Zuffa Buys Strikeforce

The Ultimate Fighting Championship's parent company now owns its closest competitor.

Zuffa has purchased Strikeforce, UFC President Dana White told MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani. The news was made public on Saturday.

With the purchase, Zuffa now controls the contracts of almost every fighter in the USA TODAY/SB Nation consensus rankings, other than a few athletes in Bellator Fighting Championships and a handful of Japanese competitors at lighter weights...More?

source: usatoday.com

Looking Back at Triple H's WrestleMania 7-7 Record

Over the years, and especially in the last few, a lot of the WrestleMania buzz has been about The Undertaker. But his opponent this year in Atlanta is no slouch; Triple H has had more than his fair of big matches and main events at Manias past. And though his 7-7 record may not be as illustrious as that of the Deadman, given who he is, HHH has to be considered as a viable threat to "The Streak."...More?

source: slam wrestling

Triple H Rallies Fathers, Mentors in Stamford

About 300 people gathered at the Boys & Girls Club Friday evening to meet WWE wrestler Paul Levesque -- better known by his in-the-ring moniker Triple H -- during a rally in which he discussed the rewards and challenges of being a good father and mentor.

The event was inspired by President Barack Obama's Fatherhood and Mentoring Initiative, which Obama unveiled in June 2010 in an effort to open dialogue about the responsibilities surrounding fatherhood.

"To me, this is about kids and families, not about whose name is on it," said Levesque, who is the son-in-law of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon and Vince's wife, Linda, who was the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010.

"This isn't political. This is about doing something right for the cause," Levesque said. "I went to the Boys Club when I was a kid, and my father-in-law, Vince, went to the Boys Club.

"It's great for the kids. It's great to be able to come here in this role, and say hi to a couple hundred screaming maniacs," Levesque said. "Really, in essence, this is what the WWE is all about. We kind of have this internal slogan with the company that what we do for a living is put smiles on people's faces. And when I think of that statement, I think about kids. Because, when you put a smile on a kid's face, you put a smile on the face of everybody around them."

Eight-year-old Sophia Acosta came to the event with her father, John Arias, and her 2 1/2-year-old sister, Paula.

"I really like having my dad and my sister here," said Sophia, a third-grader at Westover Magnet Elementary School. "I really want to enjoy this."

Her father said the Friday evening outing was an opportunity for daddy-daughter time with the two girls.

"To me, you ought to spend the most time you can with your children," Arias said. "Any time you can spend with them, do it."

Levesque said he knows a thing or two about father-daughter time. He and his wife have three daughters, who range in age from six months to 4 1/2 years old.

"With my kids, I see the importance every day of what it means to them," he said. "I mean, they don't care about the toys and all that, they just want to spend time with us. They care about time. They want you to read to them, to go outside and play with them. They just want people to pay attention to them, and to let them know that they're special too."

When asked why Triple H is the right person to act as a poster child for mentoring for the night, Levesque said he didn't have an answer.

"Maybe for some of those parents or guardians who wouldn't necessarily have done something with their kid at this time tonight, but thought to themselves, `Wow my kids might really like this,' and maybe that's the kind of thing that once they're here, and they hear about how important it is to just spend time with the kids, they'll realize that maybe they should do this more often," he said. "Maybe it makes a difference."

source: stamfordadvocate.com

Photos: Candids of Triple H Backstage at the SmackDown Taping 02/01/11

credit: rxmuscle.com

...More?

Video: Triple H Accepts A No Holds Barred Match With The Undertaker

Saying emotion would not play a role in his match with The Undertaker at WrestleMania, Triple H eagerly accepted the proposed No Holds Barred Match and confidently predicted victory over The Phenom.

SmackDown Results: Reunited for Victory

As Edge and Alberto Del Rio’s WrestleMania collision draws near, the two battled in tag team action. Reunited for the first time in more than a decade, Edge and Christian used their veteran skills to achieve victory. After Captain Charisma stunned Clay with a Tornado DDT, The Ultimate Opportunist followed up with a hard-hitting flying elbow. Full results.

Triple H Returning to the Ring on Monday Night

Triple H is advertised for a match at Monday's WWE Raw show in St. Louis, Mo. He will team with Randy Orton and John Cena in a six-man tag match against The Miz, C.M. Punk, and Sheamus in the dark match main event.

MVP & Other American Wrestlers Caught in Massive 8.9 Earthquake in Japan

MVP and American wrestlers Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson were among the people caught in a major 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Japan on Friday.

MVP, Bernard, and Anderson posted messages on Twitter about the massive quake, which CNN reports was 231 miles away from the capital city of Tokyo and triggered tsunamis around the Japanese islands.

"Just felt the biggest Earthquake I've ever felt in my life. That is some scary s---," said IWGP tag champion Karl "Machine Gun" Anderson shortly after the earthquake struck.

"Seven years in Japan and this one's the worst," said IWGP tag champion Giant Bernard (a/k/a A-Train in WWE). Bernard also commented on the gym where he was working out being evacuated and people ducking & covering under yoga mats.

source: pwtorch.com

TNA iMPACT! Recap 03/10/11

AJ Styles: Pairing with Ric Flair "Didn't Fit My Personality"

Alex Marvez is featuring an interview with TNA Wrestling star AJ Styles in his syndicated column discussing why his pairing with Ric Flair didn't fit his personality.

"It didn't fit my personality at all. Ric casts a big shadow. I think I've learned more about how to get out of that shadow when I was up against him rather than with him. When you're with Ric, he's going to get your attention. I definitely learned some stuff like the way to cut an (interview) and stuff like that. I respect him. Even though he's 62, he's still one of the most entertaining guys in pro wrestling."...More?

WWE Superstars Results: Bully the Kidd

Tonight was a bad night to be Tyson Kidd. The former WWE Tag Team Champion joined forces with the rogues gallery of William Regal & Melina to battle the imposing trio of Mark Henry, The Great Khali & Natalya. But the cocky upstart quickly lost the bout for his team when he fell victim to Khali’s destructive Punjabi Plunge. Kidd’s rough night didn’t end there though. The Canadian Superstar was then splashed by Henry, given the Sharpshooter by Natalya, put in William Regal’s Regal Stretch and slapped by Melina. Clearly, Kidd needs a new attitude. Full results.

Eric McCormack Set to Star in WWE's 'Barricade'

Eric McCormack is starring in Barricade, the latest film from WWE Studios.

The deal marks the first time the company is making a picture that doesn’t star one of its macho WWE stars.

Andrew Currie (Fido) is directing the movie, which will shoot in and around Vancouver later this month.

Written by Michaelbrent Collings, the supernatural thriller centers on a psychiatrist, seeking to find normalcy after the sudden passing of his wife, who takes his two kids to a remote cabin for healing and bonding. Their joy soon turns to despair when the family is terrorized by unknown forces and the father will stop at nothing to save them from peril

WWE Studios is producing and financing the film. WWE's Michael Pavone, David Calloway, and Lori Lewis are the producers.

source: hollywoodreporter.com