The Million Dollar Man no longer in WWE

Ted Dibiase speaks out...

Ted Dibiase posted the following statement on his website, MillionDollarMan.com.

To my fans, friends, and supporters,I was released from the WWE Thursday, Oct. 26th due to cutbacks by the WWE. I was released along with Tim Horner.

I am thankful for my time in the WWE and look at my tenure there as a time of obedience to my Savior, Jesus Christ. When I went back to the WWE, I did so with some reluctance of how it might affect my ministry and was very comfortable being in full time evangelism. God brought to mind what I had preached to so many that we must use our sphere of influence to seek and save the lost. What greater sphere of influence could I have than the business I had spent most of my life in? During my time there, many doors began to open and I found myself witnessing Christ to open ears and open hearts. I realized that this was now my ministry. The bible says that everything is for a season and I knew this time in the WWE would be for a season. I just didn't know how long that season would last. As that season in my life closes I am back home and back in full time evangelism with speaking engagements all over the US and Canada already being scheduled.

God confirmed to me that this move was in His perfect will just two days after I was released from the WWE. I was already scheduled to speak for Promise Keepers Canada in Regina, Saskatchewan. As I shared the gospel Saturday morning and gave an altar call to a thousand men, so many responded that men were backed up the isle, not able to get to the front. Later I was told that it was the largest response to an invitation they had ever had there. I wept as I saw all those men humbling themselves before God and it was humbling to know that He had just used me as His instrument to do it.

I will miss my friends in the WWE and I wish them all well, but I have no doubt that I am right where God wants me to be. Many of you have been praying for me and continue to. I both thank you and cherish your prayers. Please continue to pray that God give me wisdom to see the doors He's opening and favor with those He allows me to witness to.

As I write to you I have already been asked to speak at another Promise Keepers Canada meeting as well as be a regular guest on a weekly Canadian Christian sports talk show. It seems that God keeps sending me back to Canada and that's ok. I've made many great friends there who tell me that their country is very hungry for God. So I guess that's right where I need to be! Please keep me in your prayers. Please pray for people to turn to God, both here at home and in Canada.That's it for now.

As things get ramped back up for Heart of David Ministries I will keep you all posted. I pray God richly bless each and every one of you.

Until next time and forever I am,
In His grip
Ted

WWE / ECW Superstart Kurt Angle's letter on his retirement / sabbatical

Kurt Angle one of the best known professional wrestler is retiring. Here's what he said about it.

To all my respective fans in WWE/ECW, The letter you are about to read is not from WWE, nor from my agent, but from me- Kurt Angle…to my all fans.

This is my personal ‘Thank You’ straight from my heart, to all my fans for being here with me and providing me with the most honorable privilege to perform and entertain for you. Thank you for tuning into your TVs weekly, for visiting me at hundreds of house show chanting ‘You Suck’ (I love that phrase), to every single good, bad or indifferent e-mail I’ve received over the past 6 years and continue to receive daily. Thank you for being there and making my life truly blessed.

When I came to WWE, many fans had doubts that an Olympic Gold Medalist in Amateur Wrestling could turn and master the art of Sports Entertainment. To my humble surprise, God graciously granted me the gift to make this exciting transition in my life. Coming into the WWE, I had one goal in mind...to be the VERY BEST! Many say I am; some may say I'm not. But I want you to know with over six solid years of non-stop wrestling action under my belt from all the shows to the world tours...I treated every single match as if it were my last!

I’ve never known a time in my life from training, competition or entertainment that I have not tried to give over 100%. I honestly do not know of any other way to wrestle or perform, and I have always wanted to give YOU, the fans, what I would expect to see. From the entertainment standpoint, (good guy or bad guy), it’s been truly exciting, but I know in my heart that I have not reached my peak. Critics have compared me to very honorable wrestlers like Rick Flair, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker, all of whom I value and truly respect. But there is one BIG difference between us. I am by far the most aggressive and intense athlete of all on the mat. When I step into the ring, I treat it as real, it feels real and then I play it like a real shoot fight.

As an amateur wrestler for 23 years and a pro for 6, unfortunately over the past 4 years I have suffered many injuries. I broke my neck twice and had two major neck surgeries. I’ve fractured my ribs, hip, tailbone, fingers and toes while also tearing almost every major muscle at least one time or another. Injuries have always been a natural part of the business and my life, but where I have failed is not taking the time off to recover. When I’m off the mental stress, sitting back becomes worse than the physical pain. Something tells my inner soul to go back regardless of the condition. The funny thing is, this obsession is what the industry loves, but this obsession can also be my destruction.

Week after week, day after day, 250 days a year on the road can be a living hell for anyone, especially when you’re in daily pain for months on end. It was at home when I began to realize how severe the problems were- when a simple task like taking out the garbage is like a full workout and I needed Motrin in order to get up and do it.

It’s time to rest! After 6 long years, I looked into my wife’s eyes and finally saw that she, too, was severely stressed and worn out due to my livelihood that she had to endure. My 3-year old daughter Kyra basically became my nurse, thinking she had to put ice packs or heating pads on my neck, back and legs because she could see the pain her daddy was in.

At this point, something happened that made me realize that wrestling wasn't the most important thing in my life. I sat down with my wife Karen, who had tears in her eyes. I could see in her face how concerned she was for me. She said, “I love you. I didn't marry you because you were a WWE Superstar. I married you before you ever joined them. Kurt, I’m so worried that if you continue going at this pace, something bad is really going to happen and I don't want Kyra and Kody (our unborn son) to grow up without their father.”

I did take this all to heart, but then, as usual, a couple of days later, I went back on the road, wanting to electrify my new ECW fans. My last event was at the Westchester Arena in White Plains, New York. The show was sold out. The main event was me against RVD. I had a great match against RVD as the fans were cheering for both of us. The more we wrestled (Rob and I wrestle more of a realistic shoot style), the more I wanted to give them. Ten minutes into the match, I severely pulled my groin. Most wrestlers would have quit right on the spot. But the fans were chanting louder and louder "THIS MATCH RULES!" continuously, so I kept going. Compensating for my groin injury, I pulled my lower abdominal muscle off my pelvic bone. Now, I was in trouble, but I looked up at the fans and they were screaming louder than ever.

So Rob and I startedinto our finish, false finish after false finish, back and forth. But the one thing the fans noticed is that I was doing half of the match on one leg. That made it feel even more real for the fans. I can only thank God and the fans for keeping me going, as I was in so much pain. And at the end of the match, I had the opportunity to beat RVD. I set him up for the Angle Slam and Rob countered with a flying DDT. My hamstring blew out. The fans cheered and I could not move in the ring. As the agonizing pain grew greater, I could only look around. Every fan was on their feet giving me a standing ovation. And this was at a house show, not a PPV. My only regret was that I could not stand up and thank them all for it.

To the ones who love me, the ones who hated me and even the ones who loved to hate me- You were and are my inspiration. God was and is my strength and so is my family—my Mom, sister and brothers, my father (God rest his soul), my Manager Dave Hawk and most especially, my wife Karen, who went through hell during my career. She has never given up on me.
Fans, thank you all for the memories. It was quite a ride. I would not trade any of it for the world. As I sit here a bit teary eyed, I do want all of you to know, I will be fine. I will finally get to spend some real quality time with my family… time that is much, much overdue. My plan and goal is to become stronger mentally, physically and spiritually. I, Kurt Angle, will be back! That’s a promise. And that’s DAMN TRUE!

Vince, if you happen to read this, I want to again say thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are a great man!

When we get together, the next cup of coffee is on me. ; )

God Bless,
Kurt Angle

Update on Matt Cappotelli

Matt called in to a radio show. Get the transcript here. You can email him here.

Matt Cappotelli

Click on the picture to see the video clip. It may take some time to stream and it may stop time and again. Let it run. Once it's completed, run it again to hear what he said.

Matt Cappotelli is a the co-winner of Tough Enough III. TE is a competition run by the WWE (the World Wrestling Entertainment) to select potential superstars.

Matt Cappotelli is also the reigning OVW (Ohio Valley Wrestling) champion. OVW is another wrestling promotion under the same banner as WWE. It is a development territory to train up and coming superstars.

On the night of Feb 9, Matt made an emotional (and reportedly religious) announcement. He is diagnosed with brain tumour. He relinquished his championship belt stating he could no longer do it justice. He will undergo surgery and chemotherapy. But he didn't lose hope. He cited his relationship with Jesus Christ as his source of strength to go through this trial. Instead of seeking pity, he sought to help those those are suffering and in pain. He then said a prayer.

That's saying a lot in a country where public prayers are banned in school.

Matt then stayed on until midnight (from around 10 p.m.) to talk to each and everyone of his fans.

We pray that God will be him and his family.

In memory of Eddie Guerrero (09 Oct 1967 – 13 Nov 2005)

Eddie Guerrero is one of the biggest stars in WWE's Smackdown! brand ... if not the biggest. He passed away to an apparent heart failure at the age of 38.

You can read the messages his fans left at his official website.

Eddie Guerrero was a 2nd generation superstar. His blend of interview skills and technical ability is unmatched.

He came clean with his personal struggle with drugs and alcohols. He was sober for 4 years before his untimely death. His struggles were well documented in the DVD the Eddie Guerrero story: Cheating Death and Stealing Life. (Here's a review.)

Eddie Guerrero is known to his fellow wrestlers as a main of great faith. Fellow Christian wrestler Shawn Michaels was quoted saying Eddie did something no one else could - he got them all together in prayer.

He is survived by his wife Vickie and daughters Shaul, 14, Sherilyn, 9, and Kaylie Marie, 3.

Eddie's death is captured by mainstream media like MSNBC and Yahoo! News. It was featured on the main Yahoo! page.

My condolences and prayers go to his family.