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*Spoilers* WWE NXT Tapings Results (3 Weeks)

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WWE taped three weeks of NXT shows on Thursday night from Full Sail University. These shows will air through February 4th, with the next NXT TakeOver show taking place the following week on February 11th.

Dark match: Solomon Crowe defeated Jason Jordan.

William Regal appeared on the screen in the arena and announced there will be a tournament to determine a #1 contender for the NXT Championship.

Week 1:

– Tye Dillinger came to the ring for a match, but then NXT Champion Sami Zayn came out and destroyed him. Zayn demanded Kevin Owens. NXT General Manager William Regal appeared and after arguing with Zane, announced that they will face each other at the next TakeOver show on February 11th in a non-title match.

– First Round #1 contender tournament: Finn Balor defeated Curtis Axel.

– NXT Champion Charlotte defeated Sasha Banks by disqualification after Becky Lynch interferes. Bayley made the save, but after admiring the belt, she attacks Charlotte too. William Regal comes out announced a 4-way match for the championship at TakeOver.

– Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy defeated The Vaudevillains.

– First Round #1 contender tournament: Hideo Itami defeated Tyler Breeze.

Week 2:

– First Round #1 contender tournament: Adrian Neville defeated Tyson Kidd.

– Bayley and Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch went to a no contest.

– Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy defeated The Lucha Dragons to win the NXT Tag Team Championships.

– First Round #1 contender tournament: Baron Corbin defeated Bull Dempsey.

– Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens had a contract signing and it was announced their match at TakeOver will be for the NXT Championship.

Week 3:

– Carmella defeated Emma.

– Semi final #1 contender tournament: Adrian Neville defeated Baron Corbin after Bull Dempsey interfered.

– Bayley defeated Becky Lynch. After the match, Sasha and Becky brawled. Charlotte came out and there was a staredown to hype their 4-way match at TakeOver.

– Semi Final #1 contender tournament: Finn Balor defeated Hideo Itami.

William Regal comes out and thanks the crowd. He announces a special tag match, which may have been a dark match.

– Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville defeated Tyson Kidd and Kevin Owens by disqualification. After the match, Owens layed out Sami Zan.

*Spoilers* Main Event For The Next NXT TakeOver Revealed (2/11)

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Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn

It was announced at Thursday night’s NXT tapings at Full Sail University that the next live TakeOver special on the WWE Network will take place on Wednesday, February 11th.

The main event will feature newly crowned NXT Champion Sami Zayn defending against his longtime rival, Kevin Owens. With the incredible matches these men have had during their storied feud and the work we’ve seen from them both in NXT, this has the makings to be the best TakeOver main event yet – and that says a lot.

Also on the show, Finn Bálor will face Adrian Neville in the finals of the #1 Contender’s tournament that will unfold on the next 3 weeks of NXT programming.

Plus, NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte defend in a 4-way match against Sasha Banks, Bayley and Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte for the NXT Women’s Title.

Steve Austin’s “Broken Skull Ranch” Picks Up DGA Nomination, Celebrates Ratings Wins

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CMT issued the following on Thursday …

“STEVE AUSTIN’S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE” PICKS UP DGA NOMINATION, CELEBRATES RATINGS WINS FOR SEASON TWO AIRING NOW ON CMT

NASHVILLE – January 15, 2015 – STEVE AUSTIN’S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE has been named a contender for this year’s Directors Guild of America Award for outstanding direction in the Reality Programs category, it was announced yesterday by the DGA. The nomination marks a first for both CMT and Adam Vetri, who serves as director on the series for 51 Minds, along with associate director Ian Blankenship and stage manager Richard Mercury Melendez. To capture the gritty and explosive action on BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE, the series incorporates high-speed slow motion and a Cablecam aerial camera system for each of the dramatic competitions. The DGA Awards honor outstanding directorial achievement in film, television, commercials and documentaries, and winners will be announced at the 67th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, February 7.

STEVE AUSTIN’S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE returned to CMT in January, and has experienced double-digit ratings growth across the first two episodes. The premiere episode, which aired January 4, earned the series’ highest-rated and most-watched telecast to date with 754,000 total viewers (Nielsen Live +3), up an impressive +48% from its season one average.

Tune in for the third episode this Sunday, January 18 at 8:00-9:00 p.m., ET/PT, as a new group of men arrive on BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE. These eight bad-asses will face pure hell as they take on the challenges Snatch, Barn Burner and Cranked. Only one man will be left standing and earn the right to take on the Skullbuster for a shot at $10,000. Designed by Steve Austin himself, the Skullbuster is a half-mile obstacle course that breaks down even the toughest of athletes, body part by body part.

Preview or embed the sneak peek of episode 203 on CMT.com now as Rob and Orrin battle it out in the Snatch. For exclusive BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE outtakes, photos and more, visit CMT.com and download the CMT App. Fans can also join the conversation on the series’ official Facebook page and follow @CMT on Twitter and Instagram using #BrokenSkullChallenge.

STEVE AUSTIN’S BROKEN SKULL CHALLENGE is produced by 51 Minds Entertainment with executive producers Christian Sarabia, Steve Austin, Vincent Cariati and Steve Kaufman. Julia Silverton and Jayson Dinsmore executive produce for CMT.

www.cmtpress.com

CMT, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the leading television and digital authority on country music and entertainment, reaching more than 92 million homes in the U.S. CMT and its website, CMT.com, offer an unparalleled mix of music, news, live concerts and series and is the top resource for country music on demand. The network’s digital platforms include the 24-hour music channel, CMT Pure Country, CMT Mobile and CMT VOD.

WWE To Announce Latest WWE Network Subscriber Count On February 12th

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WWE has announced that they will be releasing their fourth quarter and full-2014 financial results on Thursday, February 12th.

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, as well as WWE CFO George Barrios will be on-hand to host a conference call on the morning of 2/12 to discuss the results.

As part of the report, WWE will release their latest subscriber count for the WWE Network.

Update On WWE Main Event No Longer Airing On The WWE Network

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As noted recently, WWE Main Event will no longer air on the WWE Network for the time being due to an ongoing dispute between WWE and Sky Sports. The show will not air on the WWE digital service for the forseeable future as a result.

A source close to the situation stated that barring a change, the soonest WWE Main Event will air on the WWE Network again is late summer or early fall.

As things stand now, WWE Main Event will continue to air on standard television in the markets it currently airs in, but will simply not be available on the WWE Network until the Sky Sports dispute is resolved.

Now Official — IZOD Center In New Jersey Being Shut Down

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The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority voted today to officially close down the IZOD Center, formerly known as the Meadowlands Arena, at the end of this month.

All events scheduled for the IZOD Center in the months of February and March are scheduled to be moved over to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Any events after that point, including WWE SummerSlam, which was scheduled to emanate from the IZOD Center, will have to find a new location.

The arena will remain shut down for two years, due to losses involved in keeping it open.

Assault Charges Against WWE Superstar Heath Slater Dropped

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The simple assault charges filed against WWE Superstar Heath Slater (aka Heath Miller) have officially been dropped.

MyFoxAtlanta.com reports that the charges against Slater were dropped because the statute of limitations had expired.

The charges alleged against Slater stemmed from a female security guard who claimed that she was assaulted by the WWE performer at the WrestleMania after-party in 2011.

Slater has not appeared on WWE television since an arrest warrant was issued for him back in December of 2013. He issued a statement shortly after the news of the arrest warrant surfaced, claiming that the charges and civil suit brought against him were “completely frivolous.”

Chris Jericho On Vince’s “Brass Ring” Speech, Savage/WWE HOF, His WWE Return

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The following are highlights of a new U.K. Mirror interview with Chris Jericho:

On WWE inducting Randy Savage into the Hall Of Fame: “Well, absolutely it’s one of the guys that needed to go in there to make it a legitimate Hall of Fame. They’ve done a great job over the last few years, putting in those last few guys like Bob Backlund, Bruno Sammartino, Bret Hart, and now Savage, those were the holdouts that needed to be in there to give that Hall some semblance of credibility. Now that Savage is going in, it’s kind of closing the book on the outstanding that needed to be in there – like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame needs to put Deep Purple in there before I can ever take it seriously. Until they do, it’s kind of a joke to me. The fact Savage is finally going in is great.”

On returning to WWE for the next two months, but not working TV or PPVs: “Just for January and February, working the live events – no TV matches, no pay-per-view matches. I happen to have January and February off because in March I’m going back to the UK with Fozzy, so it was a good time to go back to WWE for a few matches. It’s based around Fozzy’s schedule, and it’s been that way since 2010. You see me come and go for a month here, a month there, that’s why I didn’t want to do any TV this year in January or February because it’s too short of a timeframe. Considering it’s WrestleMania time, there’s really no reason to come back [on TV] because I’m not available for WrestleMania, nor do I want to be around just for a couple of months. It’d be too quick.”

On Vince McMahon’s “brass ring” speech: “I grabbed it so I don’t really have … he’s right, it’s all up to him, and whatever mood he’s in and whoever he decides has it at the moment will get a chance. It’s Vince, he says things and whatever is in his head. When I’m not in WWE, I don’t watch a lot of WWE. There’s guys there grabbing the brass ring and others will over time, and there’s people you never expected to make it huge that will make it huge – that’s the nature of the business. Look at Daniel Bryan, the company never expected him to get as big as he got and probably didn’t even want him to get as big as he got, but some guys just do.”

Check out the complete interview at Mirror.co.uk.

Daniel Bryan On When He Found Out He Could Return, Royal Rumble Entry & More

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The following are highlights of a new Miami Herald interview with WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan:

On when he received medical clearance to return to the ring: “The day I announced I was coming back for the Royal Rumble is actually the day I got cleared to wrestle. I started healing in November, as far as thinking, ‘Wait a second. Things are starting to turn around for the better.’ It was that December episode of Raw I went on to say I was finally able to be cleared by WWE where they said, ‘You’re ready to go.'”

On not regretting the fact that his Royal Rumble entry won’t be a surprise: “Had I just come out during the Royal Rumble, I don’t know if it would be as impactful. To me it’s more impactful to give fans something to look forward to. If it happened at the Royal Rumble and that night, it would have been great. Though I like the idea of building toward something, so I’m happy with the way we’ve done it.”

Check out the complete interview at MiamiHerald.com.

Triple H On Wrestlers Who Died Young, Randy Savage In The WWE HOF & More

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The following are highlights of a new Permission Granted podcast interview with Triple H:

On the various hats he wears and the title at the top of his list: “Dad,” he said. He eventually tied it into the fitness DVD and said all the hats that he and his wife wear made them realize how difficult it is to find workout time. He said he and Stephanie rush home to see the kids before they go to bed, and it’s ten at night before the head downstairs to their home gym.

On what he looks for in a wrestler: Triple H said charisma because it’s the one X Factor that you can’t teach. “All the other things can be brought out of somebody,” he said. “That’s a tough one.” He mentioned Mick Foley as being a guy who didn’t fit the typical WWE wrestler mold, but “he is charismatic, when you watch him you can’t help but be drawn into him. He’s intelligent, he speaks well, he’s humorous.”

On WWE Network: “We took the gamble and we’re ahead of the curve on a lot of this,” he said. He noted that others are following in their footsteps. He said Netflix has their model, but they don’t have the live stream like WWE Network does. He said it takes a while to condition fans to break from their patterns. “We’re thrilled with the progress, we’re thrilled with where it’s at, and we’re just starting to scratch the surface of where it can go.”

On wrestlers who have died young: “To me, everybody makes personal choices in their life,” he said. “Even some of my closest friends, my best friends, made personal choices of how they wanted to live their life that I never chose, that I never went down those roads. And I will put the physicality of my career up against anybody. The majority of those guys made personal choices to live a certain way and you can’t live that way forever. It’s a short run, it’s fast and furious, and it’s a short run. Did it affect me? Absolutely. I’ve watched a lot of guys that I was close to and that I was friends with… There’s a certain point and time when even as your friends, you try to stop them, you try to talk them into it, and there’s no… And that’s not just in our business, that’s in any business. People are responsible for their own lives, their own personal decisions, how they live their life outside of a sport or a job or anything else. We try to protect our talent now in a way like never before with our wellness programs and our ability to try to stay ahead of them to see if there are problems or they are headed down a path or anything, but the reality of it is people have to be responsible for their own lives. I’ve seen this company tell guys listen, we can’t work together unless you get some help or whatever and they say, okay, great, I’m just going to leave then and I’m just going to go because this is more important to me. You can’t live somebody’s life for them and it’s tragic, and I’ve had to come to terms in my with that with some guys that were close friends of mine, but that’s just the way it is, unfortunately.”

On Randy Savage entering the WWE Hall of Fame: “One of the biggest stars ever in the industry,” he said. “It’s so well deserved and a long time coming. I think for a lot of fans it feels like a long time coming and they are just so overwhelmed that it’s happening and I know we are and his family is. It’s just a great thing to celebrate a career like that.”

Check out the complete interview at Soundcloud.com.

Robbie E Interview With Vince Russo: Talks Jersey Shore Gimmick, Focusing On His Character, TNA

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Vince Russo hosted his podcast “The Swerve” from England via www.pyroandballyhoo.com. Robbie E of TNA and The Amazing Race was the special guest this week, and the highlights are below (audio audio available here):

Robbie spending 10 years on the indy scene before being discovered:

“I started wrestling at 16 and signed with TNA at 26. 10 years. I went through college. There wasn’t a moment when I slowed down. 2-3 shows a week. I did some WWE extra work: jobber matches, dark matches, tryouts, developmental systems. There were a lot of times where I was led on to believe I was going to sign a contract but it never happened…Other guys my size were getting signed. During that time, I was 160 lbs and I was very young when I was trying out, so I guess it wasn’t the right place or the right time.”

Robbie on starting with the Jersey Shore character:

“I wasn’t doing it period. I wasn’t doing it until you told me to spike my hair up. I never did a character until that afternoon. Never did one remotely related to Jersey Shore. I zero never remotely liked Jersey Shore; granted my real life was kind of like Jersey Shore probably. Wrestling character: I never had my hair up, never fist-pumped, nothing.”

Robbie on younger wrestlers not focusing on character as much:

“They forget the wrestling they watched when they were a kid. I don’t get why they do that. Everyone when they were younger had characters that were larger than life and polka dot shorts. I don’t know why people forget about that. Polka dot shorts is normal. It’s pro wrestling.”

Robbie on teaming up with Zema:

“Zema was an X-Division guy that did a lot of that stuff. Now that he’s our DJ, doesn’t wrestle as much and has more character, he said the last year of his life has been the best year of his life, in wrestling. He’s having the time of his life, appreciating it more so much and loving it so much more – being full character, goofing off as opposed to having an X-Division match and remembering so many things, getting knocked out.”

Listen to or watch the full podcast and interview where Robbie E talks a lot more about “Character vs. Wrestling”, teaming with Zema and Jessie, his TNA contract status, and much more.

During the free podcast this week, Russo also talks about Macho Man Randy Savage going into the WWE Hall of Fame this year and whether Hogan inducting him is a genuine gesture on Hogan’s part or the biggest rib in wrestling history.

The bonus video shoot interview with Robbie E, exclusively for the VIP section, has Russo questioning Robbie about The Amazing Race, how Robbie picked up Brooke Adams, why they broke up, and more. Vince Russo’s VIP section on www.pyroandballyhoo.com/vip has 20+ video shoot interviews and new weekly podcasts, video podcasts, blogs and content including Russo re-booking WCW 2000 every week.Use discount code BLACKPUDDING to gain VIP access for just $2 your first month!

Robbie E is @RobbieEImpact on Twitter. Impact Wrestling is on Destination America every Fridays at 9pm EST.

Rusev slips and falls during match (VIDEO)

Rosa Mendes Nervous About Certain Things Airing On Total Divas, Talks WM31 & More

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The following are highlights of a new Latin Times interview with WWE Diva and Total Divas star Rosa Mendes:

On WrestleMania 31: “I am looking forward to WrestleMania 31 with Fandango; I am hoping that I will have a mixed tag match with him. I love working with him, he has totally different wrestling skills, and he has been wrestling for 15 years so I lean a lot by being his valet. He is incredibly athletic in the ring, and I look forward to working with him at WrestleMania 31 in March.”

On being nervous about certain things airing on Total Divas: “Absolutely, because even though the cameras are around, things still happen, many embarrassing, awkward and private moments occur with the cameras rolling. In addition, I sometimes forget that the camera is there, and I relax and obviously I am just being myself but then when I watch it back on E! I end up learning a lot about myself. I learned how to NOT act on dates, I never realized how I sounded, and I thought ‘Wow. Maybe I shouldn’t have said all that, maybe I should have been a touch more mysterious.’ So overall I learned a lot from watching myself during the third season.”

Check out the complete interview at LatinTimes.com.

WWE Confirms Tough Enough Is Returning

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It was revealed at Thursday’s Critics Association Winter Press Tour event in Los Angeles, California that WWE and the USA Network are working together for a reboot of the popular WWE reality show, Tough Enough.

The Tough Enough reboot will feature a completely new format, with elements that will make the show more live and interactive with the fans. WWE Chairman Vince McMahon tweeted on Thursday:

It was reported a few months ago that WWE was planning on bringing Tough Enough back, only for the news to surface later that those plans were nixed due to WWE making budget cuts at the time.

The Rock Talks SmackDown Night Change, WWE Hypes Daniel Bryan’s In-Ring Return

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– Part-time WWE performer The Rock wrote the following on his official Instagram page today regarding WWE moving SmackDown from Friday’s to Thursday’s.

“It’s official… #Smackdown has moved to THURSDAY NIGHTS. It’s also official that since the show was created in my honor I’ll be happy to “Lay the Smackdown” on anyone’s candy ass on any day that ends with “Y”. Enjoy the show.. #Smackdown #ThursdayNights #WhereRockJokesLike #BottleOfSmirnoffShovedUpYourPutin #AndChewbaccasHairyBeanBag #WillAlwaysBeWelcomed #PeoplesChamp”

– Speaking of SmackDown, which airs in its’ new Thursday time slot for the first time tonight on the SyFy Network, WWE posted the following video to hype Daniel Bryan’s return to the ring, as he battles Kane on tonight’s show.

Jim Ross Shares Memories Of Randy Savage, Talks About His WWE HOF Induction

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In his latest website blog, legendary announcer Jim Ross shares his memories of “Macho Man” Randy Savage after learning of his upcoming induction into the WWE Hall Of Fame.

Below is an excerpt from the blog:

“I did not know Savage extremely well even though I worked with him in the broadcast booth many times in my early years in WWE. Honestly, I’m not sure who REALLY knew Randy Savage as he was a complex man in many ways who seemed to remain in ‘guarded’ mode more often than not. At WM9 Savage, the brilliant Bobby Heenan and I comprised the three man team that broadcast the event outdoors at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. (No, I did not mind wearing a toga nor do I still have the rented costume.)

Heenan was always a piece of cake to work with as he had impeccable timing and a ‘feel for the game.’ Savage, on the other hand, was generally unpredictable, irreverent, but always distinctive with his unique pipes and unique sound bytes.

Randy never really trusted me, or so I think, and much of it was because I was the voice of the enemy, WCW, for many years therefore he and I never really connected. We actually did some nice work together including the King of the Ring Tournament in 1993 and a memorable RAW in 1994, I think, when Bret Hart wrestled X-Pac Sean Waltman.

Like myself, Macho Man was seemingly never totally pleased with his on air work and was a perfectionist to say the least. There’s nothing wrong with being ones own worst critic such as I’ve been for 40 years. Nonetheless, because of the self imposed pressure that Savage put on himself he often times was testy and wound tight.

When I first arrived in WWE, many could not wait to tell me a litany of Savage stories of his days with Miss Elizabeth, one of the great combinations in wrestling history, and how paranoid and untrusting Randy was at it related to his then wife. I wasn’t there to see it so t’s all folklore to me but those that did live it said it was challenging. I looked at that matter as ‘none of my business material’ and never really spoke to Randy about it but knew it was a touchy subject with him and I had no desire to raise the ire of the Macho Man. We even lived in the same building in Stamford, Ct for a while and I never even realized it. We’d work together much of many days and nights and I did not even know that we lived in the same apartment building.

The point that I’m making is that Randy Savage and I were never close pals but I had immense respect for his in ring work and his mic work as well. He was one of the best all around performers ever in the biz….bar none….case closed. With that said, today is a day for celebration for all those who, like me, enjoyed Randy’s game especially his bell to bell exploits in WWE and before. The match Savage had with Ricky Steamboat at WM3 is a classic but putting the match together was extremely taxing according to the Dragon himself. Again, Savage was a perfectionist and his arch rival Hulk Hogan was set to defeat the incomparable Andre the Giant on that same show so Randy wanted he and Steamboat to “steal the show.” Many say that they did even though WM3 will always be know primarily for the Hulk-Andre match.

We were set at one time to bring Macho Man into the Mid South territory and even had the introductory vignettes done and ready to air until Savage decided to forgo the opportunity to work with Cowboy Bill Watts and instead go to WWE which was the better decision as it made Randy rich and famous on a global basis. I’ve often wondered how Savage and Watts would have coexisted and how long their relationship would have lasted until it imploded. Perhaps, I’m now being too negative as maybe the Cowboy and the Macho Man would have gotten along famously until one of the two C’s (Cash & Creative) intervened.

My congratulations go out to the family, friends, and fans of the late Randy ‘Macho Man Savage’ Poffo for this well deserved honor. Better late than never and WWE got it right.”

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

WWE NXT Report Card (1/14)

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The WWE’s next generation was back in class last night, meaning it’s time to grade their performances. Matches will be graded based on usual factors such as workrate, in-ring psychology, crowd involvement, and overall impact on the storyline. Important promos will also be graded based on entertainment value, believability, and originality.

Without further ado, here is this week’s NXT Report Card.

Tyson Kidd vs. Finn Balor

This week’s show kicked off in a big way, as two of the most talented athletes in NXT locked up. Balor came out firing, going for the diving double foot stomp just seconds into the match.

Kidd eventually took control and slowed the match to a methodical pace, at one point driving Balor through the barricade into about the third row. Balor eventually turned it around after hitting the move Alex Riley so eloquently described as a “floating, spinning neckbreaker of some kind.”

After delivering a kick to the head and hitting a somersault over the top rope to the floor, Balor dominated the rest of the contest (aside from a minor Kidd offensive), eventually picking up the victory after hitting a diving double foot stomp.

Result: Finn Balor wins via pinfall

Analysis: Most importantly, I think it’s awesome that Tyson’s gimmick is basically a guy who loves cats and Beats headphones. With that said, these two worked very well together. The action was fast paced for the most part, and it was nice to see Balor get the win. He definitely needed the win more, and as much as I love seeing Balor and Itami together, I’m hoping he starts his solo career in the near future.

Grade: B+

WWE SmackDown Preview & Spoilers For Tonight

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The following is scheduled for Thursday’s WWE SmackDown, taped Tuesday night from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

– Daniel Bryan vs. Kane

– The Miz, Damien Mizdow & Alicia Fox vs. The Usos and Naomi

– A promo from Paul Heyman

– Divas Champion Nikki Bella vs. Natalya (Non-title match)

– IC Champion Bad News Barrett vs. Sin Cara

– Daniel bryan, Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins, Kane & Big Show

Continue reading on Page 2 for complete spoiler results.

WWE Issues Statement On IZOD Center Shutting Down, New Venue For SummerSlam PPV

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As reported here on Wednesday evening, the IZOD Center arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, which was scheduled to host this year’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view, is possibly being shut down.

Because SummerSlam was set to emanate from the building, WWE issued the following brief statement regarding the subject:

“WWE is currently looking at alternatives and we are confident that we will come up with an equivalent, if not better, option for Summerslam.”

Jim Ross Negotiating To Return As Full-Time Wrestling Announcer For Lucha Underground?

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Mexican wrestling legend Konnan mentioned on a recent edition of his online podcast that Jim Ross has been in back-and-forth negotiations with the El Rey Network and AAA regarding announcing for Lucha Underground.

Konnan noted that he wasn’t sure if J.R. would rotate with Matt Striker and Vampiro for two-man broadcast teams, or if all three would work together as a trio if he were to come to terms with the promotion.

It’s also worth noting that Lucha Underground officials have shown interest in the past of trying to secure Ross as a full-time announcer for the promotion, as well as an announcer for the English-language version of the AAA pay-per-view events.

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

WWE Bringing Back Old PPV Name?, Hulk Hogan Comments On Inducting Randy Savage

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– WWE recently applied for a trademark for the term “Bragging Rights.” Fans of WWE may remember that the company held a pay-per-view event called “WWE Bragging Rights” in 2009 and 2010, which some consider a possible sign that they are bringing back the pay-per-view name.

– WWE legend Hulk Hogan posted the following on his official Twitter account regarding being selected as the person to induct “Macho Man” Randy Savage into the WWE Hall Of Fame during WrestleMania 31 weekend this year.

Backstage Update On Cesaro & Tyson Kidd’s Tag-Team, Both Working Hard Together

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As noted recently, the new WWE tag-team of Cesaro and Tyson Kidd have been working together on some new double-team moves at the non-televised weekend live events.

The double-team powerbomb-blockbuster finisher that they’ve been using, including at last week’s RAW where they attacked Big E. and The New Day during the match with Adam Rose where they were unveiled to be two masked members of “The Rosebuds,” is now being called “The F(act) Bomb.”

In addition to trying things out at the live events, Cesaro and Kidd have been spending time at the WWE Performance Center working on coming up with a series of new double-team moves, a sign many consider to be one that shows the two are taking their new tag-team seriously.

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

News On WWE Network Success In Canada, Recent WWE Attendance Figures

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– The WWE Network deal that Rogers finalized with Bell Canada officially starts on January 15th, and is expected to increase subscriptions for the digital service as Bell customers have reportedly requested the WWE Network in droves.

In a related note, the Rogers launch of the WWE Network has been viewed as a success thus far, and by all accounts, the Bell launch will likely be as well.

– Below are some WWE attendance figures from this month:

January 9th in Chattanooga, TN drew 4,600 fans
January 10th in Montgomery, AL drew 5,300 fans
January 10th in Sacramento, CA drew 6,000 fans
January 10th in Fort Pierce, FL for NXT drew 500 fans
January 11th in Mobile, AL drew 2,500 fans
January 11th in Shreveport, LA drew 4,000 fans
January 12th in New Orleans, LA for RAW drew 9,500 fans

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

WWE Forced To Change Their Original Plan For AJ Lee’s Return

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While WWE Diva AJ Lee is advertised to return at the WWE live events during Royal Rumble weekend later this month, there was initially a plan to bring her back at the first edition of WWE RAW of 2015.

WWE was hoping to bring Lee back during the first RAW of the year as a surprise return on January 5th, however due to her neck injury, she was unable to make the appearance.

Last weekend, AJ updated fans on why she’s been off WWE television since dropping the Divas Championship Nikki Bella at TLC last month, denying she’s pregnant:

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

Identity Of The Ascension’s Opponents, The Rosebuds & Dean Ambrose’s Doctor From RAW

Matt Boone
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As noted, independent pro wrestler Mike Dell was the performer used as the “psychiatrist” for Dean Ambrose on this past Monday’s edition of WWE RAW. Dell is a Louisiana independent wrestler who often works for Luke Hawx’s “WildKat” promotion.

Several other talents from the local indy promotion were featured on RAW as well, as WildKat wrestlers Spade, Wild Card J, Curt Matthews and Purple Haze were used as part of Adam Rose’s “Rosebuds” on RAW.

Finally, the two “local wrestlers” who The Ascension squashed on RAW this past Monday night were Socoro and Bu Ku Dao, two more performers from the WildKat promotion.

It’s worth noting that Bu Ku Dao was under a developmental deal with WWE last year, but was ultimately cut from the roster. He was the member of the tag-team against The Ascension that took the bigger bumps on RAW this week.

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

WWE RAW Rating: Daniel Bryan’s Return & Randy Savage/HOF Announcement Help Numbers

Matt Boone
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The Monday, January 12th edition of WWE RAW scored a final cable rating of 2.71, according to Nielsen Media Research. The 2.71 final draw marks a decrease compared to last week’s show, which delivered a 2.8 final number.

With the stiff competition this week from college football (which drew 33.25 million viewers on ESPN), the number is considered a positive, and one that many are attributing to the return of Daniel Bryan and the heavily promoted announcement of “Macho Man” Randy Savage being inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame.

The hourly breakdown in terms of viewership for this past Monday’s RAW is as follows:

Hour One: 4.10 million viewers
Hour Two: 3.90 million viewers
Hour Three: 3.72 million viewers

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