30th september - 7th October news/spoliers

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Syxx-Pac Update, Road Dogg Fakes Out Fans, more

The following news is from the PWTorch newsletter.

Syxx-Pac has gone on record as saying he is going to stay with NWA-TNA "for the long haul." Jerry Jarrett is arguably one of the most popular promoters as far as wrestlers concerned, and most usually trust in his judgement. The fact that Syxx-Pac is one of the top stars in the promotion probably adds to the fact that he is happy with the company right now as he always felt he should have been in the main-event picture during his tenure with WWE.

Road Dogg faked out fans at a recent NWA-TNA show. Apparently he kept his face bloody and held a rag on it as he walked out of the building. He was selling his injury sustained at the pay-per view during a backstage segment to the fans in the parking lot as he was leaving the arena.

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Big Vito Crowned New Iron Man Champion Of Europe

A good friend of the website here, Big Vito passed along the good news that he is now the new Iron Man champion of Europe.

After a multi-match battle overseas recently, Big Vito won a shoot-fight, a chain match, and then a hardcore match all in the same night to give himself the rights to the claim "Iron Man" champion.

We would like to congratulate Big Vito with his success wrestling overseas and wish him a good reign as Iron Man champion.

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WWE/NFL Feud Heating Up, XFL News, More

- Apparently, Jerry Lawler and the WWE made somewhat of an effort to take shots on the NFL and Monday Night Football last night on Raw. It's not known for Vince McMahon to condone this kind of action, Although last night it was accepted. Jerry Lawler took several shots at the show as well as Eric Bischoff, You may remember Bischoff's comments about not turning the channel to football. Usually when this happens it's little jabs on the part of Jerry Lawler more then anyone else, where as, last night it was more then just Lawler.

- ESPN's hit show 'SportsCenter' did a segment on Kordell Stewart of the Pittsburgh Steelers last night. The story was about how he might lose his starting quarterback job to a former XFL MVP, Tommy Maddux. There were a lot of un-called for shots on the XFL. In one part of the segment they joked about how Tommy's last opponent was a guy called 'He Hate Me.' Kind of funny and out of line at the same time.

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Faarooq Gimmick Change, $5 Rock Give-away, more

Source: Various Fan Submissions

-- Thanks to Ryan Smith of TheHonkyTonkMan.com for the following:

"Just thought I would drop this line to you guys. There is a promotion called Gulf Coast Wrestling, which can be found at gcw.home.att.net. They are claiming to have booked the Honky Tonk Man on their card. We found out about it and want to make it very clear that the Honky Tonk Man was not contacted and will NOT be at the show they are advertising.

While we can't say whether the others will be there or not, if this is any indication of how the promotion is ran, I would imagine they won't be. We will send along any more information as we get it. If you can spread the word, we and I'm sure the others involved would appreciate it."

-- Fan comments from the Smackdown! tapings last night point out the fact that during the D-Von Dudley and Faarooq match (they worked as a tag team), WWE were reverting Faarooq back to his real name, Ron Simmons.

However, it is not known if this name change will stick, something which will surely be clarified on Smackdown! this week.

-- And finally, thanks to reader Louis Szuch Jr. for the following:

"I went to the Rock's website and it gives you the option of going to a the scorpion king website and you can get an instant Print-out coupon good towards $5 off the price of the Scorpion King. Offer ends on 10/6/02"

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Major WWE Stable Forming, Big SmackDown! Problems

SmackDown will be delayed this week on The Score in Canada due to baseball playoffs. The current air time is 12am est with a 3am replay.

There is some sort of talk right now to have Randy Orton, Ric Flair, Triple H and Batista (When he jumps to RAW) to form a stable sort of like the Four Horseman on RAW during the comings weeks. That, according to source is the Ex-SmackDown! talent Flair was talking about this past Monday.

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Syxx-Pac Makes Controversial Remarks Towards WWE

The following are excerts from an interview with Sean "Syxx-Pac" Waltman:

"Let's put it this way. There's like a confidentiality clause in the (WWE) release agreement, so I'm going out on a limb a little bit. But I don't really give a sh--. If they want to sue me over what I'm going to say, then f---in' feel free because it's the truth."

"The match (where Kevin Nash got injured) was chaos. Nobody knew what the hell they were doing going into it. Michael Hayes was supposed to be the agent in charge of the match and he did absolutely f---ing zero to help organize that thing. We don't really need an agent to organize a match in the first place, but that's what that place has turned into. In Michael's defense, and everybody knows about the heat between he and I, but the guy does work hard to puts a lot into what he does and he was spread thin that night. He had a couple more matches than he should have had to deal with. It was a ten-man tag... It was a major clusterf---..."

"There's talent there (in NWA-TNA), and I'm not afraid to admit it, who can do sh-- that I could never do. I thank God that I have one thing over those people and that's my brain. When they catch up to me in that regard, then it's time for me to hang up my boots... I think those guys need some work as far as being able to know when to do some of that stuff they do and know when not to."

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Exclusive Backstage News: New WWE Wrestlers

From all accounts it seems as though Terry Taylor landed the position of road agent with World Wrestling Entertainment. He was given a tryout at Unforgiven, followed by RAW and SmackDown! of that week. He was then invited again back to this past Monday's RAW, and was said to be at last night's SmackDown! tapings as well. One would assume that is an indication of his landing a job with the company.

It appears as though James "Little Guido" Maritato will be signing a developmental contract with WWE, if he hasn't already. WWE gave Maritato a dark match tryout at Monday's RAW, and from what I've heard, most of the agents scouting the match were impressed with his work. WWE then decided to have him test the waters again in a dark match at last night's SmackDown! tapings where apparently the results were much of the same - WWE was impressed. It is highly likely that as a result of both matches, Little Guido will be signing on to be part of the Cruiserweight division at some point down the road, but most likely sent to OVW for some good old fashioned WWE seasoning.

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Survivor Series News/Notes, WWE Changing Style, More

- It looks like the WWE is going to bring Survivor Series back to the original style, the 4 on 4 or 5 on 5 tag team matches. The last few Survivor Series’ have had less and less tag matches, going more to single matches. Word comes in now that the WWE is planning on changing that this year and going back to the traditional style of tag matches.

I guess the WWE wants to bring it back to the original setting seeing as how this years event will be in Madison Square Garden. Usually when the WWE holds PPV events in this arena they go back to traditional styles. Survivor Series was held at Madison Square Garden in 97 and was a huge success, so it's only fitting that they make a return.

Survivor Series will be held on November 17th.

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Big Vito Speaks On ECW/WCW Locker Rooms, Going To WWE, & More

Big Vito was recently a guest on Wrestle Zone Radio (WrestleZoneRadio.com) and he had quite a lot of interesting things to say.

Among topics discussed were locker room atmosphere in both ECW and WCW, both companies of which Vito formerly worked for.

Big Vito also talked about the chances of him going to WWE, noting that he would love to join back up with Johnny "The Bull" Stamboli, who is currently on the WWE roster, and re-form the Mamalukes tag-team from the defunct WCW, now in WWE.

In addition to that, Big Vito gives the scoop on what he's been up to lately and even sings a little Frank Sinatra live on the show!

To check out the full interview you can click here for the Real Media link directly to listen to it, or you can always go to WrestleZoneRadio.com.

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Ivory and Jacklyn Defend WWE From Sex Abuse Allegations

From the New York Post:

October 3, 2002 -- A pair of knockout female wrestlers "put the boots" to Nicole Bass from the witness stand yesterday, accusing the massive body builder of lying in her sexual-harassment lawsuit against her former promoters.
The auburn-haired Ivory, whose real name is Lisa Moretti, and acrobatic Jacqueline Moore painted a rosy picture of working for World Wrestling Entertainment - in stark contrast to Bass's accounts of constant back stabbing and abuse.

"Working with the WWE is like a big family. The male wrestlers are like my brothers, and the female wrestlers are like my sisters," said Moore, flashing a gleaming smile at the jury.

"We laugh and we joke. We eat and travel together."

Bass claims male wrestlers and agents regularly barged into the women's locker rooms, gawking at the female performers whom they'd catch in various states of undress during her five months at the WWE in 1999.

In her testimony last week, the 6-foot-2, 230-pound bodybuilder said all "the girls" griped about this privately. But the two wrestlers, testifying for the defense, flatly denied having any locker-room problems, or discussing any incidents of sexual harassment with Bass.

Ivory, a three-time champion with the WWE since 1999, said she tried unsuccessfully to befriend the hulking wrestler.

"The sad thing about having a relationship with Nicole is I really gave her every opportunity because I saw there was a nice person inside," the wrestler said.

The two women were the first in a line of big-name wrestlers set to testify for the WWE this week. Superstar Triple H also is expected to take the witness stand.

Both women, who have their own action figures, had the Brooklyn federal-court jury in stitches as they discussed their various wrestling moves.

As WWE lawyers played a videotape to show Ivory's proficiency in the ring, the buxom performer shot jurors a gleaming smile and said, "Putting the boots to somebody, that's what I do best. Doesn't it look like fun? I can tell you want to learn."

Ivory said she once nixed a proposed lesbian story line between her and Bass.

"I told them I don't have anything against lesbians, but I don't want to be a lesbian on TV, especially if Nicole is going to be my girlfriend."

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Reason For Faarooq's Name Change, Roddy Piper Speaks On His Future

Source: Various Reader Mails

-- Below is a Q&A interview with Roddy Piper, sent in by PiperBook Media Relations:

Q: Since leaving WCW many years ago, you have, for the most part, been out of the public eye. What have you been doing the last few years, both in Pro Wrestling and out?

A: 18 months ago, I began writing my book, at which time I had to deal with getting a lifetime stalking order against a man who spent three years in prison, got out, and then began stalking my family. He is a 33 year old male named Michael Feil. During the time while writing this book, I had to fire six different people along the way for various reasons hindering me from completing the book. I must admit, I have always prided myself in ¡°no retreat and no surrender,¡± however, three individual times, I almost gave this book up. I moved down to Los Angeles to continue finishing the book until January 31, 2002, when being a passenger in a car with a wrestling fan, this fan tried to kill me by slamming my side of the car into a steel guard rail, two SUV¡¯s, and uprooted a lamp post. Dazed and confused, I came home where I collapsed and I can only tell you what I heard from the man who saved my life, Lewis Rach, that I had passed out, began spitting blood out of my mouth, and when the paramedics arrived, my blood pressure was 80/40 and I was close to clinically dead. I spent 13 days in intensive care at Cedars-Sanai Hospital, recovering from a shattered ankle, ruptured spleen, broken back in two places, and four broken ribs, one of which went into my liver four inches and caused severe internal bleeding. This tended to slow the book writing down a bit for me, however, I finally got the d**n thing done. There is a God!

Q: There have been many books released by Wrestling Personalities in the last several years. What makes yours different from the rest?

A: I am very proud of the profession of wrestling as it not only saved my life as a 15 year old boy, giving me direction, but I literally became the orphan-boy of professional wrestling. Because of all of the things I have seen that will be brought to life for you in the book, I set out to write this book not to talk about myself, but to try to make the world understand from the most honest and sincere point-of-view, the REAL life of a REAL-DEAL professional wrestler. What makes my book different is that my book is not a kiss-and-tell book, it is an honest book from the heart that unfortunately involves topics such as murder, suicide, and the few thrills of victory and numerous agonies of defeat.

Q: On your website, www.inthepitwithpiper.com, there is an article written by Lewis Rach that talks about your health problems stemming from an auto accident early this year. How is the recuperation going?

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Here's the rest of that article:

A: In asking Rod this question, he simply said, ¡°I am a box of fluffy ducks.¡±

Q: Will you be touring in association with the release of your book and if so, when will the details and cities be released?

A: Billy Ray Cyrus, a friend of mine, cut his tour a week short in order that I may have the bus that I desired for my book tour, NiteTrain Coach¡¯s ¡°Crazy Train.¡± The tour begins November 4, the same day that ¡°In the Pit With Piper¡± will be released, and will encompass all of North America, the exact cities I will let you know as soon as I do, however, I must tell you, I am very proud of one I do know of: Planet Hollywood in Times Square, New York, New York. The New York Fire Department Pipe Band will be playing a key role in my appearance in what is planned to be a HUGE affair where I plan to see a lot of old acquaintances.

Q: After 35 years, what does the future look like for Roddy Piper?

A: Well Folks, they have told me my whole career that I have been the most unpredictable personality in history. So, I am gonna make this simple. These are my choices:
1). Make a movie out of the book.
2). Do a Warner Brothers feature ¡°Knight Fever¡± with an ensemble cast of Christopher Walken, Emilio Estevez, Janet Jackson, Coolio, Roddy Piper, Angela Basset, and Gary Busey.
3). They have asked me to do the audio book.
4). Create a new programming for television that is 110% family friendly as I wrote a script called ¡°Mic¡± and they are asking to make a series of it.
5). A BUNCH MORE STUFF!
6). I wish I had nothing to do¡­!

-- And finally, thanks to reader Christopher Gonzales for sending in the following interesting information on the Faarooq¡¯s name change story I posted on Tuesday:

"I have an idea perhaps of why Faarooq goes by Ron Simmons again. I was reading an article on CNN today (10-3) about that Taliban American, and this is what was said:

"Walker Lindh told the FBI that his interest in Islam began when he saw the 1992 film "Malcolm X" when he was 12. That interest launched an odyssey that took him from being a teenage Muslim convert in northern California to an Arabic language school in Yemen, and on to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

In the summer of 2001, according to interrogation reports, Walker Lindh was at an al Qaeda-run camp, al Farooq, for a seven-week training course. "

WWE could have their own reasons of course, but it¡¯s interesting to speculate."

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Major Spoiler For WWE Royal Rumble: New Talent To Debut

Sources who attended last night's OVW TV Tapings in Louisville, KY have informed me that huge news concerning Royal Rumble was announced.

Arn Anderson made an appearance and joined Jim Cornette in the ring to make a huge announcement. Arn stated that the top talent in OVW by the time Royal Rumble rolled around would receive a shot in the match on PPV. Arn then, of course, plugged the fact that if the OVW talent won the Rumble, he'd have a chance to win the WWE Title at Wrestlemania. The announcement sparked an argument among talent over who would end up in the WWE event.

As evident with the recent push of Randy Orton, as well as Brock Lesnar and Bubba Ray, WWE is looking to find new potential stars to make into major money players. WWE lacks star power right now and is hoping they can truly find 'the next big thing'. If they do indeed follow through on this plan, they will hopefully find a great wrestler to utilize.

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NWA-TNA Wrestlers on TBS, WCW News/More

- NWA TNA midget wrestlers, Puppet and Teo will be appearing tonight on TBS, which would be the first pro wrestling segment on the station since the cancellation of Thunder in March of 2001.

The segment will be during the debut of a new show called "The Movie Break." It's a short segment of about two minutes that airs before and after commercial breaks during the movie, but the segments are patterned after the news segments on "The Daily Show."

The footage was shot on Monday in Atlanta at a convention that featured a pro wrestling event. It should air sometime between 9:05 and 9:20 p.m. Eastern time.

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Martha Hart/False Allegations, Austin News, Lesnar

- Martha Hart¡¯s book about Owen Hart¡¯s life is said to have false stories. One being that Steve Austin¡¯s neck injury at SummerSlam 97 was all a work and done so Austin could take a break. Of course this is completely false and is very sad that Martha Hart feels the need to lie in order to protect Owen¡¯s image as a safe and great wrestler.

- During a recent WWE booking meeting Paul Heyman pushed very strongly for a Brock Lesner vs. Chris Benoit match at No Mercy but as he had no support from anyone else, his idea was dismissed.

- WWE are said to be very interested in signing former ECW tag-team champion Little Guido for SmackDown! He has had rave reviews from all who has seem he work recently and WWE feels hit fit into their plans for SmackDown!¡¯s cruiserweight division.

- Yesterday I posted an article regarding Survivor Series. I made a mistake in my post saying that Survivor Series 97 was held in Madison Square Garden. Obviously that was a typo as Survivor Series was in MSG in 96. I recognized this typo after I posted it and I thank all the fans for letting me know.