Video: Stephanie McMahon Interview | Rachael Ray Show

Hulk Hogan vs Gawker Verdict

TMZ.com is reporting that Hulk Hogan won his case against Gawker, and won an astounding $115 million.

Hogan had only sued for $100 million, but the jury decided it wasn’t enough and bumped it up to $115 million.

The breakdown of the payout is as follows – $55 million for economic injuries and $60 million for emotional distress. He could get even more with punitive damages.

Hogan had argued that he had no idea he was being recorded when he had sex with his friend’s wife at their home in Florida back in 2007.

Gawker published 1 minute and 50 seconds of the video without Hulk’s permission. Hogan claimed it was the ultimate invasion of his privacy.

Another WWE Hall Of Famer And WWE Champion Donating Their Brains For CTE Research

We mentioned a couple of weeks ago that WWE Hall of Famer and former WWE and WCW Champion Kevin Nash was going to donate his brain to help CTE research after his death. Now, Mick Foley and Jeff Hardy have also joined in on the cause.

In an interview that we published earlier, former WWE and TNA world champion Jeff Hardy said that he's only aware of about two or three concussions that he's had, but still wants to donate his brain to the research cause.

In addition, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley mentioned on Twitter that he's also donating his brain, and that former WWE Superstar Chris Nowinski talked him into doing it. Nowinski had his career ended due to concussions over ten years ago.

The WWE has seen major issues with concussions in recent years, as both Daniel Bryan and Corey Graves have had to retire due to them. Although he hasn't officially retired, Christian has also been shelved due to concussion-related issues.

Sting Retiring From Wrestling ... Neck's Too Jacked Up

Sting's wrestling career is over ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Long story short ... the wrestling legend messed up his neck real bad at his "WWE Night of Champions" match against Seth Rollins back in September -- and was never able to recover.

Sources connected to Sting tell us he was evaluated by several doctors who all agree -- it's just too risky for the wrestler to get back in the squared circle ... so, he's decided to hang up his singlet.

We're told the 56-year-old was formally diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis -- a condition affecting the nerves that can result in extreme pain and discomfort.

In fact, it's the same condition that forced fellow WWE superstar Edge to retire in 2011.

Our sources tell us Sting may make his official announcement next month at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony in Texas ... but we're told it's a done deal.

As far as Sting's future -- it's up in the air. We're told Sting is open to a non-physical role with the company ... but we're told no formal offer has been made.

Sting was a legend in the ring ... rising to superstardom in the late '80s before becoming the face of the WCW and a huge fan favorite in the WWE.

source: tmz.com

Total Divas Recap 03/15/16

Rumor Killer On Triple H And Kurt Angle

We noted a few days ago via The Observer that Kurt Angle and Triple H met while in Columbus, Ohio for The Arnold Sports Festival last week. They issued a correction this week that says Angle and Triple H did not meet or talk at all while they were at the event for different reasons.

WWE Partners With The V Foundation To Fight Pediatric Cancer, Stephanie McMahon Comments

WWE announced the following today:

The V Foundation and WWE Launch National Partnership to Fight Pediatric Cancer

CARY, N.C. and STAMFORD, Conn., March 14, 2016 – In an effort to help find cures for pediatric cancer, WWE (NYSE: WWE) and The V Foundation for Cancer Research today announced a multi-year partnership to support cancer research nationally through funds raised by Connor's Cure. The announcement was made at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, where Connor's Cure was originally established, with representatives from the hospital, WWE and The V Foundation. In 2014, Connor's Cure was created by WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and WWE Executive Vice President Talent, Live Events & Creative Paul "Triple H" Levesque as a fund within Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation to support pediatric brain and spinal cord cancer research.

The new partnership will expand Connor's Cure outside of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation and support other top research centers and hospitals nationwide. Connor's Cure was established in honor of 8-year-old WWE fan Connor Michalek, a patient at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC who battled medulloblastoma, a rare tumor that affects the brain and spinal cord. To date, Connor's Cure has raised nearly $1 million and assisted more than 100 families around the world.

As a result of the new partnership, funds raised by WWE will support Connor's Cure through The V Foundation's grant-making process. The V Foundation's Scientific Advisory Committee, comprised of world-class physicians and research scientists, vets and awards top-rated grant proposals from the nation's leading medical facilities. In addition, funding will continue to support the research being done at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.

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The Foleys Getting Their Own WWE Network Show

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley and his daughter Noelle Foley will be starring in an upcoming WWE Network series.

A pilot for the show has already been filmed, according to PWInsider, and it's said to be along the lines of "The Edge and Christian Show That Totally Reeks of Awesomeness." The pilot is said to be very funny and they are working on plans for more episodes.

Rumor Mill - Triple H Meets With Kurt Angle

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Triple H reportedly met with Kurt Angle last weekend when the two were in Columbus, Ohio for the Arnold Sports Festival. No word yet on what was discussed. Triple H was there producing the WWE Experience happenings while Angle was inducted into the International Sports Hall of

WrestleMania at AT&T Stadium reportedly breaks record for most tickets sold to WWE event

World Wrestling Entertainment appears to be in the home stretch when it comes to breaking their own WrestleMania attendance record.

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reports that the April 3 event at AT&T Stadium in Arlington has broken the WWE record for number of tickets sold.

That number currently sits somewhere above 84,000.

Wrestling fans may stop and think,"Wasn't WrestleMania III's attendance somewhere north of 93,000?"

ESPN's Arash Markazi answered that question, too...

"The WrestleMania 3 attendance figure was an inflated number from the around 78,000 tickets actually sold."

It has been WWE's mission to break not only their attendance record at WrestleMania, but to get that number into the six-figure range.

This past Sunday, Harvest America 2016 packed in at least 100,000 people into AT&T Stadium.

The venue has also seen George Strait, the Dallas Cowboys, and the NBA All-Star Game hit the acclaimed 100,000 attendance mark.

Triple H and Steph Refuse to Work Out With Vince ... 'He's Too Crazy!'

Vince McMahon is such a BEAST in the gym, even his own musclebound son-in-law refuses to hit the weights with the guy ... telling TMZ Sports, "He's too crazy."

We got Triple H and his wife Steph McMahon out in NYC -- and we asked 'em about their famous midnight workouts ... and how the hell they muster up the energy to train that late at night!!

That's when we brought up 70-year-old Vince -- who's legendary for crushing it in the gym -- and Triple H told us the rumors are true ... the guy is an absolute "machine."

WWE Announces Live Network Special For The UK

WWE has announced a live WWE Network special for Wednesday, September 7th from the O2 Arena in London. Tickets go on sale March 16th.

The O2 announced:

"WWE have announced that its unique brand of action packed entertainment is returning to London for a one-off special on Wednesday 7 September at The O2. Don't miss this unique opportunity to see WWE Superstar and Diva favourites Roman Reigns, AJ Styles, New Day, Sasha Banks and Charlotte and many more to be announced."

Details On Ken Anderson’s TNA Release And Failed Drug Test

Wrestlezone Radio guest and Pro Wrestling Sheet editor-in-chief Ryan Satin is reporting former WWE/TNA star Ken Anderson was released from TNA Wrestling after he failed a drug test, which was administered after he appeared to be under the influence during a match.

According to sources, Anderson was reportedly working a match with Eric Young, but he looked so bad in the ring that he was forced to take a drug test before being sent home. Sources told Satin that the match was originally scheduled to air on the January 19th episode of Impact Wrestling but it had to be removed from the show. Eric Young was reportedly furious with TNA management after the bout, to the point he could be heard yelling at officials to do something about the situation.

Pro Wrestling Sheet says they’ve attempted to contact both Anderson and TNA officials for comment on the story, but have not received a response from either side. A source did tell Satin that management, while not commenting, does hope Anderson will get some sort of treatment.

Anderson made headlines earlier yesterday after a video of him surfaced where he announced he was no longer with the company, and said “f*ck TNA” during an Insane Championship Wrestling event.

Lucha Underground Reportedly Very Close to a Deal With Netflix, Details

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Lucha Underground is close to a deal with Netflix.

As of this writing, the deal would mean that Netflix would only get the first season of the show, but the deal with iTunes would still contain the second season. This is usually the case, as television shows don’t usually hit Netflix until well after the season ends.

El Rey is still only available in 40 million homes, much less than other major wrestling shows. Lucha Underground was available on demand for a while before they finally got on Itunes last month.

Titus O'Neil Talks About His WWE Suspension, If He Plans To Quit The Company

Rapzilla recently interviewed Titus O'Neil for his first interview since he was suspended last month for grabbing Vince McMahon's arm as McMahon was headed backstage after Daniel Bryan's retirement segment on RAW. O'Neil talked about the incident, and stated that he was owning up to his mistake.

"I always believe in all things there's always positives in it," said O'Neil. "I made a mistake at an inopportune time. Regardless if it was too harsh or overreacting or whatever people have deemed it, it all stems from my mistake. Whether I agree with it or not, I am owning it. I'm doing what I'd normally do in any other situation."

Batista recently tweeted that he called O'Neil and said that he should ask for his release. O'Neil noted that he could leave the business since there are plenty of other things that he can do, but doesn't plan to.

"I can go and coach, I can do a lot of stuff, but at the end of the day, I've never quit on anything in my entire life," Titus said.

O'Neil also discussed his faith, the charity work he does, receiving support following his WWE suspension and more. You can read the full interview by clicking here.

Rumor Mill - Bret Hart Talks the Real Life Tension Between Stephanie & Shane McMahon, Is It Why Shane Left WWE?

Maybe it’s storyline, maybe it’s not. I know there’s a lot of tension between Stephanie and Shane. It’s my understanding, unless I’m wrong, that there was a lot of tension there for quite a long time. Which is why Shane left. They kind of passed him over and gave everything to Stephanie to run. There’s a lot of question marks about the legitimacy or the reality of what’s going on. For me, as WrestleMania gets closer, the wrestling fan in me is kind of excited about seeing where it goes.

Interview with Austin Aries

Austin Aries recently spoke with the Wrestling Compadres, talking about everything from his long journey to the WWE, when he thought about stepping away from wrestling a few years back, and his thoughts on Baron Corbin attacking him. Click here to listen to the full interview, and you can read a few excerpts below:

Austin Aries on his debut:
“Before I went out, Bayley was backstage and I joked with her “If I walk out there and it’s crickets and nobody knows me, just come out and give me a hug.”

Aries on Baron Corbin:
“For a former NFL lineman, the guy moves pretty fast. He got me good. But he’s going to realize that he cut his own nose off to spite his face”

Aries on his journey:
“You can’t measure passion. Everything I’ve ever achieved in the business has been because of passion”.

ESPN’s WWE Off The Top Rope Recap: Shawn Michaels Talks Wrestlemania Moments, Ric Flair, Why He Knew It Was His Time To Retire

The following is a recap of Shawn Michaels’ appearance on ESPN’s WWE Off The Top Rope segment tonight:

Coach welcomes Shawn Michaels to the show and talks about his reputation as ‘Mr. Wrestlemania’, and asked why he shined at the event. Shawn says just getting to Wrestlemania is a feat in itself, and he focused on making each one count, deciding around Wrestlemania IX to get everyone to talk about his match each year. He says he wanted to do it to honor his job as a wrestler, then Coach asks about which Wrestlemania match is his favorite. Shawn says that’s hard to answer, citing Wrestlemania X and XII for his individual accomplishments, but also notes working with Ric Flair and Undertaker later on. He says all he can do is be thankful for how many special moments he was involved with, and it’s hard to pick just one.

Coach talks about Shawn wrestling Flair at Wrestlemania XXIV, and Shawn says it went from him admiring Flair as a kid all the way to being the person to be picked in that match, and it meant a lot to him. Shawn talks about honoring Ric Flair at Wrestlemania 24, and he says he wanted to do as much as he could to show his appreciation. Shawn says he wanted Ric to have a sense of pride, and he also wanted everyone who worked with Ric and knew him to know it too.

Coach brings up Shawn’s final match two years later and asks why Shawn knew that night was it. Shawn says it was ultimately about his family, telling a story about how time was passing and his son would be grown up soon enough. He says that cued him to start thinking about life after WWE, and walking away was huge, but he wanted to do this for his family and be an active part of his raising his family. He says all he knows is to perform at the best he can, and luckily he had a great opponent that night.

Coach thanks him and says maybe they will see him at Wrestlemania 32, and Shawn says it’s basically in his hometown and he might have to make some moves, but they could see him there.

HBK’s Top Wrestlemania Moments

Top Feud
Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker

Top Move
Shawn Michaels’ dives off the ladder at Wrestlemania X

Top Moment
Shawn Michaels says ‘I’m sorry, I love you’ and superkicks Ric Flair, pinning Flair to retire him

Top Win
Shawn Michaels defeats Bret Hart at Wrestlemania XII to win the WWE Championship

Read more at http://www.wrestlezone.com/news/682925-espns-wwe-off-the-top-rope-recap-shawn-michaels-talks-wrestlemania-moments-ric-flair-why-he-knew-it-was-his-time-to-retire#UcTpmu4ItaRdUIMX.99

Total Divas Recap 03/08/16

Vince McMahon Comments on the WWEPC and Triple H's Corporate Growth

Vince McMahon discusses WWE's future and Triple H's corporate role in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel:

Q: The Performance Center has now been here for nearly three years. What has it been like to see the growth of it and the opportunity to do it in the first place and now see what it has become?

A: "That, quite frankly, was pretty much my son-in-law Paul [Levesque, also known as Triple H], his vision. He's done an unbelievable job. Years ago, there were all these fiefdoms, these territories and what-have-you throughout the United States. It was easy for us then to reach out and grab some of those seasoned talents and introduce them to WWE. That was a golden era as far as talent acquisition is concerned. That was then.

"So where do you get your talent today? There is none of that now so you start, in essence, a farm league so to speak and you grow that. It takes a while. You can't just walk in, an athlete, no matter how good they really are, you can't walk in and do what we do. There are a lot of athletes from a pro standpoint that come in and they just can't do it. it takes a special person. And it's not just the athleticism; it's the personality projection, it's the charisma, and that you either have or you don't. You can create an aura somewhat but you can't create charisma.

"What Paul has done, he's done an extraordinary job and because of the welcome here in Florida, because of the Performance Center, its world-class qualities, we are able to attract so many more athletes now. You saw the NXT talent that was here. I was talking to John Cena who was there [at the Performance Center] this week giving a pep talk and he said these talents are really, really good. And he says, 'I've got to tell you, watching the new talents in there, the looks that they certainly have, you can see that they're very different and they're gifted athletically.'

"He said this is going to be a huge crop of new talent coming up. Again, it's the concept of the big wheel keeps on turning. In our world, that's because of NXT, that's what happens in that big wheel with all of the distribution and all of our developers now, it just gets bigger and bigger and the momentum continues on."

Q: What it's been like to see Paul grow the way he has behind the scenes? This is a guy that's still a performer in the ring but now he's a big part of helping run things and a guy that in the future is going to have an even bigger role running things with your daughter Stephanie.

A: "It's extraordinary watching that growth. Growth is painful sometimes. Some of us really enjoy pain so it's easy for us to grow. Most people don't. Most people say they want to grow but more people are naturally comfortable with where they are. Paul's not that way. Paul is very aggressive. Not outwardly so. When you meet with him and talk with him, it's like, 'what a nice guy.' But inside, he has that competitive spirit and he's always reaching for that brass ring.

"He's done so well. I'm so proud of him, not just the years he's spent in the ring and I don't know how many more years that's going to last. This may be his last WrestleMania. I don't know. He's a little long in the tooth as I say to his face and we all laugh about that now because I'm 70 years old. Nonetheless, corporately the growth over the last two years has been exponential and Stephanie's part has been even more of a meteoric rise. What she does in terms of representing the brand, no one can represent the brand in all aspects, in all facets of our business, and she fits everywhere. Talk about an ambassador, she's obviously beyond an ambassador and her growth corporately has been great. I'm very proud of both of them."

Vince McMahon On Working With Shane Again, Hoping That Would Happen, If Shane Will Stay After Mania

Brian Fritz has a detailed Q&A with WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon that took place after this morning's WWE WrestleMania 33 press conference. During the interview, Vince was asked about Shane McMahon returning to WWE and what it's been like having him back.

"It's been awesome," Vince admitted. "I was hoping that one day we might get back together. It's difficult. Fathers and sons sometimes, in the same business at a certain stage, it can be very difficult. You love each other just as much but you see things a little differently. You have the old bull and the young bull and the old bull is not ready to give it up, his horns are still sharp. It's great that Shane is back. Whether or not there's a corporate place, we'll wait and see.

"From a performer standpoint, I so enjoy performing with him. And when the three of us are out there, Stephanie and Shane and me, and throw in Paul because that has happened in the past, oh my God! We could stay out there and entertain each other, much less the audience, for an hour. It would be easy. It's just so much fun because we can ad-lib and entertain ourselves. I think if you are entertaining yourselves and you're having fun, that projects and the audience is having fun with you."

When asked pressed further if Shane will remain with the company in either a corporate position or as a performer, Vince replied, "That will be determined by whether or not he wins his match."

Vince also discussed John Cena not wrestling at WrestleMania 32, injuries plaguing this year's Mania, keeping Shane's return a surprise and much more. You can read the full interview by clicking here.

Connor's Cure Awarded

Connor's Cure, named after recipient of WWE's Warrior Award Connor Michalek, has been named 2015's Best Social Good Campaign in the CableFAX Awards. WWE congratulated them with this tweet:

Congratulations to #ConnorsCure, named 2015's Best Social Good Campaign in @CableFAX's #CFXAwards! @WWE pic.twitter.com/v95gkJ7xAr

— WWE (@WWE) March 8, 2016

Jade on Who Has Helped Her In TNA, Dixie Carter Being a Fan of the Knockouts, The Dollhouse Changes

TNA Knockout Jade recently spoke with Scott Fishman of Channel Guide Magazine to promote Impact Wrestling. The full interview can be found at this link. Below are highlights:

The Dollhouse and Knockouts changes in TNA:

“It has been a challenge, because back-to-back stuff has been happening and we didn’t know what was going on. We didn’t know what to do. We pretty much had to think on our toes. First, it was Taryn leaving and then we were thinking, who would be the leader. Then it was Kong, which we liked the idea because we all loved her. Not that we didn’t love Taryn, but there was a good connection with Kong. Then she left. The first time we were together was in the UK where we had to step up on our own and show them we didn’t need to depend on anybody else. We felt we could do our own thing and run with it. That’s what we’ve been doing.”

Transitioning from the indies to TNA and who has helped her:

“It’s really difficult for me, as I’ve been wrestling on the independent scene for about eight years or so. There, you just go out there and do your thing. You cut a promo here and there, but I never had a set character. I was just a wrestler. Now I’m an actual character. I’m Jade. I’m this bad ass and member of the Dollhouse. There are so many things I have to focus on besides wrestling. You have to get your character over and talk on the mic and master mannerisms. It’s a completely different feel than what I’m used to, so I’m still getting help. Tyrus has helped me out. Marti has helped me. David Lagana and Pat Kenney have also been there. I’m open to asking questions and looking for help because that is one part I still have trouble learning. No matter how much experience I have on the independents, the character and promos were my biggest issues. So it’s getting easier with experience and having people support me. It also helps that I know who my character is now, so I can play into that. In the beginning maybe I couldn’t pinpoint what they wanted for me or what I should be like.”

Dixie Carter being a fan of the Knockouts:

“It was actually really cool after the Lethal Lockdown — the minute we came back, she was there standing and clapping for us and giving us all hugs. She said, ‘You did it for us women!’ It was really cool to have that personal touch, being a female and knowing what she goes through in her role and then supporting us.”

WWE Champions Coming To iOS And Android Devices In 2016

The following announcement has been released, detailing the new WWE Champions mobile game set for a 2016 global release:

Los Angeles – March 8, 2016 – Scopely, the leading touchscreen entertainment network, has entered into a new partnership with global entertainment company WWE to publish a free to play mobile game, WWE Champions, currently in limited market tests for a 2016 global release. The partnership extends the power of WWE’s global brand, and adds to the diverse and successful catalog of Scopely games based on celebrated brands and entertainment franchises. WWE Champions will be the first release from Scopely’s multi-title partnership with award-winning developer Kung Fu Factory.

“Scopely is powering the next generation of interactive entertainment through our robust publishing infrastructure and product expertise,” said Walter Driver, CEO of Scopely. “With WWE, we are creating and evolving the mobile WWE experience with daily gameplay events that continue to bring WWE’s brand, talent, and legendary moments to life.”

WWE Champions allows players to collect more than 100 different Superstars and Legends where they can enter the ring for intense 3D action powered by fast and engaging puzzle play. The game is currently in test markets, and will launch worldwide on Android and iOS devices later this year.

“Scopely’s expertise in creating authentic branded mobile game experiences made them an ideal partner,” said Casey Collins, WWE Executive Vice President, Consumer Products. “Together with Scopely, we’ve planned an expansive slate of mobile gaming content to keep WWE’s passionate fan base engaged.”

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WrestleMania 33 Location Confirmed, Press Conference To Be Held On Tuesday

A press conference will be held on Tuesday to announce that WrestleMania 33 will take place at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, FL. The city of Orlando issued the following announcing the press conference:

Governor Scott, Mayor Dyer, Mayor Jacobs to Host Press Conference Announcing Major Event at Orlando Citrus Bowl

Florida Governor Rick Scott, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs to Host Press Conference Announcing Major Event at Orlando Citrus Bowl

When:
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
11 AM
Press Check In: 10:30 AM

Where:
Orlando Citrus Bowl Varsity Club
1 Citrus Bowl Place
Orlando, FL 32805
Media Check In: Varsity Club Entrance
Media Parking: Lot 10

Who:
Florida Governor Rick Scott
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer
Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs
Other dignitaries

DESCRIPTION: The news conference will outline the event which is expected to draw visitors from around the world to the Orlando area for a week of activities. Information provided will include the potential local economic impact of the event and the international exposure that will be created for Orlando. The event's organizers will join Governor Scott, Mayor Dyer and Mayor Jacobs for the announcement.

Update On Two More 2016 WWE Hall Of Famers

A new WrestleMania 32 magazine that comes out this week features a "Tribute" section with Jacqueline Moore and Stan Hansen confirmed for the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame. They will join Sting, The Fabulous Freebirds, The Godfather and The Big Bossman. No word yet if Regis Philbin will still be going in the Celebrity Wing.

Big Boss Man to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame's Class of 2016

The WWE Hall of Fame now finally has its law and order. As first reported by CBSsports.com , the newest inductee to the WWE Hall of Fame is The Big Boss Man.

Boss Man, a former Cobb County, Ga., corrections officer turned sports-entertainer decked out in full police uniform, first debuted in WWE in the late ‘80s. Managed by the legendary Slick, the ruthless Boss Man gained notoriety for not only defeating his opponents with ease, but also handcuffing them to the ropes and then bashing them with his patented nightstick. Though he had no trouble muscling opponents around, Boss Man was also deceptively quick and agile for a performer who weighed over 300 pounds, often being heralded as one of WWE’s best, and most unique, athletes. He had memorable encounters with the likes WWE Hall of Famers Randy Savage, Koko B. Ware and Shawn Michaels, and he also joined forces with another monstrous Superstar, Akeem, to form the titanic tag team known as The Twin Towers.

Though he initially displayed a warped view on justice, the former cop eventually showed that he did have morals. When “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase attempted to procure his services, The Big Boss Man declared that he couldn’t be bought. The bold move led to Boss Man becoming one of the WWE Universe’s most beloved Superstars, an enforcer of law and order who made evildoers pay for their transgressions. This new demeanor from the Boss Man led to his participation in some of the more unique matches of the 1990s, such as a Jailhouse Match against The Mountie at SummerSlam 1991, where the loser spent the night in a New York City jail, and a Nightstick Match with ex-con Nailz at Survivor Series 1992.

Boss Man went on to compete around the world for several years in the mid-‘90s, including a stint in WCW, before returning to WWE in 1998. Adorned fully in black riot squad gear, Boss Man became Mr. McMahon’s personal security detail in the villainous Corporation. He faced off with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Mick Foley and The Undertaker, as well as captured the World Tag Team Championship and, on four occasions, the WWE Hardcore Championship. The Big Boss Man also engaged in infamous rivalries with Big Show and Al Snow, the latter of which resulted in one of the more notorious matches in history, the Kennel from Hell Match, at Unforgiven 1999.

Although the Boss Man passed away in 2004, the memories he created for the WWE Universe will surely live on forever. Because of that, he will be rightfully celebrated as the newest member of the hallowed WWE Hall of Fame on April 2, the night before WrestleMania 32!

Official Book to Focus on the Creation and Rise of the WWE NXT Brand

ECW Press, which often works with WWE on new books, has announced "NXT: The Future Is Now" for an April 2017 release. The book will be written by Jon Robinson and will focus on the creation and rise of the WWE NXT brand.

The following was issued today:

NXT: The Future is Now by Jon Robinson (April 1, 2017, ECW Press) follows the rise of NXT from its conception to becoming WWE’s newest global brand. Learn how NXT came to be, from the opening of the WWE Performance Center to WWE’s new, forward-thinking approach to talent development. See how Seth Rollins, Bray Wyatt, Paige, Charlotte and other new stars have broken into WWE more prepared than any generation before. Get an inside look into WWE’s future as new and exciting performers hone their skills, personalities, and so much more under the watchful eye of Paul “Triple H” Levesque. With new, insightful interviews from Triple H, NXT trainers, Superstars and Divas, fans will learn how the future is indeed now!

NXT: The Future is Now is scheduled for a Spring 2017 release by ECW Press, in partnership with WWE. Over the past fifteen years, ECW has been a leading publisher of wrestling books, including autobiographies of Jimmy “The Mouth of the South” Hart, Larry Zybyszko, and The Missing Link, as well as The Death of WCW and The Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame series.

WWE And NXT ASF 2016 Coverage Day Two: Samoa Joe, Balor, Bayley Steals Gimmick, Q&As, Tryouts, More

Matches

* Apollo Crews defeated Tino Sabbotelli.

* Chad Gable defeated Riddick Moss.

* Dan Matha vs. Aiden English kept seeing interference from Simon Gotch, so Dylan Miley ran in. William Regal showed up and made it a tag team match, which Miley and Matha won, to the shock of the crowd. Matha and Miley are really plain, but they're brand new to live events, too.

* Tye Dillinger defeated Kishan Raftar. Dillinger chopped the living hell out of Raftar, who messed up an armdrag. It was surprising to see Raftar, Matha and Miley, because last year most of the talents we saw were almost TV ready.

* Bayley defended the Women's title and beat Nia Jax in an NXT TakeOver London re-match. Eva Marie got beaten up by Bayley after the match. Again, Bayley was over. The barricades were rushed as soon as her music hit. During the match, Bayley grabbed the T-shirt and "10" sign that Dillinger left and totally stole his gimmick.

* Jason Jordan defeated Johnny Gargano with a half nelson suplex. Johnny Gargano was really over, as he's an Ohio guy. These two had a good match.

* Apollo Crews defeated Riddick Moss. This was the kind of match both guys had been having all weekend, which was good for the live crowd.

* Billie Kay defeated Alexa Bliss. Poor Alexa Bliss can't get a win in her own hometown. The crowd always popped for her when she came out, but she'd end up heeling them. I have no idea what the Billie Kay gimmick is, but her entrance theme is pretty cool.

* Chad Gable defeated Scott Dawson with a deadlift German suplex. Their partners were fanning them off with the signature towels before they locked up. A really good match, great chemistry.

* Asuka & Peyton Royce defeated Mandy Rose & Emma via the Asuka Lock. I don't think I saw Mandy Rose really mess up all weekend, which says a lot considering she was on a reality show a few months ago. She's learning quickly by the looks of it.

* Finn Balor and Sami Zayn defeated Samoa Joe and Baron Corbin. All of these guys felt like stars in this. This was an outstanding tag team match, which saw Balor get the pin after a Bloody Sunday on Corbin, following a Helluva kick from Sami Zayn. Much like yesterday, it was really impressive to see.

Q&As

* Mark Henry said he didn't know what he's doing at WrestleMania, and might jump someone to get involved. He said he wouldn't mind being in the Andre the Giant memorial battle royal, and tells a story about Andre picking him up after being pushed down at an event. He singles out Apollo Crews as an NXT talent he'd like to face and says he pushed for him. He called the Mae Young era the most fun in his career and said she was a good kisser, before singling out the Undertaker at WrestleMania 22 as his favorite opponent.

* Sara Del Rey, Matt Bloom and William Regal did a great Q&A. They said that nobody from last year's ASF tryouts was still with WWE, and the ones we see are abbreviated to give us an idea. Sara says that she and Matt are like a brother/sister team, while Regal says he coaches a lot of footwork and evaluates talent. Regal says there's no cutoff for age if someone has a supreme skill set, but for someone new, 30ish is the general range. Sara tells us that in her opinion, Bayley should be the next to go up to the WWE roster, and fans thank and clap for Sara's part in the Diva's revolution. They're asked about ZZ, and they say that he's working hard and getting better. William Regal says that he's hopeful that there will be a new season of Breaking Ground, and that he's very excited for Shinsuke Nakamura. Bloom says he's excited to see him and not get kicked this time. Sara closes by saying she'd love women's tag titles in NXT or the main roster.

Familiar Faces

- We mentioned yesterday that several wrestling personalities were around for the Arnold Classic, and today was no different. Former WCW talent Bill Kazmaier met with fans at the event.

Also, Hardcore legend Sabu was there signing and taking photos.

Other notes

- As was the case yesterday, several talents were signing autographs. While the lines didn't reach anywhere near the length of yesterday's they were still pretty long. Eva Marie was a big hit, and was very personable and friendly, taking pictures with people and adding them to her snapchat. Gable and Jordan are also incredibly friendly with individuals in the crowd.

- During yesterday's match with American Alpha, The Revival and made fun of them, calling them the "American Males."

- Tom Phillips is a pro and seems like he loves his job. Dasha Fuentes is a pretty good ring announcer, and they did a great job hosting today.

- Sunday's crowd was much smaller, much easier to navigate and the like. The place was buzzing about Saturday night's UFC.

- Regarding the tryouts, we saw the same names as yesterday there. If they do well, they're invited to a full tryout at the Performance Center.

- Tommaso Ciampa didn't wrestle, but did sign autographs. He wasn't using crutches, slings, or anything to indicate he was severely injured.

#DoTheWork

Landed at 2am
Sleep at 3am
Boxing 9am-12pm #DoTheWork pic.twitter.com/Td6dmA9wmo

— Triple H (@TripleH) March 7, 2016

Video: Triple H & Arnold Schwarzenegger do Q&A at Arnold Sports Festival

WWE And NXT ASF 2016 Coverage Day One: Triple H & Arnold, Exclusive Interviews, TNA Stars, More

Wrestling Inc was live on the scene today in Columbus, Ohio as the WWE and NXT held the second WWE Experience at the Arnold Sports Festival. The show was full of matches, surprises, Q&As and autograph signings. Wrestling Inc even spoke to a few of the NXT stars. We'll have full day two coverage tomorrow as well!

- Corey Graves, Tom Phillips and Dasha Fuentes welcome us to the event, and Corey Graves makes the crowd boo Phillips because his mic won't work.

Matches

* Apollo Crews defeated Dylan Miley with a standing moonsault. This was a really slow paced match which Miley controlled with a lot of grounded holds.

* Billie Kay defeated Mandy Rose with a kick to the face. Mandy Rose worked as a babyface during the match.

* Johnny Gargano submitted Riddick Moss with Garano Escape. Dasha accidentally called Gargano Tommaso Ciampa.

* Bayley retained the NXT Women's Championship over Emma with a Bayley-to-Belly. Bayley is over beyond comprehension in Columbus. She gave her shirt to a girl in the crowd, who broke down in tears.

* American Alpha defeated the Vaudevillains with Grand Amplitude. Gable and Gotch put on a mat wrestling clinic in the opening moments. American Alpha are also over big time.

* Finn Balor retained the NXT Championship over Baron Corbin with Bloody Sunday. Seeing Balor pull off Bloody Sunday on Corbin was really impressive.

* Eva Marie defeated Peyton Royce. This was not a good match. Eva Marie still doesn't look live crowd ready.

* Tye Dillinger defeated Tino Sabbotelli. Tino looks a lot like Jessie Godderz in person.

* Asuka submitted Alexa Bliss via the Asuka Lock. Bliss got a big pop from her hometown crowd, then heeled them. This was an excellent match.

* The Revival retained their NXT Tag Titles over the Protein Brothers (King Constantine & Thomas Kingdon) when they cheated. Protein Bros did not look ready to be in the ring, but Dash and Dawson are really good, so it wasn't easy to tell.

* Kishan Raftar defeated someone whose name I'm still trying to find out.

* Nia Jax defeated Billie Kay via leg drop.

* Apollo Crews defeated Riddick Moss and said he expects gold around his waist in 2016. This match was really long.

* Tye Dillinger defeated Johnny Gargano with his finish. Dillinger heeled it up and turned on the crowd after working as a babyface earlier.

* American Alpha defeated The Revival via DQ in a title match. This was a fantastic match.

* Peyton Royce submitted Alexa Bliss, making the hometown girl 0-2.

* Sami Zayn defeated Samoa Joe via pinfall after the Helluva Kick in an awesome match. Easily the best singles match of the show.

Wrestling Inc Interviews

- Wrestling Inc was able to talk to Chad Gable & Jason Jordan, who told us about their Steiner Brothers inspired gear.

- We also spoke to Alexa Bliss, who is a hometown girl in Columbus. She talks about competing at the Arnold Sports Festival in the past, her relationship with Blake & Murphy, as well as possibly moving to the main roster.

Surprises

- Triple H showed up, which was a big surprise, and had Arnold Schwarzaneggar with him. Arnold loved the crowd and spouted off his one liners, including "IT'S NOT A TUMOR."

Arnold says he watches WWE all the time. He also snapchatted in the ring. They talked a little bit about Arnold hosting Celebrity Apprentice soon. They also held a Q&A, where Triple H is asked about several things. He says Arnold was his hero, and he loves his one liners. He mentions that his favorite match is the Hell in a Cell match with Undertaker. A "pinch me" moment was 2,000 kids chanting his name in India. When asked about the Diva's revolution, he says he never saw a difference between men and women, and is open to the idea of a Divas tag division.

Q&As

- Braun Strowman was the first Q&A and says that he'd like to see Matt Bloom inducted into the Hall of Fame for all of the contributions he's made in NXT. He says that traveling is the worst part of wrestling, and eats 7-8 times a day, taking in about 5-6 pounds of meat. When asked about Brock Lesnar, he says he hopes to lock horns with him in the near future. He also says that his size gained him a unique opportunity to bypass NXT, and he seized it. He also said the Wyatt Family has taught him friendship.

- Gable & Jordan did an impromptu Q&A, and Graves told the crowd they'd rather be American Alpha 1.0 than Team Angle 2.0. Jordan says his favorite superstar was Mr. Perfect, and Gable's was Sting. Gable tells the crowd if he could face any team, it'd be the Rock N' Roll Express.

* Cesaro did a Q&A and said that he'd be back in a couple of months. He's most proud of his feat of strength of swinging Great Khali. He hopes Tyson Kidd will be back in action, but he needs another check up. He remembers Sami Zayn and Daniel Bryan arguing for two hours, only for Zayn to agree with him when they get to the venue. He hopes he can get to the main event, but says that fan support is crucial.

- Eva Marie and Mandy Rose's Total Divas Q&A went a couple of minutes, and Eva Marie showed up late for it. They both say Charlotte is the Diva they'd want to face because she has the title.

Familiar Faces

Several familiar faces were at the Arnold Sports Festival. Even though he didn't appear for WWE, David Otunga was there, and stopped by to see former WWE Divas Champion Kaitlyn.

Also, TNA stars Bobby Lashley and Jessie Godderz were in the house.

Kurt Angle was also there, as he was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.

Tryouts

- Much like last year, WWE held live tryouts in front of the crowd. They were conducted by Matt Bloom and mainly consisted of drilling. There weren't any big indy names or anything of the like that I heard of.

Autographs

Most of the NXT stars participated in autograph signings, which for the second year in a row, had the longest lines of the entire expo. The line went all the way around the stands, then people had to line up going up the stairs as well.