https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZFDa2rYbrc&feature=youtu.be

Scotland based promotion Insane Championship Wrestling recently announced that due to contractual obligations Mick Foley would no longer be able to appear at their biggest annual event Fear & Loathing (now in its 9th year). A replacement enforcer for the event has been announced and it is former NXT & WWE Universal Champion Finn Balor.

NXT recently signed two of ICW’s biggest stars: Big Damo & Nikki Storm and it appears as though both WWE & ICW now will likely have some sort of working relationship going forward.

https://twitter.com/InsaneChampWres/status/790262403799842820

NXT Superstar Nikki Glencross, formerly known to fans as Nikki Storm, recently spoke with the UK’s Telegraph newspaper. Here are some highlights of what “The Best in the Galaxy” said about:

Women’s Wrestling:  

“Yes, there’s always been fantastic women’s wrestling, but then there’s always been fantastic wrestling. For me, that’s what it is, just wrestling.”

If getting into a male-dominated business intimidated her in 2008:

“It crossed my mind. but it was never a factor. If there have been obstacles or prejudices, they didn’t matter to me – they’ve driven me to succeed. I just get on with it. That’s me.”

Her vision of success in WWE:

“WrestleMania, baby. I know how driven and ambitious I am. I have this image of me holding up the Women’s Championship, or making a Hall of Fame speech, years down the line. Those are the things I imagine for myself. I don’t see any reason why I can’t be there.”

– John Cena has commented on the buzz that Seth Rollins will be returning to WWE television in the coming weeks. Cena, who has also been rehabbing a major injury and returns to RAW on May 30th, tweeted:

I have done my best to return to @WWE as fast as I can, but I hope people understand just how amazing @WWERollins recovery is #Respect #GG

— John Cena (@JohnCena) May 16, 2016

– The Bella Twins and John Cena will represent WWE at the NBC Upfront presentation at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Monday. The WWE performers will be alongside NBC Universal executives as they pitch their television portfolio to advertisers.

– NXT Newcomer Nikki Storm wrestled her first singles match for NXT at Saturday’s live event in Jacksonville, Florida. Competing under her real name, Nicola Glencross, she lost to Adrienne Reese (a/k/a Athena). Storm made her in-ring debut in late April at a live event, where she and Mandy Rose lost to Liv Morgan and Aliyah in a tag team match.

https://twitter.com/NikkiStorm1/status/731715875716354049

WWE.com has published an interview with Performance Center newcomer Nikki Storm (Nicole Glencross). Here are some highlights of what she said about:

What fans can expect from her:

“They’re going to witness something they haven’t seen before. They’re going to witness The Best in the Galaxy doing what she does best. They’re going to witness The Best in the Universe. They’re going to witness why I’ve wrestled on every single continent, why I’ve wrestled all over the world and why NXT chose me to be a part of their Women’s division.”

Wwrestling around the world & the advantages that will give her in WWE:

“For me, the good thing about traveling and wrestling across all these different countries is it makes you really grow as a person. It helps your wrestling grow, it helps your skill grow, it gets you used to working with different styles, different people — you really have to adapt. At the same time, when you go to somewhere like Japan, America, Canada or anywhere in Europe, you also still can’t forget why they brought you there in the first place. You very much still have to be able to adapt, but also be yourself and bring stuff to the table.

Also, as I touched on earlier, you grow as a person, I think. The more life experience you can have, I think it’s very good and helps a lot. The important thing is holding on to what you are and what brought you to the table, but also to adapt, because, in wrestling, you never know what to expect, so you have to be very open-minded. You have to go with the flow and fight for the stuff that you really want.”

The full interview can be found by clicking here.

– This week’s WWE SmackDown drew 2.355 million viewers with a 1.70 rating, down from last week’s 2.444 million and 1.75 rating.

– As announced on Friday, Triple H and Shane McMahon are joining WWE’s ongoing overseas tour. Triple H’s opponent will be Dean Ambrose at the following shows:

• April 20th in Newcastle, England
• April 21st in Brussels, Belgium
• April 22nd in Paris, France
• April 23rd in Malaga, Spain

– Paige congratulated Scottish women’s wrestler Nikki Storm for being part of the new class of recruits at the WWE Performance Center:

https://twitter.com/NikkiStorm1/status/720698026038292480

– Ryback hosted a WWE Workout Experience in Dubai on Friday:

Scottish women’s wrestler Nikki Storm has signed with WWE, according to a report at Squared Circle Sirens.

Storm has been rumored to be joining the company since last year and finished up her independent bookings over the past weekend, losing a “loser leaves town” match against Sammii Jayne. Storm was carried out to sell her departure.

She’s expected to  report to the WWE Performance Center sometime over the next week.

– Japanese women’s wrestler Kanna, who is rumored to be headed to WWE in the near future, is expected to take her medical tests in Pittsburgh in October. Scottish independent wrestler Nikki Storm, who was in the second season of TNA British Boot Camp, is also scheduled to take medical tests in Pittsburgh next month.

– WWE is expected to make the official announcement regarding the location for the 2017 edition of WrestleMania this December. Right now the leading candidate is Minneapolis, Minnesota. For what it’s worth, the post-WrestleMania 33 edition of WWE RAW is scheduled to take place from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota on December 21st.

– The following are some recent WWE attendance figures:

* August 28th in Ft. Myers, FL drew 6,000 fans (John Cena tour)
* August 29th in Orlando drew 6,500 fans (Cena tour)
* August 29th in San Juan, PR drew 13,000 fans (Roman Reigns tour)
* August 30th in Daytona Beach drew 4,000 fans (Cena tour)
* August 30th in Tallahassee drew 7,000 fans (Reigns tour)
* August 31st in Tampa for RAW drew 9,000 fans

• Ronda Rousey Has An Affair With Married UFC Star Travis Browne?

(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)

– Women’s wrestler Nikki Storm reportedly impressed WWE officials during the tryout in Tokyo, Japan this past weekend. Storm is an independent wrestler from the U.K. that received a tryout with WWE earlier this year when the company was in London.

– Below are some recent WWE attendance figures:

July 4th in Winnipeg drew 5,500 fans (Roman Reigns tour)
July 5th in Rockford, IL drew 2,000 fans (Roman Reigns tour)
July 6th in Chicago for RAW drew 10,800 fans

– Former WWE Tough Enough winner Maven will be returning to pro wrestling for Curt Hawkins’ Create-A-Pro school and promotion on July 19th. Below is a promo Maven cut for the event.

• VIDEO: UFC Releases Footage Of CM Punk Training For Octagon Debut!