Day seven of the WWE European tour continues on Tuesday with half of the WWE roster remaining in Manchester, England for the WWE SmackDown and WWE Main Event television taping, while the rest of the roster travels to Newcastle, England for a non-televised live event.
Announced already for the SmackDown television taping is an arm-wrestling contest between World Heavyweight Champion John Cena and former champion Alberto Del Rio. The two will continue to hype their upcoming title rematch at the WWE Survivor Series on Sunday, November 24th.
Confirmed for the WWE Main Event portion of the television taping is a WWE Divas Championship match between current title-holder AJ Lee and Natalya.
Also official for the SmackDown television taping is an appearance of WWE Superstar CM Punk.
Unless WWE continues their recent trend of false-advertising, you can count the following Superstars out of SmackDown and Main Event on Tuesday: Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, Big Show, Dolph Ziggler, The Miz and The Shield. Orton vs. Bryan is advertised as the main event for the WWE Championship at the live event in Newcastle, as well as a six-man tag-team match featuring Big Show, Dolph Ziggler and The Miz vs. The Shield.
Make sure to check back here at the website on Tuesday afternoon for live play-by-play spoiler results of the WWE SmackDown and WWE Main Event television taping.
– A WWE Divas Championship match between current champion AJ Lee and Natalya is scheduled to take place on this Wednesday’s edition of WWE Main Event.
– Recently released WWE NXT star Kassius Ohno (aka Chris Hero) is scheduled to work his second post-WWE match this Sunday in Brooklyn, New York at The Lyceum for Dragon Gate USA.
– WWE has filed a copyright claim in response to the YouTube videos that surfaced online this past weekend that featured leaked satelitte footage from last Monday’s edition of WWE RAW. The two videos have also been removed from YouTube.
A photo has surfaced online of CM Punk having lunch with his arch-nemesis Paul Heyman, as well as Divas Champion AJ Lee and Heyman client Curtis Axel, backstage at a WWE live event in Europe.
The image comes courtesy of Scottish wrestling fan Brendan McEleny, who secured the shot at yesterday’s live event in Glasgow at Glasgow Braehead Arena.
McEleny says he did not sneak into the venue, as he managed to snap the picture while on public property.
– WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee is once again a member of the Raw roster. She was transferred to SmackDown shortly after her “Pipe Bombshell” tirade and the official WWE website now has her listed as a member of Raw again. The home page of the WWE App, however, has not been updated as she is still featured on the SmackDown graphic (below CM Punk representing Raw).
– WWE continues to highlight the legendary career of Hulk Hogan. “The Hulkster” is currently featured on the front page of WWE.com, as rare photos of the iconic wrestler are being showcased again. Also, the company’s YouTube account just released a clip from last year’s nWo: The Revolution video release of Kevin Nash, Billy Kidman, Jimmy Hart, Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes discussing Hogan’s infamous heel turn at Bash at the Beach in 1996.
WWE highlighting Hogan’s career online is not an indication that he’s coming back to the promotion. Joey Styles, WWE’s Vice President of Digital Media Content, revealed in an interview with VOC Nation last month that the Hall of Famer was intentionally placed on the front page last month as means to build traffic after news surfaced that his contract with TNA Wrestling had contract expired.
“Nobody at WWE.com knows if the (front office) is talking to Hulk Hogan,” Styles said. “But it’s out there on every other site; we know that fans are thinking it, so why wouldn’t we use all of the videos and content that we own and use it on the site to build traffic and entertain the fans?”
– At Monday’s Raw in Greenville, South Carolina, WWE hosted a party for Susan G. Komen honorees. Stephanie McMahon, Lilian Garcia, Dolph Ziggler and Renee Young appeared at the reception. Click here for photos.
– Triple H and Stephanie McMahon’s confrontation with Big Show failed to entice a good number of fans as viewership continuously dropped during the show.
Monday’s episode drew 3.887 million viewers, according to Zap2it.com. This is down from 4.152 million the week before.
Raw viewership peaked during the first hour, drawing 4.069 million viewers. The second hour drew 3.951 million viewers, before plunging to 3.643 million in the third and final hour featuring a confrontation between the power couple and “The World’s Largest Athlete.”
The final rating is expected to be released later today.
– The latest edition of WWE en Espanol is now online, with Marcelo Rodríguez and Carlos Cabrera reviewing last week’s WWE events in Spanish.
– The official WWE website has published a photo gallery featuring quotes from Divas Champion AJ Lee proclaiming her love for the butterfly belt.
“They’re personal conversations between me and my child,” Lee said when asked about talking to the Divas Title.
Posted November 5th, 2013 in News, WWE. Tagged: AJ Lee.
The following are highlights from the latest online Q&A update from the official website of WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:
On if Brandi Runnels will be brought in immediately to the Rhodes Family storyline: “I don’t know if any of that is even true and if it is what the motive may be. However, in my opinion, for one family to be completely dependent on the wrestling biz for their livelihood isn’t wise in today’s world.”
On AJ Lee competing in the 2014 WWE Royal Rumble match: “Women should not compete w/ men in pro wrestling in any physical manner.”
On the most agile and exciting “big men” in pro wrestling history: “Young Andre, Vader, Don Leo Jonathan, Bigelow, among others I’ve naturally overlooked.”
On how many more matches The Undertaker has left in him: “No way of knowing. I assume Taker takes it a year at a time.”
You can check out more Q&A updates from Jim Ross at his official website, JRsBarBQ.com.
-WWE Hall Of Famer “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair is scheduled to make an appearance at a mixed-martial-arts event in Florida on Saturday, November 23rd. The MMA Unleashed promotion announced that Flair will be appearing at a pre-show meet-and-greet at the event scheduled for the Charlotte Harbor Event Center in Punta Gorda, Florida. For more information, visit XSELive.com.
-The official WWE website has released a number of storyline-driven interviews following Sunday’s WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view in Miami, Florida. Included were Cody Rhodes and Goldust, who talk about their defense of the WWE Tag-Team Championships on Sunday night, AJ Lee vowing to be the WWE Divas Champion forever and Fandango talking about his “secret weapon,” Summer Rae, and their victory in the mixed-tag-team match at Hell In A Cell. You can check out all of these interviews online at WWE.com.
– As seen last night at WWE Hell in a Cell, AJ Lee successfully defend the WWE Divas Championship against Brie Bella. Attempting to kick Lee, Brie inadvertently leveled Nikki as she combated Tamina, knocking her twin off the apron and onto the ringside floor. The miscue was enough to open the door for Lee to put her in the Black Widow. Nikki is taking the blame for Brie’s loss, as she wrote on Twitter, “”Another Divas Championship match I have ruined. So sorry Brie 4 distracting u again. I promise u will get it next time! N #SisterlyLove”
Brie responded on Instagram, “It wasn’t you Nikki…it was me! I might of let the #bellaarmy down tonight, but I won’t stop till I’m Champ. As long as you all stand behind me, I won’t give up! #briemode.”
– WWE and The Pearson Foundation recently set a world reading record for Jumpstart’s “Read for the Record!” The official YouTube account of WWE released a promotional video on this, which features Sheamus reading to children.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIvW20SSRag
– Former WWE Superstar MVP turns 40-years-old on Monday. On Twitter, he posted some messages concerning this milestone day, including, “Well, I don’t FEEL any different.”
– After concluding six months of filming for Hercules: The Thracian Wars last week, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is crossing over to filming for Fast & Furious 7, where “The Most Electrifying Man in All of Entertainment” reprises his role as the hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs.
Fast & Furious 7 will hit theaters in July 2014, while Hercules: The Thracian Wars comes out the following month.
– Promoting Hell in a Cell, the official YouTube account has released a WWE ’13 simulation of CM Punk vs. Ryback and Paul Heyman, as AJ Lee vs. Brie Bella.
– This Sunday at WWE Hell in a Cell, the WWE Tag Team Championship will be on the line as Cody Rhodes and Goldust defend their titles against Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, as well as Jey and Jimmy Uso, in a Triple Threat Match. In this “Backstage Fallout” video for Raw, The Shield and the brother duo vow to regain the gold. Plus, AJ Lee appears almost speechless after losing her match against Brie Bella.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd4g9dZi2u8
– This week’s WWE Classics On Demand updates are as follows: WWE Payback (June 16 2013), WWF at Madison Square Garden (December 29, 1991, featuring “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith vs. Berzerker, Sgt. Slaughter vs. Col. Mustafa and General Adnan, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine vs. Hercules, The Nasty Boys vs. The Bushwhackers, Skinner vs. Jim Powers, Chris Walker vs. the Brooklyn Brawler, Virgil vs. Repo Man, WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart vs. “The Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase, Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair), WWWF Championship Wrestling (January 28, 1978), ECW Hardcore TV (November 6, 1998), WWF Prime Time Wrestling (December 11, 1989).
– In addition to Xavier Woods, fellow WWE NXT wrestler Tyler Breeze was backstage at Monday’s Raw in Memphis, Tennessee. He competed on WWE live events over the weekend in matches against Justin Gabriel.
With Nikki Bella recovered from her shin injury and no longer banned from ringside, The Bella Twins reunited on Raw as they took down Divas Champion AJ Lee and Tamina. Six days before AJ and Brie tangle at Hell in a Cell, Lee suffered the pinfall loss following a Bella Buster from the No. 1 Contender.
Following the bout, Brie declared in Tout message that she will defeat AJ this Sunday at Hell in a Cell: “What you just saw here at Raw is exactly what I’m going to do to AJ Lee this Sunday Hell in a Cell. And once again, that Bella Buster is going to take her down and I will become the new Divas Champion because AJ Lee isn’t the only who has passion for that title. Brie Bella does as well.”
As for Nikki, she remarked on Twitter about her first match since June 3 with the following: “I’m cleared and it feels oh SO good to be back in that ring! Besos! Nikki #BellaTwins #TwinMagic #RAW #Twinning.”
In a rematch from WWE Battleground, it has just been confirmed by WWE.com that Divas Champion AJ Lee will defend her title against Brie Bella this Sunday at WWE Hell in a Cell.
WWE explains that with Bella’s victory over Lee on last week’s episode of SmackDown, she has earned another opportunity to capture the belt.
Here is the updated card for the pay-per-view event taking place in Miami, Florida.
* Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan (WWE Championship Hell in a Cell Match)
* World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio vs. John Cena
* CM Punk vs. Ryback and Paul Heyman (Handicap Hell in a Cell Match)
– The official WWE website has published an article highlighting AJ Lee’s unorthodox character and are polling fans in regards to whether she should be cheered or booed.
Explaining why Lee deserves fan applause, WWE cites the New Jersey rising from obscurity to fulfill her lifelong dream of being champion for the sports-entertainment organization. The counterpoint on why Lee should be booed is because “she is a devil woman.” Events of Lee wreaking havoc on Dolph Ziggler, Kane, Kaitlyn and other WWE cited are cited.
With over 5,000 votes cast, 66% say Lee should be cheered since “she’s an example of perseverance, hard work, individuality and empowerment for the underdog.”
– Speaking to Bill Apter, former WWE competitor Vampiro opens up on a side of him not many people know exist.
– Hyping tonight’s Raw Jey and Jimmy Uso wrote on Twitter, “We will get what belongs to the Tru tag team!! #RAW.”
WWE Superstar Rob Van Dam will be appearing this weekend at the 10th annual Ringside Fest. Van Dam was reportedly booked for the appearance through WWE, which should put an end to any rumors that he is no longer under a contract to WWE.
Also appearing at Ringside Fest this weekend will be fellow WWE Superstars Daniel Bryan, AJ Lee and Kaitlyn.
For more details, including ticket information, visit RingsideFest.com.
CM Punk and AJ Lee are now dating, according to Mexican wrestling legend and former WCW Superstar Konnan.
Last month, “The Straight Edge Superstar” and the WWE Divas Champion were shown seated together at Wrigley Field during WGN’s broadcast of a Chicago Cubs versus Pittsburgh Pirates game. This naturally jump-started rumors online, especially on social media—some fans on Twitter have stated that they were blocked by Punk for mentioning Lee to him in messages.
Konnan learned of this tidbit from his source within the sports-entertainment organization. While addressing WWE happenings on the MLW Radio podcast, he stated, “I would also to say that I found that AJ Lee is dating CM Punk, I don’t know if that’s public knowledge.”
Punk had been romantically linked to former WWE talent Amy “Lita” Dumas as recently as last spring. Co-host Court Bauer asked Konnan, “He’s done with Lita?” He responded, “Yep.”
Konnan continued to dish on Punk, stating that some people in the company feel he has a “huge head.” Furthermore, the former Max Moon reveals that Punk once “hated” fellow top star John Cena for similar behavior.
“To me, it’s like, alright, you waited all this time to become a big star, and all those guys that had a big head, that you hated, like Cena,” said Konnan. “And now you have a big head. You need to bring your s**t down back to ground.”
He reiterated further, “I was told by my source in WWE that CM Punk has a big head and he’s conceited.”
This new episode of MLW Radio is available for free at MLW.com and on iTunes (search: MLW Radio), along with episodes featuring Chris Jericho, The Ultimate Warrior, Billy Corgan, Konnan, Carlito, Teddy Hart, Sean Waltman and many others—a new episode drops every Sunday.
– Coming off the heels of Cody Rhodes and Goldust winning the WWE Tag Team Championship from The Shield at the conclusion of Raw on Monday, WWE counts down the grandest Raw finales in the history of the program.
– Prior to Friday’s WWE live event in Mexico City, Mexico, Rey Mysterio and AJ Lee appeared at an autograph signing together, drawing a large crowd. Lee remarked of the event on Twitter, “I may or may not have asked Rey for an autograph… for a friend…also named AJ.”
– The official WWE website has issued a poll asking fans which of the following WrestleMania matches they you like to see simulated in WWE 2K14: The Undertaker vs. CM Punk – WrestleMania 29 (42%), “Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. The Rock – WrestleMania XV (35%), Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon – WrestleMania X (18%), Randy “Macho Man” Savage vs. “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase – WrestleMania IV (6%).
According to one source, WWE is apparently puzzled as to why Brie Bella is not more over as a babyface right now. The general consensus is that she came off on the “Total Divas” reality show as a super-babyface, unlike her twin-sister Nikki Bella, who at times came off as a heel.
Considering the fact that she came off as such a babyface on the show, WWE reportedly failed to understand why she didn’t receive more sympathy from the fans during the beat down she suffered at the hands of Tamina Snuka and AJ Lee on this past Monday’s edition of WWE RAW.
Obviously, Total Divas represents a small percentage of the fan base that watches RAW, and the demographics are very different, however some in the company fail to make that connection.
Speaking of Bella, as noted previously, current plans call for her to challenge AJ Lee for the WWE Divas Championship at the upcoming WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view.
-In addition to previously reported reasons, the WWE Tag-Team Championship change on RAW on Monday night was done in part because Vince McMahon was reportedly upset that all of the WWE Championships were held by heels.
-Apparently plans are now in place for the Big E. Langston babyface turn. According to reports, Langston is scheduled for a potential run with Curtis Axel for the WWE Intercontinental Championship. The match may be added to the undercard of the upcoming WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view.
-Other matches rumored to be added to the previously announced matches for the WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view include AJ Lee vs. Brie Bella for the WWE Divas Championship and The Real Americans vs. Los Matadores.
– Kane is now free to return to action after he finished shooting the WWE Studios horror movie “See No Evil 2” last week in Canada.
– The WWE Studios holiday movie “Christmas Bounty” starring The Miz will debut on ABC Family on Tuesday, 11/26 at 7 PM.
The synopsis from IMDB.com reads:
“A former bounty hunter turns into an elementary schoolteacher. Determined to have a normal life and keep her bounty hunter past a secret, she reluctantly returns home for Christmas to help save the family business by catching the one bounty that got away. But when her fiancé follows her home for the holiday, she struggles to hide her wild family business and a bounty hunter ex-boyfriend [The Miz] she thought she’d left behind.”
– There is talk backstage in WWE that the ongoing Big Show storyline will lead to a singles match against Triple H at November’s Survivor Series pay-per-view from Boston.
-As previously reported, AJ Lee has been medically cleared to return to in-ring action following a recent concussion scare. According to one report, while AJ is unlikely to work a match at the upcoming Hell In A Cell pay-per-view, there has been talk of adding a match featuring AJ and Tamina Snuka against The Bella Twins
-WWE officially announced prior to RAW on Monday night that current WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee has been medically cleared to return to the ring following a concussion scare that saw her sent home from RAW last week. That would explain AJ’s physical presence in the ring on this past Monday’s edition of the show.
-WWE will be running live events in Mexico on Wednesday, October 16th, and Thursday, October 17th. WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio, who has been on the shelf for months recovering from injuries, is scheduled to return to the ring on those shows.
-WWE announced a return to St. Louis, Missouri, the site of Monday’s WWE RAW show, on January 17, 2014. The pre-sale for tickets is available right now with the code: WWELIVE.
-WWE will officially release their Night Of Champions 2013 DVD on Tuesday, October 15th.
-WWE Diva AJ Lee has been announced as a guest for the upcoming Wizard World Comic Con event in New Orleans, Louisiana on Saturday, February 8, 2014. The WWE Divas Champion will be appearing from 1pm-4pm.
-Fred Ottman, better known to WWE fans as Tugboat and/or Typhoon, was in attendance at the WWE NXT live event on Friday night in Largo, Florida. Ottman, who is also known for portraying the infamous “Shockmaster” character in WCW, lives in the area and was simply in attendance enjoying the event as a fan.
-WWE ring announcer Lilian Garcia was reportedly in the studio with her new band on Friday recording a few sessions, which will be released to the public in the near future.
-Currently sidelined WWE Superstar Mark Henry represented WWE at the USO’s 10th annual “Stars & Stripes” event in Arlington, Virginia this week. Henry appeared and took some photos, including one with the current “Miss Maryland,” Christina Denny, and “Miss America,” Nina Davuluri.
-WWE Superstars Rob Van Dam, Daniel Bryan, AJ Lee and Kaitlyn are scheduled to appear at the 2013 Ringside Fest event on October 26th at Caroline’s Comedy Club. For more information, visit RingsideFest.com.
-The 2013 WWE TLC pay-per-view will be released on DVD on January 14, 2014.
-The WWE Studios film “Christmas Bounty,” starring WWE Superstar The Miz, will be released on DVD on December 3rd.
-In addition to his appearance on “Good Morning America” on Tuesday morning, WWE Superstar John Cena will be all over the place in New York this week promoting the WWE campaign to battle breast cancer with the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
-WWE Superstar John Cena posted a tweet on his official Twitter account in reaction to the news that he will be facing Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship at the upcoming WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view on Sunday, October 27th in Miami, Florida. Cena wrote:
You heard it on #RAW, @WWE Universe. Hell in a Cell vs. @VivaDelRio for the WHC. The Champ is… Back! #EvenStronger
-As previously reported, WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee was sent home from RAW on Monday night due to concussion symptoms. According to one source, Lee was originally scheduled to face Kaitlyn at the show, but due to the fact that she was sent home, the match was changed to Kaitlyn vs. Tamina Snuka and moved over to the WWE Superstars taping, which was held prior to RAW.
-The official WWE Tout website featured a backstage interview with WWE Hall Of Famer Bob Backlund, who appeared on the show as one of three WWE Hall Of Fame candidates selected as potential special referee’s for the upcoming WWE Hell In A Cell main event between Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan. You can check out the Tout interview with Backlund online at Tout.com.
WWE.com is reporting that Divas Champion AJ Lee left Raw due to concussion-like symptoms.
WWE physician Dr. Chris Amann says:
“We spoke with AJ and she informed us that … she struck her head against the turnbuckle and was having headaches and some difficulty remembering her match.”
“We examined her and noted that she had some problems with balance and memory recall. She was, therefore, diagnosed with a concussion, instructed to rest and not do anything either physically or psychologically strenuous.”
The article notes that AJ underwent testing on Monday and will eventually undergo impact testing.
