— Former WWE talent Shawn Daivari and Aaron Aguilera (a/k/a Jesus) were backstage at last night’s Impact Wrestling taping in Orlando, Florida, but not for TNA Wrestling. According to company sources, they are expected take part in the new All Wheels Wrestling promotion, which would combine motorcross racing and professional wrestling. The first taping is scheduled for June 29 at the Impact Wrestling Zone. It has been confirmed that Jeff Jarrett is backing the promotion.

— Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff posted the following online regarding Monday’s Impact Wrestling taping:

Hulk Hogan: “Sting is really turning it up,worked with him in a situation last night and I saw something come from him I’ve never seen before, he’s on HH”

Eric Bischoff: “Saw some magic last night at the iMPACT tapings in Orlando. Saw a fire in certain talent that I haven’t seen in YEARS! Announce team was on the money. Slowly, but surely we are going to get there!”

source: Pro Wrestling Torch

– TNA executive Eric Bischoff has taken another jab at the fans who follow pro wrestling news on the Internet (the “10%’errs”) and the websites that cover the industry. He tweeted on Wednesday:

“The 10%’ers know nothing about journalistic integrity (think MSNBC) and are typically horrible writers (thay kant rite gud), too.”

— The Ultimate Warrior has responded to online rumors that he used to work as a male escort in the Atlanta area back in the 1980s before entering the pro wrestling business. Over the weekend, a fan asked Hulk Hogan on Twitter about the rumor, to which Hogan responded,

“he was more than a male escort. You guys figure it out. HH”

Warrior addressed the situation on Wednesday, effectively denying the reports and taking another shot at Hogan and his ex-wife, Linda:

“Warrior God for ULTIMATE time. Demand is HIGH. Escort limited to pro-wrestlers wives. Reserve right to refuse service. No, HH. Linda, no.”

Warrior’s remark about wrestlers wives being escorts are a reference to a recent claim he made about Hulk Hogan letting other wrestlers sleep with his (now) ex-wife, Linda. Warrior recently said he’s practically the only person to turn down an offer from Hulk to sleep with Linda.

* Pictures of LINDA HOGAN & Her 21-Year-Old Boyfriend, Charlie Hill

Monday Night Mayhem: Hosted By The Big Mosh & “The Chairman Of The Board” Todd Vincent
Heard LIVE Monday Evenings @ 7PM ET/6PM CT

TNA’s Eric Bischoff was one of the featured guests on this week’s live edition of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem.

Eric Bischoff Discusses The Importance Of How TNA Is Actually Doing As A Company In The Eyes Of Spike TV, The Rumors Of Impact Wrestling Going On The Road This Summer, How Disappointed He Would Be If Mick Foley Left TNA At The End Of His Contract & If He Would Ever Classify Mick Being “Hard To Work With,” Whether Or Not Kurt Angle’s Full-Time Absence From TNA While Training For The 2012 Olympics In London Would Be A Blow To The Company, Chyna’s Decision To Restart Her Career In The Adult Entertainment Industry vs. Her Career In Professional Wrestling & His Reaction To Her Comments Of TNA “Missing The Boat” After Choosing To Not Bring Her Back After The Sacrifice Pay-Per-View, Why He Has Mixed Feelings About Mr. Anderson’s Impersonations Of Sting Over The Past Several Weeks On Impact Wrestling, Plus Much More In The Return Of “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (Flavored By Sizzlin Sauces)

You can listen to an MP3 of the appearance by clicking here.

Interview highlights courtesy of Paterson, MNM’s associate producer & official correspondent:

The importance of talking about how TNA is actually doing as a company in the eyes of Spike TV: “People keep making statements about how TNA is not doing well, or TNA sucks, or whatever juvenile trite that comes out of their heads. It occurred to to me that no one is talking about how TNA is doing as a company. Coincidentally, I got an e-mail from Spike Television talking about last Thursday night’s ratings. In the e-mail, it said that Impact Wrestling was the #1 rated show in its demo & in its time period, despite that we were up against the NBA Finals. Impact Wrestling is the #1 program on all of Spike Television. We outperform the UFC. To be able to be the the #1 show on that network in prime-time is a very significant achievement. I just wanted to point that out, because not enough people are talking about the good things going out in TNA.”

How disappointed he would be if Mick Foley left TNA at the end of his contract & whether or not Mick was ever hard to work with on or off-camera: “Mick wasn’t hard for me to work with. I thoroughly enjoyed the on-camera work that Mick & I had together. I think some of the best moments that I’ve had on camera on Impact Wrestling I’ve had with Mick Foley. I will miss working on camera with Mick Foley. In terms of being disappointed, as much as I enjoyed working with Mick, there’s a very limited role for someone like Mick Foley, a character like me who doesn’t wrestle, who is really only a talker. If you look at where Impact Wrestling is right now, there’s just not a whole lot of room for more guys like me or Hulk Hogan. We just have to be the central focus of the storyline and probably will be for some time, and there’s only so much real estate. A lot of that real estate has to go to guys who can deliver action in the ring.”

How big of a blow would Kurt Angle’s full-time absence be for TNA while he is training in London, England for the 2012 Olympics: “I don’t think it’ll be a problem at all. I’m a strong believer that when you have large characters like a Kurt Angle, or a Rob Van Dam, or a Ken Anderson, or you name it, you have to cycle those personalities out from time to time in order to keep them fresh. We have seen a lot of Kurt Angle over the last year & a half. He has been central to so many storylines that if Kurt needs some time away to pursue the Olympics, and I think the publicity surrounding that would be great for our company & for Kurt Angle himself, that it will give his character time to refresh and come back more valuable than if he would just stay around and work a full-time schedule like everyone else.”

His thoughts on Chyna’s decision to restart her career in the adult entertainment industry vs. her career in professional wrestling & his reaction to her comments of TNA “missing the boat” after choosing to not bring her back to the company: “I didn’t know she made the comment that TNA ‘missed the boat,’ but I was not excited with the fact that the company decided to bring her in for the (Sacrifice) Pay-Per-View. The initial thought was a turnoff for me, but I kept my mouth shut. When I saw her at the Pay-Per-View and saw that ‘deer in the headlights’ look in her eyes when it actually came time to do something, it kind of confirmed what my instincts told me. Then I read about the fact that she wants to build her career around doing anal sex videos for Vivid. I was really, really, really, really glad that I don’t have to try & explain to anybody why I work in the same company as her.”

* PICTURES from CHYNA’s New Adult Movie (Are You MAN ENOUGH To View These?)

– The ongoing war of words between the Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan continues. Warrior, who has promised a 1-hour video in the next few days where he’ll “expose Hulk Hogan for the man he truly is,” tweeted on Monday:

“Hogan takes high road-where?when? Never has. In WM6 best sports entertainer in the world prevailed. Today, best man will. No punches pulled.”

Interesting to see Warrior using WWE’s “sports entertainment” lingo ..

– Eric Bischoff posted the following on Facebook, once again taking aim at the “irrelevant” Internet “dirtsites” for not giving TNA the pat on the back it so rightfully deserves for Impact Wrestling’s stellar 1.1 rating last week:

“What the 10%’ers and the dirtsites that feed them don’t want to report: Per Spike TV, Impact Wrestling was the #1 cable show in its time period among M18-49 despite under-delivering its STD average among key demos and TNA increased from its Jail (rpt) lead-in by +129% in M18-49 (.78), with an additional +6% gain in the following quarter hour. TNA peaked in the 10:15p quarter with a .99 in M18-49.”

Last night’s episode of IMPACT WRESTLING concluded with Hulk Hogan announcing that Mick Foley had been fired as the Network Executive.

Hogan opened up a legal document and said that effective immediately, The Network has exercised the option of terminating said position. He then said to the camera, “Mick Foley, you’re fired!” Hogan’s theme music played and Bischoff said, “This is the happiest day of my life.”

Foley lampooned news of his on-screen firing on Twitter. He wrote, “Wait, I was FIRED?!? Are you CEREAL..I mean SERIOUS?!?”

He added, “Wait, I just checked my DVR and it cut out during Bischoff’s speech. I can’t be fired; I just got back a few weeks ago. Right?”

Foley then teased a possible return to WWE, saying The Miz needs a new assistant (following the dismissal of Alex Riley) and he needs a new job.

He wrote, “Good point @DHStom – I think @mikethemiz might need a new assistant..and I need a new job. Interesting, huh?”

He then retweeted a fan’s comment indicating that he could have appeared at Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s birthday bash rather than return to TNA for a few weeks. It read: “Good thing Mick had to stay around for 3 weeks rather than be at @TheRock ‘s bday bash. #baddecisions”

In accordance with the storyline, his profile has been removed from the company website’s roster page. Foley, however, is still under contract to TNA. It expires in early September and he stated during an interview late last year with GeekWeek.com that he doesn’t plan on renewing it. “The Hardcore Legend” said he was frustrated with communication problems inherent in the structure of the organization and that he wasn’t pleased that they didn’t air footage of his appearance at Jon Stewart’s Rally To Restore Sanity at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

TNA executive Eric Bischoff went on another rant against the Internet Wrestling Community (IWC) on Wednesday night.

Bischoff tweeting the following in response to the “IWC smarks” who follow pro wrestling online and are outspoken about TNA’s product:

“Seems like 90% of the audience loves what the loudest 10% hates. So who really matters? The 10%er’s can’t get over the fact that they are irrelevant. Ratings don’t lie. Research doesn’t lie. IWC smarks need to get over it.”

Comment below and tell us what you think about Bischoff’s position. What do you think about Bischoff calling 10% of his audience “irrelevant” .. He points at TNA’s ratings as an example of why fans who criticize TNA on the Internet are wrong – when Impact’s rating hasn’t moved out of the 1.1 range in the past 5 years despite millions of dollars spent on marketing and expensive talent.

TNA’s Eric Bischoff was one of the featured guests on this week’s live edition of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem

During the interview, bischoff talked about: Whether Or Not He Sees Ring Of Honor As Direct Competition To TNA After The Acquisition Of ROH By Sinclair Broadcasting, The Chances Of Seeing Him Take On Increased Duties Within TNA After The Departure Of Terry Taylor, What He Currently Sees In The X-Division That Should Give Fans Hope For The Future Of The Division, The Development Of Karen Jarrett’s On-Air Persona (And If It’s Too Early To Start Comparing Her To Vickie Guerrero), Chyna’s Return To The Ring, Plus Much More In The Return Of “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (Flavored By Sizzlin Sauces).

You can listen to an MP3 of the entire interview by clicking here.

Interview highlights courtesy of Paterson, MNM’s associate producer & official correspondent:

His reaction to the passing of Randy Savage & how he will remember “The Macho Man”: “It hit me pretty hard, and it’s still hitting me now. He was a very private individual and kind of kept to himself, and I respected that. As more information comes out the more I see it, it still shocks me, and it’s hard to believe that Randy is not with us.”

The transition from iMPACT into iMPACT Wrestling & why he believes now is the perfect time to make changes to the television program itself: “Last week, a lot of the changes you saw were cosmetic. Graphics, lighting, staging, and that sort of thing, which was part of the plan. I think anyone who had any expectations that all of sudden iMPACT Wrestling was going to be a completely different show, probably had misaligned expectations. We are going to try & improve the show in many different ways in what you are going to see throughout the summer and going into the fall. It’s a great time of year to experiment with format and experiment with different elements of the show. You’ll see those changes. Some will noticeable, and others won’t be.”

Whether or not he sees Ring of Honor as more of a direct competition to TNA, after the acquisition of ROH by Sinclair Broadcasting: “I know I am going to get a lot of heat for what I’m about to tell you, and I’ve got nothing against anybody at Ring of Honor. In fact I wish them all the best. I’m reading a lot of stuff people are writing, and I think they are kidding themselves. Sinclair is 22 television stations, however many it is, that has a 22% market penetration in the United States. 22% market penetration in the United States means you don’t exist from an advertisers point of view. 22% means Nielsen doesn’t even track you as a network, and that’s assuming they get distribution on all 22 of those stations, which isn’t guaranteed. So while I think it’s a great thing for ROH because at least they have something, I think the enthusiasm of the fact that it’s a network, people are getting excited over a lot of nothing.”

If he has ever been a fan of short title reigns (coming off the fan fallout after Christian losing the World Heavyweight Championship to Randy Orton, just days after winning the title): “It all goes back to story. What’s the circumstances? What’s the context? Where’s it going? There’s not a simple formula to answer that question. Generally speaking, short title reigns tend to be risky, because your audience never really has a chance to grasp it and to get embedded into it one way or the other.”

Eric Bischoff & Jason Hervey’s production company will be teaming up with Grammy Award winner CeeLo Green for a new show on Fuse TV called “Talking To Strangers.” Here’s the official press release announcing the show:

NEW YORK–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–Fuse, the national music television network of The Madison Square Garden Company, today announced that Grammy Award winner CeeLo Green is back on Fuse this summer with his own show, “CeeLo Green * Talking To Strangers.” Premiering June 22nd, the interview and performance show will kick off a summer filled with exciting music programming that viewers can only find on Fuse.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to return to Fuse to host my show ‘Talking To Strangers’ and have a chance to take fans on a musical journey with some of the artists that I listen to and admire,” said CeeLo Green.

“CeeLo Green * Talking To Strangers” will be full of surprises that one could only expect from CeeLo, as he brings his own personal style and taste to each episode. The show will feature CeeLo talking with fellow artists about music, their careers, life and more. Viewers will also be treated to performances from each artist as well as special performances from CeeLo.

The show title was inspired by the “Talking To Strangers” track off of CeeLo’s Stray Bullets mixtape.

CeeLo is coming back to Fuse after a triumphant year of accolades and chart topping success. His first single, “F**K You,” off his latest album, The Lady Killer, became a viral sensation and garnered him a Grammy Award for “Best Urban/Alternative Performance” as well as critical acclaim. Today he is not only a singer, songwriter, producer and TV host, but also a cultural phenomenon, who continues to push the creative envelope.

“CeeLo has had an unbelievable year and is one of the biggest and most sought-after artists in the world right now,” said Brad Schwartz, svp of programming and operations, Fuse. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have him bring his passion, his eccentricities, his cool and all of his fans to Fuse to watch him host his own music show.”

Grammy Award winner CeeLo Green got his start with Goodie Mob, the Southern-rap pioneers. After finding success with hits such as “Soul Food” and “Dirty South,” CeeLo went on to pursue a solo career. In 2006, he joined forces with Danger Mouse to form Gnarls Barkley whose debut single “Crazy,” went on to top the charts in download sales. Today, CeeLo is enjoying the phenomenal success of his latest album The Lady Killer, which was released in 2010 on Elektra Records. The album’s first single, “F**k You” became an instant viral hit and the second single “Bright Lights Bigger City,” is currently climbing the charts. Recently, CeeLo has also taken on the role of coach on NBC’s “The Voice” and will be on tour with Rihanna this summer.

For more information, please visit fuse.tv.

“CeeLo Green * Talking To Strangers” is executive produced by Bischoff/Hervey Entertainment.

TNA Wrestling executive and personality Eric Bischoff stated on his Facebook account last night that he arrived in New York City for meetings this weekend.

He wrote, “Just arrived in NYC for meetings over the weekend. Some pretty exciting stuff happening. Going to try and get in a 3 mile run before my first meeting tonight and try out this new pair of NIKE Frees! I have been wanting to try.”

One of his meetings included an encounter with Bill Goldberg.

The former WCW World Heavyweight Champion posted a video on his Twitter account this morning of himself and Bischoff flying above New York City in a helicopter.

He added, “The last tweet was a sign of the end of the world….”

– While the official numbers are not publicly released, we have approximate data regarding how many people are purchasing TNA’s monthly pay-per-view events.

While WWE shoots for the big “1 million buys” mark every year for WrestleMania, it puts a lot in perspective to learn that TNA Bound For Glory 2010 drew just over 30,000 buys. The next most-ordered show of 2010 was Hardcore Justice, which did around 20,000 buys. TNA’s other pay-per-views in 2010 did between 8,000 and 15,000 buys.

– With TNA’s recent image change that included re-branding the Spike TV show and the company’s new “Wrestling Matters” tagline, there has also been a strong push behind the scenes to change the company’s name entirely.

Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff in particular want the name changed, with Hulk Hogan saying in recent radio interviews that TNA does not get taken seriously in high-level business meetings because most people think “tits and ass” when they hear the letters.

– Reality TV star Jessie Godderz worked a dark match before Monday night’s TNA tapings in Orlando, losing to Robbie E. Godderz has worked several TNA dark matches in the past and sat ringside with Dixie Carter at several events.

Check Out:

• *Spoilers* Impact Wrestling Tapings Results For Thursday 5/19
  
• *Spoilers* TNA Impact Wrestling Results For Next Thursday 5/26

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

– TNA executive Eric Bischoff has launched a new beer brewing company called “Eric Bischoff Family Brewing.” Bischoff says he’s teamed up with Montana’s Yellowstone Valley Brewing Company after years of planning this new project.

Their first beer, Buffalo Bill Cody Beer, will be launched this Summer in Cody, Wyoming.

Check out BischoffFamilyBrewing.com for more information on the new brewing company.

TNA announcer Taz tweeted the following on Thursday morning:

“@EBischoff best wishes with the new Brew Co.! It wouldnt offend me if u brought some “samples” to TV!! lol”

– Hulk Hogan noted on Twitter this week that he flew out to Los Angeles to film new commercials for storage company Rent-A-Center with NFL legend Troy Aikman.

– HDNet will be airing a one-hour interview with Hulk Hogan on Friday, May 20th at 10pm EST. Below is the trailer:

— Miss Tessmacher cut an interview on last night’s episode of TNA iMPACT! and noted the differences in TNA Wrestling during the time she was away. The former WWE Diva says she has been training during that time and that she wants “that championship.” She closed by telling the ‘bitches’ in TNA that Miss Tessmacher is back.

— Eric Bischoff posted a message concerning Scott Hall on his Facebook account yesterday: “Just read Kevin Nash’s latest update on Scott Hall. I agree with Kevin 100% on the real issues at the core of Scott’s problems. God bless Kevin as well as Scott’s family and friends. I hope they find a way to reach Scott before its too late. Scott really is a good man underneath all the scar tissue and pain.”

— Jay Lethal, who was released earlier this week by TNA Wrestling, is accepting independent bookings via Jaylethal471@gmail.com.

— Jeff and Karen Jarrett will be “honorary crew members” for the Joe Denette Motorsports racing team at the Nashville Super Speedway tonight at the Bully Hill Vineyards 200.

source: PWInsider.com

— Much like the Anonymous General Manager on WWE’s Monday Night Raw, TNA Wrestling has its own anonymous entity, The Network. TNAWrestling.com is teasing that the person pulling the strings may be revealed on Thursday’s episode of iMPACT!:

“The Network’s latest mandate has Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff beside themselves and they demand to know who at The Network is involved. Will the Network finally reveal the one making all the controversial decisions?”

TNA will tape this week’s episode of iMPACT! tomorrow and next week’s show on Wednesday.

— TNA Wrestling has announced “Gut Check” work shops for Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Plattsburgh, New York.

“‘Gut Check’ workshops will allow for TNA management to scout up-and-coming talent and give aspiring wrestlers the kind of instruction and advice they can’t receive anywhere else in the industry,” Jeff Jarrett said.

More information is available here.

– After Sunday’s TNA Lockdown pay-per-view went off the air, Fortune continued to celebrate in the ring.

Also after the show, Brooke Hogan, who was sitting ringside during the event and was shown on camera a few times, took pictures and signed autographs for fans.

– Kurt Angle wrote the following on Twitter last night, talking about he and Jeff Jarrett’s match at Lockdown:

“We kicked Butt. You need to see my match. Match Of The Year. Me @ Jarrett. What a great match. Jeff broke ribs. I dislocated my shoulder.”

– Eric Bischoff and Jason Hervey’s production company has another show picked up by TruTV called “Bear Swamp Recovery.” Here’s the official synopsis for the show:

“Owned by a large Sicilian family, the crew at Bear Swamp Recovery in New Jersey repossesses what others simply can’t. And business booms in the summer, when the shore is overrun with careless vacationers and crazy locals who think the rules don’t apply to them.”

– This past Thursday’s episode of TNA iMPACT on Spike had 35 minutes and 48 seconds of in-ring action, up from last week’s 18 minutes and 21 seconds. (Credit: Stan)

TNA’s Eric Bischoff was one of the featured guests on this week’s live edition of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem. You can listen to an MP3 of Eric Bischoff’s appearance on the show by clicking here.

Questions were taken via Eric’s official Facebook page (Facebook.com/TheEricBischoff), along with The Mayhem Line (877.666.2110).

Interview highlights courtesy of The Mayhem’s official correspondent, Paterson from New Jersey:

What Jeff Hardy could effectively give back to TNA if a return to the company facilitates itself & his reaction to the closing moments of the Victory Road Pay-Per-View:

“I’m the wrong person to ask that question of, and I shouldn’t be. I can’t understand why I feel the way I feel, therefore I certainly can’t explain it. I’m still angry at Jeff Hardy, so it’s hard for me to discuss what I think he could do or should do, because until I quit being angry at him and about the situation, whatever would come out of my mouth would probably be counterproductive.”

How the TNA return of “The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels came to fruition & why he was “very happy when he came back”:

“I don’t really want to go into the behind the scenes of it. I was impressed with Chris when I first came to TNA. I was surprised when he left the company, but I understand it was business. There were changes, and decisions, and moves that had to be made, but I also knew that everyone in TNA fully expected to have Chris back at some point. I was very happy when he came back. He’s a good athlete, he’s a good character, and I’m interested to see how that character evolves as the weeks & months go by.”

His opinion of the wrestling promotion that used the Scott Hall incident from last weekend to promote their Internet Pay-Per-View:

“I’m not gonna judge them. I wasn’t there, I don’t know what led up to it, I don’t know what kind of shape Scott was in before he went out. Was he stumbling around backstage for 2 to 3 hours? Was it obvious that he was in that shape? Did he show up two minutes before he had to go out and they had to scramble? I don’t know because I wasn’t there. I’m not going to pass judgment on them for letting him go out. I came across the video, and my wife & I watched it together, and it was very sad. I wasn’t angry at the promoters for showing it & recording it. I was just sad for Scott.”

His reaction to the WWE’s decision to re-brand its company, eliminating the word “wrestling” from its name:

“I think it’s kind of odd to be honest with you. I understand from a marketing point of view the pressure that he’s under. Professional wrestling is & has always been a tough sell in the advertising community & mainstream television community, simply because it doesn’t fit into a particular niche. That’s always been a challenge in our industry, but at the same time, it’s the thing that makes us unique, and it’s the one thing that makes wrestling fans as loyal as they are. To knowing alienate or turn your back to such a large passionate group of fans, I understand it but I don’t necessarily agree with that. Time will tell if Vince made a right decision or if this will be another XFL moment.”

– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross wrote the following about Scott Hall’s recent troubles:

“Didn’t mention scott hall’s recent incident over wk’end. Don’t know any details. Feel bad 4 scott & pray 4 his good health. Really talented.”

– TNA executive Eric Bischoff posted the following on his Facebook page:

“Just watched the video of Scott Hall’s appearance in New England. Wish I knew how to help him. I know that others (including Vince McMahon) have tried recently. He was such an amazing talent, and deep down inside, a great person. His demons are killing him.”

– Kevin Nash also wrote about Scott Hall’s Friday night incident and asked people to support his friend during this tough time:

“Scott is in the hospital up north,I’ll be at the airport when he lands and taking him to my home when he lands. Please don’t judge Scott on what you just saw.He would give any of you a kidney. to the motherf—– that made a joke who would want his kidney lol send me your address and lets see how funny it is. he’s my brother we will get through this. To Scotts fans thank you 4 your love you’re as special as he is”

— Eric Bischoff recently accepted a position as an executive producer for TNA Wrestling. One of his duties is to represent the organization in their various dealings with Spike TV executives.

Bischoff and his production company partner Jason Hervey are also producing Micro Championship Wrestling, a reality show recently acquired by truTV. Hulk Hogan participated in a television taping yesterday in Tampa, Florida.

— Jimmy Hart parting ways with TNA Wrestling for World Wrestling Entertainment last week is not considered a big loss within the Nashville based organization.

Hart was described as being Hulk Hogan’s assistant when the two went on the road, and he had some duties at television tapings in Orlando, Florida. While Hogan hasn’t bashed the WWE Hall of Famer publicly, many feel he’s hurt by his decision to leave since Hart left without notice.

source: prowrestling.net

TNA’s Eric Bischoff was one of the featured guests on this week’s live edition (03/07/11) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem.

Eric Bischoff Reacts To Bret Hart’s Twitter Remarks Directed At Him & Hulk Hogan, Discusses What TNA Can Do To Not Fall Into The Shadow Of WrestleMania XXVII, Why He Was “Surprised” When He Saw The “3.3.11” Vignette On TNA iMPACT, The Positives He Took From TNA’s iMPACT Tapings In Fayetteville, The Reaction From Spike TV To Last Thursday’s iMPACT, What He Feels That Sting Has Left To Offer TNA At This Point In Time In His Career, His Response To Those That Question TNA’s Use Of Incorporating The Stars Of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” Into Their Programming, Why Matt Morgan’s Chances At Seeing The TNA World Title Are “As Good Or Better Than Anyone In TNA Wrestling,” Jimmy Hart’s Decision To Leave TNA & Return To The WWE, His Own Personal Assessment Of Involving Family (Especially The Use Of Children) In Wrestling Storylines, How The Concept Of truTV’s “Micro Championship Wrestling” Came About, The Importance Of Establishing Credibility As “An Entertainment Product” In Helping TNA Get To The Next Level, Plus Much More In The Return Of “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (Flavored By Sizzlin Sauces)

You can listen to an MP3 of the interview by clicking here.

Interview highlights courtesy of The Mayhem’s official correspondent, Paterson from New Jersey:

The positives that he took from the recent TNA iMPACT tapings in Fayetteville, NC & the importance of establishing credibility as “an entertainment product” in helping TNA get to the next level: “Any number of them really, but overall, one of the things I was most excited about (both being there and also watching it on television) was just the energy that a broadcast from a venue with a large crowd, a traditional type of crowd, and not a soundstage crowd, had. The difference in the energy, and the vibe, and the feel of the entire show was completely different than what we’re used to. I think that episode proved what I’ve been saying here on ‘The Hot Seat’ for the last six or seven months, in that for TNA to get to the next level, we have to find a way to get our show out in the arenas, so that we could have the credibility. I don’t mean wrestling credibility per se, I mean the credibility as an entertainment product, so that people at home watching the show feel that energy, and it translates and gives us credibility as an event.”

The thought process behind TNA using the 3.3.11 vignettes for Sting’s TNA return just weeks after the WWE first starting airing similar vignettes to build The Undertaker’s WWE return on 2.21.11: “I had nothing to do with this, so I can’t give you any insight. I was rather surprised to be honest with you when I saw it. I won’t go into any deeper than that.”

His reaction to the comments made by Bret Hart on Twitter this past week that were directed at both Hulk Hogan & himself: “I didn’t read any harsh words from Hulk Hogan. I was certainly made away of some of the comments by Bret Hart that were pretty harsh & negative. It’s really funny, I actually picked Bret Hart up at the airport when he was on a flight to Los Angeles when Owen died, and I was the first person to meet him at the airport. Bret actually heard about the death of Owen while he was on the plane. I was the first person to meet Bret at the airport and consoled him as best I could. I developed a pretty good relationship with Bret. I feel sad for Bret, because Bret is one of those people, and there are a lot of them, he’s the type of person that needs someone to hate in order to feel significant himself.”

What he believes that TNA can do not to fall into the shadow of WrestleMania XXVII: “It’s hard, because WrestleMania is such a big event. It’s been around so long. It gets a lot of mainstream media attention, and fans from all over the world are thinking about WrestleMania. I think it would be silly for TNA to try & compete against that kind of awareness, because we don’t have the resources. With that being said, I think if we continue doing what we’ve been doing, which is building momentum, we can continue to fine tune our presentation if we continue to find an edge, and put that edge on our product, and keep the audience engaged, and do things to keep them interested, and try our best. We just have to do our best to continue putting out the product we have been producing, and when WrestleMania is over, hopefully we would have gained even more momentum, more loyalty, & interest in our product.”

– TruTV has picked up Eric Bischoff and Jason Hervey’s Micro Championship Wrestling series, which is expected to premiere on the cable channel later this year. Production for the ‘midget’ wrestling show will begin next week, with the first taping set for March 9th in Tampa, Florida at The Blue Iguana. Hulk Hogan is scheduled to make a guest appearance on the show.

For more on Micro Championship Wrestling, visit MCWUSA.us.

– Dixie Carter wrote on Twitter this week that will be getting her own JAKKS action figure, which will be on sale this year. Insert your own joke here …

– Kurt Angle will be hosting the Kurt Angle World Teen Championships at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio from 3/4-3/6.

TNA’s Eric Bischoff was one of the featured guests on this week’s live edition (02/07/11) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem: MNM’s nine-year anniversary special.

Eric Bischoff Says “Nature Boy Isn’t Going Anywhere,” Reveals Just How Close We Were To Seeing The Main Event Mafia Return To TNA/His Opinion On The Unveiling Of “They,” The Latest On Sting’s TNA Future, Hulk Hogan’s TNA Return, What He Credits For The Recent Success In The Ratings For TNA, How The iMPACT Viewing Experience Will Be Different On March 3rd, Whether The Constant Vince Russo Hate From Wrestling Fans Is Warranted, Plus Much More In The Return Of “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (Flavored By Sizzlin Sauces).

You can listen to an MP3 of Bischoff’s interview at this link.

Interview highlights courtesy of The Mayhem’s official correspondent, Paterson from New Jersey:

What he credits for the recent success in the ratings of TNA iMPACT over the last several weeks and what’s needed to stay at that level of where they are now:

“I don’t think there’s any one thing in success & failure. It’s always a combination of several things. I think one of the things we are doing that is resonating with the audience in integrating more reality into our stories whenever we can. Keeping an edge on our stories & characters, more so than we have done in the past. Where we are in our storylines really started back in October at Bound for Glory, and it’s continuing now where we are today and where we are leading up to on March 3rd.”

His opinion on the new direction of the “They” storyline:

“I think ‘Plan B’ (the Fortune split from Immortal) was well-received. It caught everyone by surprise when everyone came to TV, because we didn’t call everyone and give a heads-up in advance and because we like to contain & control information creatively as best we can. Once everyone wrapped their heads around it, I think the guys were very excited about it. Fortune is a strong, aggressive, young, emerging group of talent that saw a opportunity for them to step up, and now they’re taking it.”

What fans watching at home can expect to see on the March 3rd edition of iMPACT that’s different from their normal Thursday night TNA viewing experience:

“What I’m hoping we’re going to see is, I know we are going to see a pretty powerful show from a content point of view. You are also going to see a show in front of an energized crowd in a bigger arena that has a different kind of energy. I’m going to say better energy, but a different kind of energy than we typically see.”

Thanks to Martin H. and PWInsider.com for the following recap of Eric Bischoff on Monday Night Mayhem yesterday:

Monday Night Mayhem had Eric Bischoff on their nine year anniversary today live last night.

– Bischoff took questions from fans. When asked about the Super Bowl, Bischoff said he used to live in Pittsburgh.

– A fan mentions the ratings of TNA and how successful they were. Bischoff said one of the things that’s resonating with the audience is integrating reality with characters, and keeping an edge. Bischoff says the storyline arc started back in October at Bound For Glory and is continuing and leading up to March 3. Bischoff said investment in a long term storyline arc and reality, and keeping a sharper edge. He said it’s a combination of those things.

– A question was about Fortune being revealed as “they”. Bischoff said he hates the three-part questions. Bischoff says it wasn’t close to seeing the return of the Main Event Mafia. He said there were some shifts, but they knew way in advance that there was going to be an issue. There were plans to adjust the plans accordingly. He said Nash signed an agreement with WWE. Bischoff said he isn’t involved in talent signs of things. He said Nash/TNA departed as friends. He said nothing caught them off flat-footed. When wheels were off original plan, it was a matter of time before “Plan B” took place.

– Bischoff says Plan B was well received and caught everyone by surprise. He said the guys were pretty excited about it. He said Fortune is a strong, aggressive, emerging group of talent. He said he’d prefer that you ask the talent because he doesn’t like to speak for others.

– Immortal vs. Fortune. Was it meant to occur too fast? Bischoff said he prefers not to get into it. He says where they are now is where they would be in a matter of time. He said it caught them flatfooted a bit.

– Why is everyone ducking the Sting rumor? Bischoff says he is not aware of whether Sting is with TNA or not. He’s not involved in talent acquisitions or discussions/negotiations, so he’s not in the front line of it. Bischoff doesn’t think Sting would go to WWE, but if it was, it would be for a short time, maybe merchandise/licensing. Bischoff says anyone that expects Sting to show up in WWE as a full-time wrestler will be disappointed.

– Bischoff says he hasn’t seen Desmond Wolfe on the next set of tapings and is unsure about the future of Wolfe as he doesn’t know.

– How does Bischoff react to people that discount Bischoff’s abilities, such as TNA’s downfall? Bischoff said last he checked, TNA is doing pretty well. Bischoff said 10% of the people make 90% of the negative noise. The smallest percentage of the Internet are giving wrestling fans in general a bad name.

– An opinion of WWE’s product. Bischoff says he hasn’t been watching. He respects Shane, Vince, Stephanie. He says the company has taken this business to a new level: a television juggernaut. Bischoff says the youth movement is good. Bischoff says WWE’s business is down and finds it ironic? Bischoff says WWE goes back to the older talent to bring business back up (Nash, Booker T, Sting, Jerry Lawler going for the title).

– Bischoff says Nature Boy isn’t going anywhere. He said there are two sides to every story, there may have been a lot blown out of proportion. He says there isn’t an issue that he is aware of with TNA/Flair. He said he sees Flair’s name on the next set of tapings and he doesn’t hope Flair is going anywhere.

– Question: how do you take experiences and mistakes from the past and apply them to current situations today? Bischoff says he goes by feel when it comes to creative, characters. He elaborated a little more about this.

– Is the Vince Russo hate uncalled for? Bischoff says no doubt. Eric says nobody is perfect or 100% all the time. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and Vince is no different. Day in, day out, consistently, Vince is more than proven himself to be an extremely talented guy, proves he can change/adapt, strives to put out the best product. He says he never met anyone that worked harder and most of what people are enjoying right now can dfirectly be attributed to Russo.

– How is Hulk Hogan doing? Bischoff says Hogan is doing well from all the discussions he has with him. He says you will see Hogan in Fayetteville on 2/24 – which will be March 3rd.

– Bischoff says you will see a powerful show from a content point of view on March 3rd (2/24). He says you will see a show that is from a content point of view, going to be different than what you typically see. He says you will see a different kind of energy in an energized crowd. He didn’t want to say better crowd. He says there are positives and negatives in Impact Zone. He says an audience that doesn’t show up every tapings or hang out with the wrestlers at hotels. He says the show is going to “feel” much different?

– Hulk/Eric’s contract that is up this year – rumours. Bischoff doesn’t comment on contractual issues? He won’t comment on that.

– Scott Steiner’s return. Main event player at this point in his career? Bischoff says anyone that underestimates Steiner’s in ring ability is kidding themselves. Bischoff says he is unsure about how he will be used, but he knows that Scott Steiner is a player, wherever he is. He’s believable, intense, and is a workhorse in the ring.

– Bischoff has a high opinion of Robert Roode as a talent. Final question. With the road to wrestlemania, Eric is not afraid of competition. With that said, with the recent spike in Impact ratings, how pleased is Eric to see the progression of the company over the part of the past several weeks. What can the fans expect in upcoming weeks/months?

– Bischoff said this past year, there were 7-8 weeks of the highest ratings in the history. He said TNA is slowly but surely are hitting in the right direction. He said there were some speed bumps, he said they are building momentum and good talent. He wants to take the show in the road, inject the show with different kind of energy. He says they have a good future and is very proud of it.

— Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff have accepted pay cuts with TNA Wrestling, reports SLAM! Wrestling. Both are on the last year of their respective contracts with the organization, which will conclude at the end of the year.

— Last Thursday’s episode of TNA iMPACT!, scored a 1.25 cable rating, the program’s highest mark since October 14, the show after Bound For Glory. The program garnered 1,733,000 viewers over the course of two hours.

Segment-by-segment numbers are as follows: Beer Money, Inc. vs. Motor City Machine Guns lost 138,000 viewers. “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero and Samoa Joe facing off lost 42,000 viewers. A backstage segment with AJ Styles lost 69,000 viewers. The segment involving Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett and Karen Jarrett, plus Angelina Love and Winter defending the Knockouts Tag Team Championship against Madison Rayne and Tara gained 83,000 viewers. A match pitting Abyss against Matt Morgan lost 55,000 viewers. The first portion of the Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy vs. Mr. Anderson and Rob Van Dam match lost 249,000 viewers, lowering the rating to 1.07. The conclusion of the match and aftermath rebounded to 1.16, and thus the start-to-finish loss was 125,000 viewers overall.

— Gunner and Murphy have been added to TNAWrestling.com’s roster page. The duo debuted in June 2009 as the company’s on-air security and were given official names in July 2010.

source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

TNA’s Eric Bischoff was the featured guest on this week’s live edition (01/03/11) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem.

Eric Bischoff Discusses The Build-Up To Matt Morgan & Mr. Anderson’s #1 Contender’s Match At Genesis, If There Is Concern In TNA About The Current World Title Picture With Jeff Hardy’s Legal Situation, Why He Is Not Satisfied With The Immortal Storyline To This Point Thus Far/How Hulk Hogan’s Return From His Back Surgery Could Possibly Change That, Sting’s & Kurt Angle’s TNA Futures In 2011, Whether Or Not It’s Difficult For TNA To Run On The Same Network As The UFC, The Chances Of Seeing Him On TNA House Shows Stateside & Internationally This Year, What He Misses The Most About WCW, & If The Wrestling Pay-Per-View Industry As We Know It Needs To Change.

You can listen to an MP3 of the interview at by clicking here (MP3).

His most realistic goal that he would like to achieve personally with TNA in the new year:

“On a personal level, I would love to be part of TNA’s strategic growth. I think that’s one of the biggest challenges right now that TNA has. I would love to see more programming out of TNA across different channels, as well as potentially on Spike TV. Different types of programming. I think all of those things, just like we’re seeing in WWE (the fact they’re bringing back Tough Enough), that is an perfect example, I think, of what TNA needs to do to grow their brand. You can’t keep preaching to the same choir over and over and over again and expect to grow the congregation, so to speak.”

His thoughts about the main event #1 Contender’s Match at Genesis Pay-Per-View between “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan and Mr. Anderson & TNA giving a “strong build” through the past several weeks on iMPACT & ReAction to their main event this Sunday night:

“I think we had a great build to the # 1 contenders match in the three-way at Bound for Glory. In this particular case, I think we have a good slow & strong build. I think what makes the story resonate with people probably is there’s enough reality in the story that it’s plausible, and it’s believable. The more reality in a story, the more I think I people gravitates towards it.”

Why he is not satisfied with the Immortal storyline to this point thus far, the impact that Hulk Hogan’s back injury had in the changing of TNA’s initial plans for it, & why he is excited to see where things go in the very near future on TNA programming (with a “much more effervescent Hulk Hogan”):

“No I’m not. Clearly there was a pretty big setback with Hulk Hogan, which forced us to kind of shift on the fly, in terms of that storyline. At this point, the story is not where we wanted it to, be but as frustrated or disappointed I may be about that, it’s part of life. But I’m equally as excited about where it’s going to go in the very near future. I talk to Hulk almost every other day, if not every day, and he’s getting better. I think the prognosis for him & his ability to become active and a part of the story in a much better way: You’re going to see a much more effervescent Hulk Hogan than we’ve probably seen in a couple years, and I think the story’s going to evolve very nicely.”

Whether Sting will be returning to TNA in 2011 or if we will see him sign with the WWE, especially with the speculation of a WCW-themed Hall of Fame class as part of WrestleMania XXVII weekend in Atlanta:

“If I had to guess, and if he is going to sign another agreement, which I’m not sure he is going to do at this stage of his career, my bet would be that he is going to sign with TNA. I’m not sure what Sting’s motivations are at this point. I know physically he’s told me on more than one occasion that it’s getting harder & harder to deliver the type of performances that he wants to deliver in the ring for his fans. That’s got to be a big part of his consideration. I think realistically, if he would go to the WWE, there would be some additional pressure, much more than in TNA, to perform in the ring, and that would be a hard thing for him to do at this point in his career.”

TNA’s Eric Bischoff was the featured guest on this week’s live edition (12/27/10) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem. Bischoff Discusses Why Spike TV Canceled TNA ReAction, What He Believes Were The Changes That Him & Hulk Hogan Implemented Effectively This Year In TNA, Which TNA Superstars & Knockouts Impressed Him The Most In 2010, The Company’s Ability To Compete With The WWE In 2011, If There Could Be Changes On The TNA Creative Team In The Near Future, Repairing His Relationship With Matt Hardy If He Signed With TNA In The New Year, Plus The Latest Update On “The Hulkster” Following His Most Recent Back Surgery.

You can listen to an MP3 of Eric Bischoff’s appearance on Monday Night Mayhem by clicking here.

Interview highlights courtesy of The Mayhem’s official correspondent, Paterson from New Jersey .. Here’s what Eric Bischoff said about:

The changes he believes that himself and Hulk Hogan, both individually and collectively, implemented effectively in TNA since coming into the company one year ago:

“If you look at TNA as a brand and as a media property, I think that Hulk Hogan in particular, and to a lesser extent myself, probably brought more media awareness and industry awareness to the brand than anything they had done up to that point. I think the residual effect of that brand awareness is still playing itself out and is something that TNA is taking advantage of, and it will probably continue to do so.”

Why Spike TV decided to cancel TNA Reaction, his reaction to the news, and when he found out about the decision:

“No it won’t unfortunately. We found out toward the second-to-last day of the TV tapings we had, and Spike had decided to make a different programming decision and go in a different direction. The ReAction you see on the 30th will be the last ReAction.”

His reaction to Jim Ross’ recent comments (on his BBQ Sauce Blog) regarding TNA being able to compete with the WWE in 2011 and that TNA will “never” overtake the WWE in the marketplace:

“I agree 100 percent. WWE has been around for a long, long time. They’ve been well-entrenched and well-established in cable television for the last 20 years. It’s a television juggernaut. TNA comparatively is a Kool-Aid stand compared to Coca-Cola in terms of its resources and infrastructure. The idea of TNA ever being able to compete with the WWE, although I’ve been out there, and I’ve been promoting it as such: I believe in a lot of ways we do compete.

“There are a lot of things about TNA that are better than the WWE on an individual basis. But you can’t compare TNA as a company to WWE as a company. In that regard, Jim Ross is absolutely 100 percent right on the money. Doesn’t mean we don’t want to try. Doesn’t mean we don’t wanna swing for the fences whenever we’re given the opportunity. Doesn’t mean that we don’t want to do things that put ourselves out in front of the WWE audience, just like we did with the Monday night effort. That was something that got people to sample us. It created awareness, and that’s important for us. I don’t think anybody within TNA realistically felt we were going to compete on a business level with the WWE.”

More is contained in the highly anticipated return of “The Hot Seat,” including Eric’s candid thoughts/comments on whether there could be changes on the TNA Creative Team in the near future, if he believes he could repair his relationship with Matt Hardy if Matt signed with TNA in 2011, the TNA superstars and knockouts he believed made the biggest impression on him this past year, the latest update on Hulk Hogan following his most recent back surgery, plus so much more!

— Raven was said to be legitimately upset over TNA Wrestling writing him out of television recently. On a recent episode of iMPACT!, he was forced to put his employment on the line in a match against World Heavyweight Champion Jeff Hardy. Hardy won the match and Raven was booted from the company as a result. His release from the company is legitimate.

Though he was written out of television, he then worked the opening match of a live event in Nashville, beating AJ Styles clean with a DDT. It is said that TNA is having wrestlers parting ways with the company go over in their final matches to keep them happy and motivated.

— The fact that new referee Jackson James is the son of Eric Bischoff was guarded even backstage at the Turning Point pay-per-view and subsequent television tapings. Garrett Bischoff trained at the Nasty Boys wrestling school in Florida before debuting in TNA Wrestling. It was not a secret to people at the school that he is Bischoff’s son, but TNA talent were lied to by company officials even after the news surfaced online.

source: Pro Wrestling Torch