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Next 3-Hour RAW, HOF Ceremony TV Info, Lucha Libre Tour

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– WWE RAW Supershow on Monday, April 23rd, 2012 will be a 3-hour episode, airing from 8 to 11 PM on the USA Network.

– The 2012 WWE Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony on will air prior to RAW the night after WrestleMania on Monday, April 2nd, 2012 at 8 PM on the USA Network.

– Lucha Libre USA Masked Warriors hits the road this March, with live events in Nevada in California:

  • March 23 – Reno, NV – Reno Events Center:
  • March 25 – Stockton, CA – Stockton Arena:
  • March 30 – San Jose, CA – HP Pavilion:

Check out Ticketmaster.com for ticket information. More dates will be announced soon.

(Credit to Devin Cutting of prowrestlingevents.tk)

Major Announcement To Be Made At Elimination Chamber

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— The official Twitter feed for Raw Interim General Manager and WWE Executive Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis says he will making a huge announcement tomorrow night at Elimination Chamber. The statement reads,:

“FYI: I plan to make a HUGE announcement at Elimination #Chamber tomorrow. It might stop the show, and will certainly be a Game changer.”

Let the speculation begin. “Game” changer could have something to do with Triple H. “Stop the show” sounds like it involves the “Show Stopper” – Shawn Michaels. We’ll find out Sunday night.

— The official Twitter feed of Chris Jericho’s heavy metal band Fozzy wrote on Friday:

“Just got confirmation for some HUGE gigs this summer!!!! Stay tuned friends..”

— Tickets are still available via Ticketmaster.com for tomorrow night’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

CM Punk Debuts New Look, Attude Era DVD, Lawler

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– Mick Foley stated on Twitter that he was at WWE’s television studios in Stamford, Connecticut Friday shooting footage for a DVD highlighting the “Attitude Era.” He wrote:

“Those were good times, kid. I was just in Stamford, CT today, shooting the Attitude DVD, saying @steveaustinBSR was THE man in that era!”

– Jerry “The King” Lawler appears for Mid South Championship Wrestling on March 3, 2012 at the Charles Strong Recreation Center in Luxora, Arkansas.

– CM Punk will appear at Elimination Chamber with a new look – one we’ve never seen from him in WWE. For the first time in over 10 years, CM Punk has shaved off his beard and has no facial hair. The WWE Champion did a number of media appearances on Friday and was asked by Real Milwaukee why he no longer has any facial hair:

“I haven’t been this clean-shaven in like a decade. I did it when I got home, I think Tuesday, and I really don’t have an explanation for you.”

Punk also talked about the origins of his ring name, his straight-edge lifestyle, his finishing maneuver and more. Check out this video of Punk’s new look:

Sting Posts Cryptic Tweet, Taylor Wilde Getting Married, More

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— Sting posted a cryptic message on Twitter Friday reading, “I’m done.”

The message was retweeted by the official Twitter feed of Impact Wrestling.

— Former TNA Women’s Knockout Champion Taylor Wilde, 26, stated on Twitter that she is getting married today.

— Christy Hemme is handling ring introductions for this week’s Impact Wrestling live event tour of West Virginia.

— James Storm is featured on the cover of the latest issue of Inside Wrestling.

Tara Compares TNA/WWE and Dixie Carter/Vince McMahon

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TNA Knockout Tara recently spoke with SportsVibe.co.uk this week and talked about the differences between her time in WWE and TNA.

The Major Differences Between WWE & TNA: “Oh my gosh! the first thing that I realized straight away was that the ‘Knockouts’ were such a main part of the show. When I first arrived we were doing four segments with the girls on one episode. It was nice because we got to showcase not just being boobs and butt, we got to go out there and showcase our talent, what we train to do is wrestle, kick-butt and not just having five minute matches.”

“We were having 12 minute matches, cage matches, the full works. It was amazing and the girls were all shapes and sizes we had the likes of Awesome Kong and ODB and it was just exciting to be a part of.”

Working For Vince McMahon vs. Dixie Carter: “I rarely got to talk to Vince McMahon, I would always say hello if I walked passed him in the corridor but he was always really busy, and I can imagine he has a lot going on in his life.”

“On the other hand Dixie is always around backstage, we can approach her and she has a lot of meetings with us girls and tells us what an important role we have on the show, so that’s nice.”

“I respect Vince, he created a palace and I have learned a lot from both Vince and Dixie.”

WrestleMania 28 Kickoff Begins On Monday

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With WWE’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view in the books, we’ve passed the final detour on the road to WrestleMania.

WWE has plans to begin several new angles on next Monday’s RAW Supershow.

Two names that are expected to start appearing on WWE television for WrestleMania 28 are Kharma and NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal. Kharma is rumored to face Beth Phoenix at WrestleMania with Shaq expected to wrestle the Big Show.

Also scheduled for several upcoming RAW shows are The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker and Triple H.

(Partial source: f4wonline.com)

Chris Hero Changes Twitter Handle, Matt Hardy Launching Site

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— Chris Hero has changed his Twitter handle to reflect his Florida Championship Wrestling ring name, Kassius Ohno. The account is located at KassiusOhno. He also changed his avatar to a “KO!” logo.

Regarding the change, he wrote, “Small change y’all @thechrishero now = @KassiusOhno Thanks to EVERYONE for your support attention & even criticism. Let’s enjoy the ride~!”

— Matt Hardy will launch an official website next month via MattHardyBrand.com. His girlfriend Reby Sky is developing it.

“Much thx 2 @RebySky for putting SO much effort & work into the website, http://www.MATTHARDYBRAND.com -gonna be awesome! Can’t wait 4 u all to see!” Hardy tweeted.

— Diamond Dallas Page appears on Ampd-Radio.com tonight at 9:00 p.m. for an interview with Kenny Bolin.

Knockouts Prevent Year-Low Impact Rating, Shelley On Twitter

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— The #1 Contender’s Knockout Battle Royal featuring Angelina Love, Brooke Tessmacher, Madison Rayne, Mickie James, ODB, Rosita, Sarita, Tara, Velvet Sky and Winter prevented Thursday’s Impact Wrestling from garnering the show’s lowest rating of the year as the match outdrew the entire show by a sizable margin.

Thursday’s show garnered a 1.06 cable rating off hours of 1.02 and 1.10, flat with last week’s year-low 1.06. The #1 Contender’s Knockout Battle Royal, which kicked off the second hour, surged the rating from a 1.04 to a 1.23—an 18.3 percent increase. The subsequent quarter hour featuring Eric Bischoff’s celebratory promo plummeted to a 1.00.

Only the final quarter hour drew near the Knockouts, a 1.11 for a heavily publicized angle involving New York Giants player Brandon Jacobs and Sting confronting World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Roode.

— Motor City Machine Guns member Alex Shelley is now on Twitter at fakekinkade.

— Mexican America member Hernandez promotes independent promotion River City Wrestling on tonight’s KABB Fox San Antonio newscast in San Antonio, Texas. The program begins at 9:00 p.m. CST.

source: Pro Wrestling Torch

Cena, Triple H & Sheamus Talk Pop Culture, Punk Surprises Fan

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Coaster Boy Josh sent the following: “I interviewed John Cena, Triple H and Sheamus at the Mania 29 press conference for Elvis Duran and the Morning Show which broadcasts on Z100 in New York and is syndicated to 40+ other radio stations around the country. Instead of asking typical wrestling questions, we thought it would be funny to see how much WWE talent knows about pop culture.”

The video is available here.

— Fox6Now.com has published a story on CM Punk surprising WWE fan Rhiannon Patz at the 102.1 FM studios. Patz has Stage 4 brain cancer and it was her story of strength that made the WWE Superstar offer a helping hand.

“If I can bring a smile to their face or take them to an event and take their mind off whatever problems they had, show them a good time, I jump on the chance to do that,” said Punk.

— Former WWE star Matt Hardy has been announced for WrestleReunion 7 taking place March 30 and April 1 at the Miami Beach Deauville Resort 6701 Collins Ave. Miami, Florida.

Former WWE Star Critical Of Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis

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Jay Bradley, who briefly competed as Ryan Braddock on SmackDown in 2008 and 2009, spoke with Steven Muehlhausen of SportsTownChicago.com about his time with WWE.

On WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis, Bradley said, “John is a master politician. He is a very good, cunning businessman. He runs WWE like it’s his company. Which I think is why Vince has him around for so long. Because he’s good at what he does. He takes the heat off of Vince. I couldn’t answer what he’s doing on TV, but if he’s playing a bit of a jerk, yeah its probably close.”

Bradley was also asked what WWE needs to do to recapture a “boom period.”

“Blow up Vince McMahon’s jet with him in it,” he laughingly says. “The whole upper echelon of WWE, which pretty much dictates this industry, needs to go.”

The former WWE Superstar also discusses joining Chicago based promotion Resistance Pro Wrestling. The entire interview is available here.

MAILBAG: Will WWE Move CM Punk Over To Smackdown?

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SEScoops Mailbag for February 17th

(please submit YOUR questions to [email protected])

Q: What are the odds that the WWE writers have completely gone off the deep end and we’ll start to see Zack Ryder tied to a set of train tracks while covered in dynamite and Kane sitting behind the engine of a 15 car locomotive? I sort of feel like this is where the natural progression of this story line is headed. – Seth from Parts Unknown

A: Only if he’s tied to the train tracks while wearing his neck and back brace. If that doesn’t work, perhaps Kane can drop an anvil on his head.

Q: What actually happened with Goldberg wrestling one more match ? I remember he wanted to wrestle somewhere in Africa late last year, but did that ever happen? – Tom from Germany

A: He had been scheduled to wrestle at the “Rumble in the Jungle II” on October 12th in Kinshasa at Martyrs Stadium, but I don’t believe that ever happened. Goldberg has teased returning for a WrestleMania match many times in the past, expressing an interest in wrestling Brock Lesnar or The Undertaker. Either way, it’s not going to happen.

Q: Do you think WWE will move CM Punk to Smackdown because, in my opinion, they don’t trust him with ratings? The only reason I couldn’t see them doing it is because Smackdown has Orton and Sheamus and Raw has always been the number one show. – Josh M.

A: I would argue that Raw was the #2 show when Smackdown was at its peak during that 2002-2003 period. Anyway, I can’t see them moving Punk to Smackdown without moving Orton, and WWE does not want Orton and John Cena on the same brand right now. Of course, this is comical seeing as how every Raw is considered a Supershow, which means they’re all on the same show anyway. If there’s any chance of doing Punk and Steve Austin for next year’s WrestleMania, rest assured, Punk will be a Raw superstar.

Q: Why is it acceptable for Jerry Lawler to wrestle on a semi-regular basis and be on TV every week, but the general consensus is Ric Flair should just go? [While pretty much identical in age], why, is the King seen as a legend and Ric Flair as a sad story? This is about what they bring to the business, not anything to do with their personal lives. – Stuart B.

A: I think at its core, Ric Flair was always held to a different standard when it came to his performance. He was known for his mouth, sure, and he can still talk as good as anybody. But as a worker, he could bring the best out of an average worker, and with a great worker, he could have a five-star classic. Obviously, Flair can no longer “go” like that in the ring. I would argue that right now, Lawler is a much better in-ring performer than Flair. That’s one reason people give him a pass. Then you have the issue of Flair getting the greatest retirement ceremony of any pro wrestler in modern history, only to return to the ring. Most people figured he probably would, but that still rubs some people the wrong way. Lawler never said he was retired. In fact, he has said that if given the choice, he would prefer to wrestle rather than announce, and he still works independent shows on the weekend.

Q: Would someone have been fired if they made the mistake similar to Michael Cole during WrestleMania 15 when he inadvertently revealed that he would have an interview after the main event with “the new champion”? With social media being prevalent now, what kind of punishment would [they likely face] for spoiling the main event before it happened? – Luis from Illinois

A: Bobby Heenan got a ton of heat, but wasn’t fired for basically spoiling the famous “Bash at the Beach” finish when Hulk Hogan turned heel and joined the nWo. These things happen, but they’re honest mistakes and don’t happen frequently enough to warrant firing someone. Social media has nothing to do with it.

Q: Can you please explain why these ungrateful people continue to sound like little girls that dont get their way? The state of New Jersey is the host of next year’s WrestleMania and so far, I’ve seen nothing but negative feedback from people about this. Also, why do people continue to complain about the promos knowing that almost everything these guys say is scripted? – Jonathan F. from New Jersey

A: I see you are from New Jersey, so I assume you’re taking this criticism personally. Don’t fret, I think most people are upset that Mania is once again coming to an east coast city. And really, I can understand that frustration with the show having been in Atlanta last year and still rumored for NYC in 2014 (which I think is unlikely). Also, some people are not thrilled at the prospect of attending Mania outdoors in April and having to dress in layers. I, for one, am happy that NJ will now be known for something besides Tony Soprano and Snooki. As for why people complain about promos, the fact that they are horribly scripted likely has something to do with that. Just a wild guess.

Q: Do you think WWE should bring back the Tables, Ladders and Chairs match? – Cordell M.

A: I didn’t know it ever left.

Keep those questions coming to [email protected] and remember to include your name!

Video: New Z! True Long Island Story, Rock Tweets Ryder-Cena

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– The Rock tweeted a few messages to Zack Ryder this week – and took another jab at John Cena in the process:

“@ZackRyder If you don’t stop using my tweets and phrases – I’ll be forced to drop #ThePeoplesWooWoo on you.”

“@ZackRyder Btw, sorry to hear about your girl and John. Been told his breath smells like a dog’s anus. #DontSweatItBro.”

– Zack Ryder’s latest Z! True Long Island Story is now online, marking the 1 year anniversary of the show. Episode 53 includes a cameo from a recently released WWE superstar:

Next 2 TNA PPV Main Events, Mickie’s New Album, More

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— TNA president Dixie Carter confirmed that Bobby Roode will defend the TNA World title against his former tag partner, James Storm, at TNA Lockdown in April:

“Couldn’t ask for a better Heavyweight title bout than Roode vs Storm at Lockdown in Nashville. Hometown advantage???? I CANNOT wait. 4/15.”

As it was announced on Impact, Roode will first have to get through Sting, when the two headline next month’s Victory Road pay-per-view.

— Former TNA Knockout Chelsea, formerly the valet of Desmond Wolfe, returned on last night’s episode of Impact. She was shown along side Eric Bischoff during his celebration segment.

— Mickie James is finishing up her second country CD, and plans to have it available for a spring release.

ROH Debuts Tonight In Cincinati, ROH’s Next iPPV

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— Ring of Honor’s 10th Anniversary iPPV takes place on March 3rd from the Hammerstein Ballroom. The show can be ordered at GFL.tv.

— ROH debuts in Cincinnati tonight at the Masonic Hall with the following card:

* ROH Tag Team champions Jay & Mark Briscoe vs. ROH champion Davey Richards & Kyle O’Reilly

* ROH TV Champion Jay Lethal vs. BJ Whitmer – Proving Ground

* Eddie Edwards vs. Roderick Strong – No Holds Barred

* Michael Elgin with Truth Martini vs. Adam Cole

* One Night Tag Tournament featuring: Shiloh Jonze & Rudy Switchblade, Sean Casey & Chris Silvio, Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls, Alabama Attitude (Mike Posey & Corey Hollis with the premise being the winners can make a name for themselves in ROH and earning a non-title bout with the Tag champions.

* Mike Mondo vs. Samson Walker

The Rock Hypes Fast 6 & 7, Rock-NASCAR, Lilian Touring

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– SmackDown ring announcer Lilian Garcia has announced plans to hold a series concerts in the near future. She tweeted Thursday:

“Excited 4 tonight!! Have my first band rehearsal w my NEW Band!!! Gearing up 4 concerts! Yay!” Garcia just released her second single, Ur Girl (Til the End of the World), following the first release, U Drive Me Loca, both produced by Grammy nominated producer, Oh, Hush!, off her upcoming sophomore album.

– During an interview with MTV to promote his new Journey 2 movie, WWE star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson revealed that he will be filming the 6th and 7th installments of the “Fast And Furious” movie franchise this summer:

“We were going to try shooting them together. It would make sense while we have the same crew and everybody in one place. But I think we’re dealing with some weather issues, so from what I know we’re going to shoot ‘Fast 6’ first, and then worry about ‘Fast 7’ a little later.”

Here is video of The Rock talking to MTV:

– John Cena is not the only WWE star with ties to NASCAR. The Rock is listed as the Executive Producer of the upcoming documentary “Racing Dreams,” which debuts on PBS on February 23rd at 9PM ET. The documentary will follow one year in the lives of three young adults who aspire to become NASCAR drivers and has been described as “Talladega Nights meets Catcher in the Rye.”

Austin’s Early Days In Wrestling, Metlife Almost Got SummerSlam

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— WWE Senior VIP Ron VanDeVeen recently revealed that prior to securing New Jersey’s Metlife Stadium for WrestleMania 29, WWE was originally in negotiations to bring Summerslam to the venue. He stated this week:

“We originally were talking about Summerslam coming to the stadium, then Giants Stadium, and we morphed it into let’s talk about how do we make this even bigger and does WrestleMania work.”

– WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at BrokenSkullRanch.com. In this entry, Stone Cold told a story about his early days int he wrestling business – and how Dutch Mantell once yelled at him after he had a bad match:

“This ass chewing session was a 9.9 out of 10. I think he actually invented a few new cuss words to use on me. The Dutchisms were relentless, ruthless, and certainly unparalleled at this point in my life.”

Austin said that Mantell instructed him to watch every match on the card:

“I got it. From that point on for the rest of my career I watched damn near every match of every card my whole career. Obviously, when I was white hot in the WWE I did not have time to watch as much, but I’ll never forget that night… Thanks to Jerry Jarrett for the job. Thanks to Dutch for all the advice and help while I was there. And, most of all…Thanks for cussing my ass out, it was the best advice I ever got.”

Video Interviews With John Cena, The Rock & Sheamus

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Peter Rosenberg from New York City’s Hot 97 hip hop radio station is back with another round of exclusive interviews with WWE superstars from this week’s WrestleMania 29 press conference.

John Cena talks about WrestleMania 29, New York’s rich history as city that loves pro wrestling, NBA sensation Jeremy Lin, and a potential new rap album:

The Rock talks hip hop music with Peter Rosenberg:

Peter Rosenberg interviews the Celtic Warrior Sheamus:

CM Punk Nominated For Award, More New FCW Talent

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– WWE Champion CM Punk has been nominated for a “Most Metal Athlete’ award in at the upcoming Revolver Golden Gods Awards. The awards show takes place on April 11th and will be hosted by none other than Chris Jericho.

No word yet on whether CM Punk will be there in person, but considering their current feud, it would be  be interesting to see whether these two could peacefully co-exist at the same event.

For more information, visit RevolverMag.com.

– One of the top stories of the week is that former Ring of Honor wrestler Chris Hero finally made his debut at WWE’s developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling. Hery, who is now known as Kassius Ohno, is one of several new who joined the FCW website’s talent roster this week. Besides Ohno, here are the other new FCW talents:

  • Garrett Dylan (Jody Kristofferson)
  • Paige (UK diva Britani Knight)
  •  Adam Mercer
  • Aiden English (Actor Matt Rehwoldt0)
  • Sonny Elliott

Brodus Clay Addresses Rumors Funkasaurus Is No More

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Earlier this week, it was reported by the Wrestling Globe newsletter that Brodus Clay’s “Funkasaurus” character is being put on hold because WWE officials feel his in-ring work is not yet up to par.

Brodus Clay has since responded to that report, Tweeted the following message on Thursday night:

“Don’t believe the hater hype plant funk still in orbit ya dig!”

Somebody call his mama!

SmackDown Preview: Battle Royal, Bryan vs. Sheamus

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The following is a spoiler-free preview for tonight’s WWE SmackDown on SyFy:

* Battle Royal to determine the final entrant in the Smackdown Elimination Chamber.

* World champion Daniel Bryan vs. Sheamus.

* Tag Team champions Epico & Primo vs. The Usos.

* Intercontinental champion Cody Rhodes & Wade Barrett vs. Big Show & Great Khali.

* Ezekiel Jackson vs. Jinder Mahal.

* Hunico vs. Ted DiBiase.

* Divas champion Beth Phoenix & Natalya vs. Tamina Snuka & Alicia Fox.

Remade WWE WrestleFest For iPad/iPhone Released Next Week

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WWE’s early 1990’s classic arcade game WrestleFest is coming back next week to Apple iOS Devices (iPad, iPhone, iPod). However – instead of a simple re-release of the game, THQ has remade the classic with updated graphics, smoother gameplay and an updated roster.

The roster for the game will feature legends from the early 90’s (including Randy Savage, Jake Roberts, Big Boss Man), Attitude Era superstars (Steve Austin, The Undertaker) as well as today’s stars like John Cena, Rey Mysterio, CM Punk and Randy Orton.

The game will will feature a multiplayer mode, a steel cage match, multiple arenas and “extensive downloadable content,” which will likely include additional playable characters, ring gear, etc.

WWE WrestleFest will be released in the Apple App Store on Tuesday, February 21.

Check out these images from the upcoming WWE WrestleFest game:

WrestleMania 29 Press Conference Videos: Vince, Rock, Cena

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New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and and WWE Chairman Vince McMahon talk about WrestleMania 29 coming home to the New York area:

MFeenz TV was at the WrestleMania 29 press conference from the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Thursday and got exclusive interviews with The Rock and John Cena.

The Rock will be at Wrestlemania XXIX, but he would not confirm if will wrestle:

John Cena says he’s hoping for snow at WrestleMania 29:

Kassius Ohno Debuts In FCW, Lilian Garcia To Hold Concerts

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— Kassius Ohno, formerly known as Chris Hero, debuted at Thursday’s Florida Championship Wrestling television taping in Tampa, Florida. Ohno laid Xavier Woods out after losing to the former TNA World Tag Team Champion in a singles match. Ohno was said to have looked “really good” in the bout.

— Lilian Garcia has announced plans to hold concerts in the near future.

She tweeted Thursday, “Excited 4 tonight!! Have my first band rehearsal w my NEW Band!!! Gearing up 4 concerts! Yay!”

Garcia just released her second single, Ur Girl (Til the End of the World), following the first release, U Drive Me Loca, both produced by Grammy nominated producer, Oh, Hush!, off her upcoming sophomore album.

— There is talk within that WWE that WWE.com is being re-designed for a relaunch following WrestleMania XXVIII.

(Source: PWInsider.com)

Mason Ryan Taps Out To Jack Swagger, Ohno Causes Net Surge

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— WWE.com has posted this week’s episode of WWE Superstars and it is highlighted by United States Champion Jack Swagger forcing Mason Ryan to tap out to the Ankle lock.

Ryan had not lost a televised singles match via pinfall or submission in nearly a year. His last such loss took place on the March 14, 2011 Raw to Randy Orton.

Other matches are Superstars include Aksana vs. Maxine and WWE Tag Team Champions Epico and Primo vs. Alex Riley and Santino Marella. The episode is available here.

— News of Chris Hero’s FCW ring name caused a surge online among wrestling fans Thursday as Kassius Ohno briefly trended on Twitter not to mention that the official Florida Championship Wrestling website slowed to a crawl for hours.

— WWE developmental wrestler Byron Saxton has resumed competing following shoulder surgery, reports the Wrestling Globe Newsletter.

TNA Imapct Preview: Brandon Jacobs, Roode vs. Hardy & More

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The following is a spoiler-free preview for tonight’s TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV, taped Monday night from Orlando:

– Super Bowl champion Brandon Jacobs of the New York Giants makes a special guest appearance.

– Austin Aries and Zema Ion will face Alex Shelly and Shannon Moore.

– A Knockouts Battle Royal will be held to determine the Number One Contender for the Knockout’s Championship.

– James Storm vs. Bully Ray to determine the Number One Contender for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.

– Bobby Roode vs. Jeff Hardy in a no-disqualification match for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.