Highspots.com owner Michael Bochicchio is said to be putting together a book about his dealings and subsequent legal issues with Ric Flair. I am told the working title is "Memoirs of a Money Mark."
The book, which I am told would feature material derived from Flair's Highspots shoot interview and the depositions that took place in the ongoing Flair vs. Highspots legal case, would give insight into Flair's wild lifestyle and the darker side of doing business with "The Nature Boy."
According to court documents, there has been no update in the ongoing legal issues between the two sides. An arrest order for Flair was issued several weeks ago, warning him that if he did not pay Highspots.com the settlement the two sides had agreed to in mediation, Flair would be incarcerated for 90 days for willful contempt of court. Flair has until 6/27 to adhere to the settlement agreement.
source: pwinsider.com
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June 17, 2011
Book Planned on Highspots vs. Ric Flair Situation
Rumor Mill - Kings of Wrestling WWE Bound?
According to CamelClutchBlog.com, Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli had tryout matches with WWE on Monday and Tuesday and could be leaving Ring of Honor prior to ROH's debut on Sinclair Broadcast Network...More?
Shane McMahon Calls Leaving the WWE "Brutal"
Rising high up the executive ranks, McMahon was seen as a potential successor to his father. There was only one problem. "He wasn't going anywhere," he said and laughed.
As a favor to a friend, McMahon took a meeting with Marc Urbach, who was chief financial officer of what was then known as China Broadband Inc. The company had just secured a license to operate in China and Urbach, who grew up as a fan of the WWE, wanted to pick McMahon's brains about the region. McMahon had spent a lot of time schmoozing government officials to get WWE content inside the country.
"At first I didn't believe them," McMahon said when he was told the company had a green light to set up shop in China. "Getting the license is the hardest thing in the world." He did his due diligence, even flying to China to visit the company's offices there.
Initially, McMahon was approached about joining China Broadband Inc.'s board of directors. The more time he spent studying the company, the more intrigued he became. He joined the company in late 2009 as its chairman and chief executive and invested $4 million.
"It was the hardest decision I've ever had to make," McMahon said of his leaving WWE to strike out on his own. "I didn't want to wake up when I was 70 and say, 'I should have done that.'" Telling his father he wanted to leave was "brutal" and now, almost two years later, there remains some residual tension. "It's still hard," he said....More?
source: latimes.com
Demond Wolfe (Nigel McGuinness) Released from TNA
PWInsider.com has confirmed that TNA has released Desmond Wolfe (Nigel McGuinness) from his contract. Wolfe last made an appearance on TNA Xplosion as the Commissioner following several months away due to health issues.
The former ROH World Champion was set to sign with WWE but failed the companies screening process and TNA hired him almost immediately for a strong storyline with Kurt Angle.
The Huffington Post Claims Ulterior Motives for WWE's "Be A Star" Anti-Bullying Campaign
The question is, can one movie (WWE Studios' "That's What I Am"), even if it was the best anti-bullying movie ever made, counteract everything else WWE puts out? Can Stephanie McMahon's "Be a Star" PSA be credible when so young people have seen her humiliated and mock beaten by her real life husband Triple H on the WWE mat?...More?
In addition, the video clips that have been posted are from 10+ years ago. This "journalist" didn't bother to do any checking on WWE's current product. If she did, she would know that the WWE is currently rated PG - much to the dismay of many fans. I don't know why it is so hard for the main stream media to do fact checking concerning professional wrestling. Simply looking at the front page of the WWE corporate site would have given her this information.
And Ms. Wiseman, if you are so outraged by the video clips, where were you 10 years ago?
June 16, 2011
Batista Comments On Why He Left WWE, His Future In Wrestling, More
Former World Heavyweight Champion Batista was a guest on F4Wonline.com's Wrestling Observer Radio this week to discuss his time with WWE, MMA, the future and lots more. Here are highlights from the excellent interview:
Batista said he left WWE because he felt like he didn't fit in anymore. He feels like wrestling is in a bad spot right now and has gone down hill since the whole PG direction. Batista said it leaves a bad taste in his mouth and became too unbelievable & hokey. He added that the things he learned from guys like Triple H and Ric Flair, you couldn't do anymore. He said you couldn't use your tools anymore. Batista said he felt like he became disconnected from the business and became unhappy with it. He still believes in WWE as a company but there wasn't a place for him anymore.
Regarding his most recent run where some felt it was the best work of his career, Batista said he knew he was leaving and basically did what he wanted to do and eventually it worked. He didn't care about pissing anyone off on the mic and just put his thoughts out there more without worrying about upsetting anyone. He said this started to work so Vince McMahon let him work with it. He recalled one promo before his last WrestleMania in San Jose, California where he let it run how he wanted to do it, ripping on several people. When he got backstage, Vince told him that he went too far with the promo and gave him a good earful.
The McMahons and WWE Stock
The McMahon family currently owns 46,483,000 shares of WWE stock, which would be 61.4% of the company. The new stock dividend of 12 cents per share per quarter would come out to $5,577,960 per quarter to the McMahons or $22,311,840 per year, about half of what it was last year.
source: wrestling observer newsletter
Rumor Mill - Monday Night Raw Pre-Show Coming
Wrestlezone.com is reporting that there is a plan to add a pre-show to RAW from 8:30-9pm EST. It would be a countdown show to RAW that would take place at the arena where RAW is being held each week. The production would include Superstar interviews, fan interaction and obviously further promoting the major stories going on. It would be something similar to a college game day live countdown like ESPN on any major network might do leading up to a big game.
This addition to WWE's programming is very close to being a done deal and would likely start this fall. Its more time on the USA network during prime time hours on a Monday night which can mean more money. The ability to insert sponsors and promotions in the countdown show also can mean more profit for the WWE. This is apparently an idea that the WWE has been discussing for quite some time.
The Mystery and Marvel of Masks
Is a mask ever just a mask? For the list of professional wrestlers who have been privileged enough to wear one, it is as valuable as any World Championship.
"We all have split personalities. We all wear masks at some point in our careers," WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio told the Houston Chronicle in a 2009 interview. "I literally wear a mask."
Despite having different meanings to different people, the masks always add some mystique to a wrestler's character. Everyone wonders who's behind it, but nobody ever wants to see that identity revealed. It's an idea that's similar to the mystique of comic book heroes. The main difference is that all of the readers usually know the identity of the superheroes, while the wrestlers almost always do a good job of keeping themselves covered up...More?
source: slam wrestling
