A number of readers have asked why Ric Flair has disappeared from television and missed several TNA house shows since appearing in a Gutcheck segment on Impact Wrestling, judging Alex Silva.
Sources close to Flair and TNA have confirmed that the two sides are at a major impasse as there is a ton of heat on Flair for conduct outside the ring. It was described to me by one TNA source as, "being at the point it's not worth keeping Flair around."
There have been a number of incidents involving Flair at local establishments and bars in Orlando since coming to the company. At one point, sources indicate Flair was banned from drinking at the Hard Rock Cafe in Citiwalk due to an incident with him "acting inappropriate", according to one source, leading to venue management banishing him.
There are also stories aplenty within the company of Flair not being able to cover bar tabs and company management getting a call from the hotel and/or bar seeking payment. Most recently something similar went down at the hotel TNA utilizes for their wrestlers and staff, which the company has had a great relationship with for years, that was the final tipping point. At that point, Flair was pulled from several Louisiana house shows and the final TV Tapings before Impact Wrestling goes live on 5/31.
A similar issue led to Flair's meltdown last year on the European tour, where TNA's Craig Jenkins, after several days of fronting Flair money to cover a bar tab, refused to do so again. This led to Flair screaming at Jenkins in front of the entire crew and refusing to get on the TNA tour bus to head to the next date. Flair was left behind, missed a show and then returned to the tour the next day, apologizing to the locker room when he arrived. Publicly, Flair blamed the matter on the company not giving him "advances" like he would get when touring for WWE, citing that he was "used" to that treatment. Those comments upset people within the company because of the perception that the company "wasn't taking care of talents."
There have been a number of forces within TNA that have been against having him as a regular since he came into the company, noting that while he carries a high price tag, he hasn't translated into drawing money or ratings for the company - and now, his work in the ring isn't "Ric Flair level" anymore, but "Ric Flair level behavior" remains.
May 21, 2012
Rumor Mill - Ric Flair Leaving TNA?
Alex Shelley Quits TNA
The Wrestling Observer reports that Shelley has made the decision to not renew his contract, which is set to expire "imminently."
WWE News: Jericho talks purpose of "creepy" vignettes, was a woman supposed to return with him?, who suggested he return without talking?
WWE star Chris Jericho says the pre-return vignettes that aired at the end of 2011 were simply supposed to reintroduce him to the TV audience and not represent anything more.
"They (fans) were looking too deep into it - WAY too deep," Jericho told the U.K. Sun in an interview. “It was just supposed to be a creepy thing. My idea was that it was the Mayan calendar in 2012 saying it’s the end of the world and I was going back and it’s the ‘end of the world as you know it.'"
Jericho says there was no change of plans after a girl was included in the vignettes. "The girl we just put in because she was creepy looking," Jericho said. "There was never supposed to be a girl coming in with me... It was exactly what it was intended to be - a cryptic little cool thing that led to me coming back and doing what I did.”
Jericho revealed that Vince McMahon suggested Jericho return to TV without saying a word to change up his standard return delivering a promo.
“That part was Vince’s idea. He was the one that suggested that and I thought it was great," Jericho said. "I like to do something different that people don’t expect. That’s what I’ve always been about, in everything I do.”
John Laurinaitis Injury Angle Post-PPV
John Laurinaitis may have crawled out of WWE Over the Limit with a win over John Cena thanks to an interfering Big Show, but the General Manager’s victory didn’t come without a serious price. WWE.com has gotten word that Mr. Laurinaitis was rushed to the emergency room from Raleigh, N.C.’s PNC Arena, showing signs of a possible concussion, possible ACL damage to his knee and a possible spinal injury. To add to this litany of serious injuries, the executive also suffered contusions over his entire body and was said to have difficulty raising his left arm and left leg, which can indicate possible nerve damage. The General Manager may have also suffered a broken clavicle. As of now, none of these injuries have been fully confirmed and it is unclear whether or not Mr. Laurinaitis will be able to attend Raw SuperShow Monday night.
source: wwe.com
This Day in Wrestling History
Wahoo McDaniel defeated Sgt. Slaughter for the NWA U.S. Heavyweight title
May 21, 1982
Triple H defeated the Rock for the WWF(E) Heavyweight title
May 21, 2000
Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho defeated Steve Austin & Triple H for the WWF(E) Tag Team title
May 21, 2001
May 20, 2012
WWE Over The Limit PPV Results 2012
Preshow: Kane vs. Zack Ryder
Winner: Kane
Battle Royal
Winner: Christian
WWE Tag Team Championship Match: R-Truth & Kofi Kingston (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler & Jack Swagger
Winners: R-Truth & Kofi Kingston (c)
WWE Divas Championship Match: Layla (c) vs. Beth Phoenix
Winner: Layla (c)
World Heavyweight Championship Fatal 4-Way Match: Sheamus (c) vs. Chris Jericho vs. Alberto Del Rio vs. Randy Orton
Winner: Sheamus (c)
Brodus Clay vs. The Miz
Winner: Brodus Clay
Intercontinental Championship Match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Christian
Winner: Christian - New Intercontinental Champion
WWE Championship Match: CM Punk (c) vs. Daniel Bryan
Winner: CM Punk (c)
Ryback vs. Camacho
Winner: Ryback
John Cena vs. Raw and SmackDown General Manager John Laurinaitis
Winner: John Laurinaitis after Big Show knocked out John Cena
Brodus Clay Reveals That His WrestleMania Dance Segment Was Almost Cut At The Last Minute, But John Cena Made The Save
Brodus Clay was recently interviewed by Chad Dukes and discussed a number of topics, including the origins of the Funkasaurus, having his debut repeatedly delayed, and more.
In the following excerpt, Brodus discusses how his dance segment before The Rock vs. John Cena at WrestleMania XXVIII was almost cut from the show at the last minute:
“We were in what we call the gorilla — it’s right before you get ready to go out. I think it was the band or prep — something went way wrong. So, they were going to cut the dance. It was cut and we got told in gorilla. And now I’m committed to it and excited and ready to go. I look at the Funkadactyls and I’m like, ‘Guys, I think we just got cut.’
“Cena, he was getting his mind ready and he’s in the corner getting ready to come out because he comes out shortly after. He’s stretching and he said — it was one of the coolest things ever — he said, ‘If Brodus doesn’t go out, I’m not going out.’ And just walked away. They were just like, ‘Well, send him out.’ It was a really cool moment. Everyone talks about Cena, but they don’t know that that’s the type of person that he is. So, it was real cool. So, honestly, the reason that I actually went down was because of Cena. He had a lot to do with it.”
This Day in Wrestling History
Promoter Frank Tunny died of a heart attack
May 20, 1983
Kane defeated Triple H for the WWF(E) Intercontinental title
May 20, 2001
Macho Man Randy Savage died in a car accident after suffering a heart attack while behind the wheel.
May 20, 2011
May 19, 2012
Stephanie McMahon Interview at USA Network Upfront Event
WWE RAW has had three-hour episodes from time to time, but soon, that will be the show’s permanent new running time. At USA’s Upfront event yesterday, WWE’s Stephanie McMahon and John Cena announced that RAW will go from two hours to three hours beginning on July 23rd, the night RAW airs their special 1000th episode.
At the event, I spoke to McMahon, asking her about the challenges in filling an entire extra hour of content on the show each week - something she told me they were excited about.
Said McMahon, “It’s going to be the first-ever regularly scheduled three-hour program on television and I think we’ve got a pretty good handle on it thus far! You know, we do a three hour show called a Pay-Per-View almost every month and Monday Night RAW, we’ve done three hours before, so we feel great about it. “
As far as changes to the show, McMahon remarked, “This is going to be the most interactive show in television history. Our audience is going to have the chance to effect something in the show every week.” As far as what the audience would be determining, she said it would be, “Matches, stipulations, anything and everything. Different things every week.”
Stephanie, who is the Executive Vice President, Creative, for WWE, used to have a notable on-camera presence on RAW, but is rarely seen on the show these days. When I asked if she might show up on RAW again anytime soon she smiled and replied, “Who knows? Maybe you’ve got to tune into the 1000th RAW on July 23rd!”
Regarding the 1000th episode, she told me, “It’s so much fun when we have an event episode, because you really get to plan around it and the creative flows and its just a lot of fresh faces and old faces. It’s great.”
As we were finishing our conversation, I couldn’t resist asking her about The Rock, who has already said he’ll be at WrestleMania next year, but not in what capacity. When I tried to find out if he might actually have a match, she replied, “Hmm, I think I’m gonna have to let that one unfold!”
