WWE.com has pulled last week’s controversial Thanksgiving-themed slideshow article counting down the seven biggest “turkeys” to ever trot the squared circle. The page is now inaccessible.

The list was heavily scrutinized by fans and former talent alike who felt it was hurtful as well as hypocritical. Former WWE performers Vito LoGrasso (a/k/a Vito) and Nick Cvjetkovich (a/k/a Kizarny) both took to social media outlets to respond to being labeled turkeys. Vito stated the following Friday on Facebook:

“A lot of people are upset with the WWE today. They spoke of me in a negative way which put the fans in shock. How would they post something like this on a holiday?! I have a family and the kids are all upset. I thought they had an anti-bullying policy.”

LoGrasso stated in a subsequent interview that he planned to take the matter to GLAAD and TMZ, pointing out the hypocrisy in WWE bullying him when they have an anti-bullying campaign in place.

Cvjetkovich shared similar sentiments regarding his former employer’s demeaning piece as he called it “a dick move” in a YouTube video. He added on Twitter, “So much for anti-bullying @WWE @JoeyStyles. Receiving tons of positive messages is the only thing that saved my Thanksgiving that u wrecked!”

– To update the story of a potential Cody Rhodes vs. Goldust ‘Brother vs. Brother’ match, WWE officials are said to open to the idea, although it might not happen at WrestleMania, as Goldust is pushing on Twitter.

– WWE officials have discussed putting Kaitlyn in a heel Divas stable with Divas Champion Beth Phoenix and Natalya.

– Former WWE announcer Todd Grisham will be hosting an American Kennel Club special on ABC in January.

– WWE shipped 265,000 DVD units in October 2011, up 6% from October 2010. The top shipped WWE DVD’s for the year so far are:

• WrestleMania 27 (232,000 units)
• Best of WCW Nitro (138,000)
• History of WrestleMania (120,000 units)
• DX One Last Stand (109,000 units)
• Randy Orton’s DVD (102,000 units)

– “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s new action movie, which is currently shooting in Vancouver and co-stars Steven Seagal, will be titled, “Maximum Conviction.” Austin and Segal will play soldiers guarding female prisoners from mercenaries that are trying to kill them.

Check out these pictures of Stone Cold Steve Austin & Steven Seagal on the set of “Maximum Conviction” –

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

NBC TO AIR “WWE TRIBUTE TO THE TROOPS,” FEATURING MARY J. BLIGE, NICKELBACK, MARIA MENOUNOS, GEORGE WALLACE AND MISS USA ALYSSA CAMPANELLA ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17 AT 9 P.M. ET

NBC will join forces with the WWE once again to honor the United States Armed Forces with the fourth annual holiday telecast of “WWE Tribute to the Troops.” This year, WWE’s biggest Superstars, Divas and special guest stars, will travel to Fort Bragg, North Carolina for the hour-long special airing Saturday, December 17 at 9 p.m. on NBC.

In the grand tradition of Bob Hope, the most patriotic holiday special of the year will feature performances by Grammy Award winning R&B sensation Mary J. Blige, Multi-platinum rock band Nickelback, comedian George Wallace, and WWE’s biggest Superstars and Divas for thousands of Fort Bragg military personnel and their families at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, NC.

Miss USA, Alyssa Campanella will make a special appearance along with Extra’s Maria Menounos, who will lace up her boots and step into the ring for a special Diva’s match.

The special will also include messages of encouragement and thanks from various celebrities such as Matthew McConaughey, Hugh Jackman, The Muppets, Robin Williams, Bradley Cooper and Nicole Kidman among others.

In keeping with the spirit of “WWE Tribute to the Troops” and bringing a little piece of Americana to service men and women overseas, the special will also chronicle WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and Superstars Kofi Kingston, Brie Bella and Nikki Bella’s goodwill visit to troops in Afghanistan.

This trip marks the ninth consecutive year that WWE will bring its Bob Hope inspired entertainment to our service men and women to thank them for their commitment to the country and recognition of their sacrifices.

— Evan Bourne’s thirty-day suspension for his first violation of WWE’s Talent Wellness Program has expired. Therefore, he is now eligible to resume performing for the organization.

WWE announced on November 1, 2011 that the WWE Tag Team Champion had been suspended for thirty days due to his non-compliance with their drug testing policy.

Bourne, who’s real name is Matthew Korklan, was suspended after reportedly testing positive for Spice, a synthetic marijuana brand.

— WWE Classics On Demand pays tribute to rebel wrestlers such as Brian Pillman, Superstar Billy Graham, D-Generation X, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper in January with “Rebel Rumblings.” Click here for a video preview.

— Former WWE Diva Trinity turns 40 years old Thursday. She joined the revived ECW brand in June 2006 but was released a year later.

SEScoops.com reader Hiroaki Kawafuji sent in the following report from today’s WWE Raw house show in Yokohama, Japan:

– Zack Ryder defeated Jack Swagger. The crowds chanted “Let’s go Ryder”. Ryder hit Rough rider for the win.

– Santino Marella defeated William Regal. Santino hit the Cobra for the win.

– Alex Riley defeated Primo. The crowds chant “Let’s go Riley”. Riley hit spinebuster and Hit The Showers for the win.

– Dolph Ziggler defeated Drew McIntyre and Mason Ryan to retain the US Title. Ryan hit full nelson buster to McIntyre and tried to cover but Ziggler prevented. Ziggler cover McIntyre for the win. After the match, Ryan hit full nelson buster to Ziggler. The crowds chant “USA”.

– Kelly Kelly pinned Beth Phoenix. Former WWE Superstar Funaki come out as special guest referee. Kelly Kelly rolled up for the win. After the match, The Miz come out to the ring and hit scale crashing finale to Funaki.

– John Cena & Big Show defeated The Miz & Kevin Nash. Cena hit the Atittude Adjustment to Miz for the win. After the match, Cena and Big Show celebrated.

– CM Punk defeated Alberto Del Rio to retain the WWE Title. Punk hit GTS for the win. After the match, Punk did high-five with Takayama. Takayama raised up Punk’s arm on the air.

Former WWE Diva and Divas Champion, Maryse, joins Diva Dirt for an exclusive interview to discuss her release from WWE, her upcoming project, House of Maryse and look back at her entire career. In a near one-hour audio, Maryse talks to us about her release from WWE, why she’s done with wrestling, whether she’d go to TNA, whether she’d pose for Playboy again and more. You can listen to the full interview here.

Maryse opens up about her relationship with The Miz, the scary stalker situation earlier this year, and reflects on her career. We talk to the Sexiest of the Sexy about her time in WWE ranging from the Diva Search, learning English on the job, the development of her character, winning the Divas Title, suffering a dislocated kneecap, the Divas division and so much more.

Here are some highlights of what Maryse said about:

Her WWE Release: “I think it was more mutual. I wanted to leave the company for a while now because I have other projects I want to work on and it was impossible to work on those projects being under contract with the WWE. I had six fantastic years with the WWE. I had a really good run. Two actually, with my two Divas Championships. After six years, I was looking at it and I said, ‘I need to keep growing’. That’s why I decided to take a break from wrestling and to leave because I wanted to focus on my next project which is House of Maryse.”

“Also, living in LA, I have other opportunities that I want to work on and I would love to be working on the big screen. I love playing different characters, and I would love to be playing different characters in movies or TV shows, instead of continuing my career with the WWE. I’m a business woman, I need to keep growing and reinvent myself, so that’s mainly the reason why I decided to be like, ‘Okay, I think it’s time to move on to the next chapter now’.”

Fans being upset to see her go: “The way I see it is, you can be a character on a TV show for years, then the TV show gets cancelled and your favorite actress or favorite comedian, you don’t see them for a little while and then you see them back doing something else. You can still be enjoying them performing on TV. To me, the WWE was… I was a character that I played for six years and now I’m ready to play a different character. They’ll see me again on TV. Everything is fine.”

The Evolution of Her Character: “They always saw me wrestle as a babyface when I was in developmental, so when I got to TV, I said that I wanted to be a heel. I said, ‘Just trust me. Just let me be a heel and I’ll show you’. To me, it’s just characters. It’s a little bit of you obviously, but it’s just characters. All of that happened little by little, especially in the live events, I would do something and the crowd would react to it like the hand gesture or the hair flip. One day I did that. I was feeling sassy that day and I said, ‘You know what, I’ll try this tonight’. I did it and the crowd just reacted well to it, so I kept it.”

Downside of the Divas division: “I feel like right now, all the girls they have in the Divas division are really talented and have so much potential. They can do so much. I just wish the WWE would give them more. You need to be able to build a character, you need to have time, you need to have a microphone and be able to talk so people can relate to you. Without that, it was really, really hard to build yourself- build your character, so I just wish they would give them more time and they would be more involved with the women’s division. They deserve it. There’s a lot of potential there, but you need to give a little bit to see that.”

WWE superstar Alex Riley was recently interviewed by Jeff Wilen of JAWBreaker. Riley spoke about his experience at WWE developmental (FCW), his former mentor The Miz, his “A-Ri” nickname and more. Here are some highlights of what Riley said about:

Q: Your latest feuds have been with Dolph Ziggler and Jack Swagger. What feuds would you like to see in your future?

A: “It’s very hard to predict what’s going to happen. It all kinds of changes month to month. I’ve been in the ring with The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Rowdy Roddy Piper. I’ve worked with guys at the top of the business. I expect to be there. I’ve been able to work with legends. I hope to be WWE champion one day. I’d love to see CM Punk in my future, but things are going good for him now. I expect to be in feuds with Christian and Mark Henry.”

Q: Who would you want your WrestleMania match opponent to be?

A: “I’d love to face John Cena one day. He’s a 12-time champion. He has made a mark at the top for so long, and he’s done it better than anyone. He’s kind of the measuring stick for me.”

To check out the full interview, head over to Go386.com.

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with another blog update at JRsBarBQ.com. JR wrote about a number of topics, including CM Punk’s popularity, whether Shawn Michaels is really retired, whether the Ultimate Warrior could get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012, The Rock’s return to the ring at Survivor Series and much more.

Here are some highlights of what JR said about:

John Cena Turning Heel:“There is a large part of the beloved WWE Universe who enjoys booing Cena and like to see John in less than positive situations. So, what would said change be exactly? Cena would get the little kids and the women to boo him? Come on, and forgo all that merchandise that he sells? That makes zero sense to me. Cena’s in ring, TV persona is somewhat reminiscent of Bret Hart’s TV persona during a point in time of his WWE run. The Cena ‘turning into a full fledged villain role’ as some fans constantly encourage seems over thought in my opinion. ”

The Undertaker’s Return: “There is rampant speculation as to when the Deadman will return, who he will wrestle at WM28, who wins, who loses in Miami, how many matches that Taker is planning on having before he retires and even more on his current hair style … The Undertaker is WWE’s most enduring star and ‘The Streak’ is as big a part of Wrestlemania as any thing on the card in the eyes of many fans. Adding the Undertaker to the WM28 mix, say after the first of the year, will add needed momentum to the April 1, 2012 event.”

John Morrison’s Future With WWE/TNA: “Upon further review, it might make more sense than many John Morrison fans think for John to step away from WWE now that his WWE contract has expired. John has had a few injuries that rest and physical therapy will help greatly. Plus, he’s free to enjoy the holidays. I can see John taking a few months, perhaps even a year, off, heal, recharge his batteries and then return to WWE. Of course the obvious question from many fans is when will Morrison turn up on another company’s wrestling, TV show? Personally, I don’t see that happening but that’s merely one guy’s opinion. John is a talented athlete and certainly wish him the best.”

Stone Cold Steve Austin

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross believes his longtime friend Steve Austin will compete in one more match – but it won’t be at WrestleMania 28.

“I think he still has the itch to do one more match,” Ross said Wednesday during an appearance on 1560 The Game. “His health is better—there’s certain things he may not be able to do physically —but he’s in great shape.”

“A year ago, I would have said there would be no more Austin matches. I’ve loosened my stance on that a little bit now. I think somewhere down the road—I don’t think it’s WrestleMania 28 because those attractions are pretty well in place with Rock and Cena—it would not surprise me to see Austin back for a farewell, one-time off situation.”

• Steve Austin Reveals What He’d Change About WWE

J.R. also talked about John Cena’s appearance on “Piper’s Pit” Monday where WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper grilled Cena on the increasingly hostile reaction from WWE Universe members.

“I’m not sure what they accomplished at the end of the segment, but I listened to every damn word of it,” Ross said. “So, they captivated my attention, but it was like the crazy uncle trying to reason with the defiant nephew about Cena’s reaction to the crowd.”

Ross said he is often asked whether Cena should turn heel. He doesn’t think it’s necessary since Cena is a heel to one group of fans, but garners strong support from another.

• Jim Ross Blog: The Rock, Undertaker’s Retirement, Zack Ryder’s Popularity

Vince McMahon is not as down on Sin Cara as had been feared immediately following Survivor Series, where he was suffered a ruptured patella tendon. It was pointed out to McMahon that accidents happen, and that, in fact, the WWE CEO himself tore both quads running to the ring at the 2005 Royal Rumble.

Company officials are disappointed with the masked grappler’s twist of fate since a slew of merchandise was set to be released over the next few weeks not to mention that they were hopeful that he would face Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania XXVIII—WWE was looking to set the world record for most masks worn in one place at one time. It is believed that match will still take place sometime in 2012.

Meanwhile, when the questionable Sin Cara T-Shirt surfaced this week, some people within the organization joked that even his T-Shirts were botching spots.

(source: F4WOnline.com)

In this month’s edition of the free online magazine The Wrestling Press, WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin discusses his acting career and ideal opponent if he were to return to WWE’s squared circle.

Here’s what he had to say:

On wrestling CM Punk: “So yeah I hear the stories, if the stars aligned and all things worked out to benefit us all I’d say that he is the guy I’d pick to face. I could get another match out of this carcass of mine sure.”

On filming a comedy: “Comedy, no one has asked really, I have a script in progress, kind of a spoof of the action genre and I do want to do that.”

On his new DVD: “Looking back like that lets you see things you would change if you could go back. Early in my career I was in Ric Flair mode… I was really treading water for a time.”

On Tough Enough 2: “I hear there will be a second series, I’d say there’s a 95% chance of it right now. I really did enjoy doing it.”

TWP also has interviews with Bobby Roode and Japanese sensation Dick Togo. As well as many other original features, such as; Survivor Series, the forgotten PPV – Home Town Pride (how lack of territories have killed the fans passion) – Star Ratings debate – Super Dragon returns to PWG – The Impact of DG:UK – First ever SMASH champion (Exclusive!) – and much, much more. The magazine is available here.

– We’re hearing conflicting reports as to the meaning of the recent “It Begins” promos from RAW. While some believe the cryptic videos are hyping the return of Chris Jericho, another reliable source has informed us that the video is actually for the Undertaker’s return. Some are speculating that WWE hasn’t even decided yet on who will be the returning superstar. If Chris Jericho re-signs with WWE – they videos could be for him. If not, they’ll be for the Undertaker.

• View Here: The 2 Cryptic “IT BEGINS” Promos

– WWE is close to bringing back a former Women’s Champion to feud with Beth Phoenix and Natalya. No word yet on who that might be.

It’s worth noting that former WWE diva Amy “Lita” Dumas was working with WWE today conducting an interview for an unspecified project.

– Chris Jericho will be attending Metallica’s 30th Anniversary shows in San Francisco, California next week. He wrote on Twitter:

“Shot a quick vid for next weeks Metallica 30th ann shows at the Fillmore.I’ll be there on Mon…such an honor to be invited! #metalupyourass”

– Speaking of Chris Jericho, American Idol alum (and huge wrestling fan) James Durbin will be appearing on Jericho’s Rock of Jericho show this Saturday at 5pm EST on XM channel 164.

(Partial source: f4wonline.com)

— The November 28, 2011 episode of the Raw SuperShow scored a 3.2 cable rating, with 4,483,000 viewers. The show saw a significant drop in viewers as the first hour drew a 3.33 before plummeting to a 3.07 in the second. The show lost 296,000 viewers over the course of the second hour.

By comparison, most network programming aired repeat episodes and Monday Night Football, which scored a 10.73 cable rating, was a blowout in the second half.

— Former WWE performer Maryse Ouellet is scheduled for an autograph signing at Maryland Championship Wrestling’s show on Friday, December 30, 2011 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The event is located at 2401 North Pount Blvd. Dundalk, Maryland 21222.

— Jerry Lawler will be interviewed Thursday on The Bob Edwards Show on Sirius/XM (XM 121/Sirius 205).

— The Great Khali is promoting THQ’s WWE ’12 video game on Saturday at Oberoi Mall in Mumbai, India.

source: PWInsider.com

— WWE is cracking down on Twitter accounts parodying their employees as many have been shut down. Twitter, however, has a rule where they permit parody accounts as long as it is stated that the account is a parody in the description. Nonetheless, two popular accounts remain active: twitter.com/DumbKellyKelly and twitter.com/crankyvince. The account parodying Kelly upset her as she recently blocked it.

— Molly Holly has been announced as the special guest referee for a match pitting Jillian Hall against TNA Knockout Traci Brooks at Women Superstars Uncensored’s show on January 21, 2012 in Stirling, New Jersey. The event will be released on DVD.

— The WWE SmackDown taping on January 31, 2012 will be held at the Century Link Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

— WWE Hall of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase has been announced for New Orleans Comic Con taking place January 28-29. 2012.

source: Wrestling Globe Newsletter

Earlier this week, John Cena got a lot of attention when he responded to a tweet from a fan stating that the current “Spinner” WWE Championship belt is ugly and needs a change. Cena agreed, stating that he feels the same way and has wanted WWE to change the design of the belt for 3 years now.

We got a ton of feedback on the “Comments” section of that previous post – now, we’ve set up an official poll. We want to know – which version of the WWE Championship should WWE use?

Vote Here  – and please help us get the word out about this poll by hitting the Facebook & Twitter buttons below the title belt images. “Like” and re-tweet this article!

[poll id=”30″]

– Former WWE star JBL recently had a scooter stolen from in front of a police station in Bermuda, where he now lives. For more on the story, visit TMZ.com.

– After capturing his first Mixed Martial Arts championship earlier this month, former WWE & TNA star Bobby Lashley is seeking independent wrestling booings.

• Picture of Bobby Lashley Holding His New MMA Title

A representative for Lashley sent us the following:

“If promoters are interested in bringing in Bobby Lashley, email LashleyBookings@yahoo.com. Lashley is also working on a new official website that should be ready by 2012 and will feature news and information for both Bobby’s wrestling and MMA career. You can follow Lashley on Twitter @FightBobby.”

– Former WWE tag team the New Age Outlaws have posted their latest online video, which you can check out at Blip.tv.

– United States Senate candidate Linda McMahon will be appearing at the “Ladies Who Launch” event on Monday, 12/12 in New Canaan, Connecticut. The event is described as non-political and not a fundraiser, but a “chance for good conversation among women who want to be informed.” [TheDailyWeston.com]

The first match has been announced for WWE’s upcoming Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view on Sunday, December 18th – and it’s going to be another war between WWE’s two largest superstars.

The Big Show will get another shot at Mark Henry’s World Heavyweight championship.

The match stipulation will be added in the weeks ahead.

The match match was made official after Henry retained the World title over Daniel Bryan in a steel cage match on Tuesday’s live Smackdown episode.

Live notes from Tuesday's Live SmackDown Special

After Tuesday’s live SmackDown special went off the air, Teddy Long came out and announced that Mark Henry would defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Randy Orton in a second cage match. Henry defeated Orton in a short match after Wade Barrett distracted Orton. Orton nailed Barrett with an RKO to end the show.

SEScoops.com reader Daniel Wells was at SmackDown and sent in the following live notes from the show. He noted that overall it was a great time, but said the absence of WWE’s most over stars (John Cena, CM Punk and .. Zack Ryder) took away some of the enjoyment.

-Entire upper deck was tarped off. 2 years ago when Raw was here, the entire arena was filled. Not sure if Smackdown being the ‘B’ show it draws a smaller crowd, or the economy is tough, or if people just attend less events.

-Tons of kids. Lots of Cena, Punk shirts and some Ryder merch floating around. Although, no Ryder merch was for sale at the venders. Sin Cara masks and shirts for sale even though he is hurt.

-Several “We Want Ryder” chants throughout the night.

-NXT and Superstars were taped. Nothing much to report. Took a while for crowd to get into it. Ted Dibiase’s presence on Superstars helped warm the crowd a bit.

-Surprisingly, Mick Foley didn’t receive a huge pop when we made his way out to start Smackdown. That may have been because he didn’t come out to his theme music, and young kids don’t know him well. Once he got in the ring, the crowd got more into him.

-Cody Rhodes had GOOD heat.

-Kofi Kingston had a huge pop. Probably because he was the first major face to make an appearance in the ring. People were into him.

-Orton had biggest pop of the night, no surprise. I for one thought he did a good job making a PG street fight with a cartoonish setting be entertaining. He has good charisma and personality, contra what some IWC critics claim.

-Sheamus didn’t get quite the reaction I thought he would get. But that may have been because his music was low and his Titantron video seemed off.

-Hornswoggle winning made kids happy but adults ticked. The bit at the end between Sheamus and Hornswoggle went too long for the crowd’s taste.

-Daniel Bryan’s reaction wasn’t very positive, at least at first. When they showed his picture on the Titantron you had some cheers (not very loud) and a trail of booos. Even some kids were boo’ing him His entrance for the main event had a minimal reaction (less than Kofi Kingston). During the match, some Daniel Bryan cheers were started (even if small). Not sure if his lack of TV time or his blunder last week had anything to do with it.

Report by Steve Carrier:

Tonight’s WWE Super SmackDown special opens with a shot of downtown Charlotte and they have snow falling on the screen. We go to the arena and snow is falling there also as Mick Foley makes his way out dressed as Santa Claus. Foley talks about how he’s a huge fan of Christmas and points out we’re still 4 weeks away. Foley talks about tonight’s World Heavyweight Title match in the steel cage. Foley also announces a Street Fight and a Battle Royal. The winner of the Battle Royal will get their special wish granted by Santa. Foley says he promised no Michael Cole tonight but Cole’s legal team got him on the show. Foley brings out Michael Cole and he’s dressed as Rudolph the Reindeer. Cole isn’t happy and runs his mouth on the way to the ring.
Cole joins the announcer table and we see Josh Matthews dressed as an elf. Foley brings out Booker T next and he’s dressed as Santa Claus also. Foley talks Booker into doing a Spin-a-rooni. Foley plays some cheesy music and Booker Claus does the Spin-a-rooni. Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes comes out to the stage. Cody rips into Booker and says he’s taking time away from someone like him who still has the skills to compete. Booker says he doesn’t know what Cody’s problem is but he has no beef with him. Booker says he doesn’t want to fight Cody either but he can still handle his business in the ring. Cody shows off his title and says Booker will never be champion again. Foley speaks up and tells Cody not to disrespect a Legend. Foley is proud to call Booker a friend. Foley calls Booker a 5 time WCW Champion and says Cody is interrupting his enjoying the holidays. Foley proposes Booker vs. Cody tonight. Cody says he’s looking forward to it but Booker looks a little hesitant. Booker agrees. Foley has a party to get back to in the back but introduces the Divas.

Santa’s Little Helper Match

The Bella Twins, Tamina, Natalya, Kelly Kelly, Rosa Mendes, Alicia Fox, Kaitlyn, Aksana and some other Divas make their way out to the ring as we go to commercial.

Back from the break and Foley is on the stage. He announces this is a Mistletoe match and the winner gets a title shot it sounds like. The winner has to climb the pole and grab the mistletoe to win. The bell rings and all the Divas go at it. The end comes when Brie Bella hits her sister Nikki and climbs up on her back to grab the mistletoe.

Winner: Brie Bella

– Foley comes back out and says the winner does not get a title shot. They get the chance to give a kiss to any Superstar of their choice between now and Christmas.

Justin Gabriel vs. Jinder Mahal

Back from the break and Justin Gabriel is in the ring. Jinder Mahal comes out and rips into the fans for celebrating Christmas. The bell rings and they go at it. Mahal takes control early on and works Gabriel over. Mahal spears Gabriel in the corner and whips him across the ring. Ted DiBiase’s music hits and out he comes in a Santa hat with a Santa bag. Ted starts handing out gifts to the fans. Mahal runs his mouth to Ted. He turns around to a kick from Gabriel. Gabriel slams Jinder and goes to the top for the 450. Gabriel nails it for the win.

Winner: Justin Gabriel

– We go backstage where Mick Foley is making the rounds at the Christmas party. Roddy Piper is there. Dusty Rhodes walks in and talks with Hornswoggle. Dusty turns around and Goldust is there. Piper is telling Derrick Bateman to spike someone’s drink with eye drops if he has a problem with them. David Otunga walks up and advises against it. Otunga has a message from John Laurinaitis and wants everyone to shut the party down. Foley books Otunga in the Miracle on 34th Street Fight. And his opponent is… Randy Orton. Otunga looks worried as we go to commercial.

– We get more hype for Booker T vs. Cody Rhodes. Matt Striker is backstage with Booker. He goes to speak but Cody Rhodes attacks him from behind with the Intercontinental Title. Cody hits Booker again and walks off as a referee tends to Booker. Back to commercial.

Kofi Kingston vs. Tyson Kidd

Back from the break and Tyson Kidd is in the ring while Kofi Kingston makes his entrance. Cole announces that Rhodes vs. Booker T will not happen tonight because of the attack from Rhodes. The bell rings and they go at it. Kofi with offense early on. Tyson knocks him out of the corner and dropkicks him for a 2 count. Kidd keeps in control and stops Kofi from making a comeback.

Kofi comes back with forearm shots and a big dropkick. Kofi with the leaping forearm and the Boom Drop. Kofi goes for Trouble in Paradise but Kidd rolls out of the ring. Kofi follows. Kofi ducks a clothesline and dropkicks Kidd on the floor. Kofi goes over to Michael Cole and tells him to take the reindeer suit off because he looks ridiculous. Kofi turns around to a shot from Kidd. Kofi rocks Kidd into the apron and rolls him in the ring. Kofi goes to the top with Cole’s reindeer hat and nose on. Kofi the reindeer hits a big crossbody from the top for the win.

Winner: Kofi Kingston

– We go backstage to the Christmas party. Kaitlyn suggests Hornswoggle ask Santa if he can be a little bit taller. Sheamus and Teddy Long talk about tonight’s All I Want for Christmas Battle Royal. Sheamus wants to know what the winner gets but Teddy doesn’t know. Aksana walks up and Teddy asks Sheamus to excuse them. Teddy and Aksana talk about the Christmas party. She hangs mistletoe over his head. He tells her to do what comes natural. She doesn’t kiss him… instead she eats a piece of the mistletoe and says it tickled her throat. They leave together and that’s it.

– We see Randy Orton walking backstage to the Miracle on 34th Street Fight. Back to commercial.

Miracle on 34th Street Fight: Randy Orton vs. David Otunga

Back from the break and out comes Randy Orton followed by David Otunga. The bell rings and Orton applies a headlock. Orton drops Otunga with a shoulder but gets kicked in the gut. Orton kicks Otunga in the head and clotheslines him out to the floor. Orton works Otunga over on the floor now and throws him into one of the Christmas trees at ringside. Orton throws Otunga into another tree as the crowd cheers him on.

Otunga rams Orton back into the apron. Orton takes a pan of Christmas cookies and hits Otunga with it. He wraps a wreath around Otunga’s head and continues the assault. Otunga turns it around and suplexes Orton on the floor. Otunga swings a kendo stick wrapped like a candy cane but Orton tackles him and takes back the fight on the floor. Orton beats Otunga around the floor and up the ramp. Orton throws a huge box wrapped as a present and knocks Otunga down. Orton takes Otunga up the ramp where several Christmas trees are setup and throws him into them. Orton brings it back to the ring and hits the draping DDT from the apron down to the floor outside the ring. Orton gets up but Wade Barrett runs down and attacks from behind. Barrett shoves Orton into the ring post and drops him with a big boot. Barrett brings Orton in the ring and throws Otunga in. Barrett walks off as Otunga pins Orton but he kicks out at 2. Otunga stomps away in the corner now.

Otunga with shoulder thrusts in the corner now. Orton fights him off and hits a pair of clotheslines followed by the scoop slam. Orton nails the RKO for the win.

Winner: Randy Orton

– Teddy Long walks in on Mark Henry backstage and asks him if he’s in the Christmas spirit. Henry gets pissed and blames everything on Teddy. Henry says he will take care of Big Show at TLC but tonight will destroy Daniel Bryan. Henry says he is in the spirit of giving and will give Bryan a beating tonight. Henry tells Teddy to get out of his face and Teddy does.

– We see footage from last week of Daniel Bryan attempting to cash in. More hype for tonight’s main event as we go to commercial.

All I Want for Christmas Battle Royal

Back from commercial and several Superstars are in the ring. Hunico comes out next followed by Sheamus to a big pop. Hornswoggle is out next and apparently he is competing in the match. Hornswoggle goes under the ring as the match begins. Sheamus eliminates Darren Young and one of the Usos. JTG is also eliminated and others.

Sheamus and Ezekiel Jackson have words and start brawling in the middle of the ring. Zeke charges but Sheamus dumps him over the top. Johnny Curtis is tossed by Sheamus next. Kofi eliminates the other Uso. Kofi is eliminated next as is Yoshi Tatsu. Tyson eliminates Ted DiBiase. Hornswoggle comes from under the ring and eliminates Tyson. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and we’re down to 7 Superstars. Jinder eliminates Gabriel. Titus shows off and gets eliminated by Sheamus. Sheamus turns around to an attack from Heath Slater and Jinder while Hunico goes at it with Tyler Reks. Sheamus unloads on all three but gets attacked by Reks from behind. Sheamus tackles Reks. Reks crawls under the bottom rope and they fight on the floor. The other three follow and they beat Sheamus down outside of the ring. The 4 heels get back in the ring and Mahal’s mouth is busted open. They all motion under the ring where Hornswoggle is. They go crawling under the ring and out comes Hornswoggle. Mahal throws him in the ring and they surround him. Slater throws Hornswoggle to the mat as does Hunico. They start kicking Hornswoggle around and mocking him. Mahal grabs Hornswoggle’s feet as Reks grabs his arms. They swing him to toss him but Sheamus makes the save. Out goes Reks, followed by Hunico and then Mahal. Sheamus Brogue Kicks Slater over the top. It’s down to Sheamus and Hornswoggle. Hornswoggle tells Sheamus to bring it on. Sheamus smiles and tells Hornswoggle to go over the top rope but he won’t. Hornswoggle tries to hit Sheamus but he’s not having it. Sheamus picks Hornswoggle up and tries to set him over the top rope. Horny just hangs on to the top rope with his feet and legs. Sheamus tries nicely to eliminate Hornswoggle but he won’t go. Sheamus tells Horny one more time to get off the apron and eliminate himself. They discuss it on the apron. Hornswoggle wants a hug and when he gets it, he pushes Sheamus off the apron to win.

Winner: Hornswoggle

– After the match, Sheamus comes back in the ring and corners Hornswoggle. Sheamus reconsiders and raises Hornswoggle’s arm. Sheamus puts Horny up on his shoulders and congratulates him. Sheamus heads up the ramp as Horny continues his celebration.

– We get a plug for the SyFy miniseries Neverland. Cole shows us footage of the four-way on SmackDown last Friday where Daniel Bryan became the #1 contender. More hype for tonight’s main event as we go back to commercial.

– Back from the break and The Bellas are talking to Ricardo Rodriguez at the Christmas party. Piper and Dusty are also chatting. Foley Claus walks up and talks with Hornswoggle about what he wants. Sheamus walks up and says Hornswoggle wants the ability to talk. Foley hugs Hornswoggle and he starts talking normal. Horny is super excited about being able to talk. Foley appears in his Cactus Jack shirt and they imply that the real Santa Claus was here.

– Daniel Bryan is warming up when AJ Lee walks up and wishes him good luck. She kisses him before walking off. Matt Striker walks up for pre-match comments. Bryan say sooner or later, everyone taps. Tonight, his dream becomes a reality. Bryan grabs the briefcase and walks off as the cage is lowered from the ceiling. Back to commercial.

Steel Cage Match for the World Heavyweight Title: Daniel Bryan vs. Mark Henry

Back from commercial and out first comes Daniel Bryan. Mark Henry is out next and his ankle is wrapped. We get formal ring introductions and then the bell. Bryan immediately tries to climb the cage but Henry stops him. Bryan goes for it again but can’t make it up. Henry takes control but Bryan goes for his leg. Henry lays Bryan out as we go to commercial.

Back from the break and Henry is still in control. During the break, Henry used the ropes to slingshot Bryan into the cage wall. Henry keeps Bryan grounded on the mat now. Bryan tries to come back but Henry stops him. Henry tries to leave through the cage door but Bryan stops him. Henry turns around and levels Bryan with a clothesline. Henry with a 2 count. Henry goes for the door again but Bryan grabs his leg. Bryan takes Henry off his feet and stomps away on the injured ankle.

Bryan climbs the cage but Henry pulls him down onto the top rope. Henry with another big clothesline. The cage door is shut again as Henry continues to control Bryan but favor his injured ankle. Henry goes for a slam but Bryan slides out and takes the leg out again. Bryan locks in the LaBell Lock but Henry fights out. Henry goes for a powerbomb but his ankle goes out. Bryan applies the ankle lock on Henry. Henry rolls through and kicks Bryan across the ring. Bryan climbs the cage again but Henry pulls him down. Henry climbs the cage now but Bryan stops him in the corner. Bryan climbs up over Henry’s back and makes it to the top of the cage. Henry pulls Bryan back down by his arm and they go at it on the top rope. Bryan tries to hurricanrana Henry but Henry goes for a powerbomb. Bryan uses that to make it back to the top of the cage. Henry pulls him back to the top rope and hits some headbutts. Henry hits a World’s Strongest Slam from the top rope for the win.

Winner: Mark Henry

– SmackDown goes off the air with Henry holding the World Heavyweight Title.

You smug S.O.B...

WWE has acknowledged John Morrison’s departure in a video posted on the company website.

• View The Video Here at WWE.com
  

Interim RAW General Manager John Laurinaitis was interviewed backsage after RAW and said Morrison’s days in WWE are over.

“I truly wish you the best,” he said. “Your contract was coming up in the next couple weeks anyway, and, looking at your win/loss record, I really wasn’t going to sign you anyway. That being said, it’s kind of a win/win for WWE and John Morrison. I hope you take some time to get your mind and body in order. Get well soon.”

Laurinaitis stated that The Miz will not be punished for his brutal attack on Morrison due to their match’s “falls count anywhere” stipulation and gave a big smile and thumbs up to the camera at the end of the segment.

• View Here:  John Morrison’s INSANE “Spider Man” Jump from the Royal Rumble
  

After the 2011 Royal Rumble was dubbed the “biggest Royal Rumble in history” with a record-breaking 40 participants, it appears WWE is reverting back to the traditional 30-man format for the Rumble’s 25th anniversary in January.

• Royal Rumble PPV POSTER Released Featuring SANTINO

St. Louis’ Scottrade Center, which hosts the Rumble, is advertising a “30-man Royal Rumble match” as well as WWE Championship & World Heavyweight title matches for the event.

Tickets for the January 29th pay-per-view go on sale December 10, with prices ranging from $20-300.

Speaking to SLAM! Wrestling, Maryse Ouellet is looking forward to the future as she had been looking to leave the professional wrestling industry for a while.

“I just want better and bigger and I want to be performing on the big screen, I am working on a big project called House Of Maryse, which will be launching in summer 2012. It will be my clothing and jewelery selection and will be available in more than 500 stores in the U.S. and online at www.houseofmaryse.com,” she says.

“I knew in my heart that I wanted to leave WWE for a long time. I’m a business woman. I need to build and grow and I didn’t have any interest in the WWE anymore. I was like, next!

“My manager was happy when he heard of my release. He said to me, ‘Now we can start working on the serious stuff.’ I’m ready for a new chapter in my life. I have been with the WWE for six fantastic years, but now I want to do more.”

• Pictures: Maryse Does New Photo Shoot With Ford GT Sports Car

Ouellet, however, is not ruling out a possible return to the sports entertainment empire.

“I would go back to WWE, for a million dollars and a main event match at Wrestlemania,” she says.

“But, no TNA.”

Ouellet also comments on her introduction to professional wrestling, auditioning for the 2006 Diva Search, her WWE persona, working with Ted DiBiase, and more. The article is available here.

With John Morrison said to be on his way out of WWE – we want to know what your favorite moment of his career was. Comment Below and tell us what you’ll remember most about JoMo’s WWE run.

Here’s our pick .. From the 2011 Royal Rumble, John Morrison channels Spider Man and shows off his unearthly athletic ability:

During AfterBuzzTV.com’s post-show for Raw, the topic of WWE’s questionable Sin Cara T-Shirt was brought to the attention of hosts Lilian Garcia and Maria Kanellis, as well as studio guest Trish Stratus. Stratus and Garcia were aghast over the shirt while Kanellis thought it was hysterical.

• View Here: The Banned Sin Cara T-Shirt

“I am not Stratusfied,” Stratus said upon seeing an image of the shirt on a smart phone. This is then followed by numerous double entendres on the part of the seven-time WWE Women’s Champion—who is known to have a dirty sense of humor—and the hosts.

WWEShop.com pulled the shirt Sunday, less than 24 hours after it was released. The shirt featured the shape of a phallus embedded in a gold design. No one within WWE knows how the product made its way through several approval stages before being put up for sale. According to people who ordered the T-Shirt during the few hours it was available, they were notified that their order would not be processed and would have the option of receiving credit or a full refund.

Video is available here at the 15:00 minute mark.

Kevin Nash Destroys Triple H Backstage at RAW on 10/24

– As of this weekend, there’s been talk of pushing off the Triple H vs. Kevin Nash match to January’s Royal Rumble show.

The match had originally been planned for Survivor Series, then for TLC in December. Triple H was backstage at RAW (as he usually is), Nash was not.

– Once again, Monday’s RAW from South Carolina was re-written several times on the of the show. WWE Hall of Famer Mae Young was backstage at RAW but was not used on television after her segment was scrapped due to rewrites. Mae did however film a backstage segment with Zack Ryder and Eve Torres for the WWE website. The segment, which you can view here, featured Ryder getting Eve to sign his petition for a US title shot. Mae walks up and fist pumps with Ryder.

As of Monday afternoon, Brodus Clay was expected to wrestle John Morrison – but it was decided at the last minute that Morrison’s final WWE match would be against his former tag team partner, The Miz.

– A few trivia notes coming out of last week’s Survivor Series pay-per-view .. CM Punk’s WWE Title win over Alberto Del Rio in Madison Square Garden was the first WWE Title change in the building since the 2002 Survivor Series when Big Show won the belt from Brock Lesnar.

Dolph Ziggler doing double duty at WWE’s Survivor Series and Vengeance makes him only the second person in history to do that on back-to-back pay-per-views. The first was Bret Hart, who wrestled three times at the 1993 King of the Ring and then twice at SummerSlam.

(Sources: pwinsider.com, f4wonline.com)