Indy star starts work for WWE NXT as a referee

Independent star Drake Younger, who has competed for indy companies Combat Zone Wrestling, Dragon Gate USA and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, began work this weekend for WWE at NXT live events as a referee under his real name of Drake Wuertz. Younger was signed by WWE back in March and finished up on the independent scene on April 27 against former TNA star Joey Ryan in California. Wuertz is now on Twitter @WWEDrakeWuertz.

Daniel Bryan Injured

Daniel Bryan is in fact dealing with a neck injury, we can now confirm. The WWE World Heavyweight Champion is at Raw in Greenville, SC and the word is he will need time off.

While specifics of the injury are unknown, the talk earlier in the day was that it will alter storylines, with a creative meeting taking place to address it.

WWE cracks the list of USA Today's "most unusual public companies"

WWE is the third company listed in a USA Today website piece on the most unusual public companies. Check out the list at USAToday.com.

Rumor Mill - TNA's Production Crew Reportedly Threatens to Walk Out During Last Week's Impact Tapings

There were major concerns about money at this past week's set of TNA Impact Wrestling tapings in Orlando, specifically with the production crew.

People in production were upset about being behind on pay and it was said that if they weren't caught up on pay by a certain point, they were going to walk out in the middle of last week's sets of tapings.

These threats clearly made their way back to TNA management as checks were issued to people and everything cooled off. There was a 24-hour period where there was a lot of tension backstage.

Total Divas Recap 05/11/14

Rumor Mill - WWE Staying with NBC Universal?

There are people in the TV industry who believe a new TV deal has already been cut between WWE and NBC Universal. WWE may be waiting to allow NBCU to announce the new deal at their upfronts this coming Thursday in New York City. For the past few years, NBCU has held their cable upfront parties separately but this year will be holding one mega-event for all 17 of their channels including the USA Network, Bravo, E!, Oxygen and others.

New List of Shows WWE Network Is Considering - Several Types of Reality TV, News Shows, More

WWE officials are considering several new types of shows for the WWE Network. Courtesy of WrestlingDVDNews.com, below is a list of shows that WWE recently gauged fan interest on:

• News (Comedic): News show about all things WWE. Presented with a comedic slant like the Daily Show with Jon Stewart or The Colbert Report.

* News (Serious): A news show about all things WWE. Presented with a more serious approach like ESPN’s SportsCenter.

* Documentary: New additions to the existing documentary line-up, such as Journey to WrestleMania: Daniel Bryan. In-depth programs about WWE related topics, similar to HBO’s Hard Knocks, or Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth.

* In-Ring: New additions to the existing in-ring show line-up, such as RAW, Main Event, and NXT.

* Game Shows: Superstars hosting, or being involved in, WWE-themed game shows in which fans compete for cash prizes like on Cash Cab, Jeopardy!, and Family Feud.

* Talk Shows: Intimate and exclusive interviews with Superstars, Legends and Divas in a Late Show with David Letterman or Tonight Show format and similar to Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.

* Animated: New additions to the existing animated programming line-up, such as Slam City.

* Reality: Docu-series: Unscripted reality shows that explore the daily lives of Superstars, like seen on Total Divas or similar to Deadliest Catch or Dog The Bounty Hunter.

* Reality: Lifestyle: Reality shows that explore the lifestyle of a Superstar, like foods they crave and places they like to travel. Similar to Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, or Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.

* Reality: Competition (In-Ring): “In-ring” competition shows, like Tough Enough. The new season of Tough Enough has been confirmed for the Network and begins filming soon at the WWE Performance Center.

* Reality: Competition (Outside The Ring): Competition shows that have Superstars, Divas and Legends competing against each other outside the ring like on Amazing Race or Shaq Vs.

* Reality: Buying/Selling: Reality shows looking at collecting habits of Superstars, or buying and selling pop culture memorabilia or antiques, like on Pawn Stars or American Pickers.

* Reality: Survival: Reality shows featuring Superstars, Divas, and Legends attempting to survive in the wild, like on Dude You’re Screwed, or Survivorman.

* Reality: Prank Shows: Reality shows featuring Superstars, Divas and Legends “punking” and pranking each other like on Punk’d or Impractical Jokers.

8 Reasons Triple H Is The Greatest Wrestler Of All Time

Seriously y’all, I know I say this about a lot of guys, but Triple H is the greatest professional wrestler of all time. Yes, just last week I said it was Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, and before that I was kind of really into Cesaro, but I’ve finally come around to the truth: Triple H really is the King of Kings.

What’s that you say? You’d like to read a list of eight reasons why Triple H is the greatest professional wrestler of all time? Well, you sir, happen to be in luck…

YOU’RE GETTING WORKED, BRO

One of the biggest knocks on Triple H these days is the idea that he’s holding down Daniel Bryan, putting his friends in advantageous positions and generally using his power as a high-ranked WWE official in an unscrupulous manner. To all of this I say, “GOOD,” and also add in a hearty “YOU’RE GETTING WORKED, BRO!”

Triple H is a heel authority figure involved in a storyline about a really popular wrestler being kept down by the man, so the fact that people are upset about Triple H “burying” Daniel Bryan means, you guessed it, that the whole thing is working exactly like it’s supposed to.

NXT

Hey, you like NXT, right? It’s short, to-the-point, has a bunch of wacky gimmicks, lets you watch the future stars of Raw and SmackDown, and has given you rad wrestlers like The Shield, The Wyatt Family and Big E Langston. Go ahead and direct your “thank yous” to Mr. Helmsley.

Since taking a more managerial role in WWE, one of Triple H’s priorities has been finding and developing the next generation of WWE talent, and by all accounts, he’s done a pretty stellar job, leading to a more stacked main roster than we’ve seen in years. Hell, even Sin Cara has magically put on weight, gotten a tattoo and stopped blowing spots.

HE HUNG AROUND

Stone Cold is doing the best podcast pretty much ever, The Rock is flexing and starring in movies, HBK is tracking and killing every living creature on Earth as his bloodthirsty hunter god intended, Mick Foley is a comedian, Chris Jericho is picking up where 1988 Iron Maiden left off and to the best of my understanding, The Hitman is the most dominant warlord in the nightmarish apocalyptic landscape that is western Canada (not totally sure on that one).

Aside from the Undertaker, who wrestles, on average, 1.6 matches/year, Triple H is the only top-level Attitude Era star who’s still performing with the company. Given the type of punishment these guys receive on a nightly basis, it’s a huge achievement to be the last one standing, and really speaks to Trips’ longevity and adaptability.

FRIENDS WITH LEMMY

As much as I love a lot of it, let’s be honest with one another, shall we? Most wrestling entrance themes are lousy and age terribly. Triple H bucks that trend by having had not one, not two, but three unique songs from speed metal pioneers Motörhead. They are, of course, The Game, Line in the Sand and the best of them all, King of Kings.

How did the former Connecticut Blueblood get so many custom Motörhead songs? Oh, well, it’s because he just so happens to be pals with the bands iconic lead singer and bassist, Lemmy Kilmister. How good of friends are they? So good that Lemmy even let Triple H borrow his signature friendly mutton-chops look.

TOUGH AS A TWO DOLLAR STEAK

Triple H is not just, in Good Ol’ JR’s words, as tough as a two dollar steak, he’s tougher than leather, as tough as nails and a slew of other down home cliches your grandfather used to say about your grandmother.

I could have probably filed this in as a subsection of HE HUNG AROUND, but I don’t really know this CMS that well, and besides: The dude tore his left quadricep muscle completely off the bone, but still had Chris Jericho lock him into the Walls of Jericho. He’s had other gnarly injuries too, but he always comes back as good as ever, usually with a totally bitchin video package of him training.

PUTS GUYS OVER

Here’s another one of people’s big knocks on Triple H — The idea that he doesn’t ever put anyone over and that he’s more inclined to “bury” someone than shine them up all pretty. First off, a loss doesn’t equal a burial, with many losses engineered to have the loser come out looking – if not as good as the winner – better than they looked before. Second off, how about back-to-back losses to the Undertaker at WrestleMania?

That’s not enough for you? How about tapping out to John Cena at WrestleMania 22, instantly making the Commander of the Chain Gang a tip-top-level talent? And even though he beat guys like Randy Orton and Sheamus at WrestleMania, both of them remain top-tier guys in their own right, benefiting greatly from their programs with The Game. Does Triple H put over everyone? No, and he shouldn’t, because if he lost to everyone, the losses would stop meaning anything, and after all, the dude’s a top-level talent. If you’re not getting that by now, go get yourself a glass of water, then come back and start this list again.

LATIN

Triple H has the neatest gimmick pretty much hands down. He’s not just the asskicker who wears a leather jacket AND a denim vest (two distinct layers of badassery), but he also intermittently does a Conan (barbarian not late night) thing, lugs around a sledgehammer presumably to murder his opponents with, and on top of all of that, plasters Latin all over his t-shirts.

Wrestling t-shirts, like wrestling entrance themes, usually stink – they’re a blend of early 90s graphic design and cast-off Affliction-style tribal work. But add a badass phrase in Latin and I’m completely sold. At one point, one of his shirts translated to “Let them hate so long as they fear,” which is a quote from Caligula. Caligula, dog, CALIGULA. If you don’t get why that’s amazing, go read a book, then give yourself a wedgy for being both stupid and a newly-minted book-reading nerd.

HE CAN WORK

I left this for last because it’s the most important. For all the accusations of nepotism and political opportunism, there’s only one thing you really need to know about Triple H: Dude can work a match.

Triple H is an amazing worker, able to sell well enough to get any crowd behind him, and vicious enough to get his heat at absolutely all costs. His matches are like a wrestling history lesson, as he picks some of the best parts of ring greats like Ric Flair, Harley Race and Killer Kowalski. Most telling however, are the opinions of his peers, all of whom rank Triple H amongst some of the finest workers they’ve ever stepped in the ring with.

source: guyism.com

Stephanie McMahon Speaks At The White House

Stephanie McMahon was in the West Wing of The White House today to speak. Brad Jenkins, Associate Director in The Office of Public Engagement at The White House, tweeted the following about her appearance:

"WWE's @StephMcMahon stopped by the West Wing to share her public engagement brilliance. Incredible."

Stephanie tweeted and thanked Brad for discussing "what's best for business."

Triple H Purchases Wrestling Memorabilia

Triple H recently paid big money for some old wrestling posters and memorabilia from collectors. WWE has also purchased some items from Charlie Thesz, Lou Thesz's widow.

Video: WWE Pays Tribute to Connor Michalek, See Him Take Triple H Down with One Punch

Total Divas Recap 05/04//14