Hailey's Newsies - Issue 85 - May 24th 2010

Battle Over Shelton Benjamin


With TNA showing strong interest in Shelton Benjamin, WWE has decided to get back into the hunt.


Battle Over Shelton Benjamin

Ever see that little kid that doesn't want to play with his toy until he sees someone else pick it up?

Well, apparently, big corporations do that as well.

WWE is showing interest in Shelton Benjamin again. Just weeks after he was released from the company, management is having second thoughts and are going to try to bring him back on board. The surge in interest comes after TNA showed interest in bringing in Shelton Benjamin and putting him into a program with Kurt Angle.

Shelton Benjamin is still under the 90 day clause with WWE, which means that he cannot sign with TNA until the term ends. The belief is that Shelton Benjamin isn't going to be rushing into things. He's going to continue taking classes at the University of Minnesota in order to get his degree by this summer.

After that, he gets to choose his own destiny.

Ultimate Warrior Bashes Ted DiBiase


The Ultimate Warrior has never been one to shy away from controversial comments. His latest victim is Ted DiBiase.


Ultimate Warrior Bashes Ted DiBiase

When it comes to entertaining wrestling personalities on the internet, very few people can rival the Ultimate Warrior (Honky Tonk Man might be the only exception).

For years now, the internet wrestling community has been shocked and amused by comments that the Ultimate Warrior has released online. Generally, his comments are negative remarks towards other wrestlers where he doesn't hold back whatsoever.

His venom was shot in the direction of "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase recently. Ultimate Warrior was basically trashing Ted DiBiase's star power and legacy in the latest comments.


"You were so smart about the business, Teddy, you were too stupid to figure out how it really works. Guys like you funded petty cash. Guys like me — and Hogan and Savage at the time — paid the mortgages and the travel bills and the production costs of the whole operation. Your profit making contribution was like hitting three cherries on a nickel slot machine. Mine was like hitting the Powerball Jackpot. I earned my limousine. Yours was provided as part of your silly gimmick. Reality check: my quarterly royalty checks were for more money than you made in a whole year. It was never about who could draw money with a guy like you — it was always about who could draw money with a guy like me. Guys like you were one-of-many. Guys like me were one-of-a-kind."

Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler Together Again


According to Jim Ross, we may have not seen the last of him and Jerry 'the King" Lawler as a team. He's got an idea.


Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler Together Again

A lot of wrestling fans were disappointed when Jim Ross & Jerry Lawler were split during one of the WWE Draft Lottery events. The long time broadcast partners were voted by fans as the most entertaining announcing tandem of this generation.

Recently, WWE allowed Jim Ross' talent contract to expire. That means that they have absolutely no intentions of having him be a commentator again. He's forced to retire from his broadcast table without any fanfare.

On an almost daily basis, Jim Ross is asked by wrestling fans about his future plans.

In his latest blog, he reveals a little bit into that plan of his. Oddly enough, it might include Jerry Lawler.


"The King and I are brainstorming about doing some appearances together in the upcoming months to put the old, Raw broadcast team back together and have some fun."

Tara to WWE


The odds of Tara returning to WWE just increased greatly after what happened last week.


Tara to WWE

"One man's ceiling is another man's floor."

"One man's trash is another man's treasure."

For Tara, the saying is, "One woman's misfortune is another woman's fortunate."

At the Sacrifice pay per view, Tara put over Madison Rayne in a match. With her contract expiring soon and both sides being unable to come to an agreement, that moment looked to be the final chapter in the TNA career of the former Knockouts champion.

Tara had told close friends that she was hoping to get her job with WWE back once her TNA contract expires.

The odds of that happening have increased greatly.

WWE management is currently looking for a veteran performer to step into a role on Smackdown. With the injury to Beth Phoenix, WWE desperately needs a veteran who can help guide the lesser skilled divas on the brand. Mickie James could have provided that, but the company released her not too long ago.

Expect Tara, formerly known as Victoria in WWE, to receive a phone call from one of Vince McMahon's people soon.

Last Plea to Jeff Hardy


WWE made a ridiculously generous offer to Jeff Hardy to keep him from leaving and going to TNA. It shows just where Jeff Hardy's head is that he turned it down.


Last Plea to Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy is one of the hottest commodity in all of wrestling.

Everyone knows it. There's only a small group of fans that refuse to acknowledge it.

• The blindly loyal WWE fans who are made that he's leaving.
  
• The blindly loyal WWE fans who don't want to see TNA picking up a star this big.
  
• The fans that don't understand the business side of things.
  

Like I said, just about everyone knows it. More importantly, though, Vince McMahon knows it.

Prior to Jeff Hardy signing a deal with the rival company, WWE made him a huge offer. You can say that it was an offer that he couldn't refuse.

The deal included a guaranteed $750,000, which could have easily surpassed $1 million with merchandise bonuses and PPV bonuses. The deal also allowed Jeff Hardy to work just 5 to 7 days a month, which would be the lightest schedule that any wrestler in WWE would have.

Vince McMahon thought it was an offer that Jeff Hardy couldn't refuse. Unfortunately for him, though, Jeff Hardy did just that.

Feeling Abandoned

Jeff Hardy isn't someone that's drawn to the big money. If he was, he would have signed that deal. If he was, he would not have risked his career by doing recreational drugs.

He walked away from WWE because he felt abandoned.

When word got out that he was arrested on several drug charges, Jeff Hardy felt that WWE did not back him up. Even though his contract was expired, he felt it would have been nice for the company to support him. To make matters worse, WWE actually used his real life issues as part of a storyline between CM Punk and Matt Hardy.

Loyalty was what Jeff Hardy was looking for. When he didn't find it, he had to leave.

Payback

Revenge can drive a man to do some great things.

Considering how he felt about the way WWE treated him, a part of Jeff Hardy wanted revenge. He's not the sadistical type to wish ill on the company. He still has a lot of friends, including his big brother, working there.

No, Jeff Hardy wanted revenge in another form. He wanted to stick it to Vince McMahon by making the rival promotion, TNA, into a threat.

With that in mind, he knew he had to sign a deal with TNA, who was more than willing to offer him a contract. When he showed up at the January 4, 2010 episode of iMPACT!, it created waves in the industry.

Not only did Jeff Hardy sign with TNA, he became a pitch man for the company as well. According to Rob Van Dam, the Charismatic Enigma called him up out of the blue and became quick friends. Jeff Hardy helped to sell Rob Van Dam on the benefits of signing with TNA because they could make a difference together.

"Hell hath no fury like a former world champion scorned."

Rumored TNA Releases


The rumor mills have been churning. Here's a list of the potential releases that TNA might make in the coming days.


Rumored TNA Releases

Earlier today, it was discovered that advisers have informed Dixie Carter that it would be beneficial to the company to release approximately 15 to 20 wrestlers from the roster. Despite her valiant attempts to keep as many people employed as possible in this rough economy, Dixie Carter is going to eventually have to hand out a couple of pink slips.

Below are some of the potential candidates that could be released soon.

• Amazing Red - Talented guy who simply needs more character.
  
• Brian Kendrick - He's behaving himself, but the excitement just isn't there.
  
• Dr Stevie - Underrated performer, but he hasn't been used as of late.
  
• Generation Me - Amazing talent, but they're a luxury that the company might choose not to have at this point.
  
• Hamada - Contract is running out, and she's one of the higher paid female workers in the company.
  
• Homicide - With the company changing their minds on the LAX reunion, the divorce might finally happen.
  
• Kiyoshi - Hasn't been used much since the World Elite ended.
  
• Magnus - Company once thought he had main event potential. Now, he's surprisingly the least used former member of the British Invasion.
  
• Mick Foley - With him being so focused on other projects right now, it makes all the sense in the world to part ways for now.
  
• Raven - He's not needed right now.
  
• Rhino - He's a good veteran to have around, but the company could afford to let him go.
  
• Sean Waltman - The company might feel that Eric Young is a suitable replacement for him.
  
• Shark Boy - He's still employed, and he's still used at house shows. His contract is expiring, though.
  
• Tomko - He simply needs to get back into shape. His value has dropped tremendously.
  

Keep in mind, though, that Dixie Carter is working vigorously to find a solution to the company's financial issues right now. It's been said that she really does not want to release anyone. Her compassion about her employees have been well documented.

DX Shirt Sale


You can now get your souvenir because WWE has dropped the price on this DX shirt.

To purchase this item, click HERE.

Dixie Carter Meet Mickie James


Let the rumors fly! Dixie Carter met up with Mickie James this week.


Dixie Carter Meets Mickie James

Mickie James to TNA? Looks very likely.

When Mickie James was released by WWE, the widespread belief was that she would head down to Florida and sign with TNA. The Knockouts division has always been in search of female wrestlers who can both perform and draw in an audience. Since Mickie James fits that description to a tee, the rumors make all the sense in the world.

Earlier tonight, Dixie Carter went to meet Mickie James in person. The president of TNA stated that she was personally invited by Mickie James to attend. It was at an event in Nashville, Tennessee where Mickie James performed music from her brand new CD, "Strangers and Angels". The CD was released earlier this week.

Mickie James has approximately 2 months to go before she is legally allowed to sign a deal with TNA. That gives her plenty of time to promote her album.

Response to Mike Knox


Taz has been pushing TNA to sign Mike Knox. The reaction is a bit interesting, to say the least.


Response to Mike Knox

When Mike Knox was released from WWE, not too many people thought that he was going to be given a chance with TNA, especially since the roster was already crowded.

However, Taz saw something in Mike Knox that most other people didn't see. The former ECW Heavyweight Champion immediately set out on a campaign to convince TNA management to sign Mike Knox to a contract.

His attempts to convince Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff did not go too well.

Hulk Hogan has absolutely no idea who Mike Knox is. Eric Bischoff knows of Mike Knox, but he doesn't know a lot about him. He admittedly did not pay much attention to the 6'6", 290 pound wrestler over the last few years.

No word yet on how Dixie Carter feels about Mike Knox.

As it stands right now, it doesn't like we're going to be seeing Mike Knox joining TNA any time soon.

Carlito Released


Carlito has been released under unusual circumstances. That's bound to affect his family members that are still employed by WWE.


Carlito Released

Earlier today, WWE issued a simple statement stating that Carlito was released from the company. The statement also noted that Carlito was fired for his first wellness program violation because he refused to attend a rehabilitation facility.

Unlike the other releases, WWE did not get wished well on his future endeavors.

Change of Plans

The drug suspension and release came as a surprise to those in management.

WWE recently started a storyline where Carlito reunited with his brother Primo Colon. The brothers also started a storyline with Ted DiBiase that was supposed to lead to a brand new stable called the Fortunate Sons. The stable was also rumored to have included second generation star Joe Hennig.

Now, all of those plans are thrown out of the window.

Management will still want to continue the Fortunate Sons stable, so they'll just either replace Carlito or they'll go with one fewer member. WWE wants the stable to be the vehicle that propels Ted DiBiase into the main event scene, so they're not just going to drop it.

Colon Cleansing

With Carlito gone, it doesn't bode well for the other Colons left on the roster.

Primo Colon is a solid performer, but his appeal isn't nearly as good when he's by himself. The belief is that Orlando Colon, who works down in Florida Championship Wrestling as Tito Colon, was given a developmental contract because he's related to Carlito.

Both of those guys could possibly be released within the next few months.

Then again, WWE could decide to bring up Orlando Colon and team him up with Primo Colon.

Carlito to TNA

Rumors of Carlito heading to TNA have been around since he started asking WWE for his release.

With Carlito being released because of a wellness violation, it makes it a lot harder for TNA to sign him. While the company doesn't appear to be extremely strict about their wellness program, they still have to worry about public opinion. Everyone now knows that Carlito was released because of a wellness violation. WWE made sure of that.

If Carlito does end up in TNA, it won't be until things die down.

Booker T Returns to TNA
Booker T shocked a live audience during a TNA house show last night by showing up and working the main event match.


Booker T Returns to TNA

AJ Styles was booked to challenge Rob Van Dam for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship last night. However, he got the night off from the house show in Lake Charles, Louisiana instead. Oddly enough, though, the audience was not too upset about it. The reason is that TNA decided to give them a pleasant surprise instead.

Seconds after announcing that AJ Styles was not going to be there, TNA shocked the audience by bringing out Booker T to replace him.

Booker T does live within driving distance of Lake Charles. Plus, he has a well known friendship with Rob Van Dam.

Sources in TNA are stating that Booker T's return was a one time deal. However, it could lead to an eventual full time return down the road.

Scott Hall Arrested


Some people never change. After a wild night, Scott Hall gets arrested again.


Scott Hall Arrested

Some guys just refuses to grow up.

A couple of days ago, Scott Hall was arrested down in Florida.

According to reports, the former WWE Intercontinental Champion had been drinking heavily. He became aggressive and got into confrontations with the bartender, other customers, and a driver. Things got much worse when he became even more belligerent with the police officers that arrived shortly afterwards.

Scott Hall was taken to jail and charged. A trespassing warning has been issued and he is not allowed to ever step foot in the bar. Bail has been paid, and he has been released from custody.

No word yet on what TNA will do to punish Scott Hall, who currently holds one of the world tag team championship belts. The company gave him another chance even though Kevin Nash himself refused to vouch for his long time friend.

New Raw General Manager


There's a lot of names being thrown out right now as potential general managers for Raw.


New Raw General Manager

The general manager spots in WWE are usually one of the more intriguing ones in the entire company.

Wrestling fans just love to predict who the next one will be whenever there is a vacancy.

When Randy Orton forced Vickie Guerrero to step down from her post, the rumor mills started working overtime. Everyone was taking a guess as to who it could possibly be that shows up on Raw this week to take over.

Names like JBL and Jim Ross were thrown around quite heavily within the internet wrestling community. JBL currently has a lot of other business ventures that requires his time and energy. Jim Ross has flat out denied the possibility online, but he could be lying to keep it a secret. He did say that he has something big lined up soon.

Over the weekend, reports surfaced that Abraham Washington was the leading candidate to take over as the new GM of Raw. The creative staff has other names in mind as well, but for now, he's their first choice.

Wrestlers Heading to WWC


After his release, Carlito is headed down to Puerto Rico. He's also bringing along some current and former WWE wrestlers with him.


Wrestlers Heading to WWC

Carlos Colon is setting up a pretty big show for Aniversario 2010.

Several recognizable names have been advertised for the show.

Scott Steiner has been working down in Puerto Rico since he left TNA. He's currently the WWC Universal Champion down there.

Shelton Benjamin, Tommy Dreamer, and Tony Atlas were all recently released by WWE. All three have been booked for Aniversario 2010.

Former TNA star Judas Mesias will also be working a match that night as well.

Recently released Carlito will definitely be there for his father's big show. Primo Colon and Orlando Colon are both advertised for the show, but there's a chance that Vince McMahon could prevent it from happening because they're both under contract to him.

Lacey Von Erich Leaving TNA


Lacey Von Erich may be forced out of TNA and the wrestling business entirely in the upcoming weeks.


Lacey Von Erich Leaving TNA

Early retirement was not something that Lacey Von Erich planned for whenever she made the decision to pursue a career in professional wrestling.

The daughter of the legendary Kerry Von Erich posted a message to all of her fans recently in regards to her career. She's currently locked in an ugly custody battle over her son. The father of the child is using the fact that Lacey Von Erich is constantly on the road as a reason for him to gain custody.

Lacey Von Erich is going to hire a lawyer to fight back. She's also working a reduced schedule now after talking to management.

However, if the custody battle doesn't go her way, then she may be forced to walk away from TNA.

WWE Live Events

Here is the WWE tour schedule for the next few weeks. Raw and Smackdown are invading the midwest and the east coast. Discounted tickets still available here.

• May 24, 2010 | Toledo, Ohio | Monday Night Raw
  
• May 25, 2010 | Cleveland, Ohio | Smackdown
  
• May 28, 2010 | New Orleans, Louisiana
  
• May 29, 2010 | Monroe, Louisiana
  
• May 29, 2010 | Las Cruces, New Mexico
  
• May 30, 2010 | Rio Rancho, New Mexico
  
• May 30, 2010 | Memphis, Tennessee
  
• May 31, 2010 | Austin, Texas | Monday Night Raw
  
• June 1, 2010 | Dallas, Texas | Smackdown
  
• June 4, 2010 | Asheville, North Carolina
  
• June 5, 2010 | St Louis, Missouri
  
• June 5, 2010 | Greenville, South Carolina
  
• June 6, 2010 | Columbia, South Carolina
  
• June 6, 2010 | Indianapolis, Indiana
  
• June 7, 2010 | Miami, Florida | Monday Night Raw
  
• June 8, 2010 | Tampa, Florida | Smackdown
  
• June 11, 2010 | Charleston, West Virginia
  
• June 12, 2010 | Roanoke, Virginia
  
• June 12, 2010 | Upper Marlboro, Maryland
  
• June 13, 2010 | Hampton, Virginia
  
• June 13, 2010 | Greensboro, North Carolina
  
• June 14, 2010 | Charlotte, North Carolina | Monday Night Raw
  
• June 15, 2010 | Raleigh, North Carolina
  
• June 19, 2010 | New York, New York
  
• June 20, 2010 | Long Island, New York | Fatal 4 Way
  
• June 21, 2010 | Bridgeport, Connecticut | Monday Night Raw
  
• June 22, 2010 | Manchester, New Hampshire | Smackdown
  
• June 25, 2010 | Erie, Pennsylvania
  
• June 26, 2010 | Youngstown, Ohio
  
• June 26, 2010 | Portland, Maine
  
• June 27, 2010 | Wheeling, West Virginia
  
• June 27, 2010 | Worcester, Massachusetts
  
• June 28, 2010 | Syracuse, New York
  
• June 28, 2010 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Monday Night Raw
  
• June 29, 2010 | Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
  

To find discounted tickets, click HERE.

WWE Over the Limit Review


A special review of the Over the Limit pay per view.
WWE Over the Limit Review

Being one of the handful of WWE Pay-Per-Views in 2010 that isn't centered around a silly gimmick where the matches and feuds have to be forced together to sell the concept of the show rather than the storylines and performers themselves, Over the Limit intrigued me with it's solid card of matches based on legit issues from the television shows. Let's take a look at what went on:

• Intercontinental Championship: Kofi Kingston defeated Drew McIntyre - Decent opener, the title change was unexpected since Drew only just got the belt back. Still don't see anything special in McIntyre 6/10
  
• R-Truth defeated Ted Dibiase - From the second it was announced it was pretty clear that this would be a filler match, and that's exactly what it was. Raw quality match. 5/10
  
• Rey Mysterio defeated CM Punk - If it wasn't for the lengthy stall for CM Punk's wound, this would have got an 8, very good match and was the only one of the four main events that lived up to what was expected of it. Seeing CM Punk get his head shaved was entertaining as well 7.5/10
  
• Unified Tag Team Championship: The Hart Dynasty Vs Chris Jericho and The Miz - Very enjoyable match, I found this the easiest match to get into. But there were two things holding down it's score, first the crowd never got that into it, and also it didn't feel like a proper tag match often, with Tyson Kidd and Miz both spending last portions of the match down on the floor. 7/10
  
• Randy Orton Vs Edge ended in a countout - It's not fair to give this match a rating, Orton and Edge were having a slow paced match that was building towards something at the end that didn't come due to Orton suffering an injury. It was going OK up to the injury, but there's no point scoring half a match.
  
• World Heavyweight Championship: Big Show defeated Jack Swagger via DQ - The biggest disappointment of the card, when this was announced I was instantly intrigued by the match-up, and it was going very well while it lasted. Big Show was being dominant but at the same time they showed Swagger demonstrating his abilities and talents. After going five minutes, if that, the laziest most overdone DQ finish occurs ruining this match entirely. 4/10
  
• Divas Championship: Eve defeated Maryse - Bless 'em, they tried 2/10
  
• WWE Championship: John Cena defeated Batista - Decent match, it was way too slow paced and I'm not sure about the spot where Batista attempted to reverse one of the stage cars into John Cena, but the camera angles clearly showed Cena not being there, making the post "dramatic" pause seem very awkward. These two underrated performers put on a good show, but perhaps it was the underwhelming feel of the evening, it just didn't click as well as it could of. The other major problem is that absolutely nobody predicted John Cena to lose this match. 7/10
  

Lady luck was not smiling on the WWE for Over the Limit, three of the four main events were disrupted by unforeseen events. The WWE title match had to be stopped briefly for blood, CM Punk and Mysterio was stopped for what seemed like a decade rather Punk could a stiff shot into the guard barrier and also bleed. And also, in what will probably go down as the story of the night with little else significant occurring, Randy Orton was injured in his match against Edge, which had to be ended abruptly with a thrown together count out ending.

Over the Limit is a difficult Pay-Per-View because really it depends on what you came for, if you came for a solid night of wrestling you were probably fine for it, if you wanted a night of entertaining WWE stuff then you were probably disappointed, and events such as Matt Hardy's return and Kane's run in probably didn't do much for you. If you came for the I Quit match then again, I think you would be at least satisfied with the outcome. Personally, I was looking forward to the Swagger/Show match the most, which was a massive disappointment as already mentioned.

If it wasn't for the unfortunate incidents, then overall I think Over the Limit would have averaged out to be "fine", but with one of the four main events essentially not going down, the other lasting a few measly minutes, the best match of the night being badly stalled by the blood policy, it's hard to give Over the Limit a good write up, ultimately what was advertised didn't entirely happen. So despite some good performances by several members of the rosters, Over the Limit will go down as a forgettable show that you probably wished you didn't order.

OVERALL SCORE: 5/10

Randy Orton Injured


Randy Orton suffers a serious injury at the Over the Limit pay per view.


Randy Orton Injured

Just as Randy Orton was gaining steam as a babyface, he gets sidetracked.

During his match against Edge at the Over the Limit pay per view, Randy Orton separated his right shoulder. He was visibly in pain as he tried to finish the match. The referee made the "X" signal to notify the back that a serious injury had occurred. Edge and Randy Orton finished the match with what appeared to have been a different ending.

Once Randy Orton made it to the back, a swarm of people went to check on him. It's too soon to tell, but Randy Orton will probably end up missing a little bit of time on the road.

Bad Timing

There's never really a good time for an injury, but the timing of this one is especially bad.

Raw is going to suffer just a little bit in the star power department if Randy Orton is forced to miss a considerable amount of time. His injury comes on the same night that Batista is rumored to either take time off or depart WWE. With the company already lacking star power on Smackdown, losing both of those guys at the same time is definitely going to sting.

Another bad thing is that the injury derails Randy Orton's journey towards becoming the top babyface in the company. With him out, WWE is going to have to rely more on John Cena, which is a move that should cause quite a stir with the internet wrestling community.

Mr Anderson Rips Randy Orton


With Randy Orton suffering a serious injury last night, Mr Anderson was very quick to take verbal jabs at his real life nemesis.


Mr Anderson Rips Randy Orton

There's a lot of people that are worried about Randy Orton's recent injury.

Mr Anderson is not one of them.

Shortly after viewing the match between Randy Orton and Edge at the Over the Limit pay per view, Mr Anderson took to the internet. He posted some comments about the injury and about Randy Orton himself.


"I have one thing to say: Kharma is a MOTHERF---ER!!"



"And it couldn't have happened... To a NICER GUY!!"



For those of you that are unaware, Randy Orton is the one that is blamed for Mr Anderson being released by WWE. Despite being someone that was considered a future world champion, Mr Anderson was released after having a match with Randy Orton where an incident ensued backstage afterwards.

Credit: WrestingRevealed

Power 25 Divas - May 22nd 2010

25 - Eve


The Divas Champion made Maryse eat her words backstage on Raw, but she couldn't stop the French-Canadian Diva from grabbing the win in a Six-Diva Tag Team Match later on in the night.
Last Week - 25

19 - Maryse

The French-Canadian Diva joined forces with Team Lay-Cool to defeat Eve & The Bellas on Raw. She'll get her chance at Eve's Divas Championship on Sunday at Over the Limit.
Last Week - 21

12 - Team Lay-Cool: Layla and Michelle McCool

The mean girls both showed up on Raw wearing Women's Titles. While they can't both be champion, they certainly competed that way, winning two matches this week.
Last Week: 16

Credit: WWE.com