– WWE.com has an article up concerning it’s Get R.E.A.L project, in which it encourages children to read. They will be at four libraries throughout July, and if you live in America and send in the title of two books you will read over summer, you will receive a free poster of a WWE superstar. To read the article, click here
– Dave Meltzer has reported that the Smackdown house show in Ontario is in jeopardy of being cancelled due to poor ticket sales. Apparently, only 640 tickets had been sold as of a few days ago. This is not a good sign for WWE, whom have had to cancel several shows already for thereabout the same reason. if anything, it shows WWE exactly how bad the brand is becoming, and that the new wave of “gimmicks” and so on, is not going to be a success anywhere down the road.
– Billy Gunn has been linked with NWA:TNA in recent days, having been at the TNA show last week, seeing how he is situated in Orlando. Gunn and friend Bob “Hardcore” Holly have been expressively unhappy in recent weeks with their roles in the company, being used to get Kenzo Suzuki and Mordecai over rather than in more prominent roles, as they feel they deserve. The fact remains though that Gunn is still under WWE contract, but that could all change, as WWE management themselves are none to ohappy with Gunn for failing to get Suzuki over as well as hoped. Is it really a surprise to anyone? Mordecai is very green and should never have been called up at his level.
– Mordecai has been sent back down to Ohio Valley Wrestling, after proving to be less of a star than previously hoped and expected. Real name Kevin Fertig, the former “Seven” will be given time to gain confidence and become a more solid worker in the ring, before being called back up for a second chance.
– AJ Styles was not present at the IMPACT! tapings for TNA on Thursday as he discovered his brother had committed suicide. This cast a dark shadow on the whoel show, and it is not known if AJ will take any time off to grieve. I’d like to send my condolences to AJ’s family and AJ himself on the loss.
– One man who was on the show, but might as well not have been, was Dennis Rodman. The troublesome basketball legend refused to go along with any of the set storylines planned for him, and he ended up coming out for no reason other than to chat up the TNA girls. Many consider the whole venture a flop, and it is doubtful he will be used again. It’s a big risk that TNA is taking in bring in these kind of people.
– Jeff Hardy is close to signing a deal with TNA, which could be a huge boost to the company. The former daredevil-turned-junkie wants to work less dates, and get support for his band “Peroxywhy?gen”, whilst TNA want the star factor that Jeff brings with him, being a WWE superstar who wasn’t fired, but rather released mutually, moreso at the request of Jeff himself than the WWE. The feeling backstage is that Jeff could be a positive for TNA in bringing in young fans and getting them hooked onto the product.