Drew McIntyre fired - did Drew violate Wellness Policy?

If you saw Smackdown on Friday night, or read the recent recaps, then you now know Drew McIntyre was fired. The on-air move came from Smackdown GM Theodore Long, but only after he first suspended Drew, then took away his Intercontinental title. Long was using the reprecussions due to the fact McIntyre kept beating up Matt Hardy at ringside and wouldn't stop when ordered to by refs, WWE personnel and then Teddy. Eventually about six WWE staff were required to escort McIntyre out of the arena. McIntyre said Mr. McMahon would hear about this, but maybe he already has?

The speculation over the Drew McIntyre firing seems to be the idea that Drew is the most recent wrestler to violate the WWE Wellness Policy. We've seen at least two other former Intercontinental title holders have to lose the belt due to this, Jeff Hardy and the late Umaga (Eddie Fatu). The WWE's policy states:

"For testing positive the first time, a Talent will be suspended for 30 days without pay. A second positive test results in a 60-day suspension without pay or, if Dr. Black so determines, in-patient care at a substance abuse facility, during which the Talent also will be suspended without pay. A third positive test results in termination."

As far as we all know, this is Drew's first violation of the policy, so that means 30 days off, no pay. However, it also meant he lost the Intercontinental title. The vacated title will now be decided between Kofi Kingston and Christian, both newcomers to Smackdown and both former Intercontinental title holders. My money's on Christian to win, but even if he doesn't, it still leads you to believe that both these guys are in line for the World Title at some point. Christian has a storied resume of titles, while Kofi is still on the rise. Both seem like logical candidates now that Smackdown transferred Edge and Jericho to Raw.

Back to the McIntyre situation though. If he did violate the policy, I believe WWE is required to inform the public of this. Unless they changed that aspect of the policy at some point, they have generally made notice when a wrestler is suspended for violating the policy. We'll have to wait and see if this is the case.

Umaga dead, Eddie Fatu dies at age 36

Former WWE wrestler Eddie Fatu, better known as "Umaga" the "Samoan Bulldozer", is reportedly dead at the young age of 36. Details are still unconfirmed but reports say that Fatu's wife found him in a chair in his Texas home with blood coming out of his nose. At that time he wasn't breathing and was unresponsive. Apparently, he had fallen asleep watching television on 12/3/09 and never woke up. It's believed he died due to a heart attack at this time. One report comes from pwnews.com, which discusses what little is known regarding the death. The internet has been buzzing as fans search for "Umaga dead" and "Eddie Fatu" with no official confirmation other than TNA/UFC star Bobby Lashley's Twitter posts so far (see below).

Reports say Fatu was placed on life support with friends and family being informed of his condition. He was taken off life support earlier Friday afternoon. Many WWE fans will remember Umaga as a multi-time Intercontinental champion who was on the Raw and Smackdown TV shows. He participated in a number of Pay-Per-View events and have famous feuds with Jeff Hardy, Triple H and John Cena. At Wrestlemania several years ago, Umaga was Vince McMahon's representative in a "Hair vs Hair match" against Donald Trump's representative, Bobby Lashley.

It was a Twitter post from current TNA star Lashley, Twitter name: @fightbobby that first alerted many fans and media to the potential passing of Umaga. Lashley's two most recent posts read:

# Please say a prayer for Umaga. http://bit.ly/7J5erQ
about 2 hours ago from Facebook

# Very sad day today. A good friend is gone. http://bit.ly/6c9idw
about 5 hours ago from Facebook

Umaga was released by WWE back in June 2009 after he violated the WWE Wellness Policy, then refused to attend rehab services. His last known wrestling work was with Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair's pro-wrestling tour in Australia.

RIP to Eddie "Umaga" Fatu, age 36, and deepest condolences to all family, friends and fans.

See Umaga's official Wikipedia entry here.

UPDATE: WWE has released the following statement: "WWE would like to express its deepest condolences to Mr Fatu's family, friends and fans on his tragic passing.

"Mr Fatu was under contract with WWE at various time periods and most recently performed under the name Umaga. Mr Fatu's contract was terminated on June 11, 2009."

An article at The Sun UK website has noted that Eddie Fatu's family has confirmed his death.

Umaga's Alumni Page at WWE.com

WWE Suspends Rey Mysterio 30 Days

As reported by WWE.com, current Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio will receive a 30-day suspension for violating the WWE's Wellness Program. This is Mysterio's first official violation of the policy. According to reports, his suspension begins on next Wednesday, September 2, 2009.

From WWE.com:

In accordance with WWE's Wellness Program, effective Wednesday, September 2, Oscar Gutierrez (Rey Mysterio) is suspended for 30 days for a violation of the company’s policy.

This would seem to move Rey Mysterio's Intercontinental Title off him as the suspension would continue through the Breaking Point Pay-Per-View scheduled for September 13, 2009. Currently the #1 Contender for Ziggler's IC title is Dolph Ziggler, but there is no word who he will face at Breaking Point now that Mysterio's been suspended.

Chris Benoit Doctor Sentenced

Some possible justice came in the well-known double murder-suicide case of former WWE star Chris Benoit yesterday. Dr. Phil Astin, the personal doctor for Chris Benoit, was sentenced to 10 years in prison this past Tuesday in Georgia. Astin had plead guilty back in January to a 175-count federal indictment which alleged that he had written illegal drug prescriptions to known drug abusers for many years. Two of Astin's patient's died of drug overdose.

From MSN Foxsports.com:

"I take full responsibility," Astin told U.S. District Judge Jack Camp during a sentencing hearing that lasted more than two hours. "I am sorry I hurt so many lives. I was thinking that I was looking after my patients."

Prosecutors said Chris Benoit, a wrestler for Stamford, Conn.-based World Wrestling Entertainment, and his wife, Nancy, were not the two patients who died.

The 19 patients in the indictment are identified only by their initials because of privacy rules. C.B. and N.B. were among the patients listed, but Assistant U.S. Attorney John Horn would not say whether that referred to the Benoits. Both abused prescription drugs, Horn said.

While the story continues to be sad and a dark spot on the WWE no matter how you look at it, there is some justice here. Hopefully other underhanded doctors will take note and think twice before prescribing illegal drugs to patients, and the WWE will continue to enforce its Wellness Policy better by the day. It's definitely up to an individual to choose whether to take a drug or not, a doctor to choose to prescribe them in a professional manner, and the WWE to keep an eye on how its superstar athletes are being treated medically. WWE has no problems showing slideshow and video stories on WWE.com of how various wrestlers' surgeries play out. In that case they should have no problem performing the highest scrutiny background checks on the doctors working with their sports entertainers.

Congress' WWE Steroid Investigation

This past Friday Representative Henry Waxman (D-California) sent a letter to the Office of National Drug Policy (ONDCP) requesting that its chief, John Walters, continue to "examine steroid use in professional wrestling and take appropriate steps to address this problem."

The Oversight Committee headed by Waxman began investing pro wrestling's drug problem a year ago, as it took a hard look at drug testing policies for both WWE & TNA. In Waxman's letter he suggested that pro wrestling "has a long way to go toward eradicating its doping culture, starting with the woefully inadequate drug testing programs in place."

From NYDailyNews.com:

"In the first year of WWE's testing program, which began in March 2006, 40% of wrestlers tested positive for steroids and other drugs, even after being warned in advance that they were going to be tested," wrote Waxman.

Waxman also detailed how wrestlers who test positive for performance enhancers receive light punishment and can often participate in wrestling events even after steroid violations. The committee investigation also uncovered how easily wrestlers can secure therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) - permission to take banned substances for medical reasons - so they can continue performing while using steroids. When Waxman's staff interviewed Dr. Tracy Ray, a physician contracted by WWE, Ray claimed there was "shadiness in almost every (TUE) case that I've reviewed."

Recently both WWE & Waxman were unavailable for comments regarding the situation. More news to come from this investigation which will surely be an issue for some time within the ranks of pro wrestling, until things can be clearly sorted out and policies better enforced.

Read NYDailyNews.com article "Congress Needles Wrestling" here.

Impact Wrestling also provides the baseline drug testing reports from WWE to Congress, including positive results (no individuals named).

New WWE Champ, Jeff Hardy

Congratulations are truly in order for Smackdown superstar, Jeff Hardy. Hardy captured the WWE title for his first time last night at the 2008 Armageddon PPV. It's been a long road to say the least for WWE superstar Jeff Hardy. Hardy's been treading on thin ice with 2 suspensions for violating the WWE Wellness Policy due to drug issues. He was escorted off a plane months ago by police due to somewhat reckless behavior. There were also the tragic news reports of Jeff losing his home and a dog to a bad fire. He's been involved in the WWE title picture for months, whether on Smackdown or previously Raw. But he was always just barely missing the pin, missing the win. Last night he finally climbed to the top of the mountain winning the title, then climbed to the top of the Armageddon set in victorious, symbolic fashion.

Does Jeff deserve the title right now? Some may question it due to his previous problems. For a while it seemed as if he would never be awarded the WWE title due to his outside issues. After all, Hardy is one bad decision away from permanently ending his WWE career. But Hardy's definitely got wrestling skills and is one of the most extreme, talented superstars in the WWE. Perhaps the WWE realizes that Jeff is a true fan favorite and has legions of fans supporting him, which translates to ratings and merchandise sales. In the past, it was the Chairman's son-in-law, Triple H, receiving the honor and being crowned champ, time after time. Triple H even used Jeff's personal demons as his trash talk leading into their title fights, letting Jeff and the fans know he would never be able to achieve the same success. Last night saw Jeff finally one-up Triple H, and capture the title Hunter has worn so many times.

Right now it seems the Hardys are ruling the WWE, with Matt achieving the ECW title not long ago, and Jeff achieving the WWE title last night. They've been tag champs, Hardcore champions, Matt's been the US Champ, and Jeff's been Intercontinental champ. Now they each have more gold on their resume. It still would have made a much better story to have Jeff win the WWE title at Wrestlemania 25, and maybe Matt win the World Heavyweight. It'd be a historic headline at a historic 25th anniversary event. Still, their success now is deserved, as these two brothers are likely to be future WWE Hall of Famers, perhaps inducted at the same ceremony. For now let's enjoy their success and their roller-coaster ride to fame which has had as many ups and downs as the Ladder matches they've both starred in.

Get full 2008 Armageddon Results and recaps!

3 WWE Superstars on the Ropes

The WWE's current drug policy gives wrestlers three strikes when it comes to drug use. On the first violation it's a 30 day suspension, second violation is 60 days, and on the third offense the wrestler is done with the WWE, forever. Three current WWE superstars are dangerously close to that point of no return, Jeff Hardy, William Regal and ECW's Chavo Guerrero. Each guy has been suspended twice, with Regal being the most recent. Regal of course was given an official "firing" from his position as Raw General Manager just 2 weeks ago, after being defeated by Mr. Kennedy. Jeff Hardy missed Wrestlemania 24 due to his second suspense, and Hardy also seemed to be on the rise in the WWE title picture prior to being sent home.

The latest name to be revealed though as dangerously close to termination is ECW star Chavo Guerrero. Chavo was suspended months ago for his second time during that huge sweeping suspension of 11 wrestlers. However, Chavo made a big comeback, winning the ECW title and now becoming a major heel on the ECW show. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter recently had the following confirmation of Chavo's second suspension.

Unlike the other WWE wrestlers busted in the Signature Pharmacy scandal last fall, they only sat out for 30 days, whereas Guerrero mysteriously sat on the sidelines for just a shade over 60 days. Guerrero was officially suspended on Thursday, August 30 and returned to action on November 3, 2007, which was a Saturday night SmackDown/ECW house show. That was the first scheduled WWE show a wrestler on a 60-day suspension from the August 30th suspensions would have been permitted to appear on. Apparently, Guerrero's first suspension quietly slipped under the radar some time ago and went unreported.

Back in July 2006, after a number of SmackDown stars went down with Wellness related issues the week before the Great American Bash pay-per-view, which caused havoc on the card, Vince McMahon made the decision to not pull future suspendees from television because he didn't want sudden suspensions to ruin his heavily-hyped pay-per-view cards. Instead, future suspensions called for wrestlers to miss a month's worth of downside pay, not to mention their pay-per-view bonus. Also, the suspendees would be pulled from all house shows for a 30-day period. The new rule allowed Randy Orton to wrestle Hulk Hogan at SummerSlam, who was suspended in August 2006 for a Wellness Policy violation (he failed for steroids). Last July, WWE reverted the policy to completely ban suspended talent from television as well in light of the aftermath following the Chris Benoit double-murder/suicide.

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

So now Hardy, Chavo and Regal must try to keep their composure, obey the rules and fight through the issues. It would be unfortunate for any of these guys to slip up and be finished with WWE. They've each had prominent roles on their respective shows. Regal is a longtime wrestling star, while Guerrero and Hardy have well-known family names and starpower. Let's hope the WWE can provide them the necessary help so that they don't find themselves out of the job they love, entertaining WWE fans night in and out.

WWE Suspends Afa Anoai

Just a week or so after WWE Superstar Jeff Hardy was suspended for 60 days (his second violation of WWE policy), wrestler Afa Anoai, a development talent of WWE, was suspended on Thursday, March 20th, 2008.

According to StreetInsider.com:

World Wrestling Entertainment (NYSE: WWE) today announced that, in accordance with its Substance Abuse and Drug Testing Policy, WWE has suspended Afa Anoai, a developmental talent in the WWE farm system (Florida Championship Wrestling), for 30 days for his first violation of the company's policy.

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in developing, producing, licensing, marketing, and selling television and pay-per-view event programming and live events, and consumer products featuring its World Wrestling Entertainment brands worldwide.

WWE Suspends Jeff Hardy 60 Days

This past week's Monday Night Raw saw a surprising change of titles when Chris Jericho defeated Jeff Hardy in an Intercontinental title match. It surprised many fans, but now the reason for the title change is more obvious. According to WWE.com, Jeff has been suspended by the company for 60 days for drug violations. This means Jeff won't be a part of the Money in the Bank Ladder match he had qualified for at Wrestlemania 24 either.

WWE.com reported on March 11th:

STAMFORD, Conn. – In accordance with its Substance Abuse and Drug Testing Policy, WWE has suspended Jeff Hardy for 60 days, for his second violation of the company’s policy.

One more violation could have Jeff no longer on display for the WWE and its fans. In January, Hardy had told Baltimore Sun writer and blogger, Kevin Eck, that he's been wrestling with all sorts of injury and body problems, including chipped bones. Unfortunate for this bright superstar, who seemed to be on the rise. Due to poor choices, Jeff now will sit on the sidelines for 60 days and miss the WWE's biggest Pay Per View of the year, Wrestlemania 24.

What's in Store for WWE 08'?

Some of my favorite moments of 2007 for WWE included Santino Marella's surprise Intercontinental title win, Mr. McMahon's surprise ECW title win, and the emergence of MVP as one of the top heels. You could also throw in Jeff Hardy's surprise victory over Triple H at Armageddon, which many didn't expect. So what might we expect from the WWE in 2008? Here's several thoughts and ideas.

- Expect to see several favorite superstars return back to the ring. Bobby Lashley, Gregory Helms, Candice Michelle, Matt Hardy and Ashley Massaro should be back in 08' and yes, John Cena should be back as well.

- It makes sense that Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder will capture the tag team titles at some point, now that they are aligned with Edge. However you have to wonder if they win it off Miz and Morrison or Jesse and Festus in 2008.

- It wouldn't be surprising to see the Hornswoggle story flipped and someone else revealed as the true McMahon illegitimate son. Mr. Kennedy is one possibility, and HHH is another.

- Many other wrestling analysts and sites have suggested a Hulk Hogan vs. Great Khali match, which doesn't seem out of the question for Wrestlemania 24.

- In a Batista interview, he noted that the winner of this year's Royal Rumble will be granted a title shot from their particular brand, not a choice of which title to compete for.

- Fans here at WWE Characters the Blog voted that Chris Jericho will be holding the WWE title at Wrestlemania 24. Triple H came in second. Many WWE analysts do not expect Randy Orton to be holding the title when the big event rolls around.

- Expect Flair's retirement to come some time in 2008 and possibly the Undertaker's (and Mark Henry's). Both may go out at Wrestlemania 24 which would really make it a special event, but it would be better to see them at WM25.

- Wouldn't it be nice to see more of Maryse in 2008? Her Smackdown promos are good but she could be better as a ringside valet, similar to Cherry who never wrestles.

- Unfortunately, expect to see more suspensions and possible firings, now that the WWE is not playing games with its Wellness Policy. But this will also make the WWE stronger and more respectable.

- MVP should continue to be the longest reigning of champs around, until Matt Hardy returns. Also of note, MVP's bio blurb on the Smackdown superstar page notes "At Judgment Day, MVP won a 2-out-of-3 Falls match in two straight falls to become the United States Champion". Notice the name of his opponent is missing.

Overall, things in WWE should improve in terms of controversy and stories, as more wrestlers return in 2008. Expect a great year!

What do you expect to see happen with the WWE in 2008?

WWE's Top 10 Stories in 2007

For WWE, 2007 was quite the roller coaster ride, with plenty of controversy hitting hard on the pro wrestling industry in general. It's unfortunate and notable that we had several wrestling legends pass way. The Fabolous Moolah, a longtime diva and WWE performer passed away at age 84. There was also Sensational Sherri's death at age 49, and Crush of Demolition fame found dead at age 44. These continued the media discussions of pro wrestling deaths and WWE doing something about it. Despite some of the great suprise moments and matches, it's hard to call this a "good" year for World Wrestling Entertainment, as the top 10 stories almost seem to be dominated by downfall and tragedy. But just as we heard in story #10, "Things are looking up", or so we all hope for 2008...

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Top 10 stories from WWE in 2007:

10) The Son of Vince Saga - Hornswoggle - A story that came about a bit after the whole Vince limo explosion plot. For weeks there was a mystery in which Vince McMahon had been told one of the wrestlers was his illegitimate son. Vince and his staff (Coach) investigated the possibilities and various "flings" Vince had over the years. Vince chuckled about his romps but the last laugh was on him as it was revealed that his son was the under the ring dwelling leprechaun, Hornswoggle. And it makes sense, both are Irish by descent. In recent weeks Vince has tried to pre-occupy his son with "tough love" matches, and Horney's long time pal, Finlay has come to his rescue. However, many fans believe this may be a temporary story as the true son of Vince will later be revealed as Mr. Kennedy or even HHH, leading up to a major push for title contention.

Also see:
Thoughts on Raw & Vince's Son
Hornswoggle is Vince's Son
Hornswoggle, Cruiserweight Champ

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9) Wrestlers Return - Plagued by injuries in 2007, the WWE was on its heels, forced to move titles and try to showcase what it had left. Luckily, 2007 was not totally lost as some of the top superstars on Raw and Smackdown returned back to the ring. Triple H and Rey Mysterio both made for a huge Summerslam return and had comeback victories. The Undertaker returned at Unforgiven, from his injury after a short title reign (following WM23). Shawn Michaels came back on Raw during the past several months. Chris Jericho made a huge return to Raw after being fired. They definitely lent star power to a product in need and that could have possibly lost a lot of ground due to controversy. In 2008 we should see more wrestler returns which will strengthen the brand.

Also see:
HBK Returns on Raw 10.08.07
Undertaker's Unforgiven Return
Summerslam Results 2007
Greatness of the Game

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8) Wrestlemania 23 Rocks Detroit - The "Hair vs. Hair" match was part of the headlining matches at Wrestlemania 23 in Detroit, Michigan. It was a battle of billionaires with Vince McMahon's wrestler Umaga facing Donald Trump's wrestler Bobby Lashley. And special "impartial" guest referee, none other than Vince's long time nemesis, Stone Cold Steve Austin. We all know who won, and we all witnessed a bald Mr. McMahon on Raw trying to hide from his new hairless look. We also saw John Cena successfully defeat HBK in a title contest and the Undertaker extend his win streak to 15-0 at Wrestlemania, as he captured the World Heavyweight title from Batista.

Also see:
Wrestlemania 23 Results
Battle of the Billionaires

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7) Flair Will Keep Wrestling - Wooooo! Flair showed up on Raw's November 26th show and many anticipated he was going to retire. However Flair has no quit in his wrestling body, even at his current age. An all-time wrestling legend, Flair informed the fans he will die in that wrestling ring. Vince McMahon came to the ring to add the stipulation that Flair can keep wrestling as long as he wins. Once Flair loses, he's done. The year is about over and Flair's still at it with a big match against HHH coming on New Year's Eve. How far will the legacy of Flair extend until?

Also see:
When Will Ric Flair's Legacy End?
Flair Reports He's With WWE
3 Stories for 2008

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6) Chris Jericho Returns - It took weeks for the signing to be a done deal, and we saw many cryptic commercial ads during Raw, Smackdown and ECW. Finally, Jericho returned in late November. Y2J made his grand entrance by knocking down a marathon torch runner and interupting the "Torch Passing Ceremony" Randy Orton had planned for himself as WWE champ. Y2J vowed to save the WWE from Orton as well and take back the title. And as we all know a talent and personality like Jericho was greatly needed back in the WWE. Most recently, Jericho has entered a feud with JBL, after the commentator interfered in Y2J's title match with Orton.

Also see:
Can Jericho Save Us?
Y2J = 11.19 Raw

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5) The Vince McMahon Limo Explosion - This story happened this past summer, where Raw's show ended with a "bang" literally. Vince walked through lines of superstars and headed out of the arena to his white limo which was waiting. Vince paused briefly to look back at the arena. As he got into the limo there was a brief pause and then the door shut. An immediate explosion ensued. WWE.com went with the story, publishing video footage of just about everything. A press conference with a "federal investigator" named Daniel Beck. Stories about fans mourning the loss by leaving flowers and gifts at WWE headquarters. And newspaper journalists as well as fans criticized the WWE for such a controversial story. But controversy is nothing new for the WWE. The story was definitely different, and sidelined in lieu of a bigger event which happened not long after.

Also see:
Mr. McMahon's Death Stunt
Is Vince Dead?

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4)Wrestler Injuries The injury bug hit hard in 2007 - Candice Michelle, Mr. Kennedy, Matt Hardy, Lashley, Edge, Undertaker, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio all were out. This coupled with the #2 story of the year hurt the WWE product quite a bit. It's hard enough if your writers aren't doing well with the great talent roster, but even more difficult when major star after major star is sidelined. It's difficult to find a name on the WWE roster who didn't have some sort of injury in 07'. This led to more media discussion of the safety and wellness of WWE talent. In 2008, several of the current sidelined stars should be back and that will definitely give WWE a boost.

Also see:
WWE's Real Injury Problem
Matt Hardy Injury Update
Candice Michelle Injury Update
Lashley Injury Update

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3) John Cena's Injury - It could be included with #4 but this one stands out for the simple fact he had to vacate the WWE title, which he had held for over a year. Cena is a fan-favorite (love or hate him). He was one of the longest reigning WWE champs in the history of the belt. The champ was forced to undergo surgery and Vince McMahon appeared on ECW to inform fans the champ would not be back for up to a year. Randy Orton promptly received the title at the next Pay Per View, lost it, then regained it in the same night. WWE isn't the same without Cena, as many tickets were purchased by fans who wanted to see the superstar in action. Cena aims to be back after Wrestlemania next year and is already rehabbing, but without him the WWE is at a loss.

Also see:
John Cena Injured, Title Vacant
Cena Injured During Raw
Cena Speaks About CNN

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2) WWE Suspensions - A sweeping round of supsensions occurred as WWE knew it was facing a Congressional info request into its Wellness Policy. WWE had to show the world and the media that it was doing all it can to protect its wrestlers and that drug use is not going to be tolerated. So 12 men were suspended within 2 days and the media had a field day with it. The names were never "officially" released, but speculation was made easier by a report of wrestlers linked to the Signature drug company. Also, disappearances and title changes made for further evidence of who was not to be a part of the WWE for a month or so. And the worst happened as Chris Masters and Eugene were among those who were canned from the WWE. King Booker left over his suspension. And speculation continues as the WWE works to clean up its act. Congress is also involved as it made a formal request for WWE records, so that they can examine wrestling policies. Along with story #1, this made times rocky and extremely controversial for WWE in 2007.

Also see:

The 11th WWE Suspension
WWE Suspends 10 Performers
WWE Suspension Info Links
Chris Masters & DH Smith Suspended

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1) Chris Benoit Tragedy - There's no arguing this one. No story in the professional wrestling world was bigger than this in the past year. It in fact spawned story #2 as controversy over WWE steroid use followed. Media reported on it like crazy, looking for the obvious "attack the WWE" angle. Wrestlers were profiled in interviews. Fingers pointed and names named. The Congress even decided to get involved. But this didn't come about until after the heinous crimes perpetrated by former WWE star, Chris Benoit. The double murder suicide occurred in June 2007 this year and things were far from the same after it. Not only that but it happened around the time of the Vince McMahon death in a Limo explosion story, causing the WWE to briefly sideline the story.

The craziest part of this shocking real story is up until that point everyone knew Benoit as the constant hardworking professional and family man. Described as a nice guy and not very talkative, but always wanting to please the fans. A friend of mine met him several weeks before at a gym and shook Benoit's hand, and said he seemed like a nice guy in person. The incident caused such a range of emotions in all of the WWE fans. First was the surprise of Benoit not showing up for a title match at a Pay Per View. Then the somber Raw memorial show of 3 hours dedicated to Benoit after his death was announced. And then the worst, the announcement that Benoit had committed the horrible acts. Vince McMahon and the WWE erased his wrestling status from their books while fans continued to struggle with it all. And the media took off with the stories and accusations.

So did Benoit have the mentality of an Alzheimer's patient? Did he fly into a crazy rage induced by steroids? The real reasons behind why Benoit snapped may never be known, but this definitely turned the wrestling world upside down and inside out in 2007 as it created more controversy.

Also see:

The Chris Benoit Tragedy - Squidoo page
Benoit Diary Revelations
Benoit is No Hero
WWE Press Release on Benoit
Benoit Autopsy Results
WWE Releases Benoit Update

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Those are our top 10 stories for the year of 2007 in World Wrestling Entertainment. While not all are pretty and some are very controversial, it is what has shaped the brand from here out. Smackdown and ECW continue their unity, and Raw will be heading towards its 16th year in January! We have former, present and new superstars on their way back as well. Here's looking forward to a 2008 full of amazing things for the WWE and all of its great fans!

Also see recap of Smackdown - WWE's Top 5 Matches of 2007

USA Today Examines WWE

CNN had a televisted report over a week ago taking a look at mostly the Chris Benoit incident and the pro wrestling lifestyle. Now USA Today has a November 19th article discussing the WWE and all its issues. At the heart of the article are the usual suspects; steroid use, the grueling physically demanding schedule and whether or not WWE is doing enough to protect wrestlers.

The article discusses the fact that WWE may be appearing in Congressional hearings as early as December. The hearings may determine if WWE has done and is doing enough to ensure for the safety of its performers.

Here's a few highlights from the article:

- The WWE, which employs about 160 wrestlers, has suspended 30 under the drug-testing component of its Talent Wellness Program since it began in February 2006.

- Most WWE performers make $100,000 a year — only a few earn more than $1 million — but a vast majority of pro wrestlers make less than $50,000.

- The circumstances of the Benoit case are what got the attention of the powerful House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Waxman says. His committee, and that of Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., chair of the House Energy subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection, could consider a number of actions, including government regulation of pro wrestling, which is considered an entertainment industry.

You can read the full article here at USA Today, which has commentary from former and present wrestlers such as Marc Mero and CM Punk as well as various medical experts and wrestling insiders.

WWE Defends John Cena's Image

It appears the WWE has fired back about the way flagship star, John Cena was portrayed on the recent CNN piece, "Death Grip: Inside Pro Wrestling". Apparently CNN edited Cena's interview to best fit their report. In the 33 seconds of footage that was shown during CNN's report, John Cena addresses the question of whether he has used steroids or not. CNN states prior to Cena's comments that the steroid question is one Cena hates being asked. Cena says, "this is a crazy question, and something that is tough to answer because of how society it is now". Cena also says "I can't tell you that I haven't, but you'll never be able to prove that I have", and that's all that is really shown of Cena's remarks.

The unedited interview footage on WWE.com shows the full interview of about 42 minutes. Cena discusses idolizing Hulk Hogan when he was growing up and how it feels to be idolized himself now. He also discusses starting out as a football player and bodybuilder, then discovered wrestling. The interviewer asks John Cena "have you ever used steroids?" and Cena responds definitively with "Absolutely not". Then Cena's other comments come into play about the steroid controversy. Cena says since he was a small child he's "worked his ass off" to get to this point and it kills him to be sitting there discussing steroids. Cena said he has a "God-given gift of unnatural strength". Cena went on to say its not just a sports entertainment issue but more of an accessibility issue, where kids grow up thinking the quick fix to improving athletic ability is through drugs. Cena also said he wants to be viewed as a "top Hollywood entertainer and a all-pro athlete". Cena also discusses how to address the issue and the WWE Wellness Policy.

From WWE.com:

"In a country in which the news media is highly suspect, and the quality of unbiased reporting has been thrown into the trash can, CNN has stooped to new depths. Notwithstanding the fairness, or lack therein, of CNN’s recent piece entitled “Death Grip: Inside Pro Wrestling,” perhaps the best example of how CNN misrepresents and unfairly presents their biased, if not illegal, point of view is the comparison of WWE’s unedited video above to CNN’s edited version. CNN’s depiction of John Cena as it relates to steroids is not only professionally and morally wrong, but damaging to his character."

You can watch the video footage of the unedited Cena interview here.

CNN's "Death Grip - Inside Pro Wrestling"

CNN featured a special look at WWE's pro wrestling called "Death Grip - Inside Pro Wrestling" on Wednesday night (11/7/07). The show included discussions of the Chris Benoit tragedy, early wrestler deaths, the Wellness policy and more. Featured on the show were Vince and Linda McMahon, Michael Benoit (Chris' father), Dynamite Kid, CM Punk, Chris Kanyon, Chris Nowitski and more. Here's some of the points and concepts highlighted.

- The "Wrestling Babylon" author appeared to discuss there are just a few top slots available in wrestling to really take care of one's family and prepare for retirement.

- Chris Kanyon, Chris Jericho and The Patriot were each shown in separate interviews discussing the issues associated with wrestling. Jericho discussed that you can use charisma, personality and wrestling skill to make it as well and don't need drugs to make it in wrestling. Others had a different take saying WWE has built its performers into these behemoths and they need steroids and enhancing drugs to get that physical appearance.

- Chris Kanyon discussed how he nearly died after taking 50 sleeping pills one night but considers himself a survivor from pro wrestling's drug problems. Kanyon said he and Benoit were always trying to figure out how they could make the matches look better.

- Chris Benoit's early childhood saw his dad buying him weights and Chris constantly working on his physique, since age 13. Chris' early idol was "Dynamite Kid" and his dad would drive him 3 hours to watch him wrestle. Chris' dad believes he played a part in his son's downfall by helping him idolize a wrestler like Dynamite Kid.

- The Dynamite Kid, Tom Billington, was part of the legendary British Bulldogs tag team. According to the CNN depictions, Billington became a monster to his wife and 3 week old baby due to his issues from wrestling problems, such as pain from injuries and steroid use. His wife nearly killed herself and children over it all but stopped "because she couldn't guarantee they'd all die". Billington used tons of steroids including "horse steroids" and later became addicted to painkillers for his back, shoulder and legs. At age 48 he is now living in public housing and confined to a wheelchair as he has lost the use of his legs.

- Former WWE star, Chris Nowinski's "Sports Legacy Institute" was discussed. Nowinski made a call to Chris Benoit's dad to obtain a piece of Chris Benoit's brain for study. It was determined Benoit's brain was equivalent of a 85 year old Alzheimer's patient, and Chris became brain damaged due to in-ring concussions. Vince McMahon contends that Benoit wouldn't have been able to wrestle or even go to the airport if that were the case, and says these facts have not been proven or critiqued by other scientists even.

- CNN discussed Eddie Guerrero's death, and his abuse and use of steroids and narcotics,which resulted in his death before age 40. Chris Benoit's dad also read parts of Benoit's diary in which he began writing strange dreams and other observations after Eddie's death. They say Benoit's father believes this is when his son started to go crazy. It was also said a 10 month supply of anabolic steroids was prescribed every 3-4 weeks to Benoit at one point during his career.

- Dr. Gary Wadler an expert in steroids, drugs, etc and longtime critic of Vince McMahon was shown. He discussed idea of cleaning up the WWE with a better drug testing program. Also shown was a Colorado Springs US anti-doping agency with random athlete drug tests. The center's policy is caught once, you get suspended, caught twice you have the possibility to be banned from your sport for life.

- The WWE Wellness Program was discussed. Vince said back in the day, the WWF/WWE had trouble funding a program of this nature in the past and had to stop it as they were competing with other wrestling companies. Since the policy was started in 2006, revision 30 wrestlers have been suspended. AEGIS and Dr. Black were brought in to clean up the WWE's act with drug testing. Four random urine tests are given to a wrestler during each year with no early warning. Black determines if any drug used by a wrestler is necessary for medical use. Black says over time you will see healthier wrestlers in the ring as a result of this new policy and testing. A former "anonymous" employee says you will most likely see smaller wrestlers causing the WWE business to suffer because it is accustomed to huge superstars.

Vince said it was the right time to start the Wellness Program because he had the funds to do it. Vince said no sports organization in the world can call itself "completely drug free". List of names including Benoit lead to suspensions. Benoit test in April and was "clean". Autopsy results show Benoit had steroids at time of his death. Wellness involves cardio- heart tests and drug alcohol rehab and services. Vince discussed individuals being responsible for their actions.

- CM Punk (Phil Brooks), was shown on CNN, and it was discussed how he is a smaller wrestler billed as "straight edge". Becoming a big star who doesn't smoke drink or do drugs. Punk's clean life stands out in this time of controversy and he was asked if he's being used by the WWE to pitch its "clean stars". Punk discussed the bad circumstances and how he was around at the right time to now achieve success.

- CNN discussed a flagship WWE star, John Cena recovering from injury. Cena was shown in a sling and defended the fact he doesn't use steroids. Cena said that due to the way the media has been and the controversy "he can't say he hasn't used steroids", but "you'll never be able to prove I have".

- The special report ended with Benoit's father, Michael delivering a message to Vince McMahon: Let's do something meaningful and show concern for those who currently work for WWE.

Read a full transcript of the McMahons Interview with CNN

McMahons on CNN & The Rock's SNL

Vince and Linda McMahon gave a very candid interview to CNN's Drew Griffin regarding World Wrestling Entertainment. The main focus of the interview was the Chris Benoit situation, how it has affected the McMahon's and wrestling, The WWE's Wellness Policy and all the controversy regarding the wrestling business. Here's an excerpt:

"GRIFFIN: ...You know, we're here to talk about Chris Benoit, and I will talk about it, but right now, are you in a crisis mode here, or is this another hurdle you guys have to jump over? You're on the hot seat, right? You're on the hot seat right now?

VINCE McMAHON: To a certain extent, but in no way is this a crisis mode. With Chris Benoit's death, and the fact that no one in our organization or anyone who ever met Chris thought he was capable of murdering his family, from an emotional standpoint you can say that's a crisis because it has affected everyone in the WWE including our fans, as well as obviously those in the organization and those who were friends of Chris'.

There's an emotional scar that will always be there. But from the standpoint of a crisis, this is not a crisis in terms of business as such. Our business has not fallen off in any conceivable way from a financial standpoint. Again, notwithstanding we all are trying to recovery from the emotionality of this."

The interview discusses the Benoit situation in great depth, how WWE's Wellness program is set up and much, much more.

Read the full Transcript of McMahons on CNN interview

Watch the video of McMahons on CNN interview

CNN will also feature a show at 8PM EST on Wednesday (11/07) discussing the popular topic of "Early Wrestler Deaths" and the controversies of the wrestling industry.

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In TV news, Saturday Night Live, which was scheduled to be hosted by The Rock this Saturday and feature music guest Amy Winehouse, has been canceled due to the writer's strike. Both NBC and SNL creator Lorne Michaels have now stated that the show will not take place.

The Rock already fears the worst: "I know I'm not gonna do Saturday Night Live now. I was supposed to do it November 10."

But the wrestler-turned-movie star holds no grudges: "It's fine, no big deal, the most important thing is that the writers and everyone come to an agreement." (Source: Wrestlingtruth.com and Irelandonline.com)

There has been speculation on a few other sites that the writers' strike may in fact help WWE though. Some have mentioned that a network such as NBC might buy more WWE type programs to run while they are out of new material for hit shows.

The WWE's Real Injury Problem

This past Monday night's WWE Raw show featured a "Best 2 of 3" falls match with Candice Michelle challenging the Women's champ, Beth Phoenix, for her title. Beth easily captured Fall #1 after using her finishing move on Candice. These 2 of 3 falls matches usually see each competitor take a win to tie it up at 1-1. It was likely that Candice was going to win Fall #2, but she had an unfortunate mishap. Candice got up on the ropes preparing to do a move, and Beth Phoenix ran to the ropes to shake them. Candice accidentally lost her footing, slipping on the ropes and coming down bad on her neck/head. Beth Phoenix seemed to drag a lifeless Candice into the ring for her second straight pinfall. After she captured fall #2, the medical staff and WWE personnel descended on the ring to attend to Candice. The match was most likely scheduled to run longer but WWE covered the injury situation. It was far from a fake injury, as WWE.com later reported Candice suffered a broken clavicle and is now out 4-6 weeks. There is a YouTube video of the unfortunate fall here.

There seems to be a lot of "high-risk" moves being done on a constant basis in WWE. For example, guys diving over the top ropes. They either land on or next to their opponent, or the opponent moves away and the person falls to the outside. On Tuesday's ECW, Elijah Burke ran at Nunzio who was laying face down against the middle rope. Burke jumped on his back, then slid over him out through the ropes, but basically grazed over Nunzio's neck. When the neck/spine becomes involved in high risk moves, it's a dangerous thing. It's what really cut Stone Cold's in-ring career down and caused him backstage problems with WWE, as he never recovered properly from chronic knee and neck injuries.

While the wrestlers train a lot and there are mats outside the ring to break their falls, the hits/crashes certainly add up and can cause damage. Bottom line is these guys and girls are putting their health on the line constantly, and WWE really should wisen up, especially with the injuries we've seen, and the scrutiny over "Wellness". Jason Powell over at PWTorch even suggests WWE should revise its match policy, having the ref immediately stop a match should a real injury occur, which makes total sense. Having Beth Phoenix drag a limp Candice Michelle from the ring corner after a neck injury is not the smartest of ideas.

So is WWE pushing the performers too far or do the wrestlers have a choice? Many of the top name superstars have seen injuries which kept them out of action for months. It's a who's who list of the best in pro wrestling: Undertaker, Rey Mysterio, Mr. Kennedy, Bobby Lashley, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Stone Cold Steve Austin and most recently, John Cena. Several of these guys are older such as HBK and Undertaker, but Cena and Lashley are relatively young. WWE wrestlers are constantly performing for crowds, whether it be at Raw, Smackdown, ECW, Pay Per Views or House shows that aren't televised. Many articles have looked at the concept of lessening the work schedule for WWE performers. There's no need to be at constant health risk, which then increases the need for painkillers, prescription meds, or non-prescription meds. Yes it is a chosen way of life for wrestlers, but they should have a safe work environment.

This topic will most likely be visited and re-visited by WWE fans and analysts alike, because although many say WWE is not a sport, it involves more contact on a constant basis than NBA, NHL or the NFL. The Candice injury was an accident, but as mentioned in this article, WWE has seen a lot of these, and you'd have to think it goes back to constant performance. While fans may love the hardnosed, high-flying and high-risk action, I think most fans would rather see their favorites in action instead of sitting out for months or a year with a serious injury.

WWE Will Pay for Stars Rehab

In recent news, Vince McMahon and the WWE have added new offers to pay for any past or present WWE employees to get drug rehabilitation. This move comes not too far ahead of WWE preparing to face US Congress and discuss its Wellness program as well as the early deaths of various superstars.

From the Sun UK:

Author Scott E Williams, who has just completed a book on the Chris Benoit murders and the reaction to them, has applauded the WWE's decision.

He said: "Pro wrestling has historically been a business in which promoters use wrestlers for as long as they can make money and then discard them for the next big thing, leaving the previous big thing to deal with health and other problems on his own.

"WWE's rehab announcement is a welcome about-face."

"For all the scorn he has received - much of which he has earned - Vince McMahon is not the devil and any steps toward handling the drug and health issues in his company, while overdue, deserve measured applause."

Full article here

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It's true Vince isn't quite the devil. Without his performers around, he wouldn't have a successful WWE product. While it's great to see Vince McMahon finally taking these steps to clean up the WWE and assist his wrestlers, US Congress and the Albany New York prosecutor's office also have played a big part in getting the ball rolling. Add that to all the media scrutiny, and the pressure is too great for Vince to ignore doing these things to protect his stars and his business.

USA Today/Nightline on WWE & Benoit

ABC's Nightline had an opening story Thursday night discussing the recent Chris Benoit brain tests with doctors and others presenting the idea that concussions influenced Benoit's actions in the double-murder suicide. Benoit's father, Michael, appeared as well as former WWE star, Christopher Nowinski. Nowinski discussed the similarities in the brain scans of Benoit's brain as well as four NFL players who had committed suicide. He said when he heard about the bibles Benoit had placed near each body it raised red flags because several of the NFL players who committed suicide had also become religious before their deaths.

View online vide of interview with Michael Benoit.

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USA Today has an article discussing the prevalence & abuse of steroids within professional wrestling and discusses how the WWE may finally be taking action to fix its problems. It also discusses how this may just be a move by WWE to prepare for its upcoming Congressional hearings. Read the full USA Today story here.

WWE News and Notes

Congratulations to Mike Timpson of Los Angeles, who has been named the WWE's biggest fan. Mike is now $25,000 richer, thanks in part to the three Superstar judges, WWE Champion John Cena, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Batista.

From WWE.com:

"Following his celebration, Timpson discussed his money-making moment. “Doing the video was really a labor of love for a WWE product I have been watching for more than thirty years,” he said. “It was a real pleasure to get the thumbs up from Cena, Batista and Stone Cold. There were so many great videos from the 14 others, and to win was just one of those 'wow' moments.” Timpson continued, “I really want to say thank you to everyone in WWE for everything they do for us fans.”"

Full story here.

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Chris Benoit is again making the top news stories, this time with discussion that concussions damaged his brain severely and may have driven him to commit the violent double murder-suicide a few months ago. The latest news involves Benoit's father making test results on Chris Benoit's brain known to the public. Protein deposits shown on the scans indicate his brain is comparable to that of a Alzheimer patient. Reports are saying Benoit suffered from Dementia due to multiple concussions during his wrestling career.

According to ESPN.com:

"Benoit's brain showed the same degenerative processes that doctors working for the institute found in the brains of three men who had played pro football and committed suicide, Cantu said. There were abnormal protein deposits caused by trauma to Benoit's brain, Cantu said."

The ABC News site has images available comparing a normal, healthy brain to that of Benoit's. Click here for the story. ABC also aired a report on this during its Wednesday evening edition of "Nightline".

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WWE has also entered into a new venture with Microsoft to deliver a unique video experience for fans on WWE.com. From WWE corporate:

"World Wrestling Entertainment® is working with Microsoft Corp. to develop a new, cutting edge interactive video experience at WWE.com based on the Microsoft Silverlight cross-browser, cross-platform interactive plug-in. WWE will make this interactive video player the primary front-end tool for delivering all streaming video, as well as providing a rich and compelling “web 2.0” experience to the WWE fan nation. WWE.com currently attracts more than 20 million unique visitors and streams more than 40 million videos each month."

Click here for the full WWE Press release.

Rumored WWE Suspensions List

The WWE announced it suspended 10 of its performers this past Thursday night, August 30, 2007. An 11th suspension was acknowledged the next day by WWE attorney, Jerry McDevitt. WWE said the suspensions were based on information received from the Albany County, N.Y., district attorney's office. Jerry McDevitt also stated the suspensions were due to wrestlers buying human growth hormones.

Suspensions under the WWE Wellness Program are for 30 days without pay for a 1st offense and 60 days for the 2nd offense. A 3rd offense results in termination. According to various sources the majority of the suspensions given were for 30 days with one wrestler receiving a 60 day.

No official list of names has been released by WWE. A Sports Illustrated article listed 14 names of wrestlers who had received some kind of steroids, human growth hormone or other performance enhancing drug from a pair of facilities in Florida that were raided by federal authorities as part of a government investigation. (3 of the names: Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero and Brian "Crush" Adams are deceased. Sylvain Grenier had been released by WWE.)

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List of 10 Rumored WWE Suspensions:

Ken "Mr. Kennedy" Anderson
Mike "Simon Dean" Bucci - released by WWE
Adam "Edge" Copeland
Edward "Umaga" Fatu
Shoichi Funaki
Chavo Guerrero
Charles Haas, Jr.
Shane "Gregory" Helms
John "Morrison" Hennignan (Johnny Nitro)
Darren "William Regal" Matthews

The 11th suspended wrestler could potentially be Robert "Booker T" Huffman, Anthony Carelli (Santino Marella), or Chris "Masters" Mordetsky, whose names have also been rumored as suspended by various sites. Eugene and Cryme Tyme were recently released by WWE, but have not been mentioned amongst the suspended names.

Randy Orton was mentioned originally as amongst the various suspended wrestlers but appears not to be at this point. David "Batista" Bautista was also rumored by sites but does not appear to be amongst those suspended. Both wrestlers were recently announced as being a part of the Unforgiven Pay Per View card, scheduled for September 16.

The WWE or Albany County, N.Y., district attorney's office have neither confirmed nor denied that any of these wrestlers are suspended. As you can see from the above info, rumors and speculation can only continue to fly without any official list of names released by WWE, making it difficult to pin down all of the names.

The Sports Illustrated article, "Fourteen wrestlers tied to pipeline" documents the various purchases of the names on their list for more information.

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PWTorch has also reported that WWE has added marijuana as a banned substance for its performers:

"WWE has told it's wrestlers that marijuana is now a banned substance and will not be treated as a drug that is in the same class of other banned drugs. Instead of a suspension if tested positive there will only be a fine of a $1000 and this also does not count as a 'strike' in the '3 strikes' rule."