Shawn Michaels wants Kendrick Lamar and Drake to “tune up the band” in WWE NXT.
Drake and Lamar have been verbally butting heads via diss tracks at one another since March but the beef has been amping up the past two weeks. Lamar happened to conjure up Shawn Michaels’ “Sweet Chin Music” finisher in the song titled “Not Like Us” stating “Put the whole label on me, I’mma get ’em dropped, Sweet Chin Music and I won’t pass the aux.”
Drake then happened to fire back on Sunday night with a new track, but that one was without any pro wrestling references.
Nonetheless, Michaels caught wind of the rap and decided to offer a venue and his services to settle the score.
“A little Sweet Chin Music goes a long way. Kendrick Lamar, you and Drake are formally invited to #WWENXT to settle this thing. I’m even offering my services to mediate.”
Could Shawn Michaels play peacemaker between Drake and Kendrick Lamar?
The feud between Lamar and Drake has gotten personal as both have referenced their families and relationships. Back in his heyday, Michaels was no stranger to getting personal with Bret Hart during the beginning of the Attitude Era and in turn, Hart wasn’t afraid to fire back.
With Lamar dropping such a line “Not Like Us” and Drake notoriously representing Razor Ramon by wearing a classic “Bad Guy” tee, the two clearly have some semblence of wrestling fandom. They also wouldn’t be the first set of hip-hop artists to set foot in the squared circle as Bad Bunny set a precedent for rappers stepping into the ring.
If you don’t think pro wrestling is everywhere, you best think again as Kendrick Lamar decided to reference Shawn Michaels in his latest diss track against Drake. The talk of the hip-hop world has been the back and forth diss track dropping between famed rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake who have decided to air their grievances through their lyrics.
It was Lamar who happened to pull pro wrestling out of the hostler to take a shot in his latest song by referencing Shawn Michaels’ iconic finishing move. The track titled “Not Like Us” has Lamar metaphorically “tuning up the band” to lay down a Sweet Chin Music. The specific diss starts at 2:23.
“Put the whole label on me, I’mma get ’em dropped.
Sweet Chin Music and I won’t pass the aux.”
Ironically enough, Drake once happened to don the tee shirt of one of HBK’s greatest rivals (and Kayfabe Kliq best friend) Razor Ramon. However unlike “The Bad Guy” Scott Hall, the feeling amongst fans is that Drake isn’t going to win this feud.
For decades pro wrestling and music have gone together like PB&J, but it’s been the hip-hop genre to greatly tip the cap to the “one true sport.” Several top names from the world of rap have made several references to the legends in pro wrestling. Wu-Tang Clan referenced Ken Patera in “Shadowboxin'” and OutKast spoke of “droppin’ bows like Dusty Rhodes” in their song “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik.” One of rap’s greatest proponents is Westside Gunn, who has a bundle of lyrics, song titles and albums in honor of some of wrestling’s biggest stars.
Welcome to the Daily Drop for Sunday, April 14, 2024. There is a lot going on in the pro wrestling world, so let’s not waste any time.
WWE keeps cutting people internally, as Sue Aitchison, who was a WWE Hall of Famer Warrior Award recipient in 2019, and Sid Scala was the latest to get the axe. This is interesting timing, and has a lot of fans talking about what is next, possibly even roster cuts. You may find a list of all the 2024 WWE releases and departures below.
WWE:
– Big E’s Bad News: Although he feels happy and healthy, Big E is not cleared for a return. He released a statement to fans yesterday, revealing that he may never wrestle again at this point.
– Family Feud: WWE Superstars went to battle on Family Feud. It was quite a special episode, which featured Montez Ford, Angelo Dawkins, Bobby Lashley, SmackDown Tag Team Champion Austin Theory, and LA Knight takingon the team of Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, ‘Michin’ Mia Yim, Sonya Deville, and Zelina Vega.
– HBK vs AJ: Shawn Michaels admitted that AJ Styles is his dream opponent if he ever gets back in the ring. Of course, the Showstopper is long retired at this point.
– Rousey Hid Vital Information:Ronda Rousey admitted that she hid her concussion history from WWE.
– WWE Cutting Down on AR: The company will be doing away with a lot of the augmented reality entrances that we see on a weekly basis.
AEW:
– Dynasty Stipulation: AEW added a ladder match stipulation to the AEW World Tag Team Title match between the Young Bucks and FTR at Dynasty on April 21.
AEW is coming to St. Louis, MO with AEW: Dynasty LIVE on PPV on Sunday, April 21st at Chaifetz Arena
Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
Shawn Michaels would have loved for the chance to step in the ring with AJ Styles but believes the time for such a dream showdown has come and gone.
Styles didn’t officially join WWE until 2016, at which point Mr. WrestleMania had been retired for close to six years. Speaking recently to Gorilla Position, Michaels was asked about his dream match and set his sights on the Phenomenal One.
“I think the one I really want to see is me and AJ. That’s where I go with. It’s also, as you know, more talent comes along and you start looking at them. I always, I still do it now. I look at them like ‘Oh boy. I could do cool stuff with him.’ But I think AJ, I think AJ and I [have] got similar styles and stuff like that so I always feel that would be what people would want to see. So that would be my go to [answer.]”
When asked if there’s a chance of the match happening or if it’ll remain in WWE 2K24, Michaels admitted that there’s slim chance of either possibility.
“Well [for] one, I couldn’t even play it in the game now. That’s how slow I am. But I think that time has passed. It’s time for generations to move on.”
This match never happened, though not for lack of trying by the Phenomenal One. During a 2019 interview with WWE, Styles revealed that he requested a match with Shawn but Michaels said he couldn’t do anything about it at the time.
Ultimately, the match can’t happen these days, and even if it could, Michaels would not be able to go at the level he did 20+ years ago. Nevertheless, the two men have forged incredible careers in their own rights.
WWE Superstars all have their own ways of preparing for WrestleMania. The biggest show of the year will see The Rock return for a match, and he had some special assistance.
Gallus is a stable that has been largely underutilized by WWE, but they put them to good use when training The Rock for his WrestleMania match. Wolfgang, Joe Coffey and Mark Coffey were up for the task.
During WWE’s media day before WrestleMania, Shawn Michaels spoke to SEScoops about Gallus training with The Rock. He said that this came out because the faction is so reliable, and they are also incredibly professional.
These are three guys who know what they’re doing, understand every aspect of it, sometimes you need a guy who’s younger who can fly around, but sometimes you need guys who are mature, and professional, who can adjust to everything to what Rock wants. Obviously, I’m partial to those guys, they’re fantastic guys, they’re professional and very dependable.
HBK then said that he received a photo of Gallus and The Rock doing the stable’s trademark pose. We hope that they release that soon. It seems that WWE picked the right people for the job to help train The Rock.
More on The Rock’s WrestleMania Training
The Rock had a lot of help to prepare for his in-ring return. After all, he is promoting this as the biggest tag team match in history, and it very well may be.
WWE assisted in transporting two rings, one to Los Angeles and the other to Hawaii, working with Johnson’s team to secure warehouses for training venues. This arrangement provided The Rock with the necessary resources for his training regimen.
During his training, The Rock participated in simulated matches with NXT’s Gallus faction. As he prepared for an upcoming tag-team match, Johnson needed three wrestlers to practice in-ring sequences and refine his timing. Therefore, Wolfgang, along with real-life brothers Joe Coffey and Mark Coffey, were selected for this specific task.
Supervising the training sessions were Michael Hayes and Bobby Roode, accompanied by referee Chad Patton. Additionally, WWE medical personnel were present to oversee the safety of the rehearsals.
The Undertaker has named the proudest moment of his wrestling career.
The Dead Man has had many memorable encounters throughout the years. His matches with rivals such as Mick Foley and Kane are still remembered by fans multiple decades later.
However, when asked what is the greatest event he has ever been a part of during a recent Patreon Q&A, Taker picked his encounter with Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25 as his greatest match ever:
The Last Outlaw was asked if he thinks the Michaels match was maybe the greatest ever in history of wrestling. While he shied away from making any such claims, the WWE Hall of Famer did reveal that WWE originally wanted to put the match very early in the card. They threw a fit about it backstage and then both performers went into the ring with the intention of stealing the show:
You know me I don’t like to put myself over in those kind of answers but that match was pretty close to…in spite of Dave Meltzer only giving it four stars. I don’t remember him taking too many bumps. I don’t really have a lot of stock in what he says. I can’t even believe I just gave him credit. I did say his name and I’m regretting that right now. We might have to edit that out.
There was just so many special factors, starting with Shawn and I’s relationship. How it had come full circle and to where now we care for each other as friends and not just competitors and people working for the same company. We are genuine friends at that point.
We don’t like where we have been put on the card. So we both have chips on our shoulders. He was from San Antonio, I’m from Houston, we’re in Texas. Everything lined up perfectly for that match and that night and it’ll still probably be my proudest moment.”
My Greatest Matches: The Undertaker
The Undertaker later discussed how WrestleMania 25 was start of a series that ended with the memorable ‘End of An Era’ match with Triple H four years later. According to Taker, the pressure shifted completely on him after the first bout but the whole series is probably his greatest achievement as a performer:
“Then even then, leading into the two with Triple H. That was the continuation of those first two matches. Those all just kind of fell together. You’re talking about pressure though. The first one was us proving a point. The second one, the pressure was on me because I’m getting Shawn Michaels’ retirement match.
That’s a heavy heavy responsibility. Cause you want, you know, for somebody who has had a career like Shawn, you wanna make sure that they go away thinking ‘yeah, I can walk away from this. I am ok because we just tore the house down’ So that pressure was huge.
And then now I go into the next two with Triple H. Like I’ve just had two freaking banger matches and now we’re continuing the story with the best friend who is stepping in and completely different styles. Those were four really, really fun years.
There is my run with Mick [Foley] and the things that I got to do with Mick and obviously, the greatest story maybe ever told was me and Kane and I hold those in really high regard. But as far as storytelling, match quality and all of that, those four matches are probably I feel like four of my greatest matches.”
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription.
For many years, John Cena has been involved in many big matches and moments at the ‘Grandest Stage Of Them All.’ He has won championships and even proposed at a WrestleMania. However, Cena has recently shared that he also had a featured match involving him being cut short compared to what was initially planned.
On his TikTok account, Cena shared that his Triple Threat Match against Big Show and Adam Copeland (FKA Edge) for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship was cut short. The match occurred at WWE WrestleMania 25 on April 5, 2009.
Fans may recall that the match before Cena’s was Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker. While Michaels and ‘The Deadman’ put on an all-time classic WrestleMania performance, the Triple Threat Match was cut for time.
Cena reflected on the match on TikTok and spoke about WWE’s decision. He also thanked Big Show and Copeland for their cooperation.
“…Those guys had a long match, which means you got to find the time somewhere, which means they took a lot of time away from this match. Yes, taking time away from your match happens at every level. I want to thank my opponents, Edge and The Big Show, for being so calm and collected and adjusting what we needed to do, and still being able to take some high-risk and give the audience some crazy moments,” said Cena.
One example he remembered was picking up both his opponents at the same time. He also revealed the match was supposed to last 30 minutes and noted how quickly he got out of the ring after his win.
Will John Cena Make An Appearance At WWE WrestleMania 40?
As WWE WrestleMania 40 approaches, fans wonder if Cena will appear. He is not scheduled for a match or a segment at the event.
Cena will likely not be in a match or be limited in how physical he can be with others, but fans will still enjoy seeing the former WWE Champion make a surprise appearance.
R-Truth has been wowed with what he’s seen from Shawn Michaels, who Truth believes could be the next, well, Shawn Michaels.
On social media, WWE shared a clip of Truth gushing praise to an unseen individual. Truth was clearly under the impression that he was speaking to Johnny Gargano.
“Johnny Gargano, Johnny Wrestling. Hey dawg, DIY is blowing up right now. Y’all hot. I’m telling you, just from me, I see a lot of Shawn Michaels in you, yes I do. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you could be the next Heartbreak Kid.”
The camera then pans to reveal that Truth was speaking to the actual Shawn Michaels. The bewildered head of NXT closes the door on Truth who said he needs to speak with Ciampa.
Truth’s comedy antics have proven to be a hit with the WWE Universe, many of whom hope to see the veteran rewarded with a WrestleMania spot. Some believe Truth could challenge Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER soon enough given comments by the Austrian on Raw. Others believe that a tag match would be more fitting, pitting Truth and The Miz against Truth’s ‘allies’ in the Judgment Day.
As for Shawn Michaels, his future will see him continue to lead WWE NXT as its creative head. The gold brand will host its Roadblock special episode next week. In April, WWE NXT will host its Stand & Deliver event the same day as WrestleMania 40: Saturday. No matches have been announced for the latter show at this time.
WWE Superstars are certainly in a tough position when it comes to addressing the Vince McMahon allegations. Not only are they talking about something that came out of left field regarding their former employer, but it was about someone whom many had a personal relationship with and in turn, changed their lives.
However, it goes without saying that the allegations levied against Vincent Kennedy McMahon are heinous and jaw-dropping. Any person with common sense would hope that the truth of it all comes out. In this case, time is a friend to no one and questions get asked, meaning WWE talent have to wade tough waters on a subject that’s not only personal, but uncomfortable and a cobweb of legalities. At this juncture, many top names in WWE have had to address it and each have come with their varying levels of praise and criticism for how they’ve handled it.
Triple H, Bruce Prichard & Shawn Michaels
Triple H, Bruce Prichard and Shawn Michaels clearly have had a strong working relationship with Vince McMahon, but Paul Levesque has even another layer to his relationship being Vince’s son-in-law. The Game was one of the first names asked about McMahon during the Royal Rumble press conference and chose to not address the Janel Grant allegations, but rather currently look at the positive things WWE was doing that week. When asked specifically if he had read the legal document from Grant’s lawyers, Levesque said he hadn’t at the moment.
Another name asked not long after Hunter was his close friend HBK during the NXT Vengeance Day press conference. Michaels, who leads NXT, mostly focused on the safety and well-being of the talent, and made sure to say that he hopes to continue to cultivate a positive enviroment down in the black and gold.
Bruce Prichard was a third figure in power who addressed it personally on his Something To Wrestle With podcast. Prichard told co-host Conrad Thompson that he’s not at liberty to talk about the matter considering it is a legal situation.
Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens & Becky Lynch
Surprisingly enough, the first major star or WWE figure asked about the Vince McMahon allegations was Cody Rhodes, right after winning the 2024 Royal Rumble nonetheless. Rhodes happened to step up and lay the groundwork as to how a top talent should handle such a polarizing subject by mentioning how it was a “dark cloud” and credited the people behind-the-scenes as to how the situation was handled.
“This crew is very team-based, and perhaps that’s the ingredient. Everyone looking out for everyone. Being accountable.”
Moving forward, WWE has seemingly allowed their Superstars to address the matter as they see fit and Seth Rollins was another name who stepped up, stating it was a “crap situation,” and went on to mention how if the allegations are indeed true, he hopes the appropriate parties get what’s coming to them.
Seth Rollins’ wife, “The Man” Becky Lynch was recently asked about the allegations while in Perth for Elimination Chamber and provided a feminine perspective to the matter, noting that the allegations are hard to reconcile.
Overall, the modern stars of WWE managed to walk that line of being professional, but also understanding the gravity of the allegations.
Randy Orton & John Cena
Randy Orton is fully an active member of the WWE roster, but he, like John Cena, have had a longer relationship with Vince McMahon than anyone aside from Michaels, Triple H and Bruce Prichard.
When asked about McMahon, Orton credited all that Vince McMahon has done and given to him, but in the same breath mentioned how heinous the accusations were.
“As far as commenting on that, it f*cking hurts my heart. It hurts my heart.”
While Orton did directly reference the allegations outright, John Cena noted that the situation was super unfortunate and it deals with an entity and a man he loves.. While on Howard Stern, Cena spoke about accountability, but to the public eye, Cena was heavily criticized for his comments. Former WWE head writer Vince Russo even predicted that the star would get killed for his stance and believes his comments missed the mark.
With WrestleMania season picking up, one would have to suspect that several WWE names will still get asked about McMahon, even with the potential of more allegations surfacing against the former WWE Chairman. Many are still waiting to hear from current WWE CEO Nick Khan or even what The Rock may have to say about his one-time boss. One could hope they are handled as well as what many have already done and that justice will be served where warranted.
Shawn Michaels was well-aware of Jordynne Grace before she entered the women’s Royal Rumble match this past Saturday and even wanted her in the WWE fold.
Speaking with the media ahead of WWE Vengeance Day Shawn Michaels was asked about the possibility of TNA connecting with NXT in the future for a “When Worlds Collide” PLE down the line. HBK first took the moment to speak about Grace and her talent.
“I’ve always sort of seen her from afar, and I’ve always wondered, you know, I don’t know, ‘What if she’d be interested, coming down next year, coming to the WWE?’ But my fault for never reaching out because I assume if you’re with another company, you know, that’s not allowed.”
Grace impressed many with her performance in the match as she lasted over 20 minutes before being eliminated by Bianca Belair in epic fashion. Michaels did end up addressing the olive branch extended to TNA at Royal Rumble and noted that the move possibily opens up for cool opportunities down the line, even if he has zero say in the matter.
“I think some things that probably we were never even allowed to consider or look at in the past is at least something that we can begin to look at and think about in the future.
“I, for one, very excited about that again, but those are, once again, those are things on a corporate level that I don’t get to say so.”
Shawn Michaels was asked about the Vince McMahon allegations during the NXT Vengeance Day media call on Thursday and answered them head on.
The first three questions of the call were all in relation to the recent heinous allegations made about Michaels’ former boss. One of which was if he talked to his NXT roster about it after all the news broke last Thursday. Michaels said he hadn’t had conversations with the talent about it, but everyone is well-aware of all the controversy.
“It’s incredibly sad situation. I can sit here and go like, you know, ‘It sucks,’ but we have always again, and I’ve mentioned it to you all in the past that we take all of the youth that come through here incredibly serious because this is a tough line of work regardless of what’s going on, just leaving home and coming here and pursuing your dreams is, is a big thing that we take incredibly serious here.
The 4-time World Champion spoke about WWE prospects being vulnerable and knows the importance of continuing to attract the Superstars of tomorrow.
“We understand young men and women that come through our doors are impressible. So we absolutely certainly encouraged the openness and again, telling everybody to please again, tell us the truth, you know, and let us know how we can help, but that’s something that again has been here for a long time, and we continue to do our best to improve on that because it is, it’s one of the most important things to me is to be able to ask those questions.”
Michaels also went on to say that he doesn’t care if people think talent today are softer because of the positive culture he tries to cultivate down in NXT, but it’s for their own betterment.
Michaels did close out the call by saying this was toughest media call he’s done to date and understood that tough questions needed to be asked.
William Regal’s recent appearance on WWE NXT marks his first since returning to the company over a year ago and Shawn Michaels knows Regal is a fan favorite.
Speaking with the media on the NXT Vengeance Day media call, HBK was asked by Ella Jay of SEScoops if Regal’s passing of the torch to Ava Raine as the new NXT General Manager meant more things to come from the future WWE Hall of Famer.
“[Regal] is there for her counsel in any way he can help. So look, you know as well as I do here in NXT, when you have a staple and a foundational person like William Regal you gotta have more than just one shot with him here and there.
“I think everybody was extremely excited about his brief cameo on NXT television. I have no doubt that we will have some other cameos by William Regal in the future as well.”
Regal may have been off-television for an entire year since leaving AEW, but that was per stipulation of him exiting the company. A big reason for Regal wanting to return to WWE was that his son, Charlie Dempsey is a rising talent in NXT and he wanted to be part of his development.
Funny enough, Ava Raine is also following in her father’s footsteps as the very same week The Rock was announced as a member of the TKO Board Of Directors, Raine was appointed the new GM, a major role that she’s hoping to electrify in.
Please credit and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
On this week’s AEW Dynamite: Homecoming, Anna Jay wore a shirt in tribute to Brodie Lee, who passed away in December of 2020. Speaking after competing on the show, Jay addressed her time working with the Dark Order leader.
“He’s really what started me here in AEW. He was here from the beginning when I was signed at 21, he kind of took me under his wing. I was in the Dark Order to begin with and he’s somebody who kind of showed me what was right… Now not having him is obviously really difficult, but tonight really sparked something in me that I haven’t had since then.”
EXCLUSIVE! @AnnaJay___ reflects on her match honoring The Exalted One, Mr. Brodie Lee and how he influences her to this day. pic.twitter.com/R1utqSM75Z
Last year, it was reported that the NWA had reached a deal with the CW, though the promotion has yet to air on TV. This week, the NWA confirmed that all-new NWA programming will be on the CW App starting February 6.
We are thrilled to announce that all-new NWA programming will appear on @TheCwApp starting February 6th!
The app is available in all AppStores, streaming devices and viewable in your browser!
Pop sensation Taylor Swift’s relationship with San Francisco 49’er Travis Kelce has dominated the headlines as of late, with even Grayson Waller getting in on the fun. Recently, Kelce’s mom visited the Performance Center and snapped a photo with Shawn Michaels. The USA Network made it clear they hope to see more Kelces and Kelce-affiliated people at the PC.
Awesome! Maybe more Kelce’s and Kelce-adjacent people would also like to show up to the Performance Center ?
Dragon Lee has been impressive on the main roster and has been winning over fans with his generosity at WWE live events. This week, WWE filed a trademark on the name of the former NXT North American Champion. The trademark covers the use of his name on merchandise and at wrestling events.
The Undertaker is a WWE Hall of Famer who led the locker room for decades. While he led the troops for Vince McMahon backstage, he also saw many instances of tomfoolery along the way.
The Undertaker Speaks on Backstage Pranks in WWE
WWE Superstars spend their lives on the road, and sometimes they get bored. This was especially true during The Undertaker’s heyday, because WWE’s schedule was far more grueling. To pass the time, Superstars would often prank each other backstage.
The Undertaker is famously afraid of cucumbers. Owen Hart took advantage of this fact on several occasions, as he pranked the Deadman with the common vegetable. Through it all, things never got too intense as Taker remembers it. He did remember how The Rockers would tamper with other wrestlers’ belongings while they were busy in the ring.
During his Six Feet Under podcast, The Undertaker was asked what was the most juvenile prank he ever saw backstage in WWE.
“When I first started with WWE, Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty. They were a couple little turds. That’s what they were. They were just bad. I would go out and have a match. Back then, we’d have somebody there that would bring our ring gear back. Every time I’d come back from a match, there would be my hat sitting on a case somewhere, and it would be poked. The top of it would be poked in. It’d be like sugar poured all over the top of it, flowers put in it. Just silly things that they would do to my hat. I didn’t know who was doing it. One thing with a rib when you’re in the wrestling business is, you don’t sell it. You don’t sell the rib. You don’t let anybody know that the rib’s getting to you. Because if it’s bothering you, it’s only gonna get worse. So I’m just playing it cool and I kind of set it up like a trap one day. I had my hat sitting out on the case. My coat was lying next to it and I’m kind of hiding.”
“This is kinda juvenile in its own right. I’m kind of hiding behind the curtain backstage, watching. I set a trap [and] here comes Shawn Michaels, just be-bopping down the hallway, and he stops. He walked in, he sees my hat and he stops. I remember him looking both ways like ‘Is there anybody around?’ I remember him pushing my hat, the top of my hat, caving my hat in, and I caught him right away. I was like, ‘You son of a bitch.’ And he about pissed himself like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.’ That was some of the more juvenile. I’ve been fairly lucky.”
“There’s only been a few guys that would rib me. Paul Bearer would rib me and Brian Adams would rib me. Those are the only two. Yeah, those are the only two guys or whatever. I mean Vince. Yeah, he went out of his way to rib me. He would spend thousands and thousands of dollars just to rib me and get a kick out of it. But as far as the talent, though, the only two guys that would rib me were Paul Bearer and Bryan Adams.”
The Deadman was also asked if he ever saw a prank go too far. That is when the former judge of Wrestlers Court was candid in his response. There were what he called “close calls,” and cucumbers were involved. In the end, those ribs were relatively harmless.
“There were a couple of close calls with cucumbers, that got a little bit too close to consumption, which would have been really bad. But most of them were pretty harmless.”
History of Practical Jokes in Pro Wrestling
Another notable instance of a famous backstage rib went down during a European tour in 1993 when Owen Hart switched his brother Bret Hart’s wrestling gear with a smaller-sized version, so the Hitman had to go out alone. Owen Hart also put sliced cucumbers in The Undertaker’s boots, which caused quite a reaction from the Deadman.
Mr. Fuji, who was a legendary prankster backstage, was known for mischievous ribs. He did things like filling babyface wrestlers’ water bottles with salt. Bobby Heenan was also legendary for his outlandish ribs, one that would entertain Superstars for hours on the road.
The infamous “Plane Ride from Hell” in 2002 saw various disruptive ribs, including Ric Flair’s naked antics, which did not age well at all. A wrestling match also broke out between Brock Lesnar and Mr. Perfect, who also allegedly dosed wrestlers with halcion tablets for giggles at times as well.
Bret Hart famously left WWE in 1997 after an incredibly controversial exit. That departure still lives on in pro wrestling fandom, but it seems that the incident is water under the bridge for everyone involved.
The Montreal Screw-Job
The Montreal Screwjob went down during the 1997 Survivor Series match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. In the closing moments of the bout, there was a controversial and unexpected turn of events. Despite Bret Hart not intending to drop the WWE Championship in his home country of Canada, Vince McMahon, the owner, and operator of WWE at the time, instructed the referee, Earl Hebner, to ring the bell and declare Shawn Michaels the winner.
This decision, which was made without Bret Hart’s knowledge, stirred immense controversy and changed the landscape of professional wrestling. It became one of the most talked-about incidents in the industry’s history. Not only did it inspire the legendary “Bret Screwed Bret” promo before memes existed, but it also lives on in pro wrestling history.
The Aftermath of the Montreal Screw-Job
During an interview with Steve Fall, Earl Hebner opened up about his current relationship with Bret Hart. It seems that the two have mended their bridge after that controversial Survivor Series main event in 1997.
“I have a merch shirt that says ‘Damn right I did.’ And a lot of people want me to say, Can you write on it ‘I screwed Bret?’ I go, ‘No. I can’t do that.’ A while back, maybe three or four years ago, I would do it but Bret and I made up. And before my brother passed, we were at a house show, or indie show and he was there and he called us into the ring and he put us over like big time. So now Bret calls me now and then and I’ll call him and we got a good relationship back and I’m not gonna screw it up by writing something over a dumb ass shirt. It’s gonna destroy our friendship.
Earl Hebner was questioned about any concerns he had before reuniting with Bret and the possibility of Bret being upset with him.
“For a long time it honestly it bothered me. It was bad for me, you know, cuz I carried it with me for a lot of years. We met one time an airport, and I wanted to talk to him and he said, ‘I don’t want to talk to you.’ … I said, ‘can I talk to you for a minute?” He goes, ‘I don’t want to talk.’ I said okay, so I let it go and that was it. And as time went on, you know, it finally worked out well. We got to see each other [and] communicate.”
Working With Randy Savage
Earl Hebner went on to speak about some talent who weren’t so easy to work with. One of those people was “Macho Man” Randy Savage, because he was such a perfectionist, and Savage wrote everything out in his matches move-by-move.
“Well, from the old referees and today’s referees and today’s matches back then in there, it’s a world of difference. It’s not the same. It’s just it’s like old school and new school. You know and the old school you had to work and be smart because they never gave you everything. You know a lot of times back then I’d go in there and I go, ‘What’s the finish?’ They said, ‘just count.’ Okay. We did know the finish a lot of times. I mean 99 percent of the time. We knew the finish Some of the old guys just come through and tell you what it was. They said watch the match and count.”
“Macho Man. I mean when it comes to WrestleMania, he gives you a sack of papers that thick of the whole match way before it was ever gonna go on. I mean two weeks before WrestleMania and then he comes back and I’ll go, ‘damn, this is a joke here.’ But that’s how he was, he was a perfectionist.”
Steve Fall went on to note how Diamond Dallas Page wrote his matches out move by move before bell time. This caused Earl Hebner to reply, “Oh Randy was the same way about like TVs and house shows, you know same thing…If you screwed up he’d go, ‘What the hell’s going on here?'”
Earl Hebner is full of stories, and he was a part of pro wrestling history along the way. It’s also nice to see that he was able to mend some of those relationships that he tarnished along the way.
Earl Hebner’s book titled “Earl Hebner: The Official Story” can be purchased at this link.
CM Punk shocked the WWE Universe when he returned at Survivor Series. He was on the December 8th episode of SmackDown, where he made an interesting remark about linking up with Shawn Michaels before he made his way to RAW next week. Fans didn’t have to wait long to see him on Deadline.
It was previously reported that CM Punk missed his flight, so he was in town for Deadline. That appearance was certainly a notable one.
Shawn Michaels opened the NXT Deadline premium live event, and he took the ring with a lot of energy. Then he asked fans if they are ready, and that is when CM Punk’s music hit.
CM Punk joined Shawn Michaels in the ring, and it was quite an experience. The two took a moment and even joked about the fact that Punk was wearing a Bret “Hitman” Hart hoodie. CM Punk said he forgot his HBK merch at home.
The two took a selfie together in the ring, because CM Punk said that people were taking pictures with him backstage all day, while they told him that he is their hero. Punk said it was only fitting that they snap that selfie in the ring with one of his own heroes.
CM Punk hyped his decision about which brand he will sign with on the December 11th episode of WWE RAW. Fans were very excited to see him open up Deadline, no matter which brand he ends up with on Monday.
Shawn Michaels and CM Punk were all smiles as they closed out the segment. This was a short opening for Deadline, but it certainly popped the crowd to see the Second City Savior and the Heartbreak Kid in the ring together.
What’s your take on CM Punk’s NXT Deadline appearance? Let us know what you think by engaging on social media!
Grayson Waller’s issues with NXT Head Shawn Michaels are likely to reach a boiling point at the upcoming NXT Roadblock event.
Waller has proven to be a thorn in the side of the two-time WWE Hall of Famer for some time, after failing to dethrone NXT Champion Bronn Breakker.
On the post-NXT Vengeance Day Conference Call last month, Waller confronted Michaels and asked what he needs to do to have the support of HBK.
Grayson Waller Effect
Waller’s actions have earned him a suspension from WWE NXT, but the Australian Superstar will be around for NXT Roadblock.
On Twitter, Michaels confirmed with a statement that Waller will appear at NXT Roadblock, which will take place next week on March 7, and that he will be the guest on the Grayson Waller Effect.
“Every day I focus on the development of the young men and women of NXT. I had my time in the spotlight. Now that attention should be directed on these incredible Superstars.
“However, knowing Grayson’s behavior will only get worse, and against my better judgment, l accept the invitation to be on the Grayson Waller Effect next week at Roadblock and promise to be as professional as I can be.”
Other confirmed plans for NXT Roadblock include NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez defending against Meiko Satomura.
Indus Sher will face the Creed Brothers and NXT Champion Bron Breakker in six-man tag-team action, while Dijak looks to settle things with Tony D’Angelo in a Jailhouse Street Fight.
Waller Vs. Michaels?
Many believe that this could set up a match between Waller and Michaels at a future NXT event.
Michaels retired from in-ring competition following his loss to The Undertaker at WrestleMania 26 in 2010.
In 2018, Michaels would have one more match, teaming with Triple H to defeat the Brothers of Destruction at that year’s Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia.
Since returning to the board, Vince McMahon has not been involved creatively in WWE.
During the NXT Vengeance Day pre-show media call, NXT Head of Creative Shawn Michaels fielded a bevy of questions. Perhaps the most notable comment throughout the call, was Michaels’ words on Vince McMahon’s involvement with the current product.
“He has not, and I don’t think (he will). I’d imagine Vince probably has bigger fish to fry than us down here in NXT. One of the things I enjoy about my job down here is the plausible deniability that I’m allowed to have. I don’t ask a lot of questions because I don’t want to know the answers to some of them. Even back when we were here [with Vince in charge], he was very good with us down here. They helped us in a certain way and guided us in how they wanted it to go, but after that, it was hands-off. Hunter, the same thing. They’re very good with us down here in NXT. They understand it’s a different environment down here, so we’re very fortunate to kind of be independent, no matter who is running the ship up there in Stamford, they allow us a great deal of freedom down here, which we appreciate.”
Vince McMahon Recently Returned to WWE
In April 2022, an investigation was launched by WWE following a WSJ report that Vince McMahon supplied over $3 million in ‘hush money’ settlements due to an alleged affair with a former company employee. Another issue came up for McMahon, as WSJ reported that McMahon, alongside now former company executive John Laurinaitis spent over $12 million in nondisclosure agreements following sexual misconduct allegations.
In July 2022, McMahon resigned from his duties as the company’s Chairman and Head of Creative. However, after just six months, McMahon announced his return to WWE’s board, who unanimously voted him back as Chairman of the company. Fans speculated that Vince McMahon would stake his claim back in creative; however, McMahon announced that he’d have no part in the company’s day-to-day operations and was solely focused on spearheading a potential sale of WWE.
NXT Vengeance Day Updated Card
Bron Breakker (C) vs. Grayson Waller — NXT Championship
Roxanne Perez (C) vs. Jacy Jane vs. Gigi Dolin — NXT Women’s Championship
Wes Lee (C) vs. Dijak — NXT North American Championship
New Day (C) vs. Pretty Deadly vs. Gallus vs. Chase University — NXT Tag Team Championship
Kayden Carter & Katana Chance (C) vs. Kiana James & Fallon Henley — NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship
Apollo Crews vs. Carmelo Hayes
SEScoops will provide live coverage of NXT Vengeance Day on Saturday, February 4, beginning at 7:00 p.m. EDT/4:00 p.m. PDT.
John Cena may have been lambasted by fans for years for his alleged inability to wrestle, but that didn’t stop him and Shawn Michaels from putting on a classic in 2007.
At that year’s WrestleMania, Cena retained the WWE Championship against Michaels in the main event, a year after defeating Michaels’ best friend Triple H at the show.
Meeting in a non-title rematch on the April 23, 2007 edition of Raw, Michaels and Cena wrestled for close to an hour before Shawn got the win with Sweet Chin Music.
Easy
The Cena-Michaels match would go for approximately one hour (including commercial breaks) and is heralded by many as one of the best matches in Raw history.
While speaking on WWE’s The Bump, Michaels recalled the match with the 16-time WWE World Champion.
“This is the end of the tour and John and I had to go an hour. No, look, there is no better guy to do it with than John, honestly, and I’ll say this — it sounds strange, but because, you know, it’s not a full hour and you feel like in your mind, even though you’re not dealing with commercial breaks, it’s not, it was really easy.”
Shawn Michaels
Michaels would later face Cena in a fatal four-way at WWE Backlash 2007 (which included Edge and Randy Orton) which Cena would win.
John Cena
It would be a long time before fans would come to appreciate John Cena’s talents in the ring (with many not doing so to this day.)
Addressing the WWE icon, Michaels called Cena a dream to share the ring with.
“John is, is such a dream to work with, John and I got along very well. It was a fantastic night and I had a chemistry with John that was darn near effortless … It was absolutely a piece of cake because you know, it was just a lot of fun.”
Shawn Michaels.
Cena is expected to next compete for WWE at WrestleMania 39, with rumored opponents including Austin Theory and Logan Paul.
Shawn Michaels has been a part of WWE for a long time and he has seen the company go through many monumental changes. Perhaps the biggest one was when the promotion shifted from taped shows to live television with the January 11, 1993 episode of Raw. HBK not only witnessed this change but he was a part of it. He was one of the talents who wrestled on the very first live episode of the red-branded show, defending the Intercontinental championship against Max Moon.
The former world champion and Shelton Benjamin were the latest guests on The Bump. Celebrating 30 years of WWE’s flagship show, the duo discussed the various stages of Raw’s evolution. Reflecting on the shift to Live Television, Michaels explained the biggest challenge of it was communicating the transition to commercials:
“Live television, of course, Shelton can attest to, we’ve come a long way now as far as you know commercial breaks and how you get there, the timing and stuff like that.” said Shawn Michaels, “So honestly that was the most difficult transition is understanding the live television, going to commercials, coming back from commercials.
The way you communicate knowing when you’re in commercials and out of commercials. You have all these things that are already running through your head in a wrestling match, the added element of live television was something that was truly fascinating and ground-breaking at the time for me. But again, all of it, a wonderful journey to [have] been able to [be] part of.”
WWE will be celebrating Raw’s 30th anniversary during the January 23 episode of the show. Apart from Shawn Michaels, the episode will feature legends such as The Undertaker, Ric Flair, Kurt Angle and many more.
The latest name has been revealed for the upcoming WWE Monday Night Raw 30th anniversary show as the company looks to load up the episode.
Names previously confirmed for the show include Kane and Sean Waltman. Tatanka noted on his official Facebook that he was invited to the event.
According to Pwinsider.com, Shawn Michaels will appear on the broadcast on January 23 from Philadelphia, PA. It’s unclear what he will be doing on the show or if Triple H and Road Dogg will appear for another DX reunion.
Shawn Michaels’ Raw History
Michaels has ties to the first episode of Raw and was even the first champion to defend a title on the show. It happened on the November 11, 1993, edition when he defeated Max Moon (Paul Diamond) to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
It was revealed last week that Ronda Rousey was removed from the Raw 30th anniversary advertisement from WWE.com. It’s unclear why she was pulled from the event, but she hasn’t been seen on television since dropping the SmackDown Women’s Title to Charlotte Flair last month.
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Bobby Lashley, Bayley, and Austin Theory are advertised to appear.
Everybody loves a title change, right? The joy of seeing history being made, and another name being added to a litany of champions.
For wrestlers, title victories mean that long after their careers are over, long after their lives are over, what they achieved will live on in the annals of history.
But for some wrestlers, their title changes were not meant to be, and while they had the joy of winning, they also felt the pain of having that win taken away.
With Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal almost becoming AEW World Tag Team Champions this week, we’re looking back at six times titles changed hands, but then didn’t.
The Rocket’s Reign Fizzles Out
Owen Hart held plenty of gold in the WWE, but never held the World Championship, despite what this image may suggest.
Bret Hart is considered one of the greatest WWF Champions of all time, but despite an impressive career of his own, his younger brother Owen would never win the gold.
Well, not officially at least, as during the August 17, 1994 taping of WWF Superstars, Owen defeated his big brother to capture the gold.
The problem for the Rocket though, is that Jim Neidhart had been caught interfering on his behalf, and the match was restarted.
In another excellent collision between the two, Bret would defeat Owen to retain his title, but the image of the Rocket with the title remains an epic sight.
Y2J Plays the Game
Chris Jericho’s arrival in the WWF in 1999 was a huge deal, and it wasn’t long before one of WCW’s most popular stars was hanging with the top guys.
On the April 17, 2000 episode of Raw is War, Jericho’s insulted Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, and was able to goad Triple H into putting his WWF title on the line.
With the hired APA holding DX at bay, Jericho was able to get the win over the Game, thanks to a fast count from Earl Hebner.
Hebner had been bullied by DX for weeks, but even he knew the decision couldn’t stand, and Jericho would have to hand back the title.
With this stricken from the record, Jericho would have to wait until late 2001 until he became the WWF Undisputed title, a title he’d ironically lose to Triple H.
The Miz Goes Over the Limit
The Miz held nothing back in his efforts to make John Cena quit, even using a recording of the future Hollywood star.
Last year saw The Miz become a two-time WWE Champion, and while his reign was short, it was a long-time coming for fans of the A-Lister.
After losing the WWE title in 2011 to John Cena, Miz tried to win it back, and in a shocking turn of events, his I-Quit match with Cena saw Big Match John utter those two words.
As Miz celebrated, his NXT protege Alex Riley dropped an item, revealed to be a recording of Cena saying those words, and the jig was up.
With the match restarted, Cena made Miz quit for real, and the Marine star would wait a long time before he earned his real second WWE Championship.
The Wrong Rope Break
The Rockers held the WWF Tag Team titles for a brief moment, but a ring rope breaking snapped their run.
When you think of tag teams who never held gold in the WWF, few teams are more celebrated than The Rockers.
The pairing of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty would wow fans with their high-flying skills, and on one fateful night, would even win the WWF World Tag Team Titles.
During an October 1990 taping for Saturday Night’s Main Event, the Rockers dethroned the Hart Foundation in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match.
The ring-rope breaking mid-match did not stop the action, but it was this rope break that would cost them dearly.
Unsatisfied with the match because of the rope, WWF higher-ups planned for it to be re-taped, but that never happened.
Explaining rumors of a phantom title change, WWF President Jack Tunney reversed the decision because the broken ring rope meant the bout was partially contested in an unfair environment, and on this occasion, it was Shawn getting screwed out of a title that was back in the hands of Bret Hart.
Inoki Makes History
Inoki’s career would include an unofficial run as WWWF World Champion, making him the first Asian WWE Champion.
When Antonio Inoki died last October, fans reflected on his incredible career, which included a reign as WWWF Champion.
Unlike others on this list though, Inoki’s title win was not immediately reversed and would come in November 1979, with a win over Bob Backlund.
A title rematch between the two went to a no-content, and the decision was made to strip Inoki of the title.
Backlund would defeat Bobby Duncum in a Texas Death Match to fill the vacancy, but the title controversy was never acknowledged, and fans at the time wouldn’t learn about Inoki’s win until years later.
Dusty’s Dream is Shattered
The American Dream celebrated his NWA World title win, before learning his win was being reversed and the reign nullified.
We couldn’t have an article like this without the namesake of the ‘Dusty Finish:’ The American Dream Dusty Rhodes.
As a booker, Rhodes often used the trope of the face seemingly winning only to heel come out on top, but at Starrcade 1985, Rhodes got a taste of his own medicine.
The show’s main event, which pitted Rhodes against NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair was a match for the ages, and one that saw Rhodes win the gold.
It wasn’t until the next WCW show that the elated fans learned the truth that Flair was still champion, as referee Tommy Young had been knocked out during the title match, and that since the first ref was down, the pinfall wasn’t official.
Flair regained the gold in a crushing moment for the American Dream, as the master of the Dusty finish got a taste of his own medicine.
Shawn Michaels may have mellowed out considerably from the man he was during the 1990s, but the WWE roster got a glimpse of the old HBK in 2007.
During the 1990s, Michaels was notoriously difficult to work with and would use his position as part of the Kliq to play politics backstage.
After a back injury ended Michaels’ career in 1998, the former World Champion would find his faith and return to the ring in 2002.
A Devil in a Robe
By 2007, Michaels was far from the wild child that terrorized the locker room during the New Generation Era, but there was still a spark of the old HBK.
Speaking on his Extreme Life podcast, Matt Hardy recalled the WWE roster going out to celebrate following Michaels’ near-one-hour match with John Cena on Raw in 2007.
“Shawn at this point, was not drinking, very religious. And Ric [Flair] was down there just annoying the sh*t out of him. He’s like ‘Come on Shawn! Look at the champ John! He’s the leader now. He’s having some drinks. Shawn, you can have a drink! It doesn’t make you a bad person.’
Matt Hardy.
The old Shawn Michaels
After plenty of nagging by Ric Flair, Michaels eventually caved, which brought out a side that the roster didn’t expect to see.
“Ric finally got Shawn to cave and have some drinks. So he’s sitting there having his drinks, and you’re seeing the ‘old’ Shawn Michaels starting to come out. And Jeff and I, we were just tickled.
“Look at you Jeff Hardy. A Shawn Michaels wannabe!”
A drunk Shawn Michaels in 2007.
“You see Shawn and now that he’s had a few, he says ‘yeah look at you Jeff Hardy. A Shawn Michaels wannabe! People know that I’m the real deal. You think you’re hot sh*t right, just because people love you. Well people will always believe in me! Are they going to always believe in you?”
Matt added that Jeff was wowed by the drunk Michaels, but that he and Matt found the situation to be hilarious.
Confrontation
Well and truly inebriated at this point, Michaels turned his attention to Umaga, who was having none of his antics.
“Shawn’s like ‘hey, look at the big man over here. I’m incredible! If I hit you with that superkick, everybody knows I can beat you.’
“And I will never forget Umaga just jumped up and [aggressively] said ‘why don’t you give me a shot right now then? Go on!’ and Shawn backed off. ‘Whoa brother, I’m just working brother. Work with me brother.'”
“I will never forget Umaga just jumped up and [aggressively] said ‘why don’t you give me a shot right now.”
Umaga confronting a drunk Shawn Michaels about his superkick.
Hardy said at this point, he and Jeff were crying with laughter, calling it one of his favorite stories of life on the road.
Well, today’s the big day. After weeks of counting down, Christmas Day is finally upon us.
This day will see countless people around the world open presents, and as we all know, WWE is no stranger to embracing the Holiday spirit
Here are five of the best Holiday moments to curl up in a warm blanket and watch this festive season.
5: A Christmas Carol starring ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper
We all have our favorite renditions of Charles Dickens’ classic tale ‘A Christmas Carol’ which tells the story of a wicked man who turns good when he learns about the meaning of Christmas.
Some people see the Muppets Christmas Carol as the best, while others like my father herald Alastair Sim’s 1951 portrayal of Ebeneezer Scrooge as the best telling of the story.
Well on December 20th, 1985, the WWF gave their own rendition of A Christmas Carol, this one starring none other than ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper.
Unquestionably the biggest heel of the year, that week’s episode of Tuesday Night Titans saw Piper visited by three spirits, eager to teach the Hot Rod to change his wicked ways.
Unlike Scrooge though, Piper learned no lessons, and would instead vow to be more wicked after his ghostly visitations.
It would be another two years before Piper turned face and become one of the most beloved good guys of all time, and by 1989, he’d be the one defending Christmas from Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan.
4: A Very Merry D-X-Mas
DX showed Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter exactly what they thought of him during an episode of Raw in 1997.
Forming in 1997, D-Generation X would establish themselves as a counterculture, anti-authority group, much to the chagrin of WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter.
After making an ass out of the company, Triple H and Shawn Michaels would go one step further, exposing their buttocks to spell out a festive message, all while Chyna was in the ring with them.
To counteract, Slaughter booked a gift of a main event: Shawn Michaels Vs. Triple H for HBK’s European title.
After teasing dissension for the rest of the show, the pair ‘fought’ in the ring, but to call this a match is a stretch.
Triple H “powered” Michaels to the mat out of collar and elbow tie-up, then comically ran the ropes before delivering a big splash that didn’t make contact.
One pinfall later and the Game was the new European Champion, while the two friends celebrated their very fake match.
Sure, it may have devalued the European title somewhat, but DX got one over on Commissioner Slaughter in an iconic festive moment.
3: The Arrival of Xanta Claus
ECW alum Balls Mahoney played Xanta Claus, an evil counterpart to Jolly ol’ Saint Nick who heralded from the South Pole.
We all know the story of Santa Claus: the rosy-cheeked, bearded legend who lives at the North Pole, and judges whether people have been naughty or nice.
Well after a career of humiliating others, Ted DiBiase was definitely on the naughty list, and proved just how bad he could be in 1995.
Interrupting a segment with Savio Vega and ‘Santa,’ DiBiase proved everybody has a price for him, as Mr. Claus attacked Vega.
With that, DiBiase introduced the wrestling world to Xanta Claus, the polar opposite (quite literally) of Jolly ol’ Saint Nick.
Xanta Claus (played by future ECW staple Balls Mahoney) would not last long, and while the angle is incredibly goofy, it goes to show that anything can happen in the WWE.
2: ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin Stuns Santa Claus
WWE has hosted plenty of festive shows over the years, but the December 22, 1997, episode of Raw remains arguably the best holiday edition of the red brand ever produced.
Airing from Worcester, Massachusetts, the show was dripping in festive cheer, but the most iconic moment came from good ol’ ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin.
After a fake Santa Claus mocked a young boy, Austin made the save, stomping to the ring in that way only the Bionic Redneck can.
Berating the evil Santa, Austin dropped the not-so-jolly Saint Nick in what has become an iconic Christmas moment.
For all of Austin’s badassery, the segment showed that Austin still had a heart, cementing why it was okay to cheer this foul-mouthed, beer-swilling S.O.B.
Stunning the fake Santa proved that you could never quite predict what the Rattlesnake was going to do, and this unpredictability would be just part of what would launch Austin into mega-stardom the following year.
1: Tribute to the Troops
Six years after stunning Santa Claus, Steve Austin donned the iconic red suit himself to drop then-WWE CEO Vince McMahon.
For most of us, the holidays are a time to be with family and loved ones, surrounded by presents, food, and warmth.
For those serving in the armed forces though, they don’t get to enjoy such luxuries, but WWE attempted to bring some festive cheer to those on duty.
In 2003, WWE introduced Tribute to Troops, an event that has become an annual display of support and appreciation for those who are risking their lives for their country.
The brainchild of John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield, the show still carries on to this day, though takes place back in the U.S. instead of being in the Middle East as it was originally.
Nevertheless, this small token of appreciation goes a long way, and with the show taking place every December, there are plenty of seasonal festivities to enjoy each year at Tribute to the Troops.
NXT head Shawn Michaels decided on Mandy Rose’s title loss this week immediately after learning of her exclusive online content.
Rose lost the NXT Women’s Championship to Roxanne Perez on this week’s NXT, who earned the match by winning the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline.
A day after her title loss, WWE released Rose over the exclusive photos and videos shared on her website.
Title Change
During the latest Wrestling Observer Radio Dave Meltzer reports that this week’s WWE NXT faced significant rewrites after WWE learned of Rose’s website.
“They switched the whole show around. What happened was, there was a meeting and Matt Bloom brought to Shawn Michaels, told him what some of the stuff that she’s been putting on her subscription service is.”
Dave Meltzer.
Meltzer added that Michaels immediately made the call for Rose to lose the title.
“Shawn’s immediate thing was, ‘We’ve got to get the title off of her immediately’. Switched around the whole show, got the title off of.”
Dave Meltzer.
Mandy Rose Today
While Rose is gone from WWE, it is believed that the promotion could welcome her back down the line.
As a main roster talent (albeit one who spent the last year in NXT) Mandy Rose is subject to a 90-day non-compete clause.
Rose has given a statement on her website, thanking her subscribers for their support and promising that the site is not going anywhere.
It has been reported that Rose is earning more with her online content than she did under contract as a WWE Superstar.
