By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

The Weekend Beat - November 18 Edition

-- WWE is returning from Europe with an exhausted crew. Two weeks traveling across Europe, back to the U.S. for Raw and Smackdown, then back on the road for Survivor Series, Raw, and Smackdown this time next week. Fortunately, there are no house shows the following weekend so the crew gets an actual Thanksgiving break.

Regarding tonight's Raw, two things usually happen when WWE returns from a long tour. Either the "brief light at the end of the tunnel" and honing their craft for two straight weeks produces sharp, quality wrestling, or the crew is so exhausted that everyone is just trying to get home. We'll see what happens tonight.

-- TNA is getting ready to return to Universal Studios on Thursday. It will be interesting to see how a different sound studio looks on TV compared to the ol' Impact Zone.

Also interesting is whether producing TV from a sound studio makes any difference to the audience. Going on the road was supposed to symbolize TNA "taking the next step" and looking major-leagues, but the eight-month experiment of being on the road did not seem to make a difference, especially when many of the crowds came across more minor-league than the Impact Zone.

-- Chris Hero, who was released from WWE Developmental last weekend, looked to be in great physical shape in his return to the independents this weekend. He also seemed to relish being in front of appreciative crowds for PWS on Saturday and DGUSA on Sunday.

Hero is capitalizing on his "return buzz" by booking a full slate of shows to close 2013, but it will be interesting to see where his career goes in 2014. A regular tour of Japan for one of the top promotions would be a nice follow-through.

-- Speaking of Japan, NOAH has confirmed that Davey Richards will challenge Taiji Ishimori for the GHC Jr. Hvt. Title when Richards returns to Japan on December 7.

-- Maybe it's just me, but there seemed to be a lack of buzz surrounding this year's WrestleMania ticket on-sale date over the weekend. I blame it on the past few WrestleManias feeling so "corporate" and dry that fans - especially international fans - are more interested in the Raw after Mania, which has become the better show than Mania, itself.

Plus, many international fans just shelled out a lot of money for shows on the European Tour featuring average-to-passable line-ups.

Live and on the scene was PWTorch correspondent Jules Bentley, who filed his report on a soggy and corporate-driven WrestleMania Kick-off Party at BestofNewOrleans.com.

-- Once again, there was talk of WWE holding a major PPV event in Europe during the just-completed tour. But, once again, the logistical issues cannot be avoided. WWE simply cannot present a PPV on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon in the U.S. Yes, college and pro football do well in those timeslots during the fall, but WWE has created such habitual viewership that asking the main U.S. audience to break their viewing habits for a PPV - and for an event not emanating from the States - is not going to fly.

-- Wrestling columnist Mike Mooneyham reviewed the possibility of Hulk Hogan being part of WrestleMania 30. Who would have thought six months ago that the recent TNA Impact GM is more likely than The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin to be part of WM30? I could see none, one, two, or all three being part of WM30 in some capacity. [ LINK: Mooneyham's column HERE ]

-- Also: Ric Flair reportedly blew off a promotional appearance over the weekend. ... Sheamus talked about wanting to face The Undertaker at the WrestleMania Kick-off Party on Friday. ... There continues to be talk of NXT call-ups, but unless WWE cuts wrestlers from the main roster, there are not too many spots available. ... TNA wrestler Christopher Daniels talked to The Sports Courier about his career and TNA storylines.

-- Finally, wrestling announcer Scott Hudson, who was at the end of WCW and beginning of TNA, said he believes TNA will still be around in one year if they scale back their business model. "If they continue in my opinion it’s going to be as a much scaled down version of what they have now. Not to say they can’t make it, but if they get into another year from now, say twelve months from right now if they are still around, it will be a much different looking company than what you see now," Hudson said in an interview on "WGD Weekly" with Steve and the Scum.

Follow PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell on Twitter http://www.twitter.com/jctorch" target='_new'>@JCTorch.

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