===================================================================== ===================================================================== ____ ___ ____ ___ ____ / /\/ /\/ /\ / \ / /\ __ ___ / / / / / / / / \ / / / / \/ \ / / / / / / / / \/ / / / \ / \/ / / / / / / / / /\ /\ / / / / / / /\ / / / / / / / / /\ \/ / / / / /\ / / / / / / / / / /\ / / / / / \ / / /____/ /___/ / /___/ / \_____/ / /___/ / /__/ / \____\/\___\/ \___\/ \____\/ \___\/ \__\/ n a i d O ' s W r e s t l i n g N e w s Edition// 570 Date// December 18, 2001 Motto// "Continuing to get the news so you don't have to." Website// http://www.geocities.com/naidosnews Subscribe// naidoswrestlingnews-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe// naidoswrestlingnews-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com ===================================================================== Table of Contents//================================================== naidO's daily note TOP HEADLINE The latest new from the WWF & the rest of pro-wrestling Article// Messier: Vivendi's Done Dealing (USA Network sold) Remember... Affiliates ===================================================================== naidO's daily note//================================================= Hello to you and to those just joining. Tell your friends about the BEST newsletter around to subscribe today. Enjoy this latest edition of nWN! -Click for the Raw results: http://www.naidosworld.com/tvraw.html -I haven't watched the whole of Raw so I cannot comment on the show. I also got called into work a couple hours early so that just got me as well. I most likely won't comment on it at all. From the parts that I did see, it looked pretty entertaining. Enjoy this edition of nWN! LOVE THE NEWSLETTER? PLEASE TELL A FRIEND TO JOIN! Thanks for reading. naidO// ***All links in this newsletter can be viewed by being clicked (html capable email readers only) or cut and pasted into your browser. ===================================================================== -American Red Cross relief Information To make a blood donation, call (800) GIVE-LIFE or contact your local blood service organization. To help the victims of this and other disasters with a financial contribution, call (800) HELP-NOW. You can also mail donations -- designating "Disaster Relief Fund" on the memo line of the check -- to the American Red Cross, PO Box 37243, Washington DC 20013. ===================================================================== TOP HEADLINE//======================================================= -SLAM! Wrestling reports that Vivendi Universal has purchased the programming assets of the USA Network for 10.3 billion dollars. Their hope is to boost thei French distribution in the United States. Since this is an arm of Universal, and they've bought the former home of WWF Raw is War, one has to wonder if the XWF's chances of getting on a major network has been boosted as a result of the buy? To read a story on the buyout, scroll to the article section. Source// TVInsite ===================================================================== News from the WWF -- WWF.com//======================================= -If you missed it last night on Raw, they announced that Triple H will make his re-appearence at teh Jan 7th edition of Raw. -Today is Steve Austin, Trish Stratus and Rob Van Dam's birthday. Happy birthday to all three! -WWF.com article: Paul Bearer eulogizes Russ Haas In his latest commentary, Paul Bearer writes that Russ Haas loved the business, respected those that came before him and was destined to make it to the big time. To read it, click http://www.wwf.com/news/commentary/berarer/1101087 -WWF.com article: Henry takes time off for strongman competition Reached by WWF.com on his cellular phone in Austin, Texas -- where he has already begun training for the competition -- Mark Henry emphasized that he's only taking a three-month hiatus. He's not quitting the World Wrestling Federation, nor will he ever do so. To continue, click http://www.wwf.com/news/headlines/1101224 -WWF.com article: Crash's movie review: 'Monsters, Inc.' Crash Holly -- a former European, Light Heavyweight, Tag Team and Hardcore Champion -- is also a film connoisseur. His movie reviews will appear periodically on WWF.com. To continue, click http://www.wwf.com/news/headlines/1101149 -It was announced to Canadian's everywhere watching Raw last night that advance ticket sales for WrestleMania at Famous Players theatres will go on sale on December 20th. -The Rock finished 19th in a E! Online poll of the Entertainers Of The Year. -Off air Raw happenings sent to me by Joel Samuelson: *Dark Matches: -Sean Hill d. Brian Gamble. -Crash Holly d. ? *Jakked/Metal: -Spike Dudley d. Rod Steele -Perry Saturn d. Brian Gamble -Funaki d. Sean Hill *When Raw went off the air. Vince and Jericho crawled to the back as Flair and RVD posed for the fans. Sources// The WWF Joel Samuelson ===================================================================== News from the rest of pro-wrestling//================================ -The Ring of Honor promotion has added a three-way match involving Low Ki, Christopher Daniels and American Dragon for their Philadelphia show on February 23rd. -On Thursday afternoon at 5PM, Hulk Hogan will be appearing on ESPN's "Unscripted". Check your local listings for details. The show will be repeating at 2:30 AM for you night owls. Sources// -Dave Meltzer @ http://www.WrestlingObserver.com -SLAM! Wrestling @ http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestling -Yahoo! News @ http://news.yahoo.com ===================================================================== Article//============================================================ Messier: Vivendi's Done Dealing (USA Network sold) By Mike Farrell for Multichannel News New York -- After announcing two major deals worth nearly $12 billion in the past three days, Vivendi Universal chairman Jean- Marie Messier said the French media and environmental conglomerate is done with blockbuster acquisitions, at least for now. At a press conference announcing its latest mega-deal -- the $10.3 billion cash and stock acquisition of USA Networks Inc.'s programming assets -- Messier said the focus now will be to integrate those assets. Last Friday, Vivendi announced a $1.5 billion investment in EchoStar Communications Corp. that will give it a 10 percent stake in the direct-broadcast satellite provider and allow it to develop five interactive networks for EchoStar. 'What we are presenting to you is a decisive step,' Messier said. 'We do not have another one in mind. 2001 has been the year for Vivendi Universal of integration and addressing what was a blatant weakness in the U.S. market -- the lack of integration in the TV and movie field and the lack of access to distribution.' Messier said the USA and EchoStar deals address those problems and the focus for next year will be 'double-digit organic growth.' Investors seemed to like the deal, too, driving USA's stock up 5 percent, or $1.20, to $25.02 per share. Vivendi stock was up 6.4 percent, or $3.15, to $52.10 each. Vivendi will pay USA $1.62 billion in cash and retire its 41 percent stake in the company, worth another $7 billion. In addition, Vivendi will pay Liberty Media Corp. $1.65 billion in is own stock for Liberty's stake in USA. When the dust is cleared, Vivendi will have formed a new entity, Vivendi Universal Entertainment, which will include its Universal Studios and USA's USA Network, Sci Fi Channel and USA Studios assets. Vivendi Universal will own 93 percent of the new entity, with USA owning 5.4 percent and USA chairman Barry Diller controlling the remaining 1.5 percent. As expected, Diller will serve as the new chairman of VUE, as well as heading up the surviving USA entity -- which consists of online assets Ticketmaster, Citysearch, Hotel Reservations Network and the Home Shopping Network -- renamed USA Interactive. There will be no other changes in the management structure at Universal. Universal Studios president and chief operating officer Ron Meyer will remain in that position, as will Universal Pictures chairman Stacey Snider, Universal Studios Recreation Group chairman and CEO Tom Williams and USA Entertainment Group chairman Michael Jackson. Snider, Williams and Jackson will report to Meyer. Meyer will report to Diller, and Diller will report to Messier. Diller said that despite his past assertions that he would never work for another boss, he is looking forward to working closely with Messier. 'I'm quite happy to work with someone else,' Diller said. 'It's not an issue for me.' http://www.tvinsite.com ===================================================================== Remember...========================================================== -Remember that if you've missed any TV Shows, PPV's or more? Go to the following links to read the results. Raw// http://www.naidosworld.com/tvraw.html Smackdown// http://www.naidosworld.com/tvsmackdown.html PPV's// http://www.naidosworld.com/ppv.html Ratings// http://www.naidosworld.com/tvratings.html ByteThis// http://www.naidosworld.com/bytethis.html ===================================================================== Affiliates//========================================================= -http://www.btscshow.com (nWN's Official Wrestling Show) -http://www.geocities.com/dsherelo -http://www.TommyDreamer.net -http://www.StephanieBellars.com -http://www.PaulHeyman.Net -http://Wrestling-Freak.8k.com -http://www.JeffTheRef.com -http://www.ecwanderson.com -http://www.ecwdangerously.com -http://www.eswfed.com -http://welcome.to/wfwa -http://www.mrwicked.com -http://www.foreverfrancine.com -http://thegame.rawfeedonline.com -http://omantortuga.cjb.net -http://www.geocities.com/pwpwrestle -http://www.manbeasttemple.com -http://www.nwouk.com -http://wrestlingradio.tripod.com -http://www.tointense.cjb.net BECOME AN AFFILIATE// Make nWN your official newsletter!! Email naido@hotmail.com with your website's address for consideration ===================================================================== News gathering links//=============================================== -The WWF @ http://www.wwf.com http://www.wwfcorpbiz.com -The Torch/Pro Wrestling Torch @ http://www.pwtorch.com -Wrestling Observer/Dave Meltzer @ http://www.wrestlingobserver.com -The Law @ http://www.liveaudiowrestling.com -UltimoWrestling @ http://www.ultimowrestling.com -SLAM! Wrestling @ http://www.canoe.ca/SlamWrestling ===================================================================== Ads//================================================================ -Looking to trade or by Wrestling Tapes?? Check out BBBoris' Tape Trading Inc. at http://www.geocities.com/pwpwrestle for all your wrestling tape needs! There's tons tapes from all over the world including old ECW, WCW and of course WWF tapes available for sale or trade. With reasonable rates, you can't go wrong. Check us out today! -Come join the ESW today. Its the best Fed on the net today! With 8 belts, 3 weekly shows, and a monthly PPV, what more could you ask for? JOIN NOW! http://www.eswfed.com -Join the EHW. It's a Brand new RP E-Mail. We have a site and allow real or fake wrestlers. visit the site @ http://www.angelfire.com/apes/ehw/index.html or e-mail me @ TheRock420RVD@cs.com. YOU WON'T REGRET JOINING -For the best in wrestling audio news, trivia, opinions and commentary check out the soon to be daily coverage at http://wrestlingradio.tripod.com In addition, we have a public PPV round table to get your predictions and thoughts to the wrestling public. Please check us out at Wrestling Radio. ===================================================================== nWN Staff//========================================================== Founder & Editor: naidO - naido@hotmail.com Columnist: Sam Jerry - SAMJERRY@aol.com Columnist: The Vile - vile316@yahoo.com Columnist: The Sad Rebel - sadrebel@hotmail.com Columnist: Linda - lvaccarp@hotmail.com Columnist: Rishi - above__average@hotmail.com ===================================================================== Disclaimer//========================================================= naidO's Wrestling News was founded on April 30, 2000 and is owned and operated by naidO. He, nor this newsletter is in no way, shape, or form affiliated with World Wrestling Federation Entertainment, Turner Broadcasting's World Championship Wrestling, Extreme Championship Wrestling, or any other wrestling organization. Nor the people (staff members), wrestlers, or any other talent in the wrestling. News is gathered from various sources around the net, including newsgroups and are believed to be of public domain and truthful (uh huh). As long as proper credit is given it exempts nWN and it's staff. I (naidO) am just promoting their organization/website. nWN is not responsible for content on affiliate websites or where they may link to including mp3's, warez, kiddie porn and/or other unlawful content. This exempts myself & this newsletter (nWN) from all legal disputes. Copyright © 2000, 2001 - naidO - All Rights Reserved ===================================================================== =====================================================================