Mr. Anderson, who is currently not under contract to TNA Wrestling, stated in an interview with 4th & Pain (Adam Carriker of the Washington Redskins and former wrestling announcer Chuck Carroll) that he expects to sign a new contract with Impact Wrestling “within a week.”
He said his agent and lawyer are currently working on finishing up a deal with the company and that he enjoyed the way he was being used creatively before his contract expired.
“Currently, my contract with TNA expired as of Friday of last week. We’re just negotiating right now. I’m hoping and assuming that we’re going to come to an agreement relatively soon and I’ll be back on Thursday nights,”
“I have no intentions of not being with TNA,” Anderson said. “I’ve been pretty happy with, creatively, the direction I’ve gone in the last month or so. I’m looking forward to coming back. I’d like to come back and hopefully pick up where I left off (with Bully Ray). It’s the legal stuff and I have my agent and my lawyer dealing with stuff. I’m sitting back here trying to enjoy some time off and not get too stressed out about things.”
According to Anderson, not being affiliated TNA Wrestling hasn’t really crossed his mind. He’s also open to taking independent dates.
“I would be open to taking bookings, but I don’t think it’s going to take that long. I think we’re going to have something wrapped up here within the next week,” Anderson said.
Also in the interview, Carriker cuts a promo in Anderson’s style to pay off a wager from the Washington Redskins Week 2 loss to the Green Bay Packers. It was a little choppy at points, but Anderson says the man with the largest arms on the defensive line has a future in the ring if he wants one.
Anderson, a huge NFL fan, also chatted pigskin with the guys for a while before talking about his impending twins and whether to “smarten them up” about Santa Claus from the get go.
-Former TNA Impact Wrestling wrestler Jesse Sorensen is selling some of his old TNA gear on eBay. You can check that out online at eBay.com.
-Dr. Tom Prichard has a new blog up on his official website where he discusses, among other topics, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes. You can check that out online at DrTomPrichard.com.
-The following is a video of TNA’s Jeremy Borash on The John Boy & Billy Show from this past Thursday:
Apparently TNA will not be running non-televised live events for the entire month of October. Currently, the TNA schedule looks as follows:
-TNA Impact Wrestling television taping on October 10th in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
-TNA Bound For Glory weekend on October 19th and 20th in San Diego, California.
-TNA Impact Wrestling television taping on October 24th in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The company does have house shows on the books for November already. TNA will run Battle Creek, Michigan on November 1st and Mount Pleasant, Michigan on November 2nd. Additionally, TNA will tape Impact Wrestling on November 7th in Cincinnati, Ohio and November 21st in Baltimore, Maryland.
Former WWE employee John “Big” Gaburick, who now works as an executive for TNA Impact Wrestling, was at the Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) promotion on Wednesday. Apparently Gaburick spoke with the talent prior to their show, but nothing of note was discussed in terms of OVW’s relationship with TNA.
Former WWE Superstar Al Snow is still writing the weekly television down at OVW.
When asked about OVW serving as a developmental territory for TNA, one source noted there is “no firm structure” in place.
For those asking why the main event segment on next week’s edition of TNA Impact Wrestling goes down the way it does with Hulk Hogan and Dixie Carter, one source simply said, “creative control.”
Anyone who wants to know what that means, check out the full Impact Wrestling spoiler report, which is available right now on the newsboard.
Speaking of Hogan and Dixie, for those who missed it, here is the final segment from this week’s live edition of Impact Wrestling on Spike TV:
– In June, inactive TNA Wrestling star Zema Ion’s fundraising campaign following an emergency appendectomy was futile as it failed to raise the needed $30,000 he was hoping to raise—it only raised $6,648, which he did not receive. Ion recently appeared on The Pain Clinic (listen here) and revealed that he became depressed after being informed he may have cancer, not to mention that he owes thousands of dollars in medical bills. He dubbed the ordeal “a really dark time,” but says he’s feeling better these days.
– In the latest edition of the “Impact Wrestling Podcast” hosted by Jeremy Borash and Christy Hemme, Breaking Bad fans Bad Influence, Mike Tenay, Taz, Jeff Hardy and Gunner offer their predictions on tomorrow night’s season finale on AMC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO2h1D7EMeY
– According to WrestlingFigs.com, TNA Women’s Champion ODB will participate in an autograph signing at Wrestling Universe 34-29 Francis Lewis Blvd. Flushing, New York, on Sunday, October 6 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
The following are highlights from some new Jim Ross website Q&A:
On working with Boyd Pierce and Mid-South attempting to go national: “Boyd was a funny guy who loved to make people laugh. A natural born showman. Mid South attempting to go national was our best hope of surviving in our economically depressed base area.”
On Kurt Angle ever returning to WWE: “Truly, never say never. Kurt in the WWE HOF makes sense….wrestling? Not so sold on that except perhaps a retirement match at WrestleMania.”
On working with TNA in the future: “No disrespect taken…Just not interested in working w/ any wrestling company at this time.”
On JR being rude to fans asking about his contract status: “I’d suggest I interact w/ fans as well as anyone in the business or at least I try. I certainly don’t feel that I’m better than any wrestling fan or anyone else. At the same time, my exact contractual status w/ any organization isn’t something I care to discuss. Bottom line, I’m no longer employed at WWE and look forward to the future engaging other entities. Will my existing work in WWE, WCW and Mud Soth continue to exist on WWE projects? I’d say most likely to that.”
Check out more JR Q&A on his official website at JRsBarBQ.com.
The Thursday, September 26th edition of TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV drew a final cable rating of 0.89, down 15 percent from last week’s 1.05 cable rating, according to Nielsen Media Research.
The 0.89 final draw marks the lowest rating for Impact Wrestling since the July 4th holiday-edition of the show. It was the lowest non-holiday rating dating back to the June 20th broadcast.
Impact Wrestling this week averaged 1.121 million viewers, which was down from last week’s 1.332 million viewers.
-Comedian Mike Lawrence referenced the infamous Hulk Hogan sex tape on the Conan O’Brien show earlier this week. Lawrence said that in the sex tape, Hogan had trouble opening the condom wrapper, saying he bet Hogan wishes condom wrappers were made out of yellow t-shirts.
-UFC has added the Brock Lesnar vs. Cain Velasquez UFC Heavyweight title fight for free on their official YouTube channel. Fans interested in checking out the fight can do so directly below:
TNA Wrestling has released the official preview for next week’s episode of Impact Wrestling, which will see Hulk Hogan react to Dixie Carter’s ultimatum to join #TEAMDIXIE. Two matches have also been announced for the show, including Magnus challenging Bobby Roode, Christopher Daniels and Kazarian to a Gauntlet match.
IMPACT Preview: Is Hulk Hogan on #TeamDixie? Plus, Hardy and Manik vs. Sabin and King
Preview Thursday’s IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast on SpikeTV at 9/8c as the road to “Bound For Glory” continues! If you can’t watch the action on Thursday make sure to set your DVR!
– TNA President Dixie Carter wants to know who is on #TEAMDIXIE and IMPACT General Manager Hulk Hogan has a major decision to make! This past week Hulk offered AJ Styles a new contract – but Carter shocked everyone and tore it up! Carter then verbally shredded Hogan, telling him he’s either on board with #TEAMDIXIE or ELSE! Carter wants an answer from Hogan this Thursday night – and if she doesn’t like what she hears, will it be the end of Hulkamania in TNA? How will Hulk Hogan react to the ultimatum? Don’t miss this huge face to face between the TNA President and the IMPACT General Manager on Thursday on SpikeTV!
– Speaking of “The Phenomenal One”, we’ll hear from AJ Styles on Thursday’s broadcast! How will he react to what Carter did? How will it effect his shot at the World Heavyweight Championship at “Bound For Glory” against Bully Ray? Both champion and challenger will be on Thursday’s broadcast as the countdown continues to “Bound For Glory”.
– In tag team action on Thursday night, it will be “The Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy teaming with X Division Champion Manik to battle Chris Sabin and Kenny King!
– Thursday’s IMPACT will also feature a Gauntlet Match as Magnus has challenged all three members of E.G.O. (Bobby Roode, Christopher Daniels and Kazarian). Magnus is determined to step up and prove himself against the faction, but can he defeat all three in one night?
– Plus, more matches for “Bound For Glory” will be announced on Thursday night! Don’t miss IMPACT at 9/8c on SpikeTV!
-According to one source, after dropping out of the running due to fear of the costs of running on the West Coast, it appears that Las Vegas is back in the running for the permanent home of Impact Wrestling. As noted in the past, TNA is looking to select a single location for their weekly Impact Wrestling shows, as opposed to continuing to take the show on the road every other week.
-As noted previously, TNA announced during Thursday night’s edition of Impact Wrestling on Spike TV that Kurt Angle will officially return to the company at their “Bound For Glory” pay-per-view on Sunday, October 20th. TNA has released the hype video announcing Angle’s return on their official YouTube channel, which you can check out below:
-TNA Impact Wrestling star Hulk Hogan was recently named the Bright House Grand Marshall for the Super Boat National Championships, which is scheduled to take place this weekend in Clearwater, Florida. For more information, visit WTSP.com.
-Speaking of Grand Marshall’s, former TNA star and WWE developmental wrestler Cassidy Riley was the Grand Marshall of the Jesse James Outlaws Roundup Festival in Riley’s hometown of Oak Grove, LA. last weekend.
According to a fan who attended the TNA Impact Wrestling television tapings in Little Rock, Arkansas on Thursday night, a stipulation for the main event of the promotion’s upcoming “Bound For Glory” pay-per-view may have been hinted at during a verbal exchange between the two wrestlers involved in the scheduled match.
Apparently, TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bully Ray hinted at the possibility of AJ Styles either winning the TNA title at the pay-per-view, or leaving the company if he loses. While Ray did not officially announce that as the stipulation for the match, it would make a lot of sense given the contract situation involving Styles and TNA, and the fact that the short-term deal he signed with the promotion is set to expire immediately after the Bound For Glory show.
Fans interested in checking out the full spoilers from Thursday’s Impact Wrestling television tapings for the October 3rd edition of the show, can check those out on the main page.
As previously reported, Hulk Hogan may have been written off of TNA television during the tapings for next week’s edition of Impact Wrestling, which were filmed on Thursday night in Little Rock, Arkansas.
For those who missed it, the main event angle for next week’s show will see Hulk Hogan respond to the ultimatum given to him by Dixie Carter on this week’s live Impact Wrestling broadcast. Hogan ultimately “quits the company,” with Dixie on her knees begging him to stay as the show goes off the air.
According to one source, this could be an attempt by TNA to simply swerve the audience, as Hogan, whose contract is up next Tuesday, may have already signed a new deal with the company. This could be TNA’s way of milking the real-life drama going on right now in the company, with so many contracts expiring and name-talent parting ways with the promotion.
If Hogan has re-signed, the feeling is that running this angle would seem very real, due to the aforementioned situation with so many high-profile talents leaving due to the inability to come to terms with the company on new agreements.
If a new deal between Hogan and TNA has not been reached, then the angle shot on Thursday’s television tapings will in fact be Hogan’s swansong.
TNA shot an angle during the live edition of Impact Wrestling on Thursday night that saw the now heel president of the company, Dixie Carter, give Hulk Hogan an ultimatum. Carter informed Hogan that he had one week to decide if he was with her or not. Obviously the one week is up in real-time, as next week’s Impact Wrestling was taped immediately after the live show in Little Rock, Arkansas on Thursday night.
During the main event segment of the show taped for next week’s Spike TV broadcast, Hogan “quit” the promotion, with Carter on her knees begging him to stay. According to reports, Thursday’s set of TNA tapings was the final contractually obligated televised appearance of Hogan, whose contract expires in October. While Hogan and TNA are reportedly still negotiating a new deal, apparently the angle was shot as a possible send-off for the legendary star.
As has been reported many times recently, TNA is in the middle of a major financial evaluation of all sides of the company, which has resulted in the departure of talents recently such as Ken Anderson and Mickie James, as well as the stalling of contract negotiations of AJ Styles. Also reported recently is the fact that Jeff Jarrett has been working in the TNA offices more lately. Jarrett was also backstage at the TNA television tapings on Thursday night. Whether or not this is TNA preparing for life after Hogan remains to be seen, however, the angle shot for next week’s television is certainly interesting considering everything that is going on right now.
We should have more information on the next few days.
-TNA ran a video announcing simply, “Ethan Is Coming” during Thursday’s live edition of Impact Wrestling on Spike TV.
Additionally, the official Impact Wrestling Twitter account tweeted the following, which didn’t reveal much more about the upcoming addition to the TNA main roster: “#EthanIsComing.”
-Speaking of this week’s Impact Wrestling, the show is currently trending number one worldwide on Twitter with “#ImpactLive” topping the current list of trending items on the social media platform.
On this week’s live edition of Impact Wrestling on Spike TV, TNA announced that Kurt Angle will make his official return to the company at the “Bound For Glory” pay-per-view event on Sunday, October 20th.
The announcement was made during a video segment that highlighted past TNA moments involving Kurt Angle, including the announcement earlier this year that the former Olympic gold medalist would be inducted into the official TNA Hall Of Fame.
The following are highlights from a recent interview with former WWE Superstar Chris Masters:
On his favorite WWE storyline that he was involved in: “Working the program with Shawn Michaels just because he was like, my childhood hero. That was almost the equivalent of winning the world championship in my book.Obviously for the record books it would be nice to say you’re a former world champion but I’m just really glad I got to work him before he retired and I was able to break into that generation before a lot of those guys essentially either went on to TNA or some retired, it was a very different landscape.”
On working with John Cena: “The kind of ironic part of the whole story is that we started training wrestling the same day together, same exact day, I was 16 at the time. So, you know, we go all the way back to the very beginning with each other. Ultimately, what happened was that two months into my training I fractured my ankle, had surgery and took a couple of years off because I was so young and Cena kept with it and within that time went on to WWE first and I came back to UPW and two years later I got signed, so you know, I was a couple of years behind him. As far as feuding with him, it was always nice to go out there with someone that the people are so emotionally invested in because it makes your job that much easier. They love Cena, so to work a guy on top of the card there’s no better payday than that really so you can’t complain from that aspect… On a personal level, we have never meshed. Our personalities are just very different. For whatever reason that is, it’s not a love or hate thing, it’s just two very different type of people.”
On a possible WWE Return: “You know, you can’t rule anything out of course, but I mean the problem with WWE right now for me is that it seems there’s no real room for opportunity. There’s just so many guys that they have and I haven’t watched in a while but from what I’ve heard they combined raw and Smackdown and if you want to just be there just treading water then yeah, but I would rather go there with the certainty that I was actually going to do something and be vital to the program. It just depends on the opportunity that’s there, and it doesn’t seem like there is to me. What do they have there like 100 guys in developmental and it just seems like right now I’m where I’m supposed to be and doing what I’m supposed to do but if the opportunity presents itself I’m not necessarily going to say no but there’s going to be some things to consider obviously. Even before my release I was always thinking in the back of my mind about the potential of quitting and either calling TNA or just reevaluating things because I knew how my work had come along but also at the same time they were at a point in the company where they needed babyfaces and they still weren’t using me so I was just like, if they aren’t going to use me at this point when are they going to use me? It still didn’t seem rational because it’s like, I’m not going to quit because this is the place I’ve always wanted to work, this is my dream, so that kind of overshadowed any thought of quitting but it did cross my mind at the time so that’s kind of where I stand with it now. I’m still just 30 years old so it gives me some time on my side obviously but I really can’t say for sure.”
On the possibility of going to TNA: “I keep an open mind about any wrestling company because it’s my ultimate passion, there’s really nothing else. If I had to fill out a resume, under qualifications I’d put what,standing vertical suplex and an unbreakable full nelson? I don’t know where that’s going to benefit me in society but one thing that I have been exploring while living in L.A. is different movie projects because coming out of our line of work it seems like a natural fit.”
-As previously reported, WWE Superstar Mark Henry appeared on the Jay Mohr podcast last week. The Baltimore Sun picked up some notes from the interview recently, including information on Mark Henry re-signing a three-year extension with WWE that included a raise. You can check out the Baltimore Sun’s coverage of Henry online at BaltimoreSun.com.
-The TNA Impact Wrestling non-televised live event in El Paso, Texas drew a reported 900-to-1,000 fans. Previously, rumors had circulated claiming the show only drew approximately 200 fans.
The following are highlights from some new Jim Ross Q&A on his official website:
On if he has interest in joining TNA: “No interest whatsoever at this time. Moving on to other things.”
On if wrestlers should be fined for giving/receiving chair-shots to the head: “Yes they must be protected from themselves. Chair shots to the head are ignorant.”
On if he has a legends contract with WWE now: “Why is this matter relevant or any of your business? No offense…”
On if Hulk Hogan could end up back in WWE once his TNA contract expires: “Don’t know….don’t care as it a non issue to me. Some day Hogan making a WWE appearance won’t surprise me.”
Check out more JR Q&A on his official website, JRsBarBQ.com.
As we have reported in the past, AJ Styles’ current, short-term deal with TNA is set to expire in December. According to the latest reports, it appears highly unlikely that “The Phenomenal One” will end up in WWE after his short-term TNA deal expires. According to one source, there appears to be very little interest from the WWE side in signing the 36-year-old former TNA World Champion.
One person in-the-know in WWE went as far as saying there is “far less interest in AJ from the WWE side than a normal, rational person would think.”
As many saw on last week’s Impact Wrestling, Styles has entered into a new storyline with the now storyline heel president of TNA, Dixie Carter, where he claims to be currently working without a contract. As noted, that is untrue, as Styles re-signed the aforementioned short-term deal with TNA which gets them through December. Where Styles will end up by the time that deal expires remains to be seen.
TNA just announced that a 6-man tag match between the Main Event Mafia and Aces & Eights has been added to Thursday’s live episode of Impact Wrestling from Little Rock, Arkansas.
With that match set, here’s an updated preview for the show:
– Fallout from Dixie Carter’s heel turn last week. How will IMPACT General Manager Hulk Hogan react?
– Sting, Samoa Joe and Magnus vs. Knux, Garett Bischoff and Wes Brisco
– Can Bully Ray maintain control of Aces & Eights?
– X Division Champion Manik vs. Chris Sabin
– Eric Young, Knockouts Champion ODB & Joseph Park vs. The Bro Mans (Robbie E and Jessie Godderz) & a Mystery Knockout.
The following are highlights from a recent interview with TNA Impact Wrestling star Magnus:
On talents he looked up to before getting into the business: “I looked up to Kurt in particular when I decided to be a pro wrestler, and Sting and Hulk Hogan are both characters that captured my imaginations as a kid, but never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would be working alongside them by the time I made it to a high enough level.”
“I always dreamed of wrestling Kurt Angle, but even that was a pipe dream. So the fact that I’ve wrestled Sting and Kurt and appeared with Hulk is still surreal to me and means so much. But then to hear them publicly endorse me is one of the most gratifying feelings I have ever had. Sting was the first major name to speak up for me, and Kurt has been a supporter of mine for a long time. He’s a wonderful guy and I am so appreciative of all he has done for me and the business.”
On Dixie Carter seeing something in him early on: “Dixie saw something in me before anyone else, so in terms of how things are going for me now, I’m proud of myself and forever grateful for her for her support. I was determined not to let her down. Anytime someone takes a chance with me, I will do my absolute best to return on that faith. It was the same thing when Richard Woolfe [the former head of Sky 1] saw something in me for Gladiators that the other producers did not. And it will be the same for anyone else that sees something in me: I’ll deliver.”
Check out the complete interview online at Mirror.co.uk.