[Emperor Smeat]

Dirtsheets sponsored by future WWE Hall of Famer Heath Slater:

WWE.com posted a new poll asking which current WWE star is a future WWE Hall of Famer; the list includes both Superstars and Divas. Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Alberto Del Rio, Sheamus, Ryback, Dean Ambrose, Kevin Owens, Charlotte, Paige, Nikki Bella, Dolph Ziggler, Heath Slater, and Brie Bella are the choices. At this time, Rollins leads with 34 percent of the vote, followed by Roman Reigns and Heath Slater.

Originally Posted by Observer At press time, John Cena confirmed that he will be undergoing shoulder surgery on 1/7. The injury is believed to be either a torn labium or a torn rotator cuff ... When Seth Rollins went down with knee surgery, the WrestleMania plan was for Roman Reigns defending the WWE title against Cena. We do know that plan had changed and a new card had been made with different matches for both men, although because the company is so sensitive, nobody would confirm anything past that. The only other details we have is that Cena wanted the surgery done as soon as possible. He had been having nagging shoulder problems and it had gotten worse while training. Cena has been known to make remarkable and what are almost thought to be physically impossible comebacks from surgeries in the past. The change in training methods, focusing on heavy power lifts and heavy Olympic lifting by WWE performers has resulted in a huge increase in shoulder injuries, with Randy Orton and Dustin Runnels the key ones not participating in those kinds of workouts, like Cena, Cesaro, Hideo Itami, Mojo Rawley, Clayton Jack and Sami Zayn among others.

Observer might have revealed what could be the key source behind the recent string of injuries in the WWE. Majority seem to be based on the new training system being used in the WWE or by wrestlers themselves.

Originally Posted by PWI In an update on AJ Styles, IWGP Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura, Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows possibly signing with WWE, PWInsider reports that the two sides have not officially spoken and due to some of their contract status, there is major concern within WWE about what might be considered contract tampering. However, Nakamura reportedly reached out to WWE about a possible deal a year ago. WWE didn't respond until last year's WrestleKingdom show and Nakamura had already signed a one-year deal with New Japan Pro Wrestling. As of today, none of the four have signed deals yet and the only two that are legally able to do so right now are Styles and Gallows, but they still have to take and pass WWE's medical & physical exams. It's believed there has been communication between at least Gallows, Styles and WWE ... PWInsider also confirmed the reports that WWE is also in talks with NJPW star Rocky Romero but they couldn't confirm whether or not he's being looked at as a performer or a coach.

Bunch of conflicting reports regarding the situation with Observer, F4W and Japanese media saying official talks and deals have happened and PWI saying it hasn't yet. Only thing that seems to be agreed right now is no actual contracts have been signed as of yet.

Originally Posted by Observer WWE was hoping and planning to debut Styles as one of the surprise entrants in the Royal Rumble on 1/24 in Orlando, figuring he’d get a huge reaction from that audience. That could change, given the word is out. WWE was hoping it could pull off a surprise like it did when Alberto Del Rio, the champion from AAA, showed up to face John Cena on 10/25 in Los Angeles, and obviously that’s not happening. After we had reported the story, it grew so big that WWE even acknowledged it on 1/5, doing a story on the rumors and stating that HHH declined to comment on the story, as opposed to denying it.

Observer on one of the possible Rumble plans the WWE was considering with the talent raid.

Originally Posted by Observer Anderson had been negotiating with TNA. The hold up had been that he was looking to continue to work for New Japan, a tricky political move since New Japan works with ROH in North America and ROH and TNA are considered rivals. But WWE must have made a serious offer to him at the last minute, likely aware that he would be just about ready to ink a new one-year deal. The belief is WWE is interested in marketing “Balor Club” T-shirts after the worldwide success of the “Bullet Club” T-shirts (New Japan had a worldwide trademark for Bullet Club) ...

Update regarding why Anderson likely picked the WWE over TNA and him being more likely to stay in NJPW had no WWE offer been made.

Originally Posted by Observer Nakamura was a surprise because no Japanese wrestler at his level has ever left the home company to sign with a U.S. promotion. Even when WCW was paying out huge money, Keiji Muto and Masahiro Chono stuck with New Japan (although they were making huge money in Japan at the time). WWE had been after Nakamura for months. While KENTA was NOAH’s top star and left, NOAH at the time was a dying company and KENTA (now Hideo Itami) had always had the goal to make it in WWE and was running out of time due to age. Nakamura would be similar except New Japan, while past its peak, is still a vibrant, healthy company and he was a genuine superstar past the small promotion level. Nakamura was also working for a major corporation, Bushiroad, the parent company of New Japan, with an owner, Takaaki Kidani, who had publicly said their competition was WWE & UFC and their goal was to become a worldwide power. Kidani had also in the past talked about how it was inevitable that they may have to pay up to $1 million per year for their top three guys to keep them from inevitably going to WWE. However, Nakamura wasn’t making anywhere close to that. WWE would have had to have made a significant financial commitment to get him. It’s not just offering more money than he is currently earning, but Nakamura would have tremendous long-term job security provided New Japan stays healthy as a company. New Japan continues to use wrestlers like Manabu Nakanishi and Hiroyoshi Tenzan, who can’t do much anymore, because the company does have more loyalty to talent than most companies. When his body gives out, he probably, with his charisma, could continue in a toned down lower card role in multiple person matches for more than a decade, and on occasion, get some nostalgia runs. But in leaving, that company loyalty situation changes. Still, if it doesn’t work out, he would be accepted back and it would be a big return. But there is the writing on the wall. New Japan had a great comeback, tripling business over a few year period. But they peaked with last year’s Tokyo Dome and Dominion shows, and look to be starting a period where they’ll be paying for the lack of developing new stars. WWE is the opposite, as they’ve been aggressive in building talent for their future, even if most of it was talent really created elsewhere.

Update on the Nakamura situation.

Originally Posted by Observer This also hurts ROH. It doesn’t appear that Nakamura will be coming to ROH in February, although he did tell at least one person in ROH he would see him there on 1/5 and nothing has been confirmed on the ROH side. The New Japan/ROH relationship was a huge deal in ROH having its biggest year ever this past year, and the relationship between the sides had gotten stronger after working things out when Jushin Liger worked an NXT date head-to-head in Brooklyn against an ROH show where much of New Japan’s top talent worked. With Liger working the NXT date (interestingly Liger has not worked any other NXT dates even though indie promoters in the U.S. that went to book Liger were told WWE has first priority on dates for him and he hasn’t worked in the U.S. since), Nakamura was the most popular of the New Japan wrestlers with the ROH fan base. After Nakamura gave notice, he did indicate to at least one person he was still coming for the ROH tour.

Update on how ROH is impacted by the WWE's talent raid since all the guys except AJ Styles were planned to be at ROH's upcoming big show.

Originally Posted by Observer WWE had an interesting year. While some will view it negatively, and a lot of it was, as a business, it was a year that affirmed they are in good shape for the long haul. They are more dominant than ever before, between TNA’s failure, AAA’s hopes of expansion being dashed and New Japan dropping from its peak. Not only that, but WWE created a sister brand, NXT, that was the biggest growth promotion of the year. While the network isn’t even close to where they projected it, nor are profits anywhere close, the network is a success. The company is not going to be losing money going forward unless they get really stupid, or collapse in popularity. Ratings are at record lows, but there has been no decline in major show interest. The PPVs usually sell out, and the big shows sell out instantly. WrestleMania will be big this year, even with nothing organically in the air that would be special. Really, this year was about building up the network, which is well up from a year earlier, and transitioning from John Cena to Roman Reigns as the flagship star. It was a rough transition, but since they figured out Reigns isn’t Cena and instead booked him like he was Dusty Rhodes, things seem to be working better. But Reigns is not that guy. Nor is anyone else. But keeping attendance steady and interest at a decent level doesn’t need that guy. WWE as a brand is the draw, and while Cena, Brock Lesnar and Vince McMahon in the right situation (and even Sting at Night of Champions) can make a difference, they don’t need any of them.

Basically the WWE is still healthy but came at several potential big costs. Also other promotions struggling in 2015 ended up helping the WWE in terms of competition.

Originally Posted by Observer ROH had its most successful year. Some of the success came through Styles, who was a difference maker in many markets. A huge plus was the New Japan crew, which drew sellouts in most markets they appeared. If anything, ROH showed just how badly TNA squandered a similar business deal years ago. TNA got nothing out of the New Japan crew, and most of the current top stars were in TNA at one point and TNA promoted them to mean nothing. Plus, ROH has kept a lot of its talent and gained new talent over the lure of being able to work for New Japan, which has now become the “place to be” for anyone who can’t get into WWE.

Observer thinks ROH will be ok against WWE's attempts at attacks as long as their parent company is willing to spend money to get more talent or find more networks for the company. Them losing Destination America wasn't as bad of a hit like it was to TNA due to how the deal was and them having other networks for shows.

Originally Posted by Observer TNA is in a completely different situation. The long-time No. 2 group is a very distant No. 4, and could end up being No. 5, depending on the plight of Lucha Underground. But they still have the best television exposure, Tuesday nights with two hours in prime time on a station that reaches about 63 percent of the country’s homes. But they have no momentum and have lost much of their key talent, and will almost surely be losing Kurt Angle, and there are questions about Matt & Jeff Hardy, whose contracts expire shortly. They are increasing exposure, but have far less momentum and talent, as well as revenue, as compared to a year ago.

Basically TNA survives as long as the Carter Family is willing to toss money at Dixie to keep her happy. Unlike other indie or smaller companies, them not being partially owned by a network is hurting them.

Originally Posted by Observer Lucha Underground has the funding for another season. They have a following and may have had the consistently best television in the country, even though its penetration and viewership was very limited. They have a different approach, but they are attempting to create new stars. As much as Rey Mysterio is a bigger star than Alberto El Patron, the loss of Alberto is significant because he was a well-known name who came across as a huge star on their television. GFW is still searching for a television deal. As much as WWE is in great shape because NBC Universal is willing to pay them nine figures per year which keeps them profitable, right now television does not deem anyone else to be worth paying big money for wrestling. And for that matter, the same goes for UFC.

For those in Canada, LU recently signed a deal with TLN to air their show starting with Season 2. http://fightnetwork.com/news/6539724...levision-deal/

Originally Posted by Observer Add Jericho to the list of talent talking about how the scripted interview style isn’t for the best. In an interview with Maria Menounos, Jericho said, “You don’t have that freedom to try and much anymore because it has really gotten into, `Here’s your script,’ like a TV show, but it’s not a TV show. No other entertainment entity is like it, so you have to have that element of giving girls and guys a chance to fail. If it doesn’t work, at least you tried. At least you went outside the box. And I think there is a little bit of that missing where it can still come back, but the opportunities to try stuff are becoming less and less. It’s more of , `This has been approved, read this, memorize these lines and say it.’ I can memorize a Shakespearian play, but it doesn’t mean I can say it with any conviction whatsoever. You have to believe in it and you have to commit.”

Originally Posted by Observer Albert Einstein is often credited with saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” Now, there is no evidence Einstein actually said this, but if he lived long enough to watch TNA wrestling, he probably would have.

We're waiting... pic.twitter.com/phH8nh68Xz

— Bubba Ray Dudley (@BubbaRayDudley) January 7, 2016

Some other sheet news includes:

• In a "WWE Did You Know" type fact, Mania 31's injury curse actually extends to everyone who won a match regardless if there was a belt or not. Paige, Big Show, Taker, and Triple H were the only ones who didn't get hurt or could miss out on Mania 32.
• In another "WWE Did You Know" type fact, Reigns title win on RAW was the first time since June 1999 that a face won the belt in a 1-on-1 match on RAW. Stone Cold beat Taker in June 28, 1999 to win the WWE title in a 1-on-1 match.
• According to reports, NJPW has disbanded the Bullet Club with the new faction led by Kenny Omega to be called The Elite. ProWrestlingTees debunked rumors of WWE buying out the Bullet Club name by saying a recently report attributed to them was false.
• WWE is currently working on a new show for the WWE Network which would be a kids version of NXT in the sense of having kids as guest announcers, Izzy as ring announcer, and some regular content cut out.
• WWE is rumored to be considering breaking up the Dudley Boys after their feud with New Day is over. Bubba is rumored to be switching more towards a Bully Ray character for his potential singles run. http://www.sescoops.com/wwe-consider...ack-bully-ray/

Some TPWW news includes:

• Newest episode of TLP podcast was released: http://tablesladderspodcast.podbean....st-136-010616/