SEScoops

Author: Eric Lynch

  • Two Big Matches WWE Is Planning For WrestleMania 32 Revealed

    WWE is currently planning The Undertaker’s match for WrestleMania 32. PWInsider reports that the company is trying to put together a match between the Deadman and John Cena. If the match goes through as planned, it will be one of the two top matches at the company’s biggest PPV of the year. The other big match in the planning stages is The Rock vs. Triple H.

    There’s no word on how the WWE Championship will fit in at WrestleMania, or if it will be defended in either of those potential matches. The current odds-on favorite to win the title at Survivor Series is Roman Reigns.

    Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer reported Saturday that WWE’s original plans for Cena and ‘Taker had been changing throughout the week. He also noted, “There are ‘Mania plans in place, but Seth Rollins’ injury changes at least two matches.”

    WrestleMania 32 takes place on April 3, 2016, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

  • Batista Describes A Bad Experience He Had With A WWE Employee

    Although he said he was open to a WWE return, Batista may now be rethinking that after having a bad experience with a WWE employee this week. The former WWE champ took to Twitter on Saturday to describe an incident where a WWE cameraman didn’t know his name, so just referred to him as “Mr. Cool Strong Dude.” Batista says he took it as a sign that his wrestling career is over.

    Batista is currently making the rounds to promote his new movie 007 Spectre, which is projected to bring in over $82M at the box office this weekend.

  • Ric Flair Shares New Details On His Upcoming ESPN 30 For 30 Special

    Ric Flair shared some details on his upcoming ESPN 30 For 30 special on a recent episode of his WOOOOO! Nation podcast. ESPN will be following Flair around at Survivor Series later this month to speak with other WWE wrestlers about Flair’s career. Here’s what Flair had to say:

    “Well, it’s my whole life. It [has] a little bit to do with my airplane crash, of course, and then coming back from that. And then the titles and the championships and it touches a lot on my personal life, which has been up and down. Right now, it’s perfect, but I had a couple rough years there. And it talks about my son, Reid. [ESPN] wanted to talk about him, how special he was to me. And then, a lot about Ashley, Charlotte, who is now the champion in WWE, the Divas division. And about my other two children, Megan and David. So, it was very nice. And then, it talked about where I am today”.

    Flair also explained that getting WWE to agree that ESPN could use their video footage was no easy task. The WWE Hall of Famer said the process took over a year and a half.

    “The WWE is very, very protective of their intellectual property,” Flair claimed. “[The project] is mutually beneficial for all of us, but it just took a while to get everybody on the same page and to work on it diligently for, I guess, it has been a year and a half now. And all of a sudden, it’s coming to fruition.”

    “We shot the first six hours, and we’ll shoot another six or seven hours, which [WOOOOO! Nation co-host, Conrad Thompson] will be a part of, at [WWE] Survivor Series. And then, there will be another six-hour shoot. And then, of course, all of the stuff [ESPN] will pull from the library in Stamford, Connecticut with the WWE to put together the whole film. So it’ll be exciting!”

    There’s no word yet on when the show will air.

  • Kurt Angle Says There’s A Possibility He’ll Fight Ken Shamrock In 2016

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkNfsO14Ktg

    It looks like Bellator MMA is trying to match up two former pro wrestling stars in a fight next year. Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle mentioned at Friday’s Bellator 145 event that he may step into the cage with Ken Shamrock should he win his fight against Royce Gracie at Bellator 149 in February.

    “I’m not gonna tease everybody but there’s a possibility,” said Angle. “We’ll see… but I’m getting my feet wet here in Bellator and having a good time. I’m gonna sit back for once in my life, relax and watch and eventually I’ll make that decision.”

    Angle has indicated that he won’t renew his TNA contract when it expires early next year. At 46 years old and with a history of serious injuries, it’s unlikely Angle will have a lengthy run inside the cage if he does choose to fight.

    Related: Ken Shamrock vs. Royce Gracie 3 Scheduled For Bellator 149 In February

    After winning a gold medal in wrestling at the 1996 Olympic Games with a broken neck, Angle began a career in pro wrestling and became a headliner in WWE by the year 2000. Angle dedicated his 1996 Olympic win to his late coach Dave Schultz, whose career and murder was chronicled in the 2014 film Foxcatcher.

  • Details On How Much WWE Is Really Paying Alberto Del Rio, Konnan Comments

    WWE United States champion Alberto Del Rio had reportedly signed a $1.45M contract for his return with the company, but a WWE spokesperson recently commented to Wrestling Observer Live that the number is not accurate. Instead, they claim that the real number was “about one-third of that.” Contracts worth $1M per year or more are usually reserved only for WWE’s biggest stars.

    Konnan commented on Del Rio’s return on a recent edition of MLW Radio, corroborating the Wrestling Observer report by saying that Del Rio’s contract had a downside guarantee of about $450,000 per year. Konnan also mentioned that Del Rio is happy to be back in WWE, and the two sides had worked out whatever problems they had.

    Konnan mentioned that Del Rio is obligated to make at least two more appearances for AAA in Mexico. Although AAA is disappointed they are losing their champion, Del Rio is reportedly leaving the company on good terms.

  • Viewership For This Week’s Episode Of WWE SmackDown (11/5)

    The 11/5 edition of WWE SmackDown on Thursday night averaged 2.123 million viewers. This is up slightly from last week’s 2.117 million.

    This week’s episode of SmackDown was taped in Colorado Springs, CO, and was headlined by Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens. Also appearing on the show were Alberto Del Rio, Roman Reigns and Bray Wyatt, among others.

    The Nielsen ratings for the night should be in soon.

  • The Boogeyman Signs WWE Legends Deal

    Former WWE star The Boogeyman tweeted on Friday that he has signed a WWE Legends contract.

    The Boogeyman, real name Martin Wright, worker for WWE from 2005 through 2009 before being released. He was last seen in a WWE ring in the 2015 Royal Rumble match, where he appeared as a surprise entrant. He’s also made appearances on a few WWE Network programs.

  • Austin Vents On His 10/19 Raw Appearance, Speaks On CMT Shows

    WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin discussed his appearance on the October 19th episode of WWE Raw in a recent interview with FoxSports.com. He also gave an update on his television projects with CMT. Here are some highlights:

    On the October 19th edition of RAW:

    “It was what it was,” explained Austin. “It was short, brief. I had four announcements to make. I got handed a piece of paper: ‘Yeah, I’ll be ready for Raw, yeah, I’ll be ready for (WrestleMania) 32 in Dallas. I’ve got Brock Lesnar coming up in a couple of hours and I’m going to introduce The Undertaker right now.’ So, you know, when you ain’t been on TV for four years and you’d really like to go out there and uncork a promo and just raise hell for my 6-10 minutes, it left a lot to be desired for my part, but it was doing a favor for WWE.”

    “It’s always nice when you can go out, because it’s been so long, and get a great ovation and a pop and people still remember who you are,” said Austin. “On one hand, it was great to be seen by the WWE fans, it was great to get that reception and I’m always grateful for the fact that people remember what I did while I was involved in the business of pro wrestling.”

    On his TV shows:

    “I’ve been focusing on reality television shows, which I really love doing. I’ve got two shows on Country Music Television — CMT Network — and one of them is the No. 1 show on the network. Between filming those gigs, it’s hard to line up the dates,” explained Austin, who hosts Redneck Island and Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge on the channel.

    Related: Steve Austin: I’m 99.9% Sure I’ve Already Had My Last Match

  • WWE Calling In Top Names To Return On Monday’s Raw

    Don’t be surprised to see a couple returning wrestlers on Monday’s episode of Raw, which is currently being re-written after Seth Rollins got injured in Dublin. Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Live that with Randy Orton out with a shoulder injury, and Seth Rollins out with a torn ACL, WWE feels they have issues with talent depth in the championship picture right now.

    Brock Lesnar and John Cena were previously scheduled to return in December, but WWE is reportedly trying to call them in for Monday’s show as a solution to their talent depth problem. The way Lesnar’s contract is set up, WWE will likely have to negotiate an extra appearance fee for the former UFC champ since he’s only obligated to work certain dates. Meanwhile, Cena is reportedly working on a TV show right now and his filming schedule may not allow him to appear at Raw.

    Rollins was originally planned to be in the title picture through WrestleMania, but WWE has already confirmed they will hold a tournament at Survivor Series to crown a new champion.

    Related: Seth Rollins Out 6-9 Months, Tournament To Crown New WWE Champion At Survivor Series

  • HBO Developing Andre The Giant Documentary

    HBO is developing a documentary on the life of WWE Hall of Famer Andre the Giant, according to Vanity Fair.

    This will be the first HBO project from Grantland founder Bill Simmons since leaving ESPN earlier this year. According to Richard Johnson of PageSix.com, Simmons has enlisted the services of former ESPN 30 For 30 director Jonathan Hock to lead the charge.

    Andre the Giant, who was born André Roussimoff, worked for WWE (then WWF) between 1973 and 1991, and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1993, before passing away that same year at the age of 46.

    There’s currently no word on when the documentary will be released.

  • Seth Rollins Reportedly Injured In Dublin (Photos/Video)

    WWE World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins appeared to injure his leg or knee in Dublin, Ireland on the opening night of WWE’s European tour . During his ‘No Holds Barred’ match against Kane, Rollins landed awkwardly after trying to set up a somersault flip into a powerbomb.

    He had trouble walking and had to be helped to the back by his trainers. Fans in attendance were buzzing on social media about the situation.

    Let’s hope it’s nothing serious and the Architect gets back to business without skipping a beat.

    https://twitter.com/DroidStar_com/status/662036466239979520

    https://twitter.com/JuniorUpstart/status/662041505385828352

    https://twitter.com/beckylunch/status/662036659228311552

  • WWE SmackDown To Premiere On USA Network In January

    The USA Network issued the following press release today, confirming that WWE SmackDown will premiere on the network on January 7, 2016:

    USA NETWORK SETS JANUARY PREMIERES FOR ‘SMACKDOWN®’ AND ‘SUITS’

    Live Action WWE® Powerhouse “SmackDown” To Debut January 7
    Critically Acclaimed Drama “Suits” Picks Up After Powerful Mid-Season Cliffhanger on January 27
    Previously Announced New Drama “Colony” To Premiere on January 14

    New York, NY – November 4, 2015 – USA Network will have a white hot January with the grand arrival of the two-hour live action WWE powerhouse SMACKDOWN on Thursday, January 7 at 8/7c. The winter continues to heat up with the return of the critically acclaimed drama SUITS, which picks up from the intense cliff hanger on Wednesday, January 27 at 10/9c. The network will also premiere the previously announced epic drama COLONY, from executive producers Carlton Cuse (“Lost”) and Ryan Condal (“Hercules”), on Thursday, January 14 at 10/9c.

    With the arrival of SMACKDOWN on Thursday, January 7 @ 8/7c, USA becomes the exclusive cable home to WWE’s two marquee properties. Viewers can now bookend their week with MONDAY NIGHT RAW live on Mondays from 8-11p and SMACKDOWNon Thursdays from 8-10p. Consistently one of the highest-rated weekly series on cable, over the past 15 years SMACKDOWN has been broadcast from 170 different venues, in 148 cities and towns and in seven different countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Japan, Italy and Mexico. On January 7, SMACKDOWN will air its 855th episode from Laredo, Texas.

    The highly-anticipated drama COLONY, premiering on Thursday January 14 @ 10/9c, centers on one family’s struggle to survive and bring liberty back to the people of an occupied Los Angeles. SAG winner Josh Holloway (“Lost”) stars as former FBI agent Will Bowman and Satellite Award winner Sarah Wayne Callies (“The Walking Dead”) stars as his wife, Katie, in the series which takes place in a dangerous world of divided ideologies. While some choose to collaborate with the occupation and benefit from the new order, others rebel and suffer the consequences. COLONY is a co-production between Legendary Television and Universal Cable Productions (UCP). Along with Cuse and Condal, Nelson McCormick (“24”) also executive produces.

    The fifth season of SUITS finishes its run with 6 new episodes on Wednesday, January 27 at 10/9c. In the wake of his arrest for conspiracy to commit fraud, Mike (Patrick J. Adams, “Orphan Black”) finds himself at the center of an investigation – led by a ruthless government prosecutor, Assistant US Attorney Anita Gibbs (new recurring guest star Leslie Hope, “24”) – that threatens to bring down the whole firm. Harvey (Gabriel Macht, “Love and Other Drugs”), having resigned from the firm in order to protect it, must tred lightly if he’s going to help Mike, or incur the wrath of Charles Forstman (returning guest star Eric Roberts, “The Dark Knight”). Together with Jessica (Gina Torres, “Firefly”) and Louis (Rick Hoffman, “Samantha Who”), Harvey must figure out how to build a defense for Mike, knowing full well that he’s guilty of the crime for which he stands accused. Meanwhile, Rachel (Meghan Markle, “Fringe”) must come to terms with the fact that her fiancé, and everyone she’s close to, could soon be in prison as Donna (Sarah Rafferty, “Brothers & Sisters”) finds herself at a crossroad.

    New characters this season include prosecuting attorney Anita Gibbs (Leslie Hope, “24”) and James Paulsen (Derek McGrath, “Doc”). Returning characters this season include Trevor (Tom Lipinski, “Labor Day”), Scottie (Abigail Spencer, “Cowboys & Aliens”), Robert Zane (Wendell Pierce, “The Wire”), Jack Soloff (John Pyper-Ferguson, “Drive”), Professor Gerard (Stephen Macht, “The Monster Squad”), Gretchen (Aloma Wright, “Days of Our Lives”), Jeff Malone (DB Woodside, “24”), Sheila (Rachael Harris, “The Hangover”) and Jimmy (Pooch Hall, “The Game”). From Universal Cable Productions, SUITS was created by and is executive produced by Aaron Korsh (“The Deep End”). Doug Liman (The “Bourne” trilogy), David Bartis (“Covert Affairs”) and Gene Klein (“Covert Affairs”) of Hypnotic along with Anton Cropper (“Fairly Legal”), Daniel Arkin (“90210”) and Chris Downey (“King & Maxwell”) serve as executive producers. SUITS is shot on location in Toronto.

    Related: Update On SmackDown Possibly Going Live On USA Network

  • Goldberg Says He Wants To Wrestle Austin & Has Regrets About Lesnar Match

    In an interview with Ring Rust Radio, former WCW Champion Goldberg discussed who he would choose for his final opponent, and detailed his controversial WrestleMania 20 match with Brock Lesnar. You can listen to the full podcast here. Here are some highlights:

    On his ideal opponent for his final match ever:

    It would be Austin for sure. Brock would be a good one since we have unfinished business. At the end of the day that everyone clamors for, and I even clamor for, would be Austin and me. There will always be a question mark there unless we were to do something one on one. It’s kind of a match made in heaven.

    Was he happy with his match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 20:

    No, I mean you play the cards you are dealt. At the end of the day, we were up against an impossible task to entertain a group of people that 100 percent know you are both leaving after that match. Utter distain is what we received from the fans. Would I change anything about? Yeah, I would change everything about it. At the end of the day, if you take it for what it was, it was an interesting match. The overtone was so skewed, it was just such a weird situation and insurmountable task. Would I change anything? Yes. Would I change everything? Yes.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaYKReWh8p0

    Why he feels he never clicked in WWE:

    Because I was a football player and competitor in life and those were a bunch of fraternity boys.

    Goldberg is currently working on an action film called Check Point, to be released next year.

    Related: Bill Goldberg Explains Why He Feels Vince McMahon & Triple H Have “Great Disdain” For Him

  • More Details On Ric Flair’s ESPN 30 For 30 Special

    An ESPN camera crew will be following Ric Flair backstage at WWE Survivor Series later this month. As previously reported, ESPN has begun work on a 30 For 30 special on the 16-time World Champion. In addition to Flair, they’ll be getting footage of active WWE wrestlers discussing The Nature Boy’s accomplishments in the wrestling business.

    According to Ric Flair’s agent, ESPN began shooting for the documentary project last week.

    ESPN has done 30 For 30 specials on NXT, The Von Erichs, Scott Hall, WWE, Vince McMahon, and many other wrestling personalities. As of press time, there’s no word on when Flair’s episode will air.

    Survivor Series 2015 will take place on November 22 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

  • *Spoilers* WWE SmackDown Tapings Results (Airing 11/5/15)

    WWE taped this week’s SmackDown on Tuesday night from Colorado Springs, CO. Here are the full results from the taping:

    – The show starts with a promo from Zeb Colter and Alberto Del Rio on MexAmerica.

    – WWE United States champ Del Rio defeats Neville in a non-title match. Del Rio worked heel and Neville down after the match until Jack Swagger made the save.

    – The Usos defeat The Ascension in under five minutes.

    – Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Braun Strowman and Erick Rowan defeat Sin Cara, Kalisto, Darren Young and Titus O’Neil in a Survivor Series-style elimination match. All four Wyatts survive.

    – Ryback defeats King Barrett. Ryback countered a sleeper hold and Shellshocked Barrett for the win.

    – Natalya defeated Tamina Snuka.

    – WWE Intercontinental champ Kevin Owens defeats Dean Ambrose by DQ. They brawl after the match and SmackDown ends with Ambrose in the ring.

  • “Superstar” Billy Graham Signs WWE Legends Contract

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRO3q0WB6pU

    WWE Hall of Famer “Superstar” Billy Graham revealed on Facebook that he has signed a Legends contract with WWE. He says Triple H personally presented him with the offer.

    Here’s what Graham had to say:

    “Hello Facebook fans around the world. I am thrilled to report to all of you that Triple H, via a telephone conversation, has offered to give me an official WWE Legends contract. I of course said yes, and thank you very much! I have received that contract, and signed and mailed it back to the WWE. So I am officially back in the WWE family, proving that miracles still happen !! I did go to the Smackdown show held here in Phoenix on October 27th, as some had reported on the internet. I met with WWE Talent Relations executive Mark Carrano to go over various opportunities for me in the future. Mark Carrano is a real class act and gentleman and was very encouraging on the future release of my WWE merchandise sometime after the first of the year, along with attending WrestleMania 32 in Dallas as part of the meet and greet fan access festivities. So, I want to thank Triple H and Mark Carrano for making this exciting event happen for me. I am officially back home in the family of the WWE where I belong !!!!”

  • WWE Confirms Tatanka Signing, Nikki Bella To Miss European Tour, Hornswoggle Note

    — The official WWE website has confirmed that Tatanka has signed a Legends contract. Tatanka had previously wrote on Facebook that he would be seeing fans in Dallas during WrestleMania 32 week. Here’s the company’s official statement:

    As he announced via Twitter Monday, Tatanka — a mainstay of WWE programming in both the early 1990s and mid-2000s — has signed a WWE Legends contract. The Native American Superstar was a fan favorite in the WWE Universe, appearing in several WrestleManias, crushing opponents with his End of the Trail finishing maneuver and wowing fans with his signature war dance. Please join WWE in congratulating Tatanka.

    — Brie Bella confirmed on Twitter that her sister Nikki would not be on the WWE European tour. Nikki previously posted a photo revealing her neck injury.

    — Hornswoggle tweeted for the first time since being suspended by WWE back in late September:

  • Charlotte On Ronda Rousey’s WWE Comments: “Get In Line, Sister”

    WWE Divas champ Charlotte recently took to Twitter to address UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey saying she’s ready to enter the WWE and that there’s “a lot more than can be done” with women in the company. Here’s what Charlotte had to say:

    As we reported yesterday, Rousey made the comments in an interview with Rolling Stone. Here’s what she said about possibly joining WWE:

    “I’m ready. I’ve seen NXT, I remember Nattie and Charlotte’s match for the title. Nattie was actually training with the original Four Horsewomen to get ready for that fight. I have so many obligations, but I really want to find a way to make it happen. I’m a huge fan wrestling, and I would like to see the position of women in the sport continue to improve, so if I can be a part of it, great.”

    “I’m really encouraged by the progress I’ve seen with what they’re doing with the women in WWE, but I feel like there’s a lot more than can be done. They’re doing some of it now, too. I’m really excited that they’ve brought up all these great women from NXT, who are all different from the normal mold they would use for the Divas division. I’m not going to take credit for anything, but I definitely want to be part of it as much as I can.”

  • Tatanka Signs Legends Contract With WWE

    Former WWE star Tatanka wrote on his official Facebook page that he has signed a WWE Legends contract. He also said that he would see the fans in Dallas, so don’t be surprised to see him involved in WrestleMania week and possibly the WWE Hall Of Fame.

    Tatanka posted the following:

    “@WWEUniverse It’s Official, I’ve signed a @WWE Legends Contract & will see u at Dallas Texas“

  • Randy Orton Shoulder Surgery Could Keep Him Out Until WrestleMania

    WWE confirmed on Monday that Randy Orton is dealing with another shoulder injury. Surgery and recovery time could keep The Viper out of action until WrestleMania. Dr. Steve Daquino told WWE.com:

    “Randy has suffered from a dislocated shoulder. He’s had chronic problems with his shoulder, and a recent MRI that was done found he has a Bankart lesion in his shoulder, some stretched ligaments and a partially torn rotator cuff.”

    “At this point it’s a matter of when he dislocates the shoulder again, and not if. Surgery seems imminent, and recovery time for such a surgery would be four to six months.”

    Related: How Randy Orton Dislocated His Shoulder

  • Randy Orton Speaks On RKO Video Phenomenon Online, His Favorite RKO

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

    Randy Orton recently spoke with CraveOnline about the massive amounts of fan-made RKO videos on the internet, where fans edit Orton delivering an RKO into videos of people falling. He also reveals his personal favorite RKO that he has handed out in the ring.

    On the RKO videos:

    [Laughs] Yeah, every once in awhile I’ll see a real good one and I’ll tweet it or something. They’re great. I guess it’s been about a year since the first one came out. There’s been so many. I think lately the coolest ones I’ve seen are the Batman vs Superman trailer and making it about the RKO. Then there’s this one called The Ortoning [laughs] and it’s a knock off The Conjuring, which I thought that was kind of funny and re-tweeted that a couple of days ago. What can I say? They’re goofy, they’re funny and for some reason it just doesn’t get old so people keep doing it. It’s not a flash in the pan either. It’s been over a year now. I think that’s pretty cool.

    On his favorite RKO:

    Gosh, the one with Evan Bourne is up there. The one with Seth [Rollins] at WrestleMania is up there. There have been a few real cool ones out of nowhere but the one with Evan Bourne is my favorite.

    You can read the entire interview here.

  • Steve Austin: I’m 99.9% Sure I’ve Already Had My Last Match

    WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin recently spoke with Brian Fritz of FoxSports.com and addressed the possibility of having a match at WrestleMania 32. Here’s what he had to say:

    “I think 99.9 percent I’ve had my last match,” said Austin. “If I felt froggy and wanted to jump for any particular reason, just because I said right now I have the fever for it, I’d like to do it. But for all practical, intrinsic, whatever kind of purposes, I’m done. Again, if I felt like it, could I? Yeah. Would I? In a dream world. possibly. I’m not trying to promote a match and pretty much I am done. I would always reserve the option.”

    “I considered it for just a brief moment but again, just like I tell everybody, what’s on the backside of a match like that, you know?” wondered Austin. “I got out of the business when I got out. The hunger was out of my system. It’s almost like getting off an addiction. I’m not addicted to wrestling anymore. For a long time I was. So what’s on the backside of that match for me? A whole lot of nothing. So it would be a lot of buildup and, to me, it would be almost anti-climactic.”

    Austin says if he did take the jump, Brock Lesnar would likely be his choice for an opponent:

    “With respect to all of the WWE superstars currently in the system and any legends they could bring back, that would be a big-ass match just because of the fact that if it was going to be my last match going up against Brock Lesnar who’s absolutely on fire right now and the fact that I’m from the great state of Texas. I started in Dallas and could end it in Dallas — that would be all the stars aligning.”

    You can read the full interview here.

  • Mick Foley To Write Weekly Spotlights On Impressive Indy Wrestlers

    foley matt hardy

    Mick Foley recently wrote a blog post on his Facebook page detailing his experiences in the independent wrestling circuit over the last several months. Foley praises the work ethic of the indy wrestlers, and says he’s going to try to help give exposure to the some of the more impressive unsigned talents he encounters.

    Here’s what he had to say:

    IN PRAISE OF INDEPENDENT WRESTLING

    I simply can not say enough about the work ethic, dedication and skill of so many of the wrestlers I’ve had the chance to watch and work with over the past several months. Things have changed quite a bit from when I broke into the Indie scene almost 30 years ago (I began training in 1985, but had my first match in 1986) when promoters regularly burned towns, advertised stars who had never been booked, or offered up weak knock-offs meant to fool fans into thinking they were seeing the real deal. Hey, I worked many a match as 1/2 of the South Sea Islanders against the Rock ‘n’ Roll Connection, so I’m not completely innocent here. I’m know this type of thing still goes on today – not one, but TWO Mick Foley knock-offs on the scene – but they seem to be the exception to the rule.

    And the rule of the day in Independent wrestling seems to be to that hard work pays off. Building a fan-base, delivering what they want, and sending them home happy…if exhausted. Personally, last night’s 6 hour ?#?XWA? show in ?#?Providence? may have been a tad long. Maybe more than a tad. But within those 6 hours, there was SO much to like. I saw moves I’ve yet to learn the names of from wrestlers I’ve yet to learn the names of – and stuff that would have been right at home on a major PPV – with the intimacy and connection to an audience that only a grass-roots Indy can provide.

    In the weeks that follow, I will try to provide an “Indie spotlight of the week” to talk about someone who has impressed me in his travels. You know who impressed me last night? The promoter. For real. The guy finds out on ?#?Halloween? night that AJ Styles – one of the most durable, phenomenal performers of his generation (yeah, that’s high praise, but he’s earned it) won’t be able to wrestle because of a legit back injury. What’s a promoter to do? Throw up your hands, explain the situation to the fans, hope they understand, right? Not this guy. He not only does the right thing by bringing AJ in, despite the fact that we won’t be able to wrestle – but on HALLOWEEN night, he books Matt Hardy….yes, Matt BLEEPIN’ Hardy as his replacement. Then Matt, a guy who could have decided to coast comfortably off his name and reputation for the forseable future tears the house down with JT Dunn AFTER 5 hours of EVERY MOVE EVER INVENTED has been seen. Incredible. Those fans were with it too- and even rose to the occasion when two old guys like me and King Corrino got involved in the shennanigans ourselves.

    A year ago, I would say hello to the guys, do my autographs, and try to find a quiet spot to decompress. Things are different now. I watch as many of the matches as I can. I give feedback when I’m asked. Those requests used to seem like hassles. Now they feel like giant compliments. I offer up whatever I can – always stressing that my opinion is one of many, and should be listened to, and valued, but never given a loftier perch than that of one dude’s opinion. Please feel free to tell me about someone you’ve seen tearing it down on your own indie scene – and what you think the future might hold in store for him or her.

    My next Indie shows are in SCOTLAND – in ?#?ABERDEEN? & ?#?GLASGOW?. One show should be awesome, the other, totally insane! See you there! http://www.realmickfoley.com/events/

  • RVD Comments On Why He Likely Won’t Appear At WrestleMania 32

    Former WWE and ECW star Rob Van Dam recently took part in a Periscope Q&A where he was asked by a fan if he would be returning to WWE at WrestleMania 32.

    RVD explained that if he were to appear at WrestleMania he would have to start appearing on WWE TV soon to build up the match, and that he doesn’t like going on the road during the winter months. He says while it would be a bad time for him to return, he is open to the idea of getting back in a WWE ring at a later time.

    Back in September, RVD said he could still perform in the ring the same way he could 20 years ago, but didn’t think it was something he wanted:

    “I have a merchandise deal with the WWE and right now, I’m too on the go. I have no reason to do a run right now. Honestly, it’s better not to … I don’t see that changing in the future. Physically, I feel great. I’ve always said, I’m unique in that way. People say wrestling wears you down, but no one thinks I just don’t want to. I can do the same as I did 20 years ago. Who knows, maybe someone threw it out there for reaction and the internet has had its fun with it.”

    Related: RVD Takes Credit For Extending The Life Of Seth Rollins’ Curb Stomp

    RVD last appeared on WWE television back at the 2014 Slammy Awards to present the Slammy Award for Extreme Moment of the Year.

  • Details On WWE’s Big Plans For Tapout Partnership Next Year

    Apparently there’s a reason why WWE was evasive when asked about their plans with the Tapout brand during the WWE’s third quarter earnings conference call for 2015. While WWE CFO George Barrios admitted they are very excited and have big plans for the Tapout brand, he wouldn’t give up the details.

    PWInsider.com now reports that the details of these plans involve WWE helping Tapout become a fitness brand to compete with the likes of Under Armour in the years the come. They plan on refocusing the old MMA-themed brand to reach a wider audience. The partnership comes after a big planned investment from WWE into Tapout, giving WWE an equity stake in clothing brand.

    With WWE’s partnership, there are plans to open Tapout Fitness Centers all over America. Some locations planned are Brooklyn, Las Vegas, Portland, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Houston among others. Part of the strategy here is that WWE will lend their talent to for personal appearances and public workouts at the Tapout Fitness Centers.

    WWE is testing out the waters with a fitness class hosted by Ryback and Seth Rollins on 11/7 in Leeds, during their UK tour. The class will feature the WWE taletns leading a 55-minute workout, with a meet-and-greet opportunity. This is very likely a test run for what WWE will be doing at the Tapout Fitness Centers.