A profile on John Laurinaitis, WWE's Executive Vice President of Talent Relations, has been added to the Alumni section on WWE.com.
Contrary to CM Punk's derisive remarks concerning the corporate executive during a pseudo-shoot promo last month on RAW, Laurinaitis is referred as "a respected WWE employee" in his bio. His previous life as "a successful sports-entertainer" in both Japan and the United States is also acknowledged.
July 28, 2011
John Laurinaitis Added to WWE.com
Multimillion Dollar Lawsuit Filed by Ottawa Wrestler Against Abdullah the Butcher
Four months after his induction in the WWE Hall of Fame, Abdullah the Butcher (real name Larry Shreve) was served with a statement of claim on Monday July 24thfor a 6.5 million dollar lawsuit, filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, involving negligence, assault, and battery against a local Ottawa wrestler, Devon (Hannibal) Nicholson. Designated co-plaintiffs under the Family Law Act are Laura Joan Nicholson, Arthur Gwyn Nicholson, Frederick Kerry Nicholson, and Joan Greenwell, claiming $40 000 respectively for general damages.
The lawsuit stems after allegations surfaced on a YouTube documentary titled Don’t Bleed on Me, released on March 31st 2011, over an incident that happened between the wrestlers in 2007. Two years ago, Devon Nicholson was on the edge of achieving his dream of working for World Wrestling Entertainment. The talented wrestler obtained a contract, only to have it rescinded on the grounds of him having Hepatitis C. WWE annulled the contract regardless of its current “No Blood” policy and having employed Hepatitis C positive wrestlers in the past...More?
source: netnewsledger.com
This Day in Wrestling History
Eddie Guerrero defeats Dean Malenko for the ECW TV Title.
July 28, 1995
Molly Holly defeated Gail Kim for the WWE Women's title.
July 28, 2003
Rumor Mill - Spike TV Expecting to Rebrand its Network
At the PROMAX/BDA annual conference of marketing executives two weeks ago, Spike TV made it clear they intend on rebranding and trying to change its image from a station mainly targeting males 18-34 to both males and females 18-49.
The network is expecting to lose UFC programming and what this new direction change means for TNA and the weekly Impact Wrestling show is unknown. The show continues to draw well demographic wise and averages anywhere from 1.6-1.8 million viewers per week.
If Spike was to drop TNA, it would mean the end of the company unless they were able to secure another television deal. It doesn't appear likely given that it doubles the network's current average rating and is not expensive based on network standards for first-run programming. So while it would feel like the show is safe, anything is possible with this new direction change by Spike. It should be noted that Spike made no mention at all about TNA at the conference and instead focused on other shows with a passing reference to UFC.
source: wrestling observer newsletter
July 27, 2011
WWE Diva: I Fear 'Crazy Stalker' Wants to Kill Me!!!
WWE star Maryse Ouellet claims an "extremely disturbing and delusional" man is OBSESSED with her ... and now she's asked a judge for protection after he allegedly promised to "take me to heaven with him."
Maryse -- a WWE diva who's been romantically linked with former WWE champion The Miz -- filed a request for a permanent restraining order against 61-year-old Lee Silber ... claiming he has sent "numerous terrifying letters to my home and left more than 50 voicemails on my personal cell phone all of which are extremely disturbing and delusional."
July 26, 2011
Raw TV Ratings Info for 07/25/11
The 7/25 edition of Raw did 3.2 rating with 4,805,000 viewers. The show did hours of 3.01 and 3.4, which meant that there was a lot of growth from hour one to hour two. That is a good sign for the current direction of the company.
source: pwinsider.com
Luntz Poll: The Real Bad News Is For Linda McMahon
Republican darling and West Hartford native Frank Luntz is out with a poll that has ex-Connecticut resident and former U.S. Rep. Chris Shays in striking distance of Chris Murphy in the 2012 U.S. Senate race. Yawn.
Shays, who lives in Maryland, is just another name in a poll with a very small sampling of voters (just 500 people) by Luntz, the Hall High grad and language trickster who helped Republicans recast "global warming" as "climate change."
The real black eye that Luntz delivered was to Republicans who want to see the $50 Million Woman run again. The thin and transparent poll is a trial balloon on behalf of Shays.
For Linda McMahon, the finding that stands out the most is the 57% who would probably or definitely not vote for her if she were the GOP nominee. Her race in 2010 -- a Republican year everywhere else -- clearly damaged her image statewide, and her favorability is "upside-down," with more people having a negative than positive image of her. She would be the best known candidate statewide -- 86% of the electorate has an opinion of her -- but with opinions so solidified (and so negative) thanks to a vicious campaign waged against her, it's hard to see a potential path to victory for her in 2012 in a state that is already tilted against the GOP.
This conclusion by a Republican opinion-maker is devastating to McMahon, who has been busy trying to recast her image since her loss to Richard Blumenthal last year. McMahon, who says she has not decided whether to run, has been showing up as a supporter of public broadcasting and urban education lately.
My money is still on a McMahon candidacy. I'm not so sure she isn't the strongest Republican candidate out there.
source: courant.com
Another X Division Signing
Zema Ion (a/k/a Shiima Xion) has signed with TNA Wrestling. "I have a contract with them and will be appearing on television soon," Ion told rderudooficial.blogspot.com.
Oderint Dum Metuant: Let Them Hate As Long As They Fear
