Home Blog Page 1165

Brandi Rhodes Talks About Critics And Expecting Backlash

Steve Russell
-
1

All Elite Wrestling’s Chief Brand Officer Brandi Rhodes recently joined Tony Schiavone and Aubrey Edwards on AEW’s official podcast, Unrestricted. During their conversation, Brandi addressed her detractors and what it’s like to personally anticipate a negative backlash.

Acknowledging that there are those who are critical of her because her husband is AEW’s Executive Vice President Cody, Brandi said:

“I mean the the only hesitation that I ever had was the hesitation that a lot of women are made to have positions like this” Brandi began. “Which is that people would say, ‘well, the only reason you’re doing this job is because of who you’re married to.'”

She continued, “Sure, it is tough being married to your business partner? You know, more so in the creative element than in the business sense. We’re very like minded, we both are very organised. We annoy people because we show up dressed up!”

Brandi Rhodes On Backlash

Brandi Rhodes confessed that she has seen negative comments regarding her position within AEW and her relationship with Cody. She admitted that it’s difficult to want something for yourself knowing there may be a backlash for pursuing or accepting an opportunity.

She also spoke about she is enjoying her current on-screen role. Having left the Nightmare Collective behind, Brandi Rhodes has since been managing the Natural Nightmares, Dustin Rhodes and QT Marshall. 

Triple H On What His Life Would Be Like If He Hadn’t Married Stephanie McMahon

Steve Russell
-
7

During Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show, Triple H was asked what he might be doing had he never met or married Stephanie McMahon. He explained how he’s always had a fascination with how things work behind-the-scenes, regardless of his relationship with Stephanie. He noted that this interest is how he first started working with Vince McMahon. According to him, they started working together during the beginning of the Attitude Era.

“I had never even met Steph at that point,” Triple H explained. “He and I were working creatively when a bunch of writers left us and Vince was kind of doing everything solo. He kind of tagged me in to help him in a manner and riff ideas off and bounce ideas off of and then I started sitting in production meetings and it became more and more my involvement.”

“The Game” continued, “Even for stuff that had zero to do with me, which I tended to prefer. I didn’t like to weigh on the stuff that had to do with me nearly as much because I felt like it was wrong to do and your vision can get warped in that but to weigh in on other people’s things and to weigh in on other shows, I was always as fascinated with that side of the business.”

Triple H believes that even if he had never met or married Stephanie McMahon, he would still be involved in behind-the-scenes activity. He noted how his relationship with her is the best thing that ever happened to him.

However, from a business perspective, “I like to think I’d be doing the same thing because of the relationship that I had with Vince and the creative relationship that we had long before any of that.”

Booker T Talks Potential ‘Theatrics’ of Edge vs Randy Orton

Jake Skudder
-
0

WWE Hall of Famer and co-host of the Hall of Fame podcast Booker T recently commented on the upcoming WrestleMania 36 bout between Edge and Randy Orton. With the unique nature of this year’s ‘Mania, Booker T believes that a ‘theatrical’ element to the match will be able to push it beyond the confines of standard wrestling fare.

Booker T on Edge vs Randy Orton

“This is a moment man, this is a moment that these guys can actually be able to go out here and really tap into their creativeness” Booker T began. “Looking at guys like Edge, he’s perfect for this moment, because he’s a guy who not only loves the wrestling business; but as soon as he got out to the wrestling business he went right into acting.”

“I like the analogy, it [WWE] is Rocky, it is Shakespeare, it is Romeo and Juliet.”

Booker T

Booker T would elaborate further, discussing Triple H’s recent comments that WWE is more “like the Rocky movie and not boxing.” “I like the analogy, it [WWE] is Rocky, it is Shakespeare, it is Romeo and Juliet. It seemed like these guys have said ‘hey man, we’re gonna be in this [coronavirus] state for a while, why don’t you let us be creative? You don’t write anything for us. and just let us go out here and talk about it. Let us feel it?’ It actually looks that way to be. When I watched The Undertaker go out and cut a promo? That was as real as I’ve ever seen The Undertaker.”

Final Hype for Edge vs Orton

Booker T would finish by discussing the history between Edge and Orton. “And now [for Randy] to go out and dance with Edge? A guy who he’s got history with? These guys know each other very very well and respect each other, a whole lot. And now they’re gonna get a chance to go out and you know create magic for the world, in front of an empty arena. Mano a mano and now it’s going to be, you know, a fight that we got to create like we never have before, just because of the circumstances that we’re in. We’re really gonna get a chance to see Shakespeare.”

Edge vs Randy Orton will be taking place this weekend at WrestleMania 36. The show will be available to purchase on PPV, FITE TV as well as the WWE Network.

Are you looking forward to the match between Edge and Orton? Do you think it will have a ‘theatrical’ element? Let us know in the comments

Booker T

Also Check Out:

Rob Gronkowski Talks About Signing With WWE

Steve Russell
-
1

New WWE signing Rob Gronkowski has opened up about signing with the company in a recent interview with Newshub. Looking back to his time in the NFL, Gronkowski shared how those experiences helped prepare him for WWE.

“Playing football in the NFL and being around the best of the best has definitely prepared me for WrestleMania. You can’t just walk out on the field and expect to be ready to compete – you have to practice, work out and know your plays.”

Gronkowski continued, “It’s the same thing for WrestleMania. I can’t expect to go out there, and jump off the top rope or cut a promo. Everything is about practice and that’s what I’ve taken from my time in the NFL. If you want to be great in any industry, you have to do the work and prepare. In the time I have been with WWE, I can see the superstars are the same way and they want it just as bad.”

The former NFL player shared how it’s an honor to be a part of WWE and experience the atmosphere he grew up watching. He added how working with his friend Mojo Rawley is a dream come true for him. Rob Gronkowski made his WWE television debut as a talent on the March 20 episode of SmackDown.

Rob Gronkowski will serve as Host for this weekend’s WrestleMania 36. The pre-recorded event will air on the WWE Network on April 4 and April 5.

Edge Wants To Make Sure His WrestleMania Match Is “Tough To Follow”

Steve Russell
-
0

Edge has acknowledged Drew McIntyre’s recent comments where he stated Edge’s Last Man Standing matchup should headline a night of WrestleMania 36. Talking with USA Today, Edge opened up about his intentions for the match, sharing that he wants to make sure it’s difficult to follow.

“My mindset is our match is going to be tough to follow. It really is, and that’s what my job is, is to make it tough to follow,” Edge explained. “So if you want to put it on in the middle, if you want to put it on in the beginning, good luck following it.”

Edge explained that their match placement doesn’t bother him. Instead, it’s all about delivering the best story possible, especially as it’s his first singles match in 9 years. “The Rated R Superstar” was sadly forced to retire back in 2011 before his return at this January’s Royal Rumble event.

“If it’s on last, great, but that doesn’t change my mindset going into it. My mindset is to continue to tell this story, and for my first singles match back in nine years, I want to start this second chapter since coming back at the Royal Rumble, I want to keep that momentum going. I want to show people I’ve taken this craft to a different level than I did it before.”

Edge will compete against Randy Orton this weekend at WrestleMania 36. The “Show of Shows” will air on the WWE Network on April 4 and April 5.

The Big Show Addresses Critics Of Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania Decision

Steve Russell
-
0

WWE Superstar The Big Show has shared his thoughts on fans who have been critical of Roman Reigns’ decision to pull out of WrestleMania 36. Reigns was set to face Goldberg for the WWE Universal Championship. Unfortunately, “The Big Dog” has a lowered immune system after two battles with leukemia. This concern amidst the coronavirus pandemic led him to pull out of their match. Speaking on The Gorilla Position Podcast, Big Show labeled Reigns’ detractors as both ignorant and selfish.

“I think anyone that was to give anyone grief or something like that? It’s really very selfish,” Big Show explained. “[It’s an] almost ignorant point of view. Roman Reigns has had his battles with leukaemia. This is an illness that, you know, own his own he has fought, repressed and got into remission. This guy’s literally got his life in his hands and he’s also got two new kids who are extremely vulnerable.”

The Big Show On Roman Reigns’ Position

Big Show believes Reigns’ decision was a difficult one to make. He added how the only right decision to make in this situation is the one that protects himself and his family. “So you can’t begrudge someone for making that choice. I don’t think there’s not one person out there that wouldn’t have made the same choices as Roman. When you look at the facts, every talent has to weigh, you know, risk reward factor.”

He doesn’t believe this will be much of a set back for Reigns. When he is able to, Big Show thinks Reigns will be ready to get back into the ring and pick up where he left off. He acknowledged how the coronavirus concerns are “bigger than Roman Reigns” and that he understands his decision.

“He has to take the precautions that he thinks are right. I’m proud of him for doing that. That’s the thing about WWE, they’re not going to ask you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with,” Big Show said. “As much as people like to talk trash or portray things of what goes on backstage. I’ve been with Vince McMahon 20 plus years, he’s never asked me to do one thing I’m not comfortable with. Even wearing 40 yards of silk up my butt to wrestle sumo wrestlers, Believe it or not, I was comfortable with that.”

WrestleMania 36 airs this weekend on April 4 and April 5. 

Triple H: Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania Story Will “Unfold In A Unique Way”

Steve Russell
-
1

Triple H has teased that Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania story will pan out in a “unique manner.” Reigns recently pulled out of his WrestleMania 36 matchup. He was due to face Goldberg for the WWE Universal Championship. Speaking with Ariel Helwani, Triple H addressed Reigns’ decision, noting how there are different ways for fans to engage with the pro wrestling industry.

“Well, it’s a funny thing. You know, I think you can watch our business in multiple different ways,” Triple H said. “One of them is the storyline aspect of and [following] the storyline. Another way is the online component of it. And the reality of it behind it, Roman has is his situation and his reasons for doing the things that he’s doing.”

Triple H suggested that there are still plans in place for where Reigns can go from a narrative perspective. He added that he doesn’t want to go into too much detail, as he didn’t want to “give away the ending of the movie.”

He continued, “But I will say from our standpoint and the storyline standpoint, it’s going to play out in a unique manner. And we wanted it to play out that way. And, you know, it’s not necessarily putting me in an awkward position. It’s just me saying I don’t want to give away the ending of the movie before the movie takes place.”

“So I think everybody just has to watch and kind of see how this unfolds. But it will unfold in a unique way. And I think it will be meaningful, you know, for everybody. And again, there’ll always be critics and we’re doing the best we can.”

WrestleMania 36 airs on the WWE Network this weekend on April 4 and April 5.

Edge Discusses WrestleMania Relocating To The WWE Performance Center

Steve Russell
-
0

WWE Hall of Famer Edge will be facing off against Randy Orton during this weekend’s WrestleMania event. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, WrestleMania 36 was set to take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Because of the outbreak, however, WWE was forced to relocate the show. The pre-recorded event now takes place from multiple places, including the WWE Performance Center. In an interview with USA Today, Edge opened up about the venue change and whether it has affected his approach to the match.

“I think we’re at a time where… everything’s so in flux and everything’s so strange right now. I guess if I’m looking at it purely from a performance aspect, you go ‘ahh.’ Because you love being able to be in front of an audience, feed of that, the adrenaline of that and all those things.”

Edge On Rolling With The Current “Normal”

Edge explained how he has been adjusting to this new “normal.” In doing so, he has embraced the challenges it brings and adapted as best he could to deliver in the run-up to his match.

“Then I started looking at ‘OK, well this is where we are. This is normal for now. So what are the challenges here, and how can you adapt and still make a compelling story?'” Edge explained. “I get off on the challenging aspect of it, and that’s how I started looking at it. So if I’m cutting a promo, well now I’m doing theater. I’m doing a monologue to a camera. And that was fun! That lets me explore my acting chops. So that’s how I tried to recalibrate my brain with it.”

Edge clashes with his formed Rated RKO tag team partner Randy Orton this weekend. The two will compete in a Last Man Standing match.

Stephanie McMahon On Delivering WrestleMania 36, Coronavirus Safety Measures

Steve Russell
-
0

During a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Stephanie McMahon discussed if there was ever doubt WrestleMania 36 would go ahead. The “Show of Shows” has been forced to pivot and change due to the coronavirus pandemic. She stressed how this is an unprecedented time and that WWE was monitoring the situation closely on a day-to-day basis. 

“Ultimately, as brands and leagues and companies are reinventing themselves, it’s important to stay true to your mission,” she explained. “And our mission is to put smiles on people’s faces. We’re a fan-first company, we always want to provide an experience that is worthy of our fans’ passion.”

She continued, “We’re constantly looking at what other leagues are doing, what other providers are doing, assessing the landscape–can we make it as safe as possible? Where can we shoot the content? All of these different factors have come into play. We’re working with local, regional, and global agencies, we’re putting in the best possible testing measures that we can [and] all of the safety precautions that we’re taking to take this very seriously.” 

Stephanie McMahon then noted how their decision to deliver WrestleMania 36 isn’t “bullheaded” stubbornness. According to her, every aspect has been a “thought-through effort” in order to entertain the WWE Universe.

“It won’t feel and look like our biggest show of the year, but certainly from a content standpoint and a match standpoint, we’re trying to deliver.”

Stephanie McMahon Details WWE’s Coronavirus Safety Measures

Stephanie McMahon then her attention to the safety measures WWE has put in place to protect its staff and talent. She stressed how “every performance is voluntary for our performers and crew,” adding that this was a crucially important note to highlight. 

“[…] the Performance Center itself is a closed set. We’re shooting in waves. No one person, regardless of who they are, is allowed to enter if they have a temperature of over 100.4, or if they have been out of the country or been in touch with someone who has been out of the country.” 

She explained how they do “pandemic-level cleaning,” which includes fogging and ultraviolet light. Admitting that could be viewed as overkill, she isn’t concerned as safety is paramount. 

WrestleMania 36 airs on the WWE Network this weekend on April 4 and April 5.

Triple H On Why He Was Sent Back To Commentary During The First Empty Arena SmackDown

Anutosh Bajpai
-
0

WWE Vice President Triple H recently had an interview with Pat McAfee on The Pat McAfee Show where he discussed things like the coronavirus pandemic and more.

The Game’s special appearance on commentary during the March 13 episode of SmackDown created a lot of buzz on social media, though reports had later revealed that the original plans only called for him to be part of the opening segment of the show.

During the interview, Triple H talked about this change and revealed that the blowing fan reaction of his first appearance on the show made them alter things:

“I get on commentary for Cole to continue the reset but by the time I get off commentary in that first segment it’s blowing up and as I’m walking off to the side, everybody is pulling me back going, ‘Don’t take the headset off! Man, you gotta go back out there, do the rest of the show.’

I was like, ‘I don’t want to do the rest of the show.’ They talked me into it, so I went back out there” recalled Triple H. “and for me, it was just, ‘Alright, like, I’m not gonna be very good at this, so I’m just going to play the idiot.'”

The former World Champion then praised Michael Cole for his job and said that while he takes a lot of criticism, the man is gifted at what he does.

Triple H continued by recalling how Cole did not know that he was going to be back on the announcers’ desk and praised him for keeping the show together while also dealing with the ‘butt of his jokes’.

Quotes via WrestlingInc

AEW Held Another Round Of Tapings Thursday Night

Anutosh Bajpai
-
1

It appears that AEW ran into some trouble while taping the latest set of their TV programs which included this week’s episode of Dynamite as well.

The latest set of TV tapings took place from QT Marshall’s Gym in Norcross, GA after the previous venues were closed. However, the city officials tried to intervene and attempted to shut down their operations.

Though the company had proper paperwork in place to allow the shooting to go forward and after being shown the documents, the officials stuck around to ensure that proper codes were followed throughout the tapings.

The original location for empty arena shows of AEW was the Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida but they had to relocate because the city officials had started using a parking lot near the venue as a major coronavirus testing center.

This development forced AEW to move its tapings to the Nightmare Factory in Norcross, Georgia, though it was also shut down temporarily due to a shelter-in-place order that was recently signed by Governor Brian Kemp.

Material they have taped will be used for shows until mid-May, although it’s unclear whether they have taped full shows or they will be mixing fresh content with older segments to fill out episodes like WWE.

It seems that WWE will also be affected by a new stay at home order issued by the Florida government and they might not be able to produce shows post-WrestleMania. You can check out a report on the matter here.

AEW Dynamite & NXT TV Viewership (4/1)

Andrew Ravens
-
3

Viewership data is in for this week’s battle in the WWE NXT vs. AEW Dynamite Wednesday Night War. AEW won in total viewers. Both shows were down from last week. 

Here is the breakdown of the live and same-night DVR viewership, courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:

WWE NXT Viewership

NXT on the USA Network averaged 590,000 viewers, which is down from 669,000 last week. In the 18-49 demo, they drew a 0.15 rating, down from the 0.20 rating that the show did last week. 

The episode featured a Second Chance Gauntlet Match to qualify for #1 contender Ladder Match, Dexter Lumis vs. Jake Atlas, Kushida vs. Joaquin Wilde, The Velveteen Dream vs. Bobby Fish, and NXT North American Champion Keith Lee vs. Damian Priest vs. Dominik Dijakovic.

AEW Dynamite Viewership

AEW Dynamite on TNT was watched by 685,000 viewers, down from the 819,000 viewers last week. In the 18-49 demo, Dynamite pulled in a 0.25 rating, down from the 0.34 rating that the show did last week. 

AEW Dynamite featured such as Kenny Omega vs. Trent, Lance Archer’s in-ring debut, Cody and Darby Allin vs. Sammy Guevara and Shawn Spears. There was also a segment with Chris Jericho at his home where he tried to get Vanguard 1 to join the Innercircle by offering him a t-shirt. 

Details On WWE Not Announcing WrestleMania 36 Match Order Yet

Andrew Ravens
-
0

With WrestleMania 36 still being days away, the company has yet to release the match order for both nights of the show. 

This has caused fans to wonder as to what’s the hold up with the match order. Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio shed some light on the situation. 

It turns out that WWE officials are still deciding which matches will air on which nights. However, the belief is that the decision should be finalized by Friday, which is the day before the first night. 

WWE filmed each match individually last week and there wasn’t an order in which those matches were taped.

Now, WWE is taking the time to edit the footage, add special effects, and then put it in an order based on the star power they have on their rosters. This is being done to put on the most exciting matches for each night. 

WWE presents the WrestleMania 36 pay-per-view event as a two-night event on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5 in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center. Both nights start at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT will air on the WWE Network. 

There will be no fans in attendance due to the outbreak of the coronavirus. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming days. 

  • Triple H Discusses WWE Adapting To Changes Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Chris Jericho Comments On A Possible WWE Hall Of Fame Induction

Chris Stephens
-
3

Chris Jericho debuted for WWE in 1999. He wouldn’t work for another company for nearly two decades before working an angle with Kenny Omega in NJPW. Now, Jericho is one of the top-stars of AEW. Jericho recently took part in an interview with the Tampa Bay Times and commented on the possibility of one day going into the WWE Hall of Fame. According to Jericho, he’s not sure if that door will be open to him in the future.

“If I continue to work for the Khan family for the rest of my life, I’ll never go into the WWE Hall of Fame,” Jericho said. “Does that bother me? No. I mean, the Sex Pistols didn’t show up for theirs. I always kind of liked that.”

Jericho continued to say he’s a Hall of Famer in the minds of fans and in his own opinion.

“I’m a hall of famer in the minds of the people who want me to be in the hall of fame,” he adds. “I’m a hall of famer in my mind. That’s all that matters.”

Jericho also added that he has more creative freedom now in AEW than he did in WWE.

“After 30 years, I actually know what I’m doing,” he said. “In WWE I had that freedom, but there’s a process you have to go through there. There’s a lot of approvals and different heads of state that you have to go through before the idea is approved.”

The full interview with the Tampa Bay Times can be read here.

Rhea Ripley Comments On WrestleMania With No Fans

Chris Stephens
-
0

Rhea Ripley is scheduled to face Charlotte Flair for the NXT Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 36 this weekend. The match was supposed to take place inside Raymond James Stadium in front of a packed crowd. Instead, the match has already been filmed in front of no live crowd at the WWE Performance Center.

During an interview with Fox Sports Australia, Ripley admitted to being disappointed about the change.

“The main reason I was bummed was that I knew my family wasn’t going to be there. It made me really sad to think I wasn’t going to be able to share that special moment with them and not see them at all, because I haven’t seen them for a long time,” she said.

“So to not have them there with me on the day, it made me really sad, and I had to remind myself that they’d be watching from home and cheering me on.”

Ripley would continue to say, however, that she knows fans will be watching from home as well and that provides motivation for her to do well.

“Even with the zero people in attendance, there’s still a crowd that’ll be cheering us on, and even if we can put a smile on someone’s face in this critical time, that’s me doing my job.”

She also commented on how even though WrestleMania this year is taking place at the WWE Performance Center, it’s still WrestleMania.

“So I need to think of the bigger picture sometimes. It’s still WrestleMania, and it’s still an amazing accomplishment. Even if it is at the Performance Center, it doesn’t take away the fact that it’s WrestleMania.”

The full interview with Ripley from Fox Sports Australia can be found here.

Hulk Hogan Talks WrestleMania 18 Match Against The Rock

Chris Stephens
-
0

Hulk Hogan recently appeared in a YouTube video talking about his WrestleMania 18 match. The Rock also recently commented on the match during a Q&A session on social media.

According to Hogan, the match provided some unique challenges for him.

“When I went back, they wanted me to go down to Miami and practice the match,” Hogan said. “Andre was the one who raised me and his thing was this is who is going to win or lose and whatever happens in the match, don’t worry.”

Hogan wasn’t used to practicing his matches and he didn’t want to go through a full run through with bumps beforehand.

“Pat Patterson wanted me to go through the match and I said I can’t do that,” he continued. “If we go through this whole match here and I’m falling down and getting up and taking dropkicks and hooking on the top rope and going over, I’m going to get hurt.”

“They were cool enough that I didn’t have to go through the match, didn’t have to take any bumps,” he continued. “But I said ‘alright, let’s walk through this.'”

Hogan also talked about how they did everything they could to make him the heel leading up tpo the match but the WrestleMania crowd cheered him anyway.

“On the way out to the ring, I heard this mixture of turbulence and energy,” Hogan said. “It was like, it reminded me of WrestleMania III when I went out with Andre.”

Hogan’s comments and full-bearded look can be viewed in the player below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndz6DH2kHyI&feature=emb_logo

The Rock On His Match Against Hulk Hogan

“About six months before the match happened, Vince McMahon came to me and said, ‘How do you feel about bringing Hulk Hogan back?’” recalled the Rock. “I think Hogan had left WWE on not so great terms. He asked, ‘How do you feel about bringing Hogan back?’ 

I said, ‘How does the locker room feel?’ He said, ‘I talked to a few locker room leaders and it’s mixed.’ I said, ‘I love it. I think having him back is intriguing and very selfishly, I would like to wrestle him.’ He said, ‘Funny you say that. I have a match in mind. You vs. Hogan at WrestleMania.’”

Kylie Rae Talks Returning To Wrestling

Chris Stephens
-
0

Kylie Rae recently announced that she has signed a long-term deal with Impact Wrestling. The 27-year-old took part in an interview with Alicia Atout recently and spoke about a variety of subjects including returning to wrestling after a brief hiatus last year.

“The day I made the return – like I had my first match in a couple of months, it didn’t feel real,” Kylie said about the response she got from the live crowd that night. “Like still to this day, somebody paid everybody to go to that show and cheer for me.”

Kylie continued to say that she didn’t get the kind of reaction that she did.

“Some fans that I do have, I’ve built up that friendship with them,” she continued.

“I’ve just been living every day like day-to-day at this point and just trying to enjoy the ride because it’s about the journey.”

The full conversation between Alicia Atout and Kylie Rae can be viewed in the player below:

Kylie Rae On Signing With Impact Wrestling

Rae spoke about signing with Impact Wrestling in a backstage segment on Impact Wrestling this week:

“I’m going to tell you how it feels, it feels amazing,” Kylie Rae said backstage. “You know what? It’s been one emotional year. We’ve had highs, we’ve had lows, we’ve had ups, we’ve had downs. But I knew from the moment that I stepped in this Impact wrestling ring, the arena, this is my home. I felt that, I felt that. That’s why I’m very proud to announce Kylie Rae just signed a long-term wrestling contract with Impact Wrestling baby!”

John Cena: ‘What WWE Needs, I’m Not Sure It Can Produce’

Jake Skudder
-
22

WWE legend John Cena recently appeared on Corey Graves’ After The Bell podcast. The 15-time World/WWE Champion appeared on the show to discuss the current ‘state’ of sports entertainment and what Cena believes the company needs to move forward.

Starting the interview, Graves would ask Cena what WWE needs to do to usher in a new ‘era,’ akin to how the Ruthless Aggression or PG Eras were created.

John Cena on ‘Eras’

“It needs what I’m not sure it [WWE] can produce,” John Cena began. “And that’s just the state of where everything is now. Which is weird because it kind of always corrects itself. So we’re in a day and age where WWE needs a frontman.”

Over the past couple of years WWE has been pushing for the ‘brand’ to be the attraction, and not the individual. This counteracts decades past, where the likes of Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock and Brock Lesnar were positioned as the ‘top dog’ of the company. This is something that Cena addresses, he says that an ‘era’ is defined by the main star in the company.

“Even if they liked the guy last week. They say ‘f*ck you, you’re not going to tell me who I like!”

– John Cena

“That’s how we’ll be able to define what the era is,” Cena revealed. “Because it takes on those personality traits of its top star, like I’ve said before…I don’t know, if all things considered? The crowd is so mixed, that if the company puts its faith behind an individual, the knee jerk reaction of the audience? Even if they liked the guy last week? Is to say ‘f*ck you, you’re not going to tell me who I like!’ So the audience is also tipping the scales of this not being able to happen.”

Universal Popularity

John Cena finished by discussing the idea of ‘universal popularity,’ saying how he believes it will never happen again due to the state of the industry. “Universal popularity will never happen. Because someone [in WWE] will see it and get onto it and be like, ‘he seems to be getting popular, let’s stop this right now.’ Or ‘she seems to be getting popular, let’s change this right now.’ And I’ve seen it happen with guys who are really like darlings of that underground crew. They make it, and then as soon as they make it the rug is pulled out from them.”

John Cena is definitely the right person to talk about this issue. As it’s arguable that the ‘polarising’ top babyface was perfected by Cena during his run over the past 10-15 years.

Do you think that WWE needs to create another top person to build the company around? Let us know in the comments

Also Check Out:

John Morrison: WrestleMania 36 Still Has “Buzz Backstage”

Steve Russell
-
2

John Morrison has shared how this weekend’s WrestleMania 36 still has a backstage “buzz.” WrestleMania 36 will air this weekend, with the entire card taking place in front of zero fans due to coronavirus concerns.

Speaking with Muscle & Fitness, Morrison explained how, although the atmosphere of the pre-recorded show will be different, people are still excited to deliver the “Show of Shows.”

“I mean, yeah, the atmosphere is a little bit different than an arena full of 100,000 people, but it’s still WrestleMania. It still has this vibe, it still feels like the most important show of the year. It still had that buzz backstage.”

John Morrison On Staying Fit

With gyms closed, John Morrison then shared how people can continue to stay in shape while self-isolating. He noted how now is the time for people to get into cardio if they have the equipment at home. Even if you don’t, he recommended you use a jump rope or do DDP Yoga.

“There’s a million different kinds of home workout type things you can do. My daily routine is some sort of resistance training… I mean obviously no one’s got like a full array of Hammer Strength equipment in their house. But there’s a lot of stuff you can do with pushups and using your body and leverage to change the resistance on your muscle groups.”

Morrison continued, “Different kinds of pushups and sit ups. If you have anything to hang off, body weight, mid rows, pull-ups. Squat variations, lunges… Broken up in the small chunks throughout the day is what I’ve been recommending to people.”

John Morrison was set to team with The Miz to defend their WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 36. However, with The Miz being pulled from the matchup, this will reportedly no longer take place. 

WrestleMania 36 airs on the WWE Network this weekend on April 4 and April 5. 

Triple H Discusses NXT’s Status Amidst COVID-19, Airing TakeOver On NXT

Steve Russell
-
0

Triple H has addressed the current status of WWE’s black-and-gold brand amidst the current coronavirus outbreak. During an interview with PWInsider, “The Game” noted how the brand is doing well despite the global situation forcing them to perform in front of zero fans.

“Again, we’re like everybody else trying to deal with very stressful circumstances and trying to do the best with circumstances that are changing on a minute by minute basis,” Triple H explained. “If you go back a month ago and tell people that you’re in the situation that you’re in today, it’s almost unthinkable. But here we are.”

He continued, “Over the last few weeks we’ve gone to doing all our shows without fans out of the Performance Center to the point of even, for the most part, doing WrestleMania that same way. The decision to shift NXT slightly to not doing a Takeover separate and bringing Takeover and putting them onto the weekly episodic series really just came down to, I think, a decision of amount of content that needed to take place in a very short period of time leading into WrestleMania and everything else, and it just made sense for us to do it in a different factor.”

Taking TakeOver To NXT

NXT TakeOver: Tampa Bay was due to take place this Saturday, April 4. Coronavirus concerns, however, forced WWE to cancel all their WrestleMania week plans. TakeOver included. Rather than delay the event, WWE instead set all matches scheduled for TakeOver for future NXT episodes.

Triple H argued how, given TakeOver was a separate event from WrestleMania 36, it made sense to approach their matches from a different angle.

“When you take into consideration the fact that it’s a separate event, but really no one’s going to be there to see it live anyways, it really made sense for us to do it this way.”

He continued, “We’ll start tonight with Keith Lee defending the North American Championship against Dominik Dijakovic and Damian Priest and continue into next week. Not all the matches, at this point, will be able to take place, but we’ll get there down the line and continue to create the content that we can.”

Delivering Entertainment During COVID-19

Triple H then stressed how WWE is committed to providing entertainment to people worldwide. He noted how their programming can help people forget the real-world situation, if only for a few hours.

“And it won’t be perfect, it won’t be exactly what everybody wants it to be, maybe in some manner,” Triple H said. “But if they can forget about that and just tune out and turn it on and just let themselves been entertained, hopefully we can do that for you and let you forget about it for a brief period of time.”

WrestleMania 36 will air on the WWE Network this weekend on April 4 and April 5.

Keith Lee On Empty Arenas, Coronavirus Concerns

Steve Russell
-
0

NXT Superstar Keith Lee has opened up about whether he ever considered taking a break from wrestling during the current coronavirus pandemic. Speaking with CBS Sports, Lee stated how, although it may have been a consideration for many, he felt confident in the protocols WWE has put in place to ensure the safety of their Superstars.

“[…] with the protocols that we’ve had, it’s kind of made it possible for us to get it done. I think that for me, it never was really a thought [in my head] because I knew of what the protocol would be and the things necessary in order to even be okay and cleared to enter the building and things of that sort. So I was fairly confident in the circumstances that were set forth before us.”

Keith Lee On Empty Arenas, Missing The Crowd

His commitment to performing has led Keith Lee to wrestle in front of an empty WWE Performance Center. He compared this experience to wrestling in front of a live crowd. Lee acknowledged how “there is definitely a certain level of adrenaline that the crowd offers.”

He talked about how the crowd being there sometimes helps things hurt less. Lee then reflected on how he would get in the “zone” after coming out of the back and embracing the atmosphere.

“[…] based on last week’s episode and there being nobody there, the first punch to my ear really rocked me, and that’s not a normal thing for me. So that’s something that I’ve taken note of, and I’ve tried to prepare myself going forward. Things are going to hurt more and that’s okay. All I can do is absorb those and use those instead to hopefully reset adrenaline levels where I can push forward.”

Current Fitness Regime

Keith Lee then detailed how he’s staying fit now that he cannot work out at the WWE PC. He shared his regime, pointing to “basic things like pushup variations, burpees, squat jumps and lunges, mountain climbers, things of that sort.”

He then shared which YouTube channels he follows that help keeps him motivated and exercising, including Jeff Cavalier, Mike Rashid, and Simeon Panda.

Seth Rollins Opens Up On Performing In Front Of No Fans, Playing A Heel

Steve Russell
-
1

Seth Rollins has opened up about what it’s like to try and perform in front of zero fans. “The Monday Night Messiah” explained to Sports Illustrated how it is a “weird” experience for him. He noted how these empty arena shows reminded him of when he was first getting started in pro wrestling.

“It’s weird. It’s taking me back to my days wrestling in front of eight people. I’ve been there before,” Rollins confessed. “I’ve grown accustomed to Monday Night Raw, 10,000 people. It’s a whole different vibe.”

He continued, “Everything’s somber. We all want to get through this, but we’re all trying to figure this thing out together. When the whole thing started to develop here in the States, I purposely didn’t tweet or Instagram anything about wrestling because I didn’t feel right about it. Then I got out there and I cut this promo on Monday Night Raw and I got back and I had this sense of relief almost.”

Seth Rollins Misses The Crowd Connection

When it comes to cutting a promo, Seth Rollins no longer has an audience to feed off of. Acknowledging this, he stressed how with a crowd in attendance, it feels like you’re having a conversation—one they are a part of.

“If you don’t have that, there’s a lot of pressure. And also not having the ability to do multiple takes. Monday Night Raw is live, so that’s a one-take promo,” he said. “That’s a one-take monologue. I don’t get the opportunity to cut-and-paste that thing together. It’s not like a movie.”

“Wrestling, on the other hand, is fluid. It’s in the ring and it’s moving around. There’s a lot of you can do. There are a lot of changes you can make. A promo is nerve-wracking. You can hear everything. There’s no audience to drown anything out. You can hear cameramen shuffling. You hear everybody whispering in the back. It’s really eerie in a way.”

Heel Or Babyface

Having turned heel and adopted his new Messiah gimmick, Seth Rollins admitted that there’s something special about having the crowd’s support. He reflected on having the crowd cheer for him when he would win, calling it an “incredible thing.” Despite currently playing a heel, however, Rollins stressed how he’s good in both roles.

“There is something fun and easier about being a jerk. I think it’s easier in 2020 to be disliked for saying your piece than trying to be liked because somebody is always gonna complain about something.”

He continued, “I can’t think of an athlete, actor entertainer alive that is universally loved in this day and age. There is always someone trying to tear you down. If your job is to get torn down, then that makes life a lot easier for you. There are positive and negatives to both sides. It’s hard to pick one. Luckily for me, I’m good at both.”

Seth Rollins is set to clash with Kevin Owens this weekend at WrestleMania 36.

Becky Lynch Talks About WrestleMania 36, Staying Positive

Steve Russell
-
0

Current WWE RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch recently joined Sporting News for an interview. She is set to defend her title at this weekend’s WrestleMania 36 in front of zero fans. Despite this situation, Lynch doesn’t seem phased by the empty arena atmosphere.

“I remember wrestling in front of seven people, if even. And with Irish people, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but they’re not really shy, right? They’re usually quick-witted with comebacks from things where you can hear all of them when they’re in the crowd.”

She continued, “Sometimes just a few people is worse than nobody. I’ve already been through, to wrestling in front of next to nobody. WrestleMania will be the first time that I wrestle in front of nobody in terms of a WWE audience. I’ll just be bringing that energy, bringing that intensity. And I don’t want to lose my championship. I want to go on over here. I want to be over here being a champion. I want to retire with this thing.”

Becky Lynch’s Championship Reign

Becky Lynch then reflected on her run as RAW Women’s Champion. She won the title at last year’s WrestleMania 35 on April 7, 2019. Admitting that she has reflected on her lengthy reign, Lynch confessed that being a long-term champion brings its own difficulties and obstacles.

“It’s pretty crazy and it brings its own challenges. And because of that, because I’ve had it for a year, I’ve been nonstop going for a year, over a year,” she explained. “So, it really was a case of constantly going and constantly being on the go and now and I’ve finally gotten the chance to reflect on the past year and reflect on what I want for the future, the next year, which is pretty cool.”

How The Champ Stays Positive

With the coronavirus currently gripping the entire globe, Becky Lynch shared how she tries to stay positive during these unprecedented times. She noted how she’s lucky enough to still be able to perform and entertain, whether there are people in the crowd or not.

“I am privileged enough that I still get to go, whether there are crowds or not, go out there and perform for people at home watching and hopefully give them a little bit of a break. And also, really just things that you don’t really get the time to do a lot of the time, like catching up on movies and documentaries and changing your workouts a little bit. It makes you a little bit more creative. And then cooking. I love cooking and I’m never at home to cook.”

Becky Lynch attempts to defend her RAW Women’s Championship against Shayna Baszler this weekend at WrestleMania 36.

Rhea Ripley Looks To WrestleMania, Drawing Strength From Her Scars

Steve Russell
-
0

Rhea Ripley is set to defend her NXT Women’s Championship at this weekend’s WrestleMania 36 event. Despite the surreal circumstances surrounding their clash, Ripley has stated she remains excited for the opportunity to wrestle Charlotte Flair.

“To be knowing that I’m going to WrestleMania 36 to face Charlotte Flair and put my NXT championship on the line is just absolutely insane, I’m so, so excited,” she explained to the New York Post. “Man, I’m going to be in tears afterward. I know it.”

Rhea Ripley Draws Strength From Scars

Giving the interview a poignant, introspective angle, Ripley opened up about how she draws strength from her personal scars. Looking at them helps to remind her of what she has previously overcome. This reminder subsequently helps to resolve her and keep her pushing forward.

“I still feel myself slipping there from time to time, but I find that if I do look at the scars that I have from that time it helps me to remind myself that I’ve been through all of this and I was able to overcome it.”

She continued, “[…] I think that that’s really special in the way that I know that I can keep going and keep doing what I love and I have people in my life that are going to help me overcome whatever I need to overcome at that point in time. … I have fans there for me and I’m legitimately working the job I dreamt about since being a child and I have to remember that sometimes.”

Ripley’s Unique Look

Rhea Ripley also spoke about her unique look. Ripley stressed how she loves her punk aesthetic and that if someone isn’t a fan, she “couldn’t care less.” For her, it’s about being able to be true to herself.

“I’m being me and that’s what I’m trying to put forward. I’m trying to put forward that everyone should be comfortable in their own skin and they should be happy being themselves.”

Rhea Ripley attempts to defend her NXT Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair this weekend at WrestleMania 36. The two-day event will air on the WWE Network on April 4 and April 5.

Big Show on Netflix Series: “I Drove Vince McMahon Nuts for Years Trying to Get Me a Vehicle Like This”

Jake Skudder
-
1

WWE Superstar The Big Show recently appeared on the Gorilla Position podcast. During the interview the 7 foot 2 giant would discuss a litany of topics from his career; including the brand new ‘The Big Show Show’ that is coming to Netflix.

This is arguably the biggest out of the ring opportunity that Paul Wright/The Big Show has had in his career. Big Show has previously appeared in motion pictures, such as Adam Sandler’s The Waterboy, but this is the first ‘vehicle’ for the WWE Superstar that has seen him be the main focus.

Big Show on Joining WCW

Show would start the interview with Gorilla Position by describing how different opportunities are now as opposed to when he first joined WCW in 1995. “No, I’m not even close to being were I was when I first started” Big Show began. “I was a kid from South Carolina, and I’m still [then] blown away that I’m working in the same ring with Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Ric Flair and Arn Anderson. It’s like I should get an autograph before they figure out that I shouldn’t be here and kick me out!”

The Chance To Appear on Netflix

Big Show
Big Show

Big Show elaborated further, saying “to understand where our business has grown since then and the opportunities are available now for for all the talent across the board. So many different avenues of being able to build their brand, to build a worldwide brand. And a lot of talents are doing that now, [even] for me to end up with my own TV show in partnership with Netflix. Big Show would also reveal that he has been pushing for this sort of opportunity for years. Although he had no idea that it would lead to such a slot on a massive streaming service.

“I think he probably knew that if he didn’t let me have this opportunity I was gonna like come into his office and throw things out of the window”

Big Show

“I drove Vince [McMahon] nuts for years, about trying to get me a vehicle like this” Big Show revealed. “From trying to have my own segment on RAW or Smackdown. Even something like when we got the WWE Network like ‘hey, I should have my own show I could do this, I could do that.’ And when this partnership came up with Netflix and WWE; I’m so thankful and grateful that Vince let me lead the charge on this opportunity. I think he probably knew that if he didn’t let me have this opportunity I was gonna like come into his office and throw things out of the window.”

‘The Big Show Show’ premieres only on Netflix on April 6th, check out the trailer for the new series below:

Also Check Out:

1...1,1641,1651,166...3,096Page 1,165 of 3,096