A colossal rendering of the late ‘Sycho’ Sid Vicious has emerged in Manhattan, New York to promote Westside Gunn’s newest album Still Praying. The new 14-track album was released on November 1, and features Sid in the ring on the cover.

Westside Gunn’s wrestling fandom can’t be denied, as anyone who’s listened to his music will attest. Here are some lyrics from the popular music artist.

“Slam you on your neck like Bruno Sammartino / Welcome home Tito, you proud and sippin’ pinot.” – No Vacancy, Pray for Paris

“I’m impactin’ the culture like Eric Bischoff” – George Bondo, Pray for Parris

“Hit the brick with a Claymore kick, rock a Liz Claiborne, it ain’t safe for ’em (Ah)” – Claiborne Kick, Pray for Paris

“Trappin’ out the fiend spot, the b*tch had section 8/One deal went real bad, we had to wet the place (Brr, brr)/Denims Mankind, I’m talking Foley with the leather face” – Undertaker Vs. Goldberg, Hitler Wears Hermes 7

Gunn’s love of wrestling isn’t exclusive to WWE as he’s also shown love to AEW. Gunn was on the September 7, 2022, edition of AEW Dynamite in his native Buffalo, New York.

Sadly, Sid won’t get the chance to listen to the new album as he passed away earlier this year at the age of 63. Despite his passing, Sycho Sid remembers an iconic name in the world of pro wrestling and Westside Gunn’s album cover is a unique tribute to the former WWE and WCW World Champion.

Call him Sid Vicious, Sid Justice, Sycho Sid, or just plain Sid. Wrestling fans of the 1990s couldn’t avoid one of the most eye-catching and prolific attractions of the era. Sid Eudy had an incomparable look for a wrestling star and went on to play a major role in WWE and WCW alike, with stopovers in ECW and other smaller stages. While there are parts of his legacy that haven’t aged as well as others, he remains the subject of a great deal of nostalgia from some of wrestling’s hottest periods. Moreover, late in life, he role-modeled what life after wrestling perhaps should look like. Sadly, the world lost Eudy on August 26, 2024, but his legacy will remain for quite some time.

Sid Eudy Looked the Prototype of a Pro Wrestler

Though Sid Eudy famously had some real-life hard feelings with Arn Anderson (more on that later), Anderson nonetheless articulated what so many people who followed wrestling in the 1980s and 1990s thought: that Eudy had one of the greatest looks for pro wrestling of all time.

Indeed, billed at 6’9” and 317 pounds, Eudy was jacked to the gills, coming across as an absolute monster every time he walked to the ring. Accordingly, he was a key figure in popularizing some of the most over, fundamental big man offense of his generation and the ones to follow, delivering powerbombs and chokeslams with fiery authority.

Sid Eudy Wrestled in the Main Event of WrestleMania and Starrcade During the Monday Night War

Only a select few wrestlers have been entrusted with working the main event match at WrestleMania, and similarly, only a select class has had the chance to close WCW’s rough equivalent, Starrcade. The number of wrestlers who headlined both of these major shows is even smaller, and those who main-evented both Starrcade and WrestleMania during the white-hot period of the Monday Night War are limited to just two names: Bret Hart and Sid Eudy.

Eudy may seem like a less obvious name to have achieved this dual accomplishment and, in fairness, he was on the losing end of less-than-stellar main events in each instance. Nonetheless, his positioning to headline opposite some of the most iconic stars of the time in The Undertaker and Scott Steiner (not to mention main-eventing ‘Mania opposite Hulk Hogan at the tail end of the Golden Era) reinforces that Eudy was a consistent draw whom fans were eager to see working under the brightest spotlights in wrestling.

Sid Eudy’s Lows Don’t Overshadow the Way He Captured the Imagination of Wrestling Fans

The rise of the Internet wasn’t altogether kind to Sid Eudy. First and foremost, he wasn’t a “work rate” wrestler known to stage five-star classic matches. Moreover, he had some famous blunders during live promos and a weird reputation for allegedly feigning injury so he could play softball each year.

On top of all that, Eudy was involved in an infamous hotel room brawl that purportedly saw him stab Arn Anderson repeatedly with scissors in 1993. The incident wasn’t exactly a secret but exploded into fans’ consciousness online. Additionally, the last image many fans have of the big man was him incurring a horrifying leg injury in the ring during the main event of the Sin PPV in 2001.

There was plenty of reason for Eudy to become the subject of criticism and the butt of jokes following his retirement. Nonetheless, for fans who watched him live—especially as children—it’s hard to erase the aura the man once had. Indeed, for a certain generation, he was quite arguably the defining monster heel (or babyface) of wrestling and captured the imagination like few before or since.

Sid Eudy’s Life After Wrestling

One of the aspects of Sid Eudy’s life that will age quite well is that in a business in which so many people died young, often estranged from their families, or after making regrettable public comments that threatened to “cancel” their legacies, that was not Eudy’s story at all.

Eudy only appeared sporadically in wrestling post-WCW, working a bit on the indies and having a one-off appearance for WWE, taking down Heath Slater on Raw. More notably, his late-in-life social media posts were highlighted by loving photographs of him spending time with his grandchildren, looking content in a quieter life, away from the bright lights of wrestling.

Indeed, one of the sadder parts of Eudy’s final chapters of life is that he had openly written about his desire to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, citing that he thought he had a better shot with Vince McMahon no longer calling the shots. It’s unfortunate that he didn’t live to see this goal come to fruition before succumbing to cancer at the age of 63.

Sid Eudy lives on in the hearts and minds of professional wrestling as an influential star with an awesome look and prominent placement for some huge moments in wrestling history. It’s with a heavy heart and condolences to his loved ones that fans say farewell to The Master and The Ruler of the World.

More has come to light about the passing of former WWE Champion Sid Eudy, who died earlier this week at the age of 63. The passing of Eudy, better known as Sid Vicious, Sid Justice, or Sycho Sid, was shared publicly by his son Gunnar who noted that his father had been fighting cancer for years.

In an update also shared to Facebook, Gunnar shared more about his father’s health in the years prior to his death. Eudy had been dealing with congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation, and had also been battling Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

“Sid was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2016 and atrial fibrillation (better known as AFIB) around the same time. He was also given a pacemaker. In April 2021, he was diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which was linked to roundup weed killer.

“Although he never told anyone about his fight against cancer, Sid lived his life to the fullest, attending the gym, boxing classes, making appearances for his fans, and of course t-ball games for the kids. He passed away peacefully in his bed, leaving behind a legacy of strength and determination. I’ve never met anyone with a fraction of the strength as my father he truly was one of a kind.“

Gunnar was also appreciative of the wealth of support and tributes to his father that have taken social media by storm since Sid’s passing.

“Thanks everyone for the uplifting words and love we definitely feel it we have received thousands of messages and are grateful for everyone of them. I don’t have time to reply but I have read them all thank you thank you thank you!“

Sid accomplished plenty in his wrestling career though sadly was never inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame prior to his passing. Tragically, Sid said just last month that he felt an induction was more likely now that Vince McMahon is gone from WWE, and suggested doing more with WWE.

Our thoughts remain with the Eudy family and those who knew Sid at this time.

Damian Priest shared a unique tribute to Sid Eudy on this week’s RAW, following the former WWE Champion’s passing aged 63. Eudy, better known to fans as Sycho Sid and Sid Vicious, died after a battle with cancer and his passing was confirmed via a statement on Facebook by his son Gunnar.

On WWE RAW, Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley fended off an attack by The New Judgment Day. In the segment, Priest can be heard shouting “We are the masters and rulers of this world!” to the faction he was once part of. This was a line that Sid used throughout his career and Priest and Ripley proceeded to destroy JD McDonagh and Carlito.

Priest is one of several wrestlers to pay tribute to Sid as heartfelt messages have been pouring in from talent who knew the former WWE and WCW World Champion.

What’s Next?

Priest and Ripley will compete this Saturday at the first-ever WWE Bash in Berlin Premium Live Event that will take place in the city’s Uber Arena. On the show, the Terror Twins will take on WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley and ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio. After a tag-team of betrayals at SummerSlam, Priest & Ripley have vowed to bring hurt to the new Judgment Day and plan on doing exactly that in Europe later this week.

The wrestling community is honoring the memory and mourning the loss of wrestling legend Sid Eudy (AKA Sycho Sid/Sid Vicious) at age 63. Eudy’s son, Gunnar, shared on Facebook Monday afternoon that his father passed away after several years of battling cancer.

After the unfortunate news broke, the wrestling community took to social media to express condolences to the Eudy family and share memories of “The Master and Ruler Of The World.”

Here are some reactions from the wrestling world:

Sid Eudy’s Career In Wrestling

Eudy had a successful wrestling career from the late 1980s to the early 2000s. He first gained attention in WCW as a member of the Skyscrapers with Dan Spivey and later as a member of the Four Horsemen, but it was when he went to WWE (then WWF) in 1991 as Sid Justice that he caught many fans’ attention.

He famously eliminated Hulk Hogan from the highly revered 1992 Royal Rumble Match. This led to their matchup in the main event of WrestleMania 8 on April 5, 1992, which Eudy lost by disqualification. Although he lost, Eudy’s performance stood out as it was the rare time a superstar kicked out of Hogan’s iconic leg drop.

Eudy eventually left the company for a brief stint with WCW in 1993. He returned to WWE on February 20, 1995, during the episode of Monday Night Raw as Shawn Michaels’s bodyguard. He would be an essential part of the storyline between “HBK” and Diesel’s (AKA Kevin Nash) feud that culminated at WrestleMania 11 on April 2, 1995, and would betray Michaels that night after on Raw. The attack on his former helped Michaels go on his “Babyface” run, leading to his WWE Championship win against Bret Hart at WrestleMania 12. 

Becoming The WWE Champion

After the split in 1995, Eudy struggled to find success as a “Heel.” However, the following year, he gained the fans’ support as Sycho Sid and became one of the company’s popular “Babyfaces.” The wrestling legend gained momentum with his new identity and earned an opportunity to challenge Michaels for the title at Survivor Series at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, on November 17, 1996.

Although WWE tried to position Eudy as a “Heel” during the match, the audience famously cheered for him as he defeated “HBK” to win his first WWE Championship. It marked a rare occurrence at the time as the crowd went against the status quo of wrestling to cheer for the “Heel” and was another sign that the wrestling business was changing.

Eudy held the title for two months before losing it to Michaels in a rematch at the Royal Rumble on January 19, 1997. However, his win at Survivor Series remains one of the moments in wrestling history that marked a cultural shift, as fans rebelled against what the company intended and are open to doing so more frequently today.

Final Years Of Sid Eudy’s Legendary Career

Eudy would reclaim the WWE Championship on the February 17, 1997, episode of Raw by defeating Bret Hart. He held the title for over a month before losing to The Undertaker at WrestleMania 13 on March 23, 1997. The loss would be the final time Eudy would be a champion in the company, and he would eventually find himself leaving WWE to work for different promotions, including a brief stint in ECW in 1999.

He would make another return to WCW as Sid Vicious at the Great American Bash on June 13, 1999, to attack Nash after he defeated “Macho Man” Randy Savage by disqualification. His comeback to the company would put him in the mix as one of the featured talents on the WCW roster, and he would win his first title by defeating Chris Benoit for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship at Fall Brawl on September 12, 1999. The win led to Eudy’s infamous feud with Goldberg, leading to the champion destroying his car on the September 27, 1999 episode of Monday Night Nitro. Eudy would yet again not have a long title reign as he dropped it to Goldberg at Halloween Havoc on October 24, 1999.

Eudy’s career in WCW continued to have highs and lows during his run from 1999 until the company closed its doors after WWE bought it. He would win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship twice, but both reigns lasted less than two months. His career sadly took a turn for the worse when he fractured his leg after jumping from the top rope in a Four-Way Dance match against Scott Steiner, Jeff Jarrett, and Road Warrior Animal at Sin on January 14, 2001. The injury would take him out of action for the rest of WCW’s operation before being sold. 

Eudy would eventually return to wrestling in later years, but he wasn’t the same after the injury and began to slow down his career. He notably appeared on the 1000th episode of Monday Night Raw on June 25, 2012, in a win against Heath Slater. 

Final Words On The Legacy Of Sid Eudy

Eudy leaves behind a tremendous legacy of moments for wrestling fans to appreciate. With his size and devasting power, he was a special wrestler in the ring. However, Eudy also could entertain viewers with his personality. In one instance, he could intimidate fans with his intensity in his promos, and in other moments, he could make you laugh, like when Goldberg demolished his car.

He didn’t have long reigns as a champion in WWE or WCW. That said, he was an essential figure for different storylines and moments that defined the times he competed in that will be remembered forever.

SEScoops extends our heartfelt condolences to Eudy’s family and friends during this difficult time. 

The wrestling world is mourning the passing of Sid Eudy, better known as Sid Vicious/Sycho Sid, who passed away this week ahead 63. On Facebook, Eudy’s son Gunnar shared the sad news.

Dear friends and family,

I am deeply saddened to share that my father, Sid Eudy, has passed away after battling cancer for several years. He was a man of strength, kindness, and love, and his presence will be greatly missed.

We appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we grieve this loss. Details for a memorial service will be shared soon.Thank you for your support.

Sincerely, GunnaR Eudy

Remembering Sid Eudy

With his six-foot-nine frame, Sid Eudy seemed built for wrestling, and he literally towered over the top stars of his era including the Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, and Hulk Hogan. Sid’s career would see him hold the WWE Championship and WCW World Heavyweight Championship on two occasions apiece.

Something of a journeyman, Sid never stayed in one promotion for long. In the 1990s alone, Sid competed for NWA: WCW, the WWF, WCW again, the USWA, the WWF again, the Independents, in Mexico, ECW, and once more in WCW. Sid’s travels made him an instantly recognizable star who amassed legions of fans throughout his years in the ring.

For all his accomplishments in the world of professional wrestling, Sid has yet to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Just last month, Sid was optimistic about an induction now that Vince McMahon has left WWE, and hoped to do even more with the company. Unfortunately, now any future induction will come posthumously.

Outside the ring, Sid was a father of two boys, Gunner and Frank, and husband to Sabrina Paige. Eudy was a fan of softball, so much so that he played the game briefly during a hiatus from wrestling from 1997 to 1999. Sid also appeared in a handful of movies, including the infamous Ready to Rumble, but it was his efforts in the wrestling industry that fans will always remember the man we knew as ‘Sycho.’

We at SE Scoops would like to offer our condolences to Sid’s friends, family, and those who knew him at this time.

The chances of Sycho Sid taking his place in the WWE Hall of Fame may have improved now that Vince McMahon is gone, according to the former World Champion. Speaking to the Attitude Era podcast, Sid admitted that “Vince [McMahon] didn’t like me so much” and believes this is why he’s not been offered a Hall of Fame spot. With McMahon exiled due to Janel Grant’s lawsuit, however, Sid is hopeful that those still with WWE will be open to offering him an induction, and possibly more.

“If you get back in, you might want to do something like a part-time deal, [be a] manager, or special — I think I was pretty good at interviews, too. There’s always a lot of people having a hard time with that. If I could teach them, maybe I could help them do their interviews.”

Sid worked with some of the top names in WWE during his tenures with the company, including Hall of Famers such as Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker. It was against these two that Sid headlined WrestleManias 8 and 13 and he has the distinction of having only main event matches at the Showcase of the Immortals.

While Vince McMahon may not have liked Sid, the former WWE Champion was brought back in 2012 as part of the build towards the 1,000th episode of Monday Night RAW. He was later featured as DLC in WWE 2K17, his first WWE video game role since WWE WrestleMania Steel Cage Challenge in 1992.

Bringing Sid back would be a huge deal, but WWE has a history of welcoming back talent it appeared they’d never work with again. In 2013, Bruno Sammartino was brought back as part of that year’s Hall of Fame, and CM Punk’s return last November proved to never say never in wrestling. With that in mind, fans can’t count out Sycho Sid taking a giant step into the Hall of Fame, especially now that Triple H has full say on the inductions.

Related: Sycho Sid Says Bret Hart Was Overrated In Work With Shawn Michaels

A former WWE backstage producer was recently arrested in Vanderburgh County, Indiana. According to a report from PW Insider, Sarah Stock was arrested early Sunday morning and charged with aggravated battery, public intoxication, disorderly conduct, and resisting law enforcement.

She was booked and released early Sunday morning by the Vandenburgh Sheriff’s Department.

Stock had been with WWE since 2015 but was furloughed this spring and later released due to the ongoing global pandemic. She wrestled as Sarita in TNA Wrestling from 2009 to 2013. She has also competed for companies such as Shimmer as well as CMLL in Mexico. Stock had previously wrestled under the names Dark Angel and Canadian Dark Angel as well.

While in TNA, Stock won the promotion’s women’s tag-team championships twice. She won the inaugural titles in 2009 with Taylor Wilde. They would hold the belts for 106 days before dropping them to Awesome Kong and Hamada.

Stock would team with Zelina Vega in 2011 and again win the belts. This time her team defeated Angelina Love and Winter to gain the championships. They would hold the titles for 129 days until dropping them to Brooke Tessmacher and Tara. Her 2 reigns and 227 combined days spent with 1/2 of the women’s tag belts ranks her 5th all-time in the promotion.

• WWE Releases Mike Rotunda & Sarah Stock

Former WWE & WCW World Champion Sid Vicious was recently interviewed by Hannibal TV and gave his thoughts on the state of WWE’s roster.

As a perennial main event performer, Sid has been in many locker rooms. With all of his years in the business, he thinks he knows who is capable of drawing money – and he’s not impressed with Kevin Owens or that “Yakamora guy.”

“This is the thing. It reminds me of the time I left, when business was hot. I came back as Sycho Sid, and I was looking at people like Rex King and Steve Doll, and I’m going, ‘Hold on. I know these guys and they’re not money people. What’s going on?’ When I got there, I saw business was that bad. I hate sayin’ it, but I see people like Kevin Owens and this Yakamora guy, and these other people like this. When I see that, I’m going, ‘Business has gotta be bad, or they’re at a point where they don’t care.’ That’s all I know.”

Sid also commented on Roman Reigns, saying he’s light years ahead of Kevin Owens.

“I think [Reigns] is one of the better talents they’ve got. He looks credible, he looks good, [he’s] a good interview. And if we’re gonna compare him to anybody, let’s just compare him to the last guy you said, the fat guy in the T-shirt, Kevin Owens. There’s no comparison. I think he’s light years ahead of that guy.”

Sid also commented on Jinder Mahal, who he actually wrestled around a decade ago in Canada’s Great North Wrestling promotion. He doesn’t remember their match, but said Mahal is doing a great job.

Check out Sid’s remarks below:

The main event of this week’s NXT was a women’s championship 3-way elimination match. Asuka would once again defend her title against Ruby Riot and Nikki Cross.

NXT
June 14th 2017
Full Sail University

1. Drew McIntyre vs. Rob Ryzin

• No highlights of this match were posted.
• This was a showcase match for Drew.
• McIntyre wins a quick bout, finishing him off with a Yakuza kick.

Winner: Drew McIntyre

2. Authors of Pain vs. Anthony Dominguez & William Freyday

• Only Akam wrestled for AOP in this match. Rezar just stayed on the outside and talked with Paul Ellering.
• Akam finished off the local talent, and his partner finally came into the ring after the match to deliver the Super Collider.
• They cut a promo about how Heavy Machinery were foolish to challenge them.
• This brought out Heavy Machinery and the 2 teams stared each other down for a moment.
• Paul Ellering got in between the four of them and ordered his team to back away.

Winners: Authors of Pain

3. The Velveteen Dream vs. Raul Mendoza

• The Velveteen Dream does not appear to be going by Patrick Clark anymore.
• He wins clean here with a very Macho Man-esque flying elbow drop.

4. NXT Women’s Championship Match
3-Way Elimination Match
Asuka (c) vs. Ruby Riot vs. Nikki Cross (Sanity)

• Cross picked up the first pin by eliminating Riot with a corkscrew neck breaker while Riot was draped on the top rope.
• Asuka and Cross then just started to have a wild brawl.
• They brawled to the back and the ref waved the match off.
• In the final move of the brawl Cross hit Asuka with a cross body that took both of them through a table.

Johnny Mundo recently spoke with TVInsider.com to promote Lucha Underground seasons 1 and 2 arriving on Netflix. Here are some highlights of what he said about:

Lucha Underground on Netflix: “It’s finally happening. Netflix never had anything like this because I always looked at Lucha Underground as a hybrid between an episodic TV show and a pro wrestling show. We’ve got a one-hour show, which is different than the traditional two- or three-hour wrestling show. And it moves like a TV show. I felt from day one it would be a perfect fit for Netflix.”

Lucha Underground Season 4: “There are so many things I want to see happen. I hope in the future we do some touring, upgrades to the Temple where instead of 500 people there is room for a thousand or 1,500. We could change venues. Touring is exciting. Working with bigger sponsors is exciting. For me, if they change the Temple, they can bring a whole new set of challenges or things for me to jump off of and do parkour and integrate it into matches. The opportunity to do more with vignettes. There is the potential of doing movies about the origins of the stars of Lucha Underground, which has been discussed before by creative. The deal with Netflix can open up so many doors. I’m just really happy to be a part of it.”

Head over to TVInsider.com for the full interview.

The latest development in the ongoing battle between WWE and the various wrestlers suing them came today in the form of WWE filing a motion to dismiss the action filed by Marcus “Buff” Bagwell and Scott “Raven” Levy. This is the case dealing with WWE Network royalties, and there are two prongs to it:

1. That WWE has a legal obligation to pay both wrestlers royalties for WCW footage in general.
2. Levy’s 2000 WWF contract, because it allows for royalties from videos released in formats yet to be invented and did not specifically exempt royalties from internet and video on demand subscription fees the way current WWE contracts do.

WWE’s motion to dismiss deals with each in simple yet highly detailed fashion:

1. WWE does not fall under any of the legal criteria that would make it a successor company to WCW, if just because the legal entity formerly known as WCW still exists as the Universal Wrestling Corporation. Both plaintiffs’ WCW contracts also saw them forgo video royalties in exchange for other considerations.
2. The key language in the contracts is that royalties come from a “direct sale” of WWE home video products, with the references to technology not yet invented referring to formats like Blu-Ray. It didn’t exist at the time of the contract, but, like VHS, Laserdisc, and DVD, it’s a physical product that can be sold and re-sold. There’s also a detailed argument about how there’s legal precedent saying that a “sale” refers to a physical product, not a temporary license like a WWE Network subscription is. WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt also points out that a WWE contract’s royalty structure is pretty much impossible to apply to WWE Network.

No word yet as far as when a ruling should be expected.

This flew under the radar in light of the other Donald Trump news in the mainstream the last couple days, but on Thursday night, Politico reported that it looks like WWE co-owner Linda McMahon’s possible presidential appointment is running the Small Business Administration. Politico’s source was quoted as saying that “It’s very, very real,” adding that “For the last several days, it has been discussed seriously internally.” McMahon met with the President Elect at Trump Tower on Wednesday, and had previously been rumored to be up for a Secretary of Commerce appointment.

The Small Business Administration is best known for its various loan programs for, well, small businesses. It also provides “Disaster Loans,” where victims of natural disasters who aren’t eligible for FEMA assistance can get low-interest loans to help them get back on their feet.

WWE Smackdown (11/29)

This week’s episode of Smackdown kicked off with Renee Young in the ring. Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch joined her in the ring for a contract signing for their Smackdown Women’s Championship match this Sunday at WWE TLC. Alexa Bliss told Renee Young to get out of the ring. Bliss also scolded Renee for her fashion choices. Becky Lynch then compared Alexa to her four year old cousin. Bliss continued to insult Becky Lynch and they both signed the contract. After they both signed it, they brawled in the ring. Lynch hit the Becksplex on Alexa Bliss. Alexa then fought back and shoved Becky through a table off of the turnbuckle.

Reaction: I thought this promo was really good. Becky Lynch can be a bit of adventure on the microphone but tonight she did a good job. Alexa Bliss is excellent on the microphone and her facial expressions are hilarious. I find this feud to be much more interesting than the one between Charlotte and Sasha Banks on Raw.

.@AlexaBliss_WWE blocks @BeckyLynchWWE's #Bexploder, and sends the Champ crashing through the table! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/gbOh4XYeVU

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Dolph Ziggler & Kalisto vs Baron Corbin & The Miz

Corbin dominated the match early and threw Ziggler out of the ring. The Miz was then tagged in and he immediately grabbed a ladder from under the ring. Ziggler got up and connected with a DDT on The Miz outside the ring. Ziggler then hit Corbin with a Superkick. Back in the ring, Ziggler tagged in Kalisto. The Miz hit Kalisto with a boot to the face and dove outside the ring onto Ziggler. Miz then launched Ziggler into the barricade surroinding the ring.

Kalisto then dove onto Corbin outside the ring. Ziggler hit a Superkick on The Miz as he was lying on the ring apron. Maryse shoved the ladder into Ziggler’s face. Kalisto landed the Salida del Sol on The Miz in the ring. Before the referee could count to three, Baron Corbin nailed Kalisto in the back with a chair. The referee then disqualified The Miz and Baron Corbin.

Winners via DQ: Dolph Ziggler & Kalisto

Reaction: This was a quick match but it served a purpose. Ziggler will be facing The Miz in a ladder match for the IC Title on Sunday. Corbin will be squaring off with Kalisto in a chairs match at TLC. Both the ladder and a chair came into play during this match. I like it when things make sense, don’t you?

.@BaronCorbinWWE, you can't do that until Sunday at #WWETLC! @HEELZiggler & @KalistoWWE win by DQ! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/IDPvwvv19j

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

American Alpha were interviewed backstage about their match tonight versus Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton. Gable and Jordan stated that they will prove again tonight why they are the best team in the WWE.

Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton and Luke Harper were then shown backstage. Orton interrupted Wyatt and questioned Luke Harper. Orton asked Harper if he was going to do what needs to be done tonight against Kane. Harper looked aggravated and Wyatt instructed Harper to go send Kane back to hell. There is obviously some friction between Harper and Orton. I do not believe that Harper is completely sold on Orton joining the Wyatt Family.

"Harper … go send @KaneWWE back to HELL!" – @WWEBrayWyatt #SDLive #WyattFamily pic.twitter.com/GLnJn5MvrR

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Carmella came down to the ring for a match but that never happened. Carmella gave a special message to John Cena. Carmella apologized for what she will do to his girlfriend, Nikki Bella at TLC. Carmella claimed that she was going to rearranged Nikki’s “Bella twins” and her face as well. Nikki Bella came sprinting from backstage and attacked Carmella. The referee seperated them and that allowed Carmella to haul off and slap Nikki in the face. Nikki then got up and continued the assault on Carmella.

"@JohnCena, I want to publicly apologize for what I'm going to do to your girlfriend [at #WWETLC]." – @CarmellaWWE #SDLive pic.twitter.com/lNqKBBw8PB

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Ambrose Asylum w/ Dean Ambrose

Dean Ambrose introduced James Ellsworth as his first guest on the Ambrose Asylum. An “Ellsworth!” chant broke out amongst the crowd. Ambrose poked fun at Ellsworth’s old wrestling boots. Ellsworth thanked Ambrose for helping him become an official WWE Superstar. Ellsworth stated that if Ambrose ever needed anything he would do it. Ambrose asked Ellsworth to wash his car, do his laundry and pick him up a six-pack and some candy for later.

Ambrose asked Ellsworth who he will be rooting for this Sunday at TLC. Ellsworth stated that it would be an honor to wrestle Dean Ambrose for the WWE World Championship. AJ Styles interrupted the party and stood on the announce table. Styles poked fun at Ellsworth and called him a dummy. Ambrose stated that Styles had then lost to a dummy three times.

Styles got in the ring and claimed that he was tired of Ambrose making him out to be a joke. Styles demanded respect and claimed that he was going to beat the hell out of Ambrose at TLC. Styles dared Ellsworth to show up during his match againt Ambrose at TLC. Ambrose claimed that Styles was weak mentally. Ambrose stated that this Sunday the fun and games were over. Ambrose went on to state that he will recapture the WWE World Championship at TLC.

Styles pushed Ellsworth into Ambrose who fell into a ladder. AJ then whipped Ellsworth into a table and smashed Dean Ambrose with the steel steps. Styles returned to the ring and beatdown Ellsworth. Styles hit Ellsworth with a ladder and then tossed him out of the ring. Ellsworth’s feet got caught up in the bottom rope and Styles hit him with a steel chair. AJ then hit the Styles Clash on Ellsworth off of the steps onto the floor outside the ring.

Reaction: Finally, Styles got the upper hand on Ellsworth and Ambrose. I find Ellsworth to be very entertaining but I’m not really interested in seeing him in the WWE World Championship picture. Having said that, this was a very good promo. There has only been one match in the first hour and fifteen minutes of tonight’s Smackdown. Usually that would annoy me but tonight’s promos have all ended in brawls.

"@AJStylesOrg has just delivered the MOTHER OF ALL #StylesClashes to @RealEllsworth!" – @MauroRanallo#SDLive #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/KKihIY7zO4

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Luke Harper vs Kane

Kane and Harper tied up to begin the match. Kane shoved Harper down and Harper got back up and they locked up again. Harper bounced off of the ropes and hit a couple of shoulder blocks but Kane was not phased. Kane then leveled Harper. Luke Harper got back up and hit Kane with a series of uppercuts. Kane once again shrugged them off and came right back at Harper. Smackdown went to a commercial break with Luke Harper outside the ring with a shocked look on his face.

When Smackdown returned, Harper was in control of the match and had a Chinlock applied to Kane in the center of the ring. Kane battled out of the Chinlock and hit a Jawbreaker. Kane went for a Chokeslam but Harper blocked it and kicked Kane in the head. Harper went for a pinfall but Kane kicked out at two. Kane fought back and connected with a DDT on Harper. Kane followed it up with a Sidewalk Slam and went for a pin but Harper kicked out. Harper battled back and hit Kane with a Dropkick to the ribs. Kane was affected and hunched over in the corner. Harper leaped on him twice and connected with a couple of shots to the ribs. Harper then then climbed to the second turnbuckle and hit Kane with a couple of punches.

Kane fought out of the corner by hitting a Powerbomb on Harper. Kane once again went for the Chokeslam but Harper grabbed the rope. Harper connected with a Sidewalk Slam of his own but Kane kicked out once again. Kane slammed Harper to the mat and climbed to the top rope. Kane went for a Clothesline off of the top rope but Harper ducked it and drilled Kane with a Superkick. Kane once again powered out of the pinfall at two. Harper then climbed to the top rope but Kane got up and punched him in the face. Kane then joined Harper on the turnbuckle and connected with a massive Superplex to Harper.

Both men slowly got back to their feet and began to trade punches. Kane blocked a punch by Harper and grabbed his throat. Kane then connected with a Chokeslam and picked up the victory.

Winner: Kane

Reaction: When you think of Kane versus Luke Harper it doesn’t sound like it would be a good match. This match was actually quite good. The announcers made a comment after the match that Bray Wyatt will not be happy with Luke Harper following this loss to Kane. I’m intrigued with the Wyatt Family storyline right now. It appears that Harper may be on his way out and Orton will be replacing him. I’m curious if this will wind up with Orton turning his back on Bray after he has already destroyed the Wyatt Family from the inside. I do not really know where they are going with this and that is a good thing. Luke Harper has always been one of the more underrated Superstars on the roster. I wouldn’t mind seeing him in the Intercontinental Championship picture and having a single’s run of his own. Harper can work well with almost any male Superstar on the Smackdown roster. I think if you put him up against someone like Baron Corbin they would put on some very physical and entertaining matches.

#CHOKESLAM by @KaneWWE!!! ONE TWO THREE!! #SDLive @LukeHarperWWE pic.twitter.com/46nPuNNTqZ

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Smackdown Tag Team #1 Contenders Match: Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt vs American Alpha

Randy Orton and Jason Jordan started out the match. Jordan went on the offensive to start things off. The WWE cut to Slater and Rhyno watching the match from backstage. This was humorous because the television screen they were watching was black for a second and essentially Slater and Rhyno were staring at nothing.

Bray Wyatt entered the match and Jordan went to jump onto him but Wyatt ducked and Jordan went flying into the ropes. Bray tagged in Orton and he continued the assault on Jordan. Gable tagged himself in and immediately connected with a Crossbody off the top rope on Orton. Gable climbed to the top rope again but Wyatt knocked him to the outside of the ring and Smackdown went to a commercial break.

When Smackdown returned, Wyatt and Gable were in the ring. Wyatt hit Gable with a DDT on the ring apron. Wyatt then went for a pin but Gable kicked out at two. Orton then entered the match and applied a Chinlock to Gable. Orton hit a Powerslam on Gable and once again went for a pinfall but it was unsuccessful. Orton tagged in Wyatt and Gable connected with a Dropkick then sent Bray to the mat. Gable tried to tag in Jordan but Bray got up and punched Jordan off of the ring apron.

Bray mounted Gable on the mat and punched him in the face several times. Orton was tagged back in and propped Gable up on the top rope. Orton connected with a Superplex on Gable. Jason Jordan and Bray Wyatt were then tagged in. Jordan leveled Wyatt with an overhead Belly to Belly Suplex. Chad Gable hit Orton with a Cannonball off of the ring apron. Back in the ring, Jordan hit a German Suplex on Bray Wyatt.

The lights then went out and Luke Harper was ringside. Bray went for the Sister Abigail but Gable prevented it. American Alpha then went for the Grand Amplitude but Orton hit Gable with an RKO out of nowhere. Jordan went to hit Bray with a Spear but Harper pulled Bray out of the way. Wyatt then hit the Sister Abigail on Jordan for the victory. Wyatt and Orton will now face Slater and Rhyno at TLC this Sunday. Slater and Rhyno were interviewed backstage but AJ Styles interrupted. Styles stated that nobody cared about the Tag Team titles. Ambrose then appeared out of nowhere and attacked Styles and Smackdown went off the air.

Reaction: This was a very solid match to close out a good episode of Smackdown. It appears that Harper and Orton are back to getting along for now. Tonight’s episode was promo-heavy but they all were effective. TLC is shaping up to be an exciting show and I cannot wait to watch it on Sunday.

Winners & #1 Contenders For The Smackdown Tag Team Championships: Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt

#SisterAbigail!! The #WyattFamily is going to #WWETLC to face @HeathSlaterOMRB and @Rhyno313!! #1Contender pic.twitter.com/telCi0c0T9

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

205 Live (11/29)

Austin Aries and Corey Graves joined Mauro Ranallo on commentary. All of the Superstars on 205 Live were on the entrance ramp and they were introduced to the WWE Universe. A vignette for the Bollywood Boyz was then shown.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803797913251917824

Bollywood Boyz vs Drew Gulak & Tony Nese

Harv and Gurv Sihra started out the match on the offensive. Tony Nese was laid out by both of them but was able battle back and tag in Gulak. For the next few minutes, Gulak dominated the match. Nese was tagged back in and he continued the assault on the Bollywood Boyz. Gulak got back into the match and maintained control of the match.

Nese got back in the match and he applied a Chinlock to one of the Bollywood Boyz. Harv battled out of the Chinlock and connected with a Neckbreaker. Harv tagged in Gurv and he hut Gulak with several chops and a kick to the face. The Bollywood Boyz hit a double Superkick on Drew Gulak for the pinfall victory.

Winners: The Bollywood Boyz

Reaction: Not the best way to start off the debut episode of 205 Live. There were some cool spots in this match but overall it was very clunky.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803800282756878338

TJ Perkins and Brian Kendrick had a confrontation. Perkins stated that he is still owed a rematch and that he wants Kendrick to retain the Cruiserweight Championship tonight. Perkins wants Kendrick to keep the belt so he can get his rematch and take the title away from him.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803801771600580608

Ariya Daivari vs Jack Gallagher

Gallagher started out this match extremely cocky and applied a few submission holds to Daivari while posing for the crowd. Daivari battled back and but Gallagher escaped his Headlock. Gallagher did a handstand on the top turnbuckle and then took Daivari down. Gallagher then tied Daivari up in a knot in the center of the ring and taunted him from the corner. Gallagher then hit him with a running kick and Daivari escaped the knot.

Daivari connected with a Neckbreaker on Gallagher and slapped him in the face a couple of times. Daivari applied a Chinlock but Gallagher fought out of it and connected with a couple of Dropkicks. Gallagher then headbutted Daivari and hit him with a Dropkick in the corner for the victory.

Winner: Jack Gallagher

Reaction: This match was bizarre and entertaining. Jack Gallagher may look ridiculous but he is fun to watch. The main positive to take from this match is that Gallagher was able to get the crowd into it. That is something that has escaped the Cruiserweight division when it is featured on Monday Night Raw.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803803266274369537

Cruiserweight Championship Match: Brian Kendrick (c) vs Rich Swann

Kendrick started off the match in control. Swann battled back and hit a Dropkick. Kendrick kicked out of a pinfall and Swann applied a Chinlock. Kendrick reversed the Chinlock into a German Suplex. Kendrick attacked Swann in the corner but Swann fought back and connected with several chops to the chest of Kendrick.

Swann landed a Tiger Bomb on Kendrick and Kendrick rolled out of the ring. Swann followed him out of the ring and hit a Summersault Clothesline off of the barricade. The action returned to the ring and Kendrick connected with another German Suplex. Kendrick then hit a Neckbreaker and Swann’s head hit the top turnbuckle. Swann then fell out of the ring and to the floor.

Swann was able to get back in the ring before the referee counted him out. Kendrick immediately hit him with a Suplex. Kendrick went for the Captain’s Hook but Swann blocked it. Swann then connected with a Michinoku Driver on Kendrick. Swann followed it up with a kick to the face of Kendrick. Swann went for the Standing 450 but Kendrick got his knees up and then locked in the Captain’s Hook.

Swann was able to reach the bottom rope and the crowd cheered him on. Both men were on the top turnbuckle and Kendrick bit Swann’s wrist and hit Sliced Bread. Swann kicked out and the crowd started to chant “this is awesome!”. Swannt connected with three spinning heel kicks in a row and pinned Kendrick for the victory.

After the match, Swann thanked his mother that has passed away and dedicated the match to her. Kendrick was also interviewed on the entrance ramp. Kendrick blamed the loss on TJ Perkins for playing mind games with him earlier in the night. Kendrick also stated that the WWE Universe should not get used to Swann as the Cruiserweight Champion. Kendrick vowed to get his title back and walked away.

Winner & New Cruiserweight Champion: Rich Swann

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803809979639558144

Reaction: 205 Live started off slow but picked up momentum and wound up being a pretty decent show. I thought the match between Kendrick and Swann was very good. I hope that the Cruiserweight division gets some more time on Monday Night Raw as a result of this show but I doubt that will be the case. Overall, both Smackdown and 205 Live were good shows tonight.

What did you think of this week’s episodes of Smackdown and 205 Live? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

– As noted last week, Vader was involved in a serious car accident last Tuesday that left him trapped upside down for more than 30 minutes while unconscious. Vader tweeted this photo of his wrecked car, noting that he rolled over twice.

Rolled it over twice I was loke a giant penatta That bigdent is where my head was A very thanful Vader Time pic.twitter.com/hQ0buFnVQs

— Big Van Vader (@itsvadertime) November 14, 2016

– A WrestleMania 33 online ticket pre-sale will be held this Wednesday at 10 AM ET. The pre-sale password is WWEFAN.

https://twitter.com/wrestlemania/status/798238995310383104

– Here’s the official logo for WWE’s new 205 Live cruiserweight series, which premieres on the WWE Network next Tuesday November 29th following SmackDown Live on the USA Network.

Yahoo News posted a story on Wednesday morning about Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s connections to Robert LiButti, a reputed mob member who was a regular at Atlantic City casinos when the former was in that business. It’s a topic they’ve covered in the past, including how Trump Plaza was fined over connections to LiButti before he was banned from New Jersey casinos. The new story, however, centers around new evidence they discovered that theoretically rebuts Trump’s claims that he didn’t know LiButti: The two of them attending WrestleMania IV together.

Held at the Atlantic City Convention Center (billed as “Trump Plaza” due to the hotel sponsoring the event), Trump is seated in the front row opposite the hard camera throughout WrestleMania IV. LiButti is next to him the whole time. However, even though the show is on WWE Network with minimal edits, this is how Yahoo referred to the clip (emphasis ours):

The reputed mob figure, Robert LiButti, can be seen standing alongside Trump in the front row of a 1988 “WrestleMania” match in Atlantic City, N.J. LiButti wasn’t there by accident, according to his daughter, Edith Creamer, who also attended the event. “We were his guests,” she told Yahoo News in a text message this week.

The video was given to Yahoo News by a confidential source who discovered it in the online archives of World Wrestling Entertainment, the sponsor of “WrestleMania.”

The images and clips in question have the WWE logo on them and appear to be taken from WWE Network’s version of the WrestleMania IV broadcast, not any kind of leaked video taken from WWE’s servers. Also, while worded oddly, that last part of the quoted section isn’t even factually true. as Trump Plaza was the sponsor of the event. That’s why the Atlantic City Convention Center was referred to as “Trump Plaza” for the show, because the sponsoring hotel got naming rights a la Atlantic City boxing events from that era.

Analysis: Politics aside, this is really strange, but also not the first time something like this happened during the election. Other outlets have branded previously broadcast Trump clips as exclusive discoveries, though not necessarily with the “confidential source” angle and sleight of hand used here by Yahoo. Even though there’s news value to tying together Trump and LiButti with the clip, the claims about the sourcing cast a shadow over the entire piece.

There’s a new promotion in the WrestleMania weekend indie show mix, and it’s a surprising one. WhatCulture Pro Wrestling, the new UK-based promotion, announced on Monday that it will be running a show in Orlando on the afternoon of April 1st.

April 1st, 2017. We're coming to Orlando! Tickets and info: https://t.co/iWT93q0Uxf pic.twitter.com/4wU3Un5xmK

— DEFIANT Wrestling (@DEFIANTwres) October 24, 2016

That’s the day before WrestleMania 33, and if past years are any indication, WCPW will likely be running shows opposite WrestleCon, WWE Fan Axxess, Shimmer, possibly Evolve, and probably various local promotions. Announce so far are Joseph Conners, Joe Hendry, Martin Kirby, El Ligero, Grado, Primate, Drake and “Many more yet to be confirmed!” In other words, WCPW’s core wrestlers are committed but not any outside talent as of yet.

WCPW got a lot of attention for an internet pay-per-view a few weeks back that included very expensive fly-ins like Minoru Suzuki, Kurt Angle, Bret Hart as a surprise, and the commentary team of Jim Ross (during college football season, no less) and Jim Cornette (who never flies except for offers he can’t refuse). The response was mixed, in large part due to streaming issues on the WCPW side (FITE TV’s stream was unaffected).

Analysis: WrestleMania weekend is already a crowded space, to the point that this only makes sense if a lot oft he costs (staff flying in for WrestleMania weekend, the wrestlers working other shows and having promoters split the costs of flights, etc) are already taken care of in large part. Maybe this will have a unique appeal to the throng of British fans in town, but they also could decide they’d rather see different wrestling if they’re traveling abroad.

Yesterday, we reported on how Chris Smith at Forbes had put together a list of WWE’s highest paid wrestlers. While lists of this kind have gone around for years, they’re usually of some nebulous origin or an incredibly unreliable source like CelebrityNetWorth. This is different, however: Not only is it from Forbes, the magazine of record for finance, but it’s also an actual Forbes staff writer as opposed to their larger contributor network. Nothing against them, but they weren’t hired with the financial angle in mind. Since it’s a Forbes article from a Forbes staffer, the list is being taken a lot more seriously than these things usually are.

In his article, Smith claims that “Over the last year we’ve pored over court documents, SEC filings and WWE’s booking contracts and spent hours speaking with industry sources, allowing us to construct the first ever FORBES list of WWE’s Highest-Paid Wrestlers.” Let’s take a look at the list again:

1. John Cena: 9.5 million
2. Brock Lesnar: 6.0 million
3. Triple H: 2.8 million
4. Randy Orton: 2.7 million
5. Seth Rollins: 2.4 million
6. Roman Reigns: 2.1 million
7. Undertaker: 2.0 million
8. Big Show: 1.5 million
9. Kane: 1.3 million
10. Dean Ambrose: 1.1 million

So, what do we know about the numbers on Smith’s list for Forbes?

The only one whose pay would come up in SEC filing is Triple H, since he’s an executive officer of WWE under his real name of Paul Levesque. This does appear to be correct: If you don’t include stock awards, and Smith didn’t, he made $2,812,629 in 2015. That’s broken down as $573,269 in salary for his executive role, $526,000 in incentive plan compensation, and $1,713,360 for his pay as talent, $1 million of which is his contracted downside guarantee. There’s a note that “Mr. Levesque has out-earned this minimum guarantee in each of the past several years.”

Randy Orton and John Cena both had divorces, though only Orton’s finances went public as a result. TMZ reported that at the time of the July 2013 divorce, Orton was making $291,666 a month, or just $8 short of $3.5 million in a year. It’s not clear if that was his total 2012 pay or what, as the belief is that WWE’s downside guarantees never top $1 million. Cena did have his annual earnings pegged as about $10 million by Wrestling Observer editor Dave Meltzer in January, while Meltzer has also reported Brock Lesnar’s pay in the past because he gets a flat fee per appearance. In the past, Meltzer has said something to the effect of how these days, it’s understood that The Undertaker’s $1 million guarantee is considered his WrestleMania payoff. With additional appearances headlining SummerSlam and Hell in a Cell last year, $2 million sounds reasonable.

It gets hazier after that as you move further down the line.

In a deposition that I cited in my January article for SBNation about Big Show’s flirtation with boxing, Big Show said that when he returned to WWE in 2008, he asked for $1.25 million and a $250,000 signing bonus…but that was eight years ago and it’s not clear in the public filings if he even got what he wanted. A deposition with his wife, who apparently handles their finances, had her testifying that she didn’t think he made any bonuses on top of his base salary. That would be unusual for a full time WWE performer, but it could also have to do with confusion over the nature of WWE contracts. WWE pay works two ways: You can just take your per-event pay and royalties as they come, or you can take your downside guarantee as a salary and get a balloon payment at the end of the year for what goes over the guarantee. Since he has little merchandise, $1.5 million doesn’t sound outrageously low, though.

Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Kane, and Dean Ambrose all have little to no information out there about their pay. Kane recently put his home up on the market and it was huge, sprawling property with a house customized to his specific needs as a very tall man, but because he’s based in Knoxville, Tennessee, the price was dramatically less than you’d think, coming in under $1 million.  The rest seem realistic enough.

What do you think of the list? Let us know in the comments.

It’s a bit strange that this wasn’t officially announced yet, but it’s hard to argue with the evidence: Dave Meltzer is reporting at F4WOnline.com that it looks like WWE may have found a way to quickly get some major historical figures into their hall of fame at this Saturday night’s induction ceremony. A WWE Hall of Fame class of 2016 shirt being sold at the WrestleMania store at AT&T Stadium includes not just the announced inductees, but also a “WWE Legacy Award” with Ed “Strangler” Lewis, Frank Gotch, George Hackenschmidt, Lou Thesz, Mildred Burke, Pat O’Connor, and “Sailor” Art Thomas all listed under that heading.

As of this writing, WWE has not said anything else about the new Legacy Award. The obvious inference, though, is that the company is addressing the long-held criticism that they won’t ever put in a number of deserving inductees due to the unofficial “quota” on deceased inductees for each year’s ceremony. This would be a simple way to solve that problem: Induct several missing historical figures each year as a group. If there’s something else to it, who knows? But it’s hard to think of any alternative scenario besides the one outlined here.

While the pre-television era wrestlers included here (Lewis, Gotch, and Hackenschmidt; Thesz and Burke straddled both eras) were never really considered realistic candidates to be inducted. Thesz not being in had been controversial for many years. It goes a bit deeper than that, though: When he and Wahoo McDaniel passed away within two weeks of each other in April 2002, neither death was acknowledged on WWE programming. The uproar online was significant enough that WWE eventually ran a quick feature honoring both. Given the alleged “death quota,” nobody ever really expected him to go in the Hall of Fame, especially after when happened in the first place when he passed away.

Thesz was in the first class of the WCW Hall of Fame, but in the 15 years since WWE bought WCW and the 12 years since the WWE Hall of Fame was restarted, WWE never adopted WCW’s hall as their own. That would have been a quick way to add Thesz and McDaniel, among others.

One would think that the Legacy Award will be officially announced on this week’s edition of SmackDown. We should know that any moment now, as the show has already aired in Canada. If it’s not announced on SmackDown, this may just be a small gesture that WWE is making without a lot of fanfare.

I’m waiting for the night to fall
I know that it will save us all
When everything’s dark
Keeps us from the stark reality

-Depeche Mode, “Waiting For the Night”

Waiting was the theme in the Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker trial today.

It took about two hours after the normal 9:00 a.m. start time before jurors were let in due to arguments between the lawyers on both sides. Even the media and other observers had to wait, as while the cameras were on, the arguments were all conducted at Judge Pamela Campbell’s bench, which is off-mic (and the live stream is muted for good measure). After that, Gawker presented portions of Hogan’s various depositions in the case, mostly to establish the idea of him being publicity-hungry and fueled the fire about the tape more than just posting the clips and article did.

The jury was then let out to wait again, this time until tomorrow morning, when they’ll hear closing arguments. For the rest of the afternoon, there were some arguments between both sides. Gawker tried and failed to get the full length video admitted into evidence and it’s not clear why they tried now. The edited version they put online will be available to the jury but not presented in open court. Hogan attorney Kenneth Turkel also demanded that Gawker somehow keep track of if anything had been done with regards to “Gawker’s stream” of the trial during Gawker head of sales Mia Libby’s testimony on Tuesday. Libby, when asked if Gawker ran ads on the pages with the streams, wasn’t sure but said she didn’t think so.

It turned out there were, and Turkel went off about Gawker pulling the ads and/or the stream during her testimony. There’s no proof they did either, though LiveStream, the host of the stream they embedded (which was provided by third party website Wild About Trial anyway), was down for an extended period that day. Gawker attorney Michael Berry had no clue what he was talking about, and seemingly, neither did Judge Pamela Campbell, but she still granted the motion to preserve whatever is relevant pending a written technological explanation. It was bizarre to watch.

Reporters also waited all day for a ruling from the appellate court with authority over the case to release a new decision on the case’s sealed records, which came late in the afternoon. They’re gonna wait another day for more, as tomorrow, at 4:00 p.m. ET, the Florida 2nd District Court of Appeals will release the previously sealed filings in the case. Hogan’s emergency motion for clarification was granted…sort of. From today’s new DCA order:

At a couple different points tonight, the official WWE Games Twitter account tweeted these animated GIFs to hype Tuesday’s release of the Hall of Fame downloadable content pack for WWE 2K16, which is out this Tuesday:

Tatsumi Fujinami battles @RicFlairNatrBoy in the #WWE2K16 HOF DLC on 2/23! Details: https://t.co/jp2yakMZRp pic.twitter.com/MraHdecC2r

— #WWE2K25 (@WWEgames) February 19, 2016

Tatsumi Fujinami vs. @RicFlairNatrBoy in the #WWE2K16 HOF DLC! Drops 2/23! Details: https://t.co/jp2yakMZRp pic.twitter.com/KHlWWxZmho

— #WWE2K25 (@WWEgames) February 19, 2016

It was already known that 1991 versions of Ric Flair and Tatsumi Fujinami plus a relevant match replay mode were in the Hall of Fame pack, but they had two matches that year. It seemed like it made more sense for 2K to base it off their match from Superbrawl in St. Petersburg, Florida, but from the above footage, it looks like they didn’t. Instead, 2K picked the OTHER Flair-Fujinami match, from the NJPW Tokyo Dome show that year, which is known as both WCW Japan Supershow and NJPW Starrcade ’91 In The Tokyo Dome. So that means that the arena that comes in the pack is an ersatz Tokyo Dome, faithfully recreated by 2K Sports. They can’t call it that (and I don’t believe WWE games ever name real venues), but 2K does a great job with the presentation of the arenas and this should be no exception.

Here’s the full lineup for the DLC pack, which, if this is any indication, should also include at least two more WCW arenas and some early ’90s WWF arenas along with period appropriate versions of the wrestlers:

• “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. Jake “The Snake” Roberts
• Rikishi vs. The Rock
• Alundra Blayze vs. Paige
• Larry Zbyszko and Arn Anderson vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat and Dustin Rhodes
• Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Ric Flair
• The Bushwhackers (Butch Miller and Luke Williams) vs. The Natural Disasters (Typhoon and Earthquake)
• The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) vs. Harlem Heat (Booker T and Stevie Ray)

Yesterday, we told you about the reports that Gawker was seeking to bring on outside investors for the first time as a way of making sure that legal fees for defending Hulk Hogan’s lawsuit don’t bleed them dry. Today, it’s official: The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal are reporting that Columbus Nova Technology Partners, a Silicon Valley investment firm, is buying a minority stake in the company. In addition to helping to pay legal bills, the new cash infusion will help fund growth initiatives.

Jason Epstein, managing director of Columbus Nova, will get a seat on Gawker’s board. He told the Times that “We have been attracted to the company because of the authenticity with which they approach all storytelling. I will have no input on the editorial, or the editorial mix. Any changes will be driven one way or another by Nick and the team.” Gawker refused to comment on the specifics of the deal itself, but company founder Nick Denton did speak to the Times about the site in broader terms.

WWE talent booking contracts have become almost commonplace online, thanks in large part to WWE’s own filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As a public company, all of World Wrestling Entertainment’s executive officers need to have their contracts released in SEC filings. Since WWE has multiple executive officers who also happen to perform for the company, that means that their talent contracts are all public and we see the current WWE contract whenever they re-sign. Older contracts have also come out in lawsuits over the years, as well, along with other internal pay documentation.

But one thing that I don’t recall seeing before is an official WWE termination letter. In one of the ongoing series of concussion-related lawsuits from wrestlers and their families represented by lawyer Konstantine Kyros, one was filed by WWE last week. Specifically, it’s the 2008 termination letter for Nelson Frazier Jr., then known as Big Daddy V, also known as Viscera and (King) Mabel. WWE outside counsel Jerry McDevitt filed a motion where one issue covered was Frazier’s place of residence, so he filed Frazier’s termination letter to show where he lived when the two parties ended their relationship. Here’s the full letter, minus personal information that I redacted:

There are a few key takeaways here beyond just the curiosity of seeing one of these:

• This is a notice of his termination being effective three months later. It’s tricky to figure out precisely how that relates to the conventional wisdom that there’s a 90 day “non-compete” period, as what WWE allowed during that period has changed at times. Here, it’s pretty clear that there are still 90 days left that the wrestler is still under contract and there’s nothing about being allowed to work elsewhere. These days, wrestler can usually pick up non-televised indie bookings while still being paid his or her WWE guarantee for 90 days, which can be fairly lucrative. One unique example is Daniel Bryan, who was re-hired before the 90 days were up after his abrupt firing in 2010.
• The wrestler being told to pay “particular attention” to the “promoter intellectual property” section of their contract is essentially telling them not to use their WWE names. In the case of Frazier, page 25 of his 2007 contract says that the WWE intellectual property is Viscera, Vis, Big Vis, Mabel, M.O.M., Men on a Mission, Ministry of Darkness, Corporate Ministry, and The World’s Largest Love Machine.The previous page says his IP is just his real name.
• Wrestlers must return “any tangible property” of WWE that they took possession of during the course of working for the company, “including, without limitation, costumes, accessories, inventions, and any title belts.” Since the wrestlers buy their own costumes, it’s hard t figure out what any of those could be other than the title belts.

Overall, though, there’s nothing too surprising here. It just helps demystify the inner workings of WWE a bit, and that’s always fun.

Mike Johnson at PWInsider is reporting that WWE alerted the roster yesterday to a new bit of policy enforcement. Back in May of 2011, all of the talent had to sign a rider to their contracts that was then added to the standard talent booking contract. From section  9.12 (d) of Stephanie McMahon’s 2013 talent contract, which is the most recent contract publicly available (all caps formatting is in the original):

NOTWITHSTANDING PROMOTER’S CURRENT POLICY OF PAYING MEDICAL EXPENSES FOR INJURIES WRESTLER MAY INCUR WHILE PERFORMING UNDER THIS AGREEMENT, WRESTLER SHALL MAINTAIN, AT HIS COST AND EXPENSE, HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE. THIS HEALTH INSURANCE MUST REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT, AND WRESTLER SHALL PROVIDE PROMOTER PROOF OF THIS INSURANCE ANNUALLY. WRESTLER MAY AT HIS ELECTION OBTAIN HEALTH, LIFE AND/OR DISABILITY INSURANCE TO PROVIDE BENEFITS IN THE EVENT OF PHYSICAL INJURY ARISING OUT OF OTHER PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES; AND WRESTLER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT PROMOTER SHALL NOT HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUCH INSURANCE OR PAYMENT IN THE EVENT OF PHYSICAL INJURY ARISING OUT OF HIS PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES.

Since then, WWE and Linda McMahon (who ran for one of Connecticut’s United States Senate seats in 2012) have been able to truthfully claim in the media that all talent has health insurance. That’s even though WWE does not provide the insurance or offset the cost in any way (unless WWE covering all on the job injuries lowers the wrestlers’ premiums).

What Johnson is reporting today is that WWE announced to the talent that as of February 21st (Johnson wrote 2/21/15 but that appears to be a typo in the context of what he wrote), they will be doing random checks with insurance companies to make sure that the wrestlers are fully compliant with the terms of their contracts. The memo stated that anyone without insurance must get everything in order in the next 60 days or else risk their status being that they would “not be available” to wrestle.

In other words: If you don’t have insurance, you’re being sidelined.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEu6NGPA0Cg

If the details of the report are true, then WWE must have or be in the process of getting HIPAA waivers from each talent to contact their insurance companies. HIPAA refers to the terms set by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which put the current American medical privacy laws into effect. Without a HIPAA waiver from each wrestler for their respective insurance company,the insurer is legally bound from telling WWE (or anyone else without a waiver) if the person in question is a member. It’s not entirely clear why WWE is doing this right now. The obvious inference is that some wrestlers found ways to game the system, perhaps by dropping the coverage for most of the year.

Outside of WWE, there is now widespread coverage of wrestlers in Mexico stemming from a deal made this past Summer. Around 2003-2004, TNA did provide group health insurance to wrestlers, but it didn’t last long and reviews of the coverage were mixed at best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D53kCsSHzw

The latest chapter in the drama between Gawker and Hulk Hogan (real name Terry Bollea) came yesterday, with Gawker attempting to file a stay to block a judge’s ruling while they file an appeal. That’s the ruling from last week, when  Judge Pamela Campbell ruled that a forensic investigator can be hired at Hulk Hogan’s request to search Gawker’s computers and phones. The goal? Discovering if Gawker violated a court order in their lawsuit.

Hogan is suing because Gawker published excerpts of a sex tape shot without his permission on a friend’s home security system, and insisting that Gawker is playing dirty. The allegation/ That the leak of Hogan’s racist comments that got him fired by WWE came from Gawker, and that they sourced sealed documents to facilitate said leak. While not the only sealed documents in the lawsuit, everything from the FBI’s investigation into Hogan being extorted via the sex tapes has been sealed from the public.

Gawker is arguing that there is little basis for such a wide examination of employees’ and in-house counsel’s computers. They also cite their earlier filings when they responded to Hogan’s attempt to get the investigation going, which shed more light on, among other things, exactly what Gawker received from the FBI. With the argument being that there’s barely even circumstantial evidence that Gawker was behind the leak, they state that:

* A timeline of what’s contained in the Hogan/Heather Cole sex tapes was circulating in New York and Tampa radio circles by March 2012.

* Other parties who were well aware of Hogan’s racist comments before this past July included Bubba Clem, Heather Cole, Nik Riichie of TheDirty.com, the source of an October 2012 item in the Philadelphia Daily News, Keith Davidson (the lawyer who tried to help a client sell the videos to Hogan or extort money from him depending on your view), Davidson’s client, numerous federal investigators, and TMZ’s Mike Walters,

* Gawker didn’t have most of what was released by the National Enquirer in the first place, with what they have from the FBI being incomplete. The audio of the FBI sting on Davidson (where Hogan, his lawyer, and Davidson watch the videos) “simply does not include most of the quotes reported by the Enquirer.”

The radio community timeline, which Gawker got in discovery, “does not contain the racist language published by the Enquirer. It also does not reference Bollea’s use of homophobic slurs, as reported by the Enquirer.” Davidson’s transcripts, which Gawker’s lawyers got from the FBI, also don’t match what the Enquirer published.

Specific examples of quotes that the Enquirer had that Gawker’s lawyers didn’t included some of the most damning ones. That includes “I guess we’re all a little racist. F**king n***er,” which is probably the most cited one because it’s used to refute people who say Hogan’s not a racist.

* Gawker never had proof of the racist comments “in large part because Bollea successfully thwarted Gawker’s efforts to obtain that proof or take any discovery about the contents of the timeline and transcripts.”

Hogan had, under oath, represented to the court and the Special Discovery Magistrate overseeing the sealed documents that he besides what Gawker got in 2012, he “had no knowledge of the existence of any other tapes.” In actuality, he watched all three (the one Gawker got, the one with the racist comments, and one more) during the FBI sting. He also claimed that any allegations of racist comments on the videos were lies fabricated by an extortionist.

In a hearing on July 1st, a few weeks before the leak, Hogan’s lawyers claimed that if a video with the racist comments existed, then the audio may be from an impersonator hired by the extortionist. They also argued that the rumors of such comments may have been coming from the extortionist. On top of that, it was argued that mentions of the FBI investigation shouldn’t be allowed in the case because it was “predicated on these tapes purportedly saying something that they don’t say.”

* The DVDs of the sex videos Gawker has are heavily edited. None of the racist comments were included. At the time of the leak, “reprocessed” versions of the DVDs (there were issues with the first one) had not yet been seen by Gawker’s lawyers.

@petersterne they didn't. An exhaustive @radar_online @NatEnquirer investigation uncovered multiple sources who provided us with transcript

— Lachlan Cartwright (@LachCartwright) July 24, 2015

* The Enquirer and its reporters have always claimed that Gawker was not one of their five sources for the articles. They also worded the articles to make it clear that the sources had access to the unedited videos themselves, or at least it seemed that way.

Regardless of your feelings as to the main case and whether Hogan should win that, it does seem like Gawker has a very compelling argument when it comes to this. While the appeals court itself has generally favored Gawker, this attempt at getting a stay is with the trial judge, who has seemingly favored Hogan. It should be interesting to se where this goes, and we’ll keep you apprised of any updates.