WWE Superstar Darren Young revealing his homosexuality made the list of the “53 Most Powerful Coming Outs” on the Towleroad.com website.
The list, which is in alphabetical order, features the Prime Time Player tag-team member in the number 52 spot.
To view the list, visit Towleroad.com.
WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan was interviewed by the Masked Man of Grantland.com. Here are some highlights of what Bryan said about:
Does He Feel That He’s “Made It” Yet? “To be honest, I don’t feel like I’ve made it. But “making it” is different than being satisfied with what you’ve done. If I got hurt today, I’d be very satisfied with what I’ve done, but I would have said that before I even made it to WWE. I was happy with what I accomplished on the independent scene and internationally — it was already much more than what people ever thought I could do and what even I thought I could do. But one of the things that keeps me going is the pursuit of constantly being better, and I haven’t “made it” like I’m at a point where I’m happy to stay at this level. I was actually talking to John Cena about this. He told me Steve Austin talked to him at one show and asked him how things were going, and John said, “The show’s going pretty well.” And Austin looked up at a part of the arena that was tarped off — the building was maybe 90 percent sold out — and he said, “Back when I was here, these arenas were full.” And that motivated John. There’s always something to strive for. So what do I need to do to feel like I’ve made it? I need to be the main-event guy, the top guy, and we need to be selling out every arena every night. Maybe then I’ll feel like I’ve done what I need to do.”
His Dream Opponent From A Past Era: “For me, the honest answer is Shawn Michaels. It’s sad because I’ve always considered him the best — he trained me — and I’ve never wrestled him. But there’s also the fascination of going back and wrestling somebody like Andre the Giant or the Ultimate Warrior — those guys you grew up watching as a kid just have such a special aura.”
If He Gets Embarrassed Watching His Old Matches: “Oh god, yes. When WWE showed footage of me wrestling at Shawn Michaels’s old promotion, I was like, “Please don’t show this.” It was cool for the story because they had some stuff with me and Shawn, but anybody who goes back and watches their first matches is going to be embarrassed. To put your 18-year-old self on national television — well, it lightens up your ego a little bit. But you know, I didn’t just start out like this. I had to work hard to get good.”
How Daniel Bryan is Different Than Bryan Danielson: “There are so many differences, but mostly I think it’s in my approach to character. In Ring of Honor, I was doing a thing where I was a master wrestler — that was my character. Now in WWE I’m an underdog, and that’s the way I have to approach my matches. I have to fight from underneath and overcome. It’s the opposite of my last days in the indies, where anybody I wrestled was the underdog, because the fans always expected Bryan Danielson to win. In WWE, the size difference is so much greater, the guys are so much bigger, and that just wouldn’t make sense.”
WWE kicks off the annual Holiday Live Events tour tonight with shows in New York City (Madison Square Garden) and Chicago.
Here’s the lineup for tonight’s MSG show:
Also appearing are the Bellas and Zack Ryder.
Richardo Rodriguez mentioned on Twitter that he’ll be teaming with 3MB (replacing Heath Slater) at tonight’s WWE Live Event from Madison Square Garden in New York City. Slater has been off the road dealing with a personal issue.
Tonight’s show from Chicago will feature CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, The Shield, The Wyatt Family, Big E. Langston, Mark Henry, Damien Sandow and Dolph Ziggler.
WWE Hall Of Famer Bruno Sammartino and current WWE executive Triple H will be featured in part two of “The Garden Transformed: Year Three,” a five-part series airing on MSG. The episode featuring Sammartino and HHH is scheduled to air on Saturday at 10:30pm E.T.
“Even around the world, this is how they know me,” said Sammartino. “In Argentina, in Brazil, I remember going to Australia, all the trips I did in Japan, you know how they’d advertise me? ‘From Madison Square Garden, Bruno Sammartino.’”
For more information, visit Newsday.com.
(Thanks to Joshua Stewart from Newsday for passing along the link.)
Ring Of Honor issued the following on Monday:
AN APPEARANCE BY A LEGEND & TWO BIG MATCHES SIGNED FOR NASHVILLE!
SATURDAY, JAN 4TH, 2014 – NASHVILLE FAIRGROUNDS
Ring of Honor’s first television taping of 2014 is less than two weeks away! On Saturday, January 4th, all the stars of ROH will be in Nashville. This event will host the first rounds of the 2014 Top Prospect Tournament. We can now confirm an appearance by a LEGEND and two more giant matches for
Nashville!
ROWDY RODDY PIPER will make a very special appearance Saturday, January 4th for the fans in Nashville. This will be a rare chance to meet a Pro Wrestling Hall of Famer. Autographs will be available for a fee.
“Mr Wrestling” Kevin Steen vs. Chris Hero
Finally, we know Chris Hero’s first opponent as he returns to ROH – Kevin Steen! While Hero has already been announced as part of a major tag team match at Wrestling’s Finest in Pittsburgh, Nashville will host his very first match back in Ring of Honor. At Final Battle, Kevin Steen defeated Michael Bennett in a brutal brawl that destroyed the ringside area. While an incredibly talented wrestler in his own right, in recent years former ROH Champion Steen has tended toward ring apron power bombs and steel chairs over trading holds with his opponents. Nashville is going to see a huge styles clash as he welcomes the technically savvy Chris Hero back to ROH.
Chris Hero has made clear he has his sights set on Adam Cole and the ROH World Championship. His return matches to Ring of Honor will be his chance to prove he is still one of the best wrestlers on the planet, and Hero knows all eyes are on him. A collision with Kevin Steen could derail the comeback before it’s even started – or it could be the catalyst that sends Chris Hero barreling straight toward Adam Cole and Matt Hardy.
ROH World TV Championship
ROH World TV Champion “Sicilian Psychopath” Tommaso Ciampa vs Silas Young
At Final Battle 2013, Tommaso Ciampa finally captured what has eluded him his entire Ring of Honor career: the ROH World TV Championship. He defeated longest reigning champion Matt Taven and destroyed the HOT at the same time. Ciampa has persevered a through horrifying injury and rehabilitation to begin 2014 more motivated and dominant than ever before. In Nashville, he makes his very first TV Title defense against Silas Young!
Nigel McGuinness is awarding Silas Young a TV Title opportunity after his Final Battle strap match victory against Mark Briscoe. Young has been building momentum in ROH and no doubt sees a title victory as a fitting way to kick off the year. Meanwhile, now that he finally holds ROH gold, there is no way Ciampa is losing his title without an all out war to defeat him. Be there in Nashville to see a huge match between two of the most intense, hardest hitting athletes in Ring of Honor!
Tickets to this television taping are available HERE. Keep checking rohwrestling.com for updated information on our first show of 2014!
2014 TOP PROSPECT TOURNAMENT
Participant #1 – Cory Hollis
Participant #2 – Raymond Rowe
Participant #3 – “The Benchmark” Bill Daly
Participant #4 – Cheeseburger
Participant #5 – Andrew Everett
Participant #6 – The Romantic Touch
Participant #7 – Kongo
Participant #8 – Hanson
SIGNED TO APPEAR
– ROH World Champion: Adam Cole
– ROH World Tag Team Champions: reDRagon (Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish)
– Jay Briscoe
– Mark Briscoe
– “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin
– Jay Lethal
– Michael Bennett with Maria Kanellis
– Matt Taven
– Roderick Strong
– Cedric Alexander
– Caprice Coleman
– Plus More
“Ring of Honor Wrestling” TV Taping
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Bell time – 7:00 pm CST
Tennessee State Fairgrounds/Expo
625 Smith Avenue
Nashville, TN 37203
Click HERE To Purchase Tickets
The official TNA website issued the following statement this afternoon regarding Jeff Jarrett’s tweet from earlier today that he has resigned from the company:
TNA Entertainment, LLC announced today that it has accepted Mr. Jeff Jarrett’s resignation from the company effective January 6th, 2014.
Dixie Carter, President, commented “On behalf of TNA, we would like to thank Jeff for his contributions to the Company. We wish him the very best and look forward to his continued participation as an investor in TNA Wrestling.”
SESCOOPS.COM reader Pro Wrestling Society sent along the following highlights of a False Finish Radio interview with former WWE Superstar and announcer Matt Striker:
False Finish: I know you carry a William Regal figure, why?
MS: My time in WWE, Regal was a mentor and a friend and he had been one of my favorite wrestlers and he need up cooler then i ever thought he would be. The figure reminds me to be as much like regal as possible. He is such a gentleman and he is so humble yet so tough. It reminds me that you need to be a professional.
False Finish: Talking about the world of sport wrestling, do you think it has a place in USA?
MS: Hell yeah, back in the day when it was all about the Beatles, the sex pistols came around and boom we got punk. There is a place for everything if it is real and people subscribe it. Hell if there is a place for Miley Cyrus, there is a place for anything
False Finish: I heard you say on Pro Wrestling 101 that you think of a wrestling ring as a tic-tac-toe board, Can you explain this?
MS: I draw nine squares in the ring, so when i fall if I can get back to one of the squares then I know Im in proper position. If someone has to move me to a spot for a move, first he is an idiot and second I’m not doing my job. When you pull back the curtain it is a dance, and I want to be the best dance partner possible.
False Finish: When you debuted in WWE it was against Kurt Angle. What was that like?
MS: I thought it was a one shot deal, I’m big on faith and I looked up to the heavens and as weird as it sounds, something was carrying me that night. Iwas in the palm of something much greater than me, and that is why that night went as great as it was. It was not human done, it was divine intervention. I never knew it would be a 9 year career.
False Finish: How is championship wrestling in Hollywood treating you?
MS: I’ve known of them from before I went to WWE. You see the same going up as you do going down, I never burn bridges. They reached out and said they shoot twice a month in California and asked me to come down and I was sold. There is a lot I love about Cali. It has a great locker room. There are some great wrestlers you need to see like Scorpio Sky, Joey Ryan, Adam Pearce is out there…It is great to be able to see them and work in commentary and production and see guys reach their goals.
False Finish: What are your thoughts on Justin Credible?
MS: I respect him, people on the internet talked about the altercation we had in the locker room. We havent seen each other since. I’m not gonna come out and trash the guy. If he throws first let’s do it but I wont throw the first punch.
False Finish: What are you doing now besides commentating? What are your plans?
MS: Plans? I’m happy to wrestle and do the seminars. People from all across the world send me clips and I critique and send them back. I’ve been doing acting and stunt work. I just auditioned for and cast in the new Star Trek Equinox. Even if I’m Dead Klingon Number 3, it’s a way for me to be creative.
False Finish: When you were commentating take us through a day to prepare for something like Raw.
MS: The prep is ongoing. Josh and I were boys, and we would just talk and try to tie pop culture into wrestling. I like to challenge myself to come up with the coolest ways to make guys interesting. The shows are the same every week. I wanted new facts and I would dive all in to the matches and try to make it entertaining.
Word association:
William Regal: Professional.
Carlito: Body guy.
Little Guido: He was one of the first main guys I wrestled and he took me under his wing.
Tommy Dreamer: Friend, when I had nothing and no one would talk to me, Tommy stepped in and he was a brother and a father figure.
Baseball: Its f*cking awesome
ECW: Revolutionary, it changed the business. And it could never go back.
CZW: Great place, I like DJ Hyde, it gives the fans the alternative. Not everyone likes hip hop or pop people need an alternative.
Kofi: He needs to break out, I want to see that nasty side I don’t want to see the boom kick every night I want to see some growth.
Vince McMahon: The Don, a lot of people give him a hard time, but who loves wrestling more than Vince… is nobody, he speaks about it every day and everyone in the WWE owes a debt to Vince.
Big Daddy V: Girthy, DDD cup, he was always good to me I used to have to oil his back. He was a sweetheart.
Michael Cole: Cole is a story-teller, he knows what Vince wants and he does what is needed and he does his job and helps others.
Check out the complete interview online at BlogTalkRadio.com.
Top TNA star Samoa Joe recently tweeted about the news he heard that claimed he would no longer be welcomed back by Ring Of Honor. Joe tweeted:
Today I was told in alternate circumstances I would not be welcomed back by ROH. A shame but no hard feelings still wish them the best.
— Samoa Joe (@SamoaJoe) December 21, 2013
BTW that was not some passive aggressive BS tweet I honestly do wish them the best I still have many people I consider family there.
— Samoa Joe (@SamoaJoe) December 21, 2013
Ring Of Honor responded to those tweets with the following tweets of their own:
@SamoaJoe you're welcome in #ROH anytime. If anyone says otherwise they don't know what they are talking about. #ROHHallofFamer
— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) December 22, 2013
Just to clarify @SamoaJoe is ALWAYS welcome in ROH.
— ROH Wrestling (@ringofhonor) December 22, 2013
Top TNA star Austin Aries will be appearing at the “Save Our Bucks” billboard release party in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Monday, December 23rd at 7pm local time. The event will be held at the Loaded Slate Bar & Grill (1137 N. Old World 3rd Street).
“Austin has been a Bucks fan for decades and as a native Milwaukeean Austin Aries is passionate about his city keeping its NBA franchise in Milwaukee and built for the future years of success,” notes a recent press release.
For more information, visit SaveOurBucks.com.
Bill Behrens recently sent out the following list of dates, locations and opponents for AJ Styles independent wrestling appearances in early 2014:
AJ vs Cedric Alexander
AJ vs Chris Hero
AJ v s Christian Rose
AJ & Cody Roberts vs Corey Hollis & Shaun Tempers
AJ & Amazing Red vs Young Bucks
AJ vs Lionheart
AJ vs. Eddie Edwards
AJ vs AR Fox
AJ vs Facade
– According to PWInsider.com, WWE officials are steamed over news of Batista returning to the organization since it was meant to be kept as a surprise. Advertisements featuring the former WWE Champion were removed Saturday from UNLVTickets.com for WWE’s scheduled non-televised event at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, February 16, 2014.
– With WWE in San Antonio, Texas last week for SmackDown, Zeb Colter paid a visit to the The Alamo in order to look out for illegal immigrants. To watch the vignette, click here.
– Former WWE Superstar Rob Van Dam has been announced to appear at a Reality of Wrestling event on Saturday, January 11, 2014 in Houston, Texas. (Event Information)
– This week’s WWE Classics on Demand updates are as follows: WWE SummerSlam (2013), World Wrestling Federation action at the Copps Coliseum (December 4, 1988, featuring Tim Horner vs. Johnny K-9, Hulk Hogan vs. Big Boss Man, Virgil vs. Hercules, Tito Santana vs. Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, Mr. Perfect vs. Jose Luis Rivera, “The Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase vs. Koko B. Ware, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan vs. Dino Bravo), WWWF Championship Wrestling (February 4, 1978), ECW Hardcore TV (December 4, 1998), WWF Prime Time Wrestling (December 25, 1989).
– In the latest edition of 30 Second Fury!, John Cena’s Attitude Adjustment is highlighted.
– The second part of Chris Jericho’s Talk Is Jericho podcast with WWE Hall of Famer Edge will be released online this week via PodcastOne.com.
– Santino Marella is giving away free trials to his mixed martial arts academy in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. He remarked on Twitter on Sunday, “Live in the GTA? Wanna try out @BattleArtsMMA for a week? Simply text BATTLE to 393939 and you will instantly receive a free week trial!”
The official website of Battle Arts Academy is located here.
– The former Sterling James Keenan, WWE developmental wrestler Corey Graves, teased an appearance in the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match since it will emanate from his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsyvlvania.
The #RoyalRumble is next month in Pittsburgh. I haven't been home in years…hmmm.
#IronCityHardCore
#StayDown
— Corey Graves (@WWEGraves) December 19, 2013
– Luis Ignascio Urive Alvirde, who originally portrayed Sin Cara, turns 31-years-old on Sunday. Also celebrating a birthday today is former WWE performer Drew Hankinson (formerly known as Festus and Luke Gallows), who turns 30.
– WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley has been announced to appear at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo taking place April 25-27, 2014 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.
– WWE has signed a business deal with Flair to distribute The Bridge Direct’s WWE construction sets in the UK and Ireland.
Casey Collins, Executive Vice president of Consumer Products for WWE, said, “We are proud to be working with The Bridge Direct and GP Flair to launch this new chapter for WWE merchandising. We have had tremendous success by teaming with The Bridge in the US and have the perfect distribution channel with Flair to reach millions of WWE fans in the UK and Ireland.”
– Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska, Canadian twin sisters who are directing WWE Studios’ See No Evil 2, revealed on Twitter that there is no set date for the film and both would be interested in competing inside the WWE ring. The twin duo also remarked on working with WWE Studios for the film.
“Love working w/ @WWEStudios – you guys are in for a real treat w/ @SeeNoEvil2Movie, best experience we’ve ever had killing people #twinning.”
– The tandem of Big E Langston and Mark Henry wreaking havoc on The Real Americans are highlighted in the “WWE Raw Slam of the Week.”
– Celebrating birthdays Saturday were former WWE wrestlers “Outlaw” Ron Bass (65) and Gymini (46).
– Former WWE Superstar Eugene (NXT coach Nick Dinsmore) made his return to the ring at last night’s WWE NXT live event in Tampa, FL. Dinsmore revived his Eugene character and teamed up with Santa Claus for a match.
All the seats were filled last night, but only the edge was needed when Eugene arrived! @WWENXT #NXTTampa pic.twitter.com/b2cDkaM4RW
— "Eugene" Nick Dinsmore (@UGeneDinsmore) December 20, 2013
– WWE’s latest “Top 10” video looks at the Top Moves of 2013:
Which signature maneuvers and jaw-dropping moves made it on this weeks WWE Top 10?
– Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson tweeted this photo on Saturday of himself at HBO headquarters:
THE BLOCK IS HOT. Partnered up w/ @HBO & ENTOURAGE producers to bring ya a great show. Its on… #BALLERS pic.twitter.com/444uyALadV
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) December 22, 2013
Johnson will be starring in the half-hour ‘dramedy’ series “Ballers” – chronicling the lives of athletes, some retired, some still active, living in Miami. It will be his first TV-starring role.
– Hollywood screenwriter Max Landis tweeted the following over the weekend:
https://twitter.com/Uptomyknees/status/414233208750764032
WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin recently shared his thoughts on the possibility of the late Chris Benoit being inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame. Regarding the subject, Austin said on a recent podcast, “Well first and foremost, what I think about Chris Benoit is that guy was one of the most nicest guys I ever met in my life. He’s one of the most talented, hard working cats I’d ever seen in the squared circle. Anybody who knew Chris would tell you those exact two things. That guy loved the damn wrestling business, he was born to be a wrestler and was absolutely phenomenal. Drawing a lot of his influence from The Dynamite Kid, he blazed a path as the Pegasus Kid and his legacy as The Crippler Chris Benoit was just one hellacious career.”
Austin continued, “One night, Chris ended up killing his wife and his kid. That is an act so terrible and horrible I can’t even comprehend or guess as to what happened in that house. That will always overshadow any accomplishment Chris had in the ring. He’ll never be in the Hall of Fame, it will just never happen. His career will speak for itself but his record as a human being, his first and foremost, and those actions will never be forgotten. That’s my feelings on that, we don’t even need to talk about the Hall of Fame. Speaking for myself, Chris Benoit as the person I knew, loved him. Chris Benoit as a wrestler, loved him. Chris Benoit as the person who did what he did, unforgivable. Bottom line.”
You can listen to Steve Austin’s podcasts online at PodcastOne.com.
The following are highlights from a recent Under The Mat interview with former WWE Superstar Ahmed Johnson:
On facing racial issues during his WWE run: “I go out to the parking lot and one of them boys scratched on my car ‘Congratulations N*****!’ Come on Dog what kind of s*** is that? I went straight to Vince and they acted all concerned but they didn’t even bring it up in the big meeting.”
On an idea Vince McMahon had for his character in WWE: “You know I dress how I dress, relax and cool. Shane McMachon comes to me one time and says his dad wants him to change how he dresses. Now this isn’t on TV, this is off TV. They wanted me to get a Gold Tooth, a bunch of chains, and wear my pants sagging. That’s what they wanted me to dress like right before I walked out of there. They want that image of an unintelligent dumbass n***** that what they were shooting for.”
On his reaction to being kissed on the lips by Goldust: “Oh, he got me! Let me tell you how it was supposed to go down. First of all, that was a live TV taping so whatever happened happened. So me and Goldust went over this shit over and over again during the pre-tape. I told him when we did mouth to mouth don’t touch my lips put your hand over my mouth and do it to your hand, nobody is going to know. The camera won’t be that close up to where anybody would see that and we worked out the angle with the camera man and everything. So I’m lying there and Goldust thought it would be (sic) if he did it. So I’m lying there and the part is coming up and I feel this mother f***** lips and, man, I lost it!”
Check out the complete interview online at PWKGW.com.
Thursday’s special “Final Resolution” edition of Impact Wrestling on Spike TV drew a final cable rating of 1.06, down from the 1.08 final draw that the show drew the previous week.
As noted recently, TNA officials were hoping for a big number for the show this week since they weren’t competing with NFL’s regular Thursday Night Football.
The “Final Resolution” edition of Impact Wrestling on Thursday averaged 1.240 million viewers, which was also down from the 1.3 million viewers that the show averaged last week.
The following press release was recently issued …
Post® Pebbles™ Cereal Enlists Top Athletes and Entertainers to Lead the Charge in the Showdown Between Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles
WWE® Superstar John Cena® Appointed Captain of Team Fruity; Professional Basketball Player Kyrie Irving to Lead Team Cocoa
PARSIPPANY, N.J., Dec. 20, 2013 — /PRNewswire/ — Today, Post Foods, LLC, launched a friendly competition between Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles to see which cereal is most popular among fans. Online and mobile competitions from January through September 2014 will rally support for each flavor. WWE Superstar John Cena returns to the front of Post Fruity Pebbles cereal boxes and will serve as captain for Team Fruity. Professional Basketball All Star Kyrie Irving will take his long-time love for Cocoa Pebbles to the next level by appearing on Post Cocoa Pebbles cereal boxes as captain of Team Cocoa.
In 2014, Pebbles will ask fans of all ages to choose a side – are you on Team Fruity or Team Cocoa? Fans can declare their love for their favorite Pebbles flavor by visiting a microsite and downloading an interactive app encouraging fans to vote, take photos, and play minigames. They will be asked to complete simple challenges such as making team spirit items like pennants out of Pebbles boxes, and sharing them through Instagram using their team’s hashtag (#TeamFruity or #TeamCocoa). Fans who complete these online missions and choose a side will be able to win prizes like giftcards, iPads, or John Cena and Kyrie Irving signed merchandise.
“Our 2014 campaign builds upon the genuine love that our fans have for Pebbles cereal,” said Sharon Pupel, Marketing Director at Post Foods, LLC. “We are enlisting celebrities, sports stars, musicians and regular kids to share with us their love for Pebbles, and we’re starting with WWE Superstar John Cena and basketball all-star Kyrie Irving. With the help of our team captains, kids will be able to show their team spirit and earn fun prizes along the way.”
In addition to adding famous team captains to the Pebbles roster, the brand is expanding its social media presence beyond Facebook to Twitter and Instagram. In their roles as team captains, John Cena and Kyrie Irving will announce new missions digitally and interact with fans online.
When Pebbles fans choose a side, they will also be supporting their team captain’s nonprofit organization. Cena, Team Fruity members and WWE, will be raising awareness for Hire Heroes USA, an organization dedicated to creating job opportunities for US military veterans and their spouses through personalized employment training and corporate engagement.
“It’s truly an honor to add ‘team captain’ for Fruity Pebbles to my resume and support Hire Heroes USA while doing so,” said WWE Superstar John Cena. “Kyrie is a tough competitor on the court, but let’s see how he does in this competition. He better be ready for Team Fruity.”
Team Cocoa members will be helping Kyrie reach out to middle schools, high schools and the larger community to help educate people about the unique skills and needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through the nonprofit, Best Buddies.
“I’ve loved Cocoa Pebbles since I was a kid, and am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead this team off the basketball court,” said 2011 Rookie of the Year Kyrie Irving. “As the team captain for Cocoa Pebbles, I hope to take our fans to the championship and show John Cena and Team Fruity which team really rocks.”
The time frame for Batista’s reported return to WWE is no longer clear.
UNLVTickets.com, the official ticketing company for the Las Vegas-based Thomas & Mack Center, is no longer advertising “The Animal” for WWE’s scheduled non-televised event at the venue on Sunday, February 16, 2014. A graphic featuring the six-time world champion was also removed.
On Friday evening, the ticketing company prematurely revealed that Batista would be returning to WWE for the show in the following promotional message: “WWE’s Road to Wrestlemania will make a stop at Las Vegas’ Thomas and Mack Center on Sunday, February 16. Don’t miss your favorite WWE Superstars including: CM Punk, The Shield, Big Show, Kane, the WWE Divas and much more! Plus, see the special return of “The Animal” Batista, LIVE!”
Sources within the company confirmed to PWInsider.com that while the 44-year-old is coming back, it was meant to be kept as a surprise.
This was not the only advertising miscue as Jeramie McPeek, Vice President of Digital Operations for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, revealed on Twitter Friday night that Batista would appear at another non-televised event; scheduled for Saturday, February 15, 2014 at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The message was quickly deleted.
Batista had been contemplating a return to WWE since last spring, but his acting schedule prevented him from making a commitment until recently. He claimed in subsequent media interviews that he left the company in 2010 due to unhappiness with the family-friendly product.
On Friday’s SmackDown, Shield member Roman Reigns unleashed a Superman punch on John Cena that is getting a lot of attention online. Reigns has been making a strong case for the ‘Breakout Star of 2013’ in recent months – with a dominant display at Survivor Series and his Spear becoming more devastating each time he uses it. Reigns has used the Superman punch before, but now it’s clear he’s adopting it as the latest weapon in his offensive arsenal.
– As announced Friday evening, WWE will hold a live event at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, February 16, 2014, and according to www.unlvtickets.com, “The Animal” is scheduled to appear at the event. Sources within the sports-entertainment organization confirmed to PWInsider.com that this is not an advertising error as he is indeed coming back. Advertising was released prematurely, spoiling WWE’s planned surprise (which one source speculated as taking place at the Royal Rumble next month).
This is not the only event he is scheduled for as an executive for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns revealed on Twitter last night that Batista will appear at a live event scheduled for Saturday, February 15, 2014 at the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The message was quickly deleted.
– WWEShop.com has released a new T-Shirt on Cameron featuring her catchphrase on Total Divas, “Girl Bye.”
– WWE developmental talent Alexa Bliss (Lexi Kaufman) scored her first victory in singles competition at Friday’s NXT live event in Orlando, Florida. The former bodybuilder and fitness model defeated Sasha Banks.
According to reports, WWE is planning on putting the WWE Tag-Team Championships on Luke Harper and Erick Rowan at some point before the Royal Rumble pay-per-view event in January.
Harper and Rowan were already expected to become the WWE Tag-Team Champions before the WrestleMania XXX event in April, however it appears now as though WWE has moved those plans up and will do the title change earlier than originally planned.
As noted in the past, TNA star AJ Styles was receiving somewhere in the neighborhood of $350,000 per year on his previous deal with the company. When that deal expired, TNA offered Styles approximately $200,000 per year, an offer which Styles subsequently turned down.
Furthermore, the $200,000 deal that TNA offered Styles wasn’t even a guaranteed deal. It was more along the lines of a “per appearance” type deal, one that would see Styles make even less than 200k if the company scales back on their live events schedule, which is something they are rumored to be doing in 2014.
Regardless, as noted earlier this week, TNA has finally offered Styles what he wanted, and it appears as though it’s only a matter of time until Styles returns to action with TNA.
[Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter]