The build-up to the WWE TLC pay-per-view in two weeks continues on Monday night as WWE RAW returns live from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
No matches or segments have been announced in advance, however the focus will remain on the Randy Orton vs. John Cena match at TLC, which is being billed as a “unification match.”
Included on RAW will be The Authority, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, who along with Vince McMahon, is being advertised locally for the show.
WWE will also begin setting up the undercard for the WWE TLC pay-per-view, which is likely going to revolve around The Wyatt Family kidnapping Daniel Bryan and The Shield targeting CM Punk last week.
Additional talent advertised for RAW this week include Alberto Del Rio, Dolph Ziggler, Big Show, Ryback, Goldust, Cody Rhodes, AJ Lee and even Paul Heyman, who has not appeared on RAW in a few weeks.
For the live crowd in Oklahoma City on Monday night two post-show dark matches are benig advertised. John Cena is scheduled to defend his WWE Championship against Alberto Del Rio, while Randy Orton is slated to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Big Show.
– Puerto Rican wrestler Sebastian Guerra, who is a 21 year old, 6-foot-5 and 285-pound independent worker, was at the same WWE tryout camp that included Davey Richards, Eddie Edwards, Joey Ryan and several others a few weeks ago. WWE apparently wants Guerra to gain additional experience and learn the English language better before doing something with him. As a result, Guerra is expected to head to Ohio Valley Wrestling for further training and to attempt to improve his English by living there.
– Current word is that Paul Heyman is not expected back on WWE television for several more weeks. As previously reported, Heyman is expected to be brought back when Brock Lesnar makes his television return to the company.
– Ryback appears to be turning babyface after Paul Heyman dismissed Ryback as a potential “Paul Heyman Guy” on Raw on Monday. We can now confirm that WWE creative plans call for Ryback to feud with Brock Lesnar, with a match likely taking place at January’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view. The storyline will be that Paul Heyman will enlist Lesnar to destroy Ryback, since he blames Ryback for CM Punk putting him in a wheelchair.
Meanwhile, while WWE officials would like to have Ryback face Goldberg at WrestleMania XXX, sources within the organization don’t expect the former World Heavyweight Champion to come on board since he would almost certainly be asked to job. Goldberg stated in an interview earlier this year that he would not return to the company to lose.
– This week’s edition of The JBL & Cole Show features never before seen bloopers, outtakes, and footage from the show. Renee Young hosts.
– As previously reported, former WWE Superstar and current WWE agent Billy Kidman has been appearing at recent WWE live events as Paul Heyman’s personal doctor. Below is a photo of Kidman portraying the character at a recent WWE European live event:
– According to a source within WWE, the former manager of Alberto Del Rio and Rob Van Dam, Ricardo Rodriguez, has been doing some agent work backstage for WWE. Additionally, Rodriguez has been wrestling at WWE live events under a mask as “Los Locale” in tag-team matches against Los Matadores.
– Despite the fact that Amazon UK currently has a listing for a Paul Heyman autobiography being released on November 30th, there is no such book.
– A WWE NXT live event is scheduled to take place on Thursday in Tampa, Florida. The main event for the show will feature Billy Gunn and Bo Dallas teaming up to take on Adrian Neville and Sami Zayn.
– Former WWE Superstars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Ric Flair and Torrie Wilson are featured in a new Tampa Tribune story about The Boddy Shoppe Gym in Florida. You can check out the piece, which features comments from all three, at TBO.com.
– The Big Show is currently working through an injury and was seen limping at yesterday’s WWE live event from Glasgow, Scotland. No word yet about the severity of the injury but he’s not expected to miss any ring time. Reader Andy sent in the following live report describing Big Show’s injury:
“At the live event in Cardiff (Wales), Big Show is not 100 percent. He was heavily limping on his way to the ring, looked in pain, and was stretching his right leg a lot as well as running the ropes during Randy Orton’s entrance for the main event.
Before the match, Show gave a hand signal to someone ringside implying he was 50/50. It’s his left side or leg, but the pain was clear to see.”
– British wrestling legend Robbie Brookside is now working as a trainer for WWE at their Performance Center. Previously, he had been working with WWE scouting European talent and he will continue those duties as well.
– WWE producer Billy Kidman has been appearing at WWE’s overseas live events tour, acting as Paul Heyman’s personal physician in segments where CM Punk attacks Heyman.
Speaking of Heyman, he might be returning to WWE television on tonight’s RAW.
A photo has surfaced online of CM Punk having lunch with his arch-nemesis Paul Heyman, as well as Divas Champion AJ Lee and Heyman client Curtis Axel, backstage at a WWE live event in Europe.
The image comes courtesy of Scottish wrestling fan Brendan McEleny, who secured the shot at yesterday’s live event in Glasgow at Glasgow Braehead Arena.
McEleny says he did not sneak into the venue, as he managed to snap the picture while on public property.
– In his first appearance since Hell in a Cell, Paul Heyman resurfaced at Friday’s WWE live event in Glasgow, Scotland. Opening the show with his leg in a brace, his arm in a sling, his neck in a collar and donning a full back brace, the Scarsdale, New York native blamed the fans for his injuries. CM Punk then appeared and took matters into his own hands by brutalizing Heyman with a kendo stick.
– Courtesy of Ticketmaster.com, the seating chart for WrestleMania XXX has been released. Tickets for the pay-per-view event, which takes place April 6, 2014 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, go on sale next Saturday at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT.
– Six-time World Champion Chris Jericho turns 43-years-old on Saturday. Also celebrating a birthday today is former WWE and WCW referee Nick Patrick, who turns 54.
Paul Heyman recently spoke with SLAM! Wrestling about his evolving role with WWE:
“If I look at my schedule right now… I don’t have one booking as a manager. I’m booked all over Europe, I’m booked all over this country, in two-on-one handicap matches. So I’m booked as a wrestler right now, not as a manager. At 48-year-old, I still have not had formal training as a wrestler. The role has changed. We’re not just doing the typical old-school gimmick matches that Lou Albano used to participate in.”
Heyman also talked about his future goals – and the goals of Brock Lesnar:
“I’ve never managed in the main event at WrestleMania and I would love [that]. There are things that I know Brock wants to accomplish for us in this industry, that I prefer that Brock goes public with those goals when it’s time. I know that Brock and I have talked about things that we’d like to accomplish, that we haven’t had a chance to do yet. Hey, I’d love to be the first guy to ever manage the WWE and the WWE World heavyweight champion at the same time as well.”
– WWE is headed overseas this week for the latest European tour, which includes stops in Ireland, Scottland, Belgium, Germany, England, Wales, Scottland, Swizerland, France and Austria. Top names advertised to appear on the tour include John Cena, Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan, Big Show, The Shield and Alberto Del Rio.
– With WWE filming next week’s RAW and SmackDown shows from the UK, we’ve heard that Paul Heyman is expected to return to television on next week’s RAW broadcast.There had been talk that Heyman would be kept off television for much longer, perhaps until 2014, where he’d return with Brock Lesnar.
-The main event angle on Monday’s edition of WWE RAW saw WWE Superstar Big Show get re-hired by WWE COO Triple H, ending what was probably the shortest “banned for life” sentence in WWE history. Additionally, Big Show was guaranteed a WWE Championship match against Randy Orton at the upcoming WWE Survivor Series pay-per-view.
-Daniel Bryan was officially removed from the WWE Championship picture. As noted, Big Show will receive the next shot at the title, with Bryan now positioned in a feud alongside CM Punk against The Wyatt Family.
-Paul Heyman re-emerged on RAW on Monday in the form of a live telephone interview with RAW announcer Michael Cole. Heyman claimed multiple injuries suffered at the hands of CM Punk at the WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view, and was reportedly scripted to say that he was getting medical treatment in Europe, which is where next week’s RAW will take place.
For more news from this week’s RAW, you can read our detailed report of the show here: WWE RAW Results (11/4/13)
-The official E! website has added a new preview clip of the WWE Total Divas reality show. In the clip, WWE Superstar John Cena discusses a time when he pooped his pants in the ring. You can check that clip out online at EOnline.com.
-The pre-sale password for the return of WWE to Chicago, Illinois on December 26th is PUNK. Currently advertised WWE Superstars for the event include CM Punk, Paul Heyman, Ryback, Daniel Bryan, Randy Orton and The Wyatt Family.
– Neither Vince or Stephanie McMahon were backstage at last night’s Smackdown taping. Triple H was there and ran the show.
– Paul Heyman was not used at Monday’s RAW or Tuesday’s SmackDown tapings, but he was backstage at both shows. He was kept off TV this week to sell CM Punk’s beatdown at Hell in a Cell.
– Daniel Bryan has been pulled from this week’s scheduled media appearances to sell the injuries he suffered at the hands of the Wyatt Family on RAW.
– Former WWE tag team champion Scotty 2 Hotty, who now works as a firefighter in Florida, was backstage at Monday’s RAW from Orlando.
– When John Cena faces Alberto Del Rio tonight at WWE Hell in a Cell for the WWE Championship, Cena will sport a protective compression sleeve (with pad insert) on his surgically repaired arm, according to the Miami Herald. This is similar to what former NBA player Allen Iverson wore and what Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade wears. That will minimize any swelling and help decrease impact on the arm.
– Booker T will not be hand on for tonight’s WWE Hell in the Cell pay-per-view event in Mimai, Florida. Rather, that WWE Hall of Famer and talent from his Reality of Wrestling promotion will be watching tonight’s pay-per-view broadcast with fans in Houston, Texas, at Diablo Loco on Richmond Avenue.
– As seen on SmackDown, CM Punk and Ryback got a tune-up match against a CM Punk imposter in preparation for their encounter with Paul Heyman tonight at WWE Hell in a Cell. Highlights from the bout are feature on the “WWE SmackDown Slam of the Week.”
– CM Punk was originally scheduled to compete at last Tuesday’s SmackDown taping in Birmingham, Alabama, but ultimately did not because company officials didn’t want him to any more beat up going tonight’s Hell in a Cell pay-per-view event encounter against Ryback. Nonetheless, Punk’s injuries are expected to affect the booking of the match. The bout is not scheduled to be the end of his feud with Paul Heyman.
– Chris Jericho revealed late last night on Twitter that he plans to release his third autobiography, which will on his second tenure with WWE, next September, and a Fozzy album in June. In response to when he will return to WWE, Jericho responded, “Most asked question & the answer is “I don’t know” That’s the best I can say so STOP ASKING ;).”
– World Heavyweight Champion Alberto Del Rio battles the returning John Cena in a title clash tonight at Hell in a Cell. Courtesy of the official YouTube account of WWE,
-Independent pro wrestler out of Cincinnati, Danny Todd, portrayed the “CM Skunk” character on Friday’s edition of WWE SmackDown. Skunk was the opponent of Ryback and Paul Heyman in the two-on-one handicap match on this week’s show. Todd has worked regularly in the past for the Northern Wrestling Federation (NWF).
-The following is the latest tweet from the official Twitter page of WWE Superstar John Cena, who makes his in-ring return for the company on Sunday night in Miami, Florida for the “Hell In A Cell” pay-per-view:
According to one source, WWE Superstar Ryback has heat on him for a number of different reasons.
For one, WWE reportedly feels as if Ryback hasn’t developed in the ring as well as they would have liked. In fact, many believe Ryback has actually gotten worse in the ring as time goes on. He has apparently roughed up a number of different talents, with the most recent example being top WWE performer CM Punk.
Additionally, the company seems to feel that Ryback does not represent himself well when making various media appearances. WWE reportedly received feedback from multiple appearances that Ryback made that claimed he looked unhappy to be there, and this was prior to his official heel turn. One source noted that Ryback seemed annoyed at having to do public appearances for the company.
The heat on Ryback is so bad right now that he may lose a lot of the momentum the company is putting behind him if things don’t turn around in rapid fashion. There has even been talk of removing Paul Heyman from his on-air storyline, so that Heyman can move forward without him.
– Three-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection Shawne Merriman is looking to enter the world of professional wrestling after retiring from the National Football League in March at the age of 28. He participated in a multi-day tryout this week at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, and according to sources within the sports-entertainment organization, has not been offered any deal, much less signed to a contract.
Merriman was a first-round pick in 2005 by the San Diego Chargers and named the Defensive Rookie of the Year after recording 10 sacks. In 2006, he served a four-game suspension for violating the league’s steroid policy, and still finished the season with 17 sacks.
The once promising pass rusher was never able to match the production of the early years of his career. After totaling 39.5 sacks in his first three seasons while making the Pro Bowl each year, he managed just six sacks from 2008 through 2012. He was looking to revitalize his career as recently as July, as he went on Twitter to make a plea for the Atlanta Falcons to sign him.
– This week’s edition of The JBL & Cole Show features a Halloween theme as The Bella Twins terrorize Hornswoggle, Renee Young gets possessed, Paul Heyman cackles and more.
-The comic book on WWE Hall Of Famer Andre The Giant will be out in the spring. The comic book is called “Andre The Giant: Life and Legend,” and is a biography on Andre Roussimoff told in comic-form.
-The following is from the official YouTube channel of WWE performer Paul Heyman:
“The Looking4Larry Agency presents The Hustler De Tuti Hustlers Paul Heyman making his long-awaited official announcement about being in WWE 2K14 … and the announcement is larger than life!”
– After concluding six months of filming for Hercules: The Thracian Wars last week, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is crossing over to filming for Fast & Furious 7, where “The Most Electrifying Man in All of Entertainment” reprises his role as the hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs.
Fast & Furious 7 will hit theaters in July 2014, while Hercules: The Thracian Wars comes out the following month.
– Promoting Hell in a Cell, the official YouTube account has released a WWE ’13 simulation of CM Punk vs. Ryback and Paul Heyman, as AJ Lee vs. Brie Bella.
The following are highlights from the latest online blog by WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:
On Jerry Lawler not being mocked in his hometown on RAW: “The King got out unscathed in his home town. That somewhat surprised me and, just thinking out loud, I wonder if WWE missed an opportunity to help a villain IE Del Rio have more momentum for this Sunday’s HIAC PPV? It better serves the returning John Cena to face a hot antagonist.”
On how fans perceive John Cena: “Find it humorous that on my Twitter feed @JRsBBQ that those that did not like Cena before he was injured STILL don’t like John even after viewing the videos. Without question Cena is amazingly polarizing but also, without question, John Cena is the biggest star in WWE, like it or not.”
On the in-ring product on Monday’s RAW: “The in ring product last night was solid and enjoyable for the most part. Any one who thinks that WWE, or any one else, can have three hours of great, TV rasslin and it all be really good needs to be drug tested. That’s not going to happen any time soon. I honestly don’t think that’s possible at this time in the business.”
“Ambrose vs. Bryan was a really, nice match. Bryan provided his fans ‘hope’ while Ambrose taking a clean loss gives him something to bitch about and to plot for his retribution. Great selling and near falls which are two essentials of any good, pro wrestling bout.”
“Orton vs. Ziggler was another good bout that Orton needed to win and Ziggler provided the ‘shine’ for that outcome. Another loss that did not destroy Dolph who has proven to me that he is one of WWE’s top talents. Many fans are growing impatient of Ziggler’s current status on the card but all he can do is continue to out perform as many of his opponents as he can on a regular basis and his time will come. That’s akin to HBK being considered only a tag team wrestler and never any thing else for years until Shawn got into one on one bouts and, over time, became a show stealer.”
On Paul Heyman’s promo on RAW and the Punk/Heyman feud: “Paul Heyman’s promo was the best verbal presentation on the show but that can be said more often than not. Heyman knows how to be an antagonist and how to facilitate fans to dislike him. Villains who purposely make fans laugh are erroneously produced in my view. Bobby Heenan could pull it off but ‘Wease’ was a genius and he did not have writers providing his material.”
“Certainly feel that the Heyman-Punk personal issue is nearing a definitive end. I guess we will find out on Sunday. I’m not sure where else it can go involving the two especially as it relates to Punk giving Heyman the long promised physicality that Heyman’s TV persona deserves.”
On HBK’s performance on RAW and how WWE ended the show: “Thought HBK was effectively utilized in Memphis and much better than the week before. I tweeted @JRsBBQ last night asking if RAW would end the night with ‘hope’ or ‘heat’ and the answer obviously was one of ‘hope’ as the overachieving, underdog Daniel Bryan…along with the Big Show….left the live audience on a high and hopefully, for the talents and WWE’s sake, the motivation needed to purchase the HIAC PPV this Sunday.”
Check out the complete blog online at JRsBarBQ.com.
On Monday’s live edition of WWE RAW, a new match with an added stipulation was announced for the WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view, which emanates from Miami, Florida on October 27th.
It was announced by RAW General Manager Brad Maddox that a “Beat The Clock Challenge” would take place to determine whether Paul Heyman or CM Punk would get to select the stipulation for Punk’s match against Ryback at the Hell In A Cell pay-per-view. Ryback would take on R-Truth, while Punk would take on Curtis Axel. Ryback defeated Truth at 5:44, while Punk defeated Axel at 5:33.
It had already been revealed earlier in the night by Heyman that if Ryback won, the match with Punk would be a two-on-one handicap match against both Ryback and Axel. Since Punk won, he decided to keep it a two-on-one handicap match, instead featuring Ryback and Heyman against himself in a Hell In A Cell match.
With that now known, here is an updated look at the official lineup thus far for this year’s WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view:
Vacant WWE Championship Hell In A Cell Match with Special Referee Shawn Michaels
-Daniel Bryan vs. Randy Orton
World Heavyweight Championship
-Alberto Del Rio (c) vs. John Cena
Hell In A Cell Handicap Match
-CM Punk vs. Ryback & Paul Heyman
Stay tuned to SESCOOPS.COM for further updates to the WWE Hell In A Cell pay-per-view lineup, and make sure to check back on Sunday, October 27th for the best live results coverage of the show on the internet.
-As previously reported, WWE Hall Of Famer Mick Foley will have WWE cameras present at his comedy show in Long Island, New York on November 17th. Apparently, the footage WWE is shooting is for a new documentary that is scheduled to be released in 2014. Foley noted on Twitter that in addition to the November 17th show, his show in New York on November 3rd will also have cameras present to film footage for the documentary.
-WWE is working on a new “Shawn Michaels WrestleMania Matches” DVD and Blu-ray set, which is reportedly scheduled for a WWE release in either February or March of 2014. According to HBK’s official Twitter account, he shot interviews for the DVD-set while he was in town for WWE RAW last Monday night.
-The following is a new interview with WWE Superstar Ryback. In the interview, Ryback speaks to members of the Abu Dhabi media, including comments about how he feels working with Paul Heyman in WWE is going to take him to the next level. He also talks about how he dislikes the internet.
-Paul Heyman spoke to WWE interviewer Renee Young following his “client” Curtis Axel’s victory over R-Truth in the WWE Intercontinental Championship match on Friday night’s edition of WWE SmackDown. The interview, which appeared exclusively on the WWE App, featured Heyman talking about CM Punk’s recent obsession with him, as well as Heyman questioning whether or not Young was going back to Punk with his answers. On that subject, Heyman said, “When you’re the man on top like Paul Heyman, you always have to wonder when they’re coming after you. Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean that they’re not coming after you. When I say they, I mean CM Punk.”
-Philly.com has posted a new interview with WWE Superstar and the current holder of the Money In The Bank briefcase, Damien Sandow. Fans interested in checking out that interview can do so online at Philly.com.
The following are highlights from the latest online blog by WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross:
On John Cena’s early in-ring return to WWE: “John Cena returning so soon from his latest surgery surprised me. It’s a no brainer why WWE needs their top star back as quickly as possible but is Cena returning too soon? Perhaps Del Rio travels to Florida and takes Cena out prior to the HIAC but not likely. Sounds like an old, Watts angle.”
On Stephanie McMahon and Big Show: “Thought the opening segment was a hit. Stephanie McMahon had control of her promo and it did not sound un-organic. Talents who memorize their ‘lines’ and then present them as such ruins it for me. Yep, I might be too old school for today’s product but I tune out and disconnect when I feel someone is talking to me from any place other than their heart.”
On CM Punk and Paul Heyman: “Significant albeit surprising opportunity for R Truth tagging with CM Punk vs. Heyman’s duo. Yes, it sets up a match for Smackdown but what else down the road? I don’t feel Punk’s angst toward Heyman was much as I did a few weeks ago. Is that just me?”
Check out the complete blog online at JRsBarBQ.com.
