The Miami Herald has published part two of their two-part interview with Chris Jericho. During the interview, Jericho offered the following comments about his Battleground opponent, Bray Wyatt:

“It’s different. It’s something nobody’s ever seen before. It’s a character that he’s really dropped into. People believe it’s real, and when people believe it’s real, they get into it. Same thing as heel Jericho from 2008 and 2009. People wanted to fight me on the streets for real. I was getting in fights with fans. People believed this character was the biggest %$#^& on earth, because that’s the way I played it.”

“It’s like an Academy Award winning actor. When he wins an award, there’s a reason for that, because you believed the character. That’s what Bray’s doing. He dropped into it. He’s embraced it. He created it. It’s real. So it’s something the people haven’t seen before, and that’s why it’s getting over as good as it is.”

“[The music] really fits the character. It’s a swampy type, groovy, New Orleans Cajun type vibe. It’s a little bit creepy, and that’s basically what the Wyatts are as well. It’s very important to have a good ring song that really matches your character to help you get into that character, before you go on stage. That’s very, very important.”

Check out the complete interview at MiamiHerald.com.

MMANEWS.COM: Jim Ross To Work For UFC? Is Brock Lesnar Retired From MMA? [>>]

The following are highlights of a new Phoenix New Times interview with Bill Goldberg:

Getting advice from Jim Ross before launching his podcast: “Well, yeah. Absolutely. I’ve been taking Jim’s advice for the past 30 years. He and I go way back to my Oklahoma days. So why reinvent the wheel and why not talk to people who have tread before you? And he obviously knows what he’s doing. And I’m not a radio personality by any stretch, but if you stop learning, you die, and I’m firmly a believer in that. So I’ll take advice from everybody, doesn’t mean that I’m actually going to act on it. But you gotta admit, when you’re not an expert at something and are able to hear advice from different people and discern between the good advice and bad advice, you do that and go from there.”

His podcast being different from others: “Yeah. At the end of the day, man, the reason I did the podcast is because I went through my Rolodex and thought, “There has to be a way to take advantage of all the cool people that I know.” So, in the beginning, by not [featuring] wrestlers, I wouldn’t be able to gain that much traction as the other guys, but I’m not at all like the other guys. I’m different.

I’m not a wrestler. I am a football player who looked at wrestling as a business. I do not live it, I do not breathe it, I do not eat it and shit it like everybody else does. And I truly believe that there’s a lot more interesting content out there that I’m going to try turning these wrestling fans on to that’s cool. I’ve been leading a pretty cool life and have some really cool friends.”

Would he have Chris Jericho on as a guest? “Absolutely. Why not? We’ll do a co-promoted podcast where it should be aired on both simultaneously. Yeah. No big deal. I’m 47 years old, man, I don’t hold grudges with people. If he’s got a problem with me, say it to my face. Other than that, shut up, you know?”

Jericho tweeting Goldberg is his “bro” and that anyone “trying to stir the shit can piss off”: “Yeah, that’s how I feel too, man. And I very much appreciate him saying that. Until I talk to him face-to-face, which I haven’t done since the B.S. went down years ago, which…it was ridiculous. It was the furthest thing from a fight that I think I’ve ever seen. But he knows the truth and I know the truth, and the reality is we’re grown men, dude, we’ve got bigger and better things to do than [dwell] on a ridiculous little subject that people seem to bring up every couple minutes.”

Is he a tough guy or a softie at public appearances and Scott Hall: “Well, they know that I’m the antithesis outside of the ring of the character that I am inside, except for the fact that, you know, you piss me off or do something that’s wrong then I’m going to show that other side of Goldberg. I mean, the reality is, I’m multi-dimensional in the person that I can become at the snap of a finger. But the most important aspect of my personality is the one that’s caring and the one that tries to give back to people who have put me in a position that I’m already in.

The wrestling convention or the signings are not the place to show that I can punch somebody in the face. It’s a place where the people can look at you as an idol, this big strong guy, but yet, at the same time, have a nice conversation with you, so you smile, put your arm around them and make them feel welcome. That’s what you do at these autograph sessions. But, if Scott Hall mouths off to me, then they’ll see the other side.

This would be a rematch that he’d never book, believe it. He’d never sign it, because this one would be done in the street or at my gym, which I’d rather take it there, you know?”

A possible WWE return: “I’ve expressed my desire…well, not my desire, my willingness to maybe consider it again, but I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 50,000 times, once they learn how to do business, then I’d consider it.

I’d love to do it too, man. I mean, like I said, I’ve said it before, I think the WWE and I will never see eye to eye, so I don’t think [it] will be very logical, and I think the chances of seeing me elsewhere are between zero and zero, unless it’s Japan or unless somebody comes out to be a competitor to [WWE’s owner Vince McMahon], because I’m not just gonna do it to do it.”

What’s next for him:
“I’ve got a movie [Minkow] coming up in September [and] just got off a conference call with a new TV show. I’m pretty damn busy man. I’m as busy as I want to be. And at this time in my life, at 47 years old, I just want to be able to make my own decisions and live by it. So as long I’m still able to do that, then I’m good, man.

I don’t need to vindicate anything because of my last match against Brock Lesnar, by no stretch of the imagination. Because I haven’t seen anybody press [slam] him over their head yet. When that’s a normal occasion, then I won’t feel as though I accomplished very much. But I haven’t seen anyone jackhammer The Giant [a.k.a. WWE’s The Big Show] yet. So, if I’m the “flash in the pan,” as a couple people have said I was, so be it. But this “flash in the pan” put asses in seats, money in a lot of people’s pockets, and I was able to jackhammer The Giant at will.”

Check out the complete interview at PhoenixNewTimes.com.

– In addition to The Rock, former WCW star Buff Bagwell was in attendance at the ESPY Awards earlier this week.

– Former WWE Superstar CM Punk is scheduled to appear on Chris Hardwick’s “Nerdiest Podcast Live!” on July 26th in San Diego, California.

– The latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which features an interview with Diamond Dallas Page and Jake “The Snake” Roberts, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

TIJ – EP57 – DDP & Jake The Snake Roberts + Fozzy New Album Preview

“DDP & Jake The Snake Roberts together in-person with Y2J. They sat down at DDP’s Accountability Crib in Atlanta, and talked about EVERYTHING! Jake’s descent into drugs & alcohol, his resurrection, his WWE comeback & Hall of Fame induction, working the sober program with Scott Hall, and how Jake really feels about all those snakes!”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

The following are highlights of a new Miami Herald interview with Chris Jericho:

Entertaining the masses with his talents: “I think after a while people don’t really give a %$#@ what it is [else] that you’re doing. When I’m wrestling, I’m in wrestling mode. When I’m on stage with Fozzy, I’m in Fozzy mode. They’re two separate things, and it’s cool that I do both. I think a lot of people think it’s cool and can understand that I’m good at both. I don’t listen to negative people or care about negative people or worry about negative people. I just worry about doing the best I can do with whatever projects I decide to do.”

Similarities between music and wrestling: “There’s a lot of similarities between the two. They’re both very high energy, aggressive forms of entertainment, very dependent on the reactions you get from the crowd. If the crowd is excited, it makes for a better show — both in wrestling and with Fozzy. So you get a lot of crossover because there is that certain vibe in both. Certainly WWE superstars are like rock stars — larger than life, over the top personalities — and that’s what you’re always looking for in rock-n-roll. Sometimes you get it, and sometimes you don’t, and sometimes you get that in wrestling, and sometimes you don’t. Especially when you go to a WWE show with all the fire [and loud noise] and pyrotechnic, a lot of times it’s more than a rock show, than a rock show you might see. There is a common ground between the two.”

WWE’s Jim Johnston, who composes theme songs: “[Jim Johnston] does a great job at what he does. He really finds the inner core, the inner seed of what the person’s personality is, of what the character’s personality is, and really latches on to that. It always amazes me to see what he comes up with for guys who have been around for years, for guys who are just starting..He’s definitely an invaluable member of the WWE’s team for sure.”

Check out the complete interview at MiamiHerald.com.

WWE announced Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair as “co-hosts” for an upcoming non-televised live event in San Jose, California.

The show, which takes place on August 16th, will feature the kick-off of ticket sales for WrestleMania 31.

Already scheduled for the card are the following matches:

– John Cena vs. Kane [Street Fight]
– Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns
– Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt [Ric Flair as Special Referee[
– Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose

– Bray Wyatt required a lot of work on his eye to make it look presentable for last night’s RAW. As previously reported, Wyatt was busted open the hard way by Ric Flair at Saturday night’s WWE Live Event.

When he arrived at the arena for RAW, his eye was almost completely swollen shut. WWE’s medical staff had to drain the swelling and a lot of make-up was applied for his segment with Chris Jericho.

– After having an injury scare during the main event of Monday’s RAW, Seth Rollins is not expected to miss any ring time. He landed badly on his knee after being thrown out of the ring by Roman Reigns and had to be helped to the back by WWE staff. When he got backstage, he was able to walk around and luckily it was not anything serious.

– Dean Ambrose did not suffer any significant injuries as a result of the beatdown he took from Randy Orton and Kane on RAW. He did cut his mouth from the attack but that’s it.

* RAW REACTION: Highlights, Lowlights & Random Thoughts

(Source: PWInsider.com)

– It was announced on RAW that at this week’s edition of SmackDown, Chris Jericho will go one-on-one with Luke Harper of The Wyatt Family.

– Below is a video of John Cena confronting Roman Reigns on Monday’s RAW:

Chris Jericho made his much anticipated return to Raw two weeks ago, where he took out the Miz before the Wyatt Family promptly disposed of the Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla. Since then, Jericho has entered into a program with Bray Wyatt, with both superstars cutting promos on one another in recent weeks in order to build up their match at Battleground.

It is no secret that Jericho is one of the sport’s all-time greats. He was the first Undisputed WWE Champion and has headlined pay-per-views for well over a decade.

Wyatt and Jericho have competed in the past. Will they be able to one-up themselves at Battleground?

Despite his past accomplishments, Jericho has not had much success in the ring in recent years. Y2J notched a 1-5 record during pay-per-views last year, with his only victory coming against Fandango at Extreme Rules. However, despite his recent failures, his latest run with the company has solidified his spot at one of the best of all time.

Whereas other superstars are weary of putting over younger talent, especially when it means diminishing their own legacy, Jericho has shown that he is more than willing to lose clean in order to put over the next generation.

Jericho’s willingness to put over young talent will work well during his feud with Bray Wyatt. While feuding with John Cena, Wyatt lost two of the three matches, and needed a ton of assistance during his only victory. Some argue that Wyatt came out of the program stronger than he went in – an assertion that is certainly debatable.

While the jury is still out on whether Wyatt benefitted from his feud with Cena, it seems hard to imagine that he will not come out stronger after feuding with Jericho. There are a few reasons why Wyatt will benefit from working with Jericho.

– In the latest NXT video blog, which is available on the official WWE YouTube channel and can be seen below, NXT star Jason Jordan shows off his new haircut.

– The latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which features an interview with former WWE Diva Eve Torres, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

TIJ – EP55 – WWE Divas Champ Eve Torres Gracie

“Former WWE Divas Champ Eve Torres Gracie is beautiful… and deadly! Deadly nice, deadly classy, and deadly when it comes to the squared-circle and Brazilian jiu-jitsu! She is a Gracie after all! And she’s got plenty of stories – about winning Diva search, the WWE locker room, Vince McMahon, Fit Finlay, Nattie Neidhart, and why she LOVED being a heel! Plus, hear about her latest TV and film roles… and her days as an LA Clippers cheerleader!”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

– The latest edition of Steve Austin’s “Steve Austin Show” podcast, which features a new interview with ECW original Tommy Dreamer, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

SASu – EP132 – Tommy Dreamer Pt 1

“Tommy Dreamer, the Innovator of Violence, talks about his favorite wrestler, Dusty Rhodes; his original name idea “Tommy Acid”; building his wrestling promotion House of Hardcore; his snoring buddy Bubba Ray Dudley of the Dudley Boyz; his original childhood dream; the tag team he turned down; and ECW & Violence!”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com

– The latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which features a new interview with WWE Superstar Christian, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

TIJ – EP54 – WWE’s Christian

“Christian, Y2J’s former tag team partner and traveling partner, has plenty to say about his early days in WWE with childhood friend Edge, paying his debts (literally!), tag teams, performing nearly-naked, working at a sawmill, transitioning to singles, his time in TNA, his return to WWE, and ‘Creepy Little Bastard.'”

You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.

With The Authority “on vacation” this week, Chris Jericho sat down with Michael Cole for his weekly one-on-one interview at WWE.com.

Jericho talks about his decision to return to WWE and hyped his feud with Bray Wyatt heading into their upcoming match at this month’s Battleground, as well as his match against Randy Orton, which takes place on Friday’s SmackDown.

He also promoted Fozzy’s new album and his “Talk is Jericho” podcast.

• 40 Hilarious WWE Botches (Videos)

Chris Jericho’s band Fozzy has announced dates and locations for the first leg of their upcoming tour. Pop Culture website IconvsIcon.com has released that schedule, along with Jericho’s confirmed WWE dates. Jericho is booked through September 22nd, the night after WWE’s Night of Champions pay-per-view. He’ll be wrestling at WWE TV, live events and Battleground, SummerSlam and Night of Champions. Here’s the full schedule:

Chris Jericho Confirmed WWE dates:

• July 12 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden (WWE Live)
• July 13 – Wildwood, NJ – Wildwoods Convention Center (WWE Live)
• July 14 – Richmond, VA – The Richmond Coliseum (WWE RAW)
• July 15 – Fayetteville, NC – Crown Coliseum (WWE Smackdown)
• July 20 – Tampa, FL – Tampa Bay Times Front (WWE Battleground PPV)
• July 26 – Edmonton, AB – Rexall Place (WWE Live)
• July 27 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome
• July 28 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center (WWE RAW)
• July 29 – Corpus Christi, TX – American Bank Center (WWE Smackdown)
• August 3 – San Antonio, TX – Freeman Coliseum (WWE Live)
• August 4 – Austin, TX Frank – Erwin Center (WWE RAW)
• August 5 – Laredo, TX Laredo – Energy Center (WWE Smackdown)
• August 7 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena (WWE Live)
• August 8 – Sydney, Australia – Allphones Arena (WWE Live)
• August 9 – Perth, Australia – Perth Arena (WWE Live)
• August 11 – Portland, OR – Moda Center (WWE RAW)
• August 12 – Seattle, WA – Key Arena (WWE Smackdown)
• August 16 – San Jose, CA – Sap Center (WWE Live)
• August 17 – Los Angeles, CA – Staples Center (WWE Summer Slam PPC)
• August 18 – Las Vegas, NV – Thomas and Mack Center (WWE RAW)
• August 19 – Phoenix, AZ – US Airways Center (WWE Smackdown)
• August 25 – Anaheim, CA – Honda Center (WWE RAW)
• August 26 – Ontario, CA – Citizens Business Bank Arena (WWE Smackdown)
• September 1 – Des Moines, IA – Wells Fargo Arena (WWE RAW)
• September 2 – Lincoln, NE – TBA (WWE Live)
• September 8 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Arena (WWE RAW)
• September 9 – Wilkes Barre, PA – TBA (WWE Live)
• September 15 – Lafayette, LA – Cajundome (WWE RAW)
• September 21 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena (WWE Night of Champions PPV)
• September 22 – Memphis, TN – FedEx Forum (WWE RAW)

Fozzy Confirmed tour dates with Theory of a Deadman:

* Fozzy only

• July 24 – Los Angeles, CA – The Whisky* (record release show!)
• August 2 – Syracuse, NY – New York State Fairgrounds*
• September 13 – Janesville, WI – Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport*
• September 17 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee
• September 19 – San Antonio, TX – Backstage Live
• September 23 – Atlanta, GA – Center Stage
• September 24 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
• September 26 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
• September 27 – Winston-Salem, NC – Ziggy’s
• October 2 – Baltimore, MD – Rams Head Live
• October 3 – Knoxville, TN – The International
• October 6 – Lancaster, PA – Chameleon Club
• October 7 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
• October 8 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
• October 11 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley has posted a new blog on Facebook talking about the ongoing Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt feud:

THE JERICHO FACTOR

Every once once in a while, I look at someone in WWE and think “oh, I could do something with this guy.” As many of you know, per doctor’s orders, I’ll never be in a situation to do anything physically in the ring again. But Bray Wyatt and The Wyatt Family are definately people who give me that “oh I could do something with this” feeling.

Chris Jericho has that same mindset – but unlike me, he can actually act on those impulses; he can actually do something with those guys who have that certain “something”. that make you sit up and say “wow”. Iwas really fascinated last night at his ability to tell a story with just the most subtle of facial expressions. Hopefully, we’ll all be saying “wow” when we see these two monsters of the microphone trade verbal barbs on future episodes of WWE Monday Night Raw and #Smackdown.

Tonight’s episode of Raw took place in Montreal, Canada and featured a total of eleven matches, including a first ever one-on-one meeting between the WWE World Heavyweight champion John Cena and Money in the Bank briefcase holder Seth Rollins.

Canadian icon and WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart graced the WWE Universe with his presence and cut a promo. Of course, he brought up the Montreal Screw Job, but it was a nice moment. Also, WWE continued to promote current on-going storylines leading up to Battleground.

Last week’s episode of Raw was one of the best and most exciting in recent history. Did this edition live up to last week’s high standards?  Without further ado, here are highlights, lowlights and my random thoughts on the 7/7/2014 edition of Monday Night Raw:

BEST MATCH: The opening bout between the Usos and the Wyatt Family was the best match of the night. There were two other matches that could have stolen the show, but they failed to do so for a couple of reasons. First, Randy Orton and Dean Ambrose gave it their best effort, but it was clear to see that the two didn’t have very much chemistry, at least when it comes to singles action. Also, the Dean Ambrose botch wasn’t a crowd-pleasing moment.

Chris Jericho vs. the Miz could have been special, but the match didn’t last as long as I hoped. John Cena vs. Seth Rollins had the most promise, but they weren’t given enough time to do anything memorable and the obvious interference by Kane and Randy Orton ruined the match for me.

What was your favorite match of the night?

WORST MATCH: AJ Lee/Paige vs. Naomi/Cameron was the worst match of the night. Aside from the main event and the tag team match between the Usos and the Wyatt Family, there weren’t any real standout matches. However, this bout stood out for all the wrong reasons and it was a poor showing amongst the four Divas involved. Bo Dallas vs. El Torito was a close second for the worst match of the night award because at least the crowd was somewhat into it.

The worst segment of the night was the Nikki Bella/Alicia Fox disaster, but I don’t think there was an opening bell and nobody was declared the winner. Therefore, Idon’t consider this to be a match; otherwise, it would have won the award.

UPSET OF THE NIGHT: Kofi Kingston defeating Cesaro was the upset of the night. I know that Kofi defeated Cesaro last week on Raw, but I didn’t expect him to do it again and I don’t think the fans/crowd did either. I see Cesaro winning the Intercontinental Title at Battleground and Kingston falling into obscurity once again, but at least Kofi is living in the moment now.

To quote the great Mike Adamle, Kofi be Jamaican me crazy.

MOST SHOCKING MOMENT: I expected Randy Orton to defeat Dean Ambrose in their match tonight, but I was anticipating Seth Rollins to screw Ambrose over, resulting in Ambrose losing cleanly. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Ambrose has been really hot as of late and Rollins costing him the match would have protected Ambrose a bit more. Also, it would have spiced things up and furthered the Ambrose/Rollins feud.

– It was announced on Monday’s edition of WWE RAW in Montreal that Chris Jericho’s “Highlight Reel” will return on WWE Main Event on Tuesday night, with special guest Bret “The Hitman” Hart.

– The following is the latest edition of “WWE Canvas 2 Canvas,” which features Diesel and The Kliq.

– Chris Jericho tweeted the following today regarding tonight’s RAW:

YES INDEED…After one year I am back on #WWERaw TONIGHT! Now what kind of trouble can I get into?… http://t.co/wN92bSZiMH

— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) July 7, 2014

– WWE has added the debut edition of “@WWEInsider” to their official YouTube channel. The official description for the show, which you can view below, reads as follows:

What is Natalya stockpiling in her home? Host Alicia Fox dishes on the Diva’s secret obsession in this episode of @WWEInsider, a new original digital series that digs deep into the private lives of Superstars and Divas. Tweet us: @wweinsider

The following are highlights of a new AMH Network interview with Chris Jericho:

On his use of social media: “It’s just the best way of promotion, Twitter and Facebook. I remember having a website back in 1997 when no one did because I got it right away how important it is to communicate with people around the world. Also to get the instant feedback, when you do something you can vibe it right away. Did people like it? Did they not like it? This is now the new wave of promoting whatever you’re doing and all of your projects. For a guy like me who does a lot of diverse things and has a lot of projects going on, I need social media to promote those things to gaze the reaction. There’s a fine line to, of doing nothing but promote and sometimes I’m guilty of that. Sometimes I look and the last 30 tweets I’ve sent have all been promotional, which is cool, but you need a little bit of personal observation in there as well. I think when I go on Instagram and see Mick Jagger posting pictures, he gets it, you know? And I love that someone like Mick Jagger is also on social media in that respect. It’s something that my generation and the generations after mine, it’s just a part of our lives, social media is something that you do all day long. Whether you’re just looking on Facebook, or you’re not quote unquote famous, it’s just a cool way to connect with people and let people know what you’re doing. If you are in the public eye it’s the same thing, I always think that if this were around in the ’80s and I could follow Paul Stanley and find out where he is and what he’s doing, I would’ve been jumping all over it. People and fans like to have an inside connection, they like to know more than the norm, but you can’t over expose yourself and that’s another thing that you’ve gotta watch out for. I try to balance everything that I do, I keep people informed but there’s definitely a little bit of mystery involved as well.”

On his “Talk Is Jericho” podcast: “It’s something that I’ve always loved to do, I had a radio show for a while but the podcast started back in December. This week is our 50th episode which is really cool, and I mean I just really love doing it. It’s so versatile and diverse, you know? It’s not a wrestling podcast, it’s not a music podcast, it’s just whatever I find interesting. If I have the opportunity to talk to someone, I’ll do that. Just like with the Snooki episode I loved it and she was great but there were so many people saying “I’ll never listen to this because Snooki’s on it!” and I’m just like, “shut up!” (laughs). If I’m doing it and I’m the host then trust me that every guest is going to be good in one way or another because if they weren’t then guess what? I wouldn’t have them on. That’s part of having a big fan base, people are always going to question things that you do. There can be nine people that love it and one person that absolutely hates it and that’s okay, it’s good to have an opinion. I love doing the podcast, I love being in the band and if you dig Chris Jericho then you’ll dig the projects that I’m doing including every episode of my podcast. It’s always a blast seeing who I can get on my show and seeing how people react. Obviously some shows do better than others but at this point they’re all doing pretty good, so it’s really gratifying.”

Check out the complete interview at AMHNetwork.com.

MMANEWS.COM: Top UFC Fighter Talks CM Punk/WWE Situation, Ronda Rousey At SSlam?!

Following his return to WWE television last week and his angle with The Miz and The Wyatt Family, it appears Jericho has his next two pay-per-view opponents lined up.

Jericho, who is rumored to be facing The Miz on RAW, is currently slated to face The Miz at the upcoming Battleground pay-per-view.

From there, Jericho will continue his feud with The Wyatt Family, leading to a big match against Bray Wyatt at SummerSlam.

Jericho is currently committed to stay with WWE through September’s Night of Champions pay-per-view. It’s being said that the main objective of Jericho’s latest WWE run is to elevate Bray Wyatt before possibly taking another hiatus later this fall.

* WWE Match Of The Year Candidates – Second Quarter of 2014 (With Videos)

(Partial Source: PWInsider)

– Steve Austin’s new “Broken Skull Challenge” reality show premieres tonight at 8pm EST. on CMT.

– Chris Jericho’s “Codebreaker” move is featured on the latest edition of WWE’s “30 Second Fury,” which you can check out below.

As noted previously, the top four matches planned for this year’s WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view include Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt vs. Chris Jericho and Stephanie McMahon vs. Brie Bella.

Another match that was originally under consideration for the show is a “Buried Alive” match between Daniel Bryan and Kane. That match is considered unlikely at this point, as it depends on Bryan’s condition, which doesn’t seem to be approving at a rate that would allow him to perform in time for SummerSlam.

It’s been noted in the past as well that WWE will be stacking the deck for Night Of Champions, the pay-per-view following SummerSlam, as that is when they will be needing something big to lure subscribers to the WWE Network, as their six-month subscriptions will be expiring at around that time.

Today is the all-important day where Americans celebrate their independence by consuming large amounts of alcohol and grilled fare. No WWE superstar claims to have America’s best interests in mind more than Jack Swagger.

The so-called Real American, accompanied by his founding father Zeb Colter, has advocated an isolationist domestic policy that is free of illegal immigrants. Along the way, Swagger has made national headlines by entering into a feud with conservative radio host Glenn Beck.

It appeared that Swagger was in the midst of a massive push while bickering with Beck, having just defeated accomplished stars such as Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, and Daniel Bryan to earn a chance to compete against Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 29.

Swagger and Colter made national news in 2013 after attracting the attention of Glenn Beck.

Unfortunately for Swagger, he was arrested for DUI and possession of marijuana, ending what could have been a classic feud between a border-protecting nationalist and an immigrant Mexican. Del Rio defeated Swagger at WrestleMania and the Real American was quickly shifted out of the main event scene.

Since aligning himself with Zeb Colter, Swagger has always acted as a heel, often using cheap heat as a way to get his character over. However, it seems as if a face turn could be just around the corner.

In recent months, Rusev has been dominating the WWE roster, taking out superstars such as Big E, Kofi Kingston, and R-Truth. Much like Swagger, Rusev has also used cheap heat as a way to build his character, praising Vladimir Putin and Russia along the way.

Rusev was up to his usual antics this past week when the crowd actually started chanting for Jack Swagger. Colter and Swagger defended America by taking out Rusev and acting as faces for the first time since joining one another. Unsurprisingly, Colter cut an amazing promo on Rusev and Lana, perfectly setting up what could be an entertaining feud.

– NXT stars Adrian Neville and Sami Zayn have been added to the upcoming WWE tour of Japan.

– Ric Flair and Chris Jericho have been added to the upcoming WWE tour of Australia in August.

– There will be no RAW post-show this coming Monday night. Instead, the debut edition of “The Monday Night War” weekly series will air following RAW on the WWE Network.

Chris Jericho will not be working WWE’s upcoming tour of Japan. Instead, he will be on the July 13th show in Wildwood, New Jersey and July 12th event in Madison Square Garden, where he is scheduled to do a Highlight Reel segment.

Speaking of the upcoming WWE MSG show, the main event will feature John Cena vs. Bray Wyatt in a Lumberjack Match, with Ric Flair and Triple H as the leader of the two teams of lumberjacks. Also on the show will be a triple-threat match for the WWE United States Championship, with Sheamus vs. Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio.

The latest sit-down interview between Michael Cole and Triple H has been added to the official YouTube channel of WWE.

During their latest discussion, Triple H talks about the returns of Chris Jericho, The Miz and AJ Lee from this past Monday’s RAW, the fatal four-way match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at the WWE Battleground pay-per-view and the “jaw-dropping” conclussion of Monday’s RAW.

You can check out the complete interview above.

Advertising for next Monday’s WWE RAW at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada confirms the recent reports that claimed WWE Hall Of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart will be at the show.

Also listed in the advertisement for the show are Chris Jericho, Kane and a six-man tag-team main event of John Cena, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton and Seth Rollins.

The following is the advertisement, sent out in French:

WWE – MONDAY NIGHT RAW
LUNDI 7 JUILLET À 19H30 / CENTRE BELL
(Événement télévisé)

QUELQUES BILLETS ENCORE DISPONIBLES
Billets en vente aux guichets du Centre Bell
Commande téléphonique: 1 855 310-2525
Commandez en ligne: www.evenko.ca
Billet: 31,50$ / 46$ / 64,50$ / 87,50$/ 127,75$ (incluant taxes et frais de service)

WWE – MONDAY NIGHT RAW DÉBARQUE À MONTRÉAL !

JOHN CENA, CHAMPION DU MONDE POIDS LOURD DE LA WWE
ROMAN REIGNS et DEAN AMBROSE
VS
RANDY ORTON, BRAY WYATT et SETH ROLLINS

EN PLUS DE :
BRET HART, TRIPLE H, CHRIS JERICHO et DEMON KANE

ET PLUSIEURS AUTRES SUPERSTARS DE LA WWE !

(CARTE SUJETTE À CHANGEMENT)