SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
TORCH TODAY – Friday, January 15
– LIVECAST ALERT: Bruce Mitchell and Travis Bryant of the East Coast Cast get you set for the weekend with your calls & emails at 7:00 p.m. EST at PWTorchLivecast.com.
– FRIDAY EVENTS CENTER: WWE has three shows today. … Ring of Honor kicks off a Midwest tour. … There are big independent shows across the country. (Full Events Center Line-ups & Info) (REPORTS WANTED to pwtorch@gmail.com if you attend a show.)
– TV LISTINGS: AXS TV continues marching through top 2015 New Japan shows. Tonight at 9:00 p.m. EST is the first round of the 2015 New Japan Cup featuring Tanahashi, Okada, Kota Ibushi, and Naito. … This week’s WWE Superstars episode on WWE Network features Jack Swagger vs. Tyler Breeze.
– PODCAST RECAP: Colt Cabana’s weekly “Art of Wrestling” features an interview with former ROH wrestler Dan Maff, who talked about growing up in the wrestling industry and not being ready for a big push at the beginning of ROH. (Full Recap at PWPodcasts.com)
– OBITUARY: TV actor Dan Haggerty, who played Grizzly Adams, died on Friday. Haggerty was connected to the wrestling business as an involved fan.
RIP Grizzly Adams. Actor Dan Haggerty was also a wrestling fan and a member of @CACReunion. @thewadekeller @PWTorch
— Jim Valley (@JimValley) January 15, 2016
– Jim Ross’s latest article for Fox Sports is his Top 10 Royal Rumble Highlights & Memories, including behind-the-scenes insight on Rumble broadcasts. What made the list at #1? Ross’s column can be read at FoxSports.com.
– Ahead of WWE kicking off a two-show tour of India, WWE had to apologize for an incident involving the Indian flag during the Attitude Era. About 20 years ago, Kurt Angle blew his nose in the flag as part of an angle involving Tiger Ali Singh. WWE’s international executive Gerrit Meier issued an apology on Friday, which came the same time there were rumblings about a protest against WWE arriving in India.
“This case is about 20-years-ago and we did not deliberately did that. We have a great respect for the country,” Meier was quoted by the local media. “We are sorry that it happened, but we had no intention of doing it. India is a reputable country and we apologize for this.”
– Divas champion Charlotte talked to the India media about the challenges of re-educating the general WWE audience on women’s wrestling that it’s not just eye candy.
“With the group of women that we have right now, I know it is not going to happen overnight, but I do think there will be similar opportunities for women, too. Maybe they can change the Divas championship to the women’s championship. A lot of branding goes in that,” Charlotte said.
– Scott Hall says he is still hopeful to get a regular position at WWE’s Performance Center working with the NXT talent. “Career-wise, I’d love to be working with the young guys at NXT. But I’m not going to sweat that–if it’s meant to happen, it’s meant to happen. I’ve been invited to go down there twice, but I wouldn’t mind a full time gig there,” Hall told Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated in a new interview.
– The Denver Post published a recap of Mick Foley’s comedy appearance in the Denver area this week. During the Q&A, Foley talked about Kevin Owens and Finn Balor as the next break-out stars for WWE. Plus, he believes WWE has “a couple of women who are ready to become big stars and I hope they’re given that opportunity.”
– Nick Disnmore revealed some interesting details on how the Eugene character came about in WWE in an interview with the Argus Leader publication. Notably, his meeting with Vince McMahon on the idea, which came from a conversation with OVW trainer Rick Rogers before Dinsmore was called up to the WWE roster in the mid-2000s.
“I was sitting in this meeting with Vince McMahon, and he says, ‘I want to get back to character-based wrestling,’ and this character came out of my mouth. He said, ‘Great, you start on Monday.’” (Dinsmore’s next Midwest All-Pro show is January 22 in Sioux Falls, S.D.)
– WWE has released new WrestleMania merchandise. If you’re from Texas, like Texas, like the shape of Texas, or are looking forward to traveling to Texas for WM32, the product line is for you.
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