UFC President Dana White Announces a Reality Series Will Determine CM Punk’s First UFC Opponent, Watch the Pilot Episode

UFC President Dana White did an interview yesterday with TSN in Canada, and during the interview White revealed he will be using a reality series he is currently filming to scout potential opponents for former WWE Champion CM Punk’s first UFC fight in 2016. You can currently check out the pilot for the series in the video below, and White offered the following comment on the series:

“I just started a new show, the pilot is on YouTube, it’s called ‘Dana White Looking for a Fight’ and I’m actually out looking for opponents for CM Punk right now.”

WWE teams with Junk Food Clothing Co. for new apparel lines

The pair has launched a range of WWE graphic t-shirts and hoodies inspired by WWE Superstars and Legends from the entertainment company’s history.

Global wrestling brand, WWE has partnered with Junk Food Clothing Co. to deliver a new collection of licensed apparel.

Under the partnership, the pair has launched a range of WWE graphic t-shirts and hoodies inspired by WWE Superstars and Legends from the entertainment company’s history.

Launching over the holiday season in the US, the collection marks the first time Junk Food Clothing Co. has worked with WWE.

The line now joins a growing roster of licensed properties in the firm’s portfolio, featuring alongside the likes of NFL, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Marvel.

NBC/Universal Issues Statement About Declining WWE Ratings

Following an article by the The New York Post looking at WWE’s ratings decline titled “Is WWE down for the count?,” WWE’s broadcasting partner has issued a statement in defense of the company. A rep for NBC/Universal issued the following statement to the outlet:

“WWE programming delivers one of the most massive live audiences in cable on a weekly basis and is consistently a top performer for our networks.”

It’s worth noting that the Post article did state that despite the fact that ratings are down, WWE’s stock is up 41% year-to-year.

Video: Triple H & Stephanie McMahon Bring WWE Smackdown To USA

FOX News Looks At WWE Ratings Decline

FOX News ran a story here with Diana Falzone looking at the recent WWE ratings decline. She asked if WWE had writer's block and if the ratings drop was due to weaker storylines, stating that RAW "has declined by 50% since 2015." That's a little exaggerated. If you were to take the highest rated episode of RAW this year - the post-WrestleMania 31 show which garnered a 3.68 rating with 5.267 million viewers - and last week's record-low 2.21 rating with 2.7 million viewers, then that would be a 41% drop in the rating and a 49% drop in the audience. However, the audience for that episode was significantly higher than any other show this year. Really the average audience for the show was around 3.8 million viewers before football season started (including the post-Mania show), and around 3 million viewers since, a drop of about 21%. Without the post-Mania show, it's a 19% drop. Still not good by any means, but it's not quite as drastic as what is presented in the story, at least for the year

WWE Studios Announces Partnership and Will Release Multiple Films, Recording Artist to Star in a WWE Movie

WWE has released the following:

WWE STUDIOS AND CODEBLACK FILMS LOCK MULTI-PICTURE CO-PRODUCTION DEAL

Trey Songz to Star in First Title BROTHER’S BLOOD

WWE Studios and CodeblackFilms, a Lionsgate company, today announced a partnership to co-produce and co-finance a slate of films, starting with the gritty action thriller, Brother’s Blood. Trey Songz (Baggage Claim, Texas Chainsaw 3D) is set to star and John Pogue (The Quiet Ones) will direct the film, which is written by Michael Finch (Hitman: Agent 47, The November Man), Karl Gajdusek (Oblivion, Trespass) and Charles Murray (Sons of Anarchy, Castle, Criminal Minds).

Brother’s Blood takes place on the mean streets of a city in decay, where a recently released convict begins to take murderous revenge against his childhood friends, whom he believes let him take the fall for a crime they collectively committed. As the bodies start piling up, one of the friends, now a cop, will stop at nothing to put an end to the murderous rampage and to right the many wrongs of their tragically violent past.

“We look forward to working with Codeblack and expanding our tremendous relationship with Lionsgate,” said Michael Luisi, President of WWE Studios. “John Pogue and Trey Songz are exceptionally talented artists and the ideal creative team to shepherd our first co-production with Codeblack.”

More?

Sean Waltman Explains Why The Kliq Recruited Triple H

Sean Waltman spoke with WrestleTalk in a new interview discussing the Kliq and Triple H joining them. Check out the video and highlights below:

On what the Kliq saw in Triple H: “Obviously we didn’t predict exactly what would (happen), but immediately it was like ‘let’s gobble him up.’ He was riding with Killer Kowalski every night, who was his teacher. He was trying to be cool to Walter (Kowalski). We were like ‘you gotta drop Walter, you’re coming with us.’ We needed a designated driver anyway.”

On what attracted the group to him: “Level headed, focused. His determination, drive. His learning curve, his aptitude. When he first got there, he was still the student, but the way he soaked up all the knowledge and got better, it was really light years ahead of how most people do it.”

Is WWE Down For The Count?

Fans of Vince McMahon’s WWE are wondering if the 70-year-old pro wrestling impresario has run out of good storylines.

Ratings for “WWE Raw,” the company’s Monday night show on USA Network, have fallen nearly 50 percent from their 2015 high amid a slew of complaints from fans that the entertainment has become too predictable.

As one fan, Alex, posted on ratings blog “TV By The Numbers,” sagging ratings are the result of “too many matches with no storylines and a predictable and boring ending.”

Such opinions have been plastered over pro wrestling bulletin boards recently, which coincide with a months-long decline in the Monday night TV audience.

For example, the audience for the Nov. 23 show slipped below the 3 million threshold — to 2.96 million — from a high of 5.36 million in March, according to WrestlingNewsWorld.com data.

As recently as Aug. 31, the audience was still pushing 4 million — at 3.89 million. However, the last three months have seen a sharp fall-off.

The audience for “Smackdown,” WWE’s Thursday night show on SyFy, fell to 1.65 million viewers on Thanksgiving Day, down 44 percent from its high-water mark on Jan. 29.

Sources said the viewing pool was expected to be drained by WWE’s over-the-top offering, WWE Network, whose 1.3 million subscribers have 24/7 access to the company’s content.

Despite the viewer slippage and storyline complaints, parent NBCUniversal is standing by its brute offspring.

“WWE programming delivers one of the most massive live audiences in cable on a weekly basis and is consistently a top performer for our networks,” NBCU told The Post. WWE said it had nothing to add to that comment.

Shares of the Stamford, Conn., company have been on a tear in 2015, rising 41 percent.

They gained 2.1 percent on Wednesday, to $17.43.

source: nypost.com

Why WWE Shares Keep Rising Despite Falling TV Ratings

Two combatants enter the ring. In one corner stands old school, in the other, new school.

Old school: WWE’s value is being diminished by severely declining television ratings for WWE Raw and SmackDown.

New school: WWE’s new business model is working as the WWE Network, which launched in February, 2014, continues to gain subscribers and is now among the top five over-the-top streaming services.

New school is kicking old school’s but: This year shares of WWE are up 41% versus gains of 8% for the NASDAQ and 1% for the S&P 500.

It’s a lopsided match but old school has not yet been pinned.

The next big thing, I believe, for new school is going to be virtual reality. Want to hook up with some of your WWE fans at Wrestlemania 32 at AT&T T +0.00% Stadium in Arlington, Texas but can’t get tickets or don’t have the time to travel? No problem, put one of these on and it will feel almost like you’re there.

Old school gets pinned by new school.

source: forbes.com

Brad Maddox Talks WWE Release, Practicing Promos With The McMahons, Being Frustrated In WWE

Brad Maddox recently spoke with Gary Mehaffy of F4Wonline.com. The full interview can be heard above where Maddox talks about going to OVW first, how he considers Joey Mercury a mentor, learning promo work from Dusty Rhodes, working with CM Punk and more. Below are highlights:

If using the word 'prick' in a dark match promo got him fired:

"It was because of that...That particular night was a bad decision on my behalf…I didn't think anything of it, but Vince wasn't happy about that. I don't know if it's a generational word that maybe used to be worse than it is now….I didn't really think it through, but I should have been more careful in that moment because I knew Vince was watching. I tend to take chances at stupid times."

Being frustrated in WWE:

"It has been a long couple of years for me, working on angles and ideas trying to get (back) in. I've always wanted to wrestle...Absolutely, I wanted to wrestle from the get go…I could have talked to Vince more than I did, rather than sitting around in catering hoping that the writers were coming up with something for me."

Practicing promos with Vince McMahon and Stephanie McMahon:

"I've got to do some cool stuff. Going over promos with Vince in his office, or the bathroom of his office – for some reason! – with him and Daniel Bryan and Stephanie."

Full Content Listing for WWE's "NXT: Greatest Matches Volume 1" DVD and Blu-ray Set

Courtesy of WrestlingDVDNetwork.com, below is the full content listing for the "WWE NXT: Greatest Matches Volume 1" DVD and Blu-ray that hits stores on March 8th:

DISC 1

It Started as a Whisper

Creating the Future

NXT Championship Tournament Final
Seth Rollins vs. Jinder Mahal
NXT • August 29, 2012

WrestleMania 31

No Disqualification Match for the NXT Championship
Seth Rollins vs. Big E Langston
NXT • January 9, 2013

Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt
NXT • May 1, 2013

Women’s Wrestling is Back!

NXT Women’s Championship Tournament Final
Paige vs. Emma
NXT • July 24, 2013

Best 2 Out of 3 Falls Match
Sami Zayn vs. Antonio Cesaro
NXT • August 21, 2013

William Regal vs. Antonio Cesaro
NXT • December 25, 2013

More?

WWE SmackDown Viewership Takes A Hit

Last Thursday's Thanksgiving edition of WWE SmackDown drew 1.652 million viewers, down from the previous week's 2.229 million viewers. A low number was expected for the holiday but this has to be one of the lowest in years. SmackDown was still #1 on cable for the night.

More Backstage News on Tommy Dreamer’s Status in WWE and TNA, Promoting House of Hardcore on Raw and More

As seen on Raw last night, ECW legend Tommy Dreamer made his return to WWE and aligned with The Dudley Boyz in their fight against The Wyatt Family.

According to PWInsider.com, it is not known if Dreamer has signed a full-time deal with WWE, but he most likely has not.

Dreamer was previously scheduled to work as a producer for TNA during its India tour, but with that being canceled it provided a window of opportunity for WWE to bring Dreamer in to help with the Wyatt/Dudley feud. Dreamer is not signed to a TNA deal, so it’s entirely possible WWE could sign him to a full-time, longer term deal if that’s what both sides are interested in.

As for what Dreamer was wearing on Raw last night, it was interesting to see WWE allow him to wear a House of Hardcore t-shirt, which is Dreamer’s independent promotion. With regards to the Polk-a-Dot pants Dreamer was wearing on Raw, that’s something he has been doing since one of his heroes, Dusty Rhodes, passed away.

WWE Taking Steps to Find Out Why it’s Losing the Raw Audience

According to PWInsider.com, WWE sent an email survey out to its WWE Fan Council yesterday, questioning them on the current state of Raw.

Questions included asking the fan when he/she watches Raw, when he/she changes the channel during Raw, and whether or not channel changing takes place during talking segments, matches, etc. This is likely WWE’s way of trying to determine why the company has lost about 25% of its viewers since June.

ECW Original Returns to WWE on Raw Tonight to Assist The Dudley Boyz

Last night on Raw, ECW original Tommy Dreamer made his return to WWE and joined The Dudley Boyz to assist them in their fight against The Wyatt Family.

The three ECW legends took on the team of Braun Strowman, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan in a 6 man tag team match. The finish of the match came when the match broke down and the ref ruled it a no contest.

WWE Breaking Ground Recap 11/30/15

Increased Security Continues at WWE Live Events

As noted, WWE beefed up security following the rumored ISIS terror threat during Survivor Series weekend, and according to WCHSTV.com, increased security continues at WWE live events.

The report notes that fans who attended last night’s WWE live event in Huntington, WV, were told to arrive to the venue early and be prepared to go through multiple levels of security. Doors to the 5pm event opened at 3:30, and all bags were checked, all fans were scanned with a metal wand, and anyone wearing a heavy coat was searched.

A new measure of security has also been added forcing patrons with bags to empty the contents of the bag into a clear bag which is provided by the venue, and the patrons must then return their bags to their cars.

WWE Confirms Cesaro’s Injury, How Long Will He Be Out of Action?, Cesaro Comments on the Injury, The Cesaro Section & More

WWE.com has published an article confirming Cesaro’s shoulder injury, and is reporting the results of an MRI revealed Cesaro has a torn tendon and a partially torn tendon in his left rotator cuff. Cesaro has been working through the injury for months and was hoping rehab would fix the issue, but he got a call from the doctor notifying him he will need to have surgery. Cesaro will be having the surgery today, and the official timeframe for his return is 4-6 months.

Cesaro had the following to say to WWE.com about the injury:

“I just want to come back as soon as possible. I felt I was building a lot of momentum, and that was all thanks to the fans. I really appreciate all the support I’ve gotten and I’ve felt that the Cesaro Section is finally rising and it’s becoming undeniable … and then, of course, this happens. It’s funny, because I am having the surgery on the day we are in Nashville, Tenn. [for Raw], which is where the Cesaro Section originated. I was actually expecting a big Cesaro Section tonight, and I’m sure they’ll be there. Unfortunately, I’ll be getting out of surgery. [Laughs]

I will be there in spirit with them. I want to keep the momentum up when I return, and I’m sure the Section will still be there.”

Backstage News on Ric Flair’s Upcoming ESPN 30 for 30 Special and What it Will Cover

According to F4WOnline.com, Vince McMahon reportedly signed off on allowing ESPN to use archival footage for the upcoming ESPN “30 For 30” special that Ric Flair has been filming. Flair spent four hours being interviewed earlier this month and camera crews were filming backstage at WWE Survivor Series in Atlanta.

The ESPN special will reportedly cover Flair’s entire career, his personal life, financial issues, Reid Flair’s death, the 1975 plane crash and more. There will be a focus on the 1980s when he was at the peak of his career as NWA World Heavyweight Champion with the Four Horsemen.

NXT Superstar Wesley Blake — Arrested For DUI This Summer, Refused to Take Test; WWE Responds

Former NXT Tag Team Champion Wesley Blake was arrested for DUI the day before the 4th of July this summer … and Pro Wrestling Sheet has obtained video of his refusal to take a BAC test.

Blake was arrested on July 3rd around 3AM and his license was promptly suspended — according to court documents obtained by Pro Wrestling Sheet.

In the video, officers remind Blake — real name Cory Weston — that his license will be suspended for a year if he doesn’t agree to a blood, urine or breath test. The 28 year-old doesn’t budge however.

Court records show Blake initially entered a plea of not guilty, but eventually waived his right to a speedy trial and the case was put into a pre-trial diversion program — which means he avoided sentencing by entering into a program with some requirements.

Unclear what those exact requirements were, but the Florida State Attorney’s office says it usually means the defendant has to participate in community service and a series of classes. If completed successfully, the charge will be dropped.

No word on whether WWE had any knowledge of the arrest. However, Blake and Murphy dropped the tag team titles to The Vaudevillains a few weeks after he was locked up.

A rep for WWE tells us, “Cory Weston is responsible for his own actions.”

Rumor Mill - WWE Releases Brad Maddox Due To Promo At WWE TV Tapings

As noted, WWE announced Brad Maddox's departure today.

According to PWInsider, Maddox was released because of language he used during a pre-dark match promo at Tuesday's WWE TV tapings. As noted, Maddox lost to R-Truth and ripped the NFL's Indianapolis Colts before the match. The phrase "cocky pricks" is what got him in trouble.

WWE officials then made the decision to issue release Maddox, who had been with the company since 2010.

WWE Releases Brad Maddox

WWE.com has posted the following:

WWE has come to terms on the release of WWE Superstar Brad Maddox as of Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015. WWE wishes Maddox the best in all of his future endeavors.

Maddox signed with WWE in 2010, and had recently been working in a tag team with Adam Rose. Maddox also appeared on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” dressed as a turkey and took a Tombstone Piledriver from The Undertaker.

WWE RAW Viewership Drops Under 3 Million

Monday's episode of WWE RAW, with the fallout from Survivor Series and new WWE World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus, drew 2.964 million viewers. This is down 10% from last week's 3.293 million viewers and a new non-holiday record low.

For this week's show, the first hour drew 3.190 million viewers, the second hour drew 2.990 million viewers and the final hour drew 2.712 million viewers.

RAW was #3 for the night in viewership behind the NFL on ESPN, which drew 14.256 million viewers, and SportsCenter. RAW was #4 for the night in the 18-49 demographic, behind the NFL, SportsCenter and Love & Hip-Hop.

Rumor Mill - Lana Reportedly Has “Nuclear” Backstage Heat in WWE

WWE Diva Lana currently has backstage heat in WWE for a number of reasons, one of them being her recent internet spat with Paige, which was not something that was a planned storyline.

According to this morning’s edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Lana has “nuclear heat” backstage in WWE right now, as there’s a feeling she’s the one who leaked the news of her real-life engagement to Rusev. Officials are also not pleased with some of the recent, cryptic comments Lana has made on social media.

Video Of Man Shot At The WWE Performance Center Released

As noted in August, a deranged fan, 29 year old Armando Alejandro Montalvo, was shot outside of the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, FL on August 31st. Orlando affiliate WFTV-9 released the video above of the shooting. In the video, Montalvo is shown yelling into the facility, asking to be trained so that he can "be the best NXT wrestler of all time." He started flexing and yelling, while stating that he didn't have a gun. He stayed at the facility until police arrived 11 minutes later. After authorities arrived, Montalvo continued flexing and then flipped police the bird. Montalvo then grabbed some rocks and charged at one of the officers before getting shot in the chest. Montalvo survived the shooting and is being charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and trespassing. He pleaded not guilty and is slated to go to trial in February. Below is surveillance footage of the incident:

WWE NXT Departure

PWInsider.com has confirmed the departure of Solomon Crowe. Crowe reportedly requested and received his release on Monday.

Sheamus on Winning the WWE World Title, Triple H Relationship, Roman Reigns, Brock Lesnar, More

New WWE World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus did a media conference call earlier this afternoon. Below are highlights:

* In regards to pressure and scrutiny on this reign due to top WWE stars being out, Sheamus said he's been in this position before and faced a lot of scrutiny in the past, as a heel and babyface. He said he's been ready to go for a long time, since before winning Money In the Bank. He feels like the last few months he's been waiting and ready to go. He said there's always pressure and he looks forward to that. He's 6 years into his WWE career, at a different point in his career and is a different person. He knows what he's doing now. He knows a lot of top WWE stars are out right now and knows Seth Rollins will be coming back better than ever. Sheamus says he's not going to let the opportunity pass him by and will give it everything he can. He calls it an opportunity of a lifetime and says he's never felt better or more comfortable in his own skin

* He was asked how he prepared for the weekend and asked if they ever thought there might not be a show due to the reports of a potential Islamic State terror attack. He says WWE took the threat very seriously and the talents were kept updated on what was going on. He talks about how the authorities handled everything. He goes into all pay-per-views the same and didn't treat Survivor Series any different. He says last night was so surreal for him and while he's been in this position before, this one feels more special. Sheamus was asked if the Irish are taking over WWE now that he has gold, Finn Balor is the NXT Champion and Becky Lynch is on the main roster. Sheamus praises Finn for their matches on the UK tour and calls him he flagship Superstar of NXT, a future WWE World Heavyweight Champion

More?

WWE was No. 2 most searched term on Google this weekend

WWE ended up at the No. 2 most searched term on Google this weekend with 500,000 searches. This was mainly due to the story that came out Saturday where hacker group Anonymous revealed that Survivor Series in Atlanta was among many locations being considered for a terrorist attack by ISIS. The big Alvarez vs. Cotto boxing fight topped Google this weekend with 1.2 million searches.

WWE Breakng Ground Recap 11/22/15

Triple H Comments on the Success of Survivor Series

In the face of uncertainty, 14,481 strong (and LOUD) showed up to #SurvivorSeries..that's what makes the @WWE Universe the absolute best.

— Triple H (@TripleH) November 23, 2015

#ThankYou to the local and national authorities for ensuring everyone's safety tonight @PhilipsArena.

— Triple H (@TripleH) November 23, 2015

Awesome Kong announces her retirement from pro wrestling

Kia Stevens, who WWE fans will remember as Kharma from a WWE run that was more build than action (but that did provide us with a cool Royal Rumble moment back in 2012), has informed Japanese fans that she will not be working an upcoming show in Korakuen Hall that she was scheduled to appear in on November 25.

According to the letter published in Japanese on-line that's because she will retire at age 38. Stevens, who is much better known by the name she worked under outside of WWE, Awesome Kong, states in the announcment that doctors suggested she hang up her boots. And because she doesn't feel she can perform at the level fans expect of her, she is following their suggestion.

Kong returned to TNA, where she's probably experienced the most success with two Knockouts titles and a run with the tag belts over her three years there from 2007 - 2010, earlier this year. Reports started circulating almost immediately that she was struggling with a bad back and other ailments accumulated throughout her career. Though she still made an impression with her natural charisma and knowing how to work a compelling match - especially with frequent rival Gail Kim - her ring work was noticeably effected by whatever injuries with which she was coping.

source: camelclutchblog.com

WWE Director Talks Vince McMahon On Commentary And Why He Stopped, Angle With Vince's Limo Exploding

Recently on The Steve Austin Show - Unleashed!, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin interviewed long-time WWE Director Kerwin Silfies. Silfies talked about why Vince McMahon stopped doing commentary for WWE programming, what he thought of McMahon becoming an in-ring performer, and what his favorite moment has been in his over 30-year career with WWE.

According to Silfies, McMahon was an excellent commentator because no one knew the booking plans better than McMahon.

"Nobody can tell the story that needs to be told better than the man who booked the story, and, so, everything [McMahon] did [on commentary] was pretty perfect. And I think that's why whatever color [commentary] guys were working with him, they did their best work working with him, with the exception of Bobby [Heenan], who, hands down, did his best work working with Gorilla [Monsoon] because he wasn't intimidated by him and he wasn't worried that he would say the wrong thing."

Silfies claimed that McMahon stopped doing commentary because he could not control everything behind-the-scenes when he was on commentary.

"He [has] got an amazing, amazing mind, if you ask me." Silfies continued, "I think he stopped [commentating] because he was frustrated having to sit there [at the commentary desk] and not be able to control other aspects of the show because he had to be doing the commentary and he could make do with someone else doing the commentary easier than he could sit there and watch everybody else, myself included, screw things up because he wasn't able to help."

Silfies thought that McMahon set a good example for staff when he started getting in the ring as a performer as he was willing to do anything he asked others to do. Silfies said he also worried about McMahon's safety.

"Well, first, I thought that it was a great example for everyone that 'I'm not expecting anybody to do things that I won't do myself to the limits of my capabilities' and his are pretty unlimited. And I also thought, 'please don't let him get hurt!'"

Silfies said his favorite WWE moment was blowing up McMahon in the limousine during the "Mr. McMahon Appreciation Night" episode of WWE Monday Night RAW in 2007.

"It was kind of a small moment, but I was very proud of it and it was when we blew up Vince in the limo because it took a lot of work to set that up and there was all kinds of speculation about how we did it and how it was 'Vince got out the other side of the car' and 'there was a fake leg that came out' and all kinds of stuff that was just baloney. But we're not Hollywood. We're the WWE and we do a lot of things really, really well, but we're not Hollywood and we didn't have a five million dollar budget for that stunt and it came out perfect." Silfies added, "people in the arena calling EMTs saying that Vince just got blown up in the parking lot. Now, that's crazy! That's just flat out crazy, but it was that good."

In addition to these topics, Silfies talked about WrestleMania being the easiest event to direct and shared his thoughts on how the product has changed over time. Click here to listen to the entire show.