Eric Bischoff appeared on Monday Night Mayhem last night and confirmed that TNA ReACTION was renewed for an additional 10 episodes by Spike.

While discussing Jeff Hardy, he said that the reigning TNA World Heavyweight Champion was not originally tapped for “They”. Though he wouldn’t say whose place Hardy took, he said that Hardy got the spot because it made for a better story.

When asked about Matt Hardy joining TNA Wrestling, he gave a non-committal answer, saying they are taking a wait-and-see approach.

Regarding Hulk Hogan’s pseudo shoot promo on Twitter in which he said things are going to get “full blown evil” in TNA, he said anyone trying to decipher it is wasting a lot of mental energy.

VIDEO: Hulk Hogan Issues “Final Warning” & Hypes Big Things For TNA

(Source: PWInsider.com)

WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart was interviewed this week by Brian Fritz of Fanhouse.com to promote the new SmackDown vs. RAW 2011 video game.

Hart had some pretty harsh words about TNA Wrestling, saying it’s run by people who don’t know anything about the wrestling business and feature dinosaurs on television that take time away from the company’s real stars. Here are some highlights of what Bret said about:

Hogan, Bischoff & Russo Together Again In TNA:

“Well, I’ll be honest. After being in WCW and being around them, you start to realize that these guys — Bischoff in particular — never understood or knew anything about wrestling. They just struck me as guys that didn’t understand wrestling. To see them working with another company now, to me, I think you’ll eventually see that they don’t know anything. They didn’t know anything then and they don’t know anything now. They’re not going to make a difference anywhere they go.”

TNA’s Young Talent Getting Smothered By Dinosaurs:

“Yeah, competition is always good. I have a lot of respect for the young wrestlers there like AJ Styles and Kurt Angle and Samoa Joe, Abyss, different guys. I know they’ve got a lot of talent there and guys that I consider good friends of mine including RVD (Rob Van Dam). I wish them all the best and I hope the younger stars get a chance to show what they’ve got rather than coming back to the old dinosaurs like Hulk Hogan or Eric Bischoff with the same old certain babble that he’s been doing for 10 years when he’ll babble about nothing. He somehow positions himself to be a star on the show and I think there’s real stars that need to get that light and not him.”

• Related: VIDEO From “Bret Hart Appreciation Night” at MSG

TNA executive Eric Bischoff is speaking out about Vince McMahon’s new “Stand Up For WWE” campaign, lending support to his former employer.

“Good for Vince,” Bischoff wrote. “I don’t blame him for wanting to use his platform to activate WWE fans and speak out against some of the mainstream media b.s. that has been flung at Linda McMahon and the WWE.

“Linda’s opponent and his surrogate campaign staffers over at MSNBC, have used their ‘news’ format to trash a woman who has raised a family, overcome financial challenges, and helped build a billion dollar industry that is weathering the financial bon-fire that her challengers predecessor, Chris Dodd provided the lighter fluid for with his role in the disastrous bail-out debacle.”

You can read more from Bischoff at EricBischoff.com.

TNA’s Eric Bischoff was the featured guest on this week’s live edition (10/04/09) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem. You can feel the “MNM Fall Tour ’10” every Monday evening (at 7PM ET/6PM CT), exclusively on The Monday Night Mayhem Radio Network.

Eric joined The Big Mosh & “The Chairman of the Board” Todd Vincent for his return to “Your Home of Wrestling Radio” & for another installment of his exclusive monthly interactive segment on Monday Night Mayhem, “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff”, which is now available in Windows Streaming Media or via the official MNM Podcast on iTunes:

You can listen to an MP3 of Bischoff’s appearance on The Mayhem at MondyNightMayhem.com.

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

What event or events from his WCW/WWE career he can compare the “road to Bound For Glory” to (in terms of preparation, build-up, & hype) and when TNA actually started planning their ideas & concepts for this Sunday’s Bound For Glory Pay-Per-View: “In terms of preparation, the two that come to mind: Starrcade (’97), Hogan & Sting obviously was a big one, because it was a long-term build. It wasn’t a month-to-month kind of Pay-Per-View typical build; it was something we built for 12 months. Bash at the Beach (’96) when Hulk Hogan turned was something that also had a long term plan and build associated with it. Those are the two that come to mind. That’s what I really enjoy doing, is when you have the ability to build for a Pay-Per-View over the course of three months, four months, six months…whatever it may be. That’s not just a luxury we have anymore with twelve Pay-Per-Views. There’s so much pressure to spend three weeks promoting, four weeks promoting, boom you have a big Pay-Per-View, then you start from scratch, and you’re building again to the next Pay-Per-View. This is one where we said ‘Let’s really build it.’ We really started really planning this one and structuring it back in March of this year. I’m excited about it.”

Whether or not he feels that wrestling fans have taken more of a vested interest in the TNA product as a result of TNA ReAction & the show’s effectiveness as a whole in building the matches on the Bound For Glory PPV card: “I think it definitely has. I think ReAction has done a phenomenal job. When we created the show and started laying it out on paper, one of the things we wanted to do was to create a television show that allowed people to get inside the heads of the talent and hear from the talent in a different way than they normally do, and I think ReAction has achieved that. It’s a fresh, innovative approach that has never been done in wrestling before, and it just has a different feel to it, but the best part is if you watch it, you get to hear from the talent over an extended period of time. You’re hearing from them in their own personal point of view. It’s not a one or two-minute interview; there’s no time constraints. If we sit down with AJ Styles and shoot ReAction footage, we may shoot 20 minutes of questions & answers, and we edit it the way flows best, but it gives the talent a chance to voice their feelings, opinions, & perspectives in an entirely different way.”

An update on Hulk Hogan’s current health status & why there’s a very good chance you may not see “The Hulkster” this Thursday night on the “Before The Glory” iMPACT Spike TV special or this Sunday evening at Bound For Glory: “It’s touch & go. Let’s put it this way, we’ve spent a lot of time over the last two weeks on ‘Plan B,’ because with a back, you can’t sit, you can’t lay, you can’t stand, you can’t walk, you can’t do anything without being in pain. Hulk has been in a tremendous amount of pain really for the last year or more. It’s gotten progressively worse, but it’s too the point now where I can’t imagine it. Right now I don’t plan on him being there at either event. I know he wants to be, and I know we have plans in place for him to be. Realistically, considering he can barely get out of his house at this point, I think optimistic to put it mildly that he’s going to be able to participate, but who knows? ”

World Wrestling Entertainment promoting Mick Foley’s new book (Countdown To Lockdown) on WWE.com & on WWE television: “In terms of the promotion that it’s getting, I think it’s great for Mick obviously, because the WWE is a promotional machine, and them putting it out there & promoting it to their fanbase is a great opportunity for Mick. How it’s happening? Why it’s happening? I really don’t know. It could have been a pre-existing deal with Mick, because of the books he’s published previously with the WWE. It could be a ‘one-off’ deal. I would imagine it’s a business transaction, because the WWE doesn’t do anything, nor should they, if it doesn’t benefit them as a company.”

Why we have not seen more of the X-Division as part of the build-up to Bound For Glory & what he believes is in store for the X-Division after Sunday night’s Pay-Per-View: “What it really comes down to is we only have so much television time. We have a lot of things we have to serve. A lot of storylines, a lot of characters, and things have to be prioritized in a certain way. While the X-Division is a very vital & unique part of TNA’s profile, right now it’s not a priority for this particular Pay-Per-View (Bound For Glory). It may be the #1 priority for the next Pay-Per-View, but you can’t promote all things, all the time, all at 100%. Sometimes you have to cycle storylines, characters, and in this case, a division, because we have to put the emphasis on the key story. If we had a three-hour show every week, we might possibly keep everything at a higher profile, but unfortunately that’s not the case.”

What he hopes the fans take away from Thursday night’s “Before The Glory” live edition of iMPACT & TNA’s plans for the rest of 2010 post-Bound For Glory: “What can the fans expect from Thursday? Look at this Thursday’s show as wrestling foreplay if you will. The real event is going to happen on the 10th, but Thursday should be some great foreplay for a wrestling fan. The next three months is really to set the stage, and after Bound for Glory there is going to be seismic shift from a storyline point of view & a presentation point of view. I think people are going to see things they didn’t expect to see. We’ve worked hard to build a story that’s going to be just as exciting after Bound for Glory as it was leading up to it, and what we do for the rest of the year is really set up for what we want to do in TNA in 2011 and build towards that.”

More is contained in another installment of “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (flavored by Sizzlin Sauces), including Eric’s candid thoughts/comments on his involvement in the main event of Bound For Glory (Kurt Angle vs. Mr. Anderson vs. Jeff Hardy) to crown a new TNA World Champion (and what fans can expect from their three-way match), the intrigue to the Abyss “They” storyline leading into 10.10.10, whether to not we will see the return of TNA World Title Ranking System after Sunday’s Bound For Glory, plus more of your calls & Facebook questions! Call your local cable or satellite provider and demand No Surrender (airing this Sunday night on Pay-Per-View). “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (flavored by Sizzlin Sauces) returns Monday night, November 1st leading into TNA’s Turning Point PPV…exclusively on “Your Home of Wrestling Radio.” Check out Eric’s official website (located at www.EricBischoff.com), along with the newly-launched BHE TV website (located at www.BHE.tv). Get the latest on the exciting new projects coming your way from Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment! Don’t forget to follow Eric on his official Twitter page (located at www.Twitter.com/EBischoff), and join the more than 19,000+ fans on EB’s official Facebook page (located at www.Facebook.com/TheEricBischoff).

— TNA Wrestling officials are hopeful that the disclosure of “They” at Bound for Glory will hook a number of fans to purchase the pay-per-view event. The widespread assumption amongst the TNA locker room is that “They” will be revealed as a combination of Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff and possibly Jeff Jarrett.

Though D’Angelo Dinero cut what was described as a ‘heelish promo’ on Thursday’s iMPACT!, many believe he, Sting and Kevin Nash will turn babyface once “They” is revealed. (source: Pro Wrestling Torch)

— Jeff Hardy’s fiancée, Beth Britt, who is pregnant with the TNA Superstar’s first child, released a message on Twitter yesterday asking that people respect their privacy.

“Been hearing some rumblings about this so I’ll only address it this once. Do not assume that anyone on the Internet that is talking about or answering questions regarding me & my pregnancy has any “inside information”. I can GUARANTEE that the few people who do know any actual facts ARE NOT talking about it to people they don’t know, namely on the Internet & in some silly Q&A forum. There’s a reason that I haven’t answered any questions about the pregnancy. The reason is that this is probably the one thing that we’ll be able to hold sacred & keep somewhat a secret from the public, just so that we can enjoy something so special, even if only for a short time. “Privacy” is something that doesn’t really exist in Jeff’s profession, much less his personal life. I’m just trying to hold on to what I can in MY personal life, & this is it. Respect OUR privacy on this. The people that know anything about us & this pregnancy are doing just that. People that are claiming to know, or are speculating, have NO idea.”

— Regarding former WWE Diva Katie Lea Burchill’s tryout match for TNA Wrestling last week, one observer dubbed her performance as “okay” and “nothing spectacular.” Meanwhile, talk amongst others within the company was more positive.

No word yet on whether she will be offered a contract.

— Tonight’s episode of TNA ReACTION will feature a highly regarded segment on one of the company’s rising stars.

“Watched a rough cut of this weeks ReAction. An amazing segment with one of TNA’s rising stars,” Eric Bischoff wrote on his Facebook page. “One of the best things I’ve seen in a long time. Check it out Thurs night right after iMPACT!”

— The reunion of “The Beautiful People” last Thursday on iMPACT! scored the program’s highest rated segment with a 1.15. Angelina Love caught wind of the news and thanked the fans for their support on her MySpace page, writing: “HUGE thanks to all the fans that watched TNA Impact last week and made the reuniting of the original Beautiful People the highest rated segment on the show!!!!”

TNA’s Eric Bischoff was one of the special guests on this week’s live edition (08/30/09) of the Monday Night Mayhem radio show. You can listen to an MP3 of Bischoff’s appearance here.

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

His reaction to those wrestling fans that ask the question “Where is the controversy in TNA?” and if we will be seeing that on TNA programming in the coming weeks/months: “I think that you will. One of the challenges in the business today, and the same is true in the WWE, what can we do that hasn’t been done to death in the last 10 to 12 years? When I launched Nitro, and we did all the ridiculous stuff & controversial stuff that I did that put WCW on the map, nobody had ever done it before, and that’s what made it controversial. That’s why I was the ‘anti-Christ’ for wrestling fans, because I was doing things no one had done before. Giving away finishes live on the air five minutes before the competition’s show went on. All these things people said was stupid & ridiculous, how do you do that again? How does Vince McMahon do all things that are ground-breaking, controversial, & water cooler buzz? How does he recreate those elements in the guidelines of a televised wrestling show? How do you recreate that in today’s environment? Is there going to be controversy in TNA? Of course there is. Are we seeing right now? Without giving anything away, I think we’re setting it up. In the months to come, people are going to see some things that are controversial, but I don’t think anyone should raise the bar of expectations so high that we are magically going to get back to that virgin territory that we enjoyed 10 or 12 years ago.”

How much input he usually has into an edition of TNA iMPACT, his response to those that strongly believe that Hulk Hogan & himself are “running TNA,” and the current chemistry between himself & Vince Russo: “It varies a lot depending on the week. I’ve read some of the comments of some of your other guests on Monday Night Mayhem talking about me, and I think Kevin Kelly was one of the ones I read last, and I know people out there think and are under the assumption that Eric Bischoff & Hulk Hogan are ‘running TNA.’ Nothing is farther from the truth. We have nothing to do with the strategy of the company. We have nothing to do with the marketing of the company. Nobody talks to us or asks us about talent acquisitions or people getting fired. We have little to do with the day-to-day operations of TNA. The same is kinda true with regards to creative. I work closely with Vince Russo, I see the formats, I give my suggestions. Vince & I have a great working relationship, and in regards to chemistry, I would say besides my partner Jason Hervey and Hulk, there’s no one better that I have a working relationship with.”

The Internet’s constant stream of hating against TNA & why it’s easier for fans to point out the flaws of TNA than those of the WWE: “Let me put it to you this way: Misery loves company. It’s easier for people who are negative, who want to criticize without really having anything intelligent to say and without it being constructive criticism. It’s one of the reasons why I constantly am trying to raise the bar, eliminating one stupid fan at a time. When I see the kind of comments like ‘TNA Sucks’ or ‘Your storylines blow,’ or ‘Fire Russo, or ‘Fire Bischoff,’ or ‘Hogan sucks,’ I laugh at that stuff because there are a lot of people out there and because misery loves company. Let’s face it, WWE is a giant bandwagon. It’s been around a long time. It’s easier & safer when you’re the type of person who is looking for a group of miserable people to jump on the bandwagon that’s successful, because the WWE is a cable television juggernaut. It is what it is. So it’s easy to jump on that bandwagon and look down at TNA for its warts, blemishes, bumps, bruises, & dents because there’s plenty of them. TNA is not WWE. It’s not a billion dollar company with the kind of infrastructure & production staff taking their show live on the road every week. There’s so many things that we don’t have that it’s easy to point out our flaws. I think if you look at what TNA does, and does well, and tries to do. We are ‘the little engine that’s trying.’ There’s some great talent in the ring, I think we have the greatest balance of new, young & exciting talent, established talent that rates well despite what everyone else wants to believe on the Internet. If you’re objective and you’re a real wrestling fan, you’re gonna have comments, and while you may not like certain things that are happening in TNA, you’ll find plenty of things to like.”

Bret Hart’s comments about Vince McMahon “stomping out” TNA from Monday nights, the impact “The Hitman” may have had in making that a reality, & what the final outcome would have been for TNA on Monday nights had Bret Hart never come back to the WWE: “I like Bret so much so it’s hard for me to comment about things like this. Bret Hart is a little pre-occupied with the legacy of Bret Hart. Not going to deny it, the move to Monday night was a mistake. It is what it is. It was ill-conceived, it was bad timing, it was a risk, and it was a risk that didn’t pan out. I’ve taken plenty of risks that didn’t work out, and I’ve taken some risks that have. Vince McMahon has taken some risks that worked and taken plenty of risks that hasn’t. The move to Monday night was a miss, and I’ll take as much responsibility for that as anybody else. I don’t think any of it had anything to do with Bret Hart. I think if Bret Hart would have never come back to WWE, the outcome of our Monday night effort would have been exactly the same.”

His thoughts on this Sunday’s No Surrender Pay-Per-View & why his primary focus will be on the semi-finals of the TNA World Title Tournament: “I think there are some great matches on the card. The primary thing that I’m focused on is our ‘A-story,’ which is who is going to become TNA World Heavyweight Champion. You got four powerful names there, four very exciting talents four guys who could deliver anywhere in the world in either company. You got four guys who are great storytellers and can deliver in the ring. If there’s a reason to watch the Pay-Per-View, that’s the one thing I would encourage people to follow & watch, because it’s another chapter in a pretty interesting story that we laid out back in March, and I’m excited about it.”

Following yesterday’s Hogan-Bischoff-Twitter debacle where a Hogan impostor claimed he and Bischoff were leaving TNA, Eric Bischoff (the real one) is setting the record straight. In comments made exclusively to Slam.Canoe.Ca, Bischoff confirmed that he and Hulk Hogan are still with TNA and will be until 2012.

“ I am with TNA,” Bischoff said. “Hulk Hogan is still with TNA. We have a contract for two years, and we plan on fulfilling our contract.”

After Twitter user realhulk_hogan admitted to not being the real Hulk Hogan – the user claimed to be a disgruntled TNA employee upset with Bischoff’s performance and said TNA’s top stars were planning a walk-out if Bischoff isn’t removed from power. Bischoff, however, does not believe the fake Hogan is a TNA employee at all.

“It is probably a 16-year-old dweeb that doesn’t have anything better to do,” Bischoff said  “I am 99% sure that there is no validity behind it and the person does not work for TNA.”

The owner of the fake Hogan account, who has over 4,000 followers, now claims to be Christopher Daniels and is urging people to “Unfollow @TNADixie if you don’t agree with the current direction in TNA.”

— Jeff Wilen of The Daytona Beach News-Journal interviewed Eric Bischoff in his latest JAWBreaker column. Among the topics discussed include the latest going-ons in TNA Wrestling, the big names working together, the tag-team division, Bound for Glory in Daytona Beach, Tommy Dreamer playing a bigger role in the organization, Linda McMahon running for a Senate seat, Paul Heyman and Rob Van Dam.

Bischoff claimed during the interview that he pitched the EV2 storyline back in February and suggested that Dixie Carter reach out to Paul Heyman.

“The whole EV2 story line was something I pitched in February of this year,” said Bischoff. “It wasn’t a Tommy Dreamer idea. Tommy’s a great guy and has great experience. I called Paul and suggested to Dixie (Carter) and Vince Russo that we should reach out to Paul and see if he was interested in coming in. I don’t think it will happen with Paul. He is looking for something different. I don’t think Dreamer will be involved in creative. We have a solid team, with great chemistry. We’ve had great success the last couple weeks and months.”

When asked if he and Hulk Hogan plan on sticking around for a while, Bischoff replied, “We have a couple of years left on our contracts.

To read the interview, click here.

— According to SLAM! Wrestling, Eric Bischoff will discuss today’s confusion concerning a Twitter account believed to be that of Hulk Hogan’s tomorrow in an interview with the website.

— Ocean Center director Bob Poor hopes Bound for Glory draws 5,000 fans to the arena, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal. WWE recently held a live event at the building and drew less than 4,000 paid.

Earlier today, reports surfaced that Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff were leaving TNA Wrestling.

A Twitter account that claimed to be Hulk Hogan (and was verified & linked to on Eric Bischoff’s Twitter page) announced that he and Eric Bischoff were parting ways with TNA Wrestling. The person claiming to be Hulk Hogan eventually admitted that he was a fake – but had ‘worked’ Eric Bischoff, Dixie Carter, Bubba The Love Sponge.

The fake Hogan wrote:

“I know you’ve heard the rumors brothers and they are true. Eric and I are leaving TNA on a mutual basis. I just got out of meetings now.” TNA has a new leadership coming in. Make sure you Hulkamaniacs still support them. TNA needs the power of Hulkamania to live on brothers.”

“Thank you Dixie and Bob Carter for the wonderful and positive experiences in TNA. Nothing but the best to you guys. Brothers, this isn’t the last of me though. You’ll be able to see me at “Hulk Hogan & Friends” events on tour soon.”

Eric Bischoff has posted on his Twitter page that the Hulk Hogan Twitter page saying that he and Bischoff were leaving TNA is a fake.He wrote:  “The Hogan twitter site that I posted is a fake one. Hulk IS getting a Twitter page up, but the most recent post is a fake. I will post the REAL page info as soon as we get it. Sorry for the confusion. The Hulk Hogan twitter posts are fake. Hulk IS in the process of setting up a page, but has not as yet. The rumors of us leaving TNA are bogus. ”

The funny thing is – Bischoff himself is the one who announced “Hulk Hogan joins Twitter” on his own Twitter page, with a link to the fake Hogan’s page.

Dixie Carter wrote: “Recent twitter of Hulk Hogan leaving TNA is bogus. To what extreme people will go.”

The guy who is running the fake Hulk Hogan Twitter is now claiming to be a disgruntled TNA employee upset with the Hogan-Bischoff regime, writing:

“I am not Hulk Hogan, but I am a TNA wrestler who got Eric, BTLS, Jarrett, and Dixie to think I was Hogan.. I rallied everyone in to get my true message out in anonymous fashion, b/c any other way on any media platform there would be consequences. ”

“@EBischoff GOT WORKED BROTHERS! He publishes information before even verifying its accuracy. How can someone like this even try to run TNA?!” and “That piece of s*** @BTLSRadio GOT WORKED TOO!”

On the basis of Eric Bischoff’s original announcement that Hulk Hogan’s Twitter account was “realhulkhogan” – SEScoops ran with the story that Hogan & Bischoff were leaving TNA. We apologize for the confusion – this has been a wild story to watch develop to say the least!

— Jeff Hardy announced Saturday via YouTube that he and his longtime girlfriend Beth are expecting their first child. He did not provide the due date or the sex of the baby.

To view Hardy’s video announcement, click here.

— Eric Bischoff said Saturday on Twitter that Hulk Hogan is considering joining the social networking website.

“Just spoke to Hulk,” Bischoff said. “He’s thinking about launching a Twiiter site! (Never thought that would come off my keyboard). What do you think?”

— The Daytona Beach News-Journal columnist Jeff Wilen conducted the following interview with Kevin Nash. The TNA Superstar discusses HardCORE Justice, rumors of Paul Heyman joining the organization, iMPACT! changing timeslots, and more.

TNA’s Eric Bischoff was one of the special guests on this week’s live edition (08/02/09) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem radio show. For details on the show, visit MondayNightMayhem.com.

During the appearance, Bischoff Discusses Why TNA Is Not Trying To Recreate ECW, If He Feels The Angle Is Overshadowing TNA’s Current Crop Of Stars, The Recent Spike In Ratings For TNA iMPACT (And The Locker Room’s Reaction To It), His ECW One Night Stand Experience (And Whether Or Not He Was Truly Scared For His Life That Night), If Turning Heel Is Just Around The Corner For Him, How “The Whole F’N Show” Spike TV/TNA Special Could Mirror WCW’s Clash Of The Champions, The Beer Money/Motor City Machine Guns’ “Best Of Five” Series For The TNA World Tag Team Titles, & The Reasons Why He Believes That Vince McMahon Would Not Induct Him Into The WWE Hall Of Fame…Even If He Were Not Under TNA Contract.

Click Here to listen to an MP3 of Eric Bischoff’s appearance on the show.

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

Why the recent “extreme” revival in TNA/this Sunday night’s HardCORE Justice Pay-Per-View “is not ECW” & why TNA is not trying to recreate it: “Let’s make a couple of things really clear. This is not ECW. ECW was around on TNN for 12 months…that’s it. I know it’s grown in mythology and in the minds of people, but it lasted on TNA for 12 or 13 months. It found a home because it found a niche. It was a very violent, gritty, & very cool in many respects, and I’m not cutting it down in any way because it was different. To Paul E’s credit, he found a way to make what he was doing and the limitations he had to work with, and he was able to make a product that was different, and fans liked it because it was different. TNA, or WWE, or anyone that has to make money with a brand isn’t going to be able to resort to the level of violence & the presentation that they got used back on TNN. It’s just not possible. I want to make clear that this is not ECW, and we are not trying to re-create ECW. People that are getting so hung up on this ECW comparison are getting lost in their own mythology.”

Why he is in favor of the ECW angle at this point & whether or not the current crop of TNA stars are being overshadowed as a result of it: “I don’t know if it’s taking any money out of Sting’s pockets, or taking money out of Jay Lethal’s pockets, or anybody’s pockets. Jay Lethal is probably enjoying one of the better stages of his career as of late. I don’t think you’ll hear Jay Lethal complain about it. It’s a great story, it’s great for TNA, and the ratings are up, which is good for everybody. It’s good for business, and when business is good, everybody prospers.”

The morale of the TNA locker room & the reaction from Spike TV after the most recent iMPACT ratings were made public: “Other than Vince Russo, who I speak to daily, I haven’t really talked to anybody since the rating came out. I’m sure that everyone is excited. I’ve had several conversations with the folks at Spike TV, and I know everyone is excited. In terms of the talent, I really haven’t had a chance to talk to them.”

Why he believes that Vince McMahon would not put him into the WWE Hall of Fame, even if he was not under contract to TNA right now: “I don’t. I like Vince, and I respect Vince, but he’s his own unique animal, and there’s certain parts of history that neither he or some of the key people around him will ever forget, and I think that history, even if I wasn’t with TNA, would probably preclude me from being involved. I’m sure I’d get an invitation to come, but I don’t think Vince McMahon would ever, under any circumstances, give that spotlight away.”

— Many within TNA Wrestling were surprised at how removed Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff appeared to be at last week’s set of iMPACT! television tapings. While both were on hand for the production meetings they would normally attend, neither individual appeared as engaged as they have in the past.

“They are as far removed from this as I’ve seen yet,” stated one company source.

Though Hogan won’t publicly say anything negative regarding the ECW concept, he has been shaking his head behind closed doors. Observers say he looked uncomfortable while in the ring with the ECW crew in a segment that will air during this week’s iMPACT! broadcast. (source: pwtorch.com)

— Tammy Sytch (a/k/a Sunny), who performed for Extreme Championship Wrestling in the late 1990s, commented on rumors concerning a possible appearance at TNA Wrestling’s HardCORE Justice pay-per-view event this Sunday.

She wrote on her Facebook account: “Before everyone starts plastering my wall with questions or comments regarding my appearance on the TNA PPV: I will not be on it, nor have I been contacted by anyone there. Like Ive said before, don’t believe anything you read on websites.”

(source: www.prowrestling.net)

— TNA Wrestling will hold what has been dubbed a “special” edition of iMPACT! sometime next month, to be taped the night following Hardcore Justice. No date for the special has been set. Furthermore, it remains unclear at this time whether the special will air in TNA’s regular Thursday night time slot.

— Former ROH Champion Xavier is backstage at today’s iMPACT! tapings in Orlando, Florida and scheduled to work a tryout match.

— Both Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff are backstage at today’s iMPACT! taping in Orlando, Florida. Bischoff, who previously said they would return this week, are taking part in their usual backstage duties.

— Eric Bischoff said on his Facebook page that he, Hulk Hogan and producer Jason Hervey will be on hand for next week’s iMPACT! television tapings in Orlando.

He also responded to a fan’s negative remarks towards Vince Russo and suggestion to join forces with Paul Heyman.

“I appreciate your comments, but you really don’t know what you are talking about,” Bischoff replied. “While Vince and I have certainly had our differences, and we still don’t agree on everything all the time, he is a very talented guy doing an amazing job under some pretty extraordinary circumstances. Lighten up and enjoy!”

— TNA Wrestling’s Director of Talent Relations Terry Taylor has begun booking former ECW wrestlers for next month’s Hard Justice pay-per-view, which will be an “all-ECW” show similar to WWE’s One Night Stand in 2005. While those contacted have are only officially scheduled for the pay-per-view, Taylor was checking their availability for the television following the event.

— TNA Sacrifice 2010 will be officially released tomorrow on DVD. Its cover art, which you can view here, features Jeff Hardy, Rob Van Dam, Mr. Anderson and AJ Styles.

Eric Bischoff has posted a new blog on his official website explaining his time away from TNA this month, Hulk Hogan’s health following his recent back surgery, Batista doing MMA and more. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

Taking Time Off From TNA: “The 4th is a special holiday for us as it is not only our favorite national holiday, but it’s also my wife’s birthday, (and now our new anniversary) as well as the anniversary of my fathers passing 10 years ago.  My friends and family from around the country have started coming out to our place in Cody as a sort of unofficial ‘friends and family reunion and it has become a big part of our lives over the last 10 years.'”

Hulk Hogan’s Back Surgery: “Just hung up with Hulk. His recent back surgery seems to have gone well and for the first time since I’ve known him, it sounds like he is taking his doctors advice and giving himself some down time to heal properly.. I get on him like his mother sometimes, as every time he previously had a back surgery, the first thing he would do the minute he was feeling better was go down to the gym and see if the surgery worked by pushing weights around. His spirits are way up, he’s feeling great and looking forward to what’s coming up.”

Batista Doing MMA: “Not so sure about Bastista’s move into MMA. Unless he has some amateur wrestling or legitimate kick-boxing background that I am unaware of, sounds like a quick payday, but not so much of a long term plan.  It takes years to develop solid wrestling skill as well as punching/kicking technique. At 40 years of age, it’s a hell of a lot of catching up to do when you are in there with fighters half your age who have been on a mat or in a dojo all their lives. That said…like Dave a lot and wish him the best.”

— “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles has been named Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s “PWI 500” winner for 2010. He is the first TNA wrestler to top the annual chart, which is now in its twentieth year. To view the magazine’s cover, click here. The issues hits newsstands Aug. 3.

— On Facebook, Eric Bischoff commented on last night’s television tapings in Orlando, referencing creative writers Vince Russo and Matt Conway: “Just talked to Vince. Sounds live TV went well today. Next 4 months of TV is set up to be pretty exciting. Looking forward to it. Thanks again Vince and Matt for picking up my slack. Looking forward to next set of TV’s!”

Bischoff previously stated that he would not be attending this week’s tapings.

— Jeremy Borash announced during last night’s television tapings that TNA Wrestling will be offering VIP packages (meet and greet with TNA stars) for every pay-per-view event. (source: PWInsider.com)

Courtesy: MondayNightMayhem.com

In an interview this past week on Monday Night Mayhem, Eric Bischoff had some comments regarding two popular figures of late in pro wrestling — Bryan Danielson and Paul Heyman.   Can we expect either one in TNA soon?

Regarding Bryan Danielson: “I guess a lot of that would have to do with Bryan Danielson and whether he would want to come work for TNA.  I don’t know that answer to that, and I haven’t had any conversations with him.  I don’t have an idea about what Bryan Danielson is thinking about in terms of his next move.  I’m sure if TNA wanted Bryan and he was interested in working for TNA, I’m sure TNA could find a way to do it, given they haven’t much trouble signing other big names in the last six months or so.”

Regarding Paul Heyman: “I’ve heard the Paul Heyman rumor over the last few months, and I know that Paul has talked to Dixie [Carter] so there has been some conversation, but I don’t know what Paul’s plans really are.  I don’t talk to Paul on a daily basis, and if Paul was to join TNA, I think it’ll be a big asset, but I don’t know what his immediate plans are.”

Regarding the Victory Road PPV this Sunday: “I think the Heavyweight Title Match is intriguing.  Love watching RVD, love watching Ken Anderson.  I’m a big Anderson fan. Jeff Hardy & Abyss; it’s gonna be great.  I’m a huge Kurt Angle fan, and I love what he’s doing, and that he pulled himself out of the Top 10 rankings, and is working his way up the ladder.  So I find that match (Angle vs. “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero) the one I’m looking forward to the most.”

Courtesy: MondayNightMayhem.com

Eric Bischoff opened Thursdays TNA iMPACT broadcast and announced that due to personal reasons, Scott Hall was no longer with the company and The Band were stripped of the TNA Tag Team Titles. A tournament is being held to determine who will face The Motor City Machineguns for the vacant belts at Victory Road.

TNA President Dixie Carter wrote the following on her Twitter about Hall’s release:

“Scott Hall and I talked and together decided he needed time to focus on some personal issues. I am proud of the action he is taking.”

Keep Reading: Find Out Why Scott Hall Was Released From TNA

Monday Night Mayhem radio with Eric Bischoff
Hosts: Big Mosh, Blade, Todd Vincent
Recap by Paterson from New Jersey
Available at www.MondayNightMayhem.com.

Here are some highlights of what Eric Bischoff said about:

His recent cryptic Facebook posts and his current TNA status: “Things are fine; things are no different from the last time we spoke on this show. As far as my page being cryptic, I’ve been on my Facebook page for a long time, and I was suggesting to fans that as much as I like to have an open forum and have people comment and have constant communication, there’s just a couple of things I don’t want to see on my Facebook page.

“I don’t want to see profanity and just stupid crap. One of the problems I have had with the Internet Wrestling Community is brain dead commentary and the same kind of redundant comments and statements over and over again, and when I started on the site, I really wanted to raise the bar and have conversations and even be critical without being abusive. It just got to the point where I didn’t want to spend anymore time editing my page, so I made a statement a couple of times and just got sick of it and said enough was enough and I pulled the wall posting.”

“The Fallen Angel” Christopher Daniels leaving TNA and his response to the fact that fans may perceive that he had something to do with Daniels’ departure: “I don’t really have a side. I’m a fan of Chris, and I was excited to meet him when I came to TNA. We talked a few times creatively about some character development for him and things like that, and I think he’s a phenomenal talent. But honestly, I can’t take a side when I’m not really on the inside of any of the discussions and issues as it relates to Chris. All I know is that there are a lot of people in TNA that think highly of him, and that’s all I know. There are a lot of misconceptions on my role in TNA, Hulk Hogan’s roles in TNA, and the day-to-day operations. It’s understandable; we are very high profile and out in front as story lines go, but I’m a really big fan of Chris and probably will be and hope we see him back in TNA in the near future.”

Why he sees Jay Lethal and Brian Kendrick as two of the most promising young talents in TNA right now and potentially as being major players in the industry in the years to come: “It’s so hard to say, and this is going to sound so political and such a kiss-ass answer, but there is a lot of good young talent there, and not only do they have talent, but they have attitude…and when I say attitude, I mean the desire, passion, and focus with an open mind, which I think is critical in this business especially with young talent. Young talent are so influenced (when it comes to learning) that unless they keep a very open mind, they tend to get very pigeon-holed.

“In TNA, there are a lot of guys that fall into that category. Jay Lethal is the obvious one, and I could take up a whole show talking about Jay Lethal. (Brian) Kendrick is another guy. I’ve been watching him for years, and I think he was in the WWE when I was there, and I saw him in TNA, but no one really spent the time with him, and he never had the opportunity, but because he had the drive to approach me and say ‘Hey, this is what I’m thinking, and this what I feel,’ and as I’m listening to him, I’m thinking there is something there. There’s a lot of guys and girls just like him in TNA.”

His response to those that feel that TNA always puts former WWE superstars in the main event matches/storylines, as opposed to TNA’s “homegrown” talent: “First of all, I have to say this, and this piss off some people in TNA, but I hate the term “homegrown talent.” We’re not selling vegetables here or freshly-made pies. This is about creating awareness. Our survival, our ability to grow our audience, and appeal to a broader audience isn’t about appealing to the same people who’ve been watching this, and quite frankly, the audience hasn’t grown all that significantly over the last 4, 5, or 6 years, or you probably wouldn’t be talking to me right now.

“This is about growing and expanding the audience. You gotta grow the brand, and you do that by bringing in people (whether they’re movie stars, television stars, or anything else) who have a broader appeal because they have been out there in front of other people in a bigger, broader audience than perhaps the talent you already have on the show. That’s not a knock at all on the talent that TNA currently has, but it does reflect the need that in order for TNA to grow, you have to bring in people that have a broader appeal worldwide. By bringing some of those people in, it benefits the talent that hasn’t been anywhere outside of TNA.”

The current status of TNA’s Knockout Division: “We got hit with a rash of injuries a few weeks ago, along with some contractual issues. But I think what you are going to see is the Knockout division getting back on track in very short order. Everyone in TNA is proud of the Knockouts division, and I look at the division and look at anything else that has been done before, I think the Knockout division is consistently one of the better women’s divisions that I’ve ever seen in any promotion. I think there is a lot of commitment to it, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”

More is contained in the return of “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff,” including what he looking forward to seeing at Slammiversary this Sunday evening, along with his candid thoughts on the “tweaks” that he has installed in the last few weeks to TNA iMPACT, the likelihood of see the company go live on Thursday nights in the foreseeable future, the expansion of TNA on the road, what one thing he would change to the promotion right now if he had complete control of TNA, plus more of your calls/Facebook questions! Due to the continued overwhelming response, “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (flavored by Sizzlin Sauces) will return LIVE once again on Monday night, July 5th (beginning @ 7PM ET/6PM CT) leading into TNA’s Victory Road…exclusively on Monday Night Mayhem!

Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

– Jeff Hardy’s trial was scheduled to begin yesterday morning in Carthage, NC with Judge James M. Webb. No word yet on what happened in court.

– The feeling within TNA right now is that Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan won’t be leaving any time soon.

– Awesome Kong recently tried to trademark the Awesome Kong name so she could use it on the independent scene. Right now she’s using the Amazing Kong name until the issue is settled.

– Mr. Anderson’s recent babyface turn in TNA was a decision that was made just before the Sacrifice pay-per-view where he wrestled Jeff Hardy.

(source: www.f4wonline.com)

— Daffney (Shannon Spruill), 34, may be dropped by TNA. Her contract expires later this year and there is talk it may not be renewed.

Other Knockout contracts expiring this year including Hamada, ODB and Taylor Wilde.

— Regarding speculation of Tommy Dreamer joining TNA, he says he has yet to be asked to join the promotion. For the time being, wrestling in Japan is his top priority.

— Eric Bischoff made the hasty decision to turn Mr. Anderson baby as he was impressed with his crowd reactions in recent weeks. Long-term plans called for Anderson to remain heel, but the crowd reaction was too much to ignore.

— The WWE website has posted a “Where Are They Now?” feature on former Four Horseman manager J.J. Dillon. Dillon, now 67, noted he now resides in Delaware where he works for the department of corrections as a corrections officer. He also discussed his time in World Championship Wrestling, saying while the money was great, he was miserable working for them. He takes Eric Bischoff to task.

“[Eric] Bischoff had his agenda and I wasn’t necessarily in sync with what he was doing,” Dillon said of WCW’s former President. “I was the one person who could expose him for somebody who knew absolutely nothing about the wrestling business. Instead of tapping into me as a resource, he went around me.”

Though WCW had some profitable years in the late ’90s, he could see issues with management that would present serious problems in the future.

“I knew what was going to happen, but nobody wanted to listen. They looked at me like I was crazy.”

To read the piece in its entirety, click here.

— Orlando Colón, cousin of Carlito and Primo, worked under a mask at last night’s Florida Championship Wrestling television taping in Tampa. He performed as Dos Equis, going over Portis Clay (a/k/a G-Rilla).

— WWE plans on releasing a DVD set on D-Generation X chronicling its most recent run. No word yet on when it will be released.

— Next Friday in Toledo, Ohio, The Miz appears at the Seaway Market Place located at 1707 Cherry Street. He will be signing autographs and meeting fans from 3 to 4 p.m.

TNA’s Eric Bischoff was the special guest on last night’s live edition (05/10/09) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem. You can feel The Mayhem live every Monday night (at 7PM ET/6PM CT), exclusively on MondayNihtMayhem.com.

Eric joined The Big Mosh & “The Chairman of the Board” Todd Vincent for his return to “Your Home of Wrestling Radio” & for the launch of his exclusive/all-new monthly interactive segment on Monday Night Mayhem, “The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff” (flavored by Sizzlin Sauces).

To listen to an MP3 of the appearance, click here. Here are the highlights:

His thoughts on the move of TNA iMPACT back to Thursday nights, TNA never intending to compete with the WWE, & the experience of gaining more exposure for the TNA brand as a result of going head-to-head with World Wrestling Entertainment:

“First, I don’t recall fans en mass telling us not to go to Monday nights. On the contrary, I remember quite a bit of enthusiasm & energy, just because it was a chance to create competition & provide an alternative. There were a lot of fans that spoke out and said it was the wrong decision, but there was a lot of fans that felt the other way. What happened after the move (as we did some research, along with Spike TV), it was determined that while there were fans who enjoyed the competition, there was also a lot of fans that weren’t able to check out both. It was a problem for them having to switch back & forth. Unlike the WWE, TNA does not have a lot of other programming, so there’s only one TNA vehicle out there, and putting it head-to-head made it difficult for some fans of TNA. As far as WWE being too big to compete with, they’re a monster. We never intended to compete with WWE, we intended to position ourselves on Monday night, because that’s where the traditional wrestling fan audience is, and we thought that would be a great way to gain exposure for the TNA brand. That’s why we went to Monday nights, not to compete.”

Rob Van Dam capturing the TNA World Heavyweight Championship, the signing of RVD/what if means to the company now & for its future:

“RVD, in my opinion, is one of the better things that has happened to us in a while. He’s just got a different vibe, a different energy, and he appeals to a different audience again. Hoping that change (the TNA World Title change) is something that resonates with people who might not have otherwise tuned into TNA previously. One of the reasons RVD is here is to expand our audience, and he is clearly a guy that is worthy of being the TNA World Heavyweight Champion.”

Those Who Feel “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan is getting lost in the shuffle of TNA’s tag team division & the chances of seeing him return to the singles spotlight:

“I’m not the head of creative, and I don’t pretend to be. I’m a big supporter of Matt, and his future will be determined in the weeks & months to come. One of things I’m not going to do is talk about storylines & internal creative decisions, because A) there’s enough spoilers out there; I don’t need to do any it, and B) it’s not fair to a lot of other people involved. Matt Morgan is a great talent; I think he’s got a bright future, and those of you who are Matt Morgan fans should just sit back, watch, & enjoy.”

The confidence he has in TNA going to improve in the months ahead & his reaction to certain fans complaining about particular aspects of TNA, including those who are harsh to criticize the older wrestlers/talents in the company:

“Is TNA going to improve? Absolutely. Anyone who is objective who’s been watching it for the last couple of months, would be hard-pressed to deny that this product is evolving…and in a good way. In terms of older wrestlers, I heard exactly the opposite. I heard a lot of people say, who are fans of both WWE & TNA, they like seeing brands, names, & faces they recognize and that they have a history with. That’s not to say they want to see them dominate the show, and we don’t need research to tell us that. I’ll be careful to say that ‘all fans want to see one thing,’ because that’s not true.”

The likelihood of seeing either Jim Ross and/or Paul Heyman in TNA soon:

“I don’t know. I don’t know what Jim is thinking & his point of view. I like Jim, and he & I have a pretty good relationship, and we stay in touch from time-to-time. I don’t have this kind of conversation with him, and quite frankly, it’s been a few months since I spoke to him. Heyman…no idea. But who knows, time will tell. Never say never right?”

Eric Bischoff has responded to a fan question about Jim Cornette’s recent death threats to TNA creative member Vince Russo.

Read More: Cornette Threatens Russo, Receives Legal Letter From TNA

A fan asked Bischoff on Facebook: “Cornette knows this business and is quite intelligent but either he’s suffering from dimentia or he has realized that he has burned every viable bridge and has become desperate to get over using the “shock” approach. It comes off as pathetic. If that’s how you feel then keep it to yourself. Mr. Tayler really had no choice in this matter. Heaven forbid if Mr. Russo would have been murdered (by Cornette or anybody else) then Mr. Tayler could have been in a lot of hot water.”

Bischoff responded with some harsh words for Cornette, who he calls a “low rent con man:”

“Cornette doesn’t know any business. He is a low rent con man that is only good at gaining the attention of the internet wrestling community. He’s all yours! Trust me, he never has nor ever will become a part of a meaningful national promotion. But if you are looking for a bootleg dvd or a fake autograph….hes your guy!”