WWE News and Notes 01/30/2013

courtesy wrestlingnewssource.com

-WrestleMania XXX is pretty much confirmed for the Superdome in New Orleans, LA reports The Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

This will be the first time a there has been  a pro wrestling show at the Superdome since WCW booked Nitro there on June 21, 1999.

-Vince McMahon is legitimately scheduled for surgery on his left hip, reports the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The angle with Brock Lesnar was a storyline reason to give him a reason for it. McMahon had the bad hip for some time.

courtesy Wrestling Online Network

 RAW RATING
- Fans were interested to see if The Rock won the WWE title and who won
the Royal Rumble as this week's RAW did 5,020,000 viewers and a rating of
a 3.7, the highest it did since the July 23 RAW 1000 episode. Hour one did
4,860,000 viewers, hour two did 5,270,000 viewers, and hour three did
4,930,000 viewers. The show in total did around 700,000 viewers more than
last week. (Ratings compiled by Nielsen Media Research and put online by
PWInsider.com)

 ONLY ONE CHAMBER MATCH AT THIS YEAR'S ELIMINATION CHAMBER PPV
- The current plan for the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view is to only
have one Chamber match instead of the usual two. Usually, one title is
defended on the show in a Chamber match while the other match is to
determine to number one contender for the other title for WrestleMania.
The Rock and CM Punk already have a one on one match at the pay-per-view
and it looks like the only Chamber match this year will be to determine
the number one contender for the World Heavyweight title currently being
held by Alberto Del Rio. John Cena - the winner of the Royal Rumble - has
already selected to wrestle for the WWE title at WrestleMania whoever the
champion might be at the time.

 INTERCONTINENTAL CUP TOURNAMENT SCRAPPED
- The Intercontinental Cup - a tournament involving eight Superstars to
determine the number one contender for the IC title - has been scrapped.
It was supposed to start on tonight's Main Event on ION which was taped
yesterday before the Smackdown show however there was no mention of it
all. "I am pleased to announce that I have managed to negotiate a complete
cancellation of the #IntercontinentalCup tournament," tweeted Wade Barrett
earlier today. "I think you'll all agree that this is fantastic news. Warm
regards, Your Intercontinental Champion." Meanwhile, Ryback will be the
special guest on Miz TV on the show and the two matches taped are Tensai
vs Titus O'Niel and Ryback vs Antonio Cesaro.

News and Notes

(courtesy Wrestling Online Network)

 TAZ JOINS ACES & EIGHTS AND RUINS WEDDING
- As expected, the wedding between Bully Ray and Brooke Hogan didn't go as
expected and it was interrupted by a friend of the former multiple-time
tag team champion. Just as the rings were going to be exchanged, color
commentator Taz - who was the "best man" for the wedding - asked Ray if he
really wants to go ahead with this. After shutting up Brooke Hogan, Taz
removed his jacket and revealed himself as the newest member of the Aces &
Eights, as the group rushed to the ring and destroyed everything. "What
was supposed to be a night of celebration, turned into a nightmare. Devon
was 1 thing. Taz your dead to me scumbag," Bully Ray tweeted later,
continuing the angle on Twitter. "Dead? I just came to LIFE! All business
big man," Taz replied.


 WEDDING ANGLE DRAWS VIEWERS
- The wedding angle between Bully Ray and Brooke Hogan garnered a spike in
interest amongst the TNA fans as the this week's show registered around
300,000 additional viewers from the previous week. The live IMPACT on
Spike TV did 1,600,000 viewers with a rating of 1.15. The show had just an
average of 18,000 viewers less than the January 3 IMPACT, which was the
highest rated since the August 23, 2012, show. (Ratings compiled by
Nielsen Media Research and put online by PWInsider.com)

> JEFF HARDY OFF UK TOUR DUE TO LEGAL ISSUES
- The current TNA champion Jeff Hardy will not be traveling to the United
Kingdom for the Road to Lockdown tour and will miss four weeks worth of
IMPACT as the company will be taping the television shows in Manchester
and London. In an official statement, TNA said that Hardy will not be
making appearances on the other side of the pond due to an "injury" that
he sustained at the hands of Aces & Eights during yesterday's tapings of
IMPACT that will air this coming Friday. In reality, Jeff Hardy cannot
travel to the UK due to legal issues he has in the United States. TNA also
announced that Sting will be replacing Hardy on the tour and he will be
appearing at all live events including the four television tapings that
will be held. Hulk Hogan will also be part of the TV tapings.


> HOGAN'S EX-WIFE CHARGED FOR OCTOBER DUI ARREST
- TMZ.COM is reporting that Linda Bollea - the ex wife of Hulk Hogan - has
been officially charged with DUI stemming from an incident that led to her
arrest in October of last year in Malibu, California. An attorney for
Linda claimed at the time that his client only had a glass of champagne at
an event on an empty stomach but antibiotics that she took prior to
attending the event shot up the alcohol effect and registered a .084 in
blood alcohol level when she was stopped by the cops, which is over the
legal limit in the state. The Los Angeles County District Attorney has
charged Linda with two misdemeanor counts of DUI and also one count of
driving on a suspended license. The case will be heard in front of a judge
later this month and if convicted she can face up to 18 months in jail
although it's very highly unlikely she will spend a second behind bars.