– This week’s edition of Are You Serious? is highlighted by Michael Saxon, a mid-1980s WWF enhancement wrestler who portrayed himself similar to pop superstar Michael Jackson. Also featured are clips of the King of the Road Match from WCW’s Uncensored 1995 featuring Dustin Rhodes against Blacktop Bully, a message from Ultimate Warrior, and a misstep from Shelton Benjamin.
– The following matches were featured on the latest edition of WWE Vintage Collection: Ric Flair vs. Arn Anderson (WCW Fall Brawl 1995), Sting and The Great Muta vs. The Steiners (WCW Japan Supershow 2), Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy with Special Guest Referee Lita (WWF Vengeance 2001).
– Former WWE Superstar Tatanka is featured in today’s “Superstar Spotlight” on WWE.com.
– WWE announcer Josh Mathews turns 32-years-old Sunday.
– John Cena announced on Twitter that he will debut new attire tonight at Survivor Series.
“Excited for tonight! Yes #survivorseries will be a challenge but debuting a new uni tonight for @WWE enjoy!” he wrote.
– This week on WWE’s Are You Serious?, Road Dogg and Josh Mathews share some classic clips that may have you scratching your head, including video of Hulk Hogan debuting the “fist helmet” and the Gobbledy Gooker.
– Mick Foley appears at Barnes & Noble 3748 82nd St. Indianapolis, Indiana, today beginning at 1:00 p.m. as he signs his copies of his new holiday children’s book, “A Most Mizerable Christmas.” Call 317-594-7525 for more information.
– Two matches were taped Tuesday in Birmingham, England for WWE Saturday Morning Slam
* Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso vs. Justin Gabriel and Tyson Kidd
* Ted DiBiase vs. Jinder Mahal
The commentators were Josh Mathews and R-Truth.
– In the following video, Cody Rhodes shows Wade Barrett a thing or two about how to play WWE ’13.
– The official WWE website has a poll asking who poses a bigger threat to WWE Champion CM Punk at Survivor Series; John Cena or Ryback? Ryback currently leads the poll 51% to 49%.
– Josh Mathews and Road Dogg take a look at one of the most eccentric wrestlers of all-time, Max Moon, on this week’s episode of “Are You Serious?” Plus, Puppet H is back, who introduces “WCW’s Bad Gimmick Roulette” with 3 Count. Also featured are clips of Josh Mathews, and Bobby Lashley ordering Simon Dean to scarf down twenty double-cheeseburgers.
– After concluding a three-event tour in Egypt, the SmackDown crew left the country early Sunday morning United States EST time (late Sunday morning in Egypt) for tomorrow night’s Raw at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. SmackDown ring announcer Lilian Garcia tweeted early Sunday: “On the plane w/ all the @WWE Superstars as we get ready 2 leave Cairo. Thk u Egypt 4 ur hospitality & such a grt tour!”
– Raven is featured in today’s “Superstar Spotlight” on WWE.com.
– WWE has quietly dropped the storyline where General Managers AJ Lee and Booker T are depicted as incompetent, leading chief Vince McMahon to fire them both and have both shows overseen by one individual. Some people desired that Ric Flair being place in the role, but the company’s current lawsuit with TNA Wrestling over business practices had made that possibility feasible at this time.
The company also quietly dropped the storyline where announcer Josh Mathews threatened to sue both General Managers for an unsafe working environment.
– WWE chief Vince McMahon has nixed the idea of holding a thirty-minute “UFC-style” countdown show just prior to the Royal Rumble on January 27, 2013. He is, however, interested in holding such a show for WrestleMania XXIX.
– Independent wrestlers Ethan HD and Jorel Nelson both received tryouts at WWE’s talent evaluation session in Tampa, Florida earlier this week.
– World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus is now on Twitter at @WWESheamus.
– Josh Mathews continues to play up the storyline that WWE is an “unsafe working environment.” After leaving the announcer’s booth on RAW and running away through the audience when Kane came to ringside, Matthews tweeted:
Until I'm told action will be taken against Superstars like Kane for attacking me, I'll keep a safe distance. Disciplinary action? Please?
– Road Dogg and Josh Mathews have more clips on “Are You Serious?,” including a clip of Heidenreich sharing a very personal poem with Michael Cole. Also featured are The Demon vs. Vampiro in a Graveyard Match and “Maniac” Mike Davis competing in the world’s first (and last) bungee jump match for the Global Wrestling Federation in 1992.
– Road Dogg and Josh Mathews introduce a new batch of clips “that will make you laugh, cry, or both” on this week’s episode of “Are You Serious?,” including highlights ridiculing John Laurinaitis’ past as a member of the Dynamic Dudes. Also featured are clips of “Mean” Gene Okerlund hosting “The Mating Game,” Kwee Wee and the World Bodybuilding Federation.
– Dustin Rhodes, formerly known as Goldust in WWE, has launched an official website at dustinrhodes.lockerdome.com. He is holding a contest for autographed action figures and books.
– Former WCW World Heavyweight Champion “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner celebrates a milestone birthday Sunday as he turns 50 years old.
This week on Are You Serious?, a clip is featured of (Ultimate) Warrior tormenting Hollywood Hogan backstage through a mirror on WCW Monday Nitro. While the clip airs, Road Dogg and Josh Mathews ponder what Warrior may be foretelling Hogan, such as alimony payments, the box office returns for Santa with Muscles and the end result of PastaMania.
“It’s official, WCW jumps the shark,” Josh Mathews says after baring witness to the clip. Road Dogg adds, “WCW ruined Hulk Hogan. They ruined the Ultimate Warrior. It didn’t help Eric Bischoff any, that’s for sure.” Mathews responds, “Bret Hart’s career really didn’t skyrocket when he went to WCW.”
Road Dogg concludes, “Remember kids, WCW ruins everything, including Billy Kidman’s career.”
Also featured are clips of Juventud Guerrera taking a tumble during his ring entrance at the 1996 WCW Fall Brawl pay-per-view event, Al Snow’s various incarnations and the Playboy Buddy Rose “Blow Away” diet.
– This week’s edition of Are You Serious? with Road Dogg and Josh Mathews features RoboCop appearing at WCW’s Capital Combat to rescue Sting. Also featured are clips of Ric Flair appearing at a mental hospital and Dean Douglas.
– Alicia Fox and John Cena visited wounded warriors and members of the U.S. Military at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland last week. Click here for photos.
– In Mexico, Raw SuperShow is now airing live on Channel 5. The program previously aired on a two-hour taped delay and was edited to ninety minutes.
– Scott Steiner is today’s featured Superstar on WWE.com.
— Remember when Goldberg took his frustrations out on a limo? Relive the “Clash of the Week” on the latest edition of “Are You Serious?” as Road Dogg and Josh Mathews give the WWE Universe what they want.
— Jim Ross will be at the FCW Arena in Tampa, Florida this week for the last set of FCW Wrestling tapings. A match pitting Dean Ambrose against William Regal is scheduled for the event.
“Gonna be a great week in Tampa this week. Gonna do a little commentary Thurs nite at FCW. Love working w/ WWE Development talents,” Ross wrote.
— Chris Jericho is featured on the cover of the latest issue of Revolver.
— The latest episode of WWE’s “Are You Serious?” webisode features clips of the “Donald Trump” vs. “Rosie O’Donnell” match on Raw, Josh Mathews attempting to dance, Road Dogg singing and Lilian Garcia’s shoe malfunctioning in the “Fail of the Week.”
— The seventh episode of WWE’s Are You Serious? web series has Road Dogg and Josh Mathews reviewing a slate of classic video clips including Hulk Hogan confronting the Dungeon of Doom, the debut of Mordecai and a look at The Fabulous Ones. The infamous video of Charlie Haas inadvertently knocking Lilian Garcia to the ground as she stood on the ring apron on a 2006 episode of Raw is named the “Fail of the Week.”
— David Otunga appears as a guest Monday on the syndicated talk show The Wendy Williams Show.
“Looking forward to the @WendyWilliams show on Monday… Because I’m her guest!,” Otunga wrote on Twitter. “Set your DVR’s now. Wendy’s Show will never be the same.”
— Former WWE Superstar Rick Martel turns 56 years old on Sunday.
— Colt Cabana, who hosts the Art of Wrestling podcast, took a potshot at WWE over the company’s newly launched Are You Serious? YouTube series. In the series, Road Dogg and Josh Mathews “are forced to watch some of the most appalling, unpleasant and dreadful clips found in the WWE video library.”
“Can’t wait to see Josh Mathews and Road Dogg host WWE’s newest show ‘The Art of Sports Entertainment Podcast,” tweeted Cabana.
— WrestlingFigs.com reports WWE Hall of Famer Superstar Billy Graham was hospitalized Sunday morning for pneumonia and leg infection.
— Charles Wright is advertised to appear as Papa Shango at The Big Event 2 wrestling convention, which takes place March 10, 2012 at the LaGuardia Courtyard Marriott 9010 Ditmars Blvd East Elmhurst, New York. Visit www.sportsfanpromotions.com for event information.
Returning to WWE after a more than two-year hiatus, Lilian Garcia appeared on Friday’s episode of SmackDown as the program’s new ring announcer.
Tony Chimel introduced Garcia to the live audience at the start of the broadcast, who was already standing in the ring. As Garcia talked about how great it was to be back, she was interrupted by Cody Rhodes, who was standing on the announce table. Rhodes said no one cares she is back since no one noticed she had left. Garcia danced with Hornswoggle later during the show, which gave commentator Michael Cole the opportunity to air a crass backstage joke.
He cracked, “I wish these two would stop horsing around!”
The reference stems from those in WWE’s “inner circle”—Vince McMahon, Triple H, television producer Kevin Dunn and the since departed John “Bradshaw” Layfield—often joking that Garcia has a horse-shaped face. The crass joke was passed around backstage years ago and ultimately acknowledged on television by Layfield and Hunter to amuse company employees. Though Garcia has publicly taken the joke in stride, Mick Foley took offense to Hunter demeaning the “Decade Diva” during an episode of Raw last year in which she had filled in for regular ring announcer Justin Roberts.
He wrote online after watching on television Triple H tell Garcia she can always return to WWE to “horse around,” “Why does someone like Triple H, one of the most talented, well paid guys in the business, do something so shallow and mean? Why would a multi-millionaire, with millions of fans around the world, feel the need (several times over the years) to say something that is only meant to hurt? I don’t get it. I don’t get why it’s done, I don’t get why it’s condoned, I don’t get what possible satisfaction anyone involved gets from demeaning someone like Lillian Garcia. I just don’t get it.”
The latest reference was likely directed by Triple H, who filled in for McMahon at Tuesday’s SmackDown taping since the WWE CEO was off visiting U.S. Armed Forces serving in Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan. Cole is the mouthpiece of the program director, as he is fed lines via headset. It was not the only mean-spirited remark on Friday’s show as Cole made light of Jim Ross suffering from Bell’s palsy after Josh Mathews said Cole speaks out of both sides of his mouth.
Cole quipped, “Actually, there is nothing wrong with my mouth, unlike J.R.’s.”
— Cody Rhodes captured the Intercontinental Championship from Ezekiel Jackson last night on SmackDown.
After numerous head butts with his protective face mask and a key distraction by his associate Ted DiBiase, Rhodes executed a springboard kick on Ezekiel Jackson. The second generation wrestler then finished off Jackson with the Cross Rhodes to capture his first singles title in WWE.
— The Sin Cara character returned to WWE programming last night on SmackDown with developmental talent Hunico donning the mask. Hunico carries more body fat than the original Sin Cara, who was suspended last month due to a violation of WWE’s drug testing policy.
The SmackDown broadcast team made note of the noticeable physique change, with Josh Mathews saying it appeared Sin Cara put on some weight during his hiatus. The character was temporarily written off television via an injury angle at Money in the Bank.
— Johnny Curtis – winner of WWE NXT season four – was squashed by Mark Henry in his debut match on SmackDown.
Michael Cole posted a homophobic slur this afternoon on his recently launched Twitter account as he called fellow WWE announcer Josh Mathews a ‘faggot’. The tweet was in response to Mathews writing “Chicago!”, the host city of this Monday’s Raw taping.
The one word message was deleted approximately half an hour later and an apology was issued.
“I apologize to any and all who were offended by my tweet toward young Josh Mathews,” Cole wrote. “It was obviously not meant the way it was taken.”
He later added, “I was not ordered to apologize I said I am sorry because I am. Now can I get back to being a character again please?”
World Wrestling Entertainment recently came under fire from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), which took issue with the ‘homophobic taunts’ John Cena directed towards Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on the February 28 episode of Monday Night Raw. Cena’s unsavory verbiage prompted WWE to issue an apology and form a partnership with the organization on an anti-bullying campaign.
WWE subsequently released the following statement:
“WWE takes this issue very seriously, and has already spoken with our talent about these incidents. We are taking steps and working with GLAAD to ensure that our fans know that WWE is against bullying or discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. We strongly value our fans in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, and apologize to them for these incidents.”
It was also noted in GLAAD’s press release that WWE has invited the organization to conduct training sessions for their staff of writers and editors.
— The Undertaker has began physical therapy for his shoulder and is said to be doing all he can to be healthy enough to compete at WrestleMania XXVII.
— Todd Grisham was officially removed from the SmackDown announce team last week in favor of Josh Matthews. The move isn’t considered a surprise as Vince McMahon has been unhappy with his work in recent weeks. It was suggested to Grisham that he apply for a full-time position with the Fox Soccer Channel — his other job — because it would come across better that he ask to work full-time and give up wrestling while still on the air than after.
WWE.com has transferred John Cena’s profile from the Alumni section to the Raw Superstars section after he was rehired by Wade Barrett on Monday’s Raw.
Scott Stanford, who handles play-by-play commentary for Raw brand matches on WWE Superstars, has been added to the Raw Superstars page.
Josh Mathews has been added to the SmackDown Superstars section. He replaced Todd Grisham as the play-by-play commentator for SmackDown on last week’s broadcast.
The NXT Superstars section now lists Todd Grisham as an on-air talent for the brand. He nows calls NXT alongside Josh Mathews.
Ashley Valence, who has not appeared on NXT since Season 2, has been removed from the NXT Superstars section. She conducted the ring announcing for last week’s episode of WWE Superstars, but was not used this week. She notably announced Zack Ryder as “Ezekiel Jackson” during the Dec. 6 taping, which was dubbed for the taped broadcast.
Jack Swagger’s “Soaring Eagle” is considered an official WWE Superstar as the mascot is today’s “Superstar of the Day.”
— The Wrestling Observer reports that a few more releases are discussed and could be taking place as early as this week. There are particular names who people with power are trying to save. Of the five released this past week (Maria, Paul Burchill, Gregory Helms, Charlie Haas and Scott Armstrong), there were people who tried to save Helms.
— The WWE website has removed Savannah and Josh Mathews from its ECW Superstars section. While both individuals now appear on WWE NXT, they have yet to be added to the WWE NXT section.
— WWE returns to the Fed-Ex Forum in Memphis, Tennessee on Sunday, May 30th, 2010 at 5 p.m. Tickets go on sale Saturday, April 24th, 2010 at 10 a.m. (Thanks to Devin Cutting)