SEScoops

Author: Staff

  • VIDEO: Watch WWE’s Teaser Video For “2 21 11”

  • What Happened After Monday’s RAW Went Off The Air

    Reader Ryan Hanley sent in this live recap of what happened after Monday’s RAW went off the air:

    After Raw went off the air, Jerry Lawler thanked the crowd in Providence, saying he wanted to invite everyone down to the ring to celebrate. He couldn’t do that, so he invited The Miz down to celebrate.

    Miz and Riley entered the ring and mocked the crowd for supporting King. Miz said, “All I have to say is this” to King, and went for a cheap shot. King blocked and threw Miz and Riley out of the ring.

    A bit more celebration from King as the arena continued to empty out to conclude the TV taping.

  • WWE Airs Teaser Videos On RAW Hyping “2/21/11″ (POLL)

    2 21 11
    WWE Teasing Something Big For 2/21/11?

    WWE two vignettes on Monday’s RAW which appeared to tease the arrival of a new Superstar.

    The video (WATCH HERE) showed a mysterious figure in a long black trench coat walking in a  dark, rainy setting. The end of the video flashed the date “2 21 11” in fiery text.

    February 21st, 2011 is the date for WWE Monday Night RAW in Fresno, California from the Save Mart Center. It will be the night after WWE’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view and the real start of the “road to WrestleMania.”

    What or WHO do you think this could be a tease for? VOTE BELOW:

    [poll id=”27″]

  • SmackDown Main Event, Kofi’s Dream Opponent & More

    — Edge and Kelly Kelly vs. Dolph Ziggler and LayCool in a 3-on-2 mixed tag match. Edge’s World Heavyweight title will be on the line, so hypothetical – if Michelle McCool pins Kelly Kelly, Dolph Ziggler is the new champion. That makes a ton of sense.

    – Last Friday’s SmackDown did a 2.01 rating with 3,024,000 viewers.

    – In an interview with ESPN.com, Kofi Kingston was asked who his dream WrestleMania opponent would be. “My dream match would be against Ricky Steamboat,” Kingston said. “You saw him comeback a few years ago and he still had it. He’s phenomenal, and I’d love if he could come back one more time to challenge for the Intercontinental belt. It could be like a student versus teacher type match. For me, being in the same ring as the guys I watched growing up just means so much and that would be amazing to me if I got that chance.”

    The high flying SmackDown star was also asked about playing video games while he’s not on the road and which superstars he plays against. “Big Show, myself, Cody Rhodes, Tyler Reks, and that savage Hornswoggle,” he said. “There are a handful of us who form this underground wrestling gamer community.”

  • First WM27 Match Announced, RAW Dark Matches & More

    – On Monday’s RAW, Royal Rumble winner Alberto Del Rio announced that he will challenge Edge for the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania 27 on 4/3. This is the first match officially confirmed for WWE’s biggest show of the year.

    – The dark match before tonight’s RAW in Rhode Island saw William Regal beat Johnny Curtis.

    – Matches taped for this Thursday’s WWE Superstars before RAW tonight were Melina vs. Tamina and Zack Ryder & Primo vs. David Hart Smith & Yoshi Tatsu.

  • Flair Not At Tonight’s iMPACT! Tapings, Hardy Touts Ratings

    – TNA will tape this Thursday’s iMPACT tonight from Orlando. It’s newsworthy that Ric Flair is not in Orlando today and is not scheduled for any episodes that are being taped this week. Some in the company are wondering if Flair will be back at all after what happened on the European tour.

    –  Tonight’s iMPACT! tapings are important as important storylines are planned and Spike TV has requested them to be loaded for sweeps. Set for tonight is Hulk Hogan’s return to feud with Dixie Carter, Jeff Hardy vs. Mr. Anderson for the World Title and the arrival of “they”, expected to be the return of The Main Event Mafia.

    – As we reported over the weekend, the January 27 episode of TNA iMPACT! scored a 1.28 cable rating, the program’s highest mark since October 14. iMPACT! averaged 1.93 million viewers over the course of two hours, which is the third largest average audience in the program’s history

    TNA star Matt Hardy wrote the following on Twitter about last week’s show doing a strong rating:

    “I awesome appreciate the TNA Impact viewers for tunin in & makin last night’s Impact the 3rd most watched in TNA history. Hardys=Ratings”

  • RAW Preview For Tonight: Major Angle To Begin Very Soon

    – Tonight’s episode of WWE RAW will take place from the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Expect plenty of fallout from last night’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view. We are officially on the road to WrestleMania, so expect the build to begin tonight.

    We can report that WWE is on the verge of kicking off a major storyline that will propel several top superstars into their WrestleMania matches. We cannot confirm the specifics of the “major” angle, but as of last week, it was being strongly considered that the angle would take place tonight on RAW.

    The dark match main event that’s being advertised locally is John Cena and Randy Orton vs. CM Punk and The Miz, with Michael Cole as referee.

    – As we reported over the weekend, WWE has reportedly signed lucha libre star Mistico – after months of negotiations. According to a source in WWE, Mistico flew to the United States early last week to finalize the deal.

    As for whether Mistico will use that same gimmick when he debuts with WWE, it appears unlikely. Mexico’s EMLL promotion owns the gimmick and the company is said to be unhappy that Mistico did not include EMLL on the negotiations, which violates an agreement he reportedly had with them. Additionally, WWE typically likes to repackage new talent it brings in, so we shall see. Mistico will be heading to WWE developmental in Florida in the coming weeks to begin his training.

  • Major Announcement To Take Place On Tonight’s RAW

    The official WWE website has announced that a “major announcement” will take place on tonight’s episode of Monday Night RAW.

    Following SmackDown star Alberto Del Rio’s win at last night’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view, it’s been announced that the SmackDown star will reveal which title he plans to challenge for at WrestleMania 27 in April.

    Del Rio has the option of challenging WWE Champion The Miz or World Heavyweight champion Edge.

  • Nash & Booker T In WWE Causes Major Problems For TNA

    At Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view, former TNA stars Kevin Nash and Booker T made surprise appearances that have caused major rewrites to TNA’s “they” storyline.

    It’s been widely speculated that TNA’s recent “they are coming” storyline would culminate in the return of the Main Event Mafia. With Kevin Nash and Booker T being two of the key members of the Mafia, major changes had to be made to the storyline.

    A TNA source said, “Big time rewrite mode this week due to their dumb asses writing a plot around guys who are not under contract.”

    Before he opted to appear at the Royal Rumble PPV, Kevin Nash had been pencilled in as part of the angle. There was also speculating regarding Booker T because of his past connections to the group, but he had not yet been contacted about participating.

    (Source: prowrestling.net)

  • Val Venis Talks About Presciption Pain Pill Abuse In WWE

    As we reported earlier this month, former WWE superstar Val Venis (real name Sean Morley) has launched ScriptDanger.com, a site which aims to spread awareness about the dangers of prescription pain medication abuse. Morley was interviewed by FanHouse.com this week and had this to say about the following topics:

    Prescription Pain Pill Abuse: “It’s an epidemic across America. I couldn’t stand by and not try to do anything so we decided to put a team together and we came up with ScriptDanger.com where we’re looking into going to the universities, high schools, colleges, into corporations, small businesses, big businesses, sports teams and really push the message that these prescription drugs are not a game and they can not only ultimately destroy your life and your career, it can kill you.”

    WWE’s Wellness Policy: “If your family doctor prescribes you pain meds, there’s not much legally WWE can do about it,” he said. “However, with the Wellness Program, they are monitoring the use of pain meds a lot tighter than they ever did before. So, I think it’s a much healthier environment but the truth be told, no matter what the WWE does, if someone has a desire to abuse pain meds, they’re going to do it regardless of what the Wellness Program states or not.”

    His Experience Going Through Withdrawls: “I felt like ripping my skin right off my body. It was horrible. My body just started going through these horrendous withdrawals just from three months of clinical use. That surprised me and I was completely taken back that three months of clinical use could have your body addicted that quickly .. I want to say about a week into [the withdrawls], maybe a little less, the cravings for me to go back to my doctor and get a refill just so I could feel normal again were overwhelming. If it wasn’t for my wife basically keeping me on track and forcing me to power my way through it, I’m sure I would have gone back to the doctor to get another prescription in order to just feel normal again.”

  • WWE Interviews Kevin Nash: WWE Future, Rumble & More

    Following his surprise return as Diesel at Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view, former WWE champion Kevin Nash was interviewed by WWE.com. Here are some highlights of what Nash said about:

    His WWE Return: “I wish I had a thesaurus, so I could explain it. It’s nice to be in a building with people [laughs]. When you get in this business, you strive to get to WWE, and when it’s time to hang up your boots, you definitely want to end up a Yankee. So, if this was my last one, I couldn’t be happier.”

    “[It was] unexplainable to be back, a dream come true, a wonderful night. I was trying to think, What tops this? When I won the WWE Title against Bob [Backlund] at Madison Square Garden, I didn’t really realize what I had. There are definitely more years behind me than ahead of me, so you appreciate these things. It was special tonight. It was probably the best night for me.”

    Was The Rumble His Final WWE Match? “I hope not. I know Randy Orton, he’s got pull around here [laughs]. I’d stay as long as they’ll have me, or as long as my body will hold on.

    His Confrontation With The Big Show: “A lot of history there, either together or on the opposite side of the ring. I’ve probably had 200 matches with Big Show in my life. He’s still probably the most impressive physical specimen I’ve been in the ring with – by far the strongest, still the measuring stick. I’d like to give him another run for his money.”

  • Tons Of Live Notes From Sunday’s Royal Rumble PPV

    Thanks to Mike McMahon of Steelcage.net for the following live notes from last night’s WWE Royal Rumble in Boston:

    – The Rumble was a really good show that the live audience ate up.

    – The crowd was a legit sellout. The only seats tarped off were those behind the set.

    – The live crowd was really into the Ziggler-Edge opening bout. I’d say for more than half the match, the majority of the building was standing. Those two obviously put on a helluva show Ziggler, despite being eaten up on Smackdown heading into the event, was really over with the crowd in Boston. A lot of people were chanting “Christian!” on the ref-bump spot that resulted in Edge using the spear.

    – The crowd was a little quiet to start Miz-Orton, but I think that’s because everyone was so hot for the Ziggler-Edge match. As we got to the finish, when Nexus came out, the crowd woke up big time and popped huge for the finish.

    – The crowd was really disappointed to get Eve as the fourth addition to the Divas’ match. Obviously most thought it was going to be Awesome Kong, and there were even “Kong!” chants before Eve was announced.

    – I was surprised how hot the crowd was at the start of the Rumble. Obviously it was going to be a long match before the payoff with the finish. I think having CM Punk come out as entry No. 1 helped in that regard, because the crowd was into him. I liked the Nexus-Corre brawl to start the match. The “smart” fans in the crowd were electric with Bryan-Punk to start.

    – Booker T received a HUGE reaction. Kevin Nash had a huge pop as well. Considering the surprises were not really well kept and at least everyone around me knew they were coming, the reaction was enormous for both men. That says a lot to how over they are. Especially in Nash’s case – he’s been off of WWE television for what? Six years?

    – Another really good pop for Chavo Guerrero’s three-amigos suplex spot. The crowd was really into that. Popped huge for every attempt. Good to see Chavo get a quality PPV spot, too.

    – It was really entertaining to me to watch some of the younger fans (and some of the … well, less intelligent) who were genuinely pissed off that Miz eliminated John Cena. There was one woman in front of me – she was in her 20?s at least, maybe 30?s – screaming at her friend that Miz wasn’t in the Rumble and Cena should NOT have been eliminated. Then went on a tirade about how no referee saw that? Why didn’t they just look at the replay on the screen? … Hey lady, it’s a work. Don’t have a heart attack here.

    – I think some in the crowd were disappointed that Triple H didn’t make his return at the Rumble. I wasn’t as surprised. It really didn’t make much sense for Triple H to return unless he was going to win the match. At No. 37, people around me were counting off who still wasn’t in, trying to see if Triple H was a possibility. Poor Kane got a lesser reaction because I think some people were disappointed.

    – Del Rio winning the Rumble was expected from me, but got a good pop. I just assumed with his build and promos heading into the match meant he was going to win it. A nice little swerve at the end with Santino, that had some in the crowd wondering what was actually happening … one guy yelled, “What the (expletive) is going on!?!?!”

    – After the show went off the air, Del Rio and his ring announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez, walked slowly up the aisle and spent a lot of time right by the stage. The camera man seemed to signal for Rodriguez to keep talking while they recorded. Then at one point, Charles Robinson looked like he gave Rodriguez the wrap-up signal. At one point, Rodriguez was on a long (1-2 minute) filibuster (in Spanish, of course) where all I understood was “Rumble” and “Wrestlemania.” Then the pair walked to the back and Justin Roberts thanked us all for coming.

  • Backstage News On Kevin Nash & Booker T’s WWE Futures

    Sunday’s Royal Rumble match saw the surprise returns of Kevin Nash (as Diesel) and Booker T. Both men looked to be in top physical shape, with Kevin Nash dying his hair and goatee black for the first time in many years to reprise his role as Big Daddy Cool.

    As to whether they signed new WWE contracts or the appearances were just a one-night-only deal, it appears we will likely see more of both. Dave Meltzer reports that as of this weekend, Booker T is under some sort of WWE contract with but Kevin Nash is not. The feeling is that WWE may offer more work based on the huge reactions each of them got at the Royal Rumble. Both still have a great deal of star power and both have ties to WCW. Most have probably heard by now that WrestleMania is likely going to feature some sort of WCW tie-in, since WrestleMania is taking place from Atlanta, the former home of the now-defunct promotion.

    Kevin Nash has spoken publicly about wanting to attend the upcoming WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. Following his appearance in the Rumble match, Nash wrote on Twitter, which seems to imply that there could be more to his WWE return:

    “Absolutely the best night of my wrestling career. It’s so nice to be back in WWE family. Thanks Boston for making me feel so special.”

    As for Booker T, he may end up doing anything from announcing to managing and working backstage. A role for Booker T on the return of Tough Enough has been brought up.

  • JR Blog: Royal Rumble Thoughts, Austin Hosting Tough Enough

    WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com In this update, JR had plenty to say about Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view as well as the announcement that Steve Austin will be hosting the new season of WWE Tough Enough. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

    Steve Austin Hosting Tough Enough: “I learned that Steve Austin is excited about hosting Tough Enough and as we all are awaiting to see who his trainers are going to be. Austin should be highly entertaining in this natural, free flowing environment.”

    Morrison’s Wall Grab: “John Morrison’s leap of faith to the security wall and show of athleticism will be on many future Royal Rumble highlight packages. I thought Morrison might last a little longer in the RR match but that one interval served Morrison well.”

    Dolph Ziggler’s Performance: “Dolph Ziggler reminds me somewhat of the great Pat Patterson of many years gone by not to mention that the athletic Ziggler has some Mr. Perfect traits as well. Ziggler can become very, very good in time especially when he becomes more comfortable on the mic. However with heat seeking missile Vickie Guerrero aligned with Dolph, Ziggler’s need to talk isn’t a priority….yet.”

    Booker T & Kevin Nash’s Returns: “Great ovations from where I was sitting at home in my old La-Z-Boy for both Booker T and Kevin Nash. Good to see both men looking physically fit and the Boston crowd ate up both stars surprise appearances. I have no idea if their Royal Rumble appearances were one offs or if they will be hanging around WWE at least on a part time basis. Both have skills that they can add to the mix even if they don’t step back into a wrestling ring.”

    CM Punk’s Performance: “CM Punk had a MVP like performance Sunday night and impressed me on numerous exchanges both athletically and with his facial expressions. Looks like Punk vs. Orton is going to be on the WM27 menu unless I’m wrong and, BTW, that happens frequently. Bottom line….good night for Punk.”

  • Booker T Signs Book Deal, Scheduled For 2012 Release

    Book publisher Medallion Press issued a press release today  announcing that former WWE and WCW World champion Booker T has signed a book deal to release an autobiography next year. Here it is:

    CAN YOU DIG IT, SUCKA?

    St. Charles, Illinois—January 31, 2011—Hot on the heels of an appearance on WWE’s Royal Rumble 2011, fan favorite Booker T. has signed a deal to publish an autobiography detailing his tough road from rags to riches. Book publisher Medallion Press, Inc., set to release The Road Warriors: Danger, Death, and the Rush of Wrestling by Joe “Animal” Laurinaitis with Andrew William Wright (March 2011), announced today that Booker T. Huffman—who has held 35 major titles within WWE, WCW, and TNA and is one of the most decorated champions in the history of professional wrestling—has decided it’s time his story be told.

    Scheduled to release September 2012, Booker’s raw and honest autobiography From Prison to Promise, also with Andrew William Wright, will detail Huffman’s struggles with family and crime in urban Houston before becoming one of the world’s most recognized and successful athletes.

    The youngest of eight children, Booker was born just outside Shreveport, Louisiana, on March 1, 1965. Booker’s father passed away just 10 months later. His mother, knowing her children needed a better environment in which to be raised, packed everything up and moved to Houston, Texas.

    “My mother worked hard to provide for us, and I can say without question that although I may have had many wants, I never had any needs,” said Huffman. “Sure, we might’ve been on food stamps, but I always had a warm coat, shoes on my feet, and food on the table.” Then in 1978, when Booker was only 13 years old, his mother passed away at the age of 49, leaving the Huffman siblings to navigate life on their own.

    Without parental guidance, Booker’s life spiraled out of control. Gang life eventually consumed him, and he was sentenced to five years in prison for armed robbery on February 14, 1987. It was there, behind bars in Navasota, Texas, that Booker made himself a promise to rise above a life of crime and hopelessness to accomplish greater things, things he would have once thought impossible.

    And that’s exactly what Huffman did. Now, for the first time, his inspiring true story will be released to the public for everyone to read and learn from.

    “I’m at that point in my life where I feel maybe someone else can benefit from hearing what I’ve been through,” Booker said. “You know, whether their parents passed away at an early age, or they got into some serious trouble with the law, there’s no doubt in my mind people will not only relate to what I went through, but maybe I can even help keep some of them from going down the same path.”

    From anonymity to stardom, from rags to riches, this story will remind you that anything is possible when you choose to make a positive impact.

    From Prison to Promise by Booker T. Huffman with Andrew William Wright (Medallion Press, September 2012, Hardcover, ISBN 9781605424682, $24.95 U.S./$26.95 CAN) <> About Medallion Press, Inc.:
    Medallion Press, Inc. is a genre fiction and nonfiction publisher dedicated to creating the highest quality product, both inside and out.

  • Wrestlers Comment On Sunday’s Royal Rumble PPV

    Here’s what several past and present WWE superstars are saying about Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view:

    Shawn Michaels on Kevin Nash: “Hey I know that guy!!! First guy to get a chant!!!”

    Chris Jericho on Kevin Nash: “Great seeing Deisel back in the WWE. Perfect use of him for a “nice surprise””

    Chris Jericho on John Morrison: “Morrisons barrier jump spot was incredible! An all-time Rumble highlight”

    DDP on the Rumble: “Havent watched WWE in a long time. Just watched Edge and Dolph have a Great match at The Rumble… Looking forward to Miz ORTON”

    Eve Torres on winning the Divas Title: “What good is an opportunity if you are not ready for it? Stay ready, keep beliEVEing, your moment may be today! What an unpredictable, crazy, amazing night! Thank you BeliEVErs. We did it!”

    Kofi Kingston: “Wow, what a night. The crowd was sick tonight! Best rumble Ive been a part of thus far. The road to wrestlemania has officially begun!”

    Val Venis on Albert Del Rio: “I am very happy for Del Rio. He is truly a great performer. Vince is hearing Cha Ching with Del Rio. Or at least he should be hearing that.”

    Carlito on Del Rio: “I guess I dont have special powers! Congrats to del rio and the wwe for changing things up!”

    Shane Helms on Del Rio: “Del Rio is 1/3 JBL, 1/3 Ricky Ricardo, and 1/3 Ric Flair. Hope to see him go far.”

    Jim Ross on Booker T & Kevin Nash: “Thought Booker & Nash both physically looked super 2nite. I hope they stick around WWE. TBD, I suppose.”

  • List Of Which Superstars Had The Most Rumble Eliminations

    CM Punk and John Cena tied for the most eliminations in last night’s Royal Rumble main event with 7 each. Nexus as a group had 10 total eliminations. The following is a list of number of eliminations from last night, with assists included:

    * CM Punk – 7
    * John Cena – 7
    * Michael McGillicutty – 4
    * Randy Orton – 3
    * Husky Harris – 3
    * Daniel Bryan – 2
    * Mark Henry – 2
    * Rey Mysterio – 2
    * Wade Barrett – 2
    * Alberto Del Rio – 2
    * Mason Ryan – 2
    * Big Show – 2
    * David Otunga – 2
    * Ted DiBiase Jr. – 1
    * The Great Khali – 1
    * Sheamus – 1
    * Kofi Kingston – 1
    * Ezekiel Jackson – 1
    * Kane – 1

    The Miz, who was not an entrant in the match, had one elimination – John Cena.

  • List Of Time Spent In The Royal Rumble For All 40 Participants

    Here are the times that WWE Superstars lasted in the Royal Rumble match last night. CM Punk lasted the longest at 35 minutes and 22 seconds. R-Truth only lasted 30 seconds. The returning Kevin Nash lasted 2 minutes and 44 seconds while Booker T lasted 1 minute and 8 seconds. The winner Alberto Del Rio was in the match for 12 minutes and 33 seconds.

    * CM Punk – 35:22
    * John Cena – 33:18
    * Wade Barrett – 22:24
    * Kofi Kingston – 21:05
    * Daniel Bryan – 20:56
    * Rey Mysterio Jr. – 19:08
    * Sheamus – 18:18
    * Husky Harris – 15:59
    * Michael McGillicutty – 15:07
    * John Morrison – 13:22
    * Santino Marella – 12:55
    * Alberto Del Rio – 12:33
    * Ted Dibiase Jr. – 12:16
    * David Otunga – 11:57
    * Hornswoggle – 9:39
    * Randy Orton – 8:20
    * Ezekiel Jackson – 7:14
    * Mark Henry – 7:03
    * Yoshi Tatsu – 5:35
    * Dolph Ziggler – 5:02
    * Jack Swagger – 4:51
    * Drew McIntyre – 4:46
    * Mason Ryan – 4:30
    * William Regal – 4:10
    * The Big Show – 3:31
    * Alex Riley – 3:16
    * Diesel – 2:44
    * Chavo Guerrero – 2:01
    * Chris Masters – 1:57
    * Kane – 1:36
    * JTG – 1:48
    * The Great Khali – 1:16
    * Booker T – 1:08
    * Justin Gabriel – 0:58
    * Heath Slater – 0:57
    * Tyson Kidd – 0:52
    * Zack Ryder – 0:43
    * Vladimir Kozlov – 0:40
    * Tyler Reks – 0:34
    * R-Truth – 0:30

    (Source: PWInsider.com)

  • Complete List Of 2011 Royal Rumble Entrants & Eliminations

    Below is the full list of 2011 WWE Royal Rumble entrants and eliminations from tonight’s pay-per-view:

    Royal Rumble Entrants:

    1. CM Punk
    2. Daniel Bryan
    3. Justin Gabriel
    4. Zack Ryder
    5. William Regal
    6. Ted DiBiase
    7. John Morrison
    8. Yoshi Tatsu
    9. Husky Harris
    10. Chavo Guerrero
    11. Mark Henry
    12. JTG
    13. Michael McGillicutty
    14. Chris Masters
    15. David Otunga
    16. Tyler Reks
    17. Kozlov
    18. R-Truth
    19. Great Khali
    20. Mason Ryan
    21. Booker T
    22. John Cena
    23. Hornswoggle
    24. Tyson Kidd
    25. Heath Slater
    26. Kofi Kingston
    27. Jack Swagger
    28. Sheamus
    29. Rey Mysterio
    30. Wade Barrett
    31. Dolph Ziggler
    32. Kevin Nash (Diesel)
    33. Drew McIntyre
    34. Alex Riley
    35. Big Show
    36. Ezekiel Jackson
    37. Santino
    38. Alberto Del Rio
    39. Randy Orton
    40. Kane

    Royal Rumble Eliminations:

    1. Gabriel (via Bryan at 2:35)
    2. Ryder (via Bryan at 3:45)
    3. Regal (via DiBiase at 8:52)
    4. Chavo (via Henry at 15:05)
    5. Yoshi (via Henry at 15:34)
    6. JTG (via McG at 18:00)
    7. DiBiase (via Harris & McG at 18:51)
    8. Bryan (via Harris at 20:56)
    9. Masters (via Punk at 21:11)
    10. Morrison (via Nexus at 21:25)
    11. Henry (via Nexus at 21:50)
    12. Reks (via Nexus at 22:50)
    13. Kozlov (via Punk at 24:19)
    14. R-Truth (via Punk at 26:10)
    15. Husky (via Khali at 27:23)
    16. Khali (via Mason at 28:22)
    17. Booker (via Mason at 31:00)
    18. Ryan (via Cena at 32:35)
    19. Otunga (via Cena at 32:40)
    20. McGillicutty (via Cena at 32:41)
    21. Punk (via Cena at 35:20)
    22. Kidd (via Cena at 37:05)
    23. Slater (via Cena at 38:42)
    24. Hornswoggle (via Sheamus at 43:53)
    25. Swagger (via Rey at 45:35)
    26. Diesel (via Barrett at 52:22)
    27. Ziggler (via Show at 54:52)
    28. McIntyre (via Show at 55:18)
    29. Show (via Jackson at 55:33)
    30. Riley (via ??? at ???)
    31. Kingston (via Orton at 60:42)
    32. Sheamus (via Orton at 60:48)
    33. Jackson (via Kane at 62:35)
    34. Kane (via Rey at 63:29)
    35. Rey (via Barrett at 63:37)
    36. Cena (via Miz at 66:30)
    37. Orton (via Barrett at 68:37)
    38. Barrett (via Del Rio at 68:39)
    39. Santino (via Del Rio at 69:48)

  • Jim Ross Previews The Royal Rumble: Major Surprises

    WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. In this update, Ross gives an in-depth preview of Sunday’s WWE Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Here’s what he wrote about the event:

    “The Royal Rumble is a vitally important PPV for WWE in that there is tremendous pressure to deliver a strong show and kick off the promotional road to Wrestlemania in a significant, thought provoking and memorable way.

    Because of increasing the Rumble match from 30 to 40 men largely for the ability to promote Sunday’s event as ‘the biggest Royal Rumble match ever’ it obviously spreads the incumbent, established star power thinner. That means that younger talents who seek stardom need to bring their A+ games Sunday and maximize their in ring minutes.

    For many, participating in this match this will be the most significant opportunity that they have had to shine, launch themselves, create awareness for their skill set, etc. I’m sure that we will get feedback on this site that it’s all about the creative process and the subsequent minutes that the talents are allotted but I am of the belief that great talents or talents who want to be great have the ability use their minutes to  maximum effectiveness.

    I am very interested to see who ‘stands out’ during the Rumble match, who turns heads, and who comes out of the marathon bout better than they were when they entered the ring.

    The opportunity to surprise and perhaps even shock the fan base is there and I certainly am of the belief that  surprises and unpredictable moments will be the order of the day in the Rumble match Sunday.

    In many ways, this year’s Royal Rumble is more intriguing to me than several others in years past when the talent depth wasn’t such a talked about issue. I just have a feeling that multiple talents will have an opportunity to distinguish themselves throughout this 40 man match even though there will likely be only one winner based on historic precedent.”

  • DDP Hosting WWE’s Nitro DVD, Jim Ross News & More

    – Former WCW World Champion Diamond Dallas Page confirmed on Twitter on Thursday that he will be hosting WWE’s Best of WCW Nitro DVD, set to be released in a few months: DDP wrote:

    “IT’s Official! I will Host “The BEST OF NITRO”! This a Great thing for the WCW/NWO/WWE fans! Plus a Great way for DDP to return to the WWE!”

    – Ross also wrote that he will be the special referee for the event at the RAW live event in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on March 13th. The match will feature WWE champion The Miz defending against Randy Orton. In a recent blog post, Ross answered a fan question about him becoming a fulltime WWE referee, to which he responded:

    “Not expected to be refereeing many matches going forward. Nothing is scheduled. However, Michael Cole is doing some refereeing I’m told in non televised, main events at TV tapings.”

    – Ross also said on Twitter that once the WWE DVD on Hall of Famer Gorgeous George is done and released, they will then begin working on the WWE Studios movie on his life.

    – Sean “X-Pac” Waltman will be hanging out with fans during a WWE Royal Rumble viewing party at The Dawg House at the Mardi Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The party begins this Sunday at 7pm before the Rumble begins. Call 954-924-3200 for more information.

  • Scott Hall Talk About His Health, 9 Times In Rehab

    Former WWE and WCW star Scott Hall was recently interviewed The Miami Herald and said he’s heading back to the Menninger Clinic in Houston for treatment. Here are some highlights of what Hall said about:

    Going Back To Rehab & Mental Illness “This place is really cool because it’s a psychiatric hospital. A lot the people there don’t have drug and alcohol stuff. Mental illness is real, and I got them. I don’t know if it’s the multiple concussions or the lifestyle choices…I’m going to a place where they can help me.”

    His health: “I recently had this pacemaker/defibrillator put in my heart. We have bad hearts in my family genetically. My lifestyle contributed to it, too. I made some bad decisions and some bad choices. If you dance with the devil, you got to pay the price.”

    Training Former WWE star Ricky Ortiz: “This is my first student ever. People ask why I don’t open a wrestling school. I tell them that I’m not just going to take anybody’s money, if they can’t handle it. If I don’t think you are going to be a big star, I’m not going to try to hurt anybody’s feelings, but I’m not going to waste my time. So I got this cat [Young]. He doesn’t drink or do drugs. He is very positive. He is like the young me.”

    His Trips To Rehab: “I have been to about nine rehabs. They were high dollar and some of the best ones around. [WWE Chairman] Vince [McMahon] has picked up the tab the last couple of times. If you ever work or worked for WWE, if you ever need help, he will give it to you. He is really cool. Thank Vince, his wife Linda, [daughter] Stephanie, [son] Shane and Paul [Levesque/Triple H]. Thank you for helping me. It’s hard to ask for help. It’s even harder to accept it, when people offer it.”

  • Miz Talks About The WWE Locker Room, His Influences

    WWE Champion The Miz was recently interviewed by Frian Fritz of Fanhouse.com to promote Sunday’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Here are some highlights:

    You’ve told the story before about when you first came to the WWE that there were various people in the locker room who were not very supportive of you. What is the locker room like now when it comes to you and where you are at this point of your career?

    The locker room is great now. It’s completely different because a lot of those veterans are gone, that old school mentality is kind of gone and it’s a whole new school kind of attitude and feel. It’s fresh, it’s new, it’s exciting and the locker room is pretty good. I mean, obviously, you still have a couple of jealous, wandering eyes who see me and see that I have the title. Obviously, everybody wants that. Everybody wants my spot so I have a target on my back which is fine. I’m more than willing to have a target on my back. The fact is, you’re going to miss every time because I’m still going to be the WWE Champion for a very long time.

    Do you think we’ll ever see a day when the two world titles are unified?

    “I don’t know. People have asked me that. Will they ever be unified? I don’t know if they ever will be. I think it would be a cool thing to happen at WrestleMania, to have a unification of the World Heavyweight and WWE Championship. But who knows whenever that will happen or even if it will.”

    Have there been any particular guys in the WWE that have helped influence you? For me, I think I see some characteristics in you from Chris Jericho and various things he did. Did he influence you or was there anyone else that did?

    “Yeah, I still talk to Jericho a lot. When he came back that last time, that really influenced me a lot as well as Shawn Michaels. I’ve always been a big fan of The Rock. Those guys kind of influenced me as well as working with John Cena. Last year, I had a whole program with John Cena. Working with him taught me a lot at what I had to get, where I had to go to become a top talent in the WWE and become a main evener.”

  • *SPOILERS* WWE SmackDown Tapings Results For Tonight

    WWE taped this week’s Smackdown tonight from the US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. Below are full results:

    Smackdown (Airing Friday on SyFy):

    * The show opens with footage of what happened with The Corre on last week’s show.

    * Vickie Guerrero comes out to massive heat. Randy Orton comes out to confront her and later Dolph Ziggler. They promote their upcoming tag team match for later tonight

    * LayCool come out and are attacked by Kelly Kelly and Kaitlyn. This leads to LayCool over Kelly Kelly & Kaitlyn.

    * Drew McIntyre vs. JTG with Kelly Kelly on commentary. Winner after hitting the Future Shock DDT, Drew McIntyre. After the match, Kelly Kelly gets in the ring but McIntyre brushes her off.

    * Backstage, “Dashing” Cody Rhodes will not show his face because he says Rey Mysterio broke his nose. He says he’ll be unable to compete in the Royal Rumble.

    * Backstage, World Heavyweight Champion Edge is interviewed about The Corre and tonight’s main event.

    * Alberto Del Rio comes out in a convertible Mercedes Benz and is announced by Ricardo Rodriguez. It’s time for a top rope challenge. Del Rio throws out two unidentified jobbers and out comes Kane. Kofi Kingston is the next competitor out and he eliminates both Kane and Del Rio.

    * This somehow leads to Rey Mysterio and Kofi Kingston fighting Alberto Del Rio and Kane. Vickie Guerrero comes out and declares it an official tag team match. Mid-way through the match Kane took out Del Rio and left him. Mysterio hits 619 on him and Kingston hits Trouble in Paradise to seal the victory.

    * Big Show cuts a promo but The Corre come out in new t-shirts. This leads to Show vs. Heath Slater. Show makes easy work of him, hitting a chokeslam and getting the three count. After the match, Ezekiel Jackson and The Corre take out Big Show. Babyfaces from Raw and Smackdown come out and make the save. The Corree is ran off by Santino Marella, Vladimir Kozlov, Daniel Bryan, Chris Masters and R-Truth.

    * WWE Champion The Miz w/Alex Riley & Dolph Ziggler w/Vickie Guerrero vs. World Heavyweight Champion Edge & Randy Orton. Winners after Edge hit a Spear on Dolph Zigger, Edge & Randy Orton. After the match Vickie Guerrero gets on the mic and says from this point forward the spear is banned. If Edge uses it at Royal Rumble on Sunday, the World Heavyweight Championship will go to Dolph Ziggler. Edge’s music hits the end the show.

    (Credit to Wrestling News World for these results)

  • Flair Apologizes, Hernandez Returning, Styles, LockDown

    — Ric Flair has arrived for the TNA house show in Glasgow, Scotland. When he arrived, he apologized to the locker room for the Dublin, Ireland incident. We’ll have a further update on this story later this week.

    — TNA has announced that April’s Lockdown PPV will take place at the US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. Tickets will go on sale February 18th. Earlier this week, TNA invited NFL star Chad Ochocinco, who plays for the Cincinnati Bengals, to wrestle his head coach at Lockdown in a steel cage, which has already gotten TNA a lot of local publicity for the event.

    – Hernandez has finished his duties with Asistencia Asesoría y Administración (AAA) and is expected to resurface on TNA Wrestling programming shortly. The former TNA World Tag Team Champion was sent to AAA last March as part of a talent exchange. He last appeared for TNA at Victory Road, defeating Matt Morgan in a Steel Cage Match.

    – AJ Styles is now a financial backer of a new MMA group, Fight Fusion Entertainment. The promotion debuts on February 18th at the Georgia Mountain Center in Gainesville, Georgia. The promoter is Styles’ brother.

    (Sources: pwinsider.com, Wrestling Observer Newsletter)