Video: COO Triple H offers WWE Superstars an open forum

Video: Daniel Bryan vs. Ryback

Details on WWE SummerSlam Axxess Sessions

WWE released the following schedule information for next week's AXXESS sessions in Los Angeles as part of Summerslam 2013 weekend:

General Admission Tickets - $25*

General Admission sessions
Saturday, August 17 — 11 a.m.
The Miz, Jack Swagger, Zeb Colter, Antonio Cesaro, Curtis Axel, Paul Heyman, The Wyatt Family, Mick Foley, Damien Sandow, Jerry “the King” Lawler, and more!

Saturday, August 17 — 4 p.m.
Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler, Fandango, Summer Rae, Booker T, The Bellas, AJ, Big E, Zack Ryder, R-Truth, The Funkadactyls and more!

Sunday, August 18 — 11 a.m.
Rob Van Dam, Christian, The Usos, Kaitlyn, “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, Brodus Clay, Zack Ryder, Justin Gabriel, Tensai, Rosa, Tamina, and more!

Limited VIP Tickets - $95*
VIP Tickets include:
- (1) 8x10 glossy photo of the appearing Superstar
- (1) Autograph and professional photo with the appearing VIP Superstar
- Exclusive VIP line at the event entrance

VIP sessions
Saturday, August 17
Session 1
Meet WWE Superstars The Shield 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Meet WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Meet WWE Superstar Alberto Del Rio 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Meet WWE Superstar Sheamus 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Session 2
Meet WWE Superstar Ryback 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Meet WWE Superstar Big Show 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Meet WWE Superstar Randy Orton 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Meet WWE Superstar Kane 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Sunday, August 18
Meet WWE Superstar Mark Henry 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Meet WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Meet WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Limited Premium VIP Tickets - $150*
Premium VIP Tickets include:
- (1) SummerSlam Axxess Premium VIP commemorative ticket
- (1) Special matted Premium VIP Superstar photo
- (1) Autograph and professional photo with the appearing Premium VIP Superstar
- Exclusive VIP line at the event entrance

Premium VIP sessions
Saturday, August 17
Session 1
Meet WWE Superstar John Cena 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Session 2
Meet WWE Superstar Triple H 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Meet WWE Superstar CM Punk 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Things Get Heated Backstage At Raw With Triple H & Top WWE Stars Over Blown Spot Involving Ryback, More

Brad Maddox’s lines in the opening segment of this week’s show were once again a worked shoot play on Vince McMahon’s former mindset on Daniel Bryan.

Triple H called the CM Punk/Paul Heyman segment some of the best promo work in many years. The program is being built with the “big fight feel,” something both Vince McMahon and Heyman love. Hunter is really high up on the realism and feels it shows a side of Punk’s character that hasn’t been seen WWE television. One observer pointed you would have to go back to Punk’s program with Raven in Ring of Honor to know that he really had it in him. While both Vince and Hunter feel Punk plays a better heel in the ring, they are “very happy” with this current direction and feel it’s a completely different kind of babyface.

Daniel Bryan’s match against Antonio Cesaro was being called a second “Match of the Year” candidate in just as many weeks. Triple H greeted Antonio Cesaro as soon as he got backstage and CM Punk and others gave him an ovation. Many workers were spotted watching the bout on the monitor backstage.

Their was criticism from Daniel Bryan beating Ryback by count out. As “poor as poor booking can get,” is how one key observer described it. After the show Vince McMahon went to Bryan and told him that sometimes it’s “good to be wrong.”

WWE officials were furious over the Brie Bella nipple slip on last night's RAW. The apology that she tweeted out was ordered by management. While not shown on television, Nikki Bella came out to the ring on crutches for the Miz TV segment on this week’s Monday Night Raw.

Triple H “blew a gasket” on Ryback for his botched spot at the end of the match with Daniel Bryan where he was supposed to protect Bryan and catch him then put him through a table. It was seen as “careless and reckless” that Ryback just let Bryan bump to the outside and didn’t know how to improvise after completely botching it. According to a source backstage, Hunter got in Ryback’s face and was screaming “carelessness” at him. Bryan is expected to get x-rays on his collar bone on Tuesday but isn’t believed to be hurt as he worked the dark match main event following the taping. However, it’s worth noting this continues to hurt the stock of Ryback. Not only was Hunter upset with the spot but CM Punk and John Cena were vocal about it as well. Cena is someone that rarely calls out others, so when he does, people listen.

source: wnw premium news

Debuting Playbook's WWE Power Rankings

Oh, you didn’t know?! ESPN’s power rankings are expanding to capture the madmen of the mat, ranking the best in the business in terms of match strength, promo skills, showmanship, and suplexes. Every week, we’re reacting to "Raw" and "Smackdown" to give you our thoughts about some of the best athletes in the world.

And before you head to the comments with the whole “it’s fake!” talk, we realize the outcomes are predetermined in the same way you should realize there’s no way to fake getting press-slammed on top of a ladder. The ribs hurt whether or not the outcome is legit, and we’re showing respect to the athletes/performers who put their bodies on the line every week to entertain millions of “yes!” screaming fans.

This week’s episode of "Raw" saw some brutal bumps in the hard-hitting Tables, Ladders and Chairs match between CM Punk and Ryback, an awesome show of strength and athleticism by Antonio Cesaro, and an introduction to the term “cookie puss” to the wrestling vernacular.

More?

Backstage News on Big RAW Plans for January 7th and 14th

The January 7th episode of RAW with The Rock’s return and Ryback vs. CM Punk is said to be an “all hands on deck” show with virtually every major big name being called in.

Then, WWE has the big RAW 20th Anniversary show on January 14th where they will be bringing several old names back. They may to bring back some names we don’t see too often since some just appeared on the recent Slammys episode. Being in Texas, appearances by The Undertaker, Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels are likely. It’s also expected WWE will make the first Hall of Fame announcement that night.

For what it’s worth regarding the January 7th episode, it’s said that when the show is over, “people will be talking.”

source: wrestling observer newsletter

WWE Counts Down the Top 50 Moments of 2012

WWE.com posted an article counting down the top 50 moments of 2012. Here are the top 10:

10: Ryback "Shell Shocks" CM Punk on top of the "Hell in a Cell"
9: John Cena grants his 300th wish for Make-A-Wish
8: The Shield's debut at The Survivor Series
7: Jerry Lawler suffers a heart attack on RAW
6. The AJ Lee - John Cena storyline.
5: The 1,000th episode of RAW.
4: Brock Lesnar's WWE return.
3: CM Punk becoming the longest reigning WWE Champion of the modern era.
2: The Rock defeating John Cena at WrestleMania 28.
1: The Undertaker defeating Triple H at WrestleMania 28.

You can check out the full list here.

2012 WWE Slammy Award Winners

Tell Me I Didn’t Just See That (Most Shocking Moment of the Year) – Kofi Kingston
Comeback of the Year – Jerry Lawler
Best Kiss of 2012 – AJ Lee & John Cena
Superstar of the Year – John Cena
Trending Now Hashtag of the Year – “Feed Me More!”
Newcomer of the Year – Ryback
Match of the Year – Triple H vs. Undertaker w/ special guest referee Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 28

2012 WWE.com Slammy Award Winners

The winners of the 2012 WWE.com Slammy Awards were announced on Sunday's WWE Pre-Show. Below are the results:

Best Dancer of the Year – Brodus Clay

Top Social Media Ambassador – Charlie Sheen

WWE.com Video of the Year – Jerry Lawler

Crowd Chant of the Year – “Feed Me More!”

Upset of the Year – Daniel Bryan (retaining World Heavyweight Championship at Royal Rumble)

Diva of the Year – AJ Lee

Insult of the Year – John Cena

Tweet of the Year – Daniel Bryan

YouTube Show of the Year – Z! True Long Island Story

Facial Hair of the Year – Daniel Bryan

Feat of Strength Award – Sheamus (for hitting White Noise on Big Show)

Betrayal of the Year – Big Show (knocking out John Cena)

Mr. McMahon issues statement regarding injured Punk, WWE TLC

WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon has released a statement through his office, speaking to the developing situation surrounding the WWE TLC pay-per-view. Because of the previously reported knee injury to WWE Champion CM Punk, suffered this past Monday night on Raw, Punk is unable to compete at WWE TLC against Ryback Sunday, Dec. 16.

In the statement, Mr. McMahon also announced that a Six-Man Tables, Ladders and Chairs Match has been added to the pay-per-view, in which Ryback will team up with WWE Tag Team Champions Team Hell No to battle The Shield. Furthermore, for the first time ever, the winner of this TLC Match will be determined via pinfall or submission.

Team Punk and Team Foley Set For Survivor Series

Team Punk consists of the WWE Champion himself, Cody Rhodes and Damien Sandow, the Miz and Alberto del Rio.

Team Foley will consist of Randy Orton, Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston, Team Hell No, and Ryback.

While Mick Foley will not be wrestling with Team Foley in the Survivor Series main event, Foley will be at ringside cheering his team on. Team Punk will have Paul Heyman and Ricardo Rodriguez at ringside.

Chris Jericho Explains Why Ryback Should Defeat Punk at Hell in a Cell, Says Punk Has Gone As Far As He Can Go

Former WWE star Chris Jericho recently appeared on the "Busted Open" satellite radio show, during which he spoke on a number of topics, including his thoughts on this Sunday night's Hell in a Cell main event. The following is an interview highlight:

"I don't know anything and I don't work for the WWE. I haven't talked to Vince in about a month. But I personally think and this is something that obviously Busted Open Radio has very hardcore wrestling fans who are listening as we all are. The number one thing people bitch about is that there is nothing new and it's the same old same old with John Cena. This is the chance to create a new guy. This is the chance to make a new star instantly, and I know tradition says you must build a star. There is no tradition in a case like this.

The comparisons are to Goldberg. Most of the fans in this day and age have no idea who Goldberg is and don't care. We do, but in the year 2012 Goldberg was over ten years ago. How did Goldberg get over? .... By beating everybody. There was no loss for Goldberg. As soon as he did lose, that's when things started going downhill for him. Ryback is not a normal guy. This is not a guy that we see that builds his way to the top and fans get behind him slowly but surely. You want to pick a new guy? Have him beat CM Punk this week. Who gives a sh** about Punk's title reign?

It means nothing. Here is a chance to take a guy who people are getting behind. If he beats Punk at Hell in A Cell and after three hundred and thirty seven days or whatever and Punk is finally beaten, people are going to start to take notice of this guy. Those who don't watch Raw are going to tune in to see what's going on. Ryback beats everybody. Ryback faces Rock at Royal Rumble. What happens if a couple of weeks before that something goes on with Ryback and Undertaker got involved in the Rock match? What if Rock wins the title and goes on to face Cena we expected and what if its Ryback vs Undertaker at Wrestlemania? What if Ryback beats Undertaker at Wrestlemania? You have a new star for the next ten years to headline pay-per views and main events."

Kirby Mack and Stoney Hooker Discuss Recent WWE Experience Facing Ryback

Kirby Mack (a/k/a Stan Stansky) and Stoney Hooker (a/k/a Arthur Rosenberg), who faced Ryback in a Handicap Match on the June 4, 2012 episode of Raw, recalled their WWE experience in an interview with The Do Your J.O.B. Wrestling Hour. Highlights from the interview are as follows:

The process being selected to face Ryback: "Before we got there I got a call from a buddy of mine who runs High Velocity Wrestling who was in contact with the WWE and they called him and said we are looking for 2 guys this time...They wanted Ryback to lift 2 guys...we did our tryout but Ryback wanted the biggest guys to pick up to be impressive so right off the bat he pick 2 guys out of I think Tennessee that were really big and he went through the motions with them to see if he could lift them up, now he was able to lift them up but it was not pretty. It wasn't good for live tv and that's what Arn Anderson was saying...so they picked Stoney, and originally they picked another guy named Chase Owens who had been squashed by Ryback a week or two before so Arn looked at him and said didn't Ryback already beat you up like a week ago on tv and he said yes and thankfully they picked me"

Nerves cutting the promo before the match: "The nerves didn't kick in until we were about to go live...they gave us the promo at about 3 or 4 o'clock...and we literally rehearsed it till like 8:53 and then we rehearsed it before the commercial break in the ring...it wasn't so much nerves but the problem with that promo was I think everyone in the back knew the promo before we did...it was tough not learning the promo but learning the promo in unison"

Reaction to the match: "Obviously to us it felt great we had a blast, it was an awesome time. I realize now it's a PG era and it's kinda hard to see because if the camera angle but at one point Ryback had actually busted my lip and I was bleeding pretty hard and as I was laying there I'm not thinking PG I'm thinking I'm bleeding on tv I need to get the blood put so people can see it...the referee rolled over to me and was like "Suck that blood up right now! This is PG!" so I had to suck the blood up...we come back after the match and were coming down off this high that we're on because we just lived our dream essentially...everybody in the back knew we were gonna mess up the promo they expected it, but everyone was very complimentary. The scariest part to me was when Triple H came out of the gorilla position, and from what I understand he never comes out of the gorilla pit, he came out and goes "You, you come here!" and I'm like this isn't good and I'm walking with my head down and he was like "Great f'ing job. Great job!" and I was like oh thank you!"

Rumor Mill - Talent List for WWE NXT

Dave Scherer is reporting the following names are slated for WWE NXT which debuts next week on SyFy:

* Justin Angel
* Daniel Bryan
* Kaval
* Joe Hennig
* Skip Sheffield
* Brett DiBiase
* Darren Young
* Heath Slater
* Michael Tarver

The above rookies will be paired with a WWE veteran where they will compete to advance as a full-time member of either Raw or Smackdown. They will also be available to make crossover appearances on the main shows while competing. The original concept was to have eight teams but in this report there are nine listed.