World Wrestling News round up for Saturday 30th January 2010.

Television

• Next week's Raw will be headlined by William Shatner.
  
  
• Bret Hart is set to appear again on next week's Raw.
  
  

Pay Per View news

• As of writing, 24 names have been confirmed for the Royal Rumble match this sunday.
  
  

Other news

• The Wrestling Observer is reporting that Randy Orton has signed a new long term contract with WWE. The deal is said to be for 10 years, and it's also being reported that Orton received a $600,000 payday for working last year's WrestleMania PPV.
  
  
• The Wrestling Observer is reporting that during an interview with Esto, a Mexican newspaper, WWE star Rey Mysterio said that he is about 2-3 years away from retirement. He added, however, that his retirement decision will hinge on how well his reconstructive knee surgery goes which he is having in April. When asked who might replace him as the top Mexican star in the company, Mysterio said that guys like Dos Caras, Jr, Super Nova and Incognito are all very talented guys who are currently in WWE's developmental program.
  
  
• The Wrestling Observer is reporting that The Undertaker is working through a lot of pain yet again. When The Undertaker had hip surgery last year, it was thought to be a last ditch effort to repair nagging injuries before he eventually has full blown hip replacement surgery. Reports are also indicating that 'Taker is expected to work a very limited schedule after Wrestlemania 26, but this has been going on for about 10 years now and his schedule is always fluctuating depending on his injury status.
  
  
• InsideTV.aol.com is reporting that WWE will begin shooting a new sitcom project which is going to star Santino Marella. The company plans to shoot the first three episodes of the show in 2 weeks, then take it from there. Santino Marella was quoted as saying the following in the AOL interview: "In two weeks, we're filming the first three episodes," Santino said. "It will air at first on the dot com, then after that we will get it to a network television."
  
  
  It appears that USA Network VP Chris McCumber is not aware of WWE's plans, however, as he said "I'm not aware of it. I need to see it. He's quite a comedic character, so no doubt he will have a good sitcom."
  
  
• The Wrestling Observer is reporting that WWE has discussed the idea of trying to get Conan O'Brien to host an episode of Raw now that he contractually cannot commit to a new series for several months.
  
  
• The following has been posted over at HonkyTonkMan.net:
  
  
  "WWE legend "The Honky Tonk Man" has officially declined WWE's offer for the 2010 Hall of Fame & Wrestlemania XXVI. Below is the full story and a blog from the HTM. HTM declined the WWE offer to be inducted into the HOF class of 2010. There were multiple reasons why HTM decided against this induction. Negotiations started Friday Jan. 22 and carried over till Wed. Jan. 27 at which time HTM informed WWE that he would not be interested in this years induction into their HOF."
  
  
  Honky Tonk Man has reportedly been negotiating with TNA since december, so it's possible this proved to be the deciding factor that nixed his induction.
  
  
• The following is from TMZ.com:
  
  
  WWE wrestler Greg "Hurricane" Helms allegedly smacked several people -- including a woman -- before he and Chris Jericho were arrested at a Kentucky gas station yesterday, law enforcement sources tell TMZ. We're told several people were in a taxi cab with Helms and Jericho when things allegedly got violent around 4 AM yesterday. Cops say they spoke to several members of the group who told them Helms struck three people -- including Jericho, a man named Gary Kelley and a female passenger named Ashley Storer. Witnesses told cops Helms ran from the scene right after the violent incident but returned to the gas station soon after, where he -- along with Jericho -- was arrested for being drunk in public. Cops say Helms was not arrested for the alleged attack because the alleged victims have not pressed charges -- a requirement for an arrest in Kentucky if the police do not witness the attack. Ashley told cops she did not want to file charges against Helms -- but Kelley told police he's mulling it over and may go after the wrestler.
  
  
• The Wrestling Observer is reporting that WWE will be taking Maria off television while the upcoming season of Celebrity Apprentice airs. Due to a clause in Maria's contract, she is prohibited from appearing on any other TV show while Apprentice is airing.
  
  
• Smackdown star Curt Hawkins was given a tryout as a commentator at the last set of FCW tapings.
  
  
• Michelle McCool turned 30 this week.
  
  

Ratings

• This week's Raw drew a 3.6, the same as last week.
  
  
• This week's edition of ECW on SyFy finished with a 0.9 cable rating.
  
  
  

Television

• The Wrestling Observer is now reporting that TNA has decided to permanently air Impact on Monday nights as they feel the time is right to go head-to-head with WWE. As of now, the plan is to air a live Impact every other Monday night, and tape an Impact broadcast on Tuesday nights which will air on the Monday nights that the show does not air live.
  
  
  It is unclear at this time whether or not Impact will retain or change its current 9-11pm time slot. The move to Monday nights is expected to take place in March, following the head-to-head broadcast that TNA has announced for 3/1.
  
  
  

Other news

• TNA Champion AJ Styles recently did an interview with The UK Sun along with fellow TNA star Desmond Wolfe. The following is an excerpt from the interview:
  
  
  "All the horror stories I've heard about WWE, there is no reason why I'd want to go. I'm going to tell you what I know as the main difference between the two companies. Desmond and I are going to work together to make this company the best, for everybody. Whereas in the other company they will stab each other in the back to get themselves to the next level. It's not about me. It's about us in TNA."
  
  
• Rob Terry defeated Eric Young to win the TNA Global Title at the house show in Cardiff, Wales on Wednesday.
  
  
• Vince Russo turned 49 last week.
  
  

• January 28th: As Ring of Honor gets ready for “The Big Bang!” to explode into Charlotte, NC on April 3, 2010 we’ve already announced that Blue Demon, Jr. and the exotic Cassandro will be on hand. We are happy to announce another name taking part in this special hybrid event. No stranger to the world of Lucha Libre, Super Parka has signed on to compete in Charlotte! The worlds of Ring of Honor and Lucha Libre come together to explode into 2010 on April 3rd!
  
  
  Many thanks go out to the readers of the Wrestling Observer newsletter for voting Ring of Honor and our outstanding talents into the Top 10 for several categories in the Year End Awards. We’re all proud of the work we accomplished in 2009, and we look forward to an even better 2010!
  
  

• From dgusa.tv:
  January 28th - The 2009 Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards were released yesterday and DGUSA had a great showing. Thank you very much!!! We were only getting started in 2009, wait until you see what we have planned in 2010. Our first event, "Open The Historic Gate", won Show Of The Year. "Open The Untouchable Gate" finished 3rd, behind only UFC 100, which means it was the 2nd best pro wrestling show of the year. "Open The Untouchable Gate" featured two matches that finished in the top 4 in Match Of The Year (Shingo vs. Davey Richards was 2nd, Bryan Danielson vs. Naruki Doi was 4th).
  
  
  

• The following are quotes from Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, from Live Audio Wrestling this week:
  "I accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish in wrestling, so I wouldn't rule out going back. If the match was right and we could create something really unique and cool for the fans and for my opponent and for the company, I would do it in a second."
  
  
  "I've never been interested in wrestling John Cena. The guys I wrestled in the past - from Goldberg to Hogan to Austin - were guys who I've really wanted to wrestle. If it can be done creatively but not only that, it's very important if I do back is that the writing has to be ripped open and really be pushed. I came from a time in the Attitude era where we trail-blazed a lot and were fearless in the things we said and did."
  
  
  "There are a lot of restrictions now on the product, which by the way, I understand, and I enjoy some of the stuff I see and I know some of the writers and they're challenged every week, but if in fact I do go back, it would be an interesting collision of an Attitude time that I loved and the time now, but I'm sure we can always infuse things to make it work."
  
  
• Wrestlers 4 Haiti have raised over $6000 as of January 27th. Pledges can be made via paypal to Wrestlers4Haiti@gmail.com.
  
  
• The following is an excerpt from an article on Rob Van Dam from Alex Marvez of ScrippsNews.com:
  
  
  Van Dam, 39, remains on good terms with WWE, having made a surprise appearance in last year's "Royal Rumble." But TNA Wrestling might be a better fit because of the company's more limited touring and television-taping schedule. TNA also is now spending more on big-name talent like Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair while trying to compete with WWE. Another head-to-head Monday-night battle could be coming March 1, with TNA hoping to again air its "Impact" show on Spike TV opposite WWE's "Monday Night Raw" on USA Network.
  
  
  "I really don't have any hidden information," Van Dam said. "This match Saturday is the last official booking I have on my calendar. I'm not out there trying to procure work in wrestling.
  
  
  "I do have some interest right now in what's going on with the big companies. I know Hogan would like to have me. Eventually, (TNA) may start to wear me down and my 'no thanks' will become 'well, maybe.' I have some interest, but I don't know what's going to happen. I don't see myself going back to the full-time, ridiculous never-ending WWE schedule. I couldn't wait to get away from it before."
  
  
• Long-time pro wrestling journalist Georgiann Makropolous passed away from a heart attack this week at the age of 68.
  
  
  

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