— Scott Hall was arrested on April 6, 2012 in Seminole County, Florida. According to a public report posted online, Hall was arrested by the Seminole County Sheriff’s office at 9:31 p.m. The report, however, does, not disclose what charges were filed.
— The official theme song for Extreme Rules is “Adrenaline” by Shinedown.
— Maryse Ouellet appears at the Frank and Son Collectible Show 19649 San Jose City of Industry, California 91748 on May 12, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
— Former WWE manager Paul Bearer turns 58 years old on Tuesday.
– Jim Ross was asked on Twitter this week whether The Rock will be done as an in-ring performer after WrestleMania 28. JR said it’s “absolutely” realistic that The Rock will be done after his match with John Cena.
– Matches booked but not yet announced for the Royal Rumble pay-per-view include: John Cena vs. Kane and a triple threat match between Daniel Bryan, Big Show and Mark Henry for the World Heavyweight title.
Cody Rhodes vs. Goldust was also discussed for the Rumble, but it’s still up in the air as to whether WWE will go through with this one.
– A new video on Scott Hall’s YouTube channel features a message about Hall’s status in rehab:
“Quick update on Scott Hall, he’s doing very well in rehab and will be evaluated for his release soon. WWE has been monitoring his stay so you may see him on another channel soon.”
– Mexico’s Super Luchas Magazine is reporting that TNA star Jeff Hardy, who is set to headline the upcoming Genesis pay-per-view, is the man behind WWE’s cryptic January 2nd, 2012 promos. This report is completely false. Update: Today is “Innocents’ Day” in Latin America, which is similar to April’s Fools Day here in the United States, so that’s the origin or this story. Move along, nothing to see here.
– WWE Magazine is now available on the iPad.
– ESPN’s E:60 documentary piece on Scott Hall from earlier this year is nominated for Sports Illustrated’s “Best News Feature on a Sports Program” award.
– William Regal has once again addressed rumors of his retirement. Regal tweeted on Wednesday:
“Can I please make this clear.I have never said I’m retiring.Not at the O2 last year nor this week.Not wrestle as much,yes,but not retire.”
“Nor have I been removed from NXT or the WWE.Not been in trouble either(shock I know).”
TNA star Samoa Joe was interviewed this week on AllWrestling.com’s Week In Review podcast. You can listen to the full interview here. Here are some highlights of what Joe said about:
Not being in the world title picture:“It’s always rough not to be in the world title picture but at the same time right now we are finding new talent and establishing new characters. TNA gives me opportunity to work with tremendous young talent. Playing a part in developing young talent is rewarding.”
Bruce Prichard As The Head of TNA Creative“TNA put me in the main event picture pretty early and these guys have been around just as long if not longer in Storm’s case. I’m very thankful to see those guys where they are right now from a personal standpoint.”
Whether He Would Jump Ship To WWE: “I’m still with TNA; we have a fantastic financial agreement. The relationship between me and TNA has always been great. I’m the type of person that really lives in the moment. I don’t put too much into trying to build scenarios that are bad. As long as I get an opportunity to wrestle and wrestle great people then I have the greatest job in the world.”
Stone Cold Saying WWE Should Sign Him: “That was one of the greatest compliments ever given to me in my career by far by one of the greatest athletes in the industry. Just hope that TNA sees that and we can take it from there. I’m big on loyalty. Some people are of the thought process that if you don’t like something, you quit. You go somewhere else. That’s just not me. I think it’s silly. I think it’s shallow and tawdry. I don’t think I’m done with what I want to do in TNA.”
Matt and Jeff Hardy: “I’m ecstatic for Jeff. I’ve never seen him more healthy and look so much more alive. God bless Matt. Matt is battling those same demons now. I hope and pray that he makes it through. At the end of the day, wrestlers are human beings. These are real people. No matter how much you hate their antics, no matter how much they disgust you, as a person, as a responsible human being I would never wish death on these people.”
On TV wrestling: “TV wrestling is very flash, bang, get it going. I’ve been told by many people in creative that those wrestling fans love the wrestling but it’s the other fans that don’t understand what a wrist lock is etc. I have had my disagreements on this. I think that the art of professional wrestling speaks for itself. I think if you are good enough professional wrestler you can tell your own story regardless of what extraneous feuds you have going. Fundamentally we may differ on that.”
His shoot on Scott Hall At Turning Point 2007: “There was an incident where Scott Hall no-showed. They handed me the mic and said “get him”. That’s what I was told. I went out there and got him. I ruffled a lot of fathers that day, in particular Kevin Nash. Kevin knew about the demons Scott was facing. None of us knew the extent of Hall’s issues.”
Former WWE star Scott Hall is back with the latest of his “Last Call with Scott Hall” video series.
In this episode, Hall narrates over video game footage from the old school WrestleMania arcade game (circa 1995). Hall drops a doozy of a quote when talking about WWE’s drug testing policy in the mid 90’s when he says, Vince was drug testing the dog piss out of us, so all we did was drink and take pills.” Nice.
Mike Mooneyham of The Post & Courier spoke with Scott Hall’s son Cody, who was featured in the recent ESPN:60 documentary (Watch Here). Below are some highlights from the interview:
Wrestling being a part of his life: “Growing up with my dad as a wrestler has given me an extra appreciation for it, and all that it entails, so it has always been in my head as to if I could do it too. I have yet to have a calling to a certain profession, but if there is one, this would be it. It makes sense to start here. I know I have what it takes, and a whole lot more to bring to the table.”
When he knew he wanted to be a wrestler: “It was the night that we met Uncle Kev (Kevin Nash) at TGI Friday’s for dinner after a TNA show. While we were eating, fans were coming up and asking for his autograph. Kevin said to them, ‘Do you know who this is?’ and pointed to me. He told them I was Scott Hall’s son, and they wanted mine too. We were sitting beside each other at the table signing autographs and taking pictures together. It was pretty awesome.”
His relationship with Scott Hall: “For a long time we have had a non-existent and strained relationship. I felt that his time was running out. I didn’t want him to leave with unfinished business or regrets, so I was trying to get to know him the best I could, in the time he has left. I wanted to make him proud of me, too, so I tried to do whatever it took.”
“I left because of the anguish of watching my dad kill himself with his addictions. It became too hard for me to witness this every day, and no matter how much I tried to help him, nothing changed. Eventually there came a point where I couldn’t live around it any longer.”
“My dad has told me on a hundred occasions it was his dream for me to follow in his footsteps and to see me get to the point he was and take it even further, and as long as I can avoid his vices I can have all the success imaginable.”
“I want to remember my dad as just a dad, not a wrestler, but the guy who was there when I rode without the training wheels or who waited for me by the bus stop when he was home. As long as I have those memories, that’s how he will always be to me in the end.”
Earlier this week, we reported that Chris Jericho is telling friends and former colleagues that he’s in talks with WWE officials about returning to the organization in time to set up a match at next year’s WrestleMania 28.
WWE’s first-ever Undisputed champion has acknowledged the report – and wrote the following on Twitter on Thursday night:
“After discussing this with my colleagues,my response to today’s rumor is: a) false b) true c) maybe d) all of the above e) none of the above”
Several weeks ago, we heard from a reliable WWE source that a Chris Jericho vs. The Miz match is being discussed for WrestleMania .. There’s no doubt WWE could use as much star power as they can get headed into WrestleMania – and with Jericho reportedly interested in returning to WWE at some point – a WrestleMania showdown with The Miz sounds pretty damn good to us.
During the piece, Scott Hall reconnected with his estranged son Cody – and teaching his son the art of pro wrestling. According to a report on TMZ.com – that family reunion was short lived – as Scott Hall’s substance abuse already caused another major falling out between them.
— Vince McMahon is said to be high on Cody Rhodes after lacking faith in the second generation wrestler in the past.
Reportedly, the WWE head would not commit to promoting Rhodes as a top level star because he felt he overacts.
— Shawn Michaels posted a statement on Twitter regarding ESPN’s piece on Scott Hall, which aired Wednesday evening on E:60.
He wrote, “FYI- I did not see the piece on Scott. Scott. Kev, Kid & Hunter r my friends. Sharing our personal info or insight on here aint happening. Much like when u ask me my opinion on RAW or other wrestlers. I don’t do it. The net is flooded w/opinions. I don’t think u need one more.”
Several past and present WWE personalities have commented on Twitter about the ESPN E:60 piece on Scott Hall that aired on Wednesday night. Here’s what the following people said, including comments from Hall himself:
Chris Jericho: “Just saw the Scott Hall E-60 piece. My heart goes out to his family and I hope that was a wake-up call for him.This could be his last chance”
Goldust: “Watched e-60…..im asking the world to pray for scott hall…he is a great man….#PRAYFORSCOTTHALL”
Bret Hart: “Just watched the E60 piece on Scott Hall. I always considered him a friend of mine & he knows how to get a hold of me if he ever needs to”
Jim Ross: “The Scott Hall feature aired last night on ESPN. I did not see it as I was taping 2 Legends Roundtable shows. Was told it was compelling.”
Shane Helms: “Well that Scott Hall piece was pretty damn sad. I really hope life picks up for him and his family. #StarshipCoyote”
Scott Hall: Thank u for all your nice comments & for always pulling for The Bad Guy!
In case you missed it on Wednesday night, here’s ESPN’s E:60 piece on the rise and fall of Scott Hall.
The Wrestler: The Scott Hall Story
“In his prime, Scott Hall was a mountain of a man – 6-foot-7, 290 pounds of solidly sculptured muscle, appearing as close as invincible as they come. As Razor Ramon, he was one of professional wrestling’s biggest names and most villainous villains, busting chairs with the likes of Randy Savage, Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans in sold-out arenas. And he loved the life that came with it: the parties, the women, the celebrity. But the high life soon started to slip away, and Hall has been desperately doing whatever he can since to hold on ever since. Hall’s slide seems to know no bottom – from his deteriorating physical and mental condition, to his ongoing battle with alcohol and substance abuse that has crippled his family life and resulted in pathetic public appearances in school gyms. But he’s hanging on, somehow. Now his only son, Cody, wants to follow in his father’s tortured bootsteps. E:60 chronicles the heartbreaking story of a man who is a shadow of his former self and desperate for one last taste of the glory days.”
— Hugo Savinovich, color commentator for WWE’s Spanish language television and pay-per-view broadcasts since 1997, announced Wednesday on YouTube that he is parting ways with the organization.
Savinovich says organization officials informed him a few days ago that his expiring contract would not be renewed. He thanks Vince McMahon for giving him the opportunity to work for WWE fourteen years ago after he fell hard on drugs. He does not know if he will continue to call wrestling matches, but he does know that he will be writing a book dedicated to spreading the word of God.
— Scott Hall posted a message on Twitter following ESPN’s profile piece tonight thanking fans for their support.
He wrote, “Thank u for all your nice comments & for always pulling for The Bad Guy!”
— WWE Hall of Famer Greg “The Hammer” Valentine is advertised to appear for Pro Wrestling Destination at the Neil Road Recreation Center in Reno, Nevada on Saturday, November 5, 2011.
During an episode of the Live Audio Wrestling (available here) radio show last week, Kevin Nash revealed that longtime friend Scott Hall has once again entered a rehabilitation program to address his ongoing substance abuse issues.
The ESPN E:60 feature on Scott Hall airs this Wednesday night on ESPN and will chronicle “Hall’s descent from wrestling superstar to a broken man battling alcoholism and drug addiction.”
Stephanie McMahon is among the industry insiders that were interviewed for the piece – and she revealed that WWE has spent “six figures” (over $100,000) sending Hall to rehab multiple times.
“It’s the most amount of money we’ve spent on anyone,” McMahon said. “I just want Scott to get help and to decide for himself that he needs help. It makes me sad. I don’t want anybody to pass away prematurely or otherwise really. Scott was an incredibly talented performer, larger than life, charismatic. He’s a father, he’s a friend. I’m sure he means a lot to a lot of people and it would be a shame for him to pass away.”
Hulk Hogan and Cody Rhodes are also interviewed for the piece. Hogan talks about how different the pro wrestling culture was back in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, while WWE Intercontinental champion Cody Rhodes is used as an example of a superstar from today’s generation.
For more on the E:60 episode that will air tomorrow night (including quotes from Hogan and Rhodes), head over to ESPN.com.
— The ongoing rift between the two Sin Caras continued on Friday’s SmackDown as Sin Cara (Negro) brutally attacked Sin Cara (Azul) in the backstage area, ripped off his blue mask and put it on himself. Later, he kept the blue mask on and wore it during his match with Justin Gabriel, who he defeated with a leap from the top rope.
WWE has announced that Sin Cara (Azul) will face Sin Cara (Negro) in a Mask vs. Mask Match at Sunday’s SmackDown taping in Mexico City, Mexico.
— Scott Hall trended Saturday night on Yahoo.com (behind NCAA football, The Big Year and Hayden Panettiere) after news surfaced that the former WWE Superstar’s struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction would be profiled on next Wednesday’s episode of E:60 on ESPN.
— Chris Jericho’s heavy metal band Fozzy plays tonight at 11:00 p.m. at the House of Blues at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Scott Hall’s struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction will be profiled on next Wednesday’s episode of E:60 on ESPN. ESPN’s preview for the show as well as a video of Scott Hall and Eric Bischoff talking about Hall’s demons can be seen below:
The Wrestler – Scott Hall
At the height of professional wrestling in the 90’s, Scott Hall was adored by millions, his name chanted by loyal fans. Today, he has hit rock bottom. E:60 follows his descent from superstar to a broken man battling alcoholism and drug addiction, but still trying to hold onto the glory he once found in the ring.
— Rosa Mendes, who has not appeared on WWE programming since SummerSlam, posted her first message on Twitter since August 20 by ranting about fellow SmackDown Diva A.J. The three-year veteran doesn’t feel the Union City native “looks like a WWE Diva.”
She wrote, “But what one thing I don’t miss is looking at rookies that call themselves divas when they can’t get a hold of some proactive to clear their Awful skin up, and start dressing like actual Divas instead of shopping at consignment stores in the kid section. You want to be a Diva? Look like one AJ. You look like a cashier that works at my local grocery store.
“Why you are on the roster boggles my mind!!!!!!!!”
— The official WWE website has ranked Hulk Hogan turning his back on millions of Hulkamaniacs to join Scott Hall and Kevin Nash in forming one of the most infamous groups in history, the New World Order, as No. 1 in their “List This: Legends of the Fall.”
Click here for WWE.com’s recollection of the event.
— Former WWE talent Paul Heyman turns 46 years old today.
WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with another blog update, which you can read in its entirety at JRsBarBQ.com. Here are some highlights of what JR wrote about:
Rey Mysterio’s Recent Knee Surgery: “Get well wishes to Rey Mysterio who had knee surgery in San Diego this past Friday. Rey had ACL and MCL issues addressed and will be out of action for several months. This is the same knee that Rey has had multiple surgeries so his rehabilitation work will be even more magnified and important.”
Ric Flair’s Personal Issues: “Many have asked me via Twitter @JRsBBQ and in the Q&A Section of this site to comment on the ESPN/Grantland article regarding Ric Flair’s personal finances and other personal issues. Ric has been a friend for well over three decades and I was uncomfortable reading the piece. Ric has always enjoyed life to its fullest, and beyond, which, last I looked, wasn’t a crime. Lots of famous athletes and entertainers have had financial hurdles to overcome. If Ric has the issues that Grantland outlined, I wish Naitch well and he has my support.”
Samoa Joe: “Several people have asked me about Samoa Joe. I personally like Joe’s work and feel that his best days lie ahead. I do not know Joe. I’ve never conversed with him that I can recall. Bottom line is 1. he has a contract where he now works and 2. I am not involved in talent acquisition for WWE.”
Scott Hall Announcing: “Could Scott Hall fit in the announce booth as a color commentator? It’s not an easy transition for many former wrestlers to make the move from the ring to the announce table so it wouldn’t be automatic. However, Scott is a bright guy who is glib and he knows the genre well. If he put in the work that it would take to be an asset who’s to say that Scott Hall wouldn’t be a good broadcaster? I do know that it takes great focus, commitment and study to be as good as one needs to be in today’s world. I don’t know if Scott has an interest in this matter but it was a question from a Twitter follower.”
— WWE.com has posted a ninety-one second video retrospective highlighting the influential career of Kevin Nash. Titled “Who Is Kevin Nash?,” the video package features clips of Nash as “Big Daddy Cool” Diesel, his memorable exploits with the New World Order, his appearances for WWE in 2003, and his surprise returns at this year’s Royal Rumble and SummerSlam.
“Kevin Nash, he’s one of the top players without question,” Jim Ross said of the legendary grappler. “He was the catalyst. You can’t look at the top stars without including Kevin Nash. And you really can’t do it honestly without putting Kevin Nash toward the top of the list.”
The highlight video can be accessed here.
— Scott Hall no-showed Saturday’s I Believe in Wrestling event in Orlando, Florida. According to the organization’s official website, www.ibelieveinwrestling.com, he was advertised to host the show with former TNA star Desmond Wolfe.
— Former WWE star Rob Conway has launched an account on Twitter. He announced Monday that he will be competing in the NPC Kentucky Muscle Mens Physique Division this November, noting that he is 98% fat free.
— Ring of Honor wrestlers Claudio Castagnoli and Chris Hero, both WWE bound, willbypass developmental and join the main roster after they sign their respective contracts.
— Scott Hall’s son Cody, who 6-foot-9 and 20 years old, is training at the I Believe In Wrestling school in Orlando, Florida. Hall offers helps train wrestlers at the school, as does Larry Zbyszko, Chasyn Rance and Alex Porteau.
— A WWE camera crew is prepping with Steve Austin today at his Broken Skull Ranch in Tilden, Texas to begin filming their DVD project on the Hall of Famer Tuesday and Wednesday.
— CM Punk has been removed from WWE’s entrance video for The Nexus.
– Scott Hall’s 20-year-old son Cody is currently training to be a pro wrestler at the I Believe in Wrestling school in Orlando, Florida.
– The reason John Laurinaitis was with Vince McMahon at Money in the Bank for the run-in is because Vince has been told by his doctors not to take any bumps, according to the Wrestling Observer.
– As we reported earlier this week, the storyline of CM Punk leavin with the WWE championship is expected to continue off television. Punk’s name will not be mentioned on WWE television and WWE stars have been told not to acknowledge Punk if they do any interviews. That said, WWE has been working to get Punk booked for appearances on late night television shows, high-profile radio interviews and more.
Punk’s next public appearance will be at the San Diego Comic Con event this week.
— Former WWE Diva Stacy Keibler is used to people going crazy when they meet her, but the scene outside celebrity hotspot Katsuya was quite chaotic as the paparazzi scrambled to get great close up photos of Stacy as she headed to her car.
Stacy’s hot outfit only made the paparazzi crush even more severe, as everyone was scrambling to get pics of the gorgeous Dancing With The Stars alum. You can see Stacy looking positively gorgeous in her hot outfit here, courtesy of Paul Heyman’s Heyman Hustle blog.
— TMZ.com is reporting that Scott Hall checked himself in to the Seminole County Jail today to begin his sentence stemming from a 2010 arrest for drunken disorderly conduct at a Florida bar. Hall, who will be staying in the medical unit of the jail due to his bad health, was sentenced to 10 days but will likely only serve 2 days due to time previously served.
— TMZ.com reported Tuesday that Scott Hall was sentenced to ten days in Seminole County Jail for resisting arrest last May. The story also notes that his jail time was reduced to two days for time served. F4WOnline.com reports that the story is incorrect as two days were cut off his sentence.
Hall will enter jail on July 5 and be released on July 13.
— Members of WWE’s creative team are said to be burnt out following two consecutive three-hour episodes of Raw, the Capitol Punishment pay-per-view event and conceiving plans for next month’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view event.
— Drew McIntyre vs. Justin Gabriel headlines tonight’s Florida Championship Wrestling live event at the Orlando Armory in Orlando, Florida. An autograph session will also take place with Kofi Kingston, Ricardo Rodriguez, Mason Ryan, Trent Barreta, Johnny Curtis, Jinder Mahal, Kaitlyn and Bill DeMott.
TMZ reports that Scott Hall was sentenced to ten days in Seminole County Jail yesterday for resisting arrest last May.
Hall was arrested on May 14, 2010, and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting a police office. Authorities were called to the Hitching Post Bar in Chuluota after Hall, who had been “drinking heavily” according to a police report, “became aggressive”. When authorities arrived, they found Hall yelling and cursing at the amateur wrestling personalities Marc Grabowsky, Kevin “Showtime” Van Camp, Tony “ODB” Griffin, Shawn Shiever The Beaver Retreiver, Mark E. Nelson and other staff of the bar. Hall was told he was not allowed to return to the establishment. On his police report, Hall listed himself as an “unemployed” professional wrestler, despite having a job with TNA Wrestling, who would release him a month after the arrest.
Court records in Seminole County, Florida indicate Hall was sentenced to ten days in jail. His jail time, however, was reduced to two days for time served.
He is planning to check in to jail on July 5. A representative for the former wrestling champion says he’ll be in the medical unit due to his “bad health.”
Check out this gallery of Scott Hall’s EIGHT mugshot pictures:
— TMZ posted a report yesterday stating that Kevin Nash was cleared of a battery charge following a recent altercation with an adult male outside of a Florida restaurant. Nash, however, feels that TMZ didn’t report the whole story.
He wrote on Twitter, “What great journalism TMZ provides. Nothing about the guy trying to attack me with a beer bottle. Guy with tattoo’s always gets arrested.”
TMZ reported that Nash and his wife were leaving the restaurant when a man, who was described as being inebriated, approached Nash’s wife. The man became “aggressive” after Nash’s wife told the drunkard to go away. Nash intervened and took the man down to the ground. He held the man down until police arrived, but was arrested himself on suspicion of battery, a charge that has since been dropped due to lack of evidence.
— Former WWE talent Scott Hall appeared at an I Believe In Wrestling event on Saturday at the Downtown Orlando Recreation Center in Orlando, Florida. Hall, who appeared to have difficultly walking, opened and closed the show addressing the audience. He also participated in an angle with TNA Superstar Jesse Neal.
– If you are a fan of Scott Hall and always wanted to own a piece of Hall merchandise, now is your chance. The Bad Guy is auctioning off the NWO vest he wore to the ring at WrestleMania 18 for his match against Stone Cold Steve Austin. Hall insists that he doesn’t need the money – but the vest is just “collecting dust” at his Florida home and he wants to sell it to somebody who will really appreciate the memorabilia. For more on Scott Hall’s auction, visit lighteningentertainment.com.
– No word yet on why Miss USA Rima Fakih wasn’t on RAW last night with the rest of the Tough Enough cast. We do know that she was in Las Vegas over the weekend finishing out her duties as the reigning Miss USA.
– A few weeks after the news that his professional mixed martial arts debut was being put on hold indefinitely, former WWE superstar Dave Batista is teaming up with Cesar Gracie (of the legendary Gracie family) and will be running a public MMA training facility in Tampa, Florida. The Gracie Fighter Jiu Jitsu school, which currently only open to professional fighters, is expanding its operations and will be open to the public next week.
