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I've heard that AJ has turned down WWE before as well, but I reckon his mind would change pretty quickly if TNA were on the brink and WWE were the only company with a nationally visible product. ROH technically has national TV but not every cable company carries the channel it is on, plus, I sincerely doubt AJ would take the paycut that going to ROH would mean. ANd, let's face it. With ROH you get one run as world champion and that's it and I don't think that would satisfy AJ.

The worry about having to tone down his style is probably less these days than a few years ago. They've narrowed their movesets but you can hardly say that Bryan, Punk, Cesaro or Bourne have had to "tone down" since going to WWE.

The fact he was offered contracts in the past doesn't change though my opinion that if he was in WWE Vince McMahon would never back him. McMahon appreciates talent and appreciates people that could make him money, but as soon as AJ opens his mouth all McMahon is going to hear is "dumb redneck." And accent aside, AJ's promos skills have always been lacking. I'm not saying he couldn't be a top star there, but he'd need someone on the creative team to really fight his corner. I reckon it's probably Robbie Brookeside or William Regal that has tried bringing him in before, but if he ever did go to WWE Dusty Rhodes would probably take a big shine to him.

Joe's style is less friendly to the WWE, but I know he does have supporters there, like Mick Foley who actually put in a word for him years ago at the same time as Punk. Because of his look, style, attitude and the fact WWE would likely not put him straight onto TV and try to repackage him in developmental first is why I can't see Joe going even if TNA does go bust. Not when New Japan would pay him the same money or more that WWE would pay their main eventers and he wouldn't have to wait a few years to get it. Despite have a very puro-influenced style Joe hasn't wrestled in Japan a great deal so there's dozens and dozens of dream matches he could be involved in. AJ, not so much. The only one really would be to see him against Hiroshi Tanahashi again.

B J whitmer is in a bad way in hospital, got hurt during a match last night according to ROH

Can't see the video as i'm on the train at the moment and their wifi blocks media sites, but apparently it happened from Mike Bennett performing a piledriver onto the apron. It's being reported though that he'll be held to at least monday, so although it's obviously serious I don't think we're talking paralysis here.

I've always thought it's strange that ROH would ban chairshots to the head, but not ban apron spots. I imagine Nigel McGuinness will really push for them to be banned after this. Personally though, as wrestlers are independent contractors I think they should be allowed to take whatever risks they are willing to provided it fits within the style of the company. Apron spots are a bit of a staple in ROH matches and it's one of the things that makes them the most exciting wrestling company on the planet, but I think BJ should really start erring on the side of caution from now on. This isn't the first close call for him either- he was lucky something as bad as this didn't happen with that top rope suplex from Charlie Haas at Final Battle in December where he went head first through a table.

But remember wrestling is fake

I dont even respond to the arses that say that anymore. Im not familiar with bj whitmore, but hopefully he'll be ok, would be a shame for his career to be ended like this.

That Tito Ortiz return was depressing. The crowd was basically completely silent, it was creepy. It was like Tyson Kidd had just shown up back in WWE. Ya know, when he was at his least popular before people noticed he was actually pretty good.

Yeah, kind of an anti climax, but people will tune in to see what he'll do. He's not the sort of guy I would debut in that manner, I'd hype it up so people knew, and mma fans would tune in to see him. Wrestling fans won't care about him at all.

Just saw a video from the crowd of the BJ Whitmer injury, from the angle it looks like Bennett never gave Whitmer much if any chance to protect himself before the move, looked very much like a spike piledriver too. Guess luck ran out for him, I still remember the top rope powerbomb botch that could have killed him and his opponent.

Tito Ortiz

only guy that has truly made it from MMA in to wrestling was Ken Shamrock, I loved watching him in the WWE

Andy Hall wrote:Tito Ortiz

only guy that has truly made it from MMA in to wrestling was Ken Shamrock, I loved watching him in the WWE

Dan Severn was even better! Shame he never got as fair a shake from WWF, though that was because he came in as part of that Cornette/NWA invasion angle.



But you're on the ball there Mike- this should have been hyped rather than kept secret. Surely the whole point is to get MMA fans watching pro wrestling- so not only should it have been mentioned on Bellator for weeks in advance, they should have been aiming for mainstream media coverage. There's probably a big percentage of casual UFC fans (the less snobbish kind who are actually more likely to watch pro wrestling!) who don't even know what Bellator is or that Ortiz and Rampage are fighting there now.

Hammer Smashed Custard wrote:Just saw a video from the crowd of the BJ Whitmer injury, from the angle it looks like Bennett never gave Whitmer much if any chance to protect himself before the move, looked very much like a spike piledriver too. Guess luck ran out for him, I still remember the top rope powerbomb botch that could have killed him and his opponent.

Aye, its fucking brutal but also important to note that BJ Whitmer has come out and said that he doesn't blame Bennett and that there are no hard feelings between the two. Which is really admirable of him considering how fucked he is now.

And on the subject of Tito Ortiz:

As a huge TNA fan, and compulsive WWE hater, TNA are really starting to get on my nerves! Money may be tight and I fully understand the cuts. Its unfortunate, but it has to happen for themto survive. But bringing in MMA stars who aren't even having matches is a fucking ridiculous idea.

First of all, King Mo hasnt been seen since he "officiated" that match between James Storm and Bobby Roode (and I use the term officiate very loosely). Rampage jackson does absolutely shit all, he just stands there, says a few things, then leaves. Apart for last week where he gave some really pathetic knees to Devon in the corner and you could tell he was blatantly not touching him. I know thats what wrestling is, fake, but at least wrestlers make it look real (mostly).

TNA need to stop getting these MMA people in and use it to sign indy stars who would probably demand lower wages because they just want their break in the big leagues. I know they are using this partnership with Spike and Bellator, but they would probably cost around the same regardless. These people are ready to be utilised in ring and they can make themselves another Austin Aries. People like Jimmy Jacobs, Davey richards, Eddie Edwards etc etc. All looking for their big breaks but being overlooked for MMA stars. Its really quite frustrating for me as a wrestling fan!

I reckon Daniel Bryan should get together with the Wyatts and form a stable based on Australian beard-rockers The Beards.

RAW wasn't as phenomenal this week as it has been in the past few, but I'm still really psyched by the direction they've taken Bryan vs Cena in. The wrestler vs the entertainer is one of the oldest storylines in the business- it goes right back to Lou Thesz vs Buddy Rogers, Harley Race vs Dusty Rhoades, Ric Flair vs Hogan, Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels... even Austin vs Rock to an extent etc.

And while Cena may not exactly be playing a heel going in to this, I still found him fucking infuriating on Monday night, which i'm pretty sure is the point. Splitting the audience between the wrestling purists and the sports-entertained is a great moneyspinner. It always makes a mark out of me and I can't wait to see Cena get his fucking head kicked in now. Speaking of which, I think the whole PWG locker room and fanbase should invade the front few rows of the Staples Centre before the match starts to get that chant going...

Other stuff on RAW i'm liking recently- Del Rio really in his element as a heel, Luke Harper of the Wyatt family especially starting to show his in-ring style (I was disappointed by their first match, but I was a big fan of Brodie Lee in CZW so I knew he had it in him), Cody and Sandow's segments which hopefully will lead to them being allowed to have some good stipulation matches (last man standing, I quit... something like that), Kane being in a meaningful feud for the first time in fuck knows how long and of course that great Punk vs Axel match.

I'm not so hot on Layla's heel turn. Makes pretty much no sense. And Ziggler back to being stuck in second gear it seems.


Aside from that i'm just through with Awesome Kong Youshoot interview. Not as revealing as I'd thought it would be on the racism and obsession over appearance in WWE, but she did hint at a few things about Dixie Carter's personality and about problems TNA had even when she was there. I remember it being discussed in this thread back then about how little all the knockouts bar Mickie and Christie Hemme (and the TNA undercard in general) were getting paid, but it also turns out these problems of not being able to pay talent that are a partial cause for the recent firings aren't a new thing.

It makes me wonder how they didn't cop on years ago that paying stupid amounts of money to ex-WWE people (both on camera and off) who were barely if at all contributing to the company's draw wasn't sustainable in the long term.

Not that it should really make a difference but Darren Young came out as being gay today

I hope more will follow suit now that the stigma is broken. Pat Patterson gave gay people in the business a bad name by sexually harassing developmental stars in the 90's and then more were probably put off by Orlando Jordan's sexuality being trivialised as part of his gimmick. If everyone comes out at once then the possibility of having stereotypical gay gimmicks forced on them will be lessened.

It's sick that such a thing could be a possibility anyway, but it's unfortunately in the realm of how Vince's mind works. From what Jericho has said Vince never though Fandango could be a face because he assumed the audience would react with homophobia to the gimmick. It's an odd mindset for a man who had a gay employee (albeit and aggressively rapey one) as his daughter's godfather.

I reckon we might see more retired wrestlers coming out as well and talking about having to stay closeted for years. Chris Kanyon was ready to do that shortly before he died unfortunately.