pgi86

Ive heard Heyman speak about his plan for TNA where he wanted to sign Bryan and make him THE man in TNA.

 

Does anybody know when this was going to happen? I would have thought before the Hogan deal got signed so about late 2009?

That was in mid-2010 when Bryan was released by WWE for a while.

Have you got a link? Would love to hear Heyman’s thoughts.

Heyman's never talked about the Bryan to TNA scenario in depth, I believe. Gabe Sapolsky was the one who did in a blog. Here's the blog:

I still need to watch the rest of Ring Ka King - think I got about halfway, then got distracted by other stuff. Didn't he used to be called Mahabali Vira? If so, I hope he's improved since those days, because he wasn't brilliant, to put it mildly. Good look, though.

Yeah. That's the guy. He was pushed as the top babyface in Ring Ka King. Worked a lengthy program with Masters and then won the belt towards the end of the show. Apparently, he's been signed with TNA for a while now and has been training in the States (OVW, I believe). He's probably still very green though.

Apparently, Josh Mathews is joining TNA.

And also, they've signed an Indian wrestler. The former Ring Ka King champ.

And finally, if the date Angle mentioned on JR's podcast is correct, then Angle's TNA contract officially expired on Sunday.

Yesterday in Fayetteville TNA taped several matches for British Boot Camp 2:

So, there's your final six. One of them is winning the contract.

Over on Twitter the Bucks have been calling that move the Meltzer Driver. Funny.

Vince Russo playing EWR. Haven't watched this but thought the idea alone sounded amusing. Russo joins in at around 9:30.

Dixie Carter: “IMPACT WRESTLING will remain a vital part of Spike TV's programming on Wednesday nights, 9/8c, through the end of the year. Negotiations remain ongoing beyond this time frame.”

So, there's that.

I was trying not to spoil it for people but since you insist then here it goes. The following people made it through the auditions round:

Now several of them, 6 or 7, will be headed to the States where the winner of the show will be determined.

The British Boot Camp 2 taping at York Hall has just concluded. If you've seen the list of names trying out for the show pretty much everyone you'd expect to make it through the auditions round did and wrestled on today's show. Including Grado. Now it's onto the US round where the winner will be determined.

I noticed that Noam Dar's name had been removed from the most up to date list on Facebook for the show they are doing.

The first set of auditions were yesterday in Glasgow. Dar took part in those so the list you're referring to is wrong.

Also, as a sidenote, the household name that is Grado was supposed to wrestle for AIW in the States in early September but AIW are now claiming TNA pulled him off the shows due to Boot Camp.

Just finished watching the Kevin Steen Show with Cliff Compton. It was great fun. Very little wrestling talk, mostly Cliff just telling various stories.

Ha!

According to his Facebook page, Plymouth wrestler and PWA:UK owner John Harding has been asked to audition for British Boot Camp.

 

Could he really be the 12th guy among that list though!?

The names that are popping up right now are not the final 12, but rather the names auditioning to be in the final 12.

Updated list of confirmed names for the auditions:

El Ligero

Rampage Brown

Dave Mastiff

Martin Stone

Joel Redman

Noam Dar

RJ Singh

Sha Samuels

Mark Andrews

The Owens Twins (Leah & Kasey Owens)

Cyanide

Tiger Ali

John Harding

Lana Austin

Melanie Price

Heather Schofield (a fitness competitor)

Joe Vega

The Fabulous Bakewell Boys (Jerry Bakewell & Steakley Bakewell)

Skarlett

Kevin Lloyd

Chuck Cyrus

Rory Bailey

Evan Sarven

Hamish Campbell

Pyro

In other TNA news, based on a vignette that aired on last night's Impact TNA have signed Jessicka Havok and she is debuting at the NYC tapings next week.

So, despite everything that's going on right now apparently British Boot Camp 2 is still happening and they've been announcing names for the upcoming auditions. Confirmed so far are:

El Ligero

Rampage Brown

Martin Stone

Joel Redman

Noam Dar

RJ Singh

Mark Andrews

Sha Samuels

The Owens Twins (Leah & Kasey Owens)

Tiger Ali

A really good mix of talent that. Shame that the show is happening at such a turbulent time for the company.

Erm, so that's a new thing that they just did:

 

TNA Wrestling Signs American War Hero Chris Melendez to Multi-Year Agreement

 

TNA Wrestling is happy to announce the signing of a true American hero! Chris Melendez is a former Army Sergeant, who served his country in Afghanistan and was awarded a Purple Heart. Because of injuries suffered in combat, the brave soldier returned home a single leg amputee. Melendez, a member of the Wounded Warrior Project, had another dream to realize when he returned home. He dreamed of becoming a pro wrestler.

 

Chris’ remarkable story begins as a kid growing up in Spanish Harlem. His grandmother introduced him to professional wrestling at a young age and, ever since, he has been hooked.

 

“The ability to captivate an audience without having to say any words is what got me hooked.”

 

Inspired by his father, a Vietnam Vet, and compelled by the events of September 11, Chris joined the U.S. Army at the young age of 17. At age 19, and with only 23 days of his Iraq deployment remaining, he sustained horrifying life-threatening injuries from an IED.

 

“When I was able to open my eyes after the explosion I looked across the battlefield to see what I thought was a fellow-soldier in need of help. I quickly realized it was my leg.”

 

After being resuscitated three times and enduring numerous emergency surgeries and procedures, Melendez’s long road of recovery took him to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. Through pure grit and determination, cutting edge science and technology delivered via the VA, and support from friends, family and The Wounded Warrior Project, Melendez was walking with a prosthetic within 40 days.

 

In 2012, Melendez entered Team 3D Academy of Professional Wrestling in Florida where he trained day-in and day-out under the tutelage of Bully Ray and Devon. Now, TNA Wrestling can announce the signing of Chris Melendez to a multi-year contract.

 

Still known in the locker room as “Sarge”, Melendez is set to make his debut for the company during the August 5-7 tapings at New York City’s legendary Manhattan Center.

 

Latest TNA TV situation update, according to PWInsider (Scherer):

At current, TNA has no new deal in place for Impact. When TMZ reported earlier this week that Spike has broken off negotiations and told TNA and told them they were not renewing the series, it created a day of hell for the office, who had no idea it was coming because according to numerous sources Spike never told them any such thing.

 

Currently, TNA is still talking with Spike (which was confirmed when we asked SpikeTV for comment) as well as other outlets. Obviously, negotiations haven't gone well enough to sign a deal, but the sides are still talking. They may or may not come to a deal.

 

UTA is handling the negotiations for TNA and then reporting back to the office, including Dixie Carter. From what I was told, she has not personally been involved in negotiations, which makes sense as TNA hired UTA to do that very thing for them.

The Boot Camp auditions are off to a good start:
 

As part of British Boot Camp they're are putting on a free show in London:

TNA Wrestling: British Boot Camp 2 is proud to announce a very special FREE televised event coming to the UK. On Saturday August 16, the judges and stars of British Boot Camp will be competing in London in the 'final' of the UK portion of the Challenge TV show. TNA stars, and show judges, Samoa Joe, Al Snow and Gail Kim will all be there - and the event will be MC'd by British Boot Camp executive producer Jeremy Borash.

 

Tickets are FREE on a strictly first come, first served basis - with those who hold tickets for the TNA MAXIMUM IMPACT January 2015 Tour given priority in the application process. Venue and ticketing details will be announced at 7pm (UK time) on Thursday.

Nice save by Virgil.
 

Boot Camp update: this time it's going to be 12 wrestlers. The winner gets a contract and the three runner-ups get to work the UK tour.

Challenge TV just tweeted that they'll be airing a second season of British Boot Camp this autumn.

 

Is that the huge announcement? Isnt that revealed tomorrow?

Apparently, that is indeed the announcement. More details to be revealed tomorrow.

Challenge TV just tweeted that they'll be airing a second season of British Boot Camp this autumn.

It wasn't last night, I checked it. Looks like Triple H has unfollowed him now though.

 

And followed someone else in his place to get back up to 17?

No. It was Joe and 17 other people, not 17 including Joe.

Anyway, they've now both unfollowed each other. I guess, a logical assumption here would be that they followed each other for a bit so that they can exchange direct messages about something, whatever it may have been.

Cool shot from today's WRESTLE-1 show. TAJIRI misting Rockstar Spud.

So, this is a bit interesting. Apparently, Triple H started following Samoa Joe on Twitter (and Joe followed back). Triple H follows only 17 other Twitter accounts so it's kind of weird that he would follow Joe of all people.

EDIT - And now neither of them do.