The following is from TNAWrestling.com:
TNA Wrestling is offering the new Chairman job to its Main Event Mafia faction - and the opportunity to openly sell chairs, steel chairs - to ousted Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich.
TNA officials confirmed today that Blagojevich, who was impeached by the Illinois House of Representatives on January 29, is being offered the "Chairman" job within its Main Event Mafia faction, an elite unit which includes U.S. Olympic Gold Medal winner Kurt Angle, former World Heavyweight Champions Kevin Nash, Booker T., and Scott Steiner, and reigning TNA Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion Sting.
Blagojevich was arrested on criminal charges on December 9, 2008, for conspiring to sell the senate seat vacated by then-President Elect Barack Obama to the highest bidder, but Angle truly believes in the U.S. justice system.
"He's innocent until proven guilty," Angle said. "As the leader of the Main Event Mafia, I am a huge fan of the Illinois style of politics. As such, Governor Blagojevich is welcome to join me and the entire Main Event Mafia at any and all TNA events in the future, and certainly is welcome to sell his seat with us should he choose not to accept our generous offer."
Blagojevich is a former amateur boxer, so Angle is convinced Blagojevich, "easily will be able to handle the transition to pro wrestling," Angle said.
The Illinois House of Representatives voted in favor of impeachment by an astounding margin of 114-1. Only 60 votes were needed to push the impeachment forward. The single dissenting vote came from Democratic State Representative Milton Patterson, who represents the Southwest side of Chicago.
Chuck Palumbo speaks on drugs in WWE.
- The latest issue of Power Slam magazine has an interview with Chuck Palumbo that took place five weeks after his release from World Wrestling Entertainment. Palumbo talked about all aspects of his career including how he got into wrestling, his time in WCW, entering WWE and the politics behind the scenes, Billy & Chuck, the Full Blooded Italians, his release from WWE in 2004, the WWE road agent who always buried him, going to Japan, re-signing with WWE in 2006, not being used for a year, how his biker character came about, his program with Jamie Noble, his last days in WWE, and more. Palumbo is also asked if the drug culture in WWE is changing. Here is his response:
Q: Contracted WWE wrestlers when quizzed typically deny that prescription drugs and steroids are an issue in the company. Is the drug culture changing?
A: "I think it is, yeah. It's still there and it will always be there, but it's definitely not as rampant as it was. Now, with drug-testing and suspensions, people are still doing it, people are still getting away with it, but it's nowhere near as bad as it used to be. It'll always be there but, hopefully, it won't be that bad. I hate to see guys (die)… I was close with Curt Hennig, I was close with Eddie Guerrero."
Last episode of SmackDown before Wrestlemania to be live.
- It's now confirmed that WWE Friday Night SmackDown will air live on Friday, April 3rd for the WrestleMania weekend Axxess event in Houston, TX. The show will be WWE's final "go home" episode before WrestleMania 25 that Sunday night. Tickets for Axxess including the Friday night event with SmackDown go on sale this Saturday morning.
Details on ROH's first ever TV tapings.
Ring of Honor will tape their first two shows for HDNet on Saturday, February 28th at 7:30 PM and Sunday, March 1st at 3:00 PM. The promotion will tape both shows from The Arena on 7 Ritner Street in Philadelphia.
Tickets for the 2/28 taping are already on sale over on
rohwrestling.com and tickets for the 3/1 taping will go on sale Wednesday.
Samoa Joe's new look.