Monday’s Torch Today (Afternoon Update) – Realistic Raw TV rating, Ciampa’s status, Big Ryck retiring?, more

TORCH TODAY – Monday, October 19

AFTERNOON UPDATE

– WWE top star John Cena will be this week’s guest on SportsCenter airing on ESPNews. Cena will be on the 9:00 p.m. EST hour of SportsCenter on Tuesday night with host Jonathan Coachman.

– WWE’s website interestingly published a story on Japanese legend Hiroshi Hase, who was recently appointed to a government position. Included are quotes from Natalya on the Hart Family’s connection to Hase.

– Ever wonder how WWE’s NXT system finds talent from all corners of the independent/international scene? William Regal, the chief NXT scout, says he is “familiar with everybody; that’s what I do.” He added to TalkSport in an unpublished interview: “I know everything that’s out there that’s worth knowing about.”

– Dreamwave Wrestling announced that former NXT talent Zahra Schreiber will make her in-ring debut on November 7 in La Salle, Illinois. Schreiber, the girlfriend of WWE Hvt. champion Seth Rollins, was cut from the WWE roster earlier this year after past insensitive tweets surfaced.

MORNING UPDATE

– It’s a big Raw tonight. But, will the line-up make a difference in the historically-low TV ratings? A month ago, Monday’s show was viewed as a chance to push back to a 3.0 rating with the huge collection of stars scheduled to appear. However, WWE has barely promoted The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, Ric Flair, and Shawn Michaels appearing on Monday’s show. So, an ideal result is simply getting out of the 2.3-2.4 ratings range. As long as they don’t start Raw with Corporate Kane standing in front of a speakerphone again.

– There is a lot of talk about Tommaso Ciampa’s status in this new era of wrestlers not affiliated with WWE actually wrestling for WWE (via NXT). PWTorch columnist Sean Radican worked hard on this story all weekend, and the latest is Ciampa has not signed with WWE. We’ll see if anything changes this week.

– The WXW promotion in Europe says that former WWE wrestler Ezekiel Jackson (Big Ryck) is retiring from wrestling. Ryck wrestled on WXW’s anniversary tour over the weekend. Ryck, who has recently been part of the Lucha Underground promotion, has not commented publicly on his future.

– WWE NETWORK HIGHLIGHTS: Monday’s Network schedule includes the Big Podcast of Stone Cold interviewing Brock Lesnar after Raw around 11:06 p.m. EST. Plus, the Raw pre-show at 7:30 p.m. EST. Throughout the day, WWE is replaying Hell in a Cell 2014.

– The latest video painting from wrestling artist Rob Schamberger is a re-creation of Triple H’s ring entrance at WrestleMania 31.