SEScoops

Category: WWE

  • *Spoiler* Details On John Cena’s New Movie “Blood Brothers”

    Thanks to Anthony Maurizio and PWInsider.com for the following notes from WWE Studios’ screening of Blood Brothers starring John Cena this week:

    “I attended the test screening in Port Chester, NY last night of John Cena’s new film “Blood Brothers” from WWE Studios, and was selected to be part of a focus group afterward.

    The movie was a surprisingly well-done, fast-paced film, not too over-the-top on senseless action and not too brutally drawn-out. Cena’s acting is once again akin to his backstage WWE promos, where he tries hard but you get the occasional reminder that he is indeed acting. Not an award-winning performance, but not horrible either.

    Ethan Embry as Cena’s brother was a high point of the film, one of the most featured roles the guy had since “Can’t Hardly Wait” and “Vegas Vacation”. Still a funny dude, and a good actor. Amy Smart played the sister trying to reunite the three brothers.

    The focus group after was in the first couple theater rows, and the area was rigged with tape recorders for WWE Studios to listen to. A theater ambassador was asking questions about the movie and our opinions. It got a generally-positive response, even from the girls in the group. Some of the items discussed were changing the title (as the “Blood Brothers” title hints at towards a horror genre tone to some audience demographics), the comparison of the movie to “Four Brothers”, Cena’s acting ability, Amy Smart’s acting (which others attempted to bury but I applauded her for her performance), and it’s comparison to other WWE films.

    There were some weird responses in the focus group like not enough bloodshed in the movie, it being too “family-friendly”, people claiming vital scenes that were integral to the movie’s story progression were unnecessary.

    I went on a little bit of a tirade commending Suburban Commando and Mr. Nanny as my favorite films ever featuring a wrestling star, and generated a reaction. And when asked what other superstars should be in a WWE film, I randomly ranted and raved about Macho Man Randy Savage deserving a WWE film role and got a positive reaction out of the group and moderator. I figured bringing up those items would be a big frown or a look of frustration on the face of Executive Producer Vincent K. McMahon. Haha.”

  • Update On Matt Striker, Vince McMahon Featured On DVD Cover

    — As seen last Friday on SmackDown, Matt Striker was replaced on the program’s announce team by the returning Booker T. He remains as a color commentator for the blue brand as he called tonight’s SmackDown matches on WWE Superstars, alongside Jack Korpela.

    — An archival photo of Vince McMahon is featured on the cover art of WWE’s The True Story Of WrestleMania DVD and Blu-ray release. To view the image, click here. The title is set for release in the United States on March 15.

    — Former WWE ring announcer Lilian Garcia announced today on Twitter that she will be attending this Sunday’s 53rd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

  • Big Show Talks The Rock In WWE HOF Next Year & Diesel In WWE

    WWE star Big Show was interviewed by the Miami Herald this week as part of WWE’s media rounds this week to announce the city hosting WrestleMania 2012. Top read the full interview, visit MiamiHerald.com

    With WWE legend The Rock being from Miami, many are speculating already that he’s a perfect candidate to lead next year’s WWE Hall of Fame Class. Regarding that, Big show asid:

    “You look at the impact The Rock had on our industry from the short time he has been in the business to the megastar he is today,” Show said. “I think if anyone deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, I’m sure The Rock does.

    “That is a guy who is legendary and deserves every bit of his success. Plus, Dwayne Johnson is one of the finest and nicest people I met in my life. There are a lot of guys that you meet in this business. There are people you don’t like and people you do like. I have incredible respect for Dwayne and his entire family. I respect the man and the character he has. He’s awesome.”

    Big Show also commented on fellow former NWO member Kevin Nash and his recent return to WWE.

    “I learned a lot from him, when I was in the NWO,” said Show. “When I was a greenhorn, he helped me out a lot. I’m a little bit more of a seasoned veteran now, so if he wants to dance one more time as a partner or opponent, I’ll shake his hand in the middle of the ring, and we will lock horns. I have no problem with that what so ever.”

  • TNA Wrestler Highly Skeptical Of Sting Joining WWE

    One TNA wrestler is ‘highly skeptical’ about the possibility of Sting joining World Wrestling Entertainment since the multi-time wrestling champion has openly expressed mistrust when it comes to working for Vince McMahon. Sting feels he has to be carried through matches, and he’s developed a level of trust with several TNA wrestlers.

    Many people within the industry consider Sting to be absent minded in the squared circle. Wrestlers who have worked with him over the years have stated that he often forgets spots and has to be carried by his opponents.

    TNA Wrestling officials have been quiet regarding Sting’s status. People often in the know of TNA’s wheelings and dealings say they are unaware of Sting re-signing with the company. However, it’s considered possible that he has re-signed with TNA since company president Dixie Carter is the main reason he has re-signed with the organization in the past. It’s become an annual joke within TNA that creative will be told to work on Sting’s retirement angle only to have Carter inform them that she signed him to a new one-year contract.

    source: Pro Wrestling Torch

  • WWE Investor Conference Call Recap: New Stars, Cable Network

    WWE held their fourth quarter investors conference call today. Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and CFO George Barrios were on hand for the call today; here were some of the topics covered…

    – Vince open the call by praising their performance over the year, but noted some things in the fourth quarter that they were not happy with. He specifically noted the decline in live event attendance and the huge 40% drop in home video. He then talked about their continued international expansion, noting they just ran their first show in China, and they have signed new TV deals in Brazil and Russia. He feels that they have turned the corner in terms of talent development, and how we would be seeing older stars mixed in with new ones at Wrestlemania, stressing we would see talent in main events that had never been in Wrestlemania before. Vince said they have been in discussions with Verizon about the WWE Network, and that the company is continuing to expand, not just internationally, but by changing the model and moving into new areas.

    – George Barrios reviewed the financial numbers, and mentioned retail declines as being the issue with home video, and talent development as the cause of the live event drop. On the dropping PPV buys, it was noted that the increase in the price of PPV events helped offset the decline. Increase in TV revenue was put over, and the move of Smackdown to SyFy was also mentioned. Mattel was praised for an increase in toy sales. Video game sales went down, and they noted an overall drop in the video game industry. They feel the new Superstars video game will bring sales back up. The new WWE Films model was discussed, with them saying that they see their direct-to-DVD releases bringing in money over time. They will continue to monitor the new film model, and stated they feel it brings WWE to a new audience and builds the WWE brand. Barrio stressed the increase in TV revenue, the success of the toys, and their own financial discipline.

    – Vince feels that they are on the rise in terms of the talent cycle. He said that early indications from the Royal Rumble are that it is already happening, but he sees Wrestlemania as a major launching point for the new talent.

    – Mexico is now the second largest market for PPV buys outside the U.S. for the company. Last year, there were no PPV events in Mexico.

    – The first quarter of 2011 will reflect the first holiday toy sales since joining with Mattel.

    – Vince stated that in 2011, they will run roughly the same number of live events, but likely more international events than last year.

    – On the dividend, Vince said it would be evaluate don a quarter by quarter basis.

    – When asked about managing costs going forward and their long term earning growth strategy, Barrios said they feel good what they are doing on the cost side and that they worked to get leaner in 2008 and 2009.

    – A caller asked about the previously announced WWE Media Center, which has not been built yet. Vince said that it was the plan, but that it was a matter of costs, and that the one they have is good enough for now. They are going to wait on the network before they expand the studio.

    – On the WWE Network, Vince stated that they are moving forward and that they just had a meeting with Verizon. He put over their relationship with Comcast, who just bought out NBC Universal. He also thinks that there will not be a ton of cost to run the network.

    – Vince was asked about who the next “John Cena” would be. He then put over The Miz, Randy Orton and Alberto Del Rio. He then noted that fans are starting to buy into the newer characters, and that the fan reactions at live events are a barometer for them.

    – Due to the economic make ups of the cities, Vince says that Atlanta’s WrestleMania will bring in more revenue than the one in Phoenix last year. Vince stated that they would be using celebrities on a more “selective basis” and that going weekly with stars forced them to go with secondary stars. He also admitted that that using celebrities every week took time away from their own stars. Bottom line is that they want to do it less often, and focus on bigger stars when they do bring them in.

  • Triple H Talks About His WWE Return, Nash & Booker In WWE

    WWE superstar Triple H was interviewed this week by IGN.com. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

    His WWE Return: “The rumor is that I’ll be back for WrestleMania. Yeah, so that’s the rumor, but I’ll be back sooner than later. We’re still promoting [The Chaperone movie] through the WWE shows so obviously people are awaiting my return. So I’ll be back sooner than later.”

    Kevin Nash & Booker T Back With WWE: “You know, I don’t think either of those guys are looking to do things full time but it’s great nostalgia stuff for the fans,” Hunter said. “If you were a fan fifteen years ago or so and Diesel walks out, it’s like reliving your youth. And seeing this guy who you haven’t seen in a long time is great.

    “Kevin’s still in phenomenal shape and so is Booker. So it’s pretty exciting for the fans. I don’t think it’s something that they want to see them do every day but if you’re a baseball fan and you get the opportunity to watch Babe Ruth take a turn at bat, you’d be thrilled. You wouldn’t want to see him play the whole game probably but seeing him take a turn at bat would be a lot of fun. I think that’s kind of what we have the ability to offer people.”

    Triple H also spoke about the return of Tough Enough and what “dream matches” still remain .. You can read the full interview at IGN.com.

  • Update On WWE’s Future Plans For Nash, WCW Reunion Planned

    — WWE’s initial plans on Kevin Nash was for him to appear at the Royal Rumble and sign him to a “Legends” contract where he would be used for promotional appearances and the occasional television appearance. Based on the strong reaction he received at the Rumble, another match has not been ruled out. However, nobody expects him to be brought back as an active wrestle.

    — Jim Ross noted yesterday in his blog that former WCW employees are meeting in Atlanta, Georgia in late March to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro, which took place on March 26, 2001. The private get-together will precede WrestleMania XXVII in Atlanta the weekend after the ten-year anniversary of the final Nitro. Ross said he was invited and that he wished to attend.

    – Dolph Ziggler was on hand for last night’s Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons game in Cleveland, Ohio.

    source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • WWE Announces Full Year 2010 Financial Results

    Following the release of WWE’s Fourth Quarter 2010 financial results on Thursday morning, the company also announced it’s full-year financial numbers for 2010. Here are some highlights from the WWE press release, which can be seen here in its entirety:

    Total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2010 were $477.7 million as compared to $475.2 million in the prior year. Operating income was $82.3 million as compared to $77.1 million in the prior year. Net income was $53.5 million, or $0.71 per share, as compared to $50.3 million, or $0.68 per share, in the prior year. EBITDA was $94.0 million for the current year as compared to $91.6 million in the prior year. Excluding items that impact comparability (discussed above), Adjusted Operating income for the current year was $82.3 million as compared $86.7 million in the prior year. Adjusted Net income was $53.5 million, or $0.71 per share, as compared to $56.1 million, or $0.76 per share, in the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA was $94.0 million for the current year as compared to $101.2 million in the prior year.

    Revenues increased 1% led by our WWE Studios segment reflecting the expansion of our release slate and a change in revenue recognition with our revised film distribution model. Growth in Television and Licensing was offset by declines across our other businesses.

    Revenues from outside North America increased 6% led by an expansion of our Television and Licensing businesses in our Asia Pacific and Latin American markets, respectively, as well as an approximate $2.5 million favorable impact from changes in foreign exchange rates.

    Revenues from our Live and Televised Entertainment businesses were $331.8 million for the current year as compared to $335.0 million in the prior year, a decrease of 1%.

    Revenues from our Consumer Products businesses were $97.4 million as compared to $99.7 million in the prior year, a decrease of 2%.

    Revenues from our Digital Media related businesses were $28.9 million as compared to $32.8 million in the prior year, a decrease of 12%.

    WWE Studios

    We recorded revenue from our Studios business of $19.6 million as compared to $7.7 million in the prior year. The increase was primarily driven by the release of our latest films, Legendary and Knucklehead, under our revised film distribution model. This new model entails self-distribution and marketing of our films. Under this new model, we reflect the entirety of a film’s gross receipts and its associated distribution and advertising costs in our results. In addition, this change in the distribution model results in the earlier recognition of revenue and expenses as compared to our previous model. The current year included $8.8 million in revenue and $11.5 million in expenses (including $6.2 million of distribution and advertising costs), resulting in a $2.7 million loss for the films released under the new distribution model.

    Profit Contribution (Net revenues less cost of revenues)

    Profit contribution decreased to $203.4 million in the current year as compared to $219.3 million in the prior year, reflecting lower revenue from Pay-Per-View, Home Video and Live Events and the recognition of film costs under our new self-distribution model. The resulting changes in business mix, including the increased share of film revenue, contributed to a reduction in gross profit contribution margin to approximately 43% as compared to 46% in the prior year.

    Selling, general and administrative expenses

    SG&A expenses were $109.4 million for the current year as compared to $127.7 million in the prior year, led by decreases in staff-related expenses, including accrued management incentive compensation and bad debt, as well as lower legal and professional fees. Excluding items that impact comparability (discussed above), Adjusted SG&A expenses were $109.4 million for the current year as compared to $118.1 million in the prior year.

    EBITDA

    EBITDA for the current year increased to approximately $94.0 million as compared to $91.6 million in the prior year, reflecting SG&A cost savings as described above, partially offset by reduced profits from Pay-Per-View, Home Video, Live Events and WWE Studios. Excluding items that impact comparability (discussed above), Adjusted EBITDA was $94.0 million for the current year as compared to $101.2 million in the prior year.

    Investment and Other Income (Expense)

    Investment income, net was $2.0 million as compared to $3.1 million in the prior year. Prior year investment income included $1.0 million in realized investment gains as compared to $0.1 million in the current year. Additionally in the current year, increased investment yields offset lower average investment balances. Other expense of $2.1 million in the current year as compared to $0.4 million in the prior year primarily reflects the impact of realized foreign exchange gains and losses and the revaluation of warrants. In the current year, we recorded $1.3 million of foreign exchange losses as compared to gains of $1.5 million in the prior year. In the current year, we recorded a gain of $0.6 million as compared to a loss of $1.0 million in the prior year relating to the revaluation of warrants.

    Effective tax rate

    The effective tax rate was 35% in the current year as compared to 37% in the prior year. The decrease in tax rate in the current year was primarily driven by increased benefits related to qualified domestic production activities and the recognition of previously unrecognized tax benefits.

    Cash Flows

    Net cash provided by operating activities was $38.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2010 as compared to $116.4 million in the prior year. This $77.8 million decrease was driven primarily by an increase in feature film investments, changes in WWE’s tax position and working capital. Our cash investment in films increased by $33.5 million, driven by a $30.0 million increase in film production spending and a decrease of $3.5 million in film tax incentives received as compared to the prior year. Also driving a significant change in cash flow from operating activities was a $20.3 million increase in cash paid for taxes due to higher estimated taxable income and an $11.0 million refund received in the prior year. Moreover, the prior year reflected a one-time $13.2 million advance from a business partner. Capital expenditures increased to $11.0 million from $5.4 million in the prior year primarily due to increased investments in television production initiatives.

    For more details on WWE’s fourth quarter and full-year earnings results for 2010, you can check out the company’s official press release at Yahoo! Finance.

  • WWE Pay-Per-View Buyrates Down 23% In Q4 2010

    Even more financial data is coming in from WWE’s Fourth Quarter 2010 financial results and the numbers for WWE’s pay-per-view buyrates are not pretty.

    Pay-per-view buyrates for Q4 2010 were down a staggering 23% from the previous year.

    Pay-per-view revenue was $13.8 million, down from $16.3 million in 2009.

    Here is a breakdown of the buyrates by event:

    • October’s Hell in a Cell did 210,000 buys, down from the 283,000 buys in 2009.
    • October’s Bragging Rights did 137,000 buys, down from 181,000 buys in 2009.
    • November’s Survivor Series did 244,000 buys, up from 235,000 buys in 2009.
    • December’s TLC did 195,000 buys, down from 228,000 buys in 2009.

    (Source: Corporate.WWE.com)

  • Kevin Nash Talks Kliq Reunion, His Future In WWE & More

    Former six-time World Champion & WWE Legend Kevin Nash was one of the featured guests on this week’s live edition (02/07/11) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem.

    Kevin Nash Responds To Dixie Carter’s Online Comments: Confirms He Was Under TNA Contract Prior To Signing With The WWE, The Moment He Knew He No Longer Saw Himself Returning To TNA, How Likely We Are To Seeing A Kliq Reunion And/Or Him vs. The Big Show At WrestleMania XXVII, Reveals Who May Induct Shawn Michaels Into The WWE Hall Of Fame, Plus What Lies Ahead For His Own Future With World Wrestling Entertainment (Including The Unveiling Of His First Post-Royal Rumble WWE Project).

    You can listen to an MP3 of Nash’s interview at this link. Here are some highlights of what Nash said about:

    His in-ring future with World Wrestling Entertainment & his first post-Royal Rumble project through the WWE:

    “I mean, your guess is as good as mine as far as if I’m actively going to wrestle. I know I’ve got some stuff I’m doing with THQ this week for the video games. I just play it day by day.”

    His response to Dixie Carter’s online comments about him being under contract with TNA prior to signing with the WWE & the moment he knew when he no longer wanted to return to TNA:

    “Yes I was. The angle was Kurt (Angle) was beating Jeff (Jarrett). Fortune came down, put the boots to Kurt, and got heat on them. Abyss came down and had a 2×4 basically nailed to his spinal cord, which maybe just seemed a little strange for me that that would at least be attempted murder. If Abyss was not paralyzed from the neck down the next week, it would kind of seem like a foolish thing to do. Flair screamed back up, and Kurt made a comeback on the entire Fortune group and basically cleared the ring. What reason was I coming in for? If Kurt can beat them on his own, I definitely don’t need to come in there.”

    How likely are we to see a Kliq reunion at WrestleMania XXVII or part of WrestleMania weekend in Atlanta:

    “I talked to Sean (Waltman), and I’m sure he will be there. Scott’s (Hall) kind of the wild card of it. Of course Paul (Triple H) will induct Shawn, and I will be there. I guess Scott is the wild card. The last time I talked to him, he was thinking about going back into a rehabilitation center, so I don’t if he is going to be available to be there that weekend or not.”

  • WWE’s Q4 Live Events Revnue Down, Stock Price Even

    We’ve got some more financial results from WWE’s fourth quarter 2010 earnings report released on Thursday morning:

    – WWE’s revenue from live events decreased by 9 percent compared to the same quarter last year. Live events took in $26.6 million, down form $29.2 million in Q4 2009.

    – Average attendance of live events in North America decreased 15 percent to approximately 5,600 fans. The average ticket price was up nearly $4 per ticket, which helped offset the revenue impact from decreased attendance.

    – While WWE has been relying on international tours to boost overall live event revenue in recent years, international live events revenue was down by 12 percent during fiscal 2010 compared to the previous year. Attendance dropped to 7,500 from 8,500 in 2009.

    — Following the announcement of WWE’s Fourth Quarter 2010 financial results, the company’s stock did not take too bad of a hit. The stock price took a major dive on January 20th after it was announced that today’s results would not meet analysts expectations, but the stock is down less than 1% on Thursday morning now that the actual numbers have been made public.

    (Source: Corporate.WWE.com)

  • WWE Announces 4th Quarter Financial Results

    World Wrestling Entertainment released is fourth quarter 2010 earnings report on Thursday morning. Here are some of the highlights:

    – Revenues totaled $122.5 million compared to $117.3 million in the same quarter in 2009.

    – Operating income was $14.4 million as compared to $17.8 million in the prior year quarter.

    – Net income was $8.1 million, or $0.11 per share, as compared to $11.2 million, or $0.15 per share, in the prior year quarter.

    WWE chairman Vince McMahon commented in the report. “In 2010, WWE achieved record operating performance, generating the highest level of reported EBITDA in the Company’s history despite a challenging environment, particularly over the latter part of the year,” McMahon said. “Difficult trends continued in the fourth quarter and were exacerbated by the performance of Home Video.

    “For the quarter and the full year, our businesses exhibited three major areas of strength: increased value from our television content, significant growth from our new toy licensing partnership with Mattel, and continued financial discipline. These strengths served to mitigate the impact of a weak economy, changes in our talent base, and unfavorable industry trends in home video.

    “We remain confident that we can address our talent related challenges, expand both our content and distribution and, leveraging our strengths, drive meaningful growth.”

    We’ll have lots more details throughout the day on WWE’s fourth quarter earnings, which came in significantly lower than what was initially projected.

    (Source: Corporate.WWE.com)

  • WrestleMania 28 Logo Revealed, Iron Sheik Undergoes Surgery

    — World Wrestling Entertainment has released the official logo for WrestleMania XXVIII.

    The organization announced today that the 28th installment of the ‘pop culture extravaganza’ will take place on April 1, 2012 at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida.

    — WWE Hall of Famer The Iron Sheik, 67, underwent surgery on his knees today, which are considered to be in bad shape these days. (source: f4wonline.com)

    — During a “crunch by the numbers” segment on ESPN2’s Sports Nation program, the hosts asked what percentage of viewers would want to see The Miz face Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers at WrestleMania. The number was revealed as 46%.

  • Latest On Triple H’s Return, News On “Tough Enough” Trainers

    — Triple H is tapped to return to the squared circle within the next few weeks and considered a lock for WrestleMania XXVII.

    His return is being delayed now because creative has no plans for him to win an Elimination Chamber Match and thus felt there was no point in bringing him back.

    Regarding his behind the scenes role as Vince McMahon’s Senior Advisor, he has been diligently studying all aspects of World Wrestling Entertainment’s business operations. He’s received much praise for his dedication to learn.

    — The Tough Enough revival on USA will feature four trainers; “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Booker T and two yet to be announced names. It said that the two yet to be announced trainers are not active WWE wrestlers.

    — Former women’s wrestling champion Madusa turns 47 years old today while Shelly Martinez turns 31.

    source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

  • WrestleMania 28 Update, NFL Star Hangs With WWE Stars

    – It was announced this week that next year’s WrestleMania 28 will take place from Miami, Florida on April 1, 2012. Many cities were considered to host the event, with many expecting the event to tkae place from the Rogers Centres in Toronto, Canada.

    – Rey Mysterio recently spoke to school students in Green Bay about the importance of getting a good education and working toward your goals. When one of the children asked him whether wrestling is real, Mysterio said:

    “What do you mean by real? Do you get hurt? Yes, I’ve been punched, kicked and slammed. But it is entertainment; we’re not out to hurt ourselves.”

    – Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packer Clay Matthews, who attended Tuesday night’s WWE SmackDown tapings from Green Bay wrote the following on Twitter on Wednesday:

    “Started the day off right by eating breakfast w/ a few WWE superstars… Chavo Guerrero, Edge, Rey Mysterio, among others. Always a fan!!”

    * VIDEO: Green Bay Packers Get Physical At SmackDown Tapings! (Direct Link)

    (Credit to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter for some of the info used in this report)

  • JR Blog: WM27 Guest Host, Packers At SmackDown & More

    WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has updated his blog, which you can read in its entirety at JrsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR said about:

    WrestleMania Guest Host: “We’ve gotten a wide array of suggestions as to who folks think will be the Guest Host of Wrestlemania 27 that emanates from the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Bob Barker, Justin Beiber, ‘Arnold the Governor,’ The Rock, Stone Cold, Aaron Rodgers, Ted Turner, Dusty Rhodes, Mr. McMahon, the RAW General Manager revealed, etc. I’m happy that I don’t know who it is and will enjoy watching Monday Night Raw that much more to find out.

    Brock Lesnar Hosting The Ultimate Fighter: “Brock Lesnar is reportedly doing an excellent job in his role as a coach for TUF that begins airing on Spike in a few weeks. This will lead into to the Lesnar-Junior Dos Santos fight later this year which will greatly enhance the UFC PPV headlined by these two heavyweights. Yes, ‘business is picking up’ for these two, talented heavyweights who are both looking for a title opportunity. Sources say Lesnar and his family and complete training camp are living in a luxury home in Vegas while TUF is being taped. This is a magnificent marketing opportunity for Brock’s upcoming book written with Paul Heyman not to mention Lesnar’s merch line ‘Death Clutch.’ In all due respect, I’d rather winter a few weeks in Vegas as opposed to Northern Minnesota but that’s must me.”

    Green Bay Packers At SmackDown: “I hear that many of the Packers made quite the impact at the Smackdown TV taping in Green Bay Tuesday might. Star linebacker Clay Mathews has been tweeting about it. Congrats to all the Packer fans from a Steeler fan who freely admits that the better team won on Sunday in Arlington.”

  • WWE Officially Announces Miami As Host Of WrestleMania XXVIII

    MIAMI TO HOST WRESTLEMANIA XXVIII

    February 9, 2011

    MIAMI – The Miami-Dade Sports Commission, Miami-Dade County, Miami Dolphins, Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, and WWE announced Wednesday that Sun Life Stadium, home of the Dolphins and other world-class events, will host WWE’s annual pop culture extravaganza, WrestleMania XXVIII, on Sunday, April 1, 2012.

    The announcement was made Wednesday at a press conference at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Miami-Dade County Commissioner and Chairman of the Miami-Dade Sports Commission Jose “Pepe” Diaz, Miami-Dade Sports Commission Executive Director Mike Sophia, Miami Dolphins CEO Mike Dee, former Dolphins Quarterback and NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino, and Miami Dolphins limited partner and Grammy Award Winner Emilio Estefan, joined WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and WWE’s Senior Vice President of Special Events John Saboor in making the announcement. WWE Superstars John Cena, The Miz, Mark Henry and Alberto Del Rio, and WWE Diva Eve were also on hand for the announcement.

    “Miami has always been the home of first class events, and this event will add to that legacy,” said Jose “Pepe” Diaz, Miami-Dade County Commissioner and Chairman of the Miami-Dade Sports Commission. “Hosting WrestleMania is a huge coup for Miami.”

    “On behalf of WWE, I would like to thank Commissioner Diaz and all his colleagues for their support, and the Miami-Dade Sports Commission for graciously rolling out the red carpet to bring WrestleMania to one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman and CEO. “We look forward to adding WrestleMania to the list of prestigious events held at Sun Life Stadium.”

    “For nearly 25 years, Sun Life Stadium has played host to South Florida’s world class events that provide economic benefit to the entire community,” said Dolphins CEO Mike Dee. “We applaud the efforts of Commissioner Diaz and the Sports Commission on attracting WWE, and look forward to an unforgettable WrestleMania in 2012.”

    WrestleMania is not just a one-day event; it’s a week-long celebration, as visitors from around the world are expected to converge on Miami for WrestleMania Week. Activities will include the 2012 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, WrestleMania Axxess, the finals of the WrestleMania Reading Challenge and a Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament. The pay-per-view event will be televised to more than 100 countries.

    Over the past three years, WrestleMania and the events surrounding it has generated nearly $150 million in cumulative economic impact for the host cities. Last year, 72,219 fans from all 50 states and 26 countries converged on the University of Phoenix Stadium for WrestleMania XXVI.

  • Date For WrestleMania 28, Steiner Coming To Atlanta, More

    — WrestleMania 28 will be held on Sunday, April 1, 2012. The Miami Herald reported last night that the event will be held at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida.

    — Former WCW World Heavyweight Champion Scott Steiner has been announced for WrestleReunion’s signing event on Sunday, April 2 at the Downtown Marriott in Atlanta, Georgia. Bruno Sammartino, WWE Hall of Famer “Cowboy” Bob Orton and TNA Knockout Winter will also be on hand for the event.

    — WSVN-TV features a short piece on WrestleMania 28 coming to Miami, Florida. (Article link)

  • Paul Bearer Talks Taker’s Streak, His Son Wrestling & More

    Arda Ocal sent the following highlights from Paul Bearer’s appearance on Right After Wrestling this week. You can hear the full interview at Radio.TheScore.com.

    – Paul Bearer will appear during WrestleMania week, signing autographs at Fan Axxess events, and will be featured in the new WWE video game

    – Keeping his return to WWE a secret: “I worked my butt off kayfabing. I hid out all day long – nobody knew I was even in the building. (When we rehearsed) I popped out of the casket and Teddy Long asked “Who’s in the Paul Bearer suit?” I had such a good time.”

    – His latest run in WWE – “I had such a good time working with Undertaker and Kane. It took a little bit to talk me into it. They said it would only be a few shots…if it worked out I could stay a little longer and obviously it did. And then I got kidnapped by Edge – and working with Edge and Kane and all those vignettes were directed by Vince, himself. And I was so comfortable working with him right there. And I felt that last month was some of the best work I’d ever done. But that ball (that Edge threw at him in the vignettes) hurt like a bitch! ”

    – Should Taker’s streak ever be broken: “NO! Absolutely not! Why should it be? It would never happen again. There’s no reason to break it. He’s certainly earned that spot – in his biography – as the Phenom. It’ll never happen again. I would be close to 80 if it ever happened again. Who even knows if he’ll be wrestling at WrestleMania? I don’t.”

    – Memories of managing the Undertaker in his first match in pro wrestling in Texas before he was the Undertaker

    – Talking about his son who is trying his hand at pro wrestling.

    – Paul Bearer and the Hall of Fame – “I just say ‘why now’? I’m in no hurry. I worked my ass of and I think I deserve to be inducted one day. The biggest honour I could have is if I am inducted at the same time the Undertaker goes in. That would be the biggest honour for me. “

  • Punk vs. Orton Feud, Triple H’s Training, Ziggler’s Bro

    – On Monday’s RAW, we saw Randy Orton and CM Punk continue their on-again off-again feud, with Nexus beating down Orton in a segment that resulted in Orton bloodying Punk’s nose. During RAW, they showed a clip from Unforgiven 2008, when Randy Orton’s Legacy defunct group attacked Punk and cost him the World Heavyweight championship.

    A source in WWE tells us that it was actually CM Punk who reminded WWE creative about the Legacy attack from Unforgiven 2008, which resulted in the clip being shown.

    – Dolph Ziggler’s brother Ryan Nemeth captured the vacant OVW Southern Tag Team titles with his partner Paredyse at the OVW show this past Saturday night.

    – T-Nation.com has an artichokecle up by trainer Joe DeFranco talking about how after Triple H injured himself while filming a movie and had to have his most recent surgery, the WWE Superstar contacted DeFranco about shoulder training. DeFranco worked with Triple H on a routine called “Shoulder Shocker.” DeFranco wrote:

    “I’ve been using these guidelines with WWE wrestler Triple H. He trained like a bodybuilder for years with lots of overhead pressing, and it caught up with him. Today, he can’t believe how much better his shoulders are feeling and how much faster his rehab from surgery is going.

    During our last training session he told me that his shoulders are just as good as they were when he was hammering away at them, only now they’re pain-free. He’s been using the Shoulder Shocker for the last four months.”

  • *Spoiler* NFL Star Gets Involved At SmackDown (VIDEO)

    NFL Super Bowl champions the Green Bay Packers appeared at Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown tapings from Green Bay, Wisconsin. Packer player Clay Matthew got involved in the action during the main event match between World Heavyweight champion Edge and Dolph Ziggler, with Vickie Guerrero serving as the special guest referee.

    Towards the end of the match, Vickie took a bump and got knocked out. Edge speared Dolph but there was no referee to count. Matthews appeared at the top of the ramp with a referee shirt on to a huge pop from the crowd. Matthews rushed down to the ring and counted the pin for Edge, allowing him to retain the World Title.

    The reaction that Matthews got from the live crowd has been described as “ridiculous.”

    SmackDown ended this week with Matthews celebrating with a replica World Title belt while Edge celebrates with his real World Title. After the tapings ended, Edge and the Packers celebrated more in the ring.

    A fan who was at the tapings sent in this video – check it out:

  • Promotional Poster For WrestleMania, Ex-ECW Stars In Baltimore

    — The promotional poster for WrestleMania XXVII has been released and it features John Cena, The Undertaker, Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio and The Miz. The Undertaker’s inclusion on the poster looks to be a good sign he will be involved at the show in some capacity.

    — A number of former ECW stars are scheduled to appear this Saturday at Baltimore Celebrity Fest 2011 (located at Best Western BWI 6755 Dorsey Rd. Elkridge, MD) including: Terry Funk, Axl Rotten, Balls Mahoney, Nunzio, Joel Gertner, Raven, Justin Credible, Blue Meanie, Chastity, Danny Doring, Mikey Whipwreck, Tammy “Sunny” Sytch, Shane Douglas, Gorgeous George, Judge Jeff Jones and Jimmy Cicero. The Headbangers, Gillberg, Baby Doll, Samantha Starr, Manny Fernandez, Nikolai Volkoff, Iron Sheik, Sonjay Dutt and Ox Baker will also be on hand for the event. Visit www.bmorecelebfest.com for more information.

    — A Twitter account has been launched for Chris Jericho’s band fozzy.

  • The Miz Calls Out Superbowl MVP, Doane-Hart & More

    – WWE Champion The Miz called out Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on his Twitter last night. Miz wrote:

    “Aaron Rogers congrats on the super bowl. Saw Letterman, the title fits u well come to Wrestlemania and earn the right to wear it.”

    Speaking of The Miz, he was courtside for Tuesday night’s Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers NBA  basketball game.

    – Former WWE writers Alex Greenfield, Chris DeJoseph and Court Bauer are working together on a new MMA reality TV show called Ungloved. It will feature Frank Shamrock working to get MMA legalized in the state of New York. (source: f4wonline.com)

    – Former WWE star Ken Doane (Kenny Dykstra) responded to Bret Hart’s recent comments where he said today’s wrestlers are boring. Doane wrote on Twitter:

    “love how the hitman calls todays wrestlers boring. LOL! this could be why i got fired. had too much fun. but he is right tho. i didnt meet the company standards i think. i drank ALOT of beers!”

  • Edge Thinking About Life After Wrestling, WWE All Stars App

    — WWE World Heavyweight Champion Edge said last week in an interview with PostCity.com that he’s beginning to think about life after wrestling.

    “Honestly, now I’m starting to think of things I want to do after. I want to train and make an attempt at Everest. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to do it, but I think it would be cool to give it a shot. I still love it, it’s the greatest gig in the world for me, but I know my body can’t keep up with what my mind is telling me.”

    He hinted at Saturday’s SmackDown live event in Toronto, Ontario that his wrestling career was coming to the end, announcing to the audience, “I might only have a couple more of these visits left in me, and I want to end my career in Toronto. Maybe if Mania is here.”

    — A Facebook app has been launched for WWE All Stars. (Link)

    — Colin Delaney will be appearing at the USWO event in Nashville, Tennessee on February 11, 2011. (Thanks to Devin Cutting)

  • Chris Jericho Talks WWE Return Rumors, 2/21/11 & More

    Former six-time World Champion, New York Times best-selling author, & the lead singer of Fozzy, Chris Jericho, was one of the featured guests on this week’s live edition (02/07/11) of the award-winning Monday Night Mayhem.

    Chris Jericho Discusses His Response To The Rumors That His Return To The WWE Is Imminent After His Recent Comments To Fanhouse, Whether Him Or Fozzy Will Be “Performing” In Atlanta For WrestleMania XXVII, Why He Will Not Spoil The Surprise If/When He Does Return To The WWE, His Reaction To Those That May Believe That He Is The Mastermind Behind 2.21.11, Why He Feels He Has “No Unfinished Business” Left In The World In The World Of Professional Wrestling & Sports-Entertainment, The Release Of His Highly-Anticipated Second Book (“Undisputed”), & Why His Process For Writing Is Similar To Watching An Episode Of FOX’s “Family Guy”.

    You can listen to an MP3 of the interview by clicking here.

    Interview highlights courtesy of The Mayhem’s official correspondent, Paterson from New Jersey:

    At what point that he decided he was going to pen the follow-up to “A Lion’s Tale” (in the form of “Undisputed”): “It’s quite obvious when you read ‘A Lion’s Tale’ that there would be a sequel. I ended off on a ‘cliffhanger’ if you were watching a movie. I had no guarantees that there would be a second book, but I wanted to write it, and I actually got the deal for the second book just as the first book was released.”

    His response to the rumors that his return to the WWE is imminent after his recent comments to Fanhouse, his reaction to those that may believe that he’s the mastermind behind WWE’s 2.21.11, & why he will not spoil the surprise if/when he does return to the WWE: “What I said was misquoted. It’s not like I’m 90% ready to return to the WWE, or that it’s 90% done. There’s a contract that’s on the table and that has been on the table since September. It’s not done because it’s not signed, but because there’s other things going on. I could be returning tomorrow, I could be returning two or three years from now. I don’t know. People are asking when I’m coming back, and like anything else, if I was coming back and if I was the 2.21.11 guy, I wouldn’t tell anybody. All these things that are talked about have been talked about and are in the works, but as far as when they are going to happen, only I know, and I won’t say it until it happens, because it ruins the surprise.”

    Why, despite the possibilities of a WWE return, he feels that he has no “unfinished business” left in the world of professional wrestling & sports-entertainment: “I have no unfinished business: That’s the difference between Jericho 2011 & Jericho 2005. When I left in 2005, I was kind of disenchanted with the wrestling business and wasn’t digging what was going on in, and had to find myself, and explore certain opportunities. I did that. This time, my contract expired, and I had a lot of other stuff in the works that I wanted to do, but I still love wrestling. I definitely left at the top of my game, and I think the last three years of my career was the best three years of my career.”