– Steve Austin, Chris Jericho, Jim Ross and Roddy Piper are all doing big numbers for their PodcastOne.com weekly podcasts. On the iTunes Top 300 Sports Podcast list, JR is currently number one, while Austin’s “Unleashed” show is number two. Austin’s regular podcast is number four, Piper’s is number five and Jericho’s is number ten.
– The following is a video preview for this Sunday night’s edition of WWE Total Divas:
– Former WWE Diva Trinity (aka Stephanie Finochio), who had been doing some stunt work since leaving the company back in 2007, is now competing in the Empire State Roller Derby league in New York, again using the name Trinity.
– Another former WWE Diva, Amy Weber (aka Amy Dginguerian), who had been doing some film and music work since leaving the company, is now working as a real estate agent in Southern California.
– WWE has officially added Adam Rose to their roster page. Rose is listed as hailing from Musha Clay, Bahamas. You can check out his profile at WWE.com.
– The official WWE website has a new poll up for a future episode of the WWE Network show “WWE Countdown,” which asks fans to vote on which big-man wrestler was the most imposing in history. The options are Bam Bam Bigelow, Big Show, Undertaker, Sid Vicious, Andre The Giant, Vader, Yokozuna, Earthquake, King Kong Bundy and Kevin Nash. You can vote right now at WWE.com.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley recently commented on WWE’s tribute video to Connor Michalek on his official Twitter account. Foley posted the following tweets:
The @WWE tribute video to Connor "The Crusher" Michalek is one of the greatest things I've ever seen. Please watch. http://t.co/o0EfLoNHP3
— Mick Foley (@realmickfoley) May 7, 2014
Thanks to everyone who watched Connor's video. It's beautiful. The next time I bother @WWE, it will be about the #Chrusher4WWEHOF15 campaign
— Mick Foley (@realmickfoley) May 8, 2014
– The official website of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins recently posted a video of WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan supporting the team.
– Former WWE personality Armando Estrada posted the following tweet on his official Twitter account recently, revealing what Bray Wyatt (the former Husky Harris) told Vince McMahon when he was taken off of television a few years ago:
I was backstage when Orton punt kicked Husky Harris off tv 3 yrs ago. Afterwards, Harris waited 4 Vince & told him “I’ll be back” #braywyatt
— Armando Estrada (@RealArmandoHaHa) April 29, 2014
The following is some information on Kurt Angle’s Pittsburgh-based nutrition company, Barn Dad Innovative Nutrition, sent to us from David Sucevic …
BarnDad Innovative Nutrition is a health and wellness company focused on the importance of integrating fiber into the everyday diet.
BarnDad Innovative Nutrition is committed to educating the public about the importance of a high fiber diet and providing the most quality and great tasting foods, snacks and supplements to help people achieve their health and fitness goals.
BarnDad Innovative Nutrition is the home of Fiber DX™. Fiber DX™ is a 100% natural (non-GMO), 8-layer fiber supplement. It is a flavorless, universal ingredient that mixes instantly in water or other beverages and can also be used in baking as a flour substitute. Each serving of Fiber DX™ contains 11 grams of soluble and insoluble fibers and 7 grams of protein.
More information can be found at BarnDadNutrition.com and/or Facebook.com/BarnDadInnovativeNutrition.
Former WWE wrestler Stephen Ketcher, who wrestled as Steve Gatorwolf, has been arrested on charges of sexual assault on a child in Clay County, Colorado.
Ketcher, who worked for WWE in the 1980s, turned himself into police on Wednesday and is facing seven counts of sexual assault on a child.
For more information, visit WOKV.com.
– John Cena was kept off Monday’s episode of RAW, but instead appeared on Main Event the following night on the WWE Network. This was done because WWE’s top priority right now is to hit 1 million subscribers for the Network by the end of the year. Cena on Main Event raises the show’s profile and WWE is hoping that will encourage new subscribers.
– There continues to be a lot of talk about a second season of Legends House on the WWE Network. Season 2 would feature a new cast of stars. Around the time of WrestleMania, Hulk Hogan was discussed as the top star that would appear on he show. More recently, Ric Flair is also being considered – and there’s nothing preventing both legends from appearing.
WWE officials have been very satisfied with the viewership for Legends House, which has consistently ranked as one of the most-watched shows on the WWE Network since it premiered. There’s also talk of moving the show from Palm Springs, California to somewhere in Florida.
(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
– As previously reported, a new season of Tough Enough is currently in the works and will air exclusively on the WWE Network. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, It’s believed that the new season of WWE Tough Enough will begin filming this June at the Performance Center in Orlando. There’s talk of limiting the participants on the show to talents that are already under developmental contracts, but have not yet appeared in NXT.
– Stephanie McMahon noted on Twitter that she was in California’s Bay Area on Wednesday to have talks about WrestleMania 31 at Levi’s Stadium.
Excited to be here in the Bay Area talking about #WrestleMania31 from @LevisStadium !!!! pic.twitter.com/Y5cZKPjBNt
— Stephanie McMahon (@StephMcMahon) May 7, 2014
– The latest WWE Inbox features WWE Superstars and Divas talking about Brock Lesnar ending The Undertaker’s Streak:
Photo: BO DALLAS Posts Hilarious Tribute To His Brother BRAY WYATT
TNA taped part of the May 29th episode of Impact Wrestling on Wednesday night in Orlando. Below are spoilers:
* Bram defeated Tigre Uno in under 5 minutes. Bram went to attack Tigre after the match but Magnus came out and stopped him. Magnus challenges Bram to go at someone like Willow.
* Gunner and Mr. Anderson defeated Bro Mans. After the match, The Menagerie came out and beat down BroMans as they tried to recover from the loss.
* The crew sets up tables all around the stage. Bully Ray comes out and wants to see Dixie Carter, Rockstar Spud, Ethan Carter III, MVP, Kenny King and Bobby Lashley put through tables and won’t stop until it’s done. MVP, King and Lashley beat Ray down until Austin Aries, Eric Young and The Wolves make the save. We get a six-man match.
* MVP, Kenny King and Bobby Lashley defeated The Wolves and Austin Aries when MVP pinned Davey Richards.
Xplosion:
* Madison Rayne defeated Velvet Sky
DIRECT LINK: Photos Of SEXY New TNA Knockout “Rebel” — View Here!
TNA taped the May 22nd episode of Impact Wrestling on Wednesday night in Orlando. Below are spoilers, thanks to Eric:
* MVP, Bobby Lashley and Kenny King kick off Impact. MVP rips on the fans and talks about having power. King and Lashley also cut promos. The Wolves interrupt and attack them but get beat down. Eddie Edwards takes a spear fro Lashley. They end up beating them to the stage and Lashley spears Davey Richards off the stage through a table.
* Eric Young comes out and has words for MVP. MVP comes back out with Lashley and King. Austin Aries ends up making the save for Young to a big pop. Aries and MVP cut promos on each other.
* Austin Aries beat MVP by DQ when King and Lashley interrupted. Eric Young made the save but got beat down. MVP announces Lashley vs. Young but Dixie Carter and Ethan Carter III interrupts. Dixie wonders why MVP won’t return her phone calls. This leads to Bully Ray coming out with a pipe. He chases Dixie and Ethan to the back. Ray ends up getting into it with MVP and knocked down by King. Ray gets triple teamed. Dixie comes back out with Ethan and orders him to set up a table. Ethan goes to put Ray through it but gets blocked. Dixie distracts Ray and Ethan puts him through the table any way.
* Backstage segment with The Beautiful People.
* Willow defeated Magnus in a Falls Count Anywhere match. The newcomer Bram interfered twice.
* Eddie Edwards called out MVP, King and Lashley. Davey Richards is injured and was taken away to a hospital. King comes out and lays Edwards out.
* Another backstage segment that was missed.
* Angelina Love comes out for an open challenge that’s answered by Brittany. Angelina retains her Knockouts Title over Brittany after help from Velvet Sky. The Beautiful People smeared lipstick and put a brown bag on Brittany after the match until Gail Kim made the save.
* Bobby Lashley defeated Eric Young in a non-title match when King and MVP interfered. The referee went to call for the bell but MVP stopped it. MVP played like the referee was in on it. Austin Aries ran out but got beat down by Lashley. Impact ended with Lashley, King and MVP celebrating.
– TNA will tape the rest of the May 29th and all of the June 5th episodes of Impact Wrestling tonight from Universal Studios in Orlando. Check back later for full results.
– Tonight’s episode of TNA Impact Wrestling will feature Kurt Angle vs. Ethan Carter III, The Wolves vs. BroMans in a Ladder Match, an Evening Gown Match with Gail Kim & Brittany vs. Velvet Sky & Angelina Love, plus the debut of The Menagerie with Knux.
– TNA’s official website wrote the following about new star Bram’s (formerly Kenneth Cameron in NXT) history with Magnus:
“With rumors swirling, we’ve begun searching for answers. What we can now report is that Bram hails from Chesterfield, UK and was a life-long friend of Magnus. Bram is said to be an extremely violent and dangerous hooligan and the rumors insist that Magnus was once seen as the same. We’re told that the bar brawls and ruthless violence in their past has become something of a British legend. This leads us to question what separated Bram and Magnus and why is Bram here now? Perhaps even more so, it begs the question: where has this side of Magnus been and will we see the reign of Magnus return if it is unleashed again?”
DIRECT LINK: Photos Of SEXY New TNA Knockout “Rebel” — View Here!
– Japanese wrestling star KENTA leaving Pro Wrestling NOAH came as a huge shock to everyone in the Japanese wrestling community. KENTA, who has been wrestling a stiff style for years, realizes that now is the time to transition to WWE, if he ever plans to do it. KENTA’s close friend, Japanese wrestler Katsuyori Shibata, recently stated that it was KENTA’s lifelong dream to be a WWE Superstar.
– The following is a preview for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT on the WWE Network:
* Emma vs. Charlotte in a Women’s Title tournament match
* Alicia Fox vs. Alexa Bliss in a tournament match
* Camacho vs. Captain Comic (one of Adam Rose’s Rosebuds)
* Kalisto & El Local vs. Sylvester Lefort & Marcus Louis
* Battle Royal to crown a new #1 contender to Adrian Neville’s NXT Title.
(Partial Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
As previously reported, one source noted recently that Sheamus and Sin Cara were involved in a backstage physical altercation at this week’s WWE television tapings.
Regarding the rumors of a fight between the two, Sheamus tweeted the following:
Must be getting punchy. Don’t remember being beaten up by Sin Cara backstage… It’s just how Mexicans & we Irishmen hug it out fella ;)
— Sheamus (@WWESheamus) May 7, 2014
The following is highlights of a new F4WOnline.com interview with Christopher Daniels:
Reports of low morale in TNA: “I sometimes wonder, the tendency for anybody, especially when you’re with friends and you’re in the trenches, is to laugh at the stuff that you interpret as ridiculous or silly, and to grouch about the things that you interpret as not being good. That to me isn’t morale, that’s just like getting through the day. As bad as anything ever got, if we were depressed or mad or down in the dumps, there was never a feeling like, ‘Well, let’s storm the castle and kill the king.’ It was just, you know, haha let’s get through the day and still try to put out the best product that we could and take this vision that these guys are putting in front of us and put that on the television show. So, to me, morale was fine. None of us were on suicide watch or anything. It’s just what it was. Whatever positive or negative, whether it’s ratings or house show attendance or pay-per-view buys or whatever, it was never so bad that we were all looking to drink bleach or anything. We grouched about the things that were silly and we were high-fiving ourselves over stuff that we were happy about, whether it was matches or upcoming programs or whatnot.”
His TNA departure: “I always found it funny when I heard reports that I was one of the higher paid guys on the roster. I‘d look at my paycheck and I never thought I was one of the higher paid guys. Essentially my contract was one of those where you only made a lot of money if you worked a lot, and I certainly wasn’t working as much near the end of my contract as I was a year ago. I don’t think that financial reasons were the reason I wasn’t renewed. I don’t know if they thought our act was tired or they wanted to go in a different direction. I’m not sure why that’s the case, especially when I felt like there was a simple and great program in the works between us and Davey Richards and Eddie Edwards, but apparently the guys on the creative team didn’t have the same desire to see that program take place.”
Was he surprised about getting released? “I was as surprised as everybody, or maybe I was more surprised than everybody because I didn’t think it would happen. I had heard the internet rumors as early as January and I was like, ‘This can’t be true. How is this gonna be?’ But it happened and they made the decision to not keep me around, so there you have it.”
Check out the complete interview at F4WOnline.com.
According to reports, a backstage altercation took place at this week’s WWE television tapings between Sheamus and Sin Cara.
There isn’t a lot in the way of details regarding the scuffle, except for the fact that one source claimed Sin Cara got the better of Sheamus.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
WWE has changed some of their originally intended plans for the future. Originally, Randy Orton was going to switch to a baby face, as the company had even informed their merchandise department to work on some baby face items for Orton for down the line. That appears to be off the table at this point, with the current plan having Orton staying heel for the time being.
WWE is looking at the following four stars — in order — to be the top four singles baby faces for down the line: John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Cesaro and Sheamus.
As far as Sheamus is concerned, while the original plan was to push him as one of the top baby faces in the company, it appears that they are starting a slow build towards an eventual heel turn for him.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
WWE has changed direction with their original plans to break up The Shield.
Word got out before WrestleMania that the company was strongly considering breaking up the popular faction and on-air storylines teased dissension amongst the members. Around the time of WrestleMania XXX, it was reported that the breakup was delayed due to the strong responses they continued to get from WWE crowds.
Another factor believed to be at play is the grooming of Roman Reigns. He is still seen as a breakout star and a future main event player, but is not ready to go solo yet and will benefit from more time with Ambrose and Rollins.
The original plans would have had The Shield already broken up at this point.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
– Chris Jericho was called by WWE this past week about making a return to the company. Jericho told WWE that he had too many schedule commitments on other projects to come back at this time.
– William Regal went to Brazil with Canyon Ceman recently to scout some potential future talents for WWE. The guys that Regal liked from the shows in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo may be brought to Orlando for a tryout in the near future.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
The most recent internal list in WWE for down the line had Randy Orton, Batista and Roman Reigns near the top for future baby faces, right behind John Cena and Daniel Bryan. As previously reported, however, Orton is apparently going to remain a heel going forward.
Also as noted earlier, it looks like the company is going to keep The Shield as a unit for a longer period of time than originally intended. Based on some several-month-out projections, including suggestions made to the marketing division for items that won’t hit the marketplace for several months, The Shield is apparently going to remain a baby face group.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
– For those unaware, Alexander Rusev, who as previously reported will be going by just “Rusev” from now on, is actually dating his manager Lana in real life.
– WWE has been discussing the idea of giving wrestlers time off to recharge and heal up as a strategy for down the line. There is some trepidation on the part of some, with the feeling that it would make running split-crew live events harder with a depleted roster.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
Whether you prefer to call him the King of Swing, the Swiss Superman, or even his now-forgotten first name of Antonio, it is hard to deny that Cesaro is one of the most impressive athletes in the WWE today. He has shown on countless occasions that he is not only one of the best technical wrestlers in the company, but that he is also arguably the pound-for-pound strongest competitor as well.
Unsurprisingly, it did not take Cesaro long to get over with the crowd, especially after joining the Real Americans last fall. One could argue that he almost single handedly got the entire stable over, which is no small task when considering he was able to convince the crowd to cheer a group of xenophobic border protectors.
However, since leaving the Real Americans, it seems as if his momentum has waned. It appeared that there were big plans for Cesaro, especially after he was inserted into the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match earlier this year. Fans were showing up each week with “Cesaro Section” signs and were cheering the Real Americans even though they were still being booked as heels.
He did not win the WWE Championship of course, and is now paired with Paul Heyman. Despite Heyman’s recent failures with Ryback and Curtis Axel, he has a history of putting guys over the top, and Cesaro becoming a Paul Heyman guy seemed like a great idea. However, it does not seem to be working, in my opinion.
The problem is not Cesaro, but instead Paul Heyman. Instead of promoting Cesaro as the next big thing in the company, he continues to harp on the fact that Brock Lesnar, who is currently absent from television, ended the Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania.
Heyman goading the crowd is a great way to draw himself heat, but unfortunately it does not do much for Cesaro. In fact, it seems like Cesaro is an afterthought during most of their appearances, as Heyman rambles on about Lesnar for a few minutes and then finally says something like, “Oh yeah, and this guy to my right is also pretty decent too.”
Therein lies the problem with Heyman as a manager though. He is great at drawing heat, but is usually more concerned with sucking up the limelight instead of promoting the guy he is representing.
Rey Mysterio was at WWE headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut on April 30th to discuss a new contract with the company.
He was reportedly offered a deal to be somewhat of an ambassador for the company, particularly in Spanish language markets, as well as the opportunity to still wrestle part time.
While Mysterio’s future with the company is still uncertain, Vince McMahon does want to keep him on board.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
As previously reported, five developmental talents were released by WWE recently. One of the reasons WWE made the cuts is because there are a number of new talents starting in developmental this month and next month.
Gerald Brisco is sending six-to-eight recruits out of amateur wrestling for a June start in Orlando, Florida.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
As previously reported, WWE has been discussing the possibility of giving Ric Flair a regular role on television. One of the reasons the talk has started up is because the quarter hour that Flair was part of popped the biggest rating on the show, as well as the fact that the show as a whole drew a big number on a week where nobody was expecting a big number.
As noted previously, there is talk that Flair needs to get some personal issues situated before he could potentially return on a regular basis.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
WWE recently purchased the rights to some old 8mm and Super 8 footage from the 1970s shot by George Pantas, featuring matches from Norfolk and Hampton, Virginia. This was the old house show footage that was used in the excellent “Jim Crockett Promotions: The Good Old Days” documentary that was released last year by Michael Elliot.
Pantas noted that he sold off his collection after negotiations with Ben Brown, who is in charge of archival footage for WWE, and Triple H.
Additionally, HHH spent a decent amount of money to acquire some old posters and other memorabilia from collectors that featured a number of old wrestling legends.