Lashley's MMA Debut This Weekend, Snitsky/WWE, New Talent, More

Former WWE Superstar Bobby Lashley will make his Mixed Martial Arts debut this Saturday night in the Mixed Fighting Alliance show at the American Airlines Arena in Miami. Lashley will face Joshua Franklin, a fellow MMA rookie. "It wasn't only about the money in the WWE, I enjoyed the crowds," Lashley told Sun-Sentinel.com. "I know what people are saying. I think I lost some of my credibility as a fighter, wrestler and competitor being in the WWE. I know I have a lot to lose."

As noted earlier, Gene Snitsky was released from WWE. Snitsky had been with WWE since October 2003, when WWE officials sent him to Ohio Valley Wrestling following an impressive RAW dark match. He made his WWE TV debut a year later, wrestling Kane on Monday Night RAW. His bio page has already been removed from WWE.com.

As noted earlier, WWE developmental talent Hade Vansen will be debuting on Smackdown soon. Vansen was signed in 2007, but has unfortunately missed the better part of the year due to a severe knee injury. The company will begin airing video packages for Vansen, who will be portraying a masked character that is apparently similar to Christopher Daniels' "Fallen Angel" gimmick.

The Miami Herald has an interview with WWE's John Cena. In the interview, Cena discusses the recent tour to Iraq as well as the Tribute to the Troops Special, which will air on December 20th.