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.

Samoa Joe Talks How He Ended Up in NXT

WWE NXT Champion Samoa Joe recently appeared on the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast, and below is what Joe had to say on how he ended up in WWE:

“I think, for most part WWE was concerned that I would be insulted by some of the in-roads they made to me. You know, not understanding what he (HHH) was trying to build in NXT and what was going on here but we had some really solid meetings,” Joe said. “I’ve been fortunate enough that I’ve been kinda on the cusp of companies getting worldwide acclaim, and exploding, and this is like my third time, and it’s awesome so I recognize all the hallmarks and the signs that I’ve seen before, in places like Ring of Honor, and it’s like, when I saw that and I saw the energy and the vibe and I went to the shows, and kind of met with some of the guys, and saw how they felt about things, I was just like, no, no, this is, yeah I’m totally cool with it, it’s where I want to be.”

Does WWE Need Blood?

The icon of WWE's PG-era made some surprising remarks regarding the state of the company in an interview with Rolling Stone. 15-time WWE champion John Cena, who debuted a year after the Attitude Era is considered to have ended at WrestleMania X-Seven, said that he misses the days when blood often stained the mat after matches and wrestlers were free to use salty language on air.

Via Rolling Stone:

"I'd much rather it be a program geared toward me, whether that's TV-14 or sometimes even more graphic than that, which is what I like. For one thing, profanity brought fire out of people with personalities that backed the language. It's very difficult to say, 'Oh, you're being poopy,' especially when they're meant to be fighting words. And now, if someone starts to bleed, the referee intervenes to stop the bleeding. But before, you'd just let it fly. Blood is one of the things that made fights cool. Like, you knew it had gotten serious. I understand why we don't do it anymore. Vince has been a coach to me, a father figure, a boss and a friend, and his goal and my goal are the same: to make the company be as big as it can be. But, yeah, the blood is one thing I miss."

You may have forgotten, but Cena took part in one of the bloodiest matches in WWE history. Cena faced current commentator John Bradshaw Layfield in the main event of Judgment Day in 2005, in an "I Quit" match. JBL hits Cena with an unprotected chair shot to the head early on, which busts open Cena's head and causes blood to stream down his body. Over the next 14 minutes, Cena lost an incredible amount of blood and finished the match looking like Carrie. It's gruesome to the point of being distracting and hard to watch.

Does WWE need to gear weekly programming to adults, or is the current family-friendly product best for business? The answer lies somewhere in the middle. WWE can't pull off a revert back to the Attitude Era, nor should it attempt to...More?

source: foxsports.com

Two Stars Qualify For WWE Global Cruiserweight Series

WWE announced the following:

Zack Sabre Jr. and Jack Gallagher qualify for WWE Global Cruiserweight Series at PROGRESS Wrestling

LONDON – Zack Sabre Jr. and Jack Gallagher, two of the United Kingdom's brightest stars, earned their way into the WWE Global Cruiserweight Series by winning qualifying matches at a PROGRESS Wrestling event, WWE.com has confirmed.

Sabre, often described as one of the best unsigned wrestlers in the world, defeated up-and-comer Flash Morgan Webster to cement his place in this summer's highly anticipated tournament.

Gallagher, a technician with experience in mixed martial arts, bested hard-hitting "Bruiserweight" Pete Dunne in the second qualifying match to earn a coveted spot in the GCS.

The Global Cruiserweight Series, featuring 32 of the world's best competitors under 205 pounds battling for supremacy, begins Wednesday, July 13, at 9/8 C, only on WWE Network.

Maryland Championship Wrestling Becomes MCW Pro Wrestling

Maryland Championship Wrestling is excited to become MCW Pro Wrestling. This change recognizes success in providing events throughout not only Maryland, but Delaware, Pennsylvania, and abroad, as well as the growth of an online platform via an on-demand subscription video network at MCWRageTV.com.

Maryland remains the home of MCW Pro Wrestling. MCW Pro Wrestling continues to influence the larger world of professional wrestling through developing professional wrestling stars, like World Wrestling Entertainment developmental talent Patrick Clark and recent Ring of Honor star Lio Rush, and top-quality wrestling events.

"We are extremely excited to launch a new era in MCW and to present a logo that accurately reflects our position in the marketplace and where we will be heading the future," said MCW Pro Wrestling co-owner Dan McDevitt.

In the last year alone, MCW Pro Wrestling has showcased legends of professional wrestling, including Ric Flair, Shawn Michaels, Booker T, the late Rowdy Roddy Piper, Mick Foley, Matt and Jeff Hardy, Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler, Billy Gunn, X-Pac, Chyna, and more, as well as provided a platform for internationally televised stars like Lucha Underground's Shane Strickland aka Killshot, Ring of Honor's Delirious and Jason Kincaid, and many young, developing stars of the future.

More?

Linda McMahon Talks Watching Shane McMahon's HIAC Jump With Shane's Wife, Their Reactions, More

Linda McMahon spoke with 105.3 THE FAN Dallas/Ft. Worth about a number of topics including Shane McMahon's bump from the top of the cell in his Hell In A Cell match against The Undertaker at WWE WrestleMania 32. Linda called Shane her "crazy son" when discussing Shane's dive from the top of the cell onto a table at WrestleMania 32. McMahon added, "he was a little bit stiff the next day, but he was fine."

"If I had to sign off on that, he wouldn't have gotten permission to have done it," Linda said. "I was standing next to Marissa [Mazzola-McMahon], his wife, as he's climbing up the cage and I know he's going to jump off and I'm just telling you, my nerves were just wrapped so tight. And as he jumps, we both grab each other. And when he hits and I know he has to hit the mark just right. That was an incredible, incredible stunt."

Chyna's Friend On Finding Her Dead At Home, Cameras Were Rolling, Chyna's Brain Being Donated, More

Chyna's manager and best friend Anthony Anzaldo told The New York Daily News that they are looking to donate Chyna's brain to Dr. Bennet Omalu, who was played by actor Will Smith in the "Concussion" movie. Anzaldo said lawyers reached out to him long before Chyna passed away on Wednesday to gauge her interest in joining a brain injury lawsuit against WWE. Chyna's camp didn't want any part in the suit but were intrigued by the science.

"When she died, they called me again and asked, 'Can we have her brain,'" Anzaldo said. "My hope is that we can do it. I'm in the process of getting the permission to speak on behalf of family to tell the coroner it's okay to release it."

"I've been told (Dr. Omalu) is calling the medical examiner to let them know the plan, so they'll be cautious with her brain. We're not interested in the lawsuit at all," Anzaldo said. "We're just looking for (the researchers) to give us everything they can get."

Anzaldo also said he was the one to find Chyna's body at her Redondo Beach apartment on Wednesday. He was actually filming the "Reconstruction of Chyna" documentary when he walked in to check on her, unaware what had happened. It was reported before that a friend of Chyna's found her after after checking on her when she went several days without answering her phone.

"Me walking in was shot. I would never show me finding her, but you might hear me," he said.

Anzaldo also said he found Chyna in her bed with two prescription bottles in the same room — one for Ambien, one for an anti-anxiety medication similar to Xanax. He said there was nothing illegal as she was prescribed those medications and there was no alcohol. He also said there were no signs of foul play, no vomit and no blood, that she was just lying in bed peacefully. Anzaldo said they are waiting on toxicology results but he doesn't believe her death was intentional.

He said he is comfortable with releasing the documentary because of how passionate she was about it. They are planning a large memorial service and looking to spread some of her ashes in the Pacific Ocean. The rest of her ashes will be interred at a place fans can visit, possibly in her hometown of Rochester, NY.

Triple H, Stephanie & Linda at the USO's 75th Anniversary Gala

Triple H On NXT at Download, "mixing fanbases" and Black Sabbath

The WWE legend chats to Hammer about NXT's special showing at Donington this June

WWE's Triple H has exclaimed his excitement about NXT's upcoming shows at Download Festival in June, as well as revealing that he's working to make sure he can get to Donington himself to catch some metal legends.

The Executive Vice President of WWE - who founded NXT as a developmental division for the company - revealed to Hammer last year that we could see the brand make its way to UK festivals, and with its appearance at Download officially confirmed, the 14-time world champion says that the NXT superstars are as excited as he is.

"Our NXT guys are excited to be able to go and watch some of the bands," he laughs. "[When we did Aftershock Festival in the States] it was great to see the crossover, because the bands would get done playing, and the first thing they'd want to do would be to go over and see the NXT matches."

Triple H also feels that NXT's showing at Download could help further strengthen the bond between two fanbases that have a long history together.

"If there are some fans of NXT that are like, 'I used to listen to Iron Maiden when I was a kid, now I'm gonna go see this NXT show at Download!', they're connecting there. While they're there, they're gonna see Sabbath and think, 'That was amazing!', or they're gonna see some younger bands. That's a huge connection point on both sides. There's also a lot of people that watch the [NXT TV] show, and if they see us playing Sleeping With Sirens or whatever, and they like the song, and that turns them onto that genre of music, then that's awesome, and vice versa. I think it's a great opportunity for both sides. To be able to mix fanbases and turn other people onto what you do, that's a great, great partnership."

But the question remains...will Trips himself make it to Donington this summer?

"Yeah, so I'm hoping!" he replies. "I'm trying to rearrange my schedule – I've got a tight schedule that weekend, and I'm trying to make it in. I will make it in for one of the days, I'm 99% sure. They're doing some stuff for Lemmy that I'd really like to be a part of, but I'm trying to coordinate all of it. For me - and maybe [WWE] doesn't feel quite this way - but for me personally, I put seeing Sabbath on the top of my list of things to do that weekend!"

Watch NXT superstars including Bayley, American Alpha, Asuka and more at Download Festival from June 10-12. NXT also hits the following UK dates this June:

Monday, 13 June: 3Arena, Dublin, Ireland.

Tuesday, 14 June: SSE Arena, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Wednesday, 15 June: Echo Arena, Liverpool.

Thursday, 16 June: Bournemouth International Centre, Bournemouth.

Friday, 17 June: Plymouth Pavilion, Plymouth

source: metal hammer

The XFL, a football oddity, played its first -- and last -- championship game 15 years ago

In the world of sports, athletes often dedicate their entire lives to reaching the pinnacle of their profession, but for many, life at the top can be short-lived. Sometimes all a player gets to experience at the highest level is one minute on the court, one trip to the plate, one shot on goal or one checkered flag, but more often than not, that fleeting moment in the spotlight is a story all its own. This is One and Done, a FOX Sports series profiling athletes, their paths to success and the stories behind some of sports' most ephemeral brushes with glory.

When WWE chairman Vince McMahon announced the formation of a pro football league in February 2000, the decision was panned as a gimmick and a questionable concept, at best. And when that league later folded in May 2001 after losing a reported $50 million in its controversial debut season, the news came as little surprise to the many who anticipated its failure.

But for those who competed in the XFL during its first and only year in existence, the experience was unlike any other, and though the league is still something of a punchline even to this day, it was an adventure ex-players like Ron Carpenter won't soon forget...More?

source: foxsports.com

WWE Announces Global Cruiserweight Series Qualifying Match For Revolution Pro Wrestling

WWE announced the following today:

Revolution Pro Wrestling to host WWE Global Cruiserweight Series qualifying match on May 1

The race to earn a spot in this summer's hottest tournament just got a little more exciting, as Revolution Pro Wrestling in the United Kingdom has announced the participants in its qualifying match for the WWE Global Cruiserweight Series. The bout is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 1, at The Cockpit in London.

Previously confirmed participant Noam Dar of Scotland enters the GCS in the qualifying round. The Israeli-Scottish competitor has made a name for himself as one of the most adaptable wrestlers in the world. Among the U.K.'s premier technical wrestlers, the 22-year-old Dar has shown he can hang with the world's best in the squared circle, having taken on the likes of AJ Styles, former NXT Champion Finn Bálor, and Austin Aries.

Dar's opponent in the qualifying match is Josh Bodom. Regarded as one of the hottest prospects in British wrestling, Bodom has made a name for himself against Superstars like Bálor and another GCS competitor, Tommaso Ciampa. He'll certainly look to ruin Dar's summer and put himself on the biggest stage possible by earning a spot in the Global Cruiserweight Series.

The all-important qualifying match takes place at Revolution Pro Wrestling's Live at The Cockpit 8 event on Sunday, May 1, at 5:30 p.m. GMT at The Cockpit in London. For complete information on how you can see this Global Cruiserweight Series qualifier live and in-person, visit RevolutionProWrestling.com. For more information on Revolution Pro Wrestling, follow them on Twitter @RevProUK and like their Facebook page.

WWE Announces Title Change At WWE NXT Live Event

Samoa Joe defeated Finn Balor to become the new WWE NXT Champion at tonight's live event in Lowell, MA. It appeared Balor was injured right before the finish but that could just be an angle.

WWE announced the following:

LOWELL, Mass. — Samoa Joe defeated Finn Bálor to capture the NXT Championship at a Live Event Thursday night in Lowell, Massachusetts, WWE.com has confirmed.

Joe's victory put an end to Bálor's record-breaking reign as NXT Champion. The Demon won the title on July 4, 2015, and held it for 292 days, surpassing the mark set by Neville in 2014.

Now that Samoa Joe has finally snared NXT's top prize, what will the destroyer have in store for anyone who dares to step up and challenge him? How will Finn Bálor handle this setback?

The Latest Regarding The Passing Of Chyna

There are no signs Chyna intended to die, based on what police found inside her apartment -- and she'd been deceased for at least a day TMZ Sports has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us there was no suicide note left in her Redondo Beach, CA home. We're also told it appears the WWE legend had passed away a "day or two" prior to Wednesday evening ... when a friend found her body. The last known contact she had with anyone happened on Sunday evening.

As we first reported, there were no illegal drugs, but officers did find legal prescription bottles. Our sources described the number of bottles as 3 or 4 ... "nothing out of the ordinary." Also, the bottles were not emptied.

We're told several neighbors told investigators they suspected "overdose" as the cause of death since she'd seemed "under the influence" lately.

source: tmz.com

WWE And Connor's Cure Win Awards

WWE was named the winner of three awards at the fifth annual Cynopsis Sports Media Awards: WWE Network for Over-The-Top Content Service, WWE App for Best Mobile App and Connor's Cure for Pro Social Campaign.

For the second consecutive year, WWE Network received the award for best Over-The-Top Content Service, beating MLB.TV, MLS LIVE, UFC and PGA. WWE Network is the fastest-growing digital subscription service that includes all live pay-per-views, original programming and a massive video-on-demand library with more than 5,000 hours.

WWE App won the award for Best Mobile App beating NBC Sports, Bleacher Report and Bellator MMA. Currently, the WWE App has been downloaded more than 27 million times in 220 countries.

Connor's Cure won the award for Pro-Social Campaign beating espnW, Litton Entertainment and Whistle Sports. Connor's Cure started as a fund within the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation to support pediatric brain and spinal cord cancer research, and continues to expand, most recently through a multi-year national partnership with The V Foundation for Cancer Research. To date, Connor's Cure has raised $1 million and assisted more than 100 families around the world.

The Cynopsis Sports Media Awards recognizes the best work in the sports industry from the past year with categories spanning television, radio, digital, and marketing.

Triple H Talks About Chyna Passing Away And A Possible WWE Hall Of Fame Induction

Triple H spoke with The Mirror while on the current UK tour and provided these comments on Joanie "Chyna" Laurer passing away at the age of 45 on Wednesday:

"It is obviously tragic and clearly my well-wishes go out to her friends and family. Brilliance sometimes, and that ability to push barriers and boundaries and be a pioneer, is often connected closely with other things that aren't so positive sometimes, and demons, and unfortunately that is the case.

"Man, [she was] just a great person, an amazing talent, a ground breaking pioneer, that was never afraid to go out on a limb and blaze her own trail through life. She never took, and when you're choosing a path [you can say] 'hey here is a path let's go down that one' or you can blaze your own path and burn it up and create something for others to follow, and that's what she did, and that star shone bright, but unfortunately burned out way too fast."

He also commented on a possible WWE Hall of Fame induction for the former Intercontinental Champion:

"You know it's not my decision, but I definitely think, as I have said before, that what she did in her life certainly warrants it. There was never anybody like her before her, and there will never be anybody like her after. It's certainly warranted and I'm sure at some point when the time is right, hopefully, that could happen."

Someone who wasn't afraid to blaze her own trail & create a path for those who would follow. A pioneer whose star shined bright. #RIPChyna

— Triple H (@TripleH) April 21, 2016

Note On Chyna's Condition Before Her Death

TMZ reported that police are investigating Chyna's death as a possible overdose. Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio today that friends of Chyna's had been discussing a possible intervention recently.

Chyna Passes Away

WWE is saddened to learn of reports that Joanie Laurer, best known for competing in WWE as Chyna, has passed away.

A physically striking and talented performer, Chyna was a true sports-entertainment pioneer. Not only was the Superstar dubbed "The Ninth Wonder of the World" a founding member of the groundbreaking faction D-Generation X, but she also holds the distinction of being the first woman to enter the Royal Rumble Match and the first and only woman to win the Intercontinental Championship.

Upon hearing the sad news, WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon tweeted the following:

I just heard the tragic news that @ChynaJoanLaurer has passed. She was truly a pioneer in our industry, and she will be missed. #RIPChyna

— Stephanie McMahon (@StephMcMahon) April 21, 2016

WWE extends its condolences to Laurer's family, friends and fans.

Q&A: Inside Nicholls & Veryzer’s plan to ignite a tag team revolution in NXT

Triple H In Newcastle, England

Triple H returned to the ring at tonight's WWE live event in Newcastle, England. He lost to Dean Ambrose in the main event, described by our correspondent as the match of the night. After briefly appearing at the USO Metro-DC Awards Dinner in Washington, DC last night, Triple H flew to Newcastle, England overnight and then wrestled at around 4pm EST today. He will wrestle in Brussels, Paris and Malaga, before returning to the United States this weekend for Monday's RAW in Connecticut.

Viktor Joins The Social Outcasts

It looks like Viktor of The Ascension is replacing Adam Rose on the current WWE European tour. Viktor came out with Curtis Axel at today's WWE live event in Belfast and was wearing a "Social Outcasts" t-shirt. Axel lost to Goldust and the two beat him down after the match until R-Truth made the save.

As noted, Rose and Viktor's partner Konnor have been suspended for 60 days after their second violation of the WWE Wellness Policy. Fellow "Outcasts" Bo Dallas and Heath Slater are working the other part of the tour.