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WWE Pays Tribute To “Rowdy” Roddy Piper With Series Of Videos On YouTube

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Following the tragic news that WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper passed away this week aged just 61 from natural causes, tributes have been flooding in.

The WWE released a statement shortly after the news was confirmed and have since put together a video playlist on their YouTube channel, highlighting some great Roddy Piper moments.

During their live event in San Diego California on Friday night, the WWE kicked off the show with a ten bell salute in honor of the “Hot Rod.”

You can view the videos the WWE have selected above.

Daniel Bryan Talks More About His Injury, His Wife Being Skeptical About His Return

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In this week’s edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter they note that while promoting his new book “Yes!: My Improbable Journey to the Main Event of Wrestlemania” he discussed his current injury.

They quote him as saying:

“Well, it’s not a neck issue. My neck is completely fine. It’s more of a concussion issue. And Brie (his wife) was very hesitant about this whole thing, and that’s why WWE is very protective over me, too. Everyone is more aware of concussions and that’s why, with WWE, I see what they’re doing, as far as making me go through all these hurdles. I don’t se that as a negative. They’re protecting me, especially in this era of concussion awareness.”

Bryan also spoke about how his wife Brie Bella was negative about him getting back into the ring and competing but now she’s changed her mind:

“When we met with the neurologist in Phoenix and we want through all the testing and he said, `Okay, all of my testing is not just coming back good, it’s coming back excellent.’ As far as my brain right now, it’s at a level above most people who have never had a concussion my age.”

The former WWE Champion explained that recent brain testing showed that his brain was at excellent levels and this led Brie to change her mind from being skeptical to supportive about him returning.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter also notes Bryan talking about his return and how if he does, he doesn’t expect to be in a top spot in the company because of how the injury will perceive him.

He added that Vince doesn’t see him like he sees John Cena or probably Roman Reigns but does see him as a valuable performer that can make the company money.

Bryan also noted that Steve Austin also reached out to him and tried to give him some advice about changing up his style to get the most out of his career.

You can read more on this and much more on the world of wrestling by subscribing to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter which is released every Wednesday.

Ronda Rousey Pays Tribute To Roddy Piper At UFC 190

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Following her fight against Bethe Correia last night at UFC 190, “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey paid tribute to WWE Hall of Famer Roddy Piper who passed away this week at the age of 61.

As shown in the video above Ronda says: “We lost a really close friend, ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper, who gave me permission to use his name as a fighter. I hope he and my dad had a good time watching this today.”

Rousey retained her UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship in the main event of UFC 190 after knocking out her opponent Bethe Correia in just 34 seconds.

Prior to the fight Ronda Rousey had taken to Instagram to dedicate the fight to the late Roddy Piper, you can see the post by clicking on this link.

Tough Enough: More On WWE Officials And ZZ, Who Is Vince McMahon’s Favourite?

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As previously reported, F4Wonline.com noted that WWE officials want ZZ eliminated from the Tough Enough competition on the next episode.

WWE released a clip on YouTube showing coach Billy Gunn addressing all the competitors and in particular ZZ due to their in-ring performance not being up to the standard it should be at.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter notes that Tough Enough producers are “over” ZZ because of the way he backed down to Mada on the last episode.

At the end of the day however, it’s not up to the Tough Enough producers as the weekly vote is left in the hands of the viewing public – and ZZ continues to be increasingly popular among fans each week.

It’s also been noted that Vince McMahon’s favourite competitor since day one is Josh and he reportedly wants him to win the competition.

Check out the video below of Tough Enough coach Billy Gunn addressing the competitors:

Several Wrestlers Weigh-In On UFC President Dana White’s “Fake” Comment

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Ahead of last night’s UFC 190 event in Brazil, UFC President took to Twitter to address a fan who criticized the price tag of a UFC PPV in comparison to the $9.99 price tag of the WWE Network.

Dana White agreed that while the price tag was high, “fake sh** should be 9.99,” said White. He went on to clarify that he wasn’t disrespecting what wrestlers do and those he have met are awesome.

Below are the tweets that began the “fake” discussion that saw a number of wrestlers hit back at Dana White over his comments considering everything they put their bodies through:

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins was one of the man to speak out regarding Dana White’s comments that wrestling is fake:

Former ECW and WWE Superstar Taz also commented on the “fake” comments made by Dana White:

https://twitter.com/OfficialTAZ/status/627545734431248384

https://twitter.com/OfficialTAZ/status/627627520028839937

Austin Aries also shared his thoughts and in particular spoke about all of the “fake” blood and “fake” injuries that have occurred over the years:

Bully Ray also spoke about how Dana White introduced “fake” wrestler Brock Lesnar into UFC:

For continued MMA coverage, visit SEScoops.com’s MMA sister-site, MMANews.com.

Hulk Hogan Hangs Out With Mike Tyson, NXT Diva Traveling With WWE Crew, Lilian Garcia

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– On Saturday, Hulk Hogan appeared at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago, Illinois and posted photos of himself hanging out with fellow WWE Hall of Famer Mike Tyson.

“After the news yesterday I needed someone to cheer me up. Thanks Mike much love,” Hogan wrote.

– Lilian Garcia, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor, appeared at a rally in Newport Beach, California on Wednesday to encourage registration for Komen’s annual Orange Race for the Cure, scheduled for Sept. 27. The Orange County Register has published photos and a story from the event.

– NXT Diva Dana Brooke could be making her first wrestling appearance inside a WWE ring tonight as she has tweeted photos of herself with fans in Hidalgo, Texas, where WWE is holding a holding live event at 7:30 p.m.

“They Live'” Director John Carpenter & Jonny Fairplay On Roddy Piper’s Passing

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Film director John Carpenter, who famously worked with Roddy Piper in Piper’s biggest film success, “They Live,” spoke with the A.P.’s Dan Gelston about the passing of the late WWE legend.

“He was a great wrestler,” Carpenter said. “He was an underrated actor and just a marvelous entertainer and I feel like I’ve just lost one of my close friends… Roddy will always be loved because of his wrestling career. He really became a legend in pro wrestling. He will not be forgotten.”

Jonny Fairplay, who worked as Piper’s personal assistant in 2001, also commented in the piece about Piper’s passing.

“I would wake him up in the morning and yell at him from the door of his bedroom,” Fairplay said. “I’d say, ‘Hailing from Glasgow, Scotland, the guy who never beat Hulk Hogan.’ Rowdy Piper should be remembered as the greatest bad guy of all time.” Read the full story at Bigstory.ap.org.

Check out the complete feature at AP.org.

Kazarian On Working Samoa Joe’s Final ROH Match, Daniels, AJ Styles & More

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Former TNA and current Ring Of Honor performer Frankie Kazarian recently appeared as a guest on The Two Man Power Trip Of Wrestling podcast. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.

On The Addiction as a team and working with Christopher Daniels: “It is hard to put in one short answer. The guy is my best friend, I’ve known him for pretty much the better part of the 17 years of my career. It’s great having somebody that you can rely on not just in the context of a wrestling match but also on the road, traveling here and there. We are best friends, tag team partners, our train of thought is very similar when it comes to wrestling matches and the whole business. It’s a real confidence booster knowing he’s there and takes a lot of stress off knowing how professional he is and knowing where we both are going to need to be. It’s almost like we are on cruise-control at this point, we know each other so well. When it comes to tag team wrestling all those thing make an awesome package.”

On being revealed as the KRD, what makes this story different: “If I can say that one thing Ring of Honor is not lacking, but is not necessarily focused on is angles like the KRD one and Ring of Honor is top notch in every aspect, especially match quality and there is nothing to compare it to. But, angles being played out like that is something you necessarily saw a lot on Ring of Honor previously and being a fan of cool well put together angles I was psyched to be a part of it. I was thrilled to become tag team champions that way and I hope that now on Destination America we can continue to do some outside-of-the-box kind of things in terms of Ring of Honor’s previous business model.”

On if he prefers to work babyface or heel: “Without question we are in our wheel-house when are bad guys. The act really got some steam when we were doing dastardly things over in TNA in 2012. It really fits our personalities so much better portraying the bad guys, it’s just right and it’s us. We got a lot of real positive reactions when we came to Ring of Honor and I think because people were happy to see us but after a while it’s going to wear off and if any team is going to be the working heels and the bad guys of the company I can’t think of anyone better then Chris Daniels and myself.”

On working Samoa Joe’s final Ring of Honor match in NYC with AJ Styles and Daniels: “Those three gentleman stood up with me at my wedding. That says it all right there. Those are three guys that I’ve traveled with and known longer than anyone else in the business and are my three best friends in the business. We all have come up together, all of our families know each other so it was a very special moment. The match we knew match quality wise was going to be there but it was afterwards really taking it in and I got to share the ring one last time with my three best friends in the business for Ring of Honor especially it was really cool and I was very aware because I used to take moments like that in my career for granted. The whole day was a great moment, especially after the match when Ring of Honor gave Joe the sendoff that he so richly deserved.

Check out the complete interview at Podomatic.com.

Nikki Bella Talks About Marrying John Cena, WWE Interested In AAA Star

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– WWE’s Canyon Ceman, William Regal and Seth Rollins were at the PWG event in Reseda, California to scout talent last week. The three were said to be particularly impressed with AAA star Angelico, who is currently under a multi-year agreement with Lucha Underground, as long as they continue running shows, and also has a deal with the AAA promotion in Mexico.

– WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella appeared on E! News to discuss her future with John Cena.

“Marriage and kids,” Nikki said. “I think I could sacrifice kids for him but I do want that ring one day, I want to be Mrs. Cena. Our life has become one and we make decisions together but I think I want that bling to walk around with.”

Read more at WWE.com.

Owen Hart And The Undertaker DVD And Blu-Ray Releases Confirmed

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WrestlingDVDNetwork.com have reported that according to 2015 Amazon UK listings an Owen Hart DVD and Blu-Ray release has been given the go ahead.

The website had first reported on “Owen Hart: Hart of Gold” and soon after Martha Hart, widow of Owen stated that she does not support the project. It appears it has a release date of December 7th.

According to those same Amazon UK listings, “Undertaker: The Streak – 21-1 (RIP Edition)” is due to be released in November as a 5 disc DVD set.

This new release for The Undertaker looks to be an expanded version of the release from 2012 with missing matches with the possibility of an extended documentary.

Information for pre-ordering is not currently available. We will update you when this option is ready.

 

 

 

Jim Ross Shares Memories Of The Late Roddy Piper In New FOX Sports Blog

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WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross wrote a new blog for FOX Sports where he shares his memories of the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, who was found dead in his home from cardiac arrest at age 61 on Friday.

“As I walked into a banquet hall in the Hilton hotel Friday to speak at the annual NWA Wrestling Legends Fan Fest, I received a message that my friend Rowdy Roddy Piper had unexpectedly died, apparently in his sleep the night before, at age 61,” Ross wrote.

“My speech was immediately erased from my memory. Every image in my mind was that of “Hot Rod.” The notes for my speech had been hastily jotted down but were hard to read through teary eyes.”

You can read JR’s complete blog at FOXSports.com.

Legends Remember Roddy Piper At Legends of Wrestling Event On Friday

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As shown in the video above shared by The Roman Show, wrestling legends Mick Foley, Kevin Nash, The Nasty Boys and more paid tribute to WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper who passed away this week aged 61.

The Miami Marlins hosted the Legends of Wrestling and just before they were due to speak with the press, they heard of the news that Roddy Piper had passed away.

Jerry Sags of The Nasty Boys mentioned Luke Bushwacker and said: “Luke and Bush were on the road with him since the early sixties and they are best friends with Roddy from Portland or wherever here and back around the country.”

Update On Alicia Fox’s Concussion, Konnan/WWE, RAW Attendance

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– The mild concussion that Alicia Fox suffered during her tag-team match with Nikki Bella against Charlotte and Becky Lynch on RAW took place when Charlotte delivered a regular leg-sweep to Fox. Fox reportedly took the bump high on her head and beck area.

– Speaking of Monday’s RAW in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the show drew approximately 8,000 fans.

– Konnan attended the WWE live event in San Diego, California on Friday night. Below is a photo of Konnan with Chris Jericho and R-Truth.

“Mean” Gene Okerlund Remembers The Late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper

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WWE Hall Of Famer “Mean” Gene Okerlund spoke with WWE’s Scott Stanford about the passing of “Rowdy” Roddy Piper on PIX11 in New York City on Friday night.

Okerlund commented on his reaction when he got the news about Piper’s passing.

“Oh my god… totally devastated because Scott, this is the third in a row for me in the last six and a half weeks,” said Okerlund. “First of course Verne Gagne, secondly a few weeks back we lost “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes. This one hits hard like the other two, and all of the guys we’ve lost in recent years.”

“Mean” Gene also spoke about something we will always remember about “The Hot Rod.”

“I think the one thing that’s going to be a big part of his legacy, he kind of sheltered his family from the business, at least until recently,” said Okerlund. “He was a very good father. He had a son Colt and three daughters, and a lovely young lady by the name of Kitty, his wife and only wife. We hear about a lot of relationships going south in a big hurry but Roddy was very tight and loved his family dearly.”

More Tributes For Roddy Piper – The Rock, CM Punk, Kevin Owens, And More

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Last night the world was shocked to learn that WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper had passed away from cardiac arrest at the age of 61.

Ever since the news broke, tributes have continued to appear from stars in the wrestling world and beyond, some of these can be seen below:

https://instagram.com/p/50bZxhoh0d/

https://twitter.com/cyndilauper/status/627261652203868160

https://twitter.com/FightOwensFight/status/627250188403392513

John Cena’s Replacement On Australian Tour Named, Matches Confirmed

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As previously noted, following the broken nose he sustained on Monday Night RAW, John Cena has been pulled from a number live events until the final episode of RAW before SummerSlam.

WWE Australia have recently confirmed that WWE Superstar Cesaro will be replacing John Cena on the tour and will now face Kevin Owens.

They released the following statement along with the matches fans can expect to see:

“Unfortunately due to an injury sustained at WWE Raw this past week, John Cena is unable to travel and will no longer be appearing at next week’s Australian events. General Manager for the Australian events, Shawn Michaels, has today announced that former WWE United States & WWE Tag-Team Champion Cesaro has been added to the tour and will appear at all three WWE Live events.”

WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match – Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins

Cesaro vs Kevin Owens

Randy Orton vs Sheamus

Neville vs King Barrett

R-Truth vs Luke Harper

Emma and Natalya vs Brie Bella and Nikki Bella

NXT Championship Match – Finn Balor vs Bo Dallas

Fandango vs Adam Rose

WWE Live™ returns to Australia this August at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane on Thursday August 6, Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Friday August 7 and Qantas Credit Union Arena in Sydney on Saturday August 8, 2015.

Tough Enough: WWE Officials Reportedly Want Competitor Eliminated On Tuesday

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As we reported yesterday, the WWE released a Tough Enough Digital Extra video showing coach Billy Gunn addressing the competitors and in particular ZZ over their in-ring performance.

According to F4Wonline.com they note that the clip was released because officials within WWE want ZZ eliminated from the competition after this week.

Dave Meltzer notes that he was under the impression that WWE had set things up for ZZ to be eliminated last week but fans weren’t manipulated in that way so ZZ remained for another week.

If you haven’t seen the video released yesterday, check it out below:

WWE Pays Tribute To Roddy Piper With Ten Bell Salute At Live Event

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Following the tragic news that WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper had passed away this week, tributes from across the world have been continuing to flood in.

Last night at WWE’s Live Event in San Diego, California, before the show began WWE invited fans to join them as they paid their respects to Piper with a ten-bell salute.

Piper passed away at his Hollywood home aged 61 after going into cardiac arrest. The ten-bell salute, which can be shown above was posted on YouTube by user Gregg O’Connell.

 

Ronda Rousey Dedicates Her UFC 190 Fight To Roddy Piper Who Passed Away Aged 61

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UFC 190 takes place tonight with UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey taking on Bethe Correia and the rivalry between the two has become personal.

Following the passing of WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Ronda has taken to her Instagram page, posted a photo of Piper and dedicated the fight to him.

Ronda Rousey was given the nickname “Rowdy” – similar to what Roddy Piper used after her mentor Gene Lebell began calling her it. He also trained Piper when he was a teenager.

Out of respect Ronda called up Piper and asked for his permission to use the “Rowdy” nickname in the cage and he was more than happy to oblige.

You can check out her Instagram photo below:

https://instagram.com/p/50l2UsBEal/

Bret Hart And Mick Foley Pay Tribute To Roddy Piper On Social Media

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Following the news last night that WWE Hall of Famer ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper had passed away at the age of 61 from natural causes, tributes have been flooding in.

Mick Foley shared two posts on his official Facebook page, he wrote:

My thoughts and prayers go out to Roddy Piper’s family.

I admired and respected him as a wrestler, but even more as a person.

Just hours later Foley took to Facebook once again and shared another photo and wrote:

MISSING RODDY

I was so proud to call Roddy Piper a friend. He was one of a kind. A true legend. Rest in peace, HotRod, rest in peace.

Fellow WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart took to Instagram and shared a photo of himself with Piper and wrote a lengthy tribute which can be read below:

I can’t find the words to describe the sorrow in my heart upon learning the news of my dear friend, Roddy Piper, passing away. He was my closest friend in the business, a man that schooled me and guided me throughout my career. In fact, if it wasn’t for Roddy Piper reaching out to help me, I’m sure I would’ve been a mere footnote in wrestling. He was always there for me. He was family to me, a brother who loved me and was there for me through my darkest days. He was the only wrestler to come visit me when I suffered a stroke in 2002. He totally made me at Wrestlemania 8 in our classic match. Passing a torch that many from that era couldn’t conceive of doing. We always called each other “cuz” because we were so close. I loved you Roddy, and I’ll miss you and your laugh for the rest of my days. I’m stunned and the hole in my heart will widen as it sinks in that I lost a brother of such great worth. What a tragic loss to all that knew him.

Ric Flair Issues Statement On Passing Of Roddy Piper, SmackDown Viewership

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– The Thursday, July 30th edition of WWE SmackDown drew 2.443 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research. This week’s SmackDown was up from last week’s show, which averaged 2.353 million viewers.

– WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair issued the following statement on the passing of fellow WWE Hall Of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper to celebrity-gossip website TMZ:

“We’ve shared the ring, traveled the world, maintained a friendship throughout the ups and downs of the wrestling world, and battled to see who was the better heel. It’s almost impossible to express my grief. My condolences to his children and to his wife Kitty. I’ll miss you Roddy. The world will never be as Rowdy without you.”

Video: WWE Posts Tribute To The Late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper

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WWE paid homage to the late “Rowdy” Roddy Piper in the form of a video tribute on his life and career, which they posted on their official YouTube channel a couple of hours after the news of Piper’s passing broke online.

For those who missed it, Piper passed away on Thursday due to cardiac arrest.

Above is the video tribute WWE released to honor Piper on Friday evening.

Colt Toombs Comments On The Passing Of His Father, Roddy Piper

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MMA fighter and aspiring pro wrestler Colt Toombs took to social media on Friday evening to comment on the passing of his father, one of the biggest legends in the history of pro wrestling — “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.

As reported earlier today, Piper passed away at age 61 from cardiac arrest on Thursday, and was body was found in his Hollywood home on Friday.

“My father Roddy Piper was a great man and my best friend,” wrote Toombs. “I will miss him forever and will alway try to be the man he raised me to be.”

Triple H, Kurt Angle, AJ Lee, Sheamus & Others Comment On Passing Of Roddy Piper

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Now that the news has spread that WWE Hall Of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper has passed away at age 61 due to cardiac arrest, the reactions are starting to come in on social media.

Below are a number of reactions on the passing of Piper from pro wrestling personalities:

https://twitter.com/JamesStormBrand/status/627252060216397825

https://twitter.com/WWEAJLee/status/627255679745675264

WWE Issues Statement On Passing Of Roddy Piper

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Following the devastating news that WWE Hall of Famer ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper passed away at his home in Hollywood aged 61, WWE have issued the following statement:

WWE is deeply saddened that Roderick Toombs, aka “Rowdy” Roddy Piper — WWE Hall of Famer and Intercontinental Champion — passed away today at the age of 61.

WWE extends its sincerest condolences to Toombs’ family, friends and fans.

“Roddy Piper was one of the most entertaining, controversial and bombastic performers ever in WWE, beloved my millions of fans around the world,” said WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon. “I extend my deepest condolences to his family.”