Following Sunday night’s TNA Slammiversary, below is the updated lineup for this coming Wednesday night’s special “Bell 2 Bell” edition of TNA Impact Wrestling on Destination America.
TNA World Heavyweight Title
– Ethan Carter III vs. Kurt Angle
TNA Knockouts Title
– Awesome Kong vs. Brooke Tessmacher vs. Taryn Terrell
TNA Tag Team Titles
30-Minute Iron Man Match
– Austin Aries and Bobby Roode vs. The Wolves
Losers Must Disband
– The Beat Down Clan vs. The Rising
As reported earlier this weekend, Kurt Angle will be taking time off from TNA to have surgery to remove a tumor from his neck.
Angle has surgery scheduled, however it is apparently not a major operation and he is expected to be able to wrestle again in about three weeks.
Based on the three-week time frame, Angle’s status for the next set of Impact Wrestling television tapings — which are scheduled for July 22nd to July 29th — will be “touch and go.”
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(Credit: F4WOnline.com)
TNA Impact Wrestling TV Taping
Orlando, Florida at Universal Studios
Report by Miller and ProWrestling.net
Xplosion Taping
Josh Matthews came out alone for commentary.
1. Velvet Sky beat Madison Rayne. Velvet pinned Rayne after hitting her finisher…
TNA Impact Wrestling Taping
1. Brooke beat Marti Bell to retain the TNA Knockouts Title. The show opened with The Dollhouse making their entrance. A Gail Kim vignette distracted Bell, allowing Brooke to hit a facebuster for the win and retain her title…
Dixie Carter came out and announced Jeff Jarrett as the newest inductee into the TNA Hall of Fame…
Josh Matthews and The Pope made their way to the announce table…
EC3 made his way out with the TNA title, accompanied by Tyrus. Next out was Bobby Lashley to massive cheers surprisingly…
2. Bobby Lashley beat Tyrus. Lots of “Funkasaurus” chants early on. EC3 joined the guys on commentary. Lashley performed an impressive electric chair drop on Tyrus, and then finished him off with the spear…
Pope and Josh headed to the back…
Austin Aries made his entrance. He made it clear he was not in a good mood. Little kids gave him the “What?!” treatment, ugh. He talked down Bully Ray, which prompted him to then make his entrance. They went back and forth, with Aries claiming that he deserves to be number one contender to the TNA title. When that was shot down, he brought up the Dirty Heels deserving a TNA tag title match then. Bully Ray responded by offering an X Division title match. Aries disagreed with that offer. Rockstar Spud then made his entrance to a great response. They bickered about Option C. Aries says that Spud has nothing to show for himself in TNA, then challenged Spud to a match to prove himself. Bully made the match official, with the stipulation that if Aries loses then he leaves Impact Wrestling. Aries agreed, but if he wins he wants the right to the “Rockstar” name because Spud doesn’t deserve it. Aries then nailed Spud with a cheap shot and headed to the back.
Jeremy Borash announced that there will be a steel cage tonight, as well as the Hall of Fame ceremony…
2. Eli Drake beat Drew Galloway. Galloway took the fight to Drake in the entrance isle. Drake rolled Galloway up and held the tights for the win. Drew chased him to the back after.
Ethan Carter III made his entrance again. He cut a promo bashing Jeff Hardy and his broken leg. He then mentioned Matt Hardy taking his brother’s place but not being championship material. Jeff Hardy made his entrance to a huge pop. The crowd chanted “Welcome Back”. Jeff ran down EC3 with insults and prompted the crowd to boo him. He introduced his brother Matt, who was out next to a similar reaction. The crowd chanted “Matt for Champ!” Matt discussed his brother and himself discussing stipulations for the title match. Matt jumped to ringside and started pulling out a table, a ladder, and then a chair. The crowd went crazy for the T.L.C. idea but also chanted that they wanted more. Jeff took a seat in one of the chairs and announced it would be a Full Metal Mayhem match, and Bully Ray agreed to no outside interference. They had a staredown to end the segment…
Bram made his entrance holding Mr. Anderson’s detached microphone. Mr. Anderson was out next and ran down to the ring to fight. Anderson scored the win with a small package. Bram followed him up the ramp and laid him out with the microphone.
Click below to advance to the next page to continue reading the Impact Wrestling spoilers …
As reported last night, Kurt Angle announced during the Impact Wrestling television tapings that he will be taking some time off due to the fact that he has a tumor that will require surgery.
Originally, it was unclear if the Angle tumor was a legitimate issue or an angle, as TNA did use the tumor as part of Angle’s storyline with Ethan Carter III during the show, however we can now confirm that the tumor is legitimate.
The situation is that Angle has had a benign tumor in his neck for quite a while now, possibly dating back as far as a year. The tumor began giving Angle problems lately, particularly with issues of muscular atrophy, so he was forced to address the issue and get it taken care of.
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(Credit: F4WOnline.com)
Kurt Angle revealed during the TNA Impact Wrestling television taping on Friday evening in Orlando, Florida that he is going to be taking some time off from TNA as he has discovered that he has a tumor in his neck that will require surgery.
As of right now, it’s unclear whether or not this is part of an angle, as Ethan Carter III ultimately came out and took credit for the tumor and attacked Angle until Chris Melendez made the save.
Before Angle made the announcement about the tumor, he did say that he will eventually get his rematch with EC3, but indicated that it would be some time down the road.
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TNA Impact Wrestling Results
Taped at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida
Aired on June 25, 2015 on Destination America
Report by ProWrestling.net
[Q1] Josh Mathews checked in on commentary as EC3 and Tyrus were shown walking backstage. Jeremy Borash approached the duo and asked EC3 for info about the opponent he had chosen for Kurt Angle. EC3 said it’s someone with a legacy in the industry… A video recap was shown… Mathews was joined on commentary by “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero…
Kurt Angle headed to the ring carrying the TNA Championship. Angle said EC3’s campaign for the title is coming to an end. He said he will finally be able to shut him up in one week. Angle asked for EC3 to bring out his mystery opponent.
EC3 and Tyrus walked onto the stage. EC3 said he is going to beat Angle next week. He spoke about how he is unbeaten and has beaten Bully Ray and everyone else he has faced. Angle said EC3 is obsessed with the TNA Title and himself. He asked how many hours a day he spends in front of a mirror.
Angle said a good ego is healthy, but EC3 has gone way too far and it’s going to bite him on the ass. Angle said Dixie Carter and Tyrus can’t help him anymore. Angle said he’s going to end EC3’s unbeaten streak by making him tap out. EC3 said he’ll never tap. EC3 introduced Matt Hardy as Angle’s opponent for later in the show…
Mathews said he didn’t believe Angle and Hardy had met in a singles match before. Mathews and Pope previewed the rest of the show… Low Ki made his entrance for the X Division Title match…
[Q2] 1. Low Ki vs. Grado vs. Tigre Uno in an elimination match for the vacant X Division Championship. Mathews pimped Dixie’s Twitter page. Low Ki was cleared from the ring early. Uno tried and failed to slam Grado, who then bodyslammed him. A short time later, Low Ki performed a double stomp of the top on Grado and pinned him to eliminate him from the match in 2:20.
Uno went on an offensive flurry and performed a corkscrew moonsault and pinned Low Ki in 5:05. Confetti fell into the ring. After the match, Christy Hemme entered the ring and asked Tigre how it felt to win the title. He said it’s the greatest night of his life…
Tigre Uno defeated Low Ki and Grado in an elimination match to win the X Division Title.
Backstage, Bram took control of an interview that Jeremy Borash was trying to conduct. He called out any former TNA star for a match. After Bram left the picture, a man put his gloved hand (or a woman with one massive gloved hand) on Borash’s shoulder. “It’s time,” Borash said… [C]
The Dollhouse hung out on their porn set. Taryn Terrell complained about Marti and Jade losing last week. They blamed each other.
[Q3] Taryn said the three of them would face Awesome Kong and Brooke on Sunday… Mathews pushed Slammiversary. He hyped Magnus vs. James Storm, Jessie Godderz vs. Robbie E, and then announced Lashley and Mr. Anderson vs. Tyrus and EC3 for the pay-per-view…
2. Angelina Love vs. Velvet Sky. Love cut a promo before the match and noted that it was Velvet’s one chance to earn her roster spot back. Velvet wore a Motley Crue shirt. In the end, Velvet kicked Sky and gave her the Stunner before pinning her. With the win, Velvet is back on the active roster…
Velvet Sky defeated Angelina Love in 5:15.
Backstage, Austin Aries and Bobby Roode wore “Dirty Heels” t-shirts. Aries said he thought back to his training and doesn’t recall anything about tables, ladders, and chairs. Aries said they found the formula to beating The Wolves in a standard match, but this match may play right into their hands. Roode noted that there are no rules and they can be as dirty as they want… [C]
[Q4] A vignette aired with talk of how someone must bring balance and it concluded with the line “playtime is over”…
Backstage, MVP was on the phone when the backstage interviewer brought up rumors running rampant. MVP asked if he’s one of those “pathetic leeches that call themselves journalists with inside scoops.” He said anyone who stood in front of Beat Down Clan has laid down in front of them. He said when you’re in a war you lose a few battles but you attack again. He said they are stronger than ever…
3. The Wolves vs. Austin Aries and Bobby Roode in a Full Metal Mayhem match. The Wolves had the early advantage until they went for suicide dives and ended up running into a ladder that Aries and Roode held up. [C]
[Q5] The Wolves came back with some crowd pleasing offense. Aries ended up catching Davey Richards in the Last Chancery, but Eddie Edwards broke it up with a trash can shot to Aries. Roode set up a table in the middle of the ring at 12:55. He picked up Edwards and then Aries performed a missile dropkick on Edwards and Roode powerbombed him in the same motion. Richards broke up the pin.
Aries dropkicked a ladder into Edwards. Richards caught Rood with a kick and had him pinned, but Aries broke it up. The Wolves put a trash can over the head of Aries and then slammed a chair over it. They went to opposite corners and both men dropkicked the trash can that was still over Aries’ head.
Edwards picked up Aries and Richards went to the ropes with a chair. Roode entered the the ring with a chair and took out Richards, then performed a low-blow on Edwards and pinned him…
Austin Aries and Bobby Roode beat The Wolves in 15:55 to even the best of five series at two wins each.
Backstage, Borash interviewed Matt Hardy, who said he was as surprised as anyone that EC3 picked him. Hardy noted that his son was born yesterday. He started to call EC3 a piece of shit, but EC3 interrupted him and said Hardy owes him one. Hardy asked EC3 what his legacy will be if Angle makes him tap out…
Mathews and Dinero spoke at ringside about the Angle vs. Hardy match. They shifted their focus to Bram calling out former members of the TNA roster. Pope started saying “what?” repeatedly while looking off-camera.
Jeff Jarrett and Karen Jarrett walked into the studio. Jarrett wore a Global Force Wrestling t-shirt. The Jarretts shook hands with the broadcast team. The fans chanted “welcome back.” Jarrett thanked them and asked if hell has frozen over.
Jarrett asked what the co-founders of GFW were doing in a TNA ring. He said he would address some points and not others. He said he got a text from TNA management last week saying they had a proposal. Jarrett said he didn’t initially reply, but then he got to wondering what they want.
Jarrett took the conference call. He said they told him they want him to come back and take the match. He said he nearly hung up the phone when they said that. “I don’t even wrestle in my own promotion, so why would I wrestle here,” he said. Then he said they told him it was the King of the Mountain match, which he created.
Jarrett said they told him it wasn’t just any episode of Impact, it’s the 13th Anniversary of the company that he and his father co-founded. Jarrett said he started thinking of all the great moments he had in the Impact Zone. He recalled Jim Cornette announcing that Kurt Angle was jumping to TNA. He recalled Samoa Joe and Angle going at it, and he brought up A.J. Styles.
Jarrett brought up Beer Money and said they became probably the best team the company ever produced. He said Eric Young has more TV shows than Ryan Seacrest. Jarrett said he had to really think about how the proposal affect the GFW roster and the staff that had dug deep over the last 14 months.
Jarrett teared up as he asked how Karen was going to react to it. Karen took the mic and said she loves Jeff. She said that when he hung up the phone with TNA, she thought what now. She said they had moved on and GFW is there future. Karen said her emotions took over and she told him not to call them back because they had moved on. She said Jeff laid it out for her and she started to understand.
[Q6] Karen said TNA is Jeff’s baby and he started it with his father. She said she still doesn’t completely understand why they are there, but she loves her husband and supports him in whatever he does in life.
Karen said that she cried her eyes out earlier in the day while they were talking with Sonjay Dutt because they had left it in the rearview mirror. Sonjay told her that Jeff didn’t get to go out the way he wanted to go out. Karen said Jeff didn’t get to leave the way he wanted and he was fired on a backstage pre-tape. Karen said Jeff is going to leave TNA on his terms and he’s going to make things right the way that he knows how to do it.
Jeff took the mic back and said fans can bank on this. The King of the Mountain is declaring himself in the match one last time. He said he will be walking the TNA aisle one last time and reign King of the Mountain. Jarrett mentioned Toby Keith and said he looked him in the eyes two days ago and told him that Jeff may not be as good as he was once was, but once he’s as good as he ever was. Jarrett’s music played and he and Karen left the ring…
4. Bram vs. Vader. Yes, Big Van Vader, who is the man who had his gloved hand on Borash earlier. Vader wore a t-shirt and jogging pants along with his usual mask. The mask came off at one point. Late in the match, Vader performed a Vader Bomb for a two count.
Bram rolled to ringside and grabbed a wrench, which he jabbed into the gut of Vader and then slammed over his head for the DQ. Matt Morgan hit the ring and no-sold shots that Bram took at him. Morgan performed a fallaway slam on Bram and then clotheslined him to the floor…
Vader beat Bram by DQ in 4:15.
[Q7] [C] 5. Eric Young vs. Chris Melendez. Late in the match, Melnedez threw a series of forearms at Young, who came back with a piledriver for the win…
Eric Young defeated Chris Melendez in 3:45.
The broadcast team hyped Kurt Angle vs. Matt Hardy for after the break… [C]
After the break, the members of The Rising stood up for pathetic leeches everywhere by brawling with the members of the Beat Down Clan. Hernandez showed up. “Who is he with?” Mathews asked. Hernandez showed his hatred for leeches and attacked the members of The Rising. Hernandez performed the Border Toss on Drew Galloway…
[Q8] Mathews hyped the Angle vs. EC3 match for Slammiversary… Ring entrances for the main event took place. Mathews congratulated Hardy and his wife Reby Sky on the birth of their son yesterday… [C]
6. Kurt Angle vs. Matt Hardy in a non-title match. Angle performed three German suplexes a few minutes into the match. He went for his finisher, but Hardy slipped away and performed the Side Effect for a two count. Hardy went for the Twist of Fate, but Angle fought him off and performed the Angle Slam for a two count at 4:00.
Angle applied the ankle lock, but Hardy rolled through and went back on the offensive. Hardy went for a moonsault off the top rope, but Angle moved. Hey, that’s Angle’s go to missed move! Anyway, Angle performed two more German suplexes. Hardy came back with the Side Effect for another two count.
Hardy performed two more Side Effects and got another two count. Hardy performed the Twist of Fate for a good near fall at 6:40. Angle came right back with the ankle lock. Hardy tapped out quickly.
Kurt Angle defeated Matt Hardy in a non-title match in 7:05.
After the match, EC3 and Tyrus hit the ring and went after Angle. Hardy fought off EC3, but Tyrus took out Hardy. Angle performed the Angle Slam on Tyrus, then locked EC3 in the ankle lock. EC3 tapped repeatedly until Angle released the hold and then EC3 rolled out of the ring to end the show…
BRAND NEW PHOTO GALLERY: Ronda Rousey In Skimpy Bikinis & Tight Outfits
TNA Impact Wrestling Results
Taped at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida
Aired on June 17, 2015 on Destination America
Report by ProWrestling.net
[Q1] Impact opened with a brief tribute to Dusty Rhodes… A video package focussed on Kurt Angle and EC3… Josh Mathews and “The Pope” D’Angelo Dinero checked in on commentary from the studio… Mike Tenay hosted the contract signing for the Kurt Angle vs. EC3 match for the TNA Title. EC3 and Tyrus came out first, then Angle made his entrance. EC3 ran through the nicknames of the WWE and TNA stars that Angle has defeated and said the thing they all have in common is that they have been beaten, whereas he has not.
“Kurt Angle, you can’t beat me,” EC3 said. He labeled the TNA Title a big red torch that will be passed to him. EC3 signed the contract. Angle asked Tenay how many of the contract signings he’s been involved with. He said it’s important because it shows he has been there before. He said EC3 is a spoiled brat who thinks he should be champion because he’s undefeated. “You have no idea, kid,” Angle said. EC3 pointed out that he’s defeated Angle before. Angle said it’s different because he’s healthy now and is the greatest wrestler alive.
Angle said EC3 will have to look at himself in the mirror once he loses and it will haunt him for the rest of his life. Angle signed the contract. Tenay said that make the match official. He said they have mutually agreed to have “tuneup matches where you will pick each other’s opponent.” Angle said EC3’s opponent will be Lashley. Mathews questioned how it was fair even though they agreed to it. Lashley walked onto the stage…
In the studio, Mathews said he supposes it’s fair since EC3 will get to pick Angle’s opponent next week. Mathews and Pope hyped The Dollhouse appearing after the break… [C]
The broadcast team hyped the Ultimate X three-way match to crown the new X Division Champion for next week…
[Q2] A video package recapped the best of five series featuring The Wolves vs. Bobby Roode and Austin Aries… The Wolves headed to the ring. Mathews said he thought it was telling that the Dirty Heels (Roode and Aries) had to go to the lengths they did last week to avoid being swept. He questioned whether they were just avoiding the inevitable. He noted that The Wolves are a win away from becoming TNA Tag Team Champions for the fourth time.
Davey Richards recalled how Roode and Aries won last week. He said he and Eddie Edwards were fooled once and it won’t happen a second time. Edwards took the mic and challenged Roode and Aries to have the fourth match of the series now. Roode came out and mocked The Wolves for thinking they are calling the shots. He said Aries wasn’t medically cleared to wrestle following his TNA Title match with Angle last week. He said Aries was home resting for the fourth match.
Edwards didn’t buy the sob story. He said that Roode could face one of them in a singles match. Roode worked up the crowd with “right here right now” teases before saying no. He asked how badly they wanted him in the ring. He said they could up the ante by having the winner of the singles match pick the stipulation for match four. Richards said he just wanted to kick the crap out of Roode and said that was fine. Edwards took the mic and said he wanted the match and said he would kick Roode’s ass. “You’re on,” Roode responded. Mathews said the match was coming up after the break… [C]
1. Eddie Edwards (w/Davey Richards) vs. Bobby Roode. The TNA Tag Titles were at ringside. Edwards went on an offensive run and got a near fall.
[Q3] Roode came back with a spinebuster for a two count. Roode spat in the face of Richards, which led to Davey standing on the ring apron and being held back by the referee. Roode motioned to the back. Aries ran out and slid a chair inside the ring. Rodoe swung and Edwards ducked. Roode wound up again, but Richards took the chair from him. Edwards rolled up Roode and pinned him…
Eddie Edwards pinned Bobby Roode in 8:15 to earn the right to pick the stipulation for the fourth match of the best of five series for the vacant TNA Tag Titles.
After the match, Richards took the mic and announced that the fourth match in the best of five series will be a Full Metal Mayhem match…
A Lashley video package… Mathews hyped EC3 vs. Lashley for later in the show…
Backstage, Jeremy Borash said he was scheduled to interview Bram’s opponent, but there was no one around. Joseph Mark entered the picture and said he’d gone through hard times. He said he stumbled onto his new nickname. Park said he lost his law firm and his teeth. He said he’s in between jobs. He said a match with Bram is his chance to be a guy on top. Borash corrected him and said a top guy… A shot of Bram watching backstage. He charged the camera… [C]
A Drew Galloway vignette aired. He spoke about living in a world of negativity and said that it affects pro wrestling, which is his passion. He encouraged the fans to show their Impact..
[Q4] 2. Bram vs. Joseph Park. Park cut a brief promo before the match that Bram interrupted by attacking him to start the match. Bram grabbed a chair and tried to use it, but Park cut him off. Park tried to use it, but Bram cut him off. Bram pulled a kendo stick and a table out from underneath the ring. In the end, Bram speared Park through the table once it was set up in the corner and then pinned him…
Bram defeated Joseph Park in 3:45.
Taryn Terrell cut a promo from the porn set, er, bedroom set. She said that if Brooke and Awesome Kong beat The Dolls then they both get title shots, but if they lose they never get title shots again… Mathews hyped the Knockouts tag match for after the break… A vignette with a female narrator said the world is burning, seconds are ticking by, injustice must be extinguished, and playtime is over for the wicked… [C]
Footage aired from of the Kurt Angle and EC3 contract signing from earlier in the show… Mathews and Pope spoke about Angle and EC3 picking opponents for one another… The Knockouts video aired… Ring entrances for the Knockouts tag match took place. The Dollhouse attacked Brooke before Kong made her entrance. Kong came out and helped Brooke and then referee Earl Hebner started the match…
[Q5] 3. Awesome Kong and Brooke vs. Marti and Jade (w/Taryn Terrell). Mathews noted that Taryn would tie Gail Kim for the longest running Knockouts Title reign at 211 days at midnight. Marti and Jade worked over Brooke and isolated her in their corner. Brooke dodged a moonsault by Jade and then both women tagged out.
Kong threw clotheslines at Marti and bodyslammed her. Kong set up for her finisher, but Jade ran in and broke it up. Kong suplexed both opponents. Brooke speared Jade. Kong ran into a boot from Marti, who then jumped into a chokeslam from Kong. Kong tagged Brooke and had her stand on her shoulders. Brooke dove off and performed an elbow drop on Marti and got the pin…
Awesome Kong and Brooke defeated Marti and Jade in 6:30.
A video package on the Eric Young and Chris Melendez feud aired… Mathews hyped that Melendez is declaring war on Young and would be inside the ring after the break… [C] Mathews recapped the Edwards vs. Roode match and hyped the Full Metal Mayhem match…
Ring announcer Christy Hemme introduced Chris Melendez, who came to the ring for a promo. Melendez called out Eric Young, who made his entrance.
[Q6] Young said he’s trying to do Melendez a favor. He said Melendez is a hero who paid the price for his country. Young said he doesn’t care. He recalled removing Melendez’s prosthetic leg and said he did that on the fly, so imagine what he would do if had time to think about it. Young said he’s at the top of the industry and Melandez is a nobody. He asked if he really wanted this. Melandez said he would see him in the ring next week… [C]
4. Jessie Godderz vs. DJ Z. Z attacked Godderz to start the match. Godderz cut him off and then used a nice power move by lifting him up by one arm and throwing him into the corner. Godderz applied a Boston crab for the win.
After the match, Godderz dubbed himself the man and said the only time he’s ever felt like the fans and “this loser” is when he was part of BroMans. He said he’s the reason BroMans won the tag titles twice. He pressed Z, but Robbie E ran out and attacked Godderz and eventually ran him off…
Jessie Godderz defeated DJ Z in 1:45.
[Q7] A video recapped James Storm shoving Mickie James in front of a train. Mathews said Magnus demanded mic time and would be up next… [C]
A Slammiversary commercial aired for the June 28 event…
Magnus came to the ring without entrance music. He said he was going to start cracking heads until James Storm came out to face him. He said he wasn’t leaving the ring, building, or state until Storm showed his face. Three security guards headed to the ring. Magnus said he would break them all in half if they put their hands on him.
Magnus called out to TNA executives. He said he would not forget what Storm did. James Storm’s music played and he walked onto the stage. He said Magnus tried to tell Mickie and the people that he was the bad guy when it was actually Magnus who was jealous and looked like the bad guy.
Storm said it was Magnus who hired a television camera to follow his fiancee around. “What do you think she was doing when those cameras were not there?” Storm asked. Magnus tried to escape security. Storm rolled a stroller onto the stage and said Magnus should be careful about who he lets watch his son.
Storm said he would never lay a hand on a child, but it was an insurance policy to make sure Magnus didn’t do anything crazy. Storm said he gave Mickie a chance, but he now sees why she and Magnus are together since they are both sorry excuses. Magnus fought through security and attacked Storm on the ramp. Storm kicked the stroller off the stage. Magnus rushed over and found a doll rather than his child…
In the studio, Mathews and Pope hyped next week’s show… Ring entrances for the main event took place… [C]
[Q8] 5. Lashley vs. EC3 (w/Tyrus). Late in the match, Lashley scored a near fall and followed up with a spinebuster. He played to the crowd and a handful of women cheered. Ouch. Tough crowd. Lashley went for a spear, but he ran into a chair that was placed between the ropes in the corner. EC3 covered him for a two count.
EC3 went for his finisher, but Lashley shoved him off and it led to a ref bump. Lashley speared EC3 and went for a cover, but the referee was at ringside. Tyrus hit the ring and dropped an elbow on Tyrus. A second referee ran out and counted (apparently not caring that Tyrus interfered), but Lashley kicked out.
The second referee was knocked out. Tyrus performed another power move on Lashley and called for another ref. Sure enough, a third referee ran out and counted, but Lashley kicked out. Tyrus attacked the third referee. Lashley speared Tyrus. EC3 ran in and hit Lashley with a chair and then put him down with the One Percenter finisher. EC3 covered Tyrus and the first referee woke up and counted the pin…
EC3 defeated Lashley in 9:20.
A video for next week’s show questioned who EC3 would select as Angle’s opponent and hyped the fourth match of the best of five series between The Wolves and The Dirty Heels…
It would have been nice to hear from Rockstar Spud this week given that he cashed in his X Division Title for a failed shot at the TNA Title. Sure, they could play it up like he’s been away because he’s distraught or something, but it would have been better to hear from him last week or this week when the match is fresher in the minds of viewers. Meanwhile, TNA seems to have thrown in the towel on Slammiversary. I believe there was one spot that aired tonight and that’s it. I know they were saddled with an awkward taping schedule due to Impact changing nights, but I can’t remember a pay-per-view that felt so meaningless with only the go-home show remaining.
– The reason TNA decided to do the Kurt Angle vs. Ethan Carter III title match at the upcoming Impact Wrestling television taping on July 1st instead of the Slammiversary pay-per-view was because there was no way for the company to tape episodes of Impact Wrestling that would air after the pay-per-view without spoiling the plans. TNA is currently working on a new main event for Slammiversary that won’t involve the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
– TNA President Dixie Carter tweeted the following photo of the new X-Division Championship, which will officially be unveiled soon.
First look at our NEW #XDivision Title for one of the best divisions in pro-wrestling. @IMPACTWRESTLING pic.twitter.com/sPntHL0pjG
— Dixie Carter (@TNADixie) June 15, 2015
Despite previous reports to the contrary, the rumored TNA Heavyweight Championship match between Kurt Angle and Ethan Carter III will not be happening at the upcoming TNA Slammiversary pay-per-view on June 28th.
Instead, the Angle-EC3 match is booked for the July 1st edition of Impact Wrestling and the contract signing for the bout will take place on this coming Wednesday’s episode. The match is currently scheduled to be taped at the Impact Wrestling tapings later this month, which is actually before the Slammiversary pay-per-view.
Speaking of TNA Slammiversary, while there is only one official match at this point — Magnus vs. James Storm — other matches rumored for the show include The Wolves vs. The Dirty Heels for the TNA Tag-Team Titles, Low Ki vs. Grado vs. Tigre Uno for the vacant TNA X-Division Title and Brooke vs. Awesome Kong vs. Taryn Terrell for the TNA Knockouts Title.
TNA President Dixie Carter confirmed an official match for the TNA Slammiversary pay-per-view event from Orlando, Florida.
On Thursday, Carter tweeted the news to her followers, announcing Magnus vs. James Storm for the show, which is scheduled for Saturday, June 28th.
Also confirmed for the show is a World Heavyweight Championship match between Kurt Angle and Ethan Carter III.
Below is Carter’s tweet about the Magnus-Storm match.
Hear it here first! #Slammiversary2015 Match Announcement: @MagnusOfficial vs. @JamesStormBrand! Lots of tension. Going to a be good one…
— Dixie Carter (@TNADixie) June 12, 2015
The Huffington Post’s Royal Ramblings blog has released part two of their interview with TNA World Heavyweight Champion Kurt Angle. Below are some of the highlights.
On how he is holding up physically: “I’m fine. I’ve adapted. It’s a tough schedule. Even though I have been reduced to a certain amount of dates a year, it’s hard. When you’re a world heavyweight champion, you’re in demand to wrestle almost every single week on TV. And the way that we structure our TVs right now, there’s a possibility of Kurt Angle wrestling eight main event matches in four days. That’s hard on the body. Especially at my age and at this point in my career. I believe at the last sets of TVs, I did seven matches in four days and I was hurting for a few days. I think anybody would. However I do have the ability to have five or six weeks off when I don’t have to wrestle. So there’s a give and take but I rather enjoy it. The challenges of wrestling guys like Eric Young to Bobby Roode to Austin Aries, Spud, Bobby Lashley… it’s been very challenging but I’ve had a lot of fun.”
On if we’ll see him in the WWE Hall Of Fame: “I don’t know. You never know what they’re thinking. It would be nice. Would it kill me if I wasn’t? No. I know who I am and I know what I was and I know the impact I made on wrestling. I don’t need a WWE Hall of Fame to tell me what that is. It’s not that important to me. What’s important to me is I’m in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for Olympic wrestling and that’s my legacy. But it’s always nice to be recognised as a Hall of Famer. TNA Hall of Fame was great. WWE Hall of Fame would be great but if they decide not to, its not going to kill me. That’s their option. I did leave them in 2006 and went to TNA and I don’t know if that has any bearing but I’ve been happy with my career. I can tell you nobody made as much noise as I did, the six years I spent in WWE. Nobody did that in that short a period of time like I did. That legacy will be set in stone forever. I will tell you I had a better career in TNA than in WWE and that’s scary. Im very grateful for that and at the same time it kind of sucks because the hardcore WWE fans that only watch that, won’t see my best matches. They think they saw my best matches in WWE but they haven’t seen TNA. I’m hoping more of them will turn on to it.”
On Jack Swagger using his Ankle Lock as a finisher and if it upset him: “You know what, no. Because I didn’t come up with the Ankle Lock. Ken Shamrock did. When he retired, I took it. And when I left WWE, Jack Swagger decided to take the Ankle Lock. And I’m sure it wasn’t his idea. Someone went over and said “Hey, Kurt Angle wants to leave, we’re going to replace him with this guy”. And I think Jack Swagger’s done a great job. I think he’s a great talent. Is he a Kurt Angle? No, no I don’t think he is but I think he’s very good. I have a lot of respect for him, I think he’s done a great job. I don’t have any problem with him doing the Ankle Lock; I might have tweeted it five or six years ago, like “Hey! He stole my move” but it was meant in more of a jokey sense. He’s a great talent and I like watching him wrestle. He’s a big boy too!”
Check out the complete interview at HuffingtonPost.co.uk.
TNA World Champion Kurt Angle recently spoke with The Mirror in the U.K. to promote the upcoming TNA Slammiversary pay-per-view. Below are some highlights from the interview.
On if he thought he would struggle to return to the ring due to various injuries: “With my training I knew I would come back, I just didn’t know how quickly. A lot of times with ACL surgery it can take at least a year, but I was back within nine months. I was doing okay, I just had to take it easy when I first got back in there. I bounce back from injury, I’ve had my share of them. It’s been tough, but having injury isn’t always a bad thing because it makes you work harder, you keep that work ethic. I think the guys that have been injured understand how much work ethic you need to make it back 100% and it only makes you a better athlete.”
On his match with Ethan Carter III at the upcoming Slammiversary show: “Yeah, that’s one of the matches I was really looking forward to coming back and doing. I didn’t know what creative had in store for EC3, but I knew that he was going to win the world heavyweight title this year. The writing was on the wall, he was the guy that you wanted to put that title on, so it was a matter of time. I just didn’t know how they were going to get there. So I feel very blessed to at least be a part of that, because whether or not I beat or lose to EC3 in this match, I believe in this programme somewhere along the line he’s going to win the title. So what better way to win the title than beat Kurt Angle? I think that’s a great move on the company’s part and it’s also great for me because I get the chance to wrestle EC3, and it’s also great for me because I will probably be the one most likely to end his undefeated streak, so there are many things in that storyline that can be a lot of fun for both of us.”
On TNA hiring Billy Corgan: “You know what I got very limited access to Billy but when I did he really took, he adapted quickly, almost like he has been around this for a long time. We did some segments that he produced, promo segments and such, he took control of The Doll House, which you will see a lot of things change in the future with The Doll House, that are really cool. He’s added a lot of depth to the company, I like him, I think he’s going to be very good for TNA. I think it was a great move by TNA, a smart move, to sign him and I think he’s well in tune with what the audience want to see. He brings a different flavour to the table, no doubt about that. We’ve been so drawn into just hiring former wrestlers and former office from WWE and former WCW talent, and not going outside the box. Well we went outside the box with Billy and I think it’s working out. He did an incredible job, he produced a promo segment of EC3 and myself, which we’ll see in the next few weeks, which was hilarious. You’re really going to be entertained, he really stepped up. So those are the kind of things we can get from Billy.”
On saying he was going to sign with WWE to finish his career last year: “You know what, when it came down to it, I talked to both companies and it was an easy decision. From every perspective, from amount of dates, to the amount of money, to the amount of interest, it wasn’t a hard decision – TNA trumped the WWE. And for whatever reason, maybe the WWE didn’t think I could still go, maybe they just wanted to start grooming younger talent, although they’ve obviously hired Sting, brought in Batista and brought guys back like Jericho… I don’t know the full story, it could be anything, but when it came down to it I had my options open. I never said I was going to leave TNA and I never said I wouldn’t go back to WWE, but when I looked at the best scenario for me, hands down it was TNA. It wasn’t something I had to sit down and think about for hours, the writing was on the wall. It was TNA for one more year.”
On the rumors that he approached Vince McMahon instead of Triple H due to rumored differences he had with HHH: “I don’t think so, I don’t think that Triple H and I have any problems with each other, I’ve always liked him. He’s always treated me with respect and I’ve always treated him the same. No, I don’t think it was that. There was a point when my manager talked to them and I believe they did say ‘he would have to wrestle full-time’. That is not an option for me, not at this point in my career. So, whether that was part of it, honestly I just don’t think they had that much interest in signing Kurt Angle at that point. For whatever reason, it could have been my mishaps in my past, it could have been that they didn’t think I was healthy enough to go – and obviously I am – but we never got a full answer of why they couldn’t give me what I wanted. And it wasn’t just what I wanted, it was a reduced schedule, but there was no option.
“Dixie Carter gave me exactly what I wanted and it wasn’t a hard decision. I wasn’t upset, I was excited about signing another year with TNA. I think they did an incredible job this year. They had to refocus, they had to re-group, they had some issues in the past, and I think they’ve done an incredible job of making their way back. Are they back to what they were? No. But they’re on their way and they’re doing so many good things right now that make me excited about being part of the company.”
Check out the complete interview at Mirror.co.uk.
TNA Champion Kurt Angle is scheduled to be honored during a presentation at the Pro Wrestling Hall Of Fame ceremony, with Jim Ross, Gerald Brisco, J.J. Dillon and others scheduled to appear.
Below is a press release issued today with more details on the event.
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum will recognize Kurt Angle during a special presentation at the Dan Gable Museum. The reception is exclusive to all-access pass holders and banquet ticket holders.
Angle was inducted into the Tragos/Thesz Hall of Fame in 2013 but was unable to attend.
The special reception will be held in the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame at 4 p.m. on Fri., July 10. Angle will be presented two rings: one for winning the World Championships in 1995 and one for winning the Olympic Games in 1996. He will also sign the Mat of Honor.
Due to his schedule, Angle will not be present on Saturday, July 11. This ceremony replaces his appearance at the Hall of Fame banquet.
“Kurt Angle is arguably the greatest athlete to step foot in a wrestling ring,” said Kyle Klingman, director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. “His athletic background is second to none. We are honored that he will participate in our hall of fame week. This is truly special for everyone involved.”
Angle won NCAA championships at heavyweight for Clarion in 1990 and 1992. He went on to win a freestyle World championship in 1995 and an Olympic gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, both at 220 pounds. Angle continues to have a highly successful professional wrestling career, winning every major title at every level. He has won World titles with both WWE and TNA.
This year’s induction ceremony marks the 20-year anniversary of Angle’s 1995 World championship.
“I’m excited that Kurt will be in my hometown of Waterloo,” said museum namesake Dan Gable, also a World and Olympic champion. “Kurt was part of a very successful era of international wrestling for the United States. We need to have that kind of success again.”
All-access passes to the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Hall of Fame induction weekend are available for $100. Banquet tickets are available for $50. They can be ordered by contacting the Dan Gable Museum at dgmstaff@nwhof.org or by calling (319) 233-0745.
2015 Hall of Fame induction class
Lou Thesz Award—Brian Blair
Jim Melby Award—Wade Keller
Frank Gotch Award—Beth Phoenix
George Tragos Award—Matt Lindland
Distinguished Member (living)—Greg Wojciechowski
Distinguished Member (living)—TBA
Distinguished Member (posthumous)—Jim Londos
Special honoree—Kurt Angle
Scheduled to appear during weekend
Jim Ross
Gerald Brisco
Wes Brisco
J.J. Dillon
Baron Von Raschke
Dan Hodge
Jim Brunzell
Larry Hennig
Colt Cabana
Bob Holly
Bully Ray recently appeared on Busted Open Radio to talk about his surprise return at last week’s Impact Wrestling and whether or not that was a “one-and-done” deal.
Below are some highlights from the interview.
On if last week’s appearance on Impact Wrestling was a one time deal: “That was a one shot deal. They called and they said “we need a referee for the World Heavyweight Championship match. Do you want to do it?” I said “yeah I will come and do it, no problem.” That’s it. I’m at the point in my life and in my career and Devon too, where we are really enjoying doing what we want to do, when we want to do it. This is like the first time in my entire career where I haven’t been on someone else’s schedule. So I really dig doing a lot of the smaller shows around the United States, or going back to do something like The Royal Rumble, or going back to be a referee for TNA. It is actually a lot of fun.”
On which TNA star might challenge Kurt Angle next: “Guys there is so many great wrestlers and entertainers in TNA.As far as new guys are concerned, let’s take guys like Bobby Roode out of the equation, take Bobby Lashley out of the equation, let’s take Eric Young out of the equation, because those guys are extremely deserving, but those guys we have seen them already challenge Angle. Let’s talk about brand new guys. I’m a big fan of Bram. That kid has got it. I like Galloway. EC3 is definitely going to be a big deal. But my absolute favorite wrestler in TNA is Rockstar Spud. He has it. He is so entertaining and I can’t say enough good things about him. Is he going to be the face of TNA? Is he going to be the next World Champion? I don’t know, but the kid has so much potential.”
Check out the complete interview at BustedOpenNation.com.
As reported earlier today, TNA will be taping several weeks worth of Impact Wrestling episodes across the next four days, starting with tonight’s show, which airs semi-live on a two-hour delay from Orlando, Florida.
In the main event of tonight’s show, the TNA World Heavyweight Championship will be on the line with Kurt Angle defending the title against Eric Young with a former TNA Champion returning to serve as special guest referee of the match.
Unless the former champion is a swerve of some kind, the following are the most likely candidates, according to a report from F4WOnline.com:
– Sting (highly unlikely due to his WWE deal)
– Samoa Joe (possible, but unlikely due to his rumored negotiations with WWE)
– Mick Foley (also seems unlikely now that he just recently taped a highly-promoted special for the WWE Network)
– A.J. Styles (would seem unlikely due to his various commitments, including Ring Of Honor starting next Tuesday)
– Chris Sabin (a possibility)
– Rob Van Dam (a possibility)
– Bully Ray (a very strong possibility)
– Also confirmed for tonight’s Impact Wrestling is a Ken Anderson vs. Ethan Carter III match where the fans get to choose the stipulation (likely an arm-wrestling match or a falls count anywhere match), and Divas action with Gail Kim & Awesome Kong vs. Taryn Terrell & Jade & Marti Bell.
Make sure to join us here at SEScoops.com for complete results of tonight’s Impact Wrestling, as well as spoiler results of any matches/segments taped for future Impact Wrestling episodes!
– Samoa Joe is Jim Ross’ guest on this week’s Ross Report podcast. During the interview, JR talks to Joe about him possibly coming to WWE, his thoughts on CM Punk and more. You can download the show right now at PodcastOne.com.
– Smashing Pumpkins front man and the newest member of the TNA creative team, Billy Corgan, is the guest on the latest edition of Chris Jericho’s “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, which is also available for download right now. You can check out the show at PodcastOne.com.
– Finally, Ric Flair’s brand new podcast is out, with his first special guest, Olympic gold medalist and longtime WWE and TNA veteran — Kurt Angle. That show is available right now at Play.it.
For more on Flair’s new podcast, check out the following press release:
WRESTLER RIC FLAIR JOINS “PLAY.IT®”
“WOOOOO!™ Nation” Launches Today with special guest, world champion Kurt Angle
CBS RADIO and CBS Local Digital Media today announced the addition of “WOOOOO!™ Nation” to its Play.it® podcast network. The podcast features two-time Hall Of Famer, 16-time World Heavyweight Professional Wrestling Champion, Ric Flair, also known as The Nature Boy®. In the debut podcast, Flair interviews his long-time friend, 13-time World Heavyweight Professional Wrestling Champion Kurt Angle, who talks about his time in the industry with Flair and his history with the Pennsylvanian Foxcatcher Club. The podcast will be released every Wednesday. Fans can listen to “WOOOOO!™ Nation” on Play.it or through iTunes.
Widely recognized as the greatest professional wrestler of all time, Flair discusses pro-wrestling and sports, tells stories like only he can, and interviews a range of personalities – no topic is off limits for him during his weekly podcast.
“We are excited to welcome Ric to the Play.it podcast network,” said Ezra Kucharz, President of CBS Local Digital Media. “His addition to our lineup reinforces our commitment to providing podcasting fans the best content available.”
Together with Booker T’s “Heated Conversations” and Taz’s award-winning “Human Podcast Machine,” Play.it provides a great representation of professional wrestling for fans to enjoy across a variety of platforms.
Launched in January, Play.it offers more than 400 premium content podcasts by bringing together digital-exclusive programming from major brands and publishers as well as content from CBS RADIO shows on demand. Play.it also offers podcasts from CBS RADIO’s Boomer Esiason & Craig Carton, Carson Daly, and Kevin & Bean, in addition to well-known personalities like Tom Joyner, Jeffrey Hayzlett, Paulie Malignaggi and Marilu Henner, as well as content from leading news, lifestyle, sports and media brands including 48 HOURS, 60 MINUTES, CBS Sports Radio, Deadspin, Simon & Schuster and Foursquare.
Play.it is advertising supported and uses the latest in dynamic ad insertion technology as well as native and sponsorship advertising. Brands can buy campaigns across platforms in a simple one-stop-shop manner including over-the-air, live streaming and podcasts. Additionally, brands can deliver targeted messaging to specific fans of a particular show or across the entire network of hundreds of programs.
For more information, visit Play.it.
The following matches and segments are confirmed for Friday’s “TKO” edition of Impact Wrestling on Destination America:
– Kurt Angle vs. Eric Young [TNA World Title]
– An appearance by Mickie James
– The debut of Marti Bell and Jade (Mia Yim) as The Dollhouse
– Angelina Love vs. Brooke Tessmacher vs. Madison Rayne vs. Gail Kim [#1 contender]
– Awesome Kong vs. Taryn Terrell [TNA Knockouts Title]
Below is a video preview for the special themed edition of the show.
– Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy — The Hardy Boys — won a four-way Ultimate-X match to become the new TNA World Tag-Team Champions in the main event of Friday’s edition of Impact Wrestling.
– TNA’s Christy Hemme announced that next week’s edition of Impact Wrestling will be called “TKO — A Night of Knockouts.”
The following matches and segments are confirmed for the show:
After the recent reports of TNA talent not being paid for several months, it appears that TNA’s television partner Destination America is also causing significant issues for the company.
Discovery executives are reportedly calling a lot of the shots in TNA these days, with the idea that they are paying TNA and running so many hours of their programming. So, how much control do they actually have over TNA’s operations?
Executives pushed hard for Kurt Angle to be crowned the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, with Angle’s Olympic gold medal experience tying into the network’s branding. They also are high on Taryn Terrell as Knockouts Champion, mostly for her looks.
Destination America officials are also not pleased with TNA taping so many shows from the UK as of late. Although the UK is one of TNA’s most loyal fan bases, they’ve made it clear that they want Impact taped in the United States most of the time. This isn’t a huge issue, since TNA does tape most shows from the US, but it’s another example of the network calling shots.
(Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
The Friday, April 10th edition of TNA Impact Wrestling on Destination America drew 408,000 viewers for the show that featured a triple-threat TNA World title match between Kurt Angle, Bobby Lashley and Eric Young. The number marks a decline from the previous week’s show, which drew 443,000 viewers.
Friday’s show did not rank in the top 100 shows on cable.
We do not yet have numbers for the replay edition of Impact Wrestling.
TNA World Champion Kurt Angle spoke to Sports Illustrated’s Extra Mustard blog this week about his recent negotiations with WWE and expressed disbelief about the company’s lack of interest in signing him.
After becoming a free agent several months ago, Angle decided he wanted to return ‘home’ and was interested in finishing his career in WWE. He reached out to Vince McMahon, but then got the runaround.
“Paul is in charge,” said Angle. “I found that out when I contacted Vince. I’ve always had a good relationship with Paul, so I didn’t consider that a problem. But he decided they had enough talent.
“For the Vince McMahon who I knew, enough was never enough. He always wanted more. I don’t know what was going on over there, but they even canceled our meeting. I never went to see them. They didn’t even sit me down and talk to me.
Angle was shocked at how the situation unfolded, but is grateful that TNA pitched him a deal that was too good to pass up.
“It blew my mind,” he said. “It was as if I was a nobody, that I wasn’t Kurt Angle. From a wrestling standpoint, they just weren’t interested. But TNA not only stepped up, they gave me everything I wanted – the dates, the money, and it’s no secret that I’ve went to rehab in the past, and they gave me time off. You talk about a company that’s loyal to you, and you want to be loyal back. So I didn’t pursue the WWE any further. When it comes down to it, you’ve got to stick with the people who want to take care of you. And [TNA president] Dixie Carter took care of me.
Angle spoke about the value he would have added to WWE and revealed several wrestlers he was interested in working with, had he been given the opportunity.
“I’m going to be straight with you,” said Angle. “The WWE would have made more money this year if they would have signed me. That’s no secret.”
“The best match of the year would have been between myself and Daniel Bryan,” said Angle. “Rusev would have made sense, and Brock and I could have went at it again. There were just so many places to go. I don’t know if they just thought I was too old, but obviously they’re not watching our product. Triple H is the same age as me. It was hard, but at the end of the day, I’m really happy.
“Will I ever go back? I really don’t care. I’m happy to be here in TNA.”
– TNA star Kurt Angle is the guest on this week’s edition of “You’re Welcome with Chael Sonnen.” Check out “The American Gangster’s” interview with the Olympic gold medalist at PodcastOne.com.
– Also new at PodcastOne is the latest edition of “Talk Is Jericho,” which features Chris Jericho and Edge reviewing this year’s WrestleMania 31 event. You can check that one out by clicking here.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Howard Finkel is celebrating a milestone anniversary today. Finkel tweeted the following:
Today marks my 35th anniversary of full-time employment with #WWE It's been an amazing ride with such a great organization!! #noAprilFool
— Howard Finkel (@howardfinkel) April 1, 2015
One of the main reasons Daniel Bryan is in the WWE Intercontinental Championship ladder match at WrestleMania 31 instead of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship picture is because of concerns within WWE over his health, not the fact that the company does not view him as a “top Superstar.”
Bryan chose to undergo a unique form of rehabilitation for his recent injuries and because of that, there is a strong fear that the injuries could become a reoccurring issue. The concern is that the rehab that Bryan chose is not a permanent fix, but rather a short-term fix that could lead to additional greater issues down the road.
There are those who feel that if WWE officials weren’t worried about his injury issues coming back in the future, he would be in a more prominent position at WrestleMania 31 and in the company in general.
One source compared Bryan’s situation to that of Kurt Angle a few years ago. Angle had several non-invasive surgeries on his neck years back, and while it prevented him from taking lengthy periods of time to recover in the short-term, it actually resulted in a number of other injuries and issues in the long-term.
(Credit: PWInsider.com)
– As reported earlier this week, WWE is looking at bringing some legends back for a match at next year’s WrestleMania 32 pay-per-view to help fill Cowboys Stadium and set the all-time attendance record. Today, WWE’s official website is running a poll asking fans which legend they would like to see have one more match at WrestleMania. The options are Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, Bill Goldberg, The Rock, Hulk Hogan, Batista, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy, Vince McMahon, Lita, Trish Stratus or The Dudley Boyz.
With over 2,000 votes cast as of this writing, Stone Cold is leading the pack with 30 percent of the vote. Trailing Austin are Goldberg (21%), Shawn Michaels (13%) and Kurt Angle and Jeff Hardy, both of whom have eight percent of the votes. You can vote on the poll at WWE.com.
– The latest WWE Superstar workout video released by WWE features WrestleMania 31 headliner Roman Reigns preparing for his WWE World Heavyweight Championship match against Brock Lesnar this Sunday. You can check out Reigns’ WrestleMania workout video below.
With WrestleMania only a week away, we continue our survey of the best matches in the event’s history by looking at the second decade of action. This was an important and transitional decade for the company, as they started the period relying on superstars such as Bret Hart, Diesel, and Shawn Michaels at the top of the card, while ending it with guys such as Triple H, Brock Lesnar, and of course, Steve Austin.
The content of the product also changed dramatically during this time period, with it starting as a family-friendly product during the “new generation” era, and we all know what went on during the Attitude Era after the company shifted focus due to pressure from rival WCW. With that said, here are the ten best matches from this era. Matches are judged based on workrate, in-ring psychology, pre-match build, and historical significance, and a full video of the match is included with each entry.
10. Chris Benoit vs. Kurt Angle vs. Chris Jericho (WrestleMania 2000)
Despite being billed as the greatest thing since electricity, WrestleMania 2000 was basically a bust. One of the few bright spots was the two-fall triple threat match between Benoit, Angle, and Jericho. The stipulation was unique in that both the Intercontinental and European Championships were on the line, with the first fall deciding the former and the second deciding the latter. Angle would go into the match holding both titles, but would unfortunately walk out with neither. Benoit won the first fall with a diving headbutt and pinning Jericho. Jericho would win the second by delivering a Lionsault and pinning Benoit. It featured fast-paced action with a ton of near-falls, and it told a great story by having Angle lose both of his titles without being pinned or forced to submit.
9. Triple H vs. Chris Jericho (WrestleMania X8)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2d0qox_wwf-wrestlemania-xviii-chris-jericho-vs-hunter-hearst-helmsley_sport
This was the first time Chris Jericho had the opportunity to headline a WrestleMania, and he came into the match aligned with Stephanie McMahon as a heel. It told a great story that featured a thorough build, and eventually ended with The Game winning the Undisputed Championship after hitting the Pedigree.
8. Chris Benoit vs. Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania XX)
These guys were three of the best technical wrestlers in the game at the time. The match was entertaining, there were multiple near-falls, and in the end, the title changed hands after Benoit forced Triple H to tap out to the Crippler Crossface. After the match, Benoit’s best friend Eddie Guerrero came to the ring and the two embraced while confetti rained down from the rafters. It’s of course a little bittersweet due to what happened years later, but it is still an emotional moment and a great match nonetheless.
7. The Rock vs. Hollywood Hulk Hogan (WrestleMania X8)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2d0qps_wwf-wrestlemania-xviii-the-rock-vs-hollywood-hogan_sport
This match seems to receive a mixed reaction from a lot of fans. In my opinion, it is one of the most entertaining and unpredictable matches in WrestleMania history, largely due to the crowd reaction. Going into the match, The Rock was the fan favorite while Hogan was booked as the heel. However, the crowd turned on Rock halfway through the match and started to cheer Hogan. The two improvised from there the match ended with Hogan once again turning face and celebrating with The People’s Champion after going down in defeat.
6. Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels (WrestleMania XIV)
Following his match with Bret Hart at the previous WrestleMania, Austin was undoubtedly the top dog in the WWE. It wouldn’t be until this night that he would finally capture his first WWE Championship, however. This wasn’t a technical affair by any means, largely due to Michaels wrestling with a severely injured back. With that said, it was still an entertaining contest that featured great in-ring psychology and one of the best builds of any main event in WrestleMania history due to the involvement of Mike Tyson. Austin would of course go on to win the title and start his run as perhaps the most successful superstar in WWE history.