F4WOnline.com is reporting WWE recently acquired the original WWWF title belt worn by Bruno Sammartino, apparently for display in the long-rumored physical WWE Hall of Fame.
Dan Lambert of American Top Team (MMA) is a title belt collector and mentioned in an interview that WWE contacted him about the WWWF belt, which he owned. Lambert didn’t say when he was contacted, but he got a few other championships from WWE in exchange for the original title.
WWE’s Hall of Fame is rumored to be built in the Orlando, Florida area whenever it is announced.
December 11, 2014
WWE Acquires Original WWWF Title Belt
Triple H Q&A Highlights: Tonight’s Takeover Special, How Would He Fare in a Match Against Sting?, NXT vs WWE Possibility & More
December 10, 2014
TNA Announces Move to Friday Nights, Details on Destination America Partnership, Encore Programming & More
Impact Wrestling will be moving to Friday nights in 2015 on their new home, Destination America. The company sent out a press release detailing the move, as well as announcing encore programming for the network.
The press release is featured below in its entirety, but the major news is that each week TNA will be given a four hour slot on Friday nights, with an encore immediately following each first-run broadcast. Confirming our earlier reports, a “new” show called “IMPACT WRESTLING: UNLOCKED” will air every Saturday from 10 AM-12 PM ET that will feature “a reloaded edition of the previous week’s IMPACT WRESTLING that will be a whole new viewing experience featuring extra content and never-before-seen footage.”
DESTINATION AMERICA PINS DOWN DEBUT DATE FOR IMPACT WRESTLING
(Silver Spring, Md.) – Brace for IMPACT! Destination America iskicking-off the New Year as the new destination for professional wrestling following the announcement that Discovery Communications and TNA (Total Nonstop Action) Entertainment have signed an exclusive broadcast deal bringing IMPACT WRESTLING to the only network dedicated to celebrating the people, places and stories of the United States. IMPACT WRESTLING debuts on Destination America with a special LIVE broadcast on Wednesday, January 7 from 9-11 PM ET, televised from New York City’s legendary Manhattan Center. IMPACT WRESTLING will move to its permanent time slot on Fridays from 9-11 PM ET beginning January 16 on Destination America.
“We’ve been listening to what fans have to say and, with their feedback in mind, IMPACT WRESTLING’s live debut on Destination America will be nonstop, in-your-face action with no filters, big personalities, and epic battles,” said Marc Etkind, general manager of Destination America. “Wrestling is a national pastime that combines dynamic entertainment with intense crowds, and we can’t wait for IMPACT WRESTLING’s passionate fans to bring their ‘fandemonium’ to Destination America in January!”
“A week after the ball drops in New York City, fists will fly as IMPACT WRESTLING begins a new era with our LIVE debut on Destination America,” said TNA President Dixie Carter. “IMPACT WRESTLING will be the most compelling two hours of wrestling on television.”
The special live broadcast on Wednesday, January 7 will feature a main event for the richest prize in IMPACT WRESTLING: the World Heavyweight Championship, Roode vs. Lashley III. A decisive rematch in this epic trilogy, reigning champion Bobby Roode defends the title against dominant former heavyweight champion Bobby Lashley to prove who’s the best in IMPACT WRESTLING. Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Gail Kim, Ethan Carter III (aka EC3), and all the stars of IMPACT add to the explosive debut. An encore will follow from 11 PM-1 AM ET.
Triple H Talks Sami Zayn Impressing, Kevin Owens’ NXT Debut, How Charlotte Was Booked On Raw, NXT Touring & Much More
During a conference call at the WWE Performance Center Triple H gave some time to the media today to talk about NXT Takeover R Evolution airing Thursday night on the WWE Network. Triple H also enjoyed talking about the business in general and where WWE is headed. The following are some highlights:
- He noted he looks forward to these conversations and likes being able to speak with the media directly.
- He said they are “feverishly” working on getting the WWE Network in the UK but that the NXT special will be airing on television in UK.
- He talked about how proud he is of Charlotte and Sasha Banks. He talked about how some people were upset that Charlotte was used quickly in a loss on RAW. Apparently they were given more time originally but due to factors of live television, when they got to that segment they had to shorten their time. Triple H noted the important thing was exposure for NXT and Charlotte. Once she is a regular on the main roster, she would be be booked stronger.
- In a discussion about all the different types of athletes and backgrounds who come into NXT, HHH noted some talents pick things up quicker than others. He said Kurt Angle picked up professional wrestling faster than anyone he can recall.
- Finn Balor was overwhelmed in the past when they would walk him through entrances, music cues, where cameras can be and all of the other factors of being a television show. Triple H said Balor explained he had never thought about all that stuff. In the past he just walked to the ring and whoever was filming just captured him walking to the ring. Triple H was excited when speaking about the collaboration of WWE and great talent such as Balor.
- It has been discussed and is possible that the NXT title could be featured on the kickoff shows for the main roster pay-per-views or the events themselves. He said he likes when he hears people talk or suggest it because it’s a good sign the NXT brand is wanted.
- Gave a lot of praise to Sami Zayn. Talked about how he can be hard to describe sometimes to someone but is a great talent. Triple H said it might take longer for Zayn to reach his full potential with the audience, but once he gets there, it’s going to be great. He said Zayn is great with emotionally captivating an audience and has strong facials for television. At one point he compared Zayn to Ricky Steamboat. Triple H went on to say how impressive that is considering Zayn worked for so many years prior to WWE with a mask on.
- We were running short on time, but Triple H said if Vince can add more time to interviews because he owns the WWE Network than Triple H can add more time to his phone call, so he did.
- He gave a lot of credit to William Regal being a great scout for talent and evaluation talent.
- With regards to promos, Triple H said less heavily scripted promos are good, but not everyone can do them. He said a script isn’t a bad thing as long as the talent can put emotion into what is written for them and not sound like they are reading off of a piece of paper. He said some guys learn better than others with it. He noted Adrian Neville couldn’t speak when he first got to NXT but is now a lot better.
- NXT Takeover R Evolution will air on J Sports in Japan.
- Triple H talked about it being a fine line with Kevin Owens in terms of embracing what he’s accomplished in the past but moving forward and creating a WWE product. He says there is no point in ignoring Kevin’s accomplishments, but at the same time you don’t want to live in the past.
- Says he would like to get NXT touring more. Right now they tour in Florida and some of Georgia, but he would like to expand to more regions to continue growing the brand.
Photo: TNA reveals new logo for Impact Wrestling
TNA President Dixie Carter posted the following on Twitter:
"I want to share with you first the new Impact Wrestling logo! Now share with your friends. LOTS more to come today!"
December 9, 2014
TNA Wrestling On Netflix?
Variety.com has a new article up highlighting Discovery’s desire to partner with Netflix, to stream more of their content on the website. They currently have a deal in place with Hulu for exclusive on-demands rights to “Deadliest Catch”.
Discovery is the new home of Impact Wrestling, which will debut on Destination America in January 2015. While a potential deal between Discover and Netflix is still being worked out – Variety says its a matter of determining value – it could lead to TNA content coming to the over-the-top network in the future.
WWE Confirms A New Pay-Per-View For 2015
The WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view is no-more, at least for the month of February which has been home to the event since 2010.
WWE issued the following promotional material to media outlets regarding a new event titled "WWE Fast Lane" which will be the last stop on the road to WrestleMania 31.
"New ground will be broken Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, when the inaugural WWE Fast Lane pay-per-view takes over the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.!
Get tickets starting this Saturday, Dec. 13, at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT at the FedExForum box office orwww.ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone by calling (800) 745-3000.
The historic event marks WWE’s first pay-per-view in Memphis — one of sports-entertainment’s richest cities — in more than eight years. Though WWE Fast Lane is brand new to the WWE Universe, one thing’s for sure: With the WWE Universe racing down The Road to WrestleMania 31, your favorite Superstars and Divas will kick the action into high gear on Feb. 22."
December 8, 2014
Triple H and Stephanie McMahon named editorial adivsors to 'Muscle & Fitness' and 'Shape,' respectively
WWE and American Media Inc. announced today that Stephanie McMahon, WWE Chief Brand Officer, has been appointed Editorial Advisor to "Shape" magazine and Paul "Triple H" Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative, has been appointed Editorial Advisor to "Muscle & Fitness" magazine.
In these roles, McMahon and Levesque will consult with the editorial staff of "Shape" and "Muscle & Fitness," respectively, on print and online content pertaining to health and fitness. Together, they currently appear on the cover of the December/January issue of "Muscle & Fitness," sharing an inside look at their fitness routines as well as a sneak peek at exclusive workouts from "WWE Power Series: Triple H" and "WWE Fit Series: Stephanie McMahon," available now on DVD at mass market retailers and as a digital download online.
" 'Shape' and 'Muscle & Fitness' only work with the most trusted and authoritative experts in the world of health and fitness," said Shawn Perine, Chief Content Director, Enthusiast Group and Editor in Chief, "Muscle & Fitness." "With their vast experience and knowledge, Stephanie and Paul are perfect ambassadors for the global health and fitness movement, and are highly valued partners to our brands. I'm excited to be working with them."
"It is an honor to join the team at 'Shape,' " McMahon said. "This role provides me with the ability to connect with women from all walks of life and share my passion for fitness and living a healthy lifestyle."
"My approach to fitness training has evolved since my days as a young athlete, and today, I'm in the best shape of my life," Levesque said. "I share my knowledge and experience regularly as the executive in charge of WWE Talent and look forward to doing the same for the readers of 'Muscle & Fitness.' "
December 7, 2014
WWE Issues a “Newest Endeavor” Wish to CM Punk Following His UFC Signing
From WWE.com:
WWE wishes Phil Brooks (aka CM Punk) the best of luck in his newest endeavor.
December 6, 2014
CM Punk joins UFC, will fight in 2015
The UFC has signed former WWE professional wrestler CM Punk to fight in the Octagon.
The promotion announced the signing during its UFC 181 pay-per-view broadcast on Saturday. CM Punk, birth name Phil Brooks, has never fought professional mixed martial arts.
FC president Dana White said CM Punk intends to fight at middleweight -- 185 pounds -- but said he'd be open to possibly 170 pounds.
The UFC took to Twitter to announce CM Punk is expected to make his Octagon debut in 2015.
"He wanted to fight here," White told ESPN.com. "He wanted to give it a shot so we gave him an opportunity. It's not like Brock Lesnar. We're not going to throw the kitchen sink at him. Lesnar had a wrestling background. He's going to fight a guy who is 1-0, 1-1, 2-1 -- something like that."
White said Brooks has been training jiu-jitsu and mixed martial arts for an extended period of time.
"He's been coming to fights for a long time and after his WWE contract was up, he called me and said he wanted to give it a shot. I said, 'Alright. We'll give you a shot.' "
"My professional wrestling days are over, it's awesome to be here," CM Punk said in a statement. "This is something I've wanted to do for a long time."
At 36, CM Punk acknowledges that time is not on his side.
"I felt like it was now or never," he said. "I have a limited window most fighters don't have. I'm either here to win or get my ass kicked."
Full List of 2014 WWE Slammy Award Nominees
Below is the full list of 2014 WWE Slammy Award nominee and categories:
To be revealed on RAW:
Match of the Year
The Shield vs. Evolution – Extreme Rules
John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt – Last Man Standing Match at Payback
Team Cena vs. Team Authority – 5-on-5 Traditional Elimination Match at Survivor Series
Daniel Bryan vs. Batista vs. Randy Orton – WWE World Heavyweight Championship Triple Threat Match at WrestleMania 30
WWE Superstar of the Year
Brock Lesnar
Dean Ambrose
John Cena
Seth Rollins
Daniel Bryan
Roman Reigns
Bray Wyatt
WWE Diva of the Year
AJ Lee
Paige
Nikki Bella
Brie Bella
LOL Moment of the Year
Damien Mizdow as The Miz’s Stunt Double
Mr. T thanks his mother at the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame
Vickie Guerrero throws Stephanie McMahon in a pool of pudding on Raw
El Torito vs. Hornswoggle - WeeLC Match at Extreme Rules
Extreme Moment of the Year
Brock Lesnar hits 16 German suplexes at SummerSlam
Kane hits Daniel Bryan with Tombstones on floor, steel steps and table on Raw
Chris Jericho hits a cross-body on Bray Wyatt from the top of a steel cage on Raw
Seth Rollins Curb Stomps Dean Ambrose through cinderblocks on Raw
Surprise Return of the Year
Hulk Hogan returns as the guest host of WrestleMania 30 on Raw
Ultimate Warrior returns to WWE at WrestleMania 30, Raw, Hall of Fame
Batista returns on Raw
The Rock returns to interrupt Rusev and Lana on Raw
“This is Awesome” Moment of the Year
Yes! Movement occupies Raw
Stephanie McMahon gets arrested and taken away on Raw
Sting debuts to help Team Cena defeat Team Authority
Hulk Hogan, The Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin meet at WrestleMania 30
The OMG Shocking Moment of the Year
Brock Lesnar defeats The Undertaker’s WrestleMania Streak at WrestleMania 30
Seth Rollins turns on The Shield on Raw
Bray Wyatt’s choir surrounds John Cena inside Steel Cage on Raw
Nikki Bella turns on Brie Bella at SummerSlam
WWE.com Exclusive Awards, to be announced on the RAW Pre-show:
“Tell Me You Didn’t Just Say That” Insult of the Year
Nikki tells Brie she wished she died in the womb on Raw
Paul Heyman raps on John Cena on Raw
Chris Jericho insults The Authority after Stephanie’s arrest on Monday Night Raw – July 28, 2014
The Rock insults Rusev and Lana on Raw
WWE Tag Team of the Year
Gold & Stardust
The Usos
Los Matadores with El Torito
Slater Gator with Mini Gator
The Miz & Damien Mizdow
Breakout Star of the Year
Rusev with Lana
Roman Reigns
Paige
Dean Ambrose
Seth Rollins
Hashtag of the Year
#OccupyRAW
#RKOOuttaNowhere
#MoscowMooseKnuckle
#EatSleepSuplexRepeat
#NineNinetyNine
Fan Participation Award
"You Sold Out" – Seth Rollins
"Nine Ninety-Nine" – WWE Network
"We The People" – Jack Swagger
"I’m Afraid I’ve Got Some Bad News" – Bad News Barrett
"He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands" – Bray Wyatt
Double-Cross of the Year
The Authority turns on Randy Orton on Raw
Seth Rollins betrays the Shield and joins The Authority on RAW
Nikki Bella betrays her twin sister Brie Bella at SummerSlam
Mark Henry turns on his friend, Big Show, on Raw
Animal of the Year
Gator (Hornswoggle)
Torito
Bunny
Grumpy Cat
Best Actor
The Miz
Batista
The Rock
Mizdow
NXT Superstar of the Year
Adrian Neville
Sami Zayn
Tyler Breeze
The Ascension
Anti-Gravity Moment of the Year
Seth Rollins dives off the balcony at WWE Payback
Adrian Neville’s Red Arrow
Dean Ambrose dives onto lumberjacks at SummerSlam
Kofi Kingston in the Royal Rumble Match
Faction of the Year
The Authority
The Wyatt Family
The Shield
The Rosebuds
Tweet It! Best Twitter Handle (aka Social Champion)
@HEELZiggler (Dolph Ziggler)
@JohnCena (John Cena)
@ZackRyder (Zack Ryder)
@Ryback22 (Ryback)
@nicoleandbri (Nikki & Brie Bella)
@RealPaigeWWE (Paige)
Raw Guest Star of the Year
Larry the Cable Guy
Jerry Springer
Kevin Hart
Hugh Jackman
Betty White
Rivalry of the Year
The Shield vs. Evolution
Daniel Bryan vs. The Authority
Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena
Rusev vs. The USA
Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose
Best Couple of the Year
Daniel Bryan & Brie Bella
Triple H & Stephanie McMahon
Jimmy Uso & Naomi
Tyson Kidd & Natalya
How to vote
Jey Uso Responds to Vince McMahon’s “Ambition” Comments, Talks How WWE Informs Talent of Title Changes, More
Jey Uso was recently a guest on the Turnbuckle Weekly with Chuck Carroll. Uso appeared on the show to promote WWE’s Live Event this Saturday at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va.
You can listen to the interview on the CBS Radio website in Washington, D.C. http://washington.cbslocal.com/2014/12/05/jey-uso-reveals-how-wwe-tells-wrestlers-theyre-winning-a-title/
The two covered a ton of ground, including how casually WWE tells wrestlers they’re going to win or lose a title.
Jey also addressed Vince McMahon’s comment on Stone Cold’s podcast about the current locker room lacking ambition.
“I know he wouldn’t say something without any meaning behind it. I feel like he was just trying to light a fire under the locker room. He wants guys to go out there and grab that brass ring, step out on a limb, and go out there and get it. I feel like some of the guys, including myself… when me and my brother first came it is kind of like walking on egg shells. We don’t want to mess up because we’re new guys. We’re young we don’t know what to do.
As far as ambition, I feel like we do have a good crew. It’s going to take time. It’s going to take some years to get used to this thing. But as soon as we got our feet deep in the ground and our claws deep in the dirt, we’re going to be ok. I love my group of guys. I love my locker room. If you look at it we have some great talent in there. It is going to take time. It’s going to take time. That’s all I can say about it.”
It’s a solid interview with a ton of backstage insight.
Here’s everything they covered:
- Flight delays and missing shows
- Putting on ring makeup while driving
- How you’re told you’re winning a title
- How you’re told you’re losing a title
- Staying popular even without the gold
- Damien Mizdow: Turning chicken (poop) into chicken salad
- Vince McMahon’s locker room has less ambition comment
- WWE embracing dirt sheets and online wrestling community
- How wrestlers approach house show vs. Raw and Smackdown
- Streaming house shows on WWE Network
- Roman Reigns is more of a brother than a cousin
- Signing with WWE on same day Umaga died
- Responding to brother’s wish to wrestle him at WrestleMania
CM Punk to Meet with UFC President Dana White This Weekend, White Comments on the Possibility of Punk Fighting
MMAJunkie.com is reporting that former WWE star CM Punk will be attending this weekend’s UFC 181 event in Las Vegas.
On the most recent episode of The Jim Rome Show, UFC President Dana White revealed him and Punk will meet during the event:
“He left the WWE for whatever reason, he’s a huge fan of the UFC, he’s been training for a few years now, and he’s interested in fighting,” White said. “I’m interested in talking to him…CM Punk is coming to the show this weekend, and we’re going to talk.”
“You never know [if you can fight] until you get in there. I didn’t know if Brock could fight. I thought Brock was crazy for coming over here. But, the difference with Brock Lesnar is Brock was a world-class wrestler. I don’t know. We’ll see. He’s not a guy that we would do what we did with Brock; we threw Brock right to the wolves. Brock started fighting all the top heavyweights in the world because of his wrestling background. CM Punk, we would bring him in just like any regular fighter, and he would fight a guy with a similar record to his, which is 0-0.”
December 4, 2014
CM Punk Speaks Again, Talks Vince McMahon's Apology, Rock Texting Him, Wrestling Again, More
CM Punk is back for his second appearance on Colt Cabana's Art of Wrestling podcast. You can listen on Colt's Soundcloud page at this link. Below are the highlights:
* They started by saying fans will hate this episode, implying that it won't be as controversial as the first episode with Punk. Colt said this episode will be how his podcasts usually are and Punk said it will probably be his favorite.
* Colt talked about receiving thousands of e-mails and having his site shut down. Punk said he didn't think the first podcast would be a big deal. He said he just wanted to tell his story and get it out there because people were calling him a quitter and saying he walked out on the fans. Punk said the day he got his papers from WWE on his wedding day he wanted to do the podcast but Colt was in Japan.
* Punk said he felt awesome at the time and still feels awesome about doing the podcast. He was walking home from a massage today and someone yelled out that they loved the podcast. He then went to a tanning salon and received feedback from a guy there also.
* Regarding reaction to the podcast, Punk said positive feedback has been "through the roof." Punk feels he covered everything in the first podcast. He feels that going back and giving more details or further examples of WWE's awful communication is just beating a dead horse. He said then he would sound like the bitter wrestling guy.
* Colt brought up how it annoys him when fans call Punk by his real name, Phil. Punk says he doesn't know what people refer to him as now. He said some fans tweet him to change his name because he's no longer CM Punk but he sees them as fans who watch WWE and think that CM Punk was a WWE creation. Punk says that's the farthest thing from the truth. He says the name has grown into a brand and talked about how the name will be used with his Marvel work.
* Punk said he hasn't watched wrestling in three years. When he re-signed with WWE, he would re-watch the big shows but that's it. He said he couldn't stomach it anymore. He watches AJ Lee's segments now because she's his wife.
* Fans chanting his name still does not bother him. He says it's weird because fans do it in two cases - when they see his wife AJ Lee or when something awful is going on in the ring. Punk says he sees both sides of the argument - people who say don't chant his name and those who do. Punk says we shouldn't chant at the guys busting their ass but added that he will be biased and say you bought a ticket so you can chant what you want, "just don't chant it at my friends and just chant it at the guys that fucking suck and wear lifts in their boots. That covers everybody."
* Regarding fans asking if he would return for a big WrestleMania spot, Punk told a story about how the legendary band The Doors had an incident on The Ed Sullivan Show and were told they would never play there again. Jim Morrison of The Doors told Sullivan that they just played The Ed Sullivan Show, saying they didn't need to play it again. Punk said he's "been there, done that" in regards to coming back for WrestleMania. Punk says it's become such a big deal with everyone about him not getting a WrestleMania main event and he tried to communicate that to WWE for so many years that he feels the door is closed now.
* Punk believes reaction to his comments is probably split throughout the business. He thinks there a lot of "yes men" in WWE who want to now come out and say "screw you pal" to him but there are also people in WWE who want to say what he said but they're oppressed. Colt said he heard from a lot of people in WWE who loved Punk's comments and were appreciative of them.
* Regarding people saying Punk will be back eventually and how could he turn down the money, Punk said it's "way too fucking early and I have no interest in fucking going back." He said the difference in his appearance, his mental stability and everything else is so drastically different than it was nine to ten months ago. He talked about how feuding with The Wyatt Family was supposed to be a learning & teaching experience but it wasn't fun. He said being in the ring with The Shield is when he realized it wasn't fun anymore. He took a bump off a tackle one night and looked up at the lights, wondering what he was doing with his life.
* Regarding getting fired on his wedding day, Punk said WWE maliciously tied to ruin a special day. He referenced Vince McMahon's apology and said he doesn't believe it was a coincidence or the lawyers didn't talk to talent relations. Punk said if Vince's apology was sincere, he would not have used it as a publicity stunt on Steve Austin's podcast. Punk said: "You have my phone number, you have my address. You could text, you could call, you could show up when you're a 10 minute fucking drive from my house and apologize to me like a man. That's the fucking reality of it." Punk called the apology a publicity stunt again and really got upset talking about it.
* Punk said WWE contracts aren't worth the paper they're printed on and if they were, WWE wouldn't have settled and he wouldn't be doing this podcast. He said he waited until all the "legal bullshit" was out out of the way and never sued them. He said it was all about a settlement. He told them "you can't do that, you can't do this" and WWE's lawyers came back asking how he wanted to proceed. Punk said lawyers didn't jam anything up, they moved things along. He brought up Alberto Del Rio being able to wrestle elsewhere and said you can't put a non-compete clause on an independent contractor.
* He received a text message from The Rock on Thanksgiving. Rock said all Punk's fans were upset at him and asked what happened. Punk told Rock about the podcast explaining why he left. Punk told Rock he didn't think he said anything negative about Rock but talked about working with him and continuing to work with him to get a WrestleMania main event. Punk told Rock he thought fans were upset because Punk dropped the title to Rock. He said Rock was super cool about everything.
* He talked about being scheduled for a Wizard World in Nashville but he got pulled at the last minute and replaced with Daniel Bryan. Punk actually learned about it on Wizard World's Twitter and had to call the office for confirmation. He was to be paid $20,000 for four hours of work that weekend but WWE wanted him on the Mexico tour. He told them that his check for the tour needed to be $20,000 to match the Wizard World pay but it was just $5,000 and he was working hardcore main events against Curtis Axel & Paul Heyman all four nights of the tour. Punk said he brought the check to RAW and laid it on table, telling officials to fix it. They ended up giving him an extra check for $4,000.
* Punk wanted to wear shorts as gear at one point and Slim Jim wanted to be one of the sponsors featured on the shorts. He had meetings with the head of Slim Jim, meetings that were not set up by WWE. Punk said Slim Jim wanted him to be the face of Slim Jim like Randy Savage was. They had marketing campaigns and ideas laid out. Someone at WWE told Slim Jim that they didn't want Punk and to use Rey Mysterio, Eve Torres and Big Show for the next campaign instead. Punk talked about seeing an e-mail exchange he wasn't supposed to see where someone in the office kept trying to talk video game reps out of using Punk for a cover, telling them to use Sheamus instead. He also talked about being friends with people on the LA Ink reality show. He was supposed to be on the show and get a new tattoo but Randy Orton decided he wanted to get new sleeves done and the office put Orton on the show instead.
* Punk didn't want the first podcast to turn into this huge deal but joked there would not have been anything to talk about last week if they didn't do it. He's not replying to any of the questions on Twitter and Colt talked about Punk moving on. Punk said people ask him if he accepts Vince's apology. Punk said he appreciates the sentiment but it was not a sincere apology. Punk said Vince knew about the problem since June and if he really felt bad, he would have apologized then. Punk said Vince just wanted a camera on him and to do damage control. Punk said this chapter of his life is done and they're closing it now.
* Punk doesn't want to be that guy who says he's working on all these different projects but he is working on his future outside of wrestling. He's still doing a lot of work with Nerdist and other comic book projects. He plugged his Thor comic that comes out in February and the in-store appearance at Challengers Comics in Chicago that week.
* Punk said if anyone was ever a fan of his, wanted to see him wrestle or purchased any of his merchandise, he appreciates it and thanks you. Punk said he had to wait this long to tell the story due to legal reasons but it got out when it could. He said if he offended you then he's sorry but there's a chance you might need to lighten up and a chance he meant to offend you. If you support him, that's awesome and if you don't like him, don't follow him on Twitter. If you don't like KISS, don't buy their albums. Punk said find something you love to do, do it and don't worry about what everyone else is doing unless they're trying to murder or rape you...More?
December 3, 2014
Ryback Speaks On CM Punk
"The comments that he made were not accurate, about me, definitely. It was disappointing to here what he said. He was not like that to my face, and to hear the things that he said, especially behind my back to Vince, its very disturbing to me. Things did not go ideal for me after that time period after we wrestled. I stuck around, hung out, showed up and did my job and turned things around. He says I broke his ribs on purpose, that's not true. If it was, he never did anything about it, if he's this big bad tough guy. You've got a roster full of WWE talent who knows the real Ryback and everyone knows the truth, what he said wasn't the truth. I wish him the best, I would like to think he is thankful for everything he has in WWE, and I was the one, for lack of a better word, put him over time and time again, and then he walked out and left. He was beaten up, he had his issues...Hopefully we will see him down the line."
WWE Issues Statement on Arrest Warrant Being Issued for Heath Slater; Slater Responds
FOX 5 in Atlanta reports that police there have issued an arrest warrant for WWE Superstar Heath Slater for an incident at the WrestleMania 27 after party in 2011.
A woman named Corrine Oliver, who was working security at the party, alleges that Slater put her in a chokehold and tried to get her into an elevator to then drag her to his hotel room at the Hyatt Regency. Oliver claims the attack caused damage to five vertebrae in her back. This story was reported back shortly after it first happened but that was the last we heard about it.
Oliver reported the matter to her supervisor the next morning but waited three months to file a police report, claiming that she waited for supervisors to file the report but they never did. Oliver also said that other WWE Superstars saw what Slater was doing and didn’t help her.
WWE's lawyer Jerry McDevitt said in a statement that the charges were filed against Heath Miller (Slater's real name) and not the company. This is the same stance they have taken in the past with certain Superstar arrests.
WWE has issued the following statement in response to reports of an arrest warrant being issued for WWE star Heath Slater:
“WWE has been advised that a misdemeanor arrest warrant has been issued against Heath Miller (aka Heath Slater), but we have not seen a copy or been provided with the underlying charges. Once this information is received by WWE, we will take the appropriate action.”
Heath Slater issued the following statement on Twitter:
— Heath Slater (@HeathSlaterOMRB) December 4, 2014
Jack Swagger, Seth Rollins, Zack Ryder Respond to Vince McMahon ‘Brass Ring’ Comment
During his WWE Network podcast interview with Steve Austin, Vince McMahon made comments about the current roster being less apt to “grab the brass ring.” He attributed it to a “Millennial” attitude. Several WWE stars have commented, including Jack Swagger who discussed the comments with Mike Jones of DC101
“This is an environment where literally hundreds of thousands of people want to be on this roster, and there’s what, 75 of us on top?” said Swagger. “To get here you have to be very ambitious but to stay here you need even more. It takes a lot of drive and a lot of hard work. I can only speak for myself that I have gotten hungrier. As far as the rest of the locker room, you know, it’s tough but you gotta see the finish line and sometimes that’s hard to do.”
Seth Rollins and Zack Ryder also commented, posting to Twitter:
No better way to grab the brass ring then to take out the so-called last guy to do just that. #WWETLC #TablesMatch How's that for ambition? - Seth Rollins
When my shoulder is healed and I come back, I'll grab that brass ring again...but nothing will stop me this time! - Zack Ryder
December 2, 2014
Recap of the Austin-McMahon Podcast
“Stone Cold” Podcast featuring Vince McMahon
Monday, December 1, 2014
Report by Sean Hopkins of WrestlingNewsWorld.com
Steve Austin is shown recording asking fans to give a ‘hell yeah’ if they’re ready for a live interview with Vince McMahon. This transitions into a video package showing some of the highlights of the Austin/McMahon rivalry before heading into the studio where Austin welcomes the fans and Vince McMahon to the show.
Austin asks how the Network is doing right off the bat. Vince says it’s doing great. Subscriptions are good, 90% satisfaction level. Austin asks specifically about the UK. Vince says he hopes to have it settled by the 1st of the year, but he doesn’t want to say too much too soon.
Austin talks about being asked to debut the Network, and he asks if it’ll ultimately meet McMahon’s high expectations. McMahon says it’ll take a bit of time to build some content and give them exactly what they want, which they’re doing right now.
Austin asks how in tune McMahon is with the crowd. McMahon says Pro Wrestling is where his dad came from, and Sports entertainment is about telling a story. Some of the matches don’t hit, and Steve knows that. McMahon thought Wyatt and Ambrose looked good tonight, and the six man match was also good.
Austin brings up the three hour length of Raw. McMahon says no one does that, and they’ve been doing it for many years. They’re all over the world, and when you’re traveling every week, they do magic with a lot of help and a lot of people behind the scenes. Performers have to be right, whether they’re hurt, or haven’t had sleep, they have to be at their best.
Austin talks about enjoying his run, but when he watches the show, he wants more wrestling. He understands there’s not to many guys and girls, but he thinks the first segment takes too long to build up to the hook. McMahon says you can’t have two guys wrestling for wrestling’s sake, you have to have guys who are adversaries and that’ll make you want to see the outcome.
Austin talks about the change in atmosphere in the locker room, and that there’s guys and girls walking on eggshells because there’s no other options, Austin even name checks TNA. McMahon says not to piss anyone off. Austin says he pissed a lot of people off. McMahon says they’re millenials, and there are a lot who don’t want to grab the brass ring. He talks about Wyatt, Ambrose, Rollins and Reigns as those who might change that. He says there’s not enough laughter and shenanigans as back in Austin’s day.
McMahon continues talking about millenials fear of failing, and being exposed. He says he’s given everyone opportunities, and things from a social media standpoint. It helps talent, and gives them tools that people like Austin didn’t have, and they use it, but not in the way Austin did.
Austin issues a challenge to the WWE Superstars, to go out on a limb. Austin says McMahon needs more depth on the roster, and McMahon agrees. Austin says you have to go on a limb to get over, and Vince agrees.
December 1, 2014
Guest Host For Next Week's Slammys On RAW
Actor Seth Green will be hosting next week's WWE RAW from Greenville, South Carolina. Next week's RAW will also feature The Slammy Awards. Michael Cole confirmed on tonight's RAW that the only way to vote on next week's awards will be with the WWE App.
New Japan Pro Wrestling Unveils It’s Own Streaming Service That Will Include Live Events, Wrestle Kingdom 9 & Tons of Classic Content
New Japan Pro Wrestling held a live press conference to announce the unveiling of their very own streaming service, “New Japan World”.
The service is available immediately, and is very similar to the WWE Network, in that the promotion will be airing all their major events live. Unlike WWE, where they have TV contracts that keep Raw and Smackdown on major networks, the bulk of New Japan content is offered as pay-per-view in Japan, and internet pay-per-view in the United States. What that means is instead of one major PPV on the WWE Network each month, you’re going to get upwards of four or five big live shows in a given month, including the G1 Tag League finals next weekend.
New Japan World is being offered at 999 yen, which is roughly $8.42 per month, and we’ve already received emails from U.S. fans that have subscribed and are watching classic content. Their website advertises its availability on desktops, tablets and smart phones as well.
November 30, 2014
Slammy Awards Announced for December 8th RAW
WWE.com has officially announced late last night that the 2014 Slammy Awards will take place during the 12/8 WWE RAW in Greenville, South Carolina. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar is expected to return and appear at the show.
November 28, 2014
WWE stock in sleeper hold as subscriptions stall
In a typical WWE wrestling drama, the champ gets off the canvas and saves the day by turning the table — or a folding chair — on his opponent.
Vince McMahon, WWE’s chairman and CEO, has orchestrated such a comeback hundreds of times in scores of arenas around the world.
But now, as WWE is experiencing a disappointing number of subscribers to its over-the-top network, sagging attendance at live US events, payroll cuts up to 10 percent and a body-slammed stock price, McMahon seems to be having trouble getting off the mat.
Some even question whether the 69-year-old showman is the right person to lead another WWE comeback.
“He really needs a professional CEO,” said Emmanuel Lemelson of Lemelson Capital.
CM Punk's Statement to Vince & Triple H When He Quit
CM Punk's statement to Vince and Triple H when he quit:
“Vince I need to talk to you and Hunter was in the room and he goes “Oh I’ll leave.” and I said no you need to hear this too. And I looked Vince in the eye and said ” I don’t love this anymore,I’m fucking sick, I’m fucking hurt, I’m fucking confused, I don’t know as a business what were doing anymore. Everyday you tell me this is a team effort but everyday its an individual effort by me to see whats even necessary to come here. Its not fun, I have zero fucking passion for this. I’m fucking concussed, I’m fucking hurt and all’s you care about is what segment I am and how soon I can get my fucking gear on and when I can pee in this fucking cup. And I don’t wanna do it anymore. I thought when I re-signed three years ago Vince I told you that If i couldn’t be all that I could be then you should fucking fire me. I sold more merch than John Cena before I turned heel for you and you said you owe me one. I worked guys that were dangerous and you said that you owe me one. All these fucking things and all’s I wanted was the main event at WrestleMania. Its fine if you don’t think that’s me and that I’m not that caliber of a fucking superstar but then you need to fucking fire me. Because I don’t want to be here and I don’t want to be anything less. I will go somewhere else and I will get more fucking over because I know I can. You have shackled me, you have creatively stifled me, you have made this a very toxic environment. I no longer want to be here. It boggles my mind how Daniel Bryan has not figured into your plans to be in the main event at WrestleMania because this is his fucking year. Just like two years ago it was my fucking year and I was white fucking hot, just like he is now. And what did you do? You fed me to this guy. And I pointed right at Hunter. And Vince was like “This is the concussion talking, I cant believe you’re saying any of this,you’re in the main event,it is a main event, you’re wrestling Triple H.” And I turned to Hunter and said “All due respect I do not need to wrestle you.you need to wrestle me. I do not want to wrestle you. I seriously resent you for not putting me over three years ago when you should have, that would’ve been best for business. But you had to fucking come in and squash it. And then I had to lose to fucking R-Truth and Miz like it didn’t make any business sense then, it doesn’t make any business sense now. And I’m in a position now where I can tell you I don’t have to and I don’t want to wrestle you ever at WrestleMania. I don’t care if I was supposed to win.” Which I was,I didn’t care, I didn’t want give him the fucking privilege. And Hunter goes “Punk you were in the best match at WrestleMania last year and that was the main event.” And I was like “I’m not fucking stupid the main event is the last match. You can push it to people who buy the pay per view that Oh! there’s four main events! There’s one main event, there’s always one main event and I deserve it. And I still deserve it and now Daniel Bryan deserves it. And you think you’re just gonna give it to Batista and Randy? and I made this argument “When you look at the roster,how many active members of the roster have been in a WrestleMania main event? How do you expect anybody to get fucking better? AHL Hockey players have to play with NHL Hockey players in order to get better. I needed the experience of a WrestleMania main event with someone who was equal or better than me so i could learn, so I could further become an asset to the fucking product. So I could draw more. Instead of always being told “well you’re not a draw.” How do you know? Why don’t you give me a fucking shot?…and then Hunter told me I was in the main event because I wrestled Undertaker and I turned to him and said ” Tell me I got paid the same as you, Brock, Cena, Rock, or whoever.” And once again he had nothing to say,he didn’t say anything. And I was just like “Right on,alright, I’m fucking outta here.” And Vince,with tears in his eyes fucking stood up and I stuck my hand out and he went in for a fucking hug. And it was like a reluctant hug and I patted him on the back. And then I looked at Hunter and he stuck his hand out. I shook his hand and I said “goodbye.” And I walked out.”
November 27, 2014
WWE Statement on CM Punk's Comments Ripping WWE Doctors
WWE issued a statement Thursday night to Yahoo! Sports in response to an article highlighting CM Punk's criticism of the sports-entertainment organization's medical tactics in a podcast interview:
“WWE takes the health and wellness of its talent very seriously and has a comprehensive Talent Wellness Program that is led by one of the most well-respected physicians in the country, Dr. Joseph Maroon."
WWE Employee Argues with Fan on Twitter Over CM Punk Comments
As we've noted, CM Punk finally spoke out about his WWE departure on Colt Cabana's Art of Wrestling podcast this week. Brian "Road Dogg" James, who works behind-the-scenes for WWE, responded to multiple fans criticizing the company on Twitter after the interview came out.
After a fan James follows on Twitter wrote, "f--k you Vince. f--k you Hunter." James responded, "You only hear one side of the story!" After the fan said what Punk revealed about McMahon and Hunter made him angry, James said, "I understand that but are you sure you have all of the facts? There are always 2 sides to every story. Just to be clear, I don't know the truth either! I just know how these stories get told around our industry."
James then had lengthy exchange with a fan expressing his unhappiness with Punk feeling unhappy and mistreated behind-the-scenes in WWE. This fan wrote to James, "I hope no one else is holding those emotions inside & not speaking up about it." James responded, "It's crazy but do you always get treated perfectly at work? It's a team and we need team players, everyone can't win!"
The fan then wrote, "Never was a big Punk mark, but seems like he was very unhappy & mistreated behind the scenes." James wrote back, "How was he "mistreated"? After the fan said "just his words," James wrote, "I get it, but you just asked me if anyone else was being "mistreated" so I was interested as to what he meant by that."
The fan then said, "Well, from what I heard, he was beat up & needed a break that he never got, he wasn't paid handsomely & claimed the he deserved to be in the main event of WrestleMania, which is why he felt miserable." James responded, "Did you just read what you typed? He didn't get to be in the main event so he got hot!!! C'mon man! I like Punk but dang."
After the fan again said it was Punk's words, James remarked, "So if VKM or HHH did a podcast would you believe every word of those too?"
James continued, "When I quit and then got release papers, I dogged the company too. It's what you do when you aren't honest with yourself."
The fan then remarked to James, "I'm not taking sides, but I wanna hear WWE's response to what he said." James responded, "Well you never will. The way everyone is reacting, I don't believe it's in the WWE's best interest to give one."
After it appeared both sides were going to have a stalemate until his contract expired, Punk recalled getting a text message from Triple H on June 11—two days before his wedding with AJ Lee. Punk told Hunter he was getting married and they could discuss the matter when he returned home from the honeymoon. Then, on the day of his wedding, Punk received a FedEx with termination papers. James addressed the topic to the fan, saying, "As far as release papers on his wedding day, wasn't his wedding a secret? How did they know it was his wedding day?"
James continued, "If he has no hard feelings why all the negative talk. He was "The Man" and that guy runs hard all year long. I'm done!"
James continued responding to the fan after the fan wrote, "& he wanted to know, why John Cena is the only one, that gets his "Make-A-Wish" showcased, when has had equal amount of grants."
"I'm not sure that's true. Like I said, I'm done. It's he said she said stuff and it's history. #HappyThanksgiving," James wrote.
The exchange concluded after the fan says "Maybe he's just a little salty, about not being the top guy anymore." To this remark, James said, "Yep, maybe!"
James also responded to this fan question: "Why were vince and Hunter such jerks to cm punk?"
"A business relationship is between 2 or more people, you've now heard 1 side of the story," James stated. "You'll never hear the other. That's his story. I can tell you some too if you'd like!"
During the interview, Punk was particularly critical of Chris Amann, WWE's Senior Ringside Physician. Punk said Amann misdiagnosed and ignored a MRSA infection on his back for months and that the first doctor he went to after leaving WWE was stunned to hear that he wrestled with it. This doctor said he could have died from it. A fan asked James, "Why didn't the wwe doctors treated his injuries right? Or even the @WWE?"
"Can't even believe you just asked that! We have a trainer and a dr. Talent goes to doc of their choice! Dang," James wrote.
James again compared the situation to his own several years ago when he parted ways with WWE on bitter terms. A fan wrote, "@WWERoadDogg is bashing @CMPunk now. Coming from the hypocrite who trashed HHH on a shoot video a few years ago and now is up his ass." James responded, "I did exactly what Punk did. I parted ways from the company and I bashed them. Call me what you will mate."
James continued, "And if you call being friends with someone being "up their a**" then I guess you're right. Not bashin Punk, just counter points."
The fan then remarked, "There's just a lot of us who hate what WWE has become. After hearing what Del Rio and Punk have said it's not hard to see why." James responded, "I understand your complaint and you're definitely entitled to it. I don't want to bash Punk but there is another side."
Following all this, James stated to his Twitter followers, "Didn't mean to argue and I'm sorry to those I offended. I'll just keep quiet on this subject. I'm passionate about the business. I'm sorry."
Ryback Responds to CM Punk's Recent Comments, Says Slander Is a Powerful Thing
Ryback tweeted the following tonight, an apparent response to CM Punk's recent comments about him on Colt Cabana's Art of Wrestling podcast:
"For the record if I quit for being fragile and insecure I would make up excuses too. Things didn't go my way for a long time and I kept going day in and out. Slander is a powerful thing and to state complete made up nonsense for no reason shows his insecurities. I will continue to bust my ass study matches every chance I get, cut promos when driving and push myself for hours on end even when hurt. Thank you."
Oderint Dum Metuant: Let Them Hate As Long As They Fear
