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Naomi Wants To Wrestle Beyonce

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Former SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi recently appeared on AfterbuzzTV Total Divas Aftershow where she talked about a number of wrestling related topics and more. Below are some highlights from her interview:

Which celebrity she would like to wrestle:

“I would have to say Beyonce, because she’s my idol. Beyonce is great at everything; you can’t be great at wrestling too. I think that is one thing she’s not good at and I would be better at her.”

How some female wrestlers from Attitude Era didn’t get the credit they deserved:

“I would bring back some woman from the Attitude Era. Lita, I think she’s freaking amazing! Melina, that is definitely someone who influenced me. Trish of course! I thought some of those woman were killing it back then and I feel like because of the time period, a lot of those woman didn’t get the credit they deserve but they were kicking ass back then and also opened a lot of door for us.

Future plans with her husband Jimmy Uso:

“[Jimmy] and I eventually want to open some business. We’ve been talking about having our own bar, naming it the square circle, but it would be wrestling vibe and something relatable to us and for our fans.”

You can watch her full interview in the video below:

Jim Ross: “I Will Be Shocked” If Hulk Hogan Does Not Return To WWE In 2018

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Have we seen the last of Hulk Hogan in WWE? Legendary wrestling announcer Jim Ross is absolutely convinced we haven’t. Good ‘ol JR spoke with Business Insider this past week to promote his best selling book, Slobberknocker: My Life In Wrestling and says he will be “shocked” if Hulk Hogan is not back in WWE next year.

Hogan has been persona non grata since 2015 when audio leaked of him making racist comments about African Americans. The Hulkster has been keeping a relatively low profile since then. Whatever business opportunities exist in his future, a return to the WWE Universe and plugging back in to global WWE marketing machine has to be the best case scenario for him.

JR says, “The world has an interesting way of forgiving others. The guy paid his price. He had a trial. He lost jobs. He had a court case. I don’t know what more he needs to do. And why are we his judge and jury? It seems right for, arguably the greatest alumnus of WWE ever with the most global name identity, will make his presence felt in WWE in some way.”

As the former head of WWE’s talent relations division, Jim Ross says, “If I were there, I would encourage that development.” If fans aren’t ready to welcome Hogan back into the fold after a 2 year exile, Ross says those fans don’t have to watch. He believes Hulk Hogan belongs in WWE and expects it to happen some time next year.

“I don’t know what Terry – Hulk Hogan is able to do physically,” Ross said. “I know he’s still training. He’s about my age — 64, but he’s in really good shape. He looks awesome. So, I would say that Hulk is – there’s a ticket for Hulk to punch somewhere to get back in WWE, at least on a reoccurring role-type basis, in my opinion.”

You can watch JR’s comments about Hulk Hogan returning to WWE here:

Jerry Lawler Comments On Sexual Misconduct In Hollywood

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WWE Hall Of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler recently took to his podcast, Dinner With The King, to offer his thoughts on the sexual misconduct allegations that have been sweeping through Hollywood and taking over the mainstream media. Here are some of the highlights:

Sexual impropriety in Hollywood could be linked to heightened sensitivity amongst Americans today in many cases:

“It appears that anybody that [has] ever flirted with anybody or had any kind of sexual contact all-of-a-sudden, you could potentially be a target in the future. I’ve seen pictures in the past of wrestlers, I’m not going to say who or whatever, but, like, this was a guy’s joke, as a prank, like a wrestler falls asleep and then another guy goes over and says, ‘look, take a picture of this!’

“He takes his genitals out and puts it near the guy’s face! I mean, it’s a prank. It’s done in jest, but hey, it’s like a college kid prank. I’ve actually seen that done before. And at the time, you’re thinking, ‘this is entirely harmless,’ but then, all-of-a-sudden, 15 years later, the photograph shows up somewhere and it’s going to offend somebody and that’s the way the country has become, that everything that 99% of the people may think is done in jest or whatever, but then, all-of-a-sudden, that 1% there is going to be offended by it and that 1% can speak as loudly as all the other 99% cannot.”

If he knows of anyone in high power in the wrestling business using that power for sexual favors:

“I don’t know. I’ve don’t know of anything. I haven’t heard of anything like that happening before. But, gosh, the times have just changed so much. Good grief! I remember the stuff on commentary, the things we would be able to get away with saying that, God, nowadays, people’s heads would explode! Can you imagine going out [on WWE TV now] and saying, ‘oh, we have a bra and panties match coming up tonight!’ My gosh, that used to be a highlight of the show, the bra and panties match! I remember one of my favorite lines was, ‘panties aren’t the greatest thing in the world, but they are next to it!'”

If he’s upset by fans of The Attitude Era thinking that he really believed everything he said on commentary: 

“No, not at all. It really [does not]. Everybody, I mean, to a man or a person, really, that ever talks to me about things that we said or did during ‘The Attitude Era’, they talk with fondness. They loved it. I mean, they say, ‘man, it’ll never be that good again,’ so I don’t know. It was just that at that time, it didn’t offend people. I don’t know how the country and people’s attitudes have changed so much over a short period of time that now those things are just taboo, but back during that time, that’s all I hear about now, ‘oh my gosh, I used to love it when you’d commentate on a bra and panties match’ or with the Divas. I mean, good grief, we’ve gone so far now, you can’t even refer to them as Divas. The women have to be treated the same as the men and I don’t know. That’s just the way times have changed.”

You can listen to Lawler’s podcast, Dinner With The King, by clicking this link here.

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

WWE Suspends Rich Swann

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WWE has suspended 205 Live star Rich Swann following his Sunday morning arrest for battery and kidnapping/false imprisonment. via WWE.com:

“WWE has zero tolerance for matters involving domestic violence, and per our policy, Rich Swann has been suspended indefinitely following his arrest.”

Swan’s future with the company depends on whether or not he is convicted of the crimes he was arrested for. As per WWE’s talent wellness policy,

“WWE has zero tolerance for matters involving domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault. Upon arrest for such misconduct, a WWE talent will be immediately suspended. Upon conviction for such misconduct, a WWE talent will be immediately terminated.

WWE’s ability to fine, suspend or terminate a WWE talent will not be, however, limited or compromised in any manner in the event incontrovertible evidence of such illegal misconduct is presented to WWE. Section 9.13(a) of the WWE booking contract, commonly known as the ‘morals clause’, provides WWE with broad discretion and authority to act under such circumstances.”

The former Cruiserweight champion was scheduled to face Drew Gulak in a #1 Contender’s match on Monday’s RAW. We’ll see how WWE handles that situation tomorrow night.

5 Superstars Who Would Most Benefit From Switching Brands

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WWE has previously stated that it will not be holding any further “Superstar Shake-ups” or brand trades in 2017.  However, after Survivor Series, the RAW roster was told to be prepared to move brands and change things around.

Alexa Bliss and Charlotte appear to have been most successful after their moves earlier in the year, as they have become Champions of both brands.  While on the other side of the coin, Heath Slater and Rhyno have been the least successful and hardly appear on taped shows anymore.

With this in mind, who could WWE look to move around to make the most out of all opportunities available?  Here is a list of 5 Superstars who could benefit from switching brands.

Breezango

breezango

Ok, I admit, this should actually be 6 Superstars who could benefit from switch brands, but I’m counting Breezango as 1.  Anyway.

There was a moment when Breezango could have been something more than a comedy duo.  However, their efforts have resulted in a spat of tag team title loses, and some backstage parody videos.  Breezango are very entertaining and could look to explore YouTube, but as WWE superstars they need a fresh start to rekindle a genuine title opportunity or some entertaining in-ring action.

The perfect way of doing this, while continuing the Fashion Police gimmick, is to switch brands and explore the world of RAW.  The other bonus with this pick comes in the form of RAW’s lack of tag team partnerships compared to SmackDown Live – no one would need to move over to replace them if Breezango left because Rusev & Aiden English have just been added to the tag team title scene, alongside the return of Rowan & Harper (The Bludgeon Brothers).

Jeff Hardy

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When it comes to Matt and Jeff Hardy, the WWE Universe knows that Jeff is more valuable and has greater longevity than Matt.  It’s great that Matt Hardy has finally been able to reveal his Broken gimmick to WWE, but the greatest potential comes in the form of Jeff Hardy and his road to gaining the WWE Championship again.

Jeff is currently injured and is unlikely to return before WrestleMania 34, therefore WWE has a great opportunity to move Jeff across to the SmackDown Live brand without anyone knowing, enabling them to make a surprise or shock return for him.

The other route for Jeff is to have him retrun as Brother Nero, but to make the Broken gimmick last, Matt surely needs to adventure on a quest to seek out his lost brother.

Bayley

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If WWE created a Women’s Tag Team Division, Bayley would be perfect with Sasha Banks; however this isn’t the case and she has become lost while Alexa Bliss dominates.

What’s the reason to move Bayley rather than anyone else?  It’s too soon, and currently unbalanced to have Nia Jax and Tamina in the same brand, while others like Alicia Fox wouldn’t have an impact by moving brands.  There is an argument for moving Sasha Banks instead but I think Bayley would be a better fit overall.  If this was to be a swap rather than a move, Becky Lynch or Naomi seem to work best as replacements for Bayley on RAW.

The main question/problem to think about is: Who will defeat Asuka?  Once The Empress of Tomorrow becomes RAW Champion, her reign and undefeated run will surely come to an end, but when and who?  The issue RAW faces is the competition between Alexa, Paige and Asuka; all three women are worthy title holders and look to present themselves as invincible.  This is yet another reason why Bayley would benefit from moving from the over-crowded RAW roster.

Big Cass

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Photo Credit: WWE.com

Much like Jeff Hardy, a move for Big Cass to SmackDown Live could be made without anyone noticing while he recovers from a torn ACL.

There are two main arguments for switching Big Cass over to SmackDown Live:  Firstly, it would distance himself from Enzo Amore who features on RAW as part of 205 Live.  Secondly Big Cass would be closer to his partner – Carmella.  This would benefit WWE, Big Cass and Carmella, as well as the rest of the WWE Universe.  Win, win, win?

While there is a lot of negativity around tearing an ACL, the words “career ending” can be thrown about, Big Cass appears to be recovering well and, with the help of WWE, could make his return after injury into a huge dominant challenge for the US title.  If Baron Corbin is still champion, that’s one match that I can genuinely see working for both parties.

Randy Orton

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Randy Orton (Photo credit: @WWE Instagram)

It’s not that Randy Orton would significantly benefit from being moved to RAW, but WWE as a whole could benefit if they were to move The Viper and change the chemistry among the RAW superstars.

Randy has reached a point where he has feuded or come face-to-face with most superstars on SmackDown Live; he is currently being used as the SmackDown Live muscle, dealing with KO and Sami Zayn.  He could easily continue in this fashion on Team Blue and that would be fine.

But there is more potential for him if he were to move over to RAW, especially if Brock Lesnar loses the Universal Title to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 34.

In the meantime, Randy Orton vs Samoa Joe/Braun Strowman/Seth Rollins/Roman Reigns/Finn Balor – these all contain potential feuds that could easily run for numerous weeks while maintaining good ratings.  That’s why it would benefit WWE more than Randy Orton.

Orton already knows that he’s one of the greatest WWE superstars, he doesn’t need to prove that, he’s the perfect guy to bring over to RAW to freshen up the whole locker room, without even doing very much.

3 Superstars Who Could Make An Impact on 205 Live

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205 Live has not been the major success that WWE had envisioned, there are a multitude of reasons that the Cruiserweight show has drawn poorly; the time slot behind Smackdown Live, the lack of genuinely intriguing storytelling and the poor promotional efforts from the company being just a small cluster. Many have suggested that WWE cut it’s losses and look to redistribute the Cruiserweight stars amongst the RAW & Smackdown brands, but with the recent announcement of 205 Live touring shows it is clear that WWE do not want to put this project to bed just yet. So, who could WWE bring into the ‘purple brand’ to attempt to revitalise and boost the programme? We’ll take a look at three names now.

Hideo Itami

Hideo Itami
Hideo Itami

This is basically cheating…Hideo Itami has been confirmed for 205 Live but I wanted to highlight how the switch massively helps both Hideo and the Cruiserweight show. Itami has been flagging on NXT for an extremely long time and his presence on the de-facto ‘developmental brand’ no longer carries the weight of a major independent star who can shift ticket sales. When Hideo is transitioned to 205 Live (and essentially RAW) then he can be repositioned as an absolute killer amongst the more high flying elements of the show because fans from his KENTA days will tell you he can be absolutely brutal, vicious and devastating inside the ring when the time calls. Whilst Hideo may not necessarily attract the numbers that WWE would be looking for he will be a welcome asset, the prospect of Itami against Gulak, Cedric Alexander and Akira Tozawa is more than exciting and perhaps he can lend a certain in ring credibility that the show (and title) are perhaps looking for.

Finn Balor

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Finn Balor

It’s quite incredible to consider where both Hideo and Balor are at this point in their careers, with Finn debuting in NXT to team with the already somewhat established Hideo. That being said a move to 205 Live for the Irish star would be seen by a large majority as a step down, but what needs to be considered is how and where Finn could be used on RAW in the foreseeable future. A rumored nixing of the Universal Title match against Brock Lesnar due to Vince McMahon believing Finn wasn’t ‘over’ has seen Finn referencing and mocking this idea on social media…but realistically what can Finn do between now and next year’s Wrestlemania? There’s certainly opportunities for Finn on RAW but how much of a benefit would Balor be as a temporary star on 205 Live? I really believe that you would see a rise in interest and he would generate a buzz around a completely stagnant show. It wouldn’t be for long and I wouldn’t advocate him winning the Cruiserweight title but a nice run against some of the better in ring stars on 205 Live could do wonders for that show.

Chad Gable

Chad Gable
Chad Gable

Last and certainly not least would be Chad Gable. Gable’s isn’t a name that I have heard suggested for 205 Live but at 92kg (202 pounds) he certainly could be on the roster. Whilst his run with Shelton Benjamin has been entertaining within the Smackdown Live Tag Division there does need to be time to transition the former Olympic athlete into singles competition. Instead of possibly getting lost in the shuffle of the Smackdown mid card why not give Chad a run amongst the Cruiserweights? Gable’s unique style would set him apart from other performers on the roster and he could mesh well with the likes of Jack Gallagher (who himself has not had the chance to truly shine), Noam Dar and funnily enough Enzo Amore. Chad has a charisma and ability on the microphone that the other two performers suggested actually lack, his original stint in NXT alongside Jason Jordan garnered praise and comparisons to a young Kurt Angle. Gable has a great sense of timing, humour and could trade off well against Enzo in his own wheelhouse.

Who would you like to see brought over to 205 Live? Let us know in the comments

WWE UK Title Match at PROGRESS Cancelled?

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PROGRESS will be holding their 59th Chapter event this afternoon from the O2 Academy in Sheffield, England.

One of the feature bouts on this already stacked card was Pete Dunne vs Joseph Conners for the WWE UK Championship, this was due to be the first time that the WWE UK title was defended in the company on UK soil and a major part of the event’s eventual On Demand ‘drawing power.’

WWE UK Champion Pete Dunne and Trent Seven took part in an OTT event this weekend in Dublin Ireland and due to the snowy weather conditions in Europe both British Strong Style members will be unable to make the PROGRESS show this afternoon.

WWE Superstars Set To Feature On Historic RAW Episode

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WWE RAW is set to celebrate it’s 25th anniversary in January 2018.  The landmark occasion will feature Superstars from SmackDown Live and RAW, as well as “special appearances by WWE Legends The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash, among others”

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However there are 2 live shows of historic significance before the 25th anniversary.  For the first time in it’s history, RAW is set to air on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Many speculate that The Undertaker will feature on the Christmas Day episode as well as the 25th Anniversary special.  While that is just a rumour by fans, WWE have announced the superstars that will make an appearance in Chicago.

Alongside the likes of The Shield, Kurt Angle, Alexa Bliss, The Bar, Kane, Braun Strowman, Samoa Joe, Finn Balor and Bray Wyatt, two others have been revealed to feature.

The first is John Cena, who last appeared as part of the SmackDown Live Survivor Series team that lost to RAW.

john cena 2

Cena is speculated to make an announcement about his participation at 2018’s Royal Rumble, or at least set up a feud to see him into WrestleMania 34.  The second superstar who is set to feature is The Miz.

The Miz had previously lost his Intercontinental Championship to Roman Reigns, before leaving to fulfill his commitments to latest Marine film with Becky Lynch and Shaun Michaels.  The Christmas Day episode of RAW could see The Miz claim his rematch clause against Reigns, but no plans have been revealed as of yet.

Opinion:

It seems a little pointless for The Miz to claim his rematch on Christmas Day as he is still filming the latest Marine movie.  Therefore, if he did claim his rematch, it’s quite obvious that he would not be gaining the title.  He could make his intentions clear for the future, like John Cena might, but it’s also important to remember that The Miz is due to become a father which will impact on commitments and priorities.

Rich Swann Arrested

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205 Live has been under the control of Enzo Amore and the ‘Zo Train since he retained his title against Kalisto at last month’s Suvivor Series.  Since then the divided division has been trying to figure out who is next to challenge Amore for the Cruiserweight Championship.

The next episode of RAW is scheduled to have Drew Gulak take on Rich Swann for the number 1 contender position; however WWE may need to make a change to the schedule as a leading 205 Live superstar has been arrested for “Battery” and “Kidnap – False Imprisonment: Adult”.

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The source comes from mugshotsgainsville.com which holds records of anyone that has been taken into custody by the local law enforcement.  It is believed that Rich(ard) Swaan was arrested at approx. 12am Sunday morning.

“The site makes no assumptions or representations about guilt or innocence. People charged with crimes are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Information on this site should not be used to determine any person’s actual criminal record.”

The site makes this information public for a set amount of time.

“Mug shots are presented chronologically, by booking date, and remain online for a maximum of 90 days.”

As stated above, the source information does not act as evidence of guilt, and should not be taken out of context.  Unfortunately, innocent or not, WWE will not take this press well, especially for the leading face going into a potential title opportunity.

As of writing, no other further details have been made available.

Alexa Bliss Talks Being The Complete Opposite Of Her WWE Character

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WWE Monday Night RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss recently did an interview with ESPN to talk about several professional wrestling topics. “Little Miss Bliss” discussed getting the idea to act like a brat on WWE TV, being the complete opposite of her gimmick in real life, and going away from her fairy gimmick in NXT. You can check out the highlights here below:

Getting the idea act like a brat on WWE TV:

“So I was at the airport and this little kid would not go through security and just threw a fit in the middle of the floor and did the whole thing with shaking his legs and arms. His parents were just standing there looking like, ‘We don’t know what to do!’ They were annoyed, and I was like, ‘Man, that’s a really bratty thing to do and I’m going to do it.'”

Being the complete opposite of her gimmick in real life:

“When it comes to the Alexa Bliss character, everyone says the character has to be an extension of yourself turned up. But I feel like I am the complete opposite of Alexa Bliss. When I came up with the Alexa Bliss character, I wanted to be the girl that everyone knew. There was always that girl in high school who was mean to everybody. She was mean and rude but everyone still voted for her to be homecoming queen. That girl. And I wanted to portray that girl. Because I knew that girl in high school. I knew girls like that.”

Getting away from her fairy gimmick in NXT:

“When I first joined with Murphy, I had to make a character change. I wasn’t confident in myself about that at all, but I remember my mom telling me that once something clicks with me … I had to … come in and kick the door down and let everyone know who I am.”

You can check out Bliss’ full interview with ESPN by clicking this link here.

Ex-WWE Producer On Filming Goldberg’s Halloween Havoc 1998 Entrance

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Former WCW feature producer Neal Pruitt took to his podcast, Neal Pruitt’s Secrets of WCW Nitro, and spoke to Tim ‘Snake’ Snyder (a cameraman who has captured many iconic wrestling entrances over the years) about orchestrating Goldberg’s Halloween Havoc 1998 entrance. Here’s the highlights:

“It was Halloween Havoc, and we were in Las Vegas. If you remember, the [MGM Grand] arena is a big round building, [kind of like a] ‘theater in the round’. Goldberg’s dressing room was just to the right of the entrance stage. But instead of having him walk out of his dressing room and right down the ramp, we [actually] walked the other way and went all the way around the building! [By doing so], we could have this three-and-a-half-minute entrance of everybody chanting ‘Goldberg’, while he had like 8 police marshals protecting him!

“As he came out, I was backpedaling [with the camera] as fast as I could. If you can appreciate the mechanics of what it takes to do a show, [then] walking backwards carrying a 70 pound camera rig – [one] that’s probably worth $200,000 dollars – falling is not an option! To backpedal that fast, you really did [require] a lot of people helping to hold the cable out of the way.

“Initially, because I was new to doing this, I just stood there and when he came crashing out of the door… I went ‘woah’ and starting going backwards… like ‘please don’t run me over!’ But you get smart after awhile. You kind of swerve a little left, a little right, and you can block [the wrestlers with your body]. I knew [WCW production] wanted to keep a certain tempo, a certain speed [for wrestler entrances]. But if I couldn’t [meet the tempo], I’d go as fast as I could and then just kinda let [the wrestlers] know: ‘we’re going – so don’t pass me!’

“At that particular pay-per-view, Halloween Havoc [1998], when we finally made it all the way around the building – and now it was time to go out on the stage – there was a dark tunnel [that Goldberg walked through]. I stopped backpedaling and just signaled him to go ahead of me, and then I fell behind him. [Consequently], when he came out, all of the lights were shining on him. I was behind him and he was backlit, so it kinda looks massive [on television], with his silhouette [and everything]. Because of the pyro gimmick that he had, I slid to the right – around the giant pumpkin – and came back in front of him, so that he could breathe the smoke and all that. And then I took him to the ring from there.

“All of that had to be planned before we did it, because I had to start at the ring and walk the route that I was gonna take. Had [Goldberg] changed the route for any particular reason, we would’ve been dead in the water, because I was cabled – and the cable only went one way!”

You can listen to Neal Pruitt’s Secrets of WCW Nitro podcast by clicking here.

Wade Barrett Reveals The WWE Locker Room’s Reaction To The Nexus Debut

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Former WWE Superstar Wade Barrett was recently a guest on the Buzzards Wrestling Podcast to discuss several professional wrestling topics. During the interview Barrett discussed the debut of his Nexus stable on the June 7th, 2010 episode of RAW; which includes the reaction from people backstage afterwards, and how they were treated differently following their debut. Here are the highlights:

How the locker room reacted to The Nexus debut:

“But then when we got to the back, we were kind of given a standing ovation by the locker room and all the guys that were working there and people were kind of blown away by what they’d seen. Then they started showing replays of crowd reactions and stuff and that’s when it started to sink in that, ‘Woah, this was pretty big’ and then we realized afterwards, ‘Wow’, you know for us as young wrestlers, we’ve put up and taken down rings a million times by that point. That’s kind of part the breaking into the business, that’s what you have to do, you put up the ring, you know what it looks like when it’s taken apart”

How much different they were treated afterwards:

“Yeah, that was a really cool thing because up until that point, we’d kind of been treated as second-class citizens really and that’s not to knock anybody on the roster for doing that. We’d been put in that position, we’d been treated as rookies because that was just the nature of how we were breaking in there, so we weren’t even allowed in the locker room at that point.

“We had to change in corridors and stuff like that, so to come to the back and have these people actually show us that respect and say ‘Hey, you guys are going to go somewhere with this’, that was really cool and it was a huge weight off our shoulders and to be honest with you, all 8 of us that were in The Nexus at that point, we’d all scratched and clawed for years in Independent Wrestling, getting beat up, driving 300 miles to be paid £30, which wouldn’t even cover your petrol money and we’d all fought really hard to get to that point.

“It almost felt like a huge weight off our shoulders that no matter what happened here, we have now made a mark in the world of professional wrestling. We didn’t know where it was going to go from there, we could’ve been fired in four weeks anyway, who knew, but at least we will always have this thing that we have managed to achieve in this company that we grew up loving and wanting to be a part of”

You can listen to Barrett’s interview on the Buzzards Wrestling Podcast by clicking here.

Triple H Beats Jinder Mahal In India

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Triple H and Jinder Mahal’s highly-anticipated match in India has now come and gone. Both men got a tremendous pop from the crowd as they made their entrances. Mahal kicked out of a Pedigree at the two count and some “This Is Awesome” chants rang out. Mahal reportedly got distracted by the Indian crowd and was hit with another Pedigree for the three count. The match lasted roughly around 30 minutes.

“The Game” praised Mahal after the match, and Mahal promised the crowd that the next time he returns to India he will be WWE Champion. Also after the match, Triple H danced with Mahal and the Singh Brothers – before hitting one of the Singhs with a Pedigree and leaving. Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEVcFqu-LDQ&feature=youtu.be

Land of Opportunity? 3 Smackdown Live Stars Who Have Languished in 2017

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Remember back to the heady days of the brand split when Daniel Bryan & Shane McMahon claimed that Smackdown Live would be the land of opportunity? While the focus of the SD main event scene places the GM and Commissioner on our screens consistently it’s fair to say that several superstars have been languishing this year…and I’m going to take a look at three of those stars now:

Dolph Ziggler

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Dolph Ziggler

I feel like Dolph Ziggler encapsulates these types of lists. This naturally gifted superstar has all of the physical attributes, has a charisma on the microphone and he has main event level experience…yet he still seems to be languishing.

Dolph himself recently spoke on the Edge & Christian podcast on how he is more than aware of his ‘NXT gatekeeper’ role on Smackdown. This isn’t the worst position in the world to have, it is a clear indication that the company know you’re a ‘good hand’ and can help transition talent from NXT into the main roster smoothly, much like Chris Jericho before him. The real issue for Dolph is that he will forever be tarred with the moniker of ‘bridesmaid never the bride.’ Ziggler’s career heights such as cashing in MITB after Wrestlemania 29, beating John Cena in a ladder match and essentially ‘eliminating’ the Authority are not era defining and are sparsely remembered by most aside from the most ardent fans of the ‘show stealer.’ It’s a shame because if you look at where Cody Rhodes is right now couldn’t that just as easily be Dolph? Maybe it is time to take the independent route.

Becky Lynch

becky lynch
Becky Lynch

‘The Four Horsewoman Who Never Won The NXT Title’ could almost be trademarked at this point. When Becky made her way to Smackdown Live it was the perfect opportunity to make her the number one babyface and build around someone who is more than capable in the ring.

The biggest indication of her being brushed aside? Her tenure as the captain of Team Smackdown seemed like it could be a minor resurgence right up until she was eliminated first in the Survivor Series elimination match…not good. The Women’s division on Smackdown Live has not been stellar this year as a whole, even with the trade of Charlotte Flair to the Blue brand the featured Women’s bouts have not been as prominent as those over on RAW..saying that even the flagship show has it’s problems with the booking of their division.

Maybe Becky will get her run next year? She just seems to be stuck in this position of fiery babyface who gets cheered but no one truly gets behind.

Tye Dillinger

Tye Dillinger 1

I honestly had to check if Tye Dillinger was on Smackdown Live before I added his name to the list. I feel that it is unfair to lump Dillinger in the ‘catchphrase over, performer isn’t’ category because he is a talented performer and truly more than just the ’10’ gesture dictates.

The groundswell of support that Tye garnered as part of the NXT roster was truly staggering, it more than helped that he appeared in the Royal Rumble and was subsequently beloved by the Wrestlemania weekend crowd but all mentions of the ‘Perfect 10’ seem to have faded away near the end of 2017, incidentally he has not appeared on television since October 8th.

I think that this is not just an issue for Tye, but moreover an issue with WWE’s policy with bringing up NXT talent in general. There are times that it works, Asuka appears to be garnering a really strong following on the RAW brand but there doesn’t appear to be any sort of logic or reasoning to the call ups and it is brushed off on television as behind the scenes contract signings, wouldn’t it be interesting to see a change of tactic and see the heads of both brands ‘courting’ certain talents and have a twice yearly draft for the more high profile NXT stars? Just a thought.

Who do you think that WWE has dropped the ball on this year? Let us know in the comments.

Former WWE Superstar Reveals He Was Nearly a ‘Brother of Destruction’

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Former WWE and TNA star Matt Morgan has revealed that he was very nearly cast as a brother of Kane and The Undertaker.

The initial plans in 2005 called for Morgan to appear in a mask that was almost identical to the ‘Big Red Machine’s’ and to have Morgan work a similar in ring style to Kane. The similarities in style would become obvious in time and it would’ve been later revealed that the ‘Brothers of Destruction’ did have another sibling.

Morgan also revealed to Wrestling Inc that his character’s name would’ve been ‘Abel,’ obviously a play on the biblical story of Cain and Abel. As you may well know this isn’t exactly what Morgan ended up with, his stuttering gimmick landed him on the preverbal scrapheap and he later enjoyed a somewhat successful run in TNA.

Oh how different Morgan’s career could have been…

 

Vince Russo Lands New Role

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Former Lucha Libre and WCW star Konnan has revealed that Vince Russo has landed a new role in the wrestling industry. Russo will be joining the Aro Lucha promotion as a ‘script consultant’ for their December 10th show. Whether this means that he will be joining the company on a permanent basis is unknown, however with Aro Lucha being a new company in their own right nothing appears to be set in stone.

The company’s first show takes place this Sunday at the Nashville Fairgrounds and will feature Lucha Libre, WWE and WCW legend Rey Mysterio. Tickets are available to purchase here.

News On Neville’s Recent Cancelled Return Plans

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Talks between WWE and former Cruiserweight Champion Neville with regards to his eventual television return appear to be ongoing. The 205 Live superstar has not been seen on WWE programming since shortly after losing his title to current Champion Enzo Amore.

According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider, WWE and Neville were in talks for a return at the company’s Eastern European tour but on the Smackdown side which would indicate a switch of brands for the UK performer and a natural way to distance himself from the Cruiserweight division. This was due to occur in late November but talks broke down and nothing has yet been confirmed.

How would you like Neville to return to television? On RAW, Smackdown or 205 Live?

Chris Jericho Behind New Impact Hiring?

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In case you weren’t aware, IMPACT recently revealed that Don Callis and Scott D’Amore would set to be positioned as the new Executive Vice Presidents of the company. IMPACT sent out the following press release on the hiring:

“TORONTO – Anthem Wrestling Exhibitions LLC, a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp. and parent company of IMPACT Wrestling, announced today that Don Callis and Scott D’Amore have joined the company as Executive Vice Presidents. Reporting to Ed Nordholm, President of the Company, they will form a 3-member Executive Committee with overall responsibility for developing the creative direction for the Company and managing the execution of the Company’s business plan. 

Don Callis has built a critically acclaimed 15-year career in the wrestling business as a performer, color commentator and writer for WWF, ECW and TNA. After retiring from wrestling in 2004, he obtained an MBA and established another successful career in international business. Callis recently returned to the world he loves and is now the color commentator for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (a role that he will retain) and co-hosts the hit podcast “Killing the Town” on The Jericho Network.

Scott D’Amore has held just about every position in the wrestling industry, including performer, trainer, promoter, writer and producer. D’Amore is an IMPACT Wrestling original, having been with the company from its early days in the Asylum until his departure in 2010. In his time away from the organization, D’Amore applied his entrepreneurial spirit to transform The D’Amore Group from a family-run construction company into a multi-faceted real estate development company. He has kept his hand in the industry, running Border City Wrestling in Windsor in collaboration with the Entertainment Technology program at St. Clair College. He also owns and operates Can-Am Wrestling, a successful professional wrestling training facility that has produced numerous top talents in the wrestling industry today.”

As you may of noted, Callis is part of Chris Jericho’s podcast network and good friends with the Winnipeg native. During a recent interview on ‘Talk is Jericho’ Callis revealed that it was in fact Jericho who reached out to Anthem Executive Len Asper and told him to hire Don Callis and Scott D’Amore to run Impact Wrestling. Whether this is an elaborate rib being played by both Callis and Jericho remains to be seen but if this is true then Jericho’s influence across the wrestling landscape seems to be broadening in recent months.

Getting your buddies a job? Jericho invented that.

Tito Santana Reveals Which Match Stood Out The Most In His WWE Career

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WWE Hall Of Famer Tito Santana was recently interviewed by ESPN to talk about a variety of professional wrestling topics. Santana discussed which match stood out the most to him in his WWE career, his life now after professional wrestling, and the transition he’s made from a wrestler to a schoolteacher. You can check out the highlights here:

Which match stood out in his WWE career:

“It was probably when I wrestled Greg ‘The Hammer’ Valentine in Baltimore. I had been chasing him for the Intercontinental Championship, and finally I beat him in a cage match and there were maybe only 18,000 people at capacity, but it was sold out. The ‘pop’ that we got when I won the match was just unbelievable.”

His life after professional wrestling:

“I’m a schoolteacher. I’ve been teaching school, this is my 21st year. I’m a Spanish teacher in the middle school here in the town that I live, in Roxbury, New Jersey. Then, a couple of weekends a month, I go and I make appearances and once in a while, believe it or not, I still get in the ring. I don’t do much in the ring, but I still like to lace up the boots and get out there.

“It doesn’t get old to hear the response from the wrestling fans because they appreciate the work that you did. That’s what you know, with the applause and the cheers for you. It never gets old to hear the applause. In the small shows, you get to meet the wrestling fans and they always bring up moments that they remember.”

Transitioning from a professional wrestler to a teacher:

“I retired from the WWF in 1993 and I tried – me and Sgt. Slaughter tried – to run a league out of Chicago for a year and then it folded. Then I was doing independent shows. In the independent market you could wrestle Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and still make a pretty good living on those three days, so I liked that routine. I started subbing because I didn’t have anything else to do in the middle of the week.

“So, I started subbing for two years and in my town, they offered me a gym position. One thing led to another and I kind of didn’t — I used to come home exhausted being a gym teacher and I had my Spanish degree, so I talked to the guy hiring in town and he said, ‘Well, we have four openings.’ So I came into the classroom and I really enjoy what I’m doing now. I’ve been doing it for 16 years, Spanish.”

You can read Santana’s full interview with ESPN by clicking this link here.

Jinder Mahal Says Triple H Is Past His Prime

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WWE Superstar Jinder Mahal (with The Singh Brothers) recently did an interview with TOI Sports to promote his upcoming match against Triple H in New Delhi, India. “The Modern Day Maharaja” discussed feeling the pressure of facing off against someone such as Triple H, and his belief that “The Game” is past his prime. You can check out the highlights here:

His match with Triple H:

“This is definitely the biggest match of my career. Probably the biggest match in Indian wrestling history. I’m really disappointed that I’m not here as WWE champion, but a match against Triple H is more than making up for it. I was really looking forward to [facing] Kevin Owens, but this is a really big match.”

Feeling the pressure of measuring up to “The Game”:

“I would be lying if I said it was not a little bit nervous. I definitely feel the pressure. I’m very, very nervous. Triple H said in a recent interview that now his job is to ensure that the next generation of WWE superstars are up to par, so basically Triple H is the measuring sick, so I need this match personally. I want to see how I measure up to Triple H, the ‘King of Kings’.”

His belief that Triple H is past his prime:

“I personally believe that Triple H is a bit past his prime, whereas I haven’t even hit my prime. I’m 31 years old. Day by day, week by week, month by month I’m getting better. I hope Triple H sees that, and come tomorrow I think he’s going to see that my arm is going to be raised at the end of the night [in celebration of victory].”

You can check out Mahal’s full interview with TOI Sports by clicking here.

Sting Recalls Facing An Intoxicated Jeff Hardy In TNA

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We’ve noted that WWE Hall Of Famer Sting was recently a part of a Q&A session at the Wales Comic Con in Wrexham this past Saturday. More highlights include Sting’s thoughts on facing an intoxicated Jeff Hardy in TNA, his favorite year as a professional wrestler, his favorite match in TNA, his favorite championship win, and more. Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFNfv_ufizo&feature=youtu.be

Facing an inebriated Jeff Hardy at TNA Victory Road in 2011:

“Jeff was in a bad way, he was deteriorating as the day went on, by the time our match rolled around it became clear that he couldn’t compete so I had to take him down quickly. He has since turned it all around, I love Jeff, I love his work, I hold nothing against him and wish him all the best.”

You have been in the business for 3 decades now but what was your favorite year?

“The transition from surfer Sting into the darker / Crow-like Sting in 1997. That was a good year. ”

What was your favorite match in TNA?

“The Empty Arena match with [Kurt] Angle. That was bizarre but also a lot of fun.”

Which of your championship wins was your favorite?

“The first one – against [Ric] Flair in 1990.”

Who hit you the hardest in the ring?

“Leon White [Vader] . In the beginning he was really rough, he was fresh out of Japan. Give me credit, I was the one who tamed him.”

What was it like being in the WCW locker room when you had the massive influx of WWF guys, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage etc?

“I was very receptive of it. At the time I was the only one going on PR tours, UK, Japan, Europe. It was good to have Hogan for that. Savage, Hall and Nash were good at it too. It took a hell of a lot off my shoulders and it was going to boost the ratings so it was good for everyone.”

H/T Wrestling Inc. for the transcriptions

Kevin Nash’s Nasty Scar After Surgery (Photo), Jinder Mahal’s Custom Jacket For HHH Match

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– WWE Hall Of Famer Kevin Nash underwent a right knee replacement surgery earlier this week. Nash posted the following photos and revealed it took more than 20 staples to close him up:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcXrwhRgWxZ/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcaxo22g0DA/

– Jinder Mahal was gifted a custom ring jacket by designer Narendra Kumar to wear for his match against Triple H tomorrow at the WWE Supershow live event in New Delhi, India. Mahal Tweeted out the following photo:

Triple H vs Roman Reigns Abu Dhabi Match Result

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The main event from WWE’s 2nd Abu Dhabi show featured Triple H challenging for the Intercontinental Championship against the current title-holder, Roman Reigns. Roman Reigns successfully defended his title at the event.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcc3qnVAuPh/?taken-by=wwe

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcc70SggvO9/

#WWEIndia Supershow On Saturday

Saturday’s WWE live event from India has been billed as a “Super Show” and will feature Triple H vs. Jinder Mahal in the biggest match in the country’s history. The rest of the card is as follows:

  • The Shield: Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose vs. Samoa Joe and RAW Tag Team Champions Cesaro and Sheamus
  • Braun Strowman vs. Kane
  • Finn Balor vs Bray Wyatt
  • RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss vs. Sasha Banks
  • Jason Jordan vs Elias
  • WWE Cruiserweight Champion Enzo Amore vs. Kalisto
  • Apollo Crews and Titus O’Neil vs Gallows and Anderson
  • Jeet Rama and Kishan Rafter vs The Miztourage

Brandi Rhodes On ‘WAGS Atlanta’ (Video), Hulk Hogan’s New Store

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– Former WWE and IMPACT Wrestling star Brandi Rhodes will be staring in this season of ‘WAGS Atlanta’ on E!. The season’s debut will take place on Wednesday, January 3rd and the official synopsis can be read here:

“The series follows the relationships and glamorous lifestyles of Ariel Anderson, Niche Caldwell, Kierra Douglas, Kaylin Jurrjens, Kesha Norman, Brandi Rhodes, Shuntel “Telli” Swift, Sincerely Ward, and Hope Wiseman.

“These nine tight-knit Atlanta-based wives and girlfriends of today’s hottest professional athletes live life unapologetically, with no boundaries and no filters within the infamous social life of Atlanta.”

Here’s a preview for this season:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZE1_maXiAI&feature=youtu.be

– WWE Hall Of Famer Hulk Hogan has signed a deal with ProWrestlingTees.com, and now has a store on the site that features more than 12 exclusive designs. Check out the store here.

Ember Moon Reveals Her Goals As NXT Women’s Champion

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WWE.com recently did an interview with NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon; in which she discusses various topics such as winning the strap at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, Asuka congratulating her on the win, and her goal as NXT Women’s Champion. You can check out the highlights below:

Winning the NXT Women’s Title at TakeOver: WarGames:

“As soon as I won the title, I remember having to do an interview right away. By the time I got to locker room, it was completely empty. I put the title down, I put my armor down and I just stared at the both of them. I just said to myself, ‘I finally did it.’ I finally solidified every decision that I made in my career and justified them. I just took a moment to step out of the craziness and live in that moment of happiness.”

Asuka congratulating her:

“Asuka and I started the exact same day at the WWE Performance Center, and though our paths were different, they always seem to intertwine. We used to travel together and encourage each other to be better in and out of the ring. It was awesome to have her show that much respect by presenting me the NXT Women’s Championship and celebrate our mutual love for wrestling in the middle of the ring.”

Her goal as champion:

“My goal now is to become the longest-reigning champion in NXT history. I wasn’t able to end Asuka’s undefeated streak, but I can break her record for the longest-reigning Women’s Champion in NXT. I want to prove that my myth is a legend rising and forever solidify my place in WWE history.”

You can read Moon’s full interview with WWE by clicking the link here.