-As noted recently, part one of the Ric Flair interview on the “Steve Austin Show” is available online. The following is a quote from the interview, where Flair addresses the controversy stemming from his behavior at the recent WWE 2K14 symposium.
Flair said, ” don’t know what happened last night. They told me to entertain ’em and I did. But apparently it wasn’t received the way it was supposed to be. The people who are running the game loved it but the problem is corporate WWE gets mad at me, number one, which upsets me because I love the company and respect them so much. I guess we just drifted and told stories and they wanted the focus of the evening to be about the game.”
Check out part one of the interview online at PodcastOne.com.
-WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio will be making a personal appearance at the Sports Arena Home Depot in San Diego on August 24th from 1-3pm. The first 300 fans to show up will get to meet Mysterio and receive a custom mask and autograph.
-WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio has been added to the advertising for the upcoming WWE live event in Fresno, California. The event, which is scheduled for Saturday, August 24th, may be a simple appearance for Mysterio, as he recently noted that he plans on returning to the ring for WWE this September.
-The official WWE website has posted a new video that features WWE Superstars “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Dolph Ziggler and Paul Heyman talking about the authenticity of the new WWE 2K14 video game. You can watch that video online at WWE.com.
-WWE Hall Of Fame announcer Jim Ross recently tweeted about this Thursday’s WWE NXT television taping. JR wrote:
“In route to Orlando for @WWENXT @FullSail Thurs night. Future of @WWE on display. Lv Friday on flight to London & drive 2 Cardiff. #busy”
-WWE Superstar recently told reporter Arda Ocal of The Score his plans for a WWE return. During the recent WWE 2K14 panel, Mysterio told Ocal, “I was really hoping for SummerSlam, that was my main goal. But since it didn’t happen, I’m pushing it back one month. So, September.”
-WWE told key members of upper-management and creative this past weekend that many of the finishes planned for the SummerSlam pay-per-view would be altered at the last minute in an attempt to prevent leaks on the internet. As it turns out, the company ended up leaving all finishes as originally planned.
-As noted earlier today, Ric Flair appeared at the SummerSlam Axxess festivities in Los Angeles. Additionally, “The Nature Boy” will also be a part of the special 2K Sports party later today in Los Angeles.
-Also scheduled to appear at the 2K Sports party today is WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio.
-Despite rumors, Hulk Hogan is not scheduled for anything related to WWE in Los Angeles this weekend. Following the Brooke Hogan release in TNA Impact Wrestling on Friday, rumors began swirling that “The Hulkster” would appear at some of the WWE-related activities in Los Angeles this weekend.
-And finally, WWE legend The Ultimate Warrior is in Los Angeles today. Warrior is on hand for some 2K Sports-related obligations, as he is part of the upcoming WWE 2K14 video game.
-The official E! website posted a new WWE Total Divas clip featuring both Natalya and Trinity talking about being bullied in the past. You can watch that video online at EOnline.com.
-The WWE SummerSlam Kickoff Show this Sunday will be available in Spanish, complete with interviews, as well as a Spanish-language speaking expert panel.
As noted, the English-language speaking panel will feature Shawn Michaels, Booker T and Natalya. The Spanish panel may feature Rey Mysterio, although that is strictly rumored at this point.
– In the above video, WWE Hall of Famer Adam “Edge” Copeland talks about his current relationship with the company and his recurring role on the SyFy show Haven!
-WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio recently noted on Twitter that his mother’s medical condition has improved, and she will now be making a complete recovery.
-According to fan reports, WWE edited the MizTV segment featuring the Total Divas Cast off of the RAW broadcast on Fox 8 in Australia. This means Brie Bella’s wardrobe malfunction didn’t make the final cut down under.
– Rey Mysterio won’t be attending Comic Con today due to a family issue. Mysterio has been asking fans for prayers for his mother, who has been hospitalized in critical condition.
I am deeply requesting 4 my 1m fallowers to please send out a prayer for my mom, she is not doing good! God Bless619
– Vince McMahon, Triple H, Brock Lesnar and Rob Van Dam are all being advertised for the final SmackDown taping before SummerSlam (8/13) from San Jose, California.
Brock Lesnar and Triple H are both scheduled to appear at the August 19th RAW from Anaheim, the night after SummerSlam.
– ECW Original The Sandman (James Fullington) is a wanted man by the Delaware County, PA sheriff’s office for failure to pay $8,017.84 in child support. The photo below is from the local most wanted list:
– After visiting Dr. James Andrews earlier today, injured WWE superstar Rey Mysterio tweeted the following update on his condition and says he still plans to be back in action this summer:
Great news today with Doc Andrews! Revisit on the 19th of June for a minor procedure and still trying to b back in the ring by late August!
– Fandango’s dancing partner Summer Rae tweeted the following about The Shield capturing the WWE Tag Team & United States championships at Extreme Rules:
– WWE referee Charles Robinson tweeted the following about his decision to not count out John Cena and Ryback after their match-ending spot at Extreme Rules:
To those complaining about me not counting i was in shock of what happened and was more concerned about their safety. I did what was right.
WWE superstar Rey Mysterio was trending worldwide on Twitter on Sunday night – but it had nothing to do with WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view. During the Billboard Music Awards, singer Migel performed and at one point, lept over a crowd of people during his performance. Migel didn’t leap far enough – and wound up giving a legdrop to one of the female fans in the audience. The incident immediately went viral, with people referencing WWE and Rey Mysterio.
There’s even a parody video circulating around, featuring dubbed-in commentary from Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler.
According to Billboard, no fans were harmed during the making of this instant-classic Internet meme.
– WWE’s new video game publisher Take-Two Interactive has revealed that WWE 2K14 will be released on October 29th, 2013. WWE superstar The Rock will be on the box cover.
While only Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 were named in their press release, WWE has already stated that it will be published “across all major platforms and distribution channels.”
According to Take-Two, WWE “will continue to be developed by Yukes in Japan” and “will combine the studio’s signature gameplay with 2K’s commitment to authenticity.”
– Rey Mysterio tweeted the following today about his upcoming return:
I wanna take this time to THANK all my 917.1K followers for the support! Should B back in the ring soon!619Luv?
– As noted earlier, WWE’s Rey Mysterio and Sgt. Slaughter were at the Hulu Upfronts event in New York City on Tuesday. Mysterio was telling people that he hopes to return to the ring “this summer” – which is later than what was previously expected (May). He tweeted this photo of himself and Slaughter:
– Sin Cara remains on the sidelines in WWE and has not been on the road for several weeks now. He has been checking in (via social media) from the “Sin Cara Gym” in Mexico, so it looks like he’s been given time off
– A ticket pre-sale for WWE’s Night of Champions pay-per-view in September is underway and runs through Friday night. The pre-sale password is CHAMPION. WWE Night of Champions take place on Sunday, September 15th from the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
– Monday’s RAW from Nationwide Arena in Columbus was a legitimate sellout with 14,282 fans in attendance.
– WWE will return to Columbus, Ohio on October 8th for a SmackDown taping. The pre-sale password is SMACKDOWNTV.
– Here is WWE’s official promo video hyping the new “Total Divas” reality show that premieres on E! this June. The show will feature the Bella Twins, the Funkadactyls, Natayla and 2 new WWE divas: Eva Marie and JoJo Offerman [Photos].
– Rey Mysterio, who is currently sidelined due a knee injury, should return to the ring by late July. The official WWE website is currently advertising the 38-year-old for the Raw brand’s five-day tour of Australia, taking place July 26 through July 30. Events will be held in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
– WWE Champion John Cena celebrated his 36th birthday during Tuesday’s Raw live event in Nottingham, England. The official WWE website acknowledged the non-televised birthday bash with a photo gallery, which concluded with Damien Sandow having cake smashed in his face.
– According to SLAM! Wrestling, legendary wrestler Tiger Jeet Singh was honored Saturday at the Halton Multicultural Council Annual Fundraising Gala & Third Annual Community Leadership Awards Dinner, which presented him with the 2013 Community Leadership Award for his humanitarian work and philanthropy.
– Former WWE Superstar Rikishi has been announced to appear for Great Lakes Championship Wrestling on Friday, June 28 at Circle B 6261 State Hwy 60 Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Scotty 2 Hotty and Armando Estrada are advertised to wrestle on the show.
– Rey Mysterio is currently rehabbing his knee and is scheduled to return to action in June, but the general feeling is that he’s entering the final stage of his in-ring career.
– Jack Swagger could have a tough road ahead when he appears in court on June 25th in Gulfport, MS. A Gulfport prosecutor is seeking the maximum punishment for his DUI charge, which would include 2 days in jail, a $437 fine for marijuana possession, a $1,300 fine for the DUI and a $188 fine for speeding.
– WWE developmental trainer Bill DeMott tweeted praise for NXT wrestler Aiden English:
– As you can imagine, Cody Rhodes, Damien Sandow, Brodus Clay, Tensai, The Bella Twins and The Funkadactyls were upset about their WrestleMania 29 match being pulled from the show. Cody Rhodes in particular was very unhappy about it.
– Rey Mysterio was not in attendance for last night’s RAW from East Rutherford, New Jersey. He tweeted that he flew back home to San Diego on Monday afternoon.
– Sin Cara is scheduled for tonight’s SmackDown tapings from Boston.
– The Shorty Awards took place on Monday night, which recognize excellence in social media. WWE was nominated in six categories but surprisingly did not win any awards.
– With World Heavyweight champion Alberto Del Rio starting to get over as a babyface, f4wonline.com reports that there are people within WWE that think Del Rio no longer needs Ricardo Rodriguez by his side. One has to question this line of thinking, as Ricardo is arguably more over than Del Rio.
After getting attacked by Jack Swagger on RAW and suffering a “broken ankle” (according to WWE), Ricardo is expected to be off television for a week to sell the injury.
– Rey Mysterio tweeted the following update on the status of his knee on Monday:
– There is a lot of concern in WWE behind the scenes that Rey Mysterio’s career could be coming to an end. Mysterio has been battling a slew of injuries for years and has told WWE that he’ll be back in action by June. Not everybody is convinced that he’ll be able to return.
– Former WWE superstar MVP announced on Twitter that his new rap song “Tokyo” will be available online for download later tonight.
Speaking of MVP, he will be doing a “Happy Hour with MVP” event during WrestleMania 29 weekend with NYC DJ Peter Rosenberg.
– WWE has announced the following tour dates in Canada during the last week of May:
* May 25th, 2013 – Brandt Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan
* May 25th, 2013 – Enmax Centrium in Red Deer, Alberta
* May 26th, 2013 – Medicine Hat Arena in Medicine Hat, Alberta
* May 26th, 2013 – Enmax Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta
– Rey Mysterio is being advertised for the April 8th WWE RAW taping from East Rutherford, New Jersey, the night after WrestleMania 29.
– CM Punk did not appear at Saturday night’s WWE live event from Providence, Rhode Island, despite being advertised. Punk’s name was featured on the marquee outside of the arena, but there was no mention of him during the live event and no refunds were offered to fans who attended the show to see him. It’s believed that Punk suffered an injury to his arm last week on RAW and he was given a few days of to rest up.
– F4wonline.com reports that WWE superstars have been talking about how strange it is to not have the WWE Champion appearing at live events for over a month now. That said, WWE’s “Road To WrestleMania” live events have been drawing great crowds and have been very profitable.
– WWE has announced that Brock Lesnar will be on Monday’s WWE RAW from Indianapolis, Indiana to respond to Triple H’s WrestleMania challenge. Triple H will also be at the show.
– With both Brock Lesnar and CM Punk involved in two of the top matches at WrestleMania 29, Paul Heyman is expected to pull “double duty” that night and be in the corners of both men .
– After meeting with Dr. James Andrews this week to determine whether he needs knee surgery to repair a possible torn ACL, Rey Mysterio tweeted the following update on his condition:
Have to wear a DYNASPLINT brace to prevent getting surgery! NO SURGERY 4 now! pic.twitter.com/oADBkcdiqR
– Rey Mysterio, who has been mostly out of action in recent months dealing with an undisclosed family issue, is injured and might be undergoing another knee surgery soon. He tweeted today:
Good morning!About to C the man, Doc. James Andrews… Things haven't been good since I stepped back in the ring, possibly Acl tear again!
– WWE Classics section has a new feature up looking at “Champions in Enemy Territory,” featuring wrestling champions showing up in other promotions with their title belts. Some of the wrestlers include Taz appearing on WWE television with the ECW Championship, NWA Champion Harley Race competing in WWE, WWE Champion Bob Backlund wrestling NWA Champion Ric Flair in Atlanta and more.
– Here’s video footage of Bruno Sammartino’s acceptance speech at the International Sports Hall Of Fame this past weekend:
– Rey Mysterio is still being advertised for most upcoming WWE television appearances, despite reports that he’s been pulled from live events through WrestleMania.
– WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat turns 60 years old today. He was born on February 28, 1953.
– WWE has added Haku to the Alumni section of WWE.com. One of the videos on his profile is a WCW match from1996 against a young Canadian wrestler named Damon Striker, who would later go on to become WWE Hall of Famer Edge.
– Tickets for the 4/30 Smackdown taping from Detroit, Michigan will go on sale on this Saturday. There will be an online pre-sale Friday morning with the password BIGSHOW. (Thanks to Gregory Davis. )
– At one point, WWE was interested in booking a Rey Mysterio vs. Sin Cara match at WrestleMania, but those plans have been dropped.
– Tickets for the 2013 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony at Madison Square Garden on 4/6 have sold out. It’s possible WWE will release more tickets in the weeks leading up to the event, but there’s nothing currently available on Ticketmaster.com
– WWE is currently paying WWE Hall of Fame inductees $5,000 and their inductors $2,500.
– Close friends of WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin are under the impression that he’ll never wrestle again. There’s still a chance WWE will get him to come out of retirement at WrestleMania XXX for one final match, but it remains unlikely.
– With Sunday night’s Elimination Chamber marking the final pay-per-view before WrestleMania 29, WWE will be kicking things into high gear starting on RAW. We’ve seen some early build already and we’ll have a much better idea about the top matches at WrestleMania after WWE’s RAW and SmackDown tapings.
– After ranting on Twitter about whether Scott Hall joining Jake Roberts at DDP’s Accountability Crib was the right move for him, Kevin Nash says he spoke to Hall and DDP this week and now believes it can work:
Talked to Scott today 4 over an hour, best he's been in 15 years.Thur detox and on to DDP.If anyone can take Scott 2 the next level it's him
– Rey Mysterio noted on Twitter that he’s currently vacationing in Waikiki, Hawaii this weekend. He’s expected to be back on TV this week and tweeted the following picture from his trip:
– Rey Mysterio will be wrestling CM Punk at WWE live events after Elimination Chamber in the weeks leading up to WrestleMania 29. Mysterio had been booked for an upcoming promotional tour of Qatar and Turkey, but has been replaced by Mark Henry.
– JBL and Michael Cole will be taping a new episode of their “JBL & Cole” show this Sunday outside of the New Orleans Arena, site of Elimination Chamber. The show starts at 3:30pm and will feature Alicia Fox and Ricardo Rodriguez as guests. Once again, they’ll be giving away 2 free tickets to the fans with the best sign.
– Tyson Kidd tweeted the following injury update on Tuesday:
“For those asking recovery is going great physically. Mentally tough. Everyday either gym or physical therapy. On the path to 2 legs again”
