Check out the official promotional poster for WWE Money in the Bank, which airs on the WWE Network and select PPV providers on Sunday, June 29th:
Tammy Sytch In And Out Of The Hospital, Preview For Thursday’s WWE Legends House
– WWE Hall Of Famer Tammy “Sunny” Sytch noted on Twitter recently that she is “very sick” and has been in and out of the hospital. Sytch tweeted the following:
ill be starting skypes this week again….sorry, been very sick and in and out of tyhe hospital…. just got out today actually…..see you
— Tamara Sytch (@WWEHOFerSunny) April 23, 2014
– The following is the official synopsis for this week’s edition of WWE Legends House, which airs on the WWE Network on Thursday night:
“The legends play a polo match WWE Style. Back at the Legends House, Tony Atlas and Hacksaw Jim Duggan attempt to co-exist.”
Chris Jericho Interviews William Shatner, Jim Cornette On Latest “Ross Report”
– The latest edition of Jim Ross’ “Ross Report” podcast, which features an interview with Jim Cornette, is now online.
The official description for the show reads as follows:
TRR – Ep10 – Jim Cornette
“JR has plenty to discuss with Jim Cornette including The Undertaker’s defeat at Wrestlemania 30, CM Punk’s departure, Daniel Bryan’s future, the best fast food joints around the country, lucky horseshoes , successful heels in the WWE, and whether or not Midnight Express should be in the WWE Hall Of Fame.”
You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.
– Also new at PodcastOne.com is the latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which features an interview with William Shatner.
The official description for the show reads as follows:
TIJ – EP32 – William Shatner
“Intergalactic star William Shatner joins Chris in-studio…and he LOVES wrestling even though he was boo’ed at the WWE Hall of Fame! Hear that… along with tales of UFOs, ghosts, Captain Kirk, Star Trek films, dealing with hecklers & haters, and of course a tour of ‘Shatner’s World.'”
You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.
Top Matches Announced For ROH-NJPW War Of The Worlds (5/17)
WAR OF THE WORLDS on Saturday May 17th at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City will be an unforgettable night for wrestling fans. This event will see ROH talent face off against New Japan talent in a true war between two worlds. ROH and New Japan officials have decided which competitors from their respective organizations they want to see face off against one another. We are thrilled to announce these rare encounters:
ROH & NJPW Present: WAR OF THE WORLDS
Saturday, May 17th, 2014 – 7:30PM
The Hammerstein Ballroom – New York City
ROH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Winner of Adam Cole vs. Kevin Steen from GLOBAL WARS (ROH) vs. Jushin “Thunder” Liger (NJPW)
It will certainly be a historic contest as ROH’s top wrestler defends his World Championship against the legendary Jushin Liger. Will Liger change the international landscape of professional wrestling by becoming the ROH World Champion? Or will Adam Cole/Kevin Steen walk out of New York with the gold and add this huge win to their list of accomplishments?
IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
“Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada vs. “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin (ROH)
“Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada vs. “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin (ROH)
**5/3 in Fukuoka, Japan Kazuchika Okada defends the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against AJ Styles. The winner of that match will defend against Michael Elgin on May 17th
Elgin earned his IWGP Heavyweight Championship opportunity by defeated Kevin Steen at Supercard of Honor 8. With Elgin obsessed on winning World Championships, will his New Japan dream finally come true? Or can Okada defend his gold on American soil?
ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Champions: The Young Bucks (Bullet Club) vs. reDRagon (ROH)
Champions: The Young Bucks (Bullet Club) vs. reDRagon (ROH)
The Young Bucks shocked fans by capturing the ROH World Tag Championships from reDRagon a few months ago. reDRagon has already earned their championship rematch and looks for redemption against the current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team and ROH World Tag Team Champion Young Bucks. reDRagon has been ruthless in the ring since losing the gold. Will they get back the championships that they held for the better part of last year? Or will The Young Bucks prove that what happened a few months back was not an upset or fluke?
IWGP WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
Champions: Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows (Bullet Club) vs. Jay & Mark Briscoe (ROH)
The Briscoes are 8 time ROH World Tag Team Champions. Can they add the IWGP World Tag Team Titles to their list of accomplishments? Or will the big man tag team of Anderson and Gallows retain?
ROH WORLD TV CHAMPIONSHIP
Champion: Jay Lethal w/ Truth Martini (ROH) vs. KUSHIDA (NJPW)
Shinsuke Nakamura (NJPW) vs. Kevin Steen or Adam Cole (ROH)
Hiroshi Tanahashi (NJPW) vs. Michael Bennett w/ Maria Kanellis (ROH)
Also Signed to Appear
“The Phenomenal” AJ Styles (ROH)
Gedo & Jado (NJPW)
The Forever Hooligans (Rocky Romero & Alex Koslov) (NJPW)
Takaaki Watanabe (NJPW)
The Decade (Roderick Strong, BJ Whitmer & Jimmy Jacobs) w/ Adam Page (ROH)
ACH (ROH)
Matt Taven (ROH)
Cedric Alexander (ROH)
Tommaso Ciampa (ROH)
Silas Young (ROH)
Caprice Coleman (ROH)
Ring of Honor Wrestling & New Japan Pro-Wrestling Presents:
WAR OF THE WORLDS
Saturday, May 17th, 2014
The Hammerstein Ballroom
New York City
Bell Time – 7:30pm EST
Christopher Daniels Apparently No Longer With TNA
Christopher Daniels noted on Twitter today that he is officially a free agent. As previously reported, Daniels’ contract with TNA was set to expire, and many felt that he may not re-sign with the company as he was one of the last few guys who had a large contract and would likely be asked to take a cut in pay.
Daniels tweeted the following on Wednesday:
I became a free agent & a published comic book writer on the same day! http://t.co/X5y9tUV0pu
— Christopher Daniels (@facdaniels) April 23, 2014
More On Heyman Referencing CM Punk At RAW, MLB Star Pays Tribute To Warrior
– Paul Heyman referenced CM Punk in an around-about way during a commercial break on Monday’s edition of WWE RAW. Heyman said the following during the break:
“Here’s a pipebomb for you. My client, Brock Lesnar, did what a Paul Heyman Guy couldn’t do last year, when he conquered The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania.”
You can check out video footage of the promo at WWE.com.
– MLB star Josh Reddick paid tribute to the late Ultimate Warrior on the International Talk program, complete with a Warrior mask, tassels and a Warrior t-shirt. You can check out the footage below.
http://youtu.be/VX5KbfTcHZg
Eric Bischoff Speaks On JR/Austin Podcasts, Possibility Of A WWE Return
Eric Bischoff mentioned on Twitter that he will be a guest on both Jim Ross and Steve Austin’s podcasts. Here’s his comments regarding those upcoming interviews.
Looking forward to spending time with @JRsBBQ @WWEJimRoss on his pod cast. Lots of history with Jim that we have never covered publically.
— Eric Bischoff (@EBischoff) April 19, 2014
Looking forward to sitting down with Steve Austin on his podcast. Should be interesting!
— Eric Bischoff (@EBischoff) April 18, 2014
Additionally, Bischoff recently answered a fan who asked if he would ever return to WWE. On that note, Bischoff tweeted the following generic answer.
@Gaurav9Kumar Never say never right?
— Eric Bischoff (@EBischoff) April 21, 2014
Press Release: TNA Signs New Television Deal In Italy
TNA issued the following on Wednesday …
TNA IMPACT WRESTLING Returns To Italian Television On May 2
TNA IMPACT WRESTLING will return to TV screens in Italy this Spring, thanks to an agreement between TNA and popular Italian sports station Nuvolari TV.
Global wrestling stars including Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle, TNA World Heavyweight Champion Eric Young, Jeff Hardy, Magnus, James Storm, Bobby Roode, Bully Ray, Mr. Anderson, MVP and Samoa Joe will make their debuts on Nuvolari on Friday May 2 at 8.30pm.
Episodes of TNA IMPACT WRESTLING will air every Friday at 8.30pm, with repeats on Saturdays at 4.30pm and Sundays at both 9am and 10.30pm. TNA’s PPV events will also be broadcast monthly on Nuvolari.
Fans in Italy can watch Nuvolari via digital terrestrial TV, satellite and live web streaming.
Nuvolari’s Editorial Area Vice President Corrado Azzolini said: “We are glad to announce TNA IMPACT WRESTLING’s new scheduling on Nuvolari. We are confident that it will meet our viewers’ approval, as wrestling is a very popular and followed sport in Italy.”
“In the future we would like to be able to give even more visibility to TNA, perhaps creating live events to convey all the emotions of the IMPACT WRESTLING experience.”
TNA President Dixie Carter added: “Everyone at TNA IMPACT WRESTLING is so excited about returning to TV in Italy and forming a long and fruitful partnership with Nuvolari TV.”
“I always get tweets and emails from fans in Italy asking how they can watch TNA – and I’m now pleased to say they can see IMPACT WRESTLING every Friday night, from May 2.”??
TNA IMPACT WRESTLING is the world’s most innovative experience in professional wrestling and is currently broadcast in more than 120 countries around the world.
Cesaro Speaks On The Cesaro Swing, Working With Zeb Colter & More
The following are highlights of a new Miami Herald interview with Cesaro:
On the Cesaro Swing: “It’s a really basic move. I’m a really big fan of the history of wrestling. The Giant Swing is a throwback. I used it prior to WWE quite a bit. One of the days I thought about bringing it back. It connected with the crowd. I’ve been doing it ever since.”
On working with Zeb Colter: “It’s been great. Zeb has been in this business for four decades. The knowledge is huge. It’s always great to listen to him talk and see how he thinks and what he thinks about things. It’s been great and awesome to work with him.”
Check out the complete interview at MiamiHerald.com.
Hulk Hogan Rumored For Expendables 4, John Cena’s Birthday & More
– John Cena is celebrating his 37th birthday today. He was born on April 23, 1977.
– According to video game site Abandonia.com, the classic 1995 ‘WWF WrestleMania – The Arcade Game’ has been classified as ‘abandonware’ and is now fair use to download for free.
– The latest “Where Are They Now?” feature at WWE.com looks at former WWE tag team champion Trevor Murdoch.
– WWE Hall of Famer appears to be joining the cast of the upcoming action movie “The Expendables 4,” according to ExpendablesPremiere.com. This would mark Hogan’s onscreen reunion with Sylvester Stallone for the first time since Rocky III back in 1982. Most of the shooting will take place in Bulgaria.
Back in October, a fan asked Hogan why he wasn’t a part of Expendables 3. He responded:
@CarlGartley expendables 4 , they have already cast 3 brother. HH
— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) October 23, 2013
Paige Talks To Michael Cole About Her Divas Title Win & Her First Month In WWE
WWE Divas Champion Paige was Michael Cole’s guest this week in a sit down interview for WWE.com. Topics discussed include:
– What it was like to win the Divas Championship from AJ Lee on RAW the night after WrestleMania XXX.
– Getting emotional backstage after the match
– Her family back in England watching her defeat AJ Lee
– Being the youngest Divas Champion of all time at only 21 years old
– Her time in NXT and how it helped her develop as a performer
– Having a target on her back now that she’s Divas Champion
– Her upcoming match against Tamina at Extreme Rules
– Her longterm goals in WWE
VIDEO: Part Two Of Global Force Wrestling’s “The Journey” Web Series
Jeff Jarrett and Karen Jarrett have posted episode two of Global Force Wrestling (GFW) web-series, “The Journey.”
The video, which you can view above, is accompanied by the following description: “This week #TheJourney takes us from Mexico City to New York City, as Jeff & Karen Jarrett allow us to peek into their lives as they build Global Force Wrestling!”
Dana Warrior Posts New Message On Ultimate Warrior’s Twitter Account
Dana Warrior, widow of the late WWE Hall Of Famer Ultimate Warrior, posted the following message on his official Twitter account today.
Warrior girls and I will put our toes back in the pond of life. To honor Warrior do something brave today (cont) http://t.co/E13jzPZadG
— The Ultimate Warrior (@UltimateWarrior) April 21, 2014
The full message reads as follows:
“Warrior girls and I will put our toes back in the pond of life. To honor Warrior do something brave today too. He’d tell us all we can be sad but not lazy :) join a gym and put down that chocolate bunny. I’m going for my first run since I lost him; support us by doing something bold, brave and awesome. Dana A. Warrior”
Zeb Colter Calls Out Paul Heyman, Rikishi Responds To Last Night’s Total Divas
– Zeb Colter called out Paul Heyman in a new tweet posted on his official Twitter account on Sunday. Colter tweeted the following regarding tonight’s edition of WWE RAW.
TOMORROW…#RAW
#WWEBaltimore..LETS HAVE AT IT @HeymanHustle…NO I HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN
NEED AN ANSWER OR AT LEAST A CONFESSION..@WWE
.
.
— Zeb Colter (@WWEZeb) April 20, 2014
– As seen on last night’s edition of WWE Total Divas, Rikishi failed to show up at his sons wedding, as Jimmy Uso and Naomi got married without the former WWE Superstar attending. Rikishi took to Twitter to address the issue.
Sometimes the storylines of reality TV mirror those of Wrestling! #All4Entertainment @totaldiva @territoryleague @knokxpro
— JR FATU,, (@TheREALRIKISHI) April 21, 2014
Remember there is very little REAL in reality TV" @totaldiva @territoryleague @knokxpro @wweuso
— JR FATU,, (@TheREALRIKISHI) April 21, 2014
New Hall Of Fame Show To Replace WWE Countdown On WWE Network This Week
There will be no new episode of WWE Countdown this Tuesday night on the WWE Network. Instead, WWE will premiere the “Best Of WWE Hall Of Fame” series that we reported about this past weekend.
Episode one of “Best Of WWE Hall Of Fame” will debut on Tuesday night at 10pm EST., and will look at the past WWE Hall Of Fame inductions of Hulk Hogan, Trish Stratus and Bobby Heenan.
On Wednesday night at 10pm EST., episode two of “Best Of WWE Hall Of Fame” will air, and will look back at the WWE Hall Of Fame inductions of Ric Flair and Pete Rose.
Josh Mathews is set to host both shows.
GRAPHIC PHOTO: WWE Referee Charles Robinson Nearly Loses Thumb
WWE referee Charles Robinson suffered a gruesome injury to his thumb while setting up the ring prior to WWE’s live event on Friday in Saudi Arabia.
Robinson, who nearly lost his thumb due to the incident, said he was rushing through the process of setting up the ring and paid the price for it. WWE doctor Chris Amann ended up patching up the injury with six stitches.
You can check out a very graphic photo below.
6 stitches today after working on the ring. Such a goof I am. pic.twitter.com/R2vHv2ZfIW
— Charles Robinson (@WWERobinson) April 18, 2014
NASCAR’s Hermie Sadler Joins Global Force Board Of Directors
Former NASCAR driver and current Fox Sports 1 NASCAR correspondent Hermie Sadler has accepted a position on the Global Force Wrestling Board of Directors, according to a report at Newsday.com.
Sadler, who worked as a backstage interviewer for TNA, told Newsday,
“Just trying to get the word out about the brand, and let as many people know that there’s another wrestling promotion that’s coming,. What I’d like to do is kind of like what I did with TNA a long time ago, maybe pick a territory and do some live events,” Sadler said.
Sadler said that Global Force is aiming to start running shows this fall and added, “they’re not going to be like traditional wrestling shows.”
As noted earlier this week, the Global Force logo will be appearing on one of Sadler’s cars at the “Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown” next Thursday at South Boston Speedway in Virginia.
NASCAR's @HermieSadler reps Global Force Wrestling in next week's @dennyhamlin Short Track Showdown. #JoinTheForce pic.twitter.com/haKLtwJtJa
— My World with Jeff Jarrett (@MyWorldPod) April 18, 2014
Sting & “Brothers Of Destruction” DVD & Blu-ray Projects In The Works
Two new potential WWE DVD projects were announced today by UK-based retail site, “Zavvi.”
The first is a DVD and Blu-ray release focusing on Sting, with the projected scheduled for a September pre-order.
The second, with the working title “Brothers of Destruction,” is slated to look at the rivalry and history between Undertaker and Kane.
For more information on these potential projects, visit WrestlingDVDNews.com.
More Details On Referee Not Knowing The Finish To Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar
As previously reported, WWE referee Chad Patton — who served as the official for the Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker match at WrestleMania XXX — was not informed ahead of time that Lesnar was going to be defeating Undertaker during the bout. There is, however, some who feel that Undertaker or Lesnar may have tipped him off while they were actually in the ring.
Prior to the match, Patton was pulled aside and told to count to three, as if the match were a shoot, if either guy had their shoulders pinned to the mat. He was told that the only exception would be if Undertaker applied his “Hell’s Gate” submission, to not count Undertaker’s shoulders down while doing that particular move.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
WWE SmackDown Preview For Tonight
The following is a spoiler-free preview for tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown, taped Tuesday night in Nashville, Tennessee.
– WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E. vs. Alberto Del Rio
– WWE Divas Champion Paige vs. Aksana
– Hornswoggle vs. El Torito
– Alexander Rusev vs. R-Truth
– Santino Marella vs. Fandango
– Batista vs. Sheamus
You can read a complete spoiler report for the show by clicking the link below.
WWE SmackDown Spoilers (April 18, 2014)
Jim Ross Q&A: UFC Stars Transitioning To WWE, Brock Lesnar’s Future & More
The following are highlights of a new Jim Ross website Q&A update:
On WWE going to Saudi Arabia despite the fact that no women are allowed on the shows: “I think that you are over thinking this matter. Of course it’s all about the money. Whey was it not all about the money? Diversification has zero to do with a country’s laws or customs.”
On how he would book Brock Lesnar now that he has ended Undertaker’s streak: “I am a marketer. If fans get these Q&A’s for free hopefully they will reciprocate by buying some of our family’s products online. Lesnar should become untouchable until he passes the invisible torch at WM31 to the next big thing. I’d not beat Lesnar until WM31 and then only if it made sense and someone was ready to assume that role.”
On the toughest guys in the wrestling business: “The list is endless….so many former NCAA Wrestling Champions along with some legendary street fighters.”
On if he feels UFC guys could transition to WWE: “It’s certainly possible. It’s not an easy transition. More will fail than succeed.”
Check out more JR Q&A updates at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also purchase JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
WWE Covers CM Punk’s Face (Photo), WWE Stars Banned From Nancy Grace
– According to a new TMZ article, WWE talent have been informed to stay away from Nancy Gracie following the controversial way she handled Ultimate Warrior’s recent passing. You can check out the complete article at TMZ.com.
– A fan sent along the following screen capture of the new Ultimate Warrior documentary that aired on the WWE Network on Thursday night. In the scene where Warrior meets with Triple H at WWE Headquarters, you can see on the Royal Rumble poster on the wall in the background that someone put a post-it note over the face of CM Punk. Check it out below.
Mick Foley Turns Down WWE Contract?, Scott Hall’s Tribute To Ultimate Warrior
– WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley noted during a recent podcast appearance that WWE has offered him a legends contract and that he will not be signing it. You can listen to the interview at NYC.Podcast.Play.it.
– Speaking of WWE Hall Of Famers, Scott Hall added the following Ultimate Warrior tribute to the official YouTube channel of Diamond Dallas Page.
Manik Reveals His TNA Salary, TNA Taping Impact Wrestling In Pennsylvania
– TNA wrestler Manik recently revealed via his ask.fm account what his current salary is working for TNA. Manik stated the following:
“My contract was started midway thru the year last year but altogether with salary+appearances I was on pace for roughly $75,000-$84,000 for a year period. That’s if my schedule is as busy as it was last summer/fall. Also that’s only counting TNA. I’d make a lot more if I kept up with other bookings outside but I just don’t. I’m also guaranteed a huge chunk of that regardless of if I wrestle or not. So it’s pretty ok considering I do what I love.I’m on the low end on the roster too. Most guys do way better than me.”
– TNA president Dixie Carter noted via her official Twitter account that the company is heading to the Sands Casino and Resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on June 19th and 20th for live Impact Wrestling television tapings. Carter stated the following:
.@IMPACTWRESTLING is bringing a full house to @Sands_Bethlehem PA June 19 & 20 for Live TV! Stay tuned for on sale dates #TNASands
— Dixie Carter (@TNADixie) April 17, 2014
Mad Magazine Mocks WrestleMania III, The Rock Wants To Be In James Bond Film
– Writer Desmond Devlin has a new WrestleMania feature in the current issue (#527) of Mad Magazine. In the article, Devlin pokes fun at all of the myths surrounding WrestleMania III. The following is an excerpt from the article:
“When the immortal Hulk Hogan become the first man ever to bodyslam the 7-foot-4, 520 pound Andre the Giant before 93,173 fans to hand the big man the first loss of his career, it set the all-time record for the most lies in a single sentence.”
– Inspired by his grandfather, WWE Hall Of Famer Peter Maivia, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently revealed that he wants to play a villain in a James Bond movie. Maivia was a villain in the Bond film “You Only Live Twice” in 1967, where he was involved in a fight scene with Sean Connery.
For more details on this story, check out ContactMusic.com.