Big Name To Appear As Special Referee For Upcoming WWE NXT Title Match, Adam Cole Comments

WWE has announced Adam Cole vs. WWE NXTChampion Drew McIntyre for the November 17th non-televised live event from San Antonio, Texas. WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels will be the special referee. This event takes place during Survivor Series weekend, just one night before the "Takeover: WarGames" event.

Below is the full announcement:

NXT Champion Drew McIntyre faces Adam Cole for the title in San Antonio on Nov. 17, with Shawn Michaels as special guest referee

Adam Cole and The Undisputed ERA have vowed to shock the system of NXT, and the unlawful collective will get a chance to do just that when Cole challenges NXT Champion Drew McIntyre for the title at NXT Live in San Antonio on Friday, Nov. 17.

Not only that, but San Antonio native son and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels will serve as the match's special guest referee.

The newly confirmed NXT Title Match is slated for NXT's return to the Aztec Theatre, just one night before NXT TakeOver: WarGames comes to the Toyota Center in Houston.

Cole, who made his shocking NXT debut in August by ambushing McIntyre moments after he won the NXT Title, recently commented on his championship ambitions in an interview with WWE.com.

"As far as Drew, he's an impressive athlete," Cole said. "Drew had been chasing that NXT Championship, and he finally achieved his dream. I almost feel bad for the guy. I feel bad that after all that hard work, all the sacrifice, it's going to be taken away by me. And there's not a damn thing he can do about it."

WWE Celebrates 20-Year Anniversary of D-Generation X

WWE is celebrating 20 years of the legendary D-Generation X faction. WWE's website posted a photo gallery of various Superstars paying tribute to DX.


Triple H tweeted:

Shawn Michaels & I formed DX w/ a bond built on:
Desire
Passion
Drive
& we kicked ass!
20 yrs later it's still t

Shawn Michaels On His Role At The WWE PC, Who He Enjoys In NXT, The Future Of Wrestling

Shawn Michaels spoke with Channel Guide Magazine on a number of wrestling topics as he promotes his current film, Pure Country: Pure Heart. Here are some of the highlights:


His role at the WWE Performance Center:

"I would clearly define my role if my role was clearly defined and knew what it was, but I don't. That has sort of been the way I have been most of my life, most of my career. I just hang around so often that people just eventually are too afraid to tell me to leave. So, I've been hanging around for quite some time at the Performance Center. It's one thing to sit there and watch things back on film and do your best to help people here and there or address certain things. I think eventually you have to get out there and get a feel for everything that is going on. That was one of the reasons why I wanted to come out on the road. I wanted to get to know the talent a lot better, but also have a better understanding of what they're doing and how the process goes. I also wanted to get a feel for the crowds. The crowds are different from town to town, city to city and state to state. So, I feel the better I know the better I can help and be an asset to not only the talent, but Matt [Bloom], Sara [Amato] and Hunter [Paul Levesque] who have worked so hard to make the Performance Center and NXT a successful product."

The future of wrestling:

"I leave the opinions about the wrestling business where it has been, where it's going and where it needs to go or doesn't to the podcast guys and reporters. I enjoy the future. I'm not a good old-timer. I'm excited about the future. I'm excited about to see if there is anything I can do to help bring that along in a way that is conducive to the wrestling business and WWE and WWE fans in general. It's going to continue. Their opinions are always going to be all over the place. They always have been. I think the only difference is I think maybe people hear about it more now than we did. That's the wonderful thing about technology. I'm not the all-knowing or seeing on the wrestling business. Quite honestly, I always think that what I think really doesn't mean much. I've never bought a wrestling ticket in my life or haven't bought one since I was 12 years old. So, it's certainly not me they are looking to bring in the building. I just don't like to into all the opinions of it. The wrestling business is a wonderful line of work. It has been great to me and my family over the last 30 years. I'm now getting to be in WWE movies and things of that nature. I'm just all about helping this next generation try to achieve their dreams like I was blessed to have the opportunity to do."

Who he enjoys currently in NXT:

"I like Roddy Strong, Aleister Black, Johnny Gargano, Velveteen Dream, Heavy Machinery, Authors of Pain, Sanity, they are all just a number of young talent out there. Ember Moon and Asuka, as well. There are just numerous people out there. The wrestling business is ripe with a great deal of young, up-and-coming talent. To me, that is exciting. I got way too positive of an outlook to jump into all the other stuff."

Shawn Michaels Updates Jim Ross On His TV Show and WWE Performance Center Status

Recently on The Ross Report, professional wrestling veteran 'Good Ol' J.R.' Jim Ross spoke with fellow WWE Hall Of Famer Shawn Michaels. Among many other things, Michaels talked about his hunting show, Shawn Michaels' MacMillan River Adventures, coming to an end, what professional wrestling shows he watches regularly, hammering out a deal to become a coach at the WWE Performance Center, and working with young talent.

According to Michaels, 2017 will be the final year of his hunting show. 'The Heartbreak Kid' said that he would rather being doing "easier stuff" at this point in his life.

"We are going to wrap up MacMillan River Adventures this year. This is going to be our last year. It's the seventh year. It has just become a little busy, and, again, I'm, I guess, way too lazy to travel that much now. And having enjoyed this warm weather so much, the thought of going away to a bunch of faraway, cold places, and live in a sleeping bag, and things of that nature… it was fun to do for a while just to push myself and to see if I could do it, and go on hunts that I've never had the opportunity to go on, so I'm so blessed and so fortunate to be able to go and do that, but now I'm so fortunate that I've got a ranch in Texas and if I want to hunt I can go there and do it, so Keith [Mark] and I are going to wrap up our final year, 2017, on MacMillan River Adventures and I'm going to just focus on just doing some easier stuff and, honestly, just see where the wind blows me to that."

Michaels divulged that when he watches pro wrestling, it is usually either NXT or 205 Live. 'The Showstopper' claimed that he watches those shows to inform him in his role working with younger talent.

"I watch a little bit. I mean, the majority of it is to… honestly, I watch more NXT and the 205 Live more than anything else, to be perfectly honest." Michaels continued, "I do that because, I mean, that's something that I'm interested in. I think in terms of, again, being here and being able to contribute and see what I can do, if anything, to help the younger wrestlers. That's the part that I enjoy, so, clearly, if you're going to do that, you've got to know about the product, and you've got to watch it, and you've got to be informed with the talent and the people that are there."

More?

Steve Austin Talks Famous WWE Tour Bus Pic, Triple H Not Drinking

During a recent edition of the Steve Austin Show (transcript via wrestlinginc.com), Austin talked about an old photo taken during a WWE European tour, which features many of the wrestlers hanging out at the back of a tour bus…

On The Below Picture: “We [were] on a gig over there in Europe, having a damn good time, and wrestling our ass off, putting asses in the seats. Guys were laying their stuff in and the business was on fire. That’s what it was.” Austin said, “the picture is probably from, it was ’97 or ’98. I’m almost positive. And this was, we were on a tour. We were over in Germany and over in the U.K., either one. I don’t remember which country we were in, but it was on that tour because we would go to Germany for seven days, and then, we’d go to the U.K. for seven days, or vice versa. And this is the back of a tour bus. And, I tell you what, we we’re traveling with two tour buses. Normally, it was heels on one bus, and babies on the other bus.”

On Everyone Drinking But Triple H: “It’s a circular table back there and you see in the picture, damn near everybody has a beer. The beers are all covered up because there are so many arms. Henry Godwinn has got a bottle of Jack [Daniels] and we were passing that thing around.” Austin added, “there are 11 people crowded around this table. Not everybody was in the back of the bus. Not everybody was in on the party thing. There are a lot of guys in all the seats up ahead, so, man, we probably had a crew of guys, man, probably 30 strong. Everybody on the damn back of the bus was drinking, except Triple H. Only every now and then would Triple H would have a drink with the boys because the dude just doesn’t drink and he’s into his body and his physique.”

More?

Adult Film Company Filming A WWE Parody On The Montreal Screwjob With Vince McMahon, Others

Shawn Michaels Says His Role At WWE PC Is Not Clearly Defined

Ring Rust Radio had WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels on the show this week, who was promoting The Resurrection of Gavin Stone:

Triple H recently talked about his vision for you at the Performance Center being someone who can put the final polish on talent before they're called up to the main roster. What interests you most when it comes to working with the NXT talent and what are you hoping to accomplish in your role?

"That's something that right now is in the early stages. I think to your point, I think we will have a better idea as we get it more clearly defined about what it is. Finish and polish, that's kind of a vague and broad description. What does that mean exactly? At certain times when it's convenient people talk in the broad sense and then you wait until you can get down into the details to find out what it exactly is. If certain things could be taught, we would teach them and they would just do them. There are some things that can't be taught.

"So I am waiting right now for it to get more clearly defined on what the role is. I have enjoyed the times I have gone down there to the training facility. There is nothing more enjoyable then seeing a student in that beginning process and the hunger they have. That's what they are down there for, to learn and to grow. Once you get to Raw or the main roster, there is a sense that you are done, you made it, and that sense of accomplishment is there. The worst thing is that greatness never feels like it has arrived, that it's there. The greats like Michael Jordan and LeBron James and other people that reached that status can continue to grow and get better. Working with talents at the performance center level and the NXT level, they know they haven't arrived so they are very pliable and willing to take direction. I think once you go to that next level; it's a little more difficult to teach at that point and becomes less fun. That's what I enjoy about the performance level and NXT level. They are still aspiring to get somewhere so they are very open and receptive to information."

Shawn Michaels On If Vince McMahon Has Asked Him To Return To WWE

"It's funny because the two guys who really make the decisions, which is Vince [McMahon] and Hunter [Paul 'Triple H' Levesque], in seven years have never even approached me. I guess I'm semi-amused that people think 'Vince is saying this' and whatnot because those are the two people that understand why and respect why I retired and understood it."

Professional Wrestling Hall Of Fame Announces 2017 Inductees

PWHF issued the following press release on their 16th annual induction.

2017 PWHF INDUCTEES ANNOUNCED

May 19th & May 20th the eyes of the Wrestling World will be on Wichita Falls once again!

Wichita Falls, TX, November 27, 2016 – 10 amazing individuals involved in the business of Professional Wrestling will be inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum (PWHF) the 3rd weekend of May 2017. The PWHF is the only brick and mortar Hall of Fame & Museum that preserves the history of all of wrestling, honoring every aspect of the business – the good, the bad and the ugly.

The only Hall of Fame where the Inductees are voted in by a committee of their peers. Voters include living past Hall of Fame Inductees plus 20 other historians and wrestling legends. We are proud to say that this is the first year many of the Hall of Fame inductees returned their ballots to vote, the most ballots ever returned to be counted.

There are 7 categories with 10 people inducted each year, the results for the 2017 PWHF Inductees are:

Pioneer Division (1865-1942)

Yvon Robert (10/8/1914-7/12/1971)
Dirty Dick Raines (2/17/1911-10/18/1979)

Television Era (1943-1984)

Luther Lindsay (12/30/1924-2/21/1972)
Sputnik Monroe (12/18/1928-11/3/2006)

Tag Team Division

Larry Hennig & Harley Race

Modern Era (1985-present)

Mick Foley
Shawn Michaels

International Era

Tatsumi Fujinami (Japan)

Ladies Division

Susan Green

Colleague Division (managers, promoters, photographers, referees, valets)

George Napolitano (photographer)

More?

Triple H Talks New 205 Live Show, Rebuilding the NXT Roster, HBK’s Performance Center Role, Which NXT Talents Are Rising Stars & More

Triple H Reveals Whether or Not Shawn Michaels is the New Performance Center Head Coach

Triple H revealed that despite claims made by WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash, Shawn Michaels is not the new WWE NXT head coach:

"Contrary to what you've read, Shawn Michaels is not the head coach of PC. Matt Bloom is & will continue."

Kevin Nash, Scott Hall And Sean Waltman Discuss Shawn Michaels Working At The WWE Performance Center

The Kevin Gill Show debuted this Monday as part of Podcast Arena and featured all three original members of the NWO Wolfpac (Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Sean Waltman) as guests.

On Shawn Michaels joining the WWE Performance Center:

Nash: How many people, including the two guys to my left, know that the new Head of the WWE Performance Center is Shawn Michaels?

Hall: Oh yeah, I knew that.

Waltman: Is he actually moving to Florida? I can’t believe that.

Nash: Oh yeah, he’s moving to Florida with the family and everything. If you thought that NXT was something wait til that son of a bitch gets down there and gives them his magic. There is nobody better than him. Physically nobody better. Psychology nobody better. It’s going to be a game changer. I don’t know what the hell they are paying him but it’s got to be a lot because to get Shawn to do the 9-5…

Waltman: Whatever it is is a bargain.

Nash: His son wants to do graphic design. His daughter wants to be a veterinarian. Sea World is down there. There’s a lot of advantages to being in Orlando over Abilene, TX. Nothing against Abilene. I hear there’s a lot of good things going on there.

Gill: I don’t think Full Sail has opened a branch out there.

Nash: Graphic design is something you have at Full Sail. “Go with Dad to work.”

Triple H Gives Shawn Michaels – WWE PC Trainer Update

Listen, Shawn and I are in talks all the time about a lot of things. Shawn is in the process of deciding whether he wants to move, not move, I’m not 100% sure where Shawn is at in his personal life as far as his mood goes. I haven’t talked to him in a couple of days. I would rather you hear about his personal life from him if he wants to talk about it. He has recently spent some time in the Performance Center. I saw Shawn a few months ago. We constantly talk about NXT and the Performance Center. He loves the brand. He came down and he spent a few days with me around town and, I think, it kind of invigorated him. Which is hard not to do being down there with all that young, hungry talent. Everybody. He asked about coming back and spending some time and he went down there and he spent some time and worked with some talent. It’s mentally helpful. This all comes down to discussions, Shawn and what he wants to do. If Shawn said to me tomorrow, “I want to be at the Performance Center all the time and helping talent.” Oh my God! It’s the greatest thing ever. If he decides he wants to occasionally visit and help, wonderful. It’s all on him and the door is wide open. I would love to have his assistance because, quite honestly, I don’t know of anyone better to help these guys. Not only as in ring performers but the bigger component is how to be stars. There’s a big, big difference between somebody who is good in the ring, a good talent, a good hand and being a star. Shawn would probably be one of the best people out there to help out with that. I would love to have him involved. It’s sort of up in the air at the moment.

Triple H Talks Takeover Brooklyn, HBK – WWE PC Job, Raw Cruiserweight Division, Ember Moon Being a Key Player, 50/50 Booking, Injuries, More

Rumor Mill - Details on Shawn Michaels Accepting a New WWE PC Job

Shawn Michaels has been offered a full-time role as a coach down at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, to lead talents in their “finishing classes”. HBK was reportedly offered the role to substitute for Terry Taylor, who has been absent from the WWE PC following neck surgery.

PWInsider.com has since updated its story noting a “highly placed source” has informed them the HBK – WWE deal is not yet done, and Michaels is not at the WWE PC today nor is he scheduled to be at the PC this week. Michaels has had two appearances as a guest coach at the PC as of late, and the “ball is in his court” if he wants to accept the full-time job. Apparently the hold up right now is the decision Michaels will have to make to relocate his family from Texas to Florida.

The ‘Too Sweet’ history of WWE’s most iconic gesture

It started as something you barely noticed when watching Raw or Nitro in the late ’90s. Shawn Michaels may have thrown it up in the middle of a match, or Scott Hall would flash it on his way down the aisle. It was an unmistakable gesture that hinted at a secret brotherhood known only to a few.

Twenty years later, it has become the not-so-secret handshake seen in sports-entertainment rings around the world, bridging a generation of Superstars and connecting The Kliq with The Club.

Kevin Nash, Triple H and the four Superstars who brought it back to the forefront of sports-entertainment — AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows and Finn Bálor — reveal its strange origins, The Kliq and nWo’s influence today, and the person in the locker room who loves to “Too Sweet.” Click here.

ESPN’s WWE Off The Top Rope Recap: Shawn Michaels Talks Wrestlemania Moments, Ric Flair, Why He Knew It Was His Time To Retire

The following is a recap of Shawn Michaels’ appearance on ESPN’s WWE Off The Top Rope segment tonight:

Coach welcomes Shawn Michaels to the show and talks about his reputation as ‘Mr. Wrestlemania’, and asked why he shined at the event. Shawn says just getting to Wrestlemania is a feat in itself, and he focused on making each one count, deciding around Wrestlemania IX to get everyone to talk about his match each year. He says he wanted to do it to honor his job as a wrestler, then Coach asks about which Wrestlemania match is his favorite. Shawn says that’s hard to answer, citing Wrestlemania X and XII for his individual accomplishments, but also notes working with Ric Flair and Undertaker later on. He says all he can do is be thankful for how many special moments he was involved with, and it’s hard to pick just one.

Coach talks about Shawn wrestling Flair at Wrestlemania XXIV, and Shawn says it went from him admiring Flair as a kid all the way to being the person to be picked in that match, and it meant a lot to him. Shawn talks about honoring Ric Flair at Wrestlemania 24, and he says he wanted to do as much as he could to show his appreciation. Shawn says he wanted Ric to have a sense of pride, and he also wanted everyone who worked with Ric and knew him to know it too.

Coach brings up Shawn’s final match two years later and asks why Shawn knew that night was it. Shawn says it was ultimately about his family, telling a story about how time was passing and his son would be grown up soon enough. He says that cued him to start thinking about life after WWE, and walking away was huge, but he wanted to do this for his family and be an active part of his raising his family. He says all he knows is to perform at the best he can, and luckily he had a great opponent that night.

Coach thanks him and says maybe they will see him at Wrestlemania 32, and Shawn says it’s basically in his hometown and he might have to make some moves, but they could see him there.

HBK’s Top Wrestlemania Moments

Top Feud
Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker

Top Move
Shawn Michaels’ dives off the ladder at Wrestlemania X

Top Moment
Shawn Michaels says ‘I’m sorry, I love you’ and superkicks Ric Flair, pinning Flair to retire him

Top Win
Shawn Michaels defeats Bret Hart at Wrestlemania XII to win the WWE Championship

Read more at http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/682925-espns-wwe-off-the-top-rope-recap-shawn-michaels-talks-wrestlemania-moments-ric-flair-why-he-knew-it-was-his-time-to-retire#UcTpmu4ItaRdUIMX.99

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

Detailed Recap of Last Night's WWE Network Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels Podcast

Sean Waltman Explains Why The Kliq Recruited Triple H

Sean Waltman spoke with WrestleTalk in a new interview discussing the Kliq and Triple H joining them. Check out the video and highlights below:

On what the Kliq saw in Triple H: “Obviously we didn’t predict exactly what would (happen), but immediately it was like ‘let’s gobble him up.’ He was riding with Killer Kowalski every night, who was his teacher. He was trying to be cool to Walter (Kowalski). We were like ‘you gotta drop Walter, you’re coming with us.’ We needed a designated driver anyway.”

On what attracted the group to him: “Level headed, focused. His determination, drive. His learning curve, his aptitude. When he first got there, he was still the student, but the way he soaked up all the knowledge and got better, it was really light years ahead of how most people do it.”