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.
Following Friday’s edition of WWE SmackDown, here is the updated list of official participants in the WWE Intercontinental Championship Battle Royal at the upcoming WWE Battleground pay-per-view:
– Cesaro
– Kofi Kingston
– Damien Sandow
– The Great Khali
– Rob Van Dam
– Dolph Ziggler
– Big E
– Ryback
– Curtis Axel
– Alberto Del Rio
– Bo Dallas
Below is the latest edition of “SmackDown Fallout,” which features WWE United States Champion Sheamus:
Today is the all-important day where Americans celebrate their independence by consuming large amounts of alcohol and grilled fare. No WWE superstar claims to have America’s best interests in mind more than Jack Swagger.
The so-called Real American, accompanied by his founding father Zeb Colter, has advocated an isolationist domestic policy that is free of illegal immigrants. Along the way, Swagger has made national headlines by entering into a feud with conservative radio host Glenn Beck.
It appeared that Swagger was in the midst of a massive push while bickering with Beck, having just defeated accomplished stars such as Randy Orton, Chris Jericho, and Daniel Bryan to earn a chance to compete against Alberto Del Rio for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 29.
Swagger and Colter made national news in 2013 after attracting the attention of Glenn Beck.
Unfortunately for Swagger, he was arrested for DUI and possession of marijuana, ending what could have been a classic feud between a border-protecting nationalist and an immigrant Mexican. Del Rio defeated Swagger at WrestleMania and the Real American was quickly shifted out of the main event scene.
Since aligning himself with Zeb Colter, Swagger has always acted as a heel, often using cheap heat as a way to get his character over. However, it seems as if a face turn could be just around the corner.
In recent months, Rusev has been dominating the WWE roster, taking out superstars such as Big E, Kofi Kingston, and R-Truth. Much like Swagger, Rusev has also used cheap heat as a way to build his character, praising Vladimir Putin and Russia along the way.
Rusev was up to his usual antics this past week when the crowd actually started chanting for Jack Swagger. Colter and Swagger defended America by taking out Rusev and acting as faces for the first time since joining one another. Unsurprisingly, Colter cut an amazing promo on Rusev and Lana, perfectly setting up what could be an entertaining feud.
Cesaro suffered an eye injury on Monday’s RAW during his match against Kofi Kingston.
WWE doctor Chris Amann gave the following statement to WWE.com:
“We did some specialized testing and staining of the eye which showed he did have a scratch on the right side of the eye, which is called the sclera and not on the cornea, which is the clear part of the eye,” said Amann.
“We’re going to keep his eye patched for the next 24-48 hours, use some artificial tears and re-evaluate him tomorrow prior to his match [against Dolph Ziggler on WWE Main Event].”
The following is the final card for tonight’s WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view:
Money In The Bank Ladder Match (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
– John Cena vs. Roman Reigns vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton vs. Cesaro vs. Kane vs. Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio
Money In The Bank Ladder Match (Briefcase For Title Shot Up To One Year)
– Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Rob Van Dam vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Jack Swagger vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Bad News Barrett*
WWE Tag-Team Championship
– The Usos (c) vs. Luke Harper & Erick Rowan
WWE Divas Championship
Paige (c) vs. Naomi
Divas Match (Special Guest Referee: Fandango)
– Summer Rae vs. Layla
Tag-Team Match
– Goldust & Stardust vs. Ryback & Curtis Axel
Singles Match
– Rusev vs. Big E.
* – Barrett suffered a separated shoulder during the SmackDown taping this past Tuesday, however WWE has yet to announce whether or not he has been pulled from his match.
Make sure to join us here later tonight for the absolute best live play-by-play results coverage of the fifth annual WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view!
The WWE’s brightest stars will attempt to cash in at this Sunday’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view. Two ladder matches will main event the program, with one being held to declare a new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. In addition, former champion Daniel Bryan will address the WWE Universe during the pre-show.
Here are my predictions for this Sunday’s event.
Summer Rae vs. Layla (Fandango Guest Referee)
I was never the biggest Fandango supporter, but I definitely thought he would be doing something bigger than referring a divas match a year ago. He has regressed over the past year and lost a lot of momentum. This will likely be the bathroom break match of the night, and Fandango will play a major role in the outcome, of course. Summer Rae will win this one by either rejoining Fandango or using him to influence the outcome of the contest before abandoning him.
Winner: Summer Rae by pinfall
Rusev vs. Big E
These guys performed well together at last month’s Payback, even though they were given less than four minutes total. They will hopefully get a little more time during this one, allowing both superstars to showcase their strengths.
I think Rusev will ultimately win this one, but Big E will also look strong during the match. Big E cut a passionate promo on last week’s Raw, so it appears the WWE wants to showcase him a bit more. Both guys will look good, but Rusev will force Big E to tap out in the end.
Winner: Rusev by submission
Stardust and Goldust vs. Ryback and Curtis Axel
The Rhodes Brothers storyline has been moving slowly over the past few months. It first looked as if the two brothers were going to feud with one another, with Cody searching for an adequate replacement because he felt Goldust deserved better.
He eventually rebranded himself as Stardust and the two have been on a winning streak ever since. They will continue to look strong on Sunday, picking up the win after Cody hits his Diamond Dust finisher on Curtis Axel.
Early advertising for the WWE Battleground pay-per-view, which is the next show following Sunday’s Money In The Bank, has been released in the local Tampa market and may have already spoiled two of the matches planned for the show.
According to the ads in Tampa, Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton and Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose will be taking place at Battleground.
Also advertised to appear at Battleground are John Cena, Bray Wyatt, Kane, RVD, Sheamus, Cesaro, Big Show, Alberto Del Rio, Bad News Barrett and Kofi Kingston.
A huge six-man tag-team match featuring teams of three Superstars, all of whom will be part of the second “traditional” Money In The Bank ladder match this Sunday night on pay-per-view, was announced on RAW as the main event for this week’s edition of WWE Main Event, which airs live on the WWE Network on Tuesday night at 8pm EST.
Tuesday’s edition of Main Event will feature Kofi Kingston, Dolph Ziggler and Rob Van Dam vs. Bad News Barrett, Seth Rollins and Jack Swagger.
The additional participants for the second Money In The Bank ladder match for the briefcase at this Sunday’s pay-per-view were announced during the “go-home” RAW show on Monday night.
During an in-ring segment with Triple H, “The Game” revealed the following participants for the match:
– Seth Rollins
– Kofi Kingston
– Jack Swagger
– Dolph Ziggler
– Rob Van Dam
– Bad News Barrett
Later in the show it was confirmed that Dean Ambrose would indeed be the seventh and final participant in the match.
– Former WWE Superstar Trent Baretta, who went on the record when he was released from the company as saying, “Now that I’m fired, I can finally sat it: Kofi Kingston is an asshole,” is back on Twitter with another anti-Kingston comment. Baretta tweeted the following after today’s WWE releases:
According to one source, there has been discussions within WWE about the possibility of doing a new version of The Nation Of Domination stable.
The talk apparently originates from the fact that Rusev has defeated Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods and R-Truth since debuting on the main roster, and now has his sights set on Big E.
Woods, in fact, even teased at a possible Nation Of Domination type faction being formed, as he tweeted out a photo of the original Nation Of Domination group doing the fist gesture together.
It seemed as if the tag team division had been revitalized last year. However, almost as soon as fans started to become excited about the division again, half of the teams were broken up and it has been largely ignored.
The Usos are the current champions, and I think their pay-per-view exposure shows how confident the WWE is that the Uso brothers will draw. After all, they defended their tag titles on the pre-show at WrestleMania and did not appear in any capacity at Extreme Rules.
With that said, it would not take much effort to get the division back to where it was at the end of last year. Here are five current or potential tag teams that could help make the division relevant again (or at the very least, get it onto the pay-per-view card).
5. Rybaxel – At first, this team seemed like it would go nowhere. They had both just basically flopped while under the tutelage of Paul Heyman, so why would anyone believe that they would fare well without him? Surprisingly, both have improved since leaving Heyman, especially Ryback. He is hilarious on the microphone and can actually be pretty entertaining when he’s allowed to speak. I think the WWE still has plans to push both guys in the future, and a run with the Tag Team Championships could help elevate both superstars.
4. Damien Sandow and Dolph Ziggler – These guys have adopted similar personality traits in recent weeks, most notably because both guys seem disgruntled, annoyed, and displeased that their talents are not being properly utilized. Sandow and Ziggler would make a great team if paired together, as both are impressive in the ring and on the mic. There were rumors a while back of a possible stable of disgruntled superstars being formed, including Ziggler and the Miz, but a team of Sandow and Ziggler would work even better and could make the tag title picture exciting again.
3. Jack Swagger and Cody Rhodes – It is no secret that Zeb Colter has been trying to recruit a new member to the Real Americans since Cesaro betrayed him a few weeks back. With Cody being the son of the American Dream Dusty Rhodes, it would make sense for him to become a Real American. Cody and Goldust are definitely going to part ways soon, with Cody likely being the one to turn heel, so it would provide the perfect opportunity for Cody to align with Swagger and Colter afterward.
The undercard singles titles are all chilling across the pond these days, as Bad News Barrett, Sheamus, and Paige all won championships in recent weeks. New champions are a welcome sight in the WWE these days, especially considering how stale the previous champions’ runs had become.
Dean Ambrose’s reign as United States Champion will likely be the forgotten reign in years to come. He held the title for almost a year while only defending it a few times before finally dropping it to Sheamus during a battle royal a few weeks back.
The same holds true for Big E and the Intercontinental Championship. Although he did not hold the title as long as Ambrose held his US Championship, his reign was unmemorable and he engaged in no meaningful feuds during his months with the title. As for AJ Lee, her run with the title seemed fresh at first, but she eventually ran out of challengers and it seemed like the right time to crown a new champion.
Ambrose held the title for almost a year and hardly ever defended it.
With recent undercard title reigns being unmemorable, it leads one to wonder if unification is the answer. One of the primary reasons the titles go undefended is because it is difficult to have too many stories going at once, especially meaningful ones that involve championship contests. This leads to champions holding insignificant titles like the US Championship as a way to legitimize or build up the character, but in reality, the title does little because it goes undefended.
One of the best options would perhaps be to unify the United States and Intercontinental Championships. By unifying the titles into just the Intercontinental Championship, it could make the title seem important again. In the Attitude Era, the title held importance, with fans knowing that most superstars who held the strap were on their way to the main event.
That is not the case anymore, however, as the title is thrown on random superstars in an attempt to build interest, but then creative puts in no further effort. It is a little sad that the most interesting thing to happen involving the Intercontinental Championship in recent months was a tournament to crown a number one contender that did not even involve the champion at all (except for a few clips showing him standing in the back, angrily looking at a monitor).
Here are some highlights from Kofi Kingston’s recent interview with Music Recall Magazine:
Being discovered by WWE: “Well, I actually started training in up in Boston. The Chaotic Training Center was the name of the facility. And we actually had a tryout up there. At the time I was a Jamaican guy, I was doing a Jamaican gimmick. And it was very unique and had never been seen before within the realms of WWE. And they liked what they saw – that in combination with being a decent athlete and a ridiculously handsome guy. I mean they just wanted me on their roster. So lo and behold here we are.”
Who Came Up With His Jamaican Character: “It was something that I came up with on the independent scene. It was funny because I was kind of just joking around in one of our classes. And then everyone in the class was like ‘oh, you have to do that, it’s so entertaining.’ So that’s the route that I went. And like I said I don’t have any regrets about it or anything because it was what got me noticed. One of the main things about being a WWE Superstar is having an ability to stand out. We have a lot of different people on the roster – whether it be your size, your look, your attitude, the way you talk, your athletic ability – you have to find a way to stand out. And if you’re able to do that then you do have a shot at being a WWE Superstar.”
Changing Up His Character: “Well, I think character development is definitely very important in terms of longevity in the WWE. The guys who last the longest are the guys who have a rollercoaster of just personality and different stories and where it takes you. I have no idea what the future holds. I think it would definitely be fun to explore some other options. But until then, I’ll do whatever the company asks of me and be wherever they need me to be. Just take it one day at a time and see what happens.”
The following are results for this week’s edition of WWE Main Event, which aired live on the WWE Network on Tuesday, April 29, 2014.
– Goldust def. Alberto Del Rio in a singles bout to open the show. The match saw a lot of back-and-forth action until Goldust counters Del Rio’s superkick attempt and blasts him with his Final Cut finisher for the 1-2-3 and the victory.
– After Goldust picks up the victory, Cody Rhodes comes in and congratulates him. Renee Young enters the ring and interviews both guys. She asks if their recent singles matches means they are going their separate ways. Goldust says that the Brotherhood is still together. He says they may work singles matches from time-to-time, but ultimately they have each others backs. Young asks Rhodes if he is proud of his brother. He seems offended at the question and asks if she thinks Goldust is better than him because he won tonight and Cody lost on RAW. Eventually he apologizes and reiterates the fact that the Brotherhood is together and says things will stay that way. The two hug and that’s that.
– Paige def. Alicia Fox in Divas action to retain her WWE Divas Championship. The match went back-and-forth, with Paige taking a lot of punishment before ultimately hitting Fox with a big DDT to score the pin fall victory. After the match, as Paige was walking up the ramp, Tamina Snuka comes out to the top of the stage and the two have a staredown.
– Backstage, Renee Young is with Sheamus. She asks Sheamus for his level of concern knowing he has to face Bray Wyatt in the main event tonight. Sheamus talks briefly about how he’s not afraid and informs Wyatt that tonight — it’s time to fight.
– Bad News Barrett def. Kofi Kingston in singles competition. Barrett cuts a promo before the match dressing down Big E., informing him that he’s going to take his WWE Intercontinental Championship this Sunday at Extreme Rules. The two have a solid back-and-forth match that ends when Kingston leaps in the air off of the ringside steps, but gets caught on the way down with the Bull Hammer Elbow from Barrett. Barrett rolls Kingston back in the ring and covers him. 1-2-3. Barrett wins.
– Bray Wyatt def. Sheamus in the headline bout of this week’s edition of WWE Main Event. Bray Wyatt sings along with the crowd, singing of course, “he’s got the whole world in his hands.” He sings along with them until Sheamus’ music hits to interupt him. The two end up having an extremely competitive match that sees Erick Rowan and Luke Harper distract Sheamus at the end, allowing Wyatt to hit him with his Sister Abigail finisher for the 1-2-3.
– After the main event ends, Rowan and Harper join Wyatt in a three-on-one beatdown of Sheamus until The Usos come out to make the save. The show goes off the air with all six guys staring each other down.
The following are results of the matches that were taped for this week’s edition of WWE Superstars, which took place prior to WWE RAW on Monday night in New Orleans, Louisiana.
– Ryback def. Dolph Ziggler to open the show. This was a back-and-forth match that ended when Ryback hit Ziggler with his “Shellshock” finisher for the pin fall victory.
– Titus O’Neil def. Kofi Kingston in another singles match. The finish here saw O’Neil hit Kingston with his “Clash of Titus” finishing move for the clean victory.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross is profiled in a new SB Nation article called, “Good God Almighty, It’s Jim Ross! After a career that spanned four decades, wrestling’s favorite voice moves on.” The article focuses on JR’s early days in wrestling and how he became a broadcasting legend. You can check out the article at SBNation.com.
– The following are new “My First WrestleMania” videos from WWE’s official YouTube channel, which feature Kofi Kingston and Cody Rhodes talking about their experiences at their first WrestleMania.
The following are results of the match taped for this week’s edition of WWE Superstars. The match was taped on Monday night in Washington, D.C. prior to WWE RAW:
– Heath Slater (with Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal) def. Kofi Kingston in singles action. The crowd was pretty into Kingston in this one. This was a mostly back-and-forth type of match, which ended with the 3MB member getting the victory.
The following are highlights of a new Ring Rust Radio interview with Kofi Kingston:
On if he has any of his Royal Rumble-type special spots planned for the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal: “I get inspired from all different kinds of places, cartoons, comic books, movies and things like that and if I see it then I’ll try to emulate it in the ring and often times you figure out why these moves are comic books and movie-style moves because they can’t be done. Most of the time I’ve thought of something I found a way to make it work and luckily it’s actually worked out like the Royal Rumble jump that I did this year there was no contingency plan if I didn’t make that, and it goes the same for the handstand deal and the chair spot, like if I fall then I’m done so knock on wood luckily I’ve been able to actually complete what I’ve set out to do but, again, if I don’t there’s no contingency plan I guess if I fall then I walk to the back and I’ll be eliminated.”
On not having a match at last year’s WrestleMania: “Last year, it was the worst. It was the worst thing of all time. Well, not the worst thing because doing the pre-show panel I was able to do something that I hadn’t really done before and on top of that, being there with Dusty Rhodes and Mick Foley was amazing because they’re two legends and I’m sitting there in between them just like ‘oh my god’. It was a cool experience but at the same time as a WWE Superstar your goal is to be on Wrestlemania in some way, shape or form so you can be part of the show and when you’re not, it definitely is a blow to your ego because it’s almost like you set out to be something that you didn’t do. But it’s also eye opening and motivating for the next year because you remember where you were at that point and you try to not end up there again. Hopefully with this Battle Royal situation I’ll be able to get back in there and do what I love to do because as WWE Superstars all you want to do is be on Wrestlemania.”
On if he feels he’s still searching for his “WrestleMania moment”: “Yeah, I think at Wrestlemania you definitely want a singles match and not have to share the spotlight with other guys. Money in the Bank was awesome and some of the cooler moments in my career and it’s awesome to make some memorable moments but I think the ultimate goal is to have that singles match where it’s just you and your opponent, all eyes on you two and you’re just telling a story and you’re out there just tearing the house down. That is the ultimate goal and I’ve had a few different Wrestlemania Money in the Bank moments but not the singles Wrestlemania moment that I strive for.”
On if WWE unifying their world titles hurts wrestlers trying to reach the next level: “Well, I don’t know if it negatively impacts me but it definitely make it harder. Even in terms of just storylines; there’s only so many storylines that the champion can be involved in if you have both titles but at the same time, if you do get to that point it is that much bigger. So I guess it’s bittersweet, it definitely has its upsides and downsides but I think for the time I think it’s a good thing and makes the titles mean that much more because one is not considered more prestigious than the other. If you hold the WWE World Heavyweight Championship you are the unified champion; you’re the man.”
On if he feels he should have won a world title by now: “I mean, if you think about it, you can become a champion at any given time like one day you could be at one point on the roster and the next day you could be the World Champion. Who knows what the ‘what ifs’ would have been. If I think about all of that then I’d drive myself nuts. There’s a whole bunch of different ways that storylines can go and who’s to say if it goes one way or the other if one thing happened or the other thing happened, it’s impossible to speculate. That’s what WWE is all about. You’re watching this show and you anticipate which way a storyline might go, and when it goes the other way, you’re swerved. Who knows what would have happened, could have happened, should have happened, I don’t focus on all of that I focus on what I want to happen and try to get there.”
On his favorite personal WrestleMania highlight so far in his career: “For me, I’d have to say my favorite moment of all, that I’ve had, was my initial Wrestlemania because I’ve always been a fan of WWE ever since I was a kid and I’ve always wanted to be a WWE Superstar and every time I would fantasize about having matches I would fantasize about myself having a Wrestlemania match, so when that actually happened for the first time that was like my dream come true. I don’t know if there was an actual moment in that match but I remember I was laying on the outside I ahd fallen out of the ring off of a ladder or something and I’m just laying there watching the show on the monitor and just like ‘oh my god, this is my dream’ and that was when it was real, it was actual reality.”
On his favorite WrestleMania highlight as a fan: “If I had to pick a moment that wasn’t necessarily mine I’d have to pick Wrestlemania 14 when Tyson punched out Michaels. I thought that was awesome because I was always a wrestling fan and Wrestlemania 14 was the first time that I paid for my own ticket, I paid for my way to get there, I hadn’t been to that many WWE live events and it was awesome to be able to do that and to be able to witness all of that and the anticipation leading up to it. That week they had the contract signing with Vince McMahon and Stone Cold and Tyson was there and Vince McMahon got thrown into the Boston Harbor. I was right there for that and it was the coolest thing especially because no one swims in the Boston Harbor; its ridiculously dirty and the fact that Vince was actually in there I think a lot of people, me included, were concerned for his health but seeing him get knocked into there was pretty cool.”
On turning heel: “I would love to, first and foremost, I’ve been clamoring at that for a while now but the situation has to be right and the timing has to be right; everything has to be right. I wouldn’t want to just do it for the sake of doing it because you might get lost in the shuffle that way. If the situation was right, it would give me a chance to do something completely different and show people a side of me they have never seen before, which I think would be great and I think would be fun.”
– WWE recently shot the intro video for WrestleMania XXX in New Orleans. The theme of the intro was a Mardi Gras parade. The WWE Superstars that were reportedly in attendance include The Big Show, Sheamus, Kofi Kingston, Fandango, Summer Rae and The Bella Twins.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross will be taking part in a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” chat on March 28th at 11am EST.
The following are highlights of a new Bleacher Report interview with Kofi Kingston:
On the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal: “I would love to get involved with that. Any type of Royal Rumble or battle royal I always look forward to because I usually get to do some pretty cool things. And then on top of that, just to be involved with a match dedicated to a man with the profile and the caliber of Andre the Giant, I mean, when you think about that it’s awesome. I mean how cool would it be to be the first guy to win it? I think it would be really, really cool. (…) I haven’t been officially announced into it but I am assuming that I’m going to be involved in it in some way, shape or form. When you’re not (part of WrestleMania), it definitely is a blow to your ego because it’s almost like you set out to be something that you didn’t do. But it’s also eye opening and motivating for the next year because you remember where you were at that point and you try to not end up there again. Hopefully with this battle royal situation I’ll be able to get back in there and do what I love to do, because as WWE Superstars all you want to do is be on WrestleMania.”
On wanting his “WrestleMania moment”: “I think at WrestleMania you definitely want a singles match and not have to share the spotlight with other guys. Money in the Bank was awesome and (created) some of the cooler moments in my career, and it’s awesome to make some memorable moments. But I think the ultimate goal is to have that singles match where it’s just you and your opponent, all eyes on you two, and you’re just telling a story and you’re out there just tearing the house down.”
On turning heel: “I’ve been clamoring at that for a while now, but the situation has to be right and the timing has to be right; everything has to be right. I wouldn’t want to just do it for the sake of doing it because you might get lost in the shuffle that way. If the situation was right, it would give me a chance to do something completely different and show people a side of me they have never seen before, which I think would be great and I think would be fun.”
Dolph Ziggler spoke to the The Democrat Tribunethis week to promote WWE’s live event this Sunday from the Convocation Center in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
Why he chose to be a wrestler: “My dad took to me an event and I saw Hulk Hogan wrestle Harley Race and I told him that night this is what I wanted to do.”
Staying motivated: “There are days when you don’t feel good, you may be a little banged up or you’ve had 10 flight delays in the same day. If I was a fan sitting in the audience, I’d be disappointed if a top star didn’t wrestle. I want to give the fans a great show so I leave everything that may be bothering me in the dressing room, go out and give the show they want to see and then come back and deal with things that may have had be feeling down.”
Developing His Character On Twitter: “I try out new material on my Twitter followers and it’s a lot of fun. I can bring a witty side to the WWE if needed and that can lead to a television spot out the ring or to a movie part, just more to bring attention to the WWE.”
Kofi Kingston: “Kofi Kingston and I have a good ongoing feud right now. We have been battling for the Inter-Continental and the United State titles the last couple months. We have totally different styles but we somehow compliment each other in ring.”
– Kofi Kingston is representing WWE at the National Guard Youth Foundation’s ChalleNGe Champions Gala tonight in Washington, DC.
– Actor Tiny “Zeus” Lister(‘No Holds Barred’) spoke to TMZ.com this week about Hulk Hogan’s return to WWE and joked that he wants a rematch against Hogan.
– Diamond Dallas Page released the following video on Monday featuring Jake Roberts talking about his cancer diagnosis. Jake undergoes surgery today to remove a cancerous tumor behind his left knee .
The following are highlights of a recent Phoenix New Times interview with WWE Superstar Kofi Kingston:
On the video where CM Punk calls him his “road wife”: “Yeah, we were each other’s road wives. With Punk, I consider him to be like a brother to me. He’s one of the guys who took me under his wing when I first came. So we’ve been able to maintain a good relationship. And there are very few people in the business that you can call true friends, so I consider Punk to be that and more. So yes, “road wife” is the term we used to sum that all up.”
On his take on the WWE Network: “Well, it’s definitely a huge, huge deal for us. We’ve been trying to get this network off the ground, it’s finally going to happen. There’s going to be a lot of content, I can tell you that straight up — high flyers, the Attitude Era and just the history of the business and the future. They have so many ideas and so many different concepts that I think a lot of people are going to look forward to getting to see — just a different side of WWE superstars and the WWE in general and how it’s presented. And it’s really inexpensive, like $10 a month, and you get so much material, including pay-per-views, for that amount.”