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Plans Back On For John Cena vs. Rusev At WrestleMania 31?, News On WWE’s MSG Return

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It was reported a while back that WWE officials were contemplating doing a John Cena vs. Rusev feud for WrestleMania 31. The idea at that time was to have Rusev cost Cena his chance at recapturing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

As of right now, WWE is advertising a tag-team main event of John Cena and Randy Orton vs. Rusev and Seth Rollins for the live event in Madison Square Garden on February 27th. Some view this as a possible sign that WWE is going forward with their original plans for Cena vs. Rusev at WrestleMania.

Thus far, there has been no interaction between Cena and Rusev that would indicate that match being booked. Some are of the opinion that Cena and Rusev is simply a live event program for WrestleMania season, possibly because Brock Lesnar doesn’t work non-televised events.

In related news, other matches advertised for the aforementioned 2/27 live event at MSG include Daniel Bryan vs. Kane, Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose vs. Cesaro and an appearance by Chris Jericho.

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

WWE To Fight Against WrestleMania Weekend Competition, Note On WM31 Opening Time

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WWE is planning on opening the doors for WrestleMania 31 at Levi’s Stadium as early as 1:30pm local time. One of the main reasons for this is because WWE is looking to combat the other independent wrestling events in the afternoon in the area.

In related news, WWE is looking to secure venues in Dallas, Texas in 2016 for WrestleMania 32, once again as a way to prevent outside promotions from attempting to piggy-back on the WrestleMania hype in the area.

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

Latest News On Plans For Additional Matches At This Year’s WWE Royal Rumble PPV

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As things stand right now, aside from the 30-man over-the-top Royal Rumble match itself, there are only two matches that have been officially announced for the 2015 WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view, those being Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and The Usos vs. The Miz & Damien Mizdow for the WWE Tag-Team Championship.

It appears that Nikki Bella vs. Natalya for the WWE Divas Championship will be added, and with the Rumble match itself being such a lengthy match, and one with so many competitors involved, there’s a good possibility that only one or two additional matches will end up being added to the card.

Matches such as Roman Reigns vs. Big Show and Ryback vs. Rusev were being pushed, however three of those four are announced as Rumble participants, and nothing can be officially booked for Ryback until WWE wraps up the “firing” angle from last week’s RAW.

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

IZOD Center Likely Shutting Down This Month, SummerSlam Changing Venues

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The IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey is expected to shut down later this month, according to a report at NorthJersey.com. The venue was scheduled to host SummerSlam 2015.

An official from Governor Christie’s administration said all events scheduled for February and March will be moving to the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. All events beyond March 31st (including SummerSlam on August 23rd) can check the scheduling of the Prudential Center or go elsewhere .

Wayne Hasenbalg, the President of the local sports authority, said the decision was a matter of economics.

“Just about everyone in New Jersey and the region has great memories of big-name concerts, basketball or hockey games or other family entertainment at the arena,” he said. “Times have changed, however, and this should be viewed as a new opportunity for the entire Meadowlands entertainment complex, as interested parties – including the owners of American Dream Meadowlands – look at ways to rejuvenate and reintegrate the arena for optimal use, value and long-term success.”

The IZOD Center, formerly the Meadowlands Arena and Continental Airlines Arena, has hosted numerous WWE pay-per-view events over the years (SummerSlam 1989, 1997 and 2007, King of the Ring 2001, No Mercy 2004, Extreme Rules 2014) as well as numerous RAW, SmackDown and live events.

Assault Charges Against Kevin Nash Dropped, nWo Plans Back On For RAW Reunion Special?

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WWE legend Kevin Nash noted on social media on Wednesday evening that as of today, the assault charges against him stemming from the issues with his son during the holidays have been dropped.

Nash was suspended by WWE due to their policy on that subject, however now that the charges have been dropped, it is expected that his suspension will be lifted.

Nash was originally scheduled to take part in an nWo reunion angle alongside Hulk Hogan and Scott Hall on the RAW Reunion show in Dallas, Texas next Monday, however when he was suspended by WWE, he was pulled from the show. Now that his suspension may be lifted, there is a chance that the door will be open for him to be included in the special.

Below is the tweet Nash posted on Wednesday evening regarding the assault charges against him being dropped.

Backstage Update On WWE TV Announcing Changes, Jerry Lawler Being Phased Out?

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As noted recently, WWE switched up their television announce teams, with RAW now featuring Michael Cole, JBL and Booker T, and SmackDown with Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler and Byron Saxton. For those curious, the announce team for WWE pay-per-views, for the time being, will still feature Cole, JBL and Lawler.

The feeling within WWE is that the move of Lawler to SmackDown is the beginning of WWE phasing him out of the picture, as the company is age-conscious when it comes to their on-camera broadcasters, particularly for their key programs.

The idea of phasing Lawler out has been floating around for a while, however when he suffered a heart attack, it was pretty much a lock that they couldn’t make the move just yet.

When WWE moved SmackDown from Friday’s to Thursday’s, which begins this week on the SyFy Network in North America, it seemed like the perfect excuse to finally pull the trigger and make the transition of having Lawler move from RAW to SmackDown.

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

VIDEO: Triple H Talks Seth Rollins’ Future, Royal Rumble, SmackDown On Thursday’s

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The latest edition of Michael Cole’s weekly WWE.com sit-down video interview, which features Triple H this week, is now online.

In this week’s interview, “The Game” talks to the WWE announcer about WWE SmackDown moving to Thursday night’s beginning this week on the SyFy Network, as well as the Daniel Bryan vs. Kane match scheduled for the show.

HHH also discusses Monday’s RAW, noting that Seth Rollins proved he belongs in the ring with the likes of John Cena and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar, as his Curb Stomp of both men showed why he is referred to as the “undisputed future of the WWE.”

While HHH gave credit to Cena and Lesnar as two of WWE’s key players in the present day, he claimed that Rollins is “something different altogether.”

Triple H concluded the interview by reminding fans that Rollins is still in possession of the “Money in the Bank” briefcase, which ensures him a WWE World Heavyweight Championship opportunity at any time of his choosing.

“If you don’t skin a cat one way, you’ve always got a briefcase in your hand that says you can skin them any time you want,” said Triple H.

You can check out the complete Michael Cole sit-down video interview with Triple H above.

First NXT Live Event Outside Of Florida Announced, Video Of WWE’s New Pinball Game & More

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– WWE has announced that NXT will be running a live event outside of Florida for the first-time ever on Thursday, March 5th from Columbus, Ohio at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion. Tickets go on sale January 23rd via Ticketmaster.

– Sunday’s episode of Total Divas drew 1.295 million viewers, down from the 1.411 million viewers the previous week.

– ArsTechnica.com has published a feature looking at the new WrestleMania pinball game from Stern Pinball, including video footage of the game in action.

– Dean Ambrose’s doctor was played by indy wrestler Mike Dell.

Viewership From Monday’s WWE RAW (1/12)

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Monday’s episode of WWE RAW, which featured Daniel Bryan’s return to New Orleans and WWE’s Randy Savage Hall of Fame announcement, averaged 3.90 million viewers, up from last week’s 3.76 million.

Here’s the hourly breakdown:

  • Hour 1: 4.095 million viewers
  • Hour 2: 3.897 million viewers
  • Hour 3: 3.722 million viewers

RAW was the second most-watched show on cable for the night behind the College Football championship, which drew over 30 million viewers.

Ken Shamrock Confirmed For Bare-Knuckle Boxing Match On PPV

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At age 50, “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” Ken Shamrock is preparing for yet another return to competition, as the UFC Hall Of Famer is scheduled to compete in a bare-knuckle boxing match on pay-per-view later this year.

On his official website, the MMA pioneer explains why his upcoming match against Irish bare-knuckle brawler James Quinn McDonagh will be “groundbreaking” and “as real as it gets.”

Below is an excerpt from Shamrock’s official statement:

“To have the chance to reconnect with my roots and compete for self-fulfillment and entertainment is truly a gift. Many are asking why I have chosen to enter the lesser-known sport, Bare Knuckle Boxing (BKB). If you haven’t yet noticed, I like being at the forefront of upcoming combat sports.

I was the first heavyweight Pancrase champion in Japan; created the first MMA team (Lion’s Den); first to submit opponents with leg-locks; first MMA fighter to go into WWF; first fighter in MMA history to capture a championship in two countries. Likewise, I want to get in on the rise of bare knuckle prizefighting.”

Just under three months ago, Shamrock spoke with our official MMA sister-site — MMANews.com — and explained why he would never rule out a return to active competition. For those who missed the interview, you can check that video out by clicking here.

Stephanie McMahon Explains Why WWE Discontinued Elimination Chamber

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WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and WWE Hall of Famer Booker T appeared on the the Wrestling Compadres Slamcast podcast at Nerdist.com.

One of the most interesting topics discussed was WWE’s decision to discontinue the annual Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, which is being replaced by a new event this year, Fast Lane.

Stephanie said that it was mostly related to the logistics hanging the chamber structure, which weighs 10 tons. Many arenas across the United States have been adding elaborate high-tech scoreboards above where the ring is set up. It’s become increasingly hard to hang the chamber in those arenas.

She assured the hosts that Fast Lane will still be an exciting event as the last stop on the road to WrestleMania. “Don’t worry,” she said. “We will deliver.”

Highlights From WWE Investor Conference: WWE Network, TV Viewership & More

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WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and WWE Chief Financial Officer George A. Barrios did in a presentation at the 17th Annual Needham Growth Conference for investors in New York City on Tuesday. A .PDF of WWE’s presentation can be found at Corporate.WWE.com. Here are some highlights:

– WWE is looking to launch the WWE Network in several new markets over the next few years, including Italy, Germany, India, Japan, China, Thailand, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. There are 98 million ‘WWE broadband homes’ in the world. If they can get 3-4% of those homes to subscribe, the WWE Network could potentially have 3-4 million active subscribers.

– Monday Night RAW has been averaging 4.6 million viewers a week, with SmackDown doing 3.0 million.

– WWE TV rights fees have increased from $78 million in 2004 to $171 million as of September 2014. With WWE’s TV deals locked in through 2018, WWE’s annual revenue is expected to increase by $100 million by 2018.

– In addition to television production, social media and live event successes were both touted, including a live event revenue rising from $62 million to $114 million.

News On TNA Positioning Themselves As A True Alternative To WWE

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With TNA’s move to Destination America, the company is in the process of changing a lot of things about the Impact Wrestling show as well as the overall philosophy of the company.

As part of this new era, TNA officials are working on several changes to the product in an effort to position themselves as a true alternative to WWE.

TNA President Dixie Carter has said in recent interviews that the changes to Impact will be rolled out over the next several weeks, so the show will continue to evolve and will eventually have a very different feel than it did on Spike TV.

(Information from PWInsider.com was used in this report)

Big Match Announced For RAW, Kevin Nash Comments On His WWE Future

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– Daniel Bryan will face Kane on Monday’s “RAW Reunion” show from Dallas, Texas. If Bryan loses, he will lose his spot in the Royal Rumble. The match was announced at Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings.

– Kevin Nash tweeted the following on Tuesday night about his future with the company:

Nash was originally scheduled for Monday’s “RAW Reunion” show, where he would have reunited with his nWo co-founders Scott Hall and Hulk Hogan. He was pulled from the show after he and his son were both arrested last month following a domestic incident.

Previews For Tonight’s NXT & Lucha Underground Shows

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WWE NXT preview for tonight:

  • NXT champion Sami Zayn vs. Adrian Neville.
  • Finn Balor vs. Tyson Kidd.
  • Bull Dempsey vs. Baron Corbin.
  • Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte and Natalya.

Lucha Underground preview for tonight –

  • Lucha Underground champion Prince Puma defends his title for the first time.
  • Chavo Guerrero confronts Blue Demon Jr.
  • Drago vs. King Cuerno.
  • Cage vs. Angelico vs. Aerostar vs. Argenis.

Royal Rumble: New Title Match & Entrants Announced

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Following Tuesday night’s WWE SmackDown tapings, here’s the updated lineup for the 2015 Royal Rumble pay-per-view, which takes place Sunday, January 25th from Philadelphia, PA:

WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match:

  • Brock Lesnar (c) vs. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins

WWE Tag Team Championship Match:

  • The Usos (c) vs. The Miz and Damien Mizdow

30 Man Royal Rumble Match

  • Daniel Bryan
  • Roman Reigns
  • Rusev
  • Bray Wyatt
  • Bad News Barrett
  • Dean Ambrose
  • Big Show
  • Kane
  • Goldust
  • Stardust

Main Event Pulled From The WWE Network

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WWE announced on this week’s episode of Main Event that the show will not be airing next week due to “contractual commitments.” In its place will be a Royal Rumble lottery special hosted by Santino Marella.

The reason for Main Event being pulled until further notice is because Sky has exclusive rights to air Main Event in the UK, where the Network is officially launching next week.

Since that the UK gets the same WWE Network feed as the United States and WWE does not currently have the ability to air different live content in separate geographic regions, WWE will have to work something out with Sky before Main Event gets back on the air.

WWE Network Is Live In The UK Almost A Week Early

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We’ve received word from several fans based out of the UK that the WWE Network is currently live in that region almost a full week before the official January 19th launch date.

It’s possible that WWE pushed the Network live in the UK a few days early as a “soft launch” to test out it in an effort to ensure things are smooth next week.

The @AskWWENetwork Twitter account says the official launch date is still January 19th at 9am UK time, but that hasn’t stopped fans from signing up and viewing.

If you’re in the UK, comment below and tell us if you’ve had any luck connecting to the WWE Network.

Ashley Massaro Fires Back At Sunny For Alleging She Works As An Escort

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On Monday night, WWE Hall of Famer Tammy “Sunny” Sytch went on Twitter, denied that she has been working as an escort, but called out former WWE Diva Ashley Massaro for having experience in that department.

(Read Sunny’s tweets here).

Since then, Ashley has responded, defending herself and firing back at Sunny as the one who has been “selling herself” to fans.

Ashley tweeted on Tuesday morning:

She then tweeted a very explicit photo of Sunny, which we won’t post here. Ashley continued:

Sunny Denies Working As An Escort, But Says A Former WWE Diva Has Experience With That

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WWE Hall of Famer Sunny is denying that she is working as an escort, despite photos circulating of her getting nude for fans on Skype.

While plugging her premium Skype sessions, she hinted that former WWE Diva Ashley Massaro has experience in the ‘escort’ department. Yikes.

Update: Ashley Massaro Fires Back At Sunny

Sunny tweeted on Monday night:

Lanny Poffo Talks About Macho Man’s WWE Hall Of Fame Induction

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Former WWE Superstar Lanny “The Genius” Poffo spoke to Bill Apter of 1wrestling.com on Monday about WWE inducting his brother “Macho Man” Randy Savage into WWE Hall of Fame this year.

Poffo spoke about previously being against his brother being inducted since Randy only wanted to be inducted if Lanny and their father Angelo were inducted as well. Poffo said it’s time for Randy to be honored and he doesn’t want the fans to be deprived of Macho Man entering the Hall of Fame.

Hulk Hogan also tweeted on Tuesday morning:

Pros And Cons: WWE Raw (1/12)

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Last night’s episode of Raw was held in the Big Easy, and it’s obvious that the company knew they were going up against the CFP Championship because they seemed to be holding something back all night. Anyway, here are the pros and cons from last night’s episode of Raw.

Pros

The best thing to come out of last night’s show was the announcement that the “Macho Man” Randy Savage will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. It’s about time one of the most talented and influential superstars of all-time takes his rightful place amongst fellow legends. Some will probably complain about the choice to have Hogan induct Savage, but as someone who loved the Mega Powers as a child, I think it’s a good choice and has the potential to be a touching and heartfelt tribute to one of the company’s most iconic figures.

I wasn’t expecting a ton out of the New Day vs. Kidd/Cesaro matchup, but it turned out to be one of the better contests of the night. Kidd and Cesaro worked well together, with the Cesaro Swing into a dropkick spot being particularly impressive. It would have been nice to see Kidd and Cesaro pick up the win, but I guess it’s a minor victory just to see them on television.

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The recurring promos featuring Dean Ambrose and the doctor were certainly humorous. Ambrose seems like a natural actor and really at ease on camera, so it’s nice to see him get a chance to show off his talent. The promos were entertaining and it was an original way to have Ambrose gain entry into the Royal Rumble.

Finally, it was nice to see Daniel Bryan back in the city where he captured the title at last year’s WrestleMania. The interactions between Bryan and Stephanie were on point, especially when she tried to present Bryan with her crappy workout DVD. It was finally announced that Bryan would make his return to the ring against Kane on SmackDown this Thursday. As Kane approached the ring, Bryan dove threw the ropes and took out the Devil’s Favorite Demon before celebrating with the crowd.

Vince McMahon Comments On Randy Savage’s WWE Hall Of Fame Induction

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RANDY “MACHO MAN” SAVAGE™ TO BE INDUCTED INTO THE WWE® HALL OF FAME

STAMFORD, Conn., January 12, 2015 – WWE (NYSE:WWE) announced today that Randy “Macho Man” Savage will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Hulk Hogan™. The posthumous ceremony will take place Saturday, March 28 at SAP Center, as a part of the WrestleMania® 31 Week activities.

“Randy Savage was one of the most iconic Superstars in WWE history,” said WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon. “While millions of fans around the world mourned his passing, they will now be able to celebrate his rightful induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.”

One of the greatest stars in WWE history and a pop-culture icon known for his incredible athleticism, trademark “Ooh, Yeah” catchphrase and elaborate ring attire, Randy “Macho Man” Savage made his WWE debut in 1985. In 1986, he became Intercontinental Champion, holding the title for more than a year until losing it to Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat™ at WrestleMania III in one of the greatest matches in WWE history. At WrestleMania IV, Savage once again made history by becoming WWE Champion in a tournament where he competed in an unprecedented four matches.

At WrestleMania V, Savage lost the WWE Championship to Hulk Hogan, but soon went on to memorable feuds with WWE Hall of Famers Dusty Rhodes™, Ultimate Warrior™ and Jake “The Snake” Roberts™. Savage again made history in 1992 by defeating WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair at WrestleMania VIII to become WWE Champion for a second time. After losing the Championship back to Flair, Savage continued to perform in WWE both in the ring and the broadcast booth until his departure from WWE in 1994. While competing in WCW®, Savage continued to add to his legacy, becoming a multi-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion.

Additional WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015 inductees will be announced over the coming weeks.

Tickets for the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at SAP Center go on sale this Saturday, January 17 at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT through www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. All tickets are subject to service charges and facility fees.

WrestleMania 31 takes place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA Sunday, March 29 live on WWE Network and pay-per-view.

ECW Original Jason Knight Says He Has Been Diagnosed With Throat Cancer

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ECW original Jason Knight announced last night via Facebook that he has been diagnosed with throat cancer.

Knight wrestled and managed for Extreme Championship Wrestling before promoting, training and booking pro wrestling in Connecticut, where he now resides.

Knight posted the following on his Facebook page:

UGH!!! Looks like throat cancer, and advanced. The battle really starts now.

Report: TNA Tried To Sign Edge For Destination America Premiere

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Former WWE Superstar Alberto Del Rio is not the only big name that TNA reached out to in hopes of delivering a major surprise at last week’s Impact Wrestling premiere on Destination America.

After talks with Del Rio fell through, TNA reportedly reached out to WWE Hall of Famer Edge, who appeared on WWE RAW just two weeks ago.

According to a report at PWInsider.com, the negotiations between TNA and Edge didn’t really go anywhere and money was never discussed. TNA sent out feelers but Edge wasn’t interested.

The hope was that Edge would come in as the new TNA authority figure, since Kurt Angle surrendered that role to return to active competition.

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