Backstage Smackdown Update

News

Mistico is scheduled for a try-out match at the next Smackdown tapings, even though CMLL are trying to block him leaving. They sent out a press release saying he was not joining WWE and would not have even one match with them. There are also visa issues that might stop him working in California, which could lead to his tryout match being delayed to one of the Mexican dates. CMLL are also threatening to cut down on his bookings even though Mistico is their biggest draw. It is believed that they own the rights to the name and gimmick. They are threatening to blackball Mistico to make an example of him if he went to WWE, which led to him cancelling a meeting with WWE as he was scared of the consequences. Mistico makes good money with CMLL but nowhere near the level of WWE stars, who don’t have to work the crazy schedule he does, including four shows every Sunday. He would also need to learn the locker room ettiquette of WWE, English for promos, the USA style of working, and would no longer be anywhere near the level on the card he currently occupies. CMLL owns most of the buildings it promotes in and so can afford smaller crowds than most, but if they lose Mistico and/or Perro Aguayo Jr then all their future booking plans will need to be changed. WWE’s push to get new Latino stars is about getting things in place for ten years from now, when the Hispanic population base will be even stronger, particularly since the Mexican fan base per capita is already far bigger fans than the English fan base. The Mexican-Americans in the south-west have already established the area as WWE’s best region over the past few years.

Plans are being made to turn Ken Kennedy face in the coming months. The company believes he will be able to get over even more by turning, a decision spurred on largely due to the reaction he received at the Royal Rumble. A lot of people were concerned that the crowd would turn on Bobby Lashley during his match with Kennedy at No Way Out.

It seems that JBL genuinely does not like Charles Robinson because Robinson does not drink, which, in the perpetual high school world view of Bradshaw, makes him less of a man. JBL is not expected to work a match at WrestleMania this year. He is claiming that he will run for Senator or Governor of Texas sometime between 2012 and 2018.

Jillian Hall’s terrible singer character, an idea belonging to Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, is in fact meant to be a spoof of Brooke Hogan.

There is major heat between Vampiro and Rikishi, with the latter losing his gig as the head of everything in Italy’s NWE promotion in favour of the former. Vampiro used promises of getting guys worlwide exposure on MTV as a means of getting the spot.

Credit: Wrestling Observer newsletter (click here for subscription information)