Hulk Hogan Hosting Pokemon Birthday Party; ECW Rating; WWE Suspends Tatanka; Mark Henry Article
Joystiq.com reports that Hulk Hogan will be the host for the official Pokemon 10th Birthday bash August 8th in Bryant Park (located in Manhattan).
As the article notes, fans in attendance will be able to play Pokemon games, view a Pokemon tournament, and get other cool stuff. And you never know, maybe you'll get the chance to meet The Hulkster.
ECW on Sci-Fi scored a 2.4 rating, consistant with last week's rating.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reports that Tatanka is the latest WWE wrestler to receive the 30 day suspension. This is due to medical issues uncovered in the latest swing of testing.
Here is your updated Smackdown preview, courtesy of wwe.com:
A new dynasty
A new World Champion was crowned at The Great American Bash, and that man is King Booker. WWE.com has learned that a return match for the World Heavyweight Championship will take place on SmackDown, as King Booker defends his newly won championship against Rey Mysterio.
Mysterio might still be champion today if not for the unspeakable actions of his good friend, Chavo Guerrero. On Sunday, Chavo caused Rey to lose the World Championship and ended Mysterio's dream, setting the stage for King Booker's royal coup. How will Rey respond to Chavo's actions? Why did Chavo ruin Rey's dream?
This past week, King Booker also told WWE.com that this Friday, his kingdom would witness the first-ever Opulent Coronation, a celebration for the ages. But if Mysterio can defeat King Booker to regain the World Heavyweight Championship, this Opulent Coronation could be one parade that gets rained on royally. Will the fighting Mysterio overcome the emotions of this week to relive his dream?
On Friday, Batista will go toe-to-toe with his Bash opponent, Mr. Kennedy. The Animal was indeed unleashed on Kennedy on Sunday as Batista dominated Kennedy to the point of his own disqualification. Kennedy suffered several deep cuts to the head at the hands of Batista. Have we seen the last of Batista's animalistic fury?
The Phenom prevailed in the Punjabi Prison Match at the Bash after SmackDown General Manager Teddy Long removed The Great Khali from the match and replaced him with Big Show. Has this issue been settled or was The Bash just the beginning of a new barbaric war?
On Sunday, U.S. Champion Finlay and his Little Bastard embarrassed Finlay's ally, William Regal. When these two will clash again on SmackDown this week, will Regal turn the tables on the rugged Finlay? What mischief will the wretched leprechaun cause on Friday?
And of course, the next round of competition in the 2006 Diva Search will also take place on SmackDown this week. Diva hopeful Maryse was sent home this week on RAW and the remaining contestants will participate in Diva Search Musical Chairs as they compete to become one of the next of the Sexiest Women on TV.
Tune in Friday at 8/7 CT on UPN to find out.
The following article was posted on wwe.com:
Strength beyond measure
Heading into Saturday Night’s Main Event, SmackDown Superstar Mark Henry was one week away from the biggest match of his career against Batista until the World’s Strongest Man experienced the world’s strongest disappointment.
On July 15, Mark Henry came to his home state of Texas prepared for the opportunity to collide with his greatest rival, Batista, for the first time since Henry took him out six months ago. In front of a national television audience, viewers saw Henry tear his patella and split his massive kneecap in two during SmackDown’s six-man tag match. As a result of the injury, Henry was removed from his would-be epic confrontation with Batista at The Great American Bash.(Mark Henry surgery video)
Mark Henry is no stranger to injury and the disappointment that accompanies it. Within the last decade, Henry has come within inches of reaching the summit of the mountain. Each time, however, he has been plagued by injuries that have hindered the fulfillment of his career pinnacle. Overcoming several career-threatening injuries within the last 10 years, SmackDown Superstar Mark Henry has proved that his strength is not just physical.
“[Right now] I feel some disappointment, but a lot of it is frustration because I told myself this time around that I wasn’t going to take so many chances; I wasn’t going to risk my body as much. But that’s what the business needed,” Henry said. “It’s just the nature of the beast.”
Before the birth of his sports-entertainment career, Henry competed in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta – the same year ECW’s Kurt Angle earned his gold medal. Voted team captain in those 1996 Games, Henry suffered a back injury and finished 14th in weightlifting for his division.
Shortly after the 1996 Olympic Games, Henry debuted in WWE and would enjoy success as WWE European Champion in 1999. In 2000, Henry took time off from WWE television and spent a few years in developmental training. He made a full-fledged return and had substantial impact on RAW in August 2003, mixing it up with Booker T (now King Booker), Goldberg and Shawn Michaels.
Unfortunately for Henry, just five months after returning, he wrestled Chris Benoit and suffered a shoulder injury while in the Rabid Wolverine’s Crippler Crossface. Requiring surgery, Henry was again taken out of the picture at what some believed to be the peak of his WWE career. In light of such adversity, most men would allow such discouragement and sorrow to usurp their spirit. They would call it quits. Still, as he proved more than one year later, Mark Henry would persevere.
Henry told WWE.com that his recent injury is not very different from those he’s experienced before, including the injury he sustained in 2004.
“I suffered injuries, but any time I suffered an injury, I came back better than I was when I left,” he said.
Late last year, the World’s Strongest Man did indeed return stronger than ever before. Henry reappeared on SmackDown in December 2005 with a ravaging attack on Batista. This onslaught spurred a rivalry that would have tremendous impact on the physical wellness of both men, with Batista suffering a torn tricep in January 2006 at Henry’s mighty hands.
On a vicious rampage, Mark Henry took out Batista, resulting in The Animal’s forfeiture of the World Heavyweight Championship. Before his injury at SNME, Henry capitalized on Batista’s absence and sought the richest prize in sports-entertainment. And, with a slew of impressive victories over former World Champion Rey Mysterio, Kurt Angle, and Undertaker, it seemed that Mark Henry was on the path to achieving the ultimate success in WWE: the World Heavyweight Championship.
According to the World’s Strongest Man, when he assaulted and smashed Kurt Angle through a table on April 28 in London, England, he broke his own kneecap. Though Mark continued to compete, that attack initiated the knee problem that would culminate in his severe injury three months later at SNME and cease the momentum Mark amassed.
“I’m a soldier, man,” Henry said. “As much as I want to not get hurt, I’m not going to be the big guy that walks around and doesn’t take chances, that’s what I do,” he added. “That’s how much I love [WWE]."
Following successful knee surgery on July 18 in Birmingham, Ala., Henry said that he will be ready to return to the ring in six to eight months, pending any complications. With ample conditioning, Henry is hopeful that his recovery will be quick and will provide him some time to enhance his abilities.
“When I come back…I want to be leaner, I want to be faster, I want to have no weakness; I want to be able to come back from this knee injury and be able to dominate WWE,” he added adamantly. “I will return.”
| 
Printer friendly page