On Monday’s RAW, we saw another throwaway Divas match, with The Bella Twins defeating Paige and Emma in 30 seconds. Shortly after the match, #GiveDivasAChance was trending on Twitter – and it still trending on Tuesday afternoon more than 12 hours later.

WWE’s Bella Twins made headlines recently after their comments a Wizard World Comic Con panel about WWE Divas deserving more time in the ring. They said the women at NXT get much more leeway to practice their craft and entertain the fans, even saying that if they were NXT women’s wrestlers, they wouldn’t want to join the main roster.

Here are some of the tweets from the #GiveDivasAChance movement:

https://twitter.com/realmickfoley/status/570102455079444480

Divas Stopwatch, why even bother having a division? Just send them all to NXT. #Raw pic.twitter.com/gz3zMqZCGP

— Jason Solomon ?? (@solomonster) February 24, 2015

https://twitter.com/A_Swiss_Fox/status/570089161157255168

#GiveDivasAChance @WWE They've worked their asses off for years only to be disrespected and degraded. It's not right. pic.twitter.com/0b24vYjNYX

— Wholesome Drea 51?50 (@LifesNotFlair) February 24, 2015

#GiveDivasAChance @TripleH @VinceMcMahon Blood,Sweat,Tears. Should be worth more than 20 seconds!!!! pic.twitter.com/1paIf6yf92

— JadeCena (@JadeCena) February 24, 2015

– New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) star A.J. Styles has been added to the upcoming Ring Of Honor 13th anniversary pay-per-view event. Styles, a former ROH star himself, will face ACH on the show, which emanates from the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on Sunday, March 1st.

– In addition to his live “Stone Cold Podcast” with Triple H on the WWE Network on Monday night, Steve Austin also released a regular edition of his “Steve Austin Show” podcast, where he spoke about such topics as his early days in the USWA promotion, the WWE Hall Of Fame, comments on this year’s Super Bowl game and more. You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

– WWE Hall Of Famer Iron Sheik is the guest on this week’s edition of Jim Ross’ “Ross Report” podcast, which will be available at PodcastOne.com tonight at 9pm EST. / 6pm PST.

– Chris Jericho posted the following on his official Twitter account (@IAmJericho), revealing his guests for both of his “Talk Is Jericho” podcasts this week.

This week on @TalkIsJericho!
Wed- #AndyBiersack @AndyBVB of @BlackVeilBrides!
Fri- @Zak_Bagans of @GhostAdventures!
Doncha dare miss it!

— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) February 3, 2015

• PHOTO GALLERY: UFC Champ JON JONES Does D-X “Crotch Chop” w/ HHH & STEPH At The SUPER BOWL + MORE!

The following matches are scheduled for tonight’s edition of Lucha Underground on the El Rey Network.

– Mascarita Sagrada and Pimpinela Escarlata vs. Mr. Cisco and Cortez Castro

– Super Fly vs. Pentagon Jr.

– Sexy Star vs. El Mariachi Loco

– Drago vs. King Cuerno in a Last Luchador Standing match

The video preview for this week’s show can be seen above.

• PHOTOS: Triple H BREAKS CHARACTER During RAW Reunion To Console A Crying Young Fan!

According to various sources, WWE is currently working on securing a licensing deal with one of the leading mixed-martial-arts apparel companies — TapouT.

TapouT co-founder Skrape has since acknowledged the rumors, as he recently tweeted out the following message on his official Twitter page:

I've had lots of messages regarding a WWE deal. We are exploring several partnership opportunities, but there's nothing to announce rite now

— SKRAPE-A-LICIOUS (@TAPOUTSKRAPE) January 10, 2015

Since then, representatives of WWE have addressed the story as well, as they released the following official statement:

“WWE is exploring several partnership opportunities, however we have nothing official to announce at this time.”

• BRAND NEW VIDEO: CM Punk AND His Head Trainer Reveal When CM Punk Plans To OFFICIALLY Make His UFC Fighting Debut

– There has been a lot of talk behind the scenes in WWE over the past couple weeks regarding “Macho Man” Randy Savage being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year.

During an interview with Steve Austin last month on the WWE Network, WWE Chairman and chief executive officer Vince McMahon said that the legendary wrestler will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Although McMahon revealed during the podcast that Savage will receive an induction at some point, he did not say exactly when the former WWE Champion will receive the honor.

– As seen last night on Raw, Natalya rode a distraction from Paige and defeated Nikki Bella in a reverse of last week’s result, Paige then ran to her Total Divas castmate’s aid and saved Natalya from an after-the-bell ambush by the Divas Champion. Tonight on WWE Main Event, Paige will square off with Nikki in a non-title match. Following last night’s events, Nikki offered her thoughts via Instagram.

She wrote, “As I have had time to think.. To get lost in my thoughts.. Last night on RAW was a disgrace. A kick in the face is a lack of respect. It’s a dishonor to your champion, to your Queen. If you don’t have the WWE Network I suggest you get it bc tonight I will destroy PAIGES of what I thought was my next chapter. Main Event just got heated up. It just got FEARLESS! #FearlessNikki #MainEvent #RackAttack @wwe.”

WWE officials concerned with Roman Reigns’ lack of crowd reaction – details

– Lucha Underground preview for tonight:

* Carnitas vs Mariachi Loco.

* Mil Muertes vs. Ricky Mandell.

* Fenix Jr. vs. Pentagón Jr. vs. Drago.

Also appearing are Chavo Guerrero, Konnan and more.

– TNA Impact Wrestling Preview:

* An announcement from X-Division champion Samoa Joe.

* Gunner vs. Samuel Shaw in a No DQ match.

* Eric Young vs. Tyrus.

* Taryn Terrell vs. Madison Rayne.

Plus, Davey Richards responds to James Storm’s ultimatum.

* Why The 10-Man SURVIVOR SERIES Main Event Is A Very Bad Idea (Editorial & Discussion)

The following was issued today:

FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE, TRAIN, FLO RIDA, SHARON OSBOURNE, OMAR EPPS AND CHELSEA HIGHTOWER

JOIN WWE® AND THE CREATIVE COALITION TO STOP BULLYING

STAMFORD, Conn., August 14, 2014 – The Creative Coalition and WWE (NYSE:WWE), co-founders of the Be a STAR (Show Tolerance And Respect) anti-bullying initiative, today announced the launch of the S.T.A.R. Alliance, a group of actors, musicians, comedians, athletes, television personalities and members of The Creative Coalition, who have joined together to help put an end to bullying.

Members of the S.T.A.R. Alliance will join WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, WWE Superstars such as Big Show®, The Miz® and Mark Henry, and The Creative Coalition to spread the Be a STAR message of showing tolerance and respect to help combat bullying, reaching more than 400 million social media followers combined. Select S.T.A.R. Alliance members will also participate and share their stories at Be a STAR anti-bullying rallies across the U.S., including this week in Los Angeles as part of WWE’s community outreach events during SummerSlam® Week.

“The mission of the S.T.A.R. Alliance is to use pop culture’s most influential voices to help eradicate the raging bullying epidemic plaguing America’s schools,” said Robin Bronk, CEO of The Creative Coalition. “We are delighted to partner with WWE to bring these powerful and inspirational voices of the entertainment industry to encourage children to be participatory in standing up to bullies.”

“WWE is proud to help bring together a diverse group of international celebrities who all share the vision to stop bullying forever,” said Stephanie McMahon, Chief Brand Officer, WWE. “Through the joint efforts of WWE, The Creative Coalition and the S.T.A.R. Alliance, we hope to reach millions of young people and provide them with the knowledge and resources they need to help put an end to bullying in their communities.”

Be a STAR is an anti-bullying initiative co-founded in 2011 by The Creative Coalition and WWE. Its mission is to encourage young people to treat each other with tolerance and respect through education and grassroots initiatives. WWE and The Creative Coalition leverage the power of The Creative Coalition’s entertainment industry constituencies and WWE’s global brand and platforms to help combat the bullying epidemic plaguing today’s youth.

Last night’s Raw was held in Portland, Oregon and featured a crowd packed with hipsters, a few memorable contests, and the nWo reunion that had been teased on social media all week leading into the event.

The show was the “go-home” edition of Raw and was the final build for Sunday’s SummerSlam pay-per-view. As always, a few questions were answered, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following Monday’s Raw.

5. Is Corporate Kane Back Permanently?

Kane was back in his suit and tie this week on Raw, having once again handed in his mask on last week’s episode. The Demon made a match between Roman Reigns and RybAxel before departing for the locker room.

My question is simple: Does Kane have anything left in the tank with his corporate character? It seems the company doesn’t know what to do with him, as he has shifted back and forth between demon and corporate Kane over the past few months. If Kane is going to become a permanent fixture in the Authority storyline, hopefully something worthwhile comes of it, because it otherwise simply results in a convoluted storyline.

4. Where Have the Usos Been?

The Usos were absent from Raw this past week (other than the announcers issuing an open challenge on their behalf for tonight’s Main Event), and with SummerSlam only a few days away, they are also noticeably absent from the pay-per-view card. There are rumors of a fatal four-way tag team contest being put together for the pre-show, but nothing has been confirmed thus far.

With the Usos having defeated basically every tag team on the roster and holding the titles for most of the year, I think it is time for the brothers to drop the titles. Nothing against the Usos, but they have fought everyone on the roster and their run is quickly becoming stale. It appeared the titles were going to be put on the Wyatt Family a few weeks back, but the Usos prevailed. Hopefully a title change can shake up an otherwise stagnant tag team division.

Last night’s Raw was held in the supposedly great state of Texas. Fans in attendance were treated to the return of Mark Henry, as well as an entertaining contest between Dean Ambrose and Alberto Del Rio.

Although John Cena and Brock Lesnar were both notably absent on Sunday, the WWE did their best to promote the SummerSlam main event. As always, a few questions were answered on Monday, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following Monday’s Raw.

5. Did Fans Witness the Burial of Cesaro?

It is no secret that the WWE has no idea what to do with Cesaro right now. Once one of the most over superstars in the company, Cesaro has been relegated to minor roles since the return of Brock Lesnar. After failing to join the Authority a few weeks back, Cesaro has been in a slump, once again losing to Dolph Ziggler in a short match on Monday.

There are rumors that Cesaro’s push is being limited because the company wants to focus on pushing Roman Reigns. It makes sense to want to promote a young superstar, but others who got over on their own should not be punished as a result. Let us hope that the company soon finds something for Cesaro instead of wasting his talent.

4. Which Stipulation Will Dean Ambrose Choose?

Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins competed in a beat the clock challenge last night, with the winner having the ability to choose the stipulation for their match at SummerSlam. Ambrose won after a long battle with Alberto Del Rio, and also assured Seth Rollins would not win his match with Heath Slater.

The Lunatic Fringe now gets to choose the stipulation at tonight’s SmackDown taping (check in tonight for spoilers if you’re too eager to wait until Friday). He will probably choose something typical like a no-holds barred match, but here’s to hoping he chooses a ladder match for the contract. Which stipulation do you think Ambrose will choose?

News broke today that Spike TV would not be renewing their television deal with TNA. The company – which is owned by Dixie Carter and currently employs Vince Russo – has had financial difficulties in the past.

In fact, it has almost become a joke to post pictures of TNA crowds on social media websites in recent weeks, as they more closely resemble the crowds one would find at a small county fair, not a touring professional wrestling promotion.

This recent TNA crowd perfectly illustrates why the company is having a hard time securing a television deal.

Although Spike TV decided not to renew TNA’s contract, the current deal still runs through October, providing the company with a few months to find a new home for Impact Wrestling. Initial reports indicate that there is little chance of that happening, however, as few cable providers will be willing to pay the company what Spike TV was paying to air TNA programming.

With their television revenue gone at the end of October and poor ticket sales not bringing in enough to keep the company afloat, Monday’s announcement was likely the death of TNA. With that said, it will be interesting to see if TNA’s departure from the world of televised wrestling will affect the WWE.

After acquiring WCW in March of 2001, the WWE held a virtual monopoly on the world of televised wrestling in the United States. That monopoly was eventually broken after Jeff Jarrett founded TNA in May of 2002. Although TNA has never provided the same level of competition that WCW brought to the table during the 1990s, it at least prevented the WWE from acting as a monopoly.

Other promotions have gained a sizable following in the United States (ROH, CZW, etc.), but TNA has been the only company the WWE had had to worry about finding on television.

WWE held its annual Battleground pay-per-view last night. It was the second incarnation of the event and featured a total of six matches on the actual card and two additional matches on the pre-show.

On paper, the event looked more than solid and seemed like it would be one of the best shows of the year. Things quickly took a turn for the worse, however, and the WWE dropped a massive turd on its fans last night. The event was clearly slopped together and featured some of the laziest storytelling fans will ever encounter.

Lana and Rusev received some serious heat last night after referencing the recent Malaysia Airlines crash. It will be interesting to see if the WWE takes a step back after receiving criticism from multiple news outlets.

The company also pulled a total bait and switch on fans that paid to see the event. The most anticipated match of the night for many was Seth Rollins squaring off with former Shield partner Dean Ambrose. Prior to the event, the match had been heavily advertised and was clearly one of the main reasons fans were tuning in.

Instead of holding the match, however, Triple H cancelled the contest and threw Dean Ambrose out of the building, eventually awarding the victory to Seth Rollins due to forfeit. Fans were expecting an absolute classic of a matchup, but instead were treated to a few backstage brawl segments that were nothing special, and amounted to the same thing fans can see for free each week on Raw.

Last night, the WWE basically told the fans that this matchup was too good to take place at a crummy pay-per-view such as Battleground and will be saved for SummerSlam. Honestly, fans should feel cheated after what they saw with the Ambrose/Rollins program last night.

WWE issued the following today:

WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced that television executive Laureen Ong has been elected to its Board of Directors. Ong is a 30-year veteran of the cable industry with extensive experience in sales, marketing, programming and management.

Most recently, Ong spent three years as President of the Travel Channel, where she was responsible for building brand strategy, developing programming and creating new business opportunities for the network. Prior to the Travel Channel, Ong was Chief Operating Officer of Hong Kong-based STAR Group Limited, where she oversaw STAR’s media and entertainment operations spanning 55 countries.

Ong was also responsible for launching the National Geographic Channel. As the network’s Founding President, Ong oversaw National Geographic’s distribution, which reached 60 million households in just six years and included several shows that became ratings successes. Ong also oversaw National Geographic’s expansion into online, video-on-demand, and other new media platforms, and spearheaded the launch of the high-definition simulcast of the linear network.

“We are pleased to elect Laureen to WWE’s Board of Directors,” said Vince McMahon, WWE Chairman & Chief Executive Officer. “Laureen brings more than 30 years of global media experience that will be very beneficial to the future growth of our company.”

Earlier in her career, Ong was Vice President and General Manager of WTTG-TV in Washington, D.C., a top 10 market affiliate and one of FOX’s most successful television stations. She also spent time with the Chicago White Sox as Vice President, Programming, where she helped launch SportsVision in Chicago, one of the first regional sports networks in the country.

Ong’s honors include Woman of the Year from Women in Cable Television (WICT), the Vision Award from the Washington Chapter of Women in Film and Video and Multichannel News’ Wonder Woman award in recognition of her significant accomplishments in the cable television industry.

She graduated from Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater before receiving a Master’s degree in Communications from Columbia University.

Since its launch in 1999, SmackDown has been an integral piece in the WWE television puzzle. The program originally aired on Thursday night before switching to Friday night in 2005, serving as the perfect complement to Raw during much of its time on air.

At first, the programs were advertised as equals, especially during the brand extension era where superstars competed on either Raw or SmackDown exclusively. Storylines were progressed on both Raw and SmackDown and it even seemed like the latter was becoming the company’s top program for a while. However, much like a high school science experiment that is being conducted by the head of the Phish fan club, something went terribly awry.

The program is now a shell of its former self, airing in the Friday night death slot and featuring contests that would barely interest the most diehard WWE fans, let alone casual viewers flipping through the channels.

Although the program continues to receive decent ratings, it is easily surpassed by Raw each week, with Raw featuring nearly double the viewers on most weeks. There are a number of reasons why Raw continues to thrive while SmackDown becomes more irrelevant with each passing week.

Here are fives ways to make WWE SmackDown more impactful.

5. Ditch the Rematches

One of the biggest complaints about the current state of SmackDown is that it does little to differentiate itself from Raw. The program frequently features rematches from Raw, ultimately making the program inconsequential because it offers nothing fresh.

If the WWE hopes to turn the program into must-see television anytime soon, it would be wise to book matches that are unique to SmackDown, instead of frequently featuring the same matches that aired on Raw just a few days prior.

4. Air the Program Live

Although the announcers do their best to try to disguise the fact that SmackDown is a taped program, fans that follow the product closely are well aware of the fact that SmackDown is taped on Tuesday night.

The results are quickly posted online each week, making it easy for fans to scan through a blog post in order to see what happened. This also means that no truly shocking events will occur, as the spoilers would ruin the buzz that comes with a big return or a title change. A live program would give fans something of value to watch each week, as opposed to a taped program where the results are available three days before it airs.

Today is the all-important day where Americans celebrate their independence by consuming large amounts of alcohol and grilled fare. No WWE superstar claims to have America’s best interests in mind more than Jack Swagger.

The so-called Real American, accompanied by his founding father Zeb Colter, has advocated an isolationist domestic policy that is free of illegal immigrants. Along the way, Swagger has made national headlines by entering into a feud with conservative radio host Glenn Beck.

It appeared that Swagger was in the midst of a massive push while bickering with Beck, having just defeated accomplished stars such as Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, and Daniel Bryan to earn a chance to compete against Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 29.

Swagger and Colter made national news in 2013 after attracting the attention of Glenn Beck.

Unfortunately for Swagger, he was arrested for DUI and possession of marijuana, ending what could have been a classic feud between a border-protecting nationalist and an immigrant Mexican. Del Rio defeated Swagger at WrestleMania and the Real American was quickly shifted out of the main event scene.

Since aligning himself with Zeb Colter, Swagger has always acted as a heel, often using cheap heat as a way to get his character over. However, it seems as if a face turn could be just around the corner.

In recent months, Rusev has been dominating the WWE roster, taking out superstars such as Big E, Kofi Kingston, and R-Truth. Much like Swagger, Rusev has also used cheap heat as a way to build his character, praising Vladimir Putin and Russia along the way.

Rusev was up to his usual antics this past week when the crowd actually started chanting for Jack Swagger. Colter and Swagger defended America by taking out Rusev and acting as faces for the first time since joining one another. Unsurprisingly, Colter cut an amazing promo on Rusev and Lana, perfectly setting up what could be an entertaining feud.

The WWE’s brightest stars will attempt to cash in at this Sunday’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view. Two ladder matches will main event the program, with one being held to declare a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. In addition, former champion Daniel Bryan will address the WWE Universe during the pre-show.

Here are my predictions for this Sunday’s event.

Summer Rae vs. Layla (Fandango Guest Referee)

I was never the biggest Fandango supporter, but I definitely thought he would be doing something bigger than referring a divas match a year ago. He has regressed over the past year and lost a lot of momentum. This will likely be the bathroom break match of the night, and Fandango will play a major role in the outcome, of course. Summer Rae will win this one by either rejoining Fandango or using him to influence the outcome of the contest before abandoning him.

Winner: Summer Rae by pinfall

Rusev vs. Big E

These guys performed well together at last month’s Payback, even though they were given less than four minutes total. They will hopefully get a little more time during this one, allowing both superstars to showcase their strengths.

I think Rusev will ultimately win this one, but Big E will also look strong during the match. Big E cut a passionate promo on last week’s Raw, so it appears the WWE wants to showcase him a bit more. Both guys will look good, but Rusev will force Big E to tap out in the end.

Winner: Rusev by submission

Stardust and Goldust vs. Ryback and Curtis Axel

The Rhodes Brothers storyline has been moving slowly over the past few months. It first looked as if the two brothers were going to feud with one another, with Cody searching for an adequate replacement because he felt Goldust deserved better.

He eventually rebranded himself as Stardust and the two have been on a winning streak ever since. They will continue to look strong on Sunday, picking up the win after Cody hits his Diamond Dust finisher on Curtis Axel.

Winner: Stardust and Goldust by pinfall

The following was issued today:

“CELEBRATING CHAMPIONS: 2014 SPECIAL OLYMPICS USA GAMES” TO AIR ON FOX SPORTS 1 THIS MONDAY, JUNE 30 AT 7 PM ET

STAMFORD, CONN. and NEW YORK, June 26, 2014 – WWE® and FOX Sports today announced that Celebrating Champions: 2014 Special Olympics USA Games, a one-hour television event chronicling the passion, dedication and determination of America’s most inspiring athletes during the week-long celebration of the 2014 USA Games, will air on FOX Sports 1 this Monday, June 30 at 7 pm ET. The special, produced by WWE, will be hosted by Mike Hill and Molly McGrath of FOX Sports 1’s America’s Pregame. Customers of participating video providers can also watch via FOX Sports GO, the app that provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content through iOS and Android devices, as well as on desktops through FOXSportsGO.com.

The one-hour special will highlight six Special Olympics athletes as they travel from their hometowns to the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games. Viewers will experience a first-hand account of the excitement and pride each athlete exudes while training for, traveling to, and participating in the Games.

The special will include the following six athletes:

Theo “TC” Bazile, a 40-year-old from Vacherie, Louisiana, is a track and field athlete in sprints and shot put. Theo is very involved his community, where he volunteers at the local nursing home and fire department, sings in his church choir and remains active with his former high school football team.

Erica Bookout is a long-distance runner from Christiansburg, Virginia. The 22-year-old is a Junior at Radford University in Virginia majoring in Special Education. She is also the 2013 Special Olympics Virginia Athlete of the Year.

Andy Miyares, a 31-year-old from Miami, Florida, has competed in multiple sports, but has a passion for swimming and holds numerous records in the sport. He works for Special Olympics Miami-Dade and speaks both Spanish and English. In 2010, Andy was selected to serve a four-year term as one of just 12 Special Olympics International Global Messengers chosen from around the world to represent Special Olympics.

Derrick and Delon Noble, identical twin brothers from Bloomfield, New Jersey, compete in flag football. At 21-years-old, Derrick is the Quarterback and Delon is the Running Back. In addition to playing in the 2014 USA Games, during the last two weeks they’ve attended prom, seen their images on a Times Square billboard to promote the Games and graduated from high school. The twins were also honorary captains at a Rutgers football game last fall.

Scott Rohrer, a 24-year-old from York, South Carolina, is the 2010 Special Olympics USA Games Gold Medal Golfer with record scores for both 18-hole and 54-hole tournaments. Scott was also the 2013 South Carolina Special Olympics Athlete of the Year and he will be playing in Special Olympics World Golf Cup this August in Denmark.

In addition to the athlete profiles, the TV special will include highlights from the 2014 USA Games Opening Ceremony from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, which was hosted by actress and model Brooklyn Decker and Philadelphia 76ers point guard Michael Carter-Williams. The Ceremony included the traditional parade of athletes, athlete oaths and the lighting of the Special Olympics cauldron. Other celebrities that participated in the Opening Ceremony included WWE Superstars Big Show® and David Otunga®, TV personality Jack Ford, Glee’s Jane Lynch and musical artists Michael DelGuidice & Big Shot.

Also included is coverage of the first-ever Young Athletes Festival, held at the Special Olympics New Jersey Sports Complex. Children between the ages of two and seven, and their families, were invited to learn more about this program which provides critical early childhood development through the power of play.

Founding Partner WWE has helped promote the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games through its global platforms, including TV broadcasts, live events, digital and social media, all of which increased the exposure of Special Olympics and reached a larger and more diverse audience. The partnership was announced in 2013 during WrestleMania® 29 in front of more than 80,000 fans at a sold-out MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and millions more watching around the world. Over the past year, WWE has hosted Special Olympics athletes at its weekly live events, including WrestleMania® 30 in New Orleans, where the athletes got a chance to meet WWE Superstars and Divas, sit ringside and be recognized on TV for their accomplishments. WWE Superstars and Divas also served as honorary coaches for Special Olympics Unified Sports competitions around the country. WWE is the Official Production Partner of the 2014 USA Games, which included producing Celebrating Champions, producing the official sizzle reel and PSA, filming and serving as a production consultant for the Opening Ceremony, and creating daily electronic press kits for national media to help enhance coverage of the Games. In addition, WWE Superstars and Divas participated in various events at the Games, including daily autograph signings and medal presentations, while WWE employees served as volunteers.

21st Century Fox announced its Founding Partnership with the 2014 USA Games in November 2013. The network serves as the Official Presenting Media Sponsor and provided broad exposure for the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games across its U.S. channels, which include FOX News Channel, FOX Business Network, FOX Broadcasting, FOX Sports, 28 local stations and FOX Sports 1. As Presenting Media Sponsor of the 2014 USA Games, 21st Century Fox committed to media exposure across its cable and broadcast networks as well as its local stations, most notably WNYW and WWOR in New York and WTXF in Philadelphia. In addition, 21st Century Fox provided exposure via live and recorded segments on FOX News Channel; FOX Sports 1, including a preview segment that ran the week before Super Bowl XLVIII; a PSA created by YES Network featuring New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter; and, on FOX Television Stations across the country, more than 50 athlete profiles, a 30-minute Games special, and the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games PSAs which have aired thousands of times, among many other efforts. On site at the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games, Mike Hill and Molly McGrath, hosts of AMERICA’S PREGAME on FOX Sports 1, hosted the Closing Ceremony, capping a great week of events. Cleatus and five FOX Sports Girls from across the country – Sara (Ohio), Kendall (North), Katie (Midwest), Chyna (Wisconsin) and Morgan (South) – came out to interact with athletes and fans at the 21st Century Fox tent in Corporate Park.

The following matches are advertised for tonight’s Ring Of Honor “Best in the World” show, which is the company’s official debut on regular pay-per-view.

ROH World Championship
– Adam Cole (c) vs. Michael Elgin

ROH World Tag-Team Championships
– Kyle O’Reilly & Bobby Fish (c) vs. Christopher Daniels & Frankie Kazarian

ROH TV Championship
– Jay Lethal (c) vs. Matt Tavern (with Truth Martini handcuffed to the ring post)

Submission Match
– Roderick Strong vs. Cedric Alexander

Six-Man Mayhem Match For ROH TV Title Shot
– ACH vs. Takanaki Watanbe vs. Caprice Coleman vs. Tadarius Thomas vs. BJ Whitmer vs. Tommaso Ciampa

– Kevin Steen vs. Silas Young

– The Briscoes vs. Matt Hardy & Michael Bennett (with Maria Kanellis)

One week from today, WWE’s annual Money in the Bank pay-per-view will be held in Boston, Massachusetts. The event has quickly become one of the most anticipated programs of the year, as it provides exciting action and sets up the storyline for months by allowing a WWE superstar to stalk his prey while holding a contract for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match.

There will be two Money in the Bank ladder matches this year. One will be held for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and the other will be a traditional contest for a shot at the title. The first contest will feature perennial title contenders such as John Cena, Randy Orton, Sheamus, and Alberto Del Rio, as well as up-and-coming stars such as Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt, and Cesaro.

It seems like John Cena is once again the favorite to leave Boston as the champ.

The second ladder match will feature Seth Rollins, with the rest of the lineup to be determined in a series of qualifying matches. Thus far, only three matches have been announced for the entire pay-per-view, and with only one week left before the event, one has to wonder how the WWE will tie everything together in such a brief period.

Other than the two ladder matches, a matchup between the Usos and Luke Harper and Erick Rowan of the Wyatt family is the only confirmed contest on the card. It seems apparent that Dean Ambrose will be one of the participants in the traditional ladder match. Potential options also include those who did not qualify for the championship ladder match, including Bad News Barrett, Dolph Ziggler, and Rob Van Dam.

The two ladder matches will soak up a large portion of the roster, meaning the midcard will have to pick up some slack in order to fill up the three hours of airtime. Rumored contests include Cody Rhodes and Goldust vs. RybAxel, Rusev vs. Big E, and a Divas Championship match involving Paige and all or part of the Funkadactyls.

WWE recently sent out a letter to all former contracted talents offering them assistance. The name of the program is “WWE Professional Development.”

Below is a copy of the letter that was sent out to talent, elaborating on some of the details of the program:

“WWE is pleased to announce a Professional Development Program available to former WWE talent, and in some cases, their family members. The Professional Development Program aims to provide guidance and support beyond your tenure with WWE. The first two initiatives are:Financial Education and Continuing Education.

Money Management International (MMI) is the largest non-profit credit counseling agency in the country and has partnered with WWE to provide financial education to WWE talent. Please see enclosed packet for more information. The use of MMI is free for you and your immediate family members. We encourage you to reach out to MMI for assistance.

WWE is now offering financial scholarships to former WWE talent in the amount of $5,000 per calendar year to be used for obtaining a college degree or completing a certificate program. In order to receive this scholarship, a former WWE talent must apply for the three annual scholarships that are available. Please note–the deadline for the 2014 award is Friday, 8/1.

To keep former WWE talent up to date with WWE news, we will be distributing via email an “Alumni Newsletter” on a quarterly basis. The newsletter will include information on WWE news, archives, wellness, professional development and more.”

When it comes to Batista’s latest run, one could argue that management hit him with a bait and switch. He was promised that he would win the Royal Rumble and go on to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania. Instead, he was practically booed out of the building after winning the Royal Rumble and ended up tapping out to the Yes Lock at WrestleMania to allow Daniel Bryan to win the championship.

As most probably know by now, Batista “quit” on this past week’s Raw, as he will be taking a few months off to promote his new movie Guardians of the Galaxy. Upon return after a several year hiatus, Batista represented what many feel is wrong with the current state of the WWE.

Batista did not win a title after returning, but he was involved in a memorable feud between Evolution and the Shield.

Instead of relying on the guys that work day in and day out to headline the biggest pay-per-views of the year, the WWE has instead relied upon part-time superstars such as the Rock and Brock Lesnar to headline their biggest events. The reliance on part-time superstars is one of the reasons a certain someone (*cough* CM Punk *cough*) decided to pack his bags and head home.

However, despite all of the criticism Batista has received since returning, one has to wonder if he earned the respect of fans. In my opinion, I think it is fair to say that he did just that.

In the end, Batista was promised the world but was basically handed a half-empty bag of peanuts. Following the Royal Rumble, which featured an extremely hostile Pittsburgh crowd, it became apparent that Batista’s wishes would not be granted. The company was quickly forced to turn him heel, which messed with the dynamics of the WrestleMania main event, which featured a heel champion in the form of Randy Orton.

Last night, the WWE Universe saw the soldiers overthrow their all-powerful leader, as the Shield destroyed the King of Kings and the rest of Evolution in a six-man tag elimination match.

The match was likely the last encounter between the two groups. Batista is scheduled to take time off starting tonight and there is little focus on the rivalry in tonight’s preview for Raw, so it seems unlikely that the program will be continued.

Roman Reigns dominated Evolution last night, ultimately winning the contest by pinning Triple H.

With Evolution in their rearview mirror, one has to wonder where the Shield will go from here. They have already feuded with a good portion of the roster, and none of the members are really in line to challenge for a title, so it will be interesting to see what happens with the Hounds of Justice tonight.

One thing is certain though: all of the members are being booked strong. This was evident last night, as all three members of the group picked up an elimination against Evolution, with Roman Reigns ultimately securing the victory by pinning Triple H after hitting a spear.

It is obvious that Roman Reigns is being groomed as the first breakout star of the group. There were rumors that he and Triple H are being booked to square off at SummerSlam, but after last night’s emphatic victory by the Shield, that idea seems a bit less likely.

Assuming last night’s contest is the final time Evolution and the Shield meet, it was a fitting conclusion to a great rivalry. Their first contest at Extreme Rules is without a doubt the match of the year thus far. It appeared that last night’s matchup would surpass their first meeting.

After all, it had all of the ingredients of a classic match. It had the backstory between the two groups, it had the no-holds barred stipulation that would make the contest more exciting, and it also had a sense of finality due to the fact that most knew Batista was leaving after the event. It failed to live up to the hype of their first meeting, however.

TNA recently issued the following press release:

Challenge and TNA Entertainment have joined forces for a historic announcement – teaming up to deliver TNA’s first ever wrestling programming specifically designed for a family audience.

An all-new version of TNA Xplosion will air weekly on Challenge from Saturday May 31 at 9am. The show has been reformatted with families in mind and to purposely differentiate itself from TNA’s flagship post-watershed programme IMPACT WRESTLING.

Xplosion – which is hosted by Jeremy Borash and features a mix of new matches, classic bouts and the hilarious ‘Spin Cycle’ panel debates – will also continue to be shown in its current late night timeslot of 11pm on Wednesday evenings. TNA IMPACT WRESTLING is broadcast every Sunday at 9pm.

Challenge can be viewed across the UK and Ireland on Sky (145), Freeview (46), Virgin Media (139) and Freesat (145).

TNA President Dixie Carter said: “Xplosion moving to Saturday morning on Challenge is a strategic and natural evolution of TNA programming, as our product resonates with fans of all ages.

“Families with young children are always strongly represented during TNA’s annual MAXIMUM IMPACT Tour. I am confident with the new format and time slot of Xplosion we will continue to attract new fans, particularly kids.

“Ask any TNA Superstar and they will tell you, there is no greater feeling than seeing the eyes of a child light up when he sees his favourite wrestler in action.

“Through TNA’s flagship IMPACT WRESTLING programme and the all-new Xplosion, combined with innovative and engaging content delivered daily through our digital and social channels, there are more ways than ever to engage fans with the TNA brand.”

Stephen Ladlow, Director of Challenge, commented: “As the exclusive home of TNA in the UK and Ireland, it’s great to be able to bring TNA to a whole new audience with our new family friendly show.

“We know that the TNA UK Tour attracts fans of all ages, so it seems fitting that Challenge can now cater for them whether young or old with this new Saturday morning Xplosion show.”

Jeremy Borash added: “TNA’s awesome fans across the UK and Ireland can expect Xplosion to showcase their favourite TNA Superstars each week, with an emphasis on two of the most popular types of matches, X-Division and the Knockouts.

“With exciting competition in the ring and the popular ‘Spin Cycle’ panel, the new Xplosion will be must-see Saturday morning TV!”

TNA also have a special Family Package for all those wanting to attend the MAXIMUM IMPACT 7 Tour, which comes to Glasgow, Manchester and London in January 2015. Anyone buying four tickets together (maximum of two adults) can enjoy a 20 per cent discount on the standard ticket price.

Full details on the TNA UK Tour – including dates, venues, roster and ticket prices – can be found by visiting www.impactwrestling.com/uktour

The following press release was recently issued:

Former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., Esq., a partner at the law firm of Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC (“KSF”), announces that KSF has commenced an investigation into World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: WWE).

On May 16, 2014, WWE disclosed that it had reached a multiyear deal with US broadcaster NBCUniversal for its long-running Raw and SmackDown programs, stating that the annual value of its television distribution agreements would reach $200 million, well below what investors were expecting.

Daniel Moore, an analyst with CJS Securities, said in a research note that, “Given management’s more optimistic tone and the fact that other major sports franchises have garnered much higher increases, this outcome is likely to be viewed as disappointing by many investors.”

On this news, the value of WWE’s stock plummeted by over 43%.

KSF’s investigation is focusing on whether WWE and/or its officers and directors violated state or federal securities laws.

If you have information that would assist KSF in its investigation, or would like to discuss your legal rights, you may, without obligation or cost to you, e-mail or call KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn (lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) or KSF Partner Melinda Nicholson (melinda.nicholson@ksfcounsel.com) toll free at 1-877-515-1850.

The undercard singles titles are all chilling across the pond these days, as Bad News Barrett, Sheamus, and Paige all won championships in recent weeks. New champions are a welcome sight in the WWE these days, especially considering how stale the previous champions’ runs had become.

Dean Ambrose’s reign as United States Champion will likely be the forgotten reign in years to come. He held the title for almost a year while only defending it a few times before finally dropping it to Sheamus during a battle royal a few weeks back.

The same holds true for Big E and the Intercontinental Championship. Although he did not hold the title as long as Ambrose held his US Championship, his reign was unmemorable and he engaged in no meaningful feuds during his months with the title. As for AJ Lee, her run with the title seemed fresh at first, but she eventually ran out of challengers and it seemed like the right time to crown a new champion.

Ambrose held the title for almost a year and hardly ever defended it.

With recent undercard title reigns being unmemorable, it leads one to wonder if unification is the answer. One of the primary reasons the titles go undefended is because it is difficult to have too many stories going at once, especially meaningful ones that involve championship contests. This leads to champions holding insignificant titles like the US Championship as a way to legitimize or build up the character, but in reality, the title does little because it goes undefended.

One of the best options would perhaps be to unify the United States and Intercontinental Championships. By unifying the titles into just the Intercontinental Championship, it could make the title seem important again. In the Attitude Era, the title held importance, with fans knowing that most superstars who held the strap were on their way to the main event.

That is not the case anymore, however, as the title is thrown on random superstars in an attempt to build interest, but then creative puts in no further effort. It is a little sad that the most interesting thing to happen involving the Intercontinental Championship in recent months was a tournament to crown a number one contender that did not even involve the champion at all (except for a few clips showing him standing in the back, angrily looking at a monitor).

The Yes! Movement received the worst possible news this week on Raw, as their unlikely hero announced that he will require neck surgery this Thursday and will be out of action for an indefinite amount of time.

Early reports indicate that Bryan has a broken neck and will be out for at least one to two months, with his possible returning coming at SummerSlam. This is terrible news for Bryan, who after a long journey finally captured the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.

It appears that he also will not be appearing on television in any capacity for at least a few weeks, as the attack later in the show by Kane was likely a way to write Bryan off of television while he recovers from surgery at home. This leads one to wonder about the future of the WWE Championship, and also if Bryan can maintain momentum while missing at least a month of time.

After finally overcoming the Authority at WrestleMania, Daniel Bryan will miss significant time due to injury.

As of now, it is being reported that Bryan will not be stripped of the title. This could of course change at any moment, especially if the product becomes stale during his absence. If Bryan ends up missing the maximum amount of time, that seems like a very long time to go with essentially no champion.

In my opinion, if it is determined that Bryan will miss any more than one month, the Authority should strip him of the title. This could serve a few purposes. First, it would keep momentum strong by having the Authority still trying to hold Bryan down, especially with Stephanie McMahon being the storyline reason Bryan was injured in the first place after unleashing the demon Kane.

Second, it could allow for someone else to receive a push in Bryan’s absence. Imagine if a tournament were held for the WWE Championship similar to the one just held for an Intercontinental Title match. It could allow for a fresh face to hold the championship for a while and create interesting television over the next few weeks by having qualifying matches on Raw, with the championship match being held at Money in the Bank.