With the first round of WWE Network subscriptions coming due on September 2nd, WWE is looking to beef up their Night Of Champions pay-per-view on September 21st.
As expected, Brock Lesnar will be returning to work the SummerSlam pay-per-view in August, and will reportedly stay and work a two-show program through the Night Of Champions show.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
– New episodes of WWE Slam City, which features Brock Lesnar, Sheamus, Rey Mysterio and Damien Sandow, are now available at WWESlamCity.com. They will also be added to the WWE Network in the near future.
– The following is a new video blog from former WWE Superstar Ezekiel Jackson:
http://youtu.be/Bd27od40CZo
Wrestling legend Vader was recently interviewed by Wrestling101. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
The Undertaker: “Undertaker was just phenomenal and I would say he is the best big man in professional wrestling history, without a doubt.”
Brock Lesnar: “I think Brock Lesnar is just a beast, he’s an incredible athlete and he would be great at anything he turned his hand to, I would love to see Brock featured more than he is.”
Triple H: “Triple H is doing a fantastic job running the company now but I would love to see more of him performing in the ring as he is still a tremendous athlete.”
Rumors Of Him Entering The WWE Hall of Fame: “I heard rumblings about it a couple of years ago, but I’ve not heard anything for a while now. I would really like for that to happen, I think I?ve earned it. Yokozuna, Bam Bam Bigelow, King Kong Bundy and myself would be considered super-heavyweights, and I would rank myself very high out of that group, and there is a time in my career in the early nineties where I considered myself to be the best big man.”
Comparing Vince McMahon and Eric Bischoff: “Eric was put into a situation and I think from a wrestling standpoint he wasn’t really ready for it at that time. He became very educated and excellent at what he did but it was kind of like we had one guy running the wrestling part and then two weeks later we had another guy doing it and so on and so forth until Eric did it. I think Eric was way in over his head initially but he certainly figured it out with the help of Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan and there were times when it became a biased situation but he achieved some great things, he is one of the most successful promoters in the history of professional wrestling. What can I say about Vince, he’s a genius, he is the most successful wrestling promoter of all time and just works so hard. He was very approachable and he has done nothing but treat me like a gentleman.”
The fact that Brock Lesnar is not scheduled to work this year’s WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view, which he generally has in the past, could be a sign about how he will be used when he does return.
According to one suorce, the fact that Lesnar isn’t going to be used at Extreme Rules could be a sign that he will work the September pay-per-view, which is Night Of Champions, which would mean whatever program he starts for SummerSlam, where he’s almost guaranteed to appear, will continue on after the show, leading into a rematch or something along those lines at Night Of Champions.
(Credit: F4WOnline.com)
As of right now, WWE is pushing the following four retired wrestlers, in order, the most: Hulk Hogan, Undertaker, Steve Austin and Ultimate Warrior. Warrior was higher on the priority list a few weeks ago, but that was due to the fact that he tragically passed away.
For the month of April, more people purchased Warrior merchandise on the internet than anyone else in the company, including John Cena.
The latest internet merchandise numbers, in order, were Cena, CM Punk, Daniel Bryan, The Wyatt Family, The Shield, Evolution and Hulk Hogan.
The latest arena merchandise numbers, in order, were Cena, Bryan, Randy Orton, Warrior, Rob Van Dam, Brock Lesnar, The Wyatt Family, Batista and Sin Cara.
It’s worth noting that Cena was head-and-shoulders above the rest of the top sellers at the arenas, with the second highest person on the list (Daniel Bryan) not even coming close to his sales figures.
As previously reported, WWE has plans for a Cesaro baby face push in the future. The general consensus is that when Cesaro eventually splits from Paul Heyman, he will enter into a program with Brock Lesnar, one that could possibly take place as one of the main events at this year’s SummerSlam pay-per-view.
Another idea for SummerSlam, while not yet confirmed, and is actually up in the air based on how things turn out for The Shield, is a Roman Reigns vs. Triple H main event at SummerSlam.
The idea seems to be that Cesaro goes over on Lesnar and Reigns goes over on HHH at SummerSlam, with the mindset being it would help elevate them to top-tier baby face status.
It’s worth noting that when WWE maps things out that far in advance, that plans change a lot as everything is a moving target that tends to change on a month-to-month basis.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
Jim Ross’s guest on this week’s Ross Report podcast at PodcastOne.com was fellow WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels. A large portion of the show focused on Brock Lesnar defeating The Undertaker at WrestleMania and ending his legendary undefeated streak.
Michaels said that he and everybody else backstage were shocked when the referee counted the pinfall. Corroborating our reports from right after WrestleMania, he said that only “one man” makes the call about a decision like that – and that’s Vince McMahon.
He revealed that Vince’s decision for Undertaker’s streak to end came just 4 hours before the show went on the air.
JR saw the Undertaker backstage at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony and hugged his longtime friend. When he asked Undertaker how much longer he plans to continue wrestling, he replied, “I don’t know, i’ll let you know in a few hours.”
Shawn said that Undertaker’s choice about whether he wants to wrestle again has nothing to do with the streak being broken. Michaels said after the match, Undertaker told him he’d call him in a few weeks to catch up.
Shawn also gave his thoughts on CM Punk, saying that he completely understands Punk’s mentality of being mentally burned out.
The following are highlights of a new Digital Spy interview with Chris Jericho:
How did you feel about the end of The Streak and how it happened? “I loved it, I thought it was great. It was a legitimate shock, it got everybody talking. I think the right guy got it, if you’re going from a credibility standpoint, and if you’re going from a believability standpoint. As much as people and fans and journalists want to believe that it’s the case, I’m not sure if Undertaker had too many matches left in him. Maybe he doesn’t want to wrestle again. Maybe he knew that he couldn’t take any more.
“It’s a big, physical task to wrestle as it is, and once a year is hard. I wouldn’t want to come and wrestle just once a year. That’s even harder than wrestling 200 times a year, because your body’s not used to it. And the older you get, the harder it gets, the more the aches and pains kick in.
“Maybe The Undertaker decided that, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore’. And much to the fans’ chagrin, who wish that we would wrestle until the day we die at 90 years old and explode into a puff of dust in the ring, sometimes you’ve got to make that decision.
“If the time was now, Brock was the right guy for that day, and I thought it was amazing. And I would have hated it – hated it – if Undertaker would have retired without losing. I think that would have been a horrible way to go, I’m really happy that he lost The Streak.”
What do you think of the work Paul Heyman’s done in the last year, and especially since WrestleMania? “If it’s Paul Heyman you know it’s going to be good. He’s a master at writing promos, at delivering promos and getting an angle over. He’s just one of those talents that can do it all. It doesn’t surprise me in the least – as a matter of fact it surprises me that people are so surprised at how good it’s been.
“The WWE is always morphing and changing in a good way because you have younger guys that are coming in, you have guys that are finally having their chance and breaking through to the next level, and you’ve got guys like Paul Heyman that have been doing this for so long they know exactly how to handle things, exactly how to get things over.”
What do you think about the rumors of a CM Punk return? “I don’t know, man, who knows, right? That’s something that only he can answer for sure. To me, if he hasn’t come back already, then… I left the WWE for two-and-a-half years in 2005. The only difference was I left when my contract was up, but I disappeared too, because I just was over it. I couldn’t take it anymore, I wasn’t interested in being there, I was getting miserable, so I know how he feels.
“I had no intention of coming back, and after two-and-a-half years I watched Shawn Michaels vs John Cena at WrestleMania 23 and that inspired me to want to come back, but it took two-and-a-half years to get there.
“So my answer is, ‘I don’t know’, but I just know how I was when I did the same thing. It took a long time for me to be able to come back, and I was probably the same age as Punk is now too, so maybe he’s going through the same thing and after a few years he’ll come back.”
How would you feel about Sting joining the WWE in some capacity? “Personally I don’t really have any opinions either way. If he comes to the WWE, good for him, it’s great. I saw him a couple of times in TNA and you know pretty much what he can do at this point in time. He is a legend and to have him come to the WWE for the first time would be great, but after a week or two what’s he going to do there?
“If you’re a hardcore fan it might be cool – for me it doesn’t really matter either way; if that’s what he wants to do then good for him, and I hope he shows up. And if not, then I don’t think it’s going to make a difference either way in WWE business. It’s not 1998 anymore, you know.”
Check out the complete interview at DigitalSpy.com.
The following are highlights of a recent interview with former WWE Superstar and UFC Hall Of Famer Ken Shamrock:
On Triple H’s ego and him possibly running WWE someday: “Here’s a guy that has a huge ego. He has a hard time with putting anybody over and let alone outside the business when someone like Brock Lesnar would have to hurt him. His ego wouldn’t let him walk around in a sling. He wants people to know it’s entertainment unless he’s the one doing it then he wants you to walk around in a leg cast. This is what i see the problem is and I’ve been pretty critical about it. You’ve got somebody in that position that’s got too big of an ego to run a company like that. Hunter goes to extreme lengths to look good, to be big and cut and make sure he’s on the cover of the muscle magazine and make sure he’s in fitness things. He’s the guy who’s putting himself in the forefront. For anybody to run a company like the WWE, you can’t be that guy. You’ve got too much talent out there for you to put yourself out there in front of them.”
On WWE not using UFC to help promote Lesnar when he returned in 2012: “I could easily tell you what happened. Triple H happened. You go in there, you take a guy with his stature, his tremendous ability, the limited experience he had in the MMA world and yet he still went in and beat a lot of world title guys. He goes in and Hunter has a match with him and knocks him out with one punch. I think it’s pretty clear what happened. There’s a lot of ego involved with guys running the organization. It’s a shame too, i mean i don’t know who’s pulling the strings. I wouldn’t think it’s Vince, maybe it is, maybe he’s changed his mindset. The thing i noticed with Vince was Vince didn’t care when someone came in, it was about ratings. It didn’t matter what the organization looked like because he could always somewhere down the line get the organization to look good from an angle. But to come in there and actually have him (Lesnar) destroy people from the MMA world. I think that Vince, his mind thought is yeah i mean come on i control this guy. I could have him come in here and crush 20 guys in a row, build up for a big PPV match then have John Cena or The Rock or The Undertaker or somebody come in and have this big payday and have them beat Brock Lesnar and now you’re back on top again. It didn’t make sense for you not to tuck your ego away for a while and build this guy so it was that. You have control over the final story line. You have the pencil in your hand, so you can write the ending to this story however you want.”
Check out the complete interview at MoreLikeRadio.org.
The following are highlights of the latest Jim Ross blog:
On where he feels WWE will end up on cable TV: “WWE should be so lucky as UFC has been with Fox when WWE signs their new, broadcast rights deal in America of which I fully expect to be an enhanced deal with NBC/Universal which will see RAW/Smackdown stay where they currently are. I do think that USA Network and their affiliates can do more to help promote WWE. I’d like to see Smackdown moved to Tuesday and go live. Going live with Smackdown on Friday night isn’t financially feasible or schedule friendly for WWE whatsoever.”
On having no desire to return to a weekly announcing gig: “I have no desire to return to weekly, pro wrestling announcing any where and especially where announcer’s are heavily produced and cannot be themselves. I don’t miss the travel or the politics. I also know that @MichaelCole @JCLayfield @Jerry Lawler don’t get the credit that they deserve under the philosophy currently utilized for their roles.”
On the fallout from Undertaker’s streak ending: “The Streak is dead. It isn’t being resurrected. Now the key is how WWE addresses Lesnar’s situation going forward and any future plans for Taker including when and where he goes into the WWE HOF. Those that are still in shock simply need to get over it and move forward. I did not like it either but I can see where the Streak ending can create unique opportunities on multiple, creative fronts.”
On the boxing documentary he narrarated for FOX Sports 1: “The video feature that I narrated for @FoxSports1 will air Monday night after their boxing event. It’s about the journey that the late, Tommy Morrison’s son Trey has embarked upon in pro boxing. The young, Oklahoman is attempting to follow in his dad’s footsteps. Many will recall that Tommy Morrison appeared in Rocky 5 and also defeated George Foreman to win the WBO heavyweight Title before lifestyle decisions helped end his career and eventually his life at the age of 44.”
Check out the complete blog online at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Despite reports to the contrary, it was not Undertaker’s decision to end his legendary undefeated streak at WrestleMania XXX this year. The belief, however, is that if he didn’t want to end the streak, he could have put up a fight and it probably wouldn’t have happened. Regardless, Vince McMahon made the call to have Brock Lesnar win the match.
Another interesting note is that the original plan for the match was for Undertaker to go over, however a few days before the show, McMahon changed his mind. The feeling is that McMahon knew of Undertaker’s physical condition and the chance that this was going to be his last match, and decided that if the streak was ever going to be broken, it was now or never.
As far as Undertaker’s reaction, as previously reported, there are conflicting reports. One friend of his said that he had to be talked into it, while another person who would likely know, said that he didn’t argue the decision at all.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
The official WWE website has published a new editorial piece featuring 8 bold predictions for the WWE Universe leading up to next year’s WrestleMania 31 event:
– Roman Reigns will win the 2015 Royal Rumble Match
– John Cena will join The Wyatt Family
– The Undertaker will retire
– The WWE World Heavyweight Championship will once again split into two titles
– Stephanie McMahon will target the Divas Championship
– Zeb Colter will form a stable of Real Americans
– Cody Rhodes will win (and cash in) Money in the Bank
– Cesaro will break away from Paul Heyman and challenge Brock Lesnar
Hit up the comments below and tell us if you agree with any of these picks.
The following are highlights of the latest Jim Ross blog:
On Daniel Bryan: “Some Twitter followers @JRsBBQ are already growing weary of Daniel Bryan being WWE Champion as their logic is now that the undersized, highly skilled wrestler has won the title there’s nothing left for him to conquer of which I find to be extremely misguided. Some might even say that theory is downright stupid.”
“Bryan is and always will be the physical underdog in 99% of his bouts and if the announcers tell a timely and fitting story, DB will be a WWE World Champion who will go into the vast majority of his Title Bouts as the underdog. If that isn’t a sellable story, then I don’t know what is.”
“When a scenario finds the ‘hero’ in jeopardy, it is generally a good thing in the genre of pro wrestling as it relates to telling a story both in the ring and at the announce table.”
“I also said that Bryan got over organically which is the best way possible and he will stay over if he continues to be positioned as I just described and he maintains his high standard of bell to bell excellence. The Champion’s biggest challenge is to continue to improve on his mic work and I expect that he recognizes such and will continue to address that phase of his game. Nonetheless Daniel Bryan is a credit to the business and WWE, or any one else, can’t get too many performers with his character and professionalism.”
“Hopefully Daniel Bryan’s reign as the WWE World Champion will be longer than the cup of coffee that many of his fans fear but I do think it is inevitable that Brock Lesnar will be the next top dog in WWE and a Lesnar-Bryan match at Summer Slam would be a great attraction.”
On Brock Lesnar, Cesaro and Paul Heyman: “Someone smarter than me, however, will have to explain why I should automatically think that Lesnar and @WWECesaro should be perceived as villains in the squared circle simply because they are affiliated with Paul Heyman. Neither wrestler cheats or rarely takes unfair shortcuts and ‘retreat’ isn’t too prominent either. Perhaps in today’s marketplace it simply doesn’t matter to those in charge of any wrestling organization even though the hero/villian dynamic is alive and well in UFC, NFL and in the NBA Playoffs.”
On fans who blame WWE creative for guys not getting over: “Love how some fans are so quick to blame ‘creative’ when something goes awry, in their view, on a pro wrestling TV show. Crafting consistent, ‘money’ creative is 50/50, at best, so smart wrestlers should always plan that they are going to have to add their own touches to make the creative that they are provided better than it is.”
Check out the complete blog online at JRsBarBQ.com.
Jim Ross took to Twitter to answer some questions from wrestling fans. Among some of the questions asked where who JR feels should be the next WWE World Heavyweight Champion, as well as questions regarding Daniel Bryan and SummerSlam. Below are some of JR’s tweets.
“@Kyriacou352: @JRsBBQ who should be the next @WWE Heavyweight Champion coming from your good self?”
Lesnar..now cue the "part time" debate
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) April 21, 2014
“@jccool420: @JRsBBQ will we see @WWEDanielBryan vs @BrockLesnar ??”
No brainer. Summerslam?
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) April 21, 2014
@WWEDanielBryan is hot & got there organically IE thanks largely to his skill set. DB staying hot is up to him. EZ to blame lame creative.
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) April 21, 2014
JR also revealed that Jim Cornette will be his “Ross Report” podcast guest this week.
“@pugs14: @JRsBBQ listening to the latest episode of the Ross Report!”
@RoFloESPN really smart. @TheJimCornette up this Tuesday pm. #awesome
— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) April 21, 2014
As previously reported, WWE referee Chad Patton — who served as the official for the Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker match at WrestleMania XXX — was not informed ahead of time that Lesnar was going to be defeating Undertaker during the bout. There is, however, some who feel that Undertaker or Lesnar may have tipped him off while they were actually in the ring.
Prior to the match, Patton was pulled aside and told to count to three, as if the match were a shoot, if either guy had their shoulders pinned to the mat. He was told that the only exception would be if Undertaker applied his “Hell’s Gate” submission, to not count Undertaker’s shoulders down while doing that particular move.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
The following are highlights of a new Jim Ross website Q&A update:
On WWE going to Saudi Arabia despite the fact that no women are allowed on the shows: “I think that you are over thinking this matter. Of course it’s all about the money. Whey was it not all about the money? Diversification has zero to do with a country’s laws or customs.”
On how he would book Brock Lesnar now that he has ended Undertaker’s streak: “I am a marketer. If fans get these Q&A’s for free hopefully they will reciprocate by buying some of our family’s products online. Lesnar should become untouchable until he passes the invisible torch at WM31 to the next big thing. I’d not beat Lesnar until WM31 and then only if it made sense and someone was ready to assume that role.”
On the toughest guys in the wrestling business: “The list is endless….so many former NCAA Wrestling Champions along with some legendary street fighters.”
On if he feels UFC guys could transition to WWE: “It’s certainly possible. It’s not an easy transition. More will fail than succeed.”
Check out more JR Q&A updates at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also purchase JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
During part one of Paul Heyman’s appearance on Steve Austin’s “Steve Austin Show” podcast on Tuesday, Austin admitted that he would be tempted to make a return to WWE for a match against Brock Lesnar. Heyman joked during the interview that this news would be the headline coming out of the show. Heyman continued to make a push for said-headline in a recent tweet on his official Twitter account. Heyman noted the following:
"@FactsWrestling Stone Cold @SteveAustinBSR admits during podcast w/ Heyman he would be "tempted" by a match w/ Brock Lesnar" @PodcastOne
— Paul Heyman (@HeymanHustle) April 17, 2014
Speaking of Heyman on the “Steve Austin Show,” part two was released via the “Steve Austin Unleashed” version of the show on Thursday. The official description for that show reads as follows:
SASu – EP108 – WWE’s Paul Heyman Pt 2
“WWE’s Paul Heyman aka Paul E. Dangerously talks to Steve about the demise of the ECW, the WWE conference call that got him fired, the craziest workers in the business, the Heyman Hustle, think tanks, and Vince McMahon’s sneezing issues.”
You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.
The following are highlights of a new RossOwenWilliams.com interview with former WWE Superstar Bob Holly.
On Undertaker’s streak coming to an end: “I think it was the right move with the wrong guy. Brock is a part time guy who wrestles what? Three times a year? They could have used that slot to make somebody who is full time. I think people would have accepted that more and wouldn’t have been in as much shock if it had been somebody else.”
On Roman Reigns: “I think it would have been good to have Roman Reigns go over on Taker. I think they’re moulding their next big star there and it would have been perfect to have him work with Taker instead of Brock. That would have made Roman Reigns. Right into main event status. That would have made him and once he beat Taker, his next thing should have been Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan or John Cena. Go after one of those three.”
On Undertaker’s retirement: “You know, just because he lost at Wrestlemania, everyone is speculating that it was his last match. Nowhere does it say that it was his last match. He never came out and said “this is it”. That said, I don’t think a match with the part-timer was the way to go. If Taker had been in the ring with someone else, a guy who knows how to lead a match and tell a good story, I think that would have been a better fit for Taker, whether it was his last match or not.”
Check out the complete interview at RossOwenWilliams.com.
The Big Red Monster is back, and it appears he is on a collision course with Daniel Bryan. After reclaiming his mask last week on Raw, Kane vowed to take care of the WWE Champion and send him to the depths of hell.
In true WWE storytelling fashion, they had a Kane video package queued up and ready to go about five minutes later, leading me to believe that he will be featured prominently in the storyline in the coming weeks.
With Evolution set to take on the Shield at Extreme Rules and seemingly no other contenders in line, it appears that Daniel Bryan’s first pay-per-view title defense will be against his former tag team partner.
Kane has temporarily retired his suit in favor of his signature mask in an attempt to exact revenge.
The thought of Kane headlining a pay-per-view in 2014 and competing for the WWE Championship could leave some fans scratching their heads, but I believe it could work well if planned appropriately. With other storylines, particularly the Shield/Evolution program, eating up a good portion of the main event roster, creative was left with few options for Bryan’s matchup at Extreme Rules.
Randy Orton still holds a rematch clause but is fighting with Evolution, not to mention that Orton/Bryan headlined three pay-per-views last year and most fans would like something fresh. I think Brock Lesnar is being built up to eventually challenge Bryan for the title, but it would be too soon and neither superstar could afford a loss immediately following WrestleMania. Lesnar needs to continue winning to validate his win against the Undertaker and Bryan cannot lose the title just one month after finally winning it. A no contest would also leave the crowd unsatisfied with the outcome.
Therefore, I think Bryan and Lesnar will both be built up over the coming months to set up a blockbuster showdown at SummerSlam. Bryan’s first victim will almost assuredly be Kane. It is no secret that Kane is past his prime, but he can still put on a decent match if paired with the right opponent.
At the very least, the two have been involved with one another in the storyline over the past several months and creative can rely on that to tell a decent story. It certainly works a little better than randomly choosing someone like Sheamus or Alberto Del Rio to challenge for the title.
– Brock Lesnar is expected to be back in WWE by SummerSlam. There’s been talk that he will challenge Daniel Bryan for he will eventually challenge WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the show.
As reported last week, Triple H vs. Roman Reigns is also planned for SummerSlam.
– WWE’s 4/12 live event from Hidalgo, Texas drew 6,000. The 4/13 event the following night from Chattanooga, Tennessee drew 5,200 fans.
– NXT star Enzo Amore returned to training this past week after being out of action since the fall with a broken leg.
Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter
– WWE Legends House premieres this Thursday on the WWE Network at 8pm EST.
– WWE.com has published a feature looking at the “Samoan tag team dominance” of the legendary Anoa’i family.
– Here’s a look at the Top 5 of the latest WWE.com power rankings:
I miss the pipe bombs.
I miss “The Best in the World.”
I miss CM Punk.
A few months ago, CM Punk walked out on WWE. That’s the catchy, grabby headline, anyway. In reality, he walked out on his fans. WWE will be fine without him. They have seen the best of all-time come and go and they continue to be a multi-billion dollar conglomerate.
When Punk first left, most of the attention was on the behind-the-scenes happenings of a business arrangement gone wrong. Everyone was focused on the story behind what led to his departure. As a fan, which I remain first and foremost, my initial reaction was more along the lines of, “damn, that sucks.” No more CM Punk pipe bombs? No more “Best in the World” in-ring performances?
When the “Chicago Made” Superstar first delivered his infamous “pipe bomb” promo in June of 2011, I fell back in love with the sport I have had a passion for since childhood. At the time, I was growing sweet on this new love of mine known as mixed-martial-arts. Pro wrestling became too PG. It was too geared for children.
CM Punk changed all of that.
After hearing of his promo, I checked it out on YouTube. From then on, my television was tuned into the USA Network every single Monday night. The key segment I looked forward to each week was one that featured Punk with a microphone in his hand. He never failed to deliver the type of entertainment that I had missed for so many years.
Eventually everyone in the pro wrestling business gets burned out. As of right now, I hold out hope that Punk will regain his passion for the business in the same way that he helped me regain mine. I fully expect to hear Living Colour’s “Cult Of Personality” again one day.
But what if I don’t?
After all of the focus on the answer to the question, “what happened?” died down, the attention now seems to be on ole’ Phil Brooks himself. After all of of those who cried “work” realized as the Chicago RAW came and went, the big WrestleMania XXX event came and went, and we still haven’t seen “The Best in the World” on our television sets, it seems like the reality is finally setting in.
He isn’t coming back. Not anytime soon, at least.
So what does this tell us as fans? Punk couldn’t work out an arrangement that would see him remain as an active WWE performer? In a time where many top-level Superstars are managing to secure special part-time contracts with limited dates and tons of dough, you mean to tell me that both sides couldn’t figure something out?
The job of a promoter is to deliver the matches and performers that people want to see. Clearly people want to see CM Punk in WWE. Having said that, how is it possible that Vince McMahon couldn’t come to some kind of arrangement to deliver Punk in Chicago, or in New Orleans?
Something isn’t right here.
I obviously don’t know Vince McMahon on a personal level, but I think it’s safe to say that his reputation as a guy who will bury the hatchet with people is well known. His reputation as a guy who delivers what people want to see is at the least above average. Knowing that, you would have to assume that he made every effort possible to get Punk back in the mix.
It didn’t happen.
The question now becomes, what is it that CM Punk wants? Based on behind-the-scenes rumblings, it seemed that Punk wanted a guaranteed spot in the main event of WrestleMania. Since he walked out, it seems as though anything short of that wasn’t good enough.
WWE doesn’t suffer, it’s the fans that suffer. Especially CM Punk fans. WWE fans will still find something to enjoy on Monday and Friday nights. WWE will be just fine. CM Punk fans, however, are screwed.
Unless you’re a fan of Mike Maron or Talking Dead, you’re not going to have the chance to see your favorite performer on television.
After reading a lot of feedback across a variety of platforms, I am noticing a trend. No longer are fans saying “screw WWE for not giving Punk what he wants.” The mood seems to be more along the lines of “what the hell, Punk, why aren’t you coming back?”
Listen, we don’t know what happens behind closed doors. It’s unfair to say with any kind of real certainty that the blame lies on this person or that person. But the bottom line is this: they need to figure out something that appeases both sides. The bottom line is WWE needs to deliver CM Punk. At the same time, CM Punk needs to figure out a way to get back in the mix. If he’s burnt out, that’s one thing. Take some time off, rest up, heal up, and get back in there. If he’s done, he’s done. But from all accounts, that’s not what happened. What happened, as best I can tell, is Punk didn’t get his way, so he up and left.
If Punk does come back, and shoots directly into the main event picture, does that make him a hypocrite? Isn’t that exactly what bothered Punk in the first place? Guys coming in and walking directly into main event spots? How is coming back and getting direct access to the top spot any different than what The Rock did? Or Brock Lesnar? Or Batista?
It’s not.
I’m an enormous CM Punk fan. For selfish reasons, I don’t care what happened. I don’t care what it takes to get him back. I just want it to happen. It’s up to WWE and Phil Brooks to find out a way to make that happen. Everything else is irrelevant.
I spoke about catchy, grabby headlines. I look forward to the day I can put a headline on an article that reads, “CM Punk Returns To WWE.”
I look forward to more pipe bombs.
I look forward to seeing more of “The Best in the World.”
I look forward to seeing CM Punk.
– Triple H vs. Roman Reigns is currently being discussed as a top match for SummerSlam on August 17th. The seeds have already been planted for this feud, which will likely feature a Shield vs. Evolution showdown en route to this blockbuster match.
– WrestleMania XXX was just a week away, but there is already talk about who Brock Lesnar will wrestle next year in Santa Clara, California. The first rumored opponent is The Rock, who at one point was slated to face Lesnar at this year’s show.
The other big name who could face the Beast at WrestleMania 31 is Cesaro. Both men are currently represented by Paul Heyman and it remains to be seen how the two will interact when Lesnar eventually returns to television.
Brock Lesnar’s current WWE deal expires shortly after WrestleMania 31.
(Source: f4wonline.com)
As noted, Undertaker was legitimately hospitalized with a severe concussion sustained in his WrestleMania XXX match with Brock Lesnar. Undertaker was released on Monday, however, and was actually backstage at RAW. For whatever reason, the decision was made not to use him on the show.
Those who saw Undertaker backstage at RAW noted that he was limping around pretty badly, and appeared to be in rough shape.
Regarding the decision to end Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania, there is said to be a number of people in the company who were very unhappy about that decision, but couldn’t — and won’t — say anything about it publicly.
The decision was reportedly made by Vince McMahon, not Undertaker himself. There are conflicting reports regarding the call. Some “in the know” claim that McMahon had to talk Undertaker into it, while others, also “in the know,” say McMahon made the call and Undertaker simply went with it.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
As previously reported, WWE referee Chad Patton, who served as the in-ring official for the Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker match at WrestleMania XXX, was not aware that Lesnar was going over in the bout. As noted, he was actually told that Undertaker was supposed to win.
As far as who else in the company knew ahead of time, that is hard to say. We can say for certain that Vince McMahon, Brock Lesnar, Undertaker, Paul Heyman, and likely Triple H and Stephanie McMahon all knew, but beyond that, it”s difficult to say.
On the actual script for the show, no finish was listed for the Lesnar-Undertaker match. However, that wasn’t unusual, as other matches on the card did not have a finish listed on the script as well.
According to reports, none of the agents who worked the show were aware that Undertaker was going to lose.
It should be noted, that despite the claim that not many were aware of the finish, enough people, or the right people, must have known. There were two major online betting websites that had Lesnar an unbelievable underdog, nearly 50-to-1 by some odds, that switched to him being an actual betting favorite when the match hit the ring, indicating that a ton of “smart money” came in once the finish was determined and told to whomever was in the loop to know these kind of things.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)