The following matches are scheduled to take place on tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown on SyFy:
* The Shield vs. Daniel Bryan, Sheamus & Rey Mysterio
* Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Antonio Cesaro vs. Dolph Ziggler
* Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Christian vs. Jack Swagger
* Damien Sandow vs. Kofi Kingston
* Road Dogg vs. Cody Rhodes
* The Primetime Players vs. Ryback & Curtis Axel
* Fandango vs. Xavier Woods
Also appearing are Triple H, The Wyatt Family, Vickie Guerrero and more.
On the latest installment of “Wrestling With Rosenberg,” Peter Rosenberg of Hot 97 interviewed actor & former wrestler Tiny “Zeus” Lister about his time in WWE. Among the topics discussed:
– No Holds Barred and how he first got involved with WWE
– Working with Hulk Hogan & Vince McMahon
– Hulk Hogan breaking his nose during the filming of No Holds Barred
– Resentment in the WWE locker room when he was brought in for SummerSlam
– Issues with Andre The Giant
– A funny story with Jake “The Snake” Roberts
– Learning how to wrestle
– Vince McMahon offering him a run with the WWE Championship
– Working with Randy Savage, Ted Dibiase and the Ultimate Warrior
– Receiving death threats from wrestling fans
– Vince McMahon planting stories in the tabloids that he was a gang member, drug user and a murderer
– Being blessed to work with Hulk hogan, Michael Jackson, Tupac Shakur and Marlon Brando, 4 greats in their respective fields.
“Stone Cold Steve Austin appeared on The Arsenio Hall show this week and was asked about the news of CM Punk walking out on WWE.
When asked if he thinks it’s the real deal or a storyline, Austin said, “word on the street is that it’s real.”
He talked about his own experience “taking his ball and going home” when he was frustrated with WWE and commented on whether he thinks Punk will be back.
Austin discussed WWE Network being a great value, the Attitude Era, a new project he’s working on and his podcast.
Earlier in the week, UFC President Dana White appeared on the show and called Vince McMahon a “maniac.” When asked about his take on Vince’s way of doing things, Austin agreed. “Yeah, he’s a maniac,” Austin confirmed. “With all due respect, McMahon is a different animal. Crazy as hell, but I mean that in a good way.”
Former WWE Superstar MVP was revealed as TNA’s new mystery investor on Thursday’s Impact Wrestling from Glasgow, Scotland.
As for his contractual status with TNA, MVP says he is working on a “handshake” agreement and has not signed with the company:
Well the cat is out of the bag. I still haven't "signed" though. LOL Some of you are happy. And as expected some are not. I LOVE wrestling!
— MVP (@The305MVP) January 30, 2014
Still no contract signed. But a handshake will do for now! RT @AzzaG_A1: @The305MVP you've signed a contract ??
— MVP (@The305MVP) January 30, 2014
Several major WWE names will be appearing at the live February 27th NXT special that will air on the WWE Network:
The show, which as been dubbed “NXT Arrival,” will feature the following matches:
WWE sent out the following press release on Thursday announcing that the WWE App has been downloaded over 10 million times.
WWE® APP SURPASSES 10 MILLION DOWNLOADS
Stamford, Conn., January 30, 2014 – WWE (NYSE:WWE) today announced that its flagship WWE App has surpassed 10 million downloads in 220 countries since it launched in August 2012. WWE App will be a key component in the delivery of WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 streaming network that launches on Monday, February 24.
WWE Network will be available through the WWE App on TV via connected devices including Roku streaming devices, Sony PlayStation® 3, Sony PlayStation® 4 and Xbox 360. WWE Network will also be available through the WWE App on iOS devices, including Apple iPad and iPhone, Amazon’s Kindle Fire devices and Android devices, as well as on desktops and laptops via WWE.com.
Through the WWE App, WWE delivers fans a revolutionary second screen experience during its flagship TV programs. The experience includes live match continuation during TV commercial breaks, backstage content, live polls, photos and exclusive information on WWE Superstars and Divas. WWE Network will offer fans a similar interactive fan experience for all original programming and live events via the WWE App.
Over the past year, the WWE App has been downloaded more than 6 million times with more than 500,000 fans experiencing its second screen capabilities on Monday nights.
SEScoops.com reader Jed Ebersole was at Thursday night’s WWE NXT tapings from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. The show went off the rails almost immediately, with the crowd chanting for CM Punk and security confiscating signs from fans. Here’s his report:
“The show started fine [before the tapings began] , then about 2 matches in security confiscated a sign about ratings dropping. The crowd was wondering what was going on. So I got pissed and stood up with my “I’m a CM Punk Guy” sign and started a CM punk chant towards the staff.
The crowd went nuts and then they came and told me to hand over the sign or be ejected. I let them take it. We proceeded to then try to hijack every match with CM Punk chants. In the beginning a lady from management told me to stop and pulled me out of the arena. I went with her and went toe to toe about us fans being able to chant what ever we want. I asked to speak with someone higher and she wouldn’t let me. She told me again to stop and return to my seat. I told her that won’t happen and went back to my seat.
From there word spread that they were trying to get us out, but about 30 or more of us just kept going. We did our best to hijack everything. We are fed up and now we are the voice of the voiceless!”
WWE fans voiced their displeasure with CM Punk’s departure at Thursday night’s NXT tapings from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.
According to multiple reports, fans at the show have been chanting “CM Punk” all night. The staff at Full Sail University also confiscated multiple CM Punk signs prior to the show. As you can imagine, this got a ton of heat from the crowd.
At the beginning of the taping, the audience was asked to chant “NXT” – but the raucous crowd rejected the request and chanted for Punk instead.
It will be interesting to say the least when WWE tapes RAW from Punk’s home town of Chicago on March 3rd.
The following are Impact Wrestling tapings for next week (airing 2/6) from Glasgow, Scotland:
*Austin Aries defeated Zema Ion to retain X-Division championship. Ion attacked Aries with his Feast or Fired briefcase before the match began and cashed it in to get the title shot.
* Curry Man appeared. Bully Ray attacked him and wound up throwing him in a casket.
* Abyss defeated Eric Young with the Black Hole Slam In a Monster’s Ball match. After the match, Abyss unmasked himself and revealed that he is none other than … Joseph Park.
* TNA Investor MVP came out and cut a promo, saying now that things are going to change now that he’s got power in tNA. He announced Magnus vs. Kurt Angle in a non-title match for later in the show.
*Kurt Angle defeated TNA champion Magnus via DQ when Ethan Carter III interfered. Carter attacked Angle’s legs with a steel chair after the match.
*Samoa Joe defeated Bobby Roode with the Muscle Buster.
* The show closed with a segment featuring Dixie Carter and MVP doing a promo together. It ended up with MVP laying out Rockstar Spud.
Former WWE Superstar MVP is set to debut on tonight’s episode of Impact Wrestling from Glasgow, Scotland.
The Ballin’ Superstar is currently backstage at the tapings and is expected to be part of the TNA Investor storyline.
MVP tweeted on Thursday afternoon:
A decision has been made. It's final. All systems go!
— MVP (@The305MVP) January 30, 2014
TMZ.com reports that Matt Hardy and his wife Reby Sky were arrested at a motel in Virginia earlier this month after a bloody domestic brawl.
A hotel staffer called 911 and said, “A guest just came down here and said somebody’s beating the hell out of his wife a girl or something.”
When cops arrived to the scene, both Matt and Sky were arrested for assault and battery. They were released on $3,500 bail.
Matt and Sky got restraining orders against each other.
The following is the updated synopsis for WWE’s new “WCW: Greatest Pay-Per-View Matches Vol. 1” DVD, which is set to be released on March 11th:
“Starrcade! Halloween Havoc! The Great American Bash! Road Wild! For the first time ever, collect all the greatest pay-per-view matches and moments from the rich history of World Championship Wrestling.
During the 1990?s, WCW showcased numerous legends of sports entertainment, producing an annual slate of wildly successful pay-per-view events. From Ric Flair’s championship clashes with the enigmatic Sting, to n.W.o running roughshod over the promotion, early thrillers between legends Eddie Guerrero and Rey Mysterio, and brawls amidst a sea of Harleys at Strugis, “The Place Where the Big Boys Play” brought the prime time audience to their feet.
In this 3-disc DVD/2-disc blu-ray set, relive these historic years and celebrate WWE’s greatest rival in sports entertainment.”
– Negotiations are still ongoing between WWE and international wrestler star Prince Devitt. He’s reportedly been offered a contract, but is deciding whether he wants to leave Ireland and his prominent role with New Japan Pro Wrestling.
– WrestlingDVDNews.com has released the official trailer for the upcoming “Mr. WrestleMania” Shawn Michaels DVD/Blu-Ray that is scheduled for a February 11th release:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wvlkh-gmbPw
– Amidst online reports that CM Punk has opted to quit WWE, which TMZ.com has cited as due to his displeasure with WrestleMania XXX creative plans, a TNA Wrestling star is inviting the Chicago native to cross the line.
If the rumors are true, let me be the 1st to invite @CMPunk to @IMPACTWRESTLING and get in the ring w/ me. Fans would LOVE it. Yes or no?
— Bully Ray (@REALBully5150) January 29, 2014
– From Dublin, Ireland, TNA World Heavyweight Champion Magnus previews his upcoming night in the city, and his plans for Glasgow tomorrow night on Impact Wrestling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCPa4cWTW48
– ShopTNA.com has released new T-Shirts on Jeff Hardy, Magnus, James Storm, Bobby Roode, ODB, Manik, Gunner, The Bro Mans and Austin Aries.
UFC President Dana White appeared on The Arsenio Hall late-night talk show recently and discussed the competitive rivalry he feels Vince McMahon has with him.
In the clip, which you can see above, White again tells the story of how McMahon once called him up and challenged him to a fight.
– John Cena was interviewed was interviewed by the “Guy Code” blog at MTV.com to promote his new diet & fitness program. Cena was asked about what inspired him to create the 10 Week Body Challenge and said it’s partially because he sees people are not working out the right way.
“You should go into a gym and just look around. People paying good, hard-earned money and they don’t know what the F they’re doing. I go to gyms all across the world and with about 75% of the people I see I just want to go up to and say, “Hey! You’re doing it wrong! Stop wasting your time!” But you can’t. They’re on their own deal, everyone has to find their own way.”
When asked if there’s a “line he won’t cross” with his fellow Superstars, Cena said:
“Rule number one: don’t rib unless you want to be ribbed. If you prank someone, someone is going to get you back. It may not be the person you pranked, because they might not be good at pranks, but we’ve got our homies. We’ve got our wolf. We call in another prankster and he’ll get you back. So, you got to respect peoples personal space and don’t rib unless you want to be ribbed.”
– WWE ring announcer Lilian Garcia announced on Tuesday that she has signed a new contract with the promotion. She tweeted:
It’s official! I just signed on to my 13th year w @WWE ! Thank u @WWEUniverse 4 making this possible! Xoxo http://t.co/i4hHFkmIK7
— Lilian Garcia (@LilianGarcia) January 28, 2014
A grand jury in Pennsylvania will investigate the 1983 death of Nancy L. Argentino, the girlfriend of professional wrestler Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka. The news comes less than three weeks after the release of an autopsy report and police interviews that had never been seen by the public.
District Attorney Jim Martin said Tuesday, “I think it’s important to have a grand jury take a look at it and we’ll see what they think.”
Argentino was rushed out of Snuka’s George Washington Motor Lodge motel room on May 10, 1983. Snuka, a married man, had returned from a WWF TV taping at the Allentown Fairgrounds to find Argentino “gasping for air and oozing yellow fluid from her mouth and nose.” She was declared dead hours later at Lehigh Valley Hospital.
According to the recently released autopsy report, the 23 year old Brooklyn, N.Y. native died of “traumatic brain injuries consistent with a moving head striking a stationary object.”
She also suffered more than two dozen cuts and bruises on on her head, ear, chin, arms, hands, back, buttocks, legs and feet.
Forensic pathologist Isidore Mihalakis wrote at the time of the case that it should be investigated as a homicide until proved otherwise, according to records first made public by the Call last year.
Snuka originally told at least five people (including the responding police officer) he shoved Argentino, causing her to fall and hit her head.
He later told police he was misunderstood – and Argentino slipped and hit her head when they stopped along the highway to go to the bathroom.
* VIDEO of SETH ROLLINS Falling During The Shield’s Entrance On RAW
(Source: MCall.com)
Gail Kim sits down with Peter Rosenberg for almost an hour and talks about Mae Young, AJ Styles, Triple H, her WWE departure and more.
In protest of Daniel Bryan not being entered in the Royal Rimble, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley smashes his television set.
– On Monday’s RAW, JBL had a line on commentary where he called East Carolina University the “Harvard of the South.” The remark was a nod to Vince and Linda McMahon, who both attended the school.
– Despite Sin Cara’s renewed push on WWE television, f4wonline.com reports that WWE has essentially given up on the character. The reason Sin Cara remains on television is due to strong merchandise sales and the character appearing in WWE’s upcoming Scooby Doo animated movie.
– William Regal tweeted the following about Antonio Cesaro on Monday night:
I've said it before and know(because he made mincemeat out of me)@AntonioCesaro is 10 times the man and wrestler I've ever been.
— William Regal (@RealKingRegal) January 28, 2014
– WWE Superstar Sheamus turns 36 years old today.
– WWE Composer Jim Johnston is Steve Austin’s guest on this week’s Steve Austin Show podcast. Listen now at PodcastOne.com.
WWE composer Jim Johnston joins Steve to talk about some of their favorite entrance themes. Hear what inspired the themes for Stone Cold, The Undertaker, Bret Hart, D-Generation X, and Shawn Michaels.
– Pro Wrestling NOAH star KENTA was at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando on Monday, according to PWInsider.com. William Regal reportedly set up the tryout and he’s expected to continue training in the ring there this week.
Check out this video highlighting KENTA’s epic feud with Daniel Bryan (formerly Bryan Danielson) in Pro Wrestling NOAH:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CfcgZ2EJSvs
On Monday’s RAW, it was announced that Jake “The Snake” Roberts is the second member of the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2014. Here are some tweets from Jake Roberts, Steve Austin, Mick Foley and the Ultimate Warrior regarding Jake’s upcoming induction:
The prodigal son is welcomed home. Thank you WWE & all my supporters for sticking by me. I hope all are enjoying as much as I am.
— JakeSnakeDDT (@JakeSnakeDDT) January 28, 2014
Congrats to @JakeSnakeDDT. #WWE HOF. It's about damn time. One of my all time favorites.
— Steve Austin (@steveaustinBSR) January 28, 2014
https://twitter.com/realmickfoley/status/428007230248472576
We've all been a-holes. Now two are #HOF inductees; each great yet unique in talent, each deserving. Congratulations, Jake.
— The Ultimate Warrior (@UltimateWarrior) January 28, 2014
Now, who will be the next a-hole inducted? This a-hole theme for #WWEHOF Class of 2014 is becoming interesting. I like it…let's run w/ it.
— The Ultimate Warrior (@UltimateWarrior) January 28, 2014
– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown and Main Event tapings take place from the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio. Christian will make his return on Friday’s SmackDown.
Top names advertised to appear include Triple H, Daniel Bryan, C.M. Punk, Big Show, The Shield, The Wyatt Family and Damien Sandow, .
The advertised dark match main event is CM Punk vs. The Shield in a 3-on-1 handicap match.
Check back later tonight for our live results of the tapings.
– Here’s the latest Backstage Fallout video from Monday’s RAW:
“The Miz, Dolph Ziggler and the stars of Total Divas discuss their night on Raw.”
SEScoops.com correspondent Adrian Fylonenko sent in the following live report of what happened after Monday’s WWE RAW went off the air:
The advertised John Cena vs. Randy Orton dark match never took place.
The Shield left Rollins in the ring with all three faces. Rollins tried to be friendly by doing each guys signature taunt but they and the crowd weren’t buying it. Rollins tries to leave the ring but Bryan and Sheamus catch him. Rollins gets hit with brogue kick, Attitude Adjustment then running knee in quick succession and bumps like crazy.
The crowd chanted Yes! to end the show.
– Randy Orton will put the WWE World Heavyweight championship on the line in the Elimination Chamber match at next month’s pay-per-view.
John Cena, Daniel Bryan and Sheamus all qualified for the match during the 6-man tag team elimination main event of RAW. During their match against The Shield, the lights went out and The Wyatt Family began attacking John Cena, disqualifying The Shield.
With Orton, Cena, Bryan and Sheamus confirmed for the match, two more spots remain.
– WWE Superstar Christian will be returning to action on Friday’s SmackDown. He tweeted during RAW:
Seems a lot of superstars are making their returns on #Raw lately.. I'm throwing a curve.. See you Friday night #Smackdown #OneMoreMatch
— Christian (@Christian4Peeps) January 28, 2014