Dirt Sheet History: March 2006

Take a trip back to a memorable timeline in sports entertainment with the most important stories reported as fact in the journalistic world of pro wrestling dirt sheets.

Following the timeline of the last Dirt Sheet History looking back at February 2006, we get a glimpse into the top scoops from March 2006. The road to Wrestlemania 22 is here as are many scoops. Reminder that you can find all editions of Dirt Sheet History looking at 2004 and 2005 right here at this very link. Now enjoy March 2006!

3/4/2006

* As previously reported, WWE released Marty Jannetty on Friday. There was speculation that this was part of an angle. Jannetty was scheduled to appear on this Monday’s RAW in Birmingham, AL, but somehow he screwed up and upset WWE. He is not expected back and the angle involving him for RAW has been scrap. Jannetty was brought in for the Shawn Michaels/McMahon angle. Some sources say he couldn’t appear due to travel restrictions he has as part of a probation agreement that WWE was not aware of.

3/7/2006

* Vince McMahon has come up with a plan to help John Cena‘s support from the fans. The philosophy he has come up with will address Cena’s limited in-ring performance. McMahon was behind the idea of having Triple H verbally attacking Cena’s in-ring ability. He has come to realize that he can no longer ignore the crowds dislike for Cena. There will be more promos criticizing Cena as a bad in-ring performer over the next several weeks.

Before McMahon came to realization that it would be best to not ignore the crowds response, management were committed to protecting Cena’s image due to the long-term plan of keeping him as a credible opponent for Triple H and because he plays the off-air role of a champion very well.

3/9/2006

* In an unprecedented sign of admitted failure, WWE has scrapped the entire Juniors division and fired all of the talent from the division. All 6 Juniors under contract have been released.

3/10/2006

* In a recent interview Hulk Hogan said John Cena is the man to carry pro wrestling for the next 15-20 years.

3/11/2006

* There is a story running in the Nagai Times in Japan that Vince McMahon is making an aggressive attempt to buy New Japan Pro-Wrestling. The president of NJPW, Simon Inoki, recently flew to WWE Headquarters, and received a huge news story on WWE’s official website, and there is no concrete story on why he was there.

3/14/2006

* PWInsider is reporting that there have been some serious talks recently about Samoa Joe being moved up to TNA’s heavyweight division. There are reports that Joe may face Sabu in the “6 Sides of Steel” cage at the next TNA PPV, Lockdown. While the match has not been publicly confirmed, we could hear the official word after tonight’s iMPACT! tapings.

A match with Sabu would mark Samoa Joe’s first match in TNA’s Heavyweight division. Since his debut in 2005, Joe has made a name for himself by dismantling the stars of the X Division. Whether or not this is a formal jump to the heavyweight division is not yet known.

3/15/2006

* Those associated with WWE are very pleased with Jim Ross calling Saturday Night’s Main Event, however, a former WWE executive feels that WWE is making a mistake with putting him in such a role.

The former executive was quoted, “J.R. is so much better than everyone else, and that will be obvious on NBC. It’s not fair to Joey Styles to have his inadequacy next to Ross exposed so badly just as people were getting accustomed to him.”

3/16/2006

* In an interview, Goldberg tells of how he wants to throw up when he thinks of WWE, how the company blew the chance for him and Brock Lesnar to put on one of the largest matches in history at WrestleMania 20. He also talks about wrestling for TNA, but admits he doesn’t watch TNA or WWE. Below are the highlights.

• Goldberg said that his match with Brock Lesnar was a complete disaster. It could have been built to be one of the biggest matches in WrestleMania history but they blew it. The company did not promote the match properly and it showed.

• Goldberg has been approached by TNA several times about working for them and says he is still entertaining the idea.

3/19/2006

* WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event received a 3.4 fast national rating. This rating indicates that displaying wrestling on a major network did nothing to increase the interest in the product. The two-hour show caused NBC to place last among the four channels offering national programming Saturday night.

The expectations inside the wrestling industry was that the show would receive a much higher rating, and anything below a 5.0 would be consider a disappointment. However, those within the TV industry had much lower expectations, and the 3.4 fast national rating is below what they expected.

3/20/2006

* Erik Roth sent the following transcript of a Backlash promo, indicating that Triple H will win the WWE Title at WrestleMania. Thanks to him for the transcript below:

(Triple H) At Backlash, The Game begins
(HBK) At Backlash, There is no tomorrow
(Big Show) At Backlash, You can’t run
(Chavo) At Backlash
(Flair) At Backlash
(Carlito) At Backlash, The future starts
(RVD) The questions end
(Edge) At Backlash
(Kane) I will find you
(Edge) Destroy you
(Chris Masters) At Backlash, I’ll make you suffer
(Voice) At Backlash
(Shelton) At Backlash
(John Cena) At Backlash, I’ll take what’s mine.

* WWE aired a commercial during Saturday Night’s Main Event in the Cincinnati, Ohio market for an upcoming SmackDown taping on May 25th. The spot promoted a cage watch for the World Heavyweight Title between Kurt Angle, Randy Orton, and Rey Mysterio. Of course this event is post-WrestleMania and the spot featured Kurt Angle with the title. Whether this means anything or not remains to be seen.

3/24/2006

* Melina was recently put on trial in JBL‘s “Wrestlers Court” backstage. She was put on trial for being arrogant, and how she acts towards the other divas and crew members.

3/26/2006

* In a recent interview with SLAM! Sports, John Cena said that the booing from fans fires him up.

3/27/2006

* Bret Hart continues to say some very interesting things concerning himself and WWE. In a recent interview with the Calgary Sun, Hart talks about how the stroke that he suffered changed his outlook on things and how Vince McMahon contacted him while was in the hospital. Hart said on his WWE Hall of Fame induction, “I think a lot of it is a sign of good faith, I don’t think either of us has ever really forgiven, but Vince and I have made peace to a certain extent.”

Hart continued to reiterate what he has been saying all along and that despite several offers from WWE that he will fly out of Chicago on Sunday morning before WrestleMania 22 takes place. He said that WWE sent him a contract; however, he refused to sign it and is not being paid for his Hall of Fame appearance. Remember that Hart has said several times since the Survivor Series screwjob that he would never work for WWE again.

He continued to express his anger towards Shawn Michaels by saying the following if he sees him at the Hall of Fame ceremony: “I’ve basically told them that if I see Shawn, I’ll get back in a cab and go straight to the airport. They’ll have to get him to do my induction speech. I just feel that there’s too much anger for me. Too combustible.”

He continued to stress the fact that he will never work for WWE again and that the Hall of Fame ceremony is a chance for him to say goodbye to his fans and give closure on his wrestling career.

3/28/2006

* Several backstage sources have now confirmed that Jim Ross will indeed call WrestleMania 22 at ringside on the RAW side. There has been talk for several weeks backstage in WWE concerning bringing Ross in for the WrestleMania PPV due to Vince McMahon’s feedback on Joey Styles converting his announcing style from his “ECW style” to the “WWE style.”

Jim Ross issued a statement to WWE text messaging subscribers over the weekend indicating he would be hosting the Hall of Fame ceremony Saturday saying, “Don’t listen to those saying I’m coming back to Raw. I’m looking forward to the Hall of Fame, especially Bret [Hart]’s induction. Time to put 1997 to rest.”

Now with Ross calling WrestleMania, it appears that Jerry Lawler will host Saturday’s Hall of Fame ceremony.

3/29/2006

* Michelle McCool recently addressed rumors that she had breast enhancement surgery in a statement on her official website. McCool said that following: “As far as rumors, they’re always going to be out there, huh? I actually find them entertaining at times. Let’s put it this way, I wouldn’t do anything at this point to set me back with my training…and that includes surgery! It’s amazing what a good bra can do! :)”

3/30/2006

* Triple H recently did a lengthy interview with the Connecticut Hersam Acorn Newspaper to promote this Sunday’s WrestleMania 22 pay-per-view. Triple H touched on claims that he has held back talent by saying, “I hear all these stories about things I supposedly did or who I’m holding back and it doesn’t bother me. You just deal with it. There are people out there who are going to think you’re great and there are people out there who are going to think you’re crap. There have been some unfair claims, but I realize I’m a scapegoat for some people.”

3/31/2006

* Brian Kendrick and Paul London are still listed as the defending WWE Tag Team Champions for the post-WrestleMania house shows.

Shannon Moore’s first feud will be with Super Crazy, and he will work as a heel.

Dusty Rhodes is very high on Roadkill; expect him to be brought up to the main roster to form a tag team with Kasey James later this year.

There is shock with the wrestlers backstage that MNM have been left off the WrestleMania card. There is still a chance of WWE adding them to the card to face Brian Kendrick and Paul London either today or tomorrow.

– Tune back in next time for the April edition of Dirt Sheet History as we see what went down at Wrestlemania 22 and beyond.

Stories are credited from Rajah, PWTorch, PWInsider and The Wrestling Observer. Month name photo art is by Phillip Martin.

Past editions of Dirt Sheet History are found here.