This Day In Wrestling History

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson makes his WWF(E) debut. At that time he was known as Rocky Maivia.
November 17, 1996

Shawn Michaels defeats Triple H, Kane, Chris Jericho, Booker T & Rob Van Dam in an Elimination Chamber to capture the World Heavyweight Title.
November 17, 2002

This was the first Elimination Chamber match and was Triple H's idea. An except from wwe.com:

There are many stipulation matches in WWE designed to intimidate, threaten and menace the Superstars chosen to compete in them — but there's only one that inspires actual terror.

Sitting in his stately office inside Titan Tower, Triple H cuts the same imposing figure now as the man who won a record four Chamber bouts in the past. "What people don't understand is the metal grating outside the ring is the same grating they make the stage with," he explains. "It's designed to support thousands of pounds, so there's no give at all. Then there are the walls themselves, which are made of thick metal chain. And at first, you think, 'Oh well, the chain moves a little bit.' But it's actually worse, because the chain shifts about an inch and a half, even though it's all connected, so it's like you're hitting a steel wall. And it's a bumpy steel wall that digs into you everywhere."

Interestingly, WWE's most hated and feared stipulation match was spawned from the mind of The Cerebral Assassin himself a decade ago. The company was looking for concepts for matches that might spin off into yearly events similar to the Royal Rumble, and The Game was ready with a winning idea.

The ambitious concept was well received, and the creative team set about turning Triple H's vision into reality. Of course, when he saw it, Triple H realized that he'd gotten far more than he had bargained for. "In typical WWE form, it was twice as big as I envisioned it and twice as elaborate," he remembers. "We don't do anything small, so I should have known better. When I stood in it for the first time, I thought, 'Jeez. Please don't tell anybody this was my idea!' "

The Rock Confirms WWE Studios Movie Role

The unknown stuntman who moonlights as a bounty hunter.. Fired up to play the role. Cool, bad ass & fun #TheFallGuy http://t.co/XdCvkgES6J

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) September 12, 2013

This confirms an earlier report from the Hollywood Reporter about the Rock being slated to star in the Fall Guy movie based off the 1980s television series with WWE Studios as a co-producer. This will be the first movie the Rock has done with WWE Studios.

Dwayne Johnson Eyes ‘Fall Guy’ Film Produced by WWE Studios, Hyde Park

Dwayne Johnson is in negotiations to star in a feature film version of the TV show “The Fall Guy” that Hyde Park and WWE Studios will produce and co-finance.

Deal is significant since it would mark the first major movie Johnson will work with WWE Studios on, should the deal close. WWE had small stakes in other Johnson pics “The Rundown” and “The Scorpion King” after Johnson left WWE to pursue a film career. He started his career with WWE as “The Rock” and recently returned to the ring to headline “WrestleMania” over the past two years...More?

source: variety.com

Interview with Triple H on NBC Sports Radio

Triple H Discusses Daniel Bryan’s Popularity, Hulk Hogan’s Place in WWE History

Triple H was recently on NBC Sports radio, promoting SummerSlam. Here are the highlights…

On Daniel Bryan's Popularity: "I think this is a moment in time - is the torch being passed? Or, is this the moment where John Cena continues to cement himself as the face of WWE for this generation? I think with Daniel Bryan, there's an honesty there. Daniel is what he is - a frumpy-looking, long-haired, bearded guy who doesn't really apologize for how he looks, but he's that good in the ring. Historically, when you look back at the business, when you got past the flamboyant Hogan/Macho Man Era, you had the Bret Hart technician, a lot less hype and personality and charisma (who let the in-ring speak). And there's kind of those shifts back-and-forth... Maybe that's what it is - I do think Daniel is the cross-over of so many of those factors that make a Superstar big. He's got charisma, he's got personality, he's different, he's his own man. He's just Daniel Bryan. And he's damn good and damn exciting at what he does"

On Hulk Hogan's Place in WWE History: "Hulk Hogan will forever be the face of a generation of WWE Superstars. I don't know that there's a more recognizable guy - there's Rock, there's Hogan, there's Cena, and there's these recognizable characters that become household names. And Hulk Hogan is one of the biggest of all-time - a true legend in our business. No matter what, he will always have that place in the WWE Universe. Always."

Rumor Mill - Early Plans for WrestleMania XXX

The Rock is still saying privately that he is not working WrestleMania XXX next year. If he sits out, WWE will look to do Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker, John Cena vs. Triple H and possibly CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan.

While these plans will probably change several times before now and then, we continue to hear that Punk and Bryan are hoping to be kept apart until Wrestlemania XXX.

Vince McMahon may choose to go in a different direction but that was the update as of early last week. The Rock was quoted last week about his wrestling future, saying that he would like to leave it open.

source: wnw premium news

Tamina Snuka to Appear Alongside The Rock in ‘Hercules’

Tamina Snuka has been absent from television recently and now we know why: she’s following in the footsteps of her wrestler-turned-actor cousin, The Rock!

Tamina tweeted about her involvement in The Rock’s latest movie, Hercules: The Thracian Wars:

Studying My Script to add some Tamina to "Hercules" w/ @TheRock

It is currently unknown what role Tamina will play in the movie, but it is definitely interesting to see the WWE let her take this opportunity.

Hercules: The Thracian Wars, also starring Ian McShane, John Hurt and Rufus Sewell, is scheduled for a 2014 release.

Competitors Named For The Rock's New Reality Series; Includes One From Maryland

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson makes this summer Epic for a diverse group of nine individuals as TNT announces the contestants that will face extraordinary situations testing strength, courage and integrity in its new unscripted competition series THE HERO airing Thursdays at 8 p.m. (ET/PT), beginning June 6. A complete list of the first season's competitors is included below.

The Hero, headlined by Johnson, will bring nine people together tackling extraordinary feats in an unexpected and dramatic setting. Each week, the contestants will be tested physically, mentally, and morally, as they try to prove that they truly deserve the title of "The Hero" and the life-changing chance of winning up to a million dollars in prize money. With temptations around every corner, America will watch to see what the contestants are willing to overcome, undergo, and sacrifice on behalf of themselves and others. In the end, it's America's call on who will be "The Hero."

The Hero is executive-produced by Electus (Ben Silverman, Chris Grant and Jimmy Fox); 5x5 Media (part of the Electus studio system led by Craig Armstrong and Rick Ringbakk); Charles Wachter; Dwayne Johnson; and Dany Garcia. The series was created by Armstrong and Ringbakk of the Emmy(R)-winning 5x5 Media (Survivor, Fashion Star, TBS's King of the Nerds), along with Wachter (Fashion Star, Food Revolution) and Electus' Silverman (Fashion Star, The Biggest Loser, The Office). Electus International, Electus' global distribution arm, is handling all international distribution for The Hero.

The Competitors

Athena, 25, - Worcester, Mass. - Some might wonder what could possibly make a former professional cheerleader a hero. But dig a little deeper. She's been taking care of her brother ever since they were kids, and she's not going to let anyone or anything stand in her way.

Charles, 39 - Los Angeles, Calif. - A decorated cop and devoted husband and son. But he's still plagued by self-doubt, and wants to use this experience to find out if he has what it takes when it matters most.

Darnell, 32 - Vancouver, Wash. - A committed father and husband, he's now going to be asked to exhibit raw strength and courage beyond anything he's ever imagined.

Dr. Dave, 50 - Beaumont, Texas - As a trauma surgeon, he saves lives every day. But it's hard for him to trust anyone else, and that trait may make it hard for him on this show.

Lydia, 31 - Los Angeles, Calif. - A tough young woman who almost literally raised herself under the most adverse circumstances you can imagine.

Marty, 24 - Centereach, N.Y. - A young man who desperately wants to prove himself and do the right thing, but does he have the temperance and wisdom to be The Hero?

Patty, 46 - Ashland, Mass. - A fiercely loyal mother and wife, she's here to find the courage within.

Rachel, 34 - Little River, S.C. - The single mom who works five jobs to get her hearing-impaired son the care he needs. She's out to prove to him that nothing is impossible.

Shaun, 30 - Hagerstown, Md. - A struggling pro wrestler who has all the makings of a hero... honesty, strength, charisma. But does he have the compassion?

The Rock's New Show Going Head-to-Head with TNA

WWE Champion The Rock's new reality show "Hero" will premieres on TNT Thursday, June 6th at 8pm EST, going head-to-head with the first hour of TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV.

The Unwritten WWE Rulebook

WrestleMania XXX to take place at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans on April 6, 2014

It's official: WrestleMania XXX will be held at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday, April 6, 2014, as confirmed by New Orleans and WWE officials as well as a host of WWE Superstars in an all-star press conference live-streaming on WWE.com, WWE's Facebook page, and YouTube.com/WWE.

Joining New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu at the Superdome for the historic announcement are WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, WWE COO Triple H, Executive Vice President of Creative Stephanie McMahon and a cavalcade of WWE Superstars, including WWE Champion Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio, John Cena, Big Show, Mark Henry, The Great Khali, Brodus Clay and WWE Divas Layla, Cameron and Naomi.

Also taking part in the press conference are Rita Benson Leblanc, New Orleans Saints owner and vice chairman, Stephen Perry, President of New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, Jay Cicero, CEO of the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, and Alan Freeman, general manager of the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and New Orleans Arena.

Aside from WrestleMania XXX itself, the monumental festivities in New Orleans will include WrestleMania Axxess, the annual, four-day fan festival, taking place at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Monday Night Raw, be a STAR anti-bullying rallies, the WrestleMania Reading Challenge Finals, hospital visits and other pro-social activities designed to give back to the community.

The pay-per-view event will be televised to more than 100 countries. Last year, WrestleMania XXVIII in Miami generated more than $100 million in economic impact for Miami and Miami-Dade County, a new record for WrestleMania. This year, WrestleMania 29 takes place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sunday, April 7.

Triple H was advertised for the event but did not appear.

WWE.com to Live-Stream Special Announcement Monday

Something big is coming to WWE.com. Log on this Monday at 12 p.m. ET for a special announcement, streamed live on WWE.com, YouTube.com/WWE and Facebook.com/WWE.

Tune in the day after WWE Elimination Chamber for a special address by WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon, WWE COO Triple H, WWE Executive Vice President Stephanie McMahon, WWE Champion The Rock and John Cena.

WWE on Facebook
YouTube.com/WWE

WWE Royal Rumble Results

WWE Pulls Out All The Stops On Raw, Rewarded With Increased Audience

Finally the audience has come back… excuse the usage of Rocky’s catchphrase as this week’s WWE Raw did an average viewing audience of 4,420,000 viewers on the USA Network. Not only is the number up significantly from weeks past but it was up against the BCS National Championship game on ESPN that did a massive viewing audience of 26,280,000 viewers.

Below is the by hour breakdown:

Hour one – 4,290,000 viewers
Hour two – 4,320,000 viewers
Hour three – 4,650,000 viewers

The idea of booking The Rock last and promoting his appearance throughout the evening caused viewership to grow, not the decreasing trend that has become the new norm. It also didn’t hurt the football game was a complete blowout. The final rating for the episode was a 3.14, which is the best rating for the show since last August.

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

Update on Brock Lesnar & WrestleMania 29

Brock Lesnar is expected to return to WWE TV for multiple appearances in March, likely beginning in late February. Unless plans have changed, he will be building towards the WrestleMania 29 match with Triple h.

Speaking of Lesnar, his contract expires with WrestleMania and it’s unknown yet if he has re-signed for another year. WWE will be facing the same issues they do every year once WrestleMania is over with four of the expected top six headliners not appearing much if any at all after April – The Rock, The Undertaker, Triple H and Lesnar.

source: f4wonline.com

This Day In Wrestling History

Frank Gotch defeats George Lurich and again announces his retirement. Immediately several people claim the world championship. An alleged title match takes place between Henry Ordemann and Jess Westegaard for the title. Dr. Benjamin F. Roller claims to be the champion. Frank Gotch opens up a car dealership in Humboldt, IA with Albert Wittman and P. F. Saul.
January 4, 1913

Shotgun Saturday Night debuts from the Mirage Nightclub in New York
January 4, 1997

Mankind (Mick Foley) defeated The Rock to win the WWF(E) World Title at a RAW is WAR taping in Worcester, Massachusetts. The show would air on the following Monday. That night Tony Schiavone would reveal the result during WCW Monday Nitro, airing live that night, noting that Mankind as champion "ought to put a lot of butts in the seats." Schiavone would later claim Eric Bischoff fed him that line to say.
January 4, 1999

Hulk Hogan defeats Kevin Nash for the WCW Championship via poking him with his finger. This incident lead to the rebirth of the nWo.
January 4, 1999

TNA iMPACT! moved to Monday nights to compete against WWE Raw. That night, Hulk Hogan made his debut with TNA, while Bret Hart made his WWE return to confront Shawn Michaels. Four months later, iMPACT! moved back to Thursday nights. They were not able to compete against Raw in the ratings.
January 4, 2010

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.

The Rock Returning in January 2013

The Miami Herald reports The Rock will return to WWE Raw on Monday January 7, 2013 in Tampa and to Smackdown on Tuesday, January 8, 2013 in Miami. Click here for their coverage.