Liddell eyes main UFC event in London this June

Chuck Liddell has Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in his crosshairs.

Liddell, who is still the UFC's biggest draw, will collide with the former PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix winner in the main event at UFC 85, tentatively scheduled for June 14 at the O2 Arena in London.

"I think it's going to be a great fight," said Liddell, who recently made a guest appearance at the headquarters for Throwdown Industries. "I think he's going to strike, he's going to wrestle a little bit and he's going to mix it up. It should be fun, and it should make for an interesting fight."...More?

source: msn.foxsports.com

Project Runway: Wrestling with Fashion

This week's Project Runway made us think one thing and one thing only: Britney Spears totally has a career in professional wrestling if she makes it out of the hospital (which, apparently, she just did). The runway challenge this week was to design an outfit for a female professional wrestler in the WWE. Some designers took the challenge to heart and ran with the campy sexuality of it all, while others were blinded by the sequins and rhinestones and came up with poor imitations of real wrestling outfits...More?

source: bostonist.com

The story from wwe.com.

Maryland moves one step closer to sanctioning MMA

According to the AP, Maryland House Delegate Kirill Reznik (D-Montgomery) introduced a bill today to sanction MMA in the state. House Bill 795 now joins Senate Bill 649 as measures that will hopefully soon pave the way for legal MMA contests in this state.

With the success the sport has enjoyed the last couple of years (read dollar signs), it was inevitable that the Old Line State would eventually get in line with its neighbors Washington, D.C., and Virginia, which have already sanctioned the sport...More?

source: baltimoresun.com

'WWE Smackdown' online contest launched

Gaming publisher THQ has announced the launch of an international tournament to find the best player of its WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008 wrestling title.

Online gamers have until February 8 to register at gamebattles.com/svr to take part in the contest, with the best 32 teams from each region going through to battle in a virtual ring starting on February 9.

A finalist from the United Kingdom and Europe and two finalists from North America will go on to compete in a head-to-head grand finale, with appearances from real WWE superstars, which will take place on March 27 in Orlando.

The overall winner of the tournament will receive two floor tickets to WrestleMania24, while other finalists will receive two stadium tickets to the event...More?

source: digitalspy.co.uk

WWE Star Grateful For His Success

The first argument made by those who don't like pro wrestling is usually, "Because it's fake." While it is scripted, there are some very real lives behind the characters in the ring. One of those was on display at the American Bank Center Tuesday night. MVP has lived between the ropes and behind bars...More?

source: kristv.com

The Reason Hunter was not on Raw

Triple H wasn't on Raw this pass Monday due to a family emergency. The emergency was that his brother-in-law died unexpectedly on Monday:

Gordon B. Ouellette, 41, of Monica Dr., Nashua passed away unexpectedly Monday February 4, 2008 at Southern NH Medical Center. Mr. Ouellette was born in Tewksbury, MA on April 17, 1965 a son of Ralph Ouellette of Gilford and Mary (Meisner) Ouellette of Nashua. He was the husband of Lynn (Levesque) Ouellette of Nashua...More?

My condolences to the Ouellettes and the Levesques.

Ontario commissioner says mixed martial arts is illegal under Criminal Code

While the UFC trumpets its first show in Canada, predicting a sellout at Montreal's Bell Centre for its April 19 card, the door to mixed martial arts in Ontario remains closed.

"It (staging a mixed martial arts show) is a Criminal Code offence," Ken Hayashi, chairman of the Ontario Athletic Commission, said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press.

Hayashi refers to Section 83.1 of the Criminal Code which says anyone who "engages as a principal in a prize fight," encourages, promotes or is present at a prize fight as an aid, second, surgeon, umpire, backer or reporter is guilty of an offence - unless the "boxing contest" is "held with the permission or under the authority of an athletic board or commission or similar body established by or under the authority of the legislature of a province for the control of sport within the province."...More?

source: canadianpress.google.com

Cauliflower Ear - A Badge Of Honor Or Unsightly?

Before Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Randy Couture entered the octagon to do battle in the world of MMA, his passion was wrestling.

He wrestled in high school in Washington, earning a state title as a senior. He wrestled in the Army and went on to become a three-time All-American at Oklahoma State. Add in a senior and two national Greco-Roman titles.

Couture doesn't have to pour out a single, eloquent narrative of his past endeavors, it's obvious. Take a peek at his ears. They're his wrestling calling card.

Each appendage is bloated with cauliflower ear, a condition that forms when the ears are repeatedly struck or if the skin is detached from the cartilage. Both conditions cause swelling. Blood pools - as a bruise would - and due to the poor circulation in the ears, the blood remains. If not drained while liquefied or removed when coagulated, the remnants harden to form cauliflower ear...More?

source: The Tampa Tribune

Amendments to WWE Talent Wellness Program

The WWE has posted the amendments to their Wellness Policy on their corporate website.

Documentary looks to Benoit's brain for answers

What caused Chris Benoit to do the unspeakable, killing his young son, his wife and eventually himself on a tragic Atlanta weekend less than eight months ago?

Was it depression? Steroid rage? A cocktail combination of pills, drugs and untreated concussions? Or all of the above?

Tomorrow night, on the excellent investigative series The Fifth Estate, the life and death of the Canadian wrestler, Benoit -- along with the convoluted and troubled life of so many of his professional wrestling colleagues -- is examined by former Canadian Football League player turned reporter Bob McKeown...More?

source: winnipegsun.com

Hunter's Family Emergency

As mentioned last night on Raw, HHH missed the show and follow up taping due to a family emergency. He never came to the building last night due to this. Most feel that knowing HHH it had to be a serious situation as he not only missed Raw, but the taping for the go home show. HHH is of course in one of the Elimination Chamber matches at No Way Out. There is a possibility that a promo shot at WWE studios could be added into next weeks show.

Next week's Raw was taped due to WWE's tour of Alaska, South Korea and Japan. WWE did not want to tape Raw overseas and transmit it back via satellite next week. There is no word if HHH's emergency will keep him off of the tour.

source: pwinsider.com

Let's hope it was just a work...

Paul Heyman: Why I left WWE

The outspoken leader of a hardcore cult that will never die.

The creative genius forever synonymous with the letters E-C-W.

But for more than a year no one has heard a peep out of Paul Heyman.

Where was he? Why did he walk out of the WWE in December 2006? And most importantly what does he really think of Vince McMahon’s ‘new’ ECW?...More?

source: thesun.co.uk