Dave Lagana Praises Vince Mcmahon; Talks Time In TNA Being "Water Torture"

Dave Lagana recently appeared on The Taz Show and spoke on his experiences working with Vince McMahon in WWE and his time in Impact Wrestling. Below are interview highlights 

Transcript courtesy of Michael McClead and Wrestlezone.com

Working Under Vince McMahon:

“I have nothing bad to say about him [Vince McMahon]. He took the company from three billion to nine billion dollars in one year. He’s pretty good, so for everyone that hates him for the Roman Reigns booking, show me what you’ve tripled in one year with your business. I learned more from him than anybody.”

Education Received From Vince McMahon:

“It was like a master class…I would have paid to have worked there at that time. I paid $100,000 to go to college and I didn’t get 1/100th of the education I got working for him. I read a lot of people say a lot of negative stuff about him, like he’s out of touch. Ok, show me your business. Show me what you’ve built. He’s insane; but, everybody’s insane…He’s been fighting a world that has told him he couldn’t do it and I think the end of this story – by the way I have no insider information – is him selling the company to a giant media conglomerate for $10 billion. I think that’s the end of the story.”

Impact Wrestling:

“It was bad there. It was real bad. Every year you think it couldn’t get any worse. Oh, we lost Spike. Oh, we lost DA [Destination America]. Samoa Joe just showed up at NXT. They found new ways to water torture us working there.”

Justin Credible Arrested For The Second Time In A Month

Former ECW Champion Justin Credible has been arrested for the second time in a month, for violating a restraining order.

Credible was arrested on Wednesday, with his bond set at $50,000.

This is considerably higher than the $7,500 bond after being arrested last month, for violating a different protective order.

In a statement after his August arrest, Credible promised to do better: 

"I promise to my fans, my friends and my family that the man Peter Polaco will never be a negative headline again, and the character Justin Credible still has many great moments left.”

Source: ProWrestlingSheet

There's a WWE oral history coming -- and Vince McMahon is involved

The stories of Vince McMahon and the WWE have been told from a variety of different perspectives over the years, but there hasn't been a singular, unfiltered, comprehensive look at the origins of the man or the company he built that included Vince's voice -- until now.

Journalists Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum, the authors of "I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution," are set to write the definitive oral history of the WWE and the man who took professional wrestling into the mainstream and created an empire that continues to grow to this day.

The involvement and commitment of Vince McMahon and his entire family was the final push that made this long-discussed project into a reality.

"I think that that was one of the negotiating points where the WWE knew that we were serious about writing a no-holds-barred book," said Tannenbaum, in an interview with ESPN.com. "Sometimes when you're trying to sell someone on an idea they're reticent about, you underplay what you're asking for. Craig and I, I think if anything, overplayed what we were asking for.

"We made it clear that we wanted access to Vince and to the entire McMahon family," Tannenbaum continued. "And that what we wanted was not a 15-minute phoner. We were going to need an ample amount of his time which in some ways is a dumb thing to ask for, because he's got a lot better things to do than talk to two geeks about the history of the WWE."

Though Vince McMahon rarely does interviews these days, his blessing and willing involvement separate this project from everything that's come before it.

"This will be an unapologetic look at the good, the bad and the ugly, and the journey that made WWE into the global phenomenon it is today," said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman and CEO, said via a news release Thursday.

More?

The Undertaker And WWE Legends Announced For "Wrastlin'" Sermon Series At Texas Megachurch

Texas megachurch pastor Ed Young of Fellowship Church in Grapevine will be interviewing top wrestling stars for his new "Wrastlin'" sermon series. WWE Hall of Famers Sting, Ric Flair and Ted DiBiase have been announced, along with The Undertaker.

The four-week series kicks off on Sunday, September 9. The main stage at Fellowship Church will have a wrestling ring constructed on it with one side opened up so the congregation can see the pastor and the wrestler being interviewed.

Below is the announcement from the church:

Wrastlin'
A Series by Ed Young
Beginning September 9, 2018

Over four weeks this September, Ed Young and Fellowship Church welcome four legendary guests from the world of professional wrestling – Ric Flair, The Undertaker, The Million Dollar Man, and Sting!

The Bible often compares the Christian life to that of a warrior, a wrestler. Wrestling is a metaphor commonly used in the Christian life and one that will remind us that no matter what, God is ready and able to step in between the ropes and help us overcome any challenge we face!

Content Listing For Stephanie McMahon Collection On WWE Network

The WWE Network will be adding the latest collection on Stephanie McMahon to the streaming service on Monday. Here is the content listing for the collection:

My Earliest TV Appearances (Interview)

Join Stephanie McMahon for a trip down memory lane to recall her earliest on-screen appearances in WWE.

RAW 04/05/1999 – The Sacrificial Lamb

A young Stephanie McMahon finds herself at the mercy of The Undertaker and his sinister Ministry of Darkness.

RAW 04/26/1999 – The Black Wedding

Stephanie McMahon receives help from the most unlikeliest of allies when The Undertaker attempts to seal her in unholy matrimony.

SmackDown 08/26/1999 – Passing the Test

With her torment at the hands of The Undertaker behind her, Stephanie McMahon receives another marriage proposal.

RAW 11/29/1999 – Game Over

As Stephanie McMahon looks to unite with Test in holy matrimony, Triple H crashes the ceremony with an underhanded revelation.

Armageddon 1999 – Daddy’s Little Girl

Stephanie McMahon takes on a new game when Mr. McMahon fights for her honor in a No Holds Barred Match against Triple H.

Not Daddy’s Little Girl Anymore (Interview)

Stephanie McMahon reflects on the day she turned on her father to start a whole new era of tyranny with her husband, Triple H.

More?

Velveteen Dream Appearing At Two Evolve Shows In September

NXT Superstar Velveteen Dream is scheduled to make very rare appearances outside of WWE in September. He will be working two Evolve events. Evolve has a close working relationship with WWE. Dream will wrestle at at EVOLVE 112 at the MCW Arena in Joppa, Maryland on September 7 and EVOLVE 113 at La Boom in Queens, New York on September 8. It has been revealed that Dream will be facing Austin Theory in Joppa and taking on Darby Allin in Queens. Velveteen Dream, a native of Washington DC, was trained by and worked for Maryland Championship Wrestling prior to signing with WWE.

Triple H Comments On Possibility Of Main Roster Superstars Being Moved To NXT

Triple H was asked about the possibility of NXT becoming a part of an upcoming Superstar Shake-Up and main roster names coming to NXT. Here is what he had to say:

On NXT Being Part of The Superstar Shake-Up:

“I guess in some ways it is,” Triple H replied. “Because usually when you do some kind of Shake-Up somebody gets called up. So I end up losing some NXT talent.”

On Main Roster Stars Being Moved to NXT:

“I think now when you look back at the roster over the last few years and you look at the main roster. I think the number is something like 80% or so of the main roster came out of NXT. So there are a lot of talent there that wouldn’t even be a stretch to come into NXT if they were on the main roster and came back to NXT. It wouldn’t be a big stretch — and I think when you’ve seen, you know the last few weeks every now and then in an effort to give people surprises and constantly keep things fresh we’ve had live events where we brought The Revival on and we’ve had live events where we brought Tyler Breeze on. Those kinds of surprises and shocks — people love it — it’s like going home in a way. So I do think you could see that happen very easily and I don’t think it would be a stretch for people to consider that being a possibility.”

Colt Cabana Addresses CM Punk Lawsuit, ‘Backstage At WWE’ Rumors

Colt Cabana took to his Art of Wrestling podcast and briefly touched on his current unpaid legal fees lawsuit against former best friend CM Punk,

“There was some news that got leaked out. I understand it was going to happen. This is the perfect place for me to be right now because I was super stressed out when it got leaked out and people were talking about it. I don’t even want people talking about it. I just want to be in my own world. That’s all I want and luckily I just go to shows and I go perform and I don’t have to think about any of that. All I want is for this thing to be settled, to be done with and to move on with my life.”

Cabana added that he doesn’t have anything else to say about it [CM Punk lawsuit] and will attempt to refrain speaking further on the subject until everything unfolds.

Cabana did address rumors that he was backstage at a WWE show,

“I don’t know who spread this rumor that I was backstage at the WWE. The last time I was backstage at WWE, I did a podcast with Hornswoggle. It was a house show and that was probably four years ago. The internet doesn’t always get it right. That’s OK. They’re known for that. It’s kind of the charm of the internet.”

Happy Birthday Vince

Vincent Kennedy McMahon
August 24, 1945

Happy Birthday Vaughn

Vaughn Levesque
August 24, 2010

Triple H Comments On Signing Matt Riddle To WWE Despite Past Failed Drug Tests

Triple H is regarded by many WWE fans as perhaps the smartest guy in professional wrestling. That’s due not only to his ability to transition from the ring to the executive level. It’s also due to his vision.

The Game saw WWE’s developmental brand NXT for what it could be and helped mold it into a highly successful, highly entertaining product. He gives guys opportunities to prove themselves, not just because WWE wants to turn a profit. He does it because if a talent wants to succeed bad enough, then he or she will put in the work to earn it. Shaping those talents now could prove highly beneficial in the future.

One of those talents is Matt Riddle, who recently signed with WWE. Riddle transitioned from the UFC to pro wrestling and quickly became one of the most popular hands in the business. But his past sins in the MMA world can certainly not be forgotten.

Riddle’s UFC run ended due to failed drug tests and his reputation was perhaps forever affected by it. Triple H, real name Paul Levesque, recently spoke to CBS Miami about Riddle specifically.

“I believe in him, and I believe he has a lot of potential and talent,” Levesque said. “But again, just like everybody else as they walk in the door, we’ll see.”

Hunter’s quote was in reference to an earlier statement regarding the type of people he wants in the WWE locker room.

“Somebody can be very, very talented, but not be the right human being or the right support system for everybody else or be detrimental and the fly in the ointment. Then, I don’t want them there. I don’t care how talented they are. You can be really talented but go be talented somewhere else. If you’re going to mess up my locker room, I don’t want you here.”

Triple H’s assessment does seem to point directly to Riddle, who may or may not be fully embraced by his peers or perhaps even the company. But Hunter seems confident that Riddle has what it takes and it’s difficult to argue with The Game’s track record thus far.

Michael Luisi Exits Top Post At WWE Studios

A power struggle has ended with Michael Luisi out as WWE Studios president.

Sources said there was a clash with Michelle Wilson, the co-president of WWE who took on a co-president title at WWE Studios as well.

Luisi took the top post eight years ago, and in that time WWE Studios has grown to be an active player in the movie space. Films have included The Marine, the action film that started John Cena’s transition to films; the genre hit Oculus; the Halle Berry-starrer The Call; and the in post production Fighting With My Family, which features former WWE superstar Dwayne Johnson.

Upcoming there is the Josh Duhamel-directed The Buddy Games, and Pandemonium, the TriStar-based film that Glenn Ficarra and John Requa will direct about the formative years of WWE chief Vince McMahon, who learned the wrestling ropes from his local promoter father. After dad tagged out and son tagged in and bought his father’s struggling business, the young showman turned WWE into a global entertainment corporation with huge stars and sideshow participants that included the current president, Donald Trump. WWE Studios also has generated animated direct-to-DVD titles including The Jetsons and Scooby-Doo.

I’ve heard the company will be steered in the interim by Wilson along with biz affairs exec Timothy Schmidt. They will look to replace Luisi, who previously served exec stints at New Line and Miramax and The Weinstein Company before revamping the fortunes of WWE Studios.

source: deadline.com