The hottest event of the summer is practically hours away at this point. The card is set, the matches have been hyped, and it’s time to sit back and enjoy the show (after making a few predictions, of course). Here are my predictions for this Sunday’s pay-per-view.

AJ Lee (Divas Champion) vs. Paige

Paige has been a thorn in AJ Lee’s side since arriving on the main roster, especially since turning heel. She has had the upper hand on the champ over the past few weeks, even pushing her off of the stage on SmackDown at one point. Although Paige has been booked strong, the company realizes AJ Lee is the most marketable Diva on the roster right now. She retains after forcing Paige to tap out to the Black Widow.

Result: AJ Lee by submission

The Miz (Intercontinental Champion) vs. Dolph Ziggler

Since his return, the Miz has sort of fallen flat with the audience, especially since picking up the title at last month’s Battleground. Over the past year, it’s safe to assume Dolph Ziggler will lose any match of even moderate significance, but this could be different, as he has been booked strong and is still over with the fans.

The company is trying to promote the Miz’s dud of a movie that will soon be gracing dollar bins across the country, but I think they realize his title reign isn’t catching on. Dolph Ziggler will pick up the upset victory on Sunday after hitting a Zig Zag in what will likely be one of the shorter matches on the card.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler by pinfall

 Jack Swagger vs. Rusev (Flag Match)

Call me crazy, but this is perhaps my most anticipated match on the card. The feud has been built very well and given adequate time to develop. Fans still aren’t entirely sure of what the rules will be for this one, but I’m assuming it’s going to involve the winning wrestler grabbing his country’s flag and waving it proudly in the center of the ring to end the contest.

This is the perfect opportunity for Swagger to go over Rusev and extend the feud a bit longer. He doesn’t have to pin the Bulgarian Brute to win so he won’t look as weak as he would if he lost via pinfall or submission. Expect the managers to also play a role in this one, and expect Swagger to walk out victorious to set up a rubber match at Night of Champions.

Winner: Jack Swagger

 Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt

Much like the Rusev/Swagger feud, this program has also been given a proper build. The promo/interview the two cut last week on Raw was awesome and really hyped the match well.

Jericho won last month after hitting Wyatt with a Code Breaker. It will be even tougher for Wyatt this time around, as both Harper and Rowan are banned from ringside. This will likely be a back-and-forth contest with several near falls, with the in-ring work hopefully being a little more polished than last month’s affair. There’s no way Wyatt loses again, however, and will walk out victorious after forcing Y2J to succumb to Sister Abigail.

Winner: Bray Wyatt by pinfall

The following are highlights of a new Xfinity interview with Seth Rollins:

Onda: You’re no stranger to being the bad guy, to being disliked by wrestling fans. In a way, was this getting back into your comfort zone?

Rollins: I don’t know if that was really ever a thought. It was mostly just a way to separate myself from the other two, separate myself from the pack and really try to stand out and be the guy that everyone is gonna be talking about. That was the goal the whole time, and I think we accomplished that goal. Whether or not I’m more comfortable in this role is yet to be determined, but like you said, I’m definitely no stranger to this position, so we’ll see how it all comes together.

Onda: Based on the win-loss record of past “Money in the Bank” briefcase holders, you are likely to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Do you ever think, “Oh my god, I’m going to be WWE Champion” or do you not let those thoughts creep in?

Rollins: I don’t know if I think “Oh my god, I’m going to be WWE Champion” – I think there was a moment after I grabbed that briefcase, the night that I did it, where I sat by myself and reflected upon exactly what it meant to win that. I don’t say, “Oh, my god.” I say, “Damn right, I’m about to be WWE World Heavyweight Champion someday.” Having that to look forward to is pretty awesome.

Onda: The WWE Universe is craving a brutal, knock-down drag-out between you and Ambrose, and some fans are pessimistic that a Lumberjack Match – in which the ring will be surrounded by other WWE superstars – will satisfy that craving. What would you say to those people?

Rollins: I would tell them to order “SummerSlam.” Get their eyes on it, because if they’re expecting anything less than a knock-down drag-out bar fight, then they’re completely mistaken. We’ve been at each other for months over this, and the premise of the Lumberjack Match is to keep the two opponents in the ring together. A lot of people might be worried about what the involvement of the lumberjacks might be, but essentially it’s gonna keep us in the same 20-by-20, 400-square-foot space, and that’s something we haven’t see yet from me and Ambrose. And I can guarantee you it won’t be the least bit disappointing.

Onda: As a member of The Authority, you are in a position that puts you in the company of WWE’s greatest minds and veterans. What do you learn from them on a weekly basis?

Rollins: You learn how to be successful and how to stay successful. Stephanie is a McMahon. She knows all of the ruthless and cunning things that must be done to stay at the very top. And she’s a woman. And to be a woman at the top is not always the easiest thing, and some may say it’s more difficult than to be a man on top. She’s been able to excel in that role. Triple H – “The Game,” the “Cerebral Assassin” – that’s a nickname [announcer] Jim Ross gave to him based on the way he operates in the ring, but I think it has as much to do with the way he operates outside of the ring and how he conducts himself. Learning those things – how to carry yourself, how to be the top guy, the man in our industry – those are the things I’ve picked up from Triple H and Randy Orton. Those are the guys who have been to the mountain top and know what it’s like to hold that spot. That’s where I wanna be, and there’s no better person or people to learn from.

Onda: Are you crazy enough to cash in on Brock Lesnar?

Rollins: I don’t think Brock’s gonna come out of that match (with John Cena at SummerSlam) looking too pretty either. I didn’t say, “Let’s see the condition of Cena.” I said, “Let’s see the condition of the champion.” Whoever the champion is at “SummerSlam” after that main event, they better watch out, because if the time is right and it feels good… you never know.

Check out the complete interview at Xfinity.Comcast.net.

The reason WWE waited to make the official announcement regarding the signing of Kevin Steen until August 12th was because they wanted it to coincide with the launch of the WWE Network in Canada, where Steen is from.

As noted previously, WWE is acknowledging the fact that the Steen signing is a major addition to their roster. Apparently, WWE informed Dean Ambrose to no longer use the running cannonball into the corner move anymore, as they want it to be a fresh move for when Steen makes his debut on the main WWE roster.

Below is the latest official WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view lineup following Friday’s edition of WWE SmackDown:

WWE World Heavyweight Championship
– John Cena (c) vs. Brock Lesnar

WWE Divas Championship
– AJ Lee (c) vs. Paige

WWE Intercontinental Championship
– The Miz (c) vs. Dolph Ziggler

Lumberjack Match
– Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose

Flag Match
– Rusev vs. Jack Swagger

Erick Rowan and Luke Harper banned from ringside
– Chris Jericho vs. Bray Wyatt

– Stephanie McMahon vs. Brie Bella

– Randy Orton vs. Roman Reigns

Make sure to visit us on August 17th for live WWE SummerSlam results coverage!

[Editor’s Note: This article contains a spoiler from tonight’s SmackDown taping. Please refrain from reading until after the program if you wish to avoid.]

Since the breakup of the Shield a few months back, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose have been at each other’s throats, while Roman Reigns splintered off to do his own thing without worrying too much about being stabbed in the back.

The two have engaged in a bitter program that has seen Seth Rollins win the Money in the Bank contract, Dean Ambrose emerge from a car’s trunk, and a match at Battleground that was supposed to happen but was cancelled last minute.

The advertised match at Battleground did not take place. Fans are hoping to finally see the former partners square off next Sunday.

Along the way, Ambrose has been booked as a lunatic hell bent on exacting revenge at any cost, while Rollins has acted as a corporate stooge. The two are once again scheduled to square off at SummerSlam, with the hope being that the match actually takes place this time around.

Last week on Raw, Ambrose and Rollins competed in a beat the clock challenge, with the winner having the ability to choose the stipulation for their match at SummerSlam. Ambrose eventually won after defeating Alberto Del Rio and distracting Seth Rollins during his match with Heath Slater, ultimately causing Rollins to lose the contest in a major upset.

The Lunatic Fringe unveiled his stipulation at this week’s SmackDown taping that will air tonight on SyFy. After all of the betrayal, treachery, and destruction so far in this program, one would have expected Ambrose to choose a match that would allow him to destroy Rollins in the most violent manner possible.

Last night’s Raw was held in the supposedly great state of Texas. Fans in attendance were treated to the return of Mark Henry, as well as an entertaining contest between Dean Ambrose and Alberto Del Rio.

Although John Cena and Brock Lesnar were both notably absent on Sunday, the WWE did their best to promote the SummerSlam main event. As always, a few questions were answered on Monday, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following Monday’s Raw.

5. Did Fans Witness the Burial of Cesaro?

It is no secret that the WWE has no idea what to do with Cesaro right now. Once one of the most over superstars in the company, Cesaro has been relegated to minor roles since the return of Brock Lesnar. After failing to join the Authority a few weeks back, Cesaro has been in a slump, once again losing to Dolph Ziggler in a short match on Monday.

There are rumors that Cesaro’s push is being limited because the company wants to focus on pushing Roman Reigns. It makes sense to want to promote a young superstar, but others who got over on their own should not be punished as a result. Let us hope that the company soon finds something for Cesaro instead of wasting his talent.

4. Which Stipulation Will Dean Ambrose Choose?

Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins competed in a beat the clock challenge last night, with the winner having the ability to choose the stipulation for their match at SummerSlam. Ambrose won after a long battle with Alberto Del Rio, and also assured Seth Rollins would not win his match with Heath Slater.

The Lunatic Fringe now gets to choose the stipulation at tonight’s SmackDown taping (check in tonight for spoilers if you’re too eager to wait until Friday). He will probably choose something typical like a no-holds barred match, but here’s to hoping he chooses a ladder match for the contract. Which stipulation do you think Ambrose will choose?

Last night’s Raw was held in Houston, TX, and a few superstars on the roster certainly had problems. In total, eight matches were held and a few matches were confirmed for SummerSlam.

With Stephanie McMahon and Brie Bella set for SummerSlam, a few questions were answered last night, but many still remain. Here are five questions that need to be answered following Monday’s Raw.

5. Will Orton And Reigns Disappoint?

The Viper unleashed a devastating attack on Roman Reigns last night, delivering two RKO’s and driving Reigns through the announce table. This match is all but set in stone for SummerSlam and should be one of the most anticipated contests on the card.

However, recent reports indicate that the match could be a bust. The WWE has been running this match at live shows in recent weeks and fan reviews seem to indicate that Orton and Reigns have not been working well together. Although many think this will disappoint, I think they will work things out and put on a great contest, and the build so far has actually been pretty solid.

4. Was It Time To End Bo’s Streak?

The most shocking moment of last night’s Raw was probably Bo Dallas being pinned clean by R-Truth. It seems odd that the WWE would end Bo’s undefeated streak after talking it up over the past few weeks.

I think it will be a good move in the long run though. Undefeated streaks have pretty much always been a no-win situation for bookers. They can now have Dallas lose clean on occasion without having to discuss an undefeated streak, and the loss brought out a vicious side in Bo, which could add another dimension to his character. The only problem was that it looked like Dallas could sneak his way into an Intercontinental Title match SummerSlam, but that seems to be off the table now.

– It was announced during Monday’s RAW that on this week’s edition of WWE Main Event, the featured match will be Dean Ambrose vs. Alberto Del Rio. WWE Main Event airs live on the WWE Network on Tuesday night at 8pm EST.

– Also announced during RAW this week was the confirmation that Chris Jericho and Bray Wyatt will meet again at the upcoming SummerSlam pay-per-view in August. The match was confirmed during a RAW segment that featured Chris Jericho making fun of Stephanie McMahon, all-the-while angering Triple H. As noted previously, Jericho and Wyatt are expected to work matches against each other in three consecutive pay-per-views — Battleground, SummerSlam and Night Of Champions.

The latest word going around this weekend is that the rumored Stephanie McMahon vs. Brie Bella match may be saved for the Night Of Champions pay-per-view in September, as opposed to the SummerSlam show in August. More should be known based on how they follow-up on the angle at RAW tonight.

As far as the Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins and AJ Lee vs. Paige matches at SummerSlam, it is believed that both will be a gimmick match of some sort.

Finally, there is talk of the WWE Tag-Team Championship match at SummerSlam being a fatal four-way with The Usos defending against Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, as well as two other tag-teams.

Dean Ambrose recently spoke with AlternativeNation.net  to promote WWE SummerSlam, which takes place on Sunday, August 17th. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

His Brawl With Seth Rollins at Battleground:

“You never know what you’re going to see, card subject to change always. There are some fans that may have been a little disappointed, but I think in the long run nobody will really remember it as much as a negative as they might have instantly thought they would. That night definitely upped the intensity of the rivalry between me and Seth Rollins. If anything, even though there was a lot of craziness in me getting kicked out of the building, and fans never got to see the match, but one of the things I take away from it is that at the beginning of the night they wanted to see the match. But they weren’t all that vocal, and they didn’t really realize how much they wanted to see it, but when they realized they weren’t going to get it, the whole place started chanting: ‘Let them fight.’ Then the whole place realized just how much they wanted to see it. I think the way it worked out shone a bigger spotlight on me and Seth and our rivalry, than if we had just gone out there and wrestled, personally.”

How Long It Took For Him To Bond With Rollins & Reigns:

“Yeah we started traveling together pretty much immediately, once The Shield became a thing. We got advice from a lot of people we trust too, a lot of it was like: ‘You guys are going to be put in a really good spot, and there’s going to be people trying to pull you in different directions, and people maybe for whatever reason want to be destructive to what you guys are doing.’ But the thing is, we’re trying to be destructive to the whole business as a unit ourselves. So our thing was, we’re going to keep it all in house, and keep it tight. We all knew each other and trusted each other enough to know we could have that sort of a pact, then it all came together by itself. We started traveling together just immediately. We’ll ride together, we’ll keep everything in house, we’ll train together, travel together, stay together. If one guy has a problem, the other two guys have that same problem. The other two guys have got that guy’s back, and so forth. [It works as] a friendship, [and] as a competitive spirit [too]. We’re competitive with each other, but also competitive with [everyone]. As far as we were concerned, screw everybody, we’re taking over this business. We tried to put our acts together, and stick together, and that’s what we did.”

Everybody’s got their different schedules. I’m a little bit of a night owl, I don’t like to get up super early, Roman is the same way. Seth has got his certain schedule he likes to keep. He likes to say: ‘Often Roman will be on Samoan time.’ He just kind of is on his clock all the time. I always get a lot of stuff for disappearing, I pull a lot of disappearing acts a lot of the time on the road. A lot of the good stories I can’t get into the specifics of. The main thing with us is just work ethic. Every morning: drag all three of our asses to the gym, go to the gym, hit the show, drive to the next town, same thing the next day. We carry that attitude and work ethic in our separate directions. That becomes a part of your lifestyle, we’re still going to bring that after The Shield to everything we do.”

The Input He Has On His Character:

“So far, I’ve pretty much been left to my own devices, honestly, since The Shield kind of abruptly broke up. But being left to my own devices has actually been quite refreshing. To be perfectly honest, it’s kind of a good feeling to have that feeling of freedom and not having to worry about anybody else. Right now, I can kind of do whatever I want in the ring or on the mic. I mean, not [completely] anything I want, but more than I could before, because if I’ve got 2 minutes to talk, now I have 2 minutes to talk. It’s not like okay, well, I’ve got to worry about what these other two guys are going to say. I’ve got it all to myself, which is nice.”

“I’m very unorthodox in the ring, I tend to have very outside of the box ideas. Now I don’t have to worry about if it fits into a Shield match, or if it fits into the context of what we’re doing with the group. I can pretty much do whatever I want now, and wear whatever I want. I’ll just show up to the building in whatever I’m wearing, I’ll pretty much just walk to the ring like that, I don’t walk out of the building like that. If I had an idea tomorrow to wear a cowboy outfit, I could probably do it and nobody would say anything. I’m pretty much just kind of in my own little world right now, and it actually feels pretty good, to be quite honest.”

Sting Working With WWE:

“I mean everybody has always wanted to see Sting come to WWE. It’s just been ‘Sting’s coming to WWE! Sting’s coming to WWE!’ for so long, at this point everybody is just like, ‘Just come in, just have a match, just do it, it’s time.’ We all obviously [want] Sting at WrestleMania. Do whatever, if he’s in fighting shape, then great, I think anybody would want to be there and see that, [even if] it’s a one off. I mean he’s Sting. If you’re a fan of the business from any historical perspective, or if you were even just a fan as a kid, he’s a very important figure in history. I think he deserves to have that one night where he’s celebrated on a bigger stage, whether that be a Hall of Fame thing or a one off at WrestleMania. I think Sting as a character, and Sting as a person, for what he’s been I think he deserves that one big night on the biggest stage.”

KENTA Signing With WWE:

“I saw him in Japan and talked to him a little bit. Him coming in just shows you the difference in the Performance Center. When I came in it was a totally different story than what it is today. I slipped in the back door of developmental, the only guy I was even vaguely familiar with was Seth [Rollins], and I never wrestled him before. I may have crossed paths and maybe said hello to him once or twice over the years, but we were in different circles. We were always kind of on parallel paths on the indies, so I never really crossed paths with him much. But he was the only guy I had even remotely heard of, it was just a bunch of other guys. For instance, to give you perspective, the top guy in developmental when I got there was Lucky Cannon. If you don’t know [him], just Google it. That will show you the difference in the talent that is in developmental now.

NXT:

“You’ve got KENTA, Sami Zayn, Adrian Neville, and [others] coming in. The competition is just blazing so much. Even though everyone wants to be on the main roster, I think NXT is kind of a brand in itself. It’s cool to get all those different styles and different guys all in one little building, and let them loose and see what happens. Anybody who is really good coming in, that’s a plus. [Everybody should want to] get in the ring with a guy like KENTA, or even on the completely opposite end of the spectrum, a legend like Sting. Anybody who is smart would chomp at the bit for either opportunity. Or if you’re a fan and you don’t want to sit back and watch either of those guys, you’re a fool too. So it’s all pluses, and all positives.”

What He’s Learned Working With Triple H, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, The Rock, Jake Roberts & Other Legends:

“When it comes to having a live mic in your hand, it’s a much different world today than it was in the 80’s. If Roddy Piper had a live mic in his hand in the 80’s, it was on. He could say whatever he wanted, there were no real restrictions. It was up to him to take you on the ride. Now it’s different, you’ll get a certain amount of time, you’ll get something put in front of you. There’s some ways you can stretch it and spin it, it’s just about making it feel like it’s your own. The thing is as time goes on, the company [gains] more trust in you to twist it your own certain way. They’re not just going to send anybody out there with a live mic and say: ‘Can I just wing it? Is that cool?’ You’re not going to get that. So watching Roddy Piper do the whole Piper’s Pit thing, he had a certain vision of how it was going to do, the interview part of it, which I think was a little bit different than their vision was. So [I got to see] him kind work within the context, and make something his own, and go through his process.”

“[I saw the way] his head worked, and [how he would] kind of [be] reading something, and thinking about it, and then he came up to me talking about it. [He was] giving me something to play off of, and seeing how I would react, and [then] throwing something back. Backstage feeding each other stuff and doing some kind of Inside the Actors Studio stuff with Roddy Piper was really cool, getting to see him go through his process. [I got to see] how he puts things into his brain, and how they come out on the other side. It was pretty cool, because he’s the master. Being on live TV on a live mic against Roddy Piper, who could go off the rails and throw you a crazy curveball at any moment, it’s like going up against a Cy Young Award winner, or boxing Muhammad Ali. You’re in there with the best, and there’s no bigger adrenaline high than that.”

– Mick Foley recently wrote the following on his official Facebook page about Dean Ambrose and Monday’s RAW:

“But for me, the show-stealer was the Dean Ambrose vs. Cesaro match. My concern for Ambrose when The Shield split went down, was that as good as he was, he wasn’t exactly the most sympathetic character in the world. But he tells an amazing story in the ring with the his movements and his facial expressions – and has certainly touched a chord with the fans. It’s going to be interesting to see what the future holds in store for Ambrose.”

– Following their appearance at the San Diego Comic Con, Hulk Hogan tweeted the following about Sting and WWE:

Sting in the WWE UNIVERSE changes everybody's game,believe he could be anywhere. HH

— Hulk Hogan (@HulkHogan) July 25, 2014

– After last night’s RAW went off the air, a dark match main-event took place which featured Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns defeating Seth Rollins and Kane via disqualification.

– The following are the RAW Fallout videos for last night’s show.

WWE held its annual Battleground pay-per-view last night. It was the second incarnation of the event and featured a total of six matches on the actual card and two additional matches on the pre-show.

On paper, the event looked more than solid and seemed like it would be one of the best shows of the year. Things quickly took a turn for the worse, however, and the WWE dropped a massive turd on its fans last night. The event was clearly slopped together and featured some of the laziest storytelling fans will ever encounter.

Lana and Rusev received some serious heat last night after referencing the recent Malaysia Airlines crash. It will be interesting to see if the WWE takes a step back after receiving criticism from multiple news outlets.

The company also pulled a total bait and switch on fans that paid to see the event. The most anticipated match of the night for many was Seth Rollins squaring off with former Shield partner Dean Ambrose. Prior to the event, the match had been heavily advertised and was clearly one of the main reasons fans were tuning in.

Instead of holding the match, however, Triple H cancelled the contest and threw Dean Ambrose out of the building, eventually awarding the victory to Seth Rollins due to forfeit. Fans were expecting an absolute classic of a matchup, but instead were treated to a few backstage brawl segments that were nothing special, and amounted to the same thing fans can see for free each week on Raw.

Last night, the WWE basically told the fans that this matchup was too good to take place at a crummy pay-per-view such as Battleground and will be saved for SummerSlam. Honestly, fans should feel cheated after what they saw with the Ambrose/Rollins program last night.

– Unless plans change, which they always could and often do, the working plan coming out of last night’s WWE Battleground pay-per-view is for Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose to finally have their big match at SummerSlam, while Roman Reigns and Randy Orton are scheduled to break off into a singles program at the big summer event.

– The following is a post-Battleground backstage interview with the reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion John Cena.

• UFC On FOX 12 Coverage This Saturday + Gina Carano vs. Ronda Rousey Update! [>>](Partial Credit: F4WOnline.com)

The top superstars in the WWE will compete at this Sunday’s Battleground pay-per-view. Headlining the event is a fatal four-way matchup for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

In all, there are eight matches scheduled for the event, and nearly all of the company’s titles will be up for grabs. Here are my predictions for Sunday’s Battleground.

Cameron vs. Naomi (Pre-Show Match)

These two have been at each other’s throats since the breakup of the Funkadactyls. Cameron has become increasingly problematic for Naomi, as she continues to rack up wins and have success in the Divas division. I think Naomi will finally put the Funkadactyls by hitting the Rear View for the win.

Winner: Naomi by pinfall

Intercontinental Championship Battle Royal

This should be one of the most exciting matches of the night, as a number of viable contenders will be battling to become the new Intercontinental Champion. Bad News Barrett will also be on hand to present the title to the new champ.

It would appear that only a few of the entrants have a legitimate chance at winning the title, including Sheamus, Cesaro, Dolph Ziggler and Bo Dallas. I think it comes down to Dallas and Cesaro at the end, with Cesaro ultimately coming out on top. An attack or provocation by Barrett could also turn Cesaro face once again and start a feud, as it appears his days as a Heyman guy are nearly over.

Winner: Cesaro

The Usos (Tag Team Champions) vs. The Wyatt Family (2-Out-Of-3 Falls Match)

These two teams have been battling one another for what seems like forever at this point. I think this is the point where the Wyatt Family finally breaks through and strikes gold. The teams will split the first two falls before the Wyatt Family becomes the new Tag Team Champions after Luke Harper hits a clothesline to win the third fall.

Winner: Wyatt Family by pinfall

AJ Lee (Divas Champion) vs. Paige

I’m not really sure what the plan is with this one. It appeared that they were trying hard for a double turn on the night of AJ Lee’s return, but the crowd wasn’t really having it. The two have now developed into so-called “frenemies.”

This should be a close matchup that will hopefully receive at least five to ten minutes. AJ Lee will struggle throughout, but will ultimately come out on top after locking in the Black Widow and forcing Paige to tap out. Don’t be surprised if Paige attacks AJ after the match in an attempt to turn her heel.

Winner: AJ Lee by submission

Dean Ambrose recently appeared on the local CBS Radio affiliate in Boston to promote this Sunday’s WWE Battleground pay-per-view.

During the discussion, Ambrose spoke about an infamous internet nickname he is known for, “titty-master,” which he obtained after writing the words on his wrist at a WWE live event last year.

Regarding the nickname, Ambrose said “that’s why I don’t do the internet very much.”

The former Shield member also spoke about his feud with Seth Rollins. “I don’t think this is going to be the end,” said Ambrose. “I think me and him are going to be at each other’s throats and tearing it up and having spectacular matches for years and years down the line, but you’re going to get to see the first one this Sunday.”

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

The following are highlights from the latest Jim Ross blog:

On WWE’s depth issues: “WWE’s depth issues are easily identified when so many top, top stars are seen on the show in front of the live audience multiple times. We live in unique times as it relates to being not only a wrestling fan but a talent as well. Never in my recollection has the landscape been more conducive for someone to break though and soar to the top of a card than now. That speaks to the overall depth issues within the business in general. Secondly, it’s never been more challenging to be in the biz as there are simply too few places that one can work full time and earn a good living. It’s the old, double edge sword conundrum as in damn if you do and damn if you don’t.”

On the dynamic between John Cena and Roman Reigns on RAW: “I enjoyed the Cena-Reigns dynamic throughout the broadcast as both men walked a fine line but one can easily see that a personal issue could develop between the two quite easily although I somewhat doubt that it would be a long term one considering that WWE needs both men to be fan favorites. Nonetheless they have noticeable chemistry together which interests me.”

On Dean Ambrose: “Dean Ambrose took a fine, restaurant quality ass whipping early in the show. Heroes who don’t quit and show no fear while selling thoroughly usually get themselves over. Ambrose is.”

On CM Punk commercials during RAW: “The CM Punk promotional material for the WWE Network is a good way to create interest and sell subscriptions for the Network and I don’t think it means any thing more than that which is merely my speculation and not based on any ‘inside’ knowledge.”

On the Sting/WWE 2K15 commercial: “Great video done by 2K Sports to promote @Sting as a player on their upcoming, WWE video game. Sting will be available if one pre orders the game as I understand it. Does this mean that Sting will be wrestling in WWE? It’s not a lock whatsoever and I’d suggest it is a long shot but things can always change. I’d love to see Sting have a WrestleMania moment in his career but I’ll admit that I’m biased.

“Sting will be a guest on my podcast on July 29 of which we’ve already taped and it’s a great conversation.”

Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com.

– The latest edition of Jim Ross’ “Ross Report” podcast, which features part two of an interview with Kurt Angle, is now available. The official description for the show reads as follows:

TRR – Ep22 – Kurt Angle Pt2

“And here’s part 2 with Kurt Angle… it’s a very candid discussion about his personal battle with drugs and ultimate departure from the WWE, his friendship and in-ring chemistry with Chris Benoit, and Kurt’s off-book match with Brock Lesnar. Plus, hear what Kurt thinks about CM Punk’s situation, The Undertaker streak’s ending, and his own possible return to WWE.”

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

– It has been rumored in the past that Dean Ambrose and Renee Young may be dating in real life. For whatever this is worth, here’s a photo of the two arriving together at Monday’s RAW in Richmond, Virginia:

– 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)

The main event for this coming Monday’s RAW will be a six-man tag-team match, as John Cena, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose will team up to take on the trio of Seth Rollins, Randy Orton and Kane.

Also scheduled for Monday’s RAW are Sami Zayn, Charlotte and Adrian Neville, who are expected to work dark matches, as well as the return of Ric Flair.

• MMANEWS.COM: HUGE UFC Star To JUMP-SHIP To WWE? + Ronda Rousey/WM31 Update!

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.

Seth Rollins spoke with The Ottawa Sun this week to promote Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

Winning Money In the Bank: 

“It’s crazy. It’s very surreal. This is the goal, it’s where we all want to be. I had to stop and absorb the moment — appreciate the sacrifices and time that were put into it. The cream always rises. I feel pretty good about where I am. It’s a very awesome vote of confidence to be in this position, to be here two years after I started. Some may say it’s quick, I say, for me it’s right on schedule.”

Feuding with Dean Ambrose: 

“Good friends, better enemies. Having that psycho following on my trail is not something anybody would look forward to.”

Connecting with fans: 

“When we try to be booed or cheered, we’re trying to garner attention. If you’re getting no reaction, you’re doing something wrong. It’s sure good go have them boo me.”

Photos of Seth Rollins & His Fiancé Leighla Schultz

We are a little over halfway through the year. With Money in the Bank behind us, the WWE will now focus on building up its second biggest pay-per-view of the year, SummerSlam. With that said, I felt it would be interesting to look at the top five matches from the second quarter of 2014. I included full match videos and highlights where possible, but WWE licensing restrictions made it difficult at times. (I also apologize for the terrible music in a few of the videos.)

5. Dolph Ziggler vs. Bad News Barrett (April 14^th Raw)

Dolph Ziggler is rarely given more than ten minutes to perform anymore, so it is definitely worth enjoying when he is given enough time to show off his talent. In this match, Ziggler squared off with Bad News Barrett in the first round of the Intercontinental Championship tournament. Both superstars put on a great show, with Barrett ultimately winning after hitting a Bad News Bullhammer Elbow. The action was fast paced in this contest, with both guys showing why they have main event talent. This would start Barrett’s push to win the title, although he would of course later be stripped as a result of injury. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdwcxG9A8UU

4. Daniel Bryan vs. Kane (Extreme Rules)

This would end up begin Daniel Bryan’s only title defense, as he was stripped of the title just a few weeks later due to injury. He made the most of his time with the strap, however, by engaging in a great contest with Kane. Of all the matches on the list, this is definitely the one that had the most old-school feel to it, with the action spilling to the back of the arena at one point. Bryan also used a forklift to help secure the victory by delivering a diving headbutt from the top of the vehicle. Ultimately, the match was a throwback to the Attitude Era, providing fans with a simultaneous glimpse into both the past and future of the company. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ReEU8WzzQo

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)