Home Blog Page 2267

Drew Galloway Talks Competing Against WWE, Working For TNA & More

Matt Boone
-
4

Gary Mehaffy recently spoke to former WWE Superstar Drew McIntyre, who is now known as Drew Galloway, about his current run in TNA, his time in WWE and more. Below are highlights from the interview.

On signing with TNA and what they want him to do: “It was the very last second I spoke to them. I just happened to be in Scotland for ICW so I was there anyway. I was apprehensive at first…..I’m having fun and doing my thing (on the indy scene) and that’s what I said when I was speaking to (TNA) management. They 100% agreed with me. They said ‘We want you to be yourself. We want to give you an opportunity and give you a platform to be Drew.'”

On wrestling in the Impact Zone: “I’ve been getting a very positive response as a babyface, especially when I speak and I tell them how I feel. I talk about pro wrestling and how I feel about pro wrestling and they (the fans) feel the same, because at heart, I’m a wrestling fan. You won’t get a bigger mark than Drew Galloway! I’m a huge wrestling fan!”

On competing with WWE: “If you try and compete with WWE you’re going to lose. The smartest thing to do is to create something different…..then everybody wins, especially wrestling fans…..Everybody wins! Wrestling’s popularity grows and independent shows grow as well. The bigger WWE, TNA and Lucha Underground get – or the shows with national exposure – the bigger they all get the more fans go to independent shows as well….That’s what everyone wants: to see wrestling grow and to see wrestling succeed.”

On who he is looking forward to wrestling: “(Austin) Aries. I know when Low Ki and I get our hands on each other it’s going to be stiff but it’s going to be very entertaining! We had a really good match on SmackDown – and I think it was on the “Best of SmackDown” that year! I’m really looking forward to wrestling him again. Top of the list is the wrestling machine, Kurt Angle…. You’ve got Jeff Hardy and Bobby Roode – there are so many – but definitely Kurt Angle is number 1 on the list.”

On what we can expect from him in TNA: “I can’t say exactly how long I’ve signed for, but I can say I won’t be disappearing any time soon! I’m hoping to continue what we’ve been doing….I’m Drew Galloway 100% of the time….I want to give the fans a platform to let their voice be heard.”

You can listen to the complete interview above.

WWE’s Culture Of Abuse And Hypocrisy

Staff
-
156

As you all know by now, WWE head trainer Bill DeMott “resigned” yesterday amid allegations of abusive, homophobic, and sexist behavior. I won’t go into the specifics, as we’ve covered the situation at great length here already.

What I would like to discuss, however, is the WWE’s culture of hypocrisy. For years now, the company has been affiliated with the Be A STAR campaign – an organization whose goal is to “ensure a positive and equitable social environment for everyone regardless of age, race, religion, or sexual orientation.”

Allegations have been levied against DeMott for years, with superstars apparently being fired for speaking out against the former trainer. It wasn’t until the story went viral this past week that the company took action though. In short, the company did not give a damn about DeMott’s actions; they simply wanted to avoid bad publicity.

Screen shot 2015-03-07 at 1.00.27 PM

To think that DeMott (I’d call him a has-been, but that would imply he was ever something to begin with) held unilateral power and ruled with an iron fist in the WWE is absolutely ludicrous. The higher-ups, including people like Vince McMahon, Triple H, and Stephanie McMahon, were likely well aware of these accusations for years, but they simply did not care because they have fostered an abusive and hypocritical work environment.

The situation bears striking resemblance to the Penn State sex abuse scandal a few years back. Although Jerry Sandusky was the one who was guilty of molesting children, the school’s president, athletic director, and even Joe Paterno himself turned a blind eye to the situation in order to avoid bad publicity, instead allowing it to continue with hopes that the victims would not go public with the allegations.

That is not to say or insinuate that DeMott molested children, but he is like Sandusky in that he is the face of the problem, but he does not encompass the problem itself. Instead, it is those who wield actual power within the company who need to be held accountable. Simply letting someone go – likely with a “golden parachute” severance package – does not excuse the bogus investigation and the cover-up that occurred in the first place.

A few things are clear following this situation: 1. The WWE knew of the allegations for years and chose to do absolutely nothing (sorry, there was an unfruitful “investigation”), 2. Anyone who spoke out against DeMott was essentially submitting their resignation letter, and 3. Bill DeMott would still have a job today had major media outlets not picked up this story.

Screen shot 2015-03-07 at 1.00.35 PM

And finally, to anyone who has defended DeMott’s actions by saying something to the effect of, “This generation is too soft” or “Things were done differently back in his day,” all I can really say is that I’m sorry, but you’re delusional. Defending DeMott’s abusive behavior and attempting to justify it with the aforementioned excuses is akin to saying it’s still acceptable to lynch black people because your parents and grandparents did so in the 1950s. The cycle of ignorance needs to be broken somewhere, and I’m glad to see that someone finally stood up to this bully.

The campaign should not end here either. Bill DeMott walking out the door does not mean the culture he epitomizes will be accompanying him. The WWE should not be off the hook for ignoring this situation for years and conducting a phony investigation. One can only hope that more victims speak out about their experiences with the company and those who wield real power are held accountable. DeMott wrestled under the name Hugh Morrus for many years in WCW. Unfortunately, there’s nothing amusing about this situation or the WWE’s abusive, hypocritical culture.

Bill DeMott Called Out By Ex-NXT Wrestler He Made Racist Remarks To, Kane Talks Career Highlight

Daniel Pena
-
16

– In light of recent allegations from Austin Matelson and other former WWE developmental wrestlers, Bill DeMott announced Friday that he is stepping down from his role as head trainer for NXT effective immediately. Osmund Cherry, who worked in WWE’s developmental system in 2012 and 2013 under the name Malik Omari, is pleased with the news.

In former developmental wrestler Austin Matelson’s (Judas Devlin) March 2013 memo to WWE officials Canyon Ceman, Dorothy Brill and Jane Geddes accusing DeMott of misconduct, he noted that DeMott would routinely tell Cherry, who is of African descent, “to go back to Africa.”

– For WWE’s “Legends of WrestleMania” issue exclusively available on newsstands, Kane revealed his career highlight as his match against Undertaker at WrestleMania XIV in Boston, Massachusetts.

“The highlight of my career, still, is our match at WrestleMania XIV,” Kane states. “Despite everything that I’ve done since that night, despite winning multiple championships, that match is still the highlight. It truly was the culmination of everything we’d been through up to that point, and it was one of the best rivalries WWE has ever seen. To have it all come to a head in our first match at the Show of Shows was just awesome. And, even though Undertaker defeated me, it took him three Tombstones to do it, which had never happened before.”

Triple H Interviews Arnold Schwarzenegger For WWE Network, Hornswoggle Undergoes Surgery

Matt Boone
-
1

– Triple H conducted an interview with 2015 WWE Hall Of Famer Arnold Schwarzenegger in Ohio this weekend. The interview is going to air on the WWE Network in the future. Triple H tweeted the following photo of the two together this weekend.

– Hornswoggle noted on Twitter on Friday that he recently underwent Arthroscopic Shoulder Decompression surgery. Hornswoggle tweeted the following:

Jericho Touches On DeMott Resignation, Reveals Favorite NXT Stars; Jericho Special On WWE Network

Matt Boone
-
5

Chris Jericho took part in a Q&A on his official Twitter account on Friday evening. Jericho touched on the Bill DeMott controversy, something he already spoke about in the past, but ended up deleting.

This time, Jericho simply stated that he has a “ton” of thoughts on DeMott stepping down as head trainer in NXT, however he didn’t get into detail.

Jericho put over Bray Wyatt as an “excellent” performer, and also revealed Finn Balor, Adrian Neville and Sami Zayn to be his favorite talents in NXT.

Speaking of Jericho, he will be the subject of next Monday’s post-RAW special on the WWE Network, as WWE will premiere a 30-minute preview of the new “Road Is Jericho” DVD and Blu-ray immediately following RAW.

Below is the official synopsis for the special.

“A first look at Jericho’s new home video! Jump in a limo and ride with Chris as he shares his favorite stories while traveling the country.”

Update On WWE Licensing Ring Of Honor Footage For New Daniel Bryan DVD/Blu-ray

Matt Boone
-
12

WWE recently licensed some footage of Daniel Bryan in Ring Of Honor for a future DVD release, specifically the upcoming “Daniel Bryan: Just Say Yes! Yes! Yes!” DVD and Blu-ray that is scheduled to come out on June 15th.

The footage that is being used is said to be the same clips we’ve seen on past WWE Network specials, not a full ROH match on the DVD. However, there is one dark match from 2000 that is scheduled to be included, which appears to be a WWE tryout match that Bryan worked.

Below is the new synopsis for the Daniel Bryan DVD/Blu-ray:

“Relive Daniel Bryan’s historic Journey to WrestleMania as he prepares for the biggest night of his career. Now with an extended cut, follow the leader of the Yes Movement into New Orleans for the biggest show of the year, WrestleMania 30. Witness the rise of one of the most popular WWE Superstars of all time from his humble beginnings into WWE Champion. Also includes an all-new interview with Daniel Bryan discussing some of the most important matches of his career as well as some exclusive matches in their entirety.”

WWE SmackDown Rating Rises This Week, Ties Best Number Since Move Back To Thursday

Matt Boone
-
0

The Thursday, March 5th edition of WWE SmackDown scored a final cable rating of 1.94, according to Nielsen Media Research. The 1.94 final draw is up from last week’s show, which delivered a 1.86 cable rating.

This week’s SmackDown averaged 2.694 million viewers, which was also up from last week, as the February 26th edition of the program averaged 2.624 million viewers.

Thursday’s show equalled the February 12th show for the second best rating since moving back to Thursday nights.

Update: Real Reason Bill DeMott Resigned, New Head Trainer For NXT Revealed

Matt Boone
-
58

As we reported earlier today, Bill DeMott has resigned from his job in WWE as head trainer of the company’s developmental system.

DeMott reportedly resigned in light of a new round of allegations made against him, including those by independent wrestler Terra Calaway, who claimed that DeMott used a variety of racist terms to address a Middle Eastern wrestler during a tryout camp, as well as accusations from an anonymous wrestler alleging that he refused to do anything about a strength and conditioning coach who was sexually harassing the women.

While WWE has not yet confirmed it, effective immediately, Matt Bloom (aka Tensai, A-Train) will be taking over the role as head trainer in NXT.

(Credit: F4WOnline.com)

NXT Talent Happy With Bill DeMott Stepping Down, Update On Eva Marie’s WWE Status, Jack Swagger

Daniel Pena
-
13

– In light of recent allegations from Austin Matelson and other former WWE developmental wrestlers, Bill DeMott announced Friday that he is stepping down from his role as head trainer for NXT effective immediately. According to Max Landis, a Los Angeles-based director and screenwriter, talent in NXT are elated over the news.

https://twitter.com/Uptomyknees/status/573976078315728896

– Eva Marie, who has not wrestled inside a WWE ring since September, is scheduled for next month’s tour of Europe. A house show is scheduled for Monday, April 13, 2015 in Leeds, England at the First Direct Arena and according to the venue’s official website, she is among those listed to appear.

– Jack Swagger toured London this week to promote WWE’s upcoming April 2015 tour of the United Kingdom. The official WWE website published this photo gallery of Swagger’s visit to London.

Is Bill DeMott Still With WWE After Resignation?, Paige Sends A Message To Her Fans

Daniel Pena
-
15

– In light of recent allegations made toward him, Bill DeMott announced Friday that he is stepping down from his role as head trainer for NXT effective immediately. Sources within WWE confirmed to PWInsider.com that DeMott has “resigned completely” from the organization.

– 2K Sports announced a contest this week where fans can submit a video of themselves explaining why they should represent Dolph Ziggler, Sami Zayn, Xavier Woods, or Paige at the 2K Tournament of Champions at WrestleMania Axxess at WrestleMania 31. The selected winners will fly out to WrestleMania to participate in the 2K Tournament of Champions and meet the Superstar or Diva they’re representing in the tournament.

In this video, Paige asks fans to represent her in the tournament.

John Cena To Be Inducted Into Springfield College Hall Of Fame

Matt Boone
-
28

Springfield college has officially announced John Cena as an inductee into their Hall Of Fame.

Below is the official press release:

Springfield, Mass. – March 6, 2015 – Springfield College is proud to announce that John Cena ‘99 is one of five inductees who will be enshrined into the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 18.

In 1998, Cena was one of three captains on the football team that was 9-2 and advanced to play in the NCAA Division III Championship. At season’s end, the accolades rolled in for the senior, as he was named a Hewlett-Packard Division III First Team All-American, a Football Gazette All-American, an ECAC New England/Northeast Division III All Star, and a New England Football Writers DII/DIII All Star.

After graduating from Springfield College in 1999, Cena went on to become one of the most recognizable sports and entertainment faces on the planet. As a WWE Superstar and 15-time World Champion, Cena combines his athleticism, charisma, strong work ethic and genuine personality to make him one of the brightest stars in WWE and it’s hit cable program, Monday Night RAW on the USA Network.

Cena devotes much of his time working on behalf of numerous charitable causes, including Make-A-Wish and Susan G. Komen. In 2009, Cena was awarded Make-A-Wish’s highest honor, the Chris Grecius Award, and in June 2012, set a Make-A-Wish record granting his 300th wish and continues to keep grant wishes as long as there are children who want to meet him.

He has currently granted over 460 wishes, the most of any celebrity or athlete involved with Make-A-Wish. Also in 2012, Cena led WWE’s partnership with Susan G. Komen, and special edition merchandise debuted, helping raise more than $1.5 million to support Susan G. Komen’s mission to eradicate breast cancer and save lives.

Bill DeMott Steps Down As Head Trainer Of WWE NXT

Staff
-
85

In light of the ongoing allegations being made against him from former WWE developmental wrestlers, WWE Performance Center head trainer Bill Demott has announced he is stepping down from his position.

DeMott released the following statement on Friday, continuing to deny the allegations:

“I deny the recent allegations made about me, however, to avoid any embarrassment or damage to the WWE, I’ve decided to step down from my role effective immediately.”

More than a half dozen people have come forward in recent weeks accusing DeMott of a variety of offenses, including physical and verbal abuse.

Here are just a handful of the articles related to this story:

Bo Dallas Sporting New Look (Photo), Backstage Note On HHH “Firing” Booker T, More

Matt Boone
-
44

– There was speculation that the segment where Triple H “fired” Booker T on Monday’s RAW was unscripted, however the word is that what happened in the segment went down exactly how it was written in the final script for the show, and that Booker T was well aware that it was coming.

– The second ever NXT live event outside of Florida will take place tonight in Cleveland, Ohio.

– Bo Dallas has somewhat of a new look. Below is a photo of he and Tyler Breeze from this week’s WWE television taping which shows Dallas sporting a beard.

(Partial Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

New Participants Announced For Andre The Giant Battle Royal & I-C Title Ladder Match WrestleMania 31

Matt Boone
-
45

– Dolph Ziggler is now officially added to the WWE Intercontinental Championship ladder match at WrestleMania 31. Other participants confirmed for the match include Bad News Barrett, Luke Harper, R-Truth and Dean Ambrose.

– WWE has officially announced Big Show and Kane as the newest entrants in this year’s Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 31. With those two added, the following is the updated list of participants, which as noted, is expected to feature 20 competitors in total.

* The Miz
* Curtis Axel
* Ryback
* Fandango
* Adam Rose
* Zack Ryder
* Jack Swagger
* Titus O’Neil
* Darren Young
* Big Show
* Kane

Dolph Ziggler Says He’s Never Happy With His Work, Update On Lilian Garcia Singing At NBA Game

Daniel Pena
-
9

– For WWE’s recent “Legends of WrestleMania” issue exclusively available on newsstands, Dolph Ziggler spoke out on what drives him in the ring.

“On a good day, I’m a bitter, angry, chip-on-my-shoulder type of guy. So when someone tells me I just tore down the house on Raw, I say, “Yeah, but you know what? There was this one situation where I wasn’t in the right place where I wanted to be.’ I was the World Champ, but I should be better,” Ziggler said.

“I’m constantly unsatisfied with any situation, which is both good and bad, because never being fully happy drives me to better every day…but I don’t enjoy the things that I do even when I do them great.”

– It was reported earlier this week that Lilian Garcia would be performing the National Anthem next Friday at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona before the Phoenix Suns vs. Atlanta Hawks game. This is no longer the case as she is now being advertised by the Suns to perform prior to next’s Wednesday game against the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of “WWE Night.” This will include on-court appearances by Daniel Bryan and The Bella Twins, as well as “WWE music and entertainment” throughout the night. For information and tickets on the event, click here.

Lilian previously sang the Anthem at a Phoenix Suns game in March 2013. Click here to see video of her performance.

Paige Talks #GiveDivasAChance, Her WWE Career Thus Far, Not Being Well-Liked In Developmental

Daniel Pena
-
17

In this interview with Justin LaBar of Trib Total Media, Paige speaks out on the the “#GiveDivasAChance” controversy, her less than warm welcome to WWE’s developmental program, her dream WrestleMania opponent, adjusting to WWE’s style, the cameras, Total Divas and more. Highlights from the interview are as follows:

You’ve been in the business your whole life. You’ve been a fan your whole life. You’ve been rookie of the year. Can you articulate this experience? Is it reality yet or does it still feel like a dream?

“I feel like it’s always going to be mind blowing and crazy to me. I spent two and a half years in developmental, which is incredible. I never thought I could make it there, and you never know if you will ever make the main roster. So to graduate there, make the main roster, win the Divas Championship on my first day, it all came so quickly and so soon. I still cannot believe it. I can’t believe I’ve already been the champion twice in under a year, which is completely mind blowing. So right now, no, it still doesn’t seem so real. More people recognize you on the street when you walk around. It’s crazy. I really don’t know to explain it. My ultimate goal was to be in WWE, be a champion, and I’ve done it.”

You had your first match at 13. Your family is a wrestling family. You had a lot of background coming into WWE. Did you deal with any resistance or clique kind of division? Or did everyone welcome you pretty well?

“I feel like there is always going to be a clique at any place you go into. There were handful of people who were really great to me, mostly the trainers. Norman Smiley was great. Terry Taylor was amazing. Dr. Tom was fantastic. Yes, some of the girls were a little standoffish from me, I feel like. I was completely different than they were and already had the wrestling experience. But I realized coming into developmental, I had to start over again from scratch. I guess my look, and you know, a couple of the girls said down the line when they started to like me some more, they were just like, ‘Oh, we were just a little intimidated by the way you were and how you wrestled and stuff.’ So I was like, ‘You were just going to hold that against me because I could wrestle and make me feel terrible about myself?

“So it all worked out. Any place you come in, it’s kind of like a high school thing. There are girls that have been together for a long time and a new girl comes in and it’s like who is that? It’s expected. It didn’t last very long. Summer Rae was actually the sweetest girl to me the first day I got there. She’s always been amazing and the same with me the whole time.”

Lately there’s been a lot of support for more television time for the Divas. I associate a lot of that to you, your popularity and the fan base you’ve created. You’ve been in the center of a lot of these controversies and segments of people wanting to see more of you. I think you really have generated this authentic fan base who want to see more women’s wrestling in WWE. What’s your take on that?

“Well, first of all, thank you. I appreciate that very much. I feel like it’s just me. Me and The Bellas have been working really hard the last couple of months. We’re really trying to build and tell a story and get the fans behind us. There is only so much you can do in a couple of minutes. I feel like the fans see that, and they really want to give us a chance. We only had a couple of minutes on RAW, and it caused this big uproar.

“They usually do give us a bit of time and the segment. I really appreciate the uproar started because now we’re getting tons more. We got a promo, we got this, we got that. I’ve never had this much before, but I love it. I feel like it’s definitely a two-way street. The fans love me, and they love the Bella Twins, too. They definitely have to get a lot of credit for how this big uproar started.”

Reason Why AJ Lee’s Tweets To Stephanie McMahon Won’t Be Used On TV In Storyline

Matt Boone
-
39

As reported recently, WWE has been planning on bringing AJ Lee back to television and setting up a tag-team match with she and Paige against The Bella Twins for WrestleMania 31 before AJ called out Stephanie McMahon on Twitter in late February.

The current word going around is that no creative changes were made as a result of AJ’s controversial tweets. WWE could always bring up AJ’s tweets on television and work them into her storyline, but due to The Authority being involved in the top programs heading into this year’s WrestleMania 31 event, it’s expected that they won’t get involved in any new storylines that are so low down on the card.

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

TNA Impact Preview, TNA Success In Germany & More

Staff
-
0

– TNA star Mr. Anderson turns 39 years old today.

– TNA taped the following matches for tonight’s Impact Wrestling on Destination America:

  • Kurt Angle vs. Eric Young vs. Bobby Roode in a #1 contender’s match
  • Awesome Kong vs. Taryn Terrell for the Knockouts Title
  • The Wolves vs. Abyss and James Storm for the Tag Team Titles
  • Bram vs. Matt Hardy
  • Kenny King vs. Drew Galloway

– TNA President Dixie Carter noted on Twitter that Impact Wrestling’s debut on DMAX in Germany was the most-watched show in Germany for last week.

https://twitter.com/TNADixie/status/572556236073398273

Bray Wyatt Steals Undertaker’s Urn, WWE Teases Undertaker Appearance For RAW

Matt Boone
-
45

As seen above in a clip from this week’s edition of WWE SmackDown, Bray Wyatt revealed that he is in possession of The Undertaker’s sacred urn. Wyatt threatened to unleash the spirit of the urn on this coming Monday’s edition of RAW in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The official WWE website has subsequently run an article that speculates that Wyatt taking the urn may be what it takes to bring The Undertaker back and respond to his WrestleMania 31 challenge.

The article contains the following teaser:

“The WWE Universe knows the history of Undertaker’s urn and the significance that it holds to his eternal legacy. It’s also no secret that the sacred urn has some mystical connection with The Demon of Death Valley. Wyatt knows having the urn in his hands is sure to get under The Undertaker’s skin. So, will Wyatt’s SmackDown reveal compel The Deadman to finally rise from the ashes of his WrestleMania 30 defeat?

If the sight of the urn in Wyatt’s hands doesn’t bring The Undertaker back, maybe whatever the creepy Superstar has planned for this Monday night will. Wyatt professed that he will unleash the urn’s spirit on Raw, making us wonder what he could possibly have planned. Will we witness the “power” of the urn come to life? And, if so, will we finally see The Deadman in the flesh on Raw?”

Vince McMahon Says He’s The Luckiest Man In The World, Talks About What His Legacy Will Be

Matt Boone
-
16

As reported recently, Vince McMahon is on the cover of the March 2015 issue of Muscle & Fitness and is also featured in an interview in the magazine.

The reporter who interviewed McMahon credited him as one of the pioneers of pay-per-view television and as the man who reinvented sports entertainment. When asked what his legacy will be, McMahon replied with the following comments.

“I don’t look at myself as having a legacy in entertainment, and quite frankly I don’t care. It doesn’t matter what I think, it’s what people perceive. I’m not good at patting myself on the back. I want to be known as a loving father and grandfather. And if I’m lucky, a great-grandfather. And I’m the luckiest man in the world without question, so it might happen.”

Sasha Banks Comments On Being NXT Women’s Champion, A Role Model To Young Women & More

Matt Boone
-
24

NXT Women’s Champion Sasha Banks recently took part in a Q&A with the official WWE website. Below are some highlights.

On her era as NXT Women’s Champion: “If you look at it in historical terms, Paige was the first champion so her era was like an introduction into this higher level of female empowerment. Charlotte’s era was similar to what Brock Lesnar is now. Just a dominant, “It’s gonna take the world to take me down”-type of competitor. My era is bigger than that. I’m going to transcend boundaries. I’m aiming for an era that’s on par with The Rock. Sasha Banks will be a name that’s on everyone’s tongues, and not just fans of NXT. Bank on it.”

On whether or not she sees herself as a role model to younger girls: “I believe I am. Bayley, for all her hugs and lovingness, can be a bit naive. I think that type of inspirational figure can leave girls a bit vulnerable in the real world. I’m showing young girls that to be a big deal in life, you have to be a big deal inside. You have to believe that nothing in this world is too farfetched, and if you want something bad enough, you can’t let anyone tell you you’re not good enough to achieve it. In order to be a star, you have to walk, talk and act like a star.”

On her future as Women’s Champion of NXT: “I’ve got the NXT Women’s Championship around my waist. That was the easy part. Now, it’s time to broaden the horizon. It’s time to show the world how big the NXT Universe is and how Sasha Banks is the brightest star in it. Then and only then will I set my sights on much bigger fish. Hey, WWE Divas, I hope you’re ready.”

Check out the complete interview at WWE.com.

Tommy Dreamer Shares His Thoughts On The Bill DeMott Controversy

Matt Boone
-
13

On the latest edition of the Busted Open satellite radio show, ECW original Tommy Dreamer shared his thoughts on the controversy surrounding Bill DeMott.

Below is an excerpt from the interview.

“I ran the WWE developmental center, I ran OVW, and I ran Deep South. I like to say that wrestling training is different. When I was trained by Johnny Rodz, I was stretched in holds to the point of crying. I remember sometimes driving back on the BQE, and my hands were literally shaking, because I was stretched. I was pushed to a peak physically. With that being said, that is training. I think there could be some merit, but it doesn’t help that these accusations are coming from ex-talent. Because then it looks like its sour grapes. It would have to come from someone, and no one would speak up, if they are current talent or just walked away. I walked away from the WWE because I was not happy. I was not happy, not happy because of something that anybody did to me. I just wasn’t happy at my job, so then I walked away.

“Training is hard. This business is very, very hard. I have my own wrestling school. I don’t believe in going in and beating people up, but Bubba Ray and Lance Storm have schools as well, and they will look at it and say ‘if some of these people were actually in a real fight, or beat up, they would learn how to sell.’ When I was there, I had one problem with the WWE developmental center. I went down there and kicked everyone out. I said, ‘Guys, gals, I hired each and every one of you. I need to know if something is wrong so I can fix if for you. If you don’t want to tell me, you can tell me privately.’ I handed every single one of them, all sixty of them clipboards with my hotel and you can meet me privately. Not one person stepped up.

“If there was a problem I had with Bill DeMott, or any of my trainers, I would go to my boss, who would then go to Vince McMahon. When I did have a problem with Bill, I said let’s put a video camera in there. They said ‘ok, no problem.’ I never had a problem with Bill personally or professionally, and I do think he is a good trainer. Not all coaches like their players. I’ve seen on Twitter people stick up for Bill, and I have seen people not stick up for Bill. Everybody’s situation is different. If there were homophobic slurs, then yes that has to be addressed. I know that when he worked for me, everything that I asked, he did. I had a problem where someone brought up racism. I said, ‘Hey, let me hear it.’ Then no one said anything. I was willing to help you. There were no ramifications, no ramifications whatsoever. Let me cure this problem, then there would have been no problems.”

Titus O’Neil Talks Reuniting With Darren Young, His #UseYourVoice Message & More

Matt Boone
-
12

Titus O’Neil recently spoke with Vindy.com to promote the WWE live event in Youngstown, Ohio this coming weekend. Below are highlights from the interview.

On reuniting the Prime Time Players with Darren Young: “Yeah, the band is back together. The Prime Time Players are back together, and we’re focused on taking on what we started and building upon that. We’re the roughest, toughest and most entertaining tag team in the WWE, and we’re dead set on becoming the WWE tag-team champions.”

On his recent #UseYourVoice-themed message on Instagram: “It’s nothing that I haven’t been trying to convey years before I got into the WWE. My story is very powerful in itself. I was the beneficiary of people from all races and all backgrounds investing in me at a young age. I came from a fatherless home. My mother was raped at a very young age, and so, obviously, I came from an impoverished background.

People invested in that place to give me a fair opportunity at winning at life. So for me, I’m fulfilling a purpose in which I’m repaying every single individual that invested in me when they didn’t have to. I look at this world in a completely different manner than most people do. I don’t see it in the eyes of skin color, gender or sexual orientation. The people who have an issue of what I said are the very people that are the ones that are the biggest perpetuators of the problem. But I’m not pushing any agenda on anyone outside of being the best person you can be.”

Check out the complete interview at Vindy.com.

Xavier Woods Gets New Tattoo (Photos), New Names Added To Andre Memorial Battle Royal

Matt Boone
-
22

– The Prime Time Players, Titus O’Neil and Darren Young, have both officially been added to the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal match at WrestleMania 31. WWE is reportedly planning on having 20 Superstars involved in this year’s battle royal, down from the 31 participants who competed in the match last year. With the Prime Time Players now included, the following updated list for the match is as follows:

* Titus O’Neil
* Darren Young
* The Miz
* Curtis Axel
* Ryback
* Fandango
* Adam Rose
* Zack Ryder
* Jack Swagger

– WWE Superstar Xavier Woods recently got a new tattoo, which was inspired by the “Zelda” video game. Below, courtesy of Woods’ official Instagram page, is a photo of him getting the new ink.

2015 Royal Rumble PPV Buys Revealed, ROH Announces Samoa Joe Match For 3/14

Matt Boone
-
13

– After returning to the promotion at their 13th anniversary pay-per-view event this past weekend, Ring Of Honor has announced that Samoa Joe will face Michael Elgin at their March 14th event at The Frontier Fieldhouse in Chicago Ridge, Illinois.

– WWE has released additional information regarding their latest Royal Rumble pay-per-view. The 2015 edition of the Royal Rumble drew 141,000 buys on pay-per-view, 92,000 from international buys and 49,000 domestic. The 2014 edition of the pay-per-view, which took place prior to the launch of the WWE Network, drew 467,000 buys on pay-per-view.

1...2,2662,2672,268...3,326Page 2,267 of 3,326