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Updated two or three times per day, the Torch News Ticker delivers a stream of news and information from WWE, TNA, ROH, Japan, the independents, and whatever else pops up. Keep it open in a new tab and bookmark it every Monday! Promoters and readers: Send in news, upcoming events, interview highlights, or wrestling-related information to the Torch News email address, Wade Keller, and James Caldwell for inclusion on the Ticker. Contact link.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Evening Update

- Night of Champions PPV is tonight in Dallas with at least one title change expected with two major champions currently on Smackdown. Headline match is Triple H vs. John Cena for the WWE Title. Rest of the card shapes up with Edge vs. Batista for the World Hvt. Title, Kane vs. Henry vs. Big Show for the ECW Title, Matt Hardy vs. Chavo Guerrero for the U.S. Title, Chris Jericho defending the IC Title against a mystery opponent, Mickie James vs. Katie Lea for the Women's Title, Holly & Rhodes vs. DiBiase & mystery partner for the World Tag Titles, and Finlay & Hornswoggle challenging Miz & Morrison for the WWE Tag Titles. ... Check back tonight for our ongoing live coverage of the PPV.

- Reporter News in Abilene, Tex. published a story on WWE's house show stop last night. Claimed attendance was 4,000. The article focuses on the family-and-kids demographic WWE is targeting with TV and house shows. Article link.

- Boston Herald published an article on John Cena's latest wish-granting for a 7-year-old boy from Georgia with cerebral palsy. WWE and Kids Wish Network flew the boy and his family to San Antonio for Raw where Cena met with the boy. "WWE set everything up and they're a wonderful organization to work with," said Vanessa Covolo of Kids Wish Network. "The wrestlers were really interested, and Cena was really into it. He brought the shyness out of Jeremy and really uplifted his spirits." Article link.

***

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Afternoon Update

- We're looking for house show reports from WWE in Lubbock, Tex. last night and Abilene tonight. Also, ROH reports from Dayton last night and Chicago tonight.

- Jake Roberts says he hopes he dies in the ring because he doesn't expect to ever retire from wrestling. "Going out in front of people always feels good," Roberts told Kevin Eck of the Baltimore Sun. "It’s sad that in reality, you cannot go out there and do the same things you could do 25 years ago – and neither do I wish to. I’ll never retire. It’s my passion. I hope to die in that ring." Roberts said many of his peers died because they gave up on life once their wrestling career was over. "I'm still here because God wants me to be here," Roberts said. "I'm still here because Vince McMahon helped me to still be here."

Roberts said he would like to contribute to wrestling on the creative side, but he doesn't think he would be able to hold up over the long-haul with his ideas tweaked by others. "I have a tremendous amount to give yet," he said. "How I’m going to give it, I don’t know. Because I’m not sure at this stage of my sobriety if I would be strong enough to accept the changes and the enhancements that they would put on what I write." Interview link.

- CNN posted a video story on the NWA's 60-year anniversary show earlier this month, focusing on NWA as a back-to-basics conglomerate with wrestling as the focus. Executives Bob Trobich and Dave Marquez were interviewed for the piece. "We understand our role in the world of professional wrestling," Marquez said. "We are not the WWE, we are not TNA, nor are we trying to be. We're simply the National Wrestling Alliance - a co-operative of promoters all over the world trying to do business." Sid Vicious and Jim Cornette were also interviewed on the NWA trying to deliver a family-friendly wrestling product as the NWA tries to rebound from a low point several years ago. Video story link.

- ROH is debuting a new web browser toolbar next week. The toolbar will have alerts on news updates, the latest video wires, and when new podcasts are available. Article link.

- Ultimate Warrior won the NWE Title from Orlando Jordan in Madrid last Wednesday, then subsequently vacated the title to set up a tournament. Warrior's return to the ring was seen by a claimed audience of 14,000, with the match going 15 minutes and Warrior performing his trademark moves. U.K. Sun article on Warrior return.

- The Steve Austin impersonator story continues to sound more bizarre as more details come out. A photo has surfaced of the "Steve Austin" who took photos with fans at a Wal-Mart in Indiana, and he hardly resembles Austin other than the bald-head. What's more bizarre is that he booked himself on an independent show on July 5, claiming to be Austin. "He had us call him the 'Texas Rattlesnake'," promoter Shawn Sands told the Madison Courier. "We weren't allowed to call him 'Stone Cold.' We assumed that was because the WWE owns the rights to the 'Stone Cold' name." Article link.

***

Friday, June 27, 2008

Morning Update

- WWE and ROH have a busy weekend of shows with all three WWE brands touring Lubbock, Tex. tonight and Abilene on Saturday before the Night of Champions PPV in Dallas. ROH swings through the Midwest with the ROH vs. NWA Title match in Dayton tonight, then a show in Chicago on Saturday. We're looking for reports from all four shows this weekend.

- Rey Mysterio says he expects to return to the ring the first or second week in July. In a video interview with the Mirror in the U.K. published this week, Rey said he's recovered faster than expected from major bicep surgery, but he wants to feel comfortable with his condition before returning to the ring. "It seems like my recovery has been really good," Rey said, "even better than expected; an incredible recovery." Video interview link.

- The "Bigger, Stronger, Faster" documentary continues to open in new theaters across the Midwest. After four weekends in limited release, the movie has grossed $216,000. Theater showings for this weekend.

- Jim Ross says his reaction on Raw when it was announced he had been drafted to Smackdown was his genuine response. "I had no idea. That was my real emotional response," Ross told the Oklahoman in an interview to promote Raw in Oklahoma City on Monday. "I was just in my comfort zone, and it's tough to leave that. But now this is another opportunity to elevate Smackdown and to help the company." Article link.

- Yesterday, WWE posted a poll on their website asking which superstar will be most-missed from the Raw brand after this week's Draft. With 380,000 votes cast, Jim Ross was leading the vote with 60.1 percent, followed by Triple H with 19.9 percent. Sadly, Umaga was leading Mr. Kennedy in the voting.

- A man claiming to be Steve Austin earned a nice payday signing autographs for $10 a pop at a Wal-Mart in Indiana. TMZ reported that the impersonator even had a manager with him for the session. TMZ article (scroll down).

- Hulk Hogan says the "Hogan Knows Best" reality show might have been a mistake in judgment, as it exposed marital problems with Linda. "I just think the reality show amplified the problems that were already there," Hogan told People Magazine. Hogan also comments on Brooke's emotions after the turbulent last year. Article link.

- WWE promoted Lisa Richards to VP of affiliate marketing, reported Variety. Richards will oversee PPV marketing and distribution, as well as the WWE 24/7 on-demand service. The takeaway here is a renewed focus on marketing the monthly PPVs to increase buys. Press release link.

- TNA Notes: Tickets go on-sale today for TNA's return tour of the U.K. in January 2009. ... TNA will be heavily promoting the Victory Road PPV in Houston with appearances by Kevin Nash, Angelina Love, and Christy Hemme at the Tristar Collector's show at the George R. Brown Convention Center this Sunday. They'll be giving away free autographs and photos. Nash will then make a promotional tour on local sports talk, alternative, and hip-hop radio stations next Monday. Promotional tour details.

***

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Morning Update

- In response to various theories on the Draft, Jim Ross says he had no clue about his move to Smackdown prior to it being announced on Raw. "I have read that I knew that I was leaving Monday Night Raw prior to the draft. Wrong. I had no clue as to the move," Ross said on jrsbarbq.com. "I had no travel booked to go to Houston, including no hotel room there booked prior to Tuesday nor did I take an extra suit to wear Tuesday night as I thought I was coming home, as usual."

Ross said his earlier blog venting about the move was ill-advised, and many people in WWE were more than happy to share it with top management, but his positive second blog was largely ignored by the same people. He added that the first Smackdown taping with Mick Foley was well-received internally, which was encouraging for WWE's focus on making Smackdown a more important brand. Ross said, "With that foundation to build upon, there is no reason that we can’t evolve along with the Smackdown brand itself which as anyone can see has a viable, new roster with many fresh faces and a much higher corporate priority than it ever has." Blog link.

- TNA Impact preview: Top match, based off last week's show, will be Kevin Nash vs. Booker T after Samoa Joe told Nash to prove he can beat Booker. ... Starting the show will be A.J. Styles vs. Consequences Creed. ... Also, Christian Cage vs. Brother Ray and World X Cup action with Team Japan vs. Team Mexico.

- JBL returns home to West Texas this weekend for WWE's house show tour of Lubbock and Abilene prior to the Night of Champions PPV in Dallas. JBL told the Reporter News in Abilene that he never has a chance to visit home with his three full-time jobs and current residence in New York. "When I am on WWE, that is what I do," he said about his busy schedule. "When I am on Fox, that is what I do. And otherwise, I am running my own business services. I don't try to do two things at once." Interview link.

- WWE's music producer, Jim Johnston, was awarded the Broadcasting Music Inc. (BMI) Award for the seventh time for his work on the entrance themes heard weekly on Raw. Press release.

- ROH Notes: The main event for August 1 in Manassas, Va. has been signed for Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin vs. Austin Aries & Bryan Danielson. ... Honky Tonk Man will be signing autographs at Saturday's show in Chicago.

- PWG announced they have cancelled the Battle of Los Angeles tournament that was set for the final weekend in August prior to Labor Day. They originally had issues finding an arena for all three shows, which led to them splitting between Reseda, Calif. and Burbank. Now, the show will be replaced by All-Star Weekend 7 for two nights that weekend. They expect BOLA to take place sometime in the fall. PWG is offering free tickets to fans who already booked travel for the BOLA weekend. PWG website.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Morning Update

- Notes from WWE Smackdown/ECW taping in Houston: Mark Henry has been added to the ECW Title match at Night of Champions, making it Kane vs. Big Show vs. Henry. ... Mr. Kennedy and Jeff Hardy will debut on Smackdown next week. ... WWE's supplemental draft with mid-card wrestlers shifting brands takes place at noon EST this afternoon.

- TNA's Scott Steiner suffered a torn knee injury and he is expected to miss four to six months following surgery. Steiner wrestled on this past weekend's house show tour of Illinois and Ohio before complaining of knee pain. Dr. James Andrews in Alabama examined Steiner's knee and found a significant tear. Steiner will begin rehab this week after Andrews's procedure to fix the injury. TNA reports that Steiner originally suffered the injury during the May PPV, but an MRI on the knee did not reveal damage. Steiner opted to battle through the pain following the PPV until this past weekend. TNA report.

- Prior to the WWE press conference in Houston yesterday afternoon, the local CBS affiliate in Houston took WWE's press release on Vince McMahon's "injuries" at the end of Raw and reported the information as a legitimate news story. The headline: "WWE chairman hurt in freak accident."

- Vanessa Ortiz, who won $100,000 on Raw while in the AT&T Center, says the experience was "surreal" with her nephews screaming at her while she heard her voice in the arena. "After it was over, my phone was constantly ringing with friends and family," she told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times in an interview. "When I got home, I could not sleep." A WWE spokesperson told the paper that the winnings is 100 percent legit and will be delivered to her. Article link.

- The AP's list of historical events that have occurred on this day includes news of the Chris Benoit tragedy one year ago. For what it's worth, also on the list from 1938 was the U.S. government enacting the Fair Labor Standards Act. Article link.

- ROH Notes: The first match announced for the June 25 show in Toronto is Austin Aries & Jay Briscoe vs. Tyler Black & Jimmy Jacobs in a No DQ match. If Mark Briscoe is medically cleared by that time, it will be a six-man tag with Necro Butcher joining Black and Jacobs. ... Tickets for the Montreal debut on November 7 are on-sale today starting at 11:00 a.m. EST. ...

- NWA launched the "Adam Pearce Show" on its website with Pearce answering questions from fans in audio format. He also hosts ROH champion Nigel McGuinness in the first episode to promote the NWA Title vs. ROH Title match this Friday in Dayton. Link to audio show.

- Phil Koldyk, a 6'11" man from Regina, Canada, says he wants to get involved in MMA after dropping his earlier aspirations to become involved in wrestling. He would fit right in with WWE, which has a roster of Khali, Big Show, Snitsky, and Kane, but Koldyk says wrestling is just a pastime for him. "At one time, I had aspirations of going to New York and doing things like Wavell Starr is doing," he told the Leader Post newspaper. "He has done WWE shows. We've seen him on TV. ... For me, that isn't an aspiration anymore. I'm married. I've got two kids. I've got a decent job. Fighting? That might be a different story." Article link.

***

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Morning Update

- WWE immediately posted an update on their website after the conclusion of last night's Raw that the $1.0 million giveaway has been suspended indefinitely due to the "tragic events" that concluded the show. ... This morning, they said a health update will be provided at the noon press conference in Houston, which will be primarily focused on hyping WrestleMania 25.

- Very similar to last year when WWE issued a press release following the McMahon limo explosion angle, WWE issued a press release to the media on what happened at the end of Raw. Quite the embellishment. The press release reads: "One of the most dramatic scenes in the history of Monday Night Raw took place live last night on USA Network’s ratings winner. After legitimately giving away $1 million dollars for the 3rd week in a row, an 'accident' occurred burying Mr. McMahon in over a ton of rubble.

"Last week, Monday Night Raw ratings defeated all other television programming on broadcast and cable in the coveted male 18-49 demographic. Last night’s shocking twist will no doubt add even more intrigue to the most watched regularly scheduled show on cable." Press release link.

- Bobby Lashley says he shouldn't be discounted entering MMA just because he's a former WWE wrestler. "Everybody just says 'Oh, WWE wrestler,'" Lashley said in an interview with mmajunkie.com. "Don't take that fact as everything I did in the past. I have 17 years of wrestling experience - national championships, world titles and everything like that. I'm coming into MMA as a student of the game, and I'm working my way up."

Lashley said he's starting with "mid-card" talent to work his way up the MMA ranks, just as someone wouldn't jump into WWE and immediately work a program against Triple H or John Cena. Lashley said he's training to be a well-rounded MMA fighter and not just dependent on his wrestling background. "So when I debut, it's not going to be a wrestler trying to do MMA," he said. "It's going to be a fighter." MMAjunkie article link.

- THQ will be using its experience working with the WWE video game series to launch the first line of UFC video games next year. The expected schedule is SD vs. Raw 2009 in November, then Legends of WrestleMania in March, and the first UFC title in May/June 2009. Tracy Williams, THQ's international brand manager, says WWE and UFC don't compete against each other, but they have similar video game products.

"Even though WWE and UFC are not competitive brands, we don’t want to release two fighting games within the same window," Williams said in an interview with venturebeat.com. "We do a lot of market research and we know there’s a threshold of about three months between major releases of like-kind games that gamers are willing to purchase." Williams says they'll also have more opportunities to promote the UFC release compared to WWE releases because UFC is more accepted in the mainstream. Interview link.

- TNA has four upcoming new DVD titles that will be released over the next few months. Best of the Bloodiest Brawls comes out August 5, a DVD featuring the TNA Knockouts will be released October 7, Ultimate Matches featuring TNA gimmick matches comes out October 21, and a Kurt Angle DVD is out November 25.

- U.K. Sun published an interview with El Hijo del Santo to promote a lucha show on July 4 at the Roundhouse in Camden. Santo talks about the flash and art of lucha wrestling, and he also talks openly about following in his father's legendary footsteps. "It made it very hard," he said. "This was because El Santo became a monster, in the sense that he had huge popularity and respect, and for me it was hard to get to his level." Santo said he doesn't work for AAA or CMLL in Mexico because he values his freedom and they've never been able to agree on money.

Asked whether he would ever consider working for WWE, he said he would consider a possible special appearance on a tour, but not a long-term commitment to the company. "When you sign to join the WWE they look after you and shape your career, and this is something that doesn’t suit me very well as I like to have the freedom to make my own decisions," Santo said. "If they invited me to work with them and wasn’t tied to them 100 percent, or maybe to join one of their tours, I would be quite happy to go." Good interview to check out. Sun article link.

***

Monday, June 23, 2008

Afternoon Update

- WWE Raw preview: Tonight's three-hour episode of Raw has three significant themes, which will make it interesting to see what WWE focuses on the most. First theme is selling the Night of Champions PPV on Sunday. Second theme is the 2008 Draft, which is still going to be hammered out right until the show goes on the air at 8:00 p.m. EST. Third theme is week 3 of the $1.0 million giveaway. Considering the show is being held in San Antonio, you might as well include the Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho program a fourth-major theme of the show.

- Ric Flair has signed on for the NWA Legends Fanfest in August. Flair's appearance is scheduled for Friday, August 15 in Charlotte, N.C. from to 1-4 p.m. There is an opportunity to have a photo-op with Flair at $100 a pop for the first 150 people who sign up. Flair sign-up.

- JBL is launching a new energy drink aimed at golfers to help them heal from injury faster. A little late for Tiger Woods to save his season. In a press release, JBL says the 418 Energy product is a revitalizing energy drink. "Its blend of all-natural ingredients act as an anti-inflammatory, provide consistent energy and mental focus with no crash effect," JBL said. "418 Energy is the only performance drink for golfers, and it was designed by avid, life-long golfers." Press release link.

- Dwayne Johnson, whose "Get Smart" movie was the run-away top movie at the box office over the weekend, says his next movie role as a tooth fairy will be quite zany. "If you could imagine what would be the most funniest thing you can think of, then that is was this is,” Johnson told MTV.com about the off-the-wall concept he’s been cooking. "We have [me being depicted] from tiny, to large, to a really messed-up wing that makes me fly into the walls." Article link.

- Ultimate Warrior's in-ring return is coming up on Wednesday night in Barcelona, Spain for the NWE promotion. He faces Orlando Jordan on a show that will be delivered via Internet pay-per-view for $29.95. The deal is that people who sign up for the VIP access to the show can sign up for an affiliate program to make a portion of their money back by referring friends to sign up. They also receive discounts on Warrior gear. Warrior website link.

- Al Snow made an appearance at last night's TNA house show in Cincinnati. We're looking for a live report from the show.

***

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