The Harvard-educated attorney, who has not competed on television since the March 18 edition of Raw, resurfaced last month in an interview for WWE.com as he weighed in on Big Show’s counter-lawsuit against The Authority.
– CM Punk saved a message on Twitter from an upset fan about being snubbed by him on Wednesday in Nottingham, England outside the Nottingham Capital FM Arena. Writing to AJ Lee (and not Punk), the message states, “Wish I could of said hello to you today. My mum asked cm punk nicely and he made me and my mum cry. I don’t like him anymore.”
The fan is claiming that as fans were snapping photos of Punk outside the venue, her mother asked Punk permission to do so as well. Punk gave an angry response, as the fan claims he shouted at both of them.
Last week on Twitter, former WWE star Bob “Hardcore” Holly criticized Punk for not being friendlier to fans.
@carlaking900@CMPunk Yea i will NEVER understand , u all made him who he is, he didnt do it by himself, if not for u, they wouldnt be paid
– Friday would have marked as the sixty-first birthday of “Macho Man” Randy Savage. The legendary wrestler died of cardiac arrhythmia while driving with his wife in Seminole, Florida on May 20, 2011.
The main event of next Thursday’s “Turning Point” edition of Impact Wrestling will pit Mr. Anderson against Bully Ray of The Aces and Eights, If Anderson wins, the Aces and Eights must disband forever. However, if Bully Ray wins, Anderson is gone from TNA Wrestling.
The World Heavyweight Championship Tournament continues next Thursday with two matches. In a Falls Count Anywhere Match, Magnus takes on Samoa Joe, with the winner advancing in the tournament. In the second tournament bout, “Cowboy” James Storm and Bobby Roode square off in a Bullrope Match.
It has also been announced that Joseph Park will challenge his brother Abyss to fight him in a match.
Courtesy of ImpactWrestling.com, here is the official preview for the show:
Thursday: “Turning Point” LIVE and FREE on SpikeTV from Universal Orlando
Preview Thursday’s huge “Turning Point” special as TNA Wrestling brings the annual event LIVE and FREE to SpikeTV at 9/8c! TNA Wrestling returns to Universal Studios in Orlando! If you can’t watch it Thursday night, make sure to set your DVR!
– The main event of Thursday’s “Turning Point” broadcast will feature Mr. Anderson battling Bully Ray of The Aces and Eights! If Anderson wins, the Aces and Eights must disband forever! If Bully Ray wins, Anderson is GONE from TNA! Can Anderson get the ultimate revenge on his former Aces boss – or will he be off the roster after Thursday night? Don’t miss it!
– Also at “Turning Point” the ongoing World Heavyweight Championship Tournament continues with TWO huge matches:
1. In a Falls Count Anywhere Match, former Main Event Mafia members collide as it will be Magnus taking on Samoa Joe, with the winner advancing in the tourney!
2. In the second tournament bout, “Cowboy” James Storm and Bobby Roode reignite their feud in a Bullrope Match!
– In addition this Thursday at 9/8c on SpikeTV: Joseph Park has challenged his brother Abyss to fight him in a match! Yes, you read that correctly! Has Joseph Park completely lost his mind? Will Abyss show up? Tune in and find out what will happen!
– Plus, TNA Knockouts Champion Gail Kim continues her Open Challenge! Who will answer the call to face Gail this week? With Gail backed up by the juggernaut Lei’D Tapa, is there any woman wrestler who can beat Gail Kim?
All this and much more on Thursday’s special “Turning Point” IMPACT special – LIVE AND FREE on SpikeTV at 9/8c from Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida
– Authentic Apparel Group has announced the launch of a premium line of army style clothing that is officially licensed by the U.S. Army. Former WWE and World Heavyweight Champion Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is endorsing this line to celebrate the U.S. Army’s rich heritage.
“Authentic Apparel Group is about legacy, performance and innovation. I am proud to represent a company that supports and honors the everyday heroes that inspire me,” said Johnson.
– In a sit-down interview with Larry King, former WWE Superstar Chris Jericho chats about his new web series But I’m Chris Jericho, Fozzy and how professional wrestling is a great training ground for acting.
This week on Bauer & Pollock, former WWE creative writer Court Bauer shares his thoughts on the passing of Eddie Guerrero eight years ago this month and reveals plans the sports-entertainment organization had for the legendary grappler at the following year’s WrestleMania pay-per-view event in Chicago, Illinois. Bauer also squashes the rumor of Guerrero being scheduled to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Batista during their feud.
Bauer recalls, “It was twenty-four hours before he passed away, I believe. Twenty-four hours, forty-eight hours, something like that. We had a call with Vince at home, and we were talking about the preliminary plans for WrestleMania. I know there’s this romanticized story about how Eddie was going to get the title, and that was the plan that he was going to get it that night or at Survivor Series. That wasn’t the plan. I think Stephanie said that, or alluded to it on the air, and that was not the plan. The plan was that he would lose, and I think they were going to return in December. We had talked about a fascinating idea; I’m not the biggest Bruce Prichard fan, but to his credit, I believe it was Bruce Prichard who pitched putting Eddie Guerrero at WrestleMania against Shawn Michaels and doing the parallels of their careers. Being the heartthrob in Mexico and this mercurial figure south of the border, and the American version being HBK.
“They had never really worked, and you would’ve had such a great dynamic between the two with heel Eddie versus Shawn. That’d be your “tear the house down,” high quality match at WrestleMania 22 in Chicago. Vince was like, “God damn, that’s really appealing. We could parallel their careers. What kind of footage of Eddie do we have outside of WCW? We could really do some impressive packages.”
In 2005, Bret Hart worked with WWE for the first time since the infamous “Montreal Screwjob” by contributing interview footage and selecting matches for a DVD highlighting his career. With Hart in bed again with WWE, Vince McMahon proposed that they fight at WrestleMania 22.
Bauer recalls, “We talked a lot of matches, and the other match at WrestleMania 22 was going to be Vince versus Bret in a street fight, that they would do in a convoluted manner several WrestleManias forward. Bret had just come back into the company in a very informal way. He had just agreed to do the home video release. (Vince) literally, on that call, got Bret on the other line and pitched him doing the match. Bret was uneasy, but was thinking he could possibly do it as long as there were no hits to his head. We’re sitting here like, “Holy sh*t, we didn’t think we’d be talking about a Bret/Vince match!” Vince pitched that match and said, “What do you guys think?” Everyone was like, “Yeah, no sh*it! Of course! Bret versus Vince, yes! That’s huge.”
Bauer continues, “A week or two later, Vince said that match was no longer an option. I think it had to do with something on Bret’s end.”
(Transcribed by Chris Maffei)
The full show is available at FightNetwork.com, and The LAW: Live Audio Wrestling and MLW feeds on iTunes. Bauer & Pollock airs every Wednesday at LiveAudioWrestling.com and MLW.com.
R-Truth has plans to release a rap album and is collaborating with World Heavyweight Champion John Cena on it.
Speaking to BANG Showbiz, the 41-year-old reveals, “I’m currently working on a WWE album made up of all my own songs. I have a wide range of artists I listen to—I can get something out of Pearl Jam! Talking about rap I’m into Tupac, Eminem, Lil Wayne and T.I. Those guys, to me, talk about their own personal experiences.
“There’s a lot of my life in the songs—I lost my sister to cancer around four months ago, there’s a song on there about that. People who have gone through that, or are going through that situation will hopefully take something from it. A lot of my music is inspired by personal situations in my life.”
The Raw Superstar is very excited for fans to hear his collaborations with Cena, who released his own rap album in 2005.
“John Cena just recorded two songs. They should be really great once they’re done. I’ve always wanted to do this and I was talking to Hunter (Triple H) and he was like, ‘I just can’t believe you’ve not done this already.’ I’ve been on and off with WWE about 10 years and I’m just at the point now where I think I’ve matured enough to put out something that’s likable. Me, I like to go against the grain I don’t like to talk about typical things in my music – my music is more about real life situations. About important things, having faith, pursuing your dreams and goals. My music is about drive,” said R-Truth.
The album is inspired by Eminem and Tupac Shakur. To read the full article, which features R-Truth’s thoughts on wrestling in the United Kingdom, click here.
Posted November 14th, 2013 in News, WWE. Tagged: R-Truth.
– While speaking before 500 middle school and high school students at North Way Christian Community in Pine, Pennsylvania, Shawn Michaels admitted to being a drug addict while reigning as WWE Champion in 1996.
Then 30-years-old, his former girlfriend (who briefly became his wife two years later) often had to pick him up in the shower when he fell and drag him to bed from the sofa so she wouldn’t have to sleep alone.
“I was doing everything I could to kill myself except put a loaded weapon in my hand,” Michaels said.
Michaels’ issues with substance abuse continued for years, and as stated in his 2005 autobiography, Heartbreak & Triumph: The Shawn Michaels Story, he became drug free in 2002 after his 2-year-old son struggled to wake him up following a binge on painkillers. To read the full article, click here.
– To honor Cy Young Award winners Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer, the official Twitter account of Major League Baseball has released images of WWE-style belts given to the standout pitchers. WWE re-tweeted the image of Kershaw’s belt.
Hulk Hogan, who is currently a free agent following the expiration of his contract with TNA Wrestling last month, told friend and fellow WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart that one way or another, he will be at WrestleMania XXX in New Orleans, Louisiana. During an interview with Arda Ocal (@arda_ocal) of the Baltimore Sun on Wednesday to promote WWE’s upcoming History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment release, Jimmy Hart said:
“Hogan knew I was doing this press tour with WWE promoting the DVD. He told me to say exactly this: Hulk Hogan will be at WrestleMania if he has to buy a ticket and sit at ringside.”
Hart continued,
“I think he can step into the ring one more time. We have a school in Florida, and he stepped into the ring there and did some stuff, and he looked great. As his friend, I’d be the first one to say, ‘Listen Hulk, do us a favor, just go out to the ring to Real American, say OK Brother, rip the shirt, do the pose, sign a bunch of autographs and people will still be just as happy,’ … but he does have a couple of good matches left in him, he really does. I’ve got my fingers crossed we see something at WrestleMania.”
Hart also named Cena as the WWE star fans surveyed at Hogan’s Beach Shop want to see Hogan wrestle at the show.
Hogan himself told Philadelphia’s ABC affiliate at an autograph signing last week that he “would love to be at WrestleMania XXX.”
“I would love to have a ringside seat. But, the truth is I need a job. I quit TNA. I’ve just been hanging out on the beach. Never say never.”
– Speaking to WWE Magazine, R-Truth answered questions on his favorite pay-per-view event, the whereabouts of Little Jimmy, and whether it’s harder to move around as he gets older.
R-Truth, who turns 42-years-old in January, says he’s in excellent shape. “It all comes naturally to me, and it’s almost like muscle memory when I’m out there now. In a way, it’s easier than before. I’m in as great a shape as I’ve always been, and now, I’ve got the experience to back it up,” said R-Truth.
R-Truth’s showdown with John Cena at Capitol Punishment ranks as his favorite pay-per-view event to participate in. Regarding the event, he said, “It felt like it was my show. I was up against John Cena for the WWE Title so it was one of the biggest moments of my career. All eyes were finally on me and I made sure to give the audience something worth watching.”
On the whereabouts of Little Jimmy, which was the brainchild of WWE head Vince McMahon, R-Truth states, “Man, that kid’s back with his mom! I needed a break from him, we weren’t getting along too well. Good riddance if you ask me!”
– Piers Morgan, host of CNN’s highly-rated Piers Morgan Live, posted a message on Twitter relaying his disappointment in missing WWE’s ongoing tour of the United Kingdom.
– Back in August while promoting SummerSlam, John Cena made reference to his “Five Moves of Doom” on an episode of Raw, a colloquial term for his trademark sequence of moves (flying shoulderblock, sitout hip toss, side-release spinout powerbomb, Five Knuckle Shuffle and Attitude Adjustment). The official WWE website published a video today in response to the infamous notion that Cena “can’t wrestle.”
“Then how do you explain the powerbomb, neckbreaker and hurricanrana he dishes out in this video?,” WWE.com says of video on the front page, entitled “10 moves from John Cena’s underrated arsenal.” The video caption reads, “John Cena shows that he is capable of much more than his proverbial “Five Moves of Doom.”
– WWE filed a copyright claim in response to satellite footage from last Monday’s Raw that surfaced on YouTube and had the two videos removed.
Pre-Raw footage was leaked of the announcers preparing for the broadcast, which notably features Michael Cole acknowledging plans of a wrestler being put through his table later in the evening. In the other video, Big E Langston, Dolph Ziggler, The Miz are shown preparing for a WWE App segment, which features Ziggler using colorful language.
– Smackdown ring announcer and “army brat” Lilian Garcia posted a message on her official website celebrating Veteran’s Day.
Wade Barrett, who has not appeared on WWE’s television shows since August, defeated Damien Sandow in a dark match prior to tonight’s Raw taping in Manchester, England at Phones 4u Arena. Fellow countryman William Regal handled ring announcing duties.
In a match taped for WWE Superstars, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso and The Great Khali squared off against The Prime Time Players and The Miz.
In Divas action, The Funkadactyls, Cameron and Naomi, squared off against Alicia Fox and Aksana.
As seen on Sunday night’s episode of Total Divas on E!, John Cena admitted to soiling himself once during a match. The WWE World Heavyweight Champion’s memory, however, appears a bit hazy.
On the show, Cena’s girlfriend Nikki Bella informed him of Natalya urinating on herself during a match (against Naomi on July 1, 2013 at a WWE Superstars taping in Sioux City, Iowa). Rather than poke fun at the third-generation grappler’s latest incident, Cena changed the subject by recalling a bowel movement mishap of his own.
“I pooped myself once,” Cena told the former WWE Divas Champion. “I had to throw [my pants] away. It was in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, I had food poisoning and I still went out to wrestle. Everybody knew—I was embarrassed.”
Cena has relayed the story in the past in radio interviews and to WWE Magazine. However, he told the publication in 2008 that the embarrassing incident took place in a different region of Canada.
“It was in Winnipeg, and I was wrestling Scott Steiner, with Bull Buchanan as my lackey,” Cena said in response to a question asking him about the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to him in or out of the ring. “I got food poisoning and thought I wouldn’t be able to wrestle, but went out there anyway. I took a DDT, rolled out and the time-keeper was there. I looked him in the eye and said, “Where do I puke?” And he said, “Under the ring.” So I went under the ring and puked and everyone knew it. But as I was puking I crapped my pants. Luckily, it was at the end of the match, but nothing has ever topped that since.”
It would appear that the incident actually took place in Jacksonville, Florida (on December 14, 2002). According to TheHistoryofWWE.com, Cena only faced Steiner once in 2002, and did not compete at the organization’s lone events that year in Saskatoon and Winnipeg (which took place in late-May, before he was promoted to the main roster and Steiner re-joined WWE).
In a voice-over segment, Bella said that she couldn’t be more disgusted by her boyfriend’s embarrassing admission. “I don’t know what to think right now—I guess I’m just thinking about s–t! That would be so embarrassing!”
WWE NXT wrestlers Enzo Amore, Judas Devlin and Scott Dawson are currently sidelined with major injuries, PWInsider.com reports. Details on their respective injuries, as well as an update on Corey Graves, are as follows:
– Enzo Amore has been sidelined with a broken leg and will be out for approximately six months. For those unfamiliar with Amore, his WWE.com bio states:
“Dubbing himself “Jersey’s finest,” Enzo Amore reps the Garden State “like 225 on a barbell, 10 pounds of hair gel, steadily working on his swell.” The realest guy in the room everywhere he goes, Enzo Amore is a straight shooter. He speaks his mind at all times, and at an incredible rate.”
In recent months, Amore has been appearing as the eccentric mouthpiece and tag team partner of Colin Cassady.
– There has been fan speculation on the whereabouts of Judas Devlin, who has not appeared on WWE NXT since March. He remains under contract to the sports-entertainment organization, but is currently sidelined with a spinal injury. According to his WWE.com bio:
“[Devlin] is one of the more deranged, oddly intellectual NXT Superstars. Standing at 6’5” and covered in colorful tattoos, this modern day Aristocrat uses his intellect to confuse and break down his opponents mentally before ever stepping foot in the ring.”
– Scott Dawson, who recently disappeared from WWE NXT programming, is currently sidelined with a torn ACL. His bio reads:
“Scott Dawson has been a survivor his entire life. Forced to grow up fast, Dawson overcame adversity and became the “man of the house” at an early age. Dawson cut his fighting teeth through bouncing in local clubs — developing his take-no-guff attitude and strong jaw. Now, Dawson is looking to take on some new challengers — in the squared-circle of NXT.”
– The former Sterling James Keenan, Corey Graves, has returned to action after suffering a concussion last month.
A photo has surfaced online of CM Punk having lunch with his arch-nemesis Paul Heyman, as well as Divas Champion AJ Lee and Heyman client Curtis Axel, backstage at a WWE live event in Europe.
The image comes courtesy of Scottish wrestling fan Brendan McEleny, who secured the shot at yesterday’s live event in Glasgow at Glasgow Braehead Arena.
McEleny says he did not sneak into the venue, as he managed to snap the picture while on public property.
– While shooting footage for The JBL & Cole Show, Michael Cole suffered a black eye. The injury occurred while the WWE announcer played rugby at Huddersfield Stadium in West Yorkshire, England with professional player Eorl Crabtree. John “Bradshaw” Layfield posted this image on Twitter of Cole’s accident.
– WWE Hall of Famer Tammy “Sunny” Sytch recorded this message today promoting her upcoming appearance at the Classic Grand Rock Club in Glasgow, Scotland taking place this Thursday. The event will feature a Q&A session and meet and greet. Event details are available here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCNRQax5PzE
– WWE Superstar JTG reunited with his former partner in crime, Shad Gaspard, this weekend in Venice Beach, California.
Hulk Hogan, who is currently a free agent following the expiration of his contract with TNA Wrestling last month, is interested in returning to WWE for WrestleMania XXX in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“I would love to be at WrestleMania XXX. I would love to have a ringside seat. But, the truth is I need a job. I quit TNA. I’ve just been hanging out on the beach,” Hogan told Philadelphia’s ABC affiliate at an autograph signing last week. “Never say never.”
In response to whether he can still wrestle, Hogan said “right guy, right venue, and right payday.” The legendary grappler also noted that he may “Hulk up.”
“I don’t think I can wrestle too much anymore, but just being around the business and helping and being part of it is pretty cool,” Hogan said.
PWInsider.com reported last month that the 60-year-old has been “training like a mad man” in hopes of wrestling again for WWE.
Hogan returning to the promotion could hinge on Triple H, who is leaving the door open for his return to the sports-entertainment organization. The six-time WWE Champion told the Associated Press in October that he was warmly received by Vince McMahon’s son-in-law at a recent charity function.
– Former WWE and World Heavyweight Champion Batista accompanied Filipino boxer Nonito Donaire Saturday night in Corpus Christi, Texas for his match against Mikey Garcia. The bout aired on HBO, which Rey Mysterio acknowledged via Instagram.
“My big #homey #Batista just popped up on HBO boxing with NONITO DONAIRE! It’s been a minute since I’ve seen him! Miss u my homey! #Philippinopride,” wrote the inactive WWE Superstar.
– Members of The Heenan Family reunited Saturday at the Big Event convention in Flushing, New York. Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, King Kong Bundy, Haku, The Barbarian and Paul Orndorff (sporting a curly moustache) took photo-ops together with fans.
– WWE Hall of Famer “Cowboy” Bob Orton turns 63-years-old on Sunday. Also celebrating a birthday is WWE developmental trainer Bill DeMott, who turns 47.
– In response to online reports that the Carter family is looking to sell TNA Wrestling, Janice Carter, mother of president Dixie Carter, issued a memo to employees on Nov. 1 squashing rumors of sale talks and that her family was fully committed to the organization.
Read Here: Janice Carter’s Memo To TNA Employees Saying The Company Is Not For Sale
However, according to insider sources, Carter is lying as multiple sources within the organization have stated that negotiations are currently being held for potential buyers. Furthermore, nearly everyone who has been speculated online, including musician and Resistance Pro Wrestling owner Billy Corgan, is not involved in the negotiations.
It is said that some WWE officials are following the story very closely, with one source quoted as saying “more so than people would ever imagine.” It is not because the sports-entertainment organization is interested in purchasing TNA, but rather because they are curious to know who desires to and what the status will be of some talents (specifically Hulk Hogan and Sting).
– In unreported news, Ohio Valley Wrestling talent Marcus Anthony, a former developmental wrestler for WWE, competed in a dark match prior to Thursday’s Impact Wrestling taping in Cincinnati, Ohio (Anthony posted a message on Twitter congratulating him). It is not known who his opponent was.
– In this “#IMPACT365” video, Kurt Angle shows how his family trains in the Angle home.
– In a newly published article on WWE.com, the editorial staff provides their predictions for the next WWE Champion, with Goldust, Cody Rhodes, Ryback, Bray Wyatt, Antonio Cesaro, Big E Langston and Roman Reigns—who is depicted holding the WWE Championship—listed. A poll is also taking place, which Reigns currently leads.
– Former World Heavyweight Champion Goldberg is highlighted in the latest “30 Second Fury” video, as thirty of his memorable spears are highlighted.
– Former WWF manager Harvey Wippleman, who has been involved with the wrestling industry for thirty-five years, shares his times and struggles with Colt Cabana on Art of Wrestling. The podcast is available at TSMRadio.com/coltcabana>. Scott Hall, George South and Michael Elgin were also recently interviewed.
WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan, who is currently in New York for an autograph signing, is teasing the possibility of a reunion with his former New World Order cohorts, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Sean Waltman. The legendary grappler tweeted:
Totally freaked out how good and in shape Big Kev,Scott"amazing",XPac are in, with Hollywood we could rule the world again or take on any
On Twitter, Hall posted this photo of himself with Nash, Waltman and Lisa Marie Varon. In a trivia note, Varon made her first wrestling-related appearance in a backstage segment with Hall (a non-speaking eye candy role on a January 2000 episode of WCW Monday Nitro).
With Total Divas returning tomorrow night at 10/9 CT on E!, viewers can expect to see Eva Marie’s off-putting behavior and John Cena and Nikki Bella’s relationship take center stage.
The Nov. 17 episode, titled “Nurse Nikki,” will focus on the three. Courtesy of TVGuide.com, the synopsis reads, “Nikki moves in with John Cena and he shocks her with an unexpected demand; at the same time, Eva Marie considers cheating after she’s asked to announce on live TV.”
The Nov. 24 episode, as well as tomorrow night’s show, will center around Eva Marie. In a new twist, Natalya suspects that she is attempting to get in touch with Tyson Kidd. The official synopsis for “Seeing Red,” which also features the continuation of the Cena and Bella storyline, is as follows: “Nattie has a feeling that Eva Marie is trying to cozy up to her man; Nikki wonders if she can accept John Cena’s demand; and Brie has issues with Bryan’s increasing fame.”
As reported earlier, the synopsis for tomorrow night’s “SummerSlam” show reads: “Eva Marie’s rising popularity is seen as a threat by Nikki; Ariane works on anger management; and an accident during a match leaves Nattie worried about returning to the ring for SummerSlam.”
Brie Bella has her own suspicions of Eva Marie. Speaking to OK! Magazine, she stated the following of her peer’s behavior at SummerSlam for her match against Natalya, “The thing is, you are putting so many different personalities together trying to force friendships and it is like, we are still going for one spot. Especially in the first episode because it is SummerSlam, that is a big night for us and I was lucky enough to have a singles match but how can someone just walk in and try to capitalize off that?! We definitely have our moments where we get along great but you will see a lot more of Eva just kind of being herself and just trying to get ahead without working hard. She has her ways.”
Eva Marie, who scored her first pinfall victory last Monday on Raw, is currently in Europe promoting Total Divas.
– As reported last night, WWE has cut ties with developmental wrestler Kassius Ohno, real name Chris Spradlin. Some main roster talent were surprised with the news, since Triple H had praised his recent WWE NXT match against Luke Harper (it airs on this week’s show).
– WWE Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel, who often responds to fans on Twitter, continues to address criticism over his sports-entertaining abilities. During SmackDown, a fan wrote, “Yeah. CM Punk vs Broomstick would be more interesting than this match. @RealCurtisAxel have less charisma than The Broom.” He responded, “hey!!! Don’t offend broomsticks! They have feelings too.” The fan then remarked on “Mr. Charisma” responding to him, leading Axel to write back, “ur right! I have no charisma. All I do all day is stare at the wall with a blank look on my face… It’s fun!”
Earlier in the week, a fan cautioned Axel on being branded as uncharismatic again by Konnan, leading the Raw wrestler to snap back, “Who cares what that piece of crap thinks.”
Meanwhile, Konnan said his critical remarks toward Axel aren’t out of hatred. “Not hatin, just stating…#GetInformed,” he said to a fan on Twitter telling him to “stop hating.”
– Former WWE Superstar Matt Hardy issued this “Public Service Announcement” promoting two events taking place in New York tonight, “Big Event” and “House Of Hardcore #3.”
The December 2013 issue of WWE Magazine features an in-depth interview with Shawn Michaels, who weighed in on his most memorable matches and how he became one of the greatest wrestlers of all-time. Without mentioning Daniel Bryan by name, he addresses the topic of undersized WWE Superstars being overlooked for main event positions and how he personally responded to Vince McMahon’s perceptions at a time when larger-than-life individuals ruled the promotion.
On fighting an uphill battle to stand out in WWE, Michaels states, “I’m always slightly amused by how people talk about how so-and-so ‘isn’t big enough.’ And hoe someone is fighting an uphill battle because of his size. You don’t know the first thing about an uphill battle. Try doing it in 1994 and 1995, even earlier than that. Try doing it back when there hadn’t been—with all due respect—me complaining about how size shouldn’t matter. Now there’s a list of guys as long as my arm who complain about getting looked over.
“When I got here, I didn’t have a name. I didn’t have a legacy. I didn’t have a famous family. And there was only one guy who was gonna kick down the door and piss and moan until—quite frankly, and thankfully—the old man finally relented. Ha ha.”
Michael lays claim to being the originator of the ‘pipe bomb,’ which he used to push the Chairman’s buttons in the mid-1990s.
“I also chuckle at the notion of a ‘pipe bomb’ being something new. Back in 1994, 1995, and 1996, those were the original ‘pipe bombs,’ said Michaels. “That’s one of the things we were pushing for back then—bringing more of the reality of the situation to the forefront. I used to say stuff and The Chairman had no idea what was coming out. It’s just different now. We were also privately owned then. That’s why we just got yelled at, not fired. (Laughs)”
Ironically, Michaels doing away with his rebellious personality upon his return to the promotion in 2002 and becoming a ‘model employee’ incensed McMahon.
“Now, my faith and my family are what’s important. I’m not sure Mr. McMahon’s aware there is a life outside WWE. Over the years, he and I butted heads many times behind the scenes. And, honestly, I think there was a part of him that liked those confrontations. So when I came back (in 2002), and had re-prioritized my life, I was actually sort of a ‘model employee.’ That’s what sent him over the edge with me,” said Michaels.
– WWE NXT stars Conor O’Brian and Rick Victor have been re-named, according to their respective Twitter accounts. On the social media platform, O’Brian is referring to himself as Konnor (@KonnorWWE) and Victor is now Viktor (@ViktorRiseWWE). Together, they appear as The Ascension.
– This week’s WWE Classics On Demand updates are as follows: The New and Improved DX (Parts 4,5, and 6), New World Order: The Revolution, World Wrestling Federation action at Nassau Coliseum (June 10, 1989), AWA All Star Wrestling (November 7, 1981), ECW Hardcore TV (November 13, 1998), Stampede Wrestling (May 1979).
– The latest issue of WWE Magazine features Big Show, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler, John Cena and The Miz on the cover. The headline reads: “SUPERSTARS UNITED! WHO’LL BE THE FACE OF WWE IN 2014?”
– In his first appearance since Hell in a Cell, Paul Heyman resurfaced at Friday’s WWE live event in Glasgow, Scotland. Opening the show with his leg in a brace, his arm in a sling, his neck in a collar and donning a full back brace, the Scarsdale, New York native blamed the fans for his injuries. CM Punk then appeared and took matters into his own hands by brutalizing Heyman with a kendo stick.
– Courtesy of Ticketmaster.com, the seating chart for WrestleMania XXX has been released. Tickets for the pay-per-view event, which takes place April 6, 2014 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, go on sale next Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT.
– Six-time World Champion Chris Jericho turns 43-years-old on Saturday. Also celebrating a birthday today is former WWE and WCW referee Nick Patrick, who turns 54.
To promote his recently released autobiography, Wrestling with the Devil: The True Story of a World Champion Professional Wrestler – His Reign, Ruin, and Redemption, former WCW World Heavyweight Champion Lex Luger appeared on Wrestling’s Glory Day Weekly podcast to address his memorable career. Topics discussed include the Four Horsemen, Vince McMahon acquiring World Championship Wrestling, WrestleMania X, and even the tragic death of Miss Elizabeth.
On April 19, 2003, Luger was involved in a domestic dispute with Elizabeth Hulette, then his live-in girlfriend, in the garage of their townhouse in Marietta, Georgia, during which Luger allegedly struck her-he was charged with battery. Two weeks later, Hulette died in the townhouse they shared, after mixing pills of hydrocodone, and Xanax with vodka. Regarding this tragic event, Luger states, “It was a very dark, sad time in my personal life.
“I’ve made a lot of bad choices outside of the ring over the years that led to me giving up my family, my beautiful wife and two children. I developed a double life and there was a lot of collateral damage from that to my friends, my family and those closest to me including Miss Elizabeth. She always will be the first lady of wrestling. It was a real tragedy, I was living a lifestyle back then, a lot of drugs, alcohol, I call it the life of folly in my book. It led to a lot of tragic things. and that was the biggest tragedy you could ever think of to have a close friend like Elizabeth as a result of it. People say, ‘well Lex, you didn’t make her drink or shove pills down her throat,’ but I was a very big influence on her life at the time and I was doing that and she wanted to do what I did. So if you talk about regrets in the past guys, we can’t erase the past and we have got to take responsibility and I take a lot of responsibility for that tragic event and what happened.”
Additional highlights from the interview are as follows:
His thoughts on first finding out about Vince McMahon buying WCW and being on the last Nitro: “I was happy for Vince because I knew, man, he had won, that was a genuine moment for him. I was like, ‘yeah, buddy, everybody had you counted out there when we were beating you for ‘x’ amount of weeks straight. I was happy for him.”
On the night before WrestleMania X, not becoming WWF Champion, and online rumors: “Contrary to what is said, Vince never promised me the belt. He never made me any promises at WrestleMania between Bret, or I, or Yoko. Nor did I expect him to make any. Why would he? I was thrilled to be a part of the main event of WrestleMania. Visit Wrestling Inc It’s funny, I was talking to a guy in an interview recently and a guy said, ‘It was on your Wikipedia that you were drunk the night before at a bar at WrestleMania X and you were supposed to win the belt and Vince got mad at you.’ I wasn’t even anywhere near New York. I was with my wife and two kids in Hartford, Connecticut, staying with friends the night before WrestleMania. I did a lot of stupid stuff back then, but that wasn’t one of them. Rumor becomes fact sometimes, I laughed at that for years. Of all the stupid dumb stuff I did outside of the ring, that was one that I didn’t do. I always found that humorous, crazy how rumors can start. Who came up with that one?”
Vince Russo coming in as head writer in WCW: “I think that Russo and Ferrara did their best to create a young, fresh group of guys, kind of doing an invasion like the now did and really on paper, a pretty good idea. They had a great reputation coming from the WWF for being very creative, really when we found ourselves slipping, consensus wise most of the guys were pretty excited that they were coming in. I think they gave it their very best effort, and the young guys came in and gave it their best effort.
“I think part of the problem was for when the young guys were beating these legendary guys like Hogan in the middle of the ring… I think the fans, as much as they love seeing young talent emerge, I think it was almost like a little bit too much too soon, in my opinion, and the fans didn’t really buy into it like they had hoped. It was a good idea but the fans didn’t quite buy into it. They did their best, but things just didn’t work out the way they hoped. It wasn’t from a lack of effort on the new guys part, the writers or the young wrestlers, it just didn’t get over the way they had hoped. But I didn’t think it was a bad idea.”
Ric Flair and being a member of the Four Horsemen: “Well, Ric lived his persona both in the ring and out of the ring. I found that out right away, I feel like for about three years there hanging out with the Horseman, I feel like I didn’t sleep for almost three years. Ric could stay up all night, then he go to the gym and work out with me, then he go and wrestle an hour. I don’t know how he did it. Ric will always tell you image is everything. He always had a limo waiting for us, we flew usually private or if we flew commercial, first class, stay at really nice hotels. Ric was everything he said he was both in and out of the ring, that’s for sure.”
Flair leaving WCW in 1991 with the title before their scheduled cage match and showing on WWE TV with it: “I was scheduled to wrestle Ric in the cage and I was scheduled to win the title that night. I wasn’t told a lot, but they told me, we’re putting you in the cage with Ric and you’re winning the world title. As far as what happened after that, it was political stuff behind the scenes that I was not privy to. I heard that Ric was trying to negotiate a new contract, and I wanted the best for Ric, so when Ric ended up on television with the belt in the competing organization, I never had any hard feelings about that because I knew Ric had worked so hard and had such an incredible career. He was trying to do what was best for him and his family, from a business sense, I never took it personally. Check out Wrestling Inc. I was disappointed I didn’t get to wrestle Ric in the cage to win the world title, but I wasn’t upset with Ric that he went and did what he had to do and what he thought was best business wise for Ric Flair.
“WCW at the time, they were negotiating with Ric almost right up until the day of the match. To still come in and do the match, it just fell apart at the last minute. Ric almost was WCW, so for Ric to leave was a huge void and vacuum that myself and nobody could possibly even entertain the thought of replacing. They didn’t even have a belt ready yet. I think a lot of the guys were disappointed that Ric wasn’t there, but the show must go on.”
Posted November 8th, 2013 in News. Tagged: Lex Luger.
