Update On 'WWE Kids' Project

The "WWE Kids" project that a pilot was filmed for several months back will be moving forward soon. The pilot was filmed at Full Sail University with Big Show, Heath Slater and others.

Adam Rose Faces the Judge...Wife Begs For Mercy

Shackled and sporting an orange jail jumpsuit, WWE superstar Adam Rose appeared in Florida court Thursday in his domestic violence case ... where his wife begged the judge to cut the guy a break.

Rose was arrested Wednesday morning after allegedly roughing up his wife -- and then smacking the phone away from her when she called 911. He's been charged with battery and tampering with a witness.

The judge wanted to hit Rose with a restraining order -- barring him from contact with his wife. But shockingly, she begged the court to reconsider ... because she wants him to come home.

During the hearing, Rose's wife said they have a special needs child who needs both parents.

Rose's lawyer also argued Rose's actions were "not aggressive or painful" but rather "more of a passionate, 'Hey, let's talk about this.'"

The judge mentioned a PREVIOUS domestic violence incident in March -- and expressed concern about a pattern of abusive behavior. But in the end, Rose's wife got her wish ... and the judge held off on the restraining order.

The judge also set a low bond -- $1,000 -- which means Rose will probably be out of custody by the end of the day. He's been ordered to see his pastor for counseling once a week until his next court date in June.

Click here for the video.

source: tmz.com

Adam Rose was released from the Hillsborough County, Florida jail at 4:10pm EST today.

Another WWE Veteran Released From His Performer's Contract

The Brooklyn Brawler, Damien Sandow, King Barrett, Hornswoggle, El Torito, Alex Riley, Zeb Colter, Santino Marella and Cameron were not the only 9 talents released from WWE last week as Christian was also released from his contract.

Christian's release did not have to do with his agreement to do The Edge and Christian Show and is more of a technicality of no longer having an active performer's contract, according to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Christian hasn't wrestled since his last concussion in March 2014 and WWE decided to stop using him due to his history of concussions. He remained under a performer's contract until now but he is still affiliated with the company.

ESPN And Jonathan Coachman XFL Project

Jonathan Coachman stated during today's episode of The Ross Report with Jim Ross that ESPN is currently working on a "30 For 30" special on Vince McMahon's XFL football league. Coach noted that they've been watching all the old XFL tapes, reliving the games and commentary.

Linda McMahon Among Trump Delegates to GOP Convention

The Hartford Courant reports that Linda McMahon will be in Cleveland as a delegate for the GOP Convention in July. All delegates and alternates were selected by Donald Trump's campaign and formally accepted by the Republican State Central Committee on Monday.

Adam Rose Suspended Indefinitely Following Arrest

Adam Rose has been suspended indefinitely after being arrested for misdemeanor domestic battery and felony tampering with a witness earlier today in Hillsborough County, Florida. Rose grabbed his wife's face during an argument, while screaming at her, and admitted to taking the phone from her when she went to call 911.

Rose was already serving a 60-day suspension for his second violation of the WWE Wellness policy and if he's convicted of these new charges, his contract will automatically be terminated.

Dana Brooke To Make Main Roster In-Ring Debut

As seen on RAW, NXT star Dana Brooke made her WWE main roster debut, aligning herself with Emma and attacking Becky Lynch.

Brooke will make her main roster in-ring debut this week on WWE Smackdown, where she will face off with Lynch.

Dana White Responds To UFC Sale Reports

As noted, Darren Rovell of ESPN reported this evening that the UFC was in "advanced talks" to sell the promotion. According to the report, at least four bidders have submitted offers to purchase the company, including WME/IMG, The Blackstone Group, China Media Capital and Dalian Wanda Group. It was noted that the winning bid will be in the $3.5 billion - $4 billion range, with the Chinese-based Dalian Wanda Group being in the lead. UFC President Dana White responded to the report, telling The Las Vegas Review Journal that the story is "overblown."

"The UFC is not for sale," White said. "The ESPN story is overblown. Darren Rovell is not a fan of facts. His facts could not be further off."

Rovell responded to White on Twitter, writing:

LOL: @danawhite says UFC is not for sale and that I'm not a "fan of facts." We had 5 independent sources on this.

Hey @danawhite, once you hire an investment back to give out your financials, it's hard to say you're not for sale.

We had three different independent sources that said that UFC volunteered a full year EBITDA of in between $200M & $250M to investors.

Rumor Mill - UFC Owners Reportedly Negotiating Sale Of The Company

In the middle of one of the biggest pay-per-view years in company history, it appears as if the owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship may be selling the company.

According to an ESPN report this evening, there are at least four bidders that have submitted offers to purchase the company. Those bidders are WME/IMG, The Blackstone Group, China Media Capital and Dalian Wanda Group. The likely winning bid will end up somewhere between $3.5 billion and $4 billion, says ESPN.

UFC VP of public relations Dave Sholler wouldn't comment on the matter, saying the UFC doesn't discuss speculation.

The Fertitta brothers own over 80 percent of the company, with Flash Entertainment owning 10 percent and UFC President Dana White as another minority owner. The Fertitta's company Zuffa LLC purchased the UFC in 2001 for just $2 million. The company had financial struggles for several years before turning a corner on it's way to being a pay-per-view juggernaut.

The ESPN report says that Chinese-based Dalian Wanda Group is the leader to buy the UFC. The company's chairman happens to be Wang Jianlin, with a net worth estimated between $28 billion and $35 billion.

Longtime WWE Employee Released

From Mike Johnson at pwinsider.com:

I initially heard this last week when all the other announced WWE releases were going down, but since WWE did not (and still has not) publicly acknowledged it, I wanted to triple-check before PWInsider.com reported this - but we can confirm that last week, WWE released Steve Lombardi, 55, aka The Brooklyn Brawler and he is, after over 30 years, no longer with the company.

Lombardi has worked full-time in professional wrestling since at least the early 1980s, mostly as a preliminary wrestler for WWF, both under his given name or under different masked personas. He was Kamala's handler Kim Chee in the late 1980s and in the early 1990s, performed as Doink the Clown during the time period WWF had multiple Doinks appearing, sometimes at the same time.

Lombardi's biggest singles push as a wrestler came in 1989 when he was rechristened the Brooklyn Brawler and managed by Bobby Heenan in a feud with The Red Rooster, Terry Taylor. He performed as MVP and Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz at times as well, doing a baseball-inspired character that never seemed to get out of the gate. In 1997, he won a Battle Royal in Madison Square Garden as a surprise, earning a WWF title match against Shawn Michaels in what was undoutedly his highest profile match in his home market, NYC.

Although he continued to make sporadic appearances over the years on WWE TV (usually at events broadcast from NYC, where he was always a cult favorite), Lombardi had been a far more valuable asset to the company behind the scenes, where he worked his way up to overseeing and producing promos. Lombardi was the person that every talent, upon trying out, had to cut promos for and his praise or criticism would factor greatly into whether the talent would get a bigger look from the company.

Vince McMahon Addresses Shane McMahon’s Return to TV, How He Feels His Son Is Doing Since His Return and Shane’s Current WWE Status

During today’s 2016 first quarter earnings call, Vince McMahon addressed Shane McMahon’s return to WWE TV.

On Shane’s current status, Vince made it clear Shane has “come back as a talent”, and that he is part of an “ongoing storyline” in which he is running WWE Raw with his sister Stephanie McMahon.

Vince did not address whether or not Shane has returned to WWE in an executive capacity, nor did Vince elaborate on Shane’s future with regards to returning to WWE as an executive. Vince did add that he feels Shane is doing “extremely well” in WWE since his return to the ring at WrestleMania 32.

WWE Conference Call: Vince McMahon discusses the first quarter financial report

Vince McMahon and members of senior management served as the hosts of a conference call pertaining to the 2016 first quarter financial report that was released on May 10, 2016. The following are the highlights of the call. Refresh the page for the latest updates.

-The call is hosted by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, WWE Chief Strategy and Financial Officer George Barrios, and WWE Investor Relations Michael Weitz.

-It was emphasized that WrestleMania occurred in the second quarter this year compared to last year.

-Vince said the earnings revenue was “pretty good.” He praised the WWE Network number through WrestleMania and the “brand equity of WrestleMania” while noting that they broke their attendance record. Vince said the majority of the tickets were sold when they put them on sale.

-Vince spoke about new network content. He said Camp WWE is doing “extremely well” on the VOD side. He also touted the Holy Foley show and Total Bellas. Vince also boasted of their success on social media and once again labeled it the strength of the brand.

-Vince said they were able to make “chicken salad” out of the injuries they suffered heading into WrestleMania. He mentioned Randy Orton, Seth Rollins, Bray Wyatt, and John Cena among the returning stars. He said they have introduced 13 new talents and said it speaks to the strength of the NXT brand.

More?

WWE Reports Strong First-Quarter 2016 Results

WWE Extends Triple H's Talent Contract

New WWE paperwork filed with the SEC reveals that Triple H extended his booking contract on May 9th. This indicates that he is planning on being "talent" through WrestleMania 35 in 2019. Triple H's previous performer's deal expired at the end of March and this new deal will automatically renew unless they terminate it for any reason.

Triple H Talks About Sheamus and Becky Lynch, Their Work Ethic

Triple H spoke with 98 FM in Dublin, Ireland last week to promote the upcoming WWE NXT UK tour. He commented on what got Sheamus and Becky Lynch to where they are:

"Well because they both have an amazing work ethic. I've known Sheamus for a long time, he's amazingly dedicated, just trains hard and is a sponge for the business. He wants to learn and constantly grow. Becky is the same thing. Becky, from the time I met her and we brought her into the Performance Center, through her time at NXT. Her rate of change and how she's grown as a performer and a character, just captivated the crowd [with] her energy. I always say Becky's energy is infectious. You can't talk to her more than 5 minutes without feeling hyped up and jazzed up. I think that's what works for her, is her personality. But the thing that helps both of them, and I don't know if that's Dublin work ethic or what that is, they're just very hard workers and that's what it takes to get to the top of the game in WWE."

Backstage News on EC3 Shooting on WWE at EVOLVE 61

As we noted over the weekend, TNA star EC3 made a surprise appearance at EVOLVE 61 in Queens and cut a promo after the main event, during which he and TNA Champion Drew Galloway took shots at NXT and Triple H.

According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, the promo was not meant to be a WWE vs. TNA angle, but was meant to have an anti-WWE feel. However, it’s being said if WWE had a problem with it, it never would’ve happened. It was speculated that EVOLVE isn’t doing anything that WWE wouldn’t sign off on right now.

Andre The Giant Biopic In The Works

Lion Forge Comics and producers Scott Steindorff and Dylan Russell have partnered to develop a feature film about the life of iconic pro wrestler Andre “The Giant” Roussimoff.

The project is based on the authorized graphic novel biography published last year, “Andre the Giant: Closer to Heaven.” Roussimoff’s daughter Robin Christensen-Roussimoff will consult on the film and assigned the exclusive rights for the biography to the producers.

“Andre the Giant rode the wave of the rise of wrestling in America, while suffering from the painful health condition of gigantism – there’s an Elephant Man story here,” Steindorff said.

In addition to his wrestling career, Roussimoff played a key role in Rob Reiner’s 1987 fantasy comedy “The Princess Bride” as Fezzik, part of a trio of bandits with characters played by Wallace Shawn and Mandy Patinkin. He began wrestling professionally at the age of 17 and was billed as being 7-feet-4 and over 500 pounds hailing from “Grenoble in the French Alps.”

“As a lifelong wrestling fan, I can say with conviction that no one was bigger than Andre,” said Lion Forge CEO David Steward II. “His presence and charisma were so powerful, and you could tell there was much more to him under the surface of his ring persona. It’s been an amazing experience telling that story in the book with Robin’s help. With all the spectacle, action, and emotion there on the page, a feature film just made perfect sense.”

“Andre the Giant: Closer to Heaven” was written by Brandon Easton and illustrated by Denis Medri. The biography, which was nominated for the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity and three Glyph Awards, recounts the wrestler’s life from his earliest days working on the family farm in France along with the rise of professional wrestling itself through the World Wrestling Federation, due in large part to Andre the Giant’s celebrity.

Steward and Lion Forge’s Carl Reed will produce with Steindorff and Russell of Stone Village Productions, with Joel Falderon as a co-producer and Barry Alexander as an associate producer. Jimmy Thomas will executive produce with Peter Fruchtman.

“I’m really excited to watch this story come to life on the big screen,” Robin Christensen-Roussimoff said. “It’s been a labor of love for everyone involved, and we’re really looking forward to making it available to a larger audience.”

source: variety.com

Top TNA Star Makes Surprise Appearance at EVOLVE 61, Shoots on WWE and NXT, Takes Shots at Triple H, Bill DeMott and More

Top TNA star Ethan Carter III rushed the ring at tonight’s Evolve 61 IPPV event and, along with Drew Galloway, attacked Johnny Gargano ending the show’s main event. EC3 then cut a scathing promo on NXT, Triple H, independent wrestlers and more.

Featured below is a full transcript of the promo, edited for clarity.

“[Galloway] became a world champion on his own. I became a world champion on my own. So the way I look at it, you know who kinda blew it? The 203. Stamford, CT. Up north. The ‘King of Kings’, that’s who blew it.”

EC3 and Galloway then fight off multiple referees and wrestlers trying to interfere, as EC3 continues his shoot, now addressing the talent that tried to chase him off.

“No, no, I get it. I get it guys, you wanna make the next step. You want to be good soldiers. But take it from us – you know what they do to good soldiers? They put them on the front line and make them take the bullet.”

EC3 then emulates urinating on the Evolve turnbuckle and dropping an “EC2” on the canvas.

“You wanna take that next step? You wanna get to the show everybody loves? ‘Oh we have great matches, compelling characters, great storylines, NXT, NXT, yay! You know what makes a star? Surviving. Try surviving obstacle courses. Getting slimmed. Wheelbarrow races. Six-minute TV matches where you can’t do any of your cool moves. And Redemption Points! Here we stand, a true success story of independence. Independence is not [ ] to the machine; independence is succeeding despite it.”

Carter was of course referring to his time in WWE, where he actual competed in the original NXT concept when the program was a reality competition. Drew Gulak then rushes the ring and is met with the same fate as the others before him.

“Nice boots Gulak. Do you know what this is? This is a microphone. This is how you create box office. This is how you put asses in seats. No flips and false-finishes. This man (points to Galloway) was ‘chosen’ as a reason. If I can be humble for a second – I have been endorsed by the best, only to be destroyed by the worst. So I’m gonna shoot with you real fast, buddy. By endorsed I mean Hall of Famers, world champions, that kind of thing. But when it comes to being destroyed, I can only think of one obese sociopath who’s best known for being [ ]. So hey Bill, guess what – I won!”

At this point, TJ Perkins rushes the ring and is also taken out by both men, finished off with a powerbomb by Galloway. Carter continues…

“I’m not finished! We are the last bastion of the independents here. We are two men – we weren’t failed football projects. We weren’t models. We weren’t body builders pulled out of a gym. We sure as hell weren’t anyone’s kids! We are two men who love this industry, who breath this industry. To us this isn’t a game – this is our god damn lives.”

It was at this point that Ethan Page rushed the ring with a steel chair and the Evolve talent was all able to run off the invading TNA force. The two sides had a staredown and traded promos for a bit before EC3 and Galloway ended up leaving.

This entire angle was to set up a tag team match featuring Gargano and TJP taking on EC3 and Galloway at the next Evolve show on June 10th.

source: wrestlezone.com

Former TNA & CZW Champions Advance to WWE Cruiserweight Classic at Evolve 61

You can officially add TJ Perkins and Drew Gulak to the WWE Cruiserweight Classic, as both men won their qualifying round matches at tonight’s Evolve 61 IPPV event.

TJ Perkins is 31-years-old and a long-time TNA talent, wrestling under the names Suicide and Manik, and is a former X-Division Champion.

Drew Gulak is a 29-year-old long-time Combat Zone Wrestling talent, winning the promotions World Heavyweight Championship, tag team championship, and television title.

WWE Cruiserweight Classic Update

The WWE Global Cruiserweight Series has been re-named to The Cruiserweight Classic. Apparently other changes are being discussed for the 32-man tournament that kicks off this summer. F4Wonline.com reports that there may be changes to come for the tapings schedule. The tapings have been announced for the week of June 20th at Full Sail University, apparently over a few days. This past week that there was talk of having some of the matches take place with WWE NXT TV matches.

Chyna Busted Drunk and Sleeping Outside ... Months Before Death

Chyna was seriously struggling before she died -- so much so, police found her wasted and passed out on the ground outside her apartment building ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement tells us they got a call in November for a woman lying unconscious at 7 AM in Redondo Beach, CA -- and when they arrived, officers found Chyna. We're told she was slurring her speech, had bloodshot eyes and reeked of booze.

Cops say Chyna admitted drinking wine the night before and said she decided to sleep outside because she was struggling with her keys. She was also carrying nearly $20k in cash she says she made at an autograph session.

Paramedics on scene determined she was too drunk to take care of herself, and cops booked her for public intoxication.

Chyna was found dead on April 20. Her cause of death is still under investigation.

source: tmz.com

WWE Fans Might Soon Be Able to Watch Raw and Smackdown Live Online

NBCUniversal in Talks to Join Hulu Channel Bundle

NBCUniversal is in talks with Hulu to join the streaming service’s planned over-the-top offering of cable and broadcast channels, Variety has learned.

The two companies are in the early stages of active negotiations, according to a person familiar with the situation. The source added that NBCUniversal was recently approached by Hulu about the prospect of partnering on the offering.

The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday evening that Hulu was in talks with Fox and Disney about creating a low-cost streaming package of cable and broadcast networks that would circumvent traditional cable distribution. The package would include key networks such as ESPN, Disney Channel, ABC, Fox, FX and Fox Sports 1. According to the Journal, Hulu is eyeing a $40 price for the package.

Sony Corp.’s PlayStation Vue and Dish Network’s Sling TV have already established a market for so-called “skinny bundles” that stream television channels to consumers who do not wish to pay for a complete cable package.

Disney, Fox and NBCUniversal are ownership partners in Hulu, though NBCUniversal is a silent partner under federal conditions of parent company Comcast’s agreement to acquire NBCUniversal in 2011.

In addition to the NBC broadcast network, NBCUniversal’s cable channels include Bravo, E!, MSNBC, CNBC, Oxygen, Syfy and USA.

Hulu will make its annual presentation to advertisers on Wednesday in New York. Representatives for Hulu and NBCUniversal declined to comment.

source: variety.com

Rumor Mill - Bret Hart Describes Tension Backstage At WWE Payback Between Shane, Stephanie & Triple H

With Shane I sensed he was really relaxed but I also sensed a distance there. In the backstage area I never saw Stephanie, Triple H and Shane all in the same room. I’m just reading between the lines without knowing anything. I could see that there was real tension there. They were all really friendly to me when they saw me but you never saw anybody at the same time. I noticed when I saw Shane after Natalya’s match that he didn’t go into what they call the Gorilla Position. He wasn’t in there. He wouldn’t go in there. He kind of stayed out and I realized then that it was just Stephanie and Triple H that were in there. I don’t know, maybe there’s real tensions there. I’ve said it before and I don’t know anymore than what I’ve said in recent broadcasts. I do sense there is some real tension in the family. I got the impression from watching it on TV, just like the fans do, that Vince is loving it. He loves the tension between them and this little storyline that they have seems like it’s true and based on a real situation. A lot of times that’s what Vince likes to play on. He likes to play on real sensitive issues. Even like what he did to me in Phoenix a few years ago. It was all based on, “You screwed me,” and, “Bret screwed Bret,” and all these things that were so sensitive a few years before. He wanted to milk that as much as he could and get as much mileage out of it as possible. I sensed a lot of that in Chicago. There’s a lot of real tension in the air and Stephanie, Triple H and Shane aren’t really comfortable with the attention but Vince is loving it. He’s just throwing more gas on the fire.

Eric Young Talks WWE NXT Contract Status, Meeting Triple H And Hitting It Off, His TNA Departure

Eric Young spoke with NiagaraThisWeek.com to promote this weekend's House of Hardcore event. The full interview can be found at this link. Below are highlights:

Making his WWE NXT debut and Triple H:

"It was in the works. I was supposed to go and talk with Hunter (WWE executive Paul Levesque). They reached out to me and there was an opportunity. Hunter and I hit it off right away, joking like we had known each other for 10 years. About half way through the day he called me aside to see if I'd be interested in doing a promo with the NXT champion Samoa Joe to start the show. I went and grabbed my stuff out of my rental and we got to business. The crowd reaction was insane. I figured it would be decent, but it was insane."

His WWE status:

"We are working on contract stuff now, but there isn't a final pen to paper yet."

Leaving TNA:

"Things don't end because they are good. You don't get divorced in your life because you are still in love. You get divorced because things aren't how they are supposed to be. It didn't end badly. We couldn't agree on some things and I went my separate way. I had their blessing to do that. I wish them all the luck in the world. A lot of my close friends work there, and not just wrestlers. They provided me with a very good life and I'll never forget that."

Eight Superstars Released Today

From WWE.com:


WWE has come to terms on the release of WWE Superstars King Barrett, Damien Sandow, Santino Marella, Cameron, Hornswoggle, Alex Riley, El Torito and Zeb Colter as of today, Friday, May 6, 2016. WWE wishes them the best in all of their future endeavors.

Stephanie McMahon: Chyna Will Be In HOF ... 'At Some Point'

Fear not, wrestling fans ... pro wrestling legend Chyna WILL be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, so says WWE honcho Stephanie McMahon who tells TMZ Sports it's only a matter of time.

After Chyna passed away last month, McMahon called her a "pioneer in our industry" -- and fans wanted to know when she'll be enshrined among the greatest in her sport.

Everyone knows the HOF was extremely important to Chyna -- and people close to her claim she was depressed about the snub before she passed away.

So when we saw Steph in NYC Thursday, we had to ask if plans were in motion.

"I'm SURE that we will see Chyna in the Hall of Fame at some point in the future. I'm not sure exactly what year that will be, but there's no denying her contributions to WWE."

source: tmz.com

Is NXT recruit Nicola Glencross the 'Best in the Galaxy'? The former Nikki Storm speaks out

"Best in the Galaxy” is not a distinction that is easily obtained — yet, Nicola Glencross has it. Competing around the globe as Nikki Storm, the newest WWE Performance Center recruit has received worldwide praise for her distinct and impressive in-ring abilities. With her NXT journey just beginning, Glencross sat down with WWE.com to discuss her hopes, dream matches and how she plans to prove her grandiose nickname is more than warranted.

WWE.COM: How does it feel to be a member of the WWE Performance Center roster?

NICOLA GLENCROSS: It feels amazing; it feels so good to be here. This is something I’ve been working towards for a really long time, so I’m just happy to be here and am excited for the future.

WWE.COM: Can you take us through the process of your signing with WWE?

GLENCROSS: Last year in London I did a tryout — that was last spring. During the summer they contacted me to start the hiring process, and then, here we are [laughs].

WWE.COM: What was the tryout like?

GLENCROSS: It was a lot of fun! We did a lot of conditioning drills, had a couple of practice matches and we did some promos. It was a three-day tryout and a fascinating experience. It was fun and it was challenging in a really good, positive way.

WWE.COM: You’ve competed internationally for much of your entire career. What advantages does that bring you as you begin your WWE career?

GLENCROSS: For me, the good thing about traveling and wrestling across all these different countries is it makes you really grow as a person.

More?

WWE Releases Strength & Conditioning Coach

WWE released Strength & Conditioning Coach Matt Wichlinski last week. He's been replaced by a former NFL Strength Coach.

WWE Announces Shane McMahon Podcast Interview

WWE has announced that Shane McMahon will be featured in a “tell all interview” hosted by Mick Foley. The interview will air on WWE Network after the May 23 edition of Raw.

It’s interesting that Foley is conducting the interview rather than Steve Austin, who shines as the host of the network podcast interviews. It’s worth noting that Chris Jericho previously interviewed Stephanie McMahon on the network.

Ryback Publishes Lengthy Blog On His WWE Status, Being Sent Home, Meeting With Vince McMahon, More

As seen below, Ryback has launched a new Tumblr blog to address his WWE status:

Feed Me More

Today I sit and fly home and for the first time in years feel absolutely free. I will start by saying I did request to be taken off of WWE television until myself and Vince could get a yes or no on a new deal. This has been going on since my IC Title run and had been nothing but a major strain on my life as all I ever wanted to do was work for WWE. I was told to head home until we agree or not agree to specific terms and contrary to reports it isn't over money or a bus that stuff was settled a while ago. It comes down to a major problem I have with not only WWE but wrestling in general.

Wrestling is pre determined, we as performers know before we go out to that ring or perform a backstage scene who is winning and losing etc or have a general idea of what we are going to say. It blows my mind how in a sport which is pre determined from a company standpoint winners are paid so much more than the losers. Every single person who works for WWE from top to bottom is absolutely just as valuable as the next. The winners cannot win unless the losers go out there and agree to lose to them.

It blows my mind that in this day and age though we still adhere to this formula.

More?

Bret Hart Talks Catching Up With Triple H, “We Had More Laughs Than Anything About Ric Flair”

We met and we talked but it was nothing special. If anything it was just more about our health. We had some more laughs than anything about Ric Flair and stuff like that. Triple H was very cordial to me and treated me like a million bucks. He treated me great and I have no complaints about anything. He treated me really good and so did Stephanie for that matter. With Stephanie I felt that she was honestly or genuinely worried about me when I had the cancer. I think she was just really glad to see me. Maybe it was the same with Triple H. That can never be a bad thing. I sensed a lot of sincerity there on everyone’s part. From Vince down to Triple H to Shane. Shane was very gracious and had some really nice things to say about me that I had forgot about. I was a very protective guy of Shane years ago when he was just a young guy in the business. I looked out for him a lot and I think it was nice for him to tell me that. That he never forgot how much I looked out for him and protected him from a lot of the vices and evils that were lurking about in pro wrestling.

Update on Ryback’s Current WWE Contract Dispute, His Original WWE Raw Plans, Reported Meeting with Vince McMahon & More

As noted last night, Ryback is currently amidst some type of contract dispute with WWE, and The Big Guy was subsequently sent home from Raw in St. Louis last night and is off WWE TV indefinitely. Ryback was scheduled to participate in the U.S. Title #1 contenders Battle Royal match on Raw last night, but that of course did not happen after he was sent home.

According to F4WOnline.com, multiple WWE sources are confirming Ryback, real name Ryan Reeves, is indeed involved in a contract dispute with WWE, and it could possibly stem from comments Ryback made while WWE was on tour in Dubai.

While WWE was in the UAE, Ryback was pretty outspoken in an interview with radio personality Myles, which you can watch in the video above. During the interview, Ryback vents his frustration with his spot on the past two WrestleMania cards, and according to Dave Meltzer, while wrestlers talk privately about their frustrations all the time, it’s not considered a good career move to speak out publicly unless you are an untouchable top level star in WWE.

Ryback reportedly met with Vince McMahon yesterday afternoon about renewing his contract, which expires this summer. Ryback apparently was not happy with the offer which was presented, with Meltzer adding the two sides were very far apart on money. The discussion ended with McMahon suggesting that Ryback go home, to which Ryback agreed.

Ryback also seemed to take somewhat of a shot at his current spot in WWE when he wore a “pre-show stopper” belt as part of his WWE Payback ring gear. Ryback also mocked Chicago native CM Punk during his PPV entrance, as Punk previously made negative comments about The Big Guy during an appearance on Colt Cabana’s podcast.