Does WWE star Daniel Bryan's concussion retirement signal change for sports?

If you're not a regular viewer of "Monday Night Raw," you missed a look at the future of concussions in sports.

In an emotional retirement speech, WWE star Daniel Bryan, whose real name is Bryan Danielson, said he's walking away from the world of professional wrestling due to concussion concerns.

Danielson spent most of 2015 sidelined after a spring concussion.

WWE would not clear him to wrestle, and as the year went on, Danielson began making noise in interviews about wanting to perform, if not in WWE then elsewhere.

But on the Feb. 8 episode of "Monday Night Raw," Danielson made an about-face and announced his retirement.

Danielson, 34, explained that he'd fought WWE's refusal to clear him because he had gotten EEGs, brain MRIs and neuropsychological evaluations showing he was fine. Then he took another test, and his focus changed.

"A week and a half ago," Danielson said, "I took a test that said that maybe my brain isn't as OK as I thought it was."

Danielson also said he had suffered three concussions within the first five months of his career. Sixteen years later, Danielson said, "it adds up to a lot of concussions."

WWE wouldn't say what specific test Danielson took that pushed him into retirement, nor would they make him available for an interview. On ESPN, Danielson described it as an EEG — basically measuring electrical brain currents, he said — while doing reflex testing.

The test found some "slowing" and a lesion, Danielson said.

Watching at home, my ears perked up. That a person can do well on his tests, then take a new one suggesting he's not "as OK" as he thought is a scary prospect, especially when you consider that the science around concussions still has a long way to go.

Retirements like Danielson's are going to happen more often in the coming years, as new tests give doctors better tools for gauging brain health.

Dave Meltzer, who writes the Wrestling Observer newsletter each week, said he thinks it's the "start of a big deal."

Many wrestlers and football players whose brains were found after death to have CTE — chronic traumatic encephalopathy, defined by Boston University as "a progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in athletes (and others) with a history of repetitive brain trauma" — were guys who would not have retired under normal circumstances, Meltzer said.

"I absolutely believe you'll see shorter careers and people retire earlier because they're going to find out what condition they're in," Meltzer said. "Even if they want to continue, the governing bodies will say (they) can't."

Personally, I suspect many athletes who otherwise appear to have good brain health are less OK than they think...More?

source: chicagotribune.com

The Fabulous Freebirds to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016

The Fabulous Freebirds, one of the most infamous and influential groups in sport-entertainment history, will finally be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on the eve of WrestleMania 32. As first reported by Rolling Stone, The Freebirds will be immortalized in Dallas, the city they famously antagonized in their heyday.

The group was founded in 1979, when Michael “P.S.” Hayes, Terry “Bam Bam” Gordy and Buddy “Jack” Roberts joined forces to wreak havoc on professional wrestling. Gordy provided raw power and fury, Roberts lent his technical prowess and Hayes was dripping with charisma that made sure the spotlight was always on them. The Fabulous Freebirds quickly found success in the Georgia territory, where they captured the NWA National Tag Team Titles and instituted the “Freebird Rule,” where any two members of the trio could defend the titles.

After running roughshod through Georgia, The Freebirds made their way to Texas and World Class Championship Wrestling, where their careers changed forever. On Christmas Night 1982, during Kerry Von Erich’s NWA World Title Steel Cage Match with Ric Flair, Gordy slammed the cage door shut on Von Erich’s head, costing him the title and setting off a rivalry that would captivate The Lone Star State during the ’80s. The ruthless Freebirds battled the clean-cut Von Erich family in some of the most heated wars in squared circle history.

It was during this time that the Freebirds revolutionized the industry in another way. After years of using Lynyrd Skynyrd’s southern rock anthem “Freebird” as their entrance music, Hayes recorded “Badstreet U.S.A.” in 1983, a hard-rocking tune that became synonymous with the group and opened the door for competitors to have individual, original entrance music...More?

The Greatest Work of Our Time: How Triple H Became the Most Over Man in Wrestling

The Latest on TNA Seeking Investors, Why the Company is Looking to Partner Up, Is Panda Energy Still Funding the Company?, More

As noted yesterday, TNA is currently in talks with outside investors, and Dixie Carter has been taking meetings recently to discuss the future of the company.

With regards to why TNA is seeking outside investors, it’s simply because the company wants to expand, and the current financial situation is not allowing it to do so. The company has had to cut back on office space in recent months, and has also cut certain talents who were supposed to appear on the most recent UK tour. As the company stands right now, it might be making enough money to keep it afloat, but it’s not enough money to turn a longterm profit. So partnering up with an investor who could take a percentage of the company might help TNA realize the 5 year plan Dixie Carter reportedly has in place.

With regards to Panda Energy, which used to fund TNA Wrestling, it’s being said that while Panda might remain an owner in name, it no longer funds TNA and is not actively involved in any aspect of TNA operations. All operations and paychecks are said to be coming directly out of Nashville at this point, and it appears as if Panda stopped funding TNA back when Jeff Jarrett’s minority stake in TNA was bought out.

As for whether or not TNA is for sale, sources in TNA are being careful to note the company is seeking investors at this time, and the company is not for sale. That does not mean, however, that Dixie Carter would not at least consider selling the company if the right money offer was made. TNA executive John Gaburick, however, has repeatedly said TNA is looking for a “strategic partner”, not a new owner, and Dixie Carter has turned down sale offers in the past.

Shane McMahon On The Undertaker, How He Kept His WWE Return A Secret, Working With Family, More

Shane McMahon appeared on The Michael Kay Show in New York City earlier today. Below are highlights and full audio:

* Shane didn't believe he would get a reception that big on RAW and he's still humbled by it. He said it was electric and went through his body. The promo he cut during the commercial about his nipples being hard was real, he didn't know it was going to air. Shane said he will always hold that moment deep in his heart and said it was so emotional. He wasn't sure what kind of reaction he would get but was hoping it would be good. He called it off the charts and wakes up everyday still in disbelief

* When asked if he missed performing in the ring, Shane says there's nothing like being in the ring, feeling the energy and being out there in front of fans as a performer. He talks about the energy from the crowd and called it special. When asked if there's any truth to Shane always wrestling with a chip on his shoulder to prove he wasn't just Vince McMahon's son and was willing to do anything, he says there's some truth to that. Shane says he grew up paying dues, setting rings up, taking jackets for the company, learning the business from the ground up. He's always had respect and admiration for the WWE talents, for what they go through and what they overcome. He always knew he wanted to do something big and tells a story about Mr. Fuji helping him do a dropkick from the top rope when he was younger. That was his first true understanding of what the guys go through. Shane says he was brought up in the business that way and he's just old school

* Shane talks about his 50 foot jump onto Big Show in Chicago and says what they do is really dangerous, you have to know what you're doing out there. The hosts jokingly ask if Shane might jump off the overhead scoreboard at AT&T Stadium. Shane points out he will be locked inside Hell In a Cell but anything can happen in WWE. Shane says he literally transforms when he gets in the ring, doesn't have much regard for his body and leaves it all out there

* The hosts asked if there is real animosity between he and Vince McMahon. Shane calls that a private moment and says there has been. He says any family working dynamic isn't easy but it is rewarding. He says it's lots of fun but also challenging. They ask if this comeback has anything to do with his three sons never getting to see him wrestle live. Shane says he's getting emotional and admits that is a big driving force and they will be there for WrestleMania. He's really excited and really proud. He hopes they will be fifth generation one day if they want to be. His kids did not know about the return on RAW and they were shocked. He says his wife Marissa secretly recorded their reactions and says they were going bonkers. He says getting to do something like that for your kids is one of the most rewarding things you can do

* He says it looks like they have a shot at breaking the attendance record in Dallas but is proud to be a part of it either way

* Regarding how they kept his return a secret, Shane says he's very old school and very guarded, he still lives by kayfabe and kept everything close to the vest. Shane says that's how it should be. He loves surprises, no matter what he's watching but especially WWE. He talks about how hard it is to have surprises with today's media and technology

* His favorite wrestler growing up was Superstar Billy Graham. He had great respect for Bruno Sammartino also. He says the older guys like Ivan Putski would stretch him, lock him in lockers and beat up on him in the locker room, saying he was the mascot to them. He wouldn't change anything and says he had an amazing childhood in the land of the giants

* The Shane O'Mac Shuffle was inspired by Apollo Creed, Muhammad Ali and The Rock's father, WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson

* He's training 3 times per day for the Hell In a Cell match against The Undertaker. He started getting in shape last summer for surfing with his kids. He started getting serious about it and hooked up with his old strength & conditioning coach Jimmy Quinn. His biggest thing is Muay Thai training and he's been into that for a while. He's working with Phil Nurse and other coaches, who worked with GSP, Rashad Evans, Frankie Edgar and others. Shane says they are carefully calculating a gameplan on what to do against The Deadman. Shane says it will be interesting and he has a gameplan. Shane says he's definitely putting in the work

* The hosts ask if Shane came back to help with the business side of things in WWE. As of right now, he's only focused on WrestleMania and what leads up to that night, and that's his main priority. Anything else after that, Shane says we will see what happens.

* They ask if he has any message for The Undertaker. Shane jokes that Taker should just relax, take it easy and stop training. He says he's been friends with Taker for 25 years. He says they have experienced a lot of life and had a lot of fun together. He says this match is a very serious thing. He knows you have to deliver, you have to be in shape and give it all you got or you're not doing the right thing for the fans. Shane says they're both working hard and there's an immense amount of pride. He says with friendship comes a lot of "stiff liberties" and he's coming for Taker

TNA Seeking Outside Investors, Executive Comments On 'Strategic Partnership Talks' And Growth Plan

TNA is reportedly seeking outside investors to work with the company and President Dixie Carter was recently in Los Angeles for related meetings, including one at the POP TV offices, according to PWInsider.

TNA's John Gaburick confirmed to PWInsider that the company is seeking outside investors and said they have been in "strategic partnership talks with several major global media companies and investment firms about the company's next phase of growth."

Gaburick also confirmed that Dixie was in Los Angeles for those meetings, adding that she and other TNA executives have also spent a lot of time in New York City lately. Gaburick said this is all a part of the 5 year growth plan that Dixie has mentioned in past media interviews. He called it a very exciting time for TNA.

Backstage News on Shinsuke Nakamura’s Pay in WWE, His Projected Run in NXT, His Signing a Major Sports Story in Japan

According to the latest Wrestling Observer Radio and Wrestling Observer Newsletter, former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinsuke Nakamura looks to be the first NXT Superstar to receive WWE main event level money.

It has yet to be reported how much actual time Nakamura will spend in NXT, but all signs reportedly point towards a lengthy run in the brand, which makes his high pay interesting to note.

Nakamura’s signing has been treated like a major sports story in Japan, as the February 22nd press conference in Tokyo at the Hard Rock was attended by over 100 reporters, photographers and videographers.

WWE officially shoots down speculation on Shane McMahon's backstage power

In a bit of 'Reality' Era publicity WWE surely loves, the New York Post ran a story yesterday openly musing about what Shane McMahon's on-screen return to the company means about the behind-the-scenes power structure of the company.

Officially, WWE gave the paper a statement downplaying any changes to their corporate org chart:

A WWE spokesman advised against reading too much into Shane's bid to run "Raw," saying the son's merely "playing a character on a TV show."

That the story exists in a mainstream media outlet like the Post gives some life to the angle among casual fans. In story, Shane is fighting Undertaker for control of Raw. On the internet, moments after the pleasant surprise of his re-emergence sunk in, questions about what this meant for his sister, Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and brother-in-law, Executive Vice-President Paul "Triple H" Levesque arose.

Getting folks invested in the worked program via interest in possible real-world drama is an old trick, and one WWE must be only too happy to see come into play on the road to WrestleMania 32 as they prep for the huge show with an injury-depleted roster.

It's a story that easily lends itself to such speculation, too, because it makes so much sense. As "Wrestlenomics" expert Chris Harrington is quoted in the Post, the ventures Shane left WWE to pursue exposed him to a market his father's company is now trying to tackle as they push WWE Network into China and other Pacific countries:

"He has spent years focused on the issue of how do you generate real revenue with Chinese OTT media," Harrington wrote Wednesday in a piece for Seeking Alpha. "That's a topic where WWE needs an expert."

For however long Shane is back, rumors will persist that there's something going on in the halls of Titan Tower in Stamford.

And that's just the way WWE likes it.

source: cagesideseats.com

Christopher Daniels Says He 'Bummed Out' That WWE Never Hired Him, Talks WWE Signing TNA Stars

Christopher Daniels joined the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Podcast this week. Daniels recently signed a long-term contract with ROH and said, at 45, he expects to finish his career there. He was also asked if he he was bothered at all seeing many of his contemporaries from ROH and TNA now in WWE, while he never got that opportunity.

"I wouldn't be human if I didn't wish that had come my way," Daniels admitted. "I certainly am proud of the guys that have gone on and done that. But that's their hard work . . . I'm not jealous of that part of it. I wish the timing had been different.

"If WWE had softened their perception of the independent scene five years earlier than they did, maybe that would have been me. When I got to TNA in 2010, their attitude seemed to be very set against that idea. At the same time, too, I feel like at the time when I might have been most appealing to the WWE in terms of character and in terms of connection I had made with the fans, I was under contract with TNA. So, to me the bad thing about it was just timing. There's nothing you can do to change that. For me to dwell on that would just be a useless exercise in futility. I'm bummed out about it, but at the same time, I'm content where I'm at."

In the interview, Daniels also discusses working the main event of the very first ROH event, taking on a leadership role in the ROH locker room, age discrimination in wrestling, Daniel Bryan's retirement and more. The Pro Wrestling Illustrated Podcast is available to be streamed at pwi-online.com.

Shane McMahon On Possibly Working Another Role With WWE, How Hard He's Training For WrestleMania

Shane McMahon appeared on The Michael Kay Show in New York City today to promote WWE's WrestleMania 32. We will have a full recap up soon but Shane was asked if he also returned to work on the business side of things. Shane said he's focused on WrestleMania 32 right now but he will "see how it goes" in regards to doing other work with the company.

Shane also revealed that he's training three times each day for the Hell In a Cell match against The Undertaker. He started getting in better shape this past summer as his kids enjoy surfing but he's started getting serious about training and has been doing Muay-Thai for a while now.

Photo: Triple H and Stephanie McMahon at the Black Sabbath Concert

Thank you Ozzy and Sharon...amazing @BlackSabbath show last night @TheGarden! @StephMcMahon pic.twitter.com/5gK2WGRQCL

— Triple H (@TripleH) February 26, 2016

News On Shane McMahon's Employment With YOD In China, More Speculation On His WWE Future

Christopher Harrington of the Wrestlenomics website has a really good article looking at Shane McMahon's WWE return. You can check it out on business website Seeking Alpha at this link. Harrington looks at Shane and the Chinese company YOU on Demand, which he went to work for as Chairman and CEO in 2010. YOD is looking at being a top OTT streaming and subscription service in China but has had financial troubles and other issues.

Shane has invested several million of his own dollars into YOD while their annual losses for the past seven years have ranged from $6 to $16 million. There's a lot of potential for a company like YOD in China but they face several obstacles such as piracy, state-censorship on Western content and other regulations. Shane stepped down as CEO a few years back so there could be a CEO located in China and his current title with YOD is "Founder and Vice Chairman" but he is still on the Board of Directors and was recently re-elected. He has other ties to the company through stock and several million dollars worth of loans he's made to them. Harrington also reported that Shane's most recent employment agreement was made in January 2014 and included a term of two years, which was to automatically extend for additional one-year terms unless terminated before. Harrington pointed out how Shane's role with YOD appears to be diminishing as new investors move in, especially after the most recent restructuring. There has been no official announcement that Shane resumed an executive position with WWE or that he's done with YOD but it makes for interesting speculation.

Harrington also looked at Shane's role with YOD and what it could mean for the WWE Network in China as the company looks to expand there. It will be interesting to see what kind of role he takes on with WWE after WrestleMania 32, if any, as things change with YOD in China.