Rey Mysterio Talks Retirement Rumors, How He's Doing After Perro Aguayo Jr. Tragedy

Rey was asked about how he's holding up following the recent Perro Aguayo Jr. tragedy and Rey talked about the support from his wife, kids, parents, Konnan and the fans helping him and keeping him moving forward.

Mysterio had Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter tell everyone that he is not retiring. Rey says he's not retiring and he believes that's what Perro Aguayo Jr. would want him to do. Regarding leaving WWE, Rey says after spending 13 years with WWE, he wanted to do his own thing, call his own shots and be with his family.

Recap of WWE NXT at San Jose State University

WWE NXT held their biggest event yet on Friday night at San Jose State University with between 4,500 and 5,000 fans in attendance. Thanks to Ryan Aziz and Corey Montgomery for the following results:

* JoJo sang the National Anthem and even before that there was a crazy buzz in the air. The crowd was fired up and ready to go. Corey Graves came in the ring to kick off the show but was met with "you f--ked up" chants because his mic didn't work. Graves talked about how far NXT has come and got a chant going.

* Hideo Itami defeated Tyler Breeze in the opener after GTS. This was an awesome match, maybe it was just the setting but this was a lot better than their recent TV matches. The crowd was chanting for GTS early on and Itami went for it during the match, finally nailing it after a big corner dropkick. Itami got the win and was really fired up feeding off the crowd.

* Jason Jordan defeated Bull Dempsey after an Exploder suplex. Dempsey got decent heel heat for this entrance and controlled most of the match. Jordan looked alright in the ring but he didn't get much of a reaction at all.

* Alexa Bliss and Bayley defeated Dana Brooke and Becky Lynch in a great Divas bout. Bayley came out to a huge hometown reaction that carried on. Bayley hit her suplex on Becky for the win and had a pretty big celebration after the match. She was interviewed by Greg Hamilton I believe it was and called it the coolest night of her life. Becky Lynch was really impressive in this match and played the heel role well.

* Solomon Crowe defeated Kalisto by submission with a Stretch Muffler. They did a lot of back and forth wrestling and a lot of mat wrestling but it was done well. They eventually made their way to the ropes and the floor. Crowe blocked a splash and put Kalisto into the Muffler for the win. Crowe also got a good reaction.

* Baron Corbin defeated Rhyno with End of Days. Rhyno got a huge pop when he came out and ECW chants. They brawled like two big men should after Corbin got warmed up. Rhyno finally went for the Gore but Corbin countered and hit End of Days. Corbin turned around after the match to a Gore from Rhyno to another big pop. The crowd really loved Rhyno as he was not advertised before.

* Intermission

* Corey Graves comes out and introduces Triple H, who gets a massive reaction and "thank you" chants. Triple H is clearly having fun. Triple H called NXT the hottest thing in town and said everyone from Vince McMahon to Shawn Michaels to Sean Waltman, Stephanie McMahon and others are backstage watching. He also pointed out Jim Ross in the front row and JR's name got a massive pop, way bigger than Vince and the others. He praised NXT as the future and got another big NXT chant going.

* WWE NXT Tag Team Champions defeated Enzo Amore & Big Cass and The Vaudevillians in an Elimination Match. Carmella, Enzo and Cass got a reaction that rivaled that of Rhyno and Itami, their schtick is over like crazy. All three teams worked well and played their roles with the crowd really well. That's one of the best parts about NXT is just about everyone seems to connect in some way. Big Cass pinned one of The Vaudevillians and they were eliminated first. Carmella then tried to get involved but it backfired and Cass got hit with a cheap shot while he checked on her.

* WWE NXT Women's Champion Sasha Banks defeated Charlotte by submission with the Bank Statement. The crowd has stayed hot all night but cranked it up a notch for these Divas. They chanted "this is wrestling" and "this is awesome" more than once. Lots of back and forth action several times but Charlotte's babyface comebacks were really cool. Sasha broke a pair of Figure Fours and they traded several pin attempts before Sasha dropped Charlotte into the Bank Statement and made her tap out. This was an amazing match, like Natalya vs. Charlotte. It's hard to do justice with words but hopefully this becomes available somewhere in the near future. Charlotte got a "thank you Charlotte" chant after the match.

* Sami Zayn came out to a big pop and a chant. He admitted he ha some health issues that aren't too serious but he's not cleared to compete. He talks about the NXT revolution until NXT Champion Kevin Owens interrupts on the stage. Owens cuts a promo on Sami and then the fans after they give him the "what?" treatment. Owens brags about taking Sami's title and they had more words. Sami took credit for Owens even being in NXT. They teased a fight but Owens backed off and mentioned his own recent surgery. Sami promised to get the NXT Title back once Owens is cleared. With both of them injured, they made the best of things and pulled off a really good promo segment.

* Finn Balor came out in full body paint for the main event against Adrian Neville and got a "holy s--t" chant from the crowd, who was still hot. There was a better than WrestleMania chant at one point and many other chants as they tore the house down. Balor ended up moving out of the way of Red Arrow and hitting the big stomp for the win.

KISS' Gene Simmons, WWE team up to make horror movies

With his KISS makeup on, frontman Gene Simmons always looked a little scary. So maybe this new venture makes sense.

The rocker and reality-show star is teaming with WWE Studios to launch Erebus Pictures, a label that will finance and produce horror movies. The joint venture kicks off with a three-picture deal starting with "Temple," expected to begin shooting this summer.

"The horror genre continues to fascinate me as it proves to be endlessly thrilling and engaging for audiences," said Simmons, who with KISS has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.

Erebus Pictures is named after the Greek mythological deity that personifies darkness. It has a logical marketing platform in the WWE Network, a subscription-based streaming service known for pro-wrestling shows such as "Monday Night Raw" and "SmackDown" that appeal to primarily young male fans, arguably the core of the horror-movie audience.

WWE says "Temple" is about a team of highly trained operatives who find themselves trapped inside an isolated military compound after its artificial intelligence is suddenly shut down. While investigating the source of the malfunction, the crew begins to experience strange and horrific phenomena as they try to uncover who or what killed the team previously stationed at the compound.

The studio says a director for "Temple" will be announced shortly. Erebus Pictures' second feature will go into production later this year.

WWE Studios' most lucrative film has been "The Call," a 2013 thriller starring Halle Berry, which earned $68 million worldwide.

source: cnn.com

WWE Tops ESPN and Turner Sports Winning Two CableFAX Awards

WWE has been named the winner of two 2015 CableFAX Digital Awards – Social Media Dream Team honoring WWE’s social media department and Best Smartphone App for the WWE App.

WWE received the top honor of the night, winning the award for Social Media Dream Team beating Turner Sports, Discovery and OWN. WWE’s social media team manages 11 major platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and Pinterest, where WWE has a passionate fan base of more than 460 million worldwide.

The WWE App, which has been downloaded more than 17 million times in 220 countries, was named Best Smartphone App, beating ESPN, Turner Sports, Crackle, Food Network and MSG.

In addition, for the second straight year, Jayar Donlan, WWE Vice President, Social Media, was named to CableFax’s Digital Hot List, which recognizes top industry executives.

The 2015 CableFAX Digital Awards honors the outstanding websites, digital initiatives and people in the Digital and Technology industry that are driving the digital media revolution.

Video: Ultimate Warrior statue revealed at WrestleMania Axxess

Rumor Mill - Rey Mysterio Considering Retirement Following the Death of Perro Aguayo Jr.

According to CMLL star Rey Bucanero, Rey Mysterio is considering retiring from professional wrestling following the tragic death of Perro Aguayo, Jr.

Mysterio was one of the wrestlers in the ring with Aguayo, and was reportedly devastated over the loss of a friend and colleague, not to mention the added burden of being the subject of numerous accusations from upset fans and members of the media. Rey will be making his first appearance since the tragedy tonight in Santa Clara, and again in San Jose for Wrestlecon this weekend.

Wrestlers Called To Testify Concerning The Passing Of Perro Aguyo Jr.

Televisa, which is one of the two major broadcast groups in Mexico, is reporting that the Attorney General of Baja California have called for Rey Mysterio, Manik and Extreme Tiger to provide their testimony in the death of Aguayo. It was noted that the wrestlers aren't being investigated for wrongdoing, but that the subpoena is to follow up on the case.

ABG and WWE Launch Tapout Joint Venture

WWE (NYSE: WWE) and Authentic Brands Group, LLC (ABG) today announced a joint venture for Tapout™, a newly repositioned fitness lifestyle brand. Tapout™ is now the official fitness and training partner of WWE, and will be integrated across WWE’s global platforms including TV programming, WWE Network, pay-per-view broadcasts, live events, digital, and social media.

“Tapout was ABG’s first acquisition and it continues to be a global brand with strong sales and blue chip partners all over the world. We have a very strong commitment to the brand’s ongoing success,” said Jamie Salter, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ABG. “WWE is a media and entertainment force and we are excited to partner with them on Tapout’s future growth.”

“WWE is always looking for new opportunities to partner with best-in-class organizations, develop new products for our fans and drive shareholder value,” said WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon. “This joint venture aligns with our strategic approach, and we look forward to building the Tapout brand.”

As part of this strategic partnership, WWE will create new content featuring its Superstars and Divas in Tapout™ apparel and market the brand across all platforms. Tapout™ branding will also be featured at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, and all performers, trainers, and staff will be outfitted in Tapout™ workout apparel.

“WWE’s expansive reach provides a global platform to broaden Tapout’s presence and consumer base,” said Nick Woodhouse, President and Chief Marketing Officer of ABG. “This is a powerhouse pairing given the synergy between Tapout’s brand promise to be the premiere hard-body fitness brand, and WWE’s commitment to training and fitness.”

“Combining ABG’s strengths in retail brand development, licensing and distribution with WWE’s marketing expertise, global reach and passionate fan base, makes for a powerful partnership,” said Michelle D. Wilson, WWE Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer. “The Tapout brand will enable us to expand into new product categories and further grow our current $1 billion consumer product retail business.”

The next generation of Tapout™ preserves the original brand essence and drives a hard-body, fitness-centric message positioned around motivation, discipline and determination. An all new line of men’s and women’s performance apparel and accessories will launch at retail in Spring 2016. New Tapout™ branding and packaging will roll out in key categories throughout 2015 starting with beverages, supplements and fitness centers.

Triple H on How He Balances Both Jobs on WrestleMania Night, Ring Rust, Getting Back In the Ring

Triple H recently spoke with USA Today's For The Win blog to promote his match with Sting at WWE's WrestleMania 31. The full interview is available at this link. Below are highlights:

FTW: How hard is it to wrestle a match after such a long layoff, especially considering your WrestleMania matches are typically half an hour long. What do you do to shake off the ring rust?

Triple H: I got in the ring for the first time the other day and fell down for the first time and it felt like my body exploded when I landed. It takes a little bit. You can train, but its one of those things where ‘experts’ of our business that have never done it will say ‘oh if they gave guys time off it would be better for them’ or whatever, but it’s honestly, having done this for 20 plus years — time off is your worst enemy. It really is, it makes it so much harder to do this.

When you’re doing it all the time it’s like a callus, you’re doing it and it doesn’t bother you. You’re functioning and you can do it every night. when you haven’t done it, getting in there and doing the simplest thing, you’re like ‘oh my God, why am I doing this again?’ You’ve got to get yourself back in the process of getting back in the ring, and the hardest [part] of doing that is… it’s easy to go through that stuff when you’ve got 80,000 people screaming at you, it’s not so easy when you’re in a warehouse with a ring set up all by yourself. It hurts a whole lot more.

FTW: When did you start training for your match with Sting?

Triple H: Well I train all year round. One of the things I found, five years ago or so, I needed to make my training more functional. So I train with Joe DeFranco, Joe’s known as kind of the combine killer for guys in the NFL. I train with Joe and he keeps me in pretty good shape. I’m a gym rat anyway so I like doing that, but once WrestleMania comes around, whether I know I’m going to be working or not working — which every year I have been, but I never really know until it comes closer. I usually start around 16 weeks out, so somewhere around the holidays or right before the holidays I start really tightening up my diet and gearing myself up towards getting back in the ring.

FTW: On the night of WrestleMania, how do you balance preparing and performing in your own match with all the other work you do behind the scenes as an executive?

Triple H: That is the hardest part. WrestleMania week for me, logistically, from an executive to a talent standpoint is crazy I did a DVD a couple of years ago called Thy Kingdom Come and they documented a little bit of it. It’s literally like one minute I’m speaking at a business partner summit, where I’m speaking to our business partners from all over the globe as an executive talking about all the things that we’re doing, and literally coming off stage, changing my clothes as fast I can to jeans and a leather jacket because I have to go do an autograph signing.

They drive me over there with a police escort, I’m eating on the way, I’m signing autographs for two hours and meeting the fans and having to be on as a performer, finishing that and running backstage, changing in the car while I’m on my way to go have a meeting with a bunch of international clients. And that’s all while my department itself, talent relations, completely controls everything WrestleMania from a talent standpoint. Which, we just did the numbers this year today and I think we’re at like 850 appearances and we’re still almost five weeks out. Logistically, trying to get talent to 850 appearances, probably close to 1,000 by Mania over the course of that week. Usually if we do our jobs well nobody’s late, nobody misses an appearance. But it’s just… insanity. That’s the best way to describe that week for me.

Interview with Michael Cole

Sports Illustrated recently interviewed WWE announcer Michael Cole to promote WrestleMania 31. The full interview is available at this link, and below are some interview highlights:

How privy he will be to what’s going down at WrestleMania:

If I wanted to know, I could know everything. But I don’t want to know and especially at WrestleMania. A perfect example was last year with the Undertaker and Brock Lesnar. When Undertaker’s streak was ended by Brock, oh, my God, I was as shocked as the people sitting at the stadium that night inside the [New Orleans] Superdome. I had know no idea in a million years that was going to happen, and that was the reaction you got out of our call hopefully. I was expecting The Undertaker to kick out and I did one of my normal “One, two…” and I was expecting to say kick out and all of a sudden it was three. I looked at John and he looked at me and I mouthed to him off-air, “Is it over?” His eyes were big and wide and I said to myself: “Okay, the streak is over.” I want those moments to happen.

One of my favorite WrestleMania matches to call was the first time Rock and John Cenamet in Miami [at Wrestlemania XXVIII]. I didn’t know what would happen and it was such a great year-long build. It makes that moment so much better. At the end of the day, just like anyone else who calls any sport, we are fans of the product and we want to be as intrigued as everybody else.

Who is in his ear during RAW:

So this is the fun part of my job. People think I sit down in a chair and I look at the ring and say, “Okay there are two guys fighting and this is what they are doing” and call the match. That is, and I swear to God, so far from the truth. I sit down and in my headset when I am calling Monday Night Raw for three hours, I have my executive producer, I hear my audio technician, I hear whoever is producing us backstage whether it is [WWE Chairman and CEO] Mr. [Vince] McMahon or Triple H or whoever it may be at the time. I also have two guys I have to listen to that I am working with so we can have a conversation on the air. So at any given time I have my voice, the two guys at ring side, audio, the executive producer and whoever is producing that night. So I sometimes have six voices in my head at once while we are on the air on live television. While that is going on, someone might say that the number one trend in the world on Twitter is this and we have to hit on it. Meanwhile, don’t forget to tell people why Paige is doing this to Nikki Bella. Then John may be telling me a joke and Booker T might be laughing and I have to keep all this going and keep the train on the tracks. I am a traffic cop.

How hard it is to do three hours of RAW:

When 11:15 p.m. ET rolls around, people have said to all of us, “You guys look like zombies. And it’s true. It is mentally exhausting. And it is physically exhausting, too. I sweat through my suit sometimes. When I am done, I get in my car to drive to the next town and I completely zone out for two or three hours. But it is also rewarding every week. I love it.

E:60 Pictures Presents – WWE: Behind the Curtain (Trailer)

Above is a preview for ESPN's one-hour "E:60 Pictures presents WWE: Behind The Curtain" documentary that premieres on May 5th.

Footage for the TV special was recorded quite some time ago, so it focuses on stars like Xavier Woods and Corey Graves, as well as NXT stand-out Tyler Breeze.

WWE And NBCUniversal Launch New Multi-Platform Brand Campaign; Includes Details on Triple H’s WrestleMania 31 Entrance

Variety has a new article up on WWE and NBCUniversal’s “For The Hero In All of Us” brand campaign that was announced this morning. Below is the spot for the new campaign:

http://youtu.be/STb9Jq1FDaw

It was noted that Triple H’s “grand entrance” at WrestleMania 31 will feature imagery from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s “Terminator: Genisys” movie that comes out in July.

Viacom’s Paramount has partnered with WWE and NBCU under the new campaign to promote Terminator. WWE will continue to promote the movie until the release in July.

Kevin Nash Confirmed As Last WWE Hall of Fame Inductee, Nash Comments on Induction, Which Name Will He Use?

WWE and Rolling Stone have officially announced Kevin Nash will be the final WWE Hall of Fame inductee announced on Raw tonight.

Although WWE initially wanted to induct Nash as Diesel, Nash noted in the Rolling Stone article that he would prefer to be inducted under his real name. A WWE spokesperson then confirmed Nash will indeed be inducted under his real name, Kevin Nash.

Nash had the following to say about the induction:

“I’ve been called just about everything, but this is the first time I’ll be called a Hall of Famer. It’s nice. It’s been a long 25 years, but this business has been great to me. Without wrestling, there’s no way I’d be where I am today. I’d probably own a strip club someplace. I’m normally not a guy who lets the past define him, but it’s kind of mind-blowing to look back on it; all the people that have helped me along the way, friends and mentors – of course Shawn and Hunter and all of those guys, but also Rick Rude, Mike Rotunda, ‘Taker. It’s really special, and like Frank Sinatra, I did it my way. Not to let the cat out of the bag, but I’m thinking of singing a few bars of that song at my induction. I think that would be sort of perfect.”

AAA Wrestler Dies After In-Ring Spot With Rey Mysterio

Pro Wrestling Torch reports that AAA wrestler El Hijo del Perro Aguayo died early this morning after a mishap during the 619 spot with Rey Mysterio at a show in Tijuana, Mexico. News reports indicate that El Hijo took the initial move in the trachea and experienced whiplash. He was later transported to a nearby hospital. Newspaper El-mexicano.com reported El Hijo died around 1:00 AM local time. Mexican promotion CMLL tweeted their own condolences for El Hijo in a show of support for AAA.

NXT Tournament To Be Held At Axxess To Decide Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal Entrant

WWE has officially announced a tournament to take place next Thursday at WrestleMania Axxess in Santa Clara, featuring NXT Superstars Hideo Itami, Finn Balor, Tyler Breeze and former NXT Champion Adrian Neville. The winner of the tournament will earn a spot in the second annual Andre the Giant memorial battle royal at WrestleMania 31, on March 29.

This will mark the first time in history an active member of the NXT roster participates in a match at WWE’s biggest annual pay-per-view.

The company did something similar in 2013, however, when Bo Dallas won a tournament at a WWE Fan Axxess event to earn a spot in that year’s Royal Rumble match.

Video: The Authority Abandons Seth Rollins

WWE On E:60 Air Date

As we noted last year, ESPN was at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando and the NXT TV tapings at Full Sail University early last year filming for a feature on their E:60 program. Jim Ross stated last year on ESPN's Front Row that the producers of the show were "allowed crazy access," and that he expects a masterpiece. The show will air on ESPN2, May 5th.

Tatsumi Fujinami To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame

WWE announced at this week’s SmackDown taping in Kansas City, MO that Tatsumi Fujinami will be inducted into their Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2015.

Fujinami is known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling and is a former 6-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He actually worked Ric Flair at SuperBrawl 1991.

WWE Doctor’s Controversial Concussion Statement

WWE Medical Director Dr. Joseph Maroon, who is also a NFL medical consultant and neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers, appeared on the NFL Network this week to discuss concussions after the retirement of San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland, who is just 24 and is retiring out of concern for his longterm health.

Maroon, who has operated on several WWE talents and says the NFL has never been safer, is receiving heat in the media for some of his comments. Maroon said his message to parents that are concerned about their youth football players would be that he believes "the problem of CTE, although real, is it's being overexaggerated and being extrapolated to youth football and to high school football" and that "it's much more dangerous riding a bike or a skateboard than playing youth football."

WWE Issues Statement On Piracy Arrest

The UK's Police International Property Crime Unit has raided the home of a 55 year old UK man and arrested him for illegally uploading WWE and UFC content. TorrentFreak.com described the man as "one of the world's most prolific uploaders of both UFC and WWE content." It's believed the man went by the name "Sir Paul" on torrent sites. The man is accused of uploading 3.2 terabytes of copyrighted content, or around 3,000 videos, which have been downloaded more than two million times and cost WWE and UFC lost revenue.

WWE Senior Vice President of General Counsel James Langham issued a statement to The Daily Mail:

"WWE provides many options for our fans to watch our content lawfully - on television, pay-per-view, and digitally via YouTube and the WWE Network. We will continue to protect our intellectual property aggressively and combat piracy in any form."

WWE Lawyer Talks About the Wrongful Death Lawsuit from Nelson Frazier's Widow

The Boston Herald has an article about Cassandra Frazier, widow of former WWE Superstar Nelson Frazier Jr. (Big Daddy V, Viscera), filing a wrongful death lawsuit against WWE over her husband's death.

The lawsuit is being brought by Konstantine Kyros, an attorney who filed a class-action lawsuit against WWE on behalf of Vito LoGrasso and others for failing to protect talents against brain injuries earlier this year.

WWE's attorney Jerry McDevitt was interviewed for the article and it was noted that WWE will likely "seek sanctions" against Kyros for bringing frivolous lawsuits against them. They feel Kyros is just looking for a payday. McDevitt pointed out how WWE provides health and wellness services for all performers, even when they retire. He said:

“They just ignore these things and allege whatever they feel like alleging. You can’t do that as a lawyer. You have to be basing your allegations on a reasonable investigation of the facts. It’s not some creative writing exercise to see if you can get media attention.”

McDevitt said Frazier’s case is “tragic” but the nearly 500-pound performer’s death had nothing to do with his career as a pro wrestler:

“It’s an embarrassment to be a lawyer sometimes. It’s ridiculous that someone can ... try to blame someone because a gentleman with a weight problem died of a heart attack in the shower eight years after he last preformed. It's ridiculous to try and blame someone for that."

Screenwriter Max Landis Releases “Wrestling Isn’t Wrestling” Parodying WWE And Triple H’s Career Feat. Dozens of Cameos

American screenwriter Max Landis (Chronicle) has released a new “educational parody” called Wrestling Isn’t Wrestling. The 24-minute film, which is available in its entirety below, covers the entire career of 13-time world champion Triple H and brilliantly discusses professional wrestling as a storytelling medium.

Wrestling Isn’t Wrestling features dozens of special appearances, including cameos from wrestlers Joey Ryan, John Hennigan (Morrison), Christopher Daniels, Kazarian, Chris Hero, Becky Bayless, former WWE announcer Justin Roberts, Colt Cabana, JTG and Shad Gaspard, Ryan Nemeth and many others, as well as Seth Green, David Arquette and more.

WWE NXT WrestleMania Show Sells Out In Under Two Hours

In a very limited sample, Triple H's plan to take NXT on the road looks like a success.

Tickets for the just announced last week WrestleMania weekend show in Northern California went on sale today at noon Eastern time. And they were sold out of the approximately 4100 seats before 2PM.

So while several thousand lucky bastiches get ready to rock the San Jose University Events Center on March 27th, the rest of us will be looking to see where the Developmental brand heads next after a couple of successful dates in Ohio and what promises to be a great follow-up in Northern California.

WWE has a hold on dates in Philadelphia, but has reportedly not come to a final decision on whether or not to run NXT shows there on the May weekend that would lead into the main roster's pay-per-view (PPV) down I-95 in Maryland, where Payback will be held in Baltimore on May 17th.

The promotion has shown the ability to sell out small-to-midsize venues, first in Florida and now in other markets. Depending on what the costs of putting on a NXT road show are, these sellouts could make a compelling case to travel more with names like Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at the top of the bill.

What will that mean for the show's original mission statement of preparing acts for Raw and Smackdown? Would touring revenue lead to more signings? Would those be veterans like Rhyno, or indy stars like Jay Briscoe?

It's an exciting time to be a fan of NXT...even if you didn't land tickets to the San Jose show.

Rumor Mill - ROH Attempting to “Lock-Up” Talent to Prevent WWE from Raiding its Roster, Big News on the Future of The Young Bucks

According to PWInsider.com, ROH is attempting to lock-up some of its top talent, namely The Young Bucks. The company wants to sign certain top talents to exclusive, longterm deals, as a way of preventing WWE from “raiding” its roster.

We have noted in the past that WWE has its eye on many top tier indy talents, so ROH hopes they can sign certain names to longterm deals to thwart any attempts WWE might make to lure talents away.

If ROH does successfully sign The Young Bucks to an exclusive deal, it could have a ripple effect on the independent scene as a number of companies depend on the Bucks as headliners. The deal ROH is looking to make with The Bucks would see them receive a salary, and ROH would have the right to approve or deny any indy dates the Bucks choose to work. ROH would likely allow The Bucks to continue working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, as they are huge stars in Japan with the Bullet Club.

Following last week’s FWE iPPV event in Brooklyn, NY, Reddit user MetsFan4Ever reported The Young Bucks were close to signing a very lucrative, exclusive deal with ROH, but the hold up had to do with merchandising, and ROH allowing The Bucks to work for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla in California. PWG is a promotion The Bucks feel gave them a shot when no one else would, so they want to continue working there.

With regards to WWE, The Young Bucks have turned them down in the past, but they might want to keep their options open in case a secure WWE contract would be worth giving up the big New Japan Pro Wrestling money that they make. This could be another reason why the team is trepidatious about signing an exclusive, longterm deal with ROH.

WWE Superstar Out of Action with Shoulder Injury

Jey Uso missed this weekend’s WWE live events, and WWE.com has posted a report noting Uso is out of action following a shoulder injury suffered at last week’s Smackdown tapings:

“Following Thursday night’s SmackDown, it was revealed that Jey Uso suffered a shoulder injury during an Eight-Man Tag Team Match. The former WWE Tag Team Champion will be evaluated again this week.”

WWE Shop Express

WWE is now offering a service in which fans can pre-order live event merchandise online and it will be waiting for them at the venue when they get to the show. The advantage is customers won’t have to wait in long lines for merchandise when they get to the arena.

WWE Officially Confirms Tonight’s Hall of Fame Inductee

WWE.com has announced “The Living Legend” Larry Zbyszko will be the next Hall of Fame inductee announced tonight on Raw. The following is an excerpt from the WWE.com article:

A true Living Legend in the sports-entertainment industry, Larry Zbyszko is the latest inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2015. He will be inducted by his former mentor and rival, WWE Hall of Famer Bruno Sammartino.

Zbyszko got his break in the ring game in 1973, studying under Sammartino, a fellow Pittsburgh native. He broke into WWE in the mid-1970s, making a name for himself as part of a tag team with Tony Garea and capturing the World Tag Team Titles from the Yukon Lumberjacks.

WWE NXT Champion Undergoes Knee Surgery

WWE.com is reporting NXT Champion Kevin Owens underwent a partial meniscectomy for a knee injury he sustained late last week. Owens issued the following comment in the report:

“I’m not the kind of person that lets things like this get in my way. I’m already walking around without crutches and doing physical therapy at the WWE Performance Center.”

“Now that I’m at the level I am now, and with as much at stake as there is, I don’t think it’s going to slow me down. I’m on the way back.”

WWE Announces Snoop Dogg Will Return to Guest Host Raw Next Week

Entertainment icon Snoop Dogg will join WWE’s Monday Night Raw when he guest stars on Monday, March 23 at 8/7C on the USA Network.

Snoop Dogg has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide, reigning for more than two decades as one of the most recognizable giants in music. Snoop Dogg’s new album, BUSH, produced entirely by Pharrell Williams on Columbia Records is out on May 12th. The first single off BUSH, “Peaches N Cream” featuring Charlie Wilson, is available now with the entire album available for pre-sale. Snoop Dogg will also be the Keynote speaker at the 2015 SXSW Music on March 20th.

Monday night’s show will mark Snoop’s return to WWE after guest hosting Monday Night Raw in 2009 and appearing on WrestleMania XXIV.

Former Ring of Honor Champion to Join the WWE Creative Team

PWInsider.com is reporting former Ring of Honor Tag Team Champion Jimmy Jacobs has signed a deal to join the WWE creative team, and he will begin with the company in April after WrestleMania.

Jacobs’ WWE signing has reportedly been in the works for some time now, and his last appearance for ROH could be the March 27th Supercard of Honor event in California.

Linda McMahon To Host NBC Exec Bonnie Hammer

Linda McMahon will host Bonnie Hammer, Chairman of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Group, to the Sacred Heart University series on "Women Can Have It All" on March 25th at 2pm in the Schine Auditorium at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT. Hammer has a long relationship with WWE, and she was instrumental in bringing WWF programming to the USA Network in the 80s.

"She just came in and rolled up her sleeves," Vince McMahon said of Hammer to The New York Times in 2011. "She taught us a lot about network quality writing, story arcs, character development. She really helped the overall brand."

Rhyno Talks How WWE NXT Deal Happened, Why He Was Released By WWE, More

Journey Of A Frontman recently interviewed Tommy Dreamer at House of Hardcore 8 last weekend. Below are some highlights:

His first NXT appearance coming out of nowhere:

"Yeah, it really came out of nowhere. I was just finishing up a loop one day and they're like, 'Hey, you wanna come down to NXT?' I'm like, 'Yeah.' That's all I've heard about, NXT this and NXT that from the fans. Really, if you're gonna make a splash, you want to do it where everybody's talking about."

His WWE release in 2005:

"Well I was released from WWE for a little incident, but it's not a secret. It involved alcohol and I was going through a difficult time in my life. Alcohol wasn't an issue, I just happened to be drinking. And I was very irresponsible. As a man, you have to take responsibility for your actions. Every action. There was no physicality, I just threw a flower pot. I laugh at it now and my ex-wife laughs at it now. But like I said, you have to be a man and stand up. No matter what was said or done, there is no excuse for the behavior. And when you behave, you have to be responsible. I understand what I had to do, I had to work hard and work towards the indies. We already had the One Night Stand booked and I fulfilled my commitment with that. They wanted me to honor that commitment and we did good business.

"We professionally parted ways. They were good on their part and did everything as far as they were contractually obligated to, they did not try to mess around or anything. It was just one of those things where it was a very good learning experience. But it was a good situation for me. I made it a good situation by learning from the mistake and that mistake becomes an error, then I move forward in my career. I put my nose to the grindstone and worked to keep my career going. I moved forward, there's no dispute about it. I began to create some good memories like working with 'The Monster' Abyss, he's a great talent. I worked on the independents and developed a great relationship with the fans. I met and interacted with them, one on one, on a smaller intimate level. You have that time and you have that ability. When you're doing the bigger venues, it's harder because there's so many more fans and it can get chaotic."

Rhyno talked more about NXT, what it means to him, Brian Kendrick making his NXT debut, working his first match in NXT and more. You can check out the full interview by clicking here.