Marti Bell’s American Dream

It’s a very unique time for the world of professional wrestling, as the women’s wrestling revolution is taking center stage, often with show stealing performances in some of the the biggest promotions in the world. One of the most unique athletes in this unique evolution of the sports entertainment genre is TNA Knockout, Marti Bell. With her trademark afro to compliment her well rounded skills, Marti has become one of the most dynamic female stars in just a few short years. Ironically, as much as she is on the forefront of a new era of the industry, Marti’s story is very much a classic example of the American dream.

Despite being born in New York, Marti moved with her family back to their original hometown in the Dominican Republic when she was just a few months old, and she spent her early years on the island.

“I am a first generation American, all of my grandparents and both of my parents were both born in the Dominican Republic, with my parents still currently residing there. I was born in NYC and moved back to the Dominican Republic until I was seven. My grandmother was the first to move to New York and she left her life behind in the Dominican to make a better future for her children, eventually bringing all five of her kids to live with her in States. I moved in 1996 to live with my grandmother, who I lived with until I was 18,” she said.

Speaking Spanish as her first language, Marti didn’t know English when she began watching pro wrestling with her family, but she had an intrinsic connection to the drama that unfolded on screen.

“I vaguely remember watching wrestling with my dad when I lived in the Dominican Republic, and then when I moved to New York, I watched wrestling with my three cousins Richard, Christian, and Massiel. The four of us formed a wrestling club and we would get together Mondays and Thursdays to watch wrestling as well as the pay-per-views. Wrestling spoke to me because even though I couldn’t speak the language, I could still understand the stories. I wanted to do that for other people who were in the same shoes as me,” she said.

As Marti wanted to connect with fans the way that the sport had connected with her, she sought to join the pro ranks to chase the dream of wrestling stardom. Living in New York City at the time, Bell chose to learn from one of the best, WWE Hall of Famer, Johnny Rodz, a grappler that is responsible for training several major stars in the industry. As she walked into the world famous Gleason’s Gym, through the same doors as legends such as Jake LaMotta, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson, Marti knew that her desire to be successful in professional wrestling would be tested.

“I began as a valet in 2008 and eventually began my training August of 2009, having my first match that November. Training was rough – I was one of two girls who consistently showed up to training, so I found myself training with the boys. Some of them respected me as a wrestler and really wanted to help me succeed. They would push me and make me do the same things they were doing. Others thought I wouldn’t last, or that I wouldn’t make it and paid me no mind.”

Despite the tedious process of learning to land on the canvas and the toll it took, Bell made it through the training program and learned many valuable lessons along the way.

“The first and most important thing you learn in wrestling is respect. And this manifests itself in so many different ways. From walking into a room and shaking everyone’s hand, to listening with your mouth shut when someone is speaking to you, learning the signature moves of people you work with so you’re not doing the same thing they’re doing etc. I also learned how hard this business is. We’d start a class with 20 people and by the end, there would only be a few of us sticking it out. But I also learned what an amazing, and fun business this can be,” Marti said.

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'We're not divas': Meet the Scottish WWE star leading the women's wrestling revolution

Women’s wrestling has been through a revolution. With WWE’s renewed attitude towards its women’s division – and, of course the sterling efforts of its most talented female performers – crotchety old fans like me, who once complained that the ladies couldn’t compare to proper men’s wrasslin’, have been forced to eat their ill-informed words.

But still, I’m fascinated by something: what makes a woman want to wrestle? What drives a woman to succeed in this bonkers, testosterone-fuelled world of trash talking, chest beating, and simulated violence?

There’s no one better to ask than Scottish wrestler Nicola Glencross. At 27-years-old, she already has eight years’ experience in the grapple game, carving out a reputation on the British and independent scene as the “best in the galaxy”.

Now, signed to the developmental NXT division, which airs weekly on the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) Network, Nicola has a shot at the big time – a chance to put her fierce ambition to the test on the biggest stage in “sports-entertainment”...More?

Former Hawkeye Big E humbled by visit to Tragos/Thesz Hall of Fame

The George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame weekend served as a homecoming of sorts for one-half of the longest reigning WWE tag team champions.

Big E, a former University of Iowa defensive lineman, participated in the weekend's autograph signing and attended the induction banquet in Waterloo, Iowa, a week ago.

"It's been really cool to be back and especially -- I feel a bit out of place in that there's so many legends who've done so much more than I have, and I'm here for some reason, so it's very humbling," the New Day member told SLAM! Wrestling prior to the banquet on July 23rd.

The former powerlifter said he feels like he "really became an adult" while in Iowa.

"Mike Doughty's one of the organizers. Honestly, he's the reason I got signed," Big E said. "I would never even be here, so I feel like he changed my life. So anything I can do to help him at all or to give back even in the slightest is a cool thing."...More?

source: slam.canoe.com

WWE Announces 'Talking Smack' For After SmackDown

WWE has announced a new name for the post-SmackDown show on the WWE Network - Talking Smack. They issued the following:

Can't get enough SmackDown Live? Tonight at 10 p.m. ET /7 p.m. PT, WWE Network presents the premiere of "WWE Talking Smack," the exciting new weekly post-SmackDown Live show filled with exclusive interviews and expert analysis.

Take a special look inside everything Team Blue and find out how each week's episode will affect the spirited competition with Monday Night Raw.

WWE SmackDown Getting New Titles Soon?

WWE will reportedly introduce new Tag Team Titles and a new Women's Title for the SmackDown brand soon.

Word is that the new championships won't be brought in until after the August 21st SummerSlam pay-per-view.

The women's division on SmackDown currently includes Naomi, Natalya, Eva Marie, Carmella, Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch and Maryse. Tag teams on SmackDown include The Ascension, Tyler Breeze & Fandango, The Vaudevillains, The Usos and American Alpha.

This Popular Female Wrestler Is Shattering The Silence Around The Domestic Abuse She Endured

For a professional wrestler, a headlock is a common maneuver inside the ring. But for TNA Total Impact’s Jade there was one headlock that felt particularly threatening. “When he finally let go, my then-boyfriend just left me there and I’m wondering what the hell just happened. Was he legitimately trying to hurt me? Because it was a headlock, and we’re both wrestlers, I justified it as maybe it was him trying to playfully end [the argument],” said Jade.

But this wasn’t the first time he put her in a headlock.

Jade had consensually wrestled her ex on numerous occasions. In fact, she prefers to wrestle both men and women. She wants women wrestlers to be seen as equals to their male counterparts. But it’s that pressure to break glass ceilings, and be seen as unbreakable, that contributed to her silence around her own abuse.

“Women athletes, CEOs, those in power, we feel this pressure to be a role model to other women, to be strong, that we don’t want to let them know our struggle. I didn’t want to be known as a ‘victim.’ I was also trying to get on TV, so if I tell my story, would this mess up my career?”

And so she stayed quiet for a long time. But behind closed doors, Jade says the abuse was escalating. “It got more and more regular that if I said something he didn’t like he would get violent. One time I was in bed and we had a disagreement, so he left the room but came back in to head-butt me. Then he started to choke me. In fact, whenever he didn’t like something I said, he would choke me. Soon down the line, I realized that his mindset was because I’m not hitting you, it’s ok. Because I’m not leaving a mark on you, it’s ok.”

But strangulation can be a significant predictor for future, often lethal violence. If a partner has strangled you in the past, your risk of being killed by them is seven times higher...More?

source: huffingtonpost.com

WWE Announces Signing Of Former NFL Player

WWE signs former NFL player Brennan Williams

Six-foot-seven, 300-pound former NFL offensive tackle Brennan Williams is joining the ranks of the WWE Performance Center. He reports to Orlando today to begin his training.

A third-round draft pick of the Houston Texans in 2013, Williams played college ball at the University of North Carolina prior to joining the NFL. He was also part of the practice squads for the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots during his NFL tenure.

Williams, a lifelong fan of sports-entertainment, began training under WWE Hall of Famer Booker T in October 2015 after his NFL career ended. He made his in-ring debut for Booker's Houston-based Reality of Wrestling earlier this year, competing under the alias Marcellus Black.

In addition to his experience on the gridiron and in the ring, Williams holds a black belt in taekwondo.

Sean 'Puff Daddy' Combs to appear on Raw next week

From WWE.com:

A Bad Boy is coming to Raw!

As first reported by RollingStone.com, international recording star Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs will be a guest star on Raw next week! Combs is not unfamiliar to the WWE Universe, performing a memorable set at WrestleMania 29 in 2013.

What will Puff Daddy have to say when he shows up to Raw? Find out next week on the longest running episodic show in TV history!

Longtime WWE Ring Announcer Leaving Company

Lilian Garcia announced Monday afternoon via social media that she is leaving WWE in order to care for her sick father. Garcia has worked on and off for the company since 1999. She wrote:

I've been getting a lot of tweets and messages asking where I have been and if I'm coming back to WWE, so I wanted to let you know what has been going on and why I have been silent. I've been through so many emotions lately that they literally have kept me up at night. As most of you know, my father has been battling with two different types of cancer. He hasn't been doing as well as we hoped, THEREFORE, I will not be traveling weekly with WWE any longer. I will be looking to take on work closer to where I live so that I don't have to be on the road weekly away from him. He truly needs me, and I need this time with him. I ask that you please continue prayers for my father and my family.

It has been a magical 15-year career at WWE, and WWE Universe, I can't thank you enough for all your love and support! I felt you every step of the way! I also want to thank the amazing WWE Superstars, whom many of them have become my friends! You are an incredible group of people with SO much talent! It has been such an honor to introduce you to the ring and watch your superior athleticism week after week. Thank you to the crew & production staff on the road and in the offices. I've seen you work so hard! You really are the glue that keeps it all together!

Lastly, thank you WWE for this incredible ride that I never wanted to get off. I've had experiences beyond my imagination. I thank you for not only allowing me to use my voice as an announcer but also sharing it to sing around the world. What an honor! I will cherish the memories forever.

This is not goodbye as I hope you all will follow me on social media to share in my next chapter. I thank you & I love you!!

S&P Cites Increase In Sports-Related Brain Injury Insurance Claims Following WWE Lawsuit

In the wake of the concussion-related class action lawsuit filed by more than 50 former WWE performers against professional wrestling's largest promotion, S&P Global Ratings, a market intelligence company, has declared that sports-related brain injuries are among the largest new areas for insurance claims.

Last year, thousands of former professional football players settled out of court with the NFL for alleged brain injuries, paving the way for many former professional wrestlers to make similar claims against WWE.

S&P identified injured rugby players and participants of other sports where helmets are worn as potential personal injury plaintiffs. As for parties that may be named as defendants, S&P mentioned athletic groups, sports teams, schools, retailers, and helmet makers.

Interestingly, S&P compared the concussion-related lawsuits of the day to the once prevalent asbestos exposure cases. While S&P does not project the brain injury claims to rise to the level of the asbestos cases, the two types of tort lawsuits are similar insofar as the both involve large numbers of potentially affected individuals and both types of personal injuries are known to worsen over time.

S&P noted that American insurance companies have learned from the asbestos cases to include exclusions clauses in contracts for concussion-related claims and cap lawsuit payouts.

source: cnbc

Seth Rollins Writes A Passionate Statement About The Current State Of Professional Wrestling

WWE Superstar Seth Rollins wrote following passionate statement about the current state of professional wrestling in general:

"If you don't love pro wrestling across the board right now and you're not telling all your friends about it then you're just missing out... because a generation that was almost lost is now running the game in all facets. It's a beautiful thing to be at the forefront of and I....can't help but feel like the best is yet to come. "We are the authors, the finishers of our fate..”

Rollins will face Finn Balor at SummerSlam on August 21st to crown the first ever WWE Universal Champion.

Flo Rida to headline SummerSlam concert to benefit Connor's Cure

WWE, Barclays Center and iHeartMedia have announced that the first WWE SummerSlam Concert will take place Thursday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m. ET at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, with proceeds benefiting Connor’s Cure, a fund to help further pediatric cancer research.

Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com!

The announcement was made by Stephanie McMahon on "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show."

The concert, headlined by hip-hop recording artist Flo Rida and international pop superstar Jason Derulo, is part of WWE’s week-long lineup of events, including interactive fan experiences and community outreach programs, culminating with SummerSlam on Sunday, Aug. 21, at 7 p.m. ET from a sold-out Barclays Center and live on WWE Network around the world.

The WWE SummerSlam Concert will also include performances by recording artist Daya and emerging hip hop recording artist Jordan Hollywood, as well as appearances by Stephanie McMahon, Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, The New Day, Nikki & Brie Bella, Big Show, The Miz & Maryse, R-Truth, Charlotte, Dana Brooke, Jimmy & Jey Uso, and Naomi.

A portion of proceeds from the concert will benefit Connor’s Cure, and be distributed to leading research centers and hospitals nationwide. In 2014, Connor’s Cure was created by McMahon and Levesque as a fund within Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation to support pediatric brain and spinal cord cancer research. Earlier this year, WWE and The V Foundation announced a partnership to expand Connor’s Cure outside of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation and support cancer research nationally.

"I’m definitely honored to be a part of this spectacular event with my WWE family,” said Flo Rida. “They have been there from day one, and I truly appreciate the opportunity to perform for all my WWE fans."

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Vince McMahon credits NXT success for WWE brand split

During a conference call on Thursday, and in a move that may come as a surprise to some, he threw a lot of praise the way of NXT while he was talking about the brand split and why it came about once again.

Asked what the rationale was for going back to a brand split, McMahon replied, “We have a plethora of talent from Paul Levesque’s influence on NXT.”

McMahon said when you have too much talent, you can’t exploit it. So, the option is to take the talent and develop two distinct brands.

McMahon said they did it before with success until they “ran out of talent.” He said now WWE “won’t run out of talent with the Performance Center.”

There are people out there that don’t believe the boss even knows what NXT is or the majority of the talent that’s working there, but apparently the rousing success of the “third brand” has caught his eye. Actually, for more evidence of this, you need not look any further than the way that Finn Balor was booked during his debut on Monday night, earning himself a main event slot at SummerSlam.

NXT certainly has come a long way since Triple H started the journey of making it its own brand, but they are definitely reaping the benefits, especially if Vince McMahon is changing his whole model because of their success.

WWE Brain Injury Class Action Lawsuit Update

WWE scored a partial victory in the brain injury lawsuit brought by Evan Singleton (f.k.a. Adam Mercer), Vito LoGrasso, and others, as the United States District Court of the District of Connecticut granted, in part, the professional wrestling promotion's Motion for Reconsideration. The move enables WWE to revive its countersuit against four other professional wrestlers who threatened to bring personal injury claims against the company last year. The suit is similar to the one filed earlier this month with 53 former WWE talents claiming that the WWE was responsible for neurological injuries they suffered from their time with the company.

Earlier this year, the Court rejected all but one of Singleton and LoGrasso's claims against WWE and ruled that it would only hear arguments regarding whether WWE failed to disclose to its performers the link between head trauma and permanent degenerative neurological conditions. Arguably, fraudulently omitting such pertinent information could have influenced the decision-making of the performers as to whether to enter and re-enter the squared circle, which, in turn, could be sufficient grounds to suspend Connecticut's statute of limitations.

In its Motion for Reconsideration, WWE stated that the threatened claims should be barred by the statute of limitations in the same way that the claims of the plaintiffs in the cases, as well as any of the so-called 'John Doe' who may bring claims.

The litigating professional wrestlers responded by arguing that their threatened causes of action did not give rise to federal jurisdiction over the countersuit. The Court disagreed with this position and dismissed only the claims against the 'John Doe' litigants.

WWE Releases Popular Tough Enough Talent

According to Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet, “Tough Enough” star ZZ Loupe was released from his WWE contract earlier today.

No word at this point on what caused WWE to release Loupe, but he had recently made his live event debut in a match against Oney Lorcan, and even got the win in the match.

Loupe participated in the last season of “Tough Enough”, and although he was popular amongst fans of the show, he ended up losing the contest to Josh Bredl, who currently competes in WWE NXT under the ring name Bronson Mathews.

WWE's Second Quarter 2016 Earnings Call Recap With Vince McMahon - Brand Split, WWE Network, More

WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon, Chief Strategy and Financial Officer George Barrios and SVP Financial Planning & Investor Relations Michael Weitz are hosting a Second Quarter 2016 earnings call today from WWE headquarters in Stamford. Below are highlights:

* Weitz opens the call and welcomes everyone, then gives the introduction

* Vince says they are pleased with the execution of their strategy when it comes to optimizing the value of their content. He touts record revenues announced this morning. He brought up the brand extension and touted the high rating for the WWE Draft. Vince says the brand extension is working extremely well right now and touted the competitive nature of RAW and SmackDown. He's really proud of the 7.7 billion video views on social and digital platforms for the first half of the year. Vince says people are watching and enjoying them, whether it be on traditional TV, the WWE Network or other platforms. He also commented on the new TV deal in China, saying they are proud of that and hoping for a lot of growth there. Vince hands the call over to Barrios

* None of the growth from last year is being credited to WrestleMania 32, which fell in this quarter. Slides showing separate breakdowns with and without WrestleMania numbers were included for investors

* WWE Network launched in 6 new countries in the past year and revenue was up $7.7 million from this time in 2015

* They confirmed that they have purchased the building that houses the WWE TV studios in Stamford. The purchase will be completed next quarter

* Now it's time for questions

* Regarding why they did the brand extension, Vince said they have a plethora of talent due to Triple H's influence in WWE NXT and the Performance Center. Vince said you can't just exploit all that intellectual property when you have it, so they went with the two brands. He says this allows them to have more pay-per-views, more live events and more income. He also touted more talent personalities, which opens up the door for more licensing opportunities. He called it a really big move on revenue and the brand in general

* It's too early to tell if the brand extension is increasing Network subscription but they are excited about the split and hope it will improve business all across the company

* They have 150,000 hours of content on the WWE Network but aren't sure if all 150,000 will ever be available. They will have 6,000 hours of content on the Network before the end of this year

* Regarding a possible sale of the company, Barrios said they are always open to listening to ideas if that's what is best for fans and employees

Updated WWE Network Subscriber Count

WWE reported record revenue in their Q2 2016 financial results this morning.

WWE reported today that the WWE Network averaged 1.52 million paid subscribers during the second quarter of this year. It is a 4.5 % increase from the previously announced 1.454 million paid subscribers the day after WrestleMania 32.

WWE is projecting 1.49 million paid subscribers for Q3 2016.

Concussion lawsuit should be slammed, says former professional wrestler

When done properly, professional wrestling should look violent, but actually be safe for the performers getting punched, kicked, body slammed and suplexed in the ring.

That's why former professional wrestler Lance Storm says a lawsuit filed against World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) by more than 50 former wrestlers is "frivolous" and "unfounded."

"At the end of the day, pro wrestling is designed to be a non-contact sport in a way," he told the Calgary Eyeopener.

"It's not a true competitive sport, it's a performance art and when you do the job properly, you don't actually hit people very hard."

As well, many of those named as plaintiffs in the class-action suit — including former superstars like King Kong Bundy, Road Warrior Animal, Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff and Jimmy Superfly Snuka — only spent a portion of their careers with the WWE, said Storm.

"I've looked at the list and there's a few people that it wouldn't surprise me if they are suffering because they did a very reckless, dangerous style," he said.

"There's people on this list that are third generation, their grandfather did it, their father did it and they wrestled for upwards of a decade before they got to the WWE, I don't know how you can dump that on the company."

The NFL recently settled a similar suit for $1 billion and a group of more than 100 former NHL players are suing the league.

A pro wrestler for 25 years, Storm spent four years in the WWE and now runs Storm Wrestling Academy in Calgary, training the next generations of superstars. His latest class graduated Friday and Storm's school is fully booked until the spring of 2017.

During his career, Storm was never diagnosed with a concussion and he teaches his students to work the same way.

"I can think of one time that I banged my head really hard, that I'm like, that was probably a concussion," he said.

"I didn't suffer side effects from it, I guess I'm lucky I've got a hard head."

Even though he's never been diagnosed with one, Storm has been part of a long-term study on the effects of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, for the last eight years, run by the Concussion Legacy Foundation.

"I've donated my brain and my brain stem to them and I'm part of a legends study where each year I fill out an online survey then do a phone interview where they basically give me an impact test, which is what they do to determine concussion, whether you've recovered from one or not. It's an ongoing study to see if my mood changes, my memory, my cognitive function."

One reason he wanted to take part, said Storm, is because he's never abused alcohol or drugs, so will be a good baseline of sorts.

"There's a lot of drugs and alcohol involved in sport and we don't know what role that plays in addition to concussions," he said.

"They've got football players, they've got basketball players, they've got wrestlers. I was someone that never drank and never did drugs of any kind, so when they're doing this study, if my results are different than other athletes that suffered the similar physical symptoms, then perhaps the results could be compounded or due more to the drugs and alcohol and lifestyle of professional athletes."

Happy Birthday Murphy

Murphy Claire Levesque
July 28, 2008

Cruiserweight Classic Round Three Results

Brock Lesnar: No WWE Punishment ... for Failed UFC Drug Tests

Brock Lesnar will NOT be disciplined by the WWE for his UFC 200 drug test failures ... and WILL perform at SummerSlam as planned ... TMZ Sports has learned.

A WWE spokesperson tells us ... only full-time WWE performers are subject to the organization's wellness policy, which prohibits PEDs ... but since Brock isn't a full-time performer, he's essentially exempt.

"WWE’s talent wellness program does not apply to part-time performers such as Brock Lesnar," the spokesperson said.

We confirmed with the WWE that Brock has only performed in 19 matches over the past 3 years (4 in '14, 8 in '15, 7 in '16) ... and that the average full-time WWE superstar wrestles more than 200 matches per year.

One well-connected source broke down the situation like this -- WWE is show business, not a regulated athletic competition ... and the wellness program is only designed to keep the "full-time" performers healthy.

Bottom line -- Brock will be in the squared circle on August 21st ... no matter what happens to him in the UFC.

Happy Birthday Paul

Paul Michael Levesque
July 27, 1969

Shelton Benjamin is returning to WWE after six-year absence

One of the most athletically gifted and underrated WWE stars of the last decade is making a comeback. After six years wrestling in Japan and on the independent circuit after leaving WWE in 2010, former three-time Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin is making a return.

Benjamin's comeback was announced in a promo on SmackDown Live Tuesday.

Multichannel News names Stephanie McMahon to their annual '40 under 40' list

WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon has been named to Multichannel News' "40 under 40" list of executives making an impact under 40 years old.

The 11th annual "40 under 40" list honrs a wide range of executives from various telecommunicatons backgrounds that have made an impact within their industry.

This year's list highlights McMahon's accomplishments as Chief Brand Officer but also throughout her career at WWE and the success she had brought to various departments. Additionally, the "40 under 40" list points out McMahon's work outside of WWE, such as establishing Connor's Cure for pediatric cancer research and being one of nine U.S. leaders chosen for the Eisenhower Fellowship led by General Colin Powell.

Earlier this year, McMahon was honored by Multichannel News as one of cable and telecommunications' Wonder Women. The Wonder Women Award honors female executives at the forefront of cable television and communications.

When asked by Multichannel News what she liked best about her job, McMahon said: “The opportunity to engage with the families who watch our programming and see the smiles on their faces as we create memories that will last a lifetime.”

Sasha Banks Wins WWE Women's Championship On Raw

Sasha Banks defeated Charlotte to become the brand new WWE Women's Champion.

The match was dubbed by Raw announcer Michael Cole as "what was likely the true main event of the evening."

This win marks Sasha's first reign as champion.

Finn Balor Debuts On Raw

Former WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor made his WWE RAW main roster debut on tonight's show from Pittsburgh and moved one step closer to becoming the first-ever WWE Universal Champion.

Balor won a Fatal 4 Way over Kevin Owens, Cesaro and WWE United States Champion Rusev, who he pinned after a Coup de Grace. Balor will now work the RAW main event against the winner of another Fatal 4 Way with the winner facing Seth Rollins for the brand new Universal Title at SummerSlam.

Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley announce the creation of the WWE Universal Championship

With Dean Ambrose’s WWE World Championship taking up residence as the in-house title of SmackDown Live, Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon and General Manager Mick Foley opened their first show of the New Era by announcing the creation of the WWE Universal Championship, the first recipient of which will be decided at SummerSlam.

McMahon and Foley confirmed former WWE World Champion and first overall WWE Draft pick Seth Rollins as one of the Superstars who will contend for the new title at The Biggest Event of the Summer; The Architect’s opponent will be decided in Raw’s main event, which will be contested between the winners of two Fatal 4-Way Matches held throughout the course of the night.

Nia Jax Makes Raw Debut

Former WWE NXT Superstar Nia Jax made her RAW main roster debut on tonight's show from Pittsburgh. She defeated indie wrestler Britt Baker from AIW in a squash match.

Bayley's WWE Battleground Debut a "One Time Thing"

Sasha Banks blew the roof off a sold out Verizon Center in Washington D.C. tonight at WWE Battleground when she revealed NXT Superstar Bayley as her surprise partner to take on the team of WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte, and Dana Brooke.

Bayley later revealed that tonight’s appearance was “just a one time thing”, and that her main goal right now is staying focused on reclaiming the NXT Women’s title. While anything can and will happen in WWE, it would appear that the resident “Hugger” of NXT will be staying put in the hybrid developmental program for the time being.

Right now it looks like the company wants to keep all their major stars in place for next month’s NXT Takeover: Back to Brooklyn special, where Bayley will face Asuke for the women’s title, and Joe will defend against Nakamura. The crew will also be doing a big southern tour kicking off this week, and traditionally when NXT leaves the Florida area it’s an “all hands on deck” situation as they need all their major stars to sell tickets, make the promotional rounds and drive merch sales. Several reports have indicated that WWE is looking to do another round of call-ups in September or October after their current schedule dies down.

UFC Will Not Fine Brock Lesnar For Failed Drug Tests, Bonuses May Not Be Touched

Fines Brock Lesnar potentially faces for reportedly testing positive for clomiphene in drug tests related to his fight at UFC 200 will have to come from the Nevada Athletic Commission, and not from UFC itself.

According to an article by Marc Raimondi on MMAFighting.com, UFC vice president of public relations Dave Sholler stated the MMA promotion will not be fining Lesnar. Any fines will be left up to the state athletic commission.

The Nevada Athletic Commission's guidelines state the penalty for a first violation of its drug policy related to the use of anabolic steroids is 50 to 70 percent of the participant's purse. Whether or not the NSAC categorizes clomiphene as an anabolic steroid, its guidelines state, "We will continue to follow WADA's Prohibited List, for both prohibited substances and prohibited methodologies."

Clomiphene is specifically named as a prohibited substance by WADA. None of the other three drug categories in the NSAC guidelines (sedatives, diuretics, stimulants) seem like a more accurate fit for clomiphene.

Lesnar's publicly-disclosed purse for fighting Mark Hunt at UFC 200 was $2.5 million. He's likely due even more in pay-per-view bonuses. MMAFighting.com says the money Lesnar made beyond his disclosed purse is likely to go untouched. A fine on 50 to 70 percent of $2.5 million would come out to $1.25 million to $1.875 million.

It's unclear yet whether WWE, which he's under contract to, will take any action to penalize Lesnar.

Donald Trump Talks RNC Entrance, McMahon, WWE on Meet The Press

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump sat down with Chuck Todd, moderator of “Meet the Press” on NBC, in the first network interview since the Republican National Convention. Trump, a WWE Hall of Famer, discussed his RNC entrance and the reaction from WWE Chairman and CEO Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

CHUCK TODD:

Let me tell you, you bring up Thursday night. I've got to ask you about your entrance. Before we get to Thursday, that Monday night entrance was something else. I know you’ve gotten a lot of feedback on it.

DONALD TRUMP:

I think I'm a little bit lucky, and a couple of people had that idea, and I went along with the idea. And everything just worked right. And it was so good that they wanted to do it on Thursday night. I said, “Never in a million years, because you’ll never get it that way again.”

CHUCK TODD:

I don't think I've seen that even on WWE.

DONALD TRUMP:

Yeah, I know. Well, Vincent’s a good friend of mine. He called me. He said, “That was a very, very good entrance.” But I didn’t want to do it a second time, because, you know, it never works out the second time.



And yes, it has been done before...



Excerpt courtesy NBC News - “Meet The Press”

Lita's New On-Air WWE Role Revealed

s noted, WWE Hall of Famers Booker T and Jerry Lawler will now serve as key analysts on the WWE Network Kickoff specials and pre-shows due to announce team changes in the WWE Draft. They will be joined by Amy "Lita" Dumas and likely host Renee Young.

Lita's role within WWE is shifting from that of a Producer to an on-air panelist for the RAW, SmackDown and pay-per-view pre-shows. As of this coming week, Lita will no longer work as a producer and will work the RAW and SmackDown pre-shows on the WWE Network.

No word yet on who, if anyone, will takeover Lita's previous duties but there has been talk of some of the trainers and coaches from WWE NXT getting called up to work with the main roster.