By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2009

-- If you haven't read Shawn Valentino's take on the Top 10 WWE Matches of the Decade, I recommend reading his take and voting in the Top 10 + Honorable Mention poll. The Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker match from this year is running away with the vote right now, which is going to lead to some questions on whether the match is benefiting from being the "Most Recent Best match of the Decade" based on short-term memory bias. It's worth debating and we'll have plenty of features coming up next week and in January focusing on the Year-End and Decade-End awards. And don't forget about our month-end awards in December!

One idea we're working on is setting up a "tournament" to determine the Best WWE, TNA, and ROH match of the decade. (For TNA and ROH, that's also Best Match in company history.) One match not included in Valentino's list that readers have submitted for Best Match of the Decade in WWE is the Mick Foley vs. Randy Orton match from Backlash 2004. We'll have that match in the "tournament" coming up soon. We'll have an official "reader submission period" coming up, but if you want to submit a match for inclusion ahead of time, email us at pwtorch@gmail.com.

WWE

-- Bloggingstocks.com published an interesting story on the possible impact Bret Hart's WWE return could have on WWE's business. "Investors worry over the company's programming. They have to; WWE lives and breathes by the excitement quotient of its various plots and skirmishes. Wall Street wants to see the ratings go as high as possible, and for that to happen, WWE has to deliver," said the writer. "If ever there existed the catalyst to end all catalysts, it just might be Hart coming back to WWE."

-- NBC Connecticut reports former WWE CEO Linda McMahon is even with current Conn. Senator Chris Dodd in a recent poll. Meanwhile, McMahon's Republican opponent, Rob Simmons, is up 5 points on Dodd in the poll. Dodd's camp put a positive spin on the poll. Simmons's spokesman said, "It’s not often that a candidate touts internal polling that shows him losing, but such is the state of affairs for Sen. Dodd. What is clear is that even Sen. Dodd’s pollster acknowledges that Rob Simmons is his biggest threat," said Raj Shah.

-- Rob Simmons's campaign levied heavy criticism against Linda McMahon for her speech last weekend where she tried to paint a positive image of pro wrestling based on former U.S. president Abe Lincoln being involved in wrestling during the 1800s. "When President Lincoln grappled on the prairie he wasn’t on steroids and drugs, he wasn’t scripting Playboy models to strip their clothes off in the ring in front of children and he wasn’t instructing fellow wrestlers to use razor blades to cut their heads open to draw blood," said a Simmons spokesman. "Linda McMahon and the WWE’s brand of wrestling does all these things and we’re quite sure Honest Abe would not approve." Local news coverage.

-- Steve Austin will be appearing on an upcoming episode of the Outdoor Channel's "Drop Zone TV" show, which apparently combines hunting with comedy. No date was announced for Austin's episode. Press release.

-- Ted DiBiase, Jr. was interviewed on local TV in Houston this week to promote the "Marine 2" movie. The interview with the local FOX affiliate's somewhat awkward "celebrity/entertainment" interviewer is below.



TNA/Other

-- TNA has reportedly signed another international TV deal, this time in Panama, according to tnainsider.com. If anything, the Hulk Hogan association has paid dividends internationally. And that's where TNA's market is. TNA might not be in a position to challenge WWE for market share in the U.S. right now, but they are capitalizing on being an alternative to WWE overseas where wrestling fans are hungry for wrestling.

-- Legendary wrestling manager J.J. Dillon was interviewed on the "Right After Wrestling" on Sirius Channel 98 earlier this week. I had a chance to listen to the interview last night and it's definitely work checking out to hear Dillon's perspective on booking and his experiences with the Four Horsemen that he detailed in his "Wrestlers are Like Seagulls" book. Direct Download link (.mp3).

-- The new Evolve promotion has updated their website with more information on the first show coming up in January, including wrestler bios on the talent scheduled. The promotion is also running a series of YouTube videos promoting a "mystery wrestler" who will be on the first show in January. The mystery videos are at this link.

We suggest these recent related articles...

WRESTLING PODCAST LOG: Patrick from Tough Enough on Ross & Booker's shows, Austin talks hot topics, Jericho/Mr. Belding, Flair/Madden, Taz, Cabana, more

WRESTLING PODCAST LOG: Heyman talks to Chael Sonnen & Austin, Flair & Steamboat, Cornette to Jim Ross & Roddy Piper, Cabana, Jericho, Taz, more

WRESTLING PODCAST LOG: Jericho talks to Ventura, Cabana to Hawkins, Austin/Barnett, Ross/Danny Davis, Booker/Vickie, Piper/Valentine, Flair, Taz, more