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WWE News
WWE News: Items on Raw taping, Marijuana ban, Michaels, Jericho, Suspension clues Sep 2, 2007 - 9:42:00 PM
--A WWE source tells PWTorch this afternoon "several names" listed in media reports as being a customer of the Orlando-based online pharmacy are inaccurate, the most prominent of whom is Batista. ESPN reported his name, but Sports Illustrated - which had more details - did not. The wrestlers wrongly named are said to be fuming, but WWE won't let anyone in the company right now say anything on the record to the media as that has backfired on them the last two months too many times.
--The Cryme Tyme release had to do with a backstage disagreement of some type after the finish of the Cade & Murdoch match went wrong.
--Shawn Michaels is not expected to return right away to fill out the diminished roster depth. He was contacted, but word within WWE today was that he was not either not ready or not receptive to returning ahead of schedule.
--WWE has been in contact with Chris Jericho in recent months trying to feel him out for a return. His agent, Barry Bloom, is savvy enough to know Jericho has great leverage right now, but there's no indication of any immediate surprise return.
--Wrestlers have been told that marijuana is now a banned substance. It is not being treated as being in the same class as other banned drugs. Testing positive will not result in a suspension, but rather just a fine of a $1,000. It's more of a slap on the wrist, but it puts WWE in a position to be able to testify in front of Congress they test for all drugs that major league sports do without exception and then some. Having to exclude marijuana, or should a wrestler get in trouble driving with it, could cause a media storm. At this point, WWE is going a step further than their instincts in the past have told them to - and after the fiasco of the wrestlers buying banned drugs online - including some who said publicly they weren't using drugs - nobody can really blame management for going far in certain areas right now.
--We're still looking for a complete rundown of tonight's Raw taping.
--SPOILER: At the Raw tapings tonight, Jeff Hardy challenged Umaga for the IC Title. The title did change hands. Among wrestlers named in major media reports in recent days who were at Raw: William Regal, Umaga, Randy Orton, Charlie Haas. WWE is either not suspending any of those wrestlers, or the suspensions begin after this round of TV. Regal was laid out by Cena, Haas jobbed in a tag match, and Umaga lost his title - all consistent with those wrestlers perhaps "finishing up" before a suspension begins. Orton, as we reported previously, was named but was telling people he was safe from suspension.
[Thanks to PWTorch.com readers Omega, Kim Meadower, and Trey H.]
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