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Brie Bella Interview: NXT Divas Getting Called Up, Divas Championship

Staff
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8

Brie Bella recently spoke with Female First in the UK to promote the return of WWE Total Divas. Here are some highlights of what she said about:

Going after the Divas Championship:

“I absolutely want to go after that Diva’s Championship, but Brie’s sort of the nicer twin… though I’m sure it’ll be hard when Summerslam comes around to not be tempted to try something with Nikki!”

Begging Vince McMahon to get NXT Divas called up:

“My sister and I were begging [Vince McMahon] for more Divas to come up to the main roster from NXT after WrestleMania, but they have to wrap up their stories there which can sometimes be why it doesn’t happen immediately and as fast as we’d like.”

Daniel Bryan and the new Total Divas season:

“There’s lots of drama. But also last season you saw talk of Daniel and I hoping to start a family, that continues this season… Everyone wants to see Daniel Bryan go for his fertility test! But I think everybody in Total Divas this season goes full Brie Mode at least twice! It is sometimes hard living life in front of the cameras, but my husband and I just roll with it and get on with things.”

* Steve Austin Returning to WWE TV To Promote WWE 2K16

WWE RAW Preview: Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns, The Miz And More

Martin Lamont
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23

Tonight’s edition (July 6th) of RAW comes to you from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois with a focus on this month’s WWE Battleground PPV.

WWE.com have confirmed their five-point preview for tonight’s show which will also feature the WWE 2K16 cover and will be followed by a live Dusty Rhodes Special on the WWE Network.

This week’s Five-point preview is focusing on the following:

– Defying Authority: Can Ambrose and Reigns get some payback on Seth Rollins?
– Turn the Paige: Can Paige convince others to join her crusade against The Bellas?
– Fall of Roman: Can Roman Reigns shake off Bray Wyatt?
– The Awesome Opportunist: Can The Miz avoid punishment from Ryback and Big Show?
– A prizefighter without a prize: What will Kevin Owens have to say now he’s not NXT Champion?

Join us here tonight for Live Coverage of WWE RAW.

Mick Foley Comments On Being Called A Corporate Sell-Out And Spending Time With Chyna

Martin Lamont
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9

Over the weekend, Mick Foley posted an update on Facebook about meeting with Chyna and how someone called him a corporate sell-out on Twitter with regards to the WWE recently.

Mick spoke about the documentary film that Chyna is part of and how he hopes that will help her move on from everything that’s gone on in the past.

The Hardcore Legend wrote:

CHYNA
I had to laugh when I was accused on social media a few days ago of becoming a corporate sell-out for WWE – I guess because I compliment them and their product quite a bit. But, as I mentioned to my wife, corporate sell-outs don’t tend to invite Chyna over to hang out with their family and watch WWE PPV’s. But seeing Chyna recently brought back a flood of great memories – of not only how good a friend she was to me, but how incredibly kind she was to my daughter so many years ago – taking her by the hand, doing her make-up, treating her to that dorky, nerdy humor, and that amazing laugh. Most of you reading this probably have either forgotten that amazing laugh…or never knew it existed in the first place.

Now she’s part of a documentary film, “The Reconstruction of Chyna”, which I hope will help her find peace, and closure – and maybe even her rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame. To learn more about her documentary, and how you can contribute to her kickstarter campaign, just go to http://therealchyna.com
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some corporate selling-out to get back to.

Ring Of Honor Confirm Former 2X ROH World Champion Is Returning

Martin Lamont
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Ring Of Honor have confirmed that X2 ROH World Champion Austin Aries will be appearing in the ring during the July 17th show in Sam’s Town Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada.

They note that Aries has told officials that he wants to address the fans in Las Vegas but what he has to say isn’t clear.

A number of matches have already been signed for the Ring Of Honor event and can be seen by clicking this link.

2K Release Statement Regarding Stone Cold Steve Austin And WWE 2K16

Martin Lamont
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39

As previously noted, 2K have confirmed Stone Cold Steve Austin as the cover superstar for WWE 2K16 which is due to be released later in the year.

The next instalment in the WWE gaming franchise is set to feature 120 unique superstars and a number of those have already been confirmed.

2K sent the following with comments from Stone Cold Steve Austin:

“Gimme a Hell Yeah”: 2K Announces Stone Cold Steve Austin® as WWE® 2K16 Cover Superstar

WWE Hall of Famer, film and television personality, producer and podcasting innovator set to inject Texas-sized attitude in flagship WWE video game franchise

New York, NY – July 6, 2015 – 2K today announced WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin® as the cover Superstar for WWE® 2K16, the forthcoming release in the flagship WWE franchise. After setting the WWE Universe on fire during one of WWE’s most celebrated time periods – the “Attitude Era” – to his wealth of television, film and podcasting accomplishments, Austin has amassed worldwide admiration through his unequivocal presence both in and out of the WWE ring. WWE 2K16 is currently in development for Xbox One and Xbox 360, as well as the PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems. The game is scheduled for release on October 27, 2015 in North America and October 30, 2015 internationally.

“I’ve had the privilege of working with 2K to support the WWE 2K franchise, and now I’m absolutely honored to serve as the WWE 2K16 cover Superstar,” said Stone Cold Steve Austin. “No disrespect to the previous and extremely deserving WWE 2K cover Superstars – Dwayne ‘The Rock®’ Johnson and John Cena® – but it’s about time the franchise raised some hell with yours truly on the cover. I look forward to injecting a dose of ‘Texas Rattlesnake’ into this year’s game and overall campaign.”

Austin is regarded by many as one of the most popular WWE Superstars to ever enter a WWE ring, holding 21 championships throughout his career and being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009. His relentless work ethic has also made him a significant mainstream fixture and pop-culture icon as an actor, producer and host in television, film and podcasting. Austin hosted the return of WWE’s reality competition series Tough Enough on USA Network in 2011, and since 2012 has hosted four seasons of Redneck Island on CMT. He also serves as the host of Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge, which is currently in production for its third season on CMT. His film credits include appearances in several feature films, including The Longest Yard, The Condemned and The Expendables, while his no-holds-barred weekly podcast, The Steve Austin Show, regularly appears on the Top Podcasts list within the Sports & Recreation category on iTunes. He also hosts the Stone Cold Podcast, Live!, a monthly interview series on the award-winning WWE Network, where he has interviewed several special guests including Vince McMahon, Triple H and Paul Heyman. In addition, Austin is a brand ambassador for Kawasaki Motors Corp., USA.

“Stone Cold Steve Austin’s iconic style, unmistakable personality and worldwide reverence from the WWE Universe make him the ideal fit for WWE 2K16,” said Chris Snyder, Vice President of Marketing at 2K. “Not only will Austin grace the video game’s cover, but he’s involved in shaping its creative direction. Through his numerous contributions, inclusion on the largest roster in franchise history and the game’s to-be-announced features, WWE 2K16 is certain to put everyone on notice.”

Developed collaboratively by Yuke’s and Visual Concepts, a 2K studio, WWE 2K16 is not yet rated by the ESRB. WWE 2K16 is currently scheduled for release on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4™ and PS3™ on October 27, 2015 in North America and October 30, 2015 internationally.

The cover as confirmed by 2K can be seen below:

WWE 2K16

Video: WWE 2K16 Cover Superstar Revealed Ahead Of Tonight’s RAW

Martin Lamont
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22

Last week it was confirmed that the cover for WWE 2K16 would be confirmed during tonight’s edition of RAW, live in Chicago.

However, 2K have decided to go ahead and confirm that WWE Hall of Famer, Stone Cold Steve Austin would be the cover star for the next WWE game due out in October.

The WWE 2K16 video game is due to be released on the 27th of October on a number of consoles including Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4.

Stone Cold Steve Austin on the cover of WWE 2K16 can be seen below:

WWE 2K16

Randy Orton Gets Engaged, Preview Upcoming “Total Divas”, Brock’s Most Unusual Opponents

Daniel Pena
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– Randy Orton is engaged to be married to his girlfriend of a year-and-a-half, Kim Marie Kessler. Kessler revealed the engagement this afternoon on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/KimKlro/status/617771109006635008

This will be Orton’s second marriage. In June 2013, the WWE Superstar divorced his wife of six years, Samantha Speno.

– The synopsis for the second episode of the new season of Total Divas (airing Tuesday, July 7, at 9/8 C on E!) is as follows: “WrestleMania Week is off to a rocky start as diva drama escalates. Included: Brie fears she and Bryan are facing fertility issues; Nattie worries her dad may relapse; and Paige discovers she’s unprepared for the biggest event of the year.”

Total Divas returns for its fourth season this Tuesday, July 7, at 9/8 C.

– In the wake of his match against Kofi Kingston in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday, WWE.com has released this playlist of Brock Lesnar’s most unusual and surprising opponents, including Rey Mysterio and Vince McMahon.

New WWE Network Shows This Week, Tough Enough Extra (Video), Dean Ambrose

Matt Boone
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6

– Below is a list of new original programming scheduled to air on the WWE Network this coming week:

Monday After RAW: Live Stories of The American Dream Special
Tuesday, 4:30 PM: WWE List: Royal Superstars
Tuesday, 9 PM: WWE Tough Talk
Wednesday, 4 PM: Culture Shock with Corey Graves
Wednesday, 8 PM: WWE NXT

– Below is a “Digital Extra” from this week’s edition of WWE Tough Enough.

– The following is this week’s “WWE Top 10,” which looks at the ten dirtiest deeds by Dean Ambrose.

Tyson Kidd Talks About Helping Bret Hart & HBK Reunite Years Ago

Matt Boone
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6

WWE Superstar Tyson Kidd appeared as a guest on Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” and revealed the fact that he helped facilitate the reunion between former enemies Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart.

“I ended up getting Bret’s number and giving it to Shawn,” said Kidd. “I don’t think they could have spoken on the phone. I think Shawn’s smart and knew Bret’s itinerary, so when Bret was on the plane for that first Raw back, maybe Shawn called because he knew he was in the air.”

Kidd concluded, “It went straight to voicemail and [he] left a message so at least there’s that little bit of peace.”

You can listen to the complete interview right now at PodcastOne.com.

Kurt Angle On Wanting To Work With Daniel Bryan, His Retirement Match & More

Matt Boone
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TNA star Kurt Angle recently took part in a Q&A with fans on his official Facebook page. Below are some of the highlights.

On keeping a straight face when singing to Vince McMahon on TV: “It was difficult. Vince told us not to laugh until he yelled “cut”. We held it in long enough to get each one done. It was all improvisation. So much fun!”

On his father: “My father didn’t influence me into wrestling, my brothers did. They all wrestled so I was kind of forced into it, but my Dad was my #1 fan and supporter. He was at every single event I had until he passed when I was 16. He was always supportive, even when I didn’t do so well.”

On his bench press capabilities: “Most ever was 400. I’m not a strong upper body guy…legs and hips got me my GOLD, but I wasn’t weak either. Lol. I don’t bench press anymore, I do more toning and maintainence.”

On who he would want to retire against: “My retirement match would be Daniel Bryan. He’s so polished in the ring. I just don’t know if it’s possible. But I’d Love it!”

On if he wanted to face Undertaker at WM 22 and break the Streak instead of facing him at No Way Out: “Undertaker at Mania was only a thought that Undertaker came up with. I would have preferred him at Mania. Not to break the streak, but for the respect I have for him. At that point in his career, he didn’t have that “Mania Match” he always wanted. But he did after WM 22. Shawn Michaels, HHH. So I’m happy he got the mania matches he deserved.”

Check out more at Facebook.com/RealKurtAngle.

Vince Russo Recalls Original Plans For Chris Jericho’s WWE Debut

Matt Boone
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8

The folks at Chair Shot Reality have released the latest blog by former WWE head writer Vince Russo. In the latest edition of the blog, Russo recalls the original plans for Chris Jericho’s debut in the WWE during the Attitude Era.

Below is an excerpt from the blog:

“When I was working as the Head of Creative for the WWE, part of my job was to constantly be scouting talent in an effort to make the “team” roster the best that it could possibly be. Honestly, most of my suggestions came from ECW, where I suggested the likes of the Dudley’s, Taz, Al Snow and the BWO. Through whatever working relationship Vince had with Paul Heyman at the time, the “idea” was for me to tell Vince who would be an asset to the WWE roster from ECW, triggering Vince to inform Paul who we were interested in. Unfortunately, this rarely worked out the way Vince had planned, for whenever we told Paul we were interested in one of his talents—he told Vince they weren’t interested back. This routine caused some back door maneuvering on both my part, and certain ECW talents at the time, but eventually we got who we wanted and they came to the destination of their choice.

The situation in acquiring WCW talent was much more difficult being that there was no working relationship in place–and both sides hated each other. Vince McMahon was always one to try and stay as far away as possible for lawsuits, so he rarely crossed the line when it came to purging WCW talent. However, even knowing Vince’s limitations, the first time I ever saw Chris Jericho—I KNEW that I had to be writing for him in a WWE uniform!

From the moment he ever walked through that WCW entrance, Jericho absolutely dripped with charisma. And, I’m talking about PRE-Attitude Era, when it wasn’t yet even “cool” to be “cool” in wrestling. Jericho was light years ahead of the curve. There were no unbelievable “heel faces” when he was shopping boos from the fans, and there was certainly no kissing babies when he wanted you to like him. Chris Jericho was simply being Chris Jericho–a bona-fied superstar in the wrestling business, to become iconic in the years to come.

Honestly, I can’t remember that initial conversation with Chris, I’m sure he probably does. I can’t recall whether he reached out to me, or I to him. Either way, it didn’t matter, all that did was that WE WERE TALKING!

What I do recall is how nervous Chris was. Even though his contract was expiring with WCW and he clearly just was just wanting to look at his other options, talking to “the enemy” was just taboo at that time.

After several conversations, Chris decided that he was going to be WWE bound once his WCW contract expired. From there, JR took over in the negotiations, because that was never my job–nor did I ever want it to be–and television product went into full “LET’S IMMEDIATELY GET JERICHO OVER” mode. I have to give Kevin Dunn and his entire staff an ENORMOUS amount of credit for making Jericho “special” from the moment we saw him. To this very moment I see it, feel it and STILL pop for it! What incredible vision Dunn’s staff had—a vision that is far and away the standard bearer when it comes to sports-entertainment.

It goes without saying that Chris was over in the WWE from the start—however—what many people don’t know is that when Ed Ferrara and myself wrote our last WWE show, which was delivered to Vince before we made the decision to go to WCW, we had Jericho defeating “The Rock” in the middle 1-2-3, which Ed and I felt would have almost immediately brought Jericho to a new level, without hurting “The Rock” in doing the job. Unfortunately, once we said our goodbyes to Vince, the finish of the match was changed and Rock beat Chris Jericho. For there, I felt that it took the WWE much longer to get Jericho to that next level–compared to if he would have beaten Rock that night.

Regardless–it didn’t matter. Chris was destined to become one of the biggest stars in the business—and he achieved that. And, at the end of the day let me make this perfectly clear—THAT WAS ALL ON HIM!”

Check out the complete blog at CSRWrestling.com.

Ric Flair Undergoes WWE Medical Testing, Doctor Says He’s A “Medical Miracle”

Matt Boone
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13

WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair noted on a recent edition of his “Wooo! Nation” podcast that he recently underwent complete medical testing by WWE and that he has no medical issues right now.

“I don’t have any health issues,” said Flair. “Everybody else has hips and knees. I had to go to Pittsburgh for a physical because they wanted me to do some in-ring stuff. I go there to see the heart specialist. They tested me for four hours.”

Flair continued, “The doctors said ‘there’s something wrong with you, has to be,’ and I said ‘yeah, it’s called an hour Broadway every night brother.’ The guy looked at me and said that I was a medical miracle.”

Jim Ross Q&A: More On Issues With Big Show, WWE Trying To Hurt ROH?, More

Matt Boone
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1

WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official Q&A section. Below are some of the highlights.

On if WWE is trying to hurt ROH by putting NXT special on same day as ROH’s special: “No, I don’t. It’s also the same time as my show at the Gramercy Theatre. It’s just business.”

On if they are trying to hurt JR’s one-man show, which is also the same day as the NXT Brooklyn special: “It’s just business and NXT having a prime time show on Saturday Aug 22 was expected. We can always go earlier in the day if the promoter feels we need to do so. That will be addressed this week.”

On if WWE should hire Superstar Billy Graham for Dusty Rhodes’ old job in NXT: “I always pull for Billy but I don’t know the status of his health which would be an issue. Billy was one of the great talkers of all time without question.”

On if it’s more important to improve in the ring or on the mic: “Hardest skills to master are on the mic.”

On advice he would give anyone trying to get into broadcasting: “Get practical experience in any form of broadcasting and production that you can. Go to college and graduate with the proper broadcasting degree and continue to gain experience in any field that’s available and build a good reel of your work. Then get experience in fields other than wrestling before you attempt to enter that world.”

On his rumored issues with Big Show: “He’s mistaken as it relates to me never thinking much of him because I did. As a matter of fact I thought, and still do, a great deal of Show. We were concerned about his weight and how he was going to withstand the WWE schedule and wanted to protect his health and our investment. Vince McMahon and I decided to sent him to OVW was the right thing to do. Ironically, show and I have never had a conversation on this matter in all the years that I’ve known him but perhaps it makes for good content on a podcast. The “he wasn’t one of my guys” line is also inaccurate.”

Read more JR Q&A updates at his official website, JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.

Backstage News On Finn Balor’s NXT Title Win, Beast In The East Commentary, More

Matt Boone
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16

– For those curious, Michael Cole and Byron Saxton did the commentary for this weekend’s WWE “Beast In The East” live WWE Network special from WWE Studios in Stamford, Connecticut for the show in Tokyo, Japan. The two were not live in Tokyo, but instead worked from the main WWE offices.

– While many were surprised to see Finn Balor come away with the NXT Championship after the “Beast In The East” special in Tokyo, it has actually been the plan for a while. With Kevin Owens moving up to the main roster full-time, it was always the plan for Owens to drop the title to Balor on the way out.

– WWE will air a new episode of “Culture Shock with Corey Graves” on the WWE Network this Wednesday at 4pm EST. The official description for the show reads as follows:

“Corey Graves dives into a world where Hardcore Bowling and Punk Rock music collide on this thrilling edition of Culture Shock!”

(Partial Credit: PWInsider.com)

Funaki Backstage At WWE Japan (Photo), Finn Balor’s Face Paint, Woods/Cesaro

Matt Boone
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5

– The official WWE website has a new poll up asking fans to vote on which Superstar has the coolest face paint. With over 3,000 votes, Finn Balor leads the pack with 43%, while Sting is just behind him with 40 percent. Other options included Goldust, Stardust, The Usos and The Ascension.

– In the following video from Xavier Woods’ WWE-endorsed YouTube gaming channel — “UpUpDownDown” — Woods and Cesaro play the old video game “Double Dragon.”

– Former WWE Superstar Funaki was backstage at the WWE “Beast in the East” special in Tokyo, Japan this weekend. Below is a photo of him with The Lucha Dragons.

https://instagram.com/p/4wogY9im2E/

Ron Simmons Talks About Helping The Rock, Dusty Rhodes, “Damn!” & More

Matt Boone
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15

WWE Hall Of Famer Ron Simmons recently spoke with the folks at Slam! Wrestling. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.

On being the first black World Champion: “At that particular time, I didn’t even focus on being the first African-American. My only goal was to become World champion. That was the only thing on my mind, to have the opportunity to win that belt. As time went on, I started thinking of the significance of it and it is more than I thought it would be. Even to this day, people tell me the impact it had on their life.”

On Dusty Rhodes: “I started in Florida Championship Wrestling and he had more of an impact on my career than anyone, but Hiro Matsuda. When I was told about his passing, it was like if time had stopped, I couldn’t believe it. The last time I saw him was during the WrestleMania weekend. He was such a great guy. He always wanted to make sure that you remembered the fundamentals, the basis of what the business was built around. He always told me to never become too big to forget about the people, to always stay in touch with the people. He wasn’t the greatest worker on Earth, but he was so good talking to people.”

On helping The Rock in The Nation of Domination: “That’s how he got his identity. They didn’t know what to do with him. I was able to help The Rock get over on the mic, to help him with his personality, with some of his catchphrases. He got a lot of this from me and I was glad to help giving him an identity.”

“It was just a matter of time before he found his niche, his own identity. He had tried to come along and do stuff that his family background was doing. They didn’t want a younger version of High Chief Peter Maivia. They wanted him to find his own identity and being himself. And that’s when he took off. It makes me feel good I had a little to do in this.”

On his “DAMN!” catchphrase: “Let’s just say I’d jump off the top rope and I’d sprain an ankle or I would miss a move or something, and the first thing I’d yell out was ‘Damn!’ and the people in the first few rows could hear me say that. Every time I was coming back to a city, the fans would notice that every time something would go wrong, I would say ‘Damn!’ and as I kept coming back to each of the cities, I noticed that they would all start chanting ‘Damn!’ One day I asked Bradshaw what they were doing.

“I think they’re talking about you,” he said.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, every time you do something and it’s not right you say ‘Damn!’ and that’s what they’re saying.”

“The writers picked up on that too. So we were in Chicago and Booker T and John Cena were doing something and they asked me to just walk on stage and after Cena was done talking just to say ‘Damn!’ and see the response. And it got over with the fans. You never know what people are gonna like, right?”

Check out the complete interview at Canoe.ca.

John Cena Looks Ahead To Monday’s RAW Crowd, Kidd/Natalya, More

Matt Boone
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16

– WWE United States Champion John Cena took to Twitter on Sunday to thank the fans in Japan and to look ahead to Monday’s WWE RAW crowd. Monday’s RAW takes place in Chicago, Illinois, a city that Cena always gets a ton of heat in.

– Tyson Kidd and Natalya are the guests on the latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast. You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

Maria Kanellis Talks ROH Locker Room, Being First Lady Of ROH & More

Matt Boone
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4

Former WWE Diva and current Ring Of Honor performer Maria Kanellis recently spoke with Channel Guide Magazine. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.

On being The First Lady of ROH: “I think I’ve always had a passion for the pro wrestling business. In Ring of Honor, I was able to find something that inspired me and challenged me. I have been able to have a lot of fun with it. I think with this character and being the ‘First Lady of Ring of Honor,’ I’m having so much fun with it.”

On the ROH locker room: “I’ve always had a lot more guy friends than girlfriends, so it has never intimidated me being in a locker room full of guys. The Ring of Honor locker room is one of the best locker rooms I’ve ever been in. The guys are just so sweet and so wonderful. A lot of them came to my wedding. It’s great to be surrounded by all my big brothers and little brothers.”

On the state of women’s wrestling: “I think we are going in the right direction. We still have a long way to go. We have to be very careful right now, because we can’t become complacent that we are getting a few more nuggets of hope with time on television. It’s not enough. You look at women as a whole. Yes, there are more females that are going be on the cover of Fortune 500. You are going to see more females take bigger roles in these sitcoms and television shows. That doesn’t mean it is equal. Just because the girls get one main event every six months at NXT, that’s not equal. Yes, we are moving in the right direction. No, it’s not enough.”

On working with husband Mike Bennett: “We separate church and state. There is ‘work’ us and ‘relationship’ us. We are a couple that just happens to be professional wrestlers. Our professional wrestling careers don’t define us as human beings. We have a lot of outside passions that we are able to experience as a couple. We love to cook together. We have three long-haired Chihuahuas together. We are big into our families. Even though we are wrestlers, it’s just one piece of our delicious soup.

“I don’t think there have ever been a couple truly like Mike and I. You could kind of equate us to Stephanie McMahon and Triple H. You can kind of equate us to other people. That doesn’t necessarily get the whole picture. We’ve never really been seen before in the fact there isn’t one dominant person in our onscreen relationship. It depends on what the match calls for. If I need to be involved more, I’m involved more. If I need to sit on the outside and do nothing, that’s what I do. When it comes to the dynamic of Mike and I, there is nobody like us.”

Check out the complete interview at ChannelGuideMagBlog.com.

Natalya Talks New Total Divas Season, Why She Dressed In Black, NXT Women’s Division

Daniel Pena
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1

Promoting the return of Total Divas on E! this Tuesday, at 9/8 CT, Natalya talked about what fans can expect this season in an interview with Scott Fishman of the Miami Herald.

“There is no season that can compare to this season coming up because the crazy drama that happened was more explosive than anything we’ve had in the first three seasons,” Natalya said. “The drama is still going on. I’ve always said there is no place more dangerous than the diva’s division. There is no place more dangerous in the WWE than in the diva’s locker room. I truly believe that, especially this season. The lines in the sand have been drawn. There are two different sides. It’s like every girl on the show from me to Paige to the Bellas to Alicia Fox. We all have our own opinions of where we stand with the situation. It’s just crazy to me that it has become so divided. So I’m hoping everyone can work it out. It’s gotten very uncomfortable in the locker room. Even the events that we do, its uncomfortable doing them because of where people stand on the situation.”

While managing Tyson Kidd and Cesaro in the spring, Natalya prominently dressed in black. Her change of wardrobe is addressed in an upcoming episode.

“I had a dominatrix come and visit me because I was trying a darker character on TV,” Natalya said. “My mom helped me with this woman that came over. It was pretty funny with my mom going that extra mile….I had debuted this new look that was a little darker and edgier when I walked Cesaro and TJ down to the ring. I didn’t know about what a dominatrix was or what they did. I just learned about all of it, which is covered on the show. So I didn’t realize what this woman did. So I invited her over to have some herbal tea with us. Next thing I know TJ stormed off letting me know he was a tag team champion at the time and didn’t want to be a part of this. This lady wanted him to act like a cat on the ground. You have to find out what happened by watching ‘Total Divas’ when TJ left. He was furious. So I called my mom up, but she was very obliging.”

“It was has been so interesting to watch this NXT division evolve because when you are in WWE we are all in the same tree,” Natalya said. “I feel like people on the main roster are not the only divas. The NXT divas are divas, too. I feel like we are all under this same umbrella. We are part of the WWE umbrella, so to be able to work with the girls of NXT on their show, it was awesome. Triple H and I actually had an in-depth conversation about this. Triple H believes that it’s the stories. The women are being allowed to tell stories. They are getting build and time to tell the story. It’s the story more than the wrestling.”

Natalya also spoke out on the group of women in NXT, believing they are proof that women’s wrestling is on the upswing.

“It was has been so interesting to watch this NXT division evolve because when you are in WWE we are all in the same tree,” Natalya said. “I feel like people on the main roster are not the only divas. The NXT divas are divas, too. I feel like we are all under this same umbrella. We are part of the WWE umbrella, so to be able to work with the girls of NXT on their show, it was awesome. Triple H and I actually had an in-depth conversation about this. Triple H believes that it’s the stories. The women are being allowed to tell stories. They are getting build and time to tell the story. It’s the story more than the wrestling.”

The full article is available here.

New Japan Pro Wrestling Announce G1 Climax 25 Tournament Matches

Martin Lamont
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4

During tonight’s NJPW Dominion PPV the blocks were announced for the upcoming G1 Climax 25 Tournament which will be held from July 20th through August 16th.

Two matches for each of the shows as part of the G1 Climax 25 Tournament have also been confirmed which will lead up to the final on the 16th of August in Tokyo.

Block A:
Togi Makabe
Hiroshi Tenzan
Toru Yano
Doc Gallows
Bad Luck Fale
Tetsuya Naito
Katsuyori Shibata
Kota Ibushi
Hiroshi Tanahashi
AJ Styles

Block B:
Hirooki Goto
Satoshi Kojima
Yuji Nagata
Tomoaki Honma
Michael Elgin
Karl Anderson
Yujiro Takahashi
Tomohiro Ishii
Shinsuke Nakamura
Kazuchika Okada

The July rundown for the G1 Climax 25 Tournament is as follows:

20th July (Hokkaido)
AJ Styles vs. Katsuyori Shibata
Kota Ibushi vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

23rd July (Shizouka)
Kazuchika Okada vs. Michael Elgin
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Karl Anderson

24th July (Kyoto)
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hiroshi Tenzan
Katsuyori Shibata vs. Tetsuya Naito

25th July (Kagawa)
Yuji Nagata vs. Shinskue Nakamura
Tomoaki Honma vs. Kazuchika Okada

26th July (Hiroshima)
Kota Ibushi vs. AJ Styles
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tetsuya Naito

28th July (Oita)
Hirooki Goto vs. Tomoaki Honma
Satoshi Kojima vs. Kazuchika Okada

29th July (Fukuoka)
Tetsuya Naito vs. AJ Styles
Katsuyori Shibata vs. Kota Ibushi

Into the month of August, the matches for the G1 Climax 25 Tournament are:

1st August (Osaka)
Hirooki Goto vs. Kazuchika Okada
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Tomohiro Ishii

2nd August (Aichi)
Hiroshi Tenzan vs. Kota Ibushi
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Toru Yano

4th August (Miyagi)
Yuji Nagata vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Hirooki Goto vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

5th August (Iwate)
Togi Makabe vs. AJ Styles
Tetsuya Naito vs. Kota Ibushi

7th August (Shizuoka)
Shinuske Nakamura vs. Yujiro Takahashi
Kazuchika Okada vs. Tomohiro Ishii

8th August (Kanagawa)
Hiroshi Tenzan vs. AJ Styles
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Katsuyori Shibata

9th August (Korakuen Hall – Tokyo)
Hirooki Goto vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Tomoaki Honma vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

11th August (Korakuen Hall – Tokyo)
AJ Styles vs. Bad Luck Fale
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Togi Makabe

12th August (Korakuen Hall – Tokyo)
Yuji Nagata vs. Kazuchika Okada
Tomoaki Honma vs. Tomohiro Ishii

14th August (Ryougoku Kokugikan – Tokyo)
Togi Makabe versus Kota Ibushi
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. AJ Styles

15th August (Ryougoku Kokugikan – Tokyo)
Yuji Nagata versus Hirooki Goto
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kazuchika Okada

16th August (Ryougoku Kokugikan – Tokyo)
Block A Winner vs. Block B Winner

Multiple Title Changes At NJPW Dominion, Announcement Made For G1 Climax

Martin Lamont
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1

– New Japan Pro Wrestling held their PPV Dominion 7.5 at the Osaka Castle Hall on the 5th of July and multiple title changes took place at the event.

Not only that but NJPW confirmed the matches that will feature on the G1 Climax Tournament which will be held from July 20th through August 16th. They can be seen at this link.

Results for NJPW Dominion 7.5 are as follows:

Ten Man Tag Team Match
Manabu Nakanishi, Máscara Dorada, Ryusuke Taguchi, Sho Tanaka and Yuji Nagata defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Jushin Thunder Liger, Satoshi Kojima, Tiger Mask and Yohei Komatsu

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Title Three Way Match
The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) (C) defeated reDRagon (Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly) and Roppongi Vice (Baretta and Rocky Romero)

Tag Team Match
Tetsuya Naito and Tomoaki Honma defeated Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale and Yujiro Takahashi)

Singles Match
Katsuyori Shibata defeated Kazushi Sakuraba

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title Match
Kushida defeated Kenny Omega (C) to become the new champion.

NEVER Openweight Title Match
Togi Makabe (C) defeated Tomohiro Ishii

IWGP Tag Team Title Match
Bullet Club (Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson) (w Amber Gallows) defeated The Kingdom (Matt Taven and Michael Bennett) (C) (w Maria Kanellis) to become the new champions.

Singles Match
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Toru Yano

IWGP Intercontinental Title Match
Hirooki Goto (C) defeated Shinsuke Nakamura

IWGP Heavyweight Title Match
Kazuchika Okada defeated A.J. Styles (C) to become the new champion.

World Heavyweight Champion Heading To Tough Enough This Week

Martin Lamont
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1

– This Tuesday on “Tough Enough” on the USA Network, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins will guest star be featuring and assisting the contestants with a special challenge.

– On Twitter a few days ago, a series of photographs were shared on the official “Tough Enough” account featuring Rollins and the contestants as they brush up on their “character development”

“Tough Enough” airs on the USA Network at 8/7c, hosted by Chris Jericho and Renee Young followed by “Tough Talk” – the aftershow hosted by The Miz on the WWE Network.

WWE Hall Of Famer Set For Dusty Rhodes Special, The WWE List And More

Martin Lamont
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0

– As previously reported, immediately following RAW tomorrow night, the WWE Network will air a one hour live special where WWE Superstars and Legends will talk about Dusty Rhodes.

PWInsider are noting that one of the legends WWE plan on bringing to Chicago for the live special is WWE Hall of Famer, Ric Flair.

– This coming Tuesday on the WWE Network a new episode of “The WWE List” will air at 4:30pm EST looking at “the Royalist of Superstars that WWE has ever been graced with!”

– Michael Cole noted during the WWE’s “Beast in the East” special yesterday that Nikki Bella has begun her campaign to become the longest reigning Divas Champion in WWE History. S

She posted the following on Instagram after her match with Paige and Tamina:

https://instagram.com/p/4vBmJLCkCH/

The photo had the following caption:

What an honor defending and retaining my Divas Championship in Tokyo. On the road to 300 days. Through jet lagged and injuries I gave it all I had last night and I succeeded. Couldn’t have done it without my #BellaArmy support. We stand strong and proud! Love you! ???????? #DivasChamp #FearlessNikki #FearlessDivasChampion #RoadTo300Days #WWETokyo #Repost

Finn Balor Comments On His Win In Japan, Congratulated By Other Superstars

Martin Lamont
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9

– Moments after winning the WWE NXT Championship at WWE’s Beast in the East live event in Tokyo, Japan, Finn Balor was congratulated by a number of Superstars backstage.

In the video above, after defeating Kevin Owens for his first title reign in the WWE Balor was congratulated by Cesaro, Neville, United States Champion John Cena and William Regal.

– Following the match against Kevin Owens yesterday in Japan, Balor took to his Twitter account and shared the following photo:

If you missed the match then you can watch the full show at this link.

TNA Knockouts Knockdown 2015 Pay-Per-View Lineup

Matt Boone
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TNA Slammiversary won’t be the final pay-per-view in TNA history after all. TNA will return to the pay-per-view arena all throughout July, as TNA Knockouts Knockdown 2015 is now available.

The event was taped back on February 14th in Orlando, Florida and features an all-Knockouts card.

Below is the lineup for TNA Knockouts Knockdown 2015:

* Cherry Bomb vs. Gail Kim
* Solo Darling vs. Havok
* Rosita vs. Angelina Love
* Su Yung vs. Taryn Terrell
* Mia Yim (Jade) vs. Brooke Tessmacher
* Alisha vs. Madison Rayne
* Andrea vs. Awesome Kong
* Knux, Crazzy Steve and Rebel vs. Jessie Godderz, Robbie E and Angelina Love
* 7 Knockouts Gauntlet Match to crown the Queen of the Knockouts

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