Hey yo. I'm back for my second report in three days here at the People's Wrestling Website, bringing you all of today's news, including news & notes from the Ross Report, ratings news, plus all the rest of the day's news. So, let's get started right away.
I'll start off today's report with news and notes from Jim Ross' Ross Report. As always, the following news-bits are in my own words, with my own thoughts and two cents also thrown in there as well. If you want to read the Ross Report in Jim Ross' own words, feel free to head on over to the News section at WWF.com.
-HHH is not at 100% entering the six man Hell in a Cell tomorrow night on PPV, as most of you probably already know. However, it would not surprise me to see him go all out as always in there, but would we expect any less from a man who has been labeled the WWF's current MVP by many in the business? Back injury or not, expect HHH to bust his ass out there tomorrow, and let's just hope he comes out of the match injury free (or at least no new injuries) because he's got a long career ahead of him.
-Several "name talents" from other companies have been contacting the WWF in the past few weeks looking for jobs. Ross says that currently none of them have had actual meetings with WWF officials, however, if some of them drop the "me first" attitude and show that they are willing to be "part of the team" then it is possible that some of them can be signed. Ross didn't mention any names.
-X-Pac's injured neck, which he decided to not have surgery on and just vigorously rehab it, is progressing slowly, and although no return date has been set, JR hopes it will be in the next few weeks. I'm not too sure where he would return in current WWF storylines, however, it could coincide with another return of a Federation superstar, one from X-Pac's past: Tori. Speaking of Tori, JR says that she has worked very hard at rehabilitating her injured shoulder and has reinvented her looks and persona. She is due back just before X-Pac, but she might be held off WWF TV until X-Pac's return.
-The Acolytes should be ready to go within the next couple of days. Bradshaw has recovered from several broken ribs, and Faarooq has recovered from knee surgery. They should be thrown right back into the tag team title hunt upon their return, and if not, they will just go back to their "kicking ass and taking names" ways.
-Eddie Guerrero has been once again been having trouble with the injured hamstring which he suffered several weeks ago on WWF TV. Let's hope this talented guy can recover quickly and re-enter the higher rankings of the Intercontinental division, and hopefully dethrone "The One" Billy Gunn. That's if Benoit doesn't do it tomorrow night, of course.
-Raven could be entering into many more hardcore style type matches on WWF TV in the next few weeks, which more adequately fits his style. He has unlimited potential, both on the mic and in the ring, and probably has one of the most creative and effective persona's today in wrestling. Let's hope the WWF doesn't completely bury him, much like they have done with Taz(z).
-JR says, and I quote, "Are Mick Foley's days as commissioner numbered?" We've all been thinking about this in the past week due to his involvement with a returning Vince McMahon, and even said this past Thursday on Smackdown that the one man he would be willing to get into the ring with would be Vince McMahon, with probably his role as Commissioner on the line. I can't see Mick Foley losing this match... but I can't see Vince McMahon losing either. We'll have to wait and see for this one, possibly occurring at WrestleMania.
-Rikishi's sore ankle has much improved over the past two weeks, and he is said to be trying to lose a few pounds to further help that cause. It looks like Rikishi will be somewhat healthy entering the big Hell in a Cell matchup tomorrow night, and let's hope he stays that way.
-Taka Michinoku's injured shoulder has much improved over his period of rehabilitation in Japan over the past month or so, however, JR feels that down the road surgery on that shoulder is inevitable. In my opinion, Taka is yet another example of wasted talent in the WWF.
-Paul Bearer could be making a return to the Federation shortly, in a "yet-to-be-determined" role. Hopefully his return would coincide with a transformation of "The American Badass" back to "The Phenom", however, I think that is just optimism on my part.
-Steve Austin says that he feels that in about another month he will be back at 100%. However, I agree with JR when I say that at this point he doesn't look to have any ring rust and is the best I have seen him wrestle in a long time. His "technical" match with Benoit is a great example of that point. Granted, he is not on Benoit's level, but I have to give him props for wrestling one hell of a match.
-JR says that everyone in the Federation likes Jerry Lynn and is hoping that everything works out in contract negotiations so that he can join the company shortly.
-JR ends his report by giving props to Tazz for doing a great job this past weekend with color commentary over at the PPV in England. Nice of JR, but I would have much rather seen, at this point, JR say something along the lines of "I'd like to give props to Tazz for his in ring work and he is finally set to make it big in the Federation" but I don't think we'll be hearing that great news any time soon. It's a damn shame.
Thursday night's edition of Smackdown did an overnight number of a 5.9 composite, with a 9 share, placing third this week beating not only WB but also Fox and CBS. At this point, it is predicted that the final number will be around a 4.5 - 4.9, but that number, to my bewilderment, has yet to be released. Check the Newsboard later tonight or tomorrow's N & R for that final number.
The updated, and perhaps final, WWF Armageddon card has been announced. Here it is, according to Dave Meltzer:
-Kurt Angle (champ) vs. Rock vs. HHH vs. Rikishi vs. Undertaker vs. Steve Austin in the Hell in a Cell match
-Billy Gunn (champ) vs. Chris Benoit IC title
-Chris Jericho vs. Kane in a Last Man Standing match
-Four-way tag team title match: Bull Buchanan & Goodfather (champs) vs. Road Dogg & K.Kwick vs. Dudleys vs. Edge & Christian
-Perry Saturn & Dean Malenko & Eddy Guerrero vs. Hardys & Lita (this may be an elimination match)
-Molly Holly vs. Trish Stratus vs. Ivory (champ) for womens title
-William Regal (champ) vs. Hardcore Holly for European title
-Val Venis vs. Chyna
-Lo Down & Tiger Ali Singh vs. Steve Blackman & Too Cool (Rumored)
Speaking of Armageddon, here's a reminder that Triple A will be doing live match by match coverage of the event tomorrow night at 8PM EST here at TPWW.net if you can't order the PPV.
Moving on to some WCW news for today, WCW Monday Nitro will be shown on Tuesday this week due to a David Copperfield special. It will be taped Monday night, shown at its normal 8PM Eastern time slot on Tuesday, and as far as I know, Thunder will be shown at its normal timeslot on Wednesday. All that for David Copperfield?!?
Bob Ryder reports that General Rection suffered a knee injury during the main event of Nitro this past week against Scott Steiner. However, the good news is that the injury is not serious, and he will not miss much action.
That wraps up today's edition of the Peoples' News and Rumors. As I said this past Thursday in my N & R, a brand new Interactive feature will be debuting here at TPWW in the next week, possibly on Tuesday, called The Fantasy League. It is a very unique feature, found only here at TPWW, that combines a fantasy tournament with an e-fed. For those of you that remember a past version of the Fantasy League, it has been re-vamped and basically totally re-done. I think you guys will really enjoy it. Watch out for that next week. Until next Thursday, I'm out. Later.
Mike Christopher
Mike@tpww.net
AOL Screen Name: MikeCTPWW