings to have the bill placed on hold. The Committee will enter a revision process based on the feedback provided by pro wrestling representatives before deciding whether or not the bill should be introduced to the Senate. The current bill, as it is written, will not be voted on. No timetable was given on how long the review and revision process will take.

5:00 p.m.

- WWE has a story confirming Stephanie McMahon's pregnancy with her second child. Stephanie and her husband, some guy named Paul Levesque, are expecting this summer. WWE confirmation.

- Marvel Comics has an in-depth interview with Gregory Helms on how he got started as a comic book fan, the 3 Count gimmick from WCW, where his Hurricane gimmick came from, and his current run in WWE, where he's still injured following a severe neck injury last year. Good interview. Interview link.

4:00 p.m.

- Jason Powell has noted on ProWrestling.Net that several TNA TV stars are working without contracts, specifically Peyton Banks (Rain on the independent scene). For the talent working without deals, it gives them freedom to work independent shows and appearances outside of TNA's jurisdiction, while still keeping a commitment to TNA taping and PPV dates.

11:00 a.m.

- USA Network won the cable ratings for the sixth consecutive week based on last week's viewership, according to Mediaweek. USA won two key demos in prime time, including adults 25-54 (1.14 million) and adults 18-49 (1.16 million).

Raw from Feb. 4 swept the cable ratings, winning the top two spots for last week, with 5.15 million viewers in its first hour and 5.05 million viewers in the second hour. Raw had the week’s best demo numbers on cable, averaging 2.56 million viewers with adults 18-49, 2.29 million viewers with adults 25-54, and the second hour averaged top viewership on cable with 1.54 million viewers in adults 18-34. Mediaweek report.

- WWE's stock was one of the heavy movers in the stock market yesterday, as volume of trading increased 300 percent. Short-sellers snapped up stock in early morning trading due to WWE's favorable earnings report, which drove the price of stock up 6.4 percent by the end of the day. In today's morning session, the price is up 2.39 percent to $16.68 per share.

10:00 a.m.

- There's a toy war brewing between WWE and TNA, as they both announced new licensing agreements with major retailers this morning. WWE has signed with Mattel. TNA has signed with Jakks Pacific. Details on the main listing.

9:00 a.m.

- WWE's Japan website has results from last night's show in Tokyo at Budokan Hall (7,350 claimed attendance): Jeff Hardy won a 15-man battle royale in the opener, then lost to WWE champion Randy Orton in the semi-main event. In the main event, Triple H beat Umaga. The other top two matches were Chris Jericho over Mr. Kennedy and Ric Flair over William Regal, both finishes by submission. If you attended the event, or one of the Smackdown/ECW shows in Latin America, a report is certainly appreciated.

- Sify News out of India has an article on the beloved Great Khali. The article innocently presents his "Ring of Death" match at No Way Out as a legit fight against five other superstars. A shop owner in Punjab interviewed for the piece says Khali t-shirts are flying off the shelves because he's a celebrity star and people are looking forward to his match on Feb. 17. Really good look at how pro wrestling is still viewed internationally to step out of the forest and look at the trees. Article link.

***

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

5:00 p.m.

- WWE Raw from Feb. 4 claimed the top two spots in the cable ratings for last week. Two hours of Raw gave WWE the only cable show to pass the 5.0 million viewer threshold, with an average of 5.1 million viewers. Raw topped CNN and Fox News's coverage of the Super Tuesday primaries, which averaged 3.9 million viewers. Also worth noting is that Bravo's "Project Runway" featuring WWE divas cracked the Top 10 at the no. 10 slot with 3.6 million viewers. Ratings breakdown.

3:00 p.m.

- Following the strong financial earnings report today, WWE stock closed Tuesday's trading at $16.29 per share, up 6.4 percent from Monday's closing price. The stock settled to the low-end of Tuesday's trading, which ranged between $16.25 and $16.93 per share. In after-hours trading, the price shot up 20 cents to $16.49.

- Regarding a report in last week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter on TNA looking down the road to take Impact live every-other-week, TNA P.R. manager Steven Godfrey tells the Torch: "TNA is continuing to explore its options with Impact, but as of now there are no announcements regarding a change in the schedule." There are many logistical and business-related factors that are part of ongoing discussions for the TV taping schedule going forward.

2:00 p.m.

- TNA Notes: TNA sent a text message to Mobile subscribers that they are looking to do a new interactive PPV concept never-before-done on a wrestling PPV ... Also, Scott Steiner's new valet's name will be Rocka Kahn ... We're looking for TV reports from last night's taping and tonight's taping. Contact Us if you attend one or both tapings. ...

- WWE sent a customer survey to people on their mailing listing today. It's a one-question survey with six options for some different WWE taglines for marketing purposes. Instead of the silly "Get it?" from a decade ago, some of the options are "Where the Story Never Ends", "Real Entertainment", and "Let Us Entertain You".

- Saturday night in the greater Houston area, TNA wrestlers will be on separate shows going head-to-head. Booker T's PWA promotion is featuring Kaz on their "Texas Knockout" show in Pasadena. ... Bob Murphy's Texas All-Star Wrestling promotion has Eric Young as the special attraction for their "Break it Off" show in Humble.

11:00 a.m.

- Mid-day stock trading has the price of WWE stock at $16.31. The price has settled from its early high of $16.93, but still up a solid 6.5 percent from yesterday's closing price.

- Bizjournals has a story on Gillette making an official announcement on John Cena as a new spokesman for their line of blades, razors, and shaving cream products. The television spots will begin airing within the next few days. From the story: "Cena will be featured in the advertising campaign for the launch of the new Gillette Fusion Phenom razor, as well as public appearances at mobile marketing events throughout the United States during the summer of 2008." Article link.

9:00 a.m.

- As of this writing, the price of WWE stock has skyrocketed to $16.80 a share - an increase of nearly 10 percent from Monday - in early morning trading due to the strong quarterly report from WWE. Analysts were predicting revenue of $115.0 million for the fourth quarter, but WWE reported $132.6 million in revenue. They were also predicting earnings per share of $0.17, but WWE came in at $0.30 per share. The higher-than-expected revenue and earnings reports have driven up the price of stock as short-sellers have snapped up shares. Follow the price today.

- WWE Earnings coverage: CNNMoney story || Forbes story

- DVD Talk has a review and disc listing for the Steve Austin DVD, which comes out today in retailers. The review gives it a "highly recommended" rating. DVD review link.

- Kentucky.com has an article on WWE splitting away from OVW as an official training facility. An OVW spokesperson told the Lexington Herald-Leader that OVW will go on as usual, with just with faces after WWE relocates talent to Florida. Derby City Wrestling will now become an integral part of OVW's program. Article link.

1:00 a.m.

- Checking some business highlights for Tuesday ... WWE will report its fourth quarter earnings and fiscal 2007 earnings this morning. We'll have early-morning coverage and quotes from top financial news outlets with the quick analysis of WWE's earnings. WWE will then have its quarterly conference call with investors at 11:00 a.m. EST to discuss the results and answer questions.

- WWE's stock closed at $15.31 on Monday's trading, then fell to $15.23 in after-hours trading. The price is right in line with the past few weeks of trading right above $15. A favorable earnings report could send the price skyrocketing in early-morning trading, with short-sellers looking to make a quick profit in heavy volume.

- REPORTS WANTED: We're looking for live reports from WWE's international tour dates from the past few days. WWE claimed 7,650 at the Ariake Colosseum show in Tokyo on Monday. They have a second show in Tokyo at Budokan Hall today. ... The Smackdown and ECW brands had a day of travel on Monday, then have a show tonight in Quito, Ecuador. Follow the link to send in a report.

- Today will be the meeting between members of the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission and pro wrestling representatives to go over the newly proposed rules and regulations from November that were put on hold in December. After a 60-day tabling of the discussions, the Commission will now discuss the rules with representatives from WWE and TNA. ... This is working separately from Senate bill 413 that is currently in the Georgia Senate that would revise the legal code that relates to pro wrestling, specifically WWE's exemption from regulations. The bill, if passed, would expand the powers of the Commission to carry out the Senate bill drawn up by Georgia lawmakers.

- WWE's website has a story on Matt Hardy's appearance at the 57th annual Conn Smythe fundraiser in Toronto to raise money for the Easter Seals society for disabled and handicapped children. Real good story with photos. Article link.

***

Monday, February 11, 2008

6:00 p.m.

- Juventud Guerrera did an interview last week saying that Sean Waltman tried to commit suicide in Mexico. Waltman denies the accusation, and tells the Torch that he was on antidepressants, but mixed it with alcohol, causing a bad reaction. Waltman says he decided to get treatment and WWE is taking care of him through their Wellness program for former WWE wrestlers. "I wasn't doing any hard drug or anything like that," Waltman says. "I'm fine actually. I'm going to get my knee fixed while I'm out."

3:00 p.m.

- NWA Notes: At last night's TV taping in Las Vegas for the NWA Showcase, Los Luchas (Phoenix Star & Zokre) won the NWA Tag Titles from Joey Ryan & Karl Anderson. This will air in four weeks ... Also at last night's taping, NWA started filming TV in HD, with all shows to be filmed in HD going forward. The shows will not be broadcast in HD on Colours Network yet, but the footage could be used on future DVD releases. The idea is a dress rehearsal to work out HD issues, such as camera operators filming the shows in a different aspect ratio ...

NWA is looking to offer their NWA Showcase shows on a downloadable basis on their website, instead of the shows only being available by streaming. This is a work-in-progress project that's a few months away, though ... NWA Mexico, headed by Blue Demon, Jr., will be having a major press conference in Mexico next week to formally launch the new NWA Mexico promotion. After the official launch, the TV tapings in Mexico for their shows will be filmed in HD. ...

2:00 p.m.

- Rory McAllister wrote on his myspace that he had surgery yesterday morning to repair a completely torn pec muscle. He complained of an injury to a WWE doctor, who sent him for an MRI to determine the exact nature of the injury. The MRI revealed a complete tear off the bone (similar to John Cena's injury). McAllister wrote that the doctors assured him the surgery was a success and he'll be recovering for some time.

- Miami Herald has a story on the WrestleMania Fan Axxess tour coming to Miami in March. Jimmy Hart and Gene Okerlund are the special WWE guests. Full details.

12:00 p.m.

- Georgia Notes: The Georgia athletic commission is holding a meeting with pro wrestling representatives tomorrow to discuss the proposed regulations, which the commission hopes will be introduced as law in revised Senate bill 413. "The game has changed," says one pro wrestling representative. The bill is being introduced in the Senate to change the Commission's official function, and to include some of the provisions that the Commission desires for regulating pro wrestling. If the bill is passed, Tuesday's meeting will simply be a formality in explaining the potential new regulations affecting pro wrestling.

- Raw Notes: Taped last Monday night in Austin, the top matches on Raw will be Jeff Hardy vs. Shawn Michaels and JBL vs. Chris Jericho. The Ric Flair-Mr. Kennedy promo exchange is worth the price of admission alone. ... Of note, Raw and ESPN's Big Monday game will be going head-to-head in the same building at the exact same time at 9:00 p.m. EST. WWE Raw and the live Texas-Kansas college basketball game will be presented from the Erwin Center in Austin.

10:00 a.m.

- TNA Notes: The first match announced for this week's Impact on Thursday night is Homicide vs. Chris Sabin vs. Jimmy Rave in a NASCAR match. Reed Sorenson will be in Sabin's corner and Juan Pablo Montoya will be in Homicide's corner. Hermie Sadler and Jimmy Spencer will be handling commentary. ... TNA has an announcement on their website that they will be bringing back the World X Cup tournament after Team Lethal successfully won the street fight against Team 3D last night. No countries or other details have been announced ... TNA has a full card and match stipulations for their New York City show at Webster Hall next week. NYC card.

- Gillette issued a press release on John Cena's involvement in the new Gillette ad campaign with the NASCAR drivers that was announced yesterday. Includes a summary of the ads. Press release link.

- TMZ has a story on Stephanie McMahon being pregnant with her second child. Warning: includes silly photo. Article link.

***

Scroll down a few inches for the link to last week's Torch News Ticker with all the headlines and news.

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