The latest installment of Paul Heyman’s Heyman Hustle video series features unseen footage of Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker from their infamous confrontation at UFC 121. Plus, there’s a backstage look at Brock and Paul from last year’s SummerSlam, when Brock sent John Cena to Suplex City.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently spoke to Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard blog about this Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.
On Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker: “A brawl is the only way to go for these two. What a great story it would be if both guys try to make their opponent submit. Think of what it would mean for a victory if both men were working for a submission–if the Undertaker continued to go for his gogoplata chokehold, and Lesnar was trying to get the kimura, which is a double wrist lock. Getting your opponent to tap out is the most macho of all the ways to win, and I can see that story woven in there by the announcers.”
On Divas triple threat match: “The Divas feuds are lacking structure and a reason to care. The emotional investment is not there yet in this rivalry. Who goes over with nine of them fighting? And how much time do they have? They need two good finishes in this match, and then you need to have Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Paige win. But I don’t know where they’re going with this–they haven’t established any real rivalries yet. They’re on the roster, getting some exposure, but it’s inevitable that some of them are going to have to take out some of their repertoire in a match with nine people.”
On Seth Rollins being a great heel: “But I sincerely hope there are no plans, somewhere down the road, to turn Rollins babyface. He’s still learning how to be a great heel, and it’s doing a damn good job with it. He’s a student of the game, works hard, and every week he adds another nuance of being a heel. He’s a major block in the foundation, so Cena beating him at SummerSlam is not the right thing to do. Rollins needs to retain the title, even if it’s with the help of plenty of outside interference.”
Check out the complete interview at SI.com.
WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin recently spoke with IGN to promote WWE 2K16, as well as this Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.
On who will win the Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker match: “I think it’s [Brock Lesnar’s] turn. And if you go that way then you can take the rubber match to WrestleMania and then Brock goes over and Taker rides off into the sunset. That’d be my prediction.”
On John Cena and the internet wrestling community giving him a hard time: “But everybody also knows that I’m a huge John Cena fan for his contributions for what he’s done for the business. He’s been the top guy for the last ten years. I’ve been there and I did it, so the run that he’s had is amazing. When you get the IWC involved, a lot of people have had a gut-full of him. But when a guy like me from outside, who was inside in the business at the highest level, looks at what he’s done, it’s phenomenal. So you could flip a coin on this one. You’d really have to get inside Vince McMahon’s head and see the chess game that’s going on. Get his mindset to see what he wants to do with the pieces on the table. That’s a hard one for me to pick. I’ll go Taker on Taker/Lesnar, but it’s really hard to call Cena/Rollins.”
Check out the complete interview at IGN.com.
https://youtu.be/cGcmxAcdeEs
WWE performer Paul Heyman released a new “Heyman Hustle” video on Thursday to make an announcement regarding SummerSlam headliner Brock Lesnar.
In the video, which you can view above, Heyman takes to the streets of New York City, where he mingles with the people and even takes a street chess player to “Checkmate City, Bitch!”
Also during the video, Heyman delivered the “mega-announcement” that his client, “The Beast Incarnate” Brock Lesnar, will indeed be part of the new WWE 2K16 video game.
Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker headlines this Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Make sure to visit SEScoops.com on Sunday evening for live WWE SummerSlam results coverage.
Daniel Bryan took part in a Q&A session at Wizard World in Chicago on Thursday and was asked about his medical status. Bryan said he’s been cleared by a “respectable doctor” to wrestle, but WWE won’t clear him because they are worried about his history with concussions.
Bryan said that officials with WWE have not given any indication on when or if they will clear him to return to action.
He also mentioned that he has talked about working with NXT talents, however he didn’t want to elaborate in detail because he still plans to return to the ring.
When if he could pick one final opponent to wrestle in WWE, Bryan named Brock Lesnar.
WWE performer Paul Heyman recently spoke with CBS Sports to promote this Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. During the interview, Heyman was asked the secret to maintaining his friendship with Brock Lesnar.
“I’ve never let him down,” Heyman said. “I always tell Brock Lesnar the truth. I don’t appease Brock Lesnar. I don’t placate Brock Lesnar. When Brock Lesnar asks me for an opinion, I give to him an honest opinion that I’m willing to back up with facts, with theory. It’s never just what he wants to hear, or what benefits me the most. And I get the same from him, I assure you.”
Heyman also sang the praises of current WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, noting that he has “risen to the top faster than anyone else that has been called up so far from NXT.”
“I think Seth Rollins is a perennial champion for the next decade,” said Heyman. “I think in the same way that John Cena and Randy Orton are multi, multi-time champions from 2005 on, I think that is now Seth Rollins’ position. I think Seth Rollins is in the title picture for the next decade. He has established himself as a main event performer. He has delivered on every occasion that he has had the opportunity to perform. And he has risen to the top faster than anyone else that has been called up so far from NXT. So I think Seth Rollins is just at the very beginning of his career as a main eventer.”
Heyman continued, “I mean, Seth Rollins was involved in the main event of this year’s WrestleMania, but he wasn’t advertised as a main event at this year’s WrestleMania. We have yet to see Seth Rollins have the opportunity to perform in a WrestleMania main event. I don’t think you’ve even seen Seth Rollins scratch the surface of what he’s capable of doing.”
With Paul Heyman in his corner, Brock Lesnar goes one-on-one with The Undertaker in “the rematch too big for WrestleMania,” this Sunday, August 23, 2015, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York at WWE SummerSlam, live on pay-per-view and on the WWE Network.
Part-time WWE performer Chris Jericho recently spoke with Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard blog to promote this Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view. Below are some of the highlights from the interview..
On the reason he’s still around: “I’ve gone far beyond having to do anything for any financial reasons, but it’s a good time to go out there in the ring and it’s very second nature to me. Mentally, it’s still there, and you think about things a little differently after doing this for 25 years. Physically, I feel better than I felt ten years ago. I just started doing yoga five years ago, and it just changed everything around for me, as far as the soreness and the level I had of pain I’d feel during or after a match. But the most important reason I still do this is because I enjoy it. It’s a lot of fun, and I like working with the younger guys–it reinvigorates my desire to continue. Those guys work a lot like the gang of guys from my generation, and that gives me a kick, as well.”
On his current WWE status: “I do as many shows as I can to keep my foot in the WWE door, so I’m not gone for a year at a time. I’ve been off TV for a year, but I’ve worked 50 shows in the interim just doing live events, which, to me, is a lot more fun. I’m also working with all of the younger guys–I worked with Kevin Owens two weeks ago when Cena broke his nose–and that’s fun, too. Anyway I can be involved, I enjoy it. When it comes time for me to be full time, we’ll figure out what I’m going to do and I’ll come back.”
“The invitation is there 365 days a year. It’s not like I’m auditioning for a job with the WWE. It’s the other way around, ‘Give us as many dates as you can. You want to just work weekends? Do it. You want to just work TV? That’s fine, too.’ They leave it up to me, and I like working the schedule I’m on now. I like working the weekends. I don’t have time to commit to doing TV. For example, I don’t work weekends when we have Fozzy shows. I’m working the ones that I’m choosing, but I have the invitation to work 300 days a year with WWE if I wanted.”
On Tough Enough: “We’ve never seen anything like this version of Tough Enough, where it’s half-reality and half-live. When you start something new, there is a little bit of process to see how you’re going to make something work. So, as the weeks have gone by, I’ve increased my presence in the show. I was in the ring helping the competitors work out and book their match [last week], so being involved a little more in the reality portion of it balances out what I’m doing on the live part, as well. It’s been a lot of work, but the show has come into its own. People are always going to complain, ‘I wish it was that way,’ or ‘I wish that guy stayed,’ but it’s a whole new world for us that we’ve created. It kind of reminds me of when the Elimination Chamber happened. We’d never seen one before and there wasn’t anything to look back on, so you had to figure it out as you went along. And that’s what we’ve been doing, and it’s been working out–and it’s a great series so far.”
On the recent Hulk Hogan scandal: “I’m nobody to judge anybody. I’ve had just as many issues as anybody else. But you stand by your friends in good times and bad times, and Hulk’s my friend. That’s all I’m going to say about that.”
On Vince McMahon still being the boss: ?“Until the day he leaves this earth, Vince McMahon is in charge of every aspect of the company. It’s his company and it always will be. He’s giving out more responsibilities but, at the end of the day, anyone who was any responsibilities delegated by Vince still has to get final approval by Vince. He’s still the boss. I work with him very closely on Tough Enough every Tuesday in the direction meetings, and he still has a lot of great ideas. He still has his finger on the pulse of what’s going on. And it doesn’t matter what you hear other people say–everybody who works in the WWE knows who the boss is.”
On Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker at SummerSlam: “Undertaker has to win. There is no way he loses twice. Brock is at his best when he’s there to just fight. “That’s why his match with Reigns at WrestleMania was so good, and that’s something Lesnar and Undertaker didn’t do as much as they could have in their match at WrestleMania [30]. That pull-apart we saw a couple weeks ago on Raw between Lesnar and Undertaker will be the type of match we’ll see. It will be a rough fight. I’m sure they’ll exchange many false finishers, and each one will do the other’s finishing move, but it will be more violent and more hard-hitting. Any time Undertaker is on the show, you know it’s going to be a great show.”
Check out the complete interview at SI.com.
SummerSlam is just days away and the anticipation is building for WWE’s annual summer spectacular. The 4-hour show is packed with matches featuring WWE’s top talent, but the two major questions heading into Sunday remain:
We want to know what you think – cast your votes in the two polls below and don’t miss our live coverage of WWE SummerSlam this Sunday.
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Paul Heyman and Jim Ross spoke to Jonathan Snowden of Bleacher Report this week to discuss Brock Lesnar as he prepares to face The Undertaker this Sunday at WWE SummerSlam. Here are some highlights:
Brock Lesnar’s Work Ethic:
Jim Ross: “He’s got a very devoted worth ethic because that’s how he was raised. When you’re raised on a dairy farm, people have to understand, those cows are milked every morning and every evening every day of the year. So when you’re raised on a dairy farm, you understand the word ‘commitment’ and nose to the grindstone, for lack of a better term. And that’s the environment that he knew. That’s all he knew. So I think that has helped him establish his character, his integrity, as far as how he approaches his vocation.”
Lesnar Shattering The Undertaker’s Mystique:
Paul Heyman: “Because the streak was something very special and everyone wanted to believe it would be the exception that defines the rule. That something in the world of sport or entertainment or sports entertainment could truly live on forever. People are still legitimately pissed off because so many people look to live vicariously through the personas and the characters in WWE because it’s a fantasy world. And all of a sudden, the fantasy world of WWE got b—h-slapped into waking up from their dream, because, much like everything else in life, the streak came to an end. And no one likes it when their fantasy is burst. No one.”
Vince McMahon’s Decision To Work With Brock Lesnar Again:
Jim Ross: “It proved to me that despite all those people who love to stand on their soapbox and talk about McMahon’s ego, that he still is gonna do what’s best for his company that he’s built from the territorial smoky arenas to the global brand that it is. It has been built on his back. And he’s had to eat a lot of s–t over the years. That was one of the things he taught me when he promoted me to be in charge of the talent roster and to retool it and to try to change the personality of the locker room. He said, ‘You have to learn to eat a lot of s–t.’ He said, ‘You’ll never like the taste of it, but you’ll get used to it.'”
Lesnar Re-Signing With WWE This Year & His Future:
Paul Heyman: “His timing is impeccable. He knows what he’s doing. He is a world-class global athlete in his prime yet understands how to maximize the money he will make based on the exploitation of his persona. Brock Lesnar is not done yet. Brock Lesnar has not accomplished all that he wants to accomplish yet. And there are still things that Brock Lesnar wants to do that the public is going to be in awe of. We’re just getting started here.”
Brock Lesnar visited ESPN headquarters on Tuesday for his appearances on Sports Center and ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike show. Here are some photos from the visit, including Lesnar serving as ESPN’s “new head of security.”
#WWE's @BrockLesnar goes behind the scenes on @espn @SportsCenter. #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/09s2Eu8VnM
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 18, 2015
#WWE's @BrockLesnar laughs for no man! Try again, @reesewaters. @SportsCenter #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/sQdlQY6fPr
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 18, 2015
#WWE's @BrockLesnar sits down with @espn's @MikeAndMike. #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/H07uyB7HVu
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 18, 2015
#WWE's @BrockLesnar is ready to get down to business on @espn @SportsCenter. #SummerSlam pic.twitter.com/kiCg358ErX
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 18, 2015
Meet @espn's new Head of Security: #WWE's @BrockLesnar pic.twitter.com/8JXdAmQPle
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 18, 2015
So @BrockLesnar is manning the security post on ESPN's campus. We almost had to widen the window to fit his biceps! ? pic.twitter.com/cbhaA3GVAc
— ESPN (@espn) August 18, 2015
– There was no dark main event after last night’s RAW in Minneapolis. After the show went off the air, Brock Lesnar recovered, thanked his hometown crowd and promised to defeat The Undertaker at SummerSlam.
WWE returns to Minneapolis on December 21st for RAW. The pre-sale is going on now with the passcode RAWPRE.
– Tonight’s WWE Tough Enough on the USA Network will feature one of the final three male competitors being eliminated, footage filmed at Universal Studios and more in-ring action from the WWE Performance Center.
– Synopsis for tonight’s Total Divas episode on E!:
“Tensions ride high in the Bella family when JJ tries to take over the twins’ new business; Trinity goes above and beyond in her role as stepmother; and Eva devises a risky plan to prove herself to the Divas.”
https://youtu.be/OgeB3YQ811o
Brock Lesnar appeared on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Tuesday morning to discuss his match against The Undertaker this Sunday at SummerSlam, breaking The Undertaker’s WrestleMania streak, Dana White’s recent tweet about pro wrestling being “fake” and much more. Here’s a recap:
– Lesnar says he feels good and is excited to take The Undertaker to Suplex City at SummerSlam. He talks about ending The Streak and says it was a weird experience. Lesnar says he will take the win and at the end of the day, it was a business decision made by Vince McMahon.
– When asked about Dana White’s recent controversial tweet about pro wrestling being “fake,” Lesnar said of course it’s fake, everybody knows that, but Dana is still promoting the same thing WWE is promoting. Lesnar says it just happens WWE gets more longevity out of their fighters. He says if you can’t turn WWE on Monday nights and can’t get entertainment out of the show, something’s wrong with you. Lesnar called it the same racket. He believes Vince McMahon may be better than Dana and that may rub Dana the wrong way. Lesnar says Vince is a pioneer and is damn good at what he does.
"I think Vince McMahon is better at it than Dana [White] and that might rub Dana the wrong way." – @BrockLesnar on WWE vs UFC
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 18, 2015
– Lesnar says he loves being in the ring and it’s all about performing. Lesnar says that’s why he’s here.
– Brock Lesnar is scheduled to make a rare media appearance, as he will be on ESPN’s Mike & Mike radio show on Tuesday morning, August 18th at 9am EST. to promote this Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view, where he will take on The Undertaker. Make sure to check back here at SEScoops.com on Tuesday afternoon for a recap of his appearance.
– As Hollymood Entertainment continues to work on the new marijuana documentary featuring on-again, off-again WWE performer Rob Van Dam, as well as other celebrities, the company is offering bulk deals on their past wrestling-related DVDs, such as New Jack: Hardcore and 101 Reasons Not To Be A Pro Wrestler (the special limited edition copy). Those interested can contact Hollymood Entertainment at HollymoodLA@aol.com. To check out the trailer for the aforementioned marijuana documentary that features RVD and other celebrities, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tW5rqVaPvh4.
– Manny The Frenchie, the world’s most-followed Bulldog on Twitter, is backstage at tonight’s WWE SummerSlam “go-home” edition of RAW in Minneapolis. Below is a photo of the puppy with three of the WWE Divas.
Before tonight's #RAW in Minneapolis, @FrenchieManny stopped by the show to hang out with some #WWE divas! pic.twitter.com/IDCj07DOie
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 17, 2015
Paul Heyman recently took part in a Q&A with WTOP out of Washington, D.C. to promote Sunday’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view. Below are some of the highlights.
On what Brock Lesnar is doing to get ready for SummerSlam: “The same thing he did to get ready for Wrestlemania 30. He’s training, he’s hunting, he’s eating right, he’s getting ready to just walk in the ring and destroy The Undertaker.”
On if Brock has to up his game to beat Undertaker again: “I think The Undertaker is the one who needs to up his game. I don’t understand why anybody doesn’t understand the correlation here. I don’t think The Undertaker wanted to lose at Wrestlemania 30 either, but he had no choice in the matter. He got his ass kicked by Brock Lesnar, he got beaten by Brock Lesnar, he got beat up by Brock Lesnar, he got victimized by Brock Lesnar, and he got conquered by Brock Lesnar. And the very same thing is going to happen next Sunday at SummerSlam.”
On The Undertaker’s time being up: “I didn’t say Undertaker’s time is up. That’s putting words in my mouth. I think if The Undertaker picked a fight with anybody right now, The Undertaker would easily win. I don’t see anybody being able to stand up to The Undertaker. There’s not a man alive right now that can step into the ring with The Undertaker who’s this driven, this focused and now has something to make up for since he lost at Wrestlemania 30. The problem is, The Undertaker isn’t fighting a man, he’s fighting a beast. He’s fighting a conqueror. He’s fighting a once-in-a-lifetime athlete named Brock Lesnar. So it’s no slight to The Undertaker that he’s going to get his ass kicked by Brock Lesnar. Any human being who steps in the ring with Brock Lesnar is going to get his ass kicked. It’s not even a fair fight!”
On why fans should look forward to John Cena vs. Seth Rollins at SummerSlam as well: “It’s a double title match. It’s a pretty interesting situation where one man is going to walk out with the undisputed WWE Heavyweight Championship of the World and the U.S. Championship, so it’s certainly not a match with just typical stakes on the line. It’s a match with both titles on the line, which I think is a unique situation with two of the top stars of not only the past year, but the past decade.”
Check out the complete interview at WTOP.com.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official blog with his latest thoughts and comments on a number of topics. Below are some of the highlights.
On SummerSlam “go-home” edition of RAW: “Key, Monday night RAW broadcast especially as it pertains to what WWE does with the main event of Summer Slam, Brock vs.Taker. After the massive, multi person pull apart of a few weeks ago, what’s next? More physicality? No physicality? Another award winning @HeymanHustle promo? Will Heyman fall prey to the Undertaker?
There are always several, right ways to do something good on a pro wrestling show which is why the biz is so subjective. Nonetheless, Lesnar w/ Heyman vs. the Undertaker is the primary match fans are paying to see come this Sunday night in Brooklyn. It’s a little predictable if Taker wins to even the score against Brock to set up a rubber match at WrestleMania but that’s not what I would do.”
On what he would like to see at SummerSlam: “I’d love to see clear cut winners and losers in the two main events at Summer Slam including the Title vs Title match featuring Seth Rollins vs. John Cena. For some reason, I see HHH getting involved in this match and not for any specific reason as to why.
In today’s world, it seems that most fans are non plussed when it comes to untimely disqualifications and count outs. Keeping the fans happy, content and enjoying the product has to be any company’s #1 priority.”
On his issue with wrestlers and titles: “Does it bother anyone else that so many pro wrestling champions carry their titles over their shoulder to the ring instead of wearing them? That makes the titles look even more like a show biz ‘prop.'”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
– WWE has a 30-minute pre-show for next Saturday’s NXT Takeover: Brooklyn event planned for the WWE Network. The pre-show will air at 8:30pm EST. on Saturday, August 22nd, leading directly into the two-hour NXT Takeover: Brooklyn event, which is scheduled to begin at 9pm EST. on the WWE Network. Currently, there is no post-show scheduled for the NXT special.
– The latest edition of WWE’s “Canvas 2 Canvas” web-series features artwork on The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar, both of whom will be headlining next Sunday’s SummerSlam event against each other.
– Speaking of next weekend’s SummerSlam pay-per-view, WWE released the following look back at the 20 greatest moments in SummerSlam history to promote this year’s event.
– WWE United States Champion John Cena is scheduled to be the special guest co-host for the NBC’s “Today” show on Monday morning, and again on Thursday in the 9am EST. time slot. Cena will be on the show to promote WWE’s SummerSlam pay-per-view. He will also promote the show on “Late Night with Seth Myers” on Friday, August 21st.
– WWE posted the following vignette for The Undertaker’s upcoming in-ring return against Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam.
– WWE Diva Summer Rae was on the field at the Chicago Bears’ NFL pre-season game on Thursday evening. Below is a photo of Summer on the field with her father.
So much fun at the @ChicagoBears preseason game last night! Had to bring dad on the field before the game! ?? #Bears pic.twitter.com/70ciX4WFnQ
— Summer Rae (@DanielleMoinet) August 14, 2015
– There will be no new content airing on the WWE Network following this Monday night’s edition of WWE RAW. Instead, WWE has decided to re-air the new Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar hype special for their upcoming match at this month’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view.
– A new episode of “The WWE List” will premiere on the WWE Network this Tuesday at 4pm EST. The official description for the show reads as follows:
“Is there anything more buzzworthy than a true Cinderella story? Find out why as we examine the top Underdogs in WWE history!”
– A new episode of “Unfiltered with Renee Young” will debut on the WWE Network on Wednesday at 4pm EST. The description for that one reads as follows:
“With his match against Stardust and King Barrett looming, Renee and Stephen discuss everything from Arrow to TMNT 2 to his love of WWE!”
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official website blog with his latest thoughts and opinions on a number of current WWE topics. Below are some of the highlights:
On The Undertaker/Brock Lesnar angle: “I’m more interested in the Lesnar/Taker/Heyman business than any thing else on the show or heading to Summer Slam. Very curious as to what will go down in Brooklyn. Many ae predicting that Taker wins but I’m not so sure that he will and have predicted a Lesnar win on my podcast. I will certainly be watching from the comfort of my home on Sunday August 24 which is the day after my RINGSIDE Show in NYC’s Gramercy Theater the night before. The Undertaker-Brock video package was money.”
On rumors of Kevin Owens having issues with WWE management: “Thought the triple threat match was entertaining largely thanks to the fresh contributions of both Kevin Owens and Cesaro to go along with long time main eventer Randy Orton. Cesaro has never looked better in WWE than he has lately. I’m high on both Cesaro and Owens to continue to emerge in WWE. I’m getting deluged on Twitter with questions from people asking me if Kevin Owens is having issues with management. I have no earthly idea as to the answer and see no reason why Owens would be in hot water. Bottom line is I don’t know but I do know that Owens beat John Cena cleanly a few weeks ago which can’t be discounted or forgotten. Nonetheless a good match that saw all three men contribute significantly.”
On Stephen Amell in WWE: “Thought actor Steve Amell over achieved Monday night and I was dead wrong about doubting his appearance which is leading to Summer Slam. Amell is a good athlete or so it seems. Hope that they pull off the special attraction well at Summer Slam.”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
As recently as last month, there had been talk of Sting competing at SummerSlam, teaming with Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose against the Wyatt Family. One of the reasons WWE decided not to use Sting at this year’s SummerSlam pay-per-view is due to the fact that the card is already loaded with stars like The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, actor Stephen Amell and others.
With that said, it’s possible WWE is waiting to use Sting as a hook to sell the WWE Network in September for Night Of Champions, which takes place in Texas, where Sting currently lives.
If Sting is used in September, it’s possible he will work the previously rumored six-man tag-team match with Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose against Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan. A big factor in this match happening is Erick Rowan’s status, as he’s currently out of action due to injury and might not be back until November.
(Credit: F4WOnline.com)
During a recent appearance on the Last Round Podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Hacksaw Jim Duggan’s talked about Brock Lesnar and The Steiner Brothers being unsafe in the ring. Here’s their exchange:
Duggan: “You know the guy (presumably The Undertaker), he does a lot of high risk moves for an older man, out there taking… working with Brock Lesnar is dangerous anyway because Brock doesn’t seem to care about his partner. It’s easy to hurt people though. If I give you my body, then you gotta take care of me. Some guys don’t give a darn and Brock doesn’t give a darn, he’ll just throw people around. Steiners used to be like that.”
Host: “I think the politically correct way to say it is, they don’t know their own strengths…”
Duggan: “No, no, no… they take advantage of people. They take advantage of people. When you get another hardnose out there they seem to loosen up really quick.”
The final episode of RAW before this year’s SummerSlam event will take place on August 17th at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Ahead of his match against Brock Lesnar in Brooklyn, it appears that The Undertaker is now being advertised for the show – as is Brock Lesnar.
As we reported yesterday, immediately following RAW this Monday, a special will air on the WWE Network looking at the rivalry between The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar.
As noted earlier, a WWE Network special called “Undertaker vs. Lesnar: One on One” will be airing this coming Monday night immediately following RAW.
The official synopsis for the special reads as follows: “Will Undertaker have vengeance or will Brock Lesnar dominate? Watch WWE Superstars break down the highly anticipated SummerSlam matchup!”
Additionally, the official WWE website has released a brief promo from Lesnar and Heyman where the two talk about The Undertaker and their upcoming historic rematch at the four-hour WWE SummerSlam special event.
You can check out the brand new Lesnar and Heyman online promo by visiting WWE.com.
– The following are recent WWE attendance figures, courtesy of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
– This coming Monday after RAW, the WWE Network will be airing a 30-minute special looking at the SummerSlam main event titled, “Undertaker vs. Lesnar: One on One.” The show will look back on their storied feud and will include various WWE talents discussing the upcoming match. WWE’s synopsis reads:
“Will Undertaker have vengeance or will Brock Lesnar dominate? Watch WWE Superstars break down the highly anticipated SummerSlam matchup!”
After the Taker-Lesnar special concludes, we’ll get a 30-minute sneak peek at the new “Very Best of WCW Nitro Volume 3” DVD and Blu-ray, which will be released the following day. The synopsis reads:
“A First Look at The Very Best of Nitro Volume 3, hosted by DDP! Featuring Randy Savage, Bret Hart, Booker T, The nWo and more!”
More details are “coming out” regarding WWE considering Brock Lesnar portraying a gay character back in 2002, courtesy of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
According to Dave Meltzer, it was Dr. J. Kober Zehner who originally came up with the idea. Brian Solomon and Aaron Feigenbaum developed the idea and pitched it to the head writers at the time, which included Paul Heyman, Brian Gewirtz and Seth Mates. Heyman was said to be completely against the idea, since Lesnar had already established himself on TV as a freak athlete that didn’t need a controversial gimmick to get over. Meltzer speculates that Lesnar would have likely hated the idea, since it could have wrong a dozen different ways.
An excerpt of the pitch to WWE’s lead writers reportedly stated:
“[Brock] is physically dominant, has impeccable credentials concerning believability, and because he is new and relatively unknown, his character can be crafted easily. His ascension could also raise the scores of other Superstars with whom he feuds. The following possible scenario to increase Brock’s ability to grow the industry is radical. It’s unprecedented and may appear crazy at first. There are risks involved, but if it works, it has Austin/McMahon like potential. The solution: Turn Brock Gay.
Everything else about him stays the same. He’s pushed in a traditional babyface manner. He’s not the stereotypical Billy/Chuck character. He’s Brock. He continues to annihilate people. He’s just gay. It has to be presented as completely real, especially in the beginning.”
In the end, the idea never came to fruition and Lesnar has had a Hall of Fame career without his character’s sexual orientation ever coming into play.
Comment below and tell us if you think Brock would have reached the heights that he did, had WWE revealed his character was gay.