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Georgia Lottery Launches New Impact Wrestling Game

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The following press release was sent out today:

Georgia Lottery Introduces New IMPACT WRESTLING Game

ATLANTA (May 21, 2013) – The Georgia Lottery Corporation has partnered with IMPACT WRESTLING to launch its new instant game IMPACT WRESTLING.

“We are pleased to partner with IMPACT WRESTLING to offer a fresh, new game to our players and wrestling enthusiasts,” said Georgia Lottery Corporation President and CEO Debbie D. Alford. “Every dollar raised by this game will benefit HOPE and Pre-K students.”

The IMPACT WRESTLING instant game went on sale statewide Tuesday.

“Given the rich history of professional wresting in Georgia, we are honored and delighted to be the first wrestling organization to be featured on a Georgia Lottery ticket,” TNA President Dixie Carter said. “Our partnership with the Georgia Lottery is a uniquely exciting one for both our Impact Wrestling brand and our superstar talent.”

With IMPACT WRESTLING, players can win prizes up to $25,000.

Players also can enter non-winning tickets for a second chance to win tickets to a live IMPACT WRESTLING event. Visit www.galottery.com for more information.

James Storm Injury Update, Angle vs. Anderson Announced For Impact

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– Velvet Sky and James Storm are making appearances in Atlanta today to promote the launch of the Georgia lottery Impact Wrestling instant game ticket. They will be appearing at a press event promoting the game launch at Central Park at Atlantic Station at 1pm. TNA tweeted the following picture of them from earlier today:

– TNA has announced that Kurt Angle will face Mr. Anderson on Thursday’s live episode of Impact Wrestling. Also on the show, Hulk Hogan will call out Abyss and announce AJ Styles’ opponent for Slammiversary.

– Speaking of James Storm, TNA President Dixie Carter tweeted the following about his injury status:

Hulk Hogan Comments On Singer Miguel Legdropping Female Fan

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As noted yesterday, WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio was trending on Twitter on Sunday night – not because of anything related WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view, but after singer Miguel accidentally gave a flying legdrop to a female fan at the Billboard Music Awards.

VIDEO of MIGUEL Delivering a Devastating LEGDROP To A Fame Fan – Classic!

Miguel later tweeted that he met up with the fan, Khyati:

“Got caught up in the moment, thank goodness Khyati is okay.”

He later deleted the tweet.

TMZ.com covered the story – along with quote from the man who is probably best known for legdrops, Hulk Hogan. Hulk Hogan tweeted:

Reactions To Curtis Axel On Backstage Fallout, Lawler Apologizes To Triple H

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– WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter will be appearing at an MDA fundraiser today in Charlotte, N.C. today.

– WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler tweeted the following apology after suggesting that Triple H might have suffered a stroke during his match with Curis Axel on RAW:

https://twitter.com/JerryLawler/status/336681867505975297

– Here’s the latest installment of WWE Backstage Fallout, featuring WWE superstars reacting to Paul Heyman announcing Curtis Axel as his newest client:

Update On Triple H & Where His Storyline Is Headed

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[rybackrules]At the end of Monday’s RAW, WWE COO Triple H was unable to finish his match against Curtis Axel and was tended to by WWE doctors after appearing very disoriented.

After RAW went off the air, WWE.com ran an angle where Triple H nearly passed out and did not know where he was. For those who have been asking, Triple H’s condition was just part of an angle and not a legitimate medical emergency.

The Triple H angle at the end of Monday’s RAW was reportedly the start of a concussion storyline, according to f4wonline.com. Triple H will be kept off television for several weeks and when he returns, there is talk that Vince and Stephanie will also return and try to convince Triple H not to wrestle again due to the head injury.

Paul Heyman & WWE Superstars React To The Debut Of Curtis Axel

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On Monday’s RAW, Paul Heyman introduced his newest client to be Curtis Axel (Joe Hennig). Here are some reactions from various WWE personalities regarding Axel’s debut:

https://twitter.com/realmickfoley/statuses/336693262654005248

https://twitter.com/LanceStorm/statuses/336649166514180097

https://twitter.com/HEELZiggler/statuses/336710620751749120

Lesnar’s Future, Mark Henry Babyface Turn, Kane Not Running For Office & More

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[rybackrules]- While WWE has written Brock Lesnar off television as having “fulfilled his obligations” to the company, Lesnar is expected to be back on television in time for SummerSlam in August. Lesnar’s “Paul Heyman Guy” stablemate CM Punk is also expected back before SummerSlam.

– There has been talk of turning Mark Henry babyface in the coming months. Henry stated on the Extreme Rules post-show that he’s “going home” and will be taking time off.

– As noted in recent reports, WWE superstar Kane has been getting involved in the ongoing political debate regarding the proposed Internet sales tax. There have been rumors that Kane is interested in running for United States Senate when his WWE career is over. Kane was asked about his political aspirations by the Tennessean newspaper and said:

“[I have] no plans on running for political office at this time…..things get a little carried away on the Internet sometimes.”

Of course, “at this time” does not rule out a political run when he eventually retires from the ring.

– The family of “Macho Man” Randy Savage gathered together at an Olive Garden restaurant in Florida on the 2-year anniversary of his passing. Savage’s brother, Lanny Poffo, told TMZ.com:

“I have to be strong for my family now. I’m just glad to have had him as a brother and wanna celebrate his life as much as I can instead of continuing to mourn.”

(Partial Source: f4wonline.com)

John Cena Grants A Wish At RAW, What Happened After RAW

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– John Cena, who did not appear on the RAW broadcast, granted a wish to a Make-A-Wish child before the show. He tweeted:

After RAW went off the air, Cena teamed with Alberto Del Rio to face Ryback and Jack Swagger in the dark match main event. The finish came when John Cena hit an Attitude Adjustment on Jack Swagger to get the win.

Matches Announced For WWE Main Event & SmackDown

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[rybackrules]The following matches have been announced for this week’s editions of WWE Main Event & SmackDown, both which will be taped tonight:

* Sin Cara returns to WWE Main Event tonight when he challenges Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett.

* United States Champion Dean Ambrose will defend against Kofi Kingston in a rematch from Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view.

SEScoops.com will have live spoilers of tonight’s Main Event & SmackDown tapings, so cheeck back later for those.

Paul Heyman Debuts Curtis Axel As His New Client

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[heyman2extreme]Michael McGillicutty returned on this week’s RAW as the newest client of Paul Heyman. Heyman hyped the debut as a “YouTube” and “SportsCenter” moment, encouraing fans to set their DVR’s. Hennig’s new ring name is Curtis Axel, which pays homage to his father Curt Hennig and his grandfather Larry “The Ax” Hennig.

Paul Heyman & WWE Superstars React To The Debut Of Curtis Axel

Discussion: Comment below and tell us what you think about the debut of Curtis Axel – including, Paul Heyman’s introduction, his interactions with Triple H and whether this character “reboot” will help him breakout as a top WWE superstar.

Rey Mysterio Reveals When He’s Returning To The Ring, MVP Denies He’s The New Paul Heyman Guy

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– After visiting Dr. James Andrews earlier today, injured WWE superstar Rey Mysterio tweeted the following update on his condition and says he still plans to be back in action this summer:

– Former WWE superstar MVP, who has been rumored to be returning to the company, tweeted on Monday night that he is not Paul Heyman’s new client:

– WWE announcer JBL tweeted the following picture on Monday night of his broadcast partner Michael Cole getting “made up” before RAW:

Heyman Tweets Locker Room Picture, More Speculation On His New Client

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Here are some more WWE tweets regarding the new “Paul Heyman Guy” who will be revealed on tonight’s WWE RAW:

Michael Cole: “Rumors flying backstage at #RAW that @HeymanHustle is about to add client number 3! Who will it be. Heyman is here!”

Justin Roberts: “Walked out of locker room…We’re all wondering if @HeymanHustle will be adding a 3rd client to his already dangerous alliance 2night? #RAW”

Joey Styles: “Could @HeymanHustle’s new client be an announcer? Paul’s @WWE politically incorrect truth should be heard throughout #RAW. #ImAPaulHeymanGuy”

Paul Heyman also tweeted this on Monday evening:

SmackDown Draws Worst Rating Of 2012, Shield Celebration On RAW & More

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– Last week’s episode of WWE SmackDown drew a 1.78 cable rating with 2.44 million viewers, the least watched-watched Friday SmackDown of the year.

– Following up on his negative comments about Sheamus on the Extreme Rules post-show last night, WWE superstar Titus O’Neil tweeted the following on Monday afternoon:

– WWE is teasing that The Shield will celebrate their title wins tonight on RAW:

Rumor On Paul Heyman’s New Client, WWE Personalities Comment

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– As noted earlier, Paul Heyman is teasing that he will be debuting a new client tonight on RAW. For what it’s worth, Tampa-based radio host Cowhead (on 102.5 The Bone) stated today that they heard Rob Van Dam will be the new “Paul Heyman Guy.”

– Here are some tweets from WWE and WWE personalities about a possible new member of Paul Heyman’s group on tonight’s RAW:

WWE: “Will @HeymanHustle unveil a third #PaulHeymanGuy tonight at #RAW? Rumors running rampant.”

Joey Styles: “@BrockLesnar … @CM Punk … Who Is The New Paul Heyman Guy? @WWE #RAW”

Michael Cole: “Rumors flying backstage at #RAW that @HeymanHustle is about to add client number 3! Who will it be. Heyman is here!”

Brooklyn Brawler: “#BackstageScoop Huge buzz backstage as to the new @HeymanHustle Guy @WWE #RAW”

Josh Mathews: “Rumors swirling at #raw that @HeymanHustle plans on unveiling a new client tonight?!? No one will talk to me b/c @Matt_Striker_ is lurking”

Paul Heyman Teasing Breaking News & A New Client On RAW

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[heyman2extreme]Paul Heyman is teasing some “#BreakingNews” for tonight’s WWE RAW. Heyman tweeted the following on Monday afternoon:

“#BreakingNews … @WWE #RAW A New #PaulHeymanGuy? @BrockLesnar @CMPunk”

Heyman linked to an article on his HeymanHustle.com site, which states:

“It appears as though WWE needs to brace itself. Following Brock Lesnar’s epic victory over Triple H at Extreme Rules, our very own Hustler De Tuti Hustlers Paul Heyman is set to make history … AGAIN!”

“WWE is about to get a little more EXTREME! Our boss, the Hustler De Tuti Huslters Paul Heyman is keeping quiet on this for the moment, but it appears as though we’re about to be introduced to Brock Lesnar and CM Punk’s new stablemate!”

UPDATES:

Rey Mysterio Injury Update, Cena-Ryback Referee Explains His Actions & More

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– Fandango’s dancing partner Summer Rae tweeted the following about The Shield capturing the WWE Tag Team & United States championships at Extreme Rules:

– WWE referee Charles Robinson tweeted the following about his decision to not count out John Cena and Ryback after their match-ending spot at Extreme Rules:

– Rey Mysterio tweeted the following today about his most recent visit with Dr. James Andrews:

Barry Darsow Talks About His Son Breaking Into The Business & More

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Legendary WWE tag team Demolition reunited in the ring on Saturday night in Bay City, Michigan for Ultimate Championship Wrestling. The duo, which still holds the record for the longest WWE tag title reign (478 days), defeated the team Legion by disqualification in the main event.

During a recent interview with MLive.com, Barry “Smash” Darsow spoke about his son Dakota breaking into the business, challenges that second generation wrestlers face and the crazy WWE schedule back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Here are some highlights of what Darsow said about:

His Son Breaking Into The Business: “It’s just my opinion, but I think being a second generation wrestler hurts him a little bit. “Companies can only have so many second or third generation wrestlers on the roster, you have to have different kind of characters. For every Randy Orton, there is a Von Erich, a Neidhart or a Rotunda looking to break out.”

The Crazy WWE Schedule of The Late 80’s: “We wrestled two to three matches at television tapings Monday and Thursday then did doubleheaders on the weekend,” Darsow said. “At one point, we wrestled for 62 straight days, and were on the road for 52 weeks in a row.”

He added that at the height of the crazy schedule, Demolition wrestled upwards of 400 times a year.

Video Of The Shield’s Promo From After Extreme Rules, Funk Joins Twitter

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– WWE Hall of Famer Terry Funk has joined Twitter and can be followed at @RealTerryFunk.

– Zack Ryder tweeted the following message to John Cena today:

– Check out the following video of The Shield’s promo from after Extreme Rules:

Jim Ross Extreme Rules Blog: The Shield, Cena vs. Ryback, Instant Replay

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[jrshop]WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with another blog update, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR wrote about:

The Shield’s Title Wins at Extreme Rules: “Big night for The Shield as they left St. Louis with Championship Gold and not on fluke victories. WWE obviously has confidence in the three, young men whose best days lie ahead of them if they continue to evolve. Evolution takes effort and hard work and being ready for additional responsibilities. I’ve seen some young talents get a taste of success and then fold like a cheap lawn chair. I don’t see that happening to Ambrose, Rollins or Reigns.

“Nonetheless we will now see how hungry The Shield remain and if they are willing to continue to learn the ropes, prove themselves daily and become locker room leaders that WWE is constantly looking to discover. I know that there are many people involved with WWE Talent Development and at NXT that are keenly interested in their journey.”

Instant Replay in WWE: “Anxious to see the fallout of WWE utilizing the instant replay ala the NBA officials in restarting the Swagger-Del Rio bout. I’ve got mixed feelings about it but lean toward NOT using instant replay. I like the referee’s decision will be final concept but I’m old school, perhaps too much.

John Cena & Ryback’s Match: “Ryback and Cena beat each other up and their bodies were certainly put to the test throughout the Last Man Standing match. One has to hold their breath when action leaves the ring of which, as a former administrator, I am still uncomfortable for the record. Wrestlers are trained to perform inside the ring and when they go beyond the squared circle and aggressively engage as Cena and Ryback did Sunday night it becomes a high stakes crap shoot.

This LMS car wreck was a classic $2 Steak tough affair. I tip my hat to both Cena & Ryback for laying it on the line and visibly showing no apprehension in doing so in St. Louis. How that bout ended was controversial and I’m anxious to hear more info and discussion about the conclusion of the Cena-Ryback Last Man Standing contest tonight on RAW live from Kansas City at 7/8 eastern.”

As always, you can buy JR’s amazing line of BBQ products at WWEShop.com.

Jeff Hardy Added To Brooklyn Basebrawl, TNA’s Upcoming Schedule & More

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– Jeff Hardy has been added to the 7/5 TNA Basebrawl event in Brooklyn, New York.

– Next month, TNA will debut a new “Unfinished Business” PPV special, looking at the Jeff Hardy vs. Austin Aries feud.

– Following this week’s Impact Wrestling taping, here’s a look at TNA’s upcoming events schedule:

  • June 1st: Slammiversary Fan Interaction event (Boston, MA)
  • June 2nd: Slammiversary XI PPV (Boston, MA)
  • June 6th: Impact Wrestling taping (Duluth, GA)
  • June 7th: TNA Live Event (Rome, GA)
  • June 8th: TNA Live Event (Aiken, SC)

– TNA’s Bully Ray and Devon will be hosting an “Evening With” event on June 8th from Monroe, NJ. For details, visit Legendsofthering.com.

– The film Springbreakers, which features Jeff Jarrett in a cameo role will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on 7/9.

– TNA has posted several Before the Bell videos previewing Slammiversary at YouTube.com.

* PAUL HEYMAN’s Next Client: Who Should It Be? Read Our Thoughts & Discuss It HERE

(Source: PWInsider.com)

Kane Challenges Tennessee Lt. Governor To Debate, Remembering Macho Man

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– Brian “Road Dogg” James turns 44 years old today.

– Today marks two years since the unfortunate death of wrestling legend “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Savage suffered cardiac arrhythmia while driving with his wife Barbara in Seminole, Florida. RIP Macho Man!

Bleacher Report has published a great article on the life and final days of Randy Savage, written by former WWE writer Keith Elliot Greenberg.

– WWE Superstar Kane, who is rumored to be running for United States Senate in his home state of Tennessee, continues to make waves in the political world. Kane (Glenn Jacobs) is listed as the co-founder of the Tennessee Liberty Alliance, an organization that is protesting the Marketplace Fairness Act (related to Internet sales tax).

Kane has also challenged Tennessee Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey to “a policy debate on the issue of the Marketplace Fairness Act in a public forum at his convenience.”

For more on the story, visit JohnsonCityPress.com.

* PAUL HEYMAN’s Next Client: Who Should It Be? Discuss It HERE

Rey Mysterio Trends After Singer Miguel Legdrops Female Fan (Video)

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WWE superstar Rey Mysterio was trending worldwide on Twitter on Sunday night – but it had nothing to do with WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view. During the Billboard Music Awards, singer Migel performed and at one point, lept over a crowd of people during his performance. Migel didn’t leap far enough – and wound up giving a legdrop to one of the female fans in the audience. The incident immediately went viral, with people referencing WWE and Rey Mysterio.

There’s even a parody video circulating around, featuring dubbed-in commentary from Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler.

According to Billboard, no fans were harmed during the making of this instant-classic Internet meme.

[poll id=”21″]

Recaps Of WWE’s Backstage Interviews From Extreme Rules

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WWE.com caught up with several WWE personalities backstage at last night’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view. Here are highlights from the brief interviews:

– Dr. Sampson spoke the Big Show was checked out after receiving a skull punt from Randy Orton, but did not show any signs of a concussion. He also said that John Cena refused to be hospitalized after he and Ryback were knocked out at the end of their match. He also said Triple H appeared to be alright following his steel cage match against Brock Lesnar, but will be checked out again today.

– Randy Orton said that his win over the Big Show in front of his hometown crowd was a magical moment.

– Chris Jericho said that Fandango is good, but not great yet. Fandango says Jericho got lucky and capitalized on a rare mistake of his. Fandango said that he’s not done with Jericho and teased something for tonight’s RAW.

– Kofi Kingston talked about losing the United States championship to Dean Ambrose, promising to come back stronger and get the title back. Kofi said he was ready for Rollins and Reigns to get involved in the match and was actually thrown off when it was just Ambrose he had to deal with.

– Daniel Bryan was very upset about he and Kane losing the WWE tag titles to The Shield. Bryan expressed frustration that he is perceived as the weak link Team Hell no, but Kane defended him. Kane also gave credit to The Shield for their win, but said their luck is about to run out.

Reactions To The Shield’s Title Wins At Extreme Rules, More Post-PPV Tweets

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– Jim Ross tweeted the following about The Shield all walking out of Extreme Rules with gold:

– The Usos, who had a run-in with The Shield on last week’s WWE Main Event, also commented on their title win:

Team Hell No & Kofi Kingston React To Losing To The Shield at Extreme Rules

– Shield member Seth Rollins tweeted the following about justice being served at the PPV:

– Chris Jericho tweeted the following about his match against Fandango at Extreme Rules:

– WWE Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett tweeted:

Dolph Ziggler Injury Update, New Merchandise For Orton & AJ Lee

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– WWEShop.com has released new merchandise for several of WWE’s top performers:

  • Randy Orton has a new “Recoiled” authentic t-shirt ( Men | Women | Youth )
  •  AJ Lee’s new “Love Bites” shirt is also now on sale ( Men | Women )

– The announced attendance for Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO was 17,529 fans – a legitimate sellout. Prior to the show, Paul Heyman tweeted a photo of a sign that was hanging backstage that stated the show was sold out and there would be no comped tickets available.

– After suffering a “severe” concussion at last Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings, WWE World Heavyweight champion Dolph Ziggler has been advised by doctors not to fly. WWE is taking his condition very seriously.