According to a report by Brian Fritz of the Sporting News, it seems as if TNA Wrestling is experiencing more pay issues, fueling the fire to rumors of talent getting late checks over the past several weeks.
The story says that several freelance workers have stated that TNA is behind on paying several members of the production staff. It was also said that those workers were shorted on past checks.
The back pay stems from the One Night Only tapings, which took place over two months ago. The accounting department told an employee that checks were made out almost two weeks ago, but nobody has received them.
We also heard similar complaints from one member of the production crew.
We spoke to Matt Hardy earlier in the week, who said the following regarding the TNA pay rumors:
“If someone has an issue with pay, I feel like it needs to be directed to the office and handled there. It sucks and it’s unfortunate that a story like that spreads and puts a stain on Impact Wrestling, who are doing a lot of positive things right now. TNA has been extraordinary to me, nothing but professional. They even gave me time off at the last TV tapings to fulfill a commitment I had for 8 months, when they needed me at TV. That shows how professional they were to the boys. It’s nowhere near as bad as what people are saying.”
It was noted this week that Paige and The Miz will start filming for WWE Studios’ Santa’s Little Helper this month, which will release this Holiday season on Digital HD, Blu-ray and DVD. Both stars will be missing TV while filming the movie, and Paige was written out of storylines this past Monday.
As noted earlier, WWE announced that The Miz will face Damien Mizdow on RAW this Monday night with the winner keeping the “Miz” likeness. The match this Monday will write Miz off of television while he films the movie.
ROH star Cedric Alexander appeared on the latest episode of the Jobbing Out podcast with Glenn Clark and Aaron Oster. During the interview, Alexander talked about why he wouldn’t appear on WWE programming as a Rosebud. Alexander noted that he knows people who would never do it because of “guys like The New Day.”
“This opens up a whole different can of worms here, because everyone I know that watches WWE is offended by The New Day… extremely offended because of the whole racial thing,” Alexander said. “It’s like, ‘oh we’re three black guys, we’ll sing, we’ll dance. You’ve got Kofi Kingston, who’s a phenomenal athlete, Big E Langston is a gigantic, threatening man and Xavier Woods is extremely intelligent. So why make them sing and dance when they obviously can be more… serious, I guess?
“When they first started this thing, it was like two or three weeks that they did it where Xavier would come out and be like a Malcolm X type of thing. He was preaching black power without saying black power, which I think is fantastic because you don’t offend anyone. But when you’ve got three black guys singing and dancing, stereotypes get fed too much and I hate it.”
Alexander was asked if there was a bigger problem in pro wrestling regarding African Americans in the business and it was noted that African Americans are rarely involved in big matches at an event like WrestleMania. Alexander said that while the business has gotten better from even 15 years ago, there’s still an issue. He said that he loves Caprice Coleman like a brother, but he always thought that he was put in a team with him because ROH simply didn’t have a black tag team.
“It’s always a weird thing because you’ve got one black guy and another black guy, let’s put them together in a tag team,” Alexander said. “If you take a guy like ACH and Rich Swann and compare those two guys who are completely different wrestlers. But if you put them side-by-side, people who are not big indie fans automatically assume that they’re a tag team or do the same moves because they’re two black guys who happen to be smaller and athletic.”
Alexander said that wrestlers probably take stereotypical gimmicks because they’re under contract and getting paid “a buttload of money.” He noted that the New Day gimmick might be more bearable for the group because they are close friends.
The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling Podcast welcomes Ring of Honor Superstar and the other half of the tag team War Machine, Raymond Rowe. We spoke with War Beard Hanson (Download link-http://tmptow.podoma…18_31_27-08_00)while Rowe was recuperating from a devastating motorcycle accident that side lined him for nearly 7 months and Hanson stated that Rowe would be back and better than ever and War Beard was truly on the money. Rowe, takes us back to the start of his career and all of the success he has seen while traveling through the ranks of different Independent promotions all the way to the incapacitating accident and his success in Ring of Honor both with War Beard Hanson as War Machine and while wrestling in singles competition for ROH.
In the following clip Ring of Honor star Raymond Rowe on the tag team scene in ROH and The Brisco Brothers
On coming back from the devastating motorcycle accident in August 2014:
I feel like Superman right now. I feel like I am in better shape, stronger and I am definitely more driven then I have been at any point in my life. I’ve got a second chance on life, a second chance in my career so I am not wasting a day. Ever since I was released to start training and lifting again, right around Thanksgiving I haven’t missed a workout, haven’t missed a meal and I’ve never been so dedicated and so focused. After what I went through, literally nothing has been more important than this.
What did the Doctors say to you about the accident:
When I got hurt I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to use my arm again, definitely not wrestle. The first three doctors I talked to could not explain to me why I was alive. That is a really sobering thing to hear. After that not only being able to beat estimates on my return but being able to do what I love is a dream come true.
Changes you made while recuperating:
When I got hurt I was between 235 and 240lbs and I am now at about 255. Six months off let my body heel and I switched up my training techniques and my training partners and not to say I didn’t train hard before, but I found a new me that I didn’t think was there.
Reforming War Machine with War Beard Hanson:
It feels like we haven’t missed any time, which is a really weird thing to say because I have been on the sidelines but Hanson and I got back in the ring and I knew exactly where he was going to be and exactly what he was thinking. We picked up right where we left off and we are coming back stronger than ever.
Please visit the OFFICIAL Website of the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling: www.tmptofwrestling.com and
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The Brock Lesnar WWE-UFC saga was one of the more interesting, anticipated stories of the year leading into WrestleMania. Lesnar had leveraged the two companies against each other as an upcoming free agent, and looked to maximize his value.
Despite many thinking that a UFC return was a slam dunk, Lesnar surprised many by choosing WWE over professional fighting. As it turns out, UFC President Dana White doesn’t think that UFC had much of a chance to begin with, and expected as much to happen.
“Not very close at all,” White said to Chad Dukes on 106.7 The Fan on Thursday. “We’d known that Brock was probably going to take a pass and go back to wrestling, which was the right move. You know, Brock came in here, he did incredible things and he got a great deal from Vince. He’s 38 years old, man. It makes all the sense in the world.”
Lesnar instead signed a new three-year deal with WWE, before dropping the WWE World Heavyweight Title to Seth Rollins in a surprise move at WrestleMania. Lesnar is currently serving a storyline suspension from the WWE.
During his WWE contract announcement, the former UFC Heavyweight champion closed the door on his MMA career.
WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels appeared on The Ross Report this week to promote his new book and hunting show, but talked his fair share of wrestling. Yesterday we noted that Michaels isn’t interested in working creatively with the WWE. He also mentioned the company has an offer for him at WrestleMania 32.
Jim Ross prodded at Michaels about the event, noting that the event will likely be trying to draw over 100,000 attendees. Ross said that guys like Shawn Michaels and Stone Cold Steve Austin who are from the area will likely be called and made offers to compete.
“I’ve already had an offer. I’ve enjoyed being retired,” Michaels said.
Michaels, despite receiving numerous offers from WWE throughout the years has kept his word about his retirement. Michaels also said at this point he doesn’t have an interest in working with WWE developmental, either.
Thanks to Mitch, Caroline, Abe Reeve @abear_53_ar and Ben for the following WWE SmackDown spoilers from today’s tapings in London:
* John Cena kicks off SmackDown and talks about the US Open Challenge and the Russian Chain Match at Extreme Rules. Tyson Kidd and Cesaro come out to talk trash to him. Daniel Bryan interrupts to a big pop. Cena and Bryan vs. Kidd and Cesaro is announced for the main event.
* Sheamus vs. Neville and Bray Wyatt’s return has also been announced.
* Bray Wyatt squashed R-Truth with Sister Abigail and got a big reaction.
* The Miz comes out for a promo but Bad News Barrett interrupts to a big pop. We get a match and Barrett wins fairly quickly with a Bullhammer while Miz is showing off.
* Sheamus vs. Neville is next. Sheamus comes out to good heat and Neville gets the pop. This was said to be a good match with Neville winning by DQ when Sheamus threw him into the announce table. Sheamus tried to attack after the match but Dolph Ziggler made the save. Dolph cuts a promo and calls Sheamus a bully. Sheamus announces they will face each other in a “Kiss Me Arse” match at Extreme Rules.
* Kofi Kingston and Big E defeated Los Matadores with El Torito and Xavier Woods at ringside.
* Backstage segment with Rosa Mendes and Fandango breaking up.
* Big Show comes out and rips Roman Reigns, talking about how he took Reigns out at RAW with the taxi chokeslam. Show says he will face Reigns in a Last Man Standing match, per The Authority, at Extreme Rules.
* Cameron vs. Natalya vs. Alicia Fox in a Triple Threat is next. All three hit a decent Tower of Doom suplex at one point. Cameron gets the win. Fox throws a fit and chases the referee after the match.
* Fandango defeated Adam Rose. Rosa Mendes ran down and tried to distract Fandango but he won with a roll up.
* The main event is about to start when two fans rush the ring and do a Rock Bottom to one another. Security takes them down as WWE stars look on. Daniel Bryan and John Cena defeated Tyson Kidd and Cesaro in a non-title match when Bryan made Kidd submit to The Yes Lock. SmackDown ends.
