SEScoops

Author: Eric Lynch

  • JR Speaks On If WWE Talent Will Be Resentful About Shane McMahon’s Spot At WrestleMania

    JR Speaks On If WWE Talent Will Be Resentful About Shane McMahon’s Spot At WrestleMania

    WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross recently appeared on the Pro Wrestling Illustrated podcast to promote NJPW on AXS TV. During the interview, PWI senior writer Al Castle asked J.R. about Shane McMahon being chosen as The Undertaker’s opponent for WrestleMania this year.

    Ross says he personally has no issues with Shane coming out of the woodwork for the semi-main event match, and that the storyline has people talking. “I believe . . . knowing the two participants as well as I do, and I know both of them very well, that they will do everything within their power to have an extraordinary match based on both their individual skill sets and their strengths and their weaknesses. So I have no issues with Shane McMahon coming out of the woodwork,” Ross said.

    He added that people have been stopping him left and right asking about Shane McMahon’s return, so it’s certainly gotten the attention of casual fans. “So a lot of people are talking about it. And obviously when you have a lot of people talking about something they’re not all going to like it. I get it and I don’t have a problem with people expressing themselves and their opinions. But when people are so adamant that they know without a shadow of a doubt that this is bad booking, I sometimes am embarrassed for them.”

    Ross was asked if WWE talent would be justified in feeling resentful that the owner’s son was chosen to take such a prestigious spot at their biggest event of the year. The Hall of Famer says he’s familiar with wrestling complaining about things like that, but that it’s usually not justified.

    “It’s not the first time and it’s not the last time that people are getting passed over. I found out this: wrestlers that have complained regularly, loudly–discreetly loud–about their spot being taken by a non-regular normally didn’t work hard enough or smart enough during the year to keep their spot. I heard that same thing.”

    “What do you think would happen in Bill Watts’ territory when he would bring in Andre the Giant to work the Super Dome or Dusty Rhodes or Tommy Rich or the NWA champion? You’d get the same thing: the guys in the locker room b—hing and moaning that somebody was coming in and taking their pay off.”

    It might not be the ideal scenario for the full time performers, but the special attractions coming in raises the water level for everybody and today’s stars should be working to establish themselves as the special attractions of tomorrow.

  • Jerry Lawler Talks Co-Signing For Hulk Hogan’s First Car, The Rock’s Early Days

    Jerry “The King” Lawler recently joined Chris Jericho’s Talk In Jericho podcast to discuss his lengthy career. Lawler says he recognized that The Rock would be a star right away, but didn’t have such high expectations for Hulk Hogan. He shared a story about Hulk breaking into the wrestling business, revealing that even back then Hogan would try to get jobs for his friends. Lawler also touched base on something that came up in Hogan’s trial: A car that Jerry Jarrett had supposedly bought him.

    “Hulk Hogan, he came right there and started with us. He had been playing bass guitar in a band down in Florida. Jerry Jarrett and I co-signed for his first car that he ever had when he was right there,” Lawler recalled. “He was nowhere near a polished worker yet and the thing that really held him back, I think the reason we kind of had to let him go, was because he was bound and determined for us to use this kid that he brought with him. He called him Dizzy Hogan, which I think may have turned out to be, I don’t know if it was Brutus Beefcake. And he was horrible! But that was the deal. If we used Hulk, we had to use this other kid, his best friend.”

    Lawler was also there to see Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson break into the business. He said they could see his star potential right off the bat.

    “The Rock, Flex Kavana, yeah, that was his name. He had a haircut [and] it looked like a pineapple. It was crazy. But, yeah, we knew that he had tremendous potential, simply because he was the son of Rocky Johnson and we had Rocky here. Rocky was a huge star in our territory down here in Memphis. But the funny thing was we didn’t play on that. We didn’t play that up. He was Flex Kavana. We didn’t even mention that he was Rocky Johnson’s son at that time. They didn’t do that until he got into WWE.”

    You can listen to Jericho’s entire podcast featuring “The King” here.

  • Updated WrestleMania 32 Card: Tag Match Moved To Kickoff Show

    WWE announced on Thursday’s episode of SmackDown that The Usos vs. The Dudley Boyz match, originally scheduled for WrestleMania 32, will take place on the kickoff show on WWE Network. Below is the current card for WrestleMania 32, which takes place on April 3rd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

    WrestleMania 32
    WWE World Heavyweight Title Match
    Triple H (c) vs. Roman Reigns

    Hell In a Cell for Control of WWE
    Shane McMahon vs. The Undertaker

    No Holds Barred Street Fight
    Dean Ambrose vs. Brock Lesnar

    Triple Threat for the Divas Championship
    Charlotte (c) vs. Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch

    Handicap Match for the WWE Tag Team Titles
    The New Day vs. The League of Nations

    United States Title Match
    Kalisto (c) vs. Ryback

    Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Title
    Kevin Owens © vs. The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Sami Zayn vs. Zack Ryder vs. Sin Cara vs. Stardust.

    WWE Network Kickoff Show
    Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
    Adam Rose vs. Curtis Axel vs. Heath Slater vs. Bo Dallas vs. Kane vs. The Big Show vs. Tyler Breeze

    Tag Team Match
    The Usos vs. The Dudley Boyz

  • Sting Says His Retirement Is A “Rumor,” Still Wants To Wrestle The Undertaker

    Last week TMZ reported that Sting would be retiring due to his neck injury from September, but the former WCW World Champion says his dream isn’t dead yet. In an interview with IGN to promote WrestleMania 32, Sting hinted that he is still hopeful of getting a match against The Undertaker.

    “Uh, yeah. I’ve been very outspoken about that,” Sting said when asked if he still wants to face Undertaker. “Still a dream of mine.”

    Sting suffered significant injuries during his match against Seth Rollins back at Night of Champions, but maintains that his dream to face The Undertaker lives on.

    “[Retiring] is one of those rumors floating around, yes,” Sting continued, “TMZ put something out and, again, I still have a dream inside of me. And it’s not dead yet.”

    Sting will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 2nd, the day before WrestleMania 32.

  • Update On Cena’s Return, Big Names Scheduled For WrestleMania

    Update On Cena’s Return, Big Names Scheduled For WrestleMania

    – While it seems likely that John Cena will appear at WrestleMania 32 in some capacity, the 15-time WWE World Heavyweight champion is not expected back in the ring any time soon. After undergoing shoulder surgery back in January, the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Cena isn’t expected to be medically cleared to wrestle until July. Cena recently hit the 350-hour mark in his physical rehabilitation. WWE Battleground takes place on July 24th, so he could be back by then in order to be part of SummerSlam the following month. 

    – WWE has not yet revealed what The Rock, Shawn Michaels & Steve Austin’s roles will be at WrestleMania, but all three are locked in for the show. There hasn’t been any mention of their WrestleMania appearances on WWE TV since January, other than a 30-second video package. It was originally believed they would need names lke Austin and Michaels to sell tickets for the April 3rd event, but they’re already almost sold out.

    – WWE has informed pay-per-view providers that WrestleMania 32 could run until as late at 11:20 PM ET. The usual cut off time from the PPV providers is 11:00 PM.

  • This Week’s TNA Impact Wrestling Viewership Is In

    This Week’s TNA Impact Wrestling Viewership Is In

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNeHqe2tC0I

    This week’s episode of TNA Impact Wrestling drew 331,000 viewers according to Showbuzz Daily. The episode featured Jeff Hardy winning a Gauntlet Match in the main event, and was the second week in a row that Impact viewership increased. The episode was up 8% in viewers from the previous week’s episode, which averaged 307,000 viewers.

    However, the replay fell 52 percent, giving Impact a combined audience of 390,000 viewers, down nine percent from last week’s audience of 430,000 viewers.

    This week’s show was ranked #127 on the Cable Top 150, up from last week’s #129 ranking.

  • Eva Marie Speaks On Criticism From Fans & Her Thoughts On NXT

    Eva Marie recently did an interview with the E! channel to promote the current season of Total Divas. During the interview Eva addressed criticism from fans, saying she’s happy with her in-ring progress so far.

    “We are in the entertainment business so the fans are everything and without them I pretty much don’t exist,” Eva Marie said. “They mean the world to me, but at the same time I’m actually very happy that they’ve seen my progress from when I first came in to where I’m at now. It’s just also one of those things like to put out there to any little girl or boy, anybody, that if you want something bad enough you have to just keep knocking down those doors and go for it, regardless of what anybody…whether it’s a colleague, family member or whomever is telling you, ‘No.’ Just don’t listen to that.”

    She said she’s happy with her time in WWE so far, and takes a moment to thank Triple H and WWE chairman Vince McMahon.

    “It’s awesome,” she revealed. “I’m really thankful for Triple H and our chairman Vince McMahon because when I came back from my surgery I basically was like, ‘I want to be the face of this company and I want to bring something to the table.’ And luckily we have NXT, a phenomenal developmental program, so I had asked to go back and train so that I could be the best I possibly could be.”

    You can read the full interview here.

  • Kevin Owens Speaks On Shane vs. Undertaker, His Thoughts On Daniel Bryan

    Kevin Owens Speaks On Shane vs. Undertaker, His Thoughts On Daniel Bryan

    Kevin Owens recently spoke with Mike Jones of DC101 to promote WWE’s live event in Washington, DC on Sunday. Owens said he’s looking forward to watching Shane McMahon & The Undertaker’s Hell In A Cell match at WrestleMania 32, and that he can’t imagine what type of “insane” things Shane has planned.

    “Shane McMahon has done some really insane things when he wasn’t in as high profile a match as this one, so I can’t imagine what he’ll be ready to do or go through at Wrestlemania, but you’re right about Wrestlemania being synonymous with The Undertaker,” Owens said. “You’ve got two guys that will be ready to leave it all in that cell.”

    Owens was also asked about recently-retired WWE star Daniel Bryan. Owens regrets that he didn’t spend much time in the ring with Bryan, but says he still learned a lot from him outside the ring.

    “I didn’t have the chance to be in the ring with him as much as I wish because I feel like he’s someone I could have learned a lot from,” said the WWE Intercontinental Champion. “He is someone I learned a lot from just from watching and listening to outside of the ring, but I wish I could have shared the ring with him many more times than I had the chance to.”

    Kevin Owens will defend the IC title in a seven-man ladder match against Stardust, Sin Cara, The Miz, Zack Ryder, Dolph Ziggler and Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 32 on April 3.

  • Freddie Prinze Jr Reveals Details On WWE Creative Process, CM Punk’s Departure, Vince & More

    Freddie Prinze Jr Reveals Details On WWE Creative Process, CM Punk’s Departure, Vince & More

    Former WWE creative team member Freddie Prinze Jr has a lot to say about his days with the company. In a recent interview with Mick Rouse of GQ Magazine, the actor went in detail about working with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, their creative process, and much more. Here are some highlights from the article:

    – Prinze said the writers sit down together and spitball ideas. If there’s an idea that’s really out there, the writer will get some crap for it. After a while, you learn to filter the ideas and start small. Otherwise, you’ll be out of the company in 3-4 months.

    – For example, let’s say they decide to put the WWE Championship on Kevin Owens. They’ll start with that ending and then work backwards, deciding what his journey will be and what challengers he will face on his way up. The agents decide how the actual matches will go, not the writers. “I would write segments out in advance. Like, full-out dialogue. Not everyone would do that, but I would really try to paint a full picture because what I was pitching was weird stuff, even for wrestling.” he said. When they have most of the angle mapped out, they’ll pitch it to the boss.

    – Once the writers get to TV, pitching ideas is a different process. The script outline is complete and the writers are told how much time they get to fill. From there, it’s a round-robin style approach, with the writers, the agents, the ‘people behind the cameras’ getting a chance to contribute before Vince gives it the final “Yay” or “Nay.”

     

    – Regarding what it was like working with Vince McMahon, Prinze said, “Oh, Vince is like a kid who just opened his toy box. I don’t mean that in a crappy way, but these are his toys and this is his toy box and he takes great care over them. He has certain ones that are more special than others at certain times, and you can see that on TV, but that’s his right. It’s his toy box.”

    – By the time CM Punk’s frustrations with WWE were public knowledge, it was already too late. “All those promos that him and Vince McMahon would have in the ring together, that was all real stuff,” he said. “That wasn’t anything that anyone wrote, that was them debating in the ring. And people knew it was real! They knew they were saying real things and that it wasn’t a TV show right there anymore.”

    You can read the full interview here, where Prinze also discusses how he came to work for WWE in the first place.

  • Video: Hulk Hogan Talks Gawker Trial & His Awkward Moment Alone With Publisher Nick Denton

    Video: Hulk Hogan Talks Gawker Trial & His Awkward Moment Alone With Publisher Nick Denton

    Hulk Hogan was on Wednesday’s episode of Good Morning America to discuss his civil trial victory over Gawker. Hogan says the trial was never about the money, but rather to expose Gawker, and talks about his fantasy of getting Gawker publisher Nick Denton alone in a ring with him.

    “At about the middle of the trial I walk in the men’s room, and it’s me and Nick Denton [Gawker publisher] by ourselves in the restroom, with nobody,” Hogan revealed. “My first thought was: What if he just falls down and holds his neck or something, who are they going to believe? My second thought was: If this was WrestleMania and he was in the ring with me, and it was just me and him, wouldn’t it be fun?”

    When asked if he feels that he was set up by his friends, like Bubba The Love Sponge, he kept his answer short: “Yes, yes I do.” You can watch his interview here:

  • Titus O’Neil & Scott Hall React To “Bring Back Titus” Sign At RAW

    Titus O’Neil & Scott Hall React To “Bring Back Titus” Sign At RAW

    A fan brought a “Bring Back Titus” sign to RAW on Monday in Philadelphia, and the sign has been acknowledged by not only Titus O’Neil but also a WWE Hall of Famer. O’Neil, who is currently suspended from WWE for doing something unscripted on RAW, was joined by Scott Hall in commenting on the sign on Twitter.

    https://twitter.com/SCOTTHALLNWO/status/712088398027218945

    Titus has stated he plans on leaving WWE when his current contract expires.

  • Randy Orton Return Update, Former WWE Star Backstage At SmackDown

    – The latest word on Randy Orton is that he’s on track for a WWE return in late April or early May. Orton is scheduled for a VIP WrestleMania Axxess on Sunday, April 3 in Dallas, and then is scheduled for the Middle East Film & Comic Con in Dubai from April 7th to April 9th.

    – Former WWE star Chris Nowinski was backstage at Tuesday’s SmackDown TV taping visiting friends. Thursday’s episode of SmackDown was taped on Tuesday in Boston, MA at the TD Garden arena.

  • WWE SmackDown Spoilers For March 24, 2016

    WWE SmackDown Spoilers For March 24, 2016

    The March 24th, 2016 episode of WWE SmackDown was taped in Boston, MA at the TD Garden arena. Here’s what happened at the taping:

    – Sasha def. Charlotte: Sasha countered the Figure Eight with a roll up for the win in a non-title match. Becky came out and beat them both down after the match.

    – Sheamus def. Kofi Kingston: The New Day and The League of Nations cut promos on each other before the match. Back and forth action until Sheamus won with a Brogue Kick after an assist from King Barrett and Rusev.

    – The Usos def. The Ascension: The Usos won in a quick match with a double superkick to Viktor. After the match, The Usos hit a top rope splash through the tables on Konnor and Viktor

    – Renee Young interviews The Dudleys backstage. They trash The Usos, Rikishi and The Wild Samoans. Roman Reigns interrupts and tells Bubba Ray Dudley he wants a fight tonight.

    – Sami Zayn and Dolph Ziggler defeated The Miz and Kevin Owens: Owens tried leaving the ringside area but Stardust, Sin Cara and Zack Ryder stopped him. Miz brings Owens back in the ring then hits the Skull Crushing Finale, but Zayn came out of nowhere and hit Miz with a Helluva Kick for the win. After the match, they all brawl and hit their finishers until Ryder is left standing after dropping Owens.

    – Roman Reigns vs. Bubba Ray Dudley – Double count out: The match went to the outside in the opening moments and quickly turned into a ringside brawl for the double count out. D-Von ran in for the save but Reigns laid him out. Bubba came back in the ring and Reigns laid him out with a spear before heading to the back.

    – Sin Cara and Kalisto are cutting a promo in the back when Ryback interrupts. They talk trash to each other about their upcoming WrestleMania 32 match.

    – AJ Styles def. Tyler Breeze: AJ got the pinfall victory after hitting the Phenomenal Forearm in what was described as a quick match.

    – Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar come to the ring for a promo on Dean Ambrose to end the show. The Wyatt Family interrupts first and surround the ring, then Ambrose’s music hits and he hits the ring. Lesnar and Ambrose work together to beat down The Wyatts. Ambrose then attacks Lesnar with a kendo stick. Lesnar lays out Ambrose with a clothesline then hits the F5 to end SmackDown.

  • Kurt Angle Says WWE’s ECW Was Set Up To Fail, Talks Possible Hall Of Fame Induction

    Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle says that while expects to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame one day, leaving the company “high and dry” in 2006 when he quit and joined TNA may hurt his chances. In an interview with The World According to Wrestling, Angle theorizes that WWE is hesitant to work with him due to his past.

    “Well, for one, I don’t want to go back [to WWE] right now. Two, between 2008 and 2013, I got four DUIs,” Angle said. “As a publicly traded company, it doesn’t matter if you’re Kurt Angle, Stone Cold Steve Austin or The Undertaker, when you get involved in that kind of trouble consistently, that’s the last thing they need. So when I did try and go back a year and a half ago, I think they were thinking “Let’s see how he pans out, let’s see if he can stay clean, let’s see if he got his shit together” so I think that’s part of it. I don’t blame them for that. I actually knew ahead of time that they were most likely going to say no. And I knew it was because of my own actions. But being clean now for three years and abiding by what I have to, I know that there will come a time where I will go back.”

    Angle says whether WWE does or doesn’t induct him into their Hall of Fame, he’s good with it either way. Earlier this year, Angle was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame for his amateur wrestling accomplishments.

    “Honestly? It’s not that important. I mean if they don’t induct me, that’s not going to kill me. To be honest with you, I would find it very hard to believe that they are not going to [laughs] especially with my talent, but it will come,” Angle said. “Either way, I’m good with it. You have to remember that not only did I have those troubles in the past but I left the company high and dry. Now, I did it for my own reasons and I did it for health reasons. And I’m glad I did it because I don’t know where Kurt Angle would be right now if I had’ve stayed. So I did the right thing. And whether they understand that or not is up to them but the thing is I know that a lot of fans want me to go back and finish up where I started. And I think that just about every wrestler has been able to do that. I expect it to happen. For me, I don’t want to do it this year. I’m not even sure if they want to do it this year. But eventually it’s going to happen.”

    Looking back at his decision to quit WWE, he cites several reasons including his painkiller issues and being moved to the ECW brand.

    “There are a lot of reasons. The main reason was the work schedule. I was probably on the road over 300 days a year. I was getting injured quite a bit. I did have a problem with painkillers. When they brought me into ECW, I felt like it was a demotion. Even though it wasn’t. I don’t think they planned it to be. They didn’t mean to, but they set that company up to fail. And I felt like I was part of it.”

    Angle is currently a free agent and is planning to return to pro wrestling next year.

  • Fan Ejected From RAW For Assaulting Braun Strowman

    Fan Ejected From RAW For Assaulting Braun Strowman

    Monday was a rough night for The Wyatt Family. During the dark match main event at RAW, Luke Harper suffered what looks like a knee injury and then Braun Strowman was reportedly assaulted by a fan.

    A fan was escorted out of the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia after reportedly striking Strowman in the face during the dark match main event at Monday’s RAW. Strowman kept his cool and pointed security towards the fan, who was quickly pulled from his seat and taken away.

    After several fan incidents in 2015, WWE stated their policy is to try and press charges for all incidents like these.

  • WWE RAW Results – March 21, 2016

    With less than two weeks to go until Wrestlemania 32, WWE returns to Philadelphia, PA tonight for Monday Night RAW.

    – Stephanie McMahon comes out to address the crowd to open up the show. She cuts a promo on Roman Reigns, which brings out the former WWE champion. Reigns comes out to the ring and takes the mic from her. He says he’s going her to beat her husband and take his title back at WrestleMania. Steph goes to slap him but he blocks it and heads to the back.

    – Kevin Owens def. AJ Styles: Owens starts off trying to keep Styles grounded. Styles dropkicks Owens to the outside and they brawl around ringside. Back in the ring, Styles hits Owens with some strikes and a reverse powerbomb for a 2-count. AJ misses a Pele kick, and Owens misses a cannonball in the corner. Styles hits a fireman’s carry into a backbreaker on Owens for another 2. Styles misses a hurricanrana off the top, and Owens hits a big frog splash for a 2 count. AJ hits a Pele kick and both men are down. AJ gets Owens in the Torture Rack and spins him around into a slam for another 2 count. AJ hits a sunset flip powerbomb on Owens for yet another 2 count. AJ sets up for the Phenomenal Forearm but Jericho comes out on the mic and distracts him. Owens rolls him up in a School Boy for the 1-2-3. Styles chases Jericho to the back after the match.

    – While Owens is still in the ring, Dolph Ziggler and The Miz interrupt and argue about who deserves an Intercontinental Title shot at WrestleMania. Sami Zayn comes out next and says he wants his shot at Owens. Owens says none of them deserve a shot, but if they fight each other first, the winner can face him at WrestleMania for his title belt.

    – Dean Ambrose is cutting a promo at a bar when he’s interrupted by Terry Funk. Funk gives him a chainsaw, which prompts an ‘ECW’ chant from the crowd. Ambrose starts it in the bar and chops up a table.

    – Backstage, Stephanie McMahon tells Kevin Owens she approves of his idea for a triple threat match to determine the #1 contender for his WWE Intercontinental Championship.

    – The League of Nations and The New Day come out to the ring to cut promos on each other. This leads to the two teams brawling and The New Day clearing the ring.

    – Big E vs. Rusev: Big E dominates the match in the opening moments. Rusev gets in some offense but Big E hits a series of belly to belly suplexes. He goes for a big splash but Rusev gets his knees up and hits a spinning heel kick for a 2. Rusev goes for the clutch but Big E lifts up Rusev and drops him. Sheamus gets on the apron and argues with the ref so Rusev spears him to the outside. Back in the ring, Big E hits the Big Ending on Rusev for the 1-2-3.

    – Backstage, The Wyatt Family cuts a promo about new beginnings.

    – The Big Show comes out and cuts a promo about the Andre The Giant memorial battle royal at WrestleMania, but he’s interrupted by The Social Outcasts. They tell The Big Show he’s in serious trouble and they hit the ring and beat down Big Show. Kane comes out for the save and lays out The Outcasts. Big Show hugs Kane and yells “Kane’s the man.” Big Show climbs the turnbuckle to celebrate, and Kane chokeslams him off.

    – They air a video package about Stan Hansen joining the WWE Hall of Fame this year.

    – Chris Jericho def. Fandango: Jericho starts the match off by pummeling Fandango to the ground and chopping him in the corner. Jericho yells at him that he is a “stupid man.” JBL says Jericho is “the greatest Canadian of all time.” He goes to lock Fandango in the Walls of Jericho, but AJ Styles comes out and distracts him. Fandango goes to roll up Jericho, but Jericho gets out and hits the Codebreaker for the win.

    – AJ hits the ring after the match, and Jericho retreats to the back. On the way back he uses a WWE production crew member as a human shield. AJ gets on the mic and challenges Jericho to a match at WrestleMania 32.

    – They show a video about the upcoming Shane McMahon vs. Undertaker match at WrestleMania. They interview Renzo Gracie and Shane’s other training partners, and show some of the history between Shane and Vince.

    – Kevin Owens comes out to introduce the competitors in the triple threat match for the #1 contendership for his Intercontinental Championship. He first introduces Stardust first, Sin Cara second, and finally Zack Ryder.

    – Zack Ryder vs. Stardust vs. Sin Cara – No Contest: Sin Cara and Stardust throw Ryder to the outside early on, and Sin Cara gets a 2-count over Stardust after a springboard hurricanrana. Sin Cara hits a springboard moonsault to the outside onto Stardust and Ryder at ringside. Sami Zayn, The Miz and Dolph Ziggler out and confront Kevin Owens. Owens throws Ryder down to the ground which makes the match a disqualification. All 7 men at the ring area start brawling, but eventually stop when they realize Owens has retreated to the back.

    – Backstage, Stephanie McMahon is on the phone saying she feels uneasy about Roman Reigns. Kevin Owens interrupts and complains about having 6 men attacking him. She says he will now have to defend his Intercontinental Title against all 6 of those guys in a ladder match at WrestleMania 32.

    – Triple H picks up Stephanie in a limo in the back and they go to leave. As the garage door pulls up, it shows Roman Reigns standing there. He pulls Triple H out of the limo and beats him down. Triple H fights his way back into the limo and they pull off.

    – Charlotte def. Natalya: Natalya controls the opening moments, but Charlotte comes back and hits some of her father’s signature chops to the chest in the corner. Natalya hits a sit down powerbomb for a 2 count. Natalya gets the sharpshooter but Charlotte reaches the ropes. Charlotte hits the Natural Selection for the win.

    – Bubba Ray def. R-Truth: Bubba controls the match early on. R-Truth comes back with a flying forearm and a splash in the corner. D-Von distracts R-Truth from the apron and turns back around to walk into a big boot from Bubba. Bubba gets the pinfall victory. Goldust comes out for the save, but instead receives a 3-D. The Usos come out and lay out The Dudleys with superkicks. The Usos throw a table in the ring, but The Dudleys escape and head to the back.

    – Vince McMahon struts down to the ring to make an announcement regarding his son’s Hell In A Cell match at WrestleMania against The Undertaker. Vince says his “former son” Shane is the most formidable opponent Undertaker has ever faced at WrestleMania. Vince reminds people that, as Shane said, The Undertaker is his “bitch.” Vince says if Undertaker doesn’t beat Shane then WM 32 will be Undertaker’s last WrestleMania ever.

    – Braun Strowman def. Dean Ambrose via DQ: Paul Heyman joins the commentary team for this one. Strowman keeps Ambrose grounded in the opening moments, but Ambrose gets in some offense including a stiff slap to the face. Ambrose hits a suicide dive on Strowman to the outside. Back in the ring, Ambrose hits a series of flying forearms on Strowman. He goes for the Dirty Deeds, but Strowman reverses. Ambrose grabs a steel chair from ringside and goes to work on Strowman. Ambrose hits the Dirty Deeds onto Strowman onto the chair.

  • Hulk Hogan Hoping To Return To WWE After Gawker Lawsuit Victory

    After being awarded $115 million in damages on Friday from a lawsuit against Gawker, Hulk Hogan wants to get the rest of his life back together. Hollywood Life reported on Monday that Hogan is looking to return to his previous position in WWE. Hogan was released by the company on July 24, 2015 when it was revealed one of his sex tapes contained a racist rant.

    “Hulk Hogan is beyond pleased with the results and is looking to get his life back in order,” a source told Hollywood Life. “And he would love his job back with the WWE.”

    All mentions of Hulk Hogan were removed from WWE’s websites after the racist comments were made public. In January, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that there was speculation within WWE that the company would be open to using Hogan again. Meltzer reported that if any of WWE’s big sponsors had an issue with bringing The Hulkster back, it would likely put an end to the idea right away.

  • Jim Ross Gives His Thoughts On His Time Working On NXT & Byron Saxton’s Future

    Jim Ross recently spoke on WWE’s current broadcast team, and believes that Byron Saxton is in a good position to get over big with the fans. In an interview with Wrestle Rant Radio, Ross says Saxton should take advantage of all the TV time he’s currently getting.

    “In WWE, more so than in most broadcasting, look is important, so that’s why Byron Saxton has such a presence, he’s on both shows. He’s getting a tremendous amount of exposure and an amazing opportunity to really break through because he’s got a great look, he’s intelligent and he’s well-spoken,” Ross said. “He needs to be becoming a star right now because he’s got an opportunity on two prime time television shows a week to get over. And he’ll get over by getting talent over.”

    The WWE Hall of Famer also talked about his time doing commentary for NXT. Ross says he enjoyed working with the younger talent without the “politics” of WWE’s main brands RAW & SmackDown.

    “I enjoyed doing the work down there because it was pure,” Ross said of NXT. “It was a situation where it was all about the product. The politics were melded away, there wasn’t a lot of pretense. It was very straightforward and positive. The kids were bright-eyed they wanted to learn, their minds were open. They saw opportunity awaiting them, so it was a very refreshing, positive environment to be around. I’ll tell you that in my last several years in WWE, my favorite thing to do was go to Florida and work with the NXT kids because that’s the future of the business. WWE has no investment in their company more important than their Performance Center. WWE runs on two things: talent and television. Without a stream of new stars being developed, they’re in big, big trouble. I had a great time down there and loved being around that environment.”

  • Bobby Roode On Leaving TNA: “Their Brand Has Been Stale For The Last Little While”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X-SKT6pviM

    Bobby Roode and Eric Young are officially gone from TNA. The two reportedly asked for their releases on Saturday night due to pay issues.

    Roode, who is now a free agent, spoke with The Peterborough Examiner about his decision to leave the company.

    “It felt like it was the right time,” Roode explained. “After almost 13 years in a wrestling company I felt like there was nothing really left for me to do there. I wanted to mutually part ways. I have nothing negative to say about TNA Wrestling. They treated me very, very well. It was just a matter of me being in a part of my life where I’m not sure TNA was the right fit for me anymore.

    “The brand has been stale for the last little while and the growth wasn’t there as it was in the early years. I’m a free agent so I can do anything I want as far as wrestling goes.”

    Roode and Young are both currently free to negotiate with companies like WWE and NJPW.

  • Full Content Listing For WWE’s Upcoming Scott Hall DVD Set

    WWE is releasing a DVD & Blu-Ray set about Scott Hall on July 4th, 2016 in the UK and July 5th in the U.S. The set is titled Living on a Razor’s Edge – The Scott Hall Story, and will feature a biography on the life of Hall. Hall will candidly discuss his life and career, and the set will also look at some of his greatest in-ring moments.

    Here is the entire content listing for the set:

    Disc 1

    MAIN FEATURE (DOCUMENTARY):

    A Life-Changing Event

    Back in Orlando

    A Storybook Life

    Moving to Florida

    Second-Degree

    Getting His Start

    AWA Experience

    It Ain’t New York City

    Razor Is Born

    Another Level

    Humble Superstar

    A New Situation

    Making Things Bigger

    Falling Apart

    A Dark Place

    Fighting On A Daily Basis

    Just What I Needed

    One Place To Go

    Bad Times Don’t Last

    Back in the Family

    Disc 2

    DEBUT VIGNETTES:

    From The Gutter

    El Jefe

    Chicas Are For Fun

    Taking What You Want

    Cleaning The Table

    Beach Bully

    Making A Wish

    Forget The Past

    Razor Ramon Outtakes

    STORIES:

    Just As Big As The Wrestlers

    The Oz Mask

    Scott Ramon

    Let Them Be Kids

    Don’t Ever Leapfrog Again

    Weekend in ECW

    Wake Up Call

    WrestleMania 31

    MATCHES:

    American Starship vs. Inferno #1 and Inferno #2

    Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling • December 25, 1984

    Scott Hall vs. Michael ‘P.S.’ Hayes

    AWA Championship Wrestling • November 19, 1985

    $100,000 Battle Royal

    AWA Championship Wrestling • November 28, 1985

    “In This Corner” with Scott Hall

    AWA Championship Wrestling • December 20, 1985

    AWA Tag Team Championship Match

    Scott Hall & Curt Hennig vs. The Long Riders

    AWA WrestleRock • April 20, 1986

    The Diamond Studd vs. Tommy Rich

    WCW Clash of the Champions XV • June 14, 1991

    The Diamond Exchange vs. Brian Lee & Chris Sullivan

    World Championship Wrestling • December 7, 1991

    Razor Ramon vs. Paul Van Dale

    Superstars • August 8, 1992

    WWE Championship Match

    Bret “Hit Man” Hart vs. Razor Ramon

    Royal Rumble • January 24, 1993

    Razor Ramon vs. The Kid

    RAW • May 17, 1993

    Intercontinental Championship Match

    Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon

    Saginaw, MI • September 1, 1993

    Intercontinental Championship Match

    Razor Ramon vs. Rick “The Model” Martel

    RAW • October 11, 1993

    Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship

    Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels

    WrestleMania X • March 20, 1994

    Disc 3

    Intercontinental Championship Match

    Razor Ramon (w/ Walter Payton) vs. Diesel (w/ Shawn Michaels)

    SummerSlam • August 29, 1994

    Intercontinental Championship Match

    Razor Ramon vs. Jeff Jarrett

    Royal Rumble • January 22, 1995

    Intercontinental Championship Match

    Razor Ramon vs. Goldust

    Royal Rumble • January 21, 1996

    The Outsiders vs. Sting & Lex Luger

    WCW Hog Wild • August 10, 1996

    WCW World Tag Team Championship Match

    The Outsiders vs. Harlem Heat

    WCW Halloween Havoc • October 27, 1996

    Scott Hall vs. Scott Steiner

    WCW Monday Nitro • October 20, 1997

    Scott Hall vs. Chris Jericho

    WCW Monday Nitro • November 3, 1997

    WCW World Heavyweight Championship Match

    Scott Hall vs. Sting

    WCW Uncensored • March 15, 1998

    The Outsiders vs. Goldberg & Sid Vicious

    WCW Monday Nitro • November 22, 1999

    Scott Hall vs. The Rock

    SmackDown! • March 7, 2002

    Scott Hall vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

    WrestleMania X-8 • March 17, 2002

    Blu-Ray Exclusives

    The Diamond Studd & Oz vs. Z-Man & Big Josh

    WCW Power Hour • September 28, 1991

    Razor Ramon vs. Jim Powers

    Cincinnati, OH • May 18, 1992

    Razor Ramon vs. “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase

    SummerSlam • August 30, 1993

    2-on-1 Handicap Match

    Razor Ramon vs. Jeff Jarrett & The Roadie

    In Your House • May 14, 1995

    Ladder Match

    Scott Hall vs. Bam Bam Bigelow

    WCW Monday Nitro • January 25, 1999

    Razor Ramon Hall of Fame Induction

    Hall of Fame • April 5, 2014

  • Update On Why Bobby Roode & Eric Young Left TNA

    Update On Why Bobby Roode & Eric Young Left TNA

    Longtime TNA performers Bobby Roode and Eric Young are officially gone from the company after asking for their releases on Saturday night. According to the PWTorch VIP, Roode and Young made their decision because of pay issues.

    Roode and Young reportedly quit the company after asking TNA management for pay raises and were both turned down. Roode and Young had been with the company since 2004. Both are now free agents and can negotiate with other companies.

    TNA has reportedly had issues with paying talent over the last couple years, but it’s not known if Roode or Young are among those wrestlers owed money.

  • Sting: “I’m Not Officially Retired”

    Sting: “I’m Not Officially Retired”

    Despite an earlier report from TMZ claiming that Sting was retiring from the ring, The Icon himself clarified his current status in a video over the weekend.

    When asked by TMZ Sports, Sting said his neck is “okay” and denied that he is officially retired just yet.

    “I’m not officially retired,” Sting said in a brief video interview with TMZ Sports. “There are a lot of rumors out there, but I’m not officially retired.”

    The former WCW World Heavyweight Champion didn’t elaborate any further, and could just be delaying his official announcement for the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. He has not wrestled since being injured in s match with Seth Rollins last September and being diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis.

    When asked, Sting declined to comment on Hulk Hogan’s recent court victory over Gawker.

  • Hogan, Bischoff, Dixie Carter, Iron Sheik & Others React To Gawker Lawsuit Verdict

    Hogan, Bischoff, Dixie Carter, Iron Sheik & Others React To Gawker Lawsuit Verdict

    Dixie Carter, Eric Bischoff and Taz are among members of the wrestling world who’ve written congratulatory messages to Hulk Hogan after his lawsuit victory over Gawker. As David reported earlier, the jury found for Hogan on all counts and awarded a total of $115 million in compensatory damages. Below are some reactions to Hogan’s win, including from the Hulkster himself.


    https://twitter.com/EBischoff/status/710967035132387330
    https://twitter.com/EBischoff/status/710967572082991104
    https://twitter.com/OfficialTAZ/status/710969108364402688

    While most seemed happy for Hogan, two of his former colleagues were more interested in getting a piece of his winnings for themselves.

  • Rey Mysterio’s First Lucha Underground Match To Air Next Week

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dxp-wJMpxs&feature=youtu.be

    The El Rey Network issued a press release on Friday promoting Rey Mysterio’s first televised match for the company on March 23rd. The episode was taped back in December, and we have spoilers for Mysterio’s debut match here. Here’s an excerpt from Friday’s press release:

    LEGENDARY AAA HALL OF FAMER REY MYSTERIO MAKES HIS GRAND ENTRANCE IN THE NEWEST EPISODE OF ‘LUCHA UNDERGROUND’

    Notorious AAA Hall of Famer, Rey Mysterio, steps into the Boyle Heights Temple for the first time in an all-new episode of “Lucha Underground,” this Wednesday, March 23rd at 8:00PM ET/PT on El Rey Network. Mysterio has captivated fans with his high-flying moves for over 25 years and this week he’s showing the luchadors why he is a force to be reckoned with. Still want more action? The Aztec Warfare match brings twenty of the temple’s finest masked heroes and villains to compete for the Lucha Underground Championship in an adrenaline-charged match unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. This is sure to be a mind-blowing match for the books! Don’t miss new one-hour episodes of the lucha libre wrestling series from Emmy Award®-winning producer Mark Burnett Wednesdays at 8:00PM ET/PT.

    Mysterio’s first on-camera appearance for the company saw him speaking in a segment on the February 3rd episode. He is under contract with Lucha Underground for two seasons, until Summer 2017.

  • This Week’s WWE SmackDown Viewership Increases

    This Week’s WWE SmackDown Viewership Increases

    The March 17, 2016 edition of WWE SmackDown averaged 2,260,000 viewers on the USA Network. This is up from the previous week’s 2,186,000 viewer average.

    SmackDown was airing against March Madness games and was ranked #7 in the Top 150 cable shows for the night. This is down from last week’s #6 ranking due to the competition from college hoops.