– The April 16th WWE Smackdown taping on has been moved to the Thompson-Boling Arena at the University Of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. The show was originally booked for the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina.
– The Rock tweeted the following preview of his upcoming Got Milk? Super Bowl commercial
The most dangerous Super Bowl commercial of all time!
Real lions.
Real jammies. #GotMilk #SB47 pic.twitter.com/sKkxq9mQ
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) January 30, 2013
– Injured WWE Superstar Tyson Kidd tweeted another update on his knee:
Great way to end nearly 3 hours of therapy today. Fix me up doc#workhorse pic.twitter.com/9aX7oq0C
— TJ Wilson (@TJWilson) January 30, 2013
– WWE Hall of Famer Edge appeared on DDP radio yesterday which you can hear below:
TNA President Dixie Carter spoke with the UK’s The American about a number of topics. Here are some highlights:
Her Knowledge of Wrestling Prior to Buying TNA: “I watched wrestling when I was younger. I lived in Dallas, Texas so the Von Erichs were a very big deal, and my brother and I used to watch Saturday morning wrestling, but before I got involved with TNA I had not watched the kind of modern day wrestling. At that time it was only WWE that was television.
TNA’s Success in the UK: “The British market has been essential to our success – absolutely essential – because I think it’s our first market where we’ve not only been competitive with our main competitor, but have actually had more success in television ratings and things like that. The UK was our first real break-through market and it has given us so much and helped build a great foundation on which we’ve been able to build worldwide.”
Taking TNA Impact On The Road Each Week: “That is the goal starting this year. We’re close to making a big announcement, another one besides the PPVs, which I think will have a great impact on the show, pun intended. Taking the show on the road is the natural next step for us. It’s expensive touring and it’s not that I haven’t wanted to be on the road but it’s a business decision just like losing the PPVs. I’m not going to put this company in any financial trouble, so everything we have done has been very conscious, people were saying we weren’t going to stay in business for ten weeks and here we are going into our 11th year and having more success than ever and that’s because we make good business decisions.”
* Recent Pictures Of HULK HOGAN & RIC FLAIR Partying With Their Kids
The talk backstage at WWE’s TV tapings is that the Undertaker’s status for WrestleMania 29 is uncertain.
There were reports several months ago that the Undertaker told WWE he would be able to wrestle at the show and named CM Punk as the man he wanted to defend his streak against.
As of this week, it sounds like the Undertaker’s badly damaged hip, which was worsened last year during his Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania, is still a major issue.
This is not the first time that the Undertaker’s health has put his WrestleMania match in jeopardy. If he decides against wrestling this year, there will need to be changes made to several planned WrestleMania matches.
As noted earlier, TNA Dixie Carter tweeted this afternoon that a “major announcement will be made on Thursday’s episode of Impact wrestling that will “change everything for our wrestlers, company & YOU our audience!”
The announcement will be that TNA will be taking Impact Wrestling on the road in 2013. TNA will still run occasional tapings from the Impact Zone in Orlando, FL.
When Impact goes on the road, TNA will air a live episode of Impact and then tape the following week’s show right afterwards. This is a similar format to the early days of WWE Monday Night RAW.
The first taping on the road will be Thursday March 14th from Hoffman Estates, IL at the Sears Centre Arena, a venue that TNA has held live events at before.
Thursday’s Impact episode was taped last week in Manchester, England and there were no reports of an announcement made for the live crowd, so the announcement will be edited into the show.
* Complete TNA Impact SPOILERS For Tomorrow Night
TNA president Dixie Carter is teasing a “major announcement” that will take place on tomorrow night’s episode of Impact Wrestling.
Dixie Carter tweeted Wednesday afternoon:
I will be making a major announcement on IMPACT tomorrow (8/7c) This will change everything for our wrestlers, company & YOU our audience!
— Dixie Carter (@TNADixie) January 30, 2013
Thursday’s Impact episode was taped last week in Manchester, England.
Former WWE manager Paul Bearer recently spoke with Chris Yandek of CYInterview.com. Here are some highlights from the interview:
His Status With WWE & Outside Projects:
“People that don’t know, that don’t see me, I am still involved. I’m still under contract with WWE. I’m under a legends contract with WWE and I do things now and then with them like WrestleMania and go do signings, this, that and the other. Plus I work the independent organizations all around the country. I go out to L.A. once a month and do Championship Wrestling from Hollywood. We tape four weeks of TV once a month out there and some months I’m busy every weekend doing wrestling stuff.”
Working With Ricardo Rodriguez:
“I think a hell of a lot of Ricardo Rodriguez who manages Alberto Del Rio. He has become a very good friend of mine and I give him tips all the time and not that he needs them. And when I see things that I like, I let him know that I liked it and he’s very respectful and very, knows the history of our business and he deserves to be where he’s at and other than Ricardo Rodriguez, there really isn’t any managers, you know WWE doesn’t have any managers. … Bobby Heenan and Lou Albano and I could just go on and on and on, you know all the old school managers, there are none.”
Mick Foley’s WWE Hall of Fame Induction:
“I love him dearly. I had so much fun managing him when he was Mankind ‘cause we was going against The Undertaker. … We just had so much fun because he wore that mask, you know that covered half of his long hair and that mask and all that and we were just like kids out there all the time and I was the only one that could ever make The Undertaker laugh and he could be laughing and nobody ever knew it and the same with Mick Foley.”
– WWE filed a lawsuit on 1/25 against Solar Entertainment Corp. for money owed to the company for TV and PPV broadcasting rights in the Philippines.
– British NXT developmental wrestler Gavin Reid has been released.
– Former WWE Superstar Edge tweeted the following on Tuesday regarding the news that Trish Stratus will be joining him the Hall of Fame when she’s inducted on April 6th:
Just heard about my fellow T.O. Canucklehead @trishstratuscom goin in WWE HOF this year. Very proud of ya. Sully's gym represent!
— Adam Copeland (@RatedRCope) January 30, 2013
– Lilian Garcia has released the official music video for her song, “Over & Over.” Here it is:
Syracuse, New York’s WSYR-TV has a news report up looking at one of the strangest stories we’ve ever covered here on the site.
Last Wednesday, 77-year-old liquor store owner and baseball coach Thomas Dotterer was shot in the eye during the robbery of his Salina Liquors and Wine store in upstate New York. Dotterer was hospitalized in critical condition and underwent surgery on his eye while in the hospital.
He was released from the hospital on Monday and was amazingly back at work on Tuesda afternoon. Dotterer told WSYR-TV, “Every day is great. Every day is great because every day I have an opportunity to meet new individuals and broaden my appreciation of what God has given us all to enjoy.”
Thomas says he used to be a “gloomy pessimist,” an outlook on life that’s changed over time and helped in his recovery.
“All things happen for a reason that preclude, maybe, present understanding, but you deal with the cards that you have dealt,” he said.
After this traumatic brush with death, you would think that getting shot in the eye would be the worst thing that happened to him in the past week. According to Dotterer, he’s actually more upset that CM Punk’s 434 day WWE Championship reign ended at Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view:
“That’s the worst thing that happened to me all week, the Rock beat Punk. Did you know that?”
Here’s the news report:
– During a recent interview with Yahoo! Deportes over the weekend, WWE World Heavyweight champion Alberto Del Rio revealed that WWE has backed off on their plans to continue touring Mexico. The company previously saw Mexico as a huge new market, however Del Rio cited the country’s declining a economy and the poor attendance and merchandise sales during WWE’s 2012 Mexico as reasons why WWE is now backing off.
Del Rio said he is very thankful that WWE gave him the opportunity to become the superstar he is today and standing by him through some very difficult situations (he did not elaborate). Del Rio says when he retires in a few years, he hopes to work behind the scenes as a WWE producer/agent and help develop younger talent.
– NXT wrestler CJ Parker, who has been out of action for several months with a wrist injury, tweeted that today is a huge day for him because he’s getting checked out by his doctor and will find out when he can return to action.
– It appears that the WWE Intercontinental Cup will not begin on this week’s Main Event as advertised. Matches taped for Main Event were Tensai vs. Titus O’Neil and Ryback vs. Antonio Cesaro.
Wade Barrett tweeted that he will be making a “huge announcement” regarding the Intercontinental Cup.
Former WWE Diva Tammy “Sunny” Sytch was in court on Monday following her most recent arrest for violating a protective order by being at the home of her allegedly-abusive fiance:
WWE Hall of Famer Edge recently gave the following endorsement to independent wrestler Steven Walters, who recently won a wrestling scholarship by BumpDrunk.com:
“Steven is the first and most likely only guy outside of WWE who I’ve kind of taken under my wing. If I didn’t think he was a great kid with a great attitude I wouldn’t have anything to do with him. I wish there was something like this when I started. I think it’s great for companies like BumpDrunk to invest in guys like Steven. They’re the future of the business. Without them, there is no business. I hope Zero-1 is prepared to have their door blown off the hinges.”
As the first winner of Bumpdrunk.com’s SHOGUN scholarship, Walters will be heading to Japan’s Zero-One promotion to learning through intense competition with various Japanese legends.
For more information on Walters, visit ProWrestlingFusion.com.
* Update On WWE Storyline Plans Through WM29 (Lesnar, Jericho, Undertaker)
– Zack Ryder made the following announcement this week regarding his song Hoeski:
It’s official. I’m professionally recording #Hoeski this week for iTunes.
— Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) January 30, 2013
– Jim Ross noted on Twitter that he will be headed to WWE developmental this weekend to evaluate talent at WWE’s latest tryout camp. He will also be at Thursday’s WWE NXT tapings from Full Sail University.
– As previously reported, WWE has reached out to Kamala about a possible induction into the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2013. No word yet on whether he has accepted, but WWE reportedly has a backup inductee in mind if Kamala does not agree.
– After Tuesday night’s WWE SmackDown tapings from San Diego, CA concluded, Big Show came out and cut a promo running down the Spanish fans in the audience. He talked about how he hires “people like them” to clean his pool and cut his grass. Show talked about Alberto Del Rio’s stereotypical love of burrito, which brought out the World Heavyweight champion. The two brawled at ringside, with Del Rio attacking Big Show with a steel chair to end the show.
Goldust posted the following message on Twitter this week, talking about his return at Sunday’s Royal Rumble:
“Man what a night! A lot of people ask me daily on twitter if i still get nervous before i go out of that curtain. Yes most def i still do and especially at the rumble when it was my turn to go out! Since i have been off of tv for some time i had no idea what kind of reaction i would get. You bet your ass i was nervous! Lol, my stomach was in knots! Asking myself how is goldie going to be received? Had no clue that the #8 entry in the royal rumble 2013 would be what it was! First let me say to the world ty from my heart for the chilling, shocking to me, response i got sunday night. Ty so much. Damn!!!!
As i am waiting my turn and the countdown has started 10,9,8, and my stomach was doing flips, and got down to 1 and my music hit and…… The wwe universe let me know right away that goldust will always be remembered as i received one of the most deffening pops that i have gotten in th 25 yrs in the biz! Holy hell what a road warrior pop! As i walked out of the entrance, all nervousness went away as it always does, and i stood there in all honesty feeling i was on the top of the world because of y’all, the fans, team goldie! The rr2013 is now the greatest moment i have had in the biz to date since wm12 with piper! To stand there and take off my wig and robe and charge cody and trade punches with my brother center stage cannot be topped! It most def was a wm moment for me!
My brother is the future of this biz as are many others but i want cody to succeed more than anybody else. The rhodes family has some serious wrestling jedi shit flowing through our veins. I know dad was at home marking out as much as cody and i were and the rest of the world with giant smiles on their faces. Even the haters were happy lol! One again i say thank you to wwe and the fans for that experience that is at the top of my list because of y’all letting me know by the pop you gave me! The world still remembers the name of goldust and will never forget it. And although cody won this battle, i dream still of wm with my brother cody rhodes.
Dont ever stop believing or dreaming because dreams do come true! You just have to go get them! Get with it and follow me on twitter at dustin_rhodes1 and my booking email is [email protected] ! Ty for reading and please rt!
Goldie”
* Update On WWE Storyline Plans Through WM29 (Lesnar, Jericho, Undertaker)
It was announced at Tuesday night’s WWE Smackdown tapings from San Diego, California that the winner of a six-man Elimination Chamber match will determine which wrestler challenges for the the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 29.
The entrants of the match were not announced at the show, however, Dolph Ziggler said he did not want to be part of the match because his Money in the Bank contract already gives him a title shot whenever he wants..
Ziggler also teased that he will cash in at WrestleMania 29.
– Independent wrestler El Generico has officially signed his WWE contract, according to PWInsider.com. Generico has been in talks with WWE for several weeks but first had to pass all of his required medical physicals before officially being offered a contract. He is scheduled to report to NXT in Tampa, Florida over the next few weeks.
* Pictures of EL GENERICO’s Recent Farewell Celebration At Pro Wrestling Guerrilla
– WWE Hall of Famers Ric Flair and Mike Tyson are scheduled to appear in Las Vegas this weekend. Tristar Sports Memorabilia is hosting Flair and Tyson for autograph signings on Friday and Saturday, February 1 & 2 at the Tristar Sports Memorabilia shop inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Visit the Tristar Facebook Page for scheduling information.
WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels recently spoke to the Kansas City Star to promote his hunting show and several upcoming appearances he’s making at hunting conventions. During the interview, Michaels spoke about the possibility of coming out of retirement.
“I miss being in the ring,” Michaels said. “But I enjoy my ‘new’ life, too.” His “new life” is being a full-time dad spending time with his family and hunting.
“The way I look at it, I’m making up for lost time when it comes to my hunting. I didn’t get started until relatively late in my life. But I am making up for it.”
Michaels also revealed that he first got into hunting after WrestleMania 14 when he was forced into early retirement due to a back injury that kept him out of action for several years.
– WWE taped tonight’s episode of Main Event on Tuesday night from San Diego, California. Here is a spoiler-free preview for the show:
* The Miz will host Miz TV with special guest Ryback.
* Ryback vs. Antonio Cesaro
* Tensai vs. Titus O’Neil
– The following matches were taped for Friday’s SmackDown:
* Alberto Del Rio vs. Dolph Ziggler.
* Daniel Bryan & Kane vs. Sin Cara & Rey Mysterio.
* Kofi Kingston vs. A Returning Superstar
* Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton.
* Sheamus vs. Damien Sandow.
* Great Khali vs. Jinder Mahal.
WWE taped Friday’s episode of SmackDown on Tuesday night from San Diego, California. Credit to Prowrestling.net for these results:
Smackdown opened with Booker T in ring with Sheamus, Kane, Great Khali, Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, and A.J. Booker spoke about the Elimination Chamber.
Jack Swagger came out and wants in the Chamber match. Ziggler still has Money in the Bank, so he doesn’t wanna be in Chamber. He threatened to cash in his MITB contract during WrestleMania. Booker announced Dolph would have to fight Alberto Del Rio tonight
– Rey Mysterio and Sin Cara defeated Kane and Daniel Bryan in a non-title match. Huge pop. Great work. Mysterio took a hot tag in to a 619 and a head butt off top rope for the hometown win. Kane and Bryan argued their way out of the arena.
– Great Khali defeated Jinder Mahal.
Booker and Teddy Long appeared on the screen from backstage. Sandow and Rhodes interrupted and said a poem. Sandow had to fight Sheamus. Booker said they go from Rhodes Scholars to Roadkill.
– Sheamus fought Damien Sandow to an apparent no-contest. Sheamus delivered the forearms to the chest. The Shield came in. One of the Shield members took a Brogue Kick, but they ended up Triple Powerbombing Sheamus. No one came out to help. Sheamus walked off with the referee.
– Randy Orton beat Wade Barrett in a non-title match.
On screen, Barrett was about to be interviewed by Matt Striker asking about the Bo Dallas elimination in the Royal Rumble and the loss to him on Raw. Barrett didn’t answer because he saw Dallas talking to some hot chicks. Barrett attacked Dallas.
They have been showing Del Rio outside waiting for Big Show for what he did to Ricardo Rodriguez.
Finally, Big Show arrived and Del Rio attacked him with a stick. Del Rio shouted in Spanish. Show yelled stop and did not fight back. Show jumped on top of a Crown Victoria car, which Del Rio basically tore up. Eventually, Show jumped into another car and drove away.
Backstage, Del Rio told Ricardo Rodriguez, who wore a neck brace, not to come out for his match.
– Alberto Del Rio defeated Dolph Ziggler in a non-title match. There were multiple near falls before Del Rio won by submission with the Cross Arm Breaker. During the Del Rio’s celebration, Big Show appeared on the big screen and had Ricardo by the neck.
Del Rio tried to leave the ring, but Show told him to stay there or he would hurt Ricardo. He warned Del Rio not to attack again. Show gave Del Rio the knockout punch. Del Rio ran to help and screamed in Spanish. Del Rio got a huge pop and was over with the Hispanic population in San Diego.
F4wonline.com is reporting that next month’s WWE Elimination Chamber might feature only one chamber match, which would be for the World Heavyweight championship.
With The Rock offering CM Punk a WWE Championship rematch, that would eliminate the need for a RAW brand Elimination Chamber match. The participants for the SmackDown Elimination Chamber match are rumored to be Alberto Del Rio, Randy Orton and several other top SmackDown stars, possibly Mark Henry.
Another RAW brand match that we will likely see is John Cena, Ryback and Sheamus vs. The Shield’s Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns.
– WWE.com has posted an update on the status of Vince McMahon’s “injury” following the F-5 he took at the hands of Brock Lesnar on RAW. After reporting that he broke his hip, the company website is now saying he will undergo surgery as a result of the injury.
– With Chris Jericho expected to be a regular part of WWE television through WrestleMania 29, he’s currently scheduled to work live events as well.
– WWE NXT trainer Joey Mercury has joined Twitter and can be followed at @WWEMercury.
– Injured WWE superstar Ezekiel Jackson noted on Twitter that he’s been using Diamond Dallas Page’s DDPYOGA program as he trains for a WWE return. He once again told his followers that he’ll be back soon.
– Rey Mysterio was backstage at Monday’s RAW.
* Picture of CHRIS JERICHO’s Huge New Tattoo
(Partial Source: PWInsider.com)
– The dark match main event advertised for next week’s WWE RAW from Atlanta, GA will see John Cena & Ryback teaming up against CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler.
– WWE Champion The Rock is currently not scheduled to be at next week’s RAW. This is one of the only shows he is not advertised for through WrestleMania.
– Following his return to WWE television and his attack on Vince McMahon, Brock Lesnar is confirmed for next week’s RAW.
Lesnar is also confirmed to appear at the February 25th RAW from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
(Partial Source: PWInsider.com)
