MMA & Wrestling News/Current Events

[Gazo]

From the latest edition of Power Slam.......courtesy of LOP






During Randy Orton's media blitz of the U.K. last month, Power Slam conducted an interview with him. During the interview, Orton's asked if he was happy that Triple H got drafted to SmackDown. Suffice it to say, Orton was. Orton also noted a comment Umaga told him backstage during the night of the draft regarding moving away from Triple H when he was drafted to SmackDown (but before he found out Triple H was moving to). And you won't believe what Orton has to say on Triple H.

Additionally, in a passing comment, Orton makes note of not being good friends with Triple H. He also says he wasn't into the whole Edge (and Vickie Guerrero) marriage angle.

Here is what Orton said in the interview:

PS: Have you been keeping track of WWE storyline developments during your absence?

Orton: "Oh, definitely, yeah. Not SmackDown as much. I've caught a few episodes. The whole Edge marriage thing... I don't know: I'm not into that. But I'll watch the matches whenever I get a chance. I'll watch some of the guys, like Umaga and Carlito, who are good friends of mine. Triple H not so much. But still, I like to watch what's going on. I'm interested to see (HHH's) match with The Great Khali at SummerSlam."

PS: Were you glad when Triple H was Drafted to SmackDown?

Orton: "I was at the Draft (on June 23) after I got hurt. I was in the locker room watching the backstage monitor. I was hoping to get traded (from Raw to SmackDown). Actually, it's funny because Umaga just got traded to SmackDown. He was like, "Man, you know what? At least I haven't got to be around Triple H no more." So (Umaga) goes to SmackDown and I'm like, "Yeah ... F--k you!" The last Draft pick's Triple H and I'm like (punches the air), "Yes! Oh, my God!" Yes, yes, yes!" I went right up to Umaga and I was, like, "You've got to deal with it now!" It was my favourite Draft pick, to be honest with you. And we got Rey Mysterio, we got Kane, Batista. I've got history with those guys."



should he and steph ever break up he would be sacked.............its the only thing keeping the prick in a job...............there possibly nobody left on the roster that does not despise him.............except for maybe that other ego maniac shawn michiels

[echoes]

i highly doubt that. he has spent the better part of a decade building his position in the company, on screen & off screen. if he & steph split on good terms i don't think that would happen. BUT, if they split on bad terms, then....... ya never know what is possible. she does make calls on whether ppl stay or go...

[echoes]

Yahoo Sports has confirmed with UFC President Dana White that three long rumored bouts are now official and set for UFC 92 on December 27th from the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.

White confirmed that Antonio Rodrigo Nogueirawill defend the UFC Interim Heavyweight title against Frank Mir to cap off the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter and decide who will take the the winner of a November Heavyweight title fight between Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar to decide who is the undisputed champion.

Forrest Griffin will make his first ever UFC Light Heavyweight title defense against Rashad Evans who earned the right to the shot with a devastating knock out win over Chuck Liddell in September.

And finally, Quintin "Rampage" Jackson will return to action since losing the title to Griffin to take on long time nemesis Wanderlei Silva. This will be the third bout between the two. Silva has won the previous bouts in highlight reel fashion.

The rest of the card that is rumored but not official is:
C.B. Dollaway vs. Jorge Rivera
Dean Lister vs. Yushin Okami
Mustafa Al-Turk vs. Cheick Kongo
Brad Blackburn vs. Ryo Chonan
Ivan Serati vs. TBA

[echoes]

Representatives for Brock Lesnar on Wednesday requested that the Nevada State Athletic Commission remove Steve Mazzagatti from consideration as referee for the upcoming five-round title fight between their client and UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture.

The anticipated bout, which pairs the hulking former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar with the UFC hall of famer, will headline UFC 91 on Nov. 15 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Citing Mazzagatti’s officiating in Lesnar’s UFC debut against Frank Mir in February, attorneys David Olsen and Brian Stegeman made their aversion to the referee’s presence known at a regularly scheduled NSAC meeting. The attorneys claimed Mazzagatti was “involved in what we believe was a controversial ruling in connection with the Mir-Lesnar fight.” They asked that Mazzagatti be removed from consideration for the UFC 91 main event to avoid “distraction” and “any further controversy.”

During the Lesnar-Mir match at UFC 81 -- a match Mir won by first-round submission -- Mazzagatti deducted a point from Lesnar for an illegal blow to the back of Mir’s head. Up to that point, Lesnar had dominated the former UFC champion and appeared to be on the verge of forcing a stoppage.

NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer commended Mazzagatti for his work at UFC 81 and did not remove him from consideration.

“I think Mazzagatti did a great job that night,” Kizer said.

Along with Mazzagatti, Herb Dean, Josh Rosenthal and Mario Yamasaki were under consideration to officiate the Couture-Lesnar match. Yamasaki was ultimately awarded the bout, which marks the 45-year-old Couture’s return to the cage for the first time since he stopped Brazilian Gabriel Gonzaga on strikes at UFC 74 in August 2007.

Correction: Sherdog.com initially reported that Kizer had granted the attorneys’ wishes to remove Mazzagatti from consideration, though Kizer later clarified the referee was still considered for the bout.

i thought it was lame when mazzagatti deducted that point from lesnar in the mir fight. it was only one or two shots to the back of the head in a flurry. the only reason it happened was cuz mir turned his head, it wasn't lesnar's fault.

[Gazo]

From Lords of Pain



A few weeks ago it was reported that Fighting Spirit, a magazine based out of the U.K. that covers professional wrestling as well as MMA, had revealed portions of the private memo World Wrestling Entertainment/THQ sent out to members of the video gaming press covering the upcoming SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 video game. WWE wants to control how SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 is portrayed in previews when displaying screenshots of the game. What with WWE's new toned-down, PG-rated product, the video gaming press is forbidden from showing screenshots of any of the Superstars bleeding or using weapons. However, the really interesting part coming out of the memo is that WWE/THQ said the video gaming press is forbidden from showing screenshots of digital Triple H "in a defenseless or vulnerable position." There was said to be some major heat between WWE and Fighting Spirit as information from the memo wasn't supposed to be publicly revealed.

Fellow U.K. wrestling magazine Power Slam corroborated the situation in a recent issue, most notably, the portion of the memo concerning Triple H not being shown in a weak or vulnerable position. Power Slam reveals that WWE/THQ did not ask anyone else on the WWE roster be 'protected' in this manner, only Triple H.

Below are the two magazines' respective articles on the situation:

Digital Politics (Fighting Spirit Issue No. 32)
WWE videogame feels the Triple H Effect

We all know how much Triple H loves squashing five guys on Raw or killing Kenny Dykstra for no good reason on SmackDown. The extent to which he's protected and booked to look indestructible on WWE television is an old and very sad story. So maybe it was inevitable that the same mentality would spill over into WWE's video games, too.

With SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 out in November, early game code has been sent out to videogames press. And one of our button-bashing buddies got in touch to inform us of some new directives that game journalists must abide by with this year's version of the game.

"Got WWE preview code yesterday and, as always, screenshots have to be approved if we decide to take our own. So far, so usual. But here's the interesting part: there are further stipulations that highlight which screenshots will immediately be given the thumbs down.

These include screenshots of 'superstars' (not allowed to refer to them as wrestlers) bleeding, weapons being used... and we're not allowed to take ANY screenshots of Triple H losing or ANY screenshots of Triple H in a 'defenceless or vulnerable position'. Oh, and the game still sucks."

That's right, Hunter is so paranoid about protecting his spot that he's holding down people in videogames! What a dork. Fortunately, his very own theme song tells us that, "It's all about the game, and how you play it / It's all about control and if you can take it." Well, we have taken control and we've made sure Triple H is both defenceless and vulnerable in the screenshot to the left. Sorry Paul!

Preferential Treatment (Power Slam Issue 171/October 200

THQ, publisher of the forthcoming SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 video game, has helpfully distributed a WWE-approved list of guidelines which all magazines are expected to adhere to concerning screenshots used in conjunction with reviews of the game.

Attempting to minimise the violence in the game, WWE and THQ have decreed: "Do NOT show blood." And, "If using weapons, do not show anything with significant force (or intent to have)." These directives are in accordance with WWE's new toned-down, PG-rated product.

However, we're not sure how WWE and THQ can justify the clause pertaining to Triple H in the SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 screenshot guidelines. It states: "Refrain from showing Triple H in a losing/defeated/defenceless position." THQ does not ask that anyone else on the WWE roster be 'protected' in this manner: magazines are only forbidden from printing screenshots of HHH "in a losing/defeated/defenceless position."

Is that guy insecure, or what?



That's right, Hunter is so paranoid about protecting his spot that he's holding down people in videogames! What a dork..................

He has sunk to new depths

[echoes]

This following the disappointing end to the Cote v Silva fight at UFC 90:

Patrick Cote, who was injured during his main event title bout with Anderson Silva last weekend at UFC 90 in Chicago will require surgery to his knee to repair the damage. His manager, Stephane Patry, gave the details to Sportsnet.ca:

"For him to be six to eight months off with that kind of surgery means that there's a lot of work to do in his knee," Stephane Patry, Cote's manager, told The Canadian Press on Monday from Montreal.

"We knew for a year that he needed surgery, but the timing wasn't right," Patry said. "Patrick wanted to go as far as he could with his knee because his career was going so well."

"So he came back to Montreal. We went to see the specialist. The specialist put the knee back in place and told him: 'Listen, you need that surgery, Patrick, and you need it now.' And Patrick was like 'Man, I have a title shot in three weeks. I can't do that to the UFC. I can't do that to myself, to my big chance. I'm not fighting a grappler, I'm fighting a striker. So can you do something?'

"He got a cortisone shot in his knee and did the fight."

[echoes]

Dave Meltzer has reported that UFC Middleweight Chris Leben has tested positive for steroids following his UFC 89 bout with Michael Bisping. Leben lost the fight via a decision.

The steroid that Leben has tested positive for was Stanazolol. This is the first time he has tested positive. All 22 fighters on the card were tested according to the report and Leben was the only positive test.

The tests were done in house by the UFC as the event took place in England and no formal commission such as the NSAC oversees drug testing.

“I am obviously disappointed with Chris, who has made great strides getting his life back on track,” UFC president Dana White told Meltzer. “To his credit, he has taken responsibility for his actions and is accepting the punishment that has been handed down. But as always, the UFC puts the safety of its athletes first and foremost, and we won’t tolerate anyone using performance enhancing drugs in our organization.”

Leben was handed a nine month suspension and fined one third of his pay.

this is really disappointing news to me too. i was pulling for him at ufc 89 but his obvious lackluster performance cost him the match. he seemed to be finally heading in the right direction in his life and then this...

[echoes]

in case anyone hasn't heard yet, mike brown is the first person to hand urijah faber his first lost: he is the new wec featherweight champion.

[echoes]

TNA taped an angle that will air on this Thursday's edition of Impact last night where Christian Cage was beaten down by Kurt Angle, Booker T, Kevin Nash, and Scott Steiner to close the show. This was done to give the company an opportunity to write Christian off of television should he opt to re-sign with WWE when his contract with TNA Wrestling expires next month.

TNA does not want to get caught in a situation like they did with Gail Kim where the news had broke that she was leaving the company before her final match aired. TNA is playing it safe and will write Christian back into television should he end up re-signing with them.

There is nothing new to what has already been reported other than Christian has told TNA officials that WWE is pursuing him and that he is seriously considering accepting their offer. Christian does not have any ill will against anyone in TNA Wrestling and is making the decision completely based on what is financially best for him and his family.

[echoes]

(said like JR) LESNAR WINS! LESNAR WINS! he defeated randy couture tonight to become ufc hw champ!

[echoes]

UFC 95 will hit the capital two weeks after the BJ Penn v Georges St Pierre mega fight which takes place on SuperBowl weekend.

Last month, our friends at Fighters Only Magazine revealed Dana White's promotion were planning to head back to England following the success of UFC 85 in June, and the news has now been verified by industry insiders.

SunSport understands Middleweight champion Anderson Silva, 33, has been asked to appear on the card, with a potential bout with light heavyweight star Chuck Liddell already being mooted.

That potentially mouthwatering clash would see The Spider step up to the 205lbs division to face 38-year-old Liddell - who is desperate to get back on the victory trail following his devastating loss to Rashad Evans at UFC 88.

Liddell was slated to fight Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua at UFC 85 but injuries to both men put that clash on ice.

And with Rua set to face Mark Coleman in Ireland at UFC 93, a Liddell v Silva clash looks a real possibility.

A raft of British fighters will be asked to appear on the UFC 95 bill, with welterweight star Dan Hardy already keen to be involved.

However, Michael Bisping will NOT be part of the line up as he will be filming season nine of The Ultimate Fighter.

The UFC will make an official announcement tomorrow but explosive English lightweight Terry Etim has already signed up to face American Justin Buchholz.

holy shit liddell vs silva would be a good fight.

[Gazo]

Did not think he had it in him...................however hanging with those ecw guys he must have learned a thing or two..........seems it was only a matter of time before that prick Jbl was put in his place.............perennial mid carder.

[echoes]

sorry to burst your bubble a bit on this one gardwin, but this was reported as almost not newsworthy not long after it was initially reported:

The melee between Joey Styles and JBL over in Iraq has been blown out of proportion. I was told that there was an altercation where Joey Styles threw a punch at JBL and connected, but he cut JBL above the eye because of a ring on his finger.

Richard Reacts: You would be surprised about the incidents that happen that go unreported. People are all the time getting ribbed or in incidents that sometimes get physical. Things can get stressful and when you're on the road with the same people for the most of the year... there are bound to be tense situations. This incident in particular is probably getting blown up around the Internet because of who it involved but it really isn't that big of a deal

[Gazo]

Still...........he took a swing at him..........more than the other so called hard wrestlers did......even if he was wearing a ring that cut him..........pity it was not a knuckle duster

[echoes]

Still...........he took a swing at him..........more than the other so called hard wrestlers did......even if he was wearing a ring that cut him..........pity it was not a knuckle duster

duster? you mean buster?

any way, don't get me wrong, i thought it was funny and prolly deserved. i don't like JBL as much as the next guy, i don't mean his on air persona, but the man. it just so happends, afaict, that his character is very much like his real attitude.