The Next Guest Host Of Raw Is...

Betty White

Stephanie McMahon & John Cena to Present at SXSW

WWE's John Cena, Stephanie McMahon and Perkins Miller will be appearing at the annual South By Southwest (SXSW) convention in Austin, Texas in early March. They will appear on a panel on Sunday, March 9th at the Driskill Hotel in Austin. The trio will be talking about the WWE App and the WWE Network.

Ric Flair Replaces CM Punk at WrestleMania XXX Axxess Signing

CM Punk has been removed from the WrestleMania XXX Axxess lineup.

Fans who had purchased tickets for his April 5th VIP Autograph session were emailed and notified that Ric Flair would be replacing Punk. No explanation was offered to fans in the email, so apparently WWE is not ready to comment on the Punk situation.

Fans are given the option of taking a refund or exchanging their ticket for one of the other VIP sessions, or attending the session with Flair.

KENTA Talks About Why He's Been at the WWE Performance Center This Week

Pro Wrestling Noah star KENTA has blogged about why he was at the WWE Performance Center this week. Here is a translation from Japanese to English from yottsumepuroresu.blogspot.jp:

"I am sorry for having you all confused over the various information about my visit in the US.

As a matter of fact, I am in the States and enjoying the WWE training. But as for now, it’s not about getting a tryout or a contract.

It is indeed true that I have always been yearning for a spot in WWE, and I’ve always wanted to give it a try sometime. After all, you only live once. “I should have given it a try.” “I should have chosen another way.” I’ve had those regrets when I was in my middle and high school, and even after I got in to this business. I just did not want to regret later about something I haven’t tried, so I used my time off to participate in the WWE workout. The executives were at the workout, so perhaps I may have left a mark.

The place is full of competition and hungry guys. It’s not as simple as being good at Puroresu or having strength. There are so many guys with monster physique and guys who are way athletically superior to me. And even they don’t get into the big league. That’s how tough this place could be. I can easily imagine that surviving in this environment could be severe. And spending a few days in that environment became a really good experience for me.

I’m sorry to have caused the confusion, but one thing I can say for sure is that “I’m glad I came”. I would like to work even harder making use of this experience.

And lastly, I would like to thank [NOAH] President [Akira] Taue for letting me take this chance."

John Cena, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Championship Ladder Match & More Advertised for WWE Network Debut of NXT TV, Special Gets Official Name

WWE is going all out for the live debut of NXT on the WWE Network February 27th. As we have known for quite some time, Antonio Cesaro will face Sami Zyan in a rematch of their epic 2013 match, where the winner must win two out of three falls to gain the victory. Also scheduled is an NXT Championship ladder match between champion Bo Dallas and Adrian Neville.

Tonight at the last NXT television taping prior to the live debut, a huge list of names both past and present was announced for the show. WWE Hall of Famers Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels will join WWE Superstars John Cena, Sheamus and the New Age Outlaws Billy Gunn and Road Dogg.

Additionally, the special will be titled “NXT Arrival.”

The WWE Network's Secret Weapon Suplex

When the WWE announced that it was creating its own digital network—and possibly charting a course for the future of television in the process—it was rightly received here and elsewhere as a Big Deal. But what didn't receive quite as much fanfare was Vince McMahon's secret weapon: A second screen experience that's both beloved and highly evolved.

Here's what we know about the WWE Network: It's for superfans. Or rather, it represents an insane value to people who consider themselves anything above a casual wrasslin fan. Remember, for just 10 bucks a month, you get access to 12 pay per views that normally cost around $55 a pop. For the right person, it's an outright steal. But outside of that fan base, it's a tough sell.

Here's what we don't know about the WWE Network: If there are enough of those people (a million, by WWE's own estimates) to make it sustainable. But today, we get our best hint yet that there are at least that many diehards ready to open up their homes to an endless stream of suplexes.

The WWE app, a second-screen experience that gives viewers access to bonus content, social feeds, notifications, and more, has officially been downloaded 10 million times. That's 10 million fans passionate enough to want an app that gives them the kind of immersive experience that would seem, frankly, a little unhinged to a casual fan. If just one out of 10 of those 10 million clicks "subscribe," the WWE Network is a hit...More?

source: gizmodo.com

CM Punk Being Unhappy About WrestleMania XXX, Vince and Triple H's Reaction

As we've noted this week, some of CM Punk's frustration had to do with being booked against Triple H in a match at WrestleMania XXX. Word is that Punk felt that a program with Triple H is not a "big feud and a big match" when he's stated numerous times that he wanted to main event the biggest show of the year.

Regarding Punk's future with WWE, it's said that Vince McMahon wants Punk back but Triple H has mixed feelings on the situation. Triple H reportedly feels disrespected by Punk but is letting Vince handle things.

More Backstage News On CM Punk Leaving WWE And His RAW Meeting With Vince McMahon

While CM Punk is still being advertised for Elimination Chamber and may appear on some other advertisements for upcoming live events, word is that he will eventually be pulled from those as well. In the last week, two different people with knowledge of Punk's situation have noted that he was "as good as gone" from WWE when his deal expired in July and one person said they didn't expect him to even last until July.

Regarding Punk talking to Vince McMahon at RAW before he went home, word now is that Punk didn't see Vince until 7:30pm. Earlier reports said that Vince had the creative team start re-writing RAW just after 6pm when he found out Punk was leaving. The reason the Kofi Kingston vs. Alberto Del Rio match on RAW went so long is because it came during the period that was laid out for Punk's segment and the match had to go a second segment to cover the time.

There has been a working assumption within WWE creative for several weeks that Punk was leaving in July and would not sign a new deal. Sheamus will be replacing Punk at all SmackDown tapings where Punk was largely advertised as the main star.

source: wrestling observer

WWE on Hulu Plus Update

WWE will continue to work with Hulu Plus to stream RAW, Main Event and SmackDown even though they will offer the same service with the WWE Network.

E! Sets “Total Divas’” Season Two Premeire Date For March 16, 2014

Blonde Bombshell And Feisty WWE Diva Summer Rae Joins The Cast Of E!’s Most-Watch New Series Of 2013, Documenting The Private Lives of The Biggest Female Names in WWE.

More?

Former WWE Star Matt Hardy and Wife Arrested in January, Details on the Fight and 911 Call

TMZ.com is reporting that Matt Hardy and wife Reby Sky, real name Rebecca Hardy, were arrested on January 1 at a motel in Virginia. At this link, there are graphic mugshots of both individuals seemingly after the incident, where both had lacerations of their faces.

During a 911 call from another guest at the hotel, she said "A guest just came down here and said somebody's beating the hell out of his wife a girl or something." The entire 911 call was released and can be heard here.

They were both released on 3,500 dollars bond and have been spotted numerous times together in good health and spirits. While in Pittsburgh this past weekend for a Ring of Honor show, Hardy and Reby were together in great spirits with fans in attendance. There have been many new pictures of the married couple online as of this past Sunday.

Rumor Mill - CM Punk Tells Vince McMahon He’s “Going Home”; Removed From Future Programming & Live Events

Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline.com received the following information, which he shared with listeners live on the "Bryan & Vinny Show" earlier today:

"There may be a big change in that the WrestleMania match may be being changed to Triple H vs. Daniel Bryan, as opposed to Triple H vs. CM Punk. Which is why Bryan was written into a promo on Monday that happened to be a promo with Triple H … and there has been absolutely zero mention with CM Punk and Kane, their feud, or anything having to do with it. Bryan may be getting Punk's match."

The website is now reporting that WWE Superstar CM Punk told Vince McMahon personally that he was going home, and then got on a plane for Chicago. WWE.com has since removed Punk from all upcoming live events and house shows over the next few weeks including Monday Night Raw. At this time he is still being advertised for the Elimination Chamber PPV on February 23rd in Minneapolis, MN but it remains to be seen how long Punk will be gone.

This seems to fly in the face of other recent reports from the Observer that have stated that WWE had no plans of changing Daniel Bryan's WrestleMania match after a hostile Royal Rumble crowd, but plans are constantly changing in the company and anything is possible at this point, it would seem. CM Punk tweeted the following message on Monday morning:

Thanks for all the support. Keep being you guys, it's pretty cool.
— Coach (@CMPunk) January 27, 2014

Also keep in the back of your mind that with The Authority being both a real life managerial structure and an on-screen faction, it wouldn't be too crazy to assume that WWE wants this information getting out, so they can use Punk's absence in a future storyline.

We can only hope...I can't stand that guy...

Top Japanese Star Gets a WWE Tryout

Pro Wrestling Noah star KENTA was at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando on Monday, working out in the ring. Word is that he was brought in for a tryout this week and that William Regal suggested WWE look at him.

Sting-WWE Update

WWE has entered negotiations with former NWA, WCW and TNA champion Sting, the rare legitimate international star that never, ever worked for WWE over the course of his career.

We are told by a source close to Sting that discussions just opened up and that within the next several weeks, one way or another, they will be completed.

WWE has come close to signing Sting at several different points following the demise of World Championship Wrestling in March 2001. Sting has noted in past interviews with us that a big reason he didn't sign back then was concern over the WWE product at the time, since it was far racier than he was personally comfortable with as a Christian. Obviously, that would no longer be a factor.

The belief of those we've spoken to is that if the two sides come to terms, he would not be rushed into a Wrestlemania match this year, but that was not 100%.

With the advent of the WWE Network, Sting would be a great signing if for no other reason then to be the WCW representation in the company. He was the last true blue WCW star and was never considered a "WWE" guy, so who better to use to promote to lapsed WCW fans that they can now watch older PPVs and other WCW-related material?

Sting has also noted in past interviews with PWInsider.com that he would not be adverse to being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, despite his career being WCW-centric. Obviously, WWE would love to market and monetize Sting merchandise, DVDs, etc. if a deal is made. They have had interest in the past in releasing Sting DVDs and held off only because he was appearing on national TV for TNA and they didn't want there to be confusion in the marketplace.

source: pwinsider.com

WWE Network Is the First to Ditch Traditional Cable Will other entertainment brands do the same?

Sam Thielman of AdWeek.com is featuring an article on the upcoming launch of the WWE Network on 2/24 and how it could create a new path for other entertainment outlets to be successful with traditional television.

Jason Krebs of Marker Studios is quoted in the article adding, "It’s a courageous and brilliant opportunity. Everybody talks about how cord-cutting isn’t going to happen, but generally those are the same people who said that tablets weren’t going to be a meaningful consumer experience and that we’d never get to current levels of computing power."

To check out the full article, click here.

WWE Royal Rumble Twitter TV Ratings

Sunday's WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view ranked #3 on Nielsen's Twitter TV Ratings, trailing The Grammys and The Bachelor". Nielsen calculated a "unique audience" of 2.430 million for The Rumble, which Nielsen describes as the total number of Twitter accounts generating at least one tweet pertaining to a specific show. The total number of impressions was 27.082 million, which was more than The Bachelor.

The Next Inductee to the WWE Hall of Fame Is...

Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Click here for more.

WrestleMania Axxess Signing Schedule

TICKETS
Tickets for WrestleMania Axxess go on sale Saturday, Feb. 1, at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT and will be available on Ticketmaster.com or charge by phone: 800-745-3000.

ATTRACTIONS
This year's WrestleMania Axxess experience includes Superstar signings, photo opportunities, Superstar Q&A sessions, memorabilia displays, WWE Shop and much more. Check back soon for a full list of attractions!

SUPERSTAR SIGNING DATES & TIMES
Thursday, April 3 — 6 p.m.–10 p.m.

Friday, April 4 — 6 p.m.–10 p.m.

Saturday, April 5
Session 1: 8 a.m.–12 p.m.
Session 2: 1 p.m.–5 p.m.
Session 3: 6 p.m.–10 p.m.

Sunday, April 6
Session 1: 8 a.m.–2 p.m.

GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS — $45*
General admission tickets include:

Autographs and professional photos with WWE Superstars, Divas and Legends
Enjoy viewing matches, Q&As and contests in the main ring

VIP TICKETS — $95*
VIP tickets include:

Autograph and professional photo with a VIP WWE Superstar
Exclusive VIP line at the event entrance
(1) 8x10 glossy photo of the appearing Superstar

VIP SIGNING SCHEDULES
Thursday, April 3
6 p.m. – Randy Orton
8 p.m. – Bret Hart


Saturday, April 5
Session 1:
10 a.m. – Daniel Bryan

Session 2:
1 p.m. – Big Show

Session 3:
6 p.m. – CM Punk
8 p.m. – Sheamus

Sunday, April 6
8 a.m. – Bruno Sammartino
10 a.m. – Rey Mysterio
12 p.m. – Shawn Michaels

PREMIUM VIP TICKETS — $175*
Premium VIP tickets include:

Autograph and professional photo with a Premium VIP WWE Superstar
Exclusive VIP line at the event entrance
(1) 8x10 glossy photo of the appearing Superstar
(1) Copy of the "WWE 50" book: Celebrating 50 Years of Sports Entertainment

PREMIUM VIP SIGNING SCHEDULES
Friday, April 4
6 p.m. – John Cena
8 p.m. – Batista

Saturday, April 5
3 p.m. – The Undertaker
Children two years old and younger are FREE.

*Prices are PER SESSION and do not include applicable fees

WWE Royal Rumble PPV Results

TNA Inducting Kurt Angle Into Their Hall of Fame Next Month In London

TNA announced the following today:

Kurt Angle is to be inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame during the company’s trip to the UK and Ireland for its MAXIMUM IMPACT VI Tour.

Olympic Gold Medalist and IMPACT WRESTLING Superstar Kurt announced the news earlier today during an appearance on the popular Sunday Brunch TV show, shown on Channel 4. Hosted by Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer, it is watched by more than one million people.

Angle will be inducted to the prestigious TNA Hall of Fame this Saturday, February 1, during the London leg of the Tour at Wembley Arena. A limited number of seats remain available for what will be a historic event. Tickets can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.co.uk, www.gigsandtours.com/tour/tna-wrestling or direct from the Wembley Arena box office.

Angle said: “There are some things I wanted to accomplish before accepting induction into the TNA Hall of Fame, and now I’m ready. I’m thankful I have been able to do this in my own time. The phenomenal wrestling fans in London will be part of this memorable and emotional night this Saturday.”

The star recently listed London as one of the top 10 wrestling cities in the world and added: “Wembley is such a storied venue, and with thousands of fans it will be a perfect setting for the induction ceremony. A majority of my life has been dedicated to achieving success as a wrestler. Being inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame is an accomplishment and an honor I will forever cherish.”

Angle becomes the second inductee into the TNA Hall of Fame, following the inaugural induction in 2012 of “The Icon” Sting.

Angle, who was a collegiate champion and won a Gold Medal in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, seamlessly transitioned from his domination as an amateur wrestler to being a professional wrestling phenomenon.

The only Olympic Gold Medalist in the history of professional wrestling, Angle created incredible buzz when in 2006 he joined TNA. Kurt is one of the most decorated champions in TNA history having won every major championship including the TNA World Heavyweight Championship five times.

Known as the “Cyborg”, Angle is venerated for his physicality, revered for his tenacity and esteemed for his leadership inside and outside of the ring. Among Angle’s numerous awards and accolades, perhaps most profound is the recognition he often receives among his colleagues as the best professional wrestler of all time; a man of solid character and great leadership who dedicates himself to the sport and its fans.

“I am privileged to be a witness to the Kurt Angle story. His influence on wrestling is unrivaled in this sport, or any other,” said TNA Executive Vice President John Gaburick. “TNA is grateful for Kurt’s continued devotion and contributions to our organisation, this business and to the fans.”

In addition to witnessing Angle’s induction into the TNA Hall of Fame, fans attending the Wembley Arena event will be part of a live taping of the weekly IMPACT WRESTLING broadcast, viewed by millions in more than 120 countries around the world.

Rumor Mill - WWE Bringing in Big Names for Network Launch

According to F4WOnline.com, WWE is considering bringing in some big names, possibly Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman and Shawn Michaels, for the WWE Network launch on the night after The Elimination Chamber PPV.

While there has been speculation that Hulk Hogan will return to WWE at The Royal Rumble PPV on Sunday, he is expected to make his return the night of the Network launch as well to help hype the launch.

TNA Announces Return to Universal Studios For Post-Lockdown TV Tapings, PPV Event Added

TNA has announced that it will be returning to Universal Studios in Florida for TV tapings after the Lockdown PPV in March. The calendar of tapings includes a PPV event, however it's unknown which PPV it will be, although it appears as if it might be a live event as the night before a One Night Only event is being taped, and April 27th is a Sunday night.

TNA has also said it wlll be releasing more news regarding its relationship with Universal Studios in the near future.

Below is the schedule:

MARCH 13 – IMPACT LIVE
MARCH 14 – IMPACT Taping
MARCH 15 – IMPACT Taping
APRIL 10 – IMPACT LIVE
APRIL 11 – IMPACT Taping
APRIL 12 – IMPACT Taping
APRIL 26 – One Night Only Taping
APRIL 27 – TNA Pay-Per-View Event
APRIL 28 – IMPACT Taping
APRIL 29 – IMPACT Taping
MAY 7 – IMPACT Taping
MAY 8 – IMPACT Taping
MAY 9 – IMPACT Taping

WWE Network coming to Apple TV, company executive suggests

Earlier this year, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) held a press conference to announce that it will be bringing its wrestling content to television and mobile devices via a new WWE Network. At the event, WWE Chief Revenue and Marketing officer Michelle Wilson announced hardware partners and that the network will provide its content via a 24/7 stream that costs $9.99 per month.

Wilson said that the network would become available on a slew of devices, including iOS devices, Android devices, Rokus, Amazon Kindle devices, Xbox hardware, and PlayStations. Rounding out the list of supported devices, Wilson said, is “a connected device that I am not allowed to mention at this press conference…”

The only major connected TV device not explicitly announced to support WWE is the Apple TV set-top-box, leading us to believe that the secret supporting product is the Apple TV. It is widely known that Apple enjoys controlling all aspects of its products, right down to the content makers that it works with. In addition to that speculation, audience attendees were given Apple TVs in special WWE packaging.

When Wilson made her statement about the device she is “not allowed to mention,” an attendee in the front of the auditorium raised up the gifted Apple TV. In response, Wilson said, “you got the joke, I love it.” The WWE Network officially launches on February 24th, so perhaps the channel will show up on Apple TV boxes on or around that date. Another possibility is that the WWE is looking to be a launch partner for Apple’s upcoming Apple TV successor.

Yesterday, we reported that sources have indicated that Apple has a revamped Apple TV set-top-box in the works. We have been told that the new product will likely be introduced in the first half of 2014 and that new downloadable content types (such as applications) is a strong possibility for inclusion.

Last year, Apple added several new content channels to the Apple TV, including Bloomberg News, MLS Soccer, new Disney offerings, Watch ABC, and Vevo. We’ve previously published an extensive profile regarding how Apple and content providers work together on new Apple TV channels. Phone calls and emails to the WWE have not been returned.

source: 9to5mac.com

CM Punk Talks About His WWE Contract Expiring, the Michelle Beadle Incident, More

CM Punk did an interview with Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com. Here are some highlights from the interview:

* While we may know who Punk is facing at WrestleMania XXX, he says a lot can change in six weeks.

* His current contract expires in July and he hasn't spoke to anyone about a new deal yet. Punk said his boss changes every few months and he doesn't know who his current boss is. He said everything is up in the air regarding his future with WWE. He said three years ago, he was 100% out of the door and to avoid repeating himself, he's going to say "he doesn't know."

* He talked about having an open line to Vince McMahon and them both being insomniacs texting each other at 4am.

* He asked Vince if he could induct The Ultimate Warrior into the Hall of Fame but doesn't believe he will get to. He said popular opinion is that Hulk Hogan will induct Warrior.

* He was critical of The Rock returning but doesn't feel the same about Batista because Batista is back "for the long haul."

* He said the drama with AJ Lee and Michelle Beadle was a "bunch of horseshit." He thought he and Beadle were friends and backstage at the Tribute to the Troops, she walked past him "with a group of women" and said "some disrespectful shit" and "I was like, whoa." Punk said "his girlfriend" (AJ Lee) went to Beadle and the same group of women and introduced herself and pulled her aside and told her not to speak that way to her boyfriend and Beadle said, "OK." Punk was asked how something like that leaks out and he said that he doesn't know. He said that it was made out to be salacious and that's why it was picked up. Punk said what Beadle said was, "What's up fuckface" before high-fiving the girl next to her.

* He's not sure if he will be excited about the WWE Network "until he gets his PPV checks."

NBCUniversal, out to keep WWE, mulls Hall of Fame

NBCUniversal, looking to retain rights to WWE’s popular “Smackdown” and “Raw” programs on its SyFy and USA channels, is thinking about creating a Hall of Fame for the entertainment company at its Universal Studios theme park in Orlando, The Post has learned.

While no concrete offer has been made, NBCU brass, as they put together a final pitch to present to Vince McMahon’s WWE, have talked about such a deal sweetener, sources said.

NBCU’s exclusive negotiating period ends Feb. 1, sources said.

Meanwhile, rivals like Viacom, whose Spike channel carries TNA, a rival pro wrestling circuit, and Turner Broadcasting, are logical partners.

Both “Smackdown” and “Raw” are highly rated and the current $140 million-a-year deal is likely to rise substantially.

NBCU’s rights include USA Network’s three-hour primetime block “Monday Night Raw,” and Syfy channel’s Friday night, “Smackdown.”

WWE shows are also available on Hulu Plus and on small broadcast network ION.

Executives at the Stamford, Conn.-based WWE are believed to be asking for at least double the current rate, arguing that its scripted wrestling events are akin to live sports programming...More?

source: nypost.com

The Original Sin Cara Speaks: Confirms His Release, Claims He Owns The Sin Cara Character Rights

The original Sin Cara sat down with Mexican Lucha Libre show Tercera Caída yesterday to speak on his return to Mexico. The hosts briefly touched on his release, stating that Sin Cara is now an independent wrestler. Cara confirms by simply shaking his head to confirm the news and they quickly change the subject to what the WWE plans to do with the character.

Sin Cara spoils the recent WWE Main Event taping where Alberto Del Rio unmasks Hunico. He said that everyone knew that wasn't the real Sin Cara because of the tattoos and said that it was the last anyone in the WWE would see that character. Following some play on words, Sin Cara adamantly claims he owns the rights to the Sin Cara name, gimmick and mask. He said:

"I am the owner of the persona of Sin Cara. I say it openly because it's all on my side, in my favor. I think that it's best left to lawyers because I am the owner of the persona I am the owner of the [character's] image and I have proof."
The hosts mention to Sin Cara that having the rights to the name is very uncommon for WWE wrestlers. Sin Cara interjects and says that he has proof. Sin Cara responds back with:

"That depends on how the wrestler work their deals. I'm not here to talk bad about anyone. I've always been a person that goes the route of peace. I'm not going to fight with anyone or any company. I'm not saying that because I'm scared to fight a big company. No, Why would I? Everyone knows that the original Mistico went on to be [the original] Sin Cara in the WWE. So that we would not have any legal issues with CMLL, I automatically changed my name and my persona and continued on with my registered persona."

Sin Cara plugged his Sin Cara gym and confirmed some names for its 1 year anniversary.

DDP On Who Made Jake Roberts' WWE Return Happen, Scott Hall, If He Would Wrestle In WWE

MLive has an interview with Diamond Dallas Page, who will host a DDP YOGA workshop Saturday morning from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Funk Fitness, 50200 Dennis Ct., in Wixom, MI. The workshop costs $75 and includes background on DDP YOGA, an actual workout, plus a Q&A session. You can get more details at this link. Here are some highlights from the interview:

If Scott Hall is still doing the DDP YOGA program:

Yeah, Scott is still doing it. He does a little bit of everything. He still calls my (expletive) yoga, which still pisses me off. You don't call DDP Yoga 'yoga!' It's not yoga. It's a form of yoga. The really cool yogis love what I'm doing; the stuck up ones don't get it. It like 'You're right, it ain't real yoga, it's DDP Yoga (expletive)!'

Jake appearing on Old School RAW:

It was amazing, and the fact Triple H and Vince McMahon were responsible for it all! Not only did they believe in me enough to know that Jake was right, but they saw it. They heard it from me first, and my ass was on the line (laughing). But I know it wouldn't turn into a disaster. When Vince McMahon let me do my own mini have fun infomerical in the show he paid me back times ten for anything he's ever owed me. That's the way I look at it. If we get lucky enough, and Jake actually gets inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, it will be unbelievable. It would be part of an amazing story. You know we started a movie? We started it 16 months ago and call it 'The Resurrection of Jake the Snake.'

Our goal, by the grace of Vince McMahon - if he gets Jake in the Hall of Fame - would be to release the movie by the next WrestleMania. That would be the goal. Our goal is to take it to (expletive) Sundance (Film Festival). Our goal is to get a (expletive) Oscar! People went bat (expletive) about Mickey Rourke in 'The Wrestler' … let me show you the real wrestler! Let me show you the guy who almost killed himself, the guy who ODed on something. Let me show you how in 16 to 18 months time he turned his life around.

If he would return to action in WWE:

Nope, nope, nope. I hope it's never offered to me. He's the man right now, that man being Randy Orton. I love to watch him wrestle. Randy and I have been tight since he was 22. If this was 10 years ago, it would make sense. But I'm 57. I don't want it offered to me because I'll do it. I'm 57, I want to stay strong and healthy.

Jim Ross Speaks on Whether or Not the Ric Flair 2k Sports Symposium Caused His WWE Departure

In a new interview conducted for Grantland.com, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross spoke on the infamous 2k Sports panel during SummerSlam weekend last year, during which a seemingly inebriated Ric Flair commandeered the symposium and Jim Ross reportedly took a lot of the blame for allowing the situation to get out of hand.

Ross' WWE departure came shortly after the panel, and JR had the following to say regarding whether or not the panel was the reason why WWE decided part ways with him:

Jim Ross"I don't think you have to be a Mensa member to figure out that it had an influence on decisions that were made. I was working with the developmental kids [in NXT] and enjoying that, and got called in for that job.

It was a very unique night, to say the least. Ric was coming off maybe the most traumatic time of his life. [Flair's son Reid had recently died of a drug overdose.] In hindsight, it might not have been the most timely booking, to get him in that environment. And then you can look at the other side and say maybe it's a good thing to get him out around friends. As it worked out, you'd probably lean more to the former than the latter. But here's the deal: I was conductor of a runaway train. I was supposed to keep it on the tracks and that didn't happen. So I don't have any issues taking responsibility. Did I envision that it would help facilitate my exit? No. But I could see the thinking behind it.

But honestly, people might not believe this, and I don't want to give one of those eye-rollers, but it really came at a good time. My health is good, I just celebrated my 62nd birthday, I got a lot of projects going. I'm going to start a podcast soon with the same company that does Austin and Jericho. I'm excited about that. I got Live Nation working with me on one-man shows and, of course, we start out the way we want to start out, in New York City, Saturday, March 1, at the Gramercy Theater."

Backstage Details on Why WWE is Working with Ric Flair Again

According to PWInsider.com, WWE is more open to working with Ric Flair again as he was said to be "on his best behavior" at the WWE Raw Old School show. Flair's WWE status remains, however, on a case-by-case basis.

It's being said that Triple H was heavily involved in getting Flair to deal with his issues last year, and during a family phone call involving Triple H, he reportedly told Flair that unless he addressed his personal issues, he would be cut off from the company. Since Flair addressed those issues in the past several months, WWE is once again open to working with him.

MLB Advanced Media Head Discusses WWE Network Importance

MLB Advanced Media CEO Bob Bowman was interviewed by Deadline.com about a number of topics including the WWE Network. On the Network, Bowman commented, "Economically it’s one of our largest clients for sure. In that sense it’s incredibly important. But what’s more important than dollars is this is the most vertically integrated brand in America.WWE Network Vince McMahon controls everything soup to nuts — from the idea in his head to how it appears on every screen around the world. And he just demonstrated [at CES] he’s going to try and change what the economic rules are. He’s in an ideal situation to do that. That’s why a lot of the content players are going to watch this very carefully. As we’ve learned with music, a monthly subscription might be better than pay-per-view. It will ultimately be on every device and operating system that’s imaginable. So the ability to take your content live and on-demand to every corner of the globe 24/7 is pretty appealing for a content publisher. All of the great partners that we have — DirecTV, Comcast, things like that — they’re still U.S.-based services."

source: pwinsider.com

New Details And Artwork Revealed For WWE Studios' 'Scooby-Doo: WrestleMania Mystery'

The following extras will be featured on WWE Studios' "Scooby-Doo: WrestleMania Mystery" DVD and Blu-ray that comes out on March 25th:

* Behind the Scenes with Scooby-Doo and the WWE Gang: A behind the scenes look at the voice recording sessions with the cast of WWE.

* Wrestle Maniacs: Bonus "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo" Episode.

Both DVD and Blu-ray will have a run-time of 1 hour and 24 minutes, including extras. A new synopsis has also been released, courtesy of WrestlingDVDNews.com:

"This all-new original movie delivers endless action with Scooby-Doo, Shaggy and the rest of the gang! The mystery begins when Shaggy and Scooby win tickets to WrestleMania and convince the crew to go with them to WWE City.

But this city harbors a spooky secret – a ghastly Ghost Bear holds the town in his terrifying grip! To protect the coveted WWE Championship Title, the gang gets help from WWE Superstars like John Cena, Triple H, Sin Cara, Brodus Clay, AJ Lee, The Miz and Kane.

Watch Scooby and the gang grapple with solving this case before it's too late."

TNA Putting Stories Out About The Wolves & WWE

The Wolves, formerly the American Wolves, have signed with TNA. In regard to their WWE tryout, TNA sources were throwing out stories that the Wolves turned down a "longer tryout" with NXT to instead sign with TNA. As noted in PWInsider's Elite section, WWE sources indicated that Triple H dropped interest in the team after their NXT TV bout against the Ascension following a spot where Richards crashed down on the top of his head following a miscue. Hunter also had concerns regarding the attitude/behavior of Richards.