After recently offering a free merchandise special to entice fans into subscribing to the WWE Network, WWE has come up with another promotional offer.
WWE is offering a deal on an annual subscription to the WWE Network as part of their Father’s Day special promotion. “Get one year of WWE Network for $119.88,” reads the ad that the company sent out. “That’s less than $10 per month.”
Ring Of Honor recently announced that former TNA star Frankie Kazarian will be appearing at the upcoming “Best in the World” pay-per-view on June 22nd in Nashville, Tennessee. Kazarian will team with Christopher Daniels to challenge Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly for the ROH Tag-Team Championships.
Also announced for the PPV in what could be one of his final high-profile matches with the promotion is Kevin Steen, who is expected to head to WWE developmental in the near future, in a one-on-one match against Silas Young.
For more information on ROH’s “Best in the World” PPV, visit ROHWrestling.com.
The following matches are confirmed for tonight’s WWE NXT television show, which was taped on May 30th at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida:
NXT Championship
– Adrian Neville (c) vs. Justin Gabriel
NXT Women’s Championship
– Charlotte (c) vs. Bayley
– Aiden English vs. Mojo Rawley
– Jason Jordan & Tye Dillinger vs. an enhancement tag-team
Next weekend’s TNA Slammiversary main event remains in jeopardy due to MVP suffering a knee injury at an overseas live event for Preston City Wrestling on 5/30.
MVP, who is still scheduled to challenge Eric Young for the TNA World Championship, appeared at a show on May 31st and cut a promo apologizing to fans that he couldn’t compete. MVP said x-rays on his knee were inconclusive and he will need to undergo an MRI.
Former WWE star Chris Masters, was on the same tour as MVP, posted a photo of MVP in a wheelchair on June 2nd:
WWE 2K15 will be released on October 28th for Playstation 4, Xbox One, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. You can pre-order the game now from Amazon.com
Based on what we’re hearing this week, WWE 2K15 will include an all-new career mode that will be similar to NBA 2K14, where gamers can create a character (or use an existing Superstar/Diva) and rise up the ranks from rookie to legend. This will involve paying your dues and making a name for yourself in NXT before making your way up to the main roster.
The career mode is expected to include several NXT talents for the first time ever, so we could see playable characters like NXT Champion Adrian Neville, NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte, Sami Zayn and Tyler Breeze.
Aside from the all-new career mode, it’s expected that the “30 Years of WrestleMania” mode will be returning.
Both Sting and Goldberg are rumored to be featured in the game as legends.
Following The Undertaker’s streak being broken at WrestleMania XXX and questions surrounding whether he’s still able to wrestle, the Dead Man’s future remains uncertain.
The Undertaker recently spoke with WWE officials about his in-ring future and was asked whether there is a chance he’d be willing to work WrestleMania 31. In light of the concussion he sustained at WrestleMania XXX and the long list of previous injuries and surgeries, he told WWE that as of right now, it’s unlikely he will wrestle again.
That said, Taker is back in the gym training. Over the past few years, the decision that he’d wrestle at WrestleMania came just a few months before the big events – so things could change 6 months from now.
(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
We can confirm that WWE has a long-term plan right now to work towards a Daniel Bryan vs. Brock Lesnar match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at this year’s SummerSlam pay-per-view. These plans could change depending on what happens with Bryan and the title heading into the upcoming Money In The Bank pay-per-view at the end of this month.
With Bryan-Lesnar planned for SummerSlam, this would mean that the inevitable showdown between “Paul Heyman Guys” Lesnar and Cesaro, when Cesaro makes his eventual baby face turn, wouldn’t be taking place until after SummerSlam.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
While it appears that Wyatt Family members Luke Harper and Erick Rowan are headed towards a run as WWE Tag-Team Champions, there are those within the company who feel that will not happen.
The belief in the company right now is that NXT tag-team The Ascension will be called up soon, and that The Usos will hang onto the titles until that happens.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
Jeremy Borash has been doing promotional work for TNA over in London and appeared on the V2 Wrestling podcast this week.
Borash talked about all aspects of his career, from starting out as a DJ to his time in WCW and then TNA via the short-lived and disastrous WWA promotion, and gives the inside scoop on his spat with Eric Bischoff a couple of years ago.
He also discussed his own wrestling philosophy, and revealed the one big change he would make to TNA if given the opportunity:
“Move it to London. The fan base is a huge missed opportunity. The production in the U.K. is miles ahead of anything that is in the U.S., and I have no idea why, but I am a huge fan of the production values over here. I would use that production, and take advantage of how passionate the crowd is.”
Here’s audio of the interview:
As reported last week, Vince McMahon opted to renew Rey Mysterio’s contract based on a clause that states WWE can extend his deal if he’s injured since it would be considered ‘time owed’ to the company.
Mysterio was looking to leave WWE when his contract expired a month ago. Right now nothing is being talked about regarding whether or not he will be returning. He is still listed on the company’s injured list.
On Monday’s RAW, it was announced that Daniel Bryan is scheduled to defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Kane at the upcoming Money in the Bank pay-per-view. If Bryan is unable to return to action on June 29th, he will be forced to surrender the gold and the title will be up for grabs in a MITB ladder match later in the night.
We want to know – do you think Bryan will be healthy enough to compete later this month, or will a new champion be crowned at MITB? Vote below:
[poll id=”28″]
The following is TNA’s official preview for tonight’s episode of Impact Wrestling:
Preview tonight’s can’t-miss episode of IMPACT WRESTLING on SpikeTV at 9/8c as the road to the June “Slammiversary” epic event continues! If you can’t watch it on Thursday, make sure to set your DVR!
– Samoa Joe’s shocking return this past week evened the odds – but will the Samoan Submission Machine suffer a backlash for going to war with the Director of Wrestling Operations, MVP? Samoa Joe will be on tonight’s broadcast and will speak out for the first time since his comeback!
– Bully Ray is on the warpath, and is hellbent on revenge: Six Tables for Six Victims! This past week, Spud was the first to go through a table! Who will be Bully Ray’s second victim this Thursday night – MVP, Bobby Lashley, Kenny King, EC3 or…DIXIE? Tune in and find out!
– This past week, Magnus challenged Bram to step up against one of TNA’s elite and face Willow! Bram has agreed – and the match is now official for Thursday’s huge IMPACT broadcast! Can the newcomer back up his intense attitude against Jeff Hardy’s alter-ego and prove himself to Magnus? Don’t miss Willow vs. Bram on Thursday!
– Also on Thursday, the Knockouts Championship will be at stake as Madison Rayne is using her rematch clause for a shot at the gold against Angelina Love! Will Madison beat her rival and take the gold away from The Beautiful People?
All this and much more on Thursday’s broadcast, including appearances by “Cowboy” James Storm, Mr. Anderson, The Menagerie and many more!
According to one source — following neck surgery — the strength in Daniel Bryan’s right arm is not only not making gains during his current recovery process, but is actually getting weaker. As a result, WWE has become concerned with how well Bryan is coming along in his rehabilitation.
Apparently the situation surrounding Bryan and the status of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship was the talk of the town backstage at RAW on Monday night in Indianapolis. He was sent back to Pittsburgh to see Dr. Joseph Maroon, who performed his neck procedure, to see why he wasn’t coming along as well as originally expected.
Because of the uncertainty regarding Bryan’s physical status heading into the Money In The Bank pay-per-view on June 29th, WWE made the decision to announce that either he will compete against Kane for the title in a “Stretcher Match,” or the actual Money In The Bank ladder match itself would be for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The reason WWE went with this idea is because of the feeling that they shouldn’t have a pay-per-view without the title on the line. As far as last Sunday’s WWE Payback PPV is concerned, the feeling is that the title was on the line due to the angle that was built up around it heading into the show.
While at this point nothing is definite, the feeling is that if push comes to shove, Bryan will wrestle on the 6/29 PPV, even if he isn’t as physically ready as he would like to be.
It should be noted, by the way, that WWE is also contemplating adding a second Money In The Bank ladder match, if the primary one becomes a match where the vacant title is at stake, where the winner would be the person who captures the briefcase, guaranteeing them a future title shot.
According to recent reports, things are said to be moving slowly in regards to the return of WWE’s “Tough Enough” reality a show, a program that the company noted would be part of the WWE Network package in the near future.
Filming for the show was reportedly supposed to begin during the first week of July at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, however it is being said now that the date could be pushed back.
Additionally, key talent WWE has under consideration for cast members of the show are not locked in yet and timing is starting to become an issue.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
WWE Hall Of Famer “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair finally made the trip to Pittsburgh, Pennyslvania this past Monday (June 2nd) to undergo the required WWE medical testing.
If Flair passes the tests, he is expected to return to WWE television as a regular character.
As noted in the past, ideas for Flair have ranged from being the possible new RAW General Manager, managing The Miz and managing Dolph Ziggler — an idea that was reportedly turned down by WWE.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
Apparently the offer that WWE made to “The Icon” Sting was ultimately equivalent to the standard “Legends” deals that are offered to older, non-active stars from the past.
Generally a WWE Legends contract is a $10,000 deal, without any other guarantees. It should be noted that the last time anyone heard about the talks between WWE and Sting, everything was said to be going smoothly. As things stand now, both sides are still in negotiations.
Speaking of Sting, he’s going to be part of two upcoming WWE projects. The first is a DVD set on Sting’s career featuring matches spanning from his days in Mid-South through the final episode of WCW Nitro from 2001.
WWE is also tentatively planning to include Sting’s likeness in the “WWE 2K15” video game, due out October 28th.
Information from WrestlingDVDNews.com and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter were used in this report
The following are highlights from the latest online blog by WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:
On presenting at this year’s Cauliflower Alley Club Reunion: “Tonight is the big, CAC banquet where I will be presenting Terry Taylor w/ an award while Jerry Brisco will be honoring Michael Hayes. WWE has reserved two tables at the banquet which is very supportive.”
“I encourage all fans and especially the IWC to become members of the CAC and help support CAC’s charitable causes.”
On additional thoughts he has regarding The Shield’s breakup on RAW: “Even though I’d personally preferred that the Shield stayed together a bit longer IE imploded at Summer Slam, the turn Monday night was well executed. Heels, generally, need to be able to absorb a believable ass whipping and bump with ease and Seth Rollins certainly fills the bill. Plus, Rollins can talk well but, for some reason, I expect other shoes to drop in and around this matter before Summer Slam.”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
This week’s edition of WWE Raw took place in Indianapolis, IN and was the post-Payback episode of the longest running weekly episodic television show in history. The card featured a total of nine matches, including a contest between John Cena and Kane, as well as a Money in the Bank qualifying match between Dolph Ziggler and Alberto Del Rio.
The show also featured two incidents that will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the storyline for weeks to come. A lot of questions were answered, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following this week’s edition of Raw.
5. Is Cesaro Going to Challenge for the Intercontinental Championship?
On this week’s Raw, Cesaro abandoned his partner Bad News Barrett, leaving him helpless against the team of RVD and Sheamus. After the match, Cesaro stood on the stage staring at Bad News Barrett, perhaps alluding to an upcoming feud between the two for the IC strap.
This feud could help both parties, as it would provide Barrett with a worthy opponent to work with, while also allowing Cesaro to challenge for the company’s second most important title. With rumors of Cesaro being the top contender to win the Money in the Bank briefcase, there are a few directions they could take with the King of Swing, and fans would likely welcome any push.
4. Will WWE Listen to the Fans and Push Dolph Ziggler?
One of the biggest injustices of the past year has been Dolph Ziggler’s demotion to the midcard. After finally cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase, Ziggler won the World Heavyweight Championship from Alberto Del Rio on the Raw after WrestleMania last year.
His reign would ultimately be cut short following a concussion, and after a few harsh words directed at John Cena, Ziggler’s burial was a certainty. He hasn’t been able to claw his way out of the doghouse since, despite calls from fans to give him a push.
There were chants for Ziggler during the match between Big E and Rusev at Payback, and it seemed like he might finally get back on track during a Money in the Bank qualifying match against Alberto Del Rio on this week’s Raw. The hopes of Ziggler fans around the world were quickly dashed, however, as he was forced to tap out to the Cross Armbreaker and it looks like Dolph has become a permanent fixture at the bottom of the card.
3. Who Benefited More from Their Feud: John Cena or Bray Wyatt?
During their last man standing match at Payback, John Cena literally buried Bray Wyatt after slamming him through a crate that was conveniently placed at the foot of a table.
Now that it appears their feud is over, one has to wonder which superstar benefited more from the program. It is hard to argue that any victory could put Cena over more. Wyatt used the program to get himself over with the audience, but he ultimately looked weak in each of their contests.
Wyatt lost two of the three matches, and his one victory came with the help of Harper, Rowan, and a child. Ultimately, Cena did not gain anything from the feud, and Wyatt is just as over as he was before and looked weak throughout, so I would say that neither guy really benefited.
– TNA president Dixie Carter tweeted the following regarding the company’s ten year anniversary since they landed their first television deal with FOX Sports Net:
Today marks 10 YEARS since Impact premiered 6/4/04 on Fox Sports Net. We’ve come so far & I’m excited where we are going!!!’
— Dixie Carter (@TNADixie) June 4, 2014
Thanks to every person who ever supported TNA Impact Wrestling in any way. We’re grateful to the greatest fans. Stay tuned, big things ahead
— Dixie Carter (@TNADixie) June 4, 2014
– The following is a preview video for this week’s edition of Impact Wrestling, which airs this Thursday on Spike TV:
http://youtu.be/bYHwb2wY_N8
WWE has been discussing the possibility of holding a one-time event with the talent on the main roster at the NXT Arena at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.
According to one source, if the company were to go ahead with these plans, the event would likely take place at some point in 2015, and would likely be a live RAW show.
It was first reported back in 2012 when WWE was in the early stages of developing the WWE Network that their “Legends House” reality show would be ten episodes long. If that is still true today, that would mean that the season finale would be only two weeks away, airing on June 19th, as episode number eight is scheduled to air this Thursday night.
Back in January, we reported that the cast of Legends House traveled to Orlando, Florida to film additional footage for the show. We do know that the crew filmed a reunion of some sorts, but as far as the actual regular season is concerned, it’s looking like it will wrap up by the end of this month.
Check out the new trailer and movie posterfor Hercules starring Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson, which hits theaters in the United States on July 25th.
– Following the WWE SmackDown television taping on Tuesday night in Cincinnati, Ohio, a six-man tag-team dark match took place that saw Big Show, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose defeat The Wyatt Family.
– For those who have asked, Dolph Ziggler’s new ring trunks, which he wore this past Monday night on RAW, says “Over It” on the back.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Nick Bockwinkel has stepped down as the president of the Cauliflower Alley Club due to health issues. Former Killer Bees member Brian Blair will now serve as the president going forward.
International wrestling star Prince Devitt was recently interviewed on the Low Blows podcast and spoke about his decision to leave New Japan Pro Wrestling.
“I felt that my time there was coming to an end. I was tired, it’s hard work traveling out there ten times a year, and I felt I wasn’t giving enough of myself to the company. They wanted me to stay but I felt it was time for a break, I’ve been out there since I was 24, I’m 32 now. Considering they brought me for three months in the beginning I felt I’d given my money’s worth. Obviously the door is still open for the future and I hope to go back and work with them in the future.”
Devitt, who is rumored to be headed to WWE developmental this summer, addressed the situation:
“There’s been a lot of talk and speculation about me doing TNA, WWE, and NASA projects, but at the moment I’m happy doing my thing at home. There is a possibility that I might go to the States in the future for a potential opportunity there but until then it’s all just rumors and speculation unfortunately.”