Triple H On Chyna's WWE HOF Induction

ESPN noted how fans have wanted Chyna's role in WWE history to be better recognized, and how her induction with DX is a major step forward in that regard. Triple H said Chyna absolutely deserves to be in the Hall.

"Look, people believe what they want to believe. When I said a few years ago on the Austin podcast, or show, or whatever you want to call it, there's complexities around it," said Triple H. "But absolutely, definitely deserves to be in there. It'd be tough to pick a female that was more impactful on the business. She did something that was completely so out of left field that it wasn't even being considered when we first brought it up for her to come in. It wasn't even a consideration... it wasn't an easy thing, and against all odds she did all of that. She earned everybody's trust. She won over the fans. She won over the boys. She did all of it. From that standpoint, absolutely 100 percent deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, and should probably be more than once -- as a group, but individually as well. There's more complexity to that than meets the eye, but here we are. I'm just happy that it's here. I'm happy for her family, the people that she was close to, that hopefully this is super meaningful to them. I know it would be to her. It's a great thing -- very deserving."

D-Generation X to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2019

Are you ready?

As first reported by ESPN, D-Generation X, the most rebellious group in WWE history, are the first inductees in the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2019. As first reported by ESPN, Triple H, Shawn Michaels (who now joins Ric Flair as a two-time inductee), Road Dogg, Billy Gunn, X-Pac and the late Chynawill take their place in sports-entertainment history during the 2019 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, April 6, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., during WrestleMania 35 Week. Tickets for the ceremony will be available starting Friday, Feb. 22, at 12 p.m. ET.

DX was born out of the friendship between Shawn Michaels and Triple H, along with Chyna and their “insurance policy,” “Ravishing” Rick Rude. The two pals were lewd, rude and in-your-face, bucking authority and letting anyone in their way know that they had two words for them. Their penchant for crossing the line with regularity led to Bret “Hit Man” Hart calling Michaels “nothing more than a degenerate,” which HBK embraced, sparking the idea behind the alliance’s name.

When Michaels went on a hiatus from the squared circle following WrestleMania XIV, Triple H expanded the membership of the group, welcoming in The New Age Outlaws, Road Dogg & Billy Gunn, and the cocky X-Pac. Though you might not think it would be possible, the new DX turned up the irreverence to 11 and helped lead WWE into the Attitude Era. DX’s defiance wasn’t just limited to WWE. In one of the most infamous and groundbreaking moments of the era, the rebels hopped aboard a tank and drove from Monday Night Raw to rival WCW’s Monday Nitro, launching one of the biggest attacks in The Monday Night War.

he group eventually went their separate ways, but the DX name would not be limited to the history books after that. Following a long rivalry against each other, Michaels and Triple H patched things up and donned the green and black once again. The reunited DX may have only been the tag team of The Game & HBK, but that did not stop them from making Mr. McMahon’s life a living hell. The two troublemakers were a thorn in the side of the WWE Chairman, subjecting him to a flurry of pranks, even going so far as to vandalize Mr. McMahon’s personal limo and jet, and leaving their mark on the façade of WWE’s world headquarters. But it wasn’t only fun and games for Michaels & Triple H, as they also captured the WWE Tag Team Championship along the way.

Even though they disbanded once again and moved on to other roles within the industry, the DX Army maintained a close bond, and the tight-knit unit got the band back together for special occasions like Monday Night Raw’s 25th Anniversary, where they shared a “too sweet” moment with the Bálor Club.

And now, D-Generation X will enter the annals of sports-entertainment history. What will the rebels have to say when they take their place in the WWE Hall of Fame? Find out during the 2019 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, April 6, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. during WrestleMania 35 Week.

Triple H on Getting Bruno Sammartino and Ultimate Warrior in the WWE Hall of Fame

Triple H recently spoke to Stone Cold Steve Austin about the difficulties of getting two legendary stars into the WWE Hall of Fame. Those stars are Bruno Sammartino and The Ultimate Warrior, two men that many pro wrestling insiders believed would never be inducted.

Much of the reason for that was due to perceived bad blood that supposedly existed on both sides. The Game spoke about Sammartino specifically and what he had to do to make the move happen.

“When you’re his age, it’s a trust issue. He didn’t know me and had to learn to trust me in a business that long ago, didn’t have a whole lot of guys you could trust. He had to learn to trust me and he said it at the end, you know, he (Triple H) never once lied to me about any of this.'”

But getting the Warrior onboard with the Hall of Fame was a much different issue that presented a different set of problems.

“Warrior was different because we didn’t have a trust. He and I both said as we went though the process, you live and you learn and you grow. The day you stop learning and growing, you’re done. I was a different person when I was in WrestleMaia with him which people bring up a lot to me as if it’s a sore spot in my career. I had a bad personal experience with a guy at the moment but it was one of the coolest moments of my life.

My first WrestleMania was with The Ultimate Warrior. It was a mind bogglingly awesome opportunity for me.

We had to get past a whole lot of whole lot of stuff with him and Vince. He was a unique cat. As I stayed open to that process, I realized it was a lot of misunderstood–a lot of his anger and passion and aggression, he didn’t know how to communicate.”

Triple H has received the credit for making both inductions possible and rightfully so. Vince McMahon had all but given up on the idea of mending fences with either man, but gave Hunter the chance to reach out anyway. Sammartino joined the Hall of Fame in 2013 and The Ultimate Warrior was inducted a year later in 2014.

Hulk Hogan reinstated into WWE Hall of Fame

After a three-year suspension, Hulk Hogan has been reinstated into the WWE Hall of Fame. This second chance follows Hogan’s numerous public apologies and volunteering to work with young people, where he is helping them learn from his mistake. These efforts led to a recent induction into the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Alumni Hall of Fame.

King of the Ring and Mae Young Classic Set to Return on WWE Network

During the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony, a promo aired that revealed that WWE will be reviving the King of the Ring tournament, this time with the stars from WWE's United Kingdom Division. They will also be holding another Mae Young Classic tournament with various female talents from around the world.

2018 WWE Hall Of Fame Legacy Wing Names Revealed

A few years ago WWE introduced the Legacy Wing as a way to highlight professional wrestlers who helped pave the way for the business during the earlier years of the business, and this year more names will be inducted.

PWinsider has confirmed the following names for the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Legacy wing: 

– Former WWWF champion Stan Stasiak 

– Lord Alfred Hayes 

– Dara Singh 

– Cora Combs 

– El Santo 

– Jim Londos 

– Rufus J. Jones 

– Sputnik Monroe 

– Boris “The Great” Malenko

First 2018 WWE Hall Of Famer Confirmed

ESPN has confirmed that Bill Goldberg will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.

"At the end of the day, any business, any venture that you embark upon, you want some type of acknowledgement," Goldberg told ESPN. "You always try to make it to a top. There's no reason to do anything unless you want to be the best."

Goldberg will be the headliner for the 2018 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which takes place on Friday, April 6th from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, during WrestleMania 34 Weekend. Goldberg commented on the speech.

"It's hard to conceptualize what it's going to be like, just like it was hard to conceptualize what last year was going to be like after being away for 12 years," said Goldberg. "It's another opportunity for me to show how much I appreciate the support and the love I've gotten from the fans. At the end of the day, it's a validation that I've done something right."

The former WWE Universal Champion also kept the door open on another return to the ring for WWE.

"It's going to be tough, I can tell you that," said Goldberg. "It's kind of like bookmarking the end of your career, although it ain't the end of nothing for me. I'm always living and breathing and looking for my next venture -- and who's to say it couldn't happen there again?"

WWE Fans Protesting Donald Trump In The Hall Of Fame At Barclays Center, Protests During SummerSlam?

A group of WWE fans held a protest outside of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn this evening to protest US President Donald Trump being in the WWE Hall of Fame, according toGothamist. The protest was led by 30 year old Brooklyn resident John Stevens, who is a big wrestling fan. Stevens and his friends are calling on WWE to "reject racism by tossing Trump from an honored spot with the company."

Stevens was joined by fans who are in town for SummerSlam, which will be held at the Barclays Center on Sunday. Stevens told Gothamist:

"We were talking about how Trump gave that crazy press conference, and then thought about how he's in the WWE Hall of Fame even though Hulk Hogan got kicked out over racism. What Trump has done is remarkably worse than what Hogan did, since he's dividing the country by siding with neo-Nazis and white nationalists."

"I was sickened by that press conference, and his response to Charlottesville. Basically WWE is endorsing those comments by having [Trump] in their hall of fame. I can't wrap my brain around the fact that they'd leave him in there, take Hogan out and claim they say they care about racism."

Stevens also runs a website, racistwwe.com. He noted that some of his supporters attended a signing with WWE Champion Jinder Mahal on Thursday night to hand out flyers for the website and protest. Stevens says despiteLinda McMahon acting as Trump's Small Business Administration head, WWE needs to make a choice or face the backlash.

More?

Eric LeGrand to receive Warrior Award at 2017 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Eric LeGrand, a former standout for the Rutgers University football team-turned-motivational speaker, has been named the recipient of the third annual Warrior Award. The news was first reported by ESPN.com.

Named after WWE Hall of Famer Ultimate Warrior, The Warrior Award is presented to an individual who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of Ultimate Warrior.

The award will be presented to LeGrand by Dana Warrior, widow of Ultimate Warrior, at the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which will broadcast from Orlando, Florida’s Amway Center live on WWE Network at 8 ET/5 PT on Friday, March 31. USA Network will also broadcast a special presentation of the ceremony on Monday, April 3 at 11 p.m. ET/PT, immediately following Raw.

LeGrand was a key player on the Rutgers University football team, before a spinal cord injury sustained during a game in October 2010 left him paralyzed from the neck down. LeGrand’s tremendous courage and unwavering strength throughout his rehabilitation captured the attention of the nation. He resumed his college classes via Skype and launched his sports broadcasting career as an analyst for Rutgers Football Radio Network. LeGrand founded the charity Team LeGrand of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation in 2013, and is now a highly sought-after motivational speaker. In support of LeGrand’s mission – raising funds for research to find a cure for paralysis and to help improve the quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries – WWE will make a $25,000 donation to Team LeGrand.

More?

Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat to induct “Ravishing” Rick Rude into WWE Hall of Fame

WWE announced the following today:

Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat to induct "Ravishing" Rick Rude into WWE Hall of Fame

"Ravishing" Rick Rude will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by one of his greatest rivals, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. The news was broken by Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview with the 2009 inductee.

The two locked horns several times in WWE in the late 1980s, including a memorable bout that kicked off the first-ever Royal Rumble event in 1988. However, their rivalry reached its boiling point in the early 1990s in WCW. With Rude as the centerpiece of Paul Heyman's nefarious Dangerous Alliance, "The Dragon," one of the most heroic competitors ever, was one of the first to stand up to the villainous faction.

Steamboat zeroed in on Rude, the reigning United States Champion, in a series of matches that thrilled WCW fans. Their rivalry came to a head at Beach Blast 1992 in a grueling 30-Minute WCW Iron Man Match, where Steamboat eked out a narrow 4-3 victory in the waning moments of the battle.

Now, "The Dragon" will have the chance to reflect on the impact "Ravishing" Rick Rude had on sports-entertainment as he inducts his late rival into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2017. What will Steamboat have to say? Tune into the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, live on Friday, March 31, at 8 ET/5 PT, exclusively on WWE Network!

Another 2017 WWE Hall Of Fame Inductee Announced

WWE announced the following today:

Beth Phoenix to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017

Beth Phoenix, one of the most dominant female competitors in sports-entertainment, will take her rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame when she is inducted as part of the Class of 2017 during WrestleMania 33 Week. The news was first reported by USA Today.

Phoenix first arrived in WWE in 2006, brutalizing Mickie James and aligning herself with fellow WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus. Unfortunately, a jaw injury forced Phoenix to the sidelines just weeks after her debut. She returned to Monday Night Raw more than a year later, ready to dominate the competition. Possessing great beauty and power, Phoenix dubbed herself "The Glamazon" and went right to work.

Within months of her return to WWE, Phoenix captured the Women's Championship and dominated the division for months, muscling around the competition with ease before planting opponents face-first into the canvas with her patented Glam Slam. She also was part of an unlikely, yet infamous power couple with Santino Marella. The duo, dubbed "Glamarella," found great success, often in spite of the wacky antics of The Milan Miracle. In fact, it was Phoenix who won herself a second Women's Championship and Marella the Intercontinental Title in a Winner Take All Tag Team Match at SummerSlam 2008.

Phoenix went on to capture the Women's Championship once more, as well as the Divas Championship before stepping away from the ring in 2012. On top of her championship glory, The Glamazon was a pioneer, truly showing what women could do inside the squared circle. Phoenix was the second woman ever to enter the Royal Rumble Match, eliminating the towering Great Khali in the 2010 edition of the 30-Superstar, over-the-top-rope melee. She wasn't afraid to throw down in a hardcore match and even took part in the first ever Tables Match to feature women at WWE TLC 2010.

And now, Beth Phoenix is blazing a trail toward sports-entertainment immortality, as she enters the WWE Hall of Fame.

Diamond Dallas Page to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017

Diamond Dallas Page, a world champion-turned-fitness guru, will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2017 during WrestleMania 33 Week. The news was first reported by RollingStone.com.

More?

Theodore Long to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017

Holla, holla, holla! Theodore Long is the next inductee in the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017, as first reported by FoxSports.com.

Long’s induction is the culmination of a 30-plus year career in the sports-entertainment industry, dating back to the early 1980s, when he did odd jobs in various territories around the southern United States. That led to a position on the ring crew with Jim Crockett Promotions, the predecessor to World Championship Wrestling, and eventually a position as an official NWA referee. He shared the ring with legends and Hall of Famers like Ric Flair and The Four Horsemen, Dusty Rhodes, Magnum TA, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express and countless others.

As the 80s drew to a close, Teddy Long left behind the referee’s stripes and became a manager, guiding the careers of up-and-coming grapplers. His first success as a manager came when his charges Doom, the powerful tag team of Ron Simmons and Butch Reed, captured the WCW World Tag Team Titles from the Steiner Brothers. During his tenure as a manager in WCW, Long helped guide the careers of a varied group of competitors, including Chris Jericho, Johnny B. Badd, Ice Train and One Man Gang, among countless others.

In 1998, Long made the jump to WWE, once again donning the referee’s stripes and doing his best to enforce the rules during some of the Attitude Era’s biggest matches. By 2002, he once again turned to managing, this time hitching his wagon to the nasty trio of D-Lo Brown, Rodney Mack and Jazz, later adding Christopher Nowinski, Mark Henry and Mark Jindrak to the fold.

However, Long may best be remembered by the WWE Universe for his work as a General Manager. He was made the SmackDown GM in 2004, becoming the first African-American to hold the position. During several tenures at the helm of SmackDown and ECW, Long established himself as someone who would work his hardest to give the WWE Universe the best shows possible. That included the New Superstar Initiative, which introduced WWE fans to the likes of Kofi Kingston and Jack Swagger, among others.

On top of that, Long was often lauded for his matchmaking skills. When tensions ran high between groups of four (or more) Superstars, he knew how best to diffuse the situation – by splitting them up into squads for a tag team match! Long’s love for impromptu tag team matches became his calling card, endearing him even more to the WWE Universe.

Long’s groundbreaking career in sports-entertainment makes him worthy of the awesome honor of induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.

WWE Announces the Next 2017 WWE Hall of Fame Inductees

WWE has announced the following:

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express, one of the greatest tag teams in sports-entertainment history, will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2017 during WrestleMania Week. The news was first reported by CBSSports.com.

Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson first joined forces in 1983, in fellow Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler’s Memphis-based territory, and immediately skyrocketed into superstardom. With long, flowing hair and bandanas adorning their flashy ring gear, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express were true rock stars stepping into battle inside the squared circle. The teen idol tag team squared off with the likes of “Macho Man” Randy Savage and his brother Lanny Poffo in Memphis, Tenn., but it wouldn’t be long before they began their worldwide journey to the top.

More?

Triple H Interview With IGN

Triple H spoke with IGN to promote WWE Studios new animated movie Surfs Up 2: WaveMania. During the interview he talks about the Royal Rumble and Kurt Angle, You can read the full article here. Highlights below:

On the Royal Rumble

This year’s Royal Rumble is one of the biggest, most star-studded Rumbles that I can recall. Just look at the people who have thrown their name into the Rumble so far. You’ve got Goldberg and Lesnar and the Undertaker. When you start to look at that level of talent and then also see the Bray Wyatts and the Randy Ortons and everyone else that’s going to be a part of it, it really is one of the biggest Rumbles I can think of. Sometimes there’s a year in the Rumble where you think “Okay, I can see this or that happening. This seems like where the Rumble might be headed.” But this year, it’s really tough to call. And I think that’s when the Rumble’s at its best, when you can’t really put your finger on what’s going to happen. I can see this year going a lot of different ways and I think it’s going to go in a way that nobody expects.

On Kurt Angle

I think it’s a very well deserved induction into the Hall of Fame. We’ve had an association with Kurt for a long time but when Kurt was here in the WWE, he was one of the most impactful and memorable and iconic characters probably ever. One of the things that always stands out for me is that I was here when Kurt was coming out of the Olympics and training. And having never done this before, he went from zero knowledge of our industry to being one of the most incredible performers in the ring in the time frame of the Attitude Era where, you know, he was in there with some of the best in the world. And he very quickly went from walking to the ring for the first time to being one of the best in the world himself. It happened faster than anyone else. And that’s what I do now mostly in my day to day job. Most of my day is focused on talent and recruiting and training and talent development. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen someone pick it up as fast as Kurt. Just on that basis alone, he should be inducted. But then you throw in all that he’s accomplished, that he’s accomplished since leaving WWE even, and will continue to accomplish. I’m really happy for Kurt as a human being. I’m also happy that he’s a really good place in his life right now.

Kurt Angle to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2017

It’s true, it’s true! Kurt Angle will be taking his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2017 just two days before WrestleMania 34, as first reported by ESPN.com.

“Kurt Angle’s accomplishments both in the Olympics and WWE were extraordinary,” said WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative Paul Levesque. “He was one of the most gifted athletes to ever enter the ring, and we are honored to welcome him into the WWE Hall of Fame.”

Before becoming a legend of the squared circle, the proud Pittsburgh native was a world-class amateur competitor, becoming a two-time All-American and a two-time NCAA Champion while wrestling for Clarion University in his home state of Pennsylvania. His incredible amateur career culminated at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, where he fought off the incredible pain of a “broken freakin’ neck” to win the gold medal for the United States of America.

In 1998, Angle made the jump from amateur to professional wrestling by signing with WWE. One year later, the gold medal grappler made his debut at Survivor Series 1999, picking up the first win of an undefeated streak that saw Angle capture the European and Intercontinental Championships. His unbelievable rookie campaign culminated at WWE No Mercy in October 2000, where he defeated The Rock to capture his first WWE Championship.

Though his wrestling ability was unparalleled, Angle adapted to the entertainment side of sports-entertainment better than anyone could have expected. Whether it was preaching his “three Is” – intensity, integrity and intelligence – taking part in a five-second pose with Edge & Christian or joining “Stone Cold” Steve Austin for a backstage sing-along, The Olympic Hero was able to make the WWE Universe laugh when he wasn’t wowing them with his athleticism.

By the time he left WWE in 2006, Angle had become one of the company’s most decorated stars in a short period of time. His resume includes four reigns as WWE Champion, a World Heavyweight Championship, the WCW, United States, Hardcore, Intercontinental and World Tag Team Championships. In addition, Angle was the 2000 King of the Ring and even served as General Manager of SmackDown.

In honor of these accomplishments, along with his incredible contributions to the WWE Universe during his storied career, Angle will be enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame.

Triple H Explains How UK Championship Will Work, Talks Lesnar/Goldberg Finish Criticism, Chyna in the HOF, Linda – Trump

As noted, Triple H this morning announced the formation of the WWE U.K. Championship at a press conference in London. Newsweek caught up with The Game after the presser, below are some highlights:

If WWE has discussed Chyna being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017:

"I think it's been brought up. But there's a lot of people in a long line that deserve to be in the Hall of Fame that will be in the Hall of Fame over time. That's a conversation that will happen. We'll see where it goes. But there are a lot of people and you can only put so many people in per year.

"I don't think her passing signifies any change of her accomplishments. Her accomplishments are documented and were massive in our industry. Nothing has changed. She's a part of the Hall of Fame conversation, but she would have been anyway."

Criticism over Goldberg defeating Brock Lesnar in 86 seconds at WWE Survivor Series:

"People never saw it coming. When you shock them, they're angry that you shocked them. When you don't shock them, they say it's too predictable."

If he is hoping that President-elect Donald Trump will make an appearance at WrestleMania 33:

"I have a feeling his schedule might be packed… but who knows? Never say never in the WWE."

Triple H also discussed if Linda McMahon is qualified to be in Trump's cabinet, Sasha Banks and Charlotte headlining the WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view, the new U.K. Championship, if it was the right call to have Lesnar lose to Goldberg and more. You can read the full interview by clicking here.

Bret Hart Apologizes to Michael Hayes for Comments He Made About The Fabulous Freebirds, Also Apologizes to Triple H and Seth Rollins

WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart had some harsh words for The Fabulous Freebirds in a recent Forbes interview, and below is an excerpt of what Hart had to say:

“Why have they been overlooked when you can induct the Freebirds, who never did squat in WWE? Ever. Never drew any money, never did anything. When I remember the Freebirds, they were all drunk and passed out at the gate at one of the airports in my first day in WWF. None of them even made the show that day, they were too drunk to make their plane.”

Hart has since apologized to Michael “PS” Hayes, as he posted the following on Facebook:

I’d like to take this opportunity to formally apologize to Michael Hayes. A while back I made comments about the Freebirds not being as worthy of being in the WWE Hall of Fame as others. It was unfair for me to dismiss their contributions to the industry and they certainly did great things in Texas with the Von Erich Family. Michael Hayes always treated me with great respect, as did Terry Gordy, Ronnie Garvin and Buddy Roberts and I’m sorry if I disrespected any of them with my comments. Furthermore I apologize to both Triple H and Seth Rollins for any hurtful comments I made on my podcast. The reality of all this is the reason I quit doing podcasts in general, because they’re for the most part an outlet for negativity, and have left me with a reputation as being angry and bitter. I’m not, I’d spoke candidly and openly but it’s no excuse for minimizing other wrestlers or their contributions. In saying all that, I still believe Jim the Anvil Neidhart of the Hart Foundation, including Owen, Brian Pillman, Davey Boy Smith, The Dynamite Kid, Jimmy Hart, The Rougeau Brothers, The Killer Bees, The Demolition, Rick Rude, King Kong Bundy, and One Man Gang all deserve their place in the WWE Hall of Fame. My apologies to all. Bret Hart x

WWE Looking To Add ROH And TNA To The WWE Network And Allow Fans To Vote For WWE Hall Of Fame?

WWE sent out an interesting survey about the WWE Network, via Yahoo! News. They are looking at having a four tiered system, which would include a free tier. One of the more interesting items is that the fourth tier would have "access to independent wrestling such as TNA and Ring of Honor." Please note that this is just a survey, and nothing is official yet.

There have been reports of WWE purchasing TNA for their video library for a while now. Jim Ross talked about reports of WWE buying the TNA video library on the latest episode of The Ross Report earlier this week, and noted that WWE was interested in buying only the video library, and not the promotion.

"Right now we hear that WWE and TNA have had talks regarding WWE buying the library, and that that deal is imminent," Ross said.

Here are some interested items from the survey regarding the four tiers:

* A free tier system would allow you to watch all video clips (less than 5 minutes each), 5 hours of video archives (including live events 30 days after they air), and you would be able to watch it on all devices.

* For the second tier $4.99 / month plan, you would be able to get the "Big Four" pay-per-view events (WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, Survivor Series and SummerSlam) and pre-recorded weekly NXT episodes. It would only play on phone and tablet devices.

* They noted that there would be "new weekly Cruiserweight Classic" episodes on the third tier ($9.99 / month) and top tier ($14.99 / month).

* For the top tier at $14.99 / month, you would receive early event ticket access, Hall of Fame voting, offline content downloads and small group online chats. There will also be "Deluxe Fan Perks" like second screen content and invites to in-person VIP meet-ups. The top tier is also the only plan to feature no commercials.

At the bottom of the survey it asks, "If there plans were truly available, would you subscribe to the one selected above?"

Rob Van Dam on retirement and succeeding in WWE ‘in spite of’ Triple H

The latest Buzzards Wrestling Podcast features highlights of RVD’s session with RAW Events UK.

Van Dam says he has not been contacted by WWE about returning for the brand split shows, but that may be because they contacted him last Fall to work TLC with the Dudleyz (a spot which eventually went to Tommy Dreamer, who claims to have passed on another comeback himself) and the two sides couldn’t agree on a figure.

That could also be because, as this discussion of retirement shows, RVD isn’t exactly working for the love of the business at this point - and maybe hasn’t ever been one of those guys Ryback would say WWE takes advantage of:

I’m not looking to do much more in wrestling, but at the same time, I don’t really see a big advantage in retiring.

Don’t know, really, if you are gonna see the end of my wrestling career real soon. I know, physically, I still feel as good as I have in like the last 20 years. But, honestly, everyone else in the dressing room wants it more than me. They do, and that’s an issue. Because they’re all 22 and they’re all so excited to be there - and I can’t wait to get out of there and get some dinner afterwards. It’s been like that for a long, long time.

In answering a question about going into the company’s Hall of Fame, the ECW legend isn’t sure, but he has his doubts. And they’re rooted in thinking one of WWE’s head guys isn’t a big fan of his:

The fans say, “when are we gonna see you in the Hall of Fame?”

First off, it’s not up to me. I mean, I have no inside information. Second off, Hunter - Triple H - is the boss of WWE, and I really can’t tell you if that’s in his vision. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not. I don’t think he’s ever seen me as someone he thought should be pushed forward. I think every achievement I got was in spite of him and people that think like him. And like I said, I’m an exception. I’m not the traditional, stereotype that they’re looking for. I get that. I get that.