WWE Signs Former ROH Champion, Details on His Role in the Company

According to PWInsider.com, WWE has finally signed former Ring of Honor Champion “Scrap Iron” Adam Pearce to a contract. Pearce will be a trainer and producer, and will work out of the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.

Pearce has worked as a producer and trainer for WWE numerous times in the past, and has worked a couple of the live WWE NXT Network specials, but it wasn’t until recently that Pearce officially signed with WWE.

Watch Stone Cold Podcast Live! with special guest Paul Heyman, June 1 on the WWE Network

“Stone Cold” Steve Austin will host his live Stone Cold Podcast on Monday, June 1, immediately following Raw, in a no-holds barred interview with special guest Paul Heyman on the award-winning WWE Network.

What will happen when two of WWE's most controversial and outspoken figures set the record straight in an anything-goes interview? What questions will the Texas Rattlesnake ask the Advocate to former WWE World Heayweight Champion Brock Lesnar? And what does Heyman have to say about his client's last few months, including losing the title at WrestleMania 31 to Seth Rollins? Don't miss this electric encounter, live on WWE Network.

The must-see interview is the latest in "Stone Cold's" popular podcast series on WWE Network. If the WWE Hall of Famer's previous live interviews with Vince McMahon and Triple H are any indication, Austin's upcoming sitdown with Heyman will be a revealing encounter.

Triple H's Bedford, NH Home Up For Sale

Paul Michael Levesque, better known as Hunter Hearst Helmsley or Triple H, has put his Bedford home on the market for $1.1 million. Levesque’s stately, modern home is located at 84 Meetinghouse Road and boasts 6,330 square feet of living space on 4.54 acres with a secure, gated entry. The property includes four bedrooms, six bathrooms, a five-car garage, commercial appliances and custom cabinets in the kitchen and a lighted tennis court.

The home is listed by Kathy Phair Alexander of the Bean Group. Click the link for lots more photos.

WWE Studios Announces $35 Million Revolving Credit Facility With Bank Of America Merrill Lynch

Triple H Conducting NXT Takeover Conference Call

As he usually does, Triple H will be conducting an NXT Takeover: Unstoppable conference call on Tuesday morning.

TNA Announces Move to Wednesday Night for Impact Wrestling

Destination America’s IMPACT WRESTLING, will make a permanent move to Wednesday nights at 9/8c beginning Wednesday, June 3rd. The mid-week knockout premiere will kick off with stellar matches showcasing America’s favorite wrestlers.

The tag teams will head to epic battles with The Wolves and the Dirty Heels competing in match three of the Best of 5 Series on their quest to capture the vacated TNA Tag Team Titles, and The Rising and the BDC are at war battling it out in a six-man tag team matchup. TNA World Champion Kurt Angle will compete in the main event and the Knockouts will be in action featuring the Dollhouse and Brooke.

Tonight, IMPACT WRESTLING continues its premieres with Hardcore War at 9/8c on Destination America.

While Kurt Angle defeated Eric Young to retain the TNA World Title last week, the feud continues as Young and Angle form teams to compete in a 10-man tag match where each participatant can bring a weapon of choice to the ring. Austin Aries and Bobby Roode, the Dirty Heels, will face The Wolves, with a returning Eddie Edwards, in the first of a Best of 5 Series for the TNA Tag Team Titles. The Dollhouse, Marti Bell and Jade, take on Brooke and Rebel in tag team Knockouts action. Ethan Carter III also continues his “EC3 for Champ” campaign and the BroMans return to find out what the future has in store for Jessie, Robbie E and DJ Z.

IMPACT WRESTLING premieres Hardcore War tonight at 9/8c with the permanent switch to Wednesday nights starting June 3rd only on Destination America!

William Regal On Scouting Talents For WWE, Being NXT General Manager, The Wrestlers In NXT, More

Vaughn Johnson of Philly.com recently spoke with WWE NXT General Manager William Regal to promote this week's NXT live events in Philadelphia. The full interview can be read at this link. Below are some highlights:

Scouting talent for WWE:

I can't give you any set formula to how it works because we're in a different world, in our own unique little world. You find people that learn to connect with an audience with an act. Get up your own backside about what we are, but we're an act. It doesn't matter how good you are, it's about connecting with your audience. It doesn't matter how technically good you are, if nobody wants to watch you then you're no good to anybody. Sometimes it's not about how good somebody is. It's whether they've got that connection with an audience. Sometimes, it's about how technically good they are, they may not have that connection yet, but you can see by talking to them or spending time watching them that you can teach them that or they could learn that on their own if given the right opportunities or given the right structure.

Sometimes it's a physical thing. If you can never find me someone with two heads then what's I'm looking for. It comes in different forms. We've got a huge TV deal in Brazil. We've got nobody from Brazil so sometimes it's just a matter of, "Can we try to find somebody that could fit the bill." There's no real set thing that I'm looking for. I watch out for, as far as the wrestlers go, which is what I do, I watch and know about everybody that's out there. The ones that are doing the right things and making a name for themselves I know about. Most of the names were coming my way even before I had this job over the last 20 odd years I've been in America, they've all come my way anyway at one point or another through people we know or we end knowing each other or through a friend or whatever. That's probably why I'm in the position that I'm in, because I know a lot of people.

What it's like being the NXT GM:

It's easy to throw words around like privilege and honor but it really is because I would imagine to get to watch everybody here develop, and the brand develop the way it has in the past few years, probably have been the best part of the last 32 for me. As much as I've really enjoyed the rest of it, just to watch everything grow so quickly and to have a hand in creating some of this, and have found people to bring here, recommended people is a great feeling. I try to keep my own career in check, but when I came to America there were very few people wrestling. I think I was the only one. A lot of people get credit for bringing the wrestling back, but I was doing it before Dean [Malenko], Eddie [Guerrero] and all of them fellas, I was doing it. To see that these fellas get to do that now and the ladies get to do that, and to go out and people appreciate the wrestling side of it is fantastic.

If he's surprised how far NXT has come:

It's amazing just to watch it and to watch the creativity that they've got. When you're given all of the tools — you've got everything you could possibly ever need at the [WWE] Performance Center in Orlando — if you've got half a brain, we're going to make it work for you. Even if you haven't, we're going to try and help you in any way that we can help you. There are so many people here that are so talented and so creative on their own when you get all of that it's like a double bonus. They just flourish. It also goes down to the audience you've been used to working to before. You work for to your audience while the promoter is paying you. A lot of these guys have worked with a certain audience that like a certain thing so some people unfortunately get labeled. If you can make yourself popular in front of any audience, you can use it anywhere. When they get to come here and they see that everyone is here to help, they go, "I can do this here and I can try this here and I can do that," and that's why it's all flourishing. There are no ties on doing things.

Most Popular WWE Network Shows from Last Week, What Weekly Show Doesn't Do Good, Other Favorites

The most-watched WWE Network content from last week are as follows:

1. WWE 24: Roman Reigns
2. Chris Jericho interviews Stephanie McMahon
3. WWE NXT, May 6th episode
4. Jerry Springer Too Hot for TV: Love Hurts
5. Extreme Rules

The Cinco de Mayo special with Los Matadores didn't do well and Superstars episodes also don't do too well.

The special on Floyd Mayweather vs. Big Show, the previous week’s NXT episode, Culture Shock with Corey Graves, Unfiltered with Renee Young, Mick Foley's Cheap Pops, the ECW Uncensored Volume 3 sneak peek, and a second Jerry Springer episode were also popular among viewers, as well as the last season of Tough Enough and 2014 episodes of Total Divas.

TNA Finally Pays Production Workers

TNA finally paid all of their production workers this past week. They were said to be shorted on money from January and February, and hadn't been paid for March yet. If the workers weren't paid, they were refusing to work, which would have caused a problem for the scheduled May 8th Impact Wrestling.

Adam Pearce Talks Working At The WWE Performance Center, His TNA Gut Check Exit, ROH, More

Former NWA World Champion Adam Pearce appeared on the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling Podcast, and discussed his travels within pro wrestling. Among them include his time at the performance center, the TNA Gut Check, and more. Here are the highlights:

Working at the Performance Center:

"I think anyone who is actively watching the WWE Network and specifically the NXT product itself sees the talent that NXT has as well as the incredible coaching staff and the staff behind the scenes and sees why it is an incredibly fun place to work. It is an absolute honor to step into the building in Orlando (the WWE Performance Center) and in my two decades in the business it is probably the biggest honor to actually have my hands on the future of what will amount to the wrestling business in our country. It was really gratifying to allow to turn loose that beast that everyone believes in behind the scenes and to have the ability to have the Takeover special on the network. That night with Kevin Owens debuting that night was the icing on the cake for what was an absolutely awesome experience. The tasks that are at hand for a guy who is working as a coach, trainer, agent or producer are literally a million things that are encompassed by one hat. When the television tapings are happening there are people that need to be agenting matches and producing for the television product and I was doing that, which are both obviously different then the nuts and bolts and hand to hand in the ring action."

His exit from the TNA Gut Check challenge:

"The funny thing about the Gutcheck thing is that the real story of what happened is far less interesting then what everyone's imagination pretends happened. I laugh about it because obviously I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't going to be good for me. People forget that pro-wrestling is a scripted form of entertainment and Gutcheck was supposed to be presented as a Reality TV (which is scripted entertainment) portion of a pro-wrestling show (which is scripted entertainment) and yet somehow millions of people were so upset and thought that I was wronged in some way without ever batting an eye lash to stop and say; Wait a minute, this is scripted. What happened, was what was supposed to happen because that is what was written. While I never ever will be mad at anyone who supported my character and wanted to see that character featured in a more prominent role by TNA that is simply not what was ever agreed to. TNA presented me with a two week opportunity on TV and I accepted a two week offer to take advantage of that opportunity to be on TV for a couple of weeks and that is what happened. Nothing more, nothing less. They lived up to every letter of the agreement that we made and so did I. Here we are two years later still talking about it. I think what people don't think about is to have an ongoing relationship there has to be people that want an ongoing relationship."

Working for ROH both backstage and in the ring:

"That five year period, three of that exclusively as a talent and two years after that running wrestling operations account for a humungous part of why I am doing what I am doing today with WWE and NXT. Especially with the last two years as not only a writer for the television but the booker of the house show schedule and kind of being a general babysitter of wrestling talent. Learning how to "manipulate" the locker rooms different egos and personalities and get everyone rowing the boat in the same direction, without that experience I am in no way qualified to be doing what I am doing today. I count my time as NWA Champion and my time involved with Ring of Honor running the wrestling operations as the two keys in pushing my development as a wrestling talent not just in the ring but all the way around in the direction it would need to be to having the kind of career that I am having. I am so grateful every day for it."

WWE and DK Releasing "WWE: Attitude Era" Book

DK Publishing will release the WWE: Attitude Era, a book that takes readers straight into one of sports-entertainments most colorful and controversial periods.

In this cure for the common book, we break down the outrageous moments, the pulse-pounding action and the over-the-top moments that made up the infamous Attitude Era.

Relive the late 90’s with:

*“Stone Cold” Steve Austin, D-Generation X, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Undertaker, Mankind and the deep roster of WWE Superstars and Divas that defined “Attitude”.

*New interviews from “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Triple H, Trish Stratus and many more.

*A retrospective on the beginning and end of the era, plus all the chaos in between.

*Stunning visuals, with full color imagery on every page, including never-before-seen photos.

Vince McMahon to be inducted into Boys & Girls Clubs of America 25th Annual Hall of Fame

This evening, top athletes, entertainers and business leaders will be inducted into Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) Alumni Hall of Fame. Since its inception more than 100 years ago, BGCA has provided kids of all backgrounds with the opportunity to grow and realize their dreams. To celebrate the accomplishments of former Boys & Girls Club members, BGCA annually recognizes distinguished alumni during the organization’s annual National Conference, being held in Chicago in 2015. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Alumni Hall of Fame program, as well as the year the organization changed its name from Boys Club of America to Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

The event, hosted by Courtney B. Vance, honors alumni who have gone on to make major contributions in their fields, from sports to entertainment to business. Their stories are very different, but all started out the same — with the life-changing programs, caring staff and fun, safe environment of a local Boys & Girls Club. The BGCA Alumni Hall of Fame Class of 2015 inductees include the following: WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon, three-time Grammy Award-nominated singer/producer/actor Trey Songz, fashion and music consultant for FOX’s hit drama “Empire” and Business Executive Monique Mosley, NFL Hall of Famer Andre Reed, world-renown violinist Earl Carlyss, President and CEO of the Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. Larry Young, two-time Oscar nominated costumer designer Ruth E. Carter, leading opera singer Denyce Graves and Professional Golfer on the PGA Tour Robert Gamez.

“Ensuring today’s youth have the encouragement and inspiration they need to pursue their dreams is at the core of our organization, and the Class of 2015 Alumni Hall of Fame inductees all showcase how a local Boys & Girls Club can be a critical element to ensuring a great future,” said Jim Clark, president and CEO of BGCA. “We are honored to have such exemplary inductees join the other prestigious members of the Boys & Girls Club of America Alumni Hall of Fame in its 25th year.”

The Elizabeth City Boys & Girls Club provided McMahon with a sense of belonging and a vision of what is possible, both of which were lacking in his home environment. He looked up to Club staff, who mentored and cared about kids. The feeling that somebody cared about him meant the world. Meeting other kids and teens from all walks of life showed McMahon there was a whole world of possibilities out there beyond what he knew. Since those early days, McMahon has become one of the most well-known pioneers in the entertainment industry, catapulting the WWE brand from a small, regional wrestling promotion to a global, family-friendly entertainment brand with television programming in 650 million homes in more than 175 countries and 35 languages. Today, WWE is one of the most recognized brands in the world with nearly half a billion social media followers. McMahon continues to carry forward the experience he had at The Club by supporting numerous programs and partners to help make a positive impact in the lives of children and families around the world.