Greetings and welcome TPWW readers, to the News and Rumors Report for December 24, 2000. Needless to say, news is pretty sparse due to the massivity (Edge and Christian strike again) of this holiday, but I will do my best to uncover some interesting tidbits and stories for all you loyal TPWW patrons. Without any further temptation, let's head into the actual news for today, Christmas Eve.
The following matches will air on the Christmas edition of Raw:
- The Hardys vs. Benoit/Malenko
- Steve Blackman vs. Bob Holly vs. Raven (Hardcore Title Match)
- Steve Austin vs. Kane
- T&A; vs. Too Cool
- Angle/Edge & Christian vs. Jericho/Dudleys
- Bull/Goodfather vs. The APA
- The Rock vs. The Undertaker (Main Event)
Definitely sounds like a jam-packed card to me, as the WWF has pulled out all the stops to make sure families will watch Raw together on the biggest holiday of the year. The Hardcore Title match, as well as the six-man tag match should be exceptional, and the duel main event should be excellent as well.
Just an interesting tidbit on Chyna's Playboy sales mentioned yesterday: The Chyna edition not only surpassed the records set by Rena Mero, but also made it the most successful edition in over 20 years for Playboy.
Chyna has been signed to appear on the Conan O'Brien show on January 31st. I've always enjoyed Conan's show (though not as much as Kilborn's) and it seems as though he's become a great outlet for the WWF's talent roster.
Jerry Lynn has told several people that his departure for the WWF will not be imminent. That isn't exactly the case however, as he recently called to ensure that Jim Ross got the tape that he sent of Lynn cutting promos and working matches. The timeframe is expected to be around ten days, as about that time we'll know whether or not Lynn will wind up in the WWF.
The WWF is expecting to bring Mark Henry back for the Royal Rumble next month. It is expected that he could be a big player in the Rumble, for a couple of reasons. First off, big men always make a solid dent in the RR, which could elicit some heat from the crowd. Secondly, whoever eliminates Henry will get some momentum from the crowd. The WWF wanted to bring the Big Show back for the date, but he's still 40 pounds shy of his target weight.
During Raw this past Monday, the match between The Rock and The Undertaker vs. Edge and Christian was originally planned to be Five Minutes, but The Rock suggested it should be a little longer in the heat of the battle. Needless to say, it was extended.
The WWF has added a new section to Steve Austin's official website StoneCold.com. You can view the most famous stunners of Austin's career, from Mick Foley to Jake Roberts. I'd advise you to swing by and check it out, particularly if you are a fan of Stone Cold.
According to most sources, Diamond Dallas Page and Scott Steiner were both acting "civil and cordial" towards each other throughout the Nashville Thunder tapings Friday night. This is definitely an odd situation, as just a few days ago Scott Steiner was attempting to rip DDP's eye out of its socket. We here at TPWW will keep you posted on the story as it develops, as always.
Sid also returned and worked at the Thunder tapings mentioned above, taking on Jeff Jarrett in the main event. Sid did not wrestle at the Nitro following the pay per view due to some stress on his shoulder that came to a head at the match against Scott Steiner. He will be introduced into a four way for WCW Sin, as has been widely reported.
WCW still has next to no idea what to do with Dustin Runnels. He was originally slated to make his return at Starrcade, but that was changed at the last minute. The timeframe now is expected to be a few weeks. It is actually being tossed around that he may end up being the "man behind the mask" and face Scott Steiner at Sin, just to swerve everyone who is already expecting Rick Steiner.
Booker T will not be returning until mid to late January, and that's the best possible scenario. It definitely is unfortunate for WCW, because while I'm not a big Booker fan, he is undoubtedly a big draw for the ailing federation.
All the ECW wrestlers were paid last night at the ECW Arena taping they worked. This sets them six weeks behind pay. Though the situation could be worse, it is said to be very volatile in the ECW locker room right now. Likewise, morale is at an all time low.
The MSG Network in New York reportedly edited out the Wassup Spot the Dudleys hit on Dawn Marie during the airing of Hardcore TV last night.
There really was little news making the waves on the Internet today, mostly due to the holiday tomorrow and to a lesser extent, today. The wrestling industry has slowed to crawl, with all federations giving their workers the weekend off to be with their families. I'll be here with my family as well, in the cozy little state of Rhode Island. The entire staff here at TPWW wishes nothing but the best to you and yours, during this wonderful holiday season. I'll see you next week, and once again, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Corey Silvia
Corey@tpww.net