– CM Punk has been pulled from all WWE live events through WrestleMania 29. Despite the fact that he’s been downplaying whatever nagging injuries he’s working through, WWE wants to make sure he’s rested up and healthy for his match against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 29.
– Jim Ross tweeted the following about an upcoming hunting trip with Shawn Michaels:
Can't wait to go feral hog hunting w/ @ShawnMichaels & #MRA crew hopefully in May on HBK's Texas ranch. I smell…bacon!! And a BBQ.#WWE
TNA World Heavyweight champion Bully Ray got into a heated altercation with a fan at last Thursday’s Impact Wrestling tapings from Chicago, Illinois. While Aces & Eights was leaving the ringside area through the crowd, Bully got into a fan’s face, seemingly unprovoked, and unleashed the following anti-gay attack:
“Sit down, faggot. Yeah… What are you gonna do? You ain’t gonna do a damn thing. You got punked in your own frickin’ town. I’m punkin’ you out in front of .. I’m gonna say your daughter. You got punked! You invented fags, you fag. You should’ve did something already, you should’ve did something already, but you ain’t doing nothing’. I’m punking you in front of your hometown. You frickin’ queer. You shave your frickin’ chest.”
Bully Ray is no stranger to riling up crowds with his words. Back in ECW, he would walk (and often) cross the line all the time, with several of his promos nearly inciting riots amongst ECW’s mature fanbase.
Both Bully Ray and TNA President Dixie Carter tweeted about the incident apologizing for his conduct:
Made an inappropriate comment to a fan in Chicago. If anyone was offended by this…I do apologize. No harm was meant.
Jarring with the crowd is a move out of the “Wrestling Heel 101” playbook. However, in this day and age, the verbal attacks used by Bully Ray are way beyond what is acceptable by anybody, let alone the World champion of a national wrestling promotion.
Hit up the COMMENTS below and tell us what you think about the situation. Did Bully Ray really cross the line – or was he just playing a character? Is it too “soft” to prohibit wrestling characters from using hate speech, or should certain things be off limits?
– WWE.com has posted a photo gallery looking at Paul Heyman after he got smacked around by Triple H on RAW. Despite the beatdown he took, Heyman and Brock Lesnar got the last laugh after they revealed Triple H’s career will be on the line in a No Holds Barred match at WrestleMania 29.
– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown and Main Event tapings will take place from Cincinnati, Ohio. The advertised Smackdown main event is Chris Jericho vs. Jack Swagger in a rematch from last week. Also scheduled for the Smackdown taping are World Heavyweight champion Alberto Del Rio, Jack Swagger, The Shield, Randy Orton, Mark Henry, Big Show, WWE tag champions Kane & Daniel Bryan, Sin Cara, and Layla.
The advertised dark match main event will be a six-man tag match featuring The Shield vs. Randy Orton, Ryback and Sheamus.
– After Monday’s WWE RAW from Pittsburgh, PA went off the air, John Cena, Sheamus and Ryback defeated The Shield by disqualification after Ryback was hit by a chair.
– Former WWE star Scott Hall’s goal of raising $80,000 to help with medical costs for hip replacement surgery was reached on Sunday and has already topped $85,500. For more information and details on how you can contribute, visit Indiegogo.com.
– Boxing legend Evander Holyfield congratulated Booker T for his upcoming induction into the WWE Hall of Fame:
Congratulations to my friend Booker T on getting inducted into the WWE hall of fame. Work hard always pays off #realdeal
– Trish Stratus, who is also being inducted this year, wrote this on her official website about Booker T’s induction:
What an awesome addition, and a welcome addition to the class of 2013! A well-deserved honor for my fellow Tough Enough trainer, I can definietly dig that… sucka!
WWE RAW opens up with a look at Brock Lesnar from last week. We also get a look at CM Punk interrupting The Undertaker’s tribute to Paul Bearer.
– We go to the ring and out comes John Cena to kick off RAW.
The #1 contender talks about how we have 20 days left to pick a side – Cena or The Rock. Cena has a message for all The Rock’s fans tonight. Cena points at a sign and says your time is up, our time is now. Cena is met with mostly boos. Cena says he won’t make the mistake he did last year by predicting victory but he says he is focused and ready for WrestleMania. The music interrupts and out comes Titus O’Neil and Darren Young. Titus is wearing an afro and what looks like pajamas. Titus says The Primetime Players are also ready for WrestleMania 29. Rufus Pancake Patterson is O’Neil’s new character. He says Titus is his nephew. This goes nowhere until Titus brings up Darren looking like Cena. Rufus says Darren should be on the cover of Cocoa Pebbles since Cena is on the front of Fruity Pebbles. Rufus says he would come to the ring but his gout is flaming up. Rufus says Darren would be happy to face Cena. Darren says Cena will be crying and weeping like the loser he is after tonight. They taunt Cena and he gets serious now. Cena challenges Young to step into the ring. Cena says he will show him what it means to be in the main event of WrestleMania. Cena gets ready for a fight and here comes Young and a referee.
Darren Young vs. John Cena
The bell rings and Cena goes to work on Young.
Titus pulls Young to safety after Cena unloads. We take a commercial break.
Back from the break and Cena is still in control. Cena hits shoulder blocks and the big slam. Cena hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle and the Attitude Adjustment for the win.
Winner: John Cena
– Still to come tonight, The Undertaker will return.
– Michael Cole shows us footage of The Shield interrupting Mark Henry vs. Ryback on SmackDown. We also see Henry beating Ryback up. Ryback is walking backstage as we take another commercial break.
Ryback vs. David Otunga
Back from the commercial and out comes Ryback while David Otunga poses in the ring. Ryback rams Otunga back into the corner and beats him down to start the match.
Otunga tries to fight back but Ryback clotheslines him. Ryback comes back and slams Otunga to the mat. Ryback hits the Meathook clothesline and Shell Shocked for the win.
Winner: Ryback
– After the match, Ryback cuts a promo but out comes Mark Henry. Before he can come down, Teddy Long and Vickie Guerrero come out to stop him. Vickie says she’s taking Ryback out of the six-man match at WrestleMania. Vickie announces Ryback vs. Henry for WrestleMania. Ryback lays Otunga out with another Shell Shocked to send Henry a message.
Fandango vs. The Great Khali
Back from the break and out comes Fandango with his dancer. They dance at ringside and he places her up on the apron before posing in front of her. They also dance and pose in the ring. A lit up silhouette of Fandango appears in the air. Out next comes The Great Khali with Natalya.
Fandango says Khali is far too stupid to pronounce his name correctly. Fandango calls Natalya a Canadian slice of heaven and wants to let her try to say his name. Natalya messes up the name on purpose and tells Khali to get him. Fandango runs out of the ring and walks away with his dancer. He says tonight was the night where we almost got to see the debut of Fandango. A “you can’t wrestle” chant breaks out.
– Still to come, the Intercontinental Title Triple Threat. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get a plug for Brock Lesnar in Muscle & Fitness magazine.
R-Truth vs. Damien Sandow
We go to the ring and out first comes R-Truth. Damien Sandow is out next. Sandow cuts a promo on the way to the ring and tells everyone they’re welcome. Truth has some poetry of his own and says Sandow is going to get got.
The bell rings and they go at it. Sandow takes control with an early pin attempt. Sandow with a headlock now. Truth fights back and rolls Sandow up for 2. Sandow with a clothesline and right hands. Sandow with a suplex and another 2 count. Sandow with a side Russian leg sweep and the Elbow of Disdain for another pin attempt. Truth comes back with clotheslines and right hands. Truth with a big head scissors and a kick to the jaw. Truth hits the scissors kick but Sandow rolls out of the ring. Sandow walks up the ramp and to the back, getting counted out.
Winner by Count Out: R-Truth
– The Bella Twins are backstage hanging on Cody Rhodes. Kaitlyn comes up and tells Cody she has something going on later so they can’t hang out. The Bellas say nobody cares. Kaitlyn says they can have Cody’s mustache and he can have theirs.
– Up next, The Undertaker is coming for the urn. Back to commercial.
– Back from commercial and out comes The Undertaker to the ring.
Taker says CM Punk sealed his fate by making this personal. Taker says he is going to hurt Punk bad at WrestleMania 29. Taker says Punk has one chance to save himself – bring the urn out now. We hear someone impersonating Paul Bearer. Punk appears on the big screen and apologizes for not being able to hit the high notes Bearer once did. Punk acts like Bearer is speaking to him through the urn. Punk talks about Taker and juggles the urn around while he speaks. Punk says he is a higher power. Punk says he is the one man in the world who can shoulder the burden of snapping The Streak. Punk says he’s ready to walk through hell and receive whatever pain Taker inflicts on him. Punk says he’s the one that will end The Streak. Punk drops the urn and says, “oh shit!”
– Still to come, Triple H and Brock Lesnar’s contract signing. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we see footage of CM Punk with the urn just now.
Primo and Epico vs. Kane and Daniel Bryan
Primo and Epico are in the ring with Rosa Mendes. Out next comes the WWE Tag Team Champions Kane and Daniel Bryan for a non-title match.
Kane starts off for his team and works the other over. Bryan tags in and Primo attacks him from behind. Bryan makes a comeback and hits a big knee for a 2 count. Epico comes in and Bryan takes him down with an armdrag. Bryan with a big back bodydrop. They distract Bryan and send him out to the floor. Bryan is rolled back in for a 2 count. Epico and Primo keep Bryan in their corner with quick tags now.
Kane finally gets the tag and cleans house. Kane runs into a boot but catches Primo with a big sidewalk slam. Kane knocks Epico off the apron and climbs to the top for a big right hand. Kane calls for a chokeslam but out comes AJ Lee skipping around the ring. Kane gets rolled up for a 2 count as he was distracted. Epico tags in for some double teaming but Bryan makes the save. Kane chokeslams Epico for the win.
Winners: Kane and Daniel Bryan
– Kane and Bryan stare at AJ confused after the match. AJ skips away to the back.
– Chris Jericho is backstage with Josh Mathews. Jericho brags about his history with the Intercontinental Title and says he will make it 10 times tonight. Fandango interrupts and shows Jericho how his name is said. Jericho calls him Fan-Dumbo, Fan-Dunghole, Fan-Dodge Durango and a bunch of other funny names. Fandango says Jericho will learn to pronounce his name properly.
– Still to come, Sheamus and Randy Orton vs. 3MB. Also, Alberto Del Rio vs. Cody Rhodes. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get a video about WWE working with Nothing But Nets to fight malaria in Africa.
Cody Rhodes vs. Alberto Del Rio
We go to the ring and out comes Cody Rhodes for the next match. Ricardo Rodriguez is out next to begin the introduction for World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio.
The bell rings and they go at it back and forth. Del Rio with an early roll up. Cody drops down and nails the right hand. Cody takes Del Rio to the corner now and works him over. Cody works on Del Rio’s hurt knee now. Cody keeps Del Rio on the mat until he backdrops him. Del Rio charges in the corner but Cody moves and Del Rio hits the ring post. Cody goes back to work on Del Rio and takes him to the corner. Del Rio turns it around and kicks Cody in the back. Cody kicks Cody from the apron to the floor and he hits his head on the way down. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Cody is in control of Del Rio now. Del Rio scoop slams Cody and goes to the top. Del Rio misses a moonsault as his knee buckles. Cody runs over Del Rio and starts stomping on him. Cody with a 2 count. Del Rio finally makes another comeback and hits the tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Del Rio with a big kick to the mouth for a close 2 count. Cody blocks the cross armbreaker and fights Del Rio off. Cody hits a moonsault for 2. Del Rio dumps Cody to the apron and hits a series of shots to the lower back. Del Rio with a backstabber for 2. Del Rio misses in the corner but counters Cody and locks in the cross armbreaker for the win.
Winner: Alberto Del Rio
– After the match, Jack Swagger comes out and attacks Del Rio from behind in the corner. Swagger beats Del Rio down. Ricardo tries to make the save but Swagger stops him and tosses him out of the ring. Del Rio fights back on Swagger and they tumble out of the ring. Del Rio with a big superkick. Del Rio throws Swagger into the fan barrier. Del Rio approaches Zeb Colter and Zeb pleads with him. Del Rio grabs Zeb but Swagger makes the save from behind. Swagger sends Del Rio into the steel steps and tells him to never lay a hand on Zeb. Swagger tosses Del Rio over the announce table and a “USA” chant breaks out as Swagger looks up at the WrestleMania 29 sign. Swagger and Zeb head to the back but stop when they see Ricardo. Swagger runs and hits a huge clothesline. Swagger locks in the Patriot Lock on Ricardo as Zeb looks on. Swagger twists Ricardo’s ankle up and he screams on the floor. Trainers check on Del Rio and Ricardo as Zeb and Swagger head to the back.
– Back from the break and we get replays of what just happened. During the break, Ricardo was stretchered out. The announcers play up the seriousness of the situation.
– Cole announces Booker T for the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame. They air a video looking back at Booker’s career.
– Still to come tonight, the Intercontinental Title Triple Threat.
Randy Orton and Sheamus vs. 3MB
We go to the ring and out comes Randy Orton. Orton takes his time getting to the ring and we go back to commercial.
Back from the commercial and out comes Sheamus to team with Orton. Out next comes 3MB’s Heath Slater, Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal. Drew and Sheamus start the match off. Drew tries to take control but Sheamus lays him out. Orton tags in to a big pop. Orton drops a knee but runs into an elbow in the corner. Orton dropkicks Drew and tags Sheamus back in. Sheamus hits Drew with the forearm shots on the apron. Sheamus hits a battering ram for a 1 count.
Sheamus keeps control until Slater tags in and they beat Sheamus down in the corner. Slater and McIntyre with quick tags now. Sheamus fights out on Drew but catches a kick to the face. 2 count by Drew. Slater comes back in to keep up the attack on Sheamus. They try to double team but Sheamus fights them off and knocks Drew out of the air. Sheamus tags in Orton. Orton unloads on Slater and hits the powerslam. Orton tosses Slater to the apron and hits the draping DDT. Sheamus runs in with a Brogue for Jinder and Drew. Orton nails the RKO on Slater for the win.
Winners: Sheamus and Randy Orton
– After the match, The Shield music hits and here comes Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose through the crowd. They surround the ring until Big Show comes out. Show runs down and joins Orton and Sheamus in the ring. The Shield decides not to rush the ring and they leave back through the crowd. Show looks up at the WrestleMania sign and points at it. Show leaves the ring as Orton and Sheamus stare at him.
– Michael Cole leads us to an exclusive look at The Rock in GI Joe 2.
Kofi Kingston vs. Dolph Ziggler
Back from the break and out comes Kofi Kingston. Dolph Ziggler is out next with Big E Langston and AJ Lee.
They lock up and trade holds to start the match. Ziggler takes control but Kofi leaps and hits a back elbow. Kofi gets hung up on the top turnbuckle and Ziggler covers for 2. Ziggler with a dropkick and another 2 count. Ziggler does a headlock headstand and shows off. Kofi fights out but Ziggler cuts him off. Kofi comes back with chops and a dropkick. Ziggler goes for the sleeper but it’s blocked. Kofi with a springboard crossbody for a close 2 count. Kofi with a big right hand and the Boom Drop. Kofi goes for Trouble in Paradise but Ziggler catches him. Kofi slides out and kicks Ziggler in the face. Kofi goes to the top but AJ gets on the apron and distracts the referee. Kofi runs the apron at Ziggler but Langston knocks him out of the air. Kofi lands hard outside of the ring. Ziggler brings Kofi back in the ring and nails a Zig Zag for the win.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
– After the match, Kane and Daniel Bryan come to the stage. Bryan congratulates Ziggler and Big E for getting them on the same page finally. Kane says he isn’t in a good place right now. Kane wants to see what Big E Langston can do inside of the ring. Langston likes the sound of this. Kane proposes Ziggler and Big E vs. Team Hell No. AJ interrupts and accepts the challenge, only if the tag titles are on the line and it’s at WrestleMania 29. They accept.
– Back from the break and we see what happened with CM Punk and The Undertaker earlier tonight.
– WWE airs another special preview for John Cena vs. The Rock at WrestleMania 29.
Triple Threat for the WWE Intercontinental Title: The Miz vs. Chris Jericho vs. Wade Barrett
We go to the ring and out first comes The Miz. We go back to commercial.
Back from the break and WWE Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett is already out. Chris Jericho comes out next to a nice pop. The match starts with Barrett decking Jericho then hitting Miz. Jericho comes over and drops Barrett with an elbow for a 2 count. Jericho clotheslines Barrett to the floor. Miz rolls Jericho up for 2 from behind. Jericho and Miz go at it now. Miz dropkicks Barrett through the ropes. Jericho leaps out onto both of them with a crossbody. Jericho brings Barrett in the ring and hits a knee to the head. The crowd chants for Jericho now. Barrett fights him off but gets dropkicked. Jericho with a 2 count. Miz pulls Jericho out of the ring and rams him into the apron. Miz rolls Barrett up for 2. Another roll up for 2. Miz keeps control of Barrett and clotheslines him in the corner. Miz takes Jericho back down to the floor. Barrett cuts Miz off on the top and works him over. Barrett with a high running knee to the gut.
Jericho comes in and catches them both in the corner with a super superplex. We go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Barrett is in control of Jericho. He knocks Miz to the floor. Barrett with a big knee to the gut for a 2 count on Jericho. Jericho fights back but Barrett hit another knee. Barrett runs into a boot and Jericho makes a comeback. Jericho hits the bulldog. Miz blocks the Lionsault and sends Jericho to the floor. Miz comes off the top on Barrett and unloads on him with offense. Miz gets caught in Winds of Change and Barrett covers for 2. Miz dropkicks Barrett’s leg and goes for the Figure Four and locks it. Jericho breaks it with a Lionsault and a close 2 count on Miz. Jericho goes at it with Barrett and locks in the Walls of Jericho. Miz breaks the hold and goes for a Skull Crushing Finale. Jericho fights him off. They dump Barrett to the floor. Jericho rolls Miz up for a close 2 count. Jericho hits a Codebreaker on Miz.
Barrett pulls Jericho to the floor and steals a pin for 2. Jericho pulls him out and sends him to the barrier. Jericho covers Miz for a close 2 count. Miz plants Jericho with a DDT for 2. Miz misses a clothesline in the corner. Jericho dropkicks Barrett to the floor from the apron. Miz drops Jericho with a kick to the face for another close 2 count. Jericho with chops on Miz. Jericho misses an enziguri. More back and forth. Jericho with a roll up for 2. Miz catches Jericho and hits a Skull Crushing Finale. Barrett runs in and breaks the pin, rolling Miz up for the win.
Winner: Wade Barrett
– After the match, Barrett grabs his title and heads to the ramp to talk some trash. We go to replays.
– We get footage from the world premiere party for WWE Studios’ The Call.
– We see some fan Touts for the Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H stipulation. Triple H is headed to the ring as we go back to commercial.
– Back from the break and out comes Triple H for the WrestleMania 29 contract signing. The ring is set up with the usual table and chairs. Triple H stands and waits for Brock Lesnar to come out. Paul Heyman comes down with three security guys instead. Triple H says he thought Lesnar was the kind of guy who would come look him in the eye. Heyman says we all know Lesnar is fearless. Heyman says he is afraid of Triple H because Triple H realizes the predicament they have put him in. Either he disappoints the fans by taking away the match they want to see or he signs the contract not knowing what the stipulations are. Heyman thinks Triple H doesn’t know what to do yet and is very frustrated. Heyman doesn’t want those frustrations taken out on him so that’s why he has security with him. Triple H knocks the quality of Heyman’s security. Heyman shows that Lesnar has already signed the contract. He says he will reveal the stipulations only after Triple H signs.
Triple H is ready to do this and asks for the contract. Heyman says he wants to take a minute and really enjoy this. Heyman says they have spent time watching one piece of footage over and over again. Heyman shows footage from three weeks ago when Lesnar and Triple H brawled at ringside, leaving Lesnar busted open. Heyman asks how do you top that? Heyman says he knows and it will be Triple H blindfolded at WrestleMania. Nah, he says. Heyman says it will be Triple H with his hands cuffed and ankles shackled in the match. Nope, not that one either. Heyman says Lesnar is letting him pick the stipulation. Heyman says the winner of the match gets Stephanie McMahon. Heyman says no, that wouldn’t work. It would be more fitting if the loser gets Stephanie. Triple H grabs Lesnar and pulls him over the desk. Security attacks Triple H but he fights them off and tosses them out of the ring. Triple H grabs Heyman by his hair and slams his face into the table. Triple H rips Heyman’s shirt over and hits him in the chest. Heyman screams for Lesnar’s help. Triple H says he knows Brock isn’t coming out until he signs the contract so he’s going to take his time and enjoy this. Triple H smacks Heyman around as he screams for Lesnar.
Triple H signs and makes it official. He stabs the pen into Heyman and tells him to bring out Lesnar. Triple H dumps Heyman off the table. Triple H kicks Heyman out of the ring and tosses a chair onto him. Lesnar’s music hits and out he comes with a steel chair. Lesnar is going insane at the top of the ramp. Triple H grabs a sledgehammer. Heyman begs Brock not to enter the ring as Triple H waits. Lesnar laughs and tosses the chair into the ring. The crowd boos. Heyman tells Lesnar that they won this round and talks him down as he walks around the ring. Lesnar points at the WrestleMania sign. Heyman is beat up and looks to be bleeding but smiling. Heyman says that beating was worth it to get Triple H to sign the contract. Heyman reveals a No Holds Barred stipulation. He adds that Triple H’s career will be on the line. RAW goes off the air with Triple H looking on from the ring.
– Following Jack Swagger’s attack on Ricardo Rodriguez at RAW, WWE is reporting that Ricardo’s ankle is broken.
– This Friday on SmackDown, Jack Swagger will face Chris Jericho rematch from last week’s show.
– Speaking of Chris Jericho, it appears WWE is in fact building towards a Chris Jericho vs. Fandango match at WrestleMania 29. The two had a confrontation backstage at Monday’s RAW when Fandango interrupted Jericho’s backstage promo. Jericho mocked the new superstar by intentionally messing up his name and asking him for movie tickets, a reference to the popular Fandango movie ticket service.
– There is a lot of concern in WWE behind the scenes that Rey Mysterio’s career could be coming to an end. Mysterio has been battling a slew of injuries for years and has told WWE that he’ll be back in action by June. Not everybody is convinced that he’ll be able to return.
– Former WWE superstar MVP announced on Twitter that his new rap song “Tokyo” will be available online for download later tonight.
Speaking of MVP, he will be doing a “Happy Hour with MVP” event during WrestleMania 29 weekend with NYC DJ Peter Rosenberg.
– WWE has announced the following tour dates in Canada during the last week of May:
* May 25th, 2013 – Brandt Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan
* May 25th, 2013 – Enmax Centrium in Red Deer, Alberta
* May 26th, 2013 – Medicine Hat Arena in Medicine Hat, Alberta
* May 26th, 2013 – Enmax Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com.
The Top Matches At WrestleMania 29:
What really is the main event of WM29? From a marketing standpoint the answer is obvious, @TheRock defending the WWE Title against @JohnCena…without question and hands down.
However, that doesn’t mean that particular bout, which has the heavy responsibility of likely closing the near, four hour show, is dancing alone.
Many fans are just as interested to see if ‘The Streak’ survives another year. Obviously, @CMPunk and @HeymanHustle feel that it won’t and that Father Time and Punk’s unique skill set can derail the most impressive accomplishment ever earned on the grandest stage of them all.
Others are intrigued to see if #TripleH can derail the PPV performing juggernaut Brock Lesnar in a match driven by an intense, personal issue. Will Lesnar’s MMA skills be too much for the Cerebral Assassin to handle? I am very anxious to see the strategies utilized by both men which obviously are going to be dictated by the stipulations of the match.
WrestleMania 29 Undercard
There’s lots of star power still uncommitted officially to the WrestleMania lineup so the issue of “Where is the under card?” is a non issue to me. It’s there and I feel it will be significant.
So, in a nutshell, tonight’s Pittsburgh RAW should be a revealing and telling broadcast as WM29 gets ever so close. As usual, don’t miss the start of the broadcast as it usually sets the tone for the evening.
The under card is very important to the entire presentation without question. But will those important albeit non main event level bouts adversely affect the number of buys that WM29 gets on PPV? My guess is no.
Scott Hall & Jake Roberts’ Recovery:
Very proud of the support of so many fans who are helping Scott Hall put his body, his mind and his life back together. DDP and others, including Sean Waltman, are to be commended to helping Scott get his life and health in order just as DDP has been doing with Jake ‘the Snake’ Roberts. Let’s pray for success for both these men who have been richly blessed with the ability to entertain fans for years. Both Jake and Scott have so much to offer others, especially in the wrestling business, and well beyond.
On Friday’s SmackDown, it was announced that The Shield will make their WrestleMania debut in less than 3 weeks against the team of Randy Orton, Ryback and Sheamus. It has been rumored for quite some time that Ryback would be facing Mark Henry at WrestleMania, so their match on Friday’s SmackDown and the inclusion of Ryback in The Shield’s match appeared to signal a change in booking plans.
However – a hidden image on the WWE website appears to give away what the actual match will be at WrestleMania. The current image that’s up, “6Man_1.jpg” – shows Ryback in the match:
Changing the file name to “6Man_2.jpg” reveals the following:
Both images were uploaded to WWE’s servers on the same (March 4th), so it appears that Big Show joining the “WWE All Stars” team was the plan all along. Based on what we’ve heard regarding the WrestleMania card and the image above, expect to see Big Show replace Ryback in the 6-man tag team match, and for Ryback to challenge Mark Henry at the show.
– Rey Mysterio is being advertised for the April 8th WWE RAW taping from East Rutherford, New Jersey, the night after WrestleMania 29.
– CM Punk did not appear at Saturday night’s WWE live event from Providence, Rhode Island, despite being advertised. Punk’s name was featured on the marquee outside of the arena, but there was no mention of him during the live event and no refunds were offered to fans who attended the show to see him. It’s believed that Punk suffered an injury to his arm last week on RAW and he was given a few days of to rest up.
– F4wonline.com reports that WWE superstars have been talking about how strange it is to not have the WWE Champion appearing at live events for over a month now. That said, WWE’s “Road To WrestleMania” live events have been drawing great crowds and have been very profitable.
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog at JRsBarBQ.com with some commentary on wrestlers needing to manage their finances better.
“In today’s WWE, if a talent is working regularly, and I’m not even talking about a main event talent, there is no reason that they should not be putting significant portions of their income away for their future,” Ross said. “No reason whatsoever. Those that say otherwise likely don’t have a plan whatsoever and are more bling conscious than not. Those talents that don’t have a legitimate, reliable, licensed financial planner working with them are at the top of the list for those who will be taking Indy wrestling dates for any amount of money that they can muster long after their body has told them that enough is enough.”
Jim Ross addressed the issue of wrestlers being classified as independent contractors and whether that affects their ability to properly set aside money for taxes and save.
“Some critics decry that if these men and women were not independent contractors that these issues would be significantly lessened and to that I call BS. Look at all walks of society where men and women are members of unions, are fulltime, regular employees and they still can’t be forced to spend their monies wisely, to pay their taxes, and to prepare for their future.”
“It’s akin to having substance abuse problems. The only thing that can guarantee a cure is for the abuser committing 100% on a daily basis to choose to be clean and sober. In other words, the abuser’s biggest ally is the person that they see in the mirror because only they can stop the madness and prevent a predictable, disastrous end to their own life.”
Solomonster opens with some thoughts from his latest Layfield Report column on retiring the Intercontinental and U.S. titles in WWE, then leads with TNA thoughts this week:
-TNA Lockdown thoughts, Bully Ray wins his first singles World title and turns on the Hogans (5:00)
-Can the addition of Bully save Aces and Eights? What he brings to the table that they’ve been lacking (13:45)
-Thoughts on adding a female presence to Aces and Eights in the form of Ivelisse (16:00)
-Update on contract status of Rob Van Dam, could a WWE return be in his future? (25:40)
-Why does a three-hour Raw need an overrun? Suggesting a move to 8-10pm and why it makes sense (27:00)
-Looking at Paul Bearer’s death being incorporated into the Undertaker/CM Punk storyline (33:30)
-A bizarre Highlight Reel segment from Raw and why wrestlers were so upset with Michael Cole (49:30)
-Jimmy Uso arrested for his second DUI, and the dangerous precedent WWE has now set (58:00)
-Can Bill Goldberg’s WWE run be considered a flop? And could we see a match with Ryback? (1:15:30)
-If not WrestleMania 17, what would have been a good time to turn Steve Austin heel? (1:23:45)
After making a guest appearance several weeks ago on “Old School” RAW, f4wonline reports that WWE Legend The Honky Tonk Man could be at tonight’s RAW from Pittsburgh, PA.
Honky Tonk Man was scheduled to do a comedy show in Toronto last night, but reportedly canceled the show, citing that he was called by WWE to appear at tonight’s RAW.
We can’t confirm that he’ll be there – but he was reportedly telling people he will be.
Gail Kim and Mickie James were the final two competitors. Gail acted like she was injured, but then quickly rolled up Mickie for the win. After the match, Madison Rayne then came out to the ring and put a crown on Gail’s head. Gail forced Madison to leave the ring and posed for the crowd.
WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin recently appeared on Adam Carolla’s podcast. You can listen below, Austin comes in towards the end:
Here are some of the highlights of what he said about:
Getting Started in Pro Wrestling:
“I grew up in a small town in south Texas. Changing channels on the television one day, probably seven years old, and came across Houston Wrestling. There was one light hanging over the arena, two guys fighting for a championship belt. This was back in the day when wrestling was real. This was before all the exposés and the 20/20’s and all that stuff. So, wrestling was “real,” and I was glued to the screen. Through my athletic stuff and football scholarships through college, once I got out of college I was driving a forklift for Watkins Motor Lines in Dallas, Texas, driving down to the Sportatorium watching the Von Erich’s fight the Freebirds. Not in the forklift [laughter]. And a guy had a commercial on TV; teach you how to be a pro wrestler. I always knew in the back of my mind that I was going to be a pro wrestler. My first college major was a business major because I was going to sell insurance with my dad. I figured that’d be the logical thing to do. But man, it kicked the s*** out of me. I dropped it several times to a PE major. And after 17 hours to graduate, I decided nah, this ain’t for me. I’m going to go into professional wrestling full time.”
How Hard Life Was When He First started:
“We were driving from Nashville to Memphis and Memphis and back, about a 400 mile round trip, making 15 dollars to do that. So the two guys rode with me would just gas up my base model Hyundai Excel, which my brother had co-signed the note for me, payments were 154 bucks a month. I could barely make those damn payments. So guys were chasing me around, trying to collect my car. So times were rough, but that’s part of paying the dues process. On Wednesdays we used to always get paid in Evansville, Indiana, and with the little s****y paychecks we were getting, we’d go down to the liquor store in Evansville to buy our beer before we headed home. This was back when it was okay to drink and drive, before everyone started screwing it up. So we’d cash our checks and we’d tell the guy behind the counter there, yeah these are just our trans checks for gas and horse****. But these were the checks we were living on.”
Getting His Big Break In Wrestling:
“The big break came when I left USWA in Tennessee and went to Atlanta for substantially more money, but not a lot of money. And then a few years later, after I injured my arm, I went to ECW in Philadelphia with Paul Heyman. I started to learn how to cut a damn effective promo. Someone finally gave me a chance and put the microphone in front of my face. And a chance for me to unleash some of the stuff I had inside of me from being screwed over by WCW. WWE called me, picked me up, I went up there and they called me the Ringmaster. Well that sucked ass. I knew it. It wasn’t giving me any kind of marquee value. Ain’t too many people going to be buying t-shirts with the Ringmaster on it. So I came up with the Stone Cold Steve Austin gimmick, and I pitched that to the office. They started calling me Stone Cold Steve Austin unceremoniously. There was no build up, no hoopla, no bull****. And then one thing turned into another, I knew I was onto something. I just started turning the volume way up on the promo level. I turned the balance up inside the ring, giving out a very credible, believable product. People bought into it, with the storylines and the booking, and it turned into a real strong thing.”
His Favorite Wrestlers:
“Man, when you talk about your really good wrestlers, Shawn Michaels to me, is the greatest performer I have ever seen in the ring. Bret “the Hitman” Hart is the guy whose going to weave together storylines on different levels of psychology and execution, and he’s just top notch. Ric Flair is my favorite pro wrestler of all time. So I think when you look pro wrestler up in a dictionary, you see the picture of Ric Flair.”
Owen Hart:
“I remember I was wrestling Undertaker that night in the main event. I was there. Didn’t see it happen. I was in the back, hanging out, waiting for my time to go on. All of a sudden, we get word back that Owen fell, and we knew that he was going to do a gig hanging from the ceiling of the arena, and it was a hell of a fall. And all of a sudden, we get word that he isn’t with us anymore. It was a real weird feeling. They said the show must go on, so the show must go on. We’re out there tangling in the ring. It’s strange, when people pay money to see something, I guess they want to see the end of the show. We’re in the back and the boss says go on, so we go on.”
His Hall of Fame Induction:
“I kind of was the head liner, but I can’t remember everybody that went in with me. I know Ricky “the Dragon” Steamboat was there, which was totally awesome. The Hall of Fame was a real neat deal because they played a little four or five minute package before I went up there. I think I had been so busy between the ropes and on the road, going down the road I never realized what I was doing. I knew I was hot. I knew I was drawing a lot of money. I knew we were selling tickets, but I was too close to the forest to see the trees. Finally at that moment, at the Hall of Fame deal, I really realized the impact I had on the business, and to the people that watched the business. So it was a real neat night at the office, but I cannot remember the entire class.”
The road to WrestleMania 29 continues tonight, as WWE RAW takes palce from the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Triple H will be in attendance tonight to answer Brock Lesnar’s WrestleMania challenge. If Triple H does accept, then Lesnar and Paul Heyman will reveal what the match stipulations will be. Brock Lesnar will be in the house tonight.
Also tonight – WWE Intercontinental champion Wade Barrett will defend against Chris Jericho and The Miz in a Triple Threat match.
After CM Punk interrupted The Undertaker’s tribute to Paul Bearer last week on RAW, the Dead Man will be at RAW tonight to continue the build towards their WrestleMania 29 match.
WWE Champion The Rock will not be at RAW because he is currently in London doing media work for G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
WWE.com’s Five Point Preview for the show focuses on:
What will The Game say to Brock Lesnar?
Who will leave RAW as IC Champion?
Who will make the next move for momentum – The Rock or John Cena?
Can Alberto Del Rio or Jack Swagger find an edge going into WrestleMania?
Has CM Punk gotten inside The Undertaker’s head?
The advertised dark match main event will see The Shield vs. John Cena, Ryback and Sheamus.
WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin has posted a new blog at this Broken Skull Ranch website announcing official details of his new podcast, The Steve Austin Show:
“Well, sonofabitch…It has been awhile since I wrote a blog, that’s for sure. So then I’ll jump right into the story…
Bout a year ago I thought about doing a podcast. And well, a year goes by and I haven’t done a GD thing…And my manager calls me up and says “Hey man, do you have any interest in doing a podcast?” I said “You damn right I do”. So the wheels were put in motion to get this show started.
To keep it simple I figured I’d call it the Steve Austin Show. Pretty fuckin original and straight to the point. Ok…So we got a name for the show. How long is it? And how often do you record the show? The show will start out at 30 minutes, give or take a few. And a new show will air once a week.
Well, what’s the show about, Einstein? Good question. The show will basically consist of me talking about current issues or events going on in the world and offering my expert opinion and commentary on said issues and events. I’ll have guests on the show from time to time in the studio or on the phone. I’ll interview folks from different walks of life that I find interesting. Hell, at any given time it could turn into a 30 minute bullshit session about life, hunting, pro wrestling, MMA, physical fitness, movies, beer…Anything. I will also send out a heads up via Twitter (@steveaustinBSR) when I will ask you guys for subject matter to talk about on the show. You can ask questions and I’ll provide some answers. I will also from time to time provide a phone number for you to call and we will talk on the show.
I am looking forward to starting the show this week. As with anything in life, it will be a work in progress. I don’t want to layout any specific format for the show right now and say “This is what the show is”. The pieces will fall into place and we’ll ride along and see what happens. That’s the way my brain works, anyway.
I will be providing updates on Twitter. The Steve Austin Show is around the corner. Stay tuned.”
– WWE Studios’ “The Call” with Halle Berry and David Otunga finished at #2 at the box office over the weekend, taking in over $17 million. Based on the strong early showing, the movie is projected to take in around $45 million, which would make it a successful venture for WWE Studios and Sony Pictures. According to movie data site BoxOfficeMojo.com, the average audience for the film was 61% female and 53% were above the age of 30.
By comparison, WWE Studios’ Dead Man Down opened last weekend with just $5.45 million. It drew just over $2 million this past weekend.
– WWE manager Dutch Mantel (Zeb Colter) has posted a new blog on his Facebook page talking about his new role in WWE:
“Hey guys…sorry I haven’t been around much but since I’ve gotten a ‘new job’ I’ve been running like crazy,” he said. “There’s not enough time in the week to handle all the things now. I’m not leaving, I’m just having to back out for a while. I’m the same guy…just with a different perspective now.”
“I have a lot of great stories to tell…funny how life changes. What a story. I’ll keep it until the next book. You won’t believe it. Take care…keep watching. This could get very interesting.”
