Short Sleeve Sampson was the midget who played “Jerry Smaller” on the mini-commentary team during the WWE Extreme Rules pre-show “WeeLC” match on Sunday night.
Other midgets involved in the match were Shovelhead Chuck, a Pennsylvania-based independent midget wrestler and Rob Araujo, a midget wrestler who regularly works for Northeast Championship Wrestling. Chuck played “Micro Cole” and Araujo played “JB-Elf.”
WWE is offering a special deal for fans who refer friends to the WWE Network. The deal is you get a $25 gift card to WWE Shop for every friend you get to subscribe to the WWE Network, with a limit of ten.
So, WWE fans can now potentially receive $250 in free WWE merchandise for referring friends to their subscription-based service.
The offer lasts until May 31st.
As previously reported, WWE has been considering a “Buried Alive” match between Daniel Bryan and Kane as the main event of the upcoming WWE Payback pay-per-view on June 1st. As noted, they even set the stage for such a match by having Kane sit-up after the match last night at Extreme Rules.
According to one source, it looks like the Bryan-Kane match is on, as it looks like Batista will be sticking around for Payback, but will not be working with Bryan in the main event as WWE originally hoped.
The other expected main event at Payback is a rematch between The Shield and Evolution.
According to one source, the television main event for tonight’s post-Extreme Rules edition of WWE RAW will be The Wyatt Family vs. The Shield, with Evolution as the guest timekeepers.
Already announced, as previously reported, is a 20-man battle royal for the WWE United States Championship.
– The Friday, May 2nd WWE Extreme Rules “go-home” edition of WWE SmackDown averaged 2.271 million viewers, which was down from the 2.670 million viewers who tuned in the previous week.
– The “John Cena sucks” singing chants broke out again at the WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view on Sunday night. You can check out footage of the chants, as well as the fans clapping along to The Wyatt Family’s entrance below.
http://youtu.be/e2kmrS-NPuM
Jeff Jarrett’s Global Force Wrestling has announced a ‘fantasy draft’ encouraging fans to tweet their suggestions for which independent wrestlers should be part of the new upstart promotion.
The fantasy draft is currently underway and will run through Sunday, May 11th.
Share your picks for the Global Force Wrestling 2014 draft by using the hashtag #GFWGM on Twitter and Facebook.
Global Force is asking for fans to pick 4 male wrestlers and 1 female wrestler – and the only requirement is that they are independent wrestlers (not currently signed to a major promotion).
WWE COO Triple H just announced that tonight’s RAW will feature United States champion Dean Ambrose putting his gold on the line in a 20-Man Battle Royal. As per a tweet from Triple H, the match will kick off the broadcast:
Just announced for 8pm on Raw
Epic 20 man over the top rope battle Royal for the US Title …..#Raw #BestForBuisness— Triple H (@TripleH) May 5, 2014
WWE.com has updated the official RAW Preview for tonight as well:
“The Authority has now decreed that Ambrose must defend his United States Championship in a 20-Man Battle Royal tonight on Raw. Will The Hounds of Justice’s Lunatic Fringe be able to outlast 19 other Superstars in this unexpected collision? Tune in tonight to find out.”
Join us here later tonight for live coverage of WWE RAW.
– There’s a rumor going around that WWE Superstar Sheamus dozed off last night at Extreme Rules when he was part of the pre-show panel for the R-Truth and Xavier Woods vs. Alexander Rusev match. Fans in attendance reportedly were yelling at Sheamus to wake up.
– The Washington Post has published a blog looking at Lana talking about Russian President Vladimir Putin at Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view. The blog notes that many fans on social media were upset that WWE would include Putin in a storyline, in light of the ongoing situation in Ukraine.
– Television host Maria Menounos will be taking over WWE Diva Natalya’s Twitter account (@NatByNature) tonight at 7pm EST. She’ll be tweeting during RAW to promote her show Chasing Maria on the Oxygen channel.
I'm taking over @natbynature's twitter tonight for @wwe #Raw at 7PM! Tweet u then!! #mariamenounos #chasingmaria pic.twitter.com/jViSRCulsG
— maria menounos (@mariamenounos) May 5, 2014
The following are highlights of a new interview with Maria Kanellis:
On Triple H: “Anybody that wants to say it is the Yes Movement better also remember who the boss is, and who’s the one making the decisions now. And I think that Triple H doesn’t necessarily get as much credit as he deserves, because he is the on building up that NXT, he’s the one that has made it a hub and place for wrestling to grow and get better and better.”
On CM Punk: “Punk came in, changed everybody’s mind. Then management started listening. Management went, ‘Oh, he know’s how to get over.’ Because he knows the people, because he’s been working in front of the people for 9 years now.”
On Squashing the Feud with the Bella Twins: “I actually and done with that part of my life. I talked to Nikki the other day. We’re cool. Like its funny, I don’t think I knew all the facts. I think people were telling me things that weren’t necessarily true. I wanted to be done with it. So, one day I just texted her and was like, ‘hey, I don’t know what happened, but I’m sorry.’ And she responded back and she’s like ‘I understand, you know things happen.’ She was super cool about it. And we’re done with that. Like, I’m an honest person, and when I find out I’m wrong, I’m wrong.”
On Being Stranded on the Side of the Road, and Being Rescued by the Hardy Boyz: “I got pulled over on the way to a show, and the guy took my car away from me (she did not realize she had a speeding ticket out that had not been paid). Here I was with my rental car and they took it away from me, they said I couldn’t drive. I was like ok, cool. The cop leaves me on the side of the road. Me, my two big bags, and my dog Gemini. Here I am on the side of the road. Here comes the Hardy Boyz! Flying down the highway. I get a phone call, ‘Maria, was that you on the side of the road?’ Yeah, it was me. Matt was on the phone. Matt’s like, ‘We’re coming to get ya!’ I’m like, ‘Ok good!’ Here comes Matt, picks me up, and we keep going. So, The Hardy’s are my angels.”
On Nancy Grace: “The Nancy Grace’s of the world are so behind of the times. Holy crap. And how can you be so disrespectful? I mean, how can you be so rude? Like, here this man comes on to talk about a friend, and then you’re going to do that to him? I mean she’s just an evil, evil woman.”
Check out the complete interview at WrestlingOpinion.com.
Global Force Wrestling has released the third installment of their “The Journey” web series.
The official description for the latest episode reads as follows:
“#TheJourney continued last week, as Jeff and Karen Jarrett traveled to Pennsylvania.”
Check out the third edition of The Journey above.
WWE executive Matt Singerman was recently let go by the company, most likely at some point in the past week.
Singerman was the Executive Vice President of Programming and was responsible for all of the programming on the WWE Network, so this was a pretty big departure.
As previously reported, the original plan was for Batista to take some time off from WWE after tonight’s Extreme Rules show, as he was not scheduled on any upcoming WWE events past the pay-per-view. Apparently, those plans have changed.
The latest word going around backstage at Extreme Rules tonight is that Batista has agreed to stick around through the next pay-per-view, which is WWE Payback. Originally the plan was for Batista to work a program with Daniel Bryan, one that would culminate with the two competing for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Payback, however there’s talk now that the program between Evolution and The Shield — which Batista is a key part of — may continue past tonight’s show.
– As previously reported, WWE is branding all of their live events this summer as “The SummerSlam Heatwave Tour.” The idea is that it will continue to make SummerSlam feel like the “WrestleMania of the summer.”
– The following is the second edition of WWE Warehouse with Joey Styles and WWE’s Archivist Ben Brown:
As previously reported, WWE is still looking to convince Batista to work a program with Daniel Bryan for the main event of the upcoming WWE Payback pay-per-view. If those plans fail, WWE already set the stage for their alternative option.
WWE’s “plan B” for the Payback show is to have Daniel Bryan vs. Kane in a Buried Alive match. WWE set things in motion to go that direction at Extreme Rules, as that was said to be the reason that Kane sat-up at the finish of last night’s main event. The feeling was that they needed that last scene in case they are forced to go in that direction.
(Credit: F4WOnline.com)
Batista is scheduled for tonight’s post-Extreme Rules edition of WWE RAW, which emanates from Albany, New York. According to reports, hours before The Shield vs. Evolution match last night, nothing had been settled as far as plans for Batista going forward.
As previously reported, the original plan was for a Batista vs. Daniel Bryan main event at the upcoming WWE Payback pay-per-view, however Batista turned that idea down. Apparently Vince McMahon and other WWE officials were less than pleased with Batista changing their plans for the show, however McMahon is still looking to talk Batista into doing the program with Bryan before taking his hiatus.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Radio)
– WWE will return to the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey for a non-televised live event on Friday, September 26th. The pre-sale code for tickets to the event is IZODWWE.
– The infamous Dolphins1925 missed one match in his predictions for Sunday’s WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view. Much like the online betting websites, Dolphins picked Evolution to defeat The Shield.
– Kane visited the Maynard Elementary school earlier this month in Tennesee, speaking to kids and teaching them math. The local news station out of Knoxville has an article up with footage of Kane’s visit, which you can check out at WATE.com.
– WWE has added all 35 NWA & WCW ‘Clash of the Champions’ to the vault section of the WWE Network. The next series to be added will be WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event.
– This summer’s WWE live events tour will be branded the “SummerSlam Heatwave Tour.”
– A fan suggested to Donald Trump on Twitter that he should run for President in 2016 and select Vince McMahon as his Vice Presidential running mate. Trump replied:
"@Kennokevin: @realDonaldTrump You should run for President in 2016 and have @Vincemcmahon as your running mate." Cute!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 3, 2014
– John Cena tweeted the following workout photos from the weekend, saying that he’s finally learning to ‘jerk’ and joking that he hopes it won’t make him go blind:
This was Saturday. 37 years old and I'm just learning to #jerk hope I don't go blind @muscle_fitness #evenstronger pic.twitter.com/oeilsJf7Vp
— John Cena (@JohnCena) May 4, 2014
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog at JRsBarBQ.com with his thoughts on last night’s WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
Overall Grade:“I’d give the overall grade of Extreme Rules a B+. I enjoyed it by and large and anyone who complains about the efforts of the talents is misguided IMO. Of course, creative can always be second guessed and is on every pro wrestling, TV event by every company. ”
Cesaro’s Potential: “Enjoyed Cesaro-Swagger-RVD elimination three way which was MUCH better than the usual Triple Threat Match. The right guy won as Cesaro is going to be a top level player and with @HeymanHustle will elevate Cesaro to star status.”
John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt: “Thought the cage match was a little too long. Also, didn’t like all the outside interference inside the cage. WWE worked very hard to protect Cena’s image when it’s strong enough to sustain a loss to a new star (Bray Wyatt). Admire how hard the talents worked but the finish was a head scratcher although I’m curious as to where this is going because as of right now I have no idea.”
On paper, last night’s card seemed like nothing to write home about. After all, Daniel Bryan was defending his title against a superstar who peaked a decade ago, Bray Wyatt and John Cena were meeting in a rematch from WrestleMania, and other than Evolution vs. the Shield, the rest of the matches seemed like they could turn out to be throwaway contests. The event was basically the furthest thing from a throwaway, however, as it was a well-executed pay-per-view that was filled with worthwhile matches.
Evolution vs. the Shield was the clear highlight of the night, as expected. Each superstar involved in the match put on an excellent show, but the star of the match was without a doubt Seth Rollins. While Triple H, Randy Orton, and Dean Ambrose were battling in the crowd, Rollins dove from the top of the entranceway to take out his Evolution foes, allowing for Roman Reigns to handle Batista in the ring and secure a Shield victory. The match was perfectly executed and is an immediate match of the year contender.
The main event between Daniel Bryan and Kane greatly exceeded expectations. This one seemed like it could be forgettable, as the outcome was never really in doubt and Kane is not exactly a main event superstar anymore. However, both superstars performed well together and the backstage spots were something that resembled contests from the Attitude Era.
In the end, the match even involved a flaming table, although the crew botched this spot a bit by running in with the extinguishers before Kane was even on fire, but hey, what can you do? Overall, it was a great culmination to the night and certainly much better than I was anticipating.
– Former WWE & WCW star Lex Luger recently spoke at the Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce’s 10th Annual Prayer Breakfast on May 1st in Summerdale, Alabama. AL.com covered the story and noted that Lex Luger’s health has improved dramatically since becoming paralized after suffering a stroke back in 2007. Luger is able to use his limbs and walk short distances, but spoke from a wheel chair.
– Here is the synopsis for next week’s episode of WWE Total Divas on E!:
“Red and Gold: Eva Marie and Summer Rae clash over being paired together in the ring; Ariane’s quest for fame goes too far; and Nattie’s artistic side comes out.”
– WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley tweeted the following about Sunday night’s WWE Extreme Rules PPV:
https://twitter.com/realmickfoley/statuses/463170946338398208
Former WWE Superstar CM Punk attended Saturday’s Chicago Blackhawks NHL playoff game and shot a puck before the game. Footage of the appearance aired on ESPN’s SportsCenter. Punk also spoke about his love for playoff hockey, saying it’s the most exciting thing there is and talking about his plans to continue attending this year’s Blackhawks playoff games.
The following image has been circulating around, showing John Cena and the Wyatt Family ringside before last night’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view.
– Today’s wrestling birthdays include WWE referee Chat Patton (38) and WWE Hall of Famer “Cowboy” Bill Watts (75).
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?- WWE star John Cena will be appearing on the daytime talk show ‘The View’ this morning to promote his BodyChange fitness program.
– Rob Van Dam got pretty banged up at last night’s Extreme Rules PPV, receiving a cut on his cheek after hitting the Five Star Frog Splash on a trash can. He also had some bruising and swelling on the left side of his face, which was evident during his appearance on the post-show press conference that aired on the WWE Network. Here’s an image of RVD being tended to backstage after his match:
Former WCW and WWE star Dave Taylor recently appeared on the Inside The Ropes podcast and spoke about his time in WCW, wrestling for WWE at 49 years old, becoming a trainer at NXT, drug issues people had in WCW and much more. Below are some highlights of what Taylor said about William Regal and the drug culture in WCW:
“[William] Regal came here (US) in 1992 or 93,” Taylor said. “Then I came across to visit him and did my first show which was World War 3 in 95. He’d called me and said they’re wanting guys to come over and they’ll pay for your ticket and everything, no problem and put you in World War 3. I said ‘Yeah I’ll do it, no problem.’ So I came and I stayed with him. He’d had some injuries with his knee and that, and he’d started taking pills and that sorta stuff. I saw that side of him. There’s nothing you can do about it. There’s nothing I could say. Guys always have an excuse, who are doing that sorta thing. Then I came back home and the year after I came back to live here and he’d got really bad. I’m surprised he didn’t die. But he got through it all. I’ve seen some bad things with him. It wasn’t just him then.
There were a lot of guys, a lot. A lot of them have passed away. The guys who were into what people call ‘the demons.’ They’d all say that they got injured and started taking pain pills and it started from there. When I got injured, I wouldn’t take pain pills or anything like that. Neither did Finlay. Me and Finlay were pretty much the only guys in WCW that never took a drug of any kind. I remember getting on a plane one morning and one of the guys passed me a box of pills, 6 o’clock in the morning, and said, “Here you go, you and Finlay take some of these and get yourself a nice little buzz.” I passed them back and said “Nah you’re OK, we don’t do this s–t.” He asked what we do for the pain, I told him we just suffer. They’re thinking, god they must be tough. But it’s not that at all. It’s that you see what that stuff does and you think to yourself, ‘I don’t wanna get involved in that s–t.”