Joe's 411: B/R Pro-Wrestling News

Welcome to another Joe's 411: B/R Pro-Wrestling News, we have a big 411 today as I have tons of news you want to know.

The 411 is THE place for wrestling news on the net today. But according to pwtorch.com, B/R is the No. 6 Wrestling News source in the World. However, most of the others are not in English. So I could easily say B/R is #1, but oh well.

And we made that possible, wrestling section, good job guys. Now, let's get to the news.

Triple H and Shawn Michaels' return

Ric Flair's recent return has brought up ratings, which makes it easy to keep both Triple H and Shawn Michaels off RAW. So, they are not scheduled to come back as quickly as anticipated.

Triple H was originally supposed to be back before The Extreme Rules PPV, now word coming out says he will be off RAW for another 4 to 6 weeks. Which would set up a possible match with him and Randy Orton for "The Bash" PPV.

Shawn Michaels is another story, there is not return date for him yet. He was originally scheduled to come back around Summerslam, but now he could be gone longer.

Michaels has reportedly told WWE officials that "he anticipates taking more time off than originally hoped, as he wants to spend time with his children during an age window in which they still want their father around."

Which anyone can understand. I could see him coming back around the Fall personally, maybe before Cyber Sunday. And since he is now wanting an Undertaker-like schedule, he will be able to come back for a little while. Then he can go away for a while and come back around Royal Rumble or Wrestlemania time.

Everyone loves to see him at Wrestlemania, he is Mr. Wrestlemania afterall. So I would assume he would come back around that time and just forget about the Rumble since he would not be winning it anyway.

As The Royal Rumble usually helps to set up a new up-and-comer or put over someone enough to get a World Title at Wrestlemania. We have seen this the past few years, and other than the Undertaker, all needed the win to really get them going.

John Cena especially did because he was just coming back, Batista needed it to put him over enough to be a top name, Randy Orton needed the win to put him and Legacy over and despite the loss he still won the WWE Title anyway and had the best feud of the year so far, and Rey Mysterio needed it to push him enough to win a World Title.

There are countless examples I could go into, but the same thing will remain in the end where Michaels still doesn't win.

So expect Triple H back in a month or so, but do not expect HBK anytime soon unless the WWE can persuade him to come back sooner.

John Cena heel turn

Reports say that an unidentified creative team member suggested a heel turn for John Cena. Saying it could work out considering the amount of faces on the show and the lack of big name heels other than Orton.

It was reported shot down big time by Vince McMahon and he "lit up" the creative member saying it was “foolishly short-sighted.”

Many members of the creative agreed with Vince saying that Cena's face image helps sell tons of merchandise and the short-term benefits for the heel turn were not good enough to risk.

Many members though still liked the idea, but didn't agree with it totally for now. But they thought that it should not be taken off the table for the future, because it would be an idea that they could use down the road.

There are other top faces who have gone heel and still were popular and sold merchandise, also heels sell a good bit too. Orton's merchandise sells almost as good as Cena's.

The Rock went heel, and we all know how over he was with the WWE crowd. Hulk Hogan has been heel in the past, and we all know he is the ultimate face.

So Cena could easily be a heel again even after his huge role as a face for so long. In saying all of this, Cena will not turn heel. But the good thing is that it is not ruled out totally by the creative team.

WWE Superstar Finally gets good reviews

Reports from Road Agents say that Vladimir Kozlov has really improved as a worker. He was criticized for a very long time because he refused to sell moves from other stars, even in his losses.

He is a big man, and very stout. His image made him seem superhuman for a long time and the WWE even had him go on a huge winning streak when he first arrived. They also put him in a WWE Title match too.

He did not suffer his first loss until right before Wrestlemania when he lost against Shawn Michaels.

Kozlov has always been thought off to have potential, but he did arrive to wrestling late. So his overall knowledge off it has been lacking, but he had enough skill to move up because of his knowledge of other fighting styles the WWE liked.

The WWE brought him up because of his skills there, but did not realize he was as bad of a worker as he was until he took on better competetion like Triple H, Undertaker, and Jeff Hardy.

But now he has started to learn and has been doing well on the road in his matches with Finley. This may make his matches more exciting to watch in the future, as they have been dull overall for the longest time.

Ric Flair update

We all know Ric Flair has not hidden his desire to come out of retirement, but now word is that he will most likely be allowed by the WWE to do so.

There is no word on any storylines for him yet, although he is working some spots with Batista and Orton.

He still seeks approval from Vince and HBK, saying he will not wrestle anywhere in North America until he gets their approval first.

He is set to be wrestling 30 dates overseas, Flair said he was considering not doing it. But he has been telling those close to him that the money "is too significant to ignore."

The WWE wants his first match out of retirement to be with them, so I would assume he would wrestle in the near future.

There is word that the unnamed "player" set to be on the face team for the RAW main event could be Flair. But that is not confirmed only rumored.

Flair is set to be there, so it would not be a stretch to think this.

I recently wrote an article on Flair saying I would like to see him back, maybe not wrestling, but doing something with the WWE.

Flair claimes he can wrestle better than 90 percent of the guys there right now. I am not to sure about that personally, as Flair has lose a step from his glory days.

But Flair being a GM or manager could be great to see, not so much wrestling. Maybe every once in a while, but not often.

He is not the first to come out of retirement, take Hogan and Foley for a few examples. So, even though he had such a great send off I see him being allowed to wrestle with the WWE. He is going to do it anyway, why not let the first match back be with them?

I think the WWE is thinking the same way, so be looking for it to happen.

Also another note on Flair is that he has a small contract with the WWE for now, no word on how big it is, but he does have one. So he is not there for free like many think.

So Cal Val's new TNA role

As many TNA fans know, TNA cut loose Sonjay Dutt. This was a big thing in his life, but also for So Cal Val, who was his valet. She left Jay Lethal and became a heel knockout.

The fact they kept her around was weird to me as she has not been considered a wrestler, and I don't remember the last match she was in anyway.

I figured they would release her, but no, they let go of a wrestler and kept a person who does nothing for them. Stupidity is big with TNA now, I'm guessing.

In any case, TNA has finally figured out a role for her. She is will be a backstage interviewer like Jeremy Borash has been.

TNA loves how well Lauren is doing as an interviewer, and will not be replacing her with So Cal Val.

I think it is a bad idea, personally, before she was just standing at ringside for no reason really. She finally went with Jay Lethal and became his valet, then switched to Dutt.

They have a ring announcer who is doing well, so she cannot introduce people. And it would be too overcrowded to be a backstage interviewer because they already have 2 people back there doing well.

I think they will let her do it, and then see how crappy an idea it is and most likely release her. Unless she actually steps into a TNA ring as an active wrestler, which I don't see personally.

The WWE offers special deal to Denver fans

In light of the "Denver Debacle" the WWE has been taking the high road by trying to treat their Denver fans right who had tickets to RAW this Monday.

As many know, the Pepsi Center was double booked by Nuggets' management. The idiots kicked out the WWE who by the way, booked the arena on Aug. 25, 2008.

They even called back a month ago and asked if it was still available, and they were told it would be.

So, Nuggets' management did have the opportunity to say no. But they didn't because I feel the same way Vince McMahon does. And that is, they have no faith in their team.

Now, you cannot blame them. As the Nuggets have not been to the NBA Western Conference Championship since the '80s. So, it was not like we saw this coming a year ago.

But still, booking it the way they did was wrong. The Nuggets could play the following day if you ask me. But no, the WWE was kicked out.

This sort of makes you think, what if you have a reservation at a nice restaurant you made one morning for dinner that night. Hours before you even arrived.

Then you arrive and are told that you reservation is still there. Suddenly a celebrity or another big name person walks in and the restaurant gives them your reservation.

While they are very well known; they can wait. You had the reservation and YOU deserve to be going to your table, not them.

They will pay probably as much as you do, maybe tip as much as you too. Just because they are a big name means nothing.

This is what happened to the WWE. They had the reservation, and they deserve their table.

A game can be pushed to the next day, it is not as if you have another game in the same place. Heck, the Cavs/Magic game is on too. So you get your fix of basketball that day NBA fans.

And Nuggets' fans still get to see their team, only a day or so late. The WWE can go somewhere else for house shows, or go to the next arena they are scheduled for early for the Tuesday tapings.

However, as I mentioned before the rant, the WWE is offering fans a good deal.

The Denver Post is reporting that fans who have purchased tickets for Raw at the Pepsi Center can either get refunds or exchange their tickets for tickets to the WWE house show at the Denver Coliseum on Aug. 7.

The Coliseum is reportedly terrible for TV,  which is why the WWE didn't want to go there for RAW. Many say it has a terrible odor, so fans wouldn't want to be there.

But, if they are going to let them get in for FREE in a way, it is worth it for the WWE fan I guess.

It is a smaller arena too, so many fans will have to get a refund. I feel the WWE will file some sort of suit to get the money back for the ticket refunds from the Nuggets' if they do not give it to them. The WWE had a contract, so it is fair to give them that since you did kick them out.

That is all for the 411 for now. Check out all of them if you have not already.

Also, if you have any questions for the B/R Weekly Wrestling Mailbag you need to let me know before Friday at 8/7c.

I already have a few questions, but, if you want to have yours in their this week you are going to have to let me know before the set time I mentioned above.

You can ask here in a comment, on my profile, or e-mail me at: [e-mail]

Credit: wrestling observer, prowrestling.com, pwrestlingnews.com, prowrestling.net, wrestlingnews.com, wrestlinginc.com, wrestlenewz.com, pwtorch.com, denver post, pwmania.com