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RVD Talks About ECW’s Final Days, His Age, His Marijuana Arrest Ending His Push In WWE

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Extreme Pro Wrestling Radio with Rob Van Dam
Airs on 100.3 FM KFAN in Minneapolis
Hosts: Big D, Crisco, and Tim
Available at Facebook.com/Extremeprowrestlingradio.

Rob Van Dam called into Extreme Pro Wrestling Radio on 100.3 FM The Fan in Minneapolis and spoke about how holding out and staying in ECW in it’s last years developed him, how physically he hasn’t changed, how he would change the X-Division, and if marijuana use has kept him from being the poster boy of the different organizations he’s been with.

How staying in ECW in it’s last few years helped develop RVD into what he is today: “… WWE didn’t want RVD to get over when I was there. They tried so much to… to… not get me… to…to… keep me from that. They didn’t understand why the fans liked me because I don’t fit the cookie cutter formula because I am a non-conformist. I’m so confusing to wrestling promoters, and I’m used to that, but because I stayed in ECW and learned how to express myself the way, ah, that I could connect with my fans, it made my strong Rob Van Dam character uncompromising… and I owe that to ECW. If I would have left and went to WCW way back then, they were gonna make me… they were gonna put a mask on me and make me one of those Glacier characters… ”

On whether age has affected his physical condition and does he have to stop doing some moves because of it: “Not even in the slightest… not even a little bit. … as a matter of fact, every once in a while, I’ll pull out a move because I haven’t done it in awhile. I was wrestling Jeff Hardy, I think this was, like, two months ago, I went up to the top rope and I went, ‘you know what, I don’t think I’ve done a 450 splash in like 10 years’. Boom… I just bust it out… I haven’t cut anything out, and if it was up to me, ah, I would change that X-Division Title into hardcore rules and I would have 20 minute matches every night, bouncing off the guardrail, bring in a chair… and hell yeah, that’s what I got to show still!”

On whether being “420 friendly” has kept him from being “the man” everywhere he has been: “I would think, ah, with TNA, probably not so, because they, they usually like to make those references, ah, whenever they can. And I think they appreciate the extra, ah, the extra cool attention that it gets them. Obviously, my… high profile bust, when I got pulled over in Ohio with possession of 18 grams, uh, and..and… resulted in suspension and loss of the titles… I mean, there is no way in denying that that definitely knocked me off from the track that I was on. At the same time, I don’t mind going down in history for that or drawing attention to a cause that I believe is worthy…”

Kelly Kelly Undergoes MRI On Her Neck, Batista Thanks His Fans

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– Barbie Blank, formerly WWE Diva Kelly Kelly, underwent an MRI on her neck on Friday. She tweeted:

When asked by a fan what is wrong with her neck, she replied:

– Former WWE superstar Batista is thanking his fans for supporting his movie, “The Man With The Iron Fists,” which is estimated to do a projected opening weekend total of around $8.5 million:

Dolph Ziggler vs. Randy Orton Feud Planned, WWE Teases Superstar Has Been Suspended

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– With Big Show and Sheamus currently feuding over the SmackDown brand’s World Heavyweight Championship, WWE creative is already looking ahead to future feuds over the “big gold belt.”

Dolph Ziggler is waiting in the wings to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase and will do so at Survivor Series or shortly after. Ziggler is then expected to feud with Randy Orton over the title, a program that WWE is planning to run through the early part of 2012.

Ziggler and Orton had a short feud earlier this year, but that was cut short when Orton was suspended for 60 days due to his second violation of the company Wellness Policy.

– It appears that WWE superstar Hunico has been suspended. On the October 24th edition of WWE NXT, commentator William Regal made some cryptic comments about the Mexican wrestler during a match between Brodus Clay and Camacho. When Camacho came out without Hunico, Regal said:

“Camacho is usually out here with his partner Hunico, but Hunico’s not here and I’m not allowed to say why. He’s in a little trouble, and he got into a little extra curricular activities and causing a bit of grief to people, and he’s not gonna be with us for awhile let’s put it that way.”

Here is a video clip of Regal calling out Hunico for his “curricular activities” –

* Early Plans For The Royal Rumble Winner, When Dolph Ziggler Will Cash In MITB

(Partial Source: Wrestling Observer)

David Otunga In Line For A Push, Early RAW Preview, WWE’s Return To Paris

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– WWE returns to the Galaxie Hall in Amneville, France on April 24, 2013 at 8 PM.

– WWE is advertising the following two items for Monday’s RAW:

* Referee Brad Maddox will speak about his actions at Hell in a Cell, where he cost Ryback the match

* Vickie Guerrero will present video evidence of John Cena and AJ Lee’s affair.

– WWE officials are working to figure out how they can get David Otunga over. They are impressed with his ring work, his physique and his Hollywood connections, but he’s not connecting with live crowds and has been used only sparingly since he was aligned with John Laurinaitis earlier this year.

Survivor Series News: John Cena’s Likely Opponent

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With only two more weeks until WWE Survivor Series, only two matches have been announced for the fall classic pay-per-view.

The main event is a traditional 5-on-5 team elimination match, with Team Punk squaring off against Team Foley. The WWE Championship will not be defended at Survivor Series, so the top singles match is Big Show defending the World Heavyweight championship against Sheamus.

John Cena, who recently returned to action after undergoing extensive elbow surgery, does not yet have an opponent. Cena is expected to wrestle Dolph Ziggler, with the two of them currently wrestling each other on WWE’s European tour.

WWE Survivor Series 2012 takes place on Sunday, November 18 from the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Preview For Thursday’s Impact Wrestling – Preview Of #1 Contender’s Match At Turning Point

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Preview Thursday’s IMPACT WRESTLING on SpikeTV 8/7c – The Final Countdown to Turning Point

Preview Thursday’s IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast LIVE at 8/7c on SpikeTV, featuring the final countdown to the “Turning Point” event! If you can’t watch IMPACT on Thursday, make sure to set your DVR to record all the action.

– In a huge match on the LIVE Thursday broadcast – and a preview of the #1 Contender’s Match at “Turning Point” – “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles vs. battle Bobby Roode on IMPACT!

– Just days before their main event Ladder Match at “Turning Point”, what will happen on IMPACT between World Heavyweight Champion “The Charismatic Enigma” Jeff Hardy and his challenger Austin Aries? Don’t miss it!

– Did Christian York pass the TNA Gut Check? The judges will make their decision on York’s future on Thursday’s broadcast! Will he earn a spot on the TNA Wrestling roster?

– Plus, what will be the fallout after the latest member of The Aces & 8s was revealed? What’s next for the biker gang – and how will “The Immortal” Hulk Hogan react to the latest reveal? Tune in and find out!

All this and much more on Thursday’s IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast on SpikeTV LIVE at 8/8c – the final countdown to Turning Point!

(source: ImpactWrestling.com)

More Bad News For Linda’s Campaign, Cena Reaches 3M Twitter Followers & More

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– The 2012 WWE Hell In a Cell DVD will be released on November 27th and features WWE Champion CM Punk as a devil on the cover.

– John Cena reached 3 million Twitter followers this week.

– More bad news for Linda McMahon’s chances of becoming a United States Senator. Earlier this week, The New York Times gave Linda a 14% chance of winning her election. Since then, they have revised their projection and now give her just a 12% chance.

* JOHN CENA’s Next Feud, 2 Former WWE Champions Returning Soon & More

Main Event Announced For Next Week’s “Live” SmackDown In The UK, WWE Returns To Germany, CM Punk

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– Next Tuesday’s SuperSmackDown Live! (airing on tape delay from the United Kingdom) will feature Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio in a Falls Count Anywhere Match. WWE has released the following video commercial promoting the event.

– WWE will hold SmackDown live events on Friday, April 27, 2013 at SAP Arena in Mannheim and Saturday, April 28th, 2013 at LANXESS Arena in Cologne. Tickets go on sale this Monday.

– WWE Champion CM Punk is featured in today’s “Superstar” Spotlight” on WWE.com.

New photo of CM Punk and Lita on a motorcycle ->

SmackDown Preview For Tonight: Tag Team Main Event, Orton vs. Sheamus

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The following matches were taped in Fayetteville, North Carolina for Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown on SyFy:

* Big Show and The Miz vs. Sheamus and Kofi Kingston

* Wade Barrett vs. Randy Orton

* Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio vs. Darren Young and Titus O’Neil

* R-Truth vs. Justin Gabriel

* David Otunga vs. The Great Khali

The Miz will also host an episode of MizTV with his special guest, former World Heavyweight champion Sheamus.

*SPOILERS* For Tonight’s WWE SmackDown On Syfy

Jim Ross Remembers The Late Brad Armstrong

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WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has posted a blog at JRsBarBQ.com remembering the late Brad Armstrong, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 51. JR noted that he’s called hundreds of Brad Armstrong matches over the years. Here are some highlights of what JR wrote:

“Being the son of a wrestling star, especially a territorial, wrestling star, Brad knew the complexities of ‘getting over’ in a territory and what every promoter sought…reliability, consistency, in ring talent, and being low maintenance. Brad was all those things and more.”

“Behind the scenes, Brad Armstrong was one of the funniest, most personable men I’ve ever met in the business. He could light up any locker room and seemingly got a long with everyone. If someone had an issue with Brad Armstrong, they really needed to take a long look into a mirror. ”

“One of the greatest things someone in our business can say of any wrestler is that said wrestler could have a good match with anyone, no matter who. Brad Armstrong certainly fits on a rather short list of wrestlers that could literally have a good match with anyone.”

“Rest in peace to one of the most underrated, all time greats ever in the business and condolences to his wonderful family and to Brad’s many friends.”

* JOHN CENA’s Next Feud, 2 Former WWE Champions Returning Soon & More

Updated Card For TNA Turning Point 2012

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Following this week’s Impact Wrestling, here’s the updated card for TNA Turning Point:

Ladder Match for the TNA World Title:
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Austin Aries

#1 Contender’s Match:
A.J. Styles vs. Bobby Roode vs. James Storm
* Additional stipulation to be added

TNA Tag Team Title Match:
Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez (c) vs. Christopher Daniels and Kazarian

No-Disqualification Match For The TNA TV Title:
Samoa Joe (c) vs. Magnus

Devon vs. Kurt Angle.

TNA Turning Point 2012 takes place Sunday, November 11th from the Impact Zone in Orlando, Florida.

* The Latest On Several Top TNA Stars Leaving In The Next Few Months

Former WWE Developmental Talent Competes In Dark Match Following Impact, Before The Bell For Turning Point

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– Former WWE developmental talent Christina Crawford (a/k/a Caylee Turner) competed in a dark match following Thursday’s Impact Wrestling broadcast in Orlando, Florida.

The younger sister of WWE Diva Alicia Fox faced ODB in a match.

Crawford, as well as peer Ivelisse Vélez, were released by WWE in August. Vélez also competed in a dark match last month.

TNA Women’s Knockout Champion Tara remarked on match via Twitter, stating, “Great match with @TheODBBAM and @wwecayleeturner . Yayyyy!”

Meanwhile, AJ Styles faced Robbie T in a match taped for TNA Xplosion.

– Watch Before The Bell: Turning Point, a half-hour broadcast special spotlighting TNA Wrestling’s Turning Point pay-per-view event on Sunday, November 11. (Watch)

Former WWE Wrestler Revealed As Member Of Aces & Eights, Impact Post Show Video, TNA Stars Appearing In Texas

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– Luke Gallows was revealed as a member of Aces & 8s on Thursday’s episode of Impact Wrestling.

As Joseph Park was being beat down by a member of the nefarious faction, he ripped the assailant’s mask off, revealing the former WWE star. Gallows, who was not identified over commentary, then slammed Park through the table and left the ring as Sting and Kurt Angle hit the ring.

– On the Impact Post Show, Hector Guerrero appears after being called out by Kazarian and Christopher Daniels on Open Fight Night, who stop in later in the show. Magnus, Hernandez, Robbie E, Robbie T and Taryn Terrell appear as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_49Ek5oI78Y

– Chavo Guerrero, Hernandez and Tara appear at Direct Auto Insurance 211 S. 10th St. McAllen, Texas, today from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Call 956-664-2626 for more information.

AJ Lee Talks About Missing Wrestling In The Ring, WWE Looks Back At One Man Gang and Akeem

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– Prior to returning to the squared circle on Raw Monday, AJ Lee appeared on The Opie & Anthony Show where she remarked on how much she missed competing in the ring and how prior to assuming the the role of General Manager of Raw, she felt she didn’t need to focus on anything else besides wrestling. However, after being thrust into the authority figure role, she realized how there is so much more to the professional wrestling industry than grappling techniques.

“I was like, ‘I’m just going to wrestle and I don’t need to do anything else. And, I would hear so much advice that there’s so much more to this business than that,” said Lee. There are so many levels and ways for people to connect to you. And, I didn’t get it until I was thrust into this role (as Raw GM) and learned from everybody else that was in it. Now, I appreciate that part of it more than I ever did before. So, I miss the wrestling, but I know that there’s time for that.”

– The official WWE website looks back at the career of George Gray as his One Man Gang and Akeem personas are highlighted in an Alumni profile. WWE says of the retired wrestler, who now works as a death row prison guard at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, “The One Man Gang shocked the WWE Universe when he transformed into Akeem, “The African Dream.” The big man has boogied from Deepest, Darkest Africa to WWE.com’s Alumni page, with exclusive photos, videos and career highlights!”

Lilian Garcia Speaks To WWE For The First Time Since Being Struck By A Car In Los Angeles

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Lilian Garcia spoke to WWE.com for the first time since her accident Friday afternoon in Los Angeles, California to clear up rumors concerning the matter.

The WWE ring announcer and songstress tells the website she was hit by an SUV while working out, and was not in a vehicle. She says it’s “the most frightening thing” she ever went through.

“I’m suffering from head, neck and back trauma,” Garcia said. “I have lacerations and wounds on the left side of my body.”

Garcia remains under close medical care since being released from the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and as seen in her Tout message Tuesday, is currently wearing a neck brace.

Garcia says she’s feeling better, but is on pain medication. She will undergo further testing next week when the swelling of her injuries wears down. She remains unsure when she will return to WWE, but is eager to get back.

“Hopefully I’m on the road to recovery,” she said. “I can’t stand sitting here and doing nothing. I miss being on the road for WWE and the fans. I just can’t wait to get back.”

Finally, Garcia wanted to thanks fans for their support through this difficult time.

“Thank you. The most amazing fans in the world are WWE fans,” she said. “Thank you for the outpouring of love, well wishes and the support.”

WWE Wrestler Asks For His Contract Release?; Who Is “Cranky Vince” On Twitter?

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An account on Twitter spoofing Vince McMahon that also leaks confidential WWE information on occasion (located @CrankyVince) cryptically suggested in a message Thursday that a male wrestler has asked for his release from the sports-entertainment organization.

“GODDAMN. ANOTHER PUSSY BOY WANTS HIS RELEASE. THESE UNGRATEFUL FUCKS. I’LL RUIN THEM. ALL OF THEM. FUCK YOU,” the message states.

Back in June, the “Cranky Vince” account cryptically remarked that Alberto Del Rio had threatened to quit the sports-entertainment organization, with the story being confirmed as legitimate days later by F4WOnline.com. More recently, on October 15, the account tweeted on an idea broached by WWE’s creative team days earlier for Vince McMahon to face CM Punk at Hell in a Cell.

“A GUY LIKE ME COULD BE IN A HELL IN A CELL. WHY NOT ME?” the account stated. “SURE! WHY NOT DO HELL IN A CELL? ENOUGH GAGA IN A CAGE WITH PUNK TO GET A MATCH OUT OF ME. ALL THE OTHER OPTIONS CAN CRAWL UP MY ASS & DIE.”

A WWE source confirmed the idea as legitimate to F4WOnline.com two days later, but noted that “it was killed within 30 minutes.”

The account has drawn alarming concern from WWE officials since last year, who believe it is being administered by an employee within proximity of McMahon or a former employee with close ties to organization due to the amount of sensitive information being released. It was coincidentally shut down on the day it was revealed that Del Rio had threatened to quit WWE, but reinstated after it was labeled as a parody account and having no affiliation to the sports-entertainment organization.

It would appear that the account is being administered by Andrew Goldstein, a former creative writer who extensively worked alongside McMahon in 2006 and 2007 (he has recounted the WWE chief’s numerous quirks and unwritten rules in interviews over the past two years, such as don’t sneeze or yawn in front of him, and to pour peanuts from the peanut jar rather that place your hands inside of it). After news broke on the night of October 8 that Brian Gewirtz had been removed as the head writer of Raw, a barrage of messages touting the decision were posted on the “Cranky Vince” account. While this was going on, Goldstein posted a “Cranky Vince” style message on his Twitter account (located @AngeGold) while commenting on Raw events reading, “I HAVEN’T HAD THIS MUCH FUN FIRING A JEWISH WRITER SINCE THE FIRST 6 TIMES I FIRED @HEYMANHUSTLE. KOSHER WOOD.” The message was immediately deleted, and was not posted on the “Cranky Vince” account.

Cranky Vince

Here is a link to Twitter user catching the mishap and questioning whether the identity of “Cranky Vince” had been revealed. Furthermore, Goldstein plugged the account two times that night.

WWE Announces Passing Of Brad Armstrong

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The official WWE website reports that Brad Armstrong, who most notably competed for the National Wrestling Alliance and World Championship Wrestling throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and briefly for WWE in 2006, was found dead in his home this morning. He was 51-years-old.

Their message states, “WWE is saddened to learn of the passing of Brad Armstrong, 51, one of four sons of “Bullet” Bob Armstrong. Brad Armstrong last participated in the ring for the ECW brand in 2006. WWE understands that Brad saw his physician last week for a medical issue and was found unresponsive this morning. WWE extends its sincerest condolences to the entire Armstrong family.”

Brad is the brother of WWE referee Scott Armstrong and producer Brian “Road Dogg” James. The brothers, as well as Steve, who wrestled for WWE in 1992 as Lance Cassidy, inducted “Bullet” Bob Armstrong into the WWE Hall of Fame last year.

Here are some tweets of the wrestling world reacting to the passing of Brad Armstrong:

https://twitter.com/joeystyles/status/264072031073619968

https://twitter.com/joeystyles/status/264072031073619968

https://twitter.com/bookitgabe/status/264068139145375746

WWE Celebrates The Best and Worst Gimmicks, CM Punk Wrestles In Halloween Costume, Shelly Martinez

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– All November on Classics On Demand, WWE celebrates the best, worst and most popular gimmicks of all-time.

The official WWE website has released a video teaser previewing the month’s slate of programming, and clips are shown of The Gobbledy Gooker, The Dynamic Dudes, The Demon, Repo Man, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, Mantaur, Oz, Glacier, Isaac Yankem, D.D.S, The Mountie, The Warlord, Sgt. Slaughter, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Doink the Clown, Hillbilly Jim, Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Shockmaster, among others.

– Celebrating Halloween, CM Punk donned a Cobra Kai costume in his WWE Championship defense against Ryback at Wednesday’s Raw live event in Strasbourg, France.

goodbye

– Shelly Martinez donned a Princess Jasmine costume for a commercial shoot this week. Here is a video teaser from the shoot.

Pictures Of WWE Superstars’ Halloween Costumes

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Check out these pictures of The Rock, Chris Jericho, JTG, Heath Slater, Kelly Kelly, The Bella Twins and more dressed up for Halloween:

[nggallery id=68]

Syfy Preempting This Friday’s SmackDown Episode, Behind The Scenes Of WWE ’13 Commercial With CM Punk

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– Tomorrow night’s episode of SmackDown on Syfy will be preempted since networks under the NBC Universal umbrella will be simulcasting an all-star concert to raise money for those affected by Hurricane Sandy. The new time slot has not been revealed.

– In this week’s edition of “Outside the Ring,” WWE Champion CM Punk takes fans behind the scenes of the WWE ’13 television commercial.

– WWE Hall of Famer Yokozuna is featured in today’s “Superstar Spotlight” on WWE.com.

WWE Reports Third Quarter 2012 Financial Results

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The following press release was sent out to the Business Wire on Thursday morning. It includes quotes from WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon.

To read the full press release including many more details on WWE’s third quarter financial results, visit Finance.Yahoo.com.

WWE today announced financial results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2012.

* Revenues totaled $104.2 million as compared to $108.5 million in the prior year quarter. Operating income was $5.0 million as compared to $15.9 million in the prior year quarter.

* Net income was $3.5 million, or $0.05 per share, as compared to $10.6 million, or $0.14 per share, in the prior year quarter. Excluding items that impacted comparability on a year-over-year basis.

* Adjusted Operating income was $7.1 million as compared to $21.0 million in the prior year quarter, and Adjusted Net income was $5.0 million, or $0.07 per share, as compared to $14.1 million, or $0.19 per share, in the prior year quarter.

The decline in earnings, on both an “As Reported” and “Adjusted” basis, was driven by $6.6 million in incremental expenses from the return to a more normalized level of management incentive compensation in the current year quarter compared to a reduced level of management incentive compensation in the prior year quarter, a reduction in net home video revenue, and lower video game sales primarily from one fewer video game release in the current year quarter.

“In the third quarter, we continued to make important progress on our key strategic initiatives, expanding our content and distribution and enhancing our brand strength,” stated Vince McMahon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “The production and licensing of new programs, including a third hour of Raw, the WWE Main Event™ and WWE Saturday Morning Slam™, as well as the development of online distribution on Hulu Plus exemplify our achievement of these goals. The performance of our new programs, which have attracted an average audience 14% to 50% higher than the viewership of the programs they replaced, demonstrate our ability to build consumer interest, which forms the foundation of our proposed WWE Network.”

“Our fundamental operating metrics showed continued strength. Average attendance increased 6% at our live events in North America and Pay-Per-View buys increased 13% for the three comparable events in the quarter,” added George Barrios, Chief Financial Officer. “While the quarter had an anticipated decline in earnings, based on our results to-date, we are raising our financial forecast for the full year. We expect that our 2012 earnings will be 15% to 25% above our 2011 net income and 10% to 15% above our 2011 EBITDA results, both on an ‘as reported’ basis.”

Comparability of Results

Our current year quarter results included $2.1 million in network-related operating expenses. The prior year quarter results included a film impairment charge of $5.1 million. In order to facilitate an analysis of our financial results on a more comparable basis, where noted, we have adjusted our results to exclude these items from our results. (See Schedules of Adjustments in Supplemental Information).

Three Months Ended September 30, 2012 – Results by Region and Business Segment

Revenues declined 4% reflecting a $4.7 million reduction from outside North America. Revenues from North America were essentially flat to the prior year quarter as increases from our Live and Televised Entertainment segment were offset by declines in our Consumer Products and WWE Studios businesses. Revenues from outside North America declined 16% primarily due to a reduction in the EMEA region from changes in the number of live events and weekly telecasts, which impacted our Live and Televised Entertainment segment (as described in the business segment discussion below).

* JOHN CENA’s Next Feud, 2 Former WWE Champions Returning Soon & More

WWE Annouces The WWE Network Will Be A “Premium Subscription Channel”

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During Thursday morning’s WWE investor conference call as part of WWE reporting it’s financial results for Q3 2012, Vince McMahon officially announced that the WWE Network will be a “premium subscription model” – similar to HBO and Showtime.

This is a change from WWE’s original model, which was a standard cable channel, where cable networks would have given WWE a nominal monthly fee based on the number of cable subscribers. WWE’s difficulties getting picked up by cable providers has been widely reported this year.

No launch date was given for the network an WWE did not provide specific information about how much the network will cost WWE.

Vince McMahon emphasized that the WWE Network will be “the most interactive network out there.”

PPV Buyrates For SummerSlam, Money In The Bank & Night of Champions

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During Thursday’s WWE investor meeting where they reported Q3 2012 financial results, WWE announced that PPV revenues were $16.3 million for the three events held in the quarter. This is up from $15.8 million earned in Q3 2011. Here’s a breakdown:

– WWE Money In The Bank (July): 188,000 buys, down from the 195,000 buys in 2011.

– WWE SummerSlam (August): 358,000 buys, way up from 296,000 buys in 2011. The show drew 296,000 buys in 2011, 350,000 buys in 2010, and 369,000 buys in 2009.

– WWE Night Of Champions (September): 189,000 buys, up from 161,000 buys in 2011.

We’ll have more of WWE’s Q3 2012 financial results up this afternoon, so stay tuned.

John Cena Teaming Up With The Kids Wish Network (Press Release)

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The Kids Wish Network issued the following press release on Thursday:

WWE® SUPERSTAR JOHN CENA, KIDS WISH NETWORK GRANT WISH FOR BOY WITH HYDROCEPHALUS

JONESBORO, Ga. – International children’s charity Kids Wish Network announced today that through the generosity of the WWE and other sponsors, Maurice Wilson’s dream of meeting his favorite WWE Superstar, John Cena, has come true. Kids Wish Network is a Tampa-based charitable organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children having experienced life-altering situations.

“Generous Guardian Angel organizations such as the WWE help us make a wonderful difference in the lives of many children every year,” said Anna Lanzatella, Executive Director of Kids Wish Network. “Kids Wish Network relies on stars like John Cena to help us make dreams become realities for children facing life threatening illnesses every day.”

Eight-year-old Maurice suffers from a condition called hydrocephalus, which is a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the skull. He underwent a surgery to implant a shunt at four months old. At the age of three, he suffered a seizure after hitting his head and was rushed into surgery. Maurice was then diagnosed with epilepsy and put on a regimen of daily anti-seizure medications.

When given the opportunity to have a wish granted through Kids Wish Network, Maurice asked to meet his hero, WWE Superstar John Cena. Kids Wish Network arranged for an all expenses paid trip to Atlanta for Maurice and his parents that included accommodations, attractions and meals, as well as the meet-and-greet with John Cena before a WWE event at the Phillips Arena.

“It was fabulous,” said Maurice’s mother, Yakymia Wilson. “It was a dream-come-true for Maurice. This is definitely something we never could have given him and we didn’t expect anything as wonderful as this. Everyone everywhere knew who Maurice was and he was really surprised. Everyone gave us the VIP treatment.”

On the day of his wish, Maurice and his family were picked up by an H2 Hummer limousine and driven in style to the Phillips Arena. They were escorted backstage and Maurice’s eyes lit up when John Cena walked in the room. Cena headed right over to Maurice, shook his hand and the two started talking about wrestling and their shared interest in classic cars. Maurice presented Cena with a t-shirt and a pin for hydrocephalus awareness, while Cena gave Maurice signed posters and pictures along with t-shirts, hats and armbands to match his own. Afterwards, Maurice and his family were seated in the second row for the WWE event and they had a great time watching the action up close.

“I was holding back tears the whole wish,” said Yakymia. “I really appreciate all that you did for my son. Maurice hasn’t stopped talking about it and he’s still wearing one of the hats John Cena gave him. Thank you so much.”

Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for making Maurice’s all expenses paid trip and wish so spectacular: the WWE, John Cena, Ritz Carlton Hotel, Avalon Limousine Service, Georgia Aquarium, Center for Puppetry Arts, Legoland Discovery Center – Atlanta, Brio Tuscan Restaurant, and Johnny Rockets Diner.

For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit www.kidswishnetwork.org.

* Picture of THE ROCK Dressed Up As The Incredible HULK For Halloween

Backstage News On Ryback’s Push & Original Plans For HIAC

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Despite Ryback’s loss at WWE Hell In a Cell, WWE is still committed to pushing him as the company’s new main event babyface monster.

Following his controversial loss to WWE Champion CM Punk at Hell in a Cell, new details have come out regarding what WWE had originally planned for the match finish.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that the original plan was for Ryback to pin CM Punk in the middle of the ring clean and win the WWE Championship. Ryback would then hold the belt through Survivor Series and would eventually drop the belt in a multi-man gimmick match at TLC, where he wouldn’t have to be pinned or submitted. This was the scenario Vince McMahon had settled on until Thursday 10/25, just 3 days before Hell in a Cell.

The following day (Friday), Vince made the call to keep the belt on CM Punk because Punk’s long title reign was more important than Ryback’s undefeated streak, which isn’t really necessary to portray him as a monster. WWE has spent so much time focusing on CM Punk’s long title reign that it would be better to keep the belt on him past the 1-year mark so his eventual match with The Rock at the Royal Rumble would have higher stakes.

Once the decision was made to keep the belt on Punk, WWE spent the entire weekend figuring out how to cost Ryback the match while keeping him strong. WWE considered a wide range options before settling on crooked referee Brad Maddox, including run-ins from Brock Lesnar, Big Show, Mark Henry and even Vince McMahon himself.

* Picture of THE ROCK Dressed Up As The Incredible HULK For Halloween

(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

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