SEScoops

Author: Staff

  • JR Blog: Hogan’s Rough 2010, Jack Swagger, Talent Scouting

    WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR said about:

    Hulk Hogan: “Hulk had a hellaciously challenging 2010 and here’s hoping that he has a much better 2011. Losing one’s Mom is a challenging piece of business. I was in the UK for a WWE event there when I got word that my Mom had died suddenly at age 64.”

    Jack Swagger: “WWE is taping Smackdown in Tulsa at the new, tricked out BOK Center on Tuesday January 18. I did some media for the event Thursday. Lots of Jack Swagger talk during the interview. I hope that Swagger has a big 2011 and feel that he is a long way away from his peak or approaching his potential. The former Sooner is a superb, natural athlete. The writer also asked me about the soon to be available OU Sooner Football radio gig of which is still on my ‘dream job’ list but as I have mentioned before I think it’s a long shot for me.”

    Scouting New Young Talent: “Yours truly will be headed to FCW next week to meet with and observe WWE rookies. This is one of my favorite trips to make these days as the future of WWE largely rests in the developmental program where the evolution of developing new stars begins in earnest.”

    As always, visit JRsBarBQ.com for JR’s great line of BBQ products.

  • Jim Ross Blogs MMA: Chael Sonnen, Strikeforce Tournament

    WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Ross spoke about a number of MMA topics this week – here’s what he said about:

    Chael Sonnen: “I’m still a fan of the embattled UFC fighter and hope that he gets his ‘house in order’ so that he can resume his MMA career. It won’t be easy but Sonnen’s public image can be rehabilitated as long as he’s sincere and honest about such. Even smart individuals make stupid mistakes and Chael has made a couple of very public ones. People/fans will forgive Sonnen to some degree in time.”

    Strikeforce’s Upcoming Heavyweight Tournament: “Good idea by Scott Coker. Timely considering that the UFC’s heavyweight division is seemingly in somewhat a state of flux largely due to injuries. I’m hoping that Coker/Strikeforce can craft the bracket that they envision, that the fighters don’t become problematic due to ego or injury, and that Showtime doesn’t try and become ‘match makers.’ Imagine NBC telling a NFL team who to play and what plays to run. Showtime might want to focus on how to produce effective personality profiles so that casual fans will have a clue as to who the heavyweights actually are and why all fans should watch the tournament. Emotional investment is just as crucial in MMA as it is in pro wresting. Same for the NFL as evidenced as to how important the ‘home field advantage’ is during the playoffs.”

  • Low Ki & Homicide Booked For NJPW US Tour – Tickets On Sale

    Jersey All Pro Wrestling, which is working with New Japan to co-promote its upcoming tour of the Northeast US, issued this statement on Friday, giving new details about the tour. Former WWE star Kaval (Low Ki) and former TNA star Homicide are both booked for the tour.

    Invasion Tour 2011 Attack on The East Coast

    The biggest wrestling promotion in Japan is coming to the United States. New Japan Pro Wrestling will present 3 events here beginning Friday May 13, 2011.

    May 13, 2011 Rahway Recreation Center, Rahway NJ 8:00 pm Bell. Meet and Greet with the wrestlers at 5:30 pm (Special ticket required) Doors open to all other ticket holders at 7:00pm.

    May 14, 2011 The New Basketball City Pier 36 and South Street, NYC. 8:00 Bell. Meet and Greet with the wrestlers at 5:30 pm (Special ticket required) Doors open to all other ticket holders at 7:00 pm.

    May 15, 2011 The Arena Philadelphia, PA. 5:00 Bell Meet and Greet with the wrestlers at 2:30pm. (Special ticket required) Doors open to all other ticket holders at 4:00 pm.

    From New Japan you will see Jado and Gedo, Jushin Liger, Tiger Mask, Tanahashi, Nakamua, Taguchi, Okada, Giant Bernard, Karl Machine Guns Anderson, Prince Devitt and Kenny Omega plus others to be announced.

    From JAPW you will see Low Ki and Homicide, plus others to be announced.

    Every night fans will have the opportunity to see all different matches.

    Tickets for this historic event will go on sale at 9:00 pm Today January 6th. for the New Jersey and Philadelphia shows. Tickets for the New York event will be on sale shortly.

    JAPW Promotions will also announce this weekend a very special clinic for wrestlers on Friday May 13th. This clinic will be conducted by the wrestlers of New Japan and will be attended by their top management and bookers.

    Also watch for special appearances by New Japan talent in conjunction with JAPW Promotions as we get closer to this historic event.

    If you require any event info please e-mail us at NJPWevent@aol.com.

    The link for tickets is www.japw.net/njpw.

  • Big Update On The Fan Suing The Rock, Triple H & WWE

    Earlier this week, wrestling fan Ronald Basham sued World Wrestling Entertainment, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Paul “Triple H” Levque, claiming he was injured while in the audience at WWE’s Judgement Day pay-per-view back in 2000.

    During the main event of that show, The Rock battled Triple H in a street fight, with the two wrestlers brawling into the crowd. Basham alleges that he was injured during the brawl and says WWE failed properly provide adequate security for its customers. Both Johnson and Levesque have been accused of “reckless, willful and wanton conduct.” He claims to have suffered lingering injuries over the past decade as a result of the incident and recently had knee surgery, for which he’s seeking compensation.

    Well, according to TMZ.com, Basham’s leg couldn’t have been too badly hurt by The Rock and Triple H, because he played high school football and has participated in stock car racing for years. Up until his lawsuit was filed, his Facebook page featured various photos of him raacing cars, including pictures of him crashing into a wall.

    Basham’s lawyer tells TMZ.com, “He has a long medical history with knee problems and as far as I know his knee was never injured [from racing cars].”

    Considering his high school football career and his habit of crashing race cars into walls, it seems he will have a difficult time proving WWE, The Rock and Triple H are the ones responsible for his recent knee surgery.

    Nice try though!

  • *SPOILERS* WWE SmackDown Tapings Results For Tonight

    * Percy Watson defeated Chavo Guerrero in a dark match that took place prior to SmackDown.

    * In the opening match, World Heavyweight champion Edge defeated Kane in a Last Man Standing match.

    * Kofi Kingston pinned Dolph Ziggler to win the WWE Intercontinental championship. After the match, Ziggler attacked Kingston. Vickie Guerrero cut a promo demanding a restart. Kingston won again.

    * Backstage, Drew McIntyre and Kelly Kelly had a segment.

    * #1 Contender’s match: Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Big Show. Vickie Guerrero came out and added Dolph Ziggler to the match. Dolph Ziggler pinned Cody to become the number one contender. Wade Barrett came out during the match and attacked Big Show.

    * Another promo aired hyping Ezekiel Jackson’s move to SmackDown.

    * Michelle McCool pinned Kelly Kelly. LayCool attacked Kelly after the match but Drew McIntyre hit the ring and cleared it to make the save.

    * In a Best of Three Falls, match, Alberto Del Rio got the first fall on Rey Mysteiro. Del Rio avoided the 619 and nailed the rolling armbreaker for the first fall. Rey came back to win the second fall. Del Rio scored the pin in Fall Three after Ricardo holds Rey’s leg down. Rey kicked the crap out of Ricardo after the match.

  • Update On Movie Theaters Showing WrestleMania In 3D

    With the increasing popularity of 3D feature films and 3D televisions becoming more accessible to consumers, WWE has been working on producing its own 3D content. According to a reliable source, WWE is negotiating with Fathom Events to air this year’s WrestleMania 27 pay-per-view in 3D in movie theaters across the United States.

    While the idea of WrestleMania 3D sounds pretty amazing, fans should not get their hopes up just yet – as the two parties have still not yet come to terms on [what else] money.

    According to a new report from the Chicago Independent Press, WWE wants 47 percent of PPV revenue for 3D buys, which is standard for WWE PPVs, but Fathom reportedly wants a larger cut. WWE also wants 60-70 percent of revenue from theaters but Fathom isn’t willing to give that much away.

    The negotiations have reportedly stalled and with WrestleMania coming up in just 3 months, the window opportunity for both sides to reach an agreement is closing.

  • CHIKARA Promotion Purchased By Entertainment Company

    California-based Worldwide Media Development Corporation, a company which describes itself as “one of the world’s leading and most respected entertainment development companies,” has announced that it has purchased the CHIKARA indy promotion. Here’s the official announcement:

    January 3, 2011 – Philadelphia, PA

    Worldwide Media Development Corporation (WMDC) of Reseda, CA is proud to announce the acquisition of CHIKARA, Inc./Five Star Promotions of Philadelphia, PA, effective today. Robert Lippincott, Executive Director for WMDC finalized the agreement of sale through the assistance of Karen Wright, acting vice-president of acquisitions.

    “Karen (Wright) and Anton (Frady) deserve all the credit for bringing this exciting property to Worldwide. After nine seasons of reinventing an entire genre from the bottom up, CHIKARA is the premiere brand in its field, and it’s time for the rest of the world to find out why.”

    It is expected that some of the directors from CHIKARA/Five Star will remain on during the transitional period. “I understand that Dave Coulier has an office there,” Lippincott remarked, “and I’d really look forward to doing lunch with him (laughs.)”

    For more information on Chikara, visit ChikaraPro.com.

    Are you a fan of Chikara? Should we cover more Chikara news here on SEScoops.com? Comment below and let us know what you think.

  • Triple H’s Power In WWE, Cena & Mysterio Injury Updates

    – With Shane McMahon gone from WWE, Vince McMahon’s daughter Stephanie and her husband Triple H are seen as the successors to the WWE empire. Triple H has been a power player behind the scenes for years and many in the company see this year as a time when Vince will shift more responsibilities to his son in law. While Vince is not going anywhere any time soon, the overall feeling within WWE is that the company will be in good hands under Triple H and Stephanie.

    – There’s still no word yet on the severity of John Cena’s hip injury or when he will be ready to return to action. Everybody is hoping that Cena will be healthy enough to compete at the Royal Rumble and he will be keeping a very light schedule until then.

    – As we reported earlier this week, Rey Mysterio has been pulled from this weekend’s WWE live events and will be replaced by Big Show in matches against Alberto Del Rio. This is part of John Laurinaitis agreeing to give Mysterio an even easier schedule while he’s recovering from a shoulder tear. Rey will continue to work television and pay-per-view events, but like Cena, will be kept off live events for the time being while his injury heals.

    (Credit to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter for the info used in this report)

  • NXT News: First Elimination, Updated Win/Loss Records

    – SmackDown star Dolph Ziggler won a Pros Battle Royal on Tuesday night’s WWE NXT which allowed him to switch out his Rookie. Ziggler dropped Jacob Novak, who was later eliminated, and selected up Byron Saxton as his new Rookie. Chris Masters, who had Byron Saxton, was given Jacob Novak.

    – Coming out of this week’s WWE NXT, Rookie Derrick Bateman still has a win-loss record of 0-3 while Conor O’Brian still leads the pack with a record of 2-0. Jacob Novak was eliminated with a record of 1-2.

    Here’s the updated win-loss records for this season:

    • Conor O’Brian: 2-0
    • Byron Saxton: 3-1
    • Brodus Clay: 2-1
    • Johnny Curtis: 1-3
    • Derrick Bateman: 0-3
    • Jacob Novak (eliminated): 1-2

  • Update On WrestleMania Plans, Average RAW Rating For 2010

    – With WrestleMania 27 now less than 3 months away, WWE’s creative team reportedly has come up with 6 matches for the event that they hope to build towards in the coming months.

    The top two matches WWE is set on are The Miz defending the WWE Championship against John Cena and The Undertaker putting his streak on the line against former Nexus leader Wade Barrett. The Barrett vs. The Undertaker match would be a continuation of the angle that took place at Survivor Series, where Nexus took out the Undertaker and helped Kane bury him alive in their World Heavyweight title match.

    The Undertaker is still recovering from shoulder surgery and it’s not 100% that he’ll be healthy enough to work a singles match in  time for WrestleMania, so there are various backup scenarios being discussed.

    – One of the biggest stories of 2010 was the decline in WWE’s overall business – from pay-per-view buyrates to house show attendence and merchandise sales. WWE’s ratings were no different – with the average RAW rating for the year taking a dip from prior years.

    For the year of 2010, WWE’s Monday Night RAW averaged a 3.28 cable rating – down 8% from 2009’s 3.57 average.  By comparison, RAW averaged a 3.27 in 2008, a 3.61 in 2007 and a 3.9 back in 2006.

  • Bischoff Interview: Goals For TNA In 2011, Sting-WWE HOF

    TNA’s Eric Bischoff was the featured guest on this week’s live edition (01/03/11) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem.

    Eric Bischoff Discusses The Build-Up To Matt Morgan & Mr. Anderson’s #1 Contender’s Match At Genesis, If There Is Concern In TNA About The Current World Title Picture With Jeff Hardy’s Legal Situation, Why He Is Not Satisfied With The Immortal Storyline To This Point Thus Far/How Hulk Hogan’s Return From His Back Surgery Could Possibly Change That, Sting’s & Kurt Angle’s TNA Futures In 2011, Whether Or Not It’s Difficult For TNA To Run On The Same Network As The UFC, The Chances Of Seeing Him On TNA House Shows Stateside & Internationally This Year, What He Misses The Most About WCW, & If The Wrestling Pay-Per-View Industry As We Know It Needs To Change.

    You can listen to an MP3 of the interview at by clicking here (MP3).

    His most realistic goal that he would like to achieve personally with TNA in the new year:

    “On a personal level, I would love to be part of TNA’s strategic growth. I think that’s one of the biggest challenges right now that TNA has. I would love to see more programming out of TNA across different channels, as well as potentially on Spike TV. Different types of programming. I think all of those things, just like we’re seeing in WWE (the fact they’re bringing back Tough Enough), that is an perfect example, I think, of what TNA needs to do to grow their brand. You can’t keep preaching to the same choir over and over and over again and expect to grow the congregation, so to speak.”

    His thoughts about the main event #1 Contender’s Match at Genesis Pay-Per-View between “The Blueprint” Matt Morgan and Mr. Anderson & TNA giving a “strong build” through the past several weeks on iMPACT & ReAction to their main event this Sunday night:

    “I think we had a great build to the # 1 contenders match in the three-way at Bound for Glory. In this particular case, I think we have a good slow & strong build. I think what makes the story resonate with people probably is there’s enough reality in the story that it’s plausible, and it’s believable. The more reality in a story, the more I think I people gravitates towards it.”

    Why he is not satisfied with the Immortal storyline to this point thus far, the impact that Hulk Hogan’s back injury had in the changing of TNA’s initial plans for it, & why he is excited to see where things go in the very near future on TNA programming (with a “much more effervescent Hulk Hogan”):

    “No I’m not. Clearly there was a pretty big setback with Hulk Hogan, which forced us to kind of shift on the fly, in terms of that storyline. At this point, the story is not where we wanted it to, be but as frustrated or disappointed I may be about that, it’s part of life. But I’m equally as excited about where it’s going to go in the very near future. I talk to Hulk almost every other day, if not every day, and he’s getting better. I think the prognosis for him & his ability to become active and a part of the story in a much better way: You’re going to see a much more effervescent Hulk Hogan than we’ve probably seen in a couple years, and I think the story’s going to evolve very nicely.”

    Whether Sting will be returning to TNA in 2011 or if we will see him sign with the WWE, especially with the speculation of a WCW-themed Hall of Fame class as part of WrestleMania XXVII weekend in Atlanta:

    “If I had to guess, and if he is going to sign another agreement, which I’m not sure he is going to do at this stage of his career, my bet would be that he is going to sign with TNA. I’m not sure what Sting’s motivations are at this point. I know physically he’s told me on more than one occasion that it’s getting harder & harder to deliver the type of performances that he wants to deliver in the ring for his fans. That’s got to be a big part of his consideration. I think realistically, if he would go to the WWE, there would be some additional pressure, much more than in TNA, to perform in the ring, and that would be a hard thing for him to do at this point in his career.”

  • Matt Hardy Talks Returning To WWE, The PG Era & More

    Former WWE superstar Matt Hardy appeared on the Hit The Ropes radio show this week. Here are some highlights of what Hardy said about:

    The “PG Era” In WWE: “I see why they do it; I don’t necessarily agree with it. I think it puts them in a tough spot. I think it’s still cool that TNA has the ability to do things that are a little edgy. But once again, you don’t need people bleeding every match and you don’t need every match to be a ladder match. I think things have to be promoted smart and wisely.”

    Starting An Indy Promotion: I’ve talked with different guys about it already and I’ve definitely started making some small plans and as time goes on they’ll start materializing more and more.”

    Returning To WWE: “If I did go back there I would want to go back there and work a part-time schedule. I just think my body, where I’m at right now, I’m past working 300-plus days a year right now… I’d still be willing to work hard and work a majority of the shows but still not just out there in the trenches, day in and day out, like I have been for the past 13 years.”

  • JR Blog: Sting In The HOF, Paul Orndorff’s Cancer, WWE’s MVP

    WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with another blog update, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com As always, check out JR’s website for his delicious line of BBQ products. Here are some highlights of what Ross said about:

    Sting In The WWE Hall of Fame:

    We’re getting lots of emails and Tweets, @JRsBBQ, regarding Sting these days. BTW has he left TNA? I actually don’t know the answer to that one but suspect that Sting is still officially with TNA. Nonetheless many fans hope that Sting is inducted in the WWE HOF in Atlanta at WM27. Theoretically, if Sting were not working for another wrestling company, it would be a splendid idea. It still might be but that’s not for me to speculate on. Sting was the first and only WCW star that Turner’s people ‘made’ in Atlanta that never wrestled for WWE as best that I recall.

    Paul Orndorff Announcing He Has Cancer:

    Sorry to hear of Paul Orndorff was recently diagnosed with having cancer. PO is a tough man, I know this without hype or speculation, and saw him in action as a young dude being mentored by Cowboy Bill Watts in Mid South Wrestling. Paul was a former running back for the University of Tampa and played with former NFL star Freddie Solomon. Our prayers are with PO and I have complete faith that Mr. Wonderful will be physically wonderful at the end of the day. Paul was a helluva hand in his day who was never afraid of ‘heat’ when he was one of the most hated villains in the business. Trust me, all wrestling villains could not honestly say that they had absolutely no fear of intense, fan angst but Mr. Wonderful could.

    Who Will Be The MVP Of WWE In 2011

    Who will be WWE MVP by year’s end. If he stays healthy an argument could be made, at least in my point of view, that it might be CM Punk. Punk knows how to be physical and punishing in logical, easy to follow methods plus the guy can talk. Those traits work for me. Plus he won’t miss work, moan about non, major injuries and seems to never burn out.

  • Daniel Bryan Interview: Dream Feud, Wrestling Cena & More

    Here are some highlights of what Daniel Bryan said to Slam Wrestling during a recent interview:

    His Cattle Mutilation Submission Hold:

    “I didn’t really believe the Cattle Mutilation would get over with the WWE Universe, and the reason why is because it’s such a TV-oriented product. There are a lot of downfalls to it. (In the Cattle Mutilation) you can’t see the other guy’s face, and on top of that, it’s very difficult to do it to big guys; I don’t have long arms. For example Ezekiel Jackson — he’s an enormous guy — there’s no way I’d be able to hook my arms through his arms like that. It was more me — no one mentioned anything to me about it. I’ll occasionally throw the Cattle Mutilation out there in places where I think there’s more of the independent fanbase, just as a tribute to them because they’re the people who got me to where I am today.”

    Who He Wants To Feud With:

    “CM Punk moved over to the Raw brand, so I’m actually hoping that me and him get to feud a little bit. We got to wrestle in the independents and we had some really good matches and I think the WWE Universe would be really excited about it.”

    “I’d love to wrestle Tyson Kidd. We tag teamed in New Japan Pro Wrestling back in 2003 and I think we even did a singles match in Budokan Hall in Japan.” ?

    His 2003 Match Against John Cena On Velocity:

    “It hasn’t been brought up between the two of us, I haven’t seen it in years. The match was almost scrapped. That was the night he was going to come out in an interview and do something with Brock Lesnar. He was doing this major, main event thing, so they (WWE’s bookers) were saying, ‘We don’t want him in this Velocity match with an independent guy.’ I thought it was a good match and it gets me excited because I know we both progressed in our careers and if we ever got to wrestle again it would be really good.”

    In case you haven’t seen it, here’s a video clip of Daniel Bryan’s (then Bryan Danielson) match against John Cena back in 2003:

  • Paul Orndorff Talks About His Cancer, Never Being WWE Champ

    Busted Open with ‘Mr. Wonderful’ Paul Orndorff
    Hosts: Dave LaGreca & Doug Mortman
    Mondays and Wednesdays from 2-4 PM ET

    Here are some highlights of what Paul Orndorff said about:

    Never having held the WWF Championship: “I was a rebel. I’m proud and I’m not proud of that. I let my work do my talking. I wasn’t a very good politician. I said what I thought. I did what I thought was right for me and my family. Were they the right thing? I don’t know. Were they the wrong thing? I don’t know. Am I rich? Hell no. I have cancer right now. I wished I had saved some of my money…but that’s just the way it is.”

    Where he is with his Cancer: “I don’t know, I’m going to the doctors and they’re doing things and I brought that up not for sympathy but because I don’t want it. I just found out. And I’m sitting here telling you all this stuff because I wonder if maybe I should have just played the game.”

    The difference between the WWE and Professional Wrestling Halls of Fame (he is in both): “Well one is chosen by your peers, and one is chosen by Vince McMahon. I would pick the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (as the most prestigious) because it’s chosen by the people you worked with. I think it holds more ground. Why would the NFL or baseball do it (that way) if it wasn’t the way to go?”

    Randy Savage and Bruno Sammartino not being in the WWE Hall of Fame: “Well they didn’t kiss (McMahon’s) ass. Of course a lot of guys didn’t kiss his ass believe it or not. I damn sure didn’t…That’s just life. It’s nice that I’m in (the WWE Hall of Fame), but if I had to choose between the two, (I would choose) the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.”

  • Fan Sues The Rock, Triple H & WWE Over 2000 PPV Incident

    A wrestling fan from Indiana is suing World Wrestling Entertainment and wrestlers Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Paul Levesque (Triple) H for an incident that happened at WWE Judgement Day 2000 from Louisville, Kentucky.

    During the main event of Judgement Day between The Rock and Triple H, the two wrestlers brawled into the crowd and the fan alleges that he was injured during the scuffle.

    The lawsuit accuses the WWE of failing to properly provide adequate security for its customers. Both Johnson and Levesque are accused of “reckless, willful and wanton conduct.” The fan is seeking a jury trial and compensatory and punitive damages.

    Harris Berman, the fan’s attorney, said that because the fan was only 7 years old (a minor) at the time of the incident, the lawsuit is not prohibited by the statute of limitations. According to Mr. Berman, the fan has been to various doctors over the years concerning his leg and recently had surgery, spurring him to file the lawsuit.

    For more on this story, visit Courrier-Journal.com.

  • NJPW Announces Northeast US Tour & New Title Belt

    New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced it will be touring the United States in May and will be holding a tournament to crown its first ever IWGP Intercontinental champion.

    Here are the official details of the “NJPW INVASION TOUR 2011: ATTACK ON EAST COAST:”

    ~ Press Conference introducing the “Invasion: Attack on East Coast” tour and Fan Meet & Greet – May 12 – in NEW YORK.

    ~ INVASION TOUR DAY 1 – May 13 – New Jersey
    Rahway Recreation Center in RAHWAY NEW JERSEY

    ~ INVASION TOUR DAY 2 – May 14 – New York
    at the 36 Pier in NEW YORK, NY

    ~ INVASION TOUR DAY 3- May 15 – Pennsylvania Convention
    location: Asylum Arena (formerly ECW Arena), Philadelphia Pennsylvania

    ~ On 5/16 There will be a final fan event scheduled.

  • 300×600 Fight Day Test

  • Matt Hardy Talks About Jeff’s Legal Issues & Tag Team Wrestling

    The Poughkeepsie Journal has published a new interview with former WWE superstar Matt Hardy, which you can read here in its entirety. Here are some highlights of what Matt said about:

    WWE’s Main Goal, His Favorite Performer & The Sad State Of Tag Team Wrestling:

    “It saddens me and it bothers me. Looking at WWE, their main goal right now is to search for the next big thing that can draw. John Cena is the guy that is the centerpiece.

    “Randy Orton is probably my favorite performer right now. But they still can’t find that one person like a Stone Cold Steve Austin or The Rock that can spark the business to burn through the economy. That’s what they’re looking for and Vince, or WWE, isn’t going to focus on tag team wrestling or a cruiserweight division.”

    What’s Changed The Most Since He First Joined WWE:

    “What’s changed the most, by far, is true creative freedom. When we started with WWE, there was one writer, Vince Russo, and there was Ed Ferrara and those guys really dealt with the top five to eight guys in the company … Now, they try to take so much control over what everybody does. You have to be able to walk a tight line without a net. Sometimes, you’ll fail miserably and sometimes, you’ll look great. Everything is so choreographed now, especially with promos.”

    His Brother Jeff’s Legal Issues:

    “There’s definitely a lot more to everything than meets the eye. I hate it for Jeff. So many people jump to conclusions and that’s where information and the Internet can be somewhat of a negative. With the Internet having such a strength, a snowball effect becomes a full-fledged storm.”

  • Brock Lesnar Announces New Book, Jim Ross Comments

    WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog with his thoughts about former WWE superstar turned UFC fighter Brock Lesnar’s new book. Ross wrote:

    “[Lesnar’s] new book about his life and times that’s co-written with Paul Heyman is due out April 19. It will be interesting to see how many book signings the intensely private Lesnar does but as the old saying goes, “A signed book is a sold book.” Most MMA insiders think that Lesnar will next fight in July for UFC. With Lesnar off the radar and with nothing currently, publically established for his return, many die hard MMA fanatics seemingly have used that opportunity and Lesnar losing the UFC Heavyweight Title to start ‘hating on’ Brock again. Amazing. Lesnar will never fully live down his time in WWE to many MMA purists. “

    Speaking of Brock Lesnar’s book, he posted a video on YouTube this week explaining that the book will be about his life story and his fight to the top of WWE and UFC, despite all the doubters. Here’s the announcement:

  • *Spoiler* New #1 Contender & Title Change At SD Tapings

    Warning: The following contains a Spoiler for Friday’s WWE SmackDown:

    At Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown tapings from the Tucson Convention Center in Arizona, Kofi Kingston defeated Dolph Ziggler to capture the Intercontinental Championship. Kofi pinned Dolph to capture the belt when Vickie Guerrero came out and demanded that the match be restarted. It was restarted and Kofi won again, walking away champion.

    Later in the tapings, there was a #1 Contender’s match for the World Heavyweight championship with Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Big Show. Vickie Guerrero came out and added Dolph Ziggler to the match. Ziggler pinned Cody Rhodes to become the number one contender. Former Nexus member Wade Barrett came out during the match and attacked the Big Show.

    As the new #1 contender, Ziggler likely challenge for Edge’s title at the Royal Rumble.

  • *Spoiler* Wade Barrett & Nexus’ Future Revealed

    Warning: The following contains a Spoiler for Friday’s WWE SmackDown:

    At Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown tapings, former Nexus member Wade Barrett made a surprise appearance and attacked the Big Show during a #1 contender’s match that was won by Dolph Ziggler.

    After Barrett was kicked out of Nexus on Monday’s RAW, his is now reportedly being moved to the SmackDown brand, reports PWInsider.com.

    Barrett will not be turning face as part of his exit from Nexus and will not be putting much more of a fight to get back with his former group. Nexus will move on without Barrett, with CM Punk as its new leader as we begin the new year.

  • Chael Sonnen Likely Won’t Do Jail Time – UFC Contract “Frozen”

    After pleading guilty to money laundering in connection with mortgage fraud, UFC fighter Chael Sonnen’s contract has been “frozen,” according to UFC president Dana White. White spoke exclusively to TMZ.com and had this to say about Sonnen’s situation

    “Chael Sonnen has gone through a lot in the last few months and we think it’s important for him to focus on getting his personal life together before focusing on his career in the UFC.”

    White added, “I spoke with Chael earlier today and he agrees that setting priorities in his life is the best thing for him right now. I sincerely hope Chael is able to straighten out his personal life.”

    Sonnen was facing upto 20 years in federal prison and a $500,000 fine, but reportedly struck a plea deal and will probably only get two years probation and a $10k fine.

  • DGUSA Announces 3-Night Kamizake USA Gauntlet Challenge

    Dragon Gate USA has announced that Open The Freedom Gate champion BxB Hulk will defend his title three nights in a row (January 28-30) against the members of the Kamizake USA stable. BxB Hulk will “run the guantlet” against the members of Kamizake USA on the following shows:

    • Friday January 28th from Manhattan, NY (BB Kings):
      OTFG Champion BxB Hulk vs. YAMATO
    • Saturday January 29th from Philadelphia, PA (ECW Arena):
      OTFG Champion BxB Hulk vs. Jon Moxley
    • Sunday January 30th – Union City, NJ (ACE Arena):
      OTFG Champion BxB Hulk vs. Akira Tozawa

    Check out this promo from Kamizake USA member Jon Moxley issuing the challenge to BxB Hulk:

  • Strikeforce Announces Heavyweight Tournament, Fedor Re-Signs

    The Strikeforce MMA promotion has announced that Fedor Emelianenko has signed a new multi-fight contract with the promotion and will compete in Strikeforce’s upcoming World Grand Prix Heavyweight Tournament, starting on February 12th.

    The following first-round matches will be part of the tournament:

    • Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva.
    • Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov.
    • Brett Rogers vs. Josh Barnett.
    • Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum.

    Here’s the official press release from Strikeforce:

    WORLD GRAND PRIX HEAVYWEIGHT TOURNAMENT
    Quarterfinals Begin Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011
    Live on SHOWTIME® From IZOD Center, E. Rutherford, N.J.

    NEW YORK (Jan. 4, 2011) – World championship Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotions STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL, in association with premium television network SHOWTIME have signed a new, multi-year agreement to co-promote events headlined by the MMA legend Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko (31-2, 1 NC).

    In addition, STRIKEFORCE has assembled eight of the world’s top ranked heavyweights to compete in the STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix – Heavyweight Tournament, a three-stage, single-elimination tournament that will take place over several events in 2011.  The first two quarterfinal fights begin on Saturday, Feb. 12, live on SHOWTIME from the IZOD Center in E. Rutherford, N.J. In the main event, the 34-year-old Emelianenko will face the towering Antonio “Big Foot” Silva (15-2) in a STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL co-promoted event.  Co-featured on Feb. 12, former world champion Andrei Arlovski (15-8) will face Sergei Kharitonov (16-4), the last man to defeat current STRIKEFORCE Heavyweight World Champion Alistair “The Demolition Man” Overeem.

    The other two quarterfinal matchups are as follows: Overeem (34-11, 1 NC) will face the only man to tap out Fedor, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Fabricio Werdum (14-4-1), while the heavy-handed Brett “The Grim” Rogers (11-2) will meet a hungry Josh Barnett (29-5). The location and date for these quarterfinal tournament fights are to be announced.

    “We are thrilled to have come to a long-term agreement with Fedor and M-1 GLOBAL,” said STRIKEFORCE CEO Scott Coker. “To have the greatest MMA fighter of all-time put his legacy on the line in a single-elimination tournament will truly captivate MMA fans worldwide. STRIKEFORCE is home to the best heavyweight division in the world; the athlete who runs the gauntlet in a tournament such as this would have to be considered the best heavyweight fighter in the world.”

    “I’m very pleased to be working with SHOWTIME and STRIKEFORCE and Mr. Coker and Mr. Hershman personally. Thanks to their interest and efforts, we’ve created what will go down in history as MMA’s greatest heavyweight tournament of all time,” said Vadim Finkelchtein, co-founder of M-1 Global. “M-1, STRIKEFORCE and SHOWTIME have built a partnership committed to the future growth of MMA—a sport where organizations represent a working collaborative that enable the best fighters in the world to fight each other. This agreement benefits everyone, especially the fans who’ll see Fedor in action more often.

    “With SHOWTIME’s significance in the U.S. and M-1’s development of the European and Asian MMA markets, the cooperation will also deliver a global roster of talented fighters to viewers,” Finkelchtein continued. “During the coming year, we’ll be showcasing spectacular Grand Prix events using the same M-1 Selection tournament format, a series of events generating enthusiastic spectator interest keeping fans glued to their screens.”

    “I can’t think of a better way to start 2011 than with this major announcement,” said Ken Hershman, Executive Vice President and General Manager of SHOWTIME Sports®. “Fedor is universally known to sports fans throughout the world and it is an honor to continue our work with M-1 GLOBAL and STRIKEFORCE in presenting this legendary fighter to SHOWTIME subscribers.

    “SHOWTIME has enjoyed great success with its two most recent boxing tournaments—the Super Six World Boxing Classic and The Bantamweight Tournament,” Hershman continued. “And now, with the breadth of talent in the STRIKEFORCE heavyweight division, we have the privilege of staging one of the biggest tournaments in the history of this growing sport.  With the STRIKEFORCE World Grand Prix’s single-elimination format and the biggest names in the sport today, this tournament is something that no sports fan will want to miss.”

    “I have been training very hard since my last fight and can’t wait to get back in the cage,” said the 6-foot, 235-pound Emelianenko, who hails from Stary Oskol, Russia and is promoted by M-1 GLOBAL.  “STRIKEFORCE has assembled a roster filled with the best heavyweights in the world and, together with M-1 GLOBAL, we have the opportunity to fight the best in a great tournament format.”

    Fedor’s unprecedented, record-setting run of 28 professional MMA bouts without a defeat has prompted many MMA enthusiasts to label Fedor as the greatest of all time. Since his career began 10 years ago, Fedor has faced and defeated many rival superstars and champions of this era including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Andrei Arlovski and Mark “The Hammer” Coleman.

    In what ranks among the most watched MMA fights in the United States, Fedor made his live primetime network television debut on Nov. 7, 2009 on CBS, when he defeated unbeaten rising star Brett Rogers in a STRIKEFORCE and M-1 GLOBAL co-promoted event.  Despite a difficult first round in which he sustained a deep cut above his eye, Fedor turned the tide early in the second round with one vicious right-hand punch and finished Rogers shortly after.

    Then, on June 26, 2010, Fedor suffered a stunning upset at the hands of Werdum, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., in one of the most watched MMA bouts on SHOWTIME.  Werdum, who has defeated a host of top rivals including Overeem, Silva and Brandon “The Truth” Vera, trapped Fedor’s arm in a triangle armbar that forced Fedor to tap out at the 1:09 mark of the opening round.

    Fedor has only one other official loss on his record, the result of a doctor stoppage due to a cut he sustained seconds into a matchup with Japan’s Tsuyoshi Kosaka on Dec. 22, 2000.  Fedor avenged the TKO loss with his own first-round TKO of Kosaka at a PRIDE Fighting Championships event in Japan on April 3, 2005.