WWE Executive Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis was at the recent WWE tryouts at Afa’s school in Allentown, PA, and said that WWE was looking into adding developmental territories in both the Northeast as well as the Southeast. PWInsider says that Steve Keirn’s school in Florida has been talked about as a Southeastern possibility. Currently WWE is affiliated with Deep South Wrestling in Georgia and Ohio Valley Wrestling in Louisville, KY, with OVW acting as a step “higher” up the ladder than DSW. CM Punk, recently called to the ECW roster, made his final apperanace as a regular with OVW at the latest TV tapings, and tonight Cryme Tyme will be the latest tag team to be brought up to a main WWE roster from OVW. Additionally, PWInsider reports that OVW’s Ryan Wilson, the former Trytan and Red Shirt Security in TNA, will be getting a look next weekend at the Smackdown house shows in Florida using the ring name “Titus.”
In other news:
– For a list of WWE talent that will be in the Raw vs. Smackdown 2007 video game, click here.
– Randy Orton vs. Carlito has been officially added to the RAW Unforgiven PPV card.
– Last Thursday’s TNA iMPACT! got a 0.8 cable rating with a 1.7 share, according to PWInsider.
– Smackdown preemptions (with new times in parentheses) for this week’s show, from WrestlingObserver.com:
New York (Saturday 8 p.m.)
Los Angeles (Sunday 3 p.m.)
Chicago (Saturday 11:30 p.m.)
Washington DC (Saturday 8 p.m.)
Houston (Saturday 7 p.m.)
Hartford (Saturday 8 p.m.)
Minneapolis (Saturday 7 p.m.)
– JR has posted his first blog at his BBQ site, where he talks about Kurt Angle, warning him to take care of himself first, and not be tempted by offers from UFC-like organizations, etc., apologizes for comments he made about Katrina which may have been seen as insensitive, and talks about the upcoming Brian Pillman DVD.
– Chris Benoit looks to be back in action by next weekend’s house shows, as he is being advertised for the September 9 West Palm Beach, FL, show, according to PWInsider.com.
