WWE Smackdown taping in Virginia (correspondents needed and special instructions), Dot Net Audio, Smackdown dark main event, Kevin Nash, Shelton Benjamin, Marc Mero, P.N. News, Tom Brandi, AWA on ESPN Classic

By Jason Powell

-WWE is taping Smackdown and Main Event tonight in Hampton, Va. at the Hampton Coliseum. The event will include the final push for Sunday's WWE Money in the Bank ladder match.

-We are looking for correspondents for tonight's WWE Smackdown taping in in Hampton, Virginia. I will be out at the Alice in Chains and Chevelle concert tonight, so if you are going to this show and want to help, email Chris Shore at css3238@gmail.com.

-Dot Net Members are listening to my 55-minute audio review of WWE Raw, and the 53-minute Q&A audio show that I recorded on Friday. If you enjoy our All Access audio, help support Dot Net by signing up for membership to the ad-free version of the website via the Dot Net Members' Signup Page.

-The dark main event for tonight's WWE Smackdown taping is Sheamus, Randy Orton, and Chris Jericho vs. Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns in a six-man tag match.

-WWE legend Kevin Nash is 54 today. He was born on July 9, 1959. Nash continues to make independent appearances and has also made some appearances for WWE's developmental territory NXT.

-Shelton Benjamin is 38 today. He was born on July 9, 1975. Benjamin currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling.

-Former WWE and WCW wrestler Marc Mero is 50 today. He was born on July 9, 1963. Mero worked as Johnny B. Badd during his WCW run. He was married to Sable (a/k/a Rena Lesnar) for over a decade. He has since remarried. He has been a vocal critic of steroid and recreational drug use in pro wrestling since retiring.

-Former WCW wrestler Paul Neu is 47 today. He was born on July 9, 1966. He wrestled as P.N. News in WCW. He also worked under his own name in the AWA and drove the shittiest car that was still drivable that I have ever seen in my life to his first match in the Twin Cities many years ago. My friends and I were laughing about the loud noises coming from this bomb of a car and I remember being shocked when Neu emerged from the driver's seat. That car belongs in some sort of bad car Hall of Fame. Here's hoping he's upgraded since then.

-Tom Brandi is 47 today. He was born on July 9, 1966. Brandi wrestled as Salvatore Sincere in WWE and Johnny Gunn in WCW in addition to using his own name in ECW and on the indy scene. He's also been known to work The Patriot gimmick.

-The following matches are listed for the 11:00 p.m. CT airing of the AWA on ESPN Classic: The Midnight Rockers vs. Knight and Ruez, Bruiser Brody vs. White, Col. DeBeers vs. Nick Bockwinkel.