Chicago Sun-Times: NWA headed to Fox Sports Net

The NWA: TNA promotion has done a nice job over the last two years, but has not be able to compete with the WWE without a national television contract. That will all change this week as the company is on the verge of signing a deal with Fox Sports Net to broadcast a weekly wrestling show, tentatively set for Fridays at 3 p.m.

Clearly it's not the best time slot considering most of the nation will be at work at that time, but NWA realized that one negative of being on FSN was the fact that Fox Sports holds the television rights to most of the pro sports teams in their respective markets. A weeknight or weekend time slot means the NWA frequently would be pre- empted by baseball, hockey or basketball. Fridays means not all fans will be able to watch the show during its run time, but the VCRs will be rolling and a legion of fans who have had no alternative to WWE programming will have a new flavor to sample.

The NWA also will announce they will now switch from the weekly pay-per-views to 4-6 major PPVs a year.

HEARD AROUND THE RING: One week after Lance Storm announced his retirement, Tommy Dreamer did the same. ... The WWE has confirmed it will bring back the Great American Bash." Torrie Wilson is featured on the promotional poster. ... Chris Benoit will defend the WWE title against Kane at the Bad Blood PPV. ... Sounds as if Vince McMahon and Bret Hart will come to terms. Expect the Hitman back on TV sometime this summer. ... Scott Steiner has been cleared to return, but the writers are concerned that he is too much of an injury risk to put him in a main-event-caliber feud. ... The WWE has given up on the Hirohito angle, and will use Kenzo Suzuki and his wife, Hiroki, in a different manner. ... Bobby The Brain" Heenan could be on his way back to the WWE. ... Nathan Jones has signed with the NWA.