Triple H was a major contributor to the The Herald Sun feature we posted about earlier, as the journalist that wrote the piece was touring the WWE Performance Center alongside Triple H and others. In fact, the writer said he was one of the first international journalist given the opportunity to tour and cover the new 26,000 square foot training facility in Orlando.
Here are some of the Triple H highlights from the piece:
On how WWE finds talent for the Performance Center:
“Some people come to us, some send us tapes, we hold open castings and do auditions,” he says. “We make connections with Olympic athletes, rugby and football players. Some of these people are among the best athletes in the world who just missed out on performing at the highest level in their sport. For them, the WWE is an amazing chance at a new career.”
On superstars using mirrors to work on their promos:
“It’s called the mirror room because, when I learned, that’s what you did — you stood in front of a mirror and practised doing promos,” Levesque says. “The biggest part of our industry is charisma and personality, how you stand out from the crowd.
“The top star was not always the guy who was the best technician in the ring, sometimes it was the guy with the incredible personality … that’s the hard part to teach.”
On the thoughts behind creating the Performance Center:
“The design of this place comes from a thought: if I wanted to be a superstar today, what would I need to get there? This is about making the next generation of superstars bulletproof — giving them what they need to get here, the tools to make it, everything they must have in order to be as successful as they can be.”
Sean Fewster of Australia's Herald Sun did an incredible job with his detailed piece on WWE's Peformance Center. Focusing on Hunter's comments and those of WWE Diva Emma, you get a very unique view of exactly what the new training facility means on both sides of the business – management and talent.
You can check out the feature here.
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March 21, 2014
Triple H, Emma, WWE Performance Center, More
March 20, 2014
Minor Change For WWE NXT
WWE has changed the way they add NXT episodes to Hulu Plus and all episodes will be available on Fridays now. They also haven't added the videos to YouTube yet so the only way to catch NXT first in the United States is on the WWE Network at 9pm on Thursdays.
Details On Eight Potential WWE Network Reality Shows Including One With Steve Blackman
WWE issued a survey earlier today to gauge interest on potential reality shows for the WWE Network. Here are details, courtesy of PWInsider:
* WWE Rescue - a reality show where WWE talents come to the homes of "super fans" to help with their personal and business problems. Described as Restaurant Impossible meets Nanny 911.
* NXT: Behind the Scenes - A reality series following the NXT talents trying to make it out of the Performance Center and to the main roster, looking at their work, their personal lives and the fraternity of the NXT brand, including the heartbreak of being cut.
* WWE Ultimate Challenge- WWE's version of CBS' Amazing Race with a 12 hour extreme scavenger hunt in different cities.
* Xtreme WWE Collector - Starring "Super fan" Michael Patterson - WWE's version of Travel Channel's Toy Hunter.
* Pros vs. Joes - Similar the old Spike TV series, pitting WWE talents against an average person in physical and non-physical challenges. The non physical challenges listed included an air guitar competition. The physical challenges were described as similar to American Gladiators.
* WWE Around the World - Following WWE stars as they take part in some of the scariest stunts and attractions around the world, such as shark diving and eating strange foods.
* WWE Dirty Jobs - Just like the Discovery Channel reality series of the same name, WWE talents have to perform unpleasant jobs, including going into Chicago sewers and picking up garbage in NYC.
* WWE Prankdown - a practical joke show that features WWE stars pulling tricks on unsuspecting "superfans." An example was John Cena and Randy Orton both wanting to buy an expensive car and getting into a fight at the dealership, only to show the damage they caused was part of the show to trick the fan.
* Blackman's Bounties - A reality series with former WWE star and bounty hunter Steve Blackman following his bounty hunting team based out of Harrisburg, PA.
Stephanie McMahon Reveals Plans For Slam City
Stephanie McMahon noted on Twitter during a @WWEMoms chat that we will be seeing The Rock on the new WWE Slam City cartoon in the future. She said that there will be Slam City apparel, back to school accessories, books and home videos at the end of this year.
WWE Investing In Mobile App Company
Mobile app company Phunware announced earlier this week that they have raised a total of $42 million in funding. The press release noted that WWE is one of their new strategic investors, along with Cisco. Phunware has created mobile content for brands like WWE, NASCAR, the NFL, Discovery, McDonald's, Rolling Stone, Sesame Street and others.
March 19, 2014
Details on WWE's Two-Hour WrestleMania XXX Pre-show with a Match and More
WWE announced today that the Kickoff pre-show for WrestleMania XXX will be two hours. Beginning at 5pm EST, the first hour will feature a panel with current Superstars and Legends, with interviews and more. It will air on WWE.com, the WWE App, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pheed. The second hour will begin at 6pm EST on the WWE Network with the panel, more interviews and a match. WrestleMania XXX then kicks off at 7pm EST.
Rumor Mill - WWE Re-Writes Script for 2015 Movie to Replace CM Punk, WWE Distancing Themselves
WWE is facing an issue with CM Punk being tied to a lot of licensing and future projects. Word from someone working on WWE Studios' Flinstones movie that comes out in 2015 reports that the script is being re-written for another Superstar to replace Punk's character, likely Rey Mysterio.
WWE is really trying to distance themselves from CM Punk and not use any Punk material, as seen with them removing him from WrestleMania recap video packages and other media. Regarding the 24 episodes of Slam City that are completed, WWE couldn't take Punk's character out because they've been done for months but they will be downplaying his involvement.
The Camp WWE adult cartoon that is expected to hit the WWE Network this year will also likely be re-done now that Punk has left the company.
WWE Star on Muscle & Fitness Advisory Board
WWE referee Charles Robinson noted on Twitter that Mark Henry, who was the first-ever Arnold Classic Strongman winner, is now on the Muscle & Fitness advisory board.
"Legends House" Air Date On The WWE Network Revealed
Joey Styles revealed the date on Twitter:
MUST SEE TV! @WWE @LegendsHouse premieres April 17 at 8/7 CT, only on @WWENetwork!
John Cena Negotiating To Star In Movie Called "Trainwreck"
WWE Superstar and 14-time World Champion John Cena is reportedly in negotiations to star in an upcoming film called Trainwreck along with Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, and Brie Larson.
This movie is currently scheduled to be released on July 24th, 2015.
source: the hollywood reporter
March 18, 2014
March 17, 2014
Arnold Schwarzenegger and More Announced for Next Week's WWE RAW from Brooklyn
Next week's WWE RAW from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York will feature Arnold Schwarzenegger and Joe Manganiello of the movie Sabotage as guest hosts.
Next week's show will also feature an appearance by Scooby-Doo and The Mystery Machine.
Triple H Makes Big Announcement for WrestleMania XXX
Triple H announced on tonight's RAW that after he defeats Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania XXX, he will get the third spot in the Batista vs. Randy Orton match for the WWE World Heavyweight Title. Essentially, the winner of Bryan vs. Triple H will get a spot in the title match with Batista and Orton.
Mr. T To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall of Fame
Mr. T pities anybody who isn't in the WWE Hall of Fame ... because after playing a pivotal role in launching WrestleMania 30 years ago -- the 80s star is finally getting his due.
Vince McMahon says ... T will be this year's celebrity inductee into the Hall of Fame, telling TMZ, "His WWE appearances were instrumental in helping to establish WrestleMania as the pop-culture phenomenon it is today."
Mr. T famously said he turned the WWE down for a H.O.F. spot in 2009 ... but now the two sides have buried the hatchet -- and the "A-Team" star will take his rightful place in the celebrity wing.
If you're too young to remember -- Hulk Hogan and T teamed up at the inaugural event ... he also took part in a special boxing match at WrestleMania II against Roddy Piper.
The Hall of Fame ceremony airs on April 5 ... and will air in its entirety on the WWE Network.
No word on who's inducting T.
With Hogan recently returning to the company though -- we're guessing he's a lock, brother.
source: tmz.com
WWE Superstars Get Animated
WWE and Mattel, Inc. today announced the launch of WWE Slam City™, WWE’s new kids property that includes an original animated short-form series and a complete line of WWE Slam City merchandise. The 26-episode series, which launches today in the U.S., Canada, and U.K., is comprised of two minute shorts featuring WWE Superstars in their new animated world, WWE Slam City. The first four episodes begin airing today at WWESlamCity.com and Cartoonium on YouTube. WWE Slam City toys, including action figures, ring sets and more, are currently available at major retail stores.
The series, filmed in the next generation of stop-motion animation, features a new WWE animated character The Finisher, who fires all of the WWE Superstars and sends them to WWE Slam City to find day jobs. WWE Superstars are plunged into new career challenges as John Cena®, Randy Orton®, Sheamus®, The Miz™, Rey Mysterio®, Kane®, Alberto Del Rio® and Mark Henry® pack every street corner with work to do and scores to settle. With John Cena as an auto mechanic, Alberto Del Rio as a coffee house barista, Randy Orton as a zookeeper and Sheamus as a theater usher, these Superstars have a new life outside the ring, but still stay true to their WWE personas.
March 16, 2014
Rumor Mill - Backstage Talk About Bryan's Push & How Punk Affected It
Some new insight has been released concerning Daniel Bryan's push in WWE and his status at WrestleMania 30. It's being reported that one of the biggest, if not the biggest reason, why Bryan is getting pushed is to spite C.M. Punk.
The feeling is that WWE officials will now push Bryan in the spot that Punk may have gotten if he would have agreed to return to WWE. People backstage are said to be very frustrated with Punk at this point and the word going around is that WWE officials will push Bryan almost as a way to let Punk know that it could have been him in that spot but that he can be replaced.
It's said that when Punk first left, nobody backstage really thought that Daniel Bryan would get the push that he's now getting.
source: pwinsider.com
Big E. Langston on WWE's Rising Stars, Dolph Ziggler, AJ Lee, Andre the Giant Battle Royal
Current WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E. Langston recently spoke to The Boston Herald.
WWE's crop of rising talents:
"We’re all pushing each other. It’s a great time for our business. There are a lot of guys waiting for a main spot on the roster – Cesaro, the Shield, the Wyatt Family, Fandango, Damien Sandow – the list goes on and on of talented guys who are hungry and ready to work hard every night. You’re always watching what they’re doing. When they have a great match, you want to top that."
Working with AJ Lee and Dolph Ziggler:
"I’m very grateful for the opportunity with that role, but I knew I could be a lot more than just a bodyguard. Stepping out of that and having opportunities in a singles role was good for me. I felt there was a lot more for me to offer, and I still feel that way."
Being in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal this year:
"Raising that Andre the Giant trophy is a big deal. That’s my focus at WrestleMania. My dream is to win the WWE world heavyweight championship at WrestleMania. I’ve only been in the business four years and it’s been a good start, but there’s still a lot more I can show people."
March 15, 2014
Stephanie McMahon & WWE Moms Hosting Twitter Chat
Stephanie McMahon and the @WWEMoms group will be doing a live Twitter chat this coming Wednesday at 7pm EST.
WWE's Statement on Work Being Done to Make Sure WrestleMania Streams with No Issues
The Motley Fool website has a new article up looking at if the WWE Network will be able to handle the large amount of viewers tuning in for WrestleMania XXX live on April 6th. The article notes that WWE is taking the right steps and saying the right things about their efforts to make sure WrestleMania streams without problems but they're going into uncharted territory.
WWE issued the following statement to the website:
"Notwithstanding the overwhelmingly positive response to WWE Network, we want to ensure subscribers have the highest-quality experience watching WrestleMania 30 and all our programming, and thus have put in place significant quality assurances. These steps include increased capacity to handle high volumes of transactions, logins, and concurrent live streams, daily 'stress' testing of all systems over an extended period, and the addition of technology experts to review our plan and procedures. We're confident that we'll be ready on Sunday, April 6."
March 14, 2014
Wild and Young: The oral history of WWE NXT
What do the letters “NXT” mean to you? Lately, you’re probably conjuring images of the powerhouse stopgap down at Full Sail University that transforms virtual unknowns into WWE Superstars, a place where Bulgarian Brutes, Anti-Divas and Men That Gravity Forgot run wild. But a few years ago, those three letters meant something very, very different.
In February 2010, WWE launched NXT — a competition show that put “Rookies” through unusual and often absurd “Challenges” designed to test their grace under fire, all with the intention of crowning a winner to carry the torch for WWE’s next generation. For four seasons, this left-field trial-by-fire churned out Superstars at a rapid clip, providing a flawed yet fascinating entry point for WWE’s future cornerstones. That is, until the rails came off and it became the most gloriously preposterous show in sports-entertainment history (and we mean that as a compliment).
The alumni of WWE’s biggest cult-classic show since Sunday Night Heat have, between them, held every title in WWE. The veterans who guided them through have main-evented WrestleManias. And yes, that is what Daniel Bryan looked like without a beard. Four years after NXT first went live, WWE.com presents the weird, wacky history of the wild and young, told by the Superstars who lived (survived?) it and the Pros who helped them along the way. And remember: #YellowRopesForever...More?
Behind-The-Scenes Photo From Triple H's Workout DVD Shoot
Check out this behind-the-scenes pic from @TripleH's workout DVD shoot today at the @WWEPerformCtr pic.twitter.com/alL8yWMSyz
— Joe DeFranco (@DeFrancosGym) March 14, 2014Naomi & NXT Divas Film with Stephanie McMahon
The fitness DVD that Stephanie McMahon shot at the WWE Performance Center earlier this week also featured several Divas - Naomi, Sasha Banks, Kendall Skye, Veronica Lane, Shara, Alexa Bliss and Carmella.
March 13, 2014
Why WWE Stock Hit an All-Time High Today
World Wrestling Entertainment spiked to an all-time high of $31.91 on Thursday amid rumors that AMC Networks is interested in purchasing the company.
The company recently released the WWE Network, an all-hours streaming network with live and on-demand content and all of the company's annual pay-per-views for $9.99 a month. But WWE is also in the process of searching for a new cable television partner for its weekly television shows Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown, neither of which air live on the WWE Network at this time.
WWE's exclusive negotiating window with NBCUniversal, which currently carries the shows, expired in February, according to Variety. The two sides could not come to a deal for the rights to WWE's television programming, so WWE is now negotiating with other companies, though NBCUniversal can still make a deal with the company.
The spike from the rumors sharply declined almost immediately, and the stock closed at $29.76, a mere 0.3% or 9 cents greater than its previous close of $29.67. The stock had a volume of 2,313,427, more than double its average of 994,922.
source: thestreet.com
March 12, 2014
Kane Launches His Own Insurance Company, Update on His Future with WWE and Politics
Kane and his wife have started a new insurance company in Knoxville, TN called The Jacobs Agency. They offer auto, home, motorcycle, RV, boat, life and commercial insurance, as well as retirement planning.
Kane has told people in the area that he's been planning on retiring from WWE for some time now but it's hard to walk away from the money, so he's going to continue wrestling while he can still make the big money.
There's also a feeling locally in the political world that at some point Kane would be interested in running for public office as a Libertarian party candidate.
NXT's Sara Amato Comments on a Possible WWE Run and Working with the WWE NXT Divas
WWE's website has a new article up looking at Sara Amato, head trainer to the NXT Divas at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando. She was formerly known as top indie women's wrestler Sara Del Rey. The article features quotes from Daniel Bryan, who helped train her, among others. Aksana and Summer Rae both talked about how Amato has has helped them on the road.
Sara talked about the diversity she sees with the NXT Divas:
“Diversity is really entertaining to me, and I hope other people feel that, too. All of these girls were signed for a special talent or a specific reason, and that’s awesome. Let’s go with that. If you want to be sexy, I’m not going to tell you not to be. The important thing is to give the best that you have to offer and to feel comfortable doing it. I think when you’re genuinely happy and good at what you’re doing, it’s going to show, and it’s going to make you a better performer.”
She also didn't rule out a run in WWE:
“If the opportunity comes up, I definitely wouldn’t say no. After all, that’s why we train.”
Chael Sonnen Speaks on CM Punk’s WWE Status, Reportedly Reveals Stephanie’s Phone Number, Says She Knows Punk’s ‘Mania Status
Today on "Off the Record," a sports show on TSN in Canada, MMA star Chael Sonnen was being interviewed, and he was asked if CM Punk was going to wrestle at Wrestlemania (since they're good friends). Chael said he didn't know, but claimed Stephanie McMahon would have the answer.
Shockingly, Chael held up Stephanie's number on a notepad (it was blurred) and said to tell Triple H that he just played "The Game."
It was revealed that the interview was recorded yesterday, and the hosts reportedly called the number and it really was Stephanie's.
Here's a link to the interview http://www.tsn.ca/VideoHub/?collection=72&show=305971.
Father of Current and Former WWE Superstar Says He Will Be Inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame
Carlos Colon, Sr. the father of former WWE star Carlito and current WWE star Primo Colon, told Primerahora.com that he will be inducted into the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame:
"Imagine, is the realization of a dream," Colon said. "It's the maximum (to) get there. As in other sports, like baseball and basketball, reaching the Hall of Fame is the greatest thing…"
Colon is also the Uncle of Orlando Colon, who wrestles in WWE as Epico, and is one half of the Los Matadores tag team along with Primo.
Colon has been promoting under the Capitol Sports Promotions/World Wrestling Council banner since 1973. He stated in the interview that he feared he would not get the call when they did not induct him while in New York last year, citing the large number of Puerto Ricans who live in the area.
March 11, 2014
Mick Foley Writes a Blog Post to WWE, Thanks Them for Last Night's RAW and More
After weeks of criticizing the WWE, Triple H & Vince McMahon, Mick Foley posted the following on his Facebook page:
Dear WWE,
Thank you.
If you knew from the begginning what a super hot heel a win at the Royal Rumble would make Dave Batista, then you were smarter than all of us.
If you didn't know, and were then forced to adap to a unique set of cirumstances that the backlash from the Rumble provided, then you adapted very well.
With one outstanding Raw, you've got me, and millions of fans around the world excited about the biggest showcase in our business, and I'm thrilled to be going.
When I expressed concern after the Rumble, you told me not to judge a book by its cover. I came darn close to just putting that book back on the shelf, but it now looks like the final few chapters are going to turn into a captivating page-turner.
Onn behalf of RAINN, which saw a HUGE jump in #WrestlemaniaDreamVacation raffle entries after last night's Raw, thank you for the difference you are allowing them to make in the lives of thousands of people through this raffle - 100% of which goes to RAINN, the largest ant-sexual assault group in the US. Even as I was voicing my displeasure with some of the shows, you were sending me HOF tickets, allowing WWE Superstars and Divas to participate, and asking how you could help to make my raffle better.
Thanks also for allowing me to speak my mind without any private or public reprimand. Yes, I'll admit that attending the Knicks game in my pajamas, while officially representing the company was a form of protest. Maybe not as blatant as smashing my TV, but a form of protest, nonetheless. But as my friend Brendon Burns, a brilliant comic from Australia, with an incredible mind for the wrestling business (who would love to write for you guys, by the way) put it - WWE's recent shows have actually helped create one of the most fascinating, influential characters we've seen in wrestling in years: the fans.
Newly excited fans can learn more about, and enter the #WrestlemaniaDReamVacationRaffle at http://www.rainn.org/wrestlemania-dream-vacation-raffle-2014
Sincerely,
Mick Foley
What a suck up...
Jim Ross Comments on Triple H & Stephanie McMahon's Performance on Raw
"HHH and Stephanie had a great night as Raw villains. They make it look easy and believable. Most of the best pro wrestling creative is natural, organic and not overthought. Draw me into a show biz scenario by simply being real and good at what one does."
March 10, 2014
Huge Daniel Bryan Match with Stipulation Added to WrestleMania XXX
It was announced on tonight's WWE RAW that Daniel Bryan will face Triple H at WrestleMania XXX. If Bryan wins the match, he gets added to the WWE World Heavyweight Title match, making it Bryan vs. Batista vs. Randy Orton in the main event of WrestleMania XXX.
