Big Name Backstage At WWE NXT Tapings

Samoa Joe was indeed backstage at last night's WWE NXT tapings at Full Sail University in Orlando, FL. PWInsider notes that Joe was there to meet with Triple H about potentially signing with the company.

ESPN Beats Pro Wrestler in Dispute Over Rebroadcast of Old Matches

An appellate ruling could be a good sign for broadcasters as they fight in court with college athletes.

On Wednesday, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed ESPN's victory in a legal dispute with Steve "Wild Thing" Ray, who wrestled professionally in the Universal Wrestling Federation in the early 1990s.

ESPN obtained the footage of Ray's old matches and rebroadcast them on ESPN Classic. That brought a lawsuit by Ray alleging ESPN violated his publicity and privacy rights under Missouri law.

A three judge panel at the 8th Circuit echoes the conclusion from the district judge that Ray's state-based claims are preempted by federal copyright law. In doing so, the judges imply a test where plaintiffs can only avoid preemption by going beyond an attempt to stop the rebroadcast of copyrighted content to allege something more about the use of their name or image. Here, for instance, the opinion notes that "ESPN did not use Ray's likeness or name in an advertisement without his permission to promote its commercial products, and, as the district court correctly noted, Ray's ‘likenesses could not be detached from the copyrighted performances that were contained in the films.'"

The opinion comes just days after the WWE and ESPN were sued by the father of deceased wrestler Eddie Gilbert for publicity rights for using old footage on television and the Internet.

Maybe more importantly, the ruling comes as ESPN, CBS, Fox, ABC and NBC are involved in a legal battle over the publicity rights of college athletes. A judge's decision last year that shrugged off the release forms that athletes sign as a condition of their participation in college athletics paved the way for athletes to go after the broadcasters directly, but the defendants have various arguments on why the lawsuit should fail. Among them, that copyright preempts the publicity right claims.

An opinion at the 8th Circuit holds no precedential weight in Tennessee, where the legal battle over college athlete publicity rights is taking place, and there could be other factors that distinguish the alleged exploitation of college basketball and football players with the alleged exploitation of professional wrestlers, but nevertheless, it'll be a welcomed ruling for the broadcasters.

source: hollywoodreporter.com

Main Event Announced for the Next WWE NXT Live Takeover Special, Date of the Special Revealed

WWE is currently holding a set of NXT TV tapings at Full Sail University, and it was announced during the tapings that the next live NXT Takeover special will happen on May 20th at Full Sail University.

It was also announced at tonight’s NXT tapings that the main event of the special will be Kevin Owens (c) vs Sami Zayn for the NXT Title.

WWE Announces NXT “On the Road” Tour Dates; Complete City Listing and Ticket On-Sale Details

Earlier today, WWE NXT announced its official “on the road” tour dates, and below is a complete list of cities being visited:

Friday 4/30 in Lakeland, FL at The Armory. Tickets currently on sale.

Friday 5/1 in Tampa, FL at the UACDC Gymnasium. Tickets currently on sale.

Saturday 5/2 in Cocoa Beach, FL at the Cocoa Armory. Tickets on sale.

Saturday 5/8 in Largo, FL at Minnreg Hall. Tickets on sale now.

Thursday 5/14 in Philadelphia, PA at The Tower Theatre. Tickets TBA.

Saturday 5/16 in Albany, NY at the Washington Armory. Pre-Sale on 4/30 using pre-sale code CAPITAL.

Saturday 5/23 in Starke, FL at the Starke Armory. Tickets on sale now.

Friday 5/29 in Citrus Springs, FL. Tickets now on sale.

Saturday 5/30 in Venice, FL at the Community Center. Tickets now on sale.

Thursday 6/11 in Pittsburgh, PA at the AE Theatre. Tickets TBA.

Friday 6/12 in Cleveland, Ohio at the Agora Theatre. Tickets TBA.

Saturday 6/13 in Columbus, Ohio at the LC Pavilion in Columbus. Tickets TBA.

Triple H on Pre-Fight Rituals, Injury Avoidance, and the Toughness of Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

WWE Diva Eva Marie Discusses Improving Her In-Ring Work, HHH Helping Her, Going After the Divas Championship and More

The Miami Herald recently conducted an interview with WWE Diva Eva Marie and below are some highlights:

Going for the WWE Divas Title heading into SummerSlam:

“I got my developmental deal first, and I got ‘Total Divas.’ Everything from there it just went, boom! I was living my life on reality TV. I had to perform for WWE, as well as show that to the whole world. For season four of ‘Total Divas,’ you are going to see my in-ring work. I’m going for that title heading into SummerSlam. Go big or go home.”

Working to improve her in-ring training:

“If you follow me on social media you are going to see the clips of me training and progressing. Then you will see me back in the ring, hopefully in a few weeks. Triple H has definitely been helping me out, and I appreciate that. I bounce ideas off of him. Brian Kendrick is amazing. I’m asking him a bunch of different questions. Then when I get in the ring with him, I’ll improve my skills right there.”

Are You “Tough Enough?”

Beginning today, WWE® invites anyone from around the world who believes they have what it takes to be the next WWE Superstar or Diva, to submit a video at WWEToughEnough.com to be considered for the upcoming reality competition series, WWE Tough Enough. The series premieres on Tuesday, June 23 at 8/7c on USA Network in a reimagined format with live elements.

“WWE Tough Enough is an opportunity for anyone who has ever dreamed of becoming a WWE Superstar or Diva,” said Paul “Triple H®” Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative. “WWE Superstars and Divas are dynamic entertainers who possess a unique combination of athleticism and charisma. We can’t wait to see who will emerge from this competition to earn a place alongside our elite performers.”

This season of WWE Tough Enough will combine the can’t-miss excitement of live television with reality-show drama as 10 men and five women vie for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a WWE Superstar or Diva. By the end of the season, one man and one woman will be crowned “Tough Enough” and will each earn a WWE contract.

Taz addresses his departure from TNA and confirms late pay

During his "Human Podcast Machine" podcast on Saturday, Taz addressed his departure from TNA and reports about receiving late pay from the company. It should noted that Taz did confirm he eventually received full payment from TNA after the initial issue.

On his departure from TNA this week:

"I asked for my release. I was granted my release. We parted ways mutually, professionally, the right way."

On reports that TNA was late in paying him:

"My check, for works that I had done previous, was late. I had to do what I had to do and the company was very understanding. They understood my position. They were very professional. They were very kind. They were very understanding. It was a bad situation. Business is business. I'm in this business. This is how I make my living. This is how I pay my bills and I feed my family for over 25 years. It's business."

On rumors that he left TNA because of a falling out with Josh Mathews:

"Me leaving TNA had absolutely nothing at all to do with my relationship with Josh Mathews. Absolutely nothing. I worked with Josh for a long time. Did we have a fall out? Yes we had a fall out. Why can't two guys have an argument or disagree or end a friendship and people have to speculate that is why they left?"

On reports about not going to Nashville for production work:

"The company was quite frankly apologetic. They had their reasons. And I'm not going to get into their reasons. I'm not looking to do that. And by the way...if you're looking for me to sit out here and bash take the low road TNA, that's not happening. I'm not doing that. That's not my style. That's not what I'm about. I'm not a hypocrite. I'm not going to work somewhere as long as I did - and I've waived their flag publicly in the past - while I worked for them and then I leave and bash and bury them. That's to me low brow hypocritical two-faced fake crap. That's not my style."

WWE And ESPN Sued Over Unpaid Likeness Usage, WWE Responds

TMZ broke the news today that Tommy Gilbert, acting on behalf of his son Eddie's estate, and his younger son Doug Gilbert filed a lawsuit against both WWE and ESPN recently. Both brothers appear on the Global Wrestling Federation shows that air on ESPN Classic in the United States as well as in numerous matches throughout the libraries WWE owns, as well as in the WWE Encyclopedia coffee table book. WWE Network's video on demand library includes various matches of both brothers, with some of Doug's being in the Dark Patriot gimmick in ECW.

Essentially, the Gilberts are arguing they never gave permission for WWE or ESPN to use their likenesses and have not been compensated for it. To quote the complaint, which WrestlingInc obtained:

"While they performed live, neither of the Gilberts signed contracts or gave permission to WWE or ESPN to use recordings of the Gilberts' names or likenesses. The defendants have impermissibly and in violation of the Gilberts' rights of privacy shown recordings of past wrestling matches that use and display the Gilberts' names and likenesses. Additionally, Defendants have violated the Gilberts' rights of privacy by using the Gilberts' names and likenesses through other media. Neither Doug Gilbert nor Eddie Gilbert has received compensation for the Defendants' use of the Gilberts' names and likenesses. Accordingly, the Gilberts seek compensation and all other damages to which they are entitled based on Defendants violation of the Gilberts' rights of privacy."

The Gilberts are not seeking to block use of the footage; instead, they just want to be paid the compensation they feel they're due. Meanwhile, WWE made a statement to TMZ:

“Through the years, WWE has acquired the legal rights to library footage of various former wrestling organizations including Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Mid-Southern Wrestling among many others. WWE has made these substantial investments to acquire these copyrighted works and has the legal right to use them. Similar cases in the past have been unsuccessful and we expect this case to be dismissed.”

While the suit was filed just over a month ago, it looks like it didn't break until now because it was filed in a local court not tracked by much media. This past week, WWE and ESPN filed a joint notice of removal to federal court, so it became much easier to find the records online if you were searching for WWE-related cases. In the notice of removal, WWE cites their success in similar lawsuits filed in the past by Ricky Steamboat and Doug Somers, while ESPN notes they prevailed in a 2013 lawsuit from Steve "Wild Thing" Ray (who appeared in Herb Abrams' UWF shows that were rebroadcast on ESPN Classic).

World Academy Hosts 5th Annual Gordon B. Ouellette Memorial Scholarship Gala on May 8th

World Academy is hosting its 5th annual Gordon B. Ouellette (GBO) Scholarship Fund Gala on Friday, May 8th 2015 from 7-11pm in the World Academy Gymnasium/Theater Complex. The GBO Scholarship Fund directly supports community and World Academy students by providing tuition assistance and scholarships to support those that add quality to the student body but might not otherwise be able to attend the school.

Paul's sister, Lynn is a Director at the school. Gordon Ouellette was Paul's brother-in-law. He passed away on February 4, 2008 of a heart attack.

Head of School, Kathy Nelson, looks forward to this night of fun and fellowship all year. “Especially as we celebrate our 35th Anniversary, this is a milestone opportunity for World Academy families, teachers, and the community at large to celebrate with us and gather in support of this worthy cause. Over the last 6 years we have funded over a million dollars worth of scholarships and tuition assistance in support of our mission. Having this fund allows us to maintain a diverse and vibrant student body. Every year I am amazed by what the Gala Committee is able to do in support of this endeavor. It promises to be a spirited evening!”

Starting at 7pm, the Gala features a live and silent auction, buffet dinner, student and alumni performances, and celebrity auctioneers. This year’s live auction will be co-hosted by Paul Levesque, WWE’s Triple H and Stephanie McMahon Levesque of the McMahon Dynasty.

A sample of this year’s Auction items include:

1. A WWE VIP Experience Package for 4 to WWE Live, May 22nd at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, NH.

2. A Private Dinner for 10 Prepared by Personal Chef, Janet Barsorian.

3. A Day of Fishing with Professional Bass Fisherman, Ryan Cooper.

Tickets for the event are $50/per-person or $450 for a table of 10. They are available by calling 603.888.1982 or by stopping by the Front Desk at the World Academy campus at 138 Spit Brook Road in Nashua.

Scott Hall Shouts Out Wale For Redskins Draft Day Party Appearance

Two of Wale’s passions collided Wednesday afternoon, as the Washington, D.C., native was first announced as a performer for the team’s Draft Day Party.

Then, the diehard wrestling fan got some congrats thrown his way from “The Bad Guy” himself, as former WWE and WCW star Scott Hall tweeted at him.

For those of you who might not know Hall, or understand Wale’s passion for pro wrestling, here’s a quick recap.

Hall started in WWE as Razor Ramon, or as “The Bad Guy,” before being a founding member of the infamous New World Order (NWO) group with Hulk Hogan and Kevin Nash. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014.

Wale, meanwhile, tweets about pro wrestling all the time and was even at Wrestlemania last month in Santa Clara, Calif., where he met Hall himself.

source: redskins.com

WWE Sends Cease & Desist Letter to Steve Austin’s Online Store

According to a report from PWInsider.com, WWE officials sent a cease and desist letter to ProWrestlingTees.com shortly after WrestleMania, ordering them to remove certain items from the official store of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

While the former WWE Champion maintains that there’s little-to-no heat between him and the company, it’s being said there is still frustration from the WWE side over Austin turning down “Tough Enough” and not appearing at this year’s WrestleMania.

Rumor Mill - WWE NXT Touring Internationally Soon?

WWE NXT General Manager William Regal reportedly told fans in the UK at his one-man shows this week that plans are being worked on for NXT to tour internationally with shows in smaller arenas. Regal apparently said the business plan for the touring was in place and it will begin within 18 months.

The Kliq To Reunite For WWE Network

WWE is planning a "The Kliq Rules" DVD and Blu-ray set for a July 28th release. The "reunion" special has been planned for months, according to WrestlingDVDNews.com, and a condensed version will be airing on the WWE Network in the near future. The DVD is expected to contain the reunion show, a new documentary and matches. The reunion was originally planned for September but it's been moved up to July. No word yet on when The Kliq reunion will air on the WWE Network.

TNA Reportedly Experiencing More Issues With Pay

According to a report by Brian Fritz of the Sporting News, it seems as if TNA Wrestling is experiencing more pay issues, fueling the fire to rumors of talent getting late checks over the past several weeks.

The story says that several freelance workers have stated that TNA is behind on paying several members of the production staff. It was also said that those workers were shorted on past checks.

The back pay stems from the One Night Only tapings, which took place over two months ago. The accounting department told an employee that checks were made out almost two weeks ago, but nobody has received them.

We also heard similar complaints from one member of the production crew.

We spoke to Matt Hardy earlier in the week, who said the following regarding the TNA pay rumors:

"If someone has an issue with pay, I feel like it needs to be directed to the office and handled there. It sucks and it's unfortunate that a story like that spreads and puts a stain on Impact Wrestling, who are doing a lot of positive things right now. TNA has been extraordinary to me, nothing but professional. They even gave me time off at the last TV tapings to fulfill a commitment I had for 8 months, when they needed me at TV. That shows how professional they were to the boys. It's nowhere near as bad as what people are saying."

Video: Triple H And Stephanie McMahon In Snapple Commercial

WWE Wins Awards for WWE Network and Social Media Excellence

Mick Foley Taping For The WWE Network

Mick Foley's official website announced that he will tape one of his comedy shows on April 24th from Full Sail University for a future WWE Network airing. Tickets go on sale Friday morning. More details are at this link.

Taz Gone From TNA, Comments From John Gaburick

John Gaburick, TNA Executive Vice President, Creative & Talent Relations, announced today that Taz is gone from the company. This comes after recent issues stemming from TNA paying late. Gaburick wrote:

"After 5+ years TNA & Taz have mutually decided to part ways. A champ in the ring & on the mic, we wish him nothing but success!"

Taz also commented:

"Like to thank TNA Wrestling for the opportunity to apply my craft for past several years. Best wishes to them in the future."

WWE Confirms Daniel Bryan's Status, Decision Made After Last Night's SmackDown Tapings

The WWE Intercontinental Champion Daniel Bryan had apparently been removed from the current European tour, likely due to ongoing health issues.

Following Tuesday's SmackDown tapings in London, where Bryan teamed with John Cena, the decision was made by WWE officials to pull Bryan from the rest of the tour.

WWE issued the following statement:

"Daniel Bryan has been pulled from the remainder of the UK tour as a precautionary measure."

Ricky Steamboat Confirms the WWE Status of His Son Richie Steamboat

In the video above, WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat confirms the status of his son Richie Steamboat. There has been a lot of speculation on Richie's status after he was taken out of action following a back surgery a few years ago. Ricky confirms that Richie will not be able to wrestle anymore.

Ricky noted that Richie, a former FCW Champion, injured 4 discs in his back and has had surgery but won't be able to follow in his footsteps. Ricky added that his son "gets it" and has the look for the business.

Ricky also discusses the WWE World Heavyweight Title picture coming out of WrestleMania 31 and breakout talents that have came from NXT.

Taz Currently At Odds With TNA Wrestling

TNA Wrestling announcer Taz appears to be at odds with the company, according to a report from PWInsider.com.

According to the report, Taz was supposed to attend a voice-over session this past Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee in order to record commentary for several weeks of Impact Wrestling tapings. However, Taz reportedly refused to fly to Nashville from New York, and the main factor is said to be the ongoing pay issues that have been plaguing TNA Wrestling as of late.

Taz has since removed any and all references to TNA Wrestling from his official Twitter page, and PWInsider.com further states that one of their sources declined to comment when they were asked about Taz's current relationship with the company.

In regards to the recording of commentary, it's being reported that Josh Mathews handled the duties himself in regards to the episode of Impact Wrestling that will air this coming Friday on Destination America; however, it was also noted that this could end up changing due to TNA Wrestling having until Thursday to hand the show over to the network.

Rumor Mill - TNA Stars Finally Receiving Paychecks, Backstage News On Low Morale In TNA

There were reports of TNA being behind on talent pay. PWInsider reports that talents have started to receive their checks and F4Wonline.com backs this report up, saying checks started arriving this past Friday and continued arriving Saturday and Monday. One source stated to PWInsider that talents would be receiving their March checks earlier than scheduled to try and make up for the previous delays.

Dave Meltzer described things in TNA as a lot worse than they were at the end of the Spike TV run. While talents have started receiving checks, there's still a lot of unhappiness across the company with the feeling that there is no momentum and they're not going anywhere.

Another significant problem within TNA right now is Destination America. The network is reportedly calling a lot of the shots in TNA these days with the idea that they are paying TNA and running so many hours of their programming.

Destination America officials reportedly do not like TNA Impact Wrestling being taped from the UK. They do not know the pro wrestling business at all but they didn't like the idea of TV taped outside of America airing on their Destination America channel. Destination America may not have a problem with TNA running a yearly tour overseas but they have made it clear they want Impact taped in the US most of the time.

Destination America officials wanted Kurt Angle to be the World Heavyweight Champion as they liked the idea of the champion on their network being an American gold medalist. They also are high on Taryn Terrell as Knockouts Champion because of her look.

The WWE Network just added a year's worth of 'Raw' episodes from the Attitude Era

The WWE Network allows subscribers to watch every single WWE pay-per-view that’s ever happened along with a number of original shows and classic episodes of Monday Night Raw, but there are still countless hours of weekly programming that still haven’t been released on the network. The WWE patched a big hole Monday, releasing every episode of Monday Night Raw from the first year of the Attitude Era — the period of time dominated by the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock...More?

source: usatoday.com

Linda McMahon still looms large over GOP politics

Linda McMahon had about 97 million reasons to be done with politics.

The financial hit of back-to-back defeats for the U.S. Senate hasn't suppressed the professional wrestling matriarch's appetite for the Republican brand, however.

In fact, it appears to have strengthened it, with McMahon commanding VIP invites to GOP conclaves from Wyoming to New Hampshire with other rainmakers to be wooed by the party's crop of presidential hopefuls.

Federal filings show McMahon has given more than $3 million to Republican candidates and organizations since her last run in 2012, including $700,000 to Karl Rove's American Crossroads super PAC and $100,000 to an Iowa political fund that helped combat veteran and proud pig castrater Joni Ernst get elected to the Senate.

McMahon, 66, is still behaving in many ways like a candidate, Tweeting photos from her regular speaking engagements at women's entrepreneurial events and charity appearances.

All of this begs the question: What's in it for McMahon?

"Some of the rest of these activities hint at someone who might not be ready to give up on the idea of electoral politics," said Vincent Moscardelli, an assistant political science professor at the University of Connecticut.

More?

Ronda Rousey Talks Wanting To Return To WWE, Things At WrestleMania No Going As Planned

UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey appeared on Piper's Pit With Roddy Piper this week and talked about her experience at this year's WrestleMania. Rousey also said that if it's up to her, she'll be back in the WWE ring.

"There's no way I'm not going back in there, though," said Rousey. "There's nothing like it. The second left, I was thinking how I could possibly go back. I hadn't even got out of my outfit yet."

Rousey said that she was nervous , but was trying to play it cool. She noted that being in a pro wrestling ring is much different than MMA, especially when it comes to nerves. She also said that working alongside the Rock and Triple H was a tall task.

"It's a tricky thing having (The Rock). He's so good at putting people over, he holds the room so intensely it's hard to not be outshone by him. Triple H and the Rock could be one of the biggest rivalries of all-time, how can we make a situation where we ignore them? That's a lot of pressure, to be captivating enough to ignore them," Rousey said.

She also said the throw she used on Triple H wasn't the one she'd planned.

"That wasn't even a throw I was planning. I made it up on the spot. I pulled it out of my ass, I don't even know what that is. It was kind of awesome to see everything planned, and everything that doesn't go according to plan. Everything that didn't go the way we wanted to go was we better than we even could have thought of," said Rousey.

Rousey and her training partners and fellow fighters Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir are huge pro wrestling fans and are collectively known as the "Four Horsewomen." Baszler also appeared for Ring of Honor, coming to the aid of former tag team champions ReDRagon.

Rousey goes on to talk about the bad blood between her and upcoming opponent Bethe Correia, what the UFC wouldn't let her do in movies, and several other topics. You can listen to the full interview over at Podcast One.

Rumor Mill - TNA Wrestlers Once Again Dealing with Pay Issues?

According to a new report from PWInsider, TNA Impact Wrestling talents are once again dealing with pay issues. One source is claiming that most of the wrestlers are now behind on two payments from the company, while a few others are saying that they are owed money from the month of February.

This is not the first time that such reports have come out over the past year or so but it's apparently become a growing problem once again over the past few weeks.

A company source has denied that TNA is behind on two payments to the wrestlers, but reportedly did admit that the company is behind on cutting checks to the wrestlers because they no longer cut the checks in Nashville. The checks are now being outsourced to a company in Dallas, Texas, near TNA's parent company Panda Energy. The department that was handling TNA's checks completely shut down recently due to Panda Energy moving their offices.

WWE Now Giving Letter Grades To Each City They Run In - A, B+, B And C Cities Revealed

Information in a lawsuit filed by WWE in California last month to stop unlicensed merchandise being sold by outside vendors during WrestleMania 31 week included the full WWE schedule through March 28th, 2016, including the future pay-per-view locations and dates for NXT specials that we posted. Chris "Mookie" Harrington has recapped some more of the information and it was revealed WWE will be assigning letter codes to each city they visit - A, B+, B and C. It appears the grades are for the overall drawing power of the city based on WWE's previous visit. Some cities appear in more than one category because different letter grades are assigned on different trips, sometimes because one visit is a TV taping and another visit is for a live event.

Harrington gave this breakdown:

A: 70 examples (minimum: 3,500; maximum 15,913) - average: 9,235
B+: 32 examples (minimum: 3,122; maximum 14,481) - average: 7,608
B: 48 examples (minimum: 2,626; maximum 12,717) - average: 6,496
C: 61 examples (minimum: 2,230; maximum 6,996) - average 4,546
Overall Average: 7,002

"A" Cities: Anaheim, CA, Atlanta, GA, Baltimore, MD, Boston, MA, Bridgeport, CT, Brooklyn, NY, Buffalo, NY, Chicago, IL, Cincinnati, OH, Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center, Dallas, TX, Denver, CO, Detroit, MI, Hartford, CT, Hildalgo, TX, Houston, TX, Jackson, MS, Kansas City, MO, Los Angeles, CA, Miami, FL, Minneapolis, MN, Nashville, TN, New York, NY, Newark, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, Phoenix, AZ, Pittsburgh, PA, Portland, OR, Providence, RI, San Antonio, TX, San Jose, CA - SAP Center, St. Louis, MO, Tampa, FL, Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON - Ricoh Coliseum, Washington, DC, White Plains, NY, Wildwood, NJ

"B+" Cities: Albany, NY, Anaheim, CA, Anchorage, AK, Bangor, ME, Birmingham, AL, Bridgeport, CT, Calgary, AB, Cincinnati, OH, Corpus Christi, TX, Daytona Beach, FL - Ocean Center, Des Moines, IA, East Lansing, MI, Edmonton, AB, Fairbanks, AK, Fort Myers, FL, Fresno, CA, Greenville, SC, Hampton, VA, Hershey, PA, Jonesboro, AR, Lafayette, LA, Laredo, TX, Lincoln, NE, Little Rock, AR, Loveland, CO, Memphis, TN, Milwaukee, WI, Montreal, QC, Nashville, TN, Ontario, CA, Orlando, FL - Amway Center, Roanoke, VA, Rochester, NY, Sacramento, CA, Salt Lake City, UT - Maverik Center, San Juan, PR, Stockton, CA, Syracuse, NY, Tampa, FL, Tulsa, OK, Uncasville, CT, Wilkes Barre, PA, Winnipeg, MB

"B" Cities: Austin, TX, Bakersfield, CA, Calgary, AB, Cleveland, OH, Dayton, OH, Edmonton, AB, Everett, WA, Fresno, CA, Hartford, CT, Indianapolis, IN, Knoxville, TN, Louisville, KY - YUM Center, Milwaukee, WI, Montreal, QC, New Orleans, LA, Oklahoma City, OK, Omaha, NE, Phoenix, AZ, Portland, OR, Rochester, NY, Sacramento, CA, San Diego, CA, San Jose, CA - SAP Center, Seattle, WA, St. Louis, MO, Trenton, NJ, Tulsa, OK, Winnipeg, MB

"C" Cities: Amarillo, TX, Augusta, GA, Bakersfield, CA, Baton Rouge, LA, Beaumont, TX, Binghamton, NY, Bloomington, IL, Bossier City, LA, Bowling Green, KY, Canton, OH, Casper, WY, Cedar Rapids, IA, Charlotte, NC, Charlottesville, VA, Chattanooga, TN, Colorado Springs, CO, Columbia, SC, Columbus, GA, Daytona Beach, FL - Ocean Center, Erie, PA, Evansville, IN, Fairfax, VA, Fargo, ND, Fayetteville, NC, Fort Myers, FL, Green Bay, WI, Huntsville, AL, Jackson ,TN, Jacksonville, FL, Johnson City, TN, Jonesboro, AR, Kalamazoo, MI, Laredo, TX, Macon, GA, Mobile, AL, Montreal, QC, North Charleston, SC, Odessa, TX, Peoria, IL, Rockford, IL, Salisbury, MD, Savannah, GA, Sioux City, IA, Sioux Falls, SD, Springfield, IL, Syracuse, NY, Tallahassee, FL, Toledo, OH, Tupelo, MS, Vancouver, BC, Victoria, BC, Waco,TX, Wilkes Barre, PA, Worcester, MA

Guest Trainers At The WWE Performance Center This Week

Former TNA Knockout Sarita, who still works for CMLL as Sarah Stock, is working as a guest trainer at the WWE Performance Center this week, according to PWInsider. Former WWE and WCW star Dave Taylor is also working as a guest trainer with the NXT talents this week.

WWE and Susan G. Komen Team Up Once Again to Raise Funds for Breast Health and Research in Washington, D.C.

WWE Performance Center welcomes new class of recruits

WWE today announced that a new, international class of 11 recruits, including former collegiate athletes, bodybuilders and talent from the independent wrestling circuit, from seven countries have begun training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla. The WWE Performance Center is the home of NXT, the developmental division for WWE. With seven training rings, a world-class strength and conditioning program and cutting-edge edit and production facilities, the Performance Center will allow the new class to hone their skills through a comprehensive program that includes in-ring training, physical preparedness and character development.

“The global reach of WWE is reflected in the diversity of this class of NXT recruits,” said Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events and Creative. “Talent is the most important natural resource we have, and these individuals will have every opportunity to hone their skills and fulfill their dream of becoming a WWE Superstar or Diva at the WWE Performance Center.”

The new NXT class includes:

Australia:

Cassie McIntosh (Born in Sydney, resides in Melbourne, Australia) — Trained with Pro Wrestling Alliance in Sydney since 2011. In 2012, was trained by former WWE Superstar Lance Storm, who now runs the Storm Wrestling Academy. Proficient in dance and acrobatics.

Jessica McKay (Sydney, Australia) — Since 2008, has trained with the Pro Wrestling Alliance in Sydney, as well as Ring of Honor.

Canada:

Nhooph Al-Areebi (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) — Trained with Squared Circle since 2011 and was a member of the Toronto Circus School from 2008-2012. Also trained in rhythmic gymnastics. Speaks English and Arabic.

Germany:

Axel Tischer (Dresden, Germany) — Trained with GWF Wrestling in Berlin, Germany, since 2006. Served in the German Army from 2005-2007, achieving the rank of Private First Class.

Mexico:

Oscar Vasquez (Cuidad Juarez, Mexico) — Trained in Juarez in the lucha libre style of wrestling. Worked with CWF Mid-Atlantic. Dual citizen of Mexico and the U.S.

Serbia:

Radomir Petkovic (Belgrade, Serbia) — European Vice Champion at the 2010 European Wrestling Championships and was a two-time bronze medalist at 2009 Mediterranean Games in Greco-Roman and Freestyle. Speaks Russian and English.

United Kingdom:

Peter Howard (Exeter, England) — Played collegiate Rugby in the U.K. and was a regional discus champion.

United States:

Kenneth Crawford (Chicago, Illinois/Anson County, North Carolina) — Served in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years and accumulated a perfect 300 score in the United States Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test. Holds the North Carolina South Piedmont and Anson High School records in the 200-meter, 400-meter and 4x4 relay. Anson High School Athlete of the Year in 2007.

Thomas Kingdon (Traverse City, Michigan) — Competed in amateur bodybuilding and won the super-heavyweight class at the 2013 NPC Central States Competition.

Sesugh Uhaa (Atlanta, Georgia) — High school soccer, football and track-and-field star. Began training in 2009 and competed for Dragon Gate USA. Nigerian descent.

Levis Valenzuela Jr. (Durham, North Carolina) — Trained with CWF Mid-Atlantic in 2013. Proficient in dance and won various awards for collegiate ballroom dancing. Holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from UNC Charlotte. Grew up in the United States, lived in South Korea from 2011-2013, and speaks Spanish.

The new class will join a group of 55 men and women training out of the state-of-the-art, 26,000 square-foot WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. The venue offers a full training experience with real-time feedback from WWE coaches, trainers and doctors, giving performers the resources they need to develop their talent both athletically and creatively. Additionally, recruits will be immersed in WWE’s Professional Development program that focuses on four key pillars of development: life skills, education, wellness and career success.

Chris Jericho's WWE Network Success

Chris Jericho revealed last week that his live WWE Network podcast with John Cena was the third most-watched special in WWE Network history besides live pay-pr-view events. The first two most-watched special were Steve Austin's interviews with Vince McMahon and Triple H, so Jericho's interview didn't beat those but did beat the WWE Hall of Fame ceremonies, all Takeover specials and last year's Ultimate Warrior specials.