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Press Release: WWE Promotes Executive To New V.P. Role

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WWE issued the following press release today:

WWE PROMOTES TANDY O’DONOGHUE

STAMFORD, Conn., February 19, 2014 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced that Tandy O’Donoghue has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Strategy & Analytics, effective March 15. In this newly created role, she will be responsible for overseeing corporate strategy, corporate and business development and data analytics for WWE. O’Donoghue will report to WWE’s Chief Strategy & Financial Officer George A. Barrios.

O’Donoghue will work with WWE executives to identify and execute cross-functional high-impact initiatives including the global rollout of WWE Network, the development and execution of WWE’s long-term gaming strategy and global content monetization initiatives. She will also lead WWE’s efforts in securing strategic equity investments and partnerships, and will provide leadership for WWE’s use of advanced data analytics to support short- and long-term decision making across the company.

O’Donoghue previously served as WWE’s Senior Vice President, Affiliate Relations & Business Development, where she was responsible for the day-to-day management of WWE’s pay-per-view business as well as the development and launch plans for WWE Network.

O’Donoghue holds a J.D. from Tulane University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.

Triple H Claims He Invented The Elimination Chamber Match Concept

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The official WWE website features a new article focusing on the Elimination Chamber match. In the article, Triple H talks about how he created the match. HHH noted:

“I’m the one who invented it. I drew a square cage and put four other squares in the corners, and I said, ‘It’s six guys. Two start and every few minutes, another cage opens and one more guys enters the fight, and everyone fights until there’s one guy left.’ I thought it could be interesting because, if the Superstars involved have issues, then there’s intrigue.”

“In typical WWE form, it was twice as big as I envisioned it and twice as elaborate. We don’t do anything small, so I should have known better. When I stood in it for the first time, I thought, ‘Jeez. Please don’t tell anybody this was my idea!’”

Check out the complete article at WWE.com.

  • Undertaker To RETIRE This Year?, MAJOR Star To RETURN To WWE + NEW HOF Inductees …

    • New Sting Article On WWE.com, Details On WWE’s New Theme Music DVD

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    – The official WWE website is currently featuring a new column by veteran wrestling journalist Bill Apter, where Apter looks at the career of Sting. You can check that out at WWE.com.

    – WWE Superstar Fandango is featured on the cover of the new DVD, “WWE’s Signature Sounds: The Music of WWE.” The DVD is set for a March 18th release. The following is the official synopsis for the project:

    “Music has been integral in WWE history, especially anthems for all the greatest WWE Superstars. Since Sgt. Slaughter first made his entrance to the Marine Corp hymn in the early 80?s music themes have become synonymous with the Superstars themselves. Just hearing the first few notes brings the crowd to their feet. They are the songs that let the WWE Universe know that business is about to pick up.

    Now, get behind the music and learn the inside story behind the timeless anthems of WWE and the superstars.”

  • Undertaker To RETIRE This Year?, MAJOR Star To RETURN To WWE + NEW HOF Inductees …

    • Edge On Having One More Match In WWE, Total Divas Season 2 Trailer (Video)

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    – As previously reported, WWE Hall Of Famer Adam “Edge” Copeland was the special guest on the second edition of the “30 Years Of WrestleMania” podcast, which is hosted by Renee Young every week at PodcastOne.com. During the interview, Edge noted that if he could have one more match in WWE, he would like it to be against Christian. He also spoke about his WrestleMania main event against The Undertaker being the highlight of his career.

    You can check out the complete interview at PodcastOne.com.

    – The following is a new official trailer for the upcoming second season of the WWE and E! reality show, “Total Divas.” The show returns on March 16th.

    http://youtu.be/bsTZ9zL6zzE

  • Undertaker To RETIRE This Year?, MAJOR Star To RETURN To WWE + NEW HOF Inductees …

    • More On Jarrett/Toby Keith Not Buying TNA, Perception Of The Carter Family

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    Apparently one of the reasons that Jeff Jarrett and Toby Keith did not purchase TNA was because Bob Carter wanted Dixie Carter to be kept around as a behind-the-scenes executive, as well as an on-air performer.

    As far as Bob and Janice Carter are concerned, the word going around is that Janice is more of a “dollars and cents” type-person, while Bob is considered to be more “living a dream” oriented.

  • Undertaker To RETIRE This Year?, MAJOR Star To RETURN To WWE + NEW HOF Inductees …

    (Credit: F4WOnline & PWInsider.com)

    • Jim Ross Q&A: Future Ross Report Guests, Sting/WWE HOF, Damien Sandow

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    The following are highlights from a new website Q&A update by WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:

    On his debut “Ross Report” podcast and future guests: “Austin will be back for Ross Report #2 next week followed by Mauro Ranallo, Trish Stratus, and Mick Foley. I’ve got some great guests coming on to shoot the breeze. Thanks for listening.”

    On why Ron Simmons was more successful as part of a tag-team in WWE: “Hmmm…he did well in both roles especially being pivotal launching Rock from the Nation. The APA thing with JBL was good too and garnered a great deal of TV time. They were two different presentations that were both executed well.”

    On whether or not Sting never working for WWE will prevent him from going into the WWE Hall Of Fame: “Absolutely not. I wold bet a case of JR’s BBQ Sauce that Sting is in the WWE HOF within 2-3 years.”

    On if he feels Damien Sandow is being underutilized in WWE: “I’d agree that Sandow could be more of a force. That’s partly WWE’s fault and partly the talents. To be great it takes a partnership between company and talent.”

    Check out more from JR’s latest website Q&A update at JRsBarBQ.com.

  • Undertaker To RETIRE This Year?, MAJOR Star To RETURN To WWE + NEW HOF Inductees …

    • NXT “Arrival” Expert Panel, WWE Divas On Austin/Jericho Podcasts, More

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    – The “expert panel” for the live WWE NXT “Arrival” pre-show on the WWE Network will consist of Renee Young, Kevin Nash, Paul Heyman and Bret “The Hitman” Hart. The pre-show for the live special is scheduled to begin at 7:30pm E.T.

    – WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin mentioned during a recent “Steve Austin Show” that WWE ring announcer Lilian Garcia will be an in-studio guest on one of his upcoming podcasts.

    – Speaking of podcast guests, WWE Diva Natalya will be the special guest on this Friday’s edition of the “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which is hosted by former WWE Superstar Chris Jericho. Natalya recently tweeted the following about the appearance:

    WWE Announces Full Programming Lineup For The WWE Network

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    WWE issued the following press release today:

    WWE NETWORK ANNOUNCES PROGRAMMING LINEUP

    STAMFORD, Conn., February 19, 2014 – WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 streaming network, has unveiled its programming lineup, which is highlighted by WrestleMania® 30 on Sunday, April 6 at 7 pm ET live from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.

    In addition, for the first time ever, the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will air live in its entirety on Saturday, April 5 at 9 pm ET on WWE Network. This year’s current inductees include The Ultimate Warrior, Jake “The Snake” Roberts and Lita. A one-hour special will also air on USA Network on Monday, April 7, immediately following Monday Night Raw®.

    WWE Network will officially launch on Monday, February 24 at 9 am ET and fans will instantly have access to live programming and the most comprehensive WWE video-on-demand library upon signing up exclusively at WWE.com.

    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.

    The programming line-up on WWE Network includes:

    WrestleMania 30

    WWE’s pop-culture extravaganza, WrestleMania 30, will air live on Sunday, April 6 at 7 pm ET from New Orleans. More than 70,000 fans from all 50 states and more than 30 countries are expected to converge on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome with millions more watching around the world. Current WWE Superstars will be joined by a host of WWE Legends for a celebration 30 years in the making.

    WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

    For the first time ever, the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will air live in its entirety on WWE Network on Saturday, April 5 at 9 pm ET from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. This year’s current inductees include The Ultimate Warrior, Jake “The Snake” Roberts and Lita.

    Live Monday Night Raw Pre-Show and WWE Raw Backstage Pass

    A live, 30-minute RawPre-Show will air each week and premieres on Monday, February 24 at 7:30 pm ET.

    WWE Raw Backstage Pass will air live each week immediately following Monday Night Raw, providing analysis of the night’s action and exclusive backstage interviews. The premiere will air on Monday, February 24 at 11:05 pm ET.

    Friday Night SmackDown® Pre-Show and WWE SmackDown Backstage Pass

    A 30-minute pre-show for SmackDown will air each week and premieres on Friday, February 28 at 7:30 pm ET.

    WWE SmackDown Backstage Pass will air each week immediately following SmackDown, providing analysis of the night’s action and exclusive backstage interviews. The premiere will air on Friday, February 28 at 10 pm ET.

    WrestleMania® Rewind

    WrestleMania® Rewind will provide fans with a comprehensive look back at the most groundbreaking matches and dramatic moments in WrestleMania history. The series premieres on Tuesday, February 25 at 9 pm ET with a sneak peek on Monday, February 24 at 9 am ET.

    WWE Countdown™

    A one-hour, groundbreaking, interactive, countdown series that will put the power squarely in viewers’ hands by giving the audience the chance to discuss and rank WWE’s most spectacular Superstars, unexpected moments, best catch phrases and more through digital polling and social media interaction. The series premieres on Tuesday, February 25 at 10 pm ET with a sneak peek on Monday, February 24 at 10 am ET.

    WWE Legends’ House™

    WWE’s greatest Legends reunite for a new title – only this time, they’re competing outside of the ring. Imagine a beautiful house in the suburbs – perfectly furnished, with gorgeous landscaping, a lovely pool and quiet, respectable neighbors. WWE Superstars from the past including Rowdy Roddy Piper, Tony Atlas and Hacksaw Jim Duggan will turn the neighborhood upside down as the house staff tries their best to keep these Legends on time, on speaking terms, and out of trouble in this new reality show. The series premieres on Thursday, April 10 at 8 pm ET.

    This is NXT®

    A one-hour special that will take viewers inside the action-packed world of tomorrow’s WWE’s Superstars as they aspire to become the future of WWE. Featuring behind-the-scenes moments and in-ring action from WWE’s Performance Center, fans will get up close and personal with the next generation of Superstars. The series premieres on Monday, February 24 at 11 am ET.

    NXT ArRival™

    WWE Network’s first live in-ring event will air on Thursday, February 27 at 8 pm ET. The live special will showcase the brightest and best of WWE’s rising stars from WWE’s Performance Center, as well as appearances by WWE Superstars John Cena®, Sheamus®, The New Age Outlaws and WWE Legends Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels.

    Thirty minutes prior to the event, the NXT ArRival Pre-Show will air at 7:30 pm ET and include exclusive interviews and appearances by NXT Superstars, WWE Superstars and Legends.

    WWE NXT®

    Each Thursday at 9 pm ET, WWE Superstars and Divas of tomorrow face off on WWE NXT, a one-hour, weekly show that features the brightest and best of WWE’s rising stars. WWE NXT showcases the Superstars and Divas from WWE’s Performance Center as well as appearances from WWE Superstars and Legends in an intimate setting. WWE NXT broadcasts from the state-of-the-art Full Sail LIVE venue on the Full Sail University campus in Orlando, Florida. The series premieres on Thursday, March 6 at 9 pm ET.

    WWE Superstars®

    A one-hour, weekly show highlighting the best of WWE Superstars and Divas in heart-pounding matches. The show will also feature highlights from all WWE programming, as well as a special glimpse at everything going on in the WWE Universe. The series premieres on Thursday, February 27 at 10 pm ET.

    Beyond the Ring™

    An all-access pass to the fast-paced action of WWE’s home video library. With classic matches and groundbreaking biographies of WWE Legends, fans will have all the action from WCW®, AWA®, ECW® and WWE right at their fingertips. The series premieres on Saturday, March 1 at 8 pm ET.

    Best of Raw

    Every Wednesday at 9 pm ET, Best of Raw will feature the most memorable episodes from the longest-running weekly episodic show in television history. Each week, see some of the most incredible matches and controversial moments featured over the years on Monday Night Raw. The series premieres at a special date and time on Thursday, February 27 at 4:30 pm ET.

    Best of SmackDown

    For more than a decade, Friday Night SmackDown has brought amazing action and memorable moments to the WWE Universe. On Saturdays at 1 pm ET, WWE Network will showcase the most exciting episodes of SmackDown. The series premieres on Saturday, March 1 at 1 pm ET.

    Expansive Video-On-Demand Library

    In addition to live and original programming, fans will have access to the most comprehensive WWE video-on-demand library the instant they subscribe. WWE Network will offer all WWE, WCW and ECW pay-per-views as well as encores of Raw and SmackDown® totaling more than 1,500 hours of video on demand at launch.

    Mick Foley Reacts To The Passing Of Big Daddy V

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    WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley posted the following on his Facebook page about the passing of Nelson Frazier Jr. (Big Daddy V):

    GOODBYE BIG VIS

    I was saddened to hear of the passing of Nelson Frazier Jr, better known to most of us as Viscera or Big Daddy V – a nice man, with a big heart and a great look – who left not only a unique legacy in the world of sports entertainment, but a unique mark on my own career, and an indelible memory in the minds of my children.

    Although we faced each other only sparingly, I actually sought images of him my home every day for over a year when my children took turns drawing pictures of the fearsome figure, which found homes on the Foley family refrigerator. They Warint scared of him, so much as they were enamored of him – drawn to the contrast of the huge figure they watched on the television set, with the gentle man they saw backstage. My youngest son was terrified of mascots and characters for several years, a fear that actually left him hiding underneath a table at the Magic Kingdom, when Cinderella and her three mouse friends arrived at a character dinner. I tried to talk my little guy out of this illogical fear by reasoning with him.

    “You’re not scared of Big Daddy V, are you”, I asked.

    My son shook his head, no.

    “How about The Great Khali”, I said.

    Once again, he shook his head no.

    “But 3 guys dressed in mouse costumes?”

    Absolutely terrified!

    Good bye Big Vis – you will be missed.

    Daniel Bryan’s Yes Movement Getting Mainstream Coverage, More On WWE-NBCU

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    – The New York Post has published an article looking at WWE’s ongoing TV rights fees negotiations and NBCUniversal’s exclusive negotiating period expiring last week.

    – USA Today has published a long article looking at Daniel Bryan’s “Yes Movement” crossing over into mainstream pop culture. Bryan was quoted in the article, saying,

    “People like to do it because it’s fun and it’s interactive,” he said. “When you’re part of an arena, a whole arena with thousands upon thousands of people doing it, it’s very, very surreal.

    “I don’t know what is going on in my world that this happened,” he added. “Now these basketball teams are doing something that I made popular. How this all happened is surreal.”

    Triple H Weighs In On Each Of The 6 Elimination Chamber Participants

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    Triple H’s weekly sit down meeting with Michael Cole is now online, with the WWE COO talking about Sunday’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view and analyzing each of the 6 chamber match participants.

    Hunter said that WWE World Heavyweight champion Randy Orton is dangerous because he’s been in several Elimination Chamber matches already. John Cena’s mantra of “Hustle, Loyalty, Respect” will be put to the test. Cesaro is at a “different playing level” than just a few weks ago, while Sheamus “enjoys the physicality” of the Chamber and Christian is desperate with nothing to lose. He said added that Daniel Bryan is not 100 percent, which allows the audience to get behind him as the underdog.

    He said The Authority is prepared to anoint the Chamber winner the “Face of WWE.” When Cole asked, “Even if it’s not Orton?” Hunter responded, “Yes!” and did Daniel Bryan’s hand motion.

    Jim Ross’ First Podcast Now Online, WWE Files For New Trademarks

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    – WWE has applied for trademarks for “NXT: Arrival” and “Yes Movement.”

    – The first episode of WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross’ new Ross Report podcast is now online at PodcastOne.com. His first guest is “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, who talked about his career, why a match with Hulk Hogan never took place and more.

    Austin noted that while he was at last week’s RAW from Los Angeles, nobody from WWE mentioned anything to him about appearing at WrestleMania.

    Jay Lethal Talks About CM Punk’s Situation, Wanting To Join WWE & More

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    Jay Lethal appeared on Ring Rust Radio this week and spoke about his time in TNA and ROH, CM Punk leaving WWE, working with Ric Flair and more.

    Here are some highlights of what he said about:

    ROH’s 12th Anniversary: “Well, already signed for the 12th anniversary show is myself versus the returning AJ Styles which I’m really excited about and it’s something to be excited about because as a company, Ring of Honor is showing growth. Guys are coming back and there’s a lot of controversy and such around AJ’s return because he was somewhere else before and now he’s back with Ring of Honor and of course with the acquisition of AJ there’s a few more eyes on Ring of Honor who may not have been watching before but they are now and that is exciting.”

    CM Punk situation: “Would I like to see CM Punk return to Ring of Honor? Of course. Mainly the reason would be from a business standpoint. The fact that AJ Styles is returning brings a couple of new eyes paying attention to Ring of Honor. That situation would carryover to the fact that I would love CM Punk to come back to Ring of Honor because then there would be a few more eyes watching Ring of Honor that perhaps weren’t watching Ring of Honor before. And they’ll see a couple of matches and they’ll see that Ring of Honor actually has one of the greatest wrestling products out there and they’d continue to watch much after CM Punk’s matches.

    “I do think that there is a big chance [that Punk could return to Ring of Honor] because before CM Punk left Ring of Honor to go to WWE I was there for one of his last matches and I was there for a lot of CM Punk’s career in Ring of Honor and CM Punks blood and his DNA strands have Ring of Honor written all over it. The way he acted, he just loved Ring of Honor so much that I really do believe that CM Punk could return.”

    Working with Ric Flair: “I’ve never been married, I don’t have any kids, so at this point in time any and every single interaction that I’ve ever had with Ric Flair, namely when I got to wrestle him, is considered to me be the greatest day and greatest night of my entire life. Like I said I don’t think I’ve grasped and really tried to understand exactly what has happened in such a short time and when I realize it I think I’m going to explode. That was the greatest time I’ve ever had in my life.”

    Being a well-known young guy: “I really don’t think about it that often, I just feel like it has all happened so fast that I haven’t had a chance to sit down and think about it. I know for a fact that once it slows down and I can sit and think about everything that has happened I’d go insane. I don’t think that I have fully grasped everything because I have been extremely lucky and blessed.”

    Also talked about ROH being on the rise, wrestling AJ now vs. years ago, match preparation, hopes to be in WWE in the future and showing the wrestling world how good he truly is.

    Official Trailer For Guardians Of The Galaxy Starring Batista

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    In the far reaches of space, an American pilot named Peter Quill finds himself the object of a manhunt after stealing an orb coveted by the villainous Ronan.

    Release date: August 1, 2014

    WWE NXT & Main Event Previews For Tonight

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    Main Event:

    • The Shield vs. Sin Cara and Los Matadores
    • Cameron vs. Aksana

    NXT:

    • NXT Tag Team Champions The Ascension in action
    • Emma vs. Summer Rae
    • Adrian Neville vs. Tyler Breeze

    Former WWE Superstar Nelson Frazier, Jr. Has Passed Away

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    We are saddened to report that former WWE Superstar Nelson Frazier Jr. has passed away. He was 42 years old. Frazier was best known for his various runs in WWE as Mabel, Viscera and Big Daddy V. He was a former WWE tag team champion as part of the Men on a Mission and was the 1995 King of the Ring.

    WWE had issued the following statement regarding his passing:

    WWE issued the following statement:

    “WWE is saddened by the news that Nelson Frazier Jr., aka Big Daddy V and Mabel, has passed away. A larger-than-life Superstar, Frazier was a former World Tag Team Champion, Hardcore Champion and the 1995 King of the Ring.”

    “As the dark, formidable Viscera, he was also a member of Undertaker’s faction, The Ministry of Darkness. Frazier’s colorful personality made him a memorable competitor throughout the Attitude Era.”

    “Our deepest condolences go out to Frazier’s family, friends and fans.”

    The following are some tweets from the wrestling world:

    *Spoilers* WWE Main Event Tapings Results (2/19)

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    Here are spoiler results from this week’s WWE Main Event tapings from Colorado Springs, Colorado:

    Dark Match

    – Alexander Rusev defeated Zack Ryder by pinfall. Rusev won with a side slam finisher.

    WWE Main Event

    – The Shield defeated Sin Cara and Los Matadores.

    – Cameron defeated Aksana.

    – Bad News Barrett cut a promo running down Colorado and said for once, the crowd is as “high” as he is. He said the Olympic training center in Colorado is a joke and said the United States is going to have the lowest medal count since 1988.

    Jim Ross Blog: John Cena vs. Cesaro, The Rise Of Roman Reigns & More

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    WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog with some thoughts about Monday’s RAW, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR said about:

    Rising Stars Getting Exposure “For many it was a good night of exposure: Daniel Bryan, who just a few weeks ago was being eulogized by many of his fans, the Shield, who had multiple ‘moments’ throughout the broadcast, Cesaro, who is so good just ring the bell and watch him demonstrate the art form of in ring wrestling, The Wyatt’s, who are rapidly evolving as stars and who, along with the Shield, have the opportunity to turn even more heads coming up on PPV.”

    Roman Reigns: “Roman Reigns winning with his spear over Mark Henry was big…no pun intended. If I had to pick an early favorite to either be the WWE World Champion at WM31 or to win the title there, it would be Reigns. How Roman Reigns is ‘built’ going forward is imperative to the long term success of WWE as it relates to constructing the next, major, WWE superstar.”

    Cesaro vs. John Cena: “Loved the Cena vs. Cesaro match. One of the best matches that Cena has had in a while. Cesaro is on the cusp of breaking through. Got lots of feedback on why Cesaro did not win and certainly, as it is almost always, an argument can be made on the topic of who wins and who loses. With great commentary, the loser can come out of a great presentation better than when going into the match. I thought Cesaro was made whole after Cena pulled one out in the bottom of the 9th that could have gone either way.”

    Vince McMahon Not Buying Soccer Team, WWE Re-Names “Backstage Fallout” Shows

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    – There is no truth to the rumor that Vince McMahon is interested in purchasing a UK soccer team.

    – WWE has re-named their weekly YouTube series “Backstage Fallout” to brand-specific names. From this point forward, the post-RAW and SmackDown shows will simply be called “RAW Fallout” and “SmackDown Fallout.”

    (Partial Credit: F4WOnline.com)

    RG3 Comments On WWE Network, Ultimate Warrior, Sting, Steve Austin & More

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    Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III (RG3) has been tweeting today about his love for professional wrestling. RG3 spoke about being excited for the new WWE Network, and answered some questions from fans about his favorite wrestlers. Below are some recent RG3 tweets:

  • Spike TV To BUMP TNA In Favor Of WWE?!, CM Punk At WMXXX? & Sting/WWE Update

    • Austin Praises Cena vs. Cesaro Match, Latest RAW “Backstage Fallout” (Video)

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    – WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin praised the match between John Cena and Cesaro from Monday’s RAW. “The Rattlesnake” tweeted the following:

    – The following is the latest edition of WWE’s RAW “Backstage Fallout” series, courtesy of their official YouTube channel.

  • Spike TV To BUMP TNA In Favor Of WWE?!, CM Punk At WMXXX? & Sting/WWE Update

    • Stevie Richards Speaks On His Relationship With McMahon, WWE Or TNA Return

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    The following are highlights of a recent interview with former WWE Superstar Stevie Richards:

    On his working relationship with Vince McMahon: “It’s tough to say, because it’s one of those things where he would call you in to give you the usual critique and say “You should have done this or you should have done that.” But the fact is, he’s so busy, that if he does take the time to pull you aside and talk to you, it’s usually not a very good thing. So I didn’t get that too many times, but I did everything to the best of my ability. Vince did pull me aside for good things. But most of the time, for bosses in general, if you do a good job, it’s not going to get the boss’ attention as much as if you really screwed up a plan that he or she has. The bottom line is this: I was contracted to do a job. When that contract ended, they didn’t owe me any money and I didn’t owe them any labor. That was it. Nobody stays in WWE forever. Everyone’s contract ends at some point. Sure they might come back, but nobody is there for 20-30 years. I think that’s a good thing because it keeps you sharp, it keeps you hungry and hopefully it will motivate you to save your money, because sooner or later, that money runs out.”

    How he felt about his WWE run: “I’m one of those guys where as long as you tell me what you want in a match, I’m cool with that. When I was in WWF, the agents used to come up and tell me “We need Val Venis over in 8 minutes, do it however you want.” And to me, that’s very complimentary that they can trust me. That’s a very good stamp of approval to have from the office. They knew I was talented, but I think there was a point where someone said “This guy doesn’t draw enough money, let’s bring somebody else in who can bring something to the table.” But that doesn’t matter, because to me, the money looks the same. When I go to cash my check, the bank’s not going to tell me, “Oh you’re only making such and such dollars and you’re a jobber, we’re not going to cash your check.” One of things I wish I would have done was had the work ethic of Diamond Dallas Page, who’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever known. And I wish I was business savvy like Kevin Nash. Now, I know that may not sound popular, but I think Kevin has a good perspective on business and he’s a really decent guy to be around. Now, I feel like I’ve learned from both DDP and Nash; it may be late, but I still learned.”

    If he’d return to WWE or TNA again: “That’s a tough question. It would have to be financially worth it to go back to either company. I have a bunch of other stuff going on like DDP Yoga and my T4 website. If I went back to WWE, I would have to give that up because there would be no time for it. And I’m not sure how long I would be there, because a contract in wrestling is not really a contract. You can get cut at any time for any reason, so I don’t know if I’d be willing to make that leap of faith again.”

    Tully Blanchard Speaks On The Four Horsemen, Incident With JBL, Drug Tests

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    The following are highlights of a recent WGD Weekly interview with Tully Blanchard:

    On what it meant and still means to be a Horseman: “When it was happening, you had nothing to compare it to, so you really didn’t and couldn’t know the impact. As we got into it, the promotion company and the reason that it is so well remembered, is it was not a promoter’s idea. It wasn’t Crockett and Dusty and all the powers that be sitting around and saying, oh, we’re going to put these four guys together and call them the Four Horseman…It was great entertainment, we sold out buildings…it was impactful, but I think it hit me the most, when I was in the car, driving to the airport in Charlotte, North Carolina and I pulled up behind a school bus. In street clothes, in my car, whatever and one of the kids in the back of the school bus looking out the back window recognized me and you could see him turn around and get frantic. Then there must have been forty little hands stick out the school bus windows on the sides with the four fingers. I can remember sitting there…and I’m going, oh my, this thing is coming cultish…and it was just amazing because nothing in wrestling had ever done that. Maybe Lou Thez or Ed “Strangler” Lewis back in the 30’s or 40’s, but modern day, nothing had ever impacted like that…it was just amazing to be a part of.”

    On how he came to be one of the original Four Horsemen: “It was the World’s Heavyweight Champion, it was Ole and Arn, the World’s Tag Team Champions, who were related, Flair was a cousin of the Andersons and me, because I was wrestling the booker and the booker wanted to be part of the show, I go to be involved, so I was the fourth, I was the World’s Television Champion.”

    On the reason the later versions of the group failed to live up to the original: “Later on, as WCW tried to resurrect the Horseman and the eighty five guys they put in there, and all the talent they put in there and never resurrected it, just lets you know it was about chemistry, it wasn’t just about talent. The chemistry that Ric and Arn and I had, and your throw Barry in there or Ole or Luger, and J.J. and there was a tremendous chemistry that happened, and a magic that happened that not everybody, if though they were great performers, could not generate that kind of magic in the ring.”

    On the incident between himself and JBL when he was going to return to WWE: “I’d gone up basically as an interview, you know to see and scope out, or as Vince told me to absorb, because the wrestling business had changed. They were getting ready to do the taping in St. Louis. I never really had actually remembered meeting JBL, and he started telling me from across the room that I was a fake preacher and I was this and I was that and I didn’t belong there and that I treated him bad when I was a star and he was just starting…it caught me very off guard, because…I didn’t treat people bad. If I didn’t like you, I just said hello, and I didn’t mess with you, that’s just the way I was. I didn’t remember it, so I told him, well it’s very possible that I did treat you poorly, and I hope you can forgive me. That’s all that was said on my part and we departed.”

    On failing a drug test when he was planning to return to WCW: “Arn and I just made a phone call and they had offered us a large sum of money if we would leave the WWF and reform the Four Horsemen. That’s what we were going to do. In that process, my life ended up getting changed, because we had that agreement with WCW, then I flunked a drug test and Vince suspended me on November 2 of 1989, as their drug policy was. So, I got suspended and Arn went on to do the Survivor Series. We were supposed to start that Saturday after with WCW and they reneged on the deal with me and hired Arn back at a substantially less amount than they promised. That lets you know probably one of the reasons why they are out of business, because they aren’t stand up people…Anyway, in that process, when Flair called me on November 13, at one o’clock in the morning and told me they weren’t going to give me the contract, I was all of a sudden in eleven days, I was a world champion and promised three quarters of a million dollars to unemployed. At 35 years old, I didn’t quite know how to handle that.”

    Check out the complete interview above.

  • Spike TV To BUMP TNA In Favor Of WWE?!, CM Punk At WMXXX? & Sting/WWE Update

    • No Deal Reached Between WWE & NBC Universal, WWE To Begin Negotiating With Other Companies

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    WWE RAW and Friday Night SmackDown might have a new home come October, as Variety.com reports that WWE and NBC Universal were unable to reach a new licensing deal during their exclusive negotiating period, which ended on 2/15.

    WWE issued the following statement this week:

    “WWE’s exclusive negotiating period with NBCU for our flagship television programs, ‘Raw’ and ‘SmackDown,’ has now expired. While we were unable to reach an agreement with NBCU during this period, we have certainly appreciated our long and productive partnership.”

    “With year-round, live programming that is highly coveted by programmers, distributors and advertisers, we are extremely excited about our future. We look forward to engaging with potential partners who recognize the value of having the #1 show on cable and live content delivered 52 weeks a year.”

    WWE will now start negotiating with other companies, with NBC Universal retaining the right to match any offer made to WWE.

    Exclusive: Vince McMahon Finally Sold On Cesaro As a Main Eventer

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    Cesaro has finally won Vince McMahon over after his stellar match against John Cena last night on RAW.

    According to a high-level source who was backstage at the show, Vince was “thrilled” with the match and has finally recognized Cesaro’s potential. Cesaro received a standing ovation backstage after his match against Cena.

    Several of Vince’s trusted advisors told him they think Cesaro can be one of the biggest stars in the company.

    Cesaro has been over fans and colleagues with his unique move set and his impressive feats of strength, but it was only a year ago when Vince told the writers and producers that he saw nothing in the Swiss Superstar.

    Following RAW, Cesaro’s ‘stock’ with Vince hit an all time high.

    VIDEO: JOHN CENA vs. CESARO From Monday’s RAW

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