WrestlingTruth.com

Punk’s New Ring Gear, Mid-South DVD Cover, Chimel Loses Weight, Eric Young On TNA Going Mainstream

2013-06-18T20:29:59Z

Punk’s Blackhawks inspired logo:
In a recent interview with the Chicago Tribune CM Punk discussed his new ring gear…

“I knew I wanted to make the gear to support my team; that was the basis of it,” Punk said. “The logo is actually a little bit of a cross between the Blackhawks logo and my logo. If you look really closely at the top of the two tomahawks, it’s a little fist with an ‘X’ on it.”

Punk was also wearing a Gracie Jujitsu hoodie during his entrance at Payback.

Jim Ross put over Punk’s match with Chris Jericho in his latest JRSBARBQ.com blog…

“The Punk vs. Jericho match lived up to the hype and the Chicago crowd helped the match be elevated even more. Excellent, fundamental, old school wrestling bout that was a hit with me. A broadcaster can work their entire career and never get to call a bout such as this in an environment like was in Chicago on Sunday night.”

Cover for Mid-South DVD set:
Speaking of Jim Ross – today he revealed the cover for WWE’s upcoming “Legends of Mid-South Wrestling” DVD set…

WWE ring announcer loses weight:
WWE ring announcer Tony Chimel noted on Twitter that he’s lost 49 pounds this year. Here he is wearing his baggy old clothes…

EY on what it takes for TNA to go mainstream:
TNA star Eric Young discussed what it would take to get TNA in to the mainstream, during a recent interview with Busted Open Radio – SiriusXM Radio | MON, WED, FRI @ 2p-4p (EDT) | Sirius 92 & XM 208 | Facebook | Twitter

“To me, they are doing the right steps. I mean, you guys have been around wrestling a long time. You’ve been wrestling fans a long time. So have I. How many times have you heard it? Nope, TNA’s not going to make it. Nope, they’re not going to make it. Thousands of times. It’s been around for ten years. They just signed a big deal with Spike television for another five years. It’s usually the highest rated show on Spike television every week. It’s seen in over a 120 countries around the world. They didn’t grow to this point because they don’t know what they are doing. There is going to be people that watch wrestling that don’t like it. There are going to be people that watch Impact that don’t like it. But then—there’s no pleasing everyone. It just doesn’t exist. I remember being a die-hard wrestling fan during the Monday Night Wars. And I wouldn’t watch WCW because I thought it was terrible. I thought it was terrible. And I would still flip over and check it out. I think it’s a branded thing now, and I think that stems from the Monday Night Wars. Because before that, pro wrestling to an average fan was just pro wrestling. They didn’t know if it was WWF or WWE or WCW or NWA. It was just pro wrestling. And they just watched it. If you were a pro wrestling fan, you just watched it when you saw it on television. And then it became ‘well actually we’re competing against each other, and it’s two separate brands.’ And it became this whole thing. You’re not going to please everyone, but they are making the right decisions with they just went to live—all the television shows are being shot on the road now. The crowds have been great. The numbers have been decent. The numbers in the arena have been very good. You guys were in Boston, it was an amazing crowd. An amazing Pay Per View. I think; I feel that in the next couple of years, pro wrestling is on the upswing.”

Like you said it’s a very hardcore set of fans, a very ‘set’ set of fans. Where the numbers, every week are kind of the same. And house shows the numbers are kind of the same. So now you bring in Rampage. And you do stuff like that. I want to believe having me on the show will help. Animal Planet is not a massive channel but it’s another audience. You gotta get these guys in front of other audiences. And I don’t know why pro wrestling doesn’t get the respect. I just came from The Today Show; I just did The Today Show. The Today Show should want to talk to Jeff Hardy. They should want to take to Austin Aries. They should want to talk to James Storm. These are interesting people. And those guys are not just pro wrestlers. They have all this other stuff going on. Like Mickie James, just released a CD, is one of, if not the greatest female pro wrestler ever in the history of our sport. I mean the list goes on and on. You know mainstream people should want to talk to these people. I don’t know why that’s not. You guys know. You guys can sit here and talk to all those people I just mentioned for hours. Us three could just sit here and talk for hours and hours and hours. We’re interesting people. We come from an interesting world. We just gotta change the conception of mainstream media. And having television—having someone like The Rock is a massive success. Austin’s massive success in the real world of real media is good for everybody.”

Mr Anderson – The Heel Report: Week 10 (2013-2014 Season)

2013-06-18T15:03:25Z

Another week, hopefully less ‘streamlined’ than last week (I have changed my mind on Parks & Recreation by the way, show gets better really quick). Still late though due to a backlog of stuff and so Payback will be in the next report, so if you are wondering why TNA even got a look in then that is why. Anyway let’s get on with this thing…

Weekly Top Ten:

1st Place: Mr Anderson (10/10)

Through the sheer fact that he eliminated a guy from a Battle Royal with a finger bang (in the South Park fashion, not the other one you weird perverts!) puts Anderson above every other heel this week. Although it also helps that it was a damn slow week for heels in terms of massive ‘points-getters’, everyone settling at around the same spot by one or two points. Right now he is one of the biggest douches in the company, while actually being successful, and so he deserves the number one spot.

2nd Place: Damien Sandow (9/10)

Speaking of douches, we are experiencing the Renaissance of Damien Sandow, although who knows if it will last beyond Payback. Either way for the last few weeks Sandow has not only been winning matches but also getting much more promo time and using his gimmick as a self-appointed educator of the masses to full effect.

3rd Place: Curtis Axel (8/10)

This week it is a chart of technicalities as Axel technically got two wins over HHH this week by disqualification and forfeit. This whole approach of having the former McGillicutty go from relative obscurity to beating the best in the business, but in the cheapest ways possible, is hard to define in terms of effectiveness. On the one hand it makes him look completely weak and not really believable as any kind of main eventer any time soon. On the other hand though it would be pretty hard to believe that the guy could go from being little more than a jobber to being some kind of world beater, and also his antics seem to be garnering him some massive heat from the crowd, and considering this is a guy who was one half of the tag team dubbed the ‘most boring’ in the WWE with David Otunga, any reaction is good really.

4th Place: AJ Lee (7/10)

Somehow the WWE made a Divas title match at a PPV actually mean something, which just shows how much they can actually do with one segment executed correctly and at the right time. For weeks this ‘Secret Admirer’ thing with Kaitlyn has been going on and has for the most part been complete bollocks, but much like the Aces & 8s the appearance of Big E. and AJ salvaged the whole thing and made the for the most part unconnected become the plausible and downright compelling. AJ played the evil mastermind to a tee and proves that revenge is a dish best served cold.

5th Place: Dolph Ziggler (6/10)

The world champion returned this week and despite not having much success his mere presence garnered him a bunch of points since whenever Ziggler is actually allowed in the ring or on the mic he is usually great, it’s just for some reason the WWE usually keep him away from the mic and have him lose in the ring, much like this week, the crazy bastards.

6th Place: Austin Aries (5/10)

A-Double had a great semi-comedy match with Eric Young this week to qualify for the Bound For Glory series. The twelve men entering this year for the most part could offer up some stiff competition for each other and while I don’t see Aries winning the thing I’m sure he will be in the final four and he will probably get himself a bunch of points along the way.

7th Place: Bully Ray (4/10)

The leader of Aces & 8s once again accumulated points mainly from being present throughout the broadcast and causing trouble. I really like how Bully really is the main focus of the show but doesn’t overshadow everyone else on the product. He also deserves to be where he is and hasn’t buried anyone to get there; he is pretty much the antithesis of Cena at this point.

8th Place: Antonio Cesaro (3/10)

Cesaro, while still seemingly on a downwards slide, managed to win two out of three of his matches this week so at least he is definitely doing better than Sin Cara right now.This is the general problem with WWE right now, they book guys to look strong and win a bunch of matches but since they aren’t involved in any real rivalries, once their push comes to a halt they are left with nothing, even their title wins don’t mean anything because it didn’t create any memories or lasting impressions. Wrestling is not a real sport and in the end wins and losses mean very little without compelling storylines to back it up, Cesaro is a prime example of this.

9th Place: Bo Dallas (2/10)

The new NXT champion pulled off a big win in securing his title from the freight train that is Big E. Langston. Somehow Dallas has raised the ire of the NXT audience despite really only once or twice seeming a bit disingenuous in his promos. This just shows that the guy is super effective at conveying his demeanour as he is clearly supposed to be a heel, but he does very little to really show it outside of a far-too-cheesy grin, which he always had, even as a face. Hopefully Bo will find his way to the main roster soon enough, with an actual angle to support him when he does.

10th Place: Big E. Langston (1/10)

The former NXT champion did much better in his heel persona this week as while he didn’t win the matches he had he looked good in the ring and what’s more he dropped Kaitlyn right on her ass. It was a lot of fun.

2013-2014 Season Top Ten:

1st Place: Bully Ray (51)
2nd Place: The Ryback (45)
3rd Place: Seth Rollins (44)
4th Place: Dean Ambrose (43)
5th Place: Johnny Curtis (42)
6th Place: Roman Reigns (34)
7th Place: Mark Henry (34)
8th Place: Damien Sandow (33)
9th Place: Dolph Ziggler (29)
10th Place: Mr Anderson (26)

(Heel Hall of Fame)

**Heel Report 2010-2011 Winner: The Miz**
**Heel Report 2011-2012 Winner: Cody Rhodes**
**Heel Report 2012-2013 Winner: C.M. Punk**

Weekly Filler:

The Face-Off:Stephanie McMahon Imploring HHH

Crying Stephanie McMahon is a horrible sight that we should never have to see ever again, plus it completely doesn’t fit with her other persona portrayed as being ruthless and manipulative, especially against her father. Just think of the Alliance or the whole thing with HHH and DX, so hearing her implore her husband not to hurt her father while crying was ridiculously disingenuous. Less of this please.

Face the Facts:Announcement of Defeat

Finally the Shield were defeated, and while it was a big deal it also doesn’t feel like the end of anything, so basically it was a success. It is also awesome that their defeat was announced as part of the declaration of the winner since it made the win feel like a big deal, put over Daniel Bryan, but also the Shield as being a force to be reckoned with. Usually the rookie team beating the former world champions would be a big deal, but seeing it in the reverse just confirms how far the Shield have come since their debut, and after all it is only one loss as a unit, they are still far ahead on wins and did anyone really think that beating them in one match would do anything to stop the shield of justice? Fuck no!

On the Rise: Wade Barrett

Week after week Wade Barrett continues to prove what a solid worker he is and how he can deliver on the mic and even on commentary, and yet he has been given so little to work with since the Nexus crumbled, through no real fault of his own. I still wish that the WWE had pulled the trigger on giving him the WWE title as the leader of Nexus instead of handing it to the Miz. While Miz did a decent job as champion and was a slight breath of fresh air from the norm, Barrett could have made himself a much bigger presence in the WWE once given that chance, rather than languishing in the mid-card for the last few years. Let’s hope that he gets another shot at a major title at some point soon since the guy clearly deserves it.

Flat-Footed: Fandango and the Concussion Curse

On the other side of things Johnny Curtis was clearly going to be taking the title from Barrett on Sunday before this concussion thing happened and like with Ziggler it seems like one of my favourite guys is finally given a shot to shine and then gets clipped at the wing through no one’s fault. Can’t even blame the WWE on this one as they are only doing things for the safety of their employees, which can’t be a bad thing. It just sucks for Ziggler, Curtis and the fans that they have to take this time off as time off in professional wrestling can kill your career, or at least your current momentum since there is always someone waiting to take your spot, and Axel appears to be it for Fandango.

That’s all for this week, next week the Payback results will be factored in, so I’m sure you are all eagerly anticipating that. For now though this is James Wright signing off.

Rampage In TNA, Xbox One, Recent Deaths and More: The Suplah

2013-06-18T14:56:01Z

Liam and Andy discuss E3 & Microsoft’s new Xbox, Take 2 Sports, Drew McIntyre‘s fall from grace, Rampage should be trained by Kurt Angle, Al Green and Reid Flair‘s deaths… AND MUCH MORE!

Subscribe:
Blip.TV | iTunes | RSS

RAW: Lesnar Attacks CM Punk, Mark Henry Swerves Cena, Christian Returns, Bryan Confronts Triple H

2013-06-18T11:44:09Z

Clash of the Heyman Guys:
CM Punk’s new found affinity with the fans continued on RAW, following his home town victory over Chris Jericho at Payback. Ticked off that Paul Heyman considered him just another “client”, Punk went against his manager’s wishes and booked himself in a match with the controversial Alberto Del Rio. The Best In The World got the victory with a count-out after a GTS sent the World Champ to the outside, but it was after the match when things got interesting.

Instead of “Cult of Personality” blasting through the speakers, Brock Lesnar’s theme hit and the beast left Punk flat on his back with the F5. It seems the WWE isn’t big enough for two Paul Heyman guys…but where does Heyman’s own loyalty lie?

Henry swerves the fans and attacks Cena:
Over the past few weeks Mark Henry has been teasing on Twitter that his retirement was looming. He went as far as to confirm this before this week’s RAW, and during the show the suited and solemn looking Strongman suckered in the audience to believe that he was indeed being put out to pasture, as he joined John Cena in the ring for give a farewell speech.

WRONG

You see there was one “regret” – Henry revealed that he’s always wanted to win the WWE Championship. Though Cena handed him the belt as a momentary show of respect, Mark Henry’s demeanor switched and he handed the belt back to the Champ. “You have to earn it” – and with that the World’s Strongest Man slammed Cena in to oblivion.

It had all been a ruse to swerve Cena and finish what he started the night after Wrestlemania. Henry later Tweeted…
“When I stop laughing at ALL of you I will send a proper tweet.”

Christian returns:
RAW was a night of shocks and swerves, and the return of Christian can be added to the list. Wade Barrett was scheduled to get his rematch with Curtis Axel for the IC belt, but Vickie Guerrero had other ideas, bringing back Captain Charisma as Barrett’s surprise opponent.

After Christian dodged Barrett – who went careering in to the ring post – he connected with the Killswitch to get a return victory. It looks like we have a new player in the IC title picture.

Bryan has had enough:
Among the most controversial moments of a wild Raw in Michigan was the unexpected stoppage of the Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton contest after the submission expert suffered a “stinger” in the middle of the bout and was deemed unfit to compete by WWE officials, with the final decision coming from WWE COO Triple H himself.

“Whether anybody likes it or not, it’s my job as COO of this company,” confirmed Triple H to WWE.com. “I made the call that Daniel Bryan’s health was important and I called the match.”

“I saw Daniel face-to-face with Triple H, nose to nose, screaming at him, saying that the match should not have been stopped and he’d worked through several injuries over 13 years,” said referee John Cone, who followed Bryan into the locker room area.“Triple H fired back, saying he’s worked through torn quads, but Bryan was saying it was supposed to be the biggest match of his career and it was taken away from him.

“I’d never seen anything like it, they almost came to blows,” elaborated Cone. “Randy stepped in and pulled Daniel Bryan back, it was the craziest thing I’d ever seen backstage.”

Quick Results:

- Christian def. Wade Barrett with the Killswitch.

- Team Rhodes Scholars def. Sheamus in a Handicap match.

- Randy Orton def. Daniel Bryan due to match stoppage.

- Stephanie McMahon confronted Divas Champion AJ Lee, but Kaitlyn soon took matters in to her own hands.

- Kane def. U.S. Champion Dean Ambrose via Disqualification, after Rollins & Reigns interfered.

- Antonio Cesaro (with Zeb Colter) def. William Regal.

- Chris Jericho def. Heath Slater.

- Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel def. Sin Cara.

- CM Punk def. World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio via Count-out

Bully Ray – The Heel Report: Week 9 (2013-2014 Season)

2013-06-17T19:35:45Z

Another rushed chart this week as my PhD once again gets in the way of my first love; wrestling. Expect normal service to resume shortly.

Weekly Top Ten:

1st Place: Bully Ray (10/10)

Do you know who he is? He’s the retaining TNA world champion you plebs!

2nd Place: Devon (9/10)

Lost his title and got taken out by ‘Abyss’ but was a complete dick while doing so.

3rd Place: The Ryback (8/10)

He loves to put people through tables, a running theme with the top three on the chart this week.

4th Place: Mr Anderson (7/10)

Sneaky Anderson, slowly working his way through a group he didn’t belong to at first, he is the mole!

5th Place: Damien Sandow (6/10)

I am about to use my staggering intellect to predict Sandow’s future at Payback; a Brogue Kick!

6th Place: Austin Aries (5/10)

Here’s a riddle: why aren’t Aries & Roode champions right now? Answer: Because TNA are plebs.

7th Place: Curtis Axel (4/10)

Ah the king of ‘technicality winning’, frankly I don’t think the phase will catch on.

8th Place: Paul Heyman (3/10)

I’m currently watching the first episode of Parks and Recreation; how is it supposed to be good?

9th Place: Christopher Daniels (2/10)

See above; Austin Aries, same answer but replace ‘Aries & Roode’ with ‘Bad Influence’.

10th Place: Gail Kim (1/10)

Loved the Last KO Standing concept, do it with AJ and Paige somewhere down the road.

2013-2014 Season Top Ten:

1st Place: Bully Ray (47)
2nd Place: The Ryback(45)
3rd Place: Seth Rollins (44)
4th Place: Dean Ambrose (43)
5th Place: Johnny Curtis(42)
6th Place: Roman Reigns (34)
7th Place: Mark Henry (34)
8th Place: Damien Sandow (24)
9th Place: Dolph Ziggler (23)
10th Place: Wade Barrett (18)

(Heel Hall of Fame)

**Heel Report 2010-2011 Winner: The Miz**
**Heel Report 2011-2012 Winner: Cody Rhodes**
**Heel Report 2012-2013 Winner: C.M. Punk**

Yeah I know, I know, this report was far too late and far too streamlined but I need a break and I want the chart to keep ticking over, so deal with it! For now this is James Wright signing off.

Stars React To RVD’s Return, RAW Preview: Henry Retiring? CM Punk Falling Out With Heyman?

2013-06-17T15:25:02Z

Heyman & others discuss Rob Van Dam’s return:
Paul Heyman Tweeted the following upon news that RVD will be returning to WWE at Money In The Bank…
“The entire WWE Universe is buzzing about the return of a true one-of-a-kind, Rob Van Dam. And no one, I assure you, no one is more exhilarated about the return of RVD than Paul Heyman himself. Because after all, Rob Van Dam is a ‘Paul Heyman Guy.’”

Several other stars also took to Twitter…

The Miz:
“One of the greatest highfliers, a Legend in my mind. I remember from ECW to WWE, this guy is action-packed, he is a showstopper, he is must-see. He’s not going to take The Miz’s spot. I welcome all comers. I’ve always welcomed anyone that’s come back, because the fact is, if people are going to watch them, they’re going to stay to watch me. Who knows how much he has left in the tank? I’m curious to see how he does. I’m a huge fan and I look forward to getting in the ring with him.”

Vickie Guerrero:
“My responsibility is making the best opportunities for Monday Night Raw. To have RVD return back to WWE, I am honored to be part of the board that looked at his profile and welcomed him with open arms. RVD and I go back many years to when he was with Eddie. I cannot wait to see him here.”

Brad Maddox:
“Of course I’m not surprised, because I signed him. Or I should say, re-signed the legendary RVD. I specifically told him to wait for Money in the Bank, because I wanted to maximize profitability.”

Titus O’Neil:
“Anything that gets the WWE Universe excited in any way, shape or form, I’m excited about. Because that means more fans in the WWE Universe that will be spending more money to buy Prime Time Players T-shirts. So yeah, I’m excited about RVD coming back.”

Damien Sandow:
“I am not threatened by any man whose name is three letters.”

Post Payback RAW preview:
Mark Henry appears to be teasing a retirement angle on tonight’s RAW from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI. He wrote on Twitter…

“Whether you loved or hated me in my career.I was all ways there for you.i appreciate u all. Good or bad I will live forever with u the fans…#raw #wwe I have spoke to my family and hope to talk to all of you fans tomorrow live from Grand Rapids. Guys Father Time is undefeated.”

Also tonight WWE are teasing tension between CM Punk and Paul Heyman. Following Payback WWE.com posted up the following video…

“You’ve never called me your client before,” says Punk. “I’m not your client. Curtis Axel is your client. Curtis Axel needs your help, he needs someone to guide him, I get that. There was a time when maybe I needed you to guide me but I was never your client, I was your friend. Curtis Axel needs your help, Brock Lesnar needs your help. They’re your clients, I’m your friend. Just be my friend. Please.”

Vince McMahon and Triple H are also advertised for RAW. Here is WWE.com’s 5 point preview…

- What could Mark Henry have on his mind, if not mayhem?

- What will Del Rio and Ziggler have to say for themselves?

- What’s next for Daniel Bryan, Kane and Randy Orton?

- What awaits the Cenation leader on his first Raw after escaping the domain of the self-proclaimed Beelzebub, Ryback?

- Will Heyman be forced to choose between his “guys”?

RVD Returning To WWE!

2013-06-17T08:59:58Z

After many months of rumors WWE confirmed during last night’s Payback PPV that none other than RVD is returning to the company!

The ECW original who finished up with TNA several months back is scheduled to return to WWE at next month’s Money In The Bank PPV – July 14, 2013. Here is the teaser broadcast during the PPV…

Rather than a shock return, it seems WWE are hoping that announcing him beforehand will spike some PPV buys. Of course he could always show up as a surprise on TV before the event itself.

As of now Van Dam’s contract status is not known. Judging from past statements it’s possible that he won’t be on the full house show schedule, but nothing is confirmed.

WWE Payback Results: Cena Retains, Del Rio Wins World Title, Punk Shows Up

2013-06-17T08:48:37Z

- Sheamus def. Damien Sandow, after dishing out three Irish Curse Backbreakers and the Brogue Kick.

- Curtis Axel def. Wade Barrett (c) and The Miz to become the new Intercontinental Champion, after Miz locked Barrett in the Figure Four and Axel capitalized by pinning Barrett’s shoulders.

- AJ Lee def. Kaitlyn (c) to become the new Divas Champion, after Kaitlyn missed the Spear and hit the ring post, and AJ locked on the black Widow.

- Dean Ambrose (c) def. Kane to retain the United States Championship, after hitting a DDT on the outside causing a Count Out.

- Alberto Del Rio def. Dolph Ziggler (c) to become the new World Heavyweight Champion, amidst controversy that Ziggler’s concussion had not cleared. The final blow was a kick to the head.

- CM Punk def. Chris Jericho, with successive GTS’s

- Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns (c) def. Randy Orton & Daniel Bryan to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles, after Rollins hit a double stomp on Bryan’s head.

- John Cena (c) def. Ryback to retain the WWE Championship (Three Stages of Hell Match) – Ryback won the first fall with the Shell Shocked, Cena fired back getting the second fall with an Attitude Adjustment through a table, and sealed the third fall by slamming Ryback right through the Ambulance roof!

Following the bout Ryback refused medical attention.

Memphis Legend Hospitalized, Reid’s Family Comment On Autopsy, New WWE Signing, Sean Waltman Interview

2013-06-16T10:32:57Z

Jackie Fargo rushed to hospital
Memphis Wrestling legend Jackie Fargo was found unconscious in his home on Saturday and rushed to the hospital. The 85 year old originator of the wrestling “strut” has been fighting congenital heart disease for some time, and only has 15% usage according to a PWInsider.com report. Fargo is credited for passing the torch to Jerry Lawler back in the 70s.

Ric and Beth discuss Reid’s autopsy results
Reid Flair’s parents Ric Flair and Beth are quoted in the Charlotte Observer following autopsy results that showed Reid died of a heroin overdose…

“It (the report) makes it harder,” Beth Fliehr said. “I knew his fears and I knew how to help him. All he wanted to do was stay busy, train and keep his mind off the old triggers, then go back to Japan. He was doing really well there. He was happy.”

“I loved him,” Ric Flair said. “He should have been on top of the world, but he was fighting a battle he couldn’t win. I hope people remember his laugh, his spirit and his love of life.”

Dan Eckos signs with WWE
Dan Eckos – an independent wrestler from the Northeast – has signed a WWE developmental contract. The news was broke at last night’s New York Wrestling Connection show in Long Island. Eckos is the younger brother of TNA wrestler Robbie E.

Waltman discusses working with Shane McMahon
In a recent Inside The Ropes interview, Sean Waltman discussed working with Shane McMahon at WrestleMania XV…

“I didn’t like it going in, I was expecting to have this big WrestleMania match. But back then If something wasn’t my idea, I didn’t like it, even if it was a good one. I was a bit of a spoiled brat at the time. I remember thinking I wanted to have a really good WrestleMania match, but how was I gonna do that with somebody that’d never had a match before, but I told Vince y’know, he listens to me and I’ll do it but it’s my way. And the agreement was he’d do the job (laughs). But the overall picture of why we did the finish of the match, you know Hunter turned on me and a lot of good things came out of that. My team with Kane came out of that, Hunter’s big first championship run kinda came from that. I thought Shane did an amazing job, he really did. He rented the St Paul Civic Center, it had this little building that held 3-4,000 people called the Roy Wilkins Auditorium, he rented that and had someone in Detroit drive a ring and set it up in this empty building, so I’d go there and work out a match with him for WrestleMania. I wasn’t going anywhere on my days off. I thought that was really going above and beyond, sending a ring to Detroit, Shane and I ended up being pretty tight.”

Waltman also discussed his early push as the 123 Kid…

“Okay, they were pushing me, but this is what I don’t understand. There’s some guys now who are getting their opportunities and doing a lot with them, but you can’t push something that doesn’t propel itself. Sometimes you’re limited to what you are talent wise. My angle was really unique when I came in. Usually a guy would come in with vignettes and then win some squash matches and get over that way. They seemed to have a well thought out plan for me. Plus the angle with Razor and I was the first storyline they ran on Raw so that was pretty cool.”

New Details On Mind-South DVD, Y2J Posts New Christian Photo, Fandango’s Dancer Speaks, New Austin Show?

2013-06-15T21:41:28Z

JR gives Mid-South DVD listing
In a recent JRSBARBQ.com blog Jim Ross gave the chapter listing for WWE’s upcoming Mid-South DVD set…

The Legends of Mid South Wrestling DVD which will be released by WWE on September 10 is eagerly anticipated by many including yours truly. It’s where many of us got our start in the business under the watchful eye of the brilliant and often times bombastic Cowboy…Bill Watts.

The Chapter headings include:
The Beginnings
Ted DiBiase (Ted became a master craftsman in Mid South)
The Junkyard Dog (Biggest star ever in the territory)
The Rat Pack (An Amazing Faction)
Traveling the Territory (Talents averaged appx 2000 miles per week driving)
The Midnight Express vs. the Rock ‘n Roll Express Rivalry (A tag team clinic)
Rookie HBK learning from the veterans (Shawn Michaels 1st territory)
Terry Taylor’s quest to beat Ric Flair for the NWA Title (underrated rivalry)
Muhammad Ali in Mid South (The “Greatest” created a lifetime of memories in a week)
DiBiase become a fan favorite (The more one is hated, the more one can be loved)
Mid South goes National (It wasn’t for long but it was memorable)
Hacksaw Jim Duggan (Carried the territory after JYD left..legit stud..serious, ass kicker)
The Fabulous Freebirds (Loved to be detested..no 3 man unit ever better)
Terry ‘Bam Bam’ Gordy (Greatest teenage wrestler I ever saw..a prodigy)
The One Man Gang (HUGE star w/ General Scandor Akbar..HOF level Super Heavyweight)
Dr Death (Doc grew up in Mid South..became a beast…was like family to many of us)

Jericho finds Christian
Chris Jericho Tweeted the following photo backstage from a recent house show. Captain Charisma has been cleared to wrestle for a while but creative have held off until they have something perfect in mind…

“Look who I found last night!!!”

Original dancer speaks
Fandango‘s original dancer – who was hired outside of wrestling – recently spoke with the Buffalo News about the experience…

“I actually had no idea who anyone was. I mean, I was aware of it. Like, I know who Hulk Hogan is and Andre the Giant is and stuff like that. But my family was never really into that. We were more of a theater, music, dance-type family. It doesn’t matter if it’s WW – you know, whatever it’s called. Not everyone gets an opportunity like this. They didn’t cut me off like, ‘We don’t want you anymore. They could call me next week, they could call me next year.”

Austin getting new reality show?
Steve Austin Tweeted about possibly getting a new CMT reality show…

“Just met w folks at @CMT and 51 Minds Entertainment about new reality show. This show will define Bad Ass. #bottomline”

No More Matches For Hogan, Impact Audience Rises, Brie and Daniel Bryan Photo

2013-06-15T09:13:53Z

Hulk staying out of the ring?
Despite a lot of teasers that he wants one more match, Hulk Hogan changed his tune on Twitter saying his body is too banged up. The Hulkster wrote…

“my body is too beat up my brother HH”

Of course never say never in pro wrestling.

Impact audience rises, but still not good
This week’s episode of TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV drew an average audience of 1,203,000 viewers. This is up from the previous week but still at the lower end of this year’s numbers.

Brie Bella and Bryan by the pool
Brie Bella uploaded the following photo with boyfriend Daniel Bryan on Instagram…

“Enjoying a pool day with my man @WWEDanielBryan Xxoo B #desertsun”

Reid Flair Heroin Overdose Confirmed

2013-06-15T08:58:48Z

Autopsy results for Reid Flair have confirmed the earlier police report that the 25 year old passed away from a drug overdose – Specifically Heroin was found in his system alongside muscle relaxant Clonazepam and anti-depressant Xanax.

Reid was found on the morning of March 29, 2013, at a Residence Inn in SouthPark, Charlotte, NC. He had relapsed following a tour of Japan.

Al Green Passes Away

2013-06-14T20:32:24Z

Former wrestling star Al Green has passed away at the age of 57 years old. He had been battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and needed an oxygen tank for some time before his death this morning.

Fans will perhaps best know Green under his “The Dog” gimmick at the tail-end of WCW, where he would literally bark and drink from the toilet. He teamed with Brian Knobbs and took part in the hardcore division.

His tenure as a WCW lower card talent went back several years – he made up one half of the Wrestling Crew with Marcus Laurinaitis and one half of the Master Blasters tag team as “Blade” with Kevin Nash (Steel) before he went to the WWF, though neither team lasted long. Nash wrote on Twitter…

“R.I.P Al Green thanks for saying yes in Hammon Indiana to be my partner.”

Green slowly disappeared from wrestling after WCW’s closure.

Here he is taking on Sid Vicious in 2000, shortly before being repackaged as The Dog…

Austin Praises Angle and Styles, The Rock Thanks Orton, Drew McIntyre Wants To Be Paul Heyman Guy?

2013-06-14T12:48:40Z

Steve Austin Tweets after Impact
WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin Tweeted the following about Kurt Angle vs AJ Styles on last night’s Impact Wrestling…
“Helluva match between @RealKurtAngle and AJ Styles. Like the way they took their time. Little caddywampus on the finish, though.”

Angle was recently on Austin’s podcast.

Orton greets Rock’s mother
The Rock thanked Randy Orton for greeting his mother during last night’s WWE house show. He Tweeted…
“@RandyOrton Appreciate you coming over to kiss & hug my mom at the live event. Made her night. Keep kickin ass brother and see ya soon.”

McIntyre wants to leave 3MB for Paul Heyman?
3MB’s Drew McIntyre recently made a Tweet suggesting he’d like to be managed by Paul Heyman…
“The band rolls strong, but, some very astute views if one was to join Paul Heyman nobody makes more sense than a tossed Chosen One #revival”

Paul Heyman responded…
“VERY INTERESTING!”

Foley On Original Cell Plans, Destination X Returns, Promoter Says WWE Ruined McIntyre, Nikki Bella Interview

2013-06-14T10:13:35Z

What was supposed to happen at King of the Ring 1998:
In a recent AMA on Reddit Mick Foley discussed the original plans for his famous Hell In A Cell match against the Undertaker when he went through the top of the structure…

“I really thought the cell would slowly tear, so that the Undertaker would be stuffing me down a hole and the image would be of me dangling upside down, being stuffed through a hole, not plummeting into unconsciousness… and the history books.”

In his later match with Triple H they went with the same spot as the botched one, but rigged the mat below to cave-in and at least partly soften his fall.

Destination X Impact special:
There was some head scratching at Slammiversary when Hulk Hogan referred to a future “Destination X” event, because the PPV had been dropped, but it has now been revealed that a future episode of Impact will have the Destination X theme. TNA President Dixie Carter announced on Twitter…

“Destination X is back! Exclusively on @SpikeTV on July 18th from Louisville, KY!”

If they stick to the continuity Chris Sabin is supposed to be getting a World title shot on the show.

UK promoter says WWE are ruining 3MB’s McIntyre:
Former Manager and long-time friend of WWE Stars Drew McIntyre and Sheamus says Drew is being “wasted” and Sheamus was “in two minds” about trying out with the company.

Owner of UK based British Championship Wrestling, Graham McKay, recently appeared on The Big WrestleShark Show, discussing working with the stars early in their careers, his thoughts on their current run. He also shares candid stories about former WWE stars Raven, Bret Hart, Roddy Piper and Chris Masters.

On Drew McIntyre: “He’s getting wasted in WWE. You look at the 3MB set up: three of the best guys they’ve got in that company and they are totally wrecking them. He was supposed to get the big push, he was the next big thing. Bret Hart has spoken to Vince about Drew, Roddy Piper has spoken to Vince about Drew, but nothing seems to be happening. Drew doesn’t let much on about what’s happening, but I said to him a couple of weeks ago that he’s getting ruined. He didn’t say much but he seems quite happy with what he’s doing. So I don’t know if they have plans for him, but I don’t see how they can repair what they’re doing to him right now. Drew’s ability is so much more advanced than what WWE will let him do. He is so technically minded. Him and Sheamus got signed at the same time, they’re best friends: they would have great matches.”

On Sheamus signing with WWE:
“Sheamus was actually in two minds over whether or not to go for the WWE try-out. He’s that little bit older, he’s in his 30s, he had a good job in Dublin and was very well paid. So he was in two minds, because obviously if you get through the try-out you go to developmental, you can spend two or three years there and get nothing. So it was a big risk for him to go for that and potentially come back to no job. Believe it or not it was Drew that convinced him to go for the try-out.”

Chris Masters appearing for BCW:
“You get a lot of American workers come over and they are lazy. They’re going to get paid either way: Chris worked so, so hard to get people over. He’s such a hard-working man. He should be signed back up.”

Getting punched by Raven:
“I came backstage after managing the match before, and Alex Shane grabs my collar and pulls me out the curtain saying ‘come on, you’re managing me.’ He gave me this spot at the end where I was to jump up and get hit by Raven, but the referee messed up and accidentally counted the 1-2-3. So Raven started getting pretty upset, and when I jumped up on the apron Raven punched me full force in the face…then I had to pay him. It can be great to have Americans over…but you get the good ones and bad ones.”

On thinking he had killed Marty Jannetty:
“I once thought he was dead. He mixed UK Paracetamol (mild pain killers) with US Paracetamol. I went in to wake him up and he had been sick blood all over the pillow and he wasn’t moving. I thought ‘my god, I’ve just killed Marty Jannetty.’ But I shook him, and he just kind of woke up with no idea what I was so worried about…it’s crazy.”

On Bret Hart’s medical condition:
“There were a few things he was talking about backstage when he was over to work in England. For example, if he turns his head to fast in one direction he loses all sight, gets dizzy and may collapse; so he has to be careful even getting in the ring. That’s why when he does the Sharpshooter there is a possibility that he may lose sight and keel over. That’s why he does it very, very slowly now. And yet, you book him in the UK and he will still sell out shows. Last time he was over to promote his book and they had to close off a couple of streets for him.”

Trying to book Roddy Piper:
“I still have the email in my phone, he would only come over to work for BCW if I could get him a part in an Irn Bru advert. He said he had just been over and would have no reason to come back otherwise. I was just like, I’ve got enough troubles trying to promote a show without trying to get him a role in an advert.”

Listen to Nikki Bella interview:
From Peter Ferreri…
“WE at SportsTownChicago.com had an exclusive interview today with WWE Diva and former champ, NIKKI BELLA! We discussed many things including the upcoming E! TV show TOTAL DIVAS, her time with John Cena (and now being a Boston sports fan), upcoming Divas for the future of the division, the MISS USA competition, the future of the Bellas, and much more.”

Here is the link to listen to it for free – http://sportstownchicago.com/l/2lj66g/11002316;http://sportstownchicago.com/nikkibella

Heyman Wants Punk vs Lesnar, Diva Suffers Concussion, Mysterio’s Return, Tatsu Backstage Incident

2013-06-13T21:09:58Z

Heyman’s dream Wrestlemania 30 main event:
In a recent interview with DigitalSpy.com Paul Heyman discussed his ideal Wrestlemania 30 main event…

“I have a very standard answer for that because it’s the most genuine answer I can give someone. I think the main event for WrestleMania 30 should be a battle for the WWE Championship against the World Heavyweight Championship, to unify the titles.

“And that match should feature Brock Lesnar versus CM Punk, with Paul Heyman advising both men and therefore getting a percentage of the profits of both sides of the main event at WrestleMania.”

Heyman also discussed whether it’s harder for wrestlers to get over in a PG environment…

“We live in an ever-changing global pop culture community. Is it any harder for Lady GaGa to become a mainstream superstar than it was for Madonna? Is it in any harder today for Justin Timberlake to get the attention of the global community than it was for the Rolling Stones or for The Beatles?

“We live in a society that has ever-changing values and ever-changing standards and ever-changing criteria to determine who is a Superstar or not. If you want to be a Superstar, if you want to main event, if you want to profit in the entertainment business, you have to go with those trends and spearhead new trends.”

Tamina suffers concussion:
WWE Diva Tamina suffered a concussion during a Superstars match, taped on June 3rd. The damage was done after a stiff clothesline from her opponent Natalya.

Mysterio return update:
The current schedule for Rey Mysterio’s return to the ring is August. Rey is recovering from yet another round of knee surgery.

Yoshi involved in undisclosed backstage incident:
Though it’s not clear exactly what happened, Yoshi Tatsu Tweeted about some kind of backstage incident the other day…

“I was involved a strange incident in the locker room tonight! I’ll beat the criminal when I find out!”

It’s likely somebody ribbed him, although from the wording he may have also had something stolen.

When Will Undertaker Retire? Dusty Rhodes Update, Santino’s MMA School, The Rock Visits Jailed Teens

2013-06-13T10:50:41Z

Taker to leave retirement up to the fans:
The Undertaker told SpurRaffle.com that he’ll look to the fans to know when to retire…

“Honestly, I love it, that’s why. I’ve got 26 years in the business and all these injuries, but WrestleMania has become so huge, it’s just hard to walk away from it. I want the audience leaving the stadium going ‘Wow!’ It’s a responsibility I have being a top dog in this business. The crowd will let me know when it’s time to leave. They haven’t yet. If I didn’t perform at WrestleMania, in some strange weird way, I’d feel like I was letting Vince McMahon down.”

Dusty Rhodes health update:
Jim Ross gave a health update on Dusty Rhodes in his latest JRSBARBQ.com blog…

“I spoke with WWE HOFer Dusty Rhodes Tuesday night and I’m happy to report that ‘The Dream’ is feeling much better and is looking forward to attending the NXT TV taping next Thursday at Full Sail University near Orlando. Big Dust is already back at work down in Tampa and was in great spirits when we spoke.”

Rhodes was recently hospitalized with a foot infection.

Poster for Santino‘s wrestling & MMA school:
WWE Superstar Santino has been out rehabbing his injury and setting up his new wrestling and MMA school. Here is a promotional poster for the facility…

Rock gives speech to jailed teenagers:
The Rock was recently invited to give an inspirational speech to jailed teenagers. He wrote the following on Facebook…

“These boys are locked up in jail. Good to spend time & talk with them. Reminded them that I was once in their shoes – arrested multiple times as a teen (fighting, theft & stupid s–t). Told em if I can make it, so can you. Challenged them to commit themselves to becoming better. They did. This was a good day. #Commitment”

Wrestler Movie News, Stacy Keibler Hosting Show, Bad News For Sunny, Derrick Bateman Talks NXT

2013-06-12T18:24:05Z

Nash and Goldberg project:
Kevin Nash and Goldberg are involved in some kind of movie project together. Nash wrote on Twitter…
“Looks like Goldberg and Nash will be shooting their third project together,may be a record for ex-wrestlers.Early to mid August. I talk s–t to Bill just to keep our fire burning.We’re dads and grown men.Always thought we could get a pay day on a rematch.I was wrong.”

Speaking of wrestler related movies, Joseph Lavender sent along the following press release…

Hey guys. I just wanted to let you all know about a new feature film project in production right now. It’s a full length movie about a quirky phone based IT guy who gets fired from his job, and decides to embark on a career in professional wrestling. The movie is being produced by independent film production company “Blackflight Studios”. Creators of the feature films: “EXIT 101: HALLOWEEN PARTY MASSACRE” (out now on DVD nationwide) and “The Legend of Seven Toe Maggie (due out this summer). The movie stars Joseph Lavender and Allie Brown, and boasts a cast of 50 different characters. The film is being shot in High Definition and intends to make a theatrical release at some point.

The movie is being shot in Georgia, and will feature cameo appearances from several current and former wrestling stars from the WWE, WCW, TNA, ECW, and indie circuits. We are shooting the film in High Definition, and plan to hopefully take it to theaters. We need to raise an initial amount of funding in order to get started. We feel like there is a definite shortage of good films that pay homage to our favorite past time. If you’re a fan of movies like “Foot Fist Way”, “Super Bad”, “Talladega Nights”, “Napolean Dynamite” or “The Hangover” put a professional wrestling spin on it, and you have our film “SUPLEX”.

We are in talks with several current and former wrestling personalities, such as Diamond Dallas Page, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Torrie Wilson, Daffney, Wildfire Tommy Rich, among others..

We need your help to make this a reality. If you want another professional wrestling film to enjoy, made by people who have a background in the indie industry, then check it out and share our page or contribute if you can. We are giving away some really awesome stuff including custom luchador masks, custom action figures, and REAL title belts that are one of a kind.

For more details go to Kickstarter.com

Stacy Keibler hosting reality show:
Former WWE Diva Stacy Keibler will be hosting new reality show Supermarket Superstar on Lifetime. The series which begins on July 22nd features contestants “pitching their food ideas to food industry professionals.”

Bad health news for Tammy Sytch:
Original WWE Diva Tammy “Sunny” Sytch got some bad news regarding her cervical cancer this week. She wrote on Twitter…
“Please send your prayers my way everyone… got some not-so-good news from my Oncologist today.”

Sunny underwent a hysterectomy while in jail.

Derrick Bateman details WWE developmental:
Former NXT star Derrick Bateman discussed the developmental procedure during a recent interview with the Wrestling Heels radio show…

“It’s pretty basic. Monday, Tuesday, you have a day of practice and then – back in the day it used to be Wednesday would be promo class or art of communicating, they like to call it. Thursdays would be a show at the arena and then Friday, Saturday maybe we have shows. If we don’t we might have a little practice and this would repeat every week. It’d be pretty much the same.”

On what was expected in promo class…

“Real brief, just being able to communicate in a way that is current to how they would like it, current to the norm. So as opposed to back in the day of promo being a guy screaming about something and just basically telling a story with the amount of time you have. You just wanna tell a story, [which is] pretty much the gist of everything we do. We tell stories. Being able to communicate in a creative way certainly helps. The thing about a promo class is it’s a way you can try something, see if it works. If it works, cool. If it doesn’t, you can try something else and you kinda have free reign to pick and choose what you wanna do sometimes, and that’s always cool to have an open forum for your own amusement.”

On his release…

“I don’t know how far it was, but I was doing the Mr. USA [promos], and had some guy on computer making those. That was something that was going to happen and almost didn’t a couple times, but unfortunately, in a Saturday Morning Slam match with Antonio Cesaro, I hurt my knee again and I had to have surgery on it. Then that match with Alex Riley was my first match back from having that surgery. So after the injury, you’re out of sight, you’re out of mind and things happen.

“There’s no regrets from me on my part of what I’ve done. I can regret getting hurt at an inopportune time or two, or I can regret maybe not pushing hard enough to talk to somebody. But I have really no regrets for anything I’ve done in the ring or outside of it, or the entertaining stuff I try to do. No regrets at all with that.”

More Praise For Daniel Bryan, Goldberg DVD Update, RAW Audience Rebounds, Justin Credible Interview

2013-06-12T10:55:50Z

Bryan and Rollins get rave reviews:
Daniel Bryan and Seth Rollins continue to get rave reviews for their performance on RAW. Jim Ross expanded on his Tweet in his latest JRSBARBQ.com blog…

“@WWEDanielBryan vs. @WWERollins was one of the best bouts on RAW in many moons. This was excellent from start to finish, an announcer’s dream really, and is a great match for NXT athletes or those wanting to make it to WWE Development to study. Both the winner and the loser improved their perception and enhanced their personas when this match ended.”

Kane also praised Bryan in a recent interview with AL.com…

“Daniel Bryan might be the most talented guy on the roster right now. I think he’s the best technical wrestler we have, and he’s also one of those guys who’s been able to forge a connection with our fans. And people who are able to do that are very successful.”

Goldberg DVD going ahead:
WWEDVDNews.com has confirmed that the planned Goldberg DVD is going ahead and is set for a September 30th release in the UK, October 8th in North America, and October 16th in Australia. The 3 disc DVD & 2 disc Blu-ray set will be a match compilation without a documentary portion.

RAW audience rises:
This week’s episode of WWE RAW on the USA Network drew an average audience of 3,990,000 viewers, rebounding from the previous week’s hammering by the NBA.

Justin Credible discusses Aldo Montoya and Triple H:
ECW Original Justin Credible discussed his first stint in the WWE as the masked Aldo Montoya and his thoughts on Triple H, in a recent interview with InsideTheRopes…

“I live in Connecticut, I live 45 minutes from WWE headquarters and I was doing jobs (on TV) and one day the office called me and they said, “We need you to come down to the office and work out with Mark, Undertaker. We have somebody coming in that’s gonna do a double Undertaker and we need to train him during the week to look like Mark and do his moves.”

“So basically they paid me $150 a day to go up there and be a crash test dummy for Brian Lee doing the impostor Undertaker. We did it all week and on Friday we did a dress rehearsal with Brian Lee in full Undertaker gear and Mark was sitting there and (Vince McMahon) and Pat Patterson, one of the bookers at the time, came down and saw the entire dress rehearsal and at the end, Pat and Vince come up to me and started asking me questions about where I was from, who trained me. But the next question they asked me was, what nationality I was. So I told Vince I was Portuguese and he said, “Ahhh, you’re Portuguese, do you speak it?” I told him yeah absolutely and he laughed and said good and that was it. So low and behold I found out later they’d been fixing to do the Aldo Montoya gimmick anyway and they had it written up. So they were looking for a legitimate Portuguese kid to come in and do the gimmick and I was just the in the right place at the right time.”

On Triple H…

“I was there when Hunter came in. I was his first set of matches around the loop. I was real close with (Kevin Nash), (Shawn Michaels), (Scott Hall) and (Sean Waltman). I remember, in 1996, we weren’t making much money so Hunter and I would share like a $40 room at Red Roof Inns across the country. I knew he had the passion, I knew he had ability. He just wasn’t…..his rise to stardom was very slow for a very long time. He just wasn’t getting over. That thing with the bow and the snob gimmick just was not getting over. The office kept trying and trying, he was beating everybody, they were giving him storyline after storyline, but the fans just weren’t biting. But Vince kept trying and you know the Kliq thing, the curtain call, Paul went out and he got put in the doghouse. Vince buried him on the road and on TV for almost a full year. For a long time, I didn’t think Paul was gonna get to where he is today that’s for sure. It’s just amazing, time heals all wounds, You know the persistence paid off. He’s a hard working guy, passionate about this business. For that I respect him.”

Dolph Ziggler Frustrated? Kofi Injury Update, Sting Talks Lack of New Star Power, JR Praises Bryan and Rollins

2013-06-11T18:58:09Z

Ziggler jokes about lack of wins:
In what would appear to be a frustrated shoot comment Dolph Ziggler joked on Twitter about how despite having the “show-off” gimmick he’s generally been booked to lose.

When asked about his best memory in WWE he quipped: “not losing for the last 5 weeks (my best @WWE run, ev’s)”.

When asked how to become a showoff he responded: “by saying ‘show off’ over & over instead of anything of substance right @wwe?”

Ziggler has been vocal before about his lack of a legitimate push.

Kingston out for up to 8 weeks:
WWE confirmed that Kofi Kingston will need to take up to eight weeks off in order to recover from his recent elbow surgery. Kingston underwent left elbow arthroscopy with Dr. Jeffrey Dugas in Birmingham, Alabama at the end of May. He had to have bone chips removed.

Stinger discusses why there are no more mega-stars:
TNA’s Sting discussed why fans have less of an affinity with the newer generation of top stars, during a recent interview with Kentucky Sports Radio…

“The only thing I can think of is, you know, back when I started there wasn’t 1000 channels on TV. Reality show after reality show. Pay per views, movies. You can get anything you want on TV now. Whereas before, when I started, there wasn’t quite that many stations. Not a whole lot to choose from. So that’s part of it and we’re the last of a generation of that style. It’s kind of like the old school, more the character of the guy, of the wrestler. I think that’s kind of disappeared too in our sport now.”

On who he’d still like to wrestle…

“I know you want me to take the bait here. Over the years I’ve talked about wrestling ‘Taker. That’s no secret. You mention the name Shawn Michaels, I never did wrestle him. I did wrestle Taker when he was Mean Mark and that was early 90s I think. That’s probably it.”

His favorite match of all time…

“That’s a hard one to say, the top one of all time, because really there’s like a top three for me. The first one would have been Clash of Champions. It was live on TBS. 45 minutes, commercial free against Ric Flair for the World Title. That match literally put me on the map. In 1990 I won the title from Ric Flair for the first time at Great American Bash in Baltimore Maryland. That one. And then of course, Hulk Hogan at Starrcade in 97. That was huge because we broke character and it was a culmination of everything.”

JR tells rookies to study Rollins and Bryan:
Jim Ross praised Daniel Bryan and Seth Rollins on Twitter after RAW…

“All @WWENXT talents & those that want to be should thoroughly study the @WWEDanielBryan vs @WWERollins match. Really proud of both. @WWE”

RAW: Triple H Screwed Again, Dolph Ziggler Returns, Cena and Ryback Brawl

2013-06-11T10:47:47Z

McMahon out powers The Game:

Once again on RAW Mr. McMahon overruled the will of his son-in-law and effectively ended his rematch with Curtis Axel. Is it really about Triple H‘s health or the ego of a Billionaire?

Despite trying to subvert the chain of command the match ultimately came to a close via “forfeit” and off Vince marched with the ring bell and microphone, removing The Game from the player.

Ziggler returns:

It was only so long that WWE’s resident show-off could be kept out of the limelight, but unlike Triple H the returning Dolph Ziggler wasn’t about to get in the ring early. His ego battle was one of words, and he focused on Chris Jericho, who is just 6 days away from an even bigger ego battle with CM Punk. Ziggler took the opportunity to remind everyone that he is the World Heavyweight Champion and that he will prove himself the better man in and out of the ring against Alberto Del Rio at Payback.

Not hooked by Jericho’s fishing line, Ziggler offered Big E. Langston up as an opponent for Jericho tonight. During the bout Ziggler tried to interfere, but Alberto Del Rio evened the odds, distracting Langston and allowing Y2J to hit the Code Breaker.

All “Hell” breaks loose:

In a preview of what may go down at Payback, John Cena and Ryback met face to face in the ring with the locker-room looking on from ringside. Despite the sea of humanity this wasn’t going to keep the two rivals from starting things early, and all “hell” proverbially broke loose!

Quick Results:

- Curtis Axel def. Triple H via Disqualification and Forefit.

- Kane def. U.S. Champion Dean Ambrose via Disqualification, after The Shield interfered.

- The Miz def. Cody Rhodes with the figure Four.

- Curtis Axel named Fandango‘s replacement in the Triple Threat match at Payback.

- Chris Jericho def. Big E Langston.

- Antonio Cesaro def. Sin Cara wit the Neutralizer.

- Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns ended in a No Contest, after Seth Rollins and Daniel Bryan interfered.

- Daniel Bryan def. Seth Rollins with a Roll-up.

- AJ was Kaitlyn’s secret admirer.

- Damien Sandow def. R-Truth with “the Silencer.”

Fandango Pulled From PPV, Randy Savage HOF Update, Nikki Bella Miss USA Judge, Dusty Rhodes Hospitalized

2013-06-11T10:42:18Z

Another WWE star suffers concussion:
Fandango is the latest WWE star to suffer a legit concussion and has been pulled from the Payback PPV as a precautionary measure. Though he’s passed some testing there is more still to come.

It was revealed on RAW that Curtis Axel will replace Fandango in the Triple Threat match.

WWE asked about Savage in the Hall of Fame:
According to the late Randy Savage’s brother Lanny Poffo in an interview with The LAW, WWE’s John Laurinaitis inquired about getting the Macho Man inducted in to the Hall of Fame before Wrestlemania 28. Poffo said that the family gave their blessing, though nothing has come of it.

In other interviews however Poffo has stated that Randy didn’t want to be inducted without the rest of his wrestler family and thus the blessing has never been given.

At this stage it’s still hard to tell why he’s never been inducted.

Nikki Bella judging Miss USA on NBC:
WWE Diva Nikki Bella will be one of the judges for this year’s Miss USA pageant, to air live on NBC, on June 16th.

Donald Trump is the current owner of the pageant which may explain the small WWE tie-in.

Dusty in hospital with foot infection:
WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes was hospitalized over the weekend with an infection in his foot. It’s not thought to be anything serious, but we wish him a speedy recovery.

Tonight On RAW, New WWE Trademarks, Matt Morgan Apologizes To Internet, Former Talent Selling Contract?

2013-06-10T19:50:48Z

On the cards for tonight’s RAW:
WWE.com is hyping the following 5 points for tonight’s RAW…

- Triple H vows to return to action.

- Dolph Ziggler also makes his return.

- Will Kaitlyn’s secret admirer be revealed?

- Will The Second City Saint continue to lay low, or will he resurface before WWE Payback?

- Will Cena finally get some payback on Ryback?

WWE trademarks Hispanic phrases:
WWE recently applied for the trademarks “Torlito and “Torito,” meaning Bull and Little Bull. It’s not clear whether this is for a new Hispanic tag-team or some other kind of marketing campaign.

Morgan says he was drugged during infamous rant:
TNA’s Matt Morgan has apologized for a rant against Internet wrestling fans, that he made for documentary Bloodstained Memoirs several years ago. He wrote on Twitter…

“THAT guy back in 2006-07(when it looked to be shot), was a drug addicted immature douchebag! gr8tful 2B sober today!”

Here is the interview in question…

Former WWE developmental talent threatens to sell contact:
Former WWE developmental wrestler Chad Baxter asked on Twitter if anyone wants to buy his old paper contract…

“Who’s interested in buying a copy of my #wwe contract? #sharing is caring. #Bombsaway @WWENXT”

“The contract includes authentic signatures from John Laurinaitis and HHH (Paul Levesque) along with salary, wellness policy, ETC”

“This #wwe contract is better than a tell all book about the #wwe. It shows how it #exploits the wrestlers worse than a pimp! #Bombsaway”

Mark Henry Update, Kurt Wants In WWE Hall of Fame, Jake Roberts Talks Return, Orton’s Tour Bus

2013-06-10T10:22:54Z

Henry not retiring:
Mark Henry updated fans on his whereabouts, stating that though he’s injured again he’s not retiring.

“The only reason I’m breaking my silence to the twitter world is to tell u I’m not retiring!!!! I have hate in my heart that’s too dangerous.”

“It’s best to be away till I’m right I feel I my hurt someone or do damage to my family by going to jail.tired of holding back.”

“I will return when I’m healthy,not because the roster is thin. I AM HURT! Don’t hide on the web you got my # call me with that bull sh@t.”

Angle says WWE should give him his props:
Now that he’s in the TNA Hall of Fame Kurt Angle has his sights set on the WWE. He wrote on Twitter…

“I’ve Been Inducted in Every Amatuer and Pro Hall Of fame. Except Wwe and that is Next. I Will Be the Only One. “

“It’s in Honor in TNA. But Wwe Needs to Give Me My Props. We Will See Someday. Much Love.”

The Snake wants to return to WWE:
During a recent interview with Wrestling Heels Radio Jake Roberts said his goal now that he’s staying sober is to have another run with WWE…

“I’ve been wanting to go back, man. Whenever I started losing the weight, whenever I started seeing the world again, whenever I started seeing progress in myself, when I seen – when I started dreaming again, man, dreaming of not so much getting back to the ring, at first. The dreams at first were taking a walk. I went and actually walked up Stone Mountain, man, few months ago, and I could not do that years ago even when, you know, I was in wrestling form, you know? It was a very tough experience.”

“I would wrestle Shane McMahon. I think I’d enjoy that, and I think it would be a match he could be proud of and that I could be proud of. There’s lots of other guys – a few other guys. I say lots, but there’s a few other guys I wouldn’t mind being in the ring with. I think I could do something spectacular with [John] Cena, but here’s the thing. I could do something spectacular with anybody ’cause Jake the Snake did that. I’ve proven that.”

The Snake also said CM Punk still has a way to go on promos…

“Well, he’s trying to slow it down, but he doesn’t get it yet. You know what, man? Here’s the thing. We’ll just throw this out here. WWE, Jake the Snake calling. I have a proposition, okay? Here’s my proposition. You give me five weeks. Give me an hour a week with five guys, and I will significantly change not only them but I will change the look of Raw, in five weeks. I will do it by simply talking to them, by sitting them underneath the learning tree if you will and just casting it out there, letting them absorb what I give and I won’t exactly remember everything I tell them that they’ll get enough to change your product significantly. Trust me. Ta da.”

Orton talks traveling in tour bus:
Randy Orton discussed traveling in his own tour bus during a recent interview with Brian Soscia…

“They call them Star Coaches. It’s like a fifty foot bus. It’s got a kitchen and a bunk and a king size bed in the back with wifi and a satellite. After being on the road a decade driving 800, 1000 miles a week, I thought now that I can afford it, I’m going to treat myself. A couple of us do it: Cena, Big Show, Triple H, Undertaker had a bus, Punk has a bus, Mysterio had a bus. When guys get to a point in their career where they feel they deserve it, if they can do it, they do it. I think, longevity wise, it’s going to put another five, six, seven, eight, maybe even more, years on my career.”

The Viper alod discussed how long he thinks he has left in his career…

“I think the tank’s still pretty much full. What I try to do is every couple months take a weekend off. Sometimes with us time flies by and before you know it you haven’t had a day off, a good night’s sleep, in a long time. Your body needs that. Your mind needs that. When you have a family you got to find a week here and there throughout the year where you can just hang up the boots and be a dad, be a husband and not be traveling the world being a WWE superstar. Everybody needs that.”

Jeff Hardy Talks Drug Addiction, Impact Audience Rises, Bobby Eaton Update, Siaki Backstage

2013-06-08T09:10:21Z

Hardy discusses past drug issues:
In a recent interview with the Regular Guys Podcast, Jeff Hardy discussed his past drug issues…

“At the most, maybe 25, 30 [pills a day]. Real bad, it got the best of me. I’m on my third year drug free now.”

Hardy also discussed his surprising lack on in-ring injuries…

“I’ve been really lucky. I’ve had no surgeries up to date. In my second motor cross race I broke my collar bone. That’s the only bone I’ve ever broke. But in professional wrestling, I’ve been real lucky.”

Speaking of Jeff Hardy despite taking some bad bumps during the Impact ladder match he is still wrestling the house show loop and is not injured in any way

Impact audience up slightly:
This week’s episode of TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV was up slightly from the previous episode, drawing an average audience of 1,100,000 viewers. This is still one of the lowest numbers of the year.

Bobby Eaton out of hospital:
Tag Team legend Bobby Eaton was released from an Arkansas hospital a few days ago, but will return to have a pacemaker fitted shortly. At one point he was in a bad way with pneumonia and rapid heart-rate.

TNA original backstage:
Former TNA star Sonny Siaki was backstage at Thursday’s Impact and was snapped with Rampage Jackson…

Siaki was one of TNA’s top homegrown stars during the early years and went on to sign a WWE developmental deal. Unfortunately he retired after donating one of his kidneys.

ECW Original Robbed At Gunpoint, WWE Tryouts, Dolph Ziggler’s Return

2013-06-07T17:36:08Z

Justin Credible and family robbed at gunpoint:
ECW Original Justin Credible and his parents were recently robbed at gunpoint in their family home. Credible detailed the incident on Twitter…

“This is not a joke. 3 masked guys with guns broke into my parents house through the kitchen window. They tied my folks up and my brother too…They had guns pointed. At them. They checked the downstair door where me and my wife stay, but it was locked. They took some jewelry.”

The former ECW Champ went on to say that the police were useless.

WWE tryout news:
The Big O – an Indy wrestler and friend of Zack Ryder received a WWE tryout at Tuesday’s tapings. He’s best known for appearing in Ryder’s defunct Youtube show.

Speaking of tryouts Jim Ross wrote the following on Twitter…
“15-20 men from the mainstream sports world” will be trying out for WWE this weekend.

AJ Lee gave advice to aspiring wrestlers in an interview with the Fayetteville Observer…

“Know that it’s not going to happen at once. You have to experience this on your own and be very strong in every aspect – especially mentally. You should also know exactly who you are and never waiver from that. Don’t be afraid to take risks. You may fall flat, but if you play it safe, you’ll just be one of many.”

Ziggler returning this weekend:
World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler will be returning to the ring at this weekend’s SmackDown live events in Johnson City, TN and Fayetteville, NC. He will be defending the belt against Alberto Del Rio.

Ziggler has been recovering from a concussion and was kept out of the ring until he could pass WWE’s medical impact testing.

IMPACT: Rampage Debuts, Brooke Hogan Still Loves Bully Ray?

2013-06-07T11:26:42Z

Rampage asks for the best; Angle answers:
MMA star Quinton “Rampage” Jackson made his TNA debut this week and he had a clear statement for the locker room. He’s going to be the best, and he knows to do that he has to beat the best.

So who is the best? Coming off a Hall of Fame induction and a victory over AJ Styles, nobody is going to argue with Kurt Angle. The Olympic Gold Medalist marked his territory and went face to face with the outsider. Angle told Jackson that while he might be the best in the cage, this is his world. He told Jackson that when he thinks he’s ready to get in the ring, he’ll have to go through him.

The two athletes had a tense stare-down, but mutual respect kept things clean. Rampage may have grown up watching Memphis Wrestling, but does he have what it takes to compete on Impact?

It will be a while before things get physical, but the seed has been planted. Rampage certainly has the charisma and presence to pull it off.

Is Brooke still in love with Bully?:
A question that is haunting Hulk Hogan is whether his daughter Brooke is over Bully Ray? The Aces and Eights leader’s dastardly actions certainly sent the promotion in a tailspin, but now the dust has settled the question is not as clear-cut as you might think. Brooke has confided in her father that she’s finding it hard to move on; she truly loved Ray, and at Slammiversary she briefly approached the ramp before being ushered away. Was it Sting she was concerned for or her Husband?

On this week’s Impact Wrestling Taryn Terrell broached the topic directly, asking Brooke if she still loved Bully. Her non-answer is all the answer she needed to give.

In the main event Bully took on his old adversary Jeff Hardy in Ladder Match with the Hammer suspended above the ring. Neither man could utilize the weapon once it came in to play, and Hardy ended up chasing the Champ backstage.

In the back a tired Bully sat down and Hulk Hogan approached from behind with a baseball bat, aiming to end all this mess right there. Before he could take a swing Brooke screamed “Nooo!!!” and the show came to an end.

Has Bully’s mind games over Brooke saved his ass? Or do they really still have feelings for each other?

Quick Results:

- Hernandez def. Chavo Guerrero (Bound For Glory Qualifier).

- Samoa Joe def. Robbie E (Bound For Glory Qualifier).

- James Storm, Gunner & Chris Sabin def. Austin Aries, Bobby Roode & Kenny King, after Sabin hit King with the Cradle Piledriver.

- Mickie James def. Taeler Hendrix.

Sting Would Wrestle In WWE, Kid Kash Shoots On TNA, Bischoff Praises Taryn, Richie Steamboat Update

2013-06-06T21:31:58Z

The Stinger would love to do Wrestlemania:
In a recent interview with the VOCNation TNA Hall of Famer Sting addressed the rumors of being in talks with WWE last year, and admitted he would love to wrestle the Undertaker at Wrestlemania.

“Over the last few years those rumors have gotten stronger,” said the Stinger. “I do an annual contract every year and the rumors start right around January. The year that they did the (black and white) vignette, I had nothing to do with it and I had no conversations with the WWE at that time. Shortly afterward there were conversations (with WWE) just by happenstance, but nothing official…”It’s no secret. I’ve always wanted to wrestle Undertaker; I’ve said that for years. And who would not want to work Wrestlemania?”

Sting also said he was close to signing with WWE before going to TNA…

“I had 18 months left on my (WCW) contract that AOL had to honor, and there was never any conversation at that time. The first time I talked to them was 5 years later. Vince McMahon called me and we talked for a week, and it was very, very close. That was the time that I decided to make one final run and I decided to make it with TNA.”

Kid Kash says TNA pay is bad:
ECW original and former TNA star Kid Kash was critical of the promotion during a recent interview with KayfabeKickOut.com – explaining that the pay was bad and talent is underutilized…

“They just keep recycling the same people over and over and and don’t push the ones who have actual talent in the locker room. And unless they drastically raise their budget they’ll continue on the same path,” says Kash. “They don’t pay like any other ‘it’ company. ECW paid me twice the amount as TNA ever did and that’s the truth.”

“I think that in the beginning TNA showed the true talent the smaller guys had which made the show, then somewhere in that 10 years that shifted. As far as talent we have it. With bigger guys there will be one out of 100 who have actual working ability. The thing I do know in this business is if the promoter wants you over to sell seats you will be. That’s up to the promoter. Politics is so crazy that if one person in the booking committee doesn’t agree, they don’t waste time and s–t can it. There’s no hashing it out or working on it, it’s just done. They may bring it up again, but until that one pushes it you’ll be that shelf wrestler.”

Taryn getting tonnes of praise:
TNA Knockout Taryn Terrell has been getting a tonne of praise following her performance against Gail Kim at Slammiversary. Eric Bischoff wrote on Twitter…
“Fan of Taryn Terrell. One of the best acquisitions to the talent roster in the last year. Heart, passion, charisma, skills and commitment.”

Richie Steamboat needs surgery:
2nd generation star Richie Steamboat – once considered a sure-in for a main roster push – may not wrestle again after taking months off with a back injury. He will be undergoing surgery by Dr. Joseph Maroon in Pittsburgh shortly, and his future will then be reevaluated.

If he does decide to continue wrestling, it will be many months after surgery before he’ll even be able to get back in th ring.

Rampage Jackson Updates, WWE Ranks Wrestlers They Never Signed, Orton Praises Daniel Bryan

2013-06-06T09:48:17Z

Rampage Jackson conference call notes:
TNA President Dixie Carter and representatives of Spike TV and Bellator held a press conference yesterday to address the signing of MMA star Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Dixie put over Jackson as a legitimate big name for TNA, and said he has a tremendous personality that can transition in to dominating wrestling – a “perfect fit” for Impact. She said Rampage is “very serious” about his commitment to their product and like King Mo, will not be taking wrestling lightly. She confirmed he will be appearing on tonight’s Impact Wrestling on Spike TV.

Jackson himself made it clear he’s a big pro wrestling fan.

WWE’s Jim Ross discussed the move on Twitter…
“Hope it works for all involved but training a 35 year old to be a pro wrestler isn’t easy and takes a full time effort. Best of luck nonetheless.”

Top 10 wrestlers who never joined WWE:
WWE.com has a new article looking at the 10 greatest wrestlers to never wrestle in WWE. Here is the ranking.

10 – Magnum TA
9 – Akira Hokuto (Japanese female legend)
8 – The Midnight Express
7 – The Sinister Minister (James Mitchel)
6 – Nikita Koloff
5 – Vampiro
4 – New Jack
3 – The Great Muta
2 – Abdullah the Butcher
1 – Sting

Orton interview highlights:
SiriusXM Radio | MON, WED, FRI @ 2p-4p (EDT) | Sirius 92 & XM 208 | Facebook | Twitter

Randy Orton recently spoke with Busted open Radio – here are the highlights…

Daniel Bryan:

“Yeah he can do some stuff, can’t he? When he blows that come back, as we say, he gets the people going. You know, he’s got a little, he goes crazy with the Ultimate Warrior thing, it’s like he is always morphing into like Bryan Hogan, instead of Bryan Daniel-or Daniel Bryan, or whatever his name is now. I remember, one time my dad, like I just had a match and I came home and I’m talking about how Bryan Danielson, you know hit me in the back of the head with a title, and I feel like I got a concussion. And my dad the next day was like, ‘you know I was really worried about you cause you kept calling him Bryan Danielson.’ And I’m like, well that was his name, that’s how we know him, I call him that. The WWE likes to change things up, don’t they?”

John Cena:

“I tagged with him, last week or the week before, on a Raw Supershow, or a live event Supershow, both rosters were there. And we’re out there in the ring. And it’s me, Cena, and somebody. Maybe Kofi or Sheamus, against Big Show, Mark Henry, and somebody else, I forget. And Cena says, ‘Can you do a dropkick tonight?’ And I go, uhh, yeah. Can you? And he goes; and we’re in the ring! Like, we’re about to—the bells about to ring. And he’s starting, and he goes, ‘Alright, I’m gonna tag you in in a second. Let’s do a double drop kick.’ Now I’m thinking in my head, ‘This motherf-cker don’t need to be doing no dropkicks.’ That’s what I’m thinking. So he tags me in, ducks a punch from Show, Show turns around. Before I can even step through the ropes, Cena is up in the air dropkicking Show. And I’m like, looking at him, I thought you said a double dropkick? So, next time he calls anything, I’m gonna think twice. Because I ended up jumping up in the air, while Shows already on the ground, and just landing on my head. So it was a double dropkick where he (Cena) went and I then I slip- Oh-Oh-I tried to get—nope. So everyone in the back, I come back and they were like, (clapping) ‘Great dropkick.’ I watched it back, and it looks like I just jumped up in the air as high as I can and then land. Nothing happened; I just jumped up and fell. It was brutal. Thank you, John Cena.”

Cena’s Five Moves of Doom:

“No. Hold on. I only got about four moves. So don’t throw stones, now. But yeah. He shouldn’t be doing dropkicks. Nah, I tell him all the time actually. But, dammit. He tries.”

On his babyface character:

“Yeah. It’s always fun when the crowd reacts like that. And you know what? We will be in some country over in Europe sometimes, and they’re not like that at all. But you gotta just, each crowd is different. And you gotta know that. You can do the same exact thing, or have the same finish in one town, that’s over huge. And the next town, it’s like a fart in church. The more over I can get as a babyface, when I turn, the bigger the heel I’ll be. So if they wanna keep me a babyface, I’ll just keep doing my thing. And keep my five or six or four, whatever it is, moves. Keep them crisp and see what happens. But right now, being the good guy, it’s cool. Because they’re digging it.”

On his current spot in WWE:

“It could be frustrating, but I just don’t let it be. There was a time in my career where I would let it get me frustrated, but now it’s like I get paid well to do what I love. They tell me to do this, they tell me to jump, I’ll jump. And I’m gonna jump as high as I can because I know that all my fans out there, all those 2.5 million people that follow me on Twitter, they want to see me give a hundred and ten percent. So I’m gonna do what WWE tells me to do out there, I’m gonna work with who they want me to work with. I’ll give my suggestions when I feel they might be used wisely but I’m just gonna give it my all. And that’s kind of the unspoken motto backstage. Just give it a hundred and ten percent. And our guys do.”

Being a multi-generational star:

“I think it might depend on who your old man was too? Mine is a hall of famer. So is Cody’s, so is Ted’s, so is Curtis’s. I wanna say Michael McGillicutty, but that’s blasphemy, that’s awful. Yeah I’m happy for him by the way; he got the Curtis Axel moniker, in respect of his father, and his grandfather, Larry the Axe. That’s cool. So I’m happy for him, that was a long time coming. But yeah, I don’t think Curtis Axel, his father being Mr. Perfect, hurts him. I think it helps him. Immediately, you know who he is. Even if you don’t know who he is, you know where he came from. And you know you loved where he came from. You remember his dad if you are any kind of wrestling fan. So you’re gonna wanna be interested in what this kid has to offer. Whether or not he is able to provide the entertainment factor is another story. That’s up to him.”

How does the current class of WWE superstars compare to his class of new talent:

“I could say yes, I could say yes it is. The class that I was in with Lesnar and those guys, there’s no Lesnars or Batistas walking around there right now. Big E, he’s a strong dude. Ryback‘s a strong dude. But if you put Batista next to those guys, he was 6’6, 320 lbs. Those guys are pushing 6’1-6’2. But Batista was wide. He was a big old dude. Those guys could beat him in a bench press contest but I’d rather look like Dave. If I was gonna intimidate somebody? Give me the Batista build, any day.”

TNA Roster Update, Ex-WWE Star A Fireman, Jack Swagger’s Status, Rosa’s Return

2013-06-05T15:43:14Z

Several TNA names gone:
As noted the other day TNA announcer Todd Keneley finished up with the promotion at Slammiversary and they’ll be going back to the two-man team. Keneley wrote on Twitter…
“Thank you so much for all of the support and compliments on my work. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. Really making my day!”

Other names gone from the roster include Alex Silva, Douglas Williams (who is now working as trainer at OVW), and Jesse Sorensen who has taken a TNA office job after recovering from his neck injury.

Scotty Too Hotty now a fireman:
Former WWE superstar Scotty Too Hotty is now working as a fireman. He posted the following update on Twitter yesterday…
“Graduated from @LakeTechCenter Fire Academy tonight.”

Scott is now 39 years old and no longer wrestles on a regular basis.

Swagger off TV to face DUI charges:
Jack Swagger is currently off TV and live events while he deals with his DUI charges. His next court date is on June 25th. Swagger has also sustained some kind of hand injury, though it’s not clear when or how it happened…
“This what happens when you say what THEY don’t want you 2say…#conspiracy”

Rosa Mendes’ return date:
WWE Diva and valet Rosa Mendes is set to return to the company in July. She’s currently booked for an appearance with Mark Henry at Fry’s Electronics in Austin, Texas on July 22nd at 11am.

Mendes was given time off to deal with some personal issues, which caused her to have somewhat of a breakdown on the last EU tour.