PWTorch.com

New PWTorch App for our Livecasts - Listen to our daily podcast on new free iPhone app

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 21:09:27 PST

If you are viewing this on your iPhone or iPad, we have a new PWTorch Livecast App you'll want to download. It's free!

IPHONE APP:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pwtorch-livecast/id499624814?mt=8

IPAD APP:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pwtorch-livecast/id499624814?mt=8

This gives you access too all of our daily PWTorch Livecast podcasts within 30 minutes of the show's conclusion each day. You can access past shows, also.

You can listen on-the-go wherever you and your iPhone are. You can listen while also browsing other apps or email. It's a great interface. Our moibile team at UIEvolution did a great job with this, so check it out and start listening to the PWTorch Livecast if you haven't been already.

The March 16 show featured Wade Keller and Bruce Mitchell interviewing TNA's Magnus and former WWE and WCW star Sean "X-Pac" Waltman.

2012 WRESTLING CALENDAR - ROAD TO SUMMERSLAM

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 19:20:39 PST

2012 WRESTLING CALENDAR - ROAD TO SUMMERSLAM
If you attend an event, send a report to pwtorch@gmail.com

5/15 - WWE SD TV taping Hershey, Pa.
5/15 - TNA Impact TV tapings Orlando, Fla.

5/17 - WWE NXT TV taping Full Sail Univ.
5/17 - TNA house show Hattiesburg, Miss.
5/17 - USA Network Upfronts New York City

5/18 - TNA house show Jackson, Miss.
5/18 - ROH TV taping Baltimore, Md.
5/18 - FCW show Orlando, Fla.
5/18 - IYFW show Amsterdam, N.Y.
5/18 - Linda McMahon Conn. Convention

5/19 - WWE Supershow Florence, S.C.
5/19 - ROH show Richmond, Va.
5/19 - FCW show Brooksville, Fla.
5/19 - Crossfire "Live" Nashville, Tenn.

5/20 - WWE Over the Limit PPV Raleigh, N.C.

5/21 - WWE Raw TV live Richmond, Va.

5/22 - WWE SD TV taping Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

5/23 - WWE Raw house show Sao Paulo, Brazil
5/23 - WWE SD house show Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

5/24 - WWE Raw house show Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
5/24 - WWE Raw house show Hermosillo, Mexico

5/25 - WWE SD house show Aguascalientes, Mexico

5/26 - WWE SD house show Guadalajara, Mexico

5/27 - WWE SD house show Lake Charles, La.

5/28 - WWE Raw TV live New Orleans, La.
5/28 - TNA Impact TV tapings Orlando, Fla.

5/29 - WWE SD TV taping Baton Rouge, La.
5/29 - TNA Impact TV tapings Orlando, Fla.

6/1 - WWE Raw house show Alexandria, La.

6/2 - WWE Raw house show Mobile, Ala.
6/2 - WWE SD house show Augusta, Ga.

6/3 - WWE SD house show Savannah, Ga.

6/4 - WWE Raw TV live Greenville, S.C.

6/5 - WWE SD TV taping Columbia, S.C.

6/6 - WWE Raw house show Madrid, Spain

6/7 - WWE Raw house show Seville, Spain

6/8 - WWE Raw house show Valencia, Spain

6/9 - WWE Raw house show Barcelona, Spain
6/9 - WWE SD house show Salisbury, Md.

6/10 - NWA Hollywood Huntington Park, Calif.

6/11 - WWE Raw TV live Hartford, Conn.

6/12 - WWE SD TV taping Manchester, N.H.
6/12 - TNA Impact TV taping Orlando, Fla.

6/13 - TNA Impact TV taping Orlando, Fla.

6/15 - ROH show Charleston, W. Va.

6/16 - WWE Supershow Lowell, Mass.

6/17 - WWE No Way Out PPV E. Rutherford, N.J.

6/18 - WWE Raw TV live Uniondale, N.Y.

6/19 - WWE SD TV taping TBA

6/23 - WWE Raw house show Wheeling, W. Va.

6/24 - ROH "Best in the World 2012" New York City

6/25 - WWE Raw house show Ft. Wayne, Ind.
6/25 - TNA Impact TV taping Orlando, Fla.

6/26 - TNA Impact TV taping Orlando, Fla.

6/30 - ROH show Pittsburgh, Pa.

7/8 - TNA Destination X PPV Orlando, Fla.

7/9 - TNA Impact TV taping Orlando, Fla.

7/10 - TNA Impact TV taping Orlando, Fla.

7/15 - WWE MITB PPV Phoenix, Ariz.

7/21 - WWE Raw house show Little Rock, Ark.

7/23 - WWE Raw TV live St. Louis, Mo.
7/23 - TNA Impact TV taping Orlando, Fla.

7/24 - TNA Impact TV taping Orlando, Fla.

7/25 - TNA Impact TV taping Orlando, Fla.

7/27 - WWE Raw house show Charleston, W. Va.

8/7 - WWE SD TV taping Houston, Tex.

8/19 - WWE Summerslam PPV Los Angeles, Calif.

8/30 - WWE Raw house show Brisbaine, Australia

8/31 - WWE Raw house show Sydney, Australia

9/1 - WWE Raw house show Melbourne, Australia

9/14 - WWE Raw house show Daytona Beach, Fla.

9/16 - WWE Night of Champions PPV Boston, Mass.

9/18 - WWE SD TV taping Philadelphia, Pa.

10/1 - WWE Raw TV live Oklahoma City, Okla.

10/2 - WWE SD TV taping Tulsa, Okla.

10/28 - WWE Hell in a Cell PPV Atlanta, Ga.

10/29 - WWE Raw TV live Charlotte, N.C.

11/12 - WWE Raw TV live Columbus, Ohio

11/13 - WWE SD TV taping Cleveland, Ohio

11/18 - WWE Survivor Series PPV location TBA

12/16 - WWE TLC PPV location TBA

12/29 - WWE Raw TV taping Washington, D.C.

VIP - 5/16 PWTorch Livecast & VIP Aftershow: Hurricane Helms interview w/Pat McNeill: current projects & his thoughts on current TV products, career highlights in WWE & WCW; VIP - Live Events (85 min.)

Wed, 16 May 2012 18:08:51 PST

In this episode of the PWTorch Livecast with host PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill, McNeill interviews former WWE/WCW wrestler Shane "Hurricane" Helms on a variety of subjects including the current TV product & his current projects with Apps and work with Lucha Libre USA, his career highlights in WWE and WCW, whether he has an all-time best career match, and much more. In the VIP Aftershow, McNeill is joined by PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell to discuss the latest news and break down the Live Events Center.

NOT VIP YET? INTERESTED? CHECK OUT DETAILS HERE...

VIP SIGN-UP PAGE (http://www.pwtorch.com/govip).

-60+ exclusive VIP Audio Shows (Daily Keller Hotline, Mitchell & Keller Audio, Torch Talks, Post-PPV Roundtables, much more! - preview the list here at our RSS feed for members: feed://pwtorch.com/pwtorchvipaudio.xml)

-New PWTorch Newsletter each week including PDF portrait option and E-Zine wide-screen format to fit your laptop or computer or iPad screens).

-100s of back issues dating back to 1988 including a new 20 Years Ago Back Issue PDF every Wednesday including vintage early Torch Talks, the first insider pro wrestling interview series ever.

-Ad-Free Access to PWTorch.com Main Listing.

-VIP Forum Access

-VIP Archives Access including 1000s of VIP Audio Shows and Torch Talks dating back to late 1980s.

VIP SIGN-UP PAGE (http://www.pwtorch.com/govip).

VIP - 5/16 Wade Keller Hotline - Ask the Editor: Is it worth even trying to present a realistic product anymore? Why do people complain about Cena, but think Roode needs stronger push as champ? (21 min.)

Wed, 16 May 2012 17:13:11 PST

This installment of the Wade Keller Hotline features the Ask the Editor format with these topics covered in depth: Is "kayfabe" so dead that it's not worth even trying to present a realistic product anymore? Why do people complain about Cena's push, but think Roode needs stronger push as champ?

DIRECT LINK 5/16 UPDATE (VIP password required)

VIP MEMBERS ACCESS AUDIO RIGHT NOW AT THIS LINK:
http://www.pwtorch.com/members/artman/publish/cat_index_69.shtml

OR ON OUR VIP AUDIO RSS FEED HERE:
feed://pwtorch.com/pwtorchvipaudio.xml

NOT VIP YET? INTERESTED? CHECK OUT DETAILS HERE:
VIP SIGN-UP PAGE.
DIRECT LINK: http://www.pwtorch.com/govip

-60+ exclusive VIP Audio Shows (Daily Keller Hotline, Mitchell & Keller Audio, Torch Talks, Post-PPV Roundtables, much more! - preview the list here at our RSS feed for members: feed://pwtorch.com/pwtorchvipaudio.xml)

-New 16 page PWTorch Newsletter each week in a digital PDF format wit4h a newspaper/magazine style layout - printable or viewable on your computer monitor or iPad/Tablet screen.

-Over 500 back issues - a new ones added every week - dating back to 1988 including a new 20 Years Ago Back Issue PDF every Wednesday including vintage early Torch Talks, the first insider pro wrestling interview series ever.

-Ad-Free Access to PWTorch.com Main Listing.

-VIP Forum Access

-VIP Archives Access including 1000s of VIP Audio Shows and Torch Talks dating back to late 1980s.

VIP SIGN-UP PAGE (http://www.pwtorch.com/govip).

KELLER BIO: PWTorch editor Wade Keller has been a leading wrestling reporter and analyst since launching the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter in 1987. He has covered pro wrestling full time via the newsletter, a pro wrestling radio show on KFAN in the 1990s, a successful 900 wrestling news hotline in the 1990s, the PWTorch.com website, and the PWTorch iPhone App in the 2000s.

He has interviewed dozens of pro wrestling's biggest names in their longest insider interviews, most often ranging from 2 to 7 hours in length. He has interviewed for the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter top wrestlers ("Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Bill Goldberg, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, among many others), top promoters and executives (Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, Eric Bischoff, Jerry Jarrett, Jim Cornette, Paul Heyman, Bill Watts, Jerry Lawler, several WCW vice presidents, and others), legends (Lou Thesz, Roy Shires, Nick Bockwinkel, Verne Gagne, and others), and dozens of other wrestlers in long-form historical interviews.

He hosted the "Ultimate Insiders DVD" series in the mid-2000s which was nationally distributed at major chain stores including expansive interviews with Matt & Jeff Hardy and Vince Russo & Ed Ferrara.

He has been quoted as an expert wrestling analyst by dozens of major newspapers, national cable channels, radio stations, and magazines over the last 23 years including MPR, Fox News, the Washington Post, ESPN Magazine, and many others.

PWTorch VIP members currently hear his analysis on a daily basis with the daily Wade Keller Hotline, featuring a 10-20 minute overview of the news, breaking news, and analysis of TV shows (and more-than-occasional rants).

FREE AUDIO: Wednesday PWTorch Livecast (5/16) now available - Hurricane Helms interview w/Pat McNeill

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:30:48 PST

The Wednesday, May 16 edition of the PWTorch Livecast is available now on BlogTalkRadio.com. APP USERS: tap here - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pro-wrestling-torch

SUBSCRIBE TO PWTORCH LIVECAST IN ITUNES

APP USERS: Click on the iTunes icon in the lower right corner of your iPhone/iPod Touch and search "PWTorch" and subscribe to the PWTorch Livecast.

Note: The 60-minute PWTorch Livecast airs every Monday one hour before WWE Raw and Tuesdays-Fridays at 5:30 p.m. EST on BlogTalkRadio.com.

About the Livecast: Launched in October 2009, the PWTorch Livecast is the most-listened-to pro wrestling radio show on BlogTalkRadio and ranks in the Top 10 of all radio shows on the BlogTalkRadio network, covering close to 50,000 radio shows.

Listen to internet radio with Pro Wrestling Torch on Blog Talk Radio

WWE says Jericho "may be facing final days in WWE ring"

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:29:25 PST

In a storyline context, WWE acknowledged through their website Chris Jericho's imminent WWE departure in a new article previewing Over the Limit. WWE wrote, "Jericho may be facing his final days in a WWE ring if he fails to capitalize on his fourth title opportunity in as many pay-per-view events at WWE Over the Limit this Sunday." The article reviews Jericho's re-introduction in January when he promised the "end of the world" before failing to capitalize on title opportunities.

WWE deep-discounts Mysterio merch

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:28:49 PST

The "Deal of the Day" on WWE's Shop website is a collection of Rey Mysterio merchandise on-sale for 20-40 percent off. 32 items are listed for Mysterio, who is currently serving a 60-day suspension following a second Wellness Policy violation. [ Thanks to PWTorch reader Stephen ]

What could be something or could be nothing is the timing following news of Mysterio's colleague, Konnan, speaking out about the suspension to MLW.com. Konnan "guaranteed" that Rey is not a drug-user and claimed Rey was using a weight-loss supplement prior to returning to WWE TV following knee surgery. Konnan said WWE and Rey have been going "back and forth" on the suspension. Konnan also claimed other wrestlers have been given passes, adding, "I won't get into names or details because Rey will catch heat, but this is my opinion."

[ CALDWELL'S QUICK ANALYSIS: The deep-discount does not mean Rey is leaving the company, but this item, along with the timing following Konnan's interview is worth keeping in mind. ]

Video - Ep. 2 of Booker's ROW show

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:27:43 PST

Video - WWE announcer Booker T has released the second episode of his new "Reality of Wrestling" wrestling show showcasing local wrestlers in the Houston area and students at his wrestling school. Booker appears as an announcer along with play-by-play man Adrian Jones.

Video URL: http://youtu.be/8DYkI4dhjT4

Sources - ROH to take legal action against former head booker? (updated)

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:12:54 PST

By James Caldwell & Sean Radican, PWTorch staff

PWTorch contacted DGUSA booker/VP Gabe Sapolsky about the story below earlier today and he said he had no comment.

Sources tell PWTorch that Ring of Honor has issued a cease & desist letter to former ROH head booker Gabe Sapolsky following Facebook comments Monday ripping ROH related to iPPV issues last weekend. According to sources, ROH is attempting to enforce an agreement signed in October 2008 when Sapolsky parted ways from ROH that he not disparage the company. The contention of the sources in DGUSA are that the agreement was signed prior to ROH being re-organized under Sinclair Broadcasting. PWTorch has attempted to confirm the story with ROH. However, emails and phone calls have not been returned.

PWTORCH LIVECAST POLL 4/16: What is WWE's excuse for the Raw rating dropping below a 3.0?

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:30:25 PST

App/Mobile Users: tap here to vote in today's PWTorch Livecast poll prior to today's show hosted by PWTorch columnist Pat McNeill with interview guest Hurricane Helms at 5:30 p.m. EST on BlogTalkRadio.com ...

http://bit.ly/JsSqXu

Details on WWE's Finishing Moves DVD

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:34:06 PST

Amazon.com has added an official listing for WWE's "The 50 Greatest Finishing Moves in WWE History" DVD, which is scheduled for release on August 21 following Summerslam. Amazon released a DVD synopsis reading:

"The 50 Greatest Finishing Moves in WWE History presents the most amazing, devastating, and bone crunching signature moves in this countdown-style production guaranteed to stir up controversy and banter among the WWE Universe. From Sweet Chin Music to the Rock Bottom, Attitude Adjustment and everything in between, these are the moves guaranteed to bring the masses to their feet and to leave the unfortunate recipient lying on the mat for the inevitable three count. Which moves made the cut, and what is the greatest finishing move in the history of WWE. This 3-Disc DVD is great for the opinionated WWE history buffs who love to debate which Superstar's moves are the greatest."

WWE News: New insight on HBK retiring rather than shifting to part-time schedule, Michaels talks End of an Era match, future WWE involvement

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:50:01 PST

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

In an interview with the Miami Herald promoting his new EyeBlack endorsement deal line, WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels opened up about why he chose to retire from in-ring competition rather than shift to a part-time in-ring schedule.

“WWE would have allowed me to work any kind of way that I wanted. I could have very easily have said, ‘Hey, I’d like to slow down over the next couple of years, do a few things here and there,’ and I think everybody would have been fine with that, but for me, I think that would have probably been harder on me," Michaels said. "Personally, I think the job would be harder for me to do, personally, on a semi, here and there, in and out type basis."

Without a doubt, Michaels says he physically could have continued to wrestle. However, he did not want to deal with the phone ringing on a constant basis asking him to work a program to fill in. He says he felt it was easier on him and WWE to "walk away completely" when he wanted to focus on raising his children with his wife.

“You have to be careful because if you leave it as an open option, you’re going to be getting calls on a regular basis. Every time somebody gets injured or every time somebody comes up with an idea, the phone is going to be ringing, and you’re going to have to deal with ‘should I or shouldn’t I?’ I didn’t want to run into that. I didn’t want to put myself through that, and I didn’t want to put the company through that," Michaels said.

Michaels added he's "certainly not going to wrestle" again, but he's "more than happy to be there and help out any way I can.” One way was special referee for The Undertaker vs. Triple H at WrestleMania. In the interview, Michaels reflected on it being the final time the three of them would be in the ring together.

Michaels also hinted at future WWE involvement related to his EyeBlack deal. "“I’m very excited about this new relationship,” Michaels said. “Beyond being a cool product in itself, it’s functional, and I’m looking forward to using EyeBlack product in my hunting adventures and in some WWE related activities.”

Link: Michaels's full interview worth reading is at MiamiHerald.com .

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

WWE RAW LIVE TWEETS 5/14: Epic stream of PWTorch commentary during Monday's Raw Starring John Laurinaitis

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:25:14 PST

***

App/Mobile Users: tap here to view the epic Twitter stream (recommended viewing in separate web browser)...

http://bit.ly/JePejC

Rock makes big Forbes List - how much did he make over last 12 months?

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:06:35 PST

Forbes Magazine published a significant article on "The Rock" Dwayne Johnson as part of Rock making the Celebrity 100 List for the first time. Included is Forbes's estimation that Rock made $36 million over the last 12 months. Forbes noted movie producers are lining up to work with Rock, not just because he's earned a reputation for "saving franchises," but his willingness to go on the road to promote movies. Rock noted that comes from his wrestling background.

"That’s the wonderful part about being in this business. I love knowing the audience and listening to the audience. Oh, and kicking a little ass, too," Rock said. Rock also noted he and his manager, ex-wife Dany Garcia, changed their approach to Rock's wrestling background. "It reached a point where I felt that instead of me trying to conform to Hollywood, I needed to have Hollywood conform to me and embrace my past,” says Johnson.

[ LINK: Rock profile & WM28 mention at Forbes.com ]

Ross at first Full Sail taping; role TBD

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:59:51 PST

WWE announcer Jim Ross says he will be part of the first WWE TV taping at Full Sail University in Florida Thursday, but his role has not yet been determined. "The future of the WWE lies within the Talent Development program and I am blessed to be able to help in that area in any way that the company sees fit," Ross wrote in his latest blog on jrsbarbq.com before traveling to Florida. "My role has yet to be outlined but I think I can assist in many areas and I'm excited to devote my time and energies to helping develop the young stars of tomorrow."

[ LINK: Ross's latest blog is at jrsbarbq.com ]

Former Diva on cover of Men's Fitness

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:09:53 PST

Former WWE Diva Stacy Keibler will be on the cover of the next Men's Fitness Magazine, according to the New York Post. The men's fitness magazine is going through a re-structuring to address slumping sales, prompting changes to the magazine's layout and content, including a rarity featuring a female on the cover.

[ LINK: Report at NYPost.com ]

5/14 WWE RAW BOX SCORE: Snapshot of Monday's show - match times, Win/Loss Records, Titles, Streaks (Clay at 20)

Wed, 16 May 2012 12:00:05 PST

WWE Raw on USA Network
Date - Monday, May 14, 2011
2012 Week - 20
Episode - 989
Site - live in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Announcers - Michael Cole & Jerry Lawler
Aired - 9:00 p.m. to 11:14 p.m. EST

Match Times

Total bell-to-bell wrestling - 32:03 (half during commercials) (LW - 30:39)
Avg. Match Length - 6:24 (LW - 5:06)
Longest Match - 10:54 (Punk & Santino vs. Bryan & Rhodes)
Shortest Match - 1:20 (Phoenix vs. A. Fox)

Title Implications

-- Final hype for WWE champion C.M. Punk vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Title at Over the Limit.

Raw brand TV & PPV Win/Loss Records 2012

Brodus Clay - Win [20-0-0]
Chris Jericho - Win [11-5-1]
Santino - Win [17-15-0]
R-Truth - Win [14-12-0]
C.M. Punk - Win [10-9-2]
Kane - Win [5-5-3]
Kofi Kingston - Win [12-16-0]
Jack Swagger - Loss [8-17-0]
Dolph Ziggler - Loss [8-18-1]
The Miz - Loss [4-18-0]

Smackdown brand TV & PPV Win/Loss Records 2012

Big Show - Loss [20-13-1]
Daniel Bryan - Loss [17-11-4]
Randy Orton - Loss [12-7-2]
Cody Rhodes - Loss [6-19-0]

Divas TV & PPV Win/Loss Records 2012

Beth Phoenix - Win [10-5-0]
Alicia Fox - Loss [7-7-0]

Notable TV & PPV Match Streaks 2012

Clay - 20 match winning streak
Swagger - 8 match losing streak
Jericho - 4 match winning streak
R-Truth - 4 match winning streak

Match Results

(1) WWE champion C.M. Punk & U.S. champion Santino beat Daniel Bryan & IC champion Cody Rhodes. ... (2) Beth Phoenix beat Alicia Fox. ... (3) Kane beat Big Show. ... (4) Brodus Clay & WWE tag champions R-Truth & Kofi Kingston beat The Miz & Jack Swagger & Dolph Ziggler (w/Vickie Guerrero) in a six-man tag match. ... (5) Chris Jericho beat Randy Orton via DQ.

TV Reports

-- CALDWELL'S RAW TV REPORT

[Torch art credit Travis Beaven (c) PWTorch.com]

Video - this week's "WWE Inbox" ep.

By PWTorch Staff — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:00:00 PST

This week's "WWE Inbox" YouTube episode features WWE stars answering questions on their favorite school memory and the best dancer in WWE.

Fave school memory - Dolph Ziggler says class photos, Hornswoggle says crushing a soda can on his forehead, Lilian Garcia says singing in the choir, R-Truth says high school football, and Kofi Kingston says the wrestling team. Best Dancer in WWE - A. Fox picks Brodus Clay, Johnny Curtis picks Mae Young, Hornswoggle picks R-Truth, Kaitlyn picks Mark Henry, and Ziggler picks Clay's dancers, Naomi and Cameron.

Video URL: http://youtu.be/8unRUBP8sUc

WWE launches web campaign for Raw #1,000 (actual #999)

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:52:26 PST

WWE has launched a website campaign to promote the forthcoming 1,000th episode of WWE Raw. Based on WWE promoting the 900th episode on August 23, 2010, the actual 1,000th episode will be July 30, but WWE is promoting July 23 as the date to acknowledge the milestone. WWE unveiled a logo for the 1,000th episode and said they will be featuring interviews with stars over the next two months leading to the end of July.

[ CALDWELL'S QUICK THOUGHT: Remember, this is the same company that promoted WrestleMania 25 as the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. WWE should just cut the difference and celebrate Raw #1,000 on July 27 due to the abundance of wrestling-related birthdays. ]

ABSURDITY - Raw: WWE Tells Viewers They're Losers If They Order The PPV...no wait, Cena's a Loser...no wait, Big Show's a Loser, Plus Fans Restless With Clay Until They Can Get Funky

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:05:13 PST

By Shane McKinley, PWTorch Absurdity specialist

Oh dear.

If you caught Raw Monday night...I feel like Cena threw that puck he was carrying at my head. Triple H sure didn't feel any pain from Brock Lesnar breaking his arm. After all, he gets to wear that cool armbrace.

I understand the notion that Big Brock is a jerk and you're not just gonna fall in love with a guy, but it feels counterproductive to have Triple H act like Thor and say that no mere mortal can hurt Thy Game, Brock Lesnarth. Great, you're not really hurt. Again. What a bore.

Meanwhile, Paul Heyman is looking to get some money from Triple H. Wouldn't it be great if Paul Heyman was actually never Brock Lesnar's agent and it's later found out that he was just making it up?

So, Johnny Laurinaitis fires Blubberin' Big Show. This after putting himself in a PPV match with the #1 guy in WWE (after going after his arm). Ratings sinking. The whole mishandling of Brock Lensar. And, the excitement of toilet scum. People have been fired from the kayfabe "Board of Directors" for much less, but Johnny is still riding high.

Although, there's a big problem if half of Raw is seemingly devoted to pumping Big Johnny as a bad guy. Really, really boring stuff. This whole thing rides on whether the fans really accept Big Johnny as a believable heel. The answer has been a resounding no since Johnny's push.

And, really, take a step back...they're pushing Johnny Laurinaitis? Good grief. There has to be another McMahon child out there in the world who could come in.

WWE did nail one aspect at Over the Limit in that it's not John vs. Laurinaitis and Lord Tensai, because nobody was going to dine on that dead turkey. Johnny's boastful mano vs. mano announcement makes me think he's got something up his sleeve, which, ultimately, is what intrigues people in this farce. Will it be Brock Lesnar running in? Will it be Cena's ex-wife? It sure won't be a 500-pound giant you just humiliated and canned in front of billions and billions...right? Derp dee derp.

- Will A.J. mess things up for C.M. Punk and Daniel Bryan? Heck, a love interest between these two indy smucks would get people interested. This PPV match for Punk-Bryan feels like a teaser for bigger and better things, which make make some fans just wait until these guys actually have a storyline. Punk and A.J. would make a cute couple...until she stabs him in the back! Only psycho girls in WWE get over!

- Brodus Clay reminds me of the Clippers's Blake Griffin, except Blake doesn't dunk over a Kia every night. They've extended Brodus's time in the ring, and the result is that fans get restless until they can get funky. I'm on the Brodus Backlash now. I hate seeing guys in extended holdover patterns.

- The real stars of the PPV hype for me have been the Smackdown guys in the Fatal Four-Way match. I genuinely want to see Sheamus and Orton tie it up, and, hey, Jericho and Alberto Del Rio get to tag along.

- The show ended with everyone calling each other a loser. Did we really get anywhere this week? Any big developments? Not really. You can feel the casual fans slip away in droves with every one of these Raws. "You're an loser! This audience is full of losers! What sort of loser buys a PPV starring two toolboxes fighting each other?" You don't have to rub it in, fellas.

That's it for me. Follow Austin Aries on twitter, homies, and you'll be instantly 20 percent cooler.

Email is mckinley.torch@gmail.com

WWE Raw Reax #2: More positives or negatives to Hunter-Heyman segment?, Big Show Over the Limit Theory, frustration with current product

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:55:30 PST

-- WWE Raw Reax 5/14

Adam Riemer of Brooklyn, N.Y.: Best: No Lord Tensai. Worst: John Cena. I can't explain how much WWE is dropping the ball on everything they are doing right now. Triple H had some good points in his promo about legitimacy (notice how he didn't say Mick Foley, The Rock, or Steve Austin, considering they were bigger stars than him during his heyday), but it was still good...then, Triple H ran Brock Lesnar into the ground and buried him as only Hunter can do. I don't understand how anyone in the back can think that pointing out how Brock is a quitter will make people believe in him at all. Oh, and Brock quit UFC because he had a legitimate medical issue - Lesnar would still rather be fighting for that company than WWE. Then, the whole John Cena thing happened. Cena was absolutely atrocious in the final segment. When Vince McMahon did anything to Stone Cold, you didn't see Austin out the next week telling jokes and laughing, no he was whooping ass. When Big Johnny does something to Cena, he comes out smiling and telling jokes. If this were 1999, I'd say Cena would lose this match and Big Johnny would continue on his power trip for about nine more months. But, this is the new WWE where they hotshot feuds and change authority figures every two months, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Cena win here. They also have the stip of "any Superstar that interferes will be fired" - my guess is that Johnny still wins thanks to help from the recently-fired Big Show, who is now forced into doing Big John's business to get his job back, leading to a storyline of the reluctant giant doing the GM's dirty work. Why do I assume that? Because WWE is so predictable these days, and WWE has to recognize that Lord Tensai just will never get over.

Lozano of Philadelphia, Pa. (1.0): Best: Punk/Santino vs. Bryan/Rhodes. Worst: The whole show. I thought this week's Raw was pretty boring to say the least. I watched the first match, then after that I found myself turning the TV off and on. But, I decided to watch the ending promo with John Cena. I swear I gave the ending a chance, but with Cena doing his corny act I quickly turned off the TV again. The only good part of Raw was the Big Show "firing," but even that segment made me embarrassed to be a WWE fan.

Steve in Pompano Beach, Fla. (5.0): Best: Jericho vs. Orton tied with Heyman-Triple H segment. Worst: Big Show vs. Kane. This week's Raw was yet another edition full of few ups and too many downs. I'm glad they had Paul Heyman come in when he did, because not only did he help add to what now appears to be an eventual Brock Lesnar-Hunter showdown, but he broke up Hunter's typical "Lookit me I own u and evry1 else sux lol" style of promo... I think Daniel Bryan's character took a bit of a hit by bailing on the tag match. He's been stellar as a tactician-type heel, but having him run from Punk...maybe it's to counteract the positive reactions / "Yes!" chants? Whatever the reason, cowardice doesn't seem like a good fit for him. Also, for the love of Max Moon, Santino needs to drop the U.S. Title already; it suffers from his shenanigans... The Divas match left Beth looking strong. That is, of course, until all her heat was killed via Layla... As for Big Show and Kane, that had to have been one of their worst matches ever. Neither man looked very coordinated, and seeing Show take that "shoveslam" was painful to watch. Not as painful as his acting when Big Johnny fired him, mind you, but pretty close. I'm sure the announcers were told to pass off the gallons of sweat pouring from Show's face as tears... Jericho vs. Orton was the default best of the night, but you knew what was the ending was as soon as Sheamus stood up and dropped his headset. Lastly, I continue to not care about Cena-Laurinaitis at Over The Limit, and Cena's antics were not only unfunny, they were the definition of "pandering." Jim Carrey called, Mr. Cena, he wants his Ace Ventura schtick back. All in all, not the best way to try to sell the PPV this Sunday.

***

We welcome your 0-10 score and comments on this show for a "WWE Raw Reax" feature in the Torch Feedback section of PWTorch.com. Just to add a twist to this feature, include not just your hometown, but also your occupation (mechanic, lawyer, stay-at-home-dad, college student, etc.) so readers get a flavor for what everyone does as "day jobs." To contribute your thoughts on Raw, click here or email us at pwtorch@gmail.com.

[Torch art credit Travis Beaven (c) PWTorch.com]

Slumping MLB star compared to Cena

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:50:11 PST

As the Minnesota Twins languish in last place in Major League Baseball, Twins star Joe Mauer is drawing comparisons to WWE top star John Cena. A blogger for the Twin Cities Fox affiliate noted Mauer is starting to hear boos and fans are calling for a show of emotion (similar to WWE fans asking for Cena's character to react to events like a real person would). The blogger noted: "The only difference between Mauer and Cena at this point is there is no 'Let's go Mauer' chants from one half of the stadium, and 'Mauer sucks' from the other half."

Talking to reporters about the Twins's poor performance this season, Mauer suggested the team needs to get away from home for a while. "It's a tough game," said Mauer. "You try to stay on an even keel as best you can. Hopefully we get on the road and get on a roll."

[ LINK: Blog at MyFoxTwinCities.com ]

Details on Christian at FCW Friday

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 10:34:48 PST

WWE's Developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling, issued a press release Wednesday detailing Christian's FCW appearance Friday in Orlando. Christian, who has not returned to WWE TV, is not advertised for in-ring action at the FCW show, but is advertised for a "once-in-a-lifetime meet and greet autograph/photo session." Advertised for in-ring action are Smackdown call-ups Antonio Cesaro and Damien Sandow as part of an eight-match card with FCW titles on the line.

[ LINK: More details on Friday's show at the Orlando Armory can be found at FCWWrestling.com ]

WWE News: Smackdown SPOILERS 5/18 - Complete results for Friday's Smackdown

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:02:29 PST

WWE Smackdown TV taping report
May 15, 2012
Hershey, Pa.
Report by James Thompson & Jesse Myers, PWTorch readers

Smackdown SPOILERS 5/18

Booker T came out to a nice pop. Michael Cole came out to a chorus of boos.

John Laurinaitis started the show cutting a promo about the Board of Directors's decision for his match with John Cena at Over the Limit announced on Raw. WWE champion C.M. Punk interrupted and teased him that he is getting fired after John Cena is done with him at Over the Limit. Punk left after Johnny booked Punk vs. Kane, then Johnny told the crowd that it was our fault. He told us to go to hell and left.

(1) WWE tag champions R-Truth & Kofi Kingston beat Darren Young & Titus O'Neil in a non-title match. Truth pinned Young. Short match - four or five minutes.

Damien Sandow interrupted Zack Ryder on his way to the ring to face Yoshi Tatsu. Sandow cut a promo deeming Yoshi unfit, like last week, and walked out. Yoshi called Sandow chicken and started clucking. Sandow attacked him from behind and the match never happened. The best part was Sandow's pink tights and purple knee pads.

(2) Daniel Bryan beat Zack Ryder via submission. Bryan basically squashed Ryder and won with the Yes! Lock. James noted - The guy besides me caught Ryder's t-shirt and I ended up catching Bryan's shirt, so we traded - a good night. I am the guy in the front row middle wearing a pink Ziggler t-shirt.

(3) Kane beat WWE champion C.M. Punk via DQ in a non-title match. D-Bryan was on commentary. Good match ended with Bryan hitting Kane with a chair, then Kane came to and attacked Punk with the chair. Kane then landed two chokeslams after Bryan distracted Punk.

(4) U.S. champion Santino beat IC champion Cody Rhodes in a Champion vs. Champion match. The trash talk on Twitter led to Santino winning with the Cobra in two minutes. Disappointing.

(5) World Hvt. champion Sheamus beat Randy Orton in a non-title match. Great, back-and-forth main event. Orton hit a superplex off the top rope. After each man blocked the other's finshers, Sheamus won with a roll-up. Afterward, Orton and Sheamus shook hands, then Orton gave Sheamus an RKO and looked at the belt as the show ended.

Note: No Alberto Del Rio or Chris Jericho hyping the four-way title match at Over the Limit.

***

Bonus Dark Match: World Hvt. champion Sheamus beat Daniel Bryan in a non-title match. Sheamus was reeling from the RKO, so Bryan applied the Yes! Lock, but Sheamus got the ropes. Sheamus did a couple of moves and hit the Brogue Kick for the win to send the crowd home happy.

THQ details "WWE '12" performance

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 09:24:31 PST

WWE's video game partner, THQ, released their latest quarterly earnings this week, including a note on the "WWE '12" video game's performance. "WWE '12 has shipped more than 2.2 million units since its launch in November 2011. The successful rebranding of this annual franchise has led to higher sell-through to date, which is up approximately 20 percent on like-for-like platforms in North America versus the year-ago title," said THQ. THQ also noted the next installment of the annual WWE game is scheduled for the end of the year.

[ LINK: Financial report at Marketwatch.com ]

WWE's return date to China revealed

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:47:55 PST

After announcing a return to China earlier this month, WWE has made it official with a tour date in Shanghai on August 11. This will be part of a Smackdown tour of Asia, which already includes Aug. 9 and 10 in Tokyo, Japan. WWE announced during their most-recent conference call with investors that they were planning to return to China after debuting in 2010. A report by the Global Times also suggests WWE is "mulling over the idea" of a regular tour schedule in China.

[ LINK: Report at GlobalTimes.cn . Thanks to Devin Cutting for the news tip. ]

WM28 attendee refutes Linda McMahon bribery accusation

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:17:29 PST

A Republican Town Committee Chairman in Connecticut has denied endorsing former WWE CEO Linda McMahon in exchange for WrestleMania 28 tickets last month. The campaign for McMahon's chief Republican opponent, Chris Shays, accused McMahon's campaign of bribery based on the chairman, John Slater, endorsing McMahon one month after traveling to Miami for WM28.

Slater says he traveled to Miami on his own dime, bought his own ticket - he showed a local newspaper a copy of his bank account with a $355 ticket charge - and McMahon was not aware he was in attendance.

[ LINK: Report at GreenwichTime.com ]

TNA offering Sunday's PPV online

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:12:45 PST

TNA is offering Sunday's Sacrifice PPV online for a "limited time" as part of a new partnership with YouTube making their video library available to consumers. The PPV replay is being offered at the standard $34.99 price tag and is available for a seven-day rental. TNA released a video preview that includes the first two minutes of the PPV - the FBI copyright warning, Bobby Roode and Earl Hebner locker room skit, and opening video package.

Video URL: http://youtu.be/i1COxDCUFpY

New addition to the DiBiase Family

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:05:27 PST

WWE wrestler Ted DiBiase, jr. and his wife welcomed a new boy into the world Tuesday. DiBiase, who is currently off TV recovering from injuries, tweeted Tuesday, "Tate McKinley DiBiase was born a healthy boy today at 4:17 p.m., weighing 6.9 lbs! Thank you Lord. May Tate bless your name! Psalm 127:3." DiBiase's father, "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, was also in attendance for the birth.

"Celebration" for Rob Terry tonight

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:04:39 PST

Ohio Valley Wrestling is advertising for Wednesday's TV taping in Louisville a "celebration" of Rob Terry as the new OVW Hvt. champion. Former TNA Knockout Sojo Bolt, now Josette Bynum, will be leading the celebration for her faction that includes OVW Southern tag champions Jessie Godderz & Rudy Switchblade.

OVW's announcement on Facebook reads, "Josette Bynum has announced a celebration tomorrow night at Davis Arena to celebrate the NEW CHAMPION ROB TERRY and the Family's complete dominance of OVW! Join the party. 7:00 p.m."

[ LINKS: More details at OVWWrestling.com & Facebook.com/OVWrestling ]

TNA News: Steiner & Hogan say Twitter feud now involving attorneys, Brooke Hogan signs with TNA?

Wed, 16 May 2012 00:01:28 PST

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

The ongoing drama between Hulk Hogan and Scott Steiner is now involving attorneys and Hogan's daughter, Brooke.

Steiner tweeted Tuesday night that he recently received a letter from Hogan's attorneys telling him they are aware of his series of disparaging tweets aimed at Hogan and Eric Bischoff. Hogan replied that the attorneys were from TNA.

Steiner tweeted: "Havent tweeted lately bcuz I got a letter from a lawyer representing hogan n bitchoff basically saying they take my tweets seriously and if threats continue they will take to law enforcement....really hogan my tweets scare you, I've said worse in interviews on tv,LOL,I want to thank you bcuz your actions speak louder than any words that i could have spoken,sorry for scaring you maybe I will challenge you to a game of checkers."

Without naming Steiner by name, Hogan replied on Twitter: "Tried to be cool,not only a clown but also a liar.those weren't my lawyers they were TNA lawyers. Well I guess it's time to call my guys in, I really hope he saved his money or is making tons from the independents he's working because it's gonna get expensive, maby he's smart enough to at least figure it out when it starts getting real,what a shame,what a waste of a great talent, but u can't tell an idiot their an idiot. It's really sad when you really thought someone was really cool. HH"

Steiner also claimed that TNA has signed Brooke Hogan, who was at Tuesday's Impact TV tapings and has appeared several times during TNA broadcasts over the past few years. Steiner claimed the locker room is upset by Brooke signing. Brooke then posted a series of tweets Tuesday night that appeared to be directed toward Steiner.

Brooke tweeted: "A certain wrestler with a stupid mesh hat needs to #stfu. #1 stop overcompensating for your 'little' problem... #2 act like a damn gentleman #3 I'd 'make more money on my back' than you ever would in your whole career. Shut up. You look like a toddler. Ps: lol if he's such a big scary man don't block someone who's never tweeted you. Mind you I've only been kind to this completely incoherent shell of a man. You really need to call ppl out to get noticed?? ... Well you did and now everyone can see how desperate you truly are. Stop talking crap about my family. #turdclub"

[Torch art credit Travis Beaven (c) PWTorch.com]

TUESDAY, MAY 15

Tue, 15 May 2012 23:59:57 PST

VIP - 5/15 Wade Keller Hotline - The News: Raw ratings dip below 3.0, Raw media score down, big NXT change, King Mo moves ratings, Ventura, HBK, Jericho, Tensai, more (20 min.)

Tue, 15 May 2012 23:11:06 PST

This installment of the Wade Keller Hotline features a look at the latest news with analysis of those headlines and items including Raw ratings, what happened off-air at Raw, big changes for NXT, new WWE DVDs and merchandise, Jesse Ventura's latest, King Mo moves ratings for Spike TV already, and more.

DIRECT LINK 5/15 UPDATE (VIP password required)

VIP MEMBERS ACCESS AUDIO RIGHT NOW AT THIS LINK:
http://www.pwtorch.com/members/artman/publish/cat_index_69.shtml

OR ON OUR VIP AUDIO RSS FEED HERE:
feed://pwtorch.com/pwtorchvipaudio.xml

NOT VIP YET? INTERESTED? CHECK OUT DETAILS HERE:
VIP SIGN-UP PAGE.
DIRECT LINK: http://www.pwtorch.com/govip

-60+ exclusive VIP Audio Shows (Daily Keller Hotline, Mitchell & Keller Audio, Torch Talks, Post-PPV Roundtables, much more! - preview the list here at our RSS feed for members: feed://pwtorch.com/pwtorchvipaudio.xml)

-New 16 page PWTorch Newsletter each week in a digital PDF format wit4h a newspaper/magazine style layout - printable or viewable on your computer monitor or iPad/Tablet screen.

-Over 500 back issues - a new ones added every week - dating back to 1988 including a new 20 Years Ago Back Issue PDF every Wednesday including vintage early Torch Talks, the first insider pro wrestling interview series ever.

-Ad-Free Access to PWTorch.com Main Listing.

-VIP Forum Access

-VIP Archives Access including 1000s of VIP Audio Shows and Torch Talks dating back to late 1980s.

VIP SIGN-UP PAGE (http://www.pwtorch.com/govip).

KELLER BIO: PWTorch editor Wade Keller has been a leading wrestling reporter and analyst since launching the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter in 1987. He has covered pro wrestling full time via the newsletter, a pro wrestling radio show on KFAN in the 1990s, a successful 900 wrestling news hotline in the 1990s, the PWTorch.com website, and the PWTorch iPhone App in the 2000s.

He has interviewed dozens of pro wrestling's biggest names in their longest insider interviews, most often ranging from 2 to 7 hours in length. He has interviewed for the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter top wrestlers ("Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Bill Goldberg, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, among many others), top promoters and executives (Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, Eric Bischoff, Jerry Jarrett, Jim Cornette, Paul Heyman, Bill Watts, Jerry Lawler, several WCW vice presidents, and others), legends (Lou Thesz, Roy Shires, Nick Bockwinkel, Verne Gagne, and others), and dozens of other wrestlers in long-form historical interviews.

He hosted the "Ultimate Insiders DVD" series in the mid-2000s which was nationally distributed at major chain stores including expansive interviews with Matt & Jeff Hardy and Vince Russo & Ed Ferrara.

He has been quoted as an expert wrestling analyst by dozens of major newspapers, national cable channels, radio stations, and magazines over the last 23 years including MPR, Fox News, the Washington Post, ESPN Magazine, and many others.

PWTorch VIP members currently hear his analysis on a daily basis with the daily Wade Keller Hotline, featuring a 10-20 minute overview of the news, breaking news, and analysis of TV shows (and more-than-occasional rants).

VIP - 5/15 PWTorch Livecast & VIP Aftershow with Wade Keller & Jason Powell: Was that the worst final hype for WWE PPV in years? What are possible finishes to Cena-Laurinaitis? TNA and ROH PPV (121 min.)

Tue, 15 May 2012 22:14:47 PST

In this episode of the PWTorch Livecast with host Wade Keller and ProWrestling.net's Jason Powell, they take live phone calls and answer emails focused primarily on Raw last night including the final hype for Over the Limit. In the VIP Aftershow they discuss the physical changes in A.J. Styles, the 40 year old stars peaking in TNA lately, and more on Raw.

NOT VIP YET? INTERESTED? CHECK OUT DETAILS HERE...

VIP SIGN-UP PAGE (http://www.pwtorch.com/govip).

-60+ exclusive VIP Audio Shows (Daily Keller Hotline, Mitchell & Keller Audio, Torch Talks, Post-PPV Roundtables, much more! - preview the list here at our RSS feed for members: feed://pwtorch.com/pwtorchvipaudio.xml)

-New PWTorch Digital Newsletter each week, great for viewing on your iPad or other tablet.

-100s of back issues dating back to 1988 including a new 20 Years Ago Back Issue PDF every Wednesday including vintage early Torch Talks, the first insider pro wrestling interview series ever.

-Ad-Free Access to PWTorch.com Main Listing.

-VIP Forum Access

-VIP Archives Access including 1000s of VIP Audio Shows and Torch Talks dating back to late 1980s.86

VIP SIGN-UP PAGE (http://www.pwtorch.com/govip).

TNA News: Impact Wrestling SPOILERS 5/24 - news & notes from Open Fight Night taping leading into timeslot change

Tue, 15 May 2012 21:22:18 PST

TNA Impact SPOILERS 5/24

Full spoiler report from Tuesday's TV taping at Prowrestling.net

-- On Open Fight Night for next Thursday's episode, TNA World Hvt. champion Bobby Roode retained the TNA World Title over A.J. Styles. Hulk Hogan selected Styles over Kurt Angle to face Roode.

-- The "big surprise" revealed for the May 31 episode when Impact moves up an hour to 8:00 p.m. EST on Spike TV is the return of Sting. Sting returned at Tuesday's taping and will face Roode on the May 31 Impact.

-- SoCal wrestler Joey Ryan faced X Division champion Austin Aries in this month's Gut Check Challenge. Aries beat Ryan, who has wrestled for TNA's off-shoot "Ring Ka King" promotion in India.

-- Devon's weekly TV Title defense was against Garett Bischoff. The match went to a No Contest due to outside interference.

Rhodes-Santino trash-talk leading to...

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:49:59 PST

Back-and-forth trash-talking between IC champion Cody Rhodes and U.S. champion Santino on Twitter today will lead to a Champion vs. Champion singles match on Friday's Smackdown episode.

Impact correction - no title change

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:59:14 PST

Impact SPOILER Correction...

=========

Knockouts champion Gail Kim & Madison Rayne did not capture the Knockouts Tag Titles at Tuesday's Impact Wrestling TV taping for next Thursday's episode. The duo beat Eric Young & ODB in a non-title match.

[ READ MORE: Prowrestling.net Spoiler report

WWE News: NXT & Superstars SPOILERS - results for this week's webshows, Dark Match result at Smackdown taping

Tue, 15 May 2012 19:40:09 PST

WWE Smackdown TV taping report
May 15, 2012
Hershey, Pa.
Report by James Thompson & Jesse Myers, PWTorch readers

Dark Match: Dean Ambrose beat Jeff Logan, a local wrestler billed from Hershey. Ambrose came out and cut a promo asking the crowd if they knew who he is. After a loud "No!" he took on the local wrestler. Ambrose won with a DDT after four minutes.

The entire half of the non-camera side was tarped off to begin the NXT taping. A lot of Yes! chants by adults and No! chants by the children. Some Ric Flair woos were getting around as well.

NXT SPOILERS 5/16

William Regal and Josh Mathews came out for commentary.

(1) Johnny Curtis beat Percy Watson. Watson dominated, but Curtis won with an inverted suplex. Decent match and reaction for Watson.

(2) Great Khali & Ezekiel Jackson beat Curt Hawkins & Tyler Reks in eight minutes. Khali did a weird version of the Punjabi Plunge for the win. It looked awkward for Reks. (Editor's Note: This was Zeke's first victory on WWE TV in 2012.)

(3) Kaitlyn beat Maxine via submission. Good five-minute match. The Divas definitely look better in-person.

(4) Tyson Kidd beat Derrick Bateman and Michael McGillicutty in a three-way match. Kidd beat Bateman via submission for the win. Best NXT match ever. Kidd had some nice high-flying moves and even a backflip off the top onto Bateman and McGillicutty on the outside that wasn't quite flush. Kidd submitted Bateman after switching from the Sharpshooter to his new finisher.

Superstars SPOILERS 5/17

(1) The Usos beat Jack Swagger & Dolph Ziggler (w/Vickie Guerrero). Vickie Guerrero came out to strong heat. Ziggler was the star of the match, but Jimmy Uso won with a roll-up on Swagger. Swagger and Dolph argued after the match.

Smackdown Dark Match result

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Tue, 15 May 2012 18:20:43 PST

WWE Developmental wrestler Dean Ambrose continued his Dark Match Tour defeating a local wrestler in four minutes prior to the start of Tuesday's Smackdown TV taping in Hershey, Pa.

[ Thanks to PWTorch correspondent James Thompson ]

WWE News: Raw TV ratings are in for Over the Limit lead-in - Raw sinks below 3.0, concerning demo rating pops up again

Tue, 15 May 2012 18:04:06 PST

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

WWE Raw on Monday, May 14 scored a 2.94 rating. The show was down three percent from a 3.03 rating last week and down 12 percent from a 3.33 rating two weeks ago for the Extreme Rules fall-out.

Raw was below a 3.0 rating for the first time since February 13 and scored the second-lowest rating of the year, only topping the January 9 Raw against the BCS National Title game.

-- Raw averaged 4.21 million viewers, down three percent from last week and the fewest overall viewers since Feb. 13.

Raw averaged 4.09 million first hour viewers and increased to an average of 4.32 million second hour viewers. First hour viewership was also the lowest since Feb. 13.

-- Raw faced tough competition from the NBA Playoffs, including the Thunder vs. Lakers game, which averaged 6.69 million viewers. On cable TV Monday night, Raw ranked #2 in viewers and demos, trailing the NBA.

In the week-to-week ratings demos, Raw was down across the board. Among adults 18-34, males 18-34, and males 18-49, Raw was down one-tenth of a rating to the low-end range for the year.

The drop-off among younger viewers was more pronounced. Raw was down two-tenths of a rating in males 12-34 and down more than five-tenths of a rating in males 12-17. Raw scored its lowest m12-17 rating of the year and was down nearly one full rating point compared to two weeks ago.

-- Last year's Raw this week scored a 3.08 rating and averaged 4.69 million viewers. This year's Raw was down five percent in the overall rating and down 10 percent in overall viewership.

An even bigger difference was the m12-17 rating. This year's Raw was down 36 percent in the younger male demo compared to last year.

Raw viewership for last six hours of TV

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:53:42 PST

The following is a break down of the last six hours of Raw TV following the Extreme Rules PPV. The break down shows stair-step declines from the first hour of TV after the PPV until Raw rebounded in the second hour of Monday's Raw.

4/30 1H - 4.99 million viewers
4/30 2H - 4.77 million viewers
5/7 1H - 4.43 million viewers
5/7 2H - 4.19 million viewers
5/14 1H - 4.09 million viewers
5/14 2H - 4.32 million viewers

WWE still taping NXT tonight

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:35:34 PST

Wednesday's WWE NXT episode will be taped at tonight's Smackdown TV taping in Hershey, Pa. The first stand-alone NXT taping is Thursday at Full Sail University in Florida. WWE is expected to stress changes to the NXT series at tonight's taping.

5/14 WWE Raw Hits & Misses: Triple H - Heyman, The John Laurinaitis Show, Cena Channels Jim Carrey

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:36:14 PST

By Jon Mezzera, PWTorch Specialist

RAW HITS

Opening Segment: Raw got off to a good start this week with the opening segment featuring Triple H addressing the Brock Lesnar situation. Triple H gave a good promo about how Lesnar really didn't bring legitimacy back to WWE and how he always quits when things get hard. That was an interesting route to take. Paul Heyman was good in his rebuttal, presenting The Game with a lawsuit on behalf of Lesnar for breaking his oral contract. I didn't like the line about bringing a fighter into an entertainment company. That type of line doesn't belong on WWE tv. But, other than that it was a nice segment featuring good performances from Triple H and Heyman, especially when Triple H put his hands on Heyman. It is gearing up for something big down the line. I like the slow approach to build to an eventual (presumably) match between Triple H and Lesnar. It is a contrast to everything else on the show where we are expected to care about matches with very little time to build towards them. I think it is telling that in the same amount of time, WWE has created more intrigue for a match that isn't on the books yet, than for any match that is actually happening on the PPV.

That was it for the Hits on this show. Not everything that followed was bad, but none of it was Hit worthy. C.M. Punk & Santino Marella vs. Cody Rhodes & Daniel Bryan was okay. Marella's humor was funny, but out of place here. Randy Orton vs. Chris Jericho was good, but had the predictable finish and is too big of a potential PPV match up to be thrown on tv for free with such little hype. It was fine, and I am pretty much used to WWE doing that, but it still wasn't quite a Hit. I would like to get excited over a possible Sheamus vs. Orton match down the line, but they are giving that away too quickly on Smackdown (though presumably Daniel Bryan and Alberto Del Rio will get involved). Everything after that opening was bad or ok at best.

RAW MISSES

John Laurinaitis Show: I said multiple times in the run-up to WrestleMania that I was worried that whoever gained control of both Raw and Smackdown would have too much of a role on WWE tv going forward, and that was clearly the case this week on Raw. John Laurinaitis was all over this show. He had a "cameo" appearance at the beginning, but what was worse was that two of the major selling points for sticking around to watch the rest of the show involved the general manager. They were telling us to keep watching to see Laurinaitis force The Big Show to apologize, and then keep watching after that to see his big confrontation with John Cena. He has been feuding off and on with CM Punk forever, and has this big PPV match against Cena coming up, then has been feuding with Show over the last week and a half. Meanwhile, what are you doing to get wrestlers over? And it wasn't just the segments that he appeared in. He was also featured in multiple recap videos throughout the show.

Show vs. Kane: This was an ugly match with an even uglier finish. Kane should never attempt to chokeslam Big Show again. Not that I wanted to see the focus on this particular match, but it seemed like as much time was spent showing Laurinaitis ringside than was spent on the match itself. Certainly the announcers talked more about him and Show than the match itself, which is disappointing. Despite the poor quality of the match, I still want to see matches held up as being important and this one wasn't.

Laurinaitis Fires Big Show: This may lead to something big for Show down the line like turning heel and joining Laurinaitis at the PPV, but this was painful to watch. It went on too long. It really dragged. I got bored with it and wanted it to end. Plus it was more of the focus on the GM and not the wrestlers.

Cena - Laurinaitis: Does John Cena understand that performances like this is why so many adult male fans have hated him over the years? I really want to know. The whole "loser, loser, loooooser" Jim Carrey bit was terrible. This is going to be the PPV main event, and he is selling it by acting like a fourth grader on the play ground? Give me a break. I'm a 49ers fan, so I don't really care about the Steel Curtain that much. It is just a cheap pop. That's fine for some wrestlers, but the top star of the company should be above it at this point. Then came the fax from the board of directors saying that Laurinaitis can't have a special referee, or anyone in his corner for the match, and that if anyone interferes, they will be fired (thus Big Show's possible interference since he is already fired), and that if he loses, he will be fired. This just further muddies the waters of who is really in charge. Laurinaitis is in charge, but Eve suddenly has the power to make matches too. Triple H can over rule Laurinaitis' contract negotiations, and now the board is getting involved in a specific match. I understand that Cena didn't want Laurinaitis fired, but the lack of consistency for him not being fired after doing way worse things than Triple H did last year makes no sense. I don't care about any of this storyline and I don't care about this PPV at all.

Jon Mezzera is PWTorch.com's WWE Hits & Misses Specialist, providing his point of view for Raw and Smackdown each week. Email him at jmezz-torch@sbcglobal.net.

For another view from the original Hitlist author, compare Jason Powell's views to mine by visiting prowrestling.NET's "Hitlist" section here.

[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

FREE AUDIO: Tuesday PWTorch Livecast (5/15) now available - Wade Keller & Jason Powell

Tue, 15 May 2012 16:30:25 PST

The Tuesday, May 15 edition of the PWTorch Livecast is available now on BlogTalkRadio.com. APP USERS: tap here - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pro-wrestling-torch

SUBSCRIBE TO PWTORCH LIVECAST IN ITUNES

APP USERS: Click on the iTunes icon in the lower right corner of your iPhone/iPod Touch and search "PWTorch" and subscribe to the PWTorch Livecast.

Note: The 60-minute PWTorch Livecast airs every Monday one hour before WWE Raw and Tuesdays-Fridays at 5:30 p.m. EST on BlogTalkRadio.com.

About the Livecast: Launched in October 2009, the PWTorch Livecast is the most-listened-to pro wrestling radio show on BlogTalkRadio and ranks in the Top 10 of all radio shows on the BlogTalkRadio network, covering close to 50,000 radio shows.

Listen to internet radio with Pro Wrestling Torch on Blog Talk Radio

WWE to release new HBK DVD

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:24:16 PST

WWE is planning to release a new DVD on retired Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels along with current roster members Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, and Kofi Kingston. The DVD releases are part of the new "Superstars Collection" series - one-disc sets containing a few matches and new footage. The series is scheduled to launch in July with John Cena and Zack Ryder releases.

[ SOURCE: WWEDVDNews.com ]

ROH News: Business updates from COO Joe Koff - more iPPVs planned, live TV specials?, claims ROH out-drawing TNA in same markets, expanding TV markets, HD & int'l plans, production issues, much more

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:28:14 PST

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

Ring of Honor COO Joe Koff made the following comments on ROH's current and future business during a conference call Tuesday.

-- Koff said ROH plans to run more iPPVs once they master the in-house technology. He said they do not have a number on paper, but they will run more events once they can assure customers they have issues resolved. Koff said the increased events may be mini-iPPVs mixed with with full-fledged events.

Asked about running live shows on TV through Sinclair affiliates a la Clash of the Champions, Koff said they are considering it for down the road. He said the challenge is pre-emptions and the structuring of affiliate contracts, which would require significant coordination across all affiliates.

Koff said ROH currently does not have plans to offer live shows through traditional PPV distribution, as the cost of airing the show through a cable/satellite provider is "not economically feasible" for the company. Koff said they believe they can get their iPPV distribution up to speed as a more economical way to deliver the product.

-- Without being able to back this up with numbers, Koff said his understanding is ROH's syndicated TV show is performing better in the ratings than TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV in the markets where ROH airs. He noted it's not an exact comparison because of U.S. Household vs. Cable Household differences. Koff said it's not a knock on TNA, but a sign that ROH's TV performance has "exceeded expectations."

Koff said he cannot provide specific TV ratings because the shows are in individual markets and air at different time periods. He said there isn't enough consistency to release a rating and it would be "impossible to put out ratings for 45 markets every week."

Koff said as a result of better-than-expected performance on syndication, Sinclair Broadcasting affiliates are moving the shows to better timeslots.

-- Koff said he is having a meeting this week to discuss expanding ROH into new markets as part of early-stage discussions. He added that he would like to see ROH reach true national TV clearance, but they're not quite there yet covering one-fourth of U.S. markets.

-- Koff said ROH may explore partnering with another company to help ROH reach the next level in terms of syndicated distribution or potentially for cable TV distribution. Koff described it as "year two" issues after they build the foundation during this first year under the Sinclair banner.

-- Regarding production issues that have popped up on iPPVs, the TV show, and in recent DVD releases, Koff said he is aware of iPPV and TV issues. However, the conference call was the first he heard about DVD issues such as "Low Battery" warnings or other inconveniences.

Regarding iPPV/TV production issues, Koff said he thinks they do a "good job, but not a great job." He admitted to wincing a bit when he sees glares on the screen and lighting issues, but he tries to focus on the product in the ring. He said they may need to bring in consultants to address lighting issue.

-- Some more "Year Two" issues are HD and international distribution. Koff said his top priority for the weekly ROH show is airing the show in HD. He said that will be the top item on the list when he goes through corporate budgeting this fall. Koff said the expectation for an upgrade should be in 2013.

Regarding international distribution, Koff said he's had good conversations with potential partners, but he's had to be patient. Koff said it's not a sprint for the company in Year One under Sinclair.

-- Koff said the TV tapings will remain in Baltimore due to the venue and proximity to Sinclair's home base to make it easier and more cost-efficient to film television.

A priority, though, will be syncing up the TV tapings and real-time events in anticipation of what's happening when the episodes actually air. For example, having something on the TV show related to Kevin Steen capturing the ROH World Title at Saturday's "Border Wars" iPPV.

Koff said the process of syncing events and TV will be improved the second-half of the year. He said when ROH is taping four shows at a time, it makes it challenging for Jim Cornette and Delirious to think about everything that will be happening weeks or months down the road.

ROH News: ROH COO Joe Koff addresses iPPV problems - apologizes for ROH not being prepared Saturday, what went wrong, PPV buys, did ROH go a cheap route and get burned?

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:26:49 PST

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor

Ring of Honor COO Joe Koff held a conference call Tuesday to address recurring Internet PPV issues that have plagued ROH's recent live event offerings. Koff apologized for ROH not being prepared to handle traffic for their first in-house iPPV on Saturday, "Border Wars," and said they are prioritizing handling traffic for their next offering, "Best in the World," on June 24.

"All I can say is I'm sorry. I don't want anyone turned away from this," Koff said, emphasizing the strength of the product. "We have until June 24 - and certainly prior to that - to make sure this is right."

Koff said the main problem Saturday night was server overload. ROH tested their servers prior to the PPV, but not at full-speed to determine if they could handle real-time traffic. Koff tried to present it as a positive that ROH saw unprecedented demand for the iPPV. Higher demand than for previous iPPVs on GFL.TV may have been a factor, but Koff also indicated that customers repeatedly trying to log-in or view the iPPV stream at the same time compounded the problem.

Regarding PPV buys for Saturday's event, Koff did not give a number, but indicated it was 20-30 percent over the average for iPPV events on GoFightLive.TV. Koff also said they had an "incredible amount" of replay buys on Sunday and they will not suffer too much from offering refunds for customers who were unable to view the iPPV.

Asked why he thinks demand was up for the Border Wars event, Koff attributed it more to the line-up, specifically Kevin Steen challenging for the ROH World Title in his home country, over ROH bringing the show in-house, which made it much easier for fans to access the PPV not having to go through a third-party.

Asked why it took ROH about an hour to respond to an obvious problem during the iPPV, Koff said they needed to locate the source of the problem at their headquarters in Baltimore. It was then determined the issue was with the server, prompting ROH to communicate the issue on Facebook Saturday night.

Koff also addressed whether ROH went a cheap route to distribute the iPPV, then got burned, as suggested by former ROH head booker Gabe Sapolsky on Facebook Monday. Koff replied that he cannot refute perception, but he can refute credible sources. He said the company is "well-financed" and it's "not a money issue at all." Koff said they work with reliable people who are experts at what they do, and they believe it was a matter of not being prepared to handle traffic and demand. "It just happened to be an unfortunate call on our part," he said.

To ensure this does not happen again to avoid losing the trust of the customers, Koff said they will be looking at "external and internal options" to determine the best way to be prepared for June 24. Koff said they have Sinclair Broadcasting resources to help resolve the issue.

Asked for an overall message on why customers should invest in ROH again, Koff said, "They know the product. I think people want to forgive, as long as there's an effort to correct a problem and communicate it." Koff said he's aware a group of fans will write them off, but he hopes they come back for the next event due to the quality of the product.

MORE TO FOLLOW ON ROH BUSINESS...

Stip for Match #3 in NWA Title series

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:25:24 PST

The third match in the Best-of-Seven series between NWA World Hvt. champion Colt Cabana and Adam Pearce will be an I Quit match. Match #3 is scheduled for July 7 in Hopkins, Minn. at a Steel Domain Wrestling show. Cabana won the first match on Sunday. The second match is a Boston Street Fight on June 8 in Bridgewater, Mass.

USA to launch new ad campaign

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:25:03 PST

Coming soon to WWE Raw TV commercial breaks - USA Network will soon be launching a "Welcome Summer" ad campaign to promote their new season of programming. USA will introduce the ad campaign at this week's Upfront meeting in New York, which will be attended by WWE stars.

[ LINK: Report at Variety.com ]

Details on Hogan "Memorial Day Bash"

By James Caldwell, PWTorch assistant editor — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:34:55 PST

TNA is offering a "Memorial Day VIP Bash" headlined by Hulk Hogan at the next set of Impact Wrestling TV tapings in Orlando on May 28 and 29. The VIP package, which is priced at $100, includes early entry to the Impact Zone for a meet-and-greet with Hogan on May 28. After the taping will be a meet-and-greet with Kazarian and Daniels. On May 29, TNA is offering a post-TV taping meet-and-greet with A.J. Styles.

[ LINK: Details at ShopTNA.com ]