SEScoops

Tag: Bellator

  • Update On The Cancellation Of Tito Ortiz vs. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson

    As previously reported, the Bellator MMA pay-per-view on November 2nd has been canceled due to Tito Ortiz suffering a neck injury during training.

    Ortiz, who was scheduled to fight Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the main event of the show, reportedly fractured his neck in training. The fight between the two has been canceled, but there are still plans to try and schedule the match down the road, if Ortiz is ever able to fight again, which in and of itself remains a question mark.

    The rest of the card that was scheduled for the Bellator PPV will now air as a free card on Spike TV on Saturday, November 2nd.

    Fans who had already ordered the pay-per-view event in advance will receive a complete refund of their money.

    Update On The Future Of Tito Ortiz & Rampage In TNA — CLICK HERE!

  • Tito Ortiz Injured, Bellator PPV Fight With Rampage Jackson Off

    According to multiple sources, UFC Hall Of Famer and TNA Impact Wrestling employee Tito Ortiz has pulled out of his scheduled Bellator pay-per-view fight against fellow TNA employee and MMA legend, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

    Ortiz apparently suffered a neck injury while training for the November 2nd bout, and was forced to pull out of the fight as a result.

    As of right now, it is unclear whether or not Bellator will go ahead with the pay-per-view regardless. One source noted that the event may be switched to a free show on Spike TV, but whether or not “Rampage” will remain in the headline bout is unknown.

    Huge Update On TNA’s Future — And IT’s NOT Good! **CLICK HERE**

  • Ken Anderson’s TNA Return, Update On Ethan Carter III, Rampage/Tito PPV News

    -Expect Ken Anderson to make his TNA return in the near future. Depending on current storyline direction, Anderson could pop up at the Bound For Glory pay-per-view on Sunday, or the Impact Wrestling television tapings the following Thursday.

    -As previously reported, Michael Hutter, who is the man that will be portraying “Ethan” in TNA, will go by the name Ethan Carter III. The company will be referring to him as EC3 at times, which is a takeoff of the RG3 nickname for the NFL quarterback, Robert Griffin III.

    -The upcoming Bellator MMA pay-per-view, which will be headlined by part-time TNA Impact Wrestling performers Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Tito Ortiz, and features another TNA part-timer in “King” Muhammad Lawal (King Mo) on the undercard, is having some trouble selling tickets. As of right now, the event has only sold 1,700 tickets, which is not a good sign. While ticket sales and pay-per-view numbers don’t always correlate, they are a more often than not a good indicator.

    More On Ken Anderson’s TNA Return, Bound For Glory Spoilers & More

    [Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter]

  • Spike TV Premieres 3-Part “Rampage 4 Real” Series On Thursday After Impact

    SESCOOPS.COM reader Nicole Platt from Spike TV sent along the following:

    Spike TV premieres the 3-part non-scripted series “Rampage4Real” on Thursday, October 17 at 11pm ET/PT.

    Episode #1:

    Rampage Jackson has the biggest fight of his career coming up when he faces Tito Ortiz on November 2nd. But before training starts, Rampage tries to get in the last of his partying. Watch as he lives the rock star life style with his entourage, before he attempts to start getting back into shape.

    RAMPAGE AND TITO HAVE REACHED THE POINT WHERE FRIENDSHIP HAS TO BE PUT ASIDE, AND ONE MAN’S FIGHTING CAREER COULD BE OVER

    Watch the clip here

    BEFORE THE REAL WORK CAN BEGIN, RAMPAGE BRACES HIMSELF

    Watch the clip here

    Related News: Huge *SPOILERS* For TNA’s “Bound For Glory” PPV REVEALED!

  • Nash/Hall/Waltman Touring Together, Spike Special On Rampage Jackson, Jericho

    -The original Wolfpac group of the nWo, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Sean “X-Pac” Waltman will be appearing together on November 19th at UTC at Kerrydale Suite, Celtic Park in Glasgow, Scotland. They will also be appearing together on November 21st at The Coronet in London, England.

    -Starting next Thursday, Spike TV will be airing a three-part special on Quinton “Rampage” Jackson after TNA Impact Wrestling, leading to his mixed-martial-arts fight against Tito Ortiz on pay-per-view with the Bellator MMA promotion.

    -Chris Jericho will be performing a rock-and-roll concert with his band “Fozzy” on Sunday night at The Exchange in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, and at The Union Sound Hall on Monday night in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

    Related News: Kevin Nash & Scott Hall To Be Inducted Into WWE Hall Of Fame Together?

  • UFC President Dana White, Former WWE Superstar Involved In “Twitter War”

    UFC president Dana White and former WWE Superstar and UFC Hall Of Famer Ken Shamrock got into a “Twitter war” on Friday night.

    Basically, Shamrock talked about how much White has changed since becoming successful, while White talked about how much money Shamrock owes him.

    Shamrock also asked why White seems to hate he and his brother (Frank Shamrock, another former UFC champion and MMA pioneer) so much. He also brought up White’s hatred for other MMA legends such as Tito Ortiz, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Randy Couture.

    The entire beef with White and Shamrock stems from a lawsuit Ken filed against the UFC president years ago. Gas was thrown on the fire recently when Shamrock, along with the aforementioned MMA legends announced that they will be “crashing” an upcoming UFC event.

    HUGE Spoilers For Monday’s RAW (SEVERAL Segments Revealed) — CLICK HERE!

  • Kidd/Natalya Filming Total Divas, Former Tough Enough Contestant Loses MMA Fight

    -Former WWE Tough Enough contestant Jeremiah Riggs lost his mixed-martial-arts fight during the Bellator 101 prelims on Spike.com on Saturday night. Riggs lost to Peter Aspenwal via split decision after three rounds.

    -WWE Superstar David Otunga will be appearing at the Mr. Olympia expo this weekend at the Muscle & Fitness booth. Otunga noted on Twitter recently that at the expo he will be giving a seminar on how he built one of the greatest physiques in WWE history.

    -According to online reports, WWE Superstars and newlyweds Tyson Kidd and Natalya have spent the past few days at their home filming footage for the next season of the WWE and E! reality show, “Total Divas.”

    HUGE WWE Total Divas *SPOILERS* For Season 2 — Cena/Bella BREAKING UP?! [>>]

  • Hulk Hogan Hypes Tonight’s Impact Wrestling, Rampage/Ortiz PPV Trailer Released

    -The following is a new tweet from the official Twitter page of TNA Impact Wrestling star Hulk Hogan:

    Gonna tear up SPIKE TV and IMPACT WRESTLING Thursday at 9pm wearing my Jordan 13’s brother. HH

    -Bellator has released the first official trailer for their upcoming debut pay-per-view, which features part-time TNA Impact Wrestling performers Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Tito Ortiz fighting in the main event. You can check out the video below:

    http://youtu.be/BPQvpsDMvoE

    HUGE Update On The Future Of TNA (NOT Looking Good) — DETAILS HERE!

  • Dixie Carter Speaks On Recent TNA Firings, Signing Too Many MMA Stars, Bully Ray

    The following are highlights from TNA Impact Wrestling president Dixie Carter’s recent interview with The Ministry Of Slam:

    On criticism over signing too many MMA fighters to TNA deals: “I’ve gotten criticism for bringing these guys in but when you’re looking for talent and there’s only two teams, where do you go to get your star players from? You’re going to mostly look to each other and then every once in a while, you’ve got to build your own talent which takes a lot of time.

    So here are two guys that are major superstars. Both come from wrestling backgrounds, and both are training their butts off right now to be in the ring. I think it’s a great way of trying to find some superstar talent and not having to take so many years to try to grow somebody’s stardom. Both of these guys are so well-known and they love professional wrestling. They’re committed and they’re training, and I’m excited for people to see their potential. I think it’s a great way of looking for new talent, and talent that have never been seen before in our world.”

    On recent TNA talent releases: “Well, I think the fact that you let talent go is not any indication whatsoever of any problems. I think part of our problem is that we didn’t turn the roster often enough. We only have one show so if we don’t have people on the show all the time. we are not in the position to have them sitting at home and being paid and not working. I think we have to get some more programming.

    We have to be able to do that to where we can shift and make talent appear fresh, but going to another show versus sitting people at home. I think it’s been a long time coming. I know that our competitor lets people go constantly. We had not done it in a long time, and I think because we had not done it in a long time, that it raised some eyebrows.

    It’s time for us to bring in some new faces, and we’ve got some exciting faces that will be appearing in the next several months. It’ll freshen things up somewhat. It’ll freshen up the people who are still on the roster and it’ll give the fans new and unique matches that they’ve never seen before. Like always, I’m sure some of the people that are no longer with us will return at some point – I’m hopeful for that. I think it’s a good healthy state of where we’re going and how we need to grow.”

    On Bully Ray and the Aces & 8’s: “Bully Ray in my opinion has really stepped up and become a formidable singles champion. He’s done outstanding work. A lot of the young guys have come along under the Aces & Eights banner very quickly. I love the reformation of the Main Event Mafia; I love the younger members in there stepping up to represent our company. I think there’s going to be some interesting TV in the coming weeks.”

    Check out the complete interview online at MinistryOfSlam.com.

    REPORT: Hulk Hogan Leaving TNA To Return To WWE In 2014 [READ MORE >>]

  • Details On Viewership For TNA Impact Wrestling Live On Thursday

    The Thursday, August 29th live edition of TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV drew 1.24 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.

    The 1.24 mark is nearly identical to last week’s numbers, as the show this week went up against no NFL competition. Impact Wrestling did compete with college football in some key demos. The college game that went head-to-head with Impact Wrestling drew 2.74 million viewers.

    The final episode of the premiere season of Bellator MMA’s “Fight Master”, which immediately follows Impact Wrestling on Spike TV, drew 558,000 viewers.

    REPORT: AJ Styles Enters Contract Negotiations With WWE! [READ >>]

  • Total Divas Rating Holds Up Against MTV VMAs, New Rampage/Ortiz PPV Undercard Fight

    -A Featherweight Championship match between title holder Pat Curran and recent Bellator Featherweight Tournament winner Daniel Straus has been added to the undercard of the Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Tito Ortiz pay-per-view on November 2nd.

    -This past Sunday’s edition of WWE Total Divas did 1.46 million viewers. The number is considered a success, as Total Divas faced stiff competition in the form of the MTV Video Music Awards, which drew 10.07 million viewers.

    Huge *SPOILERS* For This Season Of WWE Total Divas! **CLICK HERE**

  • Confirmed Matches For Next Week’s Impact Wrestling, King Mo Added To Bellator PPV

    -The following is a non-spoiler match listing for next Thursday’s edition of TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV:

    -Bobby Roode & Frankie Kazarian vs. James Storm & Gunner
    -Manik vs. Sonjay Dutt
    -Christopher Daniels vs. Joseph Park vs. Jay Bradley vs. Hernandez [Four-Way Street Fight For 20 BFG Series Points]
    -Gail Kim vs. ODB
    -Main Event Mafia vs. Aces & 8’s [Five-On-Five Match. Whoever Takes The Pin Leaves TNA Forever]

    -Bellator MMA issued the following on Thursday:

    Newton vs. King Mo II Set For November 2nd Live On Pay-Per-View In Epic Rematch

    Newport Beach, CA. (August 15th, 2013) – Chandler vs. Alvarez II won’t be the only highly anticipated rematch featured on Bellator’s Pay-Per-View debut November 2nd, as King Mo will once again meet Emanuel Newton, this time for the interim Bellator Light Heavyweight Title. With reigning Light Heavyweight Champion Attila Vegh sidelined with a shoulder injury, Mo and Newton will now square off for a shot at the title. In their previous meeting, the two engaged in a back and forth battle that eventually ended with Newton delivering a devastating spinning back fist that earned the fight the distinction of upset of the year. Mo vs. Newton II now joins a night of fights that already features Chandler vs. Alvarez II, along with the main event of the evening, Rampage vs. Tito.

    “Rampage vs. Tito” will be held at Southern California’s Long Beach Arena on Saturday, November 2nd, with tickets on sale now. Tickets can be purchased on Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.com, as well as at the Long Beach Arena Box Office.

    “The energy in the arena when Newton dropped Mo with that spinning back fist was simply awesome,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “And, to be able to have this rematch take place on our first PPV is something we couldn’t pass up. With Mo and Emanuel winning our previous two Light Heavyweight Tournaments, the timing was perfect for this rematch add another incredible intriguing storyline to this huge night of fights.”

    After storming through the Summer Series Tournament with two stoppage victories over Seth Petruzelli and Jacob Noe, Mo has now earned the right to fight for the title, along with erasing a loss that still looms large for the man they call “King”.

    “Listen, I’m going to be real honest about this. Emanuel is fake as hell,” Lawal said. “He runs his mouth about being a black skinhead or something, and likes to act real hard. He’s as hard as baby shit. I’m going to destroy this guy. He landed a shot on me in our first fight, nothing more than that. I’m better than him in every facet of the game. I didn’t even shoot on him that first fight. I can take this fight anywhere I want it, and I will. It’s over. I’m taking that belt in Long Beach, bringing it back to Las Vegas, and no one is getting it back. Not Vegh, Not Rampage. Not Tito, not anyone. It’s mine. Payback is bitch, Emanuel.”

    A relative unknown when he joined the Bellator Light Heavyweight ranks, Newton shocked the world with his knockout victory over Mo in the Season 8 Light Heavyweight Semifinals, and followed up that performance with a decisive win over fellow Bellator Tournament Finalist Mikhail Zayats. Now just a win away from capturing the interim World Title, Newton expects similar results in his second meeting with Lawal.

    “I’m not going to spout off and trash Mo, I don’t have to do that,” Newton proclaimed. “I know Mo is going to run his mouth and try to sell his game, but I don’t have anything to prove. I’m the one that knocked him out, and he’s the one that has to deal with that loss on his record, not me. I did it once, and I’m going to do it again, this time on an even bigger stage. History likes to repeat itself, and November 2nd Mo’s going to have to deal with another big loss on his record.

    More information on Bellator’s November 2nd PPV “Rampage vs. Tito” will be made available in the coming weeks.

    For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA

    About Bellator MMA

    Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 115 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 150 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.

    About Spike TV:

    Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

    About mun2

    mun2 is the leading Hispanic cable network for young millennial adults 18-34. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content that resonates across a multi-screen platform. Young, vibrant and unabashedly Latino, mun2 has a distribution to over 38 million households. The network is part of Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal.

    WWE SummerSlam Spoilers

  • Tito Ortiz Talks TNA On AXS TV, Hardcore Justice Impact Wrestling Video Preview

    -The newest addition to the TNA Impact Wrestling roster, Tito Ortiz, appeared as a guest on the “Inside MMA” show with Bas Rutten and Kenny Rice on AXS TV this week. While the Ortiz interview on the show mainly covered his fight against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson at the Bellator pay-per-view on November 2nd, the topic of TNA did come up briefly.

    Ortiz mainly talked about his love for pro wrestling as a kid, and how both Bellator and TNA are supportive of his “Punishment Athletic” clothing line, which is different than “the last company he worked for (UFC).”

    Check out AXS.tv for “Inside MMA” replay information.

    -The following is a “Hardcore Justice” preview from the official YouTube channel of TNA Impact Wrestling:

    http://youtu.be/pRv67AeeQ6o

    Who Will Replace Kurt Angle Next Week?, Huge Hardcore Justice *SPOILERS*

  • Tito Ortiz On Receiving End Of Smear Campaign?, Issues Statement To TMZ

    New TNA Impact Wrestling and Bellator MMA star Tito Ortiz recently issued a statement to celebrity-gossip website TMZ in anticipation of what he perceives to be a “smear campaign” from estranged wife and former adult film star Jenna Jameson.

    Jameson recently spoke with “Entertainment Tonight” for a sit-down interview, which Ortiz believes she will use as an outlet to further disparage his name.

    Below is Ortiz’s statement to TMZ:

    “I want to make it very clear that any and all allegations she has made about our personal life and my character are completely false. Jenna continues to paint a picture of distorted reality, which has been hurtful to both myself and my family. I hold sole custody over our boys, which speaks for itself.

    I am moving on with our life and with our boys, and I pray this is all over soon. I wish Jenna would get help to not only save herself, but for the children she brought into this world.”

    Details On Tito Ortiz’s First Match In TNA, His Role At Hardcore Justice & MORE!

  • Rampage/Ortiz Make Fun Of Each Other (Video), Maria’s New Blog, Note On Goldust

    -The following is a video of the first official stare down between TNA Impact Wrestling stars Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Tito Ortiz. The clip comes from the Bellator press conference on Monday. In the video, both Rampage and Ortiz, who are friends and former training partners, are goofing around with each other quite a bit, killing a lot of tension that may attempted to be built by TNA in the coming weeks.

    -Former WWE Diva and current Ring Of Honor star Maria Kanellis debuted her new blog on Diva-Dirt.com on Tuesday. The following is a small excerpt from the blog. New blogs will be posted every week on the Diva-Dirt website.

    “In May 2004, after I got home from Australia, I entered into the Diva Search online. See, even though the drug addict fiancee was gone I still watched wrestling. So I entered online and in June I got a call from Howard Finkel and as you know, the rest is history…”

    -Former WWE Superstar Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes announced on Twitter recently that he is accepting bookings for autograph signings, seminars and pro wrestling matches at Drhodesinc@gmail.com.

    Rampage/Ortiz TNA Storyline *SPOILER* + Goldust vs. Cody Rhodes At WMXXX? […]

  • Details On TNA’s Plans For Rampage/Tito Ortiz; Mick Foley’s Upcoming Comedy Shows

    -As noted earlier, Bellator held a media conference call with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Tito Ortiz on Monday afternoon to promote the November 2nd pay-per-view fight between the two former UFC World Champions.

    In addition to the notes already on the site, it was revealed during the call that TNA Impact Wrestling already has a storyline set to aid in the promotion of the fight. While nothing specific was mentioned, it was strongly hinted that something significant would happen at the “Bound For Glory” pay-per-view.

    -WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley will be performing his stand up comedy show at the Mirmar Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Sunday night. Foley will also be performing at Zane’s Comedy Night Club in Chicago, Illinois on Thursday.

    Speaking of Foley, Temple-News.com currently has a review up on their website of his recent stand-up comedy show.

    Tito Ortiz To Join Aces & 8’s? More TNA Cuts Expected + MORE! **CLICK HERE**

  • Curtis Axel Talks Lesnar/RAW, Rampage/Ortiz Stare Down, Kaitlyn’s “8th Militia”

    -WWE has finally released the new “Kaitlyn “8th Militia” t-shirts. They are now available for purchase at the WWE Shop website.

    -WWE Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel spoke with Mike Thiel from Fox Cities Hub on Monday to promote WWE RAW in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Axel talked about a number of topics, including Brock Lesnar, the legacy of his father (Curt “Mr. Perfect” Hennig) and more. Check out a video of the interview at PostCrescent.com.

    -Bellator MMA fighters and TNA Impact Wrestling stars Tito Ortiz and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson had their first official stare down at the press conference held on Monday for their pay-per-view fight with Bellator, which is scheduled for November 2, 2013. You can check out a photo of the staredown below:

    BQ7m9oJCUAAeC1n

    RVD To Join Heyman’s Stable?, Huge Raw *SPOILER* For Tonight! **CLICK HERE**

  • Ortiz/Rampage Talk TNA Behind-The-Scenes; Rampage To Fight Kimbo?, Bellator PPV Price

    Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney, along with Bellator MMA fighters and TNA Impact Wrestling stars Tito Ortiz and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson appeared on a media conference call on Monday to promote the upcoming Rampage vs. Ortiz pay-per-view fight for Bellator on November 2, 2013. Below are highlights from the call:

    Bjorn Rebney on the price of the Rampage vs. Tito Ortiz PPV: “Bjorn Rebney: Price points will vary depending on the distributor based on their location around the country. Some places it’ll be $35, others it will be $40. There are different markets that are hotbeds for mixed martial arts. We’ve left that in the hands of the distributors. The $35-45 is the price point we’re talking about.”

    Tito Ortiz on pro wrestling/TNA: “I’ve always been a big fan of wrestling. Professional wrestling was what got me into fighting, into collegiate wrestling an din high school. Hulk Hogan was a guy I looked up to. All of a sudden, side to side with Hulk Hogan? I’m gonna run at it like no other.”

    Rampage on fighting Roy Jones Jr. and Kimbo: “Rampage Jackson: I think Tito fucked up the Roy Jones Jr. fight. The whole time I was getting ready to prepare for Jones. I was gonna get down to 200 pounds but Tito signed and I thought, “Damn, there goes my Roy Jones fight!” If everything goes according to plan, I think that fight will still happen because Jones is still interested in fighting me. I heard Kimbo was doing well, I figured, ‘Hell, I’ll fight him.’”

    Rampage on teaming up with Tito Ortiz: “Rampage Jackson: I wouldn’t mind doing a tag team with Tito down the line.”

    Tito Ortiz on possibly joining the Fight Master reality show: “Tito Ortiz: I have an interest in Fight Master, of course I do.”

    Rampage on how he’s treated in TNA behind-the-scenes: “The guys have been really cool with me in the locker room. They’ve been giving me advice and showing me tricks and this or that.”

    Tito Ortiz on how he’s treated in TNA behind-the-scenes: “All the guys have been very respectful towards me.”

    Bjorn Rebney on other potential fights on the 11/2 Bellator PPV: “Bjorn Rebney: If everything works out the way I’m hoping, you’ll get to see Chandler on that pay-per-view. You put him on a card with Rampage and Tito, suddenly people look at him in a very different light. It’s all part of a bigger machine and a bigger puzzle.”

    Read more from today’s media conference call online at MMAMania.com.

    Tito Ortiz To Join Aces & 8’s? More TNA Cuts Expected, Rampage’s TNA Future + MORE!

  • Rampage/Tito Ortiz News, WWE Star On Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, JBL

    -WWE Superstar Justin Gabriel, who has a history of shark-diving, will be appearing on The Discovery Channel’s “Shark After Dark” talk show as part of “Shark Week” on the channel this week.

    -New TNA Impact Wrestling stars and Bellator fighters, Tito Ortiz and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, will be featured on a media conference call today to promote their upcoming fight against each other on Bellator’s debut pay-per-view event on November 2nd. We will have any newsworthy notes from the call up on the site later today.

    -Renee Young and the WWE.com crew will be the special guests on the next edition of the JBL and Cole Show on WWE’s official YouTube channel. The crew is shooting the episode today in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

    BACKSTAGE NEWS: Details On TNA’s Cross-Promotional Plans For Rampage & Tito Ortiz

  • Several Former WWE Superstars Comment On TNA’s “#August1Warning” Reveal

    Several former WWE Superstars took to Twitter to voice their reactions to the big “#August1Warning” mystery-man reveal from Thursday’s edition of TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV.

    For those who missed it, former UFC Light Heavyweight champion and current Bellator MMA fighter Tito Ortiz was revealed to be the man behind the “#August1Warning” messages on YouTube and Twitter throughout the past week.

    Below are some of the aforementioned tweets:

    Matt Hardy: “Tito Ortiz, HMMM. Interesting. I’m curious to see which direction TNA goes in the future & what they reap from their recent decisions.”

    Tommy Dreamer: “WOW In a bad confusing way. 2 good matches w/lame finishes then the REVEAL? TNA actually had a split second of a buzz.way to ruin it #sobad”

    Bob Holly: “All this does is promote the fight for Belatore between Tito and Rampage, does NOTHING for TNA, #impactwrestling”

    Lance Storm: And the crowd goes Mild #NotAtypo

    Backstage News On Plans For Tito Ortiz’s Future In TNA! **CLICK HERE**

  • TNA’s “#August1Warning” Mystery-Man Revealed As Tito Ortiz

    It was revealed on Thursday’s edition of TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV that the mystery-man behind the “#August1Warning” messages on YouTube and Twitter throughout the past week was none other than UFC Hall Of Famer and current Bellator MMA fighter, Tito Ortiz.

    *Spoilers* Impact Wrestling Results From For Next Week (8/8)

    Ortiz was revealed to be the surprise for Bellator during their show on Spike TV on Wednesday, as it was announced that he would make his debut for the mixed-martial-arts promotion on pay-per-view on November 2nd against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, another MMA legend who will be making his fighting debut with the promotion.

    The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion came out during the main event segment on Thursday’s Impact Wrestling, as the Main Event Mafia and the Aces & 8’s were in the middle of a stare down. The two factions had just made the announcement that whoever gets pinned in their five-on-five man match at the upcoming “Hardcore Justice” show on August 15th would be forced to leave TNA “for good.”

    After the announcement, Tito Ortiz came out as the surprise mystery-man. He stood on the ramp and stared in the ring, where Rampage was glaring back at him. The show went off the air with the announcers selling the reveal and plugging next week’s Impact Wrestling show on Spike TV.

    Backstage News On Plans For Tito Ortiz’s TNA Future! **CLICK HERE**

  • Dixie Carter Q&A: Goldberg/TNA, Signing So Many MMA Stars, New Video Game

    TNA president Dixie Carter recently took part in another Q&A with wrestling fans. Below are some highlights:

    On her reaction to receiving so many negative questions: “I have no problem with negative comments or constructive criticism, but the outrageous posts and bad language are a totally a different thing … especially with so many children paying attention on social media.”

    On whether or not she forces talent to tweet about other talents’ projects: ” It’s very important for TNA talent to support each other and their individual separate projects outside of wrestling. They’ve supported EY with his Animal Planet show, Mickie James with her music, Gail Kim with her wedding TV special, etc. I think it’s great that we all support each other!”

    On criticism that signing Rampage overshadowed King Mo in TNA: “We underestimated how long it would take Mo to recover from the complications he had following surgery. By the time he was cleared to wrestle, he had to start training for his upcoming fights. Rampage will fight a few major PPV events for Bellator, while King Mo is fighting more frequently in the tournaments. Hopefully, Mo will start training again right after his title fight, and we will see him in the ring soon.”

    On complaints that TNA is signing too many MMA fighters: “People forget that King Mo is a wrestler, first and foremost. He won multiple medals (several gold medals) in The World Cup, Pan American Championships and US Championships, and a Division I All American. Rampage began his career as a wrestler, too. Rampage is a film star — both have big personalities, successful MMA careers and substantial national media attention within the sports world. They’ve never worked for our competitor , and they both want to do whatever it takes to dominate professional wrestling. I’m open to anyone who fits that bill. And, the fact that Bellator CEO Björn Rebney and I can work together and cross-promote is a great added benefit for Impact exposure outside of wrestling.”

    On whether or not TNA scouts international talent: “Absolutely! As a matter of fact, right now we are looking closely at several wrestlers to be on IMPACT from countries that have never been represented on the show before. Stay tuned!”

    On fan interaction at the upcoming UK Tour: “Our UK promoters will announce details for Fan InterAction this month, and you will hear from me beforehand on ways to get a jump on being the first to purchase tickets.”

    On another TNA game and if the company will ever sign Bill Goldberg: “I hope so! Our first game sold over one million copies worldwide. We are hopeful we’ll find the right partner for another video game soon. And regarding Bill, he is a great talent. We would love to work with him one day.”

    Check out more from the Dixie Carter Q&A online at ImpactWrestling.com.

    TNA To Debut ANOTHER “Mystery-Man” Next Week? + News On More MAJOR TNA Roster Cuts!

  • Dixie Carter On King Mo’s MMA Victory, Rampage vs. Tito Ortiz, New TV Deal

    TNA president Dixie Carter recently posted a number of noteworthy tweets on her official Twitter account.

    First up, Dixie tweeted a congratulatory message to Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal on his third round TKO victory over Jacob Noe at the Bellator event on Spike TV on Wednesday evening. Dixie tweeted:

    “Way to go @KingMoFH. Great job!! Proud!!!”

    After hearing Mo reference wrestling in his post-fight interview in the cage, Dixie followed up with this tweet moments later:

    “Love @KingMoFH in the ring after a big win talking about WRESTLING and how important it is to him. Very classy win.”

    Later on in the evening, Bellator announced a Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Tito Ortiz PPV fight for November 2nd. With Rampage being a part-time TNA employee as well, Dixie showed her support with the following message, which was tweeted shortly after the announcement was made on Spike TV:

    “Oh yea. Great call. @Rampage4Real vs @titoortiz. Gonna be a great fight. Congrats @BjornRebney and @SpikeTV!!!”

    And finally, TNA announced a new international television deal today via an official press release. Dixie commented on the new SONY SIX TV deal with the following tweet:

    “Happy to announce we have signed a new television deal with SONY SIX, India’s premier sports entertainment channel!”

    Follow TNA president Dixie Carter on Twitter @TNADixie.

    BREAKING NEWS: More MAJOR TNA Roster Cuts Coming VERY SOON! [DETAILS HERE >>]

  • Official Press Release For Rampage vs. Tito Ortiz Pay-Per-View On November 2nd

    Spike TV and Bellator MMA issued the following press release on Wednesday evening:

    BELLATOR ANNOUNCES RAMPAGE VS. TITO PAY-PER-VIEW

    Live Saturday, November 2nd

    Newport Beach, CA. (Wednesday, July 31st) – It was announced live inside the Bellator cage tonight that two of the biggest names in MMA Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Tito “The People’s Champion” Ortiz will meet in a light heavyweight battle live on PPV Saturday, November 2nd. The announcement was made with both Rampage and Tito inside the Bellator cage to a nationally televised audience on Spike TV at Bellator 97 inside The Santa Ana Star Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

    “Rampage vs. Tito” will be held at Southern California’s Long Beach Arena, with tickets on sale at 10 AM PST this Saturday, August 3rd. Tickets can be purchased on Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.com, as well as at the Long Beach Arena Box Office.

    “To have two of the biggest names in MMA headline our first PPV is awesome,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “Rampage vs. Tito is a fight I’ve wanted to see for years and to have it as our Main Event on our first Pay-Per-View is a spectacular next step in Bellator’s evolution. They’re both re-energized, excited and ready for a war. This will be a great fight.”

    “Honestly, I feel like I’ve been re-born.,” Jackson said. “My excitement, energy and aggression, it’s all back and bigger than ever. I feel like a kid again. The Rampage you’ll see Nov. 2nd will be better than any Rampage you’ve ever seen. Everybody knows Tito and I have a very long history. He’s a former teammate and friend, and it’s one of the reasons I stayed away from the UFC as long as I did. But, I want to be very clear; any sort of friendship we once had doesn’t exist when that cage door shuts. I’ve got a ton to prove on November 2nd, and unfortunately for Tito he’s the guy I have to make an example of. He’s in my house now and Saturday, November 2nd on PPV, it’s going to be a horrible night for Tito Ortiz.”

    “I’m back,” Ortiz stated. “Over the last few years, my passion for MMA was completely killed, dealing with UFC politics and with Dana. I didn’t have that drive to compete, my heart wasn’t in it. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I’m free. Bjorn and Bellator put together an opportunity that made me part of the promotion, part of the family. I feel like I can breathe again and my old friend is going to be on the receiving end of all that happiness turned into an old school Tito Ortiz ground and pound beating. I’ve fought and beaten the very best in MMA history and on Nov. 2nd, Rampage will be the next huge win on my record. This is a new era for the People’s Champion.”

    Jackson arrived in Bellator in June as a former Pride and UFC champion, having last fought on Spike TV in September 2007, in a fight vs. Dan Henderson that drew nearly 6 million viewers, making it one of the most watched fights in the sport’s history. In 2009, Jackson served as a coach on Spike’s “The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights,” the highest-rated season by far in franchise history, delivering over 3 million viewers per week. Rampage joins a Bellator Light Heavyweight division that features “King Mo”, Emanuel Newton, Vladimir Matyushenko, Attila Vegh and now, Tito Ortiz.

    Ortiz joins Bellator as a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and throughout his career has been one of the most recognizable and polarizing figures during his sixteen year career, fighting the likes of Randy Couture, Chuck Liddell, Vitor Belfort, Rashad Evans and Ken Shamrock. A true MMA icon, Ortiz will now start a new chapter of his career fighting under the Bellator banner beginning on November 2nd.

    More information regarding Bellator’s first PPV will be made available in the coming weeks. A press conference with Rampage and Ortiz will take place on Monday, August 5th. Information regarding the press conference will be available shortly.

    For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA

    About Bellator MMA

    Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 115 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 150 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.

    About Spike TV:

    Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

    CONFIRMED: Tito Ortiz Is TNA’s #August1Warning Mystery-Man [Read More Details >>]

  • Tito Ortiz vs. Rampage Confirmed For Bellator PPV, #August1Warning Spoiler?

    It was just announced on the Bellator MMA event on Spike TV that Quinton “Rampage” Jackson would not be fighting Roy Jones Jr. in a boxing match on pay-per-view at the end of the year as rumored. Instead, it will be Rampage in his home, the cage, fighting former friend and training partner, and the newest surprise addition to the Bellator MMA roster, Tito Ortiz.

    Ortiz, who was retired, has signed a deal to fight for Bellator MMA, his first MMA home outside of the UFC in his career. While unconfirmed, it is possible Ortiz signed a joint deal with TNA Impact Wrestling, as the MMA star has worked for the organization in the past.

    Could Ortiz be the #August1Warning mystery-man? Find out on Thursday’s edition of TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV.

    #August1Warning Spoiler Update, Ortiz/Bellator/TNA Contract Details! **CLICK HERE**