Former WWE Diva Kristal Marshall (Bobby Lashley's girlfriend) wrote on her Twitter account on Tuesday that she's going to "make a debut soon".

Earlier, she also wrote: "Just got some super duper news today! Let's just say it's a page turner!"

Marshall appears to have wrestling on her mind as we reported earlier that Vince McMahon has been incredibly frustrated as of late with WWE's inability to create new Superstars. Marshall apparently read the report as she wrote the following on her Twitter account: "Sorry Vince stars are born not created...."

TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle recently spoke to FilmsInReview.com about trying to get his acting career off the ground. Here are some highlights:

On acting after he retires from wrestling
"I'm kind of caught in the middle right now but I am making the jump into movies. I'm in four films this year.... When you get into professional wrestling and you see how brutal it is and you are on the road for 250-300 days per year, it starts to wear on you a bit. I got to the point where I knew I could not do it anymore. I am 40 years old, and as much as I want to stay with TNA as long as I can, I know I can't go full time forever. I want to provide for my kids and give them everything they want and give them all the things that I never had and save enough for them to get through college."

On WWE Films
"I knew I had to make a choice. I knew being in the WWE, the money was there, the movies were there with WWE Films, but I wanted to go outside the circle, the realm of WWE, and spring out on my own. When you are with WWE, you are under the WWE umbrella. John Cena is a big star right now, HHH is a big star, those guys are doing incredibly well and I am very happy for them. But, you are still under that WWE umbrella. I don't blame Vince for doing that. I think that he is going to make a whole new avenue of stars with WWE Films. But I wanted to go beyond WWE Films. I am not saying that I am doing films that are better than their films, I think that Vince is doing a great job with some of the films he has done already. They have done real well on DVD and fairly well in the movie theaters so my hat is off to him but I just didn't want to be under that umbrella."

On the movie he's currently filming
"The movie I am working on right now is called WARRIOR. My character's name is Koba. I play an unknown but respected fighter from Russia. I have been taking Russian accent classes and learning how to speak Russian and I have been training my ass off at the Pittsburgh Fight Club. I am so happy they are doing the film in Pittsburgh; it has made it a lot easier on me.... He's in this tournament called Sparta. There are 16 of the best fighters in the world. (The story) stemmed from a guy name Fedor Emelianenko who is a highly respected fighter from Russia. He's done so well, but a lot of people don't even know who he is yet because he hasn't fought under UFC.... This guy shows zero emotion, he goes out there and he is so good, there isn't anybody that can touch him. I think that he is 41-1. His only loss wasn't really a loss. He got cut and was bleeding so much that they stopped the fight. They are really going way out there with this character. They are bringing back the 80's cold war kind of thing. It's going to be a lot of fun to see the American fighters against the Russian to get the same affect that ROCKY IV did."

MILWAUKEE – Just two nights before The Bash, things erupted in the land of SmackDown, culminating in an epic "Rage in the Cage" Match, featuring some of Friday night's biggest Superstars.

Edge & Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho def. Jeff Hardy & Rey Mysterio
With World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk as guest referee, Edge & Chris Jericho went to war with Jeff Hardy & Rey Mysterio in a "Rage in the Cage" Match. In the end, it was "Team Ego" who prevailed when The Rated-R Superstar avoided a Twist of Fate from Hardy and stunned the high-flyer with a hard-hitting spear.

After the match was over, CM Punk, perhaps being sarcastic, offered up his praises for Hardy, saying he fought a good fight despite losing the match. On Sunday, the two will clash for Punk's World Heavyweight Championship at The Bash.

A visit from the Chairman
The epic main event was orchestrated by SmackDown General Manager Theodore Long. Long was put under pressure to deliver a quality night by none other than the Chairman himself, Mr. McMahon, who paid a rare visit to SmackDown.

During the night's opening segment, the Chairman insisted that the night better be good, and put Long on "probation." The Chairman never let up on Teddy. After the night's main event, Mr. McMahon said he expected really big things from him at The Bash and told him to "perform as if your job depended on it."

R-Truth def. Shelton Benjamin
Performing his signature entrance song "What's Up?!," R-Truth crossed paths at ringside with the Chairman. When offered the chance to respond to the famous question, Mr. McMahon had nothing to say.

After the rapping was over, R-Truth endured a vicious verbal assault from his opponent, Shelton Benjamin. The mean-spirited lashing fueled a quick and aggressive offense from Truth during their match. Benjamin eventually turned the tables, putting Truth on the defensive. But in the end, Truth prevailed when he dropped The Gold Standard with a Lie Detector.

Michelle McCool & Alicia Fox def. Women's Champion Melina & Gail Kim
With the upcoming Women's Championship match on their minds, Michelle McCool and Alicia Fox went to work, punishing reigning champion, Melina. Their strategy worked, keeping Kim out of the ring for most of the contest. When Kim finally entered the fray, she was stopped cold by McCool with a devastating Faithbreaker. After it was all over, Melina was clearly still feeling the effects of the encounter. Can she recover in time to defend her title against McCool at The Bash?

John Morrison def. World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk (Non-Title)
Last week on SmackDown, John Morrison went toe-to-toe with former World Heavyweight Champion Edge, giving him a run for his money. Although The Friday Night delight came up short against The Ultimate Opportunist last week, on this night, he found a way to defeat the reigning champion. Perhaps feeling uncomfortable with his loss to the younger Superstar, Punk offered a congratulatory handshake to Morrison, only to crush him with a Go to Sleep. After the loss, Punk must put it behind him if he is to successfully defend his title against No. 1 contender Jeff Hardy at The Bash.

Source: WWE.com

Ric Flair is expected to be signing a new deal with WWE in the next week or two where he will return to in a similar role he had when he left the company around ten months ago reports The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Many in the company always expected a return of Flair to WWE in some kind of capacity with many feeling the novelty of getting huge money autograph bookings, shoot interviews and other appearances wouldn't have very long staying power.

One undoubtedly huge factor in Flair needing a continuing flow of money is the reported $20,000 per month in alimony payments for his second wife Beth along with legal bills and an undisclosed alimony payment to his third wife Tiffany. The WWE had previously tried to prevent Flair from taking on many lucrative deals he was being offered, which is why he left the company last August.

Although nothing has been confirmed, the belief at this point is that Flair's new deal with WWE would not include any wrestling as Vince McMahon wants his retirement at WrestleMania 24 to stick. Flair was brought in for a return in May at the Judgment Day PPV to help boost a lack of star power on Raw with Triple H out seling a storyline injury and Shawn Michaels out for what expects to be a lengthy period of time. The company recently ran an angle on this past Monday's Raw where Randy Orton punted Flair in the head so it would appear he will be off TV for a while.

There was said to be some lack of communication between WWE and Flair as the company had hoped to have him signed earlier, but the distraction of the "Denver Dabacle" had Vince McMahon worrying about other things had everything put on hold. The company did initially want Flair under contract when they brought him back at the Judgment Day PPV on May 17 in Chicago. He was asked to not appear at the recent Ring of Honor TV tapings for HDNet, but no one at ROH was told about this until at 5 PM on the day of the tapings. ROH was then forced to rewrite three hours of television that they were filming just a few hours later.

Flair leaving ROH was said to be a big disappointment among ROH officials and wrestlers as they liked the idea of being on the same show as Flair. It also created a good deal of unhappiness between ROH officials and HDNet officials as the network had been largely promoting ROH using Flair. One important point here was that HDNet had plans to syndicate the show into foreign countries and planned to use Flair's name as a regular to make a huge difference in whether a deal would go down or not. Flair has stated in interviews recently that if he does come out of retirement that he would do so overseas. Whether or not he still intends to do this is up in the air with a new deal from WWE now on the table. He is still at this point scheduled to make many appearances overseas at events in Europe, South Africa, China and Egypt, although it would appear any plans to wrestle on those events before may not be the case anymore. It appears Flair's intentions of returning to the ring will rely on his new status with WWE and if he ends up signing a new deal with the company.

Former WWE Raw General Manager Eric Bischoff noted on his Twitter page (twitter.com/ebischoff) that Ted Turner (image) — WWE Chairman Vince McMahon's arch nemesis — declined WWE's offer to take part in their upcoming "Rise and Fall of WCW" DVD. Bischoff also notes speaking to former TBS President Bill Shaw, who helped him rise to power in WCW in the early 1990s. Bischoff says Shaw declined to participate in WWE's project as well.

In an interview with The Daily Mirror in Great Britain, Batista commented on several topics, including nothing that he was set to make his return at WrestleMania 25 until his appearance was bumped three days before the show.

"I actually went up to see Vince about a month before the show because I felt my leg was healing up so fast. I told him (Vince McMahon) 'I think I could be ready for WrestleMania' and he said that they'd definitely be able to use me. I actually found out the Thursday before WrestleMania that I wasn't going to be in it," Batista said. "I think it was something very similar to what happened that Monday night (where I saved Triple H and the McMahons from The Legacy), but they felt it would work better on Raw than it would at WrestleMania."

Batista also made note of the long-term future of his career, saying he has one year left on his current deal and he'll decide what to do when the time comes near.

"It's something that I've been thinking about a lot. I really just have mixed feelings about it right now," Batista said. "I have just about another year left on my contract which I want to fulfill and when I start getting close to the end of that contract that's when I'll make a final decision."

He also commented on possibly working heel in the future, his recent return to the ring, his injuries and more. You can read the full interview at http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/.

HOUSTON – It was just one day after the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, and only a week before everything changes in the 2009 WWE Draft, but the Superstars of WWE were already looking toward Backlash on Monday Night Raw. As the show received its new permanent General Manager, Vickie Guerrero, two matches were set for the upcoming pay-per-view. More shocking however, was the return of Batista, who after rushing to the aide of Mr. McMahon, WWE Champion Triple H & Shane McMahon, was awarded the WWE Chairman's spot in their Six-Man Tag Team Match against Randy Orton & The Legacy.

Randy Orton began to brutalize Mr. McMahon but was interrupted by WWE Champion Triple H, Shane McMahon and the returning Batista, who will take Mr. McMahon's place at Backlash
In the night's main event, Randy Orton attempted to prove his point about Mr. McMahon's in-ring abilities. In the midst of putting a hurting on the WWE Chairman, he was interrupted by McMahon's son, Shane, who attacked The Legend Killer. But Orton had help of his own waiting in the wings in the form of Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase, who rushed to their leader's aid, teaming up on Shane O'Mac. WWE Champion Triple H then emerged, but he too fell victim to the combined might of The Legacy.

As Orton and his cohorts pummeled The Game, they were shocked to find out there was more opposition that they hadn't counted on: The returning Batista. The Animal stormed down the entrance ramp, evening the odds by chasing Orton & DiBiase from the ring and laying out Rhodes with a Batista Bomb. As the WWE Chairman recovered, he announced that Batista would be taking his place in the Six-Man Tag Team Match at Backlash.

Miss WrestleMania Santina Marella def. Beth Phoenix
Raw was graced with an appearance of the newly honored Miss WrestleMania, Santino Marella's twin sister, "Santina." In the midst of thanking the WWE Universe, she was interrupted by Beth Phoenix. The Glamazon was furious about Santina dumping her out of the 25-Diva Battle Royal and challenged her to a match. Santina went on to prove why she holds the title of Miss WrestleMania by pinning Beth for the win.

Vickie Guerrero announced that she is the new permanent General Manager of Raw and that John Cena will defend the World Heavyweight Title against Edge in a Last Man Standing Match at Backlash
Though she has been acting as both SmackDown General Manager and interim General Manager of Raw in recent weeks, Vickie Guerrero announced that WWE's Board of Director's had told her that she would have to choose one show to run. Promising to bring her own unique vision to the program, Guerrero revealed that she would be staying on Raw.

As her first act as the show's permanent General Manager, she placed World Heavyweight Champion John Cena into a Last Man Standing Match against her husband Edge at Backlash with the title on the line. The Raw GM also added a stipulation to the Six-Man Tag Team Match announced earlier in the night, placing the WWE Championship on the line. She clarified that if anyone on Triple H's team wins, he will retain the title, but if Orton or The Legacy taste victory, then the WWE Title will go to The Legend Killer.

World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy, CM Punk, & Ricky Steamboat def. Edge, Big Show, Chris Jericho, Matt Hardy & Kane
Many of the Superstars who just competed on The Grandest Stage of Them All took part in a WrestleMania All-Star Tag Team Match on Raw that featured new World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, new Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio and new Mr. Money in the Bank CM Punk on the same powerful team. All that championship gold didn't slow them down at all though, as The Master of the 619 hit Edge and Chris Jericho with a double 619 to pick up the win.

Women's Champion Melina, Kelly Kelly, Mickie James, Layla & Jillian def. Divas Champion Maryse, Maria, Eve, Gail Kim, & Natalya
Just one day after they all competed in a massive 25-Diva Battle Royal, five Divas from Raw took on five of their counterparts from SmackDown in tag team action. The ladies of Raw successfully defended their home turf as Mickie James pinned Natalya for the win.

WWE Unified Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo def. The Miz & John Morrison in a Lumberjack Match
At the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania brothers Carlito & Primo made history by unifying the WWE and World Tag Team Titles with their defeat of The Miz & John Morrison in a Lumberjack Match. On Raw the following night, the "Dirt Sheet" duo had a chance to regain Tag Team gold in another Lumberjack Match against the brothers from Puerto Rico. Unfortunately for the self-proclaimed "chick magnet" & The Shaman of Sexy, they must return to ECW empty-handed after another defeat at the hands of the WWE Unified Tag Team Champions.

Mr. McMahon set a Six-Man Tag Team Match for Backlash and pitted himself against Randy Orton for Raw's main event
Randy Orton opened Raw, bitter over his loss to WWE Champion Triple H the night before at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania. Before he could get further into his threats against The Game and the entire McMahon family however, he was interrupted by the WWE Chairman himself. Mr. McMahon told the venomous Superstar that he wouldn't be getting a rematch, but that he would get to face Triple H again at Backlash, only in a Six-Man Tag Team Match, featuring Triple H, Mr. McMahon & Shane McMahon vs. Randy Orton & The Legacy. The insolent Superstar then began to insult his employer for both hiding behind his family and being too old to compete on his own. Not one to stand down from a challenge, Mr. McMahon placed himself into the night's main event against Orton.

Source: WWE.com

DALLAS – With just days to go before the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, you might expect the WWE Superstars to take it easy and conserve their energy. That wasn't the case on Monday night, as several ring warriors competing at WrestleMania found themselves in a hell of their own making. John Cena not only suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of The World's Largest Athlete, but was further battered after the match by vengeful World Heavyweight Champion Edge. Most shocking, however, was when Randy Orton began to reap what he has sown, being confronted by three angry members of the family he has spent the last few months terrorizing and picking off one-by-one: The McMahons.

Randy Orton gives his WrestleMania address; Orton and his "Legacy" were confronted and attacked by the WWE Champion, Mr. McMahon & Shane McMahon
Accompanied by Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase and a group of security guards, Randy Orton came to the ring for his special WrestleMania address. While describing his reprehensible actions in recent months (punting Mr. McMahon and Shane McMahon, attacking Triple H's wife Stephanie on multiple occasions), The Legend Killer explained how every step of the way was part of a plan to destroy everything The Game cares about. He then began detailing how the balance of power in WWE would permanently shift in his favor following his WrestleMania win.

But before Orton could finish outlining his twisted vision of the future, a black limo arrived. Though the third-generation Superstar expected WWE Champion Triple H to make an appearance, calling Rhodes & DiBiase to his side, he was stunned by who accompanied him. Joining The Game on the stage were Mr. McMahon and his son, Shane. The three family members made their way down the ramp, where they collided with Orton and his "Legacy," ending Raw in a massive, heated WrestleMania-bound brawl.

Kane def. CM Punk, Kofi Kingston, Christian, United States Champion MVP, Finlay, Mark Henry and Shelton Benjamin in an Eight-Man Over-the-Top Rope Battle Royal
The 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania will host the Money in the Bank Ladder Match, but on Raw, the match's participants competed in an Eight-Man Over the Top Rope Battle Royal. Ladder Matches require a host of skills, including speed, endurance, and a Superstar's willingness to take risks, but on Raw, the sheer force and power of Kane enabled him to taste victory. Following the match, The Big Red Monster climbed a ladder in the center of the ring to symbolically grab the briefcase suspended above the ring.

Shawn Michaels holds a funeral for Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak; The Phenom emerged and received some Sweet Chin Music from HBK
When Shawn Michaels came to the ring, it became clear that the "funeral" announced earlier in the night was not for HBK, but rather for the undefeated WrestleMania streak of his opponent, Undertaker. Complete with a casket, roses and images of Michaels defeating The Deadman in their past encounters, the service saw HBK boast of his actions during recent weeks: Kicking Undertaker in the face and trespassing on his hollowed cemetery. The Showstopper announced that he had done all of this without enduring any retribution, and promised that the most memorable moment of the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania would be his victory over The Phenom.

Just then, the arena darkened and a gong rang out, heralding the arrival of Undertaker. When the lights came back up, The Phenom stood in the ring, but Michaels was nowhere to be seen. As The Deadman searched, HBK emerged from under the casket and once again laid Undertaker out with a superkick.

Big Show def. John Cena, who was attacked by Edge after the match
In a preview of some of the intense in-ring action the WWE Universe can expect to see at the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, two-thirds of the World Heavyweight Title Triple Threat Match, John Cena and Big Show, squared off in the ring. The World's Largest Athlete sent an exceptionally clear message to the 12 Rounds star, using his immense size and power advantage to defeat Cena. But even after the bell rang, Cena's suffering wasn't over. The maniacal Edge ran to the ring from the crowd, making eye contact with Big Show before he viciously assaulted their WrestleMania opponent, perhaps taking revenge for Cena's earlier refusal to work together against The World's Largest Athlete.

Rey Mysterio def. Intercontinental Champion JBL in a non-title match
Intercontinental Champion JBL has promised to deliver the most decisive victory in WrestleMania history when he puts his title on the line against Rey Mysterio. However, The Longhorn Loudmouth might need to reconsider his strategy after suffering a loss to The Master of the 619 during a non-title match on Raw.

Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase claimed that Randy Orton's WrestleMania address affects the entire WWE Universe; Shawn Michaels arrives in a hearse
Elsewhere in the locker room area, Randy Orton's "Legacy" cohorts, Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase announced that their leader's WrestleMania address wasn't directed at Triple H, but rather at the entire WWE Universe. The two went on to promise that after WrestleMania, everything about WWE would change forever.

Outside of the arena, a black hearse had been waiting since the start of the show. The WWE Universe was shocked to find out that the hearse did not contain the grim Undertaker, but rather a confident Shawn Michaels, casting an air of uncertainty over the previously announced "Funeral for Mr. WrestleMania."

Chris Jericho def. Jerry "The King" Lawler
Though younger members of the WWE Universe might know Jerry Lawler as one of the voices of Raw, "The King" also boasts a distinguished in-ring career. Incensed over Chris Jericho's recent brutal attack on WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, Lawler challenged the nefarious Superstar to a match on Raw. In spite of his opponent's extensive experience, it was the cruel, vicious style of Jericho that prevailed, forcing the Raw announcer to submit.

During the match it was announced that the first-ever Undisputed Champion's WrestleMania match against "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka & Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat would require Jericho to defeat each Legend individually. After his victory, the nefarious Superstar made clear his intention to annihilate each of his opponents in turn, making his own name synonymous with "Legend."

Tiffany won an 18-Diva Tag Team Match for her team; Santino Marella was attacked when he announced he still plans to compete in the 25-Diva Battle Royal
At the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania, a 25-Diva Battle Royal will be held to determine the first "Miss WrestleMania." Opening Raw, 18 of those Divas squared off in a massive tag team match. Out of the chaos that ensued, Tiffany emerged victorious, pinning Katie Lea Burchill to lead her team to victory.

Directly following the match, Santino Marella made his way out to the ring. In spite of being denied entry to the Battle Royal the week before courtesy of a loss to Mickie James, the Italian Superstar is still intent on becoming "Miss WrestleMania." To illustrate his worthiness, Santino showed off his "mankini" as part of an impromptu swimsuit competition. The Divas didn't take kindly to the scantily clad Superstar's claims of superiority and a massive melee broke out with the "Santino's Casa" star right in the middle, though the craven Italian managed to escape.

Source: WWE.com

TNA President Dixie Carter has hit back at WWE Chairman Vince McMahon in an exclusive interview with The Sun.

Earlier this week Vince – who is trying to make his company more “family friendly” – said that he found some of the things on TNA television “reprehensible”.

However, Dixie has blasted her rival, saying that what happens on the PG rated Monday Night Raw is WORSE than anything on her show.

She told SunSport: “I think it’s wonderful that Vince watches TNA iMPACT.

“And I agree with him that things such as the brutal beating of a sixty-year-old man, a vicious home invasion and gratuitous man-on-woman violence can be seen as reprehensible – and that’s just the last three Monday nights.”

This week’s Raw started with Chris Jericho beating up Ric Flair, 60, so badly that the wrestling legend needed 11 staples in his head afterwards.

It ended with Randy Orton knocking out rival Triple H’s wife Stephanie with an inverted DDT.

On a previous show Triple H broke into Randy’s home and terrorised actors playing his wife and staff.

Controversies in TNA include Samoa Joe putting a knife to Scott Steiner’s throat and the use of NFL badboy Pacman Jones.

Vince had previously told the Hollywood Reporter: “My concern with TNA is that they are TV-14, and we are PG. They have to change with the times.

“I think some of the things they do on television are reprehensible, but it is a TV-14 rating.

“That's the only bone I have to pick with them. Their TV ratings are a fraction of ours.”

Source: TheSun.co.uk

As reported earlier, Vince McMahon recently issued a company-wide directive to prevent storyline plans from getting out on the internet. They are going as far to plant red herrings in order to keep their creative plans a mystery to the internet wrestling fans, not to mention discover the individuals within the company leaking confidential information to the people behind the wrestling news websites. In an update on the situation, Stephanie McMahon has been feeding false information to members of the creative team she suspects may be leaking stories.

Also, the writers are using company laptops with special software that tracks their emails and which websites they view.

Some sources report that frustration among the WWE creative team, mainly due to Vince McMahon's WrestleMania moods, is high. A lot of the non-wrestling employees of the company are talking about how hard it can be working under Vince McMahon. When Vince is constantly changing his mind on things, that creates a lot more work for employees that is seen as unnecessary.

Vince has been a lot harder to work for as of late with the snapping at people and constantly changing storyline directions. It's said that the only ones immune to Vince's behavior are the wrestlers, as he hardly ever has a negative word to say to them, instead dishing out all the abuse to the staff.

Also as noted yesterday, WWE is fighting hard to prevent news leaks. There is a bigger company directive right now to prevent the leaks than ever before. Vince is said to be obsessed with stopping news from leaking out and those close in command to Vince are making that very clear to the people working under them.

Rory and Robbie McAllister made up The Highlanders tag team that was a 2000s version of The Bushwhackers. They didn't see potential as a comedy tag team, though. Rory says it was Vince McMahon's idea and he was vocal against McMahon's vision.

The team debuted on TV in June 2006 with a series of vignettes showing them adjusting to life in the United States after growing up in Scotland. Rory says he was disappointed with the direction WWE chose for their tag team.

"I was disappointed, but not surprised," Rory told Slam Wrestling about WWE's decision on how to present their tag team. "When they decided to go in the direction that they went in, I was pretty vocal against it. I wasn't a big fan of the whole goofy thing at all."

Rory says he talked to Vince McMahon before they ever went on TV and said fans wouldn't take the team seriously as an act worth spending money to see. He told Vince he wasn't a fan of the decision.

"I had that discussion with him and he was like, 'Let's see how it goes,'" Rory said. "It pretty much played out like I expected it to."

The team was relegated to mid-card status and they appeared infrequently on TV until being released in August 2008. Robbie McAllister says they had no chance, though, because of WWE's anti-tag team policy.

"It's hard to be successful in today's wrestling because, number one, Vince McMahon doesn't really like tag team wrestling," Robbie said. "That's the understanding we kept hearing from producers and agents and stuff like that. So, right off the gun, you have a blackball against you, if you're trying to become a main stage in WWE."

Mick Foley reached legendary status with a plunge off the top of a steel cage through a table.

But he's so much more than a hardcore legend. He's a best-selling author with tremendous insight. A good guy, a wrestler you want to see hang around for a long time. Does he plan on retiring soon?

"I already did that in 2000," he says. "I went for a year without a match when the average retirement time for wrestlers is about six weeks.

"I won't make a retirement announcement. I'll never say never again."

It seems peculiar to see Foley on TNA Impact each week, but he likes where he is.

"I had been looking back at the last several years of working a reduced schedule and I actually wanted to make more of a commitment," he says.

What did WWE boss Vince McMahon think when Foley bolted for TNA?

LEGENDS GAME OVER

"At one time, I had a really good relationship with Vince. After I almost made the move to TNA in 2005, our relationship was never the same. It was to the point where I didn't even feel comfortable going into his office and eating his food while he was in a producers' meeting.

"Making the phone call to tell him was very difficult. Within a day, on Vince's orders I'm sure, I was pulled from the Legends of Wrestlemania game."

Foley "really enjoyed" The Wrestler, the movie that has seemingly turned around actor Mickey Rourke's career.

"I was fortunate enough that I didn't have to crash-land," says Foley. "I could glide down. I had another creative outlet, doing some writing.

"I encourage (other wrestlers) to get out and talk to kids. You need a stage to do something that matters. It's like going from the toy store aisle next to Spiderman to doing nothing."

Source: EdmontonSun.com

By: Alex Marvez

TNA Wrestling's "Genesis" pay-per-view show could mark a new beginning for "Brother" Devon Hughes.

Paired with Mick Foley and A.J. Styles against Kevin Nash, Scott Steiner and Booker T in Sunday night's main event, Hughes won't be teaming with longtime partner Brother Ray (real name Mark "Bubba Ray" LoMonaco). That separation may be a harbinger of things to come.

Not that there's personal trouble between Brother Devon and Brother Ray in Dudleyville (the mythical New York City borough where the duo was long billed as originating). Performing as Team 3D, Hughes and LoMonaco captured their 22nd major tag-team title last weekend by winning a New Japan Pro Wrestling tournament in Tokyo.

But Hughes is admittedly uncertain how frequently LoMonaco will be wrestling in the future. Hughes said LoMonaco has taken an indefinite break from TNA matches after recently suffering a story-line injury.

Hughes said LoMonaco, 37, is feeling the effects of a rough-and-tumble grappling style dating to their days as the Dudley Boyz in Extreme Championship Wrestling from 1996 to 1999. Those injuries never healed properly as the Dudleys spent the next six years performing almost nonstop in World Wrestling Entertainment.

"Bodywise, he's pretty messed up," Hughes said Tuesday during a telephone interview. "I saw this coming two or three years ago. There were times where even getting on a plane was hard for him.

"Back in the Hulk Hogan days (in the 1980s), those guys knew how to last a lot longer. For our generation, the (aging) process is sped up because of everything more we do in the ring. You can't do all that flying and flipping and not pay a price."

Uncertain if or when Brother Ray will resume a full-time schedule, Hughes said he is approaching LoMonaco's hiatus as a chance to prove he can excel as a singles performer. The heavily muscled Hughes recently began slimming down while upping his cardiovascular training to better prepare for the demands of solo action.

"Bubba and I are definitely two different people," Hughes said. "That's how we balance each other out. What he lacks in wrestling ability, I pick up. What I lack in talking, he picks up. But I still think when I'm given the mike, I've always held my own."

Hughes is drawing motivation from a failed 2002 singles run when WWE split the Dudleys. While LoMonaco had a modicum of success as a hard-core performer, Hughes flopped when re-cast as the villainous Reverend Devon. The only memorable aspect of the gimmick was Hughes' helping to launch the WWE career of Dave "Deacon" Bautista as his protege. Reunited by year's end, the Dudleys continued working as a WWE tag team until leaving in 2005 for TNA.

Hughes believes he wasn't given enough time to prove he could excel as Reverend Devon. Hughes said WWE owner Vince McMahon yanked the creative freedom he was originally given and the promotion 's scriptwriters soured on the character.

"If I fail as a singles wrestler now, I fail," said Hughes, who wrestled solo on the Northeastern independent circuit before becoming a Dudley. "But at least I'll go out knowing I did my best."

In an industry where tag teams rarely last more than a few years, Hughes and LoMonaco have stood together through thick and thin. The duo spurned a chance to rejoin WWE last fall by signing three-year contracts with TNA, which Hughes praises for its family atmosphere, young talent base and more modest touring schedule.

Team 3D also has done an A-plus job preparing for life after wrestling. A recently engaged father of four, Hughes owns his own smoothie store (3D Powerblendz) in Melbourne, Fla. LoMonaco and his family run an Orlando-area spa and salon. Plus Hughes and LoMonaco are business partners in an Orlando-area wrestling school (Team 3D Academy).

As it stands now, Team 3D will be remembered as one of the industry's greatest tandems. Hughes, though, said he isn't close to writing the finale on his grappling career.

"If Bubba decided to retire before me, he's going to be the only one retiring," said Hughes, 36. "I'm going to still be going strong."

Kurt Angle vs. Jeff Jarrett and Sting vs. Rhino are the other top matches at "Genesis," which emanates from Charlotte, N.C. For more information, visit www.tnawrestling.com.

Source: scrippsnews.com

NEW ORLEANS – Storming into Louisiana, the first Raw of 2009 brought with it all the explosive action that the WWE Universe has come to expect. What our fans didn't see coming however, was the shocking announcement that after more than six months away, Mr. McMahon himself will be returning to Raw in just two short weeks. This revelation came just prior to the night's main event, which saw World Heavyweight Champion John Cena & Shawn Michaels team up to defeat Randy Orton & Chris Jericho.

World Heavyweight Champion John Cena & Shawn Michaels def. Randy Orton & Chris Jericho; John Cena to face Shawn Michaels the following week
As his employer, JBL looked on silently, Shawn Michaels teamed up with the self-proclaimed "wrestling god's" Royal Rumble opponent, World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, to take on the vicious team of Randy Orton & Chris Jericho. Earlier in the night, HBK had been encouraged by his boss to turn on The Champ, in an attempt to increase JBL's chances of winning the World Heavyweight Title at Royal Rumble. Throughout the match, Shawn Michaels appeared conflicted, but in the end, it was his Sweet Chin Music that dropped both his opponents, allowing HBK to pin Jericho for the win.

As Cena & Michaels celebrated in the ring, HBK's employer revealed in the locker room area that the two Superstars would be facing one another on the next Raw, with JBL installed in Shawn Michaels' corner.

Mr. McMahon to return to Raw in two weeks; Women's Champion Beth Phoenix's No. 1 fan banned from Raw
One of the biggest announcements of the night came courtesy of the nefarious Chris Jericho. Accosting Stephanie McMahon in her office, Jericho revealed that not only did he petition the Executive Vice President protesting the prior week's Fatal Four Way Match, but he also sent it to the Chairman, Mr. McMahon. Stephanie was shocked to learn that not only did her father's office respond to Jericho, but they announced his return to Raw in just two short weeks. This huge revelation came after Women's Champion Beth Phoenix and Santino Marella had been speaking with the Executive Vice President about Rosa Mendes, the crazed fan that attacked Melina earlier in the night. Stephanie told "Glamarella" that Mendes was as of that moment banned from Raw.

Cody Rhodes & Sim Snuka def. Cryme Tyme; Snuka taken out of the running for Randy Orton's group
Phase two of gaining membership in Randy Orton's new group consisted of Cody Rhodes & Sim Snuka facing Cryme Tyme in a tag team match. The two second-generation Superstars attempted to show exactly why they should be chosen, with Rhodes scoring the pinfall victory for the team. Though technically Snuka won the match as well, it was not a good enough showing for Orton, who promptly removed him from the running, declaring him "the weak link."

Kelly Kelly def. Jillian; Kane to face Randy Orton the following week
Continuing to display her rapid in-ring improvement, Kelly Kelly took out Jillian in singles competition. Raw's tone-deaf songstress was unable to take her loss in stride, however, and attacked the blond bombshell after the match, leaving Kelly in a vulnerable position when the imposing Kane entered the ring. The Big Red Monster was angry about Kelly attempting to protect her one-time lover, Randy Orton, and announced that he would be facing the Legend Killer on the next Raw.

World Tag Team Champions The Miz & John Morrison def. Rey Mysterio & Kofi Kingston; Mysterio and Kingston named as Royal Rumble participants
The current World Tag Team Champions made an appearance on Raw to compete against Rey Mysterio & Kofi Kingston in a non-title match. The Miz & John Morrison talked glowingly of their many accomplishments before meeting their quick-moving, athletic opponents in the ring. Mysterio & Kingston's innovative offense wasn't enough to defeat the self-proclaimed greatest tag team of the 21st century however, as Morrison pinned the Master of the 619 for the win.

Following the match, things got even worse for Mysterio, as Mike Knox stormed out and brutalized the Ultimate Underdog, gaining some measure of revenge for his first-ever defeat on Raw at the hands of Mysterio the week prior in a 10-Man Tag Team Match. Though they were defeated on Raw, both Mysterio and Kingston will have the opportunity of a lifetime as they compete in the Royal Rumble Match as announced during their bout on Raw.

JBL encouraged Shawn Michaels to turn on World Heavyweight Champion John Cena; Randy Orton set another challenge for Cody Rhodes and Sim Snuka
The earlier news of a match between World Heavyweight Champion John Cena & Shawn Michaels and Randy Orton & Chris Jericho immediately set JBL's mind spinning. In the locker room area, the Longhorn Loudmouth cornered his employee Shawn Michaels, urging him to turn on his tag team partner and possibly even render The Champ unable to defend his title at Royal Rumble.

Elsewhere, Randy Orton addressed the potential members of his new group, Cody Rhodes and Sim Snuka, declaring that if they wanted to join, they would have to win their match later in the night. Orton was then approached by Manu, who was ousted from the running the week before. The Samoan Superstar requested another chance to prove himself, but was denied by the third-generation Superstar Orton.

CM Punk def. Intercontinental Champion William Regal by disqualification; Regal retains the Intercontinental Title
Reaping the rewards of winning the heavily contested Intercontinental Title Tournament, CM Punk met William Regal in the squared circle with the Intercontinental Title on the line. As always, Regal was accompanied to the ring by his fellow Brit, Layla. Victory appeared to be within Punk's grasp as he prepared to hit the Intercontinental Champion with the Go To Sleep, but Regal reached out and grabbed the referee, disqualifying himself.

Unfortunately for the Straightedge Superstar, however, a title may not change hands on a disqualification. But Punk's luck quickly turned around, as Stephanie McMahon emerged and immediately set a future rematch, where if Regal is again disqualified, he will lose the Intercontinental Title.

Melina & Goldust def. Women's Champion Beth Phoenix & Santino Marella
Just weeks before Melina will face off against Women's Champion Beth Phoenix at Royal Rumble, the paparazzi-hounded Diva partnered with the bizarre Goldust to face the team of Glamarella in an Intergender Tag Team Match. Perhaps giving The Glamazon of taste of what she can expect at Royal Rumble, Melina pinned Phoenix for the win. Following the match, for the second week in a row Melina was attacked by the Women's Champion's crazed No. 1 fan, who was subsequently restrained by security and escorted out of the arena.

Randy Orton and Chris Jericho entered in the Royal Rumble Match, but not Shawn Michaels; World Heavyweight Champion John Cena & HBK to face Orton & Jericho later in the night
Randy Orton and Chris Jericho kicked off Monday Night Raw by contesting JBL's No. 1 contendership to the World Heavyweight Championship. Though Stephanie McMahon denied their request to face one another for the honor, she did officially enter both of the Superstars in the Royal Rumble Match. The Executive Vice President neglected to enter Shawn Michaels, however, at the request of his employer, JBL, who wanted HBK to focus on assisting him in his Royal Rumble title match. McMahon then set the night's main event as a tag team bout pitting the team of Orton & Jericho against Shawn Michaels & World Heavyweight Champion John Cena, the Superstar HBK's boss JBL will face at Royal Rumble.

Source: WWE.com

Although it was not initially thought to be a big deal, Vince McMahon was said to be upset with Tomko's heavier physique after viewing his dark match against Paul Burchill. It is believed that Johnny Ace stuck his neck out to bring "The Problem Solver" back, citing his improved ability after working in Japan, but he may not actually make it on to television.

Meanwhile, two former WWE developmental talents Chris Cage and Ryan Reeves have re-signed with WWE and began training with Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) yesterday in Tampa, Florida. Cage received a new ring name, which should add to the speculation that Christian Cage is headed back to the WWE in 2009.

Jim Cornette Vows To Break Vince McMahon
by Patrick Lennon

If you're taking on the big boys in wrestling, you need brains as well as brawn.

Jim Cornette is one of the most prolific creative minds in the wrestling industry, as well as being a right old wheeze on screen.

His pedigree in promotion, booking and experience on camera is matched by very few people in the industry at large.

Cornette is probably most famous with the public for his managerial roles on screen with the Midnight Express and Yokozuna and more recently for laying some flesh on a young Santino Marella when in charge of OVW, then WWE
Developmental.

For those who don't know, Marella had broken character on TV and laughed at Boogeyman. Cornette tells me he'd do it again in an instant.

A reputation as an abrasive fellow may well be justified, but his passion for the business is never in question. Cornette refuses to fly yet Fighting Talk caught up with him in Chicago straight after Bound For Glory, which is not a short
drive from his Kentucky home.

An elated Cornette greeted me backstage and lived up to his reputation for making Mick Foley look like Giorgio Armani, dressed as he was in T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms.

Cornette was taken aback when FT asked him about the deposition of Samoa Joe as Champion (he had just lost out to Sting) and tells me they didn't do anything wrong.

He said: "I don't think so. I simply don't think so. "I'm a fan of the young guys, the Samoa Joes, the AJ Styles, and the Beer Moneys.

"I think that they keep the veterans on their toes. When was the last time you saw Sting take an ass-whippin' like that?

"He was whipped across Texas, or he was going to the electric chair, and that's what Joe did. I love to watch people fight."

TNA are rightly celebrating their fourth annual showpiece as their best PPV offering to date. Cornette on the whole agreed with that assessment and argued that there is still room for improvement.

He tells me: "I think there was a lot of action tonight. I'm old-fashioned, I don't like to see so many weapons.

"I like people to beat each other up with their bare hands so I think the PPV that TNA did with the two guys in the MMA match was great but I think this was great too. Both were very different."

Cornette has a good idea of what it takes in promotion. Although his own Smokey Mountain Wrestling was a shortlived experiment in the Nineties, it provided invaluable assistance to a few big names on top of the pile today.

Ask Chris Jericho what he learned from Cornette. Building a viable alternative to WWE has been the TNA quest and although fans may be struggling to find the money to indulge their grapple habits, Cornette believes his current employers are moving in the right direction.

He says: "Everyone has their own particular taste and mine would be different to everybody else. TNA has the young talent, TNA has the alternative product, they are breaking a monopoly, a trust that's been together in wrestling a long time - that if it's not WWE, then it's not major league.

"Well TNA proved tonight, as they've proved every time they go on national television, every time they go on PPV, that there are two major leagues now."

FT believes the young TNA stalwarts should feature heavily at the head of the card if it is to look like an alternative.

Cornette gave me his pick of the bunch, and Champion elect AJ Styles is among them.

He added: "Beer Money - Robert Roode and James Storm - are the next ones to watch, plus Matt Morgan. He's incredible.
"Beer Money remind me of Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson. I'd love for the Midnight Express to be in their prime so we could have a match with them."

TNA are blessed with the man's talent, that much is certain.

Before he darted back to the hotel, he issued his battle cry: "Have you seen the stock market? Vince is not a billionaire any more! He may not even be a millionaire by the time this thing's over! I will sacrifice every penny I've got and cut my neighbour's lawn to see Vince McMahon a broken man laying in the gutter!"

Taken from: http://www.dailystar.co.uk/inthering/view/57203/TNA-exclusive-Jim-Cornette-vows-to-break-Vince-McMahon/

According to Pro Wrestling Torch, Mick Foley has in fact agreed to sign with TNA once his WWE contract expires on September 1st. If something major goes wrong, or WWE offers him a billion dollars by the end of the month, he can change his mind, but it's almost certain he will sign.

Rumors have been floating around for the past two weeks about the jump and the reason the specifics have been kept quiet is because he was talking exclusively with TNA President Dixie Carter, with everyone else being kept in the dark. There have already been merchandising ideas discussed, including a T-shirt, according to PWInsider.com.

Foley became disgruntled after Vince McMahon was constantly screaming through the announcer's headset, telling him what to say. He felt he was being held back from becoming a great commentator.

There is no details on whether he will be a regular wrestler, announcer or on the creative side, although all three scenarios offer their own boost to the TNA product.

WWE literally pumped up the volume around its weekly million dollar giveaway stunt as it rolled out WWE celebrities and two of the first round winners to a throng of screaming fans and the accompaniment of loud music at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City's Times Square last week.

The stunt doesn't seem to need any additional hype: WWE claims more than one million fans registered two million entries for the sweepstakes on WWE.com for the start of the contest last week. (Fans can register one entry daily.) WWE also claimed fans signed up at a rate of 9,000 per minute during the "Monday Night Raw" cablecast on USA Network, WWE chairman Vince McMahon revealed the code they needed to win if they were among the lucky few to get a phone call from him during the live show.

"Money, money, yeah, yeah," the fans packed into the Hard Rock chanted as WWE ring stars John Cena, Triple H, and diva Maria were introduced. "This is a chance for you to be rewarded for years of loyalty," said Cena, who is about to face Triple H for the WWE Championship.

Triple H aimed a few verbal barbs at Cena about their upcoming ring tussle. But the champion is actually determined by whose merchandise is selling best. It's carefully orchestrated mayhem, just like the Times Square event, which drew those rabid fans through e-mail blasts.

"The true story of how I got to be WWE Champ, I married Vince's daughter," Triple H quipped. The fans roared their approval, as they did virtually on cue at every interval.

The ying and yang of the first week's winners were on hand: Gil Rosenzweig, who won $250,000, and Sarah Fuhrmann, who got $2 (and a trip to New York for the event).
"It's not every day you get a call from Vince McMahon," a beaming Fuhrman said.

Standing at a plexi glass podium that supposedly contained $1 million, McMahon said his objective with the giveaway is "to being attention to the greatest brand in the history of the US."

While "Monday Night Raw" remains a top rated cable entry, its ratings have been relatively flat, so the giveaway would appear to be aimed at bringing millionaire wannabes to the screen.

Afterwards, McMahon said he hopes to broaden WWE's "middle class" audience base with the stunt

Asked how much he figured $1 million a week was worth in ratings, McMahon said, "I don't know that if it's worth a lot in ratings." He still won't say how long he'll continue the stunt, but said that depended on the response – including "Monday Night Raw" ratings.

"I think there's a limit. I might be crazy, but I'm not that crazy," he said.

He insists the money is "absolutely" coming from his own pocket. His money, of course, comes from WWE revenues since he owns 70% of the company's stock.