CHIKARA has released their latest Podcast-A-Go-Go, this time highlighting the complete match between trainee, Saturyne and Joshi talent, Kagetsu from the promotions stop in Manhattan earlier this year.
You can check out the match below by skipping to the 1:10 mark:
In other CHIKARA related news, Saturyne will also be squaring off against Tim Donst in a First Time Ever” showing as the company heads to Indianapolis, IN on Saturday, August 18th for their “Ring of Wax” event.
You can order tickets to the show by clicking here.
Former WWE Diva Maryse has launched her new business, House of Maryse, a collection of jewelry designed by herself and veteran jewelry designer, Leslie Homan.
Several pieces, including necklaces, rings and earrings, are available for sale via the official House of Maryse website.
The former Divas Champion is seen modelling the various pieces in photography on the website.
An official statement for House of Maryse reads:
During my 6 years with the WWE, I met a lot of people, but one in particular with who I developed a close friendship, Leslie Homan, an accomplished jewelry designer, who’s line Femme Metale “Sterling Jewelry That Rocks”™ is sold worldwide. Leslie and I would talk for hours about all things style related and decided to join forces. My vision wasn’t just a dream anymore. Everything started from there, just like that … House Of Maryse was born!
Its been a long road since my very first fashion runway project in high school in 1998, but I always loved to make statements. I am not afraid to be out there and that’s what House of Maryse is all about. Its bold, edgy, screams sexy, and is for the daring woman, who is strong, independent and proud. When you wear House of Maryse, you are making a statement.
What do you think of Maryse’s jewelery? Would you purchase? Tell us in the comments!
It seems that Diva fans may be one step closer to finally attaining some sort of merchandise related solely to the females, as WWE has begun surveying fans on which potential DVD titles they would be interested in purchasing.
The said list includes an option that raises our eyebrow, “The Top 20 Divas in History”.
If selected, this would be the first Divas DVD in six years. The last came in 2006 with “Divas Do New York”, highlighting the Divas of that time partaking in photoshoots as they usually did each year, but with matches and segments included as bonus features as well.
Would you be interested in a Top 20 Divas in History DVD? Sound off in the comments!
That question may seem perplexing to starved WWE — and to an extent, TNA — fans, but beyond the realm of Divas and Knockouts, there is a wide range of women’s wrestling to be consumed on an independent level. To this writer, it’s always perplexing when fans say they want women’s wrestling but aren’t willing to look beyond the mainstream for it — especially in this day and age, when it could be argued that there may be toomuch women’s wrestling.
When we first launched Diva Dirt in 2008, the most notable independent female promotions were SHIMMER and WSU. The pair were by and large the two predominant promotions around; both enjoyed success by offering an alternative to the women’s wrestling on television, and by having few competitors. While women’s promotions weren’t completely unheard of in the new millennium before SHIMMER came along (ChickFight predated both it and WSU), SHIMMER was perhaps the most well known. WSU would nip at its heels with a product more rough around the edges, until 2010 when it ultimately helped change the women’s wrestling landscape for good. (More on that later.) Fast forward to 2012 and it’s hard to keep count of the number of promotions available. And with the recent announcements of another newbie, the unfortunately titled BLOW, and Amber O’Neal‘s ArenaChicks expanding into the Internet pay per view territory, I can’t help but ponder if too much of a good thing is, well, a bad thing?
Perhaps spurred by the successes of existing promotions, we’ve seen new additions to the women’s wrestling portfolio grow at an exponential rate; some competing alongside SHIMMER and WSU in the United States (SHINE, ArenaChicks, AIW’s Girls Night Out are notable), and others being more territory-based such as Europe’s Pro-Wrestling: EVE and Montreal’s NCW Femmes Fatales. Of course, this concept isn’t just exclusive to women’s wrestling: you see a hit TV show, the following year you’ll see multiple similar shows (and even this website has inspired countless similar ones over the years).
While, in theory, it’s great to have all of this women’s wrestling to watch, can the already small, niche audience handle all of the products available and aren’t promoters losing out because of all of the competition?
That latter question may be better answered by a promoter. In fact, it will, so watch this space for an exclusive column from EVE promoter Dann Read. But as for the first question, I personally cannot find myself keeping up with all of the different products out there (as much as I would like to). Most of us have a job and/or a household to run, so then, who has the time or money to watch everything? Between SHIMMER, WSU, Femmes Fatales, Girls Night Out, ArenaChicks, EVE, and all the newcomers vying for our attention, it’s probable that the majority of fans will be more selective in choosing which promotions they give their time and money to. This has a knock-on effect; some promoters who previously had a fan’s custom may no longer have it. On an independent level, this could be the difference between life and death due to the cyclical nature of the business: independent promotions rely on ticket, DVD and iPPV sales to fund their next shows. It also means that the wrestlers, who may be enjoying all of the extra bookings right now, may soon lose out, too, as — you guessed it — those sales also help pay their booking fees.
It’s almost ironic that the very medium which helped grow the niche that is independent women’s wrestling — the Internet — may be the very reason it becomes an oversaturated, bloated marketplace. With the advent of the Internet pay per view and video on demand in wrestling, there’s more choice and more product than ever. Again, it seems that, spurred by the success of WSU, which in my estimation changed the game female-wise for wrestling with its move into the iPPV market, more promotions are trying their hand and giving fans more choice than, really, they know what to do with. With SHINE running every month, EVE making its iPPV debut this year (full disclosure: in conjunction with Diva Dirt), ArenaChicks expanding into the field, and newcomer BLOW launching via iPPV later this year, I can’t help but feel someone is going to miss out. While I was happy to drop a certain amount every few months for WSU when it was the sole female event on iPPV, with all of the new entries, do the majority of fans have the time or money to consume every iPPV available to them? Well, I guess we’ll find out, but the likely answer is ‘No’.
Another aspect to consider is the crossover of talent between different promotions. With the same talent appearing in several different promotions, playing several different characters, it’s difficult to keep up with the talent, too. And frankly, some of us don’t want to keep up. The gutsy, heart-of-a-champion Mercedes Martinez I know and love from WSU is not the same Mercedes Martinez you see in SHIMMER or SHINE, and if you watch all three promotions, juggling two to three different versions of Mercedes Martinez is a hassle. More problematic than Martinez (for me, anyway) is getting used to seeing SHINE’s version of Allysin Kay in a group that isn’t the one that made her famous in WSU: the Midwest Militia. Instead, I’m seeing her as part of a new duo, Made in Sin. It doesn’t quite compute after seeing her as one third of arguably the best group to come along in women’s wrestling in some time, a group that took the scene by storm in 2011. Would I rather not see more of the Midwest Militia? Granted, each promotion wants to tell their own stories and create their own characters for the talent, and that’s understandable, but fans again have a choice — they can decide to stick to seeing one version of the talent they like, which means other promotions using the same talent in a different role may miss out on their custom.
Can you have too much of a good thing? In this case, I’m beginning to feel you can. The amount of promotions and product popping up is becoming overwhelming, and if women’s wrestling reaches that dreaded saturation point, I can’t help but feel that everyone — from promoters, to wrestlers, to fans — will lose out.
What do you think of this issue? What are your viewing habits? Tell us in the comments or via Twitter (@divadirt)!
Former TNA Knockouts Champion, Gail Kim‘s wedding to celebrity chef Robert Irvine will be featured in a television special on Food Network, where Irvine fronts several programs.
Wedding Impossible, a special spin-off episode of his TV shows Restaurant Impossible and Dinner Impossible, will air Saturday, August 18th at 10pm on Food Network.
The synopsis for the show reads:
When he’s not rescuing a restaurant, Restaurant: Impossible’s host Robert Irvine is busy planning the wedding of a lifetime: his own. And you’re invited! This first-time departure for Food Network gives viewers an intimate look into the personal life of their star chef Robert Irvine as he gets ready to marry wrestling star and entertainer Gail Kim. Featuring some of the biggest names in food and set against one of the most magnificent backdrops in the country, Napa Valley, Robert will introduce us to his family, his friends and allow us to be a part of one of the most important moments of his life.
The pair’s wedding is also featured in a spread in the September issue of Food Network Magazine.
TNA President Dixie Cartertweeted some snaps of the feature which you can check out below.
More shocking news has been revealed regarding WWE Diva Rosa Mendes, real name Milena Roucka, who we reported earlier this week had reported to police an alleged assault by her fiancé Andy Slocum, aka former WWE talent Jackson Andrews.
TMZ is reporting that another woman is claiming to have also been engaged to Slocum and received a shock upon hearing about the alleged assault when news broke on Monday.
Fans hoping to see Sarita back in TNA (we sure do!) may have to hold out a while longer — she’s heading to Japan for two months.
The sorely underutilized Knockout announced via Facebook that she will be taking part in a two-month stay in Japan while competing for STARDOM.
She wrote:
I’m very excited to announce that in less than 2 weeks I’ll be leaving for a 2 month tour of Japan with STARDOM, and to compete in the 5 STAR GP2012 tournament. I’ll miss you, Mexico!
Sarita hasn’t been seen in TNA for a number of months. Meanwhile, her storyline cousin, Rosita, who has also been absent from TV, recently worked TNA house shows.
You wanted Divas, and you finally got them on last night’s episode of Monday Night Raw. However, not naming names — ahemTwitter — but apparently that’s still not enough to satiate the Diva fandom. When they’re off TV, not happy; “OMG, no Divas match?!” When they return, still not happy; “That match was awful and I’d rather they weren’t on TV at all”. Perhaps it’s true, people just enjoy having something to bitch about.
Nonetheless, the action came thick and fast last night as we got plenty of segments featuring our very own little bright star, AJ (now featuring last name) Lee, wielding her General Manager power in several segments. Plus, we also saw the return of in-ring action for the women as Kelly Kelly returned from a two month hiatus (though for different reasons than Randy Orton’s recent two month hiatus) against bad girl, Eve.
Out first, making her big comeback is Kelly Kelly to nice applause from the crowd and she’s put over by the commentators too, which I think is a nice touch for her return. Kelly’s former bestie, Eve, is out next and can I just say how much I love heel Eve Torres? From her little mischievous smile and her confident strut down the ramp, Eve has really done a good job adjusting her entrance for her heel character.
As Eve ever so nonchalantly leans against the ropes, the bell rings and we’re underway. Eve and Kelly exchange some words and it looks like Eve is ready to make her exit, but as she steps through the ropes, Kelly grabs a handful of hair and brings her back to reality by slamming her against the mat. K2 with a Thesz Press (complete with patented scream — you know you’ve missed it!) followed by some forearms. In the corner, Kelly nails Eve against the middle turnbuckle and lays in some kicks before riling up the crowd for another signature move, the handspring! In her finest display of Olympian gymnastics, Kelly hits a handspring butt-bump that would make Gabby Douglas proud. With Eve slumped in the corner, Kelly tries to follow up with a stinkface but Eve is having none of it. The devious Diva simply exits the ring freeing herself from the clutches of K2’s ass-sets.
Eve again looks like she’s about ready to hightail it (who does she think she is? Madonna at a Paris concert?) but the newly-recharged Kelly is right behind her. K2 plants a hefty slap on Eve before whipping her into the barricade. Yes, indeed! A spot on the outside on Raw. We don’t see those anymore.
As Eve makes ouchy with the barrier, Kelly tries to get the action back in the ring, tossing Eve back in and climbing up to the top turnbuckle. Kelly with a nice crossbody for a two count but no three.
Eve reverses a whip attempt into the corner, but Kelly uses her agility to scale the turnbuckle and has Eve in a headscissors predicament, but Eve instead slams Kelly down to the canvas front-first in a move that is bound to take the wind out of the former champ.
Torres with kicks to Kelly followed by choking her out over the bottom rope. Eve then applies a chokehold while sitting on the top turnbuckle, but breaks the hold before the referee can reach his five count. Eve continues to apply a chokehold on K2 as they are both in a grounded position, but the crowd soon wills Kelly to fight back.
Kelly hits Eve with some forearms, breaking out of the hold, but Eve then hits her with a knee to the stomach. Eve whips Kelly into the ropes for a back-body drop, but Kelly manages to stop her momentum and hits her with a kick to the face before applying a hurricanrana into a pin for the victory.
So, Kelly is victorious in her first match back on Raw and Divas matches once again return. Of course, we have to start somewhere and this seemed like a good a place as any to start. Hopefully over the next few weeks WWE will incorporate more Divas into the show and create some semblance of a women’s division again. They have the time, they have the women — they just need the opportunity. There’s plenty of time to create a storyline around the Divas Title, to put on some decent matches and develop the Divas’ various characters. As Layla and Natalya showed on Superstars last week, the Divas can rise to the occasion.
As for the match, it obviously wasn’t a five-star classic and if anyone was miraculously expecting those when the Divas returned to Raw, you probably need to manage your expectations better. It was a decent match and it got more a little bit more time than we were used to on two hour episodes of Raw.
Things aren’t going to change overnight and it’s not going to be perfect the first week out; I would like to see the Divas get a few more minutes on a weekly basis, and as I said before, some sort of storyline. But as a start point? Well, this is probably the longest match Raw has seen Diva-wise all year.
There was plenty of AJ on this week’s Raw, but rather than recap every little thing she did, I’m just going to discuss my favorite bits!
AJ popping back into the scene with that little look on her face when Alberto Del Rio said the word “crazy” was priceless. I love how her demeanor can change at the drop of the hat, and it’s a testament to AJ’s acting that she really makes these backstage segments fun to watch.
And talk about insane chemistry. I feel like one day we’re all going to look back at the scenes between AJ and Daniel Bryan and hailing them as a gold standard for all future Diva/Superstar segments. Their chemistry and timing is brilliant. The little “Yes”/”No” off at the end of this segment was absolutely my highlight of Raw. Just fantastic!
What did you think of Raw this week? Shout it out in the comments, Twitter, Tout, Toot, Hoot, or whatever other social media network WWE has discovered this week.
The woman of a thousand costumes, Leva Bates has recorded a video in which she issues a challenge to a fellow roster member for SHINE Wrestling’s second show on August 17.
SHINE 2 will be held at The Orpheum in Ybor City, Florida and will be available for viewing via iPPV at www.wwnlive.com.
Due to AIW’s newly introduced point system, Hailey Hatred‘s impressive 8-0 win streak would have meant she would be next in line for a shot at Allysin Kay‘s Women’s Championship. Alas, this is not to be – in a new Tumblr post, Hailey says she is choosing to defer her AIW Women’s title shot because she has accepted an offer to immediately return to Japan.
To the fans, roster and management of GNO,The Girls Night Out concept was an idea I had in 2009, as a way to bring some much-deserved attention to the growing number of talented female pro wrestlers. This event was designed to exclusively feature women of various size, strength, athleticism and experience. If all went well, AIW would provide up and coming athletes a stage on which to breakout, while allowing veterans the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of a wider audience. The idea was pitched during a meeting with the AIW Office, and given the green light. After the original GNO event took place, AIW added it as a semi-regular show.Here we are in 2012, and the announcement was just made to expand GNO. In fact, as I’m writing this, GNO has become so successful, it’s now it’s own brand. The success isn’t just measured in ticket sales or DVD sales, but GNO has become an important career point, providing necessary exposure. Now, with the new point system being added, having an 8-0 record qualifies me for the next GNO title shot. I’ve held that championship before, and wore the belt with pride. But, my vision for GNO has always been bigger than just being the champ. I want others to have this great opportunity, so I’m deferring my title shot. In order for GNO to continue growing and progressing, new stars need to step in and I can’t stand in their way. A few hours before my match with Sara Del Rey at #GNO7, I accepted an offer to immediately return to Japan. As I board my flight, I just want to say how proud I am of everyone involved with Girls Night Out and I’d like to thank AIW for taking my idea and running with it.Sayonara,Hailey
The next in line in win/loss records would be “Crazy” Mary Dobson.
Interestingly enough, the day after she defeated Sara Del Rey at AIW’s Girls Night Out 7 for her eighth straight victory in AIW competition, she competed for the Remix Pro Women’s Championship – and won. Sassy Stephie had won the title from Sara Del Rey earlier in the evening.
Former Divas Champion Kelly Kelly commented on her return to WWE after a nearly three month absence on last night’s episode of Raw.
K2 returned to Raw for the first time since May defeating Eve Torres.
Kelly tweeted: “So happy to be back on raw 2night an trending worldwide made it even better we have the best fans in the world thank u #k2krew love you guys”.
Along with Kelly’s return, fans also saw the end of the Diva drought with Divas matches returning to Raw for the first time in some weeks.
TNA may not have seen the last of Velvet Sky yet, this according to a new report from PWInsider.
They claim that shortly after Velvet received her release paperwork from the company, she received a call from TNA President Dixie Carter, querying her as to what it would take to bring her back to TNA.
Although as of writing, Velvet has not signed a new deal, PWInsider says that there were people within TNA that were allegedly quite upset upon learning Sky had been officially released, citing the recent music video she had just shot through the company for Montgomery Gentry (“So Called Life”) and the time TNA had put into developing her as a personality for the company as examples.
Velvet has already accepted a number of independent bookings since her TNA release, including a match for Family Wrestling Entertainment in Brooklyn, NY, where she’ll reunite with her Beautiful People tag team partner Angelina Love, to take on Maria Kanellis and Winter.
There was an incident involving WWE Diva Rosa Mendes — real name Milena Roucka — at the San Antonio International Airport in the last 24 hours, but not the rumor that has been making the rounds.
False rumors have been circulating this afternoon that Mendes was arrested after coming off a flight that landed in San Antonio, the site of tonight’s Monday Night Raw taping. However, a representative for the San Antonio Police Department tells us that Rosa was not arrested, rather she was the victim of a crime.
In a phone call to Diva Dirt, an officer for the SAPD confirms that Rosa was the victim of an assault in Las Vegas prior to flying out to San Antonio for tonight’s taping.
The report states that after landing in San Antonio, Rosa was spotted visibly upset in a public bathroom at the San Antonio International Airport. A concerned female passerby called the police on her behalf.
Pictures of her injuries were taken by the SAPD, according to the report, and she was given courtesy transportation to her hotel in San Antonio.
The officer reiterates that there is no mention of the alleged arrest for intoxication in the report.
UPDATE: TMZ has reported more details on the incident, reporting that the suspect in the assault is Mendes’ fiance, former WWE star Jackson Andrews.
WWE also released a statement to TMZ on the incident:
Milena Roucka contacted a WWE Talent Relations representative this morning to notify WWE that, upon her arrival in San Antonio last evening, she contacted police at the airport to report alleged domestic abuse that occurred just prior to her flight. WWE is supportive of Rosa and will provide her with professional assistance.
At its root, wrestling has always been about good vs evil, bad guys vs good guys — or in our case, bad girls vs good girls.
In a brand new feature at Diva Dirt, we want you to help us pick wrestling’s best mean girl. Now, there is a clear distinction between a mean girl and your regular “heel”. When we say “mean girl” we refer to the women in wrestling who were feisty, vindictive, acid-tongued and bitchy! They may not necessarily be the toughest, or the baddest, but they certainly had tons of personality.
Mean girls like LayCool and the Beautiful People have certainly left their mark, and who can forget the likes of Stephanie McMahon? We want you to help us determine which of these Regina Georges is the best mean girl in wrestling.
Submit your nominations in the comments below and we’ll use your ideas, as well as our own list, to pick 16 mean girls (groups/duos count as one), and then the fun really begins in a bracket tournament to whittle the list down to just one ultimate mean girl!
So what are you waiting for? Skedaddle to the comments and start suggesting!
Former WWE star Kharma has revealed that she is working on dropping weight and working on launching a reality show.
Kharma, who was released by WWE recently, tells TMZ that she had put on a lot of weight during her pregnancy last year and feels that the “extra pounds caused her health to suffer and may have contributed to the miscarriage”.
She adds that following the miscarriage, she gained more weight — citing depression. It’s hinted that the weight gain may be why WWE let her go.
The website reports that Kharma has gotten serious about losing weight and is shopping around a reality show documenting her weight loss journey.
Former WWE and ECW star Dawn Marie has issued a video statement to discuss some of the recent controversies surrounding her charity, Wrestler’s Rescue.
The charity recently came under fire from former WWE star Kamala, who alleged that Wrestler’s Rescue had been collecting donations on his behalf but had not sent him any payments, a claim that Dawn and Wrestler’s Rescue deny.
Kamala had both of his legs amputated due to complicates with diabetes.
Results from the show are coming to you thanks to @DaveMuscarella on Twitter.
* Sassy Stephie vs. Athena to open the show. Both Cherry Bomb (Athena’s original opponent) and Leah Von Dutch (Stephie’s original opponent) are not in attendance. Athena wins the match with the O-Face.
* Trash Cassidy vs. ThunderKitty is up next. This match was requested by the fans. Cassidy’s use of a chair backfired when ThunderKitty kicked it into her face to get the win.
* Annie Social and Nikki St. John are teaming up to take on Miss Heidi and Angel Dust in tag action. Social and St. John are called “The Social Network”. Heidi tagged in a worn out Angel Dust, whom was immediately rolled up by Nikki St. John to score the victory for “The Social Network”. Post-match, Heidi turned on Angel Dust to join Social and St. John’s team!
* Melanie Cruise vs. Kimber Lee up next. Kimber Lee wins after Cruise misses a top rope leg drop.
* Pondo Rules Match: “Crazy” Mary Dobson vs. Lil Naughty. Dobson wins after use of thumbtacks. “The Social Network” attack Mary post-match. They declare that they are here to take over AIW’s women’s division.
* Veda Scott vs. Courtney Rush is the first match back after clean-up. Veda Scott is accompanied by Greg Iron. Scott eventually wins with a lot of assist from Iron.
* Hailey Hatred def. Sara Del Rey with a running power bomb in a “great match” that lasted roughly twenty minutes. This match extends Hailey’s winning streak in AIW.
* A pink steel cage is being set up for the Allysin Kay vs. Mia Yim Steel Cage Match.
* AIW Women’s Championship/Steel Cage Match: Allysin Kay (c) retains the title after a submission on top of the cage. Kay and Yim receive a standing ovation for their efforts.
Hola, and welcome to this weeks Superstars Redux. This should’ve been our third week together, but two weeks ago they decided to cut a mixed tag involving Layla and Aksana… and then last week they also cut a match between Layla and Natalya. Luckily for whatever reason, the match was filmed again this week and actually aired. I don’t know what we’ve done to deserve such a gift of one of their matches not being edited out, but let’s just soak it in because we may not see any more for a while!
Following the entrances of both Natalya and Tiffany… er, Layla, the bell sounds and we get things underway with this non-title match. Nattie shoves the Champion back early on and proceeds to simply sit on her for a pinfall attempt, but Layla fights out and does not amuse our anvilette. She smacks Layla, and follows it up with an Irish Whip that the champion counters into a nice crucifix type roll up. Natalya kips up, as Layla continues to keep the control with a side headlock. She then starts to channel her inner freakin Costa Rican by shaking her chest around in forms of dance, but Natalya wants all business in the ring. A drop toe hold follows suit, proceeded by a slap on the butt and some added dancing as Layla decides to get down. Nattie attempts a clothesline, but Layla ducks and hits a facebuster. Some kicks follow up, before Layla leaps off the ropes with a crossbody for a two.
Natalya climbs out to the ring apron and screams that she doesn’t have to put up with this… allowing Layla to use her assets and knock Nattie off to the outside. A kick to the head later and the crowd gets behind Layla. She goes for a baseball slide, but Natalya smartly traps her into the ring skirt and goes to town. She tosses her back inside and slams Layla down by the hair, before dropping our champion face first for a two count. Nattie steps on Layla’s hand and then locks in a bow & arrow submission. Layla looks to be in danger, but she soon rolls through into a pin for a two count. Layla with a roll up for another two, as Natalya levels her with a discus clothesline. She begins to throw a tantrum while then going for a suplex, but Layla counters out and hits a huge kick to the skull for the win!
Thoughts: It feels weird to have an actual Divas match to recap… but I really enjoyed this bout between Layla and Natalya. With who was involved though, there was never any doubt in my mind that I wouldn’t. I’ve said it before, but Natalya is THE Diva when it comes to actual wrestling ability for me. I honestly believe she could wrestle her own cat, Gismo, and put on a match of the year candidate. She can work anyone and put on a great showing, sort of like being the equivalent of a female Daniel Bryan. To be honest I can’t even pinpoint either of them having a bad match. Layla, for me, is also at her best she’s ever been with ring work. It’s a shame that her title reign has been so awful when she’s so good in her own right, but there’s nothing you, me, or anyone who isn’t in charge of WWE can do about it. I think that it’s commendable to see Layla stepping up her game with any chance she gets. Given how poorly her reign as Divas Champion has been treated, I wouldn’t have been surprised to see her become sort of stagnant since she never gets opportunities to go out and entertain. But this match showed that Layla does capitalize on every second she gets to perform. She continues to add new moves to her repertoire, and is even attempting to show personality and character throughout the match, which is something a lot of faces don’t get to do since they have all of twenty seconds to do a match.
I’m also really glad the match didn’t get cut for once. We’ll never know if it actually would’ve had the fire not prevented WWE from taping any Superstars matches Monday, but maybe count that as a blessing in disguise because I know I was disappointed when their match got cut last week. I still wish this could’ve been an actual feud that lead to them facing off on a Pay Per View, because really if you give them an even bigger stage and more time, these two could have an even more fantastic match. Natalya is who I wish WWE would go for in a feud with Layla, but I highly doubt they will now since Layla just beat her cleanly here. I still see Eve being next in line when they decide the Divas can start appearing on Raw, and I’d be perfectly fine with that as well. Regardless, I feel whoever is next in line to challenge Layla will be the one to dethrone her due to a severe lack of heel options so let’s hope it’s someone who will get a worthwhile run with the belt!
Several matches have been announced for SHINE Wrestling’s second show, which will take place at The Orpheum in Ybor City, Florida on August 17. Once more, the internet pay-per-view can be ordered online at www.wwnlive.com.
In 2011, she became one of the hottest American exports to Japan — Hailey Hatred at one point held six championships at one time.
Though originally from the US, her move to Japan — where she made history as the first “gaijin” (foreigner) to win the prestigious JWP Openweight Championship — arguably helped propel her stock in her native America and all around the world. Now recognized alongside Sara Del Rey and others as one of the finest female wrestlers in all the land, veteran Hatred has truly arrived.
This weekend she faces off against Del Rey in something of a dream match in what is rumored to be one of Del Rey’s final independent stops before joining WWE. The match takes place at Absolute Intense Wrestling’s Girls Night Out 7 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Hatred talks to us about the match, her start in wrestling, move to Japan, SHIMMER and much more in this exclusive chat.
You can stream the interview below or right-click here and select ‘Save Target As’ to download to your computer.
[audio:http://melanierob.me/haileyhatred.mp3]
Be sure to catch Hailey Hatred in action at AIW’s Girls Night Out 7 on Saturday, August 4th. More details here.
Why hello world, and welcome to this week’s momentous Impact Write Up. Last time we left you, it was announced that this weeks show would feature a fatal four way match to determine the next contender for Brooke Tessmacher‘s Knockouts Championship. The competitors you ask? A vengeful former champion looking to reclaim her spot atop the Knockout throne, Gail Kim; a killer queen who’s not afraid to break your heart and tear it apart just to watch you scream, Madison Rayne; a southern gal who needs no introduction other than the two simple words, Haaaaaardcore Country, Mickie James; and a veteran BFF wanting to show the world that she’s not afraid to take down anyone in her path to the title, Tara. These four have been brought to us from all over the lands to see which is the fairest of them all and next in line for a shot at the Knockouts Championship, so let us sit down and enjoy the match we are about to witness, for anything can happen in the far away place known as Impact Wrestling!
Skip to 5:16
Ahh, backstage we come across Earl Hebner, fresh off his tweeting ways with candies, flowers, AND a teddy bear for Madison. I must say I’m shocked. Normally people only go for two of the three, but as we can see, Earl spares no expense when it comes to someone with such high taste as Madison. (Now someone inform Earl that as seen on Twitter, dear Madison can’t have those chocolates until her next fitness competition is over.) The Queen says she doesn’t need gifts other than his affection, but as Lady Rayne gives her finest Emmy winning performance, she’s cut off by a pink clad Gail Kim!
Gail demands to know what is going on here, as I begin questioning if that teddy bear was won from one of those machines at a local Orlando Wal-Mart… don’t play me, Earl, I notice the tag in it’s ear. Nonetheless, Hebner leaves as Gail questions what these gifts are about?! She then transitions into last week’s match, but Madison informs her that Earl would never screw anyone …in a match that is. (Nice save.) Our Killer Queen says tonight, Hebner’s going to call the match right down the middle, as she wishes Kim good luck and heads off. From there, we spot Mickie and Tara warming up in the back and then head off to a break as I erupt in the Kit Kat theme.
Here we gooooo. Following the pan up shot of Christy Hemme that leaves Tazz stumbling over her name, the Knockouts Champion walks out to join the two on commentary. Brooke steps over to prepare for this big match, and out comes her poops, Tara! I have to say Tara is looking incredible tonight. Up next after Tara comes our Killer Queen and her red teddy bear of doom. Following a recap of last week’s match and some pageant waves, the wonderful theme song of Gail Kim hits. She does not look particularly happy with some Tara fans at ringside, but someone that is happy is our Knockouts Champion who praises the division and what it means for her to be a part of it. Nonetheless, all the happiness is put to a silence through those two simple words we all know and love… Haaarrdccorreeee Counntrryyyyyy! Coming to us all the way from Richmond, Mickie skips out from the back looking insanely great tonight as well. Brooke continues to praise the women since not many commentators in wrestling do these days, but before we kick things off, it’s time for a commercial break which is odd considering we just had one three minutes ago, but as long as it doesn’t invade the match I’m perfectly fine with this!
Back from the break, everything seems to be breaking down as Kim/Tara and Rayne/James each choose a side of the ring to face off. Earl doesn’t seem to even notice that Gail and Tara are wrestling though, with all his focus going towards protecting Madison I guess. It’s hard to tell since he doesn’t really show much emotion. Tara seems to go for a tarantula, but Gail flips her over the ring and James begins going to town on Rayne. Gail scores with a clothesline on Mickie, with Brooke stating that Kim is just pissed and a poor sport! Tara now starts dominating, but that doesn’t last too long as the BFF’s start to team up against the veteran. The crowd gets behind Tara, and Mickie drags Gail outside the ring. She tries to Irish Whip the former champ, but Kim reverses it and sends Mickie flying into the steps!
Back inside the ring, Tara drops Madison with the sidewalk slam, but Gail breaks it up. The BFFs continue working Tara over with submissions, before sending her into the nearby corner. Madison gets thrown into the vet, but as Gail flies forward to attempt her elastic type move, Tara moves out of the way and Kim goes flying! Madison with a running facebuster, but Mickie breaks it up before a pin can occur. James and Rayne not go at it against one another, with Hardcore Country dropping her with a neckbreaker. She goes for a pin, but Gail breaks it up. Tara snaps Gail off the ropes and hits a nice flip legdrop for a two count as Kim kicks out to the dismay of the crowd.
With the fans on her side, Tara bodyslams Gail to the canvas and goes for a top rope moonsault… but Madison Rayne drops her and turns her around to face the ring. She ascends to the second rope, but Mickie pulls her off and fires off against the Killer Queen. Now Gail climbs to the top rope and proceeds to drop a HUGE Superplex! Wow! Gail goes for the pin, but Madison distracts Earl! Gail is NOT happy with her BFF, but she has no time to react as Mickie tosses her to the outside. Now Mickie goes for Madison once again and takes her down on the outside. James now climbing to the top rope, but Gail knocks her off and to the outside! Kim spins around right into the Widows Peak from Tara! Madison goes for the Rayne Drop, but Tara reverses into a roll up for the three count… apparently for Madison?
We spy ODB and Eric Young sitting backstage… with some red belts of some sort being held up in the air. Oh wait, Impact does have Knockouts Tag Team Titles. She tells Eric that Brooke Hogan‘s been on her ass about defending them since it’s been two months with no defense (which is odd since it feels like it’s been much longer than that). She also says Brooke doesn’t like that a man is holding one the titles. Eric cuts her off to hype his own show, which is weird because I thought it debuted last week but he says it debuts Sunday. Eric then hatches a weird plan where they will never be on screen together so that they can’t be defended, which I hope results in Brooke Hogan retiring the belts completely because there aren’t even enough women signed to form teams in the first place. Well there are, but when is the last time we even heard that they existed? (Hey Sarita, Rosita, Winter, and Taeler.)
Also, check out the baby shower for one of my favorite women in the company, Claire Lynch and her screams of horror:
Skip to 1:23
Positive Thoughts: I feel the need to separate my thoughts into good and bad for this because I’ve got so many different feelings towards everything that took place. Let’s start with the match, which I personally felt was one of the best female matches we’ve seen on TV in a long time. They all got entrances, everyone felt like they served a purpose in it, and they all looked to honestly be fighting like their lives depended on it for a shot at the belt. That’s what I enjoy seeing in number one contender’s matches, even if I feel they should only be saved for when a big feud concludes and someone new is needed to start another, rather than just using them to set up a short program with no real story involved. Gail’s superplex definitely stands out as move of the match for me, and I loved the entire segment overall. Plus, they timed the commercial break well and we didn’t miss anything so major props for that!
I think Melanie said it perfectly on her Twitter that with the Divas division pretty much dead right now, this is when the Knockouts need to strike with a big storyline. I’m not sure if Madison/Earl is really the one I’d have gone for, but at least it’s SOMETHING more than just champion vs. challenger. I now can have a reason as to why Brooke and Madison will have beef with one another come Hardcore Justice because Brooke is essentially facing someone who’s using the official to help cheat her way up the ranks to the title. I’m honestly stating it right now that when this feud is over between Brooke and Madison, Earl Hebner is going to be the Knockouts Champion! You heard it here first…
I also love that they finally seem to be going with someone different to fill that top heel position. I enjoy seeing Gail Kim wrestle, and I will admit that during the end of her reign when she started getting to speak a little more, she also entertained me in that department as well. I just feel like it’s time to switch it up a bit. While Madison facing off against Brooke is sort of an odd choice since we just saw them wrestle on Impact I think about a month ago (not sure), at least it’s something different. That match they competed in before was obviously short due to it being on Spike with time constraints, so I really look forward to seeing what Brooke and Madison can do on a grand stage like Hardcore Justice if given enough time to shine together. I just hope the Earl shenanigans don’t overshadow their actual match.
This is my own selfish personal positive, but I love Claire Lynch. I know I’m one of the only people breathing who does, but she’s just so hilarious to me. I sort of call her my Anti-Maxine as I really was drawn to Maxine because I felt she shined in every aspect it took to be a star, and I’m also drawn to Claire, but because I find her to be, well, not so much skilled in anything. I don’t want that to sound mean, but I honestly do look forward to her segments. I’d rather watch something I at least can laugh at or be interested in than feuds with no storyline. It’s part of this whole “I want stories” movement I’ve been starting this week. I honestly don’t care how bad a storyline is, it’s better than just seeing two people feud for a title and then move on from challenger to challenger (in my opinion) because I at least have some sort of connection to the characters involved. I know everyone has their own prerogative on whether they prefer entertainment to wrestling, and mine is the entertainment factor. I still love the wrestling, but I want to be invested before watching people face off against one another. Bring on the cheesy facial expressions and screeching line delivery!
Negative Thoughts: I was not personally a fan of the finish. I know what they’re trying to portray it as with the king of screwjobs helping Madison get to the top of the division… but I honestly just don’t grasp the way they’re handling it. I like Madison, but I’d rather have it be like her using the ropes or grabbing the tights and having Earl “not see it” or something more believable. He essentially cheats for her to win matches, but I don’t understand how because he sees her shoulders down when counting and awards her the win when the opponent is the one with the pin and shoulders off the canvas. I feel like I’m missing a piece of the puzzle or something? If someone can explain it better then please comment because I feel lost with these matches now in how they end each week.
The ODB and Eric Young segment was one of the most confusing things I may have ever seen in TNA. You have ODB admit that they haven’t defended the titles in two months… and then Eric hatches a plan to continue not defending them? I’d understand if they were heels, but they’re not so it was sort of odd. I feel bad for ODB being stuck in this, and truth be told I don’t even dislike their team anymore, but she has a lot of talent to bring to the division that’s not being utilized. I guess maybe I shouldn’t feel bad because she’s at least getting to do something on TV right now unlike the countless other women they have signed who never appear. I would truthfully rather the belts just be retired because every reign basically emulates the one before it in that TNA show two weeks of giving a care in the world about the tag titles and it’s only when they change hands and the past champs want a rematch. After that, they sit around doing nothing for months until it’s time to change them again. I don’t see the situation improving anytime soon, especially when all the Knockouts you could pair up are leaving or probably about to leave so there’s no need to even have them anymore unfortunately.
I don’t know, I’m just not really a fan of how either division is being portrayed as a whole right now. It’s not to the point where I’m furious or enraged, but it’s frustrating when you see all these talented people not used or stuck in comedy angles that go nowhere. The Knockouts definitely have the edge because their talent, you know, actually get matches on TV, and they’re really good and lengthy ones at that. I just wish TNA would pair their extra females up into teams, and maybe sign some huge name to come in and take their division by storm. They need a fresh face in a title feud that isn’t determined by the “number one contender’s match”. Heck, just go with Tara even. Part of me is happy Tara didn’t win because a feud between TNT has enough story already that a contendership win is not needed for it to have a purpose, but then part of me is also upset because I feel like TNA are never going to truly capitalize on a feud between Tara and Tessmacher in the way they should. It’s kind of like when Gail was champion and she would face someone different every month. You wanted your favorite to win even if the build up was short and lacking because you never knew if they would devote another month of build to the same girl. Sometimes they did (Brooke) and sometimes they didn’t (Velvet).
Of course, the last negative will always be the typical where’s Sarita? Where’s Rosita? Where’s Winter? Where’s Taeler Hendrix? What is the point of Gut Check when none of the winners appear on TV in the first place? Yada yada, but feels like a contractual obligation that I mention it.
There’s flaws in both companies, but as far as the actual Knockouts segments tonight, the match definitely stands out as one of the best TV bouts of the year. Here’s to hoping the momentum continues and gets even better with fun matches and interesting storylines!
Yee haw, and welcome to this week’s NXT Watch. I’m deathly tired right now since the episode did not leak Thursday morning like I anticipated, but nonetheless, I am here to do some recapping so some recapping I shall do. This week on NXT, perhaps the most notorious FCW Divas rivalry of the past year resurfaces, as Raquel Diaz squares off against Audrey Marie. Will Audrey be the next victim in her “Exfoliating Ugliness” Tour? Or will Audrey Marie, more commonly known as equal to me what Dolph Ziggler is to Cryssi, debut with a victory? And what does our sinister Brit, Paige have to say about all of this?! There’s only one way to find out, so scroll down your mouse in three… two… one. Go!
We are treated to a match graphic of Raquel and my Country Queen, Audrey Marie. After the break, we return to some new hoedown music and clips of Audrey posing with some cowgirl beltbuckle nameplate. Oh wow, maybe they’re going to turn Audrey back into the cowgirl she debuted as talking about grandma’s and cows. Well, if they are then Audrey didn’t get the memo because she looks nothing like a cowgirl tonight. Va va voom! Audrey walks out and I immediately become enraged with the crowd for not giving her a standing ovation. She steps into the ring as it’s mentioned that she’s a certified accountant… and thus the days begin until Audrey’s three facts of doom present themselves to a nearby commentary table every single time she steps into the ring.
After some tremendous standing in the ring, out comes “Guess whooooo”, Raquel Diaz. She lets out a cackle and claims that Audrey doesn’t know how to work a ramp, which I take great offense to because the Country Queen did a fine job. Diaz calls her a mamacita and fixes her hair in the camera lens, before stepping into the ring and letting us know that the Exfoliating Ugliness Tour commences… now. Audrey makes a great face to the camera as the bell sounds and we kick things off with Raquel vs. Audrey for the billionth time.
They lock up and Audrey applies a headlock that she keeps maintained for a good long while despite Raquel trying to fight out. Finally Diaz fights out and drops Audrey on the ropes in a pretty nasty way. She only gains a two count, as Raquel applies some form of submission move. Diaz slams Audrey into the canvas and stomps on her head, before continuing this dismantling of Audrey. Marie finally shows some signs of life, as Raquel drops her with a type of drop toe hold. Diaz then goes off on Audrey, before Marie flips over into a jackknife. They bridge around before Audrey flips out. She goes for a kick, but misses and Raquel spanks her on the butt. From there, the crowd doesn’t seem to be on the side of Raquel to put it lightly, as she plants Audrey with the Gory Bomb for the win. After the match, Diaz paints the letter “L” on Audrey’s forehead with her lipstick, before we head to the back where Briley Pierce asks Paige about Raquel’s “tour”. Paige simply says “Raquel Diaz… Ugliness Tour… We’ll see”. Interesting!~
Thoughts: I’m pretty iffy on the segment/match overall. While I’m not the biggest fan of this new NXT, it’s somewhat improving from where it was when it started. Now it’s sort of hit or miss and just “there.” I liked that both got entrances, the match didn’t feel ridiculously short, and we even got some mic time with Raquel and Paige. I didn’t really care for the match in itself though, but I’ve seen them face off I feel a hundred times so it’s kind of entered that territory where I can’t pay attention to anything (aside from Audrey).
In terms of Raquel, I enjoy her mic work. Her persona is interesting to say the least, but at least it’s different I guess. That’s where I feel Audrey falls behind unfortunately. I clearly love Audrey, and I think she has that natural look to become a crowd pleaser without even needing to have an over the top character, but she still needs something to make her spark. She’s just sort of there with no identity. I feel that’s why a lot of fans don’t draw to her as easily as some of the other Divas because she’s just sort of smiley and happy go lucky. I don’t think Audrey is that bad in the ring though. To be honest, I think she’s a lot better than Raquel, but strictly being a wrestler with no identity is pretty hard to do on a main roster ala Gail Kim‘s WWE run. I liked the random face Audrey made during Raquel’s entrance though, and I feel that she’s working hard to improve her game… but without chances to showcase who she is aside from bubbly and smiley, there’s not much that can help fans connect with her since her look somehow doesn’t win them all over like it does me.
Raquel is sort of the opposite for me. I think she has personality and it’s easy for fans to dislike her when she cuts a promo. In ring wise, I’m not really a fan. But personally, I’ve never held the belief that everyone has to be a wrestler. Some people can shine as managers, and Raquel did that when I saw her at FCW last weekend. She does well when paired with a male superstar, and I think she could benefit one of them if they team up. I feel Corey Graves is a star through every aspect in his own right, but I’m kind of biased to wanting them together since that was who she managed last weekend and it clicked really well.
Nonetheless, I’m not quite sure where NXT is heading, which is my one big problem left with the show. There’s so many people they’re trying to spotlight that you can have someone hyped up with videos for weeks, debut, and then not be seen or heard from for another five weeks. I don’t even know what the Paige interview is leading to unless they have more backstage segments planned because as far as I know, the two don’t even meet up down the road. Who knows though? They’re at least picking the quality up since it began, and Rome wasn’t built in a day so maybe down the road it’ll get better. I’m still not 100% on board, but I’m at least interested enough to continue on.
TNA Knockout Rosita, real name Thea Trinidad, will make her film debut in a movie called “Self Storage” it’s been announced.
Rosita joins fellow wrestler Tommy Dreamer in the movie which stars Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight).
Full details on the movie below:
[notice]Rhode Island Filmmaker Chad A. Verdi Attaches Professional Wrestling Legend Tommy Dreamer, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) Along With Thea Trinidad aka Rosita From Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) to Horror Film “Self Storage” Dreamer and Trinidad Join Oscar Nominated Actor Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight, The Expendables) and Horror Legend Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest) Along With Jonathan Silverman (Weekend at Bernie’s, Inkubus)
EAST GREENWICH, RI–(Marketwire – Aug 2, 2012) – The Woodhaven Production Company is pleased to announce the signing of professional wrestling legend Tommy Dreamer and (TNA) Wrestler Thea Trinidad. Dreamer is best known for his time spent with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). After nine years and leaving the WWE in 2010, Dreamer worked for “Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). Among other accolades, he is fourteen-time WWE Hardcore Champion and a two-time world champion, having won the “ECW World Championship twice. Dreamer is the only man to have won this title in both the original company and in the WWE re-launch. The man famously known as the “Innovator of Violence” in the ring now brings the same ferocity to his on screen roles. Thea Trinidad aka Rosita is a female professional wrestler, currently competing for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. In TNA, she is a former Tag Team Champion.
They join Oscar Nominated actor Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight, The Expendables) and horror legend Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest) along with Jonathan Silverman (Weekend at Bernie’s, Inkubus) in Self Storage. Verdi stated, “We are very pleased to have signed both Dreamer and Trinidad, they bring a very special look and feel to the film.” Filming began in mid-July on location in East Greenwich, RI and is expected to wrap very soon. The company will soon be releasing new behind the scene photos to its fan base.
Self Storage, written by Rhode Island actor/writer/producer Tom DeNucci (Inkubus, Loosies, Infected), tells the story of Jake, the night watchman working at a highly secured self storage facility. His pals are home from college and looking to party. Jake (Tom DeNucci) invites them to his work for a fiesta of his own. Innocent mischief turns a naughty night of sex, drugs and rock and roll into an evening of pure terror. Barbed wire fences are meant to keep people OUT. But these fences keep people IN. Eric Roberts plays the role of Walter, a former black operative with an evil secret. Walter, along with his faithful brother at arms, Trevor (Michael Berryman), has some unfinished business with a seedy underworld grifter, Jonah (Jonathan Silverman). Black market business mixes with pleasure when Jake and his pals stumble upon this heinous covert operation.
Verdi stated, “This film is going to be something very special. It started with a great script and now with this cast, the sky is the limit.” Verdi is planning for a March 2013 release. Self Storage is being produced by Verdi, Gino Pereira and Tom DeNucci. DeNucci will direct. Michelle Verdi will head music and soundtrack.
Woodhaven added Executive-Producers Danielle Corsa, David and Sherry Lussier, David Gere, Carl Dupre and Jonathan Silverman to the project. David Gere was instrumental in the signing of Dreamer and Trinklad. Local actors, Tom Paolino, Billy Vigeant, Sera Verdi, Chad Verdi, Jr. and Tanya Lynch round out the cast.
Self Storage is Woodhaven’s third horror film to be produced in the last 20 months. Woodhaven released Inkubus, a slasher flick starring horror icon Robert Englund (the original Freddy Krueger), in theaters last Halloween to sell-out crowds. DVDs hit stores nationwide February 21st. The film has now sold more than 100 thousand units through outlets like Wal-Mart, RedBox, and Amazon and is currently on VOD.[/notice]
The feud between Mia Yim and Allysin Kay has been heating up in 2012 in AIW.
It all started when Kay broke her nose against Yim in a brutal match. The pair would later meet up again for the AIW Women’s Title in a main event grudge match at Girls Night Out 6. That, however, didn’t settle the issue, as they will meet for one final time this weekend in a steel cage match to end their feud.
AIW has released the full match from Girls Night Out 6, the second in their series of matches.
Former WWE Diva 
Former TNA Knockouts Champion, 
More shocking news has been revealed regarding WWE Diva 
Fans hoping to see 
Former Divas Champion 
Get your Monday night Divas fix by tuning in to Raw tonight on the USA Network at 8pm ET.
There was an incident involving WWE Diva 
At its root, wrestling has always been about good vs evil, bad guys vs good guys — or in our case, bad girls vs good girls.
TNA Knockout 