Joe's 411: B/R Pro-Wrestling News (July 2, 2009)

Welcome to an all new Joe's 411: B/R Pro-Wrestling News, the July 2, 2009 edition. As always, there is a lot to get to, so lets get started.

Draft News

Many people are wondering why Jack Swagger and Evan Bourne were brought to RAW. This was mainly because the WWE likes them and feels they are similar to CM Punk and Kofi Kingston in that they are good prospects for the future.

The main man behind them going to RAW was none other than Triple H. He feels they can really make the RAW roster better all around. While RAW lost a little bit in the draft, they gained more in Bourne and Swagger, if you ask me.

Swagger was set to be ECW Champion again at The Bash. Instead, the WWE decided to have him go to RAW. The idea has been thrown around for him to join Legacy, despite the fact he is not a second or third generation star.

Randy Orton has said in the past that he wants a big man in the group, to be the enforcer of the faction if you will. The idea at first was to bring in DH Smith from FCW and put him in Legacy. It would work because he was both big, and a second generation star.

The WWE instead decided to put him on ECW to team up with Tyson Kidd to form The Hart Dynasty. So the idea for Legacy was thrown out obviously.

Another idea was to bring up Joe Hennig (son of Curt Hennig) from FCW to have him join the group, which is still likely. However, he has just now come back from injury and is considered more of a babyface than heel.

Hennig is great in the ring, like his father. However, his mic skills are not where they need to be for him to start talking on a brand such as RAW. He could easily be a Batista-like guy, where he does his talking in the ring and not on the mic until he improves.

He would do as he was asked and not ask any questions. Orton wants a big guy, and Hennig is pretty big, so it works. I could easily see him coming up, but just not right now. He was not great coming back to FCW, so he needs to get a bit better before coming up to RAW.

Swagger is the big guy they could use, but again, there is really no Legacy there. So it would be weird to see a group with all the second or third generation stars and then see a guy who is not.

I doubt he will be in Legacy, but he could possibly be a helpful person to the group.

Although Bourne has never won a title in the WWE, it is not that he is not good enough. He is just as skilled in the ring as Jack Swagger and others who were on ECW, yet he was not a guy who could be the face of the brand.

I could see him being a U.S. Champion by the end of the year, but that is only if the WWE wants to use him right. Bourne has exciting matches and a big fan base, so there is no reason to not put some sort of title on him.

I personally believe he was moved to RAW to be able to win titles, not just be another guy to lose to the Cenas, Triple Hs, and Ortons of the show.

TNA update

Taz's no compete clause has officially expired as of yesterday, July 1. He is set to come to TNA at Victory Road, which will be in a few weeks. My only issue with this is his no compete clause.

Taz was not released before his WWE contract expired. So, that would mean that there would not be a no compete clause right? I think, if the contract is no longer valid, and Taz did not resign with them, then there shouldn't be a no compete clause.

Note, he will still be able to use his ringname because he took a "Z" off of it to make it Taz, not the WWE's Tazz. So, the WWE does not own any of the rights to his TNA name. This means TNA can market or make merchandise with his popular ringname.

Roddy Piper Update

It seems one of our favorite men in the business, former WWE Superstar and Hall of Famer Roddy Piper was arrested for a DUI recently. He had to spend the night in jail, and is still in custody as of right now.

He could be out later today with $5,000 bail. If not bailed out, he could be in there a few more days according to reports.

He needs to get out by at least July 6, because he is set to start filming a new movie, "Opponent" on the July 7 in Connecticut. 

Remember Piper, next time call a friend when you've had a little to much to drink.

Batista News

As we all know, Batista was the guest host of RAW this past week. While he was there, he was telling people he was "right on schedule." The return date the WWE wants him to come back at is Survivor Series.

The PPV is set to be in his hometown of Washington, D.C., so I am sure Batista wants to make sure he comes back then too.

He said he would be able to work out in 4-6 weeks. He feels if he rehabs right, and does everything he needs to do, then he could be better than ever.

He has been telling interviewers and fans that this is probably his last run in the WWE. He claimed a few months back that when his contract expires in the Spring of 2010 that he will probably retire.

He said that he does not want to be like others and go too long. He feels like others do go too long, and end up looking terrible. Their bodies are messed up and are unable to even bend over to pick up their kids. Batista does not want that to happen to him.

I can't say I blame him, personally. Also, if you want to leave early, it shouldn't be looked down upon, if you ask me.

Batista wants this next year to be the best he has ever had. He has already won the WWE Title, so will he win another? Not too sure, but he does want this last year to be great for him. We will have to see what he and the WWE have in store.

Kurt Angle update

As we all know Kurt Angle always opens his mouth at the wrong time. And the last time he did, he claimed he was staying in TNA. He was at a house show with TNA and said he would never work for the WWE and Vince McMahon again and wants to sign an extension with TNA.

However, despite saying this last week, he has yet to sign a deal with TNA yet.

It is believed Angle said this to get people off his back and to kill Internet reports about him leaving for the WWE.

The rumor is still out there, and all Angle did was make himself look bad here. Let us think here 411 readers.

If Angle was happy with TNA and was not planning on leaving, wouldn't he have signed some sort of deal with TNA?

His contract is up around September, which is the exact time Mr. Kennedy's and Umaga's no compete clauses expire, mind you.

They could replace Angle star power-wise of course, but not so much wrestling-wise. Angle is one of the best wrestlers in the world today, which not many can dispute.

He is put in many of the top storylines because they know he can wrestle as good as everyone else there, and some are 10 to 15 years younger.

Angle would be a huge loss to TNA, no doubt, but Angle knows the place to be is not in TNA, it's the WWE.

The WWE has offered him a lighter schedule, more money, and possible WWE films projects. Therefore, why would he not go to the WWE?

He may say he is "happy" in TNA. However, I doubt everything he says right now. He may try to pull the wool over our eyes here, but we have to realize that it is only to get people to stop talking about him leaving.

TNA has offered him many deals, which have all been turned down. TNA has offered Angle different deals since last year. So if he wanted to sign, he could have by now.

Angle is fooling no one. Until he signs a deal with TNA, we need to realize he is just trying to kill rumors with everything else he says from now until September.

411 Wrestling Article to Read

I have always enjoyed reading articles here on B/R as much as writing them. As many know, I have well over 3,000 comments on top of over 500 articles. I have noticed, though, that many of these excellent articles are not getting read. So, I decided to put some of the ones I enjoyed here in the 411 article.

Today's article comes from: James Turner

Here is his article: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/210465-edge-chris-jericho-tag-champs-and-future-world-leaders-of-the-wwe

Make sure to check it out!

That is all for the 411 today, make sure you come back next time to read more news and notes from the wrestling world.

credit: ewrestlingnews.com, wrestlingtruth.com, wrestlenewz.com, prowrestling.com, prowrestling.net, pwrestlingnews.com, pwmania.com, pwtorch.com, lordsofpain.com, TMZ.com, UK Sun