TNA Impact, PPV's discussion

TNA Title Match on Facebook, Dixie-Sting Storyline Update
- TNA President Dixie Carter wrote the following on Twitter last night:“Want to share a msg I got from Sting: “A new era starts Sunday, Dixie. Always at my best for BFG. Only this year, it’s for you and the fans”"
 
HULK HOGAN-TNA CONTRACT UPDATE
Sources are indicating that Hulk Hogan's new deal with TNA is a two year contract. Where goes Hogan, so goes Eric Bischoff as well.
 
How Long Hogan & Bischoff Re-Signed With TNA For
Posted on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 at 9:48 pm
Following the recent news that Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff signing new deals with TNA Wrestling – source indicate that they’ll be with TNA for two more years, through 2014.Speaking of Hogan, he will be doing a live chat on ESPN.com’s SportsNation page tomorrow at 1pm EST. This is part of Hogan’s ESPN media blitz over the next few days to promote TNA’s Bound For Glory pay-per-view, where he returns to the ring against Sting in a no-disqualifcation match.
TNA executive producer Eric Bischoff on Bruce Prichard taking over as head of the creative team, Hulk Hogan returning to the ring, the state of the X Division, Bobby Roode challenging at Bound For Glory
Oct 12, 2011 - 09:03 AM


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Monday Night Mayhem with Eric Bischoff
Hosts: The Big Mosh and "The Chairman of the Board" Todd Vincent
Recap by Patterson from New Jersey
Airs every Monday at 6:00 P.M. (CT)
Show available at MondayNightMayhem.com.

His reaction to Bruce Prichard replacing Vince Russo as the new head writer for the TNA creative team: "A lot has been written about that recently, and a lot has been written with a lack of full disclosure or full knowledge. I think the change that people are reading about probably represents more of a change in process than anything else. Vince Russo is still a vital part of the creative team in TNA and is a very talented, hard-working, and committed individual. Bruce Prichard is as well. I think what we're doing is fine-tuning a process, as opposed to fine-tuning or changing authority and control."

Why he is not worried about Hulk Hogan's decision to step back into the ring one more time and why he is "very confident" in the way that things will turn out when "The Hulkster" collides with Sting this Sunday night at Bound for Glory: "If I thought for a second that Hulk wasn't capable and able to get into that ring safely, convincingly, and in a way to entertain the audience and in a way to protect his health, I would the first person that would step in front of it all and say no. But I don't feel that way. I'm very confident that things are going to turn out great. I'm very confident in Hulk's ability to do what he feels he needs to do to produce the match and a fight in the way that he wants to."

The experience of sharing Bobby Roode's story with the world in his quest to become the TNA World Heavyweight Champion at Bound for Glory: "It's been a real joy to watch Bobby Roode come from way behind in the Bound for Glory Series. He was somebody so far behind that nobody thought that he had a chance, and then to emerge as the winner, and to watch Bobby Roode's story evolve to the point where we watch him week after week come from behind, and then emerge as a front-runner. I think it's a story people can relate to. I think Bobby has done a phenomenal job both in the ring and outside of the ring helping make that story relatable and something the audience can relate to."

His opinion of the X-Division's progression and overall growth/expansion since Destination X: "We're getting there. It's a work in progress. I'm very happy with it, but I think there's a lot of things we can do to enhance and improve on the presentation of the X-Division and really make it even more special than it already may be to some people. I would say on a scale of 1-10, we're at a 4, and I hope to be at an 8 or a 9 in the next three to four months."

More is contained in the latest installment of "The Hot Seat" (flavored by Sizzlin Sauces), including Eric's candid thoughts on the importance of Bound for Glory creating new fans for TNA/iMPACT Wrestling, his reaction to Mark Madden's recent comments about himself and Hulk Hogan reportedly re-signing with TNA and referring to iMPACT Wrestling as "an abortion," whether or not "The Hulkster" has received too much slack for promoting Micro Championship Wrestling more than TNA in his recent appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America," if he is a fan of the recent "walkout" storyline on Monday Night RAW, his favorite memories of working with Eddie Guerrero and Brian Pillman, plus much more! If you missed the live and interactive "Hot Seat" experience, then tune in to "Your Home of Wrestling Radio" on Monday evening, November 7th (beginning at 7:40PM ET/6:40PM CT), as "The Hot Seat With Eric Bischoff" (flavored by Sizzlin Sauces) will return LIVE! This will be your chance to speak directly to Eric Bischoff just days prior to TNA's Turning Point Pay-Per-View. We'll begin taking your questions beginning next week after TNA's Bound for Glory, so remember to come strong Mayhem Nation!
 
Four Wrestlers Removed From TNA Roster Four profiles have been removed from ImpactWrestling.com’s roster page: Murphy, Okada, Sangriento and Suicide.
On the May 5 edition of Impact, Murphy was kicked out of Immortal after losing a “Loser Leaves Immortal” match against Rob Terry. He has not appeared for the organization since.Okada briefly resurfaced on Xplosion after his role as Samoa Joe’s henchman concluded. He had not competed since June.Sangriento was portrayed by Amazing Red, who announced on August 4, 2011 via Twitter that he had parted ways with TNA.Suicide sparingly appeared for TNA after resurfacing in April. He last competed at the May 16, 2011 Xplosion taping, losing to “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero in the opening match of the Xplosion Championship Tournament.
 
Dixie Carter Teases Return to TNA TV At Bound For Glory
TNA President Dixie Carter has posted the following on Twitter:
I’m excited to say I WILL be in Philly on Sunday for Bound For Glory, no matter what happens. Thanks to EVERYONE for your support
SpikeTV Fires TNA Impact Supporter ProWrestling.net is reporting that SpikeTV Senior Vice President Brian Diamond has been let go by the network. Diamond was reportedly a strong TNA supporter
 
TNA Impact Wrestling quarter-hour ratings: Did the Robert Roode vs. James Storm match or the Hulk Hogan retirement tease draw a better rating?
Oct 13, 2011 - 10:12 AM


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By Jason Powell

The following are the quarter-hour ratings for the October 6 TNA Impact Wrestling television show.

Q1: 1.02 rating - Robert Roode and James Storm promo, Sting backstage briefly, Hulk Hogan's first appearance footage

Q2: 0.95 rating - Kazarian vs. Gunner, Mr. Anderson promo, Bully Ray out

Q3: 0.89 rating - Anderson and Ray continuation, Bischoff and Hogan talk backstage, Brian Kendrick backstage promo, Kid Kash attacks Kendrick, Knockouts head to the ring, two commercial breaks

Q4: 0.95 rating - Winter and Madison Rayne vs. Mickie James and Velvet Sky, Jeff Hardy backstage, Kurt Angle complains to Eric Bischoff, Bischoff out for a promo

Q5: 1.13 rating - Jeff Hardy and Eric Bischoff segment, Crimson vs. Samoa Joe

Q6: 1.00 rating - Crimson vs. Joe continuation, Bully Ray backstage, James Storm promo, Bobby Roode training video

Q7: 0.98 rating - Bobby Roode vs. James Storm

Q8: 1.07 rating - Roode vs. Storm continuation, Hulk Hogan retirement promo, Sting confronts Hogan and airs a video showing that his retirement was a hoax

Powell's POV: It's a shame that more people didn't see the entertaining Roode vs. Storm match. The show faced stiff competition from the Major League Baseball playoffs (Tigers vs. Yankees deciding game) and scored a final rating of 1.01, which was the lowest of the year for Impact Wrestling.
 
HULK HOGAN SAYS BOBBY ROODE IS NOT READY AND NOT THE 'NEXT GREAT GUY' IN WRESTLING AND LOTS MORE
By Mike Johnson on 2011-10-14 09:38:06
In an appearance taped yesterday that will run on today's episode of Sirius Radio's Busted Open show, Hulk Hogan gave comments on a number of different topics. The show will air this afternoon at 3 PM but they have released some quotes early and man, they are a doozy when you look at them from the point of view that Hogan is supposed to be promoting TNA:
Robert Roode: “Nah, he’s not ready. He’s not the next guy. Ya’ know, they might think he is. Dixie Carter might think he is. The whole world might think he is. He’s not the next guy. If I had to bet money on anybody and really be serious about betting money on anybody, I’d say Jeff Hardy is the next guy if he keeps his act together. Um, that’s what you gotta to have, man. This is much more than being a wrestler, this is crossing barriers, medias, ya’ know media barriers, and, and entertainment barriers of all kind. Getting your character down verbally has 90% to do with getting over. I just have a very strong feeling Kurt Angle’s going to clean his clock performance wise, and carry the match, and basically remains the champion. He’s training for the Olympics. He’s had some up and down moments, and I think this is not gonna be a down moment for Kurt Angle, so I’m betting that farm on him."

Wrestling Sting at Bound for Glory: "The main event is Kurt Angle, thank god! And uh, Bobby Roode stepped up, and he’s definitely become a presence, so I’m betting the farm on Kurt Angle, and uh, I guess I’m kind of like the icing on the cake, Sting and I have a crazy track record with Pay-Per-View buy numbers, and it just made sense to give everybody a little extra, and let everybody know, and, that it’s not a performance orientated match. Of course none of em’ were for me, anyway. But it’s a situation where I think there’s gonna’ be some interest to see what happens out there with Sting and I, and if I can roll my walker down the ramp, I’ll be good to go. I don’t even want to think about it. It’s just going to happen like everything else. I’m not into talking about diving off something or falling off something. I never have really talked about a match. There’s really nothing to talk about. You gotta’ go out there and listen to what the people want. They want a car crash, they’ll get one. I’m not looking for back surgery #9 or anything like that. I mean I’m not out of my mind, and crazy. I don’t think Sting’s ever really had anything broken on his face. My nose and teeth are, have been so beat up, it doesn’t matter, but Sting? I don’t know if he can take one straight in. Even as of last week, it was there. I just stood in the ring with him, and it’s electric. I mean it’s there. You just follow that energy man, and we could end up in the middle of the ring, we could end up at the top of the building, I mean you just don’t know. It could go 5 seconds, it could go 50 minutes, I don’t know. I mean, if it’s there, it’s there, and right now, standing in the ring with him, it’s there. I’ve stood in the ring with a lot of people that it hasn’t been there. But I’m not worried about this one because it’s there. The feeling and the energy’s there from the people. They want to see something crazy happen. Well, I had my last match a long time ago, so we definitely didn’t attempt to build this as a match. It’s kind of like, almost a grey area again. The crazier Sting gets, the more over his character gets, but then the down side should have been me getting booed more, but it’s kind of like the N.W.O. feel all of a sudden. The more aggressive I get, the more people cheer me out of loyalty, out of love, out of compassion, whatever it is. I think the people might’ve farted at me turning good guy, shaking hands, and going you know what? One last fight, and I’m gonna’ fade off into the sunset. I don’t think they would’ve bought that. The timing doesn’t feel right for that."

James Storm: "I’d go with James Storm all day long. Mainstream brotha’! Cowboy hat, beer drinking, middle America, Nascar, Walmart, Country Western. I mean all day long, it’s a no brainer. That’s me. That’s my opinion. So, I mean, Bobby Roode’s a tremendous athlete. I would change. I’d build him from Venice Beach, California or Omaha, Nebraska instead of, I dunno, Canada, eh’? I love him to death. He’s a great kid. When he looked down at me from the ring, and we had an argument one day, and he goes, “What the hell have you ever done?” I said man, this guy’d be a great heel, but yeah he has a lot of potential there for him to, but if you ask me to choose who to run with’, and you gave me those two choices? That’s my opinion."

Jeff Hardy: "If I had to bet money on anybody, and really be serious about betting money on anybody, I’d say Jeff Hardy’s the next guy if he keeps his act together. Well, I think he’s got a lot of shine to him, I mean he just doesn’t have 5-star matches. He shines outside the ring. He walks through the mall, and people know who he is. He’s got a look, he’s got an air about him. He’s got the “IT” factor. That’s what you gotta’ have, man. This is much more than being a wrestler. This is crossing barriers, medias,, media barriers, and, and entertainment barriers of all kind. And I think the kid, Jeff Hardy has the potential to really be the guy."

AJ Styles: "It’s never too late. I mean, I just don’t know. I, when I first came in all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed a couple of years ago, I had a ton of suggestions which I was kind of pushing real hard, which I thought would take him to a crazy, crazy level, and nobody responded. So, I don’t know at this point. I have my ideas, but a lot of things that I believe in, and what I feel from the crowd, and what I know. The little I know about this business. Sometimes, it’s either taken and used, or used and it doesn’t work, or it’s not used at all. So, it’s just..it’s my opinion. I don’t know at this point."
 
Tension in TNA After Spike Shake Up, TNA’s AAA Takeover Expanding?, MCW Rating
- The October 12th episode of Hulk Hogan’s Micro Championship Wrestling scored a 0.57 cable rating with 677,000 viewers.
- It sounds like TNA is expanding on their relationship with Mexico’s AAA promotion. Jeff Jarrett wrote the following on Twitter yesterday:“Just confirmed a huge meeting next Tuesday in Orlando in regards to AAA takeover…all hands on deck…”- There is said to be some tension within TNA right now after they have lost a big supporter at Spike TV. Brian Diamond has been fired from Spike after working as the Senior VP of Sports and Special Programming. Diamond was said to be a big backer of TNA.Spike has hired Jon Slusser to the new position of Senior VP of Sports & Multi-Platform Programming. The Sports Business Journal Daily reports that Slusser will be pursuing “non-traditional events that fall into four categories: fighting (MMA), motorsports (like Motocross and Rallycross), lifestyle sports (like rugby, beach volleyball, rodeo and extreme skiing) and event sports (like New Year’s Eve specials and stunts)” but does not mention TNA.
 
Top TNA Star Injured Going Into BFG, Hulk Hogan’s Last Match?
- TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle appeared on the local NBC Philadelphia affiliate yesterday to promote TNA’s Bound For Glory pay-per-view this Sunday.Angle, who limped on stage, talked about dealing with a hamstring injury going into the pay-per-view and says Bound For Glory will be the last time we see Hulk Hogan work a match. You can see the video below: Top TNA Star Injured Going Into BFG, Hulk Hogan’s Last Match? | WWE News, TNA News, WWE Divas Photos, TNA Knockouts Photos - WNZ
 
Hogan Talks Retirement, Says Again He's Not "Wrestling" Sting
The following video features TNA star Hulk Hogan being interviewed on ESPN's DLHQ show. Hogan speaks on not "wrestling" Sting at Bound For Glory, and answers the question of when he think it'll be time to hang up the boots: Hogan Talks Retirement, Says Again He's Not "Wrestling" Sting | WrestleZone TNA Going After MMA Fighters Cyborg & Kim Couture
– Mixed martial artist Kim Couture stated Wednesday during an interview with Steven Muehlhausen for SportsTownChicago.com that TNA Wrestling has approached herself and Strikeforce Women’s Featherweight Champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos about possibly working for the promotion.Couture and Tara engaged in a shoving match at 2009?s Bound for Glory pay-per-view event. The TNA Knockout later claimed that the scuffle was legitimate. Video: Hulk Hogan Says He No Longer Supports President Obama
Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 8:33 pm
Tagged with Hulk Hogan
TNA star Hulk Hogan appeared on FOX News today and says he no longer endorses President Barack Obama. Not because of the economy or his policies – but because he used Hogan’s “Real American” theme music without asking him first. Hogan also talked about having to drop the value of his home substantially, Sunday’s Bound For Glory pay-per-view and more. Here’s the video:Hogan also appeared on ESPN SportsNation today and cut a great promo on NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, brother:both videos at this link Video: Hulk Hogan Says He No Longer Supports President Obama
 
whitewolf8214 said:
TNA Knockout Mickie James recalls Vince McMahon's reaction to her hand gesture while wrestling Trish Stratus at WrestleMania, reveals who she originally wanted her character to stalk
TNA Knockout Mickie James recalled Vince McMahon's reaction to her making a hand gesture that implied oral sex during a WrestleMania match with Trish Stratus. "I came back through the curtain and Vince was really mad," Mickie recalled in a UK Sun interview. "In the moment it had seemed amazing to me. I thought 'Vince will love this'."'Crass' was the word I got. He didn't like it at all. He told me 'We're going to have to go back and edit that out. Do you know how much time (this will take)?' This was my first WrestleMania, my mom was in the audience, I'm freaking out already. I'm back through the curtain and I'm already in tears and an emotional mess. And I got yelled at." For more of the interview, visit TheSun.co.uk.
Powell's POV: Mickie also stated that she wrote 18 weeks of television based on her character stalking Lita. Of course, it was later changed to Trish, and she said the company didn't go with her lengthy storyline. She also discussed being released by WWE and diving off the top of the TNA cage in a match with Tara, among other topics

I won't bash or advocate the move. And yes, the gesture she made put it more over the top and made it "worse". At the end of the day, though, the bottom line is that some fans, many parents and probably most promoters aren't comfortable with any low blow attack on a woman.

I went to an independent show back in the day (29 now) and they brought in Nina from POWW to wrestle the main bad girl in a local promotion. The commissioner was also heel and trying to get over at the time and went to the ring with the bad girl from his promotion and after the match entered the ring and stomped Nina low while the referee was distracted with the other girl. Nina sold it like $2 million even requiring assistance to be rolled out of the ring and helped to the back. The newspapers lit up (little local ones) with letters from parents, sponsors pulling the plug and people threatening to not come back.

They closed down the womens division, "fired" the commissioner, etc. One year later the newspaper interviewed Nina about the "trauma" she "suffered" and in the interview she revealed she was called six weeks earlier and had learned the commissioner wanted a bad reputation and presented them (duh) with the spot of the low blow after the match as a way that might get him over. They practiced the entire match and "spot" a few times over the next four weeks tweaking things here and there. She said, in the paper, she had over sold the moment.

Bottom line: This move isn't accepted by mainstream wrestling media on women. Ric Flair on the other hand? No one seems to mind (although he doesn't make gestures). And with the technology and various camera angles it couldn't have been that hard to edit it out.
 
Former WWE & ROH Name Joins TNA Wrestling Creative Team
Former WWE writer and Ring of Honor iPPV producer Dave Lagana has posted the following:
"...I leave Ring of Honor Wrestling to tackle new challenges. I’ve accepted a position as Director of Creative Writing with TNA Wrestling. My duties will be to focus solely on the development of new wrestling shows beyond the Impact Wrestling show. I’m excited to see what the future holds and thank everyone for the support over not only the last nine months of this site but through my entire career.

Sincerely,

David Lagana"
 
Gail Kim Says She’ll Never Go Back To WWE, Comments On TNA
FORMER WWE Diva Gail Kim has vowed that she will never return after enduring an unhappy second spell with the wrestling giant.
Kim asked for her release from the company on August 5 after being chronically under-utilised, but WWE refused to let her go, and instead made her sit out her contract, which concluded at the end of September. Kim is now a free agent, and is understandably vehement that wherever her wrestling career from now on takes her, it will not be back to WWE. In her first free-to-air interview anywhere since she left, she exclusively told SunSport: "I've experienced WWE twice now, and I know that I do not enjoy that place. "The second time I really had optimistic hopes and dreams, but I know I would never go back there." Gail requested to be released from her contract backstage during the August 5 live edition of Raw. That night, she had participated in a Divas Battle Royal, in which she eliminated herself straight after the bell.This would be her last appearance on WWE TV.Gail said: "The night of the Battle Royal where I eliminated myself, it was ten minutes before Raw ended, and I pulled Johnny (Laurinaitis) aside. It was right after his first on-air segment, and I told him 'I just want to give you my notice. I'm quitting.' "He was surprised and said 'You're putting this on me ten minutes before Raw ends?' "There were words between us. Nothing bad – even though you might hear bad things about Johnny, I understand what his job is. I have never felt in any way afraid to talk to him about how I feel. "So I just told him. I told him I felt held down and just ready to move on. I said 'I don't want your money; I just want to be free. Free to do whatever I want.' "Johnny said 'I'll have to get clearance for you to quit, it shouldn't be a problem.' Of course it was a problem, and they didn't want me to work anywhere else, so I had to stay at home. "In my opinion, my perception is that it is a control thing for them. They are very powerful and they like to control certain aspects of the company. That really upset me, and when I quit I said to Johnny 'Stop trying to control me. You guys never really cared about me before, so why do you care now whether I want to quit or not?'" Her decision to unilaterally eject herself from the Battle Royal caused some ripples in the wrestling world, with some labelling Gail unprofessional, but others feeling the act of rebellion was justified."It was a very controversial thing," she said. "A lot of people said that they lost respect for me because I was unprofessional. But unless anyone walks in your shoes they do not what you feel. "I can admit that maybe it was a childish thing to do. But I would not take it back. I was disrespected many times by the company, and when you get disrespected that many times there is only so much you can take."I'm not one to just lay there and take it – at least not now – and they didn't even notice."I was fed up that day. There were other circumstances within the company that pretty much made me make the decision that I was done with the company, on the personal side and the professional side."I feel that I've worked so hard to gain the respect of the fans and my co-workers. I was just not going to have the company do this to me anymore. "By the time we got to the match our time was cut so bad they just said 'everybody get out of the ring as fast as you can before the break happens,' which was maybe a minute. "They said get out of the ring as fast possible, so I did! "I normally would not do anything like that, but I just got pushed to my limits and pushed the point where I was fighting back for the way I'd been treated." "The other girls didn't notice. The agents and the office didn't notice. A few fans tweeted me and said 'Did you just do that?'" Kim was part of the WWE roster from 2002 to 2004, before being released. She surfaced in TNA in 2005 and spent three years there, having a storied and critically acclaimed long storyline with Awesome Kong, who later join the WWE as 'Kharma'.Despite her TNA success and her sense of belonging in the company, Kim felt compelled to return to WWE for financial reasons, and though she does not regret the decision, she soon realised that her optimism about WWE's creative direction for the Divas division was misplaced.She said: "It was more the treatment of the women's division I was disappointed with in this last run."It's so frustrating to be working so hard and know that it's not going anywhere and it doesn't matter.Honestly there were times when I felt like if we had a great match, say on Superstars if we had seven minutes and the chance to tell a story, I felt like maybe we'd get punished for having a good match."It's sad that when you have a great match you know it won't be rewarded." Inevitably, now that she is once again a free agent, Gail is being linked with a return to TNA, where she had her finest run and undoubtedly would be welcomed back. She feels that it is likely – someday – but she is in no rush."Right now I'm on a little hiatus," she said, "I told myself I'd take a little break. They didn't let me quit so I was forced to take a break! "I'm not retiring from wrestling, I can say that. I always said – I said it in my last interview with TNA on a Knockout's DVD – that I always felt like I would return there one day. I'd love to finish up my career there."I've always known of ROH and have worked with a lot of the workers there, but they've never reached out to me. It's just never happened. But I'm always open to everything. "We'll just see." Part Two of the highlights of the Gail Kim interview will be published on these pages next week. But if you can't wait, then you can listen to the full 43-minute chat on Rob McNichol's One Sided Ring Podcast, available via Podbean or iTunes.
 
Settlement for crash victim in Bollea case "appallingly low," lawyer says
By Rita Farlow, Times Staff Writer
CLEARWATER — Debra Graziano's sole job is to care for her son John, who suffered severe brain damage when he was injured in a car wrecked by Nick Bollea in 2007. She feeds the former Marine, bathes him, dresses him, takes him to doctor's appointments.For that work, she makes just $1,750 a month — her only income — paid from a settlement reached between attorneys for John Graziano and Terry Bollea, the wealthy professional wrestler and entertainer known as Hulk Hogan."One would've expected there would've been sufficient funds to provide a caregiver or caregivers for John Graziano," said Edward Graziano's attorney, John Trevena. "Now, Mrs. Graziano is going to be devoting the remainder of her life to the care of her son, without any outside help. It's extremely sad. It's tragic."Information about the financial settlement was revealed Friday in a newly filed court document, a deposition of Debra Graziano taken for her ongoing divorce case from her husband Edward Graziano.In the deposition, Debra Graziano said she believes about $1.5 million of the settlement remains after payments to attorneys and the veteran's hospital that cared for John after the accident.Trevena is not privy to the amount of the confidential settlement. But based on the remaining funds, he estimated Friday that it could not have topped $5 million. Trevena said experts he talked to had valued a potential settlement at between $25 million and $50 million."It's appallingly low. I was stunned," he said. "It's a tenth of the value I had anticipated."In a 2008 financial affidavit, Terry Bollea said his net worth was $32.4 million. In 2007, Terry and Linda Bollea, who are now divorced, sold a Miami Beach house for $17 million, property records show. Bollea's 17,000-square-foot Belleair mansion is currently on the market for $8.8 million. It was originally listed at $25 million.Trevena estimated Friday that Terry Bollea had at least $20 million in assets that could have been liquidated for the settlement to provide for John Graziano's future care.Debra Graziano and Bollea's attorneys could not be reached for comment Friday. But attorney George Tragos, one of the attorneys who represented John Graziano's interests in the civil suit, said Debra Graziano was satisfied with the settlement."You've got to be realistic. It's got to be collectible. We've collected every dime of the settlement," he said.Tragos said it's also important to note that a nearly $8 million bill to the Veteran's Administration was negotiated down to a lower amount and paid from the settlement. Now, the VA will continue to treat John for the rest of his life at no cost to him, Tragos said.John Graziano suffered devastating head injuries in the 2007 accident. The driver of the speeding car was Nick Bollea, the youngest child of Terry Bollea.Debra Graziano has been caring for her son since he was released from the hospital in September 2009. In the deposition, she said she's left with about $35 a week for herself after paying for health and car insurance, her cell phone, groceries, living essentials and her monthly tithe at her church.Ed and Debra Graziano, who were married in Virginia in 1993, have two sons and a daughter who are all in their 20s. Evidence of marital discord began appearing in court records in 2004, when Debra Graziano filed for the first of several restraining orders against her husband. She alleged he hit her, stalked her, tried to sic the family dog on her and threatened to kill her multiple times.In February 2009, authorities arrested Edward Graziano after they said he offered $2,100 and a pizza shop gift card to an undercover deputy to kill Debra. In May, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison after he pleaded no contest to a charge of solicitation to commit murder. The conviction is being appealed, Trevena said.A final divorce hearing is scheduled for Nov. 7.Debra, 58, said she and John, who is now 26, and her other son, Michael, now live in a Dunedin house purchased for about $345,000 from settlement funds.She has no income other than the money she receives to care for John. She limits herself to the $1,750 a month the settlement account earns in interest so she will not have to touch the principal, she said.In the deposition, Debra Graziano said she pays for John's clothes and haircuts without reimbursement from the fund. She has no retirement fund or other savings, she said. Her car, a 2000 Oldsmobile John bought for her from his Iraq combat pay, is probably worth a couple thousand dollars, she said."To me it's worth more than any Ferrari on the street," she said.
 
Angle Injury Causing Problems, Update on MMA Women in TNA, Dixie, Abyss
- TNA President Dixie Carter was in Atlantic City last night sitting ringside for the Bellator MMA fights that air on MTV 2.
- Abyss was representing TNA at the 2011 Scream Awards in New York City last night. The awards will air this coming Tuesday on Spike TV.
- As noted before, TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle said in a media interview the other day that is is suffering from a hamstring injury. Angle no-showed a Philadelphia radio appearance on Friday morning and backed out of an autograph appearance on Saturday at Walmart in Willow Grove, PA. Angle canceled, citing the hamstring injury. Angle is scheduled to defend the World Title against Bobby Roode at tonight’s Bound For Glory pay-per-view.
- TNA Knockout Tara, who says she won’t be at tonight’s Bound For Glory pay-per-view, has a new column debuting this November in Chicago Athlete magazine. Tara was asked on Twitter about the news of TNA approaching women’s MMA fighters Kim Couture and Cyborg Santos about working with the company. Tara replied, “Who do you think suggested it?”
 
Mickie James On TNA Using Former WWE Stars, Her Release Last Year
Mickie James participated in an interview with Female First while she was in the UK promoting TNA Wrestling’s upcoming Maximum Impact Tour and recalled her reaction to being released from her WWE contract last year. She admitted it was as big a shock for her, and did upset her.“I think it angered a lot of people,” she says, continuing: “It would be one thing if I was doing a poor job, and I didn’t capture the fans every time I went out there, or if I wasn’t so good at what I did.”As it was, it drained her of her passion for wrestling, until one show in a high school gym.“I looked around the locker room, looking in these peoples’ eyes. There were people who had never been anywhere, never wrestled anywhere except here. You could see that fire in their eyes, that desire and that wanting to make it. I thought…s***, what happened to that?” She adds: “It was one of those wonderful eye-opening things. I do this because I love it, I love entertaining the fans. I love what I do out there, and I’m amazing at it.”This led her to TNA, with the organization acquiring another wrestler who gained notoriety in WWE. Whilst TNA sometimes comes under fire for pushing homegrown talent aside in favour of former WWE talent, she thinks it’s important to keep it fresh.“You can’t do the same things over and over again. We have so much talent, there are ways to keep it fresh,” she explains, before pointing out that AJ Styles and Samoa Joe are still featured regularly on television. She then adds that if people wanted to watch the same thing over and over again, they would tune into WWE. “TNA really started to make a name for themselves with the X Division, stuff like that, because it was different, nobody else was doing it,” she says.According to the article, the industry has it’s detractors, both in the wrestling press and with sceptics. James has a less-than-favorable opinion on the subject of “the poor end of the wrestling press” (referred to as “dirt sheets”):She points out that “nobody reads those things”, adding: “I feel like, nine times out of ten, it’s somebody who thinks they know, but really they don’t.”The industry also faces criticism from those who disregard what the wrestlers do as fake. James says, “We’ll never try to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes and say there’s not a certain artwork to it. I guarantee you, 9 out of 10 people in the world wouldn’t step in the ring and do what I do, nor could they. I think we have one of the hardest jobs in the world.”She also discusses her memorable program with Trish Stratus, balancing her music and wrestling careers, the experience of a live TNA show, and more. The full article can be accessed here.The storyline put a real focus on women's wrestling, and was an angle Mickie came up with herself.After spending months in Ohio Valley Wrestling, at that point WWE's development company, Mickie had pitched the idea to work with Lita, who she knew very well.Despite many false starts, she eventually made her debut and started the storyline."I ended up doing it with Trish," she explains. "Me and Trish bouncing off each other had great chemistry, then the writers, Vince and Stephanie - everybody tweaked and played with it, and made it into this massive story.""It was phenomenal," Mickie adds, admitting: "I was really blessed and fortunate."Mickie was released from her WWE contract, and admitted it was as big a shock for her as it was for all the fans, and did upset her."I think it angered a lot of people," she says, continuing: "It would be one thing if I was doing a poor job, and I didn't capture the fans every time I went out there, or if I wasn't so good at what I did."As it was, Mickie was at the top of her game, and it drained her of her passion for wrestling, until one show in a high school gymAfter performing in front of millions of fans around the world at that year's Wrestlemania, Mickie struggled to come to terms with this new surrounding, although it was just what she needed to re-ignite her fire."I looked around the locker room, looking in these peoples' eyes. There were people who had never been anywhere, never wrestled anywhere except here. You could see that fire in their eyes, that desire and that wanting to make it. I thought...s***, what happened to that?"Mickie adds: "It was one of those wonderful eye-opening things. I do this because I love it, I love entertaining the fans. I love what I do out there, and I'm amazing at it."This lead to a move back to TNA, whose debut show Mickie had been a part of. The first thing she noticed was how much the company had grown."Back then, it was still very much a baby company," she remembers.Everyone had a sense of being part of something big. "By the time I'd come back, it had grown so much, and it was some of the same people from when I was there that helped build it."Mickie thinks this grassroots journey has helped develop the loyal fan-base TNA have around the world. She said: "The fans feel like they've been a part of the company growing as well. They've seen it from the ground up."Over the years, Mickie believes it's the talent of the roster that's shining through."Everyone from the main event down to even the females, everyone is very credible. We can go out there and really do a fantastic job," she says."Every show has its pros and cons, but our strength is our talent."Whilst the show sometimes comes under criticism as it's homegrown talent sometimes gets moved aside in favour of ex-WWE talent like Mr. Anderson or Kurt Angle, Mickie thinks it's still important to keep it fresh."You can't do the same things over and over again. We have so much talent, there are ways to keep it fresh," she explains, before pointing out that the likes of AJ Styles and Samoa Joe are still featured regularly on TV.Asked how TNA can push itself to the next level, Mickie believes it's hard to say."The most significant thing is to always stay true to yourself. What brought you to where you are, will continue to separate you. The thing is to be different."She notes that if people wanted to watch the same thing over and over again, they would tune into WWE.It seems to be about standing out: "TNA really started to make a name for themselves with the X Division, stuff like that, because it was different, nobody else was doing it," she says.For Mickie personally, another challenge is balancing her music and wrestling careers.Currently in the studio recording her second album, she admits that it can be hard having both on-going projects.Back to wrestling, Mickie pointed out that there's more to the art of the sport that people realise."We're throwing ourselves and our bodies against this wooden canvassed mat. We're trusting the person that's in there with us," she explains.Wrestling has been compared to films a lot, a comparison Mickie doesn't discredit: "We're the same thing, except we do it in front of you, live. It's an escapism, you're getting lost in the story. We're putting our bodies and lives on the line for it."Mickie hopes that her career can inspire people to follow their dreams: "If I can do that, just for one or two people, then I've done something with my life. I hope I would inspire them to go out and go after whatever they want."She finishes by offering this advice to her fans: "Go after it wholeheartedly, and [don't] let anyone tell them any different. If you listen to people like that, they can just bring you done. If I'd listened to half those people, I would never have gone anywhere."
 
Flair Takes Jab at TNA
During the recently held Shane Helm fundraiser event, Ric Flair took a slight jab at TNA by saying that he once wrestled Mick Foley at SummerSlam, then again on Impact, but that the Impact match didn't count because nobody watches TNA. He then said he was joking, and added that he loved working for TNA.
 
ROH iPPV Buyrate Update
It's being reported that while the last Ring of Honor iPPV event drew significantly less buys then the event before it, early reports of the show only taking in 972 buys were inaccurate.
 
Plans for Hogan & Sting, Will Roode or Hardy Win the World Title?, More
- Going into last night’s TNA Bound For Glory pay-per-view, TNA had about 2,500 tickets sold for the event, which would be considered a disappointment. Last night’s show was heavily papered.
- As was made pretty clear last night after the Sting vs. Hulk Hogan match, there has been talk of Sting and Hogan teaming up on pay-per-view to take on Ric Flair and a partner.
- Before last night’s TNA Bound For Glory pay-per-view, the plan was to put the World Heavyweight Title on Robert Roode.The speculation last night was that Roode may win the title on an upcoming Impact Wrestling episode or the next pay-per-view. There was a lot of talk that they should have put the belt on Roode last night, especially with Kurt Angle being injured.Other speculation is that they’re waiting to put the title on Jeff Hardy.
 

NBC 2013/2014 Schedule and Premiere Dates

Elizabeth Hasselbeck Joins the Curvy Couch

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