– Global Force Wrestling founder Jeff Jarrett was in the United Kingdom last week negotiating what could be GFW’s first official television deal for the U.K. market. GFW is expected to make announcements next week for what will likely be their first international television deal.
– GFW posted the following video called “Kevin Nash Uncut,” which features Nash talking about Jeff Jarrett, his friend Triple H and more.
https://youtu.be/4RFI9Wub6Rs
After making their first appearances on this week’s episode of NXT, indie stars Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa spoke with WWE.com about participating in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. WWE noted that both men are still free agents, despite online reports that they’ve signed with the company.
Here are a few highlights of what they said about:
Their Thoughts on NXT:
GARGANO: “Right now, I feel that NXT is the hottest thing in wrestling. There’s no doubt about that. The guys that they’re utilizing are some of the best talent in the world. I know a lot of those guys. I’ve been in the ring with Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens numerous times. You look at a guy like me, I’m not 6-foot-8, 300 pounds, but from what I’ve been able to do with my talent around the world, I can come to NXT and show the world what I have. Based on the past, that wouldn’t happen. NXT gives guys like me that opportunity, to do what we love to do and show the world what we’re capable of.”
CIAMPA: “It has an indie, underground vibe to it, but the production value and expertise of WWE leading it. It’s the best of both worlds. From the first live special they did, I think that was the first time that the masses saw that this was something special and the place to be. From that point on, seeing things like Sami Zayn and Cesaro’s 2-out-of-3 Falls Match, seeing Kevin Owens do so well, it’s seeing guys who were the top of the independent world going to NXT and getting a bigger platform to show themselves on. Seeing how well they’re doing gives you this drive to want to be a part of it. I just watched TakeOver: Brooklyn a couple days ago. When Triple H was in the ring introducing the show and it was dark, all you could hear was his voice. When he says, “You told us the future is now!” and throws his arms up and the cameras go wide [to show the crowd], you could feel this energy. I told my wife, “I want that. I need to be a part of that.”
Being Invited To Participate In The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic:
CIAMPA: “Make the most of the opportunity.” Getting a phone call from William Regal was surreal, hearing his voice on the opposite end of the line. Him asking me if I was interested was, to me, an interesting approach, because of course I was interested. How could I not be? We didn’t know right away what we would be doing. Getting to the building and slowly finding out more and more information and then hearing that we’re going to be a part of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic was cool. I never worked under Dusty myself, but you hear so many stories and you know the respect he has in this business. To be a part of something that’s going to go down in history, it’s a cool feeling. The door’s being cracked open. It’s our job to push through and make the most of it.”
GARGANO: “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. When I was younger, I watched WWE. If you get into this business, your main goal is to wrestle for WWE. To be able to do that and perform for NXT, which is the hottest thing going, is a dream come true. I’m extremely excited about it. I’ve been very, very lucky to do a lot of cool things in my career, but this is the pinnacle. Everything has led up to this match. I know that opportunities like this come around once in a lifetime. I’m not going to let it slip by me.”
https://youtu.be/4AgYsM8DWh4
Bret Hart took part in a Q&A session on Twitter and Periscope this week to discuss a bunch of topics, including Hulk Hogan’s racism controversy, CM Punk’s WWE departure, the Hart Foundation and more. Here are some highlights:
– Kevin Owens is one of his favorite wrestler, period. He’s a hard worker, a great heel and looks like a wrestler. Bret doesn’t agree with people who say he’s fat. He’s stocky and solid and resembles great big men like Bam Bam Bigelow.
– Bret loves CM Punk and says wrestling hasn’t been the same since he left. He was the best of the last generation and raised the bar for everyone. He was innovative, had a great sense of psychology and stood up for all the right things. Punk did what needed to be done and Bret has nothing but respect for him.
– Bret hopes Hulk Hogan never returns to WWE. Hogan should stay in Tampa in his little world of idol worship of himself. He feels bad for Hulk because he doesn’t remember him being a racist, but in his experience, a vast majority of white southern wrestlers “tend to be a little racial all of the time” and the n-word was used frequently whenever there wasn’t a black guy in the room. He’s glad Hulk got busted.
– Roddy Piper was the guy he kept in touch with the most from his wrestling days and it’s very sad he’s gone. He talks to Steve Austin, CM Punk, the Bella Twins and Natalya & Tyson Kidd. Most of his friends from his era are gone.
– Bret thinks Cody Rhodes is the best technical wrestler today. He also put over Goldust. He likes Seth Rollins a lot, but can’t forgive him for breaking John Cena’s nose and said you can’t call yourself a great wrestler when you’re making big mistakes like that.
– He thinks The Sharpshooter is the best finisher in wrestling history.
– Bret named Tyson Kidd as a very underrated wrestler.
– His best match ever was the Iron Man Match with Shawn Michaels at WresteMania 12 and thinks his match with Steve Austin the following year was a “work of art.”
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated the Q&A of his official website, answering questions from fans on a number of pro wrestling related topics. Below are some of the highlights.
On wrestlers using the “Crippler Crossface” and if it is an homage to Chris Benoit: “I don’t think a homage is even in the equation. It’s an easy hold to apply and an easy hold to take. It is established and so it is utilized and has zero to do with Chris in my opinion. I agree that Chris was a great, technical wrestler.”
On whether or not Randy Orton & Batista would have been as big without Evolution: “I think that Orton and Batista would have both evolved into being stars without Evolution but being in Evolution greatly quickened their rise to the top. Not sure who I would put in an Evolution like faction today as there are not many veteran legends working full time schedules these days.”
On who will replace John Cena as the next top guy and when it will happen: “Someone will eventually replace Cena as the top dog in WWE but it won’t be any time soon from what I see. Lesnar’s the man when he’s there but Cena is there all he time so Cena is the #1 talent in WWE based on that. Who becomes the top draw depends on many variables that I cannot address and neither can anyone else. Only time will tell but the spot is going to be wide open and who steps up to take it remains to be seen.”
On how he prepares for his podcast interviews: “I generally prepare a day or two depending on the guest and I often times ask my Twitter followers if they have any questions that they want me to address with the guest. My interview style is laid back and casual and I try to be more conversational than not.”
On WWE removing Hulk Hogan from the Hall Of Fame and if they will ever work together again: “I’m uncomfortable with removing people from the Hall of Fame but I understand not promoting them if the situations warrants it in the future. I’d guess that WWE and Hulk will do business again some day as time heals many wounds. It’s a matter that I can’t affect so I don’t worry about it whatsoever. Why worry about things that one cannot affect? I also don’t understand multiple inductees.”
Check out more Jim Ross Q&A updates at his official website, JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
– Former WWE star Mantaur will be bringing back that gimmick for only the second time since leaving WWE nearly 20 years ago. His first match was in 2013 against Tito Santana for the Pro Wrestling Syndicate promotion. His second post-WWE match will take place at St. Patrick’s CYO Sports in Brooklyn, New York, also for the PWS promotion, on Saturday, September 12th. For ticket information, visit ProWrestlingSyndicate.com.
– Former WWE announcer Justin Roberts will be the guest on the next edition of Jim Ross’ “Ross Report” podcast, which drops on Tuesday evening, September 8th at PodcastOne.com.
– Former WWE, WCW and TNA writer Vince Russo is the guest on the latest edition of Ric Flair’s “WOOOOO! Nation” podcast, which you can download right now at Play.it.
– WWE taped the following matches on Tuesday night in Miami, Florida for tonight’s edition of WWE SmackDown:
* The Dudleyz vs. The Prime Time Players
* Stardust vs. Neville
* Sheamus vs. Cesaro
* Bo Dallas vs. R-Truth
* Charlotte vs. Tamina Snuka
* Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. Big E and Kofi Kingston
– John Cena granted yet another Make-A-Wish prior to this past Monday’s edition of WWE RAW in Tampa, Florida. The WWE Community website has photos of Cena meeting with Make-A-Wish kid Spencer at Community.WWE.com.
– The “Dusty Rhodes Tag-Team Classic” match featuring Samoa Joe and Finn Balor vs. The Lucha Dragons has been confirmed for next Wednesday’s edition of NXT TV on the WWE Network.
– Eva Marie and her husband Jonathan Coyle are taking online clients to help them get in shape and manage a healthy lifestyle. Eva Marie posted the following on Instagram:
READ BELOW! IM NOW TAKING ONLINE CLIENTS! Ladies lets get you on track to the body you have always wanted. – Hey everyone! Jonathan and I have been getting contacted via our website and email non stop about our nutrition and what we do to stay fit year round. Your nutrition is vital, and everything you put into your body makes a difference. We’ve teamed up with @DevinPhysique and his nutritionist team to bring you the best coaching, weight loss, and muscle building guidance around. We have created a new email where you can email me personally, and I will be working with you and our nutritionist to create a custom plan that suits your goals. We all start somewhere, and we are all capable of building the body we want. Email me now, I’ll be on my laptop all night. – Weight Loss Plans Muscle Building Plans Natalie Eva Marie Bikini Plans Workout Plans Couples Plans – Email: [email protected]
https://instagram.com/p/7J2B7qGzWe/
– Reports have resurfaced regarding actor Liev Schreiber playing Chris Benoit in the “Crossface” movie. One of the producers told the Wrestling Observer Newsletter this week that Schreiber will not be playing Benoit, but the film is still happening. The movie is based on Matt Randazzo’s book “Ring of Hell,” and Randazzo is reportedly one of the producers involved in the film.
– Former TNA star Jesse Neal, who was also an invited guest at one of WWE’s Tribute To The Troops specials, announced his retirement on August 29th at an In Your Face independent wrestling show. Neal married independent women’s wrestler Brittany Savage and the two have a child together. He has announced his retirement in the past, however he seems adamant about it this time around.
– FOX is reportedly working on a television drama series based on professional wrestling. The project is said to be in development right now and is undergoing script revisions.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
– Japanese women’s wrestler Kanna, who is rumored to be headed to WWE in the near future, is expected to take her medical tests in Pittsburgh in October. Scottish independent wrestler Nikki Storm, who was in the second season of TNA British Boot Camp, is also scheduled to take medical tests in Pittsburgh next month.
– WWE is expected to make the official announcement regarding the location for the 2017 edition of WrestleMania this December. Right now the leading candidate is Minneapolis, Minnesota. For what it’s worth, the post-WrestleMania 33 edition of WWE RAW is scheduled to take place from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on December 21st.
– The following are some recent WWE attendance figures:
* August 28th in Ft. Myers, FL drew 6,000 fans (John Cena tour)
* August 29th in Orlando drew 6,500 fans (Cena tour)
* August 29th in San Juan, PR drew 13,000 fans (Roman Reigns tour)
* August 30th in Daytona Beach drew 4,000 fans (Cena tour)
* August 30th in Tallahassee drew 7,000 fans (Reigns tour)
* August 31st in Tampa for RAW drew 9,000 fans
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley recently took to Facebook to post a blog in support of Eva Marie, who he predicts will have a big match with one of WWE’s top Divas within one year.
Foley wrote the following:
FOLEY PREDICTS
WITHIN ONE YEAR ?#?WWE? Diva ?#?EvaMarie? will be in a great match at a big show with ?#?SashaBanks? ?#?BeckyLynch? ?#?MsCharlotte? ?#?Bayley? ?#?Natalya? or ?#?Paige? I’m not saying the match will be all her doing, but history doesn’t remember who came up with the ideas, or who carried the match; history remembers who was in it. And despite the problems she seems to have with some of her ?#?TotalDivas? co-stars, fellow wrestlers, and the heat – bordering on nuclear – that she has with some wrestling fans, Eva Marie’s improvement from week to week in recent matches has shown me she has the drive, determination, and that intangible “it” factor necessary to accomplish something special with one of the super-talented ladies of WWE/NXT.
Eva Marie takes flack for the personal training she receives from Brian Kendrick. As far as I’m concerned, there is no “one size fits all” method of training. Sure, almost all developmental talent undergoes extensive training at the Performance Center in Florida, where Sara Del Ray – one of my personal heroes – has played an invaluable role in dramatically transforming the expectations for what fans have come to expect from ?#?WomensWrestling?. But it looks to me like Eva Marie is progressing nicely with the one-on-one work she’s done with Kendrick. While watching season 3 of ?#?ToughEnough? on ?#?WWENetwork? today, my kids were SHOCKED to see the rough treatment Bob Holly dished out to Matt Cappotelli. But check out the treatment this young trainee receives at the hands of legendary Japanese female wrestler Chigusa Nagayo at about the 6:00 mark of ?#?GaeaGirls? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=245zlx98wTo and you can almost feel Bob Holly saying “Chigusa, take it easy on the poor kid.” When my kids asked me who the meanest trainer of them all is, and I said “Brian Kendrick”, they let out a huge laugh. For the life of me, I just can’t imagine Kendrick intentionally kicking in someone’s teeth, or breaking someone’s nose. But Kendrick is a GREAT trainer, with a gift for bringing out the best in students – and, from what I can see, Eva Marie has been the beneficiary of that gift.
I’m not saying that Eva will be able to approach some of the masterpieces I’ve seen in the last 16 months – from Natalya/Charlotte to the Fatal 4 Way, to Bank’s statements (see what I did there) with Becky Lynch and Bayley. But within a year, one of those ladies is going to find themselves standing in the ring with the much maligned Eva Marie…and something great will happen.
Former WWE, WCW and TNA writerVince Russo has posted a new blog entry explaining why WWE has put themselves in a really bad position with the Hall of Fame, in light of the various issues surrounding the likes of Chyna, Sunny, Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Snuka. Here’s an excerpt of what he wrote:
It was some time ago when I swooped in to protect the good name of my friend, Chyna, after Triple H made some unnecessary comments defaming her character on the WWE Network. Knowing that Joanie was living in Japan at the time, I wanted to give her the forum to be heard, because I felt she deserved that much. To my surprise, it was during that interview, that Chyna made the comment that Triple H hit her on one occasion during their relationship. That news blew up the internet as her valiantly protecting her name–turned to a horse of a whole different color.
That interview literally burned my bridge with the WWE. It was “suggested” by an employee of theirs that in the words of Bob Ryder, I received “nuclear” heat just by extending the forum to Joanie in order to get her voice heard. Hindsight being 20/20—I wouldn’t change my decision for the world and everything in it. I just felt it wasn’t right for Hunter—who I also thought was a friend on mind—to bully Chyna, knowing that she didn’t have a voice.
Which brings me to how all that drama started—the fictitious WWE Hall of Fame that only exists in the mind of Vince McMahon. Whether you are in, or out, solely depends on whether, or not, you have heat with him—and, him only. I can go through the laundry list of those that aren’t in the Hall, but what difference does it make any way? For the inductees, the celebration really is, “Vince likes me . . . he really likes me!” Oh, brother.
When Hunter made that statement about a kid typing Chyna in Google and finding out about her past, I knew then that those same words that he spoke out his backside, where going to come back and do much more damage than good? Why? Because there are a far amount of inductees in the Hall, that let’s just say, aren’t your model citizens. No, I’m not going to name names, because that’s not the point, the point is that by using the WWE Network to bury Chyna, Triple H has now buried the company that he so loves—to an even greater degree.
What I’m talking about are the three most current instances involving WWE Hall of Famers; Tammy Sytch, Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Snuka. Depending on how you want to rate their “Dirty Deeds”, I wonder in Hunter’s view, if the actions of his ex—because she needed to make a living—were more severe than the actions of, more notably, Hulk and Super Fly. I take Sunny out of that equation, because like Chyna, Sunny is currently making a living by using her “assets” in a way that is profitable. And, I LOUDLY applaud Sunny for standing up to the WWE juggernaut–when word on the street was that they weren’t happy with the Hall of Famers choice of work–and stating that since the WWE was in no way, shape, or form, currently financially assisting her—she was doing what she had to do to earn an income, and really didn’t care what they thought. Good for her.
Ring of Honor World Heavyweight and TV Champion Jay Lethal recently appeared on Ring Rust Radio and commented on whether WWE is copying ROH storylines by having their top champion Seth Rollins also hold a secondary title.
“I just happen to think it’s total coincidence,” Lethal said. “In wrestling, you’re constantly trying to do what’s never been done or what hasn’t been done in a really long time. I can only remember such an event happening and the one that comes to mind is Warrior and Hogan, intercontinental title and world title. That was our mindset, and I’m sure it’s their mindset too. To say that we inspired their story line, if I could find out that it was 100% true, I would be so honored. Man what an honor to say you did something that inspired the number one wrestling company in the world. Especially since for years they have done things that have inspired other wrestling promotions.”
He also spoke about what it’s like to finally be the face of Ring of Honor. “I hope this doesn’t sound too cocky, but I don’t feel any pressure in that aspect” he said.
“To use your words, I feel like if ROH hitched their wagon to me, it’s because they are enjoying, like, agree, and approve of everything I am doing. If I didn’t remain to just do what I am doing, then I feel that could have some negative impact. I am in the spot I am in because I deserve it and work hard and have been doing something the company likes. Just keep doing what I am doing and the company will keep liking it and happy that they put me in that spot. I don’t feel any pressure in that aspect because I will just keep doing what I have been doing. No need for the extra pressure or to make it more interesting, just keep doing what I have been doing and everything should be good, that’s my logic.”
– BetWrestling.com has revealed the early betting odds for the WWE Night of Champions main event. Seth Rollins is significantly favored at -400, while Sting is the underdog at +280 for their WWE World Heavyweight Championship match.
– NXT Takeover: London on Wednesday, December 16th, will start at 8pm local time and will air live in the United States at 3pm EST.
– Hulk Hogan will be signing autographs on Saturday, October 3rd from 1pm to 3pm at the Westchester County Center at 198 Central Avenue, White Plains, NY. This will be Hogan’s first public appearance since the Good Morning America interview on ABC this week.
Ric Flair will also be there among the celebrities signing autographs. For more information, visit MAB-Celebrity.com.
Former WWE Diva Kelly Kelly (Barbie Blank) recently appeared on Steve Austin’s podcast and talked about a number of topics, including her time in WWE, her acting career and more. Here are some highlights of what she said about:
Her Time In WWE & A Possible Return:
“I feel like if they ever are like, ‘okay, Barbie, you have one more run in you’, I may do that,” she said. “I would definitely come back for maybe one more run. You never know. I’m still young and my body’s doing okay, so you never know.”
The Current WWE Divas Division:
“I love seeing those girls definitely come up to the main roster and kind of give a fresh, new look and kind of liven up the Divas division a little bit,” Blank continued, “I think Charlotte’s amazing and she was a big gymnast too, for a long time, so I love that she incorporates a lot of gymnastics into her moves too.”
You can check out the full podcast over at PodcastOne.com.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=257gngLSUlg
– There were two title changes on last night’s episode of Impact Wrestling. Global force Wrestling stars Trevor Lee and Brian Myers defeated The Wolves to become the new TNA Tag Team Champions. The Wolves will get their title rematch next week.
Bobby Roode also defeated GFW’s PJ Black to become the new TNA King of the Mountain Champion.
– TNA announcer Josh Mathews and TNA Knockout Madison Rayne were married in Nashville last week.
All the best to two great kids! @realjoshmathews and @MRayneTNA
— John Gaburick (@JohnGaburick) August 20, 2015
Thanks, John! Funny how life works out. https://t.co/hLNu5rjhqT
— Josh Mathews (@realjoshmathews) August 20, 2015
Rayne was previous married for four years and had a child with Jesse Cabot. Their divorce was finalized just this year.
It appears that the mother of The Bella Twins has found love in the arms of a man that pro wrestling fans know quite well. Kathy Colace, mother of Nikki and Brie Bella, is engaged to marry WWE executive John Laurinaitis. Colace’s social media accounts indicate that the two have been dating for a while now.
Colace, who has made several appearances on Total Divas with her daughters, posted the following photos of herself with Laurinaitis, John Cena and Nikki Bella out on her birthday and engagement dinner.
https://instagram.com/p/7JrQc3r4yg/
https://instagram.com/p/7Jw1KPL47g/
There’s said to be a ton of heat on Blue Pants due to the nature of her working relationship with WWE, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
While Blue Pants (Leva Bates) has caught on as a cult favorite in NXT, a lot of the developmental talent resents the fact that she is getting what is perceived to be preferential treatment. We’ve heard the NXT announcers saying, “She doesn’t even work here” and that’s because she is not signed to WWE with the usual talent contract.
Blue Pants is not working at the Performance Center doing all the daily training, she sells her own merchandise (and doesn’t have to give WWE a cut), she’s permitted to work indie shows, she was flown to Brooklyn for Takeover and was part of a big angle on the show – something a lot of the other NXT women would have loved to have been involved with.
On Wednesday, WWE suspended the “Legends” contract of WWE Hall Of Famer “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka and began removing all references and mentions of him from WWE.com. The process included removing his profile from the WWE Hall Of Fame section.
Snuka, 72, was charged with third degree murder and involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday in connection with the 1983 death of Nancy Argentino, a close friend Snuka traveled the Northeast with during the last year of WWF as a Northeast territory.
He ended up posting $100,000 bail, and one of his lawyers is claiming that Snuka isn’t fit to stand trial due to enduring years of abuse inside the ring.
Removing all Snuka mentions falls in line with a precedent WWE recently set when the Hulk Hogan racism scandal hit.
In the Dr. Chris Amann lawsuit case against Colt Cabana (Scott Colton) and CM Punk (Phil Brooks), the lawyers for Colton and Brooks have filed a motion to throw the case out, with the claim in the case of Colton being that he was acting as a media member doing an interview, and in the case of Brooks, that he never specifically named the doctor who was mistreating him.
During the interview there actually were two mentions of Amann, however he was never specifically named in connection with Brooks talking about the negligent treatment of a staph infection he had been dealing with. Brooks only ever referred to the person attending to him in those instances as “Doc,” without mentioning an actual name.
Regardless, the judge ruled that the case would continue and ordered both sides to go into “discovery.”
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
The following are the brackets for the NXT “Dusty Rhodes Tag-Team Classic.” The winners of the first-round bouts will advance to the semi-finals, while the winner of Bracket A will compete against the winner of Bracket B and the winner of Bracket C will take on the winner of Bracket D.
The finals of the “Dusty Rhodes Tag-Team Classic” are scheduled to take place on October 7th at NXT Takeover from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.
Bracket A – First Round Matches
Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady vs. Angelo Dawkins and Sawyer Fulton
Finn Balor and Samoa Joe vs. The Lucha Dragons
Bracket B – First Round Matches
Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy vs. The Vaudevillians
Tucker Knight and Elias Samson vs. Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder
Bracket C – First Round Matches
Mojo Rawley and Zack Ryder vs. Marcus Louis and Alexander Wolfe
Jason Jordan and Chad Gable defeated Neville and Solomon Crowe (tonight)
Bracket D – First Round Matches
Rhyno and Baron Corbin defeated The Ascension (tonight)
Tyler Breeze and Bull Dempsey vs. Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa (airs next week)
– WWE has been going back-and-forth on whether or not to have a Diva Search before the end of this year. If they were to do so, the show would be on the WWE Network, however following the reaction to Tough Enough, there are those in WWE who are apprehensive about doing another show like that.
– There is talk right now about repackaging the Los Matadores tag-team. The duo have been used on television less and less lately, and mostly appear in big eight-man tag-team matches. Whether WWE is planning a completely changing their characters or “updating” them remains to be seen.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
– Regarding Rey Mysterio and Alberto El Patron, their mentality right now is that they are not looking to come back to WWE, and would only entertain the idea if they were to have a reduced schedule as they are doing very well right now working where and when they want.
– At this point, the guest for Steve Austin’s “Stone Cold Podcast” on the WWE Network in the month of October is scheduled to be “The Icon” Sting.
– The October 3rd WWE special from Madison Square Garden will be the 25th anniversary of Chris Jericho’s professional wrestling debut, which was on October 3, 1990 against Lance Storm in Ponoka, Alberta, Canada.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
Currently, Sting is not expected to appear on next Monday night’s edition of WWE RAW in Baltimore, Maryland. Plans could always change of course, but as of right now “The Icon” is not scheduled for the show.
While “The Stinger” won’t be at RAW next week, “The Big Red Machine” just might.
According to PWInsider.com, Kane is scheduled to be in attendance at RAW next Monday night. Whether or not he returns on television in the current storylines remains to be seen, but he is scheduled to be at RAW and is also set to return on the road with WWE next week.
– The Tuesday, September 1st edition of WWE Total Divas drew 1.02 million viewers on E!, up from last week’s show, which averaged 920,000 viewers. WAGS, which features former WWE Diva Kelly Kelly and airs after Total Divas on E!, drew 630,000 viewers.
– Hulk Hogan noted via social media that he is getting close to 300 pounds as he has begun his new diet. Hogan mentioned that he thinks it would be cool to train like he was preparing for a match against The Rock again. Hogan tweeted the following.
Starting new diet tomorrow,getting to close to 300lbs again,damn but my arms are huge HH
— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) September 2, 2015
I think it would be really cool one last time to really train and diet like my life depended on it or like I was getting ready for Rock!! HH
— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) September 2, 2015
While there was talk recently that Biff Busick and Rich Swann were waiting to pass physicals before signing with WWE, however that is apparently not the case as it is being reported that the two have signed with WWE and are expected to start with the promotion in October.
In addition to Busick and Swann, four-to-six additional talents are expected to start at the WWE Performance Center in the next month or two.
WWE is also looking for Latino referees. New Jersey independent talent Bandido Jr. has either signed with WWE already or is very close to doing so. He will be working with WWE as a referee.
Other independent stars expected to start with WWE soon are Johnny Gargano, Drew Gulak and Chuck Taylor. It’s possible that Tommaso Ciampa, who teamed with Gargano at a recent NXT taping, could be part of the group as well.
