Along with Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman is getting comparisions to the legendary pairing of Nick Bockwinkel and Bobby Heenan, but ‘The Wiseman’ doesn’t want to hear any of that.
Speaking with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Heyman was asked what he thought about being in that echelon of superstar and manager. Instead of comparing Heyman stated that he’d like to “set the standard” with Reigns so others will be looking at them as the measuring stick.
Heyman went on to talk about his admiration for Bockwinkel, noting that he left WCW just before Nick arrived. However, Paul did recall when their paths briefly crossed all the way back in Verne Gagne’s AWA.
Nick Bockwinkel was on commentary for the broadcast on ESPN and Heyman decided to take the initiative.
“I walked over to the commentary position and said, ‘I know why Greg Gagne gets to commentate on ESPN, but exactly who are you related to?’ It was an off-script, impromptu line.”
After the show, Heyman was approached by Bockwinkel, who told the young mananger what he thought of that move.
“Nick came up to me and said, ‘Young man, it took a lot of balls to challenge my position that way.’ I thought he was really pissed. I said, ‘Yes, sir. Seizing the moment, sir.’ And Nick looked at me and said, ‘I admire the gumption it took to do it.’ And then he walked away. I figured if he walked away without slapping me, it was a victory.”
Bockwinkel never made it to the WWE, but he was inducted into the Hall of Fame back in 2007 as his star really shined in the AWA as a heel champion, feuding with Hulk Hogan and Verne Gagne.
The Undertaker is a WWE Hall of Famer who led the locker room for decades. While he led the troops for Vince McMahon backstage, he also saw many instances of tomfoolery along the way.
The Undertaker Speaks on Backstage Pranks in WWE
WWE Superstars spend their lives on the road, and sometimes they get bored. This was especially true during The Undertaker’s heyday, because WWE’s schedule was far more grueling. To pass the time, Superstars would often prank each other backstage.
The Undertaker is famously afraid of cucumbers. Owen Hart took advantage of this fact on several occasions, as he pranked the Deadman with the common vegetable. Through it all, things never got too intense as Taker remembers it. He did remember how The Rockers would tamper with other wrestlers’ belongings while they were busy in the ring.
During his Six Feet Under podcast, The Undertaker was asked what was the most juvenile prank he ever saw backstage in WWE.
“When I first started with WWE, Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty. They were a couple little turds. That’s what they were. They were just bad. I would go out and have a match. Back then, we’d have somebody there that would bring our ring gear back. Every time I’d come back from a match, there would be my hat sitting on a case somewhere, and it would be poked. The top of it would be poked in. It’d be like sugar poured all over the top of it, flowers put in it. Just silly things that they would do to my hat. I didn’t know who was doing it. One thing with a rib when you’re in the wrestling business is, you don’t sell it. You don’t sell the rib. You don’t let anybody know that the rib’s getting to you. Because if it’s bothering you, it’s only gonna get worse. So I’m just playing it cool and I kind of set it up like a trap one day. I had my hat sitting out on the case. My coat was lying next to it and I’m kind of hiding.”
“This is kinda juvenile in its own right. I’m kind of hiding behind the curtain backstage, watching. I set a trap [and] here comes Shawn Michaels, just be-bopping down the hallway, and he stops. He walked in, he sees my hat and he stops. I remember him looking both ways like ‘Is there anybody around?’ I remember him pushing my hat, the top of my hat, caving my hat in, and I caught him right away. I was like, ‘You son of a bitch.’ And he about pissed himself like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’ That was some of the more juvenile. I’ve been fairly lucky.”
“There’s only been a few guys that would rib me. Paul Bearer would rib me and Brian Adams would rib me. Those are the only two. Yeah, those are the only two guys or whatever. I mean Vince. Yeah, he went out of his way to rib me. He would spend thousands and thousands of dollars just to rib me and get a kick out of it. But as far as the talent, though, the only two guys that would rib me were Paul Bearer and Bryan Adams.”
The Deadman was also asked if he ever saw a prank go too far. That is when the former judge of Wrestlers Court was candid in his response. There were what he called “close calls,” and cucumbers were involved. In the end, those ribs were relatively harmless.
“There were a couple of close calls with cucumbers, that got a little bit too close to consumption, which would have been really bad. But most of them were pretty harmless.”
History of Practical Jokes in Pro Wrestling
Another notable instance of a famous backstage rib went down during a European tour in 1993 when Owen Hart switched his brother Bret Hart’s wrestling gear with a smaller-sized version, so the Hitman had to go out alone. Owen Hart also put sliced cucumbers in The Undertaker’s boots, which caused quite a reaction from the Deadman.
Mr. Fuji, who was a legendary prankster backstage, was known for mischievous ribs. He did things like filling babyface wrestlers’ water bottles with salt. Bobby Heenan was also legendary for his outlandish ribs, one that would entertain Superstars for hours on the road.
The infamous “Plane Ride from Hell” in 2002 saw various disruptive ribs, including Ric Flair’s naked antics, which did not age well at all. A wrestling match also broke out between Brock Lesnar and Mr. Perfect, who also allegedly dosed wrestlers with halcion tablets for giggles at times as well.
The days are getting darker. The winds are getting colder and that can only mean one thing.
The Holidays are coming!
Each year, WWE makes sure to air a Holiday episode, complete with Christmas trees and other sights associated with the most wonderful time of the year.
Countless Superstars and personalities have donned the iconic red and white suit of Santa Claus himself, but not all did so with the best of intentions.
Here are five Santas from wrestling who will be getting coal in their stocking this Christmas.
5: Damien Sandow
Damian Sandow’s 2013 ended with him on the naughty list after losing to the World’s Strongest Santa Mick Foley.
For Damien Sandow, 2013 could be best described as a ‘mixed year.’
After winning the SmackDown Money in the Bank contract, Sandow seemed on the cusp of becoming World Heavyweight Champion, but failed in his cash-in attempt on John Cena.
By December, Sandow had fallen down the card dramatically and played the role of ‘evil Santa’ on the December 23, Raw.
Facing off against the World’s Strongest Santa Mark Henry, Sandow had little chance, and what started as a promising year for the intellectual ended on a dud.
4: Bubba Ray Dudley
Tajiri used a festive red mist to defeat Bubba Ray Dudley in a Santa Vs. Santa match in 2001.
For much of the Invasion storyline, Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley were key players in the Alliance and would hold the WWF and WCW World Tag Team Titles.
Even after the Alliance was defeated, the Dudleys remained, and Bubba would don the iconic red suit for the Christmas Eve Raw.
Facing off against SanTa-jiri, Bubba earned himself on the naughty list with his heel antics throughout the match.
To their credit, both men would put on an entertaining match despite their costumes, and Bubba even used some Santa-themed taunts to rile the crowd.
In the end, Tajiri’s mist (festive red of course!) would give the Japanese Buzzsaw the win in a highly-entertaining match.
3: Bobby Heenan
Bobby Heenan tried to reveal s hocking secret while dressed as Santa Claus.
Rightly considered one of the greatest heel managers in wrestling history, Bobby Heenan earned himself a spot on the naughty list countless times with his actions.
On Christmas Day in 1989, Heenan took to Prime Time Wrestling for what he called his ‘Santa Claus Shoot,’ in which he declared to the world that Kris Kringle isn’t real.
No doubt breaking the hearts of children watching, Heenan’s rant was cut short by Roddy Piper, who told the kids Santas is real, and pushed and prodded the famed manager.
Heenan, in typical fashion, tried to talk his way out of being beaten up by Piper, and we imagine that The Brain got coal in his stocking the next year.
Of course, this Santa suit wouldn’t be the only costume Heenan would don on-screen, but his other, more iconic outfit, would be that of a weasel.
2: Xanta Claus
Xanta Claus, played by Balls Mahoney, showed that everybody has a price for the Million Dollar Man.
For In Your House 5: Seasons Beatings, Santa Claus took a break from a busy December to appear for the World Wrestling Federation, handing out presents with Savio Vega.
Confronting Million Dollar Men Ted DiBiase in the ring, it seemed the numbers were in the good guys’ favor until the unthinkable happened.
Santa Claus sold out!
Attacking Vega and aligning with DiBiase, the man was now Xanta Claus (hailing from the South Pole,) a pretender to the role who had been paid off by DiBiase.
Xanta’s one and only match would come on the Superstars of Wrestling show on December 19, defeating Scott Taylor, but the character would last a few weeks after Christmas.
Years later, Xanta would return to WWE, but under his more recognizable name as Balls Mahoney, and his actions showed that everyone has a price for the Million Dollar Man.
1: John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield
Like Damien Sandow at the start of this list, 2005 was not the best year for John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield.
In April, his ten-month-long reign as WWE Champion ended at the hands of John Cena, ushering in Cena’s rise to the top of wrestling, and the Texan would fail to regain the gold.
That December, JBL donned a camouflaged Santa outfit for that year’s Tribute to the Troops in Baghdad, and berated the troops for the
Complaining about having to use a porta-potty for his rosy backside and the lack of Dom Perignon for his reindeer, and even threatened to cancel Christmas.
JBL’s Santa didn’t stop there, threatening to cancel all holidays (even Bastille Day!) but his plans were thwarted by WWE’s resident Santa, Mick Foley.
Facing off in a match to determine the true Santa of WWE, Foley got the win with a literal bag of tricks and Mr. Socko.
JBL’s berating of the troops was certainly not becoming of Jolly Ol’ St. Nick, and when you consider his actions as a character (and his history of hazing and bullying) JBL has a lifetime spot on the naughty list.
WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase recently spoke with Bleacher Report to talk about various topics. Here are some of the highlights: His “The Million Dollar Man” gimmick: “The Million Dollar Man the character is actually a Vince McMahon original. It was presented to me and Vince kind of started laying it out. In a moment when he was called away and I was just sitting there with Pat Patterson who at the time was his right-hand man, Pat looked at me and said, ‘Ted, if Vince can be a character in his own show, this is it, this is who he would be.’ It had never been done before. Vince said, ‘I chose you because you’re articulate; you carry yourself well; you interview very well; you are a great wrestler; you’re perfect for this.'”
The late Bobby Heenan: “Bobby Heenan to me, he was the best. Of all the guys that have been managers that can pick up a microphone and talk, he was a natural and so good. His character like mine was so hated, it was like a little weasel. Everybody wanted to kill him and that was the whole point. Bobby Heenan was as quick-witted off the cameras as he was on the camera and just as funny. A great guy and I just thought the world of him as a person.”
A playlist featuring some of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan’s best moments in the AWA and WWE is coming to the WWE Network later today.
Courtesy of WWENetworkNews.com, the following is the full content listing for the Heenan collection:
AWA 08/10/1974 – A Brilliant Name
With an already established career under his belt, Bobby Heenan gives himself a moniker that accurately describes his cunning intelligence.
AWA 01/13/1980 – Battle of the Managers
Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan takes to the ring to go one-on-one with Lord Alfred Hayes in a classic Battle of the Managers.
AWA 08/17/1980 – If the Suit Fits?
Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan goes one-on-one with Greg Gagne in a match where the loser is forced to wear a humiliating weasel suit.
AWA 04/19/1981 – An Incredible Partnership
Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan and Nick Bockwinkel prove to be a perfect match when they take on ‘The Incredible’ Hulk Hogan in a Handicap Match.
Tuesday Night Titans 10/02/1984 – ‘I am Not a Weasel’
In a memorable interview with Vince McMahon, Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan stands firmly against his public perception.
WrestleMania I – The Brain is Always Working
Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan shows everyone what he is after when Big John Studd meets Andre the Giant in a Body Slam Match.
Prime Time Wrestling 02/13/1987 – The Giant Awakens
The world is left in shock when Andre the Giant aligns himself with Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan against Hulk Hogan.
WrestleMania III – Bigger! Better! Badder!
Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan leads Andre the Giant to the ring to challenge Hulk Hogan for the WWE Championship.
Prime Time Wrestling 03/21/1988 – The Brain’s Boardwalk Empire
Luck is less than a lady to Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan when he and Gorilla Monsoon enjoy Atlantic City.
WrestleMania IV – Ready for a Dog Fight
Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan and The Islanders take to the ring to battle Koko B. Ware and The British Bulldogs.
Prime Time Wrestling 05/16/1988 – A Weasel Runs Through It
Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan shows off his annoying work ethic by invading Gorilla Monsoon’s leisure time.
WrestleFest 1988 – The Ultimate Humiliation
Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan finds himself at the mercy of The Ultimate Warrior when they meet in a Weasel Suit Match from Wrestlefest ’88.
Prime Time Wrestling 01/30/1989 – Happy Trails
Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan shows how the west was won when Prime Time Wrestling visits a western movie set.
Prime Time Wrestling 01/16/1989 – Mergers and Acquisitions
The Red Rooster’s broken partnership with Bobby Heenan leads to a memorable match between them at WrestleMania V.
Prime Time Wrestling 07/17/1989 – The Bobby Heenan Show
The Brain is given an opportunity to try a solo career when he hosts his very own program, The Bobby Heenan Show.
Royal Rumble 1993 – Introducing The Narcissist
The cunning linguistics of Bobby Heenan are on display when The Brain unveils The Narcissist to the WWE.
Raw 01/11/1993 – Out in the Cold
No matter the circumstances, Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan finds himself left out in the cold when it comes to participating in RAW.
Survivor Series 1993 – Behind the Microphone
Hear the memorable commentary of Bobby Heenan in this battle between Shawn Michaels’ Knights and The Hart Family.
WrestleMania X-Seven – A WrestleMania Homecoming
Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan returns to WWE to call the infamous Gimmick Battle Royal alongside Mean Gene Okerlund.
WWE Hall of Fame 2004 – Where The Brain Belongs
Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan’s legacy is honored with a rightful induction into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2004.
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross has posted a new blog entry over at his official website where he gives his thoughts on various topics. Here are the highlights:
WWE bringing back Starrcade:
“Love the idea of WWE bringing back the Starrcade theme for a live event coming to Greensboro, N.C. in November. What point did I apparently miss that has actually made this booking somewhat controversial? Broadcasting Starrcade was a personal thrill for me back in the day.”
Bobby Heenan’s passing: “Still shaken over the death of my long time friend, and former broadcast partner, Bobby Heenan, this past Sunday after years of suffering and illness that drastically changed his life and affected many of us in a profound way. Bobby Heenan was simply the best to ever combine the diverse skill sets of wrestling, managing, and broadcasting in the history of the pro wrestling game. Arguably the most talented overall performer in the history of the biz was our beloved ‘Weasel.’ Bobby, please say hello wife Jan when you see her, and tell her that I miss her every minute of the day. You always made she and I laugh and that’s always our best medicine.” Paige preparing for her WWE return: “Happy to see WWE’s Paige back in the Performance Center getting ready to make her return to the ring on the main roster. The talented, young Brit has too much talent to not be fully invested in the WWE, which can feature her skills better than any promotion on the planet. Plus, earn Paige the most cash.”
Ross also talked about ROH Death Before Dishonor and more. You can read the bloghere.
TampaBay.com has published an obituary for Bobby Heenan that statesHeenan died from organ failures that were brought on by his battle with cancer. Heenan’s daughter Jessica Solt noted that “It was just his time.”
The obituary also includes quotes from former WWE Superstars Lanny “The Genius” Poffo and Brian Blair, who praised Heenan’s work in front of the cameras and behind the scenes as a consummate jokester.
Heenan is survived by his wife of over 40 years Cindy Heenan, daughter Jessica Solt and two grandchildren
In case you missed it on RAW, here’s WWE’s tribute video to Bobby Heenan.
As we’ve previously reported, WWE Hall Of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan sadly passed away at the age of 73 following a decade-long battle with throat cancer. Heenan is recognized as, arguably, the greatest manager in professional wrestling history, and the WWE Universe took to Twitter to react to the sad news of his passing. You can check out the Tweets here below:
Bobby Heenan died today and it has left me very sad. He was the best of the best in the biz and a friend. RIP Bobby. Praying for you Cindy pic.twitter.com/T8wuFAYuST
Bobby Heenan was great at all that he did Manager Wrestler Announcer Host The Brain Weasel Celebrate his life on @WWENetwork 1 of a kind pic.twitter.com/RdcVzUCmK4
We are deeply saddened to report that legendary wrestling broadcaster, manager and personality Bobby “The Brain” Heenan (Raymond Louis Heenan) has passed away.
The incomparable Bobby Heenan was one of the most memorable performers of the 1980’s and 90’s. His wit and comedic timing were unmatched. Heenan burst on to the national wrestling scene in the early 80’s as a manager in the AWA. He joined the World Wrestling Federation in 1984 and pro wrestling would never be the same again. His work alongside Gorilla Monsoon on Primetime Wrestling and early 90’s WWF pay-per-views, his longstanding feud with Hulk Hogan and his introduction of Ric Flair to the WWE Universe back in 1991 are the building blocks that many fan’s love for wrestling are built on. He joined WCW back in 1994 and was one of the prominent voices each and every week as WCW surpassed WWE as the top promotion in the world.
As a manager, Heenan guided the careers of countless legends including Andre The Giant, Nick Bockwinkel, “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig, King Kong Bundy, Big John Studd, Harley Race, Jesse Ventura the Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard) and more.
In 2002, Bobby Heenan was diagnosed with throat cancer and later tongue cancer. Throughout his heroic fight against cancer, Heenan continued to appear at wrestling conventions in recent years. Despite his debilitating illness, Heenan still enjoyed interacting with the fans who grew up enjoying his one-of-a-kind talent.
He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2004.
Rest in peace, Bobby Heennan. A strong case could be made that Heenan is the most talented performer to ever grace the industry. There will never be another one like him.
Our deepest condolences to Bobby Heenan’s family, friends and fans.
The wrestling world reacts to the passing of Bobby Heenan:
The news of Bobby "The Brain" Heenan's passing today gutted me.
– WWE Hall of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan is now on Twitter @Realbobbyheenan. Heenan’s wife and Mick Foley have confirmed the account is legitimate.
– WWE has moved all of Ryback’s merchandise to the “sale” section of WWEShop.com. In light of Ryback’s Tumblr post last week and his strained relationship with the company, the move is not a great sign regarding his future as a WWE Superstar.
– Bobby Heenan’s wife Cynthia noted on Sunday that he’s back home after spending several days in the hospital last week due to a fall.
– Owen Hart would have celebrated his 51st birthday today.
– The Rock noted on Twitter that his new “Rock Clock” alarm app hit 1 million downloads in the first week.
– As seen below, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan’s wife went on Twitter to shoot down an incorrect report on Bobby passing away. We noted a few days ago that Heenan was hospitalized after falling.
– WWE referee Scott Armstrong is celebrating his 57th birthday today. He was born May 4, 1959.
– A new episode of “Table For 3” premieres tonight on the WWE Network featuring Hall of Famers Pat Patterson, Ricky Steamboat and Hillbilly Jim.
– On Tuesday, WWE announced that a Shane McMahon “tell all podcast” will air later this month (5/23) on the WWE Network. Mick Foley will host the special, a decision many fans questioned on social media.
Foley responded to the buzz, noting that the WWE Network’s resident podcast host, Steve Austin, was unavailable for the gig due to a previous commitment.
– “Mean” Gene Okerlund noted that his longtime broadcast colleague Bobby Heenan is currently hospitalized after taking a fall earlier today. Keep “The Brain” in your thoughts.
Hey Gang. Just got word that, Bobby Heenan had a spill this morning and will be in the hospital for a few days. Wishing The Brain the best
Update: Heenan’s wife Cynthia has provided an update, noting that he’ll remain hospitalized for the next 3 days while doctors monitor his low blood pressure. Use the hashtag #GetWellBobby on Twitter to show your support.
– According to the L.A. Times, WWE Hall Of Famer Bret Hart is selling his home in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The asking price for the property is $705,000, which is down from the $725,000 they were asking for back in May. Hart originally paid $675,000 back in 2004 for the home, which is 2,064 square feet of living space, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a wet bar, a center-island kitchen and a personal office.
– Former WWE star Tyler Reks turned 37 today. In other wrestling birthdays today, WWE Hall Of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan turned 71 years old.
– A new poll on WWE.com asks fans which Superstar would make the best MMA fighter. Topping the list is Roman Reigns with 1,000 votes, followed by Seth Rollins, Cesaro, Kofi Kingston, Dean Ambrose, Daniel Brian, Kevin Owens, King Barrett, Neville and Rusev. You can vote on the poll at WWE.com.
WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley recently updated his official Facebook page, blogging about an incident he had with a fan during a recent Q&A session.
“The Hardcore Legend” wrote the following:
NAME YOUR TOP 5 ANNOUNCERS OF ALL-TIME
Last night, the Q&A session at the “#FiftyYearsOfFoley” show threatened to get ugly, when a lad, with the help of a few too many pints took great exception to my oft-stated stance that #WWEHOF announcer Jim Ross is the best wrestling announcer of all time. The lad was a little tough to understand…sometimes a few extra pints will do that to a guy. But in the end with great concentration I grasped the point he seemed to be so desperately trying to make: my belief that JR is the greatest Wrestling commentator of all time was downright offensive to him and his earnest belief that the duo of Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon were the greatest announcers of all time.
I broke the tense standoff the only way I knew how. “Dude”, I said. “These are OPINIONS. They’re not facts. You are entitled to your opinion – and I’m entitled to mine, right?”
Thankfully, the guy calmed down, apologized for creating a disturbance. I shook his hand and headed back to the stage. I heard him call out to me.
“Mick?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you think Eric Bischoff was underrated as an announcer?”
I had him thrown out of the building immediately.
From there, Foley asked fans to engage, telling them to vote on who they feel the top-five best pro wrestling announcers of all-time are. You can post your top five on Foley’s page by clicking here.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official blog section with his latest thoughts and opinions. Below are some of the highlights from the update.
On getting a job as an announcer or referee in WWE: “One would go about getting a TV job at WWE just like any other broadcast entity. They seem to require a college degree in the field now and some outside the wrestling business experience so that candidates can build a reel.”
On Scott Hall or Bobby Heenan on The Ross Report: “Scott and I have discussed him coming on the Ross Report and I’m sure that we will some day. Heenan would be a great one, obviously, under more positive circumstances. I’m lucky in that I have no shortage of guests and our podcast is growing every week.”
On memories of Roddy Piper: “Just building a relationship with him after we had both been in the business many years before ever meeting. I enjoyed talking about a variety of things with Roddy. He was unique and will be missed.’
On if WWE will be able to pull off a four-hour SummerSlam show: “Yes, to varying degrees but some won’t be too through or deep. There is one match at Summer Slam that will sell the show and that is Taker vs. Lesnar and the rest is support material with the exception of a potential Rollins Vs Cena title vs. title match.”
On why WWE has never hired Mike Tenay: “That would hae been a TV department decision and one that I would not have been in the loop for whatsoever. Mike could have helped WWE in many ways especially now with the WWE Network.”
Check out more JR’s Q&A updates at his official website, JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan underwent surgery this past week that had to do with new equipment that he needed for his jaw. Heenan was said to be doing well after undergoing the operation.
– Rey Mysterio is scheduled to return to work for the CRASH promotion in Mexicali on May 7th and in Ensenada on May 9th. For those unaware, the CRASH promotion is the company Mysterio worked a match for where the tragic accident took place that cost Mexican wrestling Perro Aguayo Jr. his life.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross’ “RINGSIDE: An Evening with Jim Ross” one-man show will be going head-to-head with the Ring Of Honor event on August 22nd in New York City during SummerSlam weekend. Tickets for the show go on sale this Friday at the Gramercy Theatre and on Ticketmaster.
– In a correction from an article last week, WWE Hall Of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan suffered a broken femur, not a broken hip as a result of a bad fall that he took at his home. Heenan had surgery to repair the injury and has been doing rehab since being released from the hospital.
– Former WCW star Juventud Guerrera is now working as a DJ in Mexico and is reportedly looking to run wrestling shows where he can perform as a DJ before the show.
The following are highlights of the latest blog by WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:
On NXT Takeover 2: “The match quality and the the flow of the NXT show was well produced and organized. The matches, by and large, were allowed time to tell the best story that they could. The matches that were being counted on to deliver certainly did. Especially impressed with the women’s match and how it was laid out and executed. Good stuff by all involved. Bailey is evolving very well and Charlotte is simply ‘special’ and so naturally athletic. Her nuances are far beyond someone with her experience level. My only hope is that Flair’s daughter doesn’t get any more tat’s. Small point but it was something that I noticed. She has the chance, tats or not, to be a true star on the main roster much sooner than later.”
On the main event at NXT Takeover 2: “Thought the main event, fatal four way, which can be a cluster, was well booked and executed. All the talents in this match plus the producers who put it together deserve a big time attaboy. Lots of effort and a nice story was told. Several unique agendas were touched on in this contest which is the mark of solid booking. Tyson Kidd once again demonstrated why he is one of the most under utilized talents in WWE IMO. Sami Zayn has been stellar since day one in NXT and has a bright future ahead of him. the Lance Storm trained Tyler Breeze has a great, TV persona and has every heel trait one could want in a talent. He gets it. Adrian Neville continues to remind me of a young, Tommy Billington which is a good thing as it relates to his in ring work and he, too, has a future on the WWE main roster at some point in time.”
On Bobby Heenan: “Thoughts go out to the great, Bobby Heenan who apparently has suffered a broken hip to add to his other physical challenges. I love ‘The Wease’ who was one of my all time favorite people with which to work in my 40 year career. No one in the business that I’ve seen or read about was better than Bobby when it came to wrestling, managing, and being a TV commentator. When he was on, no one could touch him and he took bigger and better bumps than any manager that I ever saw. Plus, his natural sense of timing in the ring and on the mic were unsurpassed.”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
WWE Hall Of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan is reported to have suffered a broken hip after taking a bad fall. His wife, Cindy, informed promoters that had Heenan booked over the weekend that he will not be able to appear as scheduled and that he will be requiring surgery.
Telly Bistis issued the following statement:
“We have been informed by Cynthia Heenan, wife of legendary WWE Hall of Famer Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan, that Bobby will not be able to appear at this years ‘Alamo City Comic Con’ in San Antonio, TX. Mr. Heenan was scheduled to appear later this month for ‘Clutch City Productions’ at one of the biggest conventions in Texas, however Mr. Heenan has canceled his appearance due to health reasons. We ask that you keep Bobby in your prayers.”
– The kid who played “Little Johnny” during the Bray Wyatt vs. John Cena steel cage match at Sunday’s WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view was the son of Jameson, a former WWE character who at one point co-hosted the “Bobby Heenan Show” on the USA Network.
– Short Sleeve Sampson apparently received massive heat from WWE for posting a photo on his official Facebook account prior to last night’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view. The reason is because the photo had John Cena with Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan in the background going over their match.
WWE Hall Of Famer Bobby “The Brain” Heenan suffered a broken shoulder after taking a bad fall out of bed on April 24th in Las Vegas, Nevada. Heenan was in town with his family for a wedding, but ended up missing the wedding as he spent the day in the hospital due to the injury.
Heenan, who despite his declining health over the years, has reportedly been in good spirits lately. His bones are considered weak and brittle after the many cancer treatments he has received over the years, which makes such an injury easier for him to suffer.
– John Cena and Nikki Bella will be attending the ninth annual Sunscreen Film Festival on May 1st at the Palladium Theater in St. Petersburg, Florida. The film, “Confessions of a Womanizer,” which features The Bella Twins, will be screened. Total Divas cameras are also expected at the event to film possible footage for a future episode.
– The official WWE website recently added a feature looking at the top 50 talkers in pro wrestling history. The top ten looks like this:
10. Chris Jericho
9. Hulk Hogan
8. Bobby Heenan
7. Mick Foley
6. Paul Heyman
5. Dusty Rhodes
4. Steve Austin
3. Roddy Piper
2. The Rock
1. Ric Flair
