Mainstream sports media outlets are starting to pick up on the story of TNA being behind in pay to their wrestlers and office employees.

An article published today by Brian Fritz of SportingNews.com reiterates the fact that production workers within TNA are still owed money dating back to the “One Night Only” pay-per-view tapings from February 13th through February 16th.

While not included in the story, although obvious, the same workers had yet to be paid for the most recent set of TNA television tapings as well.

One production team member within TNA was told by the company that the checks were cut on April 3rd, but two weeks later, no one had received the checks that they were promised.

Additionally, production workers were not compensated for the TNA U.K. tour in January until early April, and claimed that, on average, the workers were shorted an average of $1,000 on pay for that tour.

A similar situation regarding late pay issues to the production crew surfaced last year, but ultimately came to a head at a TNA television taping when things were finally settled.

We should have more information on this story as additional details surface.

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

Former WWE and WCW Superstar Bill Goldberg will be delivering the driver instructions at the Ford City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Goldberg recalled that it was a WCW appearance at the same speedway years ago that ignited his passion for motor sports.

“I was standing in the pits wearing an ugly purple WCW shirt,” Goldberg told the Johnson City Press.

“Grissom was driving that ugly (No. 29) car around the track, but it gave us an opportunity to get out there. It started a passion for me that hasn’t died down yet.”

“I’m very lucky,” he continued. “I try to look at it like what I’ve done in the past is in the past. I try to do something new every day.”

Check out the complete article at JohnsonCityPress.com.

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

Tonight’s Impact Wrestling will feature 8 tag teams competing in “Tag Team Gold” to determine who advances to an Ultimate X match for the vacant TNA tag team titles.

The matches scheduled to air tonight on Destination America include:

– Matt & Jeff Hardy vs The Revolution (James Storm & Koya)

– Dirty Heels (Aries & Roode) vs. The Bro-Mans

– Mr. Anderson & Rockstar Spud vs. The BDC (Low Ki & Kenny King)

– EC III & Bram vs. Tigre Uno & Jay Rios

Plus, TNA is also advertising a major announcement regarding the Knockouts Division.

One of the new members of the new NXT rookie class, independent wrestling sensation Uhaa Nation, recently spoke with the official WWE website about signing with the company. Below are some highlights from the interview.

On what aspects of his game he needs to work on: “Definitely working on my mic work, talking. I’m not the best. I didn’t get to do a lot of it on the indies. But as far as learning, I’m game for anything, and I’m just going to soak up any amount of knowledge I can get. You can never learn too much, no matter how far you get. The fact we get an opportunity to be here with guys who have been around the world and just have that wealth of knowledge, those guys who have been to the stage that we’re trying to get to, the fact they take the time out to teach us and help us is amazing. I’m definitely going to take advantage of it. I’m going to soak everything up that they tell me, like a sponge, incorporate it into my style and try to find that happy medium, where it’s some of the stuff I do, along with what they show me. From there, hopefully everything takes off and goes smoothly.”

On some matches and wrestlers he’d like to work with in the company: “Oh, there are so many. You’ve got Neville, Finn Bálor, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens. Luke Harper, we had a lot of fun in DGUSA. Dolph Ziggler. The list is endless. Kalisto… There are just so many talented guys here. You’ve got Hideo Itami. There’s so many that it almost seems like there’s not enough time. You want to go out there and wrestle them all at one time. Another one is Solomon Crowe. I got to wrestle him before during WrestleMania Week in New Jersey for EVOLVE, and he’s just a guy I want to learn so much from. The list is endless.”

Check out the complete interview at WWE.com.

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

WWE is working on a new DVD and Blu-ray set for July called, “The Kliq Rules.” The “reunion” special has been in the works for months now, and a condensed version is set to air as part of a WWE Network special in the near future.

The project is expected to include a reunion show, a new documentary and some of the most famous matches involving Kliq members. The reunion was originally planned for September but for whatever reason it has been bumped up to July.

The DVD and Blu-ray set is scheduled for a July 28th release, while there is no definitive word yet as to when the condensed version will air as part of a WWE Network special.

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

NXT continues to expand from a Florida-based developmental territory to a full-blown touring brand. NXT has already made huge strides this year, holding live events outside of Florida and drawing a hugely impressive crowd in northern California during WrestleMania 31 weekend.

Now, we’ve learned that there are some preliminary talks about NXT holding shows overseas some time next year.

During one of his one-man shows in the UK this week, NXT General Manager William Regal told fans that WWE is planning to hold NXT live events in the UK some time next year. The live shows would likely coincide with a WWE European tour.

A correspondent who was at the show said Regal went as far as to say that a business plan has been ironed out for the International NXT live show.

– William Regal is the guest on the latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast. You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

– On this week’s edition of SmackDown Fallout, which you can watch below, Fandango tells Renee Young that he has returned and has “got stuff to do.”

– WWE Hall OF Famer Jim Ross reunited with Edge and his fiancee’ Beth Phoenix at this year’s Cauliflower Alley Club reunion this past weekend. Phoenix was there to accept the 2015 CAC Women’s Wrestling Award. Below is a photo of the three together at the ceremony.

Love this young man like the son I never had. @CACReunion @EdgeRatedR #cac2015 pic.twitter.com/iGqdAJgLqM

— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) April 16, 2015

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31?!

Planning for WrestleMania 32 is well underway, with WWE working on ways to ensure WrestleMania 32 is the biggest ‘Sports Entertainment’ event of all time and draw over 100,000 fans to the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Just days after WrestleMania 31, WWE officials visited AT&T stadium to begin planning out the arena configuration for next year’s mega show. Now, it’s been revealed that WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels was contacted about coming out of retirement for a final match in his home state.

During this week’s episode of The Ross Report at PodcastOne.com, HBK told Jim Ross that WWE pitched the idea of him tuning up the band one more time for a farewell match in front of what could be the company’s largest crowd ever.

While the idea of “one more match” for the WWE Hall of Famer is certainly a worthy special attraction for WM32, Michaels said that he respectfully declined the offer and is happily retired. He made it very clear that he has no plans to wrestle again.

Michaels retired from active competition after losing to The Undertaker at WrestleMania 26 back in 2010.

– WWE has announced The Miz and Damien Sandow will square off on Monday’s RAW from Albany, New York. The winner of the match gets to keep “the Miz brand.”

– Fandango officially broke up with Rosa Mendes on last night’s SmackDown and defeated Adam Rose.

– Neville’s theme song “Break Orbit” by the band CFO$ is now available on iTunes.

– WWE.com is running a poll asking fans which current champion is representing their title the best. With over 2,000 votes cast, John Cena is in the lead with 54% of the vote. Daniel Bryan is next with 24%, Seth Rollins has 13%, Nikki Bella has 5% and Kidd and Cesaro have 4%.

Tommy Dreamer issued a press release on Thursday to announce a television deal with The Fight Network out of Canada for his House Of Hardcore promotion.

As noted, Dreamer’s HoH promotion will travel north of the border for their first ever Canadian-based events in Toronto on July 18th.

Below is the press release that was sent out today with all of the details:

Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore Coming to Fight Network

Toronto – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, today announced a global programming deal with professional wrestling legend Tommy Dreamer’s promotion House of Hardcore.

Fight Network will televise eight one-hour shows featuring highlights from all the House of Hardcore events to date, beginning on Tuesday, May 12 at 9 p.m. ET. New episodes will premiere on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET for eight consecutive weeks leading up to the debut House of Hardcore live event in Canada on July 18 in Toronto.

House of Hardcore on Fight Network will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Dreamer, who wrestled and worked for every major wrestling organization in North America throughout his 25-year career, describes the television deal as the next step for his company.

“It’s a great day for House of Hardcore,” said Dreamer. “This partnership with Fight Network changes the game for me personally and for this company. I’m thrilled that we’ll bring House of Hardcore to more households, not only in Canada, but across North America and the rest of the world. Fight Network’s global reach continues to grow, as does House of Hardcore, and I think this is a great fit.”

“Tommy Dreamer has a stellar reputation in the professional wrestling business and we’re excited to partner with him to bring his House of Hardcore product to television,” said Ariel Shnerer, Director of Programming at Fight Network. “Dreamer is a consummate professional and his shows constantly feature a who’s who of established stars in the industry, from Tommy himself to Team 3D, Christopher Daniels, Matt Hardy and A.J. Styles. If the buzz surrounding his brand is any indication, we expect House of Hardcore to be a hit with our viewers.”

Dreamer also announced the signing of Stoney Creek, Ont.-based “The Power Factory” as Agency of Record for all business development and strategy related to House of Hardcore.

Dreamer founded House of Hardcore in 2012. Its first show was held at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and subsequent shows have been held in Philadelphia (four times), Valley Center, Calif., and Poughkeepsie (three in total).

Fight Network also owns and operates Live Audio Wrestling, the longest running wrestling radio program in the world. House of Hardcore talent will be regularly featured on the weekly show.

Canadian fans will get their first live taste of House of Hardcore on July 18. Dreamer has a long and storied relationship with Canada and the expansion is a personal milestone for him.

“I held a poll on Twitter, in which I asked fans where they wanted me to hold my next show, and Canada, specifically Toronto, was overwhelmingly No. 1,” said Dreamer. “For me not having television exposure until now, the demand for the product up there is almost surreal to me. And now having Fight Network behind us, I look forward to bringing my perspective of professional wrestling to some of the most rabid, passionate wrestling fans in the world.”

For more information on House of Hardcore, go to www.houseofhardcore.net.

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

WWE issued a press release on Thursday to tout the success they achieved at the recent fourth annual “Cynopsis Sports Media Awards.”

Below is the release WWE issued earlier today with all of the details:

WWE® Wins Awards for WWE Network® and Social Media Excellence

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– WWE has been named the winner of two awards at the fourth annual Cynopsis Sports Media Awards – WWE Network for Over-The-Top Content Service and the top social media award for Overall Social Media Excellence. Boasting some of the hottest properties, campaigns and brands from around the world of sports, the Cynopsis Sports Media Awards took place earlier today at the New York Athletic Club in New York City.

WWE received the award for best Over-The-Top Content Service for WWE Network, beating the NFL, NHL, CBS Sports and PGA. WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 direct-to-consumer network includes all 12 live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and an extensive video-on-demand library, and currently reaches more than 1.3 million subscribers in more than 175 countries.

Additionally, WWE won the award for Overall Social Media Excellence beating Turner Sports, Showtime Sports, Golf Channel, Pac-12 Network and El Rey Network. WWE’s social media team manages 12 major platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and Pinterest, where WWE has a passionate fan base of more than 470 million worldwide.

The Cynopsis Sports Media Awards recognizes the most outstanding work in the sports industry from the past year with categories that span television, digital and marketing.

About WWE

WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE:WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide in 35 languages. WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 over-the-top premium network that includes all 12 live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library, is currently available in more than 175 countries. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Munich and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to https://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to: WWE Network; major distribution agreements; our need to continue to develop creative and entertaining programs and events; a decline in the popularity of our brand of sports entertainment; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent K. McMahon; possible adverse changes in the regulatory atmosphere and related private sector initiatives; the highly competitive, rapidly changing and increasingly fragmented nature of the markets in which we operate and greater financial resources or marketplace presence of many of our competitors; uncertainties associated with international markets; our difficulty or inability to promote and conduct our live events and/or other businesses if we do not comply with applicable regulations; our dependence on our intellectual property rights, our need to protect those rights, and the risks of our infringement of others’ intellectual property rights; the complexity of our rights agreements across distribution mechanisms and geographical areas; potential substantial liability in the event of accidents or injuries occurring during our physically demanding events including, without limitation, claims relating to CTE; large public events as well as travel to and from such events; our feature film business; our expansion into new or complementary businesses and/or strategic investments; our computer systems and online operations; a possible decline in general economic conditions and disruption in financial markets; our accounts receivable; our revolving credit facility; litigation; our potential failure to meet market expectations for our financial performance, which could adversely affect our stock; Vincent K. McMahon exercising control over our affairs, and his interests may conflict with the holders of our Class A common stock; a substantial number of shares which are eligible for sale by the McMahons and the sale, or the perception of possible sales, of those shares could lower our stock price; and the relatively small public “float” of our Class A common stock. In addition, our dividend is dependent on a number of factors, including, among other things, our liquidity and cash flow, strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital), our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends (including under our revolving credit facility), general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant. Forward-looking statements made by the Company speak only as of the date made, are subject to change without any obligation on the part of the Company to update or revise them, and undue reliance should not be placed on these statements.

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

– As noted on Wednesday, longtime TNA color-commentator Taz has officially parted ways with the promotion. On Wednesday evening, shortly after the news became official, TNA President Dixie Carter addressed Taz’s departure from the company. Dixie tweeted the following:

You are such a talent, an amazing family man and a legend inside the ring @OfficialTaz. Wish you all the very best always.

— Dixie Carter (@TNADixie) April 15, 2015

– Speaking of confusion over the status of current TNA talents, TNA performer Havok tweeted the following earlier this week regarding her status with the company.

– In the following video, James Storm discusses “Tag-Team Gold” and opponents for the upcoming edition of TNA Impact Wrestling.

https://youtu.be/rtImfveItA4

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

– On this week’s edition of “The Steve Austin — Unleashed” podcast, which is available right now, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin shares his thoughts on the most effective use of the DDT inside the squared circle, his thoughts on Dolph Ziggler, NXT and Neville, Daniel Bryan’s injury issues and more.

Austin praised Neville’s match against Dolph Ziggler on RAW – but urged both men to sell more. Austin loved the DDT spot where Ziggler planted Neville, but didn’t like that Neville didn’t sell it for the rest of the match.

Regarding Daniel Bryan, Austin said that it might be time for Bryan to adjust his ring style and put more consideration into his longterm health. Austin mentioned that after he was injured by Owen Hart at SummerSlam 97, he transitioned from more of a technical wrestler to a brawler.

You can listen to the latest “Unleashed” episode at PodcastOne.com.

– WWE United States Champion John Cena talks about the WWE crew heading to Germany for the latest stop on the current WWE European tour. Cena tweeted the following:

After a wonderful and unpredictable few days in London. Now it is time for strong coffee and strong beer @WWEUniverse in Germany here we go!

— John Cena (@JohnCena) April 15, 2015

– In the latest edition of the WWE Inbox web-series, WWE Superstars and WWE Divas reveal some of their “hidden talents.” You can check out the video below.

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

– The co-stars of Chris Jericho’s new Comedy Central web-series, “Nothing To Report,” are the guests on the latest edition of Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast. You can download that episode of the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

– As noted on Tuesday, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon delivered a promo as part of an intro to the “sneak peek” special of the new “Ultimate Warrior: Always Believe” documentary that premiered after RAW on the WWE Network. You can watch McMahon’s intro promo video below.

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

On July 8, 2013, The Wyatt Family made their debut on Monday Night Raw. After weeks after perfectly done vignettes, Wyatt and company finally appeared, absolutely destroying Kane in what was easily one of the best main roster debuts in recent memory.

Although fans had seen them in NXT (with Harper & Rowan even winning the NXT Tag Team Championship), there was an air of mystery when it came to the stable. Fans didn’t really know what to expect, Wyatt had a way of captivating audiences, and perhaps more than anything, it was something fresh in a company that was full of stale characters.

Within months, Wyatt was already near the top of the card, entering into a lengthy feud with Daniel Bryan that saw The Wyatt Family establish themselves as undisputed future stars in the the company. Say what you will about the Bryan/Wyatt program (especially regarding Bryan briefly joining Wyatt), but it is hard to deny that he was completely over with the fans, he put on great matches (particularly his match with Bryan at the 2014 Royal Rumble), and he felt important. In short, he was one of the only superstars in the company that fans didn’t want to miss on a weekly basis.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23tVe5PiZq0

Fast-forward a year from Wyatt’s epic match with Bryan at the Royal Rumble. The Wyatt Family had recently disbanded, Wyatt himself had just finished a program with Dean Ambrose that was more about shenanigans and trying to fill a void left by an absent WWE World Heavyweight Champion than building either superstar toward something bigger, and all three members of the Wyatt Family were worse off than they were a year prior.

After a relatively uneventful performance in the 2015 Royal Rumble and sitting out Fastlane, Wyatt had a shot at redemption at on the Grandest Stage of Them All by calling out The Undertaker. Leading up to WrestleMania, fans did not see The Undertaker once. Instead, the burden of getting the match over was placed solely on the shoulders of Wyatt.

He did an admirable job, as most can barely get a program over when they have a willing participant on hand to engage with, let alone coming out on a weekly basis and cutting promos when fans know there is no chance of seeing his opponent before the pay-per-view.

It seemed as if they were setting up a “passing of the torch” type of situation. The Undertaker – the man who had relied upon mind games and the supernatural to intimate his opponents for years – was squaring off against Bray Wyatt – a man who has used similar tactics in the past. Wyatt began referring to himself as the “New Face of Fear” leading up to the event, setting up a perfect situation for Wyatt to destroy the hero of old and establish himself as the next generation’s monster heel.

That of course did not happen, and Wyatt has been basically absent from television since, aside from cutting promos where he has still been referring to himself as the “New Face of Fear,” despite the fact that he lost clean to the old face of fear just a few weeks prior.

This begs the question: Where does Wyatt go from here? His character has not really evolved at all since his debut, he lost his stable mates and is now flying solo, and he hasn’t had anything even vaguely resembling a title shot since debuting on the roster. One could argue that he is the type of character who does not need a title to make an impact, but it could also easily be argued that the aforementioned belief is bogus.

Something needs to be done to legitimize Wyatt, because right now he is completely lost in the shuffle. The company clearly has no idea what to do with him, the one chance they had to put him over as the next big heel in the company was botched to put over a 50-year-old superstar who shows up once a year to collect a paycheck, and he has been cutting essentially the same backstage promo on a weekly for several months. The company has a potential goldmine in the form of Wyatt, but they are simply sitting there with a giant thumb up their you know what while they figure out how to mine it.

How do you feel about Bray Wyatt? What needs to be done to establish him as one of the top stars in the company? Discuss the situation in the comments section.

Ring Of Honor announced on Thursday that The Bullet Club will be taking part in the upcoming “War of the Worlds” and “Global Wars” events in May.

ROH issued the following press release to announce the news:

THE BULLET CLUB ARE COMING TO WOTW & GLOBAL WARS
5/12 & 5/13 in Philadelphia and 5/15 & 5/16 in Toronto

Wrestling fans around the world have been buzzing since the announcement that New Japan Pro Wrestling talent will be appearing on four Ring of Honor shows in May of this year. The first two nights will be “War of The Worlds” and take place Tuesday, May 12 and Wednesday, May 13 at the legendary 2300 Arena deep in the heart of South Philadelphia, PA. The May 13 show is SOLD OUT but there are still tickets available for the May 12th event.

The 3rd and 4th nights will be “Global Wars” on Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16 at the historic Ted Reeve Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Tickets are still available for both nights in Toronto but they are going fast! New Japan Pro Wrestling will be represented by their very finest at these massive events.

The always controversial Bullet Club is returning to Ring of Honor!

You see the t-shirts across the world, you see people with the Two-Sweet hand gesture up and now you get to see the braggadocios band of good brothers live at War of the Worlds and Global Wars!

The leader of the Bullet Club, current IWGP Heavyweight Champion “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles and former ROH World & 2x IWGP Jr Tag Team Champions The Young Bucks will in action at War of The Worlds and Global Wars!

The Young Bucks have ushered in a new era of arrogance and are revolutionizing tag team wrestling. While they may not hold back their opinions and may be in your face, they have backed up every word with their in-ring abilities. The list of opponents looking to shut their mouths is vast. Who will step up and actually close them?

Karl “Machine Gun” Anderson and “The Big LG” Doc Gallows will also represent The Bullet Club at Global Wars, live in Toronto on May 15 and May 16. The devastating duo was last seen in Ring of Honor at War of The Worlds 2014, where defeated the legendary Briscoes. They are coming to Ring of Honor fresh from losing their IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships to The Kingdom’s Matt Taven & Michael Bennett. Could they be preparing to destroy anything that stands between them and regaining the championships? The 2x former IWGP Tag Team Champions will without a doubt bring the Bullet Club brand of destruction at Global Wars and you will want to be there!!!

Previously announced New Japan Pro Wrestling Superstars:
Hiroshi Tanahashi
Kazuchika “Rainmaker” Okada
Jushin “Thunder” Liger
Tetsuya Naito
WATANABE
Kushida
Gedo
“King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura

RING OF HONOR WRESTLING & NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING PRESENTS:
WAR OF THE WORLDS ’15 NIGHT 1
2300 Arena – Philadelphia, PA
Tuesday, May 12th, 2015
7:30pm Bell time

WAR OF THE WORLDS ’15 NIGHT 2
2300 Arena – Philadelphia, PA
Wednesday, May 13th, 2015
7:30pm Bell time

GLOBAL WARS ’15 – Night #1
Ted Reeve Arena – Toronto, Ontario
Friday, May 15th, 2015
7:30pm Bell time

GLOBAL WARS ’15 – Night #2
Ted Reeve Arena – Toronto, Ontario
Saturday, May 16th, 2015
7:30pm Bell time

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

Ring Of Honor wrestler ACH recently praised former NXT head trainer and controversial personality Bill DeMott while talking about his WWE tryout experience during a recent interview on The Two Man Power Trip Of Wrestling podcast. Below are some highlights from the interview.

On attending WWE’s NXT tryout camp in 2014: “Bill DeMott was there and he was not a jackass, he was actually one of the nicest trainers, but really all of them were nice. He was just very nice and it sucks that people came out and he lost his job with these allegations. It was one of the most intense trainings or boot camps I’ve ever been to. It really all comes down to heart, wrestling is based on heart and the mental, they just want to see if they can break you and see if you can hold on, because only the strong survive in this world.”

On feedback he received from the NXT tryout: “They just said to me not right now, which I understand. Look at the guys they’ve got there right now, good things happen to those that wait and it’s truly true. I am a firm believer in when it happens it’s supposed to happen. I can patiently wait and honestly I love the Indies. A lot of guys don’t like the Indies because a lot of guys want to hot shot and go right there because thats the big bucks and where I don’t blame them, I love what I do. I love wrestling and before I go there I want to get all that I can out of Ring of Honor, I want to be the best wrestler for Ring of Honor that I can be. I want to learn all I can right now so that I am ready.”

On facing Samoa Joe in ROH: “There is no way I ever thought I would be in the ring with Joe, so to actually wrestle Joe was such a cool experience. But I had to fight Joe. I watched Joe knock out Kenta, so my mentality going into that match was; I am going to bring it and I know that I brought it.”

On some of his favorite matches to date: My time limit draw with (Jay) Lethal I really enjoyed. My match with Cedric (Alexander) from Mike’s (Bennet) Bachelor Party was one of my favorite matches with Cedric, who I think does not get the props that he deserves and then my match with Jimmy Jacobs. Jimmy was someone I always wanted to wrestle and when I was going through a lot of my early issues in Ring of Honor, Jimmy was always there whispering things in my ear that kept me going. So he has been a really big help to me and I genuinely look up to him, he’s got such a great mind and is a really cool to be in the ring with.”

Check out the complete interview at Podomatic.com.

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

– WWE Hall Of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan underwent surgery this past week that had to do with new equipment that he needed for his jaw. Heenan was said to be doing well after undergoing the operation.

– Rey Mysterio is scheduled to return to work for the CRASH promotion in Mexicali on May 7th and in Ensenada on May 9th. For those unaware, the CRASH promotion is the company Mysterio worked a match for where the tragic accident took place that cost Mexican wrestling Perro Aguayo Jr. his life.

– WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross’ “RINGSIDE: An Evening with Jim Ross” one-man show will be going head-to-head with the Ring Of Honor event on August 22nd in New York City during SummerSlam weekend. Tickets for the show go on sale this Friday at the Gramercy Theatre and on Ticketmaster.

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

– One-half of the former TNA World Tag-Team Champions, Eddie Edwards, got married this past weekend in Texas. Other wrestlers such as Roderick Strong, Matt Tavern, Adam Cole, Davey Richards and his girlfriend Angelina Love were among those in attendance for the ceremony.

– Talents within TNA have been told that they are free to work for other pro wrestling promotions as long as they don’t have television deals, meaning they are able to work for internet pay-per-view shows and other companies without television deals. While the talents in TNA were told they can’t work for Ring Of Honor, as TNA considers them competition, many TNA talents are currently looking to secure bookings with such independent promotions as EVOLVE and Pro Wrestling Guerilla.

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

Former WWE Diva Kaitlyn recently spoke with the official WWE website to promote her new clothing company, talk about her friend AJ Lee retiring from WWE and more. Below ae some highlights from the interview.

On AJ Lee’s WWE retirement: “AJ has this weird ability to accomplish anything that she visualizes. So when she worked her way up to the top, she stayed up there. No one has been like her, and no one will ever be like her. She really just felt like she had given everything that she needed to give to this sport in general, and taught people — especially the Divas — as much as she could. She had four amazing WrestleManias, and she made such an impact that she felt like she could walk away and be content with that. I 100 percent support that. She knew the time was right, and knew that she could walk away. She left big shoes to fill, but she helped everyone around her get better. I’m proud of everything that she did.”

On what the future holds for her: “PJ and I just did a photo shoot for “Iron Man” Magazine, and we’re actually going to be on the cover of the May issue, with a huge spread on the inside about how we’ve gotten to where we are and how everything was built, and also our relationship. It’s awesome, because I’ve been in WWE Magazine, which was a huge honor, but I’ve never been on the cover of anything. And my husband has been in countless fitness magazines, but he’s never been on a cover either. So for us to be on a cover together, about our life, our style and our companies together, I’m so thrilled. For me right now, because Celestial Bodiez is still in its infancy, I’m completely focused on it. I just want to expand as much as possible and have new concepts still based all around the Booty Scrunch, but just to build that brand. I want everyone to know that brand, know the logo and know what Booty Scrunch is; that is my goal.”

Check out the complete interview at WWE.com.

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

Although Steve Austin claimed during a recent podcast that the rumors regarding issues between he and WWE were untrue, PWInsider.com is reporting that there are still ongoing issues between both sides.

After WrestleMania 31 week, WWE had their lawyers send a “cease and desist” letter to ProWrestlingTees.com regarding merchandise they sell for Austin in his official store on their website. It appears as though a lot of the Austin merchandise items have been removed from the website.

On Twitter, a fan asked “Stone Cold” about one of the shirts being unavailable and Austin replied with the following:

@MilyVanilly @ProWrestlingTs They will be back. Stay tuned.

— Steve Austin (@steveaustinBSR) April 14, 2015

• Which WWE Star Convinced UFC To Let Rousey Work WM31? + Rousey/WWE Update!

WWE Divas The Bella Twins are on the cover of the new Muscle & Fitness Hers magazine. They tweeted this photo of the magazine, which is now available on newsstands: (more…)

Next week’s episode of NXT on the WWE Network will feature NXT Champion Kevin Owens vs. Alex Riley and Charlotte vs. Bayley vs. Becky Lynch in a #1 contenders match. Riley posted this video hyping his shot at redemption:

Dana Brooke tweeted the following about her NXT debut, where she defeated Blue Pants:

??? #DanasDebut less than 1hr! Let's trend it & make it EPIC ! I'm so grateful 4 the ??! @WWENXT #WWENXT #danadebuts pic.twitter.com/Gi8VldOIBe

— Ash By Elegance (@Ashamae_Sebera) April 15, 2015

2K Sports has announced the release of WWE 2K for mobile devices, now available on iOS and Android devices. The game is a mobile port of the popular WWE 2K console series and looks pretty damn good for a mobile game.  Here’s the official announcement:

WWE 2K NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD ON MOBILE DEVICES

2K today announced the first simulation-based WWE video game for mobile platforms, WWE® 2K, is available now for download on iOS and Android devices. Available at a price point of $7.99, WWE 2K offers authentic WWE gameplay in a mobile format through inspiration from several popular gameplay elements and modes from the WWE 2K flagship WWE video game franchise available on consoles.

WWE 2K for mobile devices includes a playable roster of WWE Superstars and Legends, including Hulk Hogan®, John Cena®, Sting®, Triple H®, Undertaker®, Daniel Bryan®, Roman Reigns™, Seth Rollins™, Dean Ambrose™ and Bray Wyatt™. Players will experience authentic WWE action, including multiple match types, full WWE Superstar ring entrances and comprehensive move sets. In addition, they will access modes inspired by the flagship WWE 2K franchise on consoles, including Create-a-Superstar and Career Mode, as well as live multiplayer matches and unlockable rewards.

WWE taped this week’s episode of SmackDown on Tuesday night from the O2 Arena in London, England.  (more…)