In huge news that has been speculated since Congress requested information from TNA Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Insider has reported that TNA head of talent relations Terry Taylor told the wrestlers at a pre-pay-per-view meeting yesterday that the company will be instituting drug testing at the January 21-22 TV tapings in Orlando, FL. PWInsider believes that these will be “baseline” tests (similar to what WWE did in order to determine levels of use that future tests will be compared to). According to the site, TNA talent was receptive to the idea; in fact some expected tests to take place back in October.
In other news:
– On his MySpace blog Samoa Joe gives some awesome tips for people looking to get into the wrestling business.
– On ECW.com, Joey Styles calls Stevie Richards Most Extreme Player of the year due to having five surgeries since October to restore his voice.
– PWInsider.com writes to “expect New Japan Pro Wrestling stars” at the next TNA tapings later this month.
– Latest ratings news: the TNA replay on 12/29 did a 0.5 cable rating, TNA on 1/3 did a 1.1 and ECW on 1/1 did a 1.2, the latter which was the highest-rated show that day on the network (and the only hour that wasn’t The Twilight Zone). (Credit: PWInsider, WrestlingObserver.com, Nielsen Media Research)
– ROH booker Gabe Sapolsky is fine after a car wreck Friday, according to WrestlingObserver.com. His car was hit by a truck after going out of control, and was totaled, but Gabe was fine after getting 18 stitches. We wish him well.
– Okay, this is kinda funny.
– TNA’s now on Bravo in the UK, Saturdays at 9pm.
– Shoot ‘Em Up was released on DVD last week, with Christian Cage as Jay Reso.
– Dan Puder starts with ROH in-ring on January 11 in Boston.
– ROH Champ Nigel McGuinnness still went on his tour of Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan as scheduled. Check out this video.
– Jim Ross clears up how old he REALLY is in his latest blog entry: “For the record, I was born on January 3, 1952 in Fort Bragg, California. That makes me 56 years of age NOT 63 as was erroneously reported on wwe.com this week and may still be on the Raw site at wwe.com.”
– PWInsider.com has reported that Candice Michelle and Bobby Lashley are expected to return from injuries soon, and that Candice attended a recent PWG show in Los Angeles.
– APW’s KAFU apparently signed a WWE developmental deal, says PWInsider.
– Full Impact Pro returns on February 16 in Crystal River, FL with FIP Champ Erick Stevens vs. Roderick Strong main eventing.
– Survivor Series did approximately 340,000 buys in 2007 according to new numbers released by the company, down about 55,000 from the year prior.
– Ashley Masarro returned to WWE during a RAW house show in White Plains, NY. Her return to RAW makes sense, as she’s been romantically tied to Paul London.
– PWInsider.com reports that Vladimir Kozlov and Atlas DaBone from OVW and former Spirit Squad member and Kerwin White (Chavo) caddy Nick Nemeth are on the road with the RAW roster.
– According to the Associated Press, Dr. Phil Astin III (Chris Benoit’s doc) is now allowed to leave his house to work.
– WrestlingObserver.com has reported that AJ Styles’ coach was played by Brother Ernest Angel, a televangelist who has also been a wrestling manager in Memphis.
