Home Blog Page 2253

Updated Card For NJPW’s Wrestling Dontaku 2015

Staff
-
1

New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced 9 matches for the upcoming Wrestling Dontaku 2015 PPV, which takes place on Tuesday, May 3rd from the Fukuoka Kokusai Center in Fukuoka, Japan. Here’s the card:

Shinuske Nakamura (c) vs Hirooki Goto for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship

Roppongi Vice (Rocky Romero and Baretta) (c) vs. Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) vs ReDRagon (Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly) for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship

Kenny Omega (c) vs Alex Shelley for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship

Captain New Japan, Kushida, Manabu Nakanishi, Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Jushin Thunder Liger, Tiger Mask, Mascara Dorada, Yuji Nagata

Bullet Club’s AJ Styles and Yujiro Takahashi vs. Chaos’ Kazuchika Okada and Yoshi-Hashi

Bullet Club’s Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson and Amber Gallows vs. The Kingdom’s Matt Taven, Michael Bennett and Maria Kanellis

Kota Ibushi and Yohei Komatsu vs. Sho Tanaka and Tetsuya Naito

Bullet Club’s Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga and Cody Hall vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima and Tomoaki Honma

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Katsuyori Shibita, Togi Makabe vs. Kazushi Sakuraba, Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii

 

Live With Chris Jericho Preview, Furious 7’s Huge Opening Weekend

Staff
-
5

– The Rock’s new movie Furious 7 had a massive opening weekend at the box office. The film grossed a staggering $384 million worldwide, with $143 million coming from theaters in the United States.

Not only was this the biggest opening weekend for The Rock and the franchise, (“Fast & Furious 6” did $97.3 million domestic back in 2013), but Fast 7 was the 9th biggest opening weekend in Hollywood history.

– Tonight immediately after WWE RAW, WWE presents the premiere episode of “Live! With Chris Jericho” on the WWE Network. Jericho will interview new United States Champion, John Cena. Here’s WWE’s official preview for the show:

Ronda Rousey Talks WrestleMania, The Rock & More

Staff
-
2

UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey dia a Twitter Q&A last week to promote her new movie Furious 7.

There were a few WWE-related questions, including some talk about appearing at WrestleMania with her co-star The Rock.

Here’s what she said:

After her appearance at WrestleMania, Rousey tweeted that it was “just the beginning.” However, UFC stated last week that her appearance at WrestleMania 31 was a “one off” appearance. That said, WWE officials are still hoping to use Rousey again in the future in a match with Stephanie McMahon. Whether it’s Rousey vs. Steph or Rock and Rousey vs. Triple H and Steph in a mixed tag match, you can bet WWE will do everything they can to once again acquire the services of the box office phenomenon.

Mick Foley Blogs About AJ Lee’s Retirement From WWE

Staff
-
4

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley posted a blog on Facebook about AJ Lee’s decision to retire from WWE. Foley calls AJ a pioneer and the blueprint for what it takes to be a top Diva in today’s WWE. Here’s what Foley wrote:

“AJ Lee has retired from WWE – and somehow that just doesn’t seem right. I have been talking for a while about a revolution in women’s wrestling – and I really do believe we are on the verge of a new dawn for women’s wrestling. When that new dawn arrives, it would seem only fitting that AJ be allowed to bask in the warmth of the rays she helped make possible.

?#?AJLee? was a pioneer – fighting her way up against all odds in the WWE developmental system, proving that unique talent, heart, and determination were just as important (if not more so) as the physical attributes that were generally accepted as necessary to find a spot near the top of the women’s roster.

The success of AJ Lee, as both a wrestler, and a character were eye-opening for both fans and WWE front office personnel. She proved that big things come in small packages and that both role models and romantic images need not adhere to a one-size-fits-all policy. Surely, she helped pave the way for an anti-diva like Paige – WWE to succeed, and when/if this women’s wrestling revolution materializes, I hope the contributions of the tiny girl from New Jersey with the big dreams and bigger heart will not be forgotten.

Thank you AJ. May health and happiness (and CM Punk) be your partners on whatever new trail you choose to blaze in life.”

Jim Ross Blog: Samoa Joe To NXT? Seth Rollins’ Character & More

Staff
-
2

WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

Samoa Joe: “I find it weak that some pundits think that Samoa Joe gave a “political answer” when someone at my show in San Jose asked him if he would have any issue with starting a potential WWE career in NXT and Joe said he’d do whatever was asked of him. Is that being political or simply being a smart, team player? The best headline for some wresting sites may be to go with the “political” answer instead of giving the athlete the credit for being a guy who wants a shot and will work hard in any environment to earn that opportunity. NXT is WWE’s hottest brand at the moment in the eyes of many and it’s not like it’s ‘A’ Ball.”

Changes To WWE HOF Ceremony: “A case of JR’s BBQ Sauce says that WWE will make significant format changes and put more checks and balances in place to ensure that the 2016 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony doesn’t top four hours in Dallas. For those going to WM32, I’d advise everyone to try and base out of Dallas as the Stadium is Arlington which is between Dallas and Ft Worth. The HOF and RAW after WM32 will both be held at the American Airlines Center while the Axxess activities will be at the Dallas Convention Center. Sounds like Dallas will the place to your hat. We plan on having the RINGSIDE with Jim Ross Show on Saturday afternoon prior to the HOF Induction Ceremony in Dallas at this time.”

WWE Champion Seth Rollins: “Seth Rollins is an old school booker’s dream…an averaged sized, heel champion who could ‘easily’ lose on any given night. But…when was the last time that WWE changed a title at a live event? Nonetheless the theory is still in tact. Smart booking. On this week’s Ross Report Podcast I have Rollins retaining the WWE Title until WM32 where he finally meets BROCK LESNAR!!! Uh, oh….more fantasy booking on this week’s podcast including Lesnar winning the Royal Rumble.”

Eve Torres Talks About The Return Of The Divas Search Competition, Her Movie Career

Staff
-
0

Former WWE Diva Eve Torres, who is expecting her first child with husband Rener Gracie, was recently interviewed by Joey Styles for WWE.com. When asked about the news that WWE is bringing back the Divas Search competition, she said:

“I’m happy to hear that Diva Search is back. I was wondering when WWE would bring it back. The one thing that I always encourage women who want to be WWE Divas to do is have something you are passionate about. For me it was Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts. For some people it’s soccer. Whatever it is, it gives you confidence and that will translate. That’s what WWE fans look for. That’s what WWE looks for in their Divas. WWE wants women who are confident and can handle everything that being a WWE Diva comes with like lots of travel and being tough.”

She also volunteered to offer self-defense classes to the contestants.

After recently shooting a movie with Jackie Chan in China, Eve said she hopes to continue acting and has received offers for new roles:

“Yes. Being offered the role in the Jackie Chan film was amazing. I got to do a fight scene with Jackie Chan. I really enjoyed it. I feel that I got to use all of my strengths and had a lot of fun. As timing has it, it’s a good time for me to take a break from the movie and television scene while I prepare for our new addition.”

Eve offered this response when asked if there’s a chance we will see her on Total Divas:

WWE RAW Preview: Orton As #1 Contender, Cena’s Open Challenge

Staff
-
16

WWE rolls into Austin, Texas for tonight’s live episode of WWE RAW before heading overseas for the annual post-WrestleMania European tour. Here are the main storyline points for tonight:

– The pre-show will feature a celebration of WWE’s 45th event at the University of Texas’ Erwin Center.

– Randy Orton has been named the #1 contender to Seth Rollins’ WWE World Heavyweight Championship and will get his shot at Extreme Rules on April 26th.

– Will John Cena issue another open challenge for the United States Championship?

– Sheamus has his sights set on the Intercontinental Championship after returning last week and leaving Daniel Bryan with stitches in his head after their match on Friday’s SmackDown.

– Paige continues her feud with the Bella Twins. With AJ Lee retiring from active competition, will Paige seek another ally against the Bellas?

– WWE announcers Michael Cole, Booker T and JBL return to the booth after Brock Lesnar laid waste to them last week, resulting in an indefinite suspension.

– The advertised dark match main event will see John Cena, Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan against Seth Rollins, Big Show and Kane.

As always, join us here tonight for Live Results of WWE RAW!

AJ Lee Thanks Her Fans, Offers Inspirational Advice

Staff
-
26

WWE announced on Friday afternoon that 3-time Divas Champion AJ Lee has officially retired from active competition. Last week, AJ announced that she’s working on a book with the New York-based Leshne Agency.

On Sunday, she tweeted this ‘Thank You’ message to her supporters, offering some inspirational advice:

John Cena: United States Champion By Day, Marriage Counselor By Night

Staff
-
31

John Cena recently padded his résumé by becoming a four-time United States Champion. If the latest report from HollywoodLife.com is true, Cena could also add “saving a famous Hollywood marriage” to his long list of accomplishments.

According to the report, Cena spoke with rapper Wiz Khalifa before his March 9th performance on Raw, where the two discussed Khalifa’s failed marriage with actress Amber Rose.

An unnamed source said Cena’s conversation with Wiz led to him reaching out to his wife, with whom he filed for divorce with in 2014, writing: “Wiz is a real good friend of John’s. He talked to him and a few other guys on a serious level about [“Go Hard Or Go Home”] and how it made him think about his family and Amber.

The source later claimed, “It was his [Khalifa’s] conversation with John and the others that was the start of everything.” The two are apparently now in the process of reconciling. So, there you have it. Not only was Cena able to take down the most dangerous Russian since Joseph Stalin at WrestleMania, he was also potentially able to save one of Hollywood’s most famous failed marriages. The man can really do it all.

Sheamus Addresses Rumors Of Being “Reckless,” More On Celebrities At WrestleMania

Matt Boone
-
28

– The official WWE website recently published an article listing the celebrities that were in attendance inside Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California this past Sunday night for WWE’s WrestleMania 31 pay-per-view event. The article lists the following celebrities:

– TV host Maria Menounos
– Legendary music producer Rick Rubin
– ESPN’s Michelle Beadle and her boyfriend actor/singer Steve Kazee
– Drummer Travis Barker and his kids
– Hot 97 DJ Peter Rosenberg
– Nick Hogan and his girlfriend
– Brooke Hogan and her boyfriend
– TV host Katie Linendoll with radio personality Sam Roberts
– Singer Skylar Grey with music mogul Jimmy Iovine
– Cousin Sal from Jimmy Kimmel Live! with his son
– San Francisco 49er Vernon Davis
– The Four Horsewomen – Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir

– Sheamus took to Twitter this weekend to address the rumors that he worked “reckless” during his match with Daniel Bryan on this week’s SmackDown, resulting in Bryan needing stitches. Below is what Sheamus had to say.

Chris Jericho Responds To Rumors That His Podcast With John Cena Will Be “Company-Friendly”

Matt Boone
-
39

Chris Jericho took to Twitter on Saturday to address the rumors that his WWE Network live podcast interview with John Cena will be a more “company-friendly” version of the show compared to Steve Austin’s past live interviews on the WWE Network.

Below are some of the comments Jericho made on Twitter regarding the subject.

Update On Rey Mysterio’s Lucha Underground Status, Possible RAW & Extreme Rules Spoiler

Matt Boone
-
10

– Although as of this week he has yet to officially sign with Lucha Underground, former WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio told the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the two sides are close to finalizing a deal.

– WWE is teasing that Sheamus, who returned as a heel at last week’s RAW, may be the first Superstar to challenge WWE Intercontinental Champion Daniel Bryan on this Monday’s show in Austin, Texas. After last week’s RAW, there has been speculation that Bryan may be defending the I-C title in a fatal four-way at the upcoming WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view, with Sheamus, Dolph Ziggler and Bad News Barrett being the other three participants.

WWE NXT Live Event Results (4/4): New NXT Championship #1 Contender Crowned

Staff
-
1

Your ring announcer for the evening is Dasha Kuret. Greg Hamilton is your in arena host and MC.

– The show opens up with Sami Zayn coming out and cutting a promo, putting over the Orlando crowd and talking about how NXT has grown and sold out shows in Columbus, Cleveland, and San Jose and it wouldn’t have been possible without the people of Orlando. He then went on to talk about how the last month wasn’t so great to him and that he was disappointed he was not medically cleared to compete in all of those big shows. He says he has a rematch due and he’s going to win his title back from Kevin Owens. This brought out Tyler Breeze who claimed he was the number 1 contender. Bull Dempsey came out and said that while everyone else was pulling the load, Sami was sitting at home and Bull should be the number 1 contender. Baron Corbin came out, and stared them down. Corey Graves came out and said he anticipated something like this would happen and he called William Regal. Smi Zayn would compete in a number 1 contender’s match, but his opponent would be the winner of a Battle Royal held tonight.

Match 1: Battle Royal. Competitors listed by order of elimination: Noah Pang-Potjes (doing a Hawaiin gimmick, complete with lei’s and hula music), Sunny Dhinsa, Sammy Piscatelli, Josh Woods, Steve Cutler, Sawyer Fulton, Marcus Louis, Tye Dillinger, Angelo Dawkins, Mike Rallis, Elias Samson, Colin Cassady, Simon Gotch, Enzo Amore, Bull Dempsey, Tyler Breeze, Dash Wilder, Aiden English, and Baron Corbin (thanks to some help from Tyler Breeze). Winner: Scott Dawson who goes on to face Sami Zayn later tonight.

Match 2: Solomon Crowe def. Chad Gable. Good, solid match. Dillinger came out and held up the number 2. This will be explained a bit later.

Match 3: Bayley and Alexa Bliss def. Dana Brooke and Carmella. Bayley wins with the Bayley to Belly suplex. There were a lot of fun spots meant to get crowd reaction and the fans ate it up. You can tell Brooke and Carmlla are still very much works in progress. At one point, Brooke went to take a head scissors from Bliss and didn’t quite get flipped over and it looked like she nearly knocked herself silly. Still, it was an entertaining match.

Match 4: Tyler Breeze def. Baron Corbin. Breeze won with a rollup and his feet on the ropes. A bit of a rough match in places. You can tell Baron still needs work in places, but not a bad match by any means. After the match, Baron lays out Tyler with the End of Days.

Spoilers: Title Change At Ring Of Honor TV Tapings, Masked Men Identities Revealed

Staff
-
8

At yesterday’s Ring of Honor TV tapings in San Antonio, TX, The Addiction (Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian) defeated reDRagon to become the new Ring of Honor Tag Team Champions.

Daniels and Kazarian also revealed that they were two of the masked men who have been appearing on Ring of Honor television over the past few months, with the third member being former TNA star Chris Sabin. Below is a promo featuring The Addiction discussing their match with reDRagon.

Update On Roman Reigns’ Family Being Upset With WrestleMania Outcome, WWE Employee Responds

Staff
-
29

As previously reported, there were rumors that Roman Reigns’ family was extremely upset following his loss at WrestleMania. In particular, his father – WWE Legend Sika – was reportedly so upset that he was “looking to start a war.”

The family was even supposedly divided during the event, with some rallying behind Sika while others attempted to keep him calm. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer posted the following message on his message board today regarding the situation:

Six different sources on the Sika story by the way. Two more on the Afa side of the family for his reaction. This was not a secret. Was something everyone was openly talking about, both in the family, close to the family, and more.

WWE employee Michael Hayes also commented on the situation yesterday, tweeting the following:

  • Roman Reigns Addresses His Haters Again

 

Ted DiBiase Jr. Talks About Leaving WWE In 2013, What He’s Been Up To Since Then

Matt Boone
-
6

Former WWE Superstar Ted DiBiase Jr. recently spoke with The Vicksburg Post to promote his work with the Warrior Bonfire Project to heal wounded veterans.

During the interview, DiBiase Jr. spoke about leaving WWE in 2013. “There was a time in my career that I forgot what got me there, and I lost sight of my priorities, and my priorities shifted,” said DiBiase Jr. “All of a sudden I couldn’t make enough money, I couldn’t become famous enough, and I wanted more. I woke up one day and I hated the person I saw, because I had this moment staring in the mirror where I hated that guy. The Lord led me to 1 John 2:15 which says ‘Do not love the world or anything in the world for if you do, the love of the Father is not in you.’”

DiBiase Jr. concluded, “I left WWE without real security, and know that I serve a big God. It’s been the hardest, most trying, most amazing year or so of my life. I’ve grown as a man, as a father and as a husband.”

Check out the complete interview at VicksburgPost.com.

NJPW Invasion Attack Results: AJ Styles Defends IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Multiple Title Changes

Staff
-
2

New Japan Pro Wrestling held their Invasion Attack event this morning. After winning the New Japan Cup last month, Kota Ibushi decided to challenge AJ Styles for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the main event. In addition, there were three other titles on the line, two of which changed hands. The full results are below:

Alex Shelley, Captain New Japan, Kushida, Yohei Komatsu, and Yuji Nagata def. Jushin Thunder Liger, Manabu Nakanishi, Ryusuke Taguchi, Sho Tanaka, and Tiger Mask IV

Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, and Tomoaki Honma def. Bullet Club (Cody Hall, TamaTonga, Yujiro Takahashi)

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship

Roppongi Vice (Rocky Romero & Baretta) def. The Young Bucks (c) to become champions

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

Kenny Omega (c) def. Mascara Dorada

IWGP Tag Team Championship

Kingdom (Matt Taven & Michael Bennett) def. Bullet Club (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) (c) to become champions

Hirooki Goto, Tetsuya Naito, and Togi Makabe def. CHAOS (Shinsuke Nakamura, Tomohiro Ishii, and YOSHI-HASHI)

Kazuchika Okada def. Bad Luck Fale

IWGP Heavyweight Championship

AJ Styles (c) def. Kota Ibushi

The full event is available to stream with a subscription to njpwworld.com.

WWE Edits Daniel Bryan’s HOF Speech, Dusty Rhodes Launching Podcast, Bella Twins Interview

Matt Boone
-
11

– WWE edited a line out of Daniel Bryan’s 2015 WWE Hall Of Fame induction speech for Connor “The Crusher” Michalek. WWE removed the part where Bryan said, “what we do is fictional.”

– WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes indicated on social media this week that he will soon be launching his own official podcast.

– During WrestleMania 31 week, The Bella Twins spoke to Title Match Wrestling about the “#GiveDivasAChance” movement, the Divas in NXT and more. You can check out the video interview below.

Specific Reason Vince McMahon Has Issues With Steve Austin

Matt Boone
-
94

Regarding issues between Steve Austin and Vince McMahon, they are said to be directly related to the live Austin podcast interview with Triple H that aired on the WWE Network back in February.

McMahon was not happy with some of the questions Austin had for Triple H during the interview, and while this has yet to be confirmed, the belief is that the questions about Chyna going into the WWE Hall Of Fame some day were the ones that really bothered him.

The questions ultimately led to Chyna resurfacing on YouTube and making accusations about Triple H physically abusing her in the past, which prompted Triple H to have to release a statement and get the company more negative press.

When WWE decided they wanted to bring a podcast to the WWE Network as part of their new programming lineup, McMahon wanted a different host and he chose Chris Jericho. It’s already believed that Jericho’s first podcast, which will feature an interview with WWE United States Champion John Cena, will be much more “company-friendly.”

Jericho’s first live podcast on the WWE Network is scheduled to air this coming Monday night immediately following WWE RAW.

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

Update On WWE Creating New U.S. Title, NXT Stars Upset At Mistake Regarding Monthly Specials

Matt Boone
-
46

– As reported recently, WWE officials have commissioned artwork for a new United States Championship belt. According to one source, this was done at Cena’s request. WWE is looking to put emphasis on their secondary titles such as the Intercontinental Championship and the U.S. Championship, which is why they were put on two of the top stars in the company.

– It was noted earlier this week that WWE made a mistake in saying that the NXT Takeover specials would become a monthly occurrence, as they will remain a quarterly happening. A lot of the NXT talents were said to be disappointed when hearing the news, but many are also said to be riding a high from being such a big part of WrestleMania week this year.

(Credit: PWInsider.com)

Scott Hall Comments On Why The nWo Helped Sting At WrestleMania

Staff
-
69

Last weekend at WrestleMania 31, the Sting vs. Triple H match turned into a Monday Night War reunion of sorts, with appearances by the nWo and DX.

The nostalgic run-ins made for a fun WrestleMania moment, but a lot of fans were wondering why the nWo would be helping Sting, since they had such a storied rivalry in WCW.

WWE fan @RealChrisFaught asked Hall on Twitter what the nWo’s motivation was in helping Sting, since nobody felt the wrath of Sting’s bat more than Hollywood Hogan and The Outsiders. The Bad Guy responded:

https://twitter.com/SCOTTHALLNWO/status/584389935064559616

Update On Brock Lesnar Blading Rumor, Bay Area Wants To Bring WrestleMania Back

Matt Boone
-
38

– Regarding speculation that Brock Lesnar did a “blade job” at WrestleMania 31, we noted that WWE sent out a statement denying it. Additionally, several sources within WWE claim Vince McMahon did not sign off on it and that it simply didn’t happen. The last person in WWE to be caught blading was Batista, and he was fined $100,000.

– Santa Clara and San Jose city officials are said to be very happy with how everything went with WrestleMania 31. While WrestleMania likely won’t be back in that area for quite a while, city officials have been discussing the possibility of putting up a bid that nobody else can match to bring WrestleMania back in around eight years or so.

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

Video: Lucha Underground Pays Tribute To Perro Aguayo Jr.

Staff
-
4

Lucha Underground has published a video tribute to Perro Aguayo Jr., who passed on March 20th after suffering a cervical fracture during a match at a AAA show in Tijuana, Mexico.

An autopsy revealed that Aguayo Jr. died almost instantly after the accident that took place in the ring. Gilberto Cota Alanis, the deputy prosecutor for Baja California state, confirmed that Aguayo Jr. had three fractured vertebrae and had passed by the time he reached the hospital.

Interesting Notes On Alundra Blaze & Rikishi’s WWE Hall Of Fame Inductions

Staff
-
49

The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter has provided additional details regarding Alundra Blaze and Rikishi’s WWE Hall of Fame inductions. At the end of Blaze’s critically acclaimed speech, she pulled the old WWE Women’s Championship belt out of the trash can – the same belt she trashed in the infamous Monday Nitro segment. WWE officials were adamant that she pull the belt out of the trash and this is said to be one of the main factors that led to her being inducted this year.

Rikishi got a lot of heat from fans for not mentioning his former Too Cool partners, Grand Master Sexay (Brian Christopher) and Scotty 2 Hotty. Scotty 2 Hotty was not pleased with the snub, re-tweeting several messages about their exclusion. To update this situation, it was Rikishi who made it clear that he didn’t want Too Cool in attendance for the induction.

Backstage Note On Bray Wyatt’s Injury, Filming During WM31 Week, More

Matt Boone
-
8

– Regarding Bray Wyatt wrestling a match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 31 with an injured ankle, there was said to be no talk at any point of Wyatt not going through with the match.

Wyatt’s injury was bad enough that he was having trouble walking, and had to wear a cast on his ankle until the match actually started.

– At least three documentaries were shot in The Bay Arena during WrestleMania 31 week. There were also a lot of Total Divas cameras around town shooting footage throughout the week as well, as the whole cast had their families in town for the big event.

– This week’s edition of WWE Top 10, which you can see below, looks at the most outrageous Superstar pranks.

(Partial Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

1...2,2522,2532,254...3,331Page 2,253 of 3,331