SmackDown Superstar William Regal, who has been announcing and wrestling on NXT as of late, says he wants a World Heavyweight Title shot when WWE returns to Liverpool, England later this year. He wrote on Thursday:

“Trying to think if Teddy Long owes me a favour.I need to get a World Championship match on Smackdown on Liverpool. Maybe the last chance I have of becoming the first English World Champion in front of WWE’s loyalist fans.

Some people are saying I’m passed it. Maybe so but @WWE,look at it as charity.Give an old rogue a chance.”

(via Wrestling-Edge.com)

First of all, it’s great that he went to Twitter with this. Mostly because, there are so many fans on Twitter that will spread this and push this farther than he could behind closed doors.

Secondly, I truly hope they give him this opportunity, and they put the title on him. Both Rob and myself have been pushing for a Regal return to television for a long time. The guy has always been great, and despite his problems, he’s always delivered.

I know I don’t speak for all of the podcast when I say this, but please – please make this happen. #WeWantRegalAsChampion

As announced last night on Raw, the WWE finally pulled the trigger and publicly announced they were coming out with their own television channel.

This looks to be a great idea and something that we’ve been discussing on the podcast for months. Currently, they have the 24/7 on demand station with many providers, as well as a WWE Classics channel on PPV. But, the idea of tying in classic footage along with some more recent stuff makes this channel much more attractive.

We can only speculate what will actually be available, and if they’ll be moving any of their current programming to it, like Superstars, NXT and Tough Enough. Those shows are probable. However, it’s unlikely that they’d move Smackdown, if they started going live, and a long shot for them to move Raw. At least, until they get a very high subscriber rate.

With Raw being on USA, which is one of the most carried and subscribed-to channels across the country, there would be no way they’d jump from that audience to the WWE Network without seeing a similar audience on the new channel. I’d at least wait until 2013 to start that conversation.

For me, though, as long as their DVDs are available on Netflix and they provide as much content online as they do, I don’t know if this would be something I’d subscribe to. I’ve only blocked out 6-7 hours a week to wrestling, and don’t see picking up a new channel devoted entirely to only one part of it as a necessity. But, what about you? Would you subscribe to this channel? And, what do you expect from it?

As millions of WWE Universe members witnessed while watching WWE Raw SuperShow Monday night, something big is coming to WWE that will change not just the squared circle, but all of entertainment.

It’s the WWE Network. And, as the world learned this week, it’s on its way in 2012. All we know is that it’ll be a brand new day for watching the greatest matches, moments and Superstars in sports-entertainment history.

(via: http://www.wwe.com/inside/wwe-network-announced)

Another big name from TNA in the news and not for something good. Kurt Angle arrested for DUI last night. He’s obviously willing to fight it, but at this point, the damage has already been done. Should note, this is Angle’s second DUI-related arrest this year.

TNA needs to do something and fast. They can’t keep getting this kind of bad press week in and week out and do nothing about it. Just in the last 4 weeks alone, we saw Matt Hardy get busted with a DWI, Rave announcing that he was a pill addict and TNA did nothing, and now this.

It’s difficult to imagine that they can keep taking these types of PR hits and sit idly by. If it were up to me? I’d suspend Angle. It’s a shame, and he’s a big name and draw for the company, but you need to take your product and company seriously, and if they do nothing, they are showing they do not care.

What about you? What do you think?

• TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle was arrested early this morning on charges of driving under the influence, TMZ.com reports.The Olympic gold medalist was arrested by Virginia State Troopers and taken to Warren County Jail. He posted $2,000 bond and was released at 3:31 a.m.

  Angle was previously arrested on March 25, 2011 in Grand Forks, North Dakota and charged with “being in control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated,” after failing a field sobriety test. He later pled guilty to the charges and was on April 20 sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation, a chemical dependency evaluation, a $250 fine, $225 in court fees, and a ten day suspended jail sentence.

  (via: Wrestling-Edge.com)

James Storm announced on his Twitter account that he suffered a partial shoulder separation during the Tag Team Championship match against Mexican America. Because of this injury, he is forced to take time off from active competition, and most likely, will be removed from the Bound for Glory series.

The BFG series concludes in two weeks, when the final four will compete at No Surrender. With Storm out, that would leave 7 left fighting for the final four spots:

• 1. Bully Ray – 49 pts
• 2. Bobby Roode – 42 pts
• 3. Gunner – 35 pts
• 4. RVD – 35 pts
• 5. AJ Styles – 24 pts
• 6. Scott Steiner – 21 pts
• 7. Samoa Joe -10 pts

Crimson (50 pts), who was in first place, James Storm (40 pts), Devon (30 pts), Matt Morgan (24 pts), and The Pope (17 pts) are all out due to injuries.

The current Samoa Joe storyline suggests he is taking everyone out of the tournament one by one. With two Impacts left, he would have to take out 4 more (including Storm). If TNA were smart, they’d have Joe injure Storm during the next episode of Impact.

Who else do you think Joe should remove? Gunner? RVD? Steiner? Maybe even Bully Ray?

Matt Hardy, who’s hit some hard times this month is in the news again this afternoon. According to TMZ, he was rushed to the hospital after falling down in his home.

“Sources close to Matt tell us the ex-TNA star hadn’t been feeling well but it’s unclear as to what caused Matt to fall down.

So far, the extent of his injuries are unknown — but a family member tells us Hardy is expected to be released from the hospital tomorrow.”

Just another unfortunate situation. Hopefully, he can turn this thing around. Send good thoughts towards his general direction.

(via TMZ.com)

According to William Regal’s Twitter post last night, Todd Grisham is leaving NXT and WWE to join the ever-growing cast at ESPN.

Regal said, “I would like to thank @todd_grisham for all his help get me through NXT. Best wishes for your new career at ESPN.”

This obviously leaves a lot of questions as who will fill in for Grisham on NXT. Could we see Scott Stanford or Jack Korpela getting the call up? Or will we see a shakeup in the Smackdown and Raw teams?

Who do you think should replace Todd on NXT?

Edit (11:53pm): This is now official. TNA has officially announced the release on their site.

It is being reported by TMZ and many other sports-news outlets that Matt Hardy has been released from TNA.

A rep for TNA tells TMZ, “TNA today released Impact Wrestling star Matt Hardy from its roster. Hardy was already under suspension from the company.”

Earlier today, he was arrested in North Carolina for a suspected DWI after being involved in a car accident.

According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, a trooper discovered Hardy after his 2009 Corvette ran off the road and struck a tree. Hardy was by himself at the time and did not suffer any injuries.

The trooper observed signs of impairment and arrested Hardy. He was charged with DWI and the trooper found no other contraband in the vehicle. Hardy submitted to a blood test, the results are pending.

Hardy had recently posted on his Twitter account that he was working his way towards returning with the company. Another set back in the career of a Hardy. Is this the last time we’ll see either of them in either WWE or TNA?

Sources: TMZ (Hardy’s Accident, Hardy’s Release) and TNA ( Hardy Released)

Officially, “THE” Sin Cara is able to return after his suspension. But, apparently WWE officials were higher on Hunico as the character than the original. And, with his bad attitude, poor performance and now the suspension, his future is still in question. Have we seen the last of the original Sin Cara? And do you care?

“Luis Ignascio Urive Alvirde, the original Sin Cara, is eligible to resume performing since his thirty-day suspension for his first violation of the company’s drug testing policy expired on Tuesday. Alvirde’s future with the organization, however, remains in doubt. Developmental talent Jorge Arias (a/k/a Hunico) assumed the character at this week’s and last week’s SmackDown tapings and there is talk it may be permanent as company officials are reportedly sour on Alvirde due to his performances and attitude.”

(via Rajah.com, source: PWInsider.com)