Rumor Mill - Victoria retiring from wrestling

Victoria has apparently worked her last match with WWE. According to live reports from tonight's SmackDown taping in Omaha, Nebraska, Victoria lost to Michelle McCool in a match that will air on this week's edition of SmackDown. After the bout, Victoria announced that she was finished with WWE.

This does not appear to be a work as Victoria reportedly gave notice to WWE officials a couple of months ago that she would be retiring from the company. Victoria opened a custom car shop in Louisville, Kentucky last May and is said to be pursuing other career opportunities.

source: wrestlingnewsworld.com

More WWE Releases

PWInsider.com is reporting that both Sgt. Slaughter and Ron Simmons, aka Farooq, have been released by WWE.

This Day in Wrestling History

Sean O'Haire & Chuck Palumbo defeat Kevin Nash & Diamond Dallas Page for the WCW Tag Team Titles. They would be the last official tag champions before WCW was bought out by the WWE.
January 14, 2001

Happy Birthday to "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan
January 14, 1953

ECW Results: The New Face of Extreme

There’s a new champion ruling the Land of the Extreme. On a monumental ECW on Sci Fi, the “All-American American” Jack Swagger was victorious over Matt Hardy to claim the ECW Championship Tuesday night. Full Results.

How much will the WWE save after last Friday's job cuts?

The WWE cuts on Friday included downsizing and eliminating 10% of their staff. The cuts were across all divisions, talent, agents, TV production, WWE.com (which was said to have been gutted the most) and even Vince McMahon's limo drivers reports The Figure Four Weekly Newsletter. The cuts will initially cost them $3 million (severance pay and other issues) and will save them around $8 million annually. The general opinion of the cuts was that it isn't a sign that the company is doomed, but more an acknowledgment that having 400+ employees was probably not needed and unnecessary.

Update on Batista

Representatives of Batista released the following statement on the forum of his official website (www.Demon-Wrestling.com}:

"Dave has started going to the gym and is able to do some light training that doesn't put any stress or strain on his hamstring. Right now its just more rehab and the long wait to be able to train!"

Update on Kevin Nash

Kevin Nash underwent successful surgery for the recent staph infection he contracted. Nash was experiencing swelling in his arm on Thursday and needed to head immediately to the hospital by Sunday as the infection had gotten significantly worse. No word concerning how long Nash will be out of action.

SmackDown Ratings Update

Last Friday's edition of SmackDown, which was the most watched telecast in the history of MyNetworkTV with 3.9 million viewers, tied for first in the 8-10 p.m. block with CBS and Fox among men 18-49, with a 1.6 rating in the demo. The show drew 868,000 adults 18-49.

This Day in Wrestling History

Vince Russo is fired from his job as WCW's head writer due to the lack of ratings and backstage heat he had with management
January 13, 2000

Raw Results: Sioux City Showdown

Stephanie McMahon opened Raw by sharing her apparent excitement for Mr. McMahon’s return. Before she could get very far, however, the Executive Vice President was interrupted by Chris Jericho, who not only called Stephanie a liar, but intimated that the Chairman would replace JBL in the World Heavyweight Championship Match with Jericho at the Royal Rumble. After being told by Jericho that she cannot run Raw properly, the Executive Vice President attempted to place the first-ever Undisputed Champion in a match, in which he refused to participate. As a reaction to Jericho’s insubordination, Stephanie McMahon barred the arrogant Superstar from competing in the Royal rumble and promptly fired him, Jericho’s second time being let go from WWE. Full Results.

Friday's Layoffs Spells End for Executive Vice President of Marketing

Geof Rochester, who was the Executive Vice President of Marketing for World Wrestling Entertainment, was one of the big names who was fired during Friday's massive layoff spree. Rochester was hired in 2006 as the Senior Vice President of Marketing and promoted to Executive Vice President in May 2007. He oversaw WWE's global marketing, integrated brand initiatives, talent branding, live events, pay-per-view, advertising and promotions, research, creative services, and public and government relations. In 2007 he received the CableFax Magazine Faxie for Best Marketer and was also named as
one of the "Top 50 Minorities in Cable" by Cable World Magazine.

source: wrestlingfigs.com

A Golden Globe for all wrestlers

By awarding Mickey Rourke the Best Actor award, the Golden Globes made a bold choice, and an unorthodox one for Hollywood. It is common knowledge that films about wrestling have always been classified as B or C movies, at best, until Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler.

By opting to give the film a Best Actor award, Hollywood has broken the trend of ignoring this popular entertainment genre and, more importantly, the performers who give their blood and soul to it...More?

source: slam wrestling