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First Trailer For HBO’s Andre The Giant Movie

Staff
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HBO has released the first trailer for André the Giant, a new documentary that examines the life and career of one of wrestling’s most beloved characters.

Produced by HBO Sports, WWE and the Bill Simmons Media Group, the André The Giant doc premieres some time in Spring 2018.

Bill Simmons told Sports Illustrated earlier this year, “Going back to 2007 and 2008 when I was creating and developing 30 for 30 for ESPN, André’s story rode the top of every single sports documentary wish list I ever made. We always hear about unicorns these days—André was the ultimate unicorn. He’s a true legend. Everyone who ever crossed paths with him has an André story—and usually four or five.”

André The Giant is regarded as one of the greatest attractions in the history of professional wrestling. He wrestled for the McMahon family dating back to the early 1970’s and headlined WrestleMania III with Hulk Hogan back in 1987. He was just 46 years old when he passed away in 1993.

The Rock’s ‘Dwanta Claus’ On Magazine Cover (Photo), WWE Star Hosting Christmas Benefit

Jon Fuentes
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– The Rock’s “Dwanta Claus” alter ego was featured on Entertainment Weekly and is set to hit newsstands next week. You can check out some photos here:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcILMAnlmK5/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcIfa_gFweR/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcIaX6sF2n1/

– Speaking of Christmas, WWE announced that Titus O’Neil will be hosting his 8th annual Joy of Giving event on Saturday, December 23rd in Tampa, Florida. All benefits will go to those who are struggling financially during the holiday season, and the free event will take place at Raymond James Stadium:

Titus O’Neil to join Tampa’s Joy of Giving

Titus O’Neil will help bring joy to the Tampa, Fla., area this holiday season when he hosts the eighth annual Joy of Giving on Saturday, Dec. 23. Those who are struggling financially this holiday season are invited to the free event at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to receive Christmas toys while enjoying food, games, entertainment and more.

“I’m excited to see how this day not only impacts the families involved, but also demonstrates the power and love that reside in our Tampa Bay community,” said O’Neil.

The Joy of Giving aims to create an experience that provides lasting impact for all attendees beyond the immediate happiness associated with receiving a Christmas present. Connection to vital community resources and information will be available to uplift and enrich the lives of those in the Tampa Bay area.

“Joy of Giving always proves to be a fantastic addition to our very charitable community,” said Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn. “At a time when so many are less fortunate, we look to organizations like this one to spread holiday cheer to Tampa’s youth. I look forward to seeing this city come together to give back this holiday season.”

In addition to lead sponsor Elder Automotive Group, a multitude of corporations, public servants, first responders, nonprofits and local churches have joined together to celebrate the power of how caring for one another can unite a community.

Each child who registers is given an opportunity to choose a new, unwrapped gift for the holidays. For many, it is the only gift they will receive.

Want to know how to help? Become a sponsor, conduct a toy drive, volunteer or donate to Joy of Giving. For more information, visit JoyofGivingTampa.com.

The Rock Explains Why He Once Shed ‘Nerd Tears’ Over Hulk Hogan

Jon Fuentes
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5

When The Rock was about 11-12 years old in the 80s, Hulkamania was very much running wild throughout the world of professional wrestling. During a recent interview to promote his new movie in Hawaii, Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle, “The Great One” shared an awesome story about his Hulkamania experience. Rock said he caught one of Hulk Hogan’s headbands during a live event and joked about crying ‘nerd tears’ out of joy. Here’s the story:

“When Hulk Hogan came into the WWF in 1983 or ’84, I can’t remember … And this was when getting ready to blow up. Vince McMahon said, ‘You’re going to be my guy, I’m giving you the ball. I’m giving you the baton, and I want you to go.’ Hulkamania running wild, right?

“Right there, right when he came in … he was wrestling at Madison Square Garden, and he had a white headband that said ‘HULKSTER.’ Do you remember that? He came in the ring, and I was at Madison Square Garden. I was sitting there front row with my mom, I was watching the matches. And he came out. And I’ll never forget, he was wrestling Paul Orndorff, Mr. Wonderful. And he takes the thing off, and he throws it to the crowd. And I caught it. And it was a big nerd-out moment. … It was amazing.

“My dad was wrestling on the card that night … I was so happy that I caught this thing from Hulk Hogan. I go in the back of the dressing room when the matches were over. I go to my dad and I said, ‘Look. I caught Hulk Hogan’s headband.’ And he was like, ‘Oh, that’s cool. That’s awesome,’ you know”
‘Take it home.’ And I’m like, ‘Okay.’

“But then Hulk Hogan was right over there taking off his wrestling boots, getting ready to shower. And I’m like damn, I want to go over and just say hello to him. So I went over to him, and I was like, ‘Mr. Hogan … I caught your headband.’ And he goes, ‘Oh man! That was my last one! I didn’t want to throw it out! Thank you so much! … Thanks man!’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, okay. You’re welcome, Hulk.’ …

“He did [take it back], but he didn’t know how bad I wanted it. But here’s how cool Hulk Hogan was. Two or three weeks later, he had thousands [of headbands] made. Went to my dad, he goes, ‘Hey, I signed this for your son. He gave me my only one back, and I needed that one, as one to make a thousand other copies. Give this back. Give this to him.’

“And I have one of those. Isn’t that the coolest thing. So Hogan, if you’re watching, I appreciate it, brother. I still have it.”

Eric Young Reveals The WWE Locker Room’s Reaction To His War Games Match

Jon Fuentes
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6

Last month, NXT star Eric Young was part of the first-ever WWE branded War Games match in Houston, Texas during Survivor Series weekend. The match went over extremely well and was a pleasure to watch, and Young described the backstage reaction to the bout after its conclusion.

Young recently did a piece for ESPN in which he detailed reactions from names such as Triple H and Shawn Michaels, and you can check out what he had to say here:

“One of the coolest moments of all was walking backstage after the match, and there’s Hunter and Michael Hayes, Shawn Michaels, Matt Bloom and a bunch of the other coaches. Pat Patterson’s there, and Michael Cole’s there. These are guys who, in the end, decide whether it was good or not — and they’re all standing there clapping. Doing a match like that, it gives you this adrenaline rush, but that moment afterward hits you in a much different, but also very meaningful, way.

“When you set something in motion and then it goes off the way you intended it to be, that feeling can’t be duplicated. Having these people that you looked up to, idolized and in some ways even feared, clapping and shaking your hand — it doesn’t get better than that professionally. That’s the mountaintop, the absolute top of what wrestling is, as far as an accomplishment goes.

“Titles are incredible, but no matter what you’re doing, having the people who you work for, who pay your salary, be standing and shaking their head and they can’t believe how good it was — that’s the ultimate”

IMPACT Closes Nashville Offices, DDP’s Letter To His Younger Self

Jon Fuentes
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4

– The changes continue to roll in for IMPACT Wrestling, as several talents and managerial figures have parted ways with the company. ProWrestling.net reports that IMPACT has also closed down their Nashville offices after having their last day on Thursday. IMPACT has been based out of Nashville since its inception back in 2002. It will now reportedly be based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which is the home of their parent company Anthem Sports.

– WWE Hall Of Famer Diamond Dallas Page recently wrote a piece for Player’s Tribune entitled “Letter To My Younger Self.” The highlights can be read below:

“Wrestling, man,” you tell Smokey. “I tried it when I was 22.”

“Seriously?” Smokey will say. “You’re kidding. What was your name?”

$

“Nah, bro, totally serious. I was ‘Handsome’ Dallas Page.”

“Wheeew, well, you could never use that gimmick today,” Smokey will shoot back, and of course everyone will laugh their asses off — before going back to counting up money and drinking. But you … you’ll be in too deep now, kid. Now those wrestling thoughts will be in your head, and there’ll be no getting away from them. So while everyone else is focusing on their cash and booze (I think it was Goldschläger shots that night), you’ll start doodling in this blotter pad that you have in front of you — just sort of in your own world. They won’t even notice.

“That is, until you pop your head up, and — like no less than a fucking bolt of lightning just hit you — say the three words that will change your life forever.

“Diamond Dallas Page.”

“Huh?” They’re confused. But you barely even notice — you’re on a roll now.

“I mean, I’m 31 — I’m too old to be a wrestler now. But you know what I could be? A manager. What if my name was Diamond Dallas Page!” And whether it’s the idea itself or just the fact that everyone is hammered at that point, you’ll never know … but the entire room seems to love it. So you’ll toast more shots — and now you’re really off and running.

“You know how Jimmy Hart has the Hart Foundation? Well, O.K., what if I had … the Diamond Exchange?” More cheers, more shots.

“And what if I had a whole entourage full of hot — I’m talking smoking hot — ladies, and I called them … the Diamond Dolls?” More cheers, more shots.

“Oh that’ll be a stretch,” Smokey says, and everyone laughs.

“By now half the room is passed out drunk — and to be honest, you might’ve sworn that the entire night was a passed-out dream yourself. That is … if you didn’t happen to wake up with your face stuck to a notepad — the very same notepad where you had written it all down.

“The Diamond Dolls. The Diamond Exchange.

“Diamond. Dallas. Page.

“Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

William Regal Makes Major Announcement Regarding TakeOver: Philly

Jon Fuentes
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3

NXT General Manager William Regal has announced that due to the injury of Drew McIntyre, NXT Champion Andrade “Cien” Almas will receive a new challenger for his title.

A series of four Singles matches will be taking place, with the winners of those respective matches taking part in a Fatal Four-Way match of their own. The winner of the final Fatal Four-Way match will take on Almas for the NXT Title at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia on Saturday, January 27th at the Wells Fargo Center. The four Singles matches are below:

Kassius Ohno vs. Velveteen Dream

Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole

Killian Dain vs. Trent Seven

Roderick Strong vs. Lars Sullivan

WWE.com reports that Seven earned his name into the mix by winning a Battle Royal at an NXT live event in Lakeland, Florida. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more…

Report: Impact Wrestling Knockout Asks For Release

Eric Lynch
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10

It sounds like another Impact Wrestling star is on the way out. Impact Knockout Laurel Van Ness, aka Chelsea Green, has asked for her release from the company, according to a new report by Squared Circle Sirens.

She reportedly requested her release after the most-recent set of tapings, and sources are under the impression that Impact will grant her request.

Green is 26-years-old and has been working with the company since mid-2016. Her character is currently in the tournament to crown Impact’s newest Knockouts Champion, after Gail Kim vacated the title with her retirement.

If her release is granted as expected, she’ll join Madison Rayne, Taryn Terrell, and MJ Jenkins on the list of women who recently left the company.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFGadI9Jhbw

Cody & Young Bucks Have 5 Possible Locations for 10,000 Seat Arena

Chris Stephens
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5

Cody (Rhodes) recently held a Q&A on Twitter and answered a question about possible locations for the planned 10,000 seat arena show in 2018.

The only market specifically mentioned at the moment, however, is Toronto.

https://twitter.com/gingertfc/status/936413891466354696

While not officially stated, speculation is Chicago, London, San Francisco, and Ontario, California (site of the Bullet Club “invasion”) are the other 4 markets.

Carmella On Fan Backlash Over Her Money In The Bank Victory

Anutosh Bajpai
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SmackDown Live Superstar Carmella recently had an interview with Uproxx where she talked about her controversial Money In The bank win and more. Below are some highlights from her interview:

The backlash on her Money In The Bank victory:

“Gosh, the fans always have something to say. They’re never happy with anything. I could’ve won it the way I won it the second time the first time, and I feel like they still would’ve been upset with it. So, I personally loved it. I loved the controversy. I never like to do anything little. Everything I do, I need it to be big and above and beyond. And it caused such a controversy and such a stir. And it had people talking, and at the end of the day, that’s all we can ask for; people are talking about the pay-per-view, they’re talking about the match. I loved every minute of it.”

On being separated from Enzo and Cass and being picked up last in the drafts:

“Yeah, I mean being on SmackDown was a whole different ballgame than being in NXT. Everything that I did in NXT was just washed away once I came up here. So, being a manager for most of my career, I didn’t really even have that many matches under my belt. I had maybe 10 on TV, if that. I don’t even think I had 10. So I don’t think people even realized that. So, being the last draft pick and then debuting on the main roster, I feel like people had no expectations, and I think that that’s even the best way to go about it. If they did have expectations, they would’ve been there saying, ‘Oh, Carmella is terrible. She’s the last draft pick. She can’t do this, that or whatever.’ And I love that. I want to be underestimated. I want people to think nothing of me, and then let me prove them wrong. Because, look at me now. I’m the two time Miss Money in the Bank, making history, and it’s all just a matter of time. I think you put in the work, you put in the effort. I know that I have something to offer this division. And finally, I feel like things are starting to blossom for me. I can only imagine with the future holds. I’m super motivated. I like when people tell me I can’t do something, and I’m gonna show you, yes I can. I can do it even better than you would ever dream of. I haven’t even been wrestling for four years. So, to be where I’m at, I think that’s pretty damn good.”

The recent match between James Ellsworth and Becky Lynch:

“Well, I thought it was a long time coming. I thought it was gonna happen after the Ladder Match. But sometimes things don’t go as we planned. So, it was cool. I mean, you never get to see a girl wrestle a guy. So it was really cool. And I think this opportunity for Becky was awesome. She has obviously a lot of pent-up anger with him. And I thought it was just a really entertaining segment.”

Fit Finlay and Pete Dunne in Twitter Beef with Vince Russo

Chris Stephens
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Vince Russo made a critical comment regarding a spot involving Pete Dunne on Twitter recently:

Pete Dunne responded to the comment:

Matt Jackson got involved:

https://twitter.com/MattJackson13/status/936321570359853056

Fit Finlay vs. Vince Russo

Then the match was turned over to the veteran, Fit Finlay.

to be clear, Vince Russo is attempting to save Pete Dunne from delivering a sitdown power-bomb.

Matt Hardy Releases New Video, “It Has Begun”

Chris Stephens
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Matt Hardy’s official YouTube account posted its first video in over a month. The video seems to be a trailer for his upcoming gimmick:

“Woken” Hardy Family

The Hardys have also been promoting the return of the Broken/Woken universe on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/RebyHardy/status/936465407996604416

https://twitter.com/RebyHardy/status/935989700564848640

https://twitter.com/RebyHardy/status/935976801582460928

Mick Foley On If He Will Be Appearing At The Raw 25th Anniversary Show

Anutosh Bajpai
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6

WWE Legend Mick Foley recently had an interview with SportingNews.com where he talked about the Raw 25th-anniversary episode and more. Below are a few highlights from his interview:

His recent run as the Raw General Manager:

“It was pretty agonizing just getting to and from the shows but once I was there, I felt like I made a contribution. I really enjoyed working with Stephanie. I’m deeply indebted to her for a really beautiful foreword for my book and I hope I get the chance to interact with her some more when I eventually return in some shape because, eventually, we all return.”

If he will be appearing at the Raw 25th-anniversary show on January 22:

“I’m sure it will be a good show with or without me. I thought a year away is probably proper when you’ve been fired in public but I think 10 months is probably plenty of time. If I get the call; I don’t know what I’ll do if I get the call. I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.”

His recent weight loss:

“I honestly think that when I got down to 236 that I didn’t look like myself, I don’t think people want to see a … It’s like in ‘Rudolph’ where Mrs. Claus says, ‘People don’t want to see a skinny Santa; eat, Santa, eat.’ So, I look at some photos when I was the ‘Raw’ GM and I was like, ‘That’s a little too gaunt.’ People want to see me with a little girth.”

Ford Motor Company Suing John Cena

Anutosh Bajpai
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TMZ is reporting that Ford Motor Company is suing John Cena for allegedly selling a 2017 Ford GT which violates a contract Cena had with them.

John was “selected from thousands of applicants for the opportunity to purchase the Ford GT.”, according to the lawsuit filed against him at the U.S. District Court in Michigan.

While purchasing the car, the Leader Of Cenation signed an agreement in which he agreed to hold on to it for at least 2 years.

However, Ford says that soon after receiving the car, the Former Champion flipped it to a third party for a big profit.

The company further claims that The WWE Star told them that he sold the car along with some other properties to ‘pay bills’.

They are now demanding for him to hand over all the profit made from the sale along with other damages. Here is a statement from their representative:

“Mr. Cena has unfairly made a large profit from the unauthorized resale flip of the vehicle, and Ford has suffered additional damages and losses, including, but not limited to, loss of brand value, ambassador activity, and customer goodwill due to the improper sale.”

So far John Cena has not made any public comments on the matter but we’ll keep you posted if anything comes up.

3 Things That Matt Hardy Needs to Make The ‘Broken’ Gimmick Work in WWE

Jake Skudder
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13

It’s about time isn’t it? Matt Hardy took a loss to Bray Wyatt this past Monday on RAW and he rather unequivocally used his ‘delete’ gesture, heavily hinting that ‘Broken’ Matt would FINALLY be making his way to WWE…

Sadly the WWE does not have an unblemished record when it comes to using ‘gimmicks’ and intellectual property brought in from elsewhere in the pro wrestling world. With such a lengthy absence of the ludicrous and creative character the WWE has the opportunity to truly redesign ‘Broken’ Matt Hardy and bring his broken brilliance to a bigger audience but…there are certain elements of the character that MUST be retained if it is going to work, here are 3 of them:

The Hardy Family

reby hardy

One of the most intriguing parts of Matt’s TNA portrayal of the ‘Broken’ character was the inclusion of his wife Reby, his son Maxel and his father in law Señor Benjamin. These personalities truly took on a life of their own and only added to the lunacy of Matt’s character arc, each adding to the cult like status that Matt and his brother Jeff were cultivating. Maxel recently appeared at the Starrcade event and many believe that WWE will be allowing Matt to work alongside his son as the upcoming storyline progresses…whether Reby and Señor Benjamin will be making appearances remains to be seen, and that’s not even mentioning Vanguard 1…

The Backstage Vignettes

broken matt hardy apocalypto

Final Deletion was undoubtably one of the most absurd, creatively dynamic and groundbreaking moments in the history of not just TNA but pro wrestling as a whole. The production style, the overblown scripting and hyperbolic performances of Matt gave viewers a completely different perspective on what professional wrestling actually was and could be. It can’t be disputed that TNA’s Jeremy Borash had a major hand in the presentation of Final Deletion and the subsequent ‘special attractions’ centred around the Hardys but ultimately it was the direction of Matt that gave life to the characters, with a WWE production crew and a budget that likely engulfs anything previously he could easily reinterpret this style in a new, vibrant and exciting way.

The Right Opponent

bray wyatt 1
Bray Wyatt (via Instagram @WWE)

When Matt first made the turn into his ‘Broken’ persona he had a fitting opponent in his brother Jeff Hardy. Interestingly feuds between the two siblings had never quite hit the right note and this was the first time that a Hardy Boys feud had garnered real traction and built intrigue in a genuine way. That being said Matt Hardy will need the ideal opponent to unleash his new persona on the WWE Universe. I believe that Bray Wyatt should be that opponent.

Before Matt reappeared in WWE I truly felt that Wyatt vs Hardy would be a dream bout, the two characters have a unique spin on the traditional pro wrestling fare and with their creative juices flowing surely they could break boundaries and present something completely different for the WWE fans? Wyatt has already taken part in some unique match types this year, his House of Horrors match against Randy Orton did not appeal in the way WWE would have hoped but with Matt’s direction and a new lease of life for the Wyatt character could they breathe life into both superstars and lift both up out of the quagmire of the mid card?

Are you excited for the return of ‘Broken’ Matt? Let us know in the comments

Rob Gronkowski Cuts Promo on Mojo Rawley

Chris Stephens
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12

Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots is not happy with his friend Mojo Rawley for turning on Zack Ryder Tuesday night.

After losing to the Bludgeon Brothers on Smackdown, Mojo attacked his former partner from behind.

Earlier this year, Gronk helped Mojo win the Andre the Giant Battle Royal:

 

New Championship Match Announced For ROH Final Battle

Andrew Ravens
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2

Ring of Honor has announced a new match for their upcoming Final Battle PPV (pay-per-view) event. ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks & Hangman Page will defend their titles against Flip Gordon, Dragon Lee & Titan.

Ring of Honor holds their Final Battle pay-per-view event at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City on Friday, December 15th. Here is the updated card:

— ROH World Title Match: Cody Rhodes © vs. Dalton Castle

— Singles Match: Jay Lethal vs. Marty Scurll

— ROH Tag Team Title Match: Motor City Machine Guns © vs. Best Friends

— Four Corners ROH World TV Title Match: Kenny King © Shane Taylor vs. Silas Young vs. Punishment Martinez

— ROH Six-Man Tag Team Title Match: The Young Bucks & Hangman Pag vs. Flip Gordon, Dragon Lee & Titan

Backstage News On WWE’s Royal Rumble Plans For Brock Lesnar

Jon Fuentes
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53

Original plans to have WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar defend his title against Finn Balor are no more. Vince McMahon doesn’t seem to think “The Demon King” is over enough for a clash with “The Beast.” The bout was originally slated to take place at January’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view (PPV), but now WWE must find a new opponent for Lesnar to take on at the event.

Per a report from Wrestling Observer Newsletter, plans for Lesnar’s Rumble appearance are currently up in the air but there has been talk that he could be working a non-title match at the event. There are reportedly various reasons why Vince doesn’t want Brock vs. Braun Strowman again, and as of this past week the plan is to still eventually have Lesnar take on Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 34.

Reigns is currently the WWE Intercontinental Champion but it’s expected that he drops the title before “The Show Of Shows,” however, nothing is official. With usual frontrunners to take on Lesnar such as Balor, Reigns, Strowman and Samoa Joe likely out of the running, the possibilities for Lesnar are very thin. Lesnar is confirmed to be a part of the event but it’s not necessarily a given that he defends his title.

Various suggestions have been made in regards to Lesnar’s involvement at the Royal Rumble, but we should have a better idea of WWE’s plans come December 18th on Monday Night RAW – which is Lesnar’s next scheduled TV appearance for the company.

Update On Lio Rush’s Status With WWE

Jon Fuentes
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  • Lio Rush removed WWE/NXT references from his Twitter profile
  • Rush did not work Wednesday’s NXT TV tapings, which run through late December
  • Remains under contract, per PWInsider

NXT star Lio Rush received a wave of negative attention on Twitter in late October after a tweet about Emma’s WWE release backfired spectacularly. In response to the news of Emma’s release (following two competitive matches with Asuka), Rush tweeted, “I guess these are the things that happen when you’re not TRULY ready for @WWEAsuka ??”

Rush was slammed on social media by many of his peers and later followed up with a half-hearted apology. He has not been seen on NXT TV since and his status with the company remains in question. On Wednesday night, he made several changes to his Twitter account that have some fans wondering if he’ll be returning at all.

In addition to removing all references to WWE and NXT from his Twitter bio, Lio Rush also changed his hometown from Orlando (where the WWE Performance Center is located) to Baltimore. He has since tweeted:

https://twitter.com/itsLioRush/status/936045547311501312

https://twitter.com/itsLioRush/status/936224192646787072

Despite this social media activity, Lio Rush remains under contract with WWE, according to PWInsider. It will be interesting to see how this young man’s career progresses after these recent issues.

Prior to joining WWE, the 23-year-old high flyer has wrestled for promotions such as Ring Of Honor and Combat Zone Wrestling. Lio Rush was signed to NXT back in July and was engaged in a brief feud with his former tag team partner, Velveteen Dream.

Former Ring Announcer Accuses Wrestlers and Promoters of Sexual Misconduct

Chris Stephens
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18

Former ring announcer for Evolve and independent organizations, Heather Lynn, is stating that she dealt with sexual harassment and misconduct while working in the wrestling industry.

https://twitter.com/heatherlynn1024/status/935986859729149952

https://twitter.com/heatherlynn1024/status/936002527602110464

https://twitter.com/heatherlynn1024/status/936003398616436737

https://twitter.com/heatherlynn1024/status/936016429358440449

https://twitter.com/heatherlynn1024/status/936099062578851840

Lynn clarified that her claims are not about long-time booker Gabe Sapolsky.

https://twitter.com/heatherlynn1024/status/936102284785864704

https://twitter.com/heatherlynn1024/status/936239512698740736

Lynn also was sure to state that Dave Prazak from Shimmer is also not who she is referring to.

https://twitter.com/heatherlynn1024/status/936250922879082496

She opted not to deny some other names, however.

https://twitter.com/heatherlynn1024/status/936241641958068225

The Singh Brothers Future on Smackdown in Doubt

Chris Stephens
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26

This week on Smackdown, Jinder Mahal turned on the Singh brothers after they lost a handicap match to AJ Styles.

PW Insider is reporting that the decision has been made to replace the Singh brothers as Jinder’s run-in buddies. No information is currently available regarding if WWE plans to move the brothers to 205 Live or who will be replacing them on Smackdown.

WWE Tour of India

The timing of the Singh Brothers being written off of Smackdown is interesting considering WWE runs their India Super-Show a week from Saturday. It’s possible an angle involving Jinder and the Singh brothers is furthered on that show.

Anthem Releases Statement on Talent Using Gimmicks in Other Promotions

Chris Stephens
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15

Anthem Sports and Entertainment have changed their stance on wrestlers using their Impact gimmicks after leaving the promotion.

The company issued the following statement to Sports Illustrated recently:

“We have seen the character development and will be interested to see where they take the concept. Our new talent agreements all incorporate language that allow talent to continue to use their IMPACT persona after they leave the company. We are working with our legal team to amend our existing agreements to extend this to all of our current and former talent.”

“Broken” Matt Hardy

Several theories are going around regarding why Anthem may have changed their tune on this one. The company took a PR hit during negotiations with the Hardyz in the spring and most likely are hoping to repair some of that damage. Matt Hardy also provided new information to the USPTO recently which may have strengthened his case. Hardy also has an Intellectual Property rights lawyer working for him.

Jerry Lawler On The Most Difficult WrestleMania Celebrity, Triple H On The Final NXT Tapings Of 2017

Anutosh Bajpai
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2

– During the latest edition of The Ross Report Podcast, Jim Ross interviewed his former commentary partner Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler. When asked who was the most difficult celebrity to deal with at WrestleMania, Lawler took the name of Aretha Franklin:

“Aretha Franklin is still alive. Remember what a pain in the butt she was at WrestleMania that year? Oh my gosh! Way passed her glory days, but still the biggest diva that we’d ever seen. Very high maintenance, Aretha Franklin.”

– As noted before yesterday was the first night of the final NXT Tapings of this year. After the tapings, Triple H sent out the following tweet, commenting on the final NXT Tapings of 2017:

You can check out the complete spoiler results for NXT tapings from last night including a title change here.

The Rock On What He Wants His Legacy To Be

Anutosh Bajpai
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6

The Rock is on the cover of Ebony‘s December 2017 edition and he also took part in the featured interview for the Magazine. Below are some of the highlights from his interview:

Avoiding stereotypes of Hollywood:

“It was the desire to make it. I never wanted to be evicted again. Making it means I could buy my mom and dad, God willing, a house because they had never lived in a house before. When you are trying to make it and you are trying to figure life out —work/life balances and what you want to become—a lot of times, we can fall into a mindset of, this was done before me like this; therefore, this is the model I have to follow. The same thing happened to me when I came to Hollywood. At that time, there was no blueprint for someone like me. There was no blueprint for a half-Black, half-Samoan pro wrestler who was a big boy. At that time, the guys who had the careers I wanted to have were Tom Cruise, George Clooney and Will Smith. They were the biggest stars on the planet. I was told, “You have to be in this box.” That box would be, “You can’t talk about wrestling anymore. Let’s transition from the moniker ‘The Rock’ to Dwayne Johnson. Let’s not go to the gym as much, even though you love it and it’s your daily anchor. Let’s make sure you are not in tank tops when doing photo shoots.”

How he would define power:

“When I was a kid, I used to measure power by money. In my head, I always interpreted power as money. If I had money then, I could become powerful… These days, as I’ve gotten to my fourth level of life and as I experience life, divorce, death, ups and downs, I define power in two ways: the bond I have with my family and the love I have with my family. I’ve achieved this greater level of love, of what I call to powerfully love somebody. I heard that years ago, and I didn’t know what it meant. My interpretation of what it means to powerfully love somebody is to be able to love somebody with restriction, to not be fearful of being vulnerable, to accept people with everything that they are. Their good. Their bad. Their warts. Everything they come with. Accept it. Embrace it. That’s that real powerful loving place. I didn’t know what that meant until a little later in life, but I understand what that means now. The other way I would define power is by influence. You don’t have to be famous. You don’t have to be rich. Just have the ability to influence someone in a positive way.”

What he wants his legacy to be:

“I think when it’s all said and done, the dust is settled and you are looking at the sunset as you’re riding off, [it’s] in the spirit of, I was able to use my influence in a positive way and make a real impact and help people make a real impact. That’s the responsibility I feel I have.”

Quotes via WrestleZone

Cody Rhodes On Racism And Confederate Flag Controversy

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former WWE Star Cody Rhodes recently had an interview with Sports Illustrated while promoting Northeast Wrestling’s Holiday Havoc event in Waterbury, Connecticut this Friday. Below are few highlights from his interview:

His recent comments about wanting to face Daniel Bryan:

“I’m the son of the ‘American Dream’. Of course I’m a dreamer. My dad had no fear. As a promoter and businessman, he had no fear. I’m 32 and entering the prime of my career, so why would I be afraid? I’ve found these friends and businessmen in the Bucks, and I believe the business cannot continue to go on the path it’s going. It has to continue to change, and there have to be people who are going to change it. I really can’t claim to be any of that until we fill this joint up, but I am not afraid of what we are about to do.”

On racism and confederate flag controversy:

“It bothers me, but even surprises me when racism pops up. I had a fan tweet to tell me he’d been a fan for a long time, but he had the Confederate flag as his profile picture. I said, ‘Hey man, you’ve got to get rid of that,’ and he did, but what surprised me about that interaction was the amount of apologists who defended what the Confederate flag actually stood for. That always surprises me–that there are still apologists, essentially, for racism. We don’t need to be educating people on the Confederate flag, it just needs to be gone. In Germany, there are not swastikas on every corner. That part of their past is history and they’ve progressed. I’m always shocked when I see apologists for racism, which has no place. We’re all in this together. Why would we ever divide?”

Bullet Club’s Raw invasion:

“It made a bigger impact than we imagined it was going to have, I actually got in the car with my wife, Marty, and Hangman [Page] right after, and I said, ‘Just so you know, this is going to change a bunch of stuff.’ Marty was like, ‘No, I don’t think anything will come of it,’ but then the amount of stuff that came out of it, which is public with a cease and desist, and there were a lot of entertained fans and pro-WWE fans who were disappointed.”

You can check out Cody’s comments about wanting to face Daniel Bryan here.

Alberto Del Rio Unhappy With “Keyboard Warriors” & The Dark Side Of Wrestling

Jon Fuentes
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Impact Wrestling star Alberto El Patron took part in a media conference call on Wednesday afternoon. During the call, spoke about his wrestling career winding down and his unhappiness with certain aspects of the business.

While he’s enjoyed worldwide fame for over a decade and claims to love “real” wrestling fans, “keyboard warriors” and “the dark side of the business” have led him to start thinking about hanging up his boots.

Fans of Alberto El Patron need not worry, because he’s not retiring anytime soon. He said he plans to wrestle throughout 2018 and is considering 2019 as the year for his ‘retirement tour.’

Alberto recently returned to Impact Wrestling at Bound For Glory after an indefinite suspension related to a now-settled domestic dispute with WWE Superstar Paige.

Discussion: What are your thoughts on Del Rio’s contributions to the professional wrestling business? Where would you like to see him wrestle on his pending retirement tour?

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