– TNA’s recent Hardcore Justice pay-per-view looks to have done approximately 8,000 buys, according to early estimates.

– After a brief return to TNA for the recent Destination X tournament, Sonjay Dutt is back on the independent scene with no plans for him to return to TNA.

– TNA’s live event on 8/18 from in Ottumwa, Iowa drew approxiately 1,000 fans.

* Details On Claire Lynch Being DONE With TNA

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

The following is TNA’s official preview for tonight’s live Impact Wrestling show on Spike TV:

– It’s the return of the monthly Open Fight Night on Thursday’s broadcast, featuring the huge return of “The Immortal” Hulk Hogan as he vows to help Sting and other TNA superstars battle The Aces and 8s!

– As part of Open Fight Night, Sting challenged The Aces & 8s to fight them this Thursday! Can Sting, Hogan, and others finally stop the path of destruction that the gang has unleashed in TNA Wrestling? Will we finally find out their identities? What will happen when Sting and Hogan unite against them on Thursday? Don’t miss the huge confrontation on SpikeTV!

– Also on Thursday’s broadcast, it’s the return of the TNA Gut Check, as one wrestler gets the opportunity of a lifetime to earn a contract with TNA Wrestling! Can they prove they have what it takes to join the roster?

– Plus, the “Bound For Glory Series” continues on IMPACT! The annual competition is reaching a fever pitch as the final countdown is on – who will earn a shot at the World Title at Bound For Glory? Who will call who out? The series continues Thursday on SpikeTV!

– All this and much more on Thursday’s IMPACT WRESTLING on SpikeTV LIVE at 8/7c, including news on the upcoming “No Surrender” Pay-Per-View event!

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog at JRsBBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR said about:

Best In The World: “Who is the best in the world? My answer is essentially always the same. The WWE Champion. @CMPunk has a JR’s BBQ sauce bottle sized chip on his shoulder. It drives him…same back in day for @steveaustinBSR. Not a show biz presentation. Real life motivation.”

MVP of 2012: “Who’s the MVP of WWE thus far in 2012 in WWE? For me, @WWEDanielBryan.”

WWE’s 3-Day Tryout Camp: “Enjoyed working at tryout camp in LA this week. Appreciated the effort put forth. Too many not in great, physical condition which was disappointing. More potential, female prospects, in my opinion, tham males. Gruelling  three days w/ cuts being made Monday and Tuesday. Anxious to see who makes it as I turned my info in and am not attending day three. Next big camp in Tampa in September.”

As always, you can check out Jim Ross’ delicious line of BBQ products at WWEShop.com.

It’s been reported for months that WWE is in the process of making a new championship belt that will replace CM Punk’s current “spinner” belt.

Punk confirmed in a recent interview that the belt will debut very soon. He speculated it could debut as early as WWE SummerSlam (it didn’t) or by next month’s Night of Champions pay-per-view.

To update this situation, we can report that Rick Petko from Orange County Choppers, which is featured on The Discovery Channel’s American Chopper television series, is helping with the creation of the belt.

He tweeted on Wednesday afternoon that he is currently, “Annealing aluminum for a WWE Championship belt.”

Here’s the latest picture of the belt design below, as well as the previous leaked image of the new belt:

[nggallery id=57]

After rumors surfaced online that WWE had parted ways with Tyler Reks due to his profile being moved from the SmackDown Superstars section to the Alumni page, the infrequently used grappler confirmed his departure on Wednesday afternoon:

“I just want to say thank you to WWE, Inc. for allowing me to be part of an incredible entertainment experience. On Monday, I asked for my release and the company was gracious enough to grant my request.

“I realized recently that being a Superstar means sacrificing certain things, including time with my family. As a new father, my heart broke every time I had to leave to go on the road. I didn’t ever want to miss another moment with my daughter, so I made the decision to be a full time dad and hang up my boots.

“I will miss everyone in the locker room tremendously as they have all become a second family to me. I want to thank my coaches and teachers that really helped me along the way: Fit Finlay, Arn Anderson, Edge, Christian, Kane, Jericho, Dr. Tom, Norman Smiley, and Billy Kidman.

“I also want to thank my boys. You know who you are. Especially though, a huge thank you to Hawkins. You were like a brother to me the last year and I’ll miss you and will always love you bro. I wish you the best and thanks for understanding that I had to go be a dad. When she’s older, and able to realize what happened, I know Mia will thank you as well.

“Thanks to all the dedicated fans of #ReksAndHawkins and to The #RekkingCrew. I would never have survived without you.

“For anyone interested, I am currently the owner of an Internet Marketing Company that specializes in Search Engine Optimization, Pay-Per-Click, Website Design, and Reputation Management. You can find my company here: http://www.localm2.com/.

“If you need any of our services, don’t hesitate to contact me. And yes, there’s even a cartoon on the multimedia page ;).”

Reks, who made his professional wrestling debut in February 2007, had been under contract to WWE since January 2008. He most recently appeared on SmackDown in a tag team with Curt Hawkins.

The official Youtube channel of WWE Games has released the following new videos on Wednesday for the upcoming WWE ’13 video game. The videos include the official “WWE Attitude Era Mode” trailer as well as entrance & finisher videos for Mike Tyson, Mark Henry, Brodus Clay, Dolph Ziggler and Eve Torres.

Official “WWE Attitude Era Mode” Trailer:

Mike Tyson’s entrance video and finisher:

Mark Henry’s entrance video and finisher:

Brodus Clay’s entrance video and finisher:

Dolph Ziggler’s entrance video and finisher:

Eve Torres’ entrance video & finisher:

Mexican wrestler Vampiro appeared on this week’s MLW Podcast with hosts Konnan and Court Bauer, which can be heard at MLW.com. On this week’s show, Vampiro spoke about WWE Champion CM Punk’s straight edge lifestyle and his past experiences with Punk, including “joking around” with Punk by handing him pills and spiking his drinks ..

“There was kind of a weird vibe there. Kind of a ‘Hey, hey how’s it going?’ type of thing. That whole Straight Edge thing, I get it. I used to joke about it with him. I’d give him handfuls of pills and put things in his soft drinks to [mess] with him, but in a good way, trying to break the ice.”

“Him right away being a Straight Edge guy, if you’re into punk rock music you know why and where it came from, although it was kind of new then. Unfortunately, that whole Straight Edge scene kind of came and went really quick and it turned into what we know as ’emo.’ Emo is short for ’emotional core,’ which basically came from a Straight Edge concert when a dude started to cry at a punk concert.”

* Pictures of CM PUNK’s $2 Million Chicago Apartment

– The latest on Charlie Sheen’s involvement with WWE is that around the time when he agreed to be the Social Media Ambassador of RAW 1,000, he also agreed to appear at SummerSlam. He backed out of that deal about two weeks later, which was believed to be due to scheduling issues.

The original plan was for Sheen to get into a physical confrontation with Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam, which would have gotten WWE a ton of mainstream media coverage. WWE still hoping for Sheen to appear on WWE television in the coming months, which is why Daniel Bryan is undergoing “anger management” (the name of Sheen’s new FX show) classes next week on RAW.

– Episode 30 of the WWE Inbox Youtube show is now online, with WWE Superstars and Divas answering fan questions sent in via social media. This week, the WWE stars talk about what they do to relax and more:

(Source: Figure Four Weekly Newsletter)

– For fans hoping that Chris Jericho will be back on WWE television next Monday night, don’t get your hopes up. Jericho will doing a promotional appearance for Fozzy on Monday night at Collector’s Realm in Poughkeepsie, New York (5:30-7:30pm EST.). Jericho and the rest of the band will signing CDs and celebrating the release of their new album, “Sin & Bones.”

Buy FOZZY’s “Sin & Bones” Album Now From Amazon.com

– The broadcast team for the WWE Saturday Morning Slam taping that took place on Tuesday night from Bakersfield, California was Josh Mathews and Santino Marella. It’s worth noting that Josh Matthews was kept off the SmackDown tapings due to “injuries” he sustained at the hands of Kane at SummerSlam, yet he was able to do commentary for Saturday Morning Slam, which was taped right before SmackDown.

– At one point, there were plan for Titus O’Neil and Darren Young to capture the WWE tag titles at SummerSlam, according to f4wonline.com. For whatever reason, that plan was scrapped and Kofi Kingston & R-Truth retained. The Prime Time Players are still expected to get a run with the tag titles in the coming months.

With WrestleMania 29 weekend now less than 8 months away, WWE is currently discussing candidates for the 2013 Hall of Fame Class. We previously reported that top names being considered for next year’s class are Mick Foley, Bob Backlund, Kevin Nash and The Ultimate Warrior. Add former WWE superstar JBL to that list.

Mick Foley, a New York native on good terms with WWE, is considered a lock for next year.

Bob Backlund has turned past offers to be inducted, but considering his recent cameo on WWE television (wrestling Heath Slater on RAW), the chances of him being inducted are better than ever.

Kevin Nash, who won the WWE Championship at MSG (from Bob Backlund, in 8 seconds) went on a Twitter rant back in April, saying that the WWE Hall of Fame means nothing to him:

“HOF means nothing to me,If I Die before it I,ve asked my wife to pass.Nothing against it or WWE,but if Pete Rose ain’t in cooperstown. Just don’t need it to validate my life.I wake every morning to the sight of the ocean.

The Ultimate Warrior’s rocky (and litigious) past with WWE has been well-publicized over the years and he’s still considered a long shot. That said, the Royal Rumble takes place from where he lives (Phoenix, Arizona), which would make for an ideal setting to announce Warrior’s induction.

JBL is on great terms with WWE and currently working with the company on his “Seven Summits” mountain climbing adventure. With his storied career and transition to announcer of SmackDown, it’s just a matter of time before he’s a Hall of Famer.

(Partial Source: f4wonline.com)

– WWE Superstars The Usos turn 27 years old today.

– Ezekiel Jackson is featured in the new issue of Muscle Magazine. He’s been re-tweeting messages from fans talking about how they have to pick up his issue.

– As reported earlier, Randy Orton will wrestle Alberto Del Rio on Friday’s SmackDown in a match to determine the #1 contender to World Heavyweight champion Sheamus. In the event that Del Rio wins that match and goes on to wrestle Sheamus at Night of Champions, there has been talk of Randy Orton being the special guest referee of that match.

WWE has used Orton sparingly since he returned from a 60-day suspension, including not booking him at SummerSlam. Despite the fact WWE now has one of their top stars back in the mix, Orton will be leaving television again soon to begin filming the WWE Studios movie, “12 Rounds.”

(Partial Source: f4wonline.com)

– Macleans.ca has an article up about WWE titled, “WWE Keeps On Rolling … In Cash” that looks at WWE’s international expansion to new markets, including China. WWE’s Senior VP of International Operations Ed Wells was interviewed for the piece and said the company’s growth in China has consistently been in “double digits” since 2007.

Their popularity in China is so strong that that there’s talk about bringing in a Chinese character to the roster. “We’d love to have a Chinese star,” Wells said. “And we’re certainly open to working with Chinese talent.”

– Today is the final day of WWE’s 3-day talent recruiting camp in Southern California. Aside from Jim Ross and Gerald Brisco, Mark Henry and William Regal among the WWE superstars in attendance as well.

– Michael Cole is the latest WWE personality to speak up on Twitter about CM Punk’s attack on Jerry Lawler from RAW: Despite their differences over the years, Cole tweeted the following in defense of his broadcast partner:

I don't agree with what @jerrylawler says most of the time, but @cmpunk kicking him in the head because he offered an "opinion" was wrong!

— Michael Cole (@MichaelCole) August 21, 2012

The gms must take action! Superstars assaulting us for doing our job is a bad precedent. @wwejoshmathews and @jerrylawler need to complain!

— Michael Cole (@MichaelCole) August 21, 2012

Ring of Honor sent out the following this week:

The Ring Of Honor Dojo, under head trainer DELIRIOUS, will be starting new classes during the week of October 22nd, 2012. Located in Bristol, PA (close to both I-95 and the PA turnpike), only 20 minutes outside of Philadelphia, the school has been in operation since 2004, and is a facility that includes a full size 18 foot ring, weight lifting equipment, as well as an extensive video library, and other numerous resources at your disposal.

The school is for people with all levels of experience in professional wrestling. From those with absolutely no experience looking to break in to those with previous wrestling experience looking to hone their skills, the ROH Dojo will help you to learn everything you need to know in order to start, or enhance, your wrestling career. The school is open to wrestlers (both male and female), as well as referees, managers, and valets of all shapes and sizes.

Please be aware that each student is different and the length of your individual training will likely vary. Some students may advance more rapidly than others while some will advance more slowly; what’s most important is that you invest your time, energy, and your patience to get the most out of the program.

Some of the things your training will cover include:
-Emphasis on the fundamentals
-Drills
-Conditioning and weight training
-Ring psychology
-Development of timing and positioning
-Continuous evaluation
-Advice on character development
-Assistance with promos
-Etiquette
-SAFETY

The cost for the ROH Dojo is as follows:

$900 down payment on the first day of class
$350 per month

*training is a 6 month program so the total cost is $3000.00

$900 will be due upon registration, and an additional $350 is due on the last day of each month of training.

For those individuals who would like to pay for the entire class on the first day of training, you will receive a special discounted price of $2650.00 (essentially one month free)!!!

Also, as part of your training, you are also highly encouraged to take the time to travel with Ring of Honor and participate as a member of the crew. Not only does this allow you the opportunity to really see what goes into setting up an event but it also gives you a chance to familiarize yourself with all the in’s and out’s of Ring of Honor Wrestling in a way only first-hand experience can offer.

Once you have graduated you are allowed and encouraged to participate in the ongoing training sessions. While some schools train you for only a set amount of time then send you off on your own, at the ROH Dojo, once you’ve graduated, you can always come back to train, work out, and meet wrestlers.

You must be at least 18 years of age to enroll in the ROH Dojo.

For more information e-mail rohdojo@gmail.com. For those of you interested, but who can’t make the October sessions, expect a new class to start around 4 months after this.

WWE has launched a new website for recruiting talent, FCWRecruit.com. The website’s description reads:

“WWE is looking for individuals that possess a number of unique attributes that, either by themselves or combined, play a role in the success of a WWE Superstar.”

The following attributes are what WWE is looking for:

Athletic: Willing and able to engage in intense, physically demanding activities on a daily basis. WWE is a highly athletic style of performance that requires individuals be in excellent physical condition. All prospective Talent are required to pass a rigorous medical evaluation prior to joining

Charismatic: Do you have “IT?” Do you stand out in a crowd? Do you have a special or magnetic charm or appeal?

Determined: A strong conviction to succeed coupled with physical and mental strength. Gaining knowledge of WWE’s in-ring product requires the constant application of lessons taught both in and out of the ring. WWE is looking for individuals who are consistently willing go the extra

Coachable The ability to listen and learn. Successful superstars are good listeners, open-minded and adaptable.

Professional: Be held to a high standard of conduct at all times. As public figures, WWE Superstars are subject to the same scrutiny as other sports figures or celebrities and, as such, are expected to act accordingly both in and outside the ring. All prospective superstars are required to pass extensive background, nudity and criminal searches prior to joining WWE.

If you think you have what it takes to be a WWE Superstar or Diva, head over to FCWRecruit.com and fill out an application.

– TNA stars Sting and Mickie James will be appearing at the annual Jimmy V. Celebrity Golf Classic scheduled for this weekend in Raleigh, N.C.

Golfclassic.org lists Sting as “Steve ‘Sting’ Borden: Wrestler/World Heavyweight Champion/TNA HOF” and Mickie James as “Wrestler/Singer/Two-Time TNA Champion.”

– Here is the latest episode of the TNA Today Youtube series, featuring TNA Knockout Miss Tessmacher.

“Miss Tessmacher talks about retaining the Knockouts title on IMPACT WRESTLING after losing it at the Hardcore Justice Pay-Per-View. She also talks about her celebration while doing a little bit of celebrating during the interview.”

Jim Ross recently spoke to WWE.com for the “WWE Classics” column about his experience doing commentary on WWE television with Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler.

JR says Vince McMahon lives and breathes WWE, which added an extra layer of depth to their commentary:

“Much like Bill Watts, the owner of Mid-South Wrestling and UWF who I broadcasted with a generation earlier, Vince knew exactly what he wanted to see and hear on the broadcasts that he created and produced. I cannot think of any occasion where I was ever better prepared for a broadcast than when working with McMahon. Traveling with the head honcho and talking the product 24/7 certainly kept one completely immersed in the moment and informed of WWE’s creative direction. When we went on the air, we were thoroughly prepared, ready to inform and entertain … or adlib on the fly if need be, especially when the chairman would call an audible.”

Two things Vince McMahon is known for are his work ethic and his disdain for sleep. JR says no matter how many hours Vince worked in a day, he was always ready to “turn it on” when the cameras began rolling and immerse everybody (even him and Jerry Lawler) in the world he created:

“One thing that I’ve always admired about Vince is his untiring work ethic and relentless pursuit of the brass ring. McMahon often said “that sleep is our enemy” and no matter how many hours we put in at work prior to going on the air, Vince was always ready to go over the top, become larger than life and fulfill his role as the voice of WWE.”

“Most fans don’t realize how challenging it is to broadcast live TV, especially in a hybrid genre such as WWE. Unlike the on-air talents in the NFL where they have producers figuratively joined at their hip, providing them with info and tidbits of data, we WWE announcers are responsible for getting ourselves ready for every broadcast. Luckily for me, Vince McMahon, who created the product, was my broadcast partner and I fed off of him. I traveled the same road as Vince in the creative sense.”

“Obviously, we had different styles and backgrounds, but, along with Lawler’s brilliance, that’s what helped make our three-man team special. Vince was an outstanding storyteller and he knew the direction that he wanted the product to take. “King” and I simply had to listen and emotionally invest while coming up with our own material to complement what McMahon established.”

– The dark match that took place prior to Tuesday night’s WWE SmackDown tapings from Bakersfield, California saw Ted DiBiase defeat Jack Swagger.

– Despite being advertised, Triple H and Rey Mysterio did appear in front of the live crowd at the Bakersfield tapings.

– The dark main event after the tapings saw John Cena defeat Big Show in a No DQ match. Show grabbed a microphone and cut a promo on Cena during the match. Cena won after hitting him with the Attitude Adjustment.

– Tickets are on sale today for the WWE’s upcoming SmackDown taping on October 22nd Providence, Rhode Island. The password for tickets is WWESHEAMUS.

– WWE Diva Beth Phoenix revealed on Twitter why she was absent from Monday’s RAW:

Thank u for all of the support and respect while myself and my family grieves the loss of a loved one.

— THE GLAMAZON (@TheBethPhoenix) August 22, 2012

Both Beth Phoenix and Kelly Kelly were advertised for the Divas Battle Royal to determine a new #1 contender, but neither woman appeared in the match (or was at the arena).

– Speaking of #1 contender’s matches, the main event of Friday’s WWE SmackDown will be Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio, with the winner earning a shot at Sheamus’ World Heavyweight championship.

*SPOILERS* WWE SmackDown Tapings Results For Friday

WWE taped this week’s episde of SmackDown on Tuesday night from Bakersfield, California. Credit to Prowrestling.net for these results:

1. Ryback defeated Jinder Mahal.

2. WWE Divas Champion Layla defeated Alicia Fox.

3. Heath Slater defeated Sin Cara when Cody Rhodes interfered.

Michael Cole is on commentary minus Josh Mathews, who is selling the Kane attack from last week. Cole has been joined by various guest commentators throughout the show.

4. World Hvt. Champion Sheamus defeated Dolph Ziggler by DQ. Vickie was on commentary for the match.

5. WWE Tag Champions Kofi Kingston and R-Truth defeated Epico and Primo. The Prime Time Players were on commentary. Truth got the win for his team.

6. Alberto Del Rio defeated Randy Orton to become No. 1 contender. Sheamus joined Cole on commentary for the main event. Sheamus attacked Del Rio after the match. Del Rio ended up getting the better of Sheamus. Dolph Ziggler came out and was going to cash in his Money in the Bank contract, but Randy Orton caught him with an RKO.

– Former WWE Divas the Bella Twins announced at NicoleandBrianna.com that they have landed their first independent film roles. The Twins will appear in “Confessions of a Womanizer,” which will film from in September and October.

Recent Pictures of the BELLA TWINS In Maxim

– Josh Mathews announced on Twitter that he will not be calling the action on Friday’s SmackDown. He is selling Kane’s attack from Summerslam and will return next week.

– The following matches were taped at Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings from Bakersfield, California for this week’s WWE Superstars:

* Yoshi Tatsu vs. Damien Sandow
* Alex Riley vs. Drew McIntyre
* Cody Rhodes vs. Justin Gabriel

– WWE will hold a ticket pre-sale on Wednesday for the WWE Live Event at Madison Square Garden on 12/27. The pre-sale code is WWEMSG. As previously reported, the main event for that show will see WWE champion CM Punk defend against John Cena.

– Mark Henry says for those who think Triple H is done wrestling because he had one brutal match, they’re mistaken. Henry has plans for Triple H when he returns to WWE:

* Pictures of EVE TORRES & Her Real Life Boyfriend (Direct Link)

– We noted earlier that “WWE” was the #2 trending topic on Google on Sunday for SummerSlam. WWE was also trending on Yahoo! on Monday and reached the #1 spot after Monday’s RAW.

– E! Online is among the media outlets that covered the “news” of Khloé Kardashian serving as the Social Media Ambassador of Monday’s RAW.

– NBA basketball great Shaquille O’Neal posted the following video on Tout in response to Brock Lesnar announcing that he’s done with WWE for good. Shaq congratulates Lesnar on a great career:

Check out these pictures of WWE Diva Eve Torres and her husband, Rener Gracie.

According to Google, Rener Gracie is a 4th degree black belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and a head instructor at the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy and co-creator of Gracie University, the world’s largest online jiu-jitsu training program.

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Amid online reports that WWE Hall of Fame “Stone Cold” Steve Austin will be wrestling one final match at either WrestleMania 29 or 30, both Austin and Jim Ross have taken to Twitter to shoot down those rumors.

Steve Austin himself re-tweeted a message on Tuesday afternoon that stated:

Don't listen to any dirtsheet or bleacher report! @steveaustinBSR will say if and when he's wrestling again, and that's the bottom line.

— David T. Hanmer (@DT_Hanmer) August 21, 2012

Jim Ross then followed up with a series of Tweets further debunking the rumors:

Sources/'media' saying @steveaustinBSR will wrestle at WM29 have zero credibility. Less than zero. IF Austin ever returns, HE'LL make call.

— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) August 21, 2012

4 the anal retentive, this ain't cryptic..@steveaustinBSR has NO plans to have 'one more match' and IF he changes his mind, HE decides.

— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) August 21, 2012

Total BS. RT @SlicedTeaDotCom: @JRsBBQ @steveaustinBSR read today that he will wrestle at 30, won't be ready physically or mentally by 29

— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) August 21, 2012

I heard the world was flat as a kid. More BS. RT @TheRlzToddStarr: @JRsBBQ I heard WM30 Main event

— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) August 21, 2012

– Following his loss to Randy Orton on Monday’s RAW, Albero Del Rio spoke to WWE.com and said be the next World Heavyweight champion after speaking to SmackDown General Manager Booker T on Friday’s show.

– Monday’s post-SummerSlam edition of WWE RAW had a Trendrr.tv Social Media Score of 316,972, down from the previous week’s score (369,933)

Despite the overall social media activity being down this week, RAW improved to #2 on cable for Monday night, behind only “Love & Hip Hop Atlanta” on VH1.

– Here is the latest Backstage Fallout video featuring backstage interviews from Monday’s RAW: