6th-13th January news/ spoilers

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The following articles of interest are from prowrestling.com. They were posted yesterday unless otherwise stated.


RAW Anniversary Details, Perry Saturn Signs, Ross Report
January 05, 2003

The recent issue of RAW Magazine has a full page advertisement for Jim Ross' Ross Report. Thus, it is obvious that the decision to cancel the report came suddenly. Backstage rumors are that Vince McMahon was largely behind canceling the column that was featured on WWE.com for quite some time.

As we reported after Perry Saturn's release from WWE, he was expected to sign with a Japanese wrestling promotion. That signing has now been confirmed as Saturn is booked to appear on each and every show for New Japan Pro Wrestling's February tour. He has been telling those close to him that his deal with NJPW is for a full year. Originally, some thought he might sign with All Japan, but that did not happen.

The following is the cable preview for the sixty-minute RAW 10th Anniversary Special:

The RAW Awards; stars of the past decade return.

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Bret Hart & Vince McMahon Have 1-On-1 Meeting
5th January

When both Bret Hart and WWE were in Florida recently, the two sides met in the middle. Apparently, Vince McMahon and Bret Hart had a closed door meeting not so long ago.

The meeting was most likely held to discuss the picture and video library that Bret Hart has been wanting for a while now. With the RAW 10th Anniversay around the corner, one would assume a one-time return was talked about as well.

Stay tuned for more details as they become available to us.

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Details On Which Wrestlers Will Return For RAW 10th Anniversary
January 05, 2003

January 14th marks the date that WWE will present their 10th anniversary special of one of the biggest cable television hits in history - RAW.

Starting out as Monday Night RAW, changing to RAW is WAR during the Nitro competitive days, and finally moving to simply RAW, many superstars have come and gone.

On Tuesday, live at The World in Times Square, New York, WWE is promising several returns of names from the company's past. Here's what we've been able to piece together as far as returns scheduled for the special.

During radio interviews, Ron "The Truth" Killings, who worked as K-Kwick during his WWE reign, has said he was asked and agreed to return for the RAW 10th anniversary. Same goes for "Mean" Gene Okerlund, as he confirmed his participance on a recent edition of WrestleZone Radio. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan has been contacted, and although we haven't been able to confirm it, he is likely to appear as well. Finally, there are rumors insisting Bret Hart met with Vince McMahon a few weeks ago. While the subject Bret was most concerned with was gaining ownership of his picture-video library, one has to think McMahon pushed for a return at the RAW 10th anniversary. However, recently, Bret Hart has less than flattering things to say about a WWE return in a newsletter sent to his official mailing list. That would lead many to believe that whatever discussion was held, didn't turn out the way he had hoped.

One thing is for sure - Tuesday, January 14th, live at The World in New York, WWE will be bringing back many names from the past to honor the 10th year in the history of their RAW program. It should be one hell of a night live on TNN.

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Rumble Participants, Steiner/HHH Worries, Rey Mysterio
January 05, 2003

Some internal worries about the Scott Steiner vs. Triple H main-event scheduled for Royal Rumble. Reports from Scott Steiner's house show work continues to come in negative, which was why the Stenier/HHH singles match was changed to a tag-match during this weekend's house shows. Steiner and HHH didn't do much of anything during the match, other than brawling to the back leaving their respective tag-team partners to finish the match.

WWE will be announcing the 15 superstars who will compete in the Royal Rumble from the RAW brand this coming Monday night. Same goes for the 15 from SmackDown! the following Tuesday during the tapings. By the end of the week, we should know all 30 participants involved in the annual classic.

As it stands now, Rey Mysterio will be back in a WWE ring in time for Royal Rumble on January 19th. No word on if he'll compete in the match, but he's said to be moving along quickly after surgery.

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RAW News & Notes: HBK, HHH/Steiner, Rumble Build-Up

Tonight's RAW in P h*enix, Arizona is expected to build towards the January 19th Royal Rumble pay-per view a great deal. Due to the holiday season, WWE missed a week that they would usually have to build towards the PPV, and they're expected to make up for it tonight.

According to various reports, we should see all, or at least close to every participant in the Royal Rumble from the RAW roster announced on tonight's show. If only 14 participants are announced from RAW, expect Damaja from OVW to be number 15, even though it doesn't necessarily mean he's jumping straight to the main roster on the RAW brand. Damaja won a spot in the Royal Rumble by defeating Nova on an OVW show.

Don't expect Shawn Michaels to have a big role in the Royal Rumble match. There have been whispers in the wind that he isn't feeling so well after his two out of three falls match at Armageddon. He is looking to dodge ring-time until WrestleMania, although it's possible that someone sold him on the idea that the Rumble match work-load would be shared with 29 others.

Rhyno will be hosting the RAW party from The World in Times Square, New York tonight. There haven't been any mentions of live cutbacks during RAW, but Rhyno is well on his way to recovery from neck surgery and should be back to television soon.

Obviously, expect more build-up between Triple H and Scott Steiner. They've done the stare-down, they've done the arm-wrestling, it should be interesting to see what else is left. There is tonight's show as well as RAW next week, so they have a lot of time to continue to heavy build-up for this one.

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Steiner/No Way Out Plans, Bubba Ray Injures WWE Star, more

Source: 1Wrestling, WON

-- I’ve received a couple of emails asking about the Honky Tonk Man ‘parody’ website I mentioned on my own site the other day, enquiring about the url of it and more information. Whilst I do not know who owns the website, or any in depth information about it, the url is www.thedonkytonkman.com, and is pretty funny.

-- Scott Steiner is on the No Way Out (nWo) pay per view poster. Before rumors run rampant as to why, these posters are designed by external companies and don’t pertain to storylines directly, only in a general sense.

-- And finally, Chris Nowinski was slightly shaken up after landing incorrectly at the Anaheim house show, after a 3D bump went slightly array. Nowinski, who was wrestling with D’Lo Brown against The Dudley Boyz, was given a 3D by the Dudleyz, but the Table didn’t break and Dudley had to Powerbomb him through for the win, as the match was a tables match

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WrestleMania XIX, Katie Vick Angle Unfinished, more

The following predictions for the year 2003 were derived from the UK WWE Magazine.

· Wrestlemania XIX will blow the roof off Safeco Field in Seattle. Two new champions will be crowned and one blonde haired icon, legend and truly larger than life superstar will bid farewell to his fans after this match. Yes, this will be the last time we'll ever see this great champion compete inside a ring.

· Two superstars not currently employed by WWE will arrive and wreak havoc like none have before. A few years ago, most fans would have wanted to see these two go at it to determine who truly was the best. In 2003 however, they won't be fighting each other but instead will be annihilating everyone else on the roster. Will they remain a team for the entire year? Smart money says no, don't look for them to square off in the ring until Wrestlemania XX though.

· Brock Lesner and Batista will battle in a special inter promotional match that will set new standards for brutality. It will make Hell in a Cell look like a picnic in the park.

· Triple H and Kane will rekindle their rivalry, and this time its going to be personal. What are they going to fight over? Lets just say that the name Katie Vick may come up. One Diva on the roster will have a lot of explaining to do.

· Rey Mysterio might not become the lightest WWE Champion in history. He will however accomplish something that no other cruiserweight in the history of the organisation has ever done.

· Eric Bischoff will find out that one of his crown jewels on Raw is really a mole sent by Stephanie McMahon. Who will it spell the end of? You will be shocked.

· Kurt Angle will have a major announcement come June. Don't worry, he's not going anywhere. He just has some unfinished business to take care of. I, the informer, wonder how Stephanies father will take the news.

· A true monster will arrive from OVW (Ohio Valley Wrestling). What will make him even more dangerous will be his diminutive manager.

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Hulk Hogan Controversy, WrestleMania Tickets Going Fast

Sources report that tickets for WrestleMania X-9, which will emanate from Seattle, are going fast in the pre-sale session. For those who did not yet receive the password to order their tickets, it is WMANIA. With so many tickets already gone, despite going on sale at 10 AM EST this morning, it is in your best interest to follow the links from WrestleMania.com to buy your tickets as soon as possible if you intend on going.

In the latest column by the "Trenton Strangler", he speaks with Larry Zbyszko. Larry disputes the claims from Hogan's book that state that Hogan/Andre was the top draw on the 8/9/80 show at Shea Stadium. The Hogan/Andre match was fourth from the top, while Larry Zbyszko v. Bruno Sammartino was the main event, and widely believed to be the biggest draw on the card. As a note, this is not the first fact from Hogan's book that's been disputed.

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Torrie/Dawn Lesbian Angle, Bret Hart On Radio, Low Ki/Styles

Trish Stratus is on the cover of the Best of Confidential Home Video/DVD, which is being released this month. A tour of her house is also set to be featured on the Video/DVD.

Reports have been suggesting that Torrie Wilson was very much against the recent lesbian angle involving herself, Dawn Marie and of course her dad, Al Wilson. Despite these, Torrie Wilson apparently had no problem participating in the controversial 'lesbian angle'. Torrie's real-life partner, Billy Kidman, wasn't upset with the angle either; saying that he thought it came off very well on television. The angle is set to continue much longer in light of the recent on-screen marriage between Al Wilson and Dawn Marie,

Bret Hart will be involved in his first serious radio interview since suffering a stroke last time year. This Sunday from 8:00PM to 10:00PM, Bret Hart will be making a live appearance on WrestlingObserver Live. With all the talk surrounding Bret and Vince McMahon, as well as the RAW 10th anniversary that is coming up soon, it should be an interesting interview.

To end on an NWA:TNA note, A.J. Styles and Low Ki apparently tour the house down at the Zero-One PPV show from Korakuen Hall yesterday. The match ended with Low Ki retaining International jr. title.

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Royal Rumble Entrants, Lawler/Regal, Vince McMahon Returns

As of last night's RAW, the following superstars are confirmed for the 2003 Royal Rumble match:

Dave Batista
Chris Jericho
Shawn Michaels
Christian

Additionally, at the very end of RAW, Eric Bischoff confirmed that Vince McMahon would be appearing on next week's RAW episode.

William Regal vs. Jerry Lawler was also confirmed for RAW next Monday.

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Vince McMahon's Return, Rhyno Update, Backstage WWE News

The Philidelphia Daily News has an article up after one of their journalists took the WWE up on an offer to see what they are like behind-the-scenes. The article is an off and on stab at pro wrestling being fake using various scenerios from backstage at a recent SmackDown! event. To read the full article, go to Philly.com.

We should have the RAW rating up later this afternoon. Don't be surprised if it jumps a few points from last week as this week marked the end of Monday Night Football as competition for WWE. For example, if they score a 3.7 this week without Monday Night Football, it's equal to around a 3.4 when they did have the NFL as head-to-head competition.

It looks as though Vince McMahon's return to WWE television starting next Monday night on RAW will in fact be the beginning of his character returning to television. At first, it was thought that it was nothing more than a pretense to his appearance the next night at the scheduled RAW 10th anniversary. Now, it's looking more like his return is being used to further a planned storyline.

Today's edition of the Pawtucket Times had an article on senior WWE referee Tim White. It had some interesting details on his relationship with the late Andre the Giant. If anyone caught Andre the Giant's biography on A&E, you would know that Tim White was one of his best friends. The article also touches on how Tim White got his start with the company way back when.

Due to poor ticket sales, WWE has moved their January 27th house show from Valpraiso, IN. to Milwaukee. If WWE had a camera handy when The Rock did a surprise run-in at Saturday's house show in Anahiem, California, house show numbers could take a turn for the better. There was some initial talk of switching the tag-team titles at a house show one night, and having the champions when them back at the house show the next night. Due to Booker T's illness, they were never able to do it.

According to WWE.com, Rhyno met with Dr. Lloyd Youngblood in San Antonio, Texas this morning. Rhyno is waiting on full clearance to return to the ring. Two months ago, he was cleared to begin taking bumps and having light in-ring workouts. Rhyno, and his wife, Mirja, are expecting their first child soon as well. To read the full 2-page article, head to WWE.com.

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Billy Gunn Done With Wrestling, Goldust, Roddy Piper On TNA Again

Goldust attended his grandmother's funeral yesterday prior to RAW. After the funeral and burial, Goldust got on an airplane and flew straight to RAW in P h*enix, Arizona so he and Booker T could drop the tag-titles.

Ron Simmons and Monty Sopp (Billy Gunn) are expected to become road agents in WWE soon. Both are unofficially, but very likely, done as full time wrestlers. There has been some internal discussions in WWE about bringing in Mike Rotundo (aka Irwin R. Schyster) in as a road agent as well.

WWE SmackDown! will be live in London, Ontario on February 25th. RAW the day before will be in Toronto.

Roddy Piper is scheduled to appear on NWA-TNA's return pay-per view tomorrow night. Others expected somewhat new talent expected to be there include the Road Warriors, Paul Bearer, and David Flair.

In some rather odd news, RAW wrestler Steven Richards will be hosting SmackDown! this Thursday at The World. In addition to that, SmackDown! wrestlers John Cena and B-Squared will be hostnig RAW next Monday night.

We're looking for reports on tonight's live event in Tucson, Arizona (WWE SmackDown! tapings). If you attended the show, please send in a report to [e-mail].

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Bret Hart Update: Meeting With WWE, RAW 10th Anniversary

Bret Hart's official website, BretHart.com, is now up and running. The website features a poll that asks the question, "Would you like to see Bret on WWE TV?" The options of course being "Yes" or "No". At last check, it was pretty even oddly enough, with the "Yes" option out-weighing the "No" option by a very short amount after a total of about 8,000 votes.

On the "Title History" section of the website, there are several WWE copyrighted photos of Bret Hart with the Intercontinental title, as well as some during his Hart Foundation years with Jim Neidhart.

That would most likely drive a lot of speculation from others that the rumored meeting Bret Hart had with Vince McMahon in Florida recently went well. Bret has been after his video and picture library for both his website and his series of autobiographies he has been doing for quite a while now.

As of this point, it's doubtful that anything was worked out during the brief meeting the two had. Bret Hart isn't likely to appear at the RAW 10th Anniversary show on January 14th live from The World in Times Square, New York, but that isn't confirmed.

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RAW 10th Anniversary Expanded, WMania Sold Out, Piper/TNA

Enough WrestleMania tickets are sold at this point for WWE to announce a sellout. As of this writing, the only seats available are in the nose-bleed sections. Any wrestling fans who don't have the internet missed out this year, as tickets don't go on-sale to the general public offline until this Saturday. WWE will likely soon announce something along the lines of a five minute sellout.

Next Tuesday's RAW 10th Anniversary special at The World in Times Square, New York, has officially been changed from one hour to two full hours on TNN. Still no word on some of the bigger names who will be returning from the past, but Ron "The Truth" Killings, Bobby Heenan, "Mean" Gene Okerlund, and The Rock are the only rumored names floating around at this point.

Contrary to what we reported yesterday, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper isn't going to appear on tonight's NWA-TNA pay-per view as best we can tell. NWA-TNA is hyping some surprises for tonight's show, but at this point another Roddy Piper appearance seems doubtful. Then again, they got us before, they could always get us again. Be sure to check back right here for the results after the conclusion of the show.

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Stacy Keibler Movies, Ventura's WWE Return, WrestleMania; More

Jesse Ventura recently commented on his WWE return. He was quoted as as saying "It depends on whether Vince McMahon puts the decimal point in the right spot"

To update Wrestlemania ticket sales, "Platinum" and "Gold" level seats are sold out. Most of the reserved seats are selling very quickly.

Thanks to Scott Muoio for the following:

I just watched John Waters's ode to Baltimore movie "Pecker" the other day. In the scene where Pecker is riding the bus in the middle of the movie, a girl turns away from him in disgust. The girl looked familiar and it turns out that she is none other than a very young Stacy Keibler. Makes sense with her being from Maryland and all. Check it out for yourself.