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February 3, 2016

More Triple H-Royal Rumble Stats


We noted before that Triple H set a new record with his Rumble win - the longest time between Rumble match victories as his last win came in 2002. Here are some other stats from the win:

* Triple H became the oldest winner of the Rumble at 46 years and 6 months old, with the exception of Vince McMahon, who won the Rumble at 53 in 1999

* He joins the list of two-time Rumble winners with Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, Batista, John Cena and the only three-time winner, Steve Austin

* Triple H became the third-oldest world champion in WWE history, behind Vince at 54 in 1999 and Hulk Hogan at 48 in 2002

Former WWE Referee Says It Might Be Best For WWE Not To Clear Daniel Bryan


Jimmy Korderas, a former WWE referee of over 20 years, weighs in on the Daniel Bryan situation in a new blog on CSRWrestling.com. Here’s a sample:

Bryan has always been a warrior with an old school mentality. It’s not uncommon for someone with passion and attitude to compete while hurt. Bryan gives the fans everything he has, night in and night out, fighting through the pain to entertain the masses. Often times, young superstars feel they are invincible and take risks. The unfortunate truth for Bryan is the years of pounding that his body has absorbed have finally caught up with him and I’m sure he would not want to tone down his style very much if he were to return. Remember Bryan was cleared once before by an outside doctor only to suffer another injury soon after returning. Not placing blame here, just stating facts.

The bottom line is that there is more to getting Bryan cleared than having a second or third opinion. One of the underlying issues that some fans cannot comprehend is how much the concussion information and protocol has evolved. Besides the concussion related lawsuits the WWE is currently facing, there is a genuine concern about the long term effects of multiple head trauma. The education and information on this subject is getting more in-depth almost every day. Think about it, it would become a PR nightmare if Daniel Bryan returned to the ring and got hurt again, especially considering his well-documented history of concussions. That would only open up the company to further litigation. Yes, the WWE is protecting their public image and interests but you can’t blame them for that. Remember Merril Hoge? If you don’t know who I am talking about, look him up. His concussion issues were NFL related but still very pertinent to this conversation as is the similar lawsuit filed against the NFL. As much as some skeptics will not agree, the WWE is also trying to protect the talent from themselves as well.

So to all you conspiracy theorists out there who believe that Daniel Bryan is not being cleared because he is “too over” and would outshine the other babyfaces, you are sadly mistaken. Why would a company that is “all about the money” intentionally sideline someone who can potentially be their biggest star? A guy that appeals to both hardcore fans but also engages and connects with the more casual fans and kids? A guy who is the perfect storm for the audience and the company. It absolutely makes no sense but I’m sure that some fans will continue to believe that the WWE is out to derail this guy despite the revenue potential he brings to the table. Paging Jesse Ventura!

10 Reasons Why WWE Owes Triple H


With his sneering persona and the fact he’s the current WWE Champion twenty years on from his debut, it’s easy to imagine why there are many who dislike Triple H. Even so, it’s absolutely amazing to think that there are those who would simply sum up his run in WWE as ‘he married the boss’s daughter and got lucky’.

To do so ignores so much great work, countless hours of dedication and a very real desire to succeed.

Due to the fact that the man won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, there has arguably never been a better time to analyse Triple H’s tenure with the company. Over the years, the guy has become so entrenched in the WWE system that it’s almost impossible to picture the company without him around.

That may seem like a sweeping statement, but just imagine how different things might be if Triple H hadn’t been around.

There would have been a sizeable hole in the main event scene for one, and several key facets WWE hope will provide a healthy future may not be in place at all. This article forgoes the usual viewpoint that Triple H is an egotist who never puts anyone over, and instead focuses on all the good things he has brought to the table since joining the then-WWF in 1995 and why he should be rewarded for his service.

10. Worked Through Hellish Injury To Finish A Match – Twice!
9. Shored Up Main Event Scene During Major Absences
8. Has That Old-School Touch Company Needs
7. Helping Get Ultimate Warrior In The WWE Hall Of Fame
6. The WWE Performance Center
5. Opened Vince McMahon’s Eyes To Independent Talent
4. NXT Was His Idea
3. Is About To Do Everything To Make Roman Reigns
2. He Put Daniel Bryan Over Cleanly
1. He Helped Make John Cena A Star

You can read the full article here.

source: whatculture.com

Details and Artwork on Pat Patterson's Book "Accepted", Vince McMahon Writes Foreword

The autobiography for WWE Hall of Famer Pat Patterson will be released by ECW Press on August 9th in hardcover and eBook format. Titled "Accepted: How the First Gay Superstar Changed WWE," the book was written by Patterson and co-authored by Bertrand Hebert. Vince McMahon wrote the foreword.

Below is the cover art and synopsis:

When Pat Patterson was 17 years old, his parents threw him out of the house after he told them he was in love . . . with a man. Cast off to the United States from Montreal in the 1960s, barely knowing a word of English, he set about a new life as a wrestler. Long before being gay was routinely accepted, Pat lived in the super-macho world of pro wrestling.

One of the most unlikely stories of a revolutionary talent, pioneer and creative savant, Patterson recalls the trials and tribulations as he climbed to the upper ranks of sports-entertainment as a performer and, later, as a backstage dignitary in this fascinating and revealing memoir. After making his mark in the ring as the prestigious first holder of WWE’s Intercontinental Championship, Pat set out to conquer the WWE world behind the curtain. He became the lead creative force behind the Royal Rumble Match and countless innovations that have shaped the way the WWE Universe has enjoyed sports-entertainment for generations.

Many WWE fans know Pat Patterson as a ring legend, WWE Hall of Famer, and one of Vince McMahon’s "stooges" during the Attitude Era. But Patterson is no stooge. He has long been one of Vince McMahon’s trusted advisors, his impact and importance to the nascent stages of WWE nearly comparable to the Chairman himself. Still active in WWE today, Pat delivers his no-holds barred story from unknown to WWE luminary.

February 2, 2016

Total Divas Recap 02/02/16

WWE Diva Natalya: 'NXT has given hope to women on the main roster'


Digital Spy recently interviewed Natalya to promote the current season of Total Divas, which airs every Tuesday at 9pm on E!. Below are a few highlights:

Possibly headlining a WWE pay-per-view:

"Especially with the direction the Divas are going in, and how much they've been investing in the Divas lately with the whole Divas Revolution and all, I could totally see myself and Charlotte having a main event match. WWE is really starting to take notice of the women - much as a trend that the rest of society is taking notice of what Ronda Rousey has done."

The evolution of women's wrestling:

"You look at Bayley and Sasha at TakeOver: Brooklyn and the Iron Man Match [at TakeOver: Respect]. I've told both girls that both those matches were so good because it got you emotionally. It wasn't just about Bayley or Sasha doing cool moves. They made you care, they made you feel something. When people make you feel something, you don't forget it. That's why I have to say that NXT has really helped give the girls some hope. Now we're being allowed to do the same thing on the main roster. A lot of us - from myself, to the Bella Twins, to Alicia Fox, Paige, Naomi, Tamina - we all want to have the same opportunities that the NXT girls have. The fact that Triple H has spearheaded it is cool."

Natalya also discussed how WWE has changed for women since she started, Triple H helping make change, wanting to regain the WWE Divas Championship and more. You can read the full interview by clicking here.

Stephanie McMahon Interview on GMA: WWE Girlpower Success

The Authority Gets DVD Cover

February 1, 2016

WWE Hall of Famer Hospitalized, Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas Leave WWE Raw Tonight to Be at His Side


According to PWInsider.com, WWE Hall of Famer Robert “Blackjack Mulligan” Windham has been hospitalized in Florida, and his son-in-law Mike Rotunda, along with his grandsons Bray Wyatt and Bo Dallas, have left WWE Raw in Alabama to be with him.

Mulligan’s condition is unknown at this time, but it’s obviously serious enough that Wyatt and Dallas left Raw to be with their ailing grandfather. Mulligan was previously hospitalized in 2015 after suffering a heart attack.

Triple H On Losing To The Warrior At WrestleMania, Stephanie McMahon On Having A Mania Connection


Triple H on losing to The Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania 12:

"A lot of people bring it up to me as if it was a sore spot in my career. It's not. It's actually something I'm really proud of. Who can say that, in their first WrestleMania ever, they got to step in the ring with one of the biggest icons in the business?"

Stephanie on her WrestleMania connection:

"It is an unbelievable feeling of connection. Having my children being a part of it is special. Because I remember how I felt when I was their age, sitting in the stands watching the show, knowing my family was such a big part of it, cheering and booing and having the greatest time. Just like everyone else."

WWE legend Bret Hart reveals prostate cancer, promises to fight


Legendary professional wrestler Bret Hart, 58, announced Monday that he is battling prostate cancer and set to undergo surgery "with the hope of defeating this nemesis once and for all."

Hart, a seven-time world champion who was one of the most popular superstars in then-WWF from 1984-97, shared his health status via a long Facebook post in which he vowed to defeat cancer and "beat the odds" a second time following a stroke he suffered in 2002:

It is with great remorse that I feel compelled to speak truthfully to my friends, family and my millions of fans around the world. In the past few years, I've spent more than enough time paying the price for all those years trying to be the best there ever was as a professional wrestler. I executed excellently and my proudest claim was that I never seriously hurt or injured another wrestler in my 23 year career. I've paid a price for all that "fake" wrestling. Aside from a devastating career-ending concussion and numerous surgeries when I was younger, in recent years I've had two knee replacements, two hernia operations, surgery on my right elbow, and, just a few months ago, I underwent a four-corner fusion of my right wrist that even now makes it most difficult to write or type.

Mark Helprin wrote: "We are all perfect clocks that Divinity has set to ticking when, even before birth, the heart explodes into a lifelong dance." I've had a great lifelong dance and I'm a survivor of many hard battles. I now face my toughest battle. With hesitation and fear, I openly declare myself in my fight against prostate cancer. In the next few days, I will undergo surgery with the hope of defeating this nemesis once and for all.

My fans have always looked upon me as a hero and I've always done my best to live up to that in and out of the ring. I beat the odds when I suffered my stroke in 2002, but it is now yet again, that I draw upon the many adults and young children I've met throughout my life who courageously fought and usually lost in their battles against this deadly disease. One year ago, I watched a brave young man named Whesley fight brain cancer to the end. If I can find even an ounce of his courage to stand unafraid and face the tough road ahead of me, I will march toward this destiny with his spirit chanting in my ear.

I make a solemn vow to all of those that once believed in me, the dead and the living, that I will wage my fearsome fight against cancer with one shield and one sword carrying my determination and my fury for life, emboldened by all the love that's kept me going this long already. Love is my weapon and I've got much of it around me all the time, for which I'm truly blessed and eternally grateful. My children, grandchildren, and my loving wife Steph have been and will constantly be at my side. I refuse to lose, I will never give in or give up, and I will win this battle or die trying.

Most important of all, I hope I can take the fight to prostate cancer. To be a leader in awareness and to set the example for men everywhere who find themselves in my very same shoes, that prostate cancer can be beaten.

B x

January 30, 2016

TNA confirms Awesome Kong's backstage incident with Reby Sky


Awesome Kong was sent home yesterday from the TNA tapings in the U.K. after a backstage incident involving Reby Hardy, the wife of Matt Hardy.

TNA confirmed the incident with a statement by John Gaburick, stating, "Prior to the Impact Wrestling TV tapings at the Manchester Arena, Kia Stevens (Awesome Kong) was involved in an incident involving Rebecca Hardy (Reby Sky). Subsequently, Kia was removed from the tour and returned to the United States. The matter is being reviewed to determine if additional disciplinary action will be taken."

WWE Issues Statement Responding to Accusations of Sexism


Following WWE programming last week, two story line points emerged which caused some stir on the internet and on social media, and lead to accusations of sexism towards women on WWE TV.

One of the story line points in question was when Ric Flair, at last Sunday’s Royal Rumble, forcibly kissed Becky Lynch during her match to distract her from Charlotte, an act which was mostly lauded by the announce team as a joke. The second story line was on WWE Raw this past week when The Rock delivered a speech to Lana describing an apparent sexual encounter the two had last year.

The story lines prompted writer Alex Groot to pen an editorial over at Vocativ.com, called “WWE’s Looming Sexism Problem”. The following is an article excerpt:

Sadly, such treatment is nothing new for Lana, real name C.J. Perry, who was once positioned in storyline as a strong, confident manager and mouthpiece for Rusev, the “Bulgarian Brute” who tore through much of the roster upon his arrival. But before long, John Cena was calling her a “ho” and suggesting she performed favors to procure matches, rival Ryback was taunting her about “going all the way” with a fellow competitor, and lead commentator Michael Cole led off an interview by probing into her sexual history.

What do all these characters have in common? They were positioned as babyfaces in their storylines, the good guys that fans were expected to support and cheer for. That, for far too long, has been the strange ethos of the WWE, where women are objects, crude name calling is to be cheered, and slut-shaming is righteous. Indeed, it is no secret that the company has a checkered, problematic past, not only with women, but with race, homophobia, and taking care of its own employees. The empire Vince McMahon built has a rather retrograde history, much like that of American professional wrestling, more broadly.

WWE issued an official statement to Vocativ, responding to the article, and it reads as follows:

“WWE programming, which features fictional characters that cover a range of personalities similar to movies and television shows, tells stories of good versus evil. In addition, as our on-going storylines develop, we will continue to position women as both strong competitors and compelling individuals.”

More Backstage News on the Awesome Kong – Reby Sky Incident at the TNA Tapings, Details on Issues Dating Back to 2013


As noted, TNA Knockout Awesome Kong was sent home from last night’s TV tapings in The UK following an incident with Reby Sky, the wife of Matt Hardy.

We also noted that Kong and Sky have had beef with each other dating back to 2013, following comments made on social media and in a shoot interview.

According to PWInsider.com, the incident last night between Kong and Sky stemmed from Kong getting upset that Sky was using the same locker room as the rest of the Knockouts. Sky had previously dressed separately from the rest of the Knockouts at the last set of Impact Wrestling tapings in Bethlehem, PA. Sky dressing with the other Knockouts tonight prompted Kong to throw Sky’s bag out of the dressing room, and Sky then left, likely to go speak to a TNA official.

When Sky returned to the dressing room to get her belongings, Awesome Kong reportedly went after her for “not apologizing”. As we reported, two different versions of what happened took place, with one version of the story claiming Kong unsuccessfully made a run at Sky, and the other claiming Kong grabbed Sky by the neck and assaulted her, causing Pat Kenney to intervene.

What could make matters worse for Kong, and her future in TNA, is that Reby Sky and Matt Hardy’s son Maxel was nearby during the incident, and Kong had been released from TNA once before back in 2010 after she assaulted Bubba the Love Sponge.

With regards to 2013, when the beef between Sky and Kong began, it all started when Reby Sky spoke out on Twitter about Sid Vicious no-showing an indy event. Sky’s comments lead to Kong ripping her and calling her a “ho” and a “peon” during a “YouShoot” interview, in a segment called “The Ho Bag.” Sky addressed Kong’s “YouShoot” remarks by Tweeting the following:

“Not aware of this, if it is true. Doesn’t make much sense, as I don’t know her on a really personal level & we have been nothing but nice to each other in passing at shows. We’ve actually texted back & forth a few times, so if she now has a problem with me, I can only attribute it to one thing/person. Fake as f–k to be nice to my face & talk s–t to a camera if its true, but no shocker there. That’s 99% of the women in this business anyway. Next.”

Sky also had the following to say in a September, 2013 Tweet aimed at Kong:

“I will NEVER respect a no-show; someone who scams promoters and f***s fans and people who actually show up to work. F*** outta here. That being said, go back to smiling to my face at shows and talking shit online [Kharma], you FAKEASS bitch.”

While not confirmed, it’s possible the above comments made by Sky are what Kong was claiming Sky did “not apologize” for at the Impact tapings tonight.

Stephanie McMahon Talks About Her Daughter's Reaction To Triple H Winning The Title At The Royal Rumble

During an interview with the Miami Herald to promote WWE's partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and their Be a STAR program, Stephanie McMahon talked about her daughter's reaction to her Dad winning at the the Royal Rumble:

“I actually have video of my daughter [Aurora] because we didn’t tell her it was gonna happen,” McMahon said with a smile. “Like everybody else, she had no idea Triple H, my husband, was going to be in the Royal Rumble, let alone win it.

“So I have this awesome video of her, and she was just beyond thrilled and wrote him one of the most beautiful notes that I have ever seen.

“It’s just amazing...What a wonderful life.”

January 29, 2016

Top TNA Knockout Reportedly Sent Home From UK Tour Following Incident with Matt Hardy’s Wife


According to PWInsider.com, TNA Knockout Awesome Kong was sent home from TNA’s current UK tour following a locker room incident with Matt Hardy’s wife, Reby Sky.

Sources reportedly informed PWInsider that Awesome Kong was not happy with Reby Sky dressing in the same locker room as the rest of the Knockouts, so she threw Sky’s bag out of the locker room.

The report added that different sources claimed two somewhat different versions of the story. One being that Kong unsuccessfully made a run at Sky, and the other is that Kong grabbed Sky by the neck before being restrained by Pat Kenney.

Following the incident, Kong was subsequently sent home and her long-term future in TNA is said to be in question, as Reby and Matt’s son Maxel was near the incident when it took place.

Rumble experience like no other


Are you ready to rumble?

Famous words, to say the least. And words that were proposed to me as I boarded a plane recently bound for Orlando, Fla., where World Wrestling Entertainment was hosting its annual Royal Rumble, one of its marquee events and the one that officially kicks off WrestleMania season.

Yes, yes, I thought, I am ready to rumble.

I was, after all, part of a small contingent of international media afforded the opportunity to experience the Rumble weekend, along with a tour of the WWE's state-of-the-art Performance Center, where it trains its future talent and nurtures its current crop of stars, among other things. The weekend was to see us get a private tour of the facility, attend the television tapings for the company's hottest wrestling product, NXT, and then attend the Royal Rumble.

To say I was excited would be akin to calling Wayne Gretzky a decent hockey player.

So after boarding my plane in Ottawa, I was off.

Friday brought with it the busiest day of the weekend, with the media gathering Friday morning at the hotel to set off to for the Performance Center, where we would get a personalized tour led by the centre's head coach Matt Bloom. Bloom, for the wrestling aficianados out there, is a nearly lifelong wrestling talent himself, having portrayed the likes of A-Train, Albert of Test & Albert (T&A in the edgier Attitude Era) and most recently Tensai. Bloom is a hulking man, standing well over six feet tall and owning the room like few others. But he's also eloquent, friendly and well spoken.

He greeted us upon our arrival. What followed was a total tour of the facility, complete with a green screen room for promos, a fitness centre devised by WWE legend and current executive Paul (Triple H) Levesque, seven rings, a staffed medical facility and live camera feeds into the offices of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and Levesque...More?

source: thewhig.com

The Hits, Hype & Hopes of the WWE


Dean Muhtadi sat down in one of the folding chairs he helped assemble, stared at the canvas of the wrestling ring he helped put together and began to vent.

About the two-hour drive spent on desolate Florida highways in the August heat. About the tweet he sent to his 56,000 followers to let them know he would be performing tonight. About the text message he just sent his mother, telling her to turn around and drive home.

It was three hours before about 500 fans would come into Building B of the Citrus Springs Community Center, and a sheet of paper taped to the metal post behind the turnbuckle listed the competitors in eight matches. “Mojo Rawley,” Muhtadi’s in-ring character, would not be performing tonight. For Muhtadi, it was another reminder of the precarious path to pro-wrestling stardom.

Muhtadi, 29, turned down a contract with the National Football League and a six-figure job on Wall Street three years ago, and here he was, in a room normally reserved for wedding receptions and Zumba classes, eating his fourth meal of Boston Market chicken in four days. More than 80 miles from the closest major city, he was, in every way, far from where he wanted to be.

“It’s infuriating,” Muhtadi said. “Hopefully I’ll have the big payoff, but the reality is it’s not for a lot of guys. I’ve had a lot of friends come and go.”

As he watched the show unfold on a monitor backstage, he grimaced when a camera panned to one young fan wearing a T-shirt with Mojo Rawley’s catchphrase, “I don’t get hyped! I stay hyped!”

“It’s like twisting a knife in,” Muhtadi said.

At NXT, World Wrestling Entertainment’s developmental arm, bursting onto the scene as a superstar is about much more than body slams and biceps. The wrestler must achieve an all-encompassing lifestyle change to manipulate a global audience into believing characters and story lines that they know are created and decided by writers and executives backstage.

In NXT, WWE executive vice president for talent, live events and creative Paul Levesque centralized the training under one roof outside Orlando. The WWE Performance Center opened in 2013 and features rings, a mock entrance ramp and announcer table, green-screen rooms for filming vignettes and daily instruction from wrestlers-turned-coaches.

Elias Samson (L) practices kicking Dean Muhtadi (LR who wrestles under the name Mojo Rawley, during practice in Orlando, Florida in August, 2015 where World Wrestling Entertainment has its development facility for male and female wrestlers not on the organization's primary roster, called the Performance Center. (Andrew Innerarity for The Washington Post)

“Every single superstar that has come before you, as successful as they were, they did not have the tools that you have to get the job done,” Levesque tells new wrestlers...More?

source: washingtonpost.com

TOOL Guitarist Adam Jones Calls WWE's Triple H His Yoda


It's no secret that Tool guitarist Adam Jones is a big fan of WWE. He famously performed the Star Spangled Banner on guitar at SummerSlam a few years ago, and even proposed to his now-wife at a Royal Rumble event shortly after. But it turns out, the relationship between Jones and WWE goes much deeper.

Jones attended a taping of the highly popular NXT series in Orlando yesterday, and posted some kind words about the current WWE world champion, and COO of the company, Paul "Triple H" Levesque, calling Triple H a true inspiration:

“Tonight’s #NXT taping was EPIC. Want to thank EVERYONE involved. I’m totally floating above the ground. And here’s the deal – I can’t begin to tell you how much I admire this guy* Very inspiring friend, leader & entertainer (on stage & behind the scenes). Over the years He has shared advice & wisdom that has benefitted our business & made me a better person.

Another Hero that keeps that fire burning inside me. ~He’s kind of a big muscle’tastic version of #Yoda . bless you #TripleH”

Personally, I think it's really cool how Jones has been embraced by WWE, as the dude is a true talent and I would love to have been a fly on the wall in the conversations between these two guys. Maybe Triple H can inspire Adam to finish his new record? Last we heard, he had ideas for 20 songs. Tool are currently rapping up a string of arena tour dates.

source: metalinjection.net

January 28, 2016

WWE Studios Acquires Rights To New Sundance Thriller


WWE issued the following today:

WWE® STUDIOS AND BLUMHOUSE PRODUCTIONS JOIN FORCES AGAIN TO ACQUIRE WORLDWIDE RIGHTS TO SUNDANCE THRILLER SLEIGHT

Park City, UT (January 28th, 2016) - WWE Studios and Blumhouse Productions announced today that they have acquired all worldwide rights to the Sundance film SLEIGHT. BH Tilt, a division of Blumhouse run by John Hegeman, will oversee the release and marketing of the film. WWE Studios will leverage WWE®'s extensive platforms from weekly TV shows, including WWE's flagship programs, Monday Night Raw® and SmackDown®, digital, social media and WWE Network, to market the film.

SLEIGHT, which premiered as part of the festival's NEXT section, is a dramatic thriller that blends science fiction and street magic in a tale set in Los Angeles. The film is JD Dillard's directorial debut, written by Dillard and Alex Theurer, co-starring Jacob Latimore (Maze Runner), Dulé Hill (Ballers), and Seychelle Gabriel (Falling Skies). The film is produced by Diablo Entertainment's Eric B.Fleischman formerly of Blumhouse, Sean Tabibian and Alex Theurer.

"SLEIGHT is a smart, fresh and ambitious movie that was different from anything else we saw at the festival," said Michael Luisi, WWE Studios President. "We are thrilled to be working again with Jason and the team at Blumhouse, and now John and BH Tilt, to bring JD Dillard's compelling first feature to audiences worldwide."

"We love low budget filmmaking because it allows directors to take creative risks and that is exactly what JD Dillard did with SLEIGHT, a truly original and unique movie," said Blumhouse Founder and CEO Jason Blum. "We are excited to once again collaborate with Michael and WWE Studios, and to have BH Tilt continue to take advantage of the evolution in digital marketing."

Bradley Buchanan handled negotiations on behalf of WWE Studios, and CAA brokered the deal on behalf of Diablo and newly-signed clients Dillard and Theurer.

January 27, 2016

Shinsuke Nakamura is coming to NXT TakeOver: Dallas


Yes, the rumors are true. Shinsuke Nakamura is coming to WWE NXT.

At Wednesday night’s NXT taping at Full Sail University in Orlando, Fla., a video announcing the arrival of the Japanese standout at TakeOver: Dallas, which takes place during WrestleMania 32 Week, played for the live crowd, sending shockwaves through the arena and, moments later, the social media world.

Nakamura, a 14-year veteran of the squared circle, has been a leading star in the New Japan promotion since 2002. Renowned for his striking and submission ability, as well as his unorthodox charisma, Nakamura’s devastating Bomaye knee strike has felled many opponents and his smash mouth style has earned him the nickname The King of Strong Style. A three-time IWGP Champion — the same title once held by the likes of Vader, The Great Muta and AJ Styles — Nakamura is the youngest competitor to win that championship, capturing it for the first time at 23. He has taken on a who’s who of the best grapplers in the world in his career, facing the likes of Finn Bálor, Kevin Owens, Hideo Itami, WWE Performance Center Head Coach Matt Bloom and The Beast Incarnate himself, Brock Lesnar.

Rumors of Nakamura coming to WWE first started in early January, along with gossip about AJ Styles and Bullet Club members Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows returning to America. Reports about Styles became truth during the 2016 Royal Rumble Match when The Phenomenal One entered at No. 3. Now, The King of Strong Style has decreed that he will be stepping between the yellow ropes in the not-so-distant future.

What does Shinsuke Nakamura have planned for NXT and The Superstars of Tomorrow at TakeOver: Dallas? Find out by tuning into NXT, every Wednesday at 8/7 C, only on WWE Network!

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Oderint Dum Metuant: Let Them Hate As Long As They Fear