Hulk Hogan Speaks on TNA And Vince McMahon
Gimmie Noise conducted an interview with Hulk Hogan and here are some highlights...
GN: You recently signed with an organization called TNA Wrestling. What made you decide to get back into the mainstream wrestling world?
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HH: That’s a huge deal for me, man. I never thought that they would bring me in to like the Vince McMahon role with another wrestling company kind of like I did with WCW years back. I actually used to have this same role back in the day, except it was unofficial. Vince’s dad ran the league while I was down here in Minnesota kicking ass with Verne Gagne and when he died, they talked me into coming back. So I came back and found that Vince McMahon, who owns the company now, didn’t really understand the business. So I moved in next door to him in Connecticut and taught him all about lifting weights and riding motorcycles and partying like a mad man; and then I taught him about the wrestling business and making money. And now I’m doing that again with TNA Wrestling.
The reason I decided to get back into it is because I’m ready to flip this business over again. It’s getting real boring with only one company stuffing this programming down your throat and not allowing fans and the wrestlers the chance to make a choice, and I think it’s really important to be able to make that choice instead of just having one option and one option only.
GN: How do you think your presence will help improve the visibility of TNA Wrestling and overall buzz about wrestling in general?
HH: The proof is already out there. In the course of a few days we’ve got more buzz going for TNA Wrestling then it’s had in seven years. For example, no other wrestling organization had ever been able to get into Madison Square Garden in New York for like, 100 years, because Vince owns it and his family owned it before him. So I came in and was like, “Watch this.” And we did a press conference at Madison Square Garden.
All I told these guys was that they should give me a chance. If they didn’t like what I was doing they can tell me to take a hike, but let me have the chance to come in and take a shot at it. Let the fans and the other wrestlers take a look and decide for themselves what they’re in to and I’m confident that I will get this thing rockin’.
Jim Neidhart Backstage At Impact Tapings
Former WWE Tag-Team champion Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart is backstage at the TNA Impact taping in Orlando today. According to ProWrestling.net, Neidhart is expected to debut on the taping tonight.
Paul Heyman Blogs About Brock Lesnar Pulling Out Of UFC 106
Paul Heyman has written a blog detailing the recent health issues of UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, who had to pull out of a title defense later this month due to illness. To read the full blog, visit HeymanHustle.com.
“It was about three and a half weeks ago, when I was on the phone with Brock, and he sounded just so tired,” Heyman wrote. “I asked him if this training camp was harder than the others. He shocked me with his answer. ‘I’m just exhausted,’ he admitted, ‘I train, I come home, and I crash. I’m going to take a day or two off and just try to shake this thing.’ That was hint number one. Something was wrong.
“About a week later, Brock told me he was behind in his training camp. ‘I’m still going to beat Shane Carwin’s ass,” Brock said ‘then let’s go ice fishing or something. Whatever I have, it’s throwing me off my game.’??Uh oh. Hint number two. NOTHING throws Brock Lesnar off his game. Not injury, as I’ve seen him work through those. Not personal turmoil. I’ve seen his home life get turned upside down. He works through that as well.”
Heyman says Brock Lesnar has a great responsibility to compete at the highest level and simply cannot fight without proper training. “He really had no choice. He’s worked so hard, for so long, to find his passion in life. And now that he’s found it, he’s not going to half-ass a fight, whether Shane Carwin is the man to take the title from Brock, or whether Brock could whip Shane Carwin’s ass even if he’s battling pneumonia, swine flu, diarrhea, gonorrhea, syphilis, and sickle cell. The point is that Brock Lesnar could not train properly for a fight that would most likely be purchased by upwards of 1,000,000 people.,” Heyman said. “More people are expected to pay to see Brock Lesnar vs Shane Carwin on pay per view than this year’s WWE Wrestlemania. Just think about the responsibility of being that main event fighter.”
Heyman rejects any claims that Lesnar is full of himself and reveals that the champ passed on what could have been an epic movie role. “As for being spoiled by success, that’s LOL-funny. Brock has turned down movie roles, including an easy generous payday to do a fight scene with Dwayne “Don’t Call Me Rock” Johnson. He’s not looking for prime time exposure except when he steps into the Octagon and defends his title.”
Dixie Carter Puts Over TNA Knockouts And Signs ODB To A New Deal
Dixie Carter put over the TNA Knockouts on her Twitter page with the following message earlier: "Heard Kong v Hamada matches on this weekend's shows were off the charts and will change the way people perceive women's wrestling. Go girls!"
She also announced on her Twitter yesterday evening that she just signed Knockouts Champion ODB to a multi-year deal.
Partial WWE Superstars Spoilers
The following matches were taped for this week's WWE Superstars tonight before RAW in Worcester, Massachusettes:
* Santino Marella defeated Chavo Guerrero
* Jack Swagger defeated Primo Colon.
WWE Planning Movie For The Undertaker
WWE is planning a movie based on the origin of The Undertaker character, reportedly a Western set in the 1800's. The project does not have any actors or writers at this point but is in WWE Studios' plans for 2010-2011. The current projected budget for the movie is in the $3.5 million range, indicating that it's a direct to DVD film.
Hulk Hogan’s TNA Impact Debut Date?
According to Dave Meltzer, one story going around is that Hulk Hogan won't make his debut in the iMPACT Zone until the first of 2010, when football season is over. TNA officials want to work on the build for Hogan's iMPACT debut in hopes of a huge rating.
Speaking of Hogan, FOX News had a story up today with quotes from Linda Hogan's lawyer, saying that The Hulkster's new book is full of lies about her.
Survivor Series DVD Volumes I and II To Be Released Tomorrow
WWE will release the first two volumes of their Survivor Series Anthology DVD sets tomorrow. The first volume will cover Survivor Series 1987-1991 and the second volume will cover 1992-1996.
Jim Ross Speaks About Recruiting New Wrestlers And Jack Swagger
In an interview with Kevin Eck of the Baltimore Sun, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross spoke at length about how important it is for WWE to overhaul its recruiting process and find the next generation of superstars. To read the full interview, visit BaltimoreSun.com.
"It’s just a matter focusing on recruiting and finding world class athletes and encouraging them to have the aptitude and desire – and maybe more importantly, be fans of the product – to try this profession."
Ross continued, "It’s imperative. The scouting and the whole process has to be accelerated and maintained and improved upon every single day. As long as they have that mind-set, they’re going to continue to find good young guys that have potential. And then about one or two out of 10 will make it. It’s going to be an interesting future, but I don’t perceive it to be bleak whatsoever."
Ross also commented on fellow Oklahoman Jack Swagger's strengths and weaknesses. "Swagger’s got a blessing and a curse," Ross said. " He has the blessing of having so much God-given physical ability as a natural 6-5 or 6-6 kid that’s 260, so he has good size. He has an amazing athletic background. He’s been wrestling since he was in elementary school. He wrestled in a Division I program [at Oklahoma] with good success. But he’s one of those guys that is so good that he can put it in a little above neutral and be better than most. What he has to find is the fire inside him that’s going to drive him internally to get to the next level and the next level after that."
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