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Lilian Garcia Releases New Song Called “Stung”, Roman Reigns and AJ Lee Autograph Signing

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– Prepare to get “Stung!”

WWE Diva, Raw ring announcer and songstress Lilian Garcia has released a new single, “Stung,” which is available for free. If you sign up for her e-mail list, which will feature info on her latest events, exclusive offers, giveaways, meet and greet opportunities, you will receive an e-mail with a download link to the song.

Garcia tweeted the following about the song today.

As of late, Garcia has been writing and recording new music with Chris Garcia, who’s worked with number of top recording artists.

“He’s not related, but he’s awesome. He’s worked with Demi Lovato, Kesha, Chrissie Hynde, Nicole Scherzinger, even Celine Dion,” Garcia stated in an interview with WWE.com. “The guy’s got a rap sheet, and he’s phenomenal to work with. It’s a process, it really is.”

– Roman Reigns and AJ Lee are scheduled for an autograph signing on Friday, Mar. 27 at Barnes & Noble in San Jose, California (located at 3600 Stevens Creek Blvd) from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

According to BarnesandNoble.com, 400 wristbands will be available on a first come, first serve basis, starting on Thursday, Mar. 26 at 9:00 a.m. Fans are required to purchase the “WWE Ultimate Superstar Guide” to get a wristband. Reigns and Lee will sign one additional item per person, and photos are allowed.

Bully Ray Talks Possibly Working In NXT, Samoa Joe/WWE, Rey Mysterio Leaving WWE

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Bully Ray spoke with Alex Obert of the Journey of a Frontman website while at Tommy Dreamer’s “House of Hardcore VIII” event in Philadelphia last weekend. Below are highlights from the interview.

On returning at the WWE Royal Rumble: “Well the Royal Rumble is a lot of fun. As far as the reaction was concerned, it was awesome. To be able to come back to Philadelphia ten years after I had left the WWE to that type of reception, you really can’t put any words to it. I kind of knew in the back of my head that I was gonna get a warm reception from the Philly crowd. Some people might of been shocked just how big the reaction was. It was overwhelmingly positive. If that was my last time that you ever saw me in a WWE ring again, not that I’m saying that I want it to be, but if that was the last time that you ever saw me, that’s a hell of a way to go out!”

On being in the ring with Luke Harper and Bray Wyatt: “I’m a big fan of those guys. I’m a big fan of most guys in the WWE, they’re all extremely passionate about what they do. You can tell that they whenever they go out there, they always strive to be the best and steal the show and do the absolute best that they can. The Wyatt Family is kind of reminiscent of the old Dudley clan back in the day. Big fan of Bray. Big fan of Luke and Erick Rowan. They’re doing a great job. It was fun to be in there with The Miz. It was fun to be in there with R-Truth doing the What’s Up and the 3D. It was all good, lots of fun.”

On possibly appearing at NXT: “I am open to anything that is fun and that would be good business. Me and D-Von have accomplished so much as a tag team and I’ve accomplished more than I thought I ever would as a singles guy. If you listen to the fans, they would love to see the Dudley Boyz back in the WWE and help bring that tag team division back to the heights that it once was. Our school is going on almost ten years now and we’ve been very proud of the students that we turn out. We are very proud of the way we train our students. On a whole, I’m really happy with the way everything has unfolded so far.”

On Rey Mysterio leaving WWE: “Whenever people leave a company or go to a company, everyone will ask what my thoughts are. It goes on every day. People come and go from companies every day, whether it’s wrestling or a bank or a big business or McDonald’s, people come and go all the time. When one person stays in a company for too long, they can sometimes get stagnant or stale. So it’s good because with Rey leaving WWE now, maybe he’ll go do some stuff that will light a fire under his ass even more. And now that opens up a spot for a younger guy in WWE to step up and become the next Rey Mysterio. It’s always good for the business when people come and go and rosters constantly get mixed up.”

On Samoa Joe possibly going to WWE: “That’s awesome for Joe. Great! I would love to see Joe be ultra successful in the wrestling business. WWE is the top of the food chain. When you get into pro wrestling, everybody always wants to wrestle for the WWE. Joe went to Ring of Honor, helped build Ring of Honor and he paid his dues there. He went to TNA and helped build TNA, paid his dues. Now he’s gonna have an opportunity with the WWE and I hope he knocks it out of the park. He’s worked very hard and he deserves it.”

Check out the complete interview at JourneyOfAFrontman.com.

Hulk Hogan Talks About His Favorite WrestleMania Memories, Relationship With Randy Savage

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WWE Hall Of Famer Hulk Hogan spoke about his fondest WrestleMania memories and his relationship with “Macho Man” Randy Savage in the new WWE “Legends of WrestleMania” magazine. Below are some highlights.

On his favorite memories of WrestleMania: “You know, you can’t take anything away from that Andre match, brother. That’s a WrestleMania moment—93,000 people and Andre passing the torch to me. That match with The Rock, where I had been working for a different company, actually competing against this company, and came back here. The crowd showed their loyalty, that was huge. But if I really, really had to go with consistency, friendship and always being there for me, Randy [Savage] is the favorite guy.”

On his relationship with “Macho Man” Randy Savage: “Well, first off, when you work with Randy, it’s intense. The only other person that I could call at three or four o’clock in the morning to talk about wrestling and would even answer their phone is Vince McMahon. And that’s how Randy was. Except Randy called me! ‘Hey brother. Got an idea.’ So when you got in bed with Randy, you were in it for the long haul. Good or bad, brother. He’s going to drag you through the mud, whether you like it or not. And it was intense, because Randy was such a passionate person.”

*Spoilers* TNA Impact Wrestling Taping Results For May 1st & May 8th

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TNA taped additional content for future episodes of Impact Wrestling on Monday night in Orlando, Florida. A lot of this content was reportedly taped out of order, so while we can’t confirm what will air when, most of this will air as part of the May 1st and May 8th episodes, while some will air in April as well.

TNA Impact Wrestling Taping Results

– The Hardy Boys def. The BDC, Ethan Carter III & Bram and Austin Aries & Bobby Roode in a four-team Ultimate-X match to crown new TNA World Tag-Team Champions.

– Eric Young came down to the ring for a promo segment, bringing a stretcher with him. Young cut a promo on Kurt Angle, as well as “anyone who stands in his way.” Young promised to end Angle’s career.

– Taryn Terrell def. Awesome Kong in a Falls Count Anywhere match in what may have been a re-tape from Sunday night, or a rematch.

– Magnus came out to the ring and cut a babyface promo. He called James Storm out and the two talked about Mickie James.

– Mr. Anderson came out to a podium and ripped on Ethan Carter III for boring the fans. This led to EC3 and Tyrus coming out. Fans will be able to vote for their match on May 8th.

– Eric Young def. Kurt Angle in a Stretcher Match. The TNA World title was not on the line in this one.

– Taryn Terrell def. Brooke Tessmacher to retain the TNA Knockouts Championship. Jade (Mia Yim) and Marti of The Doll House ended up attacking Tessmacher after the bout. This led to Gail Kim coming out and having words with Terrell. Awesome Kong also came out and stood alongside Kim.

TNA Xplosion Taping Results

– Rockstar Spud def. Manik
– Davey Richards def. Khoya
– Chris Melendez def. Samuel Shaw
– Gail Kim def. Angelina Love & Madison Rayne
– Mikah def. Jessie Godderz
– James Storm def. Mark Andrews
– Magnus def. Robbie E.
– Bram def. Eli Drake
– Mr. Anderson def. Tyrus

Ringside Fans Forced To Change At RAW, Ric Flair Talks About His Legendary Style

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– Ric Flair recently spoke with Esquire about his legendary style, from the sequins robes to the gator shoes. The Nature Boy said he set the bar impossibly high, spending more money on one robe than guys spend in 5 years.

“Kids today can’t touch us. Are you kidding? I spent more money on one robe than guys spend in five years.”

(Editor’s Note: WOOOOO!)

“All they are now is markin’ their T-shirts. I wish I would have thought of that. We didn’t have T-shirts back then. You don’t see anybody dress elaborately anymore. It’s much more casual than it was, but my clothes and my ring attire—I thought up half of what I brought to the show.”

– Several fans who were ringside at last night’s RAW dressed up as WWE legends were forced to remove their costumes or give up their front row seats.

*Spoilers* WWE Superstars Taping Results For This Week

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The following matches were taped prior to Monday’s WWE RAW in Des Moines, Iowa, for this week’s edition of WWE Superstars.

– The Lucha Dragons (Sin Cara and Kalisto) def. The Ascension in tag-team action in what was the first actual match of the evening on Monday night.

– Jack Swagger def. Adam Rose via submission after getting him in the Patriot Lock for the tap out in the final match on the Superstars tapings.

Mick Foley Reveals His Hardest Chair Shot, RAW Fallout Videos

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– A WWE fan asked Mick Foley on Twitter who swings a steel chair the hardest, from person experience. Foley, a man who has taken a few chair shots in his day, said it’s not even close:

https://twitter.com/realmickfoley/status/577685194343329792

The Rock responded:

– Here are some RAW Fallout videos from Monday night:

WWE Announces Next Annual Stockholders Meeting

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WWE® Annual Meeting of Stockholders Date Announced

STAMFORD, Conn., Mar 16, 2015 (BUSINESS WIRE) — WWE WWE, -2.84% announced it will hold its Annual Meeting of Stockholders at 10:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, April 23rd, 2015, at the Stamford Hilton. Registration will begin at 9:00 a.m. ET.

Hilton Stamford Hotel, Ballroom 3
One First Stamford Place
Stamford, CT 06902

The record date for voting at the meeting was set as the close of business on February 27, 2015. The meeting will be limited to stockholders (or their authorized representative) having evidence of their WWE stock ownership. Attendees are asked to obtain an admission ticket in advance by providing proof of their ownership by April 10th to:

WWE, Inc.
1241 E. Main Street
Stamford, CT 06902
Attention: Corporate Secretary

What Happened After RAW (Video), SmackDown Taping Preview

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– After Monday’s WWE RAW went off the air, the WWE Network aired an in-ring segment with Michael Cole interviewing Sting and Randy Orton. Randy Orton said it was pretty cool cleaning house with Sting at the end of RAW and shook his hand. Sting talked about waiting 14 years to kick butt in a WWE ring.

After the feed cut off, John Cena & Roman Reigns defeted Seth Rollins & Rusev in the dark match main event. Reigns won after spearing Rollins.

– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown and Main Event tapings take place from Kansas City. This will be the final SmackDown taping before WrestleMania, since next week’s show will feature footage from WrestleMania weekend in Santa Clara, California.

SmackDown will feature an “interspecies” tag match, with WWE Tag Team Champions Tyson Kidd & Cesaro teaming with Natalya against Los Matadores & El Torito.

The dark match main event will see Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan & Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins, Bray Wyatt & Kane.

WWE RAW Pros & Cons (3/16/15): The Authority Feels The Wrath Of Sting

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This week’s episode of Raw was held in Des Moines, Iowa at the Wells Fargo Arena, and it was anything but money. With less than two weeks until WrestleMania, one would think the action would be heating up, but that wasn’t really the case. Here are the pros and cons from this week’s episode of Raw.

Pros

Once again, Paul Heyman was the highlight of Raw. He appeared solo to hype the main event of WrestleMania and kicked off the third hour of the show. Heyman declared that Brock Lesnar is not a “pacifist” but a “conqueror.” The best in the biz questioned what would happen after Lesnar violates the parameters of the match and said fans are “stuck with Brock Lesnar as your WWE Champion.” It was an entertaining promo, and it’s nice to see at least one person is putting in work to hype the biggest match of the year. Reigns appeared but was totally out of his league as the crowd booed him. It wasn’t even a terrible promo, honestly, but it would’ve been much more intense if he had delivered it while standing toe-to-toe with the Beast Incarnate. That confrontation is at least supposed to happen next week, or so they say.

If you were on the Internet at all during the day, you probably knew Sting was photographed in Des Moines. The final match between Orton and Rollins never took place, with The Authority surrounding the ring as Orton wielded a chair. The entire crowd was chanting, “We want Sting” from the start and it was totally obvious he was going to make the save. With that said, it was still awesome to see him appear and hit J&J with a Stinger Splash while teaming up with The Viper. I don’t know about Cole’s assertion that it was “one of the greatest moments in Raw history,” but it was a good way to end the show and actually hype a few of the matches leading into WrestleMania.

The six-man tag featured the best wrestling action of the night. Ambrose and Stardust started the match and worked well together, with Ambrose hitting a big bulldog at one point. Bryan then entered the ring and worked over Stardust by using a surfboard that he turned into a pinning combination. After the break, Ambrose was back in the ring, this time with Luke Harper. The Lunatic Fringe had the upper hand after a tornado DDT before tagging in Dolph Ziggler. The faces dominated the action early, but Barrett eventually entered the fray and turned the tables for a bit. After a second commercial break, Ambrose made a blind tag and picked up the win after the action broke down, hitting Dirty Deeds after an excellent counter of the Bull Hammer Elbow. It was a good match, and they continue to hype this ladder match, which is always a plus.

It was good to see Mark Henry back on Raw, as he declared his intention to enter the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal before clearing house. Axel was entertaining during this segment as well.

AJ Lee and Nikki Bella squared off in the opening contest while Brie and Paige looked on at ringside. They were given a good bit of time and put on an entertaining match, even if the action was a bit sloppy at times. AJ locked in an impressive guillotine choke before being driven into the turnbuckle by Nikki. She later rallied and took down Nikki with a nice lateral crossbody. Nikki finally picked up the win with the Rack Attack after knocking AJ out following a distraction. It was a decent opening match and if nothing else, it was something new.

I guess the Brock Lesnar interview could be considered a pro, if only because he appeared on television and actually spoke. Lesnar said WrestleMania is a “day that I get to show up, kick somebody’s ass, and get paid to do so.” With that said, he needed to be in attendance instead of wasting his limited appearances by having his show up and look bored out of his mind. There is zero heat between Lesnar and Reigns, as they have yet to come face-to-face and it will be one week until the biggest main event of the year on next week’s Raw. Lesnar isn’t the best speaker, but he’s not terrible by any means. Have these guys face off and speak their minds to build this match up.

LL Cool J To Open WrestleMania, 2-Hour Kickoff Show

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– The WWE mobile app issued a breaking news alert during RAW to announce Grammy Award-winning recording artist LL Cool J will appear in the opening segment of WrestleMania 31. Last year’s opener paid tribute to the sights and sounds of host city New Orleans.

– The WrestleMania 31 Kickoff show on March 29th will be 2-hours, starting at 5pm (Eastern). Lance Storm questioned WWE expanding the pre-show to the 4-hour PPV:

https://twitter.com/lancestorm/status/577630611692650496

Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins Official For WrestleMania 31

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On Monday’s RAW, Seth Rollins officially accepted Randy Orton’s challenge to a match at WrestleMania. With that match set, here’s the updated card for WWE WrestleMania 31:

– WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns

– Sting vs. Triple H

– The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt

– US Champion Rusev vs. John Cena

– Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins

– IC Title Ladder Match: Bad News Barrett vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Luke Harper vs. R-Truth vs. Stardust vs. Daniel Bryan.

– The Bella Twins vs. AJ Lee and Paige

– Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal, featuring:

  • Damien Mizdow
  • The Miz
  • Curtis Axel
  • Kane
  • Big Show
  • Ryback
  • Fandango
  • Adam Rose
  • Zack Ryder
  • Jack Swagger
  • Titus O’Neil
  • Darren Young
  • Erick Rowan
  • Sin Cara

Join us here on March 29th for our Live Coverage of WWE WrestleMania 31, which takes place from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

WWE RAW Results – March 16, 2015

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Seth Rollins, The Authority & Randy Orton Kick Off RAW

This week’s show opens up with video highlights of Randy Orton finally turning on Seth Rollins and The Authority. From there, we shoot live inside the arena, Michael Cole welcomes us to the show on commentary and then we head to the ring for our opening segment.

Already in the ring, as introduced by Lilian Garcia, are Seth Rollins, Big Show, Kane and J&J Security. The fans chant “Rollins! Rollins!” so he tries to use it, saying they might chant his name now, but he knows they all loved what happened to him last week. He says that’s called betrayal.

Rollins does a good job of turning the crowd against him, saying unlike them, he made it out of Iowa and made something of himself. The fans then start chanting “RKO! RKO!” Rollins continues to complain about what Orton did to him last week on RAW.

Big Show asks Rollins for the mic. The fans boo Big Show like crazy before he even says a word. Big Show says he owes Rollins an apology. He says he’s sorry. He says he feels as though he’s partially responsible for what happened to Rollins and it breaks his heart inside. He says he thinks of Rollins as the future and the best talent in WWE and what Orton did was cruel. He says he brought him in because he thought he could put his petty grievances aside, but he couldn’t because he’s a no-good snake in the grass. Big Show says he crushes snakes in the grass.

Kane apologizes too, saying he also trusted Orton. Then, Jamie Noble, who says he’s the secret weapon of The Authority, and he too apologizes to Rollins. Finally, Joey Mercury gets on the mic. He shakes his head, looks upset, and like last week, he doesn’t speak, he just hands the mic back and hugs Big Show.

As Rollins talks again, challenging Orton and promising him that he will pay, “The Viper’s” theme music hits and out he comes to the top of the stage. Orton says he’s just a guy, a guy who made Rollins look like “a bitch” last week. He says he accepts Rollins challenge and will face him in the main event later tonight. Orton says he knows he could potentially face a five-on-one beatdown tonight. He warns Rollins that he better get the job done tonight, because if he doesn’t, when he gets to WrestleMania, he will end “the undisputed future of WWE.” Orton’s music plays again to end the segment. We head to commercial.

AJ Lee (with Paige) vs. Nikki Bella (with Brie Bella)

When we return from commercial, AJ Lee’s music hits and out she comes with her tag-team partner, Paige. Out next are The Bella Twins. During their entrance, a pre-recorded split-screen interview with Nikki and Brie airs, talking about how they are going to embarrass AJ and Paige at WrestleMania.

The bell rings and here we go. This is actually AJ Lee vs. Nikki Bella in singles action. The match begins with Nikki taking control and hits AJ with shoulder thrusts in the corner. Nikki shows off and does push-ups in the middle of the ring. She gets up and runs into knees in the corner. AJ makes a comeback and rolls Nikki up for a near fall. AJ with another takedown and an armbar. We head to a mid-match commercial.

We’re back from the commercial and we see Nikki still in control of AJ. Nikki has an arm submission on AJ on the mat. AJ fights to her feet and goes for the Black Widow but Nikki rams her back into the corner. Nikki runs into boots. AJ with a Thesz Press and strikes. AJ with a splash in the corner and a neckbreaker. AJ with a kick to the gut. AJ trips Nikki on her face and goes to the top. AJ with a crossbody from the top for 2. Nikki counters and drops AJ face first into her knee for a 2 count. AJ counters a move and rolls Nikki up for a near fall.

As the action continues, Paige gets involved, as she and Brie argue on the floor. Brie pie-faces Paige and slams her into the ring post. After that happens, Nikki hits AJ, who is distracted, and gets her with her finisher. 1-2-3. Nikki wins.

Winner: Nikki Bella

Renee Young With Seth Rollins, Big Show & Kane

We shoot backstage, where Renee Young is with Big Show, Kane and Seth Rollins. Rollins goes too far when talking to Big Show and Kane, which leads to both guys warning him. Kane tells Rollins that Stephanie McMahon can talk how she wants, but Rollins can’t. He says like they said in the opening segment, they felt kind of bad for Rollins last week after Orton attacked him, but part of them enjoyed it. They walk off.

WWE Confirms Snoop Dogg For Next Week’s RAW

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WWE and The Wrap have confirmed that hip-hop star Snoop Dogg will serve as the guest host for the WrestleMania 31 “go-home” edition of WWE RAW next Monday night, March 23rd, in Los Angeles, California.

Snoop Dogg previously appeared on RAW in October of 2009, and also made an appearance at WrestleMania 24.

As noted recently, ESPN writer Bill Simmons will also be featured on next week’s RAW.

Kevin Owens Undergoes Knee Surgery, Comments On His Recovery

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NXT Champion Kevin Owens underwent a partial menisocectomy late last week for a knee injury that he has been dealing with.

Owens made the following comments regarding the operation and his recovery:

“I’m not the kind of person that lets things like this get in my way. I’m already walking around without crutches and doing physical therapy at the WWE Performance Center.”

“Now that I’m at the level I am now, and with as much at stake as there is, I don’t think it’s going to slow me down. I’m on the way back.”

Backstage Update On Plans For Samoa Joe To Sign With WWE

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Samoa Joe is still expected to sign with WWE next month, as we reported a few weeks ago. In fact, while the original plan called for Joe to end his run in Ring Of Honor in late April, it is now believed that his ROH run will end after his appearance at the promotion’s WrestleMania 31 weekend event in Redwood City, California.

This would explain why Joe has not been advertised for ROH’s April 4th event in San Antonio, as well as the company’s upcoming event in Minnesota.

ROH and WWE have yet to confirm this news, and Joe is expected to work his advertised independent wrestling events in April before moving to WWE, likely as part of the NXT brand.

(Credit: ProWrestling.net)

WWE Teasing Celebrity Involvement In Ryder-Rose Feud

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Over the past several weeks, Zack Ryder and Adam Rose have been feuding on Twitter, exchanging trash talk and cheap shots. The two eventually met on WWE Superstars, with Ryder earning the victory.

Celebrity WWE fans William Shatner and Dennis “Mr. Belding” Haskins are now getting involved, with WWE.com teasing we could see appearances from Shatner or Haskins. Shatner, who guest-hosted WWE RAW back in February 2010, offered to a guest referee for another Ryder vs. Rose match, while Zack Ryder suggested that Haskins could serve as his manager.

Here are some of the tweets from Shatner and Haskins:

ROH Veteran Jimmy Jacobs Signs With WWE To Join The Creative Team

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Former Ring Of Honor (ROH) tag-team champion Jimmy Jacobs has signed a deal with WWE and is expected to start with the company in April.

Despite his decorated past as a wrestler, Jacobs’ deal with WWE calls for him to join the creative team in the company, as opposed to signing as an in-ring performer.

Jacobs’ WWE signing has reportedly been in the works for a while now. His last appearance in ROH will likely be the “Supercard of Honor” event on March 27th in California.

(Credit: PWInsider.com)

Video: Samoa Joe’s Surprise Appearance At WrestleCentre

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Canada’s WrestleCenter promotion has posted a video of Samoa Joe’s surprise appearance at their March 5th from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Sting Spotted At The Site Of Tonight’s Raw (Photo), NXT Diva Sidelined With Injury, Network Update

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– WWE developmental talent Leyvonna Zakari has been rehabilitating an undisclosed injury. She revealed on Instagram that the injury has prevented her from working out much as of late.

“I really haven’t worked out much since my injury. I’ve just been rehabing and trying to get back right. Well today, I went at it!” she wrote Monday. “I can’t feel my arms and I’m red in the face. I love this job!”

– As reported earlier today, Sting is in Des Moines, Iowa—the site of tonight’s Raw. The news broke when a fan saw him arriving at the airport late last night and posted this photo on Twitter.

– The “Quick Hits” section on the WWE Network was updated Monday with two music videos and clips featuring “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon. In one music video, Run DMC pays tribute to D-Generation X in the music video for their song “The Kings.” The other music video has “Rowdy” Roddy Piper singing a song called “I’m Your Man.” The song and music video were released in 1992 in the United Kingdom.

Ethan Carter III Talks Bill DeMott Controversy, Having Freedom In TNA & More

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TNA star Ethan Carter III spoke with the Journey Of A Frontman website while at Tommy Dreamer’s “House of Hardcore VIII” event in Philadelphia last weekend. Below are highlights from the interview.

On working with top guys such as Sting and Kurt Angle: “Looking at it from the perspective as a fan growing up watching wrestling, it’s surreal to be in the ring with guys I considered heroes, guys I watched every week. From being a little kid to a teenager, I would see a thing Kurt Angle did in a match one time and pause the TV. Then I’d look to my dad and say, “Someday I’m gonna do that.” And he’s like, “Okay.” Then someday I’m doing it and I’m in the ring with a guy that inspired me. As a fan, that’s incredible. As far as a talent or performer, you only get better being in the ring with people that are better than you. The only way to improve is to be in situations you’re not accustomed to and being taught through hands-on training. Being in the ring with Sting, Bully, Angle, even all the other veterans in TNA like Eric Young, Austin Aries, Matt Hardy, Abyss, you’re always learning with all those guys. You always learn with everything you do. Guys that have been around longer have learned from some of the best too. It’s the trickle-down effect. Trickle-Down Economics, Ronald Reagan style.”

On having freedom with his character: “I think being locked into a verbatim script is hard for a wrestler because we’re not professional actors. If we were, we’d be getting paid not to get hurt. The thing about being a wrestler and a character is that it’s an extension of your personality. It’s hard for somebody to write who you are. It’s easier to be given a scenario and a situation where you can act in it. You get a script in both places, there’s a difference in that sense. In the sense of TNA, I’ve been able to take scripts and feel it out there. I’m not deviating from the important things, but I’ll put it in my own words. And I think that’s helped me greatly because I’m the best me that I can be and every talent is the best they can be. It’s also the talent’s responsibility to incorporate themselves into their character and not be apprehensive by saying that something sucks and they don’t want to do it. You have a segment on national television, take that as an opportunity to make it something special. Every time you have a chance, do something special.”

On the Bill DeMott controversy: “It’s an unfortunate situation that happened. There’s varied opinions. As far as wrestling training, it should be difficult a hundred percent. You’re in a place where you’re supposed to represent the best. During my time in developmental, I had some of the best coaches in the world. I had Dr. Tom Prichard, Steve Keirn, Norman Smiley, we had Billy Kidman for a time, Ricky Steamboat, and all these guys push you. They push you to be better constantly. I would be dead dog tired from those practices, but it was never at the expense of my humility as a human being, at the expense of being made an example of, it was to get better. I was pushed to get better. I firmly believe that fully. As far as that scenario, what’s come out are things that did happen and it isn’t a place for that. Not in 2015. Not in wrestling in general. It’s not bettering you as a wrestler.”

Check out the complete interview at JourneyOfAFrontman.com.

Rhyno Talks About Working In NXT, His WWE Departure In 2005 & More

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NXT star Rhyno recently spoke with the Journey Of A Frontman website to promote his current run in the WWE developmental system. Below are highlights from the interview.

On his recent appearance at WWE NXT: “Yeah, it really came out of nowhere. I was just finishing up a loop one day and they’re like, “Hey, you wanna come down to NXT?” I’m like, “Yeah.” That’s all I’ve heard about, NXT this and NXT that from the fans. Really, if you’re gonna make a splash, you want to do it where everybody’s talking about.”

On who in NXT has his attention right now: “Gosh, who doesn’t? From top to bottom, you see it in their eyes and you see it when they go out there. They’re hungry. You see it everyday when they get up. I don’t just tune into the program, I see who’s working the hardest in that Performance Center. I see and I listen and I hear and I ask questions. I have been in wrestling for twenty years, I have a lot of friends and I have eyes and ears in all different places. Not that I’m spying, but I’m asking questions and I’m doing my research. There’s a lot going on.”

On being released from WWE in 2005, showing up on RAW and One Night Stand, then going to TNA: “Well I was released from WWE for a little incident, but it’s not a secret. It involved alcohol and I was going through a difficult time in my life. Alcohol wasn’t an issue, I just happened to be drinking. And I was very irresponsible. As a man, you have to take responsibility for your actions. Every action. There was no physicality, I just threw a flower pot. I laugh at it now and my ex-wife laughs at it now. But like I said, you have to be a man and stand up. No matter what was said or done, there is no excuse for the behavior. And when you behave, you have to be responsible. I understand what I had to do, I had to work hard and work towards the indies. We already had the One Night Stand booked and I fulfilled my commitment with that. They wanted me to honor that commitment and we did good business. We professionally parted ways. They were good on their part and did everything as far as they were contractually obligated to, they did not try to mess around or anything. It was just one of those things where it was a very good learning experience. But it was a good situation for me. I made it a good situation by learning from the mistake and that mistake becomes an error, then I move forward in my career. I put my nose to the grindstone and worked to keep my career going. I moved forward, there’s no dispute about it. I began to create some good memories like working with “The Monster” Abyss, he’s a great talent. I worked on the independents and developed a great relationship with the fans. I met and interacted with them, one on one, on a smaller intimate level. You have that time and you have that ability. When you’re doing the bigger venues, it’s harder because there’s so many more fans and it can get chaotic.”

On what NXT means to him now that he’s had the experience: “At this moment in my life, the fans of NXT and their passion, I see that same emotion and that same passion and that same drive from all the fans that I did fifteen years ago. I see that same passion and drive from the performers that I did fifteen years ago. They had something to prove fifteen years ago in the company that I worked for, we all know the company that I’m talking about, don’t even have to say it. They were rejected, look at each and every single talent, they had something to prove. Stone Cold Steve Austin was fired from WCW, they said he’d never make it and that he’d never be anything better than a midcarder. Where did he go for six months to prove his worth? He had something to prove because he was rejected and he proved it in under six months. Then he went to WWE and within six, seven months, he started taking off. The rest is history. Kevin Owens has something to prove. Sami Zayn has something to prove. The list goes on and on. Finn Balor. The list goes on and on. It’s the same stuff that happened then, people crave that same passion. There’s a lot of great wrestling out there and there’s a lot of great things happening in wrestling, just with a little different formula. And that brings a person alive. That brings me alive. I feel alive all the time and I feel great, but this makes me feel really young again. The fans and their passion makes me feel really young again. You’ve just gotta feel it. Whether you’re in the crowd or in that ring, it brings you alive.”

Check out the complete interview at JourneyOfAFrontman.com.

Mickie James Talks About Motherhood, How Close She Came To Retiring & More

Matt Boone
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TNA Knockout Mickie James recently spoke with Brian Fritz of Between The Ropes Radio to promote her appearance at the WrestleCon event in San Jose, California during WrestleMania 31 weekend. Below are highlights from the interview.

On being a mom and a wrestler: “It’s a massive change right? One thing for me, and this is probably true for a lot of people and especially for women in this industry, it’s like one of those things, for me, I spent the last 15 years prior to having Donovan focusing on me and what I’m going to do and how am I going to make it? What do I have to to to achieve my goals and what do I want in life? That whole want do I want has gone out the window. Obviously, you still work towards your goals but my vision is completely centered on what is going to be best for him and what can I do to provide for him, the life that I want him to have. It’s a bit grounding in a sense because it’s changed the way I make my decisions like is this worth it? What’s going to be the best thing at the end of the day? So that’s kind of crazy. And I wasn’t even, at first, considering getting back in the ring really because I was like, you know, is it too much and you have to be on the road. But he loves it. It’s crazy. I only do shows on the weekend here and there and we travel I always have to have someone go with me whether it’s my mom or my sister or my grandma who loves it. He loves wrestling which is frightening to me. We watch it on TV and I think it’s the colors and the costumes and the action but he is absolutely fascinated by it.”

On how close she came to stop wrestling after having her son: “I think it was one of those things of, really when I kind of found out because at that time my whole focus at that point was … because I had left TNA and I was a free agent. I had some talks with WWE and my hope was to perhaps maybe go back to WWE and do something there. I had been working diligently towards that and when I found out I was already two months along and had no idea. I had gotten in really great shape, New Year’s resolutions and I was getting shredded and was like ‘this is great’. I was making positive momentum and really doing good and then I was like ‘oh, well what am I going to do now?’. This is all I know. This is the only life I’ve known. My life for the last 15 years is being a road warrior and being a star of sorts. Sometimes a little brighter than others. I think at that point I was like how am I going to do this? Maybe this is it. Maybe that was my … I have been very blessed to have an amazing career, one that a lot of people would strive to have. So, should I just be grateful for the fact that I have achieved these goals and done these things that I wanted to do and got to do in my life and OK, it’s for the next chapter? Luckily, I had so much time to sit back and think about it because I really couldn’t do much else except for things around the house. I really had to think what I wanted to do because this is such a cosmetic business as well. The more I thought about it, I thought there’s all these actors and models and they come back and still do their thing after they have a kid. Nothing’s impossible.”

On if she would like to go back to a regular schedule with a promotion: I guess I’d have to think about that if that opportunity presented itself with WWE or TNA. Obviously, TNA’s schedule is much lighter as far as television’s and they’re not doing a ton of house shows right now. To go back on the road full time … at the height of my career I was on the road probably 250 days out of the year at least. I don’t know unless I had a nanny with me on the road full time, I don’t know if I could do that.”

Check out the complete interview at BetweenTheRopes.com.

Video: “Wrestling Isn’t Wrestling” Documentary By Max Landis

Staff
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Director Max Landis presents, Wrestling Isn’t Wrestling – “a somewhat-mostly-accurate educational parody film.”

Max makes an excellent case describing what exactly professional wrestling is (and isn’t), detailing Triple H’s rise to prominence, the Attitude Era, Evolution, DX and more.

There’s also some badass cameos from the likes of Macaulay Culkin, Seth Green.

Visit the official Youtube video page for all the production credits and comment below telling us what you think.

NXT Event In San Jose Sells Out Quick, Mick Foley On Piper’s Pit, WWE Fury Video

Matt Boone
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– Part two of Roddy Piper’s interview with Mick Foley is available on the latest edition of the “Piper’s Pit” podcast. You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

– The NXT show in San Jose scheduled for WrestleMania weekend on March 27th at the Events Center is officially sold out. Tickets for the show went on sale today and sold out in a matter of hours.

– The latest edition of “WWE Fury,” which you can watch below, showcases “33 kicks that will break your face.”

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