Category: WWE

  • Daniel Bryan Honored With PETA2 Award

    The following press release was sent out today:

    DANIEL BRYAN TRIUMPHS OVER TOUGH COMPETITION TO NAIL PETA2 AWARD

    WWE Superstar Credits Veggie Power With Keeping Him on Top in the Ring

    Los Angeles — WWE superstar wrestler and World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan can now add Most Animal-Friendly Athlete to his impressive list of titles. Bryan—who credits going vegan with giving him remarkable strength and endurance and is known for his punishing style and incapacitating submission maneuvers—captured the Libby Award from peta2, PETA’s youth division. The sixth annual Libby Awards (“Libby” is for “liberation”) honor animal-friendly people, organizations, businesses, and products.

    Bryan also shot a pro-vegan ad for peta2, in which he talked about why going vegan was one of the smartest decisions he’s ever made:

    “My vegetarian diet allows me to lead a healthier lifestyle, reduce my carbon footprint, and save the lives of more than 100 animals every year,” says Bryan. “I’m stronger and healthier than ever, and I feel good about doing something positive for myself, animals, and the planet.”

    Why have Bryan and millions of other people slammed meat to the mat? Health is one reason: The American Dietetic Association found that vegetarians have lower rates of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer than meat-eaters do. Also, in addition to producing vast quantities of greenhouse gases, raising animals for food is a leading cause of water pollution and land degradation. And billions of animals are raised in filthy, abusive conditions and slaughtered in terror every year.

    The other nominated athletes were Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley, Strikeforce mixed martial arts champ Jake Shields, and Denver Broncos running back Willis McGahee.

    For more information about the winners, please visit peta2.com/Libbys.

    Winners were chosen by peta2 based on equal consideration of three factors: the number of votes received, the quality of the animal-friendly product or the nominees’ enthusiasm for being animal-friendly, and feedback from the nominees’ fans.

  • Rock Confirmed For Another RAW, Del Rio-Rumble, Twitter

    – The Rock is being advertised for the March 12th RAW Supershow from Cleveland, Ohio. This is the second upcoming RAW that The Rock is officially being advertised for. The Rock will also be appearing on the final RAW prior to WrestleMania 28, from Atlanta. Expect to see regular appearances from The Rock on WWE television in the weeks leading up to his match with John Cena WrestleMania 28.

    – Do not expect to see Alberto Del Rio at Sunday’s Royal Rumble – that is, if his personal ring announcer Ricardo Rodriguez is to be trusted. Rodriguez tweeted on Tuesday:

    “If Mr Del Rio wasn’t hurt he could easily win the Royal Rumble again this year. He did win the biggest Royal Rumble match ever after all! :)”

    – Fans may have noticed that Monday’s RAW did not feature any Twitter mentions or on-screen graphics promoting trending topics. WWE sources have indicated this was no coincidence, as the company is said to be re-evaluating its affiliation with the social networking service.

  • Triple H On RAW Next Week, Ryer’s Broken Back & More

    – Triple H will return on next week’s RAW Supershow. He will be there to give a “formal job evaluation” to Interim RAW General Manager John Laurinaitis and determine whether Laurinaitis will keep his job or not.

    – After Kane chokeslammed Zack Ryder through the stage on RAW and the former United States Champion was taken away in an ambulance, the storyline is that Ryder has suffered a broken back. Expect Ryder to miss a few weeks of television due to the storyline injury.

    – Matches taped for this week’s WWE Superstars prior to RAW were were Kofi Kingston vs. Michael McGillicutty and Brie Bella vs. WWE Divas Champion Beth Phoenix.

  • What Happened After RAW: Punk vs. Ziggler, Cena-Kane

    After last night’s WWE RAW Supershow in Phoenix, John Laurinaitis made a WWE Title match between CM Punk and Dolph Ziggler. Punk got the pinfall victory after hitting Ziggler with the Go To Sleep.

    While the WWE Champion was celebrating, Kane came out to confront CM Punk, but John Cena made the save. Kane and Cena fought until Kane chokeslammed him. Kane left but came back to receive an Attitude Adjustment to end the show.

  • Foley & Jericho In The Rumble, Miz Entering at #1

    – WWE announced on RAW that for the first time ever, every Superstar will be eligible to be in this year’s 30-man Royal Rumble main event – including WWE Champion CM Punk.

    – Chris Jericho and Mick Foley have been confirmed as participants in the Royal Rumble match.

    Jericho finally spoke on RAW and said that “the world as we know it will end” on Sunday at the Rumble, playing off the cryptic videos that hyped his surprise return on January 2nd.

    – After losing to R-Truth on tonight’s RAW Supershow, The Miz earned the #1 spot in this Sunday’s 30-man Royal Rumble main event.

  • Royal Rumble News: Rumored Winner, Surprise Entrants

    WWE’s 25th anniversary Royal Rumble is just days away – and we’ve got an insider scoop on possible surprise appearances.

    According to a source in WWE, employees at WWE headquarters were recently polled an asked what former WWE superstars they think would make a big impact at the Rumble like Kevin Nash (as Diesel) did last year.

    Surprisingly, most of the names brought up were legends, including Hall of Famers Ricky Steamboat and Dusty Rhodes. Hacksaw “Jim” Duggan is also a possible legend that could enter the Rumble. Duggan has a biography coming out in the coming months and WWE plans to reintroduce him on television in the coming weeks to promote the upcoming release.

    As far as who could win the Rumble, three names we’ve heard from reliable sources are Chris Jericho, Randy Orton and Dolph Ziggler.

  • Evan Bourne Reportedly Done With WWE

    Former WWE tag team champion Evan Bourne is currently serving a 60-day suspension for his second violation of the company’s Wellness Policy.

    While Bourne would be cleared to return to action in March, a report on PWinsider.com suggests that Bourne could be done with the company for good.

    No official decision has been made yet, but “a number of WWE sources” have indicated that Bourne will not be brought back.

    Bourne’s first violation of the Wellness Policy was reportedly a result of him using synthetic marijuana (“spice”), which is a banned substance in WWE.

    Bourne’s latest violation is said to be a result of something “completely unrelated” to his first situation.

  • Exclusive: CM Punk vs John Laurinaitis “Will Happen” in 2012

    According to a trusted source in the company, WWE Champion CM Punk will have a match this year against John Laurinaitis, and Vince McMahon is counting on it being “a very big deal.”

    We were exclusive told “The Punk vs Laurinaitis match will happen in 2012, no doubt about it,” and that “if Jericho didn’t sign with WWE, Vince was actually considering holding off Punk vs Laurinaitis for Wrestlemania!

    We were also told the idea of a Punk vs Laurinaitis match became a definite once WWE determined Kevin Nash’s in-ring career had to end, and Punk was left without a weekly adversary on tv.

    “Despite some reports, Vince (McMahon) likes Punk’s work, and think he’s breaking through and slowly attracting a new audience,” we were told. “Vince feels that if built properly, Punk vs Laurinaitis can really be a springboard to Punk becoming a major drawing card this year.”

  • Maryse On Why She Left WWE, Valentine Works With WWE

    — Speaking to TVA Sports, Maryse Ouellet says her departure from WWE last October was triggered by the organization offering her a long term contract and her desire to move on.

    “They wanted me to sign a new five-year contract and it’s not what I wanted,” the former WWE Divas Champion says. “I had other plans in mind.”

    Ouellet’s plans include the forthcoming launch of her line of clothing and accessories, House of Maryse.

    “I love fashion, I love trends. I propose to women swimwear, lingerie, jewelry, handbags and sunglasses, among others. I hope to officially start the project next summer,” she says.

    Ouellet also discusses who she encountered during her WWE tenure, the numerous injuries she suffered and more. The full interview, which is in French, is available here.

    — WWE filmed a commercial starring Sheamus last Wednesday which independent wrestler Lizzy Valentine appeared in as well. Valentine has worked with WWE in the past as she provided voice-over and motion capture to the SmackDown vs. Raw 2007 video game.

  • Update On MVP’s WWE Future, Bret Hart At FCW This Week

    – WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart tweeted on Monday that he’s headed to WWE developmental tomorrow to evaluate talent for WWE:

    “Excited 2 fly down 2 Tampa tomorrow. Checking out the crew at FCW”

    – Former WWE wrestler MVP has responded to an incorrect report on another website stating that he has a 1-year contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling:

    “Hey Bleacher Report, I don’t have a “contract” with NJPW. I’m a free agent. Not sure who 1st reported I “signed a 1 year contract”. Wrong.”

    “I’m a free agent with NJPW. I can leave when I choose to. However for the foreseeable future, I choose not to.”

    Regarding a possible return to WWE, MVP says it could happen in the future, but for now, he’s enjoying working in Japan:

    “I’ve NEVER ruled out a return to the WWE. But for the time being, NJPW is my home and I’m VERY happy there. We’ll see what the future holds.”

    “It’s very humbling to read all the tweets telling me I’m missed or asking me to return. The WWE universe always shows me love. Thank you!”

    When asked whether it was possible we could see him appear at the Royal Rumble this Sunday as a surprise entrant, he said it isn’t happening – and also set the record straight on whether we could see him in TNA:

    “I can ASSURE you I WON’T be in the Royal Rumble. And a 99% chance I won’t turn up in TNA. Just killing rumors.”

    We want to know – do you want to see MVP back in WWE? Could he make an “Impact” in TNA?

  • Randy Orton On Who He Wants To Face, Axxess Pre-Sale Issues

    — The February 2012 issue of WWE Magazine features an interview with Randy Orton and he is asked how 2012 will fare differently from 2011 for The Viper.

    Orton responds, “I’d like to have the opportunity to compete with Alberto Del Rio. I haven’t done that yet. I’d also like to work with Kane now that he’s back in his mask. The last few matches we contested have been kind of odd due to how the WWE Universe percieved our personas at the time. But I know that it would be really interesting for us to go at it now.”

    — The official Twitter feed of WWE stated Monday that Ticketmaster is experiencing some technical issues for the WrestleMania Axxess tickets, which on sale this morning via pre-sale.

    WWE adds: “Ticketmaster is working hard to resolve them. We will get back to everyone once Ticketmaster is back online.”

    — WWE will hold a Raw live event at McKenzie Arena in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Sunday, May 6, 2012. The show begins at 5:00 p.m.

    source: PWInsider.com

  • John Cena To Be Honored By The Make-A-Wish Foundation

    The following press release was sent out today:

    Make-A-Wish Foundation® Honors WWE® and WWE Superstar John Cena® for Their Commitment to Wish-Granting

    PHOENIX–Today, the Make-A-Wish Foundation honored WWE Superstar John Cena and WWE for their contributions to wish kids by dedicating a WWE-themed conference room in the charity’s global headquarters.

    “WWE wishes have been popular since early in the Foundation’s history and we are proud to count the WWE and its Superstars as longtime supporters”

    John Cena is on pace to grant 300 wishes to kids with life-threatening medical conditions, making him the first celebrity wish granter ever to reach that lofty goal. In 2009, John Cena received the Foundation’s “Chris Greicius Award” for his outstanding efforts on behalf of wish kids.

    Recently, John Cena teamed up with Post Foods to prominently display the Make-A-Wish Foundation alongside his image on newly designed boxes of Post Fruity Pebbles Cereal, which are available nationwide through March.

    WWE and WWE Superstars have been granting wishes with the Make-A-Wish Foundation for more than 30 years and have donated a significant amount of funds to help cover costs associated with many of those wishes. In addition to John Cena, WWE and its talent have received the “Chris Greicius Award” award four additional times.

    “WWE wishes have been popular since early in the Foundation’s history and we are proud to count the WWE and its Superstars as longtime supporters,” said David Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America. “John Cena’s commitment to our mission and his connection with our wish kids make him one of our best wish ambassadors. We are grateful for everything John and WWE have done, and we look forward to them granting many more wishes in the future.”

    John Cena continues to be one of the most frequently requested celebrity wishes. Tonight, John Cena is scheduled to grant two wishes at WWE Monday Night Raw® at US Airways Center in Phoenix, AZ.

  • RAW Preview For Tonight, Update On Rollins & Ambrose

    – Tonight’s WWE RAW Supershow takes place from the US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona. It is the final RAW before Sunday’s 25th anniversary Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

    Advertised locally are John Cena vs. Kane and CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler.

    Injured stars Alberto Del Rio and Sin Cara are being advertised for tonight’s show, although it’s unknown whether they will actually appear. Sin Cara is expected to be out of action for several months and the latest we’ve heard about Del Rio is that he wouldn’t be back in time for the Rumble. The ad promoting Del Rio and Sin Cara also mentions Chris Jericho, so it’s not as if the ad is outdated, since Jericho just returned.

    Randy Orton, who returned to action on Sunday, is also scheduled for tonight’s show.

    – Developmental stars Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose impressed WWE officials and reportedly have spots on the main roster but have not been called up yet because of Triple H’s new policy that creative must have a longterm plan in place for new talent before they debut. (Credit: f4wonline.com)

  • WM28 Plans For Mark Henry, Kristofferson Update, Regal-Bryan

    – With WrestleMania 28 less than 3 months away, we can confirm that Mark Henry vs. Big Show for the World Heavyweight title is a match that has been discussed by the creative team in the past several weeks.

    While that match could still happen, Big Show will likely end up wrestling NBA star Shaquille O’Neal, who recently revealed during a radio appearance that he’s in talks to compete at WWE’s biggest show of the year.

    – Actor Kris Kristofferson spoke with the Toronto Sun this weekend and had the following to say about his son Jody signing a developmental deal with WWE:

    “I identify with him so much, because people thought I was just as crazy as he is when I decided I was going to Nashville. But he loves it and he’s committed to it just like I was with songwriting. And to be able to do what you love to do — you can’t get better than that.”

    – After campaigning for a World Heavyweight Title shot against Daniel Bryan on Twitter over the weekend, William Regal responded to several fans that said he doesn’t deserve a shot:

    “And for the divs who feel the need to bring up my past problems,I am what I am and don’t regret anything.It’s what makes me me.”

    “I’m over 800 tweets in and the overall verdict(apart from a few faceless keyboard warriors)is that they would like this to happen.@WWE.”

  • Piper Pushing For Piper’s Pit With The Rock & John Cena

    WWE Hall of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper is continuing his campaign  to host John Cena and The Rock on Piper’s Pit before their upcoming showdown at WrestleMania 28 on 4/1. Piper tweeted the following on Monday morning:

    “Lets help the @WWE help themselves. @WWE needs a Pipers Pit, before WM 29, with The Rock & Cena. @WWE, IT’S ALL IN HOUSE, IT”S PERFECT!”

    “Help the @WWE help themselves. Put The Rock & Cena in Pipers Pit before WM 28!! I’ve been to alot of WM’s! WM28. IT’S ALL IN HOUSE!!Perfect!”

    “If @WWE has big courage.Put The Rock and Cena in Piper’s Pit at WM28!! Did it with Austin blew the roof off! I’m putting it on the line too!

    “TheRock&@Cena. In Pipers Pit! @WWE,Hot Rod is putting it on the line. These guys are good! WWE would enjoy Hot Rod losing!WWE’s bucket list.

    “For the record. Hot Rod is never cut slack, I’ve had the best in Piper’s Pit, from all forms of ent.I put it on the LINE every Time! NO FEAR”

  • Warrior Turns Down Hall Of Fame Invite, CM Punk Reacts

    Former WWE champion the Ultimate Warrior is telling fans on Twitter that he recently turned down an invitation from Vince McMahon himself to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.

    A fan wrote that Warrior was never respected by his peers and needs that respect to be inducted. Warrior replied,

    “One peer’s respect decides ALL – VKM. And I said no.”

    Another fan wrote in that other stars were much more worthy of the honor than Warrior. He replied,

    “Yeah, and none w/balls to turn VKM invite down like I already did.”

    A fan on Twitter asked WWE Champion CM Punk what he thought the chances were that Warrior would accept a Hall of Fame invite. Punk replied with the following message, which was re-tweeted by Warrior:

    “Zero. Why would he?”

    Warrior later wrote the following regarding the Hall of Fame:

    “Achievements worth honoring should not also be shit upon by the very people who desire bestowing honor. That is shit this Honoree won’t eat.”

  • Video: Mysterio Plans To Return By WrestleMania

    In a new video posted to Youtube over the weekend, injured WWE star Rey Mysterio says he plans to return to action in time for WrestleMania 28 on April 1st, earlier than previously expected.

    Mysterio tore his ACL back in August 2011 and has been undergoing rehab in recent months. Last week, Mysterio started running in a swimming pool as part of his rehab and he is hoping to jog on a treadmill within the next few weeks.

    Mysterio has made several WWE appearances since his injury, taking part in media interviews and presenting an award at the 2011 Slammy Awards.

  • Randy Orton Returns To Action, Tamina Wants Vickie Guerrero

    — Randy Orton, who has been sidelined since late December due to a back injury, returned to action at Sunday’s WWE live event in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He faced Wade Barrett in his return match.

    Orton attacked Barrett upon his entrance. Epico, JTG, Kofi Kingston, Primo and Santino Marella then came out to defuse the situation. Orton RKO’d Epico, JTG, Kingston and Primo after Barrett ran off. Marella also ran away to avoid the devastating maneuver.

    Orton is advertised to return to television on this Friday’s episode of SmackDown.

    — Tamina stated on Twitter that she wants Vickie Guerrero—her frequent traveling partner—to assist her in her road to WWE glory.

    The second generation grappler wrote, “It would be another step further to have Vickie Guerrero manage me, i like her style….”

    source: ProWrestling.net

  • Luger Says He Would Be Honored To Be Inducted Into The HOF

    During a recent public appearance, Lex Luger was asked what being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame would mean to him.

    “It would just be a tremendous honor if someday I was inducted in the Hall of Fame, but really, we’re here to get down to glory to God now with our lives and serve others and use open vessels for him to bring people to Christ,” says Luger, who in 2006 declared himself a born again Christian.

    Lex continues, “But, would that be an honor? It’s something that would also help to use as a platform to continue ministry as well. It would be wonderful, definitely.”

    Wrestlezone.com reported last week that Luger not being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year as part of the Horsemen clan stems from the events surrounding Miss Elizabeth’s death, who passed away on May 1, 2003 in the home they shared. Her cause of death, according to the coroner’s report, was “acute toxicity” brought on by a buffet of prescription painkillers and vodka. Many people in WWE blame Luger for her tragic death as he’s seen as her enabler. Luger himself has admitted to being a negative influence on her life.

    “I take a lot of responsibility for that—my influence in her life,” he told ESPN.com in 2007 regarding his heavy drug abuse, which rubbed off on her during their relationship. “Her little heart and body couldn’t take what I was doing.”

  • Divas Campaigning For Ladder Match, Sheffield Changes Twitter

    — The February 2012 issue of WWE Magazine features an interview with Natalya and Beth Phoenix and they are both asked which male-dominated stipulation match they would like to see introduced to the Divas Division. Both say Ladder Match.

    “I want to compete in the first-ever Diva Ladder Match. Beth and I think it would be amazing, and I believe we could really pull it off,” Natalya says.

    Beth adds, “I actually like to consider myself a pioneer for the ladies’ Ladder Match because if you check out Ladder Matches 2: Crash and Burn, it actually features my Ladder Match from Louisville, Kentucky, in OVW. I have been campaigning for WWE to let me compete in one and have even volunteered to put my Divas Championship on the line in it against absolutely anybody. I have the experience and truly believe the bar could be raised with that bout. There is no doubt in my mind that it would be the most spectacular Divas match of all-time.

    — WWE performer Ryan Reeves (a/k/a Skip Sheffield, Ryback) has changed his Twitter handle to twitter.com/ryback22. The former Nexus member is competing at WWE live events this weekend under the Ryback persona.

  • Jim Ross Involved In Car Accident, Ryback Works Live Event

    – Jim Ross was involved in an automobile accident on Saturday. He was not injured. Ross  tweeted:

    “Bad day..got hit by a pickup..totaled my Escalade or so body shop thinks. Seat belt and airbag saved me.”

    — Skip Sheffield competed as his Terminator gimmick “Ryback” in the opening match at Friday’s WWE SuperShow in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He defeated Alex Riley with a series of power moves and a spear.

    — ‘be a STAR,’ the anti-bullying alliance co-founded by WWE and The Creative Coalition, is filming public service announcements this weekend at the annual Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

    sources: PWInsider.com

  • Kofi Kingston Gets A New Tag Team Partner, Maryse On eBay

    — Kofi Kingston partnered with Mason Ryan against WWE Tag Team Champions Epico and Primo at Friday’s Raw live event in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Ryan took the pinfall following the Backstabber.

    WWE announced Tuesday that Kingston’s “Air Boom” partner Evan Bourne would be suspended for 60 days for his second violation of the company’s Talent Wellness Program.

    — Maryse Ouellet is selling clothes she worn during her time in WWE on eBay. To visit her page, click here.

    Shawn Michaels’ MacMillan River Adventures won an award won an award for Best Conservation at Thursday night’s Golden Moose Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada. The awards show will air on the Outdoor Channel in February.

    — WWE will hold a SmackDown taping on April 10, 2012 at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia.

  • Randy Orton Advertised For SmackDown, How Old Is Maryse?

    — WWE aired a commercial during Friday’s SmackDown advertising the return of Randy Orton for next week’s show.

    Orton has been sidelined since December 28, 2011 due to an injury angle involving Wade Barrett.

    — Former WWE performer Maryse Ouellet celebrates her 29th birthday Saturday. Following her release from WWE last October, she announced plans for a clothing and jewelry line called House of Maryse.

    — The January 20, 2012 episode of WWE Vintage Collection featured the following matches: Chris Jericho vs. John Cena (WWE SmackDown – July 4, 2002), John Cena vs. Eddie Guerrero (WWE Smackdown – January 30, 2003), Hardcore Battle Royal (ECW – June 13th, 2006), Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane vs. Dennis Condrey and Randy Rose (Starrcade 1988).

  • Tully Blanchard Interview – WWE HOF, Triple H, The Horsemen

    WWE Hall of Famer Tully Blanchard appeared on Busted Open, which airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday on Sirius 92 and XM 208 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Highlights from the interview are as follows:

    Why Barry Windham was chosen over other members for the WWE Hall of Fame: “The most dynamic group that we had was with Barry. You had more guys that could perform with more opponents. Big, small, all sizes and that was the most powerful group we had. Lex Luger was an addition. He was just coming in to work for Crockett as Ole was on his way out. So it was a place to put Luger to try to get him instantly to a star status since he had such a great look and it worked and it worked for quite a while. But when we switched him to babyface and Barry came back as a heel you had four guys that who could perform with Andre the Giant or the Rock and Roll Express or The Road Warriors. We could go out with all shapes and sizes and go out and tear the house down, and that is where your dynamics and your benefit for your promotion came.

    Triple H possibly inducting The Four Horsemen: “He just shared with me in brief that he watched and appreciated everything we did, not just we, but he was talking about me specifically. Before he got into wrestling or at the start of his career, as he went in, if that is what he watched and that is what he molded himself after, then he would have a great amount of input on how the images of the Four Horsemen blended together and affected him.”

    Thoughts on JJ Dillon: “JJ is definitely one of the finest managers in my opinion, if not the best manager that the wrestling business has ever had, and I have known some good ones. But a lot of the very good ones were fighting for center stage with talent many times, and JJ never did that. He complemented everything that was done and not taking away from what the guy was doing in the ring or what the guys were doing in the ring. That made it very, very simple to go out and perform, just like you’re out there by yourself or in a tag team match and JJ could put the gas to the fire when you needed it.”

    What he expects the night of the Hall of Fame: “Right now the biggest honor is to be in the WWE Hall of Fame, in the wrestling business. There will be twenty thousand people at the American Airlines Center that Saturday night watching it. If I am still on this earth, I’ll be there, and I’m planning on having my four children there with me. They were born after my wrestling career and they have not really grabbed hold of the fact of what I used to do. With the magnitude of this setting and with Wrestlemania and Saturday night and Fan Axxess. My children have never seen me in that big of a setting. They have been in a couple of autograph settings with me, but this is going to be a little eye opening for them.”