Defending Triple H For Firing CM Punk

Rumor Mill - Backstage Update on Brock Lesnar’s Future, Is WWE Expecting Him to Leave?, Superstar Possibly Getting Big Push in Lesnar’s Place

According to F4WOnline.com, WWE has instructed its merchandise department not to make any new merchandise for Brock Lesnar. Instead, the department has been told to make new merchandise for Sheamus.

This seems to be an indication that Sheamus might be in-line for a sizable push when he returns from injury, and Brock Lesnar’s future in WWE beyond WrestleMania 31 is very much up in the air.

The current feeling in WWE is that Lesnar will be leaving the company following WrestleMania, likely to give MMA one more try before he retires. Once Lesnar’s WWE contract expires, which is shortly after WrestleMania, a bidding war is expected to begin for Lesnar, pitting WWE against UFC and Bellator.

WWE Releasing Special Edition Magazine

While WWE no longer publishes WWE Magazine, the company will apparently continue to put out special issues. Joey Styles revealed on Twitter this afternoon that a "Collector's Edition" magazine highlighting the best photos of the year is now out on newsstands.

Rumor Mill - Backstage Fallout From WWE TLC - Unhappiness With The Show, Talent Meeting Held Today At Raw

Reddit.com user MetsFan4Ever, a former WWE backstage worker who still has ties to people in the organization, provided insight into the atmosphere backstage at Raw today at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, following last night's WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs ... and Stairs.

According to him, many people in the company are dissatisfied with how the show came off following the successful TakeOver: R Evolution and are hopeful this will lead to creative changes with WWE's mainline product.

"While many knew it would be tough to top the NXT show, there were people who thought it could be pulled off," he wrote. "There have been rumblings that some talent knew they couldn't top NXT so in a silent protest in favor of Triple H, some superstars were described "mailing in" their matches last night. Many are in favor of Triple H and what he has done with the NXT product and feel it is time for Triple H to take the lead on the main roster."

MetsFan4Ever added that locker room leader John Cena hosted a talent meeting this afternoon that was described as "forceful yet calm." Cena stressed that a silent protest will not help matters. Instead, Cena feels they should step up their performance in order for their point to be proven.

Dixie Carter Announces New TNA Show to Air on Destination America

TNA President Dixie Carter announced on Twitter that "TNA Unlocked" will be a new show on Destination America. It will premiere on Saturday, January 17th at 10am.

Triple H Comments On Sami Zayn

"I do think he can succeed, I think it would take some time, he is the slow built kind of guy," Triple H said of Zayn. "Every time you see him he wins you over with that emotion and that quality and that realness. He lets you inside who he is as a person, you know it's very Steamboat-esque, in a way, that level of emotional connection to a talent that takes you and really invests you in him as a person and a character. His growth curve has been phenomenal, he had all the tools, but to see him do what he's done in a relatively short period of time is awesome and I can't wait for him to get that opportunity on the [main] roster."

Rumor Mill - Backstage Pressure on WWE TLC Due to NXT Success

F4WOnline.com is reporting that there is some motivation and maybe pressure on the WWE Superstars on Sunday. With all of the positivity and success from NXT R-Evolution this past Thursday, there is a feeling that WWE TLC will be better than expected.

WWE Exec Talks New Content Being Added To the Network

WWE CFO George Barrios recently talked at at the UBS Financial Conference in New York City. He opened up on how the company is creating new WWE Network content. Below is what he had to say:

“The thing that gets me the most excited is the new content we’re going to create for the Network. Now we haven’t announced it yet, and I think my boss would kill me if I chose the UBS conference to announce the new content, but I’m personally excited about what’s coming, so those announcements, those programs going on there, which to us then leads to in terms of what investors should be focused on is the acquisition and retention of subscribers. So that for us is a key part, seeing continued growth in the subscriber base globally is absolutely a core priority.”

Two Diva's removed from Total Divas New Season?

Summer Rae and Naomi do not appear to be part of the upcoming cast of of Total Divas.

WWE published a "Behind The Scenes of Total Divas" photo gallery for the new season and missing are Naomi and Summer Rae. The two are also not featured in the promo video that has been airing on E!.

Reddit Sends Triple H A Fruit Basket Following NXT Takeover: R Evolution

The Squared Circle Reddit community came together following last night’s phenomenal NXT Takeover: R Evolution live special to do something nice for Triple H.

Reddit user “cbartholomew” pitched the idea this morning, stating that if it got more than 100 votes he would personally buy an Edible Arrangements fruit basket for “The Game”. The post reached its goal in less than 15 minutes, and true to his word, he purchased and shipped a $127 fruit basket to WWE headquarters in Stamford, CT.

Unfortunately, Hunter is still at Full Sail University in Florida for tonight’s NXT television taping. But he did post on Twitter that WWE received the gift, and that it was being eating by the “WWE Archivist”.

Thanks for the fruit basket @reddit but I'm at @WWENXT working with the future. #WWEArchivistAteIt @WWE pic.twitter.com/fs8ogk2rGa

— Triple H (@TripleH) December 12, 2014

Triple H Addresses Vince McMahon’s Brass Ring Comment

Vince McMahon stated in his interview with Steve Austin that a lot of today’s talent — millennials — don’t want to grab the brass ring. He mentioned Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns as talent that might want to change that.

Well after WWE NXT TakeOver: R Evolution, Triple H Tweeted the following:

Hey, can anyone help me? I'm missing a whole box of brass rings. #NXTTakeOver @WWENXT

— Triple H (@TripleH) December 12, 2014

There has been a lot of talk about Vince making the “brass ring” comment, while also questioning the ambition of today’s talent. Triple H considers NXT “his baby” and WWE’s future. He’s very proud of what he’s done in overhauling the company’s developmental system and sees the special events as a chance for all of his work to shine.

WWE NXT TakeOver: R Evolution Results

Corey Graves retires from the ring, joins WWE NXT’s announce team

Usually, when an up-and-coming Superstar is forced into an early retirement, the discussion turns toward what might have been. Corey Graves is determined to not let that be the case for him. Though concussions have forced him out of the ring, the final chapter in “The Savior of Misbehavior’s” story has not been written. Starting with NXT TakeOver: R Evolution, Graves will join the broadcast team that calls the action every week on WWE Network.

“I’m really excited to start a new chapter of my career and life,” Graves told WWE.com before announcing his retirement on the TakeOver Pre-Show. “These last eight months have been up and down, emotionally, but I’m really looking forward to being part of the show again.”

Graves’ path to the announce booth traces back to WrestleMania Axxess, when he suffered a concussion during a match at the fan convention.

“I was bummed,” he said after being pulled from competition initially. “I felt like my Christmas got cancelled.”

Though he was not allowed to continue competing during WrestleMania weekend, Graves had every intention of getting back in the squared circle, working with WWE’s doctors and taking ImPACT and exertion tests to track his status. However, because of the frequency of Graves’ previous concussions, which built up over a decade on the independent circuit before coming to WWE, he was sent to see several specialists, who conferred with Dr. Joseph Maroon, WWE’s medical director. In Graves’ best interest, they recommended he step away from the ring.

“I saw Triple H in the [WWE Performance Center’s] gym,” Graves recalled. “I asked if he had any updates for me. His demeanor changed. He said something like, ‘I’m going to be honest with you. If I were you, I’d prepare for the worst.’ You could have told me a million things were going to happen to me that day, that wouldn’t be one of them.”

Faced with the end of his in-ring career, Graves was heartbroken.

“I remember just walking out of the gym in disbelief and going to the locker room, which was empty, and I fell apart,” he said. “I wasthisclose and I had my fingers on the prize. It was like, ‘Oh my God, I wasted my life. What am I going to do?’ I have a family, my wife was eight months pregnant at the time. My world fell apart in that moment.”

Following his conversation with Triple H, Graves officially received the news that he could no longer compete, but that he would be given a chance to do anything else within the company.

“That night, I pulled Triple H aside and thanked him for the opportunities,” he said. “I looked him in the eyes and said, ‘I’m not done here.’ He gave me a smile and said, ‘I know you’re not.’”

Graves took the weekend to gather his thoughts, then returned to the Performance Center and jumped at the opportunity to help with whatever he could, whether it be production, promotion or giving advice to new arrivals to the Performance Center.

But “The Savior of Misbehavior” gravitated toward the microphone. At the behest of The Voice of WWE, Michael Cole, Graves tried his hand at announcing and showed an aptitude that surely comes from his days of talking trash in the ring.

“I got in the booth here with Rich Brennan every day, we really developed chemistry,” Graves told WWE.com. “Knowing the business and growing up watching it like I did, I feel like I took to it pretty quickly.”

While he’s not afraid to admit he’s still learning the ins and outs of play-by-play, Graves is ready for whatever the future holds.

“It’s taken some time to get there, but I’m very excited to try something new,” he said.

Most of all, he’s grateful for the opportunity to stay in the industry he loves.

“WWE could have very easily discarded me and said, ‘You’re not able to do what we hired you for any more, so good luck to you,’” Graves said. “I like to think that they saw value in me, not only in the ring, but in what I’ve been able to prove I can do in the months since then.”

Alberto Del Rio Heading to ROH

Ring of Honor has issued the following press release:

Alberto El Patron Is Coming To ROH In 2015

The hottest free agent in the world makes his debut in the organization known for the best wrestling on the planet as Alberto El Patron debuts in Ring of Honor on January 3rd, 2015 in Nashville, TN.

Formerly known in WWE as Alberto Del Rio, Alberto El Patron is a former 4 time World Champion in World Wrestling Entertainment and the current AAA Heavyweight Champion in Mexico. Known for his brash demeanor, this Mexican aristocrat brings an attitude and desire to prove his greatness to Ring of Honor but how will that attitude mesh with the ROH stars?

One thing that is certain is Alberto’s credentials. A celebrated amateur wrestler in Mexico, Alberto has won numerous amateur championships and tournaments. In addition to his amateur accolades, Alberto has won numerous world championships in his home country of Mexico, including the CMLL Heavyweight Championship. But would you expect anything less given his bloodlines? Alberto is the son of legendary luchador Dos Caras and nephew of Mil Mascaras, continuing one of Mexico’s greatest wrestling legacies.

Upon signing with ROH, Alberto has requested that Ring of Honor matchmaker Nigel McGuinness challenge him with the very best that ROH has to offer, and many of the stars in Ring of Honor have already started making phone calls to Nigel to take on El Patron.

More?

WWE Acquires Original WWWF Title Belt

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.

Triple H Q&A Highlights: Tonight’s Takeover Special, How Would He Fare in a Match Against Sting?, NXT vs WWE Possibility & More

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.

More?

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!"

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 “Tribute to the Troops” Holiday Special to Air on USA and NBC

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."

Complete List of 2014 WWE Slammy Award Winners

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.' "

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.

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.”

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?

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:

pic.twitter.com/oDhgf9RIkc

— Heath Slater (@HeathSlaterOMRB) December 4, 2014