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Paul London On WWE Hiring A Lot Of Indy Stars, What It’s Like To Train With HBK & More

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Former WWE Superstar Paul London recently spoke to Slam! Wrestling about the fact that WWE has been hiring more independent wrestling stars lately, training with Shawn Michaels early in his career and whether or not he’s interested in making a return to WWE.

Below are highlights from the interview.

On WWE hiring more independent wrestlers these days: “I like the fact that they are hiring independent guys right now. I mean NXT is WWE’s flagship program to be honest with you. They are paying attention to the guys’ history more. Like Devitt (Finn Balor) and his body paint or Steen (Kevin Owens) and Sami Zayn working together. When I look at NXT now, I feel like I was hired a decade too early. But at the same time, the advantage, if anything, I came at the time when I think it opened up a mental possibility for my peers on the independents. They could look at me and say, ‘Well, he’s not very big and he’s not all that good.’ I mean, I’m good, but I’m not great or I’m not the best around. I’ll never make that claim. I’m just a working son-of-a-bitch. But I’m not much of a head turner if you’re walking down the street. But in 2003, there was still that size stigma.”

On training at Shwn Michaels’ wrestling school early in his career: “Shawn was the biggest influence on my career, but there a slight misconception there. I trained mostly with Rudy Gonzales, who was Shawn’s head trainer. I kind of came in when Shawn was about to close the doors. An article in a magazine kind of took that and ran with it in the wrong direction. The funny part is that fast forward years later, in WWE, Shawn pulled me over in his locker room and asked me, ‘Correct me if I’m wrong, I’m having a hard time. Did a train you?’ So I told him the same story and he goes, ‘Good, because everyone keep saying that I trained you, but I don’t remember being in the ring so much with you, and I just figured that I’d remember training you, because you’re so talented. I thought I was going senile!

Shawn is the best wrestler that I have ever seen and after his injuries, it wasn’t that he changed his work a whole lot, but he got smarter. He gets so much mileage from every single move. Everything registers in a way that the audience can really digest it instead of just watching a firework show. When I was feuding with Lance Cade and we were having house shows matches, Shawn and Arn Anderson once put me over for several minutes in front of everyone, saying that I was someone with no storyline, who was able to get over no matter what and that my selling was good. It lasted for 10-15 minutes. It was completely unexpected!”

On whether or not he’s interested in a WWE return: “WWE is just not a flavour that really appeals to me unless they would throw an insane amount of money at me to go back to that environment. Japan is different. I would love to have the opportunity to go back to Japan. That being said, I would love to go back to the big stage, but it’s not a priority right now. I like the fact I’m traveling and getting to know new cultures.”

Check out the complete interview at Slam.Canoe.ca.

Jack Swagger On His Relationship With Jim Ross, Working With Zeb Colter, Del Rio

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WWE Superstar Jack Swagger recently spoke with the folks at Ring Rust Radio about his relationship with Jim Ross and Zeb Colter, working both sides of the “We The People” gimmick as a heel and babyface, this year’s WrestleMania season and more.

Below are highlights from the interview:

On WrestleMania season and where he sees his character going: “It’s a fun time of year but it’s also a stressful time of year. WWE really likes to keep its fans on the edge of their seats and on their toes. They are always trying to keep that big swerve in their pocket for as long as possible. Right now I am unattached, so going forward I’m going to do whatever I can behind the scenes and in the ring to secure a match in WrestleMania and make it a good spot.”

On if he feels being a good worker ever feel typecasts him as a performer or limits his potential to allow fans to see more of hi personality: “Yeah, it’s a double edged sword. It does only give me so many options. I think it’s on the Superstars in this day and age to get your personality out there. We have so many tools now that we didn’t have even when I first started six years ago. Social media is such a powerful media that is a Superstar is type casted or only getting so many opportunities you can go on social media to promote yourself and your brand and give fans a chance to see that other side of your personality. That will only help your in ring performance entertainment wise though. As far as me, after you have been doing it as long as I have you constantly have to stay hungry and growing and reinvent yourself as an artist. Otherwise as an artist you will be dying and that’s what I try to keep doing as much as possible.”

On his program with Alberto Del Rio entering WrestleMania 29 and whether WWE struck gold by toeing the line: “Absolutely. It was a very hot topic across the United States. I think the WWE should do more on it along those lines and still stay PG. It made it fun and more relative to our older fans. With the story lines today, it’s very hard to generate natural interest in the WWE universe. You can’t force it down their throats; they are only going to like what they like. Having something that’s already on the tips of their tongues or on their minds, it just makes it that much easier, fun and intense. Any time you can get Glenn Beck crying it’s a good thing.”

On playing both sides of the “We the People” character and whether it was difficult for him to play a villain or was it a more entertaining role: “Growing up in Oklahoma, my High School team was renowned and very good. We would walk into places and they would just boo the hell out of us. So from a young age I got a taste of that and I liked it. The more you boo me the better I’m going to wrestle. You don’t like me? So what. It’s a lot of fun to work like that and wrestle with that mindset. I haven’t been on the other side of the ball or the we the people character. It doesn’t have the same type of fulfillment but it’s different as you can imagine Hear the people actual pop for something good or cheer a victory is nice too. I’m not sure which one I like more right now so maybe I’m going to need a six year face run to make sure.”

On working with Zeb Colter and lessons he’s learned: “Zeb Colter is unbelievable, he is priceless.I can’t tell you how many things he has helped me, other Superstars, the creative team, and even Vince with. An all-around good person and his experience is almost incomparable in this day and age in sport entertainment. Riding with him he has made me a better driver because he complains all the time. You almost get into one car accident and he never lets you forget it. That aside, with wrestling, it’s a different generation and mentality that still works. You have to take the match like that, work like that, and have that mentality. I think the main thing with him is he wants physicality. He has worked with me on a lot of things like my size and being more physical and when to do something in a certain spot. The best thing about him being out there is you never know what he is going to say ringside. There has been so many times he has said something and made me pop and I laughed right in the middle of the ring. That may be bad for some matches that’s always a good thing with me.”

On his Oklahoma days and how his relationship with Jim Ross: “I started playing football in 2001, the year after the won the National championship. I actually met Jerry Briscoe 2004 when I was half way through and he introduced me to Jim. Whenever they were in town we would get together and talk college wrestling or wrestling in general. We would talk football with Jim and have dinner. Of course they told me about it, I’m a big guy and good looking. They always said finish your degree finish college and if you want to give this a shot we will be here waiting. The last semester of college I interviewed for so many finance firms and security exchanges. There were so many jobs there but the opportunity just wasn’t as good as what the WWE was presenting. You should have seen the look on my parents faces when I told them that I was going to do it but it ended out working out pretty well. I graduated in May 2006 and by July of 2006 I was signed and moved to Deep South Wrestling.”

On the difficulty of creating submission holds or even working in different holds into matches: “It is one of the processes of being a Superstar, to always be evolving. It’s hard because everything has been done and seen before. To find something that works you can only find through trying something out there in the ring. You have to try it out there, see how it works, and see what it looks like. It is very difficult but it is very possible. Another thing too with so many guys on the roster and in NXT there are only so many moves you can do without someone else doing them. That is rule number one to me; don’t do anything else that someone else is doing. You want to be yourself and stand out. To find a move that works, stands out, and separates you from everyone else, it is hard but you can do it.”

Check out the complete interview at BlogTalkRadio.com.

Triple H’s Announcement To Open RAW, More On The New Tough Enough

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– The new season of WWE Tough Enough on the USA Network will feature several NXT wrestlers who have not yet appeared on TV, according to verified WWE insider ‘MetsFan4Ever.

During a recent WWE tryout camp at the Performance Center, several executives from the USA Network were in attendance scouting potential Tough Enough cast members. It’s believed that third-generation wrestler Tessa Blanchard was one of the people the USA Network was interested in.

– Vince McMahon and several other top WWE officials flew out to Denver, Colorado (site of tonight’s RAW) on Sunday morning due to the snow storm that hit the Northeast last night and today. Many flights out of the Northeast were cancelled today, so this proved to be a smart move from Vince & company.

– The Authority has announced on Twitter that Triple H will kick off tonight’s RAW with his big announcement about the Royal Rumble controversy.

Jim Ross Blog: Should WWE Sign Bubba Ray Dudley?, Austin/HHH, Reigns Controversy

Matt Boone
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In a new blog posted on his official website, WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross shared his thoughts on tonight’s “Stone Cold Podcast” with Triple H, the controversy surrounding Roman Reigns, CM Punk in the UFC and whether or not WWE should sign Bubba Ray Dudley.

Below are highlights:

On tonight’s “Stone Cold Podcast” with Triple H: “Hopefully, the HHH podcast with Steve Austin won’t be the best part of my Monday night WWE viewing as the two former rivals have a tough act to follow after the Austin/McMahon podcast of a few weeks ago. I’m curious to see what twists and turns this interview takes as it should be a revealing and entertaining hour or so of programming. Austin and Jericho are the beneficiaries of having the WWE Network behind them with their respective podcasts.

IMO the more original @WWENetwork programming WWE can create the better in my view. Things like Austin/HHH should be good for the network and is relatively inexpensive to produce.”

On the controversy surrounding Roman Reigns: “Some never say die fans are still complaining about Roman Reigns winning the Royal Rumble but I’d guess by next week it won’t be such a big deal to the vocal minority. None of us know what shape of the WM31 card is going to resemble in it’s final rendition. I’m happy to wait and see as I can’t affect the card any more than anyone reading this.

Plus, my guess is that many who say that they won’t watch WM31 will be unable to resist temptation especially for $9.99.

Question…do you think that most vocal wrestling fans are as passionate regarding other, more important aspects of their lives as they are about pro wrestling? Just curious….”

On CM Punk in the UFC: “After talking with several MMA aficionados over the past several days they agree that it is ignorant for those MMA purists to diss CM Punk for getting into MMA w/ UFC including the fact that Brock Lesnar may well stick is toe back into UFC waters. It’s all about the cash and bringing press to the brand in a positive manner. What it actually is would be a no brainer to sane individuals.

No one in MMA, boxing or pro wrestling has enough box office attractions even if said attractions turns out to be a one hit wonder. That’s why now is a good time to take calculated risks.”

On Bubba Ray Dudley to WWE: “From a creative standpoint, I could easily see Bubba Dudley returning to WWE if for no other reason to allow Bubba to work with the younger talents on the road at live events. Young talents cannot improve working with those who have the same or less than them skill sets.”

Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.

The Latest On Bryan vs. Ziggler, Rumored Fast Lane Title Match & More

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– As reported over the weekend, Daniel Bryan vs. Dolph Ziggler is expected to be the opening match at WrestleMania 31. Like last year, the original plan was for Bryan to wrestle Sheamus at WrestleMania. Daniel Bryan requested to fight Ziggler instead and their discussion on Twitter about a potential match has been part of the updated storyline plans. Expect to see Bryan and Ziggler discussing a WrestleMania match on WWE TV as soon as tonight.

– The upcoming WWE Fast Lane pay-per-view on February 22nd will have some stiff competition, with the 87th Academy Awards and UFC’s Fight Night Brazil live event both taking place on the same night.

– WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos are expected to defend against Cesaro and Tyson Kidd at Fast Lane.

– Speaking of Cesaro and Kidd, WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart was backstage for this weekend’s WWE live event from Calgary and took a photo with the team:

WWE RAW Preview, Stone Cold Podcast With Triple H

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Tonight’s WWE RAW takes place from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado.

The top item advertised for RAW is Triple H making a major announcement regarding the controversy surrounding the Royal Rumble. #1 contender Roman Reigns maintains that there is no controversy – he won the Royal Rumble and that’s all there is to it. The controversy with fans is that Reigns won and isn’t ready for this opportunity – but it remains to be seen exactly what Triple H will be addressing. Curtis Axel has teased that he was never eliminated, WWE is hinting that Dean Ambrose could be affected by Triple H’s announcement. We’ll find out tonight exactly where this is headed.

RAW will also feature more build toward the upcoming Fast Lane pay-per-view.

Other top talent appearing on RAW includes John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, Kane, and Big Show.

After RAW, Triple H will be appearing on a special edition of the Stone Cold Podcast on the WWE Network. Austin’s last interview with Vince McMahon was newsworthy to say the least and tonight is likely to be no different.

As always, join us here tonight for Live Coverage of WWE RAW.

WWE Trolls The Super Bowl, WWE-NFL Poll, The Rock’s Super Bowl Commercial

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– On Super Bowl Sunday, WWE.com ran a poll asking fans which WWE Superstar would be the most dominant in the NFL – Brock Lesnar, Big E, John Cena, Mark Henry, Roman Reigns, Kane, Big Show, Rusev, Sheamus, Cesaro, Erick Rowan, Luke Harper, Titus O’Neil, Ryback or “other.”

With nearly 10,000 votes cast, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar is leading with 39%. Roman Reigns has 24% and John Cena is next with 8%.

– Last night’s NFL Super Bowl from Arizona’s University of Phoenix Stadium drew a major crowd, packing over 70,000 fans into the venue. WWE didn’t miss the opportunity to point out that WrestleMania 26 back in 2010 drew more fans than last night’s Super Bowl. They didn’t mention that due to the seating configuration, WrestleMania had the ability to accommodate more people. #JustSaying

– Here’s is the new Fast & Furious 7 trailer featuring The Rock that premiered during the the Super Bowl:

Photos: Jerry Lawler & Ric Flair At NBA Game

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WWE Hall Of Famers Ric Flair and Jerry Lawler were in attendance at the Memphis Grizzlies “Pro Wrestling Night” themed game at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday night.

Check out these photos of the two legends in attendance at the game.

Daniel Bryan With “Yes!” Chant Originator (Photo), Xavier Woods In A Cast & More

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– Xavier Woods is still out of action with an ankle injury. Woods was still wearing a cast on his leg during his appearances at the WWE live event in Albuquerque, New Mexico this weekend.

– Speaking of the Albuquerque live event, UFC star Diego Sanchez was backstage at the show. Below is a photo of Daniel Bryan with Sanchez, the man who originated the “Yes!” chant.

– Finally, also at the Albuquerque show was Dana Warrior and The Ultimate Warrior’s kids. Below is a photo of the Warrior family with Alicia Fox and Natalya backstage at the show.

Alberto El Patron Busted Open Last Night In ROH, Cody Hall Debuts for NJPW

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– Alberto El Patron got busted open at last night’s Ring of Honor live event in Dayton, Ohio. He did not suffer a concussion, as some other sites reported.

During a match with former ROH Champion Roderick Strong, Alberto was dropped on the guard rail at ringside and was bleeding pretty badly from his mouth or nose. He won via cross armbreaker.

– Cody Hall made his New Japan Pro Wrestling debut on Monday in Japan. In a match that pitted the Bullet Club against Team New Japan, Tanahashi pinned Hall.

Bubba Ray Dudley On Not Being With TNA, A Possible Full-Time WWE Return & More

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Bubba Ray Dudley, fresh off of his surprise appearance at the WWE Royal Rumble last Sunday night, spoke to the folks at Busted Open Radio about his appearance in the 30-man match, the reaction he got from the fans in Philadelphia, not being with TNA as part of their rebirth on Destination America and more.

Below are highlights from the interview.

On his appearance in the Royal Rumble and if we are going to see more of him in the WWE: “It’s really up to the WWE Universe. I think that fans have more of a voice now then they have ever had in pro wrestling and I think that’s good because it forces pro wrestling to stay on their toes. You know; wrestlers, creative people, everybody. So my answer is if the WWE Universe wants to see me or me and my brother, Devon, they need to be as vocal as possible. And you know, let them know. Whether that be on social media or with signs (at live events). And if management wants us back, then we’ll make that decision. But as far as the Rumble is concerned, it was a one night stand alone and it was really exciting. It was just a lot of fun.”

On the pop he got from the crowd in Philadelphia: “It was awesome. It was not anything I haven’t experienced before but I hadn’t experienced it in a while. So it was good. And I said to myself before I walked out, I wonder if I’m gonna have that surreal moment where I kind of black out for a minute and I went out there and I soaked it all in. I really enjoyed it.”

On the fans becoming more vocal if they are displeased or pleased with the product: “I mean, yeah. It’s obvious. I don’t like it when fans try to hijack a show, so to speak, just for the sake of doing it. Just because they want to be cool or because they want to go on someone’s social media and go hey look what I did. But if they are dissatisfied with the product or unhappy with the level of entertainment that any company is giving them; I think because of the world we are living in today that they have more of a voice and they should speak up. Listen, if you’re paying your hard earned money to go to a show and you’re not enjoying yourself, then why shouldn’t you speak up? If you went to a restaurant and ordered dinner and you didn’t like dinner, you would speak up. If you went to go buy a car and the car didn’t run the right way when you got it home, you would speak up. If you went to a rock and roll concert and they decided to play all B-Sides, you’d speak up. You’d be pissed. So wrestling is no different.”

On if it would mean more to him to have a single’s run in the WWE or to return with Devon to the tag team division: “I think both can be done. And I think people would like to see both. I’m really torn on the idea. As far as me and Devon doing it together, I think it’s a very easy fit. People have always been supportive of us and if we were to go back there together, I think that they would welcome us back open arms and it could definitely, definitely work. They have some really quality teams up there that me and Devon would love to work with. The Usos, big fan of Damien Mizdow and The Miz, maybe we would get in there with The Ascension. Hell, maybe a nostalgia match with Road Dogg and Billy Gunn. That’s easy. As far as by myself is concerned, that would be interesting because people always ask me about the Bully Ray character and the WWE.”

On if him not being with TNA is affecting their rebirth over on Destination America: “They’re going through their—uh, I don’t know what the right word is; I don’t want to even say growing pains. I think that they are beyond the growing pains stage. And when it comes to Bully Ray and TNA, I have done so much there. Especially over the last 3 years, so I think taking a break from each other might have been a good idea. But you know like they say in wrestling; you never know. You never say never. I wish them—most of all I wish the boys the best of luck because at the end of the day, that TNA locker room is a hard working bunch of guys who have a lot of passion and a lot of drive. And I would like to see really great things happen for the wrestlers in the TNA locker room.”

MMANEWS.COM: CM Punk/UFC Update, Backstage News On Brock Lesnar’s Future & MORE!

Mick Foley Tells Vince “You’re Killing Roman Reigns,” Talks Rumble Controversy

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Mick Foley recently published a new Facebook blog addressing this year’s Royal Rumble match, Vince McMahon writing Roman Reigns’ promos and more.

Below is Foley’s latest blog:

RUMBLE BLUES

Remember how caught up in the ?#?RoyalRumble? I got last year? I sent out that tweet asking whether WWE hated their own audience, smashed a TV set, and texted all the powers that be – telling them how badly I thought they’s messed up. It’s safe to say that I was pretty mad last year.

I’m not worried about this year’s ?#?Wrestlemania?. I can envision a number of scenarios in which Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar can have an epic confrontation. My suggestion to WWE in this match would be to step aside and let the fertile fields of Paul Heyman’s mind run free and allow Lesnar and Reigns to create the most exciting, physical match possible.

No, I’m not worried about Wrestlemania. But I m worried about the Rumble.

I wasn’t mad after this year’s Rumble. Instead, I was sad. Sad, because the Rumble, which has been one of the most entertaining ?#?WWE? events of the year for so long, might just be in danger of becoming “just another show”, and going the way of “Survivor Series” as a good idea that runs it course and ceases to be relevant. I didn’t see this year’s Rumble, and with the exception of the final few minutes I caught on WWE Monday Night Raw, I don’t envision myself doing so. But I didn’t need to see the Rumble or know the outcome to know what a disappointment it was. All I had to do was watch the people. I dropped 3 of my kids off at the Wells Fargo Center at 6:30, and showed up on Broad Street, just a few blocks from the arena at 10:45, just as the crowd was letting out. No one saw me in my vehicle. But I saw them, and could tell, just by the way people were walking- by the way children were dragging their signs, and shuffling slowly, by the way adults held their heads down, with limited verbal interactions – that there was no joy in Philadelphia.

Let me quote a story I wrote about Zack Ryder several months ago here on Facebook, and hope that the right people in WWE read it – because I think they are on the verge of losing some fans in the fallout of the Rumble. It wasn’t just that one of their favorites didn’t win – it was the brevity of their appearances, the lack of imagination in their involvement and the unceremonious way in which they were eliminated.

“Eventually people get tired of finding out that the WWE Superstars they have supported with their cheers, their purchases, their signs, their follows and their likes aren’t real Superstars – and little by little, those fans lose interest in WWE, find other interests, and become former WWE fans.”

I have no intention of becoming the “anti-WWE guy”. I’m going to take a little break from ?#?Raw? and ?#?Smackdown? for the next couple of weeks, and see what the landscape looks like, heading into the next PPV. I really do think WWE is going to turn out a great Mania, and I’ll be in the crowd watching. But I fear for the Rumble. What was once the start of “The Road to Wrestlemania” has now become a roadblock to the good will and excitement needed for a truly memorable Wrestlemania atmosphere.

One more thing. I’ve heard rumors that Mr McMahon is personally writing the recent Roman Reigns promos. If that’s true, I’d like to personally address Mr McMahon.

Dear Vince,

Please stop – you’re killing the poor guy,

Sincerely,

Mick Foley

WWE Hypes Up WM31 Storylines For Bray Wyatt & Daniel Bryan Heading Into Monday’s RAW?

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There is a lot of speculation surrounding Bray Wyatt’s cryptic promo from this past Thursday night’s live edition of WWE SmackDown. The belief is that Wyatt was referring to The Undertaker when talking about being afraid of nothing, “living or dead.”

The official WWE website appears to be adding fuel to the fire, as they recently wrote the following while promoting Monday’s WWE RAW:

“Following a dominant performance in the 2015 Royal Rumble Match, lasting more than 45 minutes and eliminating six Superstars, Bray Wyatt delivered a bizarre message on Thursday’s SmackDown that was even more cryptic than his usual proclamations. Asking “what makes you smile?” Wyatt claimed that he fears “nothing, living or dead.” He then promised that after what happens next, “it will be hard for you to ever smile again.” To whom was Wyatt speaking, and to what was he referring?”

Additionally, WWE.com wrote the following about Daniel Bryan, further hyping up the rumored match between he and Dolph Ziggler for this year’s WrestleMania 31 pay-per-view:

“But where will Bryan’s journey take him? Based on his interview on last week’s Raw, the leader of the “Yes!” Movement still has his sights set on the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but his unceremonious ousting during the Royal Rumble Match by longtime nemesis Bray Wyatt has seemingly denied him his return to the WrestleMania main event. Will Bryan seek retribution against Wyatt for dashing his dreams for WrestleMania? Will Bryan’s social media exchange with Dolph Ziggler about a friendly match at WrestleMania 31 lead to a Show of Shows dream match for the two fan-favorite Superstars? Perhaps we’ll learn more about The “Yes!” Man’s next move on Raw.”

Full List Of “Black History Month” Content On The WWE Network

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Here is a full listing of the “Black History Month” content available on the WWE Network, courtesy of WrestlingDVDNews.com:

Madison Square Garden • February 2, 1976
Spiros Arion vs. Kevin Sullivan
Ernie Ladd vs. Dominic DeNucci
Ivan Putski vs. Ivan Koloff
WWE Championship Match: Bruno Sammartino vs. “Superstar” Billy Graham
Best 2 out of 3 Falls Match: Bobo Brazil & Tony Parisi vs. Crusher Blackwell & Bugsy McGraw

GWF Major League Wrestling • July 7, 1992
The Ebony Experience (Booker T & Stevie Ray) vs. John Tatum & Ron Price
Scott Putski vs. Black Bart
15-Man Bunkhouse Stampede Match

Mid-South Wrestling • September 8, 1983
Junkyard Dog vs. King Kong Bundy
Road Warriors vs. Art Crews & Rick Rude
No Disqualification Match: Jim Duggan vs. Ted Dibiase

Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling • July 13, 1983
Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood vs. The Brisco Brothers
Brett Hart vs. Greg Valentine
Rufus R. Jones vs. Dory Funk Jr.

Mid-South Wrestling • January 14, 1982
Brian Blair vs. The Monk
Ernie Ladd & The Samoans vs. Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes & Junkyard Dog
Dick Murdoch vs. Bob Roop

Championship Wrestling • December 10, 1983
The Iron Sheik vs. Jimmy Jackson
The Masked Superstar vs. The Tonga Kid
Tag Team Championship No Disqualification Match: The Wild Samoans vs. Tony Atlas & Rocky Johnson

World Class Championship Wrestling • September 13, 1985
“Hollywood” John Tatum vs. Adidas
Iceman King Parsons & Kerry Von Erich vs. Mark Lewin & Jack Victory

All Star Wrestling • February 28, 1976
Bobo Brazil vs. Hans Schroeder
Stan Hansen vs. Johnny Rivera
Kevin Sullivan & Pat Barrett vs. Frank Monte & Billy Coleman

WCW Main Event August 17, 1992
Barry Windham vs. Tracy Smothers
Jimmy Garvin vs. Jushin Liger
Brian Pillman vs. George South
WCW World Championship Match: Big Van Vader vs. Ron Simmons

Mid-Atlantic Wrestling • August 1, 1984
Brian Adidas vs. Paul Kelly
Assasin #1 vs. Brett Hart (the other one)
Harley Race vs. Barry Windham
Rufus R. Jones & Pez Whatley vs. Ivan Koloff & Don Kernodle

NWA World Wide Wrestling • September 15, 1982
Bad Leroy Brown vs. Pork Chop Cash
King Parsons vs. Jos Le Duc
Wahoo McDaniel & Jack Brisco vs. Jim Dolphin & Ben Alexander
Paul Jones & Greg Valentine vs. Mike Davis & Ron Richie
Mike Rotundo & Ricky Steamboat vs. Juan Renoso & Ali Bey

Tyson Kidd On His Relationship With Viktor Of The Ascension, Vince’s “Brass Ring” Speech

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Tyson Kidd recently spoke with the folks at Slam! Wrestling to promote the recent WWE live event in Calgary. During the interview, Kidd spoke about his current tag-team with Cesaro, his relationship with Viktor of The Ascension, his work in NXT, Vince McMahon’s “brass ring” speech and more.

Below are highlights.

On Viktor of The Ascension and their history: “It means a lot because I know of his struggles and past and it is similar to mine. We both competed in a lot of places that weren’t highly publicized so even though you are doing a lot people don’t know about it. You have to keep growing and growing and to see him here is great. Unfortunately for him I am also in a tag team so it is probably for the best for him that our paths don’t cross.”

On working in NXT: “The main thing is that everything is taped at Full Sail. It is kind of like competing on home turf every time in terms of the tapings and specials. The main roster travels, I am in Hartford for live Smackdown, then head to Edmonton and Calgary and Denver. It is travel travel travel. NXT is more stationary. Having a chance to work with Dusty Rhodes, he has helped me so much that I can’t even praise how much. The first time I saw him on WWE television in polka dots I never would have thought that guy would be such an influence on my career.”

On the current talent pool in NXT: “Those guys are unbelievably talented. We really can take nothing away. Just look at my match that aired this week on the WWE Network with Adrian Neville. The guy is phenomenal. It is really cool that they are being bred down there. Add in a guy like Tyler Breeze doesn’t have the publicity, background, or buzz, but is a sleeper — he is the one to keep your eye on.”

On his current tag-team with Cesaro: “Two guys who are insanely talented, extremely shredded and a lot frustrated come together and decide to make a name for ourselves and show why we are who we are. Cesaro’s story is unbelievable; he won a green card lottery in Switzerland and now here he is. The man is a freak. He can clean and jerk 135 pounds with one arm. He is a freak in every sense of the word. Throw in the best guy pound for pound in the business as his tag team partner and I think our upside is limitless.”

On Vince McMahon’s “brass ring” speech: “I think it fired a lot of the talent up. We have a super talented locker room, for any that maybe were coasting it lit a fire under them and for the rest of us ensured we just keep pushing. Every day here is different. One day I was in Phoenix at Axxess wrestling Cryme Tyme in the worst match we ever had with them, which is saying a lot, 48 hours later I am clotheslining Mr. McMahon in front of 58,000 people at Wrestlemania. Things can change here quickly.”

Check out the complete interview at Slam.canoe.ca.

*Spoilers* TNA Impact Wrestling Taping Results For March 20, 2015

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TNA taped the following matches/segments for the March 13th edition of Impact Wrestling on Destination America. Results come courtesy of ProWrestling.net.

Impact Wrestling Taping Results (Air date: March 20th)

– Awesome Kong vs. Gail Kim vs. Taryn Terrell in a Knockouts Title match. Decent match, but lacked something. Taryn Terrell retained the title.

– Magnus and Bram had a brawl in the ring. Magnus power bombs Bram on the stage.

– Austin Aries vs. Samoa Joe was setup by Austin Aries wanted to get feast and fired briefcase back for his world title shot. He asked for a match with Low Ki, but instead faced off with Samoa Joe. Good action, but another DQ finish. Austin Aries reclaimed his briefcase, when Low Ki accidentally hit Samoa Joe and Austin took out Low Ki.

– Rockstar Spud vs. Low Ki, this was quick squash, with Low Ki knocked out, Rockstar ran out, cashed in his X Title shot and quick beat Low Ki. It was a good moment for the hometown crowd.

– James Storm vs. Matt Hardy. Lots of weapons used and all the revolution were outside of the ring interfering in the match. A decent match, with James Storm winning hitting the cowbell to the head of Matt Hardy.

– Revolution beat down on Matt Hardy, Grado came out to the biggest pop of the night. The Wolves also came out to make the save. Grado did a dance afterwards.

– Bobby Lashley vs. Kurt Angle for the TNA World Title. A great match between the two and will be a match that everyone should go out the way for to see. It went about 20 minutes and Kurt Angle was back to his best. Bobby Lashley put in another great shift. Kurt Angle became the new champion, with a great reaction and think he was even emotional.

*Spoilers* TNA Impact Wrestling Taping Results For March 13, 2015

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TNA taped the following matches/segments for the March 13th edition of Impact Wrestling on Destination America. Results come courtesy of ProWrestling.net.

Impact Wrestling Taping Results (Air date: March 13th)

– The Wolves vs. DJ- Z and Jesse Godderz vs. Manik and Sanada in the Ultimate X Match for the TNA Tag Titles. The Wolves won the match and a decent effort in by all wrestlers. It is quite hard judging this match knowing that the Ultimate X has been done countless times and the standard was set so high in the early days that it came across as just a decent match. The Ultimate X is now not really a special match used as the corner stone of the X division, but more of a throwaway gimmick to get people of the show with no build up.

– Bobby Roode vs. Eric Young in a Last Man Standing match, was the second best match on the night and really helped by both putting in a lot of effort. Bobby Roode is one of the best workers in TNA and he won by putting Eric Young through the table doing the Roode bomb off the apron.

– Drew Galloway faced off with MVP, this was setup by a talking segment between them. Nothing really much too it, but already Drew is a bit of a lost cause in the company. The BDC caused a DQ or a no contest, beating down on Drew, held him against the ring post and hit his head with a steal pipe. A long drawn out segment!

– Magnus vs. Bram match was decent, but same old TNA, where they have former tag team teammates feud with each other. I do wish they come up with a better idea. Bram causes a DQ finish and uses cable ties to tie Magnus to the ropes, and then grabs Mickie James, threatening Magnus to take everything he loves, unless he kisses his boot. Magnus does kiss the boot. Terrible segment really.

– Brooke vs. Robbie E- Crap segment. Brooke wins enough said.

– Rockstar Spud vs. EC3 in a hair vs. hair match. This was a really good match and Rockstar Spud was a true babyface in this match. This was his best match in his time with the company. EC3 was his usual heel self and helped keep the match going. Lots of blood in this one. Tyrus and Ken Anderson made appearances, where Tyrus tried to take out Spud and Anderson made a save. EC3 won though and shaved Spud’s head bald.

Drew Galloway Comments On TNA Debut, Von Erichs Returning To TNA

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– TNA President Dixie Carter announced on social media that Ross and Marshall Von Erich, sons of the legendary WWE Hall Of Famer Kevin Von Erich, will be making their return at next month’s Impact Wrestling television taping at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Their father, Kevin Von Erich, is also scheduled to appear.

Dixie wrote the following on Twitter about the return of the Von Erichs:

– Drew Galloway, the former Drew McIntyre in WWE, wrote the following on his official Twitter account regarding his official TNA debut at the Impact Wrestling television taping in Glasgow, Scotland earlier this week.

https://twitter.com/TheDrewMcIntyre/status/560966285086187520

Bobby Lashley On Ways TNA Can Compete With WWE, If CM Punk Can Succeed In MMA & More

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TNA World Champion Bobby Lashley recently spoke with the folks at “Give Me Sport” about his feelings on how TNA can compete with WWE, the differences between his first run in TNA and his current run, CM Punk transitioning from pro wrestling to mixed-martial-arts an more.

Below are highlights from the interview:

On ways TNA can compete with WWE: “I think right now that we’re building in the right direction and I don’t want to say they are declining but they are at a bit of a standstill. Getting mixed reactions, while thats happening, we’re rising up. I think that in the future it will get to a point where there will be a little bit more competition between the two.”

On the differences between his first run in TNA and his current run: “Yeah, my first run I wasn’t completely right and wasn’t able to give it 100% like I wanted too. I had some time in between to wrestle a bit and this time had more chance to settle in. And this time it has been a lot better, my work rate’s been a lot better as well as getting to work with some top guys. And I’m pretty proud to holding that title for TNA right now.”

On differences between TNA and WWE for a wrestler: “You know here I like the cohesive unit and everyone is on the same page, no real back stabbing and none of that politics that usually go on, especially in the wrestling business. I know that everyone coming here is like we’re about to blow this show outta there. Everyone is on the same page with that. People will enjoy the things we do and in the long run they’ll be a shift.”

On wrestlers he’d like to work with in the main event scene: “Yeah there are a couple guys, of course Gunner! If he gets the right building then he’ll be up there. I’d also like to work Mr. Anderson, we got to work a bit back in the WWE and now we’re both here, I want that match up also. I’m keen to meet the British Boot Camp guys and I’m sure they’ll be doing something on these tour shows.”

On how he feels CM Punk will do in MMA: “I think he’ll do great, he’s had plenty of time to train. Once he has got all of the training in. I believe he’ll go out there and show the crowd that he is ready for it and I think he’ll earn a lot of respect for doing it. I know a lot of people will be watching, I know I will!”

Check out the complete interview at GiveMeSport.com.

WWE Teasing That Triple H’s Announcement Will Involve Dean Ambrose

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On Monday’s RAW, WWE COO Triple H will make a major announcement regarding the controversy surrounding last weekend’s Royal Rumble match.

With Triple H teasing that the announcement could shake the foundation of WWE to its core, WWE is now hinting that Dean Ambrose could be involved. WWE posted the following on Instagram:

How will @tripleh announcement tomorrow on #Raw affect #DeanAmbrose? #Unstable #WWE

A photo posted by WWE (@wwe) on

Roman Reigns Doesn’t Care About Fan Backlash – “I’m Just A Guy Getting Rich”

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WWE’s #1 contender Roman Reigns spoke to Sam Roberts last weekend prior to the Royal Rumble and made some very interesting comments regarding fans feeling that he’s being shoved down their throats as the company’s next “chosen one.”

Reigns made the shaky argument that he doesn’t care what fans think, because they’ve never stepped in the ring and they’ve never cut a promo:

“I’m aware of all of these things. You have to look at it through many different perspectives. For me, as a provider and as a man, I have a responsibility to provide. I can’t look at it like and get down on ‘oh, this is what they’re thinking and this is what they’re saying.’ To be honest I really don’t care. I can only do my thing and do the best that I can. The majority of critics, I would say, are people who have no clue what they’re talking about and have never been in a wrestling ring. They’ve never been a public speaker. They wouldn’t even know how to lock up with me if I allowed them to. If I gave them the opportunity to lock up and tangle with me in the ring, they would have no clue what to do so for them to critique or ever say anything about any performer is asinine and just blows my mind.”

Editorial: What The Rejection of Roman Reigns Really Means

Reigns went on to say that at the end of the day, he’s “just a guy getting rich” – which doesn’t really sound like a guy who is being primed to be the next John Cena:

“It’s one of those situations where obviously the company is gonna do what the company does and the fans are definitely gonna do what they do. That’s what’s so great. The fans have to realize that as opinionated as y’all are in the way you want it, the company is the same way and they’re gonna do what they wanna do…at the end of the day i’m just a guy getting rich.”

One of the big criticisms about Roman Reigns’ act is that his promos still need a lot of work. Reigns revealed that he does read a lot of what fans say about him online, but as long as they’re talking about him, he’s doing something right.

“I see all of my criticism. I’m in a position now that I get a ton of love which is great and a ton of criticism which is great. As long as i’m in people’s mouths that’s all that matters to me. As long as people are talking about me.”

He added, “The majority of the time…the people that are critiquing and bashing me, they’re making me more relevant, I would think. If you didn’t want me around then just don’t talk about me and try and make it silent out there. That’s not the case [because] they make it even more overwhelming. You know, noise is noise. That’s the thing.”

There’s much more to the interview, which you can listen to here:

Major Spoiler From Saturday’s Impact Wrestling Tapings

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Kurt Angle defeated Bobby Lashley to win the TNA World Heavyweight title at Sunday night’s Impact Wrestling tapings from London, England. We’ll have full spoilers shortly.

Interesting WM31 Axxess Note, Leaked Video Of Daniel Bryan Rehearsing

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– Tickets for WrestleMania AXXESS VIP signings are mostly sold out, unless you’re looking to meet Roman Reigns. Signings for Daniel Bryan, Hulk Hogan, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Shawn Michaels, Sting and Triple H are all sold out. However, there are still tickets available for the Roman Reigns signing.

– The following footage has surfaced online from last Monday, with Daniel Bryan and Renee Young rehearsing Bryan’s sit-down interview.

Curtis Axel Claims He Won The Royal Rumble & More

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– Tampa Bay Online has published an article noting Hulk Hogan’s Beach club venue in Florida has been forced to stop running large concerts due to noise complaints from neighbors in the community.

– Curtis Axel continues to claim that he won the Royal Rumble match, since he technically was never eliminated. He tweeted:

– Dolph Ziggler tweeted the following about Triple H making a huge announcement on RAW regarding the Royal Rumble controversy:

https://twitter.com/HEELZiggler/status/561726192433131520

What The Booing of Roman Reigns Really Means

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As I sat down to write this week, I felt a sense of disappointment.  It wasn’t because I didn’t know what to write about (in fact, I’d hoped I could have written about my amazement with the Royal Rumble).  It wasn’t because I had nothing to say.  The reason I felt a sense of disappointment was because I knew that I was not going to be able to write the article I wanted to.  This past Sunday was the Royal Rumble, a once a year event that would be under-described if one were to refer to it as “can’t miss.”  True to form, I made a point not to miss it; I cancelled plans, I changed my workout schedule, I did everything I could to make sure I was front and center for the event, because I knew if WWE delivered, I wouldn’t have to think for a second about what to discuss.  My hopes were that I could deliver to you, my top five moments from the event, and indeed, I probably still could.  After all, Lesnar / Cena / Rollins was easily one of the best triple-threat matches I’ve ever seen, both from a wrestling and storytelling perspective.  Bubba Ray Dudley and others appearing from the woodwork to make a few surprise appearances was awesome.  For the most part, WWE really did deliver with the event.

However…

When it mattered the most; when the biggest prize of the night was up for grabs, WWE not only let us down, they insulted us.  Again.  For the second year in a row, WWE ignored the pleas of the crowd; they ignored the wishes of the millions of fans across the universe who united as one loud clear voice under the banner of “Yes.”  While it was more than obvious the fans wanted Daniel Bryan as the man to win it all, WWE had other plans for the finish.  When the lights went off and the smoke settled, Roman Reigns, a man who many feel was not ready for such an honor, was the last man standing.  Unsurprisingly, the rowdy Philadelphia crowd, much like it’s rival fan base in Pittsburgh did the previous year, held nothing back in letting the WWE know what they thought of the decision, and as ticket holders, they had every right to.  Outside of the arena, the internet exploded with negative criticism.  Things like #CancelWWENetwork were trending worldwide on twitter.  Reddit’s top wrestling community, /r/SquaredCircle was buzzing about not just the ending being bad, but the entire match.  Fans were so frustrated, in fact, that they jokingly begun the trend known as #Axelgate, in reference to the fact that the man who came in at number 6, Curtis Axel, technically never entered the ring, and thus was never eliminated, demanding that he be allowed to go in and try to eliminate Reigns.  Even a surprise appearance by The Rock, which clearly was planned as damage control, could not get the crowd to side with WWE, as Reigns was booed out of the building, even as his arm was raised by the great one.  It was obvious, from the moment Bryan’s feet hit the floor, that the turnout was not going to be positive, really no matter what happened.

However, what might not be so obvious was the real reason behind the booing; the reason that shakes every wrestling fan to their core, and genuinely makes us question one of our favorite forms of entertainment.  While it might seem at the surface like petty fans acting like babies for not getting what they want, the truth runs much deeper.  Ultimately, the fans booing Reigns is not a rejection of the man, himself. It’s not a rejection of the possibility of Reigns becoming one of the future stars. It’s not even a rejection of a super baby face who might one day be seemingly untouchable. Instead, it is the response to being ignored; to being told “You don’t know what you want” over and over again. It is the only way fans can express their frustration with booking decisions that lead WWE down a road fans don’t want to go. Booing Roman Reigns is a symbol; one which represents the fans booing McMahon himself, for having the audacity to tell us that we decide who goes over, and then giving us the exact opposite of what we say we want.

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