-Universal Championship Wrestling (UCW) returns to Owensboro, Kentucky on Saturday, September 7th at 7pm at the Next Level Indoor Sports Facility with a card full of former WWE and WCW wrestlers. Buff Bagwell will make his wrestling return on the show, which is being dubbed, “UCW Uprising.” Also on the card are former WWE stars Rhyno, Rob Conway, and former TNA stars “The Natural” Chase Stevens and “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero. For more information, visit UCWUprising.com.
-The Norfolk Navy Flagship website recently interviewed current TNA World Champion Chris Sabin to promote next week’s “Hardcore Justice” edition of Impact Wrestling, which emanates from Norfolk, Virginia. You can check out the Sabin interview online at NorfolkNavyFlagship.com.
-TNA Impact Wrestling has uploaded a video of the recent TNA Xplosion match between Joseph Park and Devon. The company disabled the ability to embed the video on this page, so if you’d like to check it out, visit YouTube.com.
-Former TNA Impact Wrestling executive Bruce Prichard is now accepting independent booking dates at Showbis@AOL.com. Prichard, who is based out of the Houston, Texas area, can not appear as his former WWE character “Brother Love.”
-The following are the updated Bound For Glory Series Standings following Thursday’s taped edition of TNA Impact Wrestling:
-The official YouTube channel for TNA Impact Wrestling added a highlight clip from the press conference in Little Rock, Arkansas, which featured TNA World Heavyweight Champion Chris Sabin. It was announced during the presser that it will be declared “TNA Impact Wrestling Day” in Little Rock on September 26, 2013. As noted previously, TNA will run their first ever Impact Wrestling television broadcast out of Little Rock on 9/26.
You can check out footage from the press conference below:
http://youtu.be/l6SZRhJZKMo
-Also on the official TNA YouTube channel is a clip of the segment on Thursday’s Impact Wrestling which featured Tito Ortiz’s first promo in the company since returning under the “#August1Warning” gimmick. The segment also features Bully Ray, as well as Kurt Angle, in his final appearance (along with his match in the main event of the show) since checking into rehab.
For the first time ever, TNA will be broadcasting Impact Wrestling on Spike TV from the Verizon Center in Little Rock, Arkansas on September 26th.
The official pre-sale for tickets to the Impact Wrestling television taping in Little Rock begins on Thursday, August 8th with the code: NLRIMPACT.
Current TNA World Heavyweight champion Chris Sabin will take part in a press conference to promote the on-sale for tickets. Additionally, Sabin will be presenting Little Rock Mayor Joe Smith with his own championship belt.
The press conference will be held on Thursday, August 8th at 2pm CT. at the Verizon Arena Meeting Room (1A) in Little Rock, Arkansas.
-TNA Impact Wrestling star Hulk Hogan appeared on “The Today Show” on Tuesday. Co-host of the show, Willie Geist, revealed that his childhood hero was in fact Hulk Hogan, and that meeting him backstage at the first ever WrestleMania was the greatest moment of his life. Geist even jokingly mentioned that it was a greater moment than his wedding day and the birth of his child.
Watch Hogan’s appearance on The Today Show at Today.com.
-The latest edition of the TNA Impact Wrestling podcast, which this week features Gail Kim, Bobby Roode and Chris Sabin, is now online. You can check that out at Stitcher.com.
TNA returns to Spike TV tonight for a new episode of Impact Wrestling. Additionally, TNA will tape next week’s episode of Impact Wrestling tonight in Wichita Falls, Texas.
The following is a rundown of what fans can expect on tonight’s show.
-TNA World Champion Chris Sabin vs. Mannik in a non-title match. Originally, this was slated to serve as the main event of the evening.
-New main event features Austin Aries vs. AJ Styles in a Bound For Glory Series match. Other BFG Series matches tonight include: Bobby Roode vs. Hernandez and Joseph Park vs. Jay Bradley.
-The “#August1Warning” TNA mystery-man will finally reveal himself.
-Latest from the Main Event Mafia vs. Aces & 8’s feud. This week, the Mafia will apparently make Aces & 8’s an “offer they can’t refuse.”
-Latest hype and build-up to the Sabin vs. Bully Ray TNA World Title rematch at “Hardcore Justice” on August 15th.
The following are highlights from TNA World Heavyweight Champion Chris Sabin’s appearance on the Busted Open radio show on SIRIUS/XM satelitte radio
On winning the TNA World Heavyweight Championship: “Yeah I mean I put in a lot of hard work over the years. I’ve been with the company for over a decade. So it’s been a long road and put a lot of miles on my body but honestly it’s all been worth it. Just for that one moment, for that one moment in the ring, it was all worth it.”
On if he expected for it to happen so fast after returning to TNA: “It did happen very fast and no I did not expect that. I came in—I was coming back after two years being on the sidelines. So one of the things I tried to have was no expectations. And just try to do the best that I could, no matter what I was getting in. Whatever I had to do, just try to do the best I could because that’s all I really could do. You never know how things are going to turn out when coming back from an injury like that. People haven’t seen you in a while, it’s kind of like you’re starting over. So tried to go in there with no expectations man but it looks like some hard work paid off.”
On how it felt to be in the main event of a highly rated Destination X edition of Impact: “It feels good but you have to keep that trend going. For it just to happen one time isn’t enough, you need to keep that, do that consistently. So it’s like it was cool that I was a part of the show that did a good rating but I would really like to be a part of the wave that continues and we consistently get that rating. And it wasn’t just me you know what I mean? I think that it was an X division themed show, I think that had a lot to do with it too. And especially promoting the show as Destination X: free Pay-Per-View. I think that we just gave the fans lots of reasons to turn in. And hopefully that continues.”
On all the issues going on right now in TNA and if he’s ever gone through something like this before: “Yeah, many times. Many times. I’ve seen the company change, management actually, many times. Just throughout the years but that’s just how it’s always been. Writers change, people’s jobs change, people come and go but it is weird every time because you get used to working with someone and use to seeing someone and then they’re not there anymore. So it’s like ahhh well what’s it gonna be like when the next group of guys that are coming in? So you got to pick it up and start over with that too but I’ve seen it happen many times and luckily I have seemed to stuck around the entire time so hopefully I can continue to stick around.”
On what he would say to fans who are worried about the future of TNA: “Well. How bout this? I am the TNA World Heavyweight Champion and I’m not worried. People have been saying they’ve been worried about the company honestly since I started. There has always been that little whisper in the background like oh no how much longer is it gonna last? That’s been going on since the beginning and you know what it is still here today. So even though I think this is maybe just another wave of little chatter and that’s all it’s gonna be. I think the company will continue to thrive.”
Check out the complete interview online at the official Facebook page of Busted Open Radio.
-You can officially pencil in the TNA World Heavyweight Championship rematch between Chris Sabin and Bully Ray for the August 15th edition of TNA Impact Wrestling.
The Sabin/Ray rematch will be held inside of a steel cage, and will serve as the main event for the 8/15 show, which will be a “Hardcore Justice” themed event, much like the “Destination X” edition of Impact Wrestling that aired recently.
-Speaking of Sabin, he along with TNA Knockout Velvet Sky and TNA announcer Jeremy Borash will be signing autographs at 2pm E.T. today at Direct Auto Insurance (3907 Victory Drive) in Columbus, Georgia to promote tonight’s live event at the Columbus Civic Center.
Borash tweeted the following about the personal appearance:
Come meet @ProjectSabin @VelVelHoller & @JeremyBorash from 2-4pm today at @DirectAutoIns in Columbus, GA!!
– Last week on the special “Destination X” edition of Impact, Chris Sabin defeated Bully Ray to capture the TNA World Heavyweight title. According to sources backstage, this was not a last minute decision and the plans for Sabin to win the title went back several months.
– TNA’s recent live event from Danville, Illinois on (7/19) drew 500 fans. The following night’s show in Cape Girardeau, Missouri drew only 250 fans.
– Estimates have TNA’s Slammiversary pay-per-view doing around 13,500 buys, down approximately 7% from last year. So far, it does not appear that TNA reducing its PPV schedule to only 4 per year has yielded the results they were hoping for.
-Hulk Hogan will hold his “Hulk Hogan Uncensored” stage show in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on August 23rd as part of the annual Fan Expo event. Joining Hogan on stage will be Eric Bischoff, as well as Dave Penzer, who will moderate the fan Q&A.
-TNA World Heavyweight Champion Chris Sabin and TNA Knockout Velvet Sky will be appearing Friday at 2pm E.T. at Direct Auto Insurance (3907 Victory Drive) in Columbus, Georgia to promote the TNA live event at the Columbus Civic Center that evening.
TNA also runs the Bay Center in Pensacola, Florida on July 27th.
-Jesse Sorensen, who was released by TNA Impact Wrestling on Tuesday, announced his first independent pro wrestling booking. Sorensen will appear at the Florida Underground Pro Wrestling event at the Sports Center in Tampa, Florida on Saturday, July 27th. For more information, visit FUWrestling.com.
Chris Sabin defeated Bully Ray to become the new TNA World Heavyweight Champion at the TNA Destination X themed edition of Impact Wrestling on Spike TV on Thursday evening.
Ray worked over Sabin’s surgically repaired knee throughout the match. The Aces & 8’s came down to interfere, but the new Main Event Mafia also ran down to even up the odds.
With both factions ringside, the referee was bumped after Sabin hit a top-rope missile droplock. Ray is handed a hammer and both factions end up brawling. Ray misses with the hammer and goes for a power bomb, but Sabin takes the hammer and uses it on Ray to pick up the pinfall victory.
Sabin tweeted the following on Friday:
Woke up today with this. It wasn't just a dream, but a dream come true. Thank you everyone for your support! pic.twitter.com/gitz1DXM3I
Chris Sabin appeared as a guest on the latest edition of Busted Open Radio, hosted by Doug Mortman and Dave LaGreca (Busted Open Radio airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sirius 94 and XM 208), where he addressed a number of topics. Highlights from the interview are as follows:
His Triple Threat Match on Impact with Austin Aries and Manik: “Well, yeah it ended up being that way, Sabin vs. Aries thanks to Aces and Eights interfering of course as they usually do. Luckily the Main Event Mafia came out there and kept them at bay so I was able to just be—after they injured TJ or Manik whichever name you want to go by now. After they injured him, and we were able to actually have a wrestling match with no interference, so that was—that was something special to me because it was just a straight up wrestling match. And we got to do it just one on one and you don’t get to see many one on one in the X division nowadays with the three way rule. So it was pretty cool.”
Doing the “Hail Sabin” off the second rope: “Yeah it was reckless. Obviously we beat each other up pretty bad but you know you had to. The stakes were huge, it was for the X division title and Destination X is only a couple weeks away. And whoever has the X division title when that event rolls around can exchange it for a shot at the World Heavyweight Title. So obviously you could see how much it meant to me and Austin in the ring.”
The Triple Threat Match being a possible contender for Match of the Year and people not seeing it because it was on a holiday: “Well I mean if people didn’t get to see it hopefully they got to DVR it or record it or whatever and watch it later. If they can’t then hopefully it at least created some sort of buzz around the show. You know what I mean, that people will want to tune into the feature because hopefully they can see more matches between myself and Aries again.”
Coming back, winning the title, losing the title and then winning again creating the buzz: “I think so too. I think that all the twists and turns makes everything unexpected. It makes you anticipate seeing what’s next. It makes you want to see the show. Yeah I think that just the last couple of months have been really good and I have been really enjoying everything I have been doing.”
If there was ever any doubt that he would be in a position to challenge for the World Heavyweight Title again: “I’ve never been in this position before, really. I’ve never had a World Title shot actually. I’ve been in TNA for over ten years and have never gone for the World Title once. So this is—I’m happy just to be in this position. I’m happy to see that my hard work, everything that all my dedication over the last ten years is starting to pay off.”
TNA wrestler Chris Sabin interview
Host: Ryan Rider
Interview conducted for CJAD.com
Sabin on his return: “I’m just happy to be back. It was really intriguing to sit at home injured and see Austin Aries make that rule that you can trade in the X Division Title for a world title shot. That gave me a lot of motivation.”
Whether he fears getting injured again: “There’s always that voice in the back of your mind. I wasn’t expecting to get injured the first time or the second time. I’m going to try to ignore that voice in my head that says ‘what if?’. You just kind of have to do whatever you can and bury that voice in your head. I gotta watch out for my health. I’ll always try to do the best I can to put on the most entertaining match for the fans but first and foremost, I gotta protect myself.”
Doctors telling him to quit: “A lot of people didn’t want me to wrestle anymore. For an athlete, two ACL surgeries is a pretty big deal. I tried to keep as much athletic ability and train as hard as I could to get back to the level I was at before.”
Growing up in TNA from March 2003 to today: “Literally, I spent a third of my life in TNA. When I first started for the company it was so small, we were just doing Nashville and weekly PPVs. The company has grown and grown and grown. I like to reflect that, and hopefully I’ve grown as a person and as a wrestler. I plan on continuing to become a better wrestler.”
Aspirations to be TNA World Champion: “When your dream is to become a wrestler and it’s taken away for two years with two knee surgeries, you sit at home and reflect. You think about things, think about your life. I didn’t do this to go half way; I did this to go all the way. I did this to become the best. And that will always remain my goal.”
– Posting his first Twitter message since March 28 (and second of 2013), Sting posted this cryptic statement hours before his scheduled appearance on Impact Wrestling tonight: “Sunday I was left to fight alone… Message received!”
This is in reference to his loss to Bully Ray this past Sunday in a No Holds Barred Match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship at Slammiversary, where no TNA wrestler attempted to combat substantial interference from Aces and Eights. Per match stipulation, Sting will never be allowed to have another shot at the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
– This past Sunday at Slammiversary, Chris Sabin reigned supreme in the Ultimate X Match to once again become the X Division Champion. Following the bout, Hulk Hogan informed Sabin that like last year, the X Division Champion will receive a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship in the future. In this newly released video, Sabin reacting to his good fortune. (Watch)
– According to WrestlingFigs.com, Aces and Eights henchman D’Lo Brown will be appearing at this Saturday’s Legends of the Ring convention taking place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Monroe, New Jersey (click here for event information).
– According to ImpactWrestling.com, a Six Man Tag Team Match will take place tomorrow night on Impact Wrestling as World Tag Team Champions James Storm and Gunner and X Division Champion Chris Sabin square off against Bobby Roode, Austin Aries and Kenny King.
– The official YouTube account of TNA Wrestling has released the following video previewing Thursday’s post-Slammiversary episode of Impact Wrestling from Duluth, Georgia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXIHWmbFfus
– Joseph Park participated in a media blitz Wednesday promoting this Saturday’s live event at the U.S.C.A Convocation Center in Aiken, Carolina. (Photos)
– Chris Sabin had his head stitched up as a result of an errant hit during the Ultimate X Match for the X Division Championship at Slammiversary.
– Prior to his match against Kurt Angle at Slammiversary, AJ Styles debuted a new theme song—”Evil Ways (Justice Mix)” by Blues Saraceno. Audio of the theme song is available below.
– TNA Wrestling officials were pleased with the outcome of Slammiversary. Company president Dixie Carter stated following the show via Twitter, “So proud of every single member of TNA. What a great #Slammiversary PPV. Top to bottom. Thanks to the best fans in the world. Best to come.”
– The Wrestling Observer stated this week that there is good chance that Chris Sabin could be leaving TNA Wrestling in the near future, following Alex Shelley, Devon, Matt Morgan, Ric Flair and Velvet Sky. However, no additional details on his contractual status were given.
Reports first surfaced in June that Sabin could be leaving the promotion this year when his contract expired. His girlfriend, Velvet Sky, however, denied the claims. “People, Chris Sabin is NOT, I repeat, NOT leaving TNA! I’M getting lots of those questions. Please stop believing everything u read,” she tweeted then.
The wrestling standout is currently sidelined after undergoing surgery on his ACL in June.
– Christopher Silvio, a 5’8″, 186-pound wrestler from Ohio Valley Wrestling, faced Kid Kash in a dark match following last night’s live Impact Wrestling broadcast.
– TNA World Heavyweight Champion Austin Aries and AJ Styles appear at Direct Auto Insurance 125 John W. Morrow Jr Pkwy. Gainesville, Georgia on Saturday from noon to 2:00 p.m. Call 770-534-4766 for more information.
– Early pay-per-view buyrate data is in for TNA Slammiversary 2012 and this year’s show appears to have been a major success. In what has to be seen as a strong sign of momentum for TNA, Slammiversary did around 14,000-15,000 buys, early double last year’s show (estimated 7,500 buys) and way up from the average TNA PPV, which usually sells around 7,000-10,000 buys.
– The TNA live event on June 16th in Houston, Texas drew 650 fans.
– Chris Sabin will need surgery to repair his tore his left ACL, which occurred during the Ultimate X match on last week’s Impact Wrestling. The procedure would keep him out of action for 6-9 months.
Sabin had just returned in March after being out of action for 11 months due to reconstructive surgery on his other knee.
– TNA star Chris Sabin tore the ACL in his left knee Thrusday’s Impact during the Ultimate X match. The injury took place when he landed outside of the ring. He immediately held his knee in pain after the spot and was visibly in pain for the rest of the match and was then helped to the back by a referee.
This is a major setback for the former X Division and tag team champion, as he just returned to action after having surgery on his right ACL.
News of Sabin’s injury is spreading fast, as he’s currently trending worldwide on Twitter.
– To correct an earlier report, Don West parted ways with TNA Wrestling to be the Director of Sales and Marketing for the Wenatchee Wild hockey team in Washington, not the General Manager. He will share in sponsorships, profits and merchandise increases.
– Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) officials are looking to have Kurt Angle appear on their annual Triplemanía show in August.
– The June 14th Impact Wrestling post game show is now online.
Right as IMPACT WRESTLING goes off the air Jeremy Borash is live backstage to get you the scoop on what just happened on IMPACT WRESTLING. We hear from Roode regarding Austin Aries and James Storm. We also get the scoop on the return of Magnus who also brought along fellow UK wrestler Mark Haskins. Robbie E also stops in who still happens to have perfect hair…still. Christopher Daniels also storms in and of course makes a scene.
– TNA will be running a live event in Belton, Texas next Thursday night as Impact Wrestling is airing live on Spike TV. To give you an idea of which performers won’t be on Impact next week, the following matches are scheduled for the Belton show:
Garrett Bischoff vs. Gunner, Chris Sabin vs. Kid Kash, Douglas Williams vs. Rob Terry, Matt Morgan vs. Crimson and Knockouts tag match featuring Tara, Mickie James and Velvet Sky vs. Angelina Love, Winter, Sarita and Rosita. Robbie E. is also advertised to appear.
– With the recent TNA departure of Alex Shelley, there have also been reports that his Motor City Machine Guns partner Chris Sabin is also looking to leave the company when his contract expires in August. The latest on Sabin’s status is that he has indeed talked about leaving, but plans to wait a few more months before making his final decision.
TNA Wrestling’s eighth annual Lockdown pay-per-view takes place tonight at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The following matches have been announced for the show:
Steel Cage Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Bobby Roode (c) vs. “Cowboy” James Storm
Lethal Lockdown
Team Eric Bischoff (Eric Bischof, Gunner, Bully Ray, Christopher Daniels and Kazarian) vs. Team Garett Bischoff (Garett Bischoff, AJ Styles, Rob Van Dam, Mr. Anderson and Austin Aries)
Steel Cage Match
“The Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle
Steel Cage Match for the World Tag Team Championship
Magnus and Samoa Joe (c) vs. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin
Steel Cage Match for the Women’s Knockout Championship
Gail Kim (c) vs. Velvet Sky
Steel Cage Match for the Television Championship
Devon (c) vs. Robbie E
Steel Cage Match
“The Blueprint” Matt Morgan vs. Crimson
TNA Wrestling has announced three new title matches for Lockdown on April 15 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium as the World Tag Team Championship, Women’s Knockout Championship and Television Championship will be on the line. A stipulation has been added to Lethal Lockdown as the losing Bischoff family member “must leave TNA for good.”
Steel Cage Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Bobby Roode (c) vs. “Cowboy” James Storm
Lethal Lockdown
Team Eric Bischoff vs. Team Garett Bischoff
Steel Cage Match
“The Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy vs. Kurt Angle
Steel Cage Match for the World Tag Team Championship
Magnus and Samoa Joe (c) vs. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin
Steel Cage Match for the Women’s Knockout Championship
Gail Kim (c) vs. Velvet Sky
Steel Cage Match for the Television Championship
Devon (c) vs. Robbie E
Steel Cage Match
Crimson vs. “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan
— TNA Wrestling President Dixie Carter announced during Sunday’s Victory Road pay-per-view event that Slammiversary will be held in Arlington, Texas on the campus of the University of Texas-Arlington. The ten-year anniversary show will take place on June 10.
— A video aired during Victory Road saying the Motor City Machine Guns are “coming soon.”
— TNA World Tag Team Champion Samoa Joe turned 33 years old on Saturday.
— TNA Wrestling currently has no DVD releases planned.
— Chris Sabin will be sidelined until 2012 after tearing both the ACL and MCL in his knee during a match last month on iMPACT!. He underwent surgery on his injured knee earlier this month.
Sabin suffered the injury during a match against Anarquia at the April 20 iMPACT! taping. He went for a springboard clothesline and tweaked his knee when the Mexican America member was out-of-position to receive the maneuver. The referee was instructed to end the match when it appeared Sabin was injured.
— Mick Foley apologized for his recent remark poking fun at TNA house show attendance.
He wrote on Twitter, “You know, in retrospect, I probably shoudn’t have compared an empty arena match to an Impact house show. Funny..but disrespectful.”
During WWE’s Over the Limit pay-per-view, Foley responded to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson touting his victory over the Hardcore Legend in an “I Quit” Match in 1999 by saying he later beat him in an “Empty Arena Match aka TNA house show.”