Message-ID:  

http://www.wrestlingobserver.com/

1/22/2004 1:39:00 PM

Thursday news update: Smackdown tonight w/Angle & Lesnar wrestling,
Austin talks about doing another match, WWE Hall of Fame, Fairplay,
Russo, Jericho and more

by Dave Meltzer

hsmeltzer{at}juno.com

We're looking for your thoughts on last night's TNA PPV, so you can
leave a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a
best and worst match to dave{at}wrestlingobserver.com. Also, we're
looking for any reports of mainstream coverage (newspaper, television)
of Jonny Fairplay's appearance last night. We're just trying to see if
it gets covered as TNA is sending up a satellite feed of him getting
power bombed and also pushing hard the Brian Urlacher appearance next
week.

Smackdown tonight:

*Rey Mysterio vs. Chuck Palumbo
*Billy Kidman vs. Tajiri - winner gets in Rumble
*Shannon Moore vs. A-Train - winner gets in Rumble
*Chris Benoit & John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar & Rhyno & Matt Morgan in
2-on-3
*Bradshaw vs. Akio vs. Sakoda - winner gets in Rumble
*Eddy Guerrero & Kurt Angle vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr. & Sr.
Reports were that it was a good show, but not a great one. It was the
first match back for both Angle and Lesnar.

--Steve Austin was on BBC Live 5 radio today and was more positive on
wrestling again then he has been in the past. "We're gonna see. Never
say never. I think I've got a match or two left in me. Maybe after
Wrestlemania, let's play it by ear and see what happens." On the
deaths in wrestling, he said, "WWE just provides a place of
employment. what people want to do in their own personal lives is up
to them." He also said he recently got a script he read and liked and
will go to Vince to see if he can get the time off to do it (thanks to
Mark Pickering and Kevin Malton)

--WWE officially announced it would be holding a Hall of Fame ceremony
the night before Mania at Times Square with tickets $200 apiece.
(thanks to Ian Hamilton and Richard Armstrong)

--Vince Russo was back at the TNA show last night as he's back helping
write and is hands on putting together angles for Jonny Fairplay.

--Chris Jericho is doing ads for VH-1's "Best Week Ever" which starts
tomorrow night at 11 p.m. and he will be appearing on tomorrow's show
(thanks to Rory Hornblower)

--The WOW press conference to announce its television that we reported
on yesterday is tentatively scheduled for mid-February. No date was
put in the press release because it's not concrete.

--The HBO piece on high school wrestler Kyle Maynard of Collins Hills
High near Atlanta with no arms below the biceps and legs below the
thigh who ranked fifth in the state in his weight that was said to be
an amazing piece, will air again at Noon tomorrow on HBO East and 3
p.m. tomorrow on HBO West, and 10 a.m. on Saturday on HBO 2 East.
(thanks to Chad Smith, Trevor Hunnicutt and Mike Pierce)

--The Hulk Hogan interview with Jimmy Kimmel is tonight on ABC

--Torrie Wilson will be on TSN's Off the Record on Tuesday (thanks to
Mike Valente)

--A correction from yesterday's item about Ken Hoffman. He's a
columnist for the Houston Chronicle, not the Houston Post, which went
out of business years ago.

--HWA TV taping results from Tuesday night in Cincinnati: Matt Stryker
& Cody Hawk b Mike Slade & Monty Fabulous, Mike Desire b Hussla, Lotus
& Crazy J b Deuce & Brian Jennings, T.J. Dalton b Tsunami, Quinten Lee
b Poison Apollo. HWA is doing a show in Dayton at the Nutter Center on
2/13 after the Dayton Bombers hockey game. Shawn Michaels will drop
the puck and do a pre-game autograph session

--AAA from Mexico runs Friday at Korakuen Hall (which includes Jushin
Liger in an eight-man) and Saturday in Osaka (with Jun Akiyama in an
eight-man main event teaming with La Parka Jr. & Latin Lover & Gronda
vs. Abismo Negro & Juventud Guerrera & Cibernetico & ?

--Results from Arena Coliseo in Mexico City from Tuesday night: Astro
Boy & Zetta b Polvora & Vaquero, Jeque & Mogur & Ramstein b Mr. Power
& Sombra de Plata & Starman, Hooligan & Mr. Mexico & Nitro b El Hijo
del Texano & Neutron & Ultimo Vampiro, Felino & Alan Stone & Tony
Rivera b Scorpio Jr. & Veneno & Violencia (Rivera and Veneno are
building to a hair match), Blue Panther & Brazo de Plata & Negro Casas
b Damian el Terrible & Pierroth Jr. & Tarzan Boy, Emilio Charles Jr. b
Black Warrior to keep CMLL middleweight title

--CZW and EWA have a joint show on Saturday night in Dundalk, MD at
the Jerome Grollman Armory (formerly Dundalk Armory) with Nate Hatred,
Nick Berk, Derek Frazier, Sonjay Dutt, Backseat Boyz, Qenaan Creed,
Adam Flash and more

--Austin Aires and Shawn Daivari were the two question marks who
worked with Dudleys on Monday in what was either a dark match or an
International Heat match (since heat will be live in North America)
(thanks to Jamie Ness)

--Jerry Lynn vs. Christopher Daniels has been added to the JAPW show
on 2/28 in Woodbridge, NJ which is headlined by Homicide vs. Teddy
Hart plus Jack Evans, Sonjay Dutt, Justice Pain vs. Kaos, Dan Maff,
Balls Mahoney and more

--ESPN Classic Canada announced they would be continuing to show
classic wrestling and said reports (which were on their own TV web
site schedule until last weekend) that Raw would air on the station
was only something considered but never confirmed (thanks to Adam
Lebow)

--Border City Wrestling has a taped PPV on 3/22 on Viewers Choice
Canada that will air for the next moth after featuring Amazing Red vs.
Xavier D-Lo Brown vs. Shane Douglas vs. Johnny Swinger, Chris Sabin
vs. Eric Young and Andre the Giant & Dick the Bruiser vs. Ox Baker &
Killer Karl Krupp

--OVW on 1/29 in Muncie, IN at Central High with all the OVW regulars
appearing

--SCW on Saturday in Debary, FL with Brian Gamble vs. Kahagis

--USWS from Ybor City, FL last night before 85-90 fans: Pretty Fly b
James Morrison, DR b Merc the Cruiser, C.B. Kool b Luther Jackson,
Vanessa Harding b Alexia, Mikey Batts b Roderick Strong, Rod Steel b
Robbie Chance, Barry Mulkey b Tom DeGeorge, Lex Lovett b Steve Madison

--Backseat Boyz vs. H8 Club vs. Homicide & Dan Maff in a three-way has
been added to CZW's 5th anniverary show at Viking Hall in Philadelphia
on 2/7.


--- Internet Rex 2.29