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Showing posts with label Sami Zayn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sami Zayn. Show all posts

June 20, 2017

Triple H Surprises Off-Duty Police Officer Injured In London Bridge Terror Attack



WWE superstar and COO Triple H surprised an off-duty Police Officer in the United Kingdom who was seriously injured as he fought off the London Bridge terrorists.

The emotional visit saw Paul Levesque, better known to WWE fans as "The Game" Triple H meet Charlie Guenigault, 25, who was stabbed multiple times as he took on the terrorist who brought about carnage on the iconic London Bridge.

It was reported that on the night of the attack Charlie was wearing a Sami Zayn t-shirt. Triple H praised Charlie for his "exceptional bravery" and played a personal video message recorded by Zayn.

Zayn said: “You put yourself in the line of danger at a time when you really had no obligation to do so.

“I can’t tell you how much respect I have for you. The fact you were wearing my shirt at the time really puts it into perspective for me."

"Sami Zayn has always been the guy known to stand up to the bad guys, but you did it in the most horrific of circumstances. Man, I’m just blown away, I really am.”

Triple H added: “To run in the direction of a scary situation that can’t even be described in words, to help others, for that to be your instinct to help others – that is a hero.

“People say a lot of times that they watch WWE because these guys are like real-life superheroes. Well, Charlie is a real hero."

Triple H presented Charlie with his very own WWE Championship title.

October 15, 2016

Bill DeMott Speaks On Working With Triple H, Kevin Owens On RAW, Tough Enough


Former WWE performer and trainer Bill DeMott recently took part in an interview with PlanetaWrestling where he names his time working with Triple H in NXT as the greatest time in his career. DeMott feels that working with the talent in NXT was his greatest accomplishment.

“There is no denying what [Triple H] and NXT are doing is successful,” DeMott said

Demott was a trainer for the third season of WWE’s Tough Enough reality show back in 2002, and ended up landing head trainer positions at several developmental territories. DeMott was a trainer on Tough Enough during the seasons that brought us John Morrison, The Miz, and Ryback.

“I was so grateful for the first opportunity to coach on Tough Enough, it turned into the biggest part of my career and I was part of the most successful shows WWE ever did,” DeMott said. “I am truly proud of everyone that competed, because win or lose I spent every day with them and know what they went through.”

DeMott was the head coach of NXT while Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Neville were all there, and says they are changing the face of the industry now on the WWE roster. He says he’s particularly proud of those three, and gets a “nervous energy” when he sees how well they’re doing on TV.

DeMott resigned from WWE in March of 2015 following accusations of misconduct and abuse by several ex-trainees. DeMott denies the allegations.

August 22, 2016

RAW GM's Announce Plans To Crown New WWE Universal Champion


BROOKLYN, N.Y. — The Demon King has abdicated the throne.

Less than 24 hours after defeating Seth Rollins to become the first-ever WWE Universal Champion, Finn Bálor was forced to relinquish the title to Raw GM Mick Foley and Commissioner Stephanie McMahon, having suffered a right shoulder injury at The Architect’s hands during their historic clash. Unforuntately, Bálor’s hope for a clean exit was cut short by Seth Rollins, who wasted no time in attempting to cobble together a case for himself to inherit the now-vacant championship.

The Architect certainly had company in that regard. Sami Zayn, Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens were quick to name themselves as worthy of a title opportunity, as did Roman Reigns and, surprisingly, Enzo Amore & Big Cass. Foley provided the solution, sanctioning four qualifying bouts for a Fatal 4-Way next week to determine a new Universal Championship.

April 25, 2016

Triple H Names Top WWE Stars He Would Like to Work With, His WrestleMania Match Against The Undertaker, WWE NXT and More


WWE star Triple H did a Q&A during the WWE Paris event over the weekend, and below are some highlights:

-When asked who in WWE he would like to get in the ring with, Triple H says he’s not sure if he would want to get in the ring with any of the top WWE stars now, but in his prime he would loved to have faced guys like Dean Ambrose, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Samoa Joe, Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Styles and Finn Balor. Triple H says when you are as good as those names, you want to get in the ring with them and work with them.

-Triple H says one of his biggest career moments was facing The Undertaker at WrestleMania 27. He called the match very special and the end of an era in pro wrestling.

-He talked about his career longevity and said that he is proud to have been able to have a 20 year in-ring career and now transition to the WWE offices. He added that he takes a lot of pride in NXT, which he says is the future of WWE.

March 7, 2016

WWE And NXT ASF 2016 Coverage Day Two: Samoa Joe, Balor, Bayley Steals Gimmick, Q&As, Tryouts, More


Matches

* Apollo Crews defeated Tino Sabbotelli.

* Chad Gable defeated Riddick Moss.

* Dan Matha vs. Aiden English kept seeing interference from Simon Gotch, so Dylan Miley ran in. William Regal showed up and made it a tag team match, which Miley and Matha won, to the shock of the crowd. Matha and Miley are really plain, but they're brand new to live events, too.

* Tye Dillinger defeated Kishan Raftar. Dillinger chopped the living hell out of Raftar, who messed up an armdrag. It was surprising to see Raftar, Matha and Miley, because last year most of the talents we saw were almost TV ready.

* Bayley defended the Women's title and beat Nia Jax in an NXT TakeOver London re-match. Eva Marie got beaten up by Bayley after the match. Again, Bayley was over. The barricades were rushed as soon as her music hit. During the match, Bayley grabbed the T-shirt and "10" sign that Dillinger left and totally stole his gimmick.

* Jason Jordan defeated Johnny Gargano with a half nelson suplex. Johnny Gargano was really over, as he's an Ohio guy. These two had a good match.

* Apollo Crews defeated Riddick Moss. This was the kind of match both guys had been having all weekend, which was good for the live crowd.

* Billie Kay defeated Alexa Bliss. Poor Alexa Bliss can't get a win in her own hometown. The crowd always popped for her when she came out, but she'd end up heeling them. I have no idea what the Billie Kay gimmick is, but her entrance theme is pretty cool.

* Chad Gable defeated Scott Dawson with a deadlift German suplex. Their partners were fanning them off with the signature towels before they locked up. A really good match, great chemistry.

* Asuka & Peyton Royce defeated Mandy Rose & Emma via the Asuka Lock. I don't think I saw Mandy Rose really mess up all weekend, which says a lot considering she was on a reality show a few months ago. She's learning quickly by the looks of it.

* Finn Balor and Sami Zayn defeated Samoa Joe and Baron Corbin. All of these guys felt like stars in this. This was an outstanding tag team match, which saw Balor get the pin after a Bloody Sunday on Corbin, following a Helluva kick from Sami Zayn. Much like yesterday, it was really impressive to see.

Q&As

* Mark Henry said he didn't know what he's doing at WrestleMania, and might jump someone to get involved. He said he wouldn't mind being in the Andre the Giant memorial battle royal, and tells a story about Andre picking him up after being pushed down at an event. He singles out Apollo Crews as an NXT talent he'd like to face and says he pushed for him. He called the Mae Young era the most fun in his career and said she was a good kisser, before singling out the Undertaker at WrestleMania 22 as his favorite opponent.

* Sara Del Rey, Matt Bloom and William Regal did a great Q&A. They said that nobody from last year's ASF tryouts was still with WWE, and the ones we see are abbreviated to give us an idea. Sara says that she and Matt are like a brother/sister team, while Regal says he coaches a lot of footwork and evaluates talent. Regal says there's no cutoff for age if someone has a supreme skill set, but for someone new, 30ish is the general range. Sara tells us that in her opinion, Bayley should be the next to go up to the WWE roster, and fans thank and clap for Sara's part in the Diva's revolution. They're asked about ZZ, and they say that he's working hard and getting better. William Regal says that he's hopeful that there will be a new season of Breaking Ground, and that he's very excited for Shinsuke Nakamura. Bloom says he's excited to see him and not get kicked this time. Sara closes by saying she'd love women's tag titles in NXT or the main roster.

Familiar Faces

- We mentioned yesterday that several wrestling personalities were around for the Arnold Classic, and today was no different. Former WCW talent Bill Kazmaier met with fans at the event.

Also, Hardcore legend Sabu was there signing and taking photos.

Other notes

- As was the case yesterday, several talents were signing autographs. While the lines didn't reach anywhere near the length of yesterday's they were still pretty long. Eva Marie was a big hit, and was very personable and friendly, taking pictures with people and adding them to her snapchat. Gable and Jordan are also incredibly friendly with individuals in the crowd.

- During yesterday's match with American Alpha, The Revival and made fun of them, calling them the "American Males."

- Tom Phillips is a pro and seems like he loves his job. Dasha Fuentes is a pretty good ring announcer, and they did a great job hosting today.

- Sunday's crowd was much smaller, much easier to navigate and the like. The place was buzzing about Saturday night's UFC.

- Regarding the tryouts, we saw the same names as yesterday there. If they do well, they're invited to a full tryout at the Performance Center.

- Tommaso Ciampa didn't wrestle, but did sign autographs. He wasn't using crutches, slings, or anything to indicate he was severely injured.

March 5, 2016

WWE And NXT ASF 2016 Coverage Day One: Triple H & Arnold, Exclusive Interviews, TNA Stars, More


Wrestling Inc was live on the scene today in Columbus, Ohio as the WWE and NXT held the second WWE Experience at the Arnold Sports Festival. The show was full of matches, surprises, Q&As and autograph signings. Wrestling Inc even spoke to a few of the NXT stars. We'll have full day two coverage tomorrow as well!

- Corey Graves, Tom Phillips and Dasha Fuentes welcome us to the event, and Corey Graves makes the crowd boo Phillips because his mic won't work.

Matches

* Apollo Crews defeated Dylan Miley with a standing moonsault. This was a really slow paced match which Miley controlled with a lot of grounded holds.

* Billie Kay defeated Mandy Rose with a kick to the face. Mandy Rose worked as a babyface during the match.

* Johnny Gargano submitted Riddick Moss with Garano Escape. Dasha accidentally called Gargano Tommaso Ciampa.

* Bayley retained the NXT Women's Championship over Emma with a Bayley-to-Belly. Bayley is over beyond comprehension in Columbus. She gave her shirt to a girl in the crowd, who broke down in tears.

* American Alpha defeated the Vaudevillains with Grand Amplitude. Gable and Gotch put on a mat wrestling clinic in the opening moments. American Alpha are also over big time.

* Finn Balor retained the NXT Championship over Baron Corbin with Bloody Sunday. Seeing Balor pull off Bloody Sunday on Corbin was really impressive.

* Eva Marie defeated Peyton Royce. This was not a good match. Eva Marie still doesn't look live crowd ready.

* Tye Dillinger defeated Tino Sabbotelli. Tino looks a lot like Jessie Godderz in person.

* Asuka submitted Alexa Bliss via the Asuka Lock. Bliss got a big pop from her hometown crowd, then heeled them. This was an excellent match.

* The Revival retained their NXT Tag Titles over the Protein Brothers (King Constantine & Thomas Kingdon) when they cheated. Protein Bros did not look ready to be in the ring, but Dash and Dawson are really good, so it wasn't easy to tell.

* Kishan Raftar defeated someone whose name I'm still trying to find out.

* Nia Jax defeated Billie Kay via leg drop.

* Apollo Crews defeated Riddick Moss and said he expects gold around his waist in 2016. This match was really long.

* Tye Dillinger defeated Johnny Gargano with his finish. Dillinger heeled it up and turned on the crowd after working as a babyface earlier.

* American Alpha defeated The Revival via DQ in a title match. This was a fantastic match.

* Peyton Royce submitted Alexa Bliss, making the hometown girl 0-2.

* Sami Zayn defeated Samoa Joe via pinfall after the Helluva Kick in an awesome match. Easily the best singles match of the show.

Wrestling Inc Interviews

- Wrestling Inc was able to talk to Chad Gable & Jason Jordan, who told us about their Steiner Brothers inspired gear.

- We also spoke to Alexa Bliss, who is a hometown girl in Columbus. She talks about competing at the Arnold Sports Festival in the past, her relationship with Blake & Murphy, as well as possibly moving to the main roster.

Surprises

- Triple H showed up, which was a big surprise, and had Arnold Schwarzaneggar with him. Arnold loved the crowd and spouted off his one liners, including "IT'S NOT A TUMOR."

Arnold says he watches WWE all the time. He also snapchatted in the ring. They talked a little bit about Arnold hosting Celebrity Apprentice soon. They also held a Q&A, where Triple H is asked about several things. He says Arnold was his hero, and he loves his one liners. He mentions that his favorite match is the Hell in a Cell match with Undertaker. A "pinch me" moment was 2,000 kids chanting his name in India. When asked about the Diva's revolution, he says he never saw a difference between men and women, and is open to the idea of a Divas tag division.

Q&As

- Braun Strowman was the first Q&A and says that he'd like to see Matt Bloom inducted into the Hall of Fame for all of the contributions he's made in NXT. He says that traveling is the worst part of wrestling, and eats 7-8 times a day, taking in about 5-6 pounds of meat. When asked about Brock Lesnar, he says he hopes to lock horns with him in the near future. He also says that his size gained him a unique opportunity to bypass NXT, and he seized it. He also said the Wyatt Family has taught him friendship.

- Gable & Jordan did an impromptu Q&A, and Graves told the crowd they'd rather be American Alpha 1.0 than Team Angle 2.0. Jordan says his favorite superstar was Mr. Perfect, and Gable's was Sting. Gable tells the crowd if he could face any team, it'd be the Rock N' Roll Express.

* Cesaro did a Q&A and said that he'd be back in a couple of months. He's most proud of his feat of strength of swinging Great Khali. He hopes Tyson Kidd will be back in action, but he needs another check up. He remembers Sami Zayn and Daniel Bryan arguing for two hours, only for Zayn to agree with him when they get to the venue. He hopes he can get to the main event, but says that fan support is crucial.

- Eva Marie and Mandy Rose's Total Divas Q&A went a couple of minutes, and Eva Marie showed up late for it. They both say Charlotte is the Diva they'd want to face because she has the title.

Familiar Faces

Several familiar faces were at the Arnold Sports Festival. Even though he didn't appear for WWE, David Otunga was there, and stopped by to see former WWE Divas Champion Kaitlyn.

Also, TNA stars Bobby Lashley and Jessie Godderz were in the house.

Kurt Angle was also there, as he was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.

Tryouts

- Much like last year, WWE held live tryouts in front of the crowd. They were conducted by Matt Bloom and mainly consisted of drilling. There weren't any big indy names or anything of the like that I heard of.

Autographs

Most of the NXT stars participated in autograph signings, which for the second year in a row, had the longest lines of the entire expo. The line went all the way around the stands, then people had to line up going up the stairs as well.

October 18, 2015

Sami Zayn Appears in the Ring After EVOLVE 49, Teases Big Things Between WWE and WWN Live


According to PWInsider.com, after last ight’s EVOLVE 49 iPPV went off the air, WWE NXT star Sami Zayn came down to the ring as Johnny Gargano and Ethan Page were recovering from their I Quit main event match.

Zayn said he got his start cutting his teeth in EVOLVE and added he has an “indy sized hole” in his heart. He thanked the fans for supporting him and EVOLVE.

Zayn then said this is the ground floor of something very, very big for EVOLVE and he teased more to the relationship between WWN Live and WWE. He put over Johnny Gargano, who participated in the Dusty Rhodes Classic, and told him that after seeing him in NXT and tonight, that there is no doubt Gargano is the man. Zayn said there’s there’s never been a more important time than now for him to step up and show it. This ended the night.

October 15, 2015

WWN Live Statement On WWE Relationship


WWN Live issued the following today in regards to their status with WWE after NXT Superstar Sami Zayn was announced for live appearances at this weekend's EVOLVE shows in New York City:

"You have supported us and you deserve an answers. You want to know what's going on with WWE and The WWN Family. This is the absolute truth. There are no answers. Yes, there is obviously a growing relationship. What direction it will take is unknown. There are rumors and speculation, but this relationship changes and develops almost weekly. This is a road that has never been traveled before. There is no precedent. We don't know what to expect nor what is possible. All this means is that anything can happen. There are infinite possibilities. The only sure thing is that this will be a wild, unpredictable and thrilling ride. We will all find out where this road goes together. There is no telling what will happen next."

October 12, 2015

Sami Zayn Announced For EVOLVE Shows


Gabe Sapolsky of WWN Live has announced WWE NXT Superstar Sami Zayn for their EVOLVE 49 and EVOLVE 50 iPPV shows in New York this weekend.

Zayn will be appearing in a non-wrestling role it appears and this is part of WWE working with WWN.

June 26, 2015

NXT Stars at the San Diego Comic-Con


The annual WWE and Mattel panel at the San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday, July 9th will feature Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn, William Regal, Kevin Owens, Charlotte and others. Below is the official promotional blurb released:

"Once again, Mattel and WWE have teamed up to bring you an action-packed SDCC panel. WWE & NXT Superstars and Mattel personnel will discuss the tremendous growth in popularity of NXT, weigh in on the next generation of WWE Superstars, and give exclusive sneak peeks of Mattel's upcoming WWE figure releases. Incredible guest appearances by William Regal, Seth Rollins, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Charlotte, and additional special guests."

June 19, 2015

Update on Injury Status of NXT’s Hideo Itami & Sami Zayn


Both Hideo Itami and Sami Zayn appeared at Thursday’s WWE NXT television taping at Full Sail University.

Hideo Itami opened the night with an in-ring promo, announcing that he would still be at the upcoming July 4th live event in Japan despite his injury. He also challenged the winner of Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor, but noted he is still 3-4 months away from returning.

Former NXT Champion Sami Zayn also addressed the Full Sail crowd about his own injury. Zayn vowed to eventually get his revenge on career-long rival Kevin Owens, but announced that he would be out of action for the remainder of 2015.

May 20, 2015

WWE NXT Takeover: Unstoppable Results

May 19, 2015

Triple H NXT Media Call Recap: Sami Zayn And Hideo Itami Update, NXT Touring Plans, Samoa Joe, More


* Triple H apologizes for his voice and says "with a nose like mine, changing allergy zones three times" is a bad thing.

* HHH puts over Charlotte and Sasha Banks headlining an NXT live event last week. He wants them to change the perception of what women do in the industry.

* The NXT tours will continue. He's looking at festival touring and some international shows as well. He wants NXT to be a full brand by next year.

* HHH thanked ESPN and Jeremy Schapp. He said he hopes that they can work together more, or produce more of those for the Network.

* Sami Zayn has been cleared, an will compete.

* HHH thinks Becky/Sasha could steal the show.

* Matt Bloom has been promoted to permanent head coach at NXT. Sara Del Rey is assistant head coach now.

* Sara Del Rey is still working as a road agent as well.

* He already considers NXT an additional brand. He wants to find what's best suited for NXT. Things that work on the main roster may not work in NXT.

* Triple H wants NXT on the road 3 days a week by 2016. He wants NXT to have a two-tour function eventually. He doesn't want to lose the homegrown fans in Flordia, either.

* Triple H doesn't care if someone has indy experience or not, but having experience helps.

* He doesn't know if NXT will become a cable TV show. He's happy where they are on the WWE Network. Triple H sees NXT as a selling point for the Network, too.

* Hideo Itami will be represented, but will not be wrestling tomorrow night.

* While NXT is a third brand, it's still there to get people ready for the main roster, Triple H says. He says the best problem he can have is Vince calling him in the middle of a hot angle and asking for that star.

* Triple H says that there are several talents in NXT ready for the main roster, but there aren't spots for them, or else they'd be there.

* HHH says WWE developmental is a young man's game. He says it takes a while for them to get talent up to speed.

* Triple H says he likes Ring of Honor and Dragon Gate. He says he's not trying to make NXT a direct competition to them. He wants to make the best roster that he can. He thinks if NXT's business grows, so will RoH's. He said he'd love to help support ROH and grow.

* Triple H says there are talents that said they turned down NXT deals for ROH. He says they haven't spoken to those talents on any level.

* Triple H says he wanted to make NXT an individual brand from day 1, but didn't tell anyone that.

* Triple H thinks Samoa Joe is a phenomenal talent. Says he was at the performance center a month or two ago. He doesn't know if they'll do business. He said they only spoke for about five minutes, and it was mostly pleasantries.

* He says there are plenty of talents that won't make it on the main roster, and gimmicks that won't work on the main roster.

* Vince McMahon doesn't see all of NXT. Triple H shows him bits and pieces.

* HHH doesn't see Cena going anywhere. He thinks it's great that Cena is confident enough to give younger stars a time to shine. Time pushes people to move to different roles.

* Someone asks about Emma. Triple H says it's more than possible for her to get back in the title picture.

* Triple H says Vince McMahon was blown away by the NXT show WrestleMania weekend. Triple H didn't know Vince would be there until last minute. McMahon messaged him and said he'd be there. Triple H said that several WWE executives came and were impressed, and wanted to do more with it.

* Triple H puts over the progress of Sami Zayn working without a mask and Baron Corbin.

* There aren't plans of an all-female NXT show or special, but it could happen.

* Nothing in NXT was by accident. He had a vision for this.

* The majority of the fans dictate what they do.

May 5, 2015

Backstage News on Sami Zayn's WWE Status


Regarding Sami Zayn's shoulder injury suffered on last night's RAW in Montreal, the injury apparently came before the match with WWE United States Champion John Cena even began. As Zayn was making his entrance, he was raising his arms to get the crowd hype and it looked like something happened to the shoulder then.

Zayn started showing signs of an injury then but worked the match anyway. As seen during the match, the referee threw up a "X" symbol and a WWE trainer checked on Zayn before he was allowed to finish. Sami did appear on the stage for the post-RAW Pat Patterson Appreciation Night segment but his shoulder was bandaged up.

Zayn will be having a MRI today to find out how bad the injury is. It should be noted that Zayn was away from the NXT ring with an injury until April 2nd with a shoulder injury.

Last night's match is being called Zayn's official RAW debut but we don't know yet if this means he is on the main roster for good. Zayn is scheduled for more upcoming WWE TV tapings but that could obviously change with the MRI results.

April 23, 2015

Main Event Announced for the Next WWE NXT Live Takeover Special, Date of the Special Revealed


WWE is currently holding a set of NXT TV tapings at Full Sail University, and it was announced during the tapings that the next live NXT Takeover special will happen on May 20th at Full Sail University.

It was also announced at tonight’s NXT tapings that the main event of the special will be Kevin Owens (c) vs Sami Zayn for the NXT Title.

March 28, 2015

Recap of WWE NXT at San Jose State University


WWE NXT held their biggest event yet on Friday night at San Jose State University with between 4,500 and 5,000 fans in attendance. Thanks to Ryan Aziz and Corey Montgomery for the following results:

* JoJo sang the National Anthem and even before that there was a crazy buzz in the air. The crowd was fired up and ready to go. Corey Graves came in the ring to kick off the show but was met with "you f--ked up" chants because his mic didn't work. Graves talked about how far NXT has come and got a chant going.

* Hideo Itami defeated Tyler Breeze in the opener after GTS. This was an awesome match, maybe it was just the setting but this was a lot better than their recent TV matches. The crowd was chanting for GTS early on and Itami went for it during the match, finally nailing it after a big corner dropkick. Itami got the win and was really fired up feeding off the crowd.

* Jason Jordan defeated Bull Dempsey after an Exploder suplex. Dempsey got decent heel heat for this entrance and controlled most of the match. Jordan looked alright in the ring but he didn't get much of a reaction at all.

* Alexa Bliss and Bayley defeated Dana Brooke and Becky Lynch in a great Divas bout. Bayley came out to a huge hometown reaction that carried on. Bayley hit her suplex on Becky for the win and had a pretty big celebration after the match. She was interviewed by Greg Hamilton I believe it was and called it the coolest night of her life. Becky Lynch was really impressive in this match and played the heel role well.

* Solomon Crowe defeated Kalisto by submission with a Stretch Muffler. They did a lot of back and forth wrestling and a lot of mat wrestling but it was done well. They eventually made their way to the ropes and the floor. Crowe blocked a splash and put Kalisto into the Muffler for the win. Crowe also got a good reaction.

* Baron Corbin defeated Rhyno with End of Days. Rhyno got a huge pop when he came out and ECW chants. They brawled like two big men should after Corbin got warmed up. Rhyno finally went for the Gore but Corbin countered and hit End of Days. Corbin turned around after the match to a Gore from Rhyno to another big pop. The crowd really loved Rhyno as he was not advertised before.

* Intermission

* Corey Graves comes out and introduces Triple H, who gets a massive reaction and "thank you" chants. Triple H is clearly having fun. Triple H called NXT the hottest thing in town and said everyone from Vince McMahon to Shawn Michaels to Sean Waltman, Stephanie McMahon and others are backstage watching. He also pointed out Jim Ross in the front row and JR's name got a massive pop, way bigger than Vince and the others. He praised NXT as the future and got another big NXT chant going.

* WWE NXT Tag Team Champions defeated Enzo Amore & Big Cass and The Vaudevillians in an Elimination Match. Carmella, Enzo and Cass got a reaction that rivaled that of Rhyno and Itami, their schtick is over like crazy. All three teams worked well and played their roles with the crowd really well. That's one of the best parts about NXT is just about everyone seems to connect in some way. Big Cass pinned one of The Vaudevillians and they were eliminated first. Carmella then tried to get involved but it backfired and Cass got hit with a cheap shot while he checked on her.

* WWE NXT Women's Champion Sasha Banks defeated Charlotte by submission with the Bank Statement. The crowd has stayed hot all night but cranked it up a notch for these Divas. They chanted "this is wrestling" and "this is awesome" more than once. Lots of back and forth action several times but Charlotte's babyface comebacks were really cool. Sasha broke a pair of Figure Fours and they traded several pin attempts before Sasha dropped Charlotte into the Bank Statement and made her tap out. This was an amazing match, like Natalya vs. Charlotte. It's hard to do justice with words but hopefully this becomes available somewhere in the near future. Charlotte got a "thank you Charlotte" chant after the match.

* Sami Zayn came out to a big pop and a chant. He admitted he ha some health issues that aren't too serious but he's not cleared to compete. He talks about the NXT revolution until NXT Champion Kevin Owens interrupts on the stage. Owens cuts a promo on Sami and then the fans after they give him the "what?" treatment. Owens brags about taking Sami's title and they had more words. Sami took credit for Owens even being in NXT. They teased a fight but Owens backed off and mentioned his own recent surgery. Sami promised to get the NXT Title back once Owens is cleared. With both of them injured, they made the best of things and pulled off a really good promo segment.

* Finn Balor came out in full body paint for the main event against Adrian Neville and got a "holy s--t" chant from the crowd, who was still hot. There was a better than WrestleMania chant at one point and many other chants as they tore the house down. Balor ended up moving out of the way of Red Arrow and hitting the big stomp for the win.

January 28, 2015

New WWE NXT Tag Team Champions Crowned, Update on the NXT #1 Contender's Tournament


Baron Corbin defeated Bull Dempsey and Adrian Neville defeated Tyson Kidd on this week's WWE NXT to advance in the #1 contender's tournament. Next week's episode will feature Neville vs. Corbin and Finn Balor vs. Hideo Itami in the semi-finals. The winners of those two matches will face at the February 11th Takeover special to determine the new #1 contender to NXT Champion Sami Zayn.

January 17, 2015

WWE NXT Tournament Announced


A #1 contenders tournament has been confirmed to kick off on next week's WWE NXT. The winner will receive a title shot at NXT Champion Sami Zayn.

January 16, 2015

Seth Rollins Talks Curb Stomping Lesnar & Cena, Triple H Following His Progress, NXT, Taker, Savage


Seth Rollins joined The Rack this past Thursday Night. During the interview, Rollins discussed what it was like to be in the ring and curb stomping both Brock Lesnar and John Cena on RAW, his thoughts on Smackdown moving to Thursdays, who is he looking forward to working with from NXT in the future, what it was like working with The Undertaker, Randy Savage being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 and more. They sent us the highlights below, you can listen to the full interview by clicking here.

What it's like working with both Triple H and Stephanie McMahon on TV weekly:

"Oh, they're phenomenal; two of the greatest mind in the history of our industry. You've got one, born and bred a McMahon so she knows all there is to know about what we do and she knows all the little tricks of the trade. She sees things from a completely different perspective, so you have that. On the other hand, you have 'The Cerebral Assassin', a man who's been WWE Champion multiple times, who is clearly the heir-apparent to the company itself and already running the ship for the most part. There are really no better mentors; if you're not learning something every single day, every single time you go out there, then you're really just making a mistake trying to progress yourself. If people have kept track over the past 6-8 months, they'll have noticed a lot of improvements in my game, at least I have, and a lot of that is due to having Triple H and Stephanie on my side, nurturing me all the way through."

Triple H following his progress through NXT, The Shield and now:

"Yeah, clearly, the man has an eye for talent, you know? It's been good; NXT was a good experience for me. We were really the first group of guys who were involved in that project and if you look at what it's become now, it's pretty impressive to think about where it started and how it began, very humbly, in a warehouse in Tampa and now, basically, it's its own brand. To have Triple H's support, through and through the entire way, has meant more to me than people will ever understand. It's really helped position me to where I want to be and helped me grow as a person and as a performer."

Is there anyone in the new crop of NXT talent that he's looking forward to facing in the future:

"I have a lot of friends down there; a lot of people who I traveled the road with in my previous life and I think those guys, the Adrian Nevilles and Sami Zayns, Finn Balor, Hideo Itami, Kevin Overs; these are the guys obviously making a name for themselves now in NXT. There's also a lot of young guys too, who are pushing the envelope as well, really trying to make a name for themselves in the shadow, a little bit, of some of those bigger names.

"You've got someone like CJ Parker, who's been down in NXT for a while making waves. You've got Tyler Breeze, who is on the cusp of something big and stuff like that. So, there's a lot of talent down there; I'm looking forward to seeing how the landscape up here in the WWE looks like in 2-5 years, with all of those names I mentioned, up here working with us. It's going to be a very interesting period for the future of WWE."

January 15, 2015

Big WWE Experience Event Announced For Arnold Sports Festival With NXT, WWE Legends, More


As noted, WWE will host a NXT live event during the Arnold Sports Festival weekend in Columbus, Ohio in early March. There will be a strong WWE presence at this year's Arnold Festival as WWE Experience has been announced. Below are the details:

WWE Experience at the Arnold Sports Festival

WWE Universe, don't miss your chance to take part in the WWE Experience at the Arnold Sports Festival March 5-8, 2015, in Columbus, Ohio!

NXT Live Event
For the first time in WWE history, NXT comes to Columbus, Ohio, as part of the Arnold Sports Festival! See WWE's Superstars of tomorrow, as WWE presents NXT Live at the LC Pavilion on Thursday, March 5! See NXT Champion Sami Zayn, NXT Women's Champion Charlotte, WWE Superstars Ryback and Big Show, WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, Adrian Neville, Kevin Owens, Finn Bálor, Hideo Itami, Sasha Banks and many more!

Tickets will be available on Friday, Jan. 23, at 10 a.m. ET at the LC Pavilion Box Office and Ticketmaster.com.

Don't miss your chance to attend VIP Experiences, including ringside seats and exclusive meet-and-greets with Ric Flair, Ryback and Big Show!

WWE Experience Event
For a jam-packed weekend of action and entertainment, there's no better spot at this year's Arnold Sports Festival than the WWE Experience on Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8.

Enjoy live matches, featuring some of the best up-and-coming talent from WWE and NXT. Meet the Superstars and Divas of WWE's next generation during autograph signings with Finn Bálor, Hideo Itami, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Tyler Breeze, Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Alexa Bliss and more, plus don't miss your chance to get up close and personal with WWE Legends during Q&A Sessions.

See what it takes to become a WWE Superstar and watch a live tryout. Will any of these recruits become the next breakout Superstar? Better yet, will you? If you're serious about a future in sports entertainment, stop by the WWE recruiting booth and tell us.

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