– A few people high up in WWE are pushing for a Randy Orton vs. CM Punk WWE Championship match at WrestleMania XXX, according to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter
– This Sunday at WWE Battleground, Cody Rhodes and Goldust will look to not only regain their jobs but also save their father’s, when they battle the team of Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Regarding Goldust’s official contract status with WWE, he has signed a short-term deal.
– In the latest edition of Justin Credible’s YouTube series Pro Wrestling 101, the former ECW World Heavyweight Champion interviews veteran wrestler “Brutal” Bob Evans about his experiences in the industry, time with Ring of Honor, and the challenges today’s wrestlers face.
– The latest update on Brock Lesnar’s WWE return is that the former UFC Heavyweight champion will be back in action in time for the 2014 Royal Rumble.
Lesnar will be a big part of the build to WrestleMania XXX. With Ryback officially becoming a “Paul Heyman Guy” and talk that Brock Lesnar will turn babyface at some point, a Ryback vs. Lesnar feud could be in the works.
Comment below and tell us what you think about a Ryback vs. (babyface) Lesnar WrestleMania feud.
– Goldust and Seth Rollins tweeted the following messages about their tag match at Battleground this Sunday:
Rollins: “Met a lifelong goal of stomping The American Dream into the ground on Raw. #WWEBattleground sweetens the pot. Justice is thicker than blood.”
Goldust: “On the horizon!! Retribution! The @WWERomanReigns and @WWERollins go down at #Battleground ! #FamilyStrong @WWE”
– Here is the official entrance video for Los Matadores:
It will be announced on this week’s WWE SmackDown that WWE Intercontinental Champion Curtis Axel will defend his title against R-Truth. Bray Wyatt also teased an appearance at Battleground, which will likely be the rumored match we reported on Tuesday with Wyatt taking on Kofi Kingston. That match, however, is still strictly a rumor at this point.
With that now known, here is an updated look at the official lineup for Sunday’s WWE Battleground pay-per-view from Buffalo, New York:
Vacant WWE Championship
-Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan
World Heavyweight Championship
-Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Rob Van Dam*
WWE Intercontinental Championship
-Curtis Axel (c) vs. R-Truth
WWE Divas Championship
-AJ Lee (c) vs. Brie Bella
-CM Punk vs. Ryback
-Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs. Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns**
WWE Battleground Kickoff Show
-Dolph Ziggler vs. Damien Sandow
RUMORED Match:
-Bray Wyatt vs. Kofi Kingston
* – The Del Rio vs. Van Dam rematch will be contested under “Battleground Hardcore Rules.”
** – Dusty Rhodes will be in the corner of Cody & Goldust. If the Rhodes Family loses, all three men will never be allowed to work for WWE again. If they win, Cody and Goldust get their jobs back
Make sure to visit SESCOOPS.COM this Sunday night for the absolute best live results coverage of the WWE Battleground pay-per-view. The coverage will begin at 7:30pm E.T. with the WWE Battleground Kickoff Show, and will continue throughout the entire duration of the pay-per-view. Until then, stop by the SESCOOPS.COM Facebook Page and/or the SESCOOPS.COM Twitter Page to share your predictions for this Sunday’s pay-per-view!
Several new matches and stipulations were added to the WWE Battleground event on Monday’s “go-home” edition of RAW. WWE Battleground emanates from the First Niagra Center in Buffalo, New York this Sunday, October 6, 2013. Below is an updated look at the official lineup for the first ever Battleground pay-per-view.
Vacant WWE Championship
-Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan
World Heavyweight Championship
-Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. Rob Van Dam*
WWE Divas Championship
-AJ Lee (c) vs. Brie Bella
-CM Punk vs. Ryback
-Cody Rhodes & Goldust vs. Seth Rollins & Roman Reigns**
WWE Battleground Kickoff Show
-Dolph Ziggler vs. Damien Sandow
* – The Del Rio vs. Van Dam rematch will be contested under “Battleground Hardcore Rules.”
** – Dusty Rhodes will be in the corner of Cody & Goldust. If the Rhodes Family loses, all three men will never be allowed to work for WWE again. If they win, Cody and Goldust get their jobs back
Make sure to visit SESCOOPS.COM this Sunday night for the absolute best live results coverage of the WWE Battleground pay-per-view. The coverage will begin at 7:30pm E.T. with the WWE Battleground Kickoff Show, and will continue throughout the entire duration of the pay-per-view. Until then, stop by the SESCOOPS.COM Facebook Page and/or the SESCOOPS.COM Twitter Page to share your predictions for this Sunday’s pay-per-view!
It was announced on Monday’s edition of WWE RAW that at WWE Battleground this Sunday on pay-per-view, both Cody Rhodes and Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes will have an opportunity to earn their jobs back with WWE in a match against the current WWE Tag-Team Champions, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. However, if the Rhodes brothers lose the match, which will also feature their father, WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes, in their corner, they will never be able to work for WWE again.
Speaking of WWE Hall Of Famers, Trish Stratus officially gave birth to her baby boy, Maximus, on Monday. Maximum was born at a reported 8 pounds and 3 ounces.
The following are highlights from a recent online blog by WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:
On the build to WWE Battleground: “Interesting to see if WWE can ignite a fire tonight on Monday Night Raw as it relates to motivating PPV buyers to invest in WWE Battleground. It’s tonight or never.”
On Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan: “Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton needs some rocket fuel added to their fire especially on the WWE champion side of the flame. Just one guy’s opinion. Their PPV bout has high expectations. Should be stout…bell to bell.”
On the Rhodes Family on RAW: “Seeing the Rhodes Family on Raw interests me. I’m enjoying their personal issue storyline that feels fresh. Let Dream talk….for old time sake.”
Check out the complete blog online at JRsBarBQ.com.
WWE returns live to Biloxi, Mississippi on Monday night for the WWE Battleground “go-home” edition of RAW.
The main item heading into this week’s show is the Rhodes Family being “invited back to RAW” for a “business proposal” from the WWE COO Triple H. As noted, the Rhodes Family will be on RAW this week to build towards the six-man tag-team match against The Shield.
Also advertised in advance for this week’s RAW is the debut of the Los Matadores tag-team, which is the repackaged duo formerly known as Primo and Epico. After weeks of vignettes hyping their debut, Los Matadores will finally arrive on RAW in Biloxi on Monday night.
Outside of the aforementioned items, the main focus on this week’s show will be the final build towards the three previously announced WWE Battleground main events which consist of Randy Orton vs. Daniel Bryan for the vacant WWE Championship, the “Battleground Hardcore Rules” match between Alberto Del Rio and Rob Van Dam for the World Heavyweight Championship and the CM Punk vs. Ryback match.
The officially advertised talent roster for this week’s show includes Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton, CM Punk, Paul Heyman, Ryback, Curtis Axel, Alberto Del Rio, Rob Van Dam, Dolph Ziggler, Big Show, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Jack Swagger, Antonio Cesaro, Zeb Colter, Damien Sandow, Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper, Erick Rowan, A.J. Lee and Kaitlyn.
There are two advertised dark match main-events for this week, as Orton will take on Bryan and Punk will take on both Heyman and Axel in a Handicap Match.
Stay tuned to SESCOOPS.COM throughout the day for continued updates on this week’s live edition of WWE RAW.
SESCOOPS.COM reader Aaron Carnevale of WrestlingDVDNews.com sent along the following highlights of a recent Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes interview with the Monday Night Mayhem radio show:
The health benefits he has seen since starting DDP Yoga: “With DPP Yoga, there are a couple benefits. I stand up straighter now, and I can bend in ways I couldn’t bend. I feel so much better: my joints, muscles, and bones. It is awesome.”
His memories of working with Scott Hall as Goldust and what valuable lessons Hall taught him in his career: “Me and Scott have had some fun times with the Goldust stuff, even though we didn’t see eye to eye all the time. We always went out there and gave 110%. I had to learn and Scott was a good teacher. He taught me what I needed to know and how to do things the right ways, and I just grew from that. I love Scott.”
His expectations on the night of his WWE return earlier this month on Monday Night RAW against WWE Champion Randy Orton and why he took out his frustrations on Triple H via Twitter: “My nerves were shot. Cody loses his job, and my little brother had the world taken out from under him all because he spoke up. That pissed off my family so I started getting on Twitter saying things to Triple H. Going into that match with Randy, I was focused. I went into that match very focused and very nervous. I was fighting for Cody’s job, and I lost fair in square.”
With the current state of events in the WWE between the McMahons and the Rhodes families, whether or not he envisions his one-on-one Dream Match with his brother Cody in the foreseeable future: “It could take place in the foreseeable future or whenever, you never know what is going to happen in the WWE. But, I’ll say that I don’t want that anymore.”
– CM Punk, who sparingly participates in meet and greets, recently met an Indiana-based couple celebrating 63 years of marriage.
The Altmans, Leeroy, 87, and Bonnie, 77, have 14 biological children, eight adopted children, 147 grandchildren and 78 great-grandchildren. Though the couple are presently dealing with life-threatening health issues and other hardships, the couple maintains a love WWE and consider meeting Punk a dream come true.
The official Community website of WWE has released photos of their meeting.
– WWE Chief Operating Officer Triple H has said he has a new business proposal for the entire Rhodes family and invited them to tomorrow night’s Raw—Goldust and Cody Rhodes accepted the proposal via Tout on Friday. Tout has released footage of Big Show reacting to Goldust and Rhodes’ decision to appear on the show.
– 2K Games will showcase the Universe Mode 4.0 in the upcoming WWE 2K14 video game via live stream tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. Eastern at www.twitch.tv/2k. The title is scheduled for release on October 29 in North America and November 1 in Europe.
-A number of WWE Superstars, including Big Show and The Prime Time Players have posted Tout videos sharing their feelings on the Rhodes Family appearing on Monday’s edition of WWE RAW. You can check those out online at Tout.com.
-Speaking of the Rhodes Family on RAW, both Goldust and Randy Orton have commented on the angle coming up this Monday in new tweets. You can check those out below:
Randy Orton:
So the Rhodes boys will be at #Raw Monday. Should be interesting.
Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes:
Upset the established order and there will be chaos! #RhodesDynasty #raw monday night! @WWE
-In the Extras portion of the new “Triple H: Thy Kingdom Come” WWE DVD, which was released in stores this past week, “The Game” revealed that former WWE Superstar Mark Jindrak, not Batista, was originally supposed to be the fourth member of the former Evolution faction, which also included Ric Flair and Randy Orton. In fact, the company went as far as to shoot vignettes of Jindrak with the group, which you can see pictured below:
-WWE Superstar John Cena recently posted a tweet on his official Twitter account wishing good luck to Kendrick Farris, who will be competing in the IWF (International Weightlifting Federation) world championships in mid-October. Cena wrote:
Want to wish @KendrickJFarris best of luck in the upcoming IWF world championships in midi OCT. Check him out on @YouTube #evenstronger @WWE
-WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes posted a new tweet today talking about a “meeting” he had with his two sons, Cody Rhodes and Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes, about their upcoming appearance on Monday’s edition of WWE RAW per invitation from the WWE COO Triple H. Dusty wrote:
@wwe just had meeting with Cody , Dustin about Raw !
-WWE has posted yet another “cryptic tweet” containing another photo that seems involve WWE legend The Undertaker. As noted earlier, the cryptic messages are apparently part of the promotion for the new WWE 2K14 video game. Here is the latest tweet along with the photo:
@Todd_McFarlane will soon give rise to an icon. #RestinPieces
-WWE has posted a new Tout video of The Shield cutting a promo on the Rhodes Family, who as previously reported, will be appearing on Monday’s edition of RAW to set up a six-man tag match (Dusty Rhodes, Cody Rhodes & Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes vs. The Shield) at the upcoming WWE Battleground pay-per-view on Sunday, October 6th. The Tout video can be seen below:
-Following the successful “#hashtagmania” online video segment by late night host Jimmy Fallon and pop star Justin Timberlake this week, WWE Superstar John Cena is attempting to recruit the guys to do a “#hashtagmania” segment at WrestleMania XXX next year. As of this writing, Fallon has agreed to Cena, but Timberlake is yet to jump on board.
-Former WWE Diva Maryse will be doing commentary once again for the Family Wrestling Entertainment (FWE) promotion during their event coming up on Saturday, October 12th.
-WWE Hall Of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper will be doing a Piper’s Pit segment at the Northeast Wrestling (NEW) Autumn Ambush event on October 5th in Torrington, CT. Piper’s guests will be former WWE Superstars Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes and Jake “The Snake” Roberts.
As noted previously, Triple H has extended an invitation to the Rhodes family to appear at Monday’s edition of WWE RAW, which is the “go-home” show for the upcoming WWE Battleground pay-per-view.
According to one report, the reason the Rhodes family, which consists of Dusty Rhodes, Cody Rhodes and Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes, are coming to RAW, is to set up a six-man tag match for the Battleground show.
It had been rumored several weeks ago, and it appears, at least according to plans as recently as last week, that the match between the Rhodes family and The Shield (Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns) is on for Battleground.
WWE Battleground emanates from Buffalo, New York on Sunday, October 6th, live on pay-per-view. Make sure to visit SESCOOPS.COM for the best WWE Battleground live results coverage on the web.
– During an interview with Michael Cole for WWE.com, WWE COO Triple H invited the Rhodes Family (Cody, Dusty & Dustin) to Monday’s RAW to hear a “lucrative proposition” he has for them.
– WWE.com has published a gallery of “Superstars with Classic Title Belts” – including Daniel Bryan with the Winged Eagle WWE Championship & more.
– Sunday’s WWE Live Supershow from New Orleans will feature a 30-man battle royal match.
– Not exactly “breaking news”, but Chris Jericho tweeted the following photo of himself at the dentist on Thursday:
-As previously reported, WWE COO Triple H will soon be making a proposal to the Rhodes Family. Apparently, the proposal will be the next step in the McMahon/HHH-Rhodes storyline, which will lead to their appearance on RAW next Monday night.
Speaking of which, HHH posted the following tweet on his official Twitter account inviting the Rhodes family to RAW:
-WWE NXT will be running the FCW Arena in Tampa, Florida on Thursday, September 26, 2013.
-WWE NXT wrestler Xavier Woods was scheduled to go on the road with WWE this week, but has apparently been removed from those bookings due to an injury.
– WWEShop.com is running a 1-day sale, with 25% Off vintage “Outside the Ring” t-Shirts.
They are also selling new Superstar coffee mugs and water bottles (view here).
– Yesterday (Tuesday) marked 100 days that Curtis Axel has held the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
– This afternoon, WWE COO will once again sit down with Michael Cole for another exclusive interview. Michael Cole just tweeted that Triple H will have a proposal for Dusty, Cody and Dustin Rhodes. Video of the interview will air this afternoon on WWE.com.
-Part-time WWE Superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently tweeted a happy birthday message to WWE’s Stephanie McMahon, who as previously reported, turns 37 today. The Rock wrote:
@StephMcMahon Happy Birthday boss lady! Hugs to the girls and grunting John Wayne hug to Trip.
-WWE COO Triple H promoted the release of his new DVD documentary, “Triple H: Thy Kingdom Come,” which as previously reported is released in stores today:
My new DVD “Thy kingdom come” out today…….if you get it, let me know what you think. pic.twitter.com/82Ij26DMUn
-WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross tweeted his thoughts on the current Rhodes Family storyline today. JR wrote:
The reason most fans care about the Rhodes Family story on #WWERaw is because it’s a PERSONAL ISSUE & there’s an emotional investment.
-Former WWE Superstar Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes continues to have words for the McMahon Family on his official Twitter account. The following is Goldust’s latest:
“Nobody is gonna help you up when this is over @TripleH @StephMcMahon ! #WatchThemAllFall @WWE #RhodesDynasty4Life”
-WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley posted a tweet on his official Twitter account thanking WWE for setting up a meeting for him with the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton in California this weekend. Foley wrote:
“Really enjoyed meeting members of the @USMC today at Camp Pendleton. Very cool of @WWE to set that up for me on such short notice.”
-WWE Diva and ring announcer Lilian Garcia sang the National Anthem before the Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets NFL game at MetLife Stadium today.
-Currently sidelined WWE Superstar Sheamus made one of his first public appearances since going down with an injury on Saturday. Sheamus appeared at the Wizard World Convention in Columbus, Ohio.
Following his victory against Dean Ambrose on RAW, Dolph Ziggler has earned a shot at the United States championship. The two are expected to feud over the next several weeks, but the title shot most likely will not be taking place at WWE Battleground.
Instead of Ziggler vs. Ambrose at Battleground, WWE is actually considering a “Rhodes Dynasty” vs. The Shield match at the upcoming pay-per-view. Cody Rhodes would team up with his brother Goldust and his father Dusty in a 6-man tag match against Rollins, Reigns & Ambrose.
The stipulation would be that Cody and/or Goldust would get their jobs back in WWE if they can defeat The Shield.
-WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley recently posted a blog on his official Facebook page where he shared his thoughts on the Goldust vs. Randy Orton match from Monday’s Night Of Champions “go-home” edition of WWE RAW in Toronto.
Foley wrote:
“Like many of you, I have found myself completely caught up in the trials and tribulations of the Rhodes family. From Cody’s heartfelt exit from WWE, to older brother Dustin’s ability to turn back the hands of time to participate in an outstanding, emotional match with Randy Orton, to the bitter disappointment displayed with his agonizingly painful post-match walk down the hallway: this Rhodes family saga has quickly catapulted from mid-card curiosity to must-see real life drama. Congratulations to everyone involved in making this scenario so captivating.”
-As noted previously, the daughter of Eddie and Vickie Guerrero, Shaul Guerrero, is training at the WWE Performance Center for a return to the ring. Shaul recently brought back her old Raquel Diaz character to NXT and Twitter.
Diaz wrote:
“Hello Raquetts! Thanks so much for all the love and support. Lets just say I’m coming back ULTRA fab, ULTRA sheek, the ULTRA DIVA #LoveIt”
The following are highlights from a new online blog by WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:
JR on Paul Heyman: “Paul Heyman feigning a knee injury was funny. Reminded me of an old time promoter who pulled that stunt in grocery stores to score paydays back in early 70’s. Punk’s act of caning was timely and memorable.”
JR on The Wyatt Family: “Anxious to see what the eventual destination will be for Bray Wyatt & Family. Remember, big men with a second gear are special. Was actually surprised to see Wyatt vs Ziggler on Raw for some reason.”
JR on Randy Orton vs. Goldust: “Great build up for Goldust vs. Orton. The match was a good one too with the last five minutes hitting another level with all the near falls. Enjoyed the pace of Goldust vs Orton too. Far too many talents in the biz wrestle too fast more often than not & if the audience doesn’t have the time to process and feel what they are seeing, then who wins?”
Check out the complete blog online at JRsBarBQ.com.
-The Place To Be Nation website has added a featured article on the legacy of Mid-South Wrestling, where WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross, among others, got their start in the business on a major stage. You can check the article out online at PlaceToBeNation.com.
Speaking of Mid-South Wrestling, WWE officially released their new Mid-South Wrestling DVD set today.
-Following his WWE return on RAW on Monday night in Toronto, Dustin “Goldust” Rhodes will be returning to the ring this Friday, September 13th, for Real Warrior Entertainment in South Windsor, CT. For more information, visit Facebook.com.
According to reports, Monday’s edition of WWE RAW was likely heavily rewritten at the last minute, as Vince McMahon was originally intended to be a major part of the show.
Speaking of Monday’s RAW, the Goldust vs. Randy Orton match impressed many company officials, as well as fellow WWE Superstars. In fact, both Goldust and Orton reportedly received a standing ovation from the talent and crew as soon as they went backstage after their match.
While it’s not confirmed, and is merely a rumor at this point, there is a chance WWE Hall Of Famer Dusty Rhodes will be featured on upcoming WWE television programming in the current storyline regarding his son, Cody Rhodes. What role Dusty will play, if any, is unknown at this point.
Here are some off-air live notes from Monday’s WWE RAW, as reported by the WWE website:
– Santino Marella spoke to WWE.com following his surprise return on RAW from Toronto, where he defeated Antonio Cesaro. During the match, Santino used a Judo throw on Cesaro, which he credited to Yuki Ishikawa – the co-founder of his new BattleArts academy.
– After getting beat down by The Shield on RAW, Christian was checked out by a trainer backstage. Christian’s neck and shoulder were in pain.
– After Goldust was defeated by WWE Champion Randy Orton, he was escorted to the back by WWE referees and was cheered by the live crowd.
