– WWE Hall of Famer Mae Young turns 90 years old today. She was born on March 12, 1923.
– The WWE event in Moscow, Russia on April 26 has been moved to the Luzhniki Small Sports Arena at the Olympic Complex. It’s original venue was the Megasport Arena. Tickets must be exchanged at the point of purchase between March 14 and April 25. (Thanks to Devin Cutting)
– Following the surprise return of the Bella Twins to WWE on Monday’s RAW, we can confirm that WWE has reached out to several other women who have departed the company in recent years. No word yet on who has been contacted, but it’s been said that WWE has offered the former Divas more money than they were previously making. WWE is well aware that the Divas division is in bad shape, and there was talk of bringing up several NXT Divas before they decided to reach out to Divas who have departed the company.
TMZ.com reports that Hulk Hogan among the celebrities whose bank account information and social security number have been hacked and posted online.
Other victims include United States First Lady Michelle Obama, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, Donald Trump, Ashton Kutcher, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Mel Gibson.
The FBI is now involved and has told the celebrities to contact their banks immediately. They have also released a statement saying that they’ve known about the hacks before they were made public on TMZ.com.
TNA WRESTLING CELEBRATES ‘SLAMMIVERSARY XI’ IN BOSTON
‘THE IMMORTAL’ HULK HOGAN, ‘THE ICON’ STING, BULLY RAY, JEFF HARDY, KURT ANGLE, VELVET SKY AND MORE MARK COMPANY’S 11th ANNIVERSARY AT AGGANIS ARENA
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 11, 2013) – TNA Wrestling brings its high-impact brand of professional wrestling to Boston for the very first time with SLAMMIVERSARY XI, a live Pay-Per-View event celebrating the company’s 11th anniversary.
SLAMMIVERSARY XI emanates live from Agganis Arena on the campus of Boston University Sunday, June 2 at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central. Tickets for SLAMMIVERSARY XI go on sale Friday, March 29 at 10 a.m. ET through the Agganis Arena box office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.
“SLAMMIVERSARY XI is our biggest show of the summer, and we’re so excited to bring it to Boston for the very first time,” said TNA Entertainment President Dixie Carter. “The Northeast has such a great connection to the world of professional wrestling, and we can’t wait to showcase the IMPACT WRESTLING Superstars to this audience, not to mention celebrate our company’s 11th anniversary.”
IMPACT WRESTLING stars including “The Immortal” HULK HOGAN, “The Icon” STING, current TNA World Heavyweight Champion BULLY RAY, Olympic Gold Medalist KURT ANGLE, “The Charismatic Enigma” JEFF HARDY, X-DIVISION standouts such as current X-Division Champion KENNY KING and ZEMA ION, plus Knockouts Division Champion VELVET SKY and the lovely and lethal Knockouts, are among those expected to appear at SLAMMIVERSARY XI.
Fans also have an opportunity to see their favorite TNA stars up close and personal at “TNA SLAMMIVERSARY Fan InterAction” Saturday, June 1. Also, TNA will be offering a limited number of travel packages including lodging and tickets to SLAMMIVERSARY. More details are available at www.ShopTNA.com.
Fans can witness TNA’s best every week on IMPACT WRESTLING airing every Thursday night on Spike, 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central.
Solomonster remembers the late Paul Bearer and has some late breaking TNA news:
-Thoughts on the life and career of Paul Bearer, including a possible HOF induction this year
-Old School Raw, great Rock/Cena segment and what needs to change with the legends (33:35)
-Rumored NXT University and physical HOF could be tied in with Orlando bid for Mania (51:30)
-TNA Lockdown predictions and latest on Bobby Roode and RVD contract rumors (55:00)
-Bret Hart says AJ Styles should go to WWE and not “waste his life” in TNA (1:15:30)
-Why WWE shouldn’t cut Rey Mysterio loose and why it’s an insane idea (1:23:45)
-Should Undertaker be turned heel for a match with John Cena at next year’s Mania? (1:25:40)
– The Miz was recently interviewed by Denver’s Westword.com blog and had this to say about getting to travel the world as a WWE superstar and his character now being a babyface:
“I love the fact that I get to travel all over the world — I’ve gone everywhere all over America. I’ve been to China, Mexico, Europe and Australia. I’ve gotten to see the world through the WWE. Not only that, when I come out onto the stage, I get to hear the reaction of the crowd. Let me tell you something: You might not know this, but a few months ago, people were booing me. They were telling me I sucked and they hated me. But now, they’re embracing me. It’s a whole newfound glory and I’m loving every second of it.”
– The New York Daily News has named WWE superstar CM Punk as their “Dude of the Week” for recently meeting with shooting victim Thomas Dotterer in a Syracuse, NY hospital. The paper wrote:
“For paying a surprise visit. The WWE star invited Tom Dotterer to a wrestling show Sunday, but the 77-year-old was admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery related to a gunshot wound to the eye he suffered in January during a robbery at his liquor store. Dotterer couldn’t make it to the WWE event so Punk (showing he’s hardly one) came to the hospital before the show for some spirit lifting. A letter Dotterer wrote, read by his son during a fund-raiser, showed he was thinking of Punk. Dotterer asked to be forgiven by those he “sarcastically ripped apart or had opinionated exchanges with.”
– WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross will be broadcasting the second quarter of the Boston Celtics vs. Oklahoma City Thunder NBA basketball game this afternoon.
– WWE Tough Enough Winner Andy Leavine was recently interviewed by Alex Marvez of Fox Sports and spoke about his time in WWE after winning Tough Enough:
“It was a weird situation. They were thinking one thing and obviously I was thinking another … It was frustration on my end that did me in. I felt like they had put me in a position to shine and I was getting held back. Granted, there had been a lot of guys ahead of me that had been wrestling for a long time who were getting their shot, which they deserved. But I felt like, ‘You put me in this position where you spent millions and millions of dollars to build me up into something.’ It’s kind of like going on a big date and at the end of the night she goes, ‘All right, I’ll call you tomorrow.’ Come on, man!”
In the first episode of Wrestle Talk TV season two, Joel Ross, Patrick Lennon and Francesca Wood kick things off with a bang as they present “The Immortal” Hulk Hogan as the seasons first huge guest. The episode also features a hugely controversial interview segment from Bret “The Hitman” Hart, which has never been seen.
Plus there are appearances from Rob Van Dam, Jerry Lynn, James Storm, El Generico, Kaz and Daniels, Velvet Sky, Hernandez and Fergal Devitt, along with this weeks debate over “The Rock” being WWE Champion. There is also a run down of some of the biggest news stories this week and much more.
Here’s the video – the Hogan interview begins around the 12:35 mark:
A Paul Bearer Benefit site has been established, with all profits going towards his Funeral Costs and any remaining will be divided among his grandchildren who he loved dearly. Prowrestlingbookings.com has been transformed into a benefit site.
– $10 donation gets you an unsigned photo of Paul Bearer
– $40 gets you a signed 8 x 10 of Paul Bearer
– Any other donations are welcome.
– Free US Shipping. All other areas need to email first.
Items to be displayed are from the following stars. Currently Edge created his own sketch of Paul Bearer which is autographed and posted.
– Edge
– Beth Phoenix
– Diamond Dallas Page
– Hulk Hogan
– Jimmy Hart
– Vader
– Tom Prichard
– Tatanka
Devon from Aces and Eights joined Inside The Ropes this past Thursday to talk about Lockdown, here are some of the highlights:
WWF breaking up the Dudley Boyz in 2002:
“At that point we weren’t ready for it, even though Vince wanted us to do it because he saw me doin’ something and he saw Bubba doin’ something. I remember when we were told about it, I wasn’t too happy about it and neither was he. We both thought it was the wrong time to do it, and it was, because we didn’t make it as singles competitors and I think that hurt us, because when that happened and that flopped, people just thought “Oh the Dudley Boyz couldn’t do it on their own” and that bothered me for many, many years. which is why it was so important that when we separated in TNA, because here we come to TNA, we conquer there, we do excellent in Japan, and helped put TNA on the map, we were ecstatic about that. Once we were done, and we knew we’d won the NWA tag titles, the TNA tag titles, so successful in Japan, we found there was nothing left for us to do. Now you look back at that moment in 2002, there was still a lot for us to do. We were growing and still learning at that particular point in time, but then you move forward to TNA, here we go, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime, now we can prove to those who said the Dudleyz couldn’t do it by themselves, to prove them wrong. Bully Ray’s doing what he’s doing and now with the whole Aces and Eights thing, everything has a time and place, you’ve got to know when that time is. 2002 wasn’t the time to break the Dudley Boyz up and I don’t think people understood that, it wasn’t that we couldn’t do it on our own, it just wasn’t the right time. But now, I’m in Aces and Eights and he’s marrying Brooke with Hulk as his father in law, and we’re both experiencing success.”
What really happened when he left TNA last summer:
“We couldn’t come to an agreement on a contract. A similar thing happened with WWE in 2005. Bubba were doing things separate at the time, normally we did our contracts together but at this particular point in time we did it separate. That’s basically what it was, we couldn’t come to an agreement. I held no ill will towards the company, I just knew what I had to do to make my family survive, it’s getting close to winding this thing down and you’ve gotta look out for your best interests. We just couldn’t agree financially. Everyone thought it was part of an angle that was being done, but it really wasn’t, I was gone. When I made that announcement, I was gone, I was not coming back. Then a new offer came in two months later and again it was something where I wasn’t looking to come back but now with the whole thing with Aces and Eights, you know, I love it. It’s something I never thought I’d get involved with until they came to me with it. I’m just happy.”
Will Devon and Bully Ray ever be on the same side again:
“Absolutely not. I don’t want the Dudley Boyz or Team 3D, I don’t want it. As far as I’m concerned it’s dead and over. This has nothing personally to do with Bubba and I. Listen, I’ve waited over 15 years to be in this position, I’m not moving backwards, I’m moving forward. I hope he feels the same. People say “Oh guys, you should be like KISS and do it one more time” I don’t want one more time. I’m not being selfish, I’m not being egotistical but there’s nothing left for us to do. For us to be together again or on the same page….Edge and Christian, The Hardyz went their own way, it’s time for us to go our own way. ECW, we accomplished, WWF and WWE, we accomplished. TNA, we accomplished. All Japan, New Japan, Hustle. We’ve done everything there is to do. Maybe we’ll be on the same page 20 years from now at the Hall of Fame when we’re inducted but that’s about it. Some of the fans, they’ve gotta let it go, they’ve gotta let ECW go and let the Dudleyz go.”
What to expect this Sunday at Lockdown:
“You’re gonna see Sting get his ass whooped and his team mates, whoever feels they wanna take on Aces and Eights. We’re gonna go out there, we’re gonna rule just like we always do, just like we did in 2012 and 2013. There isn’t anyone out there that can stop the total domination of Aces and Eights. We’ll rule today, tomorrow and we’ll rule in the future. Lockdown is gonna turn out just like Bound For Glory, where Aces and Eights outsmart TNA and doing whatever it takes to get a victory over TNA and their team.”
To hear the full interview where Devon talks about riots in ECW, TLC matches with Edge & Christian and more, head to Facebook.com/theinsidenetwork.
– TNA President Dixie Carter has announced that Slammiversary will take place on June 2nd from Boston, Massachusetts. The pay-per-view will be held at the Agganis Arena on the campus of Boston University.
– TNA has released the following opening video for tonight’s Lockdown PPV:
Tonight from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, TNA Wrestling returns to pay-per-view with Lockdown 2013. A new chapter begins for TNA tonight, with Lockdown being the first show of TNA’s new quarter live pay-per-view schedule.
As always, SEScoops.com will have Live Results of the show. If you’re not ordering Lockdown, be here and follow the action with our ongoing detailed updates.
Here’s the final card for tonight’s TNA Lockdown pay-per-view:
Steel Cage Match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Bully Ray
Lethal Lockdown
Sting, Magnus, Eric Young, Samoa Joe & James Storm vs. The Aces & Eights
TNA Tag Team Championship Match
Austin Aries & Bobby Roode (c) vs. Chavo & Hernandez vs. Bad Influence
Steel Cage Match
Kurt Angle vs. Wes Brisco
TNA Knockouts Championship Match
Velvet Sky (c) vs. Gail Kim
TNA X-Divison Title 3-Way Match:
Kenny King (c) vs. Christian York vs. Zema Ion
– Ireland’s No Limit Wrestling has announced their wrestlers Joey Cabray (who wrestles in a demon mask as Omen) and Rachelle St. Claire have signed developmental deals with WWE.
– Here is the official cover art for WWE’s upcoming “Best of In Your House” DVD/Blu-Ray set, due out April 30th. Pre-Order Here
– Friday’s WWE SmackDown on Syfy had a Trendrr.tv social media score of 64,958, way down from the previous week’s 89,277 (the “Social Media SmackDown” special). Smackdown ranked #3 on cable for the night behind the two NBA games on ESPN.
– Here’s the latest edition of WWE Backstage Fallout, featuring behind-the-scenes interviews from Friday’s SmackDown.
Based on what we saw on SmackDown and the following video, it appears Ryback and Mark Henry are indeed headed towards a showdown at WrestleMania 29:
In the SmackDown edition of “Backstage Fallout,” Ryback reacts to the second staredown he’s had with Mark Henry. Plus, what does Divas Champion Kaitlyn have to say about Layla’s apology?
– Thursday’s 3/7 episode of TNA Impact Wrestling, the final show at the Impact Zone before they hit the road next week, drew a 1.13 rating, even with 1.14 the week before. The show averaged 1.43 million viewers and was ranked #33 on cable for the night.
– Jeremy Borash posted the following video of what happened at the Impact Zone after the final weekly Impact from Orlando went off the air:
IMPACT WRESTLING ANNOUNCES THREE NEW DESTINATIONS FOR LIVE TELEVISION EVENTS
THE SUPERSTARS OF TNA IMPACT WRESTLING INVADE INDIANA, PA.; TUPELO, MISS. AND TAMPA, FLA. TO FILL OUT LIVE TV ON THE ROAD SCHEDULE THROUGH MAY
NASHVILLE, TENN. (March 7, 2013) — IMPACT WRESTLING, TNA Entertainment’s flagship television show seen Thursdays at 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central on Spike TV, has announced three new locations for its live TV tapings in April and May.
TNA President Dixie Carter announced the new THURSDAY NIGHT IMPACT WRESTLING LIVE destinations during IMPACT WRESTLING’s final scheduled IMPACT Zone appearance in Orlando before the show goes on the road beginning next Thursday, March 14 in Chicago.
Newly added to THURSDAY NIGHT IMPACT WRESTLING LIVE’s travel
– Thursday, April 25 at Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex in Indiana, Pa. (Tickets on sale March 29, more info at www.kovalchickcomplex.com)
– Thursday, May 9 at BancorpSouth Arena in Tupelo, Miss. (Tickets on sale April 5, more info at www.bcsarena.com)
– Thursday, May 23 at USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Fla. (Tickets on sale April 26, more info at www.sundomearena.com)
“The Immortal” Hulk Hogan and “The Icon” Sting lead IMPACT WRESTLING superstars such as Bully Ray, “The Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy, “The Cowboy” James Storm, Austin Aries, X Division standouts Kenny King and Zema Ion, Velvet Sky and the lovely and lethal Knockouts, as part of the THURSDAY NIGHT IMPACT WRESTLING LIVE events.
For more information on IMPACT WRESTLING, visit www.IMPACTWRESTLING.com.
We encourage you to follow us on Twitter @IMPACTWRESTLING, @TNADixie and @TNAPR and on Facebook at www.fb.com/IMPACTWRESTLING for our latest social news.
Here’s Part 4 of our WrestleMania Retrospective series, looking back at past WrestleMania events as we march towards WrestleMania 29 on April 7th.
WrestleMania IV (1988) Tagline: What The World Is Watching! Date: March 27, 1988 Venue: Trump Plaza, Atlantic City, NJ Attendance: 18,165 America The Beautiful: Gladys Knight
At the first Royal Rumble in January 1988, Hogan and André had their official contract signing for a WWF Championship rematch.The main feud heading into WrestleMania was between Hulk Hogan and André the Giant. At the first Survivor Series in November, André, One Man Gang, King Kong Bundy, Butch Reed and Rick Rude defeated Hogan, Paul Orndorff, Don Muraco, Ken Patera and Bam Bam Bigelow in a Survivor Series match.
Their rematch took place on the first-ever edition of The Main Event in February, where André controversially won the title from Hogan in a screwjob involving a twin referees.
Immediately after winning the title from Hogan, André sold the title to Ted DiBiase; President Jack Tunney nullified the decision, vacating the title.
André became the shortest reigning WWF Champion with a reign of only 47 seconds as he sold the title to Ted DiBiase and received a large sum of money.
Andre revealed, in an arena interview with Dibiase a few weeks before the event. that he planned to take a year off and go on a cruise with the money Dibiase was paying him once he secured the title for him at WrestleMania IV, further explaining why Andre would sell off the belt he had wanted himself at WrestleMania III just a year earlier. WWF President Jack Tunney, however, vacated the title and ordered it to be decided in a 14-man tournament at WrestleMania IV.
Hulk Hogan and André the Giant went to a draw by double disqualification in this event. This would be Hogan’s first WrestleMania match in which a disqualification occurred. This was Hogan’s first and only time going to a draw at WrestleMania.
Hogan and Andre also have the distinction of being the first two wrestlers in the history of the event to have a WrestleMania rematch. They had wrestled each other the previous year at WrestleMania III in what many deem the most famous
Bad News Brown turns on Bret Hart, at the 20-Man-Battle Royal
wrestling contest of all time.
The first match was a 20-man battle royal and the winner would receive a large trophy. After fourteen eliminations, the final three participants were Bad News Brown, Bret Hart, and JYD. JYD hit both Hart & Brown with several headbutts before they both decided to cooperate and they eliminated JYD. Hart decided that he and Brown would share the trophy but Brown betrayed him and hit him with a Ghetto Blaster and pounded on him before eliminating him over the top rope to win the battle royal. Brown was presented with the trophy, but Hart attacked him from behind and broke the trophy, thus turning babyface.
The Ultimate Warrior making his PPV Debut.
In his pay-per-view debut, The Ultimate Warrior faced Bobby Heenan’s client Hercules. Warrior snapped Hercules’ chain and chopped him in the corner. Hercules tried to fight back and he hit three clotheslines on Warrior, who no-sold Hercules’ clothesline. Hercules fell to the mat each time during his unsuccessful clothesline attempts. The powerhouse Warrior countered a Hercules clothesline and hit a clothesline of his own. He pounded on Hercules outside the ring before reentering the ring where Warrior hit a forearm club. In the corner, Warrior hit him ten-count punches but Hercules made a comeback with an inverted atomic drop. He hit a half nelson suplex on Warrior who got his shoulder up first, as the referee counted, giving Warrior the win.
Baseball great Bob Uker getting more than he deserved when interviewing Andre The Giant
The main event was the tournament final for the vacant WWF Championship between Randy Savage and Ted DiBiase. Savage was tired due to his semifinal match against the big One Man Gang while DiBiase took advantage of his freshness as he had received a bye in the semifinals. He dominated most of the match but in the end, Savage made a comeback and tried to hit a Savage Elbow on DiBiase but DiBiase moved out of the way. He applied a Million Dollar Dream on Savage.
With the referee distracted due to interference by André the Giant, Hogan (who had been brought down mid-match by Miss Elizabeth on request by Savage to neutralize Andre’s presence) took advantage and nailed DiBiase with a steel chair.
Savage climbed up the top rope for a second
Randy “Macho Man” Savage with Miss Elizabeth Celebrating his WWF Championship Win
elbow drop attempt and this time, he successfully hit Savage Elbow. He followed it up with a pinfall victory. He won the tournament and vacant WWF Championship. After the match, Hogan, Miss Elizabeth and Savage celebrated Savage’s WWF Championship win.
Although the event was promoted as being at the Trump Plaza, it was in fact held in the adjacent Boardwalk Hall.
This WrestleMania featured 16 matches, more than any other WrestleMania.
WrestleMania IV Results
Over the top rope 20-Man-Battle Royal
• Bad News Brown won an by last eliminating Bret Hart.
Participants : Bad News Brown, The Bolsheviks (Nikolai Volkoff and Boris Zhukov), The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart), The Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell), Danny Davis, George Steele, Harley Race, Hillbilly Jim, The Rougeau Brothers (Jacques and Raymond), The Young Stallions (Paul Roma and Jim Powers), Junkyard Dog, Ken Patera, Ron Bass, Sam Houston, and Sika.
First Round Tournament for the WWF Championship
• Ted DiBiase (with Virgil and André the Giant) defeated Jim Duggan.
• Don Muraco (with Billy Graham) defeated Dino Bravo (with Frenchy Martin) by disqualification.
• Greg Valentine (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Ricky Steamboat (with Little Dragon).
• Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated Butch Reed (with Slick).
• One Man Gang (with Slick) defeated Bam Bam Bigelow (with Oliver Humperdink) by countout.
• Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan) and Jake Roberts fought to a time-limit draw
Singles Match
• The Ultimate Warrior defeated Hercules (with Bobby Heenan)
Quater Finals Tournament for the WWF Championship
• Hulk Hogan and André the Giant (with Ted DiBiase and Virgil) fought to a double disqualification.
• Ted DiBiase defeated Don Muraco (with Billy Graham).
• Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated Greg Valentine (with Jimmy Hart).
Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship
• Brutus Beefcake defeated The Honky Tonk Man (c) (with Jimmy Hart and Peggy Sue) by disqualification.
Six-man tag team match
•The Islanders (Haku and Tama) and Bobby Heenan defeated The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) and Koko B. Ware.
Semi-Finals Tournament for the WWF Championship
•Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated One Man Gang (with Slick) by disqualification.
Tag team match for the WWF Tag Team Championship
•Demolition (Ax and Smash) (with Mr. Fuji) defeated Strike Force (c) (Rick Martel and Tito Santana)
Tournament finals match for the vacant WWF Championship
•Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth and Hulk Hogan) defeated Ted DiBiase (with André the Giant).
– Antonio Cesaro passed the 200-day mark as WWE United States Champion on Thursday, thereby making him the fifth longest holder of the WWE version of the strap. He trails MVP—who the belt for a record 343 days in 2007 and 2008-Chris Benoit, The Miz and Shelton Benjamin.
– Amy Dumas, known in WWE as Lita, appears in a newly released music video from JD & The FDCs. The song, “From The Shadows,” features the former WWE Diva in a spoken word portion that she specifically wrote for the song.
– Jerry “The King” Lawler has been announced to appear at this spring’s Chiller Theatre convention, which takes place April 26-28 at the Sheraton Parsippany in Parsippany, New Jersey.
– Chris Jericho will be returning to action this Saturday at WWE RAW’s live event from Broomfield, Colorado.
– The new WWE Studios film Dead Man Down, featuring Intercontinental champion Wade Barrett, has been declared “Rotten” by review aggregation site RottenTomatoes.com. With 36 critic reviews in, the movie currently has a score of 39/100. Their quick review reads:
“While the fine cast keeps Dead Man Down watchable throughout, the film is weighted down by absurd plot twists and a slack pace.”
Pictures of Wade Barrett On The Set of Dead Man Down
Former multi-time X-Division Champion, multi-time Tag Team Champion and one half of “Bad Influence” ‘The Physical Fascination’ Frankie Kazarian joined “2012 Award Winning Best New Show” the Rack Thursday Night. In a nearly 20 minute interview, he discussed his upcoming three-way tag team championship match this weekend at the Lockdown PPV, what his favorite Lockdown memory is, if being part of Bad Influence is the most fun he’s had in wrestling, TNA going on the road and where he might want to go in the future, if he has a fond memory of the Impact Zone, his thoughts on the One Night Only events, his love for comics and comic fans including Spiderman and Iron Man, his feelings on the ‘imposter’ team of Roode and Aries, if he has his sights set on singles gold in the future and more.
If they are looking forward to this weekend’s Lockdown PPV: “Of course, because we get the chance to become the World Tag Team Champions of the World for the third time, which we’re going to do and we’re going to do it on one of the biggest stages that Impact showcases every year and that’s Lockdown, this time in San Antonio. So, of course we’re psyched because we’re going to be there and, spoiler alert, it’s going to be great. “
His favorite Lockdown memory: “Lockdown, to be honest, is not one of my favorite PPVs simply because it is a very brutal Pay-Per-View in the past. Anytime you are in a steel cage environment, it presents a lot of dangers and I’ve done a lot of different types of matches: I’ve done X-Division Escape style matches and I’ve done numerous Lethal Lockdown matches. I don’t know if I have a favorite, but the year that Fortune defeated Immortal, which I believe is 2011 at Lockdown, was a very successful year for Fortune as a group and individually and it was a great way to close out the show that night and bring an end to that feud, so I guess I’d have to go with that one. Coincidentally, it was right when Christopher Daniels returned to the company so it was great to have him back.”
If being in ‘Bad Influence’ is the most fun he’s ever had: “Oh, absolutely; it’s F-U-N and what you see is what you get, you know? The good thing is it’s just us being us, it’s not us just trying to pretend or play somebody else; it’s just us being us. Everything we say, everything we do comes from our heads and we’ve been given a lot more creative freedom than in the past, which is awesome and we’re both very grateful for. Yeah, we’re absolutely having fun and it’s great to be doing this with Chris because I’ve known him the better part of 15 years and we’ve been very, very good friends; he’s been my best friend outside of the business so we obviously have a chemistry inside of the ring as well. Individually, we’ve both had a lot of success in TNA and now collectively, so it’s awesome and it’s a lot of fun. We always try to outdo whatever we’ve done in the past; we always try to one-up each other and I’ll be honest, he’s hard to keep up with. He’s so quick witted on the mic and in the ring, he can do such incredible things that I’m always trying to stay on an even keel with him, and even go a little above. But it’s awesome; I’m definitely having one of the funnest times in my career right now.”
What he thinks about TNA going on the road for Impact starting next week: “Psyched. You know, being a guy that’s been here since day one, that was one of the goals, one of the huge, way far down the road goals that we had set out when we just a little tiny company, struggling every week in the Fairgrounds in Nashville at the Asylum. That was one of the ‘Wow, wouldn’t that be great if we had a television show?’ and then ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we had a weekly television show in primetime?’ and then it was ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we were on the road?’. That’s where we are right now, this dream has become a reality; not just for the company but us as individuals and us as performers. So I’m psyched! Nervous? Not at all, just psyched; just really, really excited to bring our brand of pro wrestling to the people and just to give them an alternative, you know?
These people in Orlando have been: “I don’t know if they realize how lucky they’ve been to see the matches and the entertainment they’ve seen over the last nine years because we’ve given them some incredible stuff here in Orlando and it’s only fair that the rest of the country, and the rest of the world for that matter, get to see what the guys and gals of Impact can do. So, I’m psyched; it’s just super cool to be on the road and to be in different cities and to hear the hateful shouts from people in different cities, as opposed to just Orlando. These Orlando folk are getting a little bit stale, I want some new hate. I want to hear some new haters.”
If he has a fond memory of the Impact Zone: “All joking aside, I could joke and say ‘I can’t wait to get out of here’ and part of that is true, but this place has been our home for many years and I have a lot of memories; good, bad and indifferent here. I’ve suffered a couple of bad injuries here, which is some of the bad memories, you know what though, just being here for the first time, walking into the building and wrestling one of the first ever matches in this building; winning numerous X-Division titles and wrestling main events and television main events and just going live for the first time; there’s just so many memories, it would be hard to condense it into just one. So, it’s a little bit bittersweet; I feel like the fans here to a certain extent have been spoiled but at the same time I know the do appreciate what we do but hopefully they see this as part of TNA’s growing process and this is what we have to do; the little bird has to leave the nest. So, the Impact Zone has been great, it’s been our home for nine years and it was a really cool wrestling venue. I think when it’s all said and done, the Impact Zone will be one of those like ECW Arena-like venues, the intimate venues that was known as a really cool place to see pro wrestling.”
You can follow Frankie Kazarian through his Twitter (@FrankieKazarian) for all the latest on his news and notes. You can also see Kazarian and his ‘Bad Influence’ partner Christopher Daniels weekly as part of TNA’s IMPACT Wrestling, Thursday Nights at 8 pm Eastern on Spike TV, check your local cable listings for channel availability and location. And, as always, you can follow Kazarian and all the stars of TNA IMPACT Wrestling though their Twitter (@ImpactWrestling) and their website (www.impactwrestling.com) for all the information on their weekly television programming and up to the minute news and matches listings for the upcoming “Lockdown” PPV this Sunday, March 10th, call your local cable provider for information and ordering details.
There is currently a petition going at WhiteHouse.gov to designate May 20th as Macho Man Randy Savage Day. The petition reads:
“Macho Man Randy Savage was a national treasure loved by everyone who watched him on television or knew him personally. No matter if you knew him from Slim Jim commercials or his wrestling career, you felt a deep connection with Savage. Tragically, the world lost him on May 20, 2011. This petition is to set aside that day every year as a celebration and remembrance of the Macho Man’s life and to keep his legacy alive for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.”
The goal is to reach 100,000 signatures by April 04, 2013.
Monday Night Mayhem, Hosted By The Big Mosh & Todd Vincent
WWE Hall of Famer Gerald Brisco was the featured guest on this week’s edition of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem, hosted by The Big Mosh & “The Chairman of the Board” Todd Vincent.
WWE Hall of Famer Gerald Brisco Looks Back On His Memories Of His & His Brother’s WWE Hall Of Fame Induction In 2008, Discusses This Year’s “Class Of 2013,” What It Means To Now Have Bruno Sammartino Be A Part Of The WWE HOF, Why He Believes His Son (Wes Brisco) Is Ready To Step Into The Ring With Kurt Angle, What He Looks For In A Potential WWE Superstar In His Current Role As A Talent Scout For The WWE, How DDP Yoga Has Helped Improve His Own Personal Health, The Latest On The Efforts To Reinstate Wrestling Into The Olympics, Plus Much More In His Exclusive Monday Night Mayhem Interview
The former two-time WWE Hardcore Champion joined The Big Mosh & “The Chairman of the Board” Todd Vincent for his first-ever MNM appearance, which is now available for streaming here (.MP3).
Interview highlights courtesy of WWEDVDNews.com’s Aaron Carnevale, MNM’s National Correspondent:
His fondest memory of when he and his late brother Jack were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008: “My biggest thrill was actually standing on that stage with my brother. He was starting to go into bad health at that time, and for him muster up the strength and courage to get out there on stage took a lot from him. Also that night, Gordon Solie went in, along with Eddie Graham. Those two guys meant a lot, so it was an exciting night.”
Why he believes his son (Wes Brisco) is ready to step into the ring with Kurt Angle this Sunday night:“Well, he better be ready, because I know Kurt Angle isn’t going to take it easy on him because he’s my son. If film study will help, he’s going to be great. We’ve gone over every tape online that we can possibly see, and he’s been working out a game plan against Kurt. I think he is ready to step up, and I’m very happy that he got this opportunity against the caliber of Kurt Angle. I wish the best for both of them, and I’m excited for Wes. The kid eats, sleeps and breathes what we do.”
What he looks for in a potential WWE Superstar in his current role as a talent scout for the WWE: “It’s just a feel for it for guys. I’ve been around for decades. I started in 1967, so I’ve been around wrestling for almost 60 years. There are no set guidelines. I just look for body language. I look at how the guys carry themselves to the mat. I look for their footwork. I watch how they react to a win, I watch how they react to a loss. I watch the interactions with their teammates and fans afterwards. It’s mostly body language, and how he looks, and how he moves.”
Much more is contained in Gerald Brisco’s exclusive interview with Monday Night Mayhem, including his candid thoughts on this year’s WWE Hall of Fame selections, what it means to now have Bruno Sammartino be a part of the WWE HOF, how DDP Yoga has helped improve his own personal health, the latest on the efforts to reinstate wrestling into the Olympics, plus so much more! Follow the legendary WWE Hall of Famer right now on Twitter (@FGBrisco). And if you live in the Florida area and need to have your car fixed, there’s no better place than Brisco Brother’s Body Shop, closing in on its 40th anniversary! Call (813) 879-4421 to make an appointment today.
John Cena to Headline SXSW 2013 Panel This Saturday
STAMFORD, Conn. — WWE and Echo, the first and largest real-time web platform provider, announced that they will share the strategies behind WWE’s award-winning digital programs at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference this Saturday, March 9.
The panel will feature a candid discussion with John Cena, the third most followed U.S. athlete on Facebook and Twitter with more than 17 million fans combined, and provide insight into how the 10-time WWE Champion utilizes social media to extend WWE’s brand and connect with fans.
The panel will explore how WWE is leveraging creative, media, technology and talent to become one of the most widely respected and successful brands in social TV.
With more than six hours of domestic weekly programming, 300 Live Events each year and broadcasts in more than 145 countries, WWE is in a unique position to unite the web, mobile, television and live audience experiences under an integrated digital strategy, with the goal of building the ultimate interactive experience for fans.
Last year, WWE launched an unprecedented second-screen experience, WWE Active, on its WWE flagship app, which has been downloaded more than 4.6 million times since its debut. (MORE ON WWE ACTIVE)
PANELISTS
John Cena, WWE Superstar and 10-time WWE Champion
Stephanie McMahon, EVP, Creative, WWE
Perkins Miller, EVP, Digital Media, WWE
WWE has signed Swedish arm wrestling champion Sarah Backman to a developmental contract. She is also the gladiator ‘Spirit’ on the Swedish gladiators television show.
