Vince McMahon Retires

Vince McMahon today released the following statement:

“As I approach 77 years old, I feel it’s time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE. Throughout the years, it’s been a privilege to help WWE bring you joy, inspire you, thrill you, surprise you, and always entertain you. I would like to thank my family for mightily contributing to our success, and I would also like to thank all of our past and present Superstars and employees for their dedication and passion for our brand. Most importantly, I would like to thank our fans for allowing us into your homes every week and being your choice of entertainment. I hold the deepest appreciation and admiration for our generations of fans all over the world who have liked, currently like, and sometimes even love our form of Sports Entertainment.

“Our global audience can take comfort in knowing WWE will continue to entertain you with the same fervor, dedication, and passion as always. I am extremely confident in the continued success of WWE, and I leave our company in the capable hands of an extraordinary group of Superstars, employees, and executives – in particular, both Chairwoman and Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon and Co-CEO Nick Khan. As the majority shareholder, I will continue to support WWE in any way I can. My personal thanks to our community and business partners, shareholders, and Board of Directors for their guidance and support through the years. Then. Now. Forever. Together.”

This Day In Wrestling History

Happy Birthday to Andre the Giant

May 19, 1946

Nick Bockwinkel named AWA Heavyweight Champion as he was #1 contender when Verne Gagne retired.

May 19, 1981

The Undertaker defeated Hulk Hogan for the WWE Unified Heavyweight title

May 19, 2002

This Day In Wrestling History

Bruno Sammartino defeats Buddy Rogers for the (WWWF)WWE Championship at Madison Square Garden.

May 17, 1963

Vince McMahon Sr. died of cancer at 69.

May 17, 1984

Marty Jannetty defeated Shawn Michaels for the WWF(E) Intercontinental title.

May 17, 1993

"British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith died of a heart attack at 39.

May 17, 2002

Triple H Appears At WrestleMania 38 Night 2, Leaves His Boots In The Ring

Triple H returned to WWE TV to kick off WrestleMania 38 Night Night Two.

Aside from his appearance at NXT Stand & Deliver on April 2, “The Game” hadn’t appeared on WWE programming since his cardiac event in September 2021. He recently announced his in-ring retirement due to the subsequent health issues he dealt with. With all this in mind, the live crowd welcomed “The King of Kings” with open arms.

After a lengthy ovation, Triple H thanked the fans and stated that he wanted to show his love the best way he could. He then said, “Welcome to WrestleMania” before an extravagant fireworks display officially opened the show. “The Game” then left his boots in the ring as a sign of his retirement.

Triple H Announces In-Ring Retirement, Details Genetic Cardiac Issue

Triple H details the health issues he has been dealing with the past several months and announces he’s retiring from in-ring competition.

On Friday, Triple H posted a statement explaining that he would appear on Friday’s new episode of Stephen A’s World on ESPN+ to talk about his health and his future. A clip of that interview aired on Friday’s episode of First Take, and “The Game” confirmed details about his health scare in September.

Triple H confirmed he had viral pneumonia, and symptoms included coughing up blood, inflamed lungs and fluid surrounding his heart. He then spoke about how serious things got after he was admitted to the hospital, explaining that his ejection fracture (the measurement of the percentage of blood leaving your heart each time it contracts) was at a seriously low number and dropping.

“They followed up on it and did an [echocardiogram] and an EKG, and the way your heart pumps out, [it’s] about 55-60 of your ejection fracture, which is a good number. I was at 30. I got a quick text message saying ‘Don’t take time, pack a bag and head to the emergency room. I’ll fill you in on the way.’ So by the time I got to the emergency room, my ejection fracture had gone down to 22, which I was in heart failure, bad. By the next morning,” he explained, “they were sending me in to get an MRI done and I went for a heart cath and my ejection fracture was at a 12. So I was nosediving and sort of at the 1-year-line of where you don’t want to be, really, for your family and your future.

“Let me tell you, you’re at 99%, and it gets real. We have three young girls, [age] 15, 13, 11, and suddenly I come home and I’m a little bit sick. Their dad, who is strong, always, suddenly is in the hospital — and I don’t know if they understood the consequences of it — but there’s moments in there where they’re putting you out for stuff when you think, ‘Do you wake up from this?’ It’s tough to swallow and makes you think differently, as I’m sure you do as you [Stephen A. Smith] come out of your COVID scare. It makes you think differently about life. It doesn’t make you any less driven about the things that you do,” Triple H noted, “but it certainly makes you appreciate the things that you have, your friends, your family.”

Smith asked what the future holds for Triple H as a competitor, and he said that he is done competing in the ring.

“For me, as far as in-ring, which I get a lot, I’m done. No, I will never wrestle again. First of all, I have a defibrillator in my chest, probably not a good idea to get zapped on live TV.”

Triple H serves as executive producer of NXT, as well as Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy Development and COO for WWE. His final match was a tag team match win with Shinsuke Nakamura against Robert Roode and Samoa Joe that took place at a WWE live event in Tokyo, Japan on June 29, 2019. Prior to that, his final televised match (and final singles match) was a loss to Randy Orton at WWE Super ShowDown on June 7, 2019.

credit WrestleZone

Scott Hall Has Passed Away

 

WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall has passed away at the age of 63.

WWE opened tonight’s RAW broadcast with a graphic in memory of The Bad Guy. They also tweeted the announcement on Hall’s passing.

“WWE is saddened to learn that two-time WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall has passed away. WWE extends its condolences to Hall’s family, friends and fans,” they wrote about the man also known as Razor Ramon.

As noted, Hall suffered a broken hip in a fall earlier this month. He underwent surgery for the broken hip, but a blood clot was dislodged and that led to Hall suffering three heart attacks this past weekend. Hall’s longtime friend, WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash, posted a touching tribute and announced that he was placed on life support late last night, but he was then removed at around 12 noon ET this afternoon.

Hall’s good friend, WWE Hall of Famer Sean Waltman, noted that Hall was still breathing as of around 4pm ET today, but WWE has now announced his passing.

WWE Female Referee Makes History At Crown Jewel

WWE referee Jessika Carr made history at today’s WWE Crown Jewel event from Mohammed Abdu Arena on The Boulevard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Carr worked two matches on the Crown Jewel card – the Hell In a Cell opener between Seth Rollins and the winner, WWE Hall of Famer Edge, plus the King of the Ring Tournament finals between Finn Balor and King Xavier Woods.

With the matches, Carr became the first female referee to call a WWE match in the Kingdom.

Carr tweeted about the opportunity:

“I am so blown away at the opportunity that I was blessed with tonight. Thank you #CrownJewel I’ll absolutely share more of this in the days to come,” Carr wrote.

Carr was covered up in her referee gear, due to local religious laws, as were the female Superstars competing on the show

After a brief stint on the indies as a wrestler, WWE signed Carr to a deal in 2017, to work as the first female WWE referee since the 1980s. The first full-time female WWE referee in history came to the main roster from WWE NXT in December 2019.

“The Masked Assassin” Jody Hamilton Passes Away

“The Masked Assassin” Jody Hamilton has passed away at the age of 82.

Earlier today, it was revealed that Hamilton had entered into hospice care. His son, former WCW/WWE referee Nick Patrick (Joe Hamilton Jr.), made the announcement on Facebook this afternoon, noting that his father passed away at 2:16pm.

“It is with heavy heart that I make this post. At 2:16 today my father took his last breath on this earth. He passed comfortably, surrounded by the people that love him. Now our attention has to shift over to taking care of my mom. I want to thank everyone that sent out prayers and support for my family. I will put more information about pop out, but right now I’m kinda numb,” he wrote.

The legendary Hamilton debuted back in 1955 and worked for numerous promotions throughout his career, has been retired since 1988 after suffering a broken back. He worked behind-the-scenes and in managerial roles for WCW after that, and later as a trainer at the WCW Power Plant.

Hamilton re-launched his Deep South Wrestling promotion in 2005, and that fed operated as a WWE developmental territory until 2007. DSW ceased operations shortly after that, and Hamilton filed a lawsuit against WWE over their working agreement for the developmental territory. The suit was settled out of court in early 2010, but terms were never revealed.

Hamilton was inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1994, and inducted into the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2013.

The Heirs Apparent: How Triple H And Stephanie McMahon Have Taken The WWE To New Heights

When Vince McMahon dies, it's all but confirmed that Stephanie McMahon and Triple H will take over. But the two have already taken WWE to new heights...More?

source:  thesportster.com

"Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff passes away

From WWE.com

WWE is saddened to learn that WWE Hall of Famer Paul Orndorff, known to fans as “Mr. Wonderful,” passed away at the age of 71.

Orndorff was a standout running back at the University of Tampa and joined Mid-Southern Wrestling after a brief stint in the World Football League. Early rivalries with Jerry Lawler, Ted Dibiase and Jake “The Snake” Roberts gave way to NWA North American Heavyweight and National Heavyweight Championship reigns.

Orndorff joined WWE in 1983 and was tabbed with the “Mr. Wonderful” nickname by his then-manager “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. With his awe-insipring in-ring style and umatched swagger, "Mr. Wonderful" turned his talent into a prototype for the modern-day Superstar. He made a memorable debut on January 23, 1984, with a win over Salvatore Bellomo at Madison Square Garden and launched right into the main event picture with matches against World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan. Mr. Wonderful achieved sports-entertainment immortality by competing alongside Piper to face Hogan and Mr. T in the main event of WrestleMania I.

In the early 1990s, Mr. Wonderful began competing for WCW. It was here that Orndorff captured his first major championship when he defeated Erik Watts in a tournament final on March 2, 1993, to become Television Champion. Orndorff's championship reigns did not stop there, however, as he was also a two-time WCW Tag Team Champion with Paul Roma in 1994.

When Orndorff's in-ring days came to an end, the former master of the piledriver became a trainer for WCW's Power Plant. As a trainer, Orndorff molded a generation of promising stars, including Mark Jindrak, Stacy Keibler and Goldberg.

This Day In Wrestling History

ECW Original New Jack Passes Away

ECW Original New Jack (Jerome Young) has reportedly passed away at the age of 58.

New Jack passed away this afternoon after suffering a heart attack in North Carolina. His wife Jennifer informed PWInsider of the passing. The passing was also confirmed by Jack’s official Facebook page.

Jack is most known for his run in the original ECW, but he also had notable stints with SMW, XPW and various indie promotions. He also multiple made appearances for TNA. He was a three-time ECW World Tag Team Champion. The hardcore star has been retired for a few years now.

Wrestling Legend Danny Hodge Passes Away At The Age Of 88

Combat sports legend and Olympic silver medalist Danny Hodge passed away late last night at the age of 88. Hodge is well known for his accomplishments in amateur and professional wrestling and in boxing. Hodge began his career as an amateur wrestler winning countless state and conference titles. Hodge's accomplishments have been honored through the Dan Hodge Trophy, the equivalent to the Heisman Trophy for collegiate wrestling. In the world of pro wrestling, Hodge was trained by Leroy McGuirk and Ed "Strangler" Lewis and went on to win the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship seven times and the Tri-State NWA North American HeavyweightChampionship three times. Hodge has received honors from amateur and pro wrestling as well as boxing.

Wrestling Legend Dan Gable To Receive The Presidential Medal Of Freedom

The National Wrestling Hall Of Fame issued the following announcement, confirming Dan Gable will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom on December 7 at the White House.

Gable was contacted on October 14 to inform him that he would be receiving the award, making him the first wrestler to receive the nation’s highest honor for a civilian. Other athletes who have been honored include Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods, Jesse Owens, Billie Jean King, Michael Jordan, and Babe Ruth.

“It’s an honor,” said Gable. I’ve received a lot of awards and have a lot of trophies, but this is the highest honor a civilian can receive. It’s really hard to wrap my head around that.”

Established by President John F. Kennedy in 1963, the Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded by the President of the United States to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the security or national interests of America, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

Past recipients have been movers and shakers in a range of fields, including public service, medicine, journalism, entertainment, and business. The impressive list of past honorees includes Steven Spielberg, Angela Merkel, Nancy Reagan, Mother Teresa, Billy Graham, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King, Jr.

“To get an award like this, it’s a lifetime achievement award, not only for what you did, but for what you continue to do,” said Gable.

The namesake of the Dan Gable Museum in his hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, Gable was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1980 and into the Dan Gable Museum’s Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa in the Charter Class of 2002. He is also a member of the World Wrestling Hall of Fame, the USA Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.

Gable was a three-time Iowa state high school champion for Waterloo West and a two-time NCAA champion and three-time finalist for Iowa State. He had a combined record of 181-1 in his prep and college career, losing only in the 1970 NCAA finals. Gable won the Pan American Games and the world championships in 1971 and the Tblisi Tournament and the Olympics in 1972. He did not surrender a single point in his six matches at the Olympics and was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the Tblisi Tournament, considered by many to be the toughest tournament in the world.

After stepping off the mat, Gable became the most successful coach in NCAA history, coaching the University of Iowa from 1978 to 1997. He led the Hawkeyes to 21-straight Big Ten titles and 15 NCAA team championships, including a record nine in a row from 1978 to 1986. Gable coached 152 All-Americans, 46 national champions and 12 Olympians, who combined to win eight medals (four gold, one silver and three bronze).

Gable’s influence on professional wrestling is strong, including Chad Gable’s ring name being inspired by him, and Kurt Angle also citing him as an influence.

WWE Hall Of Famer Pat Patterson Passes Away

From WWE.com: WWE is saddened to learn that Pat Patterson has passed away at the age of 79. A true trailblazer of the industry, Patterson was linked to many "firsts" in sports-entertainment throughout his storied career, including the first-ever Intercontinental Title reign and the creation of the Royal Rumble Match. In a career spanning six decades, the renaissance man left an indelible mark on the industry in the ring, on the microphone and behind the scenes. Patterson began his career in 1958 in his native Canada before becoming a fixture in the Bay Area for nearly two decades. After winning the AWA Tag Team Championship with Ray Stevens in 1978, Patterson moved on to WWE. Under the tutelage of The Grand Wizard, Patterson made an immediate impact and became the first Intercontinental Champion in September 1979. Patterson's most legendary WWE rivalry was undoubtedly his war with Sgt. Slaughter, which captivated the WWE Universe with Boot Camp Matches and a brutal Alley Fight at Madison Square Garden. Shortly before his in-ring retirement in 1984, Patterson joined Mr. McMahon as a color commentator. Even after hanging up his boots, Patterson was far from finished reimagining the possibilities of the sports-entertainment industry. In 1988, Patterson brought one of the ring's most groundbreaking ideas to life by creating the original format for the Royal Rumble Match. Patterson returned to the ring during WWE's electric "Attitude Era," creating many memorable moments alongside Gerald Brisco as one of Mr. McMahon's hilarious "Stooges." Patterson even pinned Crash Holly to claim the Hardcore Title. For all his efforts, Pat Patterson was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 1996 by Bret Hart. In his 25-plus years in WWE, Patterson was synonymous with making history. From the Intercontinental Title to the Royal Rumble Match and beyond, his name will forever be revered in WWE lore. This amazing legacy was captured in Patterson's 2016 autobiography, Accepted: How the First Gay Superstar Changed WWE, a moving chronicle about his life both inside and out of the ring.

WWE Announces The Undertaker's Final Farewell For Survivor Series

Undertaker's Final Farewell will take place at Survivor Series on Sunday, November 22 at 7 pm ET streaming live around the world on WWE Network, capping off The Phenom's legendary 30-year career.

One of the most iconic Superstars in WWE history and a pop culture phenomenon, Undertaker made his WWE debut at Survivor Series on November 22, 1990. From his debut with Brother Love to his critically-acclaimed match vs. AJ Styles® at this year's WrestleMania®, Undertaker has participated in some of the greatest matches in history against Hall of Famers such as Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair®, Triple H®, Shawn Michaels® and Mick Foley®; had multiple WWE Championship reigns; and held an unmatched and astounding undefeated streak at WrestleMania that lasted 21 years.

As part of Undertaker's Final Farewell and 30th anniversary, WWE is celebrating "30 Years of the Deadman" throughout November, including recently debuted documentaries "Meeting The Undertaker" and "WWE Untold: The Phenom and The Legend Killer" on WWE Network as well as "The Mortician: The Story of Paul Bearer" premiering this Sunday, November 8 and "Brothers of Destruction," which premiered in October at the Austin Film Festival, and will stream on WWE Network on Sunday, November 15. In addition, Undertaker will be a special guest on "Steve Austin's Broken Skull Sessions" immediately following Survivor Series.

Activation will also include special Undertaker photo galleries, video highlights and features on WWE.com, Undertaker Tik Tok Challenge, Instagram filter and Snapchat lens, two exclusive product opportunities with Funko only available at Amazon, feature space in 2,300 Walmarts including an exclusive Mattel action figure, national media appearances including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and blocks of primetime programming from WWE's distribution partners around the world dedicated to Undertaker.

In addition to Undertaker's Final Farewell, WWE Survivor Series is the one night of the year where Raw® squares off against SmackDown®. Current matchups are highlighted by: WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns® taking on WWE Champion Randy Orton®; Raw Women's Champion Asuka® vs. SmackDown Women's Champion Sasha Banks®; Raw Tag Team Champions The New Day® against SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Street Profits®; United States Champion Bobby Lashley® vs. Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn®; as well as men's and women's 5-on-5 Survivor Series Elimination matches.

WWE Performance Center Is Now Known As The Capitol Wrestling Center, Triple H Comments

Triple H held a media call earlier this week and teased a "game changing" look and feel at tonight's NXT TakeOver: 31.

"So this Sunday's TakeOver will have a very unique look and feel, something totally different that hasn't been done so far," Triple H said. "You'll find out more on Sunday, but it will be very unique, and I think hopefully, at least for us, game changing."

It was later reported WWE was moving all NXT tapings — including tonight's TakeOver — from the NXT Arena on the campus of Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Since RAW and SmackDown headed to the Amway Center (WWE ThunderDome) that left the WWE PC available for NXT.

Sports Illustrated is reporting the Performance Center has a newly remodeled TV set, and will now be known as the Capitol Wrestling Center. This is a tribute the the Capitol Wrestling Corporation, founded by Jess McMahon in 1953 and run by Vincent J. McMahon.

"It's a historic callback to where this all began," Triple H said about the new name. "We gutted the Performance Center and it's now rebuilt, so it feels like we're going back to the beginning. To me, it feels like we're going back to 1953. Just like then, we're doing something different and new, taking the business to a whole new level.

"The Capitol Wrestling Center captures the feel and the vibe of NXT. We will have all the bells and whistles of the ThunderDome, but we'll keep that NXT feel. It's edgier, darker and raw — you're walking into the ultimate heavy metal soundstage."

Along with the virtual fans, there will be fans in attendance in a limited capacity of around 100 people at tonight's show.

"There will be a contingent of fans in attendance, some of which will be talent, others will be friends and family and some will be fans," Triple H stated. "We will take every safety precaution that there is. All of this was signed off by our medical staff. Everybody that walks in the building will be PCR tested, take a questionnaire and be medically screened. There will be plexiglass pods with fans that are in groups, and the groups will vary in size. Everyone will wear masks, and each group will never be near anyone else."

Triple H also noted there was talk of running NXT at the ThunderDome, but he was resistant as he wanted NXT to keep its own unique feel. The move to the Capitol Wrestling Center does not mean WWE's relationship with Full Sail has ended.

"We are not severing our relationship with Full Sail," Triple H confirmed. "I'm very proud of all we've done there. This move is the right decision for us from a tech standpoint, but I look forward to returning there soon and the partnership remains strong."

The TakeOver Pre-Show begins at 6:30 pm ET with the main card starting at 7 pm ET.

WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel passes away

WWE is saddened to learn that Howard Finkel has passed away at age 69.

When considering the greatest ring announcers in the history of sports and sports-entertainment, you’d be hard-pressed to name one better than Howard Finkel. A native of Newark, NJ, “The Fink” — a label that had been attached affectionately to Howard over the years — made his ring announcing debut at Madison Square Garden in 1977 for WWE’s predecessor, WWWF.

By 1979, Finkel was the full-time ring announcer for WWWF, and when WWE was established in 1980, The Fink became the first — and eventually longest-serving — employee. Finkel’s distinctive voice was instantly recognizable, and for more than two decades Superstars such as The Ultimate Warrior, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and more would have a title victory marked by The Fink’s signature call, “and NNNEEEWWW World Champion!”

Despite being a ring announcer, Finkel didn’t shy away from in-ring competition in certain circumstances. In 1995, he battled his longtime rival Harvey Wippleman in a Tuxedo Match on Raw, and later helped X-Pac shave Jeff Jarrett’s head in a Hair vs. Hair Match at SummerSlam 1998.

In addition to his legendary tenure as a ring announcer, The Fink was an indispensable resource inside the WWE offices for his vast knowledge of sports-entertainment history. Well respected by current Superstars, WWE Legends and Hall of Famers, Finkel’s encyclopedic memory and kindness made him beloved among his colleagues. The Fink was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 4, 2009.

WWE To Celebrate 25 Years Of Triple H

It was announced during tonight's SmackDown on FOX that the celebration for 25 years of Triple H will begin on SmackDown in two weeks, on April 24.

Triple H debuted with WWE on April 30, 1995 with a win over Buck Zumhofe on Wrestling Challenge.

There's no word yet on what WWE has planned for the celebration, but the commercial indicated that the festivities will go on past SmackDown that night.

Stay tuned for updates on the Triple H 25th anniversary celebration from WWE.

Below is a promo from the WWE On FOX Twitter account:

WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson passes away

From WWE.com:

WWE is saddened to learn that Rocky "Soul Man" Johnson (born Wayde Douglas Bowles), a WWE Hall of Famer, former World Tag Team Champion, and father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, has passed away at age 75.

Johnson's sports-entertainment career began in the mid-1960s when he made a memorable impression in the National Wrestling Alliance. However, Johnson found his highest levels of success when he began his WWE tenure in 1983.

The physically imposing and wildly charismatic Johnson had several memorable rivalries with the likes of Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, Don Muraco and Adrian Adonis. He found his greatest success when he teamed up with Tony Atlas as The Soul Patrol. The two men became the first African-American World Tag Team Champions in WWE history when they defeated The Wild Samoans on Dec. 10, 1983.

The "Soul Man" retired from the ring in 1991, but his imprint continued to be felt on WWE for years to come. Post-retirement, Johnson had a hand in training his son, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. The Rock would become one of the biggest stars in the history of sports-entertainment and carried on his father's legacy with pride.

In 2008, Johnson achieved the highest honor in sports-entertainment when he was inducted by The Rock into the WWE Hall of Fame where he will be forever enshrined as one of sports-entertainment's most influential performers.