Updates on Waltman, Rehab, Foley & Candice

News

Juventud Guerrera stated in a recent radio appearance that Sean Waltman attempted to commit suicide a couple of weeks ago. Waltman apparently tried to hang himself in his Mexico City apartment but was found by his girlfriend Alicia Webb (formerly Ryan Shamrock in WWE), who came home earlier than planned. He had been wrestling for AAA lately and by all accounts was enjoying the experience but he had been battling depression and was very despondent about not getting to see his children. He is currently in a rehab facility in Texas, which is being paid for by WWE after Triple H heard about Waltman’s problems. Kevin Nash checked Waltman into the facility personally, having recently helped Scott Hall into a WWE-sponsored rehab centre in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the father of Webb’s child has pleaded with people to bring his child back from Mexico because of Waltman’s troubles. Waltman, however, has claimed the whole thing was an accident that occurred from mixing alcohol and anti-depressants.

As previously reported, Jake Roberts and Ron Simmons are in the same rehab centre as Hall. Roberts said ”Vince McMahon and the WWE saved my life, plain and simple. Do I like it? The fact is, I don’t. But I am damned sure grateful.” Simmons was sent there by WWE after being found in bad condition backstage at the 29 December Raw tapings.

The two main factors behind WWE severing all ties with OVW were that since so much of their talent and management lived in the Tampa area it made sense to run a developmental territory there, plus with the costs of setting it up running high they had to justify it in a corporate sense by making it the home for all developmental talent. Critics have described FCW, with 70 wrestlers working in a four ring warehouse set-up, as ‘fast food wrestling training’. There was also an issue between the OVW trainers and John Laurinaitis, since he wanted them to have two rings set-up at the same time to increase the possible ring time for each trainee yet they felt it would make it harder to concentrate. WWE has assured OVW they will suppy talent for the summer shows at the Six Flags amusement park.

In an interview with The Sun, Mick Foley said somebody gave him a good idea for a feud with Umaga that he will try to get booked for the summer.

Candice Michelle is not expected back until the end of February as her clavicle injury is taking longer to heal than expected.

Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter, 18 February 2008 (subscribe here)