Jerry Lawler Arrested, Suspended By WWE

Jerry Lawler was arrested at his home Friday morning by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office in Memphis, Tenn.

According to WFSB.com, the couple got into an argument that turned violent and involved a gun. McBride told police that Lawler held her against the kitchen counter, hit her in the head, pushed her against a stove, then put a gun on the kitchen counter and told her to kill herself.

Lawler told police the argument started when Lauryn lied about where she had been. Lawler said McBride scratched him in the face, threw a candle at him and kicked him in the groin. He also claimed she was drunk and threatening to kill herself.

Both were arrested when police were unable to determine who started the problems. They were booked into the Shelby County jail around 1am today.

WWE has zero tolerance for matters involving domestic violence, and per our policy, Jerry Lawler has been suspended indefinitely following his arrest.

WWE Announces First-Ever Signing Of Chinese Wrestler, New Partnership And Live Event In China

WWE issued the following:

WWE® and PPTV Announce Exclusive Multi-Year Partnership in China

WWE Live Event Returns to Shanghai in September; WWE Signs First-Ever Chinese Talent to Developmental Contract

WWE ushered in a new era in China today, announcing an exclusive multi-year content distribution agreement with PPTV; the return of a WWE live event to Shanghai on Saturday, September 10, 2016 at 7 pm; and Bin Wang as the first-ever Chinese talent signed to a developmental contract. The historic announcements were made today at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai by WWE Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer Michelle D. Wilson, WWE Superstar John Cena®, WWE Vice President & General Manager of Greater China Jay Li, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative Paul "Triple H®" Levesque, Vice President of PPTV, General Manager of PPTV Sports Stephen Zhang and CEO of Shanghai Expo Development Ltd. Ding Hao.

"Today's historic announcements further demonstrate WWE's long-term commitment to China," said WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon. "Partnerships with PPTV and Expo Group, as well as the signing of Bin Wang, will enable us to engage our fans in China like never before."

PPTV

As part of WWE's commitment to its fans in China, the company announced an exclusive multi-year agreement with PPTV to deliver its flagship shows Raw® and SmackDown® in Mandarin.

Starting June 28, for the first time ever, fans in China will be able to stream all three hours of Raw and two hours of SmackDown on demand exclusively on PPTV and PPTV Sports. Fans can download the PPTV App and watch Raw and SmackDown on Smart TV's, set-top boxes, mobile devices and tablets, as well as on PPTV.com and Sports.PPTV.com. In addition, WWE short-form content will be available on PPTV's digital platforms and PPTV will leverage popular digital and social platforms, including WeChat and Sina Weibo, to share WWE content with fans throughout China. PPTV will also launch and manage a new WWE website in China.

"There's a long history between PPTV Sports and WWE in programming distribution. Now with the new exclusive partnership, these joint efforts will bring passion and family-friendly fun of WWE programing to millions of fans here in China just like in the U.S.," said Stephen Zhang, General Manager of PPTV Sports.

WWE LIVE EVENT

WWE returns to China with its first live event in more than three years with WWE Live 2016 China on Saturday, September 10 at 7 pm at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. Tickets for WWE Live 2016 China will go on sale this Saturday, June 18 at 12 pm and can be purchased online at gewara.com and wesai.com, or by calling the Gewara ticket hotline at 1010 1068. WWE Superstars scheduled to appear include current WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns, current WWE Women's Champion Charlotte and WWE Superstars John Cena, Seth Rollins and Sasha Banks.

"WWE's China debut rocked Shanghai Expo in 2010, and now we are excited that deafening cheers from WWE fans will be heard again in 2016 at the Mercedes-Benz Arena," said Ding Hao, CEO of Expo Group.

BIN WANG

WWE made history today by signing Bin Wang to a developmental contract, giving him the opportunity to train to become the first-ever Chinese Superstar in WWE history. At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, the 22-year-old from Anhui has been training for the past two years in Japan at Inoki Genome Federation (IGF), a wrestling and MMA promotion founded by WWE Hall of Famer Antonio Inoki.

Wang will relocate to Orlando, Florida this Sunday, June 19, where he will begin training out of the state-of-the-art WWE Performance Center. With seven training rings, a world-class strength and conditioning program and cutting-edge edit and production facilities, the Performance Center will allow Wang to develop his skills through a comprehensive program that includes in-ring training, physical preparedness and character development.

"It is an honor to be the first-ever Chinese talent in WWE history," said Bin Wang. "There are no fans in the world that show the same passion as the WWE Universe, and I look forward to training and developing my skills so I can perform for them in the future."

Stephanie McMahon Says The Purpose Of Her Character Is Getting Others Over, Returning To The Ring

Stephanie McMahon participated in a Facebook Q&A this afternoon. You can check out the highlights below:

- She says her favorite thing about being in the WWE is getting to interact with the fans.

- Her favorite promo was the one she cut on Shane McMahon while getting the Legacy of Excellence Award, saying it was 'challenging.' Getting to slap Roman Reigns was also 'impactful and challenging.'

- Brie Bella 'packs a wallop' in her slap, according to Stephanie.

- Stephanie says it was a privilege to be in the ring with Dusty Rhodes and said that he challenged her in the ring on the mic. She says it was a moment that she'll never forget.

- She wanted to write a book to let people know what is so special about the WWE, and wanted to entice and entertain those people who haven't found it yet.

- She's excited to share her moments with Andre, dinner with wrestlers, her mom making Mr. T liver, and her love story with Triple H.

- She says she enjoyed her programs with Trish Stratus, Brie Bella, Lita and Jacqueline Moore. Having the privilege to get in the ring without being a wrestler is an honor to her. She says the decision to get back in the ring isn't up to her, it's up to the 'decision maker.' She says that as long as it helps get somebody over, that's the ultimate goal of her character.

- Being a heel is her preference over being a babyface. Heels getting their comeuppance is her favorite part, according to her. She cited Sable and Chris Jericho as doing that.

- Stephanie McMahon says the reason that she and Triple H train at midnight is because it's the only time they really have to train.

- She briefly considered a career as a dance choreographer and a marine biologist.

- She really enjoys helping grow the brand, and says she's wanted to be involved in the WWE her entire life.

- One of her biggest takeaways from the Eisenhower Fellowship is that people are all the same, regardless of country. She says it shouldn't have been that much of a surprise, but it was.

- Stephanie spends her free time with her children and husband doing movie night or game night.

Video: Triple H Accepts The Spirit Of Lemmy Award At Download Festival

LiveNation posted this video of Triple H accepting the Spirit of Lemmy Award and paying tribute to his friend Lemmy Kilmister at the UK's Download festival this past weekend.

Knockouts Title Being Defended At SHINE 35

Shine Wrestling announced two updates to their Shine 35 event in Ybor City, FL this Friday night.

Shine is now advertising a triple title match featuring the Shine Champion versus Shimmer Champion versus TNA Knockouts Champion, with the person taking the fall losing their title. It was previously advertised that TNA Knockouts Champion Jade would defend her title if she made it through this week’s TNA Impact Wrestling tapings as champion, but she did lose to new champion Sienna at TNA Slammiversary.

**With TNA taping multiple shows this week it is always possible for Jade (Mia Yim) to regain the Knockouts title, but as of now Shine 35 will feature:

SHINE Champion vs SHIMMER Champion vs TNA Knockouts Champion
– Participant who is pinned/submitted will lose their belt!

“Money In The Bank Match”
Kellie Skater versus Mia Yim versus Santana Garrett versus Nicole Matthews

2016 TNA Hall Of Fame Inductee Revealed At Tonight’s Impact Wrestling Tapings

According to live reports from tonight’s Impact Wrestling TV tapings in Orlando, TNA Knockout Gail Kim was announced as the next inductee into the TNA Hall of Fame.

After gathering the TNA roster at the top of the stage, TNA President Dixie Carter announced Gail Kim would be the 2016 inductee of the TNA Hall of Fame; the induction ceremony will take place during TNA Bound For Glory weekend in October.

Gail Kim has been a five time TNA Knockouts Champion and a TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion, and she has competed for TNA since 2005. Her first run was from 2005 to 2008, then following a return to WWE she has been back with TNA since 2011.

Asuka Talks Learning At The Performance Center, Help From Shinsuke Nakamura And Hideo Itami, More

NXT Women's Champion Asuka was interviewed by Enuhito about her transition to American wrestling. You can see highlights below, or the full interview at this link.

The coaching at the Performance Center:

"Coaches here are teaching me a lot of things I didn't know in Japan. Basics to advance techniques. Some of it is similar to what I was doing in Japan but rhythm or timing is little different in the States, so how I mix Japanese and American techniques to my style is what I need to work on."

Her relationship with other Japanese WWE stars:

"I am in the same promo class with Hideo. We need to do promos in front of other superstars and coaches, but it always turns out to be like a comedy show. Shinsuke took me out to the beach with other superstars. Shinsuke gives me advices after checking my matches."

What she eats in the U.S.:

"Now a day, I only eat Japanese food here! I miss Japanese food! Not so many good Japanese restaurants in Orlando. It's difficult to find authentic Japanese restaurant."

TNA Narrowly Averts Major Financial Disaster This Past Weekend Before Slammiversary; Chief Financial Officer Publicly Airs Grievances

This past Saturday morning TNA’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer Dean Broadhead put up a post on his personal Facebook page saying he had to, “secure interim financing,” within a twelve hour window in order for, “production trucks to roll,” for this weekend’s events.

He wrote that between Thursday and Friday of last week he had logged over eighty phone calls on his personal cell phone to different attorneys, vendors, bankers and employees. He, again, noted that he only had a twelve hour timeframe in which to deal with all of these people that were spread out all over the world. He also said, “Maybe it’s time to retire. But maybe not until everything is in it’s right place.”

According to sources that PWInsider spoke with, if Broadhead were to follow through with retiring it would be a major loss for TNA. It’s being said that Broadhead’s financial management is a major reason that the company has been able to exist the way it has for the last few years.

PWInsider notes that Aroluxe had been handling the financial end of TNA’s TV production so it may have been a case of TNA having to reimburse Aroluxe in order to move forward with producing Slammiversary and TV tapings. They also note that over the weekend Billy Corgan came close to or has already come on board as a new minority owner in the company. Corgan’s investment may have helped TNA salvage the weekend.

PWInsider finishes by noting that they are told there are three potential suitors that they could strike a deal with soon.

WWE RAW Viewership Drops Below 3 Million Viewers

Monday's WWE RAW, the go-home episode for Sunday's Money In the Bank pay-per-view, drew 2.97 million viewers. This is down 9% from last week's 3.255 million viewers. The show faced stiff competition from Game 5 of the NBA finals.

For this week's show, the first hour drew 3.043 million viewers, the second hour drew 3.109 million viewers and the final hour drew 2.758 million viewers.

RAW was #3 on cable for the night in viewership, behind Rizolli & Isles, Major Crimes and The O'Reilly Factor, and #1 in the 18-49 demographic.

Update On Adam Rose's Domestic Violence Case

Adam Rose's legal troubles are behind him -- for the time being at least.

TMZ Sports has reported that prosecutors have opted to drop the domestic violence case against the former WWE Superstar. Rose and his wife will be getting professional help in order to help out with their marriage.

Rose was arrested last month when he allegedly grabbed his wife by the face, and pulled the phone away from her as she tried to call 911. Later in court, Rose's wife asked the judge to take it easy on him and that he'd been undergoing counseling.

Chris Warren, Singer Of D-Generation X Theme, Dead At 49

Unfortunate news hits the wrestling world, as news has emerged that Chris Warren, the lead singer of the "DX Band" has died at age 49.

Few details are known at this time, but Warren passed away on Sunday. A funeral service will be held this weekend.

Warren contributed vocals to several WWE themes, including the iconic D-Generation X "Break it Down" song. Warren also was featured in X-Pac's theme, as well as the intro do the late 1990's edition of WWF Superstars. Triple H's "My Time" was also performed by Warren.

Warren performed at WrestleMania 14, with a controversial rendition of America The Beautiful, in addition to playing Shawn Michaels to the ring for the main event. Warren would go on to lead the band Bro-Kin, and contribute several songs to TNA Wrestling events.

His obituary reads as follows:

Christopher P. Warren of Valley Cottage, NY, passed away suddenly on Sunday, June 12, 2016 at the age 49. Christopher was born in Huntington, Long Island, NY on May 27, 1967 to Christopher J. and Barbara Warren.

He was employed by Local 638 NYC as a Steam Fitter for many years. Music was his passion. He was very artistic and was a singer for the band Bro-kin.

Christopher is survived by his mother, Barbara Spector, his three brothers, Steven (Lena) Spector, Andrew (Jill) Spector and Danny (Margit) Spector and his sister, Laura Spector. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

"Christopher was very well liked and will be greatly missed by all that knew him".

He was predeceased by his father, Christopher J. Warren and step father, Paul Spector.

Visiting hours will be Friday, June 17 from 2 to 4 pm & 6 to 9 pm at the Joseph W. Sorce F.H. Inc.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 18 in St. Ann's Church, 16 Jefferson Ave., Nyack, NY. Burial will be in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, NY.

Joseph W. Sorce F. H. Inc.

Triple H Uncensored! Interview with WWE Superstar Triple H on RXMuscle.com

WWE Announces All 32 Cruiserweight Classic Names

As seen below, WWE has announced all 32 competitors for The Cruiserweight Classic that starts taping from Full Sail University later this month on June 23rd:

* Kota Ibushi
* Tajiri
* Gran Metalik
* Zack Sabre Jr.
* Noam Dar
* Da Mack
* Zumbi
* Clement Petiot
* Harv Sihra
* Gurv Sihra
* Fabian Aichner
* Brian Kendrick
* Rich Swann
* Cedric Alexander
* Akira Tozawa
* Jack Gallagher
* Tony Nese
* Johnny Gargano
* Tommaso Ciampa
* Ho Ho Lun
* TJ Perkins
* Drew Gulak
* Anthony Bennett
* Tyson Dux
* Lince Dorado
* Sean Malura
* Raul Mendoza
* Kenneth Johnson
* Alejandro Saez
* Damien Slater
* Ariya Daivari
* Jason Lee

New TNA Minority Owner Revealed

Smashing Pumpkins frontman and TNA's Senior Producer of Creative & Talent Development Billy Corgan is set to be TNA's new minority owner.

Corgan started working with TNA in April 2015 but is now moving into a new role after purchasing a minority stake in the company. PWInsider notes that some sources say the deal is done while another says it's moving in that direction but not 100% complete.

Dixie Carter will retain majority ownership, something that she did not want to budge on during negotiations.

New details on Netflix’s upcoming women’s wrestling series GLOW

Diva Dirt recently sat down with a reliable source close to the development team behind Netflix’s new women’s wrestling series titled GLOW (Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) to find out a little more about the program that we’re all so excited about.

GLOW tells the tale of a struggling actress in the 1980s that lands a role on a women’s wrestling product. Here she struggles through the many highs and lows of the (not so) glamorous world of wrestling. The show is “loosely based” on the real-life wrestling brand of the same name.

Something that has enticed many fans is the fact that the creator of Orange Is The New Black, Jenji Kohan, is also working on this project. The hit Netflix series has gripped the hearts of many with its exploration of different backgrounds (i.e. gender, ethnicity, economy etc.) and, fortunately for fans of the prison series, GLOW “has been pitched in a very similar light”, and the “producers and writers are very interested in exploring the [aforementioned] themes”.

The show’s genre has also been described as a “scripted dramady” – very similar to “Orange Is The New Black, [but] with women’s wrestling replacing prison life as the vehicle.”

As many women’s wrestling fans have also been wondering, we can confirm that the show “is casting actresses and wrestlers” to play some of the show’s biggest roles. Though no specific names have been announced, the directors are currently working on “the casting for Matilda The Hun and Mountain Fiji.”

It seems that after all of this, us women’s wrestling fans have a lot to be excited about over the next year, especially as Netflix recently ordered ten episodes of GLOW to be produced following news of the pilot’s creation.

Ex-wrestlers say one of their own sells them short

The night his professional wrestling career went bad, Chris Nowinski took a brain-rattling kick to his chin from a 325-pound brawler. Pain seized him, and his world turned gauzy.

Nowinski performed many nights after his 2003 concussion, absorbing a rat-a-tat of blows to his skull for the entertainment of millions.

Before he launched his pioneering career procuring the brains of dead athletes for medical research, Nowinski suffered the kind of debilitating head injuries that damaged countless other professional wrestlers and helped inspire him to expose the hidden perils of the body-slamming entertainment and sports industries.

Nowinski, a former Harvard football player whose star turn in the World Wrestling Entertainment arena was cut short by his brain injuries, is nine years into a campaign to try to solve the concussion crisis in sports, entertainment, and the armed forces — an effort he dedicated in part to former WWE colleagues such as Rene Goguen, who performed as Rene Dupree.

But Goguen and other professional wrestlers said in interviews that they believe Nowinski has sold them short because his Waltham-based Concussion Legacy Foundation has forged a financial bond with WWE, a billion-dollar corporation that has fought concussion-related lawsuits from its former performers.

Since 2013, WWE has agreed to donate $2.7 million to the foundation, making it the largest benefactor the nonprofit has publicly acknowledged. During that period, Nowinski and his foundation staff have reached out to the families of 12 deceased athletes to acquire their brains for researchers to study for links between repetitive head blows and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a degenerative brain disease that has been diagnosed in hundreds of sports and military veterans, many of whom have committed suicide or succumbed to drug overdoses.

But none of those brains belonged to a professional wrestler, despite nearly 100 of them dying since the WWE’s initial gift to Nowinski’s foundation. Many of those wrestlers died before the age of 50, including some of Nowinski’s fellow performers.

More?

Brock Lesnar's UFC return is uncharted territory for pro wrestling industry

The curiosity that has always been Brock Lesnar's MMA career took another turn on Monday morning when it was announced that Mark Hunt, perhaps the hardest puncher in the UFC, would be his opponent at UFC 200.

The announcement and Lesnar's claim he's coming back due to being unsatisfied with how he was robbed of the prime of his career by diverticulitis came at a convenient time - right before UFC 200, and after Conor McGregor was pulled from the show. UFC 200 was going to do well with a Daniel Cormier vs. Jon Jones light heavyweight title fight, but it may not have challenged the all-time records.

Lesnar claimed the conversations for his return went back three months, saying he made the first call to Dana White long before the UFC pulled the McGregor vs. Nate Diaz fight from the show.

It's a unique situation because it's the first time Vince McMahon, the billionaire owner of the WWE, has ever put one of his top attractions in a situation totally out of his control. Lesnar, who works a part-time schedule for WWE, mostly big events and does regular television appearances building those events, is next scheduled for SummerSlam, on Aug. 21 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. A UFC win by Lesnar would absolutely strengthen his image and name value to WWE with the eyes that are on UFC 200.

But what about a loss? And there are different types of losses. The intrigue with Hunt, is that he may not be the best fighter in the heavyweight division, but he also may have the highest chance of delivering the worst kind of loss, the walk-off knockout that is his specialty.

From a pro wrestling standpoint, the worst kind of loss opens up unanswered questions. This is uncharted water. Nothing like this has happened in modern American pro wrestling or MMA so there's no precedent as to how the worst kind of loss would resonate to the pro wrestling audience.

More?

Another Name Qualifies For WWE Cruiserweight Classic at Evolve 63

You can officially add Tony Nese to the list of wrestlers qualified for the WWE Cruiserweight Classic.

After making his case at Friday’s Evolve 62 event, Nese was added to an elimination match at Saturday’s Evolve 63 featuring TJP, Lince Dorado, Drew Gulak and Johnny Gargano – the other members of the Evolve roster qualified for the upcoming WWE tournament – with the stipulation that if Nese won the match, he would earn his spot.

Nese has been wrestling for nearly 11 years, with stints in TNA and championships in Dragon Gate USA, FWE and PWS. He will join Rich Swann, Tomasso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, Zack Sabre Jr., Noam Dar, Ho Ho Lun, Akira Towaza, Lince Dorado, Jack Gallagher, TJ Perkins and many, many names still unnanounced when the WWE Cruiserweight Classic kicks off on June 23rd.

Dave Mustaine presents Triple H with Spirit Of Lemmy Award at Download

Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine presented wrestling icon Triple H with the first ever Spirit Of Lemmy Award on the Main Stage at Download today.

Minutes after Megadeth's performance, Mustaine invited Triple H on to the stage to present him with the award – which forms part of the Metal Hammer Golden Gods.

This year's ceremony takes place at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith on Monday night (June 13).

Triple H says: "Having Dave give me this award is a dream come true. Standing on the Lemmy Stage, named after one of my great friends and being given the Spirit Of Lemmy Award is amazing.

"I can feel Lemmy here right now, sitting up on that black cloud over there – drinking a Jack and Coke, probably. The true Spirit Of Lemmy is this fucking crowd right here.

"This is the Spirit Of Lemmy, the Spirit Of Lemmy will never die, because of all of you."

Mustaine, who last year won Metal Hammer's Golden God Award, introduced Triple H to the crowd, bringing huge cheers when he mentioned Lemmy's name.

Brock Lesnar talks about prescription drug abuse during first WWE stint

Ahead of his return at UFC 200, Brock Lesnar talks about abusing alcohol and prescription drugs during his first WWE stint and a mid-flight altercation it led to.

Brock Lesnar's return has been far from quiet.

Lesnar, who has been entered into the USADA testing pool, has been controversially granted an exemption to the USADA provision requiring a four-month notice for athletes coming out of retirement. This exemption is a source of much ire for his UFC 200 opponent Mark Hunt who believes Lesnar has likely been using PEDS. But PEDS are not the only drugs to come up recently in discussions with Lesnar.

On Thursday, Lesnar went on ESPN's Highly Questionable with Dan Le Batard and Bomani Jones in a bit of promotion for his return to the UFC. The interview touched on an assortment of topics, including Lesnar's abuse of alcohol and prescription drugs during his first stint with the WWE and what led him down that road.

"That was the early years of me when I was a young performer in the wrestling ring. You go through things in life such as you become rich and you become famous and you're naïve and you're young and to top it all off you're travelling 360 days a year. The wrestling is fake but the things that go on in the ring - the ring is still a very non-forgiving environment to be in so you're dealing with a lot of different injuries at one time.

"Not only that, I'm not a man to be on the highway. I'm not a man to be in a hotel room every night. I'm not a man to be in an airplane every day and it took all that for me to discover that and to cope with all that was my best friends, vodka and Vicodin."

More?

Gawker Update: Purchase Agreement Reached, Nick Denton Comments

As noted, Gawker Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy today after a judge issued a $140 million final judgment in favor of Hulk Hogan.

Gawker issued the press release below revealing that the have reached a purchase agreement with Ziff Davis, which operates IGN, AskMen and PCMag. It stated that the sale will be conducted through a bankruptcy court supervised auction, so others could buy the company if they submit a higher bid.

More?

Judge Issues Final Judgment in Hulk Hogan vs Gawker Case, Gawker Reportedly Files For Bankruptcy

According to Recode.com, Gawker was back in court today and a judge issued a $140 million final judgment in favor of Hulk Hogan. The verdict in the Gawker case was upheld, and furthermore a permanent injunction was issued earlier this week which prohibited Gawker from posting Hogan’s sex tape video. Additionally, a 4.77% interest rate per year was imposed on the $140 million which is owed to Hogan.

As a result of the past two key decisions in the Hogan vs Gawker case, Gawker Media has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and plans to find a new owner for the company. The Recode article notes Gawker has a “firm bid” from publisher Ziff Davis to buy the company for under $100 million. Ziff Davis operates IGN, AskMen and PCMag.

WWE SmackDown Garners Lowest Audience Since Move To USA, Drops Below 2 Million Viewers

This week's episode of WWE SmackDown garnered their lowest audience since their move to the USA Network in January.

Thursday's episode averaged just 1.996 million viewers, down 8% from last week's show, which averaged 2.169 million viewers.

It was the second least watched first-run non-holiday episode in the show's history, barely beating out the September 2, 2015 show on SyFy, which averaged 1.981 million viewers.

Rumor Mill - Backstage News on the Upcoming WWE Brand Split and Its Impact on NXT, Talk of Extending the Length of WWE PPV Events and More

According to F4WOnline.com, WWE has informed Sky Italia to start reserving extra time for PPV events as the duration of the shows will vary. This implies all future WWE PPV events, not just WrestleMania, might start running past 11pm. Prior to the existence of the WWE Network, when WWE was running PPV events via actual PPV providers, they weren’t allowed any PPV overruns. With WWE basically being able to do whatever it wants with the WWE Network, overruns, as he have seen in the past with Steve Austin podcasts, are entirely possible.

As we noted yesterday, Triple H indicated in this week’s NXT Takeover media call that he’s not sure how the upcoming WWE Draft and Brand Extension will change WWE NXT and its roster. He added that whatever happens, even if a bunch of talent from NXT gets called up to the main roster for the brand split, he has 80 to 90 talents at the WWE Performance Center ready to make the jump to NXT.

According to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, people involved have been told that “NXT is being raided for the Draft big time”, and more details are expected to be revealed soon.

Brock Lesnar Drug Tested By USADA Ahead Of UFC 200

We mentioned in a report this week that Brock Lesnar received a USADA exemption for his return to MMA, but the U.S. Anti Doping Association wasted no time in testing Lesnar when he became eligible.

According to Yahoo's Kevin Iole, Lesnar was tested by USADA Wednesday. The results should show up on the agency's official website next week. This comes after Lesnar's opponent Mark Hunt did an interview saying that Lesnar was 'juiced to the gills.'

It's worth noting that a first time failure of USADA's policies can result in a two-year ban from the sport.

Mark Hunt Accuses Brock Lesnar Of Being, “Juiced To The Gills”

In an exclusive and explosive interview with UFC FIGHT WEEK on FOX Sports UFC Fighter Mark Hunt accused his UFC 200 opponent Brock Lesnar of being, “juiced to the gills.”

Recently it was announced that due to the short notice of the fight Brock would be exempt from USADA testing.

Below is an excerpt from the full interview featuring Hunt’s response to Brock’s exemption. The full interview can be found HERE.

“I don’t think that’s fair. I think it’s load of bulls***, I think it’s rubbish,” Hunt told UFC FIGHT WEEK on Fox Sports in an exclusive interview. “I don’t think anyone should be exempt from testing. If they’re trying to clean the sport up — mixed martial arts — this is a bad way to do it. I don’t care who you are. It’s ridiculous.

“I don’t think it’s a great move. I think he’s juiced to the gills — and I still think I’m going to knock him out. So I don’t think that’s correct. I don’t think he should be allowed to get a four-month exemption otherwise everyone else should. Otherwise I should start juicing.

“How are you going to clean the sport up doing that s***? It won’t happen. I don’t think it’s fair.”

“I’ve already voiced my opinion to (UFC boss) Dana (White) about it but apparently he (Lesnar) has been getting tested but he’s probably been off a couple of cycles anyway.

“I think everyone should be tested equally and fairly. Make it an even playing field otherwise you might as well get everyone juiced up and have the juicing UFC competition and the non-juicing (competition).”

Hunt goes on to talk about his confidence going in to the fight and how he believes he is going to knock out Brock Lesnar. In one of his final statements in the interview he closes by saying:

“He’ll probably be super strong being juiced to the gills but it doesn’t mean anything, man. I’m ready for anything he has.”

Triple H Talks WWE NXT Takeover Matches, The End, Shinsuke Nakamura Vs. Samoa Joe, More

Triple H went live with Cathy Kelley on Facebook after tonight's WWE NXT "Takeover: The End" event at Full Sail University. Video is above and below are highlights:

* In regards to what The End means, he joked that NXT was ending and almost broke the internet for a second. He talked about how the Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe rivalry has produced great matches and this was the end, with the two going to war in a steel cage. The biggest way for him to look at "The End" was what we saw in the opening video, seeing NXT from how it started to what it has grown into. He feels NXT has transitioned from being a developmental brand into a brand in itself. He truly believes NXT is its own brand in every way and tonight marked the beginning of them taking everything in that direction

* He thought Andrade "Cien" Almas' debut win over Tye Dillinger was incredible. He's had his eye on the former La Sombra for a while and can't believe anyone would put a mask on him. He gave props to Tye Dillinger and believes when he does flip his switch, it will be special

* Regarding Dash and Dawson taking back the titles from Chad Gable and Jason Jordan, he praised both teams and The Revival for being the first two-time champions. He doesn't believe we've seen the end of it. He's not 100% sure why Paul Ellering was there and says it was a surprise to him. He did name them as "The Authors of Pain" and said they made an impact, and having Ellering with them automatically makes him interested

* He says Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Austin Aries was one of those dream matches you always thought "what if?" about. He praised both Superstars and said they prove why NXT is the place to be because guys at that level are constantly trying to get in the door

* Cathy asked about Bobby Roode walking into Regal's office. Triple H says that's just another example of everyone wanting to be here. He says NXT is the hottest brand right now and if you want to make your mark in this world, NXT is where you do it

* He does not believe Nia Jax taking a loss to NXT Women's Champion Asuka is a setback as he's never seen anyone push Asuka like that. He thinks the other women of NXT are on notice and Jax isn't going anywhere. He says the women's division is an impressive landscape and when you know what he knows about who is coming in, the women's division is about to get very interesting fast. He says Asuka returning to Japan with the title in front of her country and her family is big and some of the pressure is off after tonight

* He believes Joe is really hitting his stride right now. Triple H says Joe is NXT and he feels sorry for anyone who tries to tell him he isn't. Regarding Balor, he doesn't see Balor walking away from the title. The Facebook feed is having issues but he also comments on Nakamura breathing down Joe's neck. He says that battle is coming.

* Triple H says NXT will continue with the explosive growth as they head to the UK for a tour this coming week. He's also looking forward to "Takeover: Brooklyn" during SummerSlam weekend. He says tickets go on sale this weekend and they will move fast. He says this is the end of the beginning but they are just getting started as NXT will just keep going higher.

Titus O'Neil On Turning His WWE Suspension Into A Positive, Facing Rusev At WWE MITB, More

Titus O'Neil is featured in this week's sitdown interview with Michael Cole. Below are highlights:

* Titus jokes how he doesn't like phone calls from WWE HQ when Cole informs him of a phone call he received to announce Titus vs. WWE United States Rusev at Money In the Bank

* Cole asks about the suspension from earlier this year. Titus calls it a negative that he turned into a positive by having more time to be a father, a son and a brother. Titus says he saw things outside of WWE and was able to expand on some of the things he does inside of WWE. He was also able to better some of his personal relationships with the time off

* Cole asks why Titus doesn't believe Rusev has what it takes to be US Champion. Titus talks about how Rusev runs from a fight and says he never will, never has. Titus says the real American heroes are the people - teachers, servicemen, police offers and firefighters. Titus says he's fighting for everyone and will fight anyone to preserve what he feels are the three most important parts of life - faith, family and community

* Titus mentions his kids will be there for the match because it's on Father's Day. Titus says every dad should spend time with their kids on that day but this is the biggest opportunity of his career. Titus says he has the chance to prove to people that he belongs here and will be here for a long time. Titus says there will be plenty of juice boxes and chips at the celebration in Las Vegas that night. Titus says real champions stand up for what they believe in and at Money In the Bank, Rusev will find out what he believes in

UFC lifts ban on Ariel Helwani, MMAFighting.com

Two days after the UFC removed MMAFighting.com's Ariel Helwani, E. Casey Leydon, and Esther Lin just prior to the UFC 199 main event in Inglewood, California, the promotion has lifted what Helwani said was a lifetime ban from attending events as a credentialed media member. The UFC released the following statement on Monday evening.

"Following a conversation with the editorial team at SB Nation, UFC will not prevent MMAFighting.com from receiving media credentials to cover live UFC events. We respect the role the media plays in our sport and beyond, including MMAFighting's ability to report news. However, in our opinion, we believe the recurring tactics used by its lead reporter extended beyond the purpose of journalism. We feel confident our position has now been adequately communicated to the SB Nation editorial team.

UFC's goal as the world's leading mixed martial arts promotion is to cultivate interest in its world-class athletes and events, and deliver for the fans. We will continue to introduce this sport and its athletes to new fans across the world, and we will do so by working alongside media across all platforms."

This news follows Dana White's assertion to TMZ that Helwani would not be permitted to cover UFC events on-site for as long as he was president. The ban apparently stemmed from Helwani reporting the return of Brock Lesnar on UFC 200, which was published before the UFC's own planned announcement during last Saturday's pay-per-view. Heavy backlash ensued against the UFC by multiple mainstream media outlets for the promotion's actions.

International Athlete Tim Wiese Accepts Triple H’s Invitation to Train at the WWE Performance Center

WWE has announced the following:

Goalkeeper Tim Wiese accepts Triple H’s invitation to train at WWE Performance Center

For the WWE Universe in Germany, a longstanding source of speculation has become a reality: Tim Wiese, the former German national goalkeeper, has accepted a personal invitation from Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events & Creative, to join the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, for an extended training period.

Wiese, who played for Germany’s national team between 2008 and 2012, plus defended between the sticks for Bundesliga soccer clubs SV Werder Bremen and TSV 1899 Hoffenheim, took to Twitter to make what was a short but definitive statement regarding his acceptance of Triple H’s invitation:

The hulking, 6-foot-4 goalkeeper first fueled conjecture in November 2014, as a guest timekeeper for a WWE Live Event match in Frankfurt. There, Wiese interjected himself into the match, scoring immediate fan approval in the process … not to mention widespread gossip and assumptions from the media throughout Europe.

Throughout 2015, Wiese made several public statements that further implied any future involvement in WWE was more a matter of when than if. Those statements eventually prompted WWE to invite him to a one-day workout at the Performance Center, where Wiese continued to impress the facility’s trainers and WWE executives – chief among them, Triple H, who contacted the former soccer sensation about a longer stay in Orlando.

“Tim is tenacious,” said The Game. “He continues to be very vocal in his desire to prove that he has what it takes, and he has shown tremendous resilience and determination to create an opportunity for himself. This is his break to walk his talk. If all goes well in Florida, he will get his chance in the ring.”

Triple H’s challenge is one that Wiese is extremely motivated to accept – so much that he has even attached a timeframe for achieving his goal: Getting ring-ready by the time WWE Live returns to Frankfurt, Munich, Oberhausen and Berlin November 2nd, 3rd, 8th and 9th, respectively.

“I have been training hard for this, and I am excited for the opportunity,” Wiese said. “No matter what it takes, my goal is to be in that WWE ring this November. I want that match!”

Triple H Media Call: Bobby Roode And Eric Young, WWE Brand Split, 'The End,' Nakamura, Muhammad Ali

Triple H joined the call and thanked everyone for joining and noted that there will probably be some questions about the Cruiserweight Classic. Triple H ran down the card for Wednesday's Takeover event. Triple H said that Nakamura will be a key player in the company. He added that he's excited for the debut of Andrade Almas and that he will be "big player."

Triple H said "The End" title for the event has a lot of meanings, which we'll see tomorrow. He said that you can expect it to be the end of the Finn Balor - Samoe Joe series.

NXT will be taping TV on Thursday, and he will be heading to the UK with the NXT crew for the UK tour after the tapings.

The Cruiserweight Classic starts up at the end of the month. Triple H thinks it will be the premier cruiserweight tournament, and he thinks it will be an unbelievable ten weeks. He says that it will be something unlike you've seen from WWE or NXT.

He thinks the NXT roster will look a lot different after the brand split, but he doesn't know for sure. He thinks that one of the strengths of NXT is that their talent rises to the occasion whenever talent leaves for the main roster.

He doesn't think the talent is any more aggressive than they were before, and they're always looking for the best talent around the world. He's always been aggressive in acquiring great talent.

About the brand split, Triple H noted that they've always had two tours and he's not sure how much everything will change.

He was asked about how much they focus on the UK. Triple H said there is a ton of talent in the UK, but they don't focus on any one area for talent, they look everywhere.

On Bobby Roode and Eric Young, Triple H is working on contracts for both men and said to stay tuned. He said they're both talented, and he looks forward to working with both of them.

When asked about NXT touring in Canada, he said that they're looking at everywhere. He said that NXT will be doing 180-190 events this year alone, and with RAW and SmackDown, you're at around 500 events a year. With all the events, there's a lot of factors that go into where they tour.

When asked for an update on Hideo Itami, Triple H said that he can't go too much into his medical information, but everyone heals differently, and Itami had some issues with mobility and scar tissue, and wants him to take his time and return at 100%. Nothing has changed regarding his thoughts on Hideo as a performer, and he looks forward to him returning.

Triple H was asked about doing a women's tournament, similar to the Cruiserweight Classic. Triple H said he had been throwing out ideas about it, and said that he would like to do it if the timing is right. He said it's on the table, but there are a lot of things on the table. He said that it's just an idea that spread quickly on the internet, and when they know what they'll want to do, they'll put out a statement or contact talents.

He said that the process for the Cruiserweight series has been very exciting, and he's enjoyed working with outside promotions to secure talent for the series.

Triple H thanked everyone for calling in. He mentioned the passing of Muhammad Ali, and called him a personal hero of his. He said that Ali's personality and charisma, which admittedly was influenced by pro wrestling, was amazing and and he was able to pass it on to others. Triple H said Ali was integral to what they do, and even though Ali wasn't a part of WWE on a day-to-day basis, that his impact isn't forgotten in the sports entertainment world.

Kimbo Slice Passes Away at Age 42

According to TMZ.com, MMA fighter Kimbo Slice, real name Kevin Ferguson, has passed away at the age of 42. The TMZ report notes Slice died in a Florida hospital from what appears to be heart failure.

Bellator CEO Scott Coker issued the following statement to TMZ:

“We are all shocked and saddened by the devastating untimely loss of Kimbo Slice, a beloved member of the Bellator family.

One of the most popular MMA fighters ever, Kimbo was a charismatic, larger-than-life personality that transcended the sport.

Outside of the cage he was a friendly, gentle giant and a devoted family man. HIs loss leaves us all with extremely heavy hearts, and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Ferguson family and all of Kimbo’s friends, fans and teammates.”

Kimbo was slated to fight James Thompson at Bellator 158 on July 16, in a rematch from their infamous fight in 2008 that saw Thompson’s cauliflower ear explode. Slice won the fight via TKO in the third round in what is one of the most watched fights in U.S. MMA history.

Kimbo last fought this past February, defeating Dhafir “Dada 5000” Harris via knockout in the third round. Harris’ heart stopped and he technically died during the fight, and he was hospitalized for a week. Slice failed a drug test for nandralone and elevated testosterone levels, and the fight was overturned to a no-contest.