WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has posted a new blog entry over at his official website where he gives his thoughts on various topics. Here are the highlights:
CM Punk wanting to fight again:
“I’m happy @CMPunk is going to fight again because that’s what he loves to do and we all should have the courage to follow our own dreams no matter if others think we’re nuts. Trust me, I know of what I speak on this one.”
His new book:
“@Amazon is doing a terrific job with our fan base all over the world shipping SlobberKnocker on all platforms including hardcover, audio and EBooks. www.audiobooks.com and www.novelaudio.com also can quickly get you a copy of the audio version of SlobberKnocker. I’ve been told that next week that SlobberKnocker will go into its third printing which I’m informed is remarkable for a wrestling centric book after only being released less than two weeks. I really feel that wife Jan is smiling on all of us for the success of our story.” Ross also talked about doing commentary for NJPW on AXS TV and more. You can read the blog here.
WWE Champion Jinder Mahal recently did an interview with ESPN to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. “The Maharaja” talked about wanting to play a babyface during his run with WWE, watching tape on other wrestlers inside the ring, and setting big goals for himself in his career. You can check out the highlights here below:
Wanting to play a babyface:
“I am interested in seeing what other characters I could play. The evolution of a WWE character is such that things change and I can’t wait to have a babyface character. I can’t wait for the crowd reaction when I come here [India] and definitely the WWE will see some of that reaction. Maybe that starts to plug something in creative and you might see a different side of me.”
Watching tape on other wrestlers in the ring:
“No one sees the 24 hours that I put in. A large part of those 24 hours is putting the work that will make me the best WWE superstar that I can be. That means watching tape. Not just matches of myself but also the great matches including matches of Triple H and just watching the stories that he tells in the ring. I will see The Rock, Stone Cold (Steve Austin) or even watch Bret Hart or Shawn Michaels. Their Ironman match at Wrestlemania XII was the greatest of all time.”
Setting big goals for himself in his career:
“My goal is to be the greatest of all time. There isn’t any point setting small goals. You have to set large goals. When I set the goal of becoming WWE champion, people would laugh. I remember when I was entered into the six pack challenge match to be the No.1 contender for the WWE title, there were many who asked ‘why is Jinder here?’ But I set my aims high. I proved the doubters wrong and I look forward to proving more doubters wrong.”
You can read Mahal’s full interview with ESPN by visiting this link here.
– Yesterday (Sun. October 15, 2017) a photo began floating around showing Kalisto holding up the Cruiserweight Title, which looked to have been changed to a black color scheme as opposed to it’s original purple look. Many WWE fans actually approved of the look and claimed the color change made the title look better. Unfortunately it seems that fans were fooled by a Instagram filter, and the title is still it’s usual all purple color scheme – for now:
Sorry folks, the cruiserweight title strap is not black. Instagram filters are deceptive. pic.twitter.com/txDhQKO9Gg
WWE 2K18 officially goes on sale tomorrow (Tuesday, 10/17) for Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC via the Steam marketplace. Fans who pre-ordered the deluxe version of the game have been playing since last week.
Despite extensive beta testing by 2K prior to the launch date, many gamers are finding glitches galore.
Here are some of the more interesting WWE 2K18 glitches fans have been posting on social media:
On Sunday night, Ring of Honor held their Global Wars pay-per-view from Chicago, IL. Here are the results:
– Silas Young & Beer City Bruiser defeated Chuckie T and Trent Baretta
– Marty Scurll defeated Hiromu Takahashi
– Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian defeated Cheeseburger & Kushida
4. ROH World Champion Cody Rhodes & Six-Man Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks and Adam “Hangman” Page defeated ROH World Tag Team Champions Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin, Jay White and Jonathan Gresham
– The Dawgs defeated Brian Johnson and Justin Pusser
– Minoru Suzuki and the Killer Elite Squad defeated Jay Lethal, Shane Taylor, and ROH World Television Champion Kenny King
– Colt Cabana defeated Toru Yano
– Will Ospreay defeated Flip Gordon
– Kenny Omega defeated Yoshi-Hashi to retain the NJPW IWGP United States Championship
With just 6 days until WWE’s Tables, Ladders and Chairs pay-per-view, tonight’s ‘go-home’ edition of Monday Night RAW takes place from Portland, Oregon at the Moda Center.
The top match advertised for tonight will see Roman Reigns squaring off against Braun Strowman inside a steel cage. Reigns will have the help from The Shield this Sunday at TLC, but how will he fend against Strowman one on one?
WWE.com is also advertising the following items for RAW:
Sister Abigail is coming for Finn Bálor
Emma has a date with The Empress of Tomorrow
Kalisto maintains momentum going into WWE TLC
Has Alexa Bliss made a massive mistake for the “ages”?
Join us here later tonight for our WWE RAW Live Coverage!
WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has issued a formal challenge to John Cena for a match at WrestleMania 34.
Mahal hosed an #AskJinder Q&A session on Twitter over the weekend and was asked who his ideal opponent was for WM34. In his response, Mahal said he fully intends to be WWE Champion through next year’s big event and issued an ‘official challenge.’
“I fully intend on being WWE Champion, come WrestleMania, and even after WrestleMania. So, John Cena, this is an official challenge to you.”
It’s a bold move by the WWE Champion, who looks to solidify his spot in main events by calling out the biggest name in WWE.
WrestleMania 34 takes place on Sunday, April 8th, 2018 from New Orleans, Louisiana.
You can check out footage of his challenge embedded below:
WWE Hall Of Famer and former Monday Night RAW General Manager Mick Foley recently joined Ring Rust Radio to promote his new book, Saint Mick: My Journey From Hardcore Legend to Santa’s Jolly Elf. You can check out the highlights here below:
You recently released your new book, Saint Mick: My Journey From Hardcore Legend to Santa’s Jolly Elf. Why did you feel now was the right time to write this book and what are you hoping to accomplish with its release?
“You guys are officially the first interview I am doing. As of this talk its release date is not there yet it’s October 17. I don’t know what I was thinking. It’s not like it’s a book that lends itself to people that like me as a wrestler or have been chomping at the bit for my Santa memoir. It felt like it was a really good story and a great experience I had in the course of five years. I knew from reading largely wrestling memoirs, the stories that have an arc like a five, six, or seven arcs tend to be more interesting rather than someone looking back at a 30- or 40-year career and trying to cherry pick moments.
“You never really feel like you’re in the moment there. When someone had a storied career and trying to look back to capture everything, I think there is a minimal emotional investment in the book. I felt like I had a pretty good story to tell with lessons that I’ve learned and with a nice balance of the surreal, touching and the foolishness. I felt like if I didn’t get down to it this year, I probably never would have.”
You’ve run the gamut as an author in terms of the types of books you’ve written, but how was the writing process different for this book compared to your earlier autobiographical work, and how did the enjoyment you felt while writing this book compare to those previous ones?
“It was a great experience and in the introduction, I write about the fact that, I don’t want to sound all artsy, but it’s the purest writing experience. The first one was amazing, but I wrote it largely because the guy that was supposed to be writing it, the ghostwriter, did a mediocre job and I felt like I could do it better or I would be stuck for eternity with a mediocre book and nobody wants that. It worked out great and opened up a lot of doors for me. From that point on, the second book was like a way to take advantage of the success of the first book.
“Even Hardcore Diaries and Countdown to Lockdown were six week periods where I was writing them as the events were unfolding. So, story wise it was a roll of the dice and I didn’t know if there were going to be good stories or not. In this case, it’s something I really wanted to do. I didn’t think there was an audience and at certain point I was just really intent on self-publishing like 100 copies for family and friends and then a couple of key people, Stephanie McMahon being one of them, convinced me it might deserve a wider audience.”
The foreword for your latest book was written by Stephanie McMahon. What went into your decision to ask her and how did she react when asked?
“Oh man, I wrote something about that and you guys are kind of getting the sneak preview of that. She had just decimated me verbally in a backstage interview. It was one of the cruelest, verbal tirades even by wrestling standards. It was the one where I think at the end of February that ended with the man that used to be able to stand up to everyone and everything, but can now barely stand at all. When it was done, I said I would like to talk in private if I could. She knows I’m professional and I’m not going to yell at her over a promo, it was hard because it is a tough thing to ask, but I asked her if she would wonder consider writing the introduction to my book and it caught her completely flat footed. She was kind of speechless for a second like she wasn’t expecting that. Then she told me she would be honored to.
“When we were GM and Commissioner, I was working on this book and she would ask me about it. One day she came to catering and started asking me a couple of questions and I thought she came to talk to me about a promo we were doing, but after about 40 minutes, I asked her if she wanted to talk about the promo and she said, ‘No, I just think this is really interesting.’ I asked her if she thought this was a story people would enjoy and she really helped me believe in my own project. I hope I don’t kill her on-air persona, but I really respect her not only as a performer and a person, but also as a writer. Every writer has a few key people they depend on to give them feedback and in this case, she was a key person. She was my sounding board on a weekly basis and the main reason I decided to publish it instead of self-publishing for family and friends.”
It’s often been said that WWE’s motto is “putting smiles on people’s faces,” and the same can be said for playing the role of Santa Claus. How do you feel being a WWE Superstar helped prepare you for being Santa and spreading Christmas cheer all year round?
“Did you say playing the role? I’m not playing, pal! There were times when I was playing the role of characters where I really felt like I was living that role. Those were the best appearances where you get caught up in that character to the point where you feel like you are that character and it’s the same thing. I really feel like the experience I had and I don’t want to give this away, but Stephanie’s got this great line in her introduction and forward and it was something I actually tried to write about getting to the main point of what I learned from doing this, but I didn’t feel comfortable.
“It was almost too heavy and I didn’t want to phrase it without sounding all ideological or crazy, but she remembered it almost word for word from a conversation we had. Basically, all these experiences I had from being in the ring, portraying characters, visiting children and service members, really put me in a unique position so that I could kind of step in and really inhabit this role which I believe is closer to who I really am. I just have to be nicer and kinder and wiser than I am in real life. Whereas when you’re Cactus Jack and Mankind, you have to be crazier, braver and far more aggressive.
“I wasn’t the classic alpha male in the dressing room, but I had to go in there with guys that were six inches taller and 80 pounds heavier who were those alpha males and I do find a way to hold my own. The business is what it is, but if you can’t stand your ground, you get devoured in there. That was really difficult for me and it took me a long time to get the grasp of that. Whereas this character, the Santa character, is a little closer to home I think.”
You can listen to Foley’s interview on Ring Rust Radio by clicking this link here.
– Prior to attending the WWE 2K18 launch party in Emirates, Dubai, WWE Hall Of Famer Sting sent out a video message on Twitter asking fans to name their favorite era of his career:
– Detroit Lions wide receiver Golden Tate used The Rock’s “People’s Elbow” finisher as a touchdown celebration and the WWE posted an article on it. The Rock saw the celebration on social media and reacted to it:
Late last night (Sun. October 15, 2017) Ring Of Honor (ROH) “Global Wars: Chicago” iPPV Bully Ray came out to hit Frankie Kazarian through a table. Kazarian and Christopher Daniels had just gotten through taking on Kushida and Cheeseburger and were about to but Cheeseburger through a table.
After Ray put Kazarian through the table he got on the mic to address the ROH crowd. Ray said that at this point in his career he needs to think about his health and proceeded to reveal that he is bringing his in-ring career to an end. The Chicago crowd then stood up on their feet and gave Ray a standing ovation. He then brought a young child into the ring by the name of Chase and told him that he represented all the fans that he has ever had the chance to perform in front of.
Ray then handed Chase “a piece of the last table I’ll ever put somebody through.” He then thanked the crowd and left. This announcement comes a few weeks after Ray suffered an injury on a PPV due to being hit on the head with a table. Ray is expected to go into further detail about his retirement on Busted Open Radio later this week.
– After capturing the WWE Cruiserweight Championship from Enzo Amore in a Lumberjack Match last Monday on Raw, the title has a new look.
Kalisto revealed the new WWE Cruiserweight Championship in this photo from backstage at tonight’s WWE live event in Yakima, Washington. As you can see, the belt now has a black strap instead of a purple strap.
– Former WWE ring announcer Lilian Garcia sang the national anthem before the New York Jets played the New England Patriots today at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Garcia noted on Instagram that she holds the record of singing the national anthem the most times at a Jets game with today being her 12th performance.
In this post on Instagram, The New Day member implied that he cut off his dreadlocks last night.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BaRtGl3jeTD/
WWE.com acknowledged his haircut tease in an article, stating, “Will Kofi show up on SmackDown LIVE this week with a brand new hairdo? Keep with WWE.com and our social channels to find out!”
– In support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Goldust painted his face pink at tonight’s WWE live event in Yakima, Washington.
Former World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), World Wrestling Council (WWC), and USWA Memphis star Eric Embry recently did an interview with The Two Man Power Trip Of Wrestling podcast to talk about a number of professional wrestling topics. Embry discussed how Paul Bearer helped him get over in WCCW, helping out a young Mick Foley in his professional wrestling career, his longtime heat with Jerry Lawler, and helping Stone Cold Steve Austin get his first big break in wrestling. Here are the highlights:
Percy Pringle (Paul Bearer) helping him get over in WCCW:
“He (Percy) played a very instrumental part in my mind of getting me over in Dallas and along with Cactus Jack (Mick Foley) and Gary Young, Iceman Parsons and whatever talent I had to work with in Dallas. I’m not sure what the word would be but it is not that the people were tired of the Von Erichs because the Von Erichs were like Gods in Dallas but no one wrestling fan had ever seen anyone surpass a Von Erich to the top and past the Von Erichs and I was the first.
“It just clicked and Percy as a baby face manager played a big part but all those guys did and I couldn’t have done it without the talent they had and they got me over like a big dog there and still to this day am so thankful for the fans of World Class.”
Helping out a young Mick Foley in his pro wrestling career:
“Mick was great. I had flew into Memphis for a Memphis TV on a Saturday and I was watching the matches and was already booking in Dallas already and I saw Cactus and Gary Young and they had been beat, I went to Lawler and said what are you doing with them and he told me that they had been there for awhile and he wasn’t doing anything with them so I just asked him if I could have them in Dallas.
“Mick was the riskiest bump taker in the history of our business that I am aware of. He would take the craziest bumps in the Sportatorium from the ring onto the hard concrete floor and it was unreal. I would beg him and say please when he’d try to call that spot and I’d say there is no way in hell I am going to do that with you. But during the match he would talk me into it and I’d be so afraid that he was going to cripple himself while he was working with me which would be because either way but if he was working with me I’d feel that I would have let it happen. But as far as calling spots with Cactus you just didn’t have to. Cactus would just follow you and you didn’t have to lay out each move like with the people you had to and did.
“In his book Cactus put in there that his last match in Dallas (Loser Leaves) he was disappointed because we went like five or six seconds and for me at the time it was the best way to book him because it wouldn’t hurt him losing on our TV because that would look like a fluke. That hurt my feelings so bad when I read that. A few years later I made contact with Cactus and we cleared all that up because if Cactus had come to me that night and said he didn’t feel comfortable doing this we would have changed it and done whatever he wanted to do that is how much respect I had for that guy. My feelings are not hurt anymore and I talk to him periodically and he is a super great guy. ”
His longtime heat with WWE Hall Of Famer Jerry Lawler:
“It’s not a secret in the wrestling business that Jerry Lawler and I do not get along well. We work with each other; we make money with each other and had super matches with each other. Personally, I do not like him at all and personally, he does not like me. That was part of my deal to take the book in Memphis where Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett and I would understand that I do not work for him and that is why I did not work Memphis before then and Memphis was my home territory since I am from Kentucky.
“I always avoided that and I only worked there one time and stayed there maybe two or three weeks because of the personality clash. As a a talent Jerry Lawler is one of the best professional wrestlers performance wise that ever laced up a pair of boots. He was that good.
“I am not dogging him. His feelings towards me are the same and I like I’ve said, we would work together and have very stiff matches but we couldn’t have a conversation like you and I are having right now.”
If it’s hard to work with someone he doesn’t like or if that’s just the respect he has for the business:
“I have the utmost respect for him as a performer and as a wrestler because he was that good. But our personalities just clashed but like I’ve said he is one of the best that ever laced up a pair of boots cut and dry, bar none and that almost hurt me to say that but not really.”
Helping Steve Austin get his first big break in wrestling:
“Chris Adams wanted to start a school. Chris was a money making son of a gun and he wasn’t afraid to work and he came to me with this idea to start a school at the Sportatorium and I thought it was a cool idea so the next time Jerry Jarrett came in I hooked those two guys up so they could discuss the business agreement for it.
“We did Channel 11 TV on Saturday morning that played in Ft. Worth and Dallas on Saturday night so at one of those TV tapings, Chris came up to me and said he had this guy he wanted me to look at in his school. I went up to the Crow’s nest in the Sportatorium and watched Steve in the school for two-three minuets (not long) but Steve had what everybody calls the “it factor.”
“After he had been in the school for two or three months I had kept asking Adams when can we start using that Austin guy? Chris kept saying he wasn’t ready yet but Chris was also milking him for that money Steve was paying him every week. Finally I told Chris that it is real simple and it is either he talks to Steve and you hook him up with me to come to work or I go to Steve and talk to him and offer him a job. He understood and we met with Steve and Steve started working. Austin and Cactus Jack both have thanked me for getting them on the radar and putting them on the map because I was the first person that had enough confidence in them to put them out there and put them on TV. Now I had no idea that Austin would go as far as he went but I knew he would be special.”
Listen to Embry’s full interview on The Two Man Power Trip Of Wrestling podcast here.
Usually, a wrestler makes his name into indies and then comes to WWE but Cody Rhodes is a rare star who has made the opposite possible. Rhodes wasn’t doing much in WWE but has become one of the hottest free agents since leaving the company back in May last year.
The American Nightmare recently had an interview with Buffalo News where he talked about leaving WWE and more. Below are some of the highlights from his latest interview:
Leaving WWE at a time when they are hiring more and more indie talents:
“It’s definitely the road less traveled that I’m on, but there more people navigating it like I am. I could be totally wrong, but I feel a lot like I did in 1996 and ’97 as a fan, when my family’s business was getting ready to be the coolest thing. The next thing I know, I went from being the only wrestling fan in my class to having Nitro parties and the Monday Night War. I feel like we’re on the cusp of entering a really, unbelievably good era for our industry fans and competitors alike. Financially of course, but for fans, there’s variety. You can go onto New Japan World and there’s English commentary primed and ready. The Fite app is primed and ready for Ring of Honor. The WWE Network is primed and ready. It’s whatever you choose.”
Memories of his match with Goldust and Dusty Rhodes being on their ring side during Battleground 2013:
“Going into it, I felt completely different than when I was coming out of it. There was a lot of high stress at the time. It was almost uncomfortable, because I was working really hard to garner my own spotlight and getting away from the family. But then, obviously, it became a magical moment. It’s a great learning experience when you’re busting it for 20 minutes, and then my dad just does the elbow. That was the thing that got the people to stand up for the remainder of the match. Grab an apple, because you’re going to school. It was really special, and looking back on it, it’s a tremendous memory. Our family looks at it as Dusty’s last stand. He could barely get up the steps, but on that night, it didn’t matter. There are so many great things about Buffalo, but honestly, that one will always jump to number one.”
His own personal legacy of his father:
“This is something I struggle with pretty regularly. Had he not been famous, I wouldn’t have shared him with anybody. But because he was who he was, I have to share him with the world, in terms of what happens next, his legacy, and things like Starrcade and War Games. I have to be honest, people don’t always like my opinion. There’s no handbook for how I’m supposed to handle this. I don’t know what’s best all the time, but I know a lot of his estate, creations and likeness are owned by WWE. That doesn’t always mean I have to like it, but I try very hard to protect his legacy from a family standpoint, but also, I know he would like me to do as much stuff about “me” as I possibly could.”
WWE Hall Of Fame commentator Jim Ross recently did an interview with ESPN to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. “Good Ole JR” discussed where his foundation as a professional wrestling broadcaster came from, his letter from Vince McMahon after his second battle with Bell’s Palsy, and how much the demands for commentators have changed in today’s era. You can check out the highlights here:
Where he foundation as a pro wrestling broadcaster came from:
“I believe that to be a great broadcaster one has to have basic fundamental, instinctual, communication skills, and I was blessed with having two very talkative grandfathers. They were very entertaining when they told their stories. And when you didn’t have Wi-Fi, or cable TV, or satellite TV, or all the social media things we have, you did this strange thing … you read books, and you talked.”
The letter Vince McMahon wrote him after his second battle with Bell’s Palsy:
“I was really in a fragile place, but Vince hand-wrote a letter to me, and had it delivered to my home in Norwalk, Connecticut. I used the letter in the book. It’s pretty amazing. It was a ‘Come to Jesus’-type pep talk. I was just so self-conscious with how I looked. I just thought how I looked, how I sounded with a little bit of a speech impediment because of the Bell’s palsy. I was going through a tough time — I was producing announce talent and I was happy to do it.
“But I really believed that WrestleMania was my last one, and I appreciated the fact that Vince decided to go with me in the main event because he knew that we’d signed two potentially all-time greats. I thought that would be my swan song, but we talked through it, the match was good, the fans were glad to see me back, so we started up a little run there, but it was very challenging.”
How much the demands for commentators have changed in today’s era:
“A lot of folks get angry at today’s commentators, but it’s how they’re produced. It’s their skill-set, a lot of them, and it’s what is asked of them to perform and to do … the demands on today’s wrestling broadcasters are extensive. The job description of that role has evolved and changed over the years. People can hear, and they can certainly tell that. It’s changed a lot, and that’s due to the fact that there are a lot of producers who are dictating what the product sounds like on the air. It’s a different mindset, they were raised differently. They have different values and they perceive things [differently].”
Read Ross’ full interview with ESPN by visiting this link.
– Two-time WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair took to Twitter to post a picture of what he believes is the Mount Rushmore of professional wrestling. Alongside himself, “The Nature Boy” listed “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Rock, and Hulk Hogan:
– Linda McMahon recently spoke to the New Haven Register for a piece on women entrepreneurs. McMahon discussed her family going bankrupt and how she needed to build WWE from the ground up:
“That was really a tough time, especially because I was pregnant with our second child,” McMahon said. “We lost our home; my car was repossessed in the driveway. We were knocked down, but we were not defeated. We got right back to work starting over, building our business from scratch.”
WWE NXT Champion Drew McIntyre recently did an interview with The Post and Courier to talk about his return to WWE and how much he has been thriving in NXT. McIntyre discussed differences in WWE after he returned to the company, what lessons he learned outside of WWE, and his claim that NXT is the WWE’s number one show. You can check out the highlights here below:
Differences in WWE since returning to the company:
“The last time I had an opportunity to be in NXT was in its infant stages. I had been a part of Raw and Smackdown for a few years, so I really didn’t know anybody. This time around, after having been gone for around three years, it was a surprise at NXT Takeover: Orlando. Once I headed back to the locker room afterwards, I knew legitimately 80 percent of the locker room, as well as knowing everybody who works backstage with the camera crew, the producers, etc. I saw so many familiar faces … it felt like I had never been gone.”
Lessons he learned while away from WWE:
“When you’re by yourself and not with WWE, you are your own business. And I was very successful in that business because of all the lessons I learned. I truly learned how to be a top brand myself and be what I needed to be. When the time was right and I wasn’t under contract anywhere, I spoke to Triple H on the phone. It was the right time to come home, and I was the right guy. I got the opportunity, and now I’ve got the ball and I’m going to run with it as far as I can.”
NXT being WWE’s top show:
“My job is to get NXT recognized as that third brand, not just as developmental. And since I’ve been back I’ve noticed the difference that people are starting to refer to it that way. It obviously doesn’t have the platform that RAW or SmackDown does, but I believe it’s the No. 1 show. We’re so competitive and passionate when it comes to our shows.
“I hope everyone’s keeping an eye on us. We are the No. 1 show for a reason. Everyone on the show has earned that spot. There are 150 people down at NXT. So if you’re on the show, wherever it may be, they’ve earned that spot and are giving a WrestleMania performance every time they’re in the ring.”
You can check out McIntyre’s full interview with The Post and Courier at this link here.
Former WWE Superstar and current Global Force Wrestling (GFW) star Chris Masters recently did an interview with CLICKON Sports to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. Masters touched on how he got his start in professional wrestling, being released from WWE, being mentioned by CM Punk on Monday Night RAW, Triple H’s false promise to him, and his current run in GFW. You can check out the highlights here:
His ring name:
“Masters was given to me on my second week in OVW. I was in the developmental system, and it was Dr Tom Pritchard who told me that I was going to be known as Masters. I was really just happy to be there so I didn’t question it, and I didn’t necessarily think it was cool at first but it grew on me with time.”
Getting his start in pro wrestling:
“I didn’t even start working out until I decided I was gonna be a pro wrestler, and that was probably around 15 or 16. I remember that the year prior to that I had weightlifting class during first period, and I was just sat there wondering why these guys were trying to lift these heavy weights, like what’s the point?”
His love for the business:
“I was the wrestling nerd throughout that time. I played water polo, which a lot of people don’t take seriously, but it’s a tough sport. I was backyard wrestling when I was a kid, and I’ve been obsessed with this for my entire life.”
Other interests he has:
“I love politics. I have a very passionate interest about politics and social interests. I’m fascinated by that whole process, and I also love basketball. That’s probably what I used to replace wrestling, and I was searching for something else to watch because you’re so ‘in’ the wrestling world sometimes.”
Getting released from WWE and CM Punk referencing him on RAW:
“I was heartbroken about the whole thing. I was more heartbroken that it was being taken away from me because I enjoyed it so much. In terms of CM Punk, it was nice because he added that little bit in for me which I knew he actually meant, because he’d pointed it out to me several times.
“I appreciated that, but I also knew it was something that was talked about by the powers that be so I was a little conflicted. I was being used as a storyline.”
Triple H’s promise to him and his current run in GFW:
“I was told I was going to get pushed by Hunter and plenty of people, but you know, I’m in a great situation now on Impact Wrestling with Eli Drake. It presents a lot of opportunities, and if I stay on track, stay healthy and I’m able to go out there and do my thing, I think the sky is the limit.”
The hottest topic buzzing around the professional wrestling newswire at the moment is the rumored walk-out from WWE by former Cruiserweight Champion Neville. It was reported that Neville asked for his release from the company before this past Monday’s episode of Monday Night RAW in which Enzo Amore dropped the Cruiserweight Title to Kalisto. While WWE has yet to confirm it has parted ways with Neville, Enzo Amore may have just done it for them.
Last night (Sat. October 14, 2017) WWE was in Regina, Saskatchewan for a live event in which Amore took on Kalisto. Before the match Amore cut a promo and referenced Neville’s current rumored situation with the promotion, saying “I took care of Cass, then made Neville quit. You’re nothing”:
It should also be noted that Dave Meltzer has reported that his sources believe Neville is 100% gone from the company. Despite this, WWE continues to deny that Neville has walked out.
WWE’s Women’s division has been picking up momentum in recent months. The recent Mae Young Classic highlighted female talent from around the world, and the imminent arrival of Asuka to RAW holds the potential for a great step forward that all superstars want to be a part of.
Kurt Angle’s teasing of a Women’s Elimination Chamber match further demonstrates just how much development and progress is being planned and made within the division.
Charlotte Flair has recently made her return to the ring, challenging Natalya for her SmackDown Live title. Along the way, Charlotte has also teamed up with Becky Lynch and shown a clear change from her previous heel stance as The Queen to become a face. Although the change has not been as successful, this firmly enables Charlotte to be on the same team as the other former Four Horse Women.
While Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch have been able to remain in action, Bailey had to recover from a shoulder injury that was picked up during a match with Nia Jax. Bailey has since returned and been able to compete in recent matches.
With Survivor Series looming, this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter has presented new details about The Four Horse Women of MMA undergoing extensive wrestling training, adding actions to their previous verbal challenges with WWE’s Four Horse Women.
Shayna Baszler began training at the WWE Performance Center, while Ronda Rousey has been training in California with Brian Kendrick. Marina Shafir, fiancée of Roderick Strong, has been training in Orlando, and Jessamyn Duke has been training for the last few months at the Santino Bros Wrestling Academy in California.
It’s clear that preparations are underway for the MMA superstars to make their way to WWE, and that this match up will come together at some point, however whether this happens in time for Survivor Series, as rumours have suggested, is another question.
Opinion:
Another big question that will have a lasting impact on the women’s division is: will Rousey, Shafir, Duke, and Baszler remain in the WWE Universe beyond one in ring showdown, or whether they will be given a contract that sees them join the women’s division? The potential problem comes from the number of available spaces in the division, with the added MMA superstars taking up four slots, will there be enough space for anyone from NXT be able to break through? I personally believe that the next step would be to create women’s tag team champships, which has never been able to take flight previously due to numbers.
The NXT stable of Adam Cole, Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly now known as the Undisputed Era recently sat down with WWE.com to talked about their debut and more. Below are some of the highlights from the interview:
Adam Cole on why they chose NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III for their debut:
“Here’s the deal. You don’t make a statement unless you make noise. We knew that what we were doing was going to cause a lot of ruckus. We knew it would get people talking. And that’s exactly what we wanted. The only way you make a name for yourself in this sport is to make a statement, a loud statement, and that’s exactly what we did at TakeOver: Brooklyn.”
Cole on the ‘Undisputed’ name:
“When you say the word “undisputed,” what do you think of? You think of something that is untouchable, undeniable. Myself, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly are all of those things. We’ve proven before we got here that we are one in a million, and we’ll do it again here in NXT. Also, people talk about the different eras in wrestling — The Golden Era, The Attitude Era, The Reality Era. This is our era; it’s our time to show the world who runs this sport.”
Bobby Fish on the message they have for the rest of NXT:
“You will never understand what drives The Undisputed ERA, so as hard as you might try, you simply can’t relate to us. We are here to break the will of all those we come in contact with. I will quote the incomparable Conor McGregor when I tell you, The Undisputed ERA didn’t come here to take part; we came here to take over!”
You can check out their full interview on WWE.com here.
WWE Hall Of Famer Kevin Nash recently sat down with Former DX Member Sean Waltman for Waltman’s X-Pac 1-2-360 podcast. During the course of it, the duo discussed a number of controversial topics which have been in talks recently such as The Young Bucks using Too Sweet gesture and more. Below are some of the highlights from the podcast:
Kevin on working with Samoa Joe and Bobby Roode:
“I think I was instrumental teaching them just how to chain wrestle. There was so much talent there, there really was a ton of talent. It reminded me a lot of when we all came to WCW. There was Eddie, Dragon, Benoit, Juventud, Rey -they had so much young good talent and we had the nucleus of older veteran guys to hold them down, cause that’s what you do. I always thought Joe was special and immediately when he got to NXT, I thought he would be a perfect opponent for Brock Lesnar; that it would be a real good match up. Roode was always really solid, I am surprise it took him so long to get into the fold of WWE.”
Nash on Young Bucks using the Too Sweet gesture:
“You [Waltman] created that, that’s your hand signal. You’re the one that came in and told the rest of us…so if anybody should get credit for that hand gesture, it’s you. You showed it to “The Kliq”, it’s our inside hand gesture; so if they want to call it “Too Sweet” that’s fine. I mean I am sure someone created the peace sign, you’re not gonna get intellectual rights on that…It keeps us alive.”
Sean on the Enzo Amore and Neville situation:
“I think they (WWE) should have left it on Enzo a little longer. When they put the championship on him…he’s done really well with it. I think people are watching more. Has there ever been a cruiserweight title match main event RAW ever? No. Some people may not like Enzo, but let’s give credit where it’s due.”
Waltman on Sami Zayn’s heel turn:
“Crazy thing, It might have been 6 months ago, maybe not that long ago…I was like, they aren’t doing much with Sami Zayn. It’s a crying shame because he’s one of the best talents they (WWE) has. So, I got on my phone, texted Hunter: you should turn Sami Zayn heel. You would not believe how he crapped on that idea. I mean, he thought I was a complete moron for suggesting that (laughs).”
WWE has officially announced the signings of two new female wrestlers to development contracts on Sunday, during their ongoing media tour of India.
The first is Kavita Devi who is the first female Indian wrestler to have officially signed with the company. She took part in the Mae Young Classic Tournament recently and had to say this on her signing:
“It was a privilege to be the first Indian woman to compete in WWE, Participating in the Mae Young Classic with some of the best female performers in the world was a great learning experience. Now I am looking forward to pursuing my dream of becoming the first WWE women’s champion from India.”
The second star who is now officially under contract is Shadia Bseiso. She is the first female Middle Eastern star to have signed with the company. Here is what she had to say on the occasion:
“It is an honor to be the first-ever woman from the Middle East to sign with WWE, I have personally witnessed the power of WWE and the passion of WWE fans.”
Both these stars will report at the Performance Center in Orlando Florida in January next year.
UFC Hall Of Famer Don Frye recently appeared on Submission Radio as a guest and revealed an interesting story about WWE Hall OF Famer Curt Hennig among other things. Below are some of the highlights from his interview:
Curt Hennig putting a pill on his drink as a prank during a tour of Japan:
“Oh man, we got on the airplane in LA, Curt and Brad and I, and Curt bombed my drink. And I was out. And all the way, for a whole second day in Japan I don’t remember. I don’t remember the flight, I don’t remember landing. I was out. I missed the whole day. So I remember he bombed me a heavier drink and came back around and kept doing it a couple of times. Yeah, he just dropped a pill in it.”
How he got back on Hennig:
“I got him back when we were in Brad’s gym. I filled his wrestling boots full of cream cheese. And Brian and I ran the ropes, working out. Curt pulled his foot out and shook his head and gave me a dirty look. He tried to get even, he thought he put it back in my boots but he put it in Brian’s boots. So I got him and I got Brian. But then I tell you what, Curt got me back a couple of time and he just, so embarrassing the stuff (we did). He was great. He was one of those people that you’re just privileged to meet, to be able to call a guy an acquaintance or a friend, it’s unbelievable to spend time with the guy.”
Why Cream Cheese:
“You know, I had one of those little silver foils of cream cheese in my gear-bag left over from a flight, and so I though what the hell else am I gonna do with it? (laughs) there was his boot, there was the package of cream cheese, there’s the opportunity.”
You can watch the full episode of Submission Radio featuring Frye below:
– INFLUX Pictures announced on their official Facebook page that they have finished up day one of their filming for a new documentary on former WWE and WCW star Perry Saturn. The documentary will focus on Saturn’s life and will also feature interviews with Saturn himself.
– The WWE continues to hype up Curt Hawkins’ legendary losing streak inside the ring. The streak is currently at 120 after Hawkins lost to Goldust at last night’s (Fri. October 13, 2017) WWE live event. Prior to the match Hawkins told WWE that he could smell a victory in the air, however, after that match he changed his tune and all he had to say was “No comment!”:
