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May 2, 2012
Rumor Mill - Hulk Hogan's Big Concept Revealed
The word at the TNA Impact Wrestling tapings on Monday was that the big concept that Hulk Hogan was referring to in the New York Post interview calls for fans to film TNA wrestlers whenever they may encounter them. The fans will be encouraged to send the footage to the company for possible inclusion on TNA television.
The idea is that wrestlers are "on" 24/7. This idea isn't exactly popular within the locker room, as one can only imagine. As one person noted, Hogan is the last person who should encourage this given how his own home videos have come back to haunt him.
One source indicated today that the concept was set to be unveiled in a promo, but it ended up being removed. It remains to be seen whether they are saving it for another show, fine-tuning the idea, or if it's been dropped. Several people in the company who hope it's the latter scenario.
source: prowrestling.net
This Day in Wrestling History
Happy Birthday to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
May 2, 1972
Curt Hennig defeated Nick Bockwinkel for the AWA Heavyweight title.
May 2, 1987
May 1, 2012
Is Brock’s fate in the hands of Triple H, the Board?
Brock Lesnar’s vicious attack on Triple H now poses a major dilemma for both Triple H and WWE’s Board of Directors, who inevitably view the former WWE and UFC Heavyweight Champion as a boon to business. Moments before the attack Monday, Triple H made clear that although Lesnar is free to abandon his contract if he has misgivings about it, he hoped that Lesnar would stay in the WWE fold.
“I don’t think you want that, and I don’t want that either,” Triple H said of a possible Lesnar exit, adding that the WWE Universe wants to see Brock pitted against WWE Superstars such as WWE Champion CM Punk, Randy Orton and Sheamus.
Yet, with his left arm now in a sling, will the WWE COO have a change of heart? Although Triple H’s office has not yet issued a formal response to Monday’s attack, is it possible that Lesnar’s termination papers are already working their way through Human Resources channels?
Even beyond Triple H, how might the Board of Directors – which, in the eyes of the public, has taken on a much more involved role with Raw personnel in the last year – react to Monday’s assault? Even if Triple H holds firm in his stance that Lesnar shall remain a WWE talent, could the COO be overridden by the Board?
Adding one further wrinkle is the revised contract that Laurinaitis agreed to during the April 23 edition of Raw. Among the new terms approved by the GM was a clause that waived any future fines or disciplinary actions against Lesnar.
Triple H has already dismissed those additional contract perks as null and void, but could Lesnar’s camp pursue legal action in the event that the Board of Directors or Triple H comes down on Lesnar?
Finally, what of John Laurinaitis himself? One must wonder if the Raw and SmackDown GM must be held to some accountability. How can the Board approve of Laurinaitis agreeing to Brock’s mandates without any consultation, or that the company’s COO earned a broken arm for attempting to rectify a bad situation? It might be wise for the Board to take disciplinary action against Laurinaitis, and not just for apparently exceeding the limits of his authority. No, it might be a good idea to do so for the EVP of Talent Relations’ safety, before Triple H recovers and deals with Laurinaitis – personally.
The story on why The Bella Twins were "fired"
The WWE website has video footage of Eve firing The Bella Twins following their loss to Layla in a Triple Threat match. The video shows the duo trying to get inside of John Laurinaitis's office to demand a rematch. Eve blocked their entrance and they mouthed off. Eve then informed them that their contracts were coming up, fired them, and wished them the best of luck in their future endeavors. You can view the video at WWE.com.
The real story is that their contracts expired on Monday and they decided not to re-sign with the company.
source: prowrestling.net
Rumor Mill - Big Backstage Update on Brock Lesnar: Temper Tantrum, Heat w/ WWE Officials, More...
Brock Lesnar had a huge blow up backstage after WWE Extreme Rules according to F4Wonline.com.
Lesnar was reporedly told leading up to the WWE Extreme Rules event that the plan for the pay-per-view was going to see Cena leaving on a stretcher, totally incapacitated and injued off television at the hands of Lesnar. Obviously, this didn't happen. Cena went over in the match, made a speech and walked out on his own power.
Backstage Lesnar apparently made a huge scene as he was upset at Cena's post-match speech. He felt WWE officials had double crossed him to make Cena look good and Lesnar weak. According to reports Lesnar was tearing things up and flipped out on Marc Carano who is the assistant to John Laurinaitis. Lesnar went on about how things were a mess in WWE.
There is speculation that some or all of Lesnar's backstage tantrum was orchestrated by Lesnar and top WWE officials to work the rest of the roster. There is also speculation according to the report that Lesnar causing a scene backstage was mostly his way of letting everyone know he isn't afraid to quit and doesn't need WWE. Some feeling Lesnar really didn't care as much about the change in booking but wanted to show off his situation of not needing to be there.
Reports also say Lesnar suggested Cena pulled the top rope down when he was standing on the apron which caused Lesnar to fall out of the ring and almost blowing his knee on that spot during their match.
Where Lesnar goes next in storylines is up in the air in WWE which is why Lesnar had the walk out moment on RAW last night to help buy some time and figure out what to do next.
WWE in Ring for French Film
WWE Studios has partnered with Kare Prods. on the French dramedy "Les Reines du ring" (Queen of the Ring), which Warner Bros. Entertainment France will distribute.
Nathalie Baye, Andre Dussollier and Marilou Berry star in the film currently lensing under the direction of Jean-Marc Rudnicki.
Project revolves around a mother looking to strengthen her bond with her estranged son who is a WWE fan and trains to become one of WWE's female wrestlers, known as divas.
Film incorporates WWE trademarks, footage, consumer products and cameos by some of WWE's biggest stars, including CM Punk, the Miz and Eve, who recently shot their appearances for the film while on tour in France.
As part of its involvement, WWE Studios will receive an in-association credit on the pic and first-look rights to distribute the film in the U.S. and Canada. It also gets the rights to remake the film in English.
Thomas Langmann ("The Artist") is producing the film through his Paris-based La Petite Reine banner, with Antoine Rein and Fabrice Goldstein.
Other upcoming films for WWE Studios include the IM Global co-production "Dead Man Down," with Colin Farrell, Terrence Howard, Noomi Rapace and Dominic Cooper; the horror thriller "No One Lives," starring Luke Evans and WWE's Brodus Clay, which was co-produced with Pathe Films; cult hit "The Day," a pickup from the Toronto Intl. Film Festival that stars Dominic Monaghan, Shawn Ashmore and Ashley Bell; and "Barricade," with Eric McCormack.
source: variety.com
Triple H Injury Update
According to WWE doctor Dr. Chris Amann, Triple H’s arm was placed in a hold that created a tremendous amount of torque on his upper arm and elbow. “He has a non-displaced fracture of distal humorous,” said Amann. “Fortunately, this is not something that needs surgery with pins and screws. We’ll be treating him with a sling for comfort and following with him in the next few days.”
This Day in Wrestling History
Frank Gotch wrestles his last match in Chicago, defeating Leo Pardello in a one fall match. A crowd of 10,000 was on hand.
May 1, 1917
After retiring to work his farm, a drop in grain prices forces Joe Stecher to return to wrestling.
May 1, 1929
Happy Birthday to Booker T
May 1, 1965
The formation of the Four Horseman. The group consists of Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Arn Anderson and Ole Anderson with manager J.J. Dillon.
May 1986
Miss Elizabeth (Elizabeth Heulette) passed away of a drug overdose at 42
May 1, 2003
April 30, 2012
What consequences could Brock Lesnar face for breaking Triple H's arm?
At the start of Raw SuperShow, Brock Lesnar brutally attacked WWE COO Triple H, breaking his arm.
The attack was spurned on when Triple H declared that Raw and SmackDown General Manager John Laurinaitis had no authority to grant Lesnar the many demands arguably extorted from the GM prior to Extreme Rules. The Game also declared there should be a rematch between John Cena and Lensar.
Remaining defiant towards the COO, Lesnar attacked from behind, pummeled Triple H, and finally locked him in his Kimura submission hold.
After the attack, Triple H could be heard saying "it's broken," regarding his arm. And, the COO had to be helped from the ring by Big Show, Sheamus, R-Truth and Kofi Kingston.
As a result of his brutality, Lesnar was escorted out of the Nutter Center.
The egregious actions raise a host of questions for the man John Cena went to war with at Extreme Rules. Will Lesnar be fined? Will he be suspended? Could he even be fired for attacking the WWE COO?
Also, how long will it take Triple H's arm to heal? When the COO was tended to by WWE medical personnel after the attack, he could move his fingers, but not his arm.
Stay with WWE.com for more updates.
The Miz To Star In WWE Studios' "The Marine 3: Homefront"
WWE Studios new film project, "The Marine 3: Homefront" will star The Miz in the lead role.
Originally, Randy Orton was slated to be the lead in the picture, but due to his questionable military background, he was pulled from the project.
"The Marine 3: Homefront" will tell the story of a Marine who is trying to rescue his kidnapped daughter from a terrorist. The project will be shot in June for multiple weeks in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
The original Marine starred John Cena, while the sequel featured Ted DiBiase Jr.
This Day in Wrestling History
Superstar Billy Graham defeated Bruno Sammartino for the WWWF(WWE) Heavyweight title.
April 30, 1977
Greg Valentine defeated Roddy Piper for the NWA U.S. Heavyweight title
April 30, 1983
Chris Benoit defeated Booker T for the WCW Television title.
April 30, 1998
The Rock defeated Triple H for the WWF(E) Heavyweight title at Backlash at the MCI Center, Washington, DC.
April 30, 2000
April 29, 2012
John Cena Says He's Taking Time Off
John Cena appeared to have injured his left arm during his match with Brock Lesnar at tonight's Extreme Rules pay-per-view, and hinted that he may be leaving for awhile. After defeating the former UFC heavyweight champion at tonight's event, Cena took the mic and addressed the crowd.
"I'm probably going to get sent home for speaking when I'm not spoken to, but I think I'm headed home anyway," Cena said after the match. "And if I know my boss, he's going to kick me out the door, but he's going to do it on air, so I hope this is for the world to see."
"Chicago, I know this is CM Punk's town, but above all else, this is a wrestling town. Tonight, you people were supposed to see the extreme. I've got no left arm, I'm tasting my own blood... and I'm damn proud to say it was in Chicago, IL."
"All of us -- good guys, bad guys, big guys, small guys -- all of us give everything we have every night for you guys. And if I gotta take a vacation, so be it. If I'm going away for a while, I just wanna say thanks for one hell of a last ride. I feel great tonight, even with this Chicago crowd that may or may not like me. I listen to that and I think, if I'm going out, I wouldn't want to do it any other way! Thank you guys, go home safe!"
While heading to the back, Cena told officials that he couldn't move his arm, but he knows it's not torn.
Triple H To Be On Raw Tomorrow
Tonight, during WWE Extreme Rules, John Laurinaitis was seen in a backstage segment taking a phone call from Triple H. When asked by Matt Striker what the two were talking about, Laurinaitis said that it would be addressed on tomorrow night's Raw broadcast.
WWE Extreme Rules PPV Results
WWE United States Title Match: The Miz vs. Santino Marella
Winner: Santino Marella
Falls Count Anywhere Match: Kane vs. Randy Orton
Winner: Randy Orton
Brodus Clay vs. Dolph Ziggler
Winner: Brodus Clay
Intercontinental Champion Big Show vs. Cody Rhodes
Winner: Cody Rhodes - New WWE Intercontinental Champion
World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan (2-out-of-3 Falls Match)
Winner: Sheamus (c)
WWE Champion CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho (Chicago Street Fight)
Winner: CM Punk (c)
Divas Champion Nikki Bella vs. Layla
Winner: Layla - New Divas Champion
John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar (Extreme Rules Match)
Winner: John Cena
14,817 was the announced attendance at tonight’s WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view from the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. The show was sold out.
Rumor Mill - Backstage News on Rey Mysterio's WWE Suspension, Failure Happened In February
As noted before, Rey Mysterio was suspended for 60 days last week for violating the WWE Wellness Policy for a second time. Rey reportedly failed the drug test back on February 13th but wasn't suspended until this month.
Rey reportedly tested positive for amphetamines.
Rey showed up to the RAW Supershow on February 13th in San Diego but before he could settled in and say hello to everyone, he was informed that he had to go right in for drug testing. A week later, Vince McMahon was upset with Rey but at the time, nobody knew why.
Rey couldn't believe that he tested positive for amphetamines and says he has been living his life clean. WWE officials asked Mysterio about which medications he was taking and he was upfront about everything. A few days ago, officials called him and asked when he would be ready to return. Rey informed WWE that he could come back in June but was then told that he would have to wait another month because he was being suspended for 60 days.
Rey believes he failed the test because of something he took that caused the positive for amphetamines. WWE obviously did not buy his story as they went public with the failure last week.
Rey was scheduled to go to Japan in a few weeks to do promotional work for WWE but has been replaced by Alberto Del Rio.
source: lordsofpain.com
This Day in Wrestling History
Steve Austin & Triple H defeated Undertaker & Kane to win the WWF(E) Tag Team Titles.
April 29, 2001
Former AWA, Portland Wrestling, and WWF(E) star Playboy Buddy Rose (Paul Perschmann) died.
April 29, 2009
April 28, 2012
Rumor Mill - Edge Parting Ways With WWE
Varios wrestling news sites are reporting that Edge is going to let his contract with WWE expire on Monday. The 2012 WWE Hall of Famer was reportedly offered a new deal to remain exclusive to the company and didn't sign it. He will be appearing at the Resistance Pro Wrestling show on May 11th in Chicago.
Photo: Triple H at the 2012 WWE Shareholders Meeting
Paul Levesque, EVP Talent, George Barrios, CFO & Michael Luisi, President WWE Studios & General Counsel
Update on WWE Studios
Along with fewer dollars from the TV Rights Revenue category, the poor performance of WWE Studios last year was viewed by WWE management as a top reason for WWE's annual performance "not looking good" on paper. WWE detailed how they plan to correct the issue and try to make money with the films division during the annual shareholders meeting Friday.
WWE CEO Vince McMahon identified TV Rights Revenue and the movie division as key areas to address during his opening remarks at the meeting. Studios head Michael Luisi was then given his own speaking segment to sell shareholders on why movies is still a worthwhile investment despite WWE reporting numerous losses in 2011, and following a $150 million total investment in the previous two films strategy that did not pan out.
Luisi identified a three-point Films strategy focusing on a new content strategy, a new distribution strategy, and a harder push to sell the movies to WWE's current audience and to non-WWE fans.
Update on the WWE Network
WWE remains unsure when a proposed WWE Network will launch and what form the Network will take.
During the annual shareholders meeting Friday, WWE executives fielded numerous questions related to the Network. Near the end of the Q&A, WWE CEO Vince McMahon was finally asked point-blank when the Network will be launching.
"That's a really good question," McMahon replied. McMahon then repeated WWE's stance that they want to make sure they "do it right" by exploring all of their options with a traditional cable TV model versus a hybrid model incorporating newer media.
Specifically related to when the decision will be made, McMahon said, "An announcement is forthcoming." After a pause, McMahon said, "In other words, I don't have that answer."
McMahon suggested earlier in the meeting that WWE could launch a cable-specific Network right now, but the volatility of the market and "times being different now" makes them more cautious to continue looking into other Network options.
"We're close to closing - if we wish - a linear network. We can do that," McMahon said. "We can also look at other opportunities at the same time that might be better for us, but, then again, it might not be."
Highlights from the 2012 WWE Shareholders Meeting
WWE CEO Vince McMahon opened the annual shareholders meeting Friday talking about two guarantees in life - death and taxes - before vowing to report improved operating results this time last year.
McMahon acknowledged the stock price has dipped below $8 per share to 52-week lows, and said he believes it reflects on unfavorable 2011 business results. He said he believes the price will be much improved this same time next year.
Key reasons why WWE believes they will be in a better position is cleaning up the Films division, generating more revenue from their TV shows with the imminent announcement of NXT and Superstars's future homes, and accelerating international growth.
The following are more business highlights from the annual shareholders meeting capturing WWE's view on the past year and year ahead.
McMahon said there will be "announcements very shortly" on the next wave of distribution for NXT and Superstars, which WWE management says they have strategically held back on before bringing back to TV. WWE CFO George Barrios noted WWE used the shows in contract negotiations for the Network.
McMahon said they sense there is "extraordinary demand" for their product in and out of the ring, and "now is the time to capitalize" on NXT & Superstars to re-obtain TV Rights Revenue from distributing the shows.
McMahon was asked if WWE should drop the price of PPVs to increase buys. "No," McMahon replied. He added, "We're the best value in entertainment." McMahon said WWE believes more people are congregating at homes to watch the PPVs in a tough economy. He attributed a PPV decline to economic reasons rather than a lack of interest in the product.
Asked about UFC PPVs in comparison, McMahon said it's "two completely different audiences." He then said, "UFC's PPVs have dropped like a rock. Ours haven't." McMahon said UFC dropping their PPV price would "indicate a great deal of weakness."
McMahon was asked later why not make WrestleMania free, like the Super Bowl, and charge advertisers. McMahon said it "does not make much sense." He said he doesn't know of a channel that would air Mania, and he doesn't think money from sponsors would compare to the money they make on PPV for Mania.
Triple H was asked to clear up the status of WWE Developmental and the future of the program. Hunter spent the first-half of his response addressing the telephone version of the last month's rumor that FCW may be shutting down (not the entire Developmental program) before saying the "where and how" of their expansion plans is still in the works. Hunter stressed Developmental being the lifeblood of WWE and name-dropped Brodus Clay as one wrestler who has come through the system.
When asked if he's thought about a physical Hall of Fame location, McMahon said, "No, we haven't." He said it's something they would consider in the future, though, before getting into his belief that a physical building would not be a money-maker for WWE in the current environment.
"Something not on the front-burner, but one day will probably do something like that," McMahon said.
Asked why WWE continues to a publicly-traded company, McMahon said it makes them better businesspeople, gives the company more brainpower at the executive and Board of Directors level, they can obtain capital, and it changes the complexion of the company. "It's no longer one man's vision," McMahon said.
source: pwtorch.com
You can view the video of the meeting here. Triple H speaks at the 59:01 mark.
This Day in Wrestling History
Owen Hart defeated Rocky Maivia(The Rock) for the WWF(E) Intercontinental title.
April 28, 1997
Wrestling legend, Lou Thesz, passes away at the age of 86.
April 28, 2002
April 27, 2012
TNA Changing IMPACT Timeslot
TNA and Spike TV announced this afternoon that starting on 5/31, Impact Wrestling will move to 8 PM Thursdays. A press release noted that the decision was made based on the idea that there would be a larger viewing audience at 8 PM and less competition from sports programming. It would be the first time in its broadcast history on Spike that the series would air so early in the evening.
