WWE announced yesterday the release of The Brian Kendrick. Official link here:

 http://www.wwe.com/inside/news/briankendrickreleased

 This is Kendrick’s 3rd time being released by the WWE (one time was when he was in developmental). His previous stint was consisted of him at one time being called ‘Spanky’ and being part of an impressive tag team with Paul London.

Kendrick’s current gimmick as a cocky up and comer started out strong and fit him perfectly. He was even receiving comparisons to a young Brian Pillman and even Shawn Michaels. Brian had Ezekial Jackson as his enforcer and seemed poised to take that next step to singles gold. Then for whatever reason the push stopped and he began jobbing out.

Kendrick has had a good reputation backstage so an attitude issue is doubtful. A simple move back to Smackdown could have refreshed the character; however Dolph Ziggler’s similar gimmick could have meant that the writing staff felt that Kendrick was the odd man out.

When he was released last time Brian went to Ring Of Honor, tore the house down, and pretty much forced WWE to re-sign him because of all the accolades he was getting around the pro-wrestling world. Now Kendrick would be a terrific fit in TNA’s X-Division, but there’s big jumble of talent over there and he most likely would get lost in the shuffle.

My guess is that Brian will end up back in Ring Of Honor pretty quick,  but here he ends up long term is the real question.

Andy McNamara has been a SLAM! Wrestling writer since 2005. Andy is the play-by-play broadcaster for Toronto Maple Leafs Intercounty league baseball , along with university basketball and volleyball on Rogers Television in Toronto. He is also the Host of Oakville Blades hockey on TV Cogeco. Contact Andy at andymcnamara@hotmail.com.

Well FAN Wrestling Nation, I broke my finger Sunday so it’s taking me longer to type! Night of Champions certainly had its moments, but like most WWE monthly pay-per-views these past few years it just didn’t have the same zing or specialness of the good ol’ days. 3 title changes took place from the Wachovia Center in Philly lets look at thr rundown:

Results:

World Heavyweight Championship- CM Punk (c) vs. Jeff Hardy

WINNER: New Champion -Jeff Hardy

WWE Championship- Triple Threat: Randy Orton (c) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena

WINNER: Randy Orton

Divas Championship- Maryse (c) vs. Mickie James

WIINER: New Champion Mickie James

Unified Tag Team Championship- Chris Jericho (c) & TBA vs. Legacy: Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase

WINNERS: Chris Jericho & The Big Show

ECW Championship- Tommy Dreamer (c) vs. Christian

WINNER: New Champion Christian

Intercontinental Championship- Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler

WINNER: Rey Mysterio

United States Championship- 6 Pack Challenge: Kofi Kingston (c) vs. MVP vs. Big Show vs. Carlito vs. Jack Swagger vs. The Miz

WINNER: Kofi Kingston

Women’s Championsip: Melina vs. Michelle McCool (c)

WINNER: Michelle McCool

Andy McNamara has been a SLAM! Wrestling writer since 2005. Andy is the play-by-play broadcaster for Toronto Maple Leafs Intercounty league baseball , along with university basketball and volleyball on Rogers Television in Toronto. He is also the Host of Oakville Blades hockey on TV Cogeco. Contact Andy at andymcnamara@hotmail.com.

End of July means the Night of Champions (formerly known as Vengeance) for WWE in what has turned into one of the better pay-per-views. With SummerSlam up next the results here will help shape what we for the big show next month. Lets take a looksee at the card.

 World Heavyweight Championship- CM Punk (c) vs. Jeff Hardy

 I hope i’m wrong, but my choice is Hardy. For some reason being a consistent substance abuser is being played out as a good thing, while the straight edge, clean CM Punk is villified. Good example to set for young fans eh? Punk has gradually transformed into a masterful heel and it would be ashame for him to drop the belt. If the Triple Threat WWE championship match goes on last then that means Orton is losing, and that Punk should retain. One world title will change hands this evening and I hope it is not this one.

Pick: Jeff Hardy

WWE Championship- Triple Threat: Randy Orton (c) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena

In a WrestleMania main event from 2 years ago Triple H and Cena have been on friendly terms leading into the pay-per-view over their hatred of Orton. Naturally the truce/friendship between will break apart early on and then it will truly be every man for themselves. Randy has been pushed around so much the past few weeks that I have a feeling The Viper will slither out of the night with gold still around his waist. However, the 2 biggest wild cards of men who can literally be given the WWE strap at any moment are in the match. I’ll pick Orton, but would not be surprised if Cena takes it.

Pick: Randy Orton

Divas Championship- Maryse (c) vs. Mickie James

 With Maryse spraying hair spray on Mickie recently this rivalry has stepped up a notch. Maryse has one of the best cocky attitudes of any Diva of all time and has been steadily improving in ring as well. I’m’ going w/ babyface Mickie shutting up the arrogant Quebecois and grabbing the strap.

Pick: Mickie James

Unified Tag Team Championship- Chris Jericho (c) & TBA vs. Legacy: Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase

The main intrigue for this match up is who will Jericho’s mystery partner be. I’m crossing my fingers for it being Jack Swagger. He has the arrogance and skill that would blend well with Y2J, and could lead to a jealousy blow up down the road. Outside of Swagger it’s pretty much a crap shoot…hopefully not the Big Show. In any case whoever the partner is Jericho’s team retains and Legacy goes back to the drawing board.

Pick: Jericho and partner

ECW Championship- Tommy Dreamer (c) vs. Christian

Hmmmm this is a pick’em in my book. Should be decent in ring, and hopefully they will be allowed to do some hardcore spots since afterall it is supposed to be “extreme”. I’ll go with Tommy’s run continuing. This could be the curtain jerker.

Pick: Tommy Dreamer

Intercontinental Championship- Rey Mysterio (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler has improved by leaps and bounds both in personality and in-ring. A little too soon for the youngster to take the gold from the veteran, but I certainly see this feud continuing with Dolph getting the title down the road.

Pick: Rey Mysterio

United States Championship- 6 Pack Challenge: Kofi Kingston (c) vs. MVP vs. Big Show vs. Carlito vs. Jack Swagger vs. The Miz

The 6 men format is essentially an excuse to get a lot of people some face time. I would like to see Big Show or a flash pin by The Miz to have someone for Kingston to feud with in a title program. A Kofi win stales up the title and he is better in a title chaser role anyway.

Pick: The Miz

Andy McNamara has been a SLAM! Wrestling writer since 2005. Andy is the play-by-play broadcaster for Toronto Maple Leafs inter-county league baseball (catch it live this Sunday at 1pm on Rogers TV), along with university basketball and volleyball on Rogers Television in Toronto. He is also the Host of Oakville Blades hockey on TV Cogeco. Contact Andy at andymcnamara@hotmail.com.

TNA Wrestling rides into Hamilton at Copps Coliseum tonight and for one Knockout it will be a homecoming of sorts. Shantelle Malawski, better known to sports entertainment fans as Taylor Wilde, grew up, and still lives, in the Toronto area. In fact when the young performer is not in the ring she is studying for a Psychology Honours Bachelor of Arts at nearby York University. If you think one post secondary program is enough for the ambitious Wilde, you would be wrong. “Once I’m done with psychology, I would like to take a broadcast journalism program at Seneca College,” she said.

Taylor was making the media rounds for Viewer’s Choice Canada and made time to sit down with SLAM! Wrestling. It has been a little over a year since Taylor busted into TNA and she could not be happier with her experience thus far. “It’s been completely surreal, a whirlwind, all my dreams and aspirations have been met,” she beamed. Wilde continued, “there are so many personalities and different body shapes in our division so each girl is an individual and stands out in their own way … that’s what makes it so unique and exciting … I’m the girl next door look,” she laughed.

Wilde has done a lot since joining the land of the six-sided ring, but nothing more different then venturing into hardcore matches, in particular her two Monster’s Ball bouts. “Honestly it was just a new challenge. I’ve worked with the technical and high flying aspects as well as the lucha libre style in Mexico where you have to fly by the seat of your pants, and that’s what gets me going, the spontaneity,” she explained. “The hardcore match was the same way, I said a prayer and went for it! I came out with some new bruises and scratches, but I loved it.”

Speaking of different styles, the Toronto native detailed how her first feud in the company was not with your typical female opponent. “I faced Awesome Kong right off the bat … she is a totally different type of competitor with her size and is so agile. So Kong has probably been my favourite opponent so far.”

With the Knockouts division being so deep and diversified talent-wise, SLAM! Wrestling asked Taylor about the addition of Tara (formerly WWE’s Victoria) to the landscape. “She’s got a vast amount of experience working all over the world, and keeps the rest of the girls on their toes. Wrestling is not a sport where you can sit on your laurels because there’s always someone more experienced or younger nipping at your heels.” That being said Wilde elaborated on how professional the ex-Diva is and how she hopes to work with her in the future.

Being a relative newcomer to the business Taylor has tried to be like a sponge and soak up all the knowledge and advice available to her. “I feel that anybody who has made a dollar in this industry has something that can help you. Rob Fuego (Rob Etcheverria) was my trainer, if it wasn’t for him and growing up with Edge and Christian, I would’ve never gotten to the next level,” she admitted. Wilde made another interesting point: “If you can’t learn something from someone you can learn what not to do from them.”

After a brief stint in the WWE developmental system, Wilde was at a crossroads and had to decide whether to continue with wrestling. She decided to send her demo package down to Terry Taylor in TNA and the wheels were set in motion pretty quickly. “It was a fairly fluid process, I’ve been really lucky. Sent the package in, had a tryout, had a tryout match, and a handshake later I was with TNA.” Her tryout contest was against Raisha Saeed (second-generation wrestler Melissa Anderson) and although it was nerve wracking in front of the live audience she felt empowered and enjoyed working with the new opponent.

Coming to the unique six-sided ring that TNA stars battle in was not as big an adjustment as Taylor initially thought. “It actually felt really natural, there were more sides of the ring to hit. So now I go to four-sided rings and feel confused because there’s only three ways to go, but you try and adapt to your surroundings instantly.”

In a ‘what if’ scenario Wilde was asked how she thought she would have faired during the much more hectic territory days of the ’60s and ’70s where travelling by car from town to town every night was the norm. “I think I would’ve done it just fine. I actually like the long road trips, dig being on the bus and traveling with the same crew of people. I find there’s more freedom than living in airports.” She quipped, “Airports are like bad amusement parks, you’re constantly waiting in line, but not to go anywhere. I love wrestling so whatever was involved I would’ve hacked it.”

With this Friday’s house show in Hamilton does Taylor feel any added pressure being in front of her fellow countrymen? Actually, it is quite the opposite. “I’m euphoric any time I’m in Canada. When we were out in British Columbia and then close by in Oshawa it’s always good to be on Canadian soil since we are so seldom here,” she said. “Besides my $25,000 challenge with Kong, Oshawa was my happiest moment with all my friends and family there to watch me live.”

Considering all the success she has had already, what does the future hold for Taylor Wilde? “I don’t know what’s past next week!” she laughed. “So I’m going to keep working hard, setting small goals, and I’m really happy with the momentum I’ve built. Everyone stay tuned, cause you never know what to expect out of me.”

Make sure to check out Taylor Wilde and all the talent of TNA Wrestling not only this Friday at Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum, but also on Viewer’s Choice Canada for every pay-per-view.

Andy McNamara has been a SLAM! Wrestling writer since 2005. Andy is the play-by-play broadcaster for Toronto Maple Leafs inter-county league baseball, along with university basketball and volleyball on Rogers Television in Toronto. He is also the Host of Oakville Blades hockey on TV Cogeco. Contact Andy at andymcnamara@hotmail.com.

It has been reported by TMZ that WWE Hall of Famer Rowdy Roddy Piper (Roderick Toombs) was arrested in Hollywood, California at 1am July 2.

Piper failed the sobriety test and was taken in. He posted the $5000 bond and is set to appear in a L.A. court July 23.

On a side note: Roddy Piper’s WWE Hall of Fame cousin, Bret “Hitman” Hart turned 52 yesterday.

Andy McNamara is a SLAM! Wrestling writer, and is the play-by-play broadcaster for Toronto Maple Leafs inter-county league baseball and can be seen each Sunday live on Rogers TV at 2pm. Along with baseball Andy does play-by-play for hockey, basketball, and volleyball on Rogers Television in Toronto. He is also the Host of Oakville Blades hockey on TV Cogeco. Contact Andy at andymcnamara@hotmail.com