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WWE Films Carmella For A “Great Project”, ECW Legend Reacts To Sonya Deville Impersonating Him, Syxx

– On Wednesday, WWE filmed SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella for a “great project” coming out later this year.

Joey Maloney, who handles producing, directing and cinematography on a wide range of features for WWE’s digital platforms, posted this behind-the-scenes photo of Carmella from the video shoot.

https://instagram.com/p/BlHKKPSgO4f/

With SmackDown taking place the night before in Manchester, New Hampshire, the shoot was apparently for a documentary-style video where Carmella returns to her hometown in the New England area. On her Instagram Story, she posted videos with her parents earlier in the day. Carmella also posted photos visiting her old dance school.

– With Extreme Rules taking place this Sunday, a number of WWE stars paid tribute to the hardcore icons of ECW, such as The Sandman, Tommy Dreamer, and Sabu. Sonya Deville dressed up as Raven for the ECW photo shoot and the two-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion tweeted his thoughts on her impersonation.

Deville responded:

– Sean Waltman celebrates his birthday today as the former WWE/WCW wrestler turns 46 years old. In honor of his birthday, the official Instagram account for the WWE Network posted this clip of Waltman’s WCW debut on September 16, 1996, where he was shown sitting in the front row for a live episode of WCW Monday Nitro.

https://instagram.com/p/BlLlYQ0hLZk/

Later that night, Waltman stood and used a remote control to release New World Order (nWo) propaganda from the ceiling, revealing himself as the newest member of the recently formed faction. As the sixth member of the nWo, he became Syxx. WCW based his ring name on six being the sum of numbers of his name in the World Wrestling Federation, 1–2–3 Kid.

Posted July 13th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , , , .

WWE Launches “Curvy Collection” T-Shirt Line, Ex-WWE Star Backstage At Raw, Tucker Knight

– WWE has launched a new line of T-shirts that are specifically designed to enhance a women’s figure.

Calling it the “Curvy Collection,” WWE’s new Curvy Fit Women’s T-shirts are “softly shaped to complement a plus-sized woman’s curves – making it perfect for lounging around the house or wearing out on the town.”

The line features Nia Jax, Ronda Rousey, Roman Reigns, Finn Balor, AJ Styles, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Alexa Bliss and Randy Orton.

Jax reacted to the news with the following:

– Former WWE star Chris Nowinski was backstage at Raw on Monday at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. In this Instagram post, he mentions catching up with Natalya.

https://instagram.com/p/BlDZ6njAX8F/

– Tucker Knight is now on Instagram @tuckerknightwwe. The official Instagram account of WWE NXT is following Knight, thus confirming its legitimacy.

https://instagram.com/p/Bk00Ce-ln2t/

Posted July 11th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Post-Surgery Update On Charlotte, Asuka vs. James Ellsworth Lumberjacks, Stephanie

– Charlotte Flair resumed working out today after undergoing surgery on June 19 to repair a ruptured breast implant.

Flair posted a video clip of her workout this morning on Instagram Story and noted that it was her first day back after taking three weeks off. She adds that her workout was “lower body only.”

Charlotte Flair

Flair also posted the video on her Twitter account and said the “countdown begins.”

There is no word yet on how long Flair will be out of action. She last wrestled on June 17 at WWE Money in the Bank, where she competed in the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match. WWE has not addressed her absence from television.

– Last Tuesday on SmackDown LIVE, a “battle of the sexes” match between Asuka and James Ellsworth ended in a double count-out. Immediately following the contest, SmackDown LIVE General Manager Paige announced that Ellsworth would face Asuka again on this week’s show, but in a Lumberjack Match with the “entire” SmackDown LIVE Women’s division surrounding the ring.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tK2iK4AGPI&w=560&h=315]

On the latest edition of This Week In WWE on the WWE Network, a graphic aired revealing the Lumberjacks in the match. They are Peyton Royce, Billie Kay, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Lana, Becky Lynch, Naomi and SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella.

Ellsworth posted the graphic on Twitter, adding that Paige put him in an unfair situation.

– Stephanie McMahon spoke this morning at the 2018 Girl Up Leadership Summit in Washington D.C., a global movement for gender equality. She talked about her experience in this Instagram post.

https://instagram.com/p/BlBH8dChpJt/

Posted July 9th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , , , .

Hulk Hogan Looks Back On The nWo (Video), Taeler Hendrix Heckled Over Jay Lethal

– On July 7, 1996, the New World Order was formed and professional wrestling was changed forever.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hILCw66sLU&w=560&h=315]

Hulk Hogan took to Twitter on Sunday to look back at “the biggest turn of all time” and the formation of the nWo with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.

Hogan concludes his video by saying, “Maybe I should just come back down through the crowd and take over the whole (laughs) WWE for a couple more decades … for life.”

On the 22-year anniversary of the formation of the nWo, Nash posted the following.

https://instagram.com/p/Bk9puUgAhK8/

– As has been reported, Taeler Hendrix claimed last Wednesday on social media that Jay Lethal sabotaged her career in Ring of Honor in 2017 because she refused to sleep with him. Hendrix worked an indie show on Friday in San Antonio, Texas and fans heckled her over the matter.

While wrestling Barbi Hayden at a River City Wrestling event, fans chanted “Jay Lethal,” “ROH” and a lot worse at Hendrix, according to F4WOnline. She lashed back at the hecklers, although she usually portrays a heel.

Hendrix posted a photo from the show on Instagram and said she “had a great time.”

https://instagram.com/p/Bk73UCoHpD6/

Posted July 8th, 2018 in News. Tagged: , , , , .

The Undertaker Rolls His Eyes For Knicks Star Enes Kanter Backstage At WWE MSG Show

The Undertaker is wrestling his first match at Madison Square Garden since September 2010 tonight as “The Deadman” partners with Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman against Kevin Owens, Baron Corbin, and Elias in a Six-Man Tag Team Match. Ahead of tonight’s show, The Undertaker did his trademark eye roll backstage for New York Knicks star Enes Kanter.

https://instagram.com/p/Bk8y8QsHdZH/

The official Instagram account of Madison Square Garden also posted this photo of The Undertaker and Kanter.

https://instagram.com/p/Bk81EqMggAY/

Kanter is a long time wrestling fan and said as far back as 2010 that he wants to wrestle after he’s done playing basketball.

“After my basketball career, I want to be a wrestler, professional wrestler,” Kanter said in a radio interview.

Kanter said The Undertaker is his favorite wrestler.

“I started watching like four or five years ago, and right now I feel like [The Undertaker] on the court. His nickname is unbelievable that’s why I love it, “The Deadman,” I love it.”

He even has a little play on words with his last name.

“People started calling me the Underkanter. Right now my nickname is Underkanter.”

Now in 2018, the 26-year-old would still consider a WWE career after retiring from basketball. He said so while answering a question on Twitter in May.

Kanter isn’t shy about his love for professional wrestling as he posed for photos with Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman, The New Day and John Cena at WWE’s last event at Madison Square Garden back in March.

Posted July 7th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

Stacy Keibler Gives Birth To Her Second Child

Stacy Keibler has given birth to her second child, a boy named Bodhi Brooks Pobre, with her husband Jared Pobre.

The former WWE star announced the news on Wednesday night on Instagram with a photo of herself, Pobre and their three-year-old daughter Ava holding Bodhi’s tiny hand. She said the baby was born at her home on June 18.

https://instagram.com/p/BkjF17uB1KR/

Keibler broke her silence from social media two weeks ago to announce her pregnancy.

https://instagram.com/p/Bj8hgrUlo6E/

Two months after breaking up with actor George Clooney in July 2013, Keibler began dating Pobre, a tech entrepreneur. They got married on March 8, 2014, in a surprise beach ceremony in Mexico. The wedding was a surprise to their respective families since they were on vacation.

Four months after giving birth to her first daughter (Ava Grace, born August 20, 2014), Keibler said she never thought about marriage or parenthood until she began dating Pobre.

“Life can be unpredictable. You feel one way, and then … boom!” Keibler wrote on her lifestyle website. “You need to entirely change your perspective. That is certainly what happened to me this past year. Until I started dating Jared, the idea of being married and having a family was never on my radar. I was just hoping that the right love would find me.

“But after a serendipitous reconnection with Jared, a friend who turned out to be my soulmate, we created a family together almost instantly. Talk about a serious change in my reality! This year and the holiday season especially has me feeling so nostalgic about family — my family, my new family, and of course, the newest addition to our family. Ava has graced us with such joy, such light and such love–we never saw it coming. She is our special little lady, and I couldn’t be more thankful for how she has opened my heart.”

Since becoming a mother, Keibler has maintained a very low profile. She stopped acting and is rarely photographed in public. She also shut down her lifestyle website (at StacyKeibler.com) and largely abandoned social media. Until her pregnancy announcement, she had not posted on Instagram since September 2015.

Posted June 28th, 2018 in News. Tagged: .

Brie Bella Considering Second Baby, WWE Stars Attend GLAAD Concert, John Cena

– During a red carpet interview at WWE’s For Your Consideration event in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday night, Brie Bella said she’s considering having a baby “next summer,” but only after she returns to the ring.

Brie said to E! News that she had a conversation earlier with her husband, Daniel Bryan — real name Bryan Danielson — about having another child. Bryan is eager to “start trying,” whereas Brie is eyeing 2019 for an addition to the family.

“I need to kick more butt in the ring still,” Brie revealed she told her husband. “‘Next summer.’ In mom world that’s like really close. So, next summer.”

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBBJ1_vulr0&w=560&h=315]

– Sonya Deville and Lana are in attendance at tonight’s GLAAD + Ty Herdon’s Concert for Love & Acceptance event in Nashville, Tennessee, “featuring a coalition of artists and celebrities appearing and performing to accelerate acceptance for LGBTQ people.”

The SmackDown LIVE Superstars are documenting their experience on social media.

https://instagram.com/p/Bjvnoq4h4ei/

– John Cena’s entrance theme briefly played during the second period of tonight’s NHL Stanley Cup finals Game 5 between the Washington Capitals and the Las Vegas Knights (taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada at the T-Mobile Arena).

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxQgZkWZtBE&w=560&h=315]

Posted June 7th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , , , , .

Stacy Keibler Pregnant With Her Second Child

Former WWE star Stacy Keibler is expecting her second child with her husband, Jared Pobre.

US Weekly confirmed the 38-year-old as pregnant after she was photographed in Beverly Hills, California with her baby bump on display.

Two months after breaking up with actor George Clooney in July 2013, Keibler began dating Pobre, a tech entrepreneur. They got married on March 8, 2014, in a surprise beach ceremony in Mexico. The wedding was a surprise to their respective families since they were on vacation.

Keibler and Pobre welcomed their first child, daughter Ava Grace, now three years old, on August 20, 2014.

Since becoming a mother, Keibler has maintained a very low profile. She stopped acting and is rarely photographed in public. She also shut down her lifestyle website (at StacyKeibler.com) and abandoned social media (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).

Her last post on Facebook was made on March 25, 2017, in which she encouraged people to “turn off your lights tonight at 8:30 & help us to a better future!” in honor of Earth Hour. That same status update was posted to her Twitter account, which was also her last tweet.

Keibler has not updated her Instagram account since September 2015. The last post she shared on the social media platform was of herself reading a book titled “What Does It Mean to Be Kind?” to her daughter.

https://www.instagram.com/p/8EQvsEpUxF/

Four months after giving birth to her first daughter, Keibler revealed that she never thought about marriage or parenthood until she began dating Pobre.

“Life can be unpredictable. You feel one way, and then … boom!” Keibler wrote on her lifestyle website. “You need to entirely change your perspective. That is certainly what happened to me this past year. Until I started dating Jared, the idea of being married and having a family was never on my radar. I was just hoping that the right love would find me.

“But after a serendipitous reconnection with Jared, a friend who turned out to be my soulmate, we created a family together almost instantly. Talk about a serious change in my reality! This year and the holiday season especially has me feeling so nostalgic about family — my family, my new family, and of course, the newest addition to our family. Ava has graced us with such joy, such light and such love–we never saw it coming. She is our special little lady, and I couldn’t be more thankful for how she has opened my heart.”

Posted May 26th, 2018 in News. Tagged: .

WWE NXT Star Undergoes Surgery For Torn Pec, Likely Out Six To Nine Months

Tino Sabbatelli will be out of action for several months after suffering an injury at last Saturday’s NXT live event in Largo, Florida.

According to F4WOnline, Sabbatelli tore his pectoral muscle during a main event match against Velveteen Dream. The injury occurred when Dream gave him a dropkick. Sabbatelli immediately grabbed his chest and they finished the match moments later with Dream hitting him with the Purple Rainmaker.

Sabbatelli has since undergone surgery for the injury, which will likely require a six to nine month recuperation period.

The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time since WWE just started giving the 34-year-old a singles push.

On last week’s episode of NXT, Sabbatelli left tag team partner Riddick Moss high and dry during their match against Heavy Machinery.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BSgbWuVZPw&w=560&h=315]

The two had been teasing a break-up for months due to frequent losses, but this interview where he declared Moss as “dead weight” made it official.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQpZ0HOib8M&w=560&h=315]

At the following night’s NXT live event in Orlando, Florida, Sabbatelli appeared in formal clothing and challenged NXT Champion Aleister Black to a match the next night in nearby Gainesville.

The two worked the match, with Black pinning Sabbatelli.

https://twitter.com/FLWrestlingFan/status/990043172721119233

https://twitter.com/FLWrestlingFan/status/990055441177686016

https://twitter.com/FLWrestlingFan/status/990053457523601410

A former NFL player, Sabbatelli — real name Sabatino “Sabby” Piscitelli — was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft. Sabbatelli spent six seasons playing the Safety position before joining the WWE Performance Center in October 2014. He made his NXT television debut in October 2016, teaming with Moss. They didn’t get a push, however, as the two did not get a win on television until last October.

Posted May 4th, 2018 in WWE, News.

Bray Wyatt Tweets Matt Hardy About Report That He’ll Turn On Him

This week on Raw, Bray Wyatt and Matt Hardy put their newfound alliance to the test against Apollo and Titus O’Neil in the first step toward possibly facing Cesaro and Sheamus for the vacant Raw Tag Team Championship at the Greatest Royal Rumble.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc7umh64nd0&w=560&h=315]

It’s quite possible that their alliance will be short-lived as according to Dave Meltzer in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there is a pitch for Wyatt to turn on Hardy and become the leader of SAnitY.

Wyatt addressed the report in a tweet on Saturday afternoon, tagging both Hardy and Meltzer.

https://twitter.com/WWEBrayWyatt/status/985231604464447491

Hardy responded to Wyatt’s tweet with the following:

At WrestleMania 34, Wyatt returned from “deletion” to help Hardy win the 2018 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. The two hugged afterward before celebrating Hardy’s win, thus ending their rivalry, forming a team, and turning Wyatt into a fan favorite. The next night on Raw, Wyatt and Hardy beat Apollo and O’Neil to advance in the Tag Team Eliminator. This coming Monday night on Raw, Wyatt and Hardy will take on The Revival for the right to challenge The Bar at the Greatest Royal Rumble on April 27.

SAnitY doesn’t appear long for NXT as only Killian Dain worked a TV match at Wednesday’s television tapings in Orlando, Florida. After the tapings concluded, there was a dark match where NXT Champion Aleister Black beat Eric Young. Black then took out Dain and Alexander Wolfe.

Posted April 14th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

Update On Vader’s Condition Following Open Heart Surgery

Former WWE and WCW star Vader underwent open heart surgery today in Dallas, Texas and according to his son Jesse, it was a success, but at the same time, worse than expected.

Jesse posted the update from Vader’s Twitter account.

Vader revealed last week that his heart rate “has slowed into the thirties.”

On November 14, 2016, Vader announced that he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure due to his football and wrestling careers. He visited two heart doctors and they told him he has only two years left to live.

Vader found out about the diagnosis after being involved in a roll-over car accident, which left him unconscious for 35 minutes. In December 2016, he explained to Hannibal TV:

“I was in the medical center and I was seeing my doctor, who is actually an MD, and heart specialists came into my room. They said ‘We’ve been looking at your heart’ and I said ‘Who are you?’ I didn’t recognize the guy. He said ‘You have two years to live. We’ve been looking at your heart, and that’s the deal.’

“It wasn’t much longer than that when he came back in the room — cause he left and obviously I had a bunch of questions and I’m in the process of answering those questions at this point. So for me to start talking would probably be premature at this point.

“I’ve been in the gym, I feel okay, I’ve been feeling pretty good actually. I don’t know exactly what he’s talking about or if something will show itself up in weeks to come, but right now I’m still trying to figure out exactly what’s going on.”

A few months later, Vader regretted tweeting that he only has two years left to live. He explained to Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling last March:

“I really kind of regret tweeting it out. In other words when I got diagnosed and was told, “Leon, you have a bad heart and you have congestive heart failure and we feel your time is limited and you have maybe a couple of years left… two years or less to live.

“I remember getting very angry and said this has gotta be bulls–t because I don’t feel bad and I remember getting extremely angry. Since that time and when I got the news I left the hospital and went right to the gym and rode the bike for a half hour. Hard. As hard as I could and when I got off the bike and got on the treadmill and walked for another 15 minutes pretty hard and I was exhausted but my heart felt fine so how can I do that if my heart is going to give out?

“The doctor in some of the ongoing appointments that I had with him explained to me that when you are tipping the scales at 400 and 420-25 pounds that a man that size and that heavy isn’t supposed to be able to push himself in a cardiovascular endeavor no matter what it is much past 2 or 3 minutes.”

Vader went on to say that he will continue to wrestle and that if the tests are proven to be true, he would like to die in the ring. However, in April, he passed out after a match in Japan due to a head injury. He apparently hasn’t wrestled since then.

Posted March 26th, 2018 in News.

Apollo Has Injury Scare At WWE Live Event, Lars Sullivan Shows Off His Strength

– There was an injury scare at tonight’s WWE live event in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada as Apollo hurt his knee during a tag team match teaming with Titus O’Neil against Raw Tag Team Champions Cesaro and Sheamus.

According to a fan in attendance, he got hurt while attempting a kip-up.

https://twitter.com/ThePehPeh/status/977703344306208768

The referee threw up the “X” signal and Apollo was examined at ringside by medical personnel. He was able to continue the match but was limping. The Bar ended up winning.

– In the video below, NXT star Lars Sullivan shows off his by amazing strength by lifting 135 pounds with one arm — the movement is called the Turkish Get-up.

The official Twitter feed of Tapout also posted this video of Sullivan demonstrating various lifts at the WWE Performance Center.

Posted March 25th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: .

The Rock Wins Two Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards (Video), Ex-WWE Diva Walks Orange Carpet (Photos)

The 2018 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards had a strong WWE presence tonight as not only did John Cena host the show, get slimed and step into the ring with The Bella Twins, but Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson won two blimps.

Cena’s “dad,” who loves The Rock, announced him as the winner of Favorite Movie Actor and Favorite Movie for Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. The Rock accepted both awards from the set of a movie since he couldn’t be there live.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EyDX3ZDB8I&w=620&h=349]

The Rock previously won Favorite Male Butt Kicker in 2013 and BFFs with Kevin Hart in 2017.

The Rock may not have been at the Kids’ Choice Awards, but another former WWE champ was … Victoria.

Victoria, a two-time WWE Women’s Champion, walked the orange carpet and posted about it on Instagram afterward. She thanked Nickelodeon for the invitation.

https://instagram.com/p/BgusTz_HMIF/

https://instagram.com/p/Bguebkjn8da/

https://instagram.com/p/BguQAm6nWyE/

https://instagram.com/p/Bguc_9NnaGR/

Posted March 25th, 2018 in WWE, News.

John Cena Hosts Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and Gets Slimed, The Bella Twins Appear (Videos)

For the second consecutive year, John Cena hosted the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards and got drenched with the show’s signature slime. Check out Cena getting slimed in the video below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWr8iLCLQKk&w=560&h=315]

To kick off the show, the 16-time World Champion smashed through walls, which led to him encountering The Bella Twins. He stepped into the ring with Nikki and Brie, as seen in the clip below.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMrAs1yuFWc&w=560&h=315]

Cena also appeared on the orange carpet dressed up as Leonardo of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Here are more Cena highlights from the event.

In the clip below, Cena says hosting the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards was a blast and that he will be at Sunday’s WWE live event in Buffalo, New York (after flying from Los Angeles, California).

Posted March 25th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , , .

Stephanie McMahon Honored With Award, WrestleMania 19 In 60 Seconds, NXT Star Turns 28

– The Still Strong Foundation, which provides assistance to families whose children are battling cancer, honored Stephanie McMahon tonight in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the 2018 Still Strong Corporate Responsibility Award for her commitment to Connor’s Cure.

Stephanie posted the following on social media regarding this honor, also thanking former NFL player Devon Still, who created the foundation with his wife.

Big Show and WWE Ambassador Dana Warrior were also there to see Stephanie McMahon receive her award.

– Take a look back at WrestleMania 19 in this 60-second highlight video.

WrestleMania 19 took place on March 30, 2003, at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. The top matches at the show were Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. The Rock, Hulk Hogan vs. Mr. McMahon, Triple H vs. Booker T for the World Heavyweight Championship, and Shawn Michaels vs. Chris Jericho.

– Lacey Evans celebrated her birthday on Saturday as the NXT star turned 28 years old.

https://instagram.com/p/BguNEzIjJeA/

Posted March 25th, 2018 in WWE, News.

Hulk Hogan To Appear At WWE/HBO’s ‘Andre The Giant’ Premiere In Los Angeles

Could Hulk Hogan finally be returning to WWE?

It was reported earlier today that WWE officials have been in talks with the wrestling legend about returning to the company. WWE confirmed the report in a statement, which reads: “We have had discussions with Terry Bollea (aka Hulk Hogan) about how he can help others learn from his mistakes, however, he is not under any contract with WWE.”

F4WOnline addressed the story tonight and added that Hogan is scheduled to appear at a WWE-related event for the first time since his termination from the company in 2015.

WWE, which collaborated with HBO Sports to produce a documentary on Andre the Giant — simply titled Andre the Giant — is holding a premiere for the film next Thursday in Los Angeles, California and Hogan is slated to be there.

Hogan was among those interviewed for the documentary, which explores Andre’s upbringing in France, his celebrated WWE career, and forays into the entertainment world. He is seen in the official trailer explaining Andre’s presence in wrestling.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_jTeuajas0&w=560&h=315]

On July 24, 2015, WWE terminated its contract with Hogan, stating that they are “committed to embracing and celebrating individuals from all backgrounds.” The termination coincided with the publication of a racially insensitive video in which Hogan is heard expressing disgust with the notion of his daughter dating any black man, referenced by his repeated use of the N-word. Hogan also admitted to being “a racist, to a point.”

In an interview with ABC News’ Amy Robach that aired on Good Morning America on August 30, 2015, Hogan talked about the circumstances surrounding his use of the N-word and denied being racist.

“I’m not a racist but I never should have said what I said. It was wrong. I’m embarrassed by it,” Hogan said.

“People need to realize that you inherit things from your environment. And where I grew up was south Tampa, Port Tampa, and it was a really rough neighborhood, very low income. And all my friends, we greeted each other saying that word.”

As for fans who may feel let down by his actions, Hogan asked for forgiveness.

“Oh, my gosh. Please forgive me. Please forgive me,” he said. “I think if you look at the whole picture of who Hulk Hogan is, you can see over all the years that there’s not a racist bone in my body.”

Posted March 22nd, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

Former WWE and WCW Star Vader To Undergo Open Heart Surgery

Former WWE and WCW star Vader will be undergoing open heart surgery this Monday in Dallas, Texas. The 62-year-old revealed the news in a tweet on Wednesday night.

Vader previously said in a tweet on Mar. 12 that he would be undergoing heart surgery the following day. It’s unclear whether the surgery got delayed until next week or if he’s undergoing a second procedure.

On November 14, 2016, Vader announced that he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure due to his football and wrestling careers. He visited two heart doctors and they told him he has only two years left to live.

Vader found out about the diagnosis after being involved in a roll-over car accident, which left him unconscious for 35 minutes. In December 2016, he explained to Hannibal TV:

“I was in the medical center and I was seeing my doctor, who is actually an MD, and heart specialists came into my room. They said ‘We’ve been looking at your heart’ and I said ‘Who are you?’ I didn’t recognize the guy. He said ‘You have two years to live. We’ve been looking at your heart, and that’s the deal.’

“It wasn’t much longer than that when he came back in the room — cause he left and obviously I had a bunch of questions and I’m in the process of answering those questions at this point. So for me to start talking would probably be premature at this point.

“I’ve been in the gym, I feel okay, I’ve been feeling pretty good actually. I don’t know exactly what he’s talking about or if something will show itself up in weeks to come, but right now I’m still trying to figure out exactly what’s going on.”

A few months later, Vader regretted tweeting that he only has two years left to live. He explained to Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling last March:

“I really kind of regret tweeting it out. In other words when I got diagnosed and was told, “Leon, you have a bad heart and you have congestive heart failure and we feel your time is limited and you have maybe a couple of years left… two years or less to live.

“I remember getting very angry and said this has gotta be bulls–t because I don’t feel bad and I remember getting extremely angry. Since that time and when I got the news I left the hospital and went right to the gym and rode the bike for a half hour. Hard. As hard as I could and when I got off the bike and got on the treadmill and walked for another 15 minutes pretty hard and I was exhausted but my heart felt fine so how can I do that if my heart is going to give out?

“The doctor in some of the ongoing appointments that I had with him explained to me that when you are tipping the scales at 400 and 420-25 pounds that a man that size and that heavy isn’t supposed to be able to push himself in a cardiovascular endeavor no matter what it is much past 2 or 3 minutes.”

Vader went on to say that he will continue to wrestle and that if the tests are proven to be true, he would like to die in the ring. However, in April, he passed out after a match in Japan due to a head injury. He apparently hasn’t wrestled since then.

Posted March 22nd, 2018 in News.

John Cena References The Undertaker’s Pre-WWE History With Rare Photo

Last night on Raw, John Cena demanded a response from The Undertaker following his highly personal WrestleMania challenge last week. Cena didn’t get it, but he did get one from Undertaker’s brother, Kane, who dropped him with the Chokeslam.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oixChs-kT4&w=560&h=315]

Over on Instagram, Cena today posted a rare photo of The Undertaker before he became “The Deadman.” The image itself notes his wrestling debut in 1984 for World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW) under the ring name Texas Red.

Cena didn’t write a caption for the photo, as is always the case with his Instagram page. His account’s description states, “These images will be posted without explanation, for your interpretation.”

https://instagram.com/p/BgjQDwPgSnk/

The Undertaker is actually not Texas Red in the photo since he wore a mask for that persona. Here is footage of his first-ever wrestling match, which was against Bruiser Brody.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0lRWx3NMTg&w=560&h=315]

You can also see his debut match on the WWE Network in the Vault section on an episode of WCCW dated July 11, 1987. His manager on that night is Percival Pringle III, who would go on to be his manager in WWE, Paul Bearer.

The photo Cena posted is from The Undertaker’s time in WCW under the name “Mean” Mark Callous. He grew his hair out by the end of his run with the promotion in 1990 and wore black and dark red attire with a single glove (as also seen in the video below from August 1990).

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t83tVFckC4I&w=560&h=315]

While The Undertaker’s pre-WWE history has yet to be referenced in company storylines, it was acknowledged in a 2000 VHS/DVD release highlighting his WWE career up until he became the “American Bad Ass.” There is a chapter on his run in WCW, with The Undertaker, Paul Heyman, and Jim Ross talking about that time in his career.

Posted March 20th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

Mark Henry Joining The WWE Hall Of Fame

Update: WWE has confirmed that Mark Henry is bringing the Hall of Pain to the Hall of Fame. Mark Henry joins Bill Goldberg, The Dudley Boyz, Ivory, Jeff Jarrett, Hillbilly Jim, Kid Rock and Warrior Award recipient Jarrius “JJ” Robertson as part of the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2018.

The 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, April 6th, during WrestleMania 34 Week in New Orleans.

Original Story: 

While WWE no longer publishes a monthly magazine in the United States, the company continues to release an issue hyping WrestleMania on an annual basis. Some fans managed to get ahold of this year’s issue for WrestleMania 34, which reveals a yet-to-be-announced 2018 WWE Hall of Fame inductee.

https://twitter.com/BaIIins/status/975088113516269568

The magazine reveals that Mark Henry will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.

WWE conducted an interview with “The World’s Strongest Man” on joining the WWE Hall of Fame, as seen in the photo below.

https://twitter.com/selly6411/status/975394770850865152

Henry joins Goldberg, The Dudley Boyz, Ivory, Jeff Jarrett, Hillbilly Jim, musician Kid Rock and Warrior Award recipient Jarrius “JJ” Robertson among those being honored that night.

The 2018 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place on Friday, April 6, in New Orleans at the Smoothie King Center during WrestleMania 34 Week.

Posted March 18th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

Rey Mysterio Joins New Wrestling Company As Co-Owner and Performer

Aro Lucha, a new Nashville-based wrestling promotion, has signed Rey Mysterio.

The Tennessean published an article on Saturday announcing that Mysterio is joining the promotion as both a performer and a co-owner.

There are also plans to launch a crowdfunding effort that would allow fans to invest in a minority stake in the company.

“I think what we are doing with Aro Lucha being fan-owned is revolutionary,” Mysterio said. “We are giving the fans something they have never had before, a voice and a chance to get in on the action.”

The article also notes that Mysterio “was rumored to be considering a return to the WWE,” but did not elaborate further on the situation.

Aro Lucha sold out its debut event at the Nashville Fairgrounds in December, where a pilot episode was filmed. The company then took the promotion on the road, holding non-televised events in Texas.

The company released this ‘sizzle reel’ from the pilot episode taping, which shows a number of familiar faces including Mysterio, MVP, Johnny Mundo, James Storm, Hurricane Helms, Taya Valkyrie, Reby Hardy and Willie Mack.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oriJW34LHec&w=560&h=315]

Although Aro Lucha hasn’t found a television partner yet, co-founder Jason Brown says they are deciding between a few different options for where to produce the television show in Nashville, with filming expected to begin in May or June. Other live events for the Nashville area are also in the works.

Konnan is heading the company’s creative department, which aims to produce a family-friendly product.

Posted March 18th, 2018 in News. Tagged: .

Dana Brooke Honors Her Late Boyfriend (Video), NBA Star and Boxer With WWE Stars (Photos)

– A new episode of WWE 24 airs this Monday after Raw on the WWE Network and it gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the first-ever Women’s Royal Rumble Match. Here is the synopsis:

“Female Superstars are redefining sports entertainment with groundbreaking matches and the addition of Ronda Rousey to a star-studded roster.”

WWE has released a teaser clip of Dana Brooke honoring her late bodybuilder boyfriend, Dallas McCarver, who died suddenly on August 22, 2017.

Last March, Brooke and McCarver both competed in the 2017 Arnold Classic. To honor McCarver, she incorporated a small piece of McCarver’s posing trunks from the event by having it stitched onto her ring gear for the Women’s Royal Rumble Match. She had WWE seamstress Terry Anderson make the piece look like a dumbbell and have it placed over her heart.

On her tribute, she tweeted the following:

According to Medium.com, an autopsy determined that McCarver died after an unwitnessed cardiac event contributed to by of combination of coronary atherosclerosis (a buildup of plaque in the arteries) and an enlarged left ventricle (a thickening of the heart muscle that causes it to work harder). McCarver had a family history of cardiovascular disease including both hypertension and atherosclerosis.

– New York Knicks player Enes Kanter attended Friday’s WWE live event at Madison Square Garden in New York City and posed for photos with WWE stars backstage, including Universal Champion Brock Lesnar, Braun Strowman, The New Day, and John Cena.

Michael Conlan, an Irish professional boxer from Belfast, was also backstage (as seen here in this photo with Finn Balor).

https://instagram.com/p/BgbmAHjHS32/

Posted March 18th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , , , , , , .

Update On Ex-WWE Star Sunny (Tammy Sytch) Following Recent Arrest

Tammy Sytch, also known as Sunny in WWE, remains incarcerated in Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold, New Jersey after being arrested on Feb. 27 on charges of two counts of fugitive from justice and six counts of contempt of court.

The official website of the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office currently has her listed as an inmate (under the name Tamara Sytch), with bail set at $6,000.

In an update from previous reports, PWInsider is reporting that Sytch is facing even more legal issues in the state of Pennsylvania. According to Carbon County Court officials on Thursday, a motion was made to revoke her parole last August due to multiple violations of the terms of her release the prior February.

After the motion was filed, Carbon County Court Judge Joseph Matika ordered Sytch arrested on a bench warrant so that she could return before him to face sentencing. However, Pennsylvania authorities were unable to locate Sytch until she was arrested in New Jersey, where she was flagged as a fugitive of justice. Authorities were unable to find her because she moved out of Pennsylvania.

While it was previously reported that Sytch would be extradited to Pennsylvania before facing her latest charges in New Jersey, Carbon County Court officials said that she will remain in New Jersey until her legal issues in the state are resolved. Once that happens, she will be handed off to Pennsylvania authorities to face Judge Matika.

TMZ Sports reported on Mar. 2 that Sytch was arrested for DUI on two separate occasions a few weeks before her latest arrest. She had been on probation for three DUI arrests in 2015.

Sytch was arrested for DUI in New Jersey on Jan. 23 at 8:53 p.m. She was then involved in an automobile accident on Feb. 2 at 8:52 a.m. and cops say she fled the scene. Sytch was tracked down and cited for DUI, as well as leaving the scene of an accident.

She was then charged with failing to appear in court for either of the two arrests, which led to her latest arrest.

Sytch, who turned 45 years old in December, has been arrested several times over the years. In 2012, she was arrested five times in a four-week span, for disorderly conduct, third-degree burglary, and three counts of violating a protective order. She was arrested a sixth time in January 2013, also for violating a protective order. She served 114 days in jail and was released in May 2013 (this all happened in New Jersey).

In January 2016, Sytch pleaded guilty to driving while under suspension in the state of Pennsylvania. On August 18, 2016, Judge Matika sentenced her to 90 days in jail but counted her 97 days in rehab as jail credit. On Sept. 23, 2016, 18 days into her probation, Sytch was arrested for violating her parole. The arrest was due to three DUI arrests in Pennsylvania in 2015. Sytch remained in jail on these charges through her arraignment in January 2017. She was fined $1,496.45 for the remaining charges and released on Feb. 3, 2017.

Posted March 10th, 2018 in News. Tagged: , .

Darren Young Returns To The Ring, Summer Rae Appears At Wrestling Convention, Rey Mysterio

– After being released by WWE last October, Darren Young has plans to continue his wrestling career on the independent circuit. Under his real name Fred Rosser, he wrestled first match since leaving WWE last night in Union, New Jersey for WrestlePro against Impact Wrestling star Fallah Bahh.

Rosser was victorious in his return bout and put over Bahh afterward on Twitter.

– Danielle Moinet, also known as Summer Rae, made her first appearance at a wrestling function since her release from WWE last October today at a wrestling convention in East Elmhurst, New York. The former WWE star appeared at The Big Event 14, where she met fans. Afterward, she posted the following on Instagram.

https://instagram.com/p/BgKWMDpHAXq/

Moinet also posted some videos and photos from her appearance on Instagram Stories.

– The official Twitter feed of Manchester United sent out this video of Rey Mysterio hyping their soccer game against Liverpool today.

Posted March 10th, 2018 in News. Tagged: , , .

Billie Kay and Peyton Royce Return To Action (Photos)

Following a lengthy absence from the ring, Billie Kay and Peyton Royce returned to action at last night’s NXT live event in Citrus Springs, Florida.

The Iconic Duo teamed up against Candice LeRae and Kairi Sane but came up short in their return bout. Sane picked up the win for her team after nailing Royce with the Insane Elbow.

Here are photos of Kay and Royce’s return to action.

https://instagram.com/p/BgICzpjBBMw/

https://twitter.com/gravenbabies/status/972530609498271744

https://twitter.com/gravenbabies/status/972532872711147521

https://twitter.com/gravenbabies/status/972355795991097344

https://twitter.com/gravenbabies/status/972356212560932864

https://twitter.com/gravenbabies/status/972357206908817408

https://twitter.com/gravenbabies/status/972349781094928384

https://twitter.com/gravenbabies/status/972348018648285185

https://twitter.com/gravenbabies/status/972347328802770944

Prior to their return, The Iconic Duo’s last appearance came on November 29, 2017, at an NXT television taping, with Kay accompanying Royce for a match against NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon. Royce lost the match, which aired on December 13, 2017, on the WWE Network. Kay’s last match in 2017 took place on November 16 at a live event.

This naturally led to speculation on their sudden disappearance. As it turns out, both Royce and Kay got a boob job back in December. The recovery time from a breast augmentation can take several weeks, which is why the two were out for awhile.

Posted March 10th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

Wrestler Issues Statement On WWE NXT Release, The Nasty Boys Wrestle In Germany (Video), Melina

– Following her release from WWE NXT yesterday, Abbey Laith issued the following statement on Twitter this afternoon.

https://twitter.com/AbbeyLaithWWE/status/972170039565651969

She already has an indie wrestling appearance lined up next month for Beyond Wrestling in her hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

https://twitter.com/AbbeyLaithWWE/status/972187956046958592

– The Nasty Boys, Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags, wrestled matches in Germany over the weekend for Deutsche Wrestling Allianz (DWA) and Independent Pro Wrestling Germany (IPW Germany). According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Sags worked most of the matches since Knobbs “was hurting bad.”

https://instagram.com/p/Bf4N1fyFJA1/

Here is footage from their match for DWA.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlPVZ87iqks&w=560&h=315]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TMztFKvunw&w=560&h=315]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3M_feWy8C8&w=560&h=315]

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrBb-Ry3dZM&w=560&h=315]

– Former WWE star Melina Perez is celebrating her birthday today as she turns 39 years. WWE is celebrating her birthday as well with these posts on social media.

https://instagram.com/p/BgHC3zJABWd/

Posted March 9th, 2018 in WWE, News. Tagged: , .

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