“TNA has been really great to me, and they just offered me another contract to come back and be the face of the company and do something to teach the guys,” said Angle. “I’m taking that under consideration because they’ve always been loyal to me.”
Although he’ll be a free agent, Angle feels that now isn’t the time for him to enter contract negotiations with WWE. While he doesn’t wrestle as often, the Olympic gold medalist says when he does, “it’s a pretty damn good match.” It sounds like Angle has every intention of stepping back in the ring after his year off from competition and WWE may not be interested in that.
“As far as WWE, I’m not going to talk to them,” said Angle. “But I know my ability is just as good as it ever was. If WWE thinks I’m too old, or my body isn’t durable or that I have a problem with medication–which I obviously don’t, I’ve been clean and sober for two years and nine months–but the issue has nothing to do with my talent. […] I don’t wrestle that often, but every time I do, it’s pretty damn good match. I have a pretty good reputation of having good matches. I’m humble about it, but I know how good I am, and I know I still have it now. I’m going to wrestle Bobby Roode and Bobby Lashley in the UK, but I need a break. It’s been a rough fifteen years, and that’s why I’m going to take a year off.
Angle acknowledges his personal problems got in the way of his relationship with WWE in the past, but doesn’t count out returning to his old stomping grounds one day in the future.
“There is a reason they passed on me last time,” Angle explained, “you’ve got to remember WWE is a publicly traded company, and they have people to answer to, and you have a person who was pretty reckless from 2008 to 2013. I got hit with four DUIs. That’s pretty irresponsible. You have to look at a company that is publicly traded, like WWE, and the reputation they have to uphold, so you really have to be careful who you hire. And TNA is the reason why I’m clean and sober, so I have to give them credit, too. They allowed me time off to go to rehab and get my life together. So it’s one of those things where I’m not going to expect anything. Is it possible I go back to WWE somewhere along the lines? Of course. I think I’ll end up in the Hall of Fame, but I just don’t know if WWE will ever want me to wrestle again. It’s up to them, and it’s up to me. I don’t know what I’m going to do. But if I do decide to do it, it would be nice. A lot of people would like to see it, so we’ll see what happens.”
CM Punk recently spoke to Yahoo Sports about his new career as an MMA fighter. and revealed some advice he got from fellow former WWE champ Batista. Punk, who has yet to make his octagon debut, currently has an 8-fight deal with the UFC.
“Part of my reason for most of the decisions I make in life is I don’t want to have regrets,” Punk said. “I talked to Dave Bautista [an ex-WWE wrestler who has one pro MMA fight] and he’s a great guy to talk to about this kind of stuff because he did the same thing. He said, ‘You’ve got to do it. You’ve got to chase your dream. You’re going to wake up one day and realize that you were presented an opportunity and you could have done it, but didn’t.’ So it’s a big reason.”
“It was something that he wanted to do. He loves it so he put his mind to it and did it, and I think that amazing,” Punk told The MMA Hour. “I don’t think anybody can criticize that. He has no delusions of grandeur. He’s not trying to get a big, fat UFC contract. He’s not trying to coast on his name from the WWE. He’s just fighting because he wanted to experience it.”
CM Punk also tackled the issue of backlash from MMA fans in his Yahoo Sports interview this week. Punk says he loves the sport of MMA, and that fans should be more patient with him while he trains for his delayed UFC debut.
“The people who don’t like the UFC and want to see it fail are always going to find the negatives,” he said. “You hear them. They say, ‘Oh, they didn’t do this,’ or ‘They’re not doing this right.’ The people who like it are going to buy the pay-per-view, and I want to respect them and the other fighters and this sport by being as prepared as I can. But there’s always going to be people who don’t like it or who have a problem with it.”
“I love the sport, and I have for a long time,” he added. “I’d stay up late and watch the Pride New Year’s Eve shows. I watch all the UFC pay-per-views. I’m a fan. I love this stuff. Literally, I looked at it, and I said, ‘That’s something I want to do.’”
Punk is expected to make his MMA debut at either UFC 199 or UFC 200 this summer.
Kurt Angle’s TNA contract expires this month, it the company has officially offered him a new deal. According to PWInsider.com, TNA wants to sign Angle to a deal where he wouldn’t be competing in the ring, but would remain an ambassador and work with younger talent at events as an agent.
The Olympic gold medalist indicated back in December that he would be open to a WWE return. Regarding the WWE Hall of Fame, Angle said that while it would be an honor to be inducted, his true legacy is in Olympic wrestling:
“The way TNA has treated me the last 9 years, I can’t throw them away. […] Would it be an honour to be in the WWE Hall of Fame? Yeah, it’s an incredible honour. Would it kill me if I wasn’t? No, it wouldn’t,” Angle told DigitalSpy in December. “The most important thing to me is being in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, which is Olympic wrestling. That’s where my legacy truly is.”
Angle’s first post-TNA appearance will be for Bellator MMA’s live Spike TV show on February 19. Angle will be a color commentator for the Royce Gracie vs. Ken Shamrock main event, and Kurt Angle has stated he may take a fight with Shamrock later this year.
Would you rather see Angle stick with TNA or return to WWE? Or do you want to see him in MMA? Sound off in the comments below.
Triple H took to Twitter on Friday to promote tonight’s NXT tapings in Orlando. He promoted three matches for the show, and said there will be a “huge surprise.” The tapings take place at the University of Central Florida, and we’ll have results later right here on SEScoops.com.
“The Game” also promoted three matches for the show: Sami Zayn vs. Samoa Joe, Bayley vs. Carmella, and Finn Balor vs. Neville.
BAYLEY vs. CARMELLA SAMI vs. JOE BALOR vs. NEVILLE
The following betting odds for Sunday’s WWE Royal Rumble are courtesy of Bovada.lv. The higher the number next to the name, the higher the payout if they win. For example, a winning bet of $100 on Stone Cold Steve Austin would pay out $20,000.
Triple H +120
Roman Reigns +180
Brock Lesnar +350
Bray Wyatt +450
The Rock +1600
Daniel Bryan +1800
Dean Ambrose +2000
Kevin Owens +2000
The Undertaker +2500
Rusev +3300
AJ Styles +3300
Sheamus +3300
Braun Strowman +3300
Ryback +3500
Cesaro +4000
Dolph Ziggler +4000
Finn Balor +4000
Randy Orton +5000
Alberto Del Rio +5000
Chris Jericho +5000
Vince or Shane McMahon +6500
Kalisto +6600
Neville +7500
The Big Show +8000
Mark Henry +10000
Big E +10000
Kane +10000
Titus ONeill +10000
Curtis Axel +10000
Erick Rowan +10000
Heath Slater+10000
Kofi Kingston +10000
Luke Harper +10000
R-Truth +10000
Stardust +10000
Shinsuke Nakamura +15000
King Barrett +15000
Alex Riley +15000
Bo Dallas +15000
Damien Sandow +15000
Darren Young +15000
Fandango +15000
Goldust +15000
The Miz +15000
Tyson Kidd +15000
Zack Ryder +15000
Adam Rose +15000
Fernando +15000
El Torito +15000
Stone Cold +20000
The 29th annual Royal Rumble takes place on January 24th at the Amway Center in Orlando. We’ll have live play-by-play coverage of the entire event right here on SEScoops.com on Sunday.
John Cena posted an old photo of AJ Styles on his Instagram on Wednesday, and on Thursday, the former TNA champ replied. AJ posted a vintage picture of Cena with spiked hair on his Instagram, with no caption, just like Cena’s post.
Styles is booked to make his “final appearance” for Ring of Honor this Saturday in Duluth, GA, then will reportedly travel to Orlando where WWE is hosting the Royal Rumble on Sunday. You can get the latest details and possible spoilers on AJ Styles right here.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAz9RWNMZte/
Here’s Cena’s post from Wednesday:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAwoS4qmKMg/
Do you think AJ will debut at the Royal Rumble on Sunday? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
The latest rumored names to be inducted at the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame include former WWE women’s champion Jacqueline, The Godfather, JBL, Stan Hansen, and Regis Philbin. PWInsider reports that there is also still talk of The Fabolous Freebirds (Michael “PS” Hayes, Buddy Roberts, Jimmy Garvin, & Terry Gordy).
So far Sting is currently the only confirmed inductee for the ceremony, which takes place on WrestleMania 32 weekend.
This year’s WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place on Saturday, April 2 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. The ceremony kicks off at 6:30 PM local time. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.
AJ Styles was interviewed while in the UK, and when asked about the possibility of joining WWE, here’s what he had to say:
“I’m always going to do what’s best for my family. That’s my first priority, my job is to take care of them, anyway that I can and wherever that business takes me that helps them then that’s where I’ll go,” Styles told The Tag Rope.
Styles said it was a blessing in disguise that WWE didn’t sign him after WCW was acquired in 2001. Styles feels he is now in his prime, saying “I’ve fallen in love with everything about pro wrestling.”
“To me the moves are easy, it’s the little things in between the moves that make the difference,” the former TNA champ said. “I wasn’t ready to be in WWF at the time, it was great going back to the indies [after WCW] and really learning. I had learned so much going to Ring of Honor. It was the best thing that could have happened.
“The truth of the matter is,” Styles continued, “guys don’t get very good until they’re in their 30’s. It’s that experience you need in your 20’s to be a star in your 30’s, and when you’re in your 30’s you finally get it. It’s all about experience.
“It’s not that I don’t do some of the moves I used it, I just do them at the right time.”
Styles is expected to sign with WWE and make his debut in the near future.
WWE Hall of Famer Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat was recently asked about fellow Hall of Famers selling their rings from WWE, like Sunny recently tried to do on eBay. In an interview with The Roman Show, Steamboat says that while he understands if they need the money for medical bills, he finds it disrespectful for WWE alum to sell their Hall of Fame rings.
“You have to look at the situation and the circumstance,” Steamboat explained. “I feel bad for the guys who ever it is unless they needed money,” he said. “A lot of guys as they get older their hips and their knees of course not being able to afford hospitalization and so on, but if they are selling to get money to go buy a car I find it disrespectful.”
Steamboat ranked his 2009 Hall of Fame induction among the greatest moments in his career, along with wrestling Randy Savage and other legends.
“People ask me what was one of the most memorable moments of my career. In 20 years of active wrestling and all the wrestling I got with of (Randy) Savage, (Ric) Flair, Don Morocco, and the list goes on and on. A memorable moment was when I got inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009,” Steamboat said. “I look at it I’ve done everything in my career to get that ring and recognize to be a hall of famer it was a big moment for me.”
You can listen to the full interview here. Steamboat will be appearing next at the Legends of Wrestling event in Miami, at the Miccosukee Resort and Gaming on Saturday, January 23rd.
WWE’s Total Divas averaged 1.115 million viewers for the premiere episode of the fifth season, making it the #9 ranked show on cable for the night of January 19th, 2016.
The season 5 premier viewership was up 14% from the season 4 premieree, which drew 975,000 viewers on July 7, 2015. It’s down 7% from 2013’s season 3 premiere, which drew 1.2 million viewers.
Total Divas airs Tuesday nights on the E! Network. The show has been on E! since it debut back in July of 2013.
Former ROH and TNA champion Austin Aries will be in Pittsburgh this week and will undergo WWE’s medical screening process while he’s there, according to PWInsider.com.
Aries first met with WWE officials backstage at an NXT taping in Florida several months ago. This is the first time since then that there has been talk of Aries possibly joining the company. PWInsider reports that while nothing is signed yet, the two sides are in talks.
Austin Aries’ TNA contract expired on June 28, 2015. He remained on TNA TV until the fall due to how far in advance Impact was taped.
Monday’s episode of WWE RAW averaged 3.496 million viewers. This is up from last week’s 3.323 million viewers.
Viewership declined throughout the show, as hour one of the show averaged 3.775 million, hour two averaged 3.591 million, and the final hour averaged 3.123 million.
This week’s episodes of WWE SmackDown & WWE Main Event were taped in Dayton, OH at the Wright State University’s Nutter Center. This episode of SmackDown will air Thursday at 8 PM ET on the USA Network.
Dark match:
– Zack Ryder defeated Fandango
WWE Main Event taping results:
– Mark Henry and Jack Swagger defeated The Ascension in a tag team match.
– Neville defeated Tyler Breeze in a singles match.
– Curtis Axel and Heath Slater defeated The Dudley Boyz in a tag match.
WWE SmackDown taping results for 1/21/16:
– Jericho comes down to the ring to kick off SmackDown. He cuts a promo hyping up the Royal Rumble on Sunday. The New Day interrupt and pay tribute to Francesca The Trombone again. The segment leads to The New Day vs. The Usos and Dolph Ziggler.
– The Usos and Dolph Ziggler defeated The New Day with a triple superkick.
– Becky Lynch defeated Alicia Fox via submission. Charlotte and Ric Flair were on commentary for the match.
– The Miz makes his entrance to the ring to host Miz TV. His guest is Kevin Owens. Dean Ambrose comes out and they hype up their Last Man Standing match at Royal Rumble on Sunday. Ambrose lays out The Miz, then Owens hits a pop up powerbomb on Miz to end the segment.
– Bray Wyatt defeated Ryback in a singles match.
– Titus O’Neal defeated Stardust in a singles match.
– Roman Reigns defeated Rusev, Sheamus, King Barrett and Alberto Del Rio in a Handicap Match via DQ. The Usos ran in to even the odds, and they brawl to the back with members of the League of Nations. The lights go out, and when they come back on, The Wyatt Family is surrounding the ring. They lay out Reigns to end SmackDown.
After SmackDown:
– After the Wyatt Family makes their way to the back, R-Truth walks down to the ring to check on Reigns. Reigns wishes him a happy 44th birthday, and with that, most of the WWE roster comes out on stage and sings Happy Birthday to R-Truth.
Discuss this week’s SmackDown in the comments below!
Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle recently spoke on CM Punk’s upcoming UFC debut. Angle at one point was going to switch from pro wrestling to MMA, but UFC president Dana White said Angle didn’t pass the physical exam. Kurt was asked by DigitalSpy.co.ukabout CM Punk making that same switch:
“I wouldn’t say he is a young 37, I think that he’s a beat-up 37, but he has been able to take the year off – that’s going to help,” Angle said. “I just don’t know how good he is. I know he’s training, but I don’t know how good he is as a fighter. He’s a great pro-wrestler, but fighting is a different story.”
Angle concluded that either way, Punk will draw attention to the UFC with his debut fight: “He will draw, he will draw, and we’ll see how he does.”
CM Punk is expected to fight Mickey Gall (1-0) at UFC 199 in June. Kurt Angle will be appearing as as a commentator for Bellator MMA’s live Spike TV show on February 19. The main event is Royce Gracie vs. Ken Shamrock, and Kurt Angle has stated he may take a fight with Shamrock later this year.
WWE producer Brian “Road Dogg” James appeared on Legends with JBL last night on the WWE Network after RAW. On the show, he discussed his battles with addiction and credited the WWE with saving his life.
“People can say what they want, I’m toeing the line and I’m a company man and all that, but this company literally saved my life,” Roadd Dogg explained. “They sent me to rehab four or five times on their dime.”
James, who currently works alongside Triple H backstage in WWE, says the rehab program The McMahons sent him to taught him how to live without drugs or alcohol.
“There wasn’t a spiritual revelation or anything, I just didn’t want to live like that anymore,” Road Dogg continued, “and then I found out if you work this program, in recovery, you don’t have to live like that anymore.”
As far as his demons effecting the success he could’ve had in the wrestling business, James says he’s looking to the future and not the past. He referenced Adam Sandler’s 1998 movie The Waterboy to help make his point:
“If I dwell on the negative of that, then I’m aiming towards a bar or pills,” James said of lost opportunities in the ring. “If you saw The Waterboy with Bobby Boucher, if I use that past as tackling fuel to attack my sobriety, then it becomes a strong asset instead of a negative past.”
WWE Raw on the USA Network – January 18th, 2016
Live from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio
– RAW opens up with a Martin Luther King tribute video and a shot of the crowd before the opening video rolls.
– We’re live from Columbus, Ohio. The pyro hits and Michael Cole welcomes us to the last RAW before the 2016 Royal Rumble. Cole, JBL and Byron Saxton talk up Paul Heyman and Brock Lesnar appearing on The Highlight Reel later.
– WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns comes down through the crowd and hits the ring. Roman Reigns cuts a promo calling out Brock Lesnar. Jericho hits the ring and welcomes us to RAW Is Jericho. Jericho invites Reigns to join him on The Highlight Reel with Brock Lesnar later on in the show, and Reigns accepts. The League of Nations music hits and out comes Rusev, King Barrett, Sheamus and WWE United States Champion Alberto Del Rio. They set up a match to take place right away: Roman Reigns vs. Rusev, with Chris Jericho as the special guest referee.
– Roman Reigns def. Rusev (w/Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio, King Barrett) in a non-title match. A few minutes into the match, Sheamus interferes and gets ejected from ringside by Jericho. Jericho then ejects Barrett and Del Rio, and dances around the ring. Reigns hits a superman punch and a spear on Rusev for the win. Jericho and Reigns will be back later in the show for The Highlight Reel with Lesnar and Heyman.
– Stephanie McMahon confronts Jericho backstage. Stephanie says he didn’t have the authority to make that match, and cuts a promo on him for messing with “her show.” She says if he does it again, he’ll “never, ever” be the same again.
– Natalya def. Brie Bella in a singles match. Brie Bella gets in some offense early on. Natalya plays possum after Brie misses a kick, then hits the sharp shooter for the win.
– Coming up: Ryback and The Dudley Boyz vs. The Wyatt Family, and we find out who gets the #1 spot in the Royal Rumble.
– The Wyatt Family def. Ryback and The Dudley Boyz in a six-man tag match. The match starts with back-and-forth action until Bray Wyatt gets the tag and unloads with offense on DVon. Wyatt misses a splash on DVon and Ryback gets the tag. Ryback cleans house, then eventually tags in Bubba. Bubba and DVon go for a 3D on Harper, but Rowan interferes and lays out DVon. Harper kicks Bubba then hits a discus clothesline for the win.
– After the match, Wyatt cuts a promo about how there will be “no salvation” at the Royal Rumble.
– The Big Show def. Heath Slater in a singles match. Big show comes out first, then The Social Outcasts – Heath Slater, Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel and Adam Rose, come out and cut a promo. Slater retreats to the floor to try to avoid the match early on, but the Big Show lifts him back into the ring and hits the knockout punch for the win. Show lays out the remaining members of The Social Outcasts after the match.
– Backstage: Stephanie McMahon tells the League of Nations that Jericho punked them, and tells them they should do something about it.
– Vince and Stephanie McMahon come out to draw for the #1 entrant in Sunday’s Royal Rumble. Stephanie spins the tumbler full of names and Vince picks one, but he says he doesn’t like it and puts it back. He picks another one, and it’s Roman Reigns. Stephanie puts the name back in, and they draw two more times, and both times it’s Reigns again. Vince says Reigns will be the first man in the Royal Rumble, but after Sunday, he won’t be #1 any more.
– Ric Flair with WWE Divas Champion Charlotte are sitting at ringside.
– Becky Lynch def. Tamina Snuka in a singles match. Becky starts off in control and unloads with kicks and strikes on Tamina. Tamina comes back with some kicks. Tamina runs into an elbow, then Becky applies the Dis-arm-her from out of the corner for the win.
– After the match, Becky calls out Charlotte for a Divas championship match at the Royal Rumble. Charlotte declines, but Becky says she’s a coward like Ric Flair has become in his old age. Flair freaks out and accepts the match for his daughter. Charlotte doesn’t look pleased, and it looks like Becky Lynch will challenge Charlotte for the Divas title on Sunday.
– Kevin Owens comes out and joins the commentary team.
– Sheamus and Alberto Del Rio def. Kalisto and Dean Ambrose in a tag-team match. After some back and forth action to start, Ambrose knocks Del Rio to the floor and catapults Kalisto onto everyone else. Sheamus and Del Rio take control, but Ambrose is able to get in some offense with a running bulldog and a swinging neckbreaker. Sheamus gets the tag and hits the Irish Curse backbreaker on Ambrose for a 2 count. Kalisto gets the tag. Sheamus blocks Salida del Sol and hits a Brogue for the win.
– We get a look at Jericho destroying Xavier Woods’ trombone last week. They cut to WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day having a memorial service for Francesca The Trombone in the back. Jey Uso vs. Big E is announced.
– Big E def. Jey Uso in a singles match. Back and forth for the first few minutes of the match until The New Day cheap shots Jey on the floor, in honor of Francesca The Trombone. Jey takes control of the match until Woods distracts him from the apron and Big E hits the Big Ending for the win.
– Mark Henry, Neville, R-Truth and Titus O’Neil def. The Ascension, Tyler Breeze and Stardust in an 8-man tag match. Henry nails a World’s Strongest Slam on Breeze, and then Neville follows up with the Red Arrow for the win.
– “The new savior of WWE” Chris Jericho welcomes us to The Highlight Reel. Paul Heyman cuts a promo on Jericho, and tells Jericho he’s lucky his client Lesnar isn’t interested in him. Heyman says Lesnar is only interested in Roman Reigns. Jericho poses the question: What if he is in the Royal Rumble and eliminates Brock Lesnar himself? This brings out the former UFC champ. Lesnar’s music hits and he walks down to ringside when Roman Reign’s music interrupts. Reigns makes his way into the ring from the crowd, with Lesnar looking on from the floor. Lesnar enters the ring and gets a spear from Reigns. Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio, King Barrett and Rusev run in to beat down Reigns. Lesnar hits a German suplex on Rusev and all hell breaks loose. He hits an F-5 on Sheamus, then Reigns hits Lesnar with another spear. The lights go out, and when they come back on, the Wyatt Family is surrounding the ring. They lay out both Lesnar and Reigns, then Bray Wyatt cuts a promo saying the Royal Rumble belongs to him. The Wyatt Family stands tall over Lesnar and Reigns in the ring as RAW goes off the air.
Ric Flair says that while he acknowledges his WWE employment discourages him from seriously criticizing them on his podcast, he doesn’t have much bad to say about them anyway. In an interview with The Miami Herald, The Nature Boy says the “mortifying” list of injured wrestlers is reason for critics to cut WWE some slack.
“[Podcasts] can be very lucrative,” Flair said. “I’m heading down to do one right now with Chris Jericho. It’s fun, and you learn form them. My problem is I can’t critique the [WWE] show, because my daughter’s on the show, and I’m still actively working for the company. The other guys who do podcasts can critique the show, but I wouldn’t be caught dead doing that.
“Actually, I don’t have anything negative to say about it anyway,” Flair continued, “but if there was something I thought, I couldn’t possibly say it, because I would basically be cracking on the hand that feeds me. I don’t feel like there’s anything negative on the show anyways… If anyone really took a look at the injuries on our roster right now, it’s mortifying. Seth Rollins, John Cena, Randy Orton, Cesaro, [Daniel Bryan, Tyson Kidd]. A lot of guys to lose. Rusev is hurt right now, but I don’t know to what extent. Sasha’s hurt. Paige has got a concussion. It’s a lot going on.”
With so many pro wrestlers suffering some serious injuries, Flair is asked about his daughter’s career as a wrestler in WWE. Here’s what the 16-time champ had to say:
“Believe it or not guys, it’s not because of me,” Flair noted. “She’s a better athlete than I ever was all day long. She’s done a fabulous job. Her work ethic is second to none. She works out everyday. She’d rather be dead than miss a workout. She’s on tour in India right now for the week. I’m not sure what the training facilities are like there, but I guarantee you, if there’s a gym in New Delhi, she will find it.
“She had a lot of choices,” he said. “She picked volleyball, but she could have done any Division I sport. Track & field, too.”
Stone Cold Steve Austin, who was forced to retire due to neck problems in 2003, recently spoke on the injuries currently plaguing WWE’s roster. In an interview on Jim Ross’ Ross Report podcast, Austin went into detail on the issue of injuries – both his, and the current roster’s.
“Man, I think there’s a direct correlation with how the talent works in the ring today.” Austin said of the large amount of WWE wrestlers currently on the injured list. “The WWE guys, they’re doing more high risk stuff, they’re working at a faster pace, and it just lends itself to injury. And that’s not me saying, ‘hey, you’re working wrong’. I’m just saying I believe the product is sped up so much that the guys and gals are just working at a very frenetic pace and without any offseason, it takes a toll on the body.”
“I never thought about moving on and I look back and think if 2003 was my last match, I guess I retired [at] about 38 [years old]. Man, you talk about leaving a lot on the table or leaving a lot in the ring, I, probably, Jim, would have liked to at least get to 42 and maybe 45,” Austin said. “But I never really had an exit strategy, but that being said, had I remained completely healthy, had I maybe lived a little bit slower, and that wasn’t really an issue, but just the fact [that] my neck was the bottom line, that happened, so I got out when I did. But it would have been nice to last until about 42 and then went from there.”
Stone Cold also talked about two dream opponents of his: Brock Lesnar and CM Punk. Austin explained why Lesnar and Punk would be his picks for guys he wishes he could have wrestled, but can’t due to his injury-forced retirement.
“Well, probably Brock right now, just because [of] where Brock’s at. He’s on [the] top of his game, he’s in his prime, and CM Punk would still have been in his prime too, but he’s out of the game. Obviously, he’s doing great things with his MMA training [and] he was always in outstanding shape, but just because he’s not in the [professional wrestling] scene anymore [he is not a fantasy booking option].”
“I think me and CM Punk would have sold a lot of tickets together. And again, he gets it, I get it. It would be one entertaining program.” Austin added, “he’s smart. His psychology is great. He’s easy in the ring, meaning his physicality, everything looks good [and] nothing hurts. Again, I would think me and him would be right on the same page psychologically and we’d be able to weave a hell of a tale. And also, depending on how you played this, whether he’s heel and I’m baby [or] he’s baby and I’m heel or it’s just two guys out there, you see both guys whether it’s him on the dark side, he [has] got a tremendous mean streak, as does ‘Stone Cold’. On the fire side, he had tremendous fire, as did ‘Stone Cold’, so both guys are bringing everything to the table that you need. And also great storytellers and talkers, so all of the elements would be there.”
On Legends with JBL after RAW tonight, JBL interviews WWE producer, talent scout, and former wrestler Brian “Road Dogg” James. At one point during the interview, the D-X member breaks down in tears when discussing some of the darker times in his life.
JBL brings up when Road Dogg was released from WWE and joined TNA, and he made some negative comments about the McMahon empire. JBL is referring to statements like these, from the Road Dogg in a post-WWE interview: “Hunter was always a dick, and what’s up with that mustache. I second that [Hunter is a “f**king idiot”], I almost broke his nose one time.” James also once told a story from intervention, where he was going to try to break Triple H’s nose until Sean Waltman got between them.
“It was the dumbest mistake I ever made, as far as my career goes,” James told JBL of his comments & actions against WWE and Triple H. “I was unemployed, I was a drug addict, and I contemplated suicide — like, a lot.”
Ring of Honor has announced that AJ Styles will be having his “send off” from the company at this weekend’sWinter Warriors live event in Duluth, GA. The event takes place January 23rd, the night before WWE’s Royal Rumble.
“The best wrestling on the planet, Ring of Honor, will bring another great night of action to the Atlanta area on Saturday, January 23rd, 2016. We will be making our debut at the Infinite Energy Center (Formerly the Gwinnett Center) with a 7:30PM bell time!
In addition to the hard-hitting, fast-paced professional wrestling that only ROH showcases, fans in Duluth with have an opportunity to send off ROH Legend and hometown star “The Phenomenal One” AJ STYLES!
Styles will be appearing live in Duluth to sign autographs and take photos with the BEST FANS ON THE PLANET! A cornerstone of ROH since its inception in 2002, Gainesville, GA’s Styles has become one of the most accomplished stars in professional wrestling, capturing a litany of major titles including, most recently, the IWGP World Championship! Don’t miss your chance to meet and greet this ROH Legend at his LAST ROH APPEARANCE – you just don’t know where you may see him next!”
The show will feature talent from New Japan Pro Wrestling, including Matt Jackson challenging Jay Lethal for the ROH World Championship, Nick Jackson challenging Roderick Strong for the ROH TV championship and the Bullet Club challenging ROH Tag Team champs War Machine. For more information, visit ROHWrestling.com.
– Saturday and Sunday marked the final two dates on Tommy Dreamer’s contract with WWE and he’s now a free agent. He appeared at the 1/16 house show in Charleston, WV and then on 1/17 in Canton, OH to fulfill his contractual obligations. Dreamer will be working on his own promotion, House of Hardcore, and will be working as a backstage agent for TNA’s upcoming UK tour.
– Some fans were surprised when Roman Reigns didn’t appear at WWE’s house show in Canton, Ohio on Sunday. The WWE World Heavyweight champ was advertised for the show, but WWE decided he should replace John Cena on their tour of India, and Reigns was on a flight back to the U.S. on Sunday while the Canton show was taking place. Cena is currently out with a shoulder injury.
Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens headlined the Canton event instead of Reigns.
NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor will be joining WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair at the January 25th RAW in Miami, FL. In an interview with The Miami Herald, Flair revealed he will be appearing on RAW the night after the Royal Rumble, and that Taylor, a WrestleMania 11 headliner, would be rolling with him:
“I will be in Miami. It’s always huge. I love Miami. I love being there, and I’m bringing [NFL Hall of Famer] Lawrence Taylor with me. So you tell me how much fun that will be. LT and the Natch, the combination to beat.”
Flair also talked about what made soon-to-be Hall of Famer Sting a fan favorite, and claims he hadn’t been asked yet by WWE to induct him:
“Charisma, a phenomenal look, a great physique, the spiked blonde hair, an incredible work ethic,” Flair said. “So the look, the body, the charisma. He had a lot of ability as well. So it’s pretty hard to deny [Sting] anything. I would love to be that person [to induct him],” Flair said. “I haven’t been asked, but I would love to.”
The Nature Boy will be appearing at the Magic City Comic Con on Jan. 16-17 at the Miami Airport Convention Center.
After the NXT live event in Chicago on Saturday, Finn Balor cut a promo after his match with Sami Zayne where he mentioned the Bullet Club from NJWP. In the video above, you can see Balor in the ring talking about a “club” in Japan that he used to be a member of.
Since news broke of NJPW Bullet Club members AJ Styles, Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson potentially signing with WWE, rumors have spread that they will reunite with Finn Balor on NXT as the “Balor Club.” WWE recently filed a trademark for “Balor Club.” While their signings still have yet to be confirmed, one of the biggest rumors in wrestling right now is that AJ Styles will appear at WWE’s Royal Rumble event on January 24th. Earlier this month, Balor said on WWE.com that he would like to make his RAW debut alongside the three Bullet Club members, if they sign.
Ted DiBiase recently spoke about his issues with the late Ultimate Warrior on the Joe Cronin Show. In the interview, the “Million Dollar Man” explains that he regrets not patching things up with the Warrior:
“If there was a regret, the one thing I didn’t get to do before he died, was bury the hatchet with Ultimate Warrior. Everybody knows there was no love loss between a number of wrestlers and Jim Hellwig, but when the company came out and put him in the Hall of Fame, I thought it was the classy thing to do. I’m a minister, I preach forgiveness all the time.”
In March of 2014, DiBiase spoke publicly about the Warrior to Inside the Ropes radio, prior to Warrior’s Hall of Fame induction:
“I mean, I don’t hate the guy. It goes back to anybody that watched the DVD, The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior, that really tells the story. Obviously, if Vince has decided he needs to be in the Hall of Fame, I’m not going to begrudge that and obviously I’m going to be there. I quite frankly, don’t know how many of my peers believes he really deserves it because…it’s not just about being the star it’s about a number of things, it comes back down to the gratitude thing.
“None of us would be stars, when I was inducted I had a list of people that I needed to thank. Harley Race was there in the crowd and I pointed Harley out. I think that’s it, the overall lack of gratitude that the Warrior has shown over the years. Where it makes most of us go ‘Who do you think you are?’ Doesn’t he realize that none of this would be happening if it wasn’t for a lot of help from a lot of people. I think that’s pretty much the consensus. I don’t begrudge him. I’m not that kinda guy to hold a grudge. If I had to feel one thing towards Jim Hellwig, I guess it would be pity a little bit. I’ve heard other people say that he just generally has the attitude that it’s about succeeding in life and you’re going to have to do what you can to get ahead and if that means stepping on people along the way then so be it. That, in my opinion, is a very sad commentary and a very poor way to look at life. So am I going to begrudge him for going into the Hall of Fame? No.”
Warrior died at the age of 54 on April 8, 2014 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
On Thursday’s episode of Wrestling Observer Live, Dave Meltzer reported that there’s speculation within WWE that the company may bring back Hulk Hogan for WrestleMania 32. With injuries plaguing their roster and WWE wanting to load up the event with star power to sell out the 100,000+ seat AT&A Stadium, the controversial Hall of Famer may be an option for them. Meltzer also mentioned that the potential backlash of bringing back Hogan is something WWE takes very seriously.
WWE cut ties with Hogan as their ambassador and removed him from their website and programming after a sex tape revealed Hogan using racist language. Meltzer reported that if any of WWE’s big sponsors had an issue with bringing The Hulkster back, it would put an end to the idea right away.
WrestleMania 32 takes place on April 3, 2016, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. We’ll have live results of the event right here on SEScoops.com, and backstage news all week leading up to April 3rd.
