The Wrestling News Experience: 11.02.09

Posted by Stephen Randle on 11.02.2009

In this Experience, we've got a preview for tonight's Osbourne-hosted Raw, plus it's possible that a lot of interesting things happened this week, but who cares, let's talk some more about Hulk Hogan and how he's come to save and/or ruin TNA!

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

From 411Mania's Canadian offices in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, this is The Wrestling News Experience, with Stephen Randle!


Live Free or Don't

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Experience. I am Stephen Randle, and while everyone else panics over Swine Flu, I was lucky enough to just get a nasty chest cold that won't go away. There goes my chance to make the local papers.

Is it just me, or have the new Mac commercials gotten entirely too mean-spirited? I mean, before, it was all about how Macs are more fun and for the younger generation than stodgy old PC's (I disagree, but that's not the point). Now it seems to be more "PC's suck and only delusional morons would use one". Listen, I bought the iPod, leave me and my desktop in peace.

And while Lansdell may have won at fantasy hockey this week, I am buoyed by the fact that I would have outscored any other team in the league. So I will have my revenge!

I would be remiss if I did not mention that 411's own Michael Melchor managed to score an exclusive interview with the legendary Jim Cornette. You can read Part One here, the second part should be up tomorrow.



Tonight's Host:

Remember when he used to be a musician?

Last week, after an entire show where new competitors put forth their names for a chance to contend for John Cena's newly-won WWE title, it was announced that Cena will be defending against both members of D-Generation X, Triple H and Shawn Michaels, at Survivor Series. How will Cena react to this new (yet, similarly old and familiar) challenge? And will the potential of becoming WWE Champion cause a rift between two best friends who have shown in the past that they can also be powerful enemies?

Meanwhile, Randy Orton seems to be in a downward spiral following his loss to Cena at Bragging Rights, and he placed part of the blame on Kofi Kingston. Kingston reacted by destroying the custom-painted stock car that Legacy had acquired for the Legend Killer, putting himself directly in Orton's crosshairs. How will Orton respond to Kofi's actions this week?

Plus, Jack Swagger has insinuated himself into the business of United States champion The Miz, costing him a match against Evan Bourne last week. Will Swagger's machinations lead him to championship gold?

All this, plus…I don't know, maybe there'll be cake. Probably not.



HOGAN!!!!!!!!!!~1

Yeah, because anything else happened this week. I mean, Mickie James signed a contract to become a country singer, which means that she could one day end up getting interrupted by Kanye West at an awards show, which will once again remind people who had somehow forgotten that Kanye is a giant tool but still not stop them from buying his albums so he goes away forever. Anyway, on with the show.

So, last week, everything was shiny and happy in the land of TNA. AJ Styles was on top of the company, the Main Event Mafia was done with, and there was a genuine sense of optimism about the future of the company. Perhaps nothing more accentuated the positives of TNA than the sudden and impactful debut of Desmond Wolfe, formerly ROH's Nigel McGuiness, as he attacked and incapacitated Kurt Angle in his debut. Yes, everything was sunshine and lollipops, youth was to be served, and people were even talking about potentially watching Impact, maybe, if nothing else happened to be on Thursday nights. To which I would respond "Watch Community, at 8 pm! It's awesome!" But that's just me.

But then, disaster (or windfall) struck! The call went out through YouTube, the unimaginable (or inconceivable) had happened!




Yes, in an event that brought back memories of similar events in WCW, Hulk Hogan has turned his back on his WWE heritage (okay, really his heritage is AWA, but they only exist as a "Rise and Fall" DVD now) and signed with their nearest competitor, TNA. And if that's not enough, with him as always is Garth, Eric Bischoff, the man who turned WCW into the #1 wrestling organization in the world for nearly two years straight, kicking WWE's ass in the ratings on a weekly basis. Of course, he had full control of the company at that point, the concept of the nWo hadn't yet been run into the ground, and Hulk Hogan was over a decade and several hip surgeries younger at that point, but irregardless, Hogan and Bischoff are the latest and, by a very wide margin, biggest signings for the small southern-based promotion that has been desperately trying to be taken seriously as the #2 promotion in North America ever since its inception. In fact, this is the second time TNA has attempted to work with Hogan, as they even shot an angle with Jarrett while both were in Japan.




Of course, nothing came of this, as Hogan smelled more money and publicity in WWE and quickly returned to the fold, leaving TNA twisting in the wind. But, after the cancellation of American Gladiators, Hogan Knows Best, Celebrity Championship Wrestling, plus a messy public divorce and the shameful lawsuit resulting in his son's car crash, Hulk Hogan is back and he's got an autobiography to sell! I assume the one he put out back during his first WWE return back in 2003 needed to be re-written, as it incorrectly put Andre's weight at only 3,000 pounds.

And with WWE seemingly becoming less and less interested in giving Hogan free air-time to push his latest soon-to-fail venture, the Immortal Hulkster turned once more to the promotion that has proved, time and again, that if WWE doesn't want you, they'll at least consider giving you a shot, especially if you were at all visible during the Attitude Era, or, in this case, for the last thirty years as the biggest name in all pro wrestling.

Make no mistake, the signing of Hulk Hogan immediately puts TNA into the public conscience. Ask any person on the street to name the first wrestler they can think of, and they'll likely say "Wrestling? You know that's fake, right?", but once you get them focussed, most of them will say Hogan. Therefore, there is at least a chance that the possibility of Hogan being on Impact will draw some extra curious eyeballs.

Meanwhile, all those cynical Internet fans are pretty sure that the entry of Hogan into TNA will signal the end of all the previously mentioned solar rays and candy on sticks, and more likely a return of the older generation to the top of the wrestling organization, as Hogan has a reputation for using his stroke to secure employment for his cronies. Fortunately, at least this time Hacksaw Jim Duggan is already under WWE contract, and won't be arriving to job out whomever might be the future biggest draw in wrestling in 34 seconds. Anyway, those who are sure that Hogan will soon be shooting himself to the top of TNA are pretty much the very same people who are going to watch TNA anyway to see just how everything goes to hell, so TNA wins.

For his part, Hogan has done his best to make sure everyone is confused about exactly what he'll be doing in TNA, as while Dixie Carter is assuring the talent that Hogan and Bischoff will have little to no control over the entire company, Hogan has been going on radio shows and announcing that he'll be "running the show". In this reporter's opinion, only one thing can be for sure. When we're talking about Hulk Hogan, at least it is never, ever boring.



Inactive List as of 10.26.09

WWE Raw

- Maryse, out indefinitely as of July 28th (knee surgery)

WWE SmackDown

- Edge, out indefinitely as of July 4th (torn Achilles tendon)
- Jim Ross, out indefinitely as of October 20th (Bell's Palsy)
- The Great Khali, out indefinitely as of September 15th (knee surgery)

ECW

- No reported injuries

TNA

- Jeff Jarrett, out indefinitely as of July 21st (self-imposed suspension)
- Daffney, out indefinitely as of October 19th (broken arm)

Transactions

- Hulk Hogan, signed to a TNA contract



Hey, for the first time in a while, no title changes! Enjoy it while it lasts!

WWE

WWE Champion: John Cena
- 8 day reign, defeated Randy Orton in an "Anything Goes" Iron Man Match on October 25th (Bragging Rights PPV)
- Next title defense: vs Triple H and Shawn Michaels, Triple Threat Match, Survivor Series PPV

World Heavyweight Champion: The Undertaker
- 29 day reign, defeated CM Punk in a Hell in a Cell Match on October 4th (Hell in a Cell PPV)
- Next title defense: vs Chris Jericho and The Big Show, Triple Threat Match, Survivor Series PPV

ECW Champion: Christian
- 99 day reign, defeated Tommy Dreamer on July 26th (Night of Champions PPV)

WWE Intercontinental Champion: John Morrison
- 59 day reign, defeated Rey Mysterio on September 4th (Smackdown)

WWE United States Champion: The Miz
- 28 day reign, defeated Kofi Kingston on October 5th (Raw)

WWE Undisputed Tag Team Champions: Chris Jericho and The Big Show
- 99 day reign (as team of Chris Jericho and Big Show), The Big Show named as replacement for former champion Edge on July 26th (Night of Champions PPV)
- 28 day reign (as team of Chris Jericho and Edge), defeated former champions The Colons and Legacy in a Triple Threat Match on June 28th (The Bash PPV)

WWE Women's Champion: Michelle McCool
- 127 day reign, defeated Melina on June 28th (The Bash PPV)

WWE Diva's Champion: Melina
- 21 day reign, defeated Jillian Hall on October 12th (Raw)

TNA

TNA Heavyweight Champion: AJ Styles
- 43 day reign, defeated former champion Kurt Angle, Matt Morgan, Hernandez, and Sting in a Five-Way Match on September 20th (No Surrender PPV)

TNA Tag Team Champions: The British Invasion
- 15 day reign, defeated Beer Money, Inc., Team 3D, and former champions Booker T & Scott Steiner in a Full Metal Mayhem match on October 18th (Bound For Glory PPV)

TNA X-Division Champion: Amazing Red
- 25 day reign, defeated Samoa Joe on October 8th (Impact)

TNA Knockouts Champion: ODB
- 78 day reign, with Cody Deaner, defeated former champion Angelina Love and Velvet Sky in a tag match on August 16th (Hard Justice PPV)

TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions: Taylor Wilde and Sarita
- 43 day reign, defeated The Beautiful People (Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne) to win the newly created title on September 20th (No Surrender PPV)

TNA Global Champion: Eric Young
- 15 day reign, defeated former champion Kevin Nash and Hernandez in a Triple Threat match on October 18th (Bound For Glory PPV)
- NOTE: Belt formerly known as TNA Legends Championship, renamed on October 29th Impact



Harrison has the weekend news report.

The Triple Threat talks Hogan, Bischoff and maybe Flair going to TNA.

Ford has Contemplating CHIKARA.

Ari has Column of Honor.

Bauer runs Buy or Sell.

And Thomas has Wrestling's 4R's.



411 will have live coverage of Raw tonight starting at 9 pm EST.

Remember, if you love poker, and are in the Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo area, check out Player's Poker League.

And for the drunken ramblings of Sean Carless and his merry band of reprobates, check out The Wrestling Fan.

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That's our show, Small is in tomorrow, I will be back next week.

Have a good one, and always be a fan.


"Well, two can play at that game. Or four, depending on the ball colours available. I choose pink."
"That's their colour!"
"The hell it is!"