J.R On Austin/Cyber Sunday, New WWE Employee, iMPACT!, & More
? Here are some of the highlights from Jim Ross' new Cyber Sunday blog over at JrsBarBQ.com that I noted in an earlier post today: Cyber Sunday WWE Title Match: The WWE Title bout delivered and Jeff Hardy getting the popular vote shouldn't have surprised anyone. HHH and Jeff have excellent chemistry and I really enjoyed their wrestling match. Nice ebb and flow, counters, and near falls. Both men, in my view, were elevated after the contest. Some will lament Hardy not winning the title but I am one that thinks the WWE title is still in the cards for the popular young man from North Carolina. R-Truth vs. Shelton Benjamin U.S Title Match: Tazz and I also called the Benjamin-R Truth United States title bout that aired exclusively on WWE.com prior to the PPV. Did you see it? I still say Benjamin is an athletic freak a la Adrian Peterson and I would love to see Shelton continue to up his game. R Truth is gaining in popularity but neither he, nor anyone else on any of the 3 brands, has Benjamin's athleticism. Wrestling is more about athleticism and compelling competition than any thing else in my not so humble opinion. Steve Austin's Return: Stone Cold looked great at 248 pounds and had to fly back to Vancouver right after the PPV to begin work Monday morning at 5 on the film of which he is starring. Steve filmed several fight scenes last week and broke one of his adversary's nose in an especially physical scene. Steve hopes to wrap the film just before Thanksgiving. He is going to try and make an Oklahoma bowl game if schedules permit and my Sooners earn a bowl op.Matt Hardy vs. Evan Bourne Match: Matt Hardy vs. Evan Bourne was memorable to me. Both men worked their backside's off and Bourne definitely upped his stock, which is something I can't say about my own stock portfolio.
? WWE issued the following press release today: Consumer Products Manager Joins WWE? Roster October 27, 2008 LONDON, October 27, 2008 ? World Wrestling Entertainment? (WWE) has appointed Najmie Allette to the position of Manager, International Licensing to work across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC). Based out of WWE's London office, Allette will be responsible for managing and developing relationships with agents and direct licensees across both regions. Under the leadership of Ross Walker, Senior Director, International Consumer Products, Allette will build on the company's strong licensing relationships, work closely with agents to cultivate closer retail alliances and secure promotional programmes. Ross Walker said: "The revenue generated through WWE's consumer products group has nearly doubled over the last two years. Thanks to her grounding at The Football Association in England, Najmie's appointment will ensure that WWE continues to deliver strong results internationally." Before joining WWE, Allette was responsible for developing and delivering the licensing programme for The FA Cup, as well as managing over 25 licensees for The Football Association during her tenure. Additional information on World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to https://www.wwe.com/worldwide/
? As noted earlier, last week's live 2-hour edition of TNA iMPACT! from Las Vegas drew a 1.1 rating. The show peaked with a 1.31 for the final quarter hour, which featured Mick Foley's big announcement that he is now a part-owner of TNA. The show had an average audience of 1.6 million viewers.