"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase will be inducted into the 2010 WWE Hall of Fame.
February 8, 2010
WWE NXT News: ECW Superstars to Become "Free Agents"
On tonights episode of Raw, Christian stated that all current ECW stars will become "free agents" and will either go to Raw or SmackDown in two weeks. WWE NXT is rumored to follow a reality-show type format.
Vince McMahon: Heavyweight Champion of Branding
The guy has an incredible knack for building brands. By cultivating different images and personas for each of WWE’s weekly TV shows, monthly pay-per view events and stable of wrestlers, McMahon constantly reinvents his company in order to stay relevant. The cartoonish heroes vs. villians story lines of 1980s gave way to an edgier product in the '90s. Now WWE has moved back towards more family friendly shows, often "guest hosted" by celebrities like William Shatner and LeBron James.
Last year's WrestleMania generated $64 million in revenue from pay TV, gate receipts, sponsorships and merchandise sales, including 350,000 DVD sales. That's more gross revenue than the Indianapolis 500 and the per-day average of the NBA Finals and Bowl Championship Series. The company's core strength: McMahon's willingness to take risks (and not just in the ring where he’s grappled with the likes of Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin). Granted, not all of them work out; remember the XFL or World Bodybuilding Federation? But with wrestling, he’s had the Midas touch. NBC Sports chief Dick Ebersol once called McMahon, “The greatest promoter since P.T. Barnum.”...More?
source: forbes.com
Update on WWE NXT
Florida Championship Wrestling sent out a press release concerning their involvement with WWE's new show WWE NXT:
"With speculation rife regarding the imminent debut of WWE’s new television show ‘WWE-NXT,’ all FCW Superstars are sure to be at their best as they attempt to impress top brass in WWE and secure spots on the new show’s roster. And with Edge watching over the evening’s proceedings, (Edge will be appearing at Friday night's FCW show in Melbourne, Florida) the stakes have never been higher."
PWInsider.com is reporting that the new WWE NXT show will be reality based, as the SyFy network has been wanting WWE to do something along these lines for awhile now.
The show will reportedly be a mix of on-air feuds and reality based TV where the viewers can actually follow the wrestlers outside of the ring as well. The viewers will be following the wrestlers from day one, and they will get to know who they actually are, as they fight to become the next big WWE star and hopefully get moved to either the Raw or Smackdown brand.
It should be noted that WWE has been pitching ideas for the new show since the fall of '09, and although there can certainly be aspects of the show different from what we're reporting now, the base idea for the show seems to be that it will be reality based and focus entirely on new talent.
This Day in Wrestling History
Happy Birthday to:
Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart - Febrary 8, 1956
Sensational Sherri Martel - February 8, 1958
The Big Show - February 8, 1972
Pedro Morales defeated Ivan Koloff for the WWWF(WWE)
Heavyweight title
February 8, 1971
Randy Savage defeated Tito Santana for the WWF(E)
Intercontinental title
February 8, 1986
Roddy Piper defeated Bret Hart for the WCW US Heavyweight title
February 8, 1999
February 7, 2010
Take That Chyna
After Beth Phoenix became the second woman to enter the Royal Rumble, she made he following comments:
“Despite Chyna’s accomplishments in the Rumble, I eliminated The Great Khali. Seven-foot-three, 420 pounds. No small feat. I am WWE’s Glamazon. Chyna was WWE’s Ninth Wonder of the World … mostly called so because people wondered whether she was a man or a woman. I often wonder this, myself.”
Beth then posted on her Twitter account the she was "told I hurt Chyna's feelings with my comments. Oops!"
This situation made me think, here we go again. Chyna has found a reason to try and be relevant again. When I checked a popular Chyna fansite, A Living Wonder, I found the following posted by the ALW webmaster:
Despite published internet reports, Chyna's manager told me Chyna has made absolutely NO statements about Beth Phoenix and that she will not engage in insults with Beth or anyone in the WWE for that matter.
Really? Since when has she stopped talking trash about the WWE? Chyna has posted several disparaging remarks including referring to Triple H as a dickhead and claiming that Linda McMahon is "killing in the name of payroll" on her official website. When is she going to get over the break-up with Triple H? She isn't the only person in the world to get dumped. What is the problem? Let it go! It's been roughly nine years, a marriage, and two kids later!
What's the problem Chyna? Can't take a few hits? Stop being so negative and move on. Take that.
Couture Chokes Out Coleman at UFC 109
In a battle between beloved hall of famers, Randy Couture reigned supreme, as he submitted Mark Coleman with a second-round rear-naked choke in the UFC 109 “Relentless” headliner on Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Drifting briefly into a state of unconsciousness, Coleman went out on his sword 69 seconds into round two.
The incomparable Couture set the tone with his boxing but deftly moved to the clinch midway through the opening round, pressed Coleman against the cage and went to work with his patented dirty boxing. A dejected Coleman, 45, retreated to his corner after a lopsided period. He had no answers and seemed to know it. Reality bit.
Couture rocked Coleman with a left hook in tight in the second round, pushed again into the clinch and took down the former Olympian with surprising ease. From there, the two-division champion flurried on “The Godfather of Ground-and-Pound,” seized back control and cinched the choke for the victory, his second in a row since his return to the light heavyweight division.
“I’m having a blast,” said the 46-year-old Couture. “I feel like I’m improving each and every time I get out here. This is my third fight in seven months, and it feels good to be so active.”
Coleman is 1-2 in the UFC since returning after a decade-long departure.
“Wow, the guy’s tough,” he said of Couture. “The guy’s real tough. I don’t know what the hell happened. I’m disappointed. I think I can do better. I won’t quit. I’ll be back.”
source: sherdog.com
Shane & Marissa Welcome A New Baby
Linda mentions that the family recently welcomed a fifth grandchild. Sources from Linda's campaign office said that Shane & Marissa had another son. Congrats to them.
This Day in Wrestling History
Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase & IRS) defeated the Legion of Doom for the WWF(E) tag team titles at a house show in Denver, Colorado.
February 7, 1992
February 6, 2010
Oderint Dum Metuant: Let Them Hate As Long As They Fear
