In a report from the filed reports on the first WWE TV taping at Full Sail University Thursday night, the Orlando Sentinel noted the re-branded NXT series will begin Season 6, which unofficially ends the never-ending Season 5, "NXT: Redemption." Also, WWE is scheduled to return to Full Sail seven times over the next six months to tape NXT6 episodes.
WWE announcer Jim Ross noted on Twitter Thursday night that he does not believe the show will continue airing online. The Sentinel reported WWE's plans for airing Season 6 in the U.S. "are not yet known." Prior to the start of the taping, Paul "Triple H" Levesque announced to the live audience that NXT will be seen internationally. Levesque is WWE's executive vice president of talent and live events, and he played a key role in bringing "NXT" to Full Sail. Last year, after WWE executives toured the "crazy little university in Orlando," Levesque said, they approached school officials with the idea of taping the show on campus.
The video can be viewed here.
May 19, 2012
WWE NXT Updates: Season 5 Finally Over?, Video From First Full Sail Taping
Linda McMahon calls for GOP to "unite" behind her; opponent says race not over
Accepting the Connecticut Republican party's nomination Friday night, former WWE CEO Linda McMahon called for the GOP party to "unite" behind her and "push forward" to the general election for U.S. Senate in November. However, McMahon's chief opponent, Chris Shays, says he is still aiming for the Republican primary vote in August.
Asked if he has enough money to compete with McMahon, Shays said, "Absolutely. We know where the voters are and we are going to make sure they hear from us." McMahon has spent $6.0 million of her own money thus far, compared to $1.2 million raised by Shays, according to reports. "Everyone had the siren call that money could buy an election. It can't. It cannot buy an election," Shays said. "We're going to have a good race."
sources: NHRegister.com & RealClearPolitics.com
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
May 18, 2012
GOP Endorses Linda McMahon Over Shays by 2-1 Margin
Linda McMahon won the Republican endorsement for U.S. Senate tonight for the second time in two years, setting the stage for another August primary with another former congressman, Chris Shays.
McMahon, a World Wrestling Entertainment co-founder who spent $50 million on a losing Senate race in 2010, is vying with Shays for the rarest of political opportunities: a second shot at an open Senate seat.
Delegates gave 57 percent of the vote to McMahon and 31 percent to Shays on the first ballot. The rest of the field - Brian K. Hill, Peter Lumaj and Kie Westby - fell well short of the 15-percent threshold to automatically qualify for a primary.
At 10:23 p.m., ballot finished, but under the convention rules, delegates have a chance to switch votes before the count is finalized and McMahon is declared the endorsed candidate.
The winner of the primary will try to become the first Republican to win a U.S. Senate race in Connecticut since Lowell P. Weicker Jr. of Greenwich was elected in 1982 to his third and final term.
The seat is now held by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, who defeated Weicker in 1988 and is retiring after 24 years in the Senate.
In McMahon and Shays, GOP voters have to choose between two candidates with obvious strengths and weaknesses, each of whom were rejected by Connecticut voters in the past four years.
Shays, 66, who represented Stamford in the General Assembly and the 4th District in Congress, has built a campaign around one issue: electability. He points to a record of winning elections and polling that shows him best matching up with the endorsed Democrat, U.S. Rep. Christopher Murphy.
"This time, we're going to be working as hard as we can to convince Republican voters that if you want someone who can win, and you don't want Chris Murphy, I think I'm your guy," Shays said.
McMahon, 63, of Greenwich, the former chief executive officer of the Stamford-based WWE, touts her record as a "jobs creator," echoing the pitch made at the top of the Republican ticket by Mitt Romney.
Her challenge is to convince voters that her 43 percent share of the vote in 2010 was base on which to build, not a ceiling. She lost by 12 percentage points to Democrat Richard Blumenthal, the state's most popular Democrat.
McMahon was nominated by four women, a target audience in her second run. Exit polling showed her suffering from a gender gap in 2010, and McMahon has made an effort to win over female voters.
Her nominators included Kathy McShane, the head of "Women for Linda" and Maureen Gagnon, who leads "Job Creators for McMahon." Another was Jayme Stevenson, the first selectwoman of Darien, where Shays grew up.
The winner will face the victor of a Democratic primary: either Murphy or former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz.
source: ctmirror.org
WWE Says New 3 Hour Raw Format Will Be Interactive; Details
According to a new article posted over at WWE.com, the new three hour format of Raw will see the show add an interactive element to it which will allow the viewers to "create" the matches as well as watch them. The following is an article excerpt, featuring a quote from Vince McMahon:
"WWE is proud to celebrate this historic milestone with our partners at USA Network. Our new three-hour Raw represents the next generation in interactive television where our fans won't just watch the show, they will help create it."
You can read more by clicking on the above link.
This Day in Wrestling History
Happy Birthday to Superfly Jimmy Snuka
May 18, 1943
Christian eliminated Booker T in a Battle Royal at Judgment Day to capture the newly reinstated WWE Intercontinental Title.
May 18, 2003
May 17, 2012
Brooke Hogan Joins TNA Wrestling
Television personality and recording artist Brooke Hogan is joining the cast of the highly-rated weekly wrestling program, TNA’s “IMPACT WRESLTING” starting Thursday, May 31 on Spike TV. Brooke’s role will be as the Executive in Charge of the female wrestling division, The Knockouts. Brooke will join a star-studded cast of the biggest names in professional wrestling, including her father, wrestling legend Hulk Hogan. TNA’s flagship series, “IMPACT WRESLTING,” telecasts on Spike TV and is one of the network’s top-rated series on Thursday nights with young men and currently ranks among the top shows on cable in its timeslot with Men 18-34.
In addition to overseeing the traditional duties of the Knockouts Division, Brooke will bring a new energy and direction to the role working with the girls in a variety of capacities.
"I have really gotten to know Brooke by working with her on her music career this past year and a half," said Dixie Carter, President of TNA Wrestling. "When we did talk wrestling, I not only loved her passion and knowledge of it, but the fresh, creative ideas she would come up with. She is very savvy. I asked if she would consider teaming up with me in this capacity while she also worked on her music, and I was thrilled when she said ‘yes.’ A big personality runs in her genes, obviously, and I know she is going to take an already exciting division of Impact Wrestling to another level."
