There is no denying the importance of a first impression. WWE and ECW Superstars utilize an array of lighting, video, pyrotechnics and other elements to excite the emotions of WWE fans. Perhaps most important for setting the mood and conveying a Superstar's personality is their entrance theme.

One Superstar who feels his entrance theme perfectly sets the stage for him is the captain of the New Breed, Elijah Burke.

"It speaks my mind for me; I don't have to say a word," Burke told ECW.com. "When that music hits, you pretty much know what I mean without me having to say it."

Burke was referring to the lyrics of his music, which are "Don't waste my time/I'm ready to shine/I want my close up, baby/Don't waste my time."

"When I hear that, my energy goes to a new level and 'I want to get funky like a monkey' to quote the American Dream," said Burke. "It's like; Spotlight! Cameras! Action! It's almost like Hollywood, Daddy."

Burke's is one of 21 entrance themes part of WWE The Music: Vol. 7 available exclusively through iTunes.

Elijah Burke

 In the mid ‘80s, the world of sports-entertainment was hit with a sudden injection of style. From the time of his debut, it didn’t take long for the smooth-talking and constantly scheming manager by the name of Slick to acquire and maintain one of the most imposing stables in the history of the sport. In the process, the man known outside of the ring as Kenneth Johnson made history by blazing a trail as the first African-American manager in WWE history.

Slick’s WWE career may be best remembered for his stirring rendition of “Jive Soul Bro,” but the greasy con man was also the manager of Hall of Famers and champions. The Doctor of Style boasts a client list featuring such names as The Iron Sheik, Nikolai Volkoff, Akeem, Big Boss Man, Power and Glory, Butch Reed, Kamala, Warlord, Rick Martel and more. The Slickster and his clients conned and cheated their way to countless victories over the years. What many fans don’t know is that the contrast in personalities between Slick and present-day Kenneth Johnson, the man who portrayed Slick on screen, are as different as could be.

“I’m a very religious person,” laughed Johnson. “I had a lot of fun playing the character, but the differences between us are as far as the east is from the west. I’m a very laid back, serious-minded and conscientious person, all things that Slick was not.”

Johnson told WWE.com that playing the role of Slick was easy for him, because he knew he was taking part in the deliverance of what he considered to be a very important message.

“I was a very evil character, but I didn’t have a problem with it,” says Johnson. “In most cases, I enjoyed it because my role as the evil character was always conquered by good. I liked knowing that the kids and WWE fans could see that good always conquers evil.”

Following his successful run with WWE, Kenneth Johnson retired from the sport and returned to his home in Longview, Texas. Ever the competitor, the former Slick took up the game of bowling, which he mastered in short time with a pair of ‘300’ games. However, bowling was not in Johnson’s long term plans, and he decided to devote his time to what he told WWE.com was his true calling.

“I finished my education and became a full-time minister,” said Johnson. “I received a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Trinity Valley Bible College, and that’s what I’ve been doing ever since.”

As the presiding Pastor at Faith Fellowship Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, Johnson oversees his own congregation, a seemingly natural task for a man who once guided WWE Superstars to combat inside the squared circle.

“My job is to feed the flock,” said Johnson. “My preaching is real. I am here to teach, and preach the word of God to our congregation. We go door to door in hopes of spreading the word and recruiting new members for our Church.”

When the Slickster isn’t knocking on doors or preaching at the pulpit, he’s on a mission to raise funds in order to build a new church for his congregation.

“Right now, we are trying to build a new sanctuary,” said Johnson. “I would like all religious groups and organizations to know that I am available to come to their city for speaking engagements, or appearances. I would like to help out wherever I can.”

Most recently, after more than a decade away from WWE, Slick made a special one-time return at WrestleMania 23. The managing legend appeared backstage with several other WWE legends and Superstars to the delight of the millions of fans watching around the world. Slick asked WWE.com to send a message to those very fans.

“Without the fans, I wouldn’t have had a career,” said Slick. “Thank you for all your support over the years. I owe everything to you.”

Fans wishing to learn more about Slick’s church or those interested in sending a donation may do so through mail by contacting:

Faith Fellowship Baptist Church
P.O. Box 1044
Longview, Texas 75606

 



Old and new school MVPs collide

Written: April 18, 2007

Montel Vontavious Porter – MVP – is one of the fastest rising stars on SmackDown and in all WWE. And if you don’t believe him, ask him yourself. He’ll tell you he’s already a legend, even though he’s been with WWE for less than a year.

However, no one would deny that Rev. Run is a legend. As one third of Run-DMC, he is a rap pioneer whose influence continues to be heard in hip-hop today. Run is also a reality TV star, as Run’s House – which follows the daily adventures of the rapping reverend and his family – has just started its third season on MTV.

WWE fans may be surprised to know that MVP is a lifelong Run-DMC fan. Even the self-proclaimed “franchise playa” was in awe as he got a chance to talk to one of his idols at length in this week’s Superstar to Superstar:

 

MVP: First of all, man, let me tell you, it was a real treat for me to be at WrestleMania, but it was really special to get to see you and your family there. How did you enjoy the show?

Run: It was amazing. [When I was a child,] I had never been to a wrestling match. I used to watch it on television, when I was younger, watching folks like “The Lariat” (Stan “The Lariat” Hansen). Then I used to look at Bruno Sammartino.... When I was coming up, I used to watch wrestling all the time. It was amazing, [watching guys like] Andre the Giant. I hadn’t been [to a show] in so long – going [to WrestleMania 23] just blew my mind. It was crazy; it was phenomenal.

MVP: Now check this out: I know you gotta feel like the franchise playa of SmackDown – the franchise playa of the entire WWE, yours truly, MVP – stole the show. Wouldn’t you agree with that?

Run: 1,000 percent. In truth, it was probably Donald Trump who stole the show, but I think you might have edged him out.

MVP: Now you see, that’s a wonderful thing. I tell people all the time that hip-hop wouldn’t be what it is today without Run-DMC. Being an old school individual, you’re a pioneer in rap and hip-hop – just like MVP is going to be in World Wrestling Entertainment when all is said and done. But you’re also a longtime wrestling and WWE fan. Who do you like watching most, the old school Superstars or the new school Superstars?

Run: Well, obviously it’s MVP who is my hero.

MVP: [Laughs] Now, you see, Rev. Run is on point. We’re on the same page.

Run: I’m already huge fan. Your name alone says everything. We need to realize [who is] the most valuable player.

MVP: [Laughs] Rev. Run, ladies and gentlemen. Now let me ask you, how about your kids, man? Do they follow us as much as you did growing up?

Run: They follow it just as much. I used to watch it Wednesday nights at 12 o’clock. I used to even take it so far as to watch Lucha Libre.

MVP: Now just out of curiosity, do you have to tell them not to jump off the couch and kick each other in the head? Or are they cool about that?

Run: I tell them to get their butts in bed. [MVP laughs] They were up all night last night watching the Divas. I can’t believe some of those girls. It was pretty crazy.

MVP: Now let me change gears on you for just a second. This is the third season of your reality TV show, Run’s House. It just premiered Monday night (April 9), right?

Run: Yeah, it was pretty good.

MVP: What can we expect this season on Run’s House?

Run: Well, the girls moved out of the house, number one, and into their own apartment. On that note, that’s very different. And we had some situations that went on in the house that were pretty devastating, so that adds to the drama. But it’s a reality show, so that drama tests the strength of our family.

MVP: Being in the spotlight, with cameras following me around, I’ve gotten used to that now. And you being in the business for so long, to you it’s second nature. Is your family used to it now? Has it gotten easier with each season?

Run: They don’t follow me around all the time. On a Sunday, what we do is we come to a meeting and talk about all that’s going on in my house for that week. Let’s say that I have a graduation party coming up, and I have to deal with a party planner for that graduation party. And I’m doing that Monday morning. They’ll [the show’s producers] say, “No, please do that Tuesday afternoon so the cameras can be in place.” So a lot of the time, I just have to reschedule what’s going on in order for them to catch that. It’s a very unique show. It’s shot sitcom-style, but it’s really reality because all they do is make sure they can catch what I’m doing. Like all of sudden if I get really mad at one of my sons and I want to go off then, they’ll say, “Please hold that until tomorrow – the speech to your son about his schoolwork. It’s really reality to rethink my approach with my children.

MVP: Now, that’s really interesting that you should say that. With so many reality TV shows out there, did you think that yours would make it into a third season? You just touched upon some of the factors that distinguish Run’s House from the other family-oriented reality shows like The Osbournes, Gene Simmons Family Jewels and Hogan Knows Best. Did you think Run’s House would come this far? Were you looking that far ahead?

Run: No. My job is to be on the assignment that God gave me and serve at the best capacity that I can. As long as I’m in touch with God, I don’t really concern myself too much – I try not to – with what’s next for me. If it [the show] got cancelled tomorrow, I’m sure God would have something else because I’m constantly in touch with the Holy Spirit. So my job is really to stay in touch with God. If he shuts something down, I don’t have my heart in a place where it would hurt me because I know it’s all his plan.

MVP: So your director is under a higher authority?

Run: I don’t really leave my heart open for disappointment. I work my butt off, but I don’t leave myself in a position to be disappointed or [be] in too far of expectation of what God is or what God will do. At this point, I’ll do 10 seasons [of Run’s House] if this is what the Holy Spirit directed me to do.

MVP: Okay, let me ask you this, and this runs into what you were telling me just a moment ago. In Run’s House, the TV audience has gotten to see – and will get to see – some pretty raw moments, perhaps situations that many families would like to keep private. And I have read that we’ll see your eldest son test you a bit this season. Did you find yourself changing your behavior, your parenting style, at all because you knew the cameras were there? Were you more lenient on your kids or did you find yourself being harder on them during the show?

Run: To me, all of life is a reality show. I’m always trying to conduct myself, whether it’s in front of my kids or if I just walk into a room, in a certain way. My day is pretty much disciplined as far as how I react to my kids, how I react on camera – it’s all a camera to me. I have the eyes of God watching me, so I’m trying to conduct myself in the best way possible, whether the cameras are on or off.

MVP: I’ve talked to quite a few people who have been on reality shows. I’ve always been of the opinion that most of the time, when the camera’s on, you’re not quite getting the same person or the same group of people that you would get when the camera’s off. So, is it fair to say that, with Rev. Run, what you see on camera with his family is what you get?

Run: Yes, that’s very true.

MVP: Now, in talking about your kids, it seems like they’re reaching for the stars themselves. Vanessa’s a model and aspiring actress, right?

Run: Yeah, she is all of that and more. She is a businesswoman more than anything. She has her own sneaker line out and a company called V and A, which stands for Vanessa and Angela. They have pastries in the store. I’m leading them more into business. She [Vanessa] can do acting, but I think her forté – what I’ll be pushing more for her – is business because she is very excellent at that.

MVP: And Angela’s on her way to a magazine publishing career? Is that one of her projects?

Run: She has a magazine out right now called Angela’s Rundown, which is polybagged with Word Up! magazine, and she’s editor of Word Up! magazine. Yes, this is pretty much a mentored life. My children are very much mentored.

MVP: And [one of Run’s sons] Jojo is getting ready for college right?

Run: Yes, Jojo is on his way to college. He is an up-and-coming rap star. This is what Jojo loves.

MVP: As you said, your kids have a mentored life. What’s the most important advice you’ve given all your kids?

Run: The biggest piece of advice I’ve given all my kids was to stay with the mentors because the mentor shortens the distance. The mentor has already been through it, [and] is willing to share with you his mistakes and his new way of approaching life. So, if you can follow a mentor – which my children do – that can help you avoid a lot of mistakes.

MVP: It’s funny, one of the issues I’ve found in this day and age – and from my own personal experiences – is that there are too many African-American kids growing up today without the mother and father at home, or without the father figure. That’s something I had to deal with. My father was distant most of the time. So, your children are at a great advantage, having you to take them by the hand and guide them and give them that advice. I think that as a community, as a people, we’d be a lot better off if we had more fathers like you taking that role. On personal note, I’d just like to give you kudos just for that, man.

Run: Well, that’s why I do the show – to inspire other men to do what I’m doing.

MVP: Well, it moves me because I see my brother with his son. He tries to be as much of a father as he can, and tries not to make the mistakes that were made with us. Whenever I see that, it moves me. I don’t have any children yet, but I tell you, I look at men like yourself, like my brother, who try to do things the right way. I say to myself that if I ever find myself being a father, I hope I can be that kind of a father.

Run: Between what I portray on Run’s House and Will Smith’s portrayal in The Pursuit of Happyness, I think we’re well on our way to creating people who inspire that type of life and that type of help to our community.

MVP: I hope so, man…. Besides Run’s House, what other projects are you working on now?

Run: My main ministry is Run’s House because it reaches people. I’m a humanitarian, my job is to inspire. That’s basically it besides my sneaker company – I have Arthur Ashe sneakers. The thing I work at the most is to get in where I fit in. The best thing I can do right now is to continue to inspire with this “ministry” of encouraging people not so much through the pulpit but through my actions.

MVP: When you were with Run-DMC you wrote a special song for WrestleMania V, and if I’m correct, it was called “WrestleMania Rap,” and you performed that at WrestleMania V.

Run: I remember performing.

MVP: You also wrote “The Kings” for D-Generation X back in 2000.

Run: That was fun.

MVP: Well, when are you going to rap a song for me, man? Silkk the Shocker performs my entrance music and I think it fits a guy like me who’s already established himself as a force to be reckoned with. But even a franchise playa like me needs to freshen things up every once and awhile, you know what I mean? I don’t know if you remember [our conversation] at WrestleMania 23, but the very first concert I went to ever was “Raising Hell” at the Miami Stadium. So, come on, man. I wanna get down with the kings.

Run: Yeah, well if you can get Vince McMahon to set me up, I will make a record for you. If you all ask me, I will create a single for you and be your cheerleader.

MVP: I’m going to put the plan in motion right now. I still have [Run-DMC’s] “Rock Box” on vinyl.

Run: If you really put the plan in motion, I will create a high aggression record that will blow the whole place down, and I will be out there performing it for you. You just got to set it up, and I’m there.

MVP: I will set the pendulum in motion. You know there’s nothing stale about me, unlike that boring, uncharismatic Chris Benoit – you know I’m going to take his United States Championship. That will be the first milestone of many in my legendary career. What moment or achievement has made you the proudest in your legendary career?

Run: I would guess it would have to be sitting here talking to MVP.

Both men start laughing.

MVP: You know, I have always loved you man. I didn’t think your cool points could go up any more, but we have to create a new bracket of cool points for Rev. Run.

Run: Yeah, man. I’m with you 1,000 percent.

MVP: Thank you for your time, man. I’m gonna keep an eye on you, and I want you to keep an eye on me.

MVP has a fan in Rev. Run.

 

Catching up with Paul Bearer
By Brett Hoffman
Written: April 11, 2007

After 15 years in the wrestling business, Percy Pringle was determined to step up to the major leagues of sports-entertainment. Nearly two decades ago, Percy walked into WWE headquarters for an interview that he hoped would help him accomplish that very goal. Little did he know that shortly thereafter he would become Paul Bearer, and was about to embark on a journey that would take him to the top of the wrestling world.

As a mortician prior to his life in wrestling, Paul Bearer was a perfect fit for his role as manager of a young, ghoulish looking character known as Undertaker. In the decade and change that followed their union in 1991, the chemistry between Bearer and The Deadman would carry them to unforeseen heights, which included multiple championships and a place in history as one of the most successful duos to grace a WWE arena.

While managing Undertaker, Bearer enjoyed some of the most memorable experiences of his career. The urn-carrying manager cites many overseas tours, including a trip to London’s Wembley Stadium in 1992 for SummerSlam, and multiple appearances at WrestleMania as just a few highlights of his lengthy WWE tenure. One of the proudest moments of his career however, came outside of the ring during an early edition of Bearer’s talk show segment, appropriately titled The Funeral Parlor.

“I have a picture of it hanging on my wall,” said Bearer. “Ric Flair had just joined the company, and I had both him and Hulk Hogan in The Funeral Parlor at the same time. As I was standing there with these two legends on either side of me, I thought to myself, ‘Where do I go from here? This is the top of the mountain.’ I’ll never forget it.”

Over the years, Bearer and Undertaker severed ties on many occasions, only to reunite in grand fashion to the delight of WWE fans. One of the most emotional nights of Bearer’s career took place in Madison Square Garden at WrestleMania XX when, after an extended hiatus, he was once again reunited with Undertaker. As Bearer explained to WWE.com, his dramatic return almost never took place due to a particular issue with his health that threatened not only his career, but also his life.

“I weighed 525 pounds,” remembered Bearer. “When I left the road, I had a lot of problems. My wife was sick, I was depressed, and I gained a lot of weight. I was a big man for a lot of the years that I managed Undertaker, but I carried it well. At this point though, I could barely walk around my house.”

Bearer continued, detailing the phone call that would change his life forever.

“I got a call asking if I wanted to come back,” recalled Bearer. “I told them I would love to, but I didn’t think there was any way I could get back on the road in my condition. They asked what they could do to help me, so I told them about the gastric bypass surgery.” 

Knowing that Bearer didn’t have the money or insurance to cover the costs of the expensive and risky surgery, WWE made Bearer an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“A few days later, I received another call,” said Bearer. “They said that they would really like to have me back, and so, as a signing bonus they offered to pay for the surgery. To make a long story short, I had the surgery and lost 240 pounds. The surgery saved my life, and without it, you wouldn’t be hearing from me today.”

Today, several years after his last appearance on WWE TV, Bearer has returned to his original trade in the funeral service industry. Toting a degree in mortuary science and a license he continually renewed during his years on the road, Bearer manages a full service funeral home in his hometown of Mobile, Ala.

“I’m the boss,” said Bearer. “I’m the managing funeral director, and I oversee all the operations within our crematory, cemetery and mausoleum. I also am an embalmer, and I offer grief counseling. I handle families from the time the person dies, until we put them in the ground.”

Believe it or not, Bearer draws on his experience in the world of sports-entertainment when preparing for a funeral service.

“The funeral isn’t for the dead person,” said Bearer. “It’s almost like a show for the living. There’s a distinct parallel between this and a WWE show. When WWE comes to town, they need to coordinate with the arenas and arrange for promotion of the event. When I set up a funeral, I need to coordinate plans with the church, the minister and the families. It’s a very similar procedure.”

Outside of the funeral home, Bearer likes to keep a finger on the pulse of the wrestling business. The veteran of the squared circle owns and operates his own promotion down south. Bearer boasts a mission statement to “celebrate tradition and set new standards,” all under the watchful eye of one of sports-entertainment’s most knowledgeable personalities.

Through his promotion, Bearer is able to stay close to the fans that cheered for him and Undertaker for so many years. A humble Bearer offers a simple message to those fans that followed his career.

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to entertain you.”

Paul Bearer looking slim and trim in January of 2007.

 

Edge blogs on the New Jersey Devils

Written: April 11, 2007

WWE fans now have inside access to a side of Edge that has never before been revealed in the world of sports-entertainment. A lifelong fan of NHL hockey, Edge is supporting the New Jersey Devils and blogging his thoughts on their journey toward the Stanley Cup. Be sure to follow as Edge gives his thoughts on his favorite team as they make their way through the playoffs.

Read the blog

 



Getting the royal treatment

Written: April 11, 2007

Before his remake of The Texas Chain Massacre terrorized the box office in 2003, director Marcus Nispel was known primarily for his work on music videos. But now he has returned with an epic Viking action film, Pathfinder, which opens April 13.

If you believe King Booker, he is already a film legend (though 2000’s Ready to Rumble was hardly a critical or commercial success). SmackDown’s king and his lovely Queen Sharmell appreciate good films, and have been known to act as WWE’s resident Ebert & Roeper.

Before he was severely injured by new World Champion Undertaker on Friday Night SmackDown, King Booker, accompanied by Queen Sharmell, had an opportunity to talk Nispel about Pathfinder. It looks like the movie is on his majesty’s royal must-see list:

Booker: Greetings, Director Nispel. As you know, I am King Booker, and I am the ruler of the SmackDown Kingdom. I have my lovely bride with me, Queen Sharmell.

Nispel: Greetings.

Booker: I am not only the ruler of SmackDown, but I am the king and ruler of the cinema world. Tell me about your new film, Pathfinder.

Nispel: Pathfinder is about the little footnote in history where Vikings invaded North America before Christopher Columbus. I’d like to say Vikings were actually the first ones to rape America, not Christopher Columbus. They have it wrong in the history books.

Booker: Yes, hmmm...your film sounds somewhat like a gladiator film. Your film sounds like a wonderful story that really combines action with a compelling storyline. How did you come upon this story, and what made you decide to direct this film?

Nispel: You know I wanted to make a movie like the ones I enjoyed as a kid. I loved movies like Conan [the Barbarian].

Booker: Yes, yes I loved that movie. With Arnold Schwarzenegger!

Nispel: Yes, the governor [of California].

Booker: Yes! I loved that movie. That was one of the greatest movies of all time! I remember when he sat on the throne at the end of the movie with the scepter, and he had a glass of wine. It was great! My queen, do you have any questions?
 
Sharmell: What do you look for when you’re deciding on film projects, and do you have a preference in what kind of films you direct?

Nispel: I watch a whole bunch of movies, but there are very specific ones I like to do. The ones I like to do are the ones where I feel like I’m in it myself. This movie, the way we went about it was that while were doing it, it was like a real experience. People got hurt; we were in the thick of it. We had over 100 hospitalizations. We had 20 hospitalizations just in a two-day period.

Sharmell: My God!

Nispel: We had a flesh-eating virus. We were in the middle of a rain forest and it was not that green screen stuff that makes most epic movies these days. This was the real McCoy.

Sharmell: Oh my gosh…. Now, you also directed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake and were known primarily for your music videos before that. Which do you prefer to direct, videos or films? Do you find one genre more challenging than the other?

Nispel: Good question. I enjoy it all. What I like about movies is they take on their own life. They become something living and breathing, and it lives with you for a long time. It’s almost like raising children. So to me, it’s different than music videos. The good thing about music videos is that they’re over after about a week. The good thing about movies is that they’re about a lifetime almost.

Sharmell: Now, my king is too humble to to ask this himself. But as you may know he is quite an accomplished actor himself. He was the star of the classic Ready to Rumble. What kind of film role could you see a regal, brave warrior like King Booker playing?

Nispel: Well, this one would have been a great opportunity because when we started it, we decided that we were looking for specific types of Vikings, which most likely can be found only among wrestlers or as when we went to Canada, perhaps hockey players. And actually Ralf Moeller who plays one of the Vikings, he is good friends with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and was a Mr. Universe once. We were looking for a certain physical appearance that not everyone has. When we went to Canada, a whole bunch of the Vikings we had were wrestlers. It was kind of interesting – the one area in the movie’s budget where we were completely off was transportation. We thought we could fit those guys maybe four in an SUV or two in a SUV. They all needed an [individual] SUV for themselves because they were so damn big! And with the armor, everyday we had a caravan of 50 cars driving through the Canadian forest. It blew our budget completely! [laughing]

Sharmell: [laughing] That is amazing.

Nispel: What’s also funny is most of the Vikings I knew only in their armor, and their armor covered most of them. So on weekends, when we were not shooting and I would go to dinner or walk through Vancouver, every now and then a gigantic, gigantic giant of a man would run toward me and give me a bear hug. I would go, “Who the hell is this? I’m getting mugged here, somebody help!” [laughs] It would be one of my actors out of costume.

Sharmell: [laughs} That is awesome. Well, King Booker has more questions.

Booker: Now this next question is one of splendid nature: What about my beautiful queen, Queen Sharmell? She is more beautiful than Jessica Biel, Janet Jackson, and any other woman you have worked with in the past. What kind of role could you see her in, as I see her now, sitting before me?

Nispel: I think the queen is too big to be a “scream queen.”

Booker: Yes, yes. Of course …

Nispel: That’s a whole different category of actress. I think …

Booker: Maybe she could be queen like in this last movie – the movie about the Queen of England [The Queen] – I see someone [actress Helen Mirren] got a big award for that role. What was her name?

Nispel: Oh, oh...Geez…

Booker: Yes, yes, exactly! [Nispel laughs] You know exactly who I’m talking about! My Queen Sharmell would have to have a role of something of that magnitude, of course.

Nispel: An important, Oscar-winning type of movie.

Booker: Yes, yes, yes.

Nispel: It looks like the other queen stole her crown.

Booker: Yes.

Nispel: It’s a conspiracy.

Booker: But there is only one Queen Sharmell, of course.... I have read that you are working on a film that has a rather unique take on Alice in Wonderland. Tell me about this new project.

Nispel: There’s a queen right in there.

Booker: Yes, there is a queen in Alice in Wonderland, but that is something too small for my queen.

Nispel: Oh, I see. So you want something where the queen wins at the end.

Booker: My queen has to be the main star, the main everything. As I look at her now sitting before me, I glance into her eyes – I gaze into her eyes –  and she looks at me, and I say this is something the entire world, the world, would have to come out and pay homage to this woman. Because I know that without her, King Booker, king and ruler of the SmackDown world, would not be here today. But tell me about that new project. It sounds great.

Nispel: Alice in Wonderland is based on the American McGee video game that takes a more sinister, R-rated twist on the Alice scene. It should be quite a ride.

Booker: Wow, wow … maybe that may be something for my queen. We may have to reconvene at a later time. But my queen has a question.

Sharmell: Thank you, my king. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a Frankenstein TV movie – is it fair to say that you have a love for horror films? If so, when did that infatuation start?

Nispel: I guess you can say I have a penchant for the dark because I did 200 music videos and something like 2000 commercials, and they’re all bright and cheery and pop. So, when I got to do movies, I got [a chance] to explore my dark side.
 
Sharmell: I love it. Do you have any favorite directors, or films that inspired you? Also, whose work, past and present, do you admire?

Nispel: You know what? I think it’s like wrestling: Once, you do the job yourself, you start to find admiration for all those who do that job. I certainly have some favorites, and I think I have fairly popular tastes in who I like. I remember when I started out, I was a big Star Wars kid. And of course, I’m a big Spielberg fan. I like a lot of them. I like Coppola. I have popular tastes. And usually the public is right [laughs].

Sharmell: [laughs] Here’s one last comment from my king. 

Booker: Yes, yes. Director Nispel, I must say you have been a wonderful, wonderful guest for King Booker and my Queen Sharmell. And I hope we have an opportunity to collaborate on a film at some time in the future. But in closing I just want to ask what is next for Director Nispel?

Nispel: One of the biggest things coming up for me, and one of the more exotic things for me to do is to spend some time with my kids and my family.

Booker: You know, I understand that totally. That sounds like a great, great venture. I do say in closing, once again, that you have been a great guest. You have been wonderful. We appreciate, myself and Queen Sharmell, your time and everything you have given us today. Good luck in your future endeavors.

Nispel: Thank you, and bye-bye now.

King Booker and Queen Sharmell gave director Marcus Nispel and his new film "Pathfinder" a royal two thumbs up.

 


Biography:
Name: Eddie Guerrero


Height: 5 foot 8
Weight: 220 pounds
From: El Paso, Texas
Signature Move: Frog Splash; Lasso from El Paso
Career Highlights: WWE World Heavyweight Title (defeated Brock Lesnar at No Way Out on February 15, 2004); WWE Tag Team Titles (3 times); WWE Intercontinental title (2 times); WWE United States Title (defeated Chris Benoit in tournament final at Vengeance 2003); WWE European Title (2 times); WCW United States Title, WCW Cruiserweight Title, ECW Television Title (2 times)


One of the most gifted WWE Superstars on the SmackDown roster, Eddie Guerrero was also one of the most conflicted and tortured souls to ever step foot in a WWE ring. With wrestling running through his bloodlines on both sides of his family dating back to his father – the legendary Gory Guerrero, Eddie was consumed and obsessed by the sports entertainment business since he was a child and first began training in an El Paso wrestling ring in his parents' backyard. It was there that he was instilled with the mentality of being the best he could be and having a passion to be numero uno.







Eddie's Tomb Stone.R.I.P.



Eddie And Chavo.



Yes,he will be missed.T~T



"Im your PAPI!"

 
By Maria
Written: April 10, 2007

This week: Want the truth? It’s simple, just do the math. And Maria’s WrestleMania wrap-up!

What's up all you stars and studs!!

So, I am 25, and I just got done doing WrestleMania 23! I have been in three WrestleManias, and there are 340 some odd days until the next one. My birthday is on the 25 in the second month of the year, not the second day of the fifth month like it says in the magazine this month. I am 5 feet 7 inches tall, not 5 feet 4 inches tall, like it says in the program and magazine.

MySpace accounts that pretend to be me? 70. Real MySpace accounts? Zero!! I have one sis, one bro, one mom and one dad. They have been together for 26 years this May! Congrats, Mommy and Daddy!! Why all the numbers, you may ask? Well, sometimes there are things on the Internet, in magazines or in blogs that just aren't true. I thought maybe I would do an update to give some true facts.

Now, since all that is done, let’s get to the fun stuff, WrestleMania 23!!!

I have never, ever been to such a monumental event! It was absolutely crazy! There were 80,103 fans there. Oh my gosh, is that a lot of peeps! I did updates all day long with Josh, and we had such a great time. You can see those updates under the WrestleMania Pre-Show Videos section. I got to go inside the arena before the sea of more than 80,000 fans entered, and I was also in there after! The building was huge, the occasion was huge, and the theme was All Grown Up.

Everything about WrestleMania is big, and this year it was even bigger! Watching it this year was different because it was like I was watching my family. They are my family and more. I didn't have just one favorite match, they were all my favorites!

Everyone was dressed to the nines. Queen Sharmell and King Booker had on amazing outfits. I loved the Queen’s train on her skirt. The girls in the Lumberjill Match each had their own style. From Ashley with her patent leather corset, to Melina with her awesome fur hoodie — which she pushed off when she got in the ring.

My outfit was a sequined, white halter top and shirt. It was actually two shirts that I cut up and made into a shirt and top. It was so fun and sparkly. I am glad I wore it! OW OW! I had on silver, stiletto shoes, and I used them later in the match to beat up on Victoria a little bit.

I was also wearing a headdress that was a throwback to Ancient Greece when they would wear the olive tree wreaths on their head. It was so great to actually be involved with WrestleMania this year, and now I can't wait for next year! I really hope that next year I have a match; you never know what can happen in a year

I am still buzzing after ‘Mania, and I think that everyone who was involved, watched, and our family, and friends are still excited! On April 1, I walked around and asked people if this was really my job. I can’t believe that my passion is my job, and I feel so blessed that I get to live out my dream every week! I have so much respect for all those that were in the matches, they were absolutely amazing. It made me fall in love all over again with wrestling..... awwww! (Love letters: Dear Wrestling, Would you go out with me? Circle yes or no.)

The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was such an amazing event during WrestleMania week. To take a look at those that paved the way is such an inspiration the day before ‘Mania. It is so great to see all the families and friends of all the Superstars as well. I can't believe how everyone was dressed, too. Everyone looked so glamorous and red carpet worthy.

I was wearing a dress that I got off the Internet because everything that I found in the stores was so boring and similar to everything else. I wanted something different. My dress didn't arrive until a few days before, so if it didn't fit, I didn't have a dress. I was planning on going naked with some pasties if it didn't fit. Luckily, it fit great! Yay! I have to say that I was in such awe of all the people that went up to the podium unafraid of showing their emotions. Congrats, and thank you to all the Hall of Famers!!

WrestleMania comes around once a year, but the memories last a lifetime! I am so happy and grateful to be with WWE, and to be surrounded by such amazing individuals. Finally, spanks to all the fans that watch, because you are why we are here!

Spanks and Kisses,
Maria

Stiletto style tip: No matter how cute the shoes are, if you are uncomfortable in them it can ruin your night. Find basic shoes that are comfy, so if you think there is a problem with the hott, sexy shoes you have a backup. The night of the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, I had to change shoes after 10 minutes of walking in them. Booooo! My Mommy brought down the comfy ones from my hotel room. Thanks, Mommy

Maria sports the Grecian headdress and her own personal excitement at WrestleMania 23.

 

Diva Dish: Celebrity crushes, part one
By Jen Hunt and Kara A. Medalis
Written: April 6, 2007

This week in Diva Dish, Raw Divas Candice Michelle, Mickie James, Victoria and Melina expose their celebrity crushes; Queen Sharmell talks style and success; Maria shares a secret; Layla and Kelly Kelly recall their first ’Mania; Michelle McCool works out and Lilian Garcia talks about her recovery.

 

Idol attraction
After Victoria revealed she has a crush on “Stone Cold” Steve Austin in this week’s special WrestleMania Edition of Diva Dish, we thought we’d ask more of the Divas which celebrities they’re hot for. This week, Raw’s Sexiest Women on Television reveal their secret celebrity crushes.

“Well, I don’t think this person is really a celebrity yet, but I think he’s cute. His name is Blake Lewis. He’s on American Idol. He’s the beatboxer. I like him. He’s got style. I like that,” Candice Michelle said.

“But I don’t have any Brad Pitt crushes. Although maybe Matthew McConaughey…” she giggled.

Mickie James agreed with Candice when it comes to the male half of Brangelina.

“I really don’t have any celebrity crushes! I used to have a huge crush on Brad Pitt, but he’s really let himself go. It’s not that he’s ugly – he’s a good looking man,” she said. “But he’s nowhere near the man he was when he came on the scene, like in Thelma & Louise. Fight Club was cool – he was kind of rough, though. It’s not that I like the pretty boy Brad Pitt. But I like it when he showers.”

Mickie must be brushing up on her celebrity skills, because she offered us a few more…

“George Clooney – he’s a good looking guy, especially for an older gentleman. Mark Wahlberg – he’s one of those guys who has a harder sex appeal, but he’s not like dead sexy all the time. He’s sexy in certain scenarios,” she said. “When I was younger I used to love Tom Cruise in Cocktail and Top Gun.”

In addition to Stone Cold, Victoria said she thinks actor Leonardo DiCaprio was dreamy in Romeo + Juliet.

“I don’t necessarily like bigger guys, but I love tall, tall men. I like dark hair. I like the total Italian thing – tall, dark and handsome,” Victoria said. “I think I’m more into personality now. I like my guy to have a sense of humor and be able to have a conversation with me.”

Women’s Champion Melina said her celebrity crush is her true love – Johnny Nitro.

“Just him. He’s the only one that turns me on. Everyone else is cool. I see them as cool friends. But Nitro’s the only one that gets my engine going,” she purred.

Torrie Wilson said she simply likes to keep it real when it comes to men.

“I don’t really have any celebrity crushes I have never been one of those girls who swoons over celebrities like that. I’m more of a real man kind of girl,” she said. “I like a real man.”

Check back in two weeks when Diva Dish talks to SmackDown and ECW Divas about their celebrity crushes.

 

Stylish and svelte
We think Queen Sharmell stole the show with her ravishing, two-piece, black and white, feather-adorned gown at WrestleMania 23. The Queen of class told Diva Dish she owes some of her style to music legend Diana Ross.

“Five years ago or so I saw Diana Ross at an awards show and she wore something similar to my dress. It wrapped around, so you couldn’t see what she wore underneath, and all of a sudden she dropped it and the red feathers were actually the train,” Sharmell explained. “That’s where the inspiration came from. My private seamstress designed it, and I think it was an amazing outfit. I’m very, very happy with it.”

But it wasn’t only Sharmell’s dress that was looking incredible. We think the Queen was more gorgeous than ever at WrestleMania. 

“I felt like the Queen needed to step up her game just like everybody else. This is our Super Bowl of WWE and I just wanted to be totally amazing,” Sharmell said. “I wanted a new hair color and length. I wanted a better body. I worked really hard. I dieted really, really hard. King Booker was very proud of me. I sacrificed a lot for WrestleMania. It paid off.”

Sharmell worked with a personal trainer and adopted a healthier diet. She admitted she has a sweet tooth, but for WrestleMania, it was worth giving up sugar.

“I ate a good, clean diet. I ate a lot of grilled chicken and fish, and steamed broccoli and vegetables. I cut out the sugar, bread and chocolate – all the stuff I love,” she said.

“Right after WrestleMania I had a piece of triple chocolate cake, but my system isn’t responding well to the junk food now that I’ve been eating clean. I think that I’m going to stick with the clean diet, but I’m going to have a treat every now and then, just not every day.”

 

A Diva’s secret
Maria has a secret, and soon she’ll be sharing it with WWE fans. WWE.com’s Secret Sessions will premiere on April 15, and Maria will be the first Diva to offer a special peek into her life. Diva Dish will never let you down, WWE fans, so we offer you a little tidbit from Maria’s Secret Sessions shoot. Behind the scenes, the Raw Diva relaxed while wearing a darling little Betty Boop robe.

“Betty Boop has always been my favorite. My nickname is ‘Boop,’ ” Maria said. “It’s because when I was a little girl and I’d fall down, I’d go, ‘Boop!’ So my dad started calling me Boop. And Betty Boop sings the song ‘Boop Boop Be Doop,’ and she’s so cute!”

Maria mentioned that she’d love to use the Betty Boop song for the Kiss Cam, because she loves it so much. The Diva said she can relate to Betty Boop because they’re both fashionistas who can pull off many styles.

“I take after that, because I love fashion. You’ll see her on a Harley, and the next time you’ll see her she’ll be all cute in a dress. Then next she’ll do the Marilyn Monroe pose. I just think she’s cute, you know?” Maria said. “But she’s got a body! She’s not like some of the cartoon characters who are stick figures and they’re supposed to be the hot chick.”

Stay tuned to WWE.com for more on Maria’s upcoming Secret Sessions debut.

 

WrestleMania firsts
Layla told Diva Dish her first WrestleMania was a little overwhelming, but she had the time of her life and would do it again in a heartbeat.

“For the first time ever, I was so scared. I held Kelly Kelly’s hand and said, ‘I’m scared – I don’t know if I can go out there!’ ” she admitted. “I remember watching Batista come out and thinking he looked small next to the enormity of the WrestleMania set. If the massive Batista looked small, I wondered what the Divas were going to look like out there.”

“But once you go out there, there’s adrenaline, there’s a rush. That’s why we do what we do. It’s an experience I will treasure for the rest of my life. I love being out there,” the ECW Diva said.

Last week’s Diva fashion report from the Hall of Fame ceremony included lovely Layla, who was wearing a hot Betsey Johnson dress.

“I love Betsey Johnson. I know she’s crazy and wacky, but she does a lot of really nice couture. I’ve had a couple of dresses from her,” Layla said. “I walked into the store and saw that – it was red, one of my favorite colors.  And it was tight-fitting and shows my figure off. I put it on and I was like, ‘Wow!’ It worked. It clicked.”

Layla said she was delighted to see all the WWE Superstars and Divas dressed up for the event, but the one who impressed her most was WWE Champion John Cena.

“He had a suit on! I had never seen him in a suit! But all the guys looked nice,” she said.

Layla’s Extreme Exposé partner, Kelly Kelly, had a special family member with her throughout WrestleMania week – her mom.

“She had so much fun. She went everywhere with me to my appearances. She was in awe. All my other family members were very jealous of her!” Kelly said. “This was her first real introduction to sports-entertainment. She was overwhelmed. She watches it every week, all the brands.”

There was just one snag – Kelly’s younger sister’s prom was Saturday night, so Mom and Big Sis missed the big night.

“My sister was really mad we weren’t there! I haven’t seen her dress yet, but my mom said it was exactly like what I wore for prom,” Kelly explained.

“Sadly, my sister’s high school graduation is the night of an ECW show, a Tuesday night. She’s very upset I can’t make it,” Kelly said. “She said she better get a good graduation gift! But my family will definitely come out when ECW comes to Florida in June.”

 

Healthy return
We’re sure most WWE fans have noticed Michelle McCool is looking better than ever and has returned to SmackDown. Diva Dish couldn’t be happier to see her back in action! Michelle took a moment to give us the details on her recent work outs.

“As far as physicality goes, I’ve been back on the live events competing in some matches. I’ve been hitting the gym – lifting weights and also running. I like free-weights versus machines,” she said.

Michelle said she prefers working out in the great outdoors even more than being in the gym.

“Being an athlete, I like to do more plyometric-type stuff and agility drills outside. I like walking lunges, jump squats, running stairs, push ups, boxing, hitting the heavy bag. I like to change it up and do a lot of stuff outside,” she said.

 

Road to recovery
Raw ring announcer Lilian Garcia underwent surgery on her torn ACL yesterday at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. While the Diva is still sore, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Armin Tehrany has given her an excellent prognosis after her ski injury; however, Lilian won’t be back in the Raw ring for at least three weeks.

Lilian told Diva Dish she’s going to miss being in front of the WWE fans for a few weeks, and feels particularly sad she can’t travel to Europe with the Superstars later this month.

“I just want to say thanks to the WWE fans. Recently when I was in the ring, during commercial breaks, everyone was asking how I was doing and telling me they were going to miss me. They were awesome. I can’t thank the WWE fans enough,” she said.

“It felt so good going into this, knowing how loved I am by the fans and how much they care. They give me the strength and determination to get well quickly and get back out there.”

Queen Sharmell and King Booker at WrestleMania 23.

You might not  like NASCAR but if you take a look near te back of the car next to the window you might see the W symbol for WWE. The driver is Jermey Mayfied. On the day of Wrestlemania 23 he sponscered Wrestlemania.

 

 

Catching up with Luna Vachon
By Brett Hoffman
Written: March 14, 2007

As the daughter of a “Butcher,” and the niece of a “Mad Dog,” Luna Vachon was destined to become a sports-entertainment Superstar. Sporting a look that could easily introduce fear into the hearts of any young fan, Luna succeeded in carrying on the proud tradition of the Vachon wrestling family.

As far back as she can remember, Luna always wanted to follow in the family footsteps. As the daughter of a wrestler, she was constantly exposed to the business, and eventually decided that she loved it so much, that she wanted to become a wrestler herself. Early on however, Luna’s family wasn’t so excited about her wrestling dreams.

“I grew up wanting to be a part of this business so badly,” remembered Luna. “My family discouraged me at first. My aunt Vivian was a wrestler, so they knew the kind of toll that wrestling could take on a woman’s body. I didn’t let that stop me though. It was in my blood, and all I wanted to do was become a wrestler.”

Despite her family’s initial objections, Luna overcame the odds and fulfilled her wrestling dreams. In a career that spanned nearly two decades, Vachon may be most remembered for her unique look and unusual ring attire. Displaying a memorable mane and multiple colorful tattoos, Luna succeeded in her goal of attracting the eyes of packed arenas all over the world.

“In a world full of butterflies, it takes balls to be a caterpillar,” said Luna. “When I entered the sport, I wanted to attract as much attention to myself and women’s wrestling as I could. There were pretty girls and cowgirls, but nobody had a look that really stood out. I wanted to take it to the extreme.”

During her time with WWE, Luna appeared in multiple roles. Vachon appeared as the “main squeeze” of the late Beast from the East, Bam Bam Bigelow, before later forming partnerships with The Oddities and Goldust, among others. In a career full of unlikely triumphs, Luna cites her tag team loss at WrestleMania XIV as the highlight of her professional career.

“Sable wasn’t a wrestler until I made her one,” said Luna. “A real wrestler can wrestle a mop, and make it look like the mop is kicking their ass, and that’s what happened that night. She beat us, and when we got to the back, there was champagne and confetti, and everyone wanted to celebrate with Sable. I kept walking until Owen Hart came up to me and told me I had just put on the match of my life. It meant a lot to have someone like him say that to me.”

In 2007, Luna leads a dramatically different life from the one she lived for so many years inside the squared circle. The former “main squeeze” still makes time for the gym, and even makes the occasional wrestling appearance, but, after years of breaking down her opponents in the ring, Vachon now makes her living by helping those that have broken down…on the side of the road. With excitement in her voice, Luna told WWE.com about her new role, as the driver of a massive C6500 Chevy Rollback two-car carrier for Ultima Towing and Recovery in Port Richey, Fla. 

“I’m not the kind of girl who can sit behind a desk and answer phone calls,” said Luna. “I got bored of doing nothing, and I wondered what I was going to do with the rest of my life. I decided that I had to get out there and be in the sunshine, and get my hands dirty.”

For many, the thought of driving a tow truck, especially after a long and successful life on the road in the wrestling business, would be a last resort. Not so, according to Luna. The countless hours of hard labor and challenging tasks produce the very reward that Vachon is looking for.

“I absolutely love it,” proclaimed Luna. “At the end of the day, my hands and face are greasy, there’s dirt under my fingernails, and my body is exhausted. But, it makes me feel good to know that I’ve put in a hard day of labor, and ultimately, I’ve lent a hand to somebody that needed my help.”

The transition from the ring to the tow-truck wasn’t the only dramatic change in Luna’s life. The instability and unpredictability that Luna showed on TV wasn’t far from her real life personality, and as Luna told WWE.com, she wasn’t always headed down the right path in life. That all changed for Luna three years ago, when she was invited to spend the weekend at the Athletes in Ministry conference in Phoenix, a conference once attended by current WWE Superstar Shawn Michaels.

“I was a lost soul,” said an emotional Vachon. “When these people heard my story, they asked me to come to their conference and see what it was all about. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but I agreed to go with an open-mind.”

Little did Luna know that the journey she was about to take would change her life forever. Vachon told WWE.com that her experience that weekend is one she will never forget.

“The Lord touched me, and it was something I had never felt before,” said Luna. “In front of thousands of people, I started shaking. No drug, and no alcohol had ever given me the feeling that god gave me that weekend. I thought I needed to go to the hospital, but I really needed to walk with the Lord.”

Shortly thereafter, Luna was baptized by fellow wrestling great and Ministry attendee, Nikita Koloff. Since that day, religion has played a major role in Vachon’s life.

“I’m a baby Christian, and my walk has just begun,” said Luna. “It’s been three years since I was baptized, and I can’t get enough. I can’t learn fast enough, I can’t read the bible fast enough. I always thought I would need something to make me feel good, but I found out it didn’t have to be drugs or alcohol. I can feel that good by living with Christ.”

Despite the fact that religion now plays a major role in her life, Luna admits that wrestling is still in her blood. The veteran grappler still catches Raw or SmackDown when she can, and told WWE.com that she is impressed with how far women have come in wrestling from the time she started in the business more than two decades ago.

“I’m proud of how far the women have come, they are the most awesome female athletes in the world,” said Luna. “The women are wrestling more like men now. When I grew up, my aunt Vivian, and the Fabulous Moolah were the only women who could pull it off. These women are throwing hard punches, and moving in-and-out of wrestling combinations on a regular basis. It’s amazing to watch.”

During her career, Luna wasn’t always a fan-favorite. But, as she looks back on her career, Vachon told WWE.com that she has nothing but fond memories of the WWE fans.

“Thank you for all the years,” said an emotional Vachon. “Thank you to those that knew me back then, and those that still remember me today. Thanks to everyone that ever screamed at me, cheered for me, spit at me or threw beer on me. I want to thank them for everything.”

 

Catching up with Tugboat
By Brett Hoffman
Written: April 4, 2007

Depending on who you ask, Fred Ottman is best known as either the loveable sailor- Tugboat, the oversized Natural Disaster - Typhoon, or the stumbling Storm Trooper mask wearing Shockmaster. While there may be some debate as to which is the most recognizable of his many aliases, fans around the world will widely agree that Fred Ottman was one of sports-entertainment’s most memorable personalities.

When Ottman first arrived to WWE in the late ‘80s as Tugboat, he was paired with the legendary Hulk Hogan, forming a tag team to counteract the evil actions of the man who would eventually become his partner, Earthquake. The Tugboat character was an instant favorite of WWE fans, especially kids, and was a role that Ottman says was a natural fit                                  .

“I always loved kids,” said Ottman. “It was an easy role, and I liked being a good guy. It was the perfect character for me.”

The Tugboat persona, however, didn’t last forever, as Fred soon made the transition into a role that was the complete opposite of the friendly sailor. As “Typhoon,” the oversized veteran ventured into the tag team ranks, teaming with the only other man in the WWE who could claim a similar waist size: Earthquake. Together, they dominated the tag team scene, capturing the World Tag Team titles in 1992 when they defeated Money Inc. Ottman told WWE.com that his late friend was more than a tag team partner.

“We were like two big kids,” laughed Fred. “I loved working with John, he was awesome. Unlike a lot of teams, we really got along outside the ring. Quake and I spent a lot of time together. We traveled together, ate together and went to the gym together. We had a great time and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner or friend. I was very sad when he passed, and I still think about him today.”

Following his WWE career, Ottman moved South and worked for WCW. His shocking on-screen debut as “The Shockmaster,” in which he donned a Storm Trooper helmet and tumbled through a wall in front of a live pay-per-view audience is considered to be one of the most unintentionally funny moments in sports-entertainment history. While he was furious at the time, Fred is able to look back on that night and share a laugh with millions of wrestling fans.

“I was part of the most infamous moment in wrestling history,” said the former Shockmaster. “They put me in a Storm Trooper mask which they painted and covered in glitter, I couldn’t see a thing. I got to the wall and put my hands up like a double axe handle and bust through. The top broke perfectly, but the bottom didn’t give. The momentum took me through the wall and to the floor.”

In the end, Ottman had the last laugh. The Shockmaster character survived its shaky beginnings and went to be a part of some of WCW biggest matches of the mid ‘90s.

Today, Ottman is retired from in-ring action and, along with his family, operates out of his home base in Lakeland, Fla. Unlike his former career where he abused his colleagues on a daily basis, Ottman now spends his days looking after his co-workers as the safety manager for Gaffin Industrial Services, a company that specializes in industrial waterblasting and vacuum services all over the Sunshine State.

“I made a career out of killing guys in the ring,” joked Ottman. “Now, I get paid to keep them safe. I’ve got a lot of roughnecks working with me now, and we have a good time. It’s like being back on the road.”

When he’s not on the job, Ottman can be found in the gym, working on an old hot rod, or more likely, at the diamond playing his favorite role: Little League dad to his three kids Berkley, Bailey and Beau.

“I live for my children,” Fred says. “They are the best gift that God has ever given me. I try to spend as much time as I can with them.”

While Ottman has moved on from life on the road, the days he spent competing all over the world remain fresh in his mind as some of the most enjoyable years of his life. Ottman told WWE.com that his love for sports-entertainment is as strong as it ever was.

“I loved being a part of the business,” said Ottman. “I enjoyed every minute of it. From the times I was struggling, living with two other guys in a one bedroom apartment, or traveling thousands of miles for little or no money, it all meant something to me. I loved being a part of it, and I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to do it.”

 

Catching up with Clarence Mason
By Brett Hoffman
Written: February 7, 2007

As an obnoxious attorney, Clarence Mason represented one of America’s most loathed professions. Hailing from Sioux City (get it?), Mason litigated his way in and out of the ring for several years as a fixture on WWE programming.

Mason, better known as Herman Stevens to his family and friends, was no stranger to sports-entertainment upon his entry to WWE in the mid ‘90s. As a child, Herman had always wanted to be a WWE Superstar.

“I was huge wrestling fan growing up,” said Stevens. “It was always a dream of mine and it was something I always wanted to do. I always had it in my system.”

For Herman, the childhood dream almost didn’t happen. With no prior experience in the business, getting a foot in the door was difficult for the aspiring law school student. While in college, Herman unsuccessfully attempted to obtain an internship with WCW. When that didn’t work, he turned to a Hall of Fame friend for help.

“When I was in law school, I befriended the Big Cat Ernie Ladd,” said Stevens. “He knew what I wanted to do, and he managed to get me a meeting with WWE. I went to New York to meet with Mr. McMahon, and the rest is history.”

Having never spent a day in the business, Stevens was in awe as he walked into the arena on his first day as a WWE employee. The men he grew up watching on TV were now his co-workers.

“I remember walking in there and being taken back at what I saw,” said Stevens. “I was used to seeing these guys under the bright lights, in front of the camera and in action; I was shell-shocked to see them in an unfamiliar environment.”

On camera, Stevens played the role of the obnoxious lawyer. During the early days of his WWE career, he continued to maintain that role in his life outside of wrestling. Herman told WWE.com that sometimes, even a lawyer has to bend the rules.

“When I first started with WWE, I was getting away with murder,” said Stevens. “I’ve been practicing law since October 1993, and I was working for the prosecutor’s office when I first started in wrestling. I was taking sick days from my office job so I could make it to the TV tapings. After a while, I think they started to figure it out, so I left to join WWE full-time.”

Herman, due to his lack of experience in sports-entertainment, became an instant target of locker room pranksters. The once outspoken legal counsel of The Nation of Domination, Owen Hart and Yokozuna jokingly recalled one night when he had to call a locksmith to the building in order to make it to the ring for his match.

“I was getting ready to throw my suit jacket on when I realized somebody had put a padlock through one of the button holes,” remembered Stevens. “Of course, you can’t go out to the ring with a padlock hanging off your jacket, so I had to find a way to get it off. I got in contact with a locksmith, brought him to the arena and had him cut the lock right off the jacket. I kept it all as quiet as possible so nobody would know I was angry.”

Following a brief run in WCW towards the end of its existence, Stevens hung up the boots (or jacket in his case), headed to South Florida, and returned to his original profession as a practicing attorney. While he enjoyed his time in wrestling, Herman says the experience of helping his fellow man has become his new passion.

“What I did in wrestling was for me; the work I do now is for others,” said Herman. “How I perform now directly impacts other people’s lives, and that’s important to me. If I have a bad day in the courtroom, somebody could go to prison for a very long time. If I have a good day, I can walk my client out of the courtroom myself. It’s the greatest reward, being of service to your fellow man.”

While the legal veteran is now fully entrenched in his current practice with no plans of turning back, he looks back on his sports-entertainment days with great fondness.

“The whole thing was a blast,” said Stevens. “Just being a part of it was a wonderful thing. I don’t have any regrets. It was a great time and a great experience. Not many people can say they lived their dream, I can say I lived mine twice.”

 

Catching up with The Outlaw
By Brett Hoffman
Written: January 29, 2007

For many years, the frightening sound of a bullwhip’s snap meant one thing in WWE: "Outlaw" Ron Bass was in the building. With the trusty Miss Betsy at his side, the rugged Texan used an aggressive old-school offense to intimidate and punish his unlucky opponents.

During his tenure with WWE in the late '80s, the battle-tested brawler participated in several historic matches which helped revolutionize the industry. In addition to being involved in the first-ever Survivor Series and Royal Rumble contests, Bass was involved in a Saturday Night’s Main Event classic when he battled Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake in a Hair vs. Hair match. At the time, sports-entertainment was yet to reach its greatest heights, but "Outlaw" told WWE.com that you could feel something special was about to happen.

“I came from the time of regional territories and small-time promotions,” said Bass. “I had heard of so many of these Superstars before, but I had never shared a ring with them before. I looked around and saw all these huge stars working for one company. It was just a magical feeling. That was the start of the WWE’s rise.”

After years and years on the road, which included a stretch of 104 straight days away from his home, the constant nagging injuries left the veteran with no choice but to hang up the bullwhip and face life after wrestling. For Bass, retirement meant returning to his home in Tampa, Fla., where he found religion, golf, and a place to put his Bachelor's of Science Degree from Arkansas State University to work.

“Generally when a wrestler retires, they open a bar or a gym, but I didn’t want to do that,” said Bass. “I jumped into Florida’s booming construction market, where I work as a sales rep for a major supply company. Business has been good, and things have worked out well. There is life after wrestling.”

Living with his 13-year-old son, the Superstar of yesterday is left with no choice but to follow the Superstars of today. The current WWE roster offers a dramatic contrast to the days when Miss Betsy rested in Ron’s corner, but the retired grappler is still happy to offer his endorsement.

“It’s all about adrenaline now,” said Bass. “These guys are always pushing the envelope and it’s exciting to watch. It’s awesome to watch them in action, and I tip my cap to them. The future is bright for WWE.”

 

Catching up with Haku
By Brett Hoffman
Written: January 29, 2007

The sports-entertainment world has had its share of “monsters” over the years, but few have played or lived the part as intensely as the fearless Tongan warrior, Haku. From his early days terrorizing opponents north of the border in Montreal, to his multiple WrestleMania appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment, Haku earned his reputation as one of wrestling’s toughest competitors.

Upon his entry to WWE, Haku established himself as a highly skilled tag team specialist. As a member of the “Heenan Family,” Haku first tagged with fellow Islander Tama before moving on to capture the World Tag Team Championship as a member of the Colossal Connection with his partner, Andre the Giant. While the “Heenan Family” may have been a popular moniker onscreen, the relationship that Haku shared with those men felt like a real family offscreen.

“I look at those days with great fondness,” says Haku. “They were such great people. We used to travel together, stay together, take care of each other, it was like a brotherhood. They were great friends to me.”

In the mid '90s, Haku moved south to enjoy a lengthy run as “Meng” in WCW. There, he excelled in singles competition while competing with some of the company's top performers. In 2001, Haku made a shocking return to WWE with an appearance in the Royal Rumble. Not long after, the big man hung up the boots and retired to his home in the Sunshine State. 

Today, “Tonga” as he is known to his co-workers and friends, manages the detail shop at David Maus Toyota in his hometown of Kissimmee, Fla. When he’s not patrolling the lot, he’s patrolling the links in his new sport of choice: golf. While WWE.com was unable to confirm if he holds his golf clubs with the patented “Tongan Death Grip,” we were able to confirm that his game is a work in progress.

“I play all the time, but I’m not that good yet,” said Haku. “I’m going to keep trying though.”

Aside from his battles with his putter, Haku still makes a few rare appearances inside the squared circle for local independent wrestling companies. The itch to compete and be in the ring is something that the big man has never lost. 

“Wrestling has always been my life, it’s still in my blood,” said Haku. “I don’t know anything better. When I go to these shows, I see some of the guys that I used to work with years ago, and it’s like being back on the road. It’s a cool feeling and it’s nice to be back with the boys.”

Haku also knows that he couldn’t have enjoyed the extended success he did without the continued support of WWE fans. Tonga wanted to send a special message to those people, and a message regarding the future of sports-entertainment.

“Thank you for all your support over the years,” said Tonga. “Thank you for watching every week, and thank you for watching today. The next generation of WWE Superstars are ready to carry the ball."

 

Catching up with Virgil
By Brett Hoffman
Written: January 28, 2007

Over the course of sports-entertainment history, few men have had as infectious a smile as Virgil. From his time wrestling with Jerry Lawler in Memphis, to his participation at WrestleMania and later the nWo, the man born with the name Mike Jones has seen it all in the wrestling business. Years after his departure from WWE competition, fans still remember the man who personified courage throughout an inspirational and accomplished career.

Virgil wasn’t always a fan favorite though. Upon his arrival at WWE, he positioned himself as the assistant extraordinaire to the evil "Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase. Whether it was as partners or foes, they drew on the emotions of crowds all over the world. Virgil told WWE.com that the two were as close as brothers.

“It was the greatest experience of my life,” said Virgil. “Ted Dibiase’s quality as a wrestler was matched only by Ted Dibiase’s quality as a man. We were together every day for years, and we never had a single fight,” he continued. “It was two men getting along as gentlemen, professionals and friends. Together, we were the greatest act in sports-entertainment.”

Before Mike Jones became part of sports-entertainment’s greatest act, he earned a degree in mathematics from the University of Virginia. Upon his retirement from the sport, Jones put the degree to use. The man formally known as Virgil now teaches mathematics several days a week at a Catholic High School in his home town of Pittsburgh, Pa., and is known in the classroom as Mr. Jones. In his new role, the former Million Dollar Champion looks to pass on some of the knowledge he picked up from years on the road to his students.

“On the road, you learn how to respect people,” said Jones. “That is a lesson that can be useful for my students or any students. WWE is a first-class organization, and while there you learn how to become a first-class individual,” he continued. “You learn how to control yourself in different situations, how to act around people, how to bite your tongue, and how to turn the other cheek and walk away. All that stuff translates to the real world.”

Outside of the classroom, Jones continues to make occasional appearances in the ring. In 2006, Virgil made a comeback to the squared circle as part of a tour with Armed Forces Entertainment. As part of the venture, he wrestled for troops in Korea, Tokyo, Guam and Honolulu, Hawaii. Despite being inactive for the last few years, the tour brought Jones some of the same feelings he experienced during his memorable matches in the early '90s. One of those matches, his victory against Ted Dibiase as part of SummerSlam ’91 at Madison Square Garden remains the most exciting moment of his career.

“Standing on the top turnbuckle at the Garden, it doesn’t get any better,” said an emotional Jones. “Holding that Million Dollar Belt up as 20,000 people chanted my name, it was a moment and a feeling I’ll never forget.”

To those 20,000 fans and the millions more whose path he crossed over his long career, Jones sends a poignant message.

“I can’t thank them enough,” said Jones. “I want to wish them all the best in their health, and in their futures. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart, and I appreciate all their support over the years.”

 

Catching up with Jake "The Snake" Roberts
By Brett Hoffman
Written: January 29, 2007

With a single glance and a few dark words, Jake “The Snake” Roberts could make any Superstar believe that his career was about to come to a miserable end. To many, Roberts wrote the book on wrestling psychology, an art and skill which he displayed on a weekly basis to WWE fans throughout the '80s and early '90s. With his trademark snake companion at his side, Jake created and mastered the “DDT,” a deadly maneuver used regularly today by wrestlers all over the world. Despite the fact that he never wore WWE gold, his in-ring exploits made him a champion to his fans forever.

Jake’s career has spanned more than three decades, but according to the legendary performer, nothing has, or ever will, top his experience at WrestleMania III. In front of more than 93,000 people on sports-entertainment’s greatest stage, Jake was accompanied to the ring by his childhood hero, rock star Alice Cooper. "The Snake" still remembers that day like it was yesterday.

“At the time I had a couple of blown discs in my neck and I was in pain 24 hours a day, but on that night, I felt no pain,” said Jake. “It was an incredible feeling. I remember when Alice and I were riding to the ring in that little cart and I looked over to see him gasping for air. He told me it was too much of a rush. He couldn’t handle it,” Jake continued. “The adrenaline and the energy coming from that crowd was overwhelming. It was an amazing night, and I’m very proud of it. Nobody can ever take that away from me.”

When Jake wasn’t being accompanied to the ring by rock stars, he was accompanied by a snake. There have been several memorable snakes at Jake's side over the years, Damien and Lucifer to name a couple, but Jake remembers one snake that never saw the bright lights of a WWE arena.

“We were at the Survivor Series in 1989. I was teaming with Hulk Hogan and Demolition,” said Roberts. “Vince had wanted to get a snake that was long enough for the four of us to carry to the ring."

Jake continued, laughing as he began to describe the scene backstage at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago.

“I remember calling the handler and telling him to bring something so big and so strong that nobody will want to get near it. He told me it would be no problem. So we get to the arena, and Vince asks to see the snake. The handler points over to this wood crate that is 5 feet tall by 5 feet wide,” Jake recalls. “He starts to open the crate, and all of the sudden the top flies off and this 27-foot monster starts slithering out of the crate. The head is as wide as my waist, and the thing could swallow a human whole. The handler was having a hell of a time just keeping it contained. Vince took one look at it and called it off right on the spot.”

Following an inspirational return to the ring in the mid-'90s which included a famous match at The King of the Ring which launched Stone Cold Steve Austin to Superstardom, Jake left WWE. Since then, Jake’s life has taken him in several different directions. Today though, he lives comfortably in Gainesville, Fla., and continues to make independent wrestling appearances all over the world. Wrestling is not Jake’s only passion anymore though. “The Snake” has found a new hobby.

“I’m doing some serious fishing now,” said Roberts. “I’ve become a professional kingfisher. Last year we participated in five FLW tournaments. There was one tournament where we came in third, which made us some nice money,” he continued. “It’s a lot of fun for me. We had the smallest boat out there last season, so sometimes it got rough, but it’s going to change this season. We’re going to have a great year.”

Things haven’t always been going this well for Jake. His addiction to drugs and alcohol have been well- documented, and were addressed by Jake himself in the Pick Your Poison DVD. The fight against those addictions continues today, and it’s a fight that Jake says will never end.

“You never stop battling addiction,” said an emotional Jake. “You never become free from the monster. You might keep yourself in check, but sometimes the monster gets loose. If I do have a relapse, or whatever you want to call it, I pick my ass up and start again. It’s the only way I can live and it’s the only thing I can do. It’s something I would never wish upon anyone.”

The “demons” in Jake’s life have cost him both personally and professionally. Roberts told WWE.com his only regret in life — his failure to be a proper parent to his children —  was due to his addiction to drugs. Those relationships have since been repaired, but not without years of heartache and struggle. Today, Jake has devoted much of his time toward helping others overcome their addictions, and avoiding the same pitfalls that Jake experienced during his bumpy journey.

“Nobody tries to fail, but some people fail to try,” said Roberts. “I’m in the process of writing a book that I hope can help people that are in the same situation as I was in. I want to give my side of the story. If anyone ever has a problem that they want to talk to me about, my door is open. Having been through the things that I went through, I can always make time to help people with a problem. After all the years of support from my fans, I feel like it’s my turn to give back and help them out.”

Catching up with the Honky Tonk Man
By Brett Hoffman
Written: February 7, 2007

Some people say he’s a loudmouth, and some say he’s obnoxious. If you ask him, he’ll tell you, “I’m cool, I’m cocky and I’m bad.” But, regardless of whether you like him or not, it’s widely agreed that he’s the “greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time.” For close to a decade, he was one of WWE’s most hated villains. His name is the Honky Tonk Man.

In the Honky Tonk Man’s long and storied career, he’s competed at WrestleMania, held numerous championships and headlined Madison Square Garden. But, according to HTM, just making it to WWE was good enough for him.

“My goal from the start was to one day make it to the New York territory, and make a name for myself,” said HTM. “I was fortunate enough to be able to go there and become a star, and it was very exciting. Being a part of that organization at that point in time, it was an honor.”

Honky Tonk Man not only became a star, but also a champion. The greasy-haired Elvis impersonator is the longest reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE history, holding the title for more than 14 months while defeating challenger after challenger all over the globe. His days as a champion however, came to a sudden end at SummerSlam ’88, when a jam-packed Madison Square Garden crowd saw him torn apart by the Ultimate Warrior in less than a minute.

“I was Champion for 15 months, and lost the title in 13 seconds,” remembers HTM. “The roof absolutely came off the Garden that night. I had headlined the Garden six times before and heard some explosive crowds, but nothing compared to the crowd on that night.”

Since his departure from weekly TV, Honky Tonk Man has caught his share of controversial headlines. The ring veteran has been outspoken in his opinions on the sport, and several Superstars associated with it. Recently, HTM himself was the subject of another personality’s pointed opinion, that man being Eric Bischoff. In promoting his book, Controversy Creates Cash, Bischoff said that his favorite firing was the time he fired The Honky Tonk Man. The WWE legend shed some light on why Bischoff may have felt the way he did.

“When I was in WCW, Eric and I didn’t exactly see eye to eye,” recalled the HTM. “I remember the night I walked out of WCW. The last thing I said to Eric was, ‘you couldn’t hold Vince McMahon’s jockstrap’.”

“Of all the people that he fired over the years, for him to pick me, well I guess it’s an honor. It means that he’s still thinking of me,” laughed HTM.

In regards to all the controversy that has followed him in recent years, Honky Tonk Man says it wasn’t about bitterness, but about business. He even told WWE.com that he agreed with Eric Bischoff on one thing.

“I don’t like to give Bischoff a lot of credit, but he was right when he said ‘controversy creates cash’,” said HTM. “It was about survival for me. I said a lot of things and created a lot of controversies to keep my name on people’s minds. Those days are gone now though. I’ve moved on with my life.”

Today, the Honky Tonk Man lives and operates out of his adopted hometown of Phoenix. In addition to keeping busy by wrestling for independent wrestling promotions all over the world, he spends a good deal of time being a father to his kids and a husband to his wife of over 22 years.

“I don’t walk around the neighborhood with an Elvis jumpsuit on,” said HTM. “In my neighborhood, I’m known as Roy and Megan’s dad. I’m the watchdog on our block.”

When he’s not keeping the neighborhood kids in line, he’s keeping his in-ring opponents in line. In 2006, Honky Tonk Man wrestled on 81 shows in six different countries, and he has no intention of slowing down any time soon.

“It’s the business I love, it’s what I’ll always do,” said HTM. “I’ll never be away from this business, I’ll never quit. Being out on the independents, it’s like starting over for me. It’s refreshing to be around people who are so young and hungry to succeed. It’s like a fountain of youth for me.”

For years, sports-entertainment fans hated the HTM with a passion. Today, fans see the Honky Tonk Man in a different light, as he is cheered in every town in which he steps foot. The ring legend told WWE.com that the wrestling fans have always been, and will always be the foundation of the wrestling business.

“Wrestling fans are the truest fans in the world,” said an emotional Honky Tonk Man. “If we the wrestlers ever lose sight of that, it will be the end of the business.”

 

Catching up with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
By Brett Hoffman
Written: February 14, 2007

With his golden locks and trademark shin pad wrapped around his boot, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine made an impact in WWE rings for more than a decade. With a career that has spanned more than 30 years, Valentine has seen and done it all in sports-entertainment. In 2004, he was honored for his contributions when he was officially inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

As a child, Greg Valentine was constantly surrounded by the business. His father was the legendary Johnny Valentine, who prior to a 1975 plane crash (which also involved Ric Flair) was one of the top stars in all of wrestling. However, until his late teens, Greg had no intentions of following in his father’s footsteps. It took an eye-opening road trip with his dad in the summer of 1969 to give the young Hammer the motivation he needed to step into the squared circle.

“I had my sights set on other things,” said Valentine. “I never wanted to follow him into the business, until I went on the road with him in ’69. The travel was very appealing to me because I was so young,” he continued. “Between that, the excitement of the wrestling itself and seeing my father perform to sold-out crowds every night was what inspired me.”

Following the road trip, Valentine returned to his home in Seattle where he was supposed to return to school. However, The Hammer soon realized that his heart was no longer in the classroom.

“When I got back to Seattle, I called my dad,” recalled the Valentine. “I called him and said that I didn’t want to go back to school, and that I wanted to become a wrestler. Soon after, he sent me up to the dungeon in Calgary to train with Stu Hart.”

After nearly eight months of zero degree temperatures and intensive “training” from the Hart family patriarch, Valentine returned to the United States where he began the next chapter of his long and storied career. In the decades that would follow, The Hammer won numerous championships, competing with the best in the business along the way. One of his favorite partners and opponents over the years was his good friend, Ric Flair. Valentine jokingly told WWE.com that he still has unfinished business with the Nature Boy.

“Flair was always a good friend, and a friendly enemy,” laughed The Hammer. “Of course, I was always better than him at two things, the Figure Four, and falling on my face. In fact, I want to send a personal challenge to Ric for a Retirement Match so I can retire him myself.”

Today, Greg Valentine operates out of his home base of 22 years, Clearwater, Fla. No longer committed to wrestling on a weekly basis, Valentine spends as much time as possible working in his garden, talking on the phone, lifting weights in the gym, or relaxing out on his boat. The Hall of Famer was even spotted on a recent episode of the hit VH1 reality show, Hogan Knows Best.

The Hammer still spends a lot of time on the road as well, hosting seminars and getting in the ring with the stars of tomorrow at WWE’s developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling. The veteran told WWE.com that contributing to the future of the business is one of the most rewarding experiences of his career, and he hopes to continue doing so as long as he can.

“I’ll never be able to do anything else,” said Valentine. “I can’t teach people how to fly a plane or how to work a computer, my profession is wrestling, and that’s what I’m going to teach them. I’ve learned things in my 35 plus years in the business that you couldn’t learn in any school or college, and I want to pass my knowledge on. I’m looking forward to contributing as much as I can.”

Aside from working with younger wrestlers, The Hammer is also enjoying the time he spends meeting fans he never got to meet during his many years on the road. Valentine wanted to send a message to those fans.

“I really appreciate their support,” said the Hall of Famer. “For a lot of years, I never got to meet my fans because I was so busy. Recently, I’ve gotten to meet and greet so many of them and it’s been great. Everyone has been so nice to me, and it’s really been a great compliment. I want to say thank you to everyone.”

 

Catching up with Kevin Sullivan
By Brett Hoffman
Written: February 21, 2007

For more than thirty years, “The Taskmaster” Kevin Sullivan terrorized opponents all over the world with his methodical, aggressive and hardcore in-ring (and often outside the ring) tactics. From matchmaking to main-eventing, the New England native with the pronounced Boston accent has seen it all in sports-entertainment.

Sullivan’s accomplished career began nearly four decades ago when he made a name for himself competing in Florida. In the years that followed, Sullivan’s career would weave its way all over the country and he would gain fame as the leader of the “Varsity Club,” with fellow amateur wrestling specialists Rick Steiner, Mike Rotunda and Steve Williams.

While working in the Sunshine State in the early '70s, Kevin crossed paths with a certain golden-haired individual who would later go to be a household name. 

“I knew Hulk Hogan before he ever thought of becoming a wrestler,” recalled Sullivan. “He was playing bass guitar in a lounge in Tampa, Fla., and we never talked about wrestling.”

Sullivan was also there for one of Hogan’s first matches in Mobile, Ala., "The Taskmaster" remembers there was something special about the man who was then competing as “Sterling Golden.”

“He had a special presence in the ring,” said Sullivan. “I could tell he was going to make it, and that he was going to become a major star.”

Little did Sullivan know that more than two decades later, he would become a major player in WCW as “The Taskmaster,” and lead his Dungeon of Doom on a bitter quest to end the phenomenon known as Hulkamania. A few years later, perhaps fueled by his inability to conquer Hulkamania, Kevin Sullivan hung up the boots for good. 

“Wrestling is a young man’s sport,” said Sullivan. “I knew my time had passed, and that it was time to move on.”

Moving on for Sullivan meant returning to his home in the Florida Keys. There, he owns and operates “Froggy’s Fitness” in Tavernier, Fla., the largest gym in the Keys. While Sullivan likes to stay active in the gym, there are other activities that now consume his time as well, including a business he started with a friend.

“I’m in the lobster business,” said Sullivan. “Me and a friend have 5,000 lobster traps between us, and we sell them commercially. We have a staff that helps us out, but I like to head out there on the boat myself from time to time and pull some lobsters.”

Sullivan also keeps busy with a number of other hobbies. The former Taskmaster makes use of his aquatic surroundings, taking the occasional dive into the surrounding ocean and competing in local shellfish tournaments. Kevin is also involved in an upcoming film project about independent wrestling entitled Card Subject to Change. In addition, the self-professed sports fan was recently spotted in Miami as a spectator at Super Bowl XLI.

When he’s not in Florida, Sullivan can be found at his home on Whidbey Island, eighty miles northwest of Seattle. The retired Superstar tries to spend time every month at his west coast retreat.

“I’m in the 8th and the 49th parallel,” said Sullivan. ‘I have a place up there that’s right on the beach. It’s a nice place to kick back and relax.”

With his successful career firmly behind him, Sullivan told WWE.com that he doesn’t miss climbing into the ring. The veteran bruiser is proud of his career, but even prouder that he was able to move on from the business that he dedicated most of his adult life to.

“I don’t miss it anymore,” said Sullivan. “I had a lot of great experiences and worked with some great people. It was a wonderful time in my life, and I have nothing but fond memories.”

 

Catching up with Smash
By Brett Hoffman
Written: February 28, 2007

A man of many identities, Barry Darsow, better known to many as “Smash” from the most dominant tag team of the ‘80s - Demolition, was a major player in sports-entertainment for nearly two decades. Also known as Krusher Khruschev, The Repo Man and the Blacktop Bully to name a few, Darsow’s lengthy career and multiple personalities are remembered by several generations of wrestling fans.

Darsow’s career was seemingly destined for success right from the start. As a part of Minnesota’s long and proud wrestling tradition, Barry grew up and trained with other Gopher State natives such as the Road Warriors, “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig and “Ravishing” Rick Rude. Darsow has fond memories of coming up in the business with his fellow Minnesotans.

“We were all pretty tight,” recalled Darsow. “We were a close knit group. We trained together, we drank beer together, and our families spent time together. We always tried to help each other out, and always had each other’s backs.”

Having a partner’s back was something that Darsow took very seriously. As half of the NWA’s Tag Team Champions with partner Ivan Koloff in the ‘80s, the man who was then known as Krusher Khruschev remembers one night when he literally “took one for the team” following a match with wildly popular fan-favorites, The Rock ‘n Roll Express.

“The crowd was really going nuts that night, everyone hated us,” said Darsow. “We had just fought for 58 minutes and nearly lost our titles, but we cheated to win. On the way back to the dressing room, I remember looking up and seeing something coming towards Ivan from the upper deck. I pushed him out of the way and got hit right in the face. I had blood gushing out of my face the whole way back to the locker room.”

Darsow remembers the shock he experienced when he got to the back and found out what had hit him.

“When we got to the back, I asked Ivan what had hit me,” laughed Darsow. “He handed me a hot dog with a giant bolt sticking out of it. I’ll never forget that.”

Following his time in the NWA, Darsow moved north to work for WWE where he enjoyed the greatest success in his career. Teaming with his partner “Ax,” Demolition held the World Tag Team Championships for 16 months, a WWE record that stands to this day. During his time as “Smash,” Darsow enjoyed what he considers to be the highlight of his career at WrestleMania VI in Toronto.

“We were wrestling against Andre the Giant and Haku,” remembers Darsow. “Not many people got the opportunity to even wrestle Andre. Not only did we get to face him and Haku, but we beat them in the middle of the ring at WrestleMania. It was a huge deal at the time.”

Following his time in WWE, Darsow moved on to WCW where he competed for a few years before retiring to his home in Maple Grove, Minn. Today, Darsow stays busy, balancing his time between his two businesses, his family, and the golf course. The former grappler owns Added Value Printing, a printing company that specializes in hard-hats and medical supplies, and also sells real estate on the side.

When he’s not busy in the office, the former “Hole-in-One Darsow” as he was known at one point in WCW spends time hacking it up from tee to green on the golf course. When weather permits, Barry plays several times a week, including participation in league play every Friday night. The former grappler admits that sometimes the frustration of the game makes him want to turn back the clock.

“I play against 60 other guys in my league,” said Darsow. “I’m usually a six or seven handicap, depending on how often I play. Sometimes when we’re out there and I’m losing, I get the urge to morph back into Hole-in-One Darsow and swing a club at somebody, especially after I shank one into the woods.”

Several years after retiring from the sport that supported his family, Darsow admits there are times when he misses the business, but has accepted the fact his in-ring career is long behind him. Still his love for the sports-entertainment is as strong as ever. 

“I miss it sometimes,” said Darsow. “I miss seeing the boys, and I miss being on the road. But, at the same time, I know I could never get back in the ring. I couldn’t do the sport justice. Wrestling is still in my blood though, and it always will be. I had the time of my life.”

 

Catching up with Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake
By Brett Hoffman
Written: February 28, 2007
 
With his imposing steel shears, colorful outfits, wide eyes and contagious smile, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake became one of the most beloved Superstars in WWE history. Brutus’ career tells a story of courage and commitment. The popular Superstar overcame numerous obstacles and a near fatal accident in 1990 to compete at WrestleMania, and carve out his spot as one of sports-entertainment's most memorable characters.

The name “Brutus Beefcake” is one of the most unique to ever grace a sold-out arena’s flashing marquee. Looking back over a long and successful career, the legend told WWE.com that he has fond memories of his time as Brutus Beefcake, but also remembers a time when even he wasn’t ready to get behind the unusual moniker.

“I was just excited to be there,” remembered Brutus. “We were sitting in a meeting when somebody suggested I use the name 'Baron Beefcake,' wear a top hat, carry a cane, and have long tuxedo tails. My excitement quickly dissipated, and in my mind, it quickly became one of the worst days of my life. I kept asking myself, ‘What’s a Beefcake?’”

Sitting across the table from Beefcake was his long- time friend and road partner, Hulk Hogan. The WWE Hall of Famer was able to calm his disappointed friend, and convince him to accept his new role.

“The whole time, Hulk is kicking me under the table,” said Brutus. “He basically told me to trust him, and that it was going to be ok. He said we would make it work.”

As history states, the Hulkster knew what he was talking about, because Beefcake was about to embark on one of the most successful periods of his career. After years of hard work and long road trips, Brutus Beefcake was rewarded when he competed in front of a jam-packed Madison Square Garden as part of the first-ever WrestleMania.

“It was such an exciting time,” said Brutus. “I knew that if I kept working hard and paid my dues, the reward would come. I fought for my life, and had the hell beat out of me literally night after night all over the country. I fought and survived, and learned a lot about respecting the business in the process. I was proud when I was told I would be a part of WrestleMania.”

Following WrestleMania, Beefcake’s career continued to thrive. Under the guidance of the legendary Johnny Valiant, Beefcake became a World Tag Team Champion while teaming with the legendary Greg “The Hammer” Valentine as the universally hated “Dream Team.”

“It was a great time,” said Beefcake. “We were on top of the world. We were a tag team that was selling out 25,000 seat arenas all over the world. Before us, they never had a tag team that could do that. We were fortunate to be there at the time we were because wrestling was so popular. We had a great run.”

Following the breakup of the Dream Team, Brutus Beefcake became “The Barber” and embarked on a lengthy reign as one of the most popular Superstars in the WWE. On one day in 1990 though, The Barber’s career, and life nearly came to a sudden and tragic end when the legend was nearly killed in a parasailing accident.

“Imagine walking down the street, and getting hit in the face by a 2x4 sticking out of a truck’s window that’s going 35 mph,” said Brutus. “My face was crushed, and it nearly took my head off.”

An emotional Beefcake continued, describing in detail the horrific surgery that led to his unlikely survival from an accident that would have killed most.

“I wasn’t supposed to live, it should’ve ended my life,” said The Barber. “A team of doctors performed an operation that had never been done before on a living person, much less one that would later get up and walk away. I had gone blind because of damage to my optic nerve, and it took them seven hours to restore my eyesight alone.”

Eight titanium plates, 32 screws, 100 feet of steel wire and a reconstructed skull later, Brutus Beefcake laid in his hospital bed as a modern day miracle. As the legend told WWE.com, the long road to recovery still remained, and was one that he may not have conquered if not for the help of his best friend, Hulk Hogan.

“Hulk got on a plane, and flew in to be there when I got out of surgery,” recalled Beefcake. “He was there for me when I was down. He picked me up, convinced me I was going to live, and refused to let me give up hope. He took me to his home, fed me, took me to the gym everyday and stayed with me until I was back to 100 percent.”

After a long and tedious period of rehabilitation, Beefcake finally returned to full strength, and wrote a fairy-tale ending to a near tragic tale when he competed alongside his friend and partner Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania IX in Las Vegas.

“I was told I would never walk again,” said Beefcake. “But then, here I was again, with Hulk Hogan as part of the main event of WrestleMania. They said it couldn’t be done, but God gave me the strength to keep going, and I did. I haven’t stopped since.”

Following several more years of prominence, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake retired from wrestling and returned to his home outside of Boston. There, he spends the bulk of his time with his wife Barbie, and 10-year-old daughter Alana, who happens to be an equestrian in training.

When he’s not with his family, Brutus can be spotted at Planet Fitness, one of the largest gyms in New England. Here, he serves as General Manager and supervisor of more than 30 employees. Beefcake told WWE.com it was a natural transition.

“At first it was difficult, because I was on the road for 30 years,” said Brutus. “But, at the same time, it was an easy adjustment for me. I’ve been in the gym my whole life. It’s like a second home to me, and I really enjoy it.”

Be sure to check back here next week as sports-entertainment's most-popular barber, Brutus Beefcake, weighs in on the Battle of the Billionaires Match at WrestleMania 23. Who does The Barber think will walk away bald? Find out right here next week.

 
By Jen Hunt and Kara A. Medalis
Written: March 9, 2007

In Diva Dish this week, Victoria kisses and tells, Layla’s a cover girl again, Mickie James seeks help with her horses, Rebecca rocks on, Maria has a Wicked birthday and Candice Michelle indulges in a tasty treat.

 

Kiss and tell
We at Diva Dish think it’s every man’s dream to share his first kiss with a delicious Diva. Quite a few years ago, it seems a boy named Charlie gave Victoria her first kiss. (Check out the sweet picture at right!)

“The boy was Charlie. I don’t remember his last name,” the Raw Diva said. “He was a neighbor; one of my mom’s friend’s kids. I’m sure my parents put them up to it to make us kiss!”

Victoria admitted her smooching skills have only improved since she first locked lips with a boy years ago.

“I even did it well back then, huh?” she asked, looking at the photo. “I had my eyes closed and everything. And I get better with age, just like wine.”

                                             

King cover girl
Layla will be a magazine cover girl for the second time in recent months, as she graces the cover of King magazine’s May issue, which hits newsstands Tuesday. In addition to a feature story, there’s a sexy, several-page pictorial featuring a lingerie-clad Layla snooping around the ultimate sports-entertainment fan’s bedroom.

“While I was getting my makeup and hair done, I put my iPod on and listened to some sexy tunes, like Usher’s ‘Nice ’N Slow,’ and some Beyonce. I was trying to be as sexy as I could,” the ECW Diva said.

While she hasn’t seen her feature issue yet, by the looks of the one test Polaroid she has shown to her family, the King spread will be incredible. But beware, Layla fans, something’s going to look a little atypical.

“There is something very different about me in that magazine – some of you guys may not be able to recognize me!” Layla said. “I’m not going to give too much away, but my hair is totally different.”

The 2006 $250,000 Diva Search winner wanted to thank her fans again, because she said without them, she wouldn’t be where she is today.

“Go out there guys, please support me! I just want to say thank you, because without any of you guys voting for me, I truly know from the bottom of my heart I would not be in this position. I am very grateful for that and I love you guys for that,” she smiled.

 

A Diva’s passion
Mickie James’ passion for horses is moving even closer to home. The Raw Diva recently moved her three horses to a facility about 10 minutes away from her Virginia home while the pasture at her mother’s house is being renovated. Rhapsody, Bunny and Casanova were transported to their new home last week, and Mickie wants to begin training her horses for competition. However, Mickie is looking for a little help.

“I’m going to get the horses ready for the show ring and hopefully – fingers crossed – if there’s anyone in Virginia who likes Morgan horses and wants to show Morgan horses, maybe I can get them to take them to shows to show them for me,” Mickie told Diva Dish.

“I was hoping to find a little girl or boy who wants to do this. I know when I was child, I loved riding, and I was fortunate enough to have a farm to do that,” Mickie explained. “But a lot of children don’t have a farm or horses, and they love riding and competing, but they just don’t have the means to do it. So I’m hoping to find someone like that, who is passionate about it.”

So, if there are any young WWE fans out there who are serious about helping Mickie show her horses, e-mail mickieshorses@yahoo.com.

 

Rocker chick
At the recent WWE.com Divas photo shoot at the San Antonio River Walk, many of the Divas listened to the likes of Fergie, Beyonce and Nelly Furtado, but one Diva rocked out to AC/DC.

“Yeah, I was listening to rock. I’m more of a hardcore type girl,” Rebecca said.

The ECW Diva has four brothers and three sisters who influenced her music taste. She said she’s liked heavier music since she was young. It seems she’s found a fellow ECW Diva who shares her aural interests.

“Brooke and I were driving between cities for live events, and listened to Hinder the whole way – the same CD over and over again,” she said.

Before her Hinder obsession, it was Nickelback. She’s also a fan of Saliva – a band with many ties to WWE.

“I met Saliva at one of the shows a few weeks ago. I actually wanted ‘Ladies and Gentleman’ – the song they did for WrestleMania – as my entrance music, but WrestleMania was a little more important. But they said they would write me a song for my entrance music,” Rebecca smiled.

 

A Wicked good birthday
While Maria’s recent birthday ended on a snowy note (the Raw Diva was stuck in an airport with a dead cell phone while the flakes fell), the celebration beforehand was deliciously wicked, shall we say.

“My mom, sister and I went to lunch at the Bongo Room in Chicago, which is one of my favorite places to eat. It’s a breakfast place. It’s chic – but not chic, uppity, stuffy. It’s like chic, hip, cool,” Maria told Diva Dish. “I had banana pancakes, which are my favorite, and a couple of eggs over easy.”

During lunch, Maria’s mom pulled out an envelope and inside were three tickets for that evening’s theater performance of Wicked.

“That’s all I wanted for my birthday, was to go see this play. We saw Wicked that night and it was so good, it was wicked!” Maria laughed.

“It was awesome. Wicked reminds me so much of my sister and me. We’re close, and we try to help each other out with certain things, and that’s basically what’s it’s about – a sistership, friendship kind of thing.”

 

Baby, it’s cold outside
When the temperature dips below freezing, Candice Michelle said she thinks there’s nothing better to do than cuddle inside by a fireplace while sipping hot chocolate.

“I’m from Wisconsin, but moving to L.A., my blood changed and I forgot how cold, cold was. You step out into it and you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh – I don’t know how I ever lived there!’ ” the Raw Diva told Diva Dish.

But even the frigid temperatures can’t stop Candice from indulging in one treat – ice cream.

“I was driving between live events and it was cold outside. The funny thing, as a true Wisconsiner, I love custard. I saw a Culver’s Custard stand, and of course, I go buy ice cream,” she admitted. “I’m freezing, I have a coffee and ice cream, but it was really good and it was worth it.”

 

Diva Notebook
• Don’t forget – Ashley’s Playboy issue makes it debut on newsstands Monday! Continue…

• Ashley will be signing copies of the April issue of Playboy in several cities. See if she’ll be coming to a city near you. Continue…

• Michelle McCool wrote an open letter, thanking the WWE fans and family for all their support during her recent illness. Continue…

 

WWE.com

 
By Lennie DiFino
Written: March 1, 2007

When World Heavyweight Champion Batista steps into the ring at WrestleMania 23 to face Undertaker, he will be there to defend his title against the most impressive streak in the world of sports-entertainment. Fourteen wins and zero losses is the amazing record Undertaker has compiled throughout his career at WrestleMania’s WWE. Over the years, Undertaker has dismantled foe after foe en route to establishing a record that may never be approached again.

SmackDown’s Kane is no stranger to Undertaker, as the two faced off at WrestleMania XIV and WrestleMania XX, respectively. Each time, Kane looked to end the streak, and both times was unable. The Big Red Monster, a man of few words, has an ominous message for The Animal heading toward April 1 in Detroit.

"Batista’s chances are not good at all," said Kane. "14-0 at WrestleMania and Undertaker’s always at the top of his game. So odds aren’t good for Batista. He should try not to get dropped on his head,” Kane continued. “He’s got to be in tip-top form; Undertaker’s going to be. He has to be as good as he possibly can be on that particular night, or he’s not going to have a chance. No one does.

Another Superstar familiar with Undertaker is Raw Superstar Randy Orton. The Legend Killer faced Undertaker at WrestleMania 21, when WrestleMania went Hollywood. The outcome of the match, however, was anything but a storybook ending for the third generation Superstar.

"I had all the pride and confidence as I headed into WrestleMania 21, and Undertaker had his way with me," said Orton. "I don’t think there’s much of a chance for Batista to win this one. I really hate saying that because I’m all for the younger talent, the newer guys like myself," he continued. "Undertaker is Undertaker – he’s the Phenom. He’s a legend that cannot be killed, that cannot be destroyed."

Orton though, did reserve praise for the World Heavyweight Champion.

"Batista – he’s one of the biggest, strongest men in this business. He’s done things nobody would ever be able to do, or ever will be able to accomplish." Orton’s praise quickly changed to a somber tone.” This is one thing Batista and I have in common – it’s that we can’t beat Undertaker."

As for any advice he would have for former Evolution running mate Batista and what to expect, Randy Orton’s message is clear.

"If you see the energy that [Undertaker] carried to the ring at WrestleMania, then you’re prepared for what you will face at WrestleMania. That is where the magic happens. That is where the record lives, in those moments, in the energy Undertaker brings to the ring."

Perhaps the person with the greatest advice for Batista would be the man who faced Undertaker in a No Disqualification Match at WrestleMania X8 – Ric Flair. The former 16-time World Champion believes differently than Orton and Kane.

"As great as I think Undertaker is, I think it might be Batista’s time," Flair said. "I’m not sure Undertaker can overpower Batista. A year ago I would not have said this, but Batista has gained tons of experience in this past year."

However, the Dirtiest Player in the Game feels that a match like this can be determined by one thing: desire.

"A match like this can come down to whoever wants it the most,” Flair said. “Undertaker and I had a brawl at WrestleMania X8 at the SkyDome – foreign objects involved, and lots blood," he continued. "If it comes down to that, Undertaker is dangerous, and could be more prone to succeed."

April 1 in Detroit, at WrestleMania 23, the only opinions that will matter are those of the World Heavyweight Champion Batista and the challenger to his title, the man with the perfect record of 14-0 at WrestleMania – Undertaker.

 
By Noah Starr
Written: March 6, 2007

With all the buzz surrounding the Battle of the Billionaires Match at WrestleMania 23, big-name Hollywood celebrities are anxious to weigh-in on which billionaire they want to see shaved bald. Will The Chairman’s mane be a casualty of WrestleMania? Or will Trump’s signature coif end up on the ground at Ford Field? Here is what some of Hollywood’s brightest stars predict.   

Saturday Night Live alum Norm MacDonald is crystal clear with his choice, “Trump will lose, so it doesn’t matter! Vince is cooler – it’s hard to imagine Vince having a feud with Rosie O’Donnell.”  

Jason Alexander of Seinfeld fame also wants to see “The Donald” bald. “With all deference, I’m not here to denigrate anyone’s hair,” joked the folically-challenged Alexander. “But I cannot figure out what is going on with the Trump hair. I would love to see it shaved, not because I wish him any disgrace, but I would love to see it as it grows back in. You’d get to see what direction each hair naturally wants to go in. I would be fascinated by that. I wish I had his problems!”

Wil Wheaton from Star Trek: The Next Generation sides with one of his childhood heroes. “Mr. McMahon blows Donald Trump away. I’m a long time, old-school wrestling fan, going all the way back to the days of Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, and Big John Studd. Vince McMahon provided me with hundreds of hours of entertainment when I was growing up, all Donald Trump has ever done is annoy me.”

ER’s Mekhi Phifer is one guy who pulls off the shaved-head look perfectly, and he had some words of advice for both billionaires. “Go see my barber. His name is Tre, and he’s very good.” 

The above interviews were conducted at the 5TH ANNUAL WORLD POKER TOUR INVITATIONAL. This is known as the most glamorous stop on the poker circuit. The exclusive, invitation-only event welcomes Hollywood celebrities and world-class poker professionals who go head-to-head in a freeroll Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournament for charity, $225,000 in cash prizes and bragging rights. The event was at The Commerce Casino in Los Angeles on this past Saturday (March 3).

 
By Kara A. Medalis
Written: March 7, 2007

Linda McMahon, CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, was honored today by Multichannel News as one of cable and telecommunications’ Wonder Women. The class of 2007 includes 10 female executives from companies such as the Bravo Network, Comcast, Verizon and, of course, WWE. An awards luncheon was held this afternoon at the Hilton in New York City, where McMahon was presented with the top honor.

“I feel very privileged to receive this award on behalf of WWE,” McMahon told WWE.com. “It is about women in cable, so I am happy to be among a lot of other recipients of this award who have had a vision in the industry, who have been part of branding their product in the industry, who set policy within the industry and who do programming within the industry.”

Awards presenters included Fox New Channel’s Brenda Buttner, CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo and CNN Headline News’ Susan Hendricks.

“Let me tell you about Linda,” Buttner said to WWE.com. “She’s amazing. She marries smarts with a lot of grace. She does it so effortlessly.”

Hendricks called it an honor to present McMahon with the Wonder Woman Award.

“As I’ve learned more about Linda, I’ve found out what she has done to contribute a great deal,” Hendricks said. “I love the fact that WWE is a family business, a tight-knit family organization. I love it. I’m excited, and honored to present to her.”

Bonnie Hammer, president of USA Network and Sci Fi Channel, was also on hand to congratulate McMahon. 

“Linda, to me, is a powerhouse. She is brilliant,” Hammer said.

During her acceptance speech, McMahon gave a brief explanation of the history of WWE, and how cable television has allowed sports-entertainment to flourish.

“Cable television gave us the opportunity to have our first national platform, and at that particular time in the late ’70s and early ’80s, there was no other national platform for this particular, unique form of American pop culture,” McMahon told the crowd of several thousand.

“WWE is a wonderful, American export that is now seen in over 100 countries and translated into over 13 languages,” McMahon explained. “Vince and I had a fantastic time building this company, and now we’re so fortunate to have our children – Shane and Stephanie – working with us to continue to build this brand.”

When McMahon said Vince McMahon has been on television longer than Johnny Carson, the crowd was wowed. She also explained that she kicked open doors in the sports-entertainment industry, which was once heavily male-dominated.

“Not only are women coming to the forefront in our particular industry in our company, I get to take credit for a lot of the hard work that is done by so many women at WWE,” McMahon said. “We are just very fortunate to have such strong and powerful, dynamic women as a part of our group.”

Finally, McMahon wanted to thank the cable industry again for all it has done to contribute to the success of WWE.

“Cable – thank you, for the growth of WWE’s brand. We continue to salute all of you and I thank you very much for this honor today.”

By Elijah Burke
Written: March 5, 2007NEWS ALERT!!!! Your Paragon of Virtue has received numerous e-mails in regards to a certain Superstar that is not on the ECW roster, but is claiming to be the next member of the New Breed. Let me be the first to say that those rumors are not true. However, this certain Superstar has been inquiring about the New Breed, and sort of trying to plant seeds for a possible future with the New Breed. This person put yours truly up in his/her condo during my trip to Hollywood as an act of loyalty. Can you blame him/her? The New Breed has arrived, and we're serving everyone our own dose of reality checks... Hoo-Rah!!!!!

For those of you that wrote in regards to my health during ECW's tour of New Zealand, know that YOUR Host of Hosts and YOUR Guiding Light survived the trip to the Land Down Under. I still suffered with the sniffles during the trip, and was unable to breathe for most of the tour. I was more than willing to take my doctor’s advice, which was to stand next to Balls Mahoney for five minutes to open up my nasal area. Unfortunately, the airlines wouldn't allow unidentified specimens to travel aboard the aircraft, needless to say, Balls did not make the trip. Is it me, or did Balls Mahoney’s physical appearance look 10 times worse than normal this past Tuesday on ECW on Sci Fi? Geez, he actually surprised me because I honestly didn't think he could look any more hideous than he normally does. Poor Balls!

Now that the so-called month to honor African-Americans has come and gone within the blink of an eye, I guess I'll return to shining my light on some LLM in this issue of Face 2 Face.

Now, let’s get to this week’s Face 2 Face:

Adam Fox writes: Rob Van Dam owns you. The New Breed will never beat the old school die hard ECW Originals. They may be old school, but they can still fight, and they will send you and the rest of the New Breed running with your tails between your legs.

ECWHOH replies: I don't think I've ever read such a double-sided compliment in my life. LOL. What ECW program have you been watching lately? I do, however, agree with two of your three comments. Yes, they are old school, and yes, they are old, but they will not send the New Breed running with our tails tucked. We are running. However, we're running towards the Originals as we're bringing the fight to the old fossils.

Brad writes: I was wondering if you have any famous Superstars’ e-mail addresses. Thank you.

ECWHOH replies: Let me tell you something!! I'm the only Superstar whose e-mail address you need. I mean, ask your mom, she'd tell you how much of a Superstar I am, and how much of a star I made her feel a while back. Maybe I should release the videotape of that night – you just might be able to see how you were conceived!!

Editor's note: Don't agree? Questions, comments or concerns? Write ECWHOH@yahoo.com and go Face 2 Face with YOUR Paragon of Virtue.

By Michelle McCool
Written: March 6, 2007Hey guys!!!

This letter is long overdue, so let me start by apologizing for just now truly expressing my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you during my recent illness! The love, support, cards, etc. were way more than I could ever have imagined.

I don’t even know exactly where to begin. Long story short, while traveling overseas in November, I became pretty sick. Let me explain something. Many great things come from being a “McCool.” However, one not so admirable trait (at times) that we ALL (though some of my family try to deny it) have is S-T-U-B-B-O-R-N-E-S-S!!!

With that being said, my back really started hurting me seven days into the tour. Kristal and I had a match that night in Dublin, and I knew it wasn’t your typical “my back is sore” type pain. It was literally getting worse by the minute, to the point where I could barely stand up. I was in so much pain that I couldn’t eat, and from what I’ve been told (since I don’t remember much from this point on), I could barely speak. All I did was moan and tell everyone (including Dr. Rios, who was a lifesaver) I was fine. Needless to say, I’ll probably never get away with that one again. I tried my best to pretend I was fine when I was around everyone, and would go to bed in tears!

Apparently I got worse and worse as the last three days of the tour went by. One night I was apparently so dehydrated, Dr. Rios hooked me up to an IV. Thank the good Lord that he was with me — along with several WWE Superstars — who took such good care of me. I can never truly repay them.

When you hear people say “We are like a family,” you probably think “Whatever, everyone says that.” Let me tell you, I truly love these people with all of my heart, and can’t say enough wonderful things about them. From trying to feed me, carrying my luggage, covering me up to keep me warm, getting juice for me while on the buses, having someone meet me in Atlanta to help get me through the terminal (I have absolutely no idea how I even got home, and don’t remember one moment of it. I still can’t believe that somehow I went through the motions), calling my room to check on me, to sending flowers while I was in the hospital, and calling with get well wishes and cards, the list goes on!

These are amazing people who I am lucky to call my friends. I am so undeserving of the treatment I got from each one of these very special people.

Now, this part isn’t funny to my close family and friends who were with me in the hospital, because they were just scared to death wondering if I was going to make it. But, hey, they have to admit I am pretty stinking funny when I hallucinate!

For the first six to seven days of my 14-day stint in the hospital, I was completely out of it, hallucinating from the combination of my low sodium and medication.

Just to give you an idea of what I thought was going on, everyone was hearing what I was saying, with absolutely no idea what was going on in my head. Here are a few things that went down.

1. Sharmell and Torrie were in my room the whole time, but they just wouldn’t talk to me when I would call for them???
2. Matt Hardy’s whole head was in my bathroom mirror.
3. Gregory Helms’ face was sticking out of my air vent the entire time.
4. Ashley was in the room above me pouring water down on my face. (She was the only one being mean to me!)
5. Undertaker was guarding my door.
6. King Booker was doing spinaroonies for no apparent reason. (Imagine that!)
7. Chavo was leading the fights outside my hospital room; he was protecting me of course when people were talking bad about me.
8. JBL was walking through the halls yelling “Awwwwwww Hell!!!!”
9. John Cena was fist fighting with my cousin Lee, because he thought Lee was talking bad about me. But, they ended up hugging and making up. (I’m telling you it was crazy!)
10. Each day I tried to have my dad call Fit and tell him I could work, because I apparently still thought I was on tour.

And the list goes on!

This should clearly tell you how much these people mean to me! They were literally all I thought about, even when I clearly wasn’t thinking straight, or thinking at all. I LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM!

So to each of my colleagues, my bosses, my family, my friends and my fans — all of you were there for me when I didn’t even know what was happening to me. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.

My advice is this: you never know when might be your last day. You have a choice each morning: You can be in a good mood or a bad mood. Count your blessings, cherish your loved ones and remember to smile! I love you all, and can’t wait to get back in the ring and make each and every one of you prouder than ever!

Xoxo,

Pumped. Excited. Anxious. These are just a few of the emotions WWE Diva Ashley is feeling, a mere week away from the big release of her Playboy cover debut.

“It’s so crazy, because sometimes I’ll wake up and think it’s got to be months away. The whole thing just unfolded so quickly, and I can’t believe it’s here already!” Ashley told WWE.com. “One week away. It feels great.”

Ashley said time flies, since she’s incredibly busy traveling with WWE. But the SmackDown Diva is so excited and overjoyed for her Playboy debut next Monday. The closest thing she can compare the anticipation to is feeling like a kid on Christmas Eve.

“You know when you wait all year long for a certain holiday or something special, like a birthday? That’s kind of how I’ve felt the whole while waiting for this Playboy to come out,” she explained. “It’s hard to believe it’s a week away. It’s crazy!”

Ashley had the final say on choosing the sexy cover shot, which was recently revealed on SmackDown. She said she’s seen digital images of the other photos that will be in the magazine, but she hasn’t seen the actual magazine or corresponding story yet.

“So it’s going to be just as fresh to me as it is to everybody else. The payoff is when the magazine comes out, and I’m dying to see it!” she exclaimed.

“I can’t wait for my fans to see it, too. They seem to be really pumped, from what I’ve heard so far. So it’s exciting for me to have them rallying behind me through all of this.”

In addition to the excitement, Ashley admitted she’s just a wee bit nervous, too.

“I think anybody would be anxious, especially posing nude!” she laughed.

“I’m anxious to see WWE fans’ reactions. I’m anxious to see how it goes over because it’s a first for Playboy to put someone like me on the cover. They just rolled the dice on me… Thanks, guys!” she joked.

Don’t worry, WWE fans. Ashley thinks you won’t be disappointed next Monday when the April issue of Playboy hits newsstands.

“In my opinion, it came out really good!” she smiled.

Wednesday marks WWE.com’s official countdown to Ashley’s Playboy cover release on March 12. Stay tuned to WWE.com for new, exclusive, behind-the-scenes photos from the Playboy shoot. Fresh, sexy shots will be released every day until next Monday when the April issue of Playboy hits newsstands everywhere.

Also, Ashley will be participating in several autograph sessions to promote her upcoming Playboy cover.

WWE.com

I want to say congratulations to Jerry the King Lawler on being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. I got to do commentary with the King at the Royal Rumble, and it was quite an honor. Being a wrestling fan growing up, it is really cool to be able to work with my heroes, and I have gotten to work with most of them.

I understand that JR has said he would like to do commentary with me, I would consider that a huge honor. JR was my boss for several years; we have always had a good relationship. Well, except for the second week of September, that’s when the Longhorns play the Sooners. Actually, JR and I have gone to the game together a couple of times in recent years, though; obviously we sat in different parts of the stadium

JR has to be considered the best play-by-play guy in wrestling history. Working with JR would be like the first time I got into the ring with Kerry Von Erich. It’s a strange feeling sometimes when you are in an environment where your role is considered equal to a person that you have watched on TV many times.

Know that I am not happy doing commentary with Michael Cole, OK, never mind, to hell with Michael.

Dusty going into the Hall of Fame is a well-deserved honor. I have heard so much about Dusty from Dick Murdoch when I first started wrestling that I feel like I have known him all my life. What a crew the area of West Texas has given to wrestling.

Also, to my good friend Mr. Perfect, I wish he was still here to accept the honor. Mr. Perfect and I had a blast ribbing everyone, including ourselves.

I do believe, though, that Ron Simmons should be in the Hall as well. Ron is not only a class act, but a guy who deserves this honor. Ron brought credibility to every organization he has been a part of. Although, I am obviously biased toward Ron, I believe Ron has as much merit to be there as anyone, and in some cases more so.

I have to clear up the fact I have stated recently about the Worm being created in Edmonton, Alberta against the APA at a live event. Scotty 2 Hotty did start the Worm that night, however, Ron pretty much stomped a hole in the Worm. Luckily for Scotty, the Worm survived.

I am really excited about getting my back fixed. I was told there wasn’t much anyone could do, but recent technology indicates that my back could perhaps be fixed. I am down to 295 pounds, which is still way too fat, but at least I am finally heading down with my weight.

Being an investment banker doesn’t exactly lend itself to the active lifestyle.

I’ve had a heck of a year so far. Antarctica to start the year, followed by the NHL All-Star game and the Super Bowl, in between a trip to the Bahamas and a round of golf at the Doral in Miami. My buddy Mike Corcell, who runs a hedge fund in London, and I have formed the John and Mike world tour, next stop the Old Course in April to play a few rounds of golf. May will be spent golfing at Pebble Beach.

I will be fishing this week down in Key West, Fla. This retirement from the ring is working out pretty well so far, though I would give almost anything to be included in WrestleMania this year in a wrestling capacity.

I am going to have some info on my buddy’s animal sanctuary in Tulsa, Okla., soon. If you ever wanted to do something for animals, I have the perfect place for you to do it. This story is awesome. Believe me, it is something PETA or WWF would never get involved in because it actually does something for the animals, other than use them to raise money.

For the doubters who thought Jimmy Wang Yang was a simpleton; a goofy Asian redneck, lackluster sports-entertainer that should hang up his ring boots for a holster and cowboy boots – y’all should listen up.

“I know some people think it’s a surprise to see me improve and perform like I have lately,” admitted Yang. “People thought I was a big joke that couldn’t succeed. They were wrong.”

Although Yang has been able to ride (and not horseback) relatively low on the SmackDown radar, according to him, it’s only a matter of time before he trots off into the sunset with the gold strapped around his waist.

“The rise of Jimmy Wang Yang began the day I debuted in WWE,” he said assuredly. “I’ve always believed with the WWE fans behind me, I could become the Cruiserweight Champion.”

His dreams of donning WWE gold nearly came true. Less than two weeks ago at No Way Out, Yang was nanoseconds from being awarded the Cruiserweight Championship. After defeating then-champion Gregory Helms — the longest reigning cruiserweight Champion in WWE history — and then slugging it out and pinning another Superstar that’s no stranger to the cruiserweight prize, Jaime Noble, Yang thought his time to shine had finally arrived.

But then a rain cloud in the form of Chavo Guerrero blew over the horizon. Guerrero defeated Yang, shooting down his first taste of WWE gold.

“My performance at No Way Out was the most important of my career — hands down,” said Yang. “For the past nine years of my life that’s what I’ve been working for… to become a champion and I came up a little bit short.”

But Yang’s not complaining. In fact, he says the experience will serve as a learning platform to elevate his game even higher.

“I came so close to the championship, and that makes me hungrier than ever.”

Friday nights on The CW Network at 8/7 CT is when Yang feeds his hunger, and where he uses his opportunities to learn and progress. It’s that learning curve that he’s working so diligently to abolish that separates him from other emerging Superstars. While he may still be fairly green in WWE, one thing is certain: Jimmy Wang Yang certainly isn’t yellow.

 

Love Notes from Maria, No. 5
By Maria
Written: March 2, 2007This week: A Valentine’s Day to forget but a 15th to remember, buying clothes for men and are skulls “in” or “out"?

What's up all you stars and studs!!!!

So, Valentine’s came and went, and mine sucked!! I spent my Valentine’s Day all alone when I was supposed to be hanging out with my Sweet P. Grrrrr!

As you can probably tell, I was pretty upset, so here is what happened.

My love got a phone call on Friday, the day before taking off to be on the road, and was told Monday’s show was cancelled and changed to Wednesday.

Now, usually I am understanding. I am on the road, too, and can understand when things change. However, it was Valentine’s Day! I had massages booked and dinner reservations. Also, I had the coolest plan ever of giving someone their Valentine’s Day present.

I was far from irritated and was furious. Mean faces!

Anyways, I wouldn't have minded if it was just a show that had been planned, and we knew we weren't going to do anything to begin with. But, to have it pulled from you at the last minute like that, blows butt.

My darling did do something awesome, though, and so he was saved by the powers that be.

My guy got me a beautiful bouquet of white roses he had sent to the house, and they made me smile. I love flowers, and for some reason, flowers have superpowers and can get a man out of the doghouse within minutes of arrival. Maybe it is the smell that intoxicates the woman, and then she has amnesia about whatever happened. Either way, I like it!

Now, as for what I got my guy, well, there is the new sweatshirt that he is sporting that he wanted for months…. That is another story. I had to go to a very scary neighborhood in order to get that sweatshirt because they only sold it at that store in my town. I risked my life for it, but it was worth it, because he loved it. His sweatshirt fits his personality and the things he likes.

I always get scared buying clothes for men because they go on a completely different system to buying clothes. Normally, most men don't try stuff on, they go for what looks like it might fit and what looks like it might last. So, my theory is – unless my guy says he likes it, I don't buy it. That goes for most men I think.

The sweatshirt is really cool. It is a full skeleton and has a hood that zips over the face that is a skull. Reminds me of something the Misfits would wear, and I think that is why he likes it.

Fashion is a funny thing. It has all these rules and regulations, but really no designer ever follows them. For example, skulls are supposed to be out, but I still like them and think they are always in for certain people. My guy looks hott – Ow Ow – in his skeleton hoodie!

Wear what feels good and is uniquely you, and you will always be in style.

My Valentine's Day ended up being on the 15th, and it was great! Lots of sleep, relaxing, food, and you know the rest..... It was fun. Love is great, and details are left to the imagination.

That same week I went to see Hannibal Rising, and it was not good. As a matter of fact, I was completely disappointed. There were way too many coincidences. I really like the original Silence of the Lambs, and wish Hannibal Rising was one-tenth that good. But it wasn't.

My recommendation is go see Ghost Rider if you want to see a good movie. Ghost Rider was a great mix of action and making fun of itself. There were some very funny parts of the movie and Nicolas Cage did an awesome job in it. I always liked him in movies. Even if you read the comic you will like it because the special effects are really good. The skull head looks really good on him, too! Fashion-forward flaming skeleton head is a do!

I hope that everyone’s Valentine’s Day was awesome, and happy March!

Spanks and Kisses,
Maria

Stiletto style tip: Fashion do's and don'ts are guidelines, and it is up to you to pick what works for you and what doesn't. They are constantly changing. Kate Moss wore wide leg jeans and that made them in style. Lead your own trend and maybe you can start a new fashion revolution. (One butt cheeky hanging out and one leg covered for wrestling gear in a leopard print may not be in style, but I wore it in my match against Melina. It was fun and a wrestling gear throwback. Bobby Fulton did it. Haha!)

Diva Dish: Double trouble
By Jen Hunt and Kara A. Medalis
Written: March 2, 2007This week in Diva Dish, Candice Michelle and her big sis head to Vegas, Michelle McCool catches up on Idol, Mickie James says she’s ready for fun in the sun, Rebecca reveals a fetish, Vickie Guerrero sings her daughter’s praises and Lilian Garcia shops ’til she drops.



Double trouble
Candice Michelle is expecting a special visitor this weekend – her older sister, Dana. The mischievous duo is ready to paint the town red together.

“My sister is coming out from Milwaukee. It’s exciting because I don’t get to see her very often,” Candice smiled. “We’re going to have some good sister time in L.A. and then we’re going to Vegas. And well, what happens in Vegas, everybody knows, stays in Vegas!”

Candice admitted that sometimes she and Dana get into a little bit of trouble together. So watch out, Vegas!

Dana celebrated her birthday on Feb. 20, so Candice has an unusual birthday treat planned for her sister once they get to Sin City.

“She hasn’t been to Vegas. My family out there flies hot air balloons, so I’m going to take her on a hot air balloon ride,” Candice said.

After Vegas, the Raw Diva is looking forward to spending more quality sister time with Dana during WrestleMania 23.

“She comes to WrestleMania every year, so she’ll come to Detroit this year and make a whole week out of it. She gets to enjoy all the WWE festivities with me!” Candice said.



Idol fan
Michelle McCool has been enjoying this season of American Idol. Her favorite part of the reality show is the often comical early audition rounds which bring out the best of the worst aspiring Idols.

“I know that sounds bad, but I love laughing at the people who can’t sing. I’m laughing because I’m right there with them. Nothing joyful comes out of my mouth!” she laughed. “If they can put themselves out there like that, more power to them.”

Michelle said some of this year’s auditions were so funny, she was in tears laughing at them. But the SmackDown Diva admitted she isn’t always in tune with the Idol judges.

“It’s funny because I’ll watch it and think somebody’s great if they can carry any tune whatsoever. Then the judges totally tear them apart and I’m like, ‘Oh, looked good to me!’ ”

So can WWE fans expect to see Michelle on a future season of American Idol?

“A singing show? Heck no! I would never embarrass myself like that! I know I can’t sing so there’s no point in even acting like I think I can, at all.”



Beach bum
Mickie James said she’s ready for a little rest, relaxation and fun in the sun. Later this month she’s heading to Panama City Beach, Fla., during a little bit of downtime.

“We have a little beach house down there. I’m taking my brother, who is 21, and some other friends. We’re going to do it up. It’s going to be huge. It should be pretty fun,” she smiled.

“Spring break for college is usually at Panama City Beach, and I didn’t go to college – I am going now. So I’m treating myself!”

Mickie told Diva Dish she’s in the middle of her business decision making class, which is harder than she expected. So the Raw Diva is ready to pack the car with some of her favorite furry friends, too, and head south to Florida.

“I’m going to take my dog down and my ferrets. My dog loves the water. He’s a lab mix so he’s a big water freak,” Mickie explained. “Even in the tub, he like plays in the tub and I put his little squeaky toys in there. He’s going to have a lot of fun!”



Sprinkle it on
Diva Dish has learned about a strange, but true, fetish of ECW’s Rebecca. Think it’s something kinky? Try again.

“I have an obsession with Splenda. I like Splenda on my meat, whether it’s chicken, red meat, poultry. Steak probably is my favorite, then chicken. I also put it on my vegetables, but only broccoli and cauliflower,” she revealed.

We’ll let Rebecca explain this one:

“It started at restaurants, from getting reduction sauce on my steak. It’s always sweet. One day the chef was having an off-day and he didn’t make it sweet,” she said.

“So I took matters into my own hands, and I reached over and grabbed a packet of the yellow, golden sunshine and I added it to my reduction,” she went on.

“Then one day they didn’t have the reduction, so I went straight in for the kill and ever since then, I’ve been dumping it on my food.”

While training at Deep South Wrestling, Rebecca said she converted at least four girls into Splenda fans. It seems she’s ready to turn more people into sugar substitute fanatics.

“People see it and they’ll be skeptical and I say, ‘Just try it.’ It’s actually good. Ashley tried it. She said it was surprisingly really good.”



Proud mom
SmackDown’s Vickie Guerrero is singing the praises of her daughter, Shaul Guerrero. It seems the sophomore in high school is quite the songbird.

"In May she’s going to travel to Austin and represent her high school in the Texas State Solo-Ensemble Contest,” Vickie said. “She was the only sophomore to make it. I was in tears the whole day when I found out. I’m pretty proud of her.”

Vickie said Shaul has been working with a voice teacher for the past three months. She also has an idea where Shaul gets her special talent from.

“I don’t sing at all. She must get it from Eddie’s mom. His mom sang really well. She didn’t get it from me or Eddie. I sing great in the shower though!” Vickie laughed.



Professional shopper
Lilian Garcia told Diva Dish she’s not really a shop-a-holic, but more of a shop-’til-ya-drop type of girl.

“My shopping goes in spurts. I get into this mode where I’ll go one Saturday and shop all day. I’ll pick all my ring clothes that one day for the next month to month and a half, and then I don’t shop for a while,” the Raw ring announcer said.

“I’m not one of those people who likes to shop all the time. I just like to get it done all in one day and not worry about it. I wear everything out, and then go shopping again!”

wwe.com

This week, the cards tell a most impressive story of power and prosperity.

The Chairman of WWE, Mr. McMahon has taken on a daunting task. He has taken ECW under his wing, looking to be the leader of the jungle that is the Land of the Extreme. Thus far, he has been faced with several trying decisions and has been able to persevere through each.

The future of ECW is a majestic one. As the gods sent a meteor that destroyed the once-ruling dinosaurs, Mr. McMahon’s leadership has helped to bring together the force that is the New Breed: the force that will make the ECW Originals an extinct species. A beautiful future lies ahead for the brand; it will be a land where the likes of Sabu, Sandman, Balls Mahoney, Tommy Dreamer and Rob Van Dam are nothing more but shadowy thoughts of the past.

The Chairman’s impact does not stop with this apocalypse; it extends to ECW World Champion Bobbly Lashley. Mr. McMahon has promised to make Lashley’s life a living hell, and he has already begun to execute this plan. Lashley, you may feel that you have outdone the reigning Chairman when you defeated Hardcore Holly in that steel cage entrapment. You may also think you bested Mr. McMahon when you brought Umaga tumbling to the floor. I assure you the hell has only begun, for if you did not survive those grave tasks, you would not be able to live out the misery that Mr. McMahon has in store.

The outlook for the ECW World Champion is a tragic one. It is one that will leave Lashley nothing more than a victim in the Land of the Extreme at the controls of the great Chairman.

Don’t thank me for this tale of destruction. Thank the cards, for they tell all.

Rick Achberger – better known to WWE fans as "Sign Guy" – will battle for a prize-filled briefcase. Not the briefcase dangling from atop Ford Field that has eight WWE Superstars vying for sports-entertainment supremacy at WrestleMania’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match.(That battle happens April 1.) Instead, this Sunday Achberger will be on NBC’s top-rated game show Deal or No Deal ( 9/8 CT), combating a frugal banker for a briefcase that could contain as much as one million dollars.

Sign Guy is known throughout the WWE locker room for his attendance at numerous WWE live events, and for bringing dozens of creative poster boards decked with pearls of wisdom. His innovative ways to express his feelings about everything and everyone WWE is often surprising — and sometimes shocking — to the Superstars and Divas.

On Sunday, however, it’s the Superstars who will get their chance to surprise Sign Guy. Rated-RKO’s Randy Orton and Edge sat among the Deal or No Deal audience to heckle Achberger, attempting to impede his ability to concentrate on the game. Fortunately, WWE Champion John Cena and ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley were also there countering Rated-RKO’s jeers and cheer Sign Guy on to open that potential million-dollar case.

“He for damn sure had no idea we would be there,” said Orton. “It felt good to give him a taste of his own medicine and distract him while he was the one trying to concentrate for once. Make no mistake about it, I wanted him to walk out with no money.”

The Rated-R Superstar agreed with his counterpart, and jumped at the opening to help spear Sign Guy’s opportunity to win some cash. But Edge also admitted to WWE.com (very reluctantly) that the atmosphere created by the intense pressures of Deal or No Deal forced him to have fun.

“Rick looked even more dumbfounded than usual — and that says a lot,” he quipped. “When he recognized Randy and I were there yelling at him from the crowd, he got that deer-in-headlights look. But it was a lot of fun.”

Edge also pointed out that this one-time “deal” to pester Rick doesn’t change that fact that he always has, and always will, stay one up on Sign Guy.

“I always get the better of him,” he explained, “whether that means getting him tossed from buildings or tearing up his signs and shoving them down his mouth. Tonight was no different.”

John Cena’s feelings couldn’t have differed more from his two foes. He stood firmly in Achberger’s corner, believing Sign Guy needed WWE’s help to have any shot at breaking the banker.

“Whenever Sign Guy’s been approached [by the Superstars or Mr. McMahon], he doesn’t work well under pressure; he tends to get all scattered, nervous and jittery. I think he needed his family and our help to get him through this,” said The Champ. “He was really surprised when he saw us. I had a good time watching him play the game.”

Unlike Cena, Bobby Lashley believed that having Edge and Orton in the Deal or No Deal audience actually helped Achberger.

“Everyone knows how WWE is — we support the people that support us, and I’m glad we all could be here today [for Sign Guy].”

Seeing two of his favorite WWE Superstars there to root for him may have meant more to Rick than his once-in-a-lifetime chance to walk out of Deal or No Deal with a huge check.

“I couldn’t think of two better guys to be there supporting me,” said Achberger of Cena and Lashley, choosing to remain silent about The Rated-R Superstar and The Legend Killer. (A sign perhaps?) “I’ve rooted for those guys for years; they’ve worked so hard to get where they are now, as two WWE champions. It was an honor to have them on the same stage.”

One man who knows all about packed audiences is Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel. The stand-up comedian-turned-game show host noticed the crowd — clearly made up of sports-entertainment enthusiasts — was especially electrified by the WWE Superstars in attendance.

“People had [replica Championships] that were signed and they were screaming out the [WWE] chants.... It was just so exciting. When you have the excitement of the contestant, the money and then add WWE to that – it just went through the roof,” said Mandel.

How will Achberger hold up against the odds of Deal or No Deal? Can Cena and Lashley direct him toward a path of riches, or will Rated-RKO tear down Sign Guy? Watch NBC's Deal or No Deal at 9/8 CT this Sunday to find out.

Rated-R deal means ratings
Written: February 28, 2007Edge knows something about deals and making the most of them. He won the Money in the Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania 21 and cashed it in on a weakened John Cena to win his first WWE Championship at New Year’s Revolution in 2006. And as one of the participants in Money in the Bank at WrestleMania 23, the Rated-R Superstar hopes to repeat history and win the gold again.

Edge and fellow Superstars WWE Champion John Cena, ECW World Champion Bobby Lashley and Randy Orton will appear on the hit NBC game show Deal or No Deal on Sunday, March 4 at 9 p.m. ET. In this week’s edition of Superstar to Superstar, Edge discusses deals – as well as beer and virtues of Canada – with fellow Canadian and Deal host, Howie Mandel. Find out if he makes an R-rated deal with the comedian below:


Edge: You like Molson or Labatt?

Mandel: Anything I can get my hands on. … I like Canadian beer a lot better than American. American seems watered-down.

Edge: In Canada, it’s beer, hockey, and then everything else.

Mandel: Oh really? I thought it was hockey, then beer. But then again, I am dyslexic … In Canada, “open the case” means something totally different.

Edge: You’ve been in dramas such as St. Elsewhere [and] done shows like Bobby’s World – which I loved. What made you want to play a game show host on Deal or No Deal?

Mandel: I absolutely did not want to be a game show host. It was presented to me and I said, “No.” Then they came back and presented it to me again, and I said, “No.” I love to work as a comedian, and I thought that would put an end to that career, and I said, “No” a third time. Then my wife saw a tape of the show, [since] it plays in 65 countries. She said to me, “You’re an idiot. Take the deal.” And I listened to her. I took the deal, and nobody is more surprised and thrilled by the success that this has turned into [than me].


Edge: Now does this still give you the freedom to do your [standup comedy] shows?

Mandel: I do 250 live dates (shows) a year. When I leave here tonight, I’ll be going to Vegas.

Edge: That’s almost as many as us.

Mandel: Almost as many, but you guys go farther. You travel overseas and to other countries while I stay in North America.

Edge: That’s smart, trust me.

Mandel: And I don’t get hurt. Well, I do, but emotionally. [Laughs]

Edge: Yeah, I do too. That’s actually worse than the physical ... Did you ever imagine Deal or No Deal would become such a game show phenomenon?


Mandel: Not only did I not think it was going to be a phenomenon, I thought it would be the end of my career. I was sure it was going to be. But I didn’t want it to be the end of my relationship, so I listened to my wife. … We have a great relationship, and it’s been great for my career. It’s a good deal, win-win!


Edge: Now, I used to carry a briefcase to the ring and hit people with it. Do you ever get tempted [to] just waylay somebody when they make a stupid decision?


Mandel: The hardest thing for me when I think somebody is making a stupid move is not to throttle them. When I’m offering somebody who’s told me they’re in debt, have never owned anything, have three kids, would like to pay for college $250,000 adamantly -- with no safety net -- and they go, “No deal,” the hardest thing for me is not to slap them and say, “You idiot! Take the deal.”


Edge: How do you want people to see you: as a comedian, a game show host or as an entertainer?

Mandel: I just really want people to see me. If you go to my movie, go to whatever [show] I’m doing and entertaining, watching the cartoons, [or] tuning into the show, I just want to be seen. Because to do whatever we do to entertain alone – including wrestling – it just doesn’t work.


Edge: You started hosting Deal or No Deal in Canada, in Toronto, our hometown. The contestants there are probably much smarter, so you probably don’t have to guide them through the game like you have to do in the U.S. Is there anything different about the show there other than having to bargain with Canadians?


Mandel: Well, actually with the Canadian money - the Canadian prize - you don’t have to pay taxes on winnings. And the exchange rate isn’t huge right now. So if you win $1 million in Canada, you win $1 million. In America, you have to pay taxes on your winnings. So, it [Deal or No Deal] is huge in Canada. … And in Canada, we opened up a call for contestants. In a two-week period, we got 122,000 responses for contestants to be on. I don’t know that we get that much even in America.

Picturing Johnny Nitro removed from his cozy Hollywood abode, covered in snow, fighting frostbite and changing a tire may have been a wishful daydream for some WWE fans — that is, until this past weekend.

The wintry weather that has caused travel havoc throughout parts of the U.S. didn’t exclude certain WWE Superstars from its wrath. Nitro and Melina, along with Kenny Dykstra and Carlito – among countless others – fought airline delays, cancellations and even flat tires to make their WWE appearances.

“Before driving from Reno to Sacramento, Calif., we were told the roads were closed, and we needed chains on the tires,” said Nitro. “I’ve never put chains on tires before, and had already paid 200 bucks for a hotel room, so Melina and I weren’t stopping.”

Nitro’s persistence didn’t exactly bode well with the hazardous weather and lack of knowledge about how to drive when chains are strapped onto car tires.

“It was snowing so hard that I couldn’t even see ten feet in front of me. I was still going like 50 miles per hour,” he said. “Three hours into the drive, we must have hit a rock or a person or an animal or something – hell if I know, but whatever it was, the back tire popped.”

And it didn’t get any easier for the Raw Superstar and his counterpart from there.

“I had to get out of my car in my business casual – which is pretty fly for anyone who knows Nitro – jack up the car, rip the chains off and put the spare tire on. I was so cold I wanted to have a tow company deal with it, but I called and they said it would take two hours. I took the old, greasy tire and tossed it into the backseat. At this point I don’t even care about anything besides getting to the hotel. Finally, it was around 3 a.m., and we made it.”

Carlito was another Superstar that was given the runaround, which threw a wrench in his plans, and nearly caused him to miss his match on Feb. 24.

“My flight from Miami to Dallas got cancelled, so I had to go through Charlotte,” said the Caribbean Superstar. “From there, I had to go from Charlotte to Phoenix. Then my connection got in late, so I had to change my flight from Phoenix to Las Vegas, then again from Vegas to Reno [en route to Sacramento].”

Once Carlito had landed in Reno, however, he had more obstacles to tackle.

“Of course the roads were closed to get to Sacramento, so I had to take a flight from Reno to Oakland and drive from Oakland to Sacramento. Luckily, I made it in time for my match, but some others weren't so lucky.”

Former WWE Superstar and current WWE producer Dean Malenko saw the travel woes as an evil domino effect.

“The last two days were a WWE Raw sequel to Planes, Trains and Automobiles…with the exception of the train,” joked Malenko. “Once the dominoes started falling, they never stopped. It took some talent anywhere from eight to 10 hours to make it roughly 120 miles.”

Malenko said that once he arrived at the arena, after all the mass confusion and clamoring around to find rides, airplanes and open roads, finally getting to the arena was all worthwhile because of the WWE fans.

“There were 11,000 WWE fans at the event, and they had no idea how much effort it took for the Superstars to make the event. But that’s what we do.”

Some Superstars who weren’t fortunate enough to escape the weather’s debilitating effects were Shawn Michaels, Cryme Tyme and Kenny Dykstra, who all missed the show in Reno.

“I got stuck in Dallas,” said Dykstra. “I had to go from Dallas to Houston, where I made the best of it and went clubbing that night.”

But Kenny’s fun didn’t last too long, as his travel disasters were just getting started.

“The airport in Houston was packed, with lines out the door,” he said, shaking his head. “My good old buddy George Washington helped me out, though, and I got to the front of the line quick. So I got through security, and hopped on the air tran. Right when I saw my gate, the air tran just broke down," Dykstra continued. "Finally, the guy got up there and helped out. I’m the last one to board the flight, and I’m looking for my seat, and there is a big, fat lady dressed in red -- like the Kool-Aid guy. She stole my trail mix when I went to sleep, and eyed me up as I ate my cereal.”

After being squished in his seat for the entire flight and keeping tabs on anything edible, Dykstra finally got to Oakland… but there’s more.

“In Oakland, I got lost and couldn’t find the rental car. It was a mess, but I was eventually able to make it to the show. Not on Saturday… I didn’t make that show."

The Next Big Thing.. Cruisers.. Sting.. Personal Issues.. Sonny’s BBQ.. Honkytonk Man.. Personal Issues.. Harley.. WCW Returning.. Lita.. Snuka/Muraco.. J.R. Lost His Smile.. Adrian Peterson
As promised, here’s a few of your questions answered before I have to high tail it to the OKC Airport to head to Fresno.

Phil- Who is the next new WWE Superstar? It could be one or more of several individuals. There are many who have potential, but will hopefully not use the tired, lame excuse of the company or other circumstances beyond their control are the only things standing between them and super stardom. To earmark 1-2 stars would put unfair pressure on them and until I see many of the developmental talents in person, I will withhold my guesses.

Steve - I have made it abundantly clear that I am a wrestling fan, therefore I like Cruiserweights the same as the other weights. That’s just me.

Tex - Will Sting ever go into the WWE Hall of Fame? It would not surprise me one bit somewhere down the road. Steve Borden is a wonderful human being.

Azam - “You guys?” You been paying attention? I can’t “bring back” Chris Jericho anymore than you can. It’s not a bad idea though.

Cameron - I have always liked the Honkytonk Man because he is a talented, old school wrestler and he is a survivor. I won’t “knock him” for mortal fear of being put on his “ass whipping list”….again!

Bobby - I don’t think the entire Wrestlemania card is completed and if it is, I have not seen it, so I don’t know who Melina is going to wrestle or if she will wrestle on April 1. Stay tuned.

Alex - Rivalries are akin to personal issues and personal issues have always sold more tickets than simply a “cold” title match.

Sean - I don’t know how you can compare Lashley’s wrestling with Chris Masters. I mean you can, but I can’t see it. There is no comparison, considering Lashley’s background.

Craig - I have absolutely eaten at “Sonny’s BBQ,” especially when I used to travel the Carolinas back in the day. I fondly remember good food at that time at Sonny’s, who seemed to have a bunch of locales.

Ramone - Not only was Harley Race an absolute natural in the ring, made a great team with Larry “The Ax” Hennig,” but as NWA Champion Harley, had no equals. Not to mention that out of the ring, Harley was one bad hombre. An old school badass.

Tonnie - I do not remember, off the top of my head, a wrestler by the name of Michelle Star. Any help out there?

HOF ‘07 - I think it is too early to induct Austin and The Rock in the WWE Hall of Fame, but they are locks down the road.

Anthony - Only my opinion, but I don’t see the WCW brand returning. It would seem to me, with 3 brands, the WWE has all it can say grace over.

Frank - I have heard of Torrie Wilson’s divorce from Billy Kidman. I have a feeling the lovely Idaho lass won’t have too many lonely nights.

Will DX reunite when HHH gets healthy? I hope so, but that’s up to HBK and HHH.

Mark - I remember a manager named Nikita Mulkovich back in the day, but no details.

Starkman - I assume Sylvester Terkay is better suited for MMA competition, than the sports entertainment world, as it would seem. Whatever makes one comfortable. Sylvester always treated me respectfully, as I did him. Sylvester is a great athlete who may need to work on his “killer instinct.” But not with me!

J-Roc - I think I came up with a proposal to do a Legends Video Game before I left the corporate world of the WWE. It may be on the drawing board or out in some form. I am not too video game savvy.

Mike - If I never see another Brawl for All, it will be too soon. It may have been great for some fans, but for those of us who had to care for the injured talents, it was not a great experience.

Jamie/UK - Every arena has something about it that makes it stand out, or at least they do to me. DavyBoy may have had a different perspective, but each arena has its own personality.

Shawn - The Rock ‘n Roll Express still tag on occasion. Robert Gibson is doing some training in the WWE developmental areas. I can’t imagine Ricky w/o Robert or visa versa. This was one of the top 5 teams….EVER!

Steve - Was I nervous in 1993 when I went to the WWE and debuted at Wrestlemania 9 wearing a toga. Absolutely. Can’t B.S. you on that. It was a much different emotion than being cut loose from my job nine months later, while healing from my first bout of Bell’s Palsy.

Ron - The Extreme Expose might not be for everyone. I look at it like an NBA Dance Team performing during a time out. I can tolerate looking at nice looking ladies for a minute or two with no problem.

Giovanni - I can definitely see the WWE doing a Bruiser Brody DVD someday. I also can’t wait to read the book on Brody, written by Frank’s widow and Larry Mataysik, comong out soon. Abdullah “retire?” You have to be kidding me! It will never happen.

Matt - I have NO IDEA what is going on with Bob Backlund in Orlando and his long walks to and from the hotel looking for and finding loose change on the ground. Bobby is a different, not bad understand, and unique human.

Kevin - Fink still does the occasional ring announcing, but usually not on TV. He’s still the best.

Ric - I am not overly familiar with Mistico, other than some I have spoken to that say he is talented. Whether the WWE attempts to sign Mistico or not is not my call, but if he is that good, the WWE should sign him up.

David - Mark Henry is back in the ring and trying to get over his last injury, patella surgery. Mark is a wonderful young man, but he must be able to stay healthy or he must move to the next phase of his life. Having surgery every year or two is not the way to live.

Michael - So you have spent over $2,000 for Wrestlemania. I applaud you and suggest you will not be disappointed. ‘Mania has never been about one person, nor should it be. I think the two main events and the hair match, not to mention Money in the Bank, are the nucleus of a great card. My instincts tell me you will be happy with your investment.

Shane - “One has to Kiss Ass to be in the Hall of Fame.” Come on Shane, that’s not fair or intelligent. I know many wrestlers in the Hall who kiss no one’s ass. If this is all about Savage, again, please let it go.

Kevin - The Undertaker losing at ‘Mania is a distinct possibility, but my money is on the Demon of Death Valley.

BBD - I never heard that Snuka and Muraco had serious out of ring issues. I don’t think there is anything to that rumor.

Mark - Khali is in the WWE because he is an “attraction” and the business has had attractions in it for generations. The Swedish Angel, The Elephant Boy, Haystacks Calhoun, The McGwire Twins, Andre, etc.

Shawn - I felt Lita’s departure from the WWE was a little underwhelming to say the least. Lita deserved more, in my opinion, and I miss seeing her every Monday. She has a wonderful soul and has great passion and I wish her nothing but great health and success. She was one of my hires and I am still a huge fan of her, as a woman and as a wrestler. Who knows, maybe someday she will be back.

So many have asked about HHH being at Wrestlemania 23. I assume The Game will attend, but I can’t see how he can be physically involved with his quad in the midst of healing. But then again……

Jarid - I don’t think I have ever been snowed in or missed a booking due to weather related issues. I even broadcast a Great American Bash in Baltimore one year that was lowlighted by an ill-advised Scaffold Match after a kidney stone had fragmented, and I was passing particles of it during the live PPV. I am not sure what was the most painful, the horribly executed PPV or the kidney stone. I was in the emergency room at a local “medical facility” within 30 minutes of the show ending.

Jon - The Waylon Mercy character was akin to Robert DeNiro’s role in “Cape Fear.” Dan Spivey was perfect in the role and if Dan had been healthier, at the time, he would have been headlining major WWE events, in my opinion.

Yes, I communicate with Dr. Death virtually every week. His new book is available and I sincerely hope you will order it. It is not only a great story of courage and faith, but it will help the Good Doctor tremendously.

Gordon Solie in the WWE Hall of Fame? Oh, hell yeah. Without a doubt “The Dean” is a hall of famer. As I am not on the Hall of Fame committee or involved in the selection process (see the hundreds of Randy Savage comments I have tried to make), I can’t say when, but Gordon Solie is definitely a Hall of Fame announcer WAY ahead of the rest of us. Lance Russell and Bob Caudle deserve the honor too.

Will Bill Watts ever be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame? I would say “maybe,” but at this time it might be more of a long shot than at the head of the class. I do know the WWE will be inducting more and more wrestlers as the years move forward, or so I hear, that were not WWE branded much like Verne Gagne last year.

I heard a little rumor about the next WWE HOFer to be announced Monday night in Fresno and all I will say is it made me smile. OK, I smiled as best as my Bell’s Palsy would allow. Yes, I know, I remember the sign on TV that said “J.R. Has Lost His Smile.” Very nice. Thank you very little for that particular sign, whoever you were.

Adrian Peterson will be the # 3 or 4 pick in the draft at worst and the former OU running back, who I got to know his first week on campus, is NFL ready without a doubt. The King, a huge Browns fan, is hoping AD will be a Brown. For King’s sake, I concur, even though the Houston Texans would look like brilliant marketers if they could some how snag the Texas native, who runs in the high 4.3s at around 220 pounds. I cherish my signed AD stuff, which will be on display when our Bar-B-Q place opens in Norman in the spring.

Enjoy Raw Monday night! Take care everybody.
J.R.

P.S. Our store is open. Hint. Hint.

After her big pay-per-view singing debut last Sunday at No Way Out, SmackDown Diva Jillian sat down with WWE.com for an inside look at what makes her tick.

“I was just a normal kid, but going into high school, I guess I was a little goofier,” admitted Jillian. “I was a cheerleader and I was the goofy one on the cheerleading squad, that’s for sure. We’d go to cheerleading camp and instead of doing the routines, I would go off and do Elvis impersonations and stuff like that. I actually got a blue ribbon for doing an Elvis impersonation at a cheerleading competition once,” Jillian laughed

Jillian’s “goofy” personality is what has let her get in the ring and sing in front of thousands of booing WWE fans. While she has had no formal training, she has had plenty of practice.

“I sing every day of my life,” said Jillian. “I don’t care what people think. I walk around and I sing out loud. Everybody hears me all the time, they get annoyed sometimes, but I don’t care because I love it.”

Jillian has been in some pretty over the top moments in her WWE career. You may remember when she first debuted as shrewd PR woman who helped get publicity for such Superstars as MNM and JBL. However, a large, mysterious blemish on her face overshadowed her business prowess. Jillian said her army of loyal fans who had followed her up through OVW were not happy about it.

“My fans blamed WWE for doing it because they knew before it wasn’t me,” said the songstress. “I was relieved when Boogeyman bit it off... I’ve read on the internet that people think [the singing] is a little ridiculous too, but seriously this is me. That is who I am when I walk into the locker room. All the girls know that’s me. They hear singing and they say, ‘where’s Jillian.’”

You might think Jillian would be a Karaoke junkie, but actually, she has yet to give it a try. Between her busy travel schedule and a serious lack of Karaoke bars in her hometown, she just hasn’t had the chance yet. Singing Karaoke in front of a handful of strangers might not cut it for the Diva after performing in front of a sold out arena on Sunday. Was she nervous about singing in front so many people?

“The audience at No Way Out was the largest I had sung in front of, but I felt like I was just in front of my family or my friends,” said Jillian. “It’s just that natural to me. I think I’m not horrible. I’ve heard worse, but I guess I’ve heard better too. [Even though the WWE fans were booing me, it was a strong reaction, so] of course it makes me happy. I love that reaction, that’s what you look for.”

So who are some of Jillian’s favorite singers? If you’ve been watching SmackDown, then you’d know the answer is Britney… no really.

“Seriously, I love Britney Spears,” Jillian smiled. “She’s my favorite; she’s always been my favorite. [When she shaved her head] it made me sad; I wanted to cry when I saw that,” Jillian said in a more serious tone. “It’s just not who she was. Everybody loves who she was. She’s changed and it’s sad. I feel bad for her. I know that she’s stressed with the media and her kids and the divorce and everything, but hopefully she will get back on her feet.”

Jillian won’t be following in her favorite pop icon’s footsteps though. She’s very happy with where she is right now.

“I’ve been pushing to sing [on the show] for so long now,” admitted Jillian. “One day at a SmackDown Live Event, we were having a bikini contest and I said, ‘let’s spice this thing up.’ So I said, ‘can I go sing,” and they said, ‘sure.’ So I went out there and instead of taking off my robe I started singing and it got boos,” Jillian laughed. “It went over well I guess you would say and from there I did it a few more times and here I am.”

For the brightest stars in Hollywood, Sunday will be one of the biggest nights of the year as the 79th annual Academy Awards is broadcast from the Kodak Theatre. For the brightest stars in the squared-circle, kicking back and enjoying a movie can be the perfect way to spend a well-deserved night off. With talented actors like Meryl Streep, Peter O’Toole, Judi Dench and Forest Whitaker vying for Oscar gold, the telecast is bound to be enthralling. WWE.com checked in with some of the biggest film buffs in sports-entertainment to get their personal Oscar favorites.

First stop: The Miz. As a resident of Los Angeles and former Reality TV contestant, The Miz truly has his finger on the pulse of entertainment. The cocky SmackDown Superstar started off by giving his own version of an Oscar acceptance speech.

“I would like to thank the Oscars for closing down Hollywood Boulevard, which is right near my house. Traffic has been hell all week, so I just want to thank you, Oscars!”

What about The Miz’s picks for best actress? “To be honest, The Devil Wears Prada was a horrible movie, and Meryl Streep is the most-overrated actress. Kate Winslet… Titanic was her mainstay, now she’s just whoever. I think Penelope Cruz is going to win because she’s hot!”

Fellow Los Angelino Joey Mercury refused to be boxed in by “nominations” when choosing a winner for best picture, “I don’t see it nominated, but Borat! That’s my personal favorite. Out of the ones on the list, I choose The Departed. It hooked me, swerved me and took me in every single direction. I really enjoyed it.”

ECW Extremist CM Punk also went with The Departed for best picture, “It is simply an excellent movie,” reflected the straightedge Punk. “I’m going to pick Leonardo DiCaprio in Blood Diamond for best actor, just because he was so good in The Departed. I hate Leonardo DiCaprio, so it pains me to even say that!”

To find out who wins, and who goes home empty-handed, catch the Oscars on Sunday night.

WWE.com

By Candice Michelle
Written: February 23, 2007This Week: Hey, ladies – it’s the secret surprise dinner that will win your man’s heart!

I cooked up this sweet edition of Candy-Coated for all the ladies. Guys, if you like this idea, make sure it gets into the hands of that special woman.

Ladies, here is the special recipe I wanna give you —make it for that special man, and it will surely win him over! It’s inexpensive and very creative.

Begin by making a poster board of what’s going to be on the menu. Write it out starting with his choice of beverages, then appetizers, main course, and my favorite, dessert.

Be creative with your wording. For example, with beverages include water, his favorite drink, and something like — special juices! (Use your imagination, they will love it!)

Then we have appetizers, (a kiss with fresh bread works well) and the main course.

This doesn't have to be fancy if you don't want it to be. Make (or order) his favorite food. If it’s pizza, get it from his favorite restaurant! Store the meal in the oven. This recipe is all in the delivery – that’s what really matters.

Now, tie an apron around your waist with nothing on underneath! Always wear your stilettos; you will look so tasty he may not be able to finish the main course.

**Caution!** (Make sure you don't burn yourself or put the outfit on just when you need to pull it out of the oven!)**

This leads us to my favorite — dessert!

You may have some fresh cookies and milk, but always have the option for him to have you and milk. Set the mood with a candle and some soft music. I love Marvin Gaye’s, "Let’s Get It On."

Remember, it’s a surprise and it doesn't have to be for any one particular occasion.

His mouth will water like you have never seen before, and you will excite his taste buds in a whole new way. He will never forget you — or this night.

Sweet dreams (if you’re able to get any sleep)
— Candice Michelle


Courtesy by WWE.com

In this week's Diva Dish, Rebecca cozies up to an Oscar nominee, Melina shares the meaning behind her big win, Victoria’s parents pay a visit, Michelle McCool bounces back, Lilian Garcia hits the slopes, Jillian channels her inner child and Maria prepares to slip into something sexy this Sunday.



A new celebrity couple?
We had thought we’d seen it all, but nothing can compare to the scandalous shot we discovered on the Internet this week. Diva Dish happened upon a delicious photo of ECW’s Rebecca with blockbuster film star and Kazakhstan native, Borat.

We have two words for you: Sexy time!

When we approached Rebecca about her possible secret love affair with the international man of not-much-mystery, she just laughed it off. Rebecca clarified that the photo is one of several publicity photos she was hired to pose for while promoting Borat’s film at the Cannes Film Festival in France earlier this year.

Clearly, Rebecca’s beauty has helped the movie – Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan has been nominated for an Academy Award, which airs this Sunday night.

While Rebecca said she had a great time on the shoot and she found Borat very funny, much like Kevin Federline, Rebecca admitted Borat is “not my type.”



A dream come true
Diva Dish caught up with new Women’s Champion Melina Tuesday night at the ipayOne Center in San Diego – an important place for her.

“The ipayOne Arena in San Diego holds special meaning to me, especially today, because just last night I won the Women’s Championship. Now coming here and being at ECW today, it kind of comes around full circle,” Melina explained.

“Four years ago in this arena I got my contract for WWE. Wow, four years ago I was dreaming about being a part of WWE and now I’m Women’s Champion,” the Raw Diva said with pride. “All that hard work and literally all the blood, sweat and tears, and bones, paid off for this moment.”

“Each day I’m so happy that I’m going out there and I can’t believe I’m here. With the Championship now, it’s a dream come true.”

Proud parents
Victoria’s mom and dad made the trip to Bakersfield, Calif., on Monday to see their favorite Diva at Raw. Despite some car troubles and a long four-hour ride, Angel and Hediye were all smiles once they got to see their daughter, Victoria.

“She said she’s going to spend the week with us, so we came to pick her up, 180 miles,” dad Angel told Diva Dish. “We’ll probably workout, go in our indoor pool in our club. We live in a senior citizen housing area.”

“They have this very shi-shi golf course and workout facility,” Victoria explained. “They live better than I do, and I’m a WWE Superstar!”

Mom Hediye also divulged to Diva Dish who her favorite Superstars are, other than Victoria, of course.

“I like Chris Masters. I like his physique,” she smiled. “I like Edge, too. He’s very nice, very polite to me!”

For more photos of Victoria and her parents, check out the Diva Dish photo gallery.



On the mend
Michelle McCool told Diva Dish she’s excited and ready to get back into the action on SmackDown. In November 2006, the Diva was hospitalized for two weeks for an enlarged kidney, a broken sternum and an electrolyte imbalance. Now, she’s traveling with WWE and even getting in the ring at some live events.

“These days I’m getting better. I’m a lot stronger than I was. Personally, I think I’m about back up to 100 percent,” McCool said.

“Health-wise, I’m doing good. I’m taking each day one day at a time, and building up my strength and endurance. It’s crazy because it takes no time at all to lose everything you have and then so much time to gain it back.”

“I think I’m ready to get back in action, that’s for sure,” she smiled. “I’m here. I’m just waiting for them to use me!”

For some hot new photos of Michelle, check out the Diva Dish photo gallery.



Ski bunny
When Lilian Garcia isn’t traveling with WWE as a Raw ring announcer, she tries to find some time to hit ski slopes all around the globe.

“In December I went to Spain to the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It was awesome,” she told Diva Dish.

“I’ve been wanting to go skiing again, but the season hasn’t been that great for skiers. There hasn’t been all that much snow. I’m hoping maybe in a couple of weeks I can go out West,” Lilian said.

“I love to go skiing in Colorado. Copper Mountain is my favorite. I want to ski Utah; I’ve never been skiing there. I also love skiing in Canada, in the Alberta Mountains. It’s really nice.”



Big spender
Jillian recently channeled her inner child during a visit to Chuck E. Cheese’s. The SmackDown Diva and a very close pal went a little wild trying to earn tickets for prizes.

“I’d say we spent like $50 for the tokens. We ended up with 700 tickets, which is more than I’ve ever had in my life because we kept throwing them in and throwing them in, and getting tickets!” Jillian said.

“We went up there and got this little, cheap, tiny gumball machine. I was so mad. Maybe you’d pay $5 for it. I paid $50 for a cheap gumball machine!” Jillian laughed. “But I did have fun, even though it took up hours of my life.”



Birthday girl
Happy Birthday to Maria! The Raw Diva will surely celebrate her big day in style on Sunday.

“I will definitely be waking up late and hanging out in my room in my birthday suit. I’ll probably take a bath and chill out in my room,” she told Diva Dish during her recent Secret Sessions shoot.

“Then I’ll go to the live event and be in the locker room half-naked, as usual; and I’ll go out in the ring and be half-naked, as usual,” she giggled. “I don’t have anything really special planned yet for my birthday, but I’ll definitely be in my birthday suit a lot that day.”

The Battle of the Billionaires pitting Donald Trump and Mr. McMahon and their respective ‘dos against one another at WrestleMania 23 has generated buzz worldwide. Trump and McMahon will be represented by the Superstar of their choice in the highly anticipated match. (McMahon has chosen new Intercontinental Champion Umaga while Trump will announce his choice next week on Raw.)

With the loser slated to get his head shaved, there is a lot more than ego on the line for these two billionaires. In this week's edition of Superstar to Superstar, Mr. McMahon’s Executive Assistant, Jonathan Coachman, confronts his boss’ WrestleMania foe. Would McMahon’s executive suck-up show his undying loyalty, or would he audition to become Trump’s “apprentice”? Find out below:


Coachman: First of all, Mr. Trump, I’m “The Coach,” Mr. McMahon’s executive assistant. So don’t think for a minute that I’m envious of sitting here next to you. How’s business for you these days?


Trump: Business is great. It’s been amazing, it’s been the best it’s ever been for me. I know it’s been the best for Vince, and we’re going to put some of that business on the line come time for WrestleMania.


Coachman: Now on Raw Jan. 29, you literally dumped thousands of dollars on our audience. Mr. McMahon wasn’t too happy with what you did, but then McMahon gave our fans what we like to call “value.” Why are you so hell-bent on, for lack of a better term, “Trumping” our audience?

Trump: Well, I like to give back to the fans. I don’t like the way Vince treats them – he takes advantage of them. And come time to have our showdown, I think it’s going to be a very interesting little dilemma he’s got. I like the fact that I’m giving something back to the fans after years of him taking advantage of them.


Coachman: Now you are aware that Mr. McMahon is nothing like Rosie O’Donnell. Vince was on the cover of Muscle & Fitness. It’s going to be a completely different animal you’re going up against at WrestleMania.

Trump: Well, look, I’ll tell you what: I am a big fan of what you’ve done with WrestleMania. I’m not a fan of Rosie O’Donnell. As you know, I called her a degenerate. I called her lots of other things. She’s just not a smart person, and she is certainly not an attractive person. In fact, I think Vince is far more attractive than Rosie. If it came down to having to kiss one of them goodnight, I think any male would have to choose Vince over Rosie. But … It’s going to be something spectacular, and already everybody is talking about it.

Coachman: Now I wouldn’t be myself if I didn’t give you props for being part of our show and bringing the star power that you bring. But just for a second, let’s talk about The Apprentice. I know you’re very proud of the show, and it’s in California this year. What can we expect in the next several Sundays on The Apprentice?

Trump: Well, it’s been really terrific. It’s in L.A. this year … There have been 15 copycats of The Apprentice, and every one of them have been off the air almost immediately. [Dallas Mavericks owner] Mark Cuban tried and failed. Richard Branson, so many others … Tommy Hilfiger. … We’re now in our sixth season, so it’s been a really amazing thing for me, and it’s been a lot of fun. And I think it’s just more of the same. It’s just a formula that seems to work. They seem to like the boardroom the most. Frankly, if you could make an entire hour of the boardroom, people would like it better than the task. But you need the task to get to the boardroom. But The Apprentice has been something that’s really been fun for me. It became the No. 1 show on television for a long period of time, so I’ve had a great time with it.


Coachman: You know, I was thinking before I came over here today that you need an idea guy, someone that helps you not just become a billionaire, but a trillionaire. And I know somebody like that. I can set up a meeting between you and me - er, him, him. If you’d be open to something like that …

Trump: I am totally open to that. You sound like the right guy.

Coachman: Don’t let Mr. McMahon hear that. Now, last question: If your guy wins at WrestleMania, will you actually go through with shaving Mr. McMahon’s beautiful head of hair?


Trump: Absolutely. There’s no question about it. Now, people accuse me of wearing a hairpiece. I don’t wear a hairpiece, but I’ve been accused of it for years. I’ve also heard them accuse him of wearing a hairpiece. Now, I’ve never thought in terms of him wearing a hairpiece. I know he doesn’t wear a hairpiece. Because frankly, if he wore a hairpiece, then it would be a lot easier. I could just rip the hairpiece off. But it’s not going to be that way because I know he doesn’t wear a hairpiece. But I look forward to shaving his head – that’s something I really look forward to. My wrestler damn well better win.

Coachman: I’ll ask one more question, if you don’t mind. What made you agree to be a part of this? I know you said you have a tremendous amount of respect for WrestleMania. It could be one of the biggest we’ve ever had, one of the biggest crowds we’ve ever had …

Trump: Not could be. This will be the biggest you’ve ever had because I’m a part of it. This will be your highest-rated. This will be your biggest crowd. This will be your most exciting. This will be talked about far beyond just the realm of wrestling, which is a big realm. But this is going to be talked about all around the world. This will be, without question, the biggest WrestleMania.

This Week: Some belated Valentine’s love and the differences (or similarities) between the “Candy-Clutch” and “California Dreaming”

Welcome to a sweet and sour edition of Candy-Coated! I hope that love was in the air for everyone and you had a fabulous Valentine’s Day! xoxo

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Candy is sweet, but
Candy-Coated reveals the inside scoop for you!

A few weeks ago I tried to publish a real Candy-Coated blog that was not allowed on WWE.com. I took this blog straight to the top and thankfully got approval for you guys to read! I wanted to share my real feelings and thoughts with the fans.

A few weeks ago when I was away from Raw to film Greatest Super Bowl Commercials with Daisy Fuentes, I had mentioned how I TiVo’d Raw to watch when I got home.

What you didn't get to read is my reaction to the women’s match, Melina vs. Maria.

I was so fired up to see the finisher that Melina tried to claim as hers was a move that I had come up with and been using on previous live events!

I had called it the "Candy-Clutch," while she stole it and called it "California Dreaming." I think she was confused ‘cause I reside in California, and maybe she was dreaming of being me!!!

It really bothered me to watch this on TV when the fans don't realize how much I'm working on becoming a better wrestler. Melina can only steal moves but in reality she can never be me!

Although I was shocked to see this, it gave me extreme pleasure and confidence to know that I am learning this sport. Enough with the BS that the real Divas have to deal with!

The revenge will be sweet, when I can start to show the fans what I have been learning and how I'm improving. Most importantly, I will show the paparazzi what they really wanna see, my sexy new wrestling outfits!

Quote of the day:
If you don't go for your dreams, someone else will!

Sweat dreams-
Candice Michelle
xoxo

Each month, Raw Diva Maria lays down her seven “Do’s and Don’ts” of fashion. Are you in or out? Find out now.

In (Ow Ow!)
Sexy.

1. Leopard accessories: A little bit of the wild never hurt anyone… And everyone has a wild side – grrrr, baby.
2. Red hot stilettos: They make any outfit stand out.
3. Nude lips: Naked lips are so sexy.
4. Wearing wide leg jeans and trousers.
5. Shiny clothes: Get your shine on like a star.
6. Wedgies: And I mean shoes -- chunky shoes are in.
7. Polka dots: They are always a fun print -- the “American Dream” has it right!

Out (Oh No!)
Is that a joke?

1. Wild animal wardrobe: Someone should not be scared that you are going to attack them while you are walking down the street — less is more.
2. Looking like a Christmas tree because of all the ruffles: Ruffles are in, but don't over do it!
3. Mini-dresses at the airport: Mini-dresses are very sexy, but wear some opaque tights if you are at the airport — unless you are a stripper, then go on with your bad self girl!
4. Muted colors: Dull is not pretty — go with bright colors or black and white.
5. Red lips: Dark eyes and bright lips are too much, but I am sure they will be back in by summer.
6. Fur: Nice boots, Melina — hehe. Just kidding…or am I?
7. A bad attitude: I think that is self explanatory...

This week: Get well Grandma, loving love and dressing the tiggers like tigers!

What's up all you Stars and Studs!

I have a million things to talk about this week! I am so excited and happy right now!

First, since this is Love Notes and I love my grandma, I want to send my love to her. My grandma is recovering from surgery and she is doing well. Yay!

My Grandma F and I are actually very similar. She has a fashion sense about her that I think I picked up. She wears a lot of big, dangly earrings and chunky jewelry, and so do I.

For Christmas she bought me a lot of jewelry that I wear on Raw. Jewelry can definitely dress an outfit up or down -- which is fun to play with.

Also, my grandma's house is all green which is my favorite color.

(I have a lime green Z28 Camaro, lots of green purses, green walls in my house, the Grinch is one of my favorite characters, and I love nature and grass, but not grass hehe... you get the idea.)

I think it is very important to have things that you are known for, because that is your style. You can add one thing, let’s say a pair of red hot stilettos, to every outfit and instantly that outfit is uniquely you.

Plus, who doesn't like a great pair of stilettos…. Fetish anyone? Ahhhhhahahaha!

Anyways, I think it is very important to have something people can attach to you — every time they see that item (red stilettos), they think of you.

My item is usually my gray newsboy hat. I wear it to the airport all the time, and I wore it to Iraq. Now, it has memories attached to it.

I also have a skull and crossbones belt that I got in Miami with my sister. I wear it a lot and it always reminds me of that trip (which I will never forget). Plus, the skull and crossbones are over a very delicate, but deadly area just as a reminder. Kinda like a caution sign. Just kidding.

Speaking of caution, the Bears should have used more in the Super Bowl. I am very upset, and may have lost a bet because of the game. GRRR!

I really was hoping Chicago would pull it out, but oh well, I guess. There is always next year -- at least that’s what they say when your team loses. Boooo. The Cubs and the Bears… Come on this year! Please. For me? Someone win!

One thing I am excited for is Lost. There are 16 brand spanking new episodes and they started this week. I would love to be on that show even if I was a wild animal and I just ran across the screen one time. I could be wild.

I love that show and I want to be on it sooooo bad. Note to anyone reading this: If you can get me on that show please contact WWE and I will start practicing running on all fours and growling.

Maybe I will practice on Valentine’s Day. I will dress up like a tiger and have a tiger print bra covering my tiggers. “Tiggers cause they are bouncy bouncy…”

I cannot believe it is Valentine’s again. Last year, I have to admit, was one of my favorites.

I love that day because it is a day to celebrate love. We have so many holidays that are for people that are dead or those that have died, but “V” day is one day for the living and for love.

For Valentine’s, I think wearing something sexy, cute, dressing up or dressing dirty is important -- even if you are all alone and celebrating love by yourself....wink-wink.

Bring out the thigh-highs, garter belts, thongs, feather ticklers and whatever else that makes you happy. It’s “V” day, go crazy!

What do you get your sweetie is a hard question… My favorites are a CD of songs that remind you of her or him, a picture framed of the happy couple, flowers that are her favorite color, or a card that says all the things that you love about her or him. These are all things that don't take a lot of money, but are worth so much.

Most importantly make her or him feel like they are the only person in the world you want to be with. Xoxoxoxoxo

I love Valentine’s, and I love love! Have a great Valentine’s and be a “Hopeless Romantic!"

Spanks and Kisses, Maria

Stiletto Style Tip: Valentine’s means bring out the Red and Pink. Matching lingerie is in right now, so find a matching little outfit and spray it with perfume. So, all the little parts smell like little bits of heaven. Even though the heels and robe will be off in two seconds flat make sure to wear them… It builds the intensity before the action. Now, I like that, ow ow, Sexy Time!

Hector Pagan anxiously waits inside Gold’s Gym in Dallas with his wife Lisandra. Soon, the 29-year-old Brooklyn resident is met by WWE Champion John Cena, but before he can say, “the champ is here,” Pagan is bombarded by WWE and CW camera crews who have come to capture every moment of the next hour of his life.

This is probably not what Pagan had envisioned when he learned he won the Gold’s Gym “Win a Boot Camp Workout with WWE Superstar John Cena!” sweepstakes. While Cena changes in the locker room, two cameramen, a soundman, a lighting technician, a producer, a still photographer and a WWE.com reporter go into action. Even Pagan’s wife whips out her video camera to document what is happening.

“He’s really been looking forward to this,” says Lisandra. “My husband buys tickets to every live show that’s in New York and every meet and greet that John Cena has in Long Island. He always goes to it with the kids.”

Pagan sits on a bench in the corner of gym to do a quick interview before the real workout begins.

“I’m expecting the worst since it’s a boot camp workout,” laughs Pagan. “I hope he doesn’t take it easy on me.”

The Champ emerges from the locker room and bangs out a couple of shots for the cameras. Finally, it’s time to get the workout underway as Cena leads Pagan over to the free weights. The guys are going to workout Pagan’s favorite muscle group: the arms. Cena starts by doing a set of lying triceps extensions, explaining his exercise philosophy as he goes.

“I hate cardio, so if you can move quickly between sets, you don’t have to deal with that crap,” Cena says as the whole crew chuckles. The Champ finishes his set and hands the weight to Pagan. The men trade off and work through three sets each before taking off across the gym.

Cena demonstrates the next triceps exercise, cable pressdowns, and the men start working through their sets. When Pagan’s muscles start to get fatigued, Cena cuts the weight in half and has him do 10 more reps with the lighter weight.

“It’s not about how much you lift, but how good you feel afterward,” Cena tells Pagan.

The two men go back across the gym to the free weights, camera crews in tow. Cena, who actually worked at Gold’s Gym while pursuing a bodybuilding career, rearranges the benches so Pagan can go right from seated overhead triceps extensions to triceps kickbacks.

Next Cena takes him to do dips. Pagan looks at him skeptically since he has never done them before.

“Do as many as you can,” The Champ tells him. “If you crash and burn early, that means you're working hard.” Pagan makes it through eight dips on the first set and Cena predicts he can do four on the next, but challenges him to prove him wrong. Pagan grinds out five.

For the second half of the workout, Cena focuses on the biceps showing Pagan several variations of biceps curls. The intensity of the workout is really catching up with the sweaty Pagan, but Cena’s inner personal trainer comes out to encourage him along.

“He’s looking like a champ,” says Cena. “You’re looking bigger with every set. We’re going to take a break soon… after a few more sets,” Pagan and the crew all laugh.

The workout is over and Pagan looks relieved.

“It was a great workout,” says Pagan whose arms are already sore. “I’m going to continue the workouts he showed me and like he said, to workout fast to get the whole body done instead of coming in, doing a couple of things and not really getting anything done.”

“Hector did awesome,” says Cena before leaving. “I think today was really good for him. I think he’s like everyone else in believing that if you lift weights you have to go heavy and you have to do low reps to get strong. That’s not necessarily the case. You can cut down on your injuries a lot and stay healthy not only strength-wise, but cardiovascular-wise just by altering your training a little bit," he says

“You can print this: I don’t do any straight cardio. I hate the treadmill. I hate the Stairmaster. I hate bikes. I hate it. This is my message to anyone out there looking to get in shape, wanting to know what to do: don’t do anything you don’t like because this should be fun. I enjoy being in the gym. I enjoy working out," says The Champ. "If you want to get stronger, but you don’t like lifting weights, don’t F’n lift weights. If you like to play hoops, play hoops. If you like to golf, go walk 18 instead of getting in a cart. You don’t necessarily have to workout in a gym to get healthy.”

“I will be walking down that ramp on Raw again, that’s a promise,” said a motivated Roddy Piper in an exclusive interview with WWE.com on Tuesday afternoon. “I want to warn everyone right now, when you see me on that stage, get the heck out of my way.”

The WWE Hall of Famer was eager to reiterate the statement he gave to WWE.com in early December, just days after he was diagnosed with a low-grade Lymphoma. In the weeks that followed, Piper spent the majority of his time in a local hospital, undergoing extensive radiation treatment in hopes of vanquishing the cancer that had invaded his body.

“I did the radiation treatment five times a week for four weeks,” said Piper. “But, we won’t know the real results for another few months.”

At that time, Piper will return to the hospital where he will undergo a series of tests to determine the results of the treatment. Right now though, the WWE legend feels good - so good that he has begun work on a new movie for MTV. Currently in the midst of the second week of a four week shoot, the controversial sports-entertainment icon welcomes the change of scenery from the confines of a hospital bed.

“I’ve never really liked hospitals, I wanted out of there as soon as possible,” said Piper. “I am down here on the set, sitting in a mansion and catching up on some much needed rest.”

Piper told WWE.com that he was overwhelmed by the amount of support he received from WWE fans during his ongoing ordeal.

“You’ve got to realize, I’ve been stabbed three times, I’m not too used to this kind of love from people,” said an emotional Piper. “It has been unbelievable the amount of support I’ve gotten. I’m getting letters, packages, e-mails, and phone calls from so many people, it’s just overwhelming. I sincerely don’t have the words to express my gratitude and thanks to everyone who has contacted me. I’m a very lucky person.”

Stay tuned to WWE.com for further updates on the Hot Rod’s condition.

“I feel good,” said Batista, moments after defeating Mr. Kennedy in the Royal Rumble Rematch for the World Heavyweight Championship on SmackDown. “I really want to focus on No Way Out and then dial in on WrestleMania, which will be the biggest match of my career.”

Although Kennedy did all he could to try and capture the title from The Animal, this rivalry, at least according to Batista, is over.

“This was the last chapter between me and Kennedy,” said the World Heavyweight Champion. “He has been a thorn in my side ever since he showed up.”

At WrestleMania, Batista will put his title up against Undertaker, a match he views as a welcomed challenge.

“It’s an honor, it’s a privilege, and I feel like it is one of those things where I feel Undertaker chose me because he respects me the most,” said The Animal. “I think he believes I am the most formidable opponent.”

Beyond those feelings of respect, Batista knows what he is up against when he puts the title on the line against the streak of 14-0. Many WWE Superstars would be wary of the challenge, but The Animal is not most Superstars.

“I don’t think Undertaker would ever take the easy road, but I’m up for it,” he said “I’m not intimidated at all by him. I know that’s his game [intimidation], but it wont be a factor in our WrestleMania match.”

In this week’s Diva Dish, Maria shares some secrets, Mickie James delivers family news, Layla gets a surprise from a fellow Diva, Rebecca talks pets, Sharmell gets her hands dirty and Kristal dishes on how you too can live like a Diva.


We have a secret
This week Maria starred in WWE.com’s first-ever, exclusive Secret Sessions video and photo shoot. The Raw Diva let us in on some of her sexy secrets to primping before a date. She was very excited to be WWE.com’s premiere Secret Sessions Diva, and set the bar high for future installments.

Stay tuned to WWE.com for more on Maria’s Secret Sessions debut. But to whet your Maria appetite, keep reading WWE.com’s Diva Dish for tidbits from the shoot.


Auntie Mickie update
Mickie James is a proud aunt once again! We offer our congratulations to the Women’s Champion and her family. Mickie’s sister delivered her second daughter on Jan. 29 while Mickie was at Raw in Dallas.

“Mom and baby are doing wonderful,” Mickie said. “She’s home. Her name is Destiny Marie, which is cool, because her sister’s name is Desiree Ann – Destiny and Desiree – it’s very pretty.”

An emotional Mickie tried to rush home after Raw, but wasn’t able to catch a red-eye out that Monday night. So she took the first flight out on Tuesday and headed straight to the hospital to be with her family.

“It was wonderful. She’s beautiful, and I’m excited,” Mickie smiled.


Layla gets a surprise
Layla’s first European tour with WWE got off to a bumpy start. Knowing she would be on the plane for a long time, she started the trip with a nap.

“When I woke up during the flight, I looked over at the Diva sitting next to me,” explained Layla. “She asked, ‘Would you like a drink?’ and I said, ‘yeah!’ because I was dying of thirst.”

Layla thought the Diva handed her a cup full of Sprite, so she downed the whole thing, only to realize the beverage was straight vodka.

“Mind you I don’t drink any alcohol,” Layla said. “I never drink at all. I almost puked my guts out. I’m going to have to get her back.”


K-9 update
Ashley, Kristal and Trinity have already dished with us about their doggies. How about ECW’s Rebecca?

“I don’t have any pets. I don’t want to be selfish. I can’t give a pet enough time. So I won’t have an animal until I could spend time with one,” she said.

Instead, Rebecca thinks spending time with the other Divas’ dogs works in her favor.

“Kristal’s dog, Ginger, is really cute! She’s kind of like a kid – you get to hold her, play with her, and then you get to give her back,” Rebecca laughed. “I don’t have to worry about her peeing on the floor, or changing dirty diapers. It’s a win-win situation.”


The hardest working woman in royalty
Queen Sharmell may be royalty, but isn’t above hard work. When she’s not traveling with WWE, she can be found helping out at she and King Booker’s wrestling school.

“I think the school is going really great,” said Sharmell. “We’re up to six rings and a bunch of workout equipment. But it’s been a long, hard road — a lot of blood, sweat and tears.”

With all of their free time devoted to the school, there isn’t much room for anything else right now.

“It’s just our life now, but it’s worth it because 20 years from now, we’ll still have it.”

When the school puts on shows, Sharmell wears many hats.

“I do anything that no one else wants to do,” Sharmell laughed. “I take tickets and do all the advertising and marketing. I get together with the sponsors, and after the show I’m in charge of writing all the thank you cards. Anything that has to do with dotting your ‘I’s’ and crossing your ‘T’s.’”


Divalicious
SmackDown’s Kristal wants to give back in a meaningful way, and has decided to make the world a better place one tip at a time.

Kristal has collected a wealth of knowledge on everything from travel to beauty, and is ready to share.

Kristal’s divalicious tip of the week: to knock out dark circles and bags under your eyes after a long flight, dip two chamomile tea bags in hot water, ring them out and place on your eyes for five minutes as soon as you get to the airport.

“You’ll look fresh and ready to go. It works. It also works after a long night of partying.”


Diva Notebook
Raw Divas Candice Michelle and Torrie Wilson were honored by AskMen.com this week, as they were named in its annual 99 Most Desirable Women list. Continue…

Red carpet darling and Raw Diva Melina confesses why she is a true Diva in her first blog.

Pat Patterson performs at CanadaFest
By Kara A. Medalis
Written: February 3, 2007Little known fact: WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson is quite the crooner. The Canadian recently had the pleasure of performing at CanadaFest in Hollywood Beach, Fla., in front of a crowd of thousands.

“I was nervous, but it went very well,” Patterson told WWE.com. “It was an experience for me. It was a trip.”

CanadaFest is the United States’ biggest French festival, with more than 150,000 people in attendance each year. The not-for-profit organization aims to provide a look at French Canadian culture to the residents and tourists of Florida through the sounds, food and ambience of the festival.

Patterson was invited to perform by the CanadaFest promoters through his friend, singer and pianist Edna DesRoberts.

“She’s there every year at the festival as a performer. She tells jokes, she sings songs in French. Everybody loves her. She’s such a wonderful lady,” Patterson said.

While Patterson has sung karaoke in front of 40 people, he’s never performed for such a large crowd like the one at CanadaFest. But his performance was a success, thanks in part to song choice.

“You’ve got to pick the right songs for the right crowd,” he said.

“I sang ‘Cuando, Cuando.’ I sang my favorite song in the whole world, ‘My Way.’ Then I sang ‘What a Wonderful World’ by Louis Armstrong in his voice. So it came out very well.”

Patterson said the crowd was so wowed by his performance, many inquired if he had CDs or merchandise available. WWE’s first Intercontinental Champion hopes his debut CanadaFest gig isn’t his last.

“Oh yeah, next year I’ll do a whole show! I love it. It’s great. It’s a fun thing to do,” he smiled. “I’m not trying to become somebody. I just have fun.”

Diva Dish: Pole Position
By Jen Hunt and Kara A. Medalis
Written: February 2, 2007In the latest Diva Dish, Ariel reveals a naughty little secret, Candice Michelle shines like a star, Kristal explains her moving day woes and Trinity talks about puppy love.



Pole position
Are you as impressed as we are with Ariel’s upside-down, batlike moves on the ECW ring ropes? Diva Dish just had to ask Ariel to reveal the secret to her limber body. Here’s a hint: it’s all thanks to something tall, hard and shiny…

“Well, I purchased a stripper pole. Because you know, the best workout is a full body workout with a stripper pole. I have a couple tricks with it,” Ariel said slyly. “The little tricks, I bring them to the ring. That’s why I hang upside down.”

It seems ECW’s resident Tarot card reader has been practicing her sexy stripper pole moves for quite some time.

“Oh yeah, I have experience with it,” she mysteriously laughed.



Little star
Everyone knows Candice Michelle has a sparkling personality. Recently she spoke to Diva Dish about the stunning star necklace she often wears during Raw.

“Actually when I first started in WWE, one of the other Divas always called me her little star,” Candice said.

“It was kind of like her little encouragement for me, so I kind of always stuck with a star,” she said, pointing out the necklace was a gift to herself.

“It’s my encouragement for myself to remember I always have to work hard every day, try to build myself up, learn how to wrestle, learn how to work in this business.”



Lost and not-so-found
Moving day has come and gone for SmackDown’s Kristal, but while the Diva has successfully relocated, most of her belongings have not.

“Well I was so excited to move from McDonough, Ga., where I was training at Deep South Wrestling, to New York. The only problem is after all the build-up and anticipation, I got there and there was no furniture!” Kristal told Diva Dish.

“The apartment’s not finished, so it’s just been kind of chaotic. Nothing’s shown up and it’s still not there. I don’t know when it’s going to come!” she laughed.

Kristal, originally a Los Angeles girl, admitted to Diva Dish she’s a New York virgin, but she’s excited for the new adventure.

“I’ve never lived there. I’m from L.A. But there’s a first time for everything. We’ll see!”



K-9 update
With all the doggie updates in Diva Dish lately, ECW’s Trinity didn’t want her favorite four-legged friend to be left out. Trinity is the proud owner of Galileo, or Gali for short. He’s a Golden Retriever/Pit Bull/Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, who is 10-years-young, thanks to his new girlfriend, a Goldendoodle named Sandy.

“Gali’s so smart and gorgeous. He’s so handsome and stocky,” Trinity bragged with a smile. “Sandy is beautiful. Sparks fly and they hit it off. He scratches on the door and he calls for her. The dogs are in love. They watch the sunset. It’s adorable.”

Trinity doesn’t dress Gali in dog clothes because he’s too big – 95 pounds! She says her athletic “stunt dog” is the perfect match for her because their personalities are so alike.

“I try to always put a harness on him. I cannot keep him down. Just like me, you can’t keep me down,” she laughed.

“He’s so smart. He gets my phone for me, and he knows the difference between ‘phone’ and ‘bone.’ ” Trinity smiled. “He’s my buddy for life.”



Diva notebook
∙ Check out photos of Ariel’s upside down moves, Candice Michelle’s star necklace, Trinity’s dog and more in the new Diva Dish photo gallery. Continue…

∙ Victoria was bursting with excitement over her Diva Dish debut last week. The Raw Diva even called her parents to tell them to check out Peek-a-Boob! on WWE.com.

∙ The first-ever WWE.com exclusive Divas photo shoot was a big success when the Sexiest Women on Television heated up San Antonio. P.S. Here’s some Divas trivia for you: What was the favorite emergency tool on set during the photo shoot? A. mirror, B. comb, C. lip gloss, D. blanket to change under, E. all of the above? The answer is E. all of the above, of course! More on the photo shoot…

∙ Take a peek at this week’s Love Notes from Maria. She reveals some of her secrets about dolling up before a date. Continue…

∙ Don’t forget to check out Candice Michelle’s steamy new Go Daddy Super Bowl commercial this Sunday on CBS.

Love Notes from Maria, No. 3
By Maria
Written: February 1, 2007This week: Mmmmmm brains, looking put together in a hurry and a movie review!

What’s up all you stars and studs!!!!!

I just wanna start by staying that writing this blog is so much fun! I am so glad I get to do it every week.

This week I went to some of my favorite restaurants – I love going out to eat. There is a sushi bar and Cuban restaurant; both are awesome. I am a big fan of sushi.

One sushi roll that I eat often is called “the monkey brain.” I love the name because I can use all the brains I can get sometimes. Hehe! BRAINS! (Zombie reference – they eat brains! Ahhhhhh!)

My problem, though, when I go out to eat is I never have enough time to get ready. I go out to eat with a very low-maintenance guy and as much as I would love to get all dressed up for him, he hates to wait around.

So, I have come up with a very easy way to look put-together even though you only have a half hour tops before Grumpy (term of endearment) gets all impatient.

I usually wear a black top and sparkly belt with jeans. Now, to hide the fact that you were rushed out of the house by your amazing boyfriend and you didn’t have time to do your hair, put on a fun hat, cocked a little to the side and OW OW! You’re a sex kitten extraordinaire, ready for a late night prowl on the town. Add some red lipstick in the car and he can watch you blow kisses in the mirror. He can think later about you b***ing…. Nevermind!

Also, this week I saw Smoking Aces in the theater. It was great. I love mob movies because of the mob guys. It’s like they all get together and say “let’s play together.” I really liked it and the filming reminded me of Kill Bill, which is one of my favorite movies of all time. Go see Smoking Aces. It is GREEEEAAAAT!

I am gonna go kick Melina’s butt now and maybe pull out a win, but even if I don’t she will be left with some bruises.

Spanks and Kisses, Maria

Stiletto Style Tip: Fashion is all about attitude even when you’re pressed for time. Confidence and a great walk turns heads. Black is a great basic when you don’t know what to wear. It is sexy, sleek and if you spill something on it, you can’t tell. (I may or may not be clumsy, so take it from me.)

Candy-Coated, No. 1
By Candice Michelle
Written: February 3, 2007This week: Go Daddy goodies and its ass-kicking time again!

Welcome to the first edition of Candy-Coated. Even though this blog may have a hard outside shell you will always find something juicy on the inside! Let’s keep it real.

I’m sorry to say I missed all of the wonderful fans this week in Dallas, Texas. Instead I was in Miami, Fla. filming for the show 50 Greatest Super Bowl Commercials! (which airs on the CBS network the evening of Feb. 2 – check your local listings).

I am excited to say that I have been invited as a Super Bowl icon. Wow, what an honor! I will be attending the party and I’ll be interviewed as a Super Bowl icon by Daisy Fuentes. I was shocked to be called a Super Bowl icon, and flattered to be attending this party with Daisy.

We have done it again this year. Go Daddy had two commercials rejected (‘cause one was 2hot for TV,) but the third one was the charm. We will be in this year’s Super Bowl with another awesome commercial. Not only will we be in it once in the first quarter, but we also have a second spot in the fourth quarter. Yippie!

Also, if that isn’t enough, we’ll top it off with a third one post game.

I am happy to inform you that also featured in the commercial will be Danica Patrick, (Indy racer) and the boys from the OCC (American Chopper).

I had the opportunity to work with all these guys and it was awesome. We had such a blast filming this commercial. I think we are all racy in our own kind of way. (For everyone over 18, there's always an Internet only version…Yeeaahhh!)

I hope everyone will enjoy a frosty beverage during the Super Bowl and buy TiVo for the sexiest GoDaddy.com commercial, (it’s sexier in slooooooooow motion!) this Sunday, Feb. 4.

This has been a great month for me. Not only because the Go Daddy commercial was accepted, but I returned to the ring. It was exhilarating to get back especially against Victoria and Melina.

I had never felt anything like breaking my nose when Victoria kneed me in the face, however, I thank her for making me come back stronger than ever. I am pumped up and motivated to kick some ass!

It was sweet revenge to hear the ref count 1-2-3 when I had the "Widow’s Peak Freak" pinned.

In celebration I went out and had the sexiest new wrestling outfits made, so stay tuned for my next match. I said it once before, “You can bet your sweet ass, that you haven't seen the last of me!”

Sweet dreams-
Candice Michelle
XOXO

January 12, 2007 - How big of a gamer is TNA star Chris Sabin? Final Fantasy players only need to look at his name to find out.

"I took the name Sabin from the old Final Fantasy 3 on Super Nintendo," the wrestler told me over the phone when I asked him about the Square title. "It was my favorite game growing up and I just thought that character was cool. I loved his blitzes and always made sure he was in my party."

But Sabin's gaming obsession didn't end on the SNES. He's part of a TNA crew that plays Xbox Live just about every off day. A crew that's made up of Sabin, Christian Cage, Samoa Joe, Jay Lethal, and A.J. Styles.

IGN Sports: If I walked up to you on the street, are you more of the fan friendly guy or the new cocky heel?

Chris Sabin: I'm more like the fan friendly guy, but for some reason I think I'm able to show a lot more personality being the heel. I've been watching all kinds of bad guy stuff, any type of heel matches to see what people have done, see where I can take my character next.

IGN Sports: What is it about the X-Division that helps differentiate TNA?

Chris Sabin: You're not going to see the action from the X-Division anywhere else. It makes us different. It makes us stand out. I think it's one of our main selling points. There's a lot more freedom in our matches to be able to do stuff, to take more risks than you'd see in other matches, and that's what makes it special. The fast pace, the bodies flying across the ring, you never know what to expect.


"I play Gears of War and Halo 2 a lot," says Sabin. "I just got Tony Hawk's Project 8, so I've been playing that a lot lately."

Sabin is anxiously awaiting word on Midway's TNA game, and from what he's seen so far, he's impressed. "If they do it like they said, model it like the old No Mercy games in terms of the controls, I think that's what everyone wants to play."

This Sunday, though, play time is over for Sabin as he wrestles for the X-Division title, facing Christopher Daniels and Jerry Lynn in a match that could easily step up and steal the show at Final Resolution.

"I've been a baby face for the past three years at TNA, and I love that I'm getting the opportunity to go heel, the opportunity to do something different," says Sabin. "I was due for a change."

And it's a change that could see Sabin elevated even beyond the X-Division, as this 24-year-old recently turned in one of the best matches of 2006 at Bound For Glory against Senshi, and continues to improve with experience.

Some call Chris Sabin The Future. Looks like The Future is now for TNA.

IGN Sports: You started in TNA at such a young age, how were you able to advance so quickly to the point where only a few years in, you're one of the main players on the roster?

Chris Sabin: I started TNA when I was only 21, and I was so lucky to be given the chance to start out on such a big stage. I think one of the big things about wrestlers today, most of the wrestlers who are good professional wrestlers grew up wrestling fans. They've been a fan their whole life, so there is just something in your brain that just clicks. You've seen what the legends have done and it gives you an edge in the business.

IGN Sports: Who were your favorite wrestlers to watch growing up?

Chris Sabin: When I was a kid I loved Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. As I got older, I liked Bret Hart a lot, then when WCW started bringing out the cruiserweights when I was in high school, I loved watching guys like Malenko, Silver King, Guerrero, and all those guys. Once I saw guys like that, that's when I knew that was the way I wanted to wrestle.

IGN Sports: In high school, is that when you realized you wanted to be a wrestler?

Chris Sabin: I knew I wanted to be a wrestler ever since I was a little kid. In high school, I did some amateur wrestling, but I wasn't really good at it or anything. [laughs] Pro wrestling fits me a lot better.

IGN Sports: The risks involved in the Ultimate X matches are so severe. What did you think the first time you were dangling from that chord? Did you think they were crazy for proposing this type of match?

Chris Sabin: We thought it was pretty crazy and we were a little nervous about it. The day before the first one, it was me, Frankie Kazarian, and Michael Shane at the time, and we were supposed to do a three-way match. We showed up the day before and they had everything setup. The way you see it now, they have these big light trusses hooked on the outside of the ringpost, but the original idea was to have these poles that were pretty thin, and these poles were stuck into the ringposts. So when we got there, they had the poles up and they had the cables going across the ring attached to the poles. Frankie climbs up the ladder to hang on them, it's the first time we'll see how they're going to feel, and all four poles just bent right in and he ended up standing back on the mat. [laughs] It was pretty nerve racking at first because they were struggling to figure out what to do. Finally they used the light trusses and the next day they got it up, but we didn't even get the chance to check out the structure. We were like, hopefully it stays up there. They got it up so last minute. It was pretty scary going up there without knowing what it was like to hang from that high.

IGN Sports: Once you got up there, what did you think?

Chris Sabin: When you're up there, it's actually a lot higher than you think. If you're standing on ring and look up, it doesn't look too bad. But when you're actually up on the wire, it feels a lot higher than you think. You're almost like, what did I get myself into. [laughs]


IGN Sports: What do you think is the key for TNA to continue its growth as a company? Is it about finding the right mix of new and established stars?

Chris Sabin: I think the key is to use established stars like Kurt Angle to build new stars. I think that's the formula of the business, to build new stars, so you use those well established guys to bring in the viewers, then you use your own home grown talent to produce new stars. That's the way it works.

IGN Sports: What did you think when you heard Kurt Angle was coming to TNA?

Chris Sabin: I thought it was crazy. I couldn't believe it. He was the last guy I expected. They kept it such a big secret, we were just as surprised as the fans.

IGN Sports: I thought your match against Senshi was amazing at Bound For Glory. How come there wasn't a big rematch?

Chris Sabin: Your guess is as good as mine. I really don't know. I wish there was, but that's not what happened.

IGN Sports: What's it like taking that stomp he does from the top rope?

Chris Sabin: It's rough. I thought I was going to poop myself a couple of times. [laughs] It's really rough.

IGN Sports: Do you guys watch the ratings every week to see how TNA is progressing?

Chris Sabin: I check them out every once in a while. I saw we're doing 1's lately and I read the other day that we're beating out UFC, so hopefully that means we can get a second hour soon. That's the next step.

Check out Final Resolution this Sunday on pay-per-view, and be sure to watch iMPACT every Thursday at 9PM EST on Spike TV. For more information on Chris Sabin and TNA, head to www.tnawrestling.com.

By Elijah Burke
Written: January 12, 2007In this brand-new ECW.com exclusive feature, Elijah Burke shares with you a unique experience, the "Elijah Experience." Be sure to check back each week for the latest entry from one-half of the "Knock-Out/Tap-Out Connection."

YOUR host of hosts and YOUR guiding light has returned once again to give you all an “Experience” you’ll never forget. It’s bad enough that YOUR “Paragon of Virtue” is battling an ear infection that has reduced the hearing in his right ear by 70 percent, but he also has to deal with the stupidity of humanity!

Case and Point: Recently at an airport, I had an hour-and-a-half layover while awaiting my connecting flight. Usually during these times I’m researching ways to protect the natural habitat of the Loch Ness Monster or working on my Z-TIP (Zero Tolerance Inbred Policy) for the state of Kentucky!

However, this time I allowed a lower life form to communicate with me. While speaking with this dastardly creature, I asked of her plans for the upcoming holiday on Jan. 15 to which she replied, “What holiday?” I told her that is was the King’s Birthday. She then stated, “Oh, I didn’t know it was Elvis’ birthday, or do you mean Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler?”

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? How could anyone living in the United States of America not know his or her history? How could anyone not know about the “Dream?” I know that with all the different types of dreams, it can sometimes be a lil’ tricky, so I’ll explain the differences right now.

Dreamer: A dreamer is someone who envisions himself to be at a certain point in life, but never quite gets there. He then realizes his calling in life and accepts it, even if it comes with a great amount of pain and punishment. Dreamers come in all forms of Tommys, Janes and Harrys.

The American Dream: To some, the American Dream is being raised by a plumber on a dusty ranch in Texas. To others, it’s just being able to live in a free world.

But there’s only one dream realized that the whole world should be aware of (obviously some are not) and rightfully observed as a national holiday, and that’s the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King was indeed a “Dreamer”. He didn’t get to see the results of his hard work, pain and punishment that he endured, but we all reaped the benefits. Dr.King dreamed the American Dream, which was for all to live in a world full of peace, harmony and equal rights.

Thanks to Dr.King, I can write this message and tell all of you lower life morons who aren’t aware of the impact that this great civil rights leader had on this country to invest in the history version of Hooked on Phonics. This way, you can quickly learn of that which those who have spawned you into this world should have taught you, because if you’re not aware of your history, you’ll be doomed to repeat it! Take my word for it; if Elijah said it, it shall be done!

Editor's note: Since communicating with the above-mentioned alien, I've realized that many of you are in need of my guidance.

So, therefore, you can direct all of your questions and comments to ECWHOH@yahoo.com. One email will be answered in my column every other week.

Who's Jennifer?
By CM Punk
Written: January 9, 2007This past weekend at the ECW/SmackDown live events, obviously it’s common knowledge and everybody knows that wrestlers travel together to save money. Expenses include: rental car, hotel, stuff like that. Traveling with extra guys, you can swap drivers on the road when you’re tired.

Well, we had a big five-day loop starting the day after Christmas; we went to Hershey, Penn., Cleveland, Dayton, Ohio, Evansville, Ind., and ended up in Gainesville, Fla. for ECW on Sci Fi on Jan. 2. On this particular loop, I was traveling with an old friend of mine and his partner (we’re not going to name their names to protect the innocent, or not-so-innocent in this case). In Cleveland, somebody picked up a phone number from a young lady at a Bally’s, and on the way from Dayton to Evansville, we were able to stop and stay at my apartment – which, of course, saved us more money. It’s all about staying cheap.

What I didn’t realize is that the one individual who got said phone number decided to wantonly tear it up and throw it on my apartment floor. Now, I don’t know if many of you know this, but I have a girlfriend. So, Tuesday night – I had forgotten about this – I received a phone call from my very lovely, but very angry girlfriend and the only thing I heard on the other line was, “Who’s Jennifer?” And I said, “I don’t know. Who’s Jennifer?” I thought it was a trick question. She said, “Well, you tell me because I found her phone number in your dress pants pocket.”

So, I had no idea what was going on and I had no answers, and the only thing I could really do was laugh. I realized it wasn’t funny when I elicited the response, “I’m glad you think this is funny. When you come home, you better have some answers or you’re in trouble.”

I didn’t get any sleep that night because I stayed up wondering who the hell Jennifer was, and why I had her phone number in my pants pocket. And as soon as I got home Tuesday, I called the number and left the following message: “Hi, Jennifer. My name’s Punk, I’m a professional wrestler for WWE – ECW specifically – and I have a very nice girlfriend who is very, very mad at me because I have somehow come in contact with your phone number that was in my pants pocket. If you have any recollection of ever meeting me or giving me your phone number, can you please call me back and clear it up so my girlfriend doesn’t throw me out of the apartment?”

A half-hour later, the young lady called me back and cleared up the whole story. But, for a good 16 hours, I was having a heart attack because I really had no recollection of ever meeting anybody named Jennifer, let alone getting their phone number because, damn it, I’m a good boy.

Just as ECW fans see each week in ECW.com Die Hards, in the Land of Extreme, the fans are a big part of the show. Amid the entire crowd of characters at any given ECW live event, perhaps none are more colorful – literally – than one fanatic by the name of The Tye Dye Guy.

In attendance for more than 50 ECW shows on the east coast, The Tye Dye Guy’s persona originates as far back as 1995 where his character was born in his native state of Florida.

“What [northeast ECW fan] Straw Hat Guy did in Philly, I did in Florida,” The Tye Dye Guy claimed. “He had his gimmick up at the ECW arena and when ECW came to Florida, I did it there, then continued nationally with ECW through the 1990s.”

According to The Tye Dye Guy, his initial exposure to the extreme brand occurred when the original ECW’s programming became syndicated outside of Philadelphia on the Sunshine Network. His life would forever change after his first live experience at the War Memorial Auditorium in South Florida.

From Miami to East Rutherford, N.J., this bright-patterned, psychedelic ECW fanatic has since stood beside countless ECW fans at shows of the mid-90s, both One Night Stands and of course, the more recent new breed live events.

“This is, more or less, homage to all the wrestlers that impressed me as I was growing up in the 80s and 90s,” he explained. “Dusty Rhodes, Hulk Hogan, Jesse Ventura; I put them all together and this is pretty much what came out.”

The Tye Dye Guy said that one of his finest moments in the ECW spotlight took place in November 1998 at an ECW show where he had interaction with former Extremist Bubba Ray Dudley. From that moment, until after the end of the original ECW until now, he has remained loyal to the hardcore brand.

“I’ve been ECW since day one and I still love ECW,” he said. “I will continue supporting the new breed, traveling all over the country and seeing as many shows as I can.” He added, “ECW’s the greatest.”

By Ariel
Written: January 4, 2007
This week, the cards tell a most intriguing story. They tell a tale of 2007: the year for the new breed of Extremists and a year that will take a toll on the ECW Originals.

As the cards foretold, Rob Van Dam suffered a harsh fate in his latest attempt to obtain ECW gold. Again, the desperate Extremist is left with a naked waist and a mind filled with his unrealized fantasies.

Likewise, another ECW Original experienced his worst nightmare when Balls Mahoney was left lying in the ring, choking on his failure to overcome the force of my Kevin Thorn.

As for the ECW World Title, the true No. 1 contender cannot be determined by the mindless votes cast from naïve ECW fans. Only wins and pure talent add up to who is deserving of the top spot in the Land of the Extreme. Lashley should enjoy his championship, for his days are numbered. One day soon, a true No. 1 contender will emerge in the form of Kevin Thorn and he will take the title to where it belongs.

Don’t thank me for relaying to you this prophecy. Thank the cards, for they tell all.

123 Boy - Justin Hansford
123 Kid - Sean Waltman
911 - Al Poling





A.C Golden - Mark Freer
Abdullah the Butcher - Larry Shreeve
Ace Darling - Michael Moraldo
Adrian Adonis - Keith Franke
Afa - Afa Anoia
Ahmed Johnson - Tony Norris
Aja Kong - Erica Shishedo
Akira Taue - Akira Taue
Akira Maeda - Akira Maeda
Akira Hokuto - Hisako Uno
Al Snow - Allan Sarven
Alex Wright -Alex Wright
Alex Roma - Alex Centopani
Alex Porteau - Alex Porteau
Ali Aliba - Lawrence LaBelle
Ali Baba - Arteen Ekizian
American Surfer - Max Steele
Americus - Gus Schoenlein
Andre the Giant - Andre Rene Rousimoff
Angel of Death - Dave Sheldon
Angelo Poffo - Angelo Poffo
Anibal Ignacio - Carlos Carillo
Animal - Joe Laurinaitis
Animal Hamaguchi- Heigo Hamaguchi
Antonino Rocca - Antonino Biasetton
Antonio Inoki - Kanji Inoki
Apollo Jalisco - Apollo Jalisco
Arkansas Kid - Phillip Morris
Arn Anderson - Martin Lunde
Art Barr - Art Barr
Ashura Hara - Susumu Hara
Assassin 2 - Tom Renesto
Atsushi Onita - Atsushi Onita
Awesome Kong - Dwayne McCallaugh
Ax - Bill Eadie
Axl Rotten - Brian Knighton





Baby Doll - Nicola Roberts
Bad News Brown- Allen Coage
Balls Mahoney - Jonathan Richner
Bam Bam Bigelow - Scott Charles Bigelow
Barbarian - Sionne Valahai
Baron Von Raschke - Jim Raschke
Barry Darsow - Barry Darsow
Barry Windham - Barry Windham
Barry Horowitz - Jim Horowitz
Bart Gunn - Michael Plotcheck
Bastion Booger - Mike Shaw
Batman - Tony Marino
Becky Starr - Melissa Archer
Benson Lee - Grant Miller
Bert Assirati - Bernardo Esserati
Big Daddy - Shirley Crabtree
Big Dick Dudley - Alex Rizzo
Big John Studd - John William Minton
Big E. Sleaze - Jeremy Sumpter
Big Business Brown- Chris Brown
Bill Irwin - Bill Irwin
Bill Miller - Bill Miller
Bill Dundee - William Crookshanks
Bill Alfonso - Bill Alfonso
Billy Gunn - Monty Kip Sopp
Billy Kidman - Peter Gruner
Billy Graham - Eldridge Wayne Coleman
Billy Gunn - Monty Sopp
Black Panther - Frank Sexton
Black Tiger - Eddy Guerrero
Black Tower - Eddie Graham
Black Venus - Jean Kirkland
Black Cat- Victor Manuel Mar
Blackjack Bradshaw- John Hawk
Blackjack Lanza - Jack Lanza
Bob Means - Robert Edward Means
Bob Windham - Robert Windham
Bob Holly - Robert William Howard
Bob Orton Jr. - Robert Orton Jr.
Bob Backlund - Robert Backlund
Bob Brazil - Houston Harris
Bob Armstrong - Robert James Sr.
Bob Holly - Robert Howard
Bobby Fulton - James Hines
Bobby Heenan - Raymond Louis Heenan
Bobby Blaze - Robert Smedley
Bobby Morgan - Gerry McCra Jr.
Bobby Eaton - Bobby Lee Eaton
Bobby Becker - John Emmerling
Booker T - Booker Huffman
Booty Man - Edward Leslie
Boris Malenko - Lawrence Simon
Boris Zhukov - Jim Darrel
Brad Anderson - Brad Anderson
Brad Armstrong - Robert James Jr.
Bret Hart - Bret Hart
Brian Knobbs - Brian Yandrisovitz
Brian Blair - Brian Blair
Brian Christopher - Brian Lawler
Brian Pillman - Brian Pillman
Brooklyn Brawler- Steve Lombardi
Brother Love - Bruce Prichard
Bruce Hart - Bruce Hart
Bruiser Brody - Frank Goodish
Bruno Sammartino - Bruno Sammartino
Brute Bernard - Jim Bernard
Bryan Anderson - Bryan Rogowski
Buddy Lee Parker- Dwayne Bruce
Buddy Landell - William Ansor
Buddy Rose - Paul Perschmann
Buddy Rogers - Herman Rohde
Buddy Austin - Francis Gabor
Buff Bagwell - Mark Bagwell
Buh Buh Ray Dudley - Mark Lomonica
Bull Nakano - Keiko Nakano
Bunkhouse Buck - Jimmy Golden
Butch - Robert Miller
Butch Reed - Bruce Reed





Cactus Jack- Michael Foley
Canek - Fillipe Estrada
Carlos Colon - Carlos Colon
Chad Austin - Chad Slivenski
Chad Fortune - Chad Fortune
Chainz - Brian Lee
Charles Austin - Charles Austin
Charlie Norris - Charlie Norris
Chavo Guerrero Jr. - Salvador Guerrero III
Chaz - Charles Taylor
Chief Jay Strongbow - Joe Scarpa
Chris Chetti - Chris Chetti
Chris Jericho - Christopher Irvine
Chris Candido - Chris Candito
Chris Chetti - Chris Chetti
Chris Adams - Chris Adams
Chris Von Erich - Chris Adkisson
Chris Anthony - Christopher Wiley
Chris Evans - Chris Evans
Chris Benoit - Chris Benoit
Chris Youngblood - Chris Romero
Cien Caras - Carmelo Reyes
CJ - Carrie J. Long
Col. Robert Parker - Robert Welch
Col. DeBeers - Ed Wiskowski
Cprl. Kirschner - Mike Kirschner
Craig Pittman - Craig Pittman
Crush - Bryan Adams
Crusher - Reggie Lisowski
Crusher Blackwell - Jerry Blackwell
Cuban Assassin - David Sierra
Curt Hennig - Curt Hennig





D-Lo Brown - A.C. Connor
D-Von Dudley - Devon Hughes
Damian - Leonardo Carrera
Dan Severn - Daniel Severn
Dan Spivey - Daniel Stivey
Dances With Dudley - Adolfo Bermudez
Danny Davis - Daniel Buriel
Dante - Hans Steiner
Dave Sullivan - Bill Dannenhauser
Davey Boy Smith - David Smith
Davis Flair - David Fliehr
David Sammartino - David Sammartino
David Von Erich - David Adkisson
David Taylor - David Taylor
Dean Malenko - Dean Simon
Diamond Dallas Page - Page Falkenberg
Dick Murdoch - Ronald Carson
Dick the Bruiser - Richard Afflis
Dick Togo - Akio Sato
Dick Slater - Richard Slater
Dino Bravo - Adolfo Bresciano
Disco Inferno - Glen Gilbertti
Doink - Matthew Wade Osborne
Dok Hendrix - Michael Seitz
Don Kent - Joseph Smith
Don Muraco - Don Muraco
Dory Funk Jr. - Dorrance Funk Jr.
Dos Caras- Jose Rodriguez
Double X - Fred Osbourne
Doug Furnas - Doug Furnas
Doug Gilbert - Douglas Gilbert
Dr. X - Jim Osborne
Dr. X - Randy Colley
Duke Droese - Mike Droese
Duke Keumoka - Hisao Tanaka
Dusty Rhodes - Virgil Riley Runnels Jr.
Dutch Mantel - Wayne Cowan
Dynamite Kid - Tom Billington





Ed 'Strangler' Lewis - Robert Frederick
Eddie Graham - Eddie Gosset
Eddie Gilbert - Thomas Edward Gilbert Jr.
Eddy Guerrero - Eddy Guerrero
Edge - Adam Copeland
Eight Ball - Don Harris
El Santo - Adolfo Guzman Huerta
El Dandy - Roberto Gutierrez
El Samurai - Osamu Matsuda
El Solitario - Roberto Gonzales Kruz
El Samurai - Osamu Matsuda
Elijah - Del Rios
Eric Bischoff - Eric Bischoff
Erik Watts - Erik Watts
Ernest Miller - Ernest Miller





Fabulous Moolah - Lillian Ellison
Farooq - Ron Simmons
Fire Cat - Brady Boone
Fire - Don Bass
Firebreaker Chip - Curtis Thompson
Fit Finlay - David Finlay
Flame - Roger Smith
Flash Funk - Charles Skaggs
Frank Anderson - Frank Anderson
Fred Atkins - Fred Atkinson
Fritz Von Erich - Jack Adkisson





Gangrel - David Heath
Gary Albright - Gary Albright
Gedo - Keiji Takayama
Geeto - Newton Tattrie
Gene Anderson - Gene Anderson
General Adnan - Adnan Kaissie
Genichiro Tenryu - Genichiro Shimade
Gentleman Johnny - Johnny Walker
George Cannon - George McArthur
George Wells - George Wells
George Steele - James Myers
Giant Haystacks- Luke McMasters
Giant Gonzales - Jorge Gonzales
Giant Baba - Shohei Baba
Giant Kimala II - Benjamin Peacock
Giant Silva - Paulo Silva
Gino Hernandez - Charles Wolfe
Gino Rocco - Gene Wapiennik
Gino Caruso - Gino Caruso
Glacier - Ray Lloyd
Glen Osbourne - Glen Osbourne
Golden Terror - Pete Doherty
Goldust - Dustin Runells
Golga - John Tenta
Gorgeous George- George Raymond Wagner
Gorgeous Geogre III- Robert Kellum
Gorilla Monsoon - Robert Marella
Gory Guerrero - Salvador Cuesado Guerrero
Gran Hamada - Haraoki Hamada
Great Mephisto - Lou Papineau
Great Togo - Kazuo Okamura
Great Sasuke - Masanori Murakawa
Great Kusatsu - Masatake Kusatsu
Great Muta - Keiji Muto
Great Scott - Johnny Scheigert
Green Panther - Pat Fraley
Greg Valentine - John Wisniski Jr.
Greg Gagne - Greg Gagne
Guerrera - Guadalupe Gonzales
Gypsy Joe - Gilberto Merendez





Hakushi- Kensuke Ginsei Shinzaki
Hammer - Mark Hildreth
Hangman - Neil Guay
Harley Race- Harley Race
Harold Sakata - Toshiyuki Sakata
Harvey Whippleman- David Bruno Lauer
Hawk - Michael Hegstrand
Hayabusa- Eiji Ezaki
Haystacks Calhoun - William Calhoun
Headhunter B - Victor Santaigo
Headhunter A- Manny Santiago
Heavy Metal - Erick Casas
Hector Guerrero - Hector Guerrero
Hector Garza - Hector Segura
Henry Godwinn- Mark Canterbury
Hercules - Raymond Fernandez
Hillbilly Jim - Jim Morris
Hiro Saito - Hiroyuki Saito
Hiro Hase - Hiroshi Hase
Hiro Matsuda - Yasuhiro Kojima
Hiromichi Fuyuki - Hiromichi Fuyuki
Hiroshi Hase - Hiroshi Hase
Hiroyoshi Tenzan - Hiroyoshi Yanamoto
Honky Tonk Man - Roy Wayne Farris
Horace Boulder- Mike Bollea
Hornet - Brian Keyes
Hugh Morruss - William DeMott
Hulk Hogan - Terry Gene Bollea
Humongous - Randy Lewis
Humongous (2) - Mike Stark
Hunter Hearst Helmsley - Jean Paul Levesque
Hurrican Ramirez - Daniel Garcia





Ian Rotten - John Williams
Ice Train - Harold Hoag
Ilio DiPaolo - Ilio DiPaolo
Impostor Sting - Jeff Farmer
Iron Shiek - Hossein Khosrow Vaziri
Ivan Koloff - James Parris
Ivan Putski - Ivan Bednarski





J.C Ice - James Crookshanks
Jack Brisco - Jack Brisco
Jackie Fulton - George Hines
Jacquelyn- Jacquelyn Moore
Jacques Rougeau Jr. - Jacques Rougeau Jr.
Jado - Shoji Akiyoshi
Jake Roberts - Aurelian Smith Jr.
James Blears - James Blears
James Vandenburg- James Mitchell
Jason the Terrible - Roberto Rodriguez
Jason - Karl Moffat
Jay Youngblood - Steve Romero
Jeff Gaylord - Jeff Gaylord
Jeff Jarrett - Jeff Jarrett
Jerry Lawler - Jerry Lawler
Jerry Brisco - Gerald Brisco
Jerry Estrada - Geruardo Estrada
Jerry Lawler - Jerry Lawler
Jerry Lynn - Jerry Lynn
Jerry Saggs - Jerome Sagonovich
Jerry Valiant - Gerald Heenan
Jesse Barr- Jesse Barr
Jesse Hennig - Jesse Hennig
Jesse Ventura - Jim Janos
Jim Powers - Robert Monneyham
Jim Duggan - James Duggan
Jim Cornette - James Cornette
Jim Niedhart - Jim Niedhart
Jim Brunzell - Jim Brunzell
Jimmy Graffiti - Jimmy Richland
Jimmy Valiant - James Valen
Jimmy Hart - Jimmy Hart
Jimmy Deo - James Eschbach
Jimmy Garvin - James Williams
Jimmy Snuka - Jim Reiher
Joe Malenko - Joe Simon
Joe Blanchard - Joe Blanchard
oey Marella - Joseph Marella
John Kronus - George Caizao
John Tenta - John Tenta
John Nord - John Nord
John Hansen - Stan Hansen
John Kronus - George Ciazo
Johnny Smith - John Hindley
Johnny Valentine - John Wisniski Sr.
Johnny Ace - John Laurinatis
Johnny Grunge - Mike Durham
Johnny Rotten - Bryan Greene
Johnny Ace - John Laurinidas
Jose Gonzales - Jose Gonzales
Jose Lothario - Jose Lothario
Jumbo Tsuruta - Tomomi Tsuruta
Jun Izumida - Jun Izumida
Jun Akiyama - Jun Akiyama
Junji Hirata - Junji Hirata
Junkyard Dog - Sylvester Ritter
Jushin Liger - Keiichi Yamada
Justin Credible - P.J. Walker
Juventud Guerrera - Anibal Gonzalez





Kabuki - Akihisa Mera
Kama Mustafa - Charles Wright
Kamala - James Harris
Kane - Glen Jacobs
Kantaro Hoshino - Takeo Hoshino
Kaos - Ken Stasowski
Karl Gotch - Karl Istaz
Kazuo Yamazaki- Kazuo Yamazaki
Keiji Muto - Keiji Muto/Great Muta
Keith Hart - Keith Hart
Ken Kenneth - Kenneth Arthur Schischka
Ken Shamrock - Ken Wayne Shamrock
Ken Patera - Ken Patera
Kendall Windham- Kendall Windham
Kendo Nagasaki - Kazuo Sakurada
Kendo the Samurai III - Brian Logan
Kengo Kimura - Takashi Kimura
Kensuke Sasaki - Kensuke Sasaki
Kenta Kobashi - Kenta Kobashi
Kerry Von Erich - Kerry Adkisson
Kevin Sullivan - Kevin Sullivan
Kevin Christian - Kevin Lawler
Kevin Nash - Kevin Nash
Kevin Von Erich - Kevin Adkisson
Kevin Kelly (Nailz) - Kevin Wacholz
Kevin Kelly (WWF) - Kevin Kelly
Killer Kowalski - Walter Kowalski
Killer Karl Krupp - George Mombers
Killer Khan - Masashi Ozawa
Kimberly - Kimberly Falkenberg
King Kong Bundy- Chris Pailles
King Killer - Mike Miller
Kintaro Okhi - Ill Kim
Kloudi - Jimmy Shoulders
Koji Kitao - Koji Kitao
Koji Kanemoto - Koji Kanemoto
Koko B Ware - James Ware
Konnan - Carlos Ashenoff
Konnan - Charles Ashenoff
Kuniaki Kobayashi - Kuniaki Kobayashi
Kurgan The Interrogator - Robert Mallay
Kurrgan - Robert Mallay





La Parka - Adolfo Tapia
Lady Angel - Geneva Huckabee
Lady Blossom - Jeannie Clarke
Lance Storm- Lance Evers
Lance Von Erich - William Vaugh
Lanny Poffo - Lanny Poffo
Larry Hennig - Larry Hennig
Larry Zbysko - Larry Whistler
Lauren Davenport - Beverly Hampton
Leatherface - Tim Patterson
Les Thornton - Les Thornton
Lex Luger - Larry Pfohl
Little Guido - James Stone
Lizmark - Juan Banos
Lizmark Jr. - Juan Banos Jr.
Lou Albano - Lou Albano
Louie Spicolli - Louis Muccioli
Ludvig Borga- Tony Halme
Luke - Brian Wickens
Luna Vachon - Gertrude Angelle Vachon





Mabel- Nelson Frazier
Mad Dog Martel - Pierre Vignault
Mad Dog Vachon - Maurice Vachon
Madusa - Debra Ann Miceli
Magnum T.A - Terry Allen
Manabu Nakanishi - Manabu Nakanishi
Mando Guerrero - Armando Guerrero
Mankind - Mick Foley
Mantaur - Mike Hallick
Marc 'Black Tiger' Rocco - Marc Rocco
Marc Mero - Marc Merowitz
Marcus Bagwell - Marcus Bagwell
Mark Sterling - Mark Robertson
Mark Youngblood - Mark Romero
Mark Curtis - Brian Hildebrand
Mark Mest - Mark Mest
Mark Henry - Mark Henry
Mark Starr - Mark Ashford-Smith
Marlena - Terri Boatright-Runnels
Marty Jannetty - Marty Jannetty
Masa Saito - Masanori Saito
Masahiro Chono - Masahiro Chono
Masahito Kakihara - Masahito Kakihara
Masashi Aoyogi - Masashi Aoyogi
Mascara Ano Dos Mil- Jesus Reyes
Masked Rebel - Sonny Fargo
Matthew Anoia - Matthew Anoia
Maxx Payne - Daryl Peterson
Meng - Uliulu Fifita
Michael Wallstreet- Lawrence Michael Rotunda
Michiyoshi Ohara - Michiyoshi Ohara
Mighty Inoue - Sueo Inoue
Miguel Guzman- Miguel Guzman Huerta
Miguel Perez Jr. - Miguel Perez
Mike Graham - Mike Gossett
Mike Anthony - Michael Hubbard
Mike Awesome - Mike Alfonso
Mike Von Erich - Mike Adkisson
Mike DiBiase - Michael DiBiase
Mike Awesome - Mike Alfonso
Mike Samples - Mike Samples
Mike Enos - Mike Enos
Mikey Whipwreck - John Watson
Mil Mascaras - Aaron Rodriguez
Mildred Burke - Mildred Bliss
Missing Link - Byron Dewey Robertson
Missy Hyatt - Melissa Hiatt
Mitsuharu Misawa- Mitsuharu Misawa
Mo - Bobby Horne
Mongolian Stomper - Archie Gouldie
Mongolian Mauler - Peter Miller
Moondog Rex - Randy Culley
Moondog Spot - Larry Lantham
Moondog Spike - Bill Smithson
Moondog Cujo - Larry Kean
Mortis - Chris Kluesaritis
Mosh - Chaz Warrington
Mr Fuji - Harry Fujiwara
Mr Pogo - Tetsuo Sekigawa
Mr Hughes - Curtis Hughes
Mr. Wrestling II - Johnny Walker
Mr. Moto - Masaru Charlie Iwamoto
Mr. Wrestling - Dick Steinborn
Mustafa Saed - Jamal Mustafa





Negro Casas - Jose Casas
New Jack - Jerome Young
Nick Patrick - Nick Hamilton
Nick Bockwinkel - Dick Warren
Nikita Koloff - Scott Simpson
Nikolai Volkoff - Josip Peruzovic
Ninja Turtle - Brian Hilderbrand
Nobuhiko Takada- Nobuhiko Takada
Norio Honaga - Nobuo Honaga





Ole Anderson - Alan Rogowski
One Man Gang - George Gray
Osamu Nishimura - Osamu Nishimura
Owen Hart- Owen Hart
Ox Baker - Doug Baker





P.N News - Paul Neu
Pat Tanaka - Patric Tanaka
Pat Kelly - Victor Arko
Pat Patterson - Pierre Clemont
Paul Bearer - William Moody
Paul E. Dangerously - Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman - Paul Heyman
Paul Diamond - Thomas Boric
Paul Roma - Paul Centopani
Paul Lauria - Paul Lauria
Paul Orndorff - Paul Orndorff
Perro Aguayo - Pedro Damien Aguayo
Perry Saturn - Perry Satullo
Phil Apollo - Phillip Panos
Phillip LaFon - Phillip LaFond
Phinnius Godwinn- Dennis Knight
Pierre - Karl Pierre Oulett
Pierroth - Daniel Lopez
Pit Bull One - Gary Wolfe
Pit Bull Two - Anthony Durante
Prince Kharis - Rob Mayze
Prince Iaukea - Mike Haynor
Psicosis - Dionicio Castellanos
Py-Chu-Hi - Phil Hickerson





Quackenbush - Michael G. Spillane





Rage - Robert Knapik
Randy Savage - Randy Poffo
Ranger Ross - Robert Ross
Raven - Scott Levy
Ray Apollo - Ray Liccachelli
Ray Traylor - Raymond Traylor
Ray Rougeau - Raymond Rougeau
Ray Mendoza - Jose Diaz
Red Hangman - Tom Rice
Red Shadow - Richard Dunn
Renegade - Rick Williams
Rey Misterio Jr. - Oscar Gonzales
Rey Misterio Sr. - Daniel Lopez
Ric Flair - Richard Morgan Fliehr
Rich Myers - Richard Myers
Richard Slinger - Richard Acelinger
Rick Rude - Richard Rood
Rick Martel - Richard Vignault
Rick Steamboat - Richard Blood
Rick Steiner - Robert Rechsteiner
Rick Titan - Rick Bogner
Ricky Morton - Richard Morton
Ricon - Barry Buchanan
Riki Choshu - Mitsuo Yoshida
Rikidozan - Mitsuhiro Momota
Rikki Choshu - Mitsuo Yoshida
Road Dog - Brian Gerard James
Rob Van Dam - Rob Szatkowski
Robert Gibson - Ruben Kane
Rocco Rock - Ted Petty
Rocky Maivia - Duane Johnson
Rod Price - Rod Price
Roddy Piper - Roderick George Toombs
Ron Studd - Ron Reis
Ronnie Garvin - Roger Barnes
Rusher Kimura - Masao Kimura
Ryuma Go - Hiroshi Yagi





Sable - Rena Merowitz
Sabu - Terry Brunk
Sam Steamboat - Sam Mokuhai
Sam Menacker- Frank Menacker
Samu - Samula Anoia
Sandman - James Fullington
Satoru Sayama - Satoru Sayama
Satoshi Kojima - Satoshi Kojima
Savio Vega - Juan Rivera
Scott Steiner - Scott Rechsteiner
Scott Hall - Scott Hall
Scott Armstrong - Scott James
Scott Taylor - Scott Taylor
Scott Norton - Scott Norton
Scott Putski - Scott Bednarski
Scott Norton - Scott Norton
Scotty Riggs - Scott Antol
Sean Stasiak - Sean Stasiak
Sgt Slaughter - Robert Remus
Shane Douglas- Troy Martin
Shane McMahon - Shane McMahon
Shati Yokouchi - Shinichi Yakouchi
Shawn Michaels - Michael Hickenbottom
Shinichi Nakano - Shinichi Nakano
Shinjiro Otani - Shinjiro Otani
Shinya Hashimoto - Shinya Hashimoto
Shiro Koshinaka - Shiro Koshinaka
Shohei Baba - Giant Baba
Sick Boy - Scott Vick
Sid - Sidney Ray Eudy
Sika - Sika Anoia
Silver King - Cesar Gonzales
Skull - Ron Harris
Sniper - Luc Porier
Snowman - Eddie Crawford
Spike Dudley - Matthew Hyson
Stan Lane - Stan Lane
Stan Stasiak - Stan Stasiak
Stan Hansen- John Stanley Hansen
Star of David - Sammy Cohen
Steve Austin - Steve Williams
Steve Armstrong - Steven James
Steve Austin - Steve Williams
Steve Blackman - Steve Blackman
Steve Williams - Steve Williams
Steve McMichael - Steve McMichael
Steve Keirn - Steve Keirn
Steven Dunn - Steve Doll
Steven Regal - Darren Matthews
Stevie Richards - Michael Manna
Stevie Ray - Lane Huffman
Sting - Steve Borden
Stomper - John Quinn
Strong Kobayashi - Shozo Kobayashi
Sunny - Tamara Sytch
Sunshine - Victoria French
Super Calo - Rafael Garcia
Super Delfin- Hiro Wakida
Super Nova - Michael Bucci
Superstar Billy Graham - Eldridge Wayne Coleman
Syxx - Sean Waltman





Taka Michinoku - Takao Yoshida
Takao Omori - Takao Omori
Takayuki Iizuka - Takayuki Iizuka
Tank - Mike Hallick
Tarzan Goto - Tatsutoshi Gotoh
Tatanka - Chris Chavis
Tatsuhito Takaiwa - Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Tatsumi Fujinami - Tatsumi Fujinami
Taz - Peter Senerca
Ted DiBiase - Theodore Marvin DiBiase
Terry Blanchard- Terry Blanchard
Terry Taylor - Paul Taylor
Terry Funk - Terrence Funk
Terry Gordy - Terry Gordy
The Grappler - Len Denton
The Goon - Bill Irwin
The Shiek - Ed Farhat
The Blue Meanie - Brian Heffron
The Destroyer - Richard Beyer
The Patriot - Delbert Wilkes
The Godfather - Charles Wright
The Beast - John Yachetti
The Assassin - Jody Hamilton
The Giant - Paul Wight
The Sultan - Solafa Fatu
Thomas Gilbert - Thomas Gilbert Sr.
Thrasher - Glen Ruth
Thunder Sugiyama - Koji Suguyama
Tiger Chung Lee - Masanori Toguchi
Tiger Ali Singh - Ali Singh
Tim Horner - Tim Horner
Timothy Well - Mark Smith
Tito Santana - Mercid Solis
Tokimitsu Ishizawa - Tokimitsu Ishizawa
Tom Zenk - Tom Zenk
Tom Prichard - Tom Prichard
Tom Brandi - Tom Brandi
Tommy Dreamer - Thomas Laughlin
Tommy Rogers - Thomas Couch
Tommy Rich - Tommy Richardson
Tommy Cairo - Tommy Cairo
Tony Williams - Tony Williams
Tony Vendetto - Tony Mero
Tony Angelo - Henry Pardi
Tony Anthony - Tony Anthony
Tony Atlas - Anthony White
Tony Stetson - Tony Stetson
Toshiaki Kawada - Toshiaki Kawada
Toshiyo Yamada- Toshinori Yamada
Toyonobori - Michiharu Sadano
Tracey Smothers - Tracey Smothers
Troy Mest - Troy Mest
Tugboat Taylor - Tug Taylor
Typhoon - Fred Ottman





UFO - Bob Dellasera
Ultimate Warrior - James Hellwig
Ultimo Dragon - Yoshihiro Asai
Umanosuke Ueda - Hiroshi Ueda
Uncle Elmer - Stan Frazier
Undertaker - Mark Callaway





Vader - Leon White
Val Venis - Sean Morley
Vampire Warrior - Dave Heath
Vampiro Canadiense - Ian Hodgkinson
Verne Gagne - Verne Gagne
Vic Steamboat - Vic Mokuhai
Victor Quinones - Victor Quinones
Villano IV - Tomas Diaz Mendoza
Vince McMahon - Vincent K. McMahon Jr.
Vincent - Michael Jones
Vittorio Apollo - Vincente Denigris





W*ing Kanemura- Yukihiro Kanemura
Wahoo McDaniel - Edward McDaniel
Warlord - Terry Szopinski
Wayne Bloom - Wayne Bloom
Wayne Hart- Wayne Hart
Wild Pegasus - Chris Benoit
Wild Bill - William Mosley
Wolfie D - Kelly Warren Wolfe
Woman - Nancy Daus-Sullivan
Wrath - Bryan Clark





X-Pac - Sean Waltman





Yoji Anjoh - Yoji Anjoh
Yokozuna - Rodney Anoia
Yoshiaki Fujiwara - Yoshiaki Fujiwara
Yoshinosato - Junzo Hasegawa
Yuji Nagata - Yuji Nagata
Yuki Ishikawa - Yuki Ishikawa
Yukon Erica - Christina Dutkonski





Zeus - Tom Lister

X-Pac-1990
911-1994
Abdullah the Butcher-1958
Johnny Ace-1986
Chris Adams-June 1978
Animal-Nov 1982
Bob Armstrong-1966
Brad Armstrong-1981
Scott Armstrong-1983
Steve Armstrong-1984
Tony Atlas-1977
Steve Austin-Dec 1989
Bob Backlund-1973
Mark Bagwell-1990
The Barbarian-1981
The Disciple-1984
Chris Benoit-Jan 1986
Bam Bam Bigelow-Aug 23, 1985
Bobby Blaze-1988
Eight Ball-1988
Skull-1988
Blue Meanie-1994
Bastion Booger-1979
Booker T-1989
Ludvig Borga-1989
Horace Boulder-Jan 31, 1990
Justin Bradshaw-Sep 23, 1992
Tom Brandi-Sep 1985
Brickhouse Brown-1982
Killer Brooks-1967
Boogie Woogie Brown-1990
D-Lo Brown-February 1994
Jim Brunzell-1972
Bunkhouse Bunk-1968
King Kong Bundy-1982
Bushwacker Butch-1965
Bushwacker Luke-1965
Tom Cairo-1987
Christian Cage-1995
Chris Candido-1986
Cueball Carmichael-Mar. 5, 1983
Chainz-1989
Cheetah Master-1990
Chris Chetti-Sep. 1996
Masa Chono-Oct. 5, 1984
Great Muta-1988
Jimmy Cicero-1992
Carlos Colon-1965
Adam Copeland-1994
Steve Corino-1994
Corporal Punishment-Nov. 14, 1993
Colorado Kid-1993
Justin Credible-1992
Crush-1986
Ace Darling-1991
Lance Diamond-1990
Paul Diamond-1983
Disco Inferno-Nov 20, 1991
Shane Douglas-1985
Tommy Dreamer-1989
Duke Droese-1987
"Big" Dick Dudley-1993
Buh Buh Ray Dudley-1994
D-Von Dudley-1994
Spike Dudley-1995
Hacksaw Jim Duggan-Sep 1977
Bobby Duncam Jr.-Sep 1992
Bill Dundee-1971
Steven Dunn-1984
Shane Eden-Mar 26, 1997
Bobby Eaton-May 1976
Jerry Estrada-1977
Faarooq-Oct. 1986
Ric Flair-Dec. 10, 1972
Flaming Youth-1991
Flash Flanagan-1992
Bobby Fulton-1979
Dory Funk Jr.-July 1963
2 Cold Scorpio-1986
Terry Funk-Dec 9, 1965
Doug Furnas-1986
Ronnie Garvin-1965
The Giant-1995
Robert Gibson-1977
Doug Gilbert-1986
Glacier-1989
Henry Godwinn-1989
Phineas Godwinn-1990
Bill Golderg-Sep 22, 1997
Dustin Runnels-Sep 13, 1988
Terry Gordy-1975
Johnny Grunge-1987
Fuerza Guerrera-1978
Juventud Guerrera-1992
Chavo Guerrer0-1972
Chavo Guerrero Jr.-May 1994
Eddy Guerrero-1988
Hector Guerrero-1977
Mando Guerrero-1974
Billy Gunn-1992
Bart Gunn-1992
Scott Hall-Oct. 1984
El Gran Hamada-1971
Jack Hammer-1991
Stan Hansen-Nov 1974
Bret Hart-1976
Bruce Hart-Jan 14, 1974
Keith Hart-1976
Owen Hart-May 30, 1986
Wayne Hart-1972
Hawk-June 1983
Hayabusa-1991
Billy Jack Haynes-Oct. 1982
Mosh-1991
Thrasher-1991
Heavy Metal-Feb 1988
Triple H-Mar. 1992
Michael Hayes-May 1977
Curt Henning-1979
Jesse Henning-June 1994
Hercules Hernandez-1979
Hulk Hogan-1978
Bob Holly-1993
Barry Horowitz-1979
Honkey Tonk Man-1979
Sam Houston-1983
Mr. Hughes-1988
Prince Iaukea-Apr. 1996
J. C. Ice-1991
Ice Train-1993
Inferno Kid-1994
Antonio Inoki-Sep 30, 1960
Iron Sheik-1972
Italian Stallion-Feb 1984
Marty Jannety-Apr 5, 1984
Jeff Jarrett-Apr, 1986
Chris Jericho-1991
Jesse James-1992
Ahmed Johnson-1989
Junk Yard Dog-1978
Kabuki-1964
The Goddfather-Sep 16, 1989
Kamala-1974
Kamala 2-1987
Kane-1994
Kidman-1994
Brian Knobs-1985
Konnan-1988
John Kronus-1989
Phil Lafon-1982
Buddy Landell-1979
Jerry Lawler-1970
Jushin Liger-1983
Little Guido-Sep 1991
Lizmark-1975
Steve Lombardi-1985
Lex Luger-Oct 31, 1985
Mabel-1991
Madd Maxxine-Dec 6, 1985
Ballz Mahoney-1987
Rocky Maivia-1995
Dean Malenko-1979
Cactus Jack-June 24, 1985
Man Mountain Rock-June 1987
Dutch Mantell-1973
Lou Marconi-June 26, 1994
Rick Martel-June 7, 1972
Sherri Martel-1982
Wahoo McDaniel-1961
Meng-1977
Marc Mero-1991
Metal Maniac-Nov 1991
Shawn Michaels-Oct. 16, 1984
Taka Michinoku-1991
Rey Mysterio Jr.-1991
Mo-1991
Kanyon-1996
Ricky Morton-1979
Great Muta-Oct. 5, 1984
Hack Myers-Oct. 19, 1990
Nailz-1985
Kevin Nash-1990
Jim Neidhart-1979
New Jack-1992
Scott Norton-1988
Super Nova-Jan 1991
Atsushi Onita-Apr 4, 1974
Paul Orndorff-1976
Bob Orton Jr.-1972
Glen Osbourne-1989
Carl Oulette-1987
DDP-1991
Bull Pain-1990
La Parka-1987
The Patriot-1988
Miguel Perez Jr.-1986
Roddy Piper-1972
Pit Bull 1 -1990
Pit Bull 2-1990
Sgt. Craig Pittman-Feb 5, 1994
Lanny Poffo-1973
Tom Pritchard-1978
Psychosis-1991
Ivan Putski-1971
Scott Putski-1986
Mike Quackenbush-1991
John Rambo-May 29, 1989
Raven-Feb, 20 1988
Stevie Ray-1989
Reckless Youth-Sep 1995
Butch Reed-1978
Steven Regal-Aug 1986
Ron Reis-Mar 12, 1994
The Renegade-Mar 19, 1995
Tommy Rich-1974
Stevie Richards-Feb 25, 1992
Frenchy Rivera-Sep 25, 1992
Jake Roberts-May 13, 1975
Rocco Rock-1978
Ray Traylor-1985
Tommy Rogers-1980
Paul Roma-1986
Axl Rotten-1987
Ian Rotten-1990
acques Rougeau-1977
Ryamond Rougeau-1971
Sabu-1985
Mastafa Saed-1992
Jerry Sags-1985
David Sammartino-1980
Mike Samples-1991
Samu-1981
El Samurai-1986
Julio Sanchez-1983
The Sandman-1989
Ricky Santana-1982
Tito Santana-1975
Saturn-1989
Great Sasuke-Mar 1, 1990
Randy Savage-Nov 1973
Dan Severn-1991
Ken Shamrock-1989
The Sheik-1960
Tiger Ali Singh-Nov 19, 1992
Dick Slater-1970
Sgt. Slaughter-1972
Davey Boy Smith-1978
J T Smith-June 9, 1990
Johnny Smith-1982
Tracey Smothers-1982
Al Snow-1982
Jimmy Snuka-1969
Louie Spicolli-1989
Spellbinder-1992
Rick Steiner-1983
Scott Steiner-1986
Sting-1985
Devon Storm-Mar 1993
Ricky Steamboat-Dec. 7, 1986
Lance Storm-Dec 10, 1990
The Sultan-1985
Pat Tanaka-1985
Tatanka-Jan 13, 1990
Dave Taylor-1993
Taz-June 3, 1987
John Tenta-1988
Typhoon-1984
Ultimate Warrior-1985
Ultimo Dragon-1985
Undertaker-1989
Vader-1986
Greg Valentine-1968
Vampire Warrior-1988
Rob Van Dam-June 1991
Savio Vega-1986
Vincent-1985
Nikolai Volkoff-1967
Kevin Von Erich-Aug 16, 1976
Baron Von Raschke-1966
Mike Rotundo-Sep 22, 1981
Koko B. Ware-1978
The Warlord-1986
Mikey Whipwreck-1994
Steve Williams-1982
Kedall Windham-June 11, 1984
Wolfie D-1991
Wrath-1991
Alex Wright-1994
Yokozuna-1984

Spending nearly two weeks in deep freeze, SmackDown’s John Bradshaw Layfield rounded out his travel résumé of 55 different countries by visiting his seventh and final continent: Antarctica. Instead of unwrapping gifts under an energy-sucking, heavily lit Christmas tree, the SmackDown commentator spent his holiday vacation on a personal crusade against global warming.

“[Antarctica] was the only continent that I had never been to,” JBL explained. “I wanted to see the continent and get firsthand knowledge of global warming because there is such a divergence of opinion about what is really going on in our environment.” He added, “I also wanted to learn something about this because I’m going to be president one day.”

The former WWE Champion said his intent was to quell his desire to determine the cause behind global warming. He sought to learn whether man is causing the changing atmospheric conditions or if the globe is in a warming cycle, or a combination of both.

“My take is that man is causing it,” JBL asserted. “The fact that [the earth is] warming is a huge problem, and it’s being exacerbated by CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions, most likely caused by man.”

Today, there is an unprecedented amount of carbon dioxide – a harmful greenhouse gas –in the atmosphere that contributes heavily to the worldwide climate change. Studies reveal that this increase in global temperatures causes glaciers to melt and sea levels to rise.

“This isn’t just polar bears going extinct; it’s a serious problem,” he claimed. “The loss of alpine glaciers in Europe is going to cause huge economic hardships. We’re going to have wars over water if this is the case, which scientific data has proven to be certain.”

Glaciers, however, are not the Wall Street media maven’s primary concern. As JBL told WWE.com, environmental issues directly affect something that is very near and dear to his money-minded heart: investments.

“To invest in this world – in any type of energy – you’ve got to know about global warming,” he explained. “I’m not against oil. I’m not against the internal combustible engine car. I’m just saying we’ve got to be smarter with what we’re burning.”

Once close to investing in a wind farm in Texas, Layfield believes that government policy supporting alternative energy sources could positively impact the state of an already damaged atmosphere.

“There are so many things that our country can do when you talk about the consumption side,” JBL said. “[The U.S. government] has to start being responsible stewards for our environment.”

Comparing this issue to other environmental causes, JBL detailed the need for officials to take action.

“We stopped the ozone hole from growing by stopping CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) from getting into atmosphere just by cutting out Freon and other major offenders. It’s a different thing than global warming, but it’s a sign that we can do something to positively affect the environment.”

Criticizing the “flag bearers for this cause,” the SmackDown star said his journey may not necessarily end with his trip to the globe’s southernmost continent. He stated that he would like to join forces with Bill Schlesinger, international authority on climate science and Dean of Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University.

Schlesinger is hosting a think tank outside of New York in the near future and the former WWE Champion has hopes of participating in this advocacy for climate control.

“Global warming’s real,” JBL declared. “If [America wants] to be the economic powerhouse of the future, we have to make sure that this environment stays in tact. I don’t mean to sound like a leftist tree-hugger, but this is simply the fact.”

JBL embarks on a voyage to combat global warming

January 3, 2007 - From Hulk Hogan and Mr. T to Superfly Snuka and the aliens in They Live, Roddy Piper has had his share of classic battles.

Today, he's fighting for his life.

Piper was recently diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer, and while some would call it quits and cry, Rowdy Roddy Piper is back chewing bubble gum and kicking ass…and he's all out of bubble gum.

In fact, Piper called me after receiving radiation for his cancer and was the same smack talking Hot Rod wrestling fans have loved to hate throughout the years.

These are the same fans Piper believes saved his life.

"The fans saved my life, I truly believe that," Piper explains. "There was this pay-per-view called Cyber Sunday and the fans voted between myself, Dusty Rhodes, and Sgt. Slaughter, some pretty good company there, and it was for who was going to be Ric Flair's partner going for the tag team titles. Kindly, the fans voted me in, we won the titles, then we're over in Europe and something goes wrong with my legs…they're not working. They fly me back to the States, put me on the slab, cut open my back and they discover I have cancer. Lymphoma. But there's a really happy ending to it. First off, they picked the wrong guy to bully; I'm going to kick its butt. Also, they caught it at its very early stage. They put me on the rotisserie every day now, I'm going to be on radiation for the next 4-5 weeks, and they think they can clear it up. I'm going to be walking down that hall again, Jon.

"If the fans didn't vote me in, I wouldn't have went to Europe, I wouldn't have had a reason to have my back checked, and from what has been explained to me, in two to three years, this would have been all throughout my body and I would've had to go out that day. But you know what, the fans have been taking care of me all my life. What can I even say to them for that? It's pretty special for me."




Also special to Piper is the new DVD WWE released about his chaotic career. From Piper's Pit to Wrestlemania, all the moments that made the man (and helped make the industry what it is today) are captured.

If only there was a camera to capture some of the road trips Piper and Flair talked about at the Hall of Fame, now that's Must See TV.

IGN Sports: Did you ever think that one day you'd be an action figure, a videogame character, and a person celebrated with a DVD about your career?

Roddy Piper: Only thing I ever thought I'd see is a picture with me in a uniform with stripes on it and a number under my mug shot. [laughs] I'd never seen a professional wrestling match. First one I saw, I was in. It was just an accident. I left home when I was 13. When I was 15 I was living in a youth hostel and I was the 167-pound amateur wrestling champion. My coach came up to me one day and told me how there was going to be a wrestling match, but Larry Hennig's opponent missed his plane. He told me I'd lose my amateur status but he could get me $20. I'm sure the match is still the world record for shortest match. No joke, the bell went ding, and the match lasted about ten seconds. It has to be the shortest match in the history of the Winnipeg Arena. You figure the match lasted ten seconds, and that includes the referee counting to three. [laughs] I walked in the back after the match and my nose was broken. The promoter comes up to me and says "Kid you did great, how would you like to go to Kansas City?" Is Larry Hennig going to be there? [laughs] They put me in a van and here I am. What's funny is, when I was coming down the aisle, the announcer didn't know who I was because I was a substitute, and my pipe band was playing me down just as a kind gesture, and so the guy says "Ladies and gentleman, here he comes…Roddy The Piper!" That's how it all started.

IGN Sports: And here you are, all these years later still in the ring. Is this the first time you ever won the tag belts in WWE?

Roddy Piper: That's true. I was never much of a belt guy. In Born to Controversy (the new DVD), they talk quite a bit about that. Mick Foley, Flair, and some others come on and talk about my life, and it's not like the other DVD's where people have a flair for the gold, oh so pretty. This is Born to Controversy. It's a kilt guys, it's a kilt. That's another thing that's discussed in it. When I was 15-16 years old, coming into the locker room with a kilt on, it's a little bit of a tough gig. In Texas, "Martha, what's that boy doing with that cat, and why is he wearing a dress?" [laughs]
IGN Sports: You and Ric Flair have such an amazing chemistry. The stories you guys tell at the Hall of Fame inductions keep everyone in stitches. I can only imagine some of the stories you guys aren't telling.

Roddy Piper: I need to tell you some inside on this. McMahon had fired me for this HBO interview I did (Real Sports), and I had no idea what I was going to say. That night was the first time I'd seen McMahon since he fired me, I got a hello, and that was it. I'm on next and Flair comes up to me and says: "Pipe, just tell my you'll go for it." What that means to Ric is, c'mon, entertain me. I wasn't sure what I was going to say, but I'm standing there with my chest out and Vince is sitting down on my right hand side, he's got the headphones on and he's watching the monitor. They edited it for Spike TV, I don't know how they did it so fast, but there's Flair and he's talking about how we used to get the flight attendants and take them up to Puerto Rico. My family is in the audience and as I'm listening to Flair, my shoulders start dropping, and Vince McMahon, maybe you had to be there to see it, but snot came pouring out of his nose, he was drooling and he just about fell out of his chair as he watched me get destroyed in a minute with Ric Flair doing an induction for me. So from that time, we shook hands, and it's the same love/hate relationship, he loves to hate me. That's why I said, is HBO here. I thought I was going to get fired again.

IGN Sports: Instead he brings you back and gives you a title.

Roddy Piper: [laughs] Gives me a title, can you believe that. Maybe if I slap him I can get a car.




IGN Sports: With the intense travel schedule you had throughout your career, is it difficult to retire and try to stay home and live a normal life?

Roddy Piper: I don't know what normal is anymore. I do movies, so I still only come home in spurts. I like to come home and stay for a couple of months and then I'll go when the kids are in school. I'm kind of a go-get'em kind of guy. I live up on a mountain, a little ranch we have here, and I have cancer, so I'm dealing with that now. I have Born to Controversy, and John Carpenter is talking to me about They Live the television series. Then you have Wrestlemania coming up this year, 70,000 people in Detroit, and I would love, love to be in the ring against Vince McMahon. By that time I will have killed that cancer and I'll be ready to roll. Wouldn't you love to see me in there against Vince? I'd do it for free.

IGN Sports: You were in the ring against the new breed of heels in the sport, Edge and Randy Orton. How are the top heels of today living up to your legacy?

Roddy Piper: I think they're great. I don't get a chance to catch too much, but one I saw, it explained everything you need to know about the differences between old school and new school. New school, you carry a bed to the ring with you. [laughs] I see Edge and Lita, and she's taking his jeans off, then he had trunks on underneath, and it looked like he was smuggling an olive. [laughs] Then they're going and doing their thing and they get under the covers and he starts getting excited. [laughs] I'm thinking, Edge, you are so much smarter than me. Here I am challenging Andre The Giant and you have a half naked lady in the middle of the ring and are getting paid for it. He's so much smarter than me. I think it's outstanding. And Randy Orton, I wrestled his grandfather, and I'm really proud of those guys. When I come to the dressing room, Randy Orton and Edge, if there wasn't a place to sit down, those guys would get up and give me their chair. Be mean to me, slap me, I know exactly what to do. Don't be nice to me, I haven't a clue how to react. You're getting me a chair? There's so much respect, and the class of the wrestler today is so much higher than anything I've seen in the business in my 37 years in wrestling. That's the style of athlete that's come out that we started 20 years ago, and I'm really proud that these guys are great people, and I want them to know that coming from a guy like myself. They're just outstanding.

IGN Sports: You talked about Orton and his grandfather, is this a business you'd want your kids to get into?

Roddy Piper: No. I would blackball them. When you see this Born to Controversy, I forgot how much stuff I did. I forgot I painted myself half black. And it's brutal watching this for me. There's a three-disc version, and if you buy it off the Web from WWE, there's a fourth disc, and I can only watch the first disc. [laughs] I don't think I'm mature enough to get to the other discs. All of these guys are talking about me, they're talking about some of the stuff I've done, and I'm thinking to myself "What a jerk!" But that's me! Holy cow! It's really a good piece of business for the fact that it's just not praising somebody, we're telling the weaknesses, the strengths, and the in-betweens, and it's coming from people who carry a great amount of respect themselves. But it shows how many people care. I'll tell you this, Jimmy Kimmel just sent me a gift. It's a four-leaf clover inside this huge piece of glass, and I've been getting so many nice things…please keep them coming, I get no Santa gifts now, but I've been getting calls from so many people ever since word got out about my cancer, I'm just a lucky guy.

Jim Ross has posted his first blog of 2007. Here are the highlights.

- On Ric Flair: "I think Ric feels he can still be productive in the ring and certainly Flair has a magnificent legacy. My hope is that Ric doesn’t stay “too long” which can tarnish one’s image and usually comes with an injury that will nag the individual for years to come."

- On The Warrior: "I will NOT disagree that the Ultimate Warrior doesn’t belong in the WWE Hall of Fame. Warrior does belong."

- On Cryme Tyme: "Cryme Tyme, at the current time, feels more like an entertainment duo than a street fighting, wrestling team. I hope to see JTG and Shad in more matches in the future to be better able to access their in-ring abilities."

- On Konnan: "My best wishes go out to Konnan during his current health issues."

- On TNA's ring: "I don’t hate TNA’s 6 sided ring but I prefer the old school “squared circle”.

Jim Ross has posted his first blog of 2007. Here are the highlights.

- On Ric Flair: "I think Ric feels he can still be productive in the ring and certainly Flair has a magnificent legacy. My hope is that Ric doesn’t stay “too long” which can tarnish one’s image and usually comes with an injury that will nag the individual for years to come."

- On The Warrior: "I will NOT disagree that the Ultimate Warrior doesn’t belong in the WWE Hall of Fame. Warrior does belong."

- On Cryme Tyme: "Cryme Tyme, at the current time, feels more like an entertainment duo than a street fighting, wrestling team. I hope to see JTG and Shad in more matches in the future to be better able to access their in-ring abilities."

- On Konnan: "My best wishes go out to Konnan during his current health issues."

- On TNA's ring: "I don’t hate TNA’s 6 sided ring but I prefer the old school “squared circle”.

2007: Year of Punk
By CM Punk
Written: January 2, 2007I don’t like to call myself a lazy bastard. Maybe I’m just a really bad procrastinator. I was supposed to do two blogs at the last live TV filming we did. Because a bunch of other stuff was on my mind, it slipped my mind. I apologize to the ECW fans, but I’m back.

It’s a new year. I’m looking to not so much have resolutions, but just to keep doing what I do best and that’s making people tap out with the Anaconda Vise. I do plan on getting in a little bit better shape. Those of you who follow my career, a year and a half or two years ago, I was in really, really good shape. I’m trying to get used to being on the road with ECW and balancing that with being in the gym and doing all the cardio I need to do and training and everything else. So 2007, I pretty much guarantee will be my year.

Even though I don’t really celebrate Christmas, I do obviously receive gifts from other people who do celebrate Christmas. So I have to buy stuff for people. It’s about the fifth year going that I have requested the yellow and black striped Game of Death jumpsuit that Bruce Lee wore in Game of Death and I have yet to receive it from anybody. So if any fans out there want to purchase this for me, I think a large or an XL will do and I will gladly give you an autographed 8x10 of CM Punk and possibly a free massage from Little Bastard.

Oh, You Didn't Know? ...
* When Hulk Hogan agreed to job to Bill Goldberg on "Nitro," he was promised he'd end Goldberg's winning streak.

*WWF wanted to book a Dennis Rodman vs. Goldust Wrestlemania match, but when Rodman signed with WCW, WWF booked Goldust vs. Roddy Piper.

**Bob Orton Sr. was a high school football teammate with Edward Asner ("Lou Grant").

**Vince McMahon Sr. was a member of the NWA from 1971 to 1983.

**Ashley Massaro posed for Playboy under the pseudonym "Ryan MacKenzie."

**Tatsumi Fujinami, the last remaining member of the New Japan promotion from its 1972 start, quit on June 20, 2006.

**John Tenta (Earthquake) debuted as Kototenta, which was later changed to Kototenzan.

**Tallest full-time wrestler was Jorge "Giant" Gonzales (El Gigante), who was a legit 7'6 1/2".

**Paul Heyman's ECW peaked at 99,000 pay-per-view buys for a single PPV.

**Heyman's ECW produced a total of twenty one pay per views. Their first was "Barely Legal" on April 13, 1997.

**WWE purchased the Championship Wrestling from Florida library from Mike Graham for approximately $1 million.

**Tommy Dreamer and Bealuh McGuillicuddy (Teresa) have twin daughters named Kimberly and Brianna Laughlin.

**Buelah McGillicutty briefly portrayed Teresa Pillman in Stampede Wrestling, the "brother" of the late Brian Pillman.

**There are only 200 parking spaces at Arena Mexico. Most fans come to the matches via the subway.

**Before breaking into pro wrestling, Mexico's Latin Lover was a stripper in Monterrey.

**In 1963, Ricky Romero started training Dory Funk Jr. at an empty Amarillo Sports Arena.

**El Texano (real Juan Conrado Aguilar Jauregui) once wrestled as a masked Billy The Kid.

*The Sheik and John Tolos used snakes as a prop in the early 70's, well before Jake Roberts.

**Fritz Von Erich was a star football player at Southern Methodist University.

**Somoa Joe's high school football coach was Tank Abbott's brother. Tank's dad was one of Samoa's Joe teachers.

**Kenzo Suzuki played Rugby football at Meiji University.

**Michael Cole graduated from Syracuse University in 1988.

**Ken Shamrock was promised an IWGP title reign prior to signing with WWF.

**Jackie Gayda ran track and cross country at the University of Toledo in 2000 and 2001.

**Nikita Koloff, Bret, Ted DiBiase and Rick Rude are the only wrestlers that collected money from their Lloyd's of London insurance policy to never wrestler again. (Although, at the time of his death, Rude was training for a WWF comeback)

**Simply Luscious was married to former hockey star Ryan Pisiak.

**Nidia is from Puerto Rico.

**One Man Gang (George Gray) works as a prison guard in Louisiana.

**Billy Kidman and Mikey Batts are cousins.

**Former WWF jobber Barry O is the brother of "Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr.

**Kevin Fertig (Kevin Thorne) played football at the University of Memphis.

**In addition to wrestling, Jerry Jarrett owns and runs a successful construction company.

**In 1968, Vince McMahon graduated from East Carolina State University with a degree in business administration.

**At one time, Vince McMahon approached Verne Gagne about buying the AWA from him.

**WWE paid $3 million in 2003 to acquire the AWA videotape library.

**Vince McMahon Jr. was Shane McMahon's best man for his son's 1996 marriage.

**The ladder match as invented by Dan Kroffat (not Phil Lafon) in the 1970s.

**Diana Hart (sister of Bret Hart, and the widow of the British Bulldog) is a former competitive bodybuilder.

**Hercules Hernandez wrestled as the Assassin #2 (under a mask) at the first Starrcade on November 24, 1983.

**Hernandez was the last wrestler to be managed by Freddie Blassie.

**Hernandez formed a tag team with Scott Norton called Jurassic Powers in Japan, a name given by Hercules' trainer, Hiro Matsuda.

**Former WWF manager Slick's real name is Ken Johnson.

**Eric Bischoff came up with the idea for the New World Order after seeing a Tokyo Dome show during the New Japan vs. UWFI feud.

**Former Bushwacker Luke (Williams) works on the IWA Puerto Rico creative committee.

**Koko B. Ware's bird Frankie was killed in a 2002 house fire.

**Jonathan Coachman is the all-time basketball scoring leader at McPherson College in Kansas.

**"Ragin' Bull" Manny Fernandez is the head wrestling coach at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, CA.

**Victoria once performed as a cheerleader at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii.

**Before she started in wrestling, Victoria owned a Greek restaurant in Chicago.

**Former wrestler George "The Animal" Steele played defensive tackle at Michigan State University.

**At one time, Road Warrior Hawk dated Eleanor Mondale, the daughter of the former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale.

**WWE talent agent Johnny Ace has three degrees in business and two minors, one in economics and one in computer science.

**Road Warrior Animal and Ace are brothers.

**Legion of Doom is the only tag team in wrestling history to hold the AWA, NWA, and WWF tag titles.

**Paul London took theatre classes at the University of Austin (Texas).

**Kim Woods is created with coming up with the 'loose cannon' gimmick for Brian Pillman.

**Melanie Pillman (widow of Brian Pillman) had a relationship with the Ultimate Warrior before she met Brian. Previously, Pillman had dated Terri Runnels.

**Les Thatcher produced the Melanie Pillman interview on Raw, a day after Brian Pillman had passed away.

**Pillman played for the CFL's Calgary Stampeders in 1986, but broke his ankle in the third game of the season and never played again.

**At one time, WCW had plans to use Pillman as a member of the Midnight Express.

**Jim Hellwig (Warrior) is orginally from Crawfordsville, Indiana. He attended the Life Chiropractic College in Atlanta.

**Former AWA champion Nick Bockwinkel appeared in an episode of "The Monkees."

**Jesse Ventura gave Gene Okerlund the nickname "Mean Gene."

**Japanese promoters originally created the Big Van Vader gimmick/mask for Jim Hellwig, the Ultimate Warrior.

**Hellwig studied to be a chiropractor in Atlanta.

**"Rowdy" Roddy Piper was originally hired by the WWF to be a manager.

**Red Bastien was Piper's best man at his wedding.

**Piper was Ric Flair's best man.

**In 1975, Flair was in a plane crash with Johnny Valentine, Bob Bruggers and "Mr. Wrestling" Tim Woods. Modern medical science said that he'd never wrestle again.

**From 1986-1989, Flair averaged 34 minutes per-match. In that span he had 19 matches that lasted longer than 50 minutes.

**WCW paid Flair $75,000 to give back the WCW title after he had departed to the WWF in 1991.

**Flair's first match against Hulk Hogan took place in October 1991 with the "Nature Boy" winning the contest.

**Flair was adopted.

- In WCW, Jim Herd wanted Flair to cut his hair and name him "Spartacus."

**Early in his career, Hogan teamed with "Dizzy Hogan" who would later be known as Brutus Beefcake.

**Hogan earned $1.8 million for his match against Randy Savage at Wrestlemania V.

**In 1979, Hogan earned $125 a week from the AWA.

**Hogan weighed 195 pounds at age twelve.

**Maven taught sixth grade at Twality Middle School in Oregon.

**One of the conditions of the sale of WCW to WWF was that Turner Networks agreed not to air pro wrestling until April 2006.

**"Lethal" Larry Cameron was at one time being considered by WCW to be the third member of Doom.

**Tough Enough 2 winner Linda Miles played basketball at Rutgers. She played four seasons, 1998-2001, averaging 7.6 points and 5.5 rebounds.

**A-Train (Matt Bloom) played offensive tackle at the University of Pittsburgh, 1990-1994. He majored in legal studies.

**WWE Ring announcer Lilian Garcia lived in Spain for eight years and is fluent in both English and Spanish.

**WWE CEO Linda McMahon worked as a paralegal at Washington, D.C., law firm.

**Shane McMahon was on camera at Wrestlemania VI, as a referee named Shane Stevens.

**The Dudley clan featured in ECW included the Dudley Boyz, Sign Guy Dudley, Little Snot Dudley, Dances with Dudley, Dudley Dudley, Big Dick Dudley, Chubby Dudley, and of course, Spike Dudley.

**Spike Dudley is a former third grade teacher from Rhode Island before getting into the wrestling business.

**Elektra (Donna Adamo) was once married to Big Dick Dudley.

**Stacy Keibler was once a cheerleader for the Baltimore Ravens.

**The Midnight Express theme music was originally used by Randy Savage in Kentucky. Savage later used the theme from "Fame."

**Savage signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds in 1974, and was also cut by the Chicago White Sox.

**Savage received the Harvard Lampoon's 1998 Real Man of the Year award.

**Savage bought the Gorgeous George name for his brother Lanny Poffo to use in WCW.

**Gorgeous George (real name Stephanie Bellars) spent jail time as a teenager for burglaziring a home and slashing a girl's face with a broken beer bottle.

**For a time the WWF was apart of the NWA.

**Kanyon wrestled under the ring Chris Morgan in his pro debut match.

**Chief Wahoo McDaniel once played for the New York Jets.

**Shawn Stasiak graduated from Boise State with a degree in Communications.

**Madusa trademarked her ring name in 1985.

**Lita got her tattoo in Amsterdam.

**Tammy Lynn Sytch (Sunny) attended Wellesley College where she majored in Pre-law.

**In 1990, the Black Scorpion's voice was Ole Anderson's.

**Ivory majored in journalism at the University of Southern California.

**Vito (Vito Lograsso) holds a rare victory over All Japan superstar Mitsuhara Misawa.

**Jacqueline has a black belt in Tai-Kwon-Do.

**Abdullah the Butcher owns a restaurant in Atlanta, GA called Abdullah's house of Chinese Food and Ribs.

**The WWF considered giving Dustin Rhodes a "Gunslinger" gimmick, before coming up with Goldust.

**Dustin wrestled as Dusty Rhodes Jr. during a 1989 All Japan tour.

**Test only had 15 pro matches when he made his 1998 WWF debut.

**The Maryland State Athletic Commission banned Balls Mahoney for life.

**HWA's Les Thatcher provided color commentary on Smoky Moutain Wrestling's syndicated television shows.

**Andre the Giant was the first wrestler inducted into the WWF's Hall of Fame in 1993. Members include Chief Jay Strongbow, Arnold Skaaland, Bobo Brazil, Freddie Blassie, Buddy Rogers, Gorilla Monsoon, James Dudley, the Fablous Moolah, Pedro Morales, Ivan Putski, Antonio Rocca, The Grand Wizard, George "The Animal" Steele, Ernie Ladd, Capt. Lou Albano, "Killer" Kowalaski, Baron Mikel Scicluna, Johnny & Jimmy Valiant, Johnny Rodz, Pat Patterson, Vince McMahon Sr., and Jimmy Snuka.

**The Top 5 all time U.S. Gates: 1) Wrestlemania XXVII - April 1, 2001, Houston, TX - $3,530,904, 2) Wrestlemania XIX - March 30, 2003, Seattle, WA - $2,760,035, 3) Wrestlemania XX - March 14, 2004, NY, NY - $2,400,000, 4) Wrestlemania V - April 2, 1989, Atlantic City, NJ - $1,628,000, 5) Wrestlemania III - March 29, 1987, Pontiac, MI - $1,599,000.

**The top 5 all time wrestling crowds: 1) NJPW - April 29, 1995, Pyongyang, North Korea - 170,000, 2) NJPW - April 28, 1995, Pyongyang, North Korea - 150,000, 3) WWF - March 29, 1987, Pontiac, MI - 78,000, 4) WWF - August 29, 1992, London, England - 75,000, 5) WWF - August 28, 1986, Toronto, 69,300.

**The largest crowd ever to witness a live wrestling event was in Pyongyang, North Korea. Over 190,000 fans paid to attend the "International Sports and Culture Festival for Peace" in 1995. The crowd saw Asian legend Antonio Inoki defeat Ric Flair in the main event. The largest U.S. crowd was Wrestlemania II in 1987 when the event drew just over 93,000 to the Pontiac Silverdome.

**Verne Gagne held the AWA World title for a total of 4,686 days.

**Gagne trained Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.

**Steamboat debuted as Richard Blood. He adopted the Steamboat name from ring veteran Sammy "Steamboat" Mokuahi Jr.

**Steamboat suffered his career ending back injury in a match with Steve Austin, while they were in WCW.

**When the Honkeytonk Man beat Steamboat for the IC title, he was a replacement for "The Natural" Butch Reed who was scheduled to win the gold.

**Former oddity Giant Silva (7'3") is a former member of the Brazilian Olympic basketball team.

**Abraham Lincoln actually wrestled prior to entering the White House.

**Sho Funaki is a Shawn Michaels mark. He moved to San Antonio, Texas just to live in the same town as HBK.

**In the summer of 1995, Kurt Angle failed in a tryout to make the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League.

**Dr. David Schultz trained Angle for amateur wrestling.

**Chris Jericho competed in Mexico as Corazon de Leon, which is Spanish for "Lionheart."

**Steve Austin learned the art of the interveiw from Brian Pillman. Austin has admitted numerous times that his speaking ability was perfected by Pillman who constantly gave him pointers and advice.
**Austin was fired after refusing to do a job for The Renegade.

**Austin is an antique collecter.

**Austin was born Steve Anderson in Austin, Texas.

**Austin worked on a loading dock prior to entering wrestling.

**Austin has a commercial driver's license.

**Austin played defensive tackle at North Texas State. In his senior, he recorded 55 tackles, 4 sacks, and an interception.

**Debra was introduced to Steve McMichael through Mongo's mother.

**Debra once studied acting at the world-famous Lee Strasberg Institute in New York.

**Jerry Saggs (Jerry Segenowich) of the Nasty Boys suffered a career ending injury from a Scott Hall chair shot.

**Hall earned a premed degree from the college of William & Mary.

**Bobby Eaton is married to Bill Dundee's daughter.

**In 1987, Benoit wrestled as "Dynamite" Chris Benoit in honor of his childhood hero, the Dynamite Kid.

**In addition to training at Stu Hart's Dungeon, Benoit also trained in the Orient at New Japan's Dojo.

**Former Horsemen manager J.J. Dillon was an English teacher before breaking into the wrestling business.

**The WWF hired Bobby "The Brain" Heenan to manage Jesse "The Body" Ventura.

**Diamond Dallas Page credits Bobby "The Brain" Heenen for coming up with the name Diamond cutter.

**Joe E. Legend was Rhyno's best man at his May 2000 wedding.

**Prior to entering the squared circle, Steve Corino worked in a milk processing plant in Philadelphia.

**Washington Redskins head coach George Allen once offered Andre the Giant a contract to play professional football.

**Andre the Giant drank fourteen bottles of wine before his match with Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania III.

**The Rock is a skilled light tackle salt water fisherman.

**The Peoples Eyebrow was first named the "Heat Brow". The Rock called it that in college, but he changed the name do to the fact that the name didn't catch on.

**The Rock the first African American to hold the WWF Championship.

**The Rock's wife Dany is the Associate Vice President of Merrill Lynch.

**Demolition Ax (Bill Eadie) is a former school teacher.

**The Big Bossman was a prison guard in Georgia.

**Dusty Rhodes played college football at West Texas.

**Tito Santana played in the Canadian Football League.

**Lex Luger played college football at Penn State and at the University of Miami, FL. He was an offensive lineman.

**Luger played in the CFL for the Montreal Alouettes.

**Haku once wrestled as jobbber Larry Hurst.

**Sharmell Sullivan (Paisley) is a former Miss Black America.

**The original idea for UPN's "Smackdown" was for an all women wrestling show.

**Kevin Nash was a doorman/bouncer at a Michigan night club before entering the wrestling business.

**Nash introduced Shawn Michaels to his wife, the former Nitro Girl Whisper (Rebecca Curci).

**In 1991, Nash played Super Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2.

**Disco Inferno was released from his WCW contract in '97 after refusing to do the job for Jacquelin. He returned to the promotion later in the year only after agreeing to wrestle her. However, Ted Turner had a 'no man against woman violence' clause on his networks. So Disco had to avoid making physical contact with her throughout the entire match.

**Bad News Brown used the name "The Ultimate Warrior" before Jim Hellwig.

**"Sweet" Stan Lane is the only wrestler ever trained by Ric Flair.

**Del Wilks sold the rights to the Patriot gimmick to Tom Brandi.

**Simon Diamond was a catcher on the Virginia Commonwealth baseball team for three years but then he got hurt and that ended his baseball career. He did eventually go back to college and get his degree in English.

**Bruce Hart gave Wayne Farris The Honkey Tonk Man name.

**Chyna majored in Spanish Literature at University of Tampa.

**Jimmy Hart thought of the 3 Count gimmick.

**Hart and Jerry Lawler attended the same high school in Memphis (not at the same time).

**Chris Ford (Crowbar) is also a Physical Therapist.

**J.J. Dillon and Vince McMahon thought of the Model gimmick for Rick Martel.

**Martel is a gourmet chef.

**Konnan briefly appeared in the WWF as "Max Moon" in 1992. Konnan played the role of the man who hailed from "outer space" for a single WWF Superstars TV taping. The role was continued by Paul Diamond.

**The Warlord (real name Terry Szopinski) was forced to retire following a 1996 car accident involving a Pizza Hut delivery carrier. A lawsuit is depending.

**Al Snow is well trained in martial arts, mat grappling, free style, hardcore, and shoot-fight wrestling.

**"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan got the idea of bringing a 2x4 to the ring from the movie, "Walking Tall."

**Dick the Bruiser actually gave Bobby Heenan the nickname "The Weasel."

**Glen Jacobs (Kane) has degrees in English and Teaching.

**Former WWF announcer Craig DeGeorge is now the number one sports anchor for an NBC affiliate in Miami and now uses his given name, Craig Minnervni.

**Mike Awesome and Horace Hogan are cousins (Awesome and Hulk Hogan are not related).

**Two days before WrestleMania 9, Hogan was injured in a jet-ski accident. That explains the shiner he had when he wrestled at WrestleMania 9.

**Silver King and Dr. Wagner Jr. are brothers.

**That before Mark Henry joined the WWF, he was actually sponsored by Titan Sports during the 1996 Olympic's in which he competed in the sport of weight lifting.

**Terry Funk first announced his retirement in 1983.

**Funk is Jason Hervey's Godfather.

**Steve 'Mongo' McMichael was one of Lawrence Taylor's backup men during his match against Bam Bam Bigelow at Wrestlemania XI.

**Bigelow opened a "Bam Bam Bigelow Deli" in Hamlin, PA.

**D'Lo Brown began his career as the "head of security" for the Gangstas in Smokey Mountain Wrestling. He later debuted in the WWF as one of the many members of Faarooq's Nation of Domination entourage.

**Brown is a certified accountant.

**Former Nitro Girl Fyre (Teri Byrne) attended Arizona State University, and used to be a mortgage home broker.

**Dawn Marie appeared in the original Austin Powers MTV special as one of the go-go dancers and actually had a couple of speaking lines

**Chris Chetti was the first man to graduate from ECW's School of Hardcore.

**Tazz and Chetti are cousins.

**Paul Wight (The Big Show) played college basketball at Wichita State.

**Nicole Bass's married name is Fuchs.

**Rick Rude still held half of the NWA tag titles when he signed with the WWF (the NWA later claimed that the Rock 'n' Roll Express regained those titles in a match that never actually took place).

**Jerry Jarrett brought Rude to Memphis, and gave him the nickname "Ravishing."

**Rude, for a time, was managed by his sister Raven in the World Class promotion.

**Rude was the only foreign talent to make the finals of G-1 Tournament in Japan.

**Rude worked as a bouncer at Gramma B's in Minneapolis before he was discovered, working with the Road Warriors and Barry Darshow.

**Rude was trained by Eddie Sharkey, who also trained the Road Warriors, Barry Darsow, and Nikita Koloff.

**The original Midnight Express was a six man tag team in Alabama, consisting of Dennis Condrey, Randy Rose, and Norvell Austin.

**The British Bulldog (Davey Boy Smith) paid the WWF $100,000 to get out of his contract to leave for WCW.

**Tom "Dynamite Kid" Billington despises his cousin Davey Boy Smith so much, he can't bring himself to say his name.

**The Dynamite Kid left the WWF because he got into a backstage brawl with former Quebecer Jacques Rougeau.

**Emiko Kado, 23, suffered a brain injury that ended her life in only her 15th professional match.

*Mike Tenay is credited with coming up with the idea of Bill Goldberg's WCW winning streak.

**Goldberg's mother is a concert violinist.

**Goldberg, Missy Hyatt, Giant Bernard, Raven, Madusa, and Dean Malenko are all Jewish.

**Larry Zbyszko and Jimmy Garvin are licensed pilots.

**Justin Credible first competed in the WWF as both P.J. Walker and "The Portuguese Man O' War" Aldo Montoya. He also briefly became the third member of PG-13, going by the name P.G. Walker.

**Buff Bagwell, before becoming a wrestler was a model, exotic dancer and acted in a few adult movies.

**Bagwell had calf implants in 1995 but they later leaked and had to be removed.

**Seventeen months is the age gap between the Steiner Brothers. They have a sister named Crystal.

**Leatherface caused the scar on Mick Foley's left arm.

**Shawn Michaels is a huge Garth Brooks fan.

**Michaels and Marty Jannetty won the WWF tag team title from Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart in October of 1990 at a taping for Saturday Night's Main Event. Neidhart had been fired and was filling contractual obligations, which including jobbing the tag titles to another team. In what should have been a minor point, the top rope broke at one point during the match. The Rockers defended the titles for a week after that, but then Neidhart was re-hired by the WWF, and Vince McMahon decided that the title change never actually happened, in one of the goofier decisions of the 90s, and one of many to affect the careers of Shawn and Bret. As an explanation, a story was sent to Pro Wrestling Illustrated about the rope break causing an "unfair working environment" for both teams, and hence the title reign was annulled. This was simply to cover up for the fact that they reported the title change as fact a week prior and needed a reason to no longer report it as such. The title change was edited out of the Main Event broadcast, and thus went down in history that the Rockers never had the belt.

**Michael's "Boy Toy" theme debuted on St. Valentine's Day '92.

**Vader knows how to play the Piano.

**Vader played offensive lineman at the University of Colorado.

**Vader, Genichiro Tenryu, and Keiji Mutoh (the Great Muta) are the only three men to capture both the All Japan Triple Crown and the IWGP World Heavyweight titles.

**Sgt. Slaughter's character was portrayed in the cartoon G.I. JOE.

**Road Dogg Jesse James (BG James) fought in Desert Storm.

**Before becoming a wrestler, Sean Morley (Val Venis) used to race Motocross.

**Ahmed Johnson played in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys.

**Faarooq (Ron Simmons) was an All American linebacker at Florida State University.

**Simmons was cut by the Cleveland Browns.

**Terri was a hair stylist for the Larry King show prior to wrestling.

**Raven was a manager in the WWF that went by the name Johnny Polo. Under this name he managed the Quebecers and Adam Bomb. He left the WWF because he wanted to wrestle, not do office stuff.

**Tom Pritchard and Bruce Pritchard (aka Brother Love) are brothers.

**Gangrel and Luna Vachon are married.

**Duane Gill and Barry Hardy made up the team called The Executioners in the WWF in the early 90s.

**In the RAW tag team tournament of summer 1997, Jerry Lawler teamed with Rob Van Dam.

**The Honkytonk Man and Lawler are cousins, and do not get along.

**Van Dam has an unique weightlifting record of doing a split across two benches and lifting a 200 lbs. Dumbbell.

**King of the Ring started as an idea for an annual stadium show in the Boston area after being created by local radio host Eddie Andelman.

*Eddy Guerrero did the frog splash as a tribute to his fallen tag team Art Barr, who used it as his finishing move.

**The Gobbledygooker was Hector Guerrero in a chicken suit.

**Gori Guerrero invented the camel clutch.

**Jim Londos is credited with the invention of the sleeper hold.