- The country of Iran didn't like Mickey Rourke and 'The Wrestler'.
According to the Associated Press, an adviser to Iran's President today
demanded an apology from a team of visiting Hollywood actors and officials
for movies including 'The Wrestler' which are "insulting" to the people of
Iran. If there is no apology there will be no meetings with the members of
Iran's film industry said Javad Shamaqdari, the art and cinema adviser to
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "In my viewpoint, it is a failure to have an
official meeting with one who is insulting." In the movie 'The Wrestler',
Rourke's rival "The Ayatollah" - played by Earnest Miller - tries to choke
Rourke out with the Iranian flag. Rourke later gets the flag, breaks the
pole in half and throws it into the crowd.
- Poll results: Who will Y2J face at Wrestlemania?
- Former WWE head writer Dave Lagana was at the ROH TV tapings over the
weekend in Philly. He will be involved creatively with the company.
Lagana was fired by Stephanie McMahon last year over paranioa he was
leaking storyline plans and privileged information.
- Sulamita Heyman, the mother of Paul Heyman, passed away yesterday morning at the age of 81.
- Mikey Whipwreck (James Watson) retired for the second time quietly last night in Deer Park, NY, working what he claimed was his final match for New York Wrestling Connection. He said his body had completely broken down after 15 years in wrestling. Whipwreck, 35, was probably best known for his mid 90s ECW run doing an underdog gimmick. He ended up becoming the first triple crown winner in ECW history. He retired for the first time in 2001 after he didn't manage to secure a job with the WWE after both ECW and WCW folded. He opened a wrestling school and eventually returned to the Northeast indie circuit in 2003 working mainly against his students. Although he never made it to the WWE ironically two of his students did - Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder who are listed on Smackdown although neither have been seen for several weeks. Whipwreck's list of injuries over the years included two herniated discs, torn knees, shoulder, and a smashed jaw.
- Today in wrestling history:
* 1964 - Gene Kiniski & Waldo Von Erich defeated Dr. Jerry & Crazy Luke
Graham for the WWWF tag titles
* 1965 - Booker T is born in Houston, Texas
* 1982 - Jerry Lawler defeats Dutch Mantel to win the AWA Southern title
* 1986 - The first ever WWF Slammy Awards airs on MTV
* 1993 - Jeff Jarrett defeated Brian Christopher for the USWA Southern
title
* 1998 - Bam Bam Bigelow defeated Taz for the ECW Television title
