WWE NXT WrestleMania Show Sells Out In Under Two Hours

In a very limited sample, Triple H's plan to take NXT on the road looks like a success.

Tickets for the just announced last week WrestleMania weekend show in Northern California went on sale today at noon Eastern time. And they were sold out of the approximately 4100 seats before 2PM.

So while several thousand lucky bastiches get ready to rock the San Jose University Events Center on March 27th, the rest of us will be looking to see where the Developmental brand heads next after a couple of successful dates in Ohio and what promises to be a great follow-up in Northern California.

WWE has a hold on dates in Philadelphia, but has reportedly not come to a final decision on whether or not to run NXT shows there on the May weekend that would lead into the main roster's pay-per-view (PPV) down I-95 in Maryland, where Payback will be held in Baltimore on May 17th.

The promotion has shown the ability to sell out small-to-midsize venues, first in Florida and now in other markets. Depending on what the costs of putting on a NXT road show are, these sellouts could make a compelling case to travel more with names like Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at the top of the bill.

What will that mean for the show's original mission statement of preparing acts for Raw and Smackdown? Would touring revenue lead to more signings? Would those be veterans like Rhyno, or indy stars like Jay Briscoe?

It's an exciting time to be a fan of NXT...even if you didn't land tickets to the San Jose show.

Rumor Mill - ROH Attempting to “Lock-Up” Talent to Prevent WWE from Raiding its Roster, Big News on the Future of The Young Bucks

According to PWInsider.com, ROH is attempting to lock-up some of its top talent, namely The Young Bucks. The company wants to sign certain top talents to exclusive, longterm deals, as a way of preventing WWE from “raiding” its roster.

We have noted in the past that WWE has its eye on many top tier indy talents, so ROH hopes they can sign certain names to longterm deals to thwart any attempts WWE might make to lure talents away.

If ROH does successfully sign The Young Bucks to an exclusive deal, it could have a ripple effect on the independent scene as a number of companies depend on the Bucks as headliners. The deal ROH is looking to make with The Bucks would see them receive a salary, and ROH would have the right to approve or deny any indy dates the Bucks choose to work. ROH would likely allow The Bucks to continue working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, as they are huge stars in Japan with the Bullet Club.

Following last week’s FWE iPPV event in Brooklyn, NY, Reddit user MetsFan4Ever reported The Young Bucks were close to signing a very lucrative, exclusive deal with ROH, but the hold up had to do with merchandising, and ROH allowing The Bucks to work for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla in California. PWG is a promotion The Bucks feel gave them a shot when no one else would, so they want to continue working there.

With regards to WWE, The Young Bucks have turned them down in the past, but they might want to keep their options open in case a secure WWE contract would be worth giving up the big New Japan Pro Wrestling money that they make. This could be another reason why the team is trepidatious about signing an exclusive, longterm deal with ROH.

WWE Superstar Out of Action with Shoulder Injury

Jey Uso missed this weekend’s WWE live events, and WWE.com has posted a report noting Uso is out of action following a shoulder injury suffered at last week’s Smackdown tapings:

“Following Thursday night’s SmackDown, it was revealed that Jey Uso suffered a shoulder injury during an Eight-Man Tag Team Match. The former WWE Tag Team Champion will be evaluated again this week.”

WWE Shop Express

WWE is now offering a service in which fans can pre-order live event merchandise online and it will be waiting for them at the venue when they get to the show. The advantage is customers won’t have to wait in long lines for merchandise when they get to the arena.

WWE Officially Confirms Tonight’s Hall of Fame Inductee

WWE.com has announced “The Living Legend” Larry Zbyszko will be the next Hall of Fame inductee announced tonight on Raw. The following is an excerpt from the WWE.com article:

A true Living Legend in the sports-entertainment industry, Larry Zbyszko is the latest inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015. He will be inducted by his former mentor and rival, WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino.

Zbyszko got his break in the ring game in 1973, studying under Sammartino, a fellow Pittsburgh native. He broke into WWE in the mid-1970s, making a name for himself as part of a tag team with Tony Garea and capturing the World Tag Team Titles from the Yukon Lumberjacks.

WWE NXT Champion Undergoes Knee Surgery

WWE.com is reporting NXT Champion Kevin Owens underwent a partial meniscectomy for a knee injury he sustained late last week. Owens issued the following comment in the report:

“I’m not the kind of person that lets things like this get in my way. I’m already walking around without crutches and doing physical therapy at the WWE Performance Center.”

“Now that I’m at the level I am now, and with as much at stake as there is, I don’t think it’s going to slow me down. I’m on the way back.”

WWE Announces Snoop Dogg Will Return to Guest Host Raw Next Week

Entertainment icon Snoop Dogg will join WWE’s Monday Night Raw when he guest stars on Monday, March 23 at 8/7C on the USA Network.

Snoop Dogg has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide, reigning for more than two decades as one of the most recognizable giants in music. Snoop Dogg’s new album, BUSH, produced entirely by Pharrell Williams on Columbia Records is out on May 12th. The first single off BUSH, “Peaches N Cream” featuring Charlie Wilson, is available now with the entire album available for pre-sale. Snoop Dogg will also be the Keynote speaker at the 2015 SXSW Music on March 20th.

Monday night’s show will mark Snoop’s return to WWE after guest hosting Monday Night Raw in 2009 and appearing on WrestleMania XXIV.

Former Ring of Honor Champion to Join the WWE Creative Team

PWInsider.com is reporting former Ring of Honor Tag Team Champion Jimmy Jacobs has signed a deal to join the WWE creative team, and he will begin with the company in April after WrestleMania.

Jacobs’ WWE signing has reportedly been in the works for some time now, and his last appearance for ROH could be the March 27th Supercard of Honor event in California.

Linda McMahon To Host NBC Exec Bonnie Hammer

Linda McMahon will host Bonnie Hammer, Chairman of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Group, to the Sacred Heart University series on "Women Can Have It All" on March 25th at 2pm in the Schine Auditorium at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. Hammer has a long relationship with WWE, and she was instrumental in bringing WWF programming to the USA Network in the 80s.

"She just came in and rolled up her sleeves," Vince McMahon said of Hammer to The New York Times in 2011. "She taught us a lot about network quality writing, story arcs, character development. She really helped the overall brand."

Rhyno Talks How WWE NXT Deal Happened, Why He Was Released By WWE, More

Journey Of A Frontman recently interviewed Tommy Dreamer at House of Hardcore 8 last weekend. Below are some highlights:

His first NXT appearance coming out of nowhere:

"Yeah, it really came out of nowhere. I was just finishing up a loop one day and they're like, 'Hey, you wanna come down to NXT?' I'm like, 'Yeah.' That's all I've heard about, NXT this and NXT that from the fans. Really, if you're gonna make a splash, you want to do it where everybody's talking about."

His WWE release in 2005:

"Well I was released from WWE for a little incident, but it's not a secret. It involved alcohol and I was going through a difficult time in my life. Alcohol wasn't an issue, I just happened to be drinking. And I was very irresponsible. As a man, you have to take responsibility for your actions. Every action. There was no physicality, I just threw a flower pot. I laugh at it now and my ex-wife laughs at it now. But like I said, you have to be a man and stand up. No matter what was said or done, there is no excuse for the behavior. And when you behave, you have to be responsible. I understand what I had to do, I had to work hard and work towards the indies. We already had the One Night Stand booked and I fulfilled my commitment with that. They wanted me to honor that commitment and we did good business.

"We professionally parted ways. They were good on their part and did everything as far as they were contractually obligated to, they did not try to mess around or anything. It was just one of those things where it was a very good learning experience. But it was a good situation for me. I made it a good situation by learning from the mistake and that mistake becomes an error, then I move forward in my career. I put my nose to the grindstone and worked to keep my career going. I moved forward, there's no dispute about it. I began to create some good memories like working with 'The Monster' Abyss, he's a great talent. I worked on the independents and developed a great relationship with the fans. I met and interacted with them, one on one, on a smaller intimate level. You have that time and you have that ability. When you're doing the bigger venues, it's harder because there's so many more fans and it can get chaotic."

Rhyno talked more about NXT, what it means to him, Brian Kendrick making his NXT debut, working his first match in NXT and more. You can check out the full interview by clicking here.

Were Some Accusations Against Bill DeMott Exaggerated?, More Backstage Talk From WWE Developmental

While most of the accusations against former WWE NXT trainer Bill DeMott that have came out are from early 2013, some of the stories dated back to his first run as developmental coach that ended in 2007. Issues with DeMott are one of the reasons why WWE had cameras installed in the Performance Center and why all practices are filmed. The company wanted video proof to defend themselves with in case there were any potential lawsuits in the future. As noted, WWE officials are expecting lawsuits to come out of the DeMott controversy.

The issues with DeMott were no secret among people within the company and many were surprised that he still had a job. There was a feeling that the controversy was a timebomb that could go off at any time and it did.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that a number of people who were around developmental then note now that most of the stories from Austin Matelson (Judas Devlin) were true but some were exaggerated. WWE noted in their statement that they completed a full investigation into Matelson's accusations and the way they handled that investigation was heavily criticized among people close to developmental, at least the ones that are talking.

WWE NXT From Columbus

Next week’s episode of WWE NXT will feature footage from the Arnold Sports Festival that was taped last weekend in Columbus, Ohio. The episode will air at 8/7c on Wednesday on the WWE Network.

Backstage Jealousy Between Triple H and Bill Demott, Which NXT Superstar is in the Middle of This?

There are certain stories that have begun to have some light shed on it regarding Bill Demott, Triple H and current NXT Champion Kevin Owens.

Bill Demott was the agent for the Owens vs. CJ Parker match at NXT R-Evolution and was said to be unhappy with how the match went.

Demott was heard being upset with how the match was finalized and booked, including Owens doing a flip from the ring to the floor.

Demott reportedly complained to Triple H about the match and Triple H just said to let Owens do what he wants.

This led to a lot of jealousy and heat from many in the company, especially since most of the talent is managed under a microscope and told not to wrestle “indie style.”

Lawsuits Expected to Be Filed Against WWE Following Bill DeMott Resignation, Backstage Update on Talents Speaking Out & More

According to F4WOnline.com, WWE is likely expecting lawsuits to be filed against the company following the recent NXT training controversy and subsequent resignation of Bill DeMott.

This is one of the reasons WWE was very careful not to admit any guilt or wrong doing in statements made regarding DeMott. It’s also speculated that DeMott received a very substantial severance package from WWE, one that likely includes a non-disclosure agreement, hence DeMott publicly maintaining no wrong doing. DeMott recently turned down an interview with NBC Orlando.

With regards to talents speaking out against DeMott, it’s being said several WWE employees were aware of the complaints, but did not expect so many people to go public with them since most wrestlers dream of one day returning to WWE.

It’s also being said that while they were under contract to WWE, some of the talents now speaking out against DeMott claimed the stories about him were untrue when asked by WWE officials.

Is Triple H preparing to conquer the indies with his NXT brand?

Today's WWE is like a modern day tale of two cities for hardcore fans. There is despair at the narrative dissonance of WWE's cable programming and Vince McMahon being out of touch with what online fans want from wrestling, which has led to arguably the weakest WrestleMania build in company history. But there are also seeds of hope, as Triple H has carved out a cult following for his NXT brand on the WWE Network by showcasing the athleticism of the best young workers WWE has under developmental contract without stifling their creativity by avoiding the illogical storylines and tight scripting often seen on the main roster.

The rising popularity of NXT was overwhelmingly proven last weekend when they quickly sold out their first two house shows outside the state of Florida and both events were very well received by the fans in attendance. After that success, unsurprisingly there are now rumours that Triple H is making preparations to start taking NXT on the road more often, eventually leading to regular touring, especially in independent wrestling hotbeds like the Northeast and California.

Signs pointing in that direction include:

Aggressively pursuing the top workers left out there on the indy scene. For example, Dragon Gate's Uhaa Nation is believed to be heading to NXT soon after having his last match with the Japanese promotion, whilst there are rumours that Ring Of Honor's Samoa Joe and The Briscoes will soon be NXT bound too.

Bringing in well respected veterans like Brian Kendrick and Rhyno to recent NXT tapings, who could be used to fill out cards when they start touring regularly.

Increasingly building the brand around former Japanese and ROH wrestling stars like Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Finn Bálor and Hideo Itami.

Sending out a WWE Fan Council survey today to members of their mailing list about NXT, which asked questions about ticket pricing for house shows, whether they would travel to such events, how much NXT merchandise they would be willing to buy, which independent wrestling promotions they follow, and which non-WWE wrestlers would they like to see in NXT. Clearly, the purpose of this survey was to gauge fan demand for NXT live events outside of their homebase of Florida.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com even foresees a scenario where Triple H conquers the indies with his NXT brand in a similar fashion to how his father-in-law Vince McMahon conquered the territories when he expanded the WWF out of the Northeast in the mid-1980s:

"I was told the company has holds on potential venues for as soon as May, but they haven't decided 100% when to launch touring. It should be very interesting to see how the touring, when it takes place, changes the landscape for the larger independent companies as they'll be in the same market and in some cases, the same venues and could potentially cannibalize the independents' fan base by taking a piece of their pie away the same way WWF changed the territories when they expanded nationally in the 1980s. Nothing is out of the question in this scenario until we see how the touring plans shake out and whether it changes how independents in those markets draw in the wake of the NXT live events being added to the markets."

It is known that in recent years WWE has been upset at independent wrestling promotions like ROH piggybacking off the success of WrestleMania by holding their own events in the area over WrestleMania weekend, and have even attempted to block them out of running shows near Levi's Stadium this year. So WWE will have no qualms about taking a big chunk out of their business by competing directly with them using NXT tours, even if there is no concerted effort to run them out of business.

Backstage News from Monday's Talent Meeting, WWE Wants Talents to Bring Problems to Officials

At the talent meeting before Monday's RAW in Pittsburgh, WWE officials told the talents that if they have any issues, they can bring them to officials.

The statement was made to the talents that if they have any issues or problems, they are to bring them to the company's attention right away and not let them go on to be brought up later. The company wants talents to come right to them and talk to them about their problems, whether they are personal or work-related issues. WWE made it clear that they have more than enough people that are willing to help talents out with their issues. It was also said that they are here for the wrestlers and appreciate everything they do for the company.

Bill DeMott or the recent controversies from developmental were not brought up in the meeting.

Connor 'The Crusher' Michalek To Receive Warrior Award At 2015 WWE Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

WWE fan Connor Michalek to receive first-ever Warrior Award at 2015 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Connor Michalek, a Pittsburgh native and passionate WWE fan who passed away last year from cancer, will be the first-ever recipient of the Warrior Award, which will be presented each year at the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

The Warrior Award will be given to someone who has exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of WWE Hall of Famer, The Ultimate Warrior. This year, the award will be presented by The Ultimate Warrior's widow, Dana Warrior, and WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan to Steve Michalek, Connor's father.

With the love of his family and WWE Superstars, as well as the tremendous care by Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Connor battled cancer like a true warrior for as long as he could, and his charisma made him a local celebrity in Pittsburgh. Connor's spirit inspired WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events & Creative, Paul "Triple H" Levesque to launch "Connor's Cure," a fund dedicated to furthering Pediatric cancer research. Donations can be made by visiting givetochildrens.org/CONNORSCURE.

"On behalf of my family, we are truly humbled and honored that WWE will present an award in my husband's name each year at the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony," said Dana Warrior. "Connor displayed all of the positive traits that Warrior stood for, and he is the perfect recipient for this inaugural award. I am sure that Warrior is smiling today, knowing that this award is being given to a true warrior."

"My family is forever grateful for the gift that WWE, its Superstars, Divas and executives gave to Connor," said Steve Michalek. "They made him smile and encouraged him to continue fighting. His visits backstage, and his time in the ring with Daniel Bryan, brought Connor true joy and undoubtedly extended his life, giving us more time with him. Now, with this award and Connor's Cure, Connor's legacy will live on."

"Connor Michalek had a profound impact on so many people," said McMahon. "His spirit and love of life were so strong, you would have never known he was sick. I can think of no better way to honor Connor, than by recognizing him with our highest honor, the first fan to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, as a Warrior."

Total Divas Season Finale Recap

Video: Triple H and Arnold Schwarzenegger discuss the significance of the International Sports Hall of Fame

Paul "Triple H" Levesque Inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame

Paul "@TripleH" Levesque is worthy of his induction into the International Sports Hall of Fame. #MySonInLaw #ASF2015

— Vince McMahon (@VinceMcMahon) March 7, 2015

Samoa Joe Confirms WWE Negotiations, What Triple H Told Chris Jericho About Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe was Chris Jericho's guest on the latest episode of Talk Is Jericho. While Joe didn't talk about any negotiations with WWE during the interview, Jericho stated that he asked Joe as he was leaving if he has any intention of joining WWE. Joe wanted fans to know that there have been discussions and "there's some negotiations going on."

Jericho noted that Joe's name came up while he was speaking to Triple H a few years ago. Triple H told Jericho that he was a fan of Joe and his wrestling style.

Joe will be in action at tonight's ROH TV taping, where he will face ROH World Tag Team Champion Kyle O'Reilly. He will face Michael Elgin at next week's ROH event at the Frontier Fieldhouse in Chicago Ridge, IL.

More on the Bill DeMott Situation; New Interim Head Trainer

PWInsider.com has confirmed that Matt Bloom aka Jason Albert, formerly Tensai, has been named the interim Head Trainer and will take over DeMott's duties at the Performance Center and WWE developmental. Whether he is named to that position permanently will remain to be seen.

The change to Bloom was announced via an email from Mark Carano of WWE Talent Relations to the developmental roster shortly after DeMott issued his resignation publicly.

Among WWE developmental talents we've heard from, there was something of a celebratory feeling as the crew traveled to tonight's house show as DeMott was, as you might imagine based on everything that has come out, not beloved. What all involved should remember is that while DeMott had a lot of resentment among the talents, the position he was in was going to lead to that, as he was in charge and was going to be the one delivering the bad news when it needed to be delivered. Whoever ends up in what was formerly DeMott's position will also have to do the same, so it will be interesting to see how long it is, if ever, before they are seen in the same negative light as DeMott.

As of this evening, it appears WWE's only official statement on the matter will be that they retweeted DeMott's resignation announcement on their own social media accounts.

Bill DeMott Announces He Is Stepping Down From NXT Head Trainer Position

In light of recent allegations made toward him, Bill DeMott announced Friday that he is stepping down from his role as head trainer for NXT effective immediately.

"I deny the recent allegations made about me, however, to avoid any embarrassment or damage to the WWE, I've decided to step down from my role effective immediately," he wrote on Twitter.

DeMott has come under fire in recent days after Austin Matelson and other former developmental workers accused him of physical and verbal abuse during their time with the company. WWE investigated the matter and claimed to find no evidence of such abuse.

Video: Triple H Welcomes the WWE Universe to Columbus, Ohio

Recap of WWE NXT's First Live Event Held Outside of Florida

* JoJo was the ring announcer. It's a packed, rowdy crowd and they are ready for some wrestling.

* Corey Graves came out to kick off the show as the host. Triple H then came out to a big pop and a "holy s--t" chant. He also got a "thank you Hunter" chant. It's announced that they are taping the event for the WWE Network.

* Hideo Itami and Finn Balor defeated The Vaudevillians in a very exciting opener. Itami got the hot tag and pinned Aiden English for the win. Itami and Balor were very much over with the hot crowd.

* Alexa Bliss defeated NXT Women's Champion Sasha Banks by count out. They both got good reactions but some of us are aware that Bliss is from the area. Bliss getting the upset was a good hometown moment and got a pop.

* Tyson Kidd comes out with his WWE Tag Team Title belt and gets a huge pop. Baron Corbin also gets a good reaction. Corbin is usually the most over in his matches but Kidd had good reactions all throughout, including a "meow" chant. Corbin ended up getting the win after catching Kidd in End of Days. Fans booed Corbin after the win and he played the heel role well.

* NXT Tag Team Champions Murphy and Blake are out next. Carmella, Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady are out next to a huge pop. The crowd eats up their pre-match promo and Carmella looks great. Blake vs. Cass is next. Fans chanted for Blue Pants to come out early on but unfortunately she didn't appear. Blake rolled up Cass while he was distracted and grabbed a handful of tights to get the win.

* The Connor The Crusher video is shown.

* Big Show is out next to huge heel heat. Ryback comes out to not much better and we have a match. Fans start with CM Punk chants. This match is not wanted at all it seems. Ryback tried getting a "feed me more" chant going at one point but the crowd responded with CM Punk chants. They go to chanting for Blue Pants again. The highlight of this match is the chants easily - "NXT" and "please retire" chants at Big Show, also "we want Divas." Ryback ended up getting win with Shellshocked. Very interesting match here, the crowd made it.

Intermission

* Kalisto vs. Tyler Breeze is up next. Breeze gets a big pop and got the win with a Beauty Show. This was another very competitive match with lots of good spots.

* Ric Flair is out next to a pop. Flair praises Charlotte and introduces her. Bayley is out next and we have our second Divas match. They chanted "better than Reigns" at one point. Charlotte gets the win with Natural Selection but Bayley was over more. Flair comes in and hugs Bayley after the match. Charlotte also shows respect.

* Alex Riley vs. NXT Champion Kevin Owens is next. They both got good pops and Riley is fired up. Owens was over big time all throughout and won with a powerbomb. After the match, Owens went to powerbomb Riley on the apron but Finn Balor made the save. Balor and Owens brawled to a big reaction.

* Sami Zayn came out in street clothes and cut an amazing promo about how proud he is to be in NXT and being proud of the rest of the locker room.

* Adrian Neville vs. Cesaro is the main event. This was an awesome match, definitely the match of the night and will easily be a match of the year contender. "Push Cesaro, he's too Swiss" was a big thing here. Cesaro ends up getting the win with a Neutralizer after a crazy back and forth finish. I hope this one airs because the whole match but especially the end was must-see.

An estimated 850-1000 fans attended tonight's WWE NXT live event in Columbus, Ohio. It was mostly standing room only with many fans standing up for the entire show.

WWE SummerSlam Location Official

The New York Daily News reports that WWE SummerSlam will be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on Sunday, August 23rd. An official announcement will be made on Thursday. Tickets will go on sale next Saturday, March 14th, at 10am.

"SummerSlam in New York matches one of the most iconic sports and entertainment celebrations with one of the world's greatest cities," WWE executive vice president for special events John Saboor told the Daily News.

SummerSlam was originally scheduled to take place at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ, however the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority board approved a plan in January to close down the arena.

Nikki Bella On AJ Lee's Comments About Diva Pay, Who Came Up With 30-Second RAW Match, More

WWE Divas Champion Nikki Bella recently spoke with Mark Madden on 105.9 in Pittsburgh. They discussed AJ Lee's WWE return, the 30-second RAW match that led to "#GiveDivasAChance" trending and more. Thanks to Diva-Dirt for the following highlights:

AJ Lee's comments about Divas pay:

"We're all here because we're living our dreams. Whether it's two minutes or twenty minutes on TV, I'm beyond grateful for that, because there are millions of people that wish they could get two minutes in that ring, and they can't, so I'm not going to be one to b---h about it. But do I think Divas should definitely get more time on TV? 100%. But do I think pay is different? No."

Divas not having the star power to make money like John Cena, Roman Reigns or Brock Lesnar:

"Let me put it this way: if a Diva was to headline a show, would those seats sell out like it does when John Cena's headlining? Roman Reigns? Brock Lesnar? Absolutely not. We're not there yet. We're trying to get there, but we're not there yet. As far as merch goes, we all get the same percentage, so I don't know why anyone's crying about it. We all make the exact same percentage, so it's like, sell more merch if you wanna be like the guys. At the end of the day, we're in a man's world. People show up to watch men wrestle, and they look at us the 'pretty things on the side', but I think slowly, we're changing people's minds about that. It's not gonna happen overnight, but eventually we're gonna get there. We just need patience and time."

Who came up with the 30-second RAW match that led to #GiveDivasAChance trending:

"What's funny about that is we were given about three minutes. Three to four minutes. And we – us four girls who were in the match – we put our heads together and said look: we can either give them a two minute match, or we can give them nothing and get Brie and I so much heat and tell a great story…We're not gonna give people three minutes of BS, and it ended up being a big chance. It ended up turning into #GiveDivasAChance trending worldwide for two days. I mean, we could've gone out there, done a few moves and called it a day, but we were like, 'How do we tell a great story?' and at the end of the day, that's what we did. Brie and I got good heat at the end of it, we got trended for two days straight, and it was like, 'Whoa. We're storytelling now.' And that's what puts the Divas on the next level. Instead of just going out there and doing moves, we storytell. 'Cause that's what the boys do, and that's what we need to do."

The unexpected virtue of Blue Pants: NXT's cult phenomenon breaks her silence

Who’d have thought that among the outsize personalities and outlandish competitors brewing down in WWE NXT, one of the most beloved would turn out to be a plucky Diva in blue pants named, well, Blue Pants?

Initially brought in as a local competitor to help Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady’s protégée Carmella fine-tune her skills in the ring, "Ol' Blue Pants" immediately took on a life of her own, amassing a cult following more or less on the spot. Over the next couple of months, Blue Pants would continue to make sporadic appearances in NXT, eventually defeating Carmella before trying her hand at the freshly crowned Women’s Champion, Sasha Banks. Blue Pants hasn’t been seen on WWE TV since that day, but WWE.com caught up with the woman behind the phenomenon — independent competitor Leva Bates — to discuss how Blue Pants was born, where the blue pants themselves came from, and whether we might see her as a more permanent fixture down the line.

So without further ado, Blue Pants, come on down!

WWE.COM: You are a longtime veteran of the independent scene. How did you end up on NXT as Blue Pants?

BLUE PANTS: I actually filled out the recruit page, because you always hear, “Hey, fill out the recruit page,” and I got a call asking if I would be interested in wrestling a match at NXT! So, of course, I said yes. [Laughs] I ended up getting called, and the name Blue Pants actually came about [when] I was stretching near the ring. At that point I was told I was going to wrestle Carmella, and Enzo & Cass were brainstorming an [intro] just off the top of their heads. They were like, “Maybe we should call her out, the girl with the blue pants.” I laughed about that, I just thought it was really funny. I went, “Absolutely! Do that!” I was just wearing the pants to roll around in, I wasn’t sure I was going to actually wrestle in that outfit. I have a crazy amount of costumes. I always over-pack so I have hundreds of things with me. I just put the blue pants on real quick to roll around in the ring, stretch, kind of get comfortable and it just stuck … that’s how Blue Pants was born, and I just embraced it!

WWE.COM: The NXT Universe is pretty supportive of everything on the show, but did you expect to catch on the way you did right out of the gate?

BLUE PANTS: No, absolutely not. It caught me off guard. I figured I’d have a little bit of a reaction considering I’m from Orlando and I wrestle a lot in the Central Florida area. I figured some of these people will probably recognize me, but the overwhelming reaction I got, I don’t know if they just thought the name Blue Pants was funny, or if they recognized me or some combination of the two, but it completely caught me by surprise. It was a nice, pleasant surprise.

WWE.COM: Who came up with the idea of having Big Cass sing “The Price is Right” theme song as your entrance music?

BLUE PANTS: I wanna say that was right on the fly. “Coming from the clearance rack,” I think that was probably the first thing that popped in his head. I gotta give him credit, he did that and the crowd went nuts. My character’s very happy, very fun, lives in the moment, for the now, for the fun, so I kind of embraced it. Instead of getting mad and going, “Ah, why are you making fun of me?” I’m like, “Yeah! What’s wrong with my blue pants, I love blue pants! I love this song!” and I started dancing. Cass and Enzo are really, really funny, so I played off of that … and we built it into what it was.

WWE.COM: Did Triple H say anything to you after those first few matches?

BLUE PANTS: The first time I came back he said, “You got a Blue Pants chant. I don’t even. I can’t,” and then he started laughing. I shook his hand and said, “Well, thank you for everything, I really appreciate this opportunity.” He said, “You’re welcome,” and then he just started laughing at my blue pants! That was kind of a really awesome moment for me, to make Triple H laugh.

WWE.COM: You most recently wrestled Sasha Banks in her first match as Women’s Champion and got a reaction on par with hers. How did that feel?

BLUE PANTS: It’s absolutely heartwarming and overwhelming in a good way. I’m so scared one day I’m going to come out and they’ll be like, “Alright, we’re over the blue pants,” but I feel like it just keeps growing and growing. I love the fans and I appreciate that. It really touched my heart, because I’m a fangirl at heart, too, so I know how it is when you’re like, “I love this so much, this is so cool!” To have that toward me is just mind-blowing. I’m still in awe of it, and very appreciative.

WWE.COM: Do you think we might see Blue Pants in a more permanent spot down the road?

BLUE PANTS: I would absolutely love that! I kind of go with the flow. If they want to keep calling me back, if they want to make it permanent, if they want to say, “Alright, the ship has sailed,” I will roll with it. Right now I could stress out about it, but you gotta have fun with it! Enjoy the moment as it happens, and that’s what I’m doing: enjoying every single second. If it continues to go on and becomes a permanent thing, hallelujah, that’d be awesome. Even if it doesn’t, I still accomplished a dream of mine. Actually a couple of dreams of mine! I got [to wrestle] for WWE, I got to wrestle in front of a huge crowd and I got to win in a match for WWE, so all of these dreams have happened! To keep pursuing it? Absolutely, I would love to do that. I’m just enjoying it while I can.

WWE.COM: If you do stick around, blue pants on WWEShop.com would be kind of a layup.

BLUE PANTS: Yes! I would love that!

WWE Partners With "Spread The Word To End The Word" Campaign

WWE has partnered with the "Spread the Word to End the Word" campaign, which highlights all of the harmful effects that the words "retard" or "retarded" has on the millions of individuals who suffer from developmental and intellectual disabilities, as well as their families and friends.

Many WWE Superstars and Divas have tweeted their support of the campaign, and "Spread the Word to End the Word" has invited fans to make donations on their official website, which you can access by clicking here.

Former Head Of Talent Relations Leaves WWE

Jane Geddes, who you've seen on Total Divas and was the head of WWE Talent Relations before being moved to running Triple H's office, is no longer with WWE.

Geddes actually quietly left the company on a Friday somewhere between 1 month and 6 weeks ago. The circumstances surrounding her departure are unknown. There's speculation within WWE that she was released.

Backstage News On WWE Using Veterans In NXT

Regarding WWE bringing veterans like Rhyno and The Brian Kendrick to NXT, the idea is that new talents will improve faster by working with the more experienced guys. This is similar to what Jim Ross did with Ohio Valley Wrestling years ago when it was a developmental territory. WWE may be bringing more veterans to NXT soon.

King of Kings: A Q&A With WWE Superstar Triple H

Few sports entertainment Superstars have had the longevity, in and out of the ring, that Paul “Triple H” Levesque has had. Whether you remember him best as the long-haired punk leader of Degeneration-X during WWE’s Attitude Era, the sledgehammer-wielding heel nicknamed “The Game”, or, most recently, the heavy-handed leader of The Authority faction that does most of his bullying in a suit and tie, Triple H has earned his place among the most important figures in sports entertainment history and pop culture at large.

This weekend, the 13-time world champion who is also WWE’s EVP of Talent, Live Events, and Creative will be inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio. Levesque spoke to us about what the honor means to both him and the business of sports entertainment, and what has made him the “king of kings” among WWE fans.

Aside from having charisma and a quick wit, what do you think makes WWE Superstars stand out from athletes in other sports?

Triple H: I think the well-roundedness. Charisma, quick wit, the ability to perform in front of tens of thousands but also one or two. Our athletes are very well rounded and some of the best in the world physically, and they also have to have the ability to improvise and do theater at the same time. It’s like playing football and doing Shakespeare at the same time. I think that’s a rare combination. It’s a broader skillset.

Also, with all these other sports, they want the athletes to be a cog in the wheel. With WWE, we want you to be larger than life. The bigger your brand is the bigger ours is.

More Superstars seem to be being inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame every year. The Hall already includes Mark Henry and Bruno Sammartino. Do you think this will help legitimize WWE and sports entertainment in the eyes of critics who still call it “fake” and say the performers aren’t athletes?

I do. And I never understood that about it being fake. When you see a guy who does something physically that 99% of the rest of the world sees and goes, “Oh my God that’s amazing!”, and you say “well, they’re not really athletes” … Oh really? To me the International Sports Hall of Fame is more than about being good at your sport or your profession but it’s about giving back. I think that WWE superstars are finally now getting their due for all the things we do for Make-A-Wish and Susan G. Komen, the military, anti-bullying, and all the other things we do. We’re candidates for the Hall for being more than just athletes. I think what the Hall of Fame is about, as far as the people I see going in there, is athletes great at their chosen sport but also people that did more with it than just reap the rewards.

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