– Randy Orton is engaged to be married to his girlfriend of a year-and-a-half, Kim Marie Kessler. Kessler revealed the engagement this afternoon on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/KimKlro/status/617771109006635008

This will be Orton’s second marriage. In June 2013, the WWE Superstar divorced his wife of six years, Samantha Speno.

– The synopsis for the second episode of the new season of Total Divas (airing Tuesday, July 7, at 9/8 C on E!) is as follows: “WrestleMania Week is off to a rocky start as diva drama escalates. Included: Brie fears she and Bryan are facing fertility issues; Nattie worries her dad may relapse; and Paige discovers she’s unprepared for the biggest event of the year.”

Total Divas returns for its fourth season this Tuesday, July 7, at 9/8 C.

– In the wake of his match against Kofi Kingston in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday, WWE.com has released this playlist of Brock Lesnar’s most unusual and surprising opponents, including Rey Mysterio and Vince McMahon.

• Photos of Randy Orton’s girlfriend

Promoting the return of Total Divas on E! this Tuesday, at 9/8 CT, Natalya talked about what fans can expect this season in an interview with Scott Fishman of the Miami Herald.

“There is no season that can compare to this season coming up because the crazy drama that happened was more explosive than anything we’ve had in the first three seasons,” Natalya said. “The drama is still going on. I’ve always said there is no place more dangerous than the diva’s division. There is no place more dangerous in the WWE than in the diva’s locker room. I truly believe that, especially this season. The lines in the sand have been drawn. There are two different sides. It’s like every girl on the show from me to Paige to the Bellas to Alicia Fox. We all have our own opinions of where we stand with the situation. It’s just crazy to me that it has become so divided. So I’m hoping everyone can work it out. It’s gotten very uncomfortable in the locker room. Even the events that we do, its uncomfortable doing them because of where people stand on the situation.”

While managing Tyson Kidd and Cesaro in the spring, Natalya prominently dressed in black. Her change of wardrobe is addressed in an upcoming episode.

“I had a dominatrix come and visit me because I was trying a darker character on TV,” Natalya said. “My mom helped me with this woman that came over. It was pretty funny with my mom going that extra mile….I had debuted this new look that was a little darker and edgier when I walked Cesaro and TJ down to the ring. I didn’t know about what a dominatrix was or what they did. I just learned about all of it, which is covered on the show. So I didn’t realize what this woman did. So I invited her over to have some herbal tea with us. Next thing I know TJ stormed off letting me know he was a tag team champion at the time and didn’t want to be a part of this. This lady wanted him to act like a cat on the ground. You have to find out what happened by watching ‘Total Divas’ when TJ left. He was furious. So I called my mom up, but she was very obliging.”

“It was has been so interesting to watch this NXT division evolve because when you are in WWE we are all in the same tree,” Natalya said. “I feel like people on the main roster are not the only divas. The NXT divas are divas, too. I feel like we are all under this same umbrella. We are part of the WWE umbrella, so to be able to work with the girls of NXT on their show, it was awesome. Triple H and I actually had an in-depth conversation about this. Triple H believes that it’s the stories. The women are being allowed to tell stories. They are getting build and time to tell the story. It’s the story more than the wrestling.”

Natalya also spoke out on the group of women in NXT, believing they are proof that women’s wrestling is on the upswing.

“It was has been so interesting to watch this NXT division evolve because when you are in WWE we are all in the same tree,” Natalya said. “I feel like people on the main roster are not the only divas. The NXT divas are divas, too. I feel like we are all under this same umbrella. We are part of the WWE umbrella, so to be able to work with the girls of NXT on their show, it was awesome. Triple H and I actually had an in-depth conversation about this. Triple H believes that it’s the stories. The women are being allowed to tell stories. They are getting build and time to tell the story. It’s the story more than the wrestling.”

The full article is available here.

• Big Show says he doesn’t know whether he’s a face or heel

Former WWE Superstar Dan Spivey (a/k/a Waylon Mercy), who now works as a sober coach providing one-on-one assistance to recovering drug addicts and alcoholics, offered his take on the current slew of lawsuits against WWE from former performers who claim they have suffered long-term health problems from working for the organization.

He wrote on his personal Facebook page:

To my fans, I am sure you have seen posts regarding former WWF/WWE Superstars who are taking part in a law suit against Vince and the WWE. The suit is in regard to injuries incurred, wrestlers forced to work hurt and forced to take pain medication and steroids.

I just wanted to let you all know my opinion about this law suit, which simply put, I don’t agree with it.

I got into wrestling because I loved it. I wanted more than anything to be a WWF/WWE Superstar. Did I get injured? Yes. 6 hip replacements, neck fusion, knee replacement, plus a few other minor injuries, but I was never forced to work hurt and these never stopped me from living my dream. Did I work 7 days a week? Yes, because in the 80s thats what you did to be the best at what you loved. Because of the WWF/WWE I traveled the world, I became a household name, and loved it!

Did I have an addiction to drugs and alcohol? Yes, but not because of wrestling, but because of me. I can tell you, 6 years later I am clean and sober…because of the WWE. The WWE has a program in place where former WWF/WWE Superstars can go to a rehab facility, all expenses paid, no questions asked, which I was able to take advantage of. The WWE has had this program in place since 2007.

Because of the WWF/WWE they allowed me to live my dream and then helped to save my life. I have no regrets or ill feelings, I am grateful for the WWF/WWE for giving this good ole country boy a chance to live his dream. Again, I don’t agree with the law suit, and I wanted you my fans, who have been faithful to me and continue to keep the name Dan Spivey aka Waylon Mercy alive, to know my opinion in this matter.

There were a lot of good hands that never got a chance to work for the WWF/WWE, and part of the law suit is that they want to form a union. For every guy that would walk out, there would be 10 guys that would cross the picket line and work for free just to say that they worked for the WWE.

This statement is my opinion.

Thank you all for all the years that you have supported me
God Bless
Dan Spivey

The complete list of WWE drug suspensions

– Total Divas returns for its fourth season on Tuesday, July 7, at 9/8 CT on E!. The synopsis for the season premiere is as follows:

“In the Season 4 premiere, the Bellas face the consequences of quitting the WWE; at the same time, news of Eva’s new role causes chaos in the Divas division; and Nattie explores her dominatrix side.”

– After performing a stand-up comedy routine at the Kowloon Restaurant in Saugus, Massachusetts, Dolph Ziggler noted on Twitter that he would be performing another routine this afternoon, prior to the WWE live event at the TD Garden in Boston. His routine took place in the backyard of an apartment complex.

https://twitter.com/fakemikemulloy/status/614878323873812481

– The APA, John “Bradshaw” Layfield and Ron Simmons, reunited this weekend at the Florida Supercon at the Miami Beach Convention Center. In this video interview, the former WWE tandem talk about what it’s like to get back together.

• Big Show says he doesn’t know whether he’s a face or heel

Cezar Bononi, a wrestler from Brazil, has signed a contract with WWE after participating in a tryout in January with other “world-class” athletes from the country.

Earlier this week, he Instagrammed this photo of himself wearing a WWE Performance T-Shirt.

Bononi previously wrestled for the Brazilian Wrestling Federation under the name V8 Big Block. Here is a video WWE released in April through its Brazilian website documenting the tryout he took part in.

PWPIX.net – Is Jack Swagger looking to leave WWE?

WWE Tough Enough Competitors Unveiled

NEW YORK and STAMFORD, CONN – June 15, 2015 – USA Network and WWE® have announced the final 13 competitors for the high-octane reality series, WWE Tough Enough, premiering live, Tuesday, June 23 at 8/7C on USA Network and around the world. The cast was chosen from more than 11,100 submissions from 113 countries. Forty finalists attended tryouts last week at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., with only 13 making the final cut. Tough Enough Competition Special, an inside look at last week’s tryouts, will premiere on WWE Network tomorrow, Tuesday, June 16 at 8/7C, and will also air on USANetwork.com on Thursday, June 18, at 10/9C.

The final 13 WWE Tough Enough competitors are:

Mada Abdelhamid, Los Angeles, California
Hank Avery Jr., Macon, Georgia
Daria Berenato, Los Angeles, California
Joshua Bredl, Thornton, Colorado
Gabi Castrovinci, Southington, Connecticut
Patrick Clark, Jr., Washington, D.C.
Dianna Dahlgren, Spokane, Washington
Alexander Frekey, Dallas, Texas
Sara Lee, Hope, Michigan
Zamariah “ZZ” Loupe, Bayou Boeuf, Louisiana
Giorgia Piscina, Brisbane, Australia
Amanda Saccomanno, Yorktown Heights, New York
Tanner Saraceno, Boiling Springs, South Carolina

WWE Tough Enough is hosted by WWE Superstar Chris Jericho®, who will be joined by a panel of judges including WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan®, WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan® and WWE Diva Paige™. This season will combine the can’t-miss excitement of live television with reality-show drama, as WWE hopefuls vie for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become the next WWE Superstar or Diva. Unlike anything on television today, the lightning-fast hour of entertainment and competition will include live results every week, giving fans worldwide the power to decide who stays and who goes the very same night.

Every week, the three judges will each nominate one competitor they believe should be cut, and it will be up to the WWE Universe to vote and determine who they feel is “Tough Enough,” to remain in the competition. The competitor with the least number of votes will be eliminated. Throughout the season, each judge will have the ability to save one competitor from being sent home. Ultimately, one man and one woman will be considered “Tough Enough,” with each earning a one-year, $250,000 WWE contract.

Each week, the competitors will be coached by WWE Legends Booker T™, Billy Gunn™ and Lita™, and competitors will come face-to-face with WWE icons including WWE Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Vince McMahon; Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative, Paul “Triple H®” Levesque; and WWE Superstars John Cena®, Big Show® and Randy Orton®, among others.

The revolutionary WWE Tough Enough App is now available for download. This app will provide an unprecedented fan experience before, during and after the show by enabling fans to vote for who stays and who goes with results calculated in real-time during the final minutes of each episode. The app will also include competitor bios and video and social updates as the competition unfolds throughout the week.

• Who does Vince want Brock to face at WrestleMania 32?

The obituary for Virgil Runnels, Jr. (aka Dusty Rhodes), who passed away on Thursday after falling in his home the previous day, was published Sunday by The Tampa Tribune. It reads:

RUNNELS, Virgil, Jr. (aka Dusty Rhodes), left this Earth on June 11, 2015. He was sur-rounded by his four children and his loving and devoted wife. He was pre-ceded in death by parents, Virgil Runnels, Sr., Katherine Trefell and step-father, Mike Trefell. Dusty is sur-vived by his wife, Michelle Rubio Runnels; children, Dustin (Ta-rel), Kristin Ditto (Don), Teil Gergel (Kevin), and Cody (Brandi); grand-children, Dakota Runnels, Dalton and Dylan Ditto, and Maris and Kellan Gergel.

Also survived by brother, Larry (Denay) of Louisville, CO; and sister, Connie Jones (Gary) of Pensacola, FL. Dusty and Michelle spent 37 years of devoted marital bliss. He was the ultimate pro-vider and a legend for all the right reasons. The family would like to extend its deepest gratitude to Dr. Joe Chiaramonte and Bran-don Health Management for their loving care and support. The family re-quests donations in Dusty’s memory to Connor’s Cure (givetochildrens.org/connorscure) and Joe Torre Safe At Home (joetorre.org).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMCv7R2c1tA

The E! Network issued a press release this week touting the return of “Total Divas” on Tuesday, July 7 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT., and Alicia Fox is not at all mentioned. Despite the snub, she has not been dropped as a regular cast member like Cameron and Rosa Mendes.

Fox appears in the above video previewing the upcoming season and she mentioned on Instagram on Friday that she was in Mexico with her “sisters”—The Bella Twins, Natalya and Paige were filmed this week at a resort in Tulum.

The press release also previews the main storylines for Season Four. In regards to Eva Marie, she “becomes public enemy number one when word gets out that WWE has big plans in raising her profile.”

THE POWERFUL WOMEN OF WWE® RETURN IN SEASON FOUR OF E!’S “TOTAL DIVAS” PREMIERING TUESDAY, JULY 7 AT 9PM ET/PT

The Bella Twins™, Natalya™, Eva Marie™, Paige™ And Naomi™ Are Back With Their Hit Series Followed By The Series Premiere Of “Hollywood Cycle” At 10pm ET/PT

Los Angeles, CA, June 11, 2015 – E!, WWE® and Bunim-Murray Productions’ “Total Divas” returns for its highly-anticipated fourth season on Tuesday, July 7 at 9pm ET/PT. “Total Divas” continues to give the exclusive, outside-the-ring look at WWE’s top Divas, and this season all it takes is just one spark! The Bella Twins™ (Nikki and Brie Bella), Natalya™ (Nattie), Eva Marie™, Paige™ and Naomi™ (Trinity) are back and ready to heat up the summer. The ladies will continue to give viewers an inside glimpse on balancing life in the spotlight with the drama of their personal lives, and the non-stop action of their professional careers, taken to new heights with Nikki Bella as the current WWE Divas Championship titleholder.

Season three of “Total Divas” remained a powerhouse for E!, reaching 1.73M Total Viewers and 1.12M Adults 18-49 in L3 ratings, solidifying its spot as one of the network’s hottest programs. In the season three finale, the Bella Twins were contemplating signing a three-year deal with WWE, but were reluctant to commit because Brie wanted to start a family and Nikki was looking into alternative business opportunities. While the Bellas were considering the next step in their careers, Natalya, Eva Marie and newcomer, Paige, were all working on their respective romantic relationships. Paige decided to put an end to her budding romance after realizing that they just weren’t a match. Nattie and her WWE Superstar husband, Tyson Kidd™, were working through the ups and downs of their second year of marriage, and Eva Marie and her husband put their relationship, as well as her relationship with WWE, at risk when he began working as her manager.

This season, emotions will rise as all of the ladies must truly learn the art of harmonizing their rocky personal ventures and their in-ring personas. Brie Bella struggles with the injuries endured by her husband, WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan™, as well as their fertility issues. Nattie has to overcome some personal obstacles her father is battling, meanwhile dealing with her sister moving in with her and her husband. Eva becomes public enemy number one when word gets out that WWE has big plans in raising her profile. Paige lands a role in WWE Studios’ film “Santa’s Little Helper” co-starring WWE Superstar The Miz™ and wearily ventures into a new romantic relationship. Trinity navigates the unfamiliar terrain of being a stepmom to the children of her husband WWE Superstar, Jimmy Uso™, while also transitioning her in-ring character from a hero to a villain. With each Diva now becoming a serious contender for Nikki’s WWE Divas Championship title, this season is sure to be a knockout.

Season four of E!’s hit “Total Divas” returns on Tuesday, July 7 at 9pm ET/PT followed by the series premiere of E!’s “Hollywood Cycle,” a never before seen look inside the uber-popular, highly competitive world of indoor cycling at LA’s Cycle House.

“Total Divas” is produced by WWE and Bunim-Murray Productions. Gil Goldschein, Jeff Jenkins and Russell Jay are Executive Producers for Bunim-Murray Productions. Kevin Dunn and Chris Chambers are Executive Producers for WWE.

• Is Vince McMahon Trying To Break Up Lana & Rusev In Real Life?

WWE announced this afternoon that Virgil Runnels, aka “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, passed away today at the age of 69. Details have begun to surface regarding the cause of his death.

TMZ.com reports that emergency personnel responded to Rhodes’ home in Orlando, Florida at 5:56 a.m. Wednesday morning after he had taken a fall.

“Officials tell us … emergency personnel responded to Dusty’s home in Orlando, FL at 5:56 AM Wednesday morning after getting a call reporting a 69-year-old male had taken a fall.”

Rhodes was rushed to a nearby hospital where he passed away on Thursday morning. He suffered “numerous complications” due to the fall, which ultimately proved fatal.

Wrestling Observer editor Dave Meltzer also reported on Rhodes having a fall, noting that his kidneys shut down and he became dehydrated.

– Total Divas star Eva Marie revealed earlier this week on social media that she was training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. The Total Divas star will actually be training at the wrestling school for a few weeks.

My home for the next few weeks?? @WWE @WWENXT #ADayAtATime #RedStormRising #PuttinInWork pic.twitter.com/gqny52Aj5Q

— Eva Marie (@natalieevamarie) June 10, 2015

– Ava Knight-Salicka, a 26-year-old boxer from Las Vegas, Nevada, was among the 10 Tough Enough finalists eliminated on day one of the competition. Commenting on her elimination on Instagram, she said:

“Good luck to all the ladies on the show!! I was really impressed with the women and their drive and thought is surpassed the men by far. As a female athlete I love to see the women on top. My experience was great!! But I’m a boxer, a pure athlete. I’m not an actress, I’m not animated. I’m real and cutthroat about what I do and get things done without making a scene. Thanks @WWE and @WWEToughEnough for the experience.”

• Is Vince McMahon Trying To Break Up Lana & Rusev In Real Life?

Paul “Triple H” Levesque issued a statement Wednesday night responding to former WWE performer Chyna’s claim on the Opie with Jim Norton talk radio show on Sirius Radio and XM Radio that he struck her when the two dated.

Through Joe Villa, WWE Publicity Manager, Levesque said, “The false statements and reckless allegations Joan Laurer (aka Chyna) continues to make about a physical dispute are a complete fabrication. As I’ve said in the past, while Joan has had significant struggles in life, this does not justify making such claims.”

During an interview in February with former WWE creative writer Vince Russo, Chyna claimed that Levesque assaulted her during an argument where she confronted him with her suspicions that he was having an affair with Stephanie McMahon.

“So I think Hunter’s plan was to get me to leave the relationship first and then that way he can start dating Stephanie and like everything would be cool. So I would ask Hunter time and time again, I figured it was better just to address the problem and ask him honestly and I would have to believe his answer, so we got into a heated argument, we were not getting along, I told him ‘I know something’s going on. Don’t tell me something’s not going on.’ He swiped my hand, I swiped his hand, he hit me. I went back like Jerry Springer and then I was like OK that’s the deal breaker for me, the relationship is now over, so now I have to leave. After that, I know that he was crying and I know that he felt bad that he hit me, and my first initial reaction was to get up, and like I don’t know, I was just in shock and it felt like a Jerry Springer moment, it was very surreal, and I just couldn’t believe that he hit me. But he knows that like I don’t stand for physical violence, albeit we’ll get to that after with Sean [Waltman], so I knew at that point I had to leave, but I needed some sort of closure so when he was gone I started looking all over the house, and I looked into his, long story short, I looked into his briefcase and I found a love letter from Stephanie that had [been] dated a year back, so the whole time they were doing the storyline basically they were together.”

Levesque immediately responded to the allegations, releasing the following statement to CagesideSeats.com:

“The false statements and reckless allegations made by Joan Laurer (aka Chyna) on a recent podcast about a physical dispute are a complete fabrication. While Joan has had significant struggles in life, this does not justify making such claims.”

Addressing her November 2001 departure from WWE on Opie with Jim Norton, Chyna said she received a fax message from WWE one day informing her that her services were no longer needed. She said the last thing Vince McMahon said to her was that “blood is thicker than water” and that he would stay in touch with her. Chyna said she was never given a reason why WWE did not renew her contract.

Discussing Triple H’s relationship with Stephanie at the time, Chyna said she learned that ‘Hunter’ was cheating on her when she discovered a love note from Stephanie in his briefcase that was dated a year earlier. The former WWE Diva said she loved ‘Hunter’ and didn’t know that he was having an affair with Stephanie for a year. She said she was forced to leave the relationship “due to the incident that happened.” Chyna said she knew that something “wasn’t right” and searched the residence they shared for proof of her suspicions. She said she could have dealt with ‘Hunter’ and Stephanie being together “because you can’t stop love,” but didn’t like being made to feel as if she was crazy. She said ‘Hunter’ didn’t beat her and abuse her, but there was an incident. She felt if ‘Hunter’ and Stephanie had been honest with her, the end result would have been different, but it instead led to “so much chaos.”

• Is Vince McMahon Trying To Break Up Lana & Rusev In Real Life?

– The eighth annual Destination X special edition of Impact Wrestling airs tonight at 9e/p on Destination America and will feature two World Heavyweight Championship bouts, a Knockouts Championship match and three 3-way qualifying matches for the X Division Championship. Josh Mathews and The Pope break down the show in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXbvvPYsdds

– Through Twitter, Grado is hyping his return to Impact Wrestling tonight.

Tonight on @DestAmerica I return to @IMPACTWRESTLING…TO TEAR UP THE X DIVISION ???? pic.twitter.com/ybxxq7SOKO

— GRADO (@gradowrestling) June 10, 2015

– TNA stars Davey Richards and Angelina Love are now officially married.

The six-time Knockouts Champion announced her marriage to Richards Wednesday on Twitter, tweeting a photo of their wedding rings.

I am officially Mrs. Richards ???????????? @RichardsWesley pic.twitter.com/p0OLGsEGvZ

— Lauren/Angelina Love (@ActualALove) June 10, 2015

Richards and Love have been dating since early this year. The marriage is Love’s first.

• Is Vince McMahon Trying To Break Up Lana & Rusev In Real Life?

In her first interview since arriving back to the United States, former WWE Intercontinental and Women’s Champion Chyna appeared on The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast Chyna to discuss her Kickstarter campaign; The Reconstruction of Chyna a documentary that is giving her fans a look at how she plans on embarking on a journey to reclaim her life after living in exile in Japan. Highlights from the interview, which can be downloaded here, are as follows:

What Led To Spending The Last Few Years Living In Japan

“Initially I went to Japan with Antonio Inoki and ended up wrestling Masahiro Chono. It’s really the opposite end of the world there and I don’t think a lot of people really understood what was happening over there. I am Chyna in the Sports Entertainment world but then to go over into Japan and you just have a female wrestle Masahiro Chono, that was absolutely incredible. All the training I did with Inoki and mixed marital artists and some incredible guys. I just really loved Japan and it was so life changing that when I felt it was time to remove myself from all the chaos that was going on here and go away to the opposite side of the world. It’s a different culture, different language, just go and regroup and find myself a little more. Now the time is right to get back in the game and get some answers.”

What The Fans Mean To Chyna’s Career

“The fan base of professional wrestling gave me some of my happiest and the greatest days of my life. That is the base of the story. But there is definitely an arc 15 years later to where I am now and you can see the journey and it is all about being happy and finding happiness in making your mark.”

The Kickstarter Campaign For The Reconstruction of Chyna

“We wanted to do it on Kickstarter because it’s all about the fans. I am basically doing the movie with the fans and I want them to be a part of it and be a part of the movie. They are a part of my life story up to this point. That is the best way to do this and that is together. The fans can tell me more about my matches and the history that I didn’t know when it was actually happening and that is very cool.”

The Biggest Misconceptions Of Chyna

“I know about the truth and want to tell the story. There have been a lot of obstacles and a lot of great things that have been accomplished. I want that to be remembered because those are the important things and also just being happy and coming out the other side a happy accomplished person. I think that it is a story for athletes and for women and I think it is a good story. A story that needs to be told.”

• Is Vince McMahon Trying To Break Up Lana & Rusev In Real Life?

Following reports that Tyson Kidd suffered some type of injury while wrestling Samoa Joe during a dark match at last Monday’s Raw in San Antonio, Texas, WWE issued this statement on Sunday.

“Tyson Kidd sustained an injury while competing in a non-televised match against Samoa Joe last Monday night, June 1, in San Antonio. As the former WWE Tag Team Champion continues to be evaluated, check back with WWE.com for the latest information on Kidd’s condition.”

According to fans in attendance, Kidd appeared to suffer an injury to either his collarbone or neck near the end of the bout. When the match had ended, Natalya rushed to the back, Cesaro entered the ring to check on Kidd, and the referee threw up the injury call-sign of an X. Kidd was visibly upset leaving the ring, and was nursing his neck area as he went to the back.

PWInsider.com reported Thursday that Joe is not receiving any blame backstage for the injury, as it’s believed that it was a freak accident that caused Kidd to get hurt and not negligence on his part Wrestling Observer Newsletter editor Dave Meltzer was told by a WWE performer that Kidd suffered a spinal cord injury. He added in a report published on Wednesday that Kidd expects to make a full recovery from the injury and is hopeful to avoid surgery. Because of that, no timetable has been set for a return to the ring.

Kidd and his partner, Cesaro, are scheduled to challenge The New Day for the WWE Tag Team Championship on a special WWE Network-exclusive show in Japan on July 4. The team has been removed from all other dates outside of this event.

• Video of Tyson Kidd’s injury

Justin Roberts, who spent 12 years as a ring announcer for WWE, discussed his time in the company in an interview with SI.com.

Roberts, who parted ways with WWE last October after organization officials opted not to renew his contract, says his final 18 months working there were difficult.

“I was unhappy and contemplated leaving, but I didn’t just want to give up,” Roberts explained to Justin Barrasso of Extra Mustard. “It was WWE’s decision—they told me they were going a different direction and did not want to renew my contract.”

He continues, “Live events used to be really fun. It used to be myself, a production manager, and a road agent. We would make decisions and the shows would be great, but they became a lot more complicated in the last year-and-a-half. Writers who are so out of touch with wrestling fans and wrestling in general were making decisions, and it became really hard to show up to work knowing the product was suffering because of it.”

Roberts cites the 2014 Royal Rumble, where wrestling fans clamored for Daniel Bryan to win the Royal Rumble Match. He did not appear in the match, which was won by Batista and featured Rey Mysterio as the final entrant. Fans voiced their displeasure by booing Batista and Mysterio and complaining on various social media platforms.

“The crowd tells you what they want,” Roberts said. “But again, Vince [McMahon] was doing what he wanted to do. And that hurt a guy like Rey and hurt Dave Bautista. Everything about it was wrong. I was hoping they would really do what’s best for business. But [the WWE] wants to show that they controlled the show, not the crowd.”

Roberts confirmed plans to write a book about his WWE career, which is described as a tell-all by Extra Mustard—the date of publication and publisher have yet to be determined. Roberts, who devotes a great deal of time to Paul “Triple H” Levesque in his autobiography, is critical of his ability to run the sports-entertainment organization.

“Hunter is portrayed as the savior of wrestling, and people think he’ll save the business once he’s in charge,” Roberts said. “We all thought that, too, until he started running things. Paul started overseeing a bunch of divisions and one of them was live events. When he took over, our live events schedule was brutal. We’d start in one place and flew all over. Since he used to be one of the boys on the road, we thought he’d stand up and stop that, and he didn’t. The schedule got worse.

“Hunter started squashing stuff that really started getting over. If you notice, it’s all about the future, and the future is NXT. But focusing on the future shouldn’t mean ignoring the present. Zack Ryder got over huge to the point to the point where the crowd was cheering for him at Madison Square Garden while The Rock was standing in the ring. Dolph Ziggler got over. Primo and Epico [now known as Los Matadores] are fantastic wrestlers, but they get lost in the shuffle. There is a glass ceiling, and anybody they don’t want to get over is squashed despite the fans strongly getting behind them. Daniel Bryan is a rare exception, despite the company fighting it over and over.”

Shortly after his departure from WWE, Roberts says he met with UFC President Dana White about ring announcing opportunities when UFC Fight Night was held in Phoenix, Arizona, where he resides.

“I feel like I did everything there was to do as a pro wrestling ring announcer. I like UFC, and while I was there, I met with Dana White and a few other executives,” Roberts said of the December meeting. “But they have their guy [Bruce Buffer]. He does very well at UFC, and I know that and I would never try to step on his toes. If anything ever changes, you never know what the future could bring.”

In the interview, Roberts offers more insight in WWE politics and his upcoming book. He also discusses his future plans, Paul Heyman butting heads with Vince McMahon and fellow Chicago native CM Punk.

• Backstage news on why WWE Bray Wyatt may start losing a lot on TV

Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events and Creative, announced Tuesday that Lovepreet Sangha and Satender, two athletes from India, have begun training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

.@WWENXT attracts talent from all around the world. I'd like to welcome Lovepreet Sangha and Satender from India. pic.twitter.com/MrSUURtNoz

— Triple H (@TripleH) June 2, 2015

Sangha is a Kabbadi League Champion and Lead Raider, while Satender is a former wrestling champion.

Lovepreet Sangha is a world Kabbadi League Champion and Lead Raider. His speed and intensity separate him from others pic.twitter.com/c4XvSWgnTM

— Triple H (@TripleH) June 2, 2015

Satender has excelled at Indian wrestling and was crowned 2-time Kushti Indian National Heavyweight Champion. @WWENXT pic.twitter.com/Bfavuds1I4

— Triple H (@TripleH) June 2, 2015

They join an international class of 11 recruits, including former collegiate athletes, bodybuilders and wrestlers from the independent circuit, from seven countries who begun training at the WWE Performance Center in April.

“The global reach of WWE is reflected in the diversity of this class of NXT recruits,” Levesque said of the new class of recruits. “Talent is the most important natural resource we have, and these individuals will have every opportunity to hone their skills and fulfill their dream of becoming a WWE Superstar or Diva at the WWE Performance Center.”

• Triple H Talks About Asking The Undertaker Advice On Dating Stephanie McMahon

– Tonight at Elimination Chamber, Nikki Bella will defend the Divas Championship against Naomi and Paige in a Triple Threat Match. Prior to the event, she posted a message on Instagram saying she hopes to continue her reign as Divas Champion and face some new competition from the women of NXT. Nikki stated:

“As I say good bye to wine country and hello to Texas I feel revived and refreshed. Today I will prepare and get into my zone as I take on two opponents at the Elimination Chamber tomorrow on the WWE Network. Almost 200 days as your Divas Champion. I hope to continue that reign, continue to make my reign and the Divas Division better. Wish I could put this title on the line every week to a new opponent. I hope to get new competition in our Divas Division soon with NXT Women on the rise,” Bella stated.

“The future looks promising. Looks competitive. Looks tough. So happy to be apart of it. So happy for the challenges. 9 years in July I have been wrestling. There’s nothing like being passionate about your craft. 9 years into it I am still trying to be better and better. Never settle. Always strive to be the best you… Even when you feel like you are there… Keep striving… There’s always something you can work on. Stay Fearless. Love!”

– Ryback, who competed on the fourth season of Tough Enough in 2004, recalled his experience competing on the show in this interview published on WWEToughEnough.com.

“Tough Enough was my introduction into the world of WWE. Looking back, I was 22 years old, just a guy who played baseball and football my entire life, and was a fan of WWE from the age of 5 years old. Going into Tough Enough and into a WWE ring, I thought I was prepared, and I found out I had no clue, essentially,” Ryback said.

Ryback offers the following advice to the contestants who join this season’s cast.

“I’ve seen guys who spent their entire lives in the military, who are considered “tough guys,” quit after two days. I’ve seen guys come from a mixed martial arts background quit after just a few days. It takes a special mindset, and you have to have a love and a passion for WWE. As long as you respect it when you step in the ring, you’ll be all right. It’s the guys who don’t who fall off,” said Ryback.

• Sting says he was close to joining WWE to feud with Steve Austin

As reported earlier, the official Twitter account of the Bankers Life Fieldhouse announced this morning that Brock Lesnar will appear at the venue when a Raw taping takes place in Indianapolis on June 22, 2015. He is advertised to appear at additional events through July. They are:

– July 4, 2016: Live Event from Tokyo, Japan (Event Information)

– July 6, 2015: RAW taping at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois (Event Information)

– July 13, 2015: RAW taping at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia (Event Information)

– July 19, 2015: WWE Battleground pay-per-view at Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri (Event Information)

– July 20, 2015: RAW  taping at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri (Event Information)

Lesnar is expected to remain on WWE television throughout the summer, including WWE SummerSlam.

• Vince McMahon’s reason for turning Lana babyface

Brock Lesnar is being advertised to wrestle in Japan for the first time in twelve years for WWE.

The official YouTube account is promoting that the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion will be appearing at the Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan on July 4, 2015. According to WWE.co.jp, Lesnar’s opponent at the event will be WWE Tag Team Champion Kofi Kingston. It will also be his first wrestling appearance at a non-televised WWE event since 2004.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTrvQhQTDJs

On the F4WOnline.com message board, Dave Meltzer said Lesnar is working the event because he planned to visit Masa Saito, a retired Japanese wrestler, with friend Brad Rheingans (a former wrestler from Minnesota who competed for the American Wrestling Association, New Japan Pro Wrestling and briefly WWE in 1986 as an enhancement talent).

“Lesnar and Brad Rheingans wanted to go to Japan to see Masa Saito,” Melter wrote. “Just figured since he was going anyway, make it tax deductible, get his trans paid and work one show.”

Meltzer noted that Lesnar is only working that one show. Another show will be held at the same venue on July 3, 2015.

• Why does Dolph Ziggler have backstage heat?

– WWE NXT Women’s Champion Sasha Banks responded to a report attributed to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter from Dave Meltzer claiming that she missed last week’s WWE NXT events due to an injury to either her arm or shoulder.

She quoted the report on her account on Tumblr and wrote, “No I didn’t stupid news.”

After successfully defending the WWE NXT Women’s Championship against Becky Lynch at WWE NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable, Banks didn’t appear at the following night’s WWE NXT tapings, nor did she work that weekend’s non-televised events. Meltzer says he was told she suffered either an arm or shoulder injury, but is not sure whether she suffered the injury during her match against Lynch or if she entered the contest hurt. Banks was scheduled to wrestle during the fourth WWE NXT episode taping but left Full Sail University to go to the hospital when her fiancé, Sarath Ton, was legitimately knocked unconscious during a tag match teaming with Jason Jordan against The Vaudevillians. Ton was recently hired by WWE to go on the road with the main roster and work as a seamster.

– It was reported in April that Sarah Stock, formerly known as Sarita in TNA Wrestling, served as a guest trainer at the WWE Performance Center for one week that month. She has been in Orlando, Florida since last week showing the ropes to some of WWE’s female talent. Sara Del Rey, WWE NXT Assistant Head Coach, put over the internationally acclaimed grappler on Twitter on Thursday.

Great having @SSDarkAngel in with the divas this week experience/knowledge like no other @WWEPerformCtr @WWENXT pic.twitter.com/bUL2LuyOvf

— Sara Amato (@WWESaraAmato) May 28, 2015

It was reported in this week’s edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Stock, who primarily competes for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) as Dark Angel, was brought in to teach the women the Mexican style of wrestling. The same publication reported earlier this month that Stock has not wrestled for CMLL since her initial training stint at the WWE Performance Center. She will, however, be making her return to CMLL ring this Saturday in a six-women tag team match. (see poster).

• Why does Dolph Ziggler have backstage heat?

Photos from the set of the upcoming theatrical film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 have revealed Sheamus as being cast as a villainous character originating from the cartoon series of the 1980s and ’90s.

Photos, which can be seen at DailyMail.co.uk, show the WWE Superstar portraying Rocksteady, a humanoid rhinoceros. He is seen with Bebop, a humanoid warthog played by Gary Anthony Williams. Together, they are the minions of Shredder, who will face off against the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their reporter pal April, played by Megan Fox.

While they’re not mutant animals—yet—they’re both sporting their punk style from the cartoon series.

The film hits theaters June 3, 2016.

• Vince McMahon’s reason for turning Lana babyface

– NXT Champion Kevin Owens, who takes on John Cena this Sunday at Elimination Chamber, is now being advertised to compete at the July 6, 2015 Raw taping at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.

Alongside Big Show and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, he will go up against the team of United States Champion John Cena, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose in a Six-Man Tag Team Match.

“In a huge Main Event you will see United States Champion John Cena team up with Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose to take on WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, The Big Show & NXT Champion Kevin Owens in a 6-Man Tag Team Main Event!”

– Former WWE Superstar Gene Snitsky attended Tuesday’s SmackDown taping in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

#Smackdown #wilkesbarre #teamSNITSKY #itsnotmyfault #WWE #wweuniverse @deeoyea pic.twitter.com/Q76EvcW0ke

— SNITSKY (@BIGGENESNITSKY) May 26, 2015

– The official WWE website has issued a poll asking fans which Superstar is the future of WWE.

• Vince McMahon’s reason for turning Lana babyface

The official Twitter account of the Bankers Life Fieldhouse announced Thursday morning on Twitter that Brock Lesnar will appear at the venue when Raw takes place in Indianapolis on June 22, 2015.

JUST ANNOUNCED! @BrockLesnar has been added to the card for #WWEIndy here on Mon., June 22: http://t.co/9dCQfybErh pic.twitter.com/vHIrb8BzS9

— Gainbridge Fieldhouse (@GainbridgeFH) May 28, 2015

On the venue’s official website, Lesnar is advertised to appear “live.”

Lesnar has not appeared on WWE programming since the night after WrestleMania 31, where he attacked announcers Booker T, John “Bradshaw” Layfield, Michael Cole, and a cameraman when WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins turned down an immediate title rematch. This led Stephanie McMahon to suspend Lesnar indefinitely in storyline.

• Vince McMahon’s reason for turning Lana babyface

– WWE officials have begun planting seeds for a possible Triple H vs. Seth Rollins feud.

As seen Monday on Raw, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon threw a celebratory party for WWE World Champion Seth Rollins. During “Architect of a Dream,” Triple H said he sees the reflection of himself in Rollins. Between that line and Rollins adopting the Pedigree, there is talk of the two WWE Superstars clashing in the future (according to Dave Meltzer in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter).

– Samoa Joe appears on the This is Awesome Wrestling Show to talk about his debut in NXT, whether he will appear on Raw or SmackDown, leaving TNA Wrestling, his current state of mind, touring the independent circuit and more. The audio interview is available here.

– Former WWE Divas Ivory, Lita, Molly Holly, Trish Stratus and Victoria reunited on Saturday in Wilmington, North Carolina at Master of Ring Entertainment’s “Lasting Legacy: A Tribute To Women In Wrestling” event.

The ladies have arrived at @MastersofRing1's gala – tonight we celebrate #WomenInWrestling! #promnight #goldenera pic.twitter.com/1ZXr7tbQ1v

— Trish Stratus (@trishstratuscom) May 24, 2015

• Vince McMahon’s reason for turning Lana babyface

Cassam Looch of HeyUGuys interviewed Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at the press tour for San Andreas this week. Highlights from the interview are as follows:

When he will return to WWE:

“I hope soon. We’ve discussed next year’s WrestleMania, possibly. I discuss it all the time with Triple H, we’ve got a great relationship. The old man Vince—I say that respectfully because he works harder than all of us. The key with WWE, and the fans know this, I love surprising them. It’s my favorite thing, [whether] it’s on Raw or WrestleMania. I also want to make sure that when we go back, we can create something special, big and epic. Right now we’re trying to figure out what that is.”

Playing Black Adam in the upcoming Shazam movie:

“I can’t wait because he’s a unique type of villain. For the fans out there, when you know the mythology, when you start off as a slave, you’re not in a good mood! There’s a heavy wrath that a lot of people have to pay. But when it’s fueled by a righteous anger, like Black Adam, then you open up to what the character can be, which I’m really excited about. That’s why he’s not just a straightforward bad guy.”

• Vince McMahon’s reason for turning Lana babyface