– According to PWInsider.com, the next series of classic content to be added to the WWE Network will be episodes of WWF All-Star Wrestling. The series will be added to the Vault section next month.
WWF All-Star Wrestling was a syndicated show that consisted of top-tier or mid-card talent defeating enhancement talent (jobbers) and at times a “feature” match between main WWF talent. The show ran from May 20, 1972, through August 31, 1986, at which point it was replaced by WWF Wrestling Challenge.
– The Tampa Bay Times has a story on Titus O’Neil wanting to inspire kids with Black Panther, the latest Marvel superhero movie set to hit theaters Feb. 16.
“I’m 40 years old and I’ve never seen a Marvel character that looked like me, as an African-American male,” O’Neil said.
“This will be the first time I’ve seen a superhero on screen that looks like me and I want kids to not only be able to see superheroes on the screen but also to view themselves as superheroes.
“If they see that on screen, then maybe they can be the next doctor or lawyer or president, whatever they can be. This could be a great teaching moment if we can get them into theaters.”
– WWE is teasing a romantic angle between new Mixed Match Challenge tandem Goldust and Mandy Rose. In this video, Goldust asks his partner out to dinner.
Goldust introduced Rose as his new partner last Tuesday after Alicia Fox was forced to pull out due to injury. Goldust and Rose face Naomi and SmackDown Tag Team Champion Jimmy Uso this Tuesday in Week 4 of Mixed Match Challenge.
Ring of Honor is proud to officially announce HonorClub.
With the imminent launch of HonorClub, the Ringside Membership will be deprecated to make way for this new and improved HonorClub. In addition to live streaming ROH Pay Per Views and On Tour events, and a vast on demand library, HonorClub will be the destination to connect wrestling fans with exclusive content, offers, and more.
LIVE STREAMING & VOD
Ring of Honor will begin live streaming ROH On Tour events! Live events will also be accessible anytime as part of the VOD library which also includes complete access to the ROH TV Archive, and the VOD Vault containing historical events, compilations, interviews, and more. Standard Memberships will include a 50% discount on ROH’s major Pay Per Views when bought digitally, however an Annual VIP Membership will include all Pay Per Views for FREE!
EXCLUSIVE FEATURES
HonorClub memberships also include exclusive access to all ROH event ticket pre-sales and 15% off all ROH-branded products in the ROH Pro Shop, in addition to any other discounts or sales. Many fans have also asked about the ROH Forum, and even though there is a large world of social media, there is nothing like having an intimate ROH community to engage with. The ROH Forum returns as an exclusive to HonorClub members!
PRICING & RINGSIDE MEMBERSHIP ROLLOVER
Ringside Members will automatically become an HonorClub member until their subscription expires. At that time, previous members can decide how they would like to proceed with their HonorClub membership. The various plans will include both monthly and annual options for the Standard Membership. Fans can choose whether they would like to pay $9.99 per month or a discounted $99.99 for the entire year. However, for the ultimate Ring of Honor experience, fans will have the option to purchase an Annual VIP membership for just $119.99. This package includes all of the wonderful features of the Standard Membership, but it also gives you free access to all ROH Pay Per Views!
HOW TO ACCESS HONORCLUB
At initial launch, HonorClub will be available on your computer or personal device through ROHWrestling.com.
HonorClub will also be available through the new ROH App on Android and iOS, and channels on Roku, Apple TV, and Android TV as a Beta version for select fans. In an effort to provide fans with a quality user experience, these platforms will be tested thoroughly during this phase with an official launch coming very soon.
– With three slots left in the Men’s Elimination Chamber Match on Sunday, Feb. 25, WWE.com has announced that Roman Reigns will face Bray Wyatt in an Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match this Monday night on Raw.
Braun Strowman, Elias, and John Cena qualified for the Men’s Elimination Chamber Match this past Monday on Raw. The winner of the match will challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania on Sunday, April 8.
– Chris Jericho and his band Fozzy will be on Last Call with Carson Daly this Monday night at 1:35/12:35 a.m. on NBC.
– WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus is Lilian Garcia’s guest on this week’s edition of her Chasing Glory podcast as she talks about being honored at Raw’s 25th anniversary show, her in-ring return in the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble Match and more. You can listen to the episode on Podcast One and iTunes.
Here is the synopsis for the podcast, which was taped the night before the Royal Rumble.
“This episode of Chasing Glory with Lilian Garcia features WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus! Trish chats with Lilian about her journey in the WWE, choosing between med-school and a career in professional wrestling, memorable moments, overcoming injuries, her transition to motherhood, being honored at RAW’s 25th Anniversary, her passion for yoga, a special return in the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble, and more!”
One match that wrestling fans have been waiting to see has a date set.
It was revealed on Friday that a singles match between Cody Rhodes and Kenny Omega would take place at Ring of Honor’s Supercard of Honor XII show.
This match announcement stems from an angle that was done last Sunday at NJPW’s New Beginning in Sapporo show where Cody turned on Omega following Omega’s loss of the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship to Jay White. This led to Rhodes attacking Omega.
The match was made official at the end of the new episode of Being the Elite, which you can see below.
Ring of Honor will hold their Supercard of Honor XIII event on Saturday, April 7th, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Lakefront Arena. The event will air on traditional PPV outlets and the FITE TV app.
Seth Rollins is disputing the recent rumors that he is injured. Yesterday, a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter stated that Rollins has been working through an injured back as of late.
Rollins, however, is stating his back is just fine.
The report also stated Jason Jordan is dealing with a significant neck injury.
Seth Rollins and Jason Jordan Injuries
At Royal Rumble 2018, Rollins and Jordan dropped the Raw tag-team titles to Sheamus and Cesaro. Jordan never tagged in for the match, leaving Rollins to do all the work.
Both Jordan and Rollins are scheduled to compete at tonight’s house show at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina, KS.
WWE sent over the following press release about a new book coming out this August titled, Creating the Mania: An Inside Look at How WrestleMania Comes to Life.
Written by Jon Robinson and published by ECW Press, Creating The Mania will provide a 360-degree look at every aspect of WWE’s annual “pop culture extravaganza.”
GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF WRESTLEMANIA 34 IN NEW BOOK
CREATING THE MANIA: AN INSIDE LOOK AT HOW WRESTLEMANIA COMES TO LIFE by Jon Robinson (August 2018, ECW Press) gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at WrestleMania 34. Follow the year-long life cycle of WWE’s biggest event, including how the storylines were developed by the creative team, how the host city was selected, how the rivalries played out inside the ring, and more.
Along with exclusive photos, this book gives insider access to top WWE Superstars, including Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Braun Strowman, Kevin Owens, and the “Phenomenal” A.J. Styles, who will face off against 2018 Royal Rumble winner Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania 34. Following the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble Match and a surprise appearance by Ronda Rousey, the book also includes in-depth interviews with female Superstars Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Bayley, breaking down their year leading up to WrestleMania and their lives as WWE Superstars.
Author Jon Robinson also speaks with writers, producers, stage managers, film technicians, and other crucial members of the production team responsible for the creation of the annual pop-culture extravaganza.
The book is scheduled for an August 2018 release by ECW Press, in partnership with WWE.
Jon Robinson is an award-winning author of seven books, including The Ultimate Warrior: A Life Lived Forever, NXT: The Future is Now, and WWE: The Attitude Era. His work has appeared in ESPN The Magazine, IGN, and Sports Illustrated.
Rey Mysterio Jr. was a surprise entrant in the men’s 2018 Royal Rumble match. It is unclear at the moment if there are plans for him to make a full return to the company, however.
At the moment, Mysterio’s return is considered to be a one-off deal. The 43-year-old currently has bookings all over the world in the near future.
If he does ever return to WWE, however, Mysterio knows one opponent he’d like to face.
An AJ Styles vs. Rey Mysterio match in WWE would draw the interest of many.
If this match does ever happen, it won’t take place at this year’s WrestleMania, however. AJ Styles is scheduled to defend his WWE championship against Shinsuke Nakamura at the event. It will be a rematch of their contest at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in the Tokyo Dome when Nakamura defeated Styles to retain his IWGP Intercontinental championship.
37-year-old Tyson Kidd suffered a career-ending neck injury in 2015 after taking a Muscle Buster from Samoa Joe. Kidd would state as little as 1 in 20 people survive the injury he suffered. He required 16 staples, 4 screws, and had to have a rod inserted in his neck.
Bret Hart commented shortly after his injury that he felt the Muscle Buster was reckless and was surprised Joe was still using the move. Hart had the following to say,
“It’s (Joe’s Muscle Buster) extremely dangerous. The move that Samoa Joe did was reckless, and the way they rushed that match beforehand in the back without giving Tyson time to prepare was a mistake.”
Does Tyson Kidd Blame Samoa Joe?
Kidd, on the other hand, does not blame Joe for his injury. When asked, here is what he posted on the subject:
I have zero animosity with Samoa Joe. I found him my first day back at WWE after my injury and we had a very good heart to heart. I wish him nothing but the best https://t.co/LpVSnGeoYQ
Controversial UFC lightweight champion, Conor McGregor, is happy for Ronda Rousey now that she is in WWE. Reporters caught up with the Irish superstar earlier this week and got his comments.
“I’m delighted for her. Absolutely over the moon for her. She looked like she really enjoyed herself at the event and I was very, very happy to see her. She’s a pioneer for the game and she came through it all and faced big wins and big, big losses and she came through it.”
McGregor continued, “It’s great to see her represent herself and mixed martial arts and have fun in the WWE. I know she’s been a big fan all her life. It’s great to see that.”
Conor McGregor in WWE
Conor McGregor has been linked to WWE in the past as well. In August of 2016, Conor caused a stir when he posted a tweet saying he’d “slap all the heads off” the WWE roster.
A few months later, Triple H attended a Conor fight live in person and told reporters that the 29-year-old fighter “has it all”. Triple H also mentioned he thought Conor could perform in a WrestleMania match similar to Floyd Mayweather vs. the Big Show.
– Prior to last Monday’s Raw in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bayley wrestled at a WWE Main Event taping for the first time in her career. Taking on Sonya Deville, who was accompanied by Paige and Mandy Rose, Bayley scored the win.
Some fans see this as a demotion for the former Raw Women’s Champion since WWE Main Event is a secondary show and generally features mid-to-low card Raw wrestlers not involved in storylines. Bayley, however, considers it ‘a good thing’ that she’s on WWE Main Event.
In response to the criticism, she tweeted the following on Thursday night.
Guys…let’s get this straight…it’s a GOOD thing I was on #MainEvent. I’ll take any chance I can get to step inside the ring. Especially in a singles match and especially when it ends with a victory ?
– According to a report by F4WOnline.com, “a lot” of episodes of WCW Saturday Night will be added to the WWE Network in April.
WCW Saturday Night was a weekly Saturday night television show that aired on TBS. Launched in 1971 by Georgia Championship Wrestling, the program existed through various incarnations under different names before becoming WCW Saturday Night in 1992. The program would air through August 2000.
The National Wrestling Alliance has announced a unique venture for reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis. Starting on Sunday, February 11th, Aldis will travel the globe and defend his championship against 20 opponents in a 2-month timeframe.
“The Aldis Crusade” will be documented by the NWA through it’s critically acclaimed series, 10 Pounds of Gold.
THE NATIONAL WRESTLING ALLIANCE and IDOLMANIA SPORTS MANAGEMENT PRESENTS THE ALDIS CRUSADE WITH TEN POUNDS OF GOLD
In an announcement made today via video, the current, reigning and defending NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Nick Aldis is embarking on a unique challenge with the famed Ten Pounds of Gold. Starting on Sunday, February 11th at Championship Wrestling From Hollywood, Nick Aldis is setting out to reestablish the idea of the traveling Worlds Heavyweight Champion. The gauntlet Aldis plans to run entitled the Aldis Crusade with Ten Pound of Gold will see the champion defend the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship over sixty days against twenty plus different opponents across different continents from North America, Europe and Asia.
Represented by the legendary Universal Heartthrob Austin Idol, Nick Aldis won the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship on December 9th, 2017 joining the list of legends and Hall of Famers like Lou Thesz, Jack Brisco, Dory Funk Jr, Terry Funk, Harley Race, Ric Flair, Sting, Ricky Steamboat, AJ Styles, Ken Shamrock, Blue Demon Jr, Adam Pearce, Colt Cabana, Tim Storm and more to hold the Ten Pounds of Gold.
This entire crusade will be documented by the NWA through it’s critically acclaimed series TEN POUNDS OF GOLD at YouTube.com/NWA bringing you the matches, stories, and personalities of this Aldis Crusade. Details of the promotions, opponents and public appearances will be shared via Aldis and the NWA’s social media. The goal is to make this crusade an interactive journey using all platforms to connect fans with the most historic Worlds Championship in existence.
With WWE NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia in the history books, WWE officials are planning for the next special event.
NXT TakeOver: New Orleans is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 7, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Smoothie King Center and will air on the WWE Network.
Dave Meltzer speculated on the potential matches for the event, which is slated to go down the night before WrestleMania 34. Here is the rumored card:
Earlier this week, Impact Wrestling executive Ed Norholm confirmed to Newsweek that Bobby Lashley is no longer with the company. Nordholm admitted that he wanted to retain Lashley, but put him over as a great talent and wished him the best in his next step.
That next step is becoming more clear. According to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Lashley is expected to appear on WWE programming “any time now.” Upon leaving Impact Wrestling, Lashley negotiated with both WWE and New Japan Pro Wrestling before settling on WWE.
Going back to late 2016, Bobby Lashley has been talking about wanting to work with Brock Lesnar. According to Dave Meltzer, Lashley might finally get his wish after WrestleMania.
“The belief is that he will work with Lesnar after WrestleMania, although those close to the situation say the working with Lesnar is not 100 percent.”
– Wrestling Observer Newsletter
During an interview with the Fight Network that aired back in October, Lashley spoke passionately about his desire to work with Lesnar – whether in the ring or in a pro MMA fight. “Of the matchups that I think I need, I think that would be a good matchup,” said Lashley. “Because right now, Brock really doesn’t have anybody to wrestle. They’re just throwing people in there.”
Lashley took issue with people who complain about Lesnar’s part-time schedule. “Because if he stayed on there full time, What are they going to do, just squash everybody on the roster? You guys don’t have anybody to really challenge him. So, you need somebody legitimate and credible to go against Brock to make it make sense.”
Visit f4wonline.com for details on how you can subscribe to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
– Per WWE Stats & Info on Twitter, Shinsuke Nakamura made history at last weekend’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) by becoming the first-ever Japanese star to win the Royal Rumble match. He was also the first-ever to win the match entering at the 14th spot:
– WWE Superstar and 2018 Cricket Wireless Ambassador Sasha Banks recently did a Q&A at a Cricket Wireless store in Philadelphia earlier this week and discussed various topics. You can watch the full Q&A in the video player below:
Former WWE European Champion Sean “X-Pac” Waltman recently released another episode of his X-Pac12360 podcast. Waltman had former WWE Superstar Ken Anderson on as his guest. During the show Waltman gave his thoughts on the NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia main event between NXT Champion Andrade “Cien” Almas and Johnny Gargano:
“It was heartbreaking when he (Johnny Gargano) didn’t win. It was. It sucked, but it was so good. And Hunter (Triple H) told me, I hit him up afterward and he was like, ‘Yeah Gargano is the last of the white meat babyfaces.’ And that’s pretty much true right now. Not that there can’t be any more you know? But as far as what we have to choose from right now he’s the guy that kind of fits that. I don’t really see anyone else.”
Waltman also offered his thoughts on the return of the XFL and said it’s not a good idea to bet against it working this time:
“Well, I knew it was going to happen when Vince (McMahon) sold a bunch of stock, couple hundred million dollars in stock and started an LLC. They’ve given themselves two years to get this off the ground and last time they had two months. And I don’t think it’s a good idea to bet against this working. We just have to wait and see what happens. I’m just saying there is an appetite for that right now.”
You can listen to X-Pac’s full episode of X-Pac12360 hereby clicking this link .
Drama continues to brew surrounding the split of WWE’s David Otunga and Jennifer Hudson. Otunga’s attorney recently released the following statement to People regarding their split:
“Today, Jennifer requested and received a protective order against her ex-fiancé. Jennifer’s actions are solely taken in the best interest of their son [8-year-old David Daniel Otunga Jr.]. David Otunga has been trying to negotiate the terms of an amicable parenting agreement with Ms. Hudson for several weeks now.
“However, when it became apparent to Ms. Hudson that Mr. Otunga would be the parent granted residential care of the child, as a result of Mr. Otunga being the child’s primary caregiver while Ms. Hudson pursues her career all over the world, Ms. Hudson decided to file a meritless Petition for Order of Protection in an effort to gain an unfair advantage in the custody dispute.
“As a result of Mr. Otunga’s career in the WWE, Ms. Hudson felt that she could give an award winning performance in court to portray herself as the victim. Mr. Otunga has never abused or harassed Ms. Hudson or their son, and it is unfortunate, especially in today’s climate, that she would feel the need to make these false allegations against him. Mr. Otunga looks forward to his day in court and in being awarded the residential care of the parties’ only child.”
A custody battle for Otunga and Hudson’s child together, David Daniel Otunga Jr., is currently underway. Hudson claims that Otunga is unemployed and asked for a judge to make him find employment, as well as also keep a job diary. Hudson also said Otunga “essentially sits on the sofa and needs gainful employment so she doesn’t have to pay support.” (via TMZ)
Otunga fired back and said Hudson’s claim is ironic considering five years ago she gave him an ultimatum – choose between wrestling full-time or family. He also claims that he is employed by WWE, as he serves on various panels for the company and is also a commentator from time to time.
He is also working on other various entertainment projects. Otunga said it’s ‘nervy’ for Hudson to mention money when she makes between $8 million and $13 million per season on “The Voice.” Otunga then took a shot at Hudson by saying that while she’s focused on making money, he’s raising their child.
Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry recently did an interview with 6 ABC Action News to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. Henry was asked about potentially returning to the ring, to which he responded he make a Brett Favre-esk return sometime down the road:
“I might do a ‘Brett Favre.’ I might down the road, if my body feels right. Some young punks feel like they have too many words that they can’t back up, I might step back [in].”
As for his current role with WWE, “The World’s Strongest Man” says he’s trying to bring more awareness to WWE via their charities and programs:
“For the most part, my whole deal right now is trying to bring more awareness to the WWE, its charities, [and] its programs. Travel the world and introduce our business to people that don’t have the WWE. Our developmental franchise, NXT, I scout. There’s guys in the company now: Braun Strowman, Baron Corbin, [and] Apollo Crews that I’ve helped cultivate, ya know and say, ‘Hey, that guy can do something. Bring him in.'”
Henry, a Texan, is a fan of the Dallas Cowboys and was asked to give his Super Bowl prediction between Cowbys’ division rivals the Philadelphia Eagles and defending champion the New England Patriots. Henry said he’s picking the Eagles to take home the Lombardi Trophy this year:
“The Eagles are going to win. It’s just a known fact. As hard as it is to say, I have to go with Philly. Because they are in the NFC East and it proves the dominance of their division. [In] the NFC East, those guys chew each other up all season long. If you can come out of the East, you’ve got a pretty good chance of winning.”
You can read Henry’s full interview with 6 ABC Action News hereby clicking this link .
– It seems that Seth Rollins has been dealing with a back injury for some time now. Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that it’s currently unknown if “The Architect” will miss any ring time but it seems like for now he’s working through it. Rollins’ partner, Jason Jordan, is also dealing with an injury of his own. Jordan’s injury, however, is a neck injury and he has reportedly been having trouble with his grip.
– Alicia Fox suffered a broken tailbone prior to the Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) and missed out on the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble match. PWInsider reports Fox is expected to miss several months from in-ring competition, and she’s very upset about missing the Women’s Rumble.
WWE Superstar Sasha Banks recently did an interview with on the latest episode of Hot Ones. “The Legit Boss” said that the harsh realities of WWE lay within the politics behind the company:
“I feel at ease when I’m in that square circle. The hardest reality is knowing that it’s a lot of politics, a lot of grueling grueling traveling, which I didn’t realize how hard that would be.”
Banks is also first cousins with Rap icon Snoop Dogg. She explained how she developed her nickname from always hearing Snoop’s body guards calling him “boss,” and she later evolved it into “The Legit Boss”:
“When I was around him, his bodyguards would always call him ‘boss’, and I was like, ‘That’s kind of catchy. That’s a good little nickname.’ So I was like, ‘Sasha Banks the Boss,’ and then it turned to ‘The Legit Boss.’ Any time he was with the WWE, I would call him and be like, ‘Please take me with you. I love this. Please, please, please.’ And I remember going with him at 2008, and he was doing rehearsals with the Divas at the time, and he was walking down the ramp. And I was following him behind like this, and I was walking down the WrestleMania ramp. I was 16 at the time and 25 doing it this year. Dreams really do come true.”
She also said that she uses ‘lots of wine’ to recover after a long and grueling match:
“Lots of wine. I love drinking wine after a match. It makes me really calm and relaxed.”
Banks resides in Boston, Massachusetts and explained her love for the historic city:
“I was in Boston when they won the Bruins championship. The whole town just came out of these restaurants and just went to the streets and started rallying…It was so crazy. That’s why I love Boston so much. Any time I go out in Boston and they say, ‘From Boston, Massachusetts…’ the crowd just erupts. I remember in my Hell in a Cell match with Charlotte, I lost it, and they were just dead silent. They couldn’t believe it. I thought they were going to start a riot. I’m like, ‘That’s Boston fans for you.'”
With Ronda Rousey now in WWE early reports suggest the company would like her first match to be a Mixed Tag Team match with a mystery partner, taking on the team of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon. WWE would like The Rock to be Rousey’s partner given that he and Rousey worked an angle at WrestleMania 31 against McMahon and “The Game.” The Rock, however, is scheduled to begin filming his next movie, “Jungle Cruise” (based off the Disney theme park ride), in May.
Rock will co-star alongside Emily Blunt and the film will be directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. Shooting for the movie wouldn’t begin until after WrestleMania but if The Rock wanted to compete in the match their could be some insurance issues. Producers of films offer insurance to actors in case of illness, injury, or even death during filming. NPR reports that delaying filming of a big-budget film for whatever reason could cost up to $250,000 a day.
“The Great One” suffered an injury during his WrestleMania 29 match with John Cena back in 2013. As a result he missed promotional work for his movie, “Pain & Gain”, and also delayed production of “Hercules” by several weeks. WrestleMania 29 was The Rock’s last legitimate match that he worked. He wanted to compete at WrestleMania 32 but the insurance company for the movie he was working on at the time had issues covering him. Instead he beat Erick Rowan in a six-second match after hitting him with a quick Rock Bottom for the three count.
If The Rock wants to compete at WrestleMania 34 it would depend on if he can get insured by the “Jungle Cruise” film. NPR noted that insurance for 10-12 actors could cost around $350,000 for a movie that has a budget of $100 million. That cost could shoot up to between $700,000 and $1 million if any of the actors are considered to be a “problem actor.” We’ll keep you updated as we learn more…
– During his interview with “Mean” Gene Okerlund on RAW 25 last month, WWE Champion AJ Styes mimicked Hulk Hogan in his promo. Per a report from Sports Illustrated, Styles did not take any heat for the segment as it was completely scripted.
Styles reportedly asked if he could mimic Hogan out of respect as they grew close to one another in TNA. It should also be pointed out that WWE put the clip on their YouTube channel, something they wouldn’t do if there was an issue with Styles’ promo:
– On last night’s episode of NXT Roderick Strong defeated Tyler Bate to become the new No. 1-contender for the WWE UK Championship. That title is currently held by Pete Dunne. Strong and Dunne had a brief encounter after the match backstage which you can check out below:
Just prior to the Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) last month WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross did an interview with Philly Voice to talk about his appearance on RAW 25. “Good Ole’ JR” said he had a great time and addressed the controversy surrounding the event:
“I had a great time. When people read this, they’re going to think, ‘Well, how can J.R. say that he had a great time because of the controversy surrounding the presentation?’ I looked at is as going to a family reunion or class reunion, and you know at your class reunion, you’ve got all kinds of crazy classmates and you love to see them every now and then. That’s kind of how we all – we had a small crew at the Manhattan Center – so everybody got the chance to have plenty of time to visit and see how everyone’s doing and all that good stuff.
“It was very entertaining and very good for all of us. You just can’t take for granted that you’re going to be there next time. I said on my podcast tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, and it certainly fit true on Monday in New York City. You know, as a broadcaster, I would have loved to call more matches. Of all the things I’ve done in wrestling, broadcasting and doing play-by-play is my favorite. So why wouldn’t I want to do more of what I believe I have the most fun doing? That’s how I looked at it. But it was a great day, you know, we were treated good at the hotel, the stuff us old guys like catering was good, no travel issues.
“It was a good trip and I was happy to be invited. And it was good to catch up with as many of the guys as I did. I was happy to call – I’m a big fan of Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt, both of those kids, kids to me – and I got to call that match. That was kind of neat. That tag match was kind of short, it was kind of backloaded. The Undertaker’s promo. So, you know, it’s just what it was. It’s no big deal. Some people are hell-bent on finding something to bitch about. I can’t find that, I don’t have that in me. It’s not how I feel.
“I went there for a different reason than people watching it on television or watching it in the arena. I went to work. And as a worker, so to speak, I’d like to have done more work. That’s all. Chalk it up to ego or whatever, but I would’ve liked to have done more work because it’s the most fun thing I do. And if people can’t get that, then they’re just not paying attention and I can’t help you.”
Ross and the WWE has had their fair share of ups and downs over the years, but through all their issues the longtime commentator is still able to remain loyal to the company:
“I was only reacting to how I was raised. My parents were both in my household under one roof until long after I got out of high school. That helped me. I had grandparents alive for most of my teenage years. So, it was how I was raised. I believe in commitment. I still believe in commitment. People have a different perception of this than I do. Life is way too short to worry about some of those experiences in my way of thinking. And there are things in my life that have happened that are a whole lot more significant and important than my reaction as to when I got let go or terminated.
“I had strong opinions, I wanted to change the world, revolutionize the business, all these glorious images in my head, so I wasn’t the easiest guy in the world to manage, either. So, if I had some of those situations with somebody else under my watch, I would’ve fired me, too. Second thing is, Vince [McMahon] kept his word with everything he’s ever told me. All my financial dreams were achieved thanks to my working in WWE. So, I’m very grateful for my situation there whether I’m part-time, full-time, or no time. I don’t see any other way to react and I don’t know why I would react any other way. That’s just me, man. I’ve had great experiences there and at 66 years of age, I’m still enjoying my relationship with WWE. I have no bitterness whatsoever.”
Ross also revealed his pick for this weekend’s Super Bowl matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots. Ross said he’s rolling with the “Bird Gang”:
“Here’s always been my philosophy – all the time I was married to my wife, she was a Steelers fan. Grew up in Pittsburgh, got a lot of Steelers stuff here in my house. There’s just no damn way if you’re a Steelers fan anytime in your life that you can ever cheer for the Patriots. So, I would not feel like I was honoring my wife’s memory very well if I cheered for the Patriots. But the other aspect of that is, is that the Eagles – I’m more of an NFC guy than an AFC guy quite frankly – and big Lane [Johnson] playing tackle and doing a hell of a job, by the way, that’s my dog in the hunt.
“He’s my “Big Dog” in the hunt, so I’m going to be cheering for the Eagles and it’ll be great to see a Sooner win a Super Bowl ring. That’s about as transparent as I can get. It’s all about the lines of scrimmage, offense and defense. That’s the whole ball game. The Foles thing is overthought. He’s a good quarterback and he’s not playing by himself. He won some games down the stretch that they needed to win, so I’m not worried about the quarterback play. I think the game is won and decided at the line of scrimmage, and I just think the Eagles have the advantage in that area.”
You can read Ross’ full interview with Philly Voice by clicking this link here.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett recently did an interview with ESPN to talk about several professional wrestling topics. Barnett was asked about making the switch from mixed martial arts (MMA) to professional wrestling, and having his first match with Yuji Nagata:
“When it came to moves, I mean, moves are moves. I think if you know how to suplex somebody, even in an amateur environment, how to throw people safely from judo, and the concepts of wrestling, it’s not really hard to then pick up [everything else]. It was all very easy to work with Nagata. He’s such a professional and so skilled, and so good at what he does.
“It was just a matter of learning the ring itself, the environment. There are a lot of subtle things that are very, very important in wrestling, and to pick those up just takes time and experience. The only way that I really feel is best to do that is to go on the road. I learned every day by showing up early and leaving late.”
Recently former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey has made the jump to professional wrestling after signing with WWE. Barnett offered his thoughts on how he believes “The Rowdy One” will fare in her transition into the wrestling industry:
“If she’s passionate about it, and serious, her judo background gives her a great starting point. She already knows how to fall, how to throw other people, and move and throw. She’s already an incredible athlete. If she loves wrestling, really wants to be a student of it and make a go of it, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least that she could be a great wrestler.”
Barnett also explained how professional wrestling and MMA are actually very similar to one another:
“Honestly, I feel like the more entrenched into professional wrestling I got, it became apparent to me that it was really a part and parcel with MMA. There wasn’t a whole lot of difference at all. If anything, I refer to it as the other side of the same coin. So by treating wrestling more like MMA, in terms of training and in terms of thought process, it made things so much easier.
“Being able to be out there and live fully in that moment — [being] aware of the crowd, aware of your opponent — wrestling in Japan, going on tour and doing all of those matches, it made me a much better fighter. It allowed me to be more present in the ring, able to pick up on more subtle aspects from my opponent, from the environment itself, and to be that much more comfortable out there.”
You can read Barnett’s full interview with ESPN by clicking this link here.
After being released from WWE last year following over a year-long run with the company, James Ellsworth appeared on Chris Jericho’s podcast, Talk Is Jericho, to talk about his time with the company. Ellsworth was signed after his July 25th, 2016 squash match appearance with Braun Strowman. He instantly became a fan favorite and was signed to a WWE deal shortly thereafter.
During the episode Ellsworth revealed some scrapped plans for him at the 2016 SummerSlam pay-per-view (PPV). It was originally pitched to have him defeat Heath Slater for a WWE contract when the pair were both free agents:
“I get an email that says, ‘Hey, there’s an idea for you for SummerSlam. It’s Barclays Center; you could drive there from Baltimore.’ I’m thinking I’m gonna be a part of SummerSlam for two weeks. The Friday before SummerSlam, they’re like, ‘Hey, creative changed, we don’t have anything for you, hopefully, we’ll have something soon. I found out months after that what the SummerSlam thing was supposed to be. When Heath Slater didn’t get drafted by Raw or Smackdown, and he was a free agent.
“He was trying to get a contract out of them both, he was supposed to come out at SummerSlam, demanding, ‘Daniel Bryan, I want a contract!’ Daniel Bryan’s trying to make it easy for him. ‘All right, I’ll give you a Smackdown contract, all you have to do is beat this guy,’ and it was me! The idea was I was supposed to go over and I was supposed to win the contract.
“But what happened was Slater winded up getting babyface reactions before then, he was getting over as a babyface doing that angle. If they ever did anything with me, at first, they wanted me to be a babyface. But I was like, ‘Man, I almost had a SummerSlam match with Heath Slater!’ That would’ve been fun.”
You can listen to Ellsworth on Talk Is Jericho by clicking this link here.
As many of you may know, Jason Jordan has been dealing with a injury for the past several weeks that has limited his ability to perform inside the ring. At this past Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV) Jordan left his tag team partner Seth Rollins to deal with The Bar on his own, and they dropped their RAW Tag Team Titles to the duo as a result.
Per a report from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the injury is more serious than it was originally believed to be. The report suggests Jordan is actually dealing with a neck injury, contrary to rumors suggesting he’s dealing with a bad back. Meltzer also noted that Jordan is having trouble with his grip, which is never a good sign. WWE has been protecting him to the best of their ability by limiting the amount of physicality he has inside the ring.
Jordan was originally planned for this month’s Elimination Chamber match but there’s currently no word if he’ll be left out of the bout due to his injury. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more……
