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Tag: King Mo

  • 6 Takeaways From MLW Fusion 12/14

    6 Takeaways From MLW Fusion 12/14

    Major League Wrestling began airing matches from the Opera Cup tournament this week on Fusion. The tournament was taped inside New York’s Melrose Ballroom on December 5th.

    The full episode can be viewed in the player below:

    Here are 6 takeaways from MLW Fusion 12/14:

    Brian Pillman Jr. Advances To Opera Cup Semi-Finals

    https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1206045714612015104

    In the night’s main event, Brian Pillman Jr. took on TJP in an Opera Cup opening round match. The Opera Cup trophy was on display during tournament matches on Fusion last night, the first time it has been up for grabs since Stu Hart won it in 1948.

    TJP seemed to have the majority of control in this match early with Pillman only able to gain the offensive for short periods. Pillman would hit a super-kick which would turn the tide of the match, however, and then land a strong knee to the face on his opponent. He then hit his swinging neck breaker finish for the win. It’s a big win over an established veteran for the 26-year-old Pillman who moves on to the semi-finals of the tournament.

    Gino Medina Drawing Interest From Konnan, Salina de la Renta

    https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1183196656201801729

    MLW newcomer Gina Medina was backstage at Fusion this week. Cameras caught Medina speaking with Konnan in a stairwell during the show, and the two appeared to be discussing business. Their meeting ended with a handshake but no comments were issued at the time.

    Later in the show, Alicia Atout was preparing to interview Salina de la Renta but the leader of Promociones Dorado caught a glimpse of Gino Medina and ditched Atout to talk business with him.

    It seems the newcomer to MLW might have both Konnan and Salina competing for his services.

    ACH Provides Backup For King Mo Against Injustice

    https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1206031194028150784

    This week’s episode kicked off with the members of Injustice, Myron Reed, Kotto Brazil, and Jordan Oliver, in the ring complaining about not being included in the Opera Cup and appear to not be leaving the ring in protest. This brought out King Mo to confront the group but he wasn’t. As Injustice looked to have a 3-on-1 advantage against Mo, ACH’s music hit and he made his surprise return to the promotion and an impromptu tag match was scheduled.

    The finish of the match came when ACH made the hot tag to King Mo who landed a sit-down powerbomb and then locked in the submission for the win.

    https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1206035144756334593

    MJF and Richard Holliday Give Each Other Gifts

    The members of Dynasty were shown in a backstage segment this week. Richard Holliday and Maxwell Jacob Friedman then exchanged gifts. MJF got Holliday the custom made air pods. The large pods don’t seem to fit Holliday too well but he’s quite happy with the gift.

    Then Holliday gave MJF his gift. A man somewhat resembling MJF but shorter and smaller walks into the shot wearing an MJF styled scarf. Holliday presents him as “Max Mini” as a gift to MJF, who did not appreciate it and Max was shoved out of the camera shot quickly.

    Timothy Thatcher Beats Richard Holliday, Advances In Opera Cup Tournament

    https://twitter.com/MLW/status/1206040681250095104

    Timothy Thatcher arrived in MLW before the SuperFight PPV looking for a fight with Tom Lawlor. He got more than he bargained for on the PPV but a strong showing in the Opera Cup will likely move him to the top of the promotion’s rankings. He started the tournament strong this week with a win over Dynasty’s Richard Holliday, who perhaps was distracted by his unfortunate gift exchange with MJF>

    Holiday landed his patented “2008” finisher but Thatcher kicked out. The finish of the match came when Thatcher locked in a Fujiwara armbar and got the tap out.

    Thatcher will face Pillman Jr. in the semi-finals of the tournament.

    Next Week’s Fusion

    Next week on Fusion, MLW continues with the Opera Cup. It was also announced during this week’s show that Tom Lawlor plans to make a huge announcement.

    As the tournament continues, Davey Boy Smith Jr. has a chance to win the cup his grandfather was the last to hold. He takes on Low-Ki in the first round. It will also be an inter-Dynasty match-up as MJF takes on Alex Hammerstone in a match Richard Holliday’s lawyer/father was not able to prevent from happening.

    • Opera Cup (1st Round)
      Davey Boy Smith Jr. vs Low-Ki
    • Opera Cup (1st Round)
      MJF vs Alex Hammerstone

    MLW Fusion 12/14 Quick Results:

    • King Mo & ACH defeated Kotto Brazil & Jordan Oliver (Injustice) w/Myron Reed
    • Opera Cup (1st Round)
      Timothy Thatcher defeated Richard Holliday
    • Opera Cup (1st Round)
      Brian Pillman Jr. defeated TJP
  • Bobby Lashley Not Allowed To Do MMA Fights, Bellator Fighter In Talks With ROH

    Bobby Lashley Not Allowed To Do MMA Fights, Bellator Fighter In Talks With ROH

    Bobby Lashley Can’t Fight While With WWE

    On a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer discussed Bobby Lashley’s status as a mixed martial artist. Lashley competed in Bellator MMA’s heavyweight division and hasn’t fought since October of 2016.

    He also hasn’t been defeated since May of 2012 and is on an eight-fight win streak. Lashley is still under contract with Bellator MMA, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be able to accept any fights while under a contract with WWE.

    Meltzer noted that Brock Lesnar is the only exception to allowing a Superstar to fight for an MMA promotion while under contract, as you don’t see someone like Jack Gallagher (also an MMA fighter) doing it while competing on 205 Live.

    Bellator Fighter In Talks With ROH

    In regards to MMA, Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that Bellator MMA heavyweight King Mo is in talks with Ring Of Honor (ROH) to come in and do something with Josh Woods and Shane Taylor. Mo last appeared for ROH at the promotion’s Bound By Honor event on April 27th.

    For the best MMA coverage available please visit our sister site over at MMANews.com!

  • Backstage Frustration On Main WWE Roster Regarding Treatment Of NXT Talent

    There is said to be a lot of unhappiness within the main WWE roster right now regarding the way NXT talents are given the opportunity to go out and put on excellent matches while many of the main WWE roster talents are relegated to short, nothing-type matches on television, especially those in the Divas division.

    Wrestling Observer Newsletter editor Dave Meltzer offered the following update on his message board:

    “So story is accurate but it’s inherent. It was the same thing in the OVW days, well not exactly the same, but similar. I get DMs from people on the main roster always after those specials. It’s a common frustration. The top NXT performers are frustrated they aren’t on the main roster making money. Then they will get more frustrated when they realize their dream. WWE guys are frustrated they aren’t having the matches guys in NXT are when they know if they can perform before 400 fans in longer matches they can tear the house down.”

  • King Mo Interview: Dream WrestleMania Opponents, TNA Leaving Spike

    Former TNA star and Bellator MMA fighter King Mo was recently appeared on Submission Radio and spoke about his dream Wrestlemania opponents, TNA leaving Spike TV and more. Here are some of the wrestling-related highlights:

    Who He Would Want To Face At WrestleMania:

    “Man, I’ve got a bunch of names. Man right now I’d love to face Cesaro. Cesaro. I wouldn’t mind Bobby Roode or Austin Aries, Samoa Joe – Samoa Joe, if we had a stiff style match that would be great. Hideo Otani, [Kenta] Kobayashi, I would mind facing him. And then from the old school too, X-Pac, Konnan and my boy The Great Muta, ’cause like I wouldn’t mind taking the green mist to the eyes, you know what I’m saying?”

    TNA Leaving Spike TV & How This Will Affect His Relationship With Both Companies:

    “I have no idea. I hope not. I’m always a TNA supporter to the end, but well see. I don’t know yet, but we’ll see.”

  • Bobby Lashley & King Mo Pick Up Stoppage Wins At Bellator 123

    The two TNA performers who fought at Bellator 123 on Friday night, Bobby Lashley and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, both scored victories inside the Bellator cage.

    Lashley defeated relatively unknown journeyman fighter Josh Burns in the second televised bout of the evening, scoring a rear-naked-choke submission victory in the second round. You can check out video footage of Lashley’s win over Burns at MMANews.com.

    King Mo scored a decisive TKO victory over Dustin Jacoby in the second round of their co-main event bout of the evening.

  • VIDEO: Watch Bobby Lashley’s Bellator MMA Debut Fight [DIRECT LINK >>]

  • Lashley, King Mo Fight On Spike TV Tonight, Impact Wrestling Viewership For This Week

    – The Wednesday, September 3rd edition of TNA Impact Wrestling averaged 1.095 million viewers on Spike TV, up from the 928,000 viewers who tuned into the show the previous week. This marks the first time TNA has drawn over one million viewers since switching to Wednesday nights.

    – TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Lashley makes his Bellator MMA debut tonight at the Bellator 123 event, which airs live on Spike TV at 8pm EST. Lashley will compete against journeyman fighter Josh Burns on the main card, which also features part-time TNA performer Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal. We will be providing live, round-by-round coverage of the Bellator 123 event at our MMA sister-site, MMANews.com tonight.

  • MMANEWS.COM: Bobby Lashley’s Bellator Debut TONIGHT! LIVE Results Coverage!

  • Brooke Tessmacher & Robbie E. On “The Amazing Race” (Video), King Mo Update

    – Bellator MMA, which is owned by Viacom, the parent-company of Spike TV, issued a press release earlier this week announcing that Muhammed Lawal (aka King Mo) has signed a long-term contract extension with the promotion. The press release, however, made no mention of Mo’s status with TNA Wrestling.

    – Below is a video preview of TNA’s Robbie E. and Brooke Tessmacher on the CBS reality show “The Amazing Race,” which premieres on Friday, September 26th at 8pm EST.

    http://youtu.be/Ll6AiV3rQOU

  • MMANEWS.COM: UFC 177 Coverage TONIGHT, Carano vs. Rousey Update, TONS MORE!

  • King Mo Talks Brock Lesnar/WWE, Wrestling Being Tougher Than MMA & More

    The following are highlights of a new Submission Radio interview with King Mo:

    On wrestling being tougher than MMA: “Pro wrestling is harder than MMA. Here’s the reason why, in MMA I can avoid damage. I can circle, I can pull guard, I can take you down, I can push you to the cage, hell I can tap, I can verbally give up. In Pro Wrestling I’ve seen guys tear their ACL and continue to wrestle solely to please the crowd. You know regardless of what happens, the show must go on. You go out there, people are out there at one point they were wrestling like three times a week, four times a week. You know Hulk Hogan’s leg drop shrunk his spine, but guess what, he was still doing it. You know, your body is banged up, you’re taking bumps, you’re flying over ropes, through the ropes, hitting the ropes, hitting the turnbuckle, getting body slammed, taking a bump. You know that stuff breaks your body down, and you could ask any wrestler, you get a wrestler that’s 47 years old and you get an MMA fighter that’s 47 years old, the wrestler’s gonna look like he’s sixty compared to an MMA fighter. You get Randy Couture and compare him to someone like the Undertaker, I know Undertaker’s a little older but I guarantee you the Undertaker at 47, 48 years old was far more beat up then what Randy Couture was.”

    On why he left OVW for MMA: “Well here’s the thing right, when I left the Olympic trials I went to OVW and they offered me a contract. I was like ‘I wanna go’, but then I was like ‘hey, you know what, I wanna be like a two time Kurt Angle. I wanna be an Olympic champion, then go to MMA be a champion, then go to pro wrestling’. So I was like, that’d be perfect cause then no one else has done that. ‘Cause Kurt Angle came in the Olympic champion, so I wanted to one-up him.”

    “I loved it, It was great. I was up there with Mark Henry, Scotty 2 Hotty, The worm, Gail Kim was out there, Nathan Jones was out there. It was surreal, Carlito Cool (was out there). I was out there, man it was fun man. I liked the WWE, but I’m a TNA person. I feel like top to bottom TNA has better wrestling, now WWE might have a better show as far as atmosphere and being around longer, but I feel like top to bottom TNA has better wrestling. Like WWE has great wrestlers like (Dean) Ambrose and (Seth) Rollins, and with the Shield and some other guys like Cesaro. They’re great, but if you look at the whole card you see matches where you’re like ‘ah boring’, too many promos, too much talking. I watch both, (but) I fast forward most of the WWE because the promos are so long. Their talking in promo’s, I’m like ‘fast forward. Ok you wasted 45 minutes, it’s taken like three matches’ you know what I’m saying. But with TNA you see a promo there, then there’s matches, matches, matches, small promo, more matches, and the promo’s are shorter in TNA.”

    On how Brock Lesnar is booked in WWE: “I love it, because here’s the thing, right now John Cena just put Brock Lesnar over big time, so now Brock should ride a wave. Whoever beats Brock is going to be the next big thing of the WWE. Because for him to dominate John Cena like that, whoever beats Brock has to be the man, and it’s gonna be someone like Roman Reigns or maybe Cesaro, it’s gonna be someone they wanna give a big push to. So you know it makes sense. Creative knows what they’re doing, even in TNA when they do something like that, they do it for a reason. A lot of fans don’t get it, but in a long run it makes a lot of sense.”

    Check out the complete interview above.

  • Bellator Signs UFC Hall Of Famer, Aldo-Mendes BRAWL Video, Gina Carano/UFC Update …

  • Bobby Lashley Makes His Bellator MMA Debut On 9/5

    It was just announced today by MMA promotion Bellator that two pro wrestling stars — Bobby Lashley and King Mo — have been added to the lineup for the company’s September 5th event. This will mark the MMA return of the TNA star Lashley (10-2), who hasn’t fought since November of 2013, where he defeated Tony Melton via unanimous decision after five rounds. For more information, including who Lashley and King Mo will be fighting, click here.

  • WWE Raw Reaction (7/7/2014): Highlights, Lowlights & Random Thoughts

    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:

    wwe-raw-logo-ses-1

    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.

  • What Happened After Impact Taping Last Night (Video), King Mo’s TNA Future

    – Bellator fighter and part-time TNA wrestler Muhammad Lawal (aka “King Mo”) has been working with Kenny King in Las Vegas recently, attempting to work on his skills as a pro wrestler. It’s being said that we will be seeing more of King Mo on TNA television later this summer.

    – Following the TNA Impact Wrestling television tapings on Friday night in New York City, the roster brought out Al Snow and sang “happy birthday” to him. You can watch a clip of that above.

  • BREAKING NEWS: WWE CHANGES Plans For MITB PPV Main Event On Sunday! [READ >>]

  • TNA Part-Timers Win At Bellator PPV, Dixie/DDP Attend; TMZ Covers ROH iPPV

    – TNA president Dixie Carter and wrestling legend Diamond Dallas Page were shown sitting cage-side at the Bellator 120 pay-per-view in Memphis, Tennessee on Saturday night.

    The two wrestling personalities were showing their support of the event, as well as for the three TNA part-timers: Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal and Tito Ortiz.

    Rampage defeated Mo in a controversial three-round decision, while Ortiz defeated Bellator Middleweight Champion Alexander Shlemenko by way of first-round submission.

    – In other pro wrestling and MMA news, UFC fighter “Filthy” Tom Lawler’s appearance at the Ring Of Honor & New Japan Pro Wrestling “War of the Worlds” iPPV this weekend drew some coverage from TMZ Sports. You can check out the article online at TMZ.com.

  • CM PUNK CONFIRMS Wedding Plans With AJ LEE + NEW Video Of Him SINGING!!

  • Dixie Carter To Attend MMA PPV On Saturday, TNA’s Recent Ratings Decline

    – TNA president Dixie Carter will be in attendance at the Bellator pay-per-view this weekend, as Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal, both of whom are still under contract to TNA, will be competing against each other in the main event.

    – TNA was doing a 1.08 average cable rating with an average of 1.37 million viewers back in March of 2013. That is compared to a 0.93 average cable rating with an average of 1.13 million viewers in March of 2014. That is a 13.9 percent drop in ratings and a 17.5 percent drop in viewership.

  • VIDEO & PHOTO Of Roman Reigns Suffering A BRUTAL Injury Overseas — VIEW HERE!

  • PHOTOS: An Unmasked Rey Mysterio With MMA Legends/TNA Part-Timers

    An unmasked Rey Mysterio recently took some photos with MMA legends and part-time TNA stars Tito Ortiz and Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

    Both Ortiz and Jackson have fights next Saturday night at the Bellator 120 show, which is the promotion’s pay-per-view debut. Rampage will fight fellow TNA part-timer Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal, while Ortiz will battle Alexander Shlemenko.

    Rey Mysterio Receives Special Offer From WWE To Re-Sign

     

  • Bellator CEO On Rampage Doing Full Matches In TNA Soon, Relationship With Dixie

    The following are highlights of a recent interview with Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney:

    Touching on the King Mo and Rampage feud; many have said that that the after fight dust up was entirely scripted. Did Bellator have any involvement in producing this scene? “That is completely and utterly ridiculous. What we did is we talked to Mike Masooley who is one of the commissioners from the Mohegan Sun. We told him that after the fight if Rampage did indeed win, we are going to bring King Mo in and just to be aware of the situation. We did have security but we just wanted to make sure everybody knew what could happen and understand what could evolve. Mike understood and that was literally it.”

    Last year King Mo and Rampage allegedly, squashed their so called “beef”. But now both of them now in the same tournament it seems that whole peace conversation has been pushed to the waste side. Is this hate more of pushing Bellator or is this anger and hostility very real? “Both of the guys really do hate each other. They hated each other for 2 years and I had to ask them to squash their squabble at least publicly. When TNA signed them I had to do that because they would be working together in a TNA ring. They squashed it for a short period of time, but now it’s resurfaced. The only reason they became civil with each other because I asked them to in favor of TNA and Dixie Carter.”

    When they first signed with TNA Impact, there was a lot of attention of how they would transition from MMA to Sports Entertainment. What is the current relationship between Bellator and TNA and could we see more fighters enter the ring? “Dixie and I talk pretty regularly. Now that Rampage’s fight is over and didn’t get injured, we are going to really rev up the wrestling training. We have coaches and trainers traveling to Southern California to help him get through the process of becoming a well-rounded professional wrestler. The essence of what wrestling is, that it’s a real skill and you have to learn the craft. We hope he adapt to it quickly and after the May fight, Rampage will be doing full blown matches.”

    Bellator and TNA have been doing plenty of cross promotion over the last year. Does it ever worry you that King Mo and Rampage could be injured in the wrestling ring and in turn make it difficult for you to put cards together? “I mean I think about it but the reality is this: Guys like Rampage and Mo, they are world class athletes. If they aren’t doing TNA Impact they are training MMA. They aren’t going to be sitting on the lazy boy watching COPS, they will always be active. The power of the Impact TV show is amazing. Both want to do it and it’s a risk you have to assume and take. These are athletes that takes risks and at times they will get injured.”

    Check out the complete interview at MMASucka.com.

  • KURT ANGLE Returning To WWE?!, Sting At WMXXX & HUGE WWE Title Change Planned!

  • Two TNA Personalities Confirmed For New Bellator MMA Tournament

    Bellator MMA issued the following press release today:

    “Rampage” faces M’Pumbu & “King Mo” battles Zayats in Light Heavyweight Tourney Opening round February 28th From Mohegan Sun

    Newport Beach, Cailf. (January 20, 2014) – Bellator MMA returns to Spike TV with a bang as the promotion kicks off its tenth season Friday, February 28 at 9pm ET/PT. The star-studded card includes the tournament debut of MMA superstar Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

    Emanating from Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun, the night features Rampage in a Light Heavyweight opening round battle with former Champion Christian M’Pumbu, while King Mo Lawal returns to face Russian submission ace Mikhail Zayats. The night will also feature the start of the Season 10 Featherweight Tournament. The official sponsors of Spike TV’s Bellator MMA Season 10 are Miller Lite and Dave & Buster’s.

    The event will broadcast live at 9 p.m. EST/ 8 p.m. CST on Spike TV. The preliminary card will be streamed live and free on Spike.com beginning at 7 p.m. EST/ 6 p.m. CST. Tickets for the event are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com or by visiting the Mohegan Sun Box Office.

    After making his mark with his first round knockout victory over Joey Beltran, Rampage is ready to put himself through The Toughest Tournament In Sports and earn a Bellator title shot.

    “This is what Bellator is all about,” Rampage said. “I’ve never felt better, and now it’s about getting the belt. Bellator is all about the tournaments, and if that’s what you need to do to get that belt, that’s what I’m going to do. M’Pumbu is up first, and when I finish him, it’s King Mo or Zayats, and then it’s onto the belt, simple as that.”

    For Lawal, the former title contender has heard the critics and is looking for vengeance after suffering his second loss to Emanuel Newton. As the tournament moves closer, King Mo only has one thing on his mind. Getting the Bellator Light Heavyweight Title.

    “I’m not going to sit here and say I’m changing up my whole game plan, and you are going to see a new fighter,” Mo said. “That’s just not me. I know what I do, I know who I am, and that’s who you are going to see on February 28th, plain and simple. Me. It’s all about getting that belt.”

    Bellator MMA, which features The Toughest Tournament in Sports, will showcase five tournaments this season in different weight classes including featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight. The 12-week season, airing on Fridays at 9pm on Spike TV, will showcase many of the greatest mixed martial arts fighters from around the world in venues spanning across North America.

    “Since we first partnered with Quinton, I’ve been working with him to get everything set for his inclusion in a Bellator tournament,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “Working together, we’ve now made that a reality. This is without question the deepest Light Heavyweight Tournament we’ve ever done. Rampage, M’Pumbu, Zayats and Mo are all monsters and I can’t think of a better way to kick off our tenth season on Spike.”

    Additional fight card information for Bellator 110 will be made available in the coming weeks.

    For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA

    About Bellator MMA

    Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 115 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 175 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.

    About Spike TV:

    Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

    About mun2

    mun2 is the leading Hispanic cable network for young millennial adults 18-34. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content that resonates across a multi-screen platform. Young, vibrant and unabashedly Latino, mun2 has a distribution to over 38 million households. The network is part of Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal.

  • More 2014 WWE HOF Inductees, Batista vs. Brock Lesnar Plans, New WMXXX Matches

  • Ken Anderson’s TNA Return, Update On Ethan Carter III, Rampage/Tito PPV News

    -Expect Ken Anderson to make his TNA return in the near future. Depending on current storyline direction, Anderson could pop up at the Bound For Glory pay-per-view on Sunday, or the Impact Wrestling television tapings the following Thursday.

    -As previously reported, Michael Hutter, who is the man that will be portraying “Ethan” in TNA, will go by the name Ethan Carter III. The company will be referring to him as EC3 at times, which is a takeoff of the RG3 nickname for the NFL quarterback, Robert Griffin III.

    -The upcoming Bellator MMA pay-per-view, which will be headlined by part-time TNA Impact Wrestling performers Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Tito Ortiz, and features another TNA part-timer in “King” Muhammad Lawal (King Mo) on the undercard, is having some trouble selling tickets. As of right now, the event has only sold 1,700 tickets, which is not a good sign. While ticket sales and pay-per-view numbers don’t always correlate, they are a more often than not a good indicator.

    More On Ken Anderson’s TNA Return, Bound For Glory Spoilers & More

    [Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter]

  • Dixie Carter Speaks On Recent TNA Firings, Signing Too Many MMA Stars, Bully Ray

    The following are highlights from TNA Impact Wrestling president Dixie Carter’s recent interview with The Ministry Of Slam:

    On criticism over signing too many MMA fighters to TNA deals: “I’ve gotten criticism for bringing these guys in but when you’re looking for talent and there’s only two teams, where do you go to get your star players from? You’re going to mostly look to each other and then every once in a while, you’ve got to build your own talent which takes a lot of time.

    So here are two guys that are major superstars. Both come from wrestling backgrounds, and both are training their butts off right now to be in the ring. I think it’s a great way of trying to find some superstar talent and not having to take so many years to try to grow somebody’s stardom. Both of these guys are so well-known and they love professional wrestling. They’re committed and they’re training, and I’m excited for people to see their potential. I think it’s a great way of looking for new talent, and talent that have never been seen before in our world.”

    On recent TNA talent releases: “Well, I think the fact that you let talent go is not any indication whatsoever of any problems. I think part of our problem is that we didn’t turn the roster often enough. We only have one show so if we don’t have people on the show all the time. we are not in the position to have them sitting at home and being paid and not working. I think we have to get some more programming.

    We have to be able to do that to where we can shift and make talent appear fresh, but going to another show versus sitting people at home. I think it’s been a long time coming. I know that our competitor lets people go constantly. We had not done it in a long time, and I think because we had not done it in a long time, that it raised some eyebrows.

    It’s time for us to bring in some new faces, and we’ve got some exciting faces that will be appearing in the next several months. It’ll freshen things up somewhat. It’ll freshen up the people who are still on the roster and it’ll give the fans new and unique matches that they’ve never seen before. Like always, I’m sure some of the people that are no longer with us will return at some point – I’m hopeful for that. I think it’s a good healthy state of where we’re going and how we need to grow.”

    On Bully Ray and the Aces & 8’s: “Bully Ray in my opinion has really stepped up and become a formidable singles champion. He’s done outstanding work. A lot of the young guys have come along under the Aces & Eights banner very quickly. I love the reformation of the Main Event Mafia; I love the younger members in there stepping up to represent our company. I think there’s going to be some interesting TV in the coming weeks.”

    Check out the complete interview online at MinistryOfSlam.com.

    REPORT: Hulk Hogan Leaving TNA To Return To WWE In 2014 [READ MORE >>]

  • Confirmed Matches For Next Week’s Impact Wrestling, King Mo Added To Bellator PPV

    -The following is a non-spoiler match listing for next Thursday’s edition of TNA Impact Wrestling on Spike TV:

    -Bobby Roode & Frankie Kazarian vs. James Storm & Gunner
    -Manik vs. Sonjay Dutt
    -Christopher Daniels vs. Joseph Park vs. Jay Bradley vs. Hernandez [Four-Way Street Fight For 20 BFG Series Points]
    -Gail Kim vs. ODB
    -Main Event Mafia vs. Aces & 8’s [Five-On-Five Match. Whoever Takes The Pin Leaves TNA Forever]

    -Bellator MMA issued the following on Thursday:

    Newton vs. King Mo II Set For November 2nd Live On Pay-Per-View In Epic Rematch

    Newport Beach, CA. (August 15th, 2013) – Chandler vs. Alvarez II won’t be the only highly anticipated rematch featured on Bellator’s Pay-Per-View debut November 2nd, as King Mo will once again meet Emanuel Newton, this time for the interim Bellator Light Heavyweight Title. With reigning Light Heavyweight Champion Attila Vegh sidelined with a shoulder injury, Mo and Newton will now square off for a shot at the title. In their previous meeting, the two engaged in a back and forth battle that eventually ended with Newton delivering a devastating spinning back fist that earned the fight the distinction of upset of the year. Mo vs. Newton II now joins a night of fights that already features Chandler vs. Alvarez II, along with the main event of the evening, Rampage vs. Tito.

    “Rampage vs. Tito” will be held at Southern California’s Long Beach Arena on Saturday, November 2nd, with tickets on sale now. Tickets can be purchased on Bellator.com, Ticketmaster.com, as well as at the Long Beach Arena Box Office.

    “The energy in the arena when Newton dropped Mo with that spinning back fist was simply awesome,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “And, to be able to have this rematch take place on our first PPV is something we couldn’t pass up. With Mo and Emanuel winning our previous two Light Heavyweight Tournaments, the timing was perfect for this rematch add another incredible intriguing storyline to this huge night of fights.”

    After storming through the Summer Series Tournament with two stoppage victories over Seth Petruzelli and Jacob Noe, Mo has now earned the right to fight for the title, along with erasing a loss that still looms large for the man they call “King”.

    “Listen, I’m going to be real honest about this. Emanuel is fake as hell,” Lawal said. “He runs his mouth about being a black skinhead or something, and likes to act real hard. He’s as hard as baby shit. I’m going to destroy this guy. He landed a shot on me in our first fight, nothing more than that. I’m better than him in every facet of the game. I didn’t even shoot on him that first fight. I can take this fight anywhere I want it, and I will. It’s over. I’m taking that belt in Long Beach, bringing it back to Las Vegas, and no one is getting it back. Not Vegh, Not Rampage. Not Tito, not anyone. It’s mine. Payback is bitch, Emanuel.”

    A relative unknown when he joined the Bellator Light Heavyweight ranks, Newton shocked the world with his knockout victory over Mo in the Season 8 Light Heavyweight Semifinals, and followed up that performance with a decisive win over fellow Bellator Tournament Finalist Mikhail Zayats. Now just a win away from capturing the interim World Title, Newton expects similar results in his second meeting with Lawal.

    “I’m not going to spout off and trash Mo, I don’t have to do that,” Newton proclaimed. “I know Mo is going to run his mouth and try to sell his game, but I don’t have anything to prove. I’m the one that knocked him out, and he’s the one that has to deal with that loss on his record, not me. I did it once, and I’m going to do it again, this time on an even bigger stage. History likes to repeat itself, and November 2nd Mo’s going to have to deal with another big loss on his record.

    More information on Bellator’s November 2nd PPV “Rampage vs. Tito” will be made available in the coming weeks.

    For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA

    About Bellator MMA

    Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 115 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 150 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.

    About Spike TV:

    Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

    About mun2

    mun2 is the leading Hispanic cable network for young millennial adults 18-34. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content that resonates across a multi-screen platform. Young, vibrant and unabashedly Latino, mun2 has a distribution to over 38 million households. The network is part of Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal.

    WWE SummerSlam Spoilers

  • Dixie Carter Q&A: Goldberg/TNA, Signing So Many MMA Stars, New Video Game

    TNA president Dixie Carter recently took part in another Q&A with wrestling fans. Below are some highlights:

    On her reaction to receiving so many negative questions: “I have no problem with negative comments or constructive criticism, but the outrageous posts and bad language are a totally a different thing … especially with so many children paying attention on social media.”

    On whether or not she forces talent to tweet about other talents’ projects: ” It’s very important for TNA talent to support each other and their individual separate projects outside of wrestling. They’ve supported EY with his Animal Planet show, Mickie James with her music, Gail Kim with her wedding TV special, etc. I think it’s great that we all support each other!”

    On criticism that signing Rampage overshadowed King Mo in TNA: “We underestimated how long it would take Mo to recover from the complications he had following surgery. By the time he was cleared to wrestle, he had to start training for his upcoming fights. Rampage will fight a few major PPV events for Bellator, while King Mo is fighting more frequently in the tournaments. Hopefully, Mo will start training again right after his title fight, and we will see him in the ring soon.”

    On complaints that TNA is signing too many MMA fighters: “People forget that King Mo is a wrestler, first and foremost. He won multiple medals (several gold medals) in The World Cup, Pan American Championships and US Championships, and a Division I All American. Rampage began his career as a wrestler, too. Rampage is a film star — both have big personalities, successful MMA careers and substantial national media attention within the sports world. They’ve never worked for our competitor , and they both want to do whatever it takes to dominate professional wrestling. I’m open to anyone who fits that bill. And, the fact that Bellator CEO Björn Rebney and I can work together and cross-promote is a great added benefit for Impact exposure outside of wrestling.”

    On whether or not TNA scouts international talent: “Absolutely! As a matter of fact, right now we are looking closely at several wrestlers to be on IMPACT from countries that have never been represented on the show before. Stay tuned!”

    On fan interaction at the upcoming UK Tour: “Our UK promoters will announce details for Fan InterAction this month, and you will hear from me beforehand on ways to get a jump on being the first to purchase tickets.”

    On another TNA game and if the company will ever sign Bill Goldberg: “I hope so! Our first game sold over one million copies worldwide. We are hopeful we’ll find the right partner for another video game soon. And regarding Bill, he is a great talent. We would love to work with him one day.”

    Check out more from the Dixie Carter Q&A online at ImpactWrestling.com.

    TNA To Debut ANOTHER “Mystery-Man” Next Week? + News On More MAJOR TNA Roster Cuts!

  • Dixie Carter On King Mo’s MMA Victory, Rampage vs. Tito Ortiz, New TV Deal

    TNA president Dixie Carter recently posted a number of noteworthy tweets on her official Twitter account.

    First up, Dixie tweeted a congratulatory message to Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal on his third round TKO victory over Jacob Noe at the Bellator event on Spike TV on Wednesday evening. Dixie tweeted:

    “Way to go @KingMoFH. Great job!! Proud!!!”

    After hearing Mo reference wrestling in his post-fight interview in the cage, Dixie followed up with this tweet moments later:

    “Love @KingMoFH in the ring after a big win talking about WRESTLING and how important it is to him. Very classy win.”

    Later on in the evening, Bellator announced a Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Tito Ortiz PPV fight for November 2nd. With Rampage being a part-time TNA employee as well, Dixie showed her support with the following message, which was tweeted shortly after the announcement was made on Spike TV:

    “Oh yea. Great call. @Rampage4Real vs @titoortiz. Gonna be a great fight. Congrats @BjornRebney and @SpikeTV!!!”

    And finally, TNA announced a new international television deal today via an official press release. Dixie commented on the new SONY SIX TV deal with the following tweet:

    “Happy to announce we have signed a new television deal with SONY SIX, India’s premier sports entertainment channel!”

    Follow TNA president Dixie Carter on Twitter @TNADixie.

    BREAKING NEWS: More MAJOR TNA Roster Cuts Coming VERY SOON! [DETAILS HERE >>]

  • King Mo On Difficulty Of Pro Wrestling, His MMA Return Tonight On Spike TV

    TNA Impact Wrestling star and Bellator MMA fighter Muhammad “King Mo” Lawal was recently interviewed about his upcoming fight against Jacob Noe on Wednesday evening, and as always, the subject of pro wrestling reared its’ head into the conversation.

    When discussing whether or not pro wrestling is taking away from his MMA training, Mo said, “I train year round. After the match in Ohio Valley Wrestling, I was right back in the gym on Monday. I don’t do training camps; I just train year round.”

    Further elaborating on the surprising difficulty of pro wrestling training, Mo continued, “I was surprised with how hard it’s been. I didn’t think the bumps, hitting the ropes, would be all that hard on you. I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t know was going to do a match and then be sore for four or five days later. I can fight and be sore for only like two or three days.”

    Check out the full interview, where King Mo talks more about balancing MMA and pro wrestling training, as well as his MMA return tonight on Spike TV, at MMAWeekly.com.

    TITO ORTIZ Next To Sign Joint-Deal With TNA & Bellator? **DETAILS HERE**

  • TNA Executive Parts Ways With The Company, King Mo’s Return

    –TNA and Bellator star “King” Muhammad Lawal (King Mo) will be returning to mixed-martial-arts action, as he competes against UFC veteran and Kimbo Slice-conquerer Seth Petruzelli in the main event of Bellator 96 on Spike TV on Wednesday evening.

    –TNA executive Mike Weber, who headed up Marketing, has officially parted ways with the company.

    24WRESTLING.COM: More WWE Stars From The Past To Return Soon …

  • King Mo Makes In-Ring Debut, Ryback vs. Daniel Bryan Hype & More

    – MMA fighter & TNA star King Mo made his pro wrestling debut on Wednesday night at Ohio Valley Wrestling. defeating Austin Bradley via an arm submission in the main event. Mo reportedly used a variety of MMA holds throughout the match.

    – The Ryback vs. Daniel Bryan match that will air on tonight’s SmackDown is getting rave reviews from people who have seen it, with many saying that it’s Ryback’s best match to date.

    – Here are some attendance figures from WWE’s recent European tour, courtesy of the Wrestling Observer:

    • 4/24 in Liege, Belgium: 5,000 fans
    • 4/24 in Amneville, France: 3,300 fans
    • 4/25 in St. Petersburg, Russia: 4,000 fans
    • 4/25 in Bologna, Italy: sellout of 7,000 fans
    • 4/26 in Moscow, Russia: 6,000 fans
    • 4/26 in Trieste, Italy: 3,000 fans
    • 4/27 in Lodz, Poland: 3,500 fans
    • 4/27 in Mannheim, Germany: sellout of 10,000 fans

  • King Mo Knocked Out, TNA Knockout At Bellator, TNA UK Videos

    – MMA fighter and TNA star King Mo was knocked out in the first round by Emanuel Newton on Thursday night in the semi-finals of Bellator’s Light Heavyweight tournament. The finish came in the first round after Newton dropped King Mo with a spinning back fist to end the fight.

    – TNA Knockouts Referee Taryn Terrell was a guest ring card girl at Bellator on Thursday night.

    – Here’s this week’s TNA Impact post-show, featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the U.K. tour:

    – TNA has also released the following music video looking back at the U.K. tour: