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Michelle Beadle Issues Statement Regarding AJ Lee Incident

Daniel Pena
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Michelle Beadle / AJ Lee Update

NBC sports and entertainment personality Michelle Beadle has issued a statement in response to reports of a backstage incident between herself and AJ Lee at last Wednesday’s Tribute to the Troops event at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Pierce County, Washington.

Dave Meltzer reported this morning in a podcast on F4WOnline.com that Lee went on tirade towards the Access Hollywood co-host upon seeing her chat with CM Punk, her boyfriend, backstage at the event. PWInsider.com subsequently claimed that Lee calmly appeared in his defense for speaking to him in a “disrespectful tone.”

Beadle tweeted the following statement on Sunday in hopes of putting the whole thing behind her:

“Once and once only: I’ve known CM Punk for years. Considered him a friend. When I saw him at the arena, I said ‘hey f&$?face’. The exact same way I talk to everyone. His girlfriend was no where near this. And I kept walking along with my assistant and two members of WWE PR. Next thing I know, I’m being yelled at. I honestly thought it was a joke. Period. The event went on and it was amazing.”

“So I hope we can move on from this ridiculously lame ‘story.’

As for the crazies, BLOCKED! And Happy freaking Holidays!!!”

While Beadle claimed that she took the whole incident as a joke, she tweeted otherwise the day after the incident, stating,

Many people within WWE are embarrassed and angry at Lee over the incident. She is expected to be disciplined for her behavior.

Beadle was at the event as the official host, which will air as a one-hour television special on Saturday, Dec. 28 at 8/7C on NBC.

WWE Diva Wants To Feud With Stephanie McMahon, Zack Ryder Responds To Being Called Fat

Daniel Pena
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– In the latest issue of WWE Magazine (cover dated January 2014, featuring John Cena on the cover), Kaitlyn pays tribute to fellow Texan “Stone Cold” Steve Austin in a photo shoot. In an accompanying interview, the Hybrid Diva reveals that she would like to bring back memories of the legendary wrestler’s feud with Vince McMahon by going one-on-one with Stephanie McMahon.

Responding to a question asking her who her ideal WrestleMania opponent would be, Kaitlyn said, “Stephanie McMahon! I’d love to see our names in lights together because she seems untouchable now, and it would be epic if we could bring back memories of the Austin vs. McMahon rivalry with Kaitlyn vs. McMahon.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Kaitlyn says she is most proud of helping change the general view on the preferred mold for female wrestlers. She states, “I made it acceptable to be something other than a cookie-cutter prototype for the women in this business. I know there are a few who claim something similar, but do those ladies also look good with two different colors in their hair?”

– On Sept. 10 via Twitter, Zack Ryder revealed a goal to gain fifteen pounds by Oct. 1. “Got a lot of down time this month…gonna use the time wisely…training hard & eating A LOT…I want to gain 15 pounds by October 1st. #carbs,” he remarked. The New York native, who has sparingly appeared on WWE programming since early October (he has only appeared in two televised matches in the past sixty days, both of which aired on WWE Superstars), has indeed gained weight as he’s now up to 220 pounds (an increase from a billed weight of 214 pounds). However, not all of it is muscle.

In response to a person on Twitter calling him “fat” and a “pudgy boy” (based on a photo from a recent live event of him appearing heftier), Ryder responded, “220 and ZACKED. You must have seen a bad picture. #bulking.”

WWE TLC 2013 Results

Matt Boone
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WWE TLC Kickoff Show

We kick off the Kickoff Show with the expert panel, which consists of Mick Foley (in a Santa Claus hat), Booker T, The Miz and of course, Josh Mathews. The guys run down many of the top matches for tonight’s show.

We shoot to the social media lounge with the lovely Renee Young. She talks about the history of the TLC matches. She sets up a poll, which asks the question: “What would hurt the most? Falling off a ladder, crashing through a table or getting hit with a steel chair?” You can vote on WWE’s Facebook page. She runs down some tweets further hyping tonight’s PPV.

As the guys on the expert panel continue to run down the matches for tonight, The Shield interupts them backstage. Dean Ambrose talks about how they’re going to beat up CM Punk tonight. Seth Rollins does as well, even mimicking The Rock with an “it doesn’t matter what you think!” line. Roman Reigns says a couple words, and back to Ambrose to close things out with a “believe in The Shield” line.

When we shoot back to the expert panel, Kofi Kingston comes out of nowhere and bitch-slaps The Miz. The two are separated by Mick Foley and Booker T as Kingston is on fire continuously saying “you wanna keep talking?!” The action stops there and we shoot live to the commentary table.

TLC Kickoff Show Match
– Fandango vs. Dolph Ziggler

Fandango and Summer Rae come out dancing and it’s time for our lone Kickoff Show match of the evening. Before Fandango even finishes his entrance we have our first bickering match between Michael Cole and JBL on commentary. Fandango “shushes” the audience once he gets in the ring. Before he can continue with his promo we get a loud “we want Ziggler” chant. Fandango talks trash about Texas line dancing until Dolph Ziggler’s music hits and out comes Ziggler.

The bell sounds and Ziggler gets straight to business with Fandango. Within seconds of the match beginning, we shoot to a mid-match commercial. When we return, Fandango has Ziggler in a rear chinlock. We get a shot of Summer Rae looking on from the floor. Ziggler back-suplexes Fandango to get out of the hold. We have ten minutes left on the pre-show clock as Ziggler does his ten-punch spot on Fandango in the corner.

Ziggler continues his beatdown on Fandango for another minute or two, and then out of nowhere, Summer Rae pops up on the apron and distracts Ziggler, allowing Fandango to push him off the top-rope. Fandango follows that up with his top-rope leg drop and that’s all she wrote, folks! 1-2-3. Fandango wins.

Winner: Fandango

We shoot back to the social media lounge where Renee Young reads some more tweets hyping up tonight’s WWE TLC pay-per-view show. She reveals the results to the poll question I mentioned earlier. The winner of the poll is falling off a lader with 78%. 13% crashing through a table and 9% getting hit with a chair.

After that, we go back to the expert panel where the guys discuss the poll result and the Kickoff Show match that just took place between Fandango and Dolph Ziggler. They talk about Summer Rae costing them the match. By the way, The Miz is no longer on the panel and the guys are now discussing the scuffle between Miz and Kingston. They do some final hype for the top matches at TLC tonight.

Following the video package, Josh Mathews asks Mick Foley and Booker T for their official predictions for the title unification match. Booker T picks Randy Orton. Mick Foley points out that this is Orton’s first ever TLC match.

As the guys continue to talk we get a shot of a limo pulling up. We see Triple H, Stephanie McMahon and finally VINCE MCMAHON come out of the limo. All three head into the arena as the Kickoff Show concludes on that note.

Our live coverage continues with the beginning of the WWE TLC pay-per-view show. For those interested in reading live PPV results throughout the evening, click ahead to page two below.

WWE Attempting “Damage Control” Over AJ Lee-Michelle Beadle Backstage Incident Story

Daniel Pena
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Allegations of a backstage incident between WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee and NBC personality Michelle Beadle at last Wednesday’s Tribute to the Troops event in Pierce County, Washington is currently a huge topic of discussion among company employees at tonight’s WWE TLC pay-per-view event in Houston, Texas. People who generally don’t acknowledge these types of online stories at shows are even offering their thoughts.

Multiple accounts of the story, which was originally reported this morning by Dave Meltzer on F4WOnline.com, are floating online, with some people affiliated with WWE attempting damage control in order to protect Lee’s brand and reputation—PWInsider.com is claiming that Lee did not approach Beadle out of jealousy toward her chatting up with boyfriend CM Punk, but rather, calmly appeared in his defense for speaking to him in a “disrespectful tone.” Meltzer, however, is saying that his version of the story, with Lee going on a bizarre, obscenity-laced tirade toward the popular television personality and behaving similar to her eccentric on-screen character, is completely legitimate.

“I’ve talked to several there. Everything is damage control now,” Meltzer remarked this afternoon on the F4WOnline.com message board in response to conflicting accounts of the incident online. “According to more than one there, she cussed out Beadle and they were very upset, partially because Beadle was brought in as a host and it was a show when they were trying to put their best foot forward, saying it was a bigger deal because it was Tribute to the Troops. Four different people today and one last night including one person who got it from top management explained it the same way.”

“Even one person trying to defend her admitted she was way out of line and nuts, but said she overreacted because she knew Punk and Beadle had a short-lived deal.

“It’s way bigger than I reported last night as of 1 p.m. Central time in Houston. It is the story in the locker room, even backstage people who aren’t usually talking about such things are are all talking about it.”

It should be noted that WWE officials invited Meltzer to last week’s press conference in Santa Clara, California to announce Levi’s Stadium as the location of WrestleMania 31 in 2015, with Stephanie McMahon addressing her new role as WWE Chief Brand Officer to him. In this photo gallery on WWE.com, there is a shot of Meltzer shaking hands with Mark Henry.

Lee’s reign as Divas Champion could end tonight as she is scheduled to defend her title at WWE TLC against Natalya.

Big Change In Betting For Tonight’s AJ Lee vs. Natalya Match At TLC, Latest Classics On Demand Updates

Daniel Pena
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– Amidst reports that Divas Champion AJ Lee is in hot water with WWE brass for appearing unruly towards NBC sports and entertainment personality Michelle Beadle at last Wednesday’s Tribute to the Troops event at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Pierce County, Washington, betting for her scheduled title defense against Natalya tonight at WWE TLC is now off in most outlets.

The New Jersey-native was a heavy favorite to win her match against the accomplished third-generation wrestler after “insider betting” was placed on Thursday. At the start of Sunday, Lee was a 4,500-point favorite, then downgraded to a 2,750-point favorite after reports of the incident surfaced. Natalya moved to a 1,250-point underdog with late money landing on a win before the match was removed from most sportsbooks entirely.

Lee has the third-longest Divas Championship reign in history, having held the title for 182 days as of Sunday. She trails Beth Phoenix (204) and Maryse (216).

– This week’s WWE Classics on Demand updates are as follows: (The Big Events – Armageddon 1999; Classics Rewind – Monday Night Wars: Nitro (1/19/98). Monday Night Wars: Raw (1/19/98), Prime Time Wrestling Holiday Show (12/23/86); Cowboy Bill Watts – North American Heavyweight Championship: Bill Watts (c) vs. Terry Funk (CWF – 1970’s), Bill Watts and Jerry Brisco vs. Robert Fuller and Ron Fuller (CWF – 7/2/74), Florida Heavyweight Championship: Dusty Rhodes (c) vs Bill Watts (CWF – 10/22/74), Bill Watts, Jim Duggan and Terry Taylor vs. Fabulous Freebirds (UWF – 7/21/86); Season Beatings – WCW World Tag Team Championship: Dallas Page and Kevin Nash (c) vs. 3 Count (Nitro – 12/4/2000), First Blood Match: John Cena vs. Kurt Angle (Raw – 1/2/06), Diamond Dallas Page vs. Sting (WCW Thunder – 12/9/99), Eddie Guerrero and Juventud Guerrera vs. Rey Mysterio, Jr. and Billy Kidman (Nitro – 12/28/98), Divas Championship: Michelle McCool (c) vs. Maryse (Smackdown – 12/26/08); TV Classics – NWA’s WCW on TBS (8/20/88), Monday Night Raw (12/19/94), Tribute to the Troops (2012).

Additional Details Surface On Backstage Incident Between AJ Lee And NBC’s Michelle Beadle

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Additional and conflicting details have surfaced concerning a backstage incident between WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee and NBC personality Michelle Beadle at last Wednesday’s Tribute to the Troops event at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Pierce County, Washington.

Wrestling Observer editor Dave Meltzer reported this morning in a podcast on F4WOnline.com that Lee went on tirade towards the Access Hollywood co-host upon seeing her chat with CM Punk, her boyfriend, backstage at the event. WWE officials were very embarrassed and angry at Lee over her “unprofessional conduct,” which PWInsider.com is corroborating. They are especially upset because Beadle appeared as an invited guest of WWE, who is affiliated with partner NBC Universal. Furthermore, the incident took place at Tribute to Troops, which internally is considered one of the most important events of the year by WWE chief Vince McMahon.

Beadle was at the event as the official host, which will air as a one-hour television special on Saturday, Dec. 28 at 8/7C on NBC.

The word among wrestlers backstage at today’s WWE TLC pay-per-view event in Houston, Texas, was that Lee did not approach Beadle due to jealousy, but because she had spoken to Punk in a disrespectful tone. Lee approached Beadle after Beadle had a conversation with Punk, not during a conversation between the two as had been previously reported.

Beadle had remarked something to Punk in a disrespectful manner that allegedly upset him, which led to Lee searching for her—what Beadle said cannot be confirmed. It is said that Lee approached the popular television personality and told her that she was not to speak to her boyfriend in that manner again and if she did, there would be a problem.

One wrestler who witnessed the incident is denying the claim of Lee raising her voice and cursing at Beadle.

“Anyone who said that is a liar,” said the wrestler, who spoke under the condition of anonymity.

Since Beadle is a celebrity, there is heat on Lee over the ordeal. The same wrestler remarked, “Celebs are untouchable in the backstage scene. WWE wants them more than they need any wrestler, so automatically, the wrestler is going to be wrong here, even when [Lee] isn’t really.”

Beadle acknowledged rumors of an incident with Lee this morning on Twitter. In response to a fan remarking to her this morning on the social media outlet, “You should have slapped AJ Lee when she got in your face,” Beadle stated, “Meh. I thought it was a joke.” She then added in response to an upset AJ Lee fan, “Hon…it was done in front of company people. I didn’t say a word. I thought it was a joke.”

Lee is scheduled to defend her WWE Divas Championship tonight at WWE TLC against Natalya.

Matt Hardy Offers His Advice For The TNA Creative Team

Matt Boone
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The following is a quote from a recent Matt Hardy interview on The RCWR Show:

On advice he has for TNA’s creative team: “”The first thing I would say to TNA is with your story telling and the personas and characters you are are telling stories for TV, be sophisticated. Make sure there’s continuity in every story you’re telling because the viewers are more intelligent in 2013 than they’ve ever been. There is so much information accessible to everyone who watches wrestling on TV. You can go online, you can Google anything. You can find out everything. So when you’re on there and you’re portraying a story of these two characters that are wrestling and ultimately it is good vs evil, you know, it is bad vs the hero and in this era of golden TV with shows like Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy, Mad Men, whatever the show is, wrestling repeats are bad which is good storytelling. You have a specific universe. Walking dead, there’s a walking dead universe where zombies live, you know but the show sets up parameters and they give you rules and guidelines and you know kinda what the extent of the cast can be, and everything makes sense. Sure viewers watching it know this is a fictional show but as long as everything makes sense, there is continuity they enjoy it. Because viewers want to be entertained, That translates totally over into the wrestling business and it’s been tied to the wrestling business for so long that it’s just been like—well it’s just wrestling. We can either throw this out or forget about this, lets drop this storyline or lets not let this guy go away, what about the fans? They’ll forget about it, they’ll forget about it. You cannot insult the wrestling fans intelligence because they are smarter now than they were then. So professional wrestling, my advice to TNA would be make your stories as strong as possible and make sure there’s continuity. Don’t insult the viewer’s intelligence.”

Check out the complete interview online at BlogTalkRadio.com.

  • PHOTOS From The Wedding Of Matt Hardy & Reby Sky

    • Maria Kanellis Speaks On Working With Vince McMahon & Paul Heyman, Total Divas

    Matt Boone
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    The following are highlights from a recent interview with former WWE Diva Maria Kanellis:

    On working with Paul Heyman in OVW in the past: “I’m kind of an underground Paul Heyman girl and he is what really inspired the ditsy character, he really inspired me to do the things that I did at WWE. I’m an admirer of his work, I think what he has done with so many guys and throughout ECW was incredible.”

    When I was in OVW I just watched him as he helped CM Punk every day, Punk was already incredible but then Paul Heyman kind of pushed him over the edge and gave him that opportunity on ECW to be who he is today.”

    On what Vince McMahon is like as a boss: “He was great with me, I know he can be very tough with other people but with me he wasn’t, he was like a father figure to me, I really enjoyed working for Vince.”

    On her opinions of the Total Divas reality show: “I’ve watched a few of the episodes of Total Divas and I think it is a great show. There is a lot of tremendous talent in WWE’s women division at the moment, I think AJ Lee is incredible, I’ve always been a fan of Natalya. There are also some great women down in NXT like Paige, there are a lot of great talented women that are a part of that company at the moment.”

    On whether or not we could ever see her and Mike Bennett in WWE or TNA: “TNA called me twice this year, I think they’re a great company but I’m loving my time in ROH and I’m definitely happy with my fiancée. Who knows if that will ever change, but I wish TNA all the best in the world, I think the girls there are tremendous.”

    WWE called me earlier this year and for whatever reason that fell through, would I go back there eventually, sure. I loved my time there I loved traveling the world and the people that I worked with. I’m sure Mike will be in the WWE very soon and it will be great to join him there.”

    Check out the complete interview online at Wrestling101.com.

  • Sexy Photo Of Former WWE Diva Kelly Kelly On The Beach

    • WWE Working On “Surprise Entrants” For 2014 Royal Rumble, The Miz/TTTT Video

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    – WWE is reportedly working on securing their “surprise entrants” for the 2014 Royal Rumble match. The company has started the process of looking at Superstars that aren’t on the current active roster, some of which will be stars from the past making returns, others will be a few potential NXT stars that could get called up.

    – WWE added a video to their official YouTube channel of The Miz attempting to win over a young fan during an appearance at the Tribute To The Troops (TTTT) special earlier this week. The video is accompanied by the following description: “At a Tribute to The Troops appearance with soldiers and their children, The Miz can’t seem to get a favorable, awesome response from a young WWE fan who was asked who his favorite WWE “

  • Backstage Update On The Possibility Of Jake “The Snake” Roberts In 2014 Royal Rumble

    [Partial Credit: F4WOnline.com]

    • Backstage News On Creative Plans For John Cena vs. Randy Orton

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    Apparently WWE came up with the plans for the John Cena vs. Randy Orton title unification match for Sunday’s TLC pay-per-view a few weeks ago. Whatever those plans are, unlike many times in the past where WWE will constantly alter their plans, they are reportedly sticking to them for Cena vs. Orton.

    Basically, WWE has a clear-cut direction they want to take this angle and they appear to be going with it no matter what.

  • Leaked WWE Memo Reveals Stuff That Is NOT Allowed To Be Done On TV

    [Credit: F4WOnline.com]

    • WWE To Feature Total Divas On RAW More, Total Divas To Air On WWE Network?

    Matt Boone
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    WWE has apparently been discussing different ideas for RAW that involve Total Divas. One idea would feature something similar to the “#IMPACT365” videos being inserted into their shows as a way to further cross-promote WWE and Total Divas.

    Speaking of Total Divas, there has also been some discussion within WWE about the possibility of season three of Total Divas airing exclusively on the WWE Network.

  • Total Divas Star Eva Marie’s New Magazine Photo Shoot (PHOTOS)

    [Credit: F4WOnline.com]

    • Kurt Angle Speaks On Working With Steve Austin, People Calling Wrestling “Fake”

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    The following are some quotes from recent interviews with TNA star Kurt Angle:

    On working with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin in WWE: “Steve and I had a great chemistry. We both did each other wrong many times. Ultimately, I would say he was one of the best I have seen in my life. He was better than anybody in the ring. Not just his character, but his ability to talk on the microphone with that attitude – he was a complete wrestler.”

    On people calling pro wrestling “fake”: “If one calls it fake, then it’s an insult to the commitment of a pro wrestler. It is (an insult if you call it fake). It is rather pre-determined. We both know who the winners are going to be. It is one of the barbaric form of athletics I have done. In that ring, we wrestle on woods like this (points to the table in front). Imagine getting slammed on that. So, we have to learn how to avoid being injured when getting slammed. Pro Wrestling is the toughest I have ever done. I broke my neck four times, broke my arms, legs. I had a great career there and I am proud of it.”

    You can check out the complete Angle interviews at DNAIndia.com and NDTV.com.

  • Rob Van Dam Talks About If & When He’ll Return To WWE (VIDEO)

    • Michelle Beadle Confirms Report Of Backstage Incident With AJ Lee – “I Thought It Was A Joke”

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    NBC entertainment and sports personality Michelle Beadle is lending credence to today’s report concerning an incident between herself and WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee at last Wednesday’s Tribute to the Troops event in Pierce County, Washington.

    Wrestling Observer editor Dave Meltzer revealed this morning in a podcast on F4WOnline.com that Lee went on an obscenity-laced tirade towards the Access Hollywood co-host upon seeing her chat with CM Punk, the WWE Diva’s boyfriend, backstage at the event. Beadle didn’t believe Lee was serious with her unhinged WWE character-like behavior.

    In response to a fan remarking to her this morning on Twitter:

    Responding to an upset AJ Lee fan on Twitter, Beadle remarked:

    Beadle’s tweet gels with Meltzer’s claim, as he noted on the podcast that Lee’s Tribute to the Troops incident took place in front of many important people. He added that a number of WWE officials were very embarrassed and angry at Lee over the incident, mainly for “coming off like her character in real life, and not in a good way.” She is expected to be disciplined for her behavior.

    Lee is scheduled to defend her WWE Divas Championship tonight at WWE TLC against Natalya.

    Photos: The Shield Rides On A Tank (Tribute To The Troops)

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    *Spoilers* WWE Tribute To The Troops 2013 Results

    Check out these photos of The Shield riding in on a tank at last week’s Tribute to the Troops tapings:

    Chris Jericho Teases He’ll Be In Houston Tonight, New TLC Match & More

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    – WWE.com has published a video playlist of every John Cena vs. Randy Orton singles match in history, dating back to their days at OVW.

    – Inactive WWE Superstar Chris “Jeritroll” tweeted the following over the weekend, teasing that he’ll be in town for tonight’s TLC PPV:

     

    – There has been talk over the weekend that Tons of Funk vs. R-Truth and Xavier Woods will be added to tonight’s TLC PPV. Tensai tweeted that he’ll be wrestling on the show, even though he’s not currently announced for a match.

    * Candid Shots of AJ Lee’s “Assets” From WWE Live Events – Wow!

    Recent Photos Of NXT’s Paige & Emma Together

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    Austin Aries Talks X Division Title Win, AJ Styles, His Future & More

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    Ring Rust Radio had New TNA X Division Champion AUSTIN ARIES on the show this week, and it was a great episode with plenty of exclusive content and insight into the star’s TNA and Indy career, his recent title win and so much more. Here are some highlights of what Aries said about:

    Winning the X Division Title Again: “Oh, you know, it was a nice little step up for the X Division title. I spoke with the X-Division title last night and he’s really happy to be back around my waist.”

    Rebuilding the Title’s Prestige: “My responsibility is to just go out there and do whatever I’m asked to do to the best of my ability, I don’t put any extra pressure on myself. I don’t necessarily get rubs from championships; I’d like to feel the championship gets a rub off of me. So, if being around my waist is something that’s going to make the title become a little more prominent on the television show, then that’s great. Whatever I’m asked to go out there and accomplish I’m going to do to the best of my ability.”

    Plans on Cashing in the Title to Become World Champion: “I think that opportunity makes sense, now with the ‘Option C’ stipulation that was implemented a couple of years ago, thanks to yours truly, that’s an option I could have if and when I decide to take advantage of it.”

    Winning it Now vs. Three Years Ago: “Well the first time you win it, in some regards, it cements yourself as being at a certain level, a championship level. After doing it a couple times, I don’t want to say its old hat, but you know that’s not the end of the journey. The X Division championship, for me, is just part of the journey and I always have my eyes set on the next goal. And hey, there are all those championship titles that I don’t have around my waist or on my shoulders in TNA then I feel like my journey is never complete. “

    TNA’s AJ Styles Storyline: “Well, my opinions don’t really matter because the storyline, for me, is just to entertain the fans and keep them engaged in what’s going on with the company. I will say that any time that you have the opportunity to take the top prize in the company and take it internationally, and maybe compete and defend it in some territories and in front of some sets of fans that don’t normally get to have that honor, I think that’s a great thing for the company. That helps get the brand out there and helps put the product out there. A guy like AJ Styles is obviously a great talent and he’s going to go out there and put on a performance that’s befitting of a man who is the World Champion. So, from that standpoint alone, I don’t see how there could be anything negative coming from AJ taking that belt all over the world and defend it against anybody that wants an opportunity. I know that’s the same mindset I’ve had in my past when I’ve been world champion. Bring ‘em all on, near and far, we don’t like to sit here and pretend that the only wrestling is the wrestling that happens in our universe. There’s professional wrestling going on all over the world and we want to acknowledge it and put our best against their best at any time.”

    If Companies Should Focus More on the In-Ring Product: “That’s not really for me to say; ideally I think you have the right blend of both. I talk to a lot of wrestling fans, not only the hardcore wrestling fans who obviously have a voice that they are able to use via social media, via the internet and things like that, but I talk to a lot of mainstream, common wrestling fans. People who may be used to watch it back in the day and kind of get back into it now, and those people value the storylines and the characters as much if not more than the actual in ring competition. I think it’s important that we don’t alienate any type of wrestling fan and we give everybody a little something that they can grab on to and appreciate.”

    How Winning the World Title vs. Roode had Changed his Plans/Outlook: “I’ve always been a big believer in myself and that if you give me an opportunity I am going to make the most of it. I was thankful that TNA saw the potential in me and put me in a position to fulfill something like winning the World Heavyweight Championship. For me it was affirmation of all of the hard work I put in, some of the bumps along the road that I had to maneuver, and that was the culmination of it all. I welcome those challenges, I welcome being put in the top spot and the pressure that comes with it, and to be quite honest I would’ve liked to have sunk my teeth into it and journey a little bit more but Jeff Hardy came along and unseated me and now I’m trying to find my way back up to the top of that mountain.”

    Turning Heel after Winning the World Title: “You have to understand that there’s decisions that I control and there’s decisions I don’t control and that was a decision that really wasn’t under my control so, in retrospect, I still feel that wasn’t a decision under my control. For me to comment on it any more than that at this point I don’t see any benefit in that. Everything you said was true: the buzz I had around me, the fan support I had around me was organic and something that grew over time and it was authentic. I definitely think that when you have a situation like that, you want to use that to your advantage the most you can. I’ll let everyone else debate whether that happened or not. That being said, it’s going to be tough any time you’re standing in the ring against a guy like Jeff Hardy, who really has such a strong fan base and support, it’s going to be really hard not to divide the fans and make them choose one side or the other and that’s kind of what happened. “

    Favorite Match or Rivalry: “In different time periods there’s different answers I suppose. You go back and in my Ring of Honor run and there were memorable matches with Samoa Joe, memorable matches with Bryan Danielson and CM Punk. I really enjoyed my time spent there locking horns with Jimmy Jacobs, who brought a whole different mentality out of me as a performer, I think he’s really underrated in what he does. I’ve always enjoyed my tag wrestling whether it’s been with Roderick Strong or later on with Bobby Roode in TNA. I have an appreciation for a lot of different things that I got the opportunity to do because they all help bring a little something different out of you and I like to be a well-rounded performer and continue to grow.”

    Influence Indy Wrestling had on his Career: “When I started this journey, my goal was to say that professional wrestling was my job and luckily there are ways to do that without being signed to one of the major companies. From when I started wrestling till now there’s been a big change in the landscape of wrestling as far as where those opportunities lie. WCW was still going on when I first started in the business and that’s no longer the case. Then you have places like TNA and Ring of Honor which have popped up to give some guys a platform to continue to make money and do this as a job. I think the biggest thing that most guys take who have worked a similar path that I have, which is the independent scene all over the globe, is that you learn how to put on quality performances in front of different sets of eyes and different people because it’s not a one size fits all mentality when it comes to going out there and entertaining. So you have to know who your crowd is and understand different things and different styles of wrestling and what different psychologies work in front of different crowds. It’s one thing that when you see the guys that have gone on to TNA or WWE the guys who have been most successful come from that background because they realize it takes different things to entertain on different nights and they can find out what that formula’s going to be for that evening and they can always go out there and put on a great quality performance.”

    Feeling on TNA Coming Back to Orlando: “The one thing is that yeah, we’re taking a lot of our television back to Orlando, but from me taking a glimpse at the schedule for the beginning of next year, we’ve got a lot of live events and actually even more than we had last year. So if that’s any indication then our product is going to be getting out there just as much on the road, just not as much in a television capacity. So I think that’s an important distinction to make and sometimes you have to take a step back in one area and take a step forward in others so I think the company right now is just trying to find the formula that’s going to work and be financially successful and allow us to continue to grow. People get paid to make those decisions, I’m not one of them, so I’m just going to follow along and make the best of things that I can control.”

    *SPOILERS* For The Next Several Weeks Of Impact Wrestling

    AJ Lee In Hot Water Over Backstage Incident At Tribute to the Troops

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    Reigning WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee is reportedly in hot water with WWE management after “causing a scene” at last Wednesday’s Tribute to the Troops event in Pierce County, Washington.

    Wrestling Observer editor Dave Meltzer disclosed in a podcast (posted Sunday morning on F4WOnline.com) that Lee saw NBC personality Michelle Beadle (who was on hand hosting the event) chatting with CM Punk backstage at the event and “freaked out.” More specifically, Lee threw an obscenity-laced tirade at the popular television personality.

    UPDATE: Michelle Beadle Comments On The Altercation With AJ Lee

    Meltzer says that a lot of people in the company were very embarrassed and angry at Lee over the incident, mainly for “coming off like her character in real life, and not in a good way.” She is expected to be disciplined for her behavior.

    A message Beadle posted the following day on Twitter appears to allude to the situation.

    Meltzer noted that Punk is very upset with company officials over the matter. A message Punk posted Thursday evening on Twitter appears to allude to the situation.

    Solomon Crowe Continues Attack On NXT Talent, Chris Jericho To Interview Edge, How Old Is Rene Dupree

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    – Solomon Crowe, who recently debuted a character where he utlizes a tablet computer to seize control of the lights in the arena, laid waste to another victim Saturday night in Crystal River, Florida.

    The former Sami Callihan remarked on Twitter, “The first time you hear the sirens you should run… #NXTCrystalRiver & @KnucklesMadsen just got infected… #InfectedCrowe #SongsOfSolomon.”

    – Chris Jericho will be interviewing WWE Hall of Edge this week for his Talk Is Jericho podcast (available on PodcastOne.com).

    – Former WWE Superstar Rene Dupree, who won the defunct World Tag Team Championship at the age of 19, turns 30-years-old on Sunday.

    – The official website of 62nd Airlift Wing has published an article on last Wednesday’s Tribute to the Troops taping at McChord Field in Pierce County, Washington. The article features an aerial shot of the venue.

    Update On Madison Rayne Following Her Return To TNA Thursday Night, Talent Pulled From Upcoming UK Tour

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    As seen Thursday night on Impact Wrestling, Madison Rayne made her return to TNA Wrestling. Establishing herself as a babyface, the four-time TNA Women’s Knockout Champion saved ODB from an attack from Lei’D Tapa and her former partner in crime, the reigning TNA Women’s Knockout Champion Gail Kim. The 27-year-old is back on the company website’s official roster and has also been talent roster for January’s tour of Europe.

    Those scheduled for the tour are Magnus, Rockstar Spud, Kurt Angle, Bobby Roode, Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, Ethan Carter III, Bully Ray, Mr. Anderson, James Storm, Gunner, Samoa Joe, Chris Sabin, Austin Aries, Eric Young, Joseph Park, Robbie E, Jessie Godderz, Zema Ion, Gail Kim, Lei’D Tapa, Velvet Sky, Madison Rayne, ODB and Sam Shaw.

    Brooke, Knux and Manik have been pulled from the announced lineup. Other notable admissions include AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, Sting, Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez.

    Jeff Jarrett Invites Puerto Rican Wrestler To Tryout For TNA, Velvet Sky Discusses Her Current Role (Video)

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    – Sebastian Guerra, a 21-year-old Puerto Rican-based wrestler (billed at 6’4″ and 290 pounds) who tried out with WWE in August, is expected to tryout for TNA Wrestling sometime next year after being invited due to so by Jeff Jarrett.

    “I’m going to go possibly in January,” he remarked to PRWrestling.com. “They searched me and offered it to me. It’s another opportunity. I have nothing to lose.”

    – Velvet Sky spoke to Jim Varsallone of The Miami Herald before a recent Impact Wrestling taping in Orlando, Florida. During the interview she addressed leaving the wrestling boots for high heels as the manager of Chris Sabin.

    WWE Announces First Ever Live Tour Of Saudi Arabia

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    WWE sent out the following press release today announcing the company’s first-ever live tour of Saudi Arabia in February 2014:

    WWE(R) LIVE Comes to Saudi Arabia

    RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Dec 15, 2013 (BUSINESS WIRE) — WWE today announced that it will bring WWE LIVE(TM) to The Green Halls Stadium, Prince Faisal bin Fahad Olympic Games Complex in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the first time ever with three shows from Thursday, February 13 through Saturday, February 15, 2014. Tickets will go on sale Monday, December 16, 2013 at 12:00pm KSA.

    Fans attending WWE LIVE(TM) will be able to see their favorite Superstars, including current World Heavyweight Champion John Cena(TM), WWE Champion Randy Orton(TM), Daniel Bryan(TM), Mark Henry(TM), Ryback(TM), Kofi Kingston(TM) and many more.**

    WWE currently has a strong TV presence in Saudi Arabia with its flagship weekly shows, WWE Raw(R) and WWE SmackDown(R). WWE Raw is broadcasted on MBC and the Abu Dhabi Sports Channel and WWE SmackDown can be seen on Orbit Showtime Network.

    “Holding three live events in Saudi Arabia for the first time is a testament to the growing demand for WWE’s brand in this region,” said Gerrit Meier, Executive Vice President, International, WWE. “We are very excited to be returning to the Middle East with events in a debut market after successful shows in Abu Dhabi and Qatar earlier this year.”

    The event also represents a significant milestone for FLASH Entertainment headquartered in Abu Dhabi who, alongside their local Saudi partners Time Events, has worked with WWE to bring WWE LIVE(TM) events to the Middle East.

    “As the region’s premier event organization we are delighted to be partnering with WWE and Time Events on this historic event,” said John Lickrish, CEO of FLASH Entertainment. “WWE is one of the most popular brands in the world, and we are all hugely excited to be bringing it to the people of Saudi Arabia.”

    “TIME Events is all about making a difference and adding to life. We would like to thank FLASH Entertainment and WWE for giving us the opportunity to work side-by-side in bringing WWE to Saudi Arabia for the very first time,” said Ahmed Mashhadi, Managing Director of Time Events. “It plans to be a memorable occasion and one that will be enjoyed by WWE fans across Saudi Arabia.”

    Tickets for the three shows will go on sale Monday, December 16, 2013 at 12:00pm KSA time and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae.

    * Possible *SPOILER* For Tonight’s Unification Match

    WWE Counts Down The Top 10 Unification Matches, Cody Rhodes-WWE Network, Victoria, Birthdays

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    – In anticipation of tomorrow night’s Unification bout between WWE Champion Randy Orton and World Heavyweight Champion John Cena at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, WWE is counting down the top ten Unification Matches in wrestling history. In addition to WWE, this includes bouts from WCCW, AWA, NWA and WCW.

    – WWE Tag Team Champion Cody Rhodes was asked on Twitter whether he’s “pumped” for the upcoming WWE Network and responded, “I’ve done about 11hours of interviews for it so far, so Hell Yeah…”

    – Celebrating birthdays Friday are Brad Rheingans (60) and Boris Zhukov (54).

    – Former WWE performer Lisa Marie Varon’s Chicago, Illinois-based The Squared Circle restaurant will be airing WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs Sunday night. An “Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest” is also scheduled to take place. (The Squared Circle On Twitter)

    Roman Reigns Speaks On His Legendary Heritage, Winning Slammy Awards, Spear

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    The following are highlights from a recent Houston Press interview with WWE Superstar Roman Reigns:

    On coming from the legendary Anoa’i Samoan family: “It’s a responsibility; I’m from such a prestigious linage. Multiple WWE Hall of Famers are in my bloodline. It’s one thing to reach par, but I’m trying to hit hole-in-ones every single night.”

    On winning a Slammy Award for his spear: “The spear speaks for itself, but it’s nice to be on the same page as the fans. It was flattering.”

    On who he’d like to spear that he hasn’t yet: “Maybe Triple H. That would be pretty cool.”

    Check out the complete interview online at HoustonPress.com.

  • WWE Has Huge Plans For Roman Reigns – Find Out What They Are!

    • Chris Benoit Featured On WWE TV Briefly, Indy Stars At WWE Tryout Camp

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    – Former WWE Superstar Chris Benoit, who is banned from appearing on WWE programming or DVD releases, was featured briefly in a WWE TLC video package for the John Cena vs. Randy Orton title unification main event match. Benoit was shown being pinned by Orton during the package that aired on WWE Main Event this week.

    – The following are some known independent wrestlers at the previously reported three-day WWE tryout camp going on this week at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida:

    Ricochet (Dragon Gate USA)
    Pepper Parks (CZW)
    Bestia 666 (Lucha star and son of former WCW wrestler Damien 666)
    Gaylon Summers (6’7” 270 lb. independent wrestler)

  • WWE Makes Huge Changes To Their Drug Testing & Punishments
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