Preview of Mick Foley's New WWE Comic

WWE.com and Papercutz are proud to present an exclusive three-page, lettered preview of the first issue of the upcoming brand-new "WWE" comic book series, kicking off a new era in comics!

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley brings us a unique, all-new adventure straight from the world of WWE’s powerful, ongoing clashes!

Welcome to Titan City, a metropolis where everyone’s hiding secrets and there’s no one to trust. In a corrupt world where everyone is looking to cash in, three larger-than-life combatants collide. John Cena’s been framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Randy Orton’s on the verge of achieving city-wide power. And CM Punk is determined to bring the whole corrupt system crashing down. From the scheming south side to the barren desert no man’s land where even the law refuses to go, the powerful factions of Titan City are locked in a battle for control in an unforgettable noir landscape. Featuring AJ Lee, Sheamus, The Undertaker, Daniel Bryan, and more!

WWE #1 ships with four even-split variants by Jill Thompson (The Sandman, Beasts of Burden), Michael Golden (Batman, Micronauts), Dean Haspiel (American Splendor), and Alitha Martinez (Batgirl, New Crusaders), paying homage to classic comic book covers with typographic re-creation by Tom Orzechowski.

A retailer incentive cover featuring The Undertaker by Miran Kim (X-Files, Hellraiser) is free with every 10 copies ordered...More?

Sheamus Suffers Injury

MRI results indicate that Sheamus has suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder and will require surgery, scheduled for next week. As a result, The Celtic Warrior is expected to be sidelined for four to six months, WWE.com has learned.

The injury occurred during the Money in the Bank All-Stars Ladder Match and was further aggravated over the following weeks. During that intense match, Sheamus was thrown off the top rope and sent crashing through a ladder at ringside, landing hard on his left leg and left shoulder.

"My mindset heading into Money in the Bank was to risk everything to get that WWE Title contract,” Sheamus told WWE.com. “That night I went out there putting it all on the line.”

While it seemed as though his leg had taken the brunt of the impact, swelling to twice the size of his uninjured right leg, The Celtic Warrior soon found out that his battle scars from that night ran deep.

During WWE’s tour of South Africa, Sheamus’ leg started to heal, but he discovered his range of motion limited in his shoulder and he experienced sharp pains radiating down his arm, he said. During a pre-Raw workout, Sheamus felt another sharp pain in his shoulder and notified WWE medical staff.

“We performed a specialized MRI with a dye inserted to highlight the structures within the shoulder joint," said WWE ringside physician Dr. Chris Amann. "Doctor Samson and I both reviewed the film, and it appears that Sheamus has a cartilage [SLAP] tear.”

As a result, Sheamus will undergo arthroscopic surgery next week to fix the tear, which doctors hope will offer him the best chance of recovery and the best outlook for a normally functioning shoulder.

"I’ve never in my whole life had to have surgery,” Sheamus said. “I’ve always worked through pain. For the first time in four years, I’m going to be out of action.”

He continued, “To say I’m devastated would be a serious understatement, but I’m determined to take this time to go home to Ireland to see my family, to see my friends, learn a different language, read a lot of books, and come back bigger, stronger and better than ever.”

Intent to stay positive through his injuries, Sheamus emphatically said, “I’m determined to be a champion again, and when I come back I am going to rock this place like it’s never been rocked before!”

source: wwe.com

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.

Video: Complete WWE Performance Center Opening Day Press Conference

Highlights of the Opening of the WWE Performance Center

Full Sail University graduate Felipe Gianazzo was awarded a $10,000 scholarship by Triple H. Gianazzo has worked ever NXT show since May 2012.

Xavier Woods, formerly known as Consequences Creed, spoke on behalf of the developmental talent at Thursday’s event.

Michael Cole operated as the host for the press conference.

Sheamus spoke from a superstar’s prospective and talked about working as part of the ring crew at WrestleMania 24, while he was just a developmental wrestler.

Stephanie McMahon said that Triple H’s legacy begins with the WWE Performance Center.

The hashtag #WWEPC is actually trending Twitter.

Vince McMahon called the facility’s opening “a new beginning”

Stephanie McMahon tolled the original bell from Madison Square Garden to “officially open” the facility.

Triple H Appears After SmackDown Tapings

After last night's WWE SmackDown tapings ended in Knoxville, The Shield came out and attacked Randy Orton and Sheamus. This led to Triple H, wearing a cast on his arm, making the save. The babyfaces hit their finishers on The Shield to end the show.

Interview with Sheamus

On what he's looking forward to with this year's WrestleMania: "Everything about WrestleMania. I mean, I remember as a kid my fondest memories were of watching 'Mania and dreaming of becoming a WWE superstar. That's probably cliche because a lot of people say it. But I'll tell you something fella, I was the kid coming from Ireland that snuck down a 2 a.m. to watch pay-per-views when my dad and ma were asleep.

"I was creeping down these wooden stairs and these wooden floors. It was actually brutal, it was great when they had carpets, no problem at all. But when they got rid of the carpet and varnished the floors, I'd literally be treading down on tippy-toes all the way down so I wouldn't be heard on the day before school.

"I was in for every pay-per-view but WrestleMania was special. To be involved in WrestleMania 26 when I was there with Triple H -- first of all, I can't believe I'm here and two, I can't believe I can get paid for this. And of course, last year was special with Daniel Bryan.

"But every year you evolve and every year you strive to push the boundaries. That's what is going to happen this year I think. It won't be with The Undertaker, it won't be for the World Heavyweight championship, but I guarantee you that whatever I'll be involved in is going to be very special."

More?

Rumor Mill - RAW Main Event Leads To Creative Departure

Vince McMahon was reportedly a lot more hands-on with producing and scripting last night's RAW from Indianapolis. This was the first week since Eric Pankowski's departure and it's said that he wasn't missed last night and it was like he was never there.

What likely led to Pankowski's departure was having CM Punk, Randy Orton, Sheamus and Big Show compete in the Fatal 4 Way two weeks ago to earn the right to face The Undertaker at WrestleMania 29.

Everyone felt that the Fatal 4 Way was a bad idea. People told Pankowski it was a bad idea but he blew them off and went with it. No word yet why Vince McMahon approved it for TV.

WWE to Provide Live Commentary for SmackDown on Friday

WWE released the following.

WWE® SOCIAL MEDIA Smackdown GOES LIVE ON SYFY FRIDAY, MARCH 1 AT 8PM

NEW YORK -- February 27, 2013 – Syfy and WWE (NYSE:WWE) today announced Social Media Smackdown, a live social media event which, for the first time ever, will include live social media content, interactive fan polls, WWE Superstar and Diva tweets, Touts and more. WWE announcers Jerry “The King” Lawler, Michael Cole and Josh Matthews will provide live commentary throughout the night, which airs on Syfy Friday, March 1 at 8PM (ET/PT).

The Friday night special will feature WWE’s biggest Superstars and Divas, including World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio®, Randy Orton®, Big Show®, Daniel Bryan®, Kaitlyn™ and Sheamus®.

Smackdown is the second longest-running, weekly episodic program in U.S. primetime TV history, behind only Monday Night Raw.

Stats on RAW’s Switch to 3 Hours

With RAW going from two hours to three, matches now get 33% more time and there are 33% more matches per show. The amount of wrestling per show has doubled to 78%. Those benefiting with more TV time include Heath Slater, Alberto Del Rio, Primo, Epico, Sheamus, Cody Rhodes, Damien Sandow, John Cena, The Miz, Big Show and Dolph Ziggler. Those who have received less TV time with the switch are Tensai, Zack Ryder, David Otunga, The Great Khali and Santino Marella.

List of Superstar Names, Dates & Times Scheduled For VIP Sessions at WrestleMania Axxess Events

The following is a list of superstar names, dates & times scheduled for VIP sessions during this year's WrestleMania Axxess events. You can purchase tickets beginning next week via Ticketmaster.com:

Thursday, April 4 - Session 6:00pm-10:00pm

CM PUNK
RIC FLAIR

Friday, April 5 - Session 6:00pm-10:00pm

UNDERTAKER
JOHN CENA

Saturday, April 6 - Session 8:00am-12:00pm

KANE

Saturday, April 6 - Session 1:00pm-5:00pm

TRIPLE H
RANDY ORTON

Saturday, April 6 - Session 6:00pm-10:00pm

SHEAMUS

Sunday, April 7 - Session 8:00am-12:00pm

BIG SHOW
REY MYSTERIO

Sunday, April 7 – Session 12:30pm-4:30pm

SHAWN MICHAELS
BRET HART

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?

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)

Rumor Mill - Top WWE Stars In 2013

There’s a feeling backstage that the five big names they will try and build around in 2013, besides the obvious stars like CM Punk and John Cena, are Dolph Ziggler, Sheamus, Cesaro, Barrett and Randy Orton as a heel.

Mick Foley, WWE & DK Publishing Release New Children’s Book With Anti-Bullying Message

Mick Foley, WWE and DK Publishing have released a new children’s book titled “A Most Mizerable Christmas.” The story features many top WWE stars including John Cena, CM Punk and Sheamus trying to teach The Miz a valuable lesson about not being a bully in school.

“As an author and father, I am overjoyed that families will be spending time together reading A Most Mizerable Christmas this holiday season,” said Mick Foley. “The WWE Superstars and Divas, transformed into children inhabiting Wrescal Lane, learn a fun-filled but important lesson about treating others with tolerance and respect – making the book a perfect tag-team partner for WWE’s Be a STAR campaign.”

J.R. Comments on Raw, Vince McMahon, the Tag Team Division, More

Closing moments of Raw felt like some of the great moments during the Attitude Era. Table destroyed, monitors out, bodies hitting the floor, stiff shots, and a crazed crowd. Great nite at the office.

Mr McMahon was amazing especially at his age and lack of recent ring time. I'm not kissing butt but just stating a fact. @cmpunk is special. Controversial? Yes...but damn special.

Sheamus and Wade a arrest literally beat the hell out of each other much like I'll see in Dallas Saturday when OU battles Texas.

Second week in a row that Wold Champ Sheamus rose to the occasion, last week it was against Damien Sandow.

Barrett has returned from injury a different man as it relates to aggression & physicality. That mindset will get one places.

WWE tag team biz is becoming viably relevant. Opportunity awaits several duos. Will they realize such and seize the fleeting moment?

Notice some, not many, talents, content, seemingly, w/ their 'spots.' That mindset poisons the water. Solve problem or eliminate it. End of story. Gaining more respect for @JohnCena daily. His elbow is a legit mess. John is a genuine, tough SOB. Enjoyed working w/ @michaelcole & @jclayfield (JBL) on Raw. Nice fireworks w/ the big Texan & Cole is simply a helluva navigator. Not sure what the future holds collectively for the 3 of us but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts. My best 'guess' is that @jerrylawler will return sometime in November but that's personal assumption. King is doing great and anxious to get back in the game.

Recap of JR Appreciation Night After Raw: Triple H & Vince Appear, Lawler Appears Via Video

After Raw went off the air tonight, the real Jim Ross appreciation night took place. Vince McMahon came out first and spoke, followed by Triple H. There were special appearances by Cowboy Bill Watts and Danny Hodge, along with the entire roster coming out to applaud Jim Ross along with the audience.

Sheamus then gave JR a "voice of the WWE" award, and then pre-recorded messages from Jerry Lawler and Oklahoma Sooners coach Bob Stoops aired on the Titan Tron.

Videos

Rumor Mill - WWE Grooming A New Top Guy

With 35 year old John Cena currently dealing with back, elbow, hip and neck issues, there has been a lot of talk for months about who is the next top guy for WWE. With Vince McMahon's days likely numbered, some believe that the next top guy after Cena will be Vince's last ever hand-picked top guy.

While Cena won't be replaced as the top guy until his body breaks down or until the public tires of him, there is a feeling that you have to think about the future now as Vince has never gone with anyone older than 40 as his top guy because people think he cuts bait early and then moves on.

Vince has told both the traveling and non-traveling writing staff, as well as the RAW and SmackDown crews, that they are now to put emphasis on storylines and angles for Sheamus. The idea is that CM Punk is a heel and won't be that top guy. Plus in their minds of what "the guy" is supposed to look like, Punk doesn't fit. Triple H is also backing Sheamus because he's big enough, dedicated enough and loyal enough. At the same time, many people feel Sheamus wouldn't be right as the face of the company because of his character. Another downside to Sheamus is he's almost 35 and if they are looking at grooming the next guy for Cena's spot, they should be looking at someone who is 25 or so.

source: wrestling observer newsletter

WWE's 15 Best World Heavyweight Champs

#1 Triple H
#2 Batista
#3 Edge
#4 The Undertaker
#5 King Booker
#6 Sheamus
#7 Rey Mysterio
#8 Mark Henry
#9 John Cena
#10 Chris Jericho
#11 CM Punk
#12 Kane
#13 Randy Orton
#14 Daniel Bryan
#15 Goldberg

Triple H Talks World Title History & Recent Conversation with Sheamus

The latest edition of WWE Magazine cover-dated September 2012 includes an article on the history of the World Hvt. Title with quotes from Triple H, Daniel Bryan, and Booker T. Hunter talks about the title's lineage, the responsibility of being World Hvt. champion, World champs getting blamed if a match stinks, and a recent conversation with current World Hvt. champion Sheamus about the responsibility. "I had a conversation with Sheamus, and he told me, 'I want to be that guy.' And I asked if he understood what that really means," Hunter said.