WWE.COM GIVES UPDATE ON STEVE WILLIAMSWWE.com has posted an update on October 21st on the condition of Dr. Death Steve Williams, who has been battling throat cancer and underwent removal of his voice box last month. The site reports that Williams is back in the hospital, this time for a 10 hour procedure in which skin will be taken from his leg and used to patch a hole in his throat. The hope is that the surgery will allow Williams to eventually be able to speak again.
While not mentioned in the WWE piece, the IWA promotion in Japan cancelled a planned Williams retirement ceremony, reportedly because Williams is still hopeful to someday return to the ring. IWA was Williams last full-time wrestling home, with him even returning for matches after undergoing chemotherapy for his cancer. He stopped wrestling prior to having his voice box removed.
RAW DOES LOWEST RATING IN ALMOST SEVEN YEARS: FULL WWE RATINGS REPORT
The rating for this week's edition of Raw was not good. Going up against the epic New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox battle, as well as the usual Monday night fare, Raw on 10/18 did just a 3.0 cable rating, with a 4.2 share, according to Nielsen Media Research. That is the show's lowest non-holiday number since they did a 3.0 on 12/8/1997. For those curious, the hour of CSI that preceded Raw did a 2.3 cable rating. Raw did hours of 3.0 and 3.0. This can't be a good sign for the buyrate of the Taboo Tuesday PPV.
As you may have guessed, the Raw rating was pretty shocking to a lot of people backstage at the PPV. The company spin was that they went against Monday Night Football and the Yankees-Red Sox series, but MNF did its lowest rating ever on this week and Raw goes against the playoffs every year, so it really doesn't wash.
The WWE Experience on 10/17 did a 0.6 cable rating, with a 1.5 share.
Heat on 10/17 did a 0.8 cable rating, with a 1.2 share.
Velocity on 10/16 did a 0.4 cable rating, with a 0.8 share.
WWE got good news, again, with the 10/14 Smackdown rating as it rose from the 3.4 broadcast rating that they did last week to a 3.5, with a 5 share, this week. The show's highest rated segment was a 3.6, which it did on four different quarter hours. Smackdown did hours of 3.4 and 3.6.
It should be noted that Smackdown beat Raw again this week and the show has been on quite a roll since Paul Heyman came back to the Creative Team. What makes the show's increase more impressive is that airs on TV's toughest night of competition.
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN TABOO TUESDAY WENT OFF THE AIR WITH RIC FLAIR, RANDY ORTON, THE MCMAHONS, AND PAT PATTERSON
Taboo Tuesday went off the air with Ric Flair and Randy Orton staring each other down. After the PPV broadcast ended, Flair and Orton shook hands and embraced. The Steel Cage raised and Flair went to the back. Orton did his trademark pose before leaving.
As Orton made his way up the aisle, Vince McMahon came out applauding him, and headed to the ring. Orton left. McMahon thanked everyone for coming out and said that the company is what it is because of the fans. He then said that he had one more person that he wanted to thank and that was Pat Patterson.
McMahon said that for the last time, he wanted to introduce Patterson, who came out. McMahon explained that tonight was Pat's last night with the company and said that he gave up his life for wrestling and thanked Patterson for that. Vince said that Patterson had put up with a lot of Vince's "bulls**t" and a lot of other people's "bulls**t."
Patterson thanked everyone, but Vince wouldn't let him leave, saying that Patterson had to sing for the crowd. Vince made Patterson sing "My Way" (which he's well known for singing at karaoke bars when on the road for the company).
As Patterson went to leave, Shane and Stephanie McMahon came out to the ring and held the ropes open for him. They played Frank Sinatra's "My Way" over the audio system as they went to the back, with Patterson singing the song the entire way back to the locker room.
VINCE MCMAHON DEFENDS THE BRAND EXTENSION, SAYS THAT THEY LISTEN TO THEIR FANS AND MORE
The 10/16 Rockford Register Star has an interview with WWE head honcho Vince McMahon. As you may remember, they asked for questions from readers to ask Vinnie Mac last week, and they got a ton of responses.
When asked if the Brand Extension diluted the product, Vince said, "It was designed that way. When we separated into two, fans would not be able to see all their favorites at once. That is a negative. The positive of the brand separation is that it allows new stars such as Randy Orton and John Cena ... to emerge. The brand extension is working well for us. As far as interest waning, some of our live events have not been as populated as well as we want. But in the long run, the talent will be stronger and both brands will be stronger as a result."
When asked if Creative ever used any fan ideas, McMahon said, "We listen to our audience, sort of like a focus group at every live event. They chant names, come up with expressions. We try to move along who they think is popular. The problem is when there is no booing or cheering. As far as fans wanting to get in on more action, there's Taboo Tuesday."
When asked if any of the four McMahons will be in the ring in the next year, he said, "There's the likelihood that one of the four of us will be in there next year."
When asked where he sees wrestling in ten years, McMahon replied, "That's difficult to say. We will take our performances and mold them into whatever the audience wants. The popularity is growing by leaps and bounds."
He also said that the average annual wrestler income is $200,000 to $250,000.
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