As we reported this week, RAW superstar CM Punk is said to be unhappy in WWE and is considering leaving the company when his contract expires later this year.
Punk is burned out from five years on the road and is not happy with other stars such as The Miz and Alberto Del Rio getting pushed over him.
WWE wants to keep Punk on the roster and have offered him a new longterm deal, which he’s yet to sign. It’s interesting to note that CM Punk’s real-life girlfriend Beth Phoenix was traded to the RAW brand during Tuesday’s Supplemental Draft – which could be seen as a move to make life better for Punk on the road.
Punk’s possible departure from WWE later this year has been one of the main topics of discussion behind the scenes this week. Punk has been dating Beth Phoenix for the past several months and the two are reportedly a serious couple.
WWE has made roster trades in the past to keep superstar-diva couples together – with the most notable example being Michelle McCool being moved to SmackDown a few years ago so she could travel with her husband, The Undertaker.
THQ has released a series of WWE wallpapers to promote the WWE All Stars Video Game, and the “2 Generations, 1 Ring” concept is in full effect!
The video game company released The Rock vs HHH; Andre The Giant vs The Big Show; Macho Man Randy Savage vs John Cena; and the entire roster for WWE All Stars!
You can check out this great batch of wallpapers by clicking any of the thumbnails:
WWE taped Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown on Tuesday night from the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, North Carolina. Credit to WrestlingNewsworld.com for these results:
* The opening to the show has been modified to include the new ‘drafted’ Superstars.
* Randy Orton comes out and cuts a promo to open the show. Drew McIntyre comes out wearing a Raw shirt and goes for the attack. Randy Orton counters connecting with the RKO. Alex Riley is out but also falls victim to an RKO. Alberto Del Ri and his crew come out like they are going to attack Orton but Christian comes in to make the save!
Teddy Long is out to announce tonight’s main event: Christian & Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio & Brodus
* Kofi Kingston attempts to come out to the ring but is attacked by Sheamus. Sheamus connects with the brogue kick. Sheamus is helped to the back…
* Michael Cole introduces Jack Swagger with a ‘pig call’ (mocking JR).
* Sin Cara b. Jack Swagger
– Cara dominates most of the match. He gets the win via roll-up pinfall. During the match Michael Cole attempted to give Swagger a foreign object.
* Kane & Big Show b. Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel to retain the World Tag Team Championship.
* Rey Mysterio b. Mark Henry
– Rey Mysterio gets the win via disqualification after Cody Rhodes comes out and attacks Rey. Cody Rhodes & Mark Henry double-team Rey Mysterio and then paper bag him.
* Layla El vs. Michelle McCool
– The match only goes for two minutes and ends in a double-count out. Layla El challenges her to a no count out; no disqualification match at Extreme Rules Sunday. McCool accepts and says the loser must leave SmackDown. Layla complies with the stipulation.
* Christian is interviewed backstage by Matt Striker. Christian discusses his title match at Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay per view as well as Edge’s retirement. He said it is his destiny to be called the ‘World Champion.’
* Christian & Randy Orton b. Alberto Del Rio & Brodus Clay
John Cena and his "son" Fred(image from Nickelodeon)
After Tuesday’s WWE Smackdown taping from Greensboro, NC, footage was filmed for John Cena’s next movie, Nickelodeon’s “Fred The Movie 2,” which is scheduled to hit theaters in October.
After the taping concluded, Cena and Fred came out to the ring. Fred had his own Titantron, which included clips from his first feature film. Cena and Fred were interrupted by a bunch of bullies. There were a lot of kids involved in the scene.
After the shooting, Cena grabbed the mic and thanked everybody for sticking with them through a long night, including having to sit through Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus.
Out came Sheamus, who had a quick scuffle with Cena that ended with Cena hitting the Attitude Adjustment on the United States champion to end the show.
Just hours after his elimination on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars, WWE star Chris Jericho appeared on Tuesday night’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel’s late night talk show.
Jericho appears with his DWTS partner Cheryl Burke and talks about how his fellow wrestlers made fun of him at first but wound up being very supportive of his dancing. Check it out:
EVOLVE sent out the following press release on Wednesday:
EVOLVE will return with a new twist on the tournament concept on May 20th at The ACE Arena in Union City, NJ, just minutes from the Lincoln Tunnel. Tickets are now on sale in the www.EVOLVEwrestling.com Shop or by calling 267-519-9744. This card will be broadcast at www.WWNLive.com on live iPPV.
“EVOLVE 8: Style Battle” will see eight wrestlers, each representing a different style, in a one night single elimination tournament. This will be a special event focused on determining the best style of wrestling and will not affect each wrestler’s Record. The only win that matters is the man left standing at the end of the night. He will go down in history as the first Style Battle winner.
Six of the eight participants have been signed. They are:
-AR Fox (High-Flying): This upcomer has really gained a strong following lately. He is a fearless and athletic high-flyer.
-Austin Aries (Hybrid): He is a true veteran who combines flying skills with striking and submission wrestling. His credentials speak for themselves.
-Bobby Fish (Puroresu Jr. Heavyweight): Fish has competed against the best junior heavyweights in Japan. He has perfected the kicking, striking, submission Puroresu style.
-Brodie Lee (Super Heavyweight): Lee towers over his opponents and is an imposing force, but don’t overlook his agility. Lee will return from suspension to try to prove that size does matter.
-Jon Davis (Power): He impressed with a dynamic display of power and strength at EVOLVE 7. Now Davis enters the tournament as the strongest competitor.
-Sami Callihan (Hard-Hitting): He has had a lot of success in tournaments in the past year. Everything Callihan does has force and impact.
There are still two spots remaining in this one night tournament. Stay tuned to EVOLVEwrestling.com for the latest on the first ever Style Battle. Go to www.EVOLVEwrestling.com for the latest news and info.
Jericho and his partner Cheryl Burke scored the lowest score of the remaining contestants on Monday night and were eliminated on Tuesday’s “results” show.
Chris Jericho wrote the following on Twitter:
“Had an amazing time on DWTS! Thx @cherylburke for being a great teacher and friend and Thx to all of u for voting-6 weeks ain’t too shabby!”
His partner Cheryl Burke tweeted:
“I’m so proud of Chris! Thanks to all of u for your unconditional love and support. Love u guys!!!”
Jericho has stated in recent interviews that he will be returning to WWE after he was done with Dancing With The Stars, so expected to see him back on WWE television in the coming months.
Below are some of the Twitter comments posted by various WWE Superstars and Divas regarding the 2011 WWE Draft:
The Miz: “Triple threat, steel cage, cena gone to smackdown, I win a draft pick cena back on raw, A Ry to SD. Any other obstacles for the champ?”
The Bella Twins: “See we have a lot of competition now on Monday Night RAW guess @EveMarieTorres needs all the help she can get! CHAMPS 4 Life! B&N #WWEDraft”
Ted DiBiase: “Smackdown!!!!!”
William Regal: “This will be my only tweet till later tonight but it seems I’m now on Smackdown and I’m trending(no idea what that is).How lovely.”
Daniel Bryan: “Just landed in Vegas and found out I got drafted to Smackdown. VERY happy with this move. #WWEdraft.”
John Cena: “CeNation. Holy hogwash! #wwedraft was amazing. 1st and last pick. Damn. Well now I gotta focus on wwe championship.”
Beth Phoenix: “Monday nights just got more glam!”
Kofi Kingston: “Well hot damn! Back to the Red team! #WWEdraft”
JTG: “In the words of the late OL DIRTY BASTARD , “OH BABY I LIKE IT RAW ,OH BABY I LIKE IT RAAAW ! ” ……CHEA !”
Here are the updated rosters for the RAW and SmackDown brands following the 2011 WWE Draft, with the traded superstars and divas having an asterisk (*) next to their names:
RAW:
WWE Champion The Miz WWE Divas champion Brie Bella
* WWE Tag Team Champion Big Show
* Alberto Del Rio
* Big Show
CM Punk
* Beth Phoenix
* Chris Masters
* Curt Hawkins
DH Smith
David Otunga
Dolph Ziggler
* Drew McIntyre
Evan Bourne
Eve Torres
Gail Kim
Goldust
Husky Harris
* Jack Swagger
Jerry Lawler
John Cena
John Morrison
* JTG
* Kelly Kelly
* Kofi Kingston
Maryse
Mason Ryan
Melina
Michael McGuillicuty
Michael Tarver
Mr. McMahon
Nikki Bella
Primo
R Truth
* Rey Mysterio
Ricardo Rodriguez
Santino Marella
Skip Sheffield
Triple H
* Tyler Reks
Vickie Guerrero
Vladimir Kozlov
Zack Ryder
SMACKDOWN:
WWE Intercontinental Champion: Wade Barrett
* WWE United States champion: Sheamus WWE Tag Team champion: Kane
* Alex Riley
* Alicia Fox
Christian
Brodius Clay
Chavo Guerrero
Cody Rhodes
* Daniel Bryan
Ezekiel Jackson
* Great Khali
Heath Slater
Hornswoggle
Justin Gabriel
Kaitlyn
Layla El
Mark Henry
Michelle McCool
* Natalya
* Randy Orton
* Ranjin Singh
Rosa Mendes
* Sin Cara
* Tamina
* Ted DiBiase
Trent Baretta
The Undertaker
* Tyson Kidd
* The Usos
* William Regal
* Yoshi Tatsu
If you’ve noticed that WWE has pulled back on featuring CM Punk’s character in recent weeks, it appears there’s a reason behind it. One of the main topics of conversation behind the scenes in WWE in recent weeks has been that CM Punk’s WWE career may be coming to an end very soon.
Punk has been telling people close to him that he’s interested in taking some time off when his WWE contract expires in the coming months.
Sources indicate that Punk has been offered a new longterm contract, but at this point, he’s not interested. Punk is reportedly burned out from living the hectic WWE lifestyle for the past 5 years and wants a break.
Additionally, Punk is said to be very unhappy with the lack of push he’s received in recent months. Punk has been a workhorse for WWE without being treated as one of the company’s top stars. While WWE has made a strong effort to push The Miz and Alberto Del Rio to the moon, Punk has been somewhat neglected and is “just there” on the WWE roster.
The topic of Punk leaving WWE started on the European tour and continued at Monday’s WWE RAW.
While Punk leaving WWE would be another huge blow to WWE’s talent roster, there’s still a chance that WWE can sign him to a new deal. It’s also possible that WWE could give him a few months off when his contract expires and bring him back when he’s had time to re-charge.
– After a rocky WWE debut, SmackDown star Sin Cara continues to rub people the wrong way and has been described as “the guy with the biggest target on his back” in the WWE locker room. Sin Cara was a major star in Mexico and is one of WWE’s biggest acquisitions in recent years.
Despite the fact that he’s a rookie in WWE, he acts like he’s an established star in WWE – which nobody likes. One person in particular that is not a fan of Sin Cara (to say the least) is Alberto Del Rio. While there is no real evidence that Del Rio is “out to get” Sin Cara in WWE, the two had heat from their time working together in Mexico and it’s no coincidence that Del Rio and Sin Cara were kept on separate brands after the Draft.
– Prior to Monday’s RAW, a video WWE posted a video of Mark Henry, who broke down crying when he spoke about getting back in shape. Henry weight got up to 450 pounds in recent months before he was able to drop down to 398.
Henry said he deserves to be World champion and will Henry said he feels like he deserves to be World Champion. This was filmed before Henry’s heel turn in the main event.
– WWE will tape SmackDown and NXT tonight from the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. John Cena is scheduled to make an appearance, despite being drafted back to RAW last night. This will be the final WWE show before Sunday’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view.
– WWE recently issued a memo to its talent notifying them about a change to the company’s policy of autographing items for fans. Superstars and divas are now prohibited from signing autographs on clothing, peoples’ skin and money, according to a report on pwinsider.com.
The change comes after a top WWE star recently signed a fans’ expensive leather jacket. The following day, an angry parent called WWE officials and complained that the jacket was ruined, forcing WWE to reimburse the parent for the jacket.
– The Rock just won’t quit … His match with John Cena is still a year away, but that’s not stopping him from talking trash about RAWSmackDown RAW superstar / fruity pebble, John Cena.
The Rock was in Russia earlier this week promoting the international release of his new Fast Five movie and posted a picture of him standing on a purple John Cena t-shirt. The Rock posted the following picture and caption:
Team Bring It Russia – thank u for the incredible love. I will return! (Cena, look closely.. u will ALWAYS be dominated by Team Bring It)”
On Monday’s episode of ABC’s Dancing With The Stars show (Week 6), former WWE star Chris Jericho and his partner Cheryl Burke danced the Tango Journey’s hit song “Don’t Stop Believing.”
The week after earning their best score to date, Jericho and Burke scored just a 22 on Monday’s show – the lowest of the night. They face elimination tonight on the DWTS results show.
Check out Jericho and Burke’s Week 6 performance here:
With just an hour to go until the 2011 WWE Draft, we’ve got some new details on tonight’s special RAW broadcast:
— WWE has officially announced there will be a “RAW vs. SmackDown” Battle Royal tonight, with the winning brand getting an extra two draft picks for their brand.
— The format of the Draft will be similar to previous yaers, with several Raw vs. Smackdown matches and the winning brand getting the “random” draft pick.
— The script for tonight’s Draft RAW does not list the talents who will be drafted as a way of preventing more spoilers from leaking out.
A cameraman from TMZ.com caught up with Batista at the LAX airport over the weekend and asked him for an update on his MMA career. To see the video, click here.
Batista said he was negotiating with the Strikeforce MMA promotion to have his first fight soon, but that deal fell through after the company was recently bought out by the UFC.
Batista said he is “real disappointed” with the way things turned out says he really “had his heart set” on Strikeforce.
Could Batista’s MMA career getting knocked off track before it ever left the station – could we see his return to WWE this year?
COMMENT BELOW and tell us if you’d want to see Batista back in WWE.
With the 2011 WWE Draft just hours away – we’ve got an interesting co-incidence that corroborates a previous report here on the site about a top SmackDown star heading to RAW.
Earlier today, the web address of SmackDown star Alberto Del Rio’s profile page on the official WWE website denoted the WWE Superstar as a member of the Raw roster.
Under the “All” bracket on the WWE Superstars page on WWE.com, his picture linked to the web address www.wwe.com/superstars/raw/albertodelrio. The error has since corrected as the URL now redirects to his original SmackDown based page.
Similarly, SmackDown Diva Beth Phoenix was denoted as a member of the Raw roster over the weekend. The miscue was corrected this morning.
WWE officials have discussed moving Del Rio to Raw during tonight’s WWE Draft as he is currently scheduled to headline SummerSlam against John Cena. It has also been broached for Del Rio move to the brand as World Heavyweight Champion, with The Miz, as WWE Champion, heading to SmackDown.
Tonight we’ve got new episodes of WWE RAW and Tough Enough – plus the latest performance from Chris Jericho on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars. Here’s what to expect tonight:
– Tough Enough will feature a special appearance from Hall of Famer Bret Hart. The USA Network is hyping a shocking surprise for tonight’s show – which has been titled, “The 110-pound Elephant in the Room.”
– Tonight’s WWE RAW takes place from the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina and will feature the 2011 WWE Draft.
The advertised dark match main event after tonight’s RAW will see John Cena and Randy Orton team up against WWE champion The Miz and Nexus leader CM Punk.
– Chris Jericho is still going strong on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars and will be dancing the Tango tonight with his partner Cheryl Burke. After getting his best score yet last week – Chris Jericho revealed over the weekend that his metal band FOZZY will be in the house tonight for his performance! Jericho tweeted on Sunday:
“GREAT rehearsal today with @cherylburke This tango is gonna rock…literally! Also found out that @fozzyrock will be on DWTS on Mon too!”
North Carolina’s ThePilot.com has some new information regarding Jeff Hardy’s drug case getting postponed again on Wednesday.
Hardy’s lawyer Jim Van Camp asked Judge James Web for another continuance so District Administrator Becky Carlson can evaluate Jeff Hardy to determine if he has a drug addiction and whether his defense team should push for rehab instead of jail for Hardy.
“I’ve just started to work with Mr. Hardy within the past month,” Carlson told the Judge. “I have to have time to formulate my plan, do a background assessment and put a treatment plan in place.”
When Judge Webb asked Becky Carlson how much in-patient treatment she recommends based on her professional experience, she said “Twenty-eight days,” but stressed more time was needed for an accurate assessment.
Carlson hopes to have her evaluation completed by early June, in time for Hardy’s next court appearance on June 27th.
Van Camp stressed to the court that Jeff Hardy has not yet been classified as a drug addict needing treatment.
TNA Wrestling announces special outdoor “Basebrawl” events coming to Marion, Illinois (June 10), Memphis, Tennessee June 11) Buffalo, New York (June 18), Brooklyn, New York (July 1)
The superstars of Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling’s “TNA iMPACT” on Spike (Thursday at 8pm CT) are invading Memphis! “TNA Wrestling’s BaseBrawl” presented by Direct Auto Insurance will hit AutoZone Park on Saturday, June 11 starting at 7:30pm for an unforgettable night of action. Hit a Grand Slam this summer with “TNA Wrestling’s BaseBrawl!” This event will feature a rare appearance from the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, “The Icon” Sting. Sting will be returning to Memphis where his career began over twenty years ago. After the show, stick around for the special fireworks brought to you by TNA Wrestling and the Redbirds!
Appearing live in person at AutoZone Park will be: Sting, Kurt Angle, Jeff Jarrett, Matt Morgan, Scott Steiner, Matt Hardy and many more!
Fans that purchase a $50 ticket will receive a special meet and greet with TNA Superstars at 5:30pm! (Redeemable with ticket the night of the show)
Additionally, TNA Wrestling is offering a once in a lifetime opportunity, “TNA BaseBrawl VIP Icon Xperience”, which includes:
* Field Level Seating – $50 ticket including a special meet and greet with TNA Superstars at 5:30pm
* Special Edition Sting Louisville Slugger BaseBrawl Baseball bat (valued at $150)
* Post-Show Private VIP Meet and Greet with “The Icon” Sting to receive the bat and get it signed!
* Official TNA BaseBrawl event t-shirt (valued at $25)
* Official 2011 TNA Program (valued at $20)
Only 60 of these exclusive packages will be available and the price is only $199. Visit http://www.ShopTNA.com for more details.
TICKETS: Tickets are available through ShopTNA.com. You can purchase your TNA BaseBrawl VIP Icon Xperience tickets here. With each TNA ticket purchased, fans receive a free field box ticket to a Memphis Redbirds game the week of July 17-21, 2011. The TNA ticket must be presented in person at the AutoZone Park Box Office for redemption. ($13 value, subject to availability; details at http://www.memphisredbirds.com)
FRIDAY, JUNE 10: MARION, IL
Marion, IL will host a “TNA Wrestling’s BaseBrawl” event on Friday, June 10 at Rent One Park at 7:30 pm. Tickets go on sale Saturday, April 30 at www.southernillinoisminers.com or charge by phone (618) 998-8499. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the Rent One Park box office. (For more information: www.tnawrestling.com) With each TNA ticket purchased, fans receive a free ticket to a select upcoming Miners game. ($8 value; details at www.southernillinoisminers.com). Fans that purchase a $50 ticket will receive a special meet and greet with TNA Superstars at 5:30 pm!* (Redeemable with ticket the night of the show; offer only applies to $50 tickets.)
Appearing live and in person will be:
-Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle
-“TNA Founder” Jeff Jarrett
-TNA Superstar Eric Young
-TNA Superstar Matt Hardy
-“The Blueprint” Matt Morgan
-TNA Superstar Bully Ray
and more!
“TNA Wrestling’s BaseBrawl” is a family-oriented wrestling event complete with your favorite TNA Superstars, fireworks and all the hot summer action you can handle! After the show, stick around for a special fireworks display brought to you by TNA Wrestling and the Miners!
*Times
Meet and Greet 5:30PM (Only applies to $50 tickets)
Doors open 6:30PM
Showtime 7:30PM
SATURDAY, JUNE 18: BUFFALO, NY
Buffalo, NY will host a “TNA Wrestling’s BaseBrawl” event on Saturday, June 18 at Coca-Cola Field at 7:30 pm. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 22 at www.bisons.com or charge by phone 888-223-6000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the Coca-Cola Field box office. (For more information: www.tnawrestling.com) With each TNA ticket purchased, fans receive a free ticket to a select upcoming Bisons game. Fans that purchase a $50 ticket will receive a special meet and greet with TNA Superstars at 5:30 pm!* (Redeemable with ticket the night of the show; offer only applies to $50 tickets.)
Appearing live and in person will be:
-This event will feature a rare appearance from TNA Superstar, “The Immortal” Hulk Hogan. Hogan will be returning to Buffalo for this once in a lifetime event.
-Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle
-“The Phenomenal” AJ Styles
-“The Monster” Abyss
-TNA Superstar Eric Young
-TNA Tag Team Beer Money, Inc.
and more!
“TNA Wrestling’s BaseBrawl” is a family-oriented wrestling event complete with your favorite TNA Superstars, fireworks and all the hot summer action you can handle! After the show, stick around for a special fireworks display brought to you by TNA Wrestling and the Bisons!
*Times
Meet and Greet 5:30PM (Only applies to $50 tickets)
Doors open 6:30PM
Showtime 7:30PM
SATURDAY, JULY 1: BROOKLYN, NY
Brooklyn, NY will host a “TNA Wrestling’s BaseBrawl” event on Saturday, July 1 at MCU Park at 7:00 pm. Tickets go on sale Saturday, May 7 at www.brooklyncyclones.com or charge by phone 718-507-TIXX. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the MCU Park box office and Citi Field box office. With each TNA ticket purchased, fans receive a free ticket to a select upcoming Cyclones game. ($8 value; details at www.brooklyncyclones.com). Fans that purchase a $90 ticket will receive a special meet and greet with TNA Superstars at 5:00 pm!* (Redeemable with ticket the night of the show; offer only applies to $90 tickets, ticket price also includes all-you-can eat BBQ buffet.)
Appearing live and in person will be:
-This event will feature a rare appearance from TNA Superstar, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. Flair will be coming to Brooklyn for this once in a lifetime event.
-Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle
-“The Founder” Jeff Jarrett
-“The Whole Show” Rob Van Dam
-TNA Knockout Mickie James
-TNA Superstar Matt Hardy
and more!
“TNA Wrestling’s BaseBrawl” is a family oriented wrestling event complete with your favorite TNA superstars, fireworks and all the hot summer action you can handle! After the show, stick around for a special fireworks display brought to you by TNA Wrestling and the Cyclones!
*Times
Meet and Greet 5:00PM (Only applies to $71 tickets)
Doors open 6:00PM
Showtime 7:00PM
– There are already plans for a sixth Fast and Furious movie, which will likely see The Rock return to the franchise. Fast Five premiers in theaters next weekend.
– Former WWE announcer and current ESPN news correspondent Jonathan Coachman has contacted The Rock and said that he may be at RAW next Monday (5/2) from Miami.
– In an interesting bit of trivia … the WWE Championship ladder match at at Extreme Rules between Christian and Alberto Del Rio is believed to be only the second time in company history where a match guarantees that someone will become World Champion for the first time. In the rare cases when there’s a vacated title on the line, at least one of the contenders has been WWE champion before. The only other WWE match when two superstars battled for a vacant WWE championship was on March 27th, 1988 – when Randy Savage defeated Ted DiBiase in the title tournament finals at WrestleMania 4.
– Jim Ross’ BBQ sauce business seems to be doing well since WWE’s shop website started carrying the products as Ross noted on Twitter this week that their online business is up almost 200% from last year. WWE’s shop website takes domestic and international orders from fans and then places the order with JR. JR noted that they just received their biggest order ever from WWE’s shop website.
