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Dolph Ziggler Upset With Part-Timers Headlining WrestleMania

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– Speaking to XFINITY by Comcast, Dolph Ziggler revealed that he is none too pleased with WWE opting to utilize part-time talent in the premiere matches at WrestleMania instead of regulars—four of the six wrestlers advertised in the top three billed bouts are part-timers. When asked whether he is annoyed or inspired by this fact, he replied “it’s both.”

“It really pisses me off,” Ziggler noted. “But, it also is good business. Every year a part timer comes back, but there’s a reason that they’re back. Whether it’s the fans want to see them, if they’re a draw, if they’re a movie star, there’s a reason that they’re back. They’re not back just to do it. There’s business to be had. And it pisses me off and it motivates me a hundred percent. It makes me want to be that guy that they’re begging to come back. I appreciate it, it’s just good business. When people come to Wrestlemania to see the Rock and the Undertaker and they leave that Wrestlemania thinking, “Wow, that Dolph Ziggler stole the show. I can’t wait to tune in to ‘Raw’ to see what he does next.” That’s how I’ve lived my entire career.”

“The Show-off” also offered his two cents on his affiliation with Big E Langston and AJ Lee, saying it’s “crazy” that he’s now a locker room veteran assisting young talent.

“As the roster is changing and we have less guys from the late 90s, unless they’re on a light schedule, I’m good enough to be giving back to young up and comers,” said Ziggler. “And it’s really cool to have someone like an AJ and a Big E. I really appreciate that they want the best, they want to know what’s going on, they want to know why I did things in a match. It helps that they were childhood fans. AJ’s dream as a child was to be a WWE Superstar. I was five-years-old and I wanted to be a Superstar. We have that bond. It makes it that much more rewarding. And we’re just getting started. Once Wrestlemania comes and goes we’ll have more time to settle in and I think you’ll see a nice trio of great talent that could be the future of the business.”

Ziggler also discusses hosting WWE Download, the wear and tear of the Money in the Bank briefcase, who he idolized growing up, and more. The full interview is available here.

WWE Issues Statement On Reid Flair’s Death, Renee Young Makes SmackDown Debut, Maryse In NJ

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– As reported today, Reid Fliehr, better known to wrestling fans as “Reid Flair,” son of legendary wrestler Ric Flair, was found dead in a hotel room in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Friday morning. WWE issued a statement via its official website acknowledging the 25-year-old’s passing.

“WWE is saddened to learn of the passing of Reid Flair, son of WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair,” WWE states. “Our deepest condolences go out to the Flair family and friends.”

– Renee Young, who hosts various minor shows for WWE, made her SmackDown debut on tonight’s show in a backstage segment interviewing Randy Orton, Sheamus and Big Show. Reacting to her debut, she wrote on Twitter: “Wow!! Seriously, thanks for all the tweets about making my debut on #Smackdown. Very cool! Let’s all hug in a totally friend-zone kinda way.”

– Former WWE Divas Champion Maryse Ouellet will in New Jersey during WrestleMania weekend as she has been announced to appear at WrestleCon at the Meadowlands Expo Center 355 Plaza Dr. Secaucus, New Jersey. The event takes place the day of WrestleMania from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

John Laurinaitis Reacts To SmackDown Appearance, WWE Looks Back At WCW Comics, More

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– On this week’s “Backstage Fallout” for SmackDown, John Laurinaitis reacts to his appearance on the show. Plus, Kaitlyn explains why she was happy to be Daniel Bryan’s tag team partner despite their differences.

– In 1992, Marvel Comics released the first issue of WCW: World Championship Wrestling a comic book featuring the biggest WCW biggest stars of the time including Sting, Lex Luger, The Steiners, Paul E. Dangerously’s Dangerous Alliance and PN News. The official WWE website has published an article examining ten of the best moments from the first four issues.

– Former WWE Superstar Vader has been announced to appear at the “Wrestling Spectacular 1” taking place May 18 at the Middletown Market 128 Dolson Ave. Middletown, New York. (Event Details)

Jim Ross On TNA Stars Being Inducted Into The WWE Hall of Fame, WrestleMania 29, A J.R. DVD?

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WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has published his latest blog, which includes thoughts on WrestleMania and whether TNA Wrestling stars Sting and Kurt Angle will ever be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Highlights from the post are as follows:

What WrestleMania match is he looking forward to most? “Several have my interest and ALL are important for those involved on a variety of levels. I certainly look forward to the Shield’s 6 man tag in their debut at the ‘Big Event.’ Very curious to see how @TripleH and Brock Lesnar engage. I love these physical, hellbent for leather type of matches. The Streak is a WM highlight and no element in WrestleMania history has been more significant than the Undertaker going 20-0 at the Super Bowl of WWE. As one who had a hand in signing both @JohnCena and @TheRock I am proud that they are going to close the show, again, but also am nervously anxious to see how they follow all that precedes them. Big time players step up and play when the game’s on the line and closing a WrestleMania event is akin to the game being on the line.”

Where he’ll be during WrestleMania week: “Yes I am going to WrestleMania and will be appearing at the WWEShop Super Store Friday afternoon from 1-3 signing and taking photos, as I understand it. The Super Store which is located just inside the MetLife gate at the Stadium is going to be a big hit and they will be stocking all JR’s products Thursday-Saturday and everything but the Beef Jerky on Sunday but I’m hoping that we well out of Jerky by Sunday.

“I have one AXXESS appearance. It is Saturday morning 8-10 at the Legends booth. Autographs and photos as usual there and I hope we have a big crowd. Bring your JR’s products Saturday morning and I will be happy to sign them.”

Has WWE considered releasing a Jim Ross DVD? “WWE has never discussed doing a JR DVD featuring my favorite matches and updated interviews with many of the stars involved but that’s not to say that it won’t or can’t happen some day. Might be a nice idea for WWE.com visitors and fans to vote an select their choices.”

Whether Sting or Kurt Angle will ever be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame: “Do I think that Sting or Kurt Angle will ever be inducted into the WWE HOF? Absolutely, is my best educated guess. When? I have no idea but I hope I’m around to see both inductions.”

To read the full post, which includes more thoughts on WrestleMania, click here.

Police Confirm Reid Flair’s Death, Ric Flair’s Agent Issues Statement On Passing

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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department has confirmed that Reid Flair, the 25-year-old son of legendary wrestler Ric Flair, was found dead Friday in a Charlotte hotel.

According to a press release issued by police, officers received a call for service in reference to an unresponsive individual at a room at the Residence Inn in SouthPark. Police identified the person as Richard Fliehr (his real name), and he was pronounced dead.

Police say there didn’t appear to be foul play involved in his death.

Ric Flair’s agent, Melinda Morris Zanoni of Legacy Talent and Entertainment, issued a statement on Facebook: “We are heartbroken to confirm that Ric’s son, Reid Fliehr, has passed away today March 29, 2013 in Charlotte, NC.

Ric Flair’s agent, Melinda Morris Zanoni of Legacy Talent and Entertainment, issued the following statement on Facebook concerning Reid’s passing: “We are heartbroken to confirm that Ric’s son, Reid Fliehr, has passed away today March 29, 2013 in Charlotte, N.C.

“The investigation into the cause of death is ongoing. Reid was 25 and an incredible son, brother, friend, and professional wrestler.

“No words can describe the grief that Ric and his family are experiencing and they do request privacy during this devastating time.”

CharlotteObserver.com has a report on Flair’s death.

WWE Names 10 Stars Who Were Ahead Of Their Time, Highlights From This Week’s “Superstars”

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– The official WWE website has posted an article listing ten wrestlers who were “ahead of their time.” This list includes Dynamite Kid, Gorgeous George, Brian Pillman, Nick Bockwinkel, Bad News Brown, Goldust, Sabu, “Superstar” Billy Graham, Raven and Antonino Rocca.

WWE compares Pillman to CM Punk, stating, “Before CM Punk broke the fourth wall with his unforgettable “pipe bomb” tirade in June 2011, Pillman regularly cast his wild eyes right at the camera’s lens and unleashed bold messages that captured the unbridled emotion of The Attitude Era. Despite Pillman’s relatively short career, his body of work — including rivalries that took deeply personal turns — continues to influence a new generation of performers.”

– Highlights from this week’s episode of WWE Superstars are now online, which features Natalya going one-on-one with Aksana.

Also featured is Kofi Kingston squaring off against Primo.

Trish Stratus Weighs In On The State Of The Divas Division, Entering The WWE Hall of Fame & More

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Seven-time WWE Women’s Champion Trish Stratus joined “The Rack” Thursday night she discussed her pending Hall of Fame induction, what will she be wearing to the ceremony, the poll from her website about her top 10 favorite outfits, who are some of the people she wished she could have faced, her feelings on the state of the current Divas division, her iconic match at WrestleMania 22 vs Mickie James, how does someone come down from the highs of WrestleMania, possibly getting a Mattel Trish Stratus Barbie, an update on her yoga studio, who would she like to see as the next female inductee to the Hall of Fame and more. Highlights from the interview are as follows:

Her reaction to entering the WWE Hall of Fame: “I’m super excited; oh my gosh. The call was like ‘Oh my God, seriously?!’ That was my first reaction. But I mean I’m actually honored; I know I keep saying this but I felt like ‘it feels like a little bit too soon’ but then I realized I have been retired for seven years. I don’t know, I think I have such an active role in the company at this moment that I don’t feel like I’ve been away from it for that long, you know? But I’m just, I’m thrilled, I’m very honored and when I heard the class this year, it’s just like wow; I’m just blown away. And as the fan, I feel like it’s amazing. I’m really looking forward to that weekend.”

Who is someone she wished she could have faced in the WWE today: “I feel like I’ve been saying it a lot but I mean the two women that really did some awesome stuff after I left was, well, one thing I say is I was so satisfied when I retired because I felt like I worked with just about everyone I wanted to work with, right? And then, all of a sudden, there was this wonderful burst of Nattie and Beth and it was the ‘Divas of Destruction’ and it was just this awesome stuff that they were doing and I’m like ‘I want a piece of that’. That is something I would like to go back to because it was good wrestling again. And Beth, thankfully, I had a chance to go back and wrestle with her, and you know Nattie is just, and we both say it, I would just love the opportunity to work with her, I think. And when I say work with her, I mean partner or even I would, it would be my pleasure to kick her butt. So, you know, we both being a Canadian mix of things and I just see some double Sharpshooter action; I just see some good stuff that would be really good. But you knows? It’s kind of like who is on my wish-list. “

Her thoughts on the current state of the Diva’s Division: “I think what is missing is I think everyone has the right tools. I think we’re seeing; listen, when you look at, and it’s funny, I fell in Kaitlyn because I loved her quirky attitude and she reminds me of me and I like that a lot, and there’s that afraid to not be silly and I just think that the fans don’t know that side of her, or know as much as we do on the inside, right? So, what I think is missing overall, and it’s something I’ve said for years, is the development of the characters.

So, everybody’s got the right tools, everybody has the skills to wrestle and definitely I think we have distinct personalities out there, even someone like Rosa Mendes. To me, the lost art is the valet to full-time wrestler transition and I think the more we see of Rosa in her valet role, it allows us to really get to know her and develop her character, right? And for her, and I hope she realizes, it’s one of the best places to be to really understand and to get wrestling. Like, I know when I was ringside watching the guys wrestle and watching every movement and what evokes and emotion and you kind of watch what works and what didn’t work, it made me when I got in the ring, it made able to draw on that, those experiences, and really bring that into the ring and be a better performer. So, I think everyone’s got the capabilities, certainly everyone’s been wrestling more and I think there’s some great wrestling technique going on now and characters for sure. I think now, we just have to sort of look at the division as a whole and it would be awesome to just think ‘Ok, how do we position each person a little differently and make these storylines?’ because everyone’s kind of wrestling with each other but there’s no storylines. And it’s like, what’s the direction, what’s the storyline, why are they wrestling, why do they hate each other? And I want it to be more than ‘You’re a girl’ and ‘I want the title’ it has to be more than just the title because obviously, that’s what we’re all going for, that’s the purpose of being in wrestling and why you compete in your division but there’s got to be an underlying storyline and that’s usually what stems from your characters. “

On the quality of matches given by Divas today: “That’s the thing, these girl’s matches are great; they’re actually having really good matches, to be honest. Tamina is fantastic in there, I mean and it’s like everyone happens to be under the radar because they’re like ‘Yeah, that was a good match’ but it’s true. It’s like, you need that storyline, there’s no way around it. You see they deliver the good, they just need something to fuel them in there, so when they’re there it’s like I care what that kick means, or why that cheat means so why I hate her for that cheat. So, that’s one thing missing, that’s for sure.”

Who would she like to see next inducted into the Hall of Fame, female wise: “I mean, I think Lita would be a great pick. She and I obviously sort of have this parallel our entire career. She’s a great friend of mine, I respect her and our career was a real special thing that we had; the relationship and our character’s relationship as well; I think she would be deserving. But, at the same time, you know it’s a long list. There’s some great women; I know one thing I kept hearing was Luna Vachon; why is Trish Stratus going in before Luna Vachon and I concur. You know, I think Luna, to me it would be great to see her go in but there’s so many women who’ve contributed to the overall of what women and how women are perceived in wrestling, but these women will all get in at some point. It’s not a matter of will they, it’s a matter of when.”

To listen to the audio interview, click here.

The Wrestling World Reacts To The Death Of Reid Flair

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The wrestling world is expressing its shock and support for the Flair family on Twitter in response to the tragic passing of 25 year old Reid Flair. Here are some tweets from today:

https://twitter.com/ebischoff/status/317695443255574529

https://twitter.com/realmickfoley/status/317759235943460866

https://twitter.com/officialtaz/status/317762687402639361

https://twitter.com/scotthallnwo/status/317702007815274496

https://twitter.com/cowboy_j_storm/status/317697005147279360

https://twitter.com/wwebraywyatt/status/317699775573147648

Reid Flair, 25-Year-Old Son Of Ric Flair, Passes Away

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Reid Flair, the 25-year-old son of legendary wrestler Ric Flair, has been found dead on Friday, according to multiple sources.  Details concerning his passing have not been disclosed.

With his background, Flair was hailed as future wrestling star dating back to high school as he was an accomplished amateur wrestler who achieved numerous awards. His career, however, was sidetracked in 2009 due to a slew of personal issues, including an arrest that found him in possession of black tar heroin.

Following a hiatus from the squared circle, Reid made his in-ring debut for All Japan Wrestling in January, replacing his sick father in a tag team match due to the WWE Hall of Famer suffering a blood clot in his leg. Last month, Reid competed in All Japan’s Excite Series tour, wrestling undercard tag team matches. On March 15, Flair wrestled his first singles match in All Japan, causing Yasufumi Nakanoue to submit with the Figure Four Leglock.

In recent months, there was talk of Reid joining WWE developmental along with his sister, Ashley (NXT Diva Charlotte). WWE did take a look at him, but he was never signed to a contract.

He was scheduled to make independent appearances in Maryland this weekend with his father.

Our deepest condolences go out to the friends and family of Reid Flair.

The Rock Appears On Jimmy Kimmel Live (Videos)

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[attention]The Videos Below AUTO-PLAY – We Tried Disabling That But It Didn’t Work[/attention]

WWE Champion The Rock appeared on Jimmy Kimmel last night to hype promote G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Although he did not have the WWE Championship belt with him, The Rock did speak about WWE during a good portion of the interview. The Rock talked about his crazy schedule, training and dieting for both WrestleMania 29 and the upcoming film Hercules at the same time.

Kimmel asked The Rock why he needs to focus on his match against John Cena at WrestleMania if the outcome is per-determined. The Rock laughed off the remark and said, “Here’s the thing. If I lose, ‘God, it’s phony. If I win, then it’s real.”

The Rock talked about starting with WWE back in 1996, when he had zero wrestling experience and showed up with “no trunks, no boots, no nothing.” Kimmel asked him if he had to wrestle naked. The Rock said he was then sent back to the minor-leagues and had to start from the bottom, wrestling in flea-markets, used-car dealerships, and barns, where fans threw batteries at him and cut him with exacto-knives. Kimmel said, “I guess it worked out.”

Here are videos of the appearance

Ryback Talks About How Tough It Is Being A Superstar & WrestleMania 29

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WWE superstar Ryback recently spoke with PressofAtlanticCity.com to promote the upcoming WWE Supershow event from AC on March 30th and of course, WrestleMania 29. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

How Tough It Is Being A WWE Superstar:

“I grew up playing baseball and football, and I was very successful at both of those. I’ve seen guys come in and try to do this and mentally and physically fall apart instantly. It is by far the hardest thing I’ve done in my life –– the things we put our bodies through in a day-in and day-out basis and the injuries we suffer.”

“Anybody who questions the legitimacy of WWE, that’s all you need to know. I literally broke my ankle in three places, and I kept running as my foot dangled and finished the match, whereas one of the premier NFL player fractures his ankle in one place, and goes down and he’s done. The injuries are real, and the emotions we bring out are real –– it’s the best form of entertainment that money can buy.”

WrestleMania 29:

“WrestleMania is the biggest event of the year for us. It’s something you’ve got to see in person to see how magnificent it is. It’s the culmination of a year of hard work. You’ve got the biggest matches and angles going into one night. It’s a lot of fun –– a lot of excitement. You pack in anywhere from 50-, 60-, 70,000 people in an outside arena and it’s just something you’ve got to see.”

Sean Waltman Explains How Bad His Injury Was

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Sean Waltman posted the following on Twitter updating fans on his health condition. Last weekend, Waltman was wrestling at the Jerry Lynn retirement show in Minneapolis, MN and “tore his ass” open while performing his signature Bronco Buster move. Here’s what he wrote about the near-death experience:

“The video doesn’t do justice to the severity of the situation. the turnbuckle wasnt covered & my landing should have been 45 degrees. I ended up landing hard & horizontal.”

 

“The turnbuckle ripped me another new a hole. I knew it right away, U can see me tell ref “tore my ass!” I went to after party briefly, but had to leave as blood starting gushing.”

 

“Hotel looked like a murder scene. So much blood. Hotel security called ambulance & Dr Morken @ HCMC performed sphincterplasty to save me from having to have a colostomy bag. It hard not to laugh. So feel free to find it humorous.”

 

“I did almost bleed out, before ambulance got there. I did the x factor from the top rope & 1 through a table after it happened. My concern was Jerry getting the proper send off, Not my butthole.”

TNA Impact Wrestling Preview For Tonight

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The following is TNA’s official preview for tonight’s episode of Impact Wrestling on Spike TV from Jonesboro, Arkansas:

– Thursday’s LIVE IMPACT will feature the return of the monthly OPEN FIGHT NIGHT! Who will get called out? Who has a grudge to settle? Who wants revenge? Tune in and find out!

– The new #1 Contender to the World Heavyweight Championship – “The Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy – is scheduled for Thursday’s IMPACT! He’s got a vendetta against Aces and Eights! Which member will Hardy call out to battle LIVE on OPEN FIGHT NIGHT?

– Also scheduled for Thursday’s IMPACT on SpikeTV: Will AJ Styles finally speak for the first time? After this past week, AJ continues to leave more questions than answers! Will he explain why he attacked James Storm? Is AJ involved in the Aces and Eights? Will he call out someone during Open Fight Night? Don’t miss Thursday night!

– Plus, will Sting show up again on Impact? After having harsh words for Sting the past few weeks, how will Hulk Hogan react? Hogan is in the middle of an all-out war between the TNA roster and the Aces and Eights – will the battle between both sides go to a new level during OPEN FIGHT NIGHT?

All this and much more on Thursday’s IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast on SpikeTV at 8/7c!

CM Punk Interview: Not Looking To Top Taker’s Matches With HBK, Part Time Stars Getting Top Spots

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WWE superstar CM Punk was interviewed by Mark Madden this week on Pittsburgh’s 105.9 the X radio station to promote his upcoming match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 29. Among the topics discussed were:

  • His strategy heading into WrestleMania & how to make the Undertaker seem vulnerable
  • Whether not needing the WWE title to be popular being a blessing or a curse
  • The “Ric Flair dynamic” of getting cheered as a Heel
  • His primary goal during his 434 day title reign
  • Being a great talker, being aligned with another great talker in Paul Heyman and avoiding overkill
  • If He Gets to slow down and enjoy that he’s one of the top guys in WWE
  • Not wanting to be a “Lifer” in WWE

Here are some highlights of what CM Punk said about:

His Match With The Undertaker:

“Everyone is expecting me to try to top the Shawn Michaels matches. But that’s not my goal. My goal is to make this the best that the situation allows me to make it. There’s a chance it could be better than those matches, but that’s not my goal. This isn’t one of those ‘workrate matches.’ I like my pro wrestling when it’s pissed off and angry. I don’t like it when it’s just two dudes going out there and, ya know, just wrestling. I made him mad, I got under his skin, and I got under his skin. Hopefully it’s going to be emotional and psychological.”

Whether He’s Been Able To Enjoy His Run At The Top Of WWE:

“I’m way too busy doing it. I think I put too much stock in being the last match at WrestleMania, so I’m way too angry about not being the the last match. This is real life. I put too much pressure on myself. I certainly don’t enjoy certain aspects. I don’t enjoy ‘the ride,’ so to speak.”

Part-Time Wrestlers Getting The Top Spots In WWE:

“I’m the only guy who says this – ya know, Miz will go out there and be like, ‘It’s great having these guys back!’ and blah blah blah because I truly believe he thinks he has to say that,” Punk said. “The honest reality of it is you bust your ass for 365 days a year and there’s other people who come in and they don’t work as hard, but maybe get paid the same amount of money. So, me as a businessman, it just makes me look at it and go, ‘Okay, that’s the deal I need to get. I need to get the deal where I work 15 dates a year.’ You know what I mean? It makes me work harder, but, dammit, it’s going to burn me out.”

WrestleMania Retrospective – WrestleMania XII (1996)

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Here’s Part 12 of our WrestleMania Retrospective series, looking back at past WrestleMania events as we march towards WrestleMania 29 on April 7th

WM12-Poster

WrestleMania XII (1995)
Tagline: None
Sponsor: Tyco R/C: Maximum Heat!
Date: March 31, 1996
Venue: Arrowhead Pond, Anaheim, California
Attendance: 18,853
America The Beautiful: Special Olympian, Kathy Huey
The Undertaker’s Streak: 5-0 (Def Disel)

The main attraction of WrestleMania XII was the novelty of the WWF Championship match that was guaranteed to last at least one hour. On-screen WWF president “Rowdy” Roddy Piper had announced on an edition of Monday Night Raw that reigning champion Bret Hart must defend the title against Shawn Michaels in the first ever “WWF Iron Man Match”; whereby the winner would be the man with the most decisions over a sixty minute time limit. Michaels had earned the opportunity to face Hart by winning the 1996 Royal Rumble, and had also defeated Owen Hart at In Your House 6 for the right to keep the WrestleMania title shot

The main event was built on Bret Hart wanting to retain the WWF Championship against Shawn Michaels, who had suffered a number of setbacks over the course of the previous year, including: failing to win Diesel’s WWF Championship the previous year at WrestleMania XI, being accosted by a group of Marines at a Syracuse, New York nightclub, forfeiting the WWF Intercontinental Championship at In Your House 4: Great White North in October 1995 to Dean Douglas, suffering a storyline concussion at the hands of Owen Hart, and being betrayed in storyline by close friend Diesel at a house show at Madison Square Garden.

WM12-HBKBret1

Debuts 
WrestleMania XII saw the WrestleMania Debuts of two major WWF Superstars, Triple H and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

Triple H, making an embarrassing WM debut at WrestleMania XII.
Triple H, making an embarrassing WM debut at WrestleMania XII.

Hunter Hurst Helmsley
Triple H, known then by his full name Hunter Hurst  Helmsley, was accompanied at the time by WWF Diva Sable. He went on to suffer an embarrassing 1:40 match to a returning Ultimate Warrior. As part of the storyline, Helmsely would later take his aggression out on her. The debuting Marc Mero—her real-life husband—came to her rescue, starting a feud between the two wrestlers.

Known then as The Ringmaster, Steve Austin defeats Savio Vega in his WrestleMania Debut.
Known then as The Ringmaster, Steve Austin defeats Savio Vega in his WrestleMania Debut.

Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin joined the WWF in late 1995. Initially, Austin wrestled as “The Ringmaster” and was managed by Ted DiBiase, who awarded him with the Million Dollar Championship. He defeated Savio Vega at  WrestleMania XII.  The “Ringmaster” name would soon be removed in favor of the now infamous “Stone Cold”.

The Undertaker
In the summer of 1995, The Undertaker injured his orbital bone near his eye, forcing a period of absence for surgery, until his return at Survivor Series.

The Undertaker bests to 5-0 at WrestleMania by defeating Disel
The Undertaker bests to 5-0 at WrestleMania by defeating Disel

The Undertaker returned at the 1995 Survivor Series, wearing a Phantom of the Opera-like, grey upper-face mask. In the main event of the 1996 Royal Rumble, The Undertaker was unmasked in a WWF Championship match against Bret Hart, when Diesel interfered in the match to cost the Undertaker the championship. A rematch for the title on the February 5 episode of Raw saw similar interference.

At that month’s In Your House: Rage in the Cage, while Diesel was facing Hart in a steel cage match, The Undertaker burst through the ring and dragged Diesel underneath which allowed Hart to get the victory. This feud culminated in a match between Diesel and the Undertaker at WrestleMania XII, in which The Undertaker was victorious, bring his streak to 5-0.

The Iron-Man Match
The rules of an Iron match are, who ever has the most decisions (Pinfalls, Count-outs, DQ’s) at the end of 60 minutes, would be declared the winner. With Less than a minute left, neither Bret Hart nor Shawn Michaels had either scored a decision

Shawn Michaels Hang gliding into WrestleMania XII
Shawn Michaels Hang gliding into WrestleMania XII

Shawn Michaels leaped off the top rope for a dropkick, but Bret caught him and put im in the sharpshooter with 30 seconds left on the clock.  The crowd was going wild while the announcers were yelling that Bret had him and that the match was over. Ref Earl Hebner asked Shawn if he would quit, but Shawn kept saying no. The time expired with Shawn still in the hold. The bell rang. Bret let go of the hold.

Bret was given the title and walked up the aisle while WWF President Gorilla Monsoon talked to Hebner in the ring. Ring announcer Howard Finkel announced that the match would continue under sudden death rules. “There must be a winner!”

In "Sudden Death" Shawn Michaels nails Bret Hart with the Superkick to capture his first WWF Title.
In “Sudden Death” Shawn Michaels nails Bret Hart with the Superkick to capture his first WWF Title.

The overtime period began with Bret back in the ring talking to Monsoon about it. Vince put over that the “must be a winner” idea was agreed upon before the match. Bret restarted the match by working on Shawn’s back. Back body drop for Bret. Bret whipped him in the corner, Shawn countered by jumping over him and Shawn hit the Sweet Chin Music superkick to knock Bret down. Shawn was still out after hitting it because he was still selling the back injury. Bret was dazed by it because Shawn didn’t hit it cleanly. Shawn stood up in the corner, Bret stumbled over towards him and Shawn hit him again with the Sweet Chin Music. Shawn covers for the one…two…three for the win at 61:52, the longest match in WrestleMania history.

Post match, we would later learn that Shawn told ref Earl Hebner to tell Bret to get out of the ring. He used some profanity when he did it too. Bret’s reaction to that wasn’t very favorable just from looking at his face. They also showed Bret’s son Blade singing Shawn’s “sexy boy” song at ringside. That was funny. Bret walked away angrily, even tossing aside a Canadian flag that was thrown to him. Michaels was very emotional in the ring while Vince McMahon delivered the famous line: “The boyhood dream has come true for Shawn Michaels!”

"The boyhood dream, has come true for Shawn Michaels" - Vince McMahon at WrestleMania XIII
“The boyhood dream, has come true for Shawn Michaels” – Vince McMahon at WrestleMania XIII

WrestleMania XI Results
• Camp Cornette (Vader, Owen Hart and The British Bulldog) (with Jim Cornette) defeated Yokozuna, Jake Roberts and Ahmed Johnson (with Mr. Fuji)
• Stone Cold Steve Austin (with Ted DiBiase) defeated Savio Vega Singles match 10:00
• The Ultimate Warrior defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley (with Sable) Singles match 01:40
• The Undertaker (with Paul Bearer) defeated Diesel Singles match 16:46
• Roddy Piper defeated Goldust (with Marlena) Hollywood Backlot Brawl 12:15
• Shawn Michaels (with Jose Lothario) defeated Bret Hart (c) Iron Man match for the WWF Championship

Jim Ross Blog: Rock-Cena, Flair’s Health, Funk Inducting Foley, Fandango-Jericho

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WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR wrote about:

Terry Funk Inducting Mick Foley:

“Great choice by Mick Foley to select Terry Funk to induct Mr. Foley’s baby boy at the 2013 WWE HOF induction ceremony. The Funker is Mick’s mentor and idol. I think it’s pretty cool when a Hall of Fame inductee can actually have their all time favorite wrestler, their father like figure within the business and their role model as it relates to in ring style and approach to the game induct them.”

Ric Flair’s Medical Situation:

“Got a text from Ric Flair early this morning and Naitch is feeling great and has been provided medication to dissolve the blood clot that is in his leg. The doctor’s are highly optimistic that the meds will do the trick and eliminate a potentially, dangerous issue. Ric and I will get together Wednesday evening in Jersey to catch up which is one of our WrestleMania traditions.”

Fandango vs. Y2J:

“Fandango is a lightning rod right now because many or perhaps a few vocal ‘fans’ don’t like the TV persona even though they have yet to see it fully on display in a match of significance. I’m of the persuasion that I’ll reserve my opinions until I actually see the talent get it on bell to bell. Chris Jericho is the perfect opponent to perform with Fandango at WM29 because Jericho is all about stealing the show ala the great @ShawnMichaels no matter Y2J’s role. Fandango can also expect Jericho to beat the hell out of him along the way. Believe that!”

The Rock vs. John Cena:

“Enjoying the serious nature that the Rock/Cena rivalry has taken the past few weeks and it is a departure from 2012 or so it seems to me. Closing a WrestleMania with such high expectations and having a ‘different’ match than last year are tremendous responsibilities notwithstanding the fact that the match is for the WWE Title which should be the primary issue. Cena vs. Rock is a target of varying levels of controversy from some fans but pales in comparison to what their own peers will place upon the show closers in their own matches at WM29.”

New WrestleMania 29 Match Announced, Updated List Of Hall Of Fame Inductors & More

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– WWE has officially announced that Brodus Clay, Tensai & The Funkadactyls will face Team Rhodes Scholars & The Bella Twins at WrestleMania 29.

– Here’s an updated look at the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame Class and their inductors:

  • Bruno Sammartino (Arnold Schwarzenegger)
  • Mick Foley (Terry Funk)
  • Trish Stratus (Lita)
  • Bob Backlund (Maria Menounos)
  • Booker T (Stevie Ray)
  • Donald Trump (Inductor TBA)

– WWE will be encouraging fans to Tout videos from their WrestleMania 29 parties on April 7th, with some of the Tout videos to be featured on the air during the pay-per-view broadcast.

  • Pictures Of THE ROCK’s Smokin’ Hot Girlfriend (Dayyumm)

The Rock Appears On Good Morning America & Live With Kelly & Michael (Video)

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– WWE will be heavily promoting The Rock’s new movie “Pain & Gain” at WrestleMania Axxess, with several stars from the film making appearances at the fan fest.

  • Pictures Of THE ROCK’s Smokin’ Hot Girlfriend

– WWE champion “The Rock” Dwayne Johnson appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America” and “Live with Kelly & Michael” on Wednesday morning to promote the new “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” movie.

On Good Morning America, Rock talked about being a huge fan of G.I. Joe and Star Wars as a kid, his co-star Channing Tatum being named “World Sexiest Man” as well as his favorite part of getting into shape for the movies – his epic “cheat days.” They wheeled out a cart of what The Rock eats on his cheat days – including a dozen pancakes, double-dough pizza (2 pies on top of each other) and brownies that have peanut butter cookies inside of them.

On Live With Kelly & Michael, The Rock spoke a lot about WWE, including the significance of WrestleMania returning home to the New York Market and why he returned to WWE. He also presented host Michael Strahan with a replica WWE Title belt. Here’s video of the appearance:

WWE Casting For “Christmas Bounty” At Axxess, MITB PPV Presale, Big Show

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– WWE has announced that they will be hosting an Open Casting Call for the upcoming WWE Studios movie “Christmas Bounty” starring The Miz during WrestleMania Axxess next week:

“The WWE Studios team is looking for talent during WrestleMania Axxess! You have an opportunity at auditioning for a role in WWE Studios’s upcoming film, ‘Christmas Bounty.’ Your audition could be posted on WWE’s YouTube channel for all to check out…do you have what it takes?”

– WWE has confirmed that this year’s Money In The Bank pay-per-view will take place on Sunday, July 14th from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. An online pre-sale is scheduled for Thursday at 10 AM and the password is WWEPPV. For tickets, click here.

– SportsIllustrated.com has an interview up with the Big Show, who talks about his college basketball career and wrestling’s longstanding relationship with New York City.

Post-WM29 RAW Sold Out, More On Flair’s Medical Scare, WWE Inbox

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– Charlotte, North Carolina NBC affiliate WCNC did a report this week covering Ric Flair’s health scare on Monday night, where he was sent to the hospital by WWE doctors after they were concerned about his swollen foot.

– The April 8th post-WrestleMania edition of WWE RAW from the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey is sold out. Additionally, there are several WWE Axxess events that have sold out as well.

– Here’s the latest episode of WWE Inbox:

There are some strange places WWE Superstars have been asked for an autograph. Watch this’s week edition of “WWE Inbox” to find out where.

Photos Of JBL’s Recent Aconcagua Mountain Climb

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Earlier this month, WWE announcer JBL attempted to climb Argentina’s Mount Aconcagua (“Mt. Death”), but was unable to reach the summit due to bad weather. He climbed up about 20,00 feet, but got caught up in storms that took two lives. He vows to try again next year. Check out these photos he posted on Facebook of his attempt:

News On WWE’s Creative Team, Upcoming WWE DVD Releases & More

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– There have been a lot of changes to WWE’s creative team taking place behind the scenes in recent months. Following the recent departure of Eric Pankowski, RAW’s lead writer is Ed Koskey, Smackdown’s lead writer is Dave Kapoor. WWE also recently hired a new Emmy Award-winning soap opera writer, David Kreizman. There’s a running joke backstage that WWE has so many different writers with various job titles, but the pay is not great and recent requests for pay increases have been denied.

– The official title for WWE’s upcoming War Games DVD is, “WWE: War Games: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches.”

– WWE’s upcoming In Your House DVD, which hits stores on April 30th, will have a total runtime of approximately 7 1/2 hours. The Blu-ray version will have an additional hour and a half of exclusive content.

– Dolph Ziggler tweeted the following about the Bella Twins vs. Funkadactyls match that will air on tonight’s WWE Main Event:

https://twitter.com/HEELZiggler/status/316739596048285698

(Sources: wwedvdnews.com, f4wonline.com)

WWE Superstars Break NFL Bench Press Record, Main Event Preview For Tonight

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– WWE.com has an article up announcing that both Mark Henry and Ryback broke the NFL Combine record for the 225-pound bench press at Tuesday night’s WWE SmackDown taping from Hershey, PA. Visit the WWE.com link to find out who won the competition between the two WrestleMania opponents.

– The following matches will take place on tonight’s episode of WWE Main Event:

  • US Champion Antonio Cesaro vs. Kane (Non-Title Match)
  • The Bella Twins vs. The Funkadactyls

Super Bowl Champion At SmackDown, What Happened After The Show & More

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– The dark main event after last night’s WWE SmackDown tapings in Hershey, PA saw Randy Orton, Ryback adn Sheamus defeat The Shield by DQ when they hit Ryback with a steel chair. The Shield was setting up Ryback for the 3-man powerbomb onto a chair, but Orton and Sheamus make the save and the babyfaces hit their finishers to end the show.

– The Rock noted on Twitter that Tuesday night’s SmackDown tapings from Hershey, PA was WWE’s first sell out crowd in the city in over a decade:

He also tweeted the following picture of himself with Super Bowl Champion Torrey Smith of the Baltimore Ravens, who was backstage at the show:

The Rock will be appearing on Good Morning America this morning to promote “G.I. Joe: Retaliation.”

Ric Flair’s Agent Releases Statement Regarding His Health

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After his reported hospitalization on Monday night, Ric Flair’s agent, Melinda Morris Zanoni of Legacy Talent and Entertainment, released the following statement regarding his health:

“Ric is doing well, he feels great, and is home. WWE’s medical staff performed a physical on Ric yesterday, like they do all of their athletes, and recommended that he have a doctor take a closer look at his swollen leg.”

 

“Upon arriving back in Charlotte today he went to see his doctors and it was determined that there is a blood clot. He was not admitted to the hospital, rather released with medication, which the doctors are confident will work quickly causing Ric to completely heal soon.”

 

“Ric appreciates everyone’s concern and is looking forward to seeing fans at his next scheduled appearance in Hagerstown, MD on Friday and performing for WWE very soon.”

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