Stone Cold Steve Austin’s podcast with Triple H from Monday night continues to make headlines, which is not surprising considering the number of controversial topics discussed.

Regarding Triple H’s comments a bout CM Punk where he said there is no animosity between the two parties, a lot of people were rolling their eyes at that one. That said, Triple H’s description of Punk saying “everything’s fine” when everything is not fine is viewed as a pretty accurate assessment of his demeanor.

WWE talent was also surprised that Triple H acknowledged that he prefers a 2-hour format for RAW. While its certainly a popular opinion, there are no plans to scale back RAW due to the millions of dollars WWE generates in ad revenue from the extra hour of prime time programming each week.

It’s also worth noting that during Triple H’s weekly sit down interview with Michael Cole at WWE.com, Triple H said that the show did 40% more viewers than Vince McMahon’s appearance on the Stone Cold Podcast back in December.

(Information from F4Wonline.com was used in this report)

In a new blog posted on his official website, WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross shared his thoughts on tonight’s “Stone Cold Podcast” with Triple H, the controversy surrounding Roman Reigns, CM Punk in the UFC and whether or not WWE should sign Bubba Ray Dudley.

Below are highlights:

On tonight’s “Stone Cold Podcast” with Triple H: “Hopefully, the HHH podcast with Steve Austin won’t be the best part of my Monday night WWE viewing as the two former rivals have a tough act to follow after the Austin/McMahon podcast of a few weeks ago. I’m curious to see what twists and turns this interview takes as it should be a revealing and entertaining hour or so of programming. Austin and Jericho are the beneficiaries of having the WWE Network behind them with their respective podcasts.

IMO the more original @WWENetwork programming WWE can create the better in my view. Things like Austin/HHH should be good for the network and is relatively inexpensive to produce.”

On the controversy surrounding Roman Reigns: “Some never say die fans are still complaining about Roman Reigns winning the Royal Rumble but I’d guess by next week it won’t be such a big deal to the vocal minority. None of us know what shape of the WM31 card is going to resemble in it’s final rendition. I’m happy to wait and see as I can’t affect the card any more than anyone reading this.

Plus, my guess is that many who say that they won’t watch WM31 will be unable to resist temptation especially for $9.99.

Question…do you think that most vocal wrestling fans are as passionate regarding other, more important aspects of their lives as they are about pro wrestling? Just curious….”

On CM Punk in the UFC: “After talking with several MMA aficionados over the past several days they agree that it is ignorant for those MMA purists to diss CM Punk for getting into MMA w/ UFC including the fact that Brock Lesnar may well stick is toe back into UFC waters. It’s all about the cash and bringing press to the brand in a positive manner. What it actually is would be a no brainer to sane individuals.

No one in MMA, boxing or pro wrestling has enough box office attractions even if said attractions turns out to be a one hit wonder. That’s why now is a good time to take calculated risks.”

On Bubba Ray Dudley to WWE: “From a creative standpoint, I could easily see Bubba Dudley returning to WWE if for no other reason to allow Bubba to work with the younger talents on the road at live events. Young talents cannot improve working with those who have the same or less than them skill sets.”

Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.

• PHOTOS: UFC Champ JON JONES Does D-X “Crotch Chop” w/ TRIPLE H & STEPHANIE MCMAHON At The SUPER BOWL!

TNA World Champion Bobby Lashley recently spoke with the folks at “Give Me Sport” about his feelings on how TNA can compete with WWE, the differences between his first run in TNA and his current run, CM Punk transitioning from pro wrestling to mixed-martial-arts an more.

Below are highlights from the interview:

On ways TNA can compete with WWE: “I think right now that we’re building in the right direction and I don’t want to say they are declining but they are at a bit of a standstill. Getting mixed reactions, while thats happening, we’re rising up. I think that in the future it will get to a point where there will be a little bit more competition between the two.”

On the differences between his first run in TNA and his current run: “Yeah, my first run I wasn’t completely right and wasn’t able to give it 100% like I wanted too. I had some time in between to wrestle a bit and this time had more chance to settle in. And this time it has been a lot better, my work rate’s been a lot better as well as getting to work with some top guys. And I’m pretty proud to holding that title for TNA right now.”

On differences between TNA and WWE for a wrestler: “You know here I like the cohesive unit and everyone is on the same page, no real back stabbing and none of that politics that usually go on, especially in the wrestling business. I know that everyone coming here is like we’re about to blow this show outta there. Everyone is on the same page with that. People will enjoy the things we do and in the long run they’ll be a shift.”

On wrestlers he’d like to work with in the main event scene: “Yeah there are a couple guys, of course Gunner! If he gets the right building then he’ll be up there. I’d also like to work Mr. Anderson, we got to work a bit back in the WWE and now we’re both here, I want that match up also. I’m keen to meet the British Boot Camp guys and I’m sure they’ll be doing something on these tour shows.”

On how he feels CM Punk will do in MMA: “I think he’ll do great, he’s had plenty of time to train. Once he has got all of the training in. I believe he’ll go out there and show the crowd that he is ready for it and I think he’ll earn a lot of respect for doing it. I know a lot of people will be watching, I know I will!”

Check out the complete interview at GiveMeSport.com.

• MMANEWS.COM: CM Punk/UFC Update, Backstage News On Brock Lesnar’s Future & MORE!

This time of year is always thought of as the “Road to Wrestlemania” and is supposed to be a moment in which a career is made, a legacy is increased, or a hall of fame spot is cemented.  With such a grand prize at the helm, it’s no wonder the Royal Rumble is one of the most anticipated matches of the year.  Between the surprise returns, the elimination teases, the underlying stories, or the sheer number of superstars in the ring at one time, there’s no denying the excitement that the January event brings with it.  This Sunday will host the latest installment of the event, which is sure to thrill, as Seth Rollins joins John Cena and Brock Lesnar in a battle for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.  The build-up for this match thus far has been amazing, with each superstar taking turns to look as good as possible, with Lesnar being the most recent destroyer.

But the best part about the Royal Rumble is that it’s more than just a match; it’s a full-scale event, complete with it’s own card, stories, and unique twists.  In fact, some of the best matches in WWE history took place at this battlefield, and a few times in history, those matches overshadowed the Rumble itself.  When you’re not one of the thirty men in the match, you have to take matters into your own hands.  You have to make sure that the fans don’t forget about you, and you have to make sure that you compete at a level that you may only reach once or twice a year.  Just as Cena, Rollins, and Lesnar look to do this Sunday night, superstars in the past went out there to steal the show, and make sure the Rumble didn’t steal their spotlight.  Let’s take a look at the top-five matches that stole the Royal Rumble.

#5.  Daniel Bryan vs. Bray Wyatt, 2014.

What was otherwise a disappointing Royal Rumble was fortunate enough to see one of the best one on one match-ups in Royal Rumble history.  I was lucky enough to be just five rows away from this incredible match when it happened, and even now as I look back on it, it was by far the best live match I have ever seen.  Daniel Bryan and Bray Wyatt met after weeks and weeks of build-up, which included Bryan joining the Wyatt family for a brief period of time, as well as a series of other strange and unusual situations.  Disappointingly, the overall feud itself mostly fizzled, as Wyatt was not truly portrayed as a cult leader, and Bryan was portrayed as a hero who moved too quickly through the events that unfolded.  The truth was, Bryan being so over made it impossible to capitalize on him becoming a heel in the Wyatt family, so the plug was pulled prematurely, and the feud ended up changing neither man for the better or worse.

While the feud itself may have been sub-par and disappointing, Bryan and Wyatt proved that night that they had chemistry in the ring, and understood each other completely.  It was a match filled with high-risk spots, high-impact moves, and false finishes, and eventually saw Wyatt taking the win.   Some of the best moments included Wyatt nailing the “Sister Abigail” on the barricade, Bryan selling a Wyatt clothesline like a champion, and Bryan nailing a number of suicide dives.

#4.  Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels, 2004.

A lot of people look back at RAW from 2002-2004 as Triple H’s “reign of terror.”  He was the 2002 Royal Rumble winner, and somewhat exclusively traded World Championships back and forth with Shawn Michaels and others between then and 2005. 2003 also saw the rise of “Evolution”, a group dedicated to keeping Triple H on top of WWE, which took over most of the Monday Night Raw storytelling up until Wrestlemania 21.     Despite Michaels and Triple H being one of the best feuds of all time, this period in history is widely looked at with a negative annotation, usually referred to as “boring” or “predictable.”

However, despite the criticism, there’s no denying that Triple H and Shawn Michaels put on some of the best matches throughout the early 2000’s, and on that list is their Last Man Standing match from the 2004 Royal Rumble.  It was a match that followed months of assaults, abuse, torture, injuries, and bad blood, and led to one of the best Last Man Standing matches of all time.  Michaels and Triple H put each other through hell and back, and then some, and overshadowed not just the Rumble match itself, but the entire event.  (Not to mention, WWE would most likely want you to forget who won that year.)

For the full build-up promo video, click here:

– Jim Ross wrote a new column for FOX Sports and gave his pick for who he thinks will win the 2015 Royal Rumble match:

“My pick to win the 2015 Royal Rumble is the classic underdog/overachiever, albeit hugely talented, Daniel Bryan. Would I be willing to bet a case of JR’s Original BBQ Sauce on that prediction? No thanks, as it’s merely an educated guess. I’d also submit Roman Reigns and Randy Orton as two other potential winners of Sunday’s main event in the City of Brotherly Love, where, ironically, it’s no friends and all foes. It’s every man, or woman, for themselves, hence no brotherly or sisterly love expected.”

– Former WWE Superstar turned UFC fighter CM Punk attended a Less Than Jake concert on Wednesday night. Twitter user @_VintageRollins posted these photos of Punk crowd surfing during the show:

https://twitter.com/_VintageRollins/status/558333000837259264

As noted earlier today, Dolph Ziggler took a shot at CM Punk in the opening segment of this week’s episode of Smackdown.

Ziggler was talking about being reinstated on RAW and took a shot at CM Punk, which WWE quoted on Twitter:

"I'd rather sit here in this ring and face any punishment…than sit at home complaining on some podcast!" – @HEELZiggler #SmackDown

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 23, 2015

CM Punk apparently heard the news about the promo but didn’t seem phased by it and responded:

Wasted arrows.

— player/coach (@CMPunk) January 22, 2015

• Roman Reigns has something to say to the “haters”

On tonight’s Smackdown, during the opening segment, Daniel Bryan introduces Dolph Ziggler, Erick Rowan, and Ryback. They all cut promos and talk about being happy to be back thanks to Sting. Ziggler cut a promo on The Authority and talked about being punished by them. He said he would continue to fight. During the promo there was an obvious shot taken at CM Punk. Here is the line from Ziggler:

“I’d rather sit here in this ring and face any punishment they give me every day for the rest of my life than sit at home on some couch complaining on a podcast.”

It was a good promo by Ziggler and it could have been something he said on his own but I would bet that it was part of the script.

• SHOCKING INTERVIEW: Former Diva blasts TNA’s Dixie Carter and says she wants to punch her

A lot can change over the course of a year, especially in the WWE. At last year’s Royal Rumble, Batista earned the opportunity to headline WrestleMania, going from fan favorite to Bootista in a matter of moments.

It will be Daniel Bryan, Roman Reigns, and a whole slew of others hoping to earn that opportunity this time around, as the card for this Sunday’s Royal Rumble appears to be officially set. Here is a look at the superstars who have taken a leap forward over the past year, as well as those who have taken a step backward.

Progression

1. The Shield

Nobody has progressed over the past year more than the three men who formerly comprised The Shield. Roman Reigns set the record for the most eliminations at last year’s Rumble, although he was never really seen as a serious threat to win it all. This time around, he’s the odds-on favorite to win the Rumble and headline WrestleMania.

Reigns eliminated his former partners at last year’s event as a means to tease tension between the former Hounds of Justice. Both of those men have moved onto better things. Seth Rollins will be challenging for the title this time around, and Ambrose is seen as one of the most credible entrants in the Royal Rumble match. Believe that.

2. Brock Lesnar

Lesnar destroyed Big Show’s back at last year’s Rumble, walloping him with a chair about 50 times in a match that lasted two minutes. His character’s direction was unclear at the time, having engaged in various feuds in 2013 that didn’t really go anywhere, largely due to Lesnar’s limited schedule.

A few accomplishments have been added to his resume since last time around. Most importantly, he apparently broke some sort of WrestleMania undefeated streak that fans held dear to their hearts. Cena and Rollins will attempt to slay the Beast this year, as he comes in as WWE World Heavyweight Champion and undisputed top dog in the company.

The following are highlights of a new Submission Radio interview with Bill Goldberg:

On if he believes Brock Lesnar would go back to the UFC and have another successful run: “I think so. I think if Brock….you know I haven’t trained with Brock. I don’t know exactly what he does, but if I were him I’d spend 75 percent of my time on stand up. I believe that if he does it properly he can go back and dominate, but if he doesn’t do it properly he’ll go back and the same thing will happen, you know [as] towards the end of his tenure. It’s all about growing. It’s all about being able to look at yourself in the mirror and look at your deficiencies, and be man enough, and be egoless to go out and put yourself in negative situations in training so that you could learn.”

On Jon Jones drug situation and thoughts on how the UFC handled it: “When I saw Dana White’s comment about “this is the best thing that could have happened” you know I was appalled. But once you sit back and think about it, for Jon Jones the person this is the best thing that could have happened. Do I like Jon Jones as a fighter? Was I cheering for Jon Jones against Cormier? No. Do I appreciate his ability? Do I think he is pound for pound the narliest MMA fighter on the planet? Absolutely. Can I appreiace the fact that he’s made it to that level by training his ass off, and being unique, and being innovate? Absolutely. Do I like him as a person on a post-fight interview? Absolutely not. Do I like the eye pokes and do I like the knee kicks? Absolutely not. I think that’s cheap.

I think he can be a much better fighter, and be a much better champion, and be a much better example for people to follow, if he sat back and just understood that some of things that he says and some of the things that he does need to be tweaked a little bit. And hey, I don’t know Jon, but I love him to death because he’s a guy that worked his ass off to make it to the top of his field. As a human being I want the best for Jon Jones. UFC on the other hand, what they did with this situation; until I get 100 percent of the information straight in front of me so I could look at it, I think passing judgement not really knowing everything, I think they dropped the ball. Because they’ve been fighting for what, 20 years to try and get a positive impression from everyone? From trying to get into New York state, from trying to get into these states that John McCain kept them out of years and years ago.

I think it would be in their interest to do the right thing. And you know the definition from the committee about in-season testing and what ‘in-season’ means is absolutely appalling. It’s ridiculous and it’s a technicality, and it’s something that if they would have pulled Jones from the fight, god knows how many millions of dollars they would have lost, and they would have had to refund. I can’t tell you how long it’s been that I have been wanting for a fight to happen such as Cormier and Jones. You know [Robbie] Lawler and [Johny] Hendricks I definitely wanted to see that one, but there’s other fights that you want to see. But if they would have taken that one off the plate then that was a huge loss for them in a lot of ways. So I understand from a business stand point why nothing was done, but it doesn’t look real good from the outside looking in. So I think something has to be done. I know Jon Jones is going to come back bigger and better, and look at it from a wrestling stand point; a lot of people though he was a dick beforehand, though he was a great fighter.

I made the analogy yesterday; it’s like I’m a car guy, I love muscle cars. And if I see a low-rider going down the street, and it’s perfect, immaculate, I’m gonna appreciate it, but it doesn’t mean I have to like it. So I have a lot of respect for him, but I don’t like some of the things that he says and some of it, he’s like a little baby sometimes, you know? That’s not the way a champion is. And 90 percent of the time he’s a great champion, but there’s just some things that I’m not in favour of. But hey, it makes him look like a heel, and you need a heel. And does it show a character turn, and is this the thing that puts everyone back in his corner, and even the people that didn’t like him before put in his corner? Hey, absolutely. But at the end of the day none of that matters. We’re talking about one human being and their struggle with drugs, and I hope nothing but the best for Jon Jones.”

On if he would consider displaying his skills in at least an exhibition or amateur fight? “Abso-damn-lutely. That is in the back of my mind and it has been for the past couple of months, and you know, hey I’m 48 years old. The reality is that it’s not like I didn’t retire from the NFL because of injuries. So my body is torn to shreds, but I continue to have the desire to compete. I talked to Royce Gracie this morning, same thing with him. You know warriors never die, they just get older. And you know things change a bit, but you know the spirit never dies. Therefore every day I look for some type of physical test, and you know whether it’s putting myself against myself, which is my own worst critic and no question my biggest advisory.

You know if I can please myself, then I can guarantee you that I could go out there and have some fun with people. You know Rampage [Jackson] and I were supposed to train earlier in the week. He unfortunately has the flu. We’ve got a number of guys at the gym that like to trade punches. That’s a lot of fun. And we got a big autograph session at Magic City Comicon in Miami coming up this weekend, and I did an interview yesterday the Miami State and put it out there that I want to train some Muay Thai. American Top Team through an invitation out, you know a number of other people did. Hey man, I don’t have an ego. I’ve done more in my life than 90 percent of the people could ever imagine doing. And so I don’t have an issue.

Go on YouTube right now and have a look at the video that I posted of Jimmy Pedro the US Olympic Judo coach tossing me around like a doll. Well Jimmy weighs about 180 pounds, and if I had an ego and if I was worried about what people think, I wouldn’t put that online. But I thought it would be great, and I thought it would be killer to be able to feel that from a professional. From one of the best in the world. I have no problem training with anybody and getting beaten by anybody, because anytime you’re getting beaten in a brawl; you know the good ones are the ones who prosper from that, and they learn, and they get bigger, and they get better, and they grow in the knowledge department.”

WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart was interviewed for January’s issue of Total Wrestling Magazine, which you can read for free online at Issuu.com.

The 5-time WWE Champion spoke about his classic match with Davey Boy Smith at SummerSlam 1992, the legendary Hart family dungeon and his brother Owen. Here’s what he makes of the current WWE product and who his favorite superstars are:

“CM Punk, is an exceptional talent who’s really raised the bar in the last few years. I don’t know how many wrestlers in the past few years that I can say that about. In wrestling theres a lot of repeat, not a lot of innovation but Punk raised the bar and Daniel Bryan is a great talent too. He reminds me of Owen, a quiet kid who’s very talented. I love the way he wrestles, he does a lot that Owen did, like the dropkicks off the top, the nip-ups, there’s a lot of little Owen traits in everything Bryan does.”

He also spoke about patching up his relationship with Vince McMahon several years ago.

“He was one of the first people to call me and ask how I was after my stroke, and we cleared a lot of the air, I’m really grateful for that call. I eventually got to beat him at WrestleMania 26 which I think is a better ending for us. I would say he’s on the very best of terms with me now.”

– As noted earlier, WWE is taking steps to modify their talent contracts in response to the unceremonious departures of CM Punk and Alberto Del Rio. A new stipulation is that talent that is fired for disciplinary reasons will forfeit all merchandise rights and will have a 1-year no-compete clause that prevents them from working for pro wrestling or MMA promotions.

– According to WWE insider ‘MetsFan4Ever,’ indy wrestler Biff Busick will be receiving a WWE tryout in Orlando next week. He has wrestled for Combat Zone Wrestling, Top Rope Promotions and Chaotic Wrestling.

Gabe Sapolsky is said to be furious at the possibility of losing Busic. Sapolsky has typically been very supportive when his talent has signed with WWE.

Tickets for the 2015 WWE Hall Of Fame ceremony are scheduled to go on sale to the general public on Saturday, January 17th at 11:00am EST. The 2015 WWE Hall Of Fame ceremony will be held at the SAP Center in San Jose, California on March 28th.

As far as a pre-sale is concerned, WWE usually offers a pre-sale event. Whenever any pre-sale information becomes available, including code words needed to purchase tickets in advance, we will be sure to update you.

For more information, visit WWE.com.

• PHOTOS: CM Punk & AJ Lee In Their Private Time, Hanging w/ Celebrities, Partying & MORE! [View Here >>]

IGN is reporting that CM Punk is now officially a writer for the Startling Sports Stories #1 comic from DC Comics; mature readers imprint, Vertigo.

Punk is scheduled to work on an issue with writers Brian Azzarello, Paul Pope, Gilbert Hernandez and Darick Robertson.

Startling Sports Stories #1 is scheduled for a March 2015 release and will be Punk’s second published comic this year, as he is currently working on Marvel’s Thor Annual #1, which is scheduled for a February release.

• PHOTOS: CM Punk & AJ Lee In Their Private Time, Hanging w/ Celebrities, Partying & MORE! [View Here >>]

According to various sources, WWE is currently working on securing a licensing deal with one of the leading mixed-martial-arts apparel companies — TapouT.

TapouT co-founder Skrape has since acknowledged the rumors, as he recently tweeted out the following message on his official Twitter page:

I've had lots of messages regarding a WWE deal. We are exploring several partnership opportunities, but there's nothing to announce rite now

— SKRAPE-A-LICIOUS (@TAPOUTSKRAPE) January 10, 2015

Since then, representatives of WWE have addressed the story as well, as they released the following official statement:

“WWE is exploring several partnership opportunities, however we have nothing official to announce at this time.”

• BRAND NEW VIDEO: CM Punk AND His Head Trainer Reveal When CM Punk Plans To OFFICIALLY Make His UFC Fighting Debut

WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross and new UFC fighter CM Punk are scheduled to appear together on tonight’s edition of “Inside MMA,” which is basically a “SportsCenter” version of an MMA talk show. The program airs at 10:30pm EST. on AXS TV.

Ross will be appearing to promote his one-man shows that will be held on Friday, January 23rd in Sayreville, New Jersey at the Starland Ballroom, as well as a matinee show on January 25th at the Trocadero Theater in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Punk, of course, will be on the program to discuss his upcoming debut in the UFC.

• PHOTOS: CM Punk & AJ Lee At Dinner Together In Las Vegas Just A Few Days Ago, Hanging Out With Celebrities & MORE!

The following are highlights of a new Chad Dukes Wrestling Show interview with Doc Gallows:

On being a star in Japan: “In Japan, traditionally, whether you’re a baseball player, a musician, a baseball player, a pro wrestler, which thank god it’s very popular right now, you get kinda special treatment. These sponsors, these businessmen, I guess it’s kind of a status thing for them to take us out. So we get to eat in five-star restaurants all night long, we get to eat as much as we want, drink as much as we want, which is good sometimes, bad others. It’s a change in lifestyle, it really is… Over there they wanna buy the stuff off our backs. So I literally wear different gear to the ring every single night and then these collectors are waiting at the hotel to buy my stinky tights.”

On the Aces & Eights group: “As evidenced by my career, I’m a bit of a faction man. That was just a really neat, I really dug the vibe of it. I thought got to be myself a little bit for the first time, which translated into what I think became the Bullet Club success for me and stuff. I don’t know if a lot of people know this, but Mike Knox is probably my very best friend in wrestling, best friend since we laid eyes on each other. He’s my dude and getting to do that and be on TV with him, actually at one point there was talk of making us more of a TV tag team and running us for the tag belts and stuff, which never came to fruition… It was a great group of guys. Devon, I’m completely fond of him, we became friends. D-Lo Brown, he’s my boy as well. Just the whole thing, Garrett, Wes, no matter what you think of those guys in-ring or otherwise, it was a great group of guys, we had each other’s backs, we were friends outside the ring, and anytime you do that- it’s kinda like at WWE, Mercury, CM Punk, and I as the Straight Edge Society- anytime that you have that with guys, like we have in the Bullet Club now, it translates, people get it. It has a real feeling because it is real.”

On the end of the Straight Edge Society: “I felt like in 2010 when the Straight Edge Society ended that it was a shame because we had some real momentum. We came into Summer Slam 2010 and whatever mistakes Serena Deeb made, I don’t know, I can’t care to comment on, she got fired and [Joey Mercury] tore his pec in that match we had with Big Show. So it was kinda like the Straight Edge Society imploded in one night, so we never got to finish the storyline which I always thought was a shame.”

On CM Punk’s UFC move: “The UFC move shocked me. I knew some of the other entertainment stuff he was doing, I knew he was training his ass off, I knew he was a huge fan of it, so I kinda had an inkling. And then he announced it or they announced it, whatever, and I texted him and said, ‘Holy Crap dude, congratulations, I had no idea.’ I just talked to him in Japan, I know he’s training his butt off in Milwaukee and he’s really digging that. I hope for all the best for him.”

On Joey Mercury: “If there was ever a guy who knew this business from the inside out and could teach it to other people and knew how to convey it, it was Joey. I was in my mid-20s when Straight Edge thing was going, 25, 26 years old. Who better to stand on the ring apron and tag with, who better to second out to a match CM Punk. Joey and I tagged on six or seven overseas tours, we tagged on all the house shows, and I just think the world of both [Joey Mercury & CM Punk] as in-ring performers, as entertainers, and as people. Getting to be with those guys it was kinda like going to medical school after college or something.”

On Finn Balor: “He’s a guy who can go, he has a charisma, not so much a charisma but he has mystique. And I think that when mystique’s gone, like now in a lot of cases, that it hurts. But if you look at like a Bray Wyatt, and there’s mystique there, I love him, huge fan of him, he’s a friend of mine, and I love what he’s doing and what they’ve done with him. And I think that Devitt, if they can capture him just right, he’s gonna be able to captivate an audience and be a major league, big fight feel superstar in that company.”

Check out the complete interview at ChadDukesWrestlingShow.com.

• PHOTOS: CM Punk & AJ Lee At Dinner Together In Las Vegas Just A Few Days Ago, Hanging Out With Celebrities & MORE!

The following are highlights of a new Chad Dukes Wrestling Show interview with Ring of Honor Champion Jay Briscoe:

On his gruesome shoulder injury in 2013: “It was pretty nasty, man. They said they could have did surgery for it and drove a screw down screwed the shoulder bone back into my arm but they said I would have been out for a while. So I just kinda let it heal on its own and now I guess it’s gonna be popped up like this until I get it taken care of. It’s not too bad I’ve learned to live with it.”

On the success of ROH and independent stars in NXT: “I think it’s awesome. You see people like Claudio (Cesaro) on TV, I mean that’s my friend, I’m watching my friend succeed on TV, it’s cool being able to watch that. All the guys now in NXT seems like they’re just blowing up. It just shows that what we’re doing here in Ring of Honor, it’s almost like a proving ground. If you can do your thing and you can succeed here, it pretty much proves that you can handle it, you’ve got what it takes.”

On CM Punk: “Punk’s my boy and he’s a determined dude if he puts his mind to something. I wish him all the luck in the world and I think he’s gonna surprise some people, man.”

Check out the complete interview at ChadDukesWrestlingShow.com.

• UFC Champ JON JONES Fails Drug Test For COCAINE & Enters Rehab! Jones, UFC, Dana White & Daniel Cormier Comment …

The producers of the Paper Cutz comics have been informed by WWE officials that CM Punk is to be removed from all future re-prints of the graphic novels that they have released with WWE Superstars and storylines.

The issues of the comic that include Punk are currently out of print, however they would still be available at some stores. WWE informed Paper Cutz that Punk has to be edited out of the stories that he’s in for any future re-prints.

WWE does not legally own the rights to use Punk’s name and image. There is no word regarding who will be replacing Punk in the Paper Cutz comics.

• PHOTOS: CM Punk & AJ Lee Together In Las Vegas This Past Weekend

– Kane recently spoke to the folks at Caller.com to promote tonight’s WWE RAW show. He also spoke about the 2015 Royal Rumble during the interview and noted that Roman Reigns is poised for “big things” in the 30-man over-the-top battle royal match. You can check out the interview at Caller.com.

– Sitcom star Ed O’Neill, best known for his role as “Al Bundy” on the series “Married with Children,” continues to playfully “challenge” CM Punk to be his first opponent in the UFC. O’Neill, who is a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, recently tweeted the following to Punk.

https://twitter.com/RealEdOneill/status/551477868233232386

• PHOTOS: CM Punk & AJ Lee Together In Las Vegas This Past Weekend

Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Champion Jay Briscoe recently appeared on CBS Radio DC’s Chad Dukes Wrestling Show to promote ROH Here are some highlights of what he said about:

His 2013 Shoulder Injury: “It was pretty nasty, man. They said they could have did surgery for it and drove a screw down screwed the shoulder bone back into my arm but they said I would have been out for a while. So I just kinda let it heal on its own and now I guess it’s gonna be popped up like this until I get it taken care of. It’s not too bad I’ve learned to live with it.”

ROH & Independent Stars Succeeding In NXT: “I think it’s awesome. You see people like Claudio (Cesaro) on TV, I mean that’s my friend, I’m watching my friend succeed on TV, it’s cool being able to watch that. All the guys now in NXT seems like they’re just blowing up. It just shows that what we’re doing here in Ring of Honor, it’s almost like a proving ground. If you can do your thing and you can succeed here, it pretty much proves that you can handle it, you’ve got what it takes.”

CM Punk Joining UFC: “Punk’s my boy and he’s a determined dude if he puts his mind to something. I wish him all the luck in the world and I think he’s gonna surprise some people, man.”

Other topics discussed include Alberto El Patron joining ROH, the state of the industry and much more.

As noted earlier this week, AJ Lee appeared to be on vacation, as the WWE Diva posted a photo on social media of a beach, indicating that she was enjoying some of her time off from WWE, which as reported, is due to injuries.

Lee and her husband, former WWE Superstar and current UFC fighter CM Punk, were in Puerto Rico for New Year’s Eve, visiting Lee’s family on the west side of the island.

On a related note, Punk begins his official full-time training for his UFC debut at “Roufus Sport” in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this Monday.

Punk took part in a live UFC Fight Club Q&A in Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday, fielding a number of pro wrestling and MMA related questions from a rowdy, mostly drunk UFC crowd. You can check out a full video archive of the Q&A session by clicking here.

After the recent situations with CM Punk and Alberto Del Rio, WWE has put in all performer contracts a stipulation that states if they are fired for disciplinary reasons, they forfeit all merchandise rights and they can’t work in either pro wrestling or mixed-martial-arts for a full year.

It’s believed that such a stipulation would not hold up in court, however it would take a lot of money and resources to challenge it and find out, and most talents are that well off to take that kind of chance.

The following is an excerpt from a new MMA Junkie interview with UFC fighter Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, where he talks about the subject of CM Punk in the UFC.

“My attitude with CM Punk is: good, why not? The guy did what he had to do. He’s got money. He doesn’t need to come to the UFC. So that’s just like a challenge he’s doing on his own. It’s not like he’s hurting and is like, ‘Man, I need to find a new career.’ He’s like, ‘No, I’ve made my life. I’ve done what I need to do. I’m going to come and try this.’ I told him to come to the ranch. Bring that WWE money and come out and train with me.

“Who am I to say CM Punk can’t fight? We’ve never seen the guy fight, never seen him train. I heard he’s got good jiu-jitsu. Teach the guy – I don’t know if you can do some of the wrestling moves he does in the WWE, but he might be. Come on. Why not? Bring that fan base. They sell out arenas every night, so why not bring that over? I think Brock coming over was great. CM Punk, yeah, come on with it. Put me on the same card as him.”

Check out the complete interview at MMAJunkie.com.

The five most-shipped WWE DVDs of 2014 so far are WrestleMania XXX, with 153,000 units sold, which is down from the 174,000 units from this time last year, Slam City with 100,000 units, The Ultimate Warrior Collection with 94,000 units, The Best of Sting with 66,000 units and WCW’s Greatest Pay-Per-View Matches with 53,000 units.

By comparison, DVD sets on CM Punk, The Rock, Undertaker and Bill Goldberg from recent years all topped the 100,000 mark, with The Rock being the best individual seller of the past two years.

– WWE security was said to be checking for and removing any CM Punk signs in attendance at the WWE live event this past Friday night in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois.

– TMZ has an article up on their website about WWE Superstar Sheamus buying a DeLorean motor vehicle, one that gained fame in the “Back to the Future” movie franchise. Sheamus purchased the car for $55,000 last weekend from “Just Toys Classic Cars” in Orlando, Florida. Below is a photo of Sheamus with the vehicle.

What do you wear when you pick up your Delorean? A Leinster jersey, of course! @WWESheamus #fella #SheamusMcFly pic.twitter.com/RvXkvvuE99

— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) December 20, 2014