Jim Londos defeats Dick Shikat in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to win the National Wrestling Association's recognition as World Heavyweight Champion. He is also recognized by the New York State Athletic Commission as World Champion.
June 6, 1930
Shawn Michaels defeated Marty Jannetty for the WWF(E) Intercontinental Title.
June 6, 1993
June 6, 2012
This Day in Wrestling History
June 5, 2012
WWE Advertising a Shawn Michaels Appreciation Night in August
The WWE Raw Supershow on Monday, August 6th, 2012 is being advertised as a Shawn Michaels Appreciation Night. It's being held at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, which is HBK's hometown.
Former FEC Chairman Blast JI's Complaint Against WWE
A former Federal Election Commission chairman hired by Republican U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon says the complaint the Journal Inquirer filed with the FEC against the company McMahon co-founded, World Wrestling Entertainment Inc., is “frivolous” and “utterly baseless.”
“The idea that an American corporation cannot seek a retraction from a newspaper for allegedly publishing libelous statements about the corporation without violating federal election laws is ludicrous,” the lawyer, Michael Toner, said in a statement released Monday by the McMahon campaign.
Toner, who also has served as chief counsel to the Republican National Committee, general counsel to the 2000 Bush-Cheney presidential campaign, and counsel to the 1996 Dole-Kemp presidential campaign, added that the JI’s complaint doesn’t contain any allegations against the McMahon campaign.
“If the FEC names the McMahon campaign as a respondent in this matter, the campaign looks forward to filing a response and having the FEC promptly dismiss the complaint,” he said.
source: journalinquirer.com
Interview with Arn Anderson
WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson spoke with The State website about being forced to retire due to a spinal cord injury in 1997. "The fans gave me a warm send off,” he said of his August 25, 1997 match in Columbia, S.C. "They didn’t know it was coming, and I didn’t even know it coming. That was something I decided on that day. It was time."
Anderson also revealed how much longer he wanted to wrestle if he hadn't been injured. "To be honest, I had hoped to have a 20-year wrestling career and call it a day a wealthy man," Anderson said. "I was going to walk away in one piece, but that wasn’t the case. I was so fortunate that I paid attention to the inner workings of the industry. That afforded me a backup and allows me to work with all the young talent."..More?
Update on TNA vs. WWE - WWE's Timeline
According to WWE's statement, the company fired Wittenstein on 4/27 after they became aware that Wittenstein "had provided" WWE's John Laurinaitis with a CD and a printout of confidential TNA information that Wittenstein had claimed he had from his time working for TNA. After being given the information, Laurinaitis informed WWE's in-house legal team about the matter. WWE noted that Wittenstein was specifically let go due to their concerns that he had "improperly obtained information" from his time employed with TNA and that Laurinaitis did not copy or keep the information.
WWE noted that when Wittenstein was advised he was being let go, WWE took back his company-issued laptop and blackberry. Subsequent searches handled by WWE's IT department showed no evidence that copies of the TNA material were on Wittenstein's computer or blackberry after WWE took possession of the material.
WWE also stated that searches of their email system and in-house servers showed no proof that Wittenstein had emailed the material to anyone else working for WWE. They noted that email boxes of 27 employees working in the talent relations and creative writing departments were searched. WWE claims that they only had the materials Wittenstein had physically handed the company, not additional copies held electronically on their network.
In their lawsuit filing, TNA had claimed that WWE waited several weeks before contacting them. WWE's timeline is a little different. In their filing yesterday, WWE stated that Wittenstein was let go on 4/27, "On or around" 5/3, WWE's General Counsel called TNA's Director of Talent Relations, Bruce Prichard to inform him of the situation. Prichard referred WWE to TNA's General Counsel, Crede Williams. WWE claimed messages were left several times for Crede between 5/4 and 5/7 before he returned their calls. When he did, Williams asked WWE to send the material to him. WWE did so via Express Mail on 5/8, TNA received the material on 5/9. The lawsuit was filed on 5/23.
WWE noted that after the lawsuit was filed, they again conducted a search of all their servers and files and again, none of the TNA material was found. WWE noted that due to the extensive searches they had conducted, TNA has a "lack of basis for believing WWE has any of their material" and that it would not be appropriate for TNA to be able to search the company's Microsoft Exchange Server due to their own concerns for WWE intellectual property landing in the hands of TNA personell.
WWE noted that searches of John Laurinaitis' email server account as well as his laptop turned up no evidence that he was still in possession of the material. They noted that while they could hand over the laptops and blackberries used by Witteinstein and John Laurinaitis, they are password protected and could not be opened by others outside of WWE.
WWE also stated that due to the sheer size of their servers, (they have six working together) it would be physically impossible to transport them to Nashville to be examined.
So where does this all leave the case? The court noted that due to WWE having tours set up before the lawsuit was filed, the planned 6/11 hearing was being continued indefinetly to allow the two sides to work out their scheduling when it comes to the Discovery process of the lawsuit, including WWE's claims that they don't have any of TNA's material. The two sides will have to report to the court as they make headway.
In the case of Wittenstein vs. TNA, there are no changes. It was noted that Wittenstein still has yet to be officially served with the lawsuit, although TNA has been in contact with a lawyer that is representing Wittenstein. The restraining order against him, demanding that Wittenstein return all confidential TNA materials as is and to not alter or destroy them was held up. There will be a new hearing on 7/12 for Wittenstein regarding the restraining order. He has until 6/11 to file opposition or ask for an extension in time.
source: pwinsider.com
This Day in Wrestling History
WWE announces that they have purchased the video libraries of World Class Championship Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling. These acquisitions, along WWE's own library and the WCW, ECW, AWA, SMW, OVW and other territorial tape libraries they have purchased, creates the largest known wrestling video library, which at last count now contains an estimated 75,000 hours of content.
June 5, 2006
source: pwinsider.com
June 4, 2012
Rumor Mill - Randy Orton's Future with WWE
Randy Orton's future with WWE is uncertain following their announcement Wednesday that he was being suspended for 60 days for his second violation of the Talent Wellness Program. On Friday, the SmackDown wrestler met with Chairman Vince McMahon and Executive Vice President of Talent and Live Events Paul Levesque at the organization's headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.
A WWE source described the meeting's atmosphere as "hostile;" it was determined that a further decision concerning Orton awaits. Furthermore, "several" officials are lobbying for his termination as a cost-cutting measure. They feel his lucrative ten-year contract—signed in January 2010—can no longer be justified if he is brought back in a mid-level role. His second suspension hinders WWE from continuing to feature Orton in headline role since a third drug-testing policy infraction would result in automatic termination.
McMahon is especially infuriated with Orton, who felt he had matured in recent years. The nine-time world champion's suspension reportedly stems from a positive drug test for the anabolic steroid Dianabol, which is banned by the United States Congress under its Controlled Substances Act. He also reportedly tested positive for marijuana, which is subject to a $2,500 fine.
source: lordsofpain.com
Update On TNA’s Lawsuit Against WWE – Temporary Injunction Hearing Set
A temporary injunction hearing has been set for July 12, 2012 at 9:30 AM after today’s status conference in Davidson County Chancery Court in regards to TNA’s contract tampering lawsuit filed against WWE and former office employee Brian Wittenstein.
Until then, WWE and Wittenstein must continue to comply with the temporary restraining order issued on May 24th that they will not destroy the confidential information TNA is claiming was obtained.
source: wrestlingnewsworld.com
Vince McMahon Returning to Raw
WWE has announced via their text message service that Vince McMahon will return to Raw on June 11 for the three-hour Raw. Vince will evaluate the performance of John Laurinaitis.
Complaint Filed Against WWE for Threat of Lawsuit
The Journal Inquirer in Connecticut filed an official complaint against WWE with the Federal Election Commission, claiming that WWE violated federal election law by helping Linda McMahon's campaign via their threat to sue the newspaper and writer Chris Powell, who have criticized McMahon's bid to become Senator.
As we noted last week, Powell noted McMahon made her money on a business based on "violence and pornography." WWE was not specifically named in the article.
The newspaper is claiming that through WWE, McMahon's campaign is "meant to discourage our right to criticize McMahon" and has a "chilling effect" on local journalists covering the political scene in Connecticut...More?
Oderint Dum Metuant: Let Them Hate As Long As They Fear
