Rumor Mill - WWE's Video Game Partner Being Sold?

According to various reports in the video game industry, THQ has cancelled a slate of projects scheduled for 2014 and is rumored to be setting up the company for sale. In November, THQ released the new "WWE '12" franchise video game after signing a new seven-year licensing deal with WWE. With video game sales a key source of revenue for WWE, this is a story to keep an eye on in 2012 if the video game company is sold.

source: pwtorch.com

WWE Tag Team Title Change at House Show

New WWE tag team champions were crowned at Sunday night’s live event from Oakland, California. Primo and Epico defeated Evan Bourne & Kofi Kingston at the show to win the titles.

Ole Anderson has Harsh Words for Vince McMahon

Original Four Horsemen member Ole Anderson strongly criticized WWE CEO Vince McMahon in an interview with Mike Mooneyham of the Post & Courier newspaper. Anderson was asked about his exclusion from the Horsemen line-up in WWE's Hall of Fame announcement this week. "Vince McMahon hates my guts, and I don’t like him. So that’s all there is to it,” Anderson said, while also noting he couldn't make the ceremony because of his poor health. “Vince McMahon is never going to call me." Anderson also said he feels WWE's Hall of Fame is a joke and he repeated a "conversation" he had with McMahon the last time he saw him at a previous ceremony. "I told Vince McMahon to go (expletive deleted), and I wouldn’t change my mind now," he said.

source: pwtorch.com

Ric Flair Confirms HOF Appearance, Discusses Watching the Announcement at the Impact Taping

Ric Flair says he will only be allowed to talk for seven minutes at WWE's Hall of Fame ceremony honoring the Four Horsemen. Flair confirmed his in-person appearance at the ceremony in an interview with Mike Mooneyham of the Post & Courier newspaper. He added that he watched the announcement backstage at TNA's Impact TV taping Monday night. “It’s amazing. It’s very cool. The whole TNA crew was watching the vignette. I started crying when they aired it,” Flair said.

source: pwtorch.com

This Day in Wrestling History

Happy Birthday to Shane McMahon
January 15, 1970

WWF(E) holds the first Royal Rumble on pay-per-view (the first Royal Rumble match didn't air on PPV, it aired on USA Network as competition to the NWA Bunkhouse Stampede PPV) at The Summit in Houston, Texas.
January 15, 1989

Sting makes his return to wrestling at TNA's Final Resolution PPV teaming with Christian Cage against Jeff Jarrett & Monty Brown.
January 15, 2006

What Stephanie McMahon & Triple H Want to Accomplish Personally and Professionally in 2012

Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal Daily ran a feature at the beginning of the year with industry executives revealing what they want to accomplish personally and professionally in 2012. Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were featured in the piece. Below are their New Year’s resolutions:

Paul Levesque - EVP, Talent:
My resolution is to continue sharpening my business and corporate skills in my new role as EVP, talent. Although whenever the day-to-day grind of being a company executive gets to me, I still have the opportunity to jump into the ring and take my aggression out on a few unsuspecting opponents.

Stephanie McMahon - EVP, Creative:
In 2012, my personal goal is to help stop the bullying epidemic that is affecting our children. As a mother of three girls, I am proud to represent the WWE as part of our Be a STAR initiative to help encourage students, teachers and parents to “be a star” by showing tolerance and respect. My professional goal is to help support the launch of the WWE network by providing a 24/7, interactive, creative experience that is worthy of the passion of our fans.

Interview with Jeff Hardy

The Miami Herald interviewed current TNA star Jeff Hardy where he talks about his past issues and overcoming his demons. Below are the highlights:

How his problems started: “I really believe that people learn from examples and through problems themselves. OK, my brother [Matt] and myself, for example, we never drank. We never did drugs. Nothing. I was 21, 22, when I started drinking beer, in wrestling, and then it escalated.

“It’s easy to do. It’s easy to get addicted, but if you never start, you’ll never have to stop. That’s the best advice I can give anybody. I’m back to a place now where I was before, where I don’t need a pill to go paint a canvas. That’s my new fix is doing it again. It took a while to get there, but I’m here, and I’m a father now as well. That’s another huge inspiration in my life.”

How he overcame his demons:“”I’ve got my hardcore fans and I thank them so much for being there for me and not giving up on me… You look back and you go, ‘Why was I doing what I was doing?’ It takes a while, but after when you do sober up and months go by, you kind of look back. I was lost. I was like, ‘What the he## was I doing?’

“It’s crazy. Early remission was a great gift for me, and then it’s just been steady climbing. So the best advice to kids is do what you love. Also, never start [alcohol, drugs], and you’ll never have to stop.”

Being in TNA: “Everybody here in TNA, there’s so much talent here, and I’m so excited where these guys are going to go in the next 20 years. I’m thrilled to be able to help them now while I’m still good at my game. The future’s exciting, and it’s been great.”

Update on WrestleMania at Cowboys Stadium

The Dallas Observer has a report online in regards to rumors of talks to bring Wrestlemania to Cowboys Stadium. Brett Daniels, a spokesman for the Dallas Cowboys, confirmed talks with WWE and that it wouldn't be happening in the next two years.

"We can't host WrestleMania the next two years because of NCAA Regional in '13 and Final Four in '14. We've talked with them and gave it a shot but couldn't make the schedule work."

WWE Cuts Deal with Zack Ryder Band

Luke Barry & Duane Doogan of the "Luke & Duane Show" announced they signed a deal with WWE on Friday to use their Zack Ryder YouTube series theme song on WWE television. The duo's song, "Just Take Care, Spike Your Hair (The Broski of the Week Song)" will now be appearing on future WWE programming for Ryder-related segments.

source: pwtorch.com

CM Punk UFC Appearance with Chael Sonnen Cancelled

C.M. Punk will not escort Chael Sonnen to the Octagon for his upcoming UFC fight in Chicago. Punk told MMAFighting.com that Vince McMahon decided against allowing Punk to appear at the January 28 event, which will be broadcast by FOX.

source: prowrestling.net

This Day in Wrestling History

Sean O'Haire & Chuck Palumbo defeat Kevin Nash & Diamond Dallas Page for the WCW Tag Team Titles. They would be the last official tag champions before WCW was bought out by the WWE.
January 14, 2001

SmackDown Results 01/13/12