– Chris Jericho and CM Punk teamed up for the first time ever at Saturday night’s WWE Live Event from Trenton, NJ, defeating Team Rhodes Scholars. Jericho tweeted the following about the match, which featured several cartwheels from them:
– WWE Hall of Famer Edge received the Lou Thesz Award at the 2013 Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo, Iowa this weekend. Also in attendance were Jim Ross, Gerald Brisco, Larry “The Axe” Hennig, Jim Brunzell, UFC veteran Matt Hughes and more. Jim Ross tweeted this picture of himself with Edge, Brisco and wrestling legend Danny Hodge:
– In this week’s edition of Backstage Fallout for SmackDown, CM Punk consoles Paul Heyman after getting clocked by World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio and the Usos continue their hot streak, remaining focused on The Shield and the WWE Tag Team Championship.
– On August 27, WWE will release Best of WWE at Madison Square Garden on DVD and Blu-ray as the organization’s greatest moments at the famous New York City-based venue are highlights. WrestlingDVDNews.com has revealed that the following matches and segments will be featured in the video release.
Andre the Giant & “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff vs. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper & “Cowboy” Bob Orton
10th August, 1985
Stone Cold Stuns The Boss
Raw – 22nd September, 1997
1st Ever Tag Team Tables Match
The Dudley Boyz vs. The Hardy Boyz
Royal Rumble – 23rd January, 2000
Booker T Attacks Mr. McMahon
Raw – 25th June, 2001
Match for the Undisputed Heavyweight Wrestling Championship
WWE Champion, Bob Backlund vs. NWA Champion, Harley Race
22nd September, 1980
Intercontinental Championship Match
Bret “Hitman” Hart vs. “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase
29th December, 1991
Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship
Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon
WrestleMania X – 20th March, 1994
#1 Contender Triple Threat Match
Triple H vs. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Jericho
Raw – 7th August, 2000
John Cena Returns in the Royal Rumble Match
Royal Rumble – 27th January, 2008
– CM Punk conducted a Q&A session on Twitter on Saturday night where he endorsed a TNA wrestler.
An Austin Aries fan asked, “Thoughts on “A Double”, Austin Aries? Or you’re not allowed to talk about the other company?” Punk responded, “I think he’s great!”
Punk also fielded a question on the passing of Matt Osborne, who portrayed Doink the Clown. He wrote, “sucks of course.”
– Throughout 2013 for WWE Magazine, the WWE Divas are paying tribute to the wrestlers of yesteryear by channeling their trademark wardrobe in photo shoots. In the latest installment, Natalya honors former Hart family nemesis Shawn Michaels by donning an outfit akin to the initial “Heartbreak Kid” look. To view the photos, click here.
– The return of Christian on Raw is highlighted in the latest WWE Raw Slam of the Week.
– Former WWE Superstar Colt Cabana (known as Scotty Goldman during his brief run from 2007-2009) recently received a tryout with WWE to be a color commentator. At this time, there’s no word on whether he’ll be hired, but we do know the tryout was set up by his longtime friend, CM Punk.
– As reported earlier this month, WWE Diva Natalya is engaged to Tyson Kidd. WWE cameras were in Vegas last week for Natalya’s bachelorette party, recording footage for the Total Divas reality show. According to reports, the actual wedding will be taking place on the show as well. Since filming is currently underway and the show premieres this summer, it’s possible their wedding could be taking place very soon.
Hyping CM Punk’s much-anticipated return to the squared circle on Sunday night at WWE Payback, the Chicago Tribune has published an article profiling his first wrestling venture; a stint in the late 1990’s for a backyard wrestling promotion called Lunatic Wrestling Federation. The organization is where the WWE Superstar debuted his CM Punk persona.
The head of the defunct promotion, Larry Statkus, who goes under the name “Billy Whack,” noted to the publication that he met Punk and his older brother Mike at a comic book store where Statkus worked. Punk and his older brother subsequently joined the promotion as wrestlers, but the brother relationship dissolved after he discovered that Mike had embezzled thousands of dollars from the small company, causing them to become estranged. Punk told the Tribune last year, “the only thing my brother ever did to me was steal a (crap) load of money from me.”
When WWE released the CM Punk – Best in the World DVD and Blu-ray last year, Statkus was concerned that Punk would disparage Lunatic Wrestling Federation. However, that was not the case.
“He was very positive about LWF stuff,” said Statkus.
In recent years, Statkus has attempted to reach out to Punk through social media network Twitter, but has not heard back. Nonetheless, he is happy for his former colleague’s success.
“I honestly think his promos are fantastic. His wrestling is fantastic. It’s great. It’s just bittersweet,” Statkus said. “You want to be proud but you can’t talk to the guy anymore.”
According to the article, a WWE spokesperson said Punk could not be reached for comment on Statkus.
– With CM Punk returning to WWE this weekend at Sunday’s Payback pay-per-view, there has been a lot of buzz that he’ll be turning babyface soon. Punk has a little over one year left on his current WWE contract and in the event that Punk wants to take extended time off at that point, WWE wants to get another big babyface run out of him.
– Triple H did some Q&A with fans on Twitter on Saturday morning and said that he would “love” to wrestle his Attitude Era rival The Rock one more time.
– William Regal tweeted the following message on Friday night, referencing his past issues with substance abuse and noting that he remains humble, possibly referencing that other wrestlers don’t:
I've had rather a fondness for a few of the wrong things in life but I'm glad buying into my own B.S is not one of them.#letsretweetimgreat.
During a recent interview with Australia’s Herald Sun newspaper, WWE Superstar The Miz spoke about John Cena helping him early in his WWE career:
“John Cena made me realise what I had to do to get ahead in this business,” he says. You have to make your own way to the top because no one’s going to give the spot to you.
“Most of all you have to make the audience believe (in your character). No matter what they’re saying about it, you always have to make them believe.”
The Miz also talked about CM Punk’s success in WWE, calling Punk his polar opposite:
“Punk, whether you love him or hate him, you have to respect him for all that he’s done in the WWE,” he said. He’s the longest-reigning champion of the past 25 years, and that’s for a reason, but we are complete opposites.
“I enjoy the limelight, walking the red carpet, living in Hollywood and doing stuff like that. And Punk, well, he’s not what you’d call a `corporate person’. I think the big differences in who we are as people, and as characters, would make for a great feud.”
Miz also spoke about Ric Flair passing down the Figure Four to him, being the villain in Mick Foley’s book and more.
– WWE Diva Nikki Bella recently spoke with Sportstownchicago.com about about the upcoming show Total Divas reality show, becoming a Boston sports fan as a result of dating John Cena, WWE’s Divas division and more.
– WWE Diva Brie Bella tweeted the following picture of herself and her boyfriend, who you may recognize:
“Enjoying a pool day with my man @WWEDanielBryan Xxoo B #desertsun”
– Here’s the updated synopsis for WWE’s new (unnamed) Triple H WWE DVD/Blu-Ray, which will be released on September 24th:
“Triple H continues to build upon his enduring legacy. From 13-time World Champion to COO, Triple H has played multiple roles spanning decades. Packed with over 3 hours of documentary footage, all-new interviews and matches, this compilation profiles Triple H’s entire career as well as his current executive role with the WWE.”
You can pre-order the DVD and Blu-Ray now from Amazon.com, starting at under $21.
– CM Punk attended a concert for the band Rancid on Tuesday night in Detroit. Before playing their new song, “F**k You”, band member Lars Fredericksen called CM Punk on stage and joked that the song should be his new WWE entrance theme. They also got the crowd to chant, “..1..2..3..F**K YOU PHILLIP!!” at Punk.
Here’s a picture of CM Punk on stage with Rancid in Detroit (6/11):
– Former WWE developmental wrestler wrestler Derek Foore, who was released last November, is threatening to sell his WWE contract, which he says exposes how the company exploits its talent worse than a pimp:
“Who’s interested in buying a copy of my #wwe contract? #sharing is caring. #Bombsaway @WWENXT. The contract includes authentic signatures from John Laurinaitis and HHH (Paul Levesque) along with salary, wellness policy, ETC… #wwe. This #wwe contract is better than a tell all book about the #wwe. It shows how it #exploits the wrestlers worse than a pimp! #Bombsaway”
– CM Punk and Lita attended a recent Chicago Blackhawks vs. LA Kings hockey game and can be seen in the photo below wearing Blackhawks jerseys. CM Punk returns to WWE this Sunday night when Payback takes place from his hometown of Chicago.
– CM Punk tweeted the following about fans who are disrespectful when spotting him in public and trying to get his attention:
“You can’t get mad when I blow you off after you poke me in the back or pull on my shirt to get my attention. Respect is a two way street. Use manners and treat me respectfully and I will reciprocate and sign/take pictures.If you’re rude, buzz off.I am not a zoo animal. #respect”
– WWE Diva Rosa Mendes, who has been off television since being sent home from WWE’s recent European tour due to her conduct, is teasing on Twitter that she’ll be back soon.
– Sin Cara and Lilian Garcia are doing media appearances for WWE today in Mexico. Sin Cara tweeted this picture of them together:
– The Daily Beast has a new tongue-in-cheek gallery up looking at 8 movie franchises that The Rock could save, including Sex & The City, Toy Story, Twilight & Bridget Jones’ Diary.
– WWE NXT is running a live event tonight (7:30pm) at the Tampa Arena in Tampa, Florida.
– Japanese wrestling legend Jushin “Thunder” Liger has been added to the alumni section of WWE.com.
After a brief hiatus away from WWE television, it was announced on Monday’s RAW that CM Punk will be returning to action next month – sooner than expected.
During his Highlight Reel segment on Monday’s RAW where he was interviewing Paul Heyman, Chris Jericho challenged Heyman’s client CM Punk to a match at next month’s WWE Payback pay-per-view. Heyman accepted on Punk’s behalf.
WWE Payback takes place on Sunday, June 16th from the Allstate Arena near Punk’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois.
[punkhoodie]- With CM Punk expected to be back with WWE this summer, the writing team is currently working on different storyline plans for his return. One scenario being discussed is for Punk to be paired with Brock Lesnar upon his return, with Heyman and Lesnar eventually turning on him. Punk would turn and feud with a heel Brock Lesnar this fall.
– WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley was recently spoke to RingSideCollectibles.com about his new Mattel WWE Figure, his promo with Ryback on Raw and more:
As we’ve reported in recent months, Punk has been dealing with knee problems in recent months and was generally burned out from years on the road – including his historic 1+ year run as WWE Champion.
[punkhoodie]- WWE sent out a press release announcing three live events in Abu Dhabi later this year. The shows will be held on October 10-13 at the Zayed Sports City Tennis Stadium. Gerrit Meier, the Executive Vice President of International deivision, was quoted:
“We are thrilled to bring WWE’s electrifying live events experience back to Abu Dhabi. Our passionate fan base, paired with the support and commitment from our business partners in the region, have helped to grow and establish WWE as a leading entertainment brand in the Middle East.”
– CM Punk was at the Gracie MMA training camp this weekend, along with former WWE Diva Eve Torres. Eve tweeted the following picture of herself, Punk and the rest of the Gracie students. Eve is in the bottom left of the photo, while Punk is in the top right::
“Standup Paddle boarding at #GracieImmersionCamp! Who’s the weirdo in the corner?”
– The Fandango vs. Chris Jericho dance-off booked for Monday’s RAW was originally scheduled to take place at Extreme Rules.
– It appears that WWE’s Saturday Morning Slam show could be ending soon. The CW Network is rumored to have only purchased a limited number of episodes of the show – and there have not been any new matches taped for Saturday Morning Slam in the past two weeks.
– CM Punk continues to attend professional sports events during his time off from WWE and was spotted at Monday night’s Chicago Cubs baseball game against the Texas Rangers. Punk tweeted this photo from the game:
[punkshirt]- We reported last week that UFC Legend Mark Coleman made a scene at a recent UFC live event (4/13) when producers decided to show WWE superstar CM Punk on camera in stead of him. Coleman was reportedly telling people that he wanted fight Punk. He has since contacted the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and apologized for his conduct at the show. Coleman said he was only trying to “work on his image” and was joking around. He added he has nothing but respect for CM Punk and said Punk is his favorite WWE superstar.
– Following up on the news that WWE is working a new 1-hour weekly NXT TV show, SyFy is reportedly interested in picking up the series this fall.
There has also beentalk of featuring more NXT matches at WWE Live Events to give the developmental talents experience of working in front of larger crowds.
[punkhoodie]- WWE is now advertising CM Punk’s WWE television return date for the May 27th episode of WWE RAW from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Earlier this week, the next RAW Punk was advertised for was June 3rd from Hartford, CT.
– WWE sources indicate that John Cena’s injury not an Achilles heel tear, as WWE first reported, but just a badly bruised heel. Cena is not expected to miss much (if any) ring time.
– WWE Classics on Demand will have a “Motor Mayhem” theme for the month of May:
“Start your engines and buckle up! WWE Classics On Demand presents “WWE Motor Mayhem”. Relive some of the hairiest, metal-crunching carnage of all time. Featuring; Monster Trucks, Limos, Low-Riders, 18-Wheelers and more.”
– CM Punk has been removed from all upcoming live event listings through SummerSlam. As we’ve been reporting, Punk was burnt out and physically worn down heading into WrestleMania, when he suffered additional injuries to his knees. At this time, the creative team is not even discussing how to bring Punk back, since it’s still several months away. Since his last WWE television appearance, Punk has been spotted at baseball games, a movie premiere (Iron Man 3) and three UFC events.
– As for Chris Jericho, he’s only scheduled for two live events in May before the Extreme Rules pay-per-view: Beaumont, TX (5/11) and Ft. Worth, TX (5/12). Jericho is currently listed for post-Extreme Rules RAW live events in Utah and Canada from 5/24-26. He’s not currently listed for any RAW or SmackDown tapings.
New STEPHANIE McMAHON BIKINI Photo: You’ve NEVER Seen Her Like This!
“, due out in August.
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now from Amazon.com, starting at under $21.
