Jersey Shore

Sources close to Angelina tell us she's been locked in discussions with TNA Wrestling officials for the past week -- trying to hammer out a deal to get her in the squared circle ASAP.

But unlike Jwoww's "don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-it" style fight back in October -- Angelina wants to brawl in a legitimate, regulation match.

While Jwoww, Snooki and Ronnie (who drove up with a very sour Sammi) fist pumped their fame into new BMWs, Vinny cruised up in a sleek Mercedes, Pauly D gelled well with his Cadillac and The Situation flashed his jacked up Range Rover.

Ronnie's manager Matt Cohen tells TMZ ... Stephen Izzo had encountered "Jersey" producers three weeks before the fight and signed a release form to appear on the show -- a form obtained by TMZ.

Cohen claims Izzo realized he needed conflict to score screen time -- so he went home and concocted a plan to provoke Ronnie into a fight on camera ... and we all know how that went.

Ronnie's manager believes the release form proves Izzo "obviously wanted to be on the show" -- and was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.

Izzo's currently suing Ronnie and MTV over the punch -- claiming, among other things, invasion of privacy and unauthorized use of his image.

Ronnie was indicted by a grand jury in New Jersey last month over the scuffle -- charged with one count of third-degree assault ... and he could face up to five years in prison if convicted.

Question is ...

The giant ball (pictured above) -- with a lit "Snooki" sign attached -- just showed up in Seaside Heights ... near the infamous "Jersey Shore" house.

MTV's New Year's Eve Snooki ball was reportedly banned from Times Square -- but we've learned plan B is shore sweet shore. They're even getting the rigging ready to drop the ball ... and Snooki.

Sources at Sportie L.A. tell TMZ, Pauly popped in last weekend and bought 4 pairs of Nikes for $120 each to add to his already gigantic sneaker collection ... estimated to be worth around $30,000.

Sources close to the "Jersey Shore" star tell TMZ, he flies out West regularly to score hard-to-find kicks ... and they don't come cheap!

It all went down in Jersey at the Sitch's Christmas party for his new protein-infused vodka. Cookie -- who faced off against Jwoww in the ring at a TNA event in October -- was hired to bartend and we're told Sitch recognized her right away.

Sources tell us the two hung out for a while -- and even snapped this little picture together.

Ortiz was charged with one count of third-degree assault ... punishable by up to five years in state prison. The alleged incident went down September 4, 2009 in Seaside Heights, NJ.

Sources tell TMZ the reason it took so long to charge him was because both sides were trying to reach a plea agreement, but couldn't. We're told a plea still could happen down the road.

The guy on the receiving end of the alleged punch, Stephen Izzo, has a pending lawsuit against Ronnie, MTV, and the producers of the show.

Snooks is scheduled to appear at a holiday party Friday night at Sizzle Tanning Salon in Totowa, New Jersey -- and sources tell us she'll be sitting on a throne for two hours ... before getting paid enough to buy a car.

Ronnie endured a six-hour session at Mario Barth's King Ink in Las Vegas earlier this week to complete his heaven and hell themed tattoo. Ronnie's on and off girlfriend, Sammi Sweatheart, was there as well.

Sources close to the reality star tell TMZ, as soon as Ronnie sits down at his VIP table at Jet nightclub in Vegas on Saturday ... he'll get 2 magnum bottles of GG ($950 each) and 5 magnum bottles of Dom Rose ($1,875 each).

That's a grand total of $11,275 -- but good news for Ronnie, it ain't gonna cost him a dollar ... we're told the nightclub is comping everything.

Ronnie will be joined by his on-again, off-again GF Sammi Sweetheart and his manager Matt Cohen, plus six of his best buds from NYC.

As we previously reported, Angie was set to square off in an official AC bout against another reality star -- Kerry Schwartz from "Frank the Entertainer in a Basement Affair" -- but got into it with a random girl at the Taj Mahal ... before ever setting foot in the ring.

Now the AC cops claim Angelina was the aggressor -- allegedly punching the unidentified woman in the face and body.

According to AC police, a summons complaint for simple assault has already been mailed to Angelina ... and she's due in court later this month.

UPDATE: Angelina tells us she plans on cooperating with authorities -- but adds, "That night I feel I was provoked, taunted , and harassed into a fight."

Weeks before the "Jersey Shore" star's ex-boyfriend/former business manager Thomas Lippolis sued Jwoww for allegedly stiffing him on several deals -- Jwoww's lawyer sent the guy a letter explaining a "final payment" for his services was in the works. The document could be the proof that Lippolis needs to get the $350,000 he's demanding from the reality star.

But in the letter, the lawyer added, "It has come to [Jwoww's] attention that you may be in possession of certain photos of her that may be derogatory to her image and in violation of her contract with MTV."

Sources connected to the former couple tell TMZ ... the photos in question contain some very nude images of the reality star.

Angelina was scheduled to participate in a celebrity fight against Kerry Schwartz from "Frank the Entertainer in a Basement Affair" tonight in Atlantic City. But sources tell TMZ Angelina got into it with an unidentified female at the Taj Mahal before she ever stepped in the ring.

We're told police were called and Angelina was questioned, but not arrested. According to our sources, Angelina was escorted out after she was done talking to cops.